Letter to 2019 Me - BLOGMAS DAY 16

Good day everyone, I hope you are having a great day. Christmas is so soon! 

Now you know we love a good letter on this blog, so let's do a letter to future Shannon, shall we? 

Dear Shannon (...in the future) 

2019 is a new year with fresh starts in the palm of your hands. It is the most cliché thing ever to say 'new year, new me' so we won't say that. But it is a time where you can reflect and decide where you'd like to take the next 365 days.

You know, we've got so much planned haven't we? We've already got holidays planned, best friends are getting married (so now is a good time to really plan that hen do) and we are planning to move the fuck out.

Dan is working hard to get us to that point and you are too, you've proved that lately with aims to get a new job so we can progress and have a totally new beginning in 2019. 

I feel like 2019 is definitely going to be a year of growth, perhaps one of the most important years of our lives. We are going to grow up tremendously and you know what? I am so stoked to see how you grow. (You, being me of course) - it's time to crack down on the mental health stuff and remember that it's all going to be okay whatever happens.

Whatever happens right, everything is looking great so far. How cool is it going to be to be a homeowner? You could only dream of that a few years ago but you are entering another year with the love of your life with so many amazing plans. 

Love will continue to grow with you, everything has room for growth and that is the most important thing here. 

All I have to say to you is that you need to learn and grow from 2018, take the good with the bad and let it help you develop into the 2019 version of yourself.

It's going to be a good year. Period. 

Shannon x 

Favourites from 2018 - BLOGMAS DAY 14 -

Hey everyone! Well and truly smashing this Blogmas thing and we are 2 weeks in, amazing! I never thought I'd be able to do it but here I am...

In todays post let's break down some of my favourite things from this year, from movies to music, you know...the usual. 

FAVOURITE MOVIE 

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5 words people, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. This absolutely heart wrenching, beautiful, picturesque film shaped my year I'm telling you. I watched this earlier in the year and the proceeded to watch it about 12 times after that, usually like every Saturday when I was bored. 

If you haven't seen this film I want you to close this blog right now, search it on YouTube, Amazon or anywhere and rent it, rent the fuckin shit out of that film. It is beautiful. I am not much of a film watcher, I watch films I really want to watch and I never get super hyped but this one I was telling everyone about it. So many of my friends then went and watched it and showed other people and it was a beautiful circle of loveliness. 

Timothée Chalamet became an absolute ray of sunshine in my eyes, what a guy. I now look forward to any project he has coming up because he is such a fresh, exciting young actor. 

This film will show you that love is love and it's as simple as that. Stunning. 

FAVOURITE ALBUM

Honestly, I have a couple so let's get onto those...

Youngblood - 5 Seconds of Summer: Fucking sick album, I've followed and loved 5SOS for many years now. At first this album sounded bizarre and I wasn't digging it but after some time I am still obsessed. Also, if you see any album live I think it immediately becomes better too. 

Beerbongs & Bentleys - Post Malone: This album must've been so many peoples favourite this year because it was such a break through. It was so good and listening to the lyrics in some of the songs really pulls on your heart strings, something which in most Hip-Hop/Rap albums I cannot personally relate to. Sick album, forever recommend. 

FAVOURITE MEMORY 

I've sat here for a good while trying to figure out which memory from this year was my favourite, I've had a bunch of amazing memories. I think our holiday with our friends was my favourite, but the one night which stuck out the most was San Juan festival. We got merry on the beach until whatever time in the morning, some of the group jumped over fires, we made wishes in the sea at midnight and the girls and I danced and sung in the sea. It was a memory that just makes me smile every time I think of it. 

FAVOURITE GIG

I went to a fair few this year but I think the best must've been Harry Styles with my best friend, Ben. We got to the O2 and got absolutely merry as fuck. I had 4 different Bellinis and too much cider and it was the funniest night ever. We sung our favourite H Styles songs together, gushed over the man himself and then Ben fell asleep on the train like a total mong. It was awesome.

These are just a few little things from the year, what are some of your favourite things from the year? 

Let me know! 

Shannon x 

Holiday Bucketlist - BLOGMAS DAY 10

Good day everyone! I hope you are having a lovely day.

On todays Blogmas post I'll be highlighting some places I dream of visiting in my lifetime. I've always been far more interested in visiting European cities than the wider places on Earth. However, there are a couple that stick out. So in this post there will be a few with a mixture of both. 

NEW YORK CITY 

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This is my dream and always has been since I was a tiny little human. Luckily I've met a boy who also wants to visit, my plan is that this will be our honeymoon destination. No hot, chilled holiday. I want a busy, jam-packed, sightseeing, unforgettable get away and New York will be the perfect place. If I could get up and move anywhere in the world it would be NY without a doubt. I was born for busy cities that never sleep. 

STOCKHOLM 

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I have visited a few places so far in Sweden - Jönköping, Malmo and Lomma - all quite quiet and sweet little places. I want to visit Stockholm to see what this part of Sweden is like, it would probably be the most touristy I would have ever been in Sweden. Rather than off my nut on overly expensive alcohol. It looks stunning. 

SYDNEY

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Again, another dream since I was young. Although, I think if my life had panned out differently I would have gone travelling to Australia but god knows what my life would have been like then! I would love to go on a long holiday like my in laws recently did, they did a cruise from Australia to New Zealand and it looked great. I'd love to do that one day with Dan! 

CREMA, ITALY 

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Dan and I have a plan to travel around Italy one day and Crema is at the top of my list of places to visit. This little Northern Italian town is the home of one of my favourite films 'Call Me By Your Name'. That movie made me fall in love with the thought of Northern Italy, it looks gorgeous. Crema looks like the perfect little place to visit on a warm Summers day and it'll be a dream come true when the day comes. 

Now I'm sure that has brought some sunshine to your Winters day, have any of these ever been of interest to you? Let me know! 

Shannon x 

Christmas Tree Brownie Baking - BLOGMAS DAY 8

Hello everyone! As you can tell from the title I took on some Christmas baking. I got a recipe from Sainsburys here after looking on my trusty Pinterest. Usually I'm a decent baker, the same applies here but my opinion on the finished product may be slightly different... 

Ingredients

• 150g cook’s Belgian dark chocolate (76% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
• 150g unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• zest and juice of 1 clementine (I USED A SATSUMA, CAUSE THEY'RE JUST THE FUCKING SAME TO BE HONEST)
• 3 tbsp port (I USED RED WINE AS AN ALTERNATIVE) 
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• a good pinch of ground cloves
• several gratings of nutmeg
• 100g plain flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder

To decorate 

• 75g royal icing sugar
• 1-2 tbsp gold and silver sprinkles – we used star sprinkles
• 12 x Cadbury chocolate fingers

Ingredients taken straight from the Sainsburys website 

I love baking at the best of times but at Christmas time it's even better to have fun and experiment with recipes you've never tried before. Dan and I are planning to make Terry's Chocolate Orange brownies again soon, they ruled last time and Dan definitely got a lot of credit with his work friends. 

I cannot wait for Christmas time in the future when I have my own home and can freely bake whenever the fudge I want, and be a mum who bakes cookies for their kids when they get home from school. Or the mum who makes gingerbread men as little presents for people, I want to be THAT extra. 

They turned out looking fairly decent, so pat on the back to me. A great way to spend only a couple of hours on a day off! 

I'd say the following out of ten: 

Taste - 5/10 (personal preference) Dan said 5/10

Ease of baking - 8/10

Disaster level on my part - 6/10 (they look OKAY) 

Just to remind you the entire recipe is here so let me know if you're trying these out for Christmas! (I'd advise you to avoid using ground cloves however, they made them taste WEIRD. What else do you have planned to bake or cook this Christmas season, let me know! 

Shannon x 

Christmas Gift Guide - Dad Edition - BLOGMAS DAY 6

Happy Blogmas day 6! 

We are well and truly getting through these well aren't we? I am loving the challenge! 

Now as I said yesterday parents are fucking hard to buy for, why? I have no idea. They are the people you know the most, surely but they are so bloody hard to buy for! 

My dad may even be worse than my mum honestly, every year I will get him a wallet. But not this year, oh no, I will not buy him another wallet to save until the middle of the year to use. 

all photos are credited in the links below

FIND THE ITEMS HERE: 
1. Fred Perry Shirt - £30
2. IPA Beer Making Kit - £39.99
3. Black leather Wallet - £24
4. Malteasers Gift Box - £10.40
5. Barbour Manicure Gift Case - £24.95

Do you find it hard to shop for a dad or step-dad? I've literally struggled all my life and ended up, as I said, buying him a wallet or a shirt. He's happy so that is all that matters! 

Let's have a chat, let me know what you've purchased! 

This is the last in the gift guide posts, get shopping! 

Shannon x 

Christmas Gift Guide - Nephew Edition - BLOGMAS DAY 5

Happy Blogmas Day 5 everyone! 

I hope you are enjoying Blogmas so far, I sure am! Drop your links below and I'd love to read some of your posts.

Todays post is  Christmas guide for your little nephews out there. I have a 2 year old nephew and I have already purchased his dinosaur/Spiderman inspired gifts. I had so much stuff I wanted to buy him so there are a couple on this list that I didn't get round to buying. 

Jensen loves his kitchen, which is why I chose the little wooden BBQ set. I thought it was so cute! I love wooden toys, when I have babies one day I'd love for my babies to have wooden toys, I think they look so smart. 

all photos are credited in the links below

FIND THE ITEMS HERE: 
1. Personalised London Bus Print - £28
2. Wooden Tool Set - £24.99
3. Digger Long Sleeve Tshirts - £14-£16
4. Tirceratops Custom Sweatshirt - £25
5. Play BBQ - £25.60

I cannot wait for Christmas this year and to see my nephew enjoy himself. He's 2 and so aware of the world around him, watching him grow up has been the biggest blessing in my life. He is already talking about Santa and it is adorable! 

What have you purchased for your little ones this year? Let me know! 

See you tomorrow everyone, happy blogging! 

Shannon x 

Christmas Gift Guide - Mum Edition - BLOGMAS DAY 4

Happy Blogmas day 4! 

Does anyone else find it absolutely so hard to buy for your parents, my mum is a struggle ever year! If I had all of the money in the world I would be winning, but I don't so I have to work with what I've got. My mum is one of those people who say "don't worry about getting me anything" - are you serious mother?! She gave me life, the least I can give her is a box of fucking Lindt. 

My mum is different, she doesn't like typical 'mum' things which is why it has always been so hard. She's not arsed about perfume and handbags, she'd rather a pair of Dr Martens and a book about weird murders in history (never feel weird buying anything like that... honestly) 

all credit for photos is in the links below

FIND THE ITEMS HERE: 
1. Mumford & Sons CD - £12.99
2. Thomas Sabo Ring - £69
3. Stacey Dooley Book - £14.99
4. 1461 Vonda Dr Martens - £125
5. Wooden Incense Box - £5.04

In most of these posts I understand they're not all exactly 'affordable' things - not for me even! These are just nice bits and pieces, you know? 

I love Christmas and love trying my best to spoil my loved ones. 

What have you purchased for your parents this year? Let me know and let's struggle together! 

See you tomorrow, Shannon x 

Christmas Gift Guide - Boyfriend Edition - BLOGMAS DAY 3

Happy Blogmas day 3 everyone! 

Todays is a little Christmas gift guide for the lads in your life. I find buying things for my boyfriend quite hard because he doesn't necessarily have a 'thing' and I'm like.......thank you that's super helpful. So I end up buying clothes and random things that I think will make his Christmas special. I think I've done a good job this year.

The below include a couple of things my boyfriend already has (Dior Homme makes me think of our first date together!) - the others are just little bits I came across and thought "yeah, someones boyfriend might like these". 

all photos are credited in the links below 

FIND THESE ITEMS HERE: 

1. Dior Homme Eau - £54 - £73

2. Posh Sandwiches Cook Book - £12.99

3. Knotted Leather Bracelet - Tommy Hilfiger - £39

4. Jack Wills Boxers 2 set - £25

5. Vans Old Skool Trainers - £57

6. Star Wars Drink Bottle - £20

Let me know what you are planning on getting your boyfriends or girlfriends. I'm pretty much finished but knowing me I won't stop buying him things despite this! I'm a spoiler... 

See you tomorrow! 

Shannon x 

Christmas Wishlist - BLOGMAS DAY 2

Happy Blogmas Day 2! 

I will be sharing with you just a few things I would like for Christmas this year. The older I get the harder it is when my mum asks me, my 23 year old self "make me a Christmas list so I know what you want". 

I miss the old days when you would sit down for hours to pen your Christmas list, or sit in your Nannies kitchen and go through the Argos catalogue and pick at least one thing one each page. Just me? No? Didn't think so! 

all photos belong to each brand linked below

FIND THE ITEMS HERE: 

1. Fujifilm Instax Square Camera - £125

2. LUSH Snow Fairy Body Spray - £20

3. Jimmy Choo 'Fever' - £43 - £79

4. Pull & Bear Metallic Dress - £12.99

5. Hand Lettering 101 - £18.79

6. Converse - £75

7. Denim Dungarees - £42

I would be a very lucky girl to get anything from this list this year, but I am more stoked to give my presents to my loved ones. Some ideas will be coming up in the following days! 

What's on your Christmas wish list this year? Let me know! 

Shannon x