December/Christmas Wish List ’21

It is officially three weeks until Christmas… How crazy is that?! It only feels like this time last year I was saying something very similar when talking about my Christmas wish list!

Long time readers of my blog will know I usually tend to write my December/Christmas wish list on Christmas Eve, but this time I decided to change it up and do it the same time as my wish lists usually are. It means come Christmas Eve, I can wish you all a Merry Christmas as well as other things. 🙂

I’m rather excited for the type of content that I have planned for the rest of December, as well as Christmas as a whole. Me and Dane are spending it together again this year and I cannot wait! I’m also hoping to host a German Market themed weekend at mine too, with yummy food, hot mulled cider, Christmas movies, games and more. I’m really excited for that!

Alongside that, Christmas shopping is in full swing with most of mine being done now. I just have a couple of friends to buy for, as well as my dad and maybe a few more bits and pieces for Dane too.

However, I don’t want to ramble too much in regards to Christmas presents as I’ll be talking about that sort of topic next week on my blog and independent UK businesses you should buy from!

Until then however, please enjoy seeing what items are on my wish list for December… But mostly Christmas. 😛

Cheeky disclaimer to any friends who are looking for ideas, Dane may have bought me some of these things, so if you see something you’d like to buy, drop him a message first. 😛

• Pingki Buddy Penguin Plush Pals – (link)

First of all this is a pre-order I placed months ago and unfortunately at the moment, none of the penguin pals plushies are available to pre-order. This being said, Pingki is constantly posting updates in regards on their Twitter page. Buddy (Roald… :P) is a plush I just had to add to my collection and as he’s due in December or January, I had to add him to this months wish list! I’m not a massive Roald fan, but when I do look at him he reminds me of my best friend (Hi Gab!), she has him on her island and I always go search for him whenever I visit. The penguin pals plushies look so well made and with more characters coming soon, a part of me feels like getting together a little penguin army myself… 😛

• Converse x Pokémon First Partners Chuck Taylor All Star – (link to collection)

When I was fourteen I was bought my first pair of Converse as a birthday present. I went for the classic Chuck Taylors in red and I wore and loved them for two years, until I couldn’t wear them anymore. If you had told fourteen year old Nat that almost twenty years later Converse would FINALLY bring out Pokemon ones, she’d be counting down every year until the time came out. The collection looks pretty cool to be honest and although I would love to pick them up next week, I don’t think I will… Converse are shoes I loved growing up but realistically they’re not the best shoes for the price tag. Vans and Dr Martens in my opinion are a lot better. This being said, the clothes look cool too so I may snag some of those if I feel up to it. 🙂 I mostly wanted to share these for any Pokemon fans who would love some footwear!

• Smoko Vibrating Boo Pillow – (link)

Long time readers will know by now that I am a MASSIVE Smoko fan! If I can get my home filled with cute Smoko goodies, I bloody well will! For the past couple of Christmases and birthdays now, Dane has bought me Smoko themed items that he’s purchased from Firebox, which has always been appreciated! I own four of the lights (ramen cup, bao dumpling, boba tea and couch potato) as well as a handwarmer in the shape of toast (which I really need to dig out and start using now it’s chilly outside!). Surely I don’t need to add more to my Smoko collection? Yes, yes I do. 😛 I’d found this vibrating boba tea pillow ages ago on the Smoko website BUT when I saw Urban Outfitters UK were stocking it, it was literally the first item to be added to my list of ideas for Dane. I have terrible posture and often hunch over my laptop when sat in bed and rarely sit up. I’d like to think with a pillow like this it could help support my back a little and encourage me to sit back, plus with the vibrating function it should also be really relaxing too? It’s so bloody cute! I’m a sucker for Smoko items. I wish we could get more of them here in the UK to be honest.

• Manga – Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon (Vol 8-10) Maid, Kanna’s Daily Life (Vol 5-8) and Elma’s Office Lady Diary (Vol 3 and 4).

If there’s one thing I’ve hardly done since moving to my current job it’s reading. I was always reading in my previous roles as I’d either go to my car for lunch and read, or get to the office really early and read. Recently I decided to take a couple of my Kobayashi volumes with me to the bath and read as I had a soak. I honestly forgot how much I love reading manga, as well as this series so I’d love the ones I’m missing for Christmas. There’s quite a few from both the main series, as well as the spin off series about Kanna and Elma. I’ve added all the ones I need to my list, if I don’t get them for Christmas I’m going to order them for myself. These manga series seem to fly as soon as they’re stocked.

• Animal Crossing Friend Dolls Volume 1 – (link)

The Animal Crossing friend dolls are absolutely adorable! I never saw the appeal of them at first, but after a while they really grew on me and now I have the third volume pre-ordered and keeping fingers crossed for the first volume… Maybe even the second too. 😛 The first volume is available to buy from Amazon at the moment but I haven’t found the second volume anywhere where all the characters are available together. I’ll pop links as to where you can purchase these in the UK, as well as where I’ve pre-ordered volume three.

• Smoko Astro Tayto Night Light – (link)

As mentioned above, I do love my Smoko goodies! This is one of the night lights I’ve had my eye on for a while, but only recently did it hit the UK/the Firebox website. I have the normal tayto night light but I’d love the astro one too. I mean, look at how cute he is! Not only have Firebox stocked the astro tayto, but they also have some more astro tayto goods including the moon light and USB reading light, BUT they also have an adorable tayto coach potato sofa light too! If I end up getting all of these Smoko lights for Christmas, I’ll have to find a place for them all! 😛

• DIY Crossing Cross Stitch Kit – (link)

Finally we have the DIY Crossing cross stitch kits, that I adore! I stopped buying them a while ago due to Christmas coming up, so I’m hoping I may find one of two of these in my stocking… 😛 As I’m a Patreon of DIY Crossing I always request the dog villagers, as I’m hoping to stitch them all in the future. If there’s one pattern I really want to pick up in the New Year though, it’s Shino. Shino has fast become one of my favourite villagers as she’s so adorable and shouts Japan to me! I requested her cross stitch design last month, which I saw earlier this week. It’s gorgeous and I NEED to stitch it soon!

So, there we have it guys, my December/Christmas wish list! I feel like it’s nothing special, but it’s lots of kawaii and geeky goods I love and hope to receive some of them this year… Mostly from Dane. 😛

What do you all have on your wish lists for December, as well as any gifts you’d like to receive for Christmas? Make sure to let me know in the comments!

After Christmas, would you guys like to see what I received for Christmas? Make sure to let me know in the comments too.

Until next time, take care all and I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend so far. 🙂

November Favourites ’21

I can’t quite believe we’re less than a week until December but just four weeks away until Christmas! 2021 has flown by and I’m already frightened at what 2022 holds, as well as how quickly that may fly by too.

I know I’m posting my monthly favourites for November a little earlier than I usually would but this is because I want Decembers content to be full of Christmas related/style posts!

I’m actually really excited for Christmas this year! I’m excited to decorate the house a little more with lights, as well as lots of tinsel, and especially for being able to see the people I love and care about too. Me and Dane ordered our Christmas food months ago out the way, so the hardest part of Christmas Day is done. 😛

Now all I need to do is decorate this weekend, as well as finish my Christmas shopping ready for the big day! Hopefully I can smash most of it this weekend so I can spend the rest of December relaxing, buying any last minute bits and pieces, as well as spending time with people I care about.

I’m so excited for the content I have planned for the rest of December! A sneak peak includes independent businesses you should buy from this year, which will talk about geek goods, candles, beauty and more. Make sure to keep eyes peeled for that in a couple of weeks.

However, for now I want to dive into what I’ll be talking about this month. This may well be the last favourites of the year, as I rarely talk about the December favourites until the New Year. I hope you guys enjoy!

Favourite Beauty Product – Lush Yog Nog Shower Gel.

I picked up this shower gel in the Lush Boxing Day sales last year and I’ve been waiting for the right time to use it! I love Yog Nog so much, I was beyond gutted when they decided to discontinue the bath bomb. The bubble bar is good, but I don’t know… The bath bomb always smelt stronger to me. The scent has always reminded me of Biscoff biscuits, which I’ve loved since I was a kid. This shower cream/gel is so luxurious and creamy smelling and with the fact it’s gold, I feel so fancy when I use it in the shower! It always leaves me smelling good and a little bit soft. The scent isn’t crazy strong, which I really like. I’m hoping to pick up a replacement bottle in the Lush Boxing Day sales this year… If they do them online again that is! If you haven’t tried this before, give it a go! I’m not as much of a Lush fan as I used to be, I found they’ve really changed a company and their prices are shocking! I much prefer to buy and support small indie beauty brands, who have scents like Yog Nog and Snow Fairy all year around, at a more pocket friendly price.

Favourite TV Show – Komi Can’t Communicate.

This is a new anime series that Dane has gotten me into and I’m so grateful for it! It’s kind of obvious from the title of the anime what it’s all about. Komi can’t communicate due to social anxiety, but now she’s in high school, she wants to gain lots of friends and start to communicate more. Komi befriends Tadano, a guy in her class who really wants to help her with her goals. It’s a very cute, funny and heartfelt show. Not going to lie, I cried at a scene in the first episode. 😛 This is a Netflix exclusive, so make sure to check it out.

Image taken from GIPHY

Favourite Manga – Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: Kanna’s Daily Life and Elma’s Office Lady Diary.

Don’t double check this to see if you read correctly, because you have. Yes in fuck knows how many months now, I’ve picked up a book and read it. No, I can’t believe it either! I think due to my mental health declining the past year I just haven’t been in the right frame of mind to read, which really does break my heart. I love reading manga and in one of my jobs years ago, I couldn’t get enough series or volumes to read due to that fact. Thinking about Christmas present ideas, I know I’ve needed to stock up on my volumes of the Kobayashi series, so I decided to start catching up on the volumes I need to read, add ones I need to my Christmas present ideas list, as well as pre-order some volumes I need too. I forgot how much I love reading manga! I’d take it to work and read it more, but I don’t feel comfortable sat at my desk with some potential NSFW pages… Which has happened in the past at previous jobs and people have talked… 😛

Image taken from My Nintendo News

Favourite Game – Pokemon Shining Pearl.

I haven’t been nonstop playing this game due to how busy I’ve been, but when I have been playing it, I’ve really enjoyed it! Technically Animal Crossing should be noted here this month too as I’ve been playing it LOADS since the update but I felt like I spoke about it loads of my previous post (Games I’m Loving This Month). The Pokemon gen 4 remakes are officially out and not only are they cute, but they’re so fucking nostalgic and I know I’m not the only one feeling that. I’ve got to the second gym on my game, but I’m planning to try and fit in some more Pokemon game time soon.

Just a few of my favourite other things…

I bought an Apple Watch!

I finally took the plunge and bought myself an Apple Watch during my week off work in November! Thanks to Dane I’ve ended up not only buying the Apple Watch but also the Apple AirPods too so I have all the fancy technology I need/want. 😛 Dane bought himself a Samsung watch earlier this year and has been loving it, which in turn has influenced me to get my own tech watch and why not the Apple watch seeing as I have an iPhone? So far I’m really loving it and it’s definitely come in handy when out and about if I want to keep my phone in my backpack, as well as at work. I picked up the newest watch and highly recommend to anyone who is thinking of getting one.

New clothes pieces I’ve obtained (including a grail piece!).

Alongside my Apple Watch, I also snagged some clothing pieces I’ve been after a while, including a grail piece by Black Milk Clothing.

The pastel jumper is by Wego, a Japanese fashion brand. I heard about it through Instagram and immediately went to From Japan to see if I could order it! I requested a custom order and a couple of weeks later it arrived! It’s such a lovely jumper, super warm and cosy, as well as baggy too. I really want the bright rainbow version too, but that’ll have to wait. 🙂

Although the snake dress isn’t new, the Route 666 Underbust Corset is and I FUCKING love it! I bought it second hand through an amazing Sharkie who I know and speak to often via Instagram. Instead of £42.61 I only paid £30 (not including postage) which is a complete bargain. I’m really happy with it, it’s so comfortable and the exact size I’d want as well which is perfect.

Finally I’m so excited to share my grail piece! I’ve been after the Merboy Shatter Reversible Skater Dress for the longest time and through one of the Black Milk Clothing sales groups I’m a part of someone in Australia was selling this piece for a second price including shipping. I decided to treat myself to it when last pay day came around and finally a few weeks ago it arrived! I honestly cannot wait to wear it over the Christmas period for parties with a pair of boots and a sheer mesh top underneath. It has pockets too, which is amazing!!! So damn happy to have this. :’)

Finally, Christmas nails season has begun.

Finally, I wanted to show off my Christmas nails because I’m in love with them! I know they aren’t in your face Christmassy, but I think they sort of are! I’m waiting for 16th December for my green and red OR blue and silver nails to be done. I’m feeling the latter as I can get away with them for New Years as well. Honestly though, these nails are bloody gorgeous and the rose gold makes me so happy to see.

So there we have it guys… The last favourites post of the year! I know it’s a bit short but I honestly couldn’t think of loads of talk about this month. There hasn’t been a film or music that has stood out for me this month. Plus, as I said before, November has been a tough month for me this year, so I haven’t felt all that… “get up and go!” kind of thing.

That aside, what were your favourites from November? I can’t believe November is done in less than a week now… Can you?

Make sure to let me know in the comments below what your thoughts are about November, as well as December being just around the corner!

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

TV Shows I’m Loving At The Moment

Now I wouldn’t exactly call myself a coach potato but I feel like this is pretty much an accurate term for me lately. As of late after both me and Dane finish work we either sit and play games online with friends or binge watch various TV shows. Mostly the later though…

There just seems to be so many TV shows out lately with new series that we need to watch! There’s so many that almost everyday we have a new episode to catch up with. This sounds worse than it actually is… 😛

So come and have a read about what TV shows me and Dane have been binge watching lately. You never know, you may just get some inspiration for what you can watch yourselves. 😉

• RuPaul’s Drag Race – S9 (Netflix)

I’ve been a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race for as long as I can remember and as soon as a new season comes out I always make sure to keep up with the episodes. Spoilers are one of the reasons why, but it’s mostly due to wanting to keep up with which queen(s) are doing the best. I’ve always watched the show with Dane, which is really nice to be honest! I didn’t think he would be interested in giving it a go due to what it’s all about, but he loves it! My favourite in this season so far is Nina Bonina Brown. This being said though I’m not a massive fan of season 9 so far… It just seems like the queens don’t give much of a shit, or give too much of a shit. No one is really standing out right now for me. I just hope someone does soon! I want another Jinxx Monsoon! She’s my favourite queen! For the first time in the UK this is available on Netflix as and when a new episode airs. I used to have to look online for videos to watch when it came to getting my RuPaul new show fix!

• Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid – S1 (Crunchyroll and Funimation)

Out of all of these TV shows being mentioned in this post this is definitely one of my favourites. I’ve mentioned this show on my blog before. It’s about a dragon who is pretty much adopted by by a human and who falls in love with said human. More dragons come to the human world, another one who comes to live with them and others who live with other humans. It’s a very funny show and heart warming at the same time. I’ve started to read the manga of it and it is amazing!

• Attack On Titan – S2 (Crunchyroll)

Both me and Dane have been waiting what feels like forever for season 2 of Attack On Titan to come out! We both love the show and we’ve been worried that the next season would never come out. It’s been out for a couple of weeks now and it’s amazing. Dane pretty much knows the basics of what is going to happen due to reading the manga. I haven’t yet read the manga for Attack On Titan and I’m unsure when and if I will. If you loved the first season of Attack On Titan then make sure to watch this season!

• 13 Reasons Why – S1 (Netflix exclusive)

On this list this has to be my favourite one on the list! As soon as me and Dane watched the trailer for this on Netflix we knew that we would want to watch it! It’s based off a novel of the same name and the show is said to be loads better! The show is about Hannah, a girl who has committed suicide and records 13 tapes explaining why she killed herself. It’s an emotional roller coaster and to be honest it made me feel really low at the end of it. It’s an amazing show though and one I recommend everyone to watch as soon as possible! I might pick the book up in the future to read if I fancy it. This is a Netflix exclusive so if you want to watch it you need to have a Netflix account… Or you can be naughty and find it online to watch.

• K-ON! – S1 and S2 (DVD)

Like Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid this is another one of my favourite TV shows on this list. Dane recently became interested in watching K-ON! and popped it on for us both to watch one day. Since then we have been hooked and it’s definitely become a massive new love for us both. We haven’t finished watching season 2 yet, but I’ll be sad when we do however. I was going to buy Dane all of the seasons on DVD as well as the film on blu-ray but I left it in the end. I’m sure we’ll buy them on our week off together next week. I’ve bought all of the manga of K-ON! and I’m loving it so far!

• Masamune-kun’s Revenge – S1 (Crunchyroll and Funimation)

This is a show I have loved and then been bored with… Which is strange! Dane has felt the same way about it as well. We usually stop watching things we get bored with, like anyone would be to honest. The only reason we have kept on with it is because we have watched so much of it already. It just doesn’t feel like it is going anywhere right now and we’re about 10 episodes in. I was going to buy the manga of it to read but I am so bloody glad I haven’t… This show just doesn’t feel like it’s going to have a decent outcome. This being said it is good… But I don’t recommend it. I would recommend all the other shows on this list more!

• Peter Kay’s Car Share – S1 and S2 (BBC iPlayer)

This is one I haven’t really watched with Dane. He’s not particularly interested in stuff like this and although I’m not a MASSIVE fan I do love this show! It reminds me of the summer I was at university studying my MA and when Dane practically lived with me for 3 weeks whilst my family was away on holiday. It was lovely and pretty much a test drive for what it would be like if we lived together. So when season 2 came out recently I had to watch it as soon as possible! As the title suggests it’s about a car share. He drives and his colleague keeps him company in the car. You see their relationship grow from just colleagues to friends, to possibly something more. I was disappointed to learn after watching episode 4 that that was it… No more episodes for season 2. I mean what the fuck Peter Kay?! I say this due to how the last episode of season 2 ends. I can’t say anything without giving away any spoilers, but it’s a mixture of really shit and the perfect cliffhanger. Both season 1 and 2 are on BBC iPlayer at the moment so go and check them out if you’re interested.

• Eromanga Sensei – S1 (Crunchyroll)

This is a new anime to be added to Crunchyroll recently and it’s one people either love or hate due to what it’s about. I’m watching it for a mixture of reasons. 1. The main female character is so fucking adorable and 2. I like the fact that she’s a manga cartoon artist and that her brother (the main male character) is a manga/light novel writer. These are both the sorts of job roles and creative talents I give my characters when I write. The part about the show that is riling people up is the fact that the two main characters are siblings (well adopted siblings…) and they’re meant to have a relationship together… Awkward… This aspect doesn’t appeal to me at all but the story line otherwise really does. It’s only 2 episodes in at the moment so I’ll see how it goes, but so far this relationship side hasn’t really shown. A few creepy bits have though… Otherwise it’s pretty funny at the moment and I’m enjoying it.

So those are some TV shows I’m loving right now! I feel like I have a show a day to catch up on, which is really sad but it gives me something to look forward to after work I suppose!

It’s not on this list but I’m currently watching Sirens, which aired on Channel 4 6 years ago! WOW I FEEL OLD!!! What TV shows are you loving and binge watching right now? Are you watching anything that’s on my list? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below!

Until next time take care all and I hope you had a lovely Easter and are equally having a lovely week.