10 Things To Do...

In your lunch break. 

Since returning to work I've been looking for things that I can do during my lunch break to make sure I actually leave my desk and take that break. I only get 30min but if your luckier and get that full hour just think what you could get up to!

1. Take a stroll. The weather is getting better and it sure as heck feels good to break free from your desk, even for just 15 mins. 

2. Nip to the shops. If you are lucky enoiugh tot be in the centre of a bigger town or near a city centre bo to a chemist, department store or even a supermarket and pick up a new lip gloss, lipstick, eyeshadow or even mascara. It doesn't need to cost the earth, but it will brighten up your day. 

3. Me time. Book yourself a treatment. Getting your eyebrows tamed takes no time at all. Or if you have a slightly longer have an appointment a tthe hairdressers for a treatment and blow dry. 

4. Getting handsy. If you can get the space, give yourself a mini manicure. Pop a bright nail varnish into your bag and liven up your fingertips at lunch. 

5. Every day is a school day. Try and learn something new, a skill or  a craft. I'm a crochet fan, so I sometimes hook at lunch, your could knit, start to learn a new language, take up puzzles. 

6. Go on holiday. Well not a full one. Plan a virtual break, where would you go, what would you do, what would you like to do, where would you stay/eat... I think you get my drift. Dream big. Pinterest is a great site to do this on. 

7. Embrace your smartphone. Most of us have a smartphone these days, pop some earbuds in your bag and you can catch up on some vlogs, a tutorial or even a tag video using YouTube.  

8. Take a picnic. Pack a nice lunch and meet a friend for a picnic lunch in a local park. 

9. Eat out. Instead of your normal packed lunch, get out and visit a local eaterie and have a nice lunch. Your sandwich is always going to be there tomorrow. 

10. Novel idea. Read a book, obviously not a whole one but you could squeeze in a chapter or two depending on the length of them. Have you a book that you've always wanted to read, but you never seem to have the time at home anymore? Lunch breaks are the perfect in for a blossoming reading habit. 

New Dress!

 It must be Spring... I'm starting to break the legs out, albeit in opaque tights but they are out and that counts!

I was looking for a work appropriate dress that could be dressed down and dressed up as my mood takes me and found this F&F True Floral Plus Size Wrap Dress on the clothingattesco.com website.

 

It doesn't look overly low cut, however as boobs are not my biggest asset I have popped a vest top underneath which matches the middle of the daisy prints. I also like that the website tells you the height of the model so you can judge the length, I'm the same height and it's not far off!

At this rate my office's toilets are going to be famous from the OOTD/selfies that I have taken to doing in there on the sly. 

This design appears to be flying off the shelves. I bought this on Saturday and now half of the sizes are limited and down to only 1 or 2. So if you are a larger size I'd get there quickly. I hope that with the popularity of this style that they will bring other fabric designs in the same cut. If they do I'll be there first in the queue to get them. 

I haven't shopped with the True range for a long time as they haven't had the best designs recently and since leaving the shop floor. This season they appear to have made a change. I also am in love with a hot pink mac on the site... Fingers crossed they will still have one left on pay day!

Secret Santa

Do you do Secret Santa with your colleagues or friends?

This year my team with a budget of just £5 took on the challenge of purchasing a gift for a random team member drawn from a hat.

On our last shift together in the office we shared the bounty.

I like to think I'm easy to buy for, I have the feeling that the person who bought mine follows my instagram as they bought me my favourite Nivea Lip Butters and a make up bag. Result! 

I won't share what I bought for my person, except I will say I was lucky. At a team outing they shouted what they wanted!

Festive Top Ups

Headed into Hull to get some little bits and bobs for the Brothers Thing's Christmas Stockings and, looking back, to top up on festive menu fast food. Yummy diet-inducing badness!

Our main port of call in Hull was St Stephen's, with a stocking topping up session at Poundland... gosh I know how to live! I even got some adorable garlands to dress the 'subtle' tree this year.

I picked up some more of my favourite Nivea lip balm (the caramel one), not a clue where my last one disappeared to, discovered Nicole by O.P.I. and left sharpish before I tried to buy one of each.




Wandering through the shopping centre my eye was drawn to a chief elf tee in Peacocks just through the door. Totally adorable, shame that work's Christmas Jumper day was on the 13th December! Then I spotted this piece of retro, almost Americana gorgeousness. A creamy white thin sweatshirt with vibrant red arms and trim and a cute embellished fair isle reindeer. Guess what I'm going to be wearing to work soon.

Then I heard the call of the wild, well the call of the Starbucks at least. I got my first eggnog latte of the season. A venti at that, the Hubby did well. On the way back home we called by McDonalds and got the Festive Deluxe. I'm not the biggest McD's burger fan, however this one really did hit the spot. The fries however... least said.

The winning parts of this burger was marriage of the smoked bacon, peppered mayonnaise and bbq glaze (oh and cheese, American cheese is one of my guilty good pleasures).

Is anyone else craving vegetables yet?

Christmas Shopping

Like pretty much the rest of the world I've been shopping for some seasonal goods. 

Slightly under the weather, I battled the stand-still traffic of Hull Road to get into York's city centre for a bit of a festive meander. 

First I went for a look around New Look, I've been loving the Christmas jumper selection there this year, I saw three that I loved and couldn't decide which to buy, so went off to McDonalds for a Hot Mocha while I made my mind up. I finally decided on this sheepy number. It will have life after Christmas.

It's super soft, with the sheep's fleece being an eyelash yarn and a scoop neck. It will keep me nice and warm and snuggly.

I bought a few other bits and bobs, before I went on a window shopping and continued my mocha drinking mission in Starbucks, while waiting for the other half to meet me. 

I picked up these fantastic penguin ear muffs on a stall in Coney Street, and have pretty much been attached to my ears ever since. Blooming ear ache, one year I'll manage to not get sick either on the run up to, or on, Christmas.

I hightailed it over to Superdrug and found myself gazing in wonder at the Essie nail bar and the MUA counter, where I picked up the new matte eyeshadow palette Ever After. I've been hankering after this for a while. Then found some other items for my other half's stocking.

So far I'm thinking this will get used even more than my Heaven & Earth palette, which I hammered somewhat.

I then headed over to Poundworld to stock up for a children's party I was arranging and these cheeky items just jumped into my basket! I love the glass, it will be my wine glass of choice this season (even if right now it's only holding some Pepsi Max Cherry). 

I had a little bit of time leftover so I took to wandering around TK Maxx, Paperchase and Pylones, I love Pylones so much. So many funky little items. Not particularly useful ones, but oh so pretty and quirky. 

I really shouldn't leave it so long before I go into York again.