30 Day Writing Challenge Day 17

Your highs and lows of the year

HIGHS
My 30th birthday celebrations!  This lasted for over a week, with a meal out with work peeps; afternoon tea with my mum, dad, sister Hatts and her boyfriend Phil; a night in with Harry and a scrummy M&S meal; a weekend with my best friends when we had a pamper day, a meal out and a BBQ in our almost-finished garden; a take-away with a good friend from school (who told me the fab news that she is having a baby!!) and a special meal cooked by my sis.  As you can tell, I am a teensy bit obsessed with food!  I had an amazing time and felt so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family. 

I had some fab pressies and gorgeous cards this year.  Thanks guys!
Reviews coming soon...

 

LOWS
Well, I don't like to be negative and touch wood I haven't had any big lows this year so I have 2 little things, sticking with the birthday theme:
I regret not getting any decent photos of my birthday week so I will be texting around trying to see if anyone else got some.
I was sad that Harry was poorly over my birthday too.  He missed almost the whole weekend :( 

What have been your highs and lows of the year so far?

 

 

 

 

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 16

Your views on mainstream music

I'm going to keep this short and sweet as I have only just written about music.  I will just say that I enjoy listening to a wide range of music and love a good catchy pop song! 

And as always, I whole-heartedly recommend www.deezer.com for an amazing subscription service.

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 15

Your favourite Blogs

I spend far too much time browsing blogs!  My current favourites are:

http://www.beautyrambles.com/

A fellow Nottingham blogger with regular review posts and a really similar taste in products to me!

http://sprinkleofglitter.blogspot.co.uk/

An absolutely lovely writer and YouTuber who looks so much fun - I want to be her friend!!

http://www.icovetthee.com/

I think Alix at I Covet Thee is my all-time favourite blogger and YouTuber - so beautiful and knowledgeable on all things beauty.

 

 

 

 

http://swalkermakeup.blogspot.co.uk/

I discovered Sara's blog a few years ago and I have always loved her blog and YouTube channel.

 

 

 

 

What are your favourite blogs?

Comment with your blog URL and I will check it out!

 

 

 

 

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 14

Your hair when you were younger

One of my earliest memories of having my hair done was being desperate for a bob when I was about 6 and being so proud of the way it turned under at just the right length.  Before this I had awful hair - my mum says I was determined to have the shortest hair possible - it was NOT cute!

Another childhood memory is of having my hair played with and I still love this today! 

What was your hair like when you were younger?

REVIEW Korres lip butters

I have a slight addiction to lip products.  Korres has been on my radar since seeing another of these lip butters reviewed by Louise at Confetti Letters.  When I spotted them reduced in Waitrose, I snapped them up in Jasmine and Guava.

 

Korres is a Greek brand that uses 'naturally-derived, top quality active ingredients'.  They use selected herbs and fruit which are not only effective but smell beautiful too.

 

The lip butters have a rich, creamy texture which glide on smoothly.  I love how hydrating they are - they leave my lips feeling super smooth and plumped without being claggy or giving that puckered feel that you can get from some lip balms, including the Nivea lip butters. 



Jasmine, Guava

The scents are initially quite strong but natural, so are not sickly.  The Guava is fruity and tropical - perfect for Summer.  Jasmine (in real-life!) is one of my all-time favourite scents.  Unfortunately, this doesn't smell at all like Jasmine!  I do like the fragrance though - rich and sweet, like cocoa butter and vanilla. 

                                                     
    
The lip butters are tinted but only very lightly.  The Guava is almost clear with a pale sheen and the Jasmine is a gorgeous browny-pink neutral shade.  On the lips, the colour is barely noticeable though they do have a lovely finish and look great over a lip stain. 

 

These have quickly moved up to top position in my lip balm/butter collection and only lose half a star for the missing Jasmine fragrance.

 

 

Have you tried these lip butters? 
What is your favourite lip product?

.

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 13

Somewhere you would like to move or visit

I am desperate to visit America.  I went a few times when I was younger but the last few years I have wanted to go again.  My problem now is how to narrow down all the places I want to visit into a 3 week trip.  We have friends in Boston and I would love to see some places on the East Coast in the Summer - Cape Cod has been highly recommended by a good friend.   Some travelling around California is also high on my to-do list. 

Does anyone have any great recommendations?  We have 3 weeks and it has to be in July.  We would like to see a few different places but I don't want to spend the whole time rushing around or travelling from place to place.  Food needs to play a big role in this trip too!

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 12

Bullet your whole day

• Get up reluctantly at 7am
• Shower, hair, make-up, get dressed
• Arrange a meal out with a friend -should have been 3 of us but the other one didn't want to go out without her boyfriend *rolls eyes*
• Search frantically for car keys and eventually find them down the side of the sofa
• Drive to work for 8.30am (later than usual after the key debacle)
• Cup of tea and an apple (too sharp so half went in the bin)
• Start teaching at 8.55am
• 10.30am, avoid the staffroom so I don't hear yet what happened in Broadchurch
• 10.45am maths lesson
• Lunch - shreddies with skimmed milk
• Do some prep for an after-school meeting
• Afternoon of teaching phonics and dinosaur lessons - drawing life-size dinos on the playground in glorious sunshine
• After school meeting
• Go to Blockbuster to take back 4 late DVDs (forgot them yesterday doh!)
• Take-away curry with friend from THE most amazing Indian restaurant, Indian Nights
• Watch as many back-to back episodes of Broadchurch as I can so I can get to the end without hearing about it first!
• Skincare routine - NSpa cleanser, Dr Nick Lowe foaming cleanser, La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, Origins Night-a-mins, Nip+Fab Spot Fix, No 7 Protect and Perfect eye cream
• Bed

REVIEW MUA Fur Effect Nails

After a very busy week and a mammoth catch up session on the 30 day writing challenge, I am finally doing another review!

 

 

I was in Superdrug the other day looking to pick up an inexpensive bronzer to carry around in my handbag when this strange pot caught my eye.  My first thought was, 'How on Earth can you get furry nails?'  My second thought was, 'Why would you want to?!'  In the end though, my curiosity won out and I thought I would give them a whirl.  I went for Fluffy Puff which is a soft pale pink colour.

 

 

 

The pot is designed to be used by tapping the fur fibres through a sieve but I found this impossible to use as nothing came through the small holes.  After a minor struggle with the plastic, I got into the pot.  I painted my nails with one coat of Sally Hansen's Acrylic Gel then one coat of No 7 Speed Dry Nail Colour in Coconut Ice.  Then I pressed my still-wet nails into the fibres.  They do get all over your finger tips too but they dust off easily.  MUA recommends using a powder brush for this but I just did it with my fingers. 

The effect is weird, like candy floss or flock wallpaper.  It was something different and I loved the feel of them - I couldn't stop running my fingertips over them!  The children in my class thought they were amazing too.  I was unsure of how they would react after contact with water but if left to dry naturally, they quickly go back to furry.  Unfortunately, they had completely chipped off halfway through the next day.

Furry nails are not an effect I would go to every day but they are a fun alternative to wear on the odd day or evening out.  I will be trying them again but I think I will stick to the colour I have got rather than investing in several shades.

Have you tried fur-effect nails?

What is your favourite nail effect?

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 11

Put your music player on shuffle and write ten songs that pop up

 

 

I subscribe to deezer.com, an amazing music service that lets you stream almost any music ever.  They also do up to date charts - my favourites are general, rock and country/folk though I occasionally go for the reggae and hip-hop charts too.  My current favourite tracks on the Deezer charts are: 

 

• Pompeii by Bastille

• Ho Hey by The Lumineers

• Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye

• A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

• Too Close by Alex Clare

• Stay Out by Nina Nesbitt

• Hey, Soul Sister by Train

• Seen It All by Jake Bugg

• Please Don't Say You Love Me by Gabrielle Aplin

• Riff Off from Pitch Perfect OST

 

 

What are you favourite 10 tracks?

 

Have you tried Deezer?

 

 

 



30 Day Writing Challenge Day 10

10 things that make you happy

1.  Sunshine.

2.  A warm breeze scented with honeysuckle or jasmine.

3.  Pancakes with bacon and maple syrup.

 4.  Spending time with friends and family.

5.  Listening to music - loud, but not loud enough to be anti-social!

6.  Giving presents or baking/cooking for other people.

7.  Finding bargains or getting discounts and freebies.

8.  Winning or succeeding (I'm just a bit competitive!).

9.  Magnolia in full bloom and trees in blossom.

10.  TV.

What 10 things make you happy?

 

 

 

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 9

What you hope your future will be like

 

I think I pretty much answered this one on Day 2 so I will just include this for inspiration:

 

 

 

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 8

The moment you felt most satisfied with your life

In general I am always satisfied with my life - if I pin it down to one moment, that means the moment has passed.  There are always ups and downs but I am happy and healthy, as are my family and friends. 

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 7

Your zodiac sign and if you think it fits your personality

I am an Aries.

I don't believe in Astrology even one tiny bit.  I googled Aries for this post and the first website I came across was this: http://zodiac-signs-astrology.com/zodiac-signs/aries.htm  Actually, the personality traits did describe me quite well.  I then looked here:  http://www.lifescript.com/soul/horoscope/aries/the_aries_woman_10_personality_traits.aspx  and this also described me but with some key mismatches, "Has the physical stamina of a long distance runner" being one that particularly stood out!.

So maybe there is something in it...

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 6

Write 30 interesting things about yourself

1.  It was my 30th Birthday on Thursday (18th April)!
2.  My cousin and my boyfriend's grandma share my birthday and my middle name, which is Mary.
3.  I am 5 foot 8 and a half.
4.  I have 2 tattoos, both from different travels - one from New Zealand and one from Australia.
5.  I'm terrified of spiders.
6.  I adore Jo Malone perfume.
7.  Even when I am over the moon for my friends when they get engaged, it always makes me cry.
8.  One of my favourite days of every year is when the clocks change in the Spring.  Sunshine makes me happy!
9.  I went on the best school trips, including Venice and Florence, Sorrento, Japan and a Mediterranean cruise!
10.  I much prefer sharing food when out for dinner than just having my own dish.
11.  I love watching TV and rely far too much on my recordable Freeview box!
12.  I love cooking and baking - check out www.cloudninecupcakes.co.uk!
13.  Even though I do not believe in superstitions, I am still funny about the number 13.
14.  I am a Primary School teacher and I love it - even when you have a tough day, there is always a child who learns something new or says something lovely to brighten your day.
15.  I am still on a quest for the perfect foundation.
16.  I love eyelash extensions and can't wait to try mink or silk ones.
17.  When I'm on holiday, I read about 10 books.  I really need to get a Kindle!
18.  Every time I read damnyouautocorrect.com I cry with laughter.
19.  I am a grammar pedant.
20.  One of my best friends is having a baby and I am ridiculously excited.
21.  I cannot bear the smell of cigarette smoke.  I hate how the smell lingers on people, objects and clothes. Utterly vile. 
22.  I am right-handed but do other things left-handed eg cutlery.  My boyfriend is the same.
23.  Our anniversary is on the 23rd of February.
24.  I can't get enough of celebrity gossip.
25.  Before I can get to sleep I need to read or watch TV.
26.  I have got my Grade 8 on the flute.
27.  I am trained in Indian Head Massage.
28.  I have 2 pet rabbits called Smudge and Mylo.
29.  Although I am still very new to blogging, I love it! 
30.  My partner's name is Harry but that is actually a nickname - his surname is Harrison.  Confusing!
 

 

Do you share any of these with me? 

What interesting things can you tell me about yourself?

     

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 5

A time you thought about taking your own life

Have never and would never.  What a terrible, sad, selfish, cruel waste of our one opportunity on this world. 

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 4

Your views on religion

I have always found religion interesting and part of my degree was on the anthropology of religion so I have been looking forward to writing today's post! 

cuttingedge.org

 I find it fascinating to look at how religion has evolved hand in hand with human society.  The step from living day to day finding food and shelter to believing in rites and rituals in order to provide these basic needs is inextricably linked to the community and complex language unique to humanity.  Looking back through history, religion can be seen to develop alongside our understanding of the  world around us.  It is human nature to try and explain 'how' and 'why'.  Religion, in its many different guises throughout the whole of our history has sought to do that, from worshipping Sun Gods to Genesis. 

 

I remember clearly teaching Egyptian Creation Myths to a Year 4 class and having a discussion with the children in which they astutely observed the similarities between these and current religions.  As said by Ricky Gervais on Twitter recently, '"Why don't you believe in God?" For exactly the same reasons that you don't believe in Zeus'. 
 

revolutioninreligion.com

 I was born into a loosely Church of England community and was christened.  I grew up going to church occasionally and went to a C of E Primary School.  In that sense, I am a Christian by community.  I am though, a 100% committed, confident and contented Atheist.  I do not and will not ever actually believe in any religion though it will continue to fascinate and intrigue me. 

 

  
 

Religion can bring together communities and give us a moral guide by which to live our lives.  It can give us something to aspire to, to hope for and believe in at times of joy and times of despair.  However, in the wrong hands, as has happened time and time again throughout the whole of history, it can be used to control, manipulate, poison, rule and breed hatred.

 Life is beautiful, incredible and ephemeral - appreciate it, make the most of it and let others do so too - whether you or they believe in any God or not. 

  

 
http://pipipink.deviantart.com

30 Day Writing Challenge Day 3

Your views on Make Up

My name is Rebecca and I am a make up addict.  I remember so clearly the first time I was properly introduced to cosmetics.  I was at a Guides meeting when I was 11 and The Body Shop came to run a workshop.  I bought a tube of lip scuff and a mascara.  For days, I kept applying the mascara just to look at my lashes in the mirror.  I couldn't believe the difference it made to my face and my confidence.  From that moment I was hooked.