Relationship Resolutions

Everyone knows that the new year is all about making resolutions of things to do and not to do. Why not try making some relationship resolutions?

I thought that a nice idea to start the year would be to make some little resolutions of things to do and not to do. So I put together a few designs for 'his and hers' resolution printables so that you can write some for each other.

There are two sides to the resolutions. Firstly, try and think of 5 things that you do that annoys or upsets your partner and list them in the 'stop' side. Then, on the other side, try and think of 5 things that you don't do enough (or at all!) that makes your partner happy and write them into the 'do more of' side. If you're not sure what you do or don't do, then why not include your partner in the process and write them together. That way you can be sure that your resolutions are things that really matter to the other person!

 

You can either print the design that you like (onto card) or just open them up in Photoshop (/something similar) and add your resolutions electronically, then email them to her! If you don't like my designs, then why not make your own or even just buy some nice card and write out something like - 'these are five things I will try not to do in 2013 and these are five things that I will try harder to do in 2013' and sign it, with love.

Writing the resolutions is only part of the process though. Why not keep a copy of your resolutions yourself so that you can see what you've promised to do/not and try and keep them! If you're really confident that you can stick to them then you could even come up with some rewards or forfeits for each month/the year to do together. So if for example you do a really good job (at her discretion of course!) of sticking to your 'do more of' resolutions then she could treat you to dinner out, or vice versa. If you don't stick to your 'stop' resolutions then your forfeit could be doing the cleaning or washing up (when she says) for the whole month! It doesn't have to be serious, it can just be a bit of fun to make you both realise some of the things that you do or say to the other that upsets them or makes them happy. so make it fun. Make the rewards romantic activities that you can both enjoy together.


That's all from me today, so all that I want to say is that I hope that the new year brings love and happiness to everyone regardless of whether they're in a relationship or not. To those of you in relationships, I hope that 2013 will be the best year that you've ever had together.

Love from lila xx

Romantic Christmas Presents

I was lucky enough to receive an art print in my favourite colour and a pair of shoes I've been hinting about all year from my man. As a little challenge to see how all of the other men did this year, why not post a comment telling everyone what your most romantic christmas present was - past or present!

Love from lila xx

Merry Christmas!

Love from lila xx

Christmas Wrapping Tips

Well, you know how much I like to help you all out so here it is...

To learn the essentials of gift wrapping, check out the video below to learn how to wrap a box-shaped object such as a book or dvd.

If you have a look on YouTube you'll find lots of videos with lots of different variations on how to wrap a present. This one uses double sided tape which, if you have it, makes your present look clean-cut. If you don't have it then it's not a problem but try to place the tape you do have neatly.

If you want to add a bow then watch the video below for an idea on how to do it.

If you've got any awkwardly shaped presents then the best way to wrap them would be to put them into a box so that you've got a nice square shape to wrap (and it's adds to the surprise of what's inside!). Sometimes plain wrapping paper can look the best, teamed with a nice pretty ribbon or just a shop bought bow! One easy, plain wrapping paper that you can keep handy for all occasions is brown parcel paper which is strong and looks really neat. Not only that, you can also write on it and stick things to it really easy making it perfect for personalising! If you're looking for some creative paper ideas then you could use tissue paper, old maps, sheet music, magazines and newspaper.

If you're stuck for present ideas then why not put together a movie night kit or start her a collection? If you haven't already read last week's post about gift giving then it's a must! And if you haven't started buying presents yet, don't forget to take this handy list of her favourite things with you and go shopping - time's running out!


All that's left to say is happy wrapping! (I'm sorry the video's so terrible but hopefully it should get you into the Christmas spirit!)

Love from lila xx

What To Buy Her For Christmas?

Are you having trouble deciding on christmas presents? Read on for a few ideas...


Present buying is always difficult but if you stick to the six 'rules' or categories below (and get a bit inventive) then you should find present buying a lot easier, with presents that she'll love! So think about buying her something...

1. she wants,
2. she needs,
3. she can wear,
4. she can read,
5. she can watch,
6. and hand/homemade.

That seems pretty straightforward right? Well, here's an explanation of each one (in case it wasn't as straightforward as it looks) and a few ways of being a little interpretive with the presents!

Something she wants: if you haven't read my post about reading her hints then it might be a good idea to check that out first, then you'll know when she's trying to hint about presents she might like for christmas. If you haven't picked up on any hints then you'll have to try and think of something she wants all by yourself!

Something she needs: means something she may (or may not) have mentioned as needing to buy at some point that's important for something she does. This could be a book she needs for her course, new make-up (choose wisely - take the old one with you if you can and check that she wants a direct replacement), something for her computer, some stationery or some chocolate!

Something she can wear: get inspired, something she can wear could include make-up, clothes (including hats, scarves, gloves), accessories (handbags etc), perfume or even shoes!

Something she can read: could include something easy like a book or it could be a framed love letter or some song lyrics. If you choose something like a book then you could buy her one that you know she likes, or you could buy her something from a similar author, a book related to her hobby, a book related to a new hobby (with some of the equipment she may need) or even just a book from a new genre that you think she may enjoy.

Something she can watch: is where you can get really inventive. You could buy her a cinema ticket or a ticket to a sports game or you could even just buy her a DVD but dress it up as a movie night kit. If you're feeling really creative you could make a video of pictures of you and some of her favourite songs and burn it to CD.

Something hand/homemade: is the section where you can get really romantic. The something homemade could be something that you've made and she can eat such as cookies, cakes or dinner. It could even be her card (check out this post for tips on what to write in her card), some love vouchers or 'love letters'. You can find lots of handmade things in shops these days so keep your eyes peeled. Oxfam have some handmade gifts such as aprons, pretty bowls and jewellery but you'll be able to find lots of things, especially around christmas. You can often find local crafts at christmas fairs which always make lovely presents. If you don't find anything in particular that you think she'll like then you could just buy her some quality chocolates from a local shop.

You'll notice that quite a few ideas cross over into two or more sections. That's absolutely fine as the 'rules' are really just ideas to get your present-buying juices flowing!

If you need any extra help then you can check out this post, where you can find a handy list to carry with you so that you know what her favourites are. You could also start her a collection, you can find a post here.

Don't think that these 'rules' only apply to girlfriends either, you can use it for absolutely anyone but I hope this has at least given you a few ideas to get you started on your christmas shopping so get out there and get buying some brilliant presents! Good luck.

Love from lila xx

Yummy Biscuit Recipe

You can't beat a good biscuit so if you fancy trying out some baking then why not make these delicious biscuits?

The recipe's really easy to follow and the biscuits are absolutely delicious. They're so yummy that they don't even need to be decorated but if you do feel like brightening them up a little then some tinted royal icing (you can buy the powder from good supermarkets) would be perfect! My recipe is below and is adapted from one on BBC Good Food. To decorate them, pick a few different shapes for the biscuits and and a few different colours for the royal icing, pop the icing in a piping bag and get creative!

If you need some inspiration then there are some easy ideas below. You can find the original blog posts from the decorated cookie here and here.

I took inspiration from the first picture and made the cookies below - they're not perfect but that's why they're so great. It doesn't matter if your biscuits don't turn out as perfectly as the ones above because they're made by an expert. If you make biscuits for your girlfriend or anyone else then I'm sure they'll love them no matter how they turn out because it's true that it's the thought that counts!

If you want to make the little eyeballs to give your cookies some character then read on because they're really easy to make. Get some baking parchment, some white royal icing and some black royal icing. Then squeeze a tiny dot of white onto the parchment, then a tiny dot of black straight afterward (then they'll blend into 1 shape). To speed the process up then you can pipe about 20-30 white circles, then black and continue until you've used all of your icing. Leave them to dry for about 24 hours, peel them off of your baking parchment and stick them to your cookies with a little bit of royal icing. These cookies are really easy to make and look really cute - they make perfect presents too! If you want some suggestions for how to give them as presents then keep your eyes peeled for a future post...

Love from lila xx

Are You Really Sure You Know What She Likes?

Present buying can be difficult so why not use this list as a starting point to knowing what she likes?

Have you ever gone into a shop and not been able to decide between colour options or flavours for a present? Armed with this list you should be better prepared for deciding what she would love most when you start the dreaded present buying! Before you go asking her what she likes (so that you can complete the list!) have a read of the notes below so that you understand what I mean by each one and then have a look at the list of ways that you can find the answers without necessarily telling her what you're up to.

Here are some notes on the items on the list.

• Chocolate Flavour = Dark/Milk/White
• Chocolate Brand = Galaxy/Dairy Milk/Green & Blacks/Lindt etc
• Takeaway Style = Chinese/Indian/Pizza etc
• Designer (Clothing Store) = Ben de Lisi at Debenhams/Ted Baker etc
• Accessory Designer = Ted Baker/Radley etc for Handbags/Purses etc
• Earring Style = Hoop/Stud/Dangly
• Jewellery Material = Gold/Silver/Platinum etc
• Animal Print = Zebra/Leopard/Tiger etc
• Pen Style = Gel/Roller/Biro/Fountain

Hopefully all of the others are self explanatory. On top of those favourites there are also a few more essential things that you need to know before you go out shopping!

• Clothes Size - both top and bottom (sometimes they can vary)
• Shoe Size
• Bra Size
• Knicker Size and Style - thong/brazilian/short etc (this can vary from clothes size so ask specifically!)
• and Leg Length and Waist (in case you intend to buy her some jeans)

You can get her answers to the list in one of three ways.

1. Casually asking her one or two per day and filling in the list bit by bit.
2. Asking her outright for her answers to each one (or asking her to fill in the list). You can tell her that it's for your present buying assistance or not.
3. Making it into a challenge to see who can answer the most questions correctly about the other (don't forget to save hers with the correct answers!).

It's also a good idea to ask regularly as she's likely to change her mind frequently but I hope that armed with this list you will feel much better prepared for the dreaded christmas (and birthday, and anniversary and valentines) shopping now so get out there and get buying stuff that you know she's going to love! Good luck as always.

Love from lila xx

Spell It Out...

If you're having trouble thinking of a christmas present for a friend or your girlfriend, then why not make them something to put on display in their room?

You can use any words or name and decorate it in any way you like, making it perfectly personalised! The set in the photo below was a birthday present for our friend, called Joe who is a big fan of superhero films. If you wanted to make one to give as a present then you can buy papier mache letters (or shapes - a love heart?) from good craft shops and decorate them with paper, wrapping paper, photos, fabric, paint or anything else you can think of. If you choose letters then you could spell out their name, 'love', 'me & you' or just about anything at all!

So if you fancy making her something special and unique this christmas then why not spell out how you feel about her? She'll love that it's personalised and she'll love that you put the effort into making her something special and unique!

Love from lila xx

Doing Surprises

So you're planning to surprise her by turning up to see her? Read on...

If you've ever thought about surprising her after a lecture/work/at home/with dinner/with anything really that she doesn't realise is going to happen then I've got just 1 hugely important tip for you!

Turn up earlier than she's expecting.

Curious? Well, you may have to spin her a story to get her where you want her or to find out where she'll be at a certain time so that your surprise can actually happen. If so, she's going to be expecting you at a certain time. For the surprise to really work, you need to get there before she's expecting you otherwise she'll just get annoyed at you for being late - no matter how good your surprise is!


Too obvious? Whether you knew it already or had just never thought about it, I wanted to make sure that you knew because a tiny effort to surprise her can have a hugely positive effect when executed perfectly!

Love from lila xx

5 Reasons Why Her Best Friend Should Be Yours Too!

Your girlfriend's best friend is your best resource for help with all things girlfriend related, from present buying to why she may be annoyed with you! Don't believe me? Read on for five reasons why her best friend is the best tool in helping to keep your girlfriend happy...

It makes sense doesn't it really? Everyone knows that all women talk (and moan) about are clothes, make-up and yes, boyfriends - we are a little more complicated than that but I'll keep it simple. That means that your girlfriend's best friend knows a lot about you and what things you may be doing wrong or right. Don't shy away from the best friend, ask for her help! There are five very good reasons why her best friend is useful to you;

1. She wants to make her best friend happy, just like you, so she's more than likely to help you out with any big romantic plans you may have.
2. Your girlfriend is highly likely to chat about things she would like to buy or receive with her best friend. Therefore the best friend is/should be a wealth of knowledge when it comes to buying presents for your girlfriend.
3. Girls talk. There's a very good chance that your girlfriend and her best friend have the occasional moan about annoying things that you boys do. There's an equal chance however that they will also say 'awwww X did this yesterday and it was so sweet'. If you ever want to find out what your girlfriend might be annoyed about you doing or what she may really love that you do, ask the best friend!
4. Women like shopping. They will also have lots of experience shopping together and will know each others' tastes well. If you're stuck for present ideas or would like to buy clothes but aren't sure what size or style - ask the best friend to tag along on a shopping trip.
5. It will make your life loads easier. You're likely to spend a lot of time going out with the best friend (and her partner) and it would make it a lot easier for everyone, including your girlfriend, if she knows that you get on well with each other. Besides, if the best friend wasn't an amazing person then your girlfriend wouldn't be friends with her!

So don't forget that if you ever need help, the best friend will always be there and ready to help you do anything to make your girlfriend happy because that's her job and she loves your girlfriend as much as you do. Just remember to thank her for all of her help because she is, and always will be an amazing best friend, to you and more importantly, your girlfriend!

Love from lila xx

Young Love

Sometimes we forget why we fell in love in the first place. If you've been missing some romance then why not try this really simple idea to bring back your very first loving memories.

In those first few days and weeks of your relationship what did you do to get to know each other and pass the time? Was there a particular pub that you visited? Did you stay up until 3 in the morning playing games? Did you spend your evenings/days watching a certain tv program? Were you party animals that got blind drunk and crawled home from clubs together? Or were you always going to a certain cafe for your favourite slice of cake?

Whatever it was, why not go back there and behave like you did then? Buy the entire box set of the tv program, dig out that game (or buy some new ones!) or take a few hours out of your weekend to go back to that cafe and sit and enjoy the cake and each other's company. Pretend that you've just fallen in love, flirt, giggle and mess around like you did at the beginning. Ignore everyone else and get lost in young love!


You could even surprise her with a date night that goes back to the roots of your relationship. She'll love it! Good luck and let me know how it went.

Love from lila xx

Share the Wisdom!

Sharing is caring - if you know someone that could benefit from this blog, then share it with them!

If this blog has given you at least one clever idea or enlightened you to one crazy woman thought process then why not share it with a friend or two? If you're on facebook then please like love from lila on facebook and make sure to share it with any friends that you think may benefit from it. If you don't use facebook then why not add yourself to the mailing list so that you receive each post straight to your email inbox (see right of page for the magic mailing list box) and if there are any things that you want to see written about then why not email me through lovefromlila@hotmail.com.


Most importantly, have a lovely week and I hope you'll be back here next week (don't forget to bring a friend or two)!

Love from lila xx

Writing Anniversary Cards

So you've got a big anniversary coming up and you were planning on just writing 'Happy Anniversary, ILY' in the card? Think again. The card may be less than half of the present but more than half as important!

You tell her that you love her everyday (don't you?), so on your anniversary she's expecting to hear a little more about how you feel! I know that it's hard to know what to write in important cards but if you only share your feelings about her once a year, let it be on your anniversary.

The main thing to remember is that she wants to know how you feel about her, how much you value your relationship, why she is and how she is important to you, whether you think about the future with her and how happy you are to be with her. So when writing the card imagine that she's asked you how you feel about her. If you're not sure how to answer that then have a look at my blog about answering the question, 'How Do You Feel?' because that will give you a good idea about some of the things you should be writing!

If that all seems a bit long winded then just write down all of the things that your heart tells you when you look at her, hopefully something along the lines of - how beautiful she is, how much you love spending time with her, how kind she is, how much you love the food that she cooks, how much you miss her when she's not there and how much you look forward to the future with her!

Have a lovely week and don't forget to come back next Friday for some more insights into understanding women!

Love from lila xx

How To Read Her Hints

Have you ever wondered why your girlfriend mentions something that she wants to buy repeatedly to you but never actually buys it? Wonder no more...

There's a good chance that she's trying to suggest it to you as a present idea. If she keeps bringing up something that she wants to buy, very loudly and clearly in front of you but never actually buys it, then it's my bet that she's repeating it in the hope that you'll pick up her hint and buy it for her.

One thing to remember is that you need to be careful when buying presents that she's got her eye on already because she probably knows exactly which one she wants and if you don't get that exact one then she may be a little disappointed. If you've picked up a hint about a present, try and find out as much about her preferences for it as possible without looking like you're going to buy it for her. If you're really lucky she may have saved her favourite in an amazon wishlist or browser favourites folder (tread carefully, she may have saved present ideas for you here too!). If not then you could casually ask her if she's done any research on the thing she wants to buy and whether she's got some ideas about what it is specifically that she wants. If she hasn't done any research then why not suggest that she has a look now so that when she wants to buy it, she knows exactly what she wants.

So the next time she talks about something that she wants to buy but hasn't bought yet, try and pick up her hint and buy it for her before she gets bored and buys it for herself! You could wait until an upcoming birthday or anniversary (although anything longer than 1 month away is probably too long) or you could surprise her by buying it in the middle of the year for absolutely no reason (or make up a reason, everyone likes presents just because it's monday!). Regardless of when you buy it for her (although the sooner after she's said it, the better) she'll love that you were listening to her and what she wants and you'll earn super boyfriend points!


Good luck and get present buying!

Love from lila xx

Remember the Date

Always wonder what to buy someone to remember a special day or date? Why not make them a photo frame with the date and something to note what happened?

This was an idea I used to celebrate my boyfriend's graduation so I chose the date and his name with the letters he'd earnt from graduating. You could also use this for an anniversary, a wedding, a birthday or even an achievement. It's simple to create but looks really effective and is a lovely way to remember the date.

Here is the design of the page before it went into the frame. His name is blocked out for obvious reasons!

Because I'm so good to you guys I've designed some backgrounds that you can use for your frames. As they're all quite heavy on the colour you may prefer to print them onto card or photo paper to make them look their best. If you're using publisher then you should be able to recolour the picture to anything you want. It would work brilliantly if you could tint the background to her favourite colour - just a little suggestion!

 

To make it look even more professional I backed the printed page with some black paper (to coordinate with the text) before putting it into a frame with a mount. The mount really makes it look all the more special. I bought the frame for a really good price at Wilkinson here (with mount).

If you like the idea and put some effort into it, this is what you should end up with. I hope you'll agree that it looks quite impressive and is a great present that can be put up on a wall so that a special day is never forgotten. The blanked out section shows his name with the new letters he achieved after graduating. You could put both of your names with your anniversary date or the names of the bride and groom with their wedding date. The possibilities are endless and the results are fantastic (if I do say so myself!).

If you're curious about how it looked when it was wrapped then have a look below for the simple wrapping paper I designed.

As I always say, good luck and please email me if you have any questions or want to show and tell me how you've done!

Love from lila xx