Monday 26 May 2014

Book Blogging and new blogs

I've started a new blog that is about books called bibliophile. http://bibliophile556.blogspot.co.uk
I found that I was feeling more passionate about books than I was about beauty and I wanted to write about it but didn't want to on here where my few followers are for beauty and fashion so I have started a new one.
I haven't posted in so long partly because if me thinking about that and partly because I have a lot of school work at the moment and exams that I need to revise for.
As of yet, I still an unsure whether I will continue to post on here after my exams are over, or just dedicate all my blogging time to my new blog. I hope that I will continue but I think I need to play it out and see what happens but either way I think that my commitment will be more towards the new book blog rather than this one.
If you like reading and are interested please check out my new blog, no interesting posts are up yet but they are on the way soon
<3 Ellen xx

Monday 14 April 2014

A day in the life (with photos)

As I am on my Easter holidays, I thought it would be nice to do something a little different and use mainly photos to show an average saturday of my life. I don't know how this will go, or if you will even enjoy hearing about my boring everyday life but here it is. 


The day started off with an unusually delicious breakfast- croissants with raspberry jam and some very tasty mango, peach and papaya juice.


I had been slobbing about all week so I went for a run that was actually pretty nice, I love the dene in springtime. 


When I got back, I tired to brave the garden but I was a bit too optimistic about the weather so I have to say I didn't last very long.


Showered, dressed and fresh faced (more or less) I settled down for a hilarious chick flick accompanied by lunch. You can't go wrong with She's the Man.


Then I made an attempt to get some revision done, although I have to say I got bored pretty quickly so I wouldn't class it as a very productive session.
Luckily my friend rang me up and we went to Starbucks and I had a caramel cream frappacino which was lovely but I forgot to take a picture- silly me! 
We headed back to mine and once another friend joined us we baked some yummy chocolate chip muffins with marshmallows thrown in for extra tasty goodness. I did actually take a photo of one but it somehow disappeared (I'm really not doing to well am I?!).


After tea, some tv watching and writing a blog post, it was time to catch up with my youtube videos for the day. I seriously don't know what I would do with out Troye Sivan!


Finally it was time for bed - not going to lie, often one of my favourite parts of the day, it's just so cosy.


You can't go to bed without a book. I finished reading I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (a modern classic) which I enjoyed a lot more than I expected and found it surprisingly funny. 
I hope you enjoyed this post, it was a bit different but I do like to add some variety to my blog. I've found that the few lifestyle type posts that I have written have gone done quite well so I thought it would be about time to do another one. I actually really enjoyed my day and blogging about it kind of makes me realise how much I take for granted (as deep as it may sound). I should be very thankful for all I that I have and can do.
<3 Ellen xxx


Saturday 12 April 2014

Dragons Egg Lush Bath Ballistic



Recently I tried the dragons egg bath ballistic from lush and I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxing yet exciting bath I had as a result. 
Although it didn't look like the most exciting bath bomb available in lush, the main reason I picked it up was because of the gorgeous, rich, citrusy smell that was oh-so-enticing and I couldn't help but pop it into one of those cute, little paper bags and join the shop queue.

  

It fizzed wonderfully in the bath as bright confetti floated around, and the orange explosion mixed with the happy sounds of popping candy. It was truly brilliant and carried on fizzing for ages too.
The only slight downfall was that it didn't make the bath water quite as exciting as I hoped and as other bath ballistics, but it still looked pretty and exciting. 
Overall the dragons egg bath ballistic made a very enjoyable bath experience and it was definitely worth the money (around the £3 mark I think). However it is not something that I will buy again as I would prefer to try out different bath bombs as, unless you really loved it, there isn't much point getting the same again. 
I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have tries any lush products, what are your favourites? 
<3 Ellen xxx

Thursday 10 April 2014

Five Favourites: things to do in spring/summer

I think I am going to start "five favourites" as a little series feature that I will be posting every few weeks. It will be about anything from favourite lipsticks to favourite youtubers/ bloggers to favourite tv shows. In this post I will be writing about my favourite things to do in spring and summer- they're are definitely my favourite seasons. (This is in no particular order.)

  

1. Lazy days in the garden
Sometimes there is nothing better than soaking up the sun with a book or chatting with a friend in the comfort of your own home. It makes you feel so relaxed and peaceful.
2. Barbecues
I love enjoying tasty food in the sun and spending time with friends and family. You know summer has officially arrived when you get the barbecue out.
3. Beach days
Sun, sea, sand - the beach is the perfect place to spend a hot day. I love to sunbathe, take a paddle and tick in to fish 'in' chips followed by a delicious ice cream.
4. Walks in the countryside
Strolls in the country with a brilliant picnic are always lovely in spring and summer.
5. Afternoon tea
Food-wise, spring and summer is the time for sandwiches, tea and lemonade, cake and cream teas. This makes up the perfect afternoon tea.

I hope you enjoyed this post and are having a lovely day. What are your favourite things to do in spring/summer?
<3 Ellen xxx

Tuesday 8 April 2014

My everyday makeup products

    
(Sorry about the awful photo quality, was really late when I took this photo so not only is ther lighting terrible and unnatural but I also had to take it on my iPad as I wanted to get this post up but was running too late to take it on the camera)

In this post I will be running through the makeup products that I normally use on an everyday basis (for school and ordinary, relaxed weekends).
Face~
After cleansing and moisturising using the Liz Earle cleanser and then an oil-free day cream from Nivea, I like to use a primer as I find this minimises the appearance of pores, reduces redness and really helps my makeup stay on a lot longer so I don't have to worry about reapplying throughout the day. At the moment I use the Baby Skin instant pore eraser primer from Maybelline. Although this primer does the job and you only need a slight amount of product to cover the whole of your face, I think there are definitely better primers out there for a similar price. I don't mind using it and it improves the look of my skin and keeps my makeup on for longer but I will not be repurchasing it.
After, I use the collection concealer on any blemishes and my dark circles. This concealer is brilliant and I find that applying it under foundation stops it from being patchy and means that it stays on longer.
Then I appy my BB cream (or a foundation). I use the Dream Pure BB cream from Maybelline and it's great. I am on my third bottle of this and will definitely repurchase again. BB cream is much lighter and more healthy for my skin so I find that it is often a good alternative to foundation if you haven't yet found one right for you and think your skin needs a break from heavy makeup. 
After I use the Glow highlighter from TopShop. I don't use highlighter absolutley everyday but I think it always makes my skin look a lot healthier so I do like to use it. I use this in my cheekbones and my brow bones. 
I would use a powder on the oily parts of my skin to set it and keep my skin matte however I am allergic to every powder I have tried. 
 Eyes~
For my eyes I start with the Too faced natural eyeshadow collection and take the shade heaven which is a matte cream-white colour and I brush that across the whole of my lid. Then I take velvet revolver, a light, matte brown, and blend that into my crease. I think this a really simple look that is brilliant for the day time, especially when it doesn't need to be very noticeable. (I sometimes venture out of this area and go for something a little more "extravagant" and shimmery but not often and not for school).
Then I take a pencil eyeliner- I use Kohl in black from TopShop which is lovely and creamy-and apply it on my water line and tight line. I think this makes my eyes stand out and brings the look together.
Finally I apply mascara. I use the Benefit they're real mascara which is fantatsic.
Lips~
I will often also use a lipgloss or lipstick but there isn't a set one that I use most of the time- normally a soft pink of nude. Some examples are Love lorn from Mac (a soft, shimmery, pretty pink lipstick) and a L'oreal lip lacquer in the shade Romy.

I hope you are all doing well and enjoyed this post. What makeup products do you like to use everyday?
<3 Ellen xxx


Sunday 6 April 2014

Too much information tag

The TMI tag was created by Carrie Fletcher and has been floating around Youtube for quite some time now. I thought it would be really fun to answer the questions on my blog in caseany of you want to get to know me a bit better or are just interested for some reason or other. I have changed a couple of questions so they fit in for blogging and have taken out a few others.

What are you wearing? 
Stripe tee with pocket- TopShop
Leigh a jeans- TopShop
Slippers- Accessorize 
Ever been in love?.... Do fictional characters count?
Ever had a terrible breakup? No
How tall are you? About 5 foot 5
How much do you weigh? No idea
Any tattoos? No 
Any piercing? Just my firsts on my ears but I really want my seconds done as well. 
OTP? One of many is Romione (Ron and Hermione). 
Favourite show?  New Girl, How I Met Your Mother (so sad it is over). Also really like Doctor who and Sherlock though haven't seen them all yet.
Favourite bands? The Beatles, Imagine Dragons, the Vamps, Little Mix. ( I probably listen to more solo artists than bands though.) 
Something you miss? Being really young and not having a care in the world.
Favourite song? At the moment, Human by Christina Perri. Of all time, not sure maybe Teach Me How to be Loved by Rebecca Ferguson or Old Pine by Ben Howard
How old are you? 14
Zodiac sign? Taurus
Quality look for in partner? Caring and good sense of humour 
Favourite Quote? Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light.
Favourite actor? I love Emma Watson, Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman etc. (beginning to see a bit of a theme here..) but I wouldn't say that I have a favourite. 
Favourite colour? Mint Green
Loud music or soft? Depends on my mood
Where do you go when you're sad? My bed
How long does it take you to shower? About 7 minutes
How long does it take you to get ready on the morning? Anything from 15 minutes to an hour
Ever been in a physical fight? Nope.
Reason I started blogging? It looked fun and I wanted the chance to write about whatever I wanted to write about. I also wanted to be part of the amazing community.
Fears? The dark (yes I am still scared of the dark...) and losing a loved one
Last thing that made you cry? Jermaine on the voice which was last night.
Last time you said you loved someone? This morning
Meaning behind blog name? A kind of shortened name ( though it's still the same length) for my name paired with my middle name- thought it sounded quite cute.
Last book you read? Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. It was very good!
Book you're currently reading? A Study in Scarlett by Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the first Sherlock Holmes book and I am really enjoying it. 
Last show you watched? The Voice
Last person you talked to? My sister
The relationship between you and and the last person you texted? My friend
Favourite food? Pasta
Place you want to visit? Errmm, where do I begin? Would especially love to go to Australia, anywhere in South America and India 
Last place you were? Last place as in literally, my parents room. Last place as in last place I visited, Darlington.
Last time you were insulted? Friday night, but they'd didn't really mean it so don't think it counts! 
Favourite flavour of sweet? Strawberry 
What instruments do you play? I used to play the violin, but I stopped last year
Favourite piece of jewellery? 
Hufflepuff motto necklace - Etsy
Last sport you played? Netball 
Last song you sang? Human by Christina Perri
Favourite chat up line? If beauty was a tree, you'd be a forest
Have you ever used it? Nope
Last time you hung out with anyone? Friday night
Who should answer these questions next? Katie from KatieLou and Pallavi from Typed In Style
Also anyone else who wants to answer the questions can and please take out any questions you don't want to answer.
I hope you enjoyed this tag and are having a good Sunday. I am on my Easter holidays now so I am trying to post every other day and on both days of the weekend for the two weeks I am off so look forward to another post on Tuesday.
<3 Ellen xxx


Saturday 29 March 2014

Seven Spring/Summer Essentials

Now that spring is here (although where I am it doesn't feel like it) I thought I would share with you some of my spring/summer musts.

1. Contemporary young adult books.
A little snapshot of some of my contemporary YA books for you - all of which are brilliant!                         
I love reading outside in spring and summer and I think light books with lots of humour are a great read at  this time of the year. They are easy to read and always make me feel really happy. Some good examples are: Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, Just One Day by Gayle Forman and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.

2. Pastel Nail Varnish
(Left to right) Maybelline Super Stay in mint for life, Barry M matte in Vanilla, Barry M Gelly in papaya. 
Pastel nail varnishes look so cute and pretty and I think they make an outfit look that much more summery and really bring a whole look together.

3. BB Cream
Maybelline Drean Pure BB cream
I think BB cream is perfect for spring/summer. It is very light on the skin and is much better for it than a heavy foundation. This means that it gives a very natural, soft and dewy finish.  It also has SPF in it and is moisturising, both of which are essential for warmer weather.

4. Highlighter
Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polished
I think that beautifully highlighted skin looks so pretty in spring and summer. It makes your skin look so much brighter and fresher and really catches the sun giving a very healthy look.

5. Sunglasses.
Primark- bought last year. You can tell how long it's been since I've worn them by how dusty they are
Sunglasses are a must have this seasons. Not only are they great on bright days, but they also make a brilliant and effortless accessory that can really complete an outfit.

6. Dresses
Mixture of mainly Newlook, Topshop, River Island (and unknown)
Dresses look so cute and pretty in the summer and they are really great for both the day and evening. They are easy to wear and because there are so many different styles, there will always be one that suits you.

7. High waisted shorts
Primark
Your spring/summer wardrobe would not be complete with out a pair or two of some high waisted shorts. They always look great and are the easiest thing ever to style. Also, they are a lot more practical then skirts - especially when wanting to avoid a Marilyn Monroe moment!

So those are my seven essentials for spring/summer. I hope you enjoyed this post.
What are your spring/summer musts?
<3 Ellen xxx

Monday 17 March 2014

Too faced Natural Eye Shadow Collection

 
I have even meaning to get round to this review since Christmas but I've finally done it! I really love the too Faced eyeshadow collections so I couldn't not get one. I got the natural eye pallete. But the other pallets are gorgeous as well. 
The first thing I ever noticed about this product is how beautiful the packaging is. It is so pretty and really matches the colours in the pallete which is always good. I also love that the 9 different eyeshadow shades are set in threes split up into Day, Classic and Fashion. I think this is a really nice touch because gives you some guidance on what colours to use when going for a certain look. The collection also comes with three tutorial cards that match up with the separate sections which I find really useful and is a brilliant idea!

  
The colours are gorgeous. They are all really natural, with three matte shades and some beautiful shimmery ones as well. I find them really easy to use and very versatile. You can create a very simple and natural eye look, something soft, pretty and quite shimmery or even a light smoky eye. 
The eyeshadows are all quite pigmented, easy to apply and blend together extremely well. Furthermore, I never find that I get any fall down under my eyes so I don't end up with glitter half way down my face which is definitely a plus! 
The only downside of this eyeshadow collection is that the eyeshadows don't last too long on my old- I would have to reapply if I wanted it to last all day which is slightly inconvenient. However, saying that I tend to get slightly oily eyelids which doesn't help and I haven't tried this with an eyeshadow primer which I would reccomend if you need this to stay put for a long time. 
Overall this is a brilliant product and I am really enjoying using so I would reccomend it to anyone or suggest you checkout Too Faced's other eyeshadow collections in this range if you are not a fan of the colours.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Have you tried this product? 
<3 Ellen xxx

Friday 7 March 2014

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cookies


Makes 20-30 cookies
Ingredients~
170g (6oz) Plain Flour
40g (1 1/2oz) Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
Pinch of Salt
115g (4oz) Unsalted Butter, softened
120g (4oz) Crunchy Peanut Butter
120g (4oz) Caster Sugar, plus 40g (1 1/2oz) extra for rolling
90g (3oz) Soft Light Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Method~
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C (325 F), gas mark 3 and line two/three baking trays with baking parchment.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in to a bowl.
Cream the butter, both sugars and peanut butter until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Mixing slowly, add the dry ingredients and mix until it has combined and a soft dough had formed.
Put the extra caster sugar into a bowl and roll the dough into 4-5 cm balls. Then, roll each ball in the caster sugar to coat. Place the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking trays, keeping them about 4cm apart.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cookies have a crusty surface and have cracked. Cool completely before serving.

These cookies are so delicious and I can't wait to make them again. They are easy to do and the end result is heaven!
<3 Ellen xxx

Sunday 2 March 2014

Febuary Favourites

There aren't too many things that I discovered last month and really loved. But I love doing favourite posts as it's a good way to keep track, so my febuary favourites will largely consist of things that have been my favourites for a while but just haven't really talked about that much.


My absolute favourite of this month was City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, which is the first book in the Mortal Instruments series. I loved this story line so much, it was really fun and fast moving and the plot twist near the end was so unpredictable and unbearable but in an amazing way (if that makes any sense). It is a supernatural series where we follow Clary who begins to see people and things that other people can't see and after her mum gets kidnapped, ends up falling into a world full of demons, shadow hunters and adventure. It really is brilliant, I read all 442 paged in 3 days it was that addictive. Even now, I still can't stop thinking about the story and am so excited to continue with the series.

Another thing I loved in febuary was the Toni & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo. It is an amazing, quick way to revive your hair- especially since febuary has been so busy for me. It leaves my hair feeling so much fresher, gives it volume and doesn't even leave behind white marks or a weighty feel which I know lots of dry shampoos often do. I am really enjoying using it.

I have also loved using the Rose Jam shower gel from Lush. It smells absolutely amazing and I can't get enough of it. It leaves you smelling so good for the rest of the day. I have almost finished the bottle, so definitely will be needing to buy a massive one soon and the other products they have in Lush with this scent.

I am also loving Daisy Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs. This is so a lovely perfume and the bottle is so pretty as well. It is really fresh, light and a little floral so it is not too overpowering like some perfumes can be. I think it will be even ome suited to summer time and it just leaves you smelling as fresh as a daisy (see what I did there...?) . My only criticism is that it doesn't tend to last for that long but it is easy enough to re-spray it.


The final thing I really enjoyed in febuary was Carrie Fletcher's youtube channel, ItsWayPastMyBedTime. Her videos are so funny and witty and adds a bit more diversity to watch a youtuber who is a girl but doesn't do beauty/fashion so I really enjoy that. Also her sibling is Tom Fletcher from McFly/McBusted who also has a youtube channel which I love! They have an amazing series together where they make youtube videos so to talk to each other and they are hilarious so definitely check them out if you like that type of thing!
I hope you enjoyed this post and had a lovely Febuary. It felt really long to me even though it's only a short month! I am definitely glad it's finally March as it means spring is just around the corner. 
<3 Ellen xxx

Sunday 23 February 2014

Top 5 Beauty Wish List

I had so many things in my beauty wish-list that I would probably never get round to buying, so I narrowed it down to my top 5 (it is in no paticular order).
     
                 

1. Select Cover-up: Mac £15
This concealer looks amazing, it's had so many good reviews and looks like a really brilliant illuminating concealer for under eyes. It is meant to be pretty good for blemishes as well! I really want to try it out.

2. Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner (perfect black): Too Faced £15
This eyeliner looks absolutely amazing. When I swatched it in the shop it came out so intense and creamy and beautiful. I just love it and want it so so much. 

3. Colourburst Lip Butter (juicy papaya): Revlon £7.99
All of this range is so pretty and meant to be very moisturising. They are quite sheer, so are very soft and natural on the lips but still show a little colour so I think they would be really useful for a quick-fix. 

4. Colour Tatto 24hr Eyeshadow (permanent taupe): Maybelline £4.99
 I have wanted one of these for so long. They are all such pretty colours and have some great reviews. I love every product from maybelline that I have tried so hopefully these live up to the expectation. 

5. Micellar Cleanising Water: Garnier £4.99
This is meant to be a fantastic Bioderma dupe so I really want to give it a try. It seems like a really good cleanser that will be brilliant for removing makeup when I can't be bothered to go through the whole cleansing fiasco. 

What is your wish list like? Have you tried any of the products that are on mine? 
I hope you enjoyed this post and had a wonderful weekend!
<3 Ellen xxx

Sunday 16 February 2014

Collective Haul

I'm sorry that it's quite a long time since I have posted, but I have been super busy (revising for mocks, which is not so fun....) and after posting nearly everyday for a month a little break was probably needed. 
This post is going to be a haul of a few things that I picked up over the last two weeks or so-leftover Christmas money is just great!


I picked up this brilliantt t-shirt from TopShop. I really like the design of this, it's just so cute and I love the naïve cat print. It will be great to wear just with jeans and some ankle boots or converse for a really simple and easy look. I think it was £15.


For the 4th time, I repurchased the Lasting Perfection concealer from collection. I love this concealer, but am pretty sure I don't need to say much about it asset try much every beauty blogger raves non-stop about this product, and if you haven't heard about it, than I have no idea where you have been!


I bought a gorgeous Barry M nail varnish in the colour vanilla. It is matte, which is really exciting because I have never tried a matte nail varnish before. The colour is a very light pinky-purpley nude that is almost beige (really don't know how to describe the colour but I am wearing in the picture above) and I love it. It was £3.99.


I also got a mac lipstick, which was actually a gift but I couldn't not include it. It is in the colour pink plaid and has a matte base. It is such a pretty pink that is so easy to wear and I think it works really well as a matte lipstick. 


The final things I got recently are two books. I ordered these off thebookpeople.com - which for those of you who don't know sell books for cheaper than their retail price and always has a great offer on. Right now they are doing free delivery for orders over £10 which finishes at midnight tonight, so go check that out if you want to. They arrived yesterday and I was so excited because I can't wait to read them.
The first book is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It was £6.39 saving me £1.60! It is a dystopian novel set in 2044 when the world is an ugly place- oil has run out, the climates wrecked and many people are in poverty. There is this game called OASIS which is a virtual utopia and people are pretty much logged on to it all the time to escape the real world. But then the creator of the game dies with no heir, but he has left behind him a series riddles scattered throughout the OASIS. Whoever solves these riddles will be allowed control of the OASIS and receive his massive fortune. It sounds so good and interesting and a brilliant, unique idea. Everyone who has read it loves it! This book also has a lot of 80s pop references in it, so I am really interested to see if I will understand them and how they add to the story.  
I also got The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan. Again it was £6.39 saving me £1.60. I'm not too sure what this books is about exactly, but I know it is a YA (young adult) love story set in New York. The story is told through snapshot moments and each snapshot starts with a word that describes or fits in with what that moment is about. This seems like a really interesting format, so I am really excited to read this. I have already read something by David Levithan and loved it so hopefully this one will be jut as good. 
So that is everything I have bought in February so far. I hope you enjoyed this post and are having a great day!
<3 Ellen xxx



Friday 31 January 2014

The New Year Project : Reflection

                                        


So this is it, my final New Year Project post. I actually completed the challenge, yay! I would like to thank the lovely Toni from One Chocolate Box for coming up with this brilliant idea and being so amazing to all the participants throughout this month. I had so much fun doing this challenge and feel that I have learnt so much from it as well.
The challenge touched a lot on goals and resolutions. It made me think so much more about my resolutions and be some much more motivated to keep going because I had written about some of them and written about failure etc. Hopefully I will be able to continue with my resolutions successfully.
The New Year Project also made me think a lot about happiness. I thought about all the things that make me happy, how I need to take responsibility for my own happiness and so many other things that were really valuable.
This project also allowed me to think a lot about myself with out feeling guilty and self involved. I learnt a lot about what I want to achieve and be proud of, the effect others have on me and my whole outlook on who I want to be, what will help me find it and things that I need to work out in terms of being more comfortable with myself. 
This year, I am looking forward to so many things and dreading others. I am looking forward to achieving goals and learning new things about myself. However I am dreading the new level stress that exams is introducing into my life. I am also looking forward to many amazing adventures that I plan on having this year and I hope to do many things that will go outside my comfort zone.
What are you looking forward to for the rest of the year?
<3 Ellen xxx

Thursday 30 January 2014

The New Year Project : Dear Future Child.....


Dear future child,
I don't know much about happiness. I know how it feels when you are happy, and how it feels when you are not but there is not too much that I know after that. I have worked out that happiness ca. Be quite subjective. There will be times that you feel like you are the happiest that you can ever be, but then something else happens that makes you happier; the same goes for not being happy as well.
I have also come to learn that the things you do, the way you feel and your outlook on life affects your happiness and even though loved ones make you happy, in the end it's down to you.
I have also learned that if you look for happiness too hard than it stops you from living life, which is the thing that most likely does make you happy. As much as it is good to surround yourselves with postivity and inspirational things and think about all the ways to make yourself happier, it is not good to obsess over it. Ironically, that can stop you from being happy. You find the best inspiration when you are not looking for happiness. Your idea of happiness may be different to what it will feel like when you are most happy, so don't focus your life on finding out how to be happy. Focus your life on choosing to be happy, don't think in to it too much. Harry Potter taught me a lot about happiness and love, but when I read it I wasn't searching for that I was just looking for a good story. 
Finally, the most important thing is this:
Don't give up in happiness. 
<3 Ellen xxx



Wednesday 29 January 2014

The new Year Project : Who brings out the best in me?



I have no idea what my answer to this question is. I know that there are many people who bring out a lot of good in me, but I cannot pinpoint one person who brings out the absolute best in me. I think one this is because I don't know when I am being the best version of myself. There are some people, who may bring out a more outgoing and cheerful side of me, people who bring out a more caring side and there are people who will bring out a will to work hard and achieve my goals; but not, per say someone who brings all these things out to the best of it. And at times, the people who bring out the best in me in some ways, can also bring out the worst. I think instead of looking for that one person who brings out the best, I will spend time with the many different people who bring out aspects of myself that are good qualities and be thankful for that. I am extremely grateful that I have many people who have potential to bring out these qualities and I will take joy in that fact rather than focusing on one person. I am thankful for all these people I have in my life, and hope I bring out good qualities in them as well.
Do you have one person who brings out the best in you, or do you share my opinion?
<3 Ellen xxx

Tuesday 28 January 2014

The New Year Project : I think I would be better at...if I....


I am constantly comparing myself to other people. I am always aware of how well other people have
done in something/ what they are like and thinking about myself because of them
If they are better than me, I will put myself down. Obviously, this means that I end up doing this a lot, as there will always be someone better than me- someone who is more talented, better personality, prettier, cleverer, or achieves more- which make a my constant over-analysis of other people unhelpful and pointless. I have no clue why I always feel the need to do it, I am not the, I am me. I don't need to care about who everyone else is (in that sense), just worry about who I am because that's what matters.
So to answer the question:  I think that I would be better at being proud of myself and comfortable with who I am if I didn't compare myself to others. 
What would your answer to the question be? 
<3 Ellen 

Monday 27 January 2014

The New Year Project : Keep Going


Losing track and giving up on resolutions is something that occurs basically every year for me; not this year. Yes,  I know what your thinking, we say that every year but does it ever happen? No. However, this time I am determined to keep going.
 I found this picture on Pinterest and just thought it was so cute and had to include it in my post. I think that it will remind me of everything what I have accomplished so far in terms of my goals and resolutions. It will be so much more fulfilling and beneficiall to keep going, instead of giving up- that would just leave me with disappointment. When I'm losing track of my goals I will remember how amazing it'll feel when I reach the end, when I accomplish what I set out to do. I will think about all the good that will come from it. 
Another thing I will do when I am losing track or beginning to fail at one of my resolutions, is to take a step-back and reevaluate: assess where it is going and how I will go about it. If the way I am managing it is not working, I will try some thing new. Kind of like doing a progress report, refreshing the situation and trying again. I will try not to feel disparaged by the feeling of failure I might come across, but instead persevere.
What are something's you would do if you felt like you were losing track of your resolutions?
<3 Ellen xxx


Sunday 26 January 2014

Getting Organised

The time has arrived where I have to start revision (ugggghhh), so it meant that today I had a wonderful day of getting all organised and planning out what I need to do. To be honest, I find it all pretty exciting- as sad as it sounds- because the whole idea of notebooks and lists and timetables and fancy bits and bobs feels so satisfying. Does anyone else know what I mean?

(Sorry about the terrible photos, bad lighting and camera) 

Something I absolutley love to use is my planner. It's personalised and so beautiful. Phots on the cover, dates, notepaper and even sudokus. I created it at personalplanner.com amd there are so many different ways you can make it your own. It's so brilliant and I am able to put everything I need in it. It is a great place to for all my important dates, to-do lists and homework/blogging things I need to do; it is just great to have it all in one place. I don't think I would be sane without it!


I also have a (life-saving) Pukka Pad project book for my revision. It's a brilliant size: A4 and  a good thickness. This makes it so much easier to write notes etc in, and is not too bad to carry around (as long as you have a good-sized bag) so are so good to revise from. It also has page dividers in so that you can split up your revision and it just makes everything so much easier and better to find what you need. Another thing which is brilliant is that it pockets in it so you can store any sheets and bits that you need. I definitely recommend one! 
This post was a bit random and different. I did sit down intending to write a review on my too-faced eyeshadow collection (I promise I will write that soon), but I just got so excited about being organised and my notebooks that I just ended up writing about this instead. Woops! Anyway I hope you found this maybe slightly useful or you could maybe relate to the excitement of organisation. Hope you all had a good weekend! What are some of the things you like to do to keep organised?
<3 Ellen xxx

Friday 24 January 2014

The New Year Project : taking charge of your own happiness


I think we forget that ourself is the thing that will make us happy. Obviously, loved ones, jobs and activities can make you happy but those things make you happy because of what you make of them, of how you feel about them. In the end it is all down to you. You are the one who is responsible for making your own happiness. You can't sit around waiting for someone else to do it for you, or waiting for it all to sort itself out because that's not going to happen unless you do something to help it along.
There will be times in your life when you are unhappy. Sometimes this could be because of something that you have to power to change. If that is the case, then change it. Do the necassary things for your own happiness. If you can, fix the thing that is making you unhappy. 
Sometimes you won't have the power to fix/change the cause of your unhappiness. At times like this, you own thoughts and feelings can make it easier until that thing has passed over and doesn't seem as hard. Do something to help you relax, do other things that will make you happier during this time or even seek out some therapy or counselling. Take charge of your own happiness.
The simple answer to happiness is you. 
<3 Ellen xxx



Thursday 23 January 2014

The New Year Project : Resolution Progress

I chose this quote because I think it is a simple but great few words to remember whenever we feel like we should give up. It tells you not to stop, remember what you might achieve and what your goal might help you become. 
At the beginning of this challenge (and this month) I made a post about a few of my resolutions and obstacles. Three weeks into the year, and it's time to think about how I have been doing with them.
I shared three of my resolutions with you, though I did have a few more. 
The first one was to worry less. So far this has been going okay, my worrying definitely hasn't stopped, but I haven't done quote as much of it. Whenever I have felt stressed, I have taken a step back and just focused in having a little bit of relaxation time which has been working so far and I hope it will also work in the future as well.
Another resolution I wrote about was blogging more. I have definitely done this, seeing as I have put up a post every weekday because of this challenge, which I am proud to say I have completed so far. I have also done two other posts which I uploaded at different weekends and plan to upload another post this weekend as well. After this challenge I won't continue to blog almost everyday, but I will definitely try and blog once or twice a week. I am very glad at how this resolution is going so far.
The final resolution I shared was to read more. This has also been going well, I re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this month, have read Boy meets Boy by David Levithan (which was excellent) and am nearing the end of Pride and Prejudice which is also brilliant. I have really enjoyed reading a lot because it feels much more relaxing and a great change to watching films and tv and is so much better most of the time! 
My other resolutions which I didn't write about in my previous post are not going too well. However, I have a while, so hopefully I will be able to achieve them.
How are your resolutions/goals going?
<3 Ellen xxx

Wednesday 22 January 2014

The New Year Project : Body image


For today's post, the questions asked were: what don't you like about your body? What steps can you take towards accepting and maybe loving your body? 
It is quite hard for me to write about I guess. There are so many things I don't like about my appearance. I hate that my body isn't "feminine" enough. I hate that my eyebrows are too thick, my nose, the fact that I have chubby cheeks, my eyes, my chin, my skin. I really don't like my thighs or my feet. I either avoid mirrors or spend hours staring at myself and picking out the parts of myself that I hate and I can't leave the house without makeup on. But these aren't things that anyone should do. 
 We only have one life, one body and it's not going to change. The best thing for us to do is to embrace the parts that we like about ourselves and focus our attention more on what we are like as person rather than what we look like. Worrying about appearance and admitting that it's a big deal make me feel liked there might perceive me as being vain, but it's more than that. It's about not feeling comfortable in your own body, not feeling comfortable with who you are. It's about constantly thinking that your appearance can reflect your own self and that people will judge you because of it. Its even more than that but I don't really know how to put it in words.



This quote really stood out for me as I think it speaks so much truth. Accepting your imperfections (which everyone has it is perfectly normal) seem impossible to me because I do to know where to begin, I don't know how I would do it. It's as if every time you stand on front of the mirror you can see big bold writing scribbled across it reading UGLY. But it's not the mirror that's telling you that, it's not other people that show you what you see, it's yourself. Your own self is the one who is responsible for making you feel so insecure and low, yet you are the only one who has the power to realise how to love and accept your body. I, personally find it so difficult. Whenever I get close to it, it slips alway and I'm left with this feeling of guilt for doing it. I make myself feel like an idiot for thinking for one second that I would be okay with how I look. No one should have to feel that because it is pointless and doesn't do any good. Being happy is the best thing to be, because it will make you beautiful.
<3 Ellen xxx





Tuesday 21 January 2014

The New Year Project : Feel good music and films

For today's new year project, I will be sharing my feel good musoc and films- the ones that make me really happy!


For films, any brilliant and fun musical will always make me feel happy but lots of others! Films such as Hairspray, Wizard of Oz or Sunshine on Leith, which is coming out in DVD on the 27th of January- so excited! 
Most Animated disney and Pixar films are feel good films for me. A lot of them bring back good memories and remind me of when I was little, while others are a fun, and also hilarious way to realise that I a still young at heart (sounds weird I know but...who cares?). Tangled is brilliant, as is Finding Nemo, Aladin and so many more!
I also love to watch a good ol' rom-com. They are so funny and cute and everyone loves them. I couldn't even begin to pick a favourite, but everyone has their own. Watch one of them when you feels bit down and it will work wonders!
I always watch Harry Potter when I'm feeling ill or not my usual self. They always cheer me up, I normally watch the first one because it's the least "dark" and it all feels so magical and wonderful to remember being introduced to Harry and the wizarding world for the first time, though that might not be the same for everyone because not everyone will love it to the same level as I might do.

Songs that make me happy are:
Explosions   Ellie Goulding
Teach me how to be loved   Rebecca Ferguson
Old pine   Ben Howard
Time Warp   The Rocky Horrow Show 
Nun   I am Arrows
Move   Little Mix
Walking on Sunshine    (Originally by...) Katrina and the Waves
What are some of your feel good films and music?
 <3 Ellen 

Monday 20 January 2014

The New Year Project : next year I want to look back and be proud that I.....


I am writing this pretty late because I completely forgot until now that I needed to write this post. I've been managing this challenge pretty well so far, but it is really hard to remember sometimes!
This time next year, there a lot of things that I want to look back at and be proud of.
I want to have improved my blogging and blogged a lot more than I have done.
I also want to look back and be proud that I have reduced the amount of worrying I do.
I want to be proud of how hard I have worked at school, and proud of the grades that I will hopefully achieve because of it.
I hope that I will have gained more confidence and boosted my self-esteem.
I would like to look back and see that I had really good times with my friends.
There are a lot more things that I want to be proud of, but those are just a few of them. It will be very strange to look back next year and see if I am proud of all these things, have accomplished all the things I want to and how I might have changed as a person.
What are aome things you want to be proud of? 
<3 Ellen xxx

Friday 17 January 2014

The New Year Project : Making. Others Happy


The topic for today is share your fool-proof ways to make others happy. I wouldn't say that I have any fool-proof ways because everyone is different and because sometimes the little things you are able to do don't always help as much as they need to. However I saw this quote and thought it was really cute and sounds like a pretty great thing. The idea that by you being happy, you have the ability to make others happy as well. I think this can be something as simple as a smile. A smile shared with a friend, or one offered to a stranger can do wonders and really cheer up someone's day. Making someone laugh is also often a brilliant way to make someone happier. Sometimes there is nothing better than seeing a friend laugh when they have been feeling sad or a bit down in the dumps, and a laugh can really go a long way. 


I really loved this quote as well. It suggests something that I have always believed and I already have a lot of quotes similar to this on one of my pinterest boards and saved to my photo album. It's the idea that by making someone else happy, and seeing that you are responsible for that, it can bring happiness in to your own life. It makes a person so happy to know that your loved ones, and even people you barely know have been cheered up because of you and it's such a brilliant feeling. 
I think it is really important to aim to bring happiness in to other peoples lives. Sharing happiness makes it even more valued; the more the merrier I think!
<3 Ellen xxx



Thursday 16 January 2014

The New Year Project : Simply Be


The question for todays post is when was the last time you stopped, soaked in your surroundings and let yourself simply be?
I have to say, this stumped me a little. I can not remember exactly when I did this, however I do remember where and how. I went for a walk by myself in the wooded dene area near my house. It was such a beautiful day and I remember feeling happy to be alive, I remember it feeling like the beginning of something. That was the last time that something happened at could answer the question. And I don't know why it was, I just remember it happened. 
I haven't let myself simply be for a very long time. Everything always feels so frantic, rushed and stressed. There is always a fragment of worry at the back of my mind wherever I go so I never feel able to let my self simply be. I think I would feel almost guilty if I did. Worried that time was wasted and that I should have been focusing on other things, however I think that soaking in your surroundings and letting yourself simply be is probably I really good thing to do from time to time. A way to really  appreciate and be grateful for life and every good that surrounds you. It seems like such a simple but important thing to do, yet no one ever makes time for it anymore. 
<3 Ellen xxx

Wednesday 15 January 2014

The. New Year Project: Taking Care of Yourself


Taking care of yourself is obviously important. Somtimes you need to put yourself before others so to be happy, and because taking care of yourself gives you the ability to take care of/help your friends and family.
I never think about the kinds of things I do to take care of myself. The things I do for myself are always for another reason. However when I think about it, everything good that you do for yourself is a way to take care of yourself, a way to make yourself happier.
I think exercise is a great way to take care of yourself. It makes me feel so much healthier and physically fit and is really good for you. Moreover, scientifically speaking, exercise generally makes you feel happier because exercise releases endorphins which basically are hormones that have a happy effect on you. Not only that, but exercising also makes me feel good about myself afterwards and there is a sort of accomplishment when I know I have worked hard and improved my fitness. It's a good feeling to know you have done it for yourself.
I also like to have some "me-time" in order to take care of myself. This is where I will just relax and indulge myself, allowing me some time to be free from worry and away from the busy and stressful outside-world life. I might read a book, have a bath, pamper myself, listen to music, eat delicious treats and do other things that relax and comfort me. It's just a nice ways to take a break from responsibility and important things I have to do. I feel it's a way to release stress and de-clutter my mind. I like to do it when I am having a mind-block, can't think clearly or am finding something in paticular difficult; I always return to task at hand after with a much clearer mind and feeling more fresh and calm. 
What are some things you do to take care of yourself?
<3 Ellen xxx

Tuesday 14 January 2014

The New Year Project : Putting More Happiness into Life


This quote really caught my eye because it is something I have always believed and I think that is something really important to think about. We spend huge chunks of our lives focusing on behaving in a way so that we seem normal and never let our true side out. I think it's so much better to be yourself and be happy while behaving like a complete and utter goon (which I find myself doing on several occasions) than to act reserved and "normal", how boring would life be then? 
Behave in the way that will make you happy, because if you don't then later in life you may come to regret it. You might as well live life to the fullest while you have the chance. Appreciate what you have, what you are and the little quirks you can act on to make you happy. Grasp the opportunity. Use up every day of potential happiness doing what you want to be doing (within reason obviously-don't go vandalising or being violent or something just because you want to), not what you think everyone else expects you to do. Most people probably don't expect anything but you being yourself, and the minority who might judge you or who might want you to act in a certain way really don't matter. Caring about those people who judge you is pointless because you only need those in your life that accept you for who you are.
I think this is a really key way to put more, or keep happiness in your life. The message, in short, is be whoever you want to be, be whatever makes you happy.
What are some of your thoughts on this? Do you agree with my opinions?
<3 Ellen xxx