Long lost hobby.

I used to dabble in photography. I actually went to a few classes to learn different techniques and ended up really enjoying capturing that perfect picture.
However when I started University I kind of lost touch with it all.

My poor, barely used Canon 600D.

One of my new year resolutions this year is to start using it again. Partly because it cost an arm and a leg and also I miss using it.

A small collection of some of my old shots.

Hopefully this year will provide me with a lot of opportunities to get my camera out again and I can capture some great memories to stick on my wall!

Rambling post #2: Summer.

Without a doubt summer has always been my favourite season.
The hot, sunny weather seems to just bring good moods out of people and it just generally feels like such a happy time of year.
This summer in particular is a very exciting one. On the 6th August I will officially be a grown up - I turn 21! It's actually quite scary. I never wanted to turn 19 or 20 and now i'm going to be 21 it just feels like the years are going too fast.
I'm also going to Mallorca with my family and boyfriend yet again. We all absolutely love the villa we stay in and every year we go back it just feels like home. I'm so excited to go back.
Then in September (this isn't exciting for anyone else), I go back to University after my year placement. I'm actually missing it a lot and I can't wait to see all of my friends again.
I don't really know the point in this post. I'm just generally excited for summer as always. I think i'm actually craving heat and sunshine now.
Winter, do one.

𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒𝕓𝕖𝕝

#1 Christmas Gift: The Urban Decay Naked Palette.

My sister definitely topped the Christmas present charts when she got me the Urban Decay Naked Palette last year. It's the perfect palette to use for both casual and a perfect going out look. And the best thing about it; it all still looks so natural.

Another benefit of this palette, you get some free eyeshadow primer!

Virgin - This one is perfect to highlight the corners of my eyes and just under my eyebrows.
Sin - I like to wear this when I go out for a casual/slightly dressed up day out like shopping. It's a very plain colour with just the right amount of sparkle.
Naked - This is just a little darker than my skin tone and isn't shimmery so it's great for a casual look and goes perfect with Buck (also not a shimmery one) to create a natural smokey eye look without any sparkles.
Sidecar - This one is very similar to Sin and makes a very nice natural shimmer.
Half Baked - I love this one as it's a very nice golden colour and can highlight any shade on the eyes. I especially like to use it with Smog and Darkhorse.
Smog - I really like to use this with Darkhorse when I want to get really dressed up. The two together can make a very nice shimmery smokey eye.
Toasted - Slightly darker and pinker than Half-Baked, I love this one when I want a darker shimmer, and goes very well with Hustle.
Hustle - A very dark brown, perfect for creating those dark corners.
Creep - I haven't used this one yet as it's a very dark colour and at the moment i'm on a dark lipstick hype and I don't like to have both dark eyes and dark lips - it's either one or the other.
Gunmetal -  I haven't yet used this one either, I imagine it will go very well with Creep to create a heavy smokey eye.

I decided to get artistic and instead of showing a picture of the palette, I created a swatch on my arm!

In the end, my favourite shades have to be Sidecar, Sin and Naked. 

Internship!

So as part of my Events Management degree at Leeds Met University (I refuse to call it Beckett), I have to work in a placement for a year in the industry. Those that know me, know my first 6 months weren't the best. The centre where I was working didn't really have the facilities to accommodate me and the other 2 students. We would frequently go home as a result of the lack of jobs they had for us. To any one else, going home early is good news, but when you're in it to gain skills and experience, it's a complete waste of time.
In the end, I decided enough was enough. In the year I was supposed to be experiencing all of these new things in the industry I wanted to work in, I wasn't learning a thing. I needed something that was going to challenge and develop me for a career in events.
Then in December, I applied for an internship at a well known dance school in Leeds. Walking in for my interview felt like I'd stepped inside the Fame movie. Dance students were everywhere. Leaping, jumping, shouting, running around. It was like I was this weird, shy, new kid in a sea of eccentric and overly confident performers. Thankfully, I wasn't kept waiting too long.
Long story short, I got the internship and I started at the beginning of January. In the space of 1 week I had learned a lot more than in the 6 months I spent at my other placement.

     I have my own desk!

Whilst I have painted a pretty bad picture of my first internship, I still met some lovely people and gained 2 good friends from my course who I look forward to seeing again in September when we're back at University.

Jurassic Park; comparing book to film.

Usually with franchises like this, it's the norm to read the book, then watch the film. I did this with Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hunger Games.

However, as I stated in my last post here, I never realised that Jurassic Park was a book, until a few months ago (i'm a slow reader). 

When I was younger I was obsessed with dinosaurs, and Jurassic Park was my number 1. When I was 8 I even wanted to be a palaeontologist (Google it). So you can imagine my delight when I discovered the novel by Michael Crichton.
On the whole, the book seems a lot gorier than the film. However, it's a lot easier for violence and carnage to come across on the big screen, whereas novels rely on the heavy use of adjectives to get their points across.
There are also a few character changes within the book. For instance, Lex, who's character is around 13/14 in the movie, is actually 8 years old in the novel. I have to say I agree with Steven Spielberg on this one. I prefer Lex and Tim's relationship in the film, and this wouldn't have been the same if Lex was 8. In the movie, Timmy is the younger and 'annoying' brother whereas Lex is the more mature and stubborn older sister. Their constant arguing and bickering provides a slight comical effect that then downplays the imminent danger that they are facing, therefore making the movie more child - friendly.
Other changes between the two include some differences to the storyline.
There are a lot of things that have been changed in transition from novel to movie. Having studied Media for 4 years I know that Spielberg will have had very good reasons for doing so, and I for one am glad he did.
I enjoyed the book, but it's still the film that makes it for me. Whether it's because I broke tradition and watched the film before the book, I will never know.

𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒𝕓𝕖𝕝

My Top 5 Books.

Well, funny thing is, I don't have a top 5.

I love to read. Sometimes it's good to sit in a quiet room and take yourself off to another world like Panem or Hogwarts. Although I haven't read a massive array of books, (unless you count the likes of Jacqueline Wilson and Louise Rennison when I was younger) recently I've morphed into somewhat of a bookworm.

At the moment I'm reading Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. Jurassic Park is definitely my most favourite film franchise (I can assure you that no one else is more excited for JP4 this summer). It was only a few months ago that I realised the movies were developed from a novel, even though it says it at the end of the film and i've watched the film 2784018 times (that is not accurate). I'm absolutely loving it so far despite having dinosaur nightmares after reading it before I go to bed!

Speaking of film franchises coming from books, the Harry Potter series is a very close second to Jurassic Park. I read the Harry Potter books as I was growing up and from the second I picked up The Philosopher's Stone, I absolutely fell in love with the wizarding world that J.K. Rowling created. My favourite book of the series has to be The Order Of The Phoenix. I read them a long time ago so I can't really remember why, I just remember enjoying that one the most, and the fact that my Mum bought me it the day it was released. That always felt pretty special to me.

Further down the age line I was introduced to the world of Panem by one of my very close friends. Reading The Hunger Games was the first time I couldn't put a book down. So naturally, I finished Catching Fire and Mockingjay a matter of weeks after starting the first one.

Then in the past year I moved onto the likes of The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (I cried), Wonder by R.J. Palacio (I cried), The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne (I cried) and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime by Mark Haddon (I didn't cry). I also read more of John Green's books such as Will Grayson, Will Grayson and An Abundance Of Katherines.

Sat on my bookshelf waiting to be read are The Lost World (obviously), Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Tales of Beedle The Bard, and I plan to read the Harry Potter series again because I'm such a Potterhead.

PS. I totes copied the idea for this post from my very best friend Tom. And you can read his ramblings here.

2014!

I want to try and explain 2014 in a few words to you.

But to be perfectly honest,

I can't.

The best way for me to explain how my 2014 was is to skip back a few years.

Summer 2012

I discovered that I hadn't got into University, which was something I have wanted to do since I was a titch. This was the day before my family went on holiday without me for the first time. At the time I was working at my first job. My boss was a typical hot headed Italian; very passionate about his work. This meant that if you did anything slightly wrong then he would let you know about it. On the day my family went away, I went to work. I was feeling so down I just kept making silly mistakes, resulting in me getting a good telling off.

It doesn't sound that bad to anyone else, but for me, this was definitely the lowest point in my life so far. I felt like a failure for not getting into University then because I felt like I couldn't function without my family, I felt like even more of a failure.

And the cherry on top of the cake: I had just had my braces put on.

2013

My braces come off. My boyfriend, James and I go to Mexico. I go see my absolute number ones at Manchester Arena: ARCTIC MONKEYS. I also decide that this year I will rejoin my family on holiday to Mallorca.

I had re applied to University and had only recieved one offer from Leeds Metropolitan University for Events Management. However, the course requirements were 300 UCAS points.

I had 200.

'Here we go again' I thought. 'Another failed and wasted year'. 

I left it. And eventually forgot all about University and carried on working at the restaurant.

On results day, the day before I went to Mallorca, I see everyone's happy statuses on Facebook about going to University. So I logged on to UCAS to get the closure that I wouldn't be getting in yet again, and I see;

'Congratulations! Your application to study Events Management at Leeds Metropolitan University has been accepted!'

WHAT.

I hadn't done my student finance application. I hadn't planned for this in anyway whatsoever.

So naturally, I ran upstairs to my mum (who was still asleep as it was only 8am) and practically screamed in her face.

I suddenly felt so proud of myself and so incredibly happy. Like I had finally achieved something.

So after stressing about my student finance and getting my head around it all, we jetted off to sunny Mallorca the next day and when I came back, started a whole new adventure.

2014

I finish first year with a 2:1 overall. I go see my most favourite comedian, Lee Evans perform live. 12 year old me buzzes with excitement as I also go to see McBusted live. I land myself my first retail job where I meet some of my most favourite people in the world. Northern School of Contemporary Dance hire me as their Events and Marketing Intern for my placement year. I go to Salou, and I also go on my family holiday to Mallorca again - but this time James comes with us. I get drunk so many times and make an absolute fool of myself in the process as I celebrate so many different things and meet so many new people on the way, 2012 is completely forgotten.

All in all, I know this post is a bit lengthy just to tell you how good 2014 was, but it just goes to show what a difference a year can make. Summer 2013 is when everything kicked off for me and it just keeps getting better. I'm excited to see what 2015 brings - I wonder where I'm at this time next year!

Post holiday blues.

I had such an amazing week in Mallorca. It was the first time I had been away with my boyfriend and my family together so it was quite exciting!

We stay in the same villa every year and it feels like home every time we go back. My mum, dad, sister Emma, Gramps John, Auntie Alex, Uncle Simon, and cousins Anya, Natasha and Katrina left a week before me and my boyfriend James joined them.

During their first week they went on a yacht trip that went into the evening and they told us all about how they saw the sunset over the horizon.

A week after they left, it was mine and James' turn. When we arrived at the villa, only my Dad was aware that we had arrived (we had told everyone else our flight was delayed). Whilst my Dad took our shoes and suitcases inside, James and I ran around the side of the villa, shouted 'HI GUYS!' and jumped in the pool fully clothed.

We got an amazing reaction and it was so great to see everyone.

One night I was walking back to the villa with my cousin and it was dark. There were few street lamps so it was difficult to see, and for some reason I had completely forgotten about the bright light on my iPhone. But whilst we were speed walking (we were late), my hand hit a cactus that was sticking out of someone's front garden. 

My hand ended up like this;

Natasha had to get a pair of tweezers to pry them from my fingers!

We visited the Cala Egos market which arrives every thursday evening on the main street of Cala Egos. It's perfect because our favourite restaurant is just at the bottom of the street so on our way back to the villa from the meal, we'll mooch our way up slowly looking at all the cute little trinkets and gifts.

It was so cute.

Meet Gary.

He came to say hello one evening whilst my cousins and I were making our way up to bed.

He was tiny!

Halfway through our week, we met our family friends Sharon, Scott and their kids Hannah and Luke at Cala d'Or beach and went on the pedalos. Our mob of 14 people took over the Mediterranean. Needless to say, it was a bit frantic. At one point I ended up underneath a pedalo, fell off another and almost caught my foot in the wheel that powers the boat underneath. The rest of our rabble enjoyed diving off the top of the ladders on the slides, swimming through the fish, bombing off the boats and belly-flopping their way into the crystal blue sea.

One evening whilst making the most of the limited Wifi in a restaurant, I logged on to Facebook and after looking at my notifications I regretted this instantly.

I had been nominated for an ALS ice bucket challenge.

My first thoughts; 'aw crap'.

Second thoughts; 'make the most of the 30 degree heat!'

So here is a screen shot of James pouring icy water over my head.

I nominated James and Emma, so later that after noon they completed their challenges. Emma nominated Katrina, who nominated my Mum, who nominated my Auntie and Uncle. Natasha had also been nominated by one of her friends back home so it was a holiday full of ice buckets!

My favourite point of the holiday, the absolute cherry on the cake, was successfully smack-camming my sister with shaving foam. Here's the video for your enjoyment;

Now I can't wait to see what next year brings.

My childhood hero.

As you all know, yesterday we lost an absolute legend of an actor.

Robin Williams starred in some of my most favourite childhood films including Aladdin, Mrs Doubtfire, Night At The Museum, Jumanji, Hook, Happy Feet and Flubber.

Words can't describe how much of a loss he will be to the world. I genuinely feel like i've lost an uncle. He will never be forgotten and his comedy will continue to entertain generations.

I hope people now realise that depression can come from anywhere. I haven't had any sort of experience with it myself, but now I have learned that sympathy costs nothing, and when they're gone, it's too late.
I hate cliché's, but this is a prime example of 'money doesn't buy happiness'.

I hope you're at peace now Robin. You'll always make me smile.

Sleep tight.

Officially old.

It's official, I am no longer a teenager!
Despite leaving my teenage years behind and having to cope with the social expectation of becoming more mature (pfft) my birthday is still my favourite day of the year.
To kick start my 20th birthday and 21st year on this planet, my sister and I made buns for me to take into work the next day.
My Dad's a Postman, which means he doesn't get back from work until about 1pm. So I waited til he got back before I opened anything.

I love the way Mum wraps presents. So pretty.

BEFORE

AFTER

DVD's, Pandora charms, TV, a cup with Squirt on from Finding Nemo, jewellery, sweets and choc, LOTS OF WINE and other bits an bobs.

And of course, lots of lovely cards. Here is a compilation of my favourite;

My younger cousin made the LEGO one (because I just got a job there), I got the Simple Simon one off my best friend, my auntie and uncle gave me the Wine Flu card, obviously the Disney Princess one is from Mum and Dad (it came with princess cut outs and stickers inside OMG), and the belated card is from another best friend.

So all in all, a very lucky girl.

After opening my prezzies, we then went to Franco's; a restaurant that one of my Uncles owns and where I had my first job. It's always lovely to see everyone again and they always make a fuss which is nice. We had a few drinks with my Auntie Yats and cousins Harriet and Tom, and then my Uncle (the one that owns the restaurant), Auntie and cousins came to give me some prezzies! They then left and it was just me, Mum, Dad, Emma, Auntie Yats, Harriet and Tom that went through to the restaurant for our food. As always, I had Bruschetta Duck to start, and went for a chicken pizza (it had some other stuff on it but I can't remember what they were called!)

Family selfie!

We then went to Hollywood Bowl and picked up my boyfriend on the way. I'm very competitive, so I was determined to win.
This did not happen.
We had 2 lanes booked; 1 for girls and 1 for the boys. Here's  the score of the girls in the first game.

(At least I beat my Mum).

And as for the night out, I went to my other ex place of work - Propaganda! I love going back to see everyone. Plus I got free entry and 2 bottles of champagne that went down very quickly. The DJ played my birthday song (Not Nineteen Forever by The Courteeners), which made my night. I also caught a t-shirt that they were throwing out. Another girl caught it but I was showing no mercy.

Me and my friend Kelsey in Propaganda.

So all in all, as depressing as turning 20 is, I had a brilliant birthday and spent it with the best people. Despite the 2 day hangover!