adventures in post, happy mail, lifestyle boxes, reviews

Happy Mail – Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

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Technically this is November’s box but PayPal had a wobble so it was dispatched a little late. But still in plenty of time for this weekend’s Christmas decorating of the flat.

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The box is full of fab little festive touches for the home and for presents. I can’t wait to get all these lovely bits up and Christmas up the house, making it all festive and cosy.

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From funky ribbon to wrap around your gifts, cute decorations for the tree, a candy cane (I love candy canes) and even little signs to hang up or give as gifts for friends to decorate their homes with. Here’s some more photos.

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Have you got your tree up yet? Do you celebrate Christmas? Tell me about your festivities in the comments.

         🎄🎁🎅🎊🎉🎀🍬🍭⛄

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life, ratties, rip

The Death of Rats

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In one of his masterful Discworld books, Terry Pratchett created the Death of Rats, and now he comes to lead little Peaches on her way over the rainbow bridge.

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In happier days

A few weeks ago Peaches had a stroke, resulting in left side paralysis and weakening. Since then, sadly she’s declined, struggling to move around and not eating or drinking. There have been a few tumbles and a case of lose bladder while having a cuddle.

Her sisters know something’s wrong, cuddling her and washing her face, while the boys are being a lot more gentle.

We’ve made the sad decision to aid her on her way at the vets’, wanting to put her beyond pain and suffering, rather than dragging it out.

I know this will be the best thing to do, but it is very sad. If you’d told me a year ago I’d care this much about small rodents, i’d have laughed. At least I know The Death of Rats will be there to gently take her little paw and lead her to her rest. SQUEAK.

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Peaches (back) with sister Custard

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beauty, beauty boxes, haircare, love me beauty, nail polish, nails inc, reviews, skincare

Love Me Beauty – those bonus points…

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So as you know, LMB has been revamping their site, store and packaging. One of the things they’ve changed is the boutique points – you get 60 a month, the problem being most things are 20 points, meaning you might only get three products, which is a lot less than most beauty boxes, and they’re not all full size.

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To compensate for this, LMB offers bonus points you can buy to add on. This month I decided to splurge a little and get some extra goodies in my box.

As it’s cold and miserable outside I picked a range of products to give my skin, hair and look a boost in the winter.

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Top row L-R:

Roques O’Neil Therapie Boost Hair & Body Wash – aromatherapy shampoo that can also be used as a body wash.

Nails Inc Gel Effect in Old Burlington Street and Porchester Square – gorgeous pairing for winter nails.

Percy & Reed Dry Instant Volumising Spray – the winter weather seems to just leave my hair completely flat, this should give it a boost.

Bottom row, L-R:

Monu Spa Fiji Facial Treatment Oil – formulated for sensitive skin, this oil might just be the one to change my mind about facial oils.

Nuxe Gentle Exfoliating Gel for Sensitive Skin – winter seems to leave my skin dry and flaky, this should shift that and boost my skin’s health.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips – my lips are very prone to drying and cracking, and you guessed it, it gets worse in winter. I’ve heard good things about this, so despite my concerns about lanolin (my skin reacts poorly to it), I thought I’d see if this helps heal up my dry, cracked, sad smile.

Any of you LMB subscribers? What are your thoughts of the changes to the box? Let me know in the comments.

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beauty, beauty boxes, instagram, lifestyle boxes, make up, perfume, skincare

Advent Calendar Opening

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Hello lovely blog readers,

Today is December 1st, aka the first day of Advent. You may now put up your tree and hang your stockings.

This year I bought a beauty advent calendar as opposed to the chocolate ones I seem to have every year!

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I went with L’Occitane’s rather sweet one as I love their products and thought a mini treat from them every day would brighten up a cold, damp December.

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So, let’s see what’s behind door number one!

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Ultra rich face cream!

I will most likely be posting these on Instagram so come follow me there, as well as all sorts of Christmas fun and games as we head further into the festive season.

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beauty, beauty boxes, nail polish, reviews

Nailbox – Christmas is coming…

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November’s Nailbox has arrived, bringing with it a hint of Christmas in its red, green and glitter.

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Also in the box, Elegant Touch stick on tips, a file, and a great little booklet of festive patterns for your nails.

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And the colour coordinated candy cane is a nice touch. I’ve got a few Christmas dos to attend and now festive nail designs!

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life

Off topic

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I know this isn’t the usual content but I am fed up of the government’s war on women. The Budget was announced on White Ribbon Day – a day to commemorate and demand an end to violence against women and girls.

The Tampon Tax has made headlines already this year, a tax on being a woman and having a uterus (these two things are not the same BTW).

Now George Osbourne announces that instead of scrapping a gendered tax, instead the money will go towards funding women’s health care and domestic violence charities.

Women are already unfairly punished by cuts to services and instead of remedying it, the men in charge decide, women can pay for services.

Services that in many cases wouldn’t be needed if it wasn’t for men. Domestic abuse is society’s issue and the need for refuges for women is overwhelmingly because of men.

1 in 4 women will experience some form of domestic abuse in their lifetimes, and women are most likely to be murdered by an intimate partner or family member.

Now I’m all for funding women’s health services and domestic abuse services but not like this. Essentially women are paying for themselves. Because they have uteruses that once a month bleed.

Both David Cameron and George Osbourne have daughters. I hope they’re prepared to defend this when those girls reach puberty – and can see how sexist and misogynist this decision is.

For more on this, The Debrief had some great articles today and I’m sure more will be forthcoming.

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baking, food, healthy, recipes

Fudgey Chocolate Brownie

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This time of year is so miserable, there’s almost nothing better than a warm, fudgey brownie to cheer up the day. Here’s my personal favourite recipe.

Set oven to 200°c, grease and line a brownie tin/square cake tin. I used an electric mixer but you can do it by hand just as easily. I’ve replaced some of the ingredients with substitutes, but you don’t have to.

Ingredients

3 medium eggs
70g ground almonds
5g banana powder (or 75g almond)
275g sugar substitute (stevia, coconut sugar)
175g dark chocolate (at least 70%)
175g coconut oil/butter
40g cocoa
Chopped nuts, dried fruit, choc chips (optional)

Method

Melt the coconut oil and chocolate in a microwave.

Mix all the dry ingredients together, add the eggs, mix, add the chocolate oil, mix.

Add the chopped nuts, dried fruit etc if using. Mix together by hand.

Pour into prepared tin, smooth out with a spatula. Pop into a hot oven, cook for 25-30 minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes, cut into squares. These will last a few days in an airtight container, if you can resist them!

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books, reviews

The Hog’s Back Mystery – Freeman Wills Croft

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The British Library has released a collection of crime novels from the Golden Age, when writers like Agatha Christie were at their peak. Freeman Wills Croft, who knew Christie, wrote more than 30 novels during this time.

Dr James Earle disappears from his house one Sunday, Inspector French is called in to locate him. Soon other people are disappearing and French is embroiled in a web of romantic entanglements and intrigue.

I really enjoyed this book, I’m a big fan of Christie and other writers of the period, like Raymond Chandler, so I was really pleased when a kind friend sent me this book.

Sometimes I can guess whodunnit, but I prefer it, when like this one, I can’t guess at all how it will unravel.

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