New Year's Resolutions...

I KNOW that many of you think New Year's Resolutions are silly and a waste of time. However, I am an optimist! So get over yourselves and read my list :)

1) I want to get my passport stamped in at least three countries I have never been to before.

*My favorite photo of 2012... I was in San Francisco, I had just bought this dress new and I had absolutely no commitments apart from to enjoy myself in my favorite country. I was literally carefree. Wishing for more times like these in 2013 please!*

A Somewhat Belated Merry Christmas and Haul...

Merry Christmas beauties!

I know I'm slightly late wishing you a Merry Christmas, but what are you going to do about it? I was too busy scoffing all the treats my Dad bought, looking through all of my brilliant presents and drinking myself into merriness. So I'm sure you can let me off for not posting on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day... can't you?

*Proof of the scoffing...*

Happy Graduation GabriellaSofia!

It happened... it finally happened, I graduated! And I absolutely can't believe it.

I actually missed my official graduation back in June because I went on my USA road trip but this nearly broke my poor mom's heart, so I got my butt in gear and decided to do graduation in December rather than missing it all together.

For those of you who have followed my page for quite some time, you will know that university became a real struggle for me towards the end as I just couldn't hack the pressure. It basically turned me into a miserable, nervous wreck because there were just so many people telling me that if I didn't do well I wouldn't get a good job or might disappoint my family that it almost made me ill with worry. Even during my last exam, I literally just thought to myself, 'Why am I even here???' and almost got up and left! Nonetheless, I pushed myself to stay and finish the exam and I now have a 2.1 in English Literature from the University of Birmingham. And I have the pictures to prove it...

*Look how lovely and red brick the buildings are! Got to love them!*

The Clothes Show Live 2012 Review

A couple of weeks ago, I got my stuff together and head to Birmingham (AGAIN) to go to my second ever Clothes Show Live experience. Having been kindly offered a press pass once again I thought it would be a great opportunity to go and pick up a few bits and bobs to give as Christmas, so off I went!

I must be completely honest... Last year, I didn't enjoy the Clothes Show Live all that much at all, purely because I found it too chaotic, full of brands I rarely purchase from and just very overwhelming. The fashion show itself was the main redeeming feature with a department store theme. This year I found the overall feel of The Clothes Show to be slightly different. The brands in the beauty section were better (in that they had more products on offer and seemed far from selling out), the deals seemed to be more cost effective and the general atmosphere felts a lot more relaxed than last year. The fashion show on the other hand was really quite average by comparison with that of 2011... Here is my Clothes Show Live 2012 story...

*On with the show!*

January Sales Scouting: Paperchase

During my time in London a couple of weeks ago I found the enormous Paperchase store based on Tottenham Court Road and I just fell in love with, well, everything! The entire store was so gorgeously decorated for Christmas and the ornaments and trees on sale were so sparkly and beautiful that I was so disappointed at the fact that I really don't have enough money to spend on glittery items which are only really appropriate during December. So I came up with this idea, that I'm going to bide my time, keeping my eye all the while on the different bits and bobs that will make me a much happier person, and buy them all as soon as they go on sale in January. I've done this with a few shops recently because it is breaking my heart spending all my money on other people. Yes, I went there.

Anyway, here are a few snaps of the store, so hopefully you will be able to understand how I've been taken in by the unique stationers...

*The shop window enticed me in. I couldn't help it*

Hotel Russell Review

This week just gone my company happened to send me to my second favourite city in the world so far (Los Angeles is my first) LONDON! As I would be based on Tottenham Court Road for three days, the company booked me into a nearby hotel... Hotel Russell is a 373 bedroom situated in the picturesque Russell Square, not a five minute journey from the Russell Square tube station. Upon walking into the hotel, I genuinely thought my company had made a mistake and thought that a director was going to London instead of me, because it was so grand and majestic!

*Impressive, right?*

Doing Our Bit For Charidee: The Rebel Bear Band

I haven't written a Doing Our Bit for Charidee post recently, which I'd like to make a monthly thing of in 2013 because I think it is really important to offer whatever help we can give to those that need it. This post is about a group of bands local to my area who are so compassionate, innovative and driven that they have actually collaborated with one another to write, produce and promote their very own Christmas single of which all the proceeds will be donated to the Joe Gilligan Trust.

Click 'Play' on this video and once it has started playing, read the rest of this post...

Selfridges Spring/Summer 2013 Bloggers Preview

Isn't December just manic??? I have been so busy collecting top class blog content that I haven't had enough time to actually write the posts! Anyway, it is the thought that counts right? And it is better late than never, so here we go...

On December 5th I was lucky enough to have the afternoon booked off work as annual leave, so I hopped on a train and headed to Birmingham's Selfridges Spring/Summer 2013 Preview for bloggers. I attended the same event last year simply because I invited myself when a fellow blogger had to cancel. Last year was fantastic fun and I met some brilliant girls, so I knew it would soon become and annual must-do. 

*My face-of-the-day was pretty simple to be honest... I did a more pronounced brow than usual, put on more mascara, my MAC Frankly Scarlett blusher, MAC New York Apply lippy in the Frost finish and when I noticed I had a nasty zit to the left of my nose which was refusing to be concealed, I decided to disguise it as a Cindy Crawford-esque beauty spot with the help of my MAC Brun eye shadow*

Ted Baker Workshop Men's Accessories Line...

About six weeks ago I received an invite to the launch of Ted Baker's Pop Up menswear accessories line entitled Workshop. As a lady who is constantly walking around moaning about guys who wear slogan t-shirts and terrible jeans, I figured I'd go along to learn about the alternative menswear options. So I hopped on a train to Birmingham and wandered on up to the Ted Baker concession in Selfridges. 

I was immediately accosted by a rather handsome-looking salesman, smartly clad in a suit and apron (inkeeping with the 'Workshop' theme I assume...) proffering glasses of bubbly. I politely accepted one and got stuck into looking through the collection... 

*The pop-up presentation rack full of bags, folders, iPad cases, wallets and laptop carriers*