Manc' Christmas Markets

Christmas Markets have become a firm festive favourite of mine, I just adore the combination of good food, drinks and independent shops situated in wooden huts! 

My festive craving was no different this year, I indulged in some nutella pancakes, mould wine and the famous Germany hot dog. Then drank my body weight in colour changing and Christmas inspired cocktails at Alchemist. What more could a girl want?

Merry Christmas!

DIY SNOWFLAKE GARLAND

This DIY Snowflake and Star Garland is perfect for back drops and adding a little bit of shine to your Christmas decorations. 

You Will Need:

• Sheets of plain paper (Amount depends on how many snowflakes you wish to make)
• Sheets of plain cardboard (Amount depends on how many stars you wish to make)
• Silver acrylic paint
• Silver glitter glue
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Needle
• White thread

Step 1.

Begin to make A5 sized squares using the plain paper and fold (View the link to the Youtube video below to find out hoe to make a 6 pointed snowflake).

Step 2.

Once you have folded your paper, mark on your snowflake design in pencil, either following the one's in the Youtube video or your own design and carefully cut out your snowflakes. 

Step 3.

Once you have cut all your desired snowflakes (I cute out 5), use the silver glitter glue to add some shimmer to your snowflake using a small pointed brush and leave to dry. 

Step 4.

Using plain cardboard, cut out as many stars as you wish, I used a template online and held my cardboard over my phone to outline the shape. This size can be whatever you wish but my stars had the width on an IPhone. 

Step 5.

Decorate your stars with silver paint and leave to dry.

Step 6. 

Poke holes at the top and bottom of the stars and snowflakes when dry, using a needle. (Be careful not to jab yourself!)

Step 7.

Measure your white thread to the length you want your garlands to be before cutting. 

Step 8. 

Attach the needle to the thread and begin to hoop through your stars and snowflakes alternatively. Make sure the thread is at the back of the shapes. 

Step 9. 

Tie a knot at the end of the garland before hanging using white tack or sellotape. I used a little bit of sellotape at the back of each shape to stop them from sliding down. Repeat as many garlands as you want!

I hope you enjoyed this DIY! You can adapt this DIY by just making a star or snowflake garland!

Be sure to check out my other festive blogs including another festive DIY blog post!

Merry Christmas!

DIY NOEL SIGN

Yes it is December which means it's time for sparkles and glitter. This DIY is perfect for an added shimmer in your room this Christmas and is easy and affordable to do!

You Will Need

• Plain NOEL letter blocks
• Dark Grey Paint
• Acrylic Silver Paint
• Silver Glitter Glue
• Painting sponges/ brushes

Step 1.

Make sure you have a clear area that is protected, I used bin liners to stop paint from marking my furniture.

Step 2.

Squeeze out the grey paint and put a small amount on a paint palette or plate along with the silver paint separately. 

Step 3.

Using the sponges, dab on the grey paint on the N, E and L and leave to dry.

Step 4.

Using a clean sponge, dab on the silver paint to the 'O' or the snowflake in this case and leave to dry. 

Step 5.

Continue to do a second coat on all letters to make the colours more opaque and wait for them to dry.

Step 6. 

Once dry, take the 'O' or the snowflake and using the silver glitter glue, line the edge of the shape with glitter. This will take longer dry than the paint, so make sure you're not tempted to touch it once finished too early to avoid the glue going everywhere!

Step 7.

Finally, when all the letters are dry, you can put them on display!

I hope you enjoyed this little DIY, I personally LOVE the sign and think it is very elegant and classy.

You can also purchase plain signs and shapes from hobby craft including an angel, Christmas tree and star if you wanted an alternative option.

Merry Christmas!

5 Things To Do This Christmas

1. Markets
Christmas Markets are hugely popular everywhere and in England we have plenty of good ones. My firm favourite has got to be the Manchester Christmas Markets, every year the city is brought to light with Christmas decorations, various wooden stalls, perfect food and drink and even an ice skating rink! You can buy anything, from homemade Christmas decorations to hot dogs and mulled wine. 



2. Theatre/ Pantomime 
I feel like going to the theatre is becoming a more popular outing and is not considered an 'old folks' thing, at Christmas time, there are lots of festive favourites from Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and The Snowman. At affordable entry prices, it is certainly a winner for families. 



3. Festive Walks
There is something about walking in the breezy morning when the sun is shining that is just so peaceful, plus is free! There are many woodland walks across the country, including festive walks where children get the chance to meet Santa and his Reindeer's as well as picking out your own Christmas tree! 



4. Cosy Nights
As the skies begin to get darker and colder earlier, it is the perfect occasion for a Christmas inspired film night. Gather friends or family around the TV, with blankets and pillows at hand for the ultimate comfort. Stick on your favourite Christmas favourite film and demolish the many festive treats supermarkets and stalls are selling already. Also, get them hot chocolates and mulled wine down!



5. Craft Making Day
Instead of forking out on presents and decorations, have fun by making them yourself! Look online for fab Christmas ideas such as cookie recipe in a jar, making your own fudge and make your own Christmas sign for your room! Enjoy the day with others by blaring out the festive tunes and chomping on nibbles. 

The Casual Look

Leather Jacket | WALLIS
Top | Primark
Jeans | Topshop
Shoes | Primark
Bag | French Connection
Fur Poof | New Look

For me, the most important thing about fashion, is comfort. I can not feel confident in an item of clothing I am uncomfortable in. My typical day- to- day look usually consists of jeans and a pretty top. As the weather in the UK is hit and miss at the moment, with frosty mornings but sunny afternoons, I'll either be wearing a simple leather jacket (as it goes with everything) or a pretty pastel winter coat to create a more sophisticated look. 

For shoes I tend to pick edgier shoes for more plain outfits like the one featured above. Any shoe that has a chunky heel and a peep toe, is a firm winner in my eyes in creating a more interesting look. I adore this pair of black peep toe boots from Primark, the peep toe combined with the long silver zip definitely makes the shoes look more expensive than £16!

Like shoes, bags play a large role in what makes an outfit good in my wardrobe. Whether a pretty decorated clutch bag to spice up a little black dress or a cute tote bag with the additional fur poof. This bag shown in the picture, was a Christmas present from my parents and I absolutely LOVE it. The long black strap makes it easy to wear, the size is large enough to fit the daily essentials, purse, phone, pouch ect. With the fur poof added, I think it creates a classic/ winters look, also, the bag is made up of two textures, the top flap is a black suede combined with the black leather for the base. 

Coat | Miss Selfridge

Hope you liked this post! Please comment!

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Autumn Buys

As it was pay day last week, I couldn't resist splashing the cash and revamping my wardrobe for autumn/ winter, so on Sunday my mum and I went on a shopping spree to Chester which is a cute city in the UK. After spending lunch time in a cafe called 'Mad Hatters Tea Room', filling up on baked sweet potato and hot chocolate, we hit the shops for some seasonal must haves. My favourite thing I purchased on the shopping trip was a Pandora Bracelet. Pandora bracelets are hugely popular as they can mean a variety of things from the charms you can buy. For myself, I wanted to buy a charm which was incredibly personal. Earlier this year my Granddad sadly passed away, so as a way to remember him and my grandma, I brought a beautiful angel wing in silver with a 14 carrot gold heart alongside the bracelet itself. I am ordering the ' Family', safety chain also. I also brought lots of essential items for the rest of the year.

New Look| £22.99

New Look| £19.99

Primark| £2.50

Primark| £6

Primark| Christmas Jumper: £12
Penguin Mug: £3

New Look| £14.99

Barcelona Photo Diary Part 2

Day 4| Beach Day

This day we made the 30 minute walk to the beach. Many people think Barcelona doesn't have a beach as it is a City, however the beach is a lovely long strip of sandy shores and clearly blue water. On our walk back after spending the morning there, we ventured through small streets of the city, captivated by the variety of shops and spotting the odd church along our way. 

Day 5| Bus Tour

On this day we decided to go on a bus tour where you can hop on and off at any destination you choose along the way. The sighs were breath taking, the combination of the old fashioned city combined with modern day is such a pleasing contrast. One of the destinations we stopped off at was the Palace which is an impressive feature, overlooking the rest of Barcelona. Sadly the foundation weren't working but the Palace itself was very remarkable. Afterwards we went to the Olympic Park which again, gave us great views of Barcelona. As temperatures rose to late 20's and us being British, couldn't take the heat much longer, we went back to the Irish Bar for cocktails. 

Day 6| Sagrada Familia

Day 6 was hands down my most favorite day from the holiday, Sagrada Familia. The cities most popular destination which, not surprising was very extraordinary. It is a cathedral which after 100 years has still not be completed, is it such a surprise from the amazing detail though? Nope. The outside is covered with details of Jesus and figures with different meanings. Inside is just as good. The tall stained glass windows are coloured in colourful and bright glass, reflecting a ray of colours throughout the center when the sun shines on it. The ceiling carries the detail from outside, inside and the staircases and patterned with Gaudi's style. 

After gawping for hours, we went for a walk back to the harbor to watch the sunset which is one of my favorite things to do as I am fascinated by the sky. 

Day 7| Final Day

Sadly day 7 was our final day, after having a hectic and tiring few days we chose to chill and relax on the beach front before going out for a lovely meal. 

I was very supersized at how much there was to do in Barcelona as I and I'm sure many others assume theirs just the odd thing to see. I could have happily stayed their for a further week, continuing exploring the cities high lights and cute little streets. Thankfully the weather was wonderful for saying it was September it sure carried on the Summer Holiday Vibe. 

Hope you enjoyed the pictures! See Part 1 here