Meet Alfie!

Happy Valentines Day you lovely lot! <3  With today all being about sharing the love, I thought I would introduce to you the love of my life, my best buddy- Alfie!

No joke- I've literally just sat on the bed and started writing this with my cute little Alfie snuggled up next to me and the most horrendous smell has just emanated and filled the whole bedroom. And before you ask it wasn't me!! How ironic that I'm about to tell you all how adorable he is and he goes and does that! Anyway, if you hadn't have guessed this post is all about my dog Alfie!
 

Alfie is a 13 month old Jackhuahau; his Mum is a Jack Russel and his Dad is a Chihuahua. My boyfriend Kieran and I got him on a total whim although we had discussed about getting one for ages! He is the cutest little dog (i'm not biased at all) and I cant remember what life was like before him. I'm one of those really annoying dog mums who constantly posts pictures of their dog #sorrynotsorry and I really struggled at selecting only a few to put in this post- although I've still managed to get 14 in!

As he was a very spontaneous addition to the family, we hadn't thought of any names before hand. Kieran was insisting on naming him Jax after the main character in Sons of Anarchy and although I liked the name it just didn't suit him. After asking family and googling every dog name list possible we decided on Alfie. It was one of those moments where as soon as it was said we both knew it was perfect. It's a cute cheeky name that definitely suits his personality.

 

He loves walks-  well duh Chrissy what dog doesn't! For some reason though, he hasn't picked up on the word 'walkies'. Every time we put on our coats he thinks he is going out with us and he knows it's walk time when he sees his lead but you can say walkies to him and he has no idea haha. We have had some trouble with him 'barking at any thing that moves' but he's recently been neuted and we are hoping- read desperately praying that the effects of that will start to show soon. Seriously if any one has some tips on dog barking please tell me!

Alfie seems to listen more to Kieran then he does me - I think it's the deep voice. It gets to the point where I start telling him off in the deepest lowest voice I can and sound like Phil Mitchell from Eastenders in the middle of the park- not a good look for me, and he still doesn't stop barking! We've tried clickers and those aerosols for barking but had no luck. When we asked the vet for some advice on the matter she just looked at us and said- 'he's a Jack Russell- he will always bark!' Well I'm determined to prove her wrong!

 

I'm thinking of doing some doggy updates on the blog if this post goes down well. Let me know in the comments if you would be interested in something like that and also if you have any pets or have written any posts on them. I love hearing about other furry little members of the family.

Chrissy x

Tips for being a Smart Food Shopper

Hello lovelies! As part of a general aim of being more organised- otherwise read as getting my sh*t together, I have a tips post on how to be a smart food shopper. I know I'm not the only one who loves going food shopping to the point where it can be (and often is) the highlight of my day. I love food, I plan my day around what I'm going to eat and I can get seriously 'hangry' if I do t have access to food. Anyway, back on track- what might seem like an easy task can be made so much more productive and organised following these tried and tested tips.

Eat before you go!

Do not, I repeat do not go food shopping if you are hungry. It may be obvious but I forget the number of times I have gone shopping on an empty stomach and come out with all the food I don't really need. Its simple, eat, then shop and save money!

Prepare

I see food shopping as a mission. Where I would happily spend a few hours perusing around the aisles, my boyfriend on the other hand wants to be in and out like a ninja. To aid us in this and ultimately keep our relationship in tact, I like to plan what meals we are having and then make a list of all the things we need. It saves time as you know exactly what you need and it saves money too because you don't get random things that may never get eaten.

Check the use by dates

Another tip that seems obvious but often forgotten. The tip here is to always look underneath the items on top as that's where the fresher produce is and it will therefore last a little longer giving you more time to consume it all.

Look down

On a budget? Most supermarket stores will have the cheaper alternatives right at the bottom of the shelves. This is because it's out of general view in the hope that customers will buy the more expensive brands. I'm not one for only buying branded food as more often then not the cheaper alternatives tastes just as good if not better (with exceptions of course).

Be a crazy coupon lady

I seriously think if I lived in America it wouldn't take me long before I became coupon obsessed and ended up on that programme for extreme couponers! I often blame my obsession with saving money on being from Yorkshire but I'm not sure that justifies it enough! Anyway, what I'm advising here is to take a few mins to scout out some offers before going shopping. If you're a tesco user-use your club card! You can save quite a bit here and there using the vouchers they send you through the post and it's similar for other supermarkets with reward cards. 

So there we have it! A few simple ways to being a smart food shopper. Let me know in the comments if you have any tips of your own when it comes to shopping. Also, how cute is this shopping bag? I got it from the poundshop and it's great for carrying the heavier stuff like milk etc- jees how old do I sound?

Chrissy x

Valentines Breakfast Ideas

Happy Sunday everyone! With only one week left until Valentine's Day I thought I'd post my contribution to the valentine themed posts and share with you some valentine breakfast ideas. Kieran and I don't really do valentines day in terms of going out for a meal or buying presents etc- we just like to spend the day together and that usually revolves around food- because why the hell not! So here are 3 super quick and super easy (like so easy you can do them blindfolded) breakfast ideas for your loved one or for you if you want to treat yourself!

Heart egg in toast

I believe its the little things that can make the biggest impact and there ain't nothing like a heart shaped egg in a slice of toast to show your loved one how much you care! After a few attempts and different methods, I've found this one to be the easiest and fool-proof. Literally your dog could make it.

 

1. Cook egg as normal in a frying pan
2. Toast bread and butter
3. using a heart shaped cutter, cut out the centre of the toast
4. Once egg is cooked, cut around the yolk using the same heart shaped cutter
5. Place egg in toast!

Cupid's fruit arrow

For those of you looking for a slightly healthier option, this is a super fun way to make your loved one smile on Valentine's morning. You can use whatever fruit you like for this but I think the more colourful, the better! I used apple, strawberries, grapes and melon.

 

1. Create a triangle shape for the arrow point (I used an apple)
2. Cut your fruit into heart shapes

3. Cut an arrow end from the same fruit as the point
4. Place all the fruit onto the skewer 

 

Chocolate and golden syrup waffles

This is my favourite of the three purely because it involves chocolate! Now if you liked the other ideas for their simplicity then you'll blooming love this one as it really doesn't get any easier. Can you tell I can't cook or bake yet? I've used shop bought waffles but you could use pancakes or if you're feeling fancy you could even make your own!

 

1. Toast waffle and cut with heart shaped cutter
2. Melt chocolate in the microwave
3. Drizzle chocolate and syrup over waffles
4. Add some strawberries on the side

And there we have it! 3 super easy and quick breakfast ideas to spoil yourself or your other half this Valentines Day! Let me know if you have any plans for this Valentine's Day in the comments below and if they involve food too!

Chrissy x

5 Tips for Sticking to your 2016 Resolutions

Hey! This is the first of many tips and tricks posts that I've been writing recently and I'm really enjoying writing them. I wish I could follow my own advice more but hey ho- easier said then done. Today I have some motivational support for all of you who have set yourself New Year resolutions at the beginning of the year and may be struggling to keep them up. January seems to go on forever and by the time February arrives a lot of people totally forgott about their New year goals, so here are 5 easy tips to get you back on track with whatever your goal is and hopefully keep you going throughout the year.

Make a list of your new year resolutions

In doing this, think about why you set these goals. Write them down so you can visually see them. I always find that 'shit gets serious' once its written down in black and white.

Tell a friend or social media

If you're struggling with your goal then telling some one close to you means they can hold you accountable and motivate you to keep going. Similarly with putting it out there on social media.

Find some inspiration

Want to lose weight or just be more healthy? Get following some new fitness and health blogs or instagram accounts to make you see visually what you want and how you can get it. People can often get jealous doing this but instead, use it as inspiration. I think inspiration is one of the best tools for motivation.

Make a plan

Ask yourself why you aren't doing so well or why you've given up completely if that's the case. Figuring out why will then help you make a plan to avoid it and succeed. I like to write lists to help me plan- breaking goals up so they are smaller will make it seem less daunting and more doable! *How weird does the word doable look written down?*

Remember to take one day at a time

Most goals aren't going to be accomplished overnight. Before long 1 day will be a week later, a month later and the year will go on pretty quick. You can achieve all your goals with the right mental attitude and support around you. Just take things one day at a time and concentrate on the present rather than the future.

I hope this helps any of you who may be struggling! It was so useful just writing these down for myself in order to motivate me to keep going! Let me know in the comments how your 2016 resolutions are going and if you have found any other useful ideas for motivating yourself.

Chrissy x

30 Day Selfie Challenge

Hey guys and welcome to the introductory post of my 30 day selfie challenge. At the beginning of the year I set myself a 2016 resolution (read them all here) of documenting more of my life by following my passion for photography. As part of this I'm challenging myself to take a selfie everyday in February. A challenge taken from a new book I recently got called 'A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book'.

The rules of the challenge are:

You have to take the picture yourself(obvs- its the selfie challenge)

The picture has to be about you or show you in some way

You have to share the pictures either on social media or by creating an album

Pretty simple, but I'm super excited to get started and see what images I can create. I wanted to share this challenge with you before I start in case you wanted to take part yourself. I'm going to post all the 'selfies' in weekly posts so keep a look out for them and let me know what you think! 

Chrissy x

One Line a Day

I wanted to share this lovely little diary with you for anyone who like me wants to keep a diary but really doesn't have a lot of time and wants something super quick and easy.

Think of this as a manual timehop, a place where you can look back at what you were doing or feeling this time up to 5 years ago! I love the idea of this and as part of my new years resolutions to document parts of my life more,  I asked my lovely boyfriend for this one line a day journal for Christmas. I had seen it a while ago and it knew it would be ideal for me.

Hello 2016

Hello. . . It's me! (Sorry couldn't resist) but seriously it's been far too long since my last post. I'm not really going to go into 2015 and reflect upon it as it's in the past and in all honesty it was a mixed year that seemed to go downhill towards the end. I now want to only look forward and be the best possible version of me. Even though I'm not a fan of the whole " New year, New me" saying, (like really- you are an awesome person who may need a few tweaks not a whole life swap every January), I do love the feeling of having a fresh start.

I Graduated from University!

After a long 4 years studying a masters degree in law at Northumbria University, I have finally graduated! I had such a lovely day with my family and friends and wanted to share a few photos of the day with you including my outfit details.

The Great British Cupcakery

 

 

Another day another cupcake! I am a massive sugar addict and although I am really trying to cut down on it, cupcakes will always be a little piece of happiness. This makes The Great British Cupcakery, located on the quayside in Newcastle, a slice of heaven for all cake lovers!!

A day out in Durham

The other day my friends and I spontaneously decided to hop on the train to Durham for the day. It's only 15 minutes on the train from Newcastle and we thought it would be nice to catch up and have a change of scenery. As it happened we picked a really nice day and I thought I would share a few photos I took.