Pale Skinned Ladies! This One's For You!

You don't have to be an expert in the makeup world to know how much contouring can enhance your features and create beautifully highlighted and glowing skin.

Unfortunately, despite the relatively recent influx of paler foundations, when it comes to concealer, the beauty industry is still favouring the golden goddess over the lily skinned lovely.

I've always wanted to have a go at contouring. I have pretty defined cheekbones as it is, but there can never be too much definition right?! Ive tried over the past few months to create the perfect match of highlighting and shadowing, but due to the lack in pale enough colours, my face tends to end looking mucky and a bit orange. What a nightmare!

Despite feeling like throwing in the towel I decided to have a last shot at finding the right concealer and I'm so happy to say I think I have succeeded!

Collection 2000 has always been a favourite budget brand of mine. I've been a fan of their lipgloss for years and swear by their liquid eyeliner; but it's their Lasting Perfection concealer that has really stolen the show today.

A glossy liquid product the concealer comes in a variety of colours right down to it's pale as milk lightest shade. For anyone with truly pale skin (I'm talking Mac NC15 territory) the shade Fair is the perfect colour for highlighting and contouring on top of your foundation. (See my photograph below for a comparison in colour between NC15 and the Fair shade). It noticeably brightens the skin and provides a smooth glossy effect. When blended out, it creates a flawless finish with no unsightly streaks or lines. I found the coverage lasted all day, and kept me looking refreshed and awake right up until bedtime!

I am so so SO impressed with this product. Never before have I seen a concealer in such a perfect shade, and the quality of the makeup is just gorgeous. At just £4 a go, I can't stress enough how fantastic value this product is.

Use alongside your favourite bronzer to sculpt and contour your cheekbones, or pair with a rosy blusher for a pretty dewy, wide eyed effect!

For pale skinned girls, this is an absolute must buy!

 

A Sunday Morning Snuggle

I absolutely love having a cat. She's my first proper pet (minus Basil the evil rabbit and Arthur the monster fish), and I never really got the relationships people have with their pets, until we got her.
I'd never have thought it was possible to love an animal to this extent, but when she comes to greet me in the morning it really does brighten my day.  We took her in as a rescue cat, and at 13 years old, it feels good that we can give her a safe, loving environment for her to live out her retirement in.

I'm an absolute advocate for the adoption of older cats.  Kittens are adorable I know, and sometime families like to get pets from a baby so they can grow up with the family; but I think the relationship that can be built with an older animal is often hugely underestimated. Too many rescue homes are filled with cats whose owners have passed away, or couldn't keep them for whatever reason and I find it so sad that often those cats may have to wait months, or years until they find a home.  Older cats are not only as adorable and loving as kittens, but are a much easier option for those who are unexperienced with cat care, as most are toilet trained, know not to scratch things and generally well behaved!

If you're a cat lover like me, please consider giving a home to an older cat, and giving them a much needed second chance at life. Getting Susie was the best decision we ever made!
She's my little furry best friend!

A Taste of America

Saturdays are a day for doing something fun. If I ever spend a Saturday completely at home but the evening I feel cheated and a little bit depressed! They're the best day of the week and I love to make the most of them!

We got up pretty late today, it's been a long week and we were both pretty tired. I still managed to have a pretty productive morning though with a load of washing done, the pots done and the kitchen tidied, and me rustling up a pretty tasty batch of cinnamon banana pancakes (the breakfast of champions!) Joe tends to sleep in later than me, so I tend to use my weekend mornings to get all those pesky, annoying tasks out the way before he wakes!

Today we headed up Ecclesall Road for a bit of lunch and a drink or two in the sunshine. Living in the city centre I don't tend to head up Eccy road that much, but it's a lovely street with some really nice restaurants on it.

We chose to eat at Yankee's which, as you can probably guess, is an American style diner serving burgers, barbecue, the best chicken wings and Mexican food. I absolutely love this place, it's full of classic american décor including sports and movie poster, Budweiser signs and more. (Apologies for the lack of photos here, the place was rammed!).

We've eaten at Yankees before and are big fans of the wings, tacos and burgers. But with the new addition of a barbecue section to the menu, we'd be rude not to try it out!

I opted for the pulled pork sandwich, with fries, coleslaw and mac and cheese, while Joe went for barbecue grilled chicken. We were also offered the chance to add wings to our meal for just £2.50 so obviously we agreed!

When the food arrived we were shocked by the sheer quantity of it! It did look fantastic though! We started with the wings which were fried in a crispy batter a drenched in a delicious sweet barbecue sauce. These were pretty rich but the blue cheese dip they were served with cut through the sweetness nicely!

The pulled pork was lovely and tender with a crispy, smokey skin and sweet, juicy meat. Topped with a smokey sauce and served on a sweet brioche bun, the whole sandwich was tasty and incredibly moreish! I do wish they'd served the coleslaw on the sandwich, rather than on the side, but that's just personal preference!

For me it was the mac and cheese that really stole the show. Baked in its own dish, the mac was perfectly soft and the cheese sauce had a lovely spice to it. It was SO cheesy (the kind of dish where when you stick your fork in the cheese goes all stringy and delicious!) and for me this ticked all the boxes!

Overall our lunch was delicious and really reasonably priced. Yankee's is a personal favourite of mine and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for some tasty American food!

Even if you don't stop for a full meal be sure to give the wings a try, as they truly are the best I've ever had!

A wander up the the Mud Crab for a couple of drinks rounded off a pretty chilled Saturday filled with delicious food and good company. Is there really any better way to spend a weekend?   

Apologies for the port quality of photos, I only had my phone and it's rubbish! 

My Everyday Makeup Favourites

My everyday makeup routine is one I've kind of fallen into over the last year or so. I love wearing makeup, and trying new looks, but it's always nice to have that familiar look to come back to.

When I love a product, I tend to stick to it and end up feeling lost without it; which is probably where my routine stemmed from. If I love something, I just have to use it everyday!

Here are my favourite products, that feature in my everyday makeup routine!

Clinique Anti Blemish Foundation (Fresh Alabaster)- Having posted about this product recently I won't go into too much detail about it. Generally I love this foundation. It's fantastically light, while still providing flawless coverage, and its active ingredient salicylic acid fights against blemishes and oiliness whilst you're wearing it! (I can't stress how good this is, seeming as most foundations contribute hugely to blemishes and spots, it's so good to have a foundation that actually fights them!) For pale skinned girls like myself, Fresh Alabaster, is pretty damn perfect, not too pink, but not too yellow either. I find it best to buff the foundation on to avoid streaks, and I find this is the best way to get a really flawless finish.

Rimmel London Eyebrow Pencil (Dark brown)- I love eyebrows. Seriously I do. If I were a cartoon character, I think I'd be a pair of walking eyebrows! I've been using Rimmel eyebrow pencils for years and have never really felt the need to try anything else. They're hard enough to get smooth, strong lines, but when brushed out, create a lovely, soft,natural effect. Perfect for creating a defined arch, with smooth, blended brows. I like to combine mine with a little eyeshadow to define the hairs, but the colour is otherwise perfect for a dark, chocolate brunette hair colour.

Mac Eyeshadow (Shroom)- I absolutely adore this eyeshadow. Its just the right level of shimmery without being too glittery, too gold or too dull. I use it to accentuate the corners of my eyes, sweep over the lid and to highlight the brow bone. It does wonders to open up the eye and blends fantastically with other colours.

Illamasqua eyeshadow (Obsidian)- I've always used a touch of black eyeshadow in my makeup routine. I love a smokey eye and this shadow is fab for creating light shadows, or black as ink drama. It can be a little difficult to blend smoothly but with the right brush and a bit of perseverance it blends really nicely. As well as using this product on my eyes, I like to use a light dusting of it on my eyebrows to accentuate the hairs (especially in the inner section) and create a more natural look. (I should add I've had this shadow about 2 years and there's still a ton left!).

Collection 2000 Fast Stroke Liquid Eyeliner (Black)- I've tried a ton of different liquid eyeliners over the years. From cheap to expensive ones, I've never found one I like better than this. I like a sponge applicator, as I find it easier to control and create a defined cat-eye with. The consistency is nice and thick, meaning flicks last all day without fading or smudging. It's also quick drying, meaning there's none of that annoying -standing with the eyes shut- halfway through your makeup routine! At only £2.99 a go, this product really is a bargain!

Rimmel Kohl Eyeliner (Black)- To be honest this is a pretty standard product. I only use this kind of eyeliner for the lower lash line, and sometime to create a dark inky look on the lid. This eyeliner smudges well and creates soft, smokey lines.

Avon Supershock Mascara- I tend to be a bit of an experimentalist with mascaras. I like to try new ones, forever in the search for something that will give me phenomenal lashes. I do really like this one though. It has a huge brush which is fab for catching all those little lashes in the corner of the eye. It doesn't flake off as the day progresses and gives the lashes lots of lovely volume. At around a fiver it's reasonably priced and last's a long time.

Avon Illuminating Pearls- Now I LOVE these. They're the perfect shade of pink, with the most gorgeous subtle shimmer in them. They're perfect for highlighting cheekbones and giving a gorgeous dewy finish. The pearls are a similar idea to bronzing pearls, but have a lovely rose pink colour to them. It takes quite a lot of product to build up colour, which is fab for creating plenty of shimmer, without looking like a clown! These cost around £8 but last around 8-10 months each time, which if you ask me is fantastic value. I've never found a blusher I like better than these, and will continue to use them for as long as I can. I can't recommend them enough!

That's it for my everyday makeup favourites. Do you have any products you couldn't live without? What are your favourites?  

My week

Image source- www.omgsocute.com

This week has felt like the longest week ever! I don't know whether it's a build up of stresses from Uni work, or what, but I'm so tired I feel like I could sleep for about a year! 

Anyhow it's been a pretty busy week, here's what I've been up to! 

The oven broke- What a nightmare!! After switching the oven on the other day to cook tea, all the electric in the house tripped out and suddenly the oven wouldn't heat up anymore. Not a happy bunny! Things in this house just keep breaking, I can't wait to get my DIY on when I've got a bit more time on my hands. 

Induction to my second job- The induction day itself was pretty standard, the usual health and safety info, contracts, payrolls etc etc. It was nice to meet the team though! Everyone seems really nice,  and I'm looking forward to getting started. The prospect of memorising 17 cocktail recipes is pretty daunting though!

Susie's tooth is almost better- Definitely dodged a large vet bill shaped bullet here! She's looking a bit more cheerful too, which is always nice to see!

Easter- We've never really celebrated Easter. It's always been in the middle of exam season, or deadline day, so we've always been pretty busy. This year was no different and Easter was filled with coursework for me, and revision for Joe. A lack of Easter eggs left things pretty low on the chocolate front, however we made up for it with copies amounts on Monday! (I discovered Cadbury Egg and Spoon- how amazing are they?!). 

Quiet moments- On Friday me and Joe went out for a wander in the sun and for coffee. It's so lovely to just take some time out from daily life to enjoy the mundane. It's surprising how relaxing it is! 

Homemade smoked bbq brisket- I can't even explain how delicious this was! I modified a recipe I found for bbq pulled pork, and the results were delicious! I'll do a recipe post for this pretty soon so keep your eyes peeled! 

New coral nail polish- Because is there anything more summery? 

How was your week? What have you been up to? :) 

Home Sweet Home

Image source-http://thequestionable.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/jmbarclay.jpg

Home gadgets and home ware are my ultimate guilty pleasure. Mixers, waffle makers, airers, vacuums; you name it, I want it. I could spend hours upon hours and all my money trawling round Ikea, Lakeland and John Lewis. Pretty sad huh?!

Anyhow, with the end of Uni quickly approaching I'm feeling kind of excited by life, and all its humdrum goings on! Spring cleaning and re-decorating are high up on the to-do list along with becoming super organised and a whizz in the kitchen! (Or that's the general idea).

My first purchases will be..

A decent vacuum- Cat hair is the absolute bane of my life, and my poor little Tesco Value hoover just can't cope with it anymore. I always said I never wanted to be one of those people whose houses were covered in animal hair, and I'm living in serious fear right now that I might be turning into one of them!

A heated airer- I don't care how sad this is, I was amazed when I realised these even existed! What an amazing idea! Living in the city centre means we have zero outdoor space to hang our washing so I'm often faced with the choice of put the heating on, or end up with damp smelling clothes. These fab airers however cos about 3p an hour to run, and can dry your clothes as quick as a radiator. I can't wait to buy one!

A new mixer- I love my mixer. It belonged to my Grandma before it was passed on to me and we used to make tons of cakes together using it. However after finding out the 'dodgy plug' it had was actually really dangerous, I've kind of been forced to decide it might be time to move on. Who knows maybe KitchenAid will have a 90% off sale!

Crisp white bedding- Because is there really anything better in life than diving into a bed as soft and white as a cloud?!

Candles- I swore to myself months ago, I wasn't going to jump on the Yankee Candle bandwagon. I just couldn't see what made a candle so amazing.Well wasn't I wrong! I caved and bought a mini one in the sale a few weeks ago and am now a tiny but in love with them. They just smell so delicious! I can't wait to fill my house with them.

Will you be sprucing up your place this Summer? What are your plans?

Dear me- A note to my 15 year old self.

Image source-http://www.acuityorg.com/hdpicture/daisy-flower-wallpapers.html

Don't chop all your hair off. I know it seems like a good idea, but you'll like it for a month and then spend the next 6 years (and counting) growing it all out again.

Don't worry so much about school, it really is the best time of your life so have fun, and enjoy it while it lasts.

Try not to be so impulsive, put some real thought into your decisions, they will come back to bite you if you don't!

It really doesn't matter if you don't own all newest clothes. Stop wasting your money on them! Go out and do things instead.

Get off your phone/laptop. The world will not end if you're not on MSN immediately after getting home from school!

Don't give up on sports. You enjoy them and once you quit it's really hard to get back into them.

Occasionally people you think are your friends, will turn out to be very different to what you thought. Try not to be bothered about it. It's a learning curve and you'll be thankful it happened in the end.

Don't go to college. Stick at sixth form and keep your options open.

Stop worrying so much. Everything really will be okay in the end.

  

What I've been up to this week....

Eating- a ridiculous amount of cakes! Whenever I go back to my mums for a few days she gets lots of yummy cakes and biscuits in so naturally, I stuffed myself! A visit to The Great Gatsby for tacos, chilli cheese fries and the best churros was amazing too!

Watching- Suits! All our favourite TV shows are reaching the end of their series so we've been forced to find something new to watch. As a result were both pretty addicted to Suits, it's a great watch!

Thinking- that I am constantly hungry! Why?! No amount of food is ever enough.

Feeling- much less stressed! This week I managed to secure myself a second job for when I leave Uni which is a huge relief! It's so lovely to not have to worry about money now!

Working- on my final degree show piece. Getting the courage to stop editing the photos and send them to the printer is proving pretty hard though!

Seeing- my Mum and Dad and Grandma and Grandad. I've been so busy recently it was lovely to have some time with family! 

Wearing- the most lovely pink summer dress and new white wedges. I absolutely love Summer and have just bought some gorgeous new clothes. I can't wait for the hot weather!

Trying- new skincare to beat these breakouts! So far I am happy with the result too.

How has your week been? :)  

Review- Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Range.

As you know I use and love my Clinique skincare. I've had the 3 step system a few months and really can't knock it. Unfortunately though, my skin is still prone to the odd breakout, so I'm always on the lookout for something that can leave my with clear, spot-free skin.

I've seen reviews for Clinique's Anti-Blemish range floating around the blogging world and thought maybe it's time I gave this range a try! Here are my thoughts:

In order to get the best results I bought the cleanser, clearing gel and foundation. It's no use spending money on good skincare, to ruin it all with your makeup choices! The cleansing foam is lovely and refreshing to use, it leaves the skin feeling clean and residue free, with a visible reduction in oil and dirt. It smells nice and fresh, and doesn't create redness or blotches.

Despite the product feeling light, you still only need a small amount so the large bottle is great value for the price! I followed this step with my usual clarifying toner (I'm a bit of an advocate for toning) but this stage isn't necessary.

Next up comes the clearing gel. I absolutely LOVE this stuff. It's basically a 'spot-on' treatment which you apply directly to the broken out area and leave on. Despite being full of active ingredients this product doesn't sting upon application like some other treatments. In fact, despite being a gel, it's lovely and light and soaks into the skin relatively quickly. I found this dried up my spots quickly and I noticed a reduction in size and redness an hour or so after use.

As a rule Anti-Blemish products can be pretty drying so it's really important to moisturise. Clinique's standard moisturising gel is fantastic to use here as it's oil free, so doesn't ruin all your hard work controlling your skin!

Finally I used the foundation. Now my main struggle with foundations is getting a colour to match my skin. I'm very pale and often light shades of foundation come with an ugly pink hue. I found this foundation matched my skin perfectly however (shade Fresh Alabaster). Being more yellow toned it was pale, yet warming. This foundation is pretty fab for anyone prone to breakouts as it contains salicylic acid (a well known acne fighting ingredient). I also found it great for my oiliness as my skin stayed looking matte and mid afternoon shine wasn't a problem!

Overall I'm really happy with the results I'm getting from this set. The skincare is great for fighting oiliness and keeping breakouts at bay, and it's fantastic to find a foundation that not only looks great, but fights spots at the same time! I will definitely continue using this set and hugely recommend it to anyone with skin problems similar to my own. It's fantastic!  

Summer Favourites

Summer is absolutely one of my favourite times of year. BBQ's, beer gardens and general relaxation. It's lovely!

I adore the cute pastels, delicate florals and adorable ginghams appearing in this seasons spring/summer style, here are a few of my favourites:  

Miss Selfridge Pretty Blue Ultra Soft Jean

Topshop Gingham Frill Bralet

Topshop Crinkle Bardot Bandeau Top

Essie Plucky Pistachio Shimmer

Juju Maxi Pink 

Some high points of my week.

This week has been a funny one. After being struck by a horrible bug I spent the whole of Thursday and Friday tucked up in bed trying to sleep it off. Not only did I have to miss work but one of my best friends birthday night out! It sucked! Anyhow I've managed to pick some nice things from a pretty rubbish week, here they are:

The gorgeous new playsuit I bought on Tuesday. I haven't bought going out clothes in about 3 years, so I can't wait to finally hit the town in something new!

A lovely lunch with my friend for her birthday. Goats cheese pizza makes me happy.

The last ever Crit group at Uni. This one is filled with happiness and a bit of sadness. I'm happy that Uni is nearly over, but my Crit group and Tutor are the two things about Uni that I will really miss.

The yummy paella I made from scratch, even though my sickness the day after has put me off it for the foreseeable future!

Catching up on my sleep. Being poorly at least allowed me to take some much needed time out and catch up on my sleep. Ready to crack on with work this coming week!

How was your week? :)  

Getting Back in the Kitchen- Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Photo Source- Channel 4, 4food website.

A few weeks ago I made myself a promise that I was going to start cooking again. I've always loved to cook, but throughout my time at Uni, I've gotten a little lazy in the old kitchen. It's so much easier just to stick something in the oven! With a view of being more productive and pro-active however, I've decided to get my pots and pans out again and start making some tasty dishes.

Today's effort was a chicken and chorizo paella.

I've never made paella before but I had a pretty good idea what it's supposed to turn out like. I found a recipe on 4food and thought it looked simple enough for me to give a go. (I live in the wake of many a failed risotto so simplicity really was key here!)

I'm not going to lie, I'm so impressed with how well the paella actually turned out. Timing is not my strong point and after getting flustered halfway through cooking I was half expecting a big, stodgy mess to appear on my plate! Surprisingly though the result was the perfect consistency and the rise was deliciously tender. Smoked paprika mixed with the chorizo gave a the dish a lovely strong flavour while the peppers and tomatoes kept it nice and fresh. I will definitely be making it again!

For any other paella novices out there, I definitely recommend you give this recipe a try. It's so simple and the finished dish is lovely. Happy cooking!

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/popular-ingredients/rice/chicken-and-chorizo-paella-recipe

REVIEW- Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser and Balm.

I've always bitten my nails. Not the best of habits I know, but for some reason I've always done it. Maybe it's anxiety or stress, or maybe I get a bit peckish and fingernails are my snack of choice! Either way it's left me with pretty horrible looking hands.

Over the years I've spent a fortune on false nails and gel manicures in the hope of disguising the problem, but all it realistically does it give me pretty nails for 2 weeks and a very empty purse. A few weeks ago I decided it was time to embrace my natural nails and pledged to stop biting them, and finally sort them out!

My nails themselves are not too bad, its the cuticles around them that look a bit rubbish. Ragged skin is not attractive, simple! I've heard good things about cuticle oils so decided this was probably the best place to start.

I came across the Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser and Balm during my search and thought maybe this was the product for me. Priced at around £7 its not the cheapest of nail treatments out there, but with the added benefit of cuticle removal, as well as conditioning I don't think its too bad. The product itself is pretty similar to the look and texture of a lip balm, with a lovely, fresh, cucumber scent. It also comes in a pretty pattern which is always an added bonus!

The instructions state the balm should be massaged into the cuticles until fully absorbed, which, in all honesty, is quite a difficult task. The creamy texture means it takes a while to soak in, but I found as long as the majority of it had, it seemed to work fine.

Almost immediately after use the skin around my nails, felt softer and more relaxed. It relived the soreness and tightness of my skin and left the area smooth and supple. It takes a while for the cuticles to begin to soften, however after a couple of applications it was easy to push back the cuticles and remove them leaving me with a smooth, clean nail bed.

Overall I was very happy with the quality of this product. Not only did it remove cuticles as specified, it left my skin feeling very soft and smooth, lowering the chance of sore patches and ragged areas in the future. My nails have never looked better! I can see this product becoming a handbag staple of mine.

Productivity

I love having productive days. It's great to get plenty of work and chores done, and then sit down in the evening for a guilt free, work free, dose of relaxation!
Today has been one of those days! I've caught up with my washing, done a load of experimental pieces for Uni, and planned my shopping list for tomorrow.
I can only hope this streak of productivity continues!

A Trip to the Tea Rooms

Sundays are a lovely day to spend with family and today was no different. Me and Joe met up with his cousin and his little girl and popped along to Jamesons Tea Rooms on Abbeydale Road for a cuppa and a catch up.

I'm kind of terrible when it comes to exploring the city, I tend to stick to the centre and Eccy Road, just because it's easy I think. As it turns out though Jamesons is a bit of a hidden gem!

The interior is totally what I would expect from a tea room, bright and floral with a vintage theme.

There was a counter topped with the most tremendous looking cakes (too busy to get a photo, I tried I really did!). Classic wooden tables and chairs topped with patterned table cloths finished the room off and gave it a lovely homely feel.

I'm not a huge tea drinker to be honest, I tend to opt for coffee over anything, however today I was feeling a bit more like treating myself so went for a yummy hot chocolate. Joe opted for the Jamesons Exclusive Blend tea, and was greeted by a huge teapot, pot of hot water and a massive jug of milk. In the end I think he got about 7 cups out of it!

I've never really been one to 'get' the whole afternoon tea thing, but it was a nice treat to visit somewhere a bit different to our usual coffee shop or bar and the hot chocolate was lovely and creamy. Joe's tea was good too and the staff were very polite. We left quite happy!

After finishing our drinks we headed over to Joe's Nanans where we had a good old chatter and some yummy fish and chips. Such a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Its been a lovely, relaxed, family- orientated day.  

Sunday morning reflections.

Sunday mornings are pretty great aren't they? No stress, lovely and laid backand relaxed. Perfect!

I've never really been much of a late riser, I kind of live by the idea that a lie in is a total waste of time. I'd much rather get up early on the weekend and really take my time over breakfast and multiple coffees before cracking on with my day!

I like to use my Sunday morning as a bit of time to reflect on my week. Joe's normally still tucked up in bed, so I use my bit of piece and quiet to think about what I did this week, and what I need to do next.

I had a pretty fab weekend this week. My oldest (and one of my best) friends turned 21 so I popped over to Manchester to help her celebrate in style! Most of my main friendship group were there and we had a total blast!

It's not until I came to Uni, that I really noticed how lucky I was to have a strong set of friends that I've known since school. So many people I'd met had simply drifted away from their friends, or made the choice to start afresh at Uni and not bothered seeing them anymore. I'm so glad that we all stuck together despite the fact that some of us are at Uni's that are a good hour away from each other. Uni has in general, been a bit of a crappy experience for me, so the comfort and familiarity of being able to chat to a friend I've known since I was 5 has been a real life-saver.

When you reach this age, and have been friends for so long, the relationship becomes kind of unconditional, which is such a lovely thing.

All in all we had a fantastic time celebrating Abbie's 21^st. It's the first time we've managed to get a group of us together, as exams and dissertations and coursework are slowly ruining all of our lives. It was so lovely to see everyone and I can't wait to do it all again in a couple of weeks for another birthday!  Here are some snaps:

The birthday girl! Happy Birthday lovely! 

Some high points of my week.

Image source-http://www.weddingflowers-cotswolds.co.uk/vintage-wedding-flowers.html

Gosh what a busy week I've had! I feel like I've been constantly in a rush, running around, trying to remember things and organising myself. I've had a ton of fun, but I'm definitely feeling the effects of it now! Here are some of my week's high points:

Visiting my first ever Varsity game! We had an absolute blast Wednesday when we headed to watch the ice hockey. It was so nice to do something studenty and silly for a change and, in the end, it kind of helped me realise that I'd been missing out on this, and I definitely didn't want to miss out on any more fun things!

My last EVER Uni Lecture! I can't even begin to explain how good it feels to know I don't have to attend another lecture in my life. They were awfully boring, and generally a waste of time so know ing they are over, is fab! It also means I'm edging ever closer to the end of this degree, and my first summer in years without annoying school work to do, exciting!

Thai Green Curry. I've always been a sucker for a good Thai Green Curry but recently it's become a bit of an obsession. I just love them! Anyhow tonight I made a winner of a curry which was so spicy it just about knocked my socks off! It was delicious!

Sunny days in Sheffield. When the sun comes out to play I can't help but wander around with a bit more of a spring in my step. It's surprising how much a little bit of sunshine can brighten my day!

A fabulous weekend in Manchester. This week my oldest friend turned 21, so we popped over to Manchester to join her for some celebrations! It was so lovely to see all my girls again and have a bit of chill out time after a stressful few weeks.

Having morning cuddles with Susie. Every morning once I wake up, Susie potters downstairs and stands up against the back of a dining chair until I give her a fuss. It's so cute and lovely! Like she's saying good morning to me!

Evening walks. Now the nights are lighter, me and Joe love to head out for a long evening walk. Sometimes its the only really relaxing part of our day, so it's nice to do something together and have a little chat.

Floral and fruity body sprays. All my clothes smell like strawberry!

Evening blog reading. I love to check out the work of other bloggers and in the evening it's the perfect time to sit down with my Ipad and a cup of tea and have a good browse!

How has your week been? :)  

Varsity Ice Hockey

I've never really been one to embrace the student life to be honest. I went out a few times in Freshers week when I first started, but in all honesty I've spent most of my time at Uni waiting for it to be over.

I never felt like a 'proper' student and I suppose I never really acted like one!

Earlier this week though, my friend mentioned that a bunch of them were heading to the Varsity Ice Hockey and did I want to go with them? I don't know if it was a strange nostalgic feeling about nearing the end of my uni days, or the bottle of cider I'd just polished off; but I thought sure! It'd be fun!

We met up with everybody and had a quick drink in the pub, before heading up to the tram stop to grab the tram to the arena. As it turned out, this was a much bigger task than we had first anticipated! Each tram stop all the way up West Street was absolutely packed, and although they were running a special service, the trams we packed also! Not a fun experience I can tell you!

When we finally made it to the arena we quickly grabbed our drinks and snacks. The atmosphere was already amazing, as fans from each University cheered for their team. The game kicked off (I don't know what the correct term is!) and soon play was in full force. I'll admit, I don't have a clue how Ice Hockey is played but despite my confusion,I couldn't help getting really involved with the game and cheering along for my team!

After a couple of drinks, (I resisted the temptation to get a 'Supapint') the game was in full swing and everyone was having a ton of fun! It felt strangely nice to be part of a huge group of students all supporting the same team and all on the same side! I guess I was feeling pretty proud to be a Hallam student!

I'm genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed the whole match and, to be honest, it's made me feel a bit sad that I'm leaving. I still dislike the course, and I really can't wait to move on into adulthood, but I kind of wish I'd gotten more involved in the Uni lifestyle, when I had the chance. I sometimes feel like the pressure I put myself under to do well in life, can make me miss out on some quality experiences, and make some things nowhere near as fun as they could have been. I'm so glad I decided to go along though; I feel like it was a little reminder that life is there to be enjoyed and I don't want to miss out on any fun experiences if I can help it. I also had a pretty fab time!  

Success

I've been thinking a lot about success recently. As I edge ever closer to the end of my degree ,and education as a whole, I've begun to question what success really is, and what it means to me.

Throughout the whole of our school lives we're taught that success is based upon straight numbers and facts. The kid who got the A* was more successful than the one who got a D, simple. That system always seemed to work fine for me too! I tended to get good grades, and felt like I was pretty deserving of the term 'successful'.

I'm not so sure now though. As I've gotten older my idea of success seems to have changed. Maybe its because I've struggled my way through this degree course and am rebelling against the educational 'system', or maybe I've grown up and am starting to see the bigger picture?

When I chose to pursue art at college level I felt like it was a burst of freedom. I didn't have to be bored by science, or maths or history, I was free to be creative and extrovert and anything I wanted to be! I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it at first. My time at college was fantastic, I felt confident in what I was doing and like I'd made the perfect choice for my future. It's only as I passed into university that my feelings towards this subject changed. I hated the course immediately, and was suddenly slapped in the face with the realisation that I'd provided myself with little to no career prospects outside of the art world. It was terrifying!

It's this point that provided me with the kick up the bum I really needed! 20 years old and in my second year of Uni I realised it was time to work with what I had and make the effort to salvage my poor decisions and crack on with my life!

It's now that I look back and realise maybe that's what success means to me right now. It's not about the number or letter written next to an assignment, but the way you make choices for your own life. A year ago I realised where I wanted to be and what I had to do to get there. Now I'm in a better position than I'd ever have thought possible at this point!

When we really look at it, success isn't just about the good decisions you make in your life, it's also about recognising the poor ones and having the will to change them. I made this realisation, and now I have a job I love, a blog I'm really getting stuck into and a feeling of contentment unlike any I've felt before. It's all really quite lovely!   

Lack of Closure

After grabbing a bottle of red and settling in for the How I Met Your Mother finale tonight, I'm left with nothing but disappointment and a bit of anger!  Years of building complex characters and beautiful relationships seems to have been ruined by the writers pulling a bit of a cop out and destroying all their hard work. So unbelievable disappointed that one of my favourite shows has ended in such a rubbish way. I needed more closure than that!