Summer Checklist!

I haven't blogged in a while...although day after day its been on my mind to!

My summer holidays are in full swing: I'm 12 days in now.

I can't say I've done much with my time so far. Some of my friends are jetting off to far away places- but- alas, I am not.

 Last year my family and I went to France, and the year before Florida: but this is the first year that we have our two beautiful cats (Read about them HERE) and all of us (especially mum) couldn't bear to leave them behind.

(If you've forgotten  their 'Feline Faces', here they are again :-)

Whether we: 

• put them in a cat shelter.......
• get a member of our family to visit them.......
• Hire someone to live with them ......
• Skype with them every night....
• Send them to to Buckingham Palace to be personally served gourmet delights by the QUEEN herself on a silver platter.....

I STILL don't think my dear old mother would  could find it in her heart to leave the cats.

Which means no holiday abroad/holiday in England for more than 3 days.

Yet still I am determined to keep my summer jam-packed: I've failed miserably so far, 

most days I'm waking up late, 

                            walking around in a haze, 

                                                  snaking on junk,

                                                         not knowing what time or even what day it is,

                                                                   and going to bed early hours of the morning.
Whoops!

I've made the conscious decision to make a change.

Please welcome my Summer Checklist! 

1) Number one is to practice my keyboard like a crazy person. My Grade 5 exam is scheduled for November and I'm waaayyyy behind. I don't want to get into the mindset that I have lots of time- because November will creep up on me before I know it! It seems like I've lost all motivation, and would much rather read and book or play guitar. I just need to push through the work, and hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things.

2) I'm probably going to redecorate my room, which I'm super excited about. My room has been in its current state for nearly 3 years now and I want to switch things up. I have a theme in mind and hopefully I'll do a blog post devoted entirely to this topic once I plan it a bit more...and not to mention pictures of when its finally finished! (aaaa just writing this makes me eminently excited!)

3) I'm going to try and eat as healthily as possible. I'm not going to cut out sweet treats completely, just greatly limit my intake; and have something healthy instead.
E.g: Banana>Cake.
Also, exercise more. I'm really loving Just Dance and Wii Fit on the Wii as its fun yet beneficial. My weight goal is set on Wii Fit (I want to lose a couple of pounds) but I'm not going to go overboard and push myself too far- because I won't be able to keep it up. If I don't meet my goal, but still lose weight and feel like I've made improvements, that's fine for me. It's all about starting small.

4) Like I mentioned earlier, my body clock is messed up. I'm going to bed too late and waking up too late. If I don't sort this out when I start back school I'm going to have a big shock when I have to get up at 7:00am opposed to 12:30pm. My goal is to go to bed at 10:00pm and get up at 10:00am (or as near as possible) every day. I've got it down to 11:45pm-10:15am roughly. I'm still working on it.

5) I have a little bit of homework to do... Read a book (Lord Of The Flies... I've read a chapter & I'm not sure how I feel about it yet) and do a page of maths work. My art teacher also gave me a 'no-obligation-to-complete-GCSE-art assignment', as she really wanted me to take art as one of my GCSE's but I didn't have enough options. However I do really love art, and if I have some spare time and I'm in the mood to do it/bits of it; I will

6) Have fun.


Hope you enjoyed my Summer Checklist! Are you going anywhere this summer? Can I come with you in your suitcase? (only joking....kind of)

*Sparkle*---

Rachel   xxx

Say Hello To Yellow.

I recently bought a new nail polish. And I can safely say that I'm maybe *this* much obsessed.

Its this beautiful vibrant banana yellow colour, that somehow manages to not make the wearer look like they have a disease and instead looks beautifully summery.

Its not pale enough to be a pastel, yet not bright enough to be a neon. It strikes that difficult balance and the result is truly unique. I can't think of the last time I saw someone wear a nail polish similar to this.

'What better time to break out of your nail polish rut and try something new than summer!' 

Was my justification, swinging my Debenhams carrier bag through the shopping center: a pricey/bright/slightly scary nail polish secretly nestled inside.

It's a Butter London nail polish in the shade 'Cheeky Chops': if you want to get your desperately plain fingertips on it.

This was my first Butter London polish, and I must say that I am quite impressed with the smooth and easy application... and the opacity in one coat! 

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen you heard right (which I was not expecting, espically being such a light colour)

So yes. I'm not sure whether this is a summer fling, but I'll let you know if in the colder months I'm still reaching for my banana nail fix. 

*Sparkle*---

Rachel   xxx

-------------------------------------EDIT: 30/7/13-------------------------------------

Barry M currently have a promotion where if you spend £6 on selected Barry M, you receive a free limited edition nail paint. There are two colours to choose from: Pink and Yellow (quite similar to the one I reviewed up there!) 

If you want to dabble in the world of yellow polishes but are not prepared to fork out circa £12, this offer may be a good place to start! Link HERE

The Relationship Rose

'What's in a name? 

That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet'

~ Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare. 

(MY good old friend)

Say hello to the 'Relationship Rose!' Go on.... It won't bite!! Okay... Suit yourself.. 

At least pick a leaf. He loves me, he loves me not......

My friend just told me today that she is 'going out with somebody'. 

I dislike that terminology, but I guess that is what everyone uses.... Myself included. I was so happy when she told me *queue jumping around and squealing like a hungry pig* especially since I knew that she liked the boy for quite some time. 

This lead me to thinking... We are getting to the age where we start to think about these things and I was wondering whether a boy would ever like me that way, and more importantly whether I would reciprocate.

Books, films and the media don't help young teenage girls with this. They romanticize it, so much so that if you are not in a relationship,  you may feel unsatisfied- or even not loved or wanted. 

I don't necessarily feel like that, it's just an observation. I don't want to be in a relationship just because I don't want to be alone..... I need to be alone first, and know what that feels like, and be comfortable with myself in 'alone-status' before I could ever date. 

 I feel like I'm just finding out who I am, and fighting those pesky internal demons, and the idea of having another prominent figure in my life.... is a bit bewildering, to say the least. 

Baring in mind I would have to trust this person (not my strong point) and devote a lot of my time to him (time being the thing that I do not have a lot spare for my own). So right now I don't have time for 'A Boyfriend'.

You know those 5 years olds children who toddle around with a boy or girl, and confess their love or one another, hold hands; and might even have a wedding?

I remember being bridesmaid for one of those 'dos. 

Anyway my point is that's the only first-hand experience I've had of relationships. 

If I was to date now, I don't really have that much knowledge on the subject. I'm innocent, I guess. And naive. And that's a possible disadvantage, and I don't want to be taken advantage of. 

This reminds me of the song '15 by Taylor Swift'. Check it out HERE

One line of it goes:

'And when you're fifteen, 

And somebody tells you they love you,

You're gonna believe them.'

 But I think it'll be nice, when the time is right. 

P.S- There is no one I'm crushing on the induce this post! It's just my friend started dating and it got me thinking. :-) 

*Sparkle*---

Rachel   xxx

My summer makeup routine!!

Since my most popular post is 'My everyday makeup routine', I thought I would do another (giving people want they want and all... Says the girl with a 0 follower count haha). Of course I couldn't do another post exactly the same, I wanted to mix it up; and since the word on everyone's (and by everyone's I mean the part of England that I live in) is summer, I had the amazingly amazing idea to do a summer everyday makeup routine; the emphasis being on the summer part.  Genius, right?!  

  

As I'm pretty sure most people don't wear the same makeup in the dead of winter as they wear on a glorious summer day. ( Like Today in England, btw. Highs for 27 Degrees- yes please. ~ A short poem by Rachel Reid :-)

On most summer days I don't wear any makeup up at all, but now and again I tend to a have penchant for wearing a bright lipstick with no other makeup. Par example: today!

We just got a family iPad, so I apologise if I'm a bit snap-happy. It's so much easier than having to take  pics on your camera, download to your computer, edit etc. Now my photos will be as candid as they come!!!

Anyway, I digress. Yet again. But some days in the summer you might be going to a special event… (E.g: summer in the city- I'll be there!) and you just feel a little bit too naked with next to no makeup on. So I present to you: 

My summer makeup routine!!

Finally, you all gasp in unison. 

~First I take the Revlon PhotoReady 'Compact Makeup' (my shade is 200 beige, if you care to know and it's a really good match, especially since I couldn't swatch it in the store!) It has a 'liquefying screen' which, according to Revlon 

"The cream makeup instantly liquefies for complete coverage and superior blend-ability. Lightweight powder finish. Perfected airbrushed skin in any light". I wasn't expecting it to be that good when I bought it, as it was a spur of the moment kinda thaanng; and although I was familiar with the 'photo ready' line- I hadn't heard anything about this particular product online.

 However, it was super easy to apply, with the sponge and mirror that it comes with (perfect for on the go, or even a festival!) and true to claims blends really nicely and looks soooo natural. One thing I can't stand is feeling self conscious because you are wearing your makeup too noticeably .

~Next to keep the makeup in place for longer, and mattify the skin in those hot (hopefully!) summer months, I use the Collection 2000 ( now asking to be called simply...'Collection'. Ohhh-err. Get them :-) Pressed Powder in 15 Warm Bronze. It also leaves a nice smooth feeling on the skin ( I'm guessing that's because its enriched with silk!)

~After that I curl my lashes with some random lash curlers and apply the Relvon PhotoReady 3D Volume Mascara in  Blackest Black. I wouldn't call it 'Volume' per say; its more Lengthening and  definition, but still a great product all the same. 

I don't know about you, but with all this 'PhotoReady' in there I just might have to wear it to Summer in the City, since I'll *hopefully* be photographed with some Youtuber's and  want to look my best! I give you permission to steal this look :-). ( Although it isn't groundbreaking, what am I saying?!?)

~To finish,   I apply the Relvon Lip Butter (excess use of Relvon not intended.) in the shade 010 Raspberry Pie.(what I'm wearing in the earlier picture). It's a really pretty colour; but its light and not drying on your lips, as conventional lipsticks have a tendency to do. You can sheer it out, or apply a couple of layers and have a really statement lip. I love its versatility!   

Or... It's just the staple we all know and love Vaseline. Sometimes a girl needs a bit of Mosturizing 'ya know?

Sooo that's it! I apologise about their being no promised Monthly favorites, time just snuck away from me as it has a habit of doing recently. I lost the list with all the things I wanted to include, so that's my totally acceptable reasoning. Right?!?

 I'm so drained from school and can't wait for the hols (2 weeks left!!) I have a list as long as my arm of things to do... whether that happens or not, we'll see ( we all know what happened the last time I promised to do something :-) 

I feel that this post has been really long and I really need to try my hand at condensing. But writing this exact sentance is just making it longer so.....

*Sparkle*---

Rachel   xxx

Summery Outfit of the day!

This is my first outfit of the day, so pretty please don't judge me too harshly!

Yesterday was such a sunny day in England (yes they do exist :-)

I wore this outfit out and about, doing errands.

I'd had a verry emotional couple of days (so sorry if I  look a bit moody in some of the pics) but was determined to get this outfit photographed as I really liked it, and thought it was perfect for those chilled summer days where you want something that will keep you cool, and is stylish at the same time.

I included a couple of different ways you can wear it, by adding/taking away items of clothing. E.G: putting on the denim jacket in the evening. 

Dress: Pink and white w/ zebra pattern in the background and zebra's in the foreground from H&M. ( I couldn't find the dress on the H&M website but found it HERE

Shoes: Tan Moccasin-inspired flats from Primark. 

Hair clip: A present from my brother years ago from when he went on holiday. 

Hat: from primark last summer. 

                                                 Denim jacket: New look

                                                 Shoulder bag: Internationale

I tried to include as many links as I could,but most of this stuff had been knocking about in my wardrobe for quite some time ;-)

Hope you enjoyed this OOTD! 

*Sparkle*---

Rachel   xxx