The Versatile Blogger Award

A few days back I received a comment on one of my posts from the lovely Indi Stilling over at Random Indi (Check out her blog by clicking here) saying that she had nominated me for "The Versatile Blogger Award". Thank-you very much Indi! 

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I'd never heard of this award before but - much like the Liebster award, which I'm sure most people have heard of now - it seems to create the chance for bloggers to interact with each other and for smaller blogs to get some of the recognition they deserve. 

 

Now, enough of my rambling, it's time to get back to the point of this post, the award itself. 

The Rules: 

1. Show the award of your blog 

2. Thank the person who nominated you 

3. Share 7 facts about yourself 

4. Nominate 15 blogs 

(I personally think this is quite a lot so don't feel you have to  nominate this many haha!)

5. Link your nominees in the post & let them know

So here we go..

Facts about me:

1. I have 6 piercings including my nose, belly button at least 2 in each ear 

2. My favourite series of books are The Hunger Games (Borderline obsessed over here!)
3. I'm a quarter Irish as my Gramp was from Ireland
4. I moved away for university when I was 19 and, besides visits for holidays, have lived away ever since
5. One of my biggest fears is flying (it's just so high up & I hate that I can't get off the plane if I want!)
6. Although I'm 22 part of me would LOVE for something like Pokemon to be real- or Harry Potter.
7. I currently live in the city but part of me massively misses living in the countryside

The blogs I nominate are: 

1. Nathan - My Transexual Story
2. Lucie - Lipstick and Lashes
3. Viktoria - The Calm Way
4. Bryony - Indecisive Bry
5. Rosa - Meeky
6. Ally - Pinspired
7. Holly - Emfire
8. Anne - Anne and Spencer
9. Lola - Eccentric Erudite 
10. Trish - Reserved for Ruby 
11. Lauren - Totally Typically
12. Becky - Where Our Time Went 
13. Francesca - My Confessions of Being A Shopaholic
14. Georgina - Skipping In Daisies 
15. Karis - Karis Atkinson 

I enjoy little posts like this, as it gives me an excuse to write about things that I probably wouldn't usually and interact with other bloggers in the blogging world! 

If you do this post let me know! I'd love to read your facts!

Thanks again to Indi for nominating me. 

xxx

Bullying, it gets better.

I want to write a post about something a little different today  - don't worry I already have some ideas for more recommendations and beauty posts *breaths a sigh of relief*- However this is something I feel is important for anyone going through a tough time at the moment. For someone feeling like they just don't fit in or are subject to bullying.

When people hear the word "Bullying" it's pretty normal to think of a teenager in school play-ground. A group of boys pushing a smaller boy over, or that mean group of girls that would sit and gossip about the other girls (Every school has these girls, and if you're still at school - don't worry, you're not the only one who doesn't like them!). However bullying is something that can happen to anyone, at any age and cause them to feel alone and isolated.

I'll hold my hands up and say that throughout a period of my school life I was bullied. So much so that I ended up moving classes to try and get away from it. I hated school for a while and couldn't understand why I was being picked on. As far as I could see, I was a normal teenage girl.

However looking back I can tell the only reason I was picked on was because the girls that did it felt they could get away with it. Simple as that. I was quiet and, along with other poor teenagers that would sit quietly when either being pushed about or having some nasty words sent their way, I was intimidated and didn't stick up for myself.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no saint - There were times when I sat with the wrong group of girls (thinking they were friendly but they definitely were not) and I ended up saying some mean things about other people. Things I instantly regretted.... And I'm sure everyone's guilty of being mean at some point - but a nice person will see that this is wrong.

I can see I'm getting a little sidetracked here (it may have been around 6 or 7 years since this time but it's still a subject that makes my blood boil a little) but my main point is - no matter how old you are, whether you're in school, college or work bullying is not okay and you don't have to put up with it.

So what if you're "different"? 

Who gets to define what "normal" is?
Normal sounds boring anyway!

You like that song that just "isn't cool"? Who cares, listen to it anyway! 

You're a girl who prefers to hang around with boys (or vice versa)? Great, good for you!

You fancy boys, or girls, or both, or no-one? That's 100% okay! 

Whether it's a matter that's as small as wearing your hair in a different way then what is seen as cool, or a situation that is truly life changing - you shouldn't ever have to worry about dealing with bullies who try to make you feel uncomfortable, upset or ashamed.

I know it's hard at the time when someone is being nasty or mean, but try to hold your head up high and ignore those people. They are not your friends and their opinions do not matter.

As someone who was bullied - admittedly nowhere near as horrendously as some people experience (just those nasty school girls *ugh*) - I can promise you it get's better.

Those people in your class at school or office at work aren't going to be around forever - there are people out there who care about you, and who will be true friends. If you haven't found them yet, I promise they will come.

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I want to finish my post/slight rant haha, with the recommendation of a blog that I stumbled across the other day. It's a new blog so there aren't to many posts yet, but I believe the few that are written give a powerful insight into someone who has/is going through the stages of dealing with bullies and finding themselves.

The blog is called "My Transsexual Story" - you can visit it by clicking here - and I really think it's something that can help comfort someone who going through a rough time at the moment.

I hope this post helps even one person... You're 100% not alone and you do not deserve to be treated in anyway that isn't positive!

(Without even meaning too I've basically written an essay here! Why couldn't I write my university assignments this quickly?!)

If anyone has any words of advice for someone who may be going through a rough time, feel free to write it below - you may just make someone's day.

xxx

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick Review

I recently treated myself to some new lipsticks and decided to for Rimmel's Kate Moss lipstick range and decided to write a little review based on the elements that I think make a good lip product; colour, texture, staying power packaging and price...

Who can resist new lipstick?!

Colour
These have a lovely pigmentation. On the left is Shade 08 and on the right is Shade 30. Number 08 is a lovely natural nude shade with a slight pinky tone which is perfect for when you want a little something on your lips, but nothing too bold  with a slight pinky tone to it and Number 30 is a deep purple/red shade which fits perfectly with the autumn/winter trends. 

Texture & Staying power
One of my pet make-up peeves is dry lipstick that fades quickly and leaves that weird patchy look on my lips (I hope it's not just me that experiences this...?) So when I used these lipsticks I was pleasantly surprised.

Not only do these have lovely colours, the texture of the Kate Moss Lipstick's is creamy, moisturising and has great staying power. 

Admittedly I did have to reapply the products a few times, but that's to be expected when drinking/eating *or maybe the odd kiss - cheeky*. 

Packaging: 
The packaging on this product creates a much higher end feel compared to some drug store/high street lipsticks and I feel the red "Kate" on the lid adds a small touch of glamour which separates the range from other Rimmel products. 

Price:
The lipsticks are priced at £5.49 each at Superdrug which I think is very reasonable.

Based on each of these factors, I would definitely recommend this product and will be purchasing some of the different shades on offer soon.

If anyone has any lipstick recommendations, let me know!

xxx

Make over x2

So a couple of weeks ago (it could be less but my memory isn't the best) I decided to give my beloved Small & Blonde another makeover.

Some of you may remember me giving my little blog a make over before - if not you can read about it here - but this time I decided to take it a little further.

After spending the evening looking around at other blogs and their designs - and noting slightly green eyed just how gorgeous they all looked - I decided that I wanted to find a template created by someone to use for myself.

I am by no means any good with designs or anything computer related - trying to edit the simplest of HTML code sends my brain into a fuzz - so using a design created by someone else seemed the best way forward. However, as this would be the first time I've used a pre-made design, I didn't want to spend too much money.

After shopping around for a few hours, I stumbled across some designs on Etsy. Compared to  most layouts that I came across, which were around the £30 mark, this was an absolute bargain at £6!

If you like my design, it's from the Etsy shop Sweet Electric Design, which you can find by clicking here . There's around six designs available, all of which have a simple layout and are lovely. It took me ages to finally settle on the one I have now (the pink swayed it!).

I'd love to hear some feedback on the new layout of my blog, or if anyone has any hints or tips for finding lovely blog designs please let me know!

xxx

Top Ten Tag!

So I stumbled across a comment from the lovely TashEmily on my Autumn Winter New Look wishlist (which you can read by clicking here.. teehee cheeky). Within this comment was the mention of the fact that I'd been nominated to do the "Top Ten Tag".

I love being nominated to do different "tags" as it provides an excuse to write something a little different plus it allows me to interact with people from different blogs - which is always fun! 

So.. here we go! 

Rules: Copy and paste everything written in Bold - and state which is your favourite of the make-up items below. 

This Tag was created by Jessica Vannan at Pretty Chit Chat (Click here to view her blog.. It's amazing) 

I was tagged by TashEmily, the creator of A World Full of Wonders - if you havent already, check out her blog by clicking here. It's adorable! 

Finally, I would like to nominate Holly over at Empfire- again, you can visit her gorgeous blog by clicking here (after reading this first though of course haha)

Now most of the products I'm going to mention are the ones I'm currently using and therefore are my current favourites -  What I would consider to be my favourite product does change dependant on things such as weather, the occsasion and just generally how I'm feeling.. But anyway, enough of my rambling and back to the Tag!  

1. Foundation: 
I am currently loving the Max Factor Whipped Creme Foundation. I have this in the shade 40 (light ivory) and find it provides a lovely coverage that is easily build-able. I also find a small amount of this product goes a relatively long way, which is perfect if you're trying to save some pennies!

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2. Powder: 
Now if I'm perfectly honest the power I use to set my foundation is not in anyway a pricey one. If you read my Face of the day, Lazy Sunday Make-up post (which you can read here if you like.. teehee oops) you'll know I use the MUA pressed powder. This powder is an absolute bargain at only £1 and does a pretty good job at keeping your make-up in place.

I'll admit, it isn't as great as some of the higher end powder, but for £1 you can't really ask for more! So this is definitely a current favourite.

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3. Concealer: 
My favourite concealer of the moment is definitely the Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer (shock I know, this product is all over the Blogging and YouTube world). Now I wouldn't say I usually jump on product bandwagons, but when my previous concealer ran out *sobs quietly* I decided to finally give this product a try... It's safe to say I was not disappointed!

Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer has made it's way into this list as I find it offers a perfect amount of cover up for any blemishes or dark circles - I've been able to test this out a fair bit this month as my skin has been preeeetty awful, so thanks skin!.

It's also perfect for those days where you either don't want, or can't be bothered with a full face of make-up.  

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4. Blusher: 5. Bronzer: 6. Highlighter: 
I've decided to combine numbers 4, 5 & 6 together as the Blusher, Bronzer and Highlighter I love comes as a palette, and I think it would be pretty boring to read about the same thing three times!

My current favourite Blush, Bronzer and Highlighter currently come from the Sleek Face Form kit. I adore this palette and it is definitely a staple within my make-up collection.

The bronzer offers a beautifully pigmented shade for contouring that isn't too dark and can be easily blended. In addition to this, Sleek's highlighter compliments the bronzer perfectly when highlighting  areas of the face such as the bridge of your nose or upper cheeks.

Finally, I find the blusher in this palette offers just the right amount of colour to my cheeks. It adds a light pinky colour - which I add to the apples of my cheeks - whilst avoiding looking either strangley sunburnt or just plain sweaty - eew.

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7. Mascara:
My current favourite mascara is one by the Boots brand No7. Since working everyday I don't want to use anything to heavy duty on my eyelashes - would probably look a tad unprofessional - so I've been using this as it offers a lovely natural look whilst still defining my eyelashes.

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8: Eye Shadow: 

Hmmm I've been thinking and thinking about this, and whilst there are eye shadows that I love, I'm not really wearing any at the moment so I don't think it would be fair to include something as a "favourite" that I'm not actually using much!

I am looking to invest in some of the eyes shadow sticks soon, so I may write a review!

9: Brows: 
I've recently started having my eye-brows tinted now at a salon when I have them waxed/threaded (Ouch) so I'm not sure if I can count this as a "favourite"... Although I have loved having tinted eyebrows. It was a slight shock at first - as I have blonde hair and the dye came up VERY dark, but over the course a few days it's began to fade, thank-god! I've found it a lot easier to maintain my eye-brows since having them tinted as they're pretty much always in shape.. All I do in the mornings now is comb them into shape!

I do need to invest in some setting gel though, as having darker eyebrows now means it's alot more noticeable when certain hairs go AWOL!

However, when the eyebrow dye has faded or when I decide to just have them waxed only - I use Rimmel's Professional Eyebrow Pencil in shade 002 - Hazel to add a little more shape and definition to my eyebrows.

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10: Lip Product: 
My current favourite lip product comes from Rimmel's Kate Moss lipstick range. I brought one of these lipsticks recently in the shade 08 for my graduation ceremony.

This shade is a lovely dark Nude which is perfect for when you don't want a bright colour on your lips, but still want a little something. I also think this lipstick will be perfect for the upcoming Autumn/Winter months when paired with some brighter coloured clothing or bolder eye-makeup!

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I hope you've enjoyed this little insight into my make-up collection!
If anyone has any recommendations for any products let me know, I'm always looking for an excuse to buy new make-up!

xxx

Autumn/Winter wishlist - New Look

As the darker nights and chillier days have began, I can't help but start looking at the Autumn-winter clothes and accessories that have come out in the shops.

Since my online shopping baskets have started to grow quite a lot *oops* I decided put together some wishlist blog posts.

To start is New Look.

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If you like any of these items, each is linked below.

Blanket wrap cardigan - £19.99
Reindeer Jumper - £22.99
Faux Fur Head Warmer - £7.99
Skinny Acid Wash Jeans - £22.99
Chelsea Boots - £24.99
Coat - £49.99 (A little on the pricey side but I think this is worth for an item that you can keep)
Navy Check Skort - £17,99
Faux Fur Collar - £9.99
Monochrome Trousers - £14.99


New Look has some lovely items available at the moment which I think will be perfect for Autumn and Winter.

xxx

Hello October

First  off... where has this year gone?! I'm sure the last time I checked my calendar it was the beginning of Summer and now all of a sudden we're being thrown full force into Autumn! Before we know it (forgive me because I'm going to mention the C word already...) Christmas will be here!

I'll admit that I love summer.. the lighter evenings, heat and general happiness that it seems to bring. But  this year I am so ready for the colder months.

Since summer started to vanish throughout September, it seemed that we were stuck with the awkward in-between weather. The weather where it's chilly in the morning - so you put on a jacket - but a few hours later it's crazy warm again and then you're stuck with the dilemma of what to do with the jacket.. Or it seems sunny out, so you happily leave the house in a lovely summery dress only for it to be deceivingly chilly out (yes this did happen to me recently, and I'm still slightly bitter about it, can you tell? Haha).

I like to know where I stand with the weather so I'm so excited for it too get chillier and today was the first day that when leaving work, even in my leather jacket, I felt a chill as I walked... and I was happy about it! Despite it being damp and grey outside from the rain (and the fact I'd just finished a loooong day in the office) I was so happy to feel the first chilly breeze of Autumn. 

As I walked home, I started thinking about my winter boots, coats and accessories.. (along with which shops I could look in to find them... oops) and felt so excited!

PLUS with it being October that means Halloween is only a few weeks away (Yay for an excuse to whip out the fake blood!)... firework night will follow and then (sorry I'm going to say it again) it's Christmas.. the BEST time of the year!

So despite being a a girl who loves the summer (cant help but think of Olaf there singing away about summer.. oh Frozen) and the fact that I'm sure come January I'll be longing for the warmer times ahead- I am very happy to see the start of some chilly months! 

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If anyone has any Autumy posts.. let me know, I'd love to read them and feel nice and cosy! 

xxx