#118

Just a quick outfit post to keep my blog from looking like I've ran away or something... I am still here!
I got a snazzy new camera for Christmas, it's got a touch screen and all fancy bits thrown in so I'm so happy about that! Got quite a bit this year, my family's pretty much gone all out and spoilt each other with stuff we knew each other'd appreciate. Had a relatively quiet Christmas Day, we all fell asleep after a fat lunch watching Monsters Vs Aliens. Went to see family on Boxing Day night which was hilarious as always.
I hope everyone's had a lovely week and has stuffed their faces as much as possible, I encourage it ;)

Jumper dress, Resurrection - Penguin hat, Christmas gift
Bracelets, Lily Loves Lola; Vivienne Westwood - Ridiculous face, Model's own.

This has to be one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe - it's thick and comfy I got it for a measly tenner in the sale last year, and it has penguins on it - what's not to love?!
But yes, this is my ridiculous attempt at an outfit post, looking back it seems rather childish in comparison to other bloggers who have the most gorgeous outfits/backdrops/faces and here I am posing in a penguin hat haha.

But now that I have a decent camera I guess my NYR is to keep up with the blogging more, think of new things to post about so it doesn't become repetitive/chore-like, and generally be more active in the blogging world, cos there are some absolutey lovely people out there, just have to ignore the little horrors that try to bring you down.

I'll be back either tomorrow or Sunday with a 2011 Favourites post, so keep your eyes peeled for that little gem haha. But I'll leave you with a brilliant song I've been listening to - One More Night in Brooklyn. His voice is addictive.

#117

Please excuse me for being so original and posting yet another photo catch-up
thingyjig, but I will have more interesting things on here after Christmas as I'm getting a new camera, maybe Christmas Day if I can prise myself off the couch to do an outfit post complete with turkey food baby!

- The moon's been so big and pretty out my window lately
- Nachooos with the bestie. We polished off two pitchers after this, fatties forever.
- Couple of cheeky Lush purchases; this shampoo's amazing, it contains Hops so it makes my hair really smooth and frizz-free, which is brilliant. The Tea Tree toner has been helping even out my skin tone, I spray it on after cleansing and then rub in some Rescue Oil (a poor man's Bio Oil but it works just as well!) which you can get in Bodycare, Superdrug, Home Bargain for no more than £4.
- One of my besties got me a Snow Fairy Lush set for my birthday, which I have been trying to use sparingly as Snow Fairy is pretty hard to get hold of. Makes my skin so soft and smells amazing, I'm yet to try out the Angel's Delight soap which has the cutest pattern inside, and Shimmy Shimmy glitter bar but they smell soo nice ^_^
- My cousin turned 18 last week so we had a little family meal to celebrate. Here I am thinking I'm all artsy using Instagram, taking a photo of a candle, oooh am I allowed to call myself a photographer yet? (sarcasm)

- As everyone is I'm sure, I'm looking forward to the next week, hopefully hearing back from a few important things I can't really mention yet as it's not apropriate, but they may lead to better things in 2012, so fingers crossed!
- One thing I really dislike about this month is how stupidly busy it gets in town - it's like trying to dodge a herd of wilderbeast in the wild :| Not my cuppa tea at all, so I've done the majority of my present buying online. Thinking I was safe, oh no. Got several emails saying my parcels will be delivered slightly late; one has an estimate date of 7th Jan 2012. Bullhonky! I'm hoping they will be on my doorstep by Thursday so I can wrap etc. And sadly I'm braving the wilderbeast on Monday as I still haven't picked up my new lenses, the things I do for better eyesight!
- My friend's band is having a gig on the 22nd, and we're all going out drinking and dancing after; one night that is sure to be awesome, we haven't all been out since my birthday, so we have a lot of missed nights out to make up for! I'm hoping that no horrendously hammered photos of me, with a stringy fringe and ladders in my tights, trying to climb on my poor friend's back will emerge, but we shall see haha
- My mum and dad put our Christmas tree up last week, no photo as I'm a dumbum and forgot, but this is ground-breaking news - they normally have a little tiff over the tree as my dad likes it with bright lights, tinsel, the works, whereas my mum likes it simple, and everything colour-coordinated, no tinsel. But she's gave in and it looks really nice! Photo up soon, but you can guess how it looks, it's a tree, with lights...

Which side are you on - the more tinsel the better? or is your tree a tinsel-free zone?

#116

I've been meaning to post for ages now, just didn't know what to post about! So I figured I would reel you all back in with a super fun, super quick update post, since I'm so good at them ^_^ (sarcasm fyi :P )

- Jumping on the uni bus with Lauren's Deb's discount card as I'd left my uni card in my other bag - nightmare, but it bloody worked!
- Finally got a new phone after wrestling with the shitty cube I've had three handsets of since February. It's touch screen but a Qwerty keyboard flips out the bottom. Fingers crossed this one doesn't hate me too.
- Quick couple of bits I picked up in town today before we head to sunny Skeggy for the Big Reunion tomorrow.
It's basically an indoors festival with loads of bands playing, the Dirty Sanchez guys are gonna be there doing midget tossing up a velcro wall. There's a spa, go karting, all kinds, can't wait to get there and see everyone from Gumbet! The second night is an 80's theme too so I picked up a spotty headband, gonna crimp my hair too I think? Cringey photos will follow haha
-Dry shampoo as it was on offer in Superdrug, and I've been wanting to try the new Loreal Reinforcing Root Application, which was also on offer so it can't hurt to give it a go. I have quite crap hair so I'm hoping it will bulk it up a little!

-Some false lashes to go along with the 80's theme, and I got some false nails after reading Lily's review on them. Going to pick up some stronger nail glue and try them next week.

- Lauren also spoilt me with a belated birthday Nandos today, which was amazing! Get the butterfly chicken if you're going anytime soon, yum ^_^

Have you got any plans for over the weekend?
Anyone going the Big Reunion by any chance? :P

#115

Week in Photos

(I would like to apologise for the different qualities in photos - some were with a camera, others with my crappy phone camera)

- Catching up on some wrestling from the other week
- A couple of cheeky purchases; the formula's so good, they haven't chipped in five days!
- Filling myself up with tea and the nicest (store bought) popcorn ever
- Didn't have to embrace the cold on Bonfire night as I could see about them from ten different places from my window :)
- The aftermath of my birthday night out, I should be renamed Calamity Jane
- Jack bought Athur for my birthday but the git on the till didn't take the security tag out so we (I obviously mean Jack, but I like to think of us as a team) had to hack into the box with pliers, thanks HMV ¬_¬
- Started watching The Office US this week and wish I had done so sooner, it's so funny, Dwight is a legend
- One of many gorgeous sunsets from my window this week
- My favourite song at the mo is Ever by Team Sleep, the side-project of Deftones singer Chino. (The links are to various songs of theirs) They're not everyone's cup of tea, but I love both bands and this song's so nice to chill out to.

I've also been filling up, or attempting to anyway, the 80gb classic iPod I got for my birthday from my parents. I've already put around 600 songs on there and it's hardly made a dent to the space! Any suggestions of bands/artists I should download, I have more than enough space :)

I will have some more interesting posts coming up soon, I'm just bogged down with uni work atm :/ roll on Christmas holidays!

#114

Week in Photos

- Picked up my NUS card with an embarrassingly posed photo after locating the Student Union. Our new student centre is too hip and doesn't blend in with the old buildings, but they do a venti tea for £1.65, brilliant!

- Mid-uni work snack of Caramel Nibbles from Home Bargain. At 49p a pop I'm keeping a stash in my desk.

- Got this bread in my Graze box this week - popped it in the microwave to warm up, it's gorgeous ^_^

- Badly chipped nails after only a day of wear, not a happy bunny :(

- Gorgeous rings I bought from Lily at JWLRY - I'm in love with the turquoise eye one, it's so cool.

- Just an insight to my spider-like handwriting in my Moleskin diary, and my Reporting Government work, it's pretty tedious learning everything.
- A friend gave me a sample of the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser which I used this morning, and I will definitely be buying it on payday!

Other things to happen:

- Purchased a couple of items from Lyzi's blog sale; will be featuring them in an outfit post tomorrow :)
- Found this blog, definitely my new favourite blog to read before bed.
- Listened to a lot of Chili Peppers this week - favourite song!
- Organising my birthday night out since it's my birthday next Tuesday! Can't wait, I'm just trying to narrow down my outfit options... no pressure ;)

Does anyone have a favourite blog I should check out? I am in need of some new'uns to add to my list :)

#113

(I'm really hoping this posts on time, I scheduled it before uni this morning!)

I've been MIA for nearly a month now *slap on the wrist* but I have been using this time to attempt to settle back into my final year of uni, and back at my job - I got my old job at BHS back a couple of weeks ago :) so happy I have a steady income again; they seemed more than happy to have me back, and I haven't forgotten any of the procedures I have to do, etc.
It's much easier than being "The New Girl" and having to be trained up somewhere new!

Anyway, I have a quick post on my recent favourite items, items that I have repurchased throughout the year and some new little gems that have appealed to me.

(L-R) No7 Radiance Boosting Hot Cloth Cleanser, Palmers Fragrance Free Cocoa Butter
ELF Mineral Lipstick in Ripe Rose, Models Own in Juicy Jules, Purple Poppy
Collection 2000 Big Fake, Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted.

- I have been wanting to try out the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser after seeing almost every single blogger I follow rave about how amazing it is. I know it won't necessarily work for everyone's skin type, so I thought I'd try out the cheaper alternative. I had a £5 No7 voucher aswell, so this was only £4. I'm so glad I got it, this has helped my skin out so much over the last fortnight. I still use a baby wipe to take off the majority of my make up, but this helps remove the leftover traces, the muslin cloth is thin, but I get past this by just folding it over twice and scrubbing my face. My spots have significantly reduced, and I find using a face mask after this works amazingly! I'll probably get the Liz Earle cleanser at some point, but for now I'm more than happy with this.

- This is an old faithful, used it for about six years and I don't intend on swapping for anything else. It sinks into my skin quickly, leaving it so soft, non-greasy and it helps get rid of those funny little bumps on the back of my arms (does anyone else get these?) I like that it's fragrance free, sometimes the smell of cocoa butter can be a little over-whelming on the ol' nostrils.

- I bought this when ELF had their last 50% sale, having never felt comfortable wearung red lipstick for fear of looking like a drag queen or people wondering why I'm not stood on the corner of Lime St station haha. This definitely boosted my confidence though, as it's a matte lipstick, yet it's moisturising enough to not need Carmex underneath, and it actually suits me. It's a gorgeous deep red colour, not at all like the swatch online, but I prefer what I got. Definitely going to repurchase this, I can see it's going to be a staple in my Winter makeup bag.

- My two favourite nail varnishes at the moment, I can't fault them - gorgeous colour pay off, easy application, quick to dry and they are definitely the most chip-prone varnish in my collection. I love using Purple Poppy as part of a leopard print as seen below. I wore the print on all my nails on Sunday in work and the majority of the female customers asked if they were Minx nail wraps and Shellacs. I have to say, I left work feeling pretty smug considering I don't think they look half as good as that!

- Not much to say on this mascara apart from the fact it's amazing! Waterproof, separates and lengthens my lashes in just one coat without making them clumpy, dries quickly, and it's the best mascara I've used, does everything I want. And for £4.99 it's hardly breaking the bank, I would definitely reccommend it if you are on the hunt for a new mascara.

- I purchased this last week, using all my Waterstones points so I got it for like £1, can't complain there. The girl that served me was a huge Palahniuk fan so she told me I'd made a good choice, and we chatted about out favourite books for abit, she was so lovely! I always appreciate it when book shop staff are passionate about books :) I'm only about 60 pages in but I'm already hooked. It's about a group of writers who are invited to a desolte location for three months so they can write a masterpiece, the best they've ever written with no distractions or company but each other. It doesn't exactly work out though as their supplies run out fast. They then tell the stories they are writing, but don't read this if you have a weak stomach. The first story is certainly gruesome, but I wanted to carry on reading, so I don't know what that says about my personality! I've always liked horror movies and books though, so it was only a matter of time before I picked this bad boy up.

#112

Haven't done an outfit post in a little while, so I thought I'd treat you guys to yesterday's outfit ;)

I had originally wanted to wear the striped dress alone, but the seam of it has somehow twisted in the wash, so it looks odd when on and rides up at the back. I do however, really like it layered up underneath a plan black dress, I think it looks quite cute :) Teaming it with spotty tights, unphotographed brogues and my favourite waist belt to nip it in a little.

Black dress - H&M; Striped Dress - New Look; Tights - Primark; Belt - Vintage;
Jewellery - JWLRY, Sunken Rose, gifted; Chipped nails - Models Own Top Turquoise.

I think I may wear this with a chunky cream knit scarf and my big winter coat when I start my final year of uni on Monday. It's pretty daunting that it's rolled around so soon, I don't feel prepared in the slightest! I'll be alright though, just impatiently waiting for my loan to be approved into my account, frustrating as others have already been spending theirs :(

Just a quick question. has anyone else had posts from this blog pop up in their blog roll? It's appeared in mine for the past few days, yet when I check who I am following, it doesn't show up. They post about eight times in a row, it clogs up my box and I don't know what/who it is?!

I've already reported it as spam so I'm hoping it goes soon, I don't want to click on the blog itself incase it's a virus! D:

Aaanyway, I'm going to try and ignore that, catch up one everyone's posts from yesterday and then chill out watching Supernatural with a cuppa :)

If anyone has a Tumblr, please leave your link in a comment, or follow mine, I'm always on the look out for new ones to follow :) Warning, I do post a lot of wrestling photos, but there's something you're bound to like at one point!

Has anyone else started back at uni? Anyone in their first year and enjoying Freshers? :)

#111 - Recent Favourites

Recent Favourites

I've been using the following products for quite a while now, some longer than others. But I feel they are my "staple items" at the moment, so thought I'd share my thoughts if you're interested! :)

VO5 'Treat Me Right' Deep Conditioning Treatment, S&G's Flake Away, Models Own Top Turquoise
Garnier Gradual Tanning Lotion, Palmer's Cocoa Butter, Neutrogena Visibly Clear Daily Scrub.

- VO5 Deep Conditioning Treatment: Despite only having used this a handful of times, I can safely say my hair is in much better condition. After my usual shampoo and conditioner, I add a small amount of this to my ends, leave for five mins and rinse out. Combining this with using the VO5 Miracle Concentrate, my hair is so soft, my ends look healthy and it takes less time to dry. Will definitely be repurchasing.

- S&G Flake Away Body Polish: This has been a staple in my skincare routine for the past two years, since recieving a travel pot in a Christmas gift. It's not too harsh on my skin, so I use it maybe two, three times a week in the shower. It is excellent for removing any fake tan and smoothing down those bumps you can get on the back of your arms (anyone know the name for them?)
I've had this 300ml pot since the start of June and I'm barely halfway down. The smell is enough to make your mouth water, but it's the best scrub I've ever used, and will continue to do so!

- Models Own Top Turquoise: Models Own is my current favourite brand of nail varnish, I can't believe it's taken me this long to try it! My faithful Barry M's have been shoved aside to make way for these creamy, quick-drying formulas. I'll post a photo below of my current nails, which I've had on for about five days, and the chip on my middle nail is the only one I've had so far.
I'm also using a Sally Hansen Insta-Dry top coat on top, but still I'm impressed and can't wait to build up a collection of these polishes.

- Garnier Gradual Tanning Lotion: I'm not really a fan of using fake tan; I hate the smell, the way it streaks on elbows and knees, orange palms :| and having to scrub it off only to slap it back on again. To be fair, I have used my mum's Fake Bake on my legs earlier this week and they do look good, but to me it's not worth the hassle.
That's where this little beauty comes in. I just get out the shower, slap this on and repeat the next night, and over the next couple of days, my tan's as good as it was when I came back from Turkey! I'm going to continue on using this right through the Winter, I'm enjoying having some colour to me and not being reeeally pale like usual :)

- Palmer's Cocoa Butter: Again I have been using this rich but not greasy moisturiser for years, only having to re-purchase maybe three times a year. It's great for prolonging tans, and I picked up the Fragrance Free bottle this time, because as much as I love it, sometimes the scent can make me feel slightly nauseated. It's working wonders on the stretchmarks on my thighs and the abundance of scars on my arms.

- I picked this up sometime last year when I was on the hunt for a new facial scrub, being slightly apprehensive to use Neutrogena products in case they broke me out. This has made myskin much brighter and any spots or blemishes I get are gone within a couple of days, with the help of a dab of Sudocrem at night. I am using this in conjunction with the Pink Grapefruit scrub they do, which smells gorgeous and isn't harsh on the skin, making it easy to use in the morning and before bed. I have oily/combination skin and neither of these scrubs aggravate it, leaving me with smooth, mattifyed skin :)

As promised above, my nails this week. I was feeling adventurous so did a leopard print but in different colours, crazy I know! But I'm really happy with how well the Models Own varnishes have stuck and not just chipped at the first hurdle.

What are your recent favourites?

#110

Week in Photos

Just a quick bit on my week, nothing too interesting but I may be getting a job at my old work back, which would be amazing! Probably a different position, but I've applied to so many places and not one has gotten back to me, I'll be grateful for anything they can give me!

- Went with Jack to see Apollo 18 on Thursday, using my Odeon card points so we saw it for free :P It's pretty good, but really jumpy, I was such a wimp I kept screaming and digging my nails into poor Jack's arm; he was just as scared though, hehe.

- I tend to spend more time on Tumblr than I do blogging on here, it's just so much easier to keep my page updated and I can write whatever I want without constant judgement. If anyone has a Tumblr, please either leave your url in a comment or follow mine :)

- Just a couple of outfits I had photographed about a month ago but never made it on here. Not the best, but they're both pretty comfy, which is generally what I look for in an outfit.

- Spent yesterday and today re-watching Supernatural Season Five. I'm a huge fan of the show and regularly watch it with my good friend Alex. We've already seen this season, but since he got the first chunk of Season Six, I need to remind myself of what happened before!

- Finally got round to painting my nails in a leopard print style, using Model's own nail art pen and Models Own varnish in Purple Poppy, Jade Stone and Lemon Meringue. I don't think I've done too bad for my first try, nowhere near as good as Charlene or Gem, but I'll get there ;)

- Just a couple of cheeky plugs to end this on a high.
I also went to see my best friend Heather's band, My Awakening play on Friday. It was their first gig since recording their EP. I'm not being biased but they are really good, and I'm so pround of her ^_^

- And finally, as some of you may know, my ridiculously talented boyfriend is a professional wrestler and has already had some amazing matches and opportunities in his short career, but he is featured in this month's Fighting Spirit magazine as "The One to Watch".
I couldn't be prouder of him, he's done so well in such a short time. He's set up a Facebook page for his wrestling persona, so if you're interested please go watch his matches and give him a like :) Let me know if you do!

#109

Just a quick outfit post from Thursday afternoon. I went to the Wethers with my friend Danni and had somewhat of a 'fashion block' if you will. It was too hot for jeans, but too breezy for a vest or something more daring. I opted for an old favourite that hardly sees the light of day, only because I can only really pair it with black.
This outfit's nothing to rave about, but I do like it :) to keep it simple I wore my Deathly Hallows necklace and a couple of rings and bracelets.

Top - New Look; Skirt - H&M; Necklace - VIP; Rings - LLYMLRS/Ebay/gifted; Bracelets - various places.


Please excuse my hacked-off facial expressions, and my eyebrows which are looking rather angular :/
And excuse my nails! I tried to do something minorly interesting with them, but sadly it turned out quite wonky and it peeled off two of my nails the same day! Not happy so I'm looking forward to my Model's Own order finally arriving so I can be more adventurous, if my shaky hands will allow it :)

What are you wearing in this unpredictable weather?