October Favourites ’22

Happy Halloween guys! It’s tomorrow, one of my favourite times of year, and unfortunately, I’m not here for it. I bought decorations and never put them up, and I had a pumpkin to carve (thanks to my dad and his pumpkin patch!) but due to have a cold/flu this week, I haven’t even felt up to doing it. I’m gutted. Halloween this year has been a major flop for me for many reasons, which is a shame.

It’s not all doom and gloom in the run up to November though, as me and Dane are now on holiday from work for a week! We’ve been in need of some long time off of work so we’re both looking forward to it.

October really flew by and I can’t believe it’s November in just a few days. I love this time of year due to Halloween and Bonfire Night, but the weather is vile, which is such a shame. I hope during our week off the weather holds off a little, I don’t want to just have a wet week off work. 😦

I’m not going to waffle on anymore, let’s get on with the favourites!

Beauty – Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel Cream.

This is a body cream I’ve been using for quite a while now, couple of months now maybe? Unfortunately I recently discovered that I’m allergic to The Body Shop’s strawberry body yogurt on my legs, so I’ve had to discontinue using that there, and instead I’ve been using the Neutrogena gel cream. I don’t just use this on my legs, sometimes I will use all over as it’s such a quick and easy body gel cream to use! It absorbs quickly, feels light and cooling and smells lovely and fresh too! This is one where a little bit goes a long way too, and I already know I’ll be repurchasing this, especially when it costs less than £5! I also have the spray version too, which I don’t use too often… I need to use it more!

Movie – Various horror including Rec and House of 1000 Corpses.

The past week we’ve spent many evenings watching horror movies through Shudder, a movie subscription service dedicated to horror! We have a seven day free trial and so far we’ve watched quite a few films on there, but the two that stand out to me are Rec and House of 1000 Corpses, the latter being a movie my boyfriend has wanted me to watch since we got together! Rec is always a film I’d heard of due to the remake, but I never actually knew what it was about. Alas I was surprised as I watched it and I thoroughly enjoyed! If you’ve never seen it, you should watch it too, not the remake, the original!

My boyfriend did pre-warn me about House of 1000 Corpses about how “amateur” it is due to it being done by Rob Zombie, who at the time was more known as a musician than director. This was the first film he directed and you can kind of tell, but that’s what is so charming about the film itself! The film is about a group of teenagers who are kidnapped by a family during Halloween. My favourite character (one I’m sure the film is best known for) is Captain Spaulding. He’s fucking hilarious and I can’t get enough of some of the stuff he says, hence the clip above.

TV Show – Chainsaw Man.

I haven’t read the manga, but I was so hyped about the anime for Chainsaw Man releasing a couple of weeks ago! I’ve always heard amazing things about the manga series from my friend Sammie, as well as from members of the Worlds Apart Discord community. We’re on three episodes so far and it’s constantly giving you action and things to get you to the edge of your seat. We follow Denji, a teenage human boy, who is orphaned, and has to hunts devils in order to pay off his families debt. With his pet devil Pochita by his side, he can do what he needs to. However, something bad happens, which changes Denji’s life. I won’t say anymore as I don’t wish to spoil but… I’m loving this series so far and I already can’t wait for the next episode on Tuesday. 😛

Music – PVRIS – “Anywhere But Here” and “Animal”.

Recently PVRIS released two new songs in the form of a short film, where both songs were featured. I really love both of these songs, more so “Anywhere But Here” as I love the lyrics and melody style vibe and sound behind it. I do really like “Animal” as well as it feels the complete opposite to “Anywhere But Here” with harder guitar riffs and more, with the lyrics being a little more edgy too and with a rebel attitude? I remember seeing around the end of October that PVRIS had something new to reveal to fans, so I was excited it would at least be a new song, but the fact we got treated to two?! I can’t remember if I mentioned on my blog previously, but at the start of August I finally bit the bullet and booked to see PVRIS live, and I’m so bloody excited for it! Since I discovered PVRIS in 2019 I’ve been dying to go and see them live. 🙂

Game – PlateUp!

This is a game one of our friends was talking about, which intrigued me. I watched the trailer above and I just knew I had to give it a go! As it’s a game Dane already owned, we opted to play it on the split screen play together with said friend and since then I’ve been itching to play it! This was only yesterday by the way. 😛 So, PlateUp! is about running a restaurant, including cooking in the kitchen, serving the customers, as well as cleaning after them. Pretty much Overcooked, BUT it isn’t as stressful, which is always nice. One thing I especially liked about this game is the fact it’s couch co-op, so you don’t need two copies for you and a someone else to play! It’s up to four players, so maybe even four of you could play at the same time!

Just a few of my favourite things…

A new cross stitch project!

At the start of October I started a new cross stitch project and it’s one I was so anxious about at first, so much so I left it untouched for about a week? Since then I’ve been picking it up every other night and a couple of weeks later it’s looking as it does above. If you can’t tell, this is a Studio Ghibli inspired piece from Spirited Away. It’s Chihiro’s little yellow shoes, surrounded by soot sprites. As we don’t like shoes on in the house, I decided to cross stitch this design for our home to hang up! I’m planning to have it completed before the new Pokemon games come out mid November. The design/pattern is by the same person who I bought my Eevee design/pattern off, which I’ll link here.

New smock dresses.

If there’s one style of dress I’m mad about right now, it’s smock dresses. I can’t get enough of them, honestly! I received a couple recently, one being a pre-order, the other being a bargain find on eBay! I’ll talk about them in the order shown about.

The ghost smock dress is by Lazy Girl Club, which I mentioned recently on my October wish list here. I pre-ordered this dress over a month ago and a few weeks ago, it arrived! I love ghosts, so I knew I couldn’t resist this dress for Halloween, as well as all year around! The only issue I have with it though is it’s far too big for me, which people have commented on. If I don’t wear a harness or belt around the middle, I look like I’m trying to hide a pregnancy, which personally isn’t a look I want. Due to this I’m looking for a harness I can wear with this a lot of the time. I do have a Black Milk Clothing corset style harness that I’m wearing in the above photo, which works so well with it! I’ll probably try and wear this at work one day and see how I get on! If you’d like to get one of your own ghost smock dresses by Lazy Girl Club, or any other of her pieces for that matter, get over to her store ASAP as she’s just reopened it for orders!

The eBay bargain I found is this Lazy Oaf sally dress! I’ve seen this dress pop up on eBay and Vinted on and off, but when someone popped one on eBay for under £40, I couldn’t resist! It was brand new with tags and a complete bargain. I couldn’t wait for it to arrive so I could wear it to work and more. I’ve worn it a few times and it’s definitely too big for me, but it’s fine with a belt around the middle! It’s very cosy and perfect for colder days with a cardigan layered over the top of it. When I wore it to work I got a lot of compliments, which was really nice!

Lumichee goodies.

Finally, my long awaited Lumichee goodies arrived that I ordered! I can’t remember if I mentioned on my blog, but I placed this order through a courier service as the costs I would have paid through Etsy were a joke! I have no regrets and since the hoodie arrived, I’ve pretty much lived in it. 😛 I went for the mousemoth hoodie, as well as a sakura inspired mousemoth plush. I’m already chomping at the bit to place a second order, but I must be good due to Christmas looming! I don’t want to talk too much about these as I plan to write a blog post about these at some point in November. 🙂

So, there we have it, my favourites for October! Did you find October flew by really quickly?

What were your favourites from October? Anything I’ve mentioned that you’re planning to check out? Also, what plans do you have for Halloween tomorrow and Bonfire Night next week? Make sure to let me know in the comments!

Until next time, take care all and have an amazing (and safe) Halloween and Bonfire Night next week!

Shirayukinikki – Jiji & Lily’s Bakery Glass Tumbler – Review

Today’s post is one I’ve been excited to write about and share with you all for a couple of months now, but as the item(s) I’ll be talking about today only arrived a month ago, I’ve only just had the chance to properly talk about them!

Shirayukinikki is a small business in America that I discovered in the summer through Instagram and specialises in creating lifestyle goodies and more, mostly sponsored by fan art, which is what attracted me to their Instagram page and items initially. I discovered them through their Jiji & Lily’s Bakery glass tumbler, and as someone who likes to drink their iced coffees, soft drinks, and alcohol out of a pretty glass, I kind of knew I wanted to get one (or two) some day.

Shirayukinikki does an assortment of designs, with pretty much all of the glass tumbler designs being fan art. These designs range from Pokemon, Studio Ghibli, Spy x Family, Cardcaptor Sakura, BT21, and more. Not only does Shirayukinikki sell glass tumblers, but also mugs and glass water bottles too!

When it came to placing an order, I sat on it for a while, as due to the cost of shipping from America to the UK, I didn’t feel like one glass was worth it. I contemplated ordering more glasses but left that idea too as I didn’t want to spend more money, you know?

I was sharing my love of the glass tumbler with one of my newest friends (hi Sammie!) and after she eyed up Shirayukinikki’s Instagram page and website too, she fell in love with the Anya Forger glass tumbler! So with that, we placed a shared order together. Finally, we were both getting cute glasses for our drinks!

We ordered our glasses on the 24th July, but they didn’t arrive in the UK until 14th September. We were both aware at the time of a 2-3 week wait when ordering the glasses, but after having a nose on the website three weeks later, we noticed the waiting time differed from previously. It now stated 3-6 weeks which confused us both a little. Since then I have checked both glass listings and they both have different wait times, with Anya Forger having 2-3 weeks, but Jiji & Lily’s Bakery having 3-6 weeks.

We weren’t bothered by the waiting time, as long as got our glasses after 6 weeks, which we pretty much did as 6 weeks later on the 4th September our glasses were shipped! Just be mindful of the waiting times, as like us, they may differ if you order more than one item!

One thing I want to add here is around the 4th September I dropped Shirayukinikki a message on Instagram to ask about an update on our order, as I knew they were due to go on holiday, and quite frankly I didn’t want to wait anymore for an update. Shirayukinikki’s customer service was great and not long after messaging our order was set as shipped and a tracking number supplied!

Prior to ordering our glasses I was wary Shirayukinikki had offered frosted versions too, which I enquired about for if I wanted to order a glass in the future. At the time I was told no, but as I messaged Shirayukinikki anyway about updates to our order, they asked me if I wanted the frosted option still, as Shirayukinikki had remembered me asking previously! It was really lovely that they remembered me asking and I said yes to the frosted option!

Since then the frosted option is now on all glasses, which I think is a good move as with and without a drink in the glass the design is visible, which is good!

Just over a week later and our glasses arrived! I couldn’t wait to get mine out the box to check it out, give it a wash and start using it! I also had a quick look at Sammie’s to make sure it was okay, which it was!

Glasses cost $26 each, roughly £23-£24, which isn’t a bad deal for a reusable glass with your favourite characters on. Plus, you are supporting a small business! I love that Shirayukinikki ships to the UK as there are still some American small business  that don’t ship to the UK or UK shoppers have to purchase through Etsy and get charged more.

Each glass comes with a bamboo lid and a glass straw, although it does state on the listings that they come with plastic straws.

Glasses are recommend to be hand washed, although they are dishwasher and microwave safe it is not recommended as it could cause the image on the glass to slowly fade, get scratched or even bubble. When hand washing use a soft sponge and wash lightly on the design.

Glasses can also be used for hot drinks, which I may have to try at some point with my matcha latte drinks. 🙂

Anyhoo, enough of the product details and such! I’ll show them off below, with links so you can check them out!

Jiji & Lily’s Bakery 16 oz Glass Tumbler – (link)

I LOVE Kiki’s Delivery Service and Jiji is definitely one of my favourite Studio Ghibli characters. Due to the cup mainly focusing on him, Lily and bakery themes I really loved the design for a glass… And maybe a mug eventually. 😛 The images on the glass includes Jiji, Lily, an assortment of baked goods including croissants, bread, etc, the mug with a Jiji doppelganger on and more! I love using my glass for iced coffees, but as the weather gets warmer I am finding myself using it to drink squash, as well as fizzy drinks! Thanks to Sammie she confirmed to me that one glass will hold two cans of fizzy drink! 😀

Washing the glass is really simple and I only wash gently on the outside and inside, as it’s easy to clean!

Anya Forger 16 oz Glass Tumbler – (link)

Sammie was such a good egg and sent me a photo of her Anya glass so I could show it off to you guys today! I’ve also added a picture from Shirayukinikki’s store so you can see some more photos of it too, which show it off in the frosted design. Sammie went for the standard glass (which is no longer available) which I really like! The designs shows up a lot more when there’s a drink in the glass, as you can see from Sammie’s photo. The Anya Forger glass of course has lots of different faces of Anya, as well as a bag of peanuts/peanuts, her chimera doll, and Bond Forger the dog!

Overall I absolutely adore our glasses and since getting it I’ve been using it constantly! If anything, I need to stop using it so much as I’m neglecting my Pokemon Café glass now. 😛

I know both me and Sammie have discussed which glasses and other items Shirayukinikki offers that we’d love to get in the future! Some of mine are as listed below:

Haku, No Face, and Ootori – Sama Frosted 16 oz Glass Tumbler – (link)

Totoro & Friends Frosted 16 oz Glass Tumbler – (link)

I’ll pop Shirayukinikki store and their social media handles below!

Store

Instagram

Twitter

So, what do you guys think of Shirayukinikki? I personally think their creations are absolutely amazing and quite frankly, I can’t wait to own more in the future! The quality of the glasses are amazing and I can see mine lasting a very long time! What do you guys think of Shirayukinikki? Any designs you like in particular? Make sure to let me know in the comments below!

Until next time guys, have an amazing rest of your weekend and take care!

March Wish List ’22

It’s well and truly March already and I can’t believe it! 2022 is flying and I’m not ready to be a quarter of the way through the year so soon.

I feel like I said the same last month, but I’m rather excited for March, purely for a new month after how crap the last one was. Don’t get me wrong, February wasn’t as bad as January for being really poorly and skint after Christmas, but with everything that’s happening in the world right now, I think a few of us can agree that February was shite… Especially towards the end.

This being said, we can’t bad mouth the end of February too much and if you’re a Pokemon fan, you’ll know exactly why! We had the Pokemon Presents for the 26th Anniversary and DAMN the ending was amazing and something some of us didn’t see coming. The announcement of Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, generation nine in the franchise was announced, with some sneak peaks of the game as well as the three new starters. The generation nine games will launch later this year, which I’m so excited for! I’ll definitely be booking some time off work to play it like what I did for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield as well as Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Anyhoo, let’s get on with this wish list! I’ve really struggled with it this month as at the start of 2022 I said to myself I’d be better with money and so far, it’s going pretty well, which I’m really proud of! I’ve got to a point however where I go to buy things and instead sit and think, “Do I REALLY need this?” and “What could that items cost get me instead/be used towards?” which has really helped. I recommend it for anyone who is trying to save monies. 🙂

• Pokemon Center Eevee Greatest Hits T-Shirt – (link)

Since the UK Pokemon Center opened online, I’ve kept my eyes peeled every other day for what new items they may add to the website (I have grails I’m hoping to get eventually!), and a few weeks ago I noticed this Eevee t-shirt landed on the website. I love the Eevee design, it’s so adorable and the “Quick Attack” text above it just reminds me of whenever I play with Eevee in my team. This isn’t exactly cheap at almost £25, but it’s definitely cute and official Pokemon gear is always great as well. I don’t know if I’ll pick this up anytime soon, but I would love to snag it eventually.

• Ocean In Space/Ocean Club Patreon Club Spirited Away Print – (link)

This is a print I’ve already ordered technically, as I signed up for the Patreon at the end of February. Ocean In Space‘s designs are so beautiful and really are works of art and I adore them all. However, when they announced they would be doing a Spirited Away design with Chihiro, I knew I had to get it! I waited until February payday and made sure to back their Patreon and snag it as soon as I could. I’m honestly so excited for this to arrive already! I already own the Nana print from Patreon at some point last year (which I also wrote about and you can read here) which I adore, I just need to get a frame big enough for it. 😛 I semi regret not backing for the washi tape and stickers now, but meh… I wanted to save money and just get things I’d make use of. I think I’ll look at having this print up in my office by my desk, the same as my plans for the Nana one too.

• Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Jet Set and Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Jet Set – (link) and (link)

If there is one thing I’ve really missed having in my shower the past fortnight, it’s a yummy scented shower gel. My bottle of Snow Fairy finally ran out at the end of February and I’ve been after something nice to replace it since. I thought about getting something else from Lush but their shower gels are shockingly priced for what they are, plus, I didn’t like the look of anything. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Sol de Janeiro and their bum bum cream (especially its scent!), so I thought I’d have a look to see if they do shower gel, which they do! 😀 The scent of this sounds divine, as it’s described as being caramel-pistachio. HOLY SHIT GET IN MY SHOWER! I was too busy trying to be good that I missed out over last weekend when offers were flowing. However, as Mother’s Day is coming up and I know my mom wants to try Sol de Janeiro, I decided to grab a couple of the jet set gift bags for us, one each of the Bum Bum and Coco Cabana, making each set less than £20 with the discount codes I had. I’m so excited for these to arrive and I really hope me and my mom love our goodies. I’ve really been meaning to keep on top of my beauty regime now, my body has been struggling and felt really tight and dry. I’ve been slathering body cream on more than ever this week and my body is already appreciating it. 🙂

I’m going to pop my Look Fantastic referral code here. You’ll get £10 off your order if you use the code, but bear in mind you must spend a minimum of £30. Click the link and the discount will auto apply at checkout. 🙂

• Disney Store Turning Red Mei Plush – (link)

My friend Sacha on Instagram brought my attention to the fact the Disney Store had released Turning Red merchandise, as well as a HUGE Mei plush! I’ve been so excited for Turning Red coming out, that I vowed to buy one or two pieces of merch when it launched in shops. This plush is large and is something I knew I had to add to my collection. My only worry at the time was, “Where is it going to go?!” I’ve had it a few days now (at the time of writing this post I’d just ordered it…) at the point of this post going live and I adore it. I’ve also found it a home, my office chair. When I’m working on stuff at my desk (work and personal), as well a playing games I can have a snuggle of it to relax me. So far, it’s really helped my anxiety and kept me calm. Ironic really considering what Turning Red is all about, eh? 😛

So there we have it, my wish list for March. I know it’s a little bare this month, but I really am trying to be better with my monies. Some of the items in this post have been ordered/arrived but this makes a nice change, as usually I add stuff to my wish lists and either wait months to purchase and sometimes don’t buy at all!

What do you guys have on your wish lists this month? Make sure to let me know in the comments!

Until next time guys, take care and have an amazing weekend!

August Wish List ‘21

We are into the first week of August and already it’s been really busy and exciting for me!

During the end of July I seemed to get a bit spend happy which I really didn’t mean to do. You know when you just see a lot of items come up for sale or on offer and you just need to snag them? Yep, that’s been me. 😛

Due to this a lot of items on my wish list are probably more realistic to September, rather than August.

That aside, I really hope you guys enjoy this months wish list post! 😀

• Nintendo Animal Crossing Summer Isabelle, Kicks and Timmy & Tommy Amiibo – (link), (link) and (link)

For a couple of years now I’ve really wanted to start collecting the Animal Crossing amiibo figures, but it’s only been towards the end of July that I’d found some at decent prices and ordered. I only have three (four if you include Smash Isabelle) left to get and it’s crazy how many I own already! I also have some dupes that I’m selling to a friend, so the monies I make from that can be saved to potentially go towards the three I’m missing! I have an Animal Crossing shelf near my bed, which has gone from empty to really full in a short amount of time! I’ll have to show it off in next months favourites. 🙂 I’m hoping to snag these amiibo from eBay/Depop or Cex in the future.

• Pokemon Me Stained Glass Collection Re-Ment – (link)

I’m not a massive re-ment fan… It just isn’t for me. I do own a few that I was gifted a while ago now and I do like them, but there are some really cute Mew ones coming out lately! This stained glass Mew re-ment is adorable and it’s something I would love to get to keep on my desk. The little Mew’s face is just adorable! I’m definitely contemplating picking it up in the future. Probably through From Japan. 😀

• Studio Ghibli Spirited Away Haku Ramen Bowl & Chopsticks – (link)

I have been lusting after this ramen bowl for what feels like forever now! As regular readers will know, I love Studio Ghibli, but I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned before just how much I love Haku. He’s my favourite Ghibli character so whenever I see him on merch, I usually love it with this ramen bowl being one of them. I love eating ramen and currently only have one ramen bowl (which you can read about here) I go to but would love another one. I was showing this design and more to Dane recently and he rather liked the designs. Maybe in the future I’ll pick up a couple. 🙂

• Cakeworthy Animal Crossing Timmy & Tommy Pocket Long Sleeve T-Shirt – (link)

I love Animal Crossing (as you all know… :P) and I love long sleeved t-shirts… So put them together and there’s something I can get behind and love! I really want this Cakeworthy t-shirt. I wanted it ages ago when it was being stocked in the UK by the price the store in question wanted was a fucking joke, so I left it. I’d be using a personal shopper I buy with in America to pick this up for me… Maybe the Haku bowl too. 😛

• Vans Comfycush Checkered Slip-On Shoes – (link)

I am in desperate need of some new Vans slip on shoes! My Darth Vader ones from back in 2015/2016 are starting to rub now due to the age of them and I do need to get something fresh. For some time now I’ve had my eye on getting a pair of the checkered slip on shoes. One of my first pairs of Vans were the red and black checkered, which I adored! I still on them but they’re not comfy to wear anymore due to the age. Plus these are the comfycush shoe, which is said to feel like you’re walking on air! This being said, reviews say different. I’d look to try these on in store and see for myself.

• Calvin Klein Pride 2 Pack Triangle Bras – (link)

I’ve fallen in love with Calvin Klein lingerie, especially their bralettes which I’ve found have been great for wearing whilst working from home, as well as for bed when it’s a warm evening. The Pride triangle bras look so pretty and I’d love to have them to wear whilst working from home too! They come in a two pack, which makes the cost of them overall really good.

• Melissa X Lazy Oaf Kick Off Heart Sandals – (link)

Finally, another pair of shoes! I keep going on and off these sandals and I’m unsure if I’ll ever buy them due to that. I bought my first pair of Melissa shoes a couple of months back now (Vivienne Westwood flats) and I love them! However, I don’t own any sandals and every summer and holiday I go on I often just wear my vans everywhere due to that. I don’t really like sandals and showing off my feet, not so much abroad but definitely in the UK. Hence why I’m constantly swaying towards not buying these. They’re not cheap and I’ve heard mixed reviews about them rubbing, which isn’t something you want during the warmer weather. I think these will be shoes I’ll keep my eye on and if they go into the sale for a good price, I may snap them up!

There we have it guys, there’s my wish list for August! I know it’s nothing special, but I’m trying to be good with my money throughout the rest of the month.

What did you guys like the look of on my wish list, and what’s on yours? Make sure to let me know in the comments.

Until next time guys, take care and I’ll see you soon!

June Wish List ‘21

I am officially off work for a week! HORRAY! This has been much needed as I can’t actually remember the last time I was on holiday for more than a few days or over a long weekend. Work has been busy lately so it’s much needed! I’m excited to spend time with Dane, as well as some much needed catch up time with friends.

I do have some amazing and exciting news to share with you all for this month wish list post… I made affiliate on Twitch on Tuesday! I always said I wanted to aim for gaining affiliate at the end of May, but I got it on the first day of June instead, which is close enough. 😛

It’s also mine and Dane’s eight year anniversary on Tuesday. The years have flown by! It’ll be nice just to spend the day together. We’re planning to have a chilled day and have a picnic style dinner with drinks and yummy snack foods. 😀

I have decided in June that I’m actually going to be on a spending ban due to being a little bit too spend happy in May. I have zero regrets for a lot of the items I purchased and pre-ordered but yeah, I’ve been a bit silly. 😛

This month there are a few items on the list that are pre-orders and one that is a HUGE wish list item… Pretty sure you’ll already see which one that is, huh? 😛

• Smoko Astro Tayto Night Light – (link)

As regular readers may know and remember, I LOVE Smoko and their cute AF original characters and homeware items. It all started off with Elodie the Unicorn and has slowly moved over to Asian food related items and Tayto. A cute coach potato with big goals in life. Recently he’s been sent off into space, ASTRO TAYTO!  As Smoko is located in America, I always keep eyes peeled on Firebox’s website for any new Smoko releases. Last week Astro Tayto was added to the website and I had to fight the urge to order him there and then. I’d love to get him for my desk, at least in our bedroom to be with the other Smoko night lights I own!

• Studio Ghibli Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji & Soft Toy Jiji Clock – (link)

I’ve had this item bookmarked in my “wish list” folder for quite some time now, but due to the price I’ve just not made the plunge to order it. I would like a clock in our office as we don’t actually have one and a Ghibli themed one would be to die for! This one is of Jiji and toy Jiji together, which I think is such a cute idea personally! Kiki’s Delivery Service has fast turned into one of my favourite Ghibli movies over the years and it was only from being in Japan in January 2020 that made me realise how much I love it. 🙂

• Sanrio PomPomPurin x Miki Takei Mini Letter Set – (link)

I decided in 2020 with everything that went on with lockdown that I would really love to write letters to some of my friends as a reminder of how much I love them, how proud I am of them and sometimes share some old and funny memories too! I bought a wax seal stamp set last year/early 2021 too so I’d love to seal letters with that! As many regular readers will know, I LOVE Pompompurin, the cute little pudding dog created by Sanrio. This letter set is so fucking cute and I definitely want a couple of packs in my life so I can write to my friends.

• JeanaDraws Lakko the Otter Apparel, Bag & Pins Kickstarter – (link)

This is a Kickstarter that I backed at the end of May and also one that doesn’t begin to fulfil until the end of the year in December. I wanted to mention it on this months wish list though because I wish I could have the cardigan I’ve backed for NOW! There are various items to back for, including knitwear, a plushie bag and enamel pins. As shown in the image I’m backing for he brown cardigan. I do love snuggling in cardigans in the colder months and I think this one is perfect for me with both working from home and out and about. I’d also really love to back for the Lakko bag too, but this isn’t my style, sadly.

• Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Tohru and Kanna Plushies.

These are pre-order items from YY Kawaii back in January and I cannot wait for them to arrive this month. Regular readers will know that Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is one of my favourite anime and manga series. When I saw these two cuties available for pre order I wanted to snag them to keep in our bookshelf with all my copies of the manga. I think they’re due around the end of June so I’ll soon be showing them off on Instagram when they’ve arrived.

• Hot Topic Studio Ghibli Kiki’s Delivery Service Oversized Cardigan.

Another Kiki’s Delivery Service AND cardigan item! I saw this for sale on Hot Topic a while ago and fell in love with it, however I didn’t like how much it might cost me to get it to the UK, so I left it. I recently discovered it for sale on a website based in the UK, so in the future I might buy it from them, if not a personal shopper I use in America. It’s a cute and simple cardigan, I like the fact it’s cream as I don’t own anything like that. Most of my cardigans are rainbow colours. It would be nice to have a neutral one for the summer months.

• Maybe a new car…?

Finally… I MIGHT be getting myself a new car this month. I spontaneously starting looking at cars online and I’ve discussed with Dane. I wouldn’t get a brand new one by the way, but I’d definitely opt for a car with a good age against it. My current car is amazing and gets me from A to B, but I think it’s starting to show it’s age of late. I want a car me and Dane can share so if he doesn’t want to use his, we can always use mine in confidence. Plus, it would have something nice like that! I said when I returned from Japan I would get myself a new car, but then COVID happened and messed up my plans. We shall see… I’ve seen one I like which we might go with. You never know. 🙂

So, there we have it! My wish list for June! I’m really excited for June to be honest with you, the weather is already gorgeous and we’re already getting plans organised with people who we’ve missed during lockdown and COVID.

Not only am I interested in what you guys have on your wish lists this month, but do you have plans with loved ones and friends this month? Make sure to let me know in the comments.

Until next time guys, take are and I’ll see you next time!

February Wish List ’21

I honestly can’t quite believe it’s February already… 2021 is already flying by and it only feels like yesterday that I was going back to work after the Christmas/New Year break!

I have to be honest here and say, I am on a spending ban! I spent a lot of money before Christmas and I suffered during January due to it. It’s not all bad though as it means I can save up for stuff in the future, especially things to do with my house!

Some of the items on this months wish list I’ve pre-ordered, with one item arriving already which is pretty good! Seriously though guys I’m on a MAJOR spending ban this morning and I might even do it going into March as well, just to try and save lots of money to do stuff to the house. 🙂

• Kittynaut Soot Sprite Enamel Pin (link)
  

I really love Kittynaut’s designs, especially the Studio Ghibli related ones. I really like the look of this Soot Sprite enamel pin, which reminds me of a collar pin. The Soot Sprites look so cute and happy with their sugar candy! I’d love to wear this with a shirt on the colour to add something different, or maybe even on a sweater on the neck. I’m definitely going to look in ordering this via their Etsy in the future!

• Razer Base Station V2 Chroma in Quartz (link)

I mentioned in my monthly favourites that I recently picked up the Razer Kraken Quartz gaming headset and I LOVE IT! I don’t just use it for work, I use it for personal too whilst playing games with friends, D&D sessions with friends and also phone calls with friends via Discord and Messenger. At the moment when I’m not using the headset I wrap the cord around it and keep it on our shared desk. In the future I would really love the Razer Base Station in the matching Quartz colour as not only would it be able to hold my headset on the desk, but it also looks like you can have some USB items plugged into it too, due to the ports at the base. This isn’t something I would buy soon, I’d prefer to wait a while, especially if I can get my own desk in the future.

• Persona 5 Strikers PS4 (link)

To think when I was in Japan in January 2020, this game was coming out late February 2020. There were no talks of it coming out in the UK and people worried we wouldn’t get it. I knew we would deep down and it’s FINALLY coming out in the UK at the end of February! I made sure to get my copy pre-ordered so I don’t miss out. I pre-ordered from Gamersheek as they have the BEST game prices out there! Plus, if you see a game cheaper elsewhere, but would prefer to buy with Gamersheek, they’ll match the price for you. They’re my go to for games in 2021! Honestly I am really excited for Persona 5 Strikers, but I am disappointed the name “Persona 5 Scramble” wasn’t kept like how it is overseas. If you’d like to read a review all about Gamersheek, make sure to check out this post from last year where I spoke about Persona 5: Royal.

• MartithArt Foxtober Throw Blanket (link)

I’ve had my eye on this blanket for quite a while now and I’d still love to get it but meh spending ban. 😛 I love foxes and I love being snuggly and warm so this blanket is perfect for me. MartithArt appears to have created this during “Foxtober” which I can assume is a drawing challenge for October. The designs are gorgeous and the size of this blanket looks like it would be perfect to pop on my lap whilst working at the desk to keep snug and warm. I’ll definitely pick this up in the future, but not yet due to spending ban.

• Nendoroid Hatsune Miku: Kōrin Kimono Ver. (link)

This is an Nendoroid figure I pre ordered MONTHS ago through YY Kawaii (yykawaiimerch1 on Instagram). I saw it and I knew I had to have it quite frankly. We only own one Miku Nendoroid figure, which is the snowboarding Miku from back in 2016. As Dane is a snowboarder (and I’ve done a little!) we knew we had to get her! However, with the kimono version she just looked so pretty and it sort of reminded us of our Japan holiday too from January 2020. I’m already unsure where she’s going to go once she arrived, but I’m tempted to have her in the office so I can look at her whilst I work. She’s due to arrive in February! Would you guys like to see her reviewed on my blog or Instagram page? Let me know. 🙂

• Pin & Tonic Sakura Fox T-Shirt (link)

Pin & Tonic is an independent UK artist/store that I’ve always seen floating around social media in the past and eventually followed. I recently got wind of their fox and tanuki/raccoon designs AND a sale on their store, so I went to check them out. I stumbled across this sakura fox t-shirt and have fallen in love with the design! It’s the perfect mixture of my favourite animal, my favourite tree and sakura reminding me of Japan too! I would love to pick this up in the future, as it would be lovely to wear. The colours work so well!

• Bravissimo Flora Bralette (link)

This is the final item on my monthly wish list and one item that has arrived. This is by far one of my favourite purchases of 2021 so far (spoiler alert, I’ll be talking about it in February’s favourites!) as it’s the most comfortable bra I’ve ever bought! I bought quite a few new bras at the start of 2021 as I knew I was due some new ones, I opted for an old favourite, as well as a new design. I love both, but since working from home wearing a bra all the time is something I’ve… Not… Done… Just being honest! I’ll be honest, I’m not a small busted lady anymore so sometimes my boobs just need a break from the wire, especially if I’m sat at my desk all day and potentially slumping and uncomfortable etc. I’d heard nothing but good things about non-wired bras, but never understood the appeal. I decided to get one myself after seeing good reviews about the flora bralette from Bravissimo. It’s amazing and when payday comes at the end of the month I will be buying another. I’m not going to talk too much here as I want to talk more about it at the end of the month. 🙂

Anyhoo, those are the items I have on my wish list for February! As I’ve said various times throughout this post, I am on a spending ban this month so I’m going to be good. I may even continue it into March, but that won’t stop me from creating another wish list next month! 😀

What do you all have on your wish lists for February? Make sure to let me know in the comments below!

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

Enamel Pin Collective Haul

Can you believe January 2021 is over in just over a weeks time? January has FLEW by hasn’t it?

This month I have had so many creative ideas floating my head, both blog related and other creative outlets. There’s been so many blog posts I’ve wanted to write but a lot of them will be coming to my blog in February now, due to timing and such.

Today’s blog post has been one that has been a long time coming, an enamel pin collective haul. I’ll be talking about all the independent artists I’ve bought enamel pins from, whether it be through their store/Etsy/Patreon (in one case) or even through backing a Kickstarter campaign.

As many regular readers will know, I started collecting enamel pins back in 2018 when I bought my first enamel pins from Ayloulou Apparel/Petty Bones Club (store has since closed down) which you can read here. This isn’t the first time I’d started collecting enamel pins however, I’d actually collected them at a point when I was around six or seven. My brother and dad had designed some enamel pins to sell and they gave me some of course. It sparked off my addition back in the day and I grew out of it. 20 years plus later and I started collecting again and I won’t ever look back!

I have decided however in 2021 that I will calm down on my enamel pin buying as I have so many at the moment. I need to buy myself a new pin flag (or at least a big cork board at this point!) so I can start putting them on show. I also have some enamel pins I’m thinking of selling. If anyone would be interested in seeing what I’m thinking of selling, please let me know and I can have a think about listing some items. Friends are welcome to reach out too in the meantime. 😉

Anyhoo, I have a lot of enamel pins to show off, so I’m going to jump straight in! I’m not going to post about these in any order and I will of course link back to where I bought them from and mention if you are able to buy from the artists anymore due to the VAT UK stuff that came in at the start of January 2021.

Sugarnova

Trick or Treat Yo’ Self Ghost Enamel Pin and Lollipop Ghost Enamel Pin.

I bought these enamel pins around Halloween and they’re some of the cutest ghosties I own! Both ghosts are holding sweets/candy and both designs are completely different. Both of these enamel pins are on gold enamel and have double backs with purple rubber backings. They both retail for £7.30 each. Sadly I don’t know much about whether or not Sugarnova is shipping to the UK or not… As far as I’m aware nothing has been said in regards so I assume people of the UK can still shop with them!

For all those who are just there for the treats! Celebrate your Halloween candy horde with this sweets loving ghostie.

The trick or treat ghost is holding various sweets/candies including a lollipop, a chocolate bar, candy corns and some general sweets/candies. He looks really happy with his treats and is smiling with some blushing cheeks.

This mischievous ghost loves tricks AND treats! They will gladly give you a yummy lollipop, but only after they’ve spooked you!

The lollipop ghost is completely different to the trick or treat ghost. This ghostie has a bit of a naughty/mischievous look about him as he holds a MASSIVE lollipop! I think he may have scared someone for his sweet treat and is celebrating his accomplishment.

Lemoncreamsicle

Fishing Fox Enamel Pin.

First thing I want to mention here is at the time of writing this post (22/01/2021) the store is closed and plans to open again this year. Lemoncreamsicle keeps their Instagram up to date so make sure to go and follow! They’re currently talking about new products which is awesome.

The patient fox gets the fish — and you can take that spirit with you wherever you go with this adorable pin!

I’d been after the fishing fox enamel pin for what felt like forever! As soon as the store opened on Etsy I made sure to get my order in. This is actually one of my favourite enamel pins that I own due to how adorable the fox design is. As you can see the design is a little fox whose just caught a fish and judging by the bucket behind him it isn’t his first catch of the day! I especially love that this is an enamel pin with a chain on it, it really adds to the design and the little fish dangling at the end of the line! The dangling fish/line is free dangling and doesn’t have a pin on it. This is a gold enamel pin and has two double backs with pink rubber backs.

Adorablush

Shaymin Watermelon Enamel Pin and Eevee Strawberry Enamel Pin.

First thing I want to mention here is at the time of writing this post (22/01/2021) the store is closed for the weekend to fulfil orders but Adorablush does open often. Make sure to go and follow her on Instagram for updates. She pops timers on too for when the shop will open, which is always good.

I picked up these two pins through the Kickstarter in 2020 alongside Sarah (Raiin Monkey) and I’m so glad I did before the VAT issues. I love Pokemon and fruit isn’t exactly a bad thing is it? 😛 I decided to go for the Shaymin watermelon design as well as the Eevee strawberry design. Fun fact, I’m actually allergic to watermelon and strawberries are one of my favourite fruits to eat.

These enamel pin designs are adorable and have the signature/unique look of Adorablush. They’re both cuddling their desired fruits and looking adorable. The look chubby in their designs and the colours compliment and work well in each design. Both pins are gold enamel and have two double backs with lime green rubber backs. The other enamel pin designs from this collection are gorgeous and I especially love the Dwebble design where he’s with his coconut!

Dinojar

Haku Enamel Pin.

At the time of writing this post (22/01/2021) Dinojar doesn’t have these in stock, but make sure to keep your eyes peeled on their Etsy store to see when it comes back in stock! I picked up this pin through the Kickstarter in 2020 and I love it so much, I don’t own many Haku enamel pins but I do really love this design. It’s chubby, chibi and perfect all around. It’s not an overcomplicated design which is something I really like. You get that it’s Haku! It’s a gold enamel pin and has two double backs with black rubber backs.

Sukarimoon

I Don’t Give a Fluff Enamel Pin.

At the time of writing this post (22/01/2021) this enamel pin is in the sale from $10.00 to $5.00! I wanted to get that out of the way, as if you like this post it’ll be worth going to get it asap if you can! This being said, I don’t know if you’ll be able to buy this enamel pin if you’re in the UK. This enamel pin is SO ADORABLE and is one I’ve had my eye on for a while. I think it’s actually based off of the owners Pomeranian. It’s a little brown Pomeranian, with white feet and across the body in gold it states, “i don’t give a fluff”. Which in all honesty… I don’t. 😛 I don’t know why but I expected this enamel pin to be bigger, but that being said I don’t mind the size as it is. This pin is on gold enamel and has two backs with black rubber backs. There was a limited edition of this pin that was white glitter, that’s how I discovered this enamel pin in the first place but of course I missed out on this one.

Nyanzilla

Warriors of Cute Bard Enamel Pin and Warriors of Cute Mameshiba Mini Enamel Pin.

I picked up this pin through the Kickstarter in 2020 and it recently arrived. It was worth the wait and is such a cute enamel pin! I started playing D&D in 2019 and whilst I’m not a massive D&D nerd, I do enjoy playing the two campaigns I’m a part of. The first character I created for D&D is a dragonborn bard, so of course I had to back the deer bard character from the Warriors of Cute collection! The bard is dressed in green clothing and is holding a harp style instrument. It’s really cute and worked really well! I could have backed loads more but I wanted to be good. I’m also a fox ranger in Dane’s campaign, a design I would have loved to see part of Nyanzilla’s collection. The bard pin is on gold enamel and has two backs with yellow rubber backs. As a thank you for backing the Kickstarter I received the Warriors of Cute Mameshiba mini enamel pin. It’s a cute little shiba head, with a blep (tongue sticking out) and a green tie around it’s neck. It’s absolutely adorable and will make for a great filler in one of my itabags. Like the bard, this is on a gold enamel BUT this only has one back with a black rubber back.

Just to add, Nyanzilla does also have an Etsy store for her international buyers, so if you’re in the UK like me you can still get your goodies. However, I don’t know if the main website and the Etsy store are updated the same. I know at the moment the Warriors of Cute designs aren’t on the Etsy store at the time of writing this post… So it might be worth reaching out to Nyanzilla in regards if you wanted to buy one of these enamel pins from the UK on Etsy.

I ALSO want to add here how Nyanzilla is currently revealing her new Kickstarter for Elementalists that are inspired by Eeveelutions. Go and check out their Instagram for more information and images that have been revealed so far… I already want to back for ALL of the designs and I’ve only seen a handful. 😛

So there we have it guys, just a handful of enamel pins I have bought lately! Some of these dated back from the end of summer last year that I’ve been meaning to show off for quite some time now. I was planning to talk about more independent artists here, but one I’m actually going to give them their own post to talk all about their enamel pins and why you should check them out. Another I personally just don’t wish to talk about them on here… I’ve spoken about them on my Instagram before so. 🙂

Which enamel pins caught your eye? Do you own any of the same designs as I do? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below, as well as any enamel pin artists you can recommend for me to check out!

Until next time guys, take care and stay safe! 🙂

Birthday/January Wish List ’21

Happy New Year guys! I hope you all have a great New Years, even if it involved you staying it. Not going to lie, some of my best New Year celebrations have been in my own, or someone else’s home.

At the time of writing this we are three days into 2021 and so far so good. I’m back at work tomorrow (4th January) and I feel rested after doing next to sod all the past eleven days and whilst I’d like some more time off, I do feel like being back at work will start to give me stuff to do again during the day.

As well as heading back to work, my birthday is also looming (6th January) and I’m going to be turning 31… I wasn’t arsed about turning 30 last year, but for some reason adding one more year to that has kind of deflated me a little. 😛

2021 is going to be a year where I start to experiment and “live” a little more. I want to do more with my resin making hobby, including starting to create pieces to sell! I’m also toying with starting to do gaming/chat streams over on Twitch… We shall see as this is a big step.

I’ve not set any resolutions for 2021 but I have said I’d like to read more manga, as well as continue with doing my Beatsaber VR workouts. My mom also bought me a bread maker for Christmas so I’ll be making more bread in 2021 too!

I’m not going to do the whole, “things will be better in 2021!” because I’m happy to take it as it comes. If it’s similar to 2020 with the way COVID has been… Then so be it. As long as I can be safe in my home with Dane and talk to my friends and family via Facetime, Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger, then so be it!

As it is my birthday in a few days I wanted the first post of 2021 to be a wish list post, with goodies I’d like to pick up/receive for my birthday… Mostly goodies I’d buy myself, especially considering two of the items are this list are things I’ve either pre-ordered or ordered. 😛

So, I hope you’re ready to see lots of kawaii goodies! 😀

• Her Universe Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji Hoodies Cardigan (link)

I verrry much doubt I’ll get this for my birthday or with my own money. I’ve spent so much money before Christmas panic buying from American independent artists and with a 6 week wait until payday, I’m kinda poor this month. 😛 However, I really love this hooded cardigan by Her Universe that I had to mention it this month! I live in cardigans, especially when I’m actually working in the office so I’m always on the hunt for new ones that express who I am, whilst being acceptable to wear. I don’t know if this one would be, but it’s gorgeous. I’d wear it with my tartan trousers, as well as skater skirts and leggings. I’ve never ordered from Hot Topic before, has anyone in the UK before? Please share your experience for the future! However, I may do a big Her Universe order in the future… 😉

• The Sad Ghost Club book by Lize Meddings (link)

I’m a MASSIVE fan of The Sad Ghost Club and view it daily on my Instagram account. The Sad Ghost Club is described as “a club for anyone who’s ever felt sad or lost. It’s the club for those who don’t feel like they’re part of any other club.” and for years it really has helped me when my anxiety and depression are bad and I need to feel less alone. I’ve even sent the page to friends to follow to see if it helps them to feel less alone too. It was announced back in October 2020 and I pre-ordered it as soon as I saw it landed on Amazon. I haven’t read much in 2020 and plan to change that in 2021. I want to spend more time away from technology and with my head in a good manga/novel/comic, including this one. 🙂

• Pokemon Center Fit Plushie – Dragonite (link) Save 10% from YY Kawaii’s website with the code “YYCOFFEE10”

If there is one plushie I wish I could have picked up last year (as if it’s been a year guys…) when I was in Japan, it’s the Dragonite fit plushie from the Pokemon Center. It wasn’t available to buy whilst we were there and I was gutted. Dragonite is one of my favourite Pokemon and I always have one in my party in the games. I currently have a level 100 Dragonite on Pokemon Shield. 😛 Anyway, I finally bit the bullet and reached out to YY Kawaii about ordering on with her. It should arrive in January and I can’t wait to add it to my collection! I’m planning to keep it on the top of my plushie shelf alongside the plushies I bought in Japan.

• Pokemon Mew Funko Pop (link)

I just want to get this out there that the link I’ve attached (Double Boxed Toys) has sold out of this figure…BUT I haven’t found it elsewhere for sale in the UK yet… Anyway, I REALLY need this funko pop in my life! Like Dragonite, Mew is one of my favourite Pokemon and whilst I don’t own or really want any of the Pokemon funko pops, I really want this one. I think it’s a pop I would take out of the box and keep on my plushie shelf alongside all my Japanese goodies. Otherwise, I’d keep it in the box eventually for the day I can have my own desk at home to keep it on. 😛

• Animal Crossing Mega Isabelle Plush/Pillow (link)

This is something I keep wanting to pick up… But I keep thinking about money too. As many of my regular readers and friends know, I LOVE Animal Crossing and have done since I first discovered it in 2008 when I played Wild World. With New Horizons releasing, a lot of Animal Crossing merchandise has come out in the UK which is amazing. One of these items includes this amazing Isabelle plush/pillow that I really need in my life! It’s not a bad price currently on the website/store I’ve linked and I do keep umming and ahhing about picking it up. I’m going to wait and see my birthday pass in a couple of days and then toy with whether to order it. It’s available at loads of places so it’s not like it’s going to sell out and then I’ll never get it. 😛

• Stami Studios Whale Texting Enamel Pins (link)

Finally we have some enamel pins to talk about. To be honest with you all, I think 2021 is the year where I need to have a declutter of my enamel pins, as well as stop buying so many! I’m actually toying with selling some soon. Let me know in the comments if this is something you’d be interested in seeing. I have quite a few Pokemon themed ones I’m contemplating selling. ANYHOO I’ve really fallen in love with Stami Studios designs this year and some that she has released of late have given me some nostalgic feels. Whale texts are something I used to send to my friends all the time back ten plus years ago off my HTC phone. I loved it and I’d love to do it again this year for fun. Due to this, this is why I’m so in love with these designs. You can buy all three designs separately or together. If these are still in stock at the end of January when I get paid, I’m buying these for sure!

So there we have it guys, my monthly wish list for January, as well as my *gulp* 31st birthday.

One of my friends asked me before New Year what I was thinking of doing for my birthday and I had no idea. I knew I wanted to do some baking (currently torn between red velvet cupcakes and a Japanese strawberry shortcake) as my mom’s birthday is the day after mine. So I would be baking for both of our birthday’s really. Alongside that I’m planning to cook some Chinese food for dinner, as well as make some resin goods on Tuesday night that I can continue with on my actual birthday. I’m excited to just have the day with Dane to cook/bake together and do our one hobby together too. 🙂

I’m not gutted about having a lockdown birthday because I don’t know what I would have done out and about anyway! If anything it means when everything has calmed down and we start to go back to “normal” I can do something exciting.

Do you guys have much planned during the third lockdown here in the UK? What items do you have on your wish list for January too? I know we’re all skint at this time of year, so have you bought any sales items? Let me know everything in the comments! I love reading and replying to your comments. 🙂

Image taken from Cakes With Faces Twitter page.

One more thing to say before I finish this post, I’m taking part in Japanuary over on Instagram! It was created by Cakes With Faces and all you had to do is share a post daily on your social media platform (Instagram for me) with images and some text in relation to the day. I’m really enjoying this challenge so far and it’s keeping my Japan trip alive almost a year on. 🙂

Anyhoo that’s all from me today! I hope you’re all safe and well and 2021 has treated you nice so far. 🙂

Until next time, take care all and Happy New Year!

HUGE Shop Small UK Guide – Christmas 2020

Can you believe there is only 18 days until Christmas? Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I’m awful this year and I’m not done. I usually have all my gifts bought by now, but alas I still have my parents to buy for.

This year I wanted to do a gift guide, but not my usual one aimed at the geeks, otaku and kawaii fans, beauty, fashion etc etc. I wanted to instead focus on small companies/independent artists/businesses who need our support more than ever due to COVID and it’s affects from lockdowns here in the UK.

First of all, I’m only speaking about the UK as with a Twitter poll a couple of weeks ago, it’s what you as the readers voted for. However at the end of the post I will mention who you can shop small with all over the world too.

I’m going to add all sorts of categories here, not just geek, kawaii, otaku related. I’ll be talking about beauty, home, geek, Japan related, food and more! I want to try and talk about as much as I can, so when you need ideas for Christmas gifts you have lots of choice. I will also mention the last date to order for Christmas too if you’re in the UK. Please bear in mind with the COVID situation and Christmas on the horizon, Royal Main is struggling a little, so if you want to order, order as soon as possible!

Let’s get started! I really hope you guys enjoy this post. 🙂

Image taken from GIPHY

Geeky/Kawaii

Image taken from Jennifairy Illustration

Jennifairy Illustration – Creating cuties to make you smile. Enamel pins, stickers and keychains, all inspired by cute animals, video game characters and more.

Last date to order for Christmas – 14th December. However, if order after this date it could still get there but that can’t be promised. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Jennifairy Illustration is an independent artist/store I have spoken about on my blog since 2017 and I knew they were one of the first places I wanted to speak about today! Jennifairy has a range of products – enamel pins, stickers and keychains. Her style is incredibly cute and kawaii and the designs make me smile whenever I see them, both on her store and in my home. If you know someone who loves cute animals and certain characters from popular video games, then they will love to open a cute design from Jennifairy. Christmas wise you can pick up some gingerbread friends or even a Christmas Pikachu, with a Santa’s hat and a cup of coffee. There are loads of different designs to choose from, there is something for everyone.

Image taken from Littlest Spook Shop

Littlest Spook Shop – We put the Oo in spooky! Cute spooky ghost prints, mugs and other items to choose from!

Last date to order for Christmas – Currently Littlest Spook Shop is looking to close 9th December.

Halloween isn’t just once a year with Littlest Spook Shop. I discovered them around Halloween this year and I love their spooky ghost designs. They’re so damn cute and spoopy and I’m down for that. I regret not ordering some of their Christmas cards this year to be honest, but there’s always next year. If you know someone who celebrates Halloween all year around then a print (or two!) from Littlest Spook Shop may just be for them! Not only do they sell prints but they also sell mugs, tote bags, enamel pins and patches so that spooky friend or family member can show off their love of ghosts and all things spooky all year around! The Always Cosy Club spooky print shouts out to me so much. During the colder months I’m like that little ghosty.

Image taken from FoxLeap

FoxLeap – Kawaii designs inspired by Disney and Japanese characters from films and video games.

Last date to order for Christmas – Not known at time of writing post.

FoxLeap is an independent artist/store I love buying enamel pins from. They’re adorable and there is always something in the store I want to pick up, including the Jiji enamel pin which I may need to order myself as a treat for writing this post. 😛 There is something for everyone when it comes down to FoxLeap including designs inspired by Disney (especially The Lion King series!), Pokemon, Studio Ghibli, Wolf’s Rain, Okami and more. Anyone who loves enamel pins will really love to receive a FoxLeap design and honestly they probably already know of FoxLeap’s existence. Not only do they make and sell enamel pins but they also sell prints, t-shirts, stickers, enamel pin flags, tote bags and more so there is plenty to choose from!

Image taken from NaomiLordArt

NaomiLordArt – A freelance artist who creates adorable prints inspired by animals, magical creatures, witches, Goddesses, Critical Role and more!

Last date to order for Christmas – Orders will be shipped until the shop closes for Christmas on 20th December. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Guys you know me I love kawaii animals, especially foxes and that is something NaomiLordArt does so bloody well! I mean, look at them cute seasonal fox designs! I feel anyone of any age will love a little stocking filler that involves one of the many designs that NaomiLordArt has on offer. Plus if you and your friends are fans of Critical Role, she’s drawn all of the gang and put it onto a print, which you can find here. I feel NaomiLordArt would be perfect as items to gift children, teenagers and anyone who loves prints and stickers. I’ve gifted my best friend goodies from there before that were surrounding Star Wars and Harry Potter. There are also RPG class animal stickers and prints too, so if you play in a D&D group and are taking part in a D&D themed Secret Santa, these would make perfect gifts alongside some dice.

Image taken from GIPHY

Japanese Snacks

Image taken from Something Japanese

Something Japanese – UK based online shop that sells the best things from Japan! Chocolate, Candy, Collectables, Otaku Goodies and much much more.

Last date to order for Christmas – December 21st. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Something Japanese is a store I have bought from for about five years now and they are really good! I especially love to pick up the Japanese snack boxes from them as they’re always an amazing price for how many Japanese sweets and treats you get. I ordered the Halloween one and it was amazing and I’ve ordered the Christmas Japanese Candy Box too. This might make for an amazing gift to someone who loves Japanese sweets and treats and who may also miss Japan or want to visit Japan. COVID has prevented travelling to Japan for a lot of people and I know a lot of my friends who missed out on their trips this year. This would make for a nice treat to open Christmas Day. Something Japanese does sell other items too and separate sweet treats so make sure to check that out too.

Image taken from Tofu Cute

Tofu Cute – A UK kawaii shop that sells all sorts of cute and unique Japanese snacks, plushies, accessories, stationery and other goodies.

Last date to order for Christmas – Not known at time of writing post.

Tofu Cute is a store me and my boyfriend often order our Japanese sweets from as they’re great prices and they always seem to have the goods that Japan get at the same time. Not only do they stock sweets but also drinks as well! We’ve bought many bottles of ramune and Pokemon fizzy drinks from Tofu Cute and they’ve all been enjoyed! Think my favourite thing I’ve ever bought from Tofu Cute are the Melty Kiss chocolates. They’re to die for and would make an amazing gift for someone’s stocking this Christmas. 🙂

Image taken from GIPHY

Home

Image taken from Cushty Co Twitter page

Cushty Co – Handmade home fragrance. Scented soy wax melts beautifully crafted with sprinkles of glitter and careful colouring. Vegan friendly.

Last date to order for Christmas – Monday 14th December – Store will close at 5pm. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Cushty Co are my go to for wax melts and I’ve ended up buying so many this year! Their autumn/Halloween collection being my favourite to date. If you know someone who loves burning candles and wax tarts like me, Cushty Co are a great place to check out. They do LOADS of different scent varieties and three different sizes of wax so the choices are huge. They currently have their Christmas/winter scents in stock and I have all of them! They’re absolutely amazing and if you know someone who loves Christmas and wishes it could be everyday, then some of the Christmas/winter scents will be right up their street. Not only do Cushty Co sell wax tarts, but they also sell room sprays too, which I’m yet to try. If you know someone who loves Lush then they’ll love Unicorn Dreams which smells exactly like Snow Fairy and Nightfall which smells exactly like Twlight.

Image taken from Bubble Baskets UK/Books Baths and Beauty

Bubble Baskets UK/Books Baths and Beauty – Lovingly Custom made 3D printed Bubble Baskets.

Last date to order for Christmas – 17th December if ordering a pink, black or ombré bubble basket. 14th December if ordering a custom colour. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

I recently decided to buy myself a bubble basket from Books Baths and Beauty as I’ve wanted one for over a year now and as my bathroom was redone in the summer, I’ve finally been indulging in bath products and having bath cocktails more. It arrived over the weekend I’ve used it a few times since. It’s really good and if you’re like me and use bubble bars, shower gels and more to create bubbles, then this is for you! They’re made with a 3D printer and are sturdy and amazing! 😀 If you know someone who loves taking baths and using the same products as I do, this will be perfect for helping them create lots of bubbles! Teenagers will love this, as well as mermaids.

Image taken from GIPHY

Beauty

Image taken from The Bath Bae

The Bath Bae  –  Handmade bath treats to make you glow inside and out. Vegan and cruelty free!

Last date to order for Christmas – Monday 21 December at 3pm Royal Mail Tracked 48 or Tuesday 22 December at 3pm Royal Mail Tracked 24. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

I recently made my first order with The Bath Bae and honestly – I have zero regrets. They focus on bath bomb products in various different varieties and scents so there is plenty to choose from! So far I’ve only tried the bath cubes and they are amazing, perfect for anyone of any age. You can pick up bath sparkle, sparkle rocks, bath cubes and bath soak. These would make great stocking fillers for teenagers and anyone who loves a good soak in the bath. My favourite scent from them so far is Oh So Slushie, which reminds me of Tango Ice Blast slushies from the cinema.

Image taken from Happy Melon

Happy Melon – Handmade beauty products made in small batches and packed with cuteness, colour and yummy fragrance. Cruelty free!

Last date to order for Christmas – Restock this Sunday (13/12/2020) and as items sell out quickly, there isn’t really a last date to order for Christmas.

Happy Melon is a brand I discovered this year and bought from during their last restock. If you know someone who loves their beauty and bath products and for them to be as colourful as possible, Happy Melon is a good indie brand for this! They have a wide variety of products including bubble bath, lip sugar, perfume oil, bath soak (snuggle soak), sugar scrub and more! One of the bubble baths I own is a Lush Snow Fairy dupe (Sabrina bubble bath) and it’s one of my favourite products to use after a long day. Plus a little goes a long way and this stuff lasts AGES! One of the products I am excited to try soon is the Pop Kei Snuggle Soak, which smells just like Tango Ice Blast slushies! It would work so well with the slushie bath cubes from The Bath Bae. Again this is a great brand for teenagers due to how colourful everything is and maybe even children too due to how colourful and sparkly the bubble baths are.

Image taken from Hex Bomb

Hex Bomb – Divine handmade gothic beauty products for dark sweets hearts. Creator of the first black bath bomb! Cruelty free and vegan!

Last date to order for Christmas – 21st December. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Hex Bomb is a brand I have always wanted to try since the Black As Your Soul bath bomb came out. I’m yet to try it still and plan to buy it in the near future! I’ve mentioned some colourful and kawaii beauty indie brands so far, so I wanted to through a gothic, dark brand in there for good measure. I love me a dark bath, it reflects who I am inside and this brand would be perfect for any goth friend or relative out there! Not only do they make bath bombs but Hex Bomb also sell shower gel, soap, scrub, lip balm, perfume oil AND even wax melts for your home. If you aren’t sure what to buy that gothic beauty in your life (because Hex Bomb have a lot of variety!) you could always pick up one of their gift boxes which contains a variety of products. If you want to see a review (or two) of Hex Bomb make sure to go and check out my great blogger friend Raiin Monkey’s blog posts here.

Image taken from GIPHY

Honourable Mentions

Geek/Kawaii – Quirkory – Due to being based in Italy, they didn’t qualify for this shop small post. However, I couldn’t not mention them! They sell enamel pins, stickers and prints inspired by Japanese video games and cute animals.

Geek/Kawaii – Claire Likes To Doodle – The reason I didn’t mention my friend Claire and her store is because she got a post allllll to herself recently! Which I am going to link here. 🙂

Geek/Kawaii – 1 In 100/One In Hundred – A local Brummy like myself, Alex over at 1 In 100 has some amazing designs on her store and you can buy items from clothing, badges, keyrings, stickers, prints, stationary and more. I keep meaning to pick up some of her Japan inspired prints. Check them out here and here.

Geek/Kawaii – Chibi Shibby – May have bought a Christmas present from one of my favourite artists… 😉 Shibby recently reopened her store and has filled it was gorgeous kawaii goodies! There’s also some Christmas related goods in there too.

Geek/Kawaii – Lunaticgumis – Due to being based in Gran Canaria, they didn’t quality for this shop small post. However, I am planning to write about them on my blog very very soon! 😀 They sell stickers as well as amigurumis (Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures). They stock Bee and Puppycat designs WHICH I LOVE!

Geek/Kawaii – Taiyakiblue – This store is joint owned by tattooists senseoftheterrific and tubbybeartattoo. They stock clothing, prints and even some keyrings and pins made out of resin. They’re both inspired by geeky/kawaii themes such as D&D, Studio Ghibli, Dragonball Z, Moomins, Adventure Time and more. I’ve purchased a Christmas present from them and plan to buy prints in the future! I love their style so much.

Bath – Bath Bake Love – No restock until after Christmas where there will be lots of enchanted teasers for the New Year Wonderland and plenty of goodies in January!

AND THERE WE HAVE IT! My HUGE shop small Christmas shopping guide for the UK!

What do you guys think? I wanted to try and cover as much as I could and I like to think I’ve done that quite well. In the future I may pop up with some of these after Christmas, just as good shopping guides throughout the year for birthday’s and more!

Honestly guys, I hope you enjoyed this post today as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’m off work for the week and the first thing I knew I wanted to do was to write this post.

Are there any small shops in the UK that you feel I should know about? Make sure to let me know and I’ll take a look for next time!

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

Kawaii Face Mask Wish List

Guys we are less than two weeks away from September. Can you believe it? It has also nearly been a month since the UK were told to wear face masks in shops. That month has flew by and it only feels like yesterday I was panicking about buying some more face masks.

Well, that mini panic is what inspired today’s post, which is all about face masks and which ones I have on my wish list (as well as one I bought). I know a lot of people went into panic over getting face masks before the 24th July, which thankfully wasn’t me. I was just panicking about which one to buy! I didn’t buy any funky ones, just a couple of black ones for both me and Dane. However, I would still love some funky and fun face masks, hence the wish list. These are also all going to be reusable!

I really hope this list helps people who may want to get some fun masks to wear during (and after) these times we are facing at the moment. Whether you believe in it or not, wear a face mask if you can and keep yourself and others safe.

• Firebox Smoko Pearl Boba Tea Reusable Face Mask (link)

This is the first cute face mask I found and typical it was after I bought my face masks in July, boooo! This one is sold by Firebox but is by American brand Smoko (who also made my Elodie ramen bowl – which you can read about here) who I love! They have three different designs on the website – Little Bao Dumpling, Tayto Potato and the one I’m mentioning here, Pearl Boba Tea. The little bubble teas are adorable and some have cute smiling faces on them too. They sound and look really good quality and I would love to pick one of these up in the future, especially as I love (and miss) bubble tea. 😛

• Society 6 Igor Canova Shadow Sneak Face Mask (link)

This is a face mask designer my good blogger friend Sarah (Raiin Monkey) has bought herself and told me about. There are so many face masks to choose from, all with adorable Pokemon themed designs, 21 to be exact! Out of all of them, the ghost Pokemon design jumped out at me and I really would love to pick it up in the future. The design itself has various ghost Pokemon – including Gengar, Misdreavus, Shuppet, Litwick and Phantump. Alongside the Pokemon there are some ghost type moves dotted around, which make for a good print overall!

• PaperandPotionsArt Soot Sprite Face Mask (link)

It wouldn’t be a wish list on my post if it didn’t contain something Studio Ghibli related! I discovered PaperandPotionsArt years ago at Comic Con and straightaway followed them on Instagram. When I saw they’d created this Soot Sprite mask I knew I had to add it to this list. It’s nothing too elaborate and is a rather “simple” design, which I like! It works with it being white too, due to the Soot Sprite’s being black. I have some black face masks similar to this style and to be honest, they’re not the best due to how thick they are and with how warm you can get whilst wearing one of these, this may get a bit stuffy.

• Sunflower310 Japanese Shiba Face Mask (link)

My Instagram friend Emily (Meimi132) shared some face masks stores and designs with me and this is one of them. It’s a gorgeous Japanese inspired design that has various Shiba in different poses, Mount Fuji, sakura, geta footwear and dango. The design just screams Japan to me and reminds me of my trip there, as well as my love for the country. This is a face mask I would really love to pick up in the future, especially for any future trips to Japan.

• ClumsyCritters Animal Crossing Celeste Face Mask (link)

This is another face mask that Emily shared with me and it is so adorable! Celeste is so precious and I’ve always adored her since Wild World but I feel in New Horizons she’s so precious and adorable. Walking around, give you recipes and more to do with the stars. It makes me smile. Aside from the design, one of the things I like about this face mask is how the ear sections have adjustable beads on them, which I think is such a good idea.

• LenacchiStore Pikachu in Space Reusable Face Mask (link)

Finally we have another Pokemon themed face mask that I would really like to pick up  in the future! It’s a gorgeous space themed mask, but with Pokemon! Pikachu and Pichu are in space alongside various Pokemon including Mew, Jirachi, Clefairy, Clefable and various more! Both the Pikachu and Pichu are dressed in little astronaut outfits, which look so adorable! It’s just gorgeous, I love it so much.

I thought I would mention below the face mask that Dane bought for both of us as it’s amazing and deserves a recommendation!

• AALTRADE Resuseable Face Mask (link)

I didn’t want to add it onto the wish list but these masks come in various different colours, but we picked up the black one above. We got 2 each to ensure we had enough and we certainly do. You can pop filters inside, but when we’ve gone to do that it’s really awkward, so sadly we haven’t bothered. We both wear glasses and personally I haven’t had any issues with fogging, but I think Dane has from memory. If you don’t want to go for a kawaii design, you can always go for one of these plain black ones. 🙂

So there we have it! My kawaii face mask wish list! I know this weeks blog post isn’t anything special, but I thought it was both cute and important considering the planets current situation with COVID.

What do you guys think of the face masks I mentioned? Any you like, or already own? Do you have any face masks you recommend? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below!

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