25 Homeware Sale Buys

It's been a while since I've done one of these hefty homeware sale lists, cough *wishlist* cough.

I mean, since I've moved out I've been more fussed about getting the latest on trend pizza tray than a pair of slim mom jeans from ASOS. I've changed. I'm old.  But I also love it a teeny bit.

I've never been a huge sales shopper for clothes because funnily enough the mass of people trampling on the said items in the sales isn't hugely appealing for me. Neither is finding a cute dress that was actually from 2 seasons ago.

But homeware sales are a whole other ball game. It's probably things you've been lurking on for months, in anticipation for those gentle price drops. But most of the time, you'll just be having a browse and think OMG that would look so good next to the other 5793 mugs I have too. So that's what happens, with me anyway.

I had fun putting these little gals together, firstly to window shop for myself, but also to see how many things I now own are also in the sale. That's always fun, right?

So you'll find a hefty little amount of copper, pinks, monochromes and just damn cute homeware pieces that have all been vetted by me for their Instagram worthiness, of course. 

Since I started this list, things have already started going out of stock, so there's no time like the present. Happy Shopping!

1. Eat Drink Enjoy Plate - H&M Home £1.49
2. Wooden Chopping Board - H&M Home £9.99
3. Round Sheepskin Cushion - Oliver Bonas £30
4. Bella Swan Mug - Oliver Bonas £8
5. Ines Medium Jug - Oliver Bonas £16
6. Jimi 1 Drawer Bedside Table - La Redoute £99 (currently 20% off everything)
7. Ikoya Water Hyacinth Basket - La Redoute £69 (currently 20% off everything)
8. So Fresh Bath Mat - Urban Outfitters £18
9. Birdy Silver Side Table - Urban Outfitters £55
10. Hello Word Object - West Elm £14.95
11. Graphic Tricoloured Throw - Maisons Du Monde £56.25
12. Kate Moss Poster - Desenio From £59.95 (currently 30% off selected posters)
13. Copper Coloured Metal Lamp - Maisons Du Monde £40.40
14. (currently out of stock) Same design - Lupita Wooden Console Table - Oliver Bonas £255
15. Penelope Llama Trinket Dish - Oliver Bonas £7
16. (Similar) Edgar White Orbis Marble Table Lamp - Trouva £119
17. Palm Leaves Poster - Desenio From £5.95 (currently 30% off selected posters)
18. Hubsch Monochrome Wool Rug - Trouva £120
19. Canvas Homestore 5pc Set Oslo Copper Cutlery - Trouva £45
20. Pommed Monogram Stocking - Anthropologie £10.95
21. Skye Medium Lantern - The White Company £9
22. Odessa Metal Bin Copper - Made £22
23. Alana Bedside Table Copper - Made £89
24. Brandy Metal Tray - Made £25
25. Mustique Signature Candle - The White Company £14

What homeware bits have you been spying in the sales?

*Some of the above links are affiliate links, this just means that if you make a purchase on them I will make a few pennies from the sale, it doesn't cost you any extra. If you want to get rid of the affiliate link just clear your cookies and refresh, simple!

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5 of My Favourite Posts From 2017

Oh, 2017, it's been a funny old year for blogging. 

I pretty much wrote it off in the summer. I was neither here nor there when I moved out. I still posted OOTD posts that I did way back when and well, I *think* I've finally found my blogging voice.

I'm happier with my content than ever before, and I'll tell you why. I've stripped back the 'air brushed content', it's all or nothing from me now. I'm much more selective in the types of brands and sponsored content I take on. But the main thing? I've started to blog about what I want to blog about. 

So sorry, but no more hand cream reviews or 'I went to this event and I did this and then that..' from me.

Coincidentally the 5 posts I plucked from my archive this year were mostly all written towards the end of the year. They're personal, *hopefully* funny and reads that you can relate to as well. I like how we're never alone in situations that we sometimes feel we are.

There's always someone out there to listen to how I've sliced my hand open with a bread knife, and how I'm calling out the influencer lifestyle I so don't want to be a part of.

So, here's 5 of my faves that I've been most proud of this year.

1. What I Learned From A Week Long Social Media Detox

YAS! I said I'd start the year without social media and I did. A life affirming moment for me, I didn't need social media to complete me, I was actually quite alright without it. 

I gained time, a lot of it. I spoke to people. I swapped my daily scroll of Insta for a conversation with my mum. It was bloody hard, but a real eye opener.

Social media is a wonderful thing, I love it. But once you've been sucked in, the seed has been sown. It roots itself inside you and it's not always a good thing. It can bring doubt, anxiety and jealousy, and also a bit of sadness. 

If you do anything in 2018 or over Christmas, ditch the digital. You'll feel so much happier for it, and it ain't going anywhere.

2. My First 3 Weeks of Being A Homeowner

I couldn't not include one of the biggest life changes/achievements of 2017. I bought my own home! A stressful whirlwind that still rears its ugly troll head now, but oh boy, I did it. I really did it, by myself.

The first 3 weeks were a blur. Mostly 'I can't believe this is mine' and constantly feeling like someone was going to tell me to leave. The honeymoon period was amazing and I love that I have this open diary to look back on. Those big issues that feel like nothing now.

Everything resolves itself. That's the one key thing I've learnt during this year, there will always be 'something', but it's how I react to it and move forward that matters and what I've learnt. Being a homeowner has come with another ticking time bomb of stress and problems, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I *guess* this means I'm an adult now too.

3. 10 Things That Only Happen On An All Inclusive Holiday

I had to include this for the pure lol factor. My favourite list post to date and one that probably no one else finds funny, but I'm just like YEP.

It brings back my summer holiday memories of eating pizza and chips for tea every night. That CUTE AF green wristband and the Benidorm worthy evening entertainment. It was a good one.

4. Fakery Within The Influencer Network

The post that left a sour taste in my mouth. I had a resounding amount of tweets and comments about this post, and it seems that a lot of bloggers could relate to this too.

The originality with influencers is still very much lacking. As the Black Friday sales came and Christmas gift guides did the round we all became accustomed to seeing the exact same ad 5 x in the same scroll. 

But it's not just that. Its how bloggers and influencers have this massive divide now, the glass ceiling that some of us just cannot get past, but also don't want to get past.

Social media and the world of influencers is growing at a scary speed, so we don't know what's next. All we can do is continue to invest in real people, write about what we love on our corners of the internet and be here when the influencer bubble inevitably bursts. Nah, I'm not bitter at all.

5. The Friends I'll Be Leaving In 2017

I couldn't believe how many people reached out to me about this post and were like YES GURL. It appears I'm not alone and some people may be thinking it's a brutal post but I'm sorry you are NUMBER ONE. 

You should never have your happiness sucked away for the benefit of staying in an unfulfilling friendship. The type that eats you up inside, and they know it.

I'm done with being the nice guy and putting up with class A shit. I'm done being there when they aren't there for me. I aint no clothes horse to take anymore soggy laundry. I'm out.

Like Sarah Knight taught me in the life changing magic of not giving a fuck, rid yourself of feeling guilty for saying NO to things, and just don't give a fuck with the NotSorry method.

Here's to even better content in 2018. As always let me know if there are any posts or type of content you would like to see from me in the new year! 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year. Thanks for sticking around with me, you total babes. See you in 2018.

What are your favourite posts from 2017?

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A Few of My Fave Christmas Presents

I write this as I nurse the Christmas Day bloat, yet still dive my hand back into the M&S shortbread tin for just one more. It's Christmas!

My day digital detox made such a refreshing change to endlessly scrolling through pictures of Charlotte Tilbury, engagements and pictures of everyone's Christmas dinner. I knew this year I was gonna be like HEY I got a baking tray and a mini pyrex jug for Christmas, so....

I mean, I really thought you'd all love seeing pictures of my new baking tray I got for Christmas and OMG I have a new pizza tray so I can cook pizza without the edges being pushed into the oblong tray. 

But, I was also really lucky to receive some other non homeware (non essential) items that I wanted to share with you. I guess, I like pink right?

Copper Cutlery

One commandment I always follow is, thou shall never have too much copper. I'm at risk of shortly living within the realms of a copper cooking pot, and what? The only reason I didn't get any copper cutlery sooner was because you can't put it in the dishwasher. Imagine actually having to clean your dishes. Ugh. So the copper cutlery is going to be for best, and for best I mean when I'm cooking up a lil batch of pancakes for one. I can't bloody wait!

Flamingo Teapot

I spied this little beauty on the Paperchase Instagram a few months ago. I sent it to a few people at the time because OMG. My family/bf know me so well that I opened my presents to not one but TWO flamingo teapots. Who's the real winner here? I'm calling them Pearl and Penelope and I'm so excited to have cups of tea and many Insta snaps with these gals.

Notebook

Too glam to give a damn and don't I know it? I may currently be makeup less and airing the red skin I've been picking, buttt.. Major brownie points for my mum for spotting this in Primark. Nothing motivates me more than a super sassy notebook in my hand and writing on the first clean page of a new book. Is it 2018 yet?

Converse

Baby. pink. velvet. converse. Need I say more? No pair of standard white high tops will do me anymore, I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows! 

Pancake Making Set

I was blown away by this little pancake making kit that my sister got me from Not On The High Street. I didn't know such a thing existed and if anyone knows me well, I love a good stack of pancakes. The batter mix even came with the cutest heart shaped cutter and pastel coloured whisk. Coming to you on an Instagram very soon...

Flamingo Globe Decoration

The pink and flamingo trend continues here. I just love how my friends and family know me so very well. My blogging gal Emily from Maytooctober got me this super sweet flamingo globe. I've already decided it's gonna be an all year round kinda thing, it's too pretty to be stored away for 11 months every year. Dontcha think?

Candle Teacup

I love my mum for crafting this little candle teacup for me. She sourced the vintage tea cup and saucer from a charity shop and made the candle inside it. It was her first attempt at something like this and I love it! It's a present that will stay with me past when the wick burns out too.

Rather than sharing the rest of the kitchen cupboard and chocolate aisle of Sainsbury's with you I wanted to share a few little faves with you. 

Now, if you've done any similar posts hook me up with them below because there's never I like more than have a little nosey!

What did you get for Christmas?

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My Relationship With Food

If you think I'm that type of girl that eats bean salads and leaves for breakfast, lunch and dinner, then I'm sorry, but you'd be very much disappointed.

I'd much rather be coming home to fish fingers, beans and chips on a Monday evening than actually thinking about cooking anything remotely healthy. Winning at life. But is it more than that?

Is it more than just being too lazy to cook anything? Well, yes it is.

My relationship with food has two tiers. The first tier is that I am fussy. I am that girl that goes to Nando's, asks for completely plain chicken and then douses it in ketchup. Sorry not sorry.

Margherita pizza only. I don't do anything drenched in sauces or gravy. KFC, or Chinese? Never had it. 

I'm scared. I'm scared of trying new food. Scared of something making me ill, and it's the mental barrier that I have before trying any food that puts me off trying it entirely. As I've got older I have forced myself to try new things. I mean, there's only so much I can deal with of my repertoire of turkey burgers and omelettes. I do make a mean omelette though. Only ham and cheese tho, OBV.

I joke, but my entire office ask me what I have for tea every night like LOL. Same as last Tuesday Donna.

But then there's another level to my relationship with food. It's more sinister and well, it dictates me.

You see, being teetotal is not the only thing that pancreatitis left me with. I have to be really careful what I eat. But I also don't know when to stop or learn. 

So yes, that is a dominos I have every month, another sickeningly sweet hot chocolate, and oh yes another cake pit stop on the weekend. I am my own worst enemy.

But no one ever sees what goes on behind closed doors, beyond the over exposed Insta snap of my cold hot chocolate. 

It was only 2 weeks ago that a weekend of bad eating left me for a week with agonising stomach pains, constant nausea, having to sleep with a hot water bottle every night and having no appetite. It was the worst flare up that I have had for a while, but these are common place to me. 

I vowed I learned my lesson this time. I'd had enough of carrying anti sickness tablets around and chewing on glace ginger (10/10 nausea cure btw). But here I am already consuming a dominos pizza, chocolate Yule log and mince pie in the same day. 

I'm constantly playing with the devil and I know it. How many biscuits is too many? When am I next going to be pushed over the edge? That greedy, piggy voice in my head is always there saying 'go on, just one more', then they back track 'JUST FINISH THE WHOLE PACKET'. I hate inner me.

Greasy food, sugar laden food and basically anything processed or fatty is a 100% no for me. The pancreas is closely linked with how you digest food, and pancreas inflammation can be caused by all of the above. 

I've been clear of pancreatitis for a fair few years now. But my pancreas is still scarred, it's there dormant in the background, scared of my every move. 

LOL. I nearly had to ring 999 for eating a packet of haribo earlier this year. I couldn't walk I was in so much pain, I was sick by a car showroom and I couldn't eat for a couple days. Wasn't the first time though, never is. I've also had to run out of M&S to be sick by a bin once because of Mr Candy King.

My issue is that I feel like food is my only vice in life. I exercise a lot, I can't drink, so why should I also be denied of my one true love in life? It's food.

I feel like it's a sick joke when I can't even handle a slice of cake with friends. That's why I come back running every time, it's a vicious circle.

It's something I've very much kept behind closed doors before. It's like a dead weight I carry around with me everywhere. It could be worse, a lot worse. I know it could. When temptation is always around you, it's always going to be hard.

For 2018 I 100% vow to get back onto the wagon. There's no IFS or BUTS this time. 

Start following the basic diet I know my pancreas yearns from me. I need to start behaving. Everything in moderation and all, so I will be making exceptions here and there. But for my own benefit I think I need one whole basic month to see how well I can feel.

Because truth be told, I can't remember the last time I felt well. That makes me sad. There's more to life than a piece of cake and I need to show myself that in 2018.

Here's to health and happiness in 2018. Reworking old habits and being kind to myself. It's not you, it's me.

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