Christmas Baking - Easy Mince Pies With A Twist | #BLOGMAS Day 13

Hi, Okay so I might just have the easiest baking idea for you to try over the festivities, Mince pies but with a twist. These are great to make if you're expecting guests as they're super simple and don't take that long to make. I've been making these puff pastry mince pies for years and I much prefer them to their short crust pastry cousins.

Easy Mince Pie With A Twist

Ingredients

• Ready Roll Puff Pastry
• Jar of Mincemeat

Optional Extras

• A little milk
• Icing Sugar

Start by removing the packaging from the puff pastry and unroll onto a work surface. Once unrolled pick your cutter of choice, I just used an upturned glass for mine, start to cut out your mince pies. Make sure when cutting the dough to put the cutter as close to the edge of the last one to reduce on waste. I got six mince pies out of my roll and then reworked the left overs to make another three (these ones are not as pretty but taste just as good).

Lay out your bases on a lined baking tray and fill with mincemeat, don't use too much as they can split. Once filled add the lids and crimp the edges of the pie with your fingers to seal the mincemeat inside. Finally add some small cuts into the top to allow steam from the hot fruit to escape. Cook on gas mark 6 for 25-30 minuets or until golden brown. You can also give your pies a brush with some milk to give them a glazed finish before popping them in the oven.

When cooked leave them on the tray to cool for a little while before transferring them to a cooling rack. Once cooled completely you can decorate them with some icing sugar to make them look more festive and then enjoy. I love how quick these mince pies are to make thanks to the ready roll pastry, the cooking is the longest part of the process. I love making this alternative version of mince pies as you only really see the classic short bread versions on the high street and I want my home baking to be something a little more special.

Let me know if you give these mince pies a go, happy baking!

Sam

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One Year On | #BLOGMAS Day 12

Hi, Today is going to a sombre post which will probably seem out of place among all the happy Christmas posts. It's a subject that I believe will effect a lot of people at this time of year and that is the loss of a loved one at Christmas (or any time of year TBH). I'm sorry if this post isn't all that interesting but I felt I needed to mark this day in some way.

Today marks the one year anniversary of my boyfriends fathers death. It's scary to think that it's already been a year and it's even harder when you think about all the things he's already missed from his kids lives. One of the times I felt the most grief for his passing was when I went to visit my grandad and was hit by the realisation that I wouldn't get to see my future Father in law grow old. When a young person dies you grieve for the life they should have had. I grieved for the family he left behind and the friend I hoped in the future to make a life long bonds with.

We took comfort in the fact that he was with friends having the holiday of a life time and doing what made him happy. I'll never forget the morning we found out. I don't think it really sunk in that he wasn't coming back because he wasn't due to return until the New Year so his absence at Christmas was expected. We had Christmas cards written by him waiting to be opened on Christmas day.

Today we're all meeting up to remember him and not let the day be a sad one (how can it not be). I don't have any words of wisdom but if you are missing someone this Christmas remember that it was a privilege to have known that person and your own life is richer for it. Take comfort in the memories you have and don't be afraid to talk about them.

Does Christmas time make grief worse?
Sam

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Who I'm Watching This Vlogmas | #BLOGMAS Day 11

Hi, I'm a big fan of Vlogs and there's a few vloggers I watch everyday when I'm getting ready for work or relaxing in the evening. I don't know why I watch Vlogs other than it's interesting to watch other peoples lives and she what's going on outside my own bubble. With the festive season I've added some new vloggers to my daily to watch list and I decided to share my picks with you in the hope you'd also suggest some vlogger to watch.

Who I'm Watching This Vlogmas

Helen Anders - Link
A vlogger I have watched for longer than I can remember. She's not doing vlogmas as such as she daily vlogs all the time anyway. Her vlogs cover her day to day antics with sneak peeks at videos for her main channel and moments with her cute dogs Barney and Lola.

Rhiannon Ashlee Vlogs - Link
Rhiannon is a Vlogger I remember watching years ago and I'd some how lost her channel, role forward to early this year and I rediscovered her videos while she was pregnant. So this Christmas will be the first for her daughter Delilah. Her videos are fun and insightful about living with a new baby.

MoreZoella - Link
Zoella isn't a vlogger I normally watch but if you want to get into the festive mood her videos are some of the best to watch. She's currently doing vlogmas and a video on her main channel until Christmas.

JazzyBumVlogs - Link
I watch JazzyBum for her DIY and hack videos throughout the year and now I'm tuned into her vlog channel to get my Vlogmas fix. She has a really fun bubbly personality which always makes me happy.

Sharmander - Link
And lastly a new to me vlogger that I found because of vlogmas. Sharla is currently living in Japan so I'm automatically interested in her day to day life. She also has super cute cats and loves Pokemon.

Who are you watching this Vlogmas?

Sam

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Lush Review - Mistletoe Bath Bomb | #BLOGMAS Day 10

Hi, Today I'm reviewing the Mistletoe bath bomb. I'm not sure if Mistletoe is new but when I saw it I was intrigued enough to want to try it. During my visit to Lush there where so many amazing looking products in the Christmas range, it was so hard to 1. not spend all my money and 2. get to the products because it was so darn busy. Mistletoe is the second bath bomb from the Christmas range I've tried this year, the previous bath bomb was Shoot for The Stars.

Mistletoe Bath Bomb – It's In The Air

The mixture of vivid pink and green where what drew me to this bath bomb. The embossed pattern of mistletoe is so sweet and subtly festive. I didn't really understand the design of this bath bomb until I read the name. Created with a mixture of Jasmine Absolute, Vetivert Oil and Ylang Ylang Oil, this bomb is very floral and is designed to create a romantic fairy tale at bath time.

As with most Lush bath bombs there's a colour change surprise inside with the appearance of blue pigment, but I don't think it really added anything. The bath water turns a lovely shade of deep pink which compliments the theme of this product. I enjoyed this bath bomb but I don't think it has the wow factor like some other products.

True to it's design this bomb smells strongly floral, it made a nice change from all the sickly sweet scents at this time of year. I don't normally notice the scent lasting long after my bath but this one left me smelling fresh for hours. So overall I liked this bath bomb but I'm not in a hurry to pick up another one.

Have you tried the Mistletoe bath bomb?

Sam

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My Favourite Things About Christmas | #BLOGMAS Day 9

Hi, Today I wanted to talk about my favourite parts of the festive season. Overall Christmas is a time to think about others and give thanks, a time for indulgence and fun. It's a big part of the year even though in reality it's only 24 hours. Here in the UK it gives us something to take our minds of the darker days and a reason to party. So here are my favourite things about Christmas.

My Favourite Things About Christmas

Family and Friends
Christmas makes you take the time to see family and friends, some of which you probably haven't had the time or funds to see since last year. Christmas is great for bringing everyone together to celebrate.

Traditions and Memories
Christmas has a way of anchoring memories in the mind and repetition from traditions add to these memories. Every year since I was a baby we've had a Christmas Eve party and I have so many fond memories of the people and the games we'd play.

The Food and Drink
There's so much festive themed food and drink at this time of year, it's rather hard to not over indulge but it's pretty much encouraged. Christmas markets are a great way to indulge in both, I love heading out and getting some mulled wine on a cold winters day. There are some festive treats that only appear in the shops at Christmas time which makes them all the more special.

Decorations
There's something magical about putting up all the Christmas decorations and feeling cosy indoors away from the bitter cold (it's actually been unseasonably warm lately). I think my favourite part though is seeing everything lit up. I've seen some really impressive houses decorated in lights this year, with every bit of space filled.

Gift Giving
Buying that perfect gift gives me such a happy feeling. I try to think of a really personal gift (I'm not a fan of gift sets), something that the recipient would really want or need. I really enjoy wrapping presents too, I'll save them all up and get everything wrapped in one go with Christmas tunes and some mulled wine to hand.

New Pajamas
With Christmas comes a brand new pair of snugly pajamas. I tend to just wear a mismatch of what ever I can find and tend not to buy sets. My mum always buys me a new set so Christmas night I have a fresh pair of pajamas to curl up in, which is a perfect end to the day.

Time Off Work
I'm lucky that my place of work closes for the week between Christmas and New Year so I have some time for a bit of relaxation (I'm sure if this wasn't compulsory I'd still book it off). I have many trips to the cinema's planned and 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' is at the top of the list.

What's your favourite part of Christmas?

Sam

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5 Ways To Stay Organised | #BLOGMAS Day 8

Hi, This is a busy time of year what with all the social gatherings and preparations for the big day, so organisation is key to staying on top of it all. I'm so bad at being organisied so I decided to have a think about ways I can improve and try to take a little pressure off myself, I've written this post with blogmas in mind but these are tips that are transitional across all Christmas preparations.

5 Ways To Stay Organised

Invest in a planner

I lose track of time really easily so having a visual reference for events and plans makes it so much easier to keep on track. I prefer a physical book so I can make notes on the go but a digital calendar would work just as well if that's more preferable. Who can say no to a good reason to buy pretty stationary?

Make Lists and Check Them

Relating back to the previous point, have a place to make notes and lists so you won't lose them. Once written make a point of checking them and ticking off what's done. You'll refresh your mind on outstanding jobs and feel good about all the checked off items.

Don't Procrastinate

Procrastination is me in one word but when you've decided to do something as big as blogmas it's your own worst enemy. Set goals and task to make sure you're motivated and have a plan of action to make the most of your time. Nothing quite beats the feeling of accomplishment once you've ticked off everything on a to do list.

Allocate Time for Jobs

With things like gift wrapping make time to sit down and get everything ready, stick on the Christmas playlist and enjoy the activity of gift wrapping (It's one of my favourite parts of Christmas). Time management is so important at this time of year, the big day will be here before we know it. So pour yourself some baileys and get the tunes playing.

Plan Ahead

Blogmas would not be happening if I hadn't planned ahead, the same applies for the festive season. I'm sure there are people still shopping on Christmas eve but planning ahead saves you the stress.

 

Do you have any organisation tips for the festive season?

Sam

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50 Blogmas Post Ideas | #BLOGMAS Day 7

Hi, I'm already struggling with Blogmas content, my main issue is the lack of daylight hours restricting what I can blog about as I need to organise photos. As a result I've had to do some mega brain storming to think of some more interesting festive blog post ideas and decided that I'd share as many Blogmas ideas with you as possible. I hope at least one of these ideas inspires you if you're also stuck this Blogmas.

50 Blogmas Post Ideas

1. A Christmas Tag
2. Festive Product Review
3. Christmas Jumpers Good/Bad
4. Your Christmas Traditions
5. A Christmas Playlist
6. What's On Your Christmas Tree
7. Your Favorite Christmas Movies
8. A Festive Baking Recipe
9. Christmas Day Makeup
10. Festive Home Ware Haul
11. Vegan/Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipe
12. Festive Nail Art
13. Document A Christmas Market
14. A DIY Christmas Decoration
15. Gift Guide For Him/Her
16. Christmas Gift Guide For Your Pets
17. Tips On Staying Organised
18. Christmas Shopping Tips
19. Festive Drink Recipe
20. Christmas Wish List
21. Hold A Giveaway
22. Personal Festive Goals
23. Make Your Own Wrapping Paper
24. Share A Christmas Memory
25. Document A Cosy Winter Night-In
26. Who You're Watching This Vlogmas
27. Money Saving Tips
28. Budget Christmas Ideas
29. Party Dresses For The Office Party
30. Secret Santa Gift Ideas
31. Easy Hair Styles For Christmas Day
32. The Perfect Christmas Eve
33. Share Some Small Businesses For Gift Ideas
34. Christmas Reading Recommendations
35. A Wintry Walk
36. Your Advent Calendar
37. Share Your Favourite Things About Christmas

38. Share Some Christmas Wrapping Hacks
39. Favourite Winter Scents
40. Christmas Specials You’re Looking Forward To
41. A Charitable Post
42. Healthy Festive Snacks
43. Festive Cocktails/Mocktails
44. Share Your Favourite Things About The Season
45. Review A Festive Restaurant Menu
46. Your Decoration Wish List
47. Homemade Christmas Cards
48. Your Favourite Toy As A Child 

49. Christmas Day Outfit Of The Day
50. Gratitude list

I actually found thinking of these post ideas quite easy to about 40 where I felt I started to repeating myself. There's more than enough ideas to get me through to the end of Blogmas and I'm now looking forward to it (only 17 more days to go, eek). So wish me luck, I'm going to need a brake after all this.

Do you have a favourite post idea you'd like to see?

Sam

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