10 Things I Do On My Day Off

Today is my day off (yes, I know a Monday!). I'm currently at university, and so taking some time off to myself, and spending the day just chilling is always needed! So, I thought I'd let you know what I get up to on my day off

1. Having a Pamper Session - I feel like it's important, when you get time to yourself to really relax. So, I take a nice long shower, paint my nails, put on a face mask, just generally look after myself. And doing this once a week really helps my unwind before I start my University week.

2. Going for a Walk - I love going for a walk. Unfortunately at University it's not quite the same, being in a city and not having my dog. But I still find it really relaxing. Plus, I'm one of those people who get's a headache if I'm inside all day.. so...

3. Reading - whether it be a blog or a book, I find reading really relaxing. I love learning things, or escaping into another world. At the moment, I've just started the Southern Vampier Mysteries/True Blood Novels/The Sookie Steakhouse Novels (gees that's a lot of names!) and I'm loving them!

4. Music - That isn't degree related. You have no idea how nice it is sometimes to listen to music of your choosing (if you didn't know I take a music degree, and although I love all music, it's still nice to have your own). So I stick my headphones on, play my favourite tunes and usually end up half skipping round the house singing at the top of my lungs (whoops!).

5. Catch up on YouTube Videos - When I have Monday's off, this is what I spend a lot of time doing. Everyone's uploaded their videos Sunday evening, and so I have a lot of material to catch up on. I love watching these to find new tips, tricks or things to try out/buy!

6. Sorting Stuff Out - I love to organise stuff! I know to most people this doesn't sound like something fun to do on their day off. But I love to tidy something up or move stuff around. I know, I'm sad.. I'm currently reorganising the posters/photos on my wall.

7. Take Photos - whether it be for this blog, or just for my own personal benefit, I love to take photos. I love my camera, and after all the money I spent on it, I feel like it gives me good reason to.

8. Online Shopping - I know, I'm a student, I really can't afford it. I really don't know why I do it. But it's always something I end up doing on my day off. I think my favourite websites are New Look, Feel Unique and Cult Beauty.

9. Plan Next Week - Ok. I love to organise. I'm sad. I get it... but it's something I have to do at the beginning of every week, so I know where I need to be, and what I need to do. Without doing this I'd probably forget to screw my head on in the morning... I'm over exaggerating, but it's still something I need to keep up to date with

10. Boyfriend - My boyfriend is luckily at the same University as me. And we love to spend time doing anything from watching films, to playing PS3 games, to literally just lying there talking rubbish.

Packing For University Tips: Living in Halls

I am now going into my second year of University, and, so although that doesn't make me an expert (I mean who is?!), I now have a strong grounding as to what to do. My little brother is off to University this year, so I have been racking my brain recently for things I learnt from my first year at University. Here are a few tips and tricks I picked up in terms of packing for your first year of University.

• Check the size of your bed at University before you go, most rooms have a standard single bed, but some of the accommodation I looked at while choosing my University had a Queen sized single...
• Bring some sort of cleaning stuff, even if it's just some multipurpose wipes. Most accommodation has cleaners, but if you spill a sticky drink all over your desk (it's been done...), it's handy to be able to clean it up.
• Bring a laundry basket, I think these are nicer if they're not see through, so that while you're taking your washing to the machine, people can't see your dirty underwear... or maybe that's just me...
• Bathroom bin/Shower shoes. Although these are completely different, it depends on what time of room you have. I had an en suite, and I wasn't supplied with a bin for my bathroom, and so this was a must for me, being a girl, and having girly toiletries.. if you get what I mean. And if you have shared showers, it helps to have shoes so you don't pick up infections or anything.
• Iron...? This depends, I bought one, and my flatmates used it more than I did, so it may be something you want to pick up as a flat after you get there (Note: do this with toasters, microwaves and kettles, and you only need one, and some kitchens come with them)
• Pictures, these are a great way to make your University room more homely.
• Skinny hangers (like the ones you get at Primark). Most your storage place for clothes (at least it was this way at my halls) is hanging space, and so space saving hangers mean you can hang more. Plus the Primark ones are non-slippy
• First Aid Kit. Just like plasters, pain killers, bite cream, bonjela.. you know, things that you don't need to go to hospital for...
• Screw driver, I mean I bought a mini tool box from Argos, it was about £6, and you don't realise how much you use a screw driver, until you don't have one...
• Pins for a cork board, most University rooms come with a cork board, but don't come with pins, and I used this to put stuff on that I didn't want to forget, my boyfriend used his to decorate with posters and stuff, up to you.
• Find a local (student friendly) taxi service. You may not ever need it, but it's one of those things that's so handy to use, and when it's late, and it's dark, and you don't have 3G to search for it, it's nice to just have the number saved in your phone.

Top Ten Tuesdays: Nostalgic Childhood Memories

1. Christmas - How would Christmas not be on this list? Christmas was one of my favourite days of the year, and still is. When I was younger, Christmas was all about family, our house would've been filled with many family members, and my mum loved cooking, and me and my brothers loved presents! Plus, we always have porridge on Christmas, which is my fav breakfast

2. Snow Day - I hate the cold, so this is a weird one for me, but having the day off school... just because it was snowing!

3. Being Put To Bed - being tucked into bed, what more could you want?

4. Southwold - when you look through at childhood photos of my family, I think every other photo is shot in Southwold... our family has a real problem.. 

5. Bike Rides To (Nearly) Bedford - I live in a little village, and it has a 5-6 mile cycle path to our local town, and we used to cycle part way down it when we were kids with dad, and mum would meet us to however far we got before we got tired, and then we'd have a picnic, and then turn round and cycle home. The first time I made it all the way to Bedford was like one of the biggest achievements of my life at that point... little things

6. Going To The Village Playing Fields - We all went down together, Tom would play football with his friends, Sam would play in the park stuff, and I would sit there and draw... we were really cool kids.

7. Imaginary Games With My Brother - We didn't really have TV when I was younger, we only had channel 1, 2, 3 and 4 till I was nearly 10, and so we used to make dens, and pretend we were harry potter characters, or pretend our bikes were cars. Me and my little brother were best friends.

8. Easter Days At Lower School - I went to a Church of England School, and we would go for Easter Sunday to school to take part in lots of Eastery activities, like making marsipan, and making little gardens in empty ice cream tubs. These days were really where I got into doing arty stuff, as my lower school was tiny, and so didn't really have an art dept.

9. Watching Simpsons Once A Week - yes, when I was younger Simpsons was only every Wednesday, and we would all sit down together, always with popcorn, and watch it... 

10. Harry Potter - I still remember going to see the first film in the cinema. Everyone in my family loved Harry Potter, and we had the books, the film, and the computer game... oh we could never finish the quidditch level

Review: Fleur De Force The Glam Guide

I recently picked up Fleur De Force's new book, and I am in love. I am not a book review expert, and so I am going to make this short and sweet.

This book contains everything you would need; beauty, hair, fashion, travel, health, love, and even a note on YouTube and blogging. It's full of great information and cute little cartoons of different beauty products. This book is written in a really elegant way and I have learnt so much from this book. Also, I love the whole pink theme, it's sorta sweet.

This book was only £12.99, which is the price of most books like this, and this is by far my favourite! I can't recommend this enough!!

Top Ten Tuesdays: Things That Make Me Happy

1. Music - this has been a long time love of mine, I mean, come on, I'm studying it at University. Playing or listening, music helps me relax, and focus, and I enjoy it.

2. Family and Friends - this is a given, my family are all really close, and my friends are always there for me. Meeting up with them all is one of my favourite things to do.

3. Food - I like eating, food tastes good, don't judge, you know you're all exactly the same...

4. Photography - about 2 years ago I invested in the DSLR camera, and taking photos with it has become one of my favourite pass times. I live in a flower nursery, so I'm never without something picturesque to photograph.

5. My Dog - this may sound a bit sad, but something I love to do when I'm feeling down is walking, and taking for my dog for a walk is not only relaxing, but cute and hilarious (my dog is obedient, but also incredibly stupid, it's very cute).

6. Blue Skies - I love summer, I am a summer person all round. And blue skies mean sun and warmth, which is something that just makes me so happy!!

7. Days Off - whether it be off work or off school (university), days off give the me the chance to do all the things I love to do, and let me create plans to see the people who make me happy too.. soo

8. Baking - I wouldn't say I'm a naturally good cook, but baking is so much fun, and I love to lick the cake mixture from the bowl (I know, super unhealthy)

9. Sea - I love the sea, and the sand, and everything about the seaside!!

10. Shopping  - sometimes I wish I was a multimillionaire so I could go shopping as much as I want without worrying about it, but I don't. However, I still love a bit of retail therapy.

Easy Peasy Bunting

These were great fun! They were super easy to make and look so cute hung up over my bed. I absolutely love them. And when I get to my university room, I have a feeling it will be covered in these.... 

Anyway, this is how I made these super cute 'Easy Peasy Bunting'

What You Will Need:

- Patterned Material

- Ribbon or String
- Card
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Needle and Thread or Fabric Glue

1. Cut out and isosceles triangle from the card, using your pencil, ruler, scissors and card.

2. Lay the card on your material and trace the triangle onto the back of your material (so that your don't get the pencil marks on the front of your bunting)

3. Cut out the triangle

4. Repeat 2 and 3 as many times as you want, I cut out 10 triangles.

5. Cut the length of string/ribbon you need to place your triangles on, making sure it's the short side of the triangle on the string/ribbon.

From now on, this will differ whether you are sewing or glueing. I can't sew to save my life, and so the next steps are if you're using glue. (Note: PVA glue will work as well as fabric glue, but your bunting won't be as strong)

6. Lay the triangles upside down, and lay the string/ribbon over the top of the triangles.

7. Using a brush, coat the string/ribbon and the top of the triangles. (Note: the glue will soak through the material, and so be careful what your making this on. I used a varnished wooden table, and my glue was washable, and so when it dried I had to peel the material off, and then wipe down the surface with some soap and water.)

8. Leave to dry.

9. Your bunting is now finished, hang up somewhere, and it will look adorable.

Top Ten Tuesdays: Favourite Places

1. Blunham - my home village, this place is amazing, it's just so homely and I couldn't be happier than at home

2. Southwold - so many childhood memories of this place. It's a little coastal town in Suffolk, and it's basically my home away from home.

3. Pembrokshire - this place is BEAUTIFUL, rolling countryside, sandy bays, the pembrokshire coastal path, lots of crafty shops, what more could a girl want?

4. Bed - ha! need I say more

5. Italy - in some ways this is cheating, because I've never actually been, but this is THE place I want to go to. I have 10 photos of Italy going round on a loop on my laptop and I have countless articles and things saved about Italy. Im obsessed.

6. Cambridge - I don't live far from Cambridge, and it's my local city, and so I'm forever there shopping or going to the theatre. Love, love, love Cambridge, it's so beautiful.

7. London - I couldn't live here, because I couldn't deal with.. well everything all the time. But, nothing beats the capitol, everything's there, and the shopping is amazing.

8. Cromer - another on of those coastal towns (this time in Norfolk) we used to go all the time as kids. Plus, my uncle owns a flat here, so I get to go for nearly nothing.

9. Northumbria - this is a county and so I don't know if it's cheating. But this county is full of castles, which I love to wander round, and I love to go here for a winter break. We used to go to Seahouses to the same apartment.

10. Paris - the first destination I've actually been to outside the UK (I'm not well traveled..). But Paris is in some ways similar to London, but is somehow just more romantic. If you haven't been to Paris, go! 

July Favourites

I can't believe another month is already over! But it has, and it's been a great month! I'm home from University, and so back at home and near the boyfriend. At the beginning of the month we went on holiday to Cromer and it was a massive heatwave and was insanely warm, and will go down as one of my best holidays ever. I've been to Woburn Safari Park and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo this month as well, and I love animals and so these were both amazing days out! So, here are my favourites that I've been loving throughout the month of July.

Hair and Skincare

Most of these products are so summer appropriate, because, as a whole, this month in England has been hot and so these have been essentials for me. 

Simple Kind to Skin Moisturising Facial Wash - I absolutely love this! It comes out as a thick gel and gently foams as you apply it to your face, which are my favourite kind of face wash. It's 100% soap free, and has no fragrance, and so is really gentle on my skin. It also contains multi-vitamins and skin-loving ingredients. This, for the price you pay for it, is incredible. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Loreal Paris Express Pro Self-Tanning Dry Mist - This is in the shade 'medium', and is a spray on fake tan, and so it doesn't streak or get my hands covered in it. This tan is a gentle fake tan that looks natural, it's not REALLY dark, but makes me look like I've gained a sun-kissed glow, and as my legs are really pale, I use this all summer long on my legs.

Pampered Bath Smoothies Strawberry, Raspberry and Pomegranate - This smells divine, it's so sweet and summery, and creates the best bath soak. That's all I have to say..

Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry - This is a cult favourite for everyone. And this one smells of cherry... what more could you want?! I use this for two purposes, either to clean my hair when I haven't got the time to wash my hair, or to add some extra volume into my roots or some grip into my hair when I want to do hairstyles that require less clean and silky hair.

Umberto Giannini Salt Spray - Salt sprays are a summer essential for me, they add some texture to a simple hair style; whether it be just down or in a high ponytail, and this one is amazing, just spray it in, scrunch it up, and BAAM your hair has more texture and volume in it. 

Umberto Giannini Leave-In Conditioner - Sun and wind damage my hair, and so this conditioner creates a silky-soft hair and controls any frizz. I spray this in just after I come out of the shower and then either leave it to dry naturally or blow dry it and it leaves my hair really sleek and soft.

Tangle Teaser Wet/Dry - I'm so late on this bandwagon, but this is a life saver, it gets knots out of your hair without pulling any hair out with it. As my hair's got longer I feel like it's got thinner, and so, although I feel this is quite expensive for a hair brush (especially as I tend to lose them), I feel like this is a great investment in my haircare. 

Make-Up

Real Techniques Buffing Brush - This is perfect for applying my foundation and concealer, especially around the nose and eyes and all those difficult places. I love this, and I think everyone, and their mom, and their cat, and, yeah, everyone they know, love these brushes.. so ...yeah

Beau Belle Powder Brush - I bought a set of brushes on Amazon, there is a review on my blog earlier, which you can read here. This one is my favourite, I love this powder brush, it's so soft and applies just the right amount of powder on my face, it's also just the right size to cover my face, and I can't recommend this brush enough, however, I only think you can buy it if you buy the set, but it was so affordable, and all the eyeshadow brushes in this set are incredible too.

Collection BB Secrets in Light - I've been loving BB Creams recently, and currently I've only tried two, and so I may be not the best person to ask about this, but it feels light and moisturising, while still applying a decent amount of coverage. Plus, it has SPF15 in it, which is an additional bonus

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - I absolutely love this Concealer for under-the-eye concealing, and it's illuminating as well. I don't think it's as great at covering up imperfections or spots, but this is by far my favourite for covering any bags and brightening up this area of my face.

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in Beige Clair - I've been using this over the top of my BB cream, as it is gently coloured and so adds an extra layer of coverage, it also keeps me looking matt all day, as well as keeping my base products in place. So it's a multi-use product, which is definitely a plus point.

Sleek Make-Up Blush Palette in Californ.i.a - This is a sleek palette containing 3 cream blushers, which are all summery shades. I love to wear cream blushes in the summer, and this palette comes with 2 shimmery shades and one matt, and they go with every makeup look I would ever do in the summer, and so this comes with me everywhere. 

Rimmel Natural Bronzer - This isn't a very good contour shade, which some other bronzers are, but its great at adding a little colour to my face, and I've been wearing it whenever I'm having one of those 'no makeup makeup' days, as it's such a natural shade.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Creamy Beige - I use this as a eye shadow primer, it is such a natural tan shade, and covers any redness on my eye lid, it stays put all day, and it means that any eye shadow I apply ontop also stays put all day. I own 4 of these now, and my other 3 are more colourful, but this one is a great base for any eye look, and I use it more or less every day.

Maybelline The Colossal Go Extreme Volume Express Mascara - This is just about to dry out, and I am definitely picking up another one. This mascara is great. The brush is huge, and dense, and so makes my lashes look very voluminous. I then tend to use a lengthening mascara to help separate and perfect, but this is a great mascara, and is something else I've been using everyday. 

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Stellar Pink - This could be considered quite a dark shade for summer, but it's one of those lip colours that you can build up, so it can be quite sheer or really vibrant. It's a shimmery pinky-red-nude shade (I know a lot of colours), and is so easy to wear, the formula of these are incredible. They are moisturising, and stay put for quite a while, and I love these lipsticks!

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 32 - We all know my obsession with these lipsticks, but I love this shade because it's a coral colour, and so summery, and I get so much wear out of it in the summer. Nothing more to be said really...

Non Beauty

Tanya Burr - Love Tanya - I recently got hold of this book, and I love how it's written, I love that it gives you space to write your own thoughts and views and I love the content. Basically, I love this book. It's also in a really nice hard back copy and so will stay really nice for long time. 

Ben and Jerry's Half Baked - Everyone loves Ben and Jerry's, but this is one of those flavours you don't often see, but I really love. It's a combination of Cookie Dough and Fudge Brownie, which are both mine and my boyfriend's favourite flavours, and so we often share this.

Tesco Sweet Vanilla Candle - I love vanilla flavoured anything, so this candle is delicious, and it was only £2.

Sophie Kinsella Confessions of a Shopaholic - These have been out for ages, but I love them both. The books are so witty and funny, and are a great light reading. The film is also amazing, I watch this when I'm having a lazy, girly evening. Plus, it makes me feel so much better about my own spending problems....

ZSL Whispnade Zoo - I included in this photo the stuffed, because I went to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, and it was one of the best days of my life. I can't recommend this day out enough, it's quite expensive, but we were there all day, and so it was totally worth it.