Tag - things which make me happy.

I haven't done a blog entry which isn't review based for a while so I thought I'd open that door a little for a peek in to "Things which make me happy"

1. Trial runs for special occasion make up. I think I am a bit of a people pleaser, I love hosting parties, helping out and I absolutely love doing bridal and special occasion make up. It's so much fun with brides to be, seeing their happy and mostly surprised (in a good way) faces when I have finished their make up.

2. My family, we are spread out around the UK and don't see each other often but they are always the first on my calling list with news!

3. My husband, it's the little things that he does that make me happy, he brings me chocolate when I have had a bad day, wakes me up with kind words and when we first starting going out he was kind to my cats, unlike the previous boyf! BTW Chocolate had to be mentioned on this list somewhere.

4. Going for a run and achieving a better time or distance than the previous effort! I would never have believed that I could actually enjoy running, I detested it for so long but now that I do it three times a week, it's not that bad really. I believe that exercise should be fun and rewarding in more ways than just improving your health. I try to go somewhere different so that it's a bit of an adventure and if I start to get bored I stop or take a break. Otherwise it feels like a chore and I don't want to lose motivation. On gym days I have a little treat like a face mask, foot scrub or new conditioner to use which just about counteracts the horribleness of the workout. My ambition is to be able to run the five miles to the local pub in a decent time, where I can relax with the paper, wifi internet and a hot chocolate, then jog back! I think I would only do this once a week though as it's rather time consuming!

5. Finding the perfect jeans/dresss/shoes/bag etc... This week I found my perfect autumn/spring coat. I am normally not an impulse buyer, I have to um and ah about it for a few days, but I tried this coat on and just had to have it. Saying that it's still in my closet unworn but I will break it out to take to London with me to meet Sirvinya and MyVanityTable next week!

This is a double breasted teal moleskin jacket from Debenhams (I was tempted by the Zara purple mid thigh length but it didn't quite fit properly and made me look like I was 14) I like the fact that it's not black and that it nips in at the waist but doesn't have a belt as I find belts on coats annoying! It's currently a respectable £49.99 which I think is great for a smart/casual coat. It should take me through to winter when I will break out the cashmere/wool full length!

6. Voluntary work within my community. It's tiring and often thankless but I enjoy volunteering as it gives me skills and experience that I wouldn't get in my every day job. I would recommend it to anyone with a spare afternoon. From walking rescue dogs to singing or playing an instrument at a retirement home, it will give you something more rewarding than just pennies in your pocket.

7. Playing with make up, well this had to be on my list didn't it! I love playing with new brands, colours, textures and looks. You Tube and Blogging have been brilliant fun and I've come a long way from when I started which was just me playing about with make up. I remember having a Girl's World toy when I was about 6, it was given to me by a friend of the family as their daughter was too old for it. I wish I still had it as I used to have endless fun doing hair and make up looks on the disembodied head! It would have been useful at College too when were practicing new techniques on each other instead!

So those were my "things which make me happy", a bit mediocre you may think but I believe that it's the small things that make me happy. After all as Bertrand Russell says To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.