WHAT A YEAR!

I can't quite get my head around the fact that the last day of 2016 has been and gone, how crazy!?

When I think of 2016 as a year my brain seems to conjure up a complete blur of things, experiences and emotions that have taken place throughout the year.

 For me this all comes across as such a blur as 2016 feels like several years have passed rather than just one- simply because of how significantly my day to day life has changed:  how I have developed and changed as a person, how my surroundings have dramatically changed and also how I occupy my spare time differently, I've also visited and explored so many different places over the last year which I have absolutely loved and it just makes me want to travel more!

The biggest change

Obviously It is completely normal and part of life to experience changes throughout a year, however this year really has tested me and pushed me right out of my comfort zone and I am so grateful for it!

I would say the biggest change that I have gone through in 2016 was leaving school and practically entering the working world by starting an apprenticeship at the council! When I started considering my post 16 options in year 11 I did not imagine that I would be sat at my own desk, in a fully functioning office, with a job to do -as staying at school was my plan.

Trusting my gut and taking a leap of faith was definitely a giant step forward for me at this time as throughout year 11 I definitely struggled with anxiety and self confidence... but little did I know that I would develop so much through doing the apprenticeship!

 Yes this was me on my first day of my apprenticeship- why so serious? haha

Some of the adventures

In 2016 I visited quite a few new places:

Camber/Hastings 

This holiday sticks vibrantly in my mind as it was in the middle of when I was revising for my exams, I took my revision and did a little bit each day however I definitely allowed myself t relax and did lots of photography!

Volendam/Holland

I honestly had no idea what to expect from this holiday as I had never been to Holland or anywhere like it. I loved this holiday and everything about Holland but in particular Volendam- I feel like I could easily have stayed there- I love their ways of life; almost everyone travels by bikes, everyone was so friendly and also the town is so calm and beautiful- full of colour, lots of boats and happiness!

If you want to see more of my Volendam/Holland holiday then go over to my youtube channel as I daily vlogged whilst I was there, I'll link it HERE

Majorca!

Unfortunately when I was in Majorca I didn't take a lot of photos or vlog (I did one vlog I'll link it HERE) but although I didn't really document this holiday it was a really nice holiday- the weather was insane and the place we stayed in was beautiful! We went to some beautiful beaches, jumped of some big rocks and went to an awesome waterpark! I would definitely like to go back!

Camp de Marr was definitely my favourite place in Majorca and it has a lovely restaurant there!

Blackpool 

Most recently I went to blackpool for the first time, with my dad, Shona, Morgan and Liam! We went for a long weekend which gave us enough time to see some of the main attraction there: including Blackpool tower, the illuminations and a visit to Blackpool dungeons. I managed to vlog this holiday and I will link it HERE for you! I would definitely recommend Blackpool for a fun weekend away!

My firsts!

There have been a few firsts in 2016: 

Mine and Chad's first ever concert! Yes it took us that long to go to one, but typically they're really expensive or really far away etc. so when I saw that Jack Garratt was performing at the Engine Shed I had to get tickets! Not only did we get to go but we were literally right at the front! Me and Chad both love Jack's music and the atmosphere was insane. HERE is the vlog with the concert in.

Starting the gym! I use to be so scared of the thought of starting a gym- I thought everyone would look at me and that I wouldn't know what to do... I was so wrong and I should have started before. Me and Chad now go to the gym about 4 times a week and we love it, it helps me physically and also to wind down mentally. 

Starting youtube!

I was so skeptical about starting youtube at first, but when I trialled it out when I was in Holland- I absolutely loved it! It has definitely become one of my hobbies and It allows me to use some of my creative side. Since starting youtube I have 100% gained more confidence and discovered my love for film making/ being behind and in front of a camera. I was so surprised to reach 100 subscribers, the support means a lot! If you haven't had a look already then I will link my youtube channel HERE

I could go on and on about 2016 and the good and bad parts of it- but I don't want to make this post any longer so I will leave that for another day! I hope each and every one of you has a happy and prosperous 2017, make it a good one.  

I confess... my shopping addiction

I love shopping, I just find it so exciting looking for things to buy: clothes, makeup, room decor, technology, food, anything!? This wasn't too bad when I had my Saturday job as I didn't spend all my money at once, I mean I was only getting a small amount which meant I really had to save for the things I wanted.. and I shopped occasionally...

Now it's a different story, as I work right near the centre of town it is so easy for me to get to the main high street where all the shops are and this means one thing: More shopping- lots more! I find myself more times than not nipping into town on my lunch break to buy 'just a few bits' or ordering things on the internet when I'm feeling down..

 I think this is pretty normal for a girl of my age, and some guys who like shopping just as much, however the main part of this blog post is to highlight the fact that materialistic things control us so much more than we think, It becomes a competition or a craving to buy more and more and the truth is it will never be enough to eliminate these feelings of needing materialistic belongings- the newest iPhone, the latest fashion trends, that makeup recommended by your favourite celebrity and the list goes on. It is a vicious cycle...

Many of us are guilty of this and I am NOT saying that we shouldn't treat ourselves,or spend the money that we earn on the things we want because that's what it's all about... but I just feel like we don't fully appreciate how lucky we are to have all these things and more importantly I have recently had to remind myself that getting more and more things won't make you truly happy, in reality it makes you want more and more and you can become obsessive over what you have, what you don't have and what other people have and it can make you turn to greed and sourness.

The things that are most important to me is family (I put Chad under this lable) friends and doing the things I love such as photography, horse riding, and going to the gym! Unfortunately I haven't been doing photography or riding my lovely horse.. but I have also learnt that you can't do everything and that is okay! Anyway I am digressing, my thoughts are overloading! What I am basically trying to say is I am making a conscious effort to focus on making memories with people and experiencing different things rather than focusing on the next thing I can buy when I get paid and spending my spare time looking for things to buy!

I will still shop, of course I will but, from now on I will think about what I am paying for and think about whether I need it and actually want it or if it's just something that gives me a short burst of excitement and then nothing.

I have so much more to say than this but I won't ramble on for any longer than I already have!

I hope you enjoyed a little insight to some of my more personal thoughts and I'll be back soon with another post!

LUSH Skin

So you probably know by now that I have been experiencing some break outs recently due to my hormones (I am sorry I keep going on about this) and for someone who is normally blessed with good skin it is SO annoying and I now I know how lucky I am to have good skin!

Anyway, although I love my skin care routine, I needed something a little more to really fight these breakouts I'm having so my first thought was- Face mask!- Lush! After popping into lush not only did I come out with a Christmas bath bomb, a Halloween bath bomb and an Autumnal bath bomb... but I came out having purchased a cleanser and a gel spot treatment, these products are the ones that were recommended to me when I moaned to the lovely person in lush about my skin troubles!

The cleanser I was told to get is called Herbalism it is different to any other cleanser I have used before, this is because instead of being creamy or in a liquid form, it is intact a spongy solid consistency. You simple place a bit in your hand and add water before applying it to your face. Besides looking like a 'Green witch' as my mum said, I love this product. It leaves me feeling refreshed, my pores feel clean and it's as if I can feel it working on my skin instantly, which I love.

The spot treatment I purchased is called Grease Lightning and I LOVE IT. Firstly it comes in a pump so it is so easy to use and apply, it contains both Tea Tree and Witch Hazel- both of these ingredients are great for tackling spots quickly. I put this on morning and night on my spots and I can honestly say that this gel shrinks the spots over night and also prevents any more nasty breakouts from occurring! All I have to say is thank you Lush.

So that's all I have to share with you today, I hope you all have a nice weekend and I'll be back soon with another blog post!

First impressions of Makeup Revolution's Flawless Matte palette!

Yes, I spent my last little bit of money on an eye shadow palette, It now seems clear I have a fully fledged shopping addiction... All I can think about is how close it's getting to PAY DAY, the reason being so I can do lots more shopping, whoops.

Anyway I'll get into the review and first impressions! So after walking into super drug and establishing that I've never tried anything from Makeup Revolution I decided I wanted to try something from their range, so I picked up this Flawless Matte Palette for just £8:00!
The Packaging

Firstly the packaging is nothing special, which is obviously expected for such a reasonably priced product, however it is neat and presentable in it's simple black case.

The shades

The first thing I looked at, even before purchasing it, was the colour range of the palette. I instantly liked the idea of a whole matte palette as I didn't already own one and this palette consists of some beautiful colours; ranging from neutral taupes and browns to greeny/greys and pale pinks, I love the colours this palette has to offer. If this palettes not for you, I noticed Makeup Revolution have so many different palettes!

How they apply

These eye shadows are very fine powders so they apply very smooth and glide on, however as they are so fine I would definitely recommend using a primer before applying them, this will prevent fall downs, they will stay on better and they will appear more pigmented.

Pigmentation

For the price I wasn't expecting these to be as pigmented as they are, and I tried them without a primer! It is hard to appreciate the pigmentation over a camera but you can still see these are pretty pigmented for £8.

From top to bottom these shades are: Taupe, Matte, Stone, Earth and Charcoal,

I also created a neutral but defining look with this palette using a variety of the shades.

The Verdict

Overall for £8 I really like this palette, my favourite thing about it is the variety of different colours, 32 to be precise, and how soft they are, I think I will use a primer with them next time as it will make them even more pigmented and stay on better, as well as preventing fall downs.

I hope you enjoyed this little review and first impressions and I will link this palette below!

Ultra Matte Palette

Heather Fields and Fresh Fruit!

Last weekend me, Mum and Morgan ventured down to Market Drayton to visit my Granddads house, unfortunately we only get to see him a few times a year due to the fact that he is so far away and has a very busy schedule (alongside his wife) Whenever we go we have a nice time, normally involving some time outdoors and a chance for me to do some photography, not forgetting some amazing food! (I've been learning)

The first day we firstly went out in the little old car for a ride, it's become our little tradition, we always nearly get wiped out about 3 times as well; this car doesn't exceed 35/40 mph, which can be very scary when pulling out of a busy junction...

Me and Morgan then went outside to do some fruit picking. Living amongst the madness of everyday life full of gadgets and social media, being asked to do something so simple but satisfying was a simple pleasure. Living up to the fact that we are competitive, we held our own 'competition' of who could find the biggest strawberry, of course Granddad had to find the biggest haha.

It was so nice to get outside and do something that I don't normally do, the strawberries were so tasty as well!

We also picked some Raspberries, I have to admit more may have been going in my mouth than the bowl, I really just love Raspberries!

I personally think there's something so therapeutic about being around nature, that sounds so cliche but I honestly think that sometimes some old fashioned fresh air can make you feel 100 times better than being stuck inside.

The next day we went on a walk through heather fields and wild flowers, I really enjoyed being outside, unfortunately the weather let us down and we got soaked but it was worth it!

I had such a nice time and I really did appreciate being outside and doing photography whilst being surrounded by natural beauty!

That's all for today's post, I will be letting you know how I am getting on at my new job soon!

Summer Shopping!

On Thursday it was my favourite day, PAY DAY! Pay day means one thing: shopping! Me and Chad went to town so that I could buy a few bits mainly because I am starting my new apprenticeship soon and I wanted some nice, smart things to wear (that's my excuse) So I thought I would show you what I brought, unfortunately I had no one to photograph me trying the outfits on, so I had to settle for taking pictures of the purchases instead!

Firstly I took a trip to Primark to see if I could pick up any bargains, I straight away saw a few bits that I liked and went straight to the changing rooms.

The first thing I got was this stripy bodysuit, I LOVE bodysuits as they are so easy to wear (except when going to the toilet) and I find them super comfortable. I particularly liked this one as it has cut out shoulders.

I also picked up these really cute pink, lace up flats. I think these are perfect for summer and will be great for styling with dresses and skirts.

Finally I got this easy to wear, simple mint green dress, this looks so much better on and It is so comfortable too, I really like the fact that it comes with a belt as it draws it in at your waist making it a lot more flattering.

The next shop I went to was Topshop, Unfortunately I didn't pick anything up in the sale however I finally brought an a line black denim skirt, although it was quite pricey at £30 I think it will be really easy to wear to work and something that I can pair with pretty much anything!

From Newlook I got a few bits, I needed a new pair of heels and I knew I had to buy this pair, they are so comfy and as they are nude they will go with lots of outfits! They're almost like a sandal style heel which I think are great for Summer.

This next purchase was a bargain in the sale, It caught my eye last minute and I had to get it. I was pretty stupid taking this picture in front of my white wardrobe as you can't see it very well but I think it will dress up any outfit!

After searching for a new little bag for work I found the cutest little, black rucksack and it fitted, which was impressive as for some reason all the other rucksacks looked too big on me, I debated whether to buy it because I wasn't really meant to spend all my money and after putting it back Chad brought it for me, which was so lovely of him. I love it!

Today when I finished work I was greeted with a delivery, my Bondi Sands gradual tan and exfoliating mitt that I ordered. I am going to use this before prom so I will let you know how I get on with it!

That's everything I brought, I will leave the links to everything (except Primark products) down below, I hope you are all having a nice weekend!

|A line skirt| nude heeled sandals| long sleeveless jacket| Mini faux leather rucksack| Bondi Sands gradual tan| Exfoliating mitt

Exams are over!

Finally, exams are over! I have been waiting for what seems like so long for my exams to finish and today marked the last of my exams. YAY. I am yet again sorry for the inconsistent blog posts, part of that has been due to me having writers block and also the fact that I have been so wrapped up in exams; at least that won't be a problem anymore!

There is no point behind this post, it is merely me having a chat and briefly updating you! I still haven't processed that I have finished school forever and that section of my life is over, how weird? I will officially be entering the working world NEXT MONTH, my summer ends early, however I have to admit I am really excited to start my apprenticeship as I think it will be a great learning opportunity for me. I will definitely keep you updated on how my first day goes and what it's like leaving school!

Despite the fact my summer ends very early, I am not too bothered as I am lucky enough to be going on two holidays this year! One of which is to Spain (I think) and the other France, I am so excited as I love seeing different places and I will definitely be taking lots of photo's to share with you, photo diaries are definitely my favourite blog posts to do, and it means I can go holiday shopping!

There are several things I want to restart/start now I am free from school and exams, the first one is start the gym, prior to exams I had a workout routine which I did several times a week however I want to start the gym instead of doing it in my own room as I feel it will help me stay motivated and make it more appealing! The next thing is I want to start doing more with Sally (my horse) as I have had to leave her to my mum during the exam period:( I have started riding her again and I am so happy to be back in the saddle. Lastly I want to start showing more attention to my blog again, I have been posting very hit and miss recently and I want to make it a regular thing again!

One last thing, I am SO excited for prom, regardless of how many times I've been told it's overrated I am still excited, simply to wear my dress, as I am in love with it, get my hair and makeup done and see Chad and some friends. I will be posting some photos on here after prom to show you my dress!

I am sorry for this random post but I hadn't posted in so long, so it had to be done! If you have just finished exams then enjoy your summer and if not then I hope you're having a good week!

5 things for those down days!

Everyone has those days where you just feel absolutely rubbish, unmotivated and down, lets face it those days are inevitable as no one can be happy 100% of the time and if someone says they are or tries to act like they are then they're faking happiness..

I thought I would share 5 things/tips that can help you get through those dreaded days and hopefully make you feel a little better.

1. Go for a nice bath, give yourself some time to relax and once you are out put on a good play list and do your hair, makeup or just put on some nice clothes- I find that this makes you feel better about yourself and that instantly improves your mood (In my opinion)

2. Try and get out of the house, whether it's to meet with some friends or going for a relaxing walk on your own, getting out is essential for improving your mood and mind set! If you stay in you'll only feel rubbish and have more time to feel down.

3. Make yourself some nice food and get a nice beverage, If you can, try and reach for something healthy like a chicken salad or some nice pasta, if you eat crap then it will reflect on your mood and your body- only making you feel worse! My go to drinks are normally peppermint tea, camomile tea or some water with ice and lemon, I am aware these aren't to everyone's tastes however they are amazing for your health and great for relaxing.

4. Exercise! Releasing good endorphins through exercise is a great way to lighten your mood and get you motivated, It doesn't have to be anything drastic, a little jog around the village or taking your dog on a walk will do! If you feel hesitant towards exercising then just go for it, you will feel better for it after.

5. A feel good movie, this one's simple however sometimes it can really help to improve your mood! Try and avoid anything that will make you feel sad, as tempting as it is it's only going to reflect on your mood...Your favourite series or film might just cheer you up a little.

That's all for today's post, I'll be back with another post soon!