New year: The same ME

Hello and Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful time enjoy the end of 2015 with friends, family and all your favourite people! I sure did! It was lovely to relax, travel to see people I barely see and eat lots of delicious food. 2016 is now upon us and wow how time flies as you get older.

Now this time of year is filled with posts and status's about new years resolutions, getting healthier and so on. I'm definitely not one of those people, not because I'm a negative or miserable person but because I have realised you have to approach a new beginning in the right way. In a literal sense it really is just another day but emotionally the thought of starting fresh is a great thing.

Everyone is much more positive for their future and accomplishments that I really love! So I am setting myself some goals for the year instead so I can stay happy and positive all year through. I am/ used to be just this person but life is hard and it does ware you down and I have come to realise I need to embrace every emotion a little more, the ups and downs are part of life and if you don't accept that, then thats when you get caught up in a web of self destruction (to put it bluntly)

So to help myself start this path of happiness and acceptance I have a few things I would like to achieve. I am putting no pressure on myself and this will make me fail and I will be taking a step backwards so for me it is all about baby steps.

1/ I have bought myself the 'Happiness Planner'
This is a planner where you document each day, with goals, feeling and ask yourself a lot of questions about what you want. I am really excited for this as I am hoping it is going to help me find what I really want out of life. I have been feeling like I have been having a quarter life crisis for the best part of last year and I really need to hone in on what is making me unhappy. I'll do a post about this all when I receive it as I think it may help some of you too!

2/ Something new each month
I have decided I want to go somewhere new or try something I have never done before each month. This is going to help me feel a lot more positive about how I am living my life as I always feel down about missing out on all the world has to offer. Either down to money or because my anxiety stops me from going out as much as I could.

I have planned to go to Scotland in April for my birthday with my family as I have always wanted to go. I also want to try rock climbing and I had a go at bouldering already this year and really enjoyed it. I'll be writing a post on that soon. Planning my future is the key for me, having a plan clams me and so knowing I have something to do each month, big or small, is stepping stones to my own goals.

3/ I have signed up to a online learning course
I was looking through Groupon in the new year and saw a voucher for an online children's book writing course and thought, yes! Now I'm not the best writer but I do have a good imagination and with practice I feel I can get a lot better. I eventually want to write a whole book, just for young kids and illustrate it myself too so I can add that as an achievement of 2016.

Do you have an goals for the year ahead?

Sorry this is a little late,
I wanted to re-brand the blog and have a fresh start but I wont be able to start that yet as I've had a
lot on with my a career move which has taken up all my time.

I will be back soon, better than ever as I would like this to be a place that I am proud of.
Love Khrissie x

#Blogmas 7: Stocking fillers under £10

Its blogmas day 13! I can't believe how quickly this month has already gone. I have been trying so hard to get a post up everyday but seeing as I decided I would do this on the 1st December, I never got a change to pre-plan posts and photographs. My days have been really long with work so by the time I get home and eat I need to go to bed. I have made it my mission this weekend to take as many pictures as I can so I can post for the rest of Christmas for you.

For day 13 I thought it would be good to show you a few gifting gems which I have found especially for you. Its coming to the start of the Christmas rush for presents and when your in a panic I find it hard to search for gifts that are affordable. So I have put together a little selection of some presents, that would be great for all sorts of people.

Enjoy! I hope it gives you some inspiration....

1/ Personalised Pencils from - Not on the High Street
As mundane as that may seem when you say you have got some pencils, it really isn't. If you know someone who loves stationery, then there is nothing better. They are also personalised so that adds a special touch and it stops the problem of other people stealing your things, especially if you have a spelling like mine.

2/ Arthur egg cup and spoon - Not on the High Street
This is a cute little gift for your friends or family who really enjoy breakfast time. Why not make it that little bit more interesting by presenting it in something fun? This would also be a great little gift for a kid who is into kings and princesses.

3/ The Night Before Christmas' gift set - Lush
There a lot of people in this world that love nothing more than a bit of me time and a bath. This christmas gift set would be perfect for that friend or family. This little box comes with the snow angel bath melt and intergalactic bath bomb. Both which are amazing on their own as gifts but much better wrapped up beautifully together.


4/ 'Love you to the Moon and back' keyring - Not on the High Street
I love this little keyring as this saying is something I say to all my family. I love how no matter where in the world you are, we all share the same moon. So when you feel like your far away from someone you miss, just look at the moon because you know they will be looking at it too. It sounds so cheesy but it really does help in those times where you feel the most lonely. The base keyring is £10 but you can add letter pebbles to it for £3 each if you wanted to personalise it.

5/ Puffin Classic books  - Anthropologie
This is perfect for your book worm in the family. Theres nothing better than a classic story to read while your relaxing the winter. With the book covers so beautifully illustrated, they would look wonderful on a book shelf and totally Pinterest worthy.

6/ Russian Doll measuring cups - Amazon
These measuring cups are adorable! I really need some myself. They stack into each other to make it space saving and super cute on your worktop at the same time. These would be perfect for the baker e the family. They are always useful to have around, even for meal recipes and theres nothing more enjoyable to have pretty tools to do it with.

7/ Beatrix Teacup & Saucer - Oliver Bonas
Last up is this gorgeous tea cup and saucer. I mean just look at it! They have different styles on the site as well as a full 4 piece set and a teapot cup if you wanted something which was more of the whole package instead. I really want these, well I want everything I have shown you today but this is just gorgeous! There are a lot of avid tea drinkers out there, and there is nothing better than drinking tea in style. I feel this pays homage to Britain and the British ways in which we do things, which I think is great. Ughh I love it!

So that is all I have to show you today, but check out the rest of the sites that these are linked too as there are lots of other amazing gifts available!

See you tomorrow...hopefully!
Love Khrissie x

#Blogmas 3: Brunch at Counter

As part of the Bloggers Hangout I had the wonderful opportunity to go to brunch at a nice little restaurant/bar called Counter*. It is situated within the Vauxhall Arches in London, right next to the tube station. We arrived here after roughly at 10:30 after our sleepover at a secret location in Putney for breakfast followed by a 'make your own' bellini and a choice of dessert. Our mountain of bags were taken off us and stored behind the reception as we entered the venue, which was really appreciated as we had a lot of goodies with us. This means you can shop until you drop and pop by on your way home without the worry of trying to fit all your bags round the table.

The restaurant was quaint with modern touches and a warming atmosphere. We were greeted at the door by a wonderful gentleman who showed us to our table, that he had prepared especially for us. Filled with beautiful flowers and neatly arranged tableware, the table was nothing but inviting. We were given a menu where we could choose from a choice of sweet or savoury options including pancakes and french bread right through to baked eggs and pesto.

We were served quickly by the most pleasant waiters with smiles on their faces, ready to make sure we had a relaxed and enjoyable time. We were given a pot of tea followed by a fresh juice of our choice, while we pondered over the extensive menu. In the mean time we got to meet the owner of the restaurant who was full of personality and had a loving passion for his brand, which was really endearing. He later took us to look around his neighbouring bar which is quiet during the day, but really comes to life at night. If you love a night out that is a bit unexpected, stop by sometime. I assure you, you wont be disappointed.


I decided to go with eggs benedict for my main as I wanted something savoury and comforting on the palette. This really hit the spot and tasted as delicious as it looked. The poached eggs weren't perfectly runny as I would have liked but I let it go as the rest of it was so tasty that it did not matter.

Rachel being pescatarian decided to go for the baked eggs with truffle mushrooms and walnut pesto. I loved the quirky touch of the pan that it was served in, to give it a rustic feel. This looked like a great option for those who like to avoid anything too heavy before lunchtime.

Brogan decided to go for the apple and cinnamon stuffed toast with candied walnuts which looked and smelt absolutely amazing! I can imagine that being the perfect brunch during the Christmas season as it definitely has a festive touch to it. I'm surprised I didn't ask to try some thinking about it now.

We were then privileged enough to make an alcoholic beverage mid morning with our own make your own bellini, which consisted of peach and prosecco. We added in a peach puree to a glass that had a slice of peach already in it and topped it with my favourite kind of bubbles. I thought it was delicious and would be great addition to your meal if you were with your girlfriends celebrating a birthday or new job.

I was personally too full to the brim with food to even comtemplate the dessert menu but it did all look so delicious. So while Rachel tucked into what looked like the best apple pie, ever we chatted all things blogging while we finished our bellinis and juices.

It was great to not feel rushed and to take all the time we needed to enjoy our experience, which is quite hard to find in a busy city like London where the turn around is so quick. I would definitely recommend this restaurant if your looking for a nice quiet spot to catch up with friends or family. It is right next to Vauxhall station, so no need to worry about rolling home after you have eaten yourself into a food coma.

Thank you to Danielle for inviting and organising this for us and to Counter for hosting the brunch. It really was the icing on the cake to a great weekend.

Happy Thursday everyone! The week is almost over and it will soon be time for lay ins, Christmas films and hot chocolate, I just cant wait....

Love Khrissie x

(All images are my own unless stated)

A glorious adventure...

I can tell you I am an avid traveller but in real life I'm not. I only dream of the places I want to see and visit, when I haven't actually been to many countries in my life time, as I had once wished.

It has now coming up to year since I took my trip of a lifetime around Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and its all I can think of. I have a huge desire to travel again, as I just loved the way it made me feel.

I felt free and the happiest I have ever been. I could have easily spent a few months travelling around with groups of like minded people like that and had the time of my life but the reality of paying rent, bills and having a job to pay them with slowly became apparent and so the trip I had always dreamed of had to come to an end. 

My mission in life still is to travel as much as I can. I am the worst at saving but I need to find a way to be savvier with money so I can fulfil my dreams! The one thing that keeps me going and that I can being home with me, is the food. The citrus aromas, the fresh spices and depth of flavour.

 I was lucky to experience a cooking lesson out there where I even surprised myself with my culinary skills. Given that the teacher we had was amazing and knew everything you would ever want to know when making a Thai meal. Now knowing what real Thai food tastes like I went in search of some options that I could find in the supermarket, that took me back to sitting in the Thai countryside and boating down the Mekong river with nothing but nature to look at.

 Soup is the one thing I got for this winter, especially for lunch and it is quick, easy and full of flavour that you need, plus it does a good job at warming you up on those chilly days. GLORIOUS Soup have an amazing range of soups, their main ones bringing you the exotic flavours of your favourite places. This is when I love in indulge in their Fragrant Thai Carrot soup on those times when I am dreaming of my own adventure. Infused with ginger, lemongrass and lime to give you that authentic taste, with an aroma to match.

Thailand has also has an array of amazing street food that you must try if you ever go, its a brilliant way to suck up the culture and experience what they have to offer first had. This is where the GLORIOUS Sunny Thai Chicken soup comes in with its hot and sour flavours, you cant help but be transported back to the beautiful sunshine.

Why don't you have an adventure with food too and enjoy the many wonderful flavours Glorious have to offer. Whether your keen on going to Mexico or staying close to home in the countryside of England, make sure you make every adventure a great one and experience everything that is on offer as memories last a lifetime so its worth taking the time to make them.

I hope you enjoyed my throw back post to Thailand. I'm off to plan how to save for my own adventures. Enjoy your week!

Khrissie x 

Bloggers Fashion Week Goody Bag

Going to blogger events can bring along a lot of great opportunities to the table. One of them is working with brands you love and creating content this is as equally exciting. If you saw my previous post you here would have seen that I got the chance to attend the Bloggers Fashion Week pre party at Balans Soho Society which was a wonderful event and to top it off we were each given a goody bag of some of the brand that were attending the fashion week the next day. 

We were completely spoilt and so I would like to say a huge thank you to Danielle from The Bloggers Hangout for putting this together for us! 

To start of with I received this gorgeous necklace from Gallardo & Blaine which really suits me down to a tea and I absolutely love it! I love animal necklaces and the fact this was handmade just added that personal touch that made it extra special. Make sure you check out the website as they make truly gorgeous pieces I think you will all love.

I then pulled this set out my tote bag. This is a brand called Lil Lash which is a make up brand which helps you to enhance what you already have. This is a serum that once applied one everyday, will help to grow your lashes naturally without the need of mascara or fake lashes. I will need to be patient and allow at least 12 weeks for a full result. I will report back with the results in a future post. 

Another beauty brand that was added to the bag were some face masks by Timeless Truth. I have tried one of their face masks before so I can already rave about how good they are. Put them in the fridge 10 minutes before hand for a super cool mask that replenishes and revives dull skin. It leaves you with a softer and more moisturised complexion that will make you glow. I am especially excited to try the apple one as it has won awards for it collagen boosting properties.

Now onto the food and drink which I assure you, will make you hungry. Berry White is a brand that has been cropping up for a while now. It has lovely fruity packaging and some refreshing flavours to match. The fact that they are organic is always a plus for me so keep these in the fridge for a light refreshment or in your bag for on the go. 

I have seen Byron Bay Cookies before but never picked them up to try. Here are two packs of gluten free biscuits, which is great for many of us who have wheat or gluten intolerance. A lot of biscuits that claim to be gluten free actually miss out on the taste as they are a lot drier and crumbly in texture which can be off putting but these are surprisingly delicious! If this is your biscuit, then give them a go. They are award winning too!

Now this is one I was very excited about, a Pudology dessert! I have such a sweet tooth and a little addiction to sugar which I am trying to break. To eat a more healthy you need to cut out certain things and having a dessert which is gluten and diary free will definitely help me on my way. Caramel is a favourite flavour of mine so I throughly enjoyed this and I will definitely be back for more. 

Heres another treat which ticks a lot of my sweet toothed boxes. Chocolate and biscuits all wrapped up into a 100 calorie snack and you have me. A flavour to suit all taste buds, gluten free and guilt free as you know exactly what your getting. No guessing games or confusion about what you are putting into your body. This is a great way to watch what you are eating and getting in that naughty snack you crave in the afternoon hours. What a Tasty Little Number.

Now this is a drink that I was unsure to try as I never knew what to expect from it. This is a natural birch tree sap drink and doesn't have much else in it other than the flavourings. Pure and packed with health benefits, Tree Vitalise is one to try. The taste is unusual and unknown but one to give a try as there really is nothing better than nature itself.

Now to end this amazing goody bag is some sachets of chai latte by the brand Drink Me Chai. I'm not a coffee drinker myself as I'm not a massive fan of the taste and I'm not too good with caffeine. I have never tried these before though so I would love to give them a try, especially as the spiced blend is caffeine free.

I hope you have enjoyed a peak into what you can get at a blogger event if you tried. Now don't get me wrong, I don't blog to get 'free things' as thats not where my passion lies. This is just a bonus to my hard work in photographing, editing and posting about the brands I love. I think that is the best way to go about it to as you do not want to waste yours and the brands time by taking and not giving back. 

Thank you again to the brands and to Danielle for this! I really appreciate all the hard work that has gone into putting something together like this. Make sure you check out the brands and Danielle herself and if you missed my post last week on the meal we had at Balans Soho Society then you can read that here. 

I'll be back on Sunday 

Love Khrissie x

Pre-Fashion Week dinner at Balans Soho Society

Last week I had the privilege of being asked to a bloggers event held by Danielle of The Bloggers Hangout. As there was going to be a fashion week event on the Monday, Danielle wanted to organise a pre party at Balans Soho with a few bloggers she hadn't had the chance to get to know as well.

Now I'm all for an event as it is one of the nicest perks of being a blogger. You get to meet new brands and like-minded people with the chance to also try and review a few products you might not have known about before but then I am also a socially awkward person. The two don't really mix.

The reason I started my blog in the first place, was to have a new hobby with the hope that it would help with my self confidence and social anxiety. I am now saying yes to a lot more opportunities by realising that things are never as bad as they first seem in your head, this event being one of them. I was very close to not going as I was so nervous but as soon as I arrived I was greeted with smiles and great conversation with Rosie from 'A girl on a journey' and felt comfortable straight away. 

Danielle was really thoughtful and added personalised seating cards to the table which I got very excited about, as I never have anything with my name on with its unusual spelling. We all talked while we waited for the other girls to arrive before we each ordered a cocktail of our choice. It was really difficult to choose from the colourful menu but I ended up going for the Apple and Elderflower Collins with a little persuasion from our very attentive waiter David J. Its the perfect cocktail if you don't want something too sweet as it packs a slightly bitter kick at the end of every mouthful. A good choice if you want something light before a heavy meal.

 Next up it was time to choose what we wanted for our main course. What I like about Balans Soho is the variety of food they do, from burgers to crab linguine and all thats in between to cater for every palette. Now I'm a sucker for a burger and even though there was such good choice on the menu I just couldn't resist it and its triple cook fries, it did not disappoint. The burger was cooked to my medium/ well done satisfaction and the chips were delightful. Creamy in the middle with a crispy coating so moreish that the salad on the side was like an old friend I had grown out of. 

Conversation with the girls fell like a seamless waterfall and it felt like we had known each other for ages. We were a great mix of people with different personalities which would make for the perfect girlband. We talked for ages during and in between the courses which made time fly by, nearly forgetting that we still needed to order our dessert. Now this was another tough choice but David J was ready with his best recommendations, which led to my decision of the banoffee pie. Not having ever tried this before, (I know whats wrong with me?) I had to break my banoffee virginity. 

It was delicious! A buttery crumb with layers of perfectly ripened banana, topped with a mountain of delightfully light cream so big, even I was unsure if I could climb it. To add to the abundance of layers, it sat on a river of toffee so delicious I had to eat it by itself once I was shamefully defeated half way through. I had never been so satisfyingly full in a long time.

As we had turned down the offer of a hot drink, David J decided we needed to end our night with a little tipple. A tray of sweet (but yet very strong) limoncello shots came our way which warmed our bodies like a hot water bottle on a winters night. We made a toast to new friendships and celebrated what a wonderful evening it had been before the night had ended and we had to sadly go home. We are all going to keep in touch and hopefully I will see all these amazing girls again soon. 

They were all so friendly, talented and very beautiful. Their stories were enchanting, with personalities to match and I am so grateful I got to meet them. A huge thank you to Danielle for organising the evening and to Balans for looking after us so well, we felt spoilt. The food was delicious and the company was even better, I will be returning to the restaurant in the future for sure.

I love their quirky interiors and cosy atmosphere. You don't feel rushed to eat and get out the door quickly with its relaxed vibe and friendly staff. Perfect for a catch up with old friends.

You all need to follow these lovely ladies I got to spend the evening with, their links are all down below. They all have amazing blogs by the way so definitely check them out:

Rosie from 'A Girl on a Journey'

Aura from 'Aura B Verene'

Amy from '50 Shades of Blonde'

Angie from 'Chocolate & Lipstick'

Danielle from 'The Bloggers Hangout'

Love Khrissie x

LoveBox Festival 2015

Jessie Ware was incredible! If you ever get a chance to see her, do it! She seems like the nicest and most down to earth artist I've seen in a while, plus her songs are beautiful!

Heres my outfit that I wore to the festival. Top and shorts are from ASOS. Necklace from Oasis. Shoes from H&M. Choker and lace throw on from New Look. Sunglasses from Topshop.

Your probably thinking these chips look gross but let me tell you. Chips with gravy and cheese are just amazing! On those days where you go wild and forget about healthy food, this is what you need!

So I can bee a right nutter sometimes and this blog is one about me, imperfections and all so this just gives you a little glimpse into what I'm like on a daily basis. Life's too short to be normal - right? 

Lovebox 2015 was such a great day out. Music was good and it was great to spend some quality time with my man. Although we live together we don't actually spend much time together with our busy work lives. Today was a day for us to enjoy life without the annoying distractions ad create some memories. 

Make most of the days you have and live it to the full. Always do what makes you happy!

That can be a walk on the beach, getting an ice cream or sob in front of Netflix for half a day feeling sorry for yourself. You might not be an outdoors kind of person and prefer spending time in your happy place. I'm trying to make a conscious effort to be more social as I can be a bit of a hermit crab at the best of times. Its helping my confidence a lot and I always feel better once I'm in the situation than I do thinking about it. Don't ever feel like you need to live your life in a certain way, just make sure your happy doing whatever you want. Life really is too short. 

Try and enjoy your week the best you can. 

Ciao!

Love Khrissie