How To Concert: My 10 Concert Essentials - Lollie

Hello! It's Lollie here!
It's less then a week now until I see Luke Friend and I have to say I am very excited about it. I've seen him multiple times before but never at his own show as this is his first tour, I can't wait!

I thought, because I am attending a concert next week and I go to a lot of concerts, I'd take you through my 10 concert essentials!

1. The Ticket - You cannot get in without this. DO NOT FORGET THE TICKET. I have done this before, however the security were nice enough to check my booking and let me in, however, I can't guarantee that this will happen for everyone so make sure you have your tickets to get in.
2. Phone with battery, a decent amount of storage for photo taking - I cannot express how many times I have been to a concert and I've either run out of phone battery or storage and have been unable to take any more pictures. 
3. Portable chargers - December 2013, when I was hanging out in the hotel reception of the Hilton in Wembley to meet Luke, I had to charge my phone up using the extension cord that the massive Christmas tree was plugged into, to keep my phone charger. For Christmas I received a portable phone charger and oh my gosh it saves lives well... Battery. Now there are three types. The Phone Case chargers which range from about 5 pound to 15 pound on Ebay. If you want one that lasts longer, buy the more expensive one, it's worth it. The charger sticks are usually about 15 pound found on Ebay and at all good Tech shops and the third type is the charger block which can rang from 10-15 pound.
4. An over the shoulder with purse and essentials inside - Trust me, I know over the shoulder bags don't always look the best but they are the most comfortable bags to have at a concert if you don't want to part with your possessions or pay the amount to put them in the cloak room. You need one that is big enough to contain: your purse, your ticket, you phone and charger equipment, any drink/food you want and any other things that you need for the concert. It needs to be small enough, however, for you to be able to jump around and not cause people around you any harm (I've had this happen to me, it's the worst). 
5. A hair band - either take one with you or just wear your hair up. It can get really sweaty at standing concerts and when you are packed in, the worst thing you want is someone's hair hitting you in the face and going in your mouth (I've had this happen to me before too...). Also, a hair band will prevent you from getting sweat and over-heated.
6. (meet and greet only) your fans letters, presents, scrapbooks, cakes, teddy whatever you have to give to your sunshine - Make sure you have all of this and that its is in order and ready to just hand over as some meet and greet can be very rushed and there will be no time for you to stand and tell the artist what their presents are from you.
7. (Q and A ) Questions - Don't go into a Q and A with nothing to ask. Yes others may have questions, but don't count on it, be prepared and have some ready to ask!
8. ( Soundcheck )  Enthusiasm - Have a smile on your face and don't be afraid to put up your hand as you never know what could happen, your bae might invite you to sing on stage with them for the soundcheck, you never know. Also, enthusiasm gets you noticed, so does a big smile.
9. A comfortable outfit - My usually concert attire consists of leggings, boots that don't hurt if I wear them too long (always flat shoes. No one wants to jump around or stand in heels for two and a half hours), a cardigan, - no coats because, yes, you might be cold queuing outside but once you get in, you either have to keep your coat on and sweat to death, have your coat on your person and cause inconvenience for those standing around you or pay the amount to have it stored in the cloakroom - a t-shirt that has the artist on it or because I am going to see Luke, maybe a grungy shirt... and the bag obviously.
10. Last but, not least, a drink of water - There have been way too many standing concerts that I have attended where people have passed out, collapsed and been taken over the barrier by security, because of heat exhaustion and dehydration due to the amount of people in such a small space and the amount of shoving and pushing that goes on (don't shove or push... it's not great and no one wants to feel like they are going to fall over or be push to the floor). A small bottle of water to take with you to drink while there is great because not only does in hydrate you, your throat will most likely be sore and dry from screaming and singing and shouting so it cools and soothes the throat. At some concerts, depending on the venue and security staff, have security at the front who pass plastic cups of cold water back through the crowd to keep everyone hydrated and to reduce the amount of people passing out.

I hope this helps anyone attending any concerts in the future!

Until Next Time - Allons-y!

Lollie xxx

March favourites

Hey guys

Sorry I haven't posted in a while guys but I've decided to do a march favourites video to get back into this blogging world.

The first item on my list is the benefit hydrating lip balm

    This lip balm came in a pack of two lip balms and two cheek stains and me and my sister split them. I got this lip balm and I really like it because it feels lovely on my lips and isn't as sticky as other lip balms and leave a slight red tint on your lips. The second item is the cheek stain also from benefit.

This cheek stain works like a blusher but is a pure liquid and is painted on your cheeks before being rubbed in to your cheeks, I really like it and will buy it again . The third item is my Clinique mascara,

 I got this mascara for Christmas and I love it. I have had it before and really like it because it is high impact and doesn't clump my eyelashes. The fourth item is this body butter,

     This body butter was a Christmas present I got with a matching body wash in the same wild rose sent.Its a flower pharm product and I also got a matching make up bag which I'm I love with. 

The last item on my list is my night treatment gel and my day shine moisturiser 

These moisturiser where bought from boots and were individually bought and I don't know if I've reviewed them beiges but I love them. The night treatment gel is put on at night beiges you sleep and you wash it off when you wake up but it sinks into your skin while you sleep. I really like it and I don't get many spots when I use it. The shine control moisturiser is used before you do your makeup and makes a Matt make up base for your primer and is very efficient and I really would recommend it.

That's all for this week- have a lovely half term.

Belle

X

Also I have created a new Instagram since creating this blog rather than using my private one. If you fancy following it it is Spring_Sweetie xx we also have a joint account the sevensweethearts blog and you can also follow that as well as our Twitter xxxx

March Favourites! - Tuesdays with Ash

Hey Guys! =D

Wow I've been absent for a while. Sorry about that =/

Anywho, these last two days I've had a really bad stomach bug and I've drunk so much water and I think I was close to drowning. Or becoming a fish. BUBBLES!

God I need sleep...

ONTO MY FAVOURITES OF THIS MONTH!

Favourite band:

~ Marianas Trench
I've recently discovered this band and OMG their songs are amazing! I particularly hooked on 'Haven't Had Enough' and 'B-Team'. If you like rock pop then you'll like these guys!

Favourite drink:

~ I'm following Bri's advice here and I've starting drinking green tea again! It definitely has an acquired taste so it may take you a while to come to like it. I used to hate it but now I'm okay with it =)

Favourite food:

~ I gave up chocolate for Lent (which has gotten me a lot of harassment from my so-called friends) and I miss chocolate sooooo much! Even though I can't eat it yet it's still my favourite food, if that makes sense. It doesn't does it? Crap.

Favourite film:

~ Saving Mr Banks
This film is so emotional and it follows the story of the writer of Mary Poppins and Walt Disney who wants to make the book into a film, but the writer isn't so keen. Emma Thompson plays the writer and she is just an amazing actress! Along with her and Tom Hanks playing Walt Disney it's a film that you just simply have to watch.

Favourite book:

~ Cherry Crush
This book is the first in the series called The Chocolate Box Girls by Cathy Cassidy and even though it has quite a cliché plot (girl moves to another city with her dad to live with his new girlfriend, she meets a cute guy who plays guitar blah blah blah...) I love the characters as they are so quirky and Cherry's new step-sisters are adorable! Well, apart from one but I come to like her slightly near the end of the book. You'll see why if you read it!


Right, that's it from me and I'll see you people on the last day of March! God, this year is going by so quickly!!

See ya next week!
Ash xx

February Favourites! - Tuesdays with Ash

Heya guys! =D

First of all, Happy March! I can't believe that February has ended already! Oh well, at least it will start getting warmer now =)

As you can see from the title, I'm doing my February favourites so let's get started!

• Favourite songs

~ 'Love Me Like You Do' by Ellie Goulding

~ 'Hold Back The River' by James Bay

~ 'Like I Can' by Sam Smith

~ 'Sugar' by Maroon 5

~ 'Hey Jude' by The Beatles

• Favourite book

~ 'The Casual Vacancy' by J. K. Rowling

• Favourite film

~ Kingsman: The Secret Service (Taron Egerton and Colin Firth OMG! <3)

• Favourite TV show

~ Blackadder Goes Forth (We've been analysing it in my English class and I'd forgotten how much I love it XD It's absolutely brilliant and hilarious!)

• Favourite food

~ Rice cakes

• Favourite Youtubers

~ nigahiga

~ Markiplier

~ Yogscast (For those who know them I met Duncan, Kim and Turps at Comic Con =D)

• Favourite items of clothing

~ My new jeggings (a black pair and a blue pair) which I got at Matalan in Chelmsford 

• Favourite animes

~ Haikyuu!!

~ Kuroko no Basket

Right, that's about it for this week. Happy Spring everyone and I hope that March is going to be an awesome month for you guys!

See you next week! 

Ash xx

Character Review! - Tuesdays with Ash

Heya guys!

Sorry that I didn't post last week guys! It was half-term and I spend most of my time sleeping! A brilliant excuse, I know.

Anywho, a couple of weeks ago Belle did a character review on Ian O'Shea from the book The Host, so I decided that I would do my own review on one of my favourite characters! (Just a heads up, if you guys haven't read Harry Potter yet there will be spoilers ahead so read at your own risk!)

If you hadn't guessed yet, yes this character is from Harry Potter and it is none other than... 

Draco Malfoy!

For you guys who haven't seen or read Harry Potter Draco starts off being one of the main antagonists of the books and stays as Harry's rival through the series, until the very end where he has a change of heart. As many of my friends know I adore this character and I have a crush on the actor who played him spectacularly in the films, who is none other than Tom Felton.

Since this review will be about the Draco in the books, Harry and him first meet in Madam Malkin's which is a clothing shop in Diagon Alley where they are being fitted for robes. They engage in polite conversation but it is clear from the way Draco talks, especially when he talks about pure-bloods being 'our kind' and calling Muggleborns 'mud-bloods' that he is extremely arrogant and Harry instantly has a dislike of him. During this entire exchange Draco has no idea who Harry is until when they meet again on the Hogwarts Express (or outside the Great Hall in the films) and he extends his hand in friendship. 

However, Harry completely disregards him as Draco had previously insulted Ron who Harry had just made friends with. Through the rest of the third year Draco attempts to make Harry's life a misery and even goes as far as to try and expel him. Draco is constantly followed by his 'henchmen' Crabbe and Goyle, and his most famous saying is 'wait till my father hears about this!'

Crabbe (left) and Goyle (right)

Throughout the first four books Draco is portrayed as a bully to Harry and his friends, with Rowling even suggesting that Draco was jealous of Harry's high status as 'The Boy Who Lived' which is shown when Draco ridicules Harry when Lockheart's having a book signing by saying 'you can't even walk into a book ship without making the front page'. Many people may wonder why I like this character so much and I honestly can't explain why, but it will start to make more sense as the book series continues.

It is in the 5th book (The Order of the Phoenix) when you start to see a change in Draco's behaviour, as his father (Lucius Malfoy) is send to Azkaban (a wizard prison) due to Harry revealing him to be a Death Eater (a follower of Voldemort). Draco attempts to hex Harry on the Hogwart's Express but his friends come to the rescue and Draco, Crabbe and Goyle end up going home looking like giant slugs! 

Draco's life takes a turn for the worst in book 6 (The Half-Blood Prince) as he has become a Death Eater and has been given the task of killing Dumbledore. It is told later that if Draco did not succeed in his mission, Voldemort would kill him and his parents instead. Draco spends the whole year trying to fix The Vanishing Cabinet so that the Death Eaters can enter Hogwarts. Draco's character changes drastically as he is shown to become distant from his friends and almost kills Ron and Katie Bell when attempting to kill Dumbledore. Draco himself almost dies when him and Harry have a wand fight (no dirty thoughts here guys!) in Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom but is healed by Snape. When the time comes for Draco to kill Dumbledore, he cannot bring himself to do it so Snape intervenes and all the Death Eaters flee Hogwarts.

Draco injured in Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom

During the last and final book (The Deathly Hallows) it is hard to tell whether Draco is still on Voldemort's side or has turned good. When Harry, Ron and Hermione get captured Draco is forced to identify Harry, in which he says 'it might be'. This is a huge character development for Draco as even though Voldemort has threaten to kill him and his parents, he still won't intentionally give Harry up. This means that there might still be a chance for Draco to prove himself. As well as this when Draco, Crabbe and Goyle flee the burning Room of Requirement with Harry, Ron and Hermione and Crabbe doesn't, it shows Draco morning for his lost friend which shows that even though Crabbe seemed no more than a henchman for Draco he was still considered a dear friend. 

It is also shown during the final confront between Harry and Voldemort that Draco does indeed have a close relationship with his parents. When Narcissa is ordered to check whether Harry is still alive after being struck by the Killing Curse, she lies about his being alive so that she will be able to search Hogwarts for Draco. After Voldemort dies, it is briefly mentioned that the Malfoys are all sitting huddled together showing that they are all alive and well. In the epilogue, Rowling has stated that Draco married Astoria Greengrass (the younger sister of a classmate of his) and they now have a son called Scorpio. When Draco sees Harry, it is shown that he gives him a brief and curt nod which symbolises that their rivalry is other and they are no longer enemies. However, on Pottermore Rowling has also stated that Draco and Astoria are not teaching Scorpio to be scornful at Muggle-borns and only be friends with pure-bloods, which apparently Lucius is not so happy with. But for all I could care, Lucius can go and stick his opinion where the sun don't sun as his son has grown up and has become a better person than what he was. 

Draco, Scorpio and Astoria in Kings Cross Station

This character has gone through many significant changes and has grown up into a good man in front of our very eyes. As you can see from the gif, he obviously deeply cares for his son and wife and I am so glad that he got a happy ending. With the amount of shit that happened in his life, I think that he deserves it. Yes, I admit that he was a douche to the Golden Trio but it is clearly shown in the books that he has grown out of that arrogant boy and if Harry can forgive him then so can you. Even though it may take Ron some convincing otherwise, with him telling his daughter Rosie not to get too friendly with Scorpio, as 'Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood'. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this not-so little review about Draco Malfoy and I hope that if you didn't like him before, that you may like him a little bit now. 

See you guys next week!

Ash xx

Motivation, Goals and Organising ~ Saturday's with Payton

Hey!

It's Payton again, and today I feel motivated and I want to share my motivation with you! "Motivated about what?" you may ask, well today I have been motivated about cleaning, tidying, and getting organised! Yes it's been 5 and a half weeks since New Year's Day 2015, and I want to ask you how have your resolutions been going? Have you stuck to them? Have they changed your life? In these first 5 and a half weeks of 2015 or 37 days, you could have broken a habit (it only takes 21 days) and you could be a few days away from completing breaking a second habit, so have you done that yet?

I want to share with you how my new years resolutions have been going on because I feel that this year I have accomplished something big in my own eyes, wait for it............. I have remembered my new years resolutions!

Now, usually I would not have remembered them for this long, however I feel that blogging about them as made them stick in my head due to them being written down, so I thank you the wonderful readers of the blog for helping me do something so small but yet so rewarding for me!

Next onto the nitty-gritty, on what I have really achieved. My resolutions were to lose some weight, tone up, eat healthily/ try new foods, be organised and be on time. That list seemed to go on for ages, and I know for certain that I haven't achieved many of them to a high standard, but baby steps will get me and you there!

Let's start with my organisation goal seeing as I have been motivated to get organised today. I feel that I achieved some of this goal and I feel really proud about it, today was the day that I cleaned, tidied and organised under my bed, the part of the room that many (it probably includes you) that you never go in your room. 

I thoroughly suggest to you that you do this! It makes you feel amazing! To stay organised buy some cheap big plastic boxes that will fit under your bed and label them so that it stays tidy under there, you will thank me in the future when you need to find something in 6 months time!

It wasn't just organising my room that I have started to do, however I have organised school folders and I have organised my time more to get more work done in free lessons at school, so my work is done not the night before it is due!

Time for my health goals, I have set many health goals for myself this year, some of them I feel like I have achieved more than others, but we all have to start from somewhere! I admit to not doing as much exercise as I like however I have hurt my knee, which is not a good thing, but hopefully it will be able to heal properly and quickly so I can do more activities again. On a happier note, my goal with eating new foods and healthy foods has been going really well. I have been trying new foods and I am starting to like them, granted that some of them are not healthy, but at least I am trying new things! My newest foods that I love are macaroni cheese ready meal and toasting waffles! On a healthier note though, I am eating more fruits and vegetables like peppers, cucumber, carrots, blueberries and healthy foods like fish especially on a weekday. 

I would like to roundup this blog post by saying that anything can be done, if you put your mind to it, small changes, can make a big difference in your life and you will feel much happier about it too! Trust me, if I have managed to stick to my goals, I know that you can too because I am the last person to achieve a goal that has been set! Comment what New Years goals that you have set, that you have stuck to or new goals in which you wish to accomplish!

See you next Saturday!

~Payton <3

25 Questions Tag! - Tuesdays with Ash

Hey Guys! =D

So I've decided to take a leaf out of Payton's book, but instead of 21 questions I am doing 25 questions! So, let's get started:

1. Do you have any pets? 

- I did have two Guinea pigs named Bill and Ben, but sadly they died a few years ago =( I also did have quite a few stick insects (the most I ever had at one time was 77!) but I released them into my garden last summer. I wonder how they're doing now...

2. Have you ever broken a bone in your body? 

- Yes I have fractured my right arm before. It happened when a boy landed on my arm on a bouncy castle at my cousin's 18th birthday party. My aunt still feels guilty about it even after all these years!

3. What's the weather like right now? 

- It is night time at the moment so, dark and gloomy. Very exciting. Though it did snow slightly this morning!

4. Do you drive? If so have you crashed? 

- I am learning to drive at the moment so no I haven't properly crashed. However, one time I did mistake the accelerator pedal for the brake pedal (don't worry this wasn't on a road but on a playground at my school!) and almost drove into a digger. My driving instructor just laughed at me.

5. What time did you wake up this morning? 

- I woke up at about 7:50 I think? Yay, early mornings. Fun.

6. When was the last time you showered? 

- I showered last night. What a weird question...

7. What was the last movie you saw? 

- The last movie I saw at the cinema was Big Hero 6 with Lollie and Payton. God I love Baymax!!

8. What does your last text message say? 

- My last text message was to my mum saying 'Thank you xx'. This was because she'd just booked me an appointment for a hair cut which I have now had! I had about 6 inches cut off my hair! =D

9. What's your ringtone? 

- My ringtone is Marimba. A default ringtone on the iPhone 'cause I'm too lazy to change it XD

10. Have you ever been to a different country? 

- Yes I have been to a lot of different countries! To name a few I've been to Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Bulgaria, Greece, France, Ecuador, Wales etc... I've stopped off in Dubai, Amsterdam and Atlanta while on a flight to somewhere else but I don't know if they count.

11. Do you like sushi? 

- Yes I adore sushi!! I recently learnt how to use chopsticks and I'm planning on getting my own pair, 'cause why not?

12. Where do you your shopping? 

- What's with the random questions?? Anyway, my dad does the shopping and he goes either the Co-operative, Tescos, Asda or Morrisons.

13. Where were you born?

- I was born in New Zealand and I came to England when I was about 2 years old. It's quite funny actually because my brother was born in Australia but my parents are both British!

14. How many siblings do you have? 

- As you should already know by reading my answer for the above question I have an older brother named Braden. He's 19 and has an apprenticeship in something to do with computers. I'm not sure what it's actually called so I should probably check up on that... But I'm very proud of him as he's done extremely well for himself =)

15. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? 

- I have a laptop but I did share a computer with Braden when we were younger until it unfortunately broke. God I miss that computer. It had such a weird keyboard! As in it was curved and was slightly raised at one end. I don't know how to explain it! XD

16. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 

- On my next birthday I will be turning 18!! God I'm going to be an adult! That's hella scary! O.o

17. Do you wear contacts or glasses? 

- I don't wear either as I have pretty damn good eyesight if I say so myself.

18. Do you colour your hair? 

- No I don't though I have thought of dying it a darker brown or even dip-dyeing it purple/lilac... However my mum is completely against it so I probably won't be doing it anytime soon =P

19. Tell me something you are planning to do today. 

- Well I am planning on eating some of the butternut squash soup that my dad and I made yesterday soon!

20. When was the last time you cried? 

- Erm, that was yesterday due to me basically 'waking up on the wrong side of the bed' and stressing over things at school.

21. What is your perfect pizza topping? 

- Oh God where do I start?! When I order pizza I usually go for the meat feast as well as loads of cheese! I can't just have one perfect pizza topping!

22. Have you met any celebrities? 

- Yes I have and that would have to be none other than Daniel Radcliffe! Lollie, Payton and I went to Comic Con last year and Payton and I managed to get wrist-bands through a lottery process which were needed to meet Daniel. He was sooo nice and we both got signed posters from him and as well as a few photos. One of the best days of my life =D I also met a few Youtubers including The Yogscast and Tomska who were also extremely nice =D Tomska gives such great hugs!

23. Have you ever had an all-nighter? 

- I've had a few at sleepovers. Though I truly regretted them the next day XD

24. What is your eye color? 

- Usually it's blue but it changes between blue, green and grey (or a mixture of them) depending on what the lighting is like and what I'm wearing.

25. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? 

- Yes I can actually as I think that Pepsi has a sorta lighter taste if that makes sense? Though on the whole I have to say that I do prefer Coke. The drink that is not the drug ;)


I hope you guys enjoyed that little Q&A and that you feel like you know me a lot better! 

See you guys next week!

Ash xx

January Favourites, Superbowl 2015 predictions - Saturday's with Payton

Hey!

It's Saturday and it's not just any Saturday but it is the last day of January! PLUS it is the day before the Super Bowl! Anyway all this week I have been thinking about what to post today and I had two ideas, my January Favorites and the Super Bowl (I know that the Super Bowl doesn't happen until tomorrow but its the same weekend!) So I thought that I would put my two ideas into one post, so here it goes!

Firstly, here is my January Favorites as many of these products have been life-savers and just amazing this month!

These are my favorite beauty products:

Hair - Batiste dry shampoo (£2.99) - this product is not just amazing when your hair gets greasy but when you want a little more volume in your hair it works a treat! plus when you have the product in my hair feels so soft which is an added bonus! 

Make-up -  Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette (£22 or $29) - I just love this product, I have had this product for just over a month and it works so well with my skin tone and my other makeup products so that it is so easy to create many different looks effortlessly! If you want to check out my full review on this product then here is the link: http://sevensweethearts.blogspot.com/2015/01/urban-decay-naked-basics-2-palette.html

Skin Care - Tea Tree and Witch Hazel skin care line from boots - The products I have are  the Night Treatment Gel (£2.99), the Shine Control Day Moisturizer(£3.59), Exfoliating Face Scrub(£3.79) and the Face Wash(£3.59). All of these products are amazing to use, they help keep my skin soft and smooth and help get rid of spots plus they do not make me break out as bad also a massive bonus is that they are pretty cheap to buy! If you want a separate review on these products, comment below!

Here is a list of my other favorites from this month:

Favorite song - This is home by Bryan Lanning -This is Bryan's first ever single and it is absolutely amazing and it brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it, plus the music video to go with this song is so beautiful, check out this song here as I know he would love you to buy it : https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/this-is-home-single/id958740203

Favorite TV Show - It has to be Broadchurch! I just love this show so much, I never thought that I would like a Crime-Drama show ever but I do! I will be giving you a Series 1 review when I have finished watching it, which will hopefully be soon! So stay tuned!

Favorite game/app - This month my favorite game/app has a tie as I cannot decide my favorite, my favourites are crossy road and 2048 plus

Favorite food - This has to be Honey Cherios! Don't ask why, just eat them and you will find out why I love them!

So those were my favorites from this month, some of them were a bit random but you know, you just have to live life on the edge sometimes!

Anyway I would have added the Super Bowl into my favorites this month however, this year the Super Bowl is on February 1st, 2015 so technically I couldn't add it in here but if I could, I would! Anyway the Super Bowl this year is between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona! These are the times that I wished I lived in the USA but that's okay, you are probably thinking it is a little strange for an English Girl to like American Football, but I have to thank the TV show Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team for opening my eyes to this sport! Anyway I can't really say much at this time of posting as the game hasn't happened yet so I am going to leave you with my predictions: I think that it will be a close game between these two teams which make it hard for me to pick, but I will go with the Seattle Seahawks, seeing as it is the second year in a row that they are in the Super Bowl final, we will see how the game plays out and who will win!
Although I cannot wait to watch Katy Perry's halftime show performance because it will be amazing!

Anyway, thank you for reading this weeks post, I hope you have enjoyed reading my favorite products this month and I definitely recommend every single one of them to you!

See you next Saturday!

Payton <3

January Favourites! - Tuesdays with Ash

Hey guys! =D

Ash here with my January favourites!! I know for a fact that a lot of bloggers will be doing this thing around about now so I thought, why not join in?

1. Since I just can't choose one song, I have decided to name my top 3: 'You Ruin Me' by The Veronicas, 'Air Guitar' by McBusted and 'Up' by Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato. 
2. I've been loving the book The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (aka: J. K. Rowling!) and I plan to finish it very soon!
3. My favourite film has to be Big Hero 6 (which I'm sure Lollie will agree with me on this one!) as I fell in love with the characters and Baymax is just so damn cute!
4. I've been hooked on the TV series recently called In The Flesh and I am so disappointed that it won't be sticking around for a third season! So much wasted potential!! =(
5. This one is going to be quite random but I got a Lynx Attract For Her deodorant body spray for Christmas and it smells gorgeous! It also comes with a shower gel and I've been using that too! Unfortunately though it's limited addition so I'm going to have to stock up on them quickly!
6. Another beauty/healthcare product is AVON Ultra-Moisturising Body Lotion and it does exactly what it says! Also, it's floral scented and smells lovely.
7. One last beauty/healthcare product is my Garnier Exfobrusher and I use this in the shower every other day. It has really helped to clear up my spots recently!

Right, that should be enough I think! Heh, what a coincidence... 7 is my lucky number! =3

I'll see you guys next week for my second instalment of writing tips! Sorry that this post wasn't very long!

Ash xx

Character reviews and Ian O'Shea

Hey guys,

So I've decided that I'm going to do a book review series but with a twist! I'm going to be reviewing characters from the book and telling you guys what I love about each character; I'm going to do a review five characters per book/book series/film,

Now I will be analysing the character from the beginning to the end- so there will be spoilers, 

The first character that I will be talking to you guys about is Ian O'Shea.

Ian O'Shea is one of the main characters from the Host, by Stephanie Meyers the author of the hit series Twilight, now if you haven't read the host because you don't like Twilight, please give this book a chance because it's my favourite! Another thing you should know is I haven't seen the film! So this is purely based on the book. 

The whole plot of the book is that aliens have invaded the earth in the form of small worm like creatures that take over the mind and erase the human host. Wanderer the invading soul is given Melanie Stryder body to be her own but when she wakes up in her new body she finds that she can hear Melanie in the back of her head, with Mel filling her head with vision of her baby brother Jamie and her true love Jared, Wanderer sets out to find them. Once Wanderer finds Melanie's love and family a new problem arises, living with a group of 30 odd humans and being the only soul in the body they love, Wanderer is faced with falling in love, having to fight for survival, facing the emotional battle with having Melanie trapped in her head and fighting with her own thoughts.

So Ian is one of the rebel humans living in Jebs caves with his brother Kyle. Ian and his brother apparently look the same and even sound the same when Kyle isn't shouting. 

In the beginning of the book Ian is the one that actually tries to strangle Wanderer when Kyle and Brandt are fighting Jared, later on in the next few chapters you see Ian open up to the idea of having a soul living with them. When Wanderer and Jeb start working in the filed Ian joins them despite being wary around souls, soon Ian and Wanderer have a close friendship that for Ian and later Wanderer turns to love.

I love Ian because of how he overlooks the fact that wanderer Is an alien, a soul but learns to love and protect her, one of my favourite scenes in the book (so hard to find just one!) involving Ian, wanderer and Jared. In the book after Jamie is ill from his knife wound wanderer realises that she had 'lost' Melanie. Despite Ian being in love with wanderer he still finds Jared to come and kiss wanderer to get Mel back; I think this really shows how amazing Ian is- he puts Jareds love for Melanie over his owns feelings. Another scene I love is when Ian, Wanda, Wes and Lucy are playing football and Ian knows when Melanie and Wanda are communicating- I love this just because Ian realises when Melanie is talking and still talks to her and Wanda as two different people. 

Another thing I love about Ian is how even though he is faced with the problem of falling in love with his sworn enemy; he still loves wanderer in her new body at the end of the book. At the end of the book Ian tells wanderer that he held her in his hands and she was beautiful; I find this alone represents how amazing Ian is. Earlier in the book wanda and Ian are talking about how he would squash her if he saw her out of a body, even though she didn't ask him too he still knows how to make her feel worthy.

In the end of the book there is a scene between wanderer and Ian that really strucks a cord within me- in this scene Ian cracks when he finds out that Wanda is planning on giving Melanie back her body and leaving; Ian completely breaks and turns to a sobbing mess- I think this shows actually how vulnerable he is.

I love Ian and I would recommend reading the book to get the really feel for Ian's character. 

Ian has to be one of my favourite characters due to the fact that he just so lovely to wanda and is so loyal to his family. 

"It's not the face , but the expressions on it. It's not the voice but what you say . It's not how you look in that body, but the thing you do with it. You are beautiful"- Ian to Wanderer 

" I held you in my hands Wanderer, and you were beautiful" 

"Ian stood above me, his chest heaving with exertion and fury.for a second he turned away and put the door back in place with one swift wrench. And then he was glowering again. I took a deep breath and rolled up into my knees, holding my hands out, palms up, and wishing that some magic would appear in them. Something I could give him, something I could say. But my hands were empty.

" You.Are.Not.Leaving .Me." 

His eyes blazing-burning brighter than I'd ever seen them, blue fires.

"Ian," I whispered. "You have to see that...that I can't stay. You must see that." 

"No" he shouted at me.

I cringed back, and, abruptly Ian crumpled forward, falling to his knees, falling into me.

He buried his head in my stomach, and his arms locked around my waist. He was shaking, shaking hard, and loud, desperate sobs were breaking out of his chest.

" No,Ian,no"  I begged. This was so much worst than his anger. "Don't,please.Please, don't"

"Wands" he moaned.

" Ian,please. Don't feel this way. Don't. I'm so sorry. Please." 

I was crying too, shaking too, though that  might have been him shaking me.

"You can't leave me." 

"I have to, I have to," I sobbed. And then we cried wordlessly for a long time"

Thank you for reading this week! Please comment or tweet me and tell me what you love about Ian or another character in your favourite book; I'll be doing four more characters from this book and then maybe another book!! 

See you next week 

Belle xx

How to Become a Better Human: Dealing with Stress - Lollie

Yes, it is that time of week again my faithful friends - it's Friday. The day you look back on the week and think 'Where did it go?' or is that just me?

Before I start, something happened this week - Our blog started booming and page views soared and we got a comment which was unexpected, so thank you!

Anyway, as I promised in my first ever post, I am doing something today called 'How to become a better human'. This is going to be an on-going thing where I will cover things from health, relationships, life-changing choices and also small day-to-day things that might help your life be better and give you a better chance of surviving.

The first topic I have picked is stress. This past week, the pressure of sixth form has been getting to me, I know the other Seven Sweethearts can relate. I am doing three coursework subjects and trying to keep on top of them is exhausting. My mind seems to be jumbled and confused 24/7 and my concentration span is at 0. I suffer from constant headaches and I feel sick for no apparent reason. If you think you might be stressed, here are a list of symptoms:

·         Low energy.

·         Headaches.

·         Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea.

·         Aches, pains, and tense muscles.

·         Chest pain and rapid heartbeat.

·         Insomnia.

·         Frequent colds and infections.

Now in psychology, we have been learning about the two types of stress. You have acute stress, which is to do with short term situations that leave you stressed, for example, your car breaking down or your computer not working and then you have chronic stress, this is seen to be the most serious of the two, often occurring due to a massive build up of acute stress over a long time period, or a major life-changing event that has caused stress.

I'm going to talk about acute stress. Things that can be seen as acute stressors include deadlines, getting to school/work on time, making sure you get enough sleep etc, etc. These can also be called daily hassles - breaking a pen, seeing the person you hate, losing a key.

Although you may feel as though all this is getting on top of you - don't worry. We have these daily hassles but we also have things called daily uplifts, things that make our day worthwhile and push the hassles away. These could be reading your favourite book, receiving an unexpected text from someone, getting a hug, a phone call with someone you love, seeing a picture of your favourite actor (if you're me, that's John Simm at the moment) or having some food that you like (or maybe it's one of your friends giving you a small jar with '25 reason to smile when you're feeling down' written down on small pieces of paper and folded into it - thank you Belle!) If you take a moment when you are stressed out to let one of these uplifts come your way, you could feel much better.

If you find you are still feeling stress, here is a list of things that might help you to relax or relieve that stress:

·         ·         Go to the beach
·         Be positive
·         Sing a song
·         Pet a dog
·         Tell a joke
·         Listen to music
·         Blow bubbles
·         Take a nap
·         Dance a jig
·         Take a walk
·         Write a letter
·         Have a cup of tea
·         Ask for help
·         Smile
·         Take a break
·         Do it now!
·         Stretch
·         Keep a journal
·         Hum a tune
·         Practice patience
·         Get up early
·         Meditate
·         Do Tai Chi
·         Play a drum
·         Prioritize
·         Give a hug
·         Throw a ball
·         Play with a child
·         See a movie
·         Plant a flower
·         Say "No"
·         Set Limits
·         Eat a snack
·         Read a book
·         Practice kindness
·         Light a candle
·         Laugh out loud
·         Lie in the sun
·         Walk in the rain
·         Run in the park
·         Talk to a friend
·         Take a bubble bath
·         Avoid negative people
·         Take a deep breath
·         Ask for what you need
·         Go to bed on time
·         Walk a labyrinth
·         Give a compliment
·         Clean a closet
·         Go barefoot
·         Give a blessing
·         Watch a sunrise
·         Say a prayer

Thinking carefully about the lifestyle choices that you make is also a big factor in relieving stress. Make sure you get enough time everyday to just sit back and relax.

- Learn how to say 'no'.
Simple, but effective. Where a 'no' is the appropriate response, say it without guilt.

- Manage your time.
Don't overdo things.

A simple method is to:

·         List the things that you need to do.

·         Put them in order of importance

·         Decide what you need to do yourself, and what can be delegated.

·         Decide which needs doing today, next week or next month

·         Decide what doesn't need doing after all, and drop it from the list.

I find that making lists works best for me. I make lists for everything. I even make lists for my lists... but it helps me be  bit more organised and puts what I need to achieve into perspective.

- You could always try 'Desk Yoga'

Alternate nostril breathing

Fold your index and middle finger (2nd and 3rd fingers) towards your palm on your right hand. Then place your left thumb under your right nostril to 'tap' it up. Inhale from the left nostril to the count of four. Gently pinch the left nostril with the right ring finger (4th finger) to the count of 16. And release your thumb and exhale through the right nostril for 8. Now inhale through the right nostril for 4. Hold for 16. Exhale through the left nostril for 8. Repeat for several minutes.

This exercise balances the brain's serotonin, the chemical that regulates happiness. The pattern of inhalation (4, 16, 8) means that the air is pushed down to the bottom of the lungs and more toxins are released on exhalation. You will feel relaxed after this exercise, particularly in the shoulder area, and may experience heightened perception'

Now this doesn't work for me but if I find my concentration slipping, I'll breath slowly and relax for a moment and then maybe stick my headphones in so it is just me, the music and the work.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: If you're ill, rest.
When stressed, your immune system lowers itself, making you vulnerable to illness. If you are ill when stressed - DO NOT CARRY ON, TAKE A BREAK. If you don't it'll only make you more ill and in turn, more stressed.

I'm sorry if this has been a little bit of a downer on your Friday but I felt like it was a serious topic that I needed to address :)

Until next time - Allons-y!

Lollie x