Journeys Are My Diary

Life, Adventures, Entertainment and more - A little bit of everything blog!

My Christmas Wishlist 2015

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Over the next few weeks I’m going to be sharing some of my ideas for gift guides, including “for him”, “for her”, “for kids” etc. However I wanted to start off with a wish list of my own! This is my Christmas Wishlist 2015.

Christmas Wishlist 2015

 

As you will see, even at a glance, my wishlist is almost entirely filled with Disney. This is because Disney is probably my biggest fandom love, followed immediately by Harry Potter (which there are also several items for). Anyway, let’s get started!

On the left hand side of the guide, you will see an Inside Out board game and a Ticket to Ride board game. I absolutely love playing board games, both with my family and with my friends. Though we already own a version of both these games, I would love these versions (just like I would love Disney Villains monopoly still). Inside Out seems like such a great idea for Game of Life and a United Kingdom version of Ticket to Ride sounds fun! On that same side you will also spot two DVDs, Inside Out and Tomorrowland. Inside Out isn’t released yet but Tomorrowland has been for a while, I’d like both to add to my every growing Disney DVD collection. Finally on that side is a Thomas Kinkade Disney calendar. I had the mini version last year but I would love the full size version as my main calendar this year. I love the art work and even better when you’re done with it you could always frame the pages.

On the right hand side I have clothes. The dress is an Alice print dress from Hot Topic which I absolutely love. I have another dress from Hot Topic in this style and its my favourite Disney dress. I also have this exact print in a scarf (which I’m wearing now) and I love it. Not only that it’s black and I know I’d get lots of wear out of it, even in winter paired with a cardigan and tights. Secondly there is a set of PJs and these are Beauty and the Beast from Topshop. Last year I treated myself to a pair of PJs from Topshop and though they had cuff bottoms on the trousers (which I thought I would hate) I loved them and as such would love this pair for this year.

Heading for the middle of the wishlist you can see its basically an array of ornaments and Pop Funko figures. However there is a Harry Potter umbrella in there too. I love the Marauders Map print and I know I would get loads of use out of this – especially living in the UK where rain is our standard. Also not an ornament is the Disney Villains bag. This is from Loungefly and have I loved their stuff for a long time. In this style there is also a Disney Villains wallet but as it doesn’t have card slots I know I wouldn’t use it much. This bag however is amazing and I would love to use it as my every day handbag. Not technically an ornament, this candle is also on my wishlist. It’s available from the Disney Store and comes in a few different colours. I’m not a huge candle fan but I find myself more drawn to them this time of year. Plus it’s Disney. No brainer.

Finally, onto the ornaments in the middle. There are four Disney Traditions/Showcase ornaments and some of these are firm favourites while others are new to my wish list. I have loads of Beauty and the Beast ornaments already but since it’s my favourite, I’d love to have them all. The ornament of Belle with the Beast has been on my wish list since last Christmas so hopefully this year I’ll get lucky and manage to get it. The one of Mrs Potts is new (or at least I haven’t seen it before) and since I have one of Lumiere and Cogsworth together, I’d love to have this too. That then leaves the Villains. Maleficent joined my wishlist over a year ago, for my birthday last year when we watched the new Maleficent movie. I love this figure so much but sadly it went out of stock last Christmas and I ended up with the Evil Queen instead. It’s now back in stock in most places so I’d love to add it to my collection. Then there is the “hag”, who is the Evil Queen from Snow White. I’m not exactly sure what draws me to this ornament as it’s pretty ugly but I love it nonetheless. Next comes the Pop Funko and sure enough one is Disney (sort of) and another is Harry Potter. I started out my collection of Pop Funkos with only Disney and I’ve tried hard to resist branching out into other Fandoms as its a disaster waiting to happen. However we do have several others, including some Harry Potter. I love this Voldemort figure and it would definitely be my next pick to add to the collection, though I would happily take any I do have (which is only Harry and Dumbledore). Regina Mills aka the Evil Queen from Once Upon a Time is another figure I’d love. She is my favourite character by far and I hope to cosplay his exact outfit someday. While OUAT isn’t technically Disney, its definitely a branch of it and therefore adding the OUAT figures to my collection is a must! Finally that leaves Katniss Everdeen. Until a few days ago I didn’t even know Hunger Games existed as Pop Funko figures. Now I know, I sort of want them all. Katniss is available in several different variations but I think this is my favourite – like I said though, I would take them all.

I could have gone on and on but hey, Christmas is about giving not receiving – so instead of concentrating on what I’d like, I’ll soon be moving on to what you can get for others!

A Weekend Wish List – Electrical Appliances

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As it’s been a while since I did a wish list, I thought I would take some downtime over the weekend to tell you about the electrical items I’ve been lusting after recently. Sure it’s a little sad to want some of these things, but this is coming from someone who once had a kettle, toaster and microwave for her birthday! Also, since my kettle had to be returned (it was recalled) I’ve been looking around for a new one and come across several handy items which may be bought from sites like Kitchenotic.com.

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Okay so it’s not a huge list, but all of these things would definitely be greatly appreciated. Majority of these are luxuries not essentials, but some would obviously replace the items I currently have and are on their way out, but since I have been trying to save money I think I’ll get a sub zero Freezer Appliance Repair for the ones that are currently malfunctioning instead of buying a completely new appliance.

Steam Irons – while I do currently have an iron, it’s definitely on it’s last legs. With all the sewing I’ve been doing recently (and more planned) I’m going to need a good working iron to make sure everything looks at its best. Even the hair bows I make require ironing so it’s pretty much an essential – especially if my current one dies.

Hand-held Vacuum – this is both an essential and a luxury. We currently have two hoovers, a Henry and a Dyson. One is kept on the ground floor and one on the first floor but both are big and a hassle to get out. As we have laminate flooring throughout our downstairs, dust and hairs collect really quickly. A hand-held vacuum would just be so much quicker to grab, hoover and be done with once or twice a week.

Electric Pasta Maker – until recently I didn’t even know these existed. I’ve always fancied the idea of making my own pasta but it always seems like such a hassle, especially with the ones where you feed it in and turn the handle. These electric pasta makers look so much easier and I’d definitely like to give it a try. I doubt it would get much use, just like my stand mixer and bread maker, but even still.

Breakfast machine – I don’t think that’s its official name but it’s definitely what I think of it as. These are a bit of a gadget really and you can get all types of different ones. However I think it would be pretty cool to have one machine that sort of did everything when it comes to a cooked breakfast. It won’t feed the whole family but it might mean I’d get breakfast in bed more often!

Sewing machines – last week I mentioned that I might be needing a sewing machine soon as mine is definitely not what it used to be when I was given it for my 18th birthday. I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for when it comes to a new sewing machine though but making sure it looks pretty would definitely be a factor! Also buttons instead of a dial might be a nice change.

Dulux PaintPod – I’m sure other people make these but Dulux is the only make I’ve seen for sale (usually in B&Q). With doing so much decorating (we’re on our fourth room) and more to do I can’t help but feel like one of these would make life so much easier. We bought a wallpaper stripper very early on but these look like they could be a godsend. That said, you don’t see them for sale as much these days so maybe they’re more hassle than they’re worth.

As well as all those things, I would also love an iKettle (control the kettle with your iPhone, hell yeah), a breakfast sandwich maker (can you see a theme here?), a new refrigerator, and a tap that boils water for me (imagine, instant tea!!). Honestly I should probably just enter the Gadget Show competitions and then I’d have lots of appliances that I would really love!

Wednesday Wish List – Beauty and the Beast

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Last week it was my birthday so I decided to make a Wish List of all the things I was hoping for and didn’t get, or things I’ve discovered I’d really like, having thought of what I might get for my birthday. However as I compiled the list of items, 6 out of the 7 things were all Beauty and the Beast related. As such I scrapped the post-birthday wish list and instead just made a Beauty and the Beast Wish List.

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As it is late at night, I’m not going to bother linking to each item and where you can buy it – as majority of the items aren’t easily accessible anyway. I’m just going to run through what there is and why I’d like it.

First up is the Mrs Potts (and Chip) Pop Funko. My Pop Funko collection started some time ago, with Belle in her yellow dress and then the Beast. It has now grown to include Lumiere, Cogsworth and Belle in her blue dress. As I’m not interested in the new “hipster” Belle that’s being released, Mrs Potts would complete my collection. I’m hoping to get her for myself during the next week or two.

Next are two Disney Couture necklaces, which if you’d asked me a year or so ago about, I wouldn’t have wanted as they’re gold. However now I’m trying to be open to new things and these two necklaces really appeal. I’m actually genuinely torn between which I like most, but my brother has given me £20 in TruffleShuffle vouchers so I’ll be making a decision soon.

Last on the top line is Mrs Potts and Chip as salt and pepper pots. When we went to WDW one of the main things I was hoping to look out for was a Disney salt and pepper pot. Sadly I didn’t really find anything I like, but these I would love. I would happily leave them on my dining table and give them almost every day use. I think Hot Topic sold some similar not that long ago but I’ve seen these in a few places.

Next up is a Thomas Kinkade painting. I’m not likely to own an original but it would be nice to have a canvas print at least. Thomas Kinkade is releasing a new wave of Disney paintings and this is his Beauty and the Beast 2. I have the first one so I would love to add this to my wall.

Plushies! Cogsworth, Lumiere and Mrs Potts (and Chip). I’d love them all. Only Mrs Potts is easily available and I would definitely be fussy about the other two (I’ve seen some terrible versions) but it would be nice to have all three. I love Plush toys and I have the Beast already, so it would be nice to give him some friends.

Belle E.L.F. make up brushes. I was really surprised not to be able to find these on Ebay – or many Disney E.L.F. products for that matter. These brushes are so simple and not really even necessarily but I would like to have them for the odd times I actually do wear make up. It’s Belle, what better reason is there?

Lumiere. Gosh. I’m so annoyed at myself for not buying him in Florida when I had the chance. He was $50 and all I worried about was whether or not I’d have room for him. He was £50 in the UK so it was already quite a saving and then he actually went up to £60. Now he’s no longer available on the Disney Store web site (though he has gone and been back once before so he might return) and I’m really wondering how I might get a hold of him. A light up Lumiere. All I’d need then would be a working clock Cogsworth. Apparently they made them once too.

Beauty and the Beast Sugar Pot, from the Mrs Potts tea set. Though I haven’t actually got it yet, Amy bought me Mrs Potts and Chip for my birthday. Having looked around since, I’d really love a few more cups to make it a set, but also the sugar pot to match. Believe it or not, the sugar pot is pretty difficult to find by itself though. I’m going to have to keep my eye out and maybe grab it when I have the chance.

Finally the Be Our Guest dinner set. I wouldn’t say I like 100% of it but I do like the majority. Chris is always telling me we have too many mugs so I could probably skip out on them. I’d definitely love the plates and the wine glass – the bowls would be a good additional extra!

Hello May – a birthday wishlist

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mayI love May. It’s probably my favourite month of the whole year. Why? Well my birthday is in May for a start, but that’s only the initial reason to feel a connection to the month. I also love what happens outdoors – the flowers pushing through and blooming, along with the trees growing blossom. The picture above (Hello May) is actually a photo I took earlier today, of a tree in Saxilby on the way to the girls school.

Since it’s now 26 days till my birthday, I figured I’d share a birthday wishlist as my post for today. In all honesty, I don’t really want for anything (except a lottery win) but I guess if I was given a little money to treat myself with, these are the things I’d like.

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So first let’s start with Lumiere. He was one of my “regret not purchasing” purchases, from Disney World. The whole time we were on holiday I was keeping an eye out for things I might like to buy – or things I might like as a birthday present from my mum and my sister. I saw a few things that I would have liked, but actually didn’t end up getting and Lumiere was one of these. Selling for $50 in the park, he is £60 on the Disney Store website. I truly wish I’d brought him home with me, though I just couldn’t justify the spend.

Next comes this beautiful Beauty and the Beast “Rose” necklace. It sells at TruffleShuffle for £25.99. I’ve never been one for gold jewellery so this is the first thing to have truly appealed, I also like the 14k version much more than its expensive counterpart. I love Disney Couture jewellery though and could easily have made a wishlist, solely of that.

This Daryl Dixon Pop Funko figure is really the only non-Disney item on my list. I love Daryl in Walking Dead and nothing is more representative of him than this motorcycle Pop Funko figure. He’s not easy to find in the UK though so places like Amazon.com and Hot Topic are really the only options for purchasing him.

Disney Villains Monopoly is another of my “regret not purchasing” items. I was so close to getting this game on at least 3-4 occasions, but I knew we’d be short of room in the suitcases, so just couldn’t justify it. Buying it online really isn’t an option, as its just so expensive. However I also found a cool version of this called “My Disney Villains Monopoly” which would be way cooler to have (but way more expensive too).

Again from TruffleShuffle comes this awesome Iron Man usb memory stick. I don’t really need any more memory sticks but how could you not want this? I love Iron Man and finally purchased a plush of him in Florida, so this USB would add to my ever growing RDJ shrine (yeah I know, that’s creepy…).

ANOTHER regret not buying item is this book “The Beast Within”. I saw it in a shop near Gaston’s Tavern and was so close to buying it, except that I didn’t really want to carry it around with me. I later saw another one called “Fairest of them All” in Hollywood Studios and would have loved that too. I have however found them on Amazon and they’re only £10 ish. To be honest I’ll probably treat myself to those, as soon as I get a little money free.

This second to last item is my big regret not buying item, but only because I can’t find it for sale anywhere (which makes me feel like I can never buy it, unlike the others which are just all expensive to buy elsewhere). I didn’t know what the design was called, which shop I saw it in, or exactly what it looked like – so even adding it to this wishlist took me a lot of research. The design is by Jerrod Marayama and the shop I saw it in was called D-Street at Downtown Disney. To be absolutely honest I loved so many of his things (a collection called WonderGround), even princess related ones, but this villain print (World of Evil) was by far my favourite. There was both an art print and a notebook that I liked, but I think the notebook would win out. I’ll have to keep my eye out on Ebay I think, though it’s not there at the moment.

Finally my last item is yet again Beauty and the Beast themed (running theme you might notice). I have so many Disney Traditions that are Beauty and the Beast and this is one of the few I don’t have. I do however love loads of Disney Traditions ornaments so I wouldn’t be fussy of which I got. This particular ornament just represents my love of them all, though it would be great to have this one too as its another step closer to owning all the Beauty and the Beast ones!

A complete (and constantly added to) wishlist of all the things I currently love, can be found on My Greedy Book. If you don’t know what “My Greedy Book” is, you should definitely check it out as I genuinely think it’s one of the best wishlist facilities I’ve come across. In fact, you can read all my thoughts on “My Greedy Book“, over at my personal blog.

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Wednesday Wishlist – Hot Topic

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As you know, I’m in Florida!! Now, instead of gazing hopelessly at a computer screen and wanting all the Hot Topic products, I can actually go and get them! Today I’m sharing my Hot Topic Wish List with you and you’ll just have to wait and see if I come back with them all!

A. Dumbo scarf – ever since buying my Princess Quotes scarf and my Doctor Who one, I’ve realised just how much I like wearing a scarf. This Dumbo scarf is a little different to the ones I have, as its an infinity (loop) scarf instead. The print is so cute though and I think I’d genuinely get a lot of wear from it.

B. Belle compact mirror – I’m a huge fan of this more grown up style of sketch and as Belle is my favourite princess, this mirror really appeals to me, even though I’d barely use it I’m sure. It’s neat and stylish though and it would make a great edition to my handbag.

C. Anna and Elsa Pocket Pop Funko – I mentioned in my wishlist post last week, that Megan and Lily already own the Pop Funko figures of Anna and Elsa, but that they stay in their room, rather than with my collection. I’d love to get these pocket figures, just to sit with my collection and represent!

D. Once Upon a Time’s “Evil isn’t born, it’s made” vest/tank top – as yet, I haven’t bought any vest tops from Hot Topic, largely because I really went off them as an item of clothes, due to my fat upper arms. However as summer comes around again and now I’ve lost a little weight, I’ll be looking forward to embracing them again. This t-shirt is just amazing and it would definitely be one of my “must-haves”. There are loads more though, to be honest.

E. Alice in Wonderland/The Little Mermaid tights – If you read my shopping post a few weeks ago, you’ll know that in preparation for this holiday, I bought myself some new dresses. One of those was Alice in Wonderland and the other was The Little Mermaid. Obviously in Florida it will be far too warm for tights but when I come back I’d love to keep on wearing my dresses. As such these cute tights would couple nicely with each dress, to make an awesome colder weather outfit.

F. Daryl Dixon’s Chopper – I’m going to ignore the innuendo in the title of this product and just point out that it’s a Pop Funko figure of Daryl Dixon on his motorbike. While majority of my Pop Funko wants are Disney related, this is one of the few that isn’t. Daryl is a character from The Walking Dead and has long been my favourite character. I’d love to get this figure to add to my collection, just as he’s so awesome.

G. Beauty and the Beast/Rapunzel hairbrush – these hairbrushes first arrived on the site before Christmas and I really wanted one for the girls but honestly we don’t really need them. However I love the Beauty and the Beast one and would happily throw out my current one, in order to replace it with that. For the girls I’d like the Tangled one as it just makes sense – Rapunzel has long hair that needs brushing, and since I also wanted my hair to be blond I used the best hair coloring online for this as well.

H. Rapunzel umbrella – I honestly do not need another umbrella. My first ever brolly was Sylvester and Tweety Pie and I still have it to this day. Just before Christmas I bought myself an Alice in Wonderland one from BHS and I think I’ve only used it twice. However I do love the lantern scene from Rapunzel and that makes this umbrella almost irresistible to me!

I. Villains backpack – for a long time I fancied the Beauty and the Beast stained glass window backpack, but really it was just a little “loud” in colour for me. However when this Villains one came along, I was sold. Anyone who knows me, knows I have such a soft spot for Disney Villains. That makes this backpack straight out cold – regardless of the fact I so rarely use a backpack!

J. TWD Crossbow keychain – I definitely don’t need another keyring and yet I want one. This keyring is Daryl’s crossbow (from Walking Dead) and a tag that reads “Fight the Dead, Fear the Living”. Mostly I want it because of Daryl, but it’s cool and it’s about time I had something to represent my Walking Dead fandom.

So right now, these are the things I have my eyes on! Look out for a Hot Topic haul post when I return from my Florida trip!

Wednesday Wishlist – Disney Pop Funko

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As the whole of April on my blog is “Disney Month”, today’s wishlist is Disney related – specifically Disney Pop Funko figures.

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This is my current collection of Pop Funko figures. To be honest I never really considered buying them myself, but when Amy bought Belle and the Beast for Chris and I, it seemed wrong not to! For my birthday last year, a friend called Jon bought me both the large Maleficent and also the mini Maleficent and Evil Queen (I believe he made an error when ordering). After that Amy bought me Lumiere for Christmas and Chris got Judge Doom from her too. The girls also have Anna and Elsa but I don’t class them as part of my collection, since they’re upstairs in their room. Between Chris and I we do also have three other Pop Funko figures, but they aren’t Disney so I skipped them from this post!

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So rather than list each of these Pop Funko figures separately, I’ll just say that you can buy majority of them from places like Amazon, Forbidden Planet and Funko Pop Vinyl.

Row A: From left to right, these figures are Cogsworth, Belle and Mrs Potts. As I already have Belle (in her yellow dress), the Beast and Lumiere, I’d love these three figures to complete the set. My favourite is probably the other Belle (in her blue dress) but I would really love them all.

Row B: Next up is Alice, the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter. I was never really into Alice in Wonderland before but over the last few years I’ve developed a love for it (probably because both Lily and Chris like it). Wanting Alice is really because she just represents the Alice in Wonderland world as a whole, but the Cheshire Cat because he looks amazing and the Mad Hatter because he’s simply crazy!

Row C: For this row, it’s all princesses. As I have Belle already, it would be nice to have some of the others. Cinderella, Ariel and Snow White are fairly iconic princesses and would make a great start to my collection. There are a few others available like Merida and Jasmine, but these other three would be my first picks.

Row D: This row is Villains. Everyone who knows me, knows I like Disney Villains. These are just a few of the ones I like – Jafar, Captain Hook and Ursula. I also love King John, Scar and Cruella De Vil. They would all go perfectly with the Maleficent and Evil Queen I already have (and Judge Doom if you count Chris’) though I perhaps need a full size Evil Queen instead.

Row E: Final row is a bit of an assortment really – ones that don’t belong in a set or that I just don’t want the rest of. Tinkerbell, Boo and the Genie are just a few of the ones I’d like. In all honesty I would be happy with any Disney Pop Funko figure but there are plenty I would pick first, even before the others.

Do you have a favourite Disney Pop Funko figure?

Wednesday Wishlist – Weight Loss

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For weeks and weeks now I’ve been wanting to make a wishlist – Disney, or Florida planning, just something. However I seem to always end up busy on a Wednesday. Today I’ve found the time and I’m going to give you my Wednesday Wishlist of Weight Loss products and supplements.

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Obviously it goes without saying, that Weight Loss itself is on my Wishlist. I’ve been trying to lose weight now and while it’s been slow going, I’m gradually getting there. I have 20lbs more that I’d like to lose before my Florida holiday happens, but even if I don’t manage it, I’ll keep on going when I get back. However, if you really want to have significant weight loss in a short period of time, you might want to consider undergoing a weight loss surgery or taking prescription weight loss supplements to help you achieve the flat stomach of your dreams. Here is my wishlist of things I’d love to help me on this journey!

A. Trainers – these particular pair are from Asda and they are a really reasonable price. I’m not really one for labels and brands, so these at £8.00 from George are just perfect. They’re bright and they scream “GET FIT!”. B. FitBit – Have you ever heard of FitBit? I hadn’t until I started using My Fitness Pal. They are a great way to track your fitness and even better they sync with the My Fitness Pal app, which I use to count my calories. As my phone is sometimes too clumpy to carry around with me, or I’m wearing something without pockets, I’d like to get a FitBit – either the zip type or a bracelet. However with prices starting at £30 and going upwards of £100, its just not something I can afford at the moment. C. Leggings – alright, so the Hogwarts part of this isn’t essential, but what a good excuse to get them. These particular leggings are from Hot Topic and as you all know, I have an addiction to that place. When going for a run or working out in the lounge, it would be good to have something comfy to wear. I don’t know about you but I always find tracksuit bottoms to shrink in the wash!

D. Diet Books – At the beginning of my diet, I just tried calorie counting but still eating what I wanted. However since the beginning of this year I’ve switched to Rosemary Conley’s G.I. Diet. It’s a diet I’ve used twice before and always found to be successful. I’m currently cooking meals from her books G.I. Jeans, Ultimate G.I. Jeans and G.I. Hip and Thigh. To give me some motivation, I’d like to also purchase one (or both) of these books – The Fab Diet and Amazing Inch Loss Plan. E. Xbox Games – The girls have been playing Xbox recently and more importantly they’ve been using the Kinect. We barely put the Wii on any more and so I’m finding it hard to motivate myself to use it. I’ve been thinking if I bought a Fitness game for the Xbox, perhaps I’d be more likely to use it. I think a Zumba fitness game would be good for that. F. Stepper – I once had a stepper machine and I actually used it a lot. This would be good for just standing in front of the TV (sorry, I know that’s terrible, but true) and getting in some exercise! G. Leg Weights – I also used to own some of these and while I can’t honestly tell you if they worked or not, I feel like they would be a good (and easy) way to tone my legs, while pretty much getting on with my every day. They’re easy to just put on in the morning and then get on with the rest of the day.

As well as the things I’ve listed, I’d like to get myself swimming some more and also out on a run again. I have this awesome top from House of Fraser, by Lorna Jane, which I wore last time I went for a run. It sells for £29.00* and reads “Follow Your Dreams” on the front, then “Your Dreams Know The Way”. I liked it because I felt like is sounded Disney-esque.

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The bright colour made me feel energised as soon as I put it on. I coupled it with some tracksuit bottoms (that really have seen better days) and a blue jacket. I then strapped on my arm phone holder, pulled on my trainers and went for a run.

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Though it was cold outside, I was definitely warm enough while I was running. At the same time, when I got home I felt really warm, but not sweaty. I love this top and it was definitely a great pick. I’ve actually been looking to get myself some trousers or shorts to go with it but I couldn’t decide which so it’s not on the wishlist!

Cross your fingers for a Weight Loss this Friday – look out for Get Fit Friday, to find out!

Wednesday Wish List – My Greedy Book

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Just recently I was contacted about a new site called “My Greedy Book“. I’m not really one for Wish Lists, but I have to admit I do use the one on Amazon a little. I figured with it coming up to Christmas, I’d try to add one or two things, see how I got on and whether or not I liked the site.

Signing up is really easy and using the site is easy too. Though in all honesty the idea of having a “Greedy” book doesn’t really appeal, I do at least understand the logic. As a mixture between Pinterest and Amazon Wishlist, this site works really well for what it’s designed to do. It even had features that I didn’t really know existed!

Having already created my account, logging in I get shown a few items that I’ve added recently. I have a variety of options from this point, the main one of which is to view my books. I’ve only made one and that’s my Christmas Wishlist, but you’ll get the idea at least.

Adding items to the Greedy Book is easy. You can either add using the “+ Add” option at the top (which in turn offers you the option of adding a URL) or you can add the bookmark option where you literally drag an icon to your bookmark bar, making adding items only one click away.

I’m going to get to my own personal wish list in a moment, but I also want to point out some other features. Dicover and Find a User. Both speak for themselves with regards to an explanation, but they are interesting additions to an otherwise basic concept. Discover gives you the option to look at items other people have added and Find a User allows you to add friends. Both are great ways to find new things you might love.

So this is part of my Christmas Greedy Book – the direct link can be found here if you’d like to view it all. You can add any item, along with a description, a price and a picture (the location is automatically added). That in itself is exactly what the site should do – but actually there is a lot more!

I never made the book, in order to provide the link for anyone. However my partner Chris was really struggling with what to get me for Christmas, so I ended up sending him the link. Because I’m always logged in when I view my book, I’ve never seen what it looks like to someone else. For example, I didn’t know it gave you the option to “mark as bought”. The only reason I know this is because Chris mentioned something about it – and I realised that wasn’t even an option I could see! So first massive plus point – you give the link to more than one person, so long as they mark items as “bought”, you’ll never get duplicate presents! Score.

Now obviously if you really want to spoil all your surprises for yourself, you could log out and view your book or even look at it in a browser you’re not signed into. However I don’t really want to do that and as such I can’t give you exact details. What I will tell you though, is that with Greedy Book you won’t accidentally buy yourself something you’ve already been bought either! Accidentally I clicked on one of my own links earlier and it told me it had already been bought (oops). However, if like me you have a habit of adding things to a wish list and then getting impatient and wanting to buy them for yourself, this is a great way to stop this happening. Make sure you always head to your Greedy Book first and click through and so long as your present buyees have marked it off, you’ll never accidentally buy something already bought!

There are probably a lot of other awesome features so if you’ve figured any out, let me know! If you’re not already using Greedy Book though, I definitely recommend signing up and giving it a go.

A Minted Wishlist

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Just recently I stumbled across a website called Minted and I have to say I’m totally hooked by some of the unique and beautiful gifts there! Although the site is based in the US, they do ship to the UK, which means it’s now become my latest place for randomly searching! I’ve come across all sorts of interesting items and I wanted to share a few of my top picks with you. So these are my top five finds.

I’ve always been very patriotic about being British and I’m sure that’s one of the reasons I love this British Isles gold foil-stamped picture. Though the picture doesn’t really do it justice here, the print is real foil (and shines) and comes both framed or un-framed, depending on which you’d prefer. Prices start at $32 and I think its simply beautiful. There are loads of other great map options too, including Love Locations which are basically town/city or country maps, filled with personal pictures.

With Christmas coming up, I love the idea of these personalised wrapping papers. There are LOADS of different designs, most of which you can personalise with names, photos and unique messages. They cost $15 for 5 sheets so if you’re looking for that personal touch, these are just great. It has long been a family tradition – in both my current house and my household when growing up – that gift tags are a waste of time. Instead of wasting effort writing the same thing “To Megan/Lily, from Mummy xxx” on about ten different presents, we always just had individual wrapping paper. One person would be red, another green, another gold etc. This wrapping paper would be pretty awesome for my girls – knowing I could personalise it to each of them.

I have always been a huge fan of notebooks and journals. As a blogger I find they interest me even more; one kept in my handbag for quick notes, another beside my computer for blog post planning, another next to my bed for those ideas that just come to me randomly and that’s why notebooks and pens are important to me and I go online to find unique pens specially for this! Minted has a beautiful selection of notebooks, journals, day planners and address books. This particular one caught my eye as it seems quite apt for my blog. It sells for $16 but comes with extra customisable options, all for a small additional price (i.e. address book is plus $4).

Personalisable Photo Backdrops are seriously one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Since we hold so many murder mysteries and parties every year, these would be amazing. There are several Christmas ones (that would suit our next Murder Mystery party) but also so many have potential to be customised for random party themes. I particularly like the City Scape backdrop too, but with prices starting at $230, perhaps these backdrops would be a bit of an overkill for our small ten person parties!

Finally these Apothecary Jars are just amazing. We’ve had three Fairytale themed parties now and these would have come in so handy. Not only that but they could be so easily adapted to a more Halloween or Witch/Wizard theme too. Whether its slimy eyeballs, or pastel coloured sweets, these beautiful glass jars would definitely find a permanent place in my house. At $52 I actually consider them to be incredibly reasonable and there are several different shapes and sizes too.

There are honestly loads of unique and interesting products on Minted and I urge you to go and have a look. International postage is incredibly reasonable so no matter where you’re based, the postage won’t be something that puts you off! Feel free to drop me a comment and let me know what your favourites are – I’m always on the look out for awesome products that I might have missed myself!

Disney Store – Wednesday Wish List

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As much as I love Disney, shopping on the Disney Store website is usually solely for my kids. Yes, I occasionally pick up something for me, but 99% of what I purchase is for Megan and Lily. This Wish List however is completely, one hundred percent for me. I can’t tell you how many times I was distracted thinking “the kids would like that” but I have managed to get myself a list together – and here it is.

First up is the Elsa Animator doll. I love her and Anna, but Elsa would definitely be my first pick. I have a Belle one, that the Disney Store no longer sells and while the way she seems to always be staring at you can be a bit creepy, I still love her.

In Belle’s hand is Chips, which leads me onto my next item – Mrs Potts and Chip soft toys. Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favourite Disney movies and Belle one of my favourite princesses. As such, I love the whole cast. Mrs Potts and Chip are definitely two of my favourite side kicks and this soft toy which includes both of them is pretty awesome.

The next item shows my love for Disney Villains, with this Evil Queen mug. I’ve always been a lover of the Villains and recently I’ve noticed it more and more. Of the ones available – Captain Hook, Jafar & the Evil Queen – this is definitely my favourite. I only wish there was an Ursula one though, as I’d snap that right up!

Christmas is just around the corner and from my selection of decorations, you’ll see I love the unusual and quirky most. These hanging decorations, including Olaf sunbathing, Alice in Wonderland and Pascal dressed as Rapunzel, are awesome. They would all go perfectly on our Disney tree, plus its nice to add to the pieces we already have, with something a bit different.

Finally comes the Disneyland Paris Signature Collection of dinnerware. Made up from an espresso set, mugs, small plates, large plates and even bottle stoppers, I honestly wish this was my every day plates. Sadly that’s a bit of a dream… but hey, Dreams Really Do Come True, right?