Alternative advent calendars

Over the last few years the trend for alternative advent calendars are really seemed to pick up. Chocolate ones are becoming old hat. Arran Aromatics* have brought the perfect one for beauty fanatics. What a fabulous treat it was!

Filled with 25 gorgeous smelling miniature body lotions, candles, soaps, bubble soaks and shower gels, it's the perfect daily treat. The calendar retails at £40 but it has a value of £60, making it great value for money. I can't wait to light the candles - the grapefruit one smells amazing! Available both online and John Lewis, you best be quick treating yourself to one as only 1000 are available.

Another advent calendar is a tea one from Victoria Mae Designs*. Oh my gosh, the smell when I opened this package was intense. I wanted to gulp them all down at once!

Priced at £19.50, 25 gorgeous teabags come packaging in a cute little brown box. All the tea is sourced from a local British tea company and comes in handmade paper pouches. A lovely little treat to start each morning with in December.

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5 ideas for a cosy evening

I don't know about you but now the nights are getting darker and the air is getting colder, I'm looking to hibernate. Once I get home after my commute into the city, I'm straight into my snuggly pyjamas and locking up for the night. Staying home doesn't have to be boring, use the time to have concentrate on making your soul feel happy.

1. Films and chocolate. Could there be any better combination? I love nothing more than popping my favourite film or boxset on - Peaky Blinders may have been watched about four times over the last few weeks - and snuggling under the duvet with a good box of chocolates. My favourites ones of late have been these delicious Lindt limited edition orange lindor truffles*. I may or may not have scoffed a whole box as I was drooling over Cillian Murphy with a cup of Tetley's new Super Fruit Boosts cup of tea*. Even with a razor blade sewn in his hat, he's still a babe.

2. If you can't face going out on a Friday night after a long week at work, invite your BFF round for a slumber party. Order in your favourite takeaway, get under the covers and prepare to chatter the night away. Sometimes the best tonic is your friends. They are just as weird and wonderful as you are.

3. I live for long, bubble filed baths with a bit of Craig David on Spotify to take away my troubles. Light your favourite candles, grab your most gorgeous smelling hair mask and warm up your vocal chords for an evening of bath singing and soaking. You'll get out feeling refreshed and ready cosy up in fleecy pyjamas.

4. Ban technology for the night - yes even the addictive Instagram - and switch off. I promise you'll sleep so much better and make a start on that pile of unread books on your shelf. Get lost in a world of make-believe and before you know it it'll be time to enter the land of nod.

5. Pop to the supermarket and stock up on marshmallows, squirty cream and Cadburys hot chocolate to make yourself the hot drink of dreams. Pile those fluffy balls of goodness sky high and sip away your troubles. There's nothing a good cup of hot chocolate in front of the telly can't solve. We all deserve a treat in winter time.

What do you do to make the dark nights seem less daunting?

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Review: Dressed by Angels exhibition, London

One of my favourite things about London is that there's always something new going on. Be it a pop-up restaurant, a temporary sculpture or an interesting exhibition like this. Dressed By Angels got in touch to see if I wanted to pop along to their new costume exhibition. As a film and TV buff I said yes please!

Running until January 3, the exhibition is celebrating a staggering 175 years of the costume retailers Angels with over 100 different costumes. That's seven generations of one family. I actually used frequent the fancy dress show in Shafteburys Avenue for my old job finding bits and bobs for photoshoots. But I had no idea the costumer provided some of the most iconic costumes seen in television and film.

The highlight of the exhibition for me was coming face to face with Sharpe's jacket. Oh how I loved Sharpe as a kid. I watched it religiously and have such a soft spot for the hunky Sean Bean and his Sheffield accent. I've been trying to persuade my boyfriend to buy me the boxset for years... The Only Fools and Horses Batman and Robin outfits were a hoot too.

I spent the whole time wandering around exclaiming to my friend 'LOOK AT THAT ONE'! It amazed me just how many of the costumes were in such high profile films and shows. They featured in multiple Oscar and BAFTA award winning films as well as numerous Oliver and Tony award winning shows.

All made in London too. Incredible. It's well worth popping along to for a lazy afternoon marvelling at the insane detailing of the costumes. Tickets cost from £10.80. Try and spot your favourite show!

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