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

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

Top 20 Blog Post Ideas...

Hey there!

There comes a time in every bloggers life, (and if they don't admit it - they're lying,) where after many months of constant blog posts, the creativity just stops! Sometimes it's hard to regain the spark, to ignite new content and often, no amount of scrolling through blog posts can inspire any decent ideas, without it sounding too cheesy or plagiarized. So, I thought I'd share with you a list of my top blog post ideas to help with that writer's block...

1) Make a list of things that make you happy 

2) Recommend a book/film that you last enjoyed 

3) Write an About Me or update an already existing one 

4) Give up something for a time period and update readers on how you're coping

5) Discuss a topic that you're most passionate about 

6) Show readers how you like to pamper yourself 

7) Start writing a monthly wishlist

8) Help readers with some top tips for new bloggers

9) Review some products you have used regularly for a long time period

10) Share with readers your transformation over the years

11) Post your worst baby photos online for a laugh

12) Write a blog post dedicated to your favourite bloggers

13) Make a how to tutorial

14) Show your readers where you like to blog

15) Take your camera out and post your day in photos

16) Tell your readers why you started blogging

17) Write a letter to your younger/future self

18) Make a Bucket List 

19) Promote a product or charity to your readers

20) Thank your readers for supporting your blog

Happy Blogging! Xxx  

The Fairy Tale Tag!

Hey there!

Tags fly around the Internet all the time and it's just so tempting to take part in all of them. However, I don't intend to spam my blog with a ton of different tags, so I like to integrate them in, once in a while. This tag in particular caught my attention because like most girls, when I was younger I grew up devoting all my time into becoming a princess and creating the perfect fairy tale! Naturally, I couldn't resist taking part in this...

Snow White - Do you consider yourself beautiful?

I don't want to sound vain here, but sometimes before I go out I admire myself in the mirror and am pretty satisfied with my appearance. However, sometimes I feel the complete opposite and am extremely self-conscious, picking out the flaws in myself. 

Sleeping Beauty - How many hours do you sleep at night?

Unfortunately, I find it extremely difficult to fall asleep at night, even when I so desperately want to. I always find myself constantly scrolling through Tumblr or Blogspot - reading new posts, checking stats and looking for inspiration. As much as I love my sleep, on average I only ever sleep 4/5 hours a night, with the exception of weekends. 

Cinderella - Do you have a curfew? 

It varies depending on who I'm with and where I'm going, but usually I have to be home for 9pm. I've never really been one to stay out too late anyway so don't fuss too much. 

Rapunzel - Do you love being outside?

I love my freedom and hate being stuck inside on warm, sunny days so enjoy being outside, except when it's windy, wet and just generally dull. I enjoy the comfort of my own bedroom and often in the winter, I find myself making excuses not to go outside, just so I can snuggle in my duvet with a film and hot chocolate. 

Red Riding Hood - Do you trust strangers easily?

Due to previous experiences and regular rumours, I have always had slight trust issues and find it hard to open up to people. Therefore, my friends whom I do confide in should feel extremely privileged. I have always been brought up to keep away from strangers, so naturally do not trust in them. 

Beauty and the Beast - What makes someone beautiful in your eyes?

I am easily wooed if you have a charming smile, gorgeous eyes, a peachy bum, a sexy scent...However, I don't often consider appearance as a main priority. Just by being a genuine person, showing me their true colours and treating me with respect is enough for me! 

The Little Mermaid - What would you sacrifice for love?

Personally, I don't think anything should be sacrificed for love. If the person truly accepts you for you, then there should be no need to change yourself and give up something, just to impress your partner. 

Pinocchio - What is your biggest wish?

I've always dreamed of growing up, exploring the world and creating my own family. It would be an absolute dream to see some of the much talked about tourist sites, experiencing new cultures and having my own little miracle.

Gold Mary and Pitch Mary - Are you a hard worker or a lazy one?

I'd like to think that I'm a hard worker, especially when I'm pressured to do something or it's what I enjoy. I spend a lot of time and effort on making my blog and writing posts to perfection. However, everyone has their moments and especially when leading up to exams, I procrastinate a lot - too much infact!

The Princess and the Pea - Are you sensitive?

I'll admit, I worry way too much and over analyse things that don't really matter. I am extremely emotional and often take things to heart, even if I don't show it, and let things get to me. If it wasn't for my amazing friends and boyfriend, I don't know what I'd be up to!

The Twelve Dancing Princesses/The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes - Do you like parties?

Who doesn't like a good party?! My friends are often partying, with a gathering almost every month - sometimes just for the fun of it. I just love the atmosphere of everyone having a good time, spending a long evening with my favourite people and enjoying a good, few drinks!

I hope you had as much fun reading it, as I had writing it! I tag EVERYONE who reads this to join in and make a blog post of their own. Everyone who decides to participate, link below in the comments and I'll read and comment on every single one of them!

Bye for now! Xxx

#2 Weekly Favourites

Hey there!

What I'm Eating 
Since Easter has been approaching us all this week, I haven't stopped eating these naughty treats! As I'm sure you're all aware, Creme Eggs only ever feature in supermarkets this season, so what better way to celebrate this Easter, than to stock up on a year's worth of them! I even have my own stash hid away that I am constantly dipping into. Everyone loves a good Creme Egg once in a while, so savour them whilst you still can! 

What I'm Watching 

A new series I have started watching only this week is My Mad Fat Diary. A heart-wrenching comedy-drama that follows a 16 year old girl through a series of events, from bullying to complicated relationships! I'll admit now, I was a latecomer to the program, joining the hype in Series 2, but after continuous hours spent in front of the TV, it's safe to say I am completely hooked on it! I would say though as a word of warning, some scenes can be extremely triggering, so be prepared before you watch it.

What I'm Trying 

Somehow over the course of this week I managed to lose my daily make-up kit, which I managed to retrieve when tidying up. Therefore, much to my annoyance, I was forced to try some new combinations of make-up. Among a wide range of beauty products in my drawer, I came across an unused Barry M Lip Gloss and Rimmel London Plunge 030 Cool Shine Lip Stick. After trying this new combination, I found my lips looked bigger and better than ever! They were well hydrated, with increased definition and a glossy shine - perfect for a good pout!

Bye for now! Xxx