Tinsel, The Girls Who Invented Christmas

 

Tinsel by Sibéal Pounder

So festive, so beautiful. I adored this story and I’m planning on lending my copy to my mom who works in a school, as I know the children will absolutely love it too!

The friendship, the Carols.. I can’t think of a better book for children (or anyone for that matter!) to read this festive season.

I did laugh out loud a few times because the Carol humour is my kind of humour! 

A little gift!

My boyfriend and I celebrated 11 years of our relationship last month AND HE BOUGHT ME BOOKS. I just gave him my wish list and he chose them. Some excellent choices!

The Priory of the Orange Tree

 

The Priory of the Orange Tree

Samantha Shannon

Non spoiler review, not even a review really.. just a bit of a gush!

This was my first big adult fantasy book and I loved it. I found the world building fantastic and so atmospheric. The way the chapters followed the different characters broke the story up in a way that kept me hooked (although when one landed on a bit of a cliff hanger it made me want to keep reading, which wasn’t always great at 1am!).

It was the halfway mark that things really got going for me and I was completely obsessed, I just needed to keep reading!

I did take my time reading Priory but I’m glad I did, I didn’t want to slump myself and reading 50 pages or so a day really helped. Saying that, the last 200 pages or so I just binge read! As a standalone I loved it, I definitely could have had more from the book but I’m like that with every standalone I read. I cannot wait for the new book that is being written within this world!

I also used this beautiful bookmark from JessicaJadeDesigns on Etsy.

https://etsy.me/37T6A6b

(Not affiliated in any way, just sharing something I love!)

An Enchantment of Ravens

                               An Enchantment of Ravens

                                                      5 stars  

Margaret Rogerson is undoubtedly one of my favourite authors. I love her writing style and her stories.. wow!

I found An Enchantment of Ravens incredibly easy to get lost in the story and I believe a lot happened in 298 pages!
I love Isobel’s sass and humour and Rook, I just love Rook. There is just something about a fair prince. The interactions the pair had had me smiling and chuckling at parts.

I love that A Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens are stand alones, but also incredibly sad because I just want more!

I made postcards!

I have been making postcards for my shop this month and I am so happy with how they turned out! 

My favourite is my pastel pumpkin!

I drew all of these myself using the Procreate app.

Little bit of an ad! But you can also use the code AMC10 for 10% off.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AlyMarinaCraft?section_id=24795721

Fox and Cactus washi tape order

My first Fox and Cactus order arrived this week. I just bought two washi tapes but I'm so thrilled with them that I made a second order to grab one of the 'mer-may' washi tapes! 

The postcard the order came with, I'm obsessed!

 I paid for these items myself, all views are my own.

What I got for Christmas from my boyfriend

These photos are a bit dull, but I took them at 7am when I got up on Christmas morning. Yes I'm 26.

This post isn't to brag or anything, I just want to document what I got for Christmas 2018 from him as I thought it would be fun!

Wowoweewow! I'm a very lucky girl.

An awesome new hairbrush, it's the best thing ever! I haven't had a new hairbrush in years.. ew haha.

Two DVD's that I'm soooo excited to watch.

The most amazing bag from TruffleShuffle! It's one you can wear 2 ways and it just looks so cool. I love it so much.

He also got me a mini cutting mat and new pliers. But I got those early because I really needed them!

Guinea pig Christmas cage set up

Astrid can't wait to show off her Christmas themed cage set up!

She has some very festive decorations both in and outside of her C&C cage. The non-edible ones are on the outside of course!

The blankets are very Christmassy, one is red with snowflakes and the other (which is underneath the big red mat) is covered in Christmas avocados!

They're very soft blankets, which Astrid absolutely loves.

She has her avocado pillow in the hay bag corner and her big festive tunnel, which was from Pets at Home last year.

Astrid loves a blanket change, especially a Christmas one! 

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Using MyUnicornPlanner advent pencil case for my washi!

I've been enjoying opening my advent calander from MyUnicornPlanner this month. I have been opening them on my instastories!

But I needed to share what I have done with the pencil case I got the other day.

How cute does my washi look in this!?

I've put my current new/most used washi in here. The rest is all piled up in a giant Mickey Mouse make up bag that I got from Primark!

How do you store your washi?

I really need to sort mine out, but I don't have space for 20+ pencil cases haha!

Kawaii Studios Kickstarter pins!

My new pins from Kawaii Studios arrived today and WOW, they are even more adorable in person!
I have all 3, plus the mystery pin.
Quality is great and the packaging is super cute as usual!

www.kawaiistudios.co.uk

My favourite is the cheeky peach!

And I LOVE the fact the pin backs are pink!

 I paid for these items myself, all views are my own.

Potter Primark haul!

My first trip to the Primark at The Fort.

I haven't been to The Fort for many years, it was always something terrifying to me.. but I did it! And I spent ages having a browse. And guess what .. it was fine!

As soon as I saw this I neeeeeeded it. Best part was it was half price! £5, bargain.

There were sooo many keyrings, badges etc. But I limited myself to one and this was my favourite. £3.

Erm.. another bag, but how cute is it!? And it was half price too, £5.

Aaaand finally (I know right, restrained!) some trainer socks. £2.50 for 3 pairs!

The NEW myunicorndori! (and paperclips!)

The happiest of happy mail landed on my doorstep today! 

What a bounty of beauty, a hamper of heaven, a parcel of perfection..

I am quite thrilled (and by quite, I mean VERY) with my new myunicorndori from MyUnicornPlanner. I love travelers notebooks, I love guinea pigs, I love holo and I LOVE things with my name on (which I imagine stems from a lifetime of never having anything with my name on because it's a bit weird!).

This TN is B6, but there are other sizes available in a range of different fabrics.

Just look at that spine!

Who else is on board the holo train?! Honestly, I wasn't to start with, but I am now obsessed so any holo paperclip I NEED! 

(Keep a look out on my insta, aly__marina, for a giveaway soon)

If you like what you see, I definitely recommend checking MyUnicornPlanner out! You can also use the code ALYCIA10 which will get you 10% off any order!

DISCLAIMER - I am on the PR team for MyUnicornPlanner, however this does not sway my opinion in any way. I have always been a huge supporter and lover of all MUP paperclips and the new range of TN's is very exciting to me!

HappyCutieStudio haul!

What a haul! And all opened in the sun.. wonderful!

I am on the PR team for HappyCutieStudio and I love it, but these are all stickers I have purchased myself. One was a freebie Friday order and the other was just because they were new releases and I wanted them..

If you are interested though, you can use the code ALYCIA15 for 15% off orders over £15 over at HappyCutieStudio.

For Freebie Friday you could choose one of the new HCS girls to get as a die cut. I chose Annie!

These are my favourite sticker sheets. All the heart eyes! And the hamsters are just too cute.. I don't even have hamsters any more (maybe I could just leave the stickers on things around the house to try and tempt my boyfriend.. don't think that will work though really!), but I just needed them.

This is the postcard that all orders in April will recieve! I may or may not be gaining quite the collection of them..

Mini haul from MyUnicornPlanner!

myunicornplanner.etsy.com

I am O B S E S S E D with holographic accessories, but dont actually have anything holo.. well, I do now! And it's a shell so with be perfect for my mermaid themed planner set up!

I'm also on the PR team for MyUnicornPlanner, so to get some moolah off your order, just use the code ALYCIA10 for 10% off.

I bought one of the adorable panda paperclips, another bunny (can never have too many!), the shell and the new name charm! The pink bow was a freebie for being in the first few orders in the Easter sale.

 I paid for these items myself, all views are my own. 

New Potter shelf set up!

I thought I would share how I've rearranged my Pottershelves! I have some new funkos (although since taking these photos I now have Queenie on there!) and Rock Candy figures so I desperately needed to make space for everything.

I'm loving how I have my funkos right now (Queenie is now in between Tina and the Niffler)

My Rock Candy figures!

My favourite print from NaomiLordArt, I just need to find somewhere to fit it in!

And my little photo frame that I decorated myself. I think it's pretty cute!