Christmas 2019 Wish List

Last Christmas I decided to do a wish list post about what I wanted as a teenager for Christmas in comparison to what I wanted now. I would love to do something like this now, but I honestly don’t think I can top what I did last year. That post was perfect and I loved it so much!

This year when I’ve been asked what I’d like for Christmas, it’s been kinda hard to decide… With our trip coming up soon I’m trying to save a lot of money for that and when it comes down to having anything for myself, I honestly can’t think of anything I want… So this year has been tough.

Not just for myself, but I’ve struggled to buy Dane’s Christmas presents this year! I wanted to make sure he had loads of exciting things to open, that he wouldn’t even think of buying himself, so I hope he loves what he’s been gifted with! šŸ˜€

Anyhoo, my list is very geeky and Japan heavy! šŸ˜›

  • Nintendo Switch Taiko no Tatsujin.

This is a game I have wanted for quite a while now and I’m pretty sure it’s one I have mentioned on my blog from time to time on wish list posts. I am putting it on here for Christmas as I STILL want it! This is a game I have tried the demo of and loved, it was fun and I could see myself playing it both on my Switch Lite as well as on Dane’s Switch console with the drum attachment. I’m not crazily after it, but it would be nice to have. Sadly, it isn’t cheap and whenever I found it cheap I just couldn’t justify it. 😦

  • Nintendo Switch Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy.

This is a game I discovered not long after I bought my Switch Lite back at the start of November and it’s one I am intrigued by. I do enjoy puzzles games and the Layton games are always a series that has intrigued me, but one I just never invested in… I have a feeling this is a gift I will be receiving for Christmas, which will be really nice! I always love getting games for Christmas as it’s sort of a tradition. My parents or brother(s) would always buy me a game for my console of choice at the time, so I always loved spending Christmas and Boxing Day playing them.

  • Juniper: The Happiest Fox 2020 Wall Calendar.

Dane always buys me a calendar for the year ahead, no ifs or buts. It’s definitely a tradition we have now and it’s one I love! For a while he always bought me a Simon’s Cat calendar, then for a time it was Pusheen and now we have settled onto Juniper! I love foxes and Juniper is a fox I especially love, alongside her brother Fig, who is in this calendar! I can’t wait to write loads of stuff on it already of everything we have coming up during 2020.

  • PlayStation 4 Persona 3 and 5 Endless Night Collection.

This isn’t a gift I’m SUPER psyched about having, but due to my love of the Persona series, it is a game I would enjoy having to play at home! It includes both the Persona 3 and Persona 5 dance games on the PS4, as well as a download code for the Persona 4 dance game for PS4 too! I actually already own this on the PS Vita, but having it on the PS4 would be so much better.

  • Nichijou Manga Volume 9 and 10.

This is a manga series that now seems to have finished on volume 10. I only need 9 and 10 to finish my series for Nichijou, which is a manga (and anime series) that I love! This is a manga series that Dane has bought me since we got together and I do love receiving these from him each Christmas. I doubt very much I will get them this year, but even so in 2020 I will definitely pick these up for myself.

  • Nendoroid Figures:
  • Star Wars Han Solo
  • Star Wars Luke Skywalker
  • Star Wars Rey
  • Star Wars BB-8
  • Star Wars Princess Leia

I always ask for a Nendoroid figure (or two) during Christmas and my birthday, but this year I REALLY struggled! I’ve either pre-ordered or own the Persona 5 series and some I want are hard to find now. I do hope I get one, maybe even two of the Star Wars Nendoroid figures. Apparently I do have a Nendoroid figure for Christmas… But I can’t for the life of me think which one it could be!

I think that’s about it for my Christmas wish list this year! I feel like I’ve been rather boring, but to be honest I have been a bit stumped on what I would like for Christmas with my trip to Japan looming.

I’ve also struggled to buy for people this year for so many reasons! It’s really sucked to be honest. xD

What do you have on your Christmas lists this year? Jesty ideas are welcome too (aka new car, a pet etc).

Until next time, Merry Christmas all and I hope you have a lovely day whatever you do. šŸ™‚

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Jordandene – Geeky Handmade Goods*

I am here today to bring you guys a post I have been super excited to write! I’m always excited to write for you guys (as well as for myself of course!) but I have been pretty stoked about the goodies I’ll be talking about today.

Not long ago Kosi from Jordandene contacted me to ask if I would like to work with them and suggested a variety of different ways we could do this, including being sent some products to review. I decided to go for that one, as I thought it would be lovely to show you guys the awesome merchandise that they sell on their store.

Before I show you guys what goodies I was sent, I thought I’d talk about The Sartorial Geek and Jordandene and what their brand stands for.

JordandenƩ started as a fun way to put a nerdy twist on traditional handmade goods. Our first product, the geek chic apron, makes all mundane household tasks a little more tolerable. Even the worst chores (dishes!) get better when you do them as Batman or R2D2, right?

Not wanting to be confined to the kitchen, we now make all kinds of subtly geeky products that stay true to our deepest nerdy selves, yet aren’t too extreme for everyday life. We focus on combining a few of our favorite things with good design and quality materials. No cheap plastic, comic sans, or boxy graphic tees here.

We’d be lying if we said settling in Brooklyn didn’t affect the way we do business. We try to keep our process as eco-friendly as possible— from the inks we choose to the way we package our products. And we’ve also adapted the strong community aspect of city living; we love working with other local businesses and strive to always take care of our partners and our customers.

All of our products are sweatshop-free and screen printed by us in Brooklyn. Our designs are hand-lettered with a traditional brush and ink. The aprons and crayon bandoliers are sewn by real people across the East Coast.

As well as the website and store, Jordandene also have a podcast called The Sartorial Geek, which you can check out here.

The podcast is for the geeky girls in all of us and they focus on pop culture, girl power and cool stories told by cool people, of course all told by the team of Jordandene. The podcast currently has 34 episodes and has been running since 16th March 2018.

Alongside the podcast, they also have a blog which they write on regularly. It’s a pretty good read and I recommend you checking it out if you like the sound of the podcast. You can read it here.

Finally, onto the goodies I was sent! They asked me to pick some items and I ended up picking three. One of the items I picked was sadly out of stock, but I hadn’t realised at the time so was sent an alternative, which was lovely.

Of course, as I always do with gifted items, I pop a little * next to the items I’ve been gifted. šŸ™‚

Without further ado, let’s talk about the items!

  • Be a Dragon Enamel Pin* – $10.00 (link)

Although I’m talking about this item first, it’s actually one of the last items I decided on that I wanted to be gifted to review. As regular readers will have noticed, I have become a MASSIVE pin badge fan in a very short space of time. I’ll always have a nose at pin badges now if I ever see any designs in store or online, so of course I couldn’t not check out the selection of pins that Jordandene sell. They have quiet a few different designs to choose from, 10 in total. The one that shouted out to me the most was this Be a Dragon pin and there are a couple of reasons why. I love the colour scheme which is white and red, but most of all I like to think that dragons are pretty badass and something you don’t want to mess with. This is a pin I’d rock when I’m planning on having a day that involves facing things I don’t want to. I may have to wear this pin next week when I’m going to a gig, as I’m so anxious to meet certain people afterwards who I’m going to see. šŸ˜› This pin has a secure back to it too, which is always a good thing.

  • I Have Journeyed Farther Journal* – $15.00 (link)

This is the item I mentioned that they sent me to replace the out of stock item (which is here if you’re interested) which was lovely of them! I’m always happy to add a new journal to my collection, especially when it comes to jotting down blog ideas! This is a gorgeous journal to be honest and is perfect for notes. It has a hard cover, a elastic band to keep the book closed, a bookmark so you can keep your place and even a pocket in the back of the book for you to keep any bits and pieces you may need in there. It seems like the perfect book for a bullet journal to be honest with you but as I’m not into doing bullet journals myself, this will be used for blog writing.

  • I Rebel Scoop Neck Tee* – $35.00 (link)

I don’t know what it was that I liked about this t-shirt the most, but I really did love the colour! The colour really stood out to me the most as the t-shirt is a gorgeous red colour, with multi coloured flecks throughout. Jordandene screen print all their own t-shirts, so the I Rebel on this t-shirt has been done in house, by them which I think is really cool! It makes each piece feel more personal. The t-shirt itself has a scoop neck so that means it’s quite wide and low down. I never usually opt for this style of t-shirt to be perfectly honest with you, but I can see this really working for lazy weekends and days around the house with a pair of jeans or black leggings. I can’t wait to wear it during my week off work next week!

Overall I really love the goodies I was gifted by Jordandene as they’re all so perfect, unique and all have a lovely touch of geek! They’re not in my your face geek either, which I rather like. I’m full on when it comes to that and sometimes it does need toning down a little. Rocking up to places wearing a Pokemon or Persona 5 themed piece of clothing is amazing, but sometimes you just need to remember you’re approaching 30… šŸ˜›

I’ll pop their website and social media links down below!

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

YouTube

What do you think of Jordandene and their awesome geeky items? Which item(s) do you like the most? Make sure to let me know in the comments!

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

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27th Birthday Wish List

Yes in 3 days time it will be my birthday and I will be turning 27… Oh age really is creeping up on me! I’m not going to moan though, I hate when people do shit like that. What I especially hate younger people asking how old I’ll be to turn around and say after my reply, “OH MY GOD YOU ARE SOOOOO OLD!!!” Urgh just shut the fuck up. Sorry to sound very negative but I hate younger people being so ignorant as to say things like this. šŸ˜›

With a birthday comes gifts and presents (if you’re as lucky as myself and many others. Some people sadly don’t get gifts and presents on their birthday…) from various different people and whilst I’m not the type to say, “I WANT THIS FOR MY BIRTHDAY!” I will direct people in the right direction if they aren’t sure what to get me, especially Dane although this yearĀ  he seems to know what to get me as he’s ordered majority of my presents.

So here is my wish list for my birthday this year! It’s got some geeky stuff on as well as some beauty related goodies and jewellery.

  • Pokemon Center Vulpix Pikachu Crossover Plushie in Normal Form – Ā£25.50 (link)

I know I always post about Pokemon Center plushies that I want and lust after but this is one that I REALLY want! It’s an adorable Pikachu dressed up as Vulpix, who is one of my favourite Pokemon. This also comes in the new Aloha form but I prefer the original. I don’t think I’ll be getting this for my birthday as it doesn’t come out until the start of February but as soon as I get paid next week I’ll be ordering one myself. ^_^

  • Your Lie In April manga volume 2 – Ā£8.99 (link)

This is a new manga and anime I have gotten into lately and I really do love it! I read volume 1 as soon as I was given it by Dane as an early Christmas present and I can’t wait to read more of the manga to be honest. The anime is really good and although the manga and anime are meant to be aimed towards men I find that women can watch it too. The anime is currently on Netflix but it is in Japanese with English subtitles. I’ll pop a trailer up so you can watch it!

  • Kat Von D Beauty Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in shade Mother – Ā£16.00 (link)

I love Kat Von D’s liquid lipsticks and I was so glad to get my first one (Bauhau5) in November from the Oxford Street store when I went to visit my friend Sophi. Since then I have craved to buy more but I’ve been good so far. Even if I don’t obviously get an actual liquid lipstick for my birthday some vouchers for Debenhams would be great so I can pick up a couple of shades. Mother is a gorgeous rose pink shade which I would love to pick up for when spring and summer are here.

  • South Park : The Fractured But Whole Mysterion figurine – Ā£39.99 (link)

Dayyyyum this is something I really want but I know I won’t be getting… Sad times. Me and Dane love South Park and as soon as I saw this on Forbidden Planet’s website I wanted it. We’ve also seen it in the Forbidden Planet store in Birmingham and it looks amazing! He’s 6 inches so he’s huge as well. We nearly ended up buying it New Years Eve when we went out shopping but left it due to being on a spending ban… 😦 I’m sure we’ll buy it as a treat in the future. We already know where we would put him in the house, on the fireplace! šŸ˜€

  • Thomas Sabo Fox charm pendant – Ā£25.95 (link)

As I mentioned on my Christmas natter post recently my parents gave me a Thomas Sabo charm bracelet for Christmas, which I love! I know my brother is buying me some more charms for it for my belated Christmas and my birthday present combined and this is one of the charms I showed him. As regular readers of my blog will know I love foxes so this is right up my street! I love how simplistic but gorgeous it is.

  • Lime Crime Diamond Crushers Liquid Lipstick in shade Trip – Ā£13.95 (link)

I’m not a huge fan of Lime Crime due to the controversy surrounding them but the past year they seem to have somewhat bettered themselves. That and my friend Claire has told me nothing but good things about the liquid lipsticks… I trust her with make up gossip that’s for sure! I have loved the look of the Diamond Crushers since they were announced a while ago. Trip is my favourite out of the bunch, which is a beautiful blue lipstick topper, which you can also wear alone. I’d team it up with various different liquid lipsticks. It’s currently sold out on Love-Makeup but I’m going to keep my eye out for it in the future!

  • Pokemon Eevee Evolution water bottleĀ  – Ā£9.90 (link)

I thought I was going to get this for Christmas as Dane had shown it to me before ordering my presents, but alas he never. I don’t think I’ll be getting it for my birthday either. He insists that I don’t need anymore water bottles but I beg to differ! I love having water bottles for work, as well as for on the go and although I love my owl water bottle that I use for work, I’d love a Pokemon related one for work too to show off my inner geek! This one is pretty simple but I love that it’s purple. If I have some birthday money I might treat myself to it.

  • Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick in shade No Tea, No Shade – $18.00/Ā£16.00 (link)

I decided that I’m going to calm down on my Jeffree Star liquid lipstick buying as I want to try out loads of other brands instead of just sticking to the same one. HOWEVER he announced this shade just before Christmas and I fell in love, hard!!! I can’t wait for it to come out on Beauty Bay this month because as soon as it launches I’ll be buying it. It’s a beautiful purple metallic shade and it’ll be perfect for autumn and winter seasons.

  • Thomas Sabo Bird charm pendant – Ā£35.00 (link)

I know I’ll be getting this for my birthday as my brother told me he would get it for me. It’s a Christmas themed charm but I’d love it all year around. It’s call the bird charm but as you can see it’s a robin, which I love. They’re just such gorgeous birds and they always remind me of the winter season. It’s not a cheap charm however as it originally costs Ā£70.00! OUCH! If however he doesn’t manage to get me this charm I’ll pick it up on my birthday as a treat to myself.

So that was my wish list for my 27th birthday! God I really am getting old and whilst at 27 you probably expect to see more adult present ideas on a post like this, you won’t find that with me. I am a big kid and even though I’ll soon be 30 I know I’ll stay that way for a very long time.

What kind of gifts do you like to receive for your birthday? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below!

Until next time take care all and I hope you had a lovely New Year.

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Christmas Present Ideas – Beauty Gift Sets

Hands up who doesn’t like receiving beauty gift sets for Christmas? No one, eh? Beauty gift sets are a real treat to open up Christmas Day, no matter what brand they are, or what they contain. At least one person will receive, and I already know I’ll be getting one, if not two this year.

I thought I would do my final present idea list about beauty, and what great gift sets you can pick up last minute (depending on stock on stores obviously), and considering it’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, you better get out quick before they’re all gone!

  • Lush Butterbear gift set – Ā£14.95 (link)

This was one of the Lush gift sets that I put down on my Christmas wish list this year, for the tin alone! Inside this cute little tin you get six little Butterbear Bath Bombs (link to them here) which are a remake of the Lush permanent Butterball Bath Bomb. This set is perfect for children, and grown ups alike! The only flaw of this tin is that it isn’t really worth the money, and if anything you’re paying for the tin… I can see me picking one of these up in the Boxing Day sales if there are any left!

  • Boots Soap and Glory Get a Smooth On gift set – Ā£35.00 (link)

This is an amazing gift set, and one I didn’t actually know about until researching for this post! I love Sugar Crush, and I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t love it. You can get various different sets, but this one just seemed the nicest, and best value for money. You get four beauty products from the Sugar Crush range (body wash, body scrub, body buttercream, and body spray), as well as an overnight bag, and a Soap and Glory body polisher! I need a new overnight bag myself, and this is a gorgeous silver one. Perfect for any woman of any age, and maybe even some men, my boyfriend loves the Sugar Crush scent.

  • Debenhams Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi Gloss Collection – Ā£110.00 (link)

This is the most expensive gift on this list, and you can see why! Any lip gloss lover will adore this collection (I know I would!) no matter what their age. You get 12 shades of gloss in here, and they’re all sorts of shades from nudes, pinks, reds, dark shades, and even a gorgeous blue purple shade! As I said, this is expensive but it works out being a bargain.

  • The Body Shop Modern Gent’s Post Party Rescue Kit – Ā£16.00 (link)

Of course I had to include men in this beauty list… Something I have learnt from my boyfriend since we got together is how men really don’t look after their skin, and they should. Thanks to me my boyfriend now has a facial regime in place with his Lush and The Body Shop products. This gift set is perfect for introducing men into getting their faces taken care of. In this little kit you get an Eye Rescue Serum, and an Face Protector. Perfect for men who may work long hours, and need something to help them wake up in the mornings, and keep them alert in the evenings.

  • L’Occitane Delicate Floral Cherry Blossom Collection – Ā£49.00 (link)

I love L’Occitane, and received a gift set last year from my boyfriends brother and his girlfriend. I loved that set so much! I myself have even bought people L’Occitane in the past, especially my mom who loves the lavender collection, which I bought her one year, as well as this year! You can get various collections in gift sets, including the lavender one. However, I have decided to show off the cherry blossom gift set today, as it’s such a gorgeous scent to be using late winter, ready for spring. You get seven products in this set, including a perfume.This would make a lovely gift set for anyone of any age, but especially older ladies who like a nice, delicate scent.

  • Debenhams DKNY Be Delightful Be Delicious EDP 50ml gift set – Ā£50.00 (link)

I love a perfume gift set as a Christmas present, like any woman. I usually receive one every year, if not every other year. This is a lovely scent for Christmas as it’s a gorgeous fruity scent, that smells like crisp apples. However I do prefer DKNY Red Delicious. In this gift set you get the 50ml EDP as well a body lotion, so if you receive this for Christmas you can use it for New Years Eve, applying the lotion first and then spritzing over the perfume to ensure the scent lasts all night long. This is a perfect perfume for teenagers.

So that was my present ideas for beauty gift sets! It was also the final of my four present ideas posts. I can’t believe it’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, and then Friday Christmas Day.

I am excited for Christmas, although not as much as last year. How are you all feeling about Christmas? Are you all ready present, and food wise? If not, stop reading and get out there and shop!

Until next time all, take care.

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Holiday Haul!

Woohoo I’m officially back from my holiday (almost a week to be exact!), and boy was it good. The sun was out most days, and I’m now sporting a gorgeous natural tan. Don’t be too jealous! Whilst I was away I did a little bit of shopping. How could I not take advantage of a tax free island? Would have been rude not to… I didn’t buy as much as I actually thought I was going to, which left me feeling pleasantly surprised. Not only did I buy myself some odd bits and pieces, but I also bought some Christmas and birthday presents too.

The first things I picked up were actually from Birmingham airport. Duty free is always a must have to splurge on before you get on your plane, but this being said I didn’t exactly grab many offers… I won’t lie when I say that I wished I had waited until I had arrived at Fuerteventura to buy the first thing, but no point in crying over spilt milk, eh?

• Dior Blooming Bouquet 100ml EDT Gift Set

I’ve had my eye on this perfume for quite some time now after receiving a sample of it in the post back in the summer. It’s an eau de toilette so it’s a lovely light perfume, and perfect for summer due to it’s fruity, and floral notes. This set cost a purse crying Ā£80.00, which came with a 100ml bottle of Blooming Bouquet, as well as a 7.5ml refill bottle. The refill bottle is stunning, definitely a posher version of a Travello bottle. So for the high price tag, it was sort of worth the money really. I wore this every evening we went out and I loved it. This will probably be my go to scent for my new job, as well as for spring and summer.

• Benefit The POREfessional Face Primer

I LOVE this stuff! It’s definitely a must have for me now since it recently returned into my beauty regime. I’m really low on my first tube so I decided to pick up another one whilst I was in duty free. I used this in the evenings whenever we went out, and due to how light weight it is on the skin, it meant it was perfect when it was still warm outside.Due to this, I would say this is a definite must have for holidays! The airport had a special offer where if you bought one it would cost Ā£20.00, but if you bought the three/four gift set, it was only Ā£53.00! I was really tempted by the special gift set (as you can only buy it at the airport… apparently), but considering how much I had just spent on the Dior perfume, I decided to leave it. Next time my parents fly out I’ll ask them to pick the set up for me and give them the money back. My boyfriend will be jetting out in January for a holiday, so I may even ask him to pick it up for me!

I have to say that one thing I hate about Fuerteventura is how they have a chain of lingerie shops called Women’s Secret, and we don’t! This being said, we can order online from there but meh it’s not the same thing as going in store and going through all the amazing pieces they have on offer. That and it’s cheaper in Euro’s. This being said we now have Victoria’s Secret, and that’s my favourite lingerie shop so I can’t be too sad about not getting Women’s Secret. I only picked up a couple of things whilst I was in Women’s Secret. I didn’t intend on bringing anything back, but alas I couldn’t help myself, and even then I was pretty good. The possibility of bringing back some pajamas really did tempt me, but I left it and just bought loads of knickers instead… šŸ˜›

• Hipster briefs (in black, white, and grey)

As you can see I bought quite a few of these knickers… This wasn’t even my intention to be honest! I originally bought a pack of black briefs to keep at my house in Fuerteventura, which I left behind but I loved them so much I just had to buy another pack to bring home with me. This resulted in my buying two more packs, a white pack, and a grey pack. I have no regrets because these knickers are just so bloody comfortable! If there is a pair of knickers sent from heaven, then they’re these. As you can probably see these are hipster briefs, comfortable, and perfect for hugging my curvy bum in all the right places. These weren’t on sale or anything, but cost €12.99 a pack, and you get three in a packet. I didn’t mind paying this price to be honest as I just love these so much, and doubt I’ll find any as good in the UK.

• Mickey and Minnie Mouse knickers

These were a bit of an impulse buy but they were on sale from €12.99 down to just €5.99. Who could say no to that? These are really cute, yet sexy, and comfortable. They’re grey with a picture of Mickey and Minnie Mouse having a kiss and a cuddle on the one side, super cute! I am such an unsexy person when it comes to lingerie, so I choose childish, and comfortable over sexy, and lace any day!

One of my favourite places to shop in Fuerteventura is Correlejo, it’s basically like a smaller version of London (WAY SMALLER) to the island, and thus the place to go shopping. It’s especially a great place for surfing, and the fashion there is the best with the surf, skate, and (surprisingly) snow shops. This is the main reason why I like going there, as there are over a handful of these shops dotted around Correlejo, and although I wanted to go twice to make sure I visited all the shops, I only managed to pop into a couple on one visit. My favourite shop is one that is near the top of the high street as they sell some complete bargains in there, and they’re all high brand names such as Vans, DC Shoes, Roxy, Billabong, etc. So I picked up a couple of t-shirts from there.

• Vans Disney The Little Mermaid Ariel Raglan T-Shirt

I’ve mentioned on my blog in the past how much I’ve loved the collaboration between Vans and Disney. I did really like the look of The Little Mermaid goodies they brought out in the first collection, but not enough to actually pay the prices Vans had things for sale at. When I spotted that this shop were selling one of the Ariel t-shirts with 30% off I decided to snap one up quick. They only had large sizes left and whilst I probably should have tried it on, I decided to get it anyway. There’s nothing wrong with a baggy t-shirt. I’ll be teaming this up with some baggy jeans, denim shorts, and anything really. It’ll be perfect for lazy days, and shopping trips. I picked it up €23.00, bargain! When I tried it on at home, it felt baggy enough that it wasn’t swamping me, which is perfect really. I intend to rock this Christmas Day.

• DC Shoes T-Shirt

Another t-shirt from the same shop. I saw this and knew I had to have it. I didn’t want to worry if I left it behind I would regret it. This is a navy t-shirt with the DC Shoes logo in red, and white. It actually reminds me of a t-shirt my boyfriend owns by DC Shoes which is one of the reasons I picked it up. I love that t-shirt of his, and when we first got together I would constantly ask to borrow it to wear, or tell him to wear it. So it’s nice to kind of have my own version. That’s just so soppy isn’t it? I picked this up in a medium which is the only size they had for this one, I’m sure it’ll fit fine! This was 50% off in then sale so I only paid €13.00 for it. When I finally got this home and tried it on, it fit lovely but has a very odd boxy looking fit on the top half of it. I’m sure this will go away the more I wear it.

I didn’t buy much make up whilst on holiday, which I am somewhat surprised about, but at the same time I didn’t want to buy much anyway. So this being said, I did really good! Although I have three things here, I only bought two of them as one was a gift, but I still wanted to mention it here. These are all things I have wanted for years, so it was lovely to finally treat myself to them.

• YSL Kiss & Blush Soft Matte Colour in shade 3 Rose Libre

One evening when I stayed in I watched the 2014 film about Yves Saint Laurent which I’d downloaded specifically to watch on the plane to or from my holiday. I’m glad I didn’t watch it on the plane now to be honest, as I enjoyed it more during an evening in, whilst chilling in bed. It kind of gave me the push to buy the lip colour which I had nearly bought when I came here in January. It’s a gorgeous creamy lipstick and blush, which reminds me of a creamier version of Collection 2000’s lip cream (in shade Cotton Candy). Rose Libre is a cool neutral rose shade, and one that can be worn all year around, especially in spring! Due to how light it is on the lips this will be perfect to wear for my new job. It’s definitely a shade for wearing to smart events and such. I doubt that I’ll wear it as a blush, as regular readers will know, I don’t wear a full face of make up. This was an absolute steal at just €29.00 considering they cost Ā£28.00! I’m sure I’ll be reviewing this in the New Year.

• Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Protector in shade 01 Rose Shimmer

This is another product that I’ve been lusting after for ages, again since January and even before then! My friend Ali over at (Maliberry Makeup) reviewed this not long ago (link to that review here), which opened my eyes to this shade, as I had my eyes on another shade beforehand. This is a lovely non sticky lip gloss that gives a nice conditioning feeling to the lips, whilst leaving them with a natural shade, this one being a delicate pink shade, which is somewhat bright. These Clarins Lip Protectors also have a gorgeous sweet scent to them as well, an aspect I love in lip products. I’ve worn this to work a few times now and it looked natural and beautiful. It’s going to be a staple for me when I don’t fancy wearing anything dark on my lips. These cost Ā£18.00 in the UK, but I picked this up for just €12.00 which is so damn cheap! I wish I had bought more now I’m back home, but two of these is more than enough.

• Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Protector in shade 05 Candy Shimmer

This was actually a gift from my dad. He managed to snag it alongside another present for me for just €8.00! I couldn’t believe it when he told me, but he’s got a way with words, like myself really when it comes to trying to snag bargains. This is the shade I have been lusting after for years after my friend Poppy reviewed it over on her blog years ago. It just looked like such a gorgeous darker pink nude shade, something I don’t find myself going towards to be honest. It’s more of a peach shade and definitely darker than Rose Shimmer. Like Rose Shimmer, it has the sweetie scent to it, which really gives it a lovely feel overall. I’m going to be wearing these loads throughout the warmer months of the year, as they’re not sticky at all, and are also lightweight.

I didn’t intend on buying any games whilst I was on holiday, but alas I did… Oops!

• Nintendo 3DS games – New Style Boutique 2 Fashion Forward and Cooking Mama Bon Appetit!

I wasn’t going to buy any games whilst on holiday… Even though I was looking for the Style Boutique game the day after arriving. I had downloaded the demo to play whilst there, and I fell in love with the game after finishing the demo. I didn’t buy it until a couple of days before we were due to go home, and I paid hardly anything on it too! It costs Ā£28.00, but over there it only cost me €27.99, which I thought was pretty decent. A day later I went back to the electronic shop I bought the first game from and picked up a Cooking Mama game. I loved Cooking Mama when it first came out, so to be able to play a newer version of the series made me happy, and I paid even less for it than Style Boutique. It only cost me €21.99. I didn’t bring the games boxes back to the UK with me, instead I just bought the game chips with me, which is of course what you can spy in the picture above.

In the part of the island we live in/stayed in they have their market every Tuesday and Saturday from 10am until 2pm, so we had to go and have a quick mooch around before we were due to come home. We went on the last Tuesday we were there, and within an hour we were done looking around, and buying things for ourselves, as well as for other people. I bought myself a little something, and my dad bought me and my mom a few things too.

• Black Baggy Genie Pants/Trousers

This is what I ended up buying for myself. I saw one of the waitresses wearing some pants similar to these, and I fell in love with them, so I knew I had to find myself something similar. These were only €10.00 which is cheap as chips! I wish I had bought another pair now, but alas I left it to just one pair. I wore them loads the last couple of days we were on holiday, and I knew I would be bringing them home with me. They’re pretty thin so they’ll be good if I just want to quickly pop out to run errands, and especially great for summer days, and evenings out with friends.

• Rainbow Scarf

This was another purchase from the market, and one my dad bought for me. He wanted to buy my mom something nice to bring home for her, and the only thing he could think of getting her was a scarf. You could buy one scarf for €7.00, or two for €20.00 so he offered to get me one too. I couldn’t really find much I was after, but when I spotted this scarf I knew I had to have it. I used to love anything with a rainbow pattern on, have done since I was a kid. I don’t know why to be honest. Since getting home I’ve been wearing this scarf for my new job, and it’s really lovely.

• Michael Kors Small Riley Satchel in Navy

I didn’t buy this, but it was a gift from my parents, bought whilst me and my dad were on holiday. It’s an early Christmas present, and I would have bought it myself but it was pretty expensive, and since buying all my Christmas presents before I went on holiday I was pretty skint… This bag was really cheap too, and before anyone assumes it must be fake it is NOT. It is very much real. This originally cost €294.00 but with 30% off it went down to €210.00. This in pounds made it Ā£152.00, a complete steal for a Michael Kors bag, especially when this is meant to cost Ā£260.00 (in John Lewis) it was a really good price! So far I’ve been using it since the last couple of days of holiday, and so far at work and I love it. It’s a small bag, but it fits loads in there, and it fits in all the things I need and that’s it! I picked it up in the colour navy, even though they had it in a nude shade too. I would have loved it in red or purple to be honest, but beggars can’t be choosers and quite frankly navy is gorgeous anyway! I will be writing a post about this bag before the New Year, so keep your eyes peeled for it.

But that is all I picked up whilst I was on holiday! I don’t think I did too bad to be perfectly honest, as I could have bought more. I did also buy some presents for my mom, and a couple of things for my boyfriend, and my friends.

I had a lovely holiday though, and being able to treat myself after graduating from university was really good to do.

I doubt I’ll be treating myself anytime soon… Well maybe not until the Boxing Day sales anyway, or my birthday!

Have any of you bought yourself some little treats at all in the lead up to Christmas? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below.

Until next time, take care all, and I hope you’ve all had a great week so far.

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Christmas Present Ideas – Geeky Guy

I said before I left for my holiday that from the start of December, until the last Wednesday before Christmas I would be posting Christmas present idea lists up on my blog. I’m not going to do your casual present guides, instead something a little different, and quirky. For my first list my boyfriend is here to give me a hand with a geeky guy present ideas! Him being a geek himself, this is pretty much his wish list for Christmas. So I hope you enjoy his choices, and they help you get any ideas for those geeky men in your life!

Howdy everybody! Natalee is still away on her holiday, so she has roped me in to do another post. It’s coming to that time of year where we openly let a fat bearded man into our homes and steal our milk and mince pies. I never understood why we do that but that thought is for another day!

With Christmas coming up I thought it would be a good idea to give people ideas on what presents to get a geeky guy like me. I know Nat has some difficulty getting me presents as I tend to buy stuff when and if I need it, and I am pretty sure it is the same for a lot of guys out there. My dad in particular is pretty hard to buy for as he isn’t really interested in much. So to give you ladies, and even guys a helping hand with what to get any of the neckbeard* men in your life.
*www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=neckbeard

  • Xbox Elite Controller

I’m an Xbox loyalist; I will state that straight away so forgive me if your man has another console or belongs to the master race (PC). I don’t believe there is an equivalent for the PS4 and the master race will always praise using mouse and keyboard so this is not for them. This is one thing that I am really looking forward to getting. The customisation, the responsiveness… It just looks cool, and so on. Just watch this official video:

The only drawback is the price, at Ā£120 it is pretty steep for an accessory that most people probably don’t need. That is why I have asked for assistance with getting mine for Christmas, I could get it but I can’t justify buying it myself for the full price.

  • Star Wars Battlefront Special Edition PS4

I suppose an alternative is the Star Wars Battlefront Special Edition PS4. It just looks tasty with the Darth Vader print on the front, funky looking limited edition controller, and general presentation. It also gives me an excuse to be a double agent in the console wars. It is more expensive than the controller so it isn’t really an alternative at all, plus it will never beat the limited edition R2D2 Xbox 360 with sounds and lights. However, for those that want to splash the cash, for those who may be into it, and for those without a PS4 it is a great present. I know Nat really wants one for herself!

  • Nendoroids (and I suppose Pop! Vinyl Figures)

I am a bit of a snob when it comes to figures, even though I am new to collecting them. Due to this I don’t know names of other brands other than these two and could never see myself buying the proper expensive ones no matter how cool they look. They really would be too unfair on my bank account.

http://www.goodsmile.info/en/product/4553/The+Colossus+Titan+TAKAYUKI+TAKEYA+Ver.html

Personally, I dislike Pop! Vinyl figures. As the brand has grown in popularity the quality seems to have diminished. I don’t like the look of them, they are manufactured in greater quantity so the paintwork tends to be iffy at best, and there isn’t much to them other than they’re a potentially cute looking figure. They are very easy to buy, popular, and cheap brand of figures so yeah, go for it if you’re on a budget, or there is a particular figure that will appeal. Older figures like Nat’s Wall-E are really decent, whereas newer ones like the Colossal Titan seem badly made. If there was one I would get it would be the Brotherhood of Steel Pop! from the Fallout collection, as I have had my eye on it for a while. Otherwise I’ll tell you about Nendoroids, a figure that I think will give you a hell of a lot more for your buck.

For those that like a bit more quality to their figures, Nendoroids are the way to go. I already own a fair few of them; nearly all the Attack on Titan collection (just missing Cleaning Levi), both Kirito and Asuna from the Sword Art Online collection, Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid, and the Star Wars Stormtrooper.

They are manufactured by a Japanese company called Good Smile so a lot of their products are based around manga and anime, making them the perfect gift for someone who loves that sort of stuff. They are incredibly well made, pose-able, and all come with unique accessories that reflect the character. Some examples being Solid Snake has a cardboard box, the Stormtrooper has a blaster, and Mikasa has her red scarf.

The drawbacks with Nendoroids are availability, price, and variety. You can see them at conventions (but be careful they’re not fake!), and very rarely in places like Forbidden Planet but the best place to get them is online. Always use trusted partners (http://partner.goodsmile.info/support/eng/partnershops/) or shops other people recommend like Sushi Noms, Crunchy Roll and so on. Due to the way Good Smile release them affects how easy to acquire they are. You will find it difficult to find older figures outside of eBay and even then they have a chance of being fake or overpriced. Speaking of price, they can be on the expensive side. For example, I got Nat a Mawaru Penguindrum (Google it) Nendoroid which I would consider quite rare for just over Ā£20. That is good, right? On the other hand the Pokemon Red is priced up at Ā£160… Yes, that much! Then there is the trouble of bootlegs which there is a major issue with. Good Smile does bootleg warnings which are great and helpful, but you still have to be careful. I fell victim to it using eBay. It looked real on the pictures, but I could tell instantly it wasn’t when it arrived, and returned it straight away.

Even though these are some issues, I still recommend Nendoroids over anything.

  • Games (Fallout 4, SW: Battlefront, Just Cause 3)

Games are a simple easy present to get. They are released constantly and if it were me I would be happy to receive any game, hell even Viva Pinata! Just check out the hype for the upcoming games and maybe take a little look at their current collection and it should give you a good idea on what sort of games they’re into. At the moment I am playing Fallout 4 and Star Wars: Battlefront and anyone would have a blast playing either of those. The problem with these though is they are out already and said person who you’ll be buying for will have most likely bought them already (like I have), so what do you get? Well one idea is to buy something similar to what they have already, no harm in that is there? An older game I want is the Master Chief Collection, I’m glad I didn’t get it at launch because it was shrouded in problems but they have fixed them and it would be a great addition to any Halo fan boy. I already own the original Xbox and 360 copies of Halo 1,2 and 3 so I would love to be able to play them on my Xbox One.

You could even go retro, have they ever spoken about the good old days playing the Sega Mega Drive or the Super Nintendo? You can find them pretty cheap on eBay, I got hold of a Mega Drive for £30 and it included 10 games. Mega nostalgia for any gamer!

What if you want to get something new for them? Or your partner has everything already? Or you don’t know the difference between Battlefield and Battlefront? Or you can’t work out why you shouldn’t get Duke Nukem Forever?
Well the answer to that really is Just Cause 3. Why? You ask. Because explosions. Every man wants to be Antonio Banderas and not look at explosions and this game gives you all of that with no risk of being branded a terrorist or creepy for trying to be Antonio Banderas.

Antonio Banderas isn’t actually in this but I think the character is based on his [film career] life. It is a silly game that you shouldn’t take seriously, but that is what makes it fun. I have played the two original games and they are beautiful and amazingly fun to play another game that anyone would love to play. I am actually looking forward to it coming out in December. That is why I am suggesting it as whoever you may buy it for won’t have it just yet so it makes a perfect present to get. Just make sure they haven’t pre ordered it!

The best advice I can give for when buying games is to ask them straight up what, if any, games they would like. Then you have no trouble. It may ruin the surprise, but if they are anything like me I appreciate the thought that you want to get something I am actually interested in rather than having to feign happiness that you got me Ride to Hell: Retribution because you saw I liked Sons of Anarchy (FYI: It is a terribly bad, bad, bad, bad, baaaaaaad game).

If you really want to surprise the gamer, make the notes of what games they have and go into any gaming store. GAME staff in particular are incredibly helpful and although they want you to buy stuff regardless, I still feel like they want to help you.

  • GAME Gift Cards

When I say game store, I don’t specifically mean the chain of stores. You can buy vouchers for pretty much all the major game outlets. Xbox store, PlayStation Network, and Steam all have gift cards available, and depending on what system they use you can tailor it to them. If all else fails, get GAME gift cards. Anything that helps me buy more is always welcome.

  • Portal Board Game

I recently got this to play with Nat, but we haven’t got round to playing it yet. It took a while to understand the rules, we were tired and it was late so please forgive us for not being able to truly review it. Most gamers and geeks will know about the video game Portal, so this is a brilliant gift for any fan of the series. Valve, the creators of the series, are probably one of the biggest hitters in the gaming industry so you can’t miss what they have released. Not sure when it released but I had no idea about it until I randomly spotted it in a Games Workshop. It looks fun and I hope we get round to playing it soon. It would be a great gift to open on Christmas and play with the family.

  • Stormtrooper Costume

I don’t really know what to say to persuade anyone to buy this…

http://www.stormtrooper-costumes.com/24,stormtrooper_costumes.html

… But I am damn sure I want one.

A full PVC outfit of a Stormtrooper with holster and blaster would be fudging amazing! I have always wanted one, but that price is a bit painful on the soul, if I had one…

  • Stocking Fillers/Novelty Clothing

These are awesome little ideas that you could buy someone. I know that I have largely focused on gamers with a heavy dosing of Star Wars but this is really for any geek. There are tons of websites and shops out there to get little presents and random bits of clothing.

Here are but a few:

www.gamer-heaven.net

www.redbubble.com

www.forbiddenplanet.com

www.crunchyroll.com/store

www.tokyotoys.com

www.sushinoms.com

www.tofucute.com

www.animuk.co.uk

Just look on the websites for whatever they are into and you can easily find something. If it is clothing I would recommend sticking with T-shirts as not all nerds and geeks are confident enough to walk around wearing a Naruto jacket, a Survey Corps hoody, or even like having to explain what their clothing is from. Most people don’t understand how adults can be into these ā€œchildish cartoonsā€. Not even when Lucy from Elfen Lied tears people in half creating a bloody massacre whilst strolling naked through a military complex. T-shirts allow people to express their interests, yet be able to cover up when visiting grandparents. There is nothing more awkward than having to explain over a cup of tea why the cake is a lie. Just don’t put them in that position!

  • Shit-Bucket

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shit+Bucket

Stay with me here and give me a chance to explain.

I don’t necessarily mean buying your partner a commode and letting them excrete into a bucket, unless you really want to. I mean giving them the gift of letting them zone out and enjoy their games. Book a day off work for them (and yourself), keep up their supply of Monster and Doritos (possibly with melted cheese), and take an interest in what their playing. I know it is hard to just watch someone play but having support from loved ones means a lot, it’s the thought that counts. Hell, you could even empty the bucket for them…

I joke.

So there you have it, my quick gift guide for that special geeky person in your life. I don’t want this to be limited to just guys as I’m sure some women out there would appreciate the intricacies of a poop bucket. So if you have a geeky guy or girl hopefully they would appreciate some of these things that I myself would love to receive from the bizarro burglar know as Santa.

Ciao for now!

Thanks again to Dane for writing this post for me! The last present idea really did make me giggle! What did my readers think of his ideas? Make sure to let me know in the comments, Dane will be reading them whilst I’m away on holiday.

I’m away for another week yet so I’ll see you all when I get back! Take care.

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