Instagram Diary…Christmas Edition

Well, the Christmas break is almost over. All that excitement and it’s over in a flash. How was the big day for all of you? What did you get? I hope it was fabulous. I figure the best way to beat those post Christmas blues is to relive the best bits in a picture post. So here is a sneak peek at this year’s festivities. Let me know what Christmas looked like for you via Tweeting, Facebook or commenting below!

 

1. Kicking off the sparkly season with a bit of gold glitter. Trust me when I say it got EVERYWHERE.

2. Colourful chocolate wrappers mean Quality Streets and Quality Streets mean Christmas.

3. The desired destination of the gold glitter was actually my nails. Look how they turned out! I used Barry M polish and Topshop glitter.

4. Pre-Christmas purchase. Floaty New Look top.

5. Twas the night before Christmas and in the name of tradition, I’m watching a Christmas Carol, the Muppets edition! 

6. Letting my inner child take over on Christmas Eve by tracking Santa via NORAD.

7. The gifts awaiting me on Christmas morning. Almost to pretty to open. Almost.

8. My surprise present was Urban Decay’s Naked 3 palette. Very sneaky Mamma Smith!

9. Christmas selfie of my eye makeup, thanks Naked 3!

10. Fresh nails using my new Nails Inc Fibre Optic Effect glitter in Hampstead Court.

11. Only a few days after Christmas and a trip to Meadowhall was made to spend my gift cards. This wine coloured top is from Topshop, £38….

12.… As is this little stripy number £32.

13. I’m usually more of a pink lippy kinda girl but this MAC frost finish caught my eye. New York Apple. 

14. To top it all off I was very excited by the arrival of my train tickets to London for a March visit to see Les Mis on the West End. Let the countdown begin…

Find/follow me on Instagram @ JemmFrances

Jemm xoxo

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas…

It’s only blooming Christmas Eve! This festive season seems to have come around mighty fast this year, where does the time go?

I just wanted to pop up a quick post to wish all the readers of Jemm Frances Says So a very ‘Merry Christmas.’ I hope tomorrow brings you magic and happiness whatever you do and wherever you spend it. May you indulge in some festive fun and make jolly with those that you love the most. 

Santa is most certainly on his way (I know as I’ve spent the majority of the day tracking his progress around the world thanks to NORAD) so I hope you’ve all been nice this year. 

I shall be spending Christmas and Boxing Day with my nearest and dearest, probably eating too many biscuits and definitely watching the Christmas Downton. 

So may all our Christmases be merry, bright and twinkly!

Jemm xoxo

Jemm Frances Reads… The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

With Christmas just a matter of days away its about time I delivered a festive themed Jemm Frances Reads review.

At this time of year I always return to Charles Dickens’ Christmas Books to get me in the spirit of the season, A Christmas Carol has to be one of my favourite ever stories and reading my (almost) 120 year old copy of the book by the light of the Christmas tree has to be one of my favourite reading experiences. However, we all know the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, but do you know the story of Lou Suffern?

Meet Lou Suffern, a successful businessman. Working in the city, driving a flash car and living in an affluent area of Dublin with his wife and two young children. Christmas is coming. What has Lou got to complain about, apart from the fact that there’s just never enough time?

24 hours in a day and still not enough time to impress the boss, make the deals, secure that promotion, socialise with colleagues and then go home and be a family man. Christmas is coming and Lou Suffern wishes he could be in two places at once.

Meet Gabe, the homeless man who sits below notice outside Lou’s office watching people’s shoes as they pass by. Thanks to an uncharacteristic act of kindness from Lou, Gabe gets a hot cup of coffee and a job in the mailroom. Christmas is coming and Gabe will return Lou’s favour by giving him a gift.

Surprised and irritated by Gabe’s intelligence and efficiency in the office Lou begins to regret his act of kindness, especially when it seems there’s something not quite right about Gabe, like the how he can appear to be in two places at the same time. So when Gabe offers Lou some pills to take is he trying to wreck Lou’s career and take his place? Or are they the gift that will finally make Lou appreciate the importance of time before it’s too late? 

Christmas is coming, and it’s about time.

I’ve read a handful of Cecelia Ahern’s books and have to admit to enjoying some more than others. The Gift is thankfully one of the stories that I feel well worth the read. The festive theme woven through this story makes it a perfect ‘curl up by the Christmas tree’ book and it makes a change from the usual xmas favourites. It would be easy to roll your eyes and cast this books off as just another adaptation of other seasonal stories such as ‘A Christmas Carol’ or ‘ It’s a Wonderful Life’ but really it’s quite different. To cast this offering aside would be to miss out. The Gift is a thoroughly modern tale and the only similarity to classic Christmas stories is the presence of a moral lesson to be learnt. 

Although at first it’s hard to like the leading character Lou Suffern by the end of the tale you find that you’re rooting for him.

I really liked the structure of this book, as it’s actually a story within a story. To begin with you meet a young boy who throws a frozen turkey through his fathers window on Christmas day. Sergeant Raphie takes the boy to the station and tries to make him see sense while waiting for his mother to arrive by telling him the story of Lou Suffern.

The Gift is a lovely easy read for over the festive period, filled with all the things you’d expect from a Christmas story. A sentimental page turner that once I’d started reading I couldn’t stop until I’d finished. 

Bookworm Business: Have you read The Gift? What’s your favourite Cecelia Ahern novel? What books do you like to read at Christmas?

Jemm xoxo

Instagram Diary…

 

1. Bit of an obsession with ginger biscuits.

2. Long hair & leopard print.

3. In love with my new boots.

4. Topshop statement necklace.

5. Weekend trip to Edinburgh. Such a beautiful city. 

6. Lipstick Costa kisses at the train station.

7. Amazing Christmas trees at The Dome in Edinburgh.

8. Urban Outfitters bunting!

9. Hotel room selfie 🙂

10. Pretty homemade rose cupcakes.

11. Catch a crystal star and put it in your pocket….

12. New fave Soap & Glory body wash, Rich and Foamous.

13. This years Christmas tree creation. Love, love, love. 

14. Never a truer word spoken!

15. Wearing my heart(s) on my nails. Essie & Urban Outfitter polishes.

16. Sisters Christmas tree cakes. Yum.

What has your week looked like?

Find/Follow me on Instagram @ JemmFrances

Jemm xoxo

Christmas Wish List 2013

With tomorrow being the 1st of December everyone will be able to officially and sensibly talk about Christmas. Finally. Any seasonal talk that has passed before I therefore deem unofficial and nonsensical, y’all know who you are. Those of you that have been chatting about gifts, movies and decorations since Halloween, yes I’m talking to you. Consider yourselves festively chastised. But on a jollier note tomorrow is the day from which you can buy your gifts, watch your movies and decorate your Christmas tree to your hearts content.

Say it loud and say it proud: IT’S CHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISTMAS! Or there abouts.

So what better time for a Wish List post?

This year I won’t be asking Santa to slip a sable (what the hell is a sable? When I was young I mistook it for stable & used to wonder how he would get an actual stable with horses down the chimney and under the tree? Anyway, lets get back on point,) a yacht or a diamond ring under the tree, although if you’re feeling generous I won’t argue against the last one. What with money being a bit of an issue and my attempt to curb my spending on unnecessary things, this years list is comprised of silly little bits and bobs that I’ve been after for a while. Nothing terribly exciting I’m afraid. But I made a list anyway. Never let it be said that I don’t respect tradition.

1. Diesel Loverdose Tattoo Perfume 2. Topshop translucent pressed powder 3. Urban Decay Naked 3 4. Subscription to Company Mag

1. Before I Go To Sleep 2. How To Fall In Love 3. Some Kind of Fairy Tale

1. Debenhams Gift Card (beauty) 2. MAC Cosmetics 3. Subscription to Cosmopolitan Mag.

1. Nails Inc Fibre Optic Effect 2. Topshop Gift Card 3. Downton Series 4

One present I know I’ll be receiving is a trip to Edinburgh next weekend. I’ve never been to bonny Scotland before so I’m well and truly in the Christmas spirit for that. 

And if we’re going to make this wish list a true wish list (the never in a million years kind) lets throw a London townhouse into the mix, as far as they go this ones not too shabby.

Those are my Yuletide wishes along with world peace, global prosperity and chocolate biscuits, etc, etc, etc. What has made it onto your Christmas lists? I’d love to know what you’re expecting wrapped up all pretty under the tree so comment, tweet or Facebook your wishes to me. 

Jemm xoxo

P.s Don’t forget those advent calendars tomorrow & no cheating, only open the windows a day a time! 

Instagram Diary…

 

1. Coveting this iridescent Topshop clutch. 

2. Love a trip to the hair dressers. Bouncy curls.

3. Heard lots of good things about Beauty Blenders so thought I’d give them a try.

4. Was excited at the arrival of my ASOS bobble hat. This will keep my ears toasty warm this winter.

5. Rimmel eyeshadow primer. 

6.Company Magazine getting all glittery for December.

7. Loving this lip colour in Company’s beauty feature.

8. At 25 years of age is Macaroni Cheese still an acceptable dinner choice? Oh well.

9. Monsoon notebook. Perfect present for a glitterbug.

10. Feeling all Christmassy seeing decoration everywhere. 

11. Nails. Spent ages fishing stars out of a glitter nail polish bottle. 

12. Screw you Starbucks! Costa Christmas cups. 

Find/Follow me on Instagram @ JemmFrances

What has your week looked like?

Jemm xoxo

Instagram Diary…

1. Les Mis tickets arrived, now too excited for next March. #London

2. Lemon Cake. The jury’s out. Bit too lemony for my liking.

3. Topshop tassels.

4. Might be a bit early but where advent calendars are concerned you snooze you loose. Now giddy for Christmas festivities. 

5. Old school sweets. I didn’t eat them. Those violet things are poison I tell ya, POISON.

6. I can see a rainbow, see a rainbow, see a rainbow too…

7. Can’t beat a chocolate muffin.

8. Wrapping up warm in this horrid weather. Definitely jumper and coat weather.

9. Costa love.

10. Waited so long for this. New Diane Setterfield Bellman & Black. Will more than likely see this up asa Jemm Frances Reads post in the near future. 

Find/follow me on Instagram @JemmFrances 

Jemm xoxo

Instagram Diary: Christmas time.

I’ve only just got round to posting this now as I went on holiday with my family on boxing day and only got back on the 3rd, but here are some Instagram snaps of my Christmas time.

L-R: Satchel bag from ASOS.com, Bookworm quote, Sticky chicken lunch, Essie Beyond Cosy, Collection of Charles Dickens Christmas Books, Aunty L’s mince pies, Lush Snow Fairy, Nails Inc Nail Jewellery in Pink Diamond, Glass heart, Christmas biscuits, Nephews new tortoise, Visiting my nephews, Holiday ready nails, Quality Streets naughty but nice, Christmas wrapping, The big lunch, The cheesecake, Tenerife weather, Poolside, Sun Beach, On my return I headed straight to Topshop this is my latest purchase, Topshop Plume, Heart nails, Tweet tweet looking for new people to follow.

Follow me on Instagram: JemmFrances

Jemm xoxo

Christmas Wish List…

December is upon us, today I opened the first little door on my advent calendar, (cant believe I’ve been organised enough to actually buy one this year) and this means that exciting times are ahead, because, in the words of Noddy Holder “it’s Christmaaaaas!” 

Well almost. And like any self respecting lover of this holiday season I’ve made myself a bit of a list. We’ll gloss right over the fact that I’m 24 and getting just a tad too old for this yule-tide tradition, what’s Christmas without a list?

Writing your wish list is always fun, however I do tend to get a smidge carried away, but I reckon its a woman’s prerogative to have expensive taste. 

I already know one of the presents I’m getting this year and that’s a holiday to Tenerife on Boxing Day (as far a presents go not too shabby) so I’m really not expecting to get much in the way of anything else this year but the clue is in the name. A girl can wish right?

1. Downton Abbey Series 3 DVD Boxset.

2. Paperblanks Diary 2013

3. Topshop Gift Card

4. Boots Gift Card

5. Company Magazine Subscription

6. Dorothy Perkins Fashion Collar

7. Books

8. New Camera

9.Galaxy Print iPhone Case

10. MAC Goodies

It’s always good from a nosey persons perspective to know what’s on everyone else’s Christmas wish lists. Would love to know what you’ll all be asking for this Christmas so leave a comment in the box. For your sake I hope you’ve all been nice!

Jemm xoxo

So what have we all been up to then?

Before I even say hello I’m going to kick this post off with an apology. I have been somewhat absent from the blogging scene lately what with one thing and another. I was away on holiday and then had other projects to dedicate my attention to when I got back.

I haven’t posted properly in quite a while due to feeling a little bit ‘blah’ about blogging. The intention was there but sadly the motivation was not. I’d find myself staring at my Mac screen having no idea on what to say/write and I admit that lasted for quite a while. Blogging started to feel forced and therefore stopped being fun, and if a hobby isn’t fun why do it? 

However over that past couple of weeks I’ve got my shiz together and the urge to blog has returned to me along with some new ideas. Happy days! So lets just view this little absence as a blog-cation (vacation for your blog.) A chance to have a rest and re-charge those blogging batteries. Normal posting will now resume and I can’t wait to get back into it.

So we can have a little catch up I thought I’d post a little Instagram diary of what I’ve been up to 

Click to enlarge

L-R: The first two rows of pics are from my holiday in sunny Tenerife. A perfect two weeks. Next up it’s myself and Mamma Smith, The first thing I did on my return was head to Costa for a hazelnut latte, A Cath Kidston keyring from my sis, New Mac shadows in Cranberry & Sketch, My face, Latest Topshop purchase, Cute nails, New tattoo, Latest read, Tea time :), Fresh makeup face, Dad brought a bag back from Vegas made entirely from recycled barcodes!, Along with half a Dollar I’m thinking of turning it into a bracelet, Already feeling Christmassy with this star filed bauble, Glittery nails, New Topshop polish in Brazil, Big Ben Pandora charm, had my hair dip dyed over the weekend, Getting in the Halloween spirit with nibbles and a pumpkin carved for a Halloween wedding. 

Find me on Instagram @JemmFrances

What have you guys been up to? Anyone been dressing fancy for Halloween? 

Jemm xoxo

P.s New post coming at you on the morrow.