Shop Small UK Guide – Christmas 2021

We are officially less than two weeks away from Christmas now and DAMN it’s starting to feel real! I’m just about finished now with most of my Christmas presents in the run up to the big day, but in some cases I’ve been and still am in need of some inspiration. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve really struggling this year to find the perfect gifts for Dane, my friends and especially my mom! My dad has been the easiest person to buy for this year, which makes a change. 😛

Alongside my Christmas present woes, I always enjoy writing and sharing gift guides with you all and this year is no exception. Last year I wrote about independent businesses in the UK that you should buy from and I wanted to do that again this year. The past twenty-one months has been hard for everyone, especially independent businesses, whether or not they existed before or after COVID began. This doesn’t just apply to the UK, but I’ve seen a lot of small businesses struggle lately, and in worse cases close down due to not being able to make enough sales to keep going.

I really want to continue to do my bit in helping these businesses as much as I can. Not only do I hope it helps you gain some new gift ideas, but I also hope it introduces you to some businesses you may not have heard of before and decide to shop with going into the New Year!

I still love a lot of the small businesses I mentioned last year, so I will link that post here! I won’t be mentioning businesses again that I spoke of last year, just so it’s fair on other businesses mentioned here.

Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this blog post today! I’ll be mentioning stores last dates to order for Christmas too.

Image taken from SplashJaguarCo

SplashJaguarCo – Kawaii home and stationary items inspired by Animal Crossing. Rugs handmade in West Midlands, UK.

Last date to order for Christmas – 2nd Class 18th December and 1st Class 21st December. However, as Royal Mail are struggling at this time of year due to Christmas AND the new COVID variant, please bear in mind delays may occur. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

If there is one thing people have been really loving towards the end of the year, it’s been Animal Crossing! With the new update and Happy Home Paradise launching at the start of November, Animal Crossing fans have gone mad even more than ever. If you know someone who loves Animal Crossing, as well as stationary you should definitely check out SplashJaguarCo! Not going to lie the Cookie washi tape pictured above is on my Christmas list and I really hope I get it this year. I plan to use it to decorate my diary for 2022 and more. There are various characters to choose from to have on washi tape including Maple, Marshal, Tangy, Roald, Stitches and more! A roll or two of these cute little washi tapes would make perfect gifts for any Animal Crossing fan of any age or gender, whether it be for Secret Santa, a stocking filler and more.

Image taken from BeaconCandlesUK

BeaconCandlesUK – Scented candles for Gamers, Readers and Film Fanatics handmade in Manchester, UK.

Last date to order for Christmas – The store will be closing on Sunday 19th December. However, as Royal Mail are struggling at this time of year due to Christmas AND the new COVID variant, please bear in mind delays may occur. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

BeaconCandlesUK is a brand I’ve known about for as long as I can remember now and have always wanted to order from. I can’t remember how but I discovered them through their Lavender Town candle that is clearly inspired by the town in Pokemon. Not only does it sound amazing, but it looks really cool with the Cubone skull and bone on the top of the candle too. Alongside Pokemon candles you can also get some inspired by Final Fantasy, Animal Crossing, Lord of the Rings and more! The scents sound delicious and I’m sure these would make great gifts for any candle lovers out there! I’m contemplating buying some of these for friends this year for Christmas. I feel like candles make amazing gifts for people and it’s one of those where even if you aren’t sure what smells someone will like, if you bought a Pokemon fan one of the Pokemon candles, they would be so thankful!

Image taken from PokieMinx

PokieMinx – Terrariums and vanity desk gifts inspired by Pokémon & The Moomins. Handmade in South Yorkshire, UK.

Last date to order for Christmas – Unfortunately orders for Christmas have now ended. This being said the store IS still open with items being sent 1st Class tracked and signed so they arrived within 1-2 business day. However, as Royal Mail are struggling at this time of year due to Christmas AND the new COVID variant, please bear in mind delays may occur. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

I couldn’t not share PokieMinx and her adorable creations! These would make perfect gifts for any Pokemon or The Moomins fan out there, especially if they’re like myself and have started to work from home part time. A terrarium with their favourite Pokemon inside sitting on their desk could really brighten their day. Or maybe a mirror? The Cubone one shown about is gorgeous and I can’t stop looking at it whenever I venture over to PokieMinx’s website whenever I take a look at it. Anything from PokieMinx’s store would make amazing and personal gifts for any Pokemon or The Moomins fans, especially as everything is handmade by Kimmy! There are also enamel pin/earring stands too so if you know someone who has started to get into collecting pins or earrings, these would make amazing gifts too.

Image taken from ARTBOX

ARTBOX – Cute character goods from Japan and Korea. Based in Covent Garden London, UK.

Last date to order for Christmas – Not known at the time of writing this blog post. If you’re based in or around London, the Covent Garden store will be open on Christmas Eve from 11am until 4pm. However, as Royal Mail are struggling at this time of year due to Christmas AND the new COVID variant, please bear in mind delays may occur. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

I wanted to mention ARTBOX here as whilst it isn’t as independent as some Etsy sellers and independent stores might be online, it’s a great place to buy Japan and Korea based items, whether it be online or from their store in London. I’m yet to come to the day where I actually order something from them, which might be later today! 😛 ARTBOX would be a great place to get items for your friends and family who love Sanrio, Pusheen, Rilakkuma and BT21. There are all sorts of different items to buy from and at all price ranges so it’s perfect for anything and everything. Personally I’m toying with treating myself to the PomPomPurin plush shown above, which you can pose and dress up! How cute is that?!

Image taken from Stitchtothepast

Stitchtothepast -Video Games Cross Stitch, Patterns & Kits! Based in the UK.

Last date to order for Christmas – Not known at the time of writing this blog post. However, as Royal Mail are struggling at this time of year due to Christmas AND the new COVID variant, please bear in mind delays may occur. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

The final store I wanted to mention on today’s post is about Stitchtothepast, which is a store I discovered in the summer. If you’re a newbie to cross stitch, or a “pro” like me there is loads of choose from. Personally for gifts the cross stitch kits from their store would make great gifts for anyone, especially if they’re into Nintendo video games series such as Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Zelda, Kirby and more. I personally really love the look of the Animal Crossing Celeste cross stitch kit where she’s stargazing. It’s such a gorgeous design and one I would love to do and display in my house in the future. The kits are really good and come with a cross stitch guide, a wooden hoop, thread and a thread organiser, pattern, a needle and more. If you know someone who would like to get into cross stitch in 2022, one of the kits might make a great gift for them!

So, there we have it, my 2021 guide to small shops you should buy your Christmas gifts from this year! All UK based of course. 🙂

What do you guys think? I didn’t cover off as many stores and themes as I did last year, but I felt like last years post was so detailed, I couldn’t really improve on it as good this year. Please do check out last years guide too, those stores are still around and amazing to boot!

Honestly guys, I hope you enjoyed this post today as much as I enjoyed writing it. I watched Christmas movies whilst writing, as well as chilling with Dane in our office. It’s made a lovely change sitting at my desk to do blog work.

Are there any small shops in the UK that you feel I should know about? Make sure to let me know and I’ll take a look for next time and promote on my Instagram page before the big day. 🙂

Until next time, take care all and I hope you had a lovely weekend. 😀

September Wish List ‘21

Not going to lie guys, I feel like my blog is a little all over the place this past couple of weeks! I usually schedule and get posts out on a weekend, but that hasn’t been happening recently. I do apologise, just life has been a bit messy of late. 😦

As always however, one of my monthly posts includes my monthly favourites! Most of the items on this list really are wished for, with one being a pre order I’m expecting this month! I’m on a spending ban for a while now so majority of the items mentioned this month won’t be bought and probably added to a Christmas wish list later this year. 🙂

I hope you guys enjoy the cute items on this months wish list and apologies that it’s a little late this month.

• Good Smile Company Pokemon Marnie Nendoroid (with bonus!) – (link)

First of all with this Nendoroid I want to mention, this is limited and is no longer available to pre order. You may be able to find it for sale on the internet, but I’ve already seem it around for £80 plus, which is shocking!

I’m really excited for my Marnie Nendoroid! Aside from owning a handful of Pokemon Nendoroid’s at the time of ordering Marnie, this Nendoroid really did encourage me to try and collect the rest! I made sure to pre order the one with the bonus too, so I’ll get an angry Morpeko with it too! 😀

• MossFrogPress Sausage Dog Enamel Pin – (link)

I’ve had this sausage dog pin on my wish list via Etsy for who knows how long now. It’s one I discovered through Instagram and I’m still yet to order. The reason I haven’t yet is due to the shipping from the USA costing more than the pin itself! This being said, I can see me getting it in the future when I fancy a treat. It’s definitely a pin I want in my collection, it’s just so bloody cute! 😀

• Black Milk Clothing Good Spirits Bishop Skater Dress – (link)

Black Milk Clothing are bringing out their Halloween collection in a couple of days (late Monday night for the UK!) and this gorgeous ghost dress is part of the collection this year! I love the bishop skater dress style, it’s so flattering on me and makes me feel beautiful every time I wear it. So, when Black Milk Clothing announced this dress with the cute ghosts on it in the bishop style, I KNEW I had to have it! 😀

• Mold Galaxy Bee and Puppycat Pallet Mold – (link)

I really want to get back into resin and this for sure isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned this mold on my wish list! I love Bee and Puppycat, so it would be wrong of me not to own a mold with them both on it! It would be cool to make some keychains of the two for myself, as well as to sell if people were interested! The shipping on this isn’t cheap however… So it may end up becoming a big(ish) Christmas present idea…

• Dathie Poppy Kitsune Fox Enamel Pin – (link)

This is an enamel pin I’ll be ordering once I get paid at the end of the month. Back in 2018 I discovered this pin via the Kickstarter campaign that made it happen! Sadly I didn’t back the Kickstarter, which I’ve regretted since. I recently decided to have a look online to see if I could find the pin for sale and low and behold the person behind the Kickstarter still has some available on their website! I dropped her a DM on Instagram for a chat in regards and when payday rolls around, I’ll finally snag myself one. 🙂

• TK Maxx DW Home Caramel Apple Candle – (link)

Finally we have a candle on my wish list! I do love candles, even though I haven’t bought one for AGES due to using up all my wax tarts from Cushty Co. TK Maxx have really gone for it this year in regards to Halloween goods and I’ve been loving seeing everything! I recently ordered myself through a personal shopper the ghost candle everyone has gone mad for (still waiting for it to arrive…) but I would love to snag this caramel apple candle eventually! I still have so many wax tarts to get through though, so this may never be mine…

So there we have it guys, my wish list for September! I know it isn’t anything amazing, but I’m loving all the cute goodies I’m getting and hoping to get soon or on payday. 🙂

What items do you love on the list? Also, what items are on your wish lists this month? Make sure to let me know in the comments!

Until next time guys, take care and have a lovely weekend. 🙂

September Wish List ’20

We’ve been into September almost a week now and I am feeling autumnal and excited for Halloween, Bonfire Night and especially everything else this season brings.

September so far hasn’t been too bad and I’m really loving how each day you can see summer begin to fade and autumn start to show it’s true colours… Aka orange, brown and yellow. 😛

In regards to my September wish list, I toyed with having this up either this weekend or next. I felt it would be too long for a post if I didn’t have it up until next weekend, so here we are… Two posts in one week! 😀 Don’t think it’s going to become a habit though… It’s not. 😛

I don’t really have much to talk about sadly as it feels like it hasn’t been too long yet between my two monthly posts… I’m just super excited for autumn and Halloween at the moment, so please excuse how spooky this months favourites are. 😛 I even made the background orange for autumn… 😛 I hope it isn’t too bright for you guys. xD

• LittlestSpookShop Halloween Hijinkery Print (link)

Recently I discovered Littlest Spook Shop through YouTuber SimplySpooky and I have fallen in love with their ghost designs. I honestly want them all, but sadly I don’t have a clue where I would keep them in my house. I also have to add the fact Dane isn’t a massive fan of them… Purely because they’re ghost and gothic/Halloween looking. There is one design I may pick up in the future to keep by my side of the bed which is the Always Cosy Club design. It’s definitely me and it’s a print Dane likes too. However, the print I like the most from their Etsy store at the moment is the Halloween Hijinkery print. It shouts Halloween and the little ghosts are absolutely adorable! I think if I was to pick up this print I’d want to stick it up on my plushie cabinet. 🙂

• BeaconCandlesUK Pokémon Lavender Town inspired Scented Candle (link)

Everyone knows I’m a massive fan of candles and Pokemon, so when I heard of a UK seller merging the two together, I had to check it out. Lavender Town is one of my favourite places in the original Gen 1 Pokemon games and I think it’s obvious why. The scent of this candle is kind of obvious with lavender, vanilla and cedarwood. It sounds so lovely, especially for cold evenings. Cubone is also one of my favourite Pokemon, so for there to be a Cubone skull and crossbones on the top of this candle, is morbid but cool at the same time. This isn’t something I’ll pick up anytime soon as I have LOADS of amazing wax tarts from CushtyCo to burn, as well as some leftover Yankee Candle jars. This is definitely the kind of thing I will ask for when Christmas and my birthday is around.

• UNIQLO Lady and The Tramp T-Shirt (link)

Regular readers (and friends) of my blog will know I’m a MASSIVE Lady and the Tramp fan and have been since I was old enough to watch Disney and understand it. I knew UNIQLO were releasing a Disney collection soon, so I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for the collection to launch. I don’t 100% know when this came out, but I rather like it. It’s simple, not in your face with the design and it’s pink… A colour I don’t own much of in my wardrobe. I love the design across the chest as the black and white design fits perfect against the pink. It’s the classic scenes from Lady and the Tramp when the two are having the spaghetti meatballs. I’ve never bought a UNIQLO item before and have always wanted to. Maybe this will be the first of many pieces? I’d rock this tucked into a skirt or mom jeans. 🙂

• Quirkory Lunar Plushie Spookies Enamel Pins – Tab and A-ghostin (link)

Heads up, this is a pre-order item at the moment and I made sure to pre-order my goodies as soon as this went live on Quirkory’s Etsy store! As regular readers will know, I LOVE Quirkory and they’re by far my favourite independent store out there (make sure to check out my two posts about their enamel pins here – Eeveelutions and Animal Crossing) and I’ll always support them the best I can. So, when they redesigned their Lunar Spookies enamel pins in a cuter plushie form, I knew I had to pick up a couple. I went for Tab the bat and A-ghostin the ghost. They’re so plushie, kawaii and right up my street! I honestly cannot wait for these to arrive for Halloween and autumn. I already know I’m going to display all my Halloween pins throughout October.

• Black Milk Clothing Ghosties Longline Evil Tee Dress (link)

I have been a fan of Black Milk Clothing since 2014 and I’ve never looked back. I recently made a MASSIVE order from their Pokemon collaboration in July and I have zero regrets… Hint hint I’ll be talking about the pieces I bought this month. 😛 However, Black Milk have now announced and shown sneak peaks of their Halloween collection and I’ve seen one piece that I really do want in my collection. The Ghosties dress is ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE! The little ghosties all over it are so cute but I feel like this dress isn’t too in your face in regards to the spooky, Halloween design. I really don’t need to be buying Black Milk pieces again so close to the Pokemon ones, but come Monday night when this goes up in the store… I may just get it. 😛

So there we have it guys, this months wish list! I’m actually trying to watch my spending again, as I have some stuff to do on the house, as well as Christmas being here before we know it!

I don’t know why I’m soooo excited for Halloween this year, but I’ve been itching to go to Homesense and/or TK Maxx to look at all the Halloween goodies and how me and Dane can decorate the house this year. I actually think it’s due to being in the house so much that is giving me that “decorating” itch. 😛

What items do you guys have on your wish lists? Do you like what I added to mine? Make sure to let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, take care, stay safe and I hope you all have a great weekend!

August Wish List ’20

I can’t quite believe it’s August already and to be honest with you, I’m pretty damn glad. July was good because it meant my bathroom was completed, however it was incredibly stressful and I wasn’t very well for the majority of it.

I’m glad for August to bring a fresh month, something new and also a month for me to save the money I spent on the labour for the bathroom too.

Although I am trying to save my money this month, it doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to still have and share my wish list with you this month! That and I bought three pieces from the Black Milk Clothing x Pokemon collection last week… Oops! 😛

I’m really loving the variety on it and I hope you do too. 🙂

• Insert Coin Persona 5 Morgana Hoodie (link)

If there is one thing I love seeing, it’s when Insert Coin reveals they have a new collection out and it’s clearly Persona 5 related. They recently announced more items that were joining their ever growing collection and I for one love everything! I especially love that not everything is a high cost too. The new pullover hoodie they’ve brought out is so gorgeous! I don’t have a red hoodie, so this red is right up my street and I love that Morgana is on the front of it too. I wont be purchasing this for a while… But the time will come when I do decide to pick it up!

• Goodsmile Company Nendoroid A Clockwork Orange Alex DeLarge (link)

I feel like I haven’t had a Nendoroid pre-order arrive for quite a while, so I’m definitely overdue now. For those who may not know, I’m a big fan of A Clockwork Orange and have been since I was about… 15/16 years old. When I lived at home I used to have a canvas up of Alex DeLarge, I dressed up as him once for Halloween and I own some t-shirts with Alex DeLarge on. SO, when this Nendoroid was announced when I was in Japan in January, I asked YY Kawaii if she could get him for me, which she could and did! I’m so excited for Alex DeLarge to arrive this month! He looks perfect. If you haven’t watched A Clockwork Orange before then definitely give it a go, but it is a dark film, with some strange themes. There was a lot of controversy surrounding it due to a lot of the themes that went on in the film and I think it was banned from the UK for a time. I still recommend it though. 🙂

• Pokemon Four Seasons Collection Re-ment – Vulpix (link)

I was recently gifted an amazing parcel by YY Kawaii which contained some items she was giving away over on Instagram (the giveaway is now closed!) and within that there was some re-ment figures, including one from the four seasons collection. I was really hoping for the Vulpix re-ment but instead I got a Wartortle and Sandygast one which is really summery and cute. As Autumn is one of my favourite months, this Vulpix autumn re-ment is shouting out to me! I’ll buy it eventually, but for now I can wait. 🙂

• Kickstarter Adorablush Pokemon Fruit Salad Enamel Pins KICKSTARTER NOW ENDED (link)

This Kickstarter is adorable and it’s one both me and Sarah (from Raiin Monkey) have backed together to save on postage… Smart, eh? 😛 We both loved the look of this Kickstarter campaign for fruit Pokemon enamel pins. There are eight designs to choose from, I’ve gone for the watermelon Shaymin and strawberry Eevee and Sarah has gone for the strawberry Eevee too! Alongside the enamel pins you also get prints that match, which will be awesome! I’m so excited for us to receive our pins. I’ll be sending Sarah’s off to her when it arrives, with some other goodies too… 😛

• Lunaticgumis Puppycat Sticker (link)

If you guys didn’t know by now, I am a MASSIVE Bee & Puppycat fan! I’ve been after some more merchandise from the TV show/comic book for a while, but it’s lacking AND not easy to get hold of in the UK. This sticker is from Spain and delivers to the UK, which is always good. It’s really cute and would love to add it to my “sticker collection”. During  lock down I’ve gathered quite a lot of stickers but I don’t quite know what to do with them.

• Cushty Co Unicorn Blood Soy Wax Melt (link)

About 10 years ago I discovered a brand called Lily Flame and their gorgeous scented candle called Fairy Dust. I’ve owned a few since then and they’re amazing. However, I can’t justify buying any new candles right now and sadly Lily Flame aren’t exactly cheap. Cushty Co do a dupe of this scent, which I’d love to give a go myself in future! I’m still trying to get through my candles and wax melts at the moment, but sadly they’ve been hurting my throat so I’m trying not to use them too frequently at the moment.

• Disney Store Lady Small Soft Toy in Box (link)

This Lady plush is very much sold out/out of stock at he moment and I’m semi gutted. My favourite Disney film is Lady and the Tramp for so many reasons so when I saw that the Disney Store were selling this lady in a box, just like in the film I knew I had to have it. Of course, I’ve missed that window due to setting myself on a spending ban, but at the same time I was being indecisive. I’m really hoping the Disney Store bring it back as I would love to purchase this cute Lady plus.

• Costa Coffee China Unicorn Mug (link)

Finally we have an item I pre-ordered through YY Kawaii a month or so ago. I saw her mention that Costa Coffee in China were making unicorn mugs and merchandise, which looked and are adorable! There were two takeaway mugs and two mugs. I went for the glass unicorn mug to drink my teas and coffees from. I don’t exactly need anymore mugs in my life, but this was kind of too cute to pass up and as I used to work at Costa Coffee many moons ago, I thought it would be nice to add one of the unicorn designs from China to my kitchen!

So there we have it, my wish list for August! Some of the items are pre-orders or have arrived already, such as my Nendoroid Alex DeLarge, which arrived last week. This being said, as I mentioned at the start of the post I’m going on a spending ban for August. I will only buy items that are essential or occasionally buy items that are limited edition or limited time, but that probably won’t happen much.

What items do you have on your wish lists this month? Make sure to let me know in the comments below, as well as to what items you like from my list!

Until next time all, take care and stay safe. 🙂

Animal Crossing Independent Artists Wish List

At the time of me writing this post, Animal Crossing: New Horizons still has another 4 days to go until it’s out and I honestly cannot wait anymore… BRING IT ON! I NO LONGER WANT A LIFE!

BUT when this post is live on my blog, Animal Crossing: New Horizons will have been out over 24 hours and all the Animal Crossing fans who are swamping Twitter will go quiet…er. 😛

P.S. I’ve written this post early because I want my Friday and all weekend to myself to play this game! When I said I no longer want a life, I meant it. 😛

I thought considering Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out yesterday, it would be appropriate for me to talk about some items and independent artists who have created some amazing pieces that are Animal Crossing inspired!

A lot of the items below may be from Etsy as personally if I don’t discover a new artist through a con or Instagram, it’ll be from there! 😀

So, I hope you enjoy this blog post today – whether you are playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons or self isolating at home due to the COVID-19. Don’t forget to stay safe guys. 🙂

• Illustrator Jake Froggy Chair Enamel Pin (affiliate link)

This is actually an enamel pin I made sure to pre-order when it came out last week on Illustrator Jake’s website. The Froggy Chair from Animal Crossing has become a HUGE meme and I honestly couldn’t tell you why haha! I thought the design was cute though so just had to order. This will go inside an Animal Crossing itabag I’ve ordered. 😀

• Reddachi DJ K.K. Print (link)

I honestly love this print that I found on Etsy a while ago and would love to buy it to hang in the house somewhere. However, I wouldn’t have a clue where to put it in my house in all honesty. I just love all the details on the print from the glasses Tom Nook wears, to Resetti looking adorable and like a fan girl.

• NerdieNiftiesEU Isabelle’s Berry Muffins Candle (link)

Who doesn’t love scented candles? So, when you cross scented candles and Animal Crossing what do you get? Home perfection! 😛 I love the scented candles that NerdieNiftiesEU has on their store and I especially love the sound of this Isabelle berry muffin one. This would be ideal to burn on a summer evening whilst you relax and play Animal Crossing: New Horizons or whilst you have a relaxing bath.

• Shop Azula Pouch (link)

I recently discovered Shop Azula through Instagram who has created some gorgeous Animal Crossing inspired enamel pins, but as I’ve already mentioned some enamel pins on this post I wanted to showcase something else, aka this pouch. You can never go wrong with having a nice pouch, whether it be for stationary, beauty, gaming related items and more. You can always keep this pouch in your handbag/backpack or keep around the house. The print on it is gorgeous with various characters such as Isabelle, Tom Nook, Celeste, Blathers, Katrina, Reece, Cyrus, K.K. Slider and more!

• paolinamissio Lily and Marshall Onsen Holographic Sticker (link)

This sticker is so adorable and not only does it shout Animal Crossing to me, but it also personally reminds me of my holiday to Japan, due to the villagers bathing in the onsen. You can see Lily and Marshall bathing together in the tub with a wooden tub full of apples in between them. I especially love how the sticker is also holographic, which is cute! I’d love to set up an Animal Crossing style notebook, it would be full of Animal Crossing: New Horizons stuff!

• Samantha Whitten Sunflower Pup Print (link)

I honestly love Samantha Whitten’s work and have wanted to buy some of her pieces for the longest time! She also owns Sugar Bunny Shop and has the adorable fox Doki, which is the pieces I have wanted to buy for agggges! But, the Animal Crossing prints she has designed and released are gorgeous and I would honestly love one to hang up in either our living room, or in our bedroom. I may have to invest in buying some new prints soon! 🙂

• Zellerpins Many Bells Motel Keychain (link)

Who doesn’t love a cute keychain, right? The one thing I like the most about this keychain is that it’s unisex and with the new Animal Crossing game coming out now, this would make an awesome gift for someone who just just bought the game, or will in the future! This is the kind of thing I would buy someone who is a huge Animal Crossing fan as a birthday or Christmas present. 🙂

• SpiruttsCrafts Isabelle Floating Sticker (link)

Finally we have this adorable Isabelle sticker where she is chilling in a pool float. She looks so damn happy! Again, this is a sticker I would put in/on an Animal Crossing notebook/journal. You can also get a floating Tom Nook and Daisy-Mae, who I know everyone has gone crazy for lately! These stickers just remind me of summer!

So, there we have it! Some independent Animal Crossing merchandise ideas for all you Animal Crossing fans out there!

UPDATE – Also make sure to use my discount code below on Illustrator Jake’s store to snag yourself a nice 10% discount! 😀

THEREMIGHTBECOFFEE10

With everything that is going on at the moment in the world with Coronavirus, it was really important for me to share independent artists more than anything. I know a lot of independent artists are struggling right now so I want to definitely showcase some of my favourites here. 🙂

Are you guys playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons this weekend? If so, how are you finding it so far? Also, do you like any of the goodies I’ve spoken of in my post? Again, make sure to let me know in the comments.

Anyway guys, I’m getting back to Animal Crossing, I have an island to run! 😛

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’re having a lovely weekend so far!

What I Got For Christmas 2018

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! I hope you all had a lovely day, whether it was with loved ones, friends or even (sadly) on your own.

I can’t believe how quick both Christmas Day and Boxing Day went! We just have that little slum between New Years Eve now and as depressing as it sounds, I’m working today and tomorrow… Which was completely my own choice! YES I chose to work. 😛

However, at the time of writing this, it’s Boxing Day morning and I’m snuggled up in bed and looking through all the gifts I was spoilt to this Christmas and as I always do, I share with you those lovely gifts I received.

Now I understand not a lot of people like posts like these because it’s seen as, “showing off” which I completely understand! I’m not showing off though, I’m just sharing what I received. I love reading and seeing what people get for Christmas, especially when they’re heartfelt and special gifts, where the receiver has clearly been thought about.

If you’re one of those people who think it’s showing off, you can bugger off because this post clearly won’t be for you. 😛 HASHTAG – honesty is the best policy.

Not all my Christmas presents have made it into this post sadly as I’m still yet to receive some from my best friends, but I can always share those in a separate post, can’t I?

Anyhoo, on with the post! There’s a lot of goodies to show off. 😛

The first gifts I’m going to talk about is what one of my best and oldest friends Sophi bought for me! She gave me my gifts back at the start of November so it’s been hard having to wait until now to open them! She bought me so many awesome bits and pieces and they’re all so fab! I’ve got so many Pusheen items it’s amazing.

These items include a Pusheen pyjama top, three pairs of shoe liner socks, Christmas Pusheen fluffy socks (which will be HEAVENLY to wear around the house!), a stationary pouch (which includes a notebook, blue pen, purple gel pen, two pencils, a sharpener and a rubber), a gorgeous notebook (which in turn I’ve had my eye on for agggges!), a pencil case/make up bag and finally some cute little pin badges! There was also some Japanese sweets inside the pencil case/makeup bag which taste AMAZING!

As well as Pusheen, Sophi also bought me a few Lady and The Tramp items, including a pyjama top and some shoe liner socks. I honestly love all the bits that Sophi bought for me, especially the Pusheen stationary to be honest with you! I’ve always been a sucker for stationary but I love using this sort of stuff at work and seeing as Dane bought me something lovely (stationary wise!) these bits from Sophi are perfect. 😀

The next gift I received is this gorgeous fox origami necklace and I got this from my gorgeous friend Sophie… Yes, another Sophie! 😛 I wasn’t expecting this so it was such a lovely gift to open when we met up recently. Since she gifted it me I’ve worn is everyday and I adore it so much. It’s definitely one of my favourite gifts I received this year. 🙂

The next gifts I received were the ones from Dane’s parents, which were all so lovely! The first thing I opened was the Empire Cinema voucher, which I found really random but when I read what they wrote inside it was so thoughtful and cute! It’s definitely the sweetest gift I’ve received so far. As you’ll probably see it says it’s for when Detective Pikachu comes out! You’ll see that I’ve blocked out some information, this is just to keep Dane’s parents names private, as well as how much is on the card.

They also gifted me this gorgeous fox hair towel from The Body Shop, as well as a cute patchouli fox candle, which I doubt I’ll ever burn! I think I’m going to keep it by the front door on our shoe cabinet, but I need something to stand it on before I pop it down there. It smells gorgeous to be honest.

Finally they bought me The Body Shop peppermint candy cane sack gift set. I’m so glad I got this as I LOVE the peppermint candy cane scent and I’ve already picked up a few items in the sales. I’ve tried a bit of the body butter on the back of my hand it’s so creamy and smells AMAZING! I can’t wait to try the shower gel out now, as well as the body scrub.

Next up we have the gifts my mom bought for me, one I knew about and two I didn’t. My mom knows me so well when it comes down to buying me gifts and every year not only does she surprise me, but she just reminds me of how much she knows me. 🙂

This was actually a gift for both me and Dane and that’s a massive refill bag of Australian Bodycare’s tea tree skin wash. I LOVE this stuff so much and have done since my mom bought it me as a teenager. I mostly use it on my face these days but I do occasionally use it all over my body, especially in the warmer months. I’ve already refilled my bottle with this, so I’m really chuffed! 😀

The second thing she bought me is this cleansing brush and it was such a surprise when I opened it! I’d mentioned to her a while ago how I’d stopped using the facial brush she bought me years ago as I found it didn’t work for me anymore… Not as in power, as in what it does to my skin. So when I opened this, oh man I’m so excited to give it a go! 😀 It’s easily charged and turns on and off easily! Not going to lie though, when I opened it on Christmas Day Dane made a lewd joke… 😛 Either way though this will hopefully work wonders on my skin!

Finally we have what is probably my favourite gift this Christmas. My mom had asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I mentioned this watch to her, which isn’t the cheapest in the world… So when she said she was more than happy to buy it for me, I was over the moon! I love gifts when they’re bought from someone, as they have some meaning behind them. I’ve wanted a new watch for some time now and have eyed up the Olivia Burton ones since I started my job just over a year ago. As many readers will know, I LOVE foxes, so when I finally saw that Olivia Burton were doing a fox design, my heart was kind of set on it. I showed it to my mom and she sent me the money to order it for myself. I mentioned how you could get your name stamped on the band and she told me to make sure I did just that! As you’ll see, I did and THANK GOD they spelt my name right. 😛

I adore my new watch so much and when I wore it Christmas Day it was so comfortable. I love it. :’)

Finally we move over to Dane and the gifts that he bought for me. He really spoilt me this year and although I feel lucky as anything throughout the year, when it comes to Christmas, birthday and anniversary he always reminds me just how loved I am, as well as just how well he knows me.

These were mostly in the stocking he made up for me, we started to do stockings when we moved into the house and I really do enjoy doing them. 🙂 So some of the items Dane gifted me were matcha/green tea related, which was lovely but so bloody random! 😛 I LOVE green team KitKat’s from Japan and I’ve already eaten one of these whilst writing this post. 😛 He also bought me some matcha knock off Oreo’s, which look yummy, I can’t wait to try those. Finally he bought me a matcha ramune drink… I can’t imagine how this is going to taste! I think I’m going to wait until my birthday to try it. 😛

I didn’t think Dane would buy me squishes, but he did and he did good! I’m not a squishy person to be fair BUT I do like them as they help me relax whilst when I’m anxious or overthinking. I find they’re great when I’m a passenger on the motorway. He did actually show me these and I can’t remember if he said he’d bought them for me  before or after showing them off to me. I LOVE the fox ninja so much and it’s definitely my favourite of the two, but this being said I love the panda ninja for squishing. Due to the way the paint is on the foxes face, I’d worry it would crack, so the panda is going to be my go to for squishing!

It seems to have become a tradition every Christmas now that Dane buys me Nichijou! I never really pick it up for myself throughout the year, so he does it for me. 🙂 I do really love the Nichijou series, it’s something different and a manga series everyone needs to read! They have an anime version of it too, which I also need to watch through, I’ve only watched the odd episode… I might suggest me and Dane watch it tonight whilst we have dinner. ^_^

I love getting calendars for Christmas and when I opened this one from Dane, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect… So when I saw it was Juniper I was so chuffed! Dane bought me the Juniper calendar for 2018 so it’s nice to have that lovely Instagram famous fox hung up in our living room again! I love writing down stuff me and Dane plan, as well as days off, birthdays and even blog events!

This was something I had a feeling Dane had bought me as he showed it me before Christmas and asked what I thought of it! It’s so adorable and I LOVE Pompom Purin. 🙂 I actually saw this when I was in the Japan Centre in London and I rather liked the look of it to be fair. I’m just not sure whether to have it for work, or for the house to keep my stationary in downstairs in the living room… We’ll see but either way it’s so adorable. 😛

Bless Dane, he’s such a cutie! When we went to EGX in September he asked if I liked the Spyro pin badges that had been released to coincide with the game as he wanted to buy them me for Christmas. Sadly I didn’t like the look of them… They just weren’t for me in all fairness. So he asked me to have a look around to see if there were any other Spyro items I liked the look of online, alas I found this incense burner and hey presto! He bought it for me. 😛 I haven’t had chance to use this yet as I need to get some incense cones for it, but how it works is you pop a cone into this and as it smokes, the smoke comes out of Spyro’s nose. Funky, eh?! 😀

This is definitely one of my favourite Christmas presents this year and one I had a feeling Dane had bought me. I spoke recently about this item here and how much I’ve wanted something for the wall behind our bed. Alas I found this awesome wall tapestry online at Redbubble and I just knew I had to have it! Me and Dane plan to buy some easy stick on and remove hooks, as well as some fairy lights and we’ll soon have our room taking some shape after a few years of it looking bare. 🙂

I was rather shocked by the size of this in all honesty, I thought it was going to be bigger like my other Morgana cushion (which you can see here). This was an ichiban kuji prize and as YY Kawaii was selling it, I asked Dane for it for Christmas. Alas here it is! It’s such a cute little pillow and will be nice to use as a head pillow whilst in bed, especially if I’m feeling poorly or under the weather and need to rest my head on something a little more.

These again are some of my favourite gifts that I received from Dane! Again, I had a feeling I was getting something like this for Christmas as I’d hinted to him about it and he’d asked me to put in order which ones I’d like. I’m not only 2 short of having ALL the Eeveelution plushies and I’ve now pre ordered them from YY Kawaii! Some of these were in my stocking and some were in my present bag, so it was a nice surprise when I found out I had another two to open! I cant wait to show all nine of the Eeveelutions off to you in the New Year!

I know I’ve said this for a few gifts now, but this is definitely up there in my top three Christmas presents! I know it’s just a pop vinyl figure and I know it’s just Wall-E BUT it’s Earth Day Wall-E and he’s pretty damn rare now! I mentioned on my post a few days ago how he’s now worth a maximum of £50 on places like Amazon and eBay, so the fact Dane managed to get him new for £15 on eBay is such a bargain. He’s how the original Wall-E should have looked in all honesty and I just love the look of him so much! He’ll be going into mine and Dane’s manga cabinet and he’ll be staying in the box. 😛

Finally we have my number one present, which of course is a Nendoroid! I was surprised to only see one in my Christmas bag as Dane and me usually go Nendoroid happy over Christmas, birthday and anniversary. I bought Dane three and he only bought me one. This being said, a lot of Nendoroid’s I want at the moment aren’t THAT easy to get a hold of, or I’ve already ordered them for myself. There’s quite a few of the Yuri On Ice Nendoroid’s I want, mostly the casual versions at the moment BUT I was missing Yuri Plisetsky, so I’m glad that Dane managed to get hold of him for me! I’m going to pose him as a cutie with kitty ears on with the other two guys. 😛

So that’s all the Christmas gifts I have received so far! I know I have a few bits left to get from two of my best friends, but that’s okay, they’ll be worth the wait. 🙂

I can’t believe the whole hype of Christmas we work ourselves up for is now over. It’s only 4 days now until New Years Eve and then it’ll be 2019. It’s crazy, I don’t honestly know where this month has gone. It’s flown and it’s rather scary to be honest with you.

What did you get for Christmas from family, friends, significant others and more? 🙂 I want to know! I love hearing about what gifts people receive.

Until next time all, I hope you had an amazing Christmas and Boxing Day!

November Wish List ’18

Why am I bothering to write a wish list so close to Christmas? Meh because I can, I guess! 😛

I apologise if this list is full of waffle, I really do but meh I’m kind of struggling to come up with things I want to get with Christmas being around the corner. It’s also crazy to think the next wish list I write will be for December, I mean where has the year gone?!

I’ll try my best however with my wish list, some items might be pre orders I’ve made, where others might just be items I’m going to have to lust after until after Christmas. I have to be careful not to buy anything that Dane may have already bought me… 😛

• WoodWick Sea Salt Caramel Candle – (link)

I LOVE WoodWick candles and although I rather like Yankee Candles, WoodWick are definitely my favourite. I love that they crackle as they burn and they’re also made out of soy wax so they’re actually better for you, breathing in wise. I’ve owned quite a few mini jars of the seat salt caramel scent and it is by far one of my favourites. I’d love to own the massive jar, but like Yankee Candle’s these aren’t the cheapest. So worth the money though! This may end up on a Christmas list or I might even buy it myself in the New Year.

• Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee! & Poke Ball Plus – (link)

Oh man I am SO EXCITED for this game to come out this month! I’ve had it on preorder since it was announced back in May and I cannot believe in less than 2 weeks it will be out! Out of the two I preordered I decided I wanted Eevee, as having a little Eevee around with me sounds so adorable! I also ordered the bundle with the Poke Ball Plus with it too! I gave this game a go with the Poke Ball Plus at EGX in September and it was so good and it just made me so glad that I ordered it with the game. I’m especially excited to play this game with Dane, as it’s two player.

• Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream – (link)

I’ve been after a cuticle cream for the longest time and I’ve always heard nothing but good things about the Burt’s Bees one. I even tried it years ago when in store and it seemed like something good to pick up. I think I wanted it more for when I used to use gel nail polish all the time, which in turn I would like to get back into using again. This is something I’d love to pick up on a whim soon.

• Persona 5 Morgana Sega Prize “Nesoberi” Lying Down Plush – (link)

This is something I actually have preordered from YY Kawaii and I honestly cannot wait to get it! I’ve been after a Morgana plush for the longest time, but the one I really want is either hard to find or costs a fucking bomb! This one is quite a nice size and will either sit on our bed or on my cuddle chair downstairs. Either way I am so excited to get this now. 😛 I’ll definitely show it off on social media when I have him.

• Himouto! Umaru-chan Vol. 3 – (link)

I LOVE this manga series and although this volume came out in October, I didn’t actually realise this until late in October so I made sure to order a copy ready for November time. I don’t plan to buy anymore manga after this as I’m unsure if Dane will buy me any for Christmas or my birthday. I do have some that I plan to add to my wish list in December mind, so keep eyes peeled for that next month if you’re interested.

• Spyro Reignited Trilogy on PlayStation 4 – (link)

This is another game I’m really excited for this month! I was gutted back in September when it got pushed back but meh whatever, it’s going to be out in a couple of weeks now and it’s going to have been worth the wait for sure. I’m excited to play through all of the games and reminisce about all the hours, days and summer holidays spent playing these games. I plan to play the second Spyro game first as this was the first one I played back in the day.

• Hell Bunny Full Moon Mini Dress – (link)

I’ve never owned a Hell Bunny dress myself, but I have always been intrigued by them. I saw a picture of this style floating around on Instagram and thought it looked really nice! I recently only managed to remember about it and ventured to the website to check it out. It’s not the cheapest dress in the world, not going to lie… But it’s definitely a dress I’m going to keep my eye on for the future as I would like to own something like this again, especially for both work and days off.

So those are what items I have on my wish list for this month! I know it’s nothing special and most of it I’ve got on preorder, but meh sadly a lot of stuff I don’t want to add to my list as I want those for next month.

Next month is December. That in itself is bloody scary!

What things do you guys have on your wish lists? Make sure to let me know in the comments.

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’re having an amazing weekend!

Fall for this Autumnal Home Décor

So, before I begin, I should probably introduce myself. I’m Hayley, a professional freelance Copywriter and Content Writer who absolutely loves blogging (and home décor, as you’ll soon find out)! Therefore, when I came across Nat’s tweet explaining that she needs guest bloggers to fill in for her whilst she’s on holiday, I jumped at the opportunity. I enjoyed reading her clothing wish lists, so decided to do something similar for homeware, because who doesn’t love a fancy cushion or two? Just me? Anyway, I’ll stop rambling now and get into the post:

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Whilst I’m going to miss the warmer weather and bright evenings, we’re now officially on the second day of Autumn, so it’s time to embrace the new season with open arms. The beautiful orange leaves, the cosy clothes, and copious amounts of hot chocolate definitely make it easier to say goodbye to Summer (plus, it’s almost Hallowe’en).

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit of a home decoration enthusiast – any opportunity to give my home a fresh, new look is welcomed in my books. I always think that changing seasons are perfect times to add little pieces that reflect the weather, either through using different colours, patterns, or even textures. The best part about this is you certainly don’t have to break the bank to do it!

Before I began writing this post, I got thinking about what I associate with the season because it’s always useful to have a ‘theme’ which will ensure that all the pieces look good together. I’ve compiled a little list below which helped me to find the items I included, so, should you want to look for more yourself, you’ll have something to refer to:

– Rustic wood
– ‘Earthy’ tones (think burnt orange, brown, mustard yellow)
– Leaf patterns
– Rough textures

So, let’s take a look at some pieces you’ll fall for this Autumn (get it… fall? Okay, sorry).

Yankee Candle in ‘Brilliant Autumn’

How much more perfect could the name of this candle be? It’s a must for any Autumn lover who wants to bring a little bit of the woodlands indoors. To me, there’s nothing cosier than having some beautiful smelling candles burning on the coffee table whilst you relax on the weekend! Plus, it’s a gorgeous orange colour that will complement the other items in this list (any other home décor enthusiasts will agree that this is very important).

Image taken from fragrancedirect.co.uk

Item: Large Yankee Candle (Brilliant Autumn)
Shop: Fragrance Direct
Price: £14.50

Cosy blanket

When updating your home décor, you can’t go wrong with a big, fluffy blanket. The neutral ‘mink’ tone of this one from Wilko means that you can mix ‘n’ match it with a range of different colour schemes throughout the year (because, let’s be real, the UK is chilly around 80% of the time). I personally love the soft ‘waffle’ texture on this as it prevents the blanket from being too plain, but it won’t clash with other patterns!

Image taken from wilko.com

Item: Waffle Throw (Mink)
Shop: Wilko
Price: £16

Burnt orange cushions (bonus points if they incorporate a tartan pattern)

Dunelm are currently selling these statement tartan cushions in a perfect earthy, burnt orange shade (though they do offer lots of other colours if you’d prefer to mix it up). The tweed texture also gives it a lovely rustic feel that provides your home with instant cosy-factor fit for a pub in the countryside. Cushions are a great way to instantly change the colour scheme in your living room as they’re much larger than some of the other items on this list, but still relatively inexpensive!

Image taken from dunelm.com

Item: Tweed Woven Cushion (Terracotta/Orange)
Shop: Dunelm
Price: £14

Wicker hearts (or any shape you want)

Sometimes, just having random little knick-knacks in your house can make it feel more like a home. You can grab this set of three wicker hearts for under £10 on Amazon* (bargain!), and have them delivered next day if you’re a Prime member. The adorable gingham ribbon and rustic wood texture also give it a little extra bit of detail that screams ‘Autumn’.

Image taken from amazon.co.uk

Item: Large Rustic Wicker Heart Decorations
Shop: Amazon
Price: £9*

Cute Mugs

Whilst these are more functional items than decorative ones, they still make the list, because what else are you going to drink hot chocolate from whilst you sit in your newly-decorated living room? I’m a sucker for anything with a cute animal design plastered on it, so I just had to include these Fairmont & Main bone china mugs from Amazon. I love how autumnal the design is, from the range of beautiful colours, right down the leaf print. Ahh, let’s get the kettle on!

Image taken from amazon.co.uk

Item: Fairmont & Main Bone China Mug (Orange)
Shop: Amazon
Price: £4.99

So, there you go – updating your living room on a budget is easy (and fun)! What will you be adding to your home this Autumn? Let us know!

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Psst, if you enjoyed this post, you can find more of me (and my company, DTM Copywriting) here:
Website (including my blog): http://dtmcopywriting.co.uk/
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: @dtmcopywriting
Email: hayley.andrews@dtmcopywriting.co.uk

*Please note that prices on Amazon are subject to change.

I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to Hayley for writing this post! She was such a joy to talk to via Twitter and email and was so professional and lovely at the same time. It’s made me so excited for when I come back from Fuerteventura to have a mooch around the shops for some lovely autumn editions to add into our home this year!

What items do you like buying as the season changes from summer to autumn? Please make to sure to let me and Hayley know in the comments!

Until next time take care all and I hope you’re doing well!

Post Christmas Natter (Plus What I received…)

It’s almost a week since Christmas Day was here and I can’t quite believe how quickly it’s flown by! I had a lovely Christmas even though I was working both Christmas Eve and Boxing Day (WAH FML!) but it’s come and gone now. Plus I have New Years Eve and Day off, woohoo!

So I decided to do a little catch up post about my Christmas and share what lovely gifts I received from Dane, my parents and everyone else. 🙂

Christmas Eve I didn’t finish work until late (6pm to be exact) and due to being tired and lazy we decided to get a takeaway and spend the evening watching movies. One movie we watching in particular was Sausage Party, which came out this year. Not exactly a Christmas movie, but one we both enjoyed watching, although at the end it got very weird and we sat in shock with hands over mouths, awkwardly laughing.

We got an early night as we were both shattered! This being said I had an awful nights sleep. I kept waking up throughout the night as the wind was waking me up. So we both woke up early Christmas Day and popped on a Christmas movie whilst we opened our presents. I spoilt Dane rotten this year and he loved all of his gifts. He spoilt me just as much too and every gift he gave me I loved. We both asked each other what our favourite gifts were out of the bunch. Dane’s was Vol. 1-9 of One Punch Man and mine was a tough one. I’ll show off what gifts he gave me before I tell you which were my favourites… I can’t pick one!

We decided to do stockings this year, as a new tradition and we filled them both full of yummy treats, well Dane filled mine full of Japanese sweets, mostly Kit Kats! My friend Sophi (heyyy!) picked up some of these stockings for us which was lovely of her! She of course got an N for me and a D for Dane.

As you can see Dane bought me LOADS of Kit Kats, Japanese ones to be exact! As well as a few other Japanese treats, which are mostly matcha flavoured… My favourite. 😛 He bought me a little geisha pouch full of different flavoured Kit Kats, which I loved as it looked adorable! It came with a piece of paper inside telling you about all the flavours which I was pleased about, as you never know what you could be trying. For example there is a wasabi flavoured Kit Kat in there!

Onto the main gifts from Dane and I was well and truly spoilt this year… But so was he. 😛 All of my gifts from him were thoughtful and I can’t really say I prefer one to the other, but I will of course say my favourite 3 or something. 😛

One of my favourite gifts from what Dane bought me were these two sleeping Pokemon plushies from the Pokemon Centre in Japan. As you can see he gave me a Pikachu and Jolteon which I love, especially Jolteon’s cute little bum and feet. 😛 I knew I was going to get one of these but I didn’t have a clue which and these were both a lovely surprise to get. They’re now in my Pokemon cabinet in the living room.

Another one of my favourite presents from Dane was these South Park figures from the new game coming out in 2017, The Fracture But Whole. I already have a couple of the figures from the first game (Princess Kenny and Cartman as a wizard) and I love them so much, but not as much as these. I have Butters, Kenny and Cartman all as their super villain and hero alter egos. They’re now in my cupboard and look amazing. It’s a shame they didn’t bring anymore of the characters out, but I guess these three are the main ones.

I keep saying this is my favourite present from Dane even though I knew I was having it, but it’s my new jacket… A Pokemon jacket! This is by a brand I have grown to love since August when I bought my first pieces by her, the brand being Ohayou! Clothing. She’s a designer in Bristol and most of her designs are Pokemon related and anything Japanese and kawaii. As you can see from the pictures it’s a varsity style jacket with an adorable picture of Eevee on the back! I love it and since Christmas Day I’ve pretty much lived in it! I can’t wait to write a post about Ohayou! Clothing in the new year!

Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE foxes and I think every Christmas we have shared since being together, Dane has always bought me a fox related present. This year he of course had to keep up the tradition and bought me this beautiful tote bag with a fox and wolf on it. I’ve viewed this seller on Etsy before and if you love foxes then you will love her work! He also bought one of her illustrated books about foxes, which I really enjoyed reading in bed on Christmas Day morning.

Yay for manga! I’m in need of some new books to read after finally finishing Nana (and my heart broke!) and of course Dane knew I wanted some new material to read including Nichijou. As of yet I haven’t started to read it but I intend to start very soon. It’s like Azumanga Daioh so it is based around a school and the lives of the students there. I can’t wait to read it!

MORE KIT KATS! I told you he bought me loads! These are sake flavoured and we tried one on Christmas Day. I LOVE them! They’re very strong smelling and tasting of sake, which I thought I would hate but really enjoyed. I would definitely buy these again… But I have a feeling they aren’t cheap.

Finally we have a few little stocking fillers Dane gifted me, one not being in this picture as I forgot to take it! That item is the Bee & Puppycat cooking book. I thought it would be all jokey cooking recipes but they’re actually legit and ones that both the workers of the comic have submitted, as well as fans of the comic book too. Both me and Dane had a flick through it on Christmas Day and have already decided on some recipes that we want to bake and cook very soon.

Speaking of food he also got me a Pikachu sushi mold which I am SO EXCITED to use! I love making Japanese food and the next thing I want to learn how to make is sushi. I’ve already discussed with Dane that we make onigiri (rice ball with fish, chicken, veg inside… Basically like a sandwich to us but with rice instead of bread) with the mold. I can’t wait!

I knew I was getting these for Christmas (even though when it came to opening them I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THEM!) but Dane bought me some Victoria’s Secret body sprays. One is a minty scent and the other more vanilla and sugary. I love things like this and the VS body sprays are the best I’ve ever tried.

The final thing Dane bought me was a new calendar which as you can see is Pusheen.

This was meant to be one of my Christmas presents but Dane gave it to me about a week before Christmas and I love it so much! It’s a little glass bottle with a little soot sprite inside from the film Spirited Away. That’s one of my favourite films so I love anything to do with it. He’s now in my cabinet in the living room.

We spent Christmas at my parents house and then Boxing Day at Dane’s parents. We both had a lovely time at both houses and I wouldn’t change anything! Sadly my mom was working but me and Dane played games and watched movies with my dad and my brother, which was really fun! We practically did the same with Dane’s family too and we had a right laugh. We played Joking Hazard with my family and The Game of Life with Dane’s. We had lots of laughs and giggles!

I’m not showing off all my presents in  this post, mostly just Dane’s to be honest but I thought I would show off my favourite gifts from my family and Dane’s.

This was one of my favourite presents this year and it’s from my parents. It’s a Thomas Sabo charm bracelet with a martini glass charm. She kind of hinting to me getting something like this but I wasn’t 100% sure what it would be. I love it though, so much more than my Pandora bracelet and I’ve already eyed up what other additions I can add to it. I’ve found so far that it’s just so much lighter than Pandora to wear and therefore easier to wear.

My mom bought me and Dane a couple of other things too, some of which are on the way apparently in the post. But one of my other favourite items from her is this giraffe dressing gown (which I have on at the moment!). The hood on it is huge and had a giraffe face on which I think is cute. It’s also a great length too which is ideal as one of my old ones would drag on the ground as I walk up the stairs and trip me up. I’ve pretty much lived in this since Christmas Day!

Like the presents my parents bought me I won’t talk about everything, but more so my favourites. Dane’s parents bought me these lovely pajamas which I knew I was going to get due to asking for them, but they were still a lovely surprise and as soon as we got home Boxing Day I put them on. They’re burgundy with woodland animal print on. Right up my street! They also bought me a Lush gift set (Snow Fairy one!) and some stuff for the house.

Finally we have one of the gifts that Dane’s brother and girlfriend bought for us. They bought us a huge box full of Japanese candy but sadly I never managed to get a picture of it. However I did manage to get a picture of the candle they bought us. It’s a WoodWick candle, a brand we both love just as much as Yankee Candle. This one is in the scent Black Cherry and it’s HUGE! When you burn these it makes a crackling sound like a fire and when we lit this for the first time it was nice to see the flame move over from the right to the left side of the wick. It’s a lovely present, especially for the house.

So those were my presents from Christmas this year. As well as these presents I did of course get more from work friends, my friends, family and more. I just wanted to show some that I had managed to snap pictures of.

I had a lovely Christmas this year even though it did come and go in the blink of an eye! I don’t have a clue when to take my Christmas tree down. Probably tomorrow after work as it’ll soon be 2017 and our tree wont need to be up anymore, sadly. I’ll miss our cute little tree. 😦

What lovely presents did you get for Christmas and did you have a lovely time over the Christmas period? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below.

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’re having a great week so far!

Christmas ’16 Wish List

Ahh Christmas is just 20 something days away and it’ll be here before we know it! I pretty much have most of my Christmas present shopping done now which is great BUT what do I want for Christmas? Let me just add that this list was pretty damn hard to do as this year I found that I didn’t want all that much… I wanted a lot of make up if anything (Jeffree Star, Kat Von D and Korean beauty mostly!) so I didn’t want my list to be full of those things. Check out my wish list to find out what I decided to put on my list to Father Christmas. 😉

• South Park: The Fractured But Whole The Coon Figurine – £11.99 (link)

If regular and old readers haven’t realised by now how much of a South Park fan both myself and Dane are then what the hell have you NOT been reading? We love South Park and I especially love the video games. I have 100% completed The Stick Of Truth and I’m eagerly awaiting the next game, The Fractured But Whole. I’m currently collecting the figures from the first game and of course I couldn’t NOT collect the ones from the second. Not only that but for Halloween in 2015 me and Dane both dressed as South Park characters, Dane as Mysterion and me as The Coon. So getting this would mean an awful lot to me. Although me and Dane have discussed about getting the bundle of these figures, which you can check out here.

• Pokemon Pikachu Molded Mug – £15.00 (link)

Dane actually showed me this mug about a month ago when he was looking for some Christmas and birthday present ideas for me and I shrugged it off and said, “Meh we don’t need anymore mugs in the house.” BUT after a lot of thought I changed my mind and said how it would make a lovely edition, due to how unique it is. That and it reminded me of a Pikachu mug I made in art/pottery class well over 10 years ago when I was at school. It was awful but I loved that mug and used it as a pencil pot instead. So it would be lovely to use this in the cold mornings before work.

• Pokemon Center Mew MokoMoko Plush – £28.99 (link)

Another Pokemon item! This time it’s Mew. I love Mew just as much as I love the Eeveelutions and sadly although my Eevee plushie collection is building up nicely, my Mew one remains small with me only owning one plush… Sad times. I’m hoping to change this next year however and what better way to start that than with this beautiful and soft looking Mew plushie! Of course from the Pokemon Center in Japan. It looks so soft and fluffy but sadly it isn’t cheap and I would have to wonder how big this must be to be at such a high price.

• ColourPop x Hello Kitty Lippie Stix in shade Let’s Play – $5.00 (link)

Ew I said I wouldn’t add make up to this Christmas wish list but urgh I have to add something! One item won’t hurt, surely??? When I found out that ColourPop were going to have a Hello Kitty collection I went a little bit ape shit but said I wouldn’t buy anything due to the expensive shipping prices. However thanks to sellers on eBay it doesn’t cost as much as it would do to order from over the pond. I really love Let’s Play as it’s a gorgeous cranberry red with pink shimmer throughout. Perfect for the Christmas and winter season to wear to parties, at work and for shopping trips. I might end up treating myself to this on payday next week instead though. 😛

• CraftyFoxCollective Iridescent Metal Effect Purple Quartz Crystal Pendant Black Leather Cord Necklace – £5.25 (link)

I’m not much of a jewellery wearer for many reasons, my main one due to work but I would love to start wearing necklaces I have always wanted to. I wear my one choker quite a lot and bought a thick velvet choker a few months back to wear (even though I hate it…) so I want to start buying more. This is a necklace I really like the look of and it doesn’t even cost that much! I saw some like this when I went down to London last month and I regret not buying it! Rainbow crystals like this one just make me happy to look at, so I would love something like this to wear all the time. They’re pretty easy to find on Etsy, but this was my favourite of the bunch.

• Yankee Candle Cherries On Show Large Jar – £21.99 (link)

OMG when I saw this in a couple of Yankee Candle shops I was so damn happy! Sadly it isn’t on the official UK website… Why? I don’t have a clue! This was a permanent scent for Christmas years and years ago but after two years it was discontinued so when I saw it was back I got super excited and have told loads of people that I want it. QVC have them on a special offer at the moment, so I may try and persuade someone to get one or two for me whilst they’re around. 😛 This is one of my favourite Yankee Candle scents so I would love to have it back in my life again. 😛

• Black Milk Clothing For Fox Sake Grey Toasties – $80.00 AUD (link) and For Fox Sake Cap Sleeve Skater Dress – $90.00 AUD (link)

I LOVE Black Milk Clothing and I search at least two or three times a week for items I can pick up second hand on eBay, so when I watched their latest YouTube revealing their Christmas collection this year I got super excited. They have not just one but TWO fox themed pieces this year which look adorable! Of course there are the pictures above of the two pieces of clothing, leggings and a dress. The leggings are my favourite of the two at the moment due to them being toasties, which means they’ll keep your legs lovely and warm when it’s cold outside. Could definitely do with those for Christmas! I’d wear them for New Years as well as my birthday. The dress is Dane’s favourite of the two and I do get why. It would be lovely to team up with a burgundy cardigan, some tights, boots and a big coat for Christmas parties, as well as for Christmas day. I doubt I will get either of these for Christmas as they are hella expensive, but I’ll keep hopeful for them… Or at least one of them. 😛

So that is my Christmas wish list for this year! What items do you have on your lists?

Throughout the Christmas period I will be writing a couple of gift idea posts including Final Fantasy for definite, possibly Christmas jumpers, as well as many many more!

What posts would you like to see though throughout December? Make sure to let me  know in the comments down below! I know I’ve been really quiet recently due to me being super busy with work and the house, but I’ll be trying to write plenty of posts throughout December.

I hope all my readers are well and until next time, take care all!