Hello!

Yes, that was a very vague Beyonce reference. I'd have repeated the phrase to make it more obvious but then I would look like a full on Beyonce fan and I am not that. Anyway, I have really been enjoying Pinterest right now. I have just started a few new boards and just love to scroll through them and feel inspired. In celebration, I thought I'd show you some of my favourite new pins!

 (Sources: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.)

BEAUTY // Current beauty faves

Hello!

Since working, I find I have a lot more time to spend on my face. I have gotten back into my skincare regieme, spend more time on my make up in the morning and find it impossible to leave the house without a spritz of perfume. It doesn't help that the general public will see me for 4 hours or so a day and I wouldn't mind showing a nice face. I'm not in 8 am lectures anymore!

Following on, I have found I am almost dependent on a few new products that I am not leaving the house without. Me, the girl who leaves the house for lectures at 7:30 with nothing but mascara on so I can get Starbucks, spending a good hour of the day on beauty products. Who'd have thought?

LIFESTYLE // Scrapbook Update # 2

Hey!

As I sit here typing I can say that my scrapbook is officially finished! There a few titles I need to write in and dates I need to confirm but other than that - IT IS COMPLETE. I am so proud of myself that I have actually finished this scrapbook. To be honest, I have never finished one in my life and it makes me think the money spent is completely worth it. I have taken photos of a few of my fave spreads and pages and will share them in probably one other post. Like I have said in earlier posts (e.g. here and here) I am no scrapbooking goddess. I am just a girl who spent a fortune on photos and fancy papers who wants to document her time with a little bit more personality than Facebook gives.

Anyway, let's go!

BEAUTY // New do

Hey y'all!

That's right - it's gone! It's all gone! I have gone and cut my hair. I got my hair cut last in December and whilst I had asked for a lob, that's not really what I got. It was more of a mid length cut, which I liked. However, as soon as I got it cut, I had wished I'd gone shorter. On Wednesday morning I decided 'screw it - I'm going to the hairdressers and getting a hair cut' and that is what I did. I was worried it would be a bit short but I do quite like it. It took a litte getting used to but I'm happy I went for the chop!

BEAUTY // Introducing Little Ondine*

Hello there!

Today's post is focused on a brand just launching in the UK called Little Ondine. They have designed nail varnishes with a non-toxic formula consisting of purified water, resins and colourant. There are none of those nasty chemicals, such as toluene and formaldehyde to name a few, in these polishes. I am always intrigued by natural cosmetics - being a curious chemistry student who works with these nasty chemicals on a daily basis. Come on girls, I'm wearing thick rubber gloves when I'm working with what goes in these nail vanishes. What are we putting on our fingers?!

Anyway, when they offered to send me a couple of varnishes to review I did not hesitate. Natural varnishes that dry quickly and peel off? Yes please!

STUDY // What my year abroad taught me

Hello there! 

Can you believe that I have been back from Canada for about 2 months now. Where has the time gone? I really, really wish I knew. I have been working, I've been seeing friends, I have been house hunting (I FINALLY have one and it sounds perfect!) and, of course, blogging! Still, with results being posted (although mine still aren't...grrrrrr) I thought it would be nice to do a little post on a few things I learned during my year abroad. 

LIFESTYLE // Scrapbook update #1

Hello!

Recently I have been spending a lot of time (and money!) on scrapbooking. I used to do it a lot as a child and now I have all this spare time in the evenings and a lot of photos to do something with. I have already posted one post (here) on my scrapbook beginnings but thought it was time to do a little update. I'm over half way through my first book and it really looks like I should finish it. When I do, that'll be a proud moment.

Either way, here's a post demonstrating some of my more interesting spreads. I'm working with a simple £2.50 Hobbycraft 8 x 8 scrapbook - it's nothing fancy! If you want to see the sorts of materials I'm working with just check out my earlier post - pictures of everything are right there!

TRAVEL // Universal Studios Hollywood

Hey there! 

This is the final post covering my trip across Canada and the States. It has taken me a little while to get this one up -  I will not lie. I was posting a lot of travel posts and thought you guys deserved a bit of a break from my face all of the time. 

Anyway - I got to LA late in the evening and the first thing I did once we got to the motel was book Universal tickets. I love a theme park and really wanted to do Disney (like really!) but my sister wasn't too keen and it was much easier to get to Universal anyway. We booked online and got a small discount before heading to bed - super excited for the day ahead!

We started on the rides. We didn't go for opening (we got a little lost - the metro station wasn't the easiest to find) but still got there relatively early and there were hardly any queues all day. Hooray for going during the week in May. There was almost no-one around.

FASHION // Rad Tees

Hey there!

Who doesn't love a good slogan tee? I was sorting through my wardrobe and found lots and lots from my GK days and asked myself why I stopped wearing them. Slogan tees look super cute with shorts, skirts and jeans and here they are, sitting in my drawer, unworn for a good 2+ years. It does seem like everyone is raving about RAD right now and I dared to have a look at their website. Let's just say that  I wish I hadn't because I now want more than 2 tees - that's just dangerous.

FASHION // Purse Wishlist: The Designer Edit

Hey!

If you have been catching up on Instagram, you'd have seen that I have treated myself to a new bag. I FINALLY have a Cambridge Satchel Company satchel in my life. I know right - I'm so happy right now. However, now I have a new bag I would really like a new purse. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who likes a designer purse. I'm sorry, but a £5 Primark purse (or £20 River Island purse) will not work on me anymore. I have had my DKNY purse now for 4 years and it is still going strong.  There is a little bit of wear on the zipper pull and logo but apart from that it still looks brand new. I think that's what I love about it most - it's old but it's still working it like it's the new girl on the block (and that it is not!)

LIFESTYLE // I've started a scrapbook!

Hey!

I have been looking on Pinterest and been in awe over creative people and their beautiful scrapbooks. Obviously, the majority of people who post Pinterest photos are scrapbooking geniuses who have massive supplies but it has inspired me like crazy. Of course, I then ran to Hobbycraft and bought half of the store, not realizing it would take over a week for my photos to arrive. I got there eventually!

FASHION // The Cambridge Satchel Company

Hello!

Today I am presenting an item of which I have been pining after for a good 3 years or so. In fact, my want of one of these bags just increased when the Oxblood colour was released and I just knew I had to have one. Yes, that's right. I finally treated myself to a Cambridge Satchel Company satchel and I could not be happier! I have wanted one for so long and with their summer sale bringing the embossed bag down to under £100, I just could not say no!

TRAVEL // Los Angeles, California Pt. 2

Hey y'all!

After a couple of horrifically rainy days in LA which forced us to consider to pay $12 for an umbrella, the sun finally showed it's face. It was exactly what I had wished for. In the morning I met a lovely tv writer and his dog before watching Pitch Perfect 2. A walk down to Hollywood and Vine, reading all of the Walk of Fame stars I could, led to a pitstop in a whiskey establishment who had a wonderful happy hour. If LA taught me anything, it is probably that drinking during the day is apparently okay. It is the only place where I actually sat down and had a drink during my entire trip.