CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 2019
I’ve put together a quick christmas gift guide for those of you who are still searching for the perfect gift! I’ve sorted them out into categories and hope you like them!
Gifts for the home
gifts for her
GIFTS FOR HIM
for the traveller
for the gadget lover
25 THINGS IM GRATEFUL FOR
SO TODAY I TURN 25 YEARS OLD AND TO THINK THAT I ACTUALLY MADE IT TO 25 IS CRAZY TO ME. AS SOMEONE WHO NEVER THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE WHERE THEY ARE TODAY I’M GRATEFUL FOR SO MANY THINGS AND MANY ASPECTS OF MY LIFE. I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE SOME THINGS THAT I’M GRATEFUL FOR OVER THE YEARS.
MY HEALTH. WITH BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL A LOT FOR MY WORK IT HAS GOTTEN ME TO EXPLORE THE WORLD AND MYSELF A LOT MORE BUT THAT ALSO COMES WITH A LOT OF LOW IMMUNITY. I REMEMBER 2 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS TRAVELLING SO MUCH I WAS ILL ABOUT 9 MONTHS OUT OF 12 WHICH REALLY TOOK A TOLL ON MY BODY. FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, ITS TAUGHT ME TO SLOW DOWN, SAY NO TO PROJECTS AND DO MORE SELF CARE.
MY FAMILY. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF SHIT INDIVIDUALLY AND TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS. I THINK THE PAST FEW YEARS I REALLY PUT MY FAMILY FIRST AND VALUE THE BOND WE HOLD TOGETHER. NO MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE IS WE’RE THERE TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT AND TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER. AT THE END OF THE DAY, BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER.
OLI. I DON’T WANNA GET SOPPY AT ALL BUT TO BE WITH THIS GUY SINCE I WAS 17 HAS LITERALLY CHANGED MY LIFE AND MY OUTLOOK ON THINGS. WE HAVE GROWN SO MUCH TOGETHER AND INDIVIDUALLY AND CAN SAFELY SAY WE’VE BOUGHT OUT EACH OTHERS BEST SIDE. I DON’T THINK I’VE MET ANYONE MORE CARING AND PATIENT. OK ENOUGH SOPPYNESS FOR NOW!
MY GIRLFRIENDS. I’VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE I HAVE A VERY SMALL GROUP OF CLOSE FRIENDS I CAN CHAT TO ABOUT ANYTHING. THEY ARE SUPER SUPPORTIVE AND JUST GET MY MIND AND SENSE OF HUMOUR. I KNOW THESE GIRLS WILL BE IN MY LIFE FOREVER NOW AND I CAN’T WAIT TO CREATE MORE FUN MEMORIES WITH THEM.
MY SMILE. FOR THE LONGEST TIME MY BIGGEST INSECURITY WAS MY TEETH. I HAD SO MANY TROLLS LEAVE COMMENTS ABOUT THEM AND IT GOT TO ME FOR A WHILE. 2 YEARS AGO I TOOK A LEAP AND SCHEDULED A VISIT TO THE DENTIST (GUYS I HAD A PHOBIA OF GOING TO THE DENTIST SO THIS WAS A BIG DEAL FOR ME!) AND IT CHANGED MY LIFE. NOW I FIND MYSELF SMILING ALL THE TIME AND I NEVER KNOW MY TEETH COULD BRING ME SO MUCH JOY AND CONFIDENT. I DIDN’T MAKE THE CHANGE TO PLEASE ANYONE ON THE INTERNET BUT FOR MYSELF AND IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY.
6. LIFE ITSELF. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS STRUGGLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH ITS BEEN A LONG ROAD TO GET TO WHERE I AM NOW. OF COURSE SOME DAYS MAY BE A LITTLE HARDER THAN OTHERS BUT OVER ALL I’M SO MUCH MORE CONTENT WITH LIFE AND MYSELF NOW. also when i feel like im in a low point in my life i just remind myself that there are others out there in a more unfortunate place than me. it makes whatever situation i’m in super small and i find a solution to pull myself back together.
7. MY TUTOR AND COUNSElER IN HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN I FIGURED OUT THERE WAS A WHOLE LOAD OF ISSUES I COULDN’T FIX MYSELF I ASKED FOR HELP. I WASN’T PLANNING ON IT BUT I REMEMBER APPROACHING MY TUTOR AND JUST BROKE DOWN CRYING AND ASKING FOR SOME SORT OF HELP. HE WAS SO UNDERSTANDING AND GOT ME TO TALK TO A COUNSELLOR AT SCHOOL AND THAT REALLY STARTED MY HEALING PROCESS FROM A LOT OF THINGS. I THINK ASKING FOR HELP REALLY ISN’T A SIGN OF WEAKNESS BUT A SIGN OF STRENGTH AND SHOWS THAT YOU WANT TO BE BETTER. YOU HAVE THE STRENGHT TO PUSH YOURSELF OUT OF A DARK PLACE AND INTO THE LIGHT.
8.ROOF OVER MY HEAD. I’VE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE I WAS HOMELESS FOR A GOOD WHILE SO BEING ABLE TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER IS JUST MENTAL TO SAY. ALL I CAN SAY IS HARD WORK REALLY PAYS OFF. IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO SOMETHING ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.
9. MY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. I DIDN’T HAVE THE BEST SCHOOL EXPERIENCE BUT IT MADE ME WHO I AM TODAY. IT THOUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT MYSELF. BEING ABLE TO BE INDEPENDENT. LEARNING THAT I’M AN INTROVERT. IT PREPARED ME FOR THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE I WAS GOING TO ENCOUNTER IN LIFE. IT THOUGHT ME HOW TO HAVE A THICKER SKIN AND THAT ITS PERFECTLY OK TO BE DIFFERENT. TO EMBRACE BEING UNIQUE.
10. MY EMOTIONS. I WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL PERSON GROWING UP AND THAT REALLY MESSED WITH MY HEART AND HEAD FOR A LONG TIME. THERE WAS A FEW YEARS I KIND OF SHUT THEM OFF AND REALISED IT WASN’T HEALTHY AT ALL. I’M STILL NOT A VERY 'SOPPY’ PERSON AND I STILL HAVE A HARD EXTERIOR BUT I’VE LEARNED THAT ITS OK TO CRY (IN FRONT OF PEOPLE TOO) AND TO REALLY LET SOMEONE KNOW IF THEY HURT MY FEELINGS IN ANY WAY. ITS A WAY OF MY MIND TO SPEAK OUT LOUD AND TO TOUCH BASE WITH MY INNER SELF.
11. FOOD. I LOVE FOOD AND I’M SO THANKFUL FOR EVERY KIND OF FOOD. I HAD A NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD FOR A BIG CHUNK OF MY TEENAGE YEARS AND NOW I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT WAS EVEN A TIME IN MY LIFE. I FIND HAPPINESS IN FOOD NOW AND I REALLY AM SO THANKFUL I CHANGED MY MINDSET, EDUCATING MYSELF OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOOD AND JUST CHANGING MY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD.
12. THE INTERNET. YUP I SAID IT. IT HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS BUT FOR ME PERSONALLY ITS BEEN A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE. FROM FINDING INSPIRATION ON TUMBLR TO LEARNING HOW TO TIE DYE ON YOUTUBE. TO DOING THIS AS MY JOB IS CRAZY. I WOULD BE SO ANXIOUS WITH WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO IN LIFE. HOW WAS I GOING TO FIND A JOB? HOW WAS I GOING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE? YOU KNOW, ADULT THINGS. THE INTERNET CAME ALONG IN MY LIFE WHEN I NEEDED IT THE MOST AND THE OUTCOME HAS BEEN SUCH A CRAZY HUMBLING JOURNEY I COULD ASK FOR.
13. A HOT SHOWER. I GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD IN THAILAND WHERE YOU HAD TO SHOWER OUT OF A BIG BUCKET OF COLD WATER. WE DID END UP GETTING A WATER HEATHER INSTALLED A LITTLE LATER BUT I SHARED A HOUSE WITH 6 PEOPLE SO IF WE RAN OUT OF HOT WATER WE HAD TO BOIL WATER AND MIX IT INTO A SMALLER BUCKET. SO YEAH, THE FACT I CAN TURN ON THE HOT TAP IN MY SHOWER AND HAVE A STEAM IS ONE OF LIFES BESTS FEELINGS.
14. SHARING A MEAL WITH FAMILY. ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO. ITS SOMETHING SO SIMPLE BUT ITS TIME TO BOND WITH YOUR FAMILY AND CATCH UP WITH EVERYONE.
15. LOS ANGELES. I LOVE LA WITH ALL MY HEART. ITS MY PLACE OF ZEN. MY PLACE WHERE I CAN ESCAPE TO AND FEEL MORE LIKE MYSELF. THE SUNSHINE, THE FOOD, MY FRIENDS AND THE BEACH IS ALL I CAN ASK FOR.
16.DOGS. ESPECIALLY MY FURY BABY DEXTER. HES BROUGHT SO MUCH JOY AND LIGHT INTO MY LIFE AND I CAN’T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT HIM. EVEN THOUGH HE FARTS ON ME ALL THE TIME AND DRIBBLES ALL OVER MY CLOTHES HE IS JUST A BUNDLE OF LOVE. HES GOT MY BACK AND I’VE GOT HIS.
17.SUNRISES, SUNSETS AND SUNSHINE. I AM A CHILD OF THE SUN. I LOVE HEAT AND WARM WEATHER. I’M FOREVER GRATEFUL WHEN THE UK HAS A SUNNY DAY OR WHEN I GET ON A FLIGHT TO A WARMER DESTINATION. A SUNRISE TO ME SIGNALS A FRESH NEW DAY AND NEW MINDSET AND A SUNSET TO ME SIGNALS THATS A BETTER DAY IS COMING. A RESET IF YOU MUST. BECAUSE EVERYDAY IS A FRESH START.
18. PHOTOGRAPHS. I DON’T HAVE MANY PHOTOS OF MY CHILDHOOD BUT I STARTED DOCUMENTING A LOT MORE OF MY LIFE ONCE I STARTED TUMBLR. THERE ARE SO MANY MEMORIES THAT I NEVER WANT TO FORGET SO I CAPTURE THEM ON FILM. I PREFER TO CAPTURE MOMENTS ON POLAROIDS OR 35MM FILM AS I THINK ITS MORE IN THE MOMENT AND I LIKE TO KEEP SOME PRIVATE. LIKE THE GOOD OLD DAYS.
19. MUSIC. I LISTEN TO MUSIC EVERY SINGLE DAY AND I DON’T THINK I CAN GO A DAY WITHOUT IT. ITS HELPED ME SO MUCH THROUGH SO MANY DARK MOMENTS AND ALSO HELPED CAPTURED SOME FUN AND POSITIVE MOMENTS IN LIFE. I THINK I HAVE A SONG FOR EVERY MOOD AND EVERY MOMENT I CHERISH. YOU GUYS AREN’T READY FOR THE WEDDING PLAYLIST.
20.CARTOONS. I WATCH CARTOONS MOST MORNINGS AND THEY HAVE SUCH A NOSTALGIC FEELING TO THEM. THEY BRING ME SO MUCH JOY AND GET ME BACK IN THE MEMORY OF HAPPINESS AS A CHILD. I COULD WATCH JOHNNY BRAVO, RECESS, ADVENTURE TIME AND SPONGEBOB ALL DAY LONG.
21. BIRTHDAYS. THIS IS MORE MY BIRTHDAYS AS IT MEANS I’VE GONE AROUND THE SUN ANOTHER 365 YEARS AND SURVIVED. I MADE IT. ANOTHER YEAR. ANOTHER CELEBRATION OF BEING ALIVE.
22.SHITTY RELATIONSHIPS I’VE HAD IN THE PAST. MY VIEW OF MEN REALLY DEGRADED BEFORE MEETING OLI. I JUST HAD A WARPED VIEW ON LOVE AND HOW I WAS SUPPOSE TO BE TREATED AND BEING IN THOSE SHITTY RELATIONSHIPS REALLY MADE ME EVALUATE MYSELF MORE. IT REALLY MADE ME QUESTION MY WORTH AND WHAT I WANT IN A PARTNER. YES THOSE RELATIONSHIPS DIDN’T WORK OUT BUT I LEARNED SOMETHING FROM EACH ONE OF THEM AND GREW STRONGER EACH TIME.
23. MISTAKES. YOU LEARN FROM THEM AND MOVE ON. I’VE LEARNED NOT TO DWELL ON IT AND JUST LOOK ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THINGS. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES AND NOT THE NEGATIVES.
24. BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL. DOING THIS HAS GIVEN ME THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL TO PLACES I NEVER THOUGHT I’D GET THE CHANCE TO. FROM SEYCHELLES, TO LA TO BALI AND DUBAI! I’M A WANDERLUST AT HEART SO BEING ABLE TO EXPLORE THE WORLD HAS MADE ME BE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO LEARN AND GROW INTO A BETTER PERSON.
25. YOU GUYS! WITHOUT YOU GUYS I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I DO NOW. NEVER IN A MILLIO YEARS I THOUGHT SHARING MY THOUGHTS WOULD BECOME MY JOB. THE SUPPORT AND LOVE YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN TO ME OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS HAVE BEEN INSANE AND I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERYONE ONE OF YOU PERSONALLY FOR BEING ON THIS JOURNEY WITH ME!
I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED MY LIST! IT REALLY TOOK ME A GOOD WHILE TO WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN BUT ITS JUST WHAT I NEED TO START THIS NEW YEAR AND CHAPTER IN MY LIFE. I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT BY NEXT BIRTHDAY I’M GOING TO BE CELEBRATING IT AS A WIFE. CHEERS TO WHATS TO COME!
XOXO
WEDDING INVITES - WHAT I CHOSE
this post contains affiliate links.
I ended up going for a custom route with my save the dates and wedding invites. I was looking on etsy and found over 1000’s of customisable templates and personalised invites super cheap. You either buy the template and edit and print out yourselves or commission an artist or graphics designer to create one for you. For my save the dates I ended up going with this beautiful tropical greenery one which matches my venue.
For the actual invitations I ended up going for a custom graphic by Tatiana Soash. I only just got the digital files for my invites and the details card as we have a website where our guests can find all the information about the big day on. we wanted to keep it minimal and modern. we didn’t want to spend a fortune on them so i just got them designed and printed myself using moo. i found them to be cheaper than going through a stationary company and i ended choosing the more luxe paper type for a cheaper fee. plus tatiana also sent us a file with just our names on so we’re using that as our wedding logo and having it printed on personalised bits through out the wedding.
For the envelopes i ended up going with black on black. i ordered these on world of envelopes and they are the more luxe paper ones. the labels i ended up using moo again and they arrived pretty quick. i have a discount code for 25% off your first order with moo if you are thinking of using them! just click here
to seal the envelopes i printed out our logo with my mini label maker i got and it came out really well!
I wanted to share with you guys some of the other templates I was looking at as well so I’ve popped them down below. (affiliate links)
ESTEE BRIDE
A peak into what my bridal beauty routine will look like!
Disclaimer: This video was sponsored by Estee Lauder.
Fringing it
This post may contain affiliate links. Photography by michaela efford
As we say goodbye to summer i’m loving the feeling of getting back into cosy knits. never thought i would be saying that as im a summer girl, always longing for the sun. I’ve kept it pretty simple as the jumper has the fringing detail with my high waisted black joni jeans from topshop and cream victorian style boots.
whats your go to autumn outfit? i’d love to know!
70'S BABE
Images by Michaela efford
All the 70’s vibe in this brown cord jumpsuit. I love how it looks more expensive than it was because of the fabric but it was actually from Nasty Gal!
Outfit
I’ve listed some other cord jumpsuits here for you guys too! hope you like them!
A/W TOPSHOP EDIT
MY A/W TOPSHOP EDIT
I’VE BEEN NEEDING TO ADD SOME A/W PIECES INTO MY WARDROBE AFTER BEING BACK FROM LA. I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE PERFECT TIME TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS MY FAVOURITE PIECES FROM TOPSHOP! I ALSO HAD A WARDROBE CLEAR OUT BEFORE MY TRIP AND IN NEED OF SOME NEW JACKETS AND COSY KNITS!
DISCLAIMER: THIS POST WAS NOT SPONSORED. LINKS ARE AFFILIATED.
A POP OF COLOUR
On the last morning of lfw i knew i had to shoot this outfit with michaela. i’m obsessed with the jeans to start off with. these are the levis rib cage jeans and they are so comfortable and flattering. i went for these ones that has the little gems on and i need to get my hands on the matching jacket to complete the canadian tux.
To compliment the fun denim i’m wearing i thought about pairing this yellow blouse with huge puffy sleeves to add to the drama. throw on my white pointed boots from zara and headed straight out!
these images were shot by michaela efford
I’ve linked what I’m wearing below with some alternatives which i think you might like!
Bags
Tops/blouses
sunglasses
boots
disclaimer: some items featured in this post were kindly gifted. some links used may be affiliated.