Copper Gift Wrapping Ideas

This year I am going for a copper gift wrapping theme so I thought that I'd share some ideas with you all.

I wrapped all of these presents with copper tissue paper and on this one I wrapped brown string and red and white striped twine around on end of the gift. I also wrapped some of the brown string around one gift and then attached some pine cones that I had from a craft shop. Although these are really simple, they are effective and add a special touch to any gift wrapping.

For this parcel, I wrapped around some spare red ribbon that I had and then stuck a striped label on. I love this and it is so easy to do!

This is a perfect way to use scraps of ribbon. On a tiny present I just sellotaped some left over ribbon across it and then tied some leftover string around. It looks really pretty and just adds a little something to a small gift.

This is the last idea I came up with, it is so easy to do and takes no time at all! Simply wrap around some big sparkly ribbon and tie it in a large bow. It looks so special and effective so it's perfect to add some pizzazz to any present.

Thank you for reading and please comment below any ideas you have for gift wrapping. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Home Touches

At Christmas time we love to decorate our house for the festive season, so I thought I'd share with you a few home touches we do to make our house look more Christmassy. This is our fireplace and every year we place our collected snow globes and ornaments on top of it and hang these two small stockings above. We place some fake foliage around the bottom of the fire place and this year I added some fairy lights to make it look more festive. I think it looks so cute and every time I look at it I smile!

In my room, I have a small Christmas tree that I place at the bottom of my bed. Just by adding a simple Christmas tree it can completely transform a room and give it a festive feel. I've decorated mine with a mixture of cheap baubles just from Asda and special ones that I have been gifted. If you want to see up close my favourite ornaments on this tree then take a look at my Favourite Christmas Tree Ornaments post. 

Just by adding a couple festive cushions to your bed, it can really make your room look Christmassy. Both of these cushions are from Asda but you can find Christmas cushions anywhere this time of year!

Lastly, I added these to my windowsill. The one on the left is a tea light holder in the shape of a house and when the candle is lit it shines through little holes in the house and it looks so cute and lovely. I picked up this candle holder that says Merry Christmas is rose gold from TKMaxx and it goes perfectly with my room. I also have a little copper glitter pine cone on the end which again just adds a festive touch to my room.

Thank you for reading and I hope that you are enjoying my Beyond Christmas series, Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Recipe

This gingerbread hot chocolate tastes like Christmas in a cup and is so easy to make!

You will need:

A microwaveable mug

Your favourite hot chocolate mix

Milk

Monin Gingerbread Syrup

Marshmallows (optional)

Whipped Cream (optional)

Cocoa Powder, to dust

Begin by mixing about 3 - 4 teaspoons of you favourite hot chocolate powder with milk in your mug, until it is fully combined. Then place it into the microwave and heat at one minute intervals until it is completely hot. Then, stir in a tea spoon of the gingerbread syrup and top with whipped cream, marshmallows and dust with cocoa powder. Voila! Your festive drink is ready to enjoy in no time at all.

Thank you all for reading and let me know if you are enjoying my Beyond Christmas series. Also, tag me in any photos of your Christmas bakes from my recipes, Merry Christmas!

Manchester Christmas Markets

Every year me and my family all go to the Christmas markets in Manchester. They have lots of different little stalls that sell anything from decorations to candles. My favourite part of the markets is definitely the food, they have so many different stalls where you can buy hot dogs, pizza or even a Christmas dinner in a huge Yorkshire pudding!

This is the Christmas dinner I had rolled up in a big Yorkshire pudding, it was filled with all the classic components of a classic Christmas dinner: stuffing, roast potatoes, peas, carrots and gravy. You could choose from a selection of meats. including turkey, pulled pork and beef. I opted for the turkey and it was honestly the best turkey I have ever had! I can't remember for the life of me what this stall was called however, it was directly opposite to the main entrance of the Arndale shopping centre.

We then just browsed around the stalls and came across this incredible fudge stall by Laura's Confectionery. There were all sorts of flavours, I chose oreo, salted caramel, peanut butter and just a classic fudge. They are so rich and delicious you have to try then! Also, you can purchase them online from their website here.

There were many of these stalls dotted around the markets which were selling these chocolate domes filled with marshmallow fluff! I had a white chocolate one and it was so lovely and not too sickly sweet.

Lastly, we went to the Highland Lodge and got a drink. They were selling hot chocolate with Bailey's but I just chose to have a normal hot chocolate and it was really nice! The stall was inside a little lodge which we sat in to finish our drinks and it was so cute and festive. 

Overall, I definitely enjoyed visiting the Christmas markets. It put me in the festive spirit and the food was so delicious! I would definitely recommend visiting these markets if you are near Manchester. Thank you for reading and Merry Christmas!

Favourite Christmas Tree Ornaments

I have my own Christmas tree in my bedroom which I absolutely love. It is decorated with baubles that have been given to me and that have a special meaning. These are my favourites:

My mum gave this to me and I believe she bought it from Monsoon. It's a little gingerbread house with two gingerbread men stood outside and I think it is the cutest little decoration ever!

Also, my mum gave me this one too. It is a little mouse and at the bottom it says 'not a creature was stirring', a quote from 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'. It is so adorable but I can't remember where it is from so I will let you know when I find out.

It has become a sort of tradition that every year we get a new Pandora tree ornament. This is the first one I got which was from my Auntie and I love it! It's Santa with a little sack that you can put a gift in and his eyes are crystals.

This is another Pandora ornament and I'm unsure about what it is meant to resemble but I think it's gorgeous. You can't see here but on the side it has stars joined together by a braid and it looks so pretty.

Lastly, is another ornament from Pandora and this one is a sleigh. Like the Santa decoration, it also has a pouch that you can put a gift in. I love this one and it goes perfectly with my pink, silver and white theme.

Thank you for reading and please comment below your favourite Christmas ornaments!

My Festive Pamper Routine 2016

A couple times a week or the night before a party, I love to have a little pamper and time to myself to relax. I'll begin by running my bath: here I used Lush's 'Christmas Penguin' bubble bar and their 'Shoot for the Stars' bath bomb. This combination is great as the bubbles created are soft and the bath bomb turns the water a deep turquoise which leaves my skin so silky and nourished. I then light a few candles, at the moment I am loving the Marks and Spencer 'Frankincense and Myrrh' candle and Yankee Candle's 'Snow in Love', both of which are featured in my favourite festive candles post. These candles make me feel so relaxed which makes them perfect for a pamper evening.

Hair wise, I have recently been using L'Oreal Elvive's Extraordinary Oil shampoo and so far I love it! It really nourishes my hair and leaves it so shiny and conditioned. Then I will use the Lee Stafford 'Fix, Build and Repair' treatment. This helps to smooth my split ends and repair the damage caused by using heat to style.

Whilst I'm leaving my hair mask to work, I use the 'Snow Fairy' shower gel by Lush and then relax by either listening to my Ultimate Christmas Playlist or watching a film on my IPad.

After rinsing off the hair mask and getting out of the bath, I moisturize my skin with Champney's Citrus Blush Enlivening Body Lotion. Then I will change into some cosy Christmas pajamas and apply a face mask, this night I used Manuka Doctor's Apiclear Purifying Facial Peel. Whilst I allow it to completely dry, I paint my nails. I used Essie's 'Ready to Boa' and 'Tassel Shaker' (which both feature in my favourite winter nail polishes post). As a top coat I always use the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat, it drys super quickly and prevents the polish from chipping. After removing the face mask I will do my winter skin care routine and then apply my all time favourite lip balm, the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream and the Zoella Hungry Hands gingerbread scented hand cream.
Lastly, I'll get warm and cosy under a blanket and drink a gingerbread hot chocolate (recipe coming soon) and watch a film or read a book, currently I am reading Mr Miracle by Debbie Mcombre and I'm loving it.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you are enjoying reading my Beyond Christmas posts. Merry Christmas!

Everyday Festive Make Up

During the winter, I like to introduce darker tones into my makeup looks but everyday I opt for either darker eyes or lips. Lately, I have been wearing a dark burgundy lip with a simple eye look, it is my go to make up and is so simple and quick. 

I begin with priming my face, I love the Porefessional Matte Rescue by Benefit. It creates a smooth and matte base which lets my foundation to apply perfectly and prevents me from getting oily during the day. Then, using a damp Beauty Blender, I apply the Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation by gently bouncing the product into the skin with the sponge. This is my all time favourite foundation as it makes my skin look flawless and it stays on all day. To conceal any blemishes and my under eyes, I take the Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer. It is super full coverage so a little goes a long way and it is incredibly long wearing. To set the foundation and concealer, I use the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, taking the lightest shade under my eyes to brighten and mixing all the shades together for the rest of my face. The powders are amazing as they set the make up in place without looking cakey and it gives the skin a natural radiance. 

I don't contour everyday, so to add some colour and warmth to the skin, I take the Benefit Hoola Bronzer on the outer perimeters of my face. Again, to add some colour to the skin, I use my current favourite blusher 'Orgasm' (excuse the name) by Nars. To then add a glow, I use Becca's Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Highlighter on the top of my cheekbones. This makes my skin look radient and looks so pretty!

For eyes, I've been using the Tartlette In Bloom Eyeshadow Palette by Tarte. This has been my go to palette since I purchased it in August, the shadows are really pigmented and soft and they blend perfectly. Firstly, I take the lightest shade 'charmer' all over my eyelid with a clean blending brush to create a smooth base ready for the other eyeshadows. As a transition shade and to add a little depth to the crease, I take the light brown shade, 'smarty pants' on a large blending brush and buff it into the crease until it is blended seamlessly. To add some more definition to the crease, I take a darker brown with a slightly red undertone named 'rebel'. I apply it with a flufy pencil brush to the outer corners of the lid and crease, then I blend it all out with a large blending brush. Then to add a pop to the eye look, I take the shimmery champagne shadow 'funny girl' which goes really nicely with the highlighter. Taking my favourite liquid eyeliner, the Lancôme Grandiôse Eyeliner, I thinly line my upper lash line and wing it out a the end. With a precise pencil brush, I apply the 'rebel' shadow to my lower lash line and then apply the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara.
To complete the look, I line my lips with the Rimmel London Exaggerate Liner in 'red diva' and then apply my current favourite red lipstick, Maybelline Matte Colour Sensational in 'divine wine'.

That is my current everyday Christmassy make up, I hope you enjoyed it and are liking my Beyond Christmas series!

Winter Skin Care Routine

When we get into the winter months, my skin changes too. So I tailor my skin care routine to treat my skin's woes. Lately, I have really been struggling with acne so this routine mainly focuses on treating blemishes and also hydrating the skin.

To firstly remove my makeup, I have loved using the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. I simply soak a few cotton pads with the cleanser and wipe away the make up. It removes everything so easily with little effort and time. If you can be quite lazy with taking your make up off then definitely try this because it takes no time at all to remove everything! 

Then, I like to wash my face to ensure that my skin is thoroughly cleansed. My favourite cleanser is Clarins' Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Tamarind. I use this all year long and it is great at controlling oils and cleansing my skin completely without drying it out. 

I will then tone using the Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris. I love this because it soothes my skin and also helps balance oils.

As a serum, I use the Manuka Doctor ApiClear Skin Treatment Serum. It contains purified bee venom which is an antibacterial and really helps to tackle acne and blemishes.

Lastly, I moisturize with the Clarins Daily Energizer Cream mixed with a few drops of the Manuka Doctor Brightening Facial Oil. This leaves my skin hydrated and glowing.

So that is my winter skin care routine, I hope you enjoyed reading and you found it helpful!