It doesn’t seem five minutes since the turn of the year and already we are thinking about Valentine’s Day – the most romantic day of the year bar none. However, whilst well-intentioned, it does seem a little sad that the day seems to be used as an excuse to splash out and make that little extra effort. Surely you shouldn’t need an excuse to spoil that special someone?
Anyway, whether you want to sprinkle rose petals for Valentine’s Day, or regard the 14th February as just another day in the calendar to say ‘I love you’ to your partner, below are some great ideas of how you can woo your significant other.
Cook Their Favourite Meal
Anyone can reserve a table for two at a plush restaurant and have their favourite meal brought out to them, but it takes skill and precision to be able to cook your very own feast. Chefs will say that the very best food is cooked from the heart and that’s exactly what you do when preparing your partner’s favourite meal.
Whether it’s a traditional Sunday roast, a simple pasta meal or a steak dinner, home cooked meals almost always taste better, and certainly more appreciated. Set the table, get out the fine cutlery and treat your partner right – after all, the best way to the heart is through the stomach!
Fine Wine
Along with that slap up meal you have prepared, you are going to need a bottle of something delectable to wash it down with. The art of serving wine is knowing how best to store it – some bottles are better lightly chilled while some are best served at room temperature.
For serious wine connoisseurs, a wine rack in the kitchen or cupboard makes for a welcome addition to the home. This way you can stock up on fine wine from across the world, ensuring that you have the perfect bottle for any occasion. Check this site out for more information on the types of wine racks that you can find.
Setting the Mood
If you are planning a romantic evening in with your partner for Valentine’s Day, or just because, then you have to set the mood beforehand. Ensure that love is in the air with scented candles, romantic background music and dimmed down lighting. What would be even better is if you have the option of lighting a fire to provide that truly passionate feel.
When the mood is just right, love can blossom regardless of whether you are in the early or later stages of romance. It will be a night that neither of you will forget in a hurry.
Speak From the Heart
This isn’t for everyone, but if you really want to allow your romantic side to run loose then open up your heart and write down whatever it says. A love letter or poem may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but to the right person it can be regarded as the best present that one can ever hope to receive due to the thought that has been put into it.
If penning your feelings doesn’t sit quite right with you, then say them out loud. Look into your partner’s eyes and tell them exactly how you feel and why you are lucky to be with them. Communication is the cornerstone of every solid relationship and, sometimes, we can all be guilty of not telling that special someone what they mean to us enough.
Whether you make use of any of these ideas for Valentine’s Day, or any other occasions, you will undoubtedly make someone feel pretty special by whisking them off their feet.
*collaborative post
Thanks for reading. Leah xoxo
At This Moment #8 | Lifestyle
Tuesday 16 January 2018
WATCHING
I'm currently watching Season 2 of Frontier, which features my bae Jason Momoa. Here's the trailer. Season 2 is a bit slow so far and doesn't have much J-Mo in it but hopefully it'll pick up soon.
READING
I'm not really reading any more as bipolar makes it REALLY hard for me to focus. I'm either too sluggish or too hyper. I'm skim-reading You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay at the moment but it's a bit hippie-dippy for my current frame of mind. One day I hope to be able to immerse myself in books again, especially as at some point I'd like to get back into education.
MAKING
Right now I'm making my hair fall out from stress and poor diet. My bipolar tablets interact with my anxiety meds and make me throw up nearly every time I clean my teeth, which sucks. They also make me feel really nauseous at all other times, affecting my appetite. On top of that I'm on such a low income I can't feed myself properly, so I'm probably malnourished, hence the hair loss.
STARTING
To take a daily walk, no matter how exhausted I am.
FINISHING
I've finished taking my anxiety meds. As mentioned above, I'm nauseous on them all the time. I'd rather be anxious and not feel ill than take them and want to vomit all day.
ENJOYING
Naps! I love to nap. The nap is the world's greatest invention.
LISTENING
(This section used to be TEXTING but music is far more interesting than texting).
I'm really digging this Naughty Boy ft. Beyonce song at the moment. Although the lyrics are intended romantically, these really get me in the feels right now:
Ain't runnin' from myself no more
I'm ready to face it all
If I lose myself, I lose it all
A reminder I have to face this current time head on and I have to prioritise me.
LOVING
Hmmm.......am I loving anything right now? Think positively, woman! I'm loving the support my family and my good friends are giving me through this time.
HATING
Hate is a strong emotion. I don't think I hate anything. I wouldn't choose to go through what I'm going through, but I hope it's going to make me as tough as a uterus. I would say tough as balls but a uterus is way tougher!
I think the worst thing about my situation at present is the exhaustion. Fibromyalgia is painful and pain is tiring. ME is tiring. Bipolar is tiring and the meds they put you on are tiring. I'm a sloth, ha! I live for my daily nap. I hope things get better when spring arrives and my Seasonal Affective Disorder fades a bit.
You can read previous posts here.
One Two Three
Four Five Six Seven
Let me know what you're watching in the comments - especially if there's something good I should be checking out on Netflix!
Thanks for reading. Leah xoxo
Life Lately January
Thursday 11 January 2018
Hello lovebugs!
I haven't blogged properly in a month or so and I just wanted to check in with everyone to see how you are and let you know how I'm doing. I hope you all had a great Christmas and new year. Mine was quiet and I was surrounded by family, which was lovely.
You may have noticed I'm posting a few sponsored posts here and there. I'm on a really low income now so every little helps. Please bear with me.
Fashion blogging is REALLY hard now. I don't have the money to buy new clothes and I don't really have a set up to photograph the older clothes I have either. In case I haven't mentioned it already, I'm living with my aunt and she's having a lot of work done around the house so I can't take photos inside. I do have a camera and tripod I could use for outdoor photos, but I''m wearing the same 10 dresses over and over again most of the time.
There's another reason I'm not blogging my outfits too and that's because I'm really, really depressed at the moment. I can't remember the last time I was this down. I don't think my bipolar meds are right just yet but it's also my circumstances affecting me too. Things are really not good for me right now in so many ways. I've been ill constantly for the last 5-6 weeks or so. I've had the Aussie flu, a sickness bug, a cold and a 5-6 week long chest infection. I'm in a spot financially. My housing situation isn't solid - I don't know how long I can stay with my aunt and I have to have lived in Kent for 2 years before I can go on the council housing list. Not to put too fine a point on it, I'm quite fucked. 😝 I'm trying to deal with being single, having bipolar, grieving for the life I once had, and dealing with the one I have now. I'm sorry if this is quite a downer of a read. I'm doing my best to get through every day with a smile on my face.
I don't know where I'm going with the blog. I really need to find my feet. It may turn into a bit of a mental illness blog and a 'this is what I did' blog rather than a 'this is what I wore' blog. I hope you'll stay with me, but I understand if not. I'm a very different blogger and person to who I was 4 months ago. I'm sending massive hugs to anyone out there struggling for any reason.
Take care and tell me what's making you smile lately in the comments.
Thanks for reading.
Lots of love,
Leah xoxo
I haven't blogged properly in a month or so and I just wanted to check in with everyone to see how you are and let you know how I'm doing. I hope you all had a great Christmas and new year. Mine was quiet and I was surrounded by family, which was lovely.
You may have noticed I'm posting a few sponsored posts here and there. I'm on a really low income now so every little helps. Please bear with me.
Fashion blogging is REALLY hard now. I don't have the money to buy new clothes and I don't really have a set up to photograph the older clothes I have either. In case I haven't mentioned it already, I'm living with my aunt and she's having a lot of work done around the house so I can't take photos inside. I do have a camera and tripod I could use for outdoor photos, but I''m wearing the same 10 dresses over and over again most of the time.
There's another reason I'm not blogging my outfits too and that's because I'm really, really depressed at the moment. I can't remember the last time I was this down. I don't think my bipolar meds are right just yet but it's also my circumstances affecting me too. Things are really not good for me right now in so many ways. I've been ill constantly for the last 5-6 weeks or so. I've had the Aussie flu, a sickness bug, a cold and a 5-6 week long chest infection. I'm in a spot financially. My housing situation isn't solid - I don't know how long I can stay with my aunt and I have to have lived in Kent for 2 years before I can go on the council housing list. Not to put too fine a point on it, I'm quite fucked. 😝 I'm trying to deal with being single, having bipolar, grieving for the life I once had, and dealing with the one I have now. I'm sorry if this is quite a downer of a read. I'm doing my best to get through every day with a smile on my face.
I don't know where I'm going with the blog. I really need to find my feet. It may turn into a bit of a mental illness blog and a 'this is what I did' blog rather than a 'this is what I wore' blog. I hope you'll stay with me, but I understand if not. I'm a very different blogger and person to who I was 4 months ago. I'm sending massive hugs to anyone out there struggling for any reason.
Take care and tell me what's making you smile lately in the comments.
Thanks for reading.
Lots of love,
Leah xoxo
5 ways to take down the January blues*
After the bright lights, festivities and celebrations of Christmas, January always seems a little…well, flat. Grey, miserable weather, dark nights without the welcoming twinkle of Christmas lights to cheer them up, everyone trying going vegan and doing Dry January. It just feels like brighter days are too far ahead to be within reach. But there some positive hacks that you can make to your month to take the sting out of January. Such as…
Build an Adult Pillow Fort
Why should kids get all the fun? Adults deserve to get their cosy on too, and it may sound silly, but building a pillow fort could be just what’s needed. Gather up all the duvets, blankets and spare pillows you can and make a nest on the sofa. Grab your iPad, load up Netflix, make yourself a deluxe hot chocolate and slide into your personal hideaway. Shut the winter world out, if only for a morning.
Plan a Trip
There’s a reason holiday bookings skyrocket at this time of year! If you’re considering going away during 2018, do some research and make sure you’re lined up for all the best deals. It doesn’t have to be a week in the sun either. Just planning a road trip with your friends to somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit, but have never gotten around to, or scouring Groupon for deals on weekends away, can give you something to look forward to.
Streamline Your Life
New year, new start is deeply ingrained in us, so it’s the perfect time of year to spend some time decluttering your space. More and more of us are getting interested in things like Project 333 and minimalism, so why not commit one month to experimenting with a more minimal lifestyle and see if it suits you? Letting go of possessions can see scary at first, but the feeling of travelling light through life is really liberating, and you may find it gets addictive.
Book a Pick Me Up Treat
Often it’s the little things in life that can give us a boost. If you love books, why not treat yourself to a trip to Waterstone’s, have a coffee and pick out a new read to get lost in? If you like pampering, book in for a facial or an OPI GelColor manicure for a shot of colour in your life? The small details can give a list to this greyest and dreariest of months and perk us up every time we look at them.
Write A Letter
Most of us very rarely get anything much exciting through the post these days, but you can’t beat the handwritten touch of a personal letter? Why not pick someone in your life to write to? The act of doing it will give you a glow, especially if it's an elderly relative that’s not online. You may even receive one back. You don’t even have to have a recipient. Try writing a letter to your future self with your hopes and plans for the year ahead, or a message letting go of something negative you’ve experienced. The power of the written word can be so cathartic.
*collaborative post
What are your tips for beating the January blues?
Thanks for reading. Leah xoxo
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