New Year’s Eve Games Ideas

So with New Year’s Eve literally around the corner everybody is buzzing with what great plans they have to bring in the New Year. Although a tad overrated, I always love New Year because I see it as an opportunity to have quality time with whoever I spend it with. It’s become something of a tradition that I spend it with my best friends (in my opinion nothing could be better); and among the alcohol and laughter, gossip and good food, we LOVE a board game. So this year is no different. I’m spending the evening with my best pals and we’ve all been instructed to bring a board game along with everything else!

Speaking to a few of my friends both offline and online this seems to be a common occurrence this year, with people opting to stay inside with friends rather than face the extortionate prices and possible regret a night out may bring. I can safely say that long gone are the days where I would sacrifice food for a very expensive night out, to then spend HOURS queuing to get into the same place I would go every weekend, and to top it all off to then have to queue to get to the bar. And of course not forgetting the impossible task of finding a taxi home. Nope.

 

So I thought I would list some of the best board games I have experienced, and feel free to add to this, what are your favourite board games?

 

5 Second Rule

Nope, not a game developed from dropping your food on the floor and deeming it safe to eat; this game is a fast talking fast thinking game where you have five seconds to answer questions such as naming 3 breeds of dog, or four countries beginning with the letter b. Seems easy but under pressure it’s comical what people come out with! Add alcohol to the mix and this game is seriously hilarious.

 

Pie Face

A game of nerves, players load the throwing arm with squirty cream or whatever you want, maybe a wet sponge or even mashed potato depending on how brave you are! Somebody then places their head in the frame and turn the handle hoping not to be splatted in the face! It’s not the most complicated game in the world, but is definitely guaranteed to bring in some laugh. I have seen so many people playing this over Christmas, it must be a top buy this year!

 

Articulate

One of my favourite games, and one I am happy to admit I am rubbish at ha! This is another fast talking game where players try to describe as many card entries as possible to their team mates in 30 seconds. This needs a little bit of skill in terms of knowledge, but there are topics everyone can have a go at, it’s a cracking game.

 

Cranium

A firm favourite of mine. Introduced to me by one of my university friends, we still all play this as a group when we get together and it never gets old. Played in teams, you have until the egg timer runs out to complete tasks, which if won get you further round the board to eventually get into the Cranium Central area and complete the activities there. The activities are split into four groups: “Creative Cat”, which asks, amongst other things, that you sculpt a contact lense out of clay–or draw a picture of baked beans on toast (with your eyes closed, of course). Then there is “Data Head”–do you know where the saying “back to square one” originates? Did Thomas Crapper really invent the flushing toilet? Another activity is the “Word Worm”–can you spell words backwards or solve puzzles with a cryptic clue such as “nervous neckwear”? Finally, there is the “Star Performer” activity (all families have one or two in this category.) Get them to emulate a John Cleese sketch or act “a back seat driver”. When a team reaches Cranium Central, they have to complete one activity from each activity category to win. A sure favourite for whoever plays it.

 

Cards Against Humanity

Not one for the easily offended, but this game guarantees a good old cry-laugh. I’m chuckling even as I write this. The game is pretty simple really. Players each have a number of white cards with various awkward/disgusting answers. They take turns choosing a question on a black card, and players then try to answer it with their funniest card. All I can say is play this game! You can even get expansion packs of this game so the fun never ends, and if you were feeling really creative, go ahead and make up some of your own answers!

 

 

So there you have it, some of my favourite games. What are your favourite games to play?

Have a wonderful New Year whatever you are doing, I hope you spend it with loved ones and have lots of food, drink, laughter and love.

 

Love Sophie xxx

 

Hello Again…

Hey guys!

I cannot believe the last time I posted was AUGUST. So much has happened since then; both good times and some maybe not so good, but now is time to get back on it. I have spent so much time thinking ‘oh I really must get back into my blog’, and life has just happened. So I apologise for that, I’m back 🙂

While I sit in my bed with a hot cup of tea I thought this would be the perfect time to look over my goals for the past year and review where I am so far. If anyone had told me this year would have gone the way it did I wouldn’t have believed them.

 

So… if you want to look at my post in January here it is

It’s so interesting to look back, this is one of the many reasons I love blogging. Do any of you guys do this, read back through old posts and get a little nostalgic? I love a bit of reminiscing.

 

So let’s have a look how I have done with my goals.

 

‘2015 is the year I complete my Post Graduate degree and (fingers crossed) become an Early years Teacher.’

I did it! I completed my EYTS in August woop! I worked so hard and it was all worth it, I was graded Outstanding which is unbelievable!

‘It will also be the year I truly focus on my blog, attend bloggers events and interact with my fellow bloggers!’

I have to be honest and say my blog took the back seat this year, and while I have made some amazing friends from blogging, I want to attend more events and meet my blogging friends next year.

‘I am also really hopeful that 2015 will be the year I feel a bit more settled, and spend more time with loved ones.’

Sadly this hasn’t really been the case. I lost two members of my family this year, which has been really tough on us all. It’s horrid how grief can affect you. I also had a really tough few months from September to November, and so I haven’t really felt settled at all. However, I feel so positive now I have had the time to grieve and restart, I feel secure in my relationship and my friends and family are just so wonderful! Here is to 2016.

‘I want to look back and see that 2015 was a pivotal year in my life in terms of career path. The year that I set my own challenges and surprised myself. I also want 2015 to be the year I embraced the people/things I love.’

I definitely see 2015 as a pivotal year in my life, although not how I thought it would be at all. I feel that due to shit (excuse my language but sometimes no other word will do) going on, I really have learnt about who I need in my life, as well as what I need to do to keep them in my life.

Rather than focus on work, work, work, for me, my lifestyle is what is important. My happiness. I work to live, not live to work. This next year is all about saying yes to new experiences, not being afraid to go for what I want, and being proud of who I love.

 

‘What is your number one goal for 2015?

Be a total badass, work hard, and play harder.’

 

I will carry this forward into 2016, I will continue to be a total badass.

 

 

 

In January I will be posting all of my new year’s resolutions, I can’t wait to read all of yours!

How do you think your 2015 has gone?

Was it how you expected it to be? Any surprises?

Love,

Sophie xxx

 

Mini Haircare Haul!

Hey guys! I hope you’re all having a relaxed and chocolatey Easter weekend 😀

I thought I’d share with you just a few haircare bits and bobs I got recently, let me know if you’ve tried any or you prefer something else, also if you’ve done a haircare review or haul, send me the link so I can read please 😀

Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo – Uplifting Volume

Ooh this is a goodun, I (like most girls) am always looking for a good dry shampoo that not only works but smells nice. There are so many more to choose from nowadays and this is one I’ve had a couple of times. It has a citrus like smell, without smelling gross, and I always get whiffs of it throughout the day. It does what I expect it to; makes my hair look clean. Also, unlike some others I have tried; there isn’t huge amounts of white powder to brush out which means if you’re in a rush, this is a good one to consider.

 V05 Ultimate Hold Hairspray

Just because I’m not keen on the heat defence spray does not mean I don’t like any V05 products, because this hairspray is badass. I know a lot of people LOVE the Tresemmé hairspray which I agree is awesome; but I loooove this! Smells amazing, holds the hair for a very long time. I work very long days and it stays all day and for that I adore it. It also gives my hair a nice shine without making it lok greasy which always works for me.

Pro:Voke Touch of Silver Brightening Shampoo

So this product I bought as my hair is looking slightly brassy (perks of platinum highlights) and while I take care of my hair sometimes it needs a bit of a toner to bring out the ashy tones and eliminate the brassy ones. It is bright purple which is a bit scary, and you should only use it a couple of times a week to ensure your hair is protected. I will do a review on this product as I know a lot of bloggers looking for a good toner!

Tresemmé Care and Protect Heat Defence Styling Spray

This is my go to heat defence spray. The first time I used this was when my previous housemate used it and the bathroom smelled glorious. Since then, it has been my loyal friend. Relatively cheap the bottle lasts for ages and only needs a couple of sprays to protect your locks. I did dabble with the V05 version of this but no matter what I try, this one is always my fave. Stick to what suits you!

Boots Coconut and Almond Leave in Conditioner

Ok girls, if you are a sucker for that gorgeous coconut/almond smell; buy this product. I haven’t tried it yet so I will feedback in terms of results. But jeez; the smell is INCREDIBLE. It has that gorgeous beachy scent, takes me on holiday as soon as I smell it. And it is an absolute BARGAIN at under £1.50. Go buy it, go!

Let me know if you have any great haircare products you’ve always used or that you’ve newly discovered!
And also, any blondes out there that have any recommendations for toner shampoo/silver saver I would love to hear from you!

Lots of love,

Sophie xx

Welcome To My Workspace.

I love my workspace.

It’s completely personal to me, a bit quirky, full of little interesting artefacts that remind me of where I’ve been and what I’ve experienced. Depending on my mood, I might sit at my desk and write up an essay for my postgrad degree, or if I’m feeling relaxed, I’ll sit on my bed and think up some blog ideas. Whatever it is I choose to do, I love that my room makes me feel comfortable and creative. It’s home.

I love light, so my workspace is airy, bright and full of lighter colours such as creams and whites, and you can see there are little pops of colour here and there. I keep my deskspace fairly minimal, like they say; tidy desk, tidy mind. The books I keep on my desk include notebooks (love a notebook, who doesn’t?), my Filofax, and my happy book. I also have a few postcards from various people and places. Looking at them just makes me ooze with nostalgia, and a smile always pops up on my face. For that split second I can look back and reminisce on those happy memories, then focus back on my work.

As I write about all kinds of stuff, I change up my space according to what I’m writing about. I have a lot of beauty and make up trinkets and treasures in my drawers, but the things I use most I keep out for ease of access. I guess you could say I’m a bit of a magpie, in that small sparkly things really attract my eye and I love to see them on display! One thing I’m definitely working on is how to create a bit more storage for my beauty products, so any suggestions feel free to send them my way! How do you store you makeup?

I love that my bookshelf is overflowing with different recipe books, children’s books, romantic novels and photo albums. I love to look at things that bring back amazing memories and inspire me to make more. I’m so lucky to have travelled so far in my life so my little tourist books are always on display!

 

Another thing in my space is a lot of interior design magazines. I am always dabbling with different ideas and themes to create my dream environment, especially innovative ways to use the tiny amount of space I have. Through my mini interior design journey I came across WeWork who are a coworking  company that specialise in creating shared workspaces. On their site you can see some of their amazing spaces, all designed for people like us bloggers and beyond! They really motivated me to have a think about my space, and how I can make it unique and personal to me, and get my creative juices flowing. Check out their Twitter page here.

Check my Pinterest to see some of the workspace ideas I’ve pinned, and feel free to send me any links to your Pinterest boards in the comments! Follow me on twitter, my name is @sophie_d247

I’d love to see some of your spaces, send me your blog links 😀

Love,

Sophie xx

January – Essentials To Get Me Through

January is that horrid month. You’re skint from Christmas festivities and pay day seems miles away, have eaten way too many mince pies, no amount of layering warms you up, and your skin is in need of some real TLC.

Like a lot of people, January makes me feel blue sometimes. I need my survival essentials.

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic
This was a Christmas gift. It came as part of a pack which included the Hot Cloth Cleansing Polish and 2 muslin cloths.

My love for Liz Earle products grows every day. This tonic along with the polish has made my problem skin so much clearer. It feels like my pores are thoroughly cleansed, and there is no redness. The smell is amazing and I can see my skin seems brighter since I have been using it. The first time I used it was when I saw Zoella using it all those years ago and I’ve used it ever since!

No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream
This cream is for normal/oily skin, is SPF 15 and is hypo-allergenic. I specifically chose this moisturiser because it is light yet really hydrates my skin – essential for this cold weather. Does anybody else find their skin is so dry during the Winter Months? I also absolutely adore the smell of this cream, it is mild and fresh, and if they bottled the smell I would be wearing it in a heartbeat!

Tangle Teezer
I got my tangle teezer for Christmas after wanting one for SO. LONG. I’m pretty late on the old tangle teezer bandwagon, but have loved them since discovering one of my favourite youtubers Gabby has a larger than life love for them too. They really are amazing. When I first used it I was worried that it’s tiny bristles would snap in my thick hair but they get rid of all my knots and my hair feels soooo soft after using it. It is the perfect size to fit in your handbag, and you can get every colour imaginable. They also do a compact teezer which is even smaller to fit in your bag, and that one has a cover to protect the bristles. Highly recommend!

Next mini perfumes
I got two of these for Christmas and I love them both! I got Cashmere from my Christmas blogger swap Rachel in my little gift box and I carry it around with me in my handbag! It has a subtle powdery musk scent and is also slightly floral. I like the delicate scent and you could wear this day or night.
I got Femme from my Mum, and I actually love this for nights out or dinner with friends. It has a slightly oriental fragrance and is lovely and fruity. I would recommend both to you all, I know perfume is very personal so go to Next and smell them!

Options Hot Chocolate Mint
The Wintery months call for lots of hot drinks, and during my hunt for low fat hot chocolates to fit in with Slimming World I have rediscovered my love for Options Hot Chocolate Mint! I like all the flavours but this one is my ultimate favourite. It really fills the spot and makes me feel all yummy and warm inside 🙂

Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Crayons
I got this set for Christmas and live with at least one of these in my handbag at all times. It contains three crayons, in ‘Fuchsia-ristic’, ‘bashful’ and ‘raplumzel’. Out of the three, I would say bashful is my favourite as it is more of a pinky nude, and can be worn with most things. That’s not to say I don’t like the others! I looove the plum colour of raplumzel and fuchsia-ristic is very bright but still quite subtle. These crayons are not too pigmented, so nice to wear through the day, I would probably add a bit of lippy to them if I were to wear them at night, just to bring the colour out a little more.
Side note: they smell INCREDIBLE.

Crabtree and Evelyn Ultra-moisturising hand therapy in Avocado, olive and basil.
This hand cream is amazing. I went into Crabtree and Evelyn to buy a gift for my boss, and came out with this. After trying the sample I was desparate to buy it and I’m so glad I did. This is a staple in my handbag. Without being too oily, my hands feel soft and moisturized, and working with children I constantly wash my hands so need a rich moisturizer to stop my hands cracking. Even the smell indicates this moisturizer is of a good quality.

These lovely things have pulled me through January and ensured I don’t constantly feel January blues. Let me know your January staples, and if you use anything similar!

Speak soon,

Sophie xxx

The Benefits of Green Tea

Hello everybody!

So recently I’ve started what can only be called a change of lifestyle; I’ve joined Slimming World and I am making a conscious effort to lose weight. I’m on week three so once there is a significant change I’ll blog about it 🙂

One thing I’ve really got into during my ‘lifestyle change’ (I refuse to say diet) is introducing healthy foods and drinks into my daily routine, and so I’ve started drinking more green tea. I have always loved green tea (along with all other types of tea) but ever since reading lots of different things stating the different benefits of green tea I’ve made it part of my life. This post is a celebration of all things green tea.

Quick bit of information for those tea lovers, all tea is produced from the Camellia sinensis plant. The fresh leaves are steamed to produce green tea, whereas other types of tea go through a fermentation stage. Green tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, to treat literally anything, from a headache to a more serious condition. They’ve definitely got the right idea!

Some of the benefits:

It contains B vitamins, potassium, folate (naturally occurring folic acid), magnesium and caffeine.

It has anti-inflammatory qualities, proven to reduce skin damage and improve wrinkles, as well as sun damage.

It lowers the risk of diabetes.

It kills bacteria; improving dental health and the risk of infection.

It burns fat; improving physical performance and boosting weight loss.

The natural caffeine improves brain performance, and is linked to reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

It combats cardiovascular disease.

It reduces cholesterol.

I’m sure there are many other benefits people who drink green tea have found, and there are many websites with information!

Having made this a part of my daily routine I can say I feel much more alert, my bloating has reduced and I feel happier which I know is part of my routine becoming more active as well, but I know green tea has played a huge part. I also suffer from a bit of anxiety and I feel like that has definitely improved. Whether that be the actual tea or the physical affects is making my mind a lot calmer and positive, either way I’m feeling really happy these days.

I would love to hear if anybody else has felt the benefits of green tea, or if they don’t feel them or disagree, so get in touch with your thoughts 🙂

Speak soon,

Sophie xxx

My 2015

Hello everybody!

Happy New Year and all that jazz!

I hope you all had a fabulous time bringing in the New Year, and I’m sure most people have some goals they have set for themselves! New year, new start.

I am a total believer in a fresh slate, and although some people don’t like to use the new year as an excuse for it, I feel it helps to set a clear start date, and what date is better than the 1st January.

So I came across these questions and while I have my own set of personal resolutions and a 2015 Bucket list which I will be sharing soon, these questions are very helpful in terms of reflection and setting some goals.

So here we go:

What do you want the overarching theme for your 2015 to be?

2015 is the year I complete my Post Graduate degree and (fingers crossed) become an Early years Teacher.

It will also be the year I truly focus on my blog, attend bloggers events and interact with my fellow bloggers!

I am also really hopeful that 2015 will be the year I feel a bit more settled, and spend more time with loved ones.

What do you want to see, discover, explore?

Ooh that’s a tricky one, I want to see all of my friends, travel to their home towns and have them visit me, make memories together and value their company.

I want to discover more about the blogging world.

I want to explore a part of the world I have never been to before. May as well set the target pretty high hey?

Who do you want to spend more time with in 2015?

My lovely family and friends, old friends I have reconnected with, and hopefully some new friends along the way.

What skills do you want to learn, improve or master?

I would really like to learn more about my field (education) and gain more experience through my job.

I would love to improve my blogging skills, particularly my knowledge of beauty and fashion.

Is it too much to ask to master my baking skills?!

Which personal quality do you want to develop or strengthen?

My networking skills. I love to meet new people, but like a lot of people I do get a touch of the old anxiety which prevents me from meeting or sometimes interacting with people. It’s something I really want to challenge head on, so I am really going to work hard at interacting with new people!

What do you want your everyday life to be like?

I feel like I wasted a lot of time last year, so I want my everyday life to be productive. I want to be busy, and full of smiles. Sometimes it is so easy to get stuck in a rut and think you’ve got it really bad, without considering others who may be worse off! I work 40 hours a week, do my Post grad part time, and I want to commit at least one post a week on my blog. In between all this I want to spend as much time with friends as possible. It’s completely do-able with time management and a positive attitude!

Which habits do you want to change, cultivate or get rid of?

I want to cultivate my worried self into an organised girl, who does things because I enjoy them, not because I think it will make people like me or think better of me.

I want to completely get rid of my anxiety, but I don’t think it’s quite as easy as that.

What do you want to achieve career-wise?

I think like most people, I just want to do something I enjoy. Whether that be continue in child care or move on to something new. 2014 taught me that nobody’s path is set, and that life is far too short to stay in something because you’re worried you won’t find anything better!

How do you want to remember the year 2015 when you look back on it 10/20/50 years from now?

I want to look back and see that 2015 was a pivotal year in my life in terms of career path. The year that I set my own challenges and surprised myself. I also want 2015 to be the year I embraced the people/things I love.

What is your number one goal for 2015?

Be a total badass, work hard, and play harder.

I invite all my fellow bloggers to see if they can answer these questions, send me the link to your blog so I can read them, I look forward to seeing your answers!

Love,

Sophie xxx

Teaday Tuesday!

Hello everybody 🙂

As I was in the health shop I came across this little treasure and I’m so glad I decided to try it!

One of my favourite flavours is coconut, so you can imagine my glee when I saw this tea sitting on the shelf much like a queen sitting in her throne.

It’s Green tea with coconut!

As described on the packaging, this tea is an ‘exotic combination of green tea and coconut with delicate lychee’.

When I first brewed the tea, I wasn’t hugely impressed by the scent it gave off, I couldn’t detect the coconut it had promised me. But like all tea, the taste is always so different to the smell.

What I found was this tea was soft, smooth and full of different flavours, all so delicate they weren’t overpowering.

I loved that I could taste coconut ever so gently, and I could taste the lychee which was very subtle. This tea made me feel warm inside and comforted, like I had a big fluffy blanket warming me right to my insides. Normally I stick to green tea in summer but this is definitely an all rounder.

I can even say that this tea has so many health benefits which all tie into green tea.

Just a couple of benefits of green tea:

• metabolism speeds up
• contains antioxidants and so detoxes your body
• soothes acne
• natural caffeine gives you energy

So give it a whirl, it’s worth it! And so cheap at £3!

Let me know if you have ever tried a tea with a coconut flavour, I’m intrigued to see if there are more gooduns!

Love,

Sophie xx

Teaday Tuesday

Hello everybody!

Firstly let me say thank you to the lovely people who read this, I started this blog as a way to write about what I love, particularly to keep me sane through my postgrad. It’s purely based on my own interests so to see people read my posts is really lovely. Enough of the sop now, I promise 🙂

On to the tea!

So this week has really taken a turn for the worse; frosty mornings and short days surrounded by darkness. I have spent a fair few hours in the cold waiting for trains, playing outside with the children at nursery and walking the dogs, and one thing that makes it more bearable is a lovely steaming drink to warm my cockles!

This week I have been loving Tesco Finest’s Vanilla Chai tea.

I first discovered this tea in Australia. I’d popped round to my gorgeous friend Nichole’s little place in Bronte and we were having a girly chill night. She made me a cup of tea (in the microwave, she didn’t have a kettle ha) and instantly I was in love. With the tea.

Today I chose to enjoy this tea as I was snuggled in bed reading The Hunger Games yet again, along with cuddling my lovely dog Molly. Heaven.

This tea is best without milk, and is definitely better from a teapot, as most teas are. It’s a very fragrant tea, and I would say it has a bit of spice to it which is why it’s perfect on a cold Winter’s night. The vanilla flavour is very subtle but takes it to a slightly sweeter taste, to take the edge off the spice.

If they bottle the smell of this drink, or made a candle with the scent I would buy it in a flash; to me it smells like Christmas time: cinnamon, star of anise, a distinct Wintery scent.

I would recommend this tea to those who like a herbal black tea, maybe you like green tea, or even lapsang souchong.

If you have tried this do let me know  what you thought 😀

Love,

Soph xxx

Teaday Tuesday!

Hello everybody!

A lot of people say that Tuesday is the worst day of the week. The novelty of Monday is over and the weekend looks so far away you can’t even imagine. The fun and well deserved rest of the weekend is all but forgotten and so continues the long slog of the rest of the week.

I totally feel that, but as a very positive person, I love a Tuesday, because I get to drink a delicious tea and write about it! I’m  currently curled up on the sofa with my little chum Molly, the fire is roaring and my tea is steaming.

I went for a very traditional Afternoon tea. This particular tea is from Whittard’s of Chelsea. I  must say that they are my favourite brand of tea thus far; I have spent many hours of my time browsing the shelves and trying out all of their teas.  This particular one was bought for me by one of my besties Amy, she knows my love for tea!

I won’t go on about the complex flavours and scents of this tea. I will just say it is quite light, very warming, yet the flavour is quite rich, with a hint of a smokey, slightly honeyed taste. This to me is the epitome of an Afternoon tea.

Enjoyed best with a mince pie ❤

Let me know what you think, have you tried this one? What is your favorite tea brand?

Love,

Sophie xxx