Just a quick message to let you know I haven't been kidnapped/pressganged into joining a crew of rebel pirates/abducted by aliens.
I feel as though I've seriously neglected my blog the past few days, so first and foremost are my apologies. I look forward to writing some more stuff to bring smiles to all of your pretty faces very soon! My coursework will be done and dusted (for now) on Wednesday, so stay tuned.
After living on popcorn, energy drink, peach melbas and wine gums whilst writing essays for 5 days straight, I feel like I've had all the life sucked out me by a dementor. Nothing a few lie ins and bacon butties can't fix though! So, I shall be back to posting as usual, very, very soon.
Secondly, a big thank you to all of my lovely new followers. There's no better feeling when people tell you they enjoy what you write :)
P.S. You have no idea how happy I am that I can get my hair into a ponytail ^^ (sort of, I can get most of my hair up, maybe I should call it a phonytail? hmm) after shaving most of my hair off back in the summer, so apologies again, this time for being shamelessly vain and showing you all! Weee! I <3 my ponytail :)
I realise I don't look exactly ecstatic with my ponytail on the first photo, so here's a happier looking one.
Just to clarify, my head isn't a strange shape, it's a silly effect on my webcam!
So, I've been feeling a bit down in the dumps the past few days. My mam knows when I'm not feeling good, it's like she can read my mind. It's quite scary really...but I love that she knows me so well. She really is my best friend in the world.
Anyway, yesterday she promised me she'd take me to perhaps my most favourite place EVER. And I mean ever ever ever. It's even better than my squidgy bed with two duvets, although after a I've visited this place, it usually ends up me lying in said bed, in a sugar induced half-comatose state.
Two words. Lickety Split. The number one destination in the North-East of England for ice cream lovers. Situated on the coast front in the small seaside village of Seaham, about 10 minutes drive from where I live, Lickety Split is the place to be if you're in need of a sugar/feel-good fix in the form of a delicious ice cream sundae!
Growing up with ice cream playing such a huge part of my heritage (my mam's father was from the italian Minchella family, who have an ice cream business in the North-East), I've had my fair share of gelato. So much, I think I'm a pretty good judge of what makes an excellent ice cream.
From outside, Lickety Split doesn’t
look special, but once inside it’s as if you’ve entered a genuine 1950s diner-
think the sort of place which would be fit to be the hangout of the Pink Ladies
and T-Birds. Every detail has been considered to offer an authentic experience-
from the juke box, to kitsch neon light signs, checkered floor and red leather
booths, not forgetting a smattering of vintage posters on each wall.
My camera was playing up, so I didn't manage to get any decent photos of the interior :( but here are some moutherwateringly delightful shots of the ice cream sundaes! (I know you'll be tempted to lick the screen, but don't, trust me - you won't be able to taste it and you'll look very strange if someone walks in whilst you're doing it).
Safe to say, my resolution for 'healthy eating' has well and truly been broken. I think I gained half a stone just from looking at it.
My mam eventually settled on the 'Cherry Lee Lewis' (left), a concoction of chocolate ice cream and morello cherry ice cream, topped with fresh cream and pistachios, and with a filling of warmed sour cherries in syrup. I created my own sundae (right)- bubblegum ice cream, Hannah Montana ice cream (pink bubblegum icecream with Smarties) and banana ice cream with fresh cream, fudge chunks, mini-marshmallows and bubblegum syrup. Safe to say mine probably contained enough E numbers to power a whole classroom full of 5-year olds for a few hours.
We ate every last drop, with my mam even dropping and smashing her sundae glass, trying to get the cherry syrup out of the bottom. CRINGE.
What's the best ice cream you've ever had?
Do you know a place which you think could rival Lickety Split?
It happens to so many people, yet for some reason we are all scared to talk about it.
I was shocked, disgusted, appalled and saddened when I checked the news today. A 15 year old school girl from New York, by the name of Amanda Cummings, chose to end her life after suffering at the hands of bullies. I'm not ashamed to say I cried as I read through the story.
Amanda died from her horrific injuries in hospital, almost a week after she threw herself in front of a bus as she clutched onto a suicide note.
ABOVE: Amanda Cummings
When I saw a picture of Amanda, I saw a beautiful young girl. And no, I didn't know Amanda personally, so I don't know what sort of person she was. But I do know this; nobody, and I mean nobody, deserves to be bullied.
To be bullied to the point of throwing yourself in front of a bus to end your sadness, as a last resort to end the pain you face, either mentally or physically, shows just how devastating bullying can be on a victim's mindset. That getting hit by a bus, and more than likely dying in the most undignified painful way, is more appealing than the thought of living, really says something- don't you think?
Yes, Amanda is gone now and I hope she's at peace. But, she leaves her family and her friends behind, who will never ever forget her, and forget why she died the way she did.
This story isn't unique though, last year I saw far too many stories just like this. Mainly young people, victims of bullying who purposefully chose to end their life to escape their tormentors.
There's a chance that those who are reading this have been bullied, but there's also the chance there's bullies reading this too. If you are a bully, I would like you to read on...
There's this girl I used to know from school. She wasn't the most popular girl, or the most pretty girl. She kept herself to herself, and had a small close-knit group of friends. But as she got older, people started to change.
Her oldest friends drifted away from her- they started dying their hair, getting boyfriends, smoking...some of them even joined the most popular clique of girls who also had the rep for being the nastiest. She found herself alone.
This girl felt like everything and everyone around her was changing. Except for one thing- she didn't feel like she was changing at all.
She'd spend lunchtimes sitting by herself, or with her sister. As pathetic as she felt, she joined the calligraphy club and choir, just so she didn't have to feel so ashamed to be seen on her own.
Then it got worse. The taunting and sly remarks. "Geek." "Swot". "Ugly cunt". "Fucking freak."
I even saw someone in the corridor take their chewing gum out of their mouth, and stick it on the back of her head, getting it stuck in her long blonde hair. She sobbed loud tears, as what felt like hundreds of students laughed and pointed at her as she fumbled with the chewing gum in her hair. The teachers had to cut it out with blunt scissors. It was such a mess, she had to go to the hairdressers and get her hair cut into a bob.
She carried on though, as hard as it was. I used to see her on a morning, and her eyes would be swollen and red from how hard she'd been crying the night before. She couldn't even look at herself in the mirror anymore because she was so ashamed at what she saw.
She lost all motivation. She'd fake illnesses just so she didn't have to go to school, and I think her mother knew this, but she would never kick up a fuss. Instead she'd lie with her on her bed, stroking her hair telling her it would all pass one day.
And then the day which really hit her the hardest. Quite literally.
A whole classroom full of students looked on, in stunned silence as she took the most painful beating of her life.
One punch to the face, and another, and another. And a few more after that. She looked so pathetic just lying on the desk, she couldn't even fight back. Just paralysed with the most terrible fear she'd ever known.
That girl was me.
And that was the day that changed my life.
Things get worse before they get better. And I know that more than anyone. For years after I struggled, even until my last year of college the memories felt as raw as paper cuts.
School hadn't been the happiest days of my life. They had been the hardest. It had turned me into a nervous wreck with no confidence. Until one morning, I woke up, and something clicked.
They all want to get the better of me. They want me to fail. They are winning if they know I feel like I'm losing.
"Geek" and "swot" only made me study harder, carry on playing piano, draw in my sketchbook and sing in the choir.
"Ugly cunt" made me love my short bob, and taught myself how to draw on my eye-liner perfectly every morning before school.
And "fucking freak", well, that made me to be unafraid of who I was.
So, if you're a bully, and you've managed to read till the end, without gut-wrenching shame taking over you- I applaud you. I hope this has given you the insight to a victim's mind, so maybe you'll think twice before you call them a name which gives you your kicks. Maybe you'll think twice before lifting your fist? These are all just maybes, but I hope I've made it something you'll feel ashamed and disgusted in even thinking about doing, let alone acting upon.
And if you are bullied...I hope this has made you that bit stronger. My mother was right and things do get better, even if it does feel it's going to take an eternity to achieve. I leave you with the song below. Have a listen. I hope the words inspire you.
As promised earlier, here is the post on the fabulous news that I received the Kreativ Blogger Award, as nominated by Jennifer at Inordinately Plush. If you haven't checked her blog out already, do it NOW.
It's a great feeling knowing people are reading and enjoying what you have to say. So stay tuned, because I still have plenty left to say...
So, here are the rules if you have been tagged in this post:
1. Link back to the person who gave you the award.
2. Answer the 7 questions below.
3. Award 10 other bloggers and let them know.
4. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
1. Name your favourite song: Atticus by The Noisettes, everything about the song is perfect..."to kill a mockingbird is to silence the sound that seduces you..". And the fact it's sung by Shingai Shoniwa, who I have a massive girl crush on.
2. Name your favourite dessert: Hmmm...it would have to be treacle sponge and custard. I remember being at school, and everyone would moan if our year group was on last sitting for dinner time. I would secretly love it, as the cooks would give me all of the leftover treacle sponge so they didn't have to throw it out. Yes, I am a greedy cow.
3. What ticks you off? Bullying in any shape or form. It's the lowest of the low.
4. When I'm upset, I...play some piano or guitar, music is a great way of letting go of pent up emotions.
5. Favourite pet? My first, and only pet, well apart from goldfish- they shouldn't count as pets, was my guinea pig Fidget. He was so adorable- ginger and white, with brown ears and little pink feet. I used to swaddle him up in a blanket like a newborn baby and bottle feed him. I wish I was joking, but I'm really not. *Please don't phone the RSPCA*
6. Black/White? Black without a doubt. Sometimes I will end up wearing a full black outfit, and not even realise it till I look in my full-length mirror and see I look like the Grim Reaper.
7. Biggest fear? Losing the ones I love.
8. Everyday attitude? I'm a self-confessed pessimist, but I'm working on that. I think my problem lies in the fact I'm a perfectionist...I always feel like I can do better and I'm massively scared of failure.
9. What is perfection? Nobody or nothing is perfect, but some people are pretty close to it, just by being who they are.
10. Guilty pleasure? Going to bed early to watchQI on the Dave Channel. Stephen Fry is God.
7 Facts About Me:
I have a weird crush on Derren Brown. I'm half-Italian, from my mother's side. I’m the most determined person you'll ever meet. It makes me feel physically sick when people use the word "nom". I'm allergic to all furry animals, but I WILL be a crazy cat woman when I'm older. I found a £3000 diamond in an envelope when I was about 8, it had dropped out of the postman's bag as someone had ordered it specially to be custom-made into a ring- I returned it and got a £5 reward. I believe in ghosts.
First and foremost, to all of my lovely new followers, welcome and thank you all for reading. I've been blogging barely a week yet, and I'm already becoming seriously addicted!
Last night I found out I had been given the Kreativ Blogger Award by the beautiful Jennifer (check out her blog here- you will not be disappointed!) And so, it is my job now to pass this award onto 10 other bloggers. I will be posting my winners later on so stay tuned to find out if you've been nominated :)
And now I have a little review for all of you lovely ladies (and gentlemen, if there is any at all reading this).
Yesterday, I was doing my usual run around all of my favourite shops for beauty buys, and came across Superdrug's own make dry shampoo. There was an offer at the front of the shop that caught my eye, buy 1 and get 2 free! And all for the bargain price of £1.99 (usually the cost of one). Plus the packaging looked cute.
Being a brunette, I chose "Chocolate Brownie", which is chocolate scented..obviously (and brown tinted). Well, if I'm trying to cut down on chocolate, maybe I could replace eating it with smelling it? Actually, maybe not (I say, making my way through a Christmas selection box which has somehow miraculously survived being eaten by me, until now).
With dry shampoo being an essential to ANY student's survival/stay clean kit, I just had to try it. I mean, why get out of bed half an hour early just to wash your hair? It's hard enough to get a good 8 hours in your bed, without putting boozy nights out, all-nighters to meet your deadlines, 5am bedtimes and general adolescent laziness into the equation.
So, this morning when I got up for work, I didn't wash my hair. I was praying to god this dry shampoo actually worked, I was relying on it, as greasy lank hair is not a good look.
And...it worked absolutely brilliantly!
The smell was really sweet, it reminded me a bit of bourbon biscuits. Plus, the rich brown tint in the dry shampoo stopped me looking like I was greying, which other brands of dry shampoo tend to do, even the tinted brown Batiste. And most importantly, my hair went from lank to bouncy, yummy smelling and clean looking.
I would most definately recommend this product to dry shampoo virgins, lovers, and even the haters- because if this product won't convert you then nothing will.
There is a whole range to choose from, however at the minute, only "Away With The Fairies" Superdrug dry shampoo is available to buy online (click here to have a spy!), but you can find the full selection in your local Superdrug store.
Pros
:) bargain price of £1.99 versus Batiste's £2.99 (or more)
:) on offer at the minute for buy 1 get 2 free
:) great value for money
:) smells good enough to eat! but please don't, that's just stupid
Cons
:( honestly can't think of any cons! I love this product <3
Who would I recommend this product to?
Brunette haired girls, who love a quick fix in the morning, or at any other time of the day to freshen up. I think I'll probably skip washing my hair more often just so I can use this product which smells AMAZING!
Rating
5/5
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. I have not been paid to advertise products- it is something I do for fun in my spare time, however endeavour to deliver honest reviews. If you would like to use any of my original photography featured on the blog, feel free, but please link back to me and give credit where due.
It seems as though my following is slowly but very surely growing. Thank you all for reading, hopefully this blog is the start of something very exciting, and I hope you all continue to read and enjoy :)
As some of you may know, I am a student of fashion journalism (I studied fashion design for 3 years at college, but had some sort of epiphany and decided my life-long passion for writing was my true calling!)
Art, design and illustration will always be a massive part of my life, despite me choosing what some may call a more 'conventional' path in my education. Yes, I do love writing, but I dearly hope someday I can be involved in the design industry.
I have decided to share some photographs with you of a recent fashion spread I photographed for a project in university, along with the help of my amazing fashion friends!
We collectively worked, and styled a photoshoot on the theme 'Money's Too Tight To Mention', and the following images are what we created- rather beautiful even if I say so myself. We came up with the idea of jazzing up old items of clothing with the occasional on-trend piece, perfect for students and those on a tight budget.
I used some of the money from my 21st birthday to buy a professional camera, the Fujifilm Finepix HS20. I know I will get very good use out of it- next year when I put my own magazine together for a final year project, and now, providing you all with original images for my blog- which I hope you all love.
ABOVE: dress and jacket by Miss Selfridge
I convinced my rather gorgeous friend, Amiee, to model for us. I would totally work the black lipstick look, but I don't think I'd pull it off as well as she does...
ABOVE: dress by New Look, collar by ASOS
We wanted a dark gothic vibe for some of the pictures, and we managed to be granted access to use our local Minster as one of the locations we shot at, which was absolutely brilliant.
ABOVE: nylon basque by ASOS, mask from local fancy dress shop
Obviously this wasn't shot inside the church! ^
ABOVE: dress and collar as before, shoes by ASOS, hat from local vintage store
Love the lighting on this photograph. She looks angelic with the light radiating from behind her!
Let me know what you think of the photos- I'd love to hear your opinions.
As all my family and friends know I am a HUGE Lush fan. I have transformed the bathroom into a miniature Lush shop, with more bath bombs, bubblebars, soaps and other goodies than a girl could ever want and need, to smell good enough to eat.
My most recent purchase from Lush was The Sacred Truth facemask. This facemask belongs to an extensive range of facemasks by Lush- each one with a different purpose and intended for a particular skin type.
The Sacred Truth pledges to protect skin from the effects of ageing, and aims to 'enhance and revive' your complexion.
The recipe is jam packed with friendly anti-oxidant Wheatgrass, Ginseng and Green Tea, as well as Papaya fruit enzymes. There is a whole host of other ingredients including honey, shea butter and a powerful cocktail of fruit and plant oils, working to soothe and soften skin in need of TLC.
A 75g pot of The Sacred Truth costs £5.75. Yes, it is more expensive than a regular facemask, but the price can be justified.
The facemasks in Lush use fresh, natural ingredients, so there's no nasty harsh chemicals and preservatives. You are advised to keep the mask chilled in the fridge to ensure the ingredients don't go off - however the product has a short shelf-life of around 1 month.
I have oily skin prone to acne, which means I constantly use products such as Freederm and Oxy in order to regulate my complexion. However, these can be quite drying, which is why the moisturising properties of The Sacred Truth attracted me.
Upon first glance, the greeny beige colour of The Sacred Truth doesn't look very appealing. However, the product does smell better than it looks.
For those used to the usual uber-sweet girly scents of Lush, the smell of The Sacred Truth may be a bit off-putting, as it smells quite...hmmm, I don't know how to describe this. It's not unpleasant by any means - it smells a bit grassy, with only a hint of honey sweetness.
Application of the product was easy-peasy. The facemask is relatively lump-free and spread easily onto my face.
A little really does go a long way, especially if you mix the mask into a runny paste with a touch of warm water. If you used a grape size amount each time you used it, you could easily get 10 or more uses out of the product. That would work out approximately 58p per application.
When The Sacred Truth was drying, it didn't make my face feel tight, like some other facemasks do. It felt instantly cooling and soothing on the sore patches which are prone to inflammed underlying spots.
After the recommended 10 minutes, I washed off the mask with warm water, patted dry with a soft towel, and was pleasantly surprised how soft and smooth my skin felt. My makeup went on great too, with no dry patches standing out when I applied my foundation.
Pros
:) easy to apply
:) leaves skin feeling soft
:) great value for money
:) good shelf-life considering it's made from all natural ingredients
Cons
:( smell is not as sweet as other Lush products
:( the colour may be off-putting to some
Who would I recommend this product to?
Ideal for those who suffer from dryness of the skin, and also those who suffer from spots to remedy the drying action of acne creams/face washes.
Rating
4/5
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. I have not been paid to advertise products- it is something I do for fun in my spare time, however endeavour to deliver honest reviews. If you would like to use any of my original photography featured on the blog, feel free, but please link back to me and give credit where due.
As I type this, there is a huge, black, gloomy cloud lurking above my head. I feel annoyed, stressed and a little bit sad. Well, a lot sad.
Yes, Christmas and the festivities of the new year are over. The crackers have been pulled. The party poppers popped. Presents opened. And the amaretto has all been drunk. And now all I'm left with is a pot belly, a winter cold and a HUGE pile of university work that has barely been contemplated over the last fortnight.
And so, here is my comprehensive list of 5 things that instantly seem more appealing, interesting and worthy of your time when you know you have a deadline at university...
1. The inside of your eyelids
Who knew that day time naps were so enjoyable? Even though, after a fortnight off, getting out of bed before lunchtime is nothing short of a small miracle. You've barely been awake 3 hours, yet your bed/the sofa and your favourite pj's are calling out for you. "Put me on...this bed is so cosy and warm...come on, lie down for a few minutes...you won't regret it." The only feasible solution? Drink a whole crate of Redbull, you won't be able to sleep even if you wanted to.
2. Cleaning your bedroom
After sleeping in a cess-pit of clothes, shoes, crisp packets, half-drunk cups of tea, chewing gum on window ledges, for some reason cleaning your room suddenly becomes your priority. Your reasoning? If you clear your room, this will also clear your mind...thus enabling you to think more clearly and complete work to an impeccable standard. I'm not talking about any old clean. I'm talking full-on clean, antibacterial wipes, hoovering, windows wiped, mirror polished. But this is not likely, half way through you will get bored, and you will end up taking a Nana style nap on your bed.
3. Making meals from scratch
Prior to being given university work, beans on toast was a massive chore. Super Noodles? Too much effort. But for some reason, deadlines bring out your inner Gordon Ramsey. The thought of cooking moussaka from scratch, or baking a batch of cupcakes and lovingly decorating them as if they were bespoke works of art, is far more appealing than desperately trying to understand the concept of 'hegemony', 'Marxism' or 'ideology', or..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
4. Watching any and every documentary, no matter how relevant to your degree subject
Documentaries count as work don't they? Well if they don't, they should. A solid day of documentary watching must have some impact on your intelligence. From the life of plants (so interesting), to ancient civilizations and space travel- there are literally hundreds of documentaries available on Sky. My favourite documentaries are those that involve food. Man Vs. Food, Cupcake Wars- oh, and the narrator of Come Dine With Me is just hilarious. I can sit and watch a good 3 hours at time on More4. What? Oh. So Come Dine With Me doesn't count as a documentary? Damn.
5. Writing about anything and everything. Apart from the subject in which you have a piece of work due
I can't help it. I've always done it. I remember getting maths homework in junior school, and when it came to doing it, I would find myself wanting to write poetry- day dreaming that I would be the next Seamus Heaney or Alfred Noyes. Except I was a 7 year old girl. This trend carried on throughout my school years; short stories, huge accounts in my diary, haiku, songs, plays, contributing to the Lost discussion boards (ask me anything about the numbers and the Dharma initiative).
And here I am now, writing my blog, when I have approximately 7000 words combined to write for university.
I have already broke one of my new year's resolutions. I'll give you a clue. Probably nearly every ample-thighed/bottomed woman in the country, scratch that, in the world, will have made this resolution.
Yes, it is only the 2nd day of the year, and I have broke my diet (if you're reading mother, read diet as 'healthy eating plan'). It all started so well. I even decided to start this resolution one day early- on new year's eve.
I cooked a huge stir fry, you know, to line my stomach prior to the abuse I was planning to inflict upon my liver during the new year celebrations. A wholesome, healthy, cabbage and beansprout based stirfry. With sticky chinese plum sauce. And a whole packet of udon noodles. And sweet and sour chicken in batter. OK, maybe it wasn't that healthy after all. At least I tried!
But, today I well and truly messed it up. Fish and chips for tea, and toblerone afterwards. No amount of mushy peas could constitute that meal as being remotely healthy. Who am I kidding? I have zero self-control when it comes to food. Someone who chooses lettuce over chocolatey gooey goodness is quite frankly abnormal.
So I'm thinking it's probably wise to make resolutions I can actually keep. How about...I'll join the gym? It's only £100 for student membership, which entitles you to unlimited use and classes. Wow! Now that's great deal.
Upon reflection, DEFINITELY not.
I'll go once, which will be the week I join, perhaps even the day I join if I'm feeling extra optimistic. Actually, that would be really unlikely. The last time I felt remotely optimistic was when I was 5 years old.
A hazy summers evening, just chillin' on the porch with a glass of lemonade with my sister. And then we heard it.
THE ICECREAM VAN!
So I ran inside and shook a 10p piece from my piggy bank. Sprinting to the icecream van, I handed over my 10p to the young bespectacled Italian girl behind the counter, anticipating my 10p mix-up.
"A 10p mix-up please," I angelically chimed, beaming up all optimistic and rosy cheeked. I handed the girl my money, and her mother handed me my mix up in return.
The moment I opened up my goody bag, all of my optimism and faith in humanity was instantly obliterated.
Lying pitifully in the corner of the crumpled paper bag was a singular pink shrimp. I shit you not. No foam eggs, white mice, pink and blue fizzy bottles, golf-ball bubblies. Nothing. One shitty fucking pink shrimp. I paid 10p for one pink shrimp. At the age of 5, I had been conned for the first time, and I had instantly been turned into a pessimist.
I pleaded with the girl and her mother, and insisted they gave me the wrong mix-up. But in their broken English, they said they didn't understand me and refused to acknowledge me, looking over my blonde curly head as they served the older children their Magnums and Zap lollies.
And so they drove off, leaving me sobbing on the kerb. Heartbroken, with only a pink shrimp and my sister for company. I think I dropped the shrimp down the drain I was that furious.
Anyway, back to the point.
Picture this - me kitted out in brand-new gym wear (budget an extra £50 for this) feeling like a complete gym-virgin and quite frankly a huge twat in my illuminous white brand-new trainers and white wanker socks. The thought of a 20 minute stint on a running machine costing me £100 is just too painful. And sweat-smudged mascara is never a good look.
I think the most sensible, and realistic resolutions are those that are based around the things I know that have made me happier than in ever in 2011. And so here they are...
1. Never ever forget to make time for my friends. Hos before bros, sisters over misters.
2. Appreciate my family each and every day. It's surprising how many brownie points you can earn from just offering to make everyone a cuppa.
3. Get a taxi home from town when my feet start hurting. Too much alcohol + high-heel tortured feet always results in tears.
4. Tinkle the ivories at least once a week. My keyboard is probably my most prized possession (self-taught, since the age of 9), so losing the ability to play would be like losing a part of myself.
5. Never, ever give up. In all aspects of my life.
And so that's it, and that's all until next time. I'm too pooped to think of a witty way to conclude this post.
