Christmas is almost upon us!

How is everyone getting on with their Christmas shopping? Don't forget to visit a previous post of mine to see how you can save money on your online shopping! http://throughthesebrowneyes1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/how-to-save-money-on-your-christmas.html

I've been so busy recently trying to get everything sorted, finishing off uni work as well as lots of lovely photoshoots! - Please take a look at my photography page and share it if you know anyone who may be interested! www.facebook.com/georginabalmerphotography

Wow... how bad have I been this year?!

Firstly, I apologise about my complete lack of posting pretty much this year! Since starting uni and absolutely loving my course, I have decided I want to start up a photography business. And this is where all my time & energy seems to have gone! - (Time has also gone to work to earn extra pennies, but you know!)

Over the summer especially, I have been trying to promote myself and trying to get any second shooting or assisting jobs that I can so it hasn't just that I've been uber lazy I promise.. although today, I kinda have been!

I have in fact booked 3 weddings for next year which I am so pleased about, along with doing maternity & newborn photoshoots and have a 1st birthday on Saturday which I can't wait for! If anyone is interested in my work, please visit Georgina Balmer Photography to have a look! If you like what you see, please like my page and of course, share with friends :) I am hoping to have a proper website up & running very soon so will link back to that when it's ready along with a blog to run alongside the website specifically for photography. I love to tell the story to go along with the photographs and also update people with what I have been doing photography-wise.

So, if anyone knows someone getting married, I currently have a special offer running until Wednesday - 20% off wedding packages! But also if you know anyone needing a photographer for any occasion, please just put them in touch. It is definitely word of mouth that is helping my business entirely!

I'll leave you with a selection of photographs that I have taken recently and I promise I will be resuming the beauty / fashion / lifestyle posts as and when I can! (I also have a big blog sale coming up so keep your eyes peeled!!)

Again, I am very sorry, but hope you understand and thank you to all my loyal readers for sticking with me!

Weekly Ins and Outs (Huge Catch up!)...

Hi everyone! So I've been pretty busy recently and not been doing my Weekly Ins and Outs so feel as though I've got loads to tell you! (I'll try not to make it too long but here goes...)

1. Rachel, Charlotte & I (blogger girlies) shopping at Meadowhall 2. Uni working on the mac 3.Uni working in the studio 4. Dressed up for halloween at work 5. Group of us dressed up for halloween night out 6. Onesie girls night 7. Cooked breakfast before didsbury dozen 8. Bunk beds on London trip with uni 9. Alex and I (One of my best friends nephews) 10. All the shopping Rachel Charlotte & I did! 11. Cornetto for pudding at home 12. Group pic on a night out in London with uni lot :)

 Ins:
As you can see I've been very busy...last month I met up with my blogger girls, Rachel & Charlotte- I would have done a 'what i've bought' haul post but most of it was christmas presents so I can't incase anyone sees! After Christmas I am thinking about doing a big post on new items I get between now & then. I am trying so hard to save at the moment, knowing tuition fees are leaving my bank account from January is not a good feeling! 

For halloween, we had to dress up at work - it was great fun apart from when I was on my own at 7am in the shop with all the builders and work men coming in! I went out in the evening with a group of friends at home which was lovely and saw one of my best friends boyfriends out who decided as (he was a little drunk) and I'm a student, he would buy my drinks..amazing!...However, think he may remind me I owe him a few when I next see him!

A couple of weeks back the girls from the Dodgeball society I go to decided we should have a girls get together and dress up in onesies. It was the comfiest night ever and had a great time watching the Inbetweeners movie, drinking wine and playing articulate.

As always, I had to include some food - again, with dodgeball (that is definitely my main social event now!) we did the didsbury dozen in manchester. For those of you who don't know, it's basically a pub crawl with a pint or double in each pub. We obviously needed a big breakfast to get us ready for the day!

A couple of weeks ago...before I was too stressed with my deadlines, I went to London with uni. It was great fun even if the beds we stayed in at our hostel looked like they came from the Victorian times! We had a good night out and it has brought us all a bit closer :)

Again, a few weeks back, my old housemate & coursemates sister and nephew came over from Northern Ireland for Alex's birthday. Although I didn't get to see zara (one of my best friends) it was lovely to see part of her family.  

Outs:
Uni work seems to be taking over my life - don't get me wrong..I love it but I have so much to do! I have one deadline on the 14th December and another two after christmas. I am really hoping to get my photography facebook page set up over christmas if I have any spare days...will be working whenever I'm not doing uni work as need the money!!

1. Dodgeball girls at Uni champs in Bedford 2. OOTD 3. Yummy chinese food in Camden London  4.Roast dinner whilst at home 5. My dodgeball shirt and nickname 6. Domino's pizza

Ins:
The weekend before last, Uni of Manchester Dodgeball travelled down to Bedford to play in the Uni Champs competition. (Ignore the fact I'm actually a Man met/college student not uni!) We had to leave at 6am in the morning (eugh!) and were shattered by the time we got back the next day but a great time was had by all. Everyone is so pleased with how many girls now play for our team - we managed to get 3 girls teams down there..considering when this society first started they had 2 girls a couple years back! As Liam is part of the committee for the society, he helps to pick out names and secret missions for the weekend. I alwaysss tell the boys in our house stories and they get bored and end up saying "great story gina" hence the name. As soon as I got it, I remember saying, "This was allll Liam's idea wasn't it?!" Grrr. (least it wasn't as bad as some names...)

Again, I have to include the food photos!..I go home every weekend to work and as I come back on a Sunday evening my mum cooks me a roast dinner..I really miss that on the weeks I don't go home..it's lush! Whilst in London on the uni trip, we went to Camden and tried loads of different foods. However, we all settled on a large tub of chinese food for £4 with a drink, you could have any mixture you wanted and it was scrummy! Lastly, whilst on the dodgeball trip on the first night before going out us girls had a nap then decided to get a domino's as one of my friends works at the one here in Manchester..50% off yes please!

Outs:
OOTD - winter has definitely hit recently and I am feeling it a lot more. I have had to break out the scarfs and although I love them as soon as Christmas has been I am soo looking forward to summer!

And back up to date...

1.Liam and his god-daughter at her christening party 2.Me and Lilly at her christening 3.My OOTD for the christening 4.My friend's week old baby and my god-daughter (!!) Amelia Jade 5.Amelia Jade 6.Mummy and daughter x

Ins:
This weekend just gone, Liam and I went home for his god-daughter's christening. She is such a little stunner and looked adorable in her outfit - Laura definitely gets my approval for the outfit! Lilly was quiet the whole day apart from when the vicar tried to draw a symbol of the cross on her chest...did not like that one bit! But was so well behaved and was shattered by the end of the day! You can see my OOTD on my instagram  by searching ginab1989. I will do a proper OOTD post soon for you all.

If you remember me saying, a few weeks ago I went home to do a baby bump photoshoot..well this is the baby out of the bump! She is the most beautiful little bundle with a full head of black hair. I went round to see her and the family with my best friend and her boyfriend. Whilst there, we were asked to be Amelia's godparents!!! I am officially a godmother of the gorgeous Amelia Jade and this makes me so proud :) It was only the other day I was saying to Liam I'd love to be a godmother to someone..so I must have done something right!  Over christmas when I set up my photography page you will be able to see more photos (fingers crossed!)

So there you have it...there's nothing bad going on in my life at the moment and even though I keep complaining about work, I'd be worried if I didn't have any..! After having such a brilliant weekend I don't think anything can get me down!

Hope you're all having a great week and I didn't bore you too much!

Gina xoxo   

P.S Don't forget to enter my 100 follower giveaway!

I'm back..for good! Weekly Ins and Outs..

I am finally back and I am so sorry for the huge delay! I came home for Easter and then got sidetracked with work and just didn't feel in the right frame of mind to post after that..more about all that in future posts! 

But for now am ready to begin blogging again and have lots of posts lined up for you! 

As I am out for a meal with work, I have scheduled my weekly ins and outs to come out this evening otherwise I may not get the chance to publish it! Sorry for a huge post but this has been a very exciting week so don't want to forget about it! I am now part of the Instagram clan so photos from that will be helping me show you all my week :) You can follow me on ginab1989

Ins:

• After lots that has happened recently, I have finally decided that I want to do a photography course where I can gain a recognised qualification for it. So on Sunday night, Liam and I went off to Manchester ready for my interview early Monday morning. It is a 2 year foundation degree and although I will be in even more debt, I cannot wait to get started as it is definitely where I see my life heading! (This is assuming I got on...seeing as they said if I haven't applied for Student Finance yet, then do so ASAP so... yayyy!) After finding that out, we treated ourselves to some Krispy Kreme doughnuts, as Liam also did well in his exams for uni.

• My friend / Liam's best friend and his girlfriend's baby was due today. However, she ended up having to have a C section on Wednesday. Yet, on Tuesday evening just before I went to work, we got a call saying that her waters had broken! Their baby, Lilly, was born that evening and on Thursday, Liam and I went to visit. He has been asked to be her godfather and I just love this pic! She is literally the cutest baby I have ever seen!! And Liam looks such a natural :) Anywayy, away from me getting all broody..haha.

A very proud Liam with his goddaughter <3

• Pay Day was yesterday and I am officially under £1000 into my overdraft and it feels amazing! (It may not last long with rent and bills coming out soon though!) However, thought I'd treat myself to a £1 scratch card and won £10..bonus!

• Also, I've been a bit annoying clogging my twitter & facebook up entering loads of competitions recently. However I won one with Hallmark Cards yesterday..I will wait to find out what I win! :)

• Annnnd I got sent a load of hair products to review so will do that soon!

All in all, it has been a great week...the only 'out' I can think of is that I have been working so so many hours! But next pay day, it will all seem worth it again! 

Hope you have all had a lovely week,

Gina xoxo