2016 Goals

Happy New Year! Welcome back to my blog! So this one is about my goals for this year

I purposely didn't call this my 'new year's resolutions'. Why? Well I'm not one of those people that can stick to resolutions. I don't feel guilty by not sticking to them and so I think that 'resolutions' would be the wrong word to use. My second reason is that we're already past the first week of January 2016 so I'm a little late on the whole new year thing. 

Firework Show at Nottingham Castle

I would say I've had a tough year in reflection. University has presented me with a few difficult challenges and its often been stressful. I know I need to focus on my achievements and my strengths and simply work on things I'm not as good at. I'd recommend this to anyone, as it allows me to set realistic expectations for myself. 

My first goal is to take more pictures. 

I find photography both relaxing and entertaining and I don't think I'd get bored of taking pictures very quickly. Over the last few years, I've taken more and more pictures. The rest of my family doesn't and that's sort of what started my passion. I looked back through family albums and pictures on the computer and found gaps. I'd suddenly jump from one picture of me in January at my brothers birthday meal, to Christmas at the end of the year! Looking back at pictures is so important to me and so it's probably one of the reasons I love it so much, because I know the end result will provide me with memories that I can save and cherish-sorry for the yucky sentimentality, I'm very emotional :'). 

This year I want to spend more time taking pictures and go to different places specifically to take pictures. My favourite shots are of landscapes and nature, because they're just so amazing. My parents love long countryside walks and as much as I don't like the walking, the views have often been breathtaking. I also need to think about the different settings I can use whilst taking the picture, even before I think about editing. I often don't add filters to my natural shots because the landscapes speak for themselves, but recently at university, I sat through a seminar about the controls of their hefty, ridiculously clunky video cameras. I took the opportunity to ask a few questions about shutter speeds and gain etc and tried to tailor it to photography and not filming. So that's what I shall think about doing whilst out enjoying myself taking snaps of the world, my family and myself. Not to be vain, but I would like to see how I change through the year and by the way my stress levels are, I'll probably have some greys coming through! 

Goal number two is to express myself more. 

I love my colouring book. Sounds mad I know, but it has really helped in the past week. I have a deadline coming up with university, in a module I don't really enjoy and it doesn't help that I'm rubbish at it. I needed to get out and felt like running away from everything. Music helped a bit, but I still felt like I was listening to music whilst feeling unhappy. Instead I got out my colouring book and completed a whole pattern. It sounds childish but the book does have the word 'adult' on the front, just to prove to those who find it funny that I have been colouring. I also wrote a bit of poetry/ story as English has always been something I've loved, poetry especially. I'm not planning on being an author or a poet, but I'm just doing it because it lets me release all the mess in my head and put it down on a page. 

Organisation

At the start of this year, I used a notebook for all my to-do lists and kept note of upcoming dates on a calendar that Uni gave me for free. However, I think in the next few days, I will go on the search for the perfect diary, to do list, notes, goals...anything I want to write down. It must be the right size to be carried everywhere. The one I was using was a little too big to carry around with me everyday but I loved it regardless. It really helped me with anxiety and stress because I could put down everything I needed to do and it gave me great satisfaction to cross out the ones I had completed. The one thing I didn't like about that, was that it left crosses and mess in the book, which made me feel cluttered and confused.....When you get in a flustered state of mind it's easy for the smallest thing to annoy you and the mess in my notebook does that for me. 

To have accomplished something 

I would love it, if at the end of the year or throughout it, I could think wow, well done Charlotte. I want to be able to be proud, and I mean really proud, of something I have done. I'd love it, if I could finish this year at university with an amazing grade, I wish to pass my driving test and my biggest task I'm setting myself for this year is to get myself sorted. I might do a blog about it, but since starting university, I've realised how much of a big step it has been and how it has narrowed down my learning so much. In sixth form, I chose four subjects to learn; Drama, Media, English Language and Psychology and realising that they were just subjects and not career choices has come as a surprise to me, as I now have no idea what to do once my degree is over. At the end of the academic year/this year, I want to have narrowed down my career choices, as it has been one of the factors giving me anxiety. 

One of my funnier achievements of last year

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post and that it may have inspired you. 

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Beauty Things I'm Rubbish At

So it has been a few weeks since my last blog post. My reason for this is that I've been very low on money and so I've been limited in what I could write about. I hate writing blog posts without having pictures to show you, hence why you've had to wait so long.


This blog post is to show that I'm rubbish at make-up and beauty things. I wear mascara and concealer and that's it but I'm fine with that most of the time. I think that beauty products can sometimes get in the way of people's confidence, feeling like they NEED to put on some make up, or that they think they look horrible without it. Lets face it, once you've found someone e.g. partner or boyfriend/girlfriend, they're going to see you without makeup on quite a lot. Who've you got to impress? And does anyone actually care?

1. I'm awful at eyeliner

I can never get both sides even and I think this is a problem for many girls. The struggle is difficult enough with just one eye, so bringing in a second that you have to match up is just not going to happen. If I do try and wear eyeliner, I like to have a flick. However, the flick gets too long or it's too short so you try and make it longer and go too long. And because that all goes wrong, you get out your makeup wipe to try and wipe the excess away and smudge...The black liquid liner goes all over your face. Brilliant.

2. Eyeshadow

I tend to stick to natural shades and golds. I have brown eyes so I don't think it looks too bad of a colour on me, but I can't do anything fancy with it. I see girls with perfect eye shadow lines that run alongside their eyeliner, whilst I'm stood there with the smallest looking eyes ever. Some people take so much time over their eyes though. I really don't think I could live up to having to colour in the corner of my eye, the base, the outer corner, the brow bone etc. So I just figure that slapping a bit to all of my eyelid will do the job for me.

3. Lipstick

I end up looking like the McDonalds clown with lipstick and even when it does go right, people are that surprised that I have lipstick on, that it looks weird. I have two lipsticks and they're the only lipsticks I've ever had in my life. my favourite is a lovely dark pink/red/berry shade from Rimmel. Rimmel have the nicest smelling lipsticks, so this isn't my problem. My problem is trying to colour in-between the lines of my lips. One slight mistake and you've stained your skin, you look like you've just eaten some tomato soup and it has gone all round your mouth, so overall just a massive fail.

4. Eyebrows

I don't fill in my eyebrows, nor are my eyebrows even but they're pretty dark and they're on my face so that's all that really matters to me. Due to the fact I don't pencil/colour in my eyebrows, the only thing I do is pluck them. These are my La-Tweez tweezers and they're so good! I've had them a while now but there used to be a light on them so that you could always get a precise finish. The discolouration at the bottom is from me being a germ freak and sterilizing them over a flame. Wups!

5. Thinking of different hairstyles

I love to wear my hair down. My hair is sort of long so it's quite heavy.  When I put it up in a pony tail it pulls at my scalp and it hurts, it feels heavy so I just leave it alone. But I'm so rubbish at doing my hair, that I tend to make myself look like a child. I clip up one side with a medium sized clip and that's it. My hair is too heavy for grips and when I do use them, I have to use about six just to keep everything in place, I have to double up on bobbles and clips if I want any of it to stay in place. I have a love/hate relationship with my hair but I don't want to cut it short, so it'll just have to stay boring and untouched until I can master the art of dutch braids, french plaits and all sorts of complex braiding.

So as you can see, I'm pretty low maintenance, what you see is what you get. I struggle daily to try and make myself look 'nice', but at least I'm saving money! 

Thanks for reading and see you soon 

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Stationery/Back to Uni

So although the schools have gone back, a lot of universities haven't so I thought I'd make a little post about some of the stationery items I bought and just a little tip to go with each of them.

1. A plastic wallet

So really, this depends on your workload and how much you're writing. I bought myself a small floral wallet last year from Tesco, for just under a pound I believe. This was before I'd gone to University and didn't realise that just one wallet would not arrange my sheets well enough. However, that one wallet was useful for the sheets/handouts or 'homework pieces' that I was given, so I then started to use it for that (a homework wallet). However if you wanted a wallet for each of your different modules, Wilkinsons had a good deal on a 4 pack of wallets so maybe that's where you'll want to go.

2. Expandable folder

Depending on your course, you might get a lot of work that you need to always have with you. You might want to break down the terms in your modules and be super organised, so I thought I'd add an expandable folder to my list. These folders are usually A4 and are plastic, but you can get paper ones if you wish (these can be quite flimsy). The folder shuts at the front and in this form looks like a thick folder, however when you open this up, there are different slots for you to put papers in so they're a really good idea for a course that has a lot of writing and papers involved.

I've had this folder for years but still does the job! 

3. Display Folder

So recently I got myself one of these after spending quite a long time mulling over the idea of getting one. But I thought it'd be handy for me to see my work as there are sewn in folders. I also thought that it was quite compact and will hopefully be useful. I might make my own separators for each subject as well and just slide them into a pocket.

4. Notepads

So these are pretty essential. If you need to write your lectures, take notes or anything where you'll be writing, you'll need a notepad! I just use a regular A4 one at the minute, with a plastic case for durability and an elastic security band which keeps everything nice and together. I love these because I also used to keep sheets in it and use it as a folder and well as for my writing. HOWEVER!! You might find that buying smaller notepads for each subject is more suitable to you and how you like to organise things. My plan is that I'll write my lecture in my A4 pad, tear out the sheet and put it in my display folder, but if you'd prefer just to have each subject in a different book, go for it!

5. Pens/highlighters/small stationery items

So these are pretty straight forward, you've been using them since school but as you get older, you start to 'forget' your pens or you just take one 'trusty pen'.....Guys, that's really not enough. Buy a pack of three pens, I bought mine for £1 and take all three. Pens run out, pens get lost and everyone knows that one person who asks for a pen before every lecture! Highlighters are quite useful also, especially when it comes to revision time. On my course, the lecturers suggest printing out lecture slides (from the PowerPoint presentations) so going through and highlighting important parts will be really helpful when you go to reflect on what you've learnt.

6. Journal/Planner/Diary

This is just an optional addition but I think these are brilliant. I've featured my journal quite a few times but I'll mention it again because I love it and it's the one that I use the most. It's helpful to write down the weeks plan, to write to do lists and to write down any homework or tasks that you've been set and the date they're in for. You can also find ready made weekly planners and other organisers so it's worth thinking about.

So that's it! They're all my University stationery items. If you think there are more don't hesitate to comment, you can also like this post and follow me on Instagram and Twitter! 

Hope you enjoyed it 

x

Follow @Charlottejade77

Get Ready With Me- Casual Meal

Hello! So I'm back with another post and for this week I thought I'd do something a bit more beauty related. I thought it'd be a nice idea to show you a get ready with me, so that you can see a bit of my style, how I do my make-up and maybe take some inspiration from it. 

So I started the day/night before by having a nice relaxing shower using my Soap and Glory shower puff and some Baylis & Harding 'skin spa' steam cream wash in the scent 'cherry blossom, oriental lily and lotus flower'. The shower gel smells amazing and lathers up really well when combined the with soap and glory puffs, which is the best one I've ever used. It's quite large and padded so it doesn't separate, which means I can give my body a good exfoliation without any hassle. I then went on to give my hair a good wash with the Alberto Balsam 'Tea Tree Tingle' shampoo. This is super affordable and although it might not be the most expensive product, it still leaves my hair feeling soft, looking shiny and smelling really nicely. Then to finish off I used Aussie's '3 minute miracle' conditioner. I don't usually use this conditioner but it's sometimes a nice treat and really helps to 'restore manageability and shine'- so it does, just what it says on the tin (bottle)! Also it has a bubblegum scent to it which is really nice and sweet.

Then to get ready I brush my teeth just using regular Colgate toothpaste, the one in the picture is the cavity protection one but I like to have a change and use the whitening one from time to time. I don't know if it's just me, but I like to brush my teeth before going out. It makes my breath smell fresh, makes my teeth feel clean and maybe it's a little OCD thing, but I just don't feel ready without doing this step.

I get my skin ready using my cheap and cheerful cleanser and toner from Boots. I say cheap and cheerful because they were both only £1.50 each and I don't think for that price, that they're too bad actually! So I cleanse my skin with the cleanser and a cotton pad to make sure my skin is clean and clear from any excess oils or dirt. Then I tone to close my pores- I love this step as it feels nice and refreshing.

Then I prime my face with No17's Photo Flawless Primer that I got in a set for my birthday. I feel like this creates a barrier between my skin and my make-up and makes my concealer and powder stay on longer because of it. It's got a gel like consistency and glides onto my skin; I then rub it around my face and around my eyes.

Now that my skin is ready I start with my concealer. I switch up my concealer and sometimes use Rimmel Wake Me Up or this one I'm featuring here which is the Collections 'Cover up stick' in 'Natural Beige'. I think this helps to make my dark eye circles lighter and less noticeable. The product itself isn't very dewy like the Rimmel Wake Me Up and is more like a creamy powder so would suit someone who likes more of a matte finish.

After this I take my powder brush and using the Rimmel Natural Bronzer, contour my cheeks a little but then also powder the rest of my face just to give me a nice finish and a healthy tanned glow. I'm not very tanned so this step helps me to not looked washed out. This bronzer is amazing, it has a brilliant shade and leaves your skin glowing without adding visible glitter pigments into the product. Also it has an SPF 15 and is waterproof so overall a brilliant make up addition.

I got this No17 make up collection box, which contains loads of beauty bits like lip glosses, highlights and a bronzer. I think these boxes are great gift ideas because they contain a variety of colours and products, so you can make different looks from them by just using this one box. For this look I am using a baked eye shadow powder. Unfortunately it doesn't give a specific name for this colour but as you can see from the image, it's a shimmery gold with a brown undertone. However, it's often up to personal preference, so get a gold eye shadow that you love and one that suits your skin and you can still recreate this look.

I spread this colour all over my lid and then move onto step two, which is to add the 'natural' eye shadow from the outer corner and blend inwards.

I then finish off the look with a few coats of mascara on the top lashes only. My top tip for getting rid of clumps is by using two mascara's, because the different applicators can separate the clumps left by the other mascara.

So now that my make-up is done, I move onto my hair, or vice versa, depending on how I'm feeling. I take Tresemme's Heat Defence spray with protection up to 230oC (purple box around writing). Heat defence is essential when using heat products on your hair. I have naturally curly hair and like to let it air dry, which is what I did the night before. This meant that all I had to do was to add a few extra curls with my GHD's to complete the look. These are just the original GHD's but I love them and they're my holy grail of heat product. I use these to curl my hair by getting a section of hair that looks a bit straighter than the rest, putting the straighteners at the top of the hair and pulling down whilst turning the straighteners. Once I'm at the end of the hair, I then roll it on itself, wrapping the hair around the straighteners and holding for about five seconds, before slowly releasing the straighteners holding them up vertically and lowering down.

This is what my hair and make up looked like completed

My outfit is a baby pink knitted jumper from New Look which was around £19, my paisley patterned black jeans were from TU at Sainsburys! And my jacket is a black leather Dorothy Perkins jacket that has a detachable fur collar that I got a few years ago. My necklace is an Amethyst crystal that I got from a crystal shop in Tintangel, Cornwall.

So that's it! Look complete! I had a lovely night and had a lovely meal for my Nanna's birthday! Hope you liked this blog and the look I created as my style is very simple and natural. 

Please comment, like and follow and I'll see you soon for another post! 

Follow @Charlottejade77

Tips to relax and de-stress

Today I thought I'd create a post with some tips that help me to relax and unwind. Whether you've had a hard day in education, work, family life or may just have had a bad day I hope this gives you some calming inspiration!

Instead of my usual list style, I thought I'd make this blog a bit more chatty since there are so many options and things that might help calm nerves and inspire positivity.

I am very much a home girl and find having a good home life and a comfortable home can help to settle my nerves. If I'm having a bad day at uni or something has upset me, I love nothing more than walking through my front door and taking a deep breath. However I don't think staying in your home all the time is a good thing so make sure you get a healthy balance of both. If you're struggling at home, go to a friends house or find a hobby to keep your mind off things.

If you feel like you can't sleep and just want to shut off your brain, the next few tips are for you. I often over think things or find myself awake at night with my brain still wizzing so my top tip to get a calm mind is to stop. Stop, take a deep breath and then think, what would you benefit from doing. If you're having trouble whilst trying to sleep, don't force yourself to sleep, instead try writing. I enjoy writing lists and weekly plans as it makes me feel a lot calmer, a lot more organised and less worried because I can step back and see what needs to be done; I also get satisfaction from ticking off my to-do lists. Already do this? Why not do some meditation or listen to some music, concentrate on the lyrics of songs, calming songs or songs you enjoy and not ones that make you feel sad!

If I'm feeling stressed in the daytime, I love to relax, put my feet up and have a nice hot drink. If you don't like hot drinks then some flavoured water is usually my go-to cold drink. If you really are having an awful day, and you don't like hot drinks, then you can be excused a nice sweet drink of soda/pop, just to give you some more energy so that you can think positively. On the other hand, if you do like hot drinks, try out this peppermint tea. I find it relaxing, cleansing, tastes fresh and gives you a nice warm feeling.....(durr Charlotte, it's a hot drink). This one that I have is cheap, tastes the same as any other brand and does the trick...Ahhhhhh

Get those slippers on, grab some magazines or a book, sit back, relax and think....the future is bright!

Everyone is different so if you have any more tips or some feedback, feel free to write it in the comments section below! 

Hope you've enjoyed!

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