Friday 21 December 2012

Happy 2nd birthday, old friend 'd'.

This January will mark two years since I was formally diagnosed with depression. It really doesn't seem that long ago, I guess time flies at Uni! I thought I'd give you a little update on how things are going health-wise with me, I suppose I owe you all an explanation to why I haven't blogged nearly as much as I'd hoped this year!

I'm sick and tired of referencing depression with it's full name, so for the sake of efficiency, it's now called 'd'.

Well, I might as well start at the beginning of this year, where I returned to my university halls after spending a few weeks recharging my batteries at home over Christmas. After saying goodbye to 2011, I was determined to have a better year. Cue exams! January exams never go as well as May exams for me, I really don't know why but oh well! I passed, which was a great relief, but it left me with a lot of stress. Starting my second semester and new modules was interesting, but I was getting a taste of just how hard my course was going to get. Again, I passed my second set of exams (this time with mitigating circumstances, which I took out regarding little d and it's effect on my concentration levels and general intelligence), but by the end of first year I just wanted to get home!

Earlier in the year, I'd stopped going to counselling, which was definitely a bad decision to make. I needed the safety net there, and of course was too stubborn to realise it. So, that won't have helped me at all, looking back. I think a lot of people suffering with d think they can get out of it alone, and 99% of the time it just isn't the case. It's so important to have a group of people close to you, to support you.

Summer was spent relaxing as much as possible, and preparing for my second year at Uni. I was so excited to move into a new house, with new people, but sadly the house I'm currently living in is in a bad area, has mould and damp in nearly every room, and is absolutely freezing.  To add to this, 2012 has brought a lot more social anxiety for myself which I'm struggling with. I find public transport, approaching strangers and walking through city centres very difficult. It sounds so strange to say, because I used to be one of the most social people around, so it's pretty frustrating.

I made the decision after coming back to uni for my second year, that I wanted to change degree programmes. I approached the geography department, and luckily they let me swap - they were extremely accommodating. I now study BSc Geography, as opposed to Oceans, Climate and Physical Geography. I'm pretty excited about starting next semester, but very anxious about the new people and places I'm going to have to come across. Fingers crossed 2013 brings me happiness in some form, I think I'm in need of it after another stressful year.

As a conclusion to this mahoosive ramble, I just want to offer anyone who is struggling with depression, anxiety, or stress some little pointers that might help you. It's important we all help each other eh?


  • Most importantly, to anyone who think they may have depression, go and see your doctor if you have been feeling low for more than a fortnight. Getting a diagnosis is the most important thing.
  • Organisation is the key to stress: if you have a large workload, separate it up into categories and tackle the hardest/largest part first, as it'll feel much better when you get that bit out of the way first!
  • If you are feeling anxious, relax. Make a cup of tea, put on a nice film and take time out. Don't fight it, it's perfectly human to feel anxious from time to time.
  • Remember that you won't feel this way forever, I know it will feel like that at the time, but it will all pass, be it in days or weeks. 
I hope people found this post helpful in some way. I really want to start blogging regularly again next year, but we'll see if I'm up to it eh. So, for now, I hope you all have a lovely, relaxing Christmas and New Year! <3

Thursday 1 November 2012

Fallen leaves on the ground

Last weekend my sister popped to Liverpool for the weekend, and what a lovely time we had. On saturday I took her to Sefton Park, which is only a short walk from my house. It was such a beautiful day, I ended up getting some really pretty pictures of the autumnal landscape.









I had to have a go at the whole leaf-kicking action shot, and well... you can see what happened. I promise you I'm a 5"6 (ish), twenty year old, but I look like a small chubby child in this! I'm wearing my beloved Great Gatsby jumper, which I'll show you in more detail soon.

We also went for a great meal at Kasbah on Bold St - I urge all Liverpool-dwellers to go there, such good Morrocan food and excellent service!

<3

Thursday 25 October 2012

Figure 8

Hello...anyone out there?

Do you still remember my pretty face?


I'm still alive, promise.

Taken an extended hiatus from my blog for a few months because I needed to get used to a big change in my life. That big change was moving house, back to the lovely land of Liverpool, with a bunch of new housemates. Who are amazing, by the way:


Also I've been getting back to grips with Uni (30 hours a week is not kind to my energy levels). It's hard, very hard, but I'm enjoying being back around my coursemates.

Unfortunately depression has reared it's ugly head again - it was getting much better over the summer months, so perhaps it's exaggerated S.A.D but I don't know for sure. Hopefully not, because that's such a lousy illness, is it not?

Anyway, I'll try to get back into blogging soon. I've bought lots of nice nail varnish, make up bits and bobs to show you.

<3

Thursday 16 August 2012

University Survival Guide: Part 1 - Moving In/Freshers Week!

I've seen tonnes of these posts floating round, and I thought it was a good idea to show prospective students what uni is really like! This time last year I was wading through hundreds of these posts, very useful!

There's not much point rambling on about the application process/results day as that's just passed for everyone! However at this point last year I was still going through Clearing, I didn't get anything clear-cut until around 6pm!

I got AABB in my A-Levels, when I'd hoped to get AAAB. So I ended up at the University of Liverpool come September, which I'm still happy was a good decision to make. The Clearing team at the uni were so, so helpful and really calmed me down and worked me through the entire process. I originally applied to study BSc Geography at Leeds and Nottingham, but it worked out that I studied BSc Oceans, Climate and Physical Geography at Liverpool. I thought I'd just compile a few tips for all you freshers! This will be a long post, so I apologise in advance!

1. Moving in/Freshers Week

- Write lists! 
This is a massively important one. You will need to write lists of things to take to uni, otherwise you will definitely forget a lot of things! Split them up, for example into study materials, kitchen things, bedroom things, toiletries, clothes, electrical items etc.

- Keep your door open
Everyone says this, but it's a very good idea. Considering in my halls I was tucked away in a corner, I didn't really need to do this. Just get out into the corridors, help people unpack, make cups of tea, natter about how the journey was. Key phrase for this whole post: everyone is in the same boat. Never forget that! Unless someone's dropped out and come back again, most will be in that same confused state as you.

- Don't feel obliged to make friends with absolutely everyone
I tried my best to make lifelong friends with all the girls on my floor, and in reality we split off into groups. It was bound to happen, you can't have a group of 12 girls following each other around! I'm still in touch in with my little group of halls girls, and plan on carrying on nattering away with them for the rest of my time at uni.

- Don't run before you can walk
It's important to get involved during Freshers, but be warned: if you're not a drinker/go-er out-er, don't chuck yourself into every single stupid club night where you have to dress up like a slutty schoolgirl/nurse etc. It's not fun if you don't normally enjoy that sort of thing!

- Get a diary before you leave!
And then go on to your university website, and write all the important dates you'll need to remember for your first few weeks of term. This helped me so much, because believe me, after a week of partying, you'll not want to think about checking and double-checking dates!

I can tell you want some photos from freshers, don't you? Go on  then....





xxx

Wednesday 15 August 2012

"Turner Monet Twombly - The Later Paintings" at the Tate (Liverpool)

A few weeks ago, me and my family wandered down to Liverpool for the day to take a look round the new exhibition at the Tate. I love going to this art gallery, it's amazing how differently each of the exhibitions are set out, along with the free galleries on the ground floors. After going to the amazing Rene Magritte exhibition (twice!), I was really looking forward to it.

I don't claim to be an art nerd, but I don't think you have to be to appreciate a good work of art. I've loved Monet since I was little, I remember an old art teacher trying to get us to make a Monet-inspired piece by painting with matchsticks! I'd heard of Turner but not seen his work, and had no idea who Cy Twombly was (I was also worrying about how to pronounce his name - turns out it's as it's spelt!).

Monet's paintings absolutely blew me away - the attention to detail in each of his pieces was mind blowing. I have no patience in stuff like this! I really wish it was just a Monet exhibition, because I really didn't see how it was all supposed to be linked together. Turner's work was just a bit blah, which of course is very ignorant of me to say - but it didn't wow me at all, I found myself missing out a lot of his paintings. Twombly's pieces were very eye catching and had interesting stories behind them, but again they weren't really my style. They included lots of garish colours (think fluorescent green with deep red), so it wasn't my cup of tea. I did like one, however, and got it in postcard form to stick up in my new room at uni.

As usual I scuttled away to the gift shop (I'm a sucker for them), and picked up some postcard sized prints to keep. Unfortunately one of these has already been given away to a boy (tsh). However these are the ones I'm left with, I love them!


Most of them are Monet, aside from the top left (Twombly), and I've forgotten who the top right one is from! That's the one that I don't have anyway.

I seem to be most attracted to the works of painters who belong to the Surrealism movement (aside from Monet), so if anymore exhibitions come up I'll be sure to check them out.

Are you a fan of art? Any surrealism artists I should have a look at? :)

xxx

Monday 13 August 2012

Night-time ramblings: Growing Old?


Me, 19, going on 20.

    Just look at that baby face. I'm not ashamed of having the chubbiest cheeks in the North of England, and whilst I do get ID'd at every opportunity, I wouldn't change my face (puppy fat and all) for anything. What's startling me most is the fact that I turn twenty years old in just under a month. I'd never considered such an age until I met a boy from London, who was 4 years my senior. We're no longer in contact, but that made me wake up and realise, well, I'm hitting my twenties soon. No longer a teenager. That means no more excuses for being pointlessly stroppy, where a grunt is no longer acceptable as an answer, and boyfriends must now appear respectful to my parents, not the usual 'types'. My my.

    I didn't think leaving my teens would bother me this much, they've been a very turbulent time for me. Being diagnosed with depression, losing two members of my family, these two (or three, I guess) periods in my life just made everything that bit more difficult. I may be carrying my good friend D into my twenties, but my teens were by no means perfect. But no-one's are, are they? I've been referred to as an 'old-soul', or 'mother hen' too many times, but it's stuck, I am a bit old for my age. So why am I not embracing the transformation from girl to woman?

    Maybe it's the pace. Within a month I'll have hit the big 2-0, will be living away from home again but this time in a self-catered environment, in the suburbs of Liverpool, with 7 people I have never lived with before. Buying all my kitchen utensils today was both slightly entertaining (sad, I know) and also very daunting. I bought a grater, sieve, chopping board, salt and pepper grinders... all the while, I was longing to go and get my new bedsheets, which I will snuggle up to every night. See, as much as I can be independent when it's expected of me, I love being looked after. Just ask my ex. I loved nothing more than lying on his lap, with him brushing my hair. Sound like a 5 year old don't I? I just like being looked after like that. It's not a case of me stomping if I don't get to act like I'm still a child, it's just I like that little protective barrier around me, so if anything goes wrong, I have a safety net, know what I mean? As I write this, I can hear the odd rumble of thunder in the distance, and want nothing more than to snuggle up with my mum in bed. So for someone like me, turning 20, cooking fully for myself, paying bills myself, will come as a huge shock. 

    I guess I'm just trying to prepare myself for it.

    Does anyone else vaguely understand where I'm coming from here? Isn't growing older that little bit scary, or is it just me?

    xxx

Sunday 12 August 2012

Reading Material

Hello everyone, hope you're having a nice relaxing Sunday. I've been applying for jobs and reading - what's new eh?! I thought I'd inform you of my favourite blogs to read. A little smile always pops up on my face when I see a new post from one of these lovely ladies...

Note, not in numerical order! These are just a handful of my best blogs :)


I had to start with one of the blogs I've been following for as long as I can remember! Gem's blog is the perfect mix of lifestyle, DIY, style and general nattering! I am so envious of her hair, one day I'll have the courage to chop my locks off but for now...! One of her tuesday tips brought about my love for leopard nails! Find her blog here.


If you haven't heard of Little Blog of Horrors...where have you been hiding?! I adore Ayden's blog, it's full of pretty photos of her lovely little life (which I am enviable of!), reviews of bits and bobs and also adorable pictures of her kitten Dexter! Seen in the photo above. I want him! I also absolutely love her tattoos, forever hoping I can get enough money together to get some as amazing as hers :) and to top it all off, she's absolutely lovely!


I'm gobsmacked it took me so long to find Jade's wonderful blog, I only stumbled upon it at the start of summer! Based in Liverpool like myself, I love seeing what Jade gets up to. I never seem to go exploring in Liverpool, and she's inspired me too.  Jade is such a wonderful writer and a really friendly person. I love exchanging words with her on Twitter, and would love to meet up with her for a good natter in a pretty café Liverpool sometime!


Ellie is just one of the loveliest people I've met in the 'blogosphere'. Her blog is a relatively "small" blog, like mine, but deserves so many more followers because I love her blog! She attends univeristy in Scotland, so expect lots of pretty pictures of what she's getting up to :) Find her lovely blog here!


I don't follow many foodie blogs, but I certainly should do if they're all similar to this! I love Lauren's blog, it's a perfect mix of lifestyle, food, travel and style. A lot of her recommendations are based around Manchester, which makes me want to hop on the train and visit more! I certainly should do, it's only an hour away after all.

There you have it, my 'top 5', so to speak. Hope you enjoy, and please visit/follow them if you don't already!

xxx

Friday 10 August 2012

Spike heels make a hole in a lifeboat



Happy Friday! Hope you're all well and looking forward to the weekend. Ladies, don't you just love a good red lip teamed with red nails? It grates on me when a nail is not red enough, with a tinge of orange, so I'm extremely glad I found one of my old favourites in my basket of nail polishes. It's "Double Decker Red", a Rimmel product. Teamed with my Topshop lipstick in "Hazard", which is a lovely buildable red shade. Blogger is telling me that buildable isn't a word.. I'm going to keep it in there anyway.


What's your favourite lip/nail combination?

xxx

Thursday 9 August 2012

Longings #1: Shoes @ Kurt Geiger

Shoes. A woman's best friend, no? I must admit, I often think more/less of someone based on the shoes they wear. If you can walk well in a heel, I commend you, because I can't unless it's the chunkiest of chunky heel. I've been taking a gander at the Kurt Geiger website for a few weeks now, and, if I had the money, these would be my picks:

1. ESME

Oh, Esme. How beautiful you are (yes, it has a name, ergo I can converse with it). The studs, the pale blue/black combination, the patent leather. Let's not mention the heel I cannot walk in. This is my dream shoe, some day I will wear them happily on my feet, clip-clopping away in Liverpool somewhere. And, before you ask, I will find an occasion to wear them. Dining out, drinks with friends, 9AM lectures...

2. SANGRIA

These beauties would be my go-to shoe during the winter months. Made of supple suede (my favourite fabric for a shoe), they just ooze cool, don't they? I can imagine proudly strutting them anywhere and everywhere, teamed with a chunky knit and skinny jean.

3. ALVIN

Leopard print features heavily on my nails, so why not feature on my feet too? Also, they're a slipper-style,which I love love love (yes, three times over). I need a decent flat in my life. True, I'm an avid boot-wearer, and they remain my favourite thing to have on my toes, but for the days when I'll be running around uni like a headless chicken, I could do with a flat shoe to save my feet the pain. And these are just lovely.

4. STUDDED POINT
Who said flat shoes don't have attitude? Ok, my list. Three things needed in a flat with attitude: suede? Check. Red? Check. Studs? Check check check. They would be perfect for a night on the town. I often feel if I wear flats on a night out, that I look a bit "drab". Not with these! Who wants to wake up with a hangover and sore feet? Not me.

So, there you have it. My favourites that Kurt Geiger have to offer. 

It's my birthday in a month... anyone fancy treating me? I'm a size 6.

xxx

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Bookworm


L-R: The Perks of Being A Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky), Before I Go To Sleep (SJ Watson), Looking For Alaska (John Green), The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)

1. The Perks of Being A Wallflower
This is a coming-of-age novel, written from the perspective of Charlie, who writes a series of letter to the reader, depicting his life at high school. At the start I wasn't a fan of the letter-writing format, but it really grew on me throughout the book. I found the character of Charlie incredibly endearing, his naivety was so fresh compared to characters in other books these days. I also really liked the other main characters, Sam and Patrick. I thought the ending was absolutely brilliant, it was so personal to the reader. I nearly wanted to get the last few lines of the book tattooed on myself! But alas the idea was a fleeting one.  I read this book mainly because there is a film adaptation coming out soon, and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. All in all, an awkward tale beautifully told by Charlie.

2. Before I Go To Sleep
I was so impressed by the plot of the book, that I had to set aside my usual preconceptions about crime/thriller novels. I'm so glad I did! This book tells the story of Christine, who has severe amnesia, and can only remember things one day at a time. That means, by the time she wakes up in the morning she has forgotten who she is, etc. She meets with a doctor every day who tells her to write in a journal, and very gradually her short term memory comes back to her. This story is full of shocking discoveries, eerie twists and turns, so many things make the reader change his/her mind about whether her doctor, or her own husband, should be trusted. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you like a crime/thriller!

3. Looking For Alaska 
Looking For Alaska is one of John Green's most famous novels, and I can see why. Another coming of age tale about a young boy who moves away to College (in America, uni to us in the UK?), and falls in love with a girl named Alaska. She's the typical crush of every boy that age, pretty, quirky, smart, etc. I can't say too much about the plot because I got told it and it ruined the book slightly for me! So, I shall keep that a secret. All I can say is go and read this book, if you haven't already of course!

4. The Bell Jar
I got given this book for my birthday last year, and I'm ashamed to say it took me a long time to get round to it! I was really looking forward to it though, I absolutely adore Plath's poetry. I'm not sure what I was expecting from the plot actually, but 1920's New York was certainly not it! A pleasant surprise, I love that era. Esther Greenwood is working at a prominent magazine in NY, clearly not that enthusiastic of all the glitz and glamour. She begins to struggle to sleep, and slips into depression. Her mother makes her see a psychiatrist, and eventually she is put in a rehabilitation home. It's a pretty weird book to read... I know that's not much of an opinion but hey! I think I expected more from this book, however I read it quickly, because I didn't want to over think Esther and where she was in life. A strange one, but a good one.



I hope you liked my ramblings on the books I've read recently! I love reading people's posts on books, so if you have any, link them in the comments! :)

xxx

Monday 6 August 2012

Liz Earle Skincare

Ok, before I start, the best lighting in my house for photographs is my bathroom... hence the appearance of the toilet handle in some photos!

I've been so excited to ramble on about Liz Earle! But decided to give it a few months before I could give my honest opinion on it. Obviously because I have a tiny blog, I was not sent any of these items, got them all myself as part of the August Offer on the Liz Earle website at the moment. It's such a good deal, you get the Sheer Skin Tint absolutely free!

My skin is usually not too bad, I have breakouts at the usual time of the month, and during times of stress, but I would go as far as saying my skin is just average. My skin type is combination - I have an oily t-zone and dry patches on my cheeks. Since I moved to University last year, my skin was battered by halls heating, a bad diet and lack of sleep. I was using Clinique products at the time, and whilst they are very good, I just don't think they had enough "oomph" to protect my skin from Liverpool in general!

Around the end of my first year, I bought Garnier Pure Active Blackhead Clearing Scrub, mainly because I have a fair few blackheads on my nose (who doesn't?) and wanted to get rid of them. WORST SKINCARE MISTAKE OF MY LIFE. I don't know if it was just my skin (which is fairly sensitive), but my God this cleanser caused so much havoc on my face! I broke out in every place imaginable, and even after I'd stopped using it, for about a month or so after, my skin continued to be terrible. I am never going near a Garnier skin product again!

So! I needed a saviour for my face. Enter Liz Earle... 


L-R: Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, Instant Boost Skin Tonic, Skin Repair Moisturiser, and Sheer Skin Tint


1. Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
I'd heard so much about this cleanser, so was dying to try this out. I was impressed by the amount of natural ingredients in the cleanser, so was confident it wouldn't bother my skin too much. If you don't know what a hot cloth cleanser is, basically you massage the product onto a dry face, and wipe off with a muslin cloth soaked in warm water. You then wash the residue off with cold water, which will probably be unpleasant come winter!



2. Instant Boost Skin Tonic
I never really got on the whole toner bandwagon, I'm still pretty unsure of the benefits of this, but it really is lovely on my skin. I use it after my cleanser, and find it plumps and revitalizes my skin before putting moisturiser on. Also, spritzing this on during the day really perks me up!


3. Skin Repair Moisturiser
I hadn't used a moisturiser for so, so long before getting this product. I was scared that strong ingredients in the cheaper moisturisers would mess my skin up again! I was pleasantly surprised by the dry/sensitive option, as this seemed perfect for my skin. The formula is very thick, which I like, because it actually feels like its doing something for me! It does soak into the skin quickly though.


4. Sheer Skin Tint
Because of the warmer summer weather (ha, marginally!) I've been looking for a lighter coverage foundation. This is perfect, it provides a lovely natural finish to my skin, and doesn't feel like I've caked it on! It is buildable for more coverage, but that isn't really my thing. I have shade 2 out of 3. I think the shade collection is possibly a bit limited, especially for darker skin tones, but shade 2 suits me perfectly.

If you made it this far - congratulations! Have a metaphorical medal. 

I can't recommend Liz Earle products enough, they have saved my little face from what I thought was the start of acne! They aren't cheap, but I honestly think saving up for products like this will save you a whole lot of bother in buying lots of cheap products which do nothing for your skin. My skin is nearly absolutely clear, I can't wait for it to completely clear up so I can happily wander round make-up free!

Another, and final point - their service. Oh my, their customer service is perfect. I never thought I'd say that! The brand offers quick delivery, sublime packaging and also a complimentary sample with your order. Luckily I got a mini of my moisturiser, which I take when I go on my travels.

Do you use Liz Earle products? Are you interested in buying some?

xxx

Sunday 5 August 2012

Dark locks

Hello everyone, I'm sorry for my long break away from the blog! Wasn't feeling myself so retreated for a while. However, I have some nice posts lined up involving Liz Earle, and my nail polish collection!

The focus on today's post is my hair. Recently I cut a full fringe in, and since then I've been dying (excuse the pun) to dye it again! My hair is naturally a fair/dark brown, but I'd love to take it a few shades darker, mainly because after August, IT'S OFFICIALLY A/W 12 PEOPLE! Haha I love A/W much more than S/S, because I can wear darker colours, layers, big jumpers etc etc. So I would like a barnet to match! Here is my main inspiration:


I just think that really deep brown shade looks so nice on Lily! Really brings out the brown in her eyes too. So, I'll be on a hunt for a decent semi-permanent dye. Which would you recommend? And now my hair is longer (and rather thick), should I buy 2 boxes of dye?

Answers on a postcard/comment/tweet please ladies!

Hope you're all having a lovely relaxing sunday. I'm curled up with a brew and Marie Claire, ogling at the lovely A/W campaigns!

PS Whilst I may take breaks from blogging, I'm alive and kicking on my twitter & tumblr!

xxx

Monday 16 July 2012

Kiss me hard before you go.


I finally got a peplum top! Yay! It's from Topshop, there are a few colours going but I had to get this burgundy one. Because I'm rather err... well endowed in the boob department, I get one hell of an hourglass figure with this top ha! It's taking a bit of getting used to, so as of yet it's not been taken on it's first outing out of the house! What do you think? I think it'll look nice with jeans....

My lips are Topshop's "Hazard", a nice red with dark tones running through it. I can't face getting a really bold red lippy just yet!

My day has been spent cleaning and baking, as usual! I turn into a housewife in the summer months, that way I get pocket money for bits and bobs. Going to Liverpool tomorrow to see my counsellor which should be good, haven't seen him in ages! 

xxx

Friday 13 July 2012

Skin saviours


Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic (not pictured)
Dove Firming Body Lotion
Body Shop Vanilla Body Lotion
Garnier Intensive 7 Days Lotion

Once a week, I usually find half an hour or so to cover myself in these beauty bits! So I thought I'd tell you what I think about them.

I use Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish and Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic twice daily. I like the whole process of it all, it's much better than other cleansers I've used which is basically put it on your face, and wash it off! The muslin cloth really seems to get all your make up off and clean it at the same time! After this I use the toner to hydrate my skin, wiped across my face with a cotton pad. Sadly my toner has nearly ran out, need to repurchase! I'd really recommend getting this combination of Liz Earle products if you have problem skin, it really seems to calm mine down.

Now, on to my lotions. I really struggle getting my legs to retain any moisture, it seems the second I put a moisturiser on, it's sucked up! Boooo. Anyway, I've been using the Garnier Intensive 7 Days Lotion for a while now and can honestly say it really does make my legs feel lovely! You have to put quite a fair bit on, but I usually put it on before I put my trackies/PJs on and just sit around for an hour or so! Or before bed, whatever works for you. 

I've been using the Dove Firming Lotion for the past week, in an attempt to calm down scarring on my hips and thighs, caused by self harming. So, if anyone's struggling with depression like myself (post focusing on it here), hopefully you'll find this next bit useful! The Dove lotion has actually helped in reducing irritation in my scars and also reducing redness, but it does leave a funny texture on the skin after... guess it's the stuff firming your skin up! So after putting this on, and letting it soak in, I usually chuck some Body Shop Lotion on the top. You can use whatever I suppose, I just love the smell of this Vanilla one. The combination of these two products has really helped the appearance of my scars, and has really helped tone my legs up a tiny bit, which is always nice! I'm booked in to get a tattoo over some of my scars on my hips, so I need to get them healed up within 2 months! Hopefully I can manage it!

Whoops, that was a bit of an essay wasn't it? I hope some people found this useful!

What products do you use to keep the skin on your legs nice and soft? 


xxx

Thursday 12 July 2012

My favourite game




Hello lovelies, sorry for not posting alot recently! My skin got attacked by another Garnier product I got drawn to so I looked rubbish! Back to normal now, thanks to the skin saviour that is Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser! Seriously that stuff must have been made by superhumans, it's made my skin look so clear.

Yesterday I went to Manchester with my parents, mainly so my lovely mum could pick herself a new Radley bag. Waaaah so jealous! Of course I'm more of a Mulberry girl myself (aren't we all?) but I'd take any nice bag right now to be honest! I picked up Essie Sand Tropez in Selfridges and couldn't be happier with the colour. I like really neutral colours as they make my hands look better - I think I have stubby fingers! So after seeing it on the nails of Anna, I knew I had to get it! The service was rubbish at Selfridges which I was really shocked at, but I persisted because I really wanted this colour.


Seeee. So plain but pretty :) 

Really looking forward to my last few months of summer, I have lots of little plans! Including a trip to the Monet/Turner/Twombly exhibition at the Tate next weekend, seeing my sister in York at the end of July, then at the end of August we're off to Glasgow for a weekend! Can't wait, we're staying at Malmaison, eeeep!

Has anyone else tried Essie Sand Tropez? Do you like your dull nail colours? ;)

xxx

Thursday 5 July 2012

A/W lustings; the Scandi Girl collection (Topshop)

We're in July, I know. But coming from the UK, we don't get much of a summer. As an aspiring meteorologist I've worked out that we have two "mini summers" - in May, and in late September. So, it's only natural that I start pining after jumpers and scarves during these months where we're just getting rain, thunder, and cloud.

If you've taken a look on the Topshop website recently, you'll have noticed the Scandi Girl collection. It's influenced by Scandinavian culture (I have an odd liking for many Swedish things, so this appeals to me!), and layers upon layers of lovely knits. Paired with gorgeous boots, of course. Here are a few of my favourite pieces which I will be trying my best to save up for!

001. Jumpers



002. Heels

...Ok, I realised as I was happily posting Image URLs around that most of these images are small, and a funny view! Silly topshop website (well, silly lack of knowledge on my part!). Anyway, if you want to see more, go and look at the collection!

I'm already saving up for the black crotchet boots (the bottom ones that I posted), can't wait to get them! They're £78 though, which is ridiculous. But so pretty..

Anyone else already fawning over scarves, gloves and dark colours?!

xxx


Monday 2 July 2012

Where Have You Been?


So, being the bored and extremely poor student that I am - I gave my hair the snip. Do you like the full fringe? It still needs trimming and tweaking a bit more but so far I'm pleased with it. 

I got my first year results back today - I passed my first year of Oceans, Climate and Physical Geography at the University of Liverpool! Really pleased that my mitigating circumstances were only needed in one of my modules, too. Got a high 2:1 in Maths and Physics and GIS! Anyone that knows of GIS (Geographical Information Systems) will hopefully give me a pat on the back for that - the most infuriating thing on the planet for all environmental scientists!

And last on my blogging agenda this evening is books, as usual. I've been sent "The Perks of Being A Wallflower", "Looking For Alaska", "Pigeon English" and "The Art of Fielding". I've recently been trying to read "Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern, but for some reason I just can't get into it. I've given it 100 pages, as I give all books, but it feels like a chore to read! So I've moved on to Looking For Alaska. 

If anyone has any book recommendations, send them this way! 

x

Thursday 21 June 2012

The D-Word


Casually proving I never take myself too seriously...

I've been wondering when to write this post for a while now! I decided to do it after reading the Frankie Sandford interview in Glamour a few months back, which focused on her struggle with depression. I try my best not to go "too deep" in regards to my health/well being on here, but there's such a stigma attached to all forms of mental illness, and I thought it'd be nice just rambling about it. If it helps just one person, I'll be happy!

; I've had depression for around 1 and a half years now. Time flies! I can't pin point where it started, I've been trying for  a very long time but now I think it's better to manage it and make myself better. Saying "better" is a little odd, because depression is a part of my life, it'll be weird when it finally buggers off.

; After about 11 months of being a stubborn and moody teenager, I dragged myself to counselling. Now, the first counsellor I got was frankly ridiculous. I'm sure she could help others, but why do people do breathing exercises?! I mean really. I was struggling not to giggle as I huffed and puffed in front of her. Anyway, then I got paired with the lovely Brian, who has stuck by me for the past few months. I find it useful because I don't like the idea of burdening close ones with my problems.... so I lay it on a professional, ha! Seriously though, I consider him a friend now.

; I was put on medication in January this year, and this deserves the most attention, I feel. Not because it's the most "important" part of my treatment, but because my God there is so much prejudice about antidepressants! In the past they were harsh and aggressive treatments (tranquilizers anyone?!), but now  they are much better managed and all they do is balance out chemicals whizzing round your brain. I'm currently on a form of SSRI, linked there for anyone who wants more info. It has not changed my personality at all, the only difference is I am a heavier sleeper!

I don't want to ramble on, so the last thing I will say on the topic is do not be worried about having depression. As my counsellor told me on my first appointment, depression is just your body going into "nursing mode", if you will, protecting you from any more emotional strain. And when you're ready, you will get back to your normal self. x

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Thérése


Yep, I've been getting friendly with Pixlr, can you tell?! Ha. The playsuit is an old Topshop find, and the jumper is from New Look, last year. I really haven't done that much with my day besides watch Man vs Food (so good!) and bake some coconut macaroons! 

Now, starting this week I'm going to try and get a weekly blog feature going. It's based on the books I read, and basically will be a review every friday! That means I have to read a book a week, eep! I'm sure I'll manage though. So, if anyone has any books they want me to have a read of and review, let me know please! 

Coming soon: The Bell Jar & Before I Go To Sleep

Monday 11 June 2012

Tweet, tweet...

Nope, this isn't a reference to my twitter (shameless bit of self promo there), it's actually a post dedicated to my new tattoo idea! I do ramble on about tattoos alot, I love them, and hopefully if I have the willpower to save up this summer, this will be my first bit of ink!

I've always wanted my first tattoo to be relevant to the passing of my grandparents, last year. Mainly because it reminds me how close I was to them, how they have shaped me as a person and how their loss affected my family. So, the idea is this - an open birdcage, with a dove flying out. Now, either under the dove's wing or on the door of the birdcage will be my grandparents initials: "J" for Joseph, "M" for Margaret. The 'meaning' of the tattoo is my belief in the Holy Spirit guiding my grandparents into the afterlife upon their death. And a birdcage, well, because I love them!

The hardest thing to pick is the design of the birdcage, and I've found a few ideas here:





All images found on weheartit

My favourite design is the last picture (just above), I think I'm going to take that image to my local tattoo place and ask them to sketch it! Minus the handle on top and the birds. So, what do you think? :)