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!!