1) Adele - 25. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you will be aware of Adele's highly anticipated return. Quite a few of my tears this month are because of this lady who is beautiful both inside and out. 25 has been described by Adele as a make up record whereas 21 was a break up record but that doesn't mean that 25 is not full of raw emotion and tear jerking songs. My top three tracks off the record are I Miss You, When We Were Young and Million Years Ago. I love the nostalgic feel of both Million Years Ago and When We Were Young but I Miss You is my absolute favourite because the instrumental is perfect as the drums and the backing singers just add to the dramatic lyrics. For those of you who watched the BBC One show on the evening of the album's release date will know the story behind Million Years Ago and it just shows how down to Earth and genuine Adele is and how she's not let all her success change her as a person. My favourite part of the show was when Adele surprised her impressionists, she's just so lovely and funny. Adele's my favourite artist and I was lucky enough to see her with my friend, Lauren, at the Manchester Apollo in 2011 and we were literally next to the stage. She waved at us and I almost died with happiness. Lauren and I also met one of Adele's support acts, the Grammy Award winning Civil Wars. This week, she announced that she's going on tour next year, how exciting?!
2. Sir David Attenborough narrating Adele's music video for Hello. If for some absurd reason, you don't like Adele then you might as well skip my second favourite too because this video is the best thing since sliced bread, it contains two people who I adore. Please watch it, you won't be disappointed, trust me. I can't get over "The Lesser Spotted Adele". I sincerely hope that both Adele and Sir David Attenborough are immortal because the world won't be the same without them both.
3. Heidi. This month, we welcomed a new member to our family...
Yes, I've finally bought my first car and I am just so happy and grateful, alhamdulillah! We are quite lucky with the public transport links in Manchester but it's still far from perfect and especially in this weather, I like being in the warming presence of Heidi :') She's a Ford Focus Zetec/Titanium hybrid for anyone interested.
4. Chris (Simpsons Artist) - Motivational Quotes to Help You to be More Positive. I have followed Chris and his wonderful artwork and unforgettable stories on social media but to have something physical is brilliant. This book does exactly what it says and is like no other book. I highly recommend it as a Christmas present as it will definitely make your loved one laugh and smile which is all you can ask of a present.
5. Great Britain winning the Davis Cup - Regular readers will be aware of just how big an Andy Murray fan I am which is why it comes as no surprise just how proud I am of him, Jamie and the rest of the team for winning the Davis Cup for Great Britain after 79 years today. He's made history yet again and it's the perfect way to end such a wonderful year for Andy during which he got married and announced that he is becoming a father! Actions speak louder than words and the quality of tennis Andy has played over the past three days and in fact, for the past decade, should silence critics such as David Lloyd. Well done and massive congratulations to Team GB!
7. Next Suede Slippers - My feet are always so cold during winter so I treated myself to a new pair of slippers this month. I love wearing burgundy and these are as warm and cosy as they look. They have a strong sole with a good grip like outdoor shoes so you won't slip and they won't get ruined if you do have to nip outside in them. They are available in lots of colours so I've included a link to them. If you are thinking of buying these then I would say go a size up, I'm usually a size 6 in Next footwear but went for a 7 in these.
8. Accessorize Stacking Rings - I love wearing rings but one ring won't do and in summer, I bought a set of rings from Accessorize but wanted some new ones as I got bored of them. I admit I went a bit crazy and ended up buying three sets because they were just so nice and would go with pretty much any outfit as I opted for a silver set, a gold set and one with lots of different coloured gemstones.
9. Twinings Salted Caramel Tea - Salted caramel is one of my favourite flavours so I was super excited when I spotted this in Tesco and just had to try it. This smells absolutely divine and you can drink it without feeling guilty. It is perfect for this time of year! I made one of my colleagues a cup of this and she loved it too.
10. Meha Art and Design Manchester coaster - Fellow Mancunians and those of you who have been lucky enough to visit Manchester around Christmas will be familiar with the wonderful German markets that are here every year. I was after a nice coaster for my desk at work and this Manchester themed one seemed fitting for the Mancunian Sheep. As I mentioned in my previous post (which you can read here), I love supporting independent retailers which is why I will include the links for the artist who has designed this gorgeous coaster. I love the pops of colour and the intricate detailing of some of Manchester's best known landmarks like Malmaison. Meha's stall is just opposite the H&M on Market St and she's so lovely, definitely worth visiting her stall if you're after a unique Christmas present or treat for yourself.
You can find Meha Art on the following: Facebook, Twitter and etsy.
11. Peep Show - My television favourite this month has to be Peep Show. The similarities between myself and Mark are scary and I'm gutted that this series will be the last one however, I can see why they'd rather end the show on a high just like Miranda did around this time last year. At least there are nine series that fans of the show can binge watch to get their fix of Mark, Jez and SuperHans. My favourite scene of the series so far has to be Sober Hans' juicing stag do.
I hope you've enjoyed this post. Let me know what your favourite song is on 25! Hope December is best month of 2015 for you all.
Until next time, take care.
Love,
Mancunian Sheep x
