Karen's Christmas and sales bits and bobs

Well, Christmas is over and we're all back to work.  It already feels like the holiday season was ages ago but to be honest, I'm OK with that because I wasn't feeling well for pretty much the whole time, so onwards and upwards.  I thought I'd show you a few bits that I was given for Christmas and what I bought in the sales.  It's not everything because I was feeling insanely lazy and due to watching too much Downton Abbey and having no servant to fetch me my things, I took photos of what were close to hand...

First up is one of the Sephora favourites sets.  One of my best pals Caroline gave this to me, she knows my love of all things Sephora and I was so excited to open it up and see all of these wonderous sparkley products!  I shall be making full use of this and am aware as I type this that I'm actually typing in a very posh English accent.  Hmm.  I shall start making you all call me Lady Karen if this keeps up...  One of my other best pals, Eileen bought me the dinkiest notebook to jot down ideas and thoughts for the blog, and equally dinky tea light candles!  So thanks ladies, that exchanging of pressies in the car park of Harry Byrnes was brilliant, cackles galore!  The final pressie in the quartet below is a jokey one from mam.  I'm always calling Bailey the best dog ever, even though he drives me demented a lot of the time, he's my pal and I need to get a nice photo of him for that frame.

Mam also got me this gorgeous Fossil handbag.  All the ladies in out family love Fossil and I was over the moon to get this.  It's bigger than my current handbag and you know what that means?  Yes, bigger bag, more crap I carry around....  Stay tuned for a What's in my bag post and it'll probably be huge, it should probably be called What's not in my bag...  On the right is one of those room fragrance thingys from Rituals.  I don't know the official name of it but we got one for mam too because she loves them.  I got the scent Jasmine Dream in the big size and a small size of the scent Sweet Sunrise.  Both are gorgeous and were bought in Arnotts for 25% off.

After Christmas, Joanne and I drove up to Junction One outlets but we didn't stay too long as I wasn't feeling too well.  I did, however, manage to pull it together to peruse the CCO, funny that.  I picked up these bits and will be reviewing them shortly.  First impressions are very positive for Cliniques Stay-True Make up, I might be in The Love.  I lost the receipt, conveniently, but all five items came to around £60.  I've been wanting to try the MAC Studio Finish concealer for ages and it was only £10 and in my shade, NW15.  Meant to be if you ask me!

The last two bits I managed to photograph go together beautifully.  I bought a New York City calender for this year.  Joanne, mam and I are hoping to go for Thanksgiving and the sales at the end of November and we will count down the weeks and months with our calender which was 40% off in Swords Pavillions.  Our auntie Sharon bought each of the three of us one of these brilliant piggy banks that are ceramic with no way of getting your spondoolies out without smashing it!  Needless to say, this will be used to save for our trip starting from now!

I was very lucky and thankful for all that I was given over the Christmas and I did do some self gifting but that ends now!  #Operationshutyourpurshole is back in business ladies.  I need to save save save!  Who's with me?