Wednesday 30 December 2015

Christmas 2015!

Christmas 2015

Christmas crept up on me a lot this year. I was quite busy with Uni through the first half of December, so it really came out of nowhere! Despite being grossly underprepared (For instance, still wrapping presents in the early hours of the morning on Christmas day!) it was pretty enjoyable. So, here are some pictures of this Christmas:
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Friday 25 December 2015

Belper Christmas Lights

Holly
Belper Christmas Lights, Snowflake,

To celebrate Christmas, I thought I'd share a few photos that I took of the Christmas lights in my hometown! (Which is Belper, in Derbyshire for those of you who don't know.)
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Saturday 19 December 2015

Recent Purchases: Haircare

Haircare Products

It's that time of year where bad hair days are totally inevitable. Here are some products that I've been trying out to help combat the frizz.

Schwarzkopf Got2B All Star 10-in1 Styling Treatment

This product boasts that it can do TEN things for your hair. What are they? Shine, fullness, strength, thickness, smoothness, suppleness, protection, anti-frizz, anti-humidity, and shape.

It costs just under a fiver, which is pretty good for what it claims to offer. I'm pretty happy with this, it does make my hair sleeker and slightly less frizzy, but it doesn't tame it completely. (I'm yet to find anything that really does though!) 

It's worth trying out if you're on a budget and looking for something to help combat those bad hair days though.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Shine Deep Treatment

This is probably the best conditioning treatment I've used. It's the only product that consistently makes my hair softer, shinier and more manageable. And, at less than a fiver, it's really pretty cheap too.

I always re-purchase this, because I can't bear to run out of it. So it probably goes without saying that I'd definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone. Give it a try, it's really good!

Toni & Guy Prep Heat Protection Mist

I like Toni & Guy hair stuff. (Especially seeing as this was only a couple of quid.) I'm trying to give my hair as much of a break as possible each week from heat styling, but sometimes only GHDs will do to tame my hair, and that's where this product comes into play.

The scent is lovely and subtle, and it seems to ease frizz slightly too. Plus it's always nice to be reassured that I'm protecting my poor hair from all the heat I subject it to.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Creme Serum

Ahhh, Frizz Ease. I picked this up in Boots the other week by chance, having not used anything from the range for years. I've mainly been using this to try and tame frizz after I've finished styling my hair, but you can use this before blow drying. It's pretty good at taming flyaways and calming down the frizziness that's inevitable at this time of year. 

It's slightly pricier than all of the other products on my list, but it's pretty flippin' good, so it's probably worth it.

Co Lab Dry Shampoo - Paris 

This is part of Ruth Crilly's range of dry shampoos. Now, I'll be honest, I'm really not a fan of dry shampoo at all. I've never found one that I would consider using on a regular basis, or as an alternative to washing my hair if the option to wash it properly wasn't there. 

Co Lab is probably the nicest one I've found, for a couple of reasons: It doesn't make my hair look grey/white (so people don't mistake me for an old lady), and it doesn't make my hair too much frizzier.

There are an array of different scents (all named after different cities) in the range, but I picked up Paris, in the hope that it would make me feel more cosmopolitan and Parisian. (It didn't.)

This would probably be the dry shampoo brand that I'd opt for first, but it's not something I'd ordinarily pick up and use unless I really had to.


Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

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Sunday 6 December 2015

The Weekend Edit: Life Lessons of Autumn

Belper River Gardens, Life Lessons

It's time for me to whine about what life's taught me lately. Enjoy!

Keep on going.

There are days where you question if you've made the right decision, but there are also days where it's crystal clear that you're on the right path. Finally.

Doing a Broadcast Journalism Course Equals...

...Not being able to watch TV or listen to the radio like a normal person ever again. My mind's constantly analysing everything, which isn't really ideal.

Autumn looks pretty...

...But feels cold and disappointingly dark. No-one enjoys it being dark at 4pm. No-one.

Bitterness.

Some people are incapable of being happy for you when your life's going well; they're much happier when you're struggling to keep your head above water. It makes them feel better about their own lives, and their inability to make their own dreams come true. Just carry on with your life and let them implode with their pathetic bitterness.

Sleep is hard to come by.

I've always struggled to get enough decent sleep, but there's something about being at Uni a lot and a three-hour daily commute that makes sleep even more elusive. (Somebody pass the industrial strength concealer...)

Getting over stuff.

It's taken a surprising amount of time to get over the events of the summer. (Read here, if you're not sure what I'm referring to.) 

I'm still occasionally jumpy and it's as though the actions of one person have made me feel like home isn't really home right now. However, it's all about not letting them win, because they're totally not worth it. 

Juggling.

Blogging and doing a Masters are quite hard to juggle. You may well have noticed that there've been very few posts over the past couple of months. Sorry, but my MA must come first because it's costing a packet. 
(A very modest £5,510!)

Quarter-Life Crisis

Since when did loads of my friends get into serious relationships, start buying houses, getting married and having babies? I'm a student that still lives at home with her parents... What happened?

Progressing at Different Rates

We tend to progress through life at different rates. It's about finding the one that you're most comfortable with. As I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before, it's that variety that makes life all the more beautiful.


What's life taught you recently?

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Monday 16 November 2015

The Weekend Edit: Dear Neighbour From Hell

Nottingham Autumn Tree Leaves

You remember earlier this year I had all those problems with a nasty neighbour? If not, check it out here. This'll be the last time I bring it up. Promise. Three months have passed since he was arrested and banned from the area; and lately I've been looking back on the whole situation. Time heals and all that. So, I thought a really good way to make myself feel better about the whole debacle was to write an open letter to him. Anyway, here it is:
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Saturday 7 November 2015

Budget Beauty: Natural Collection Bronzer

Boots Natural Collection Bronzer in Sunshine

Seriously affordable bronzer from Boots Natural Collection.


Like everything else in the Natural Collection range, this fantastic bronzer costs £1.99. (Yes, really!) I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this on my blog before? I don't actually think I have, despite the fact I've used this for ages. The one in the photo is a re-purchase, because I'm pretty smitten with this gem as my daily bronzer.

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Friday 6 November 2015

An Autumnal Evening at Belper River Gardens


If you're a regular reader, you'll know how much I bloomin' love this place. It's basically just a park, with a few benches, a river, some ducks (and mardy swans)... And that's pretty much it, but I love it. In my opinion, it's the jewel in Belper's crown. This is a very picture-heavy post, you've been warned!

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Monday 26 October 2015

Bar Humbug - Lush Bubble Bar

Lush Bubble Bar Bar Humbug

Purple & glittery (inedible) swiss roll.


What better way to treat yourself after a stressful week than with a bit of pamper time courtesy of Lush?
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Saturday 17 October 2015

The Life Update: Whirlwind

Succulent Plant

Oooh, it's been a while, hasn't it? I do have a good excuse for being lax in the blogging department. Honest. Read on to find out more.
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Sunday 27 September 2015

The Weekend Edit: Attempting To Be A Good Samaritan

Guildhall Theatre, Derby

On Thursday, I nipped into Derby to go to the bank. Only, when I walked out of the Bus Station there was a man lying on the ground. There were about three people who'd just rushed to him, but I didn't know what to do: Whether to just walk by because these good Samaritans had got it, or to stay and help because the situation needed all hands on deck. I stayed. I didn't really help much, but I was there, regardless.

The poor man had just collapsed on the ground, he was drifting in and out of consciousness, and he really wasn't a well man. I've never encountered a situation like this before, so I honestly didn't know what to do. About five of us stayed with him throughout, and a few others drifted by for a few minutes at a time, even though none of us really knew him. It was the least we could do, because it was better than just walking by and letting him fend for himself.

One girl phoned for an ambulance. I gave him my coat as a pillow to stop his head lying on the cold pavement. We stayed with him, and tried to keep him semi-awake and talking. The ambulance took around ten minutes to arrive; but when it did, there was only one paramedic all by himself.

Derby Cathedral

Because the man had fallen awkwardly and was already disabled, it was judged better to be safe than sorry. The paramedic needed to immobilse him, and therefore needed another crew to help put a neck brace on him, put him on a board, onto the trolley, and into the ambulance. He radioed the control room a couple of times, but there were no other crews available: So we had to help. We had to help hold him still, help roll and scoop him up onto the board and then put him on the trolley. Once the paramedic had got him into the ambulance, he thanked us for our help and shut the doors. That was it. A totally surreal situation: over. All in all, we were with the man, who I won't name, for about 25 to 30 minutes. I don't know how he is, and I really hope that he's okay now, but at least I'm safe in the knowledge he wasn't alone after he collapsed.

After that, I went to the bank. Normality had resumed, and it was just weird. I felt weird.

The Strand, Derby

I was walking round Derby for ages in a total daze, clutching the coat that'd just served as a makeshift pillow for a poorly stranger. Derby was beautiful that afternoon, with bright blue skies that stretched for miles, blissful sunshine and unexpected autumnal warmth, but I couldn't help but focus on worrying about that poor man. I took the photos for this blog post on my phone in a (frankly) vain bid to distract myself from overthinking the situation that had just unfolded before me. Again, I really hope he's well now.

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Monday 21 September 2015

Taking Things Too Seriously.

Academic Agenda, Stationery,


You may have noticed that my blogging schedule has been very sparse of late. It's not something I've planned. In fact, I've written several posts to the point of near-completion, but I'm too much of a perfectionist to actually press 'publish' and be done with it. 

I won't have heaps of time to blog from next week onwards, which is a shame, but perhaps less time to blog will create more focus? That's what I'm hoping anyway.

I have promised, and failed, to become a better blogger this summer and I'm not going to bore you with myriad excuses. Basically, the summer's been one heck of an emotional roller coaster. That's not your problem though, is it, lovely reader?

Most things I initially enjoy end up feeling like a bit of a chore because I later take them too seriously. I put my all into something once I set my mind to it, but that tends to zap the fun out of it. Blogging is a hobby, and a great one at that, don't get me wrong. But, it's not fun when you're constantly putting pressure on yourself to be better. When you're drowning in statistics and numbers that come to mean too much to you. When you're fighting to get your voice heard in a sea of bloggers who are better and more experienced than you. It's so hard to keep going sometimes when you're constantly comparing yourself to the big names. 

Alas, I don't want sympathy. I don't want your pity. I just want to be able to enjoy this again. To not have to worry about failing to meet that schedule I set, about letting you readers down, or about replying to all the emails I've let pile up. I think maybe the only way to do that is to go back to basics; to actually go back to where I started. More beauty stuff. More photography stuff. Less whiny personal rubbish. (You're not my therapist, after all, are you?)

Sound like a plan? So let's do it.

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And if you're waiting for some kind of reply from me, whether it be a comment or email, bear with me, please. I will get back to you!

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Saturday 12 September 2015

July & August: In Pictures

London Eye

July was an iffy month. (I'll avoid mentioning that situation in detail again.) So, in general, it was difficult to venture out with my camera.

However, in the midst of all that stress, something good happened too! Of course, I was offered a place at Uni, starting this September. I really, really didn't expect to get onto the course, so it was an overwhelming, but lovely surprise! I'm pretty much still coming to terms with the shock now, weeks later.

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Tuesday 8 September 2015

A Week In The Life...

A Week In The Life

Do you remember back in the olden days when I used to write a post at the weekend called 'This Week...' and I'd show off some photos of whatever I'd got up to? (Shameless plug: Read them here!) Well, I thought I'd kind of revive the same format, but film a video instead! (So you can see how much of a boring life I really lead.)

It's not technically a weekly vlog, because I don't really want to bore you by talking self-consciously and awkwardly to my camera. Anyway, here's what I got up to last week:


(LOOK OUT FOR: Mr. Potato Head! And the duck that pooed itself because I'm too scary.)

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Sunday 30 August 2015

The Weekend Edit: Summer Holiday Goals!

Summer Holiday Goals

I'm back off to Uni this September, (did I mention that?!) so I thought I'd give myself a bit of a challenge: I'm going to set myself some goals to complete over the next month or so!

Buy my own bodyweight in stationery.

Because a girl can never have too many pretty notepads and pens.

Spend valuable time with friends & family.

I'm going to be totally rushed off my feet soon, aren't I? So, I've realised that I need to spend quality time with family and good friends before I'm a student once again.

Enjoy the summer as much as possible.

I'm awful for just concentrating on worries and not appreciating good weather, (rapidly shortening) long nights, and halcyon days like I should. It changes now.

Embrace my inner bookworm.

There's a huge pile of books in my room that need reading before I end up waist-high in books solely about news. (FUN!)

Go to the seaside!

It's been years since I upped and went to the seaside. I was supposed to visit Skegness a few weeks ago, but unfortunately, it was the day when all that trouble kicked off, so we never got to go! (All because we were hiding at home waiting for the police.) Here's hoping we make it soon!

Continue learning new skills.

Wow, I'm boring, aren't I? Why sit back and enjoy the summer when you can get stuck in and learn stuff?

Learn more recipes.

I'm such an incompetent adult in a culinary respect. It'd be great to actually learn how to make a few staple dishes & maybe even write about them on here too!

Make more YouTube videos!

I've made a few new YouTube videos recently, which I've throughly enjoyed. So, before I become a student again, it'd be good to make more! (Incidentally, what would you like me to make? Let me know in the comments below!)


Be a better blogger.

I definitely haven't been the best of bloggers lately, so I'm going to try and knuckle down and get KW in order. I've tried to be as upfront and honest as possible about the reasons why I've struggled to publish posts consistently, and voiced my worries about producing quality content that I'm happy with on a regular basis.

It'd also be great to implement some kind of schedule that works both for myself and you lovely readers! (Mainly because I'm acutely aware of how shabby this current 'only-post-when-you-have-something-to-say' schedule is.)

What are your goals for the summer?


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Sunday 23 August 2015

5 Tips For Starting University

5 Tips for Starting University, Stationery, Tips, Student,

Is it nearly that time of year ALREADY? A-Level results day has been and gone, and now it's almost time for the academic year to start. It's three years since I finished Uni now, but I'm about to start a Masters! So, here are my top 5 tips for those of you who are starting Uni!

Enjoy it! (Because it'll be over before you know it!)


Those three years will fly by, trust me. So, have fun! And knuckle down and get a good degree too, obviously...

Being a student isn't all about hard work, it's time to enjoy early adulthood, before you're back down to earth with a bump as a graduate. In all honesty, I don't really think anything prepares you for the shock of leaving Uni for the 'real world'. So, enjoy your time as a student!

Get the work/life balance sorted.


During my third year of Uni, I was pretty close to burning out all the time. By the time I left, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. Don't make that mistake. Make sure that you leave time for socialising and having fun, because it'll make the hard work so much easier to contend with! 

I really can't stress enough how important it is to look after yourself. Make sure you eat properly, sleep as well as you can, and don't drink too much. (And that's my cue to move on, as I probably sound like your Mum.)

Make sure you're doing the right course.


Now, that might sound like a really stupid point, but there are several people I went to Uni with who ended up swapping courses along the way. Sometimes, that means that you'll end up with a bigger loan hanging over you. So, it pays to make sure that you're doing what you'll enjoy, and what'll get you decent career prospects too.

You definitely don't want to make the mistake that I did the first time round, by picking a course that won't get you a proper PAID job. Make sure that you get plenty of experience relating to your post-uni career of choice too, while you're still a student, because that'll really help your job prospects.

Grab as many opportunities as you can, seek them out yourself, because they're not going to just come to you.

Spend your first year settling in & getting used to things.


I don't know if all Unis are the same as the one that I went to in this respect, but my first year didn't count at all towards my final degree classification. So, that meant that I could spend the first year finding my feet and getting to grips with university life. (And Harvard Referencing, because it's surprisingly hard... Especially if you're rushing it hours before your deadline.)

This also helped us to get used to the University system: the grading, the coursework submission, and all of the other student-y admin stuff. That doesn't mean to say that you don't need to try very hard, but it's a lovely not to have the extra pressure of worrying about your final classification piled on.


Keep organised.


Nothing will help you through Uni more than getting organised. (Except intelligence, perhaps.) Seriously, honing your time management skills and devising some sort of helpful schedule will keep you sane! You probably don't need telling that you'll need to keep track of deadlines, exams, and lectures/tutorials/seminars, so treat yourself to an academic diary. (Because everybody likes buying new stationery!) 

And if you're on a budget? Use a handy free calendar app like iCal or Sunrise Calendar instead!


Are you headed to Uni? Let me know in the comments if you've got any questions or advice!

Katie
x
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Thursday 13 August 2015

24.


I turned twenty four* last week. To celebrate, I took a trip to London with my friend Amy. As promised, here's the little video that I shot on the day.

It's basically like a vlog, but without the talkie bits where I'm stood talking to my camera in public looking even more awkward than usual.

We explored, went shopping, and did some sightseeing too. We did got lost, as I mentioned in my last post, but you'd probably never know from this video.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed filming and editing it!


*Yes, I'm old now. I know.

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Sunday 9 August 2015

The Weekend Edit: LDN.

Instagram, Montage, London

Did I mention it was my birthday last Monday? If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you might have seen that I nipped to London with my friend Amy to explore the sights (and spend far too much money at the MAC counter in Harrods...) So, I thought I'd show you some photos that I took on the day!

(By the way, the last photo in the collage above is what happens if you let me loose on the lipstick area of the MAC counter. Whoops!)

We got totally lost trying to find Westminster, because we didn't think it'd be far from Knightsbridge where Harrods, Space.NK, Topshop and Accessorize were. What we didn't take into consideration is that it was warm, muggy, and really busy. We were wandering aimlessly around the capital for about two hours in total. But, on our travels, we did encounter: A Ferrari showroom, Buckingham Palace, a squirrel whisperer*, and some very expensive-looking houses! Due to getting lost, my Fitbit reliably informed me that I did over 21,000 steps that day!

As I mentioned, we went to the Queen's House, but we didn't bother knocking on the door for a cuppa because of the scary policeman with the MASSIVE gun hanging around outside.

*There was a random man feeding squirrels in a park. Just feeding them nuts by hand. The sights you see, eh?

 But, there's more to come...
The Houses of Parliament London

London Red Telephone Box

...I filmed lots of the day and I'm currently in the process of stringing it all together to make my next YouTube video, which should be up soon! Exciting, right? (Perhaps not then, eh?)

London Eye

I was spoiled rotten, but the best birthday present came courtesy of the wonderful Derbyshire Constabulary. You know that pesky, horrid neighbour? THEY ARRESTED HIM! He's now temporarily banned from the area and he can't cause us any more trouble! Unfortunately this happened because he hit his (ex) partner, but the whole neighbourhood has breathed a collective sigh of relief. We've got some peace; and can leave the house safely without him watching us or subjecting us to a barrage of abuse. I can't stress how much of a relief it is.

St. Elizabeth's Tower

Anyway, I always enjoy a traipse down to London for my birthday. The hustle and bustle is quite refreshing compared to the quiet area I'm from. I also love the fact I can carry my camera around without getting funny looks from people like I would at home!

What's your favourite place to explore in London? Comment below and tell me!

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Instagram Catch Up!

Instagram Montage

Hello there! It's been FAR too long hasn't it? I thought a good way to catch up would be to take you through some of my recent Instagram photos. (Totally a lazy blog post. Sorry...!)

Party Time! Firstly, yes that's a colouring book. An adult colouring-in book. Yep. I've just turned 24 and I'm regressing back to childhood. I took this photo as I was 'celebrating' my blog hitting a great milestone with a glass of perry, a Bakewell Tart and some stationery. Because I know how to party!

Flowers. My parents very kindly bought me a selection of pretty roses to try and cheer me up after all that trouble with my neighbour. Flowers always brighten everything up, don't they?

Face for Radio. I've been volunteering at a local community radio station called Erewash Sound FM since June now. They're currently training me up to be a producer, which is very exciting! I took this photo when I was learning the ropes, and being taught stuff like how to top and tail songs, so that the presenters know exactly when to talk over songs without crashing into the singing.

Graham. On most trips to Belper River Gardens I end up meeting this swan. We've christened him Graham. (Graham the Swan... Graeme Swann. Get it...?) He hates me with a passion. In this photo, he was trying to work out how to eat my feet or something. He's always hissing at me. I really don't think he likes me, although that doesn't stop me going there and peeing him off.

Tidy Workspace, Tidy Mind. Yeah, my desk is ALWAYS a mess. It doesn't matter how much I tidy it, it just ends up an absolute tip within a matter of minutes. This was a photo I snapped while I was trying to rectify some issues with my blog layout. Basically, I was procrastinating by endlessly scrolling through Instagram and snapping that photo; instead of trying harder to fix the problem...

I Like Stationery. This is a photo I snapped of my shiny new Moleskine planner, which I got for a ridiculously cheap price from The Works, complete with my iPad to show everyone about my latest YouTube video. Y'know the one with the River Gardens? (You can also see the shiny new YouTube Channel header I made, which I'm much happier with.)

Yet Another Derby Sunset. This is a little photo I snapped in the car on the way out of Derby, after having done some late night shopping. I love the scenery from that stretch of road; with Derby Cathedral, the Council House, and the River Derwent. And that sky! 

A Bit of a Shocker. I've been offered a place at Uni, starting this September! (Yeah, it was a bit of a shock to me too.) All being well, provided I cough up the cash required and they don't change their minds, I'll be off to Nottingham Trent University to study for a Masters in Broadcast Journalism!

Birthday Train Fun Times. The last photo is of my friend and I. That's Amy on the left, and me on the right. We were on our way to London to celebrate my birthday, but more about that soon! (Amy also writes a blog with her boyfriend, Tony, which you can check out here if you fancy!)

To see more photos like this, you can follow me on Instagram
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Sunday 2 August 2015

23 Things I've Learned at 23

23

Tomorrow, I turn 24. Here are some lessons I've learned whilst being 23:

Trust your instincts. Initially, if you believe that someone's an idiot, in all probability: You're right. You know that feeling in your gut? Trust it.

Adulthood is hard. Responsibility? Bleugh.

Don't let others make you bitter. Good people keep their heads held high no matter what other people do.

The world is absolutely BRIMMING with idiots. But there's little you can do about it. The key to getting around it? Do stuff that helps you rediscover the beauty in life.

Time flies. Even if you're not having fun.

Start looking after yourself. Now's the time to learn how to stay healthy, before it's too late.

It's your responsibility to better yourself. No-one else is going to grab opportunities for you. BUT, it's okay not to know what you're doing and what you want from life yet.

Hobbies are fun! The more you have, the better!

It's okay to be selfish. Sometimes. Sometimes you really need to protect yourself and put yourself first. 

Ignore the haters. Life's too short to get dragged down in petty arguments. Don't bother getting angry at people you're never going to see eye-to-eye with.

Procrastination is awful. Seriously, the things I could've got done instead of incessantly scrolling through Instagram looking at photos of cats with moustaches. 

Nobody's life is perfect. It's so easy to believe that other people live the perfect life because of Instagram or their incessant Facebook bragging. (But perhaps they're making up for something they're missing in life.)

No-one knows what they're doing. You know when you're a kid and you think adults know everything? They don't. We're all just endlessly meandering through life trying to avoid messing up.

Money doesn't go far. And that makes me really sad.

Being a geek isn't bad. When I was at school I was a hardcore square, which was a very bad thing. Now, knowing stuff is good. Don't ever let anyone take the mick because you want to learn new and exciting stuff!

You can't help some people. Learn to stop bending over backwards for people who don't even appreciate it.

23 isn't as old as it once sounded. It's not that bad, or that old. That doesn't mean I'm looking forward to being 24 though...

Appreciate those close to you. It's not 'uncool' to be close to your family or friends. Make time for them, because there may be a time that they're not there anymore.

Learn when to stop. I'm terrible for putting loads of pressure on myself to achieve unattainable things, and it's been hard trying to force myself to take a break from striving for the best. But, every now and again, it'll do you good.

Rejection. It never gets any easier. And that goes for any type of rejection.

People aren't a commodity. It really isn't nice being used. Don't do it to others unless you're willing to be used yourself.

Don't lie to yourself. If you're not happy, don't try and pretend you are, even to yourself. It doesn't work and it makes you so much unhappier in the long run not to admit the truth to yourself.

Life isn't a race. Oh, this has been such a hard lesson for me to take on board. Life definitely isn't a race: It's not about who can get the best job, who can buy a house first, who's the first to get married and have kids. It's not about that. People progress through life at different rates, and that variety is what makes life all the more beautiful.

Hope you lovely readers can relate to some of the above! Here's to more incessant rambling as a 24 year old!

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Sunday 26 July 2015

The Weekend Edit: Belper River Gardens

Belper River Gardens

A bit of tranquility in an otherwise bustling town.


I love this place. In fact, sometimes when I get overwhelmed by wanderlust, this is the only place that reminds me that it's not so bad being stuck in Belper. If you read my last post, you'll know that things have been a bit rubbish recently, and it's going to places like this (where I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder) that keep me sane.

It's just a park, basically, but it's so serene compared to the rest of the town, that it's easy to forget that you're by a busy road, a train line and in a bustling town centre.

So, I thought I'd shoot a little video just to show you lovely readers one of my favourite places right now! Hope you enjoy it!




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Wednesday 22 July 2015

A Bit of a Nightmare.


I am so sorry that I've taken longer away from blogging than I promised. I do have a good excuse, mind. The past few weeks have been iffy and the weekend was dire to say the least.

One of my neighbours is clearly suffering from serious mental health issues and has started to harass my parents and I. I've personally been subjected to heaps of abuse and been called all the names under the sun; for things like leaving my bedroom window open at night.

I don't want to delve into too much detail, but this has had a seriously detrimental effect on my life at the moment. I had a panic attack at the thought of leaving the house on Monday, all because of one man constantly launching tirades at me. I'm having to park my car on a different road just so he can't damage it, and thinks I'm away from home.

I'm terrified of leaving the house because of the harassment that may follow, but I don't feel safe in the house either because of what happened last weekend. 

He was hammering on our front door, drunkenly, at 3am. And then again at 3:20am. He was shouting abuse, making threats and even banging our letterbox demanding that we open the door to him. I had to call the police twice. They moved him on, thinking he'd leave us alone. But on Sunday, I went to Starbucks, and saw him watching us leave. When we came home and pulled up outside our house, he stormed out of his house, followed us, and started shouting at us. We had to ring the police again. He's making up slanderous lies about me and my parents too.

The police are on our side, but the law is on his side. I've got to continue to take the level of abuse I have been doing recently, because there's nothing the police can do right now. He can get away with shouting abuse and making threats at my bedroom window at 5-6am most mornings, and I've just got to grin and bear it. The police are trying to detain him for a mental health assessment, but that's easier said than done.

I hope he gets the help he needs and soon, because it's getting too much for me to bear. Is a quiet life so much to ask for?

Sorry for the really personal and serious post, but I wanted you lovely readers to know why I've not been around recently. Normal service will be resumed shortly.

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Monday 6 July 2015

Blogging Holiday!



I've decided to take a week off blogging. I'm incredibly busy this week, and at the weekend, I'm doing the Race for Life 10K (Eeeeeeee!) So, if I add blogging into the equation too, it's making me a little stressed out. I've not exactly kept it a secret that I've been feeling a little overwhelmed, blogging-wise, of late.

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Sunday 5 July 2015

The Weekend Edit: Some Advice


Back in the day, when I was in sixth form, I had a part-time job at a local supermarket. Pretty standard, right? Except, I genuinely hated it. I only worked there for six and a half months because it made me so miserable. I spent eight and a half hours each week serving customers at peak times, most of the time on the tills. 

Why did I hate it so much? Rude customers. A supervisor who HATED me with a passion for no apparent reason. (To be fair, she hated most of the other women, but was all over the men and teenage boys.) Managers who expected me to make a part-time job my main priority instead of my A-Level exams. Oh, and getting paid less than £5 an hour. 
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Saturday 4 July 2015

June: In Pictures



June's been a bit of a hectic month. I've had so many opportunities to give my lovely new lens a try though, which I've relished! I've spent FAR too much money, and I've been working on some new opportunities which I'll go into detail about as soon as I can!

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Friday 3 July 2015

Five Faves For Friday


So, the obsession with alliteration strikes again. Here are some of the random things I've been loving this week:

♥ Brett Domino on YouTube

I've known about Brett Domino/C Bomb/Rob J. Madin since he had a short TV pilot on BBC Three, but he's totally Internet famous too! He's a really talented musician, with a good dollop of comedy thrown in for good measure. He's also from Derbyshire, just like me. (All the best people are from Derbys. Obvs.)

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Wednesday 1 July 2015

5 Tips On Dealing With A Heatwave


Ahh, the wonderful British summer. One week we're getting drenched by torrential downpours, the next we're in the midst of an unbearably muggy heatwave. In a vain bid to help you lovely readers to cope, I've compiled a list of some tips to deal with the hot weather:

1.) Don't Overdo It
It's lovely to get out and about to enjoy the sunshine, but don't do anything too strenuous. I'm talking about really exerting yourself here. The last thing you want is to end up keeling over.

Also, make sure you wear plenty of sun cream! You definitely don't want to do irreparable damage to your skin.

2.) Don't Cake Makeup On
Do you get the dreaded red-face thing too? I know it's so tempting to plaster loads of foundation, concealer and powder over it, but your makeup isn't going to have the same level of staying power as it usually does. So, give your skin some space to breathe. It'll thank you for it!

3.) Swap Powder for Blotting Papers
I normally use powder daily to get rid of shine, but always carry blotting papers in my bag just in case the shininess strikes later on. It's better for your skin to get rid of the excess oil and sweat by using blotting papers, instead of caking more powder over the top and blocking your pores up.

4.) Drink, Drink, Drink
I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, do I? It's essential to keep your body properly hydrated during hotter weather, as you're losing fluids through sweat. (Lovely!)

If you're out and about, make sure you keep a bottle of water nearby. Even if you're not that thirsty, make sure you keep on sipping away at regular intervals.

5.) Enjoy It (While It Lasts!)
Yeah, I don't really need to tell you this either, do I? In Britain, lovely weather like this doesn't last for long. So, make the most of it while you can! And if you're not a fan of the heat, you're safe in the knowledge that you won't have to endure it much longer!

Did any of that help? Probably not...

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Sunday 28 June 2015

The Weekend Edit: Uh Oh.


Today marks a fortnight until the Race For Life 10K. It's becoming real now. It's actually happening. Soon. And I'm doing it. Ahhhhh.

To say that I'm grossly underprepared is an understatement. I've not done a lot in the way of 'training' because of myriad excuses that I won't bore you with. Last week I tried to film a 'training' video thing. Except it was mainly just me walking through a field trying to dodge dog poo. Hardly YouTube gold, is it? So, sadly, it's not seen the light of day. 

I've had people stress that it's going to take ages if I walk. Yeah, that's fine. I don't mind, honestly. It's either that or attempt to run and keel over, thus raising no money for charity whatsoever. So walking it is, okay? (Excuse the defensive tone, but it's really easy for people to criticise when they're sat on their backsides doing nothing for charity themselves.)

The whole point of the Race for Life is that you can run, jog or walk. You don't have to be Mo Farah to raise a bit of cash for a worthwhile cause with this event. It's more inclusive than that. Even unfit numpties like me can take part. Yay!

So, I'm not as ready as I hoped to be at this point, but I've still got two weeks. All is not lost.

The nerves are starting to kick in now. It's only a 6.2 mile walk around a park, but that doesn't mean to say I'm not worried about it. Nevertheless, I said I'm doing it. And there's little that's going to get in my way.

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Thursday 25 June 2015

Etsy Goodies: Eh Up Me Duck!


As I mentioned the other day, I've become a little obsessed with Etsy of late. This is a selection of purchases from Katie Abey Design. (Who is actually a Derbyshire girl too!)

I bought three things: A father's day card with cute penguins on it, a keyring and a pocket mirror. I had to buy that mirror, with the local Derbyshire 'slogan' "Eh/Ay up me duck!" on it. It's not very often that you stumble across anything with such a local slogan on it!

I love the keyring too, which is a slogan I need to live by a little! I thought if I had 'Don't worry, be happy' permanently attached to my keys, I might remember to stop worrying quite so much.

The delivery was really fast, the products were really quite cheap (my order cost between £7 and £8), and they're just really lovely little products to have! I think the next on my list from her shop is the Mug of Motivation. (Because, let's face it, I need all the encouragement to motivate myself I can get!)

You can find Katie Abey Design's Etsy shop here.

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