The Christie Loves Box

If you saw my last post on 'What I got for Christmas' then you would have seen the sneak preview of one of my gifts, the Christie Loves Box. I received this from fellow blogger and bestie Kim. When I unwrapped the outer layer of paper, I was so excited at what I saw and intrigued as to what was inside. The box was covered in cactus print paper. I was really impressed how she managed to wrap this all up and align all the paper so it all looked like one piece!

The box was filled with everything that I love, and most impressively a magazine alongside the gifts. I could tell a lot of thought and effort had been put into creating this and I loved it! I didn't read it straight away as I didn't want to spoil what gifts I was about to open. There was a page on home decor which featured this gorgeous pineapple cushion, as well as saying that all of the decorating I was doing was sending me 'fruity' (get it?!) in the head! It suggested that this cushion would look great in a home office and I agree, and that is where it will be showcased! As well as the cushion, I received this lovely little dish which is great for flatlays and some flatlay tips from the expert herself!

I was over the moon when I opened up one of the little bags filled with makeup! I felt spoilt to see that I had some Too Faced goodies including the gingerbread melted matte lippy, white chocolate chip palette and also mascara. I was really impressed by the eyeshadow palette and it smells amazing too. This liquid lipstick is SO GOOD and by far the best lip product I have owned. I wore it Christmas day and it took a lot to budge it, even after eating. The little magazine did warn me about the velvet applicator but I saw past that when I realised how fantastic this was. I want more colours now! I can see why Kim swears by them! I also received an eyebrow shade which I am yet to experiment with and a gorgeous mirror from Lisa Angel which also follows the cactus theme.

As well as some flatlay tips in the magazine there was also a section on planners. I received some great stickers that I can use in my 2018 diary! I especially love the wedding countdown ones, I have put these on my calendar so I can see them and have used the dress sticker to mark my next fitting. It's less than 11 months to go now, eek!

Finally there was a few other pieces that tied in with the magazine. I got a slow cooker recipe book, cookie cutter and a pug stress ball. I especially liked how the magazine had a photo of one of my slow cooked meals, it really was very well thought out. I can't wait to try out some more.

Overall I really loved receiving this box and it definitely filled a hole where My Little Box used to be. It was just so thought out and the gifts were really lovely. Thank you Kim for such a great gift!

Have you ever created anything like this for one of your friends?

Psychic Email Reading - Review*

This post is a little bit different from anything I have posted before, however I want to share with you my experience. I was recently contacted about having a Psychic Email Reading and having never had one before I thought I would give it a go. I really didn’t know what to expect or what would come out of it, but after looking through Lyndsay’s website I was excited to give it a go. Lyndsay was born psychic and can give you insightful information about your past, present and future by working with a spirit guide.

Before my reading, I sent over a photograph of myself and was asked for two questions that Psychic Lyndsay would then pass on to the spirits. The first question I asked was about my financial situation. Anyone that knows me will probably be able to assume that over the next year I won’t have a lot of money with a wedding to plan and pay off, so I’ll be honest I did expect this to come back in my reading. My reading was very accurate, the spirit even said I may have some money left over for a holiday and I am hoping this means a honeymoon as it is something we weren’t thinking was possible due to funds. I won’t go into every single detail, however I could relate to every single part of the reading.

The second question I asked was about my career, as I have been trying to get myself a promotion by taking on extra work and activities. I was told that I need to stand up for myself more and know my worth which is 100% true. I often find myself doing too much work that is above my paygrade but not standing up and saying no. The spirits believe I will be in my role for another year max, so that was quite interesting to know. My role at work is changing so whether that means what I am doing now will change or a whole new job I am not sure. I felt very positive after my reading and I think the spirits confirmed to me what I already knew deep down. It makes such a difference when you hear these things from someone else.

Psychic email readings include a minimum of 600 words with in depth answers to your two questions and cost just £33. I think it would be a good gift idea for someone who has everything, or even for yourself if you are curious. The reading is delivered in PDF format to your email address within 10 working days. Mine came through rather quickly and I was so excited to read it. There is so much more I want to know!

If you would like to get your own email reading, head over to Lyndsay’s Website. What do you think?

The Jewel Hut - Pandora Love Heart Charm*

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s great to start thinking of ideas on what to buy that special someone. If you’ve got some ideas of what you want, what better way to hint than by sharing posts and links with your partner in the hope that they pick up on the idea. Single – no problem, there is no harm in treating yourself. You don’t need an occasion to check out the lovely jewellery available at The Jewel Hut, especially the wide range of Pandora items available.

I received this beautiful ‘You Are So Loved Heart Charm’ which costs £30. Perfect to give as a gift to the one you love. It really is very charming. Elegantly sculpted into a heart shape, this charm is engraved with the words ‘You are so Loved’. This carries great sentiment and would make the perfect gift for a friend or partner, especially for Valentine’s Day to really show you care. The charm is silver and would complement all other charms on a Pandora bracelet.

The Jewel Hut is an online jewellery store offering some of the best branded jewellery at competitive prices. Not only can you buy Pandora you can also purchase from brands such as Links of London, Thomas Sabo, Swarovski and many more. You are bound to find something for that special someone. When I received my item, it came packaged with the official Pandora box and gift bag which was easy to assemble when preparing this as a gift.

What do you think of this gorgeous charm? Will you be visiting The Jewel Hut to see their fantastic range of branded jewellery?

*I received this item free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

Christmas Gift Ideas

With just over 5 weeks until Christmas, most of us only have one more payday in which it’s feasible to buy presents. If you’re stuck for ideas but want to get the ball rolling and get everything finished then look no further. I’ve brought you some Christmas gift ideas that could spark your imagination and inspire you to finish your shopping off sooner rather than later.

Personalised Gift Ideas
If you’re looking for a unique gift that you know the recipient won’t already have, then you need to check out the unique Christmas gift range over on Personalised Gift Solutions. With free delivery on all gifts you can pick up presents at a great price without having to pay over the odds for delivery. I love the personalised cheese board I received earlier in the year, I think it makes the perfect gift for someone who has everything. I also love this Personalised Oak Photo Cube Keepsake Box which would be a lovely present for anyone. These Personalised Christmas Beer Triple Pack are a great gift for dads. Personalised Gift Solutions have very kindly provided me with a discount code for you all to use so if you fancy 10% off, head over to their website now and enter the code 10%OFF4CHRISTIE before Christmas!

Homemade Gifts
If you’re on a budget this year then why not make some homemade gifts to wow your friends and family. Fudge is really simple to make, as is this salted chocolate nut crunch and who doesn’t love a mince pie? Delicious.

Jewellery
I received this gorgeous necklace from Lylia Rose last week and if you head over to their website they showcase an amazing range of jewellery, scarves and accessories. I think these pieces make beautiful gifts. Lylia Rose have very kindly offered me a discount code to share with you, so if you fancy 20% off head to the checkout and use code CHRISTIE. Keep an eye on my blog for a more in depth review and OOTD featuring Lylia Rose next week.

If you're still completely stuck for ideas and looking for an amazing present, why not check out the Gear Hungry website for some incredible gift ideas.

What will you be buying this Christmas?

The Ideal Birthday Gift with Prestige Flowers*

It's not often I buy flowers because I always find it a lot of hassle to pick some out and then get them home without damaging the delicate petals. I think flowers make the perfect birthday gift for those who either have everything or don't want anything in particular.

I recently received some luxury flowers from Prestige Flowers. This bouquet is the New York bouquet from their new Haute Florist range and prices start at just £40. (It's a complete coincidence that the background to the below photo is New York!)

This is a recently launched range of high quality stems arranged in house by Prestige Flowers highly trained florists. I love how these have been arranged, they are a very impressive bunch.

The quality of the flowers was amazing and they all arrived looking bright and fresh. They continued to look gorgeous for at least 10 days before I noticed any wilting.

The bouquet consisted of peach avalanche roses, cymbidium orchid heads accented with honey germini flowers and solidago. I love the neutral colour selection and imagine anyone else would also love to receive this and it would fit within most decor schemes.

The cymbidium orchid heads came in these little water filled tubes, what a great idea to add something amazing to the bouquet. These were probably the first thing to wilt which was a shame, but they were easy to pick out from the rest of the bouquet.

The flowers arrived well protected in a large cardboard box and looked great on first impression. They also came with a vase which was fantastic and a perfect fit. I read the instructions in the care guide and proceded to trim the stems and place them in water with the plant food solution.

Other available items include smaller bouquets and my favourite offer, the Birthday Bundle. There are plenty of offers available over on the Birthday Flowers section of the website.

You can even add a teddy bear, vase, a balloon, chocolates, wine or cake to your bouquet orders at an added cost to make your gift that bit more special.

Surprising someone with flowers on their birthday is the perfect gift and will always be appreciated by the recipient. It's a lovely gesture to send flowers and with Prestige Flowers it is so easy to do, you can place your order within about 5 minutes and you can even get same day delivery if you order by 3pm. Prestige Flowers can also be delivered on Saturday's which is handy for people who work Monday-Friday.

Visit Prestige Flowers today and let me know what your favourite bouquet is.

You can also find them on Pinterest, Google +, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

*I received these beautiful flowers free of charge from Prestige Flowers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Valentines Day Gift Ideas under £5

Looking for that perfect Valentine’s day gift but don't have a lot of money? Me too! I have tried to come up with a few ideas that could save you money, let me know if you have any ideas too, I'm coming up stuck with what to get my boyfriend! 

Home made food gifts always go down a treat.. literally. I recently made this Rocky Road on a budget and you can find this recipe here . Wrap this in cellophane with a nice red bow, or pop into a nice gift box and you're good to go! You could also make cupcakes or salted nut crunch or cookies.. The possibilities are endless!

Image source: John Lewis

Charbonnel et Walker Mini Red Heart Champagne Truffle, 34g £4.00

Alternatively if you have no time to bake something, you can always buy something edible. Chocolates and sweets are always a winner - well especially with me they are! John Lewis do a great selection of chocolates for under £5 and anything in a heart shaped box screams Valentines does it not?

Image source: Not On The High Street

'Bee-Mine' Bee Friendly Wild Flower Seeds £3.48

Not on the high street is a great place for personalised gifts and I love these little 'bee-mine' seeds. Not only is this a practical gift, it gives you and your Valentine an excuse to do something together (plant the seeds of love). Great for gardeners and outdoorsy-types.

And last but not least, the best bargain of them all! These hearts filled with love are the perfect gift especially if you are on a budget. Not only are these designs great for Valentine’s day, they also make great anniversary or wedding gifts. The words and colours can be personalised to suit you, you could even add little phrases which mean something to the recipient or dates which mean a lot to you.

The print is only $5 (that's like £3?!) and what you do with it is endless. I have chosen to print mine and frame it with a cheap frame from Ikea. A fantastic bargain and a great gift that will last a lifetime.

Purchase your JPEG file here for just $5 for you to print and customise at your own will.

What will you be buying/making for Valentines Day?