Graduation - What, Like It's Hard?

After being MIA for almost a whole year I thought that my graduation marked the perfect time to kickstart the blog again. 

This last year has been the busiest and most stressful year of my life, yet has also been the most rewarding and most memorable.

As of 12th July 2016 I am an official university graduate with a Bachelors degree in History. Even typing those words it feels strange and has not completely sunk in yet. University was always the step I was working towards, and even once there it felt like this incredible whirlwind experience that would never end. But sadly like all good things they do eventually come to end. It is a fact that I have been having great difficulty accepting and moving on from as I can honestly say, as corny and cliche as it may be, that these last three years at uni have been the three best years of my life!

Graduation felt like the perfect ending to an amazing experience, and to any students who are graduating this summer my one piece of advice would be to take a moment in the day to take a step back and take it all in. The whole day of mine I was so overwhelmed my the immensity of officially ending this chapter that I let myself be overcome by stress. When I was sitting in the ceremony listening to my vice chancellor speak about Churchill's tips for success with a montage video of photos of university life playing in the background, it all felt so surreal but wonderful. 

Waiting for my name to be called felt like waiting to jump out of a plane - as ridiculous and dramatic as that sounds! Walking across that stage, however, felt so exhilarating and when I finally sat back down I had a sudden sensation of being unbelievably proud and happy of all that I have achieved over the last three years. Watching all my fellow historians and friends similarly walk across the stage I just was overcome with happiness and pride for everything that we have accomplished individually and together. 

Throwing my hat into the air surrounded by some of my favourite people was truly one of those moments in life that I will remember for the rest of my life!

This post was a way for me to unload all the thoughts and feelings I have about my graduation and being a graduate, but also to share my photos from the day.

I really hope to become a regular uploaded - which I know I have claimed in the past! This time, however, I truly do aim to stick to it!

I also hope that all of my fellow Legally Blonde enthusiasts will hopefully have appreciated the reference to Elle Woods wise words!

Another of Elle's insights that I always aspire to hold on to and practise is that 'you must always have faith in yourself.' In a time in my life of so much uncertainty it is very easy to feel lost, however, what I am slowly learning to appreciate and accept is that things often find a way of working themselves out. Most importantly is to take comfort in the fact that at 21 years old it is not expected or necessary to have life figured out. There are always those lucky few who have their lives perfectly in tact, but the majority of us are still finding our feet, and that certainly makes me feel a whole lot better! 

Enough of these heavy thoughts, next time I promise something lighter, containing less inner ramblings about the meaning of life!

B xx

What I'm Loving: Summer Edition

It’s been a fair few months since I posted a round-up of all the things I have been currently loving, so I thought it was about time that I rectified that situation. During the summer months when I am free from coursework and lectures, and therefore have more time to myself I feel that I really get to discover some new loves, and rediscover some old ones.

Finding a TV show these days that I haven’t already watched is quite a difficult task, however I was determined this summer to be on the hunt for a new show to binge watch. I fancied something a little bit different from the usual teen drama that I usual watch, and wanted something more in the realms of Suits – which is a show that I am also loving at the moment, and have been for the last few couple of years! I stumbled across Mad Men purely by chance, and gave the pilot a watch and from there I was sold. I love everything about this show: the 1960s glamour, the exciting setting of New York, and most of all the complicated and mysterious Don Draper. For those of you who aren't familiar with the show, Mad Men is set in an advertising agency on Madison Avenue in the 1960s and follows the tumultuous life of creative director Don Draper, and the high pressure environment of both his career and family life. As well as Don, beautifully played by Jon Hamm, there is a range of dynamic characters, including my personal favourite, Joan, who is the type of career woman I aspire to be!

Believe it or not, up until a couple of weeks ago I had never had frozen yoghurt, and now that I’ve tried it I don’t understand how I have lived so long without it! A couple of weeks ago I was on Southbank with one of my best friends and we happened upon a Snog van and after telling Jess that I had never actually had a frozen yoghurt before she insisted that it was an absolute must. Being a novice, I let Jess take the lead in constructing our masterpiece, which resulted in the original flavour of yoghurt with raspberry and fudge brownie toppings and completed with a salted caramel sauce. I can report that it was absolute delicious, and frozen yoghurt has been on my mind ever since. I also highly recommend this specific venue, just a short walk along from the London Eye on Southbank – which is a permanent favourite of mine – Snog have converted an old bus into the cutest environment to enjoy this frozen treat.

Another favourite that I am annoyed at myself for not realising sooner, and that is the wonders of H&M. Over the last couple of months I have been shopping in H&M quite a bit and every time I come out with pieces that I am so happy with, and at such affordable prices. The H&M that I have at home is massive meaning there is an amazing range of all their different departments. I love the summer ranges they have in, from really cute summery dresses and playsuits to the extensive choice of styles in their swimwear. I have always been a Topshop and Zara lover, but in recent months I have become a complete H&M convert. In the past I have often neglected H&M due to the fact that the store layout is often quite jumbled but I think that it is worth the effort of having a good look through to find the, sometimes, hidden gems

What I am loving to listen to can be summarised and explained by my ultimate favourite thing of the summer which was the festival I attended at the beginning of June. With all of my best friends from university we attended No Tomorrow Festival, and John Newman was headlining. I can honestly say that dancing and singing along to John Newman with the sun setting around me with all my best friends was one of my favourite memories from my whole year. Just as sitting on the hill with a cider in hand, sunglasses on, swaying along to James Bay was a moment I will always remember for being truly content and happy. John Newman has some amazing up tempo songs which make you want to jump along and sing at the top of your voice, and James Bay at the other end of the spectrum is so calming and comforting and his music is what I have been turning to when I want something relaxing and something to make me smile.

Overall I am very happy with the collection of shows, food, clothes and music I have loved for the last few months.  But most of all I am happy with the memories I have made, the people I have spent time with and the things that I have been planning and looking forward to in the future. Even though the weather in the UK gave up a long time ago, summer is not over yet and there is still so much more I have yet to experience and enjoy, and I can’t wait to document it all here for you and for myself.

Thank you all so much for reading, and until next time,

B xx

Because happiness is only a cupcake away...

Never have four words brought so much joy to my heart! Anyone who vaguely knows anything about me knows that when the Great British Bake Off comes back on TV, that I am back in my element!

The whole of Britain goes baking mad whenever the Bake Off is on TV, and I am no exception to that. For anyone however that doesn’t know what this series consists of, it is a reality show with 12 contestants who are all keen amateur bakers. Each week there is a different theme, ranging from cakes, biscuits, pastry, and many more wonderfully tasty treats! It truly is a wonder we don’t all launch into a 12 week long sugar induced coma....

Proof of how far the love for this show has spread was in the creation of the Great British Bake Off drinking game. With various hilarious rules such as 1 shot per blue plaster worn by an injured contestant, 2 shots for a contestant sitting and watching hopefully at the oven, and the harshest: 3 shots for a cake drop! This has gone straight on to the list of things to do whilst this series is on, as well as mastering the art of meringue.

With every series I am continually amazed by how incredible Mary Berry looks. A lady in her early 80s, she is super glamorous and super talented. She has a warm, comforting personality, and to be epitomises the perfect Grandma – only outdone by my own wonderful grandmother!

Her partner in crime Paul Hollywood is again fantastic, and I love the way they complement each other. Paul’s deathly stares and blunt comments would be absolutely terrifying as a contestant but as a viewer makes for very entertaining television.

The combination of Mary and Paul as the baking judges is amazing to watch, and to take that even further is the presenters Sue and Mel. Best friends who met at university who went onto become a comedy duo; Sue and Mel with their endless infamous sexual innuendos really are the icing on the cake – no pun intended! As much as I love them, there is a part of me that is extremely jealous as hosting a TV show with your best friend when you can try as many amazing cakes and desserts is the genuine description of my dream job.

Whilst I feel that a future career in TV presenting is probably not for me, being a contestant on the show is a legitimate dream of mine. And the pinnacle of that would be coming first in a technical challenge, or even being crowned star baker at the end of one week. However living vicariously through all of the contestants is the next best thing, and it always makes me smile how genuinely happy it makes me feel at the end of each episode when one baker is announced as star baker. Just in the same way that my heart actually aches when I see someone’s showstopper bake collapse or they've used salt instead of sugar, or the ultimate bake off disaster: the soggy bottom!

Not only did the return of the show inspire me to write this extensive review of all things bake off, it also inspired me to get my apron on and get baking myself. Given that I am trying to eat cleaner in the weeks leading up to my holiday, baking is not often conducive to this. However I was overcome with a craving for carrot cake, so I searched for a healthier alternative to this usually highly calorific classic. BBC Good Food came up trumps: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/11871/low-fat-carrot-cake

The end result was super tasty and was super easy to make, a simple all in one bowl type mixture. And I would recommend this recipe if the mood for cake strikes but you want to stick to that summer body plan you promised yourself all those weeks ago!

I think this brings me to the end of my collection of all thoughts Bake Off related, so until next time, thanks for reading,

B xxx

20 Things I’ve Learnt Turning 20

Since my last post – which was back when dinosaurs were still roaming – I have turned the ripe old age of 20. Entering my third decade of life felt like a momentous milestone, and one that felt like it needed to be documented...five months after the event...

Despite my inadequacy in actually physically writing this list, it is a list that has been floating around in my head for a very long time now. Leading up to my 20^th birthday at the end of February I was surprised by how much I felt like I really had reached a significant moment, the closing of one chapter and the beginning of the next.

Whilst there are things in my teenage years that I probably would go back and change – people who say they wouldn't are lying – I was truly amazed and almost comforted by the closure that I felt in knowing that I had had a fulfilled existence as a teenager in this world. And therefore the prospect of entering my 20s was not as terrifying as I had anticipated. This being said I am still coming to terms with the continuous realisation that I am an adult, with adult responsibilities and problems, and that Arthur can’t really be my favourite TV show anymore!

This is a list of things that I thought I would share about the life lessons and truth I have learnt and experienced in my 20 years so far. This is by no means extensive, nor does it mean that in turning 20 I have become some kind of life guru. Just that I feel slightly closer to becoming one ;)

So without further ado here are the 20 Things I've Learnt Turning 20:

Say yes to opportunities

Being hard working is not uncool

Take time for yourself

Enjoy being young

Increasing responsibility doesn't have to equal scary and boring

People won’t be in your life forever

Old friends are sometimes the best friends

People progress at different stages

Things don’t always work out how you plan, but usually do work out eventually

If something sucks it won’t last forever

There are people who you cannot get on with, and that’s okay

Nothing is worse than regrets

FOMO is real and deadly, and learning to overcome it is a true skill

Independence is a very attractive quality

Book smart is important but street smart gets you a long way too

You don’t have to wear makeup everyday

Pushing yourself is scary but the rewards are worth it

To love tea and tequila equally

Parents can be best friends

Being a teenager is amazing and you will only have the opportunity to be there once, so treasure it, it’s precious 

A few throwback photos from my birthday - firstly I took the bold move and had over 12 inches cut off my hair, a decision I couldn't have been happier about. Secondly my amazing birthday cake that my best friends surprised me with, which tasted as incredible as it looked 

As I said this list is just one girl's take, and I am fully aware that I have a lot more to learn. I am excited to be in this new chapter in my life, to see what the next decade has in store. It is crazy to think of the person I was ten years ago, and even more crazy to imagine what kind of person I will be in ten years time!

I look forward to documenting my life here, and I hope you are looking forward to sharing it with me. Thank you all for reading, and until next time,

B xx

Survival Guide for Exams

As much as I love school there is one part which severely reduces that love and that is exams. In my 19, almost 20 (aaaahhh) years of living I have been through my fair share of exams, and what is becoming increasingly obvious to me is that exams only get harder with time, not easier. It would have to be said that I do not cope that well with stress or pressure, so therefore I have to compensate for this by following a set choices in order to survive exams and the build up to them. I hope therefore that this quick overview of tips and tricks will help some of you who are also going through the inevitable stress of exams.

Schedule – the importance of scheduling your time cannot be overstated, and is something that I used to be horrendous at doing. As I have got older, and hopefully wiser, I have made scheduling my time my first priority in the lead up to an exam period. There are clearly several ways that you can do this, but how I ensure that I dedicate enough time to revision and preparation is firstly by making myself aware of all I need to know for the exams. That sounds obvious, but it is amazing how the simplest information is often what we forget. Whilst it would be optimistic to think that you could revise nine hours a day every day, this is not realistic, and it also isn’t healthy. By scheduling your time and assigning yourself specific tasks or topics for specific days, it will become much easier to balance yourself.

Balance – the work, play balance is something that I continue to struggle with, and especially when it comes to revision for exams. When all you want to do is watch that extra episode of Scandal, or go for drinks with your friends, or simply just have those few more hours in bed in morning, it is extremely difficult not to give into yourself. The way I see it is that hard work deserves rewards, so therefore if you work throughout the day, give yourself the evening to do what you want to do. Nobody can be expected to work all the time!

Discipline – the only way to manage a balance of time and a schedule is with self discipline. Particularly as I am getting older, and I don’t live at home anymore, I no longer have my parents or my teachers monitoring how much I am working. I now have to be strict with myself, and discipline myself to stick to the plans that I put in place. It sounds so cliché to say, but at the end of the day, the marks you get in your exams are as result of the work you put in. The only one who will be punished for not being disciplined is you, and for me that is what motivates me.

Motivation – when it feels like you've been reading the same paragraph for the last 2 hours, it can be difficult to stay motivated. All of my favourite ways to stay motivated involve taking a small break and taking 5 or so minutes just to chill, let my brain rest. Recently I have been watching Anna Kendrick and Jonah Hill interviews in my breaks, because they have both become two of my favourite people. Another way I love to motivate myself is by negotiating with myself, for example if I can get through this chapter, I can afford a caramel macchiato break. During exams, Starbucks becomes my best friend.

Nothing here is particularly revolutionary, or something you will never have heard before, but they are all things that help me prepare and keep calm during the hell that are exams. What I always have to keep in mind is that by over-stressing and by putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on myself, I am only hindering my own chances of doing well. To conclude, be organised, take breaks and use your own potential success as a continuous incentive!

Thank you all so much for reading, and to anyone who is taking exams at the moment or in the future, good luck!!

B xx

The New Years Post

These types of posts and videos have never appealed to me in the past because to me New Years feels like nothing more than the passing of time, just like any other day. However last night after catching up on a whole host of resolution style videos and blog posts, namely, of which Essie’s from essiebutton, I realised that using the New Year to focus some self improvement techniques in no bad thing.

In the last few months of 2014 I had already made quite a few changes in my life, and I aim to continue those into 2015. Most of these come about because of me moving into my first house without my parents, which means the cooking, cleaning, house running can no longer be left to mum and dad!

When setting these aims it was really important to me to set ones which I believe are realistic. As although it would nice to say that I was going to give up chocolate and watch less TV, it makes no sense to be to set goals which I already know I will not achieve. So instead here are my five 2015 New Year resolutions:

Eat Better – thought I would start with the most obvious, and the one that you can probably find on almost everyone’s New Year resolutions. Having said this, this year I do truly want to continue what I had started at the end of last year, which is incorporating more , fresh food into my diet and cutting back on processed, readymade meals. To me this resolution is not about not eating the things that I enjoy, like cheese, no way am I cutting out my love of brie! But what it means is that where I can eat healthier alternatives I will, for example swapping potatoes for sweet potatoes and reducing the amount of meat I eat.

Waking up Earlier – I love sleep, along with eating and Vampire Diaries, it is up there with my favourite things ever. However when I am sleeping in until mid morning, this is a result of laziness rather than a love of sleep. During the week when I have lectures and seminars to attend, I think I need to set a target of being up and out of bed by 8:30 at the latest, which compared to the time I had to get up for school should be no difficult task. By waking up earlier, it means I can actually start my day at a reasonable time rather than only being ready to face the world by lunchtime!

  

  Save then Spend – I have a very bad habit of spending money that is not necessarily always being replaced in my bank account. As in, the money going out of the account, is not the same as the money going back in on payday. I am lucky enough I have a part time job, which means I do have a cash flow coming into my bank, but that does not entitle me to spend whenever I want. So my plan for this year is to be more sensible about money, meaning during the month I spend when I need to. And then on payday at the end of the month, allowing myself to fulfil by shopaholic addiction and treating myself to a more #feelingspendy purchase.

  

Work Play Balance – this is something which I feel strongly about, and has also become increasingly difficult in recent months. For those of you who don’t know, I am currently in my second year at university, so therefore workload is fairly heavy, which results in a lot of time spent in the library. Whilst I treat my studies as my number one priority, I also know how important it is to take time to chill and distress. Whether this is taking time to myself to catch up on Pretty Little Liars, or hanging out with my friends, this is time that I have to balance out with my workload. Last year I fluctuated from one extreme to the other becoming somewhat of a hermit in my corner in the library at one point, to going out multiple times a week, so my aim for 2015 is to find a happy medium between the two.

      

Take More Chances – saying yes to things has always been a massively problem of mine whether that be because of shyness or laziness. But increasingly it is becoming more obvious to me the hundreds of opportunities and experiences you miss out on when you fail to say yes to the right things. So to conclude my resolutions for 2015, I want to, in the words of my spirit animal Taylor Swift become more Fearless.

I realise that none of these resolutions are particularly groundbreaking or revolutionary, however I do feel that with these small five guidelines in mind I can hopefully use 2015 as a year to change and improve some things about myself. And hopefully I will be able to report throughout the year and then in 2016 how successful I have been.

Thank you for reading, and Happy belated New Year!

B xx

Dealing with T.O.M

So girls I think we can all agree that when TOM arrives we are not too pleased! I am of course talking about Time Of Month, otherwise known as period. We all have to deal with it at some point in our lives and there is no doubt that is absolutely sucks! Over my last 7 years of dealing with my period every month I have found the things that make that time a bit more comfortable and less hell like. This post is also inspired by two of my favourite youtube/blogger girls +essiebutton and Amelia Liana, who a few months ago created The Period Tag:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtgTUo2ZJi4 

So here are my top tips for surviving your period and my answers to the questions from Essie and Amelia's video:

I should start by staying that my periods are very mixed, some months I will be in a lot of pain and be extremely hormonal, but others I can easily get on with my everyday life and be fine. The pains that I mainly get are achy stomach cramps and headaches, but I like I said I'm lucky that this isn't an every month situation.

What annoys you?

What annoys me on my period is everything, I become very irritable, and little things like unclean dishes frustrate me. My hatred for slow internet also increases to a ridiculous level during that time! Especially when I am trying to catch up on Greys Anatomy, which is a favourite thing to do, and has been for the last 5 years I have been obsessed with that show. 

Period outfit?

Pyjamas, of course! It is obvious to say anything comfortable, and for me that is to stay in pyjamas for as long that is acceptable, and then a little longer than that too...Seriously though, loose and soft clothes are your best friend, big jumpers and trackies are the way forward.

Favourite food?

You that it is that time of the month when you find yourself with a spoon in the Nutella jar, or at least that is what happens to me! I have a sweet tooth anyway, so when I'm on my period I like to cater to that even more than normal, so everything is peanut butter or chocolate covered. Tea is also an absolute must! Recently I have also been really into hot lemon and honey for a break or change from tea, which is super tasty and also really calming for the stomach.

Mood swings?

I would say that I do get mood swings during my period, but I'm sure my family would say that it occasionally occurs more than just at that time of month. I am an emotional bottler, so often during my period the lid is let off and I do get rather hormonal and rant and sometimes cry. What is important to remember, and I have to remind myself when I am having one of those moments, is that it is perfectly natural and okay to feel exhausted and frustrated during your period. 

Some other random tips would be to not allow TOM to take over your everyday life, as much as is possible try and ignore it and push through the pain. It sounds so pretentious to say, and I can hear lots of you scoffing at this, but some light exercise can often really help with period pains. I am not talking taking on a marathon or anything like that, but a walk or some stretching can help. Finally and most importantly is that as rubbish as you feel at the time, know that all girls can sympathise, and it is only a temporary pain, well at least until next month...

Hope that you enjoyed this post, and until next time,

B xx

What I'm Loving: November

I cannot believe we are basically half way through November, it will be Christmas before we know it! November is the time of deadlines, so I have spent the vast majority of the last few weeks in the library, however in those spare moments I have been loving listening, watching, eating and wearing the following favourites.

What I have been loving listening too is very simple - 1989! This whole month I have had the album on repeat, but some individual favourites on top of Shake It Off, would be Style and Out of the Woods. Clearly I am bias, but I do truly believe that this album would appeal to almost everyone, so even if you have always been a Swift hater, I encourage you to give 1989 a go! To add some variety though, London Grammar has also been an obsession this month, and after the launch of the infamous new John Lewis Christmas advert, I have also, of course been loving Tom Odell.

What I am loving watching at the moment is everything, I feel that TV is so on point at the moment. From my beloved Downton Abbey, whose finale last Sunday left me smiling and crying all at the same time to Vampire Diaries which continues to impress me every week with how much my love for Damon Salvatore grows! A more random favourite would be The Apprentice, which reminds me every week just how unattractive a man with a big ego is - well unless that man is Damon Salvatore...

One of the best things about this time of year for a coffee lover like myself is the festive drinks that the coffee shops bring out. For the last few years I have attempted to try all that Costa and Starbucks have to offer in the seasonal drinks department, and I think the 2014 selection has some of the best. The Eggnog Latte is my Starbucks recommendation, and as I am writing this post I have a Praline Cappuccino by my side, which ranks very highly in the Costa choices.  

It is absolutely freezing in the UK at the moment, so my dressing gown and slippers have been the favourite of the moment. Both from BHS, my motto when it comes to sleepwear in the winter, the fluffier the better! Not the most glamorous, but definitely the most comfortable. So for days when I want to insert some 'glam' into my usually very casual attire, I have been loving the Tanya Burr lip gloss in Heart Skips A Beat, which is a lovely red/pink with subtle sparkle, very easy to wear and goes with most looks, plus helps me to inch closer to the festive red lip look! 

Overall favourite thing of the month would probably be celebrating a good friend of mines' 21st birthday. We had a lovely girls night in, drinking champagne, dancing to 90s tunes and gossiping way too much and then the following night a big house party. It was so nice to see everyone coming together to celebrate Em's landmark birthday and made me realise how lucky I am to have such amazing, supportive friends.

Top - Zara
Jeans - Urban Outfitters

That is a summary of what I have been loving this month so far, and on the lead up to the holiday month. It is crazy to me that 2015 is so close, and that I have already been in second year for 2 months! I hope that you all enjoyed this post, and I would love to know what you have all been loving this November.

Thank you so much for reading, until next time,

B xx

Happy Halloween

I have never been a Halloween fan in the past, mainly because I am super boring when it comes to fancy dress. I can honestly say that it has been about 9 years since I have done anything on the 31st October but this year it was a firm date on my calendar. A group of good friends of mine were hosting a mega house party which I knew I could not miss, even if that did mean me putting in the effort of finding a costume!

I had no idea how difficult it was going to be to find a costume but after multiple trips to the fancy dress store and my new favourite place, Wilkos, I managed to put something together. Getting ready for a night out is often my favourite part, I love putting on my favourite playlist and curling my hair, but getting ready for Halloween was on a whole new level. With two of my best girlfriends we got the fangs and fake blood out with a combination of probably a few too many champagnes and this was the final result.

Despite my reservations, I had so much fun, it was one of my favourite nights in the last few weeks. Everyone had made such amazing effort, and the guys had done the house up incredibly, it really felt like a haunted mansion! So thank you to the Church Street boys for hosting an amazing night and for converting me to the fun that can be Halloween.

I know that I have been slacking on the blogging front but I have had such a hectic couple of months with my uni work load, but I really want to get back into the swing of things!

Thanks for reading, B xx

My New Bedroom

My minor hiatus can be easily explained, I have just moved house! In the last week I have moved into my new home for the year, my first ever student house! This week has been a complete whirlwind and there are so many things to do when running your own house, luckily I have four lovely housemates to help me and keep me sane. 

If you have ever lived in a student house then you will know that we are not talking luxury accommodation so I have tried so hard in my bedroom to make it as homely and personal as possible. Please ignore the less than ideal red flowered curtains in the background which were definitely not my choice!

This is an idea that I stole from Pinterest, which is such an inspiration when it comes to home décor, and well most other things! I had some of my favourite photos printed and followed the very easy steps to create this heart photo montage on my wall along side my bed. It not only lets me display loads of my favourite memories and people, but also adds an amazing pop of colour to a room that was otherwise quite bare.

Bedding is an amazing way to transform a room, as it adds colour, pattern and individuality. My set is a super old one from Tesco that combines all of the colours I wanted for my room scheme: pink, white and minty blue. My throw is a huge fluffy pale pink one from BHS and my two cushions are the softest things I have ever felt and are both from Primark, which I would highly recommend checking out for cheap but really cute home items. 

My bedside table was probably my biggest bargain when shopping for new things for my room, of course Ikea was involved.  I saw this table and fell in love, it is so simple but chic and I am obsessed and the best part it was £15!!! If any of you are interested it is the Lindved in white,  My bedside table essentials include #daclip of course, The Death Cure by James Dashner which I am loving at the moment and a cup of green tea in a super cute owl mug. The vase which I do intend at some point to fill with flowers is from Zara Home and the lamp is also from Ikea, the Knubbig. 

These two posters epitomise me completely, my two favourite things: tea and Friends. The Friends poster, is titled 'Everything I know in life I learned from Friends' and that is definitely me, I am that person who in almost every conversation makes some kind of Friends reference! And I certainly agree I know wherever I have tea I have love! 

I hope this post gives you a little insight into my room and how I have tried to transform a room that looked slightly like a hospital ward before I moved in, into a place that is my own. If you have any decoration tips or tricks do let me know and thank you very much for reading, and until next time,

B xx

What I'm Loving: September

Rather than your usual monthly favourites type post I thought I would try something slightly different. This is a breakdown of what I have loved listening to, watching, eating and wearing over this month so far. Plus my favourite thing I did this month, which features some very good looking men!

To begin with what I have been listening to, and this would not be a post by me if Taylor Swift wasn't mentioned, but wow Shake It Off has truly been my anthem of the last few weeks. Any excuse to play it at full volume and dance like no one is watching! On a more mellow level though I am still obsessed with the whole of The Fault In Our Stars soundtrack, particularly All of the Stars by Ed Sheeran and both of the Birdy tracks. Finally, Sam Smith, he is everywhere at the moment and rightly so, his voice is angelic and his new single I'm Not The Only One is by far my favourite song he has ever released. 

What I am watching at the moment has quite an eclectic mix, if you follow me on twitter @cloudbelle25 you will know that I have been loving X Factor so far. I am very happy that Cheryl and Simon are back and of course there is always love for Louis Walsh! Another reality type show that I have been a fan of for many years is the Great British Bake Off which at the moment is all me and mum can talk about! Something Mum is not a fan of, but it is a highlight of my weekend is Made In Chelsea NYC which is just further fuelling my love for New York and of course for Lucy Watson! For people outside the UK though something that I have recently become hooked on is The Office, the US version, and I can honestly say that I laugh hysterically out loud at every episode I watch. 

Houmous, that covers all that I have been loving eating this month. I love just the plain regular one, but also all the amazing different flavours, some of my favourites being lemon and coriander or caramelised onion. The ultimate though I have found this month is the Marks and Spencer Piri Piri Houmous, which was life-changingly good! 

I have been very boring with what I have been loving wearing, but what I lack in style I have made up for in comfort. If you have never tried the fluffy Primark pyjama trousers you have not felt true comfort. I have pretty much lived in my various different pairs over the last few weeks. They are amazing pyjamas but I also wear them as the perfect item of lounge wear too for those days when 'real' clothes are just not what you want! 

My favourite thing of the month is very easy for me to choose, as early this week I was lucky enough to attend a press launch of the opening night of Dan Osborne joining the Dreamboys! One of my best friends was working for Cosmopolitan and managed to bag us some tickets for honestly one of the most crazy and surreal nights of my life. It was basically like having a real life Magic Mike experience.... 

That concludes what I have been loving in September, thank you for reading and let me know if you would like a similar post for October which I am sure will include Downton Abbey and Pumpkin Spice Lattes!

B xx

My Hangover Routine

So it happens to the best of us, and yet we never learn the torture that is The Hangover! Now luckily I have never experienced anything on the level of these guys in Vegas, finding a tiger strolling around or a random baby, but there have been some mornings when you wake up feeling like you may just never recover from the night before. For these very occasions I have constructed a certain routine I like to follow in order to best survive this near hell!

You wake up in the morning, sadly not feeling like P.Diddy, but rather like you got punched a thousand times over in the head and in the stomach. Your best friend right now, water, and lots of it. Coming in from a night out I always try to make sure I have a cup of water by my bed because when you wake up you will feel like the Sahara Dessert!

The next step is to manage to actually make it out of bed because if you are anything like me you will still have your makeup on from the night before! The feeling of getting all that mascara off and having a clean, fresh face will literally be life changing in the midst of a hangover. My favourite product to use is the Clinque Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm as you can rub it into dry skin all over, including eyes and it takes makeup off incredibly plus removes any oil or dirt that will have been sitting most likely on your face all night. 

When I come in from a night out I usually grab the closest comfiest item of clothing I have, which invariably is my beloved purple fluffy dressing gown from Primark. So in the morning once my face and teeth are clean I like to add to the comfort levels and grab my go to hangover outfit, some form of tracksuit bottoms, I personally love my Hollister ones, and then a sweater of some kind. Walking around campus whenever you spot this outfit you can pretty much guarantee they have been out the night before!

Now that you are sufficiently comfortable it is time to sort out the fact that your stomach is churning, and for me there is only two remedies to this situation and that is a strong cup of a tea and some buttered toast. Plain and simple but works every single time! 

Providing that you don't have to go into work or school, or there isn't an essay due in the next day, how I like to spend my hangover day is in bed or on the sofa watching endless hours of trashy TV. Reality TV is my guilty pleasure of choice, episode after episode of the Kardashians, in fact when I was feeling slightly fragile after a night out only a couple of weeks ago I watched all the Kardashian wedding specials from Khloe and Lamar to the most recent Kimye one!

Sadly when I have been away at university this last year I haven't had access to a bath, but when I am at home this is another crucial step. A Lush bath bomb or some Body Shop bubble bath combined with your most relaxing playlist will help you forget all the embarrassing things you may have done the night before and how your head is still pounding!

This pretty much rounds up all my top steps to the hangover routine I perform after a night out with my friends. Whilst I do not recommend this on a regular basis, it is good to know that when you do decide to let loose and maybe drink a few too many tequilas that the next morning you won't be totally marooned in bed with no idea how to stop the world from spinning!

I hope you guys have enjoyed this post, and until next time, lots of love, B xx

The calm before the storm!

Summertime Sadness

First day of September means the end of summer, and whilst here in Britain the weather gave up about 5 weeks ago we could still say it was at least meant to be summer. I thought I would take this time to look back over the last few months at what I have loved this summer and then also why I cannot wait for Autumn.

Coming back from university at the end of June marked the end of one amazing year and whilst I was super sad to leave I was also so excited to back home with my family and friends. It is amazing how quickly you settle back into life at home after a year away, and it also makes you realise all the things you missed about home.

For the whole of July I was interning at at PR firm in London and whilst at times it was stressful, and even boring it was an amazing experience. What I particularly enjoyed was living the 'London lifestyle' and though that does include the hell of commuting it also means the lunches in the park, the regular coffee breaks, the office attire and feeling like Rachel Zane - well I wish! 

I would occasionally lunch on the steps of St. Pauls and do my best to emulate the Gossip Girl steps of The Met!

From the cosmopolitan city girl life during July, to in August when for a while I'm pretty sure all I did was sit in my bed watching TV series after series! I have always been a massive TV fan and over this summer I have added to my already rather long list of series that I watch. As mentioned in numerous posts I became very quickly obsessed with The Mindy Project, but also in a slightly different genre I finally got around to watching Revenge which I have been recommended for years. 

These shows are both addictive in totally different ways, but I would highly recommend them both. Two amazing female leads who both kick butt, one more literally than the other!








Speaking of incredible women, I had the biggest fan girl moment ever of the summer when a certain +essiebutton replied to my tweet! I have loved both Essie's blog and Youtube channel for years and her recent Nordic Vlogs have been the highlight of my subscription box for the last couple of weeks. And I have #daclip to thank for it all ;)

This was a seriously cool moment for me and I literally haven't stopped talking to my sister about it since! Sorry Lu!

Quick plug whilst we are at it - my twitter is @cloudbelle25 if you want to follow my probably not so interesting daily insights!










If you do follow me on twitter than you will have seen that last weekend I met John Torode at the BBC Good Food Festival at Hampton Court Palace. I have watched Masterchef with my mum for years so when he wandered past it seemed criminal not to ask him for a picture. And wow he was so nice, he insisted that we 'take a selfie' which I was more than happy to oblige to. In general our day at Hampton Court was honestly one of the best family days out we have ever had, it was a beautiful day and the palace is stunning, plus we ate about our body weight in free cheese, what more can you want out of a day!?

And if we are talking summer highlights how could I not mention the fact that this summer I finally started my blog which is something I have thought about and wanted to do for such a long time. It is all still so new to me but I am honestly loving it, both writing my own and becoming more involved in reading other peoples. I cannot wait to see where it will take me.

That concludes a round up of the things I have loved this summer, clearly there are so many others I could have chosen, but really to summarise what I have enjoyed most is taking the time to be with the people and the places that I have missed whilst being away at uni this year. Saying this I cannot wait to be going back to university in a couple of weeks and starting my second year which sounds so crazy to me, but I just know it is going to be just as incredible as this last year has been!

Thank you as always for reading, and until next time, B xx