January Favourites | 2016

So something strange happened about a month ago. I completely blanked out December Favourites. It was nicely written down in my blog calendar spreadsheet and scheduled in my gorgeous blog diary (review and tips are coming soon!) but it just got overlooked. I couldn't let that happen to January because I absolutely love sharing my monthly favourites with you all. How did your first month of the new year go? According to my feed on Twitter and Facebook, a number of people felt like blah in January and were happy it was over. I quite enjoyed month no.1 of twenty sixteen but I did have a bit of winter blues which is probably due to the lack of sunshine (and a few other minor issues). Other than that, January was lovely. I am excited we are now closer to spring and, thankfully, birds feel the same way. Waking up to them chirping outside my window (rather than being startled by my alarm) is great. I need to train myself to wake up before the beeping starts. Now, onto my happy January Favourites.

If you have been around for a while you probably noticed that each month brought me to a place that stood out or had a special meaning. January took me back to one of my favourite places - Cave Hill, Northern Ireland. Not sure if you know this but I am married to an incredible man who also happens to be born and (partly - he also lived in Norway for 12 years) bred in Northern Ireland (SUFTUM!). After we got married we lived there for a bit before moving, and still visit "Norn Iron" (Irish twang in my American accent) whenever we get a chance. I miss it for many reasons. If I started listing them, you would have to read a dissertation. One of those reasons is this very spot. I don't know what it is about Cave Hill but it's one of my happy places in this world. You know how some people would label anything their #happyplace. Well, this is THE happy place for moi. Hiking up there is lovely, the views are breathtaking and, once you're up, time freezes. There are zero issues you need to think about. It's such a zen spot and I can't wait to be able to visit it soon again. This or Central Park ;) Do you have a happy place?

This is a bit of a surprise to me to step away from my usual favourite dog/cat Instagram accounts and list a celebrity one as one of my most favourite in January. However Reese Witherspoon is special and in no way she is your typical famous person. Her recent amazing filmography additions, down-to-earth and kind Southern personality and her quirky and fun Insta account makes me like this sweet lady even more. I think she would be extremely fun and positive to be around in real life. I also can't resist her occasional cute hedgehog post along with shots that display her love to coffee. Reese often shares inspirational quotes, pictures from her life and great book recommendations! I would be beyond happy to look that good when I'm 40. But it's not just about the looks, being super fit or that contagious smile. She is full of life and laughter, and that's the message worth spreading. Love her IG (here)!

Since I have just mentioned I love quotes Reese shares on her IG, I thought it would be appropriate to move on to one of my favourive quotes which gave me lots of encouragement in January {source here}. No matter what your circumstances are and what you are going through, choose joy and keep choosing it. It's easy to crawl under the blanket and be mad at the whole world for your problems. It's not that easy to get up, smile and choose joy. We know very little about what some people are going through. There are so many heartbreaking stories out there happening right now to millions of people. But but even in the midst of despair, sadness and chaos it's amazing to see how some chose joy. Difficult to understand but possible to do. I hope you choose joy every single day :)

As much as I enjoy a good comedy, it's become more and more rare to come across the one that will actually make you laugh. Is it me or has humour really gone really bad in the last 5-10 years? In a "typical" American comedy today the jokes are somewhat flat or extremely offensive. Sometimes they are not nice at all: I won't laugh if someone falls and breaks a leg. The good thing is sometimes a good comedy does come out. Last month hubby and I went to watch "Daddy's Home" and loved it! Despite a few tacky scenes, it's actually super funny. Not being the biggest Will Ferrell fan (I love him in Elf!), I actually really enjoyed him playing a good (middle-aged) guy-next-door. He kind of reminded me of his cute character in Elf. As for Mark Wahlberg... well, that's Mark Wahlberg. We can't complain about him, right? Without giving too much away, the movie starts with Brad (Ferrell) letting us know how much he's always wanted to be a dad and how hard he is trying to be one to his step kids. Right when he almost gets them to start liking him, their biological father decides to show up. That's when the adventures and the fun begins. I also absolutely LOVED the ending! Good comedy, definitely can recommend to watch it.

I must admit from the get-go I wish I had more time on my hands to enjoy this beauty as much as I would like to. Enchanted Forest colouring book and these amazing Staedtler pencils were one of the presents I got for Christmas and I couldn't be happier with this set. A number of years ago I taught kids aged 3 to 6 (teens and adults as well) and you can guess what my reaction was whenever they needed help to colour something in. Well, these books are not designed for children, they are aimed at grown ups. Intricate patterns and whimsical drawings "draw" you in. As Johanna Basford said herself: "The artwork itself is sophisticated - it's not like a car or a bunny with a bow". I have only started to colour one page with this magical river and, honestly, it is so soothing. Colouring has also been recommended as one of the techniques for mindfulness. Not to mention that it reduces stress and anxiety levels. Your brain is engaged but not overwhelmed. That's why if you live a fast-paced life, things just get too overwhelming or you simply get thoughts swirling around in your head not letting you relax, this is an activity to explore. 

Favourite makeup is always a tricky one to choose when another month is over. However, I can't contain my excitement as I am sharing these two goodies I am using on a daily basis (and see myself using a lot in the future). You probably have seen this incredible Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion bronzer in my post from Sephora Haul: Trip To Krakow. Mine is in shade M10 Natural Matte Honey. I can't even describe how in love I am with this bronzer and the detailed review is coming soon. Now onto a fabulous discovery and my very first CT product - Magic Foundation. This was a treat from my hubby who fully supports the need of a blogger to test a new product (what an amazing man!). I picked up Magic Foundation in a shade 5 Medium and it's a perfect match. Being true to the "rule" (it's not really a rule but you know what I mean), I took photos of it before using it. Now after having enjoyed it for over a month I can sit down and write an honest review. Keep your eyes peeled for that. Have you tried it yet?

Tea as my favourite drink needs a little pre-story. I've been asked a few times why my blog is called Miel and Mint. I know some bloggers put a lot of thought and effort into their blog's name. Some come up with an idea quickly even though it might not have any particular meaning behind it but it's still amazing. Well, in my case it didn't take me ages to think of a name but I did put myself through a little thought shower. You see, Miel and Mint is a bit of a pun. Miel means "honey" in French (I speak a little français) and mint is, well, mint. My absolutely favourite tea is mint tea with honey in it. Which makes Miel and Mint my perfect cup of tea or "my cup of tea". Ta da! :) Does your blog's name have a meaning? Now, onto my favourite tea of last month. I love my Pukka teas way too much! Choosing one flavour wasn't easy. But! Wild Apple & Cinnamon has been my no.1 in January and I am still loving it in February. It's a perfect mixture of sweetness and spice and it smells sooooo delicious. Pukka teas are 100% organic, gluten/dairy/soya/caffeine-free. Finally, everyone knows tea (or coffee) tastes better when you use a cute mug.

How did your first month of the new year go, loves?

Hope you enjoyed my January Favourites.

Related Posts:

November Favourites

October Favourites

September Favourites

Sephora Haul: Trip To Krakow

 Find me on:

     Bloglovin': Miel and Mint

Twitter: @MielandMint

      Facebook: Miel and Mint

 Pinterest: MielandMint

    Google+: Miel and Mint 

       Instagram: @mielandmint

Leave a comment and let me know what you enjoyed the most in January.
Do you have a happy place and if yes, what is it?
Have you tried colouring books for adults? 
What was your favourite go-to makeup or skincare product last month?
What's your perfect cup of tea (literally and metaphorically)?
Hope you all are having a lovely week!