Category: Reviews

My Christmas Wish List

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I don’t know about you, but I always struggle to think of gifts ideas at Christmas. I tend to buy things as I need them so when it comes to Autumn, I am doubly stuck as I have my birthday and then the festive season not long after. I find Pinterest useful to compile a mood board of presents that I would like to see under the tree. This is my Xmas gifts for her wish list but I may need to do a ‘his’ of the special men in our lives too (no, not my bit on the side! One for fathers, uncles, brothers etc.).

Gift ideas for her

I use flasks a lot as I have been conscious of the environmental impact of using disposable cups and bottles etc. since I received a ‘reduce waste/save the planet’ book at the age of 10. This book had a huge effect on me and I have always tried to recycle and minimise waste. I saw this gorgeous rose coloured travel mug from Anthropology which would be perfect for me to take my coffee to drink at after school clubs.

Forget the year of pig! 2019 has been the year of gin. I tried it in previous years and didn’t like it until Andy bought a bottle of Hendricks and it was a total game changer. Since then, I now love Whitley Neill’s flavoured gins, Tanqueray Seville and Gordons Pink Gin. I don’t own a gin glass but this rose and gold rimmed one from Anthropology is super cute.

I recently discovered the luxury brand Diptyque. This is definitely not a company I buy many candles, perfumes or body washes from as it is very high end. I treated myself to the Philosykos eau de parfum for my birthday because it smells amazing. It has a fresh fragrance with fig notes and it is the ultimate perfume. The Figuier scented candle is a perfect gift for ladies, who like me love Greece and any scents that remind me of my holidays there.

All the links to my gift ideas for her and more are on my Pinterest page so click on the link if you see anything above but I haven’t mentioned it in this Wish List post. What is on your ultimate Christmas presents wish list? Bx

Getting Organised: Kate Spade Planner

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I have wanted a Kate Spade planner for over a year. When I couldn’t get hold of this gold and cream polka dot diary this time last year, I opted for an Erin Condren one despite the cost of shipping because I fell in love with the metallic fleur de lis. This year, I have the opposite dilemma. I have a Kate Spade diary but I am still lusting after a new Erin Condren. This is why…

kate-spade-planner

The Kate Spade planner has a stunning cover. I adore the design and the sturdy, hardback cover and the concealed gold spiral binding. In terms of layout, it is a week to view which is perfect for me as I like to see, at a glance, everything that is coming up. It often helps me prepare, e.g. buy birthday cards on a Monday if there is a party at the weekend etc.

Each month has its own tab with a month to view at the beginning with notes on the side. There is a cute bucket list on all of the tab sheets and finally there are note pages at the end of each month to write a diary or highlights.

Despite all this, I am still not enamoured with the planner. I find the pages to be too thin and I really dislike seeing colour and text through the sheets. In terms of layout, Saturdays and Sundays can be just as busy for me as weekdays, if not busier but unfortunately, the weekend has half the space of a weekday. Finally, the elastic band on the back cover, in my opinion, makes the planner look cheap. It is black and thin and doesn’t really fit with the feel of the diary. I often find myself hiding it in pictures and when using it. It is practical, however, I think it could have been better designed.

I think, if I had started my planner love with the Kate Spade, I would have been happy with the flaws mentioned above as they are all fairly minor. Because I used the Erin Condren diary first, I am constantly comparing and find myself wishing I could justify buying a new one. I had thought I would use the Kate Spade for work, but it just wasn’t practical. I need an A4 day-to-view diary in the office as I like to keep everything in one place.

I won’t go in to huge detail in this post about the Erin Condren planner. I will just briefly summarise what I miss:

  • The motivational quotes and thankful though sections
  • All the colour – it definitely brightens up my days
  • The vertical week to view layout – Although the sections are narrow I like how it is so versatile (you can have labelled sections for yourself, children, husband, work, social media etc. and you can also draw, add stickers and photos).
  • The pages are so thick you can use different kinds of pens and colours without bleed through
  • The extras – an amazing choice of colours, designs, stickers, a clear zipped pouch, ruler bookmark etc.

In summary, the Kate Spade planner is beautiful, sturdy and definitely a great way to start organising your life. It is a reasonable price point, clear, formulaic and and simple to use. It looks great in Instagram photos and has a decent amount of space to plan your week. Avoid if you like a bit of colour, versatility and customisation. Have you tried either planners and what you like about it? I would say my heart lies with the Erin Condren. Bx