Random questions by Summer

Hi guys, It' Summer here! So its a long time since I last posted. You can blame AS level exams for that one! Revision has been a big element of my life recently, along with work, so I have literally had no time at all to post- and any time I haven't been revising I've been sleeping!

For this post I am going to do a random question post, just to get back into the Blog thing again (I promise, my posts will get better!)


1) What would be harder for you, to tell someone you love them or that you do not love them back?
This is a hard one, I think that would depend on whether I had liked the person before or not. Although, saying that I do believe that personally saying that I do not like someone back is so much harder as I hate hurting peoples feelings (not to say that I haven't done it). I think that telling someone you love them shouldn't be thought out, it should just happen- it should slip out accidentally if it is real love.

2) What do you think would be the hardest thing for you to give up on?
For me, I'm going to be really cheesy and say love. I went through what was a hard break-up for me with my ex. I didn't want to give up as I really saw potential to grow there but he just had his mind set, so trying to convince him was like trying to feed a vegetarian meat!!

3) Would you give a homeless person CPR if they were dying?
Of course I would!! I'm training to be a Lifeguard right now actually, I'm on my 5th year of training. A life is a life! Save it!

4) What makes you bored?
Boring personalities (dull people) and coursework!!!

5) Which is your favourite four legged creature and why?
A Meerkat! Why...? Hmmm, it just always has been since I visited a zoo for the first time...

6) Do you like spicy food?
Hell no!!! Feed me spicy food and I will kill you!!

7) Are you old fashioned?
I loveeee older era clothes! 1950's!! I love, I think I sort of am, I would go back in time if I could.

8) Something or someone you miss the most from childhood?
The good episodes of the Tweenies...

9) Are you usually late, early or right on time?
Late.... Fashionably late of course.

10) Are you happy with your life for the most part right now?
Yes, I have no dicks in my life right now and I love everyone I have around me and the support I get is fantastic!

11) You can have one of the following two things: trust/ love?
Trust- I would rather have trust in everyone rather than love. I believe that trust is more important and for love to work there should be trust incorporated in it anyway.

12) Tell me about your favourite book, magazine or comic?
I don't really have the time to read at the minute, although I did start to read two books a while ago: Divergent by Veronica Roth and Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo.

13) Tell me about someone you envy?
I'm not envious of anyone in particular, just people that get everything given to them whenever they want it.

14) Tell me about something you've achieved?
Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award. Doing Gold now.

15) Tell me about the worst punishment you had when you were a child?
I had my toys taken away- all of the time. Nowadays young kids have phones instead of toys...

16) Do you like chocolate?
What sort of question is this??? Is this question for a human!?!? Who doesn't like chocolate?

17) Do you like rainy days or snowy winter days more?
It honestly depends on my mood. If I'm grumpy I suggest you just leave me alone and presume I don't like any weather.

18) Name 3 things in nature you find most beautiful.
Open air (fields), butterflies and flowers.

19) Which are your 2 favourite careers and why?
Fashion designer and interior designer.

20) Which is the hardest thing you ever had to do?
Leave my family for 4 weeks whilst I went to Ecuador to help the less fortunate.

21) When was the last time you lied and to whom and why?
Last night, to my friend. I told him I only just got back from work when I had been back for 45 minutes...

22) Tell me about something you really regret?
Decisions I made a while ago on holiday to do with two people I liked.

23) What scares you the most and why?
Horror movies/ programmes... The suspense and idea of objects scaring you rather than actors. What's not there scares me more than what's there.

24) What do you do in your free time?
That depends, I don't have much free time at the minute because of exams. To sooth me and calm me I do colouring to relax myself. I like watching films as well.

25) Which is your favourite part of the human face and why?
Eyes... they can seduce the hell out of you!!!

26) Which is your favourite part of the human body and why?
Girls: Legs... I think that legs can be a powerful tool, but only on girls.
Boys: Arms... But they have to be muscly!

27) Tell me about a mistake you made?
There are too many... haha

28) If you could do anything OR wish for anything that would come true, what would you wish?
People to act their age, not their shoe size, ha.

29) What's your middle name?
Beth.

30) How big is your bed?
Double!

31) What music are you listening to right now?
Tyler Oakley's playlist on Spotify- XXX 88 by MO

32) What are the last 4 digits of your phone number?
4343

33) What was the last thing you ate?
Homemade pasta- by ME! Shell pasta, cooked onions, peppers, mushrooms mixed with a Carbonara sauce.

34) Tell me about your favourite music/ song/ band.
My favourite band is The Script. My favourite artist is Olly Murs (I'm an Essex girl like him and my nan is friends with his mum too).

35) Tell me about something you would happily do again?
I would love to go to Ecuador again and help out there and volunteer, either alone or with a friend or someone close to me (someone like Lollie- we never argue).

36) Name your 5 favourite foods?
-Sgt Peppers ribs and chips
-Pizza
-Pasta
-Fajita's
-Chocolate

37) Do you like to shop?
YES! Who doesn't!!!

38) How often do you go online?
Too much...

39) Tell me about someone you really admire.
Marilyn Monroe and Alexander McQueen.

40) Do you have any pets?
Yes, one pet- a dog, he's called Slinky.

That's all from me for now, sorry it's been so long again guys! I'll be back again soon! Bye :)


Love Summer
xxxx

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! - 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

How to wash your makeup brushes - Saturdays with Payton

Hey
It's Saturday again with Payton and this week I was stuck for ideas for this post, now I've done a couple of posts on organizing and so I thought 'what have I done this week that you lot could benefit from?' And then it came to me!
So from the title of the post you will have worked out that I am going to tell you how I wash my makeup brushes.

Quick disclaimer. By no means I am a makeup artist however I would say that I have done my research and read many things and watched many YouTube videos on how to wash your makeup brushes and now I have found something that works for me.

One last thing before I tell you what I do I quickly just want to tell you what brushes that I have because the type of brushes that you have and what they are made of can affect the effectiveness of this method if washing your brushes. So most of my brushes including the majority of my face and eye brushes are from Real Techniques by Sam and Nic Champman, I do have other face and eye brushes which are usually from the sets of makeup that you get.

So let's get started!

Things you will need:

• The brushes that need washing
• A bowl or plate
• Paper towels 
• A soft clean towel
• Regular dish soap (I use fairy liquid)
• Olive oil (I personally use extra virgin olive oil and this works perfectly for me)
• Water (usually a running tap)

Method:

This method for washing your brushes is best done in a bathroom as you will need to use a sink.

I usually start by getting a couple of sheets of paper towels and my brushes, I start with the cleanest brush or the brushing use least and then I wipe the brush on the paper towels to start to get some of the build up of the makeup off the brush, now it doesn't matter if you don't get much off as this is going to make the rest of the process slightly easier. Once I have done the ' cleanest' brush I then do the same thing with wiping the brush with the next cleanest brush and so on, working my way up to the direst brush.

Next I take my bowl and my olive oil and my dish soap, I start by putting my dish soap into the bowl, now the amount that you put in will depend on how many brushes that you need to clean and how dirty they all are. I put a generous amount in around 3 or 4  squirts of dish soap into the bowl, I next put around 1 squirt of olive oil in the bowl, overall you want around a ratio of 1 part olive oil to 3 parts dish soap.

Next I take my cleanest brush and I dip the brush slightly under water for a second and then into water  into the mixture that has just been made, only dip the hair which has makeup on,
Quick Warning:if the mixture along with water get into the top of the brush where the hairs are all glued, then the mixture and the water will make the glue weak and the hairs may fall out.
Anyway, once the brush has the mixture on it then move it around against your hand to foam up the mixture, don't put a lot of pressure onto the brush, only put the same amount of pressure on the brush that you would do when you put makeup on your face.
If the foam created from the brush is coming out the color of the makeup used on that brush, I give the brush a rinse under the tap, making sure not to get all of the hair on the top of the brush wet, and then I re dip the brush into the mixture and do the steps above again until the color of the foam is a very light color.

I then place the brush on its side on a cabinet which has a paper towel on it and, I then repeat the method above for each of my brushes.
Once all of the brushes have been put into the mixture, I then rinse them one by one, starting with the brush that I put into the mixture first. I rinse the brush off until all of the soap has gone.

I then get my towel and fold that a couple of times so it is slightly bigger than the size of a paper towel, I then lay out my paper towel on top of my normal towel and I place the brushes on top of then all spread out. I place all of this in a hot room to dry , however I have found if they are in a room with a dehumidifier, then the brushes dry the quickest.

And that is it, how to wash your makeup brushes! I hope that you like the method that I use to wash my makeup brushes, comment below if you have tried this method or the method that you use to wash your makeup brushes. I would like to say thank you for sticking with today's long post!

See you next Saturday!

~Payton <3

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

Valentines Day Thoughts - Saturdays with Payton

Hey!

It's Payton here, ready to share some love with you on Valentines Day! I was having a deep thinking moment about Valentines Day before writing this post and I would like to share my thoughts with you, if that's okay.

Valentines Day is usually "advertised" for none of a better word for couples, boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wifes etc, and describe it as spending the day with someone that you care and love about. So I thought why is it advertised as being for people in relationships but not for everyone. I mean obviously yes you would want to share the day with your boyfriend, girlfriend etc but wouldn't you also want to spend the day with your mum, dad, sister, brother, friends and other family members and people who you care about who you also have a relationship with, plus the day is described as being with someone who you love and care about.

Sorry rant over, now on with the rest of the post!

So I am going to keep in the theme of Valentines Day and I will be doing a Valentines Day tag for you all, so let's get started!

1. What is your favorite Valentines Day treat? 

Oooo, something tasty to eat like chocolate! 

2. Sweethearts or chocolate covered strawberries?

Definitely chocolate covered strawberries ftw!

3. What was your favorite Valentines day memory?

I don't have a special memory, it's really just a normal day for me spending it with my family, as sadly I do not have a boyfriend to spend it with, but that's okay at least I'm spending it with people I love!

4. What movie would you rather watch on Valentine's Day: Pretty Woman or You've Got Mail?

I actually haven't seen either Pretty Woman or You've Got Mail........Lemme google something quickly....... okay so from their plot lines I would rather watch You've Got Mail.

5. What celeb would you not mind having as your Valentine?

Ooooo, this question is a tough one, I would not mind having quite a few different celebrities as my valentine although I think that I have now made up my mind.

I would definitely not mind having Chris Hemsworth as my Valentine or Taylor Glockner or Harley Bonner.

 

6. What would you do on your perfect Valentine's date?

I haven't really thought of this to be honest with you, I think that it depends, on one hand I would love to go for a meal and to the cinema, but I think that everyone does that, but really I would love to do something that we would both enjoy together.

7. Red or pink lips on Valentines Day?

I do love red lips but I do not think that I can pull it off, but I am trying different combinations and colors but until I find the right one I will have to say pink lips.

8. What is your ideal Valentine's Day date outfit?

This would depend on what we are doing that day, I would definitely try and wear something cute no matter what, if it was a meal out then I would rock the dress and heels but if it was something else then I may wear something more casual, but I am usually indecisive with what I wear so it would be something I pull together last minute!

9. Homemade or store-bought gifts?

I love both, but I do think that homemade gifts are cute and more personal and memorable.

10. Would you wear your hair up or hair down for a date night? 

I would wear my hair down and it would probably be curled. I just hate wearing my hair up unless it is perfect.

So that is it for my Valentines Day post, I hope that you enjoyed it and I hope that you have had an awesome Valentines Day! 'Love is just love, it can never be explained'

See you next week!

~Payton <3

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

21 Funny Questions Tag with Saturday's Payton

Hey!

It's Saturday again which means that it is a post from me, your Miss Saturday here on the Seven Sweethearts blog....... it's Payton!

This week I thought that it would be fun to do a tag and as you only read posts from me once a week I decided that it would be good for you to get to know me better so I am going to do a 21 random questions tag where my answers will probably be very random, so let's get started!

1. Are you named after anyone? I don't think that I am named after anyone, although I like to think I am named after someone really amazing!

2. When was the last time you cried? The last time I cried was when I was watching a re-run of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team,I know that's sad but it's true as my favorite person go cut.

3. Do you have kids? No, I think that I am a bit too young to have kids and besides that I need a boyfriend to have kids with!

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? I think that I would like to be a friend of myself, although I think that I would have to see myself in small doses as I sometimes can barely stand myself at the best of times!

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Uhhh.....yeah totally! I asked Ash this question when I saw this tag and she said yes so I am going with that answer!

6. Will you ever bungee-jump? I don't know, I would probably be too scared to do that although I would like to Sky-Dive if I had the chance!

7. What’s your favorite cereal? I don't usually eat cereal, although at the moment I am in love with Rice Crispies and Honey Cheerios!

8. What’s the first thing you notice about people? I notice what they are wearing and their hair and their eyes, well I think that's what I do!

9. What is your eye color? I have always said my eye color is blue so I am going with that although my eyes can somethings be a blue-green color which is really pretty.

10. Scary movie or happy endings? I am always scared at something as I always get scared really easy, I am trying to watch more scary movies though to stop me being scared of anything so the most recent scary movie I have watched was Lesbian Vampire Killers (which stars James Corden) and that film is a horror-comedy so I hope that counts! From this I will say that I prefer happy endings because I mean who doesn't want a happy ending?

11. Favorite smells? Anything that smells nice maybe? I know a lot of people say this and I know it's weird but I love the smell when you are at a petrol station, I don't know why? But I do love flowers and perfumes and that which smell nice!

12. Summer or winter? How can I choose between two awesome seasons! Both Summer and Winter are amazing times of year as Summer you can go on holiday and it is warm but in Winter you have Christmas and my Birthday, so I don't know the answer to that one, sorry!

13. Computer or television? Computer all the way! C'mon with a computer you can do so many things INCLUDING WATCHING TV which makes you have both things!

14. What’s the furthest you've ever been from home? The furthest I've been from home is Cyprus, that is about 2,000 miles however I will be travelling further than that when I go to New York with Belle in October (New York is about 3,400 miles away from England)

15. Do you have any special talents? I don't think I have any special talents that are good really although I can still get my foot up to my head so I am sort of flexible!

16. Where were you born? I was born in a hospital........in England.

17. What are your hobbies? Well I don't really have any proper hobbies, if you call watching TV and YouTube a hobby then I do have a hobby, although doing this blog with the other girls is a hobby!

18. Do you have any pets? Yes, I have a billion and one pets. Seriously though I have 6 cats! Oh and there's a few fish in this fish tank we own in our house. 

19. Favorite movie? Why do you have to make me pick a favorite movie? Like this answer changes on a daily basis, actually like three movies have just popped into my head so here they are: Pitch Perfect, Hunger Games, and this one isn't quite a movie but its a movie length and its The Sound Of Music Live! (the one starring Carrie Underwood)

20. Do you have any siblings? Nope. Only child swagg! 

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Princess, well that's most little girls' dream, I actually want to work with children and I don't know in what way whether it be a teacher but I love Psychology so something to do with Children and Psychology.

Right that's 21 questions and answers all about me, I hope that you enjoyed getting to know me better, comment what things about you are similar to me, because I would like to know!

See you next Saturday!

Payton <3

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