2014 Mission Statement

Happy New Year!

I first started to post back in 2012, in fact my actual first post was 31st December 2011 (click here for recap).  I am still very new to this blogging thing and I sometimes wonder why I started to do it, I enjoy reading others and I do gain valuable insight into other things, I always learn wonderful things from others and I like to be open minded when finding a new blog to read.  For instance I enjoy reading blogs about beauty, education, fashion, organisation and lifestyle and I like to think my musings cover some of those things too.

I decided that I would not write resolutions for 2014 but have a mission statement instead, to me that feels like less pressure trying to stick with it and there is room for movement, to tailor it as the year progresses.  My mission statement for this year is to build upon what I have started already, so continue to evolve and self improve, to learn from past mistakes never making the same mistakes again.  I am going to learn new things and continue to do the things that make me happy.  So there you go pretty open ended, I will say yes more and seek challenges more often.

Last night was lovely, for the first time in a while I have spent Christmas and New Year in the UK, I normally go to Washington DC for the holiday break.  Although I missed spending time with that part of the family I was glad to be home for the holiday, it meant I could sleep in, mooch around in PJ's go to the stores when I and Mr JAEG wanted and relax with my loved ones.  Last night involved a few drinks with Mr JAEG and the family, watching the fireworks on the TV.

I am not going to do a complete 2013 favorites as I have used so many products and I have not kept a full note on them all but I will be reviewing what I have enjoyed using in December.
The first thing I have been enjoying is hot chocolate, I have finally found a chocolate powder I actually like when mixed with warm milk.  It is Spanish drinking chocolate and very nice, not too rich and blends nicely with soya milk.

I purchased mine from Amazon, a gamble that paid off.

The next thing I have been enjoying is the new coffee machine Mr JAEG and I purchased just before Christmas, it is from Nespresso and it makes the best coffee ever from a 'capsule' machine and I have tried a few over the years. It is very stylish and matches the kitchen perfectly.

This machine comes with its own milk frother and is far superior to other disc machines.

My next item also sits in the kitchen.

I was given a bread making machine for Christmas, it's from Lakeland and makes a loaf from start to finish in 3 hours, perfect size for 2 people.  The smell of fresh baked bread fills the house and makes it very homely, we both enjoy trying different types of bread and the beauty is as the loaves are small there is no waste.

I am also enjoying Sweetbird salted caramel syrup, nice with the aforementioned hot chocolate and coffee.

We have spent some time decorating the house, so my next item is a paint.

This is from Craig and Rose and the shade is 'Sensual Silver' from their opulence range found in B & Q. This shade is not a shy shade it is out there loud and bold but it suited the room perfectly.

I have been enjoying candles, well it's that time of year.

The Pecksniff's candle was a Christmas gift and the Yankee candle was purchased in the sales.  The Pecksniff's is an orange scent and as you can see from the label on the Yankee candle that scent is apple.  Both burn lovely and clean and fragrance the rooms very well.

I have new reading glasses, so they have to make the favorite list.

The case floored me to be honest it's like an old school style pencil case with a slide out top.  I won't use the case for the glasses but I like how funky the case and glasses look together.

Onto 2 beauty products to finish off.  This time of year my skin really plays up it becomes dry so I absolutely love the Body Shop body butters, my current love is vanilla but is am also loving the gingerbread fragrance and the almond so I am switching between the 3 depending on what I am doing that day and what perfume I'm wearing.  I also like using almond oil grape seed oil for the really dry days.

I am also using Johnson's eye make up removal pads, I am reviewing my skin are routine and thought I would trial the pads for a few weeks and see how effective they are.

I am also looking to expand my make up brush collection and will be researching some over the next few weeks.

I was also given a pair of Doc Martens for Christmas, I have no picture of them at the moment but they are the real deal! No knock off copies here, they are in pewter and are a thing of beauty and will be wearing them in for a few days.

What have you enjoyed using during 2013?

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Maybe this is something I would not have said a while back but I think I am ready to say it now and that is that I am actually looking forward to Christmas, not super excited yet but I am facing the festivities with joy in my heart.
This week at school it has been very festive, lots of Christmas music being played and preparations for our community party were in full swing.  Yesterday was Christmas jumper day and our Christmas dinner.
The week has not been full of cheer though, Monday afternoon revealed a revelation that sent me into a spin and I spend the next few days catching my breath from it.  So it was really lovely to end the week with the Christmas dinner puller crackers and clinking glasses to shouts of cheers with my students whilst we all wore crazy Christmas jumpers.  I decided to go all glittery gold and silver for the Christmas lunch, I had gold and silver MAC pigment on my eyes and an amazing gold glitter polish from OPI "Goldeneye" on my fingernails (click here to buy from Amazon UK).  My Christmas jumper was a silver grey with a beautiful robin from Dorothy Perkins and I decided to wear my very festive red UGG boots.
It is just 5 days until we break for Christmas and boy I really do need the break.  This week really took it out of me but I guess I am lucky to have someone at home to watch out for me and for me to talk to when things get tough.

I received my Urban Decay Naked 3 pallet this morning and I am very excited about it.  The colours are very wearable and I cant wait to put a look together with it.

The packaging is in a beautiful rose gold and the pallet itself has a good range of matt and shimmer colours easy to transform a look from day to night and perfect for travelling.
I am also finishing off my eBay run with just a few more items to be added this weekend, then I am all set for Christmas.

The December Glossybox is also very festive.  It arrived in a beautiful red box with the items nestling in green wrapped in candy cane red and white paper.

So here goes, my own reviews on what I have received from Glossybox.
The first thing that really caught my eye was the Wilkinson Sword Intuition razor.  Mainly because it took up half the box.  

Its from their naturals range (click here for more details) and I have used the intuition razors before.  They are really handy for holidays and when in the gym as it has the 'gel' around the blades.  I like this item and I was pleased to see it .
The second item I pulled out was the Maybelline New York color tattoo 24 hour eye shadow in Everlasting Navy available in the UK in Boots.  

I was really chuffed to get this as I wanted to try this product for some time but never got round to buying it.  The colour is like a great denim and very wearable. I cannot wait to try it.
The third item that caught my attention was the nail varnish. As you know I have a number of nail varnishes so at first I thought meh and I put it to one side but then once I put it down the colour really caught my eye.  

The brand is Seche I have never heard of it before but the colour is 'smitten' (click here for more details).  The photos or their own site do not do this colour justice, its a bright vibrant red slightly on the orange side in the bottle but I will post a picture when I have tried it on.
The next item was a lip gloss in a nude shade from beautiful movements cosmetics a lovely shade that will balance out a strong eye during the party season.  

I love the fact that this brand is cruelty free and I certainly will be looking on their site for more of their products.
The last item I received certainly gets a meh from me, its a perfume sample.  Now I like perfume and I like samples  but I think it should never form part of the 5 items in this subscription.  I can go to any store and get a sample to try so why should it be part of this deal.  its from Lipsy and its called 'Glam'.  

First impressions is that it is a fruity fragrance, it is nice and would be lovely for the daytime it sits well on the skin but I am not convinced it is long lasting.  I may get the full size at some point but it is not high on my want list.
On the whole I am 90% pleased with this months Glossybox, it was the perfume sample that let it down, maybe I am not alone in thinking this.

I am off to finish my festivities planning.  I hope you are all set.