The Christie Loves Box

If you saw my last post on 'What I got for Christmas' then you would have seen the sneak preview of one of my gifts, the Christie Loves Box. I received this from fellow blogger and bestie Kim. When I unwrapped the outer layer of paper, I was so excited at what I saw and intrigued as to what was inside. The box was covered in cactus print paper. I was really impressed how she managed to wrap this all up and align all the paper so it all looked like one piece!

The box was filled with everything that I love, and most impressively a magazine alongside the gifts. I could tell a lot of thought and effort had been put into creating this and I loved it! I didn't read it straight away as I didn't want to spoil what gifts I was about to open. There was a page on home decor which featured this gorgeous pineapple cushion, as well as saying that all of the decorating I was doing was sending me 'fruity' (get it?!) in the head! It suggested that this cushion would look great in a home office and I agree, and that is where it will be showcased! As well as the cushion, I received this lovely little dish which is great for flatlays and some flatlay tips from the expert herself!

I was over the moon when I opened up one of the little bags filled with makeup! I felt spoilt to see that I had some Too Faced goodies including the gingerbread melted matte lippy, white chocolate chip palette and also mascara. I was really impressed by the eyeshadow palette and it smells amazing too. This liquid lipstick is SO GOOD and by far the best lip product I have owned. I wore it Christmas day and it took a lot to budge it, even after eating. The little magazine did warn me about the velvet applicator but I saw past that when I realised how fantastic this was. I want more colours now! I can see why Kim swears by them! I also received an eyebrow shade which I am yet to experiment with and a gorgeous mirror from Lisa Angel which also follows the cactus theme.

As well as some flatlay tips in the magazine there was also a section on planners. I received some great stickers that I can use in my 2018 diary! I especially love the wedding countdown ones, I have put these on my calendar so I can see them and have used the dress sticker to mark my next fitting. It's less than 11 months to go now, eek!

Finally there was a few other pieces that tied in with the magazine. I got a slow cooker recipe book, cookie cutter and a pug stress ball. I especially liked how the magazine had a photo of one of my slow cooked meals, it really was very well thought out. I can't wait to try out some more.

Overall I really loved receiving this box and it definitely filled a hole where My Little Box used to be. It was just so thought out and the gifts were really lovely. Thank you Kim for such a great gift!

Have you ever created anything like this for one of your friends?

Psychic Email Reading - Review*

This post is a little bit different from anything I have posted before, however I want to share with you my experience. I was recently contacted about having a Psychic Email Reading and having never had one before I thought I would give it a go. I really didn’t know what to expect or what would come out of it, but after looking through Lyndsay’s website I was excited to give it a go. Lyndsay was born psychic and can give you insightful information about your past, present and future by working with a spirit guide.

Before my reading, I sent over a photograph of myself and was asked for two questions that Psychic Lyndsay would then pass on to the spirits. The first question I asked was about my financial situation. Anyone that knows me will probably be able to assume that over the next year I won’t have a lot of money with a wedding to plan and pay off, so I’ll be honest I did expect this to come back in my reading. My reading was very accurate, the spirit even said I may have some money left over for a holiday and I am hoping this means a honeymoon as it is something we weren’t thinking was possible due to funds. I won’t go into every single detail, however I could relate to every single part of the reading.

The second question I asked was about my career, as I have been trying to get myself a promotion by taking on extra work and activities. I was told that I need to stand up for myself more and know my worth which is 100% true. I often find myself doing too much work that is above my paygrade but not standing up and saying no. The spirits believe I will be in my role for another year max, so that was quite interesting to know. My role at work is changing so whether that means what I am doing now will change or a whole new job I am not sure. I felt very positive after my reading and I think the spirits confirmed to me what I already knew deep down. It makes such a difference when you hear these things from someone else.

Psychic email readings include a minimum of 600 words with in depth answers to your two questions and cost just £33. I think it would be a good gift idea for someone who has everything, or even for yourself if you are curious. The reading is delivered in PDF format to your email address within 10 working days. Mine came through rather quickly and I was so excited to read it. There is so much more I want to know!

If you would like to get your own email reading, head over to Lyndsay’s Website. What do you think?

Snapfish Personalised Christmas Gifts*

I’ve had a few chances to work with Snapfish this year and I am very grateful for the opportunities. When I was contacted to showcase some more personalised Christmas gifts, I jumped at the chance to create some really exciting Christmas goods!

You can’t go wrong with a festive mug. There are plenty of colour options available and I decided red would really fit in with the festive season.  There are new designs, embellishments and plenty of text options can be used on the mugs to create something really unique and special. I used some of the photos from my festive photo-shoot and added some Christmas themed embellishments. Gift this to someone stuffed full of hot chocolate sachets and marshmallows for the perfect gift. These cost just £8.99.

I never knew that Snapfish sold Personalised Christmas Round Acrylic Ornaments so I took the opportunity to purchase one of these too using one of my festive photos. I love how unique this looks on my tree and I think I will have to start a tradition and get one done every year now! The image is glossy on one side and matte on the other so you can use it both ways if you don’t have any text included. You can add any photo you like. The photo is placed underneath a round piece of acrylic keeping it well protected and the image is clear and easy to see.

I ordered a selection of 7”x5” greetings cards which I could then personalise myself. Prices start at just 75p. There were so many Christmas templates to choose from and the cards were very reasonably priced. Me and  James took a few Christmas themed family photos beforehand, cracking out the festive jumper and accessories especially for the photos on the cards. I even got my cat involved and added him to a few of the cards too. Customising the templates was so easy to do. I chose a design I liked from the huge range of cards available then swapped out the template photos for my own. I was then able to change the text on the front of the card, and add text on the inside too. There was also the option of adding photos inside the card which I think is a nice touch. The quality is really good and each card comes complete with an envelope ready for you to send to your recipient.

To get your own personalised Christmas gifts, head over to the Snapfish website. Keep an eye out for fantastic deals and offers.

*I received these items free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

The Bluffer’s Guide to .. Stocking Fillers*

With Christmas drawing closer and closer I am desperately rushing around trying to get all of my shopping finished and top up everyone’s presents with little stocking fillers that really finish a gift off.

When I heard about the range of books available at Bluffers, I was intrigued to find out what they were all about. With more than 5 million copies sold, Bluffers have over 88 titles to choose from. They offer short humorous guides on all sorts of topics which enable you to become an instant expert in that field. Topics range from Food, to Dogs, to Sport and you can find a full list over on their website.

Bluffers very kindly sent me a few of their guides for review, and I think they are great. These are the perfect addition to anyone’s Christmas gift. I received the Bluffer’s Guides to Cyling, Cats and Food, priced at just £6.99 each, or currently you can create your own personalised gift set and pick up 3 for the price of 2 over on their website. 

The Bluffer’s Guide to Food is my favourite book of the three, and let’s face it – who doesn’t love food?! This book is filled with witty one liners and things even I didn’t know as a food lover. For example, did you know the potato originated from Peru?! 

The Bluffer’s Guide to Cycling is informative and gives you as much information as you need to be able to bluff your way through a conversation with a keen cyclist. Cyclists love to over-complicate different things but I can now happily say I know the difference between a bonk and a peloton.  Not only is the book funny it will be loved by all. 

 

The Bluffer’s Guide to Cats was the first book I looked at and I can guarantee all cat lovers would be over the moon with receiving this on Christmas morning. I flicked through the book to brush on my already strong cat knowledge to become a fully-fledged cat whisperer – no joke.

These small paperbacks are witty and fun and provide you with just the right amount of facts to be able to ‘bluff’ yourself through any encounter with an expert in that field. As well as being really funny, the books do actually provide you with some interesting facts. I would love to receive one of these for Christmas, I can see myself now reeling off facts about Cycling around the turkey on Christmas day, my family bemused wondering where on earth I developed this sudden knowledge.

If you’ve got someone you don’t know what to buy for, then Bluffer’s Guides are great. Pop these on your Christmas shopping list, I guarantee your family and friends will love then, and you won’t want to part with them! Buy now direct from Bluffers or Amazon.

*I received these items free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please see my disclaimer for more information.