Snug Blanket | The Slanket | Snug Rug | Snuggle Blanket | Snuggie Blanket | Buy, Compare & Snuggle!

Snug Blanket | The Slanket | Snug Rug | Snuggle Blanket | Snuggie Blanket | Buy, Compare & Snuggle! - I got this amazing blanket for Christmas, its one with arms!!! It is so useful, i can now drink my cuppa tea and not get chilly arms :D Perfect for the cold winter nights.

I remember seeing one of these on The Big Bang Theory but never really thought anything of it, but then i was given one for Christmas and i have used everyday since!! Mine is a nice fleecy material and is so soft. You can get them from many different places, if you google Snug Blanket they come up, or if you go on the website www.snugblanket.co.uk 

LaSenza.co.uk - Bras - Heartbreaker Black

LaSenza.co.uk - Bras - Heartbreaker Black get to La Senza they are having a closing down sale many lines are up to 70% off. It is sad that they are closing down because i do love this shop, but we need to take advantage of a good deal whilst we can!! I just ordered the last pink bra in my size (i was very lucky). So get to their website before it all goes!!

Ever too old for a Disney film??

I've finally got sat down to watch Beauty & the Beast which i got for Christmas but haven't had chance to watch!

Do you think you can ever be too old to watch a Disney film?? They are my favourite, I'm 22 but would always choose a Disney film over almost anything. They are pretty good for teaching moral values to kids (which to be honest most need to be taught a few). You can also pretty much guarantee a happy ending which makes me smile :) as that's the worst when you watch a film and feel completely miserable afterwards!

Beauty & the Beast has to be my favourite of them all, it has romance a little horror and comedy, i love the servants in the castle, they are absolutely hilarious, there is Lumiere (the candlestick), Cogsworth (a clock), Mrs Potts (teapot of course) and little chip (the cutest tea cup ever!!). I think its hilarious when the furniture go marching to battle when the castle is been invaded! Everyone secretly wants a dog/footstool, or a wardrobe which can pick out your outfit for you! Its just like in Toy Story everyone secretly hopes that their toys come to life at night!

I went to see Lion King at the Cinema in 3D the other week which was brilliant, i remember going to see the Lion King when i was a little girl and it was first released, i loved it then and i love it still, its a great film (and i still cried when Simba's dad died). They should re-release more of the classic Disney films as they are amazing. Although the newer Disney films are also brilliant such as Tangled, Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean.

I get annoyed though when some people like to put a damper on Disney films saying 'they're not true' 'It'll never happen in real life' ..... so what, whats wrong with cheering yourself up or day dreaming?

You cant beat the music from a Disney film either so catchy. My friend recently got the new Disney CD called 'Now that's what i call Disney' 3 CD's of brilliant Disney songs, from old and new. I have to say i love them all but my favourite has to be 'Tale as old as time' from Beauty and the Beast, it is such a romantic song.


When watching the blu ray of Beauty and the beast it included a new song which wasn't on the original film called 'Human Again' which was such a good song, and should have been included in the original film!

For all those who buy a few Disney films you should check out Disney Movie Rewards as you can collect points from each Disney DVD/Blu Ray you purchase, all you have to do is input a code you get inside your DVD/Blu Ray box on the Disney Movie Rewards website then these can then be redeemed for a number of rewards such as certain Disney DVD/Blu Rays or some toys/accessories from Disney. I have been inputting my codes and have now been able to get a free movie, i got Tron as my boyfriend wanted to see it (i personally wanted to get either Bambi or Monsters Inc but i had to compromise). I'd definitely recommend this site as like i said you can free films which would make perfect gifts for Christmas or Birthdays.

Twilight

I went to watch the new Twilight movie (Breaking Dawn part 1) the other day, which was amazing!!! I have to say i want my wedding to be exactly like their wedding, absolutely perfect!!! The wedding dress was gorgeous too, very sophisticated. The film was fantastic, i cant wait for the next one. I never understood the Twilight hype, that was until i watched the first film..... and i fell in love (mainly with Edward of course).

The new film is really good, although there is one or two parts which make me go ewww (mainly when Bella becomes ill and her bones break) but overall it such a romantic love story. I cant wait for the next film to see what Bella is like as a vampire! I think all my friends know what happens as they have read the books, but i haven't so i don't know what happens.

I must also say hasn't Jacob become quite a hottie since the first film! I didn't take much note of him back then but since then he has buffed up and i quite enjoy him taking his top off every 5 minutes! He also adds a bit of humour to serious situations throughout the film which is really good (i was giggling to myself in the cinema most the time, because he kept making sarcastic comments which i found hilarious!)

I now have a dilemma ...... Edward or Jacob, decisions decisions???

I would definitely recommend going to see the film (although i think i was the only one who hadn't seen it). The next one isn't out till next year so will have to wait to see what happens, really hope its a happy ending!!

Cable Knit Leggings - The results!!

Well a few weeks ago i bought a pair of black Cable knit leggings from New Look for £16.99 (now £10.00 - this always happens to me, i buy something full price then they go down in price like a week later). I then also bought a pair of similar Cable knit leggings from Primark for £6 and thought i would do a consumer test, and well the results are now in.

I can announce that the best out of the 2 was the pair from New Look, as at from the start they were the better feeling pair. The first issue i came across with the ones from Primark was that they didn't have enough give, so they weren't as comfy as the New Look pair which fit snug and were easy to move in.

Although the Primark ones are ok i think i would go with the New Look pair as even though the ones from Primark are only £6 the New Look ones are only an extra £4 and are much more comfy and i feel they would last a bit longer too.

Trip to the panto

We went to the Panto today at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham to see Sleeping Beauty featuring Joe Pasquale, and i have to say it was hilarious, i always thought that the panto was mainly aimed at children but it was so fun. There is even a 3D effect part, which was really good. Although that part of the show was quite scary even for me (I'm a scaredy cat) I've seen films in 3D but these bugs actually looked like they were going to eat me!!! The effects were brilliant. 

Ceri Dupree was also amazingly fun, adding glamour to the production in over the top outfits. 

The show is on until 15 January 2012 and prices range between £13 - £26.50 so not badly priced, would definately recommend it. The show lasts about 2 hours with a break i the middle so you can get refreshments. 

The Christmas tree is finally up :D It is only a budget tree with cheap decorations but it looks perfect for our first Christmas alone at home together.

The tree was only £7 from Tesco and is 6 foot tall, 100 bulb lights only £8 and then the baubles in 3 colours (pink, blue and green) in different sizes and some with glitter. So the tree is cheap cheerful and festive.

I now just need to finish the wrapping then i will be almost all set for Christmas, i still need to post my sisters present off, she lives in New Zealand, so by the looks of the Royal mail website i have missed the last posting date for Christmas, whoops. I'm sure i miss it every year, I wonder how much it will cost to send her present this year?? I sent something to her once which was only worth £13 but cost me £15 to send and it was a fairly small box!

Cable Knit Legging

I found these lovely Cable Knit Legging whilst on my shopping trip at the weekend, i bought them in black they cost me £16.99 from New Look, i thought they were really nice, something different to the normal plain leggings. They will go perfectly with my new chunky knit jumper. But it also means i will need to get some new boots :)

However after i purchased the leggings from New Look i visited Primark, and what happened to be on the hanger as i walked in the shop, the exact same leggings, but for £6 so i obviously had to buy some, i did consider taking the others back to New Look but then thought no. I have decided to test both pairs out and see which one lasts the longest, and will update my blog once i have worn both pairs (as I'm not allowed them till Christmas) I'm sure that the ones from New Look will last the longest but i could be surprised.

Belted Lace Dress

I so want this Belted Lace Dress, it is beautiful its perfect for a day dress or even a night out. I like the colour too, because i tend to wear black so Navy is a nice change. It is also available in the colour cream. It would go perfect with a pair of tights and some ballet pumps.

I'm trying to wear more dresses, as I'm getting tired of wearing jeans i want to feel more feminine. But trying to find dresses which suit my shape can be hard due to been top heavy, as i don't like having to much attention up top, so this dress would be perfect as it covers the ladies up nicely.

Getting the size right

Anyone ever have the double boob?? I have and it isn't pretty! I never realised how wrong i could be about my bra size, when i went to get measured i knew i wasn't wearing the right size, but i never thought that i would be that much out!! I went from wearing 34D to wearing 32G!!! Which is a huge difference.

Not only does wearing the wrong size create the double boob, it can leave red marks and can be uncomfortable, it can also damage your posture so it is very important to wear the correct size.

A couple of tips for making sure the bra your wearing is ok are -

• You should be able to fit 2 fingers comfortably under the shoulder band, make sure that the band is not too tight as this may cause uncomfortable rubbing.
• The centre of the bra should lie flat against your chest, if it doesn't and it pulls away at any point then you may need the next cup up.
• There must be no overspill of the cup on the top or at the sides (be aware that women tend to have one breast larger than the other)

Most lingerie stores have a fitting service, i went to La Senza who measured me and even picked out bras for me to try, it was an excellent personal service. They also have a sizing guide available on their website which is very useful.

With the right size i have another issue, finding nice bra's in my size, as not all places have a good selection for people with larger cup sizes. However i went to Ann Summers today and they had a few nice sets in stock - just like this one - Sofia Black/Pink Balconette Bra. They have a few on offer too, such as 2 bras for £25.

When i first found out about what bra size i actually was i wanted the floor to open up and swallow me, i couldn't believe how big they were, i had never really noticed how big they were, but when i asked my friend at work she was like Sam..... they are huge!! I went through a phase of hating them i just felt like i couldn't wear certain clothes as i though they made me boobs look to big, which in turn made me feel fat. I'm not a big person I'm a size 8-10 (UK). One of my boyfriends mates actually asked me if they were real, which was quite funny. I have now learnt to love them, sure its hard at times to find clothes which work with them but its a great excuse to try lots of clothes on when i go shopping :D

Studded Evening Bag

I was a bit naughty today and bought this Studded Evening Bag it was only £12.99 and will go perfect with my new dress and shoes for the Christmas work party. Its a very cute bag, can be used as either a clutch or shoulder bag, it is big enough for your essentials such as phone, keys, purse and your make up.

I have yet to receive my dress and shoes as they haven't been delivered yet, they were supposed to be delivered on 30 November but i wasn't in so they left a redelivery note saying they will try again on 1 December, but they didn't try, so I'm hoping that they will be delivered next week, as my Christmas work party is 2 weeks today.

Christmas Gift Ideas

This time of year i sometimes dread! What to buy people for Christmas??? I had a great idea this year for my friends, i have 5 friends who i will be buying for and instead of buying the usual present from Boots i have decided to put together little gift sets myself so it is more personal (and I'm hoping it works out a little cheaper) so far i have bought them all a personalised diary from Vista Print, each has their name on it and the design of them reflects their personalities so fingers crossed they like them.

I'm also going to buy them each something from Lush Cosmetics, as this shop is amazing!! I used to think the smell was off putting but after having it recommended to me i took a risk and haven't looked back since, my favourite item is The Comforter, which is a bubble bar and it feels like the water is hugging you, and the smell is gorgeous. I bought my sister the shampoo bars which she loved as they came in so useful when she went to the gym, you can even buy a shampoo bar tin to store it in.

The one thing which annoys me is buying for my boyfriends family, they always tell us what to buy them even if i have already decided what to buy them! I text my boyfriends mum asking her if her if his step dad had a DVD as i was starting my Christmas shopping, she text back saying that she just asked him and he said he wanted a CD! I didnt ask what did he want, i asked if he had a certain DVD! I was so annoyed! They do this every year, we once gave them some wine one year and they called us up saying they wanted a CD and DVD and had a mardy so we had to buy them an extra present. So I'm putting my foot down this time and I'm buying them what i want to buy them, they can get what they are given! The whole point of Christmas is appreciating what you get, besides this year will be tight as i am going to part time work so we have to be froogle this year.

Anyway back to gift ideas, i think e-bay would be a good place to find gifts as you can buy new items as well as second hand stuff at discount prices. My friend has found a few good buys on there, you sometimes don't even need to bid as there is a buy now option.

I'm getting daily emails from Play.com with all their offers they have loads of stuff for £5.00 which is brilliant for stocking fillers, i brought presents for 5 people and it only cost me £25, which was brilliant as you can buy all sorts, plus postage is free! Although i would advise to be careful with buying things such as cups as i ordered one and the packaging was crap and it came in pieces, so i had to send it back :( Luckily they have refunded me my money, but i have a friend who had the same thing happen, with the cup arriving in bits!

Christmas

Is it bad that i want to spend Christmas sat at my place in my PJ's with my boyfriend just watching whatever film happens to be on, and not want to visit anyone?? All i want to do is relax and not think about having to socialise with other people.

I was hoping to spend Christmas with my mum and dad but my boyfriend doesn't want to travel up there because its a 2 hour drive, i was a bit annoyed at first but after thinking about it i would rather do nothing. He was talking about spending Christmas day at his dad's house with his girlfriend and her 2 kids but to be honest i don't want to.

The idea of getting up at whatever time i want then opening my presents sat on my sofa in my jimmy jams, not having to wait for others to get up or make them breakfast etc, it just sounds nice and relaxing. I mean i will go to my mum and dad's after Christmas as we said we would have a Christmas dinner together (cant beat my dad's turkey).

I only get a couple of days off at Christmas so i don't want to be stressed out trying to please others. Me and my boyfriend have been together 6 years so it would be nice to have our own little Christmas, making our own little dinner (might not be great food).

I really hope it snows soon too, i understand why people moan about the snow but some people can be so miserable about it, can they not just appreciate the beauty of it? Driving in it isn't that bad if you take it easy and if your not confident in driving in it then don't.

I remember taking a walk a couple of years ago when it had been snowing, it was about midnight and it was perfect, peaceful and quite romantic walking with my boyfriend, we walked through a big field and had a playful snow ball fight and made a snow angel, absolute bliss :)

Although i need to get myself a new hat so I'm thinking this hat will be perfect for the winter weather, isn't it funny though that when you really need the usual hat, scarf and gloves that you are always told to wait till Christmas because you are bound to get some then. But what are you supposed to do the freezing weeks before that?? I can always rely on my mum and dad to buy me gloves and a scarf along with some new pyjamas and slippers.

No Internet

So we have no Internet!! It literally is the end of the world to my boyfriend, i came home and he was sat in the corner sulking next to the router which was flashing orange.

We have only recently moved to BT Infinity as my boyfriend needed (not wanted needed) their fibre optic broadband, and well it started off well, but 2 weeks down the line and well we are having issues. It stopped working on Monday so we placed a call to BT who assured us that they would call back that night......but we never received that call back, so i called on the Tuesday morning which is when they decided to check the phone line to see if there was an issue, they confirmed their was, they again assured me that we would receive a call back before 6pm that night.

6pm came and went so i called them again and they said that they would now put a call out for an engineer to check the problem out but it may take 48hours for them to be able to check the problem, and well since i had no choice i just had to agree and be happy with the 48hours. However when my boyfriend called this afternoon we were informed the engineer would not be able to check the fault until Saturday which is 3 days away (more than 48hours) So as you can imagine i am not very happy.

BT have told us that we will be reimbursed for the time we have been without the Internet. It is quite funny though as my boyfriend seems to think that Christmas has been ruined because he cannot order any Christmas presents (i think he keeps forgetting that he can visit shops still and that we are going shopping this Friday). But anyway lets hope that i will soon have my Internet back!! 

Luckily Sky hasn't downgraded yet so i haven't lost everything just yet!

In Time

Last night i went to the cinema to see In time, although it was nice watching Justin Timberlake for a couple of hours i wasn't too keen on the film, it just didn't work for me, there was no excitement, no suspense, you almost knew what was going to happen next, it was too predictable. I also didn't feel that the actors gelled well together, it was as if they were uncomfortable. So unfortunately i wouldn't really recommend this film if you are venturing off to the cinema this week.

So the government have decided to freeze the fuel price increase in January (not that it will make much difference) but i suppose it will help as petrol is becoming so expensive now, there is so much tax on it yet i don't see that tax going anywhere?? What exactly am i paying tax for? Although they will still be going ahead with the price increase in August of 5p, which may not sound a lot but it all adds up, especially if you think about how much petrol cost a few years ago, and on top of that car insurance rising around 25% and my car tax also increased this year. How are people supposed to be able to survive, i need my car to get to and from work, if i don't work i cant pay the bills. We are all been stretched thinner and thinner. The government just want to take every little penny off us. Read this artiicle for more info on the new budget.

pink cupcake beanie - hats - accessories - women - River Island

OMG!! How cute is this hat?? - pink cupcake beanie - hats - accessories - women - River Island RiverIsland have got loads of amazingly cute hats in at the moment, and with the weather getting much colder i may have to invest in one! But which one??? Decisions decisions, although this cupcake one is adorable, I'm not sure i would be able to pull it off, too many colours. I do however love this one http://www.riverisland.com/Online/women/accessories/hats/cream-peruvian-fur-pom-pom--hat-594643 its neutral in colour but still quite nice. I like to be safe and go for the simple options, plus it has got a £10 off deal at the moment on this particular hat which is a bonus, might have to put it on my shopping list for Friday :D

Snake Textured Platform

My new shoes i just ordered from New Look - Snake Textured Platform cant wait for them to arrive :D Plus i got 20% off yeay, They will go perfectly with my new dress for the Christmas work do.

Starting training soon

I'm finally starting some training for my new position next week, i will be doing a couple of days one to one with someone from our Head office. I'm still full time at the moment as we have yet to find out when the work from admin is moving across to the central admin centre, which is annoying in one way as we are ll in limbo at the moment and don't know whats happening, but then again it means i can stay full time for that little bit longer. I'm hoping they don't move the work across until the New Year which means i will be able to get through Christmas ok and then start looking for another part time job after that.

In other good news i recently helped out for Children In Need at one of our contact centres taking pledges and donations from people, myself and 2 others from the office volunteered to man the phones, there was many others within the company that took part too, it was a really fun evening there was raffles and games throughout the night, me and my 2 friends did about 6hours and left just after midnight because i lost my voice :( it was well worth the cause though, even though i had a weekend of silence due to not being able to speak!!! It was a fantastic night and i will definitely be doing it again next year.

I have started my Christmas shopping! I'm quite organised this year, I'm just making the most of full time work whilst i still can, although i am been very froogle and buying not cheap gifts but not as extravagant as i usually would. I found a brilliant website where you can create personalised diaries, calendars, key rings etc and the prices are quite reasonable its called Vista Print, i used it last year and created my mum a lovely calendar with pictures of the whole family on it (and the cat of course), and even though it is now out of date she can still keep it for the pictures.

I have also been using Maximiles for extra offers and points on purchases i make online, this is a great website because you can redeem points for gifts such as DVD's and CD's along with other things which would make brilliant Christmas presents!

I shall be visiting the Bull Ring in Birmingham this Friday for my annual shopping trip, me and my boyfriend tend to go to Meadowhall but decided we wanted to go somewhere different, i have been once before with my friends last year and thought it was much better than Meadowhall. I probably wont be spending as much this year, but I'm sure i will find some bargains. I received a brilliant offer from New Look today for 50% off party wear online, so i was straight on their website and got myself a dress for the Christmas work do (along with a pair of shoes of course) You do have to follow them on Facebook to receive this brilliant offer, so i definitely recommend signing up for your fave shops emails and like their Facebook pages so that you are kept up to date on any offers they may have. (Also remember to check to see if you can get points from Maximiles or even Boots Treatstreet - every little helps)

Getting excited about my new job!

I'm getting quite excited about starting my new job, it just seems more exciting than my current job, even though it is only part time. I still haven't got a start date yet but i am hoping my redundancy date isn't until at least January so i can stay in full time work until after Christmas. I might be going on a training course in a couple of weeks for my new role, it will be a whole week of training which will be intense and i hope i keep up with it!

We have our meeting today about the actual redundancies today so I'm sure we will get some sort of date when the work will be centralised, because this is the annoying thing, not knowing! I cant really arrange myself if i don't have dates of when I'm going part time etc. I've started looking for a part time job in the morning but its hard to get something which is flexible so i can work around the hours i will have at my new job, as i will be starting at 12.15 so i have to find something which finishes at around 11.30 or 11.45 so it gives me chance to get to from A to B on time. It also has to be alright money to because I've heard you get taxed more on your second job, so I'm going to have to do a lot of research as it will need to be worth my while, i don't want to work for nothing!

Just had to downgrade sky :(

I've just had to downgrade my Sky package :( i am not a very happy bunny, in a month i will have no more music channels, no movies just the basics (well entertainment packages & Sky sports for the other half of course). Its only going to save about £30 a month which doesn't seem much but when you go from full time to part time work every little helps.

I hate having to sacrifice my luxuries! I'm not going to be able to watch Disney Cinemagic any more :(

Why did i have to get made redundant!! I desperately need to find a second part time job to make up the money I'm losing by just been on one part time wage so i can get my movies and music back!!

Pretty soon i wont be able to visit Outfit on my lunch break or just pop to boots for a meal deal, its going to be Tesco value food all the way, and window shopping galore! I keep thinking of where else i could make cut backs but there isn't anywhere really because i need my car to get to work, we need Internet and phone lines to communicate with the outside world and we already have energy saving light bulbs.

I guess Christmas is going to be a small affair this year, perhaps turkey twizzlers instead of an actual turkey?? It really irritates me though when i see people who are actually rubbish at their jobs who are not under threat of redundancy and they seem to just float through life with ease! Its just not fair, but i guess moaning about it isn't going to do anything, i just need to concentrate on me and getting my life sorted out.

Got the job!!!

I finally got an interview and got the job!! :D It was on Halloween of all days! It was tough getting to this stage! I had to do some online assessments which were not easy!! I had to do a Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning & Personality assessment, i thought they were so hard! I didn't even finish the maths one, although everyone said you are not scored by how much you do, its based on how accurate your answer are. The website the assessments are from are http://www.shl.com/uk i was able to go on the website before hand and look at some of the practice questions which was quite useful so i was sort of prepared for what was coming.I can see the positives and negatives of these assessments because yes they can help filter the applicants, but then again some people may do rubbish in the assessments but might actually be a perfect candidate for the job but don't get a chance to shine in an interview! Its a little unfair, you have to think do recruiters actually think of a person as a person or are they just a number??

I got myself all worked up for the assessments i found the Verbal Reasoning quite hard, whereas the maths was actually ok. I think the worst part is having the timer in the corner of your screen, so you are constantly looking at it and panicking! But it turns out i did excellent (much to the surprise of me) so that was quite a boost to know before i went into my actual interview.

So the actual interview was not too bad, i was given advice before hand from everyone i work with, the best thing i think is to think of situations you have been in whilst in the workplace such as when you have had to deal with an unhappy customer, disagreements in the workplace etc. The interviewee i find prefers to have actual examples and not just generalised answers, I'm guessing that's because it proves that you have been in a certain situation??  I think it is also quite good to put positive spins on situations too, so always explain how you tried to improve something or change something to help prevent the situation from happening again.

Anyway i had the interview today and was told within about an hour that i had been successful so i have been able to relax and might be able to sleep better now (i hope) but now i have other worries on my mind, such as money, as the job i have been given is only part time which means I'm taking a drop in pay which will have a significant impact on mine and my boyfriends life, we are going to have to make some cut backs for now. I'm hoping to find some sort of part time job in a morning just to try and boost my income slightly. We can probably survive on the lower wage for a time but not for long term, so i better get my thinking cap on!

Vampires Rock

On a different note i went to Vampires Rock last night with the girls which was fun, something different to do, great music (and a fit guitarist)! They do a few shows over the UK and i would definately recommend it. It has a storyline to it but it was mainly the music i went for, you cant beat the rock classics! I would definately visit their website to find out more if its your kind of thing.

Interview

I have now applied for a position at the place i currently work at, however it is only part time which is both good and bad. It is for a Customer service role which is good because it is something different and i would get training which would be useful to have on my CV if i was to apply for any future positions. The only bad thing is, is that it is part time hours, i would be working Monday - Thursday from about 12.30 - 5.30 so i would need to possibly find another job in the morning and a Friday to make up the pay i would be losing. Although the pay for the Customer service  role is quite good even for the part time hours, me and my boyfriend discussed it and we would probably be able to survive.... just, we may have to make cut backs though.

I have thought about going on an agency for the hours i would be free, this is however if i get the job! I found out that i would have to do a test!!! A literacy and numeracy test which is a little nerve racking, i can do maths and English but i will be timed and also the test could potentially decide if i got the job or not. Then i would have to have an interview which is scary in itself. I need to look out for number one, i have bills to pay so i am going to have to be selfish and brutal, i do not want to be out of a job at Christmas.

So i now have to prepare for an interview, i have had 2 previously one for my first job which was scary but not as scary as my up coming one as i need this job!! I have been looking for tips on the Internet on how to prepare, most things are mainly common sense, but there is one on the direct gov site Preparing for an interview which I'm guessing they have put up to help with the unemployment mess they have caused (but that discussion is for another day).

Trimmed Ponte Tailored Dress

I think one thing to think about is to look the part, look like you want the job and that you pay attention to detail, when i went for my last interview for my current job i wore just a simple black dress which looks sophisticated and also covered up all the places you don't want to show off and give the wrong impression, New Look tends to have some nice dresses which are appropriate for interviews, added with a pair of sensible heels and you have a perfect interview outfit!

Apart from looking good for your interview always do research on the position you are applying for so that you can think of reasons why you would be able to carry out the job role effectively, always think of scenarios that you have been in which can relate to the position you are applying for.

When you are waiting in the reception area waiting for your interview try and strike up a friendly conversation with the receptionist as i found this helped me last time, it helped with my nerves as she was such a lovely person and made me think that it would be a nice place to work at which i think gives you a confidence boost. It also will help as the receptionist could let the interviewee know their opinion of you and if it is a good one then it may help (im not saying this will help 100% but i think it helps to some level).

Always always make sire you know where the interview is been held, do a dry run at the weekend or the day before so you know exactly where the place is, as it wont look to good if you turn up late, it also wont help your nerves if you are stressing out because you dont know where you are. Ensure you arrive with at least 10 minutes to spare so that you can compose yourself before actually starting the interview.

I will be trying out all my advice above soon when i have my interview so i hope it works for me!!

Money Saving/Making

As i am going through the whole redundancy situation i thought i would share my tips on how to get a little extra for your money, from collecting points & completing surveys.

I know many of you probably have either a Tesco Clubcard, Nectar card or Boots Advantage card so I'm sure you know what the benefits of these are, but for those of you who don't here is some info on what you can get:

Tesco Clubcard - With this card you can collect one point for every £1 you spend in Tesco (on most items in store) at the petrol pump or most items from Tesco Direct. These points are then converted into vouchers every quarter which can either be spent in Tesco or you can use them with Clubcard rewards where they can be redeemed for a number of things such as Magazine subscriptions, entry into exhibition or event and activity days their website has all the information you need, if your not signed up for this i would definitely recommend it.

Boots Advantage Card - This is similar to the Tesco Clubcard except you can collect 4 points for every £1 you spend in Boots on most items in store or online. These points can then be spent at boots or on their website. Not only can you collect Boots points from Boots but if you visit their Treat Street you can also collect points when you shop online at a number of other retailers such as Dorothy Perkins, New Look & HMV, visit the website for more info - http://www.treatstreet.boots.com/

Nectar Card - This card can redeemed in a number of different places such as Sainsburys, BP, Amazon amongst others. When you have collected a few points they can redeemed against various rewards quite like the Tesco Clubcard, such as Attraction entry, vouchers etc.

Now other than using the cards above there are other ways to make a little bit extra such as completing surveys, a couple of examples are https://www.valuedopinions.co.uk/ and http://www.iap-interactive.com/ for completing surveys you will be awarded points which can be redeemed for vouchers, on valued opinions you can get vouchers for Outfit, Amazon, Boots and many more. With Iap-Interactive the best one to get is the Capital Bonds voucher as this can be used at a number of different stores.

Now if you do like shopping online a great website to use would be Maximiles on this website you collect points for shopping online through their website for a number of retailers such as Game, PC World, Argos, New Look and quite a few more. You can also collect points for completing surveys, watching their advertising videos and signing up for newsletters. These points again can be redeemed for a number of different rewards ranging from DVDs and CD's to vouchers to TVs and even a Porche. This is definitely a website to look at!


If you have any old CDs, DVDs or Games hiding away that you don't use or watch anymore then why not try out Music Magpie and see how much you can get for them, its free posting and they send you a cheque within a couple of weeks. I tried this out and it was quick and easy, all i had to do was take the box of DVDs to the Post Office (always make sure you get proof of posting).

Another good website is http://www.groupon.co.uk/ this has a different deal everyday from manicures, massages & hair appointments to meals for two, falconry experience & Go karting. You can save loads on deals, and if you recommend a friend for one of the deals and they purchase it then you get £6 credit on your Groupon account, I recommended 3 people once and was able to purchase a massage with the credit!

I hope this has been of use to someone, these websites definitely helped me.

X Factor a little messed up

I used to disagree with all the talk of X Factor been a bit too much for young people, but after the twist they had in this weekends show i think i might change sides. I dont see why the judges had to vote off one of their own acts after the first show?? Giving them that little bit of hope and then just dumping them, why didnt they just pick 3 contestants at judges houses instead of dragging them through this ordeal?? I actually think it is quite shocking.

All this just to get a few more viewing figures! I think that at least one of the acts should not have gone, Amelia, she was one who could sing and would go a long way in my eyes. The weekends episodes were actually a waste of time and just an extension of the judges houses, except the contestants were humiliated in front of the crowd, and they didnt even get a chance to let the audience decide if they liked them, what were the producers thinking.

I did like the new X Factor at first, i though the judges were brilliant but after this shocking turn im not so sure about it. I wonder how far they will go to get the top viewing figures? I suppose they have got Kitty's dramatic effects to boost figures, yet arent they supposed to be taking more care of contestants mental wellbeing? Doesnt look like it.

Why is my goldfish miserable

My Goldfish Samson (previously Sam, but had to change because people thought i had named it after myself! i actually had 4 other fish Frodo, Merry, Pippin & Gollom) Anyway my fish just looks so unhappy, i feed it i clean it out but it just looks depressed. I have thought about getting another fish but he is my 12th fish, as i haven't been very successful with fish in the past.

I first got 5 fish (Goldilocks, Knox, spud, Spock & house - TV was on and house was what was on) and within 48hours they had all died, i wasn't sure why? I even went to get the water checked at the pet store, i did the leave them in the bag thing for a while before you put them in but one after the other they just died! The lady at the pet store said i must just had the weaker fish!

I wasn't going to get any more but i went to the fair and won 2 fish (Fifi & Jemimah) again within 48 hours i was back down to zero fish. I was determined to have a fish and to keep it alive for at least longer than a week. So i went a got the last lot and yet again one by one they died off, first it was Merry (he wasn't very merry) then Gollom, Frodo and Pippin. But Sam survived and has now lived well over a year now (very proud of myself) I'm just getting very worried what if he is on his last legs, or fins??

Patrick in my school bag a few years ago.

I think if Samson was to pass on, then i will just stick to cats and dogs they seem to survive much better around me. My last cat Patrick is amazing (she currently lives with mum and dad - didn't want to move her from her comfort zone) and yes Patrick is a girl, it was hard enough explaining this to the vet i booked her in for to be spayed. Her full name is Patrick Lucifer (on actual chip) she is like the devils cat but we all love her to bits. Although you should never lay down on the floor when she is around she will attack! Over the years she has piled a few pounds on because she actually goes next door for a second breakfast, she is like a furry football.

I remember once i was trying to eat my dinner and Patrick came along and put her paw in my mash, cheeky little thing. There was another time i was putting hair removal cream on my legs and yet again the paw went in, i had to chase her round the house so i could get the cream off her paw before she ate it!

Just couldnt find the right clothes

Mum and Dad arrived on cue 9am. They bought me a food parcel :) the cupboards are now full up.

We all took a ride into town so i could show mum the onesies in Primark, which are amazing, she has bought one for me and my sister, i got one with penguin feet and we picked one with cows on for my sister, only £10 not bad!!

We then took a look in New look and they had a sale so i had a look and found some good bargains, i took 7 items into the changing room but came out with none! I dont know why but nothing seemed to suit me, which irritates me because that is always the case. I did see a dress which i had tried on but didnt, why do we always do that?? (http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/dresses/cowl-neck-colour-block-dress_231071569) It was £30 so not a bad price and would be nice for when i get a new job.

I have found that i am getting slightly short tempered with people especially my boyfriend which i do feel bad about :( but i cant help it somethings just really irritate me, like when i wanted to buy some birthday cards which were 10 for a £1 i thought that would be perfect for when someones birthday pops up and i dont have to worry about getting a card, and my boyfriend was like thats stupid just get a card when its their birthday, but the thing is when there are birthdays im the one who has to worry about getting cards and presents not him, i even write out most cards even if they are for his family! So i sort of had a mardy moment in the middle of clintons and stormed out lol then after that things just really ticked me off.

I calmed down eventually and we went for a sunday dinner at our local pub, it was quite good - http://www.cornmill-nottingham.co.uk/  although i am quite fussy when it comes to my sunday dinner the yorkshires have to be perfect!

Mum and Dad have gone home now :( wish they could have stayed longer but they both have work in the morning so i will have to wait until either they come here or we go visit them.

Before i go i want you all to meet Peter Pumpkin, i will be putting him on my desk at work to cheer me up :)

Formula One

Well i was woken at about 6am today by my boyfriend turning the bedroom TV on so that he can watch the Japan Grand Prix (not impressed) but since I'm now forced to watch it i might as well write a blog about it.

So Sebastian Vettle is currently in the lead in the Championship, there has been a lot of debate about whether or not he is a good driver or if he has a good car and a bout of good luck?? I think this is a little unfair as there has been times where he has proven he is a good driver, and he has been able to put his car on pole 12 times this year, which isn't bad going if you compare it to Webbers qualifying.

Now poor Lewis Hamilton has had quite a disappointing season with all his penalties, many would argue that he was just racing and is more aggressive than others, and that perhaps other drivers have got a bit soft?? I think he is a great driver but maybe he has been under so much pressure to win that he has pushed a bit to hard?

So the race has now started and an incident involving Vettle & Button has been investigated, Button was pushed off the track by Vettle, apparently Vettel has been let off scot free. I think we can all assume that Vettle has now won the Championship, as i think he only needed one point?

I myself am supporting the Brits Lewis and Jenson, but Jenson is the only one in contention for the Championship (very slim chance Vettle has to crash out or not score any points in the last races). My boyfriend is a strong Hamilton fan and just assumes every other driver is wrong and cheating lol.

It looks as though Hamilton has an issue with his tyres which my boyfriend claims has ruins his race, its only lap nine but we have to wait and see. Apparently it was a puncture.

Right I'm off to my twitter page to tweet about the race.

Operation Clean Up

I am so unprepared for the arrival of my mum and dad tomorrow, i 'started' cleaning up this morning but so far i seem to have just moved mess around. I mean i don't live like a slob or anything but my mum is a cleaner so everything has to be spotless! Otherwise she will tidy up and i will not find anything for a week!

I just cant be bothered to tidy though, it is so boring and there is so much good stuff on TV, i am so bad :)

I don't even have a spare cupboard i can shove all the crap into. Ok so i need to get motivated now, maybe put some music on and get going. I just know my mum is going to come in and start ironing and then I'll never find my work clothes (not such a bad thing at this point though).

I need to have a shower too, there is so much to do before they get here, they said they would be setting off early in the morning, and they are very early risers, and it takes about 2 hours to get here, so I'm guessing about 8 or 9am which gives me a couple of hours to clean before i need to sleep.

Wish me luck!

Im addicted to Minecraft!

I seem to have become addiceted to Minecraft - a game my boyfriend plays, I would always get annoyed with him when he was playing it constantly, but now that i have tried it i am fixated Help lol.
In the game you basically have to build a house and feed yourself and mine stuff.

Its a really good game, although i have it set on 'peaceful' as the zombies, spiders and skeletons scared the hell out of me, i would just pause the game and get my boyfriend to kill them for me lol, god help me if i was actually in a life thretening situation!! (It was quite funny, i would scream and he would come running lol) I even mentioned the game to my friend at work and i think she may have got it too, how sad are we. I will add though that i dont spend hours and hours on it, im not a complete gamer......yet.

My boyfriend now he is game obsessed, he is currently playing the new F1 game on the playstation which i find so boring, just driving round a track for hours, that would send me insane! Its the same with football, cant stand it. He did want to buy a formula one ferrari steering wheel for his computer/ps3 which was like £600+ and i was like errr no, but he has had to put that purchase on hold now until i get my job sorted..... what a shame :)

I do sometimes moan that i barely see him because he is always in his 'games room' but then again it means that i can sit and watch what tv i want or just listen to music, read a book etc with out him disturbing me or putting the football on!! It is good that he does have his own game room because otherwise he would have had his playstation set up on the TV in the living room, and i dont know how i would cope with that (it is worth sacrificing the spare room for)

He recently built his own computer which i thought was a stupid idea, why he couldnt just buy a ready made one i'll never know lol. He does tend to spend more time gaming than anything else though and the only time i see him is when he is hungry lol.

Anyway im going to go finish watching X Factor (i wish i lived in the contestants house!)

Friday - End to a tough week

Well the end of the week final arrived, and I'm now able to have a lie in and just forget about work for a bit. I want to just for get about the redundancy situation for a few days and clear my head, so last night i decided to go to Goose Fair with a couple of friends which really helped me to forget about reality for a few hours. We had so much fun i only went on 3 rides but it was still such a laugh. We first went on a Ferris wheel because one of my other friends asked me to get a good picture of the whole thing if i could, so i did (it wasn't a great picture a bit blurry) We then went the waltzers (obviously, you cant go the fair and not go on them) We then went in the fun house which was childish i know but still hilarious, i almost did the splits at one point, but i did manage to stay up right in the hamster wheel lol.

The only downside to the fair is the crowds - i hate them lol. It was quite a challenge when i got my yummy cadbury hot chocolate with cream and a flake to keep it in the cup and not burn myself or anyone else, my friend did get knocked and her hot chocolate nearly went over my face lol.

Luckily nothing bad happened whilst we were at the fair as there is a reputation for things to happen, but as far as i could see everyone was having a good time, we were there quite a while, we were only going for an hour or so but ended up staying about 3 or 4 hours! Time flies when you are having fun.

My other friend who i work with went to the fair on Thursday night and got some candy floss which we both ate for breakfast on Friday morning at work - we are allowed we are both up for redundancy!! She also hooked a duck and won me a duck teddy (who we have now named Polly)

Anyway no new update really on the job hunting just that i have applied for a couple more but again have to wait and see, i hate waiting i am so impatient.

Mum and Dad are coming to visit tomorrow, cant wait they are bringing me some bits and bobs down with them, mainly food :) Cant wait to see them both haven't seen them for a few months now, miss them both all the time. I cant wait till i get a job, which is hopefully well paid so i can go visit them more. I was hoping this year to go to theirs for Christmas because i love going there for xmas, my dad makes the most amazing Christmas dinner :) and they always have their decorations up, and my mum always enters the village window decorating competition, she has won a couple of times before (she even framed the certificates bless her) Its even better when its been snowing it makes it perfect (although you usually get snowed in because they live in a dip so they are surrounded by hills. But my boyfriend wants to spend xmas with his dad and his dads girlfriend, so i guess i will have to compromise and spend xmas there and New Year at my mum and dad's??


Anyway i think i have gone on for quite a bit now so will finish it here for now. x

A one year old has added me on facebook!!??

I really though i had got a new friend when my phone flashed at me and said i had a friend request, but it turned out to be my boyfriends cousins daughter who happens to be one! I may sound boring but isn't that just a tad bit sad that you have to go and set up a facebook page for your one year old?? What use is it exactly??  Cant they wait until the child is old enough to set a social network page up themselves?

Its not just children either it is peoples pets! I just tend to ignore these requests, but why do people do this? Isn't there an age limit? As I'm sure i had a birthday notification saying that someone was about 20 when they were still in secondary school!

I do like using facebook because it keeps me in contact with my family but there are just some people who annoy me slightly, there was one person who had a rant on their wall and then later posted why do people stick their noses into business that isn't theirs?!?!?!?! Its because you broadcast it to the world.

Anyway enough of the ranting, i have so far applied for 2 jobs which look really good so i hope i get them, i have seen one or two jobs within the NHS but we all know the government is adamant in cutting costs!!

Me and me work mate who are both up for redundancy keep thinking about how strange it will be not working together any more, she said she even nearly started crying because she saw mini marsh mellows and it reminded her of when we made hot chocolates with marsh mellows last year :(

So its not really just the money worries its also missing the people i have come to know so well.

Searching for a new job

Why is it when you come to write your CV you completely forget what it is you do?! You do the same job each day yet putting it in words is impossible. Then trying to find a job which suits you is equally as hard. I have so far applied for one job which seams quite good, but now its just the waiting to hear from the employer if i have been selected for interview. I hate the dreaded wait, that's all we seem to do is wait.... waiting to see if i will be made redundant and wait to see if i can get another job.

So far i have looked on the Job centre website and found a few which could be potential hits, but i am so nervous, what if i do get interviews and what if i mess them up??

Work is a bit strange at the moment everyone is been so nice, which is making it hard because i love everyone here and it will be hard to leave them all. Although i haven't cried today which is a good sign, but getting the motivation to actually do work is impossible because in 4 weeks i could be out of a job.

I was supposed to be dressing up for Halloween at work this year but i don't think my heart is in it any more :( My heart isn't really in anything anymore, i feel empty, although i know that redundancy is all about the numbers and not the individual its hard not to feel rejected and insignificant.

I could really do with going shopping, but instead I'm job hunting, the things we have to sacrifice just to get on this world. Ah well better get back to the search.......

The Moment that dress 'shrunk' in the wash!?

Well whilst getting ready for work, i thought i would wear one of my posher office dresses to try and boost my confidence, but, it appears to have shrunk in the wash or has it....... i would like to think so but reality is i need to start watching my weight, which i really don't want to do but.......

The girls at work are always going on about diets and i just find them a little bit boring, but i may have to conform :s

I'm not big or anything I'm a size 8/10 (more 10 than 8) so its not as if i should be too worried but i think i need to start watching it before it does get worse, i have started going swimming (ok maybe just the once) i intend to carry that on depending on if i have a job or not, but i suppose i could maybe cut down on the sweet treats (not cut out, that's a definite no no) although i am such a fussy eater, i don't like veg, cheese, pasta and various other foods, i do like most fruit such as apples and bananas, my down fall is the chocolate. I think i only snack because I'm bored so maybe i need a hobby, but what? I need something which is not expensive and easy to start, like i said i have the swimming which is nice for once or twice a week, but i really want to do something creative. I really enjoyed shopping as a hobby but i think at the moment with the 'R' word looming that is not such a great activity to do :(

Anyway back to diets, any ideas of what are good where i don't have to eat just dust or fresh air? Any ideas will be much appreciated.

Day 2

Well it is now the day after dooms day, and i think i may have got my head around everything...... i think, i don't think i will be crying any more, i just need to pick myself up and get on with things now, no more sulking.

One good thing from this my mum and dad are coming to visit this weekend so i can have a nice mum hug, they always make me feel better :)

I have been looking for jobs and there are one or two good ones out there so today will be all about updating my CV and sending to different places, then i need to start working on my interview skills :s that should be fun.

I must also make sure i eat something today because i didn't have anything yesterday (apart from a much needed chocolate bar!).

I need to stop doubting myself as this isn't going to give me the confidence to get myself a new job. So i just need to get over this and hold my head up high...... its a lot harder than you think!

Although on a more funny note, my boyfriend had 2 teeth taken out yesterday and whilst we were sleeping he dribbled on my pillow.....which was very nice of him lol, i can always rely on him to make me smile without realising it. He actually bought the 2 teeth home with him (one tooth has part of his jaw bone on it apparently - it looks disgusting) He thinks its amazing but he also wants a sympathy vote, so we were both licking our wounds last night.

I can always turn to my boyfriend for help and support we have been together 6 years now, sure we have had our ups and downs but we got through it, I'm actually quite proud of our relationship, we have discussed the 'M' word but despite wanting to be together for ever we are happy as we are at the moment. Also does marriage even mean much these days?? many people are getting divorced, which is so sad, we see many celebs getting divorced, and its not nice to see it all publicised, it seems like such a traumatic experience having everyone judge you. I don't think i could go through a divorce, having everyone talk about you when your not in the room, i guess that's why I'm not to fussed about getting married just yet?? Maybe I'm worried it will ruin what we have?? I look at my parents, they have been together 26 years and i hope will be together for another 26 years, but my boyfriends mum and dad are divorced, his mum is now in her 3rd marriage. That is another reason i fear marriage..... having his mum and dad in the same room with alcohol, i actually have nightmares about my wedding day and it been ruined by the in laws lol, although my friend did say she will keep the peace and have a 'naughty corner' can always rely on Laura to organise everyone : )

Anyway i better get ready for work, life must continue, and i must earn my money because I'm going to need it! x

Worst day ever

My week had begun quite well this week, i took up swimming with my friend Chrissy after saying i would for about 2 months. It was quite a laugh and we soon realised that we were both not as fit as we thought and that it was not the most glamorous sports as we had both left our mascara on and poor Chrissy could not see a thing, but we had a giggle about it, although the usual swimmers weren't too impressed that we were having fun! Then to top it off as we were leaving looking like drowned rats there was a group of rather nice looking lads 'cringe' lol.

So anyway that was not part of the worst day ever! that came today when me and my work colleagues were asked into the office and we were not expecting what was about to happen! The first few words was all it needed 'Due to the economic......' we all then knew by that point what the meeting was about, one person cried whilst i just held my head in my hands not really able to take it all in, our supervisor was great she asked the manager all the right questions as we just couldn't talk without wanting to break down, it was the dreaded 'R' word which no one wants to hear especially in times like these where jobs are quite hard to find.

The reason for the redundancies are down to centralising the admin departments although there will be the supervisor position available still along with one admin clerk and we all have to re-apply for our job, and unfortunately due to me only been with the company for one year and the other 2 been there for 6years plus i am the least qualified so much more likely to be let go, but that's not the worst part as due to not been in my employment for more than 2 years means i am not entitled to any redundancy pay.

So i have one month to find myself a new job. But when you have been dealt a blow such as this you just go numb and your head just doesn't want to work, and it doesn't matter how much everyone tells you that it will be OK, it just doesn't help.

We didn't do much work today as you can imagine, no one was really in the right frame of mind, i am so worried especially when you hear on the TV about all these companies and the NHS and councils etc making cuts and redundancies, how will i manage to get a stable job if there isn't any available!

You never imagine something like this would ever happen to you and when it does its like been hit by a tonne of bricks, i wonder if the government will ever do anything about the employment issues in this country or will we just be 'Benefit Britain' do they realise that with the cuts they are putting people out of work and the people who lose their jobs sometimes have no option but to go on benefits as they are unable to find work, so surely it is the governments best interest to perhaps not make too many cuts so there are more jobs available?? I'm not saying they shouldn't make cuts but they need to address the employment situation.

Anyway fingers crossed i find something else within the month! Otherwise I'm not too sure how i will pay my bills.