BLOGMAS #20- RAMSIDE HALL

 

Ramside Hall is Durham's highest rated 4 star hotel, situated in extensive gardens, it is home to a championship golf course, state of the art spa facilities and award an winning restaurant.

 

Yesterday, my family and I paid the hotel a visit for their Pemberton's carvery, which is a Ramside tradition. Served 7.30 am till 9.30 pm you can take advantage of a traditional Sunday roast, seasonal vegetables and homemade desserts. I am usually a bit precarious when it comes to carvery's as I find that they can be very hit and miss, however I was very impressed with what Ramside had to offer.

 

Located in The Rib Room Steakhouse and Grill, the meal was accompanied by a piano player and a beautiful ambience, I would definitely recommend you pay them a visit if you live locally!

 

The highlight of my visit was the massive Christmas tree located in the foyer of the hotel... it is literally the height of the ceiling.

 

What did you all get up too at the weekend?

 

BLOGMAS #19- OOTD CHRISTMAS PARTY

 

You have probably heard me banging on about Christmas party outfits and panicking about what to wear for my work party on Friday, so I thought I would share with you the outfit I finally wore!

  I was wearing....   Strappy lace bodycon- £39- Topshop SAGITTARIUS Platform shoes, £58, Topshop Gold sequin embellished clutch- £39- New Look  

I tried to keep my outfit quite simple... I think everyone panics a little over trying to get the balance between night out/ party wear, and something appropriate for being out with your work colleagues! If you're wondering what my friend was wearing- it was the khaki kimono swing dress, £45 from River Island. I thought she looked amazing! Such a subtle but very festive dress...

  Have you had your Christmas party yet? What did you wear?  

BLOGMAS #18- LAST MINUTE GIFTS FOR HER

  Left to right... Mini lipstick charms- £29- Charlotte Tilbury White chocolate truffles 600g- £10.95- Carluccios Jo Malone London Red roses bath oil- £17- John Lewis Faux fur pom beanie hat- £14- Topshop Believe pendant and gift card- £15- Topshop Bah humbug Christmas clutch- £20- Topshop Lancôme La Vie est belle Eau de parfum 30ml- £45- Boots Colour chrome copper!- £4.99- Models Own GARROW metallic leather crystal bobble purse- £69- Ted Baker Barbour tartan lambswool scarf- £27.95- Barbour

 

 

Whether it be your mum, sister, grandma or best friend, you may be panicking if you have left their Christmas gift to the last minute. I had this same panic at the weekend as I put the finishing touches to my mums present- I managed to pick her up some beautiful candles from Marks & Spencer (on offer for 3 for 2 at the moment), and bought her a beautiful festive candle holder from Raby Castle- a local visitor attraction.

 

However if you are in need of a little inspiration, don't worry, as there are so many wonderful pre Christmas offers to take advantage of! I have to be careful with this post, as some members of my family will actually be receiving a couple of these gifts this Christmas...

 

Some of my favourites include the Charlotte Tilbury mini lipstick trio, Believe pendant by Accessorize, Barbour tartan lambswool scarf, and the white chocolate truffles by Carluccios- they have a couple of pop up shops now. I have tried my hardest to cater for all ladies, for every price range- as lets be honest, I'm sure a lot of us will be pretty skint right now!

  What have you all been buying this Christmas? Have you finished your Christmas shopping?  

BLOGMAS #17- PARTY SHOES

Metallic Rose gold stiletto heels- £50- River Island

BOND Kurt Geiger- £199

Silver barely there heeled sandals- NOW £25- River Island

ASOS HESIATE heels- £55

HIJACK KG Kurt Geiger- NOW £69

Public Desire PK caged gladiator heeled sandals- £29.99- ASOS

LEAH Gemstone platform sandals- NOW £30- Topshop

Black embellished platform heels- £35- River Island

RHIANNON Bow skinny sandals- NOW £30- Topshop

RAVISH Laser cut sandals- £52- Topshop

Galasen- £65- ALDO

 

 Is it just me or is finding a pair of shoes to go with your outfit always the trickiest? I swear I have searched everywhere for a pair of heels for my work Christmas party for the past month and STILL haven't found the perfect pair- so if you're having the same dilemma as me I have included some of my top picks from the high street.

 

There seem to be so many offers at the moment- especially River Island and Kurt Geiger, my two go too places for shoes! I have tried to include shoes from a range of retailers varying from Topshop to Kurt Geiger, River Island to ALDO and ASOS.

 

Some of my top picks include the rose gold River Island stilletos, Leah gemstone Topshop platform sandals and the ASOS caged gladiator heeled sandals. Although I didn't get any new shoes I hope this post may help you out a little! After all there is Christmas day, boxing day, new years eve to think about...

BLOGMAS #16- BENEFIT ADVENT CALENDAR

Okay, I am on day 3 of my Benefit advert calendar- Party Poppers 12 days of Christmas, and I have already been surprised with a miniature Oh la lift, Highbeam & Total moisture face cream...

 

For  £34.50, the set is actually worth £79.17 and includes some Benefit favourites including; POREfessional, lollitint, watt's up! and BADgal. Although the calendar is supposed to play a 'bene-song' when you open it each day, mine was faulty :( however I think this is such a cute addition.

 

If you saw my post the other day you will be aware of the huge array of beauty advent calendars that are on the high street at the moment, and this one is definitely my favourite. Although the Benefit calendar is only 12 days, the gifts inside are fab!

   Have you got a beauty advent calendar this year?

BLOGMAS #15- PARTY DRESSES

 

 (Left to Right) Sunbeamer fitted sequin dress, £185, French Connection Silver foil jacquard dress, £34.99, New Look Raven sequin and feather dress, £275, French Connection Lunar sparkle sequin wrap dress, £160, French Connection Silver metallic Bardot skater dress, £42, River Island TALL/ PETITE Lace skater dress, £100, Topshop Tinsel wrap A-line dress, £49, Topshop ASOS Armour mesh mini dress, £100, ASOS Zig Zag glitter body con dress, £30, Topshop Floral crochet bodycon dress, £39, Topshop Embellished low- back bodycon dress, £115, Topshop  

Ok we are now in full swing of the party season, and with only 10 days till Christmas you may have already had your work Christmas party, however mine is Friday and I found it so difficult to decide what to wear! On top of that there is also Christmas day, Boxing day and New Years Eve outfits to be thinking of...

 

I had a total panic when I started looking for my party outfit, as although we are going to a bar after the work Christmas party, I still feel as though your outfit should be 'work appropriate' as lets be honest, you are going to be around your boss for a lot of the night. Therefore finding that balance is very difficult. I have actually opted for the Floral crochet bodycon dress, £39, Topshop, as I felt that the simple shape and design was suitable for both occasions- please correct me if I'm wrong and save me the embarrassment...

 

So, to give you a little helping hand, I have compiled a few dresses that I spotted on the high street and online whilst I was searching for my dress, that may help you out this party season. I have included dresses for all budgets from a few different retailers including; Topshop, River Island, French Connection and ASOS.

 

I absolutely love all of these dresses and think there is something for everyone, whether you want feathers and glitter, body con and lace, or sequin and skater I hope you find your perfect dress! Some of my favourites include the Raven sequin and feather dress, £275, French Connection, Zig Zag glitter body con dress, £30, Topshop and Tinsel wrap A-line dress, £49, Topshop (I have this dress in silver and white to wear on Christmas Day!)

  What are you all wearing this festive season? Leave me a comment below! :)

BLOGMAS #14- MODELS OWN POP UP

Yesterday I finally completed my Christmas shopping, well, started it- so getting it all done in one day was fab! As usual, I headed to The Metro Centre in Gateshead- which as you can imagine was heaving, but as I had a mental list of what gift I needed for what person it wasn't too much of a painful experience, especially when I had to also find an outfit for my work Christmas party on Friday...

 

Anyway, on my way out I spotted the Models Own pop-up outside of Topshop and as many of the nail polishes I had on my wish list are sold out online I had to pay it a visit! I absolutely love their Glitter Gel and Diamond Luxe ranges- especially 'Red Velvet', 'Radiant Pink' and 'Oval Plum'. They have some gorgeous metallic and glitters in the range which are perfect for the festive season, and although they are £5.00 a bottle, I always find they last ages! PLUS they are currently 3 for 2...

 

P.s- How are we already on blogmas day FOURTEEN....

 

BLOGMAS #13- FESTIVE NAILS

Just a quick post to share with you some Christmassy nail ideas! I always keep my nails quite simple, as I am totally rubbish at nail art, however seen as its almost Christmas I thought it high time to splash on some glitter!

The two nail polishes I have opted for are from the Maybelline Color Show range, in the shades Burgundy Kiss, and Rose Chic. I thought these were the percent combo, also who doesn't love a burgundy berry colour and a rose gold glitter at this time of year?! 

I bought them both from ASDA who had them on offer for just £2.50 each- although don't hold me to it! 

I would love to give some nail art a go, so if you guys have any nail posts or ideas please share in the comments below!!

BLOGMAS #12- SNOW DAY

I just had to include this as my BLOGMAS day 12 post! I'm not sure what the weather has been like across the rest of the country today, but in County Durham we have had tonnes of snow- 6 inches to be precise.

Although snow is dangerous if you're out and about or travelling, as I realised this morning on my driving lesson...but it is also so much fun! Despite scuppering my plans for a Christmas shopping today, I ended up walking into town, making a snowman, and snowball fighting with my younger brother and sister. I'm so pleased we got some snow so close to Christmas, but let's just hope it doesn't cause chaos during this festive season! 

Have you caught the snow today? Leave me a comment below!! :) 

BLOGMAS #11- WINTER WONDERLAND

 

My apologies for the low quality pictures included in this post- I was just way too excited to just stand around and take pictures! Winter Wonderland Christmas market in London has been on my bucket list for sometime now, so when the opportunity came on Tuesday night after one of our work events, I couldn't resist!

 

Winter Wonderland is hands down the best Christmas market I've visited, situated in Hyde Park, London, the market is home to over 100 rides and attractions; including A magical ice kingdom, Ice skating, Zippos Christmas circus, Bar Ice, Cirque Berserk and a giant wheel. Not to mention a wealth of fairground rides, rollercoasters, restaurants, bars, street food and live music.

 

Although we only had a few hours, we definitely made the most of it, visiting the ice rink (£15 for 1 hour but veryyyyy worth it, it will 100% get you in the festive spirit), rollercoaster, haunted house and sticky wall... (we couldn't find the ice bar). As well as this we visited beautiful stalls selling Christmas gifts and trinkets, best.place.ever. I just wish we had the time to see everything! I highly recommend an evening visit, although you would need the entire day to explore... its open 10am till 10pm!

 

Have you been to Winter Wonderland? If not, GO!

BLOGMAS #10- SELFRIDGES

 

Okay I basically just wanted to write this post so that I could show off my Santa pics... I got so excited I just had to have a picture! I feel like a lot of 'Santas' look a bit crappy, but Selfridges definitely had a good one! Their Christmas section was amazinggg as well come to mention it!

 

Wednesday was spent on Oxford Street doing  a spot of Christmas shopping in our free time, I visited Selfridges, Topshop.... almost had a breakdown over how much stuff I wanted- but could not afford in there, Victoria Secret and Aldo.

 

Despite not buying a lot, I would definitely recommend Selfridges for personalised gifts and awesome Christmas decorations, Topshop for your Christmas party outfit, ALDO for some great party shoe offers, oh and Victoria Secret have their Victoria Secret fashion show items in stock now!!

  What have you all been up too? Leave me a comment below!

BLOGMAS #9- BROADWAY MARKET

Ok, so this week Monday to Thursday I have been away with work in London for our AW16 launch events, hence the lack of blogging. However, I thought I would share a series of posts with you about what me and my friend got up to in London in our free time in between dressing models, putting outfits together and managing the showroom.   To start with, we visited Broadway market, a shopping street located in the centre of Hackney, east London; home to shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes, if you're looking for a unique cultural experience, I suggest you visit!   We ate at The Dove Freehouse and Kitchen, a quirky London pub which prides itself on being home to over 100 Belgian beers, and although I stuck to wine, I must say the food was amazing! I managed to lay my hands on a pint of sweet potato fries... yep, served in an actual pint glass, and a traditional mac and cheese.   Although we visited on the evening for dinner, I would love to see the market in daytime and visit some of the restaurants, shops and cafes.   Have you ever been? Leave me a comment below!    

BLOGMAS #8- CHRISTMAS DAY OUTFIT

I don't know about you, but a new Christmassy outfit for Christmas Day is a must have... The more sparkles, the better!

My dress this year is a beautiful midi dress covered in sparkles, it comes in both green and white but I had to have white... Being the monochrome girl I am I just had to have it! 

At £49 the tinsel wrap a line dress by Topshop is a little pricey for a 1 day outfit, however with your student discount it works out a little cheaper! 

Although I am currently on the hunt for a Christmas party outfit for work, I wouldn't wear this, however time is slipping away and my party is next Friday!!! If you have any suggestions do let me know!

What are you wearing this party season? Leave me a comment below! :) 

BLOGMAS #7- YORK CHRISTMAS MARKET

Anyone who reads my blog often will have seen how often I visit York. It is such a beautiful city and its probably one of my favourites to visit, as although it is a city there is so much culture to immerse yourself in.

This weekend I paid a visit to their Christmas market.... Despite the absolute gale force winds on Saturday, it was actually a beautiful winter day at the market. So many wooden stalls and marquees were home to not only festive gifts and food, but also local handmade trinkets and produce.

One of my favourites was the donut stall, selling cinnamon donuts... My fave. Homemade pork scratchings and German sausages were also some of the busier stalls...

The atmosphere was amazing there, and although quite busy, it was the perfect place to visit on a Saturday afternoon. Not only did I visit the market, but I also visit the shops to do a bit of Christmas shopping- unfortunately the shops were crazzzzyyy busy! 

We ended the day by taking a walk through the city gardens, again this is another absolute favourite of mine, it's such a beautiful park, situated right by the shops but also by the river. 

What have you all been up to recently? What Christmas markets would you recommend? Leave me a comment below!!!

BLOGMAS #6- THE BEST OF BEAUTY CALENDARS

No7 Beauty calendar- £38- BootsThe Body Shop- Minis £60/ Full size £80Loccitane- £39Marks and Spencer- £25 when you spend £25 on BeautyJo Malone- £260Lush 12 days of Christmas- £49.95Eyelure- £50HANSELE Wish advent calendar- £89- Ted BakerCiate- £49.99The book of makeup magic- £150- Charlotte TilburyParty Poppers- £34.50- Benefit Cosmetics  Chocolate is great, makeup however, is better. When I realised that such a thing existed, I was dying to get myself a beauty advent calendar!  

This year I have the Benefit Cosmetics Party Poppers calendar, filled with 12 days of luxury makeup treats. However I must say I was a little disappointed, as a Christmassy benefit tune is supposed to play when you open it, mine was faulty! Although these sold out last year, they are also available in Debenhams this year.

 

Whether you are looking for a budget or luxurious calendar, I have tried to show you a selection of calendars from both ends of the price scale. From eyelashes to charm bracelets, bath bombs to makeup, there is something for everyone! Some of my absolute favourites are by Charlotte Tilbury, Lush, Eyelure and The Body Shop.

 

Have you got your beauty advent calendar? Which is your fave? Leave me a comment below! :)

 

BLOGMAS #5- REVIEW: BORN PRETTY STORE

*Ok I know its not really Christmassy themed, but last week I was kindly asked to review a product from the Born Pretty Store. I wanted to share this with you as they have a vast amount of products in their make up range including anything from eye shadow, lip gloss and lipstick, to makeup bushes and nail polish. They best thing? It is all extremely affordable!

Appearance

I chose to review one of their waterproof cosmetic lip balms- they come in a few different colours but of course I chose pink! The lip balm is quite small and thin so its perfect for popping in your handbag or makeup bag and comes in lovely bright packaging.

Functionality

 The product itself is a natural cream lipstick and leaves a beautiful smooth finish, I would say that for a tinted lip balm it really does add a lot of colour to the lips and is more of a lipstick than a balm.

Usage

As ever, a lip balm could be worn as part of a natural daytime makeup look if you go for one of the pale pink or coral shades, there is also a more vibrant pink for evening wear. I found that the balm also worked great for a base coat under a brighter pink lipstick- especially under matte.

Cost

With most lip balms costing below £5, this one will cost you a mere £2.27!

This is not the first time I have reviewed a product from Born Pretty Store- I have also reviewed one of their beautiful rose gold watches- you can find my review here. You can find the lip balm and other products in the Born Pretty makeup range here, and if you are interested, you can also get prepared for the party season and grab yourself 10% off by using the code ELNH10.

What do you think? Leave me a comment below! :)