A little update!
26 June 2015 • learning curve, life lessons, mental health, my life
Over the past couple of months, I've come to know my own strengths and I am so proud of myself. I've stood up for myself and I've sought help and just generally in everyday life I can feel myself becoming a lot stronger in all aspects of my life.
But the main reason I'm so proud of myself is that I've landed myself a new job! After all the turmoil I've gone through in my current job, I'm so proud of myself for persevering with my job search and landing this role. It's been a stressful two weeks. Last week I did the interview, along with other work they wanted me to submit and it was all last minute and stressful but just the next day I got confirmation that I'd got the job.
Yesterday I got my contract and handed in my notice and I couldn't be happier. I won't go into details but let's just hope I'm going to a better environment. This week has been stressful simply because of the sheer amount I've had to do for a last minute deadline. I've been commended on it and truth be told I am so proud of myself as well. I'm suprise I didn't crumble or snap at anyone, in work and in my personal life. Now that these two weeks are over , I'm back to being less stressed but it has just made me look back and review a couple of things. My mental health has been relatively stable over this time, so I'm even more proud of myself.
I've had so much help from people in the troubles I've faced, so I'm never going to be there singing that whole "I did everything by myself" in that bitter way. But I did transform into the person I always knew I could be to get through these past two weeks and these past couple of months. That's me that's done that, I've had support along the way, but I still had to be the person to do it.
So that's just a my newest update, I don't want to sound like I'm bragging haha. I'm now looking to the future and I can't wait to put some of these things behind me. I have so much to look forward to in the next couple of months, I'm going to Wireless, my brothers graduation and I'm going to Ibiza! So very exciting stuff.
People are like tea bags - you never know how strong they are until you put them in hot water.
Go and conquer people and know that you are strong enough, and just enough period.
IKEA MALM drawers in white + Ikea Haul
18 June 2015 • bedroom interior, ikea
So ever since I got my new bed, wardrobe and dressing table last year, I’ve been itching to get the final bits I needed for my room. My room is a good size, but the one thing I felt I lacked was storage. For someone who basically wears the same clothes day in day out, I have A LOT of clothes and it was getting so annoying to keep my room clean because I just had nowhere to put my clothes. I also didn’t have much storage in terms for any other stuff I had in my room. Back in January I got myself a bookcase and threw out my table, I assembled it together and was super happy to get some of my books on there and use some of the space for storage. But something was still missing.
I decided a chest of drawers was the next step. It would give me more storage space for my bits and bobs and store my clothes. I ordered this from Wilko (never order from them, they gave me the biggest headache when I wanted to return it) but when it came it was too small. I really wanted to buy something I could afford but also something I didn’t have to assemble myself. But after seeing the size of that, and the prices of assembled furniture I decided I had to buy one to assemble myself. I knew that loads of people have the MALM drawers so I knew what they looked like and that they were a good size. I ended up going to Ikea with a friend one Friday and purchased the MALM 4 chest of drawers in white.
I was also dying to get my hands on the mini cacti pots that Ikea do, I think I found out about this through Linamar. I drove my friend crazy talking about it haha but I finally found it at the end of my trip. I don't even know why I wanted them so badly because I'm not a huge plant lover, but they have definitely made me very happy! I also fell in love in the candle isle; my friend was like “I’ve never seen you so happy.” I basically went mad picking up loads of candles and then remembered I’m not made of money and I just wanted to pick up the necessities. So I settled on these three and they just smell like chocolate and caramel and just so nice. I don't know what the actual scents are, as I can't find the translation for the title for some reason. I picked up the tea light holder but I actually wanted to put my rings in it. I did empty it out and put a tea inside and it was beautiful so I’ll have to pick another one up for that. I also got some organisers to go inside the top drawer which I’m really happy about, but I totally need more for my dressing table!
Cacti pots - £4.50
Scented candles (set of 3) - £3.50
Tealight holder - £2.25
I’m super happy with this the drawers and my mini purchases. I also purchased a garlic crusher and I’m totally in love with that too. Having the chest of drawers also means an actual place to photograph the products that I buy and I like the current set up I have going on with the cacti and candles. I also got to try the meatballs from Ikea and I concur with everyone else – they are yummy!
I pretty much think my room is complete in terms of storage. I’ll probably pick up a bedside table at some point but I am super happy with what I have at the moment. For ages I didn’t want to buy anything because I thought I’d be moving out, but as it looks like that won’t be happening for a while I thought I’d make my stay much more comfortable.
Have you picked up any furniture bits recently? Or even better any homeware?
Walk this way
10 June 2015 • lust save get, shoes, shopping
For someone who has constant issues with her feet, I never really buy shoes or invest in a good pair. However in the last month I have purchased two bits of footwear. A pair of heels and some loafers. All shocking for me, because ankle boots are my footwear of choice even in the summer you’ll find me wearing ankle boots. I loathe wearing flats if I’m honest, I have really flat feet and a terrible left ankle and flat shoes offer no support. They also make my feet look huge. I own a couple of sandals for those really hot days and short walks. I thought I’d snap up these shoes as I think they are both stunners in their own right and might inspire you to get yourself a pair.
ASOS MIRIAM Woven Leather Loafers in Black - £36 (can't link as they no longer sell them sadly)
The first are these ASOS Loafers. I’m pretty sure I saw Hannah for Cocobeautea wearing these, but I can’t be sure. I had these sitting in my ‘save for later’ bag for ages. They are not the type of shoes I go for so I really did um and ah about them, but in the end I was popped it in my bag when I was buying some other things. When I got it I still ummed and ahhed, I really liked it but I just wasn’t sure if it was ‘me.’ I sought opinions from a girl at work and my friend and in the end I kept it and I’m glad I did. I love just throwing it on with skinny jeans to smarten up an outfit, or just make it look like I’ve put some effort in. They are smart and casual at the same time. I ordered these in a size 7 so I could put my insole in by they are super tight with them in, so I’ve been working on stretching it out. But I’m in loooove with these and they have a good amount of support at the sides and the soles.
The first are these ASOS Loafers. I’m pretty sure I saw Hannah for Cocobeautea wearing these, but I can’t be sure. I had these sitting in my ‘save for later’ bag for ages. They are not the type of shoes I go for so I really did um and ah about them, but in the end I was popped it in my bag when I was buying some other things. When I got it I still ummed and ahhed, I really liked it but I just wasn’t sure if it was ‘me.’ I sought opinions from a girl at work and my friend and in the end I kept it and I’m glad I did. I love just throwing it on with skinny jeans to smarten up an outfit, or just make it look like I’ve put some effort in. They are smart and casual at the same time. I ordered these in a size 7 so I could put my insole in by they are super tight with them in, so I’ve been working on stretching it out. But I’m in loooove with these and they have a good amount of support at the sides and the soles.
Next is a pair of heels! I haven’t purchased a pair of heels in over 2 years. I just don’t go anywhere that requires them and my ankle is really bad that I can’t wear them unless they are block heels. For my birthday I wanted a whole new outfit. These I put these heels in my bag and didn’t think much of it, however when they arrived I was like these are seriously nice! Even my mum loved them and she really wanted a pair, so guess what she’s getting as part of her present? I love that gold detail on these and the fact that it’s a block heel means I am fully supported when I walk in it. I love that it’s black too because it goes with a lot things. I’m definitely happy with this purchase and I do just want to sleep with these babies next to me every night, but that would actually be kinda gross.
I think I'm all satisfied now for shoes. I probably will get myself another pair of black boots (I can't help it) but other than that I'm pretty satisfied. What shoes have you purchased and loved recently?
I think I'm all satisfied now for shoes. I probably will get myself another pair of black boots (I can't help it) but other than that I'm pretty satisfied. What shoes have you purchased and loved recently?
Along with my skincare purchases from Feel Unique, I also picked up a couple of make-up bits. So I thought I’d show you them and tell you what I thought.
Now that we’re in that spring/summer season I wanted to change up my eyeliner game. It's summer and I just wanted to gravitate towards colour more. I always use black eyeliner in my waterline and after seeing Lily’s make-up menu with blue eyeliner I really wanted to just try something different. Also after seeing that I also saw my friend wear purple eyeliner and I thought “yeah, I’m gonna pick myself up some different coloured eyeliner.” It was also coincidental that a week after wearing the products, I read a piece in the Stylist magazine about being a bit more daring with your make-up and using different coloured eyeliners!
So whilst buying my skincare I spotted an offer from Rimmel on eyeliners. My favourite eyeliner that I use daily from Rimmel, so I thought I would stick with the same brand. So I ended up buying as the offer was 3 for 2. Although they are all from Rimmel they are from different lines within the brand.
The first one is this green eyeliner. In the swatch it shows up quite vividly but when I put it in my waterline it isn’t so vivid on me. Obviously on lighter skin tones this would show up a lot more. On myself it is noticeable but it’s not as bright as I wanted it to be. I also think that it fades away far too easily, I was a bit surprised considering my black one doesn’t budge all day. This has creamy formula though and glides on to my waterline smoothly. I do wish it had a bit more punch to the colour but I do love using this to switch up my make-up look. Out of the three I purchased, this is my least favourite just because it doesn't show up so well on me.
I find that this blue one just doesn’t pack enough punch for me. It does have a really good formula as it glides on easily and doesn’t tug at my skin but I really have to apply and apply to get it near the colour I want. I think perhaps for my skin it isn’t the right shade of blue, but it definitely is easy to work with. I have the same complaint as the rest; the pigmentation just isn’t great enough to produce the same colour that is in product, on my waterline.
This is my favourite one to use as I think the purple really suits me and when I use it, I feel like my whole make-up application just looks softer when I wear this. I think this is the one colour I’m going to purchase from another brand; I’d like something that has a bit more vibrancy to it so that it can really stand out when I wear it. But for work this is actually perfect, it’s soft and gentle enough to wear to work but still look a bit bold and daring.
Now that we’re in that spring/summer season I wanted to change up my eyeliner game. It's summer and I just wanted to gravitate towards colour more. I always use black eyeliner in my waterline and after seeing Lily’s make-up menu with blue eyeliner I really wanted to just try something different. Also after seeing that I also saw my friend wear purple eyeliner and I thought “yeah, I’m gonna pick myself up some different coloured eyeliner.” It was also coincidental that a week after wearing the products, I read a piece in the Stylist magazine about being a bit more daring with your make-up and using different coloured eyeliners!
So whilst buying my skincare I spotted an offer from Rimmel on eyeliners. My favourite eyeliner that I use daily from Rimmel, so I thought I would stick with the same brand. So I ended up buying as the offer was 3 for 2. Although they are all from Rimmel they are from different lines within the brand.
The first one is this green eyeliner. In the swatch it shows up quite vividly but when I put it in my waterline it isn’t so vivid on me. Obviously on lighter skin tones this would show up a lot more. On myself it is noticeable but it’s not as bright as I wanted it to be. I also think that it fades away far too easily, I was a bit surprised considering my black one doesn’t budge all day. This has creamy formula though and glides on to my waterline smoothly. I do wish it had a bit more punch to the colour but I do love using this to switch up my make-up look. Out of the three I purchased, this is my least favourite just because it doesn't show up so well on me.
I find that this blue one just doesn’t pack enough punch for me. It does have a really good formula as it glides on easily and doesn’t tug at my skin but I really have to apply and apply to get it near the colour I want. I think perhaps for my skin it isn’t the right shade of blue, but it definitely is easy to work with. I have the same complaint as the rest; the pigmentation just isn’t great enough to produce the same colour that is in product, on my waterline.
This is my favourite one to use as I think the purple really suits me and when I use it, I feel like my whole make-up application just looks softer when I wear this. I think this is the one colour I’m going to purchase from another brand; I’d like something that has a bit more vibrancy to it so that it can really stand out when I wear it. But for work this is actually perfect, it’s soft and gentle enough to wear to work but still look a bit bold and daring.
I’ve been wanting a cream blush for aaaaaages so I looked around briefly for something within my budget and decided to get this. Oh man I wish I had not. This has shimmer in it which I did not know, so I was not happy about that. But I’ve tried this on my skin with foundation on and without and I find it really hard to get a colour payoff unless I’m applying loads. Quite frankly I do not want to be applying loads of this product on my face, it just feels like way too much. It’s very sheer which I guess can be great for some skin tones, but on darker skin tones like mine it just does not sit well. I also had that it has shimmer, so yeah not a product I will be using any time soon.
So that is my mini make-up haul. I’m really glad I tried these different coloured eyeliners and I’ll definitely be going in store to try some higher end brands to find some with a high colour pay off. Are they are brands that you would recommend?
June Book List
3 June 2015 • books
Ahh, so guess who is behind on their Goodreads reading challenge? I’ve been super busy in May, it was also my birthday and I had a couple of days off work so I’ve just been up to all sorts. I only managed to finish two books.
I loved The Year of the Rat, it was a really nice read and it really touched on some good themes. It wasn’t anything I could relate to as it was about a 15 year old girl and her mum dying but I thought it was very well written and I really found myself sympathising with Rose. The other book that I read was Last Man in Tower. I took me FOREVER to get through this, it was so so slow to begin with and I was like what on earth is going on. Once I got into it the book was okay, there’s nothing wrong with this book, it’s well written and focuses on a lot of themes such as community, money and greed. It’s set in India so you get to find out a lot about gentrification in this part of the world. As I mentioned in my May book list, I picked this up because I enjoyed the authors other book a lot. I wouldn’t have picked this up otherwise, but it was an okay read and highlighted how a community can be torn apart in the face of a “better life.”
I started reading Pilgrim State last week but didn’t manage to finish it before the end of May. I’m currently reading it now and I’m really enjoying it. It was a tad bit confusing in the beginning, but now that I’m in to it I really like it. I’m tagging it on to this month's reading list because I’ll finish it this month, obviously.
So on to this month. I placed another Amazon order and selected some books that I’ve wanted to read for ages.
Eat. Nourish. Glow. by Amelia Freer - I’m sure you’ve heard about this book everywhere. I actually remember hearing about it at the beginning of the year when Hachette ran some sort of 30 day marketing campaign, I even downloaded the free recipe that came with it. Next thing I know every blogger was talking about it. It wasn’t until I saw what the book was actually like in Mary from anothergirlslife vlog, that I decided I wanted it. It has quotes! Health quotes! I love quotes. I thought it was just another recipe book like Deliciously Ella, but this actually has information and quotes to help promote a healthy lifestyle. I’ve already started reading this and I’m enjoying it SO much. It’s so helpful and not at all patronising.
Brick Lane by Monica Ali - This is a recent find for me. I found out about it from an article in on the Stylist website. It was to do with books set in London. I don’t actually think I’ve ever been to Brick Lane (I know, I know) but I read the blurb and thought that this actually sounded really interesting. I love books to do with young people moving to the UK, it’s so interesting to see how they possibly see things and just what London or the UK is like through their eyes. I loved Pigeon English, a book that has a similar setting to this.
Dare Me by Megan Abbott - I think I found out about this book from one of the pages in the Stylist magazine. Truth be told I can’t remember why I wanted to read it, but it’s young adult and crime fiction story and I am partial to both of those genres so hopefully I enjoy it.
Eats shoots and leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss - This book is going to be more of something I dip in and out of. I write a lot of content on a daily basis and I obviously write for my blog, but truth be told my grammar and use of punctuation can be awful. So I’ve decided to address this. I’ve actually heard a lot about this book and I think the title and the blurb is so witty. I like that this book is supposed to go into why things are the way they are, as I know that how I remember something, when I know why it’s being done.
So that’s my book list for this month. I only have one day booked off this month, so hopefully I’ll be able to get stuck into my reading list this month.
So on to this month. I placed another Amazon order and selected some books that I’ve wanted to read for ages.
Eat. Nourish. Glow. by Amelia Freer - I’m sure you’ve heard about this book everywhere. I actually remember hearing about it at the beginning of the year when Hachette ran some sort of 30 day marketing campaign, I even downloaded the free recipe that came with it. Next thing I know every blogger was talking about it. It wasn’t until I saw what the book was actually like in Mary from anothergirlslife vlog, that I decided I wanted it. It has quotes! Health quotes! I love quotes. I thought it was just another recipe book like Deliciously Ella, but this actually has information and quotes to help promote a healthy lifestyle. I’ve already started reading this and I’m enjoying it SO much. It’s so helpful and not at all patronising.
Brick Lane by Monica Ali - This is a recent find for me. I found out about it from an article in on the Stylist website. It was to do with books set in London. I don’t actually think I’ve ever been to Brick Lane (I know, I know) but I read the blurb and thought that this actually sounded really interesting. I love books to do with young people moving to the UK, it’s so interesting to see how they possibly see things and just what London or the UK is like through their eyes. I loved Pigeon English, a book that has a similar setting to this.
Dare Me by Megan Abbott - I think I found out about this book from one of the pages in the Stylist magazine. Truth be told I can’t remember why I wanted to read it, but it’s young adult and crime fiction story and I am partial to both of those genres so hopefully I enjoy it.
Eats shoots and leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss - This book is going to be more of something I dip in and out of. I write a lot of content on a daily basis and I obviously write for my blog, but truth be told my grammar and use of punctuation can be awful. So I’ve decided to address this. I’ve actually heard a lot about this book and I think the title and the blurb is so witty. I like that this book is supposed to go into why things are the way they are, as I know that how I remember something, when I know why it’s being done.
So that’s my book list for this month. I only have one day booked off this month, so hopefully I’ll be able to get stuck into my reading list this month.
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