Here's to being Twenty...

Happy birthday from Google?

So it was my birthday on the 19th of October. You may have noticed, it takes me a while to drag myself to the computer and have the urge to write. I lack motivation like that. I'm much more content lazing in bed or doing absolutely nothing on the computer, or maybe playing the Sims. I like that game far too much.

Anyway, here is a selection of the presents that I got for my birthday. I also got my tattoo, which I posted about here, a very tasty and adorable cupcake cake from my boyfriend's family (I have a thing for cupcake cakes. They're so cool and pretty and taste so gooood!), some money and homemade brownies from my friend Katie. Best. Brownies. EVER. I literally could have sat there eating them instead of going out for a meal. But I didn't. I saved them for dessert ;) and I got a mixture of Thornton's chocolates from my friend Emily in a super cute panda box, which I have subsequently kept. The chocolates, however, were doomed from the moment they were discovered... has anyone discovered how much of a big fatty I am yet?

Adding to that, if you still don't agree with me, my boyfriend also bought me chocolate. But he paired it with roses so it was n'awwh! He's lovely. I like roses. (Not the Roses chocolates by the way, before you say anything!)

So above, there's a pretty little bunny necklace that's so sparkly! I love the little pink ears, definitely fell in love when I took it out the box (Thanks Emily!!), a quirky Golden Snitch bouncy ball thing that sparkles when you bounce it - a friend from work found it out when going through some stuff and thought of me. I took that as a compliment. Plus it's funky and makes me laugh, so all good there! My boyfriend's mum got me Dior - Iconic mascara, which is fabulous! I use that word sparingly, so it means something here. It feels wonderful on my lashes, not hard or clumpy at all, but soft and, weirdly, reminds me of that moisturized feeling. My lashes are also huge and volumised, which is brilliant as I may have mentioned before, I tend to pull my eyelashes out because they irritate me. I couldn't help but use it everyday because I love it so much, but I'm determined to save it for as long as possible so I use my old one for work haha.

Finally, we have The Casual Vacancy, the new novel by J.K. Rowling. This was from Katie too, she was very happy that I hadn't bought it beforehand because I was literally dying to get my hands on it. I love J.K. Rowling, so naturally, I needed this book. I've finished it now and will be writing a review soon, but I'll let you know that I really enjoyed it. It is very different to Harry Potter. It's in a completely different league and should not be associated with it in any shape or form. Please do not give this to your children or younger siblings! Seriously guys, it's not a good idea. Although, like Harry Potter, I will be giving it a further few reads so I can digest all the secrets and interpretations and subtle meanings etc etc.

In conclusion, my twentieth was pretty good! I enjoyed it, even though some plans did not come to fruition, and managed to continue to enjoy it the following weekend. As of yet, I don't feel any change, except that I am planning to open a savings account and get a credit card. Here's to being an adult!

                                                       

October Glossy Box

 Hi! I haven't blogged in ages, mainly because I couldn't start a post without ranting. I've been really annoyed at a lot of things lately, but if I went on and explained them, someone would get offended. You should know, I'm not a forward person, I don't like confrontation, therefore offending people wasn't on my agenda.

So what better way to make a comeback than to wait for my highly anticipated October Glossy Box? My thoughts exactly. It's my birthday this week too so I really wanted something in this month's box that would help make me look extra special. After all, I'm turning 20 and I need to look awesome.

Needless to say, I really liked the products in this month's box. As pictured above, there were four, but one was a little 3 step kit with three decent sized products in, so I can't complain there.

From right to left, you have Dermologica 3 step day and night kit. Obviously it's a mini kit, but I don't use huge tubs of stuff anyway, especially for spots because I have tons of freckles so don't get too many breakouts. Still, this is supposed to "cleanse, tone and moisturise" which is never a bad thing! You apply them in a morning and evening (apart from the moisturiser which is for AM use only) so it's going to be integrated into my beauty routine starting tonight.

Next up, Skinetica Anti-Blemish solution. It says on the information card "A unique solution for clearing skin blemishes, showing results in 2-3 days. Kind to skin with no side effects." As mentioned before, my skin isn't bad with breakouts, I have to deal with freckles instead. So this is being given to my boyfriend, as he often has trouble finding a decent product to soothe his skin. I'll let you know what his verdict is! It's RRP is only £6.99 for 100ml, so it isn't too bad if it's as good as it says on the bottle.

Third, we have Anatomicals "Don't Just Cleanse it Woman, Scrub it" body scrub. It appealed to me straight away when I read the bottle because it made me laugh.

"Think of your body as the kitchen floor. Sometimes it needs more than a good clean. It needs a damn good scrubbing. Use this pink grapefruit exfoliator and go to work on your skin. Come on, more elbow grease is required here. Look, now you've missed a bit. Know what? You would be a terrible domestic help."

I just couldn't help but giggle. Anyway, I don't have the money to buy about fifty beauty products for pre and post showering, so it's nice to get little things like this. I know exfoliating is a big thing for skincare, so we'll see how this product goes.

Finally, we have a Yves Rocher moisturising cream lipstick in mauve. It was instantly my favourite. Recently, I've been into lipsticks big time and always pick up one or two when I have the money. Considering this is on the market for £14, I haven't done too bad. As seen above, the shade is a quite dark red/brown colour (otherwise known as mauve) and is super sophisticated. I tried it on straight away and loved it. I work in an office and like to make a good impression, I also can't afford to buy loads of different work clothes, so mostly I wear dark colours - a good match with this lipstick, yes? It also looks like it'd be welcome on a night out... anyone remembering the start of this post? My birthday!

So I have some cool sounding skin products and a new, shiny lipstick to be playing with. If I'm not glowing by Friday, I'll be singing Lesley Gore by bed time.



                                                         

Hello Again!

I haven't blogged in a while. I've been busy, tired and had nothing much to say. Nothing that didn't involve ranting about things that have really got on my nerves for the past few weeks. But I supposed you wouldn't want to read my rants so I bit my tongue! (Or held my fingers back from the keyboard...)

One thing I will reveal to you though, is spelling errors. Seriously. People say they're serious about their blog, and then don't even bother to proof read or spell check? I mean, the spell check is just a single button on the toolbar! How lazy can you get?! Personally, I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to grammar and spelling. It has to be right. If you're planning on speaking to God knows how many people, you don't want to look like an idiot by spelling the simplest words wrong. It just looks like you've rushed your blog and not thought about it at all. Especially when you're reviewing products and you have quite a few followers, or want said followers, they want to know you've spent your time on what you're saying. If you rush it, it's like you don't care. Why would they trust someone who isn't even bothered?

I just think people should take more pride in their writing. What ticked me off the most is that one of these people moans about other people being 'too stupid' to understand the difference between 'you're' and 'your' (yes, that makes me want to throttle the perpetrator!) but then they do it too because they can't be arsed to click one button... don't want to live on this planet any more.

In other news, I watched Snow White and the Huntsman recently. I've been refraining from watching it because of the whole news storm that surrounded Kristen Stewart whilst she was filming it. I hate her enough already and find her, overall, a terrible actress, so while I'm fuming about what she's done, I didn't think I'd be able to give the movie a fair trial. It was very important that I did seeing as Chris Hemsworth is in it, and I really really really like him ;)

Personally, it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. There were a lot of things I felt should have been done differently, especially with the characters. I think too much was forced into it, making it harder to relate to the characters and form a bond with them, which is the aim of most directors. It was brilliantly shot, I'll admit, and the effects were stunning. I loved the landscapes and the forest, it was beautiful, but it wasn't given enough time. I felt it was far too fast paced, not giving the characters enough time to bond (especially from the romantic angle, I mean I know it's a fairytale and everyone gets married after a day, but jeez)

My favourite thing about the entire movie (apart from Chris Hemsworth, who made me laugh by putting on a Scottish accent) was the Dwarves. They had an awesome cast, including Nick Frost, Ray Winstone and Bob Hoskins. I think most people will recognise every single Dwarf which is a good thing, their acting was wonderful. Unfortunately, their part was relatively small and, like the rest of the film, quick to be over.

It was quite disappointing because I thought it had so much potential. It was a pretty good idea for an adaptation of the story, and fits well with this trend of female heroines being the lead role and males being secondary. I loved Charlize Theron, her acting was by far the best. She was an amazing Queen, very intimidating. She scared me, anyway. Hemsworth played on his strengths and worked with what he had, which wasn't enough. That character, like the movie, had potential to be so much more.

The two characters that were written up the best were Snow White and the Duke's son. I can't even begin to describe how bad Stewart was - it was exactly the same as Twilight. No facial movements and an emotionless voice. Her pep talk near the end of the movie was possibly the worst I've ever heard, although it was a badly written pep talk anyway. Sam Claflin, who played William, was okay, but not great. So basically the two characters who had the most time spent on them failed pretty miserably...

My advice? Recast Snow White, possibly the Duke's son, give the Huntsman a better storyline and more time to make it believable and slow the film down a bit! It's worth more than 2 hours, possibly 2 and a half, it just needs a better director (sorry Sanders, you just spent too much time frolicking around with the lead actress than doing your job) and definitely a better script. Oh, it was painful.

For people who aren't as picky as me, you'll probably enjoy it. It's easy to get into and easy to watch. A good film to pass the time with, but anticlimactic if you've been waiting to watch it for a long time.

Overall, four stars, and that's mainly for the Dwarves.

My September GlossyBox

 First impressions, I loved it! The design of the box is absolutely gorgeous, so cute! It's designed by Maggie Li, a London based designer, and I think she's done a fantastic job. As it's my first ever GlossyBox, I don't know if they always come like this inside, with the cool black paper, bow and everything, but I loved it at first sight. Honestly, I didn't know where to start when I opened the box!

You can see all the products above, I'll list them going from left to right:

01: Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream - "A triple-action cream designed to soothe tired eyes, smooth away dark shadows and reduce the appearance of fine lines."
I don't know about you, but work tires me out horribly. I don't get to bed until quite late and have to get up super early (6.30 am!!) which is an absolute killer. I don't often get really bad dark shadows, but my eyes are in definite need of some soothing.

02: Rodial: Glamoxy Snake Serum and 5 Minute Facial - "Snake Serum is a revolutionary product with instantly visible results, helping to reduce the appearances of frown lines and wrinkles. 5 Minute Facial is a triple action resurfacing gommage clay mask."
I suppose this product is best served when you're a little older and perhaps looking at facial products to brighten up your skin and revitalise it. I can't see me using it very much now, but I do feel super old, and to me, it shows on my face. When I look in the mirror after work, I can't help thinking "I look so old." So I might try this out and see if it brings back some of my youth!

03: Vichy: Idealia Day Care Cream - "A smoothing and illuminating day cream that smoothens skin's texture and improves complexion radiance."
As I said previously, I fear that I'm looking a bit too old for my actual age. I don't like my complexion at all, a lot of people with pale skin are often radiant and look beautiful and glowing. My skin is dull and is more likely to blind you in the sunlight than wow you. Looking forward to see what this products brings!

04: Lady Gaga 'Fame' Fragrance: "An opulent, crushed floral fragrance that's black like the soul of fame but transparent once airborne."
I've already tried this out, seeing as it's perfume, and I actually really like it. I don't often buy perfume (too poor to even consider treating myself like that!) so I don't have much experience in what's nice and what's too strong, but personally, I think this smells darn nice and I shall be using the sampler up in about two days, most likely.

05: Maghrabian Hair Oil - "Nutrition, hydration, conditioning, softness, shine and long-term vitality. Hair absorbs the oil quickly, instantly improving its appearance."
Now, I've never used hair oil before. Truth be told, I haven't used many hair products that aren't basic, like shampoo, conditioner and hair spray. Mainly because I can't afford it. I've recently gotten into volumising mousse and a must-have is heat protection spray, so I go out of my way to get some of that. As I've never experienced hair oil before, I don't quite know how to approach this. It looks interesting though, and Argan oil has been a big hit apparently, so I'll do a bit of researching and then try it out in the next day or so.

So overall, I'm quite pleased with my spend! I'll be very happy to make this a regular occurrence (or as regular as my wage allows) and I'm excited to try all these out and let you know how they go!

Until next time,

My Very First Tattoo

So I've been wanting a tattoo for nearly two years. When I was in college, everyone started getting them, it was the new trend. Which I thought was stupid, because fashions change, and that thing inked on your skin forever won't be cool in a month or so. Therefore, I didn't get one in college. I knew I wouldn't get a tattoo for the same reason everyone else was, and I definitely knew I wouldn't get a similar design (mainly because I thought all the 'fashionable' ones were exactly the same and a tattoo should set you apart) but I daren't risk it. I was only seventeen/eighteen and far too immature to make the right decision.

After I left college, not so long ago, I was far too broke to even consider having one. Instead, I lounged around doodling what I might want. I tried saving up for one once, but that went down the drain when I wasn't a hundred percent sure on what I wanted. This was the difficult part for me.

I know a lot of people just go and point their finger at a picture in the tattoo parlor's book, saying that's the one they want because it looks the best. Me, I opted for the more personal approach. I wanted something that means something to me. Something that I'll look at in twenty years' time and won't regret a single drop of ink. Something that has a message, one that I won't forget and will stay in my mind all those years.

So there I had it - a phoenix. My name is derived from Anastasia, which means 'she will rise again,' brings you onto the thought train of phoenixes, no? I think they're cool mythological beasts anyway, Fawkes from Harry Potter is pretty awesome, so that made a good mix. It's linked to my name, looks darn cool, and has a meaningful message: always rise again. No matter how many times you fall down or get pushed to the ground, always get back up and carry on fighting.

I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who fall down quite a lot. Both literally and figuratively. I have a history of people pushing me back and keeping me in my little place on the ground. I fought hard to rise above them, yet it didn't stop. I doubt it ever will. Sometimes people find it hard to believe in me, and when it's those people I care about the most, it hurts and makes me want to give up. But then I think, this is what I want. Why should I do what they think is best when I know this is right? Still, I don't have a lot of confidence in myself so other people's confidence in me is a big help. I can't do very many things on my own, so it's hard for me to get back on my feet.

This on my stomach is a reminder that it isn't impossible. I've done it before and I can bloody well do it again. I will never regret this tattoo like a lot of people regret theirs, because in twenty years' time, there will be someone trying to push me down, and I'll look at my tattoo, and I'll remember that I can and will fight. This phoenix will rise from her ashes, even if she has to do it alone.

So if you get a tattoo, try and think beyond the image, just for kicks. You never know, it might help. It did for me, I was originally going to get a bumblebee!

Look Forward to the Little Things

I've never had the money for expensive make up or the latest trends, so it's nice when I can afford a taste of it.

To say I don't have a car to pay for, I only pay £80 board to my grandma and so don't have my own flat and bills to worry about, I do tend to have a bit left over when pay day comes around. I always moan about my low wage, but when I have a relaxing, not much to do month, it isn't so bad.

Alright, so I can't afford to go out every weekend or catch the train to see my friends at uni, but I can afford to splurge out on some nice clothes and make up that I've been missing out on, and maybe a new pair of shoes (okay, mostly those things have to be either/or, maybe compromised to less nice things). My wardrobe contains clothes I've owned for the past five years, and nothing looks like I've ripped it right out of a magazine. I'm not trendy, I don't follow fashion, I just like to look presentable. Actually, I tend to dislike fashion because clothes these days look a right state.

So yeah, I get so excited when I can afford a new dress, or a couple of new pairs of jeans because I've been wearing faded ones for the past two months, or new shoes because I've had to wear my work shoes whenever I've needed a black pair for my outfit. Coming from a relatively poor childhood, I'm used to not being the belle of the ball. My grandparents actually got us a lot of things we wanted to say they didn't have much money, they tried so hard, so I would never, ever complain. I actually prefer my upbringing. I'm don't have a spoilt attitude and I'm grateful for the smallest gesture or bit of extra cash. Lots of people scoff at winning an extra pound on the scratchcard, but I always say "well, I could do with an extra quid, every little helps" and it does. Put that in a money box, save for a bit, and see what you have when you open it.

Growing older, I have to admit I've been jealous of basically all my friends. I have unbelievable lifestyle envy and can't help noticing how much better other people look than me. So I get a bit upset when I can't get new clothes, because I feel like I look horrible. I make do, though, and buy what I can, when I can. I know that I can wear all my clothes to absolute death because I won't buy something unless I adore it. If I just think it looks nice, I won't get it. Like my new dress, I've worn that three times since I bought it, and that was only Saturday afternoon (it's now Monday evening). It's much better than buying something, wearing it once, then throwing it. What a waste of money! I would much rather people adopted Kate Middleton's ideology of wearing an outfit more than once than chucking it in the wardrobe to never see the light of day again (preferably not an outfit that costs over a grand, though)

But this month, as I said, I had a bit left over. So I ordered this month's Glossybox (glossybox.co.uk), for just £12.95 - including p&p - it's a bargain. I can't wait to see what's in it! And I also ordered a small bottle of Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray, that's meant to create lovely beach waves. I adore beach waves and have always wanted them, but being terrible at styling hair, I've been on the search for a product that does that for me. Let's see if Bumble & Bumble is worth the cash! But for free delivery from Lookfantastic.com, I can't complain there either.

My boyfriend's paying for my tattoo, I'm paying for my own Netflix bill (okay, it's only £6 a month, but that's a lot to me!), I have all these lovely clothes, new make up and beauty goodies on the way and it's my birthday in just over a month. Fair to say, I feel like such a princess! I feel really lucky when I experience moments like these in life. I've worked so hard for it, yet I'm still grateful because it's not just me who worked hard to get me here. I'll never be complacent. I'll never be smug.

Life's better when you can smile at the little things because they make you feel special too.

Here's to an Indian Summer!

I like having good weekends. It gives me something to look forward to when I go back to work.

When you work eight hours a day, every day, doing the same thing day in, day out, it's nice to break the routine at the weekend (unless you're doing overtime!). Seeing as it was payday, my first port of call was shopping.

When toiletries and basic makeup (e.g. concealer) become a boring old bill, it's nice to branch out a bit and try out different things. I don't tend to use concealer, when I use foundation and pressed powder, it just seems like spending a lot more money on something I can do without, but even so, it's nice to try. Last time I bought Maybelline, which didn't astound me, but it was okay.

 This time I've gone for the amazingly cheap but mostly impressive MUA gear. I'm trying out their lipsticks too because I've heard they're brilliant for £1 a pop, so I can't really complain there. I got a lovely sophisticated pink-coloured lipstick that suits both work and casual day time wear, it's shade 11 and has definitely kept up the good reputation MUA lipsticks have. I also bought the brush on concealer pen in Radiance, it looked like the lightest shade (out of the two that were there) although I took a bit of a risk because there were no testers. When I got home, I found that the shade is a tad too dark for my ghostly white skin, even though I have darkened a little over time. It blends in alright if you put a lot of effort in to it, but I still found a couple of dark patches that I had to scrub with my fingers to get it to blend in. It also didn't do much to cover up my troublesome freckles, so I'm not giving up the search just yet.

I tend to stick with Maybelline mascara because it never usually lets me down. I've gone for Colossal the past few times, but, in my attempt to branch out, I tried out Cat Eyes this time. When I apply new mascara, I don't tend to like it because, being brand new, it's quite watery. My eyelashes fall out all the time so watery mascara clumps them up or makes them look thin and sparse. I'm not going to give up on this one yet though because, as I said, Maybelline mascara tends to be my favourite. Since the two for £10 deal is still on, I bought Maybelline's Master Precise liquid eyeliner. I'm used to a brush, so I'm still getting used to the pen, it was quite difficult to begin with! It looks nice and dries quick though, so at first glance, I'm content.

I also like buying Tresemme products. The shampoo and conditioner make my hair feel lovely and thick, which is brilliant for me who has thin, flat hair. I originally went in for hairspray but, being a complete ditz, picked up volumising mousse instead. It isn't a complete loss though as I've wanted to try out their mousse for a while, so you'll get a review on here pretty soon!

After my usual stay in Superdrug, I went around clothes shops for what else I can blow my money on. I went to New Look to find some new black shoes that would also be suitable for work. I wore my old black brogues to death, they were basically the only pair that I'd wear in college. New Look is usually my first stop when shoe shopping, as they do some beautiful - yet also surprisingly cheap - shoes. A good three quarters of my heels are from there. So, I was browsing, and came across these! I adore brogues, as you might've guessed, and these are just too cute! Just £14.99 too. They're very comfy and easy to slip on and off, which is great for me as I hate spending about three hours tying up shoes. Let's see how long these ones last though, eh? 

That morning, I went to town with a mission to buy new denim shorts in my head, seeing as mine are about two sizes too small now I've put some weight on (I knew I wouldn't fit in a size six for very long with how I eat!) but, typically, I couldn't find any I liked. So instead, I bought two pairs of skinny jeans from H&M which I adore - only £10 each too!! The colours are lovely and their sizes are brilliant, my legs are quite short so it's hard to get some that aren't too loose, but H&M saved the day! Also they have a cool deal on, if you buy any pair of jeans, you get a free Divided tee, which is quite nice to say it's free. Unfortunately, I spilt tea on the white top, a stain that isn't coming out any time soon, so I'm going to run back and return one of the pairs of jeans as I bought one a size too big because I couldn't find a smaller one, then buy the right size and get another tee ;)

My boyfriend owes me a bit of money as I helped him out when he was in a bit of a fix, even though I hate spending his money, he is lovely and adamant that I take it. When I couldn't resist this adorable patterned Miso dress from Republic, he offered right away. It's one of those pieces that you can wear in the day time or throw on some tights and a blazer and wear to work, which I'm planning on doing! It has a sweet little bow detail at the neckline and is patterned with tiny hearts and dots. Comfortable and lovely to wear, it has a zip fastening at the back and a silky underskirt that pads out the thin top fabric. So far, it's my favourite thing in my wardrobe.

To top off an already awesome day (shopping for nice things always makes me happy) I went to a tattoo parlour to book my very first tattoo. My birthday's in about a month and I've wanted a tattoo for around two years, so I thought it was about time. I'm going to Pierce of Art in Chesterfield, which is the cleanest, shiniest place I've ever been too, so it was a darn good first impression. The person who talked to me about my tattoo was really nice (and not too bad looking ;D) so, despite the initial nerves, I feel alright about going back in a week. It's a weird feeling. I feel really excited and literally cannot wait to have my tattoo, but I'm also terrified of the pain haha. I'll let you know how it goes!

Maybelline Super Stay 10h Tint Gloss

My first make-up review... here goes!

I recently went to Superdrug in dire need of some new foundation. I tend to leave it until I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel (figuratively, not literally) before purchasing more. Maybe the reason for this is because I have to use expensive foundation as they're the only ones that seem to do super pale colours that cover the worst and most visible types of freckles. My skin seems to believe I'm a redhead when actually I'm a brunette, it sucks. As an apprentice, I don't earn enough to stock up on this stuff, so I make the most of what I've got.

So it was a welcome sight to see a 2 for £10 deal on selected Maybelline products. On the display smack bang in front of the doors were mascara, foundation, a smoky-eye effect pencil and lip gloss. As usual, I spent about half an hour trying to decide what to get. Obviously I had to choose foundation, as I wanted to try out Maybelline's Dream Satin Liquid foundation anyway. It is a less expensive alternative to the No. 7 foundation I'm using at the minute. I do like the No. 7 product, but it really kills my bank account.

Always in search of decent coloured lip glosses and lipsticks, I went for the gloss. There were only a handful of colours to choose from and I already have about ten different reds, so I chose pink. I don't really like dark pink colours, they always turn out more red-coloured, so I tried to get the lightest one there. It looked and smelt nice, so I was already onto a winner in my books.

On inspection, the applicator is a pliable, soft, spongy paddle-type brush that's shaped a bit like a spoon. It's relatively easy to apply, though I had to practice a bit as I'm used to lip pens and lipsticks. It tastes as good as it smells, and looks lovely. It is exactly the same colour as it is on the packaging (surprised me, I have to say!) but isn't really light, so I'd go for normal lip glosses if you're wanting a bright pink.

It felt smooth and looked super glossy on my lips at first, but as it dried (like any normal lip pen) it lost a lot of its shimmer. It still looks glossier than lipsticks and feels nice and soft though. True to the advertising, it stayed on for a good few hours, even when I drank. It only came off when I decided to treat myself to a galaxy caramel McFlurry - oops!

I must say, I prefer it to other lip pens I've used, although they have tended to be cheap ones. I used to be forever applying vaseline as my lips felt tight and dry, but this one tries to keep my lips at least a little hydrated.

Have you tried this product out yet? Or are traditional lipsticks still your way to go?

Haworth

Bronte Country

I recently visited Haworth in Yorkshire to celebrate my first anniversary with my boyfriend. Fair to say, it was amazing! It really did live up to my expectations. I'd wanted to go here for a long time, mainly to visit the Bronte Parsonage Museum, but also to walk along the moors and see what inspired the Brontes to write such brilliant works.

We arrived around 1.30pm, so we had an hour and a half to kill until we could check into our hotel. This gave us time to explore a little and make the most of our first day, considering it was beautiful weather. We strolled along cobbled streets, past cute cafes and arty shops, then bought an ice cream from a vintage-looking ice cream van and chilled on the park for a bit. The views were spectacular from everywhere we went, we spent a lot of time over the weekend just sitting in the park and chatting, it was really relaxing. Our hotel was basically the best room I've ever been in.

The bed was a king size four poster. I love four poster beds, and there was so much room! The duvet and cushions were so snuggly too, I could have slept there forever. One of the most impressive things though, was our view! Just look how beautiful that is. Definitely worth the price. In front of the window (hidden from view of course) was a massive double-ended copper bathtub, which quite frankly stole my heart. It stood on a raised platform and came up to just above my hip - huge! I could stretch out in it and everything! I know I'm short, but even my boyfriend fit in it, snug as a bug, and he's quite tall! I can't decide yet whether lounging on the sofa (comfiest sofa ever!), lazing in bed or soaking up the view in the bath was the most relaxing. It was all so perfect.

We visited the Bronte Parsonage Museum and it was brilliant. It was quite small, which really gave it the feel of it being a house once. I could imagine people moving around in there, living normally. It was a bit weird to think the Brontes lived and some died there. Freaky. Anyway, we were given a tour map which told us about each room, it was so informative! There was a kitchen, dining room (where Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall were written!) Mr Bronte's study, Mr Nicholls' study, the servant's room, Emily Bronte's room (formerly the children's study), Charlotte Bronte's room, Mr Bronte's room, Branwell's studio and a couple of added rooms that house exhibitions. All of the relics and artifacts were amazing, I wanted almost all of the dresses! Most of them were worn by Charlotte, as well as jewellery, gloves and shoes, they were all so delicate and pretty. I'd definitely go again, there was far too much to take in on just one visit!

The gift shop was awesome too, they sold quills! I wish I was rich enough to buy my own, I've always wanted to own a quill. They obviously had all the books and DVD's, which were cool, there were also comic book versions of the books! I never knew they existed. All in all, there was too much there for a pauper like me to buy haha.

On our last day there we went for a walk to Bronte falls, which must have been over 4 miles! I refuse to acknowledge any other opinion. I only sat down once before we got there though, so proud of myself. The views were absolutely stunning, I couldn't take enough photos! I should have just recorded it. 

These are pictures as we were walking to Bronte Falls. The one on the right is a dilapidated old building that's in danger of falling down. I still thought it made a pretty good picture though. There were also loads of sheep! I got quite a few pictures of them because I thought it was cute that they were just wandering around haha. One of them below the path I was walking on, having a bit of grass for dinner on a farm, looked up at me just as I was taking the photo, it was brilliant! That one's my favourite.

The one on the left is the top of Bronte Falls. I had to walk all the way up to the top of the falls to take this photo, and clamber across the water and slippery rocks, so be grateful! The one on the right is the right-hand side part of the river. Yes, I know, not much of a river this side, but the other side was pretty lively. Isn't it beautiful? Me and my boyfriend spent a while sitting on a huge rock smack bang in the middle of the top of the waterfall just chilling and taking in the view. It was really relaxing, I could get used to it! I didn't like almost falling over trying to get to said rock though.

So this one's been a bit of an essay, but it was so hard for me to fit all the best bits in! I haven't even described how lovely the tea was there, or the ice cream! It was 100 times better than ice cream back home. A lot bigger too! And it went all the way down to the bottom of the cone, which I've never experienced before. That ice cream man had skills.

If you enjoy the Brontes or walking or even just want a relaxing, quiet and peaceful weekend (or even day!) away from the hustle and bustle, I definitely would recommend Haworth. It was quiet there, not too quiet, but a nice quiet. There were about three buskers at all points in the day which gave a nice ambiance, even if they weren't very good. One of my very best memories was just sitting, enjoying the beautiful sunshine, the spectacular views, and the peace. Oh, and the company ;) Stacey's town of the year 2012!

Now time to save up for that cottage with the view of the moors...

Commitments.

I guess that's a misleading title... it's not about what you think!


I've been trying my hardest to get back in to fanfiction recently. I've started up a new story and I really do like it, it's much better formed than my previous ones I think. The worst part is, I hardly have time to write.

My main priority should be writing my own book, the one that might one day get me famous! But most of the time it's so difficult to just get out one paragraph let alone another chapter. This is where fanfiction comes in. A lot of blank spaces have already been filled out for you, such as the characters, places and plot ideas. You know who the good guys and the bad guys are and what they aim to do - in Harry Potter (my choice of fanfiction) they aim to kill Voldemort. A very good back up plot if mine slows down some!

When I write fanfiction, it gives me a breather from writer's block with my own story. Sometimes, it'll even give me inspiration to write my own again. However, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Although I have a responsibility to finish my own story, when you write fanfiction, especially good fanfiction, you have another responsibility. Your reviewers.

I'm lucky enough to have some loyal readers who review every chapter, they always have good words or helpful advice, which I adore. They make me feel really good about my writing, which not everyone has. The one-time reviewer is just as valued, as they make me feel that people who just stumble upon my story love it too and they want a reason to come back and read it.

With such a busy and tiring schedule as mine, there isn't a lot of free time to write up new chapters. On nights when I don't see my boyfriend, I'd rather laze in bed relaxing and watching a film after a tough day at work than slave away at the computer. Don't get me wrong, I love writing, but my head would rather not have the extra work.

Sometimes it can be a two weeks or more before I update my story, and some reviewers really want to read the next chapter. I don't want to put anyone off by being slack, I want to be a reliable writer. So here it is. When you write fanfiction; beware. You will begin to feel an overwhelming commitment to your reviewers. Everyone likes to feel special, and these lovely people make me feel that way. For someone who's passion is writing, to have multiple people tell you it's amazing and they want more, you feel the obligation to provide.

I know it might seem selfish in parts, I write to get positive feedback, but it's not just that. I write for people to enjoy. That's what a writer's goal is, isn't it? To entertain. I may just have to invest in a netbook so I can write wherever I go! That's when I'm not stuck on £2.60 an hour...

Another reason is, if these people love my fanfiction, maybe I can build up a loyal fanbase for when I get my own literature published ;) haha, a girl can dream!

The Dark Knight Rises

In one word; amazing.


I really, really really, loved it! It's so hard to write this without spoilers being in every paragraph but it seriously was awesome. One of the few movies that actually lives up to the hype people give it! And I know that some of you may disagree and say, yeah it was alright, but it wasn't that good, and fair enough to you, everyone has their own opinions. But mine will always be that it was absolutely brilliant.

Christian Bale, despite being a bit of an arse, was wonderful as Batman, as always, and managed to tone down the glass-gurgling voice (it was still a bit rough though, makes me laugh every time he shouts) and the emotional bits were spot on. Scenes with him and Michael Caine in were beautiful, made me so sad in some of them!

I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt, ever since 3rd Rock from the Sun all the way to now, he's been awesome. He's so sweet too, even though he's all grown up, he's still a cutie XD I was a little unsure of him before I watched this film, but he was possibly my favourite. He had some great lines haha. He definitely deserved the role he got - and his storyline made the movie for me. Two words - THE ENDING! Like me, it might not come as a shock to you, but it will still make your heart do a flip and scream for another movie haha.

Yes, I know, Christopher Nolan isn't doing any more Batman films, this is his offering to the Batman legend, but no one's saying no one else can offer some more. Personally, I'd love to see a Batman and Robin film, I really liked the first one (might have had a bit of a crush on the actor though ;D) and there are loads more Batman villains to show their faces. He also said he wanted to see a Catwoman spin-off, Anne Hathaway's performance was superb as her performances usually are, and after the Halle Berry Catwoman - although I do like the actress - Anne Hathaway was a sight for sore eyes. She bought a bit of Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman back, and that's still the Catwoman I adore. Still, as long as they keep true to the comics, a Catwoman spin-off would probably be welcomed with open arms.

Finally (saving the best til last) is Tom Hardy as Bane. I don't know what problems the critics had with their hearing, but I could hear every line just fine. Of course the mask made his voice a little more unclear than it would have been without, but it wasn't completely muffled. The way he played Bane was intense and seriously scary but utterly thrilling. As the film villains go, Heath Ledger, God bless him, did an absolutely wonderful performance as the Joker which is unforgettable and possibly unbeatable, but Tom Hardy did his best and, for me at least, he did an incredible job. Another ten out of ten for the gorgeous Mr. Hardy!

So, in conclusion, it is my film of 2012 so far. It was hard to beat Avengers, but it clawed its way up there to the top spot. It's one of those to buy when it comes out on DVD! I better start making a list...

The Stoning of Soraya M.

I watched the Stoning of Soraya M. last night. Incredible film, but also horrific to watch.

I'd still recommend it though. If you have a weak stomach or don't like the sight of blood, there is one bit you definitely want to turn away from. Sometimes I get a bit queasy watching those bits, but in this film, I simply couldn't turn away. I did flinch a couple of times, but it was one of those moments when what's on screen is so terrible you just can't take your eyes off it. I literally could not believe this was a true story.

Basically, it's about a young woman in 1980's Iran called Soraya. She's in an unhappy marriage with a man who wants a divorce so he can marry a fourteen year old girl. Soraya has four children to this man, two daughters and two older sons, the sons her husband has turned against her. That must be horrible enough, without him wanting to ditch her for a kid.

Of course, she wants to have the divorce, but for the sake of her two daughters, she can't. She doesn't have a job or any source of income and her husband does not want to pay support because he doesn't want to pay for two families. He doesn't care about what happens to her or his daughters, so long as he can get a divorce, take his sons to the city and marry a fourteen year old. The longer Soraya doesn't say okay, the more he beats her. It's terrible.

Her husband, Ali, unable to wait anymore, blackmails the Mullah (a religious official) to convince Soraya to go ahead with the divorce, but when this doesn't work, he resorts to a more malicious tactic that eventually turns her into a criminal in the eyes of her village and gets her stoned to death - hence the title.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you, it really is a heart-breaking movie to watch. Not like soppy romance films such as Dear John or Remember Me, a real heart-breaker. It makes you hate society, hate the people involved, and worry about the lack of common sense in such religious places. But, like I said before, it's one of those inspirational movies you have to watch. One of the greats. If you ever get a chance to rent it from somewhere, do it. I'd recommend getting a really happy film for afterwards, but trust me on this one and watch this film!

Huge thanks to my boyfriend for introducing it to me. I wasn't entirely sure if I was happy or not that he had, it was so upsetting! But now I'm okay with it, because it was a good film. The acting is brilliant too!

If you watch it, let me know what you think :)

Fanfiction

Yes, I write Draco/Hermione. No, I don't care if you have a problem with that.

♥

Personally, I think it's sweet and the basis for a really good plot! You can get boring, safe ones like Hermione and Ron or Harry, well, if it's Harry you can have the whole best friend dilemma, but seriously, it's boring. There are really weird ones like Hermione and Snape (WHAT?!) also, Ginny. Basically anyone. But if it's not boring, weird or simply uninteresting as a pairing, it's Draco/Hermione.

I've read some very creative, well-written ones and seriously fallen in love with the characters. On Fanfiction.net and a few other sites where this author's archived her work, there's a story called the Bracelet. I've read that so many times, and each time, I get so emotional haha. The author's planned it out brilliantly, she did a few chapters ahead and knew the plot right from the off, so there were no plot holes or anything. That's the writer I aspire to be!

So anyway, my new one is archived on Granger Enchanted, which is a cool website. Each story has to be authorized by an admin, so they make sure it's good quality. They can plainly say no, it's not very good, but tend to be nice and help you make it better. They will tell you if there's a problem with the plot, characterization or even grammar can stop it from being authorized. They're that strict. The submission rules are the most in-depth I've ever seen, so it makes a great website, because you can be sure that just about everything you read is first-rate (Also, mine was approved first time - woo! I'm awesome)

It's called If You Could Be Anywhere, which is, like my blog, a song by Tom Felton. It makes for a good title, shush. So far, the reviews I've had have said it's well written, well thought out and has a good plot. They've all said they want to read more! I'm so happy. I always reply to my reviewers, I try to make them detailed so the reviewer knows I love that they enjoy my story and I am super grateful for each review. All of their words are like literary motivation! :D

Here's a bit from the first chapter. If you like what you see here, don't be afraid to go to Granger Enchanted, search for Staceosaurusrex and drop a review ;)

He was stuck in limbo. Since the torture of Hermione Granger in his home during the summer, everything about his life had been turned upside down. Bellatrix Lestrange was beyond furious that a Malfoy would try to protect a Mudblood. He still had no idea why he did it. His father had beaten him senseless afterwards. His mother was only just able to rescue him and flee the manor before the Dark Lord came to deliver a worse punishment. 

Since then, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy had been under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix. Lucius Malfoy had disappeared. Draco had no idea what had happened to him, or whether the Dark Lord was punishing him for the mistakes of his wife and son. Draco shuddered to think of the torture. Her face appeared again. The pain in her eyes... he could never go through that. 

So he tried to live as normal a life as possible while being protected so he did not have to suffer that fate. He went to school and hung around with his friends, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and the new addition of Theodore Nott. He was a seventh year Slytherin just like Draco, yet completely different. His father was a Death Eater too, one recently sent to Azkaban. Yet he did not attempt a vendetta, he instead seemed quite happy with the outcome. He was quiet, bookish and plain looking, with pale skin, brown wavy hair and dark eyes hidden behind glasses. The only reason Draco was obliged to have him in the group was the shining badge pinned to the front of his robes. Head Boy.

Draco turned his eyes to the window to mask the jealousy. He could’ve been Head Boy! If his school life had not been interfered with, if his father was still a member of the Board... no, even without that. He was a top student – was being the operative word – before last year, he was second in every class, top if you only counted boys. Granger always beat him to top spot. Then again, he sighed, he was somewhat glad he was not Head Boy. He guessed Granger was Head Girl. That was one pairing he could do without.

Haha, get it, "That was one pairing he could do without"? Dramatic irony, *wink wink* *nudge nudge* ;) okay, it's lame, I know, but it made me giggle. Right, so giggling at your own lame jokes isn't funny... oops. Moving on, that's a bit from the first chapter, I'm working on the third, it should be uploaded soon.

You never know, this might lead to better written fame than 50 Shades of Crap - I mean - Grey. It was based on a Twilight fanfiction, which was like a big, flashing 'do not enter' sign to me. If I transformed this into a novel, it would be decent, friendly with proper literature, and not written porn for people who need to find a better class of reading.

One day, I shall provide that better class. Just you wait. And review ;)

 

Barry M Magnetic Nail Polish

I'm growing my nails, so I thought I'd treat myself.

I splashed out and bought some new nail polish yesterday. I've been wanting some for a long time but always put it off. I've tried out one of them and it looks pretty awesome, so I thought I'd write about it!

Barry M Magnetic Nail Polish - Burgundy: £4.99

Popped into Superdrug, spent about 3 hours deciding what to buy, then saw this gem! I love how Barry M have come up with these instant nail effects, so I bought two. One is this magnetic one, which sounded a little tricky, but worth the effort.

This one gives a diagonal effect (I didn't realise until after I took the photo that it didn't include the picture of the effect on the lid - oops!) It's in burgundy, but you can get a variety of other shades with different effects. Neat!

The instructions are relatively simple. 1) Shake well. 2) Apply first coat, wait to dry. 3) Apply second coat, immediately hover magnet over the nail for five seconds. Wait to dry. For my first time, it didn't work so well, so I tried again and I found that holding the magnet over your nail for a longer amount of time works better. 4) Apply topcoat. Finished!

If you've done it correctly, it looks pretty cool. I think I'd use this for nights out, or maybe work. It's quite a dark, metallic colour so, depending on the outfit, I probably wouldn't wear it in the daytime. But everyone's different, if you usually wear darker clothes, this would probably suit you down to the T :)

Anyway, here's the finished effect:

It's not the best quality photo, but it was difficult taking it by myself! As you can see, there's a definite diagonal pattern there. In person, you can really see the metallic shade of burgundy. The dark lines also make it look a little 3D as they look like they're raised.

For a quick nail effect fix, I'd recommend this. It's easy to do (as long as you have steady hands for the magnet) and looks amazing. I'm definitely wearing this for my next night out!

Ciao!

May Contain Spiderman Related Spoilers.

I had macaroni and cheese for the first time today. It looked much nicer on the Sims.

Still, it was quite nice, I'll give my grandma that. She doesn't give me badly cooked food! *lucky* It didn't come in a bowl like on the Sims though. I should try American macaroni and cheese - is that more like the Sims' portrayal? Okay, so I'm thinking into the food on the Sims too much. The other food looks pretty realistic though. Right, shutting up.

- So here's the spoiler bit, I don't know if it's actually mentioned in the new Spiderman movie but I want to be careful, I'm nice like that! - 

Someone sparked a conversation about the Amazing Spiderman at work today. I hope I surprised them with my nerd-rage knowledge when a guy in my department said it was a fake Spiderman! Haha. I got a little carried away, I must admit, it moved quite quickly from just stating it was much more truthful to Spiderman to how he ended up killing Gwen Stacy. He's such a silly boy for a science nerd, surely he knew all about where not to grab someone as they're falling? Maybe he just forgot he's stronger than normal and thought everyone could survive stuff like that...

Hey, at least he learned with MJ. Would've been unfortunate if he killed her too. 

I should really watch this new movie. The actor they got to play Peter Parker irritated me in the trailer, but I suppose it'd be worth it if it's a decent film. Plus Rhys Ifans is in it and he's amazing. Not only for his awesome portrayal as Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, mind you!


He was quite good as Jed in the Enduring Love movie, even though that film was shocking and put a black mark against the actually decent book. I think it made it too innocent. The book freaked me out in parts, Jed was such a psycho. You should read it if you haven't, it's full of facts and science and stuff about poetry too, it makes a good read. Even if I only did come across it because it was part of my English Literature course...

Anyway, enough about Rhys Ifans! We talked about Tom Hardy today too, he should get the limelight at some point! Someone else at work (I'd rather not name names for their sake) now refers to him as my boyfriend. To clarify, my boyfriend looks nothing like Tom Hardy, but since I admitted how big a crush I have on the lovely looking actor, he has now earned that title. Not that it's bad or anything... ;)

So in the future, you will hopefully have my reviews on two films: The Amazing Spiderman and the Dark Knight. Tom Hardy looks as if he'll impress me as Bane, a lot more than the bonehead in the old Batman film did, or didn't, I should say.

So a pretty pointless blog I guess, but I like talking about movies and such. As I mentioned in my first blog post... maybe I should do movie reviews and stuff in this space. I watch a lot of movies.

We'll see. For now, bye!

Prologue

This is my first time blogging. I'm not afraid to admit, I'm a little scared it'll be crap and no one will be interested. Well, I'd have a hard time convincing myself that anyone would be interested in my rambling anyway! But hey ho, people with a lot less to say blog so why shouldn't I?

*

As this is sort of a first impression for people who don't already know me, I'll write a little about myself. I'm nineteen at the moment, soon to be twenty, which really isn't as scary as most people believe it is. I've never put much stock in the whole 'last year of being a teenager' thing anyway. People say I'm too mature for that. Which doesn't bother me as much as it should, seeing as I'm quite happy not being an airhead. Responsibility and sensibility can be fun too, you know!

I'm an aspiring writer, so sometimes I might fill this space with little stories or teasers for books or fanfictions (yes, I'm beginning to get into fanfictions again, but I'll talk about that at a later date!) I'd love to be published one day. Actually, that's kind of like my life goal. It's been my dream since I was in primary school, so I'd better hurry it up. I'm also determined to give people a better class of reading than Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey, which, in my opinion, are both a load of badly written rubbish. If you like them, be aware that one day I may fill many blog posts with ranting about the above books.

If you hadn't already guessed, I'm a huge fan of Tom Felton (most commonly known as Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter or Peagreen from The Borrowers - he's so cute!). I'm not only a fan of him because of his brilliant acting, but also because he's a genuinely wonderful person, a talented song-writer and musician. Plus I can't help falling for his devilish good looks or his voice! I've listened to his songs far too much... Anyway! This won't be a silly little fan girl blog, I'm just explaining the reason behind my blog name. Silhouettes in Sunsets is a song he wrote, by wrote I mean the music, it actually hasn't got any lyrics to it. It's wonderful though, you should listen to it!

Urm, what else? I'm also in love with Elvis Presley, he's my soul mate. I may have lived in the late 50's/early 60's in a previous life, it suits me far too much. I love movies, I'm almost as opinionated on them as I am literature, which is a difficult feat haha. I'm a nerd, I love videogames, manga - both reading and watching - Hayao Miyazaki and my other love, Alucard. I wish he'd show Edward Cullen what a real Vampire was one day *cries at the injustice* People don't usually associate most of that with me. Someone once said I was too pretty/well dressed to be a nerd :| whaat? Yes, I like clothes and looking nice, but jeez, what's with the stereotypes, people? 

If you have a good topic for conversation, I'm great to talk to. Not like small talk or what happened on last night's episode of Hollyoaks (I'd cut off my ears before that was a general topic for me!) but literature, movies, nature, music, heck, even fashion would give me a more enjoyable half an hour than Hollyoaks. I actually can talk about fashion quite a bit so I failed a little there... woops.
So yeah, hopefully this wasn't too much of an essay, I ramble, I said this earlier. Further publications should be more interesting, haha! Now on to think of better things to write! 

*

Bye :)