Happy birthday Makinglifeacamera + Q&A

Wednesday 30 December 2015


Oh my gosh, I can't believe that I have been blogging for a year! Where has the time gone? In my mind, I'm still just starting out and learning the ropes of blogging. This year has a massive learning curve for me and although I have gained a lot of knowledge, I still have so much more to learn. I can't thank you enough for reading my blog, it means the world to me that people enjoy reading what I post. If you asked me a year ago where I thought my blog would be, I could never expect this - thank you.  

What I have achieved:

  • Being brave enough to upload some controversial posts
  • Doing my first collab with Shylifeliving
  • Uploading fashion posts which I never thought that I would do 
  • Being contacted by some brands 
  • Meeting some lovely fellow bloggers who I can rely on for advice or a just a friendly chat 


What I plan for the future:

  • To continue to have the confidence in posting controversial posts
  • Include many more fashion posts as I enjoy doing them so much
  • Work with other bloggers and brands
  • Start to upload cooking posts because I rarely ever do them
  • Ask Twitter chats if I could host some; I enjoyed my first so much

Q&A


@EJLChronicles asks: What inspired you to start blogging?

I was really into watching Youtube and reading other blogs before starting my own; I loved the idea of having your own platform to share ideas and express your thoughts. Also, as I'm not creative in the sense of DIY or art, I thought that I could use my blog as a creative outlet in a different form. 

@ShyLifeLiving asks: What's your favourite blog post that you have written and your favourite blog post that you have ever read?

I think that my favourite post that I have ever written was my CTGT:My Germany trip + haul because that holiday meant so much to me. It was such a special trip as I learnt about the place that my Mum was born in and where my Grandparents lived for a chunk of their lives. 

My favourite blog post that I have ever read was by Onemoregirlonline and it was her No more wondering 'What if' post. After reading this, I felt very inspired and it really made me think about worrying about the future. I love this girl's blog, it has many amazing posts that have always left me thinking about the message behind them! Definitely check them out! 

@Coloursofarose asks: What keeps you motivated to blog?

For me, blogging is a hobby so it is mainly the enjoyment that keeps me motivated. Also, I like being organised and sticking to schedules, which may seem strange but I do, therefore I already feel quite motivated to upload twice a week.


This year, blogging has become my passion! I'm really excited to continue posting and improving my blog. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my first year - it really means a lot! 

xox

Brooklyn Street Style

Monday 28 December 2015





I received the 'Brooklyn Street Style' book for my birthday and I have really enjoyed reading it and taking inspiration from the outfit photos. From the knowledge that I had gained through reading this book, I put together an outfit which I believe incorporates the key aspects of Brooklyn fashion. One of the main ideas is that you mix fashion prints. In my outfit, my scarf (from Urban Outfitters) and my trousers (from Topshop) clash patterns. Also, the flowery design on my trousers is something that I believe people would wear in Brooklyn because the book explains that quite a lot of the fashion is based around the hippy trend. 

Another aspect of the fashion which I learnt about was that the end of your trousers and the start of your shoe don't have to be in the same place, there is quite often a gap where some of your leg is showing. My boots (from Topshop) just cover my ankles and my trousers are 7/8 in length so there is about 1 or 2 inches of my lower leg on show. Usually, I would never think that I could pull this off but I actually like the way that it looks! I might play around with some other garments and see if I can put together more outfits. 

I wore a black jumper (from Jack Wills) under a leather jacket (from Topshop) - the leather jacket gives this outfit more of an edge. As the two items are neutral colours, I could draw attention to the trousers. From what I gathered from the book, a lot of the pictures feature the bottom half of the outfit as the bolder half in comparison to the top so I kept it quite subtle with the jumper and jacket - print/colour wise. 

If you enjoyed this post, I have a Paris and a Berlin Street Style book that I could take some inspiration from to create another outfit. Let me know if you would like that. 

xox

CTGT: Christmas day 2015

Saturday 26 December 2015










This year, I had such a wonderful day spent with friends and family. If you read my Christmas day routine, you would know that my best friend and I were going to do a reading in church - I'm really happy to say that it went well. My dog also enjoyed her stocking very much, although she hated the bubbles which Santa got her!!! In several of the photos, there are some flower arrangements which my grandma did and they looked lovely on the table! You may notice as well that there are some christingles; we made these at church and I had to make sure mine was colour/sweet co-ordinated.

Christmas day is always so special as I have all of my immediate family with me and I get to see my best friend at church. My favourite part of the day, this year, was sitting around the table after lunch just having a conversation and although that sounds quite boring/ordinary in some respects, it is moments like that one which stay in my memory. Moments when we are all together, laughing and joking around whilst the dog is still on the hunt for left-overs! 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and if you don't celebrate it, I hope that you had a lovely day!!
xox

My Christmas day routine

Wednesday 23 December 2015


I'm always interested in what people get up to on Christmas day. If you are one of my friends, you will know that I ask loads of questions in relation to your daily routine. I know that many families have certain traditions on Christmas and always stick to the same activities - my family being in this category! So I decided to share what I will be getting up to this year (and probably next year too)... 

8am - This is now, generally, the time that I wake up on Christmas. When I was younger, it used to be much earlier - if I even went to sleep! At this time, we will go downstairs and open our stockings. This year, my dog has a stocking so I'm very excited to see her reaction to all of her new toys! I think Christmas is her favourite day of the year - bless her!! 

9am - At this time, we will have finished opening our stockings and had breakfast so at 9am we all get showered/dressed ready to leave the house at 9:30am.

10am - We will arrive at church for 10am where I will meet my best friend and her family. This year, my friend and I are leading a prayer in church which I hope goes well as I always struggle reading out loud. 

11am - The service will have finished so mum and I will drive back home to be greeted by my dog and dad - who will have started the Christmas dinner. 

12pm - My grandparents and uncle will arrive and we will usually sit and chat, whilst listening to Christmas music, as dinner is continuing to be cooked.

1pm - Dinner is served!! We will all gather around the kitchen table, pull crackers and eat a lovely Christmas dinner - still with the Christmas tunes playing!! 

2pm - We will tidy up all the Christmas dinner and, naughtily, feed the dog some of the leftovers - I mean, she does sit very nicely for it!! 

3pm - The Queen's speech is broadcasted from 3pm-3:10pm so we will listen to that before opening the presents under the tree. I usually sit by the tree and hand out a present for everyone and we take it in turns to open them. I'm quite excited to see the faces of my family when they open their presents from me.

4pm - We will still be in the lounge by this point and my dog will be very excited by all of the wrapping paper. After we have opened all of the presents, we will tidy up the wrapping mess and have a slice of Christmas cake. At this point, I have a bowl of ice cream as I don't like Christmas cake very much. 

5pm - My grandparents and uncle usually leave at 5pm so then my household chills in the lounge whilst watching some Christmas TV for the evening.

10pm - This is the sad part of the day because Christmas is nearly over for another year and it won't be acceptable anymore to blast Christmas music throughout the house! 

What do you get up to on Christmas day? Do you have any similar traditions to mine or are yours completely different? Let me know!!

xox

Christmas OOTD ideas | Collab

Sunday 20 December 2015




Outfit 1: Casual 






Top: Primark
Leggings: H&M
Slippers: Primark

For this first outfit I went for a super comfy and effortless look. I wanted to look like I'd made an effort because at Christmas I usually see a lot of family and have photos taken. I think the shirt adds formality to the look without being really uncomfortable, I mean you still need to harbour that food baby. It's a floaty shirt so it's really loose and comfy; I think this is great for christmas because you dont want to be restrained and uncomfortable. It also has this lovely scalloped detail on the collar and cuffs, I just think it makes the outfit have a bit more detail and look like you put more effort in.
Then I just wore some basic leggings. They make the outfit sleek but still feel like you're in your PJ's, which I love. Obviously slippers because who doesn't love slippers? I think they are great for christmas time as you can wear them in peoples houses and you dont have to get your feet out, and they are warm and comfy. 

Outfit 2: Formal 





Romper: Topshop
Cardigan: New Look
Necklace: H&M

For this more formal look I wanted to keep it comfy but still look formal/put together. I think rompers are great for this because they come in some lovely patterns, like sparkles or jewelled, but they are still floaty and comfy. This one has an elasticated waist, which is great for christmas dinner time!! I don't think you can go wrong with something like this because they are so flattering but hide all the bloating from eating too many puddings!
I also added a really simple cardigan, just in case it gets a bit chilly. I think the addition of the simple necklace works really well because it adds a bit of detail to the chest so that it doesn't look bare. 

I hope you all enjoy christmas and make the right choices for your food baby! haha!

XXX

Outfit 3: Festive 




Dress - Topshop
Christmas jumper - New Look 

For the third and final outfit idea, I decided to go for a festive option. This is for the people who really like to feel festive, not just in the daily activities but in their clothing choice too. Although it may not be that clear, I have a dress on underneath the jumper and it is a plain, black skater dress. I've had this dress for a while and have actually worn it on the past two Christmas's because it is very cosy. If you are wearing a Christmas jumper - that is quite bold -  having a plain dress/skirt can attract all of the attention to the jumper. I appreciate that my jumper isn't particularly Christmassy, in a sense, it is more of a winter jumper but I'm one of those people who doesn't go to town with it. I definitely believe that there are different types of Christmas jumpers; this one being in the subtle group. Comfort is important at Christmas so I feel like this is a good option if you want to feel festive, a little dressed up and snuggly! 


I would like to thank Sophie from Shy Life Living for suggesting that we should collab! I have throughly enjoyed coming up with ideas for outfits and putting the posts together. At the beginning of December, on Sophie's blog, we did a Christmas shopping outfit ideas post so you should definitely check that out if you have some last minute shopping to do. In fact, whilst you're there have a look at all of her posts because her blog is amazing! The photography is incredible and her fashion posts are my favourite!! 

Sophie's blog: Shylifeliving

What will you be wearing this Christmas? Did this post give you any inspiration? 
xox


The Christmas Tag

Thursday 10 December 2015


I was tagged by the lovely Yana from TimewithYana to do the Christmas Tag. Christmas is my favourite time of year so I hope you enjoy reading/learning about what I like to do in the festive period. 

Q1: Favourite thing about Christmas?

I absolutely love spending time with my family and friends. Christmas is always a day filled with happiness and excitement. I feel like I can really relax and enjoy myself surrounded by the people I love. 

Q2: Favourite Christmas movie/s? 

I love so many!! One that I can remember watching most years is 'Miracle on 34th Street'; my mum and I always used to put it on whilst having hot chocolates or getting snuggly under a warm blanket. I also like 'The Snowman' even though I find it really emotional for some reason. 

Q3: Real tree or fake tree?

We always vary this but this year we have a real tree. For a couple of years beforehand, we had to have a fake tree because we had a new puppy and were frightened that she would try to eat all of the pine needles that fell off it!

Q4: Giving presents or receiving them?

I would have to say giving presents because I get so excited to see the reaction of the person when they open it. This year, I'm looking forward to being there when my family open theirs as I have put a lot of effort into finding something that they will love!! 

Q5: Do you open your presents Christmas morning or evening?

We usually open Father Christmas's presents in the morning, before we go to church. Then, we return home, have dinner, watch the Queen's speech and open the presents under the tree in the afternoon. 

Q6: What tops your tree?

An angel which I insist on placing at the top every year, I always used to do the final touches. 

Q7: As a kid what was the one (crazy, extravagant) gift you asked for but never received? 

I honestly can't think of many! I remember always wanting a trampoline but that isn't very extravagant! That goes to show that I wasn't very imaginative! I did, however, want to have a Secret Garden of my own from the film! 

Q8) Handmade Christmas cards or bought?

Unfortunately, all of my are bought. I'd love to make my own but I'm rubbish at arts and crafts! Buying them is a safe bet!

Q9) Do you have any Christmas eve traditions?

When I was younger, my dad and I used to go on a 'Santa Tracker' website and see where he was in the world! This always used to fascinate me and I'd try to work out where Santa was going next.

I tag:



xox

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Sunday 6 December 2015






This weekend was when Christmas really started to happen at home. We put up the Christmas tree today and decorated the rest of the house for the festive season. I've also started playing Christmas songs and wearing Christmas jumpers to get excited for the big day! On this blog, every post up until the 25th will be Christmas themed! I'm sorry that I couldn't take part in Blogmas this year; I have lots of commitments at the moment so I don't have time! However, I hope that you are enjoying the early days of December and are really getting into the Christmas spirit! 

xox

My love/hate relationship with social media

Wednesday 2 December 2015


Social media can be your best friend whilst blogging. Without this friend, my blog certainly wouldn't be where it is now! In a matter of seconds, I can log into my Twitter account, promote my posts, chat to other bloggers and have easy access to their new posts. Joining in on Twitter chats, using a wide range of hastags, allows me to connect to bloggers and have my say in the blogging community. The support which other bloggers give is incredible; something that I never realised when I first started out. Having my social media accounts, can give me confidence that I don't necessarily have in real life but that is the issue that I sometimes worry about - if I'm not always the same on social media than in real life, other people may not be either?!

Many of you might relate to this when I say that the online safety talks, that I used to have at school, freaked me out. Still to this day, I'm sceptical about who I talk to online because I don't want to put myself in a vulnerable situation. Although the vast majority of people that I speak to on Twitter are lovely and are the legitimate person that they claim to be, there are still some doubts in my mind. The internet, sometimes, can be a very scary place. From the experiences that I have had whilst blogging, I have been extremely lucky and I'm very grateful for the fact that everyone is kind and I haven't had any issues. However, in the back of my mind, I still think about my safety.

Another factor about having social media which I hate is comparing yourself to others. No matter how hard I try, I can't help it. If other bloggers seem to be doing better than me and getting a better response on their posts, I think, 'What am I doing wrong?'. However, it's not me that's doing anything wrong, social media figures have lead me to believe that I'm not good enough. Something to remember which is really important is that 'Other people's successes aren't your failures'. Social media is set out to make you forget that point. When you see an account with thousands of followers it's hard not to compare. 

Also, social media is not always a true representation of real life. Yes, you can post a lot of your life on social media but your followers will never know everything - which I think is a good thing. I follow famous celebrities and recognise that what they are posting isn't the whole story. 

@making_camera: I'm loving wearing a red lip!

You see this and learn that I like red lipstick but you don't know anymore - it's a brief, vague statement. Some people choose to post more personal things which is more of an insight into their life but every detail isn't shared. So, when people judge others on their social media, it isn't fair because they don't necessarily know the person outside of the Internet. It is so easy to hate online because you can't see the reactions of the person. This is awful but you can't stop people doing it. By creating an account, there is always that slight chance that you might receive hate - you have to make a judgement call. 

To end on a happy note, social media can have a positive impact on someone's day. Recently, I joined Jemma's #girlgang which I think is an amazing idea. Spreading positivity and supporting others in a place that isn't always easy sailing should be promoted heavily - Jemma has really done a great job of this. Since the gang was created, my timeline has been so lovely to read!


I think that I will always have this love/hate relationship with social media but I have learnt that little acts of kindness and spreading positivity instead of negative thoughts has as much impact online as they do in real life! 

xox

The beauty blogger 'Get to know me tag'

Sunday 29 November 2015


I was recently tagged by Rebecca from Northern Soul Beauty to do the 'Beauty blogger - get to know me tag'. This tag is very different from the other tags that I have done so I hope that you get to learn more about me, my blog and my makeup preferences! Here goes...

Q1) Is your hair naturally straight or curly?


My hair is naturally straight and I have fine hair so it is a pain to get any volume into it! I think whatever hair type you have, you would prefer to have the other one! 


Q2) Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon? 


Recently, I had my hair dyed for the first time and I had it done professionally at  a salon - I wouldn't trust myself to do it!!


Q3) Do you wear the same style everyday, or do you change it?


Generally, I wear it the same everyday! I'm awful in the mornings so I don't have much time to focus on my hair! I go through stages of wearing it half up, half down or just all down. 


Q4) How long does it take you to put on makeup? 


On a weekday, I tend to spend between 5-10minutes on my makeup as I keep it simple. However on the weekend, I like experimenting with different looks so I spend about 20minutes on it! 


Q5) What do you do first? Face or eyes?


I always do my face first because I like to have a good base before applying my eye makeup. Generally, I don't wear extravagant eye makeup which would need to be cleaned up with my face products. On an average day, I just wear mascara and/or eye liner so I do the makeup which takes the most time first. 


Q6) Do you collect makeup or just buy it when you need it?


I definitely collect it!! I'm just so tempted to only buy makeup when I need it! Currently, I'm obsessed with buying new eyeshadows and one person certainly doesn't need the amount that I own! 


Q7) How often do you wear false eyelashes?


Not very often at all!!! I think the last time I wore them was on Halloween and that was only for about 1 hour as they just annoyed me! My issue with false eyelashes is that I can't apply them very well, with practice I'd probably wear them more often! I just find that mascara is so much easier for me! 

Q8) What are your current everyday staples?

At the moment, I'm loving wearing my MAC Matchmaster foundation! It gives me great coverage and helps keep my face relatively matte. Also, as you may know, I wear Velvet Teddy most days because it is such a great nude shade.

Q9) Do you wear makeup when you are at home or with family?

This depends on the situation really. If I'm having a lazy day or just chilling with family, I won't wear any makeup. However, sometimes, I like to put some on if we are doing anything particularly special. 

Q10) How many high-end products do you have?

I don't have a huge collection of makeup as I've only recently started enjoying applying/wearing it but I'd say about 1/3 of it is high-end. 

Q11) Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you're getting dressed?

I love to plan my outfits because it saves me time in the morning. By planning, I tend to wear more of my clothes instead of just the same outfit all of the time. 

Q12) How often do you change your handbag?

Usually, as I only really have one everyday handbag, I wouldn't change it at all. However a few days ago, I ordered a new handbag so I will have 2 to choose from, meaning that I will be changing my handbag more often. 

Q13) How often or when do you work out?

I'm quite an active person so I tend to work out nearly everyday. Despite how hard I've tried, I can't get myself into going running so my weekly exercise consists of: mainly badminton, dancing and leading a netball club (which involves me exercising too).

Q14) Left handed or right handed?

I'm right handed.

Q15) How tall are you?

I think I'm about 5'7 or 5'8 but I haven't measured myself in a while.

Q16) Do you speak any foreign languages?

I can speak a bit of French and German. I'd like to be fluent in a language one day! 

Q17) Sweet or savoury?

Definitely savoury! I'd always prefer a savoury snack to a sweet and I don't really like puddings. At a restaurant, if I was ordering 2 courses, I'd have a starter and a main instead of a main and a dessert. However, don't get me wrong, I still devour a bar of chocolate every once in a while.

Q18) What's your favourite perfume?

My all time favourite perfume is 'Fleur d'orange' by Fragonard which is a French brand based in Grasse. When I was younger and still to this day, we travel to Grasse on our summer holiday and smell all of the lovely perfumes in the factory shop. I always have a bottle amongst my other perfumes. 

Q19) How many pets do you have?

I have a gorgeous little Cockapoo called Mabel. She's so sweet although if she sleeps on my bed, she places herself right where my feet go, meaning I have to angle myself away from her! 

Q20) Do you read comments on your blog?

I love receiving comments and I try to reply to every single one of them! 

Q21) Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?

Yeah! I keep a mental list and if a certain product keeps popping up and it looks really good, I will look for it next time I go shopping! 

Q22) How did you come up with your blog name?

I wanted something original and meaningful to me. Knowing that I love the 'life is like a camera' saying, I decided to endeavour to make my life this hypothetical camera and title my blog with it. 

Q23) What kind of camera do you use for your photographs?

I swap and change between my Canon s120, which is a smaller compact one, and my Canon 400D. 

Q24) What's your favourite colour?

My favourite colour has to be mint green! I absolutely love it! In addition to that, I like black/grey/white! So mint green is the pop of colour amongst those. 

Q25) Do you swear?

I'd be lying if I said 'no' to this one! 

Q26) What are you doing with the rest of your day?

Having a PJ day and trying to be productive! I think I might watch a Christmas film later! 


xox

Lush | 5 Gold Rings

Wednesday 25 November 2015



For me, Lush is at it's best around Christmas time! Usually in November, as I have this year, I pop in and stock up on the new range. The '5 Gold Rings', which are 5 bubble bars attached together, is a new product this year that I knew I wanted to purchase. I love the idea of having 5 separate rings so you can have 5 baths; this makes the product really good value for money. The photo of how my bath looked doesn't quite do the product justice. Unfortunately as it is dark by 5pm, it is really hard to take bright blog photos. The product did turn my bath orange but it was lighter than the photo. The bubble bar gave gorgeous shimmers which stuck onto me once I had got out of the bath. My favourite thing about this product is the scent. It's quite difficult to explain but it smells orangey mixed with Christmas spices. I'm a big fan of Snow Fairy and the Candy Mountain bubble bar so it was a nice change from the strong sweet smells. The whole bathroom smelt of the product which was lovely as it felt really Christmassy. Bubble bars, this one in particular, are very moisturising so I wouldn't recommend you washing your hair (if you do in the bath) because it could leave it feeling slightly greasy. What I do is put my hair into a bun, sit back and just relax. Sometimes I read, sometimes I watch some Youtube - being careful not to drop my iPad into the bath. The '5 Gold Rings' is the perfect product to get into the Christmas spirit, next time you are in Lush, go and give it a smell!!

What are your favourite Lush products around Christmas?
xox

CTGT: My birthday + London trip

Sunday 22 November 2015

On 13th November, it was my birthday. I had such an amazing day; I'm truly grateful to everyone who celebrated my birthday with me. In the evening, I went out to a meal with my immediate family to be surprised by my grandparents, uncle and my first ever friend and her family. It was so special to spend my birthday evening with them. Throughout the night I had many surprises, one of which being a birthday cake which was based around my blog! This made me tear up a little because it was so thoughtful! If you are a regular reader, you may recognise some of the pieces on the cake! I had a brilliant time and that night will forever stay in my memory. 




I also had another very special cake made for me by one of my closest friends. She knew how much I love everything Barbie so baked a cake with that theme in mind - all the decorations were from the films. This was so sweet of her and the cake tasted great! I'm very grateful that she took the time to make this. 



My birthday London trip

The weekend after my birthday, my parents and I went to London. I had an amazing two days filled with wonderful activities and things to do! Some of which were: having a MAC makeover (a present from the friend that surprised me on my birthday), seeing 'Green Day's American Idiot' on stage (a definite recommend - it was so good) and visiting the Science Museum to see a 'Cosmonaut' exhibition. The whole weekend was brilliant, I'm so thankful to everyone who helped organise it. Below are some photos from the trip...










Have you got any special trips lined up for the future?
xox

London in a black coat

Wednesday 18 November 2015



Coat - Department store in Germany
Top- Topshop
Skirt - Topshop
Shoes - Converse 

Some of you may know that I went to London over the weekend for my birthday! I had an amazing time (more to come in future blog posts) and as it was London, I was doing a lot of walking so I had to dress appropriately! I have to apologise that I only have photos of one outfit because on the Saturday it was raining most of the time which made it impossible to take fashion photos. That aside, my outfit on Sunday was very comfy and I felt comfortable wearing it around London. The black coat is so warm, meaning that I only had to wear a short sleeve top on underneath! My skirt, which is a dark grey colour, is one of those button up at the front skirts which are quite on trend at the moment. As you might know, most of my wardrobe consists of monotoned colours so I added some colour into this outfit with my red converse. I've had these for a while now and I really like them; I love how you can wash them if they get dirty so they look brand new again!

I really liked wearing this outfit around London. If you want me to recreate the outfits that I wore on Saturday (day and evening), let me know!
xox 

Wednesday 30 December 2015

Happy birthday Makinglifeacamera + Q&A


Oh my gosh, I can't believe that I have been blogging for a year! Where has the time gone? In my mind, I'm still just starting out and learning the ropes of blogging. This year has a massive learning curve for me and although I have gained a lot of knowledge, I still have so much more to learn. I can't thank you enough for reading my blog, it means the world to me that people enjoy reading what I post. If you asked me a year ago where I thought my blog would be, I could never expect this - thank you.  

What I have achieved:

  • Being brave enough to upload some controversial posts
  • Doing my first collab with Shylifeliving
  • Uploading fashion posts which I never thought that I would do 
  • Being contacted by some brands 
  • Meeting some lovely fellow bloggers who I can rely on for advice or a just a friendly chat 


What I plan for the future:

  • To continue to have the confidence in posting controversial posts
  • Include many more fashion posts as I enjoy doing them so much
  • Work with other bloggers and brands
  • Start to upload cooking posts because I rarely ever do them
  • Ask Twitter chats if I could host some; I enjoyed my first so much

Q&A


@EJLChronicles asks: What inspired you to start blogging?

I was really into watching Youtube and reading other blogs before starting my own; I loved the idea of having your own platform to share ideas and express your thoughts. Also, as I'm not creative in the sense of DIY or art, I thought that I could use my blog as a creative outlet in a different form. 

@ShyLifeLiving asks: What's your favourite blog post that you have written and your favourite blog post that you have ever read?

I think that my favourite post that I have ever written was my CTGT:My Germany trip + haul because that holiday meant so much to me. It was such a special trip as I learnt about the place that my Mum was born in and where my Grandparents lived for a chunk of their lives. 

My favourite blog post that I have ever read was by Onemoregirlonline and it was her No more wondering 'What if' post. After reading this, I felt very inspired and it really made me think about worrying about the future. I love this girl's blog, it has many amazing posts that have always left me thinking about the message behind them! Definitely check them out! 

@Coloursofarose asks: What keeps you motivated to blog?

For me, blogging is a hobby so it is mainly the enjoyment that keeps me motivated. Also, I like being organised and sticking to schedules, which may seem strange but I do, therefore I already feel quite motivated to upload twice a week.


This year, blogging has become my passion! I'm really excited to continue posting and improving my blog. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my first year - it really means a lot! 

xox

Monday 28 December 2015

Brooklyn Street Style





I received the 'Brooklyn Street Style' book for my birthday and I have really enjoyed reading it and taking inspiration from the outfit photos. From the knowledge that I had gained through reading this book, I put together an outfit which I believe incorporates the key aspects of Brooklyn fashion. One of the main ideas is that you mix fashion prints. In my outfit, my scarf (from Urban Outfitters) and my trousers (from Topshop) clash patterns. Also, the flowery design on my trousers is something that I believe people would wear in Brooklyn because the book explains that quite a lot of the fashion is based around the hippy trend. 

Another aspect of the fashion which I learnt about was that the end of your trousers and the start of your shoe don't have to be in the same place, there is quite often a gap where some of your leg is showing. My boots (from Topshop) just cover my ankles and my trousers are 7/8 in length so there is about 1 or 2 inches of my lower leg on show. Usually, I would never think that I could pull this off but I actually like the way that it looks! I might play around with some other garments and see if I can put together more outfits. 

I wore a black jumper (from Jack Wills) under a leather jacket (from Topshop) - the leather jacket gives this outfit more of an edge. As the two items are neutral colours, I could draw attention to the trousers. From what I gathered from the book, a lot of the pictures feature the bottom half of the outfit as the bolder half in comparison to the top so I kept it quite subtle with the jumper and jacket - print/colour wise. 

If you enjoyed this post, I have a Paris and a Berlin Street Style book that I could take some inspiration from to create another outfit. Let me know if you would like that. 

xox

Saturday 26 December 2015

CTGT: Christmas day 2015










This year, I had such a wonderful day spent with friends and family. If you read my Christmas day routine, you would know that my best friend and I were going to do a reading in church - I'm really happy to say that it went well. My dog also enjoyed her stocking very much, although she hated the bubbles which Santa got her!!! In several of the photos, there are some flower arrangements which my grandma did and they looked lovely on the table! You may notice as well that there are some christingles; we made these at church and I had to make sure mine was colour/sweet co-ordinated.

Christmas day is always so special as I have all of my immediate family with me and I get to see my best friend at church. My favourite part of the day, this year, was sitting around the table after lunch just having a conversation and although that sounds quite boring/ordinary in some respects, it is moments like that one which stay in my memory. Moments when we are all together, laughing and joking around whilst the dog is still on the hunt for left-overs! 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and if you don't celebrate it, I hope that you had a lovely day!!
xox

Wednesday 23 December 2015

My Christmas day routine


I'm always interested in what people get up to on Christmas day. If you are one of my friends, you will know that I ask loads of questions in relation to your daily routine. I know that many families have certain traditions on Christmas and always stick to the same activities - my family being in this category! So I decided to share what I will be getting up to this year (and probably next year too)... 

8am - This is now, generally, the time that I wake up on Christmas. When I was younger, it used to be much earlier - if I even went to sleep! At this time, we will go downstairs and open our stockings. This year, my dog has a stocking so I'm very excited to see her reaction to all of her new toys! I think Christmas is her favourite day of the year - bless her!! 

9am - At this time, we will have finished opening our stockings and had breakfast so at 9am we all get showered/dressed ready to leave the house at 9:30am.

10am - We will arrive at church for 10am where I will meet my best friend and her family. This year, my friend and I are leading a prayer in church which I hope goes well as I always struggle reading out loud. 

11am - The service will have finished so mum and I will drive back home to be greeted by my dog and dad - who will have started the Christmas dinner. 

12pm - My grandparents and uncle will arrive and we will usually sit and chat, whilst listening to Christmas music, as dinner is continuing to be cooked.

1pm - Dinner is served!! We will all gather around the kitchen table, pull crackers and eat a lovely Christmas dinner - still with the Christmas tunes playing!! 

2pm - We will tidy up all the Christmas dinner and, naughtily, feed the dog some of the leftovers - I mean, she does sit very nicely for it!! 

3pm - The Queen's speech is broadcasted from 3pm-3:10pm so we will listen to that before opening the presents under the tree. I usually sit by the tree and hand out a present for everyone and we take it in turns to open them. I'm quite excited to see the faces of my family when they open their presents from me.

4pm - We will still be in the lounge by this point and my dog will be very excited by all of the wrapping paper. After we have opened all of the presents, we will tidy up the wrapping mess and have a slice of Christmas cake. At this point, I have a bowl of ice cream as I don't like Christmas cake very much. 

5pm - My grandparents and uncle usually leave at 5pm so then my household chills in the lounge whilst watching some Christmas TV for the evening.

10pm - This is the sad part of the day because Christmas is nearly over for another year and it won't be acceptable anymore to blast Christmas music throughout the house! 

What do you get up to on Christmas day? Do you have any similar traditions to mine or are yours completely different? Let me know!!

xox

Sunday 20 December 2015

Christmas OOTD ideas | Collab




Outfit 1: Casual 






Top: Primark
Leggings: H&M
Slippers: Primark

For this first outfit I went for a super comfy and effortless look. I wanted to look like I'd made an effort because at Christmas I usually see a lot of family and have photos taken. I think the shirt adds formality to the look without being really uncomfortable, I mean you still need to harbour that food baby. It's a floaty shirt so it's really loose and comfy; I think this is great for christmas because you dont want to be restrained and uncomfortable. It also has this lovely scalloped detail on the collar and cuffs, I just think it makes the outfit have a bit more detail and look like you put more effort in.
Then I just wore some basic leggings. They make the outfit sleek but still feel like you're in your PJ's, which I love. Obviously slippers because who doesn't love slippers? I think they are great for christmas time as you can wear them in peoples houses and you dont have to get your feet out, and they are warm and comfy. 

Outfit 2: Formal 





Romper: Topshop
Cardigan: New Look
Necklace: H&M

For this more formal look I wanted to keep it comfy but still look formal/put together. I think rompers are great for this because they come in some lovely patterns, like sparkles or jewelled, but they are still floaty and comfy. This one has an elasticated waist, which is great for christmas dinner time!! I don't think you can go wrong with something like this because they are so flattering but hide all the bloating from eating too many puddings!
I also added a really simple cardigan, just in case it gets a bit chilly. I think the addition of the simple necklace works really well because it adds a bit of detail to the chest so that it doesn't look bare. 

I hope you all enjoy christmas and make the right choices for your food baby! haha!

XXX

Outfit 3: Festive 




Dress - Topshop
Christmas jumper - New Look 

For the third and final outfit idea, I decided to go for a festive option. This is for the people who really like to feel festive, not just in the daily activities but in their clothing choice too. Although it may not be that clear, I have a dress on underneath the jumper and it is a plain, black skater dress. I've had this dress for a while and have actually worn it on the past two Christmas's because it is very cosy. If you are wearing a Christmas jumper - that is quite bold -  having a plain dress/skirt can attract all of the attention to the jumper. I appreciate that my jumper isn't particularly Christmassy, in a sense, it is more of a winter jumper but I'm one of those people who doesn't go to town with it. I definitely believe that there are different types of Christmas jumpers; this one being in the subtle group. Comfort is important at Christmas so I feel like this is a good option if you want to feel festive, a little dressed up and snuggly! 


I would like to thank Sophie from Shy Life Living for suggesting that we should collab! I have throughly enjoyed coming up with ideas for outfits and putting the posts together. At the beginning of December, on Sophie's blog, we did a Christmas shopping outfit ideas post so you should definitely check that out if you have some last minute shopping to do. In fact, whilst you're there have a look at all of her posts because her blog is amazing! The photography is incredible and her fashion posts are my favourite!! 

Sophie's blog: Shylifeliving

What will you be wearing this Christmas? Did this post give you any inspiration? 
xox


Thursday 10 December 2015

The Christmas Tag


I was tagged by the lovely Yana from TimewithYana to do the Christmas Tag. Christmas is my favourite time of year so I hope you enjoy reading/learning about what I like to do in the festive period. 

Q1: Favourite thing about Christmas?

I absolutely love spending time with my family and friends. Christmas is always a day filled with happiness and excitement. I feel like I can really relax and enjoy myself surrounded by the people I love. 

Q2: Favourite Christmas movie/s? 

I love so many!! One that I can remember watching most years is 'Miracle on 34th Street'; my mum and I always used to put it on whilst having hot chocolates or getting snuggly under a warm blanket. I also like 'The Snowman' even though I find it really emotional for some reason. 

Q3: Real tree or fake tree?

We always vary this but this year we have a real tree. For a couple of years beforehand, we had to have a fake tree because we had a new puppy and were frightened that she would try to eat all of the pine needles that fell off it!

Q4: Giving presents or receiving them?

I would have to say giving presents because I get so excited to see the reaction of the person when they open it. This year, I'm looking forward to being there when my family open theirs as I have put a lot of effort into finding something that they will love!! 

Q5: Do you open your presents Christmas morning or evening?

We usually open Father Christmas's presents in the morning, before we go to church. Then, we return home, have dinner, watch the Queen's speech and open the presents under the tree in the afternoon. 

Q6: What tops your tree?

An angel which I insist on placing at the top every year, I always used to do the final touches. 

Q7: As a kid what was the one (crazy, extravagant) gift you asked for but never received? 

I honestly can't think of many! I remember always wanting a trampoline but that isn't very extravagant! That goes to show that I wasn't very imaginative! I did, however, want to have a Secret Garden of my own from the film! 

Q8) Handmade Christmas cards or bought?

Unfortunately, all of my are bought. I'd love to make my own but I'm rubbish at arts and crafts! Buying them is a safe bet!

Q9) Do you have any Christmas eve traditions?

When I was younger, my dad and I used to go on a 'Santa Tracker' website and see where he was in the world! This always used to fascinate me and I'd try to work out where Santa was going next.

I tag:



xox

Sunday 6 December 2015

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas






This weekend was when Christmas really started to happen at home. We put up the Christmas tree today and decorated the rest of the house for the festive season. I've also started playing Christmas songs and wearing Christmas jumpers to get excited for the big day! On this blog, every post up until the 25th will be Christmas themed! I'm sorry that I couldn't take part in Blogmas this year; I have lots of commitments at the moment so I don't have time! However, I hope that you are enjoying the early days of December and are really getting into the Christmas spirit! 

xox

Wednesday 2 December 2015

My love/hate relationship with social media


Social media can be your best friend whilst blogging. Without this friend, my blog certainly wouldn't be where it is now! In a matter of seconds, I can log into my Twitter account, promote my posts, chat to other bloggers and have easy access to their new posts. Joining in on Twitter chats, using a wide range of hastags, allows me to connect to bloggers and have my say in the blogging community. The support which other bloggers give is incredible; something that I never realised when I first started out. Having my social media accounts, can give me confidence that I don't necessarily have in real life but that is the issue that I sometimes worry about - if I'm not always the same on social media than in real life, other people may not be either?!

Many of you might relate to this when I say that the online safety talks, that I used to have at school, freaked me out. Still to this day, I'm sceptical about who I talk to online because I don't want to put myself in a vulnerable situation. Although the vast majority of people that I speak to on Twitter are lovely and are the legitimate person that they claim to be, there are still some doubts in my mind. The internet, sometimes, can be a very scary place. From the experiences that I have had whilst blogging, I have been extremely lucky and I'm very grateful for the fact that everyone is kind and I haven't had any issues. However, in the back of my mind, I still think about my safety.

Another factor about having social media which I hate is comparing yourself to others. No matter how hard I try, I can't help it. If other bloggers seem to be doing better than me and getting a better response on their posts, I think, 'What am I doing wrong?'. However, it's not me that's doing anything wrong, social media figures have lead me to believe that I'm not good enough. Something to remember which is really important is that 'Other people's successes aren't your failures'. Social media is set out to make you forget that point. When you see an account with thousands of followers it's hard not to compare. 

Also, social media is not always a true representation of real life. Yes, you can post a lot of your life on social media but your followers will never know everything - which I think is a good thing. I follow famous celebrities and recognise that what they are posting isn't the whole story. 

@making_camera: I'm loving wearing a red lip!

You see this and learn that I like red lipstick but you don't know anymore - it's a brief, vague statement. Some people choose to post more personal things which is more of an insight into their life but every detail isn't shared. So, when people judge others on their social media, it isn't fair because they don't necessarily know the person outside of the Internet. It is so easy to hate online because you can't see the reactions of the person. This is awful but you can't stop people doing it. By creating an account, there is always that slight chance that you might receive hate - you have to make a judgement call. 

To end on a happy note, social media can have a positive impact on someone's day. Recently, I joined Jemma's #girlgang which I think is an amazing idea. Spreading positivity and supporting others in a place that isn't always easy sailing should be promoted heavily - Jemma has really done a great job of this. Since the gang was created, my timeline has been so lovely to read!


I think that I will always have this love/hate relationship with social media but I have learnt that little acts of kindness and spreading positivity instead of negative thoughts has as much impact online as they do in real life! 

xox

Sunday 29 November 2015

The beauty blogger 'Get to know me tag'


I was recently tagged by Rebecca from Northern Soul Beauty to do the 'Beauty blogger - get to know me tag'. This tag is very different from the other tags that I have done so I hope that you get to learn more about me, my blog and my makeup preferences! Here goes...

Q1) Is your hair naturally straight or curly?


My hair is naturally straight and I have fine hair so it is a pain to get any volume into it! I think whatever hair type you have, you would prefer to have the other one! 


Q2) Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon? 


Recently, I had my hair dyed for the first time and I had it done professionally at  a salon - I wouldn't trust myself to do it!!


Q3) Do you wear the same style everyday, or do you change it?


Generally, I wear it the same everyday! I'm awful in the mornings so I don't have much time to focus on my hair! I go through stages of wearing it half up, half down or just all down. 


Q4) How long does it take you to put on makeup? 


On a weekday, I tend to spend between 5-10minutes on my makeup as I keep it simple. However on the weekend, I like experimenting with different looks so I spend about 20minutes on it! 


Q5) What do you do first? Face or eyes?


I always do my face first because I like to have a good base before applying my eye makeup. Generally, I don't wear extravagant eye makeup which would need to be cleaned up with my face products. On an average day, I just wear mascara and/or eye liner so I do the makeup which takes the most time first. 


Q6) Do you collect makeup or just buy it when you need it?


I definitely collect it!! I'm just so tempted to only buy makeup when I need it! Currently, I'm obsessed with buying new eyeshadows and one person certainly doesn't need the amount that I own! 


Q7) How often do you wear false eyelashes?


Not very often at all!!! I think the last time I wore them was on Halloween and that was only for about 1 hour as they just annoyed me! My issue with false eyelashes is that I can't apply them very well, with practice I'd probably wear them more often! I just find that mascara is so much easier for me! 

Q8) What are your current everyday staples?

At the moment, I'm loving wearing my MAC Matchmaster foundation! It gives me great coverage and helps keep my face relatively matte. Also, as you may know, I wear Velvet Teddy most days because it is such a great nude shade.

Q9) Do you wear makeup when you are at home or with family?

This depends on the situation really. If I'm having a lazy day or just chilling with family, I won't wear any makeup. However, sometimes, I like to put some on if we are doing anything particularly special. 

Q10) How many high-end products do you have?

I don't have a huge collection of makeup as I've only recently started enjoying applying/wearing it but I'd say about 1/3 of it is high-end. 

Q11) Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you're getting dressed?

I love to plan my outfits because it saves me time in the morning. By planning, I tend to wear more of my clothes instead of just the same outfit all of the time. 

Q12) How often do you change your handbag?

Usually, as I only really have one everyday handbag, I wouldn't change it at all. However a few days ago, I ordered a new handbag so I will have 2 to choose from, meaning that I will be changing my handbag more often. 

Q13) How often or when do you work out?

I'm quite an active person so I tend to work out nearly everyday. Despite how hard I've tried, I can't get myself into going running so my weekly exercise consists of: mainly badminton, dancing and leading a netball club (which involves me exercising too).

Q14) Left handed or right handed?

I'm right handed.

Q15) How tall are you?

I think I'm about 5'7 or 5'8 but I haven't measured myself in a while.

Q16) Do you speak any foreign languages?

I can speak a bit of French and German. I'd like to be fluent in a language one day! 

Q17) Sweet or savoury?

Definitely savoury! I'd always prefer a savoury snack to a sweet and I don't really like puddings. At a restaurant, if I was ordering 2 courses, I'd have a starter and a main instead of a main and a dessert. However, don't get me wrong, I still devour a bar of chocolate every once in a while.

Q18) What's your favourite perfume?

My all time favourite perfume is 'Fleur d'orange' by Fragonard which is a French brand based in Grasse. When I was younger and still to this day, we travel to Grasse on our summer holiday and smell all of the lovely perfumes in the factory shop. I always have a bottle amongst my other perfumes. 

Q19) How many pets do you have?

I have a gorgeous little Cockapoo called Mabel. She's so sweet although if she sleeps on my bed, she places herself right where my feet go, meaning I have to angle myself away from her! 

Q20) Do you read comments on your blog?

I love receiving comments and I try to reply to every single one of them! 

Q21) Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?

Yeah! I keep a mental list and if a certain product keeps popping up and it looks really good, I will look for it next time I go shopping! 

Q22) How did you come up with your blog name?

I wanted something original and meaningful to me. Knowing that I love the 'life is like a camera' saying, I decided to endeavour to make my life this hypothetical camera and title my blog with it. 

Q23) What kind of camera do you use for your photographs?

I swap and change between my Canon s120, which is a smaller compact one, and my Canon 400D. 

Q24) What's your favourite colour?

My favourite colour has to be mint green! I absolutely love it! In addition to that, I like black/grey/white! So mint green is the pop of colour amongst those. 

Q25) Do you swear?

I'd be lying if I said 'no' to this one! 

Q26) What are you doing with the rest of your day?

Having a PJ day and trying to be productive! I think I might watch a Christmas film later! 


xox

Wednesday 25 November 2015

Lush | 5 Gold Rings



For me, Lush is at it's best around Christmas time! Usually in November, as I have this year, I pop in and stock up on the new range. The '5 Gold Rings', which are 5 bubble bars attached together, is a new product this year that I knew I wanted to purchase. I love the idea of having 5 separate rings so you can have 5 baths; this makes the product really good value for money. The photo of how my bath looked doesn't quite do the product justice. Unfortunately as it is dark by 5pm, it is really hard to take bright blog photos. The product did turn my bath orange but it was lighter than the photo. The bubble bar gave gorgeous shimmers which stuck onto me once I had got out of the bath. My favourite thing about this product is the scent. It's quite difficult to explain but it smells orangey mixed with Christmas spices. I'm a big fan of Snow Fairy and the Candy Mountain bubble bar so it was a nice change from the strong sweet smells. The whole bathroom smelt of the product which was lovely as it felt really Christmassy. Bubble bars, this one in particular, are very moisturising so I wouldn't recommend you washing your hair (if you do in the bath) because it could leave it feeling slightly greasy. What I do is put my hair into a bun, sit back and just relax. Sometimes I read, sometimes I watch some Youtube - being careful not to drop my iPad into the bath. The '5 Gold Rings' is the perfect product to get into the Christmas spirit, next time you are in Lush, go and give it a smell!!

What are your favourite Lush products around Christmas?
xox

Sunday 22 November 2015

CTGT: My birthday + London trip

On 13th November, it was my birthday. I had such an amazing day; I'm truly grateful to everyone who celebrated my birthday with me. In the evening, I went out to a meal with my immediate family to be surprised by my grandparents, uncle and my first ever friend and her family. It was so special to spend my birthday evening with them. Throughout the night I had many surprises, one of which being a birthday cake which was based around my blog! This made me tear up a little because it was so thoughtful! If you are a regular reader, you may recognise some of the pieces on the cake! I had a brilliant time and that night will forever stay in my memory. 




I also had another very special cake made for me by one of my closest friends. She knew how much I love everything Barbie so baked a cake with that theme in mind - all the decorations were from the films. This was so sweet of her and the cake tasted great! I'm very grateful that she took the time to make this. 



My birthday London trip

The weekend after my birthday, my parents and I went to London. I had an amazing two days filled with wonderful activities and things to do! Some of which were: having a MAC makeover (a present from the friend that surprised me on my birthday), seeing 'Green Day's American Idiot' on stage (a definite recommend - it was so good) and visiting the Science Museum to see a 'Cosmonaut' exhibition. The whole weekend was brilliant, I'm so thankful to everyone who helped organise it. Below are some photos from the trip...










Have you got any special trips lined up for the future?
xox

Wednesday 18 November 2015

London in a black coat



Coat - Department store in Germany
Top- Topshop
Skirt - Topshop
Shoes - Converse 

Some of you may know that I went to London over the weekend for my birthday! I had an amazing time (more to come in future blog posts) and as it was London, I was doing a lot of walking so I had to dress appropriately! I have to apologise that I only have photos of one outfit because on the Saturday it was raining most of the time which made it impossible to take fashion photos. That aside, my outfit on Sunday was very comfy and I felt comfortable wearing it around London. The black coat is so warm, meaning that I only had to wear a short sleeve top on underneath! My skirt, which is a dark grey colour, is one of those button up at the front skirts which are quite on trend at the moment. As you might know, most of my wardrobe consists of monotoned colours so I added some colour into this outfit with my red converse. I've had these for a while now and I really like them; I love how you can wash them if they get dirty so they look brand new again!

I really liked wearing this outfit around London. If you want me to recreate the outfits that I wore on Saturday (day and evening), let me know!
xox 
DESIGNED BY ECLAIR DESIGNS