wait... is that you? where HAVE you been?!

Well erm hello I guess!

Now I know what you're thinking. Where the eff have you BEEN? Has it really been that long since I last wrote? Yes. Yes is the answer. I believe it's been a whole 10 months. (WHAT?! Slap on the wrist for me!) I wish I had some great excuse like I have a snazzy job, a fancy boyfriend, attended a gazillion parties and found a bucket load of hobbies I never knew I would excel at. Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but NONE of those have happened. The simple answer is I have been at school. Even if I haven't got any thrilling news, I just thought I would give a little (not exciting) life update and a bit of an excuse explanation as to what I have been doing.

Well first of all , as you all know, I started Sixth Form last September. Last you all heard I was really enjoying it. Well that didn't last long. I ended up absolutely hating Media Studies (partly due to the teachers and the members of my class) which I was really sad about as I thought I would love it. However, I really, really LOVE I.T and Biology - yay! I managed to get 80/80 (100%) in my I.T coursework which I was super, duper chuffed about as I worked so hard on it. What about English Literature? I hear you ask. Well that was a disaster and deserves a whole paragraph to itself.

If you know me you know that English is basically my life. I have, and always will, love English and I want to teach it as a career. My school offers English Literature and English Language as separate subjects and you can only pick one as they are timetabled at the same time. I picked Literature as I prefer it and love reading. However, one of the teachers I had is a... how do I put it politely? A stupid bum. Yes, that'll do. He has a reputation of being quite harsh but he is clever and gets good grades. Oh, and he is also the head of English. Anyway, from day one he decided he didn't like me and there was nothing I could have ever done that would have changed his mind. He was the only one who could help me with exam work and the only way I could do well was with his help. There were several comments made towards me, such as 'what [I] think doesn't matter' and, once the results came out, after telling him I wanted a B, that a C 'was more achievable'. Well for someone who wants a degree and career in English a C isn't acceptable! I got a D in my exam which I was happy with as we had to go in on a snow day, I didn't think it went well, a tonne of people in the class had done worse than me and my friend, who he told was going to get full marks, got a C. As well as all this, everything I said and did wasn't good enough. He would tell me I was wrong but wouldn't tell me why I was wrong. Well how am I to improve if I don't know why it's wrong?! One of my teachers was an absolute star but unfortunately, she didn't know much about the other side of the course - sad face. And my other teacher? Well he's an idiot. (I also had him for Media Studies) Anyway, the whole thing just made me really down (like really, really down) and, as you can imagine, I thought I was never going to do well, I don't know what I would do as a degree if I didn't do well and all other sorts of panicky ideas. After being let down, having no light at the end of the tunnel and shedding many a tear, my mum found the same course as the school followed in a college about half an hour away - yay! I applied, got in and this is where I will be attending come September! It all works out perfectly as it's part time, a twilight course and will be the whole A-Level in one year so I can still do an English degree next year! I will still be doing I.T, Biology and applying to University through my school so I get the best of both worlds.

Due to this 'situation', I just didn't have the inspiration, the drive or the anything to write blogs. I hope you understand. Anyway, on to happier things! What else have I been up to?

I turned seventeen in February and therefore started driving - eek! I am yet to pass but we're getting there. I love it and am so excited to be able to drive on my own. Driving=freedom!

I started volunteering in a local Primary School and I completely love it there! I love the children, the teachers, the office staff and EVERYTHING! I will still be continuing with this next year - woo!

I also started babysitting every Friday for my mum's friend. I had no lessons last thing on a Friday so I would volunteer in the Primary school from 1.20 until 3.10 then I would go pick up my mum's friend's daughter from school and look after her. The little girl does have a bit of an attitude and has a tendency to lie but nothing I can't handle. ;)

My friend situation is something that has changed this year. I don't know about your school's but when we hit Sixth Form all the 'groups' kind of merged and everyone was friends with each other. I lost a friend (but got her back recently), became close with another (who I love dearly) and I am so glad I did! Not the losing a friend part (who enjoys that?!), the becoming close with another. I felt like I was always relying on my best friend so when she went out with other friends and made new ones, I felt a sort of jealousy that I wasn't there and was lonely. (Please say I'm not the only one who gets this?!) Anyway, after becoming close with someone else, I no longer felt that because I had another great friend away from her. Yay for friends! (Did I really just say that?! Yes, I believe I did.)

I also (not on my own) started up a school newspaper/magazine. Three great, great girls in my year (including the one I'm close with) and I (along with some Year 13's who caused a lot of drama and upset but eventually dropped out so we don't count them) started running and producing a half-termly newspaper/magazine which also took up a lot of my time. It's super stressful but it has brought the four of us together and I am so proud of the final product.

Oh gosh, that turned into something that sort of looked like my (already written - whaaaaat?!) personal statement!! Sorry!! That's all I can think of for now. I have been enjoying actually being able to do nothing this summer and seeing all my friendlings (minus one who decided to be on holiday with her family for three weeks! - Grrr, how selfish! Jeez!) But anyhoo, that is what I have been up to, along with exams, coursework etc etc, this year! I hope you forgive me for being such a bad blogger and I hope I can write more this year.

Thank you for reading this uber long, rambley post but I shall hopefully see you soon.
Oh and here, have a picture of my sister and I at her graduation.

 

Catch you on the flip side!

Holly

xx

Why do you wear make up?

Hey lovely people! I'm sorry that I haven't posted in what feels like months but as you all know I've started sixth form and, although I haven't had that much work yet, my mind has been elsewhere so unfortunately this site I call my blog has taken a bit of a back seat. Anyway, today I thought I'd do the why I wear make up tag as it's a fairly simple post to write. So onto the questions!

1. When did you begin loving make up?
It's hard to say really. My mum isn't really the type to wear make up everyday. Of course she has a few bits and bobs but her and my sister only wear it on a special occasion. When I was younger I had a few bits of cheapy, children's sets and things like that but it wasn't til later that I really started loving it. I believe it was year 7 when I first started which, when I think about it, is really young and younger than I had thought! It was when the sexy curves mascara came out and I asked my mum for it. I got that and started wearing it on the odd occasion. I think I started getting bad skin in the end of year 7 so I used to take some powder that my mum had lying around and wear that. It wasn't til year 8 that I started wearing my eyeliner. I had some coloured eye liner but asked for some black eye liner for that christmas. I started wearing that and then somehow it snowballed into wearing foundation, mascara and eye liner everyday. I liked make up but I didn't really love it yet. When I was having a hard time a few years back, my sister showed me Youtube. She showed me a girl called Kiva (littlekiva123) and the famous Pixiwoo. She showed me some really cool make up looks they had done and I was hooked. I watched Youtube constantly that summer and the rest is history. So I guess my answer is my love for make up started when I found Youtube. My love for Youtube is a whole different post on it's own!!

2. How do you feel without make up?
I don't really know how to describe it. I guess weird. It's not like I feel utter rubbish without it but I just don't feel like me. Also, it depends where I am. I've gone to school a couple of times without foundation but I could never go without eye liner and mascara. Whereas I would never go to things outside of school without the full monty. I go to St. John's Ambulance and none of them have ever seen me without my full face of make up.

3. What do you like about make up?
I know it's cliche but I like how make up can give you a whole different identity. You can be anyone you want and you can look anyway you want. I also like how it can enhance your natural features like if you have the right colour to make your eyes stand out or the right shade to suit your complexion.

4. Three 'holy grail' items.
This is pretty easy for me actually haha.
Avon supershock gel eye liner in black,
Maybelline one by one volume express mascara in black,
And finally Rimmel stay matte pressed powder in 001 transparent. I would've put a foundation as number 3 but I haven't really found one I love so I tend to buy a different one every time I run out.

So why do YOU wear make up?

Holly

xx

Outfit Numero 2 | old friends

Hey lovely people! I thought I would do an outfit post today from the weekend! I stayed over a friends on Saturday and then on Sunday we went to meet up with a friend who is in a boarding school in England. Every 4 weeks he has 4 days at home apart from holidays. We only ended up being there for about 30 minutes but ah well it was good to see him. :)
So onto the outfit...

As you know, if you live in Britain, it is very cold at the moment! Brrrrr. On Saturday I went to Primark and picked up a few jumpers (an autumn must!)- this being one of them.

As you can see, I wore it with a white vest top underneath and my leather jacket on the top. I also wore my jeans and my trusty lace ups. The jumper is this petrol-blue colour and has brown suede type elbow patches. The only bad thing about this is that it is rather itchy - booo!:( That can be solved by wearing a long sleeved top underneath though so that's no problem I just didn't want to be too hot and not be able to change.

The white vest top and jeans are from Tesco. I tend to get my basics from there or Sainsbury's like jeans, plain tops and school trousers. Ooh and leggings! The jumper, as I said, is from Primark and was £14 so not too bad. The leather jacket is from New Look this season and was around £40. My lace ups are from Crocs. Now I know what you're thinking - what?!?! But yes. They aren't obviously Crocs looking so it isn't that bad. I have been a fan of Converses since before they were popular. (Ooh hipster!) So for like 4 years? I own a number of pairs of converses (about 4) but for me, they aren't that comfortable after a while. But most people say they are more comfortable the more you wear them so I don't know. Anyway, my mum found these on the Croc website and they look a lot like Converses but they have the base of a Croc so are uber comfy. Also, Converses are long and skinny so make my feet look long but I don't know what it is about these but they make my feet look quite small - always a plus! They were a bit expensive at around £40 but isn't that how much Converses are? I got all mine for like £20 each from TKMaxx and various places like that.

Anyway, here's a photo without the jacket and shoes.

You can see the colour of the jumper a lot better in this picture along with the pattern and suede elbow patches. Sorry for the dirty mirror and the grumpy face haha. I was concentrating. I am borrowing my Grandpa's camera for a while to get a feel as I am going to be getting my own dslr soon to help with my coursework and what not. That's where the camera's from but I soon will hopefully have a different one.

Have you bought any new autumn clothes recently?

Thanks for reading!

Holly

xx

Everyday makeup!

Hey lovely people! It's finally letting my use photos (yay!!) so I thought I'd do my everyday make up routine type post. Just going to apologise in advance for the weird looking hair as it was wet in the first few photos haha.
 
As you can see I have very red cheeks and a number of spots. I get acne around my chin area. These are like the 2 main reasons I started wearing foundation. 1. My cheeks were really red and it was embarrassing and 2. It was the start of my teenage spots.

 Here, I have applied my face make up. Primer, foundation, concealer and powder.

 This is after I applied my eye make up as well.

 Then this is when my hair had dried as well haha.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I apply the L'oreal Studio Secrets Professional Anti-Redness primer using my hands then apply and Avon SuperShock gel eyeliner onto my water line while I'm waiting for it to dry. I apply 2 layers of the eyeliner and then use the ELF concealer brush (small black one below) to press Urban Decay eyeshadow in Zero on top of it to make it stay on longer. I then squirt 1 pump of the L'oreal Infallible foundation in 15 porcelain onto the back of my hand, dot it around my face then used the Real Techniques buffing brush to blend it in.
 
 I then dab the Collection (2000) Lasting Perfection concealer in 1 Fair onto problem areas like spots and one of my cheeks has more pigmentation in than the other so I dab a bit onto there.
 
I then use the Real Techniques stippling brush to stipple that in. I take the ELF powder brush, swirl it around in the Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder in 001 Transparent and press that all over my face. I then just add mascara. I used the Maybelline One by One Volume Express mascara in black. I really love this one as it adds volume and length into my lashes.

These are my essential/holy grail products. I don't really do much more than I have said unless it's a special occasion. This is really simple and takes me only 10 minutes or less which is really handy when you don't have loads of time to get ready in the morning like me. (unless you want to wake up super early!) Also, being in school means I don't wear any fancy lipstick or eyeshadow as the official school policy is 'subtle' make up but then again, I wouldn't really call mine subtle haha. Nobody has ever said anything to me though so perhaps they think I look better with it? haha.  

Thanks for reading!

What's your essential products?

 

Holly

xx

 

Noooo Photos :(

Hey lovely people! I know I haven't posted in ooh 3 weeks is it? and I was going to post an 'everyday make up routine' type post yesterday but for some reason it won't let me upload pictures. Sad face. I would do like a life update but honestly I haven't been doing much apart from going to school so that's out the window. I thought I would just check in though incase you thought I'd abandoned this blog. uuuh I don't know what else I can talk about that doesn't involve using pictures. :( I could write about school I suppose if that'd be interesting?

Well what can I say? If any of you didn't know I've gone back to the sixth form in my school. I am doing 4 subjects - English Literature, Media Studies, I.T and Biology. So far I am really enjoying them which is good! I haven't too much work surprisingly and when I have I've been uber organised and doing them on the same night. I don't really know what else to say haha. It's been a big change socially but still totally enjoying it!!

I think I'll just leave it at that as I don't want it to be long without having photos. :)

Thanks for reading!

Holly
xx

DVD haul | numero uno!

Hey lovely people! So I thought I'd just check in today as I haven't posted in a few days and tomorrow is my last day of holidays - waaah!:( I'm spending the last day with my bestest friend ever, having a good chat, then we're off to another friend's birthday meal in the night. (I feel like I've been to so many meals recently but I suppose that's what summer's for, hey!) I'm not too sure when I'll be able to post yet after Tuesday but as soon as I get a chance! 

Anyway, I thought I'd just show you a few dvds that I have bought recently. When I say few I mean 4 haha. I really don't buy a lot at one time, I accumulate haha. Sorry for the dodgey photos as always!

 

Ok so, first off I got season 2 and 3 of One Tree Hill. I already had season 1 and I hope to get all of them!

 

I absolutely love One Tree Hill! I think the things that are said on there are inspiring as cringey as that sounds and the background music I feel is suited to me. I recieved these 2 seasons off my mum for a well done present for my results. If you haven't seen any of these you should check them out. It has ended now but there are re runs played on e4 in the mornings. I watched all the seasons on tv but haven't yet got around to watching these. These were bought off Play.com as that was the cheapest we found them and can be found here and here.

Finally there are these 2 dvds or should I say 4.

I found these in Sainsbury's whilst grocery shopping for £3 each (as you can see). Camp Rock is one of my many guilty pleasures but I am yet to buy the first one. When I saw this on the shelf I couldn't resist at that price! Now the 3 dvd set was an absolute steal as it works out at just £1 per dvd!! I've seen and read the books for The Time Traveller's Wife and My Sister's Keeper but not for The Notebook. I have, however, always wanted to see it as it's meant to be like the ultimate romance film or something. I realise these are all really sad but who doesn't love a good cry, ey? I might get my friend to watch The Notebook with me tomorrow as I'm sure we could both do with a good cry (especially being that there is school the next day)!

Have you seen any of these dvds? What did you think?
Thanks for reading!

Holly

xx



 

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Back to School Supplies!

Hey lovely people! I apologise for not posting in 9 days I was visiting friends in the north of England and got back last night. I feel like I start all my posts apologising for something haha. Anyway, I thought I'd do a back to school supplies/what I've bought for the new school year kinda post. I can't believe how fast the Summer has gone but at the same time it feels like I've been off forevvveeer! Also, if you didn't know I am going into my first year of Sixth Form and that means it's time to get out my organisational skills - eeek!

I'll start with my school bag. In my school we tend to use backpack/rucksack type bags and get a new ones every year (well until the fashion of side bags). So this is my one for this year

 

It's from Animal but I can't find it on the site I bought it from or on Amazon - sorry! It's the Dakota backpack in White so you might be able to find it in the Animal shop or something. It was around £20 which is what I normally pay for my school bags as I think it's reasonable for a years worth of use. I still keep the bags after the year as a weekend or beach bag just incase you thought I wasted them or something haha. I prefer these backpack style bags as they distribute the weight evenly between your shoulders especially if you're carrying around A4 files full of work. That's the other thing I like is they are actually advertised as being able to carry A4 files in them and I can vouch that they do.

 

Next is my pencil case. I also get a new pencil case every year and most of the supplies. (Apart from the things that are still in good condition and pens.) This one is from Sainsburys and was £3.99ish but their school supplies are on buy one get one free at the moment. I normally jut get my pencil cases from Sainsburys as they're normally a good price compared to somewhere like WHSmiths and technically it works out cheaper with the free thing too.

 

 

I've put these in my pencil case already. The memory stick is a Kingston and I put it in the front pocket of the pencil case whilst the rest is in the back. I bought this memory stick last year for all my coursework and what not for GCSE but it is still useful for this year's work. The ruler is from Maped, the highlighters are from Stablo Boss and the glue is from Pritt. I bought these this year in the buy one get one free in Sainsburys. The sharpener is Maped also that I got last year but can still be brought and the pencil is a Zebra mechanical pencil. The pens I use for school are blue Bic medium point and the lighter one is Staedtler I believe. These are just the ones I prefer to use as I like blue biros better. I am yet to buy different coloured biros.

 

 

 

These are just the two folders I have bought already. Both are from Tesco and were resonably priced. The peacock feather one is a ring binder and the flamingo one is a lever arch file. I know for the subjects I have taken I am going to need these and will probably need more but I will get them when the time comes.

 

 

Also in the buy one get one free in Sainburys, I bought two packs of 200 polly pockets and these are just to put in my folders obviously.

 

 

Lastly, I have this purple papered Pukka Pad. This is just lined paper that's coloured purple if that wasn't obvious haha. I have something called irlen as it says on the cover which I'm not going to go into but if you have it you know haha or google it!(Also the reason all my posts have blue writing!) But anyway my mum wondered if these would help the size and state of my writing so ordered me a few as these are what she recommends in work. (Not sure where from - sorry!)

 

I start back on the 4th of September and am a little excited for the first day but probably won't be after that haha. When do you start back and what year are you going into?!

 

Thanks for reading!

Holly

xx