2012 Has Taught Me...

Okay so I took this idea from Twitter. #2012HasTaughtMe has been trending over the last few days, and it made me reflect on what 2012 has actually taught me. It has been a pretty difficult year, but I can gain a few things from this year, and - if the world doesn't end on Friday - carry them with me through to 2013.

• A bit of good can come out of everything. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder to find it.
• People change. And this year has shown me the friends true to me, and ones not so much.
• Nothing is guaranteed. And I need to learn to appreciate the things I do have whilst I have them. I.e a loving boyfriend, and wonderful close friends and family.
• The time that I spend down in the dumps and upset about meanial things, I could be spending it being happy and not worrying so much. The less I worry, the happier I will be.
• To concentrate on myself, and the people that matter.
• New Year New Me. Yeah right. I like who I am at the moment and I don't intend to change.

This Christmas and New Year will be spent with the best people, having the best time and making amazing memories. Im sure lots will be drunk, lots will be eaten, and there will be lots of laughter. And as long as I am with friends and family to make it happen, I'm sure that the countdown to 2013 will be one of the best.

Christmassy London!

So now I feel kind of christmassy. At the moment I am up in Tunbridge Wells visiting my Dad. I love coming up here around Christmas time, when all of the streets are decorated and something going on everywhere you look. The above picture is one of my favourite places to visit when I'm in London. Absolutely love Carnaby Street.

So today I went for lunch with a friend who I haven't seen for a while, and even though it was very brief as she had to work, it was lovely to catch up with her. The bonus being that she works on a make up counter in Selfridges, so as well as christmas shopping I was a little cheeky and blagged myself a free makeover and samples from her. Visited Hamleys (I can't not when I'm up here, it's like I'm a little kid again), had some life size bear stroke my fur coat, someone blew bubbles in my face and tried shooting a toy dart at me - all in a days work I guess.

Tonight we are going to Frankie and Bennys for dinner. I've never been but been told it's amazing (I'm from a small town, us Cornish folk don't get around much). So I am going to eat a lot and spend some time with Dad and Gemma. Then tomorrow I'm going to the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, where I may try my luck at ice skating. I've never been, so I need to decide if it's worth risking breaking something before the busy festive period. And then to Covent Garden and Leicester Square. More Christmassy things yayyy.

In other news, I got a new tattoo! On my wrist, not my back as my Dad first thought. No, that bit at the bottom is not my arse crack, it's my hand.

Promotion for our new website!

Now, I'm not one to cover everything in spam and promote lots of different websites normally. But we have set up a new clothing website, and put SO much hard work into getting it done. Hours and hours of work has gone into designing items, and blogs and the website to make it how it is today.

We have set up a blog to go along with the website, you can find it at the link below:

http://hoodsandtshirts.blogspot.co.uk/

and we frequently update that with the latest offers and brand new products on our website. Please please follow the blog and read our posts!

Our website is www.hoodsandtshirts.co.uk
We add new items to it every day, with several different categories from 80s Fancy Dress to Twilight to X Factor! In the run up to christmas, there is bound to be something for everyone on this website.

You can follow us on twitter as well: @hoodsandtshirts

And like our facebook page! www.facebook.com/hoodsandtshirts

I would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes out of your day to do these things, and help us get our business off the ground!

Thank you :)

A father is someone who carries pictures in his wallet where his money used to be

I'm very excited this cold Saturday afternoon. Dad's coming down tonight. This is the longest I have ever gone without seeing him (last saw him September before my birthday), and it has been really difficult. But I'm so excited to see him. We have lots of things planned, including a shopping trip, lunch, dinner, and maybe a cinema trip. So by the end of this I will be very poor and tired, but I couldn't care less. :)

So the last few weeks have been a bit mental. It was Daniel's birthday, so we went out to the Rajpoot (the indian in St Ives) and for a few drinks afterwards. The Indian by us lets you bring your own alcohol, so me and Hannah picked up a few bottles of Pink Fizz - only the best of course - and we walked into the restaurant and sat down. Behind us were our classy boyfriends carrying basically a crate full of cider. The waiters face was a picture. Anyway, after lots of food and drink, and a fall down the stairs later, I was nursing a very sore head (and back) the next day!

 

So being Halloween weekend, naturally we went out the following night too. There was a Masked Ball at The Lizard, massive treck but definately worth it. Although the next morning when I got home, my bed has never ever looked more appealing to me. We saw an AMAZING band whilst there, called The Other Tribe. Our friends were really into them and in all honesty I hadn't a clue who they were. But as soon as they started playing a certain song it clicked who they were and I absolutely loved them. If you haven't checked them out before, seriously do. Amazing.

 

 

 

 

And tonight I am going to Penzance Meadery, to pig out on lots of food, drink some mead and have a catch up with a friend that I haven't seen for a few months. I like my life at the moment. Its good.



Finally 21, and legally able to do everything I've been doing since 15.

So last week was my 21st birthday. It was full of laughter, close friends, family and emotions. Over the last week I have had the time of my life, but I have also reflected on a few of my favourite memories throughout my life.

My Grandad came over on the morning of my birthday and brought a present with him. On the tag I found this:

And in the bag I found this:

For people that haven't read my blog before, my Nan died when I was 12. She was my best friend, and I have found her death really hard to come to terms with over the last 10 years. So to be given this on the morning of my birthday I was a little shaken up to say the least. At first I was a bit creeped out, but then my Grandad told me the story behind it.

Before my Nan died, she left some money. Some money for my Grandad to buy a 21st birthday present for me. I couldn't believe she thought that far ahead, 10 years into the future and thinking, I want to buy her a present. It matches the angel wings tattooed onto my back, and the charm is now on my bracelet permanently and never leaves my side and I am so happy she thought of doing this special thing in her last days here.

So later on in the day, I went back to my natural hair colour. I had been blonde for maybe 9 months, and whilst I loved it, I couldn't be arsed with the upkeep

Then I went for a meal with my family, pigged out on steak and cake, drank too much wine and too many cocktails, then went home to bed. Woke up the next morning feeling a little rough to say the least!

Saturday night I went out with all my friends. We drank lots of cocktails, took lots of photos, laughed way too much and had the most amazing night. 

Its birthdays that make you realise that it's the people closest to you and willing to make the effort that matter the most. My 21st birthday has made me realise I have the best and most thoughtful family and friends - even the ones that aren't with me today - and whilst I might not show it all the time, I am so so grateful that I have them in my life.

Love you all xxxxx

“Never too old, never too bad, never too late, never too sick to start from scratch once again.”

So a few weeks ago, my Dad managed to secure himself a new job. I am so chuffed for him, he deserves some good news in his life finally. After a year or two of being unemployed, and all the shit going down in our family, to see him achieve something he's gone after is so great. The only downside is that he has had to move away. He now lives in Tunbridge Wells, just outside of London.

Now I know what you're thinking, London is a GREAT place to be job-wise. And I completely agree. The people there make more money, and I love London as a whole. So in my opinion he is very lucky to be living there. But it's been difficult not having him a half hour train journey away when I need a Daddy cuddle, or to get away from the nightmares of everything for a while. Sundays with my Dad watching movies and eating popcorn were definitely the best. And I'm not saying they won't happen again, of course they will, it's just weird not being able to say "oh I'm going to come over today", I have to actually plan in advance. And that's something I'm not great at doing. 

From an unselfish point of view, this is probably the best thing for him to do. By far. I imagine leaving his fiance behind was difficult, but she's going to be joining him up there soon enough, and me and my sister can hop on a train whenever we like. But from a selfish point of view, it is going to be difficult not having him here to moan to over ham and eggs for lunch. 

Salad and Gin.

So this week I have had a bet with my boyfriend. We are both absolutely terrible at sticking to diets. Anyone that knows us will say this. Every single day I say "I'm not eating any more shit" or "I am giving up wine, look at my tummy". It lasts for a day or two and then I cave and go back to the way I was. So this week we challenged each other not to eat any carbohydrates for the week, and see how we go. And because he had such little faith in me, he said that he would outlast me and I would cave first. Obviously I wasn't going to let him lose, so I took the challenge head on.

It was only when I accepted the challenge that I actually realised it was a VERY strict diet. I live on pasta and bread, so there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to find this difficult. There was only so much rabbit food (i.e lettuce) I could eat, and only so much water I could drink without getting bored. But nevertheless I have given it my best shot, and 4 days in, I am still carb free.

The boyfriend said that I would feel a lot better in myself, and be happier if I cut out all the shit from my life. And I hate to say this, but hes bloody right. I feel great in myself, and in such a good mood. Even hungover today (from gin I might add, no wine was involved as this would also count as a loss to the challenge), I am in a good mood. And that is a rarity in itself. So maybe this whole diet business is a good thing. And I feel so much better for it, it's made me ever more determined to carry on!

Watch this space.. I'll be stick thin in no time.