New year....

2014 was the year of change.

• I turned 21, wrote my final assignments, completed my dissertation and finished Univesity. I thought that would be the end of formal education for me, but having been unable to decide what to do next, and wanting to actually use my degree, I chose to apply to univeristy all over again to study Speech Therapy.
• I've been going to college once a week to re-learn and re-sit GCSE Maths, I've got a C but for certain courses I've applied to I need a B.
• I've been offered interviews at Sheffield and Marjon, Plymouth, and I've been given a conditional offer from Cardiff Meteropolitan. THIS IS REAL. I'm so excited to finally study something I've wanted to for years.
• Other notable achievments of this year - I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST. This was huge for me as it felt like I'd been learning for ever and ever. I'd spent over a year just with this instructor!
• I'm also really proud that I taught myself how to do a fishtail plait - I just need to grow my hair again so I can do it!
• ..... and I trained my tastebuds to like coffee -  I'm such a grown up now ;)

Next year

I want to go abroad, eat healthier and get fitter. Original, I know!

Through the letterbox - New Balance & a sensible coat!

Today's post was very exciting - my New Balance arrived! I picked these bad boys up in the Office sale for thirty quid and I'm very pleased. They're ideal for wandering round cities all day, still being fashuuuun dahling but comfy at the same time.

I love them! I feel so cool!  An added bonus is they make my cankles look like actual ankles, YAY.

What also arrived today was my sensible 3-in-1 waterproof coat. Now, I have a shower resistant funky red mac and a really thin bright pink North Face jacket which is great for staying dry whilst running / cycling / playing hockey but I haven't got anything warm and thick and really properly waterproof - which is where this Karrimor coat comes in.

I hope to do a lot more walking/hiking in 2015 and this coat will be ideal. I feel like I've never really made the most of living in Snowdonia so this year I plan to do just that.

Do you like my #ootd? ;)

Introducing.... Archie!

Cute overload alert - there's a new little kitten around these parts!

This little guy is nearly 9 weeks old, and he's been with us for just over a week - he's already grown since this picture was taken on his first night! It took so long to debut him here because its taken over a week to decide on a name for the wee fella - Archie it is :)

He's half Siberian and half Maine Coon - a quick google of either of these shows he'll be very big and very fluffy! For now he's very tiny and only slightly fluffy.

He's difficult to take photos of because he doesn't stay still unless he's asleep. He's far too cute for his own good!

There'll be a lot more photos of him to come, check out my Instragram for even more @HannahSundae

Through the letterbox - Skullcandy, Real Techniques & Lush

 As you are probably well aware, Boxing Day sales started online on Christmas Eve (if not, before!). This has lead to my bank balance gradually depleting and the postman / courier / delivery man's load getting considerably heavier!  I've decided to post what arrives on the day it arrives.

Here's today - I got very excited when I saw the postman had pencilled "2 parcels in shed" on one of the letters that came through the door. These were from Lush and Amazon. Lush was the delivery of a prize I won from Vix Meldrew's giveaway, and Amazon was the result of spending vouchers I was given (anyone else hate the word gifted? It grates me) for Christmas.

Lush

Isn't this packaging fabulous? I love the yellow and pink tie-dye effect, and the ribbon is so sparkly! I love sparkles.

Here's what's inside...

1. Twilight Bath Bomb
2. Rock Star Soap

 Amazon

I ordered a pair of Skullcandy headphones - my father (in his early 70s) beat me to this about a year ago, he's too cool! I also spotted the Real Techniques brush set in one of Amazon's lightning deals, I got them for £14.99, yay!

I'm listening to Imagine Dragons through the headphones at the moment and I'm very impressed! I'll be trying out the make-up brushes in the morning.

Hopefully there'll  be more parcels tomorrow!

Christmas Cactus!

Here is the little guy I mentioned in yesterday's post. The cactus with Santa hat & beard was £1 from the local primary school's Christmas fair. The cup is Costa's finest, previously home to a Black Forest hot chocolate, now washed out with half a toilet roll inside to lift up the cactus pot. Its a really simple way of giving your cacti a little festive update. What do you think?

Feeling festive!

As you may have noticed, Christmas is just around the corner! (I know, NEWSFLASH) I'm feeling smug that I've got all my presents wrapped, I'm just waiting for the last one to arrive and then I'm done! Just need a tree to put them under now... my family don't usually decorate until Christmas eve, this isn't a case of tradition, its just being traditionally unorganised and leaving things to the last minute!

We had our Christmas do at work on Friday night where we did our Secret Santa, I got a very sparkly Lush bath melt and a Toblerone, not sure which I  was happiest with to be honest - whoever got them knows me well. The Toblerone disappeared very quickly and I've just had the sparkliest bath - I've come out looking like Edward Cullen in sunshine! Seriously there is glitter everywhere, my clothes will be sparkling for weeks, not to mention the bath!

Last weekend our village got all Christmassy, we had an ice rink, a craft fair, the shops were open late and there were stalls in the square selling mulled wine, hot chocolates and pancakes. It all felt very festive and definitely got me in the mood for Christmas. We even had a visit from Father Christmas himself!

I got in the mood on Christmas Jumper Day in my Christmas Jumper - Fat Face, would you believe ;) Yesterday we went shopping in Aber (again!) and I had to get another Christmas Costa just for the cup. I washed it out and I've put one of my cacti in it, as you do!

What do you think of my first outfit photo? This is the product of a very useful #fbloggers chat on Thursday night, getting tips from other bloggers. Twitter chats are so good for feeling part of a community of like-minded people, and everyone is so helpful and friendly. If you've not taken part in one, I highly recommend it! 

Pottering around Aberystwyth

Yesterday I went with Mark, his Mum and his Gran on a little trip to Aberystwyth. Aber is about an hour away from us and its not even got that many decent shops, but it has enough for a nice little outing.

I went off by myself, as I don't like holding people up while I pick and choose! I met up with the others for lunch, and we all went off to Next because it is out of town. I wasn't planning on buying much but I came away with some make up, a couple of things from Dorothy Perkins and wrapping paper. I've still not bought all my presents for people but at least I can get started wrapping what I've already got.

I also had a cheeky gingerbread latte from Costa, how cute is the little gingerbread man?

 Aberystwyth Uni's Old College, looking particularly lovely in the winter sunshine.

I've never used lipliner before so this purchase is more of an experiment! I really don't need another lipstick but this is a good, versatile colour and it was 3 for 2 in Superdrug ;) The No7 Mascara was a Christmas gift from a happy customer at work - I love the sparkly red tube, its very festive! The concealer is a must, mine's nearly run out and my skin is really bad recently so I need something to hide all the damage.