Birthday Haul 2018

Another year has passed and I am another year older. I had an amazing birthday and cannot believe it's all over and I am another year close to the big 3-0! I received some lovely presents and cards and thank everyone who bought me something or wished me a Happy Birthday. These posts shouldn't need a disclaimer but you know the drill. I am not bragging, I have not named who has got me each thing and I have not featured every item. I hope this post gives you some good ideas for gifts for your friends and family. Lets get to it!

First I thought I would share some of the running gifts I received. I have started getting into running this year and it is starting to become a hobby that I enjoy and I never thought I would enjoy exercise! I received so many handy presents such as running socks, a towel, belt, magnets to hold race numbers and lots more goodies. I also received a 6 month subscription to a running magazine which I have really been enjoying and getting lots of tips from. I also got a couple of pairs of trainers which aren't for running but fit well in this photo. Using my birthday money I treated myself to some proper running shoes and got my gait analysed so I can't wait to break them in.

I got quite a few bits for the house including a new clock for the living room which I had been eyeing up. I just need to get James to hang it on the wall! I also received some mixing bowls which I was so pleased with as I had been making cakes in a heart shaped bowl which was just impossible to stir, so these round ones are going to change my life. I also received some candles, my fave! I also love the drinking glasses I got and cat themed mug!

Clearly my friends and family know me well as they got me some edible goodies and prossecco. I am yet to try the salted caramel kettles although I am very intrigued! I also got some of my favourite sweets, fudge and truffles. I feel spoilt for choice. Sorry Slimming World! One of my friends also knows I love food and got me a restaurant choice voucher so I cannot wait to spend it on a nice meal.

Some other gifts I received include socks, dvds, a camera bag and strap and some smellies. All of which I am really chuffed with. The DVD came from my cat, he thought I might like to watch it. I also got a chair for the garden so I can sit outside in the sunshine! I look forward to attempting the DIY cactus too!

I was lucky enough to receive some books too including a few recipe books. I can't wait to try some of the salted caramel recipes, using my new bowls of course! 

Last but not least, I received the second edition of the Christie Love's Box, cleverly put together by Kim. If you've seen my Christmas Gift Haul you will know I received Box 1 last year and it was filled with goodies. This year was no different and I was really impressed with the contents. You will have to wait until my next post to see what is inside though, as I think it deserves its own post! 

Let me know if you've had a birthday recently, and what goodies you received?

What I got for Christmas 2017

I absolutely love reading and watching Christmas hauls so I thought I would take the opportunity to post mine. It’s a shame that these posts need a disclaimer – I am by no means bragging about what I received. I love sharing what I got and hope it inspires people if they are stuck for gift ideas for birthdays throughout the year. I have not included every single item because I think I would be here all day showing you my socks but I appreciated every single gift. As per last year, I have not mentioned who bought me every little thing, just the odd few people I can link to.

People know I love food and drink so I love getting little gifts that I can devour! The diet goes out the window over Christmas so I enjoy treats guilt free. I didn’t get as many food items this year compared to last, in a way that is good as I have a wedding dress to get into for 2018! I also got some wine and prosecco which I was pleased about, and I will probably have a glass or 2 of these on New Year’s Eve! I also got some lovely mugs including a Banham Zoo Travel mug - amazing! Me and James also got a Tastecard subscription as a gift which means plenty of half price meals, and an excuse to go out more!

I love getting smellies and things I can pamper myself with so I was very thankful to receive these gifts. I also pestered James for face wipes for months and months and thankfully he got the hint as I always run out this time of year!

I received a few bits for the home too including a mustard cushion and throw which are going to go perfectly on our new grey chair that we are buying with a voucher we got for The Range! I also got a Philadelphia cookbook which has some amazing recipes in. My stepmum also made us the jar with lights in, it matches the living room so I am looking forward to being able to get full use out of this next Christmas. 


I received a few random gifts that don't fit into a category which I will share with you below. Firstly I got a crochet needle, some woo and a book. I have started to attempt to knit a scarf but I haven't quite got the hang of it yet. Looking forward to learning! I also got a love island phone case which I love and have been waiting to put it on after taking these photos! I didn't receive an apple watch but I did get a new strap for it which is a lovely colour and my old one was getting rather tatty. James also got mr a clip on light ring for my phone, it really has made a difference in my selfies!

I received a few wearable items such as some lovely pyjamas, a scarf, frenchie wellies (you can sort of see them in the background) socks and a necklace. My favourite gift was this beautiful winter floral hairpiece which my mum got me for my wedding next year. I spotted it on etsy and think it will go perfectly with our wedding theme!

Last but not least, I got this box called the 'Christie Loves Box' from Kim at Romanovs Views which was packed with goodies. You will have to wait until my next post to see what's inside as I think it deserves an entire post on its own!

A massive thank you to everyone that bought me a present. I am sorry I could not feature every single thing, mainly because I have started using it and couldn't wait before taking a photo! Please link me your 'What I Got For Christmas' posts and videos, I'd love to take a look.

What I got for Christmas 2016

Christmas hauls are one of my favourite posts around this time of year and I love reading blog posts about them and seeing them on Youtube. It’s a shame that these posts need a disclaimer – I am by no means bragging about what I received. I love sharing what I got and hope it inspires people if they are stuck for gift ideas for birthdays throughout the year. I have not included every single item because I think I would be here all day showing you my socks but I appreciated every single gift. As per last year, I have not mentioned who bought me every little thing, just the odd few people I can link to. Money was tight this year after moving out so thank you to those that bought me a gift despite me not being able to go all out on others, I really appreciate it.

Here is just some of the food items I received this Christmas and I have been chowing down! I always relax my diet over Christmas so I have certainly been making my way through this pile of treats. I think some of these were for both me and James so at least I'll have a little bit of help with them! I love the biscuits I got in the adorable pastel tin. James bought me some a couple of years ago and I wanted one in every colour but he never bought me any more so I was so pleased than Kelly added another colour to my collection. Now I have an excuse to buy more!

Another gift I enjoyed receiving this year was a good book. Crafting with cat hair has to be the most random of them all - thanks Jack and Chloe. I received a lovely recipe book from Bethany, James' mum got me an interior design book and one from my favourite authors Linwood Barclay and the others James picked up for me. I also received a book called "is your cat gay?". Random but funny.

I received some lovely jewellery pieces this year including a brand new Fitbit Flex 2 in lavender. After having my old one break on me a couple of weeks before Christmas, I was so pleased to unwrap this gift from James. I also got a personalised cactus necklace with my name on from Kim which is adorable - I love it. I received the Christmas themed cat Pandora charm from my mum and last but not least this lovely friendship bracelet from Kelly. I love the teal beading, it goes really well with the silver.

When it came to beauty products this year, this gorgeous Too Face palette really did trump the lot! I cannot believe Kim got it for me and I couldn't have expected a nicer gift. The mascara is amazing (better than sex as they say!) and the colour pay off from the palette is fantastic. I had an eye infection over Christmas so had to wait a few days to use this but it was worth the wait. I also received my favourite Urban Decay primer potion and some beautiful cosmetics from the Vintage & Co including lovely bath roses and a lip butter which has been a lifesaver in these cold times.

It might be worth mentioning another gift, my fairy light curtain which you can see in the background! This is now a permanent feature in my 'office' so stay tuned for more twinkly light photo backdrops!

I received a few home-ware bits, some of my favourites include the VelvetGhost lights from Primark which match my bedding and new bedroom decor so I am very pleased with those. We also received a paella kit so that is something I will be trying in the new year.

Last but not least there is the random stuff. I love random things! Some of the random gifts I got include, a zorbing voucher for me and James, an Omelette maker (awesome!), some dollars for America, a cat pinball machine, socks and onion goggles!

A massive thank you to everyone that bought me a present. I am sorry I could not feature every single thing, mainly because I have started using it and couldn't wait before taking a photo! Please link me your 'What I Got For Christmas' posts and videos, I'd love to take a look.

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.

What I got for Christmas 2015

I love watching Christmas hauls and seeing what everyone got so I thought I would put it into blog post form. It's sad that you have to put a disclaimer on these "I'm not bragging" blah blah, you know the drill. I just want to share some of the things I got, maybe they'll inspire your wishlists or give you some ideas on what to buy other people on their birthdays this coming year.

I haven't included every single thing that I got as this post would be very long with all the little bits and pieces I received. I appreciated every single one of my gifts but for the purpose of this post, I have mainly included things that are a little bit different from the norm. I haven't mentioned who got me what either as I don't want to put people against each other.

One of my main presents this year was my Roberts Radio in duck egg blue. I have wanted one of these DAB radios since forever and I love the vintage look these ones have. I asked for duck egg blue as it's a nice neutral pastel colour which I know will work well with the decor I plan to have in my future home.

Hopefully I will be moving out in 2016 so this slow cooker is a godsend. I have recently been using my mums slow cooker to make pulled pork and I can't believe how easy it is! I am so excited to try some recipes out in this. I also received other house bits including plates and knives. All things that will come in handy when I move out.

Speaking of recipes I was lucky enough to receive some new recipe books. I love trying new things and all of these books are packed with great looking recipes and some healthy alternatives which I can't wait to try come January when my diet begins. Also how cute is this cat money box? I think it will look lovely on the shelf.

 All these recipes I plan to make would be incomplete without an apron wouldn't they?! Well I was lucky enough to receive 2! And one is personalised with my blog font - how awesome! My friends and family know I love baking - I can sense the theme here with these gifts!

Alcohol - say no more. I haven't tried this Echo Falls flavour yet but I received a lovely cocktail recipe to try and include this in. Also prosecco - how posh!

If I get bored of the booze then I can go onto some tea. I got a lovely glass teapot and mug alongside a pug tea infuser. I was told this was a joke gift but it's actually really handy as I have some loose tea I can use in this. I have wanted one of these boxes for ages and this one is so pretty. It looks great with my teabags in too! Speaking of tea I received the Body Shop green tea bath salts and infuser which I can't wait to try out when I next have a bath.

And then there's the beauty bits... Plenty to keep me going in the new year. I love trying new products so it's always great receiving things like this - also how cute is the penguin!

I received so many lovely gifts, some of which I haven't been able to include but I would like to thank every single person who bought me a gift. I also received some vouchers so will do a haul post on what I spend those on. I also have vouchers for an experience day so will blog about that when I choose what I will be doing!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Please link me your Christmas hauls! Happy new year!

#BloggersSecretSanta - What I received!

Back in November I put my name down for a Bloggers Secret Santa which was suggested by Daisy after the #SuffolkBloggerMeet. Hannah very kindly took over the organisation and paired everyone up with their respective blogger partner.

The rules were simple, spend no more than £15, keep it a secret and package the item so it arrives in time for Christmas to be opened on the 25th December. We were given our blog partners links and Instagram accounts so we could have a little stalk on there before we bought anything.

As this is a secret Santa, I won't be disclosing who I bought for, but I did have a lot of fun choosing items and looking through their blog for ideas.

I couldn't wait to open my mystery package on Christmas morning and I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed my box so much I rushed to take photos of it so I could upload as soon as possible! I was so excited to receive my gift and when it came all wrapped in a nice festive silver bag I put it straight under my tree for Christmas Day.

I opened the first present to find a familiar shape waiting for me under the paper and my suspicions were right, it was a Yankee Candle! I absolutely love Yankee Candles and to be treated to a whole jar of scent was amazing, my blogger did good! The scent I received was Cranberry Ice which smells good enough to eat. I don't have this scent so I was really excited to receive this jar. Such a lovely festive scent and as a lover of Christmas I know I am going to love this.

The second present was a pair of soaps from The Body Shop in Glazed Apple and Frosted Plum. Both of these scents remind me of Christmas and they smell gorgeous. I love The Body Shop too and I have never tried their soap range so I was really pleased to open these and I can't wait to use them.

The third package contained something VERY exciting indeed in the form of these adorable chocolates! I am not ashamed to say that I opened these straight away and tried one and they are delicious. With a mixture of white, milk and dark chocolates these are super yummy and cater for all tastes. My favourite part is the super cute reindeer and penguin designs on the front of the chocolate - they are almost too good to eat!

Even though it's supposed to be a secret, I did find my blogger as she put her name on the sender details part of the envelope so I would like to give a massive thank you to Jessica from Beauty Through The Specs for choosing such perfect gifts for me - I am very grateful!

Were you lucky enough to receive a Blogger's Secret Santa gift? Send me your links in the comments below, I'd love to read all about them.