THE LOOK FANTASTIC ADVENT CALENDAR. WEEK 4 & FINAL THOUGHTS.

If you've read my last few Look Fantastic posts you'll know I'm giving weekly first impressions of what I open behind each door in their 2018 Advent Calendar. And even though today's post is no different, I'm going to be finishing off with my final thoughts of the Look Fantastic Advent Calendar.

Do I think it's worth it?.. Would I buy it again? Let's have a look shall we...

Day 22. Look Fantastic Fan & Highlight Brush.
I own quite a few makeup brushes in my collection, however something I don't have is a fan brush so this will make a much welcome addition! The brush is double ended, with one side being quite dense and cone shaped & the other being a softer, fan shaped brush. I currently use a cream highlighter so can imagine the denser brush to be more useful for this whereas the latter would be better for powder highlights. I'm going to start testing this bad boy out straight away & can't wait to try it with a powder highlight.
RRP: £10.00

Day 23. Aromatherapy De-Stress Muscle Bath & Shower Oil.
Aromatherapy bath & shower oils have probably been my biggest revelation over the last few months. I've fallen absolutely in love with them & have often spoken about how luxurious they make my bath time routines. I'm definitely more of a bath, than a shower person and I can't wait to start splashing a few drops in my tub. I know I'm going to love this because I haven't met an Aromatherapy product I haven't liked yet !
RRP: £11.00 for 9ml

Day 24. Erno Laszlo Multi-Task Eye Serum Mask.
I've been looking for something like this for such a long time! A little while ago I was recommended a similar product from Soap & Glory however whenever I've remembered to actually look for it, I could never find it in stock, which is a bit of a bummer. It's safe to say my eyes lit up when I saw this little goodie! It couldn't have come at a better time. 
RRP: £10.00

Day 25. Illamasqua Beyond Powder Highlight - Deity
Firstly can I just say how glad I am, I've actually got a day 25 - I've always found it super lame when calendars only go up to 24, whether they be beauty calendars or good old regular chocolate ones. When I opened present number 25 however I was even more grateful - It's a mother-flipping Illamasqua highlighter and it's mother-flipping gorgeous! I would never in a million years have bought this for myself, so opening it up was a complete treat. I've never purchased anything from Illamasqua before purely down to the pricing of their products. I'm sure they're gorgeous & I can't wait to try this one, however I can't justify spending £34.00 on a highlight for myself - I'm much more of a drugstore type of gal.
RRP: £34.00

So now for the big question... Do I think the Look Fantastic Advent Calendar is actually worth it?

Essentially what I wanted the advent calendar for was to try new products from brands I wouldn't necessarily have bought for myself and if you've read all four installments of this mini-series you'll understand that's exactly what I've achieved. I'm a drugstore gal through and through & I'd probably say a good 75% of the products in this calendar are from brands I'd never have tried purely down to their pricing. It's going to be amazing to treat myself & try a little more luxury.

There are a few standout products I'd like to mention, two of which funnily were behind the first & final doors. The HD Brows X Look Fantastic Contour & Colour Pro Palette was a great one to start with and definitely got me interested into the beauty advent calendar world from the beginning, and then the Illamasqua Beyond Powder Highlight to finish is equally as amazing & I absolutely can't wait to start using it! A few other goodies in between which stand out for me are the Glam Glow Firming Treatment Mask behind door number four, the Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick behind door fourteen and the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum from door seventeen.

Let's finish by talking numbers... I was lucky that I when I bought the calendar Look Fantastic had a special offer on so I only actually paid £63.20 for 25 days worth of products. Pretty good right?... I'd like to think so! You'll have noticed when I've been writing down my first impressions that I've also noted down the RRP for each product. The total RRP comes in at £312.37 which is almost 5 times the amount I paid - And if you ask me a complete bargain!

So in a nutshell, yes I think the Look Fantastic Advent Calendar is totally worth it!

Have you ordered from Look Fantastic before? What are your favourite products?

Claire.X

6 THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO POST PREGNANCY.

Obviously having my baby & becoming a family is the upmost thing I'm looking forward to post pregnancy, however there are lots of little things, daft things you could say that I'm looking forward to once baby's here.

Being able to lie on my stomach.
Granted, this may not be happening for a little while as my postpartum body may not be totally up to it, but I absolutely can't wait to be able to lie on my stomach. I realise this sounds ridiculous, but I've really missed being able to flump around in bed on my tummy reading a good book - I really did take that shit for granted before!

Being able to eat steak exactly how I like it cooked.
While pregnant it's recommended that everything you eat should be thoroughly cooked, which makes total sense, however something I've really missed is medium rare steaks! Oh my goodness - I can't wait to have a medium rare steak after the baby's born. We went out for a meal a few months ago & I made the mistake of ordering a steak, but asking for it to be cooked well done... And it just wasn't the same!

Not groaning every time I move.
So this is a big one not only for me, but for my husband too! During pregnancy any form of physical movement, whether it's getting out of bed or getting comfortable on the sofa, it came with it's own sound effects. Every little moan or groan would put my husband on edge thinking the baby was coming, unfortunately for us both it was just me and my seemingly incapable body crying out for help.

All of the Gin!
Need I say anymore! Haha. I was never a big drinker before I got pregnant, however I've found that knowing I'm not allowed something only makes me want it even more. Anyone else with me? And for the last few months that's been gin! I'm planning on breast feeding so I can't be drinking all of the gin, but I'm definitely going to be enjoying small tipple once baby's here, and I find a spare few moments to myself.

Walking like a lady.
I'd say for the last month and a half my walk turned into more of a waddle. If you've ever played The Sims & seen how the pregnant women walk on there, that's me! Baby was fully engaged from around 36 weeks which as I'm sure you can imagine wasn't at all comfortable. And yes, having a head swinging between your pelvis 24/7 for 5-6 weeks (I've been blessed with a late baby) is exactly how you'd imagine it to feel.

Wearing nice shoes.
My tootsies had swollen quite a bit during pregnancy and I found I was wearing my knock off Ugg boots on a daily basis - I suppose it's a good job it was Winter really & I could half get away with wearing ugly yet very very comfortable shoes. I spoke earlier about how I'm wanting to create a capsule wardrobe once my postpartum body has settled down, and part of that is going to be investing in a pair of gorgeous low heeled black boots. Feel free to hit me up with any recommendations.

I really do want to reiterate that having my baby outside of my body & becoming our own little family is what I'm really looking forward to. I just wanted to make light of the situation that I'm currently overdue & dreaming of all the daft things I've missed during pregnancy.

Claire.X

Have you read my previous posts?
Beauty | The Look Fantastic advent calendar. Week 3 first impressions.
Beauty | The Look Fantastic advent calendar. Week 2 first impressions.
Lifestyle | My newfound appreciation for pregnant women & what I've learnt along the way.

THE LOOK FANTASTIC ADVENT CALENDAR. WEEK 3.

If you read my previous Look Fantastic Advent Calendar post you'll know I'm giving out weekly reviews and first impressions of what's hidden behind each door. I was rather unimpressed by what I opened during week two, let's hope that week three is going to be slightly merrier!

Day 15. Sleek Eye Shadow Palette - A New Day.
One thing I never buy for myself is eye shadow palettes, reason being is that it's always the part of my makeup routine I forget. Unless I've properly thought about a specific makeup look I want to achieve, then chances are I'm not wearing eye shadow. That being said, if I was to wear an eye shadow, it'd probably be something neutral and warm toned like the shades in this palette. I won't be making use of the eye shadow brush which comes with the palette, because let's be frank... They're always crap aren't they? But the shadows will definitely be going for a test drive on my peepers. Being a drug store brand I'm not sure how long they'll last & what the pigmentation is going to be like, but I'm certainly looking forward to giving these a go.
RRP: £8.99

Day 16. Doucce Fierce & Fine Graphic Pen.
Doucce is another brand I'd never heard of... And one I probably wont be trying to pronounce out loud. Like with eye shadow, eye liner isn't something I usually wear. In fact, I don't think i currently own a liner, so it'll be nice adding this to my collection. I used to wear eyeliner every day back in my younger years and would like to think I still have the knack when it comes to creating that perfect, symmetrical eye look. Watch this space! What I particularly like about this liner is that the pen looks mega precise, it has quite a thin nib which looks like it'd be easy to control and give me super fleeky flicks.
RRP: £16.00

Day 17. Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum.
Yet again, another brand I've not tired before... I'm starting to think I've lived under a rock for the last five years. Caudalie however, is a brand I've most definitely heard of, and one I've been desperate to try since they came onto my radar a few years ago. I always find when discovering new brands that I never really know where to start, so not having the choice & receiving the Vinoperfect radiance serum behind door number 17 is probably a good thing for indecisive old me! I've got high hopes for this one & can't wait to start introducing this to my evening skincare routine.
RRP: £15.33 for 10ml

Day 18. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream.
Guess what... Another brand I've not heard of before! I'm loving this advent calendar so far for that exact reason. I mentioned in week 2's first impressions that I've been really into moisturising recently, especially throughout the third trimester and this one will definitely get added to the pile and made full use out of. This one looks a little more intense than the Rituals Sakura Body Cream received last week, so this may be better for hands, feet & elbows... You know those super attractive body parts. I'm looking forward to applying this one!
RRP: £10.00

Day 19. ESPA Overnight Hydration Therapy.
Guess what... Another brand I've not heard of before! I know I joked about it before... But I'm pretty certain now that I definitely have been living under a rock for the last five years. To me this sounds a little like the Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask from The Body Shop - A product I absolutely adored using and one I could feel working straight away. I've altered my skincare routine over Winter as my face gets especially dry in the cold weather, and I think this product will fit in with that perfectly!
RRP: £10.09 for 10ml

Day 20. This Works Relax & Breathe Stress Check.
Guess what... A brand I've heard of! Finally! Hallelujah. I've always wanted to try something from This Works, and have had my eye predominantly on the deep sleep pillow spray as I've heard every blogger and their grandma's talking about it. I'm going to be using this after baby arrives as I predict it's going to come in very useful!
RRP: £10.00 for 5ml

Day 21. Mane And Tail Shampoo & Conditioner.
Now I knew this one was coming, although I was dubious as to whether Look Fantastic would split the two products up or not. Being cynical I thought they'd spread the shampoo & condition over two days, so was pleasantly surprised when I opened the two of these together... Because after all, that means an extra present for Claire doesn't it! I've been using the Mane And Tail Hoofmaker Hand & Nail Treatment for a few months now & have been really impressed with the intensity of the product, so I'm hoping these two hair goodies are going to pack the same punch.
RRP: £5.98 for 60ml

After last weeks less than impressive selection I'm made up with the goodies I've opened this week. What I was after ideally when looking at different beauty advent calendars was to use products from brands I've not tried before and that's definitely what I've received this week. I actually can't decide which product I'm most excited about trying. 

I'm hoping once I've opened all 25 days & had a proper chance to use everything to put a blog post together of what I've loved & equally what'd not floated my boat so much. Is this something you'd be interested in seeing?

Have you got an alternative (non chocolate) advent calendar this year?

Claire.X

Have you read my previous posts?
Beauty | The Look Fantastic advent calendar. Week 2. First Impressions
Lifestyle | My newfound appreciation for pregnant women & what I've learnt along the way.
Beauty | The Look Fantastic advent calendar. Week 1. First Impressions

Beauty | The Look Fantastic Advent calendar. Week 2 First impressions.

If you read my previous Look Fantastic Advent Calendar post you'll know I'm giving out weekly reviews and first impressions of what's hidden behind each door. I was rather impressed by what I opened during week one, let's hope that week two is going to be the same!

Also... How on earth did we get to the 14th December by the way?

Day 8. Molton Brown Jasmine & Sun Rose Bath & Shower Gel.
I think I've probably only ever tried one or two products from Molton Brown so it was nice to see this behind the door of number 8 on my Look Fantastic advent calendar. I've just started using the Sleepy bath & shower gel from Lush which I've fallen completely in love with and smells the complete opposite of this from Molton Brown...That's not to say however that I won't love this one! I'm rather easily pleased when it comes to shower gels, so can't wait to try this one.
RRP: £10.00 for 100ml

Day 9. Regenerate Advanced Toothpaste.
Okay... So I was rather disappointed with this one. I suppose it makes sense, but I didn't know Look Fantastic did toothpaste so when I opened door number 9 I was shocked to say the least... Much to my Husbands amusement. I have the most sensitive teeth and can tell the difference in my nashers if I don't use my regular toothpaste for even a couple of days, so it's safe to say I won't be using this product at all - I may keep it in case Dan goes away for a few days and needs a travel size toothpaste, but apart from that this will be pretty redundant unfortunately.
RRP: £1.87 for 14ml

Day 10. Omorovicza Moor Cream Cleanser.
I'd never heard of this brand up until a few months or so ago when I received their firming cream in a Look Fantastic Beauty Box, but since then I've seen them everywhere!.. It's funny how that usually happens isn't it. I'm pretty much on the last legs of my current Eve Lom cleanser so it'll be nice to give this one a go, and if their firming cream is anything to go by, I'll be in for a treat.
RRP: £10.40 for 30ml

Day 11. Rituals The Ritual of Sakura Body Cream.
I've definitely upped my moisturiser game during the third trimester of my pregnancy so I'm sure this will get plenty of use, possibly more so after baby's born as this body cream has a more fresh and uplifting scent... And I think i'll definitely be needing that at that point in my life. I'm currently using the Sleepy body lotion from Lush as it's much more soothing & relaxing so it'll be nice to swap to something different once baby makes her appearance.
RRP: £6.00 for 70ml

Day 12. Grow Gorgeous Thickening Hair & Scalp Mask
Another hair product! I'd already opened the Percy & Reed wonder balm from last week so my hair will definitely be getting a treat this festive season. I've got quite a few hair masks on the go at the moment, I never really seem to stick to just having one, so this will make a welcome addition to my collection and i'll definitely use all of this product up... Even if it does take me a little while.
RRP: £9.00 for 60ml

Day 13. Balance Me Gradual Tanning Drops
Tanning isn't something I'm that hooked on to be honest, and even when I do tan I like to do it in the easiest way possible... Lazy girl problems right? I've never tried anything like these tanning drops before, but to me they just scream dificultness - Not that that's even a word, but you know what I mean. I've seen bloggers go mad recently for the Isle of Paradise tanning drops, so I'm sure these would work just as well, I just don't think I'm the right person for the job.
RRP: £4.00 for 4ml

Day 14. Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick.
Okay, so I actually thought this was green lipstick to begin with!.. And that peed me off to no end! Who on earth wants a green lipstick? That was until I realised it actually changes colour once applied to the lips. Doh! Normally I'd have tried this straight away, but I haven't given it a go yet as I haven't been wearing that much makeup recently. I'm looking forward to seeing how this looks on my lips though - It's supposed to be different for each person & I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks on me.
RRP: £20.00

So what do I think of this weeks offerings? In all honesty, and compared to last week, week 2's products seem a little lackluster. Don't get me wrong, there are products here which I will use and more than likely enjoy, but what I've been craving this week is some good makeup pieces. In 7 days there's only been one makeup piece, which was the Lipstick Queen product and even that brought with it a roller coaster of emotions. Two products I definitely won't be using from this week are the Balance Me tanning drops & the Regenerate advanced toothpaste, which is unfortunate, but I suppose you can't win them all!.. And I'm just one person, I'm sure there'll be loads of people out there who would make excellent use of them.

I'm hoping once I've opened all 25 days & had a proper chance to use everything to put a blog post together of what I've loved & equally what'd not floated my boat so much. Is this something you'd be interested in seeing?

Have you got an alternative (non chocolate) advent calendar this year?

Claire.X

Have you caught up with my previous posts?

Lifestlyle | My newfound appreciation for pregnant women & what I've learnt along the way.

Beauty | The look fantastic advent calendar. Week 1. First impressions.

Lifestyle | The third trimester.

MY NEWFOUND APPRECIATION FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.

Without sounding like the most naive person in the world, I never fully understood or appreciated what women go through during pregnancy... That was until I got pregnant myself.

I think it's due to a mix of things really, one being that I haven't directly been around that many pregnant people or been surrounded by young children and babies. Secondly I don't think enough women talk about negative factors that come with pregnancy, whether that's with the intent of not to offend anyone or because we're all trying to be superwomen, who knows? And thirdly, I think it's just one of those things where you can't fully put yourself in a situation, until you're actually there and you don't really have a choice to think otherwise.

So what have I learnt through pregnancy?

The human body really is an amazing thing. In my 28 years I've always been relatively healthy & have admittedly taken my body & what it's really capable for granted, when in fact over the last nine months it's been doing something pretty spectacular. I was chatting to a friend about halfway through my pregnancy & they'd called the placenta a 'brand new organ which my body has created' which was something I hadn't previously thought of but it really stuck with me! Not only have I created a baby (with a little help from Dan of course) but my body's known what to do to provide a safe haven & source of nourishment for her. I'm 39 weeks in & I still find it so bizarre that even though I don't have a clue, my body knows exactly what to do to keep this baby inside of me safe. 

People can be so judgmental. You'll find as soon as you announce that you're pregnant that the interrogations start & you'll soon get sick of answering the same questions. It's funny as well because you'll begin to learn peoples opinions probably before they've even asked the question. The biggest judgement, and probably the most heartbreaking was from (in particular older) people classing us as 'not children people' because we've decided to have children in our late twenties. It was almost as if because Dan & I didn't have children within the first couple of years of meeting, that the thought of us ever becoming parents was completely dismissed. 

Finding cute maternity clothes is an absolute bitch! Oh my goodness... Nobody told me about this before I got pregnant! Obviously beforehand I hadn't paid that much attention to maternity clothes, but when you do, you realise if you don't like stripes or ruching, you're pretty much screwed! I've only bought a handful of 'maternity clothes' one thing being a pair of ASOS ridley skinny jeans which have been an absolute Godsend... Everything else unfortunately has been pretty much redundant & Instead of buying proper maternity clothes I've opted for buying pieces I like just in bigger sizes.

How the husband/wife relationship changes. Seeing Dan getting excited about the baby has honestly been one of the most heartwarming things & I feel like the luckiest person in the world. He's been so supportive, especially when I've not really been feeling myself, he's been amazing. I'd found adjusting to my body changing to be quite difficult, especially at the beginning -But to be constantly told you're a beautiful mama when you're feeling low about yourself is something special! Gahh, I can feel myself getting emotional just thinking about it!

Everyday's a school day. I've learnt so much over the last nine months... Things about myself, things about my body, things about the baby - It's crazy! And just when you think you know everything you need to know, something else pops up & you have another light bulb moment. The most random, but most interesting thing I've learnt so far is that the size of baby's stomach when they're first born is of a small marble. We were taught this with regards to how much to feed baby and honestly we were blown away by her how teeny tiny her cute little tummy will be!

Appreciate the life you've had. Dan & I have been together for 8 years and quite often reflect on everything we've done and seen together in that time... And let me tell you it's a lot! We've really had such an amazing life together as a pair, and are now venturing onto this new chapter at what feels like the most perfect time in our lives together. We can't wait!

I'm wishing for this baby to come out of me now, as well has my body has served me over the last 273 days, I'm so ready to begin the next chapter of our lives. Keep your fingers crossed for me that little one makes her appearance soon!

What was the biggest thing you learnt through pregnancy?

Claire. X

Have you read my latest posts?
Beauty | The look fantastic advent calendar. Week one first impressions.
Lifestyle | The third trimester.
Beauty | Hydrating skincare for winter.

Beauty | The Look Fantastic advent calendar. Week 1. First impressions.

It's very rare that I actually treat myself, but this year I've been particularly indulgent & bought myself the Look Fantastic Advent Calendar... I'm blaming the pregnancy hormones. I've had the advent calendar stashed at the back of my wardrobe since it came out two months ago, in fact I very nearly almost forgot to open it on December 1st. Thankfully however that loss of memory didn't last too long!

I'm going to be doing a week by week run through of what's behind each door, give you my first impressions & at the end whether I think the Look Fantastic Advent Calendar is actually worth it.

Day 1. HD Brows X Look Fantastic Contour & Colour Pro Palette.
Well this is a bloody good one to start with isn't it - What a way to get a gal hooked into a beauty advent calendar! I didn't realise HD Brows did products that weren't anything to do with brows... Just call me a pants, naive beauty blogger! But boy as soon as I saw this, my eyes lit up, much to my husbands amusement - I was excited for this one! The palette contains 6 shades, three powder foundations, a bronzer, highlight & a blush - Everything you'd ever need for perfecting a flawless base. I'm not overly into powder foundations, however I'm planning on using these shades for setting, & mattifying... On the contrary, the bronze, highlight & blush tones I will be having an absolute field day with - I've found as we've come into Autumn/Winter I've definitely been applying more bronzey tones to my face.
*RRP £60.00

Day 2. Filorga Anti Ageing Micellar Cleansing Solution.
Admittedly this one seemed a little lack luster after yesterdays goodie, but I know for a fact this micellar water is something I'm going to use till it's empty & more than likely enjoy. My only concern is how this will compare to my usual Garnier micellar water, which comes in at a fraction of the price... Call me a cynic, but surely there's can't be much difference from one micellar water to another.
*RRP £2.50 for 50ml.

Day 3. Percy & Reed Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm.
After chopping my locks off a few weeks ago, I was more than happy to see the Wonder Balm behind door number three. This was also the first product I'd revealed where I could smell it before I could see it, which enticed me greatly. It was almost like when you can smell something delicious cooking before you're about to eat it & your mouth starts salivating. Yupp Claire... Exactly like that! Haha. The day after shampooing & conditioning, my hair is always really static and super difficult to work with so I'm hoping the wonder balm will combat my weekly dilemma.
*RRP £7.20 for 30ml.

Day 4. Glamglow Gravity Mud Mask Firming Treatment.
Glamglow seems to have taken the beauty world by storm over the last year or so, however it's a brand I'm still yet to try. I've always been a big face mask fan, so should really have tried Glamglow before but in all honesty it's always been the price that had put me off purchasing, especially when there's such great cheaper alternatives out there. I'm not sure if a firming treatment is right for me at this time of year, as my skin is already quite dry but I am looking forward to giving this a go and dipping my toes into the brand.
*RRP £12.60 for 15g.

Day 5. Blink Brow Bar Brow Build.
I'm all for brow products, and definitely already have my favourites which I've been using on a daily basis for the last few years, none of which are pencils like this one. Currently I flit between the Soap & Glory Brow Archery, Sleek Eyebrow Stylist & the New Cid Cosmetics I-Groom - I'm such a brow product hussy! All three of these tools are pretty similar in the sense that they're all tapered and super easy to manage. I've found that I can be quite heavy handed when it comes to using traditional brow pencils so I'm not too sure how I'm going to get on with this one, or even what the colours going to be like on me, but I'll be sure to give it a go & report back.
*RRP £16.00.

Day 6. Emma Hardie Brilliance Face Oil
Emma Hardie to me means the ultimate in luxury skincare, I've used the Emma Hardie cleansing balm before and absolutely loved it, so when I saw the EH logo on this little bottle I was more than excited. Face oils aren't something I'm used to using so it'll be nice to have a little bit of luxury in my skincare routine.
*RRP £6.50 for 5ml

Day 7. Eyeko Mini Black Magic Mascara.
Eyeko is another brand I've not tried before, I've always heard of them and have quite often looked at their brow products, but never their mascaras for some reason. Luckily this has come at the exact right time as I'm on the last few dregs on a few that I'm currently using - The only one I have topped up is the Too Faced Better Than Sex, which I have in a waterproof mascara, and is sometimes a little heavier than what I'd want for a daily basis. I've had a little peak and if the brush on this mascara wand is anything to go by, I'm going to love using this product - I can't wait to get using this one.
*RRP £5.00 for 2ml.

My first week of Look Fantastic products has definitely been of variety, something I'm more than happy about. I wanted an advent calendar which introduced me to a wide selection of new brands and new products, which all seven of these goodies are.
So far I'm mostly looking forward to using the Emma Hardie Brilliance Face Oil and the Eyeko Mini Black Magic Mascara, as I can already see myself loving both of these products. The Filorga Anti Ageing Micellar Cleansing Solution is probably at the bottom of my 'to try' list but only because like I say I'm struggling to see how can this differ to anything I'm currently using.

I'm hoping once I've opened all 25 days & had a proper chance to use everything to put a blog post together of what I've loved & equally what'd not floated my boat so much. Is this something you'd be interested in seeing?

Have you got an alternative (non chocolate) advent calendar this year?

Claire.X

Have you read my latest posts?
Lifestyle | The third trimester.
Beauty | Hydrating skincare for winter.
Lifestyle | Why university put me off my dream interior design career.

THE THIRD TRIMESTER.

There's mixed emotions as I reach the end of my pregnancy; In one sense I can't wait for baby to make her appearance, but on the other hand I think I'm going to miss having her all to myself and miss having that 'pregnant feeling'.
The third trimester has been much more difficult than the first and second in terms of adjusting to my new larger, heavier & much rounder body, but unfortunately it's not just the physical symptoms I've been struggling with.

 The symptoms.
I've got to put heartburn right at the top of my symptoms list, it's not painful and it's something I can get on with, but it's so effing annoying! I've never suffered with heartburn before, and if I'm honest I didn't really know what it was... Until I got it... Every God damn night.

Something else that's highly annoying is the frequent need to pee! Oh my goodness, the struggle is real! Baby's head is fully down in my pelvis now and putting so much pressure on my bladder it's insane. I'd say the need to pee is pretty much constant, I'm up during the night on multiple occasions, but without being TMI, what comes out is the tiniest little trickle. It's so frustrating.

It was picked up from one of the many many blood tests I've had, that my iron count has been drastically low during pregnancy. I've been on medication over the last four months & will probably need to stay on it for a little while after giving birth, which is a little annoying, but I feel so much better in myself. I'm usually quite against doctors, medication in preference of more natural remedies, however the little tablets I'm on have been bloody brilliant in restoring my energy & making me feel more 'me'.

I've been basking in the fact I've not had a period for the last nine months, however that doesn't mean I haven't been getting period style cramps - And let me tell you they've been showing themselves in full force over the last couple of weeks. My body is obviously getting ready for the final stages of pregnancy, but what's actually happening in there, I'm not 100% sure - I'm looking at it as a positive though - She's almost cooked!

Finally onto the more emotional struggles of pregnancy... I've had a few blips but have done really well mental health wise during this pregnancy so far, however over the last month especially I've seen a shift in my emotions. I feel quite short tempered and that I'm being rather ratty with my other half. He say's I'm not, but I can't help but feel like I am. I'm putting it down to the change in hormones and the fact I'm so flipping uncomfortable right now. On the other end of the scale however I've been hysterical with tears, and for what reason... I've got absolutely no idea. The brain really is such a complex thing, how it works and how it operates is beyond me!

Midwife & health visitor appointments.
At around 30 weeks we opted for a private 4D scan. It was amazing to see baby's facial features and to see her squirming around in my tummy. It definitely makes the whole pregnancy thing feel more real. A 4D scan is something I'd recommend to anyone - yes, it was probably a little pricier than it should have been, but if we were to ever get pregnant again, we'd definitely do it again - It was brilliant.

I've been popping into the midwife every couple of weeks for a catch up, I've had my usual checks and she's also been checking baby's positioning and size... Which has all been totally perfect so far & fingers crossed will continue to do so as we get closer to birth. To be honest the last few appointments have all been pretty similar, and it's felt quite repetitive but it's nice to have that reassurance that baby's growing well.

I've also had my first health visitor appointment, which I was really apprehensive about. For some reason I thought she was going to come round and be really judgmental of  me, my future parenting skills and my home. In reality, I couldn't be more wrong. I think I'm going to do a full blog post on what to expect from your first health visitor appointment, as I'd got myself pretty worked up before the visit as there was next to nothing online with regards to what to expect.

Maternity leave.
I finished work at 37 weeks which I was more than ready for! Towards the end I was definitely struggling and to be honest I could have easily finished at 35 or 36 weeks. My job role is mainly office based however I work in retail so was on my feet for quite a lot of the day, walking backwards and forwards to the shop floor. My body was definitely feeling it - Especially when you think I'd work a 7 hour shift, come home, have the dog out for an hour, do some blog work and then any other jobs that needed doing in the home. I'm tired just thinking about it.
As much as I'm glad to be away from work, I'm definitely struggling with keeping myself busy. I'm finding it really difficult to just chill! When I'm writing this (a week in advance) I'm probably having my laziest day of maternity leave so far... And by that I mean I've been up since 8am, written another blog post to go live later on today, edited photos for another & prepped my Instagram poss for the next week... And it's only 12.00pm. I actually can't chill.

Preparing for birth.
My birth plan is to try and keep things as natural as possible, which when I've told people about it, they've always been super surprised at. I've been practicing hypnobirthing techniques and am going into the experience with an open, but really positive mindset. I've never been pregnant before & have never been in the giving birth situation before, so the way I look at it, why be scared of something firstly that's inevitable, and secondly something I've never experienced before. I'm not about that extra stress.

From an educational point of view and to try get our heads in the game a bit more we've been to two parenting classes. The first was a free event at our local Mothercare where we had a handful of small talks about things like breastfeeding, sleeping, how to fit a car seat as well as baby safety. The event was a great introduction to quite a few different topics, however it would have been useful to go a bit more in depth with some of the subjects. We also had a tour of our local hospital and delivery suite which was super handy and something we were 100% set on doing before baby gets here. I honestly couldn't think of anything more stressful than being in active labour traipsing the hospital looking for where to go, not to mention the prospect of struggling to get a parking space outside the front doors. Eeek!

I'm writing this early and currently only have two and a half weeks left of pregnancy, by the time this goes live I'll have a week... Which I am more then excited about. The prospect of Dan & I being able to hold our baby very very soon is amazing. I'm really hoping she makes an appearance sooner rather than later.

Have you got any tips for birth or how to cope with a newborn baby?

Claire. X

Have you read my latest posts?
Beauty | Hydrating skincare for winter.
Lifestyle | Why university put me off my dream Interior Design career.
Lifestyle | My plans for maternity leave.

HYDRATING SKINCARE FOR WINTER.

AD | This post has been written in collaboration with Hit Search on behalf of REN skincare.

It happens every year, as soon as Winter comes around and the temperature drops my skin screams out for a more hydrating & more nourishing skincare routine. After chatting to a few of my girlfriends about it, we've sussed that so many of us are in the same boat, which is exactly why I wanted to share with you guys a few of the products I've been using.

I'm a firm believer that less is more when it comes to skincare. I've said it a thousand times on this blog, I couldn't think of anything worse than having a skincare routine made up of a dozen products. Not only would it be a nightmare for my bank balance, but I really don't like the idea of clogging my skin with a tonne of products. The following five products aren't ones I use on a daily basis, but they are products I've relied on this Winter for hydrating my skin. 

NSPA Beauty Rituals pure exfoliator.
When it comes to combating dry and lackluster skin I find the best way to start is with an 'out with the old, in with the new' type attitude which is exactly where a good exfoliator comes in to play. I tend to find less abrasive exfoliators better for this time of year as they're less damaging on my already dry & damaged skin. My product of choice at the moment is the NSPA pure exfoliator from their sensitive skin range, which bizarrely I picked up on a bit of a whim during my weekly shop in ASDA. I didn't really think anything of it, other than I need a good scrub to get rid of dead skin cells on my face, but this little product is blooming amazing. It's nourishing & gives my dehydrated skin an instant boost of moisture which for an exfoliator is pretty hard to come by. I've been using this product twice a week, as I don't want to overdo it, but every time I use it I can instantly feel the boost in hydration to my skin.

Eve Lom cleanser.
I knew I was in for a treat as soon as I unpacked the Eve Lom cleanser from my Look Fantastic beauty box last month. Quite frankly I'm sad I only received the sample size tub of this product as I've fallen in love with this pretty pricey piece of skincare - One I'm not sure I can afford to hand my pennies over for when this one runs out, even though I really really really want to! I've found because the oil based cleanser is quite thick in consistency it works best by heating between the fingertips first before popping on your face as it makes the application process much smoother & the task of removing makeup super duper simple - It feels like an absolute dream to use! It's packed full of goodness too, with ingredients such as chamomile oil, cocoa butter & clove oil, which if that isn't a recipe for success, I don't know what is! Not only am I left with super duper fresh clean skin, but my face feels so much more hydrated and nourished after using. It really is a brilliant cleanser, especially for this time of year.

Ren glow daily vitamin c gel cream*
A newbie to my collection is the vitamin c gel cream from Ren; a light moisturiser with as the name suggests a creamy gel like consistency. I've not actually used a moisturiser with this texture before, so when I first pumped the product onto my palms I was super intregued and couldn't wait to lather my skin with it. I made the mistake initially of using three pumps of the product on my face which was way too much, when in reality 1 pump is more than enough. I have the 50ml size product and can already tell that it's going to last a long time, the bottle's also super handy in the sense that you can see how much of the product you've used - Perfect for  reminding you to repurchase before you've ran out. This product contains vitamin c which boosts collagen production and also helps with UV damage to the skin, magnesium to nourish the skin and Tara Pod extract to help even skin tone - This product is an all round good egg when it comes to giving the skin some much needed glow. Even after only using the glow daily vitamin c gel cream for a couple of days, I'd noticed my skin appeared plumper, softer & more luminous.
This little tube of citrus scented goodness doesn't officially launch until early next year, it's scheduled for release on the 2nd January, but once it does I'm sure it's going to be a total hit!

Rodial dragon's blood hyaluronic tonic.
I've never really been sold on toners before, I didn't understand how they worked & to be honest thought they were a bit of a fad when it came to skincare. In reality toners are super important, they soothe, nourish and hydrate the skin restoring the delicate PH balance. The hyaluronic acid contained in this toner gives my face a plumped & hydrated appearance, which is very much needed during Winter. Obviously this product does what it says on the tin, however what I love most about this, is just how refreshing it feels when spritzed on the face, it's cooling properties leaves me feeling rejuvenated and my skin stimulated - It's blooming amazing! Truth be told this is the only toner I've tried in spray form so I can't really tell if it's the best of the best, all I know is that I enjoy using it & I can definitely feel a difference in my skin when I use it.

The Body Shop lip scuff.
If I could recommend only one product for Winter, it'd be this one... I've been using it since I was a teenager and one I can't imagine going through the winter months without. Not only does my skin get really dry around this time of year, but my lips literally go as dry as the Sahara desert. I've gone off lip balms as I find they're often quite sticky or claggy, I much prefer a scrub as it gets rid of all the horrible dry skin I seem to accumulate on my lips. This one from the body shop exfoliates, nourishes and moisturises the lips all in one go... And the fact it's in a super handy bullet form, it's literally the easiest thing in the world to use - Sadly I don't think this product is available anymore, but I'm fully stocked up & ready for whatever Winter may throw at me.

So there we have it, my five favourite products when it comes to combatting dry, lack luster skin over Winter time. Like I say, I've not been using all five every day, but without them I really think my skin wouldn't look half as good as what it does. 

Has your skin been suffering this Winter? What products have you been using?

Claire. X

Lifestyle | Why University put me off my dream Interior Design career.

University and my experiences over the three years I had there have been something I've found very difficult to talk about. It's hard even now, even to friends and family and even 8 years after graduating. My University experience put me off my dream career in Interior design; The difficult reasons why, I'm going to divulge in this blog post.

Please forgive me if it's a bit of a ramble, I've never really put my thoughts and feelings about the whole situation down in one place. Feel free to grab a cup of tea and put your feet up.

Lets go back to the beginning. Can you see I'm stalling.
For as long as I could remember I'd wanted to be an Interior Designer - Since watching Changing Rooms back in the 90's and becoming completely infatuated by the transformation process of interior spaces I'd had it in my head that Interior Design was the career choice for me. This resonated with me right through GCSE's and A Levels choosing courses that were orientated towards art & design and therefore setting me off onto the right path for my dream career. You could say everything I was working towards since I was an 11 year old girl was to become an Interior Designer. And if that doesn't sound like pressure, I don't know what does.
I suppose this pressure & expectation is exactly where to start my University story.

University wasn't what I'd thought it would be.

My University experience started off surprisingly well, I got involved & stuck in with the projects, enjoyed creating mood boards & 3D interior models. It was fascinating, and exactly what I'd wanted from the course.
The first year on my course was very tutor led, we had lots of guidance & set times and days for doing particular projects which worked perfectly for me. However my first wobbler was thrown during a written based project towards the end of first year. I can't remember exactly what the reasoning behind the project was, and I suppose that's what says it all, but we had to write a history report about one of the older University buildings on campus. Why? I've got absolutely no idea, because in my head this had & still doesn't have anything to do with Interior Design.
I struggle writing academically, I write like I talk, which for this blog works amazingly well as it brings my personality through, but when when it comes to University projects I'm sure you can agree is not so great. Truth is I'd gotten so wrapped up worrying about my writing and how I was coming across that I was loosing my passion for creative design. I remember throwing my toys out oft the pram & saying to the girls on my course that I wasn't coming back the following year. I couldn't do it! My cry for help was met with sayings like 'don't be daft' or 'you can do this' which is all good and well, but I'm the type of person where if I'm crying for help, that's exactly what I need... Help. And unfortunately that's what I didn't receive from my University tutors. And herein lies the problem with my University experience.

I spent the summer mulling things over. Do I go back? Do I find full time work? If I do find full time work, what the hell do I even want to do?

My parents thought I was going to be an Interior Designer, my friends thought I was going to be an Interior Designer, my teachers thought I was going to be an Interior Designer... Can you see where I'm going with this? I felt like I couldn't quit. In my eyes at the time, to quit was to fail, when in hindsight looking back now, to quit could have been the best thing I'd done. Who knows? That's another one of those 'what if' situations which isn't really worth thinking about too much.

I went back to University the following September to find the years projects to be even less tutor led, it felt like the course was more of a 'you get out of it what you put into it' type of thing, which again is not what I was expecting especially when you're paying the fees you do for University, you'd expect a little more guidance. A little more bang for your buck you could say. Our tutors would come in a couple of times a week and sit down to see how we were getting on. However in all honesty it felt like they'd sit with who they wanted to sit with - Thinking about it, it was a little like the dinner hall scene on Mean Girls, in the sense that it was very cliquey... Please say you get the reference? It was always more of a fleeting visit rather than actual teaching, which again thinking about it from a tutors point of view, isn't that what you want from your career?... To teach? I just didn't understand it. For me, having issues the previous year I suppose I wasn't at the top of their list, and again this is totally fine, sometimes these things happen, but it got to the point where I was finding things so difficult but I felt like I could't reach out and ask for help. I just plodded along, not really loving it, not really hating it... I was just there.

My third and final year brought with it the dreaded dissertation. I knew this was coming & even though it scared me, I felt like I prepared well for it. Truth be told, I had probably more guidance with my dissertation than anything else, and guess what... I actually enjoyed it! I enjoyed writing and found my subject matter to be really quite interesting. All I needed was a little help. 
Apart from my dissertation however I had two projects that year, an aptly named minor & major project, which as I'm sure you've guessed by now I had no guidance with.

For me there is nothing worse than asking for help & it not being given. It takes an awful lot to admit that you're struggling and for it to fall upon deaf ears is somewhat hard to take.

I graduated and passed my University degree, I suppose you could say I was a qualified Interior Designer, but I didn't pass with the grade I wanted; And I believe that's down to being left in the dark & not getting the help during my three years at University I'd so blatantly asked for. I look back on my time there and see a young girl pleading for help, asking for guidance, but not quite getting it. For what reason, I'm not sure, but I believe I wasn't given the support I needed to leave University with a first class honors and a career in Interior Design.

This three year lull unfortunately was enough to put me off pursuing a career in Interior Design. I've actually done freelance work since graduating and even in 'real life' situations, my passion for it is no longer there. It's quite sad & feels like such a shame that I let my bad experiences beat me... But I suppose that's just part of life.

Fast forward to now, I'm obviously not an Interior Designer, I work in retail - I'm the store administrator for a high street jewellers, and even though it may be looked down upon, especially when you compare it to what could have been, I love my job. Granted I may not be earning as much money as what could have been, but who cares? I certainely don't. There's no point worrying about the what could have been's and the what if's. I'm happy doing what I'm doing & I'd much rather spend my Monday-Fridays doing something I enjoy rather than something that gets me down all the time, which I know for definite is what a career in Interior Design would have me doing.

Luckily I think (or I'd like to think) I'm part of a small minority of people that didn't enjoy their time at University. Did you go to University? What was your experience there like?

Claire.X

Lifestyle | My plans for maternity leave.

As we speak I've currently got two weeks left at work before my maternity leave & let me tell you, I'm SO ready for it. I'm officially on countdown & taking as much time off as physically possible! My plan of action is to go back to work in January 2020, which feels absolutely insane considering were currently in November 2018 - I've well & truly planned this whole pregnancy thing perfectly haven't I?

With my time off I'm planning on using my days wisely and productively. I'm well aware that this could definitely 100% be all talk, but hey ho, we're going into this with a positive and open mindset. Here are a few things I'm planning on doing with my maternity leave.

Swimming with baby.
Something I wish I'd always done when younger is to learn how to swim. If my life depended on it I could swim & could probably get myself back to safety, but am I confident in water... Definitely not. And that's something I definitely don't want for our baby. I've already done a little bit of research into water baby classes and it seems like there's so many available in our area, we're not going to struggle with finding a nice pool somewhere close by. Not only is this going to be brilliant for baby, but it's also going to be a fantastic way for me & Dan to bond as well as spend time with other new parents.

Reread the Harry Potters.
I'm a big ol' HP fan and quite often partake in a Harry Potter movie marathon. In fact that's what I've done while I was off sick last week. I must have watched them hundreds of times, and even though I have my favourites, the movies in general just never get old! I've rewatched the films, but when it came to the books I've only ever read them once. Why? I'm not really too sure, but with all this extra time I'll hopefully be having it seems daft to not reread them. I'm going to try buy the books from new again & keep them in the baby's room, not only will they be fun for me but fingers crossed they'll be something the baby can enjoy too when they're a little older.

 Learn Calligraphy.
I don't know if this sounds lame, but something I've always wanted to learn is calligraphy. I think there's such an art to it & if I was good at it and had the patience for it (Lord knows there's going to have to be a lot of patience for it) someday I may be able to turn it into something I make a bit of money from. A side hustle. I first looked into Calligraphy when it came to planning our Wedding, especially with regards to table numbers and name cards, and since then it's been hovering at the back of my mind. Dan said it perfectly to me one morning, I'm going to have over a year off work, that's more than enough time to learn a new skill... Maybe Calligraphy is mine.

Get outdoors.
I'd like to think I get my 10,000 steps in during most days however admittedly the closer I'm getting to the end, the more and more difficult I'm finding getting out and about. Baby's due just before Christmas so I'm very aware it'll be absolutely freezing at that time of year, but I'm hoping to get out as much as possible with baby in tow. We're wanting to bring baby up being as outdoorsy as possible. Me & my sister were very much outdoorsy kids living close to the North Yorkshire Moors. Dan not so much, but I think as he's gotten older he's wished for less of the city life and more countryside & that's something we want to bring our baby up with.

Huts in the hills.
I've had my eye on this place ever since seeing Chloe's blog post earlier on in the year. There's nothing I love more than taking time out and getting away from it all, and Huts in the Hills looks like the perfect place to do so. I'm going to get something booked during the new year, I'm not sure whether to book it for our 1st wedding anniversary or Dan's 30th birthday, but nether the less we will get there! Bring on having no signal, bring on the countryside & bring on family bonding.

Create a capsule wardrobe.
Something I've struggled with during pregnancy is figuring out how to dress my new bump. I've always been relatively confident with what I look like & how I dress however these last eight months have seen me thrown well and truly in at the deep end with fashion. You could say that I'm nesting, but I've gutted my wardrobe about fifty times during pregnancy, and once baby is born and hopefully my body pings back into place (pray for me please) I'm going to really evaluate what I want fashion wise & create the perfect capsule wardrobe for myself.

Grow my blog.
This year my blogs taken a little bit of a back seat unfortunately. The wedding took up a big chunk of our spare time as well as getting the house baby ready, this years been our busiest yet and as I'm sure you can understand this little slice of internet hasn't been my main priority. I'm hoping that all changes next year, obviously my baby will be my main priority, but I'm hoping my new parenthood experiences will bring me more things to write about, more inspiration and generally more fabulous content. I'd love to try making a little bit of money through my blog next year as we all know Maternity pay isn't fantastic so if you have any tips or tricks please holler at me.

Berlin.
I've already shed a few tears over this one, my baby isn't even here yet & I've already felt the mamma guilt about leaving them behind. But it's booked and paid for now so there's no going back! Eeek! I'm spending a few days away in Berlin for one of my closest friends hen party in April next year and even though I know it'll be hard, I know it'll be exactly what I need at the time. My baby will be five months old at the time & as my husband keeps telling me that at that point I'll be thankful for the break, which I'm sure I will be! I'll be upset leaving baby (and husband ofc) behind but am more than excited about spending a few days away with the girls. Bring on the bratwursts!

Basically I'm wanting my maternity leave to be as productive as possible. Apart from the possibility of having more children, when am I ever going to get the opportunity of time off work again. I enjoy my job very much and will be sad to leave it and my colleagues behind, but at this present moment with only a matter of weeks to go before my due date, I am more than ready for the time off.

Have you got any tips for making money through your blog? Can you point this mamma to be in the right direction?

Claire. X

Have you read my previous posts?
Lifestyle | Stress free wedding planning.
Beauty | The Look Fantastic 4th birthday beauty box #lfbeautybox.
Food | Afternoon tea at Betty's, Ilkley. 

STRESS FREE WEDDING PLANNING.

I'm one of those jammy, annoying people that when asked how I've found wedding planning, I've replied with 'easy peasy & totally stress free'. You hear all sorts of horror stories, of things not quite going to plan, people struggling with money & women turning into 'Bridezillas' (Gosh I hate that phrase) - But not me... Everything was super plain sailing for Dan & I... No disagreements, no stress, it was actually a really lovely experience & when we look back on our day, we're filled with joy - It was just the most perfect day!

We could easily have just been lucky, but I'd like to think there were a couple of things we put in place quite early on that made our day go as smooth as possible.

Timing.
Having a short and demanding time constraint when it came to our Wedding filled us both with dread. I'm all for working under pressure & to be honest find that usually doing so brings the best results, however when it came to our wedding I honestly couldn't think of anything worse. We have friends who have taken 5/6 months to plan their weddings, and to see the turmoil that they go through for something which is supposed to be the happiest day of your life - Well it just doesn't sit right with me. We booked our wedding two years in advance, which at the time did feel slightly excessive, but in the grand scheme of things it was the best thing we could of done... And you'd be surprised at just how quickly those 730 days go!

Remember it's your day.
Before we booked our wedding we were in two minds whether to do it just us two or in front of both our families. It's very easy to get wrapped up in thoughts of pleasing everybody else that the idea of it actually being your day is wiped from your memory. It's so bizarre. We were very lucky in the sense that both of our families let us do whatever we wanted when planning our big day. The only thing I'd say we struggled with when it came to pleasing others was our guest list. To begin with we planned for around an extra 50 people at our wedding than was actually there on the day... Who those 50 people were, I couldn't tell you... And that's my point exactly. Think about what you want and who you want to share your day with. At the end of the day, it's your wedding, and it's a pretty big deal so if there's anything you're not 100% happy with, make it known!

Money.
I'm sure you'll have heard people say that as soon as you put the word 'wedding' on the front of anything it doubles the price - Which is ]very true! Something Dan & I pride ourselves on is that we don't fall for marketing ploys, we're very good with money and don't fall victim when it comes to sales pitches. This helped massively when it came to planning our wedding as there are so many different options out there, with so many different price points - It's so easy to get overwhelmed & feel like you don't know what you're doing, especially when you have different businesses pitching for your hard earned cash. It pays to do research when it comes to each individual element of your wedding, which if you've given yourself the time to do so, is totally doable. Can you make that particular item yourself? Have you searched for second hand? Do you have a friend who could offer you that service as a wedding gift. I would in no way say our wedding was cheap, but we saved where we could and it made such a difference to what could have been a mulah disaster. I'm so glad we can say that no credit cards were used in the making of our wedding. Hallelujah!

What will be will be.
I'm such a positive Polly - My husband says it's both one of my best & one of my worst flaws, but when it comes to leaving things in the hands of fate I'm so laid back I'm horizontal! I believe there's only so much planning you can do when it comes to your Wedding. There's things you can control & there's things you most definitely can't, and in my opinion why worry about the things you can't control! What if it's pouring down on the day? Who cares?... You get on with it. You can't make the sun start shining, so turn those raindrops into something positive. Think about how cool and edgy your photographs are going to look. You have guests who don't turn up? Who cares?... You're still going to have your day, it's going to be amazing, and it's their loss not yours! Basically remember why you're getting married, that's surely the only way to look at it.

Take time out.
It's so easy for a wedding to take over your every existence. We're forever told it's going to be the best day of our lives, which it totally is by the way, but how much more added pressure is that? Sometimes the best thing to do when things are getting a bit too much is to take time out, it's a rule I use with most things in life & one I think works wonders. You don't have to go the whole hog and take yourself off to the Maldives, I'm thinking more along the lines of just getting outdoors. Remove your head and eyes from the situation and take your thoughts someplace different. You'll probably be surprised by how easily distracted you'll become, then when you come back to wedding planning you'll be re-motivated & ready to rock and roll again.

Have a baby.
Okay, so this one I've thrown in with a bit of jest. We found out a month before our big day that I was pregnant and let me tell you it took all the stress out of our big day. In the grand scheme of things & as much as our wedding day was the best day of our lives, it's nothing compared to what's to come for us... And that's as exciting as it is scary!

Something that will forever stick in my mind was how many people telling me I was the least stressed bride they'd ever seen, both before I walked down the aisle and during the day itself. It generally takes quite a lot for me to get in a tizz, so I had high hopes of the wedding planning process following suit... There's the positive Polly inside of me. And guess what... It worked!


Are you married or going through the wedding planning process? How did/are you finding things?

Claire. X