Sunday Summary #55

This will be a quick post as I'm feeling sorry for myself. Had an amazing Saturday night with my boyfriend at our friends house for a quiz night. We played Scattergories which is where you roll a dice with the alphabet on and then you have a list 12 things to think of beginning with the letter that was rolled on the dice. The timer gets set and off you go! To score points your guess can't match anyone else's. We played it for hours its so addictive and hilarious. Me and my boyfriend definitely want our own for our house. We also played The Best of TV and Movies. Its a board game but we were reading questions off the card with boys against girls, the first to raise their hand and get the right answer got the point. I was on fire during Harry Potter questions and kids programmes. I also got other random ones, its amazing what you know without realising it. A mixture of alcohol, curry, laughter and racing to beat six other people to score points was great until I got home and pretty much projectile vomited everywhere. Luckily I just made it to the bathroom. I've only just introduced indian food to my body so it could be a rough ride for a while until it gets used to it. I had the same issue with Chinese food. My boyfriend really looked after me, bless him, I felt so disgusting! But I'd had stomach ache all night and I felt so much better for getting everything out. Spent all day in bed with a tender tummy and falling asleep. I just got out of bed briefly to get a drink and I was going to photograph the other bits I bought this week but will add it into next weeks summary. I took some photos on Friday so I have some ready.
Its been another quiet week as I've worked more hours and its really taken it out of me. Its amazing how just a few extra hours of looking at paperwork and numbers can exhaust you so much. By Wednesday my eyes felt so sore and irritable. Its now only three weeks til I'm off work and I am certainly counting down the days! The weather is starting to pick up with the light seemingly longer and it hasn't been so cold. We've had a little layer of snow fall this evening and a crazy flurry earlier in the week. I can't wait to get all my little jackets out. I feel the cold far too much so have to wrap up until it starts to reach about 15 degrees which is probably still a way off!
I can't resist when Ministry of Sound bring out their Anthems albums and the Hip Hop III came out at the end of January and I decided to treat myself. I had a browse through the Asda website and found a pair of skinny jeans which seem identical to some pairs I got years ago that are my holy grail. I love wearing skinny jeans but they're so hard to find skinny enough for my legs. The Asda ones fit me like a glove everywhere, keep their tightness wash after wash and I just love them. I ruined one pair by sitting on a car battery and the fluid dissolved them :( to say I was heartbroken would be an understatement. I started wearing the two remaining pairs I have sparingly, desperately seeking another pair to stock up on. Its been three years to no avail but as I browsed the George jeans section I suddenly spotted a pair that looked awfully similar. The description was right and the ratings are all five stars, with women raving about them. I ordered three pairs and although the stitching is slightly different I think they could be just the ones! I haven't tried them on yet but I'm praying they're right!

I made a cheeky dash into Primark this week and found some little gems. I spotted these and couldn't resist. They also had a bright blue colour. I really want a pair of Vans but always wonder how comfortable they are with the deep sole. For £6 I thought I'd give these a whirl and see how I feel in them, plus I always worry about my skinny ankles so before I blow my money on Vans...

I love these claw clips. I've used them so much while growing my hair as they don't break your hair and are so easy to use to keep hair off my face. If I've worn my hair down for work I often want it off my face by the time I get home and always put one of these in. The plastic is much thicker and smoother, whereas the cheaper black and brown ones weren't great in my hair. The spring also caught on my hair so I really recommend these. 

A momentous moment this week..I GOT MY HAIR INTO A DONUT! I've finally got it long enough to wind it round and over one. I have waited months for this! It looks tiny on this picture but on my head is massive! I couldn't stop looking in the mirror. Its love. I grabbed another one and got some bright hair ties as I wear my hair up half of the week in some form and these don't snag or break your hair. 

 Way over done but I don't have many cross jewellery items. I pick and choose what I get plus its on everyone else I don't want to fit in. My boyfriend said when he first met me I wore black a lot of the time with crosses and skulls. I feel comfortable in black but it drains my pale skin and I look so much nicer in colours that I made conscious effort to bring more colours, florals and patterns into my wardrobe. I still can't resist some things though ;) as I've got older I've got more comfortable with myself and really enjoy wearing brighter items now.

I have such a thing for little dainty rings. These look so cute together but will look great alone too. I particularly like the bow and the gems are very Swarovski-esq. 

A charm bracelet. With an anchor and a wheel and a shell and a seahorse and a swallow. Well obviously I NEED it, it has all my favourite things on. Honestly I am so bad at justifying purchases to myself! However I lusted after a charm bracelet all my life, and when I reached 18 they didn't do them like they used to. My Mum has made up for it in years buying me ones with hearts on and stars etc, but it'll never compare to having a bracelet, getting a charm and having to get it soldered on. I do not like Pandora bracelets, at all, so I'm out of options. I just like to soothe my soul sometimes with a costume one. 

Navy is one of my favourite colours and I just had to buy this hoody. Its from the mens section and I have a few colours now. They're so cosy around the house, the womens ones just aren't as nice. 

 Primark are doing their t-shirts in this style with the rolled back sleeves which I'm not sure I like too much but it was Minnie Mouse.

 I've been after a jewellery wrap for years! I finally found one in WHSmith for £1.49! What a crazy bargain!

 Its got so many pockets and sections I can't wait to go on holiday so I can use this! I've taken my jewellery on holiday in clear plastic bags in a make up bag for years if you're wondering.

 Another crazy bargain from WHSmith. This book was£6.25 down from £25 - how can it be so cheap!? Anyway its probably because it got slated a lot and didn't sell well but when I flicked through it has so many party ideas that I had to buy it. I love parties and all the little extras but sometimes I find it hard to think of something new and different. It'll be a great book to refer to over the years especially when I have my own home as it spans the whole year from Christmas to summer to Halloween and Fireworks night.

 I actually went into WHSmith for storage. I need somewhere to keep recipes out of magazines and got a little carried away. I loved the pink Forever wallet even though I haven't really anything to go in it. However I've over half filled the box file with the recipes I do have so no doubt will have to go back again soon.

So that's my week! Not too exciting with a delightful end. I am so looking forward to Valentine's Day. I have lots of little surprises planned for my boyfriend and I can't wait to see his face! I popped up two posts this week on Valentine's Day for ideas for singles and couples if you need some inspiration! As for games night I would say its one of the best nights in I've ever had! I might just dig out my Battleships for Valentine's (not even joking!)
Hope you've all had good weeks

Valentine's Day Ideas: Loved Up

It's just under a week now until Valentine's Day and I have so many ideas for inexpensive and wonderful ways to spend it with your loved one I just had to share. I don't buy into the whole thing of spending money to make someone feel special. I prefer memories and little momentos of an occasion as opposed to a big fancy gift.

These are my favourite ways to treat your Valentine without spending ridiculous amounts of money.

A card is priceless. There are so many designs and content to pick from you'll be spoilt for choice. I love cards as you can keep them forever and they mean so much because it was picked by your loved one for you. My boyfriend is a gem and always takes great care choosing cards for me because he knows how much I love to receive them.

Next up is sweet treats. There is no end of goodies to choose from. I even saw a giant gingerbread bear in Greggs today with a pink iced heart, so cute! If you have time you could bake your own treats such as heart shaped biscuits or pink iced buns/cupcakes. The shops are full of treats particularly bakery sections. 

 I found the chocolate heart lollipop in Marks and Spencers for £1. They also have little bags of love themed sweets such as jelly hearts or pink white chocolates. The heart of Cadburys chocolate were £1 in Asda and Love Hearts are around 50p a packet. My boyfriend gave me a 'Dream Girl' love heart when we first went out as friends (I didn't realise he liked me ha) so they're special to me now and I'll be putting these into a bowl for our evening in :)

Going for a meal out is always nice but on Valentine's I prefer a quiet meal for two in the comfort of my own home. Plus it'll cost less to eat in whether you cook a meal from scratch, buy ready made food or order in. Marks and Spencer are doing their "Dine in for 2 for £10" deal again and most supermarkets do multi buy offers on their selection of ready meals. Me and my boyfriend are getting a chinese takeaway like we did last year as that's what we both fancy but the options are endless. For afters I'll be getting my fondue kit out. All you need is chocolate (Cadburys Dairy Milk or Galaxy is nicest) with marshmallows, fruit, biscuits and wafers.

Another alternative for food although this is more appropriate for lunchtime because of the weather and time of year is a picnic in a park or on the beach. Now February can be rather cold so it would need to be a mild day with no rain or snow forecast which could be a lot to ask of England! I've never done one but an indoors picnic sounds romantic. All you'll need is a space to lay out your rug and then you can have whatever food you like. 

If you get home from work before your loved one you could run them a candlelit bubble bath, leave a trail of rose petals to the dining room where you've laid the table or to their card/present. 

My boyfriend surprised me with a bunch of roses last year which was my favourite part of Valentine's apart from him obviously! There'll be no end of flowers available and every girl loves flowers right?!

On the Wednesday night I'll be laying my dining room table ready for our romantic meal as we're getting our takeaway together from work so I won't have time when we get home on Thursday, I'll be using the following

 rose petals £1 poundland, love single red rose 99p card factory 

 glitter hearts on sticks £1 poundland, heart doilies £1 asda

 heart napkins asda (last years) red felt coasters asda (last years)

red heart confetti £1.50 m&s, heart crystals (christmas present, but suspect it was the range), red heart ballons asda (last years)

 This was my table last year. The candles in the holder were lit and we had the chinese on the middle mats. I scattered the confetti I had and put some chocolate ladybugs out too. Theres no right or wrong way of laying a table, just place what you need where you need it and then place the extra around. Candles would usually sit in the middle but because the chinese cartons were going there and our arms would be moving over it I didn't want any burns. 

So that's it. Valentine's Day doesn't have to cost much but you can still have a romantic time. All I want to do is be with my boyfriend so it doesn't matter what we do. Most people will be at work so will be limited for their evening options like us. Hopefully this will give you some ideas :)

Hope you have a lovely Valentine's!

*images with purple background, and bottom two, are my own, all others are from weheartit