Independent Shops Tour in FarGo Village

When I travel and visit new places there are always a couple of things in particular that I look out for when I’m there, good food and drink and AMAZING geeky shops to visit and spend all my cash at!

When Amy (Writing into the Ether) asked if she could take me around FarGo Village in Coventry on a little tour, I couldn’t say no really. Although my boyfriend is from Coventry and we often ventured into the town centre when he lived there, we never really went to FarGo Village. Why? I don’t actually know!

We’ve been since, but Amy took me around everywhere, which was so much fun!

In return I recently took Amy on a tour of my favourite places to visit in Birmingham, which she’s written about and posted today on her blog! I’ll link her post here so you can go and read where we went. Birmingham is amazing for geeky shopping, as well as amazing Asian food and drink, so much so we are planning another trip to tick off the places we didn’t manage to go.

FarGo Village is classed as Coventry’s creative quarter and from photos I actually thought it was bigger than it is. I feel like that due to the fact they’ve made so much use out of all the space, which is amazing. It reminds me of the Custard Factor in Digbeth Birmingham, which is somewhere I practically lived in as a student and in my early 20’s.

FarGo is an artistically re-purposed industrial space in Coventry City Centre, designed exclusively for creative, independent businesses and like-minded visitors. Located on Far Gosford Street, a recently regenerated area with a rich cultural heritage.

We are fiercely independent! We have an eclectic mix of over 40 independent businesses based here, including a craft brewery, artisan food, vegan shop, printing , a museum dedicated to Sgt Bilko and a Crossfit Box!

Quote taken from FarGo website

FarGo Village isn’t just a place to go shopping but is also great for food and drink! As of yet I haven’t actually eaten in FarGo Village, although I have eaten at places on Far Gosford Street. I’m sure in the future I will have something to eat at FarGo Village!

They so have SOME geeky things, including some Studio Ghibli art books which you can pick up from TAG! Artwork.

FarGo Village isn’t full of geeky places to shop, but it does have a lot of amazing independent shops to visit, with some already becoming must have shopping destinations for whenever I visit Coventry moving forward.

The first place we ventured to was Sgt Bilko’s Vintage Emporium which was pretty cool! It’s a vintage memorabilia shop with various different geeky bits and pieces, from Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel and more! They had loads of comic books in there where you could grab 10 for £10, which Amy took advantage of. I’m not a comic book girl myself and much prefer manga. This being said, the shop still had some amazing geeky pieces though, a definite must place to go if you’re into vintage geeky films and TV shows, I’m more of an otaku girl. 😛

We popped into Budda Boutique where I picked myself up some incense cones, which I have since used and have made my house smell gorgeous. This is the perfect place for hippies to visit, as it is a holistic shop that sells various different products ranging from clothing, healing crystals, jewellery and more! I loved collecting and using healing crystals growing up so whenever I venture into shops like this it really does bring back some nostalgia for me. This is a lovely store and one I will go back to time and time again when I visit FarGo Village.

We ventured onto the opposite side of FarGo Village to have a look at some of the stores I love the most in Fargo Village.

TAG! Artwork is definitely one that has caught my eye due to the cute and quirky books they sell! They do also sell art supplies too but I was in there for the manga! They sell quite a bit of manga to be fair, which is really nice. However, a lot of the manga they sell is also faded from the sunlight, which is a bit of a shame all around but mostly due to the fact they’re selling these for full price too. :S I’d want a discount considering they’re technically “damaged”. They also sell some quirky books and I regret not picking up the book Japanese Floaty Food Guide as I would love to have this for when I go to Japan. Next time I’m in FarGo Village I plan to pick it up!

Container No.8 is full of some right little gems and it’s a shop I would love to buy something from, but both times I’ve been (once with Amy and once with Dane) I’ve always wanted to be good. If I had of splurged a little, I think I would have ended up getting one of these cute little dinosaur necklaces by Bekbek Makes. Honestly, I always eye these cuties up whenever I go in but I just never buy one. 😦 I really love the green triceratops pin badge that I saw, but again. I left him behind. 😦 Bekbek Makes does have an online shop, which I have linked back to under the sellers name here. 🙂

Check out some of the items I love from Bekbek Makes:

Stegosaurus Necklace Large – Pastel Purple & Blue

Triceratops Pin Badge- Dark Purple & Green

Stegosaurus Pin Badge – Pink & Green

Container No.8 was a bit of a mix match of local sellers produce and items, which I really like! It means there is one shop with all sorts of different goods. These cute little honey bar bottles were too cute to not snap a photo of.

I’m not a vegan, hell I’m not even a vegetarian but The Green Unicorn Vegan Store is an interesting little store and I actually picked something up from there during our shopping trip. This gorgeous little store is promoting not only vegan produce but also for people to cut down and stop using plastic, which is something I would like to stop doing and I’m trying to do. The Green Unicorn Store is perfect because you can bring in your own jars, bottles and more to fill up with goods and take away. I ended up buying some cloth bags which I now use when I’m out shopping and want to buy fruit. I feel good not using plastic one use bags. 🙂

The last shop we ventured into before we decided to get a drink was, and I LOVED it so much! Fantayzia Designs is a retro style store that creates things out of stuff people bring in, as well as sell some of those items too. For example the owner has created lamps out of old cassette tapes, which looked really cool! I’m gutted I didn’t take a photo of them to be honest.

I love how the entrance to the shop has some chairs and vintage games on old TV’s. Anything like this attracts me straight away and when we went inside I made sure to have a look at what vintage games, consoles and more that they had on offer. I’m a console collector so I’m always into finding gems like this. Due to this however, it did break my heart a little to see this Game Boy Pocket turned into a clock… 😛 That being said, it was pretty cool all the same. ^_^

When we were shopped out we decided to head to my favourite place in FarGo Village, Bubble Boba for some must needed drinks and natter. I ordered the Red Velvet cheesecake, which was AMAZING! Definitely my favourite drink from there now. I visited Bubble Boba for Mockail Party and Masterclass recently, which was organised by Bubble Boba and Amy, which you can read about here.

It had started to rain not long after we sat down outside Backhaus & Co with our drinks so we finished chatting, drank up and headed for shelter in The Big Comfy Bookshop.

I really love The Big Comfy Bookshop and this was my first time visiting. I haven’t ventured into FarGo Village since me and Amy did so I haven’t been back, but honestly that place is perfect for anyone who just wants a bit of piece and quiet to write on their own, or with friends. I wish there was somewhere like this near my home so I could venture there after work to grab a coffee and do some blog writing.

The thing I love the most about The Big Comfy Bookshop is how all the books they sell second hand books and let you sit to read them too. I found a gem from my teenage years and it made me so nostalgic! I still own the novel Guitar Girl which I still love and read occasionally (maybe I’ll write a story post about this book in the future?). I also found some amazing cookbooks for sale! They also have a selection of manga on the shelves, which they need more of. 😛

We stayed for a drink, a bit of cake and some more natter before we parted ways. It was a lovely day and I really enjoyed the little tour Amy gave me of FarGo Village. I really want to go again when they have an event on. They had a car related event on this day which to be honest annoyed me. People were revving their cars occasionally which just ruined the relaxed mood for me. I can’t moan about that too much however, as I know this doesn’t always happen in FarGo Village.

We didn’t managed to pop into some shops, as I have a feeling due to it being Sunday, they were shut. I think this is such a shame as it means if people work in retail and get Sunday’s off, they miss out on all the gems in FarGo Village.

Some of the places I’m sad we missed out on are:

Olivia Thomas Handmade – I don’t recall if we saw this or not, or if we did and it wasn’t open but the handmade pieces by Olivia Thomas look and sound gorgeous and I’d definitely love to go in the future to pick some pieces up for myself, as well as for friends and family as gifts.

Oshin Art & Craft – This place reminds me of Japan and I don’t know why. It just looks so crafty and kawaii inside, but I feel like when I went in before it just wasn’t for me. I’d love to go again to see what it’s all about!

The Drawing Room – A tattoo shop where (obvs) you can get tattooes done! I know a few people who have a few pieces done here, especially by Kerste Diston (kerste_tattoos on Instagram). Her pieces are gorgeous and she recently posted a photo of design she drew of Haku from Spirited Away.

Overall I loved the little tour Amy took me on of FarGo Village! I don’t think I could have asked for anyone better to take me around. Amy is so passionate about FarGo Village and it shows constantly. I can understand why she loves it so much, it’s such a quaint little place full of unique shops and little treasures. I really want to venture to FarGo Village more in the future, especially when there are events being held there.

Oh by the way, look at how famous Amy is in The Big Comfy Bookshop! 😛

If you’re ever in Coventry will you be popping into FarGo Village? Do you have anything like FarGo Village where you live? If you do, please let me know about it! 😀

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

How To Make Your Dinner Table Geeky This Christmas

It’s only a couple more days until Christmas now and I still don’t know if I’m even in the Christmas spirit yet… You know? I don’t know what it’s been this year, I think I’ve just been far too busy with work and in general to get festive. That or I’m just getting to be an old Grinch… 😛

I’m trying to get into the Christmas spirit though so today I’m bringing a collab post to you all! Me and Sarah over at Raiin Monkey decided to do another collab post for Christmas again! We did last year and I loved it so much, so much so I knew we had to work together again to bring you our posts today.

Sarah’s going to write about how to make your home geeky this Christmas and I’m going to write how to make your dinner table geeky for Christmas Day!

I’m having Christmas dinner at home for the first time this year, so I’m rather excited to cook for me and Dane! This geeky dinner table guide from myself will be handy if like me this is also your first Christmas at home where you’re having dinner. 🙂

I really hope you enjoy this geek related Christmas post! 😀

• Original Stormtrooper Espresso Mug Set – (link)

Personally I love coffee, but I has espresso. It just isn’t for me. I do understand some people do really like it though and especially love to have it after a meal. I don’t know anyone who has had an espresso after a Christmas meal to be honest with you, but I know there’s someone out there who does it… There has to be! Maybe you’re one of those people? If so these espresso mugs will be right up your street! Hey! If you don’t use them for espresso, they’ll make great glasses for some strong liquor to go into, such as Bailey’s or maybe some Jack Daniels or Disaronno. I’d certainly go for the latter. 😉

• Geeki Tikis Mugs Marvel Deadpool and Star Wars R2-D2 – (link) and (link)

I LOVE these Geeki Tiki mugs so much and they’d make a great addition to your home all year around, as well as Christmas. If you love making cocktails like I do, these will be perfect throughout Christmas Day! When I lived at home I’d always make me and mom a pina colada each to drink throughout the day. These geeky tiki mugs would be perfect for that, as well as other cocktails and beverages! There’s loads of mugs to choose from but the two I love the most are Deadpool and R2-D2.

• Star Wars Shadow Trooper Bluetooth Speaker – (link)

As much as I’ve had enough of Christmas music now (after hearing every single possible Christmas song thanks to Magic FM…) I’m pretty much done for a couple of years now. 😛 However, I know a lot of people like to have Christmas music on throughout Christmas Day. Me and Dane have an Amazon Echo now so if we want some music on throughout the day we can just ask Alexa, however now everyone has that luxury. This Shadow Trooper speaker is pretty damn cool and even if you don’t have this for yourself in the house, it would also make an amazing gift for any music lover! You can have this on near the dinner table and listen to as much cheesy Christmas music as you want. 😛

• Shaun Of The Dead Winchester Tavern Pint Bottle Opener – (link)

I am a MASSIVE fan of Shaun Of The Dead! It reminds me of when I was a teenager and studying my GCSE’s! When I lived at home we were always losing or misplacing our bottle opener and like most people on Christmas, we all drink a LOT of alcohol! This is just a cool and quirky bottle opener, not even so much geeky to be fair but I really like it.

• Star Wars Stormtrooper Cheeseboard and Knife Set – (link)

Who doesn’t love some cheese on Christmas? Or anytime of year in fact! 😛 I remember last Christmas Dane’s family having a bit of a cheese selection after dinner, where I remember me eating all of the Applewood, because Applewood chedder is the God of chedder. 😛 This cheeseboard is pretty amazing as it looks gorgeous and inside it has loads of different edible tools for cheese. It’s just perfect for any geeky Christmas table!

• Marvel Deadpool Salt & Pepper Shakers – (link)

I was so close to buying these a week ago when I popped into Nostalgia Comics in Birmingham town centre! I love Deadpool and having Deadpool themed things in my house is always something good to have. 😛 These aren’t over the top but will stand out on the table for Christmas dinner and the good thing is these can be used all year around too. I know some people who have Christmas themed salt and pepper shakers and it’s just pointless for one day really.

• Pokemon Pikachu Cake Pan – (link)

Finally we have a Pokemon item on this list! I thought I would have had loads of Pokemon items on here for Christmas but could I find much? Could I bugger! The reason this cake pan is included in here is because I know not everyone likes Christmas pudding, myself included in there. I’m thinking of making some chocolate brownies Christmas Eve ready for Christmas Day. If I had it my way I’d make a chocolate cake using this Pikachu cake pan. 😛 It’s just so adorable and you could do so much with it come Christmas Day.

So there you have it, all my ideas of how you can geek up your table on Christmas Day! I know they’re not the best suggestions in the world, but they’re my suggestions and the best I could find so close to Christmas to be fair. 😛

Do you think you’ll geek up your table for Christmas Day? I don’t know if me and Dane will. We have a funky table cloth and some napkins, but that’s about it so far.

Again I want to say a MASSIVE thank you to Sarah for collaborating with me again! She’s one of my best friends of the blogging world and I do love her so much. 🙂

Are you ready for Christmas? Let me know in the comments what your plans are for Christmas and how you intend to spend the day!

Until next time all, take care and I hope you’re ready for the weekend, I know I am after a long and busy week of work. 😛

Wish List Wednesday – Rainbow Fashion Collab Post!

Today’s wish list Wednesday is such an exciting one and it’s for one reason in particular! This is a collab post with the one and only wonderful blogger, Estelle over at Estellosaurus.

If there is one rainbow queen who I know it is her! I love her outfit posts and I always end up going to look at one piece of clothing she’s wearing in said post online.

It’s because of her that I recently bought myself a new rainbow cardigan and she’ll probably be the cause for many more rainbow purchases… She’s definitely a bad influence. 😛

So we decided to work together to do a collab post and I have been so excited to get it written down! We decided that I would do a wish list Wednesday about rainbow fashion pieces I want and Estelle is going to talk about the rainbow fashion pieces she owns. I would have done the same as Estelle, but sadly I only own two items, which are both my amazing rainbow cardigans! 😀

So without further ado, bring on the rainbow goodies!

• Monki Rainbow Stripe Tee – (link)

I’ve had my eye on picking up a rainbow stripe tee from Monki for AGES but every time I’ve had a look at one it’s either sold out completely or sold out in my size! When I recently visited Bristol with Dane I had a look in the Monki shop inside Cabot Circus and got super excited! Sadly the rainbow stripe tee wasn’t in my size and it looks really cropped too, which sucked. I’m going to keep the hope alive though for a nice striped rainbow tee like this one!

• Monki Crew Neck Rainbow Jumper – (link)

This jumper really does remind me of the one that Lazy Oaf brought out and it looks AMAZING! I would love this jumper to rock to work on Monday’s and Friday’s throughout the colder months, as well as over weekends with friends or lazy days in with Dane. I especially love that the sleeves are a little tighter, because although I love baggy sleeves that can hide my hands, it can be a bit of a pain when working. My only issue with this jumper is that it looks cropped… So I’d want to see what it looks like in the Bristol Monki store before buying!

• Boohoo Rainbow Stripe T-Shirt Dress – (link)

I’ve been after some more t-shirt dresses for a while to wear with my normal black leggings, as well as with my Black Milk Clothing leggings and whilst I’m on a massive rainbow love and high, this top would be awesome to wear with my black leggings all casual and such! I wouldn’t be able to wear this for work, it would purely be for when I can’t be arsed to dress up and want to be comfortable. I could imagine it  being a great t-shirt dress to wear on sick days too. 😛

• Rocks N Rainbows Ringer Tee – (link)

This is a really cute tee but I wish it was in the UK! I know you can order from the Dolls Kill site and get them sent to the UK, but you know… 😛 ANYWAY! This isn’t technically a rainbow item, but it has a rainbow on it so that counts… Right? 😛 I really love this tee for both work and casual because it’ll just go and work with anything and everything! I especially love the red around the collar and sleeves, it’s a really nice touch and works really well! It also isn’t a bad price either, which I’m always happy with. 😛

• Club Exx Dark Rainbow Anodized Boots – (link)

Oh man I just had to add these boots to this list! I know they’re not shouting in your face that they’re rainbow, but fuck me are these sexy boots! I love a good pair of Dr Martens boots and live in them throughout autumn and winter, but these are just something else. To me my Docs are my, “Don’t piss me off…” boots, whereas these would be, “Don’t fuck with me!” boots. You know what I mean? They’d just be awesome to wear throughout the autumn months and possibly spring too.

• Lazy Oaf Pastel Stripe Rainbow Cardigan

This is a cardigan I have been lusting after for the longest time, but these days it’s a bit of a struggle to find unless you remortgage your house first! It was the original Lazy Oaf rainbow bored cardigan that kick started everyone off on the rainbow cardigan craze and I can honestly understand why! Since then, everyone has been either lusting after that cardigan, the one I’m talking about or any others for that matter! I still want this one and as soon as I find it for a decent price, it WILL be mine! I love wearing cardigans for work, as well as in general and this is such a muted and gorgeous colour that I just need it in my life! HEY if you’re selling one and want a decent price for it, DROP ME A COMMENT ASAP! xD

• Run & Fly Unisex Rainbow Jumper – (link)

Finally we have another jumper on this list and it’s the last thing I’ll be talking about today. This is actually a unisex product and honestly I LOVE unisex and men’s clothing, it’s always so much more comfortable than women’s. This is such a vintage looking jumper and I feel like it’s something you’d have seen someone wear in the 60’s or 70’s. Or even something from the 90’s that someones picked up in a charity shop. This would be super cozy to wear throughout the autumn and winter months, both at work as well as over the weekends for chilly evenings out. It isn’t cheap at £30.00 but I would like to pick it up in the near future.

So those are all my rainbow goodies for my wish list Wednesday! I’m not a massive rainbow magpie, but I do love me some signature rainbow pieces!

I just want to say a massive THANK YOU to Estelle for agreeing to do this rainbow themed collaboration with me! Make sure to head over to her blog to check out what she’s written! I posted her link at the start of this post, but I’ll pop it here too.

Please make sure to go and give Estelle some love, not only is she an amazing and adorable blogger, but she’s also an absolute gem and lovely to talk to. I love that I’ve met her through blogging as she’s definitely one of my favourite bloggers and become a very good blogging friend in such a short period of time.

Anyhoo, I’m off for the day! I hope you all have a lovely day and until next time, take care all!

Geeky Girl Gift Guide – Collaboration Post

Hey guys! It’s me again, Sarah from over at Raiin Monkey, bringing you as promised my next geektastic gift guide! If you saw my post on Wednesday, you’ll know that me and Nat are doing a Christmas collaboration together, each sharing some geeky gift guides for both guys and girls. Last time, Nat shared a gift guide for girls on my blog (you can read her post here), and I gave you my suggestions of Christmas gift ideas for guys here on Nat’s wonderful blog! So, today it’s my turn to write all about gift ideas for the geeky girls in your life!

As with Part 1 of my geeky gift guide, I’ve decided to include items perfect for those of you on a budget, as all my suggestions are £20 or under, and many of them would be great as stocking fillers! I’ve split up my guide into two parts again: present ideas for under £10 and also for under £20. I’ve sourced everything from UK websites too, to help keep the costs down 😊 I hope you all enjoy reading!

Pokémon I Choose You Mug (link) I was strolling through the grindstore website because it’s one of my favourite online stores for alternative merch and I spotted this adorable mug, that was just too cute not to include on my geeky girls gift guide. Just as Nat said in her post, everyone loves a good mug at Christmas! I love that this one includes all of the starter Pokémon so it’s a mug to suite every Pokéfan! Something I also love about giving mugs as gifts is that you can fill it with other little presents, stuff like socks, chocolates & sweets, keyrings, etc.

Despicable Me Fluffy Unicorn Notebook (link) THIS NOTEBOOK IS SO FLUFFY, I’M GONNA DIE!! Hahaha I couldn’t help myself 😀 How awesome are fluffy notebooks though!? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t appreciate a pretty, good quality notebook, and this one would make a fabulous gift for anyone who loves unicorns or just cutesy things in general!

DC Lil Bombshells Vinyl Figures (link) Being slightly obsessed with collecting blind box figures myself, I couldn’t not find another blind box for my geeky girls gift guide too! I love the DC Bombshell figures, they are gorgeous, and these little chibi-style versions of them are awesome! They celebrate all of the badass woman of the DC world, and there’s 12 to collect in these series 2 editions. One of these surprise figures would make a really cool present for any DC fan you know, both girls and guys.

Kawaii Sushi Coaster Set (link) This is a present for my fellow kawaii fans. Even if you’re not a lover of sushi (me neither!), you can’t argue that these coasters are super cute! At only £4.99 for 4, I think they are a bargain not to be missed! I love how colourful and bright they are too, and they are great for popping into a stocking.

Pusheen the Cat Pastel Green Plush (link) It’s no surprise that both me & Nat included Pusheen items on our gift guides for geek girls because Pusheen is amazing! It’s impossible not to love her, and there’s so much wonderful merch available lately. Artbox UK have quite a few official Pusheen plushies, including these three pastel 15cm plushies, available in green, pink and purple. Your geeky girl loved ones will be thrilled to find one of these little cuties in their stockings on Christmas morning 😊

Studio Ghibli Gang Tote Bag (link) I don’t know many geeky girls that aren’t fans of at least one of the amazing movies by Studio Ghibli, and this tote bag is awesome because it includes so many of the popular characters on it! If I used tote bags more, I’d buy it for myself for Christmas because I’m in love with the print! It’s one of those presents too that can be filled with even more Christmas gifts, which is always a bonus. Bags are the perfect gift for students too because they can always use another bag, whether it’s for taking to class with them or to use as a shopping bag or something.

Hatsune Miku Keyring (link) Here’s another animation themed gift, for geeky girls who love all things Japanese! This keyring is an official Vocaloid item and is only £2.49! Even if you’ve never watched Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku is such a cute and iconic character, that I’m sure any fan of kawaii culture or anime would love to receive this for Christmas!

The next part of my Geeky Girls Gift Guide is for those of you who are interested in stocking fillers that are little more pricey but still ideal for those on a budget at £20 and under!

Tofu Cute Amuse Lucky Bag (link) Each time that I’ve been to my local MCM Comic Con at Manchester, I’ve seen people walking around with these adorable Tofu Cute goodie bags, both a blue and a pink variation, and always thought that they were surprise Japanese and Korean snack bags since I know that the store sells them. However, I just discovered that the blue one is full of snacks, but the pink one or the ‘Maneki Neko’ bag is for surprise plushies! I am such a huge fan of the Japanese brand Amuse and their plushies, and so I now have a mighty need for one of these lucky bags in my life! The smallest of the bags is £18.99, but there are three other larger sizes with more products in that you can buy. Head over to the website to see examples of what you can expect inside. I think this would make such a brilliant present, especially since you get the free drawstring bag too! If you think your loved one would prefer the snack version, that’s only £12.99. Even better, but slightly more pricey than £20, there’s a special Christmas version of the Tofu Cute lucky bag, which has a mix of both plushies and snacks!

Harry Potter Crests Gift Set (link) Gift sets, like this Harry Potter official one, are a fabulous option when buying a Christmas present, because they contain more than one gift and usually come inside a pretty presentation box of some kind. This set will make a wonderful gift for any Harry Potter fangirl, no matter if she belongs to Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, since it includes all the Hogwarts House crests! Also, this would make the perfect Secret Santa present for any Harry Potter fan! Fellow Harry Potter fans…I’m curious, what house do you belong to? I’m a Ravenclaw!

Deadpool Arm Party Bracelet Set (link) Jewellery is always a nice gift idea for any occasion in my opinion, and I thought this Deadpool set was unique plus it would make a cool present for many geeky girls. Whether they are a fan of the DC comics or just loved the 2016 Deadpool movie (I know I did!), this would be an awesome addition to their Christmas stocking this year. The set includes five bracelets, all designed in different ways so that they can be worn as a set or individually. I think they are actually really pretty!

Star Paws Parody T-shirt (link) I adore parody tees, this one especially because it has light saber-wielding kittens on it! Is there anything more awesome than that, haha!? Just maybe, because the slogan on the tee says, ‘Meow the force be with you!’. I LOVE IT! I almost forgot to mention that there’s a Christmas sale on over at Truffle Shuffle that ends just before midnight this Sunday, offering 20% off everything (use the code: PRESSIE20). Whilst this offer lasts, why not grab this t-shirt for your geeky friends or family? 😊

Harry Potter House Scarves (link) The online store GeekCore has so much awesome Harry Potter merch so definitely go check them out if you or your loved ones are fans! If so, then this ones another item for you! These gorgeous Harry Potter House scarves would make the perfect gift right now with it being almost winter time! They would also be a great present for anyone you know who likes to cosplay! I’m very tempted to get myself one because they look really snug and I’ve been so cold lately!

Happy Piranha’s Every Fragranced Candle tealights (link) Nat featured a fabulous Darth Vader tealight candle holder on her geeky girl gift guide, so I thought it would be cool to include some tealights that could be purchased along with that! I was searching around for geeky themed candles available in the UK and I came across this set that looks brilliant! The ‘Every Fragranced Candle’ set is Harry Potter themed, based on Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans. How cool is that!? You are supposed to guess the scent of these candles, which I think is great and there’s so many fragrances that sound amazing, like Peppermint Swirl and Blackberry Crumble. They are all handmade too, and would be a perfect Christmas gift for anyone, Harry Potter fan or not!

Pokémon All Over Print T-Shirt (link) We have reached the final item on my gift guide for geeky girls, and this is one of my favourite items of all that I’ve shared with you guys today! Just look how fabulous it is! I really like all of the bright colours and of course, that it’s covered in Pokémon. I mean, how could anyone not adore it!? I love the style of this t-shirt too, it looks very comfy. As the website states ‘it’s a die-hard Pokéfan must-have!’.

So, I hope that you enjoyed all of my present suggestions for your geeky girl friends, girlfriends, family or co-workers this Christmas. I’d love to know if the items I’ve featured have been perfect for your loved ones or even if they’ve just given you some inspiration on what to buy for them 😊 That goes for Nat’s posts too; please leave either of us a comment and let us to your thoughts on the items we’ve chosen. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Day and that you get some marvelous presents, whether they are geeky or not!

I just wanted to end my post by giving a big thank you to Nat for working with me on this collaboration! It’s been so awesome, and I’ve been wanting to work with her for the longest time, so I’m super happy that we finally have done ♥ Definitely keep a look out for more collabs from us in the future everyone!

I just want to say again, a massive thank you to Sarah for agreeing to collab with me for Christmas not just once, but twice! These posts have definitely been some of my best guest posts and collaboration posts I’ve ever done and the prospect of working with Sarah again in the future is already so exciting!

Don’t forget to go and read Sarah’s Geeky Guy Gift Guide here!

Until next time, take care all and I hope you have a lovely weekend… Hopefully surrounded like snow like I am! 😛

Geeky Guys Christmas Gift Guide – Collaboration Post!

Hey everyone! I’m Sarah and I blog over at Raiin Monkey (and I suck at introductions, haha!). In celebration of the festive period and all things geeky, Natalee & I have planned a series of Christmas gift guides for our fellow geeks, one each for guys and for girls! I am so happy to be doing a collaboration with Nat because her blog is one of my absolute favourites! Today, I’m sharing some ideas on what you can get your geeky guy loved ones for Christmas, focusing on stocking fillers for those of you who might be on a budget. Head over to my blog to check out Nat’s awesome gift guide for geeky girls! I hope you all enjoy reading and that I give you lots of ideas & inspiration 😊

I’ve decided to share my wishlist in two separate parts, the first showing presents that are £10 or under each, and the second for those between £10-£20. I’ve also sourced everything from UK websites so that if you order after reading, your items will arrive in time for Christmas (plus it keeps down those pesky postage & packaging costs that we all hate!)

1UP 600ml Gaming Flask (link) This super cute 1UP water bottle fashioned after the Super Mario Brothers game franchise is on sale at only £1.99 when it was originally £6.99 and I thought that this was an absolute bargain not to be missed! It’s a really handy item to have, especially when you’re on a gaming streak and haven’t moved for hours, haha. Gotta stay hydrated!

Marvellous Mopeez Deadpool Plush (link) Who doesn’t love a cuddly plush!? Even if it’s just to display, these awesome collectible plush toys by Funko make a great stocking filler. Funko products are always made to a great quality, and I’ve had my eyes on a few Mopeez plushies myself for a while now. There’s lots of other characters available too if your geeky guy isn’t a big fan of Deadpool. Check out the Forbidden Planet website too because they have loads (see here).

Official Nintendo SNES Controller Poster (link) I just thought that this poster looked awesome and would also look really nice in a frame too! It’s only £3.99 so even on a budget, you should be able to find a cheap framed poster in a pound store… just remove whatever poster is inside and add this one instead. Voila! You have yourself a nice framed poster for your gamer loved ones! It looks great without a frame too to just display as wall art.

Official Nintendo Super Mario Badge Pack (link) I personally think these badge sets are brilliant! This Super Mario one from Blue Banana has 25% off at the moment, so you get five badges for just £2.99. They are so bright and colourful, and would look great on a jacket or a backpack. They come on an awesome-looking presentation card, which is nice and are small enough to pack into a stocking. Badge sets are another gift that cater for so many different interests because there’s so much variety available! Blue Banana are selling 20+ different badge sets at the moment, all for the same fabulous price.

Star Wars Episode VII Stormtrooper Pen & Case Set (link) Is your geeky loved one a sci-fi fan? If so, then this pen set would make a wonderful stocking filler for them! As the item description says, ‘May the force be with you (and your stationery collection)!’ haha. Everyone needs pens, and these stormtrooper ones come with a fancy case to store them, which makes them easy to carry about too.

Funko Pop! Vinyl Keyring: DBZ Goku (link) How cool is this little Goku from Dragon Ball Z!? I really love these Pocket Pop! keyrings; I have a Daryl Dixon one myself and I was really impressed with all the detail that went into such a small figure. Everyone loves a Pop vinyl figure, but not everyone has room spare to fill with boxes, so these tiny guys are the next best alternative!

Funko Mystery Mini Star Wars Blind Box (link) Here’s another gift for the lovers of science fiction! Everyone likes a surprise and unwrapping Christmas gifts are all the surprise you need, but imagine finding yet another surprise underneath all that shiny festive paper! That, in my opinion, would make anyone delighted, so why not look into getting a Mystery Mini blind box for your loved ones this year! Inside these Star Wars edition boxes, you can reveal one of 15 figures, and they are bobble heads too!!

Below is the second part to my geeky guys Christmas gift guide, intended for those of you who are still trying to budget but don’t necessarily want to get the smaller types of stocking fillers 😊

Mini Desktop Arcade Machine (link) This product seriously sounds so so fabulous! It’s a mini gaming machine that is portable, has a colour screen and is packed with 240 retro arcade games!! You could keep it on your desk at home or at work, and I am definitely very tempted to get one for myself! IWOOT are also offering free delivery for any items over £10 too, so you can save money to pick up some batteries for this perfect gift for your gamer friends & family.

Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure: Aquaman (link) Did your geeky loved one enjoy the recent Justice League movie? Is he a fan of DC comics in general? How about getting him a Pop Vinyl figure? I might be a little biased because I am a Pop! collector but I think they are super awesome and have such cool designs. I mean, just look at all the colour detailing on Aquaman’s armour! There are a variety of other Pop figures available at UK store, A1 Toys if you want to look for a character from another fandom 😊

I recently discovered a fantastic deal over on the My Geek Box UK website, 3 gifts for £20! The next three items that I’ve featured on my geeky gift guide are examples of the kinds of gifts that this special offer includes. Firstly, we have a multi-port USB hub (find here) that is designed to resemble a Super Nintendo controller, which I really like! It’s a very useful gift for anyone who’s a gamer or a tech geek. Another item includes this awesome novelty Batman egg cup and logo toast cutter. It’s a comical and handy present that most geeky guys will enjoy, unless they don’t like eggs! The last item I’ve picked out is a Star Wars Lightsaber Colour Changing mug! I LOVE these heat-reactive mugs, they are wonderful!

Official HBO Game of Thrones Diagonal Sigil T-Shirt (link) We’ve come to the last present idea on my geeky guys gift guide! Clothes are always a good present to get, especially if you know what your loved ones are into but aren’t sure exactly what kind of gifts they would enjoy. This t-shirt caught my eye because of how vibrant and eye-catching the sigil designs on the front are. I think they are brilliant and I love how HBO have even incorporated the different Stark, Targaryen and Lannister house words/mottos into the design too. Very cool and I’m sure any Game of Thrones fan will love this gift!

I hope that you’ve all enjoyed reading my gift guide and that it gave you some inspiration on what to buy for the geeky guys in your life this Christmas. This Saturday, me & Nat will have more geeky gift guides up so be sure to keep your eyes out for those 🙂 Don’t forget to head over to my blog to read Nat’s gift guide for geeky girls. Have a fabulous Christmas Time everybody! We’d love to hear all about what you think of the items we’ve included and also if you’ve bought any; please let us know your thoughts in the comments 😊

I just want to say a massive thank you to Sarah for agreeing to collab with me for Christmas! I was so excited to ask her, so the fact that she agreed to it made me so damn happy! We have another awesome Christmas gift guide coming up on our blogs on Saturday, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’re having an awesome week so far.

Disney x Vans 2015 – 101 Dalmatians Collection!

If there is a collection I am super excited for, it’s the Disney 101 Dalmatians collection that Vans will be bringing out this fall! I squealed when I saw this collection being announced last week and I have my eye on pretty much everything from it.

As well as 101 Dalmatians, Vans will also be releasing The Jungle Book AND Alice in Wonderland collections too. Do I hear excited squeals? I think I do!

Vans have previously worked with Disney to bring out a collection in the spring and summer which included Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Disney Princesses, as well as Disney Villains. Good eh?

Vans have been bringing out some amazing collaborations the past couple of years, the last one being Star Wars, and the one before being Marvel. As well as that they have also teamed up with Iron Maiden and The Beatles to bring out some cool collections.

I remember however when the first Disney collection was coming out, and I hoped so damn much that 101 Dalmatians would be included, so when it was revealed and there was nothing of the sort involved, I was gutted. So you can imagine my joy when this was announced, and it has been nothing but be what I imagined!

I am excited to share with you all the collection that has been revealed so far, and how damn excited I am for it. I was like this when Adventure Time teamed up with Dr Martens, and I’m just as happy with Vans and Disney bringing out this collection… If not more excited!

Image taken from hypebeast.com

This is the teaser image that Vans leaked just before the actual press release about the collection itself. I didn’t see this until after the press release, but isn’t it just so cute??? Little dalmatian chewing on a Vans slip on? Be still my beating heart…

Image taken from business.transworld.net

Image taken from Vans official Instagram

As you can see the collection is pretty red, white, and black which was pretty obvious to be honest. There will be two variations of shoes out and whilst both look awesome, I’m opting for the red pair which will look cool all year around! I am hoping to get these before I go on holiday to wear throughout that. The high top pair look cool too and if this happen to go cheap enough in future sales, I may have to pick them up…

Alongside the classic Van’s trainers, of course there are some apparel and accessories with this collection which I am so happy Vans are bringing out, which as you can see are just as adorable as the shoes.

There are two backpacks coming out, one which is black with a repeated pattern of the dalmatians on it, as well as a red one with cute little pictures of dalmatians on, I’m loving the latter myself as it isn’t so in your face as the black one. But both are just as cute! There is also a hat sharing the same pattern as the black bag, this isn’t really my thing but I’m sure loads of people will be rocking it! I’ve also heard rumours around that there will be a keyring coming out, but I haven’t seen this on any of the promotional images yet.

With the apparel there is a raglan tee, as well as a sweatshirt that I both want! You can never say no to cute t-shirts and such like this, and me being a huge 101 Dalmatians fan, I would totally rock these throughout the year. As well as those there will also be some cute socks being released, and by the look of it some boyfriend boxers, very cute!

I think out of the three collections coming out that this one is the best one. It’s just so adorable and cute, and fans of all years will fall in love with it.

Sadly I don’t know a date that the new Vans Disney collection will come out in the UK, but if it’s anything like America I can imagine at the end of October, if not in November at some point. Perfect timing though with Christmas just around the corner!

I apologise for not talking about The Jungle Book and Alice in Wonderland collections, but I don’t really have much interest for those. There are plenty of blogs and websites around talking about those if you just Google though!

So, do you have your eyes on the next Disney X Vans collection? If so, which one? Make sure to let me know in the comments.

Until next time, take care all and I hope you had a great weekend!