TRAVEL LESSONS FOR THE BEST ADVENTURES!

Do you have a dream? I used to dream all the time as a little girl, my imagination was off the scale and nothing ever seemed too far fetched from reality for me! As I grew into a young adult, I experienced all the emotions from happy love to tearful heartbreak and my big dreams diminished into life goals instead. Teenage years consisted of trying to complete the next stage of my life and so I never was that person who looked ahead in their life, waiting for that day to come when your dream was a reality.

2011

It wasn't until I had my heart broken for the first time when I needed to start focusing on my future and what I wanted for myself. My first dream was to be a designer, making it in London and living a life full of creativity and inspiration. I'm happy to say with a LOT of hard work and determination I made it through college and university into a company that ticks all those boxes and boy does it feel good. It's funny though, reaching and grabbing hold of what you thought was your life's dream sometimes makes you realise it's not, it actually just turned out to be a career goal of mine. 

During the years of reaching my "dream" me and my boyfriend (now fiancé...WIN!!) went to Paris when I was 21 years old. It was our first trip together and what better than spending your birthday weekend with the love of your life in one of the most romantic cities in the world?? wrong! 

It was actually really stressful and tiring and we ended up spending most of our time oversleeping at the hotel as it had the comfiest bed I have ever slept in, still to this day! Don't get me wrong, it could have been everything I wish for but I didn't plan anything, I was moody for it and I felt we never got out of it what we were hoping. What it did do was unleash that dream of travel from inside me...that feeling of pure freedom where I was in a place where no one knew who I was or what I was about and I could just be me. Thing is, what I also learnt is that if I was truely going to create the dream I wanted then I needed to plan, gain knowledge and do all the leg work before hand so I could just go and soak it all in. 

So here are my top 3 tips that I now swear by every time I travel: 

1) Print out a map of the area you are going

Using letters or numbers, mark out places you want to visit on the map. I would recommend you categorise them by food, cool places, buildings, art, culture etc so you know exactly what they are (great time to whip out all that stationary you are holding). Mark them down and only write in vital information like times they are open, kind of food etc then on your travels you can wake up knowing there is plenty to do but without the fixated plans. This is the perfect way to travel organised but spontaneous at the same time! I have found that if everything is too planned it can be really stressful. You end up trying to hard to be here there and everywhere at certain dates and times which stops you from enjoying what is around you and at the very worst, from making your own discoveries. 

2) Use a BnB (now Air BnB)

This is the best way to experience life like a local. You will be in an area where they hangout and eat (always the best restaurants) plus staying in a house/apartment that oozes culture. When in Paris for the second time we were lucky to find a little apartment set into a French courtyard with French windows and beautul art on the walls. Also the host will give you all the local knowledge which is sometimes better than your own research! And you never know, you may make a friend or two.

3) Stray away from the tourist areas

I know it good to see all the main sites of a place but for me that's what I am least interested in as I have already seen it a hundred times over online, in magazines and through art. This is also a good tip for places to stay, plus it's cheaper too! Go for a walk or get on a train outside of the city centre and see what is around. Of course do a little research too but this is when you will really start having little adventures of your own. Speak to a blogger that lives in the area or find places for yourself, any way you like just do it! Trust me, these will be the memories you remember. 

2014 

The 'Love Lock' bridge has now been pulled down!

So thank you to my 21 year old moody unappreciative self and partner for taking me on this trip, because if I never had that first experience then I would have never enjoyed the amazing trips I did afterwards. I did actually end up going back a couple of years ago with my mum and with those tips we ended up having the most fun filled adventure ever and discovered some great local eats! I fell in love with the city after that and I can't wait to back again sometime.

For now though I need to start fulfilling that travel dream of mine by visiting as many new places as I can in my lifetime! I haven't been to many yet but I'm going to start with Europe as there is a lot of amazing places that I am yet to discover! Id advice giving GoEuro a look when booking your trip as they are great at finding the best prices and ways to travel, plus you can add in if you have a travel card and there is also an option to select Air BnB in the area your looking, which makes the hassle of booking a trip much easier!

Let me know if you have any travel tips that I can add onto my list as I'm sure there are lots I haven't discovered yet. Live the adventure! 

Khrissie x

#Blogmas 4: Friday Favourites

Today I am going to share with you my top 4 favourite Christmas films. The weekend is the one where I am finishing off my Christmas shopping and curling up to one of my favourite movies with snacks and hot chocolate. So here it is...

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My favourite film of all time, is of course ELF!

This is a favourite of the nation and I'm not surprised. It's full of Christmas charm, wit and love! It carries a special Christmas message and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I also love how funny it is. Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf so well, I almost feel this is his alter ego for real. If you haven't seen it yet, download it now or buy the DVD as its one you are going to want to treasure forever!

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Number 2 on my list has to be 'A Puppets Christmas Carol'

This is a film I watched every year when I was a kid for as long as I can remember. It always seems to be showing on the TV during December and so I try not to miss it. I didn't get to watch it last year which stupidly upset me, so it is time to buy the DVD. Not sure why I haven't purchased it already to be honest.

It is a great alternative to the classic Christmas Carol and Scrooge films you might have seen. A story about a selfish man at Christmas who gets taken back to his past when he was a much nicer person, to the present day where he can see all the misery he has caused and finally, what will happen in the future. This leads to a massive change in personality for Scrooge and it ends on a happy note. This is a feel good family film with the addition of the well known puppets such as Kermit included to make it a little bit more fun.

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Number 3 is The Grinch

This is a great movie! Very much a family movie with yet another message similar to Muppets Christmas Carol. This is a story about a grinch who doesn't like Christmas as he is green and used to get bullied when he was little. His first love let him down and so it turned his heart dark, which led him to being very lonely with no one else but his dog. Cindy Lou is a sweet girl and loves Christmas more than anyone. She is the only one who isn't scared of the Grinch and through the film, warms his heart through a series of events. Its a happy ending where 'Who Town' where they all live is a much happier place. The sing, dance and enjoy the festivities together.

Jim Carey plays the Grinch in this, he is one of my favourite actors as I love his stupid ways. He plays the role to perfection so much so I don't think the film would be the same without him. Make sure this is on your christmas film list this year.

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Number 4 is Love Actually.

Its a feel good romantic comedy about love at Christmas. Through the film you watch peoples lives change for better or worse in love and friendship. You follow along a few stories at a time, which confused me the first time I watched it, but once you get the hang of it and figure out who everyone is, its a delight to watch. It has a lot of famous faces in it from Keira Knightly to Liam Neeson so you know its going to be good before you watch it. A few tears will fall and laughter laughed but its the ending which leaves a smile on your face.

I hope you liked reading about my top 4 Christmas films this year. There are still a few I have never seen like Arthur Christmas which I need to add to my watch list so I have a lot of snacking and hot chocolate making to do.

Leave your top 3 down below as I would love to add some more to my list this year.
Until tomorrow

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 

Road Trip: South of the UK

Hello there you lovely lot!

I hope your having a wonderful week! The sunshine has been incredible this week, its a shame it will only last that long too, as it seems to brighten everyones mood. Travelling to work has been a tricky one though, with temperatures rising to 35 degrees and with no air to breathe. I cant complain about it as its much better than trying to keep out of the wind a rain, especially when you decide to go on a road trip around the UK, this is the kind of weather I was wishing for but weren't quite so lucky to get.

You might have seen one of my previous posts where I was giving you some ideas of what to do on a lazy weekend. Going on a little road trip was one of them and so me and Nick hired a little car and headed down to the south coast of the UK for a long weekend.

The image above shows the flat we stayed in on our little trip. It was a quaint little place in the heart of Graffham, West Sussex and situated on a little plot of land on the hosts property, surrounded by fields and horses. It was really quiet compared to London which I loved as I felt I could really relax in my happy place. The only issue was that there was no signal or wifi but that ended up being a god send as it felt that no one could contact us, and we could just spend some quality time together without getting disturbed.

The host, Penny and her husband were really lovely. They give you everything you need including some fresh walnut bread and eggs from their chickens. This made for a wonderful breakfast and topped with some homemade jam, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Just look at that view!

While we didnt have a very good experience with Europcar as we had to wait hours to pick it up as they had made a massive balls up with their service, we did manage to make the most of our time away even though half of our first day was spent sorting out that mess.

We visited Portsmouth and New Forest which were both lovely but accompanied by some wet and windy weather. New Forest was by far our favourite place and we plan to visit again some time, maybe for a weekend of camping. Its surrounded by fields and has lots of little villages tucked away in it for a spot of shopping. You can by fresh produce and the locals are always on hand to help if your looking for something in particular.

We ate lots of good food and filled my cravings of Nachos and talked about life, the world and what we want to do next. I think its really important to take time out of your stressful lives and spend it with the people that mean the most to you, as it can give you a new perspective on things.

Life can be hard and a lot to deal with at the best of times but if you remind yourself or what you have and things you have achieved no matter how big or small than it can seem that little bit better. Remember to be kind and to not compare yourself to others and life can be full of sunshine, even when you do live in London and it does rain 80% of the time.

We had a really lovely time away. Its always great to appreciate the country you live in and make the most of what you have around you without spending a fortune. The next stop is going to be Scotland as I've always wanted to go there but this time in a cold climate so I can snuggle up in a log cabin somewhere.

I hope you have enjoyed this little post.
Let me know if you have been anywhere nice lately?

Love Khrissie x

Jewellery: Dolly Box

Happy bank holiday weekend everyone! Spring has well and truly sprung and so I thought I would treat myself to a Dolly Box. This is a one off box subscription curated by Kate Murnane of 'Dolly Bow Bow' on YouTube, consisting of 4 everyday pieces of jewellery and one statement necklace. After seeing how beautiful the pieces are from her shop and the great taste she has in fashion, I just had to give it a go. 

This spring the box was inspired by Paris which I didn't know until I received the box. I was really happy as I have wonderful memories of Paris and so wearing pieces that represent the wonderful city of love is just wonderful. The package comes in a black box (pictured above) with the cutest bow around it. Once opened the pieces are neatly displayed in sweet little pink bags. 

The first piece I opened up was this adorable rose gold necklace of the Paris skyline. Rose gold is my new favourite colour of metal so I was really pleased with this. 

I then opened up the cutest little silver earrings. They are inspired by the lovelock bridge and would look cute on any earlobes, the only problem you have is deciding what ear you put them on.

Next up was this beautiful rose gold heart ring, which you can wear with the necklace for a love inspired themed outfit. Its so dainty, it would look gorgeous layered with some other simple rings.

Last of the pink pouches was this yellow-gold bracelet with the French phrase 'je t'aime' which means 'I love you', how sweet. The only problem is that I have the smallest wrists in the world and its miles too big for me. I'm going to keep it non the less and see if theres some way of changing the chain to something I can alter.

I was really happy with all the pieces I received, not remembering there was another surprise awaiting my eyes. Behind the pale pink tissue paper a dainty chain was poking out. I lifted the paper to realise the most gorgeous statement necklace was waiting for me! I mean... look at this!

Light rose gold with flowers in the most amazing soft pink hues, its just too pretty! Perfect for pairing with a cute cream day dress to add some sparkle on a picnic date with your loved on by the eiffel tower! (breathe) It just makes me dream of wonderful memories with my favourite person! <3

The box is sold at £26.99 but as it included the statement necklace and as your getting another 4 pieces of hand selected jewellery on top of that, I feel like its a pretty good price. I was really happy with the selected items anyway and now that Kate has redesigned her website and business cards, I'm sure its going to be an even more exciting box to receive.

Thanks Kate for an amazing box. I look forward to the future subscriptions to come out. In the meantime check out her shop as there are some amazing pieces on there and I've just noticed a home where section which I need to grab a few pieces from quick!

I hope your enjoying your weekend and you enjoyed this post.
Let me know if there is anything you would like to see from me as I want to start getting back into
blogging again as I have missed it! I've just had other things I've had to deal with first :)

Love Khrissie x

A resolution for us all!

Resolutions are great because it makes us all think in a positive way! We tell ourselves what we want to change so we are happier people, but why is it so hard to keep those promises? It's because we put too much pressure on ourselves to make those changes and normally ask ourselves to change a lot all at once.

This year I'm going to have one resolution and it's very simple: 'To be happy and make other people happy' 

So no matter what that might entail I don't have to put pressure on myself to be a whole new person as soon as January 1st begins because who cares if we have flaws, are slightly messy and put on a bit of weight over the holidays, we were happy doing it so why punish ourselves? 

Things for me are going to change in 2015 with being happy in the forefront of my mind but for now I'm gong to focus on the things that make me happy right now!

My friends, family and my wonderful boyfriend are something I never want to change as they make me the happiest of all! I'm spending my new year with the boyfriends wonderful family and enjoying a takeaway with some fireworks to finish and to be honest I can't think of anything better. 

Thank you to all who have read and commented on my blog and helped to make it grow to what it is right now, I can't wait to see where the new year takes me! 

Have an amazing evening and I'll see you in 2015 for the beginning of a happy life! 

Love Khrissie 

KhrissieLoves: Nics Picks

Real Techniques: 'Nic's Collection' £29.99

Ive been loving make up brushes for quite a while now. I find it crazy that I never used to use them back in the day, mainly because they weren't very good. The bristles came out onto my face as soon as they touched my skin and a flawless finish seemed a thing of mystery.

Real Techiques were the first brand I tried that really amazed me, firstly because of how soft they were. This was back when bloggers such as Llymlrs and Zoella were bragging about them in most of their videos, making me head straight to Boots as soon as I had the chance to pick them up myself. My first brush I brought was actually the stippling brush as I wanted to test one of them first before I invested in more, which ended in a loving friendship and from then on my collection grew.

I've seen Nic's Picks collection around for a while now but never thought about actually buying them for some reason. I was on Feel Unique one day, in a spendy mood and decided to go for it! I received them in their lovely packaging a few days later to be wowed with how soft they were. As soon as I had the chance, I put them to the test as I couldn't wait to see what the results would be. Not to my surprise, they were amazing!

I love how in this collection you get three brushes for your eyes and two for your face which works out really cost effective as those mac blending brushes can be quite costly on their own and these do just as good a job.

Sam and Nic are so amazing at makeup and I love their beauty channel! If you haven't seen them in action, go check them out, your going to be addicted. You can buy Nics Picks here and all their other brushes which are available here

Hope you have had a lovely weekend
Love Khrissie x