Instagram - Photoaday December ♥

If you follow me on Instagram, during December you may have seen that I decided to partake in  #PhotoadayDecember
Quite often, I give up after a couple of days, but I actually managed to do this one and have started on a January one too! So here is my final version of every day throughout December (minus day 18 and 19, but shhh!)

1.Advent calendar - mine & Liam's, 2.Socks, 3.Handwriting - my sketchbook for uni 4.Ornaments - Tottenham moneybox 5.Hot Drink - Hot Chocolate at uni 6.Something Green - Liam's gorgeous smelling Joop aftershave 7.Candle - Candles I saw whilst with Rachel & Charlotte at Manchester Markets 8.Something Cosy - fluffy slippers...

 

 ...9.Movies - Elf, 10.Tree - our mini tree at uni, 11.Something Homemade - again, sketchbook for deadline at uni, 12.Gifts you've bought - For Rachel & Charlotte,

13.Someone you love - my boyfriend Liam (even if he was dressed up as a pig in blanket!!) 14.Cold - Frozen car windscreen, 15.Hot - the log fire at home which I love love love in the winter months! 16.Family Pet - Misty, our new pup, 17.Snuggly Jumper - New Look, 18.Weather (didn't do) 19.Nibbles (didn't do) 20.Lights - my heart light in my bedroom, 21.Outside your window - love the view overlooking the pool, 22.Stockings - a stocking Liam had made for last Christmas, 23.Tradition - Mum making table decorations for xmas day, few drinks & swapping presents with the neighbour, 24.Pyjamas - snuggly whilst wrapping presents, 25.Presents - on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day...

 

 ...26.Family - my brother, Misty & I on Christmas Day, 27.Relaxation - family relaxing after lunch all full and sleepy, 28.Scarf - new heart scarf for Christmas, 29.Photo of yourself - photo of me before end of year uni party, 30.Something that's made you smile this year - my lovely boyfriend Liam for always being there, the new puppy and of course Christmas this year! 31.12 o'clock - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I'm thinking about doing a round up of each month like this...what does everyone think?! If you'd like to take part, or are doing a photoaday task then leave me your links or instagram name to find :)

2013! Happy New Year!

This year, I spent the New Year at Liam's house. We all got dressed up and went out for a curry with his parents, his sister and her boyfriend which was lovely. 

When we got back we played Articulate (one of the presents I gave Liam for Christmas!) It was hilarious once everyone had been drinking a little, especially as we decided to pair up in couples and we were all screaming at our partners as if to say 'you should know this!' At one point, Liam's mum decided to start punching herself in the chin trying to describe the word 'jaw.' Everyone was in fits of laughter and we finished that about 10 to midnight!

My New Year's OOTN:
 

Red lace dress: Funky Divaa, Cardigan: Primark

NOTD: Models own hedonist and hedkandi ibiza mix glitter on top:
 

At 12 o'clock we all drunk our champagne, said the usual happy new year's and rung a few people..it was a lovely evening, simple and relaxed but that's what I enjoy most!

Liam & I

Shawn and Kel (Liam's sister and her boyfriend)

 I'm sure they're going to hate the facial expressions in these photos but they were hilarious!

1.Liam's mum and Dad 2.Liam & Kel with party poppers 3.&4. Kel & Karen with them

As 2012 has now ended, I have been trying to think what my resolutions are going to be for 2013! 
I have managed to come up with:

• To make sure I do my uni work as and when I get it to reduce stress before deadlines
• To love more and worry less - things will still happen no matter how much I worry so there's no point!
• To try to promote my photography as much as possible - to have a Facebook page up by the end of my reading week in January!
• To try to save money - this includes buying less unnecessary food, using up beauty products I already have and not buying as many clothes! I am going to start doing empties of the month as I tried to last year and it failed miserably! But, I have decided as I have seen many other bloggers doing it, I am going to do a 100 day spending ban! - details of this are on a previous post! 
• To get fit and tone up - I want to be able to fit comfortably into my jeans again!

I think that is more than enough to be getting on with for now!

What are your resolutions and are you keeping to them so far?

What did I get for Christmas? ♥

I love reading everyone's posts of what they got for Christmas (maybe because I'm nosy, but I'm sure other people are too!) - so here goes for mine! I was very spoilt this year so thank you everyone!! 

From my blogger girlies Rachel and Charlotte I got these lovely presents...They know me so well, bubbles, hearts, sparkles and One Direction!

From Liam I got the following, plus a jumper from one of my previous wishlist blogposts even though he said he wouldn't be getting me any clothes..sneaky sneaky! He even got me a poster of Zayn and One Direction's album (who I am seeing in March this year woohoo!!) I love how he always surprises me with presents and always manages a personal present...it might not mean anything to anyone else, but in 3 years we haven't been on a proper Costa Coffee 'date'...even though we've been saying for aaages we would! So he was lovely and got me a giftcard so that we have to go! Cutie! ♥

So...this was the selection of presents I was very kindly given, minus money from my Gran & Nan and a big photography bag from my parents to lug all my kit around! 

My One Direction goodies!

The cute Gingerbread man from Liam's sister that I don't want to eat!

All my jewellery - mostly heart bits - everyone knows exactly what I like!!

One of my favourite presents (I think I'd call it that), was an item I won in a competition in a blog giveaway!! My very own pair of GHDs! And they are amazing and came just in time for Christmas so I was very happy! Thanks to Corrie over at dizzybrunette3.com

As you can see, I was very spoilt and has been the perfect end to 2012! Send me your links of your christmas goodies so I can have a nosy ;)

                                                                      Gina xoxo

So much to catch up on!! ♥

Hi everyone and happy 2013! It feels so weird saying 2013! 

Firstly, I'll start by saying thanks for the continued support during 2012 and into 2013. I really appreciate it and only hope my blog continues to grow over the duration of this year!

Right...where to start?! As I have enjoyed reading everyone Christmas posts..here is mine!

My Christmas OOTD:
 

Jumper: H&M, top also shown in last photo: Primark, Shorts: Jane Norman

Christmas this year was one of the best. For the first time, Liam spent the majority of Christmas Day at my house. I went to pick him up about 11am (so he could have a drink at the pub with his family!) and then back to my house for Christmas lunch! My mum really spoilt us all and had the lovely job of cooking for 12..my dad, me, my brother, Liam, two of my cousins and their parents, my nan and gran, my auntie's mum and then my uncle came round in the evening for food round two! So, we had a fab morning and lunch consisting of drink, lots of nibbles and then loads of food and giggles as you can probably tell from the pics!

1.My brother, cousin & Liam all looking like 3 boring men! 2, 3 & 4, family around the table laughing and joking about x

1. Mum's beautiful arrangements, 2. my cousin making his mum and gran laugh, 3 & 4, my mum and auntie setting fire to the christmas pud!

Once we had our lovely meal, we all sat down to sleep off the food, played a few party games and watched some films that were on the TV such as Shrek and I don't know how many James Bond films....I only realised afterwards that it was on the Bond channel...oops! The boys were typical boys and had great fun playing with Dad's remote control helicopter!

1.Me at lunchtime 2, 3 & 4, boys will be boys!

Panorama shot of everyone napping and relaxing

 After we had all had a little nap, we decided it was time for all the family to meet a special little someone!....our new member of the family, Misty!

1. Misty meeting all the family-xmas day, 2.  My brother, me and Misty with her christmas collar on 3. Me & Misty the first night I was back from uni (how tiny was she?!) 4. Misty on christmas day :)

I still cannot quite believe how much she is growing! If you want to see any more pics then they are continually updated on my instagram - @ginab1989

I hope everyone had as good a Christmas as I did and thanks for my lovely presents (which will be on a later post!)

Gina xoxo

Round up of 2011..

I can't believe how fast 2011 has been and gone. In a way it made me appreciate things a lot more, and what I take for granted, namely Liam. I am so lucky to still have him here and 2012 is going to be a year for appreciating friends and family a lot more!

I never really make resolutions as I generally just break them, but I have one main one for this year and that is:

-To be happier! I worry and stress so much, and let silly things bother me when I know I shouldn't but I am going to try my hardest to make myself happier, even if this means cutting people out of my life who I always try so hard with... and then get all sad when things aren't like they used to be!

Other resolutions are:

-To get fitter & join a gym in Manchester....uh ohhhh, two takeaways already since Sunday?!-That resolution will have to wait until next week!

-Actually use the cook books we have and cook a meal from scratch once a week with Liam

-Make sure we have a date night at least once a month

-Try harder to save money-now my spending ban is FINALLY over after five months, I have to make sure I don't just go and waste money.

-Look into new jobs to do with what I actually want to do in the future...I'm hoping to now go into an admin / business job (complete change I know!) so I will update on the progress of this!

-Start a new course

-Spend more time with true friends 

and finally,

-Smile more!

Resolutions for the blog are obviously: 

-To regularly update the blog and to blog more...I have been slacking lately and I apologise for that but 2012 is a new start since this blog turns 1 soon!

-To do a "favourite quote of the week" post as I love cute photos and quotes I thought this to be quite appropriate. 

Anything else you'd like to see on the blog?-Let me know!

I'm off to watch One Born Every Minute now, time to feel broody! Have a lovely evening everyone!

Gina xoxo