Currently | June 2015

I know I'm a fortnight late with this post, but better late than never, though, right? 

Wearing / latest fashion purchases

I added two new fit and flare jersey dresses from Dorothy Perkins to my wardrobe in May. One is orange-red with a large floral print, the other a dark coral with small pineapples all over it. They're both great casual dresses for Summer, and ideal for throwing on over a pair of leggings with ballet pumps or sandals. No effort needed. Sometimes it's necessary to keep things as fuss-free as possible. The dresses are just £18, and go up to a UK size 22, and you can find the floral frock here, and the pineapple frock here. 

Accessorising

I treated myself to a lovely pair of mint green leather ballet pumps in New Look's sale last month, and the best part is, they were only £8! £8 for wide-fit leather shoes?! Hell yes! I still need to stretch them out a bit as I'm cursed with super wide feet, but I'm pretty impressed with them for the price. They're no longer available in mint online, but a couple of other colours are available full price, including black and tan.

I also snapped up a few novelty bags from Matalan in May (post here), and I'm completely smitten with my watermelon clutch. The quality is pretty damn great considering it was just £8. It's roomy for a clutch, too, and it's just so fun to use. 

Beauty products I've been enjoying

A couple of months ago I won a big pot each of The Body Shop's Cocoa Butter body scrub and body butter, and oh how I love them- and not just because they smell absolutely divine. I started using them on my legs and feet in May, and I now have the softest pins. Like all of The Body Shop's body butters, the cocoa butter version is so nourishing, even on tougher skin like my knees and elbows. The body scrub has the consistency of wet sand, and as it's a gritty scrub, it's been working wonders on my feet. My feet have been in a sorry state for months years because I can't stretch very well right now, but the scrub has transformed them in to the softest, silkiest size sixes I've had in years. 

Another Body Shop product I've been enjoying is the satsuma hand cream, which is one of my favourite TBS products. It gives me the softest hands. I can't stop using it. I'm a little bit addicted to the satsuma scent, but especially during Spring and Summer because it smells like sunshine.

I also love the smell of Original Source vanilla and raspberry shower gel, which smells like strawberry Mini Milk and Funny Feet ice lollies. Amazing. I picked this shower gel up for £1, but don't let the price put you off- Original Source shower gels are brilliant and lather really well. I love 'em.

On my face, I've been using my old Bourjois blusher in Golden Rose / Rose d'Or quite a lot over the last month or two. The colour is quite subtle and natural-looking on my pale skin, and it has a golden shimmer running through it that adds a healthy glow, especially in the Summer sunshine. I've had it for about a year, and it's one of my favourite blushers. It has the cutest packaging, too.

Watching

I can't think of any new films or TV shows I watched last month, but I did watch a bunch of my old favourites. Including: Australia, Water For Elephants, The Book Thief, P.S. I Love You, The Time Traveller's Wife, Shutter Island, and The Holiday.

Listening

Most played? Linkin Park's The Hunting Party album. Until It's Gone is my favourite track.

Reading

I still haven't found my reading mojo, and only finished one book in May, The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. I'm now about a third of the way through the second book in the series, The Infinite Sea.

Drinking and Eating
I discovered the most amazing rhubarb-flavoured soft drink a couple of months ago when I was in Wholefoods in Cheltenham- Cawston Press rhubarb and sweet apple. I'm very fussy when it comes to drinks, but I love rhubarb flavoured anything, so I had to try it. It gives a kick of rhubarb a couple of seconds after you drink it, and it just tastes incredible. It might just be one of the best drinks I've ever tasted. I regretted only buying one, so when I discovered my local Co-op stocks it, last month, I was a happy bunny. I allowed myself one as a little treat after a hospital appointment, along with a bar of my favourite Thornton's chocolate, Viennese Continental.

Cross-stitching
In May, I completed a little bit more of my Christmas cross stitch. I've been working on it since March, but only sporadically as it feels a bit weird working on a Christmas craft during Spring and Summer. I'm about half way through now, so I'll have no problem getting it finished in time for Christmas. Also, how cute is my rainbow needle-case from Cath Kidston?! It's on sale at the mo, too!

Colouring
I also bought myself a new adult colouring book called 'Millie Marotta's Animal Kingdom', and spent several happy hours colouring in the intricate animal pictures. I find colouring so relaxing and therapeutic, and it helps to take my mind off anything that is worrying me or stressing me out... which is a lot, and often. I'll be blogging about this colouring book later in the week.

I could keep adding things to this post, but I think I'd better stop here as it's already long enough!

What were your favourite things in May?

The Ultimate Book Tag

The lovely Hannah of Daisies and DMs recently tagged me in The Ultimate Book Tag. Being an avid reader and a fan of a good tag post, I couldn't say no, so I'm here to give it a shot! 

There are twenty- four questions, twenty-four answers, and a few snaps of my book collection. Let's get started!

1. Do you get sick while reading in the car?

I haven't read in the car for years, but when I was a kid I'd get sick every time I read for more than a few minutes in a moving car. I could only read a little at a time to avoid it, so long car journeys with the family went extra slowly growing up. Strangely, I've never had the problem on trains or planes.

2. Which author's writing style is completely unique to you, and why?

I know it's a cliché, but I'm going to go with Stephen King. Nobody writes the way King does, even though many have tried. His story-telling is so unique, descriptive, and inventive, and after decades as a novelist, he still knows how to pull you right in to the story with suspense and excitement. I can never turn the pages fast enough! 

3. Harry Potter series or the Twilight Saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer.

Obviously, the correct answer will always be Harry Potter. Why?

1. Err, have you read Twilight??

2. There are so many well-written characters in HP, both lovable and detestable. Twilight has Bella... no explanation needed.

3. The wizarding world is so magical and enchanting, down to the tiniest detail. Who wouldn't want to get lost in a world of spells, moving staircases, living portraits, invisibility cloaks, post delivered by owls (and on Sundays!), mythical creatures, Real Wizard's Chess, money guarded by dragons in vaults (so much cooler than just using a cash point!), and chocolate used for medicinal purposes? Nobody I want to know.

4. Do you carry a book bag? If so, what's in it, (besides books)?

Nope. I've never carried a book bag in my life. Even as a student I was a cram-everything-in-to-one-bag-even-though-it-will-weigh-twenty-five-kilos kinda girl. These days, my bag is a lot lighter, but I almost always carry a book or my Kindle around with me, just in case.

5. Do you smell your books?

I do! I probably give each book I read a whiff at least once; I just can't help myself. I love the smell of old books with brittle yellow pages, and there's nothing like that new book smell, either.

6. Books with or without little illustrations?

I'm not fussed either way, but I do appreciate beautiful books with pretty illustrations, like the Clothbound Classics.

7. What book did you love while reading but discovered later it wasn't quality writing?

I can't think of a particular book. I usually notice the quality of the writing before I've finished the first chapter. 

8. Do you have any funny stories involving books from your childhood? Please share.

Nothing comes to mind. Sorry.

9. What is the thinnest book on your shelf?

I have two slim paperbacks that are about the same size: Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, and War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells.

10. What is the thickest book on your shelf?

The Stand by Stephen King, a paperback with 1421 pages, and the tiniest text. I was so intimidated by the size of this book, that I had it on my bookshelf unread for a few years. When I got my Kindle about three and a half years ago, it was one of the first books I downloaded, and I flew through it in less than a fortnight. I adored it from the start, and I could've kicked myself for not reading it sooner. It's my favourite book of all time, tied with The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Read it!

I may be ever so slightly addicted to creative writing, drawing, and colouring books... They're definitely some of my biggest book weaknesses, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of them, so I don't see it as a bad thing.

11. Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?

Yes, I have been known to do a little creative writing in my spare time! It's a hobby I've enjoyed since I was little, and something I've only ever done for my own enjoyment. I'm not the best writer in the world, and definitely not author material, but I just love to write. It's that simple. I haven't written anything substantial for a while, but I usually complete a few tasks from the 642 Things To Write and 712 More Things To Write books every day. I have a few ideas brewing in my head that I'm itching to write about, and a box of notebooks filled with short stories stored away beneath my bed. I even wrote several novel-length stories when I was younger, but most of them eventually ended up in the bin.

12. When did you get in to reading?

I started reading by age three. I loved books from a really early age, and remember a lot of trips to the library growing up. When I wasn't playing outside, or with my Sylvanian Families and Polly Pockets, I was reading. I couldn't get enough of it. I flew through books like there was no tomorrow, and read everything from The Secret Seven to The Animals of Farthing Wood.

13. What is your favourite classic book?

I'm going to go with either A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, or Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.

14. In school was your best subject Language Arts / English?

I did well in most subjects, but English language, English lit, art, and history were probably my strongest subjects.

15. If you were given a book as a present that you had read before and hated... what would you do?

I would say "thank you" (genuinely), and do my best to act like I'm excited to read it, so I don't hurt the person's feelings. I'd then either just add it to my bookshelf, or re-gift it- depending on whether the gift-giver visits often.

16. What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter or The Hunger Games?

If you like The Hunger Games, try The Fifth Wave series by Rick Yancey, or The 100 series by Kass Morgan.

17. What is a bad habit you always do, (besides rambling) while filming?

Well, I'm obviously not a vlogger. I don't have the confidence to talk on camera, and would just end up getting tongue-tied. As for bad habits... picking at my nail polish, fiddling with my hair when I'm nervous, getting other people to order food or make phone calls for me so I don't have to (because I'm shy and suffer from anxiety)... how long have you got?

18. What is your favourite word?

I can't tell you my favourite word because it's used for a couple of passwords, but I also like the words serendipity, calico, melody, enchanting, and tiger-lily.

19. Are you a nerd, dork, or dweeb? Or all of the above?

I'm not afraid to admit I'm a bit of a geek. I like to think I'm not a total loser, but I definitely have my geeky moments.

20. Finally, full on romance, or action-packed with a few love scenes thrown in?

It depends on my mood, but I'd usually go for action-packed over full on romance. I find most romance novels irritating and dull.

21. What's the most embarrassing book you've read?

Probably some dodgy chick-lit book like The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. His writing is atrocious, and all his books seem to have the same plot. I was once stuck in the back of a car with this book for eight hours, and almost lost the will to live. I hated it! I'm really not a fan of chick lit at all.

22. Are your books well-loved or in pristine condition?

A bit of both. I always do my best to take good care of my books, but some are old or second hand, and some have been read multiple times. A few broken spines, and dog-eared pages are inevitable, no matter how careful you are with them.

23. Is your bookshelf alphabetised?

No, but it would be if I had more space. I haven't got a lot of room for my books at the moment, so they're all squeezed in where they'll fit, and stacked on top of each other. The best I can do is group them roughly by genre. One day I will have a big home library, one day...

24. What are you reading now? What do you plan to read next?

I'm currently reading the second book in the The Fifth Wave series, The Infinite Sea. It's a modern take on the old man vs. alien idea. When I've finished it I'll probably move on to Little Women (I've never read it!), although I'm itching to re-read The Time Traveller's Wife.

And that's the end of The Ultimate Book Tag!

I don't know who has already done this tag, but I tag Rachel, Char, Leah, Lucy, Jenny, and anybody else who wants to give this post a go. Make sure you leave me your links if you decide to give it a crack; I'd love to read them.

Before you go, can you recommend a book to me? What's the best book you've ever read?

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My bookshelf tour

Wednesday Wish List

Here are a few things I've added to my wish list this week...

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Lindy Bop have released some seriously stunning dresses this week, and these are just six of the new frocks I'm lusting after. I could easily have filled this entire post with them all... and my wardrobe, if I wasn't so poor. My birthday is just three weeks away, though, and I'm hoping I'll at least be able to treat myself to one of them to wear on the day. I won't be able to do anything exciting to celebrate the scary 3-0, but I can still dress up, right? The first three dresses are serious contenders for my birthday dress. They are so pretty. 

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I'm in love with Collectif's sea shell / sea life collection. The pieces are adorned with lobsters, star fish, seahorses, and / or sea shells! As a person with a life long connection to the sea, these are right up my street. I would happily wear them to death this Summer... just maybe not all at once!

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Collectif also have the cutest fruit-themed pieces at the moment. Get in my wardrobe, now!

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And last but not least, I'm loving these novelty bags from Skinny Dip. The ice cream cone, and milk carton are too cute for words. I already have the ice cream in pastel blue and pink, but this new design is screaming my name. I also need a lilac milk carton in my life.

What's on your wish list this week? Which of these are your faves?

Colourful Collage: Light Green

This week I've rounded up a bunch of my light green things for another colourful collage. 

Green is one of my favourite colour palettes, and I can't get enough of it. I'm particularly obsessed with green eye make up, to the point that I currently have two or three dozen green eyeshadows and eyeliners in my make up drawer! Yes, really! I wear green on my eyes 99% of the time, and I love wearing green on my nails, too. I don't own a large amount of other green things, though, mostly because it's a colour that's not as readily available as other colours. It's probably a good thing it's not as my home would be filled with all things green and I'd end up on an episode of hoarders!

1. Salem's Lot by Stephen King.

2. A sequined trinket pot, one of a set of five.

3. Essie nail polish in Mojito Madness.

4. Inglot nail enamel in shade 319. Inglot make the best nail polishes.

5. Simple Kind To Refreshing Skin facial wash gel.

6. Glazed apple shimmer body lotion from The Body Shop.

7. An old apple necklace from Miss Selfridge. I've probably had it for almost a decade.

8. Paperchase washi tape.

9. Jemma Kidd eyeliner in Contrast.

10. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Yep, the film was based on a book, and I bet you didn't know it's actually a vampire story!

11. A tube of Greengate polka dot pencils.

12. Three green polka dot pencils from said tube of polka dot pencils.

13. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polish in Grass Slipper. Love this nail polish!

14. The Body Shop Glazed Apple lip gloss.

15. Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

16. Bourjois eyeshadow in shade 01.

17. An old iPod sock.

18. My sewing snips /scissors.

19. Lush Emotional Brilliance eyeshadow in Healthy. One of my faves!

20.  Lush Emotional Brilliance eyeshadow in Intuitive.

21. ASOS space-themed friendship bracelet. I forgot I even had it.

22. A snowflake Christmas decoration from Paperchase.

23. A dotting / striping nail art tool.

24. Bourjois Regard Effect Duochrome eye liner pencil in shade Vert Doré.

25. A pale green gemstone-shaped Christmas decoration from Paperchase.

Do you own a lot of green things? 

Other posts in the series

Red

Orange

Yellow

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My green eye make up collection.

Wednesday Wish List

Here are a few things that have caught my eye this week...

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First up are my latest favourites from Lindy Bop. Four understated, yet classic swing dresses with very different necklines, and one bold, colourful circle skirt with the funkiest retro print. One of each, please!

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A few more Lady Vintage frocks that I'm lusting after. Nothing new about that! I can't decide which print I like best. These dresses sadly only go up to a size 22, but Lady V do go up to a 30/32 in many of their clothes.

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Aldo have the most amazing novelty bags at the moment. The milk carton and pink ice lolly are my favourites, but I think they're all pretty damn awesome!

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Skinny Dip's mermaid shell cross-body bags are amazing. The only problem is I'm not sure which colour I like best.

ASOS Curve Dress

This floral swing dress from ASOS Curve is gorgeous. I love the print and colour palette.

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I've been lusting after body harnesses for a while, and I've just discovered ASOS Curve's selection. I love that this trend has been made available for us larger ladies! I'm smitten with the mood stone harness (#1), and I definitely need it in my life ASAP.

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And last but not least, I love all four of these lace swing dresses from ASOS Curve. They're all effortlessly beautiful.

What's on your wish list this week?