Cosy cave for Winter

Hello!

So one of my favourite places in the world is my bedroom. I love to change it up all the time, adding or taking away different pieces or completely changing the entire vibe, and naturally I decided to have another change of scenery as winter/Christmas draws near. Feel free to adapt these ideas to your own bedroom!

Fairy lights are always in my bedroom no matter what time of year, but particularly in winter I think they are necessary to make a bedroom 10 times cosier. Because I love fairy lights so much, I tend to buy them whenever I see them so I have several sets to utilise during winter. The above were a gift from a friend, and I have found a similar set here. 

Luckily during this time of year Christmas lights are so easy to get hold of so if you don't have a lot of fairy lights then now is the perfect time of year to be after them. I found this set of 20 from Tesco for only £1.80!

I only have a teeny weeny bedroom, so plug sockets and spaces to drape lights aren't highly accessible. Thus I have discovered that your curtain pole or your  bed frame are not the only places you can drape your lights; use small pieces of blue tack and hang them along the wall, drape them across the shelves or wind them down your bookcase and across your books like this. These are actually outdoor dragonfly lights from B&M. 

I am also a sucker for lights that are also wall pieces, like this one from B&M for £12.99.

Alternatively, if you want another way to get that cosy glow in your bedroom on these cold nights, instead of (or with!) lights, candles are an ideal purchase. 

These three candle holders are from a cute shop in St Ives, Cornwall, that I visit every year. At £3 each I couldn't resist and have them in my bedroom every season. However, to make them that little bit more autumnal I bought these small dark purple candles from Asda, a pack of 3 for £1. 

For some variation in sizing, I also have this larger pastel pink candle in a birdcage that my friend bought and entwined with roses for me. 

Though probably much more suited for spring or summer, I love it too much to put it away, and alongside the other candles and fairy lights it is still lovely and cosy. 

And though it might not be December just yet, I couldn't resist this candle from Primark for £1.50. I thought the snowflake was so cool and it also smells super Christmassy and adds a bit of subtle festivity without raiding the Christmas decs.

Another way to do this is by adding either bedding or, as a cheaper alternative, a Christmas throw from Primark for £5. Not only is it so soft and warm, but it is does the job of being festive and saves buying an entire duvet set. Of course, any throw or blanket at this time of year will also be fab for keeping warm in your bedroom! Add some cushions for extra cosiness. 

 And lastly, no cosy winter bedroom would be complete without a pair of PJ's. Though I've found it to be too warm to wear the usual thick Winter PJ's, I did invest in some Christmas Santa/Snowflake leggings from Primark for £10, that are fleece-lined and perfect for lazying around the house and bedtime. Paired with this long-sleeved black t-shirt (£5) and dark blue slippers (£3), I am super snug without being too hot or too cold. As you can see I have spent quite a bit in Primark recently, but there really is nowhere like it for Christmas at the minute as you get what you want without spending too much for things you may not use for too long.

Any other ideas for how to cosy up a room? Who else is getting excited for Christmas?

xx

A-Z

Though I have a haul and several recipe posts in mind for the future when my clothes orders arrive and I manage to take photos when cooking/baking, until then I thought a tag post would be fun to do. It's also a nice way to get to know each other a little better quite early into my blogging.

A-Z

Age: I am 18 years old.

Bed size: Single, my bedroom is far too tiny for anything else.

Chore you hate: Being at home means I get left quite a few chores during the day, but I really hate emptying the bins and I am pants at ironing. 

Dogs: I am not an animal person at all, but from a young age my family has had two Golden Retrievers who I loved too pieces. I was only young when we had to give our first away and sadly, our second dog Meg passed away around a year ago. This is our favourite photo of her, that we have had blown up on to a canvas that hangs in our conservatory.

Currently we have a little devil named Saphi, a puppy Bearded Collie, that has recently joined our family. As naughty as she is, she is still a bundle of joy that I have the 'pleasure' of looking after whilst my family are at work/school for two days of the week. Though I am still definitely NOT an animal person, I have had to overcome some of my fears whilst taking care of her and we have reached an understanding that is working out well so far!

I can still appreciate a cute dog though, and I seem to have a thing for Pugs that has come out of nowhere!

Essential start of your day: I have to have at least half an hour just to sit and get accustomed to my surroundings and then I HAVE to have some food.

Favourite colour: Yellow

Gold or silver: Silver

Height: No idea

Instruments I play: I got given a recorder once for Christmas and could not stop crying because I couldn't figure out how to play it. I suppose I can play basic keyboard.

Job title: Checkout operator at Morrisons..

Kids: None

Live: Chester

Mum's name: Suzanne, bur everyone calls her Suzi

Nickname: Grizzle, or G

Outfit: Black leggings, black vest, long sleeved white T-shirt with dark green contrast sleeves - no need to be glamourous for a dog walk. 

Black leggings & black vest - Primark
Long sleeved T-shirt - H&M

Pet peeve:  Bad manners

Quote from a movie: "I think I'd miss you even if we'd never met" -The Wedding Date, just been watched. 

Right or left handed: Right

Siblings: 3 sisters, Sophie, Olivia & Ellie

Time you wake up: On a normal day I try to be up by 9:30. I hate wasting the day away, even if I do love a lie-in.

Underwear: Living with 2 sisters means whatever I can get my hands on in the washing basket! When I do buy for myself though, I like pretty yet comfortable.

Vegetables you dislike: Carrots, I can tolerate them raw or roasted but that is it.

What makes you run late: Oversleeping, underestimating how long it will take to get somewhere, or another person.

X-rays you've had done: Just my teeth

Yummy food you make: I'm not a bad baker, though recently I have been atrocious - last week I made the mistake of putting my finger in hot caramel so now I have a HUGE blister. I can make a good cupcake though. But for a meal, I would say stir fry. 

Zoo animal: None, but I do like a flamingo. I once told all my friends I had adopted a flamingo from the zoo, and to this day I still don't know why. 

I hope that was somewhat interesting, and I would love to read any of your own A-Z tags!

xx

Food: I Love You

A month on and I have finally found my motivation to start blogging again. Being at home whilst your friends are off with their new lives at Uni can be quite upsetting sometimes as I feel lonely and useless. So I reminded myself about blogging as, regardless of whether anybody is reading, it allows me to have a little project to work on during these long days. 

Above is a recipe book I treated myself to in September. I spotted 'The Bright Side' brand whilst in a tiny shop in Cornwall and regrettably didn't buy myself anything. It was only when shopping for a quirky notebook for a friend's birthday present that I spotted this brand again on Amazon and was immediately hooked and set on buying myself something.

Though I had my eye on their 'Evil plans and stuff'  notebook as well, I knew firstly I had to buy this recipe book as during this year I was determined to throw myself into cooking and baking. Thankfully this has paid off and I am regularly trying out new recipes, from homemade Chicken Kiev to giant cupcakes to cookie milkshakes (recipes which I do plan on uploading/demonstrating). The different areas in this book, such as 'Yummy 10 Minute Dinner' and 'Treat, Snack or Naughtiness', makes trying out different recipes even more worthwhile, and I really enjoy writing them in myself. 

Do you enjoy cooking or baking? Any recipes to recommend?

xx