Manchester Christmas Market

Me and Cole had a day out at the Christmas Markets in Manchester. Really got me in to the Christmas spirit :) We had planned to go to the Red Hot World Buffet afterwards so didn't get to eat as much as I had liked but we tried some sample of crazy cheeses and salami including wild boar! Mmm...

Beautiful decorations. Bought a snowman from this stall last year :)

Macaroons! I see them so much on blogs and Instagram but I've never actually seen them in real life! They must be much more popular in the states than they are here. I will try them one day!

Manchester Town Hall. I would have got a better picture but people kept walking in front of me :/

Christmas treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!

I just got a bit giddy about the Hermes shop. Want one of their bag so much!

I <3 Manchester stall. I do love Manchester.

Awww!

Cute little wooden pubs.

Lots of mulled wine. Wish I wasn't driving or I'd have tried them all!

Mmmm...chocolate *drools*

Beautiful soaps.

Loved this. I'd heard that Zoe is Greek for 'Life' but I didn't know it was the equivalent for Eve, cool!

Dessert at Red Hot World Buffet. Strawberry Mousse, Crème Brulee, Banoffee Pie and Carrot Cake.

And a random one. Me and Cole went to see The Hobbit the day it came out (yes, we are sad) and we thought we'd have Pancake Express for breakfast. I had strawberries, Nutella and fresh cream.

Christmas Nails!

I got a new job, yay! I am now a qualified nail technician working at The Solar Lounge in Bury, Manchester. My first day was on Friday which luckily enough is "Bubbly Fridays" in the shop so we got Buck's Fizz and champagne, yummy! The owners are lovely so I need to build up my clientèle. Lots of sitting about at the moment but hopefully it will pick up soon.

Yum yum!

Natural nails with diamanté bows.

Blue tips with glitter, snowflakes and diamanté bows.

Gold glitter tips.

My new stiletto nails! 

Christmas Spirit

It's not too early to get giddy about Christmas is it? We decorated our tree yesterday in traditional red and gold and I've already bought and wrapped ALL my presents (also in red and gold vintage-style :D) I love this time of year. It genuinely makes me happy. I love singing Christmas songs whilst hearing them when out and about,  I love buying decorations and shopping for presents as well as looking forward to everyone getting together, friends and family. Here's some recent Christmassy pictures and a "Tis The Season Tag" which I stole from Cami's wonderful blog: http://camigmakeup4u2c.blogspot.co.uk.

They're so beautiful! Brown paper with red Robbins, matching tags and red ribbon. Very cute!

 Here's my Melody (or as I call her, Diablo Pequeño) in her Christmas scarf. I can only get her to wear it by bribing her with walks but she looks adorable in it!

My vintage tree! My favourite decorations are the gingerbread man and robin on a postbox.

 My little devil again has never lay under the radiator in her life yet now the tree is there it's her favourite spot? The cheek!

I made cupcakes! Right, I'll admit, I had an accident. I put red food dye in the mix instead of vanilla extract...They were in similar bottles next to each other. It was an easy mistake to make, ok?! But they turned out well in the end and didn't taste bad. Everyone ate them anyway! Next, gingerbread men!

Cole met some Storm Troopers in The Trafford Centre. I have never seen Star Wars so had no idea who they were but he was very giddy anyway so I made him have a photo. Bless!

 Another wise saying which really struck a chord with me.

1. As of right now how many sleeps until Christmas? 

15 more sleeps, woo!

2. What is number one on your wish list? 

MAC make up and new hair extensions...mine are a mess now!

3. How do you get in the holiday spirit?

Go shopping for Christmas presents, cards and decorations and wrapping the gifts!

4. How does your family celebrate your holiday?

We go to my parents on Christmas Eve and watch films then go round early on Christmas Day and watch my brothers open their prezzies first, then me and my sister, then my nana, then my mum and dad last (even though my mum’s the most excited out of all of us!) Later we have dinner and play games and watch all the Christmas specials. Good, quality family time.

5. What's a tradition you love?

Putting up the tree together. My mum didn’t used to let us help because she likes it to be perfect! But she trusts us now J We’ll also all be making cupcakes and gingerbread men together. Oh and my sister (who is 23 by the way) insisted we all have to wear onesies this year, lol!

6. Do you give gifts?

Yeah it’s the best part! I love watching people open presents from me which I know they really want!

7. What is your favorite holiday drink?

Baileys...epecially in hot chocolate. Nom!

8. What is your favorite holiday food?

Turkey and stuffing sandwiches. Mmmmm....

9. What is your favorite holiday movie?

The Muppet’s Christmas Carol. I watch it every year without fail and have since I was a kid! I know all the songs and it makes me genuinely happy :D

10. If you worked in Santa's Workshop what would you be doing?

Is there a cook in Santa’s workshop? Someone has to feed the elves right? I love cooking so that would be the job for me. I think I’d be rubbish at building toys!

Curve Confidence?

Me, Cole, my sister Kayleigh and her boyfriend Gaz all went out to The Pitcher and Piano on Deangate Locks in Manchester for a night out. I wore a black dress from AX Paris. To be honest when I looked in the mirror I quite liked it on but when I saw the pictures I was pretty upset. I haven't been on Weight Watchers for a few weeks and have put on loads of weight again :( I wish I could be confident about my curves but I just feel judged for the way I look. I feel like everyone looks at me and all they think is "fat". But I am also ashamed of myself for caring so much. That I shouldn't be so shallow to think that I can only be attractive if I'm slim? There are so many beautiful curvy girls around, I follow many of them on here, and not once do I think their weight has any bearing on their attractiveness...so why can't I feel the same about myself?

Anyway, here are some pictures of the night. Kayleigh is wearing a skull wiggle dress that I got her for her birthday, Cole has on a shirt and jeans from Burton and I believe Gaz's shirt is from Primark. 

Me bored waiting for Cole in the Barbers in my gorgeous red Mason Scotch snood. 

I like this picture...not too much belly.....

But then eep! See my problem with the dress? Too much hips, belly and boobs! And I'm ridiculously tall in 6" heels!

Grrrrrr!!!!

 In Pitcher and Piano. I want the wallpaper!

Kayleigh and Gaz.

Ah, that's better.

This is a very true saying. I sent this to my sister as she's had some massive problems with her "friends" over the last few months. But what goes around comes around and karma has already bitten one on the backside. One down, one to go. 

Starting Again

I am starting my nail business again! Since I got home from Spain I've been wondering what to do with my life. Do I carry on working in Construction as an Estimator which I only do to earn a decent amount of money or do I start again doing something I enjoy? The thought of starting from the beginning is a really daunting prospect but after quitting my job and moving abroad it seems kind of silly to go straight back to being in a job I hate and not taking the opportunity to do what I love. So I've decided to get a proper qualification as a Nail Technician so I can work in shops and also do some mobile work. The only problem is getting the clients. I have advertised online but it's difficult when you don't have much money to start with! So I may have to go back to basics and print some leaflets and push them through doors. I'll let you know how it goes! 

I started my course today and my teacher said I'm a natural...and I must say her technique is easier than what I was taught previously!

Here's some of my recent nails. Some I have done, some I haven't. I'll tell you which (I'm no cheat :p)

Spiked red glitter nails. These were the first I had done when I got back to England because I ran out of acrylic liquid and powder! The Chinese people didn't understand what I meant when I said I wanted them pointed so I had to file them myself when I got home *sighs*

These were just me practising some nail art on my sister. The crosses are my fave!

Some stick ons from Nailene. I love the colour.

 I did these acrylics for my friend Collette. I wanted them to be Christmassy so I did red tips with a gold bow and stars. Very festive :)

OMG OMG OMG I love these! Some stick ons I found in Superdrug at The Trafford Centre (sorry I can't remember who they are by!) The patterns and bright colour are right up my street. Want to wait to do my acrylics after I have done everyone elses Christmas nails as I always ruin mine with blobs of acrylic or acetone :(

Skull cherries on Kayleigh's nails. I also did these natural acrylics.

As I am sure I have mentioned many times, I do semi-permanent lashes. Mine usually last about 3 weeks but I am good at looking after them. This is a close up of them on my eye. Couldn't live without these lashes!

Primark Shopping Trip

Just some pictures from my recent trip to Primark. I love it there as I go off clothes so quickly so it's good to get some of the latest fashions and they're cheap enough to throw away when I get bored of them! 

My onesie! I love it so much. I got it quite big as the last thing I want is to have to hold my belly in when I'm wearing my pyjamas!

Obsessed with jumpers this year, whereas last year I'd mostly wear short sleeved tops with cardigans. I like leggings with an oversized jumper and my leather jacket. Sorted!

Aaaaaaaaaand another. Cheap as chips!

Can't see it properly but this hat has snowflakes on! I also got matching mittens. I'm so cool :p

Wet look peplum top. Loving the peplums at the moment as they cover my problem areas (well, some of them!) 

Had to add this one of Cole. He loves Batman and kinds of thinks he is Batman...Yes, he is strange.