Christmas Gift Guide for Young Ladies

Hello darlings!

With Christmas fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to compile a few gift ideas for the special girls in your life!
I have to be honest with you and say that I love giving & receiving gifts both equally.
It is fun to pick out something for someone you love, carefully wrap it up and then present it to them at Christmas time.

I do love homemade gifts and think that they are a great option that shows extra thought in your gift. But I am here today to share some fun things I have found that I think would make wonderful Christmas presents!

Let's go!


Disclaimer:
Many of these will be New Zealand stores so if you live outside of NZ, I apologize if you can't find it in your country. But most of these things(or similar versions) should be available at a range of stores worldwide.



1. ESV Journaling Bible Elegant Grace Print from Manna Christian Store
A beautiful journaling Bible like this one would be a great gift for a girl in your life who loves studying the Bible and who has an artistic side.

2. Little Letter Necklace in Silver or Gold from Sophie Store
I myself would love to get one of these sweet little letter necklaces! It's small, special and slightly personal because you can pick out their initial.

3. Love Defined by Kristen Clark & Bethany Baird from Amazon
If you know a girl who loves to read, get her this wonderful book! It's full of practical and biblical advice and perspectives on romantic relationships.

4. Sol Cup Reusable Glass Coffee Cup from Oh Natural
If your friend is a coffee lover, a pretty & reusable coffee cup would be perfect for her. This one is gorgeous with its pink accents and bound to make whoever you gift it to happy.

5. Emma Block Lady Cyclist A5 Notebook from Emma Block's Etsy Store
A small notebook with a darling cover illustration by Emma Block would be great for the girl ho can't get enough stationary. Pair this with a cute pen, and maybe a pencil case for a cute gift to give your stationery fanatic!

6. Kind Is The New Classy by Candace Cameron Bure from Amazon
Another great read that any of your friends or women in your life are bound to love! Candace Cameron Bure's book talks about the lack of kindness in this world and how women can put kindness into practice in their lives.

7. Canvas Tote Bag : Woodland from kikki.K
I would personally get this tote bag as a way of holding other smaller gifts inside it. Imagine the delight on that special girls face when she pulls all the little hand-picked goodies out of this adorable tote bag (gift wrapping that is also part of the gift!).

8. Burt's Bees Holiday Spa Collection from Burt's Bees
Girls, be honest, we all would love a gift like this! Pamper your girlfriend by gifting her this lovely spa set from Burt's Bees. Maybe you could have a spa day together at a later date and create a memory too!

9. Tickets to a concert or event
Does your friend or sister have a favourite band? Or maybe she would love to go see a ballet? Get tickets for the two of you to go and do this together. Not only will she loves it but you will share the experience and make memories.

10. Velvet Knotted Headband - Baby Pink
For the girl that you know loves a good accessory, gift her this beautiful velvet headband!


I hope these ideas help you find the perfect gift for the girls in your life that are special to you.
Personally, I would love to receive any of these!

Merry Christmas!


keep blooming,
Hannah, xo




(Blogger wouldn't let me add my usually signature at the end so this will have to suffice.)

The Problem with Romance Novels

via Unsplash

Hello darlings!

I am back with you after an unintentional break to have a heart to heart chat about romance novels!
I want this to be as if we are sitting together, sipping hot drinks and sharing our thoughts and struggles with one another.
I am not trying to tell you what to do and how to do it. I simply want to share my heart and thoughts on this topic.
Without further ado, lets begin!


The majority of what I read is Christian fiction, and for some reason the majority of Christian fiction novels have romance in the plot.
They are fun to read, to swoon over and smile at the happy endings when the guy and the girl finally get together.

But there is an issue. As with anything, it is best to take things in moderation.
I am talking to myself here as well.
There comes a point when after reading many happy endings in books, you can't help but wish for your own happily ever after.
Reading these books in moderation is fine but if it gets too much for you, you need to set a limit.

When we see romance and love stories in books and movies, we can start to long for our own love story, romantic relationship and marriage.
These desires are not all bad, God created them and they are natural.
But when these longings consume your thoughts, make you discontented, and even distract you from your walk with the Lord, then you need to take a step back and take action.

For me, I saw this happening and I got to thinking that I had to change something. Discontentment makes you feel awful. It is not a nice feeling.

• • • •

So what do we do when faced with this obstacle?

Personally, I have decided first and foremost to take a break from reading any romance novels and instead read only Christian non-fiction books or biographies.
Secondly, I am praying and will continue to pray that I would seek the Lord above all else and that I would find complete satisfaction in Him.
And lastly, I want to focus solely on my relationship with Jesus. I want to immerse myself into the Scriptures, memorise verses more intentionally, and grow closer to Him.

Because at the end of the day, I know that my happiness truly lies in Christ. In Christ I can be content, happy, fulfilled, and whole.
A guy cannot fill the hole in my heart that is meant only for Christ.


Picture your heart as a puzzle.
Now imagine there is a piece missing in the centre of you heart puzzle.
We often try to fill this hole with all sorts of alternatives to God. When really he is the missing piece to our hearts.
Nothing here on earth can ever fill that hole.


I hope that if you have been in this same state, that you found this encouraging and helpful. We are all on our own journeys. Through all life experiences, our heavenly Father is shaping us into the women He intends us to be.



keep blooming!

xoxo
Hannah

To the Girls

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Okay, here's the thing girls.

We often have problems with not thinking ourselves very beautiful. And we also compare ourselves to other girls a lot, at least I do.
Generally, we compare our selves to the pretty girl on Instagram who has the perfect wardrobe, seems to always be buying clothes and had the perfect makeup.

But I even find myself comparing myself to my own friends and girls I know.

"Her hair is SO pretty, mine is too frizzy!"
"Oh, I love her dress. I wish I had a dress like that."
"Her eyes are so...."

You get the point.

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But you know, we can help each other out in this.

It would make a big difference if we complimented our fellow girls and sisters in Christ.
We often think these comparisons in our head but never actually let them know that we like what she's wearing today or that her hair looks especially nice.

Instead of comparing, compliment. Turn your negative thoughts about her into positive, uplifting ones and tell her!

Pinterest

Once at a youth conference, a girl and I were walking down the stairs at the same time.
There is a big oval mirror at the foot of the steps and she paused to look at her hair. "My hair is so frizzy and messy right now" she said (something like that anyway).
I thought she was ridiculous to say that because in my mind she was one of the prettiest girls there. "No it's not, I exclaimed, "Your hair is always so nice".
"Oh no," she said, "you always have lovely hairstyles".

As we walked out to the next message, I said something like how we girls always compare ourselves to each other and yet the other girl is probably comparing herself to another.
Then she said something along the lines of "Well, we're all made in God's image" and some more which I don't quite remember.

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After that, I felt better about myself.
Uplifting compliments make a big impact. When I think of the times I have been complimented, I feel wonderful and smile at the memory. Not to be vain of course, but just a delight that someone noticed, someone chose to speak those kind words and make my day.

So think about it, the next time you see a girl with a nice outfit or something like that, say "I love your outfit" or "You look nice today".


Words have the power to bring life.

But all this aside, what should change your mind about your beauty is not what people think or say but what your Heavenly Father says.

And he says this:

You are beautiful, my darling. I made you in my own image. I do not make mistakes and you are no exception.
I formed you in your mother womb. You are altogether a miracle. I say you are beautiful, loved, worthy, and you are enough.

Most importantly, dear, I see your heart. I have begun a work in you and I will complete it. Daily you are becoming the woman I am making you to be. People look at the outward appearance but I look at the heart. Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (based on Psalms 139:13-14, 1 Samuel 16:7, Philippians 1:6)

When the inside is beautiful, so the outside is too.

Fill your heart and mind with beautiful things.


xoxo
Hannah

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p.s.
I wrote this with the utmost sincerity. I also struggle to believe these things about myself. I am not perfect either. We are all on a journey. God is working in all of us. You and I, we are His masterpieces.
He's got you girl!

A Few of My Favourite Things Tag

Hello, Wildflowers!
Here I am again, attempting to write an intro.....! Anyway, I was tagged by Danielle at Life is Like a Book.
The creator of this tag I believe is Beth at Beth in Boots. So thanks, Beth for creating a tag inspired by one of the bestest (yes, Grammarly, bestest IS a word because I say so!) films in the history of ever!
I will try to put things in this tag that you may not know about me and make it more interesting that way.

Ze Rules:
• Thank and link back to the person who tagged you
• Thank and link back to the creator of the tag
• Write about seven of your favourite things and include at least one picture of each thing
•Tag at least seven people, if you don't know of seven other bloggers just put as many as you can
• Put these rules in your post
• Include the picture above in your post
• Have fun!

My stainless steel bottle

A great investment as it will last me ages! I love it and use it daily. It helps me drink more water and be reminded of a scripture as well!

~ • ~

Decorating my room

This is the picturesque part of my room. No, the other part is not messy! But it is in disorder because of some rearranging. 

One of my favourite things to do is DIY things for my room, thrift decor to put in it and make it pretty and cosy. It's a way to unleash my creativity in a space all of my own!

~ • ~

My Bible & spending time reading it

What more can I say? I love this from the bottom of my heart! It is filled with all the wisdom and truth one needs for more than an entire lifetime! 

On a normal morning, having my quiet time is the first thing I do when I wake up(after waking myself up of course!).

~ • ~

These earrings

I have lost count of the times I have worn this pair of earrings. I got them from a stall a market in my town for only $4! I love wearing them. I would love to build a collection of pretty jewelry that just goes with so many outfits and that I love. #goal All that's to say, these are a go-to pair of earrings for me!

~ • ~

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

This is the perfect show to sit and watch whilst curled up with family and sipping a cup of tea (which is really what you do with most movies). There will be giggles, fuzzy feelings, occasional tear spillage, and lots of mail! 

I highly recommend this Hallmark series. It is and will remain to be a very fave of mine as far as movies go.

~ • ~

River swims

A cool, natural river beats any man-made swimming pool in my opinion. I am sooo looking forward to going to the river near us on 26 degrees up days this Summer!
The water in a river just feels (this might sound weird guys but I promise I haven't lost my mind) more beautiful than at a public pool. Plus there aren't chemicals in the water, it's just clear and clean.

~ • ~

Lace ♥

Ahhhh! Lace is one of the most beautiful creations man has ever made. Lace on my wedding dress will be a must!

The tiniest bit adds such lovely and quaint touch to a garment. That's all I have to say, I hope I have made my point! I'TS GORGEOUS OKAY!

I tag all of you who have a blog! I look forward to seeing your answers!

xoxo

Hannah

Recent Thrift Finds

I realized yesterday that it's been a while since I've done one of these and since I have collected some stuff from the last few months I figured I'd share them with you.
Not all of this stuff is clothes (like the picture suggests) and I'm excited to show you so let's get on!

Clothes

I love this tee so much and some of my favourite selfies have been from when I was wearing it! I love how flowery, bright and springy it is. I have worn it a lot already AND from what I can remember it was only a few dollars!

How gorgeous is this colour? I have only worn this once but I loved it. It's soft and light for Spring and possibly Summer. I tied it up at the front and it looked great! I also love the little delicate buttons.

This one has already become a great staple! I have been looking for some striped tops recently so I was glad to find this for only $1. I love how it looks tucked in at the front with jeans and the way it fits it actually looks better styled that way too. Let me know if you would like a little styling post!

Not my usual kind of thing but I grabbed this because I like the adventurist vibes from the text that says: "Take Me To The Mountains".
It's a comfy, casual plain tee that will go with a lot of things, that I picked up for just $1!



Accessories

Ok, there's actually only one accessory but I really love it! Good looking second-hand bags are normally hard to find in the store I go to but I scored this one just this week and I am very happy I found it. It is very new and has only a little dust on it. Preferably a brown colour would be nice but this blue is quite nice too.


Books

This is an illustrated edition of The Legend of Pocahontas which is in great condition. I decided to pick it up because I quite liked the Disney Pocahontas movie and I was curious about this book. And for only $2.50 it was a steal!

These three I got from a small market in our town for a dollar each. I have read and enjoyed The Help once but the other tow I have not read.
I am trying to collect all of the Anne of Green Gables series so I was glad to find Rainbow Valley!



Decor

Though the flowers in this frame are faded, they have a new beauty that I like. I also love the note on the back that tells you what flowers are in your frame.

There are two things in this photo that I got. 1) The Jug. I got this because I liked that it was neutral but still had a light speckled effect. I pictured this looking very cute with flowers in it and I was right(I'll insert a picture below.)
2) The ceramic pot. I am not quite sure why I git this or what I'll use it for but I like the colour and style it had.
I am trying to add a slightly bohemian vibe to my room while still keeping it flowery, lighter toned and girly. It's a bit hard to balance and mix the tow but I'll figure it out!
(Fun fact: the butterfly is handmade by my mum!)
This is what the jug looks like displaying flowers. I also took this photo for a photography project!

That will probably be the last bunch of things I get from thrift stores since I am supposed to be saving up my earnings for and upcoming family holiday. So.......yeah!

Have you taken any trips to the thrift store recently? What have you found?

xoxo
Hannah

Dear Juliet...

To be honest, this is probably one of the movies I have seen the most and I'm going to tell you why in this post!
Every time I've seen this I loved it more and last night in bed while watching it for the 5th or 6th time, I couldn't stop smiling to myself as I watched the story unfold and Charlie make his funny comments on Sophie's ideas and behavior.
Anyway, without further ado, here are some of the reasons why I love this funny, romantic, summery movie.

Sophie and Charlie's love story

They have one of those funny love stories where they started off not liking each other but then seeing the other person for who they really are thus falling in love! I quite like this trope and it is quite entertaining and more realistic than intsa love. Sophie is a darling and Charlie, a good sort.
They find out that they actually have more in common than they thought too.



Charlie's lines

This is a perfect example! He just says the best, funniest, slightly annoying and romantic things!
You have to watch it to understand but trust me went you do, you'll be giggling at his lines and come to like him a lot for it.



Claire and Sophie

Claire is a lovely lady and her relationship with Sophie becomes very sweet. She reminds me a little bit of my own Nonna(grandmother ♥).
Claire is kind, caring and motherly to both Charlie(her grandson) and Sophie.



The Ice cream Scene

It's just cute, okay! Especially when he does it back!



The lovely, summery feel

It's set in Italy so of course, it gives all the summery(and Italian) feels. Sunshine, fields of grape vines, cobblestone streets, gelato, flowery window boxes and of course, balconies entangled with vines!

Clean content

Aside for a few comments that might be better left out, this is a very clean chick flick and I do appreciate that.

Of course, there are some kisses....and I will get to that in a minute!

The ending...the kiss!

Who doesn't love a happy ending? Or a funny ending? After a misunderstanding, they work things out while Sophie is up on a balcony, of course!



Overall, this is a nice movie and I recommend it to all of you who like this sort of thing!
As girls, I think movies like this are our one weakness(got the reference?)!

Hope you are having a wonderful day!

xoxo
Hannah

My Natural Beauty Picks

And I'm back! Back after two weeks of school holidays and laziness.
Anyway today I thought I'd do a fun little post chatting about some of my favourite beauty products!

Glow Lab Hydrating Shampoo

I have quickly taken quite a liking to Glow Lab's products! Starting with their Pink Clay Bar Soap(which unlike many soaps leaves your hands soft and feeling moisturized) and now this shampoo.

It smells lovely(and I am a sucker for the shampoo/hair product smell for some reason!) and leaves my hair soft and clean. And the packaging is aesthetically pleasing too(which is always a bonus!).

Tier for Teens Moisture Hibiscus & Raspberry Leaf

This is the best moisturizer for teens, or at least in my opinion! It's perfect because it isn't super greasy and thick but light and hydrating.

In my case, I don't want to be smearing more grease on my face if my skin has all it's teen oils to start with. This moisturizer helps with redness and inflammation and lightly moisturizes.
I definitely recommend this product to all teen girls!

Keune Care Curl Control Defining Cream

I love this stuff! Recently incorporated it back into my hair routine. After washing my hair and letting it air dry, I straighten it and rub a bit of this in and I get nice soft, frizz-free hair till my next wash.
It smells AMAZING too! The sad thing is, I'm running out of it!

Physician's Formula Organic Wear Natural Origin Mascara

I only got this about a month ago and it is my first mascara of my own. It's nice and defines my lashes in a good and natural way.
I am one for simple and natural makeup and to be honest am happy with just mascara and a dab of lipgloss or lipstick.

Overall this is a good natural product that I would recommend to those interested in toxin free beauty.

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Deodorant

What can I say! I like this deodorant and in my case, it works. Some may not like the scent of the tea tree but I quite like it.

I feel very strongly that you should use a natural deodorant because your underarms are a sensitive area and you don't want to be loading toxic stuff on there.
I also believe that antiperspirants are not a good choice because our bodies are supposed to sweat as a way of detoxing.

Burt's Bees Lipstick

My first ever lipstick in the colour Suede Splash.  This lipstick colour is a great starter for lipstick newbies! I put it on today a realized how much I really like the colour.

I don't wear it everyday but it is a great shade that you could use for an everyday look. it defines your lips but isn't too bold.
The texture is smooth and moisturizing and there are 18 other shades to choose from.

And there you have it!

Talk to me in the comment section! What is one of your favourite beauty products? Have you used any of these ones before?

xoxo

Hannah