It's safe to say that this year hasn't entirely gone to plan and with the Christmas around the corner I think it's time to think a bit differently. 

Normally this time of year I fill my weekends travelling, seeing family and Christmas markets but with a lot of these events being cancelled I decided to go in a different direction. 

First thing was trying to think of ways to get out of the house, It's so easy to get stuck inside so I wanted to fully embrace the season. So I looked up local walking routes but also little trips to nearby villages so that we could experience some new places and get in the Christmas spirit. 

I also looked into some Christmas crafts and this called for a trip to the local craft store. We decided to do wreaths this year as well as some some Christmas baking and of course the obligatory gingerbread house decorating. 

One thing that we do every year is a Christmas movie night with a hot chocolate station and cosy PJ's, this really gets me into the Christmas spirit. 

I think this year it's safe to say that we need to think a little more outside the box in order to fully embrace the season. Even though this year will be little on the unusual side I think it's still important to make it one to remember. 

S

It's always difficult to buy Christmas presents so here is some of the gift ideas that I will fit to people of all ages. 

With teenagers it always difficult to find something that they want but one thing that is always a hit is stationary. I don't know about you but as a 26 year old I still find joy in a new notebook and pens making this such a great gift idea for all ages. 

Another thing that I think is a versatile gift is art or more specifically prints. It's no secret that I am a lover of prints but there is literally something for everyone from simple designs to film posters to abstract art it makes a perfect meaningful gift.

Another great idea for all ages would be tech, there is so much choice from smart speakers, smart lighting and even kindles/ tablets. It's a great gift idea and can be perfect for your mother to your younger siblings and with so many offers on around the christmas period you can pick up some great deals. 

Another great gift idea if you are in a big group of friends is chipping together for a charm bracelet. Not only is it a thoughtful gift it gives you great future gift ideas as you can get a charm to celebrate big birthdays, special occasions and special memories. 

These are just some ideas that I have found that are big hits but also good for a variety of different people. 

​S

This is probably one of the most stressful time of year so preparation is key.

I try and stay as organised as possible and one way that I manage to do that is by making a list. I try and keep a list of gift ideas, who I have to buy for, what I need to get food wise and what activities we might do that month. It’s so easy to feel like you are pulled in all directions so it is important to keep grounded and have a clear plan.

I like to make sure that I have a great selection of gift wrap and cards for the big day. I tend to gather these throughout the year grabbing a lot of my gift wrap from the sales and places like home sense and the pound shop. It’s important to have a mixture of gift wrap, labels and gift bags just so that you can work out what’s easier for you but also so you can have some fun with finishing of that gift.

I have a pretty full in life as it is so one thing that I love to do is take the time out at the end of the year to enjoy the little things. Preparing for Christmas isn’t just about the things you need to buy and give it’s about getting into the spirit! One thing I love to do is organise Christmas activities for my friends and family whether that is a Christmas movie night with my friends or a trip round the Christmas markets with my husband or even a festive baking competition with my family it’s important to enjoy the little moments and make memories.

S

It’s finally here! The nights have drawn in, the temperature has dropped, the Christmas lights are starting to go up and I am having all the festive feels.

I don’t know what it is but there is something about this time of year that just fills me with joy, and all the cosy feels.

So the candles are burning, the present lists are written and the festive activities are planned. We may be a month off but this year like every year I am determined to be organised and really enjoy the end of the year.

One thing that we can take away from 2020 is that we need to make every moment count and that’s what I plan to do. This is the best time of year to spend time to make memories and spend time with friends and family so enjoy it and let’s start afresh in the New Year!

S

YouTube is very much part of our everyday life, wether it’s a tutorial on how to fix a washing machine, a game walkthrough or a simple vlog and beauty haul there is something for everyone.

I made the decision couple of years ago to start a YouTube channel to see if I could do it. I had a lot more time on my hands and wanted a new challenge and I loved it for a while. I was very quickly overwhelmed with the lack of confidence and felt that nobody would want to watch me so decided to stop it. I never really looked at my channel after that but recently kept thinking it might be worth giving it another go. I rewatched some of my old videos and realised that I did have a following and my videos were being watched and the comments were all positive so I decided it was time.

One thing you don’t see with YouTube’s is just how much work goes into just one video. It takes planning on what you going to say, lighting, back grounds and most importantly content. To make it easier on myself I decided to give vlogging a try I mean it’s easy to just talk to yourself isn’t it? I found I actually enjoyed chatting away and just walking people through my everyday life. Of course there is some sit down videos and I have loads of content planned for the coming weeks.

One thing I must say that takes forever is editing! It’s a tedious task and I have had countless computer errors meaning I have lost hours of edited footage! It’s hard to get it all completely right but I find that the more I edit the quicker I become and I know what I am looking for and yes I did loose footage but I recovered a lot of it and managed to work at getting it uploaded.

I must say it is hard keeping to a schedule when you have so much going on, not only do I blog and need to get my content ready for posts but I am studying for a masters, learning to drive and working full time. It’s a wonder I can fit everything in!

I decided not to pressure myself with a schedule I aimed to publish weekly but have already found that schedule hard to keep at times but that’s ok. I realise that I am trying to juggle so many balls that if I don’t post weekly then I am not letting anyone down this is a hobby not a job.

So all in all it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, I love filming content but trying to juggle the workload as-well has proven difficult but I wouldn’t change it. I love being creative and sharing my life if not just for my viewing.

I will leave the links to all my recent videos below so feel free to check it out you never know might be right up your street.

S

Scentsy is a brand that wasn't really on my radar until the beginning of the year, originating from the USA scentsy sells a variety of products from wax melts and warmers to laundry and body products. 

I was drawn towards the warmer's and waxes and when I saw this autumnal warmer I was sold. I picked up a variety of scents from autumn scents to some fresh scents to melt all year round. 

Well my first impressions are I love these products, though the large warmers are an expense they of course last for such a long time so they offset the cost quickly. What I love about the warmers is the variety, there are warmers for all styles of home but also you can choose between a small and large table top warmer but also a plug in option if you don't have the space. 

So let's talk about the scent's, I love the variety of scents there is literally something for everyone and they are constantly releasing new fragrances. I love that the bars are long lasting and the smell is so strong, we melt our scents in our living room but you can smell it throughout the house. What I also love is that the bars are split so you can mix scents but also only burn what you need. I have had my warmer for a couple of weeks and we light it daily and we have only used 2 cubes of one scent. 

For those Disney lovers out there they have such an amazing variety of products to warmers and wax bars but to little scented plushies and baby products, there is something for everyone !!! 

So overall I am in love! it's such a lovely edition to our home and I have had so many compliments on the look and smell of our warmer. So if you wanting an alternative to a candle then give Scentsy a go! I have linked the seller I bought from below and this particular seller does some amazing bundles and giveaways so make sure you follow on social media also! 

https://Scentsofoccasion.Scentsy.co.uk/ 

Check out my seller and don't forget to follow Scents of Occasion on Facebook and Instagram!!! 

Enjoy 

​S  

It’s quickly approach my favourite time of year Halloween! I love everything halloween related from the food, spooky films and a good old scare night it just fills me with so much joy. So here are a few little decor bits that I have picked up to get me into the spirit.

A lot of my Halloween decor comes from home sense they just have the best range of products and I love how they have such a variety. These are some new purchases that I have picked up this year, I love these little gnomes and I think they are adorable they are a perfect way of creating a spooky effect and they look adorable on my mantelpiece.

I needed a centrepiece for my mantelpiece and these little characters were perfect! A spontaneous buy from home sense I have no regrets I am in love!

One thing you need to have on a Halloween is pumpkins! I always have them dotted around my house in a lot of different styles some are more for Halloween and some are just perfect fall decor. Some of these I have picked up from home sense and the pound shop (which normally has some great Halloween decor!). I like to for them around the rooms just to get into the Halloween spirit!

One of my favourite pieces of Halloween decor is my Disney Nightmare before Christmas Lazy Susan. This was a find in the Disney sale and to me screams Halloween, I love getting this out to entertain friends or even just for a movie night.

Hope you guys have a great Halloween!


S

It’s no secret that I love this time of year and every year I try and embrace this season.

It’s very easy to sit in the house nice and cosy while outside it may be a cold and blustery day but in my opinion there is nothing better than getting out and experiencing the autumn season.

One of my favourite things to do is go on woodland walks there is something about the cold crisp air and the multi coloured leaves that just makes me smile. I always find it clears the cobwebs away and leaves me feeling refreshed and happy. If you feeling lucky it may always be worth doing some conked hunting (I always fail at this and go too late in the season)

An all time favourite autumn activity is pumpkin picking, we go every year without fail and I absolutely love it! I love Halloween so I enjoy going and picking out the pumpkins and planning our masterpieces for this year. It’s a great activity to do that gets you out and is suitable for all the family. It does help that our local pumpkin picking spit has a great farm shop so we always pick us up so goodies along the way.

I love to travel around and go to garden centres at this time of year it’s the perfect mix of seasons with autumn treats, Halloween and a little bit of Christmas sneaking in. Each garden centre does it differently so it’s always fun to travel and see what’s around.

If the weather isn’t quite in your favour then a night in the sofa with some Halloween classics is always an option. Pop on a candle and a classic (I always suggest Hocus Pocus) an it will be worth it.

And if you are feeling creative then you could always make a autumnal wreath. Popping down to your local craft store is always a fun trip out and the best thing is you can theme the wreaths to whatever you want!

Hope this gives you some ideas of things to do to embrace the season!

Enjoy

S

The nights are drawing in and there is nothing I love more than running a hot bath, so obviously this calls for a Lush trip! Lush recently launched some of their autumn/winter range and I thought I would give you guys a run through on what I picked up!

Getting into the spirit for the spooky season I picked up some of the Lush Halloween range. I choose a few favourites such as the Monster's Ball (a classic halloween product) and Punkin Pumpkin which is a delicious orange scented bath bomb. I decided to give Bat Art a go which is an interesting product due to the ink black design and I am intrigued on what hides inside. 

Of course I decided to pick up a couple of Christmas products just to fully embrace the seasons  picking up a couple of bath bombs in my favourite scent Snow Fairy and I couldn't say no to a shower gel too. I noticed a new bath bomb in the Christmas range called I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas which boasts a delightful raspberry scent so that ended up in my basket. 

I also picked up an IRL bath bomb which was the Lush collab for Digital Detox Day which smells so fresh and of course proceeds go for a good cause. 

So I only picked up a few items but I am excited to see what the full Christmas range will bring! 

S

It's that time of the month again, it's time for a favourites post!

So this month I have a mixture of new and some returning favourites which I have rediscovered. My first love this month us my Jade Roller. I have always wanted to get a jade roller and incorporate it into my skincare routine so when one turned up in my monthly subscription box it was the excuse I was looking for. This roller is from Brushworks and I am in love, it feels so nice to spend time on my skincare but also use the roller to massage my skin makes me so happy and relaxed! 

A returning favourite of mine is the Garnier Deep Conditioner, I love this product but recently I have started to use it as part of my daily hair care routine. I have seen such a difference in my hair and it feels so nourished and healthy and what makes it so much better is that it's so affordable!!! 

One of my new discoveries this month is Snag Tights, getting into the autumnal spirit tights become a staple in my wardrobe. I have always just gone for cheap tights but I was sucked in by the Instagram ad and decided to give Snag Tights a go! I loved that the sizing is down to your height rather than your dress size, they are so comfy and easy to maintain, I would highly recommend!!

My Final favourite this month is Netflix, it's a little bit more unusual but all I can say is that the content this so good. What I love about this month's releases is that there is something for everyone from horror to comedy and all the bits in between. 

So these are just a few of the bits that I have been loving this month, I find September a bit of a strange month as a summer comes to an end and autumn and winter begins. 

​S