Happy 2015!

Hi There

xXx

Well, here we are, a brand new year and almost a week in already. We have bid farewell to the old year and welcomed in the new one and are all full of promises to ourselves and fresh inspiration and motivation. I, personally, would like the beginning of 2015 to see me making more of an effort to do the things I love and also the things I should. I hope to find new ideas and a new lease of life and take the lessons I learnt last year, seriously, and in so doing improve my health, well being and creativity. 

I've decided not to make any huge 'un-tackle-able' resolutions, but instead, will be focusing much more on things that are important to me and taking one day at a time. For the most part.

Two things which I think are worth striving for however are: Dry January, and #100DAYNOSPEND with the wonderful Rachel The Hat and so with tomorrow hailing the start of work again for me and me having finally got myself together after the holidays, from now onwards: here goes!

Please follow the links above and take a look at what it's all about, it'd be great to have you join in the challenges!

See you soon,

Lunch Break Motivation #1

Hey Hey!

xXx

So life has been hectic, what can I say, excuses, excuses.. or I could just get on with the post and prove to you that I am getting back to blogging regularly, rather than lamenting over it :)

I have a new job, which is as same as the old job, however, with this job I have the opportunity to nip for lunch at the pub next door and update you lovely folks.

I don't have an awful lot of time on lunch so I needed something brief to write about, and have settled on the mutually beneficial topic of motivation. I will endevour to post one motivational idea or quote each lunch break during the stressful run up to Christmas, and at the same time hopefully fuel my own motivation the rest of my working day.

And so to begin, let's think on the fact that:

Even though you may feel as though you're slogging away working for somebody else, remind yourself that you are your own ultimate boss, and that you are working for yourself. The money you are working hard to earn will be yours, and you are subsequently contributing to and helping to run that high flying business you work for, on the side...

Now how does the idea of work sound?

Happy afternoon, I know you will meet your targets- employee of the month is well within your grasp

5 Beauty Products Worth Paying More For

Hey There :)

xXx

So you're saving (or trying to) and skimping on everything you can, but sometimes- just sometimes- the basic brands just don't cut the mustard. I thought I'd make a little list of the things I've found are well worth paying that little bit extra for.

1. Nail varnish I was recently sent some Essie nail varnish in the colour 'watermelon' from a blog friend of mine, Jen at Fefferbooks, and I must say, it is the longest lasting varnish I have ever tried, and it is so easy to apply, even I can get that (almost) professional look. Rimmel 60 Seconds is brilliant too, and the flat brush is genius!

2. Dry Shampoo Batiste is simply the best. It is the only brand I have tried which works properly, ie. gets rid of that greasy, stringy look and stays fresh looking the whole time you need it to, from only one application. I once used it at the beginning of a camping weekend where I wouldn't be able to wash my hair, and had no need to reapply until I got home.

3. Hairspray/ gel I recently bought some VO5 Mega Hold hair gel spray. Basically, it says 'all day hold' and it means 'all day hold.' It brushes away easily, not need to wash your hair to get it out, you can use it one evening and brush it out the next morning and restyle your hair for the day. And it is Mega hold, that certainly isn't an exaggeration, which is nice for a change.

4. Antiperspirant Deodorant I have found that Mitchum really does keep you dry and they have an unscented one as well as some lovely fresh fragrances, my favourite is 'powder fresh'.

5. Foundation Whether you have sensitive skin or not, it's never really a good idea to wear cheap foundation, especially is you wear it everyday. I don't mind having less expensive powers, although I may invest in some better quality ones some day, but whatever you use as your base layer, so your cream foundation for example, should be moisturising or else it could very easily dry out your skin. You can combat this by using a moisturising face cream or lotion under your foundation, but if you want something that will take care of everything at once, I would recommend Olay Regenerist CC Cream. It combines a moisturising, SPF cream with an anti-ageing serum and sheer foundation which blends into the skin to give a natural look. It's the product I'm most happy with for it's 'invisibility'.

xXx

What have you found is worth paying a little extra for? And what are your secret bargain bin favourites- those products that are friendly on the pocket and actually do their job correctly at the same time?

Book Review // Perfect Ruin By Lauren Destefano

Hi There

xXx

Perfect Ruin By Lauren Destefano

 I was given Perfect Ruin by a blog friend of mine, Jen at Fefferbooks, as part of the Books n Bloggers swap hosted by Chaotic Goddess Swaps. I don’t usually choose YA books myself, but one of the most interesting things about getting involved with the swap is discovering new genres and broadening your horizons, so I was very glad to begin this book and see where it took me. 

 If I had to sum up this book in one word I think I would describe it as ‘good’. I shall elaborate; firstly the book has an appealing and intriguing cover- covers are, in my opinion, an integral part of the reading experience, just as the art gracing LP sleeves, is an integral part of the listening experience when it comes to music- you are given another aspect for your senses to feast upon, which in-turn enriches the whole experience. The blurb sounded interesting, if a little different from the type of books I usually go for, and so, without further ado, I began reading. 

 I have not yet finished the book, but so far I must say I have enjoyed it. Despite the tone being a little young for me, and the plot lacking somewhat in complexity, Perfect Ruin has certainly proved to be a page turner. I find myself looking forward to picking it up when anticipating my lunch break or a bus journey I’m about to take. I have tended to read, on average, a couple of chapters at each sitting, which is quite satisfactory where my reading is concerned :)

  Because the language is quite simple I found it easy to get along quite quickly with this book. On the other hand, there is the occasional flowery passage, where Destefano taps into her skill for creative description, and these passages seem to appear particularly at the end of chapters, in an effort to end the scene on a dramatic note. This works well, but considering the simplicity of the majority of the text, can seem a little over the top. Given that these more complex sentences and paragraphs (complex not only in syntax, but also in feeling) are well written, and that the author evidently knows what she is doing when writing them, and how to construct them, I wonder why there are so few. 

 When all is said and done, I have enjoyed Perfect Ruin. It has interested me, and kept me interested, with only a few slow parts where the storyline seemed to drag a little. The main character is quite well defined and it’s evident that Destefano has tried to add depth by writing from her perspective and giving us the chance to hear her thoughts. However, whilst the supporting characters in the book can each easily be labeled- Pen is ‘bubbly, confident and steadfast in her beliefs’, Basil is ‘romantic and caring’ Thomas, much the same, and Judas ‘mysterious’etc., they do tend to seem a little two dimensional. 

 To conclude, Perfect Ruin is an engaging book built on a very interesting and original idea. The plot is well constructed if a little predictable, but I enjoyed it and am even curious about the other books in the series. I’d love to see this made into a film, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see :) 3/5

Vapour Trails II

Hi

xXx

Last October I published this post and received this lovely comment.

I feel that is introduction enough. Enjoy part two of what looks as though it will become an ongoing project :)