How to Deal With Holiday Stress

It's that time of year!

The build up towards Christmas can be so festive, exciting and yet so stressful for some. There's pressure to make sure that all of the gifts are checked off of wish lists and are purchased for the kids and other family members. It seems like everywhere you go is overwhelmingly busy and packed and it makes it impossible to roam through the stores trying to find those perfect gifts. The Christmas period only comes around once a year so why make it be a stressful experience? Here are some tips to not let you turn into the Grinch this year!

• Quality not quantity! It's not about how many presents are under the tree but rather the thought and intention behind each gift. We all have a difficult time when it comes to over spending around the holidays so why not go for a gift that's more personal? This year try to make a home made gift that's from the heart. If you're a creative person, maybe knit up a pretty scarf that you know that you're mom will appreciate? After all, you did spend hours on it and she will be thankful for that! 
• Plan a budget that you can stick to. Many people go overboard especially when the sales are on for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I mean who wouldn't want that flat screen high def t.v. for only £300 that was originally £500?! There are so many tempting buys out there in stores but remember to stick to your plan! If you write down a budget that you KNOW that you can stick to, there's no need to overspend and regret those purchases. I hear from so many people that when they start their Christmas shopping they see things for themselves as well and they buy more for themselves while their intention was for other people. It's called self control for a reason people! Remember why you're shopping in the first place and try not to become selfish.
• Don't feel bad for not getting those expensive gifts! This ties into the above tip as well but don't feel like you have to give presents that cost an arm and a leg just to make someone happy! The media plays a big role in portraying Christmas as a commercialized time of year and love it because it's when their sales are the highest!  If you cave in and give kids everything they want like an I-pad or a cell phone, they'll start to expect gifts like this every year and throughout the year as well. It's great to surprise them with one or two that they aren't expecting but the more that kids get everything on their wishlist, the more that it could cause issues for the parents in the future. Plus, why should a child get an expensive gift that most likely is going to be broken or shattered in a few months time anyway? Most items and toys get played with and then down the road something new comes along and that toy doesn't get played with anymore. Spending wisely is definitely key and the recipient will still be appreciative!
• Spending time with the family and in-laws! This is most likely the major factor when it comes to holiday stresses. So many people roll their eyes at the thought of having to go and visit with family members they would rather not have to see. No matter what you're family situation may be, you should try to make the best out of this time of year. Why be miserable when you can be happy? Remember that you will only spend time with your relatives for a short time and then you can go back to your normal routine. Look at the bright side, some people have to work on major holidays so learn to be thankful that you don't have to and you can stuff you're face with food even if it's with people that you don't like. Find positive things even in negative situations!
• Having to rush for those last minute gifts. Procrastination is very common around Christmas. You have people that are either too lazy to start shopping or people are just too busy with their daily schedules and have to shop at the last minute. Obviously the more rushed you feel can definitely lead to feeling stressed. If this is you, try working out a few days where you do have time to get things done and just DO IT! We all can be lazy sometimes but the more you push yourself to get out there you won't have to regret waiting until the last minute. Procrastinators create their own added pressure for themselves that they just don't need. 
• Cooking a holiday meal for a large group. If you have never cooked a holiday meal before and it's your turn this year, don't worry! Don't tell yourself that you have no idea what you're doing and you expect it to all go wrong. The more you don't have confidence in yourself, the more things will go wrong. You might want to try practicing the set up before hand as a practice run! Try to make it fun by decorating the table how you like and putting your festive spin on it! If you have a pretend Christmas meal beforehand your are less likely to get it wrong the second time around. Start cooking early the day of your meal as well and don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Enjoy each moment and enjoy those yummy smells from the food that you're cooking! Nothing beats the smell of a turkey roasting in the oven!

There you have it, my main tips for those of you that are feeling the holiday stress already. When you feel like everything is happening all at once and there's so much that has to be done, it's easy to start feeling the added pressure. Try to enjoy the buildup to Christmas and the New Year because it's such a magical and beautiful time of year and you don't want to let things get in the way. The holidays shouldn't be a stressful time of year as long as you stay organised, you shouldn't have any problems! Remember to decorate your heart out, wrap those gifts early, and don't forget to leave those cookies and milk out for Santa!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you all

Ashley

Blogger Swap with @Jayxoxox18

Hi Everybody and happy Tuesday! I've been taking a break from blogging after posting everyday in September but I'm back! When I was thinking up some blogging ideas a few months ago I thought wow wouldn't it be fun to do some sort of beauty swap with another blogger who loves makeup as much as I do?! I was so happy to be able to do a swap with fellow blogger @Jayxoxox18. I love that she is also a New England girl like myself and she is so sweet so I was excited to do a swap with her. * By no means am I trying to brag about what I received, I just wanted to share these products with you as they are all great products that you could benefit from!

Doing this blogger swap was like Christmas shopping for someone and it was so much fun to do. We came up with a spending limit that was reasonable and we both had so much fun trying to get ideas for the other. Since Jay lives in the U.S. and I'm in the U.K. we decided to buy things that they don't tend to carry in each country, so they are all products that we've never tried before! I was so surprised when I received the package! She went through so much just to make everything look nice and presentable, she really is so thoughtful! 

How cute and thoughtful is this packaging??!!

I had tried Milani products before but not the eye shadows or lipsticks. The eye shadows are great because they are still pigmented but buildable as well so you can put on as little or as much as you prefer. The lipstick shade is absolutely gorgeous! You can never have enough pink shades in your collection either and this is one that I've been reaching for the most recently! Below are some swatches of the products.

Bella Bronze #24

Bella Champagne #16

Nude Creme #26

Wet N Wild is a brand that I normally wouldn't go crazy buying from years ago but I did LOVE their eye shadow palettes! The brand is drugstore and very affordable but I used to think the quality wasn't great so I just never opted to try any more of their products. I'm so happy Jay picked items from Wet N Wild  because they are surprisingly good quality! The flat top brush is great for applying my foundation and works way better than using a sponge as well. The Comfort Zone eye palette was something I was so excited to receive because I think these colors are so pretty to wear in the Fall. The Coverall palette is great for covering up any unnecessary spots and hides them perfectly! I had always been interested in trying concealers that were different colors and I think they really do help! The graphic marker eyeliner is lovely too because I feel like I have enough control when applying it so I don't tend to make messy mistakes. This has been a staple in my everyday makeup routine now! The brow highlighter is such a great product! I don't have to keep going back to my whiter eye shadows to highlight under my brow bone now that this item is in my life! It's perfect!

Elf has been a brand that I've been loving for a while now and I was super excited that Jay surprised me with some of their items. To be honest, I don't have a brush collection at all so I'm happy to have a blush brush now to use because using a brush makes a big difference! I feel like I'm a bit of a makeup virgin because I have never used an eyebrow kit before either. I felt like my eyebrows never needed any help because I like them really and I don't like when people use an eyebrow pencil and literally just draw on their brows! It was nice to be able to play around with this eyebrow kit without making my brows look too unnatural. The Coral blush in Peach Perfection is a liquid blush and looks so pretty on. It's definitely a great Spring/ Summer shade!

Next out of my surprises were a few items I absolutely love! When I was back in the States I used to be obsessed with going into Ulta and when I saw that Jay sent me this Gilded Gold palette I was so happy! There's 6 glittery/shimmer shades alongside 6 matte shades that go very well together and I've been using this religiously! I have heard nothing but good things about the Ardell wispies lashes and they really are that good! I naturally have long lashes anyway but I love putting on a good pair of lashes, again not looking too fake! I feel like they only enhance your eyes and make them look even more gorgeous. Lastly, every blogger was talking about their favorite dark lip they like to wear in Autumn and I was bummed because I feel like I can't pull off darker lips ( fyi, I don't like my smile) so I was too afraid to try wearing a darker lip shade. I love Nyx products in general so I gave this a go. It's a matte lip creme and you have to be very precise when you apply it or else it''ll stain around your mouth (not pretty). It's such a gorgeous color and I will definitely gain up the courage to wear it outside!

Lastly, this was honestly something I loved the most that I received! I miss the Bath and Body Works stores so much because their holiday and fall range has the best scents ever! It doesn't feel like Halloween or Christmas without one of these candles burning!! 

A very special thanks to you Jay, this was really fun and I appreciate you getting involved in the swap! Thank you for introducing me to products that I've never tried or was too nervous to try! You've inspired me to try out more beauty products and to work on updating my beauty routine! Check out Jay's page and show her some love!

Have a fab day,

Ashley

Organic & Botanic Skincare Review

 **Sponsored Post**

I had never heard of the Organic & Botanic brand before so I was so excited when they sent me a few of their skincare samples in the mail to try out! I wanted to use them for a little while before giving my opinion on the products as my skin tends to act like a roller coaster at times. I am always weary trying out new skincare products because I never know how my skin will react to the product. I received an orange mandarin eye serum and moisturizer and I'm quite surprised with how much I actually loved these products! Organic & Botanic is a vegan friendly brand as well which is a plus.

When I first tried the night moisturiser, the mandarin orange scent was so lovely and I'm quite picky with how a face product smells. The product description says that it works to heal and nourish the skin when it's most receptive to repair. The directions say to apply in the evening after cleansing and applying the serum. I love how after you apply the moisturiser it doesn't leave that greasy feeling like you can get with some other products on the market. It's a perfect night time product to use because it left my face feeling very smooth and hydrated. For 50 ml, you definitely get a lot of use since a little bit goes a long way. I used one finger swipe of product and it covered my face and neck area as well. I love knowing what ingredients I'm using on my face and I like the fact that these products are vegan friendly. On the box it says the Alp Rose Stem Cells aim to preserve existing cells by protecting against environmental stress, whilst encouraging skin regeneration. Neroli Oil aims to nourish and replenish the skin, whilst restoring elasticity for smoother, firmer skin.

This is honestly my first ever eye serum product that I've ever used and I love it! I believe that prevention is better than cure so why not introduce a serum into your night time routine before getting those nasty wrinkles? You don't have to have wrinkles already or be 40+ years old to begin using an eye serum. It states that this product is gentle yet effective, working to firm, smooth, and brighten the delicate eye area. After using the serum for more than a month now I would agree that it does help the eye area become firmer. The serum comes with a dropper and you really just need very little when applying. Here's what the box says about a few of the key ingredients: Beautifeye, derived from the Persian Silk Tree, aims to lessen crow's feet and wrinkles around the eyes. Elderflower is known for it's nourishing benefits, it aims to leave the skin with a naturally healthy appearance. Sweet Almond Oil is rich in vitamins and fatty acids, working to soften and hydrate. This comes in a 15 ml bottle which can definitely last you a good few months at least. 

 

Overall, I'm very happy with these two products and I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for new skincare items to try. I'm usually not too crazy over an orange scent but I love how this smells. My skin feels so much better after applying the serum and moisturiser especially with how dry my skin tends to get in the colder months. Will definitely purchase these in the future! Thank you to those from Organic & Botanic for introducing these into my skincare routine!

Ashley

The Autumn Tag

Hello everyone and Happy fall! I know it's already the 20th of October and fall started about a month ago but I've taken a little break from blogging and now I'm back and feeling inspired. I know there have been a ton of Autumn posts going up out there so I wanted to join in with the fun (who doesn't love being festive this time of  year!?) Let's get to the questions:

1. Drinks - What's your favorite seasonal drink from Starbucks (or anywhere)?

I used to LOVE going to Starbucks around the holidays because of their yummy coffee flavors. Dunkin Donuts back in the States was my go to coffee place though. My fave is definitely anything pumpkin spice or gingerbread! I would start ordering it as soon as it would be available for the season! I would seriously have a pumpkin coffee every day right up until the season was over and they were no longer ordering the flavor (yes, I was that nuts!) 

2. Accessories - What do you opt for? Scarf, boots, hats? 

   

  When it starts to get into the colder weather I'm all about staying warm! Even though I'm used to harsh winters with tons of snow, this English weather has a different kind of bone chill to it. I love wrapping up with scarves and gloves. I'm not much of a hat person because I don't think I look that good in a beanie. I love riding boots and I think they can make any outfit look classy. I need to invest in a few more sweaters and turtlenecks or roll necks I think you call them. Because of how windy it gets here along the coast, I definitely make sure that I am wrapped up as possible. 

3.  Music - What's your favorite music to listen to during Autumn? 

I love mostly all types of music all throughout the year but as Halloween rolls around I start listening more to festive music. I like watching Michael Jackson's thriller video. The monster mash song is cute as well as the Addams Family theme song! Mainly though, I just stick to whatever music is on the radio but every now and again I like some Halloween songs to get me in the mood to decorate! 

4. Perfume - What's your favorite scent for this time of year? 

My perfumes don't really change for fall but as far as scents are concerned a few of my favorites are pumpkin spice, cinnamon, apple, cranberry, gingerbread, anything with a musky scent really! I love the smell when your baking cupcakes or a pie in the oven too!

5. Candles - What scents will you be burning this season? 

I am so bummed that I am not around a Bath and Body Works store because they are not available in the UK, but I was fortunate to have received a few in the mail thanks to a lovely person! If you have been to the U.S. and never have visited B&BW, you don't know what you're missing out on! The scents they put out around the holidays are to dye for and are so addicting. Anyway back to the question haha. Any candle that smells like a pumpkin cupcake or pumpkin anything is definitely heaven for me. I love the basics like vanilla or lavender but I'm nuts over anything that smells like you've been baking in the kitchen! 

6. What do you love most about Autumn? 

The excitement it brings for the holidays! Once the colder weather arrives, you get to play around more with your style and try out different things. I absolutely love decorating for pretty much any holiday so when October hits I think about how I want to start decorating for Halloween. Watching all of the holiday movies are fun as well and I used to love it even as a kid so it's kind of like a favorite past time of mine. Trick or treating was fun but when you grow up it doesn't happen. I still love carving a pumpkin too and will be starting on mine soon :). I love when it get's chilly to wrap up with a hot chocolate and just watch loads of movies. 

7. Make up - Favorite makeup look? 

As far as makeup is concerned, my routine doesn't really change for Fall except that I tend to get SO dry so I use more lotion and moisturizer. I love coppery and brown eye shadow colors and I really don't go nuts with makeup. I think the pale look actually works for me in the colder months! I don't need blush because the wind does it naturally to my cheeks anyway. I am going to try out wearing a darker lip color though this season because I've always had a fear that I won't be able to pull it off. Sometimes I think less is better as well as the more natural look. 

8. What are you looking forward to the most in Autumn? 

I'm looking forward to decorating the house this year since I didn't last year after just moving here. I feel like I want to go all out this year but we'll see what happens. Once I hear back about an important matter, I'll have a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders, so I'll be able to concentrate more on what I love doing around this time of  year. I want to do loads of baking and cooking. Next month is Thankgiving, so I plan on cooking a lot of yummy food and a few desserts too. 

Hope you enjoyed all of the reasons why I love Autumn and I hope that you all are just as excited as I am! I tag all of you to do this tag as well and I'd love to hear your answers to the questions! 

Ashley

The Leibster Award Tag

Thank you to Jen for tagging me to do the Leibster award tag! Check out her blog here and show her some love. I really enjoy doing these tags as you can find out more about newer bloggers and yourself too! Here is how it works:

1. Thank your nominator 

2. Answer the questions he/she has created for you.

3. Create 10 new questions.

4. Nominate around 6 bloggers for this award and include their links in your post!

Let's get onto the questions shall we:

1. Have you figured out your life calling or is it something you’re still discovering? This is a good question! I believe a life calling has a few different meanings but as far as a career I believe I've found a great opportunity, which I'll be starting very soon! I think if you follow your heart and your gut, everything will all seem to fall in place whether it's starting a family, new job, etc.

2.Name one thing you’re proud of that you did this week! My husband was on vacation so we went and visited a castle! It's always nice to be able to go somewhere exploring, just the two of us, so that was a pretty proud time. I was also proud to win £10 on a scratch ticket too!

3.You just won a million dollars! What are 3 things you would do or get for yourself? The first thing I'd treat myself to is a visit to the dentist! Back in the States, the healthcare system isn't the best  so unless you have great benefits you have to pay out of pocket most of the time. I would get my teeth looking better so I can feel better about actually smiling. Second, I would love for my husband and I to go on a honeymoon preferably to somewhere tropical since I've never been before. Third, I would give my family money because growing up my parents lived paycheck to paycheck so I would give back to them!

4. What song are you really feeling right now? Any special stories or significance behind it? It's funny because I was just thinking how much I love the song Cheap Thrills by Sia. It has a great beat and I love the meaning behind it, that you don't need any money to have fun! She is such a great songwriter too. 

5. Name your one strength as a blogger and one thing you’d like to improve. I think that one of my strengths would be the ability to express my feelings. I love to be able to write down what I'm feeling, it's very therapeutic. I would love to improve how I take photos but I think that all comes in time with practice and experience. You're not going to have a perfect flat lay after a month of blogging. 

6.What does a really good day look like to you? Spending the day with my husband, visiting a new place that we've never been before. We don't get the chance to go many places together yet, but I look forward to everything we will do together in the future!

7. When life gets crazy, what’s your favorite way to de-stress? It might sound common but put headphones on and listen to music that you love! I find that distracting yourself from what is stressing you out is always the best way. Getting into comfy pj's and watching a movie is always a good way to de-stress too!

8. You’ve been given the opportunity to travel back five years to visit yourself! Name something about your life now that your former self would be happy to learn.  Wow that's an interesting one! I would tell my then 24 year old self that don't worry about all of the chaos that is happening now and that you will get what you want, just be patient! Cherish family time even more because you'll be living in England as a newlywed! 

9. Describe your favorite piece of jewelry. My fave piece of jewelry is my wedding ring. My husband picked it out himself and I absolutely love it. It has three pinky red rubies with little diamonds all around it. It's different to me and isn't a huge diamond ring that most girls want to have. It has a special meaning to me and I love it!

10. Name one thing you’re looking to buy. Just one thing? I just got a magic bullet, so I'm so excited to start buying different veggies to make smoothies! 

Now on to the 10 new questions!

1.  What is one thing that you're excited about for the future?

2. Do you have any goals set for yourself in the upcoming months?

3.  What are some of your favorite high end beauty products that you think are worth splurging on?

4. If you could own any car in the world, what would it be?

5. Very random, but what is your view on the whole Brexit idea, good or bad and explain why.

6. Do you have any fears and if so, do you ever think you will be able to conquer them?

7. It's almost that time of year! What is on your Christmas wishlist?

8. What's a typical day in your life like from the moment you wake up to going to bed?

9. Do you have any guilty pleasures (chocolate, etc)?

10. If you could spend the day with one person (living or not) who would it be and why? 

I nominate: 

 Meggan (@CardiganJezebel)

Lasma (@lasma_k)

Georgie (@shedreamsblog)

Sarah (@trisarahtops211)

Alexandra (@florence_afs)

Gracie (@_gracie92)

I look forward to reading everyone's answers to the questions!

Have a great day,

Ashley

Gratitude Challenge Day 30: Challenge Wrap Up

Happy Friday everyone! Today is the last day of the gratitude challenge and I can't believe how fast the month has flown by! I'm surprised that I was able to stick with the challenge and post everyday. Today's final post will be about why I'm grateful for taking part in this challenge.

For the last 30 days I have been writing about topics that I wouldn't normally and have learned to be grateful for the little things in my life. Even though you might not be in a good place at the moment or you might be at the best place in your life, it's always good to be grateful for the things you have or even don't have. 

I'm grateful for waking up everyday this month and having something to write about.

I'm grateful for this challenge so other people can also recognize how to be grateful as well!

This challenge has made me look at my past, my family, my achievements, my childhood, etc. and have made me realize that even though it might not have been great, there's always something great to take away from it. 

I'm grateful for Aurelie who was the host of this challenge. Without her I most likely wouldn't have took part in the challenge so thank you Aurelie!

I'm grateful for all of those who commented on my posts and took part in the challenge as well! I love reading all that you have to say and it's nice to know that other people out there have gone through similar issues like I have. 

Until next time!

Ashley

Gratitude Challenge Day 29: Body

  We're back with another day of the gratitude challenge! Only one more day to go I can't believe it's almost over! For today's theme, we'll be talking about my body! What are some reasons I'd like to say thank you to my body and why do I accept the way it is?

First off, I'm so thankful for being healthy and am blessed to not have had any major problems with my body in the past. I was born a healthy weight with all of my fingers and toes. Just take a moment to appreciate that fact because there are some people born with less than you!

Thank you to my hair for being thick and for the fact that it grows like a weed. I can't imagine having thin hair or no hair at all. I love being able to get my hair done and trying different colors out. I think if I had a problem that left me with no hair, I would love trying out different wigs! Maybe that's why I love Halloween so much because you can be different people and dress differently.

Thank you to my eyes for being big and brown. I love my eyes and I think they're one of my best features. I was a little self conscious of them growing up because they are pretty big and I didn't want people to make fun of them especially because I had to start wearing glasses when I was younger. 

Thank you to my height for allowing me to be a shorty! I have grown to appreciate the fact that I'm only 5'2 because I can wear heels without towering over people. It does make me feel a little weird though when kids half my age are so much taller then me but it's what God gave me so why not appreciate it?

I'm thankful to be a woman! I love having boobs and a bum and it makes dressing up challenging but fun! Even though us women go through having periods and giving birth, I wouldn't have it any other way. I couldn't imagine being a man at all!  

I have learned to accept my body mostly but still have my days where it's quite hard to appreciate it! I'm not perfect at all! I look in the mirror and think that I look bloated or that I wish I was just a little bit skinnier but I shouldn't be complaining if I'm not doing anything to change myself right? One of my goals for myself is to start eating right and eating more fruits and veggies! Taking care of your body and what you put into it is so important and beneficial! 

What about you? Do you appreciate what you were born with? 

Until tomorrow,

Ashley