The Hottie and The Nottie: July 2012

Wow, this is a feature that I haven't done in a really long time. Nevertheless, with the end of the month, I figured that now is a really good time to get back into doing it :)

Loving

Mood Boards. 

I actually created this sort-of Mood Board, on my Office Wall about a month ago, because I really wanted to throw out old copies of magazines, but I still wanted to hang on to some of the inspiring articles or images.

I wanted to create a board, or area of my wall, that inspired me to be productive and get typing during my working day. I have all sorts up there, including motivational articles, inspiring quotes, interesting articles and when I was piecing it together I seemed to be drawn to beautiful eye makeup - I'm thinking that this has been inspired by my recent use of websites such as Pinterest, but I really have started to notice the eye makeup used in advertising recently.

Upcoming NaNoWriMo.

I actually attempted to do Camp NaNoWriMo back in June, but being on holiday for over a week near the beginning of the month really slowed down production, and then half way through I had a complete change of direction around one of my main characters (I decided that he was basically a boring fart!), which chopped up my story a great deal, and the word count dwindled so much I decided that it was for the best to put the novel to rest for the time being.

Nevertheless, I most certainly wasn't disheartened because I know that I did the right thing, for me at that time. And fortunately there will be another opportunity to whoop my own NaNoWriMoing Ass through August so yippee!

If anyone wants to follow my progress on this one, I'll be blogging (probably) about it over on my Writing Blog.

Glittery Nail Polish.

Not going to lie. Glitter has never been a favourite of mine: even as a teenager I wasn't keen on glittery eyeshadow or cheeks. Don't ask me why, I just wasn't a fan. But since recently buying a couple of glittery top coats, I think I have found love:

I think that glittery top coats just revitalise other shades by brightening them up, or making them look different overall. Over the weekend I discovered that it doesn't look so great with all shades, but I'm a long way from getting bored of the glitter just yet. However, I will just point out that this new-found love of glitter probably won't be spreading out to anywhere else in my makeup!!!

Hating

Weather that can't decide.

One minute we're being slapped with a Hosepipe Ban following two dry winters, then as soon as that comes into force we're facing the wettest Spring/Early Summer for years with crazy flooding and leaky roofing. And then it's boiling headache-enducingly hot. And now it's rainy season again.

Source: dribbble.com via Eva on Pinterest

The funny thing is that I actually love the rain. My problem with it is that it can't seem to make up its mind. But then, that's British weather through and through isn't it? It's as erratic as goodness knows what, and we'd only moan if it were any different ;)

Yellow Nail Polish.

One Christmas, when I was in Secondary School, my friends and I all bought each other Constance Carroll Nail Polishes, in the brightest colours possible. So, we each ended up with five bright polishes and yet the only one that I ever remember is the yellow one. I loved that nail polish, because it was so bright and cheerful. Move ahead about thirteen years and yellow is not my friend. Yellow Nail Polish is in fact...my Arch Nemesis!!

Source: ciate.co.uk via Licia on Pinterest

The truth is, I've come to discover that yellow nail polish really does not suit me. It doesn't matter if it is a pale or a vivid yellow, and it doesn't even matter what brand I wear. It doesn't matter if I mattify it or glitter it up. Yellow just does not suit me in the slightest. 

I can't help feel saddened, and I shall mourn the three yellow and lemon-shades that I own *sob*

What have you been loving and hating this month? :)

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NOTD: Shimmers and Shines

I've been meaning to do a Nail of the Day for absolutely ages, but every time that I think about it, my nails always seem to be chipped or just looking rubbish. So, typically my nails weren't too great today either, but I really wanted to share this look with you because I really love it. Here ya go:

This, to me, is a really pretty, sparkly creamy kind of colour that I thought would look absolutely beautiful for a bride, bridesmaid or anything to do with a wedding. It's simple but with a little sparkly twist.

What I Used

• OPI Play The Peonies (from the Nice Stems! Mini Set)
• Barry M 338 Silver Multi Glitter

Play The Peonies

Play The Peonies is a stunning creamy colour that I can never decide exactly what shade it is. Part of me wants to say cream, whilst another off-white. Then there's something that makes it look like a white polish that I've managed to contaminate with a pink or red shade that has given it a pinkish tinge, even though I am fairly certain that I haven't.

I think that ultimately, it is a very pale pale tone, that is soft and subtle. It's the kind of shade that looks beautifully subtle on its own, but can look absolutely fantastic with a bit of sparkle of nail polish. It's just really adaptable, which I always love.

Silver Multi Glitter

I'm not going to lie. I picked this polish up from Superdrug for one reason, and one reason only: it was so darn pretty and sparkly and oooh!!

This nail polish, for me, is like a normal girls diamonds. I'm not really into diamonds and what-not, so yes, this is definitely my diamonds. It's just twinkly and sparkly and makes me think "wow". And it's funny because the name "Silver Multi" is quite confusing, because you kinda wonder how it can be both silver and multi-coloured, and yet, it really is.

The base kind of colour, that is very fine seems to be silver, and then the very fine glitter is multi-coloured...I think. It's such an amazing colour that I can't entirely tell.

Overall, I think that this is a fantastic look. However, it's not quite as pretty as another shade I tried with this Barry M glitter...but I'll save that one for another time ;)

What do you think of these sparkly nails?

Beautiful World: Being British

It's not difficult to figure out what part of world I'm singing the praises of this week, and you should know that I'm more surprised than anyone by this addition. I never expected the Ceremony to affect me as much as it did.

Twelve months ago, I'm not going to deny that I was a bit ashamed to call myself British, or essentially English. I'm sure that I don't need to remind anyone of last years riots. However, over the past twelve months with the immense power of the average person and their broom, and then of course the build-up to the most amazing Olympics Opening Night, that I think I will ever experience, we've pulled ourselves back together and shown the world what we're made of.

I should confess that I haven't really gotten very much into the Olympic Spirit. I'm not a sports fan, although I do enjoy the swimming, gymnastics and ice skating (I know that's the Winter Olympics but still!!). But, I'm glad that I decided to watch the opening ceremony, because it was something that needed to be experienced.

As a Brit, I felt like it reminded me that even though things are tough right now, our country has dealt with hardships before and come out stronger than ever. We can do it again.

It was incredible to watch the hard work of people like Danny Boyle, Kenneth Branagh, Daniel Craig, Mr. Bean (sorry, Rowan Atkinson) and all of the amazing volunteers who put together a show that I felt really represented a large part of what makes us British. Okay, so maybe some people didn't get it, I must admit there were some bits that I didn't entirely get either, but c'mon James Bond had the Queen parachuting out of a Helicopter!

And how freaky was that bloody tall Voldemort?? Eep!!


So, today I am celebrating the fact that I am British :)

Holy Jumping Juniper, Batman

Some time ago I reviewed Lush's Solid Conditioner Bar "Jungle", which I wasn't really that impressed with. It wasn't so much that I didn't like it, but more that I was never convinced that I was using it "properly" or that I was actually getting any product on to my hair! Nevertheless, on a trip to Lush (which is actually a good few months ago now!) I'd decided that I wanted to give the shampoo bar a try, out of pure curiosity more than anything. So I went in, sniffed them all, and amazingly, the one that I liked the smell of the most, was in fact the one that suited my hair type the most. Pure luck, I say!

I have to confess that I wasn't really that optimistic about this product, but I really wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt.

The Smell

The first scent that stood out for me, when I initially smelt it was definitely the smell of Lavender, so it surprises me how much I quite liked it because I've never been a fan of Lavender. But the scent isn't entirely Lavender, and there are underlying smells that aren't that nice, but after 'The Jungle', I'm not hugely bothered by the smell.

Appearance

As with the Jungle Solid Conditioner, this looks like your typical bar of round soap! There's no design on this one, however, instead it's quite plain, whilst the surface is quite rough in texture.

How to Use the Solid Shampoo

I had an absolute nightmare trying to use the Solid Conditioner; it didn't later at all, and I never felt like I was actually putting any product in my hair no matter how I rub it or dragged it through my tresses. I've, to this very day, still not mastered how to use a Solid Conditioner and don't think that I will ever get used to it.

Using the Solid Shampoo, however was a whole different ball game!! The packaging states, and I quote *ahem*:

"Rub onto wet hair or lather in wet hands"

Now, after the rubbish of the Conditioner you'll excuse me for taking this with a pinch of salt, but I played along and attempted to lather it up in my hands. And you know what? It actually worked. It lathered up in my hand and yes, yes I did get a little too there's-a-face-of-Jesus-in-my-soap-type-of-excited!!

Results

By lathering up this is already a million steps ahead of the Conditioner, however despite the fact that this was suited to my hair type, I'm not really convinced that it did anything for it. Yeah, it was clean but it was also knotted which was a bit of a pain in the bum.

Other than the lathering up, the only other thing that saves this for me, and make me "sort of" interested in buying it again, is the smell. I know that I hadn't been keen on it initially, but when the wind is blowing my hair and it wafts across my face there is something so lovely about the scent of the Juniper in this product. It's such a refreshing and light smell, that doesn't feel overpowered by chemicals.

Will I buy this again?

I'm in two minds about this. I do like the product, and as long as my hair is clean does it matter about if I have to attack my hair with the Tangle Teezer after using it? I do like the smell, and the fact that it lathers hurrah! It has also lasted me for absolutely ages, but then I don't use it very often. But in the longevity sense it's worth the money.

Have you tried Lush's Jumping Juniper? What do you think?

Thoughtful Thursday: 26.07.2012

Awww, I just want to give Eeyore a huge squishy hug, just for being so awesome!

Source: lillypulitzerchic.tumblr.com via Kat on Pinterest

Beautiful World: The Sea

I have to admit that I'm not really a huge lover of beaches. I've never been on a "beach" holiday, and to be honest, it's never really appealed. I hate the feeling of sand between my toes, and I can think of a load of other ways I'd rather be spending my holiday doing, than sat on a beach - maybe I'm weird, I dunno.

But, it's true that there is always something so incredibly alluring about the Sea. I mean, look at the image below...what's not to love about it?

Source: takeheart-sweetheart.tumblr.com via leni on Pinterest

There's something so calming, and serene about the sea. Just sitting and listening to it gently lapping on the sand, or watching it clap ferociously against rocks. It's mesmerising, beautiful and at times scary, all at the same time.

On a recent holiday to Wales, I spent my final day paddling in the sea at Black Rock Sands, something that I've not done since I was a very young age, and I have a feeling that the last time I paddled was ironically on that beach. In a way, the sea has always scared me a little, because even though it can be so peaceful, there's also that knowledge of the sheer power the sea has. A power that can destroy as much as it can cleanse.

It's not that I've avoided paddling, as such, but I will confess that those hours spent walking along, jumping over waves and splashing around have to have been the most carefree fun I've had in a long time. I felt truly happy and completely at peace with myself and everything around me.  It's like nothing else in the world mattered, and it was an incredibly "freeing" feeling.

I've certainly gained a renewed appreciation for the sea and its mysteries.

Do you have fond memories of time at the Sea? 

Where is the most beautiful Sea that you've ever seen.

Thoughtful Thursday: 19.07.2012

Hands up if this applies to you.....

Source: via Libby on Pinterest

30 Before 30: Learn How To Apply Liquid Eyeliner: Second Attempt

You might remember, back in February, I set myself a challenge as part of my 30 Before 30 to learn how to apply liquid eyeliner, as demonstrated here in my first attempt. To be fair, I haven't been using liquid eyeliner much over the past five months so I haven't had that much opportunity to practice. Let's face it, I really needed the practice!!

However, I've recently been testing out ELF's Liquid Eyeliner in Coffee for a blog post over at Makeup Mew, and I wanted to share with you guys how I've been getting on:

Photography by me, and used on Makeup Mew.com

I feel really proud of myself for how well this eye turned out, because I actually used a method of application that I've never tried before. That was to apply the liquid in small, light strokes gradually working along my eye lid. I'm not sure if it was the small strokes, or the fact that I was doing it lightly (I do have a habit of being quite heavy-handed at times), but it certainly seemed to work wonders.

Of course it's not perfect, and I definitely need to practice a bit more, but it's a lot better than my tragic previous attempts. I might be able to conquer this challenge after all :-D

Beautiful World: Introduction

Source: domesblissity.blogspot.com via Anne on Pinterest

Okay, it's confession time: how many of you had a good old moan today? A good guess might be that at some point it was about the weather wasn't it? Well, the weather has been pretty rubbish. But, let's be honest us British, well, we know how to have a good old moan don't we? If you want to be British, learn how to have a rant and you're well on your way. Okay, so I'm kidding with that last bit - sort of - but ranting certainly does seem to be something that all of us do, and it's not surprising with banks ripping us off, big companies creaming tax off and MPs that never seem to have a clue - literally, about anything. It's easy to get angry at everything, and quite rightly so, but anyone who has read my blog recently, or in the past will know that I like to keep things on this blog positive - even though, yup I am more than capable of my share of rants, trust me, just follow me on Twitter!!

But, the thing is, how many of us actually take a second to appreciate some of the amazing things that are in the world? The things that are beautiful and just plain amazing? I decided to start this section for that exact reason. I wanted to start by featuring an actor who I've been a fan of since 13 Going on 30, and who I think is an amazing actor and he's not bad looking either.

The one and only Mark Ruffalo:

Source: google.com via Stacey on Pinterest

I should just not that this isn't going to be a weekly "hot men" feature, as awesome as that would really be ;) It'll feature other awesome stuff too.

Got a suggestion for something to feature in the  Beautiful World feature? Let me know in the comments below:

Are you a fan of Mark Ruffalo? Was he a great Hulk?

Thoughtful Thursday: 12.07.2012

Which way would you go??

Source: kaitnolan.tumblr.com via Kat on Pinterest

The Wherever Workout App Review

App: The Wherever Workout
Platform: Android
Cost: Free (at time of writing)

The Idea: 

The basic idea behind this app is to offer workouts that you can quite literally do anywhere, whether you are at home, at the office, in a hotel or have limited space. It's certainly a nice idea, and the app offers workouts in the following categories:

• Office Workout
• Hotel Workout
• Minutes to Spare Anywhere
• Airplane Workout
• Some Equipment Workout

During each workout you have the option to have a voice tell you what the next position or workout will be, and how long you have to do it. Or, if you don't want a voice, you can have beeps. 

Each specific position or movement comes with an image and explanation, however this comes to be a bit of a pain because sometimes I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing, so I've had to pause the workout to read the instructions, which gets to be a bit annoying. I'd also like the images to be replaced with a video or animation perhaps, just to enforce the idea that I'm doing it properly.

Each category features a variety of different workouts with varying durations and fitness levels, so are they any good? Most of them are excellent. I personally have been enjoying doing the Good Morning and Good Night Bed Stretches under the Hotel Workout section. I'm one of those unfortunate souls who struggles to get out of bed in the morning, and I've found the Good Morning Bed Stretch to be amazing motivation, because it starts off with exercises that you do lying down, before sitting over the edge of your bed, and finally standing up. I like the gradual movement that it takes you to get out of bed, and I've found that really helpful.

I love that you only do exercises for a short period of time, because it doesn't get boring.

The Bad: My biggest issue with this app, however, is the fact that some of the exercises really aren't appropriate for the category they're in. For example, lifting your legs up at the knees whilst on an aircraft isn't exactly discreet, and I have visions of the guy sitting next to me looking at me as if I'm crazy (he's probably right, but that's beside the point). 

In the office, unless you are working from home is marching in place really that practical? How about Plank Hold on Knees?  Or, Side Planks, or Toe Taps? I mean, seriously, who is going to get up and do that in the office, even during their lunch hour? 

The exercises aren't really fit for "everywhere" really.

Overall: It's a nice app to start out with, but eventually it becomes repetitive and boring. I think that it needs more workouts, and more thought to be put into the types of exercise that people can - realistically - do in certain situations. I think that maybe differentiating between Home Office and Work Office might be ideal. However, if we're talking about a Home Office, I don't know about anyone else but I'm quite happy to get up and do a proper workout. When I was working an office, in a previous life, I don't think that I would have gotten away with anything more than the Desk Stretches to loosen the neck and wrists as well as increasing blood flow in the legs and feet.

Do you use apps to help you keep fit? 

Do you think they help?

FOTD: A First Time for Everything

Since I started this blog over two years ago, I've slowly been building confidence to put up images of myself in any shape or form. It took me a long while to convinced myself to even put up images of my nails, and I've only just managed to encourage myself to do Outfits of the Day/Night, which I've still only done two of. But despite everything, and how far I've come confidence wise, I've never been able to muster enough of it to do a Face of the Day.

Today that day has come, so without further whatever, here is my first, probably not very exciting Face of the Day. It's also a glimpse into how awful my hair is, especially when I don't straighten it and it's just a horrid frizzy, lanky mess of yuck!

And here's a slightly closer look at the eyes, with my glasses on :)

I know that it's not the most amazing look on the planet, but the eyes are a look that I use most days, and the lips, well it was actually for another blog post over at Makeup Mew, however I decided to take that particular post down a different route, hence I'm using the look here instead :P

What did I use?

1. All For Eve Lipstick in Eve Red 
2. GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer
3. Rimmel 3 Looks Mascara
4. Urban Decay Primer Potion
5. First Light 100% Mineral Foundation in Spring Morning (only seems to be available on Ebay, from what I can tell)
6. Urban Decay Glide-on Eye Pencil in Graffiti (top eyelid)
7. Urban Decay Glide-on Eye Pencil in Binge (bottom eyelid)

I've had this red lipstick since I got it in a beauty box (can't remember which one) last year, and although I've always loved the colour, I've never had the confidence (yep, that again) to wear it anywhere than around the flat, but looking back at these pictures, I actually really love it.

So, that's my first face of the day *cringe* Next time I really have to remember to straighten my hair before I take any more photos!!

What do you think? 

Love, hate, passive? :)

Thoughtful Friday: 06.07.2012

Why I'll never learn to Drive

I've been an avid read of Psychologies Magazine for quite some time, and even these days I find that I'm really only reading it for David Baddiel's page (I sometimes swear that man is in my head, which is a little bit disturbing!!), there are often little gems that really do hit-home with me.

This month's issue, featuring the inspiring Kirsten Dunst, has proven to be even more inspirational to me than many recent issues, but no article has really got to me, like this one:

I've always felt a slight sense of not fitting in, as if all of my choices are the "wrong ones", because other people don't seem to agree with them. For a long time, especially when I was much younger, the sheer mention of wanting to be a writer was often met with distaste, purely because this appeared to mean that I "didn't want to earn money", or that I wouldn't be bringing anything "useful" into the world. For a long time, those feelings and other people's opinions got me down, and I almost gave up on my dreams to find jobs in areas that I wasn't interested in.

When it comes to my freelance writing, I'm glad that I managed to build-up the confidence to ignore the past naysayers (and even the ones that still look down their noses at me for choosing this path - you know who you are!), because at the end of the day, this is my life. And in my life, I make my own decisions, not anyone else.

However, when I was reading this article, it wasn't my writing that leapt out at me, because to be honest, when reading the article (initially at least) I wasn't thinking of myself at all...but then, this jumped out at me:

Oh my god, this really could have been said by me, and probably has been, a million times over. Yes, I'm 28 years old and no, I do not want to drive. Some people, I don't think, will ever be able to understand this, but it's just never been a desire for me.

Looking back at my childhood, I'm not really sure why. Both of my parents are drivers, and we've always had a car in the family. My oldest brother has had a car since I was in Year 3 at Junior School, and my other brother passed his test when he was eighteen. Nevertheless, whilst we have family photos of the younger of my brothers sat behind the wheel of my Mum's car, pretending to drive it from a very early age, I just never had any interest.

Cars have been a huge part of my life. I have fond memories of my oldest brother coming home from University and driving the three of us over to the UCI Cinema in Hull, I absolutely loved those trips, and do kind of miss them now that we're all older and moved on, in life. I have memories of the long drives to our family holidays in Wales, with tape cassettes of The Shadows, Andrew Lloyd Webber or some early nineties artist that I probably wouldn't be able to name, even if I tried, depending on who was driving, and in which car.

Maybe I'm just happier being a passenger. Maybe I like train journeys too much. Or maybe the idea of driving scares the flipping crap out of me.

Honestly, if you asked me to write a list of the pros and cons of why I should learn to drive, the list of Cons would probably be an entire novel, whilst the list of Pros (albeit very good Pros) just couldn't defend themselves against the Cons.

I've accepted that I will probably never learn. I was offered lessons when I turned seventeen, just as my brothers had, but I turned them down, and took the money instead. When I left Uni I got my Provisional Licence and people thought "yes, she's finally going to learn to drive" and for a while this seemed to be enough to keep people quiet. But the truth is, I only got my Provisional so that I could use it for ID, since I was always being told that I looked young for my age.

At one point, my oldest brother (I bet he doesn't remember this) turned around and said that if I learnt to drive he would buy me a car! To which I replied that if he bought me a car, then I'd learn to drive. Funnily enough, he wasn't keen on that idea!

One of the reasons mentioned by the lady in the article, of why people think she should learn to drive, is one that I've had before as well, and that is that a car is all about gaining "independence". But like the interviewee, I agree that it isn't about independence at all. Not having a car doesn't stop me from working. It doesn't stop me from doing my food shopping, by myself. It doesn't stop me from visiting people. Of course there a places that are more difficult to get to, but is that really the end of the world?

Another issue is, that when people talk about my not driving, they always bring a car in the equation. However, I don't think I could afford to buy or even run a car, even if I did want to.

The point is, that I have chosen not to drive. I wish that people would learn to accept this. I know that they might not understand it, and I don't expect them to, but harping on at me all the time, is not going to somehow encourage me to change my mind. In some way, it makes me even more adamant that I don't want to drive.

Are there any other non-drivers out there, who genuinely never intend to learn? Is there too much pressure on learning to drive these days? Do you think that it is possible to live an "independent" life without a car? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

Getting Back on Track

It's pretty fair to say that my Workout Regime, alongside posts on this blog, has been really lax recently. In fact, I haven't done much of one in months, which is really bad and as a result I've put on weight again. Fortunately, it doesn't appear to have gone up too much (currently only three pounds heavier than I was at my last blogging weigh-on, but that's lower than it has been, so I'm happy to be getting it down again).

Time for Change

So, the other day I was watching an episode of Deal or No Deal (as ya do!), and I was inspired by the contestant (who eventually got a bit too greedy, didn't accept an amazing offer of £60,000 and went home with just 1p!!) who had turned her life around by losing weight. I don't know exactly how much weight she lost, but it gave me a little nudge to let me remember what I'm aiming for, which is the big 3-0! I still have over a year to go, but the longer I leave it, the harder the challenge gets.

Source: soon2befit.tumblr.com via Kirby on Pinterest

I started thinking about the success that I'd had with my 30 Day Workout Challenge on this very blog. The motivation from being reminded by my own blog posts, to do a work out was amazing, and I really wanted to do that again. But, I don't really want to bog my blog down yet again, doing that. I thought about setting my alarm to remind me to do a work out, but then I sat and thought: but what would I actually do? And that is when I grasped my problem:

I never know what kind of work out to do, I end up doing things randomly and my brain gets bored and thus I stop doing anything at all. And if I'm honest, the idea of setting up the TV and PS2 every time I want to do a workout just seems like too much hassle. It's the same principle as to why I'm more likely to play a game on my PSP than on the PS2!! I want something that I can use right here, right now, where ever I am at that very moment, without having to go into a specific area, if that makes sense.

What to Do...??


I've tried using fitness and weight loss apps on my Android phone in the past, but all they've ever done for me is count the number of calories in my food (well, it actually asks me to input how many calories there are for it, and if it doesn't know, then how am I supposed to??), and track my work outs.

Source: weheartit.com via Aina on Pinterest

What I need is something that tells me exactly what to do. Okay, so maybe this makes me sound like a little kid, but I think that it's guidance that I'm looking for. I have the motivation, now show me the path to take kind of thing!

So, I've been downloading and testing out a few work out apps and hopefully I'll love them enough to review them for you guys on here. I've been playing around with a couple of them for a week now, and I've managed to keep up every day doing a minimum of 15 minutes to start with, so I'm feeling really positive about stuff.

Stay positive and beautiful people ;)