Just A Note: MY blog

It has come to my attention recently that I talk about myself an awful lot on my blog. MY blog.

I'm terribly sorry if people are unhappy with the way that I talk about myself a lot, except I'm not.

This is called meglovestea, not strangerlovestea. I thought that I had made it clear that this blog was about me, and I don't appreciate it when people say I'm arrogant or selfish for writing such things. I write this blog for myself, so that I can spill out my thoughts into writing at the end of the day; think about it as a pre-PG13 diary.

However, I realise that an increased readership can have an effect on what I am expected of at the end of the day. I've even been considering starting a new blog to write about formal-ish things like reviews and keeping this for more informal day-to-day stuff. I am still in the process of deciding whether to do this for the new year, but I don't think I should have to. Anyway, those are just some comments on comments.

Bye!!

ps. on a scale of 1-10, just how egotistical am I?! 10, right?

Also, how cool is this?

wishful wednesday (thursday) #16

I am a bad bad blogger! I missed out on my weekly wednesday blog post (although I was writing it, just happened to fall asleep halfway through; I hope the same doesn't happen now!). I have a little Primark Haul that I intend to upload at the weekend from when I went to Liverpool (basically a massive shopping centre) as well as a few little baking posts that I want to do. However, lack of time from doing the IB and applying to work experience and sleeping and Nanowrimo and shopping (relevant) has left me feeling exhausted with a total lack of motivation. Even whilst writing this now, I am thinking of sleeping (aaahh).

The past week has been fairly stressful with everything (could you tell?) and so right now I am only wishful for a few things:

more time in the day
a higher tolerance to lack of sleep
chocolate (I've given up caring about my jiggly belly)
a long relaxing bath
loads and loads of Lush stuff (have quickly become obsessed)

I've also been thankful for a few things, namely:

the great gatsby
sleep
Glamour magazine (needed entertainment during very stressful times)
notebooks
concealer (makes me look a tiny bit more alive)
big jumpers

Even though I am bitterly disappointed that I didn't manage to do this post yesterday, I still feel happy that it's online. Let's hope I get my shit together and start writing, eh?

Bye!!

Autumnal FOTD/Tutorial

As we're in autumn-winter time now, I thought I would put up a little FOTD of autumnal makeup/general physique.

apologies for the crazy face, this best showed my hair though

For my hair I used my Babyliss curling wand to get loose curls, then used a bit of salt spray to make it look a bit more messy.

I also used some Andrew Barton 'Gloss Boss No Frizz Shine Serum' (bit of a mouthful). I pumped a tiny bit of my fingertips and rubbed it into the ends of my hair just to stop it from frizzing too much as salt spray can be very drying to the hair.

Then I tousled it an awful lot, set it with the freeze setting on my hairdrying (a good way of setting your hair if you don't like to use too much hairspray) then sprayed a little bit of hairspray on it to keep it's shape.

Face-wise, I used a bit of Collection 2000 Lasting perfection concealer and some ELF pressed powder. Then, I popped on a 17 champagney colour on the lid and some MUA matte brown eyeshadow through the crease for definition etc. I made quite a big wing with my Eyeko 'Skinny Mini liquid eyeliner' as you can never go wrong with a cat eye. Then I used Model Co's 'Fibre Lashxtend mascara' for the lashes (this one lengthens and makes them all nice and fluttery, without giving you spider eyes). Finally, I decided on a dark lip as it's autumn and everything, so I used an MUA lipstick in the colour 'Shade 1' (ooooh what a mysterious amazing name).

I may do more of these; I may not. Now I have to go and do all of my holiday work.

Bye!!

wishful wednesday #15

I am currently sitting in a bar in Liverpool (not where I live) as it is half term (woohoo) and we have travelled here (6 hours in which we witnessed a lorry exploding) to see family. The last week has been nice, we had Friday off school which was AMAZING so I slept, felt sorry for myself and went shopping as a bit o' retail therapy. The weekend was fun as I spent it, you guessed it, sleeping. On Monday was the rather large storm that enveloped England by night, and was mocked a fair bit by day. I pay due respect to those who were killed during the storm, and even though I don't really want to go into it now, was pretty disgusted by some of the comments on twitter; some of which completely disrespecting the deceased.

Anyway, moving on from that significantly lower note, these are the things I have been wishful for during the past week:

a nice perfume (although I have no idea which one, despite having accumulated a mountainous collection of samples)

more than one plug in our hotel room

an endless amount of sickness tablets

better feet

a portable version of Fight Club

longer battery life on my phone

Things I have been grateful for are:

remembering my nail clippers

ice cream

my family

toothbrush

the nice painting above my bed in our hotel room

brioche

leather Brenton messenger bag

Bye!! 

Nanowrimo

This year will be the first (hopefully of many) years that I will be taking part in Nanowrimo which stands for 'National November Writing Month', meaning that I will be attempting to write a novel of 50,000 words throughout the month of November. Being a challenge that I have never yet under undertook, I am slightly nervous that I'm going to mess up and write a typical teen try-too-hard novella (inevitable). Therefore, I have signed up to a few forums and the official Nanowrimo website, as I feel like I will need all of the support I can get. 

I have vague ideas for my story so far, but they are not exactly solid, so I am hoping for an enlightenment or a good dream (often where I get most story ideas) to help me along a tad. It doesn't help either that all of two people I know are writing this year. I guess every little bit of moral support counts though. 

If you have stumbled upon this page merely by coincidence or are a regular follower (less likely), please drop me a tweet (@rainbowtonic) or an email (meglovestea@gmail.com) if you are doing Nanowrimo (every little helps, as tesco would say) and we can chit chat. Whatta lot lotta brackets. I am planning to update my progress on this blog throughout the month, but if I forget or bail, it will undoubtedly be on my Nanowrimo profile (meglovestea) if you want to friend me. Wish me luck; I start on Thursday! 

Bye!!

wishful wednesday #14

This week has been another one that has gone by in a second, apart from when I write essays; that tends to be a long process, funnily enough. I've gotten through a fair amount of ice cream as well (where does it all go?) and the pack of chocolate popcorn in my desk drawer is now my most treasured possession. Anyway, these are the things I have been wishful for:

more chocolate popcorn

my nose to be less shiny ALL THE TIME

some jumpers

a nice big trip to primark

half term (last day tomorrow wooooo)

less crappy change

more time

the eucerin dermo-purifier cleanser

shorter hair (soon)

more bloggy ideas

everyone to shut up about kim kardashiwhateveritis

more ice cream

Also, as I like to be grateful for things also, here are those things:

nail polish (apparently it makes my hands look bigger than a 3 year olds; who knew?)

tea (have been tea crazy)

hoobastank

chocolate popcorn

perfume samples from magazines

queen

ice cream

the fact that it is half term in two days

I will be going away for a few days next week to see family, so I may or may not schedule some posts to go up. If I don't, I will turn up somewhere!

Bye!!

Who are you?

I haven't blogged in almost A WHOLE WEEK (this is bad) so I thought I would do a little introduction to who I actually am, seeing as I haven't really done this. (sorry about the somewhat egotistical nature of this post)

I am 16 and I live in the south-east of England in Kent. I am currently studying the IB (equivalent (except harder) than A-Levels), doing English, Film, Psychology, Maths, Physics and French. I like to write and read in my free time, and I had an epiphany when I watched Fight Club (it changed my perspective on EVERYTHING). I am also insane about using nice skin products as I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to my pores. This is me:

 LOOK AT THE DATE! This was the first photo I ever took on my webcam when I was 12

I LOOOOOVE BUENO (found this in my documents)

 Oooh fancy me with my poses (the classic 'arm-out-because-I-broke-the-screen-off-my-laptop' pose)

Hopefully this has enlightened you somewhat on who I am, and perhaps one day I will improve my photography skills.

Bye!!

wishful wednesday #13

This week has been HECTIC, to say the least. I have had a lot lot of school work to do as well as volunteering, which has kinda been taking over my life recently. Have been thinking a lot about stress too; perhaps I make up in my head that I am more stressed than I am to comfort myself, which in turn, makes me really stressed, turning into a massive big paradox because I wasn't actually stressed that much in the first place. This has meant that I haven't (physically) been able to blog as much as I want to, which is getting me a bit down as I love writing. Have a few posts planned though, so hopefully I will start getting into a bit of a routine. Anyway, these are the things I have been wishful for:

better wifi
more babylips (they are AMAZING)
time
new face cleanser and toner (perhaps I will review my current ones; they are running out)
all of the MUA stuff (am truly hooked)
loads of smock dresses to magically appear in my wardrobe
tougher feet
energy
jumpers
more blogging ideas (it's getting started which is the hard part)

Things I have been thankful for are:

old photo of my sister, mum and I
concealer (life saver)
minecraft (SORRY)
day off tomorrow (although have decided that I am still going into school; committed)
foot cream
MUA lipsticks (reviews coming)
popcorn
the lovely people who read this
hat

Bye!!

Best 5 Packet Popcorns

Being a bit of a film nut, I like to have my fair share of popcorn to watch movies with. That may sound odd, but I have found that it is so much easier (and much reduces the chance of microwaves setting alight) if I buy packet popcorn, perhaps rejecting the popular opinion that fresh stuff is better (sorry). I've tried a fair few brands, so I figured I would share my top 5 favourite types of popcorn. Please don't be offended if you (for some reason) prefer salty popcorn; I am very much a sweet-tooth myself. Here we go!

Butterkist is perhaps the most widely known and consumed brand of popcorn, and I agree to why. Their sweet 'cinema style' popcorn is the best sweet popcorn e-v-e-r (although I don't see the difference between normal and cinema style, just saying). There are NEVER any unpopped ones hiding at the bottom (or in the middle, god forbid) which is a total bonus, but this is just the best for any sweet-tooths out there, although it's not the healthiest of them all, I must say (being coated in glazed sugar and everything, mmmm).

Metcalfe is a brand that I have only recently come into knowledge of, despite it being 'the original popcorn brand', but I adore it! Sweet and Salty popcorn is definitely my favourite variety; it gives you a bit of variety instead of it being either too sickly sweet or too salty (you don't want to have the breath of an anchovy). This particular brand is very light and dissolves in your mouth just right, although I have to say, I've has a few incidents with the little shell bits getting stuck in teeth (attractive).

MY FAVOURITE! As Waitrose stocks this in store and there is a store right next to my school, I often venture out at lunch (legally, I'm sixth form wooo) to buy some, and mmmmmm I want some now. It's the best popcorn ever, the perfect consistency and flavouring (but not too overpowering). I can't say enough good things about this popcorn, only thank you to Tyrrells for creating this and if you ever stop making it, I will hunt you down and give you ALL of the Liam Neeson treatment (badass).

Okay, so this isn't exactly proper popcorn, but I couldn't resist including these little nuggets of heaven. Essentially, it is chocolate coated popcorn, which initially doesn't sound like anything special, but DAAYYUMM it's very special. Not one for those trying to maintain a supermodel diet, but a very delicious snack every so often. 

Finally, I couldn't not include this one; Butterkist Toffee popcorn is a bit legendary. I have a few nostalgic memories about it (is that sad?); sitting in the cinema with a little sandwich bag full of this stuff, counting how many I had and dividing up sections of the movie, allocating one piece of popcorn for each part. Good times. The slightly off-putting factors about this popcorn are that it is very prone to getting stuck in the teeth, and also isn't great for the health. Other than that, it's a total winner.

I enjoyed writing about food, maybe I will do more of these. 

Bye!!

wishful wednesday #12

During the past week, I have been rather frustrated at the fact that I've not been able to blog as much as I would have liked to due to crappy internet (hence why this will be uploaded on my phone), but I want to persevere it by any means necessary. I've also been pretty stressed because of school work blah blah blah, as well as going out a few times. As I think I've mentioned before, I volunteer at my locals Beavers unit on Mondays and last night there was an open mic night (at a local pub that did a deal with my music school), so I went for a few hours. However, I do actually love everything that I do in and out of school, so it doesn't bother me too much about time management. Anyway, these are the things I've been wishful for recently:

amazing clothes (specifically dresses) in magazines (specifically glamour and marie claire)

giant chocolate buttons

rubicon mango juice (have ran out)

the new max factor whipped creme foundation (even though I tend not to wear foundation)

the amazing red coat I saw in a charity shop (but then some bum bought it so I will NEVER own it)

And the things I've been thankful for:

the last of the mango juice

sleep

glamour/marie claire

lil perfume samples

lasting perfection concealer

fiona apple

I know there's not an awful lot this week, but it has been a bit of a daze, so don't blame me.

Bye!!

'Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the musical' review

Not too long ago, I went to see Priscilla (I have a habit of going to see shows with unfathomably long names, which is why it shall henceforth be known as said name) with my mum at our local theatre, so I thought I would blog my experience. WARNING: contains spoilers!

In a nutshell, Priscilla is a story about three transvestite lip-sync performers who take a trip to the Australian outback in a bus named 'Priscilla' to perform Kylie (minogue) on Ayers Rock, frocks and all. I want to start by saying that the costumes and make-up were INCREDIBLE, so a massive thumbs up to the department from me. My favourite costume was perhaps the paintbrush costumes, however I loved all of them.

Another stand-out feature of the show was the dancing; those guys were more flexible than I am addicted to kinder bueno (mucho). The chorus were absolutely amazing as well as the main characters, and the audience participation was a nice touch. Perhaps my favourite part of the show was the three mermaid-narrator-fish-women. They had astounding voices, and I only wish they were on stage more often.

Overall, I loved the show, and would rate it one of the best I've ever seen! It was hilarious in all the right places with amazing music and a perfect balance of emotive parts, but not too OTT with the tranny jokes. I would give a 8½ out of 10.

Bye!!

ps. my internet has been playing up so my posts may be a little irregular until I get it sorted :(

wishful wednesday #11

This is a late one, and will probably go out on thursday anyway (I'm a bit stressed), but regardless, these are the things I've been wishful for over the past week:
new coat
to put more effort into this blog and write better things
work experience working at a lil magazine/newspaper
travel to Italy
new photos printed (specifically since the era of the fringe)
sleep
have the natural scent of smoothie star (s&g)
work for the bbc at some point in my life
less essays (my hand hurts)
primark super cosy black tights
my cacti to do something (they're growing less fun to look at, but not actually growing)

Also, as always, things I am thankful for:
being able to go and see loads of theatre shows
my new boots which make me taller
the great gatsby
chocolate eclaires
killer queen
hot drinks machine in school
finding old gems of photographs

Bye!!

'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' review

On the 20th September, I went along to the Marlowe to see 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat', which is a pretty famous musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. An added bonus: Ian Watkins aka H from Steps was Joseph!! I saw H in the flesh! It was awesome; having grown up admiring him.

Look at that face!

Very jazzy

One of the most amazing parts of the show was the music and the band that went with it. There was virtually no spoken dialogue as everything was sung. The main focus of the show was definitely on the music and visual display rather than the storyline, hence, I found it a bit jumbled and random, if I'm being perfectly honest. We were sitting in the upper circle, and I'm not sure this was why, but the singing was also quite echoey and it was hard at points to understand what exactly was going on. The voices were amazing though (especially H) and the dancing of the chorus was great; all perfectly in sync.

Overall, I loved the show, but I wish there had been more of a prominent focus on the storyline, even though the music was amazing. I recommend going to see it if you like the music to dominate the show, and I would give it a 7/10.

Bye!!

wishful wednesday #10

Double figures! I have officially been writing these posts for 10 weeks now, which makes me very happy. The fact that I have been able to keep this up is both astonishing and odd to me. It may not be a massive thing to others (who perhaps write daily blogs for years), but I generally give up on things like this fairly quickly, so thumbs up to me!

This week has been alright, although I cannot think of a time (with the exception of going to see Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat, review coming soon) when I have not felt tired. It feels like I haven't really been doing much work (yay), although I am sure that I will be up to my knees on it soon. I have been walking everywhere, which has perhaps contributed to my tiredness (have also lost weight), or perhaps it's just the HPA (psychology students to the ready).

Anyway, the things that I have been wishful for are:
cappucinos to be more tasty
understanding of IB Physics
a nice new lip balm
sleep
all of the MUA lipsticks
nice smooth glossy hair (have turned into a frizzball)
croquembouches
to lose the snuffles

Finally, the things I have been grateful for:
having been able to do this for ten weeks
good skin days (all thanks to the Body Shop Vitamin E range, may review soon)
sleep
Marie Claire this month (amazing issue) and also Glamour every month
cappucinos for keeping me awake
david tennant (sanity)
MUA (am obsessed at the moment)
fruit smoothies (especially blackberry ones)
dean martin

Bye!!

MUA Nail Polish

MUA is a brand that, essentially, I'm a bit obsessed with due to their low prices and great products. I think everyone in blogger land has heard of and loved the palettes (as have I), but recently, I have found a lot of love in the nail polishes. At £1 each (!!!!!), they are a complete bargain and great quality.

I own a few of their old ones and a few of the new essie-esque packaging ones. I cannot express how much I love love love them. They have a great colour range and even though it often takes a couple of coats to get the colour on the bottle, they last for a fair bit of time on the nails before chipping. Obviously, they cannot be compared the the likes of other much more expensive brands (due to their ability to last longer), but at a fraction of the price, these are great for those on a limited budget. I also am in love with the size of the bottle; not too big so they are impractical, but not too small so that you get hardly an product. Overall, a 7/10 for me.

Where you can buy them: http://www.muastore.co.uk/index.php/nail-polish-1. My favourite shades are Bold Blue, Stormy Skies and Plum Noir.

Bye!!

how to: the best blackberry smoothie

The other day, I made the most wonderful blackberry smoothie (although one of the overpowering tastes seemed to be banana, funnily enough), so I felt inclined to recreate and share it!

Ingredients:

1 Banana, 1/2 Nectarine, a few chunks of Melon (don't worry, not the whole thing), about 15 blackberries and about 50-100ml Rubicon Mango Juice. If you don't like any of these fruits, then you can obviously substitute some fruits, but this is the best way in my opinion.

Tools:

A whizzy thing and a jug that it fits nicely into. Or a blender. Anything will do.

Method:
First, put the blackberries into the bottom of the jug (they are the easiest to blend).

Then, slice up the banana and pop it in on top of the black berries (I love banana). I ended up eating a few bits of the banana along the way, naughty (except not, because it is banana).

Next is the melon. Cut up the melon (I have no words to explain how to do this) and get a couple of chunks to pop in. Cut them into small pieces so that it is easier to blend, then put them in the jug.

Do the same with the nectarine; cut it up into small pieces and pop it in.

Next, to make it a bit more liquidy, pour in some Rubicon Mango Juice (if you have read my wishful wednesday posts, you will know how much I am in love with the stuff). It all depends on personal preference, but I prefer my smoothie to be really thick, so I only pour it up to where the fruit stops (generally a good rule).

WOAH ACTION SHOT

Now you need to mush it all up with the blender, so do quick but frequent pulses, which will make it into liquid form, but still with a bit of texture. Feel free to do it for longer if you like it a bit more liquidy. Do this until it's all one colour and generally looks even.

Sorry about the fact that it rather resembles sick here.

Garnish with a few leftover blackberries and grab a straw; you have your smoothie! Enjoy! This accounts for roughly 3 of your 5 a day and it very very delicious; give it a go!

Bye!!

wishful wednesday #9

This week has been a bit stressful for me, but also a very happy one. I have updated my music collection (it is AMAZING), sorted my desk out and done all of my school stuff. I have also been doing a bit of volunteer work for CAS and comforting my friends on their misfortunes. It perhaps doesn't sound all too much, but I have wanted to just curl up and read a good book for a few hours. It is rather comforting that it is past the middle of the month though, as it feels as if it has been September for years (I am sick of it). Anyway, these are the things I have been wishful for this week:

less dry skin
a job
time
the new series of doctor who
so many curlywurlys
have a special occasion to go to (I want to wear a new dress)
curl up in a ball and read a book
black ankle boots for winter
my friends to be happy
simon to not have any babies (have an uninvited pet spider)
my laptop to connect to the printer properly (mundane, but it's so frustrating)
my cacti to be more eventful (although I still love them)

As always, here are the things I have been thankful for (although I was thinking that for alliteration purposes, this should have been on Tuesday or Thursday. Never mind):

dopamine
film studies(keeps me sane)
black woolly tights
high school never ends (the song, not the concept)
music (in general)
free periods in school
terminator 2
Bridget Jones for teaching me that not everything is perfect (bit morbid, but I love it)
new dress
lush FUN

Bye!!

Lush FUN - Review

I have been a big fan of Lush as a brand ever since it opened a branch in my city centre - about a year ago. Before, I didn't really get why some of my friends loved the brand so much that they would travel to London specifically to get some bath stuff; oh boy, I really do now. All of the products at Lush are completely organic and do not use animal testing, which is an amazing bonus to the whiff you get when you walk in; all of their products smell incredible. They have a range of brilliant products; baths bombs, make-up, shower gel, and more recently, a multi-tasking bath product called FUN.

The general idea of FUN is to wash whilst having, you guessed it, fun. I think I am slightly outside of the demographic; the product being a playdough-esque texture to make things with, but that wasn't initially the thing that appealed to me. As I said, the product is multi-purpose, which makes it a real gem for shower time, as it can be used for hair, body and bath, as well as creating little works of art. I got the pink one, and it comes in cellophane wrapping (which is biodegradable woo), but I dismembered it into a soap pot (have no idea what it is actually for, but it is air-tight):

Do mind my messy room, won't you?

Dismembered into the pot (it does have a lid)

I have to say, I have heard that some people don't like the smell of this too much, but I ADORE it! Also, you only need the most tiny bit in your shower to wash your whole body. It works by dissolving in water and it leaves my skin so soft and the aroma lingers for hours and hours afterwards. I find this uncommon with soapy shower gel type products, but I will be using this for the next forever thank you very much Lush. Overall, a 4/5, very nice.

Bye!!

Things I'd like to do

During the past few weeks, I have been thinking pretty deeply about what I want to achieve in life and things I'd like to experience. After much consideration, I've worked out a list of a few things:

Living in London

I would love so so much to live in London; it would be a dream. My best bud has told me all about the pollution and potential muggings and transportation, but I would simply love to experience it, even if I wasn't to live there for my whole life. As many might, I love the anonymity and the fact that anything can happen. Some may find this a bad trait, but I find it exciting. I feel that everything happens in London, and despite the high living costs, it would be amazing to be at the centre of it all.

Travelling

In my past, I haven't really travelled all too much or experienced many different cultures, leaving me thirsty for knowledge. Different cultures and ways of living is something that I found difficult to keep up with when I was younger, so I simply didn't bother learning about other countries. However, now that I am a bit older, I find myself more drawn to the idea of breaking out of routine and experiencing new things. Obviously it would be daunting at first, and knowing me, I would lose all of my possessions, but even so, I'm pretty set on doing it at some point.

Buy my own house

I'm not talking about buying a house with a prospective partner, but just for a bit, I would like to live in my own place that I could do whatever I liked with. I'd love to have dinner parties at my crib and be able to tell people to 'take the spare room' for the night. Obviously it will cost me money, but it's something I am passionate about achieving at some time in my life; being completely independent. Even better than this, I would love to build my own house to live in (I have it designed and everything), but I don't really see that happening any time soon.

Get a job

This seems like the obvious thing to do, but when I say job, I don't mean McDonalds (sorry). I would love to get a job doing something that I love, even if I don't quite know what that is yet. It would be incredible to have a job that I love, as well as being able to pay the rent and get by (or, like the aforementioned, buy my own house). 

Write and Direct a short film

This is rather recent, but I would love to write a professional short film, and then direct it and see it come to life. I have always known that I love stories but never really a way of telling them. I did GCSE Drama for three years, and found through it that I love directing, sharing my ideas, and putting a scene together. Then, only over this summer, I found through various experiences, that even though I love watching theatre, I prefer more preserved forms of art, such as Film. I already have various ideas, but I will have to wait until I have budget to do it (sad).

Get Married

This is another thing that seems obvious to most people, but if I'm telling the truth, I'm really only just warming round to the idea of getting married. It's not that I am some androphobic feminist, but the idea of getting married and having to share everything with one person scared me a little. Now that I think about it, it would be incredibly lonely to grow old unmarried, but I'm still not really one of those girls who is desperate for kids. Quite the opposite in fact. I do like kids and babies but I just don't want to spend so much time (that I have worked hard for) only to give up my job to become a mother. I guess this may change over time, but at the moment, it just doesn't appeal to me.

Do something to do with music

I have a massive passion for music, especially vinyl records (don't get me started <3), but as I don't play any instruments (unless you count vocals), I doubt I would get many places doing it as a career. I do grades at the moment in vocals, which I hope will come into use at some point in my life, like perhaps joining a little band and writing a few songs; you never know. I have a fantasy of singing at a wedding (actually being hired; I don't mean the inevitable sing-a-long, although it will happen) or at an event of some relevance. I have done some school stuff, and party stuff before, as well as being Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at my school, but I wasn't paid or anything. Even if I don't, I've still had fun doing it though!

Living in America

Specifically New York City, Los Angles and Florida. It sounds a bit cliché that I want to live specifically in these areas, but I don't really mind, I just love the culture. There's me, sounding like a hypocrite (refer back to me not knowing anything about other cultures), but I am fascinated by how different it is to in the UK. I wouldn't want to move permanently, but I would be elated even just to work there for a couple of years.

Be an extra in Doctor Who

This is perhaps a pretty small thing that many would not consider to be a life achievement. I grew up watching the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant, and have since watched vintage episodes (and obviously Matt Smith), so to contribute just one tiny little appearance in a tiny scene in one episode would make me part of it, and is something I could look back on. Also, it would be SO AWESOME!

Get a Degree

I definitely plan on going to university in two years (unless I chose to travel in a gap year), and am thinking at the moment of doing something along the lines of an English/Film joint course degree. I know that many people say that you can't do anything with an English degree, but I would like to work in journalism; be it writing for a magazine or working behind the scenes in a newsroom. Even if I don't end up doing one of these things, I am a free spirit and will see what is around the river bend (bonus points for my reference).

I have probably forgotten to include very important things to me, but these are a few achievements I'd like to get during my lifetime. Hopefully I will achieve some, if not all.

Bye!!

wishful wednesday #8

As it does every year, school starts back in September (obviously), hence I have been rather stressed with getting back into the routine and haven't even found time to blog. However I have so many planned posts that I just need to get round to writing, so I won't be dormant forever! This week has been a good one so far; I have been back at school and am getting used to it, even if a few mishaps with slippery floors and untrustworthy shoes did occur. For the IB, I have to complete 150 hours of things outside of school for the three categories; Creavtivity, Activity and Service (volounteering), hence making up CAS. Therefore, as I want to complete it in the first year, I have started volunteering at my local Beavers group, as well as doing Guides and serving at my church on occasional Sundays. I'm also planning to do the school musical (We Will Rock You this year, am so looking forward to doing it!!!) for activity and creativity, so I feel pretty satisfied with that! My only other problem is that I have no idea what other things I could do for activity and creativity... I don't really do sport apart from walking and jogging, so I will need to start something structured, and I also have no idea for creativity (although I think I could use my vocal lessons and I want to join the school newspaper).

Anyway, I have rambled on and on for too long about school, here are the things I am wishful for:
my calculator to work (it is like £70 to buy a new one.. insane, I know)
better memory of physics and french from last year
one of those mini denman brushes that attach to your keys
a novelty shower cap
more scarves (all this time I have been looking forward to winter, I haven't even been prepared)
bedroom to tidy itself again
to work for glamour one day
have a tap for mango juice (only rubicon though, that's the best)
blister on the bottom of my foot to go away

I have also been very appreciative of generally being in school circumstances at the moment, even though I am usually very keen to get away from it all. Seeing as I only have two years left, I have come to realise that I will have to make real-life choices and be properly independent very soon. Anyway, this has made me more thankful of the things I take for granted in everyday life, and here they are:
life of pi (good book, am doing for english woooo)
rubicon mango juice
I finally found a coke bottle with my name on it (although it was diet; I think they are trying to tell me something)
general school
great expectations (book)
the old great expectations movie
harrison ford
www.the90sbutton.com
mambo no 5
opaque tights
peaches & clean

Bye!!

wishful wednesday #7

This is going to be very short as I have work. Here are things I am wishful for:

new body shop creams

all of the mua lipsticks ever

my cacti to be a bit more lively

no work

winter (still)

another dress like my favourite one, but different

a jungle room

And the things that I am thankful for:

summer almost coming to an end

my cacti

ice cream

water (I read a poem)

my concealer (life saver)

my tiny hands (for once; I could break free from my bag)

This was a short one, but never mind.

Bye!!

school bag essentials

The first day of school is a daunting one, and with school starting again in a few days, I thought it would be apt to blog about things that are essential to take with you on the first day. This is generally for high school, although can be adapted.

Planner
I guess this doesn't really count as it is given to students (in my school anyway) on the first day of school, but planners are essential to write down all of your work and remember places you have to be if you are as forgetful as I am.

Pencil Case
To write things (100% possibility that you will have to), please please don't forget your pencil case. Things you should have are:
3 Black/Blue pens (don't take 10 at once, you will lend them to people who won't give them back because of your new found power, and they will take up space; who uses 10 pens in one day?)
3 Pencils (same rule applies)
5 Pens of a different colour (sometimes teachers like you to use different colours for different topics, and who doesn't like a bit of colour?)
Black Sharpie (these come in extremely handy for posters)
Rubber (you could even go insane and buy a rhino rubber; I called mine Phillip)
Sharpener (sharpen those bad boys up)
Ruler (just take a 15cm one, the longer ones are inconvenient for carrying unless it is a magical bendy one)
Maths Set (protractor, compass, other ruler shape things)
Scientific Calculator (or just a normal one)

Lunch
I take lunch with me everyday and much prefer it to school dinners because it is so much more convenient (you can eat any time you like) and much less expensive. I take a sandwich, 2 pieces of fruit, a sweeter thing (like cake mmmmm) and a carton of fruit juice. Free mini milk cartons are no longer around unfortunately.

Plasters
It's likely that you will have new school shoes for the new year (feet tend to grow), so it is also likely that you will have to endure breaking them in. As this is not a nice process, it is best to take some plasters to ease the pain.

Paracetamol
At the start of a new term especially, this is vital for headaches and others ills that may prevent you getting through the day with ease.

Water Bottle
I normally just take a 300ml little bottle filled with tap water, or bigger if I'm feeling crazy. Vital for summer and useful to have the rest of the year to quench your thirst during lessons.

Phone
Not allowed to use in school, but a must to keep in touch. It's simple communication needs.

Keys
If you plan to ever enter your house again, it's a good idea to take a key. Also, a key is needed for your locker (provided at school usually), and I keep a mini torch (to do what, I don't know), and some things to bulk it up so they don't get lost forever in the depths of my school bag.

Mini Make-Up Kit
Not generally one for the guys (unless you're into that kind of thing), but vital to top up over the course of the day. I take concealer (collection 2000 lasting perfection like everyone has), a little custom palette (current one mentioned in my ELF post), liquid eyeliner (eyeko skinny liquid liner), mascara (soap and glory thick & fast) and a lip product (changes regularly).

Lip Balm
I don't count this in my mini make-up kit as I keep it in my pocket for quick top ups during the day. I normally use Vaseline or Carmex (people will freak out, thinking you are putting super glue on your lips), as these are the best. Also, as pleasant as it is, I tend to bite the skin off of my lips when I am nervous, so it is definitely a must around exam time.

A Safety Pin
Let's face it, you always need one for something.

Ipod+Headphones
I walk to and from school, so this is just a case of entertainment. Headphones are also useful for lessons to listen to sound (obviously).

Umbrella
Rainy rainy England means that it is vital to take an umbrella or some sort of rain-protective headgear so as to not get soaked to the bone, as I have made the mistake many a time before.

Bye!!

ELF Haul + Review

Even though I'm not exactly what one would call a beauty blogger, I do get a lot of thrills out of reading beauty blogs, hence encouraging me to do some of that sort myself. A couple of months ago, as a treat to myself for finishing my exams (well, half of them), I found myself on the ELF website, with a basket full of a lot of products. ELF is such a good brand, and their products are such good quality for how much you pay. I would pay much more for some products than I actually did, so I'm pretty darn happy. Also, I bought it all while the sale was on, so everything was so so cheap and it made my bank balance very satisfied.

I got two tool things; the Mechanical Eyelash Curler because I needed new ones and the Professional Shine Eraser sheets as I was curious to try them, having never done before. The eyelash curlers are pretty standard but do a great job. They get right into the corners and curl the outer lashes as well, so for £1.50 (reduced from £3.75), they are well worth it. 

As I said, I was curious to try the Shine Eraser sheets as it's a concept I had only just come across, and oh boy, do I love them. I get pretty oily skin during the summer, especially on my nose, so these were a godsend. I use one before make-up application when it's a warm day, and it absorbs a lot of the oiliness from my face, giving me a nice blank canvas. I also pop them in my bag whenever I go out, just in case my skin transforms into butter during the day, and I will definitely be using them during the new school year. They were £1.50 for 50 small sheets (bargain).

I got two nail polishes; 'Smoky brown' and 'Innocent', both quite muted colours. 'Smoky Brown' is a (surprise surprise) brown colour, and 'Innocent' is a creamy colour. I like the consistency of these, as they are quite thin and lightweight, but still have a really good pigmentation. This is also good for my tiny tiny hands and nails, as they don't gloop on the nails (technical term). These were £1 each, reduced from £2.50.

darker colour in real life

I'm not that into bronzers and blushes because my face is pretty pink anyway, but I did get a Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder in 'Sun-Kissed' as a bit of an experiment. I think it's a good product with great colour pay-off but I will never use it as it just doesn't match my skin tone as I don't tan or have a very bronzey skin tone. However, I have used it as a goldy-brown eyeshadow, and even though the formula is a bit different, it works well. Also, it was only £1.50!

goldy-browny colour in real life

Also for the face, I got the Clarifying Pressed Powder in the lightest shade, Ivory. I am SO impressed with this, especially as it was only £1.50; it gives me a nice matte finish without looking chalky or cakey, and is pigmented enough to make my skin look really clear, but not overbearing. I highly recommend this and think it is in line with the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder, which has been raved and raved about. I will definitely be repurchasing!

My most loved product that I bought actually consists of 5 products, as it is a custom palette. It has 4 slots, 3 of which I filled with eyeshadows in 'Pink Ice', 'Moondust' and 'Aubergine', and 1 with a lip colour in 'Berry Brown'. I adore this palette and cannot say enough about how amazing the eyeshadows are. I use 'Pink Ice' for highlighting in the inner corner and brow bone because it is a gorgeous shimmery creamy colour, and it opens my eyes up insane amounts. I also sometimes use it to sweep across the lid if I'm having a lazy day and just want something there.

'Moondust' is a light brown taupey colour, with a subtle goldy shimmer to it and I use this sooo much for the lid, or sometimes to contour with 'Pink Ice' on the lid for a lighter look. It reminds me of 'Satin Taupe' by MAC, and it it great for an everyday nude eye look.

a bit more brown in real life

The final eyeshadow, 'Aubergine', is dark dark purple, also with shimmer, and I use this for contouring in the crease. It is a very dark colour but when blended out goes perfectly with 'Moondust'.

darker in real life

The colour pay-off on all of these eyeshadows is phenomenal and I will certainly be repurchasing. As well as these, 'Berry Brown' is a great addition to the palette; a browny-red lip gloss/balm. I don't generally wear lip gloss and the formula to this is more in between being a balm and a gloss, as the finish is quite muted. Nevertheless, I really like it to spruce up my lips with a bit of colour during the day.

Each product, including the palette itself is £1.50 now, but in the sale the make-up elements (not the palette) were 45p each, which is completely insane and I have no idea why I didn't buy more.

The only other lip product I got was a Studio Matte Lip Colour in 'Praline', and oh boy, I love it. I'm not too big on having glossy, shiny lips and I much prefer matte products, so finding this was a dream. It has a similar consistency to a matte lipstick, except it lasts a lot longer and is a bit thicker, which is perfect for going back to school next week. The only thing I would say about this is that I wish there was a bigger colour range; I find that a lot of lip products on the high street have a glossy finish, and that just doesn't appeal to us matte girls. Even so, I love this product intensely, and it was £2.50, reduced from £3.75 (look at me going all up market).

darker in real life; very similar to 'Berry Brown' from the custom palette

Another brilliant product that I got was the Eyelid Primer in 'Sheer', which keeps my eye make-up on all day. It absorbs instantly and leaves my eyelids a blank canvas; I hate it when a primer has too much pigmentation. In my opinion, it is comparable to the Urban Decay Primer Potion, so at only £1.50, I will definitely be repurchasing.

I hate to be mean about products, but I must be honest, the Brightening Eye Colours that I got in 'Ethereal' and 'Ocean Dreams' (don't know why I bought Ocean dreams as I have blue eyes, so it would never suit) aren't for me. They have little colour pay off and I was bitterly disappointed because they are actually really nice colours. I tried all that was humanly possible; using a wet brush, and scraping off the surface, but still, there would be no pay off unless I ground them into a loose powder (but I'm not that desperate). I don't really mind though, as they were only £1 (reduced from £1.50) each, so it is to be expected.

I'd never tried cream eye shadow before buying the Duo Eye Shadow Cream in 'Mocha Swirl', as I get quite oily eyelids. However, I love this one with all my heart (almost). It has two colours; one a light lilacy purple and the other a deep brown. I was a little apprehensive at first, but these have grown on me massively. With a good primer (ELF one), they blend amazingly, and the consistency is very smooth. I think it is brilliant for autumn, and I have thoroughly enjoyed this, and hope to buy some more colours. This was £1, reduced from £1.50 (WOW).

Finally, I bought two more things for the eyes; the Waterproof Eyeliner Pen and Individual False Lashes, both in Black. I don't like the eyeliner because even though the nib is a nice shape and would be good for precision, there is virtually little pigmentation to the liquid. It's disappointing, but for £1.50, I can't complain all too much as it does work, just not very well.
UPDATE: I have recently gone back to this eyeliner pen and am completely in love with it. I think that the little colour pay-off was because it was a new product, and it works perfectly now. Have repurchased since!

I bought the lashes for my prom, because I can't stand using normal lashes as they feel heavy on my eyes. It turns out that I didn't actually use them for prom (lack of time), but I do like them a lot. The glue in the pack is actually pretty good; it lasts the whole night, but doesn't hurt my eyelid when I take them off. At only £1.50, I am very impressed.

This order alone has made me love ELF as a brand so so much, and I will definitely be repurchasing some items and trying out some brushes next time I order. The brand is such good quality and so insanely cheap that even if you get a bit carried away, it won't break the bank. ELF have a little sale on at the moment, and there is a 1p postage offer this week (it's amazingly cheap already and they still have sales; sign of a good brand), so I highly recommend getting a few things!

All bought at: http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/page/home

Bye!!

ps. does it sound like justin timberlake is saying 'pocket full of soap' in 'mirrors', or is it just me?