The Me-Time Tag

Hey there!

During my lunch breaks at work, I love to scroll through my favourite blogs, brainstorm ideas for future posts and publish new content onto my little space of the Internet. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to be tagged to write this blog post by Danielle. Last month, during the Christmas holidays, I spent endless hours munching on mountains of unhealthy snacks, mastering how to be the best couch potato, never wanting to leave my fluffy blanket. Therefore, I felt it was the perfect time to do this!

What do you read or watch during me-time?

During me-time, I like to settle down in my pyjama's with my frothy, hot chocolate watching back-to-back videos starring my favourite YouTubers. I rarely ever watch TV series and don't settle for just one book. I'm an avid Internet fan, so there's nothing better than to catch up with my most loved Internet sensations!

What do you wear during me-time?

I alternate between pyjamas and my slouchy clothes - definitely paired up with some cute, fluffy socks. I've never been a fan of tracksuits, so usually I wear leggings and a baggy top, but most of the day I lounge around in my Bambi nightwear - how cute!

What are your me-time beauty products?

During me-time I prefer not to smother myself with any beauty products. I love to lounge around with my hair shoved up in a messy bun and a face free of any make-up. There's no point making any effort if you have no-one to impress. However, I do love a nice bubble bath during the day and am a huge fan of LUSH products - my favourite being The Comforter. They always make me smell clean and fresh, leaving my skin feel smooth, which relaxes me a lot!

Current favourite nail polish?

I don't particularly have a favourite nail polish at the moment. I haven't had a lot of time to pain my nails recently as I've been hard at work. I've always been in love with Barry M's nail varnish - I'm always impressed with the quality of these and never disappointed with the colour selection!

What do you eat or drink during me-time?

I'm not a huge fan of sweet food - I'd much rather a bag of cheese puffs than a slice of chocolate cake. My favourite snack to munch on during me-time is a big plate of potato wedges - not forgetting the ketchup! I can't resist making myself a hot chocolate piled high with marshmallows and whipped cream - the perfect way to treat yourself... 

Do you ever have outdoor me-time?

I love to go on long walks during a summer's evening. I enjoy my own company, especially when I'm outdoors, embracing the setting of the sun with my favourite tunes, observing the rest of the world. I miss the outdoors when the weather gets colder, but I'd rather snuggle with a classic film, rather than battling the bitter wind.

Current favourite candle?

It's almost impossible to fall in love with candles when you're a blogger - the temptation to buy the entire Yankee store is just too much! I am absolutely loving the 'Snow in Love' Yankee candles at the moment - they're just so refreshing. I bought myself some tea lights to place around my bath during the Winter and I can assure you, I was not disappointed!

Would you ever go and see a movie alone?

I doubt I would, I'm lucky that my friends share the same taste in films. We've always made the effort to go in one big group - I think I'd be too awkward asking for a single ticket for the cinema at the cash point!

Anything else to add? What else do you like to do during me-time?

I love to spend days alone in Central London - my favourite place to travel. I love the buzzing atmosphere of busy shoppers and admire their determination to push their way through the crowds. Growing up, I've always been inspired by my dad's photography and spent a lot of my time practising some techniques. When I get the opportunity to take a trip up to London, I make sure I capture the moments where I feel most at ease!

I challenge anyone reading this to try out the me-time tag and make a post on their little slice of the Internet.

Bye for now! Xxx

Books of 2015 #1

Hey there!

Can you believe it, it's we're almost a quarter of the way into 2015 and what a year it's been so far! we're already 3 weeks into 2015 and what a year it's been so far! If you're an avid reader of my blog then you should be familiar with the challenges I set myself at the start of this year, (which you can read all about here.) 

Top of my list in my resolutions for 2015 was to rediscover my love for reading and there's nothing better than tucking into bed, after a busy day, with a creamy, hot chocolate and a good novel. Instead of burying my head deep inside a book tonight, I thought I'd start a series sharing with you my favourite books of 2015!

Girl Online - my first book of 2015 just had to be the YouTube sensation Zoella's, Girl Online. Despite all the controversy associated with this book, I was eager to start reading and did not hesitate to pick it up. 

Girl Online features a young teen called Penny, who lives with her family, next door to her gay best friend, Elliot and set in her seaside town, Brighton. Penny suffers from panic attacks, (much like the writer,) and finds herself in some awful situations. A whole spiral of events unfold around her including a handsome, young man sweeping her off her feet, but we all know romance never comes easy!

This book honestly had me hooked! I may be biased, as you all know how much I idolise Zoe, but I found this novel to be an extremely addictive read - I managed to fly through it in a matter of days.Written mainly in first person with cleverly written blog posts - a nice little added touch to the novel, as we all know online content is what Zoe writes best! 

I'll be honest with you, I found the ending of the book a little too rushed and was expecting more from it, but nevertheless I really enjoyed the novel and would recommend you go and buy it - it's definitely worth the money!

Rating: 9/10 

I can't believe it's taken me this long to rekindle my love for reading, but I can assure you there will be plenty more reviews appearing on my little slice of the Internet - so keep your eyes peeled!

Comment below: what's your favourite book to read during the spring?

Bye for now! Xxx

Top 5 Blog Posts of 2014

Hey there!

I find the best way to start New Year off is to reflect upon the year just gone! It's incredible just how quickly things change in such a short space of time - new friendships, new beginnings and new perspectives on life! 2014 for me was definitely a great year, but this year I plan to do even better! If you wish to see how I'm planning on achieving this, check out my list of new year's resolutions here.  

2014 really inspired me to continue writing content on my blog, sparking off a bunch of different ides to share with you ranging from trips out in London, blogging tips, various tags, finishing the year with a poor attempt at Blogmas!

To start the year off, I thought I'd share with you my Top 5 posts from 2014...

1. Liebster Award - last year I was lucky enough to receive a special award for my blog from a close friend of mine. I suggest you all go check out her blog, I'm sure you won't be disappointed! I was so proud of myself for successfully achieving this on my little slice of the Internet and am thankful for all your support over the past year!

2. YouTube Announcment - as mentioned above, new years bring about new beginnings. 2014 was the year I grew my confidence and branched out into the vlogging world. I'd been inspired by a number of successful YouTubers and got caught up in my friend's media filming too. I started making an effort with my own channel and vlogged a number of days during the Summer, which you can watch here.  Let me know what you think.

3. Life Update: EXCITING NEWS! - 2014 also welcomed in the use of a new social media, Twitter! I've always been a fan of Twitter and love to write a few tweets now and then. I'd never thought about linking Twitter to my blog, but as my content increased and comments started appearing in response to my posts, I thought this would be a great idea to interact with a bunch of you! I've never looked back since then and I appreciate every single tweet I receive. 

4. Top 20 Blog Post Ideas... - a common case of writer's block strikes down upon us bloggers sometimes and it's often difficult to create new ideas to entertain our readers with. Starting the year with a list of ideas to prevent writer's block is a brilliant idea and it seems you thought this post was useful too!

5. Becoming a Better Blogger! - filling a planner with an organised blogging schedule is another brilliant idea to consider. Sometimes, it can be extremely difficult to stick to, especially when life takes over. However, if you find yourself in a muddle, this will soon sort your lack of blog posts out!

What post did you enioy the most? What would you like to see next on my blog? 

Bye for now! Xxx

#8 Blogmas - Christmas Wishlist

Hey there!

Christmas is definitely fast approaching us - my advent calendar is going down a treat! I've been extremely busy this weekend so haven't had a chance to post, (hence the missing date!) 

As a child, I used to sit endlessly circling the Argos catalogue to start my Christmas wishlist, but as the years progressed, this slowly phased out. I've never really wanted anything in particular for Christmas, I'm easily pleased, but after reading through a number of Christmas wishlists, it inspired me to make my very own! 

1) Marc Jacobs Perfume - Daisy Dream



At the top of my list is the gorgeous scented fragrance. I've read countless reviews on this stunning perfume and have been loving this scent for a while - everything a girl dreams of! It's just so flowery and perfect for a glamorous evening - even the bottle is absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to show this off to my friends and family - no doubt they'd be jealous!

2) Girl Online



For those of you that have been keeping up with my blog content, you will know that I absolutely idolise Zoe Sugg. I feel she's perfect for young girls to aspire to and it's incredible how far she's come, despite the little hiccups in her life! She's become an Internet sensation in the YouTube community and has a lot to be proud of. Therefore, it isn't surprising that 'Girl Online' is a close second on my wishlist. I think it would look perfect among my most-loved books!

3) Yankee Candle Winter Classic



Being a blogger leads to a full grown conclusion that we all love candles! Who can resist this wonderful set of gorgeous Christmas scented candles? I find it incredible how awesome these scents really are and picture how amazing that would be burning away in my bedroom on a cold, winter's evening. Definitely one of my favourites on my Christmas list - a girl can never have too many candles!

4) Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Hand Cream



During the winter months, I never seem to be able to avoid getting dry skin from the bitter, cold wind. I've always been a fan of the Body Shop and find myself spending hours browsing through their products, smelling the gorgeous fragrances. After scrolling through my favourite bloggers, I found this beauty and couldn't resist putting in on my wishlist. I've never been disappointed with any of their products, so I have high expectations for this one!

5) Christmas Pudding LUSH Bath Bomb



For those that follow my blog religiously, you will know that I have a huge obsession with LUSH. I've been to a number of blogging events and own a whole range of their products. My baths have never been the same without LUSH and I've never been disappointed yet! LUSH's christmas themed bath bombs never fail to get me in the festive mood. The Christmas pudding bath bomb at LUSH is my favourite go-to bath treat at Christmas, so it's not surprising that it features on my wishlist!

If you liked my first day of Blogmas, I would recommend you challenge yourself to this festive tag - it would be nice to read some of your posts!

Bye for now! Xxx

Zoella Outrage!

Hey there!

The days are drawing in, the evenings are becoming frighteningly cold and winter is slowly approaching us. During these chilly months, I like to spend my free time snuggled on the sofa with a cuppa, surfing the Internet - researching new content for my blog posts, responding to emails, catching up with my friends and watching back-to-back vlogs and sketches created by my favourite YouTubers, (which you can read all about here.) In-fact, the majority of my Internet history is filled with endless lists of vlogs, sketches, songs and much more... 

I can assure you that just by simply scrolling through the first pages of my Internet history, it's clearly evident that above everyone in the blogging and vlogging community, my most watched YouTuber is Zoe aka Zoella - the queen of all things beauty, hairstyles and life lessons!

Zoe is a fun-loving, bubbly, young woman and portrays this well to her subscribers through her well thought out YouTube videos and vlogs! She dedicates numerous hours in her days specifically for filming, editing and uploading her YouTube content. It's obvious that she puts an immense amount of effort into her channel - perfecting her videos simply to please her audience and to produce something she is proud of. 

Only recently a very poorly written article was published and spread viral to the Internet, attacking the poor YouTuber. Chloe Hamilton, (a 'journalist' for the Independant,) definitely went a step too far with her opinions and enraged bloggers everywhere in seconds! As mentioned above, Zoe has always been one of my biggest inspirations for many years now and she's impacted my life on so many levels. However, after finding this pasted all over the Internet, I was absolutely fuming and this was definitely something that could not be left unsaid, but I couldn't possibly fit all this into 140 characters on Twitter.

However, despite all of this, like most young women, she also suffers with insecurities of her own. As mentioned in previous videos she suffers with anxiety and panic attacks, but doesn't let that spoil her fun! In fact, she's even created inspiring videos, offering support and useful info about how to cope during this traumatic time. Being an anxiety sufferer, I can totally relate with her experiences and traumatic times that she shares, which only makes me admire her even more! It's extremely difficult to cope with certain situations when feeling anxious. However, I think Zoe handles them well and still manages to upload videos on schedule, which I highly respect. She knows the daily struggles that normal people have and isn't afraid to be open about them!

I was fuming that the main focus of the article was that Zoe portrays a bad image for young girls everywhere, due to the amount of make-up she wears! She never once stated that young girls have to wear make-up to look good. Her whole life she's had to deal with her own insecurities and found make-up to be her passion! Zoe simply explores different hairstyles and beauty techniques for fun, testing and reviewing different brands of make-up for anyone who shares the same hobby. If you're an avid Zoella subscriber like me, you'll realise that the past couple of months she's learnt to accept herself and be comfortable in her own skin, without having to disguise herself in make-up, which you can watch below!

From what started as a young teen speaking out to her camera in a corner of her bedroom led to an Internet sensation, reaching out to over 6.2 millions subscribers - what an achievement! Through her YouTube channel, she has become extremely successful - with her very own sweet smelling beauty products launched only last month and a new book, soon to be displayed on bookshelves everywhere - demonstrating you can become successful doing what you love. 

Zoe has impacted my life massively and I especially love how much I can relate to her. Simply watching her videos makes me realise that I'm not alone and if you put the effort in, you can achieve your dreams!

Bye for now! Xxx

Panic No More!

Hey there!

Following up from my last post on mental health, I thought it would be a good idea to write a blog post about one of the less-spoken about issues - panic attacks! Due to the lack of information and advertisements on this subject, many people are oblivious about this aspect of mental health. However, panic attacks affect a large majority of people and fall under one of the most common types of disorders, closely linked with anxiety.  

As an anxiety sufferer myself, this is a difficult subject to talk about and it frustrates me that even after hours of explaining, I'll never truly be able to make someone understand my emotions. Therefore, I feel it's my duty to write and inform others of the effects of anxiety, to help give you a better understanding and display ways in which you can show support. I dedicate this blog post specifically to my boyfriend as I've noticed in previous situations, he's had little idea how to diffuse the situation and sat helplessly, worrying on my behalf. Although recently I have seen an improvement, I still feel this would be a useful post - not only for him, but for many others having to deal with similar cases. 

Anxiety is an awful feeling, which can be extremely difficult to control and is often triggered unexpectedly - whether that be through fear or stress. In brief, anxiety is a sudden feeling of dread, a rush of intense psychological and physical symptoms. The individual often feels alone, trapped and unable to escape - most often, fearing their life. Side effects include feeling nauseous, light-headed, headaches, blurry vision and/or general feelings of disorientation.

Everyone in their lifetime suffer with different levels of this, ranging from a small worry about facing school tomorrow to a major event such as using public transport. However, stress isn't always a bad thing - if you were always calm and collected, homework tasks and mundane chores would never get completed. Only extreme cases of anxiety can lead to panic attacks, which feel scary and life threatening to the individual. 

As mentioned above, it's not always easy to understand how to deal with an anxiety sufferer in their time of need if you've never experienced a panic attack before. Therefore, I have listed some simple steps below to help diffuse a panicky situation: 

Step 1: if someone looks uncomfortable in a situation, offer some support - whether it be a smile or a gentle hug

Step 2: once involved, ensure that the sufferer is in a safe environment and protected from any potential harm

Step 3: try to understand how they're feeling and put yourself in their position

Step 4: remember that you are now in control of the situation, remain calm and maintain a soft tone of voice 

Step 5: remind your friend/relative that they're not alone and that you're going to help them get through this

Step 6: ensure you have good eye contact at all times and encourage the sufferer to slow their breathing by focusing their concentration on your breathing pattern

Step 7: play some gentle music and remain close until they feel at ease again

Bye for now! Xxx

Life Update: EXCITING NEWS!

Hey there!

Sorry for not posting sooner, my life has been pretty hectic recently - so much drama, so much stress and a lot of time away from the Internet!

If you've been following my blog for a while now, you should be well aware that I have made a Twitter account for this little slice of the Internet, to keep you all updated with my upcoming posts and vlogs, exciting announcements and my general thoughts of the day! 

For any late comers, you can follow this at:

@nessiehere - (shameless promo right there!)

Since then, I've been participating in countless group discussions, posting lifestyle/witty updates and generally interacting with some lovely ladies. A few weeks ago, I was approached via Twitter by a blogger's website called Devise - an upcoming site, who were recruiting active bloggers to help run it. I was absolutely ecstatic, when they informed me I'd been selected and could not believe I'd been given such an exciting opportunity! I jumped at the chance of participating in this, to improve my writing skills and become better at what I love to do. Since then, I've contributed to this site and have posted a couple of times, which can be read here: 

DeviseBlog

In other news, I finally got the confidence to start my own YouTube channel. This was something I'd been waiting almost a lifetime to do, but was too afraid of sharing my face with the Internet. Though I may come across as being a confident, bubbly teenager, I have huge anxieties weighing me down that stop me from taking up great opportunities - some of which, I regret missing out on! After joining the YouTube adventure, I've been dedicating a lot of my time to creating videos, (mainly vlogs,) editing footage and uploading them to my channel for others to enjoy- wow, I've been busy! It was here that my confidence grew and I absolutely love it!

You can watch my latest video below, and if you want to see more of me then give my channel a cheeky subscribe! 

Lastly, if all that wasn't enough for you, I've also been busy outside of the Internet - filling out job applications, updating my CV, answering telephone calls and uniform hunting, until I struck lucky! After attending my first EVER job interview, I was given the opportunity to start work ASAP! Of course, I jumped at the chance and I start work in a few weeks, so I can finally announce, I'll soon be an employee at Primark - my favourite shop, a dream come true!

Bye for now! Xxx

Day Trip to Groombridge

Hey there!

This half term, we were lucky enough to be treated with some sunshine. I had a bad feeling that the week would drag - judging by the rainy start, but it soon brightened up by Thursday and so my family tried to cram in as much as we could! 

As the weather was warming up, we couldn't waste away the gorgeous sunshine, so took a day trip down to Groombridge at the weekend. It was a beautiful day, filled with woodland walks, flower gardens, birds of prey performances and a short boat ride. Here you can see what we got up to:

Remember you can still give it a cheeky subscribe if you want to stay updated: 

YouTube - nessiehere

Thanks for watching! Xxx

YouTube Announcement!

Hey there!

For a good, solid couple of months now, I have been so desperately wanting to make my own YouTube channel to upload vlogs and weekly videos to. Its always been a passion of mine and I have always been inspired by my favourite YouTubers, who I am often mentioning on my blog and just admire how confidently they speak to all their viewers. However, the idea of making my own channel didn't come from them, it was simply based on a number of different bloggers. It's nice to sit and watch people making videos, not because they have to or to impress their viewers, but for themselves! 

It wasn't until the other day that I decided that it was time to face the camera! I'd been hiding from it for too long, wasting away the days and there was no way I would let this continue. I thought this would be a great idea for my blog, an alternative way to interact with my viewers. My own personal space to upload anything I feel worth sharing - daily updates, trips out and hauls. 

 For my first vlog, I decided to film in my favourite place - LONDON! If you fancy following me on my travels and supporting me with my YouTube channel or if you're just a generally nosy person, then you can take a look here:

Apologies if the music is too loud or the editing isn't smooth enough - bare with, this is my first vlog! It took a lot of courage to upload myself to the Internet, but I am happy with the outcome and all the hard efforts were worth it.

Here's my channel if you fancy giving it a cheeky subscribe to help support me: 

YouTube - nessiehere

Thanks for watching! Xxx

YouTube Fanatic!

Hey there!

Unfortunately today, I decided to take the day off school, (and rightly so,) to spend the entire day bunged up in bed. Runny nose, headache, general tiredness - all symptoms of your standard spring/summer cold, but instead of letting my illness take over, I thought I'd make a quick update on my blog. Most people when they're sick, snuggle up on the sofa with your standard Jeremy Kyle/Judge Trudy type programmes and drink a cuppa soup. I, on the other hand, prefer to be sat in bed with a mug of coffee, a big box of Kleenex tissues, catching up on recent videos on YouTube. I thought I'd show you how I spend my time on the Internet by sharing my favourite YouTubers. 

Zoella
As mentioned before on my blog in my Q&A blog post, (here,) Zoella has always been my favourite YouTuber. I have followed her channel for a long while and just love how enthusiastic she is. I find super inspired by her after watching her videos and my day becomes instantly brighter. Her attitude to life and her consistent positive attitude amazes me. Such a down to earth girl, currently partnered with PointlessBlog a.k.a Alfie and best friends with SprinkleofGlitter a.k.a Louise and Tanya. I reccomend you subscribe to her channel, you will NOT be disappointed!

SprinkleofGlitter
SprinkleofGlitter a.k.a Louise and Zoe's best friend, (often referred to as Chummy,) is another of my favourites. Known for her huge shopping hauls, pink dip-dyed hair, amazing husband Matt and their little miracle Darcy. Like Zoe, she also has a positive outlook on life and always manages to entertain me with her occasional vlogs, collaborations, shopping hauls, challenges and much more! 

 

Jamie's World
One of the most awkwardest teens I've ever known, but ultimately one of the funniest too! Jamie, a typical teenage girl, from New Zealand, shares her entire life story with her many subscribers in short vlogs, often featuring her sister ranging from embarrassing stories, challenges and amazing achievements. If you're as nosy as me or easily pleased, then she's definitely one to watch! 

RoseEllenDix & Rosie
Two of my favourite lesbians, passionately in love, completely comfortable with their sexuality and confident in sharing this with the Internet - the perfect example of what I call 'gay and proud!' Never have I ever been so entertained, so unpredictable and never failing to make me laugh! Definitely one to watch if you're looking for a good cheer up. 

Comment below if you like my top 4 favourites or respond with your most loved YouTubers. 

Bye for now! Xxx