it's an animal thing

dress: topshop, jumper: zara

Ahh, I had the best discovery on the weekend. I visited home to see my new foster brother and I had a wee old rummage around my closet and found about 20 items of clothing that I haven't worn in about 3/4 years! This is a uniform dress from back when I worked for Topshop (Summer 2011) and I bought the jumper to go with it, it's the most adorable outfit ever, and I stopped wearing it when the dress and jumper got too small as I grew up, but now nearly 4 years later it fits again, and it's the cutest little ensemble with my patent black brogues and tights.

The weather has taken an ugly turn again, feels almost like winter again! Too cold and I am a misery for it! Assignments and Practical Assessments are taking over my life at the moment, Easter break this Friday cannot come any quicker! 2 weeks off to regain some sanity!

Hope everyone is having a super week!

a summer change

jumper: oasis, sleeveless shirt: mango, floral trousers: zara

It's finally warmer! Thank goodness, I thought I'd have no time to wear all my summer clothing, but it's around 15/16 degrees, while it's not tropical yet, I'm finally able to leave my sheepskin at home and not be a shivering mess. 

Mother bought this sleeveless shirt for me, apparently mango was having a mega sale and she couldn't contain herself, so she picked me up this, a top for holiday, white jeans, navy shimmery jeans (they sound rank, but they are actually brilliant) and a few other bits and bobs, which I'm sure I'll feature soon. The good old faithful floral trousers make their second appearance, they are so easy and so comfortable I can't not wear them on days like this! 

I hope you're all enjoying this lovely change in weather also!

starting my life book

I'm finally doing it! I've wanted to start one of these for beyond a long time now, it's a struggle being a perfectionist as I can never bring myself to start books/journals/scrapbooks as I'm too worried about ruining them. But I've done it, and it's started now, so I've got to carry on through now!

I purchased this leather journal from Urban Outfitters (£26) and never wanted to ruin it, so it's been sat on my side for nearly 2 months without so much as a pencil touching the pages. Now there are at least 6 full pages.

A life book for me, is to document my days, but not like a diary, through illustrations and blunt, honest thoughts about the day, things to look forward to, and coping mechanisms for me in every day life. I won't take pictures of my day by day pages as there are personal things about my life that are not going to be publicised, but the back of this book features my 100 item Bucket List.

6 of the goals are listed above, but they cover every avenue and very varied subject areas, but I've always wanted to make a detailed and an extended Bucket List, so I can make my life more exciting and create memories for myself and my family/friends.

If any of you have a similar life book/scrapbook/journal, please link me as I love reading about other peoples journaling!

happy pancake day

Happy Pancake Day for tomorrow beauties! I never really partake in Pancake Day, but I love looking at wonderful recipes for the sweet things online, so I thought for all of you who can enjoy it, you can give these different recipes a go, I'd love to see if you make any of these, so give me a link if you do!

Easy Chocolate Pancakes w/ Caramelised Banana

These chocolate pancakes with caramelised banana are deliciously good, adults and kids alike will love these!

One-Egg Mini Pancakes w/ Boozy Fruits

Mini pancakes with boozy fruits are a store-cupboard pudding and are perfect for Pancake Day.

Gordon Ramsey's Chocolate Crepes

Chocolate Galore! Sweet and scrumptious!

Polish Sweet Cream Cheese Pancakes

A traditional Polish filling for pancakes with a sweet cream cheese filling.

Dulce De Leche Crepes

Dulce De Leche is a beautiful filling for pancakes and a wonderful recipe for Pancake Day!

5 beautiful recipes for the lovely day! Looking through recipes is one of my favourite things to do so looking through all these scrummy ones was a fun way to spend my afternoon! I hope you're all doing some interesting and yummy recipes for Pancake Day and I look forward to seeing all your pictures and some more scrumptious recipes!

the gap fit

jumper: gap, trousers: topshop, satchel: river island

Hola kiddies! Now the weather has decided to warm up slightly outfits like this are now okay to wear out with maybe a thin jacket, rather than layer upon layer of vests, jumpers and jackets and looking like a drowned ant! Now I got this jumper from Gap at the Clarkes Shopping Village outlined in my last outfit post! I love it a lot, it worked really well with a collared shirt as a combo as well, and I love that look. 

Now, these trousers are a small love affair of mine, I tried them on a while ago (when they were full price) and they didn't have my size and the 8 I tried on hanged off so I was a bit gutted, but when mother and father visited me and we strolled down Oxford St, I found them, in my size and in the sale for £20 down from £40! So I was chuffed to say the least really! I love their high waisted detail, so I can tuck jumpers or shirts in and also there's never any constant hoiking them up, which is a plus!

This satchel is my best friend at the moment, I seem to have a lot of greens in my outfits recently, so this satchel has been making a fair few appearances. My mum picked this out for me and gave it to me for Christmas, she always seems to pick up little gems for me, so I thank her for that!

When sligtly warmer I wear this without a jacket or anything, and it remains comfortable throughout the day, so I have to say, it's perfect for this time of year.

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week

Hey beauties, today's post will be a little off topic, well very off topic to be honest. But, this is something close to me and, especially this week, something I'd really like to help raise awareness of.

Now, most of you probably aren't aware (or you might be, sorry for presuming!) that this week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, a week devoted to raising awareness of the various Eating Disorders that occur all over the world, affecting many boys and girls of all ages, and to challenge the stereotypes and the stigma that goes with the label "Eating Disorder".

Eating Disorders are serious mental illnesses that effect 1.6million people in the UK, and claim more lives than any other mental illness. Even so, they are treatable and recovery is definitely possible. Unfortunately there is little awareness of these illnesses other than what the media can portray which, most of the time, isn't the reality, so this week is in pursuit of changing the awful stereotypes that can come with having an Eating Disorder.

Types of Eating Disorders

There are various types of Eating Disorders, all equally dangerous and life-threatening.

• Anorexia Nervosa
• Bulimia Nervosa
• EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified)
• Binge Eating Disorder
• Special Eating Issues (more specific issues, such as Diabulimia the act of a Type 1 Diabetics intentionally restricting their insulin intake to aid weight loss)

Eating Disorder Stereotypes

Having battled various Eating Disorders over the past year, and currently, I have had many unfortunate incidents regarding stereotypes and ignorance towards Eating Disorders, this is another reason why I wanted to make this post to help NEDA and their cause.

• "All People With Eating Disorders Are Skinny"

Completely 100% FALSE. Statistics show that 1/3 of people with an Eating Disorder are underweight, 1/3 are of a normal weight range, and 1/3 are overweight. A quote I think describes this situation perfectly is "you can not judge a persons health based on their size" this is appropriate in this sense, and otherwise as well.

• "All People With Eating Disorders Are Vain"

I have never heard a more ridiculous statement, it is a mental illness that sufferers cannot help, it barely has anything to do with being vain and how they look, I cannot speak for all sufferers but it can be to do with having a need for control, in an ever changing and uncontrollable world, the only thing one can control is their food intake and their weight, and that's what they can lean to. It's highly insensitive and very ignorant to believe in the comment above. But there are various different triggers for an Eating Disorders and effect people in different ways.

• "All People With Eating Disorders Are Girls"

Erroneous, 10-15% of Eating Disorder cases are males, this is simply a stereotype because the media aren't as interested in the male Eating Disorder cases. Again, connecting to the 'vanity' stereotype, it is seen as a girl's disease for this reason. Which makes it harder for boys suffering to seek the help and treatment that they desperately need, which is why this stereotype needs to be addressed and corrected.

• "All Bulimics Throw Up"

False, Bulimia is characterised by binge eating episodes followed by purging, and there are different types of purging, there is self-induced vomiting, but there is also laxative abuse, and compulsive, over-exercise.

• "Binge Eating Disorder Isn't Serious Like Anorexia/Bulimia"

Ridiculous, it is a recognised mental illness and carries the same health issues and dangers as the more publicised Eating Disorders. Sufferers can experience heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and depression.

Another point to make, I feel, is that because it's a mental illness it carries a lot of stigma, especially for people who don't fully understand the condition. I know I'm guilty of this before I became ill, how many times have you heard of someone being sectioned/having psychiatric treatment and thinking to yourself, or gossiping, "nutjob" "mental case" "crazy", and that is due to nothing more than ignorance. And that is why the awareness week is set up, to make sure people are getting fully educated on the matter. The picture above does not mean I feel psychiatric illness need more awareness and more funding than other life-threatening conditions, but they at least deserve the same, that's what I find unfair to be honest.

I really could go on and on, but I literally would be typing for days. These stereotypes are very damaging to sufferers and their self-esteem, and they are adding to an already deteriorating knowledge of what an Eating Disorder really is. 

I fully support NEDA's week to raise awareness for Eating Disorders, and if you would like to learn more about the various types of Eating Disorders and any associated disorders please visit the following websites as they are a great learning resource, or if you are suffering and would like to know how and where to get help and support

National Eating Disorders Association

B-EAT: Beating Eating Disorders

Many thanks to those who have read this, it's a subject close to me and my life and it's an important issue that needs to be publicised.

minion nail art

Yes, this is what I spent my afternoon off doing! I have to say it was actually a hell of a lot of fun, I did enjoy myself. When it all came together it was really satisfying to be honest, I was really proud! 

I didn't want to do the entirety of my nails as I thought it would be too much, a bit over the top and would just be for novelty effect, and I wanted a set I could wear and would go with outfits etc.

Here were the steps as to how I completed this set.

(l-r) cover entire base with a yellow, then paint the tip with a blue, add the black detail with a nail art pen or use an acrylic black paint with a small brush, then add a grey/brown between the black detail, a smaller white circle on top of the grey/brown, then add final facial accents with a black nail art pen or acrylic paint.

I joked to my boyfriend that I would give this design a shot, but after he said how awesome I would be (I think he was being sarcastic to be fair) and how much I love taking on new designs, I went for it! 

What do you guys think? And if you have any cool novelty nail art designs link me, I'd love to check them out!