my time away (text post)

Wow, nearly 2 months without blogging. I think that's a record for me. The last time I blogged was on the 4th of April and it seems like such a long time ago (which it was really). A lot has happened in that time and my main reason for not blogging is purely the fact I've been busy (same old excuse eh?). I wanted to start posting again sooner but I thought I should do a little post explaining where I've been, what I've been up to etc and I was going to do it in the form of a video. My very first one! Now I did film the video and I was really happy with it considering I couldn't edit it (due to the lack of video editing software). However, blogger decided not to cooperate with me and won't upload my video. Brill. It keeps saying there was an error with the upload but doesn't tell me what exactly the error is. I thought about uploading it via YouTube but I'm not ready for my debut on there and as I mentioned on the video that you guys won't be able to see (bummer), I feel that it's easier for my friends (who don't know i have a blog) to find me on YouTube than on blogspot. Anyway, enough about that, on to the main topic of this post!

          why i'm doing this post

It's basically just because I've been away and didn't want to go straight away into blogging without any explanation of my lack of posts. I also didn't want to start of my next post with a 'sorry for my absence' type thing that I usually put at the start of my posts. Not only do I have a lot of blogposts to write up, I also have an unbelievable amount to catch up on of other's blogs that I haven't read. I think that reaches about 3 months worth of blogposts to read from other people's blogs. I do have tomorrow off from school so I think that would be a good opportunity to catch up on some of my much loved blogs!

          recommendations

So in my video, I showed what I was filming on top of which was a VANs shoe box and some books that are in my 'next to read' pile. They include Dracula by Bram Stoker, Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, The Hours by Michael Cunningham, In True Blood by Truman Capote, Hard Times by Charles Dickens (these books were from the reading group i was part of at my school), The Bad Tuesdays: Twisted Symmetry, One Seriously Messed Up Week In The Otherwise Mundane And Uneventful Life Of Jack Samsonite by Tom Clempson (the authors of these two books came to a book fair at my school and they both sounded really interesting so i thought i'd get them) and finally Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (i read the first book ages ago and haven't had chance to get onto the second one unfortunately, hopefully soon eh?). I took this as an opportunity to ask for some book recommendations. I love reading and usually read any type of book as long as it sounds interesting. If I end up not liking it, I persevere with it until the end. I'm currently reading Peter The Great by R K Massie, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire (a real mix as you can see). I loved the first book but it's taking me a little longer to get stuck into the second one. My dad's nearly done reading it so I'll probably get stuck into it when he's finished. I'm also struggling to find time reading books as I'm constantly reading prospectus' for universities (i go in 2013 so the next year and a half is a big'un for me). Not only do I ready actually copies of books but my dad recently got an iPad so I got his Kindle and I have six books on that - Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom, The Luxe by Anna Godbersen and The Single Girl's To Do List by Lindsey Kelk. So yeah, after all that, all I want is some book recommendations. If you want to see any of the other books I plan to read then take a look at my Goodreads page. Also, speaking of recommendations, if any of you have any iPhone apps you think I should get, please let me know! I recently transferred from BlackBerry to iPhone and I'm so glad I did. I LOVE my new phone, it's brilliant! I have all the obvious posts but if you have any good ones that not many people have heard of, do comment.

          what i've been up to

The main thing that has consumed my time is my exams and the revision for it. I had 7 AS exams and I had to work very very hard for them (i feel that it all paid off though!) so blogging wasn't my main priority, unfortunately. My last exam was on the 29th of May but other things have been happening since then. I've also recently got a job of Costa Coffee and I work some pretty tough hours which means that when I get home on a Saturday/Sunday I just have no effort to do anything else. But ah well, it's so worth it (£6.10 an hour, yes!). I also have had to increase the number of driving lessons I have to make up for the ones I missed during my revision/exam period and also, my test is next Tuesday. How crazy?! I don't feel like I'm ready but please pray for me! I want to pass first time most definitely! During my time away from blogging I have also had a holiday. From the 31st of May to the 6th of June, I went to Italy with two of my best friends (one of which has a house there in which we stayed). It was the first time I went to Italy and I loved it. We only stayed and visited the rural parts so I'd like to go again and to visit places like Rome, Milan, Venice etc but it was a really good week. However, I was sick on 2 days and my sinuses went into meltdown on 1 day but apart from that, I enjoyed myself. And finally, I went back to school a few weeks ago and I assumed that we'd get a bit of a break from all the hardcore studying we had before exams. But no, we got stuck right back in with year 13 work, fun! It's a little stressful but to be honest, I only have 2 weeks left before I'm done (although saying that, i'm pretty sure my summer is going to be one of the busiest and most stressful i've ever had).

In terms of blogging, I do have a lot to post about including 3 glossyboxes (yes, i am going to post about past ones because i do like to give my view and it'll remind everyone about past products), a MAC lipstick (my very first one, eee!) and 9 wishlists so expect them in the near future. I'm also thinking about doing some posts on my trip to South Africa. I'm leaving on the 11th of July (two weeks today!) and I'm so so so excited. I never thought I'd get the chance and I feel so lucky to be having this privilege. But anyway, I thought that maybe I'd do a 'my south africa wardrobe' post where I take some photos of the clothes I'm taking/the outfits I'll be wearing. Then when I get back I can obviously do posts on the different days. Let me know what you think and if you want to see that.

          what i'm up to in the near future

Blogging obviously! But amongst that I do have a lot coming up and I thought I'd share it with you. I've got 2 weeks left of school and in those two weeks I have my driving test as previously mentioned and I also have some university open days to attend (some in September also) so I think those events will bring stress, nerves and excitement. Then on the 11th to the 23rd of July I'm in South Africa and when I get back I'm on my summer holidays which is very nice indeed. On the 30th, however, I jet off to Egypt with my parents for our family holiday and whilst I've been 3 times before I'm still really excited. We're going to Sharm El Sheikh and staying at the Sharks Bay Hotel which looks gorgeous so expect some posts when i get back from there too. After that I have a week until I go to V festival (my first time - looking forward to it very much!) and in this week I do actually have results day so if you all could pray for me to get good results that'd be brill. After V I have a day back at home before I leave for Leeds festival (unfortunately on my dad's birthday but i should be able to spend the morning with him). All in all, I have an extremely busy summer planned and I want to take you all along with me!

A few other things that I want to mention are the fact I have new hair (just a new colour, aha). It is ginger/ashy with blonde highlights as I wanted to go lighter for summer. I'm planning on growing my hair out now and hopefully going back to my natural colour. I also have a new camera! An SLR actually. It's the D90 18-105 VR Kit. I always used to borrow my dad's and in the end he said he would get me one so I had a good camera for South Africa but I got it early so I could have a practice on it and I love it!

Woaaah, this was a long post. And all text. Sorry about that but I really did want to tell you all everything and a video would have been obviously easier but I've put everything that was in the video in the post. I'm going to also put up a post of pictures from what I was up to whilst not blogging. I have really missed blogging so it's nice to be back and I hope everyone enjoys my future posts. 

march 2012 glossybox

The payment for the April Glossybox was taken yesterday so that post should be coming in the near future but for now I give you the March Glossybox! I'm not going to lie, this was one of the most exciting boxes I've received yet! There was a lot of mystery surrounding it, with Glossybox being very secretive and the ambassadors allowed to attend an event to check it out earlier than everyone else. As a result, pictures were released on Twitter and Tumblr so of course, I checked them out and the mystery was spoiled. I was not disappointed, however, and was still excited when it arrived at my house! Like the December Glossybox (which was red) and the January Glossybox (which was hot pink), the March Glossybox was white and themed. Last month we got treated to the wonderful Harrods edition.

Now, I don't think I have heard of Narciso Rodriguez before so it was nice to get a product from a new brand in this box (as i've heard of all the others). The sample is tiny but I'm quite glad as I'm really uncertain on the scent. It's extremely (this could be an understatement) strong upon a first spray so I have to waft my hand (and blow on it) to bring the smell down. I can still smell it now and whilst it's not unpleasant, I don't think it's the typical perfume I would usually go for. I can't put my finger on what it smells like and the box doesn't say what it contains which is annoying. It reminds me of my mum and/or grandma which is interesting and I'm going to ask my mum tomorrow morning what she thinks of it.

One of my oldest friends bought me a big gift bag of Molton Brown products a few years ago and they still have to be used (assuming they are still in my wardrobe...) so seeing this bath and shower gel in my box has reminded me that they are, in fact, still there. Having this product last month will now hopefully encourage me to use up all the other ones my friend gave me. The smell, 'heavenly gingerlily' is not something I would usually go for but I like it. It's very... fresh? It reminds me of 'cleanness' and fresh clothes and things... Gosh, I really need to work on my describing skills. Overall, I'd say I'm happy with this and I'm looking forward to using it! I shall also keep you updated on whether or not I do finally use my other Molton Brown products.

Now who hasn't heard of YSL? And who doesn't long for one of their products? Luckily, I got the chance to try one out. I have yet to work out how to open the bottle and therefore test it out but when I do I'm sure I'll love it. YSL are always praised for their products and not wanting to be a sheep, I'm quite excited to try out the much loved beauty brand. The only problem is that I got the Forever Youth Liberator Serum and as I'm only 17 so it's not really something I'm looking for but ah well, it's never too early to start worrying about wrinkles!

Now, for the most exciting thing I got in last month's box! A Burberry lipstick! I'm not a big fan of the typical Burberry clothing (i think it's got quite 'chavvy' over the years...) but I'm loving their make up! I got the colour 'Copper No202' and it's wonderful! I've not got a colour like it and by doing a small swatch on my hand I know I'm going to want a full size lipstick soon. It's very glossy and moisturising and looks like a lipgloss. I like the packaging as well as I think it's very simple. Damn you Glossybox for making me lust after expensive beauty products!

And finally, something from Clarins. This is another well acclaimed product in the beauty industry and I remember years ago reading in a magazine about firming creams and lotions but never thinking of trying them out. As I'm going on holiday in less than two months, I don't think this product could have come at a better time! I'm willing to try anything that says it will tone my horrible parts!

Just an end note, I sprayed the Narciso Rodriguez perfume on my hand at the start of the post and now it's left a horrible, stale sort of smell that makes me want to wash it off my hand immediately. I'm not sure whether I'm going to like it now...

So I hope you liked my two Glossybox posts theses past two days, even if they have been really late! I'm off  to bed now as I am absolutely shattered but I shall be back tomorrow with another post! I think I'm going to do it on some Leighton Denny nail polish I got in a past Glossybox or on my latest Latest In Beauty box! And, finally, if anybody was wondering, I passed my Theory Test this morning which I am extremely happy about! I think I've just got to book a driving lesson with my instructor now and then hopefully he'll book my practical!

february 2012 glossybox

I know it's April, I know February was two months ago and I know everybody has already posted about the February Glossybox but I really do like giving my thoughts on what I got. Also, not everybody got the same products as I did so obviously, more posts means more insight into the products. February's Glossybox was the London Fashion Week(end) edition and I really wish I'd got my act together sooner as the little leaflet they included about London Fashion Weekend made me really want to go but by the time I had opened my Glossybox and really sorted through it, it was too late. I doubt I'll ever get to go to a London Fashion Week event so the Weekend sounds like a nice compromise, I think.

www.beccacosmetics.com

I'd never heard of Becca cosmetics before I got the February Glossybox and I'm really happy that this was the first product I got to try from the company. I've only ever had one lip tint before and it was one from The Body Shop that I got free in a magazine and I both liked it and disliked it. The colour was brilliant and I could use it on my cheeks too. It was also really light and I used it mostly whilst away on holiday. But compared to this product, it was extremely watery and it didn't last very long at all. However, this one is thick (pretty much like a lipgloss), pigmented and a really lovely colour. It blends easily as well and seems much lighter than a lipgloss or lipstick so I definitely think I'll be taking this on holiday with me this year. The fact it's water-resistant is a bonus as well!

www.drbronner.com

Unlike a lot of people at the moment, I am not a hand sanitizing 'obsessive'. I wash my hands when necessary, I touch door handles and other public objects but that's about it. I don't particularly like the smell anyway (most smell like cucumbers which i really don't like) and they come out in gel globules (if that makes sense) so slide all over my hand which is really annoying when I'm trying to rub it in. But when I saw this, I thought it was a really good concept. A spray is so much easier and it means you can get just the right amount instead of too much which always leaves your hands sticky. The only problem is the smell. I'm not keen on lavender to begin with but this one has such a strong smell that when I first sprayed it, I had to hold my hand away from me. The smell's died down now but I'm not sure if I want to keep it. I've looked on the website and there doesn't seem to be any other scents which is a real shame because I'd be willing to buy one in another smell. Ah well, I'll just have to give it to one of my germ-phobic friends or something.

www.paul-mitchell.co.uk

I've never used any Paul Mitchell hair care products but they do seem very high end so I'm feeling very happy that I'm getting to try out one of their products in my Glossybox. This one is an oil which is another thing I'm very pleased about. I've read a lot of posts about Moroccan Oil and how brilliant that is but because I don't do much to my hair (i don't use a hair dryer and straighten/curl it about once every 5 years!) so I don't really need the products (or need to spend that amount on them). However, I do have split ends (come on girls, don't we all?) which is not so brilliant but I'm hoping that this oil will hopefully work in reducing the amount I have. I also want it to give my hair some 'oomph' so it's not so flat and lifeless (aha, sounds like a tv advert) but we'll have to see. I'll keep you all posted on the results!

www.bmbeauty.com

Who doesn't need more eyeshadows? Not me! My eyeshadow collection is fast growing and even though I rarely use all of the ones I've got, I'm always on the look out for more. The funny thing is, is that I don't actually own a black (loose) powder. Yes, a black eyeshadow (in my Naked Palette and a Benefit palette) but not a black powder. I also don't have anything from BM beauty, haven't actually heard of it to be honest so I'm looking forward to trying this out and experimenting with a loose powder (i already struggle with loose powder falling down my face with eyeshadows so i'm going to have to get some practice in before using this!).

www. comoshambhala.com

What girl doesn't love a foreign spa product? This shower gel sounds so lovely and I don't even use a shower gel when I have a shower but I think I could start a new routine for this one. However, I hope I don't really like it because it has a hefty price tag on it. I love that it has the word 'INVIGORATE' on it as well as it always makes me think of bright, early, fresh mornings which is what we all want during the week. When searching for the website I also saw that the company have hotels in London and around the world which sounds really interesting. I've never been to a spa before and definitely hope I have the chance to visit one soon!

So, again, I'm sorry this is a couple of months late but like I've mentioned in my past few posts, I'm trying to get on top of my list of posts that I want to blog about (which is actually very long!). Tomorrow's post is going to be on the March Glossybox, I think, so take a look at that when I post it, if you want.

I watched My Week With Marilyn earlier which I really enjoyed and I think Michelle Williams was absolutely stunning in it. I've never really been that interest in Miss Monroe apart from the fact that she is, of course, a female icon but the film has made me really interested in her life. Eddie Redmayne was brilliant in it, also. It was a film I really recommend. And finally, I have my Theory Test tomorrow morning so I'll be needing all the luck I can get if you could send some my way! 

mothering sunday

Wow. Almost a month without blogging. I'm not going to lie, I've missed reading up on my favourite blogs and updating you guys on what I've been up to in my life. I am extremely far behind on my blog reading (i think i have at least a month and a half's worth of blogposts to catch up on) and I have A LOT to blog about. But today I thought I would do a nice little post on what I got up to yesterday for mother's day.

This is what I got my mum. The card is from this gorgeous card shop round the corner from me. It sells the most beautiful cards and I'm always spoilt for choice. I thought it was just really simple and pretty. The CD is 3 discs with a mixture of songs on that are supposed to be nice and relaxing. My mum saw the advert for it and said she would like it so unfortunately no surprises there!

This is what my mum got for me. It was a sort of joke-y present as my mum pretended it was from my cat. I thought it was a really cute idea and I wasn't expecting at all! The reason why she got me this DVD was because I'm currently studying Jane Eyre for my AS level English Literature course and so she thought it would help which I'm really hoping does!

These gorgeous flowers were something my dad got for my mum. I actually didn't know he was getting them so it was really lovely of him to do so. We currently have a lot of bunches of flowers around the house because my mum still has some from her birthday (5th of march) and a teacher from my school gave me a rose as a thank you for helping out at the school concert which was really sweet! I've also decided that I need to buy more flowers for my room as I think they're really pretty and always look really lovely.

Sorry the pictures are a little blurry but I thought I would show you all my first attempt at leopard print nails. I actually did these on Saturday for one of my best friend's birthday gathering but they've lasted pretty well I think. I absolutely adore them and they were surprisingly easy to do. I'm going to take them off tonight and do a plain colour but I'm going to have another go next weekend!

me and the mother (jumper - ryan vintage, leggings - topshop, boots - clarks & bag - a shop in portugal)

The main part of the day was spent going on a nice country walk before going to the pub for a late lunch. We went for a walk at this huge park called Dunham Massey that's about a 20 minute drive from our house and the weather was gorgeous! It's also a deer park so it's always a lovely treat when you catch sight of one. We went to a pub called The Swan With Two Nicks afterwards and it's the place we usually go to after we've been for a walk at Dunham Massey. I had garlic bread to start with and a steak burger with bacon and cheese for my main. I didn't actually manage to finish but my dad ate what I couldn't (that's what they're for isn't it?).

And a last thing, before we went for our walk we headed to the garden centre because my mum needed a new candle and whilst we were there I had a smell of this one and I just had to get it. I'm such a big lover of Yankee Candle's even though I've only ever had one (christmas cupcake which i am trying to finish soon so i can get a start on this one) and can't wait to keep building up my collection. They didn't have any of the large jars in this scent so I just got one of the big tubs with the two wicks. I think it was around £18/£19 so the usual price for a Yankee Candle.

So that's the end of my post and I hope you enjoyed it! I'm hoping to get back into blogging but at the moment it's just a matter of time and priorities. I've got a tap exam on Sunday (cannot wait for it to be over!) and I've been going to a minimum of 4 lessons a week to practice and of course there is school work on top of that but I'm doing okay at the moment so there should be more posts soon! I hope everyone else had as nice a Mother's Day as I did and everyone has a lovely week!