5, 4, 3, 2, 1! - Happy New Year (2018 Edition).

Hi!!!

So, the last post of 2017 is here! I almost can't believe that we've arrived at the end of this year. Anyway, here's the annual review of the year and a message for you for 2018.

2017 has had some amazing moments for me. I've celebrated a milestone birthday, I've spent time with my friends and family and I left the kind of 'work place' I've known for most of my life. I've been to some great gigs, I've taken on big blog projects like Blogmas. I made some achievements in my 'work' life that I am still super proud of. I've watched my friends achieve and I truly could not be more proud of them than I am everyday. I worked harder than I actually knew I could but I've also taken plenty of time to play. I've danced and I've laughed. I've explored castles (and lived in one for a few days!). I conquered one of my biggest (although somewhat irrational fears) and had some dental work done that I'd been putting off for ages. I've passed on my knowledge of party dances and I've worn glitter all over my face and I finally got to go to London with my friends and I had the most amazing day. I went to Birmingham's MCM Comic Con in both March and November (and did some pretty cool cosplays). I dressed up as a fairy for Halloween and made jokes around a bonfire with friends. It snowed. And the snow settled. I got my Irish passport. I took ten million photos and am in the ten million other photos those around me took. I went bowling (and actually hit some of the pins!). I spent a day picking apples with my cousins. I watched a cake get set on fire and I ate candyfloss and we helped one of my friends build her first ever blanket fort. I got rained on while watching outoor Shakespeare and then later in the summer saw some far better and less rainy outdoor Shakespeare. I celebrated one of our closest family friends getting married and I ate pasta in Brighton and went on an Easter egg hunt and I sat on the grass and watched a Horrible Histories themed show and got lost in a maze with my best friend. I saw a fox in real life. I've carved pumpkins and sent an obnoxious amount of memes and played on a pinball machine and ate fries from a fake tree and and I reconnected with friends. I had really lovely and sometimes deep conversations. And looking back, I have loved so much of 2017 and I have learnt so much and done so much and I feel incredibly lucky.

If 2017 hasn't been a great year for you, for whatever reason, then I am really sorry. I hope that it at least has had some good moments and that you have smiled. Your story is so very significant and you really do matter.

I hope 2018 is an amazing year for you. I hope you get to make lots of lovely memories and spend time with the people who matter to you and I hope that when you get to this time next year and you're reflecting on what has gone before, you smile fondly and you realise that you've come a long way. I hope you and those who you love are happy and healthy and safe in 2018 and I hope you all love every second of the year. Thank you for your readership and support in 2017 and thank you for supporting me. Sending lots of love and good vibes for the New Year.

Thanks for reading.
What are your plans for the New Year? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know by leaving a comment.
I'll see you all next year.

Happy New Year!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - 5 Things To Do In The Lull Between Christmas and the New Year.

Hi!!!

I know some of you will be rolling your eyes at the title of this post because we haven't even had Christmas yet but today is Blogmas Day Twenty Three, we're very close to Christmas and I thought it might be nice to be able to have this list handy whenever you might want some inspiration. Also, I am sorry to anyone who won't be enjoying the lull between Christmas and New Year because of work or any other reason - you got this.

Read a book.

I'm sure a lot of us are in the 'I wish I had the time to read more books' club - now's your chance! Whether it's the new book that somebody bought you for Christmas or one of the books on your existing 'to be read' pile, taking the time to sit with a cup of tea and actually enjoy a book and switch off is always worthwhile.

Play a board game.

I love a good board game and the space between Christmas and New Year is the perfect time to play them because you'll have plenty of time and you can actually sit down and play a full game start to finish. My favourites are Cludeo and Best of British (I'm also very interested in playing the Logo Board Game, especially since it's made by the same people who created Best of British). If you really want to make something of it, then you could invite some of your favourite people round and finish all the Quality Street chocolates you have left before everyone gets busy or goes back to their own corners of the country again.

Go to the cinema.

While lounging about on the sofa at home is lovely, you also might want to get out of the house for a few hours between now and New Year's Eve. I went to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi a few days ago with some of my family and I would highly recommend going to see it (I'm hoping to do a separate post on it soon, but if I don't get round to it, just know that I love it, I finally had my 'Star Wars Moment' that made the franchise something I really love rather than something I just enjoy and, while it's busy, every scene and character has agency). Aside from how great the film was, it was also lovely to spend some time with my family, to eat burgers and discuss film trailers and laugh at a spilled Tango Ice Blast - if you didn't already know, I can be very clumsy - together.

Do some exercise.

I know it's maybe not the most fun thing on the list, but I can't be the only one who gets to the twenty ninth and starts to wonder whether all of the cheese I've eaten over Christmas is going to catch up with me suddenly and if my internal organs will hate me for it? I'm not sure how much half an hour of yoga will help my internal organs post-Christmas, but I think it's something I'll feel better for. Oh, and obviously if you prefer running or swimming or paragliding, then you can do that.

Have a pamper evening.

Similarly to reading books, I feel like taking time for ourselves through things like pamper evenings often fall by the wayside when we get busy. If you've been given any bath and body care products over Christmas, this would be the perfect time to use them and you'll actually have enough time to let your nail polish dry properly so it won't smudge. If you want to know more about my routine or the products I like, then check out my Blogmas Day Nineteen post here.

Thanks for reading today's Blogmas post.

What are your plans for the rest of 2017? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment to let me know.

I'll be back tomorrow - which can I just remind you is Christmas Eve, how exciting! - with another Blogmas post.

I hope you have a truly fabulous day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - A Super Easy (And Festive) Hairstyle.

Hi!!!

It's Blogmas Day Twenty (only five days to go till Christmas! I'm so excited!). Today I wanted to write something a bit different and show you how I create one of my current favourite hairstyles. I'm not one of those people who creates intricate braids or detailed up-dos, although I think they look amazing and I'd love to learn, but right now I think I'm a bit too clumsy for that! I also just like wearing my hair down. That being said, I often have some of my hair up so that I can still enjoy having my hair down but without having it in my eyes. With all these things in mind, here's a hairstyle for you to try today.

The first step for this is to curl your hair. I have worn this style with my natural hair (which is mostly straight) and I still really like the way it looks, but since it's Christmas, you might want to go a bit more 'all out'. If you have longer hair then I'd suggest sectioning your hair before curling it. You can go for a softer wave if that's your vibe, but I like to go for defined, bouncy ringlets if I've gone as far as to turn the curling iron on.

Then, once your hair is ready, be it straight or curly or wavy, the next thing you'll need to do is grab a hair tie. I would recommend using a thicker bobble because it's less likely to get stuck in your hair, especially if you have thick hair.
Anyway, you'll need to section some of your hair and tie it into a ponytail that sits 'up' and at the top of your head, leaving you with a half-up, half-down hairstyle.

Now the fun part, the bow! It's a bit of a fussy step but it is worth taking the time to do it. Grab a roll of ribbon. It can be any colour - I've used a super festive red here, but green would also be very Christmassy and you can't go wrong with black or white. Measure a length of it before you cut it - I used about _cm but you might need a bit less (or more) depending on the length of your hair. Place the ribbon so that the two ends are facing forward and the middle is at the back/the underside of the ponytail you've created. Grab a bobby pin and secure the middle of the ribbon to the bobble/your ponytail. Then tie the ribbon into a bow. Adjust the loops of the bow to create your ideal bow and then use another kirby grip and secure the knot of the bow to the ponytail.

If you did curl your hair then you might want to spritz some hairspray through your hair to hold them in place and then you are done. Yay!

Oh and if bows aren't your thing then you can still make a statement by using a velvet scrunchie (I have one in green and one in red and I love them). It will not only keep the half-up ponytail in place, but it will look great.

I hoped you liked today's Blogmas post - I had wanted to offer more guidance with photos but it was tricky to shoot so hopefully I've explained everything in enough detail (if you have a question though then ask in the comments).
What is your go-to hairstyle this Christmas? Do you have any other comments? Perhaps a suggestion for a future post? You can let me know by leaving a comment below.

Thanks for reading.

I hope you have a fabulous day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - December Miscellany (Some Photos From The Month So Far...)

Hi!!!

Good afternoon, everyone.  Welcome to Blogmas Day Seventeen. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to post today, so here is December Miscellany, a random series of photos I have taken so far this month.

A lot of these photos have been taken on Christmas shopping trips at range of shopping centres including some taken in Selfridges at the Bullring in Birmingham (that's pictures three and four) and in Coventry  (picture number five). Then there's one from a pre-Christmas lunch with one side of my family - it was the loveliest day full of paper hats and laughter and some Brexit banter (it's laugh or cry, really, isn't it?) and presents and hot chocolate and ice cream. Massive thank you to everyone for a great day. 

Here are the photos, I hope you like them. Here's to all the little moments that make us happy, not just in December but all year round.

 

Thanks for reading today's post.
What have you been up to this month? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment and let me know.
See you all tomorrow for Blogmas Day Eighteen.

Have a great day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - 25 (Festive) Facts About Me.

Hi!!!

This is one of the posts I've been most excited about writing and it turns out Blogmas Day Ten is the day. I had the idea of writing a 25 Facts About Me post but with a Christmas twist. I figure it will give you an opportunity to find out more about me and what my Christmases are like and I think it will be really fun to write.

1. My favourite flavour Quality Street (and Roses) chocolate has always been the strawberry ones.
2. My Favourite Christmas song is Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl.
3. I always wear a red dress on Christmas Day.
4. I hate when people say that 2 Become 1 by The Spice Girls is a Christmas song - it is not, you cannot put it next to 'Merry Christmas Everyone' or 'Underneath the Tree' or 'White Christmas' in your playlists, it doesn't belong.
5. My favourite Christmas snack - you know, The ones you only ever have at Christmas? - is (hands down) Cheese Footballs. Nothing else compares.
6. I went carol singing every year for two or three years as a child. My primary school teachers taught us all sorts of songs and carols and then we'd go on a 'tour' of various places local to us, singing for our parents and for shoppers in Morrison's to name but a few. It was so fun and something I'm so glad I got to do.
7. I spent a lot of my childhood Christmases in Northern Ireland staying at (what has become) my favourite hotel with my parents and I have wonderful memories of it - I love big family Christmases at home but I will always have a soft spot for light lunches, bingo, swimming on Christmas Eve in the hotel spa and going on a 'sleigh' (aka horse and cart) ride on Christmas morning.
8. Our Christmas tree is topped with an angel.
9. I have made around six Christmas cakes so far in my lifetime.
10. I love a festive cheeseboard.
11. Stilton is easily my favourite thing on said festive cheeseboards.
12. If I worked in Santa's workshop, I think I'd be a gift-wrapping elf.
13. As a kid, I played a Christmas fairy, the angel Gabriel, a mouse, an angel and a shepherd in my primary schools' Christmas plays.
14. I was actually the angel Gabriel two years in a row - I was obviously brilliant in the role.
15. I don't remember ever particularly wanting to play Mary in the Nativity play - I just wanted to be in it, I didn't really mind what I was!
16. I used to watch Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse all year round when I was younger (and the same goes for the Polar Express).
17. I really love the smell of tinsel.
18. My opinion on parsnips changes every year - some years they are a highlight of my Christmas dinner, other years I can't bear the sight of them.
19. I have a pair of Christmas Eve pyjamas that are only to be worn on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (I sometimes extend it to Boxing Day but no further).
20. They are red with white polka dots - like the background of my blog.
21. My first Christmas drink at Costa is always Black Forest Hot Chocolate - I try the rest of the menu throughout December, but I always kick off with a Black Forest Hot Chocolate.
22. I would love to visit Germany at Christmas and visit as many Christmas markets as possible while there.
23. My favourite John Lewis Christmas adverts are Monty the Penguin and The Long Wait.
24. My advent calendar this year is a Snowman and Snowdog one from Thornton's - it's very swish.
25. I would absolutely love if there was snow this Christmas - all of you, cross your fingers for a White Christmas, please.

Thanks for joining me for Blogmas Day Ten.
I'd love to know a festive fact about you so feel free to leave one in the comments. Or maybe you'd rather leave another comment or suggestion for future posts? You know what to do.
See you tomorrow.

I hope your day is fabulous and festive!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Easy Ways To Make The World A Better Place This Christmas.

Hi!!!

Welcome back, everyone. I hope you're all having a good week so far. It's Blogmas Day Six and today's post is all about some really simple ways to help others and make the world a better place this festive season (and beyond) - I think Christmas is definitely a time when we realise just how lucky we are and feel the urge to help those less fortunate than we are so hopefully you'll find some inspiration here.

Buy Charity Christmas Cards.

This is one of the simplest things because almost all of us will be sending Christmas cards this December. Buying Charity Christmas Cards means that some of the price that you'd already be paying goes to a charity to help them with the good work they do. They are also a great way to raise awareness for charities because all of  those who receive a card from you will also see the charity you have chosen to support. Paperchase offer twenty-four different designs which each see 50p go to one of twenty-four different charities - including Action on Addiction, Centre Point, the Alzheimer's Society, Autistica and Nordoff Robbins. Charity shops also sell their own cards - check out the British Heart Foundation, their cards are always beautiful.

Donate To Food Banks.

The Trussell Trust runs a network of more than 400 food banks, giving emergency food and support to people in crisis across the UK and with increasing disparities in wealth and the introduction of Universal Credit, more and more people are having to rely on them. There are collection points in Tesco stores up and down the country and their own collection points elsewhere - you can find your nearest collection points here. Something as simple as picking up an extra bag of rice or box of mince pies or tin of beans when you're doing your weekly shop could make the world of difference to a family that is struggling this Christmas.

Wear a Christmas Jumper.

I blogged about Save The Children's Christmas Jumper Day last year and I wanted to mention it again this year because it is such a fun way to make a difference this Christmas. This year, it takes place on the 15th of December. The idea is very simple - you wear a Christmas jumper and raise money and awareness for Save The Children. You could bring Christmas Jumper Day into your workplace, you could get all of your family to join you in sporting their best festive sweaters but even if you're a one man band, you can still proudly wear your jumper and donate (here).

Buy Gifts Mindfully.

Similarly to the Christmas cards, giving Christmas presents is something a lot of us will be doing this month. There are lots of ways that you can give mindful gifts which benefit more than just you and the person who receives it. Whether you choose to buy gifts from which a percentage of the profit goes to a good cause or buy from businesses that support small communities in developing countries or buy from businesses owned by women or PoC, there are plenty of options. I've listed some ideas below but there really are so many more options out there, too.

Feminist Apparel offer t-shirts (and more) which see a percentage of profit go to social justice causes (such as this pin which benefits Black Lives Matter and these lovely t-shirts for The Equality Institute).

 L'Occitane are offering this limited edition candle which sees all profits split between three charities - Rosa in the UK, Toutes a l'ecole in Cambodia and Entrepreneurs du Monde in Africa and would be a perfect and affordable gift for any fans of home-ware (it costs £9).

The entirety of the price of Lush's Charity Pot body lotion (minus taxes) goes to grassroots organisations which align with Lush's ethics in the areas of environmental conservation, human rights and animal welfare (and, as it is available in various sizes and at various price points, it has the potential to make a perfect Secret Santa gift or stocking filler).

There's also the option of buying items such as books, DVDs, board games and vinyl records in charity shops, too - I know Oxfam are particularly good for books, for instance, but there are plenty more options so it's worth keeping an eye out.

It's Not Just for Christmas, It's for Life.

As I said at the start of this post, I think we all feel a really strong desire to make the world a better place at Christmas because it is a time when we really see how fortunate we are. However, I think one of the best ways you can do this is, is to make a promise to yourself that you will try and take this spirit into the New Year and keep offering help in whatever way you can. Whether you decide to make a monthly donation to a charity or decide to donate to a food bank every fortnight or give spare change to homeless people on your way home from work or give blood - there are so many ways you can keep up the work you start doing this December. It really isn't that difficult and if we all do something, no matter how small it seems, we really do have the power to make a difference in our local and global communities.

I hope you liked this post and that you have found it helpful.

Do you have any ideas for how we can make a difference this Christmas? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment to let me know.

See you tomorrow for Blogmas Day Seven!

Enjoy today and let your joy fill the world,

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Decorating the Christmas Tree! (Photo Diary)

Hi!!!

Welcome back! Today is Blogmas Day 4 and I wanted to share some photos from my weekend. We decorated the Christmas tree on Saturday and I thought it would be nice to tell you what the day we decorate for the holidays is like and what our tree looks like (spoiler alert: it's absolutely magical). I love decorating the tree and I think it's something most of us can agree is a fun tradition and something we look forward to so I hope you enjoy this post.

We have an artificial Christmas tree. I know this outrages some people, but I've spent all of my Christmases round an artificial Christmas tree and I personally love it - if nothing else because I don't end up accidentally standing on pine needles while walking round barefoot and howling with pain (it's right up there with standing on Lego, isn't it?). Our tree is quite a big tree and I wouldn't have it any other way - Christmas isn't the time for half measures, in my opinion.

 

I put the lights on the tree this year, took them all off because I'd missed a few branches, put them all back on, and then had to sit down for a bit before I untangled the second set and put those on the tree because, as it turns out, putting up Christmas lights is a pretty taxing job.

 

We put quite a lot of lights on our Christmas tree, but we also put a lot of decorations on it, so it's necessary for you to actually see them.

 

I would describe myself as the Chief Decorator but I don't decorate all by myself because I love gathering round the tree and making memories with my family.

 

I dig out a Christmas CD (find my recommendation here) or put on a Christmas music channel on TV (I'd recommend Heart's TV channel for the best Christmas songs), we sing along and drink as many cups of tea as is humanly possible and end up covered in glitter. It is definitely one of my favourite parts of Christmas.

 

 

We're not minimalists when it comes to decorating the tree, and we don't have a theme for our decorations, but I can't imagine the Christmas tree looking any other way. We squeeze as many baubles as we possibly can onto the branches and I think it leaves us with a beautiful display, especially because there are so many different decorations from different times and different Christmases and different locations around the world and so it is brimming with all the sentimentality of a Christmas movie.

Thanks for joining me for Blogmas Day Four, I hope you enjoyed seeing some photos of our decorating process (which sounds very official, doesn't it?) and of our lovely Christmas tree.

How do you decorate for the festive season? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.

See you tomorrow!

Have a spectacular day!

GingerSnaps xxx

 

I've Been Thinking... - Surprise, I'm Doing Blogmas!

Hi!!!

Happy December! I am so excited that December is here again. Christmas is my favourite time of year and Winter is my favourite season, so December is all kinds of wonderful in my eyes. I have some news about my plans for this blog in the run up to Christmas to share with you (which, as you may well have guessed from the title, is that I'm doing Blogmas). I thought I'd start this project by explaining what that will involve and what I hope to do so let's get started, shall we?

 First things first, for those of you who aren't familiar with it
Blogmas = uploading new posts every day from December 1st all the way to Christmas Day.
It is something I have watched other bloggers (and YouTubers - through the equivalent Vlogmas) do for years. I have wanted to participate for such a long time but this year seems the perfect time to commit to it because I have plenty of time to invest in this project and plenty of ideas for things to share.

I'm a little bit apprehensive but mostly very excited to create twenty-five posts for you to read (and hopefully enjoy) in the run-up to Christmas. I think it will really get me into the spirit of the season to be uploading Christmassy posts every day and hopefully I can pass it on to you when you read them.

As I mentioned earlier, I have got lots of ideas already in the pipeline. I think there's something for everyone with music and beauty and theatre and lifestyle posts all making appearances - put simply, it will be all of the things I usually share with you but with a Christmas twist.

Thanks for reading Blogmas Day 1!

What are your plans for December? Do you have any suggestions for posts that you'd like to see during Blogmas? I'm definitely open to your ideas, so feel free to let me know in the comments if you have any.

See you tomorrow for Blogmas Day 2!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Three Spooky (Not Scary) Movies To Watch This Halloween.

Hi!!!

Today I have some movie recomendations for you. Halloween is fast approaching, and while I'm certainly not a fan of the scary and gory stuff, I do love the spooky and silly sides of Halloween. I'm sure I'm not alone on this and so, with this in mind, I've put together a list of some super fun, spooky movies for you to watch if you're a bit of a wimp like me (nothing to be ashamed of) or if you want to watch something that will be fun for the whole family, because it's far more fun when everyone is involved, isn't it? I've scoured the internet to find out all of your options for viewing these films, from DVDs to streaming services to showings on television channels so you have no excuse for not watching at least one.

Hocus Pocus.

After three centuries, three witch sisters are brought back to life on Halloween night, and it is up to two teenagers, a little girl, and an immortal cat to put an end to their reign of terror once and for all - and they only have until sunrise to do so.

Would it even be October without Hocus Pocus? It is a favourite for many, and it is very easy to see why - a Disney made, spooky comedy with an all-star cast (Bette Midler is a total STAR). It's absolutely hilarious and just the right amount of silly. I think it is a particularly good one to watch with friends - there are so many great lines to giggle at and then quote to each other for the rest of the year.
 Other big selling points are as follows: it

was directed by Kenny Ortega, who later directed and choreographed High School Musical, and it's full of autumnal colours and Bette Midler sings some jazz. It's a must see.

Get it on DVD here - it is also available on Sky Store and Netflix and is on Channel 4 at 3.20pm on Sunday 29th.

Hotel Transylvania.

Hotel Transylvania is a resort built and run by Dracula as a place for monsters to holiday away from the humans that frighten them and as a safe place to raise his daughter Mavis. Mavis is celebrating her 118th birthday with a party at the Hotel, surrounded by all kinds of famous and fabulous monsters. However, a human called Johnathon stumbles upon the Hotel, and ends up disguised as a monster so he doesn't make a scene. Everyone seems to like the new arrival, especially Mavis - but could Dracula deal with his daughter falling for a human?

This is an animated movie - I love animation as a medium and it makes this a really fun Halloween film. It's a really charming movie, full of all kinds of odd-ball characters, and Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) has a really great sense of style.

Get it on DVD here - it is also available on Sky Store and Netflix and is on ITV at 9:25am on Saturday 28th and ITV2 at 4:20pm on Sunday 29th.

Halloweentown.

This is the first in a series of films following the adventures of three children Marnie, Dylan and Sophie. Their grandmother, Aggie, comes to visit them on Halloween - she wants Marnie to start her training as a witch before her 13th birthday because otherwise she'll lose her powers for life. There is a dark force in Halloweentown and Aggie needs help to defeat it. The children follow their grandmother to Halloweentown, where they meet all kinds of supernatural creatures and where the adventure and fight for good really begins.

I am a Disney Channel child through and through and I've spent a lot of my life glued to Disney Channel Original Movies. Halloweentown was one of the first I watched when I was younger and I have loved it ever since.
It has become a firm favourite for me - there are plenty of spooky goings on, a fight to save a town, loveable characters and adventure. It's fun, it's a very entertaining story and it reminds me of being younger - what's not to love?

Get it on DVD here (U.S.A only) - it is also available through Disney Life and is on the UK Disney Channel at 11:37am on Thursday 26th.

This was such a fun post to put together, so I really hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you enjoy these movies if you do give them a try - sit down with a huge mug of tea or hot chocolate and work your way through them for maximum spookiness. 

Do you have a favourite spooky movie that I should add to my watch-list? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment and let me know.

Have a wonderful day, I'll speak to you all soon.

I hope you have a spook-tacular day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Three Ealing Comedies to Watch This Autumn.

Hi!!!

Good afternoon! Today's post is slightly different from my usual content. I wanted to share some of my favourite films with you today, more specifically Ealing Comedies. I say today, but I've actually had about 80% of this post written since May... Anyway, I've picked three of the Ealing Comedies, most of which were made in the 1940s and 1950s, and came to define both the Ealing Studios and British Cinema. They are perfect for those who love character driven pieces and for those with a slightly dark sense of humour. If you'd like to know even more about the history of these movies, because like me you're a bit of a nerd, click here. Without further ado, let's begin.

Kind Hearts and Coronets.

One of the earlier Ealing comedies, 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' is a brilliant film. Dennis Price is Louis Mazzini, whose mother was disowned by her high class family, the D'Ascoyne's, when she married for love rather than money. When she dies, she is refused the right to be interred into the family vault and Louis decides that he will take matters into his own hands, killing the D'Ascoyne family one by one so he can take his place as Duke. His plans are complicated further when he finds himself torn between his childhood crush and the beautiful wife of one of his victims. Alec Guinness takes on the roles of the eight members of the D'Ascoyne family, from suffragettes to clergymen, and this film was an early, and now lasting, showcase of his amazing talent as a comedic actor. The characters are quirky and entertaining, the plot is filled with ironic and clever details, and each elimination is more inventive than the last. If you like crime shows, a good laugh and characters that are off-the-wall and delightfully despicable, you simply must watch this film.

The Lavender Hill Mob.

In 'The Lavender Hill Mob', Alec Guinness is Henry Holland, a timid, seemingly rather ordinary bank clerk. His job is to accompany gold bullion in the special van with armed security guards. He joins forces with his friend Pendlebury, played by Stanley Holloway, to steal the gold and smuggle it out of the country, but, as in any Ealing Comedy, things aren't as straightforward as the characters hope. This film has a much lighter tone overall than the other two on this list, I think, and packed to the rafters with laughs. It's such an entertaining film, and once again, the star of Ealing Comedies, Alec Guinness, shines in his performance. It's imaginative, the characters are hugely entertaining and the partnership of Guinness and Holloway, as well as of their characters Holland and Pendlebury, really elevates the film, keeping you invested from the get-go.

The Ladykillers.

'The Ladykillers' was the first Ealing Comedy I ever saw, and as a child, I found Alec Guinness slightly unnerving in this film - as I think I've mentioned before. I have, however, always loved this film, so much so that a few years ago, I went to see the stage production of it and I reviewed it here. Mrs Wilberforce, played wonderfully by Katie Johnson, likes to report suspicious behaviour to the police. Completely unaware of this, the seasoned thief Professor Marcus, played by Alec Guinness, rents rooms in her house for himself and his gang, who are posing as an string quintet. They complete a bank robbery but slip up in front of their landlord when they try to escape. They decide she has to be killed, but things don't go to plan when the gang begin to double cross and go after each other.  The characters are so quirky, the plot is so off-the-wall and yet it works so brilliantly and it is an essential in every film collection.

And that brings today's post to an end. I hope you liked it, and you enjoy spending some time watching these films.

What is your favourite Ealing Comedy? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

Have a brilliant day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Summer Favourites.

Hi!!!

Good afternoon and happy September! It's officially Autumn, which makes me very happy. To round up Summer blog-wise, I thought I'd put together a post telling you about some of the things that I enjoyed the most throughout the season. Its also a chance for me to talk to you about the things that I normally would have reviewed - everything from books to theatre to music is here. Oh, and if you enjoy this post, then check out this one on my best friend's blog - it's very good.

Film - Spiderman: Homecoming

 I love Spiderman, he's one of my favourite Marvel characters (alongside Iron Man), and so I was really excited to see Homecoming. I won't deny that I was slightly unsure about another reboot when the others have been so recent but having seen the film, I think it is totally worth it. Homecoming might be my favourite Spiderman film of them all. I think Tom Holland is amazing as Spiderman, and the character seems truest to both life and the original spirit of the comics in this film. I loved Zendaya as MJ, and found the whole film engaging, funny and entertaining. I'm excited to see what's next for Tom Holland's Peter Parker.

Music - What Do You Think About The Car? by Declan McKenna.

This was the album I was most excited for this year, and I was not let down at all. It's riotous, colourful, experimental, inspiring, entertaining, chaotic, poetic and honestly you need to listen to it. It understands you, what you feel and hope for and if that's not worthy of a listen, I don't know what is. My favourite tracks are 'Why Do You Feel So Down', 'Listen To Your Friends', 'Humongous', 'The Kids Don't Want To Come Home' and 'Isombard'. Oh, and the lyric sheet folds out into this poster, which I thought was a really cool extra touch (and something I haven't seen for a while).
 

Makeup - Collection Glam Crystals Glitter Eyeliner

This summer, I decided to try out wearing glitter all over my face, but primarily as a highlight, something I'd wanted to do for ages because it looks so cool. Anyway, I've used glitter liners instead of loose glitter for years because it lasts better and stays put, and Collection's offerings are great quality and come in a number of lovely colours. I've been wearing Hustle a lot - it's a silver shot through with green, purple and black tones.

Books - Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding.

 

 

I've only read one book all summer. I'd hoped to read more but that didn't' work out. Thankfully, the one book I did read was one I found highly enjoyable. If you're looking for a funny, highly addictive, fun to read book, then I'd recommend the second book in the Bridget Jones series to you. There's plenty that differs from the film, so it's not predictable but there is a familiarity to it, which is nice. I read it within a few days, and picked it up whenever I got chance. Say what you want about 'Chick Lit' but when it's done well, like this, I don't think even it's worst critics could deny how fun it is to read.

TV - Strike: The Cuckoo's Calling

Having read The Cuckoo's Calling - and having raved about it online (here) and in real life to anyone who would listen - I was incredibly excited to watch the first instalment of the Strike series on BBC One. Strike: The Cuckoo's Calling consists of three episodes, each an hour long, which are all on BBC iPlayer, and follows private investigator Comoran Strike as he investigates the death of supermodel Lula Landry. I adored it. I think that Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger are perfect as Strike and Robin - I'm very invested in those two characters in particular. The plot is fast paced, intricate, and you simply must watch it. Major props to Michael Kellior for his fantastic direction and to Ben Richards for his amazing writing for this series - both of which maintain the intricacies of the book beautifully. Oh, and the opening title sequence is really up my street - aesthetically and musically. Weird thing to point out but yeah.
 

Theatre - Aladdin

 

To celebrate my birthday, my friends and I went to London for the day to see Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre and to spend some quality time together. The show was absolutely incredible. The sets are intricate and beautiful. The cast are one of the strongest I have seen.
It made me feel so much - I laughed and I cried and I was so overwhelmed with happiness and joy and excitement that my heart was beating at a million miles an hour and I couldn't stop smiling. If like me Aladdin is your favourite Disney film, you're a huge Alan Menken fan (Proud of Your Boy is sung!!!! And a medley of Menken/Ashman Disney songs!!!), or you just really love dazzling theatre productions with a ridiculously talented cast, get yourself there to see it.

Thanks for reading.

What were your favourite things from this summer? Let me know in the comments.

I hope your week is off to a good start. I'll speak to you all soon.

I hope your day is delightful.

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Blogging (Where I'm At).

Hi!!!

I wanted to sit down and have a chat and a cup of tea with you today. I haven't done that in a while but I'm looking forward to this. I think its fair to say that so far this year, posts have been somewhat sparse. I wanted to tell you where that's left me with blogging, and explain a little bit as to where I've been.





I don't go into detail about what occupies my weekdays all that much on here, and I won't bore you with specifics now, but I will say that my workload significantly increased during the first half of this year. I went and did my regular weekday work, and then came home and did more. Those of you who know me in real life will know what this work was and what I was working towards, but for those of you who don't it was all going towards some very significant goals.



I hadn't realised quite how much I had thrown myself into this work, but I was just looking back at my blog content from so far this year and I think it really shows. Last year I really found my stride with blogging and I was so pleased with my content and I was uploading regularly and more people were reading and I just wanted to tap dance in the street about the whole thing. This year, that hasn't really been the case. Its so hard to get back into the swing of something when you have, if we're being honest, neglected it for months. Its like returning to a game of Nintendogs when you finally found the game card again after it was lost in the depths of your bedroom and not quite remembering how to make the dog do tricks (this analogy obviously won't make much sense to you if you weren't an avid Nintendo DS player like me). I don't necessarily think of writing a blog post now when I'm bored. I'm not even signed into my Google account on my laptop half the time. I have ideas for posts and then don't get round to writing them because I seem to have forgotten that I actually need to sit down and write the thing, rather than just think about it, for it to actually materialise.

 

 

 I wanted to let you know that I have not stopped blogging, I am still here, I have not given up, I have no intentions of doing so. I know its super frustrating when you have no new posts to read and I'm sorry that this space has become one of those places recently. I'm in the process now of writing several posts, and hopefully I'll manage to finish writing them, take photos for them, and publish them before 2085. Please bear with me as I try and remember not only how to do this, but to do this. I won't promise ten posts a month, because it will take a while for me to get back to that place, but I am promising posts. I'm not one for breaking promises so I'll be doing my best to keep this one. And if you know me in real life, please feel free to spam my life with reminders to upload - and if you don't know me in real life, then you can always spam the comments section and I'll get a million notifications to spur me on.

 

 

Thanks for reading. I hope you've enjoyed reading this little catch up post.

Do you have any comments or suggestions for future posts? I'd love to hear from you, so be sure to leave a comment below.

Thanks for your patience. I'll speak to you all soon.

Have a fabulous day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - 25 (More) Facts About Me

Hi!!!

I've been wanting to do another Facts About Me post for a really long time, and I'm finally getting round to it. I think it's such a nice way for you to find out more about me, so hopefully you're interested. Let's begin.

1. I love Italian food - hopefully one day I'll be able to go on a (food centred) trip to Italy.
2. I haven't worn Skinny jeans since 2015. I'm all about a straight leg, a boyfriend jean and so on.
3. My guitar is called Linda.
4. I watch an appalling amount a whole lot of reality television and to be honest, I have no shame. It brings me joy.
5. I have few talents but one is that I have Butlins Red Coat level skills at party dances. Saturday Night, the Macarena, the Cha-Cha Slide? I'm a pro at them all.
6. I used to take Irish Dance classes.
7. One of my favourite movie soundtracks is the soundtrack from The Theory of Everything - it's engaging and beautiful.
8. I don't take sugar in my tea.
9. I'm currently reading the second Peter Kay autobiography - Saturday Night Peter - and I laughed audibly at it at least three times a chapter.
10. I was born in Birmingham (in the UK).
11. In Year 10 and Year 11 I insisted on wearing my school blazer with the sleeves rolled up permanently.
12. I actually used to be really fussy about how I wore my school uniform - although, lol, not sure if anyone else would think that.
13. My favourite sweets are Parma Violets.
14. My favourite film is About Time - its funny, charming, full of love and feelings, it features time travel and the cinematography is beautiful.
15. I collect old (or vintage, if you're cool) children's books - Enid Blyton books in particular although I have one or two others.
16. I'm really determined to reach 25 facts...
17. I definitely have a sweet tooth.
18. My favourite musicals are Hairspray and Les Miserables.
19. I went to see Top Hat three times when it was on in the West End - it was a really great show. 
20. I once sat next to Adrian Scarborough in the Watford Palace Theatre and spent the whole play trying to work out who he was. I went home, turned on the TV and there he was, in Gavin and Stacey (which is one of my favourite shows). I've been kicking myself ever since.
21. I really like socks and own far too many pairs because I have a socks aesthetic. Not even joking.
22. I played the first Scouting for Girls album on repeat for approximately a year when it came out until one day the CD player in the car ate it. Still haven't got it back. Sad times.
23. I'm that person who always has their CDS and DVDs in the wrong cases - it annoys me to no end but I can't stop it, no matter how hard I try.
24. I'm an ENFP, for anyone as interested in the Myers-Briggs personalities as me.
25. I absolutely love ice cream.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a bit more today through this, it's funny how hard it is to come up with 25 facts but I did it.

Tell me something about yourself in the comments. Or maybe some other comments or suggestions for future posts. Let me know by leaving a comment.

Thanks for reading, speak soon.

Have a wonderfully brilliant day!

GingerSnaps xxx

5, 4, 3, 2, 1! - Happy New Year (2017 Edition).

Hi!!!

Last post of the year, then. Can you believe it? I'm not sure I can. Here's the annual look back on 2016, and a message to you all for 2017.

In the eyes of many, 2016 hasn't been the best. I've seen books about how 'bad' it's been, I've heard people talking about all their low points. People talk about the celebrity deaths, Brexit and Trump winning the election as though they make the year an instant write off. I take a few issues with this, one being that just because other people didn't vote for what you voted for, doesn't mean that they are wrong, it just means they don't share your views. But also because I think it's a shame that people are playing down the good times they've had this year to fret about things they can't change. If, however, 2016 has really sucked for you, then I am truly sorry and send lots of good vibes your way.

2016 has had some great moments for me. I went on holiday to Cyprus with my Auntie and my Mom, I went on a tour of the National Theatre. I hit some of my goals in my 'work life', I've danced like crazy with my friends. I've created blog content that I'm really happy with. I've been to gigs. I've been to the theatre. I've cry-laughed and worked hard and read more books. I've spent more time in the cinema than I think I ever have, and I've seen some amazing movies because of that. I've managed to get seats on the bus (yasss). I've spent time with my family and visited London and been for meals with my family and friends. I've been to birthday parties and taken millions of photobooth photos. I got my guitar and I've written stories. I've been able to spend time with family members and friends that I hadn't seen in ages. I've just done loads of cool things and looking back on all these things has really made me smile and has reminded me how lucky I am.

I also feel like 2016 has been a year in which I have learned a lot about myself in so many ways, and I hadn't really realised quite how much until I was thinking about what I'd be writing in this post. Looking back from where I am now, I feel content and I feel proud, which is are lovely things to be.

I hope 2017 is a completely amazing year for you. I hope you and your loved ones enjoy happiness and health, create beautiful memories and love every single second of it. 

Thank you for your continued support for the blog, and I guess also me. Much love to you all.

Have a wonderful New Year's Eve whatever you're doing (and stay safe).

What are your New Year's Resolutions? Do you have any comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment below if you do.

Thanks for reading. See you in the New Year!

Happy New Year!

GingerSnaps xxx