Lifestyle | Let's Start Again in 2019

It's fair to say that the latter end of 2018 has been a bit hectic. I've moved in with Johnny, upped my hours at work and dove head first into my second year of uni. When you add the likes of Christmas into the mix it's easy to see how time can run away with itself. And what happens when life gets busy busy? Blogging has to take a backseat. 

I've grown a lot during the time I've been writing Yours, Chloe. I started blogging at the age of fourteen and have shared my journey into adulthood through the typed word. I've documented leaving school, taking a gap year and moving to uni, and shared the other adventures the past six years have brought along the way.

The type of content I'm making has changed over the years. I've moved away from beauty and fashion posts and started in a new direction which focuses on lifestyle, home and mental well-being with the odd adventure added in here and there. I want to create content that I'm passionate about; content I'm proud to post on this little corner of the internet.

One of my new years resolutions for 2019 is to really get back to this passion of mine. To get back to writing regular, high quality and insightful content. I also want to reignite my passion for blogging, a passion which has been somewhat knocked by the constant pressures surrounding blogging and how to be 'successful'.

2019 is going to be the year that I redefine what blogging success means to me. It doesn't mean having the biggest following or an inbox which overflows with brand opportunities, it means writing regular content which I'm proud of and connecting with a community of like-minded positive people.

So without further ado, I'm ever so glad to welcome you back to Yours, Chloe and I do hope you'll stay. If you have a spare five minutes, why don't you make yourself a hot drink (I myself are quite partial to a fudge hot chocolate) and delve into the history of my rambles. Here are a handful of my favourite posts to get you started:

Slow Weeks By The Sea | On Finding Confidence In Front Of The Camera | The Importance of Avoiding Comparison in Blogging | Twenty Things I've Learnt In Twenty Years | Is It Right To Feel Envious As A Blogger? | Is There A Right Age To Get Married? 5 Things To Do When You're Feeling Overwhelmed | The Power of The Great Outdoors

Are you following Yours, Chloe on Bloglovin? You can find me here.

Blogmas | 3 Charity Campaigns To Get Involved With This Christmas

It's very easy to get swept up into a bit of a whirlwind at Christmas. Your mind is focused on present shopping, cooking feasts and decorating your house until it looks like Santa's workshop itself. We're all guilty of letting this Christmas craziness keep our minds focused on us and our own families, but it is so important to remember that Christmas is a time of giving; a time of helping others in need. 

Today I wanted to share with you three wonderful charity campaigns taking place this December, all of which it is super easy to get involved with. There are a whole host of other campaigns taking place nationally and locally to you, so I really urge you to take the time to consider the ways you can do your bit to spread the Christmas spirit and help the people who need it most.

Christmas Jumper Day 2018

This years Christmas Jumper Day for Save The Children is taking place on Friday 14th December. The concept is simple: wear a Christmas jumper to work/school/just around the house and make a donation to Save The Children. It's a lovely way to get in the Christmas spirit whilst doing your bit for a wonderful cause. You could go down the traditional route, pick something sparkly or embrace the daft and ugly; the choice is yours. I'm going to be wearing my Christmas jumper on the 14th, are you?

You can find more info about this wonderful campaign here.

Reserve A Place At Crisis This Christmas

Crisis is an amazing UK charity which helps to rebuild the lives of homeless people, supporting them to be permanently out of homelessness. Their ultimate aim is to end homelessness completely. Their Christmas campaign asks you to donate money to support them in their efforts to help people take their first steps out of homelessness this Christmas. A donation of £28.18 gives a homeless person three hot meals (including a Christmas dinner), a bed for the night, the chance to shower and put on fresh clothes and health checks from a doctor, dentist and optician, as well as advice on things like housing and employment, addiction and mental health support, and access to Crisis' year-round education, training and support. The fact that you can offer a person in need so much with a donation of less than £30 is truly amazing.

You can find more info about this wonderful campaign here.

Cash For Kids - Mission Christmas

Each year, Cash For Kids hold an amazing toy appeal in the UK. In the craziness of our own Christmas celebrations, it's unfortunately easy to forget just how many children in this country face the prospect of waking up on Christmas morning with nothing to open. This campaign asks you to do your bit to help combat this by making a donation of just a single unwrapped gift, which will be wrapped and delivered to a child in need near you. There are thousands of drop-off points around the UK (including selected B&M stores and all branches of Wickes, Harveys and Bensons For Beds). It's a wonderful way to really make a difference close to home this Christmas.

You can find more info about this wonderful campaign here.

It's important to remember that you don't have to give a lot to make a difference, so even if you can only afford to donate a small amount it will still really help to support people in need. 

How are you going to be supporting good causes this Christmas?

Catch up on my Blogmas posts:
Day 1: My Christmas Bucket List
Day 2: What I'm Asking Santa For This Year

Blogmas | What I'm Asking Santa For This Year

With the countdown to Christmas well and truly on, I've been having a good think about what I'd love to be gifted this year.  To the joy of my family, I've always been crazily organised when it comes to my Christmas list. I hate the feeling of being asked what you'd like for Christmas or birthdays and being completely speechless, so I start compiling a list earlier in the year and pop anything on it that catches my eye in the run up to Christmas. This definitely makes my family's job of shopping for me easier, as they don't have to second-guess what I'd love to see under the tree this year.

So without further ado, here's what I've included on my letter to Santa this year:

"Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

This book first caught my eye when it was reviewed by one of the many book bloggers I follow and it's been on my to-read list ever since. I like getting my teeth into books which look at complex family dynamics and this novel seems like the perfect fit.

This is available online from Amazon here from £4.80

Busy B Birds Couples Calendar 2019

No Christmas wishlist would be complete without a little bit of stationery now would it? I'm a sucker for a good diary or notebook and this couples calendar is the best of both worlds. It has 4 columns, entitled "Me", "You", "Us" and "Birthdays". Just like the family planner that I bet your mum has in the kitchen (if she's anything like my mum, that is) but just for you and your significant other. Johnny and I have ever-changing uni/work/social routines so fingers crossed this addition to our kitchen wall will help to keep us both organised without much fuss at all. 

This is available online from John Lewis here for £9.00

Joanie 'Bronte Readers Club' Sweatshirt

Boy do I adore Joanie clothing. It would be quite easy for me to have nothing but their beautiful garments on my Christmas list, so I've been strict with myself and only included this beauty on my letter to Santa. A warm cosy jumper with a reading theme? That's the clothing dream right there.

This is available online from John Lewis here for £30.00

Cath Kidston Alpacas Lanyard Water Bottle

Does anyone else regularly buy new cute water bottles with the excuse that it might just encourage you to drink more? Join the club. And how cute are these alpacas? The perfect companion to your lunch box. Anything by the lovely people at Cath Kidston tends to be right up my street, but there's just something special about this water bottle that meant I couldn't resist including it on my Christmas list.

This is available online from Cath Kidston here for £14.00

Forever 21 Low Block Heel Pumps

A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes, now can she? I love shoes which give a bit of extra height - and make your legs look gorgeous as a result - but are still practical for everyday-wear. Enter these pumps. The almond shape toe adds a certain level of elegance and I love the look of the contrast stitch detailing.

This is available online from Forever 21 here for £20.00

Cath Kidston 'Otterly Amazing' A5 Softback Notepad

My inner stationery geek returns with yet another request, this time in the form of this lovely Cath Kidston notebook with one of the cutest puns I've ever heard. It's got real Disney vibes to it and would be the perfect companion for you to just pop in your bag for when you're on the go.

This is available online from Cath Kidston here for £7.00.

Rico Pack of Mini Yarn Pom Poms Christmas Mix

Johnny and I are moving into a nice new (and much bigger, thank goodness) flat in July so I'm slowly hoarding pretty decorative bits and bobs that I can use to make it all lovely and homely. I'm a sucker for a good pom pom garland and the colour of this mix is just gorgeous. And a Christmas decoration you can get away with keeping up all year round? Sign me up.

This is available online from Trouva here for £3.95

Frank Body Original Coffee Scrub

It wouldn't be a blogger's wish list without a beauty product would it? I've been crushing on the Frank Body scrubs for a long while now. They're so natural and I've heard rave reviews about the pamper they give your skin. This is ideal at this time of year, when your skin takes a real beating from the cold weather.

This is available online from Frank Body here for £12.95

What's on your Christmas list this year?

Catch up on my Blogmas posts:
Day 1: My Christmas Bucket List

Blogmas | My December Bucket List

Tis' the season of all things festive.

Christmas-time is a truly beautiful season but it is a stressful one in which there's lots of hustle and bustle and stress. We need to make sure to really take time to enjoy the holiday and it's festivities or you'll find that in the twinkle of a Christmas light, the season has just rushed on by.

In order to make sure I don't get lost in a sea of wrapping paper and mince pies, I thought it would be a jolly good idea to come up with a festive bucket list of things I want to do in the month ahead.

One: Visit a traditional Christmas market.
Although the dream of visiting a European Christmas market is a little out of reach this year, I'm hoping to enjoy the festive delights of a UK Christmas market or two. Sheffield has a beautiful Christmas market and I can't wait to wrap up warm and enjoy the gorgeous decorations, sweet treats and the gorgeous cinnamon scent. 

Two: Take a drive to look at all of the pretty Christmas lights in my local area.
This has always been one of the highlights of the Christmas period for me. I have so many beautiful memories of Christmas Eve family gatherings at my grandparents house followed by a long drive home, detouring to get a glimpse of houses full to the brim of festive lights.

Three: Write and post Christmas cards.
In this day and age it seems like most people have forgotten what a greetings card even is; it's become more about posting on a Facebook wall or sending a text. But I adore sending and receiving handwritten cards as they really show someone you care, which is so lovely at this time of year especially.

Four: Attend a carol concert. 
When I was a young-un, back in the primary school days, little old me sang every year in a carol service at Peterborough Cathedral as part of my school choir. That experience embedded in me the idea that Christmas isn't complete without a carol concert, so I'm really hoping I can attend one this year.

Five: Visit a handmade Christmas market.
You can't beat buying gifts from small and independent businesses; they're always so special and unique. A handmade market is the best place to pick up these gifts, alongside a cute new decoration or two.

Six: Listen to the Elvis Presley Christmas albums.
I'm a sucker for a good bit of Christmas music, and you'll definitely find it blasting from my headphones all throughout December. My all time favourite festive tunes are the Elvis Presley Christmas albums; a beautiful blend of carols and more modern Christmas hits from the king himself.

Seven: Burn some beautiful Christmas candles.
Yankee Candle, I'm coming for you! I can't wait to have my flat smelling of all things festive.

Eight: Bake some gorgeous festive treats.
I'm far from Mary Berry but I'm really hoping to find the time for a spot of Christmas baking. Maybe 'festive' rice krispie cakes will be as far as I go, but hey that's a start.

Nine: Go for lots of wintery walks.
This will be made even more perfect if we are blessed with snow this year, but regardless I absolutely adore bundling up warm and going for a long walk at this time of year.

Ten: Craft some of my own decorations for the tree.
Christmas is my favourite time to get my craft on. My inner magpie comes out at this time of year; a little bit of festive sparkle never hurt anyone. 

Eleven: Have a Christmas movie marathon
You can't beat a good Christmas movie or TV special. Love Actually is one of my favourite festive films and I can't wait to enjoy cosy evenings in with a hot drink and a burning fire.

Twelve: Try lots of festive hot drinks in my local coffee shops.
It's not Christmas without a festive hot chocolate or two is it? I'm a sucker for anything chocolate orange, so here's hoping that'll make an appearance on the Costa Christmas menu this year.

Thirteen: Purchase some festive PJs all ready for Christmas Eve.
My sister and I have a tradition of wearing matching PJ's on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and that tradition continues, even now we're all grown up. 

What are you hoping to do this December to get yourself in the festive spirit?