Liebster Award!

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So I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by the lovely Karin Bellow of  Karinjr! I can't deny the fact that I am very surprised by this as it shocks me that anyone would wish to read my little ramblings about whatever it is that takes my fancy so I suddenly feel like I have been accepted into the blogosphere! I have heard of this award before but I didn't really have any idea about what it actually consisted of, so after doing some research I shall try and give it a shot! (I may be a bit late in doing so!)

11 Facts About Me

1. I have two beautiful dogs named Lilly and Nell
2. Paris and London are my favourite cities (how cliché)
3. I have an unhealthy obsession with Downton Abbey and Gossip Girl 
4. I am an organisational freak
5. I get a bit too excited over new stationary
6. My favourite colours are pink, red and purple (My wardrobe, lipstick and nail varnish choices portray this well)
7. I am a massive book worm 
8. Crime dramas are my life 
9. I'm obsessed with anything floral 
10. I am a compulsive tea drinker
11. I adore photography and editing my photos, I know I'm not amazing but I find it so thrilling (?!)

 Karinjr's Questions

1. What inspires you to keep blogging?
• Just the thought that people may actually like what I'm writing about. When I first set up my blog I never really expected anyone to read it and it surprises me that people do! I don't find it hard to keep motivated to blog because I enjoy it so much! 
2. What is the high end/luxury product that is your favourite?
• It pains me to say it but I am not in possession of very many high end/luxury products but my favourite has to be my Elizabeth Arden lipstick in a really bight pink colour (I don't actually know its proper name, I do apologise)
3. What is your favourite film?
• I don't have one favourite film but my top few have to be The Dark Knight trilogy and the Keira Knightly version of  Pride and Prejudice (what a contrast!). 
4. What is your favourite thing to write about?
• I don't really have a favourite if I'm honest. I like to blog about whatever takes my fancy when I decide it's time to write a post so it all depends on my mood at the time. I do enjoy blogging about books and day trips however! 
5. Why did you start blogging?
• I'd started reading blogs by the likes of Zoella and The Beauty Crush after I discovered them on YouTube and thought that they looked like they really enjoyed what they were doing and that really inspired me to start my own blog. I know I'm never going to be a patch on them but since I've started I just can't stop and I'm loving it! 
6. If you could be any character from any book or TV show ever, who would you be and why?
• Catherine Morland from Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey hands down. The sole reason being that she gets to marry Mr Tilney. *swoon*
7. Who's your blogger best friend?
• I created my blog back in February but I only really started using it in May so I haven't really communicated with many fellow bloggers so I am ashamed to say I do not yet have a blogger best friend :( 
8. What's the best piece of advice that you've ever been given?
• Don't look back. The past is the past for a reason. Don't think about what could have been and just focus on the future. There's nothing you can do to change it and try and make the future the best you can possibly make it. 
9. What's your dream job?
• My dream job has always been a career in fashion, yet I have applied to do a degree in sociology and criminology. I don't understand myself sometimes so good luck to the rest of the world... 
10. Which Friends character are you most like?
• I must confess that I don't and never have watched Friends. Everyone I tell this too always gasp in the up most horror like I've committed the most terrible sin known to man. I did however do a quiz the other day on which character I am most like and the result was Rachel, I do not know how correct or incorrect this is but hey ho I'll take it! 
11. What's your worst habbit?
• Oh they are many. The two worst probably have to be biting my nails (I've been doing well though recently, I've managed to stop myself so they are actually looking reasonably nice!) and picking at nail varnish so after a few days they look like a right state. 

My Questions

1. Do you have any pets?
2. Who is your current celebrity crush?
3. What is your favourite beauty product and why?
4. What would your dream career be?
5. What's your favourite thing to blog about?
6. What do you enjoy the most about blogging?
7. What's your favourite quote?
8. Who is currently your favourite blogger?
9. What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
10. Where is your favourite city?
11. What is your favourite song at the moment?

My Nominations! 

1. Liv-Rose
2. Delicate Beaute
3. Rebecca Rachel
4. Being Chyna
5. Peachileo

I'd just like to thank Karin again for the nomination and I am still very surprised!

Skipton Castle

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I went on a trip with my family to Skipton Castle a few dasy and it was so much fun! I have always enjoyed going to old houses and castles and I have been to Skipton castle before but when I was much younger so I couldn't really remember much about it. Once we had a look round we went to their tea shop and I had the nicest ginger cake I have had in ages! I'll be uploading more photos to my Flickr from the trip over the next few days so go check them out!

Walling's Road Trip!

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Today me and my friend went on a drive to Walling's Ice Cream Farm which is the best ice cream parlour ever. It's in the middle of nowhere but is so easy to get to buy car. Everyone I know loves the place and spend most of their lives wondering when their next trip will be. I have to admit that today I was feeling especially greedy and went back for seconds. I had a tub of Eaton Mess and then a tub of Orange Sorbet about 20 minutes later. I could feel the judgement from the staff I really could. So much for my healthy eating diet this summer. Everyone can have a day off every-once in a while surely?!

(They class that as one scoop by the way)

It looks a bit like a cauliflower I know...

“Oh! I am delighted with the book! I should like to spend my whole life in reading it.”

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I watched the ITV adaptation of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey for the very first time a while back and I immediately fell in love with the plot. I must admit that I have fallen in love with Mr Tilney and he is by far my favourite Austen leading man. I had been planning on buying the book for a while but this hurried my decision and placed an order at Waterstones as soon as I had finished the programme. I am normally one to read the books before watching the film but so far I have seen the films of all the Jane Austen books I own before actually reading them. 

 I love the covers that Penguin have designed for all their classics and I am intent on owning all of their Jane Austen collection before they decide to change them again. Call me OCD but I absolutely hate owing a set of books by the same author with drastically different cover designs. (I have even come to the conclusion of re-buying Pride and Prejudice simply so it will match!) Even worse when they decide to change them MID WAY THROUGH a series before all the books have been published! I can't be doing with that. 

I cannot wait to start reading Northanger Abbey though, but for now it shall have to wait until I have read one of the many Jane Costello books I own (they are my guilty pleasure. I. Must. Own. Them. All.) which shouldn't take too long as I have almost completed it!  

Drug Store Haul

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I went on a trip to Boots yesterday and I think I went a bit crazy. In my defence I did have vouchers I
needed to spend!

The first item I bought was the Max Factor Masterpiece MAX Mascara. I have been after this for quite a while but never actually got round to buying some. From my experience of a small tester tube my mum gave me a few months ago this is an extremely good product and made my lashes look very long indeed without making them look natural. It is priced at £9.99 which is more than I would normally pay for mascara (I work to a very strict budget) but I am more than happy with it. 

I purchased the Rimmel London Match Perfect Foundation which I am yet to use but I have heard very good things about! This was priced at £6.99 which I think is reasonable for a foundation. All I'm hoping now is that I chose the right shade! 

I have been in desperate need for some more red nail varnish for agees as all of the many I already have, have run out. I chose the Rimmel Salon Pro Nail By Kate Nail Polish in the Hip Hop colour. I have an obsession with brightly coloured nail varnish and red is by far my favourite. I have previously bought nail varnish from Rimmel before which I am in love with so I thought it would be a good idea so buy some more of their's. This nail varnish cost me £4.49.

I also bought the Rimmel London HD 5 Pan Eyeshadow in the Brixton Brown shade. I used to have a huuuge eye-shadow pallet with every colour you possibly wish for but I have no idea where on Earth it could have got to so now I am having to start my collection again from scratch. I am a fan of the natural look so I tend to opt for neutral cream and brown colours when choosing eye-shadow so this suited me perfectly. It is priced at £6.99.

I decided to buy a blusher and bronzer, neither of which I normally use but I feel like I am missing them from my life. I chose the Revlon Highlighting Pallete which I got in both the Rose Glow and Bronze Glow shades. Both were priced at £8.99.

My favourite buy of the day had to be the Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Pleasure Me Red. I have a very unhealthy obsession with lipstick - especially red - that doesn't plan on leaving me any time soon so I may as well add to the collection. I have been looking for a more subtle, darker red for a while as I normally seem to choose very bright shades but I fell in love with this as soon as I picked it up. It cost me £7.19 which isn't the most I've spent on a lipstick before I was quite happy with the price. 

Last but not least I decided it was time to invest in a back combing brush. I don't back comb my hair to the point of no return but I have had many an occasion where one would have come in handy. I got the Denman Dressing Out Brush which I bought for a friend's birthday a while ago and she said it was great (she is obsessed with back combing her hair) so I thought why not?! It is priced at £4.29.

So that was my very first drug store haul post! I do apologize for the poor quality. I am looking forward to trying all the products out an may possibly post some reviews in the future!

Links For the Products:

Max Factor Masterpiece MAX Mascara

Rimmel Match Perfect Foundation

Rimmel Salon Pro By Kate Nail Polish

Rimmel London HD 5 Pan Eyeshadow

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick

Revlon Highlighting Palette

Denman Dressing Out Brush D91

"You don't have to carry a designer bag that costs more than a car to look cool."

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About a month ago I decided it was time to buy a new handbag. Handbags are one of those things which I have an unhealthy obsession with yet I seem to own hardly any. I ventured into Accessorize and fell in love with their Double Pocket Bag. At the time it cost me £37 but a little of me died inside when I saw it in the sale priced at just £25 today. That's what you get for shopping just before the summer sales I guess! It doesn't fit too much in it so I am definitely going to have to buy a new one for uni (not going to complain) but for now it suits me just fine. I thought that it looked a little plain so I decided to buy a scarf to jazz it up a bit (and to qualify for free delivery ;) ). It consist of 100% silk which sent alarm bells ringing for my inner textiles student and cost me £12 which I thought was pretty decent!

The bag can be found here and unfortunately I think the scarf is no longer being sold as I couldn't find it on their website! :(

My Summer Bucket List

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With summer being on the horizon, I thought it would be a good idea to share what sort of things I would love to do over the holidays. I always have these wonderful ideals of what my summer will be like and they never seem to happen. My average summer consists of spending most of my time indoors and rarely venturing outside (I know, I'm practically a vampire), but this summer I have over 3 months to fill and I am determined they will be just that - full. Here I shall list just a few of the plans that I hope will happen over the holidays, some more interesting than others:

1. Go on a roadtrip

This one may be difficult as I have very few friends who can actually drive but a trip to Walling's (the best ice cream parlour) will probably suffice!  

2. Go on a bike ride

I love cycling but it has been aaaaages since I've been on a leisurely bike ride so me and my friend Ruth have decided to go on a weekly cycle, providing the weather is desirable. 

3. Go on Holiday

This probably sounds a bit silly but I hardly ever go on holiday in the summer, always in February or October. Me and a couple of friends are, however, planning on going away to Oxford for a few days to hopefully that will happen!

4. Read all 18 books I have lined up

This will bee some feat as I am quite a slow reader but going off the time it took me to read The Fault In Our Stars (4 days) this may possibly (unlikely) be achieved. 

5. Have a movie/TV marathon day
Me and my friends are hoping to have many of these over the summer as we have sooo many films and TV programmes to watch. Any recommendations?

6. Improve my photography skills
I love photography and I have improved massively over the past couple of years but I'm still not up to the standard I wish to be. I am hoping to take plenty of photos over the holidays and hopefully find my style as I keep switching between two!

7. Learn to cook
You'd think by now I'd be able to make a decent meal. Well you'd be wrong. My culinary skills span as far as beans on toast so I think I should really learn to make a few more nutritious meals before I go go to uni so I don't starve to death.

8. Bake a decent cake
This doesn't sound too hard but the last time I attempted this the results weren't so great. Don't get me wrong it tasted good, but it wasn't exactly aesthetically pleasing...

9. Get fit(ter) 
I am probably one of the most unfit people I know yet I love exercise. This summer I really hope to get fitter and lose some weight before uni. I intend to take up running and walk and cycle more rather than taking the bus.

10. Change my style
I've been wanting to do this for ages but I've been thinking with uni fast approaching and the opportunity for a clean slate, I would really like to change my style. Not drastically, as I quite like how it is at the moment, but just to try and make it more quirky I guess.

11. Get my ears pierced
This may sound like an odd one but I have never had my ears pierced and I feel like they may be a good addition to intended change in style. I'd love to get the obvious, standard lobes done of course, but I'd also quite like to get my tragus, upper lobe and helix done. I'd probably only get the tragus and the helix done on one ear but then again my ears are often said to be very small so they may look a bit crowded. The only issue is that I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to pain...

12. Get a summer job 
A job (and the money it brings with it) is defiantly something I need in my life. I am in desperate need of experience but I seem to  be highly unlucky in the world of work as I never seem to get anywhere whenever I apply :(

13. Volunteer
I really want to volunteer more over the holidays. I have helped out on DofE weekends and with my local food bank and I hope do to more of this over the summer.

14. Work on my sketch book
I'm far from an amazing artist and I don't pretend to be but this is just a small personal project that I am working on and includes some drawings and clothing designs that I have done. I would really like to build on this and improve my skills whilst filling more of it's pages.

15. Make some clothes/interior furnishings
As I did textiles up-until A-Level I'd like to think I have at least a basic knowledge of textiles manufacture. I have a sewing machine that rarely sees any action so I think it would be a really nice idea to attempt at making some cushions, bunting or clothing .

16. Go on a picnic in the Lake District
I love the Lake District and I have spent so much time there in the past so I think it would be really nice to go there for the day with friends or my family and have a picnic among other actives

17. Watch the sunrise
I always sleep waaay too late to see this but I would absolutely love to watch the sunrise sometime this summer.

18. Learn a new language
I have always found foreign languages fascinating and I did French and German a school but I can't remember anything! With four months to kill this may be a wise way to spend my time!

19. Go to a museum
There are so many museums where I live and I've been to all of them several times but it has been years since my last visit. I hope to revise the history of my local area!

20. Do the Three Peaks Challenge
Me and a group of friends have been discussing this for months an I would absolutely love to do the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. I don't think we would complete it all in one day, but just to say we have done it would be amazing.

So that is my list of things I wish to achieve this summer and hopefully I will be able to fulfil most of them! I can't wait for the summer to get properly started and I can get on with making amazing plans with my friends and family. Hope you all have a great summer!