Friday 31 May 2013

29. BEDM // One Whole Month

Hi lovelies, it's the WEEKEND! 

It's also the last day of Rosalilium's Blog Everyday in May challenge, which is a shame as I've really enjoyed taking part and getting back into blogging. Today we're asked to consider how we've found the challenge, what we've enjoyed, what we haven't enjoyed and whether we've learnt anything.

I've really, really enjoyed this challenge. I'd been trying to get back into blogging for a while, as I'm addicted to reading other peoples blogs and checking out make-up reviews, getting recipe ideas and picking up little tips (or just having a nosy at other peoples lives!) but wasn't sure what type of blog I should be running.

So, that's why I chose to take part. I wanted to find my niche. I thought it'd be interesting to write about a variety of topics, get into a routine of regular blogging and decide whether it's really for me or not. And I feel like it really is.

Writing is a big passion of mine, it always has been. I've always dreamt of being a journalist or writing novels and I see blogging as great practice for this and, also, it's good fun too. So this challenge gave me the opportunity to write everyday and get back into the habit of putting my thoughts and my ideas into words which people can enjoy reading.

I've also loved meeting new people as part of this challenge and finding new blogs which have quickly become favourites of mine! It's such a nice feeling when you find someone else who has blogged something very similar on the same topic; it's like an instant connection.

The variety of topics has also been interesting and, at times, challenging (I guess that's probably why it's called a challenge...)! Sometimes I've really struggled and ended up going slightly off topic but I don't think that matters. I don't think that's the 'point' of the challenge however so it hasn't really phased me. I appreciate that some of my posts have been much better (and much better received also) than others and, if anything, it's taught me what I'm good at writing about, what really inspires me and, on the other hand, what doesn't appeal to me.

I'm hoping to continue to blog regularly, perhaps 2-3 times a week about a variety of topics. I think lifestyle blogging is probably the best route for me! I have a big interest in beauty and fashion, but I'm not a fashionista and I'm no expert on make-up, so I think that lifestyle is the most accessible option for me.

I'll incorporate recipes, photography, some product reviews, updates on my life & lots of other little bits and bobs along the way. Basically, I'm going to blog about whatever takes my fancy and - hopefully - you'll all enjoy reading about it, and if not - you see that little 'x' in the corner? Click it.

I hope everybody else who took part in the challenge really enjoyed it and, fingers crossed, someone will arrange another challenge at some point!

Lots of love,
Becci xox

Thursday 30 May 2013

28. BEDM // Who Inspires You?

Good morning guys.

I didn't blog yesterday for the Blog Everyday in May challenge as I had quite a few things to do and, also, I didn't feel that my morning ritual post would make for very interesting reading!

However, I'm back today (very early, admittedly) to blog about the second-to-last topic: who inspires you?

I'm inspired by so many people. It depends which aspect of my life I focus on. I admire different people for different reasons.

For example, Cecilia Ahern is a huge inspiration to me. She's my favourite author and I find her books almost magical. The way she writes is beautiful and she must be so creative to come up with some of her stories. At the same time, she seems so humble. Although she is successful and well-known in her own field, she is not a 'celebrity' and I respect that. She's had success, she's done well for herself but she's still very down to earth. (total girlcrush)


I also massively respect Nigella Lawson. Not only is she a fantastic cook (cook, not chef) but she's undoubtedly absolutely gorgeous, classy and intelligent. Although she's lost quite a lot of weight recently, I believe she's a brilliant advocate for healthy body image and for women, and girls alike, to embrace their curves. She proved that men do love curves and I honestly think she's an excellent role model. Plus, she's probably my dream wife. (another girlcrush)



Totally cliched, but my parents and a lot of other members of my family, really inspire me too. My parents have really struggled the last few years and, by no means, have they been perfect but they've got through it by putting their family first. I have a few family members who have conquered illness and even disabilities, but they've come out of it stronger, and I respect that. I complain a lot - I'm just one of those people - but some of the events that have happened in my family within recent years have really put things into perspective and made me realise how lucky I am.

I feel sort of bad that none of the people I've mentioned are people who have fought for something, campaigned, changed the world, etc, etc, but I do have respect for people like that. 

But these two women are idols of mine... I guess it's probably because two of my main interests are literature and cooking and, to me, these ladies are the top of their game in these fields. And, of course, my family inspire me because they're 'ordinary people' dealing with 'ordinary problems,' but doing me proud in the process.

The bottom line is...
I have respect for anybody who tries to make the world a better place.

Love,
Becci xox

Tuesday 28 May 2013

27. Recipes // Meatballs

Hello again!

I haven't posted a recipe for a while, so I thought I'd do a quick, simple recipe today.

I'm currently quite hard-up cashwise so my boyfriend and I have been looking for cheap dinner ideas. We have made delicious meatball dishes a few times but never made our own meatballs, so last night we decided to make some!

This is an incredibly cheap dish to make and is gorgeous, comfort food. This whole meal cost less than £5, fed two people and went down a treat.

Ingredients for the meatballs:
350g lean beef mince
1/2 an onion (diced)
1/2 tsp of Garlic (we used Very Lazy garlic, but garlic cloves would be even better)
1 tsp Paprika (depending on how spicy you want the meatballs!)
1 egg (whisked)
Chorizo (sliced)
50g mushrooms (sliced)
Salt & pepper to season

1. Fry the onions and garlic, in olive oil, in a frying pan until soft and then leave to cool.
2. Once cooled, put the mince, onion, garlic and whisked egg into a bowl and mix.
3. Add seasoning and then fry for around 10-15 minutes, in olive oil, in a frying pan.
4. When almost cooked, add the mushrooms and Chorizo and fry for around 5 minutes.

Ingredients for the sauce:
400g chopped tomatoes
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp mixed herbs
1/2 tsp garlic
Salt & pepper to season

1. Combine all ingredients in a pan and simmer until warmed through.

You should be cooking your pasta or spaghetti (add a little salt to the water for extra flavour) at the same time. It usually takes around 15 minutes which, conveniently, is the same time as the meatballs and the sauce will need. So, you can put your pasta on as soon as you start frying the meatballs, or perhaps even a little earlier.

Once the tomato sauce has heated through and the meatballs are thoroughly cooked, pour the sauce into the frying pan with meatballs and simmer until you're ready to serve.

Apologies for the poor quality photo... we just wanted to EAT it
Extra Tips:
You could even add some cheese to bulk the meal up a little.
Alternatively, you could dice the Chorizo and add it to the meatballs, for an extra kick.

I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know if you have any low-cost meal recipes!

Love,
Becci xox

26. BEDM // Bad Advice

Afternoon lovelies.

Unfortunately the bank holiday is over and we're all back to work again today, which is a shame. Although I have the week off, I'm stuck in the house as my boyfriend is working, my friends are all either back to work or finishing off their exams at university, and I don't even have any money to go for a coffee and read a book somewhere. 

Hmmph, as you can probably tell, I'm not really feeling it today. I'm not sure what has set it off but I'm sure I'll be feeling better by tomorrow.

Anyway, today's topic for BEDM is 'Bad Advice.' I've really struggled with this topic; I was thinking about it all day yesterday and really wasn't sure what to write about. However, following a conversation with my boyfriend last night, it dawned on me that I have been subject to some bad advice and, unfortunately, I chose to take it.

The bad advice I received concerns a really personal, emotional time in my life and so I won't go into too much detail about it. Both out of respect, for myself and everyone else who was affected, and for the sake of my emotions.

Two years ago, I found myself in a really difficult situation. I had just found out something and didn't really know how to react to it. I had no idea what to do next, what to say or what to be feeling. I confided first of all in my boyfriend and best-friend who were very supportive and gave me the kind of advice I'd been hoping for. At this point, I felt that I knew exactly what I wanted to do and had no intentions of changing my mind.

However, when I brought up the issue with my family, they were less supportive. I do need to say, they were helpful and they were only thinking about me, but they urged me to change my mind. I suppose they were going down the whole 'think with your head, not with your heart' root but, to be honest, I tend to think with my heart rather than my head. 

It's amazing how much of an influence your family can have over you. Whilst I was so grateful for the advice from my boyfriend and best-friend, I felt like I needed to take my families advice. We're constantly striving to make our families proud and this is an example of that.

I did - or rather, didn't do - something that I wanted to do, because my family urged me not to. Now, two years down the line, I just wonder what would be different if I had followed my heart. My parents have even said this to me, my mum even once said that she wished I'd stuck to my original decision... but you can't change what's already happened.

I know this post isn't really great as I've not given any detail but some of you may be able to tell what I'm writing about and, even if you can't, I'm sure you can understand the point that I'm making. From this bad advice, I learnt one good piece of advice: listen to your heart.

Love, 
Becci xox

Sunday 26 May 2013

25. Lifestyle // January to June

Happy Sunday everybody, I hope the bank holiday weekend is being good to you.


Although I've already blogged today, I felt like doing something a little bit different. I've been reading through my favourite blogs this weekend and one thing that I've loved is finding update posts, especially what people have been up to and what their year has been like so far, so that's exactly what I'm going to do.


January

January was a cold, quiet month. It snowed a lot and it was absolutely beautiful where I live. I used  this as a perfect opportunity to get back into photography and take some photographs. I didn't work much in January and I also didn't do much of any interest. Having said that, January was when I began to really think about what I was eating and, in that one month, I lost 13.2lbs!



 February

It's safe to say that February was a much more productive month. I began my BA (Hons) History degree with the Open University, saw much more of my friends and continued with the weight-loss (a further 10lbs). I submitted my first university level assignment for which I got a score of 68%. I had a make-up tutorial at Benefit and had some gorgeous lash inserts put in for weekend drinks with S. I had an interview at a local school and although I didn't get the job, I was shortlisted to the final two which was a brilliant feeling. S and I celebrated our third Valentine's day together with a delicious homemade meal of chicken in a tarragon, cream and white wine sauce followed by chocolate orange cheesecake. We also went out for a couple of lovely meals in February and cooked our own Thai curry.



March


March started off excellently; S got a new job, I went to a great gig with one of my best-friends and caught up with a few friends that I'd not seen for a while. I also started my work experience at a local school, helping out in the humanities department (I really want to be a teacher, that's why I did it). For the latter part of the month, I worked every shift I could get my hands on at work. The weather even picked up so I was able to take some nice photos.





April

Once again, April was a busy month. I took part in a fab fundraiser night organised by one of my best-friends, in aid of Because I'm a Girl, and we raised well over £100 between us. S and I also started seriously discussing moving in together this month and started looking at flats. My Grandparents visited and introduced me to an Italian girl called Ilaria who had just graduated from university in Northern Italy; she was lovely and we've remained in contact via email - I would love to go and visit her sometime. I also had some bad news in April; I found out that the cafe, which I'd worked at for two years, was closing down with immediate effect. I was really upset as I loved my job there and my colleagues and the customers too. I quickly found a job working in another cafe. This was also the month that I had 8" cut off my hair, and re-gained about 5lbs. But on the plus side, I got back into blogging!



May

So far, May has been quite a difficult month. I have continued to re-gain the weight that I'd lost; I have now lost 19lbs compared to the 25lbs I had lost at the start of March. I also quit my new job as the management was awful, pay was horrendous and I didn't enjoy it at all. I was so proud of myself for quitting but it's caused a lot of financial worry, so I don't feel quite so good about it now. We, as a family, celebrated my sisters 13th birthday and my brothers 23rd birthday. I baked muffins for both occasions, of course. I worked a lot this month and also had the opportunity to catch up with one of my best-friends who is studying in Scotland. We had a lovely few hours together in the sunshine and it was a brill surprise. I also decided to take part in Blog Everyday in May, which is a challenge set up by Rosalilium. I spent this bank holiday weekend relaxing in the sunshine, tidying up the garden with S and drinking copious amounts of cider. 



The rest of the year brings with it many more opportunities!

We're heading to Amsterdam for 3 days in October to celebrate my 21st birthday
We're *potentially* getting a new pup!
We've started saving for our very own flat
Attending my lovely cousins wedding, in Yorkshire, in August
I finish my first degree module in September
Looking for a fulfilling and interesting job
Getting back into healthy eating
Continuing with my blog, meeting new people & writing a lot more

I have a lot of new ideas for posts, once Blog Everyday in May is over. Ranging from make-up reviews, to travel posts, recipes, craft ideas and mental health awareness. 

I'm really excited.
Is there anything you'd like me to write about?

Love
Becci xox

24. BEDM // Fantasy Dinner Party

Morning :-)

I hope you're all having a brilliant Bank Holiday weekend so far! Mine has been a lazy but lovely one. On Saturday morning; I blogged, went out and finished Lord of the Flies in the sunshine, did the garden with my boyfriend and then chilled out with a homemade curry and a few ciders. Today, we're going for a nice walk (as, surprisngly, it's still sunny!) before heading back to mine; I'm going to spend the day with my family whilst S catches up with family and friends at the pub. Lucky him!

So, today's topic is one that I've been looking forwards to: fantasy dinner party. We're asked to think about ideal guests, our menus, entertainment, etc, and I think that's quite fun. Although I've never had my own dinner party (I would love to as soon as I have my own place!) I think guests must be the most important factor, so here's my guest list:

Dawn French - because she is lovely and so entertaining
Russel Brand - he's so interesting and would come out with some great stories!
Stephen Fry - as he would ensure there was some interesting conversations
Cecilia Ahern - as she's such an inspiration to me and surely would be really fun too
Gerard Butler - for obvious reasons (yum)
Lee Mack - to keep everyone smiling


Entertainment

I'm guessing we're allowed people who are dead or alive, and therefore my entertainment would be - as well as my guests - Paloma Faith and INXS. I love both of them in their own right, but I'm sure they could do some amazing duets too.


Food and Drinks

I'd start of with cocktails (yum!) ranging from a Bloody Mary to a Martini, anything and everything! For starters, we'd have a selection of tapas style dishes, followed by a chicken Panang curry with coconut rice and prawn toasts for main, followed by a big fruit pavlova for pudding!


Theme

I've always loved the art-deco style, so I'd decorate my house in 1920's style and ask everyone to dress up in art deco clothing, such as flapper dresses or nice suits for the men. I think it'd be great and we all know Paloma can definitely pull off the 1920s style. 



What do you think of my fantasy dinner party?

Saturday 25 May 2013

23. BEDM // Music Love

Happy Bank Holiday Weekend (again!)

The topic of today's Blog everyday in May, is Music Love. We were asked to write about out 5 favourite albums but I've chosen to focus on my 5 favourite songs instead. I hope some of them are songs that other people love too...

1. Never Tear Us Apart by INXS

I've been a fan of INXS for a few years after discovering a couple of their albums amongst my parents old CDs. To me, this song has the most beautiful lyrics, there are so many amazing lines in the song. People will probably recognise this song as Paloma Faith released a cover of it last year, and someone also sang it on the X-Factor. I absolutely love Michael Hutchence; he was gorgeous, he was a lyrical genius and just a pretty cool guy, at the same time. Although I love most of their songs, the lyrics in this are just that extra bit special.
"I told you that we could fly. 'Cause we all have wings, but some of us don't know why..."
"Two worlds collided... and they could never tear us apart"

2. Just Be by Paloma Faith

Paloma Faith is, by far, my favourite artist. I love her voice, her style and the type of music she writes and sings. Although this song is quite a slow, sad song, I love it. Again, the lyrics are beautiful and you can feel so much emotion through Paloma's voice. 
"You wear me out with frustration and heartache and anger, but we wait for the wave just to wash it away"
"Cause there's no one else in this world, that I'd rather be unhappy with"

3. With or Without You by U2

This song is such a classic. I don't think I've heard anyone say anything bad about it! Again, my love for U2 comes from my parents CDs from the 80s, but I think U2 are still brilliant even now. There's a lot of depth to their lyrics and everything just works for me. I love this song as it's so romantic, the lyrics are probably my favourite out of any song.
"Sleight of hand and twist of fate, On a bed of nails she makes me wait, And I wait without you"

4. Not Enough Time by INXS

Again, another really romantic song. I actually want some of the lyrics from this song tattooed. 
                         "Not enough time for all that I want for you, not enough time for all my love"


5. Pachabel's Canon in D Major
This isn't really a song... as in, it has no lyrics. It's a piece of classical music that my mum plays really well on the piano, and that's how I came across it. It's really lovely, even if you don't like classical music, you'll probably have heard it before as it's a well-known piece of music. Going to have it playing when I walk down the aisle when I get married.

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my favourite pieces of music.
What are yours?

Thursday 23 May 2013

22. BEDM // Compliments

Morning guys!
Today's topic for the Blog Everyday in May challenge is 'Compliments: Tell us about the best compliment you've received,' which for me is a difficult topic. I'm one of "those people" who only remembers the criticisms. It's as if my own self-worth is so low that I don't believe (or maybe even just don't listen?) to compliments, from anyone.
However, there is one reoccurring compliment that I receive everyday that always means the world to me and always will, and it's just three simple words:
"I love you"
No matter who utters these words to me, it's the biggest compliment I could ever receive. It never gets old. To me, being told "oh your hair looks lovely today," or "that was a brilliant essay that you wrote!" doesn't mean quite as much as those three words. Don't get me wrong, I do love to be showered with compliments, even if I can't accept them as the truth. But there is more meaning when someone says they love you.
I'm told daily that I'm loved and, for me, that's of huge importance. There have been times when I've been having such a sh*t time that I've lost all hope and no matter what anyone says, I can't be helped. But knowing that someone, anyone, loves me is a great motivator to carry on and it's so humbling.

LOVE
Becci x


Wednesday 22 May 2013

21. BEDM // Letter To Your 13-Year-Old Self

Dear Becci,

You are not as fat as you think. Do not compare yourself to girls in magazines or films, or even to your "skinniest, prettiest friends." Be yourself. Embrace the body you have; one day you'll be grateful for your curves.

Appreciate your friends whilst you have them, but do not become dependent on them. You will lose and gain friends over the years; each friend will teach you something new about yourself and leave you with memories that will last a lifetime, and you should be grateful for that.

Believe in yourself. You have the ability to go a lot further than you think and to achieve a lot more than you believe. Not everything will go your way but you will quite often surprise yourself with what you're capable of.

Don't mess about with boys. Wait for that one special person who can make you understand exactly what love is and why it's so precious, so passionate, so painful and yet such a vital part of life and who you are.

Love your family. They might wind you up constantly, but that's what families do! Never take anything your parents or siblings say as critical or mean; they are only trying to help and to protect you.

Do what makes you happy. You'll discover along the way that life isn't about conforming. It isn't about 'being normal' or doing what you think everybody wants you to do. It's about doing things you enjoy; things that make you happy, make you smile and make you feel good. Just because one person thinks something is right, it doesn't mean it is right for you.

And finally, trust yourself.

Love,
Becci

Tuesday 21 May 2013

20. BEDM // Dream Job

Morning guys.

My 'dream job' has changed a million times over the years. At one point I wanted to be a vet, then a doctor, then a dentist, a beautician and an estate-agent... it's been a bit of a mixed bag, to say the least. Nowadays, I work in a job that doesn't challenge or stimulate me at all, but I work with some lovely people and it's flexible so I do, strangely, enjoy it, but I'm nowhere near my dream job (yet.)

I've always wanted to be a writer, and I'd imagine that's the same way with a lot of bloggers, so I think that would be my dream job. But what would I write about?! There are so many things that interest me. On the one hand, history is my passion, and I'd love to write a non-fiction book and perhaps articles for history magazines, based on past events that have fascinated me.

On the other hand, I'd love to write chick-lit novels. Cecilia Ahern is a huge role-model for me and I absolutely love the way she writes, if I could write anything even half as good as one of her books, I'd be a happy lady. To me, the idea of being a writer means having freedom. Freedom to write where you want, about what you want and (within reason) when you want.

Imagine having a gorgeous little log-cabin somewhere remote and sitting over-looking a lake writing, or curled up next to the fire with your cup of tea and laptop, jotting down ideas. It would be amazing. 

Fingers crossed I'll get there one day.
For now, blogging will have to do!

Monday 20 May 2013

19. BEDM // Newsflash

Today's challenge was to write a post about something that's in the news today. I've been scouring Google news, The Independent and Facebook/Twitter, to find something that really catches my eye. In the end, I found an article written this morning, in the Belfast Telegraph, about Angelina Jolie.

Don't panic, this is not a celebrity-gossip news story as, to be honest, I wouldn't class celebrity gossip as 'news' in the first place. But instead the focus is on breast cancer, which Angelina Jolie is - amongst other charitable work - raising awareness for.

This story has been circulating in the media for a week or so, and so rightly. The gist of the story is that Angelina knew that she had an 87% chance of developing breast cancer (as she carries the BRCA1 gene) and made the brave decision to undergo major surgery to remove her breasts. As someone in the public eye, with so much emphasis on her appearance, this must have been an incredibly hard decision to make. Obviously, she can (and did) afford to get breast implants, but even so - celebrities are scrutinized, every inch of their body is analysed daily by people reading gossip magazines or watching the television, and she could easily receive criticism for having 'fake boobs,' but she understood that it was worth the risk. Not to mention the pain and discomfort that she'll have experienced.

She now has only a 5% chance of developing breast cancer and has been using this publicity to raise awareness of the importance of regular breast screenings, which I think is really admirable; "I choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer," she said to the New York Times. 

As somebody who has a strong family history of breast cancer, this story really stood out to me and I have a lot of respect for Angelina in opening up and being honest about her experiences. I don't believe she did it for any form of sympathy or to raise her profile, I believe she did it to raise awareness of the importance of screenings and, basically, getting yourself checked out.

Hopefully her honesty will inspire thousands of women (and men, yes, it does happen) to get themselves checked out.

You can find out more about breast cancer here:

Sunday 19 May 2013

18. BEDM // Favourite Tradition

Hey lovelies

I said I was going to have a break from blogging to focus on my studies but blogging is so addictive, I just can't keep away!

Today's Blog Everyday in May topic is 'Favourite Tradition,' and I've been racking my brain to come up with ideas. But I think I've finally got a couple, so bare with.

Christmas always follows the same routine every year in our household. Starting the day with a Snowball (if you don't know what that is, you can find out here. One word: delicious) and exchanging gifts with all my siblings and parents, my grandparents then join us around midday for more presents, more drinks and, of course, my Dad's amazing Christmas dinner. The rest of the day is spent, as a family, either trialing out of new presents or watching films and Christmas specials on the television, whilst munching on Celebrations and  getting through copious amounts of alcohol.

For as long as I can remember, our birthday's have always had a slightly bizarre twist. This being an early morning phone-call from my grandparents. You answer the phone, "hello?" and you're greeted with "happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." for a good few minutes, whilst you wait for the ordeal to be over. I'm just kidding, it is lovely and very sweet! But always a bit awkward when you've answered the phone and been serenaded when it's actually your younger sisters birthday... Oops.

S and I ar3 and 1/2 years into our relationship so we're in the process of creating or discovering our very own traditions. Last November, for our 3-year anniversary, we visited Edinburgh for 3 days. It was S's first visit to the beautiful city, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it, vowing we'd go back again next year! So that's exactly what we're doing. For my 21st birthday, in October, S and I are heading up to Edinburgh for 4 days. There's so much stuff that we missed last year; Palace of Holyroodhouse, Camera Obscura, Princes Street Gardens, and we're guaranteed to visit those places this time and have an even better time. We'd also like to visit the city together during the Fringe festival, which we're planning to do next year, so it's looking like Edinburgh is becoming a bit of a holiday tradition for us.

For the last few months, we've developed another tradition between the two of us which is that we almost always cook a big Sunday roast for ourselves and S's dad on a Sunday afternoon. If we don't have the energy to cook one, we'll go to a local pub instead. It's a lovely, indulgent tradition that we hope to continue once we've got our own place. Maybe next time we should attempt to cook a Sunday dinner for both our families combined?!

I hope you've enjoyed my little traditions, do you any of you do anything similar?

Love,
Becci xoxo

Thursday 16 May 2013

17. BEDM // Pampering

Hello lovelies! 

I'm having a bit of a rotten day, well, a bit of a rotten week to be honest so pampering is the perfect topic for me right now as it's exactly what I need.

To me, pampering myself is an important part of my life. We all work so hard, do so much for others and have very little time for ourselves, so when we finally do get a night to ourselves we should embrace it! For me, that can involve many things.

How do I pamper myself?
- Grab a bar of chocolate, a huge glass (or two..) of wine & snuggle up in bed with my boyfriend and spend the night watching films.
- Get out of the house! I love a nice walk and I'm lucky enough to live in a really beautiful part of the world so there's always somewhere lovely to go. I always end the walk in a cafe with a huge coffee (or hot chocolate, yum!) and a good book.
- Seeing a friend always makes me feel much better too. Whether it's lunch somewhere, a girls night in or just a wander around the shops, it always perks me up so much. 
- Run myself a red-hot bubble-bath, light some candles, play some music & relax. A bubble-bath can cure anything. I mean it. 

And then, of course, there are the beauty treatments! 

I love a good face mask as they're a) so cheap, b) quick & easy and c) always leave my skin feeling as smooth as a baby's bum *cringe* and I find painting my nails quite therapeutic too, as bizarre as that sounds. Perhaps it's because I know that I have to take my time.

So, as you can probably tell, my ideal pamper day would be as follows: a long lie-in, lunch in a lovely cafe with a friend, a nice walk around the park, finishing off a good book (and a good cup of coffee!) somewhere, a bubble-bath and a few beauty treatments and then ending the day in bed, with my boyfriend, a trashy film and plenty of food and drink.

I would actually be in heaven. I can't wait for a day off work so I can do just this :-)

How do you pamper yourselves?
Do you like the sound of my pamper day?

Wednesday 15 May 2013

16. BEDM // Life's a Lesson

When I saw the title for today's topic I won't lie - I panicked. I can't ever remember being given any advice that really stands out to me. I haven't got a philosophical Grandma who comes out with amazing, inspirational quotes or anything like that (I so wish I did.) Also, I've not been through any intense situations so far in my life, where my attitudes and principles have changed because I've learnt something new. 

But, I guess I've learnt an awful lot of little things along the way, in different aspects of my life and here are a few of them.

1) In a relationship, the past is the past for a reason. There is no need to know about who did what and who kissed who before you were together. I made the mistake of wanting to know everything and it really upset me, so if I were ever to start another relationship with someone else, this would be my top rule. I guess what I can say from this is: focus on the present

2) Never work a job that you hate, it will destroy you. I've had a few jobs over the years that I've not enjoyed, but only one that I've absolutely hated and I made the decision to walk away from it and I'm ridiculously proud of myself for standing my ground and doing so as the job was making me so miserable. Even if I now have less money, at least I've got my sanity and my happiness.

3) You only get out what you put in. This time I'm talking about friendships. Over the years, I've lost a few friends as I went into my own little world when my anxiety was bad and I wouldn't go out, I cancelled any plans I had and, generally, I just wasn't any fun to be around. Although this taught me that those people couldn't support me when I wasn't happy or well (and that, really, I didn't want or need them in my life), it also taught me to make more of an effort with people as it definitely does pay off. 

4) Being thin does not equal being happy. I've had a really bad relationship with my body and with food since I was about 10-years-old, I've tried every diet going, I've had to go to doctors, school nurses, counselors about it but I now feel like I'm starting to 'see the light' (as cheesy as that is!) I've recently discovered a lot of plus-size blogs and the confidence these women have is amazing. They show that you don't have to be stick-thin or even slim to be happy or sexy or have a great, fulfilling life. Although I would still like to be slimmer, I now know that's just so I feel a little bit more comfortable and healthy, not as a quick-fix solution to make me 'happy'.

I hope you've enjoyed reading the little bits of advice I've picked up over the years.
What's your favourite or most meaningful lesson you've learnt?

Lots of Love,
Becci xoxo

Monday 13 May 2013

15. Beauty // Would You Rather?

Oh, hello again! 

I missed yesterday's Blog Everyday in May topic, and today's topic isn't something that I feel I'd have much to say about. As much as I love the idea of being eco-friendly and do try, within reason, to be eco-friendly myself; I don't think I'd be able to write a whole post on it.

So instead, I'm taking inspiration from the lovely Kayleigh Johnson at CoutureGirl (one of my favourite beauty blogs, check her page out) and doing a 'Would you rather? Beauty edition' post as I think it's fun to do and it gives readers an insight into the bloggers life and personality! So here goes...

Would you rather lose all of your mascaras, eyeliners, lipsticks, and lip-glosses or lose all of your palettes and eyeshadows?
I very rarely wear eye-shadows so this isn't a hard decision for me! I wear eye-liner religiously. I've worn it everyday since I was about 14 or 15 and I actually feel naked without my feline-esque flicks! As for lipsticks or lipglosses, I've recently become a huge fan and tend to wear some form of lip-stain everyday as well as carrying a lip-gloss around with me at all times.

Would you rather chop off all your hair or never be able to cut it again?
A few months ago I would of said 'never cut it again' for sure but my hair has been in such poor condition lately (I once found a hair with TEN split-ends... I'm not even exaggerating!) that I had to have 8" cut off just so that I could, in theory, start again. Although I miss my long hair a silly amount, my hair is in much better condition and I know that in the long run it's definitely worth it. 

Would you rather have a coral cheek or a pink cheek?
I've been using a coral toned blusher for the last few months and I really don't think it looks good on me. I'm so pale and I think that pink cheeks work better with fair skin, whereas a coral coloured blusher would suit someone a bit more sun-kissed  So I'd definitely have to say pink, but a rosy pink, not bright as that can look very trashy.

If you had £1000 to spend, Would you rather buy clothes or makeup?
This is the easiest question so far, for me! I always need clothes and rarely buy them, whereas I pick up my make-up items every week. I'm sick of my wardrobe as it's so worn out (I've got items in there that I've had for over 5 years, and still wear a lot) so I'd definitely raid New Look, Topshop and H&M!

Would you rather apply  lipstick as eye-liner or eye-liner as lipsticks?
I can't imagine applying lipstick as an eye-liner; it's so thick and the complete wrong consistency. Having said that, eye-liner as lipstick is a strange idea too but I think it'd work better, especially if you used a chunky, coloured eye-liner pencil.

Would you rather only use one eye-shadow color or one lip color for the rest of your life?
This one is actually quite tricky as, although I don't wear it often, I think eye-shadow can really define somebody's face and draw attention to - what is usually - the best feature on someone's face. I prefer my eyes to my lips, but I'd still say that I'd rather be able to change my lip colour as I could stick with smoky eyes on a night-time and wear no eye-shadow during the day. But lip colour is so versatile and there's a colour for every mood and occasion.

Would you rather wear winter clothes in summer or summer clothes in winter?
I'm quite self-conscious of my body so this is easy for me; I'd rather wear a chunky knit over a vest top with some nice jeans, or a skirt with some thick tights and some cute ankle boots. To be honest, that's pretty much what I wear all year round anyway! Plus, living in the North-East, summer is very short lived so it'd be a lot more practical to wear winter clothes all year round. 

Would you rather dark nails or bright nails all year round?
Hmm, I don't wear nail polish all that often so this is difficult too... I tend to go for dark pinks, purples or nudes. I've never tried really dark shades or really bright shades as my nails are horrible and I don't really like to draw attention to them. So I'm really not sure for this one, I guess I'd just say neutral tones.

Would you rather give up your favourite lip product or your favourite eye product?
Definitely my favourite lip product. I'd much rather leave the house with mascara and eye-liner on but bare lipped, than with a bright lipstick on but no mascara, etc. I can't live without eye-liner and mascara so it's a really easy one for me!

Would you rather only be able to wear your hair in a pony tail or a messy bun?
I don't really tie my hair up much (especially now that it's in a bob!) but I think a ponytail is a lot more versatile than a messy bun. I wouldn't go to a job interview or a wedding with my hair in a messy bun but I think a ponytail would be much more acceptable, plus you could have it long, sleek and straight or natural and wavy.

Would your rather never being able to paint your nails again or never use lip-gloss?
I'd actually have to say I'd rather never paint my nails again, so long as I'd be allowed to use a clear polish as I think nails without a bit of shine look horrible. But I love lip-gloss, I just think it looks nice and fresh.

Would you rather shave your eyebrows and have none at all? or sharpie them in everyday?
As hideous as sharpie eye-brows are, I'd have to do it nonetheless! Imagine having no eye-brows?! I think they really shape your face and I always subtly pencil mine in anyway, and I feel really embarrassed when I'm out and about and I realise "I've forgotten my eye-brows!" so I'd have to colour them in rather than have none at all, definitely.


Would you rather live without makeup or nail polish?

Easy peasy, no nail polish! Simples.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this post. Let me know what you think of my answers!

Love,
Becci xoxo