January Favourites

I don't typically publish monthly favourites posts, even though they are some of the posts I most look forward to reading. 
With the new year and my increased efforts to be more, 'blog-organised' I decided that I would push myself to post a monthly favourites round-up at the end of each month this year - and I say 'push' because we all know I have a tendency to forget what it is that I'm supposed to be doing half of the time.
Those three diaries I received for Christmas are starting to make much more sense now, aren't they!

The Faux Glow

Is it Spring yet? 
I mean, are we good to throw those berry lipsticks to the back of our drawers and dig out the pink, shimmery stuff? (We'll gloss over the fact that I purchased a new berry lipstick a mere couple of days ago - it's another post for another day!)
You know how it is...
Anyway, I have recently embarked on a pretty big highlighting come borderline sweaty-looking, make up journey. I don't know why. Perhaps it's wishful thinking that warmer weather is on the way - who knows? All I can say is that I've been dousing/dusting and generally basking myself in every single, glow-giving product that I own.
Here are some of the ones that I've been reaching for:

10 Free Printables For A More Organised Life

Okay, confession time again - I'm not the most naturally organised person.

I don't think I'm too bad, although my husband is another story. How he ever manages to get anything done is beyond me! I'm an avid list maker and so far this year, I've made a conscious effort to plan my time more and have a structured schedule when it comes to blogging.

I feel like I've really benefited from doing so. I feel less flustered about what I should be doing and what deadlines I need to meet, and I can focus more on what I enjoy most - writing.

For those of you, like me, who may need a little extra help in the organisation department, I've compiled a list of ten, free printables that are perfect for getting you off on the first step of leading a more organised life. 

Do enjoy!

Blogging - Do Numbers Matter?

When I started blogging, I knew next to nothing about the fast-paced, competitive atmosphere I was about to find myself swept up into. Like a deer in the headlights, it took me a long while to finally find my feet, and my voice, in the vast crowd of successful bloggers.
I don't consider myself to be a successful blogger in the financial or numerical sense. There are many great bloggers out there that have managed to turn their blogs into well-oiled, money-making machines, and hats off to them. It was once an untapped industry, waiting to be utilised by those looking to make their mark and manufacture their own business, and now it's a bursting at the seams community, ripe with opportunity and prospects - that is, if you're savvy enough!
But in blogging, do numbers really matter?

Turning 28 - 28 Things To Do In My 28th Year!

*Sigh*
Another day, another year older. 
At some point these birthday's have to start slowing down, right... right?! 
I've been so unmotivated to celebrate my birthday this year, much to the annoyance of my husband. He's been pestering me since last year to decide what gift I want this year and the best that I could come up with was a puppy.
I can categorically state that I won't be receiving a puppy.
*Insert crying/distressed/dramatic face emoji*
Anyway, I have an IOU for when I can decide what I actually want and tonight, Scott and I will be going for a romantic dinner somewhere in town - and by romantic, I mean stuffing my face with all the food and cocktails until I'm uncomfortably round. Yay!
So, waffle aside, to mark my 28th birthday, I thought I would create a bucket list of 28 things I would like to do/achieve before my next birthday. No, develop the ability to reverse years isn't one of them, sadly.

Super old, drunk photo - check!

Smashbox #Shapematters - A Multi-Tasking Face Palette

Smashbox is a brand that I don't have an awful lot of experience with. A little under six months ago, I fell head over heels for their Photo Finish Primer Water and haven't looked back since.
When I received the #Shapematters palette as a Christmas Present, I was super excited to try it out and get to grips with a number of different products, across the Smashbox range.

6 Things To Do In Abu Dhabi

As the end of January comes around, so it marks four amazing months of living in Abu Dhabi. We've been eased in over the official, 'winter' months, with warm days and cool nights. 
As a former resident of Qatar, I know things are going to start heating up very soon, but after a couple of dark, Finnish winters, I'm anything but complaining!
As an ode to the stunning emirate that I am currently calling home, I thought I would round up a list of six things to do in beautiful Abu Dhabi. 

An Update

Hello everyone. It's been a while since I sat down and had a non-specific chit chat about life and general happenings so grab a coffee, cup of tea, pitcher of wine, (no judgement here) and let's get cracking.

Makeup Geek Vs Inglot

It's no secret, I'm a pretty big fan of Inglot's Freedom System, pan eye shadows.
They're relatively inexpensive at £5 a pop, you get a lot of product for your pennies and the shade range is enormous. Inglot and I had a pretty steady run right up until a new kid arrived on the block. 
Makeup Geek.

Planning For Happiness

Okay, confession time... I'm a glass half-empty kind of person. 
That's not to say that I believe myself to be a negative person, but I do have the tendency to be pessimistic at times. I try to see the world as sunbeams and rainbows through my rose-tinted specs, but more often than not, shit gets me down. 
That's just life, I guess.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm not into the whole, 'New Year, New Me' mantra. Although, I did end 2015 feeling like I wanted to make more of a conscious effort to approach 2016 with a better attitude. To push myself to create my own happiness, to see beauty in things I may have previously overlooked and to set myself small goals in order to make the absolute most out of the year and the opportunities that it may bring. 
Okay, I'm veering off track a little and you'd be forgiven for thinking I'd had one too many glasses of vino but bear with me.

Sequins

Have I missed the boat for sequinned party wear?
If there's one way to beat the January blues, it's to do so whilst swathed in shiny material. Or at least that's my opinion anyway!

Dose Of Colors

Recently, I have developed somewhat of a thing for liquid lipsticks. 
Easier to apply, long-lasting and practically budge-proof! I didn't need to be asked twice to hop aboard this trend.
A few weeks ago, and after extensive swatch research, I decided to order three Dose of Colors liquid lipsticks from the US. With Beauty Bay starting to stock them in the UK, I was ready to see what all the fuss was about.
I opted for Sand, Bare With Me and Merlot. 

Looking Back On 2015

I'm still pinching myself that we've seen out another year and that the holiday festivities are well and truly over!
I try not to buy into the whole, 'New Year, New Me' mantra. 
Although I have armed myself with several diaries and journals this year in a futile attempt to be more organised, but that aside, I drift from one year to the next, never keeping my resolutions and still trying to convince myself that I'm not really a proper adult. 
I'm trying my best to convince Scott that we need to expand our family this year and increase our numbers by one more. One that takes the form of a very small, fluffy-coated bundle of puppy. You could say it's become somewhat of a mission of mine. Watch this space!
2015 has been a big year for Scott and I. 

The Boxing Day Tale

2016's Tagline is - The Year of Being Organised!
Or so it is for me, anyway.
I own three journals. Three. Okay, to some of you that might not be a lot, but to me, it's two more than I had last year and I'm hoping they keep me somewhat focused and on track with my life.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
I didn't come here today to talk about being organised, so I have no idea why I went off on that tangent. In fact, I came here to shame my husband. 

What I Got For Christmas 2015

Yes, I am alive. Several pounds heavier and with alcohol-ravaged skin - but alive nonetheless!
I took the whole festive period off and put my blog on the back burner so that I could enjoy some much needed quality time with my family. It was great not be tied to my laptop for a change but now I'm back and ready to hit the ground running in 2016. 
I wasn't planning on writing a, 'What I got for Christmas' post. I published one last year, and over the last few days, I've noticed an influx of page views on my What I got for Christmas 2014 post so I thought to hell with it, I'd grab my camera and take a few snaps of the wonderful gifts I was very lucky to receive this year.