I'm Staying in For NYE

This late night, poor quality, webcam photo depicts exactly what I shall be doing on New Year's Eve. I am not a fan of NYE, for a few a reasons, the two main ones being that there is far too much expectation to have a good time, and secondly fireworks. I am a like a cat; I don't like loud or sudden noises and fireworks terrify me. Thus, I am staying in with mother and my cats, La Quisha II as pictured above, and in my pyjamas for the whole time. 

Mother and I normally have our own little nibbles and of course a beverage; we're currently switching between Bailey's and Snowballs. With a bit of Prosecco thrown in at dinner. There will be absolutely nothing decent on telly and so we can catch up on all of the things which I missed whilst I was away. 

I will very much be glad to see the back of 2014. Going to Madison has kind of been a fresh start for me, and aside from meeting some really great people and having really great experiences, I feel that I have really start to come into my own much more.
And so I am very excited to welcome in 2015! It can only really bring great things. I'll be turning 21 (prepare yourself for my return Wisconsin!), going into my final year at university, hopefully sorting something out that resembles law in some way and a whole host of other jazz. 

So I hope you all have a good New Year, whatever you do. But if you do stay in, or have no plans and are feeling a bit rubbish about it, don't worry my friends, that's what I'm planning to do!

Happy New Year!

xoxo

Top Ten Things I Didn't Realise I Missed

1. Having access to a kitchen whenever I want. And a fridge. And cupboards full of food. And clean cutlery. And never-ending supplies of tea. 

2. A choice of 439673896 different shower gels. 

3. Supermarkets. Going round Sainsburys on a Sunday morning just cannot be topped by strolling around Walgreens or Fresh.

4. Just a bit of drizzle, as opposed to a full blow snowstorm and wind that feels like knives.

5. The date being written '30.12.14' 

6. People knowing what I mean when I say I go to Warwick.

7. People knowing what I mean when I say: cheeky, (well) jel, beverage/bev, Essex, s'alright, plait, roast dinner, full English, pounds, Celsius

8.  Plug sockets that can be turned off, and not having to use an adaptor.

9. Using google and it not being redirected automatically to an American site, especially bbc.co.uk

10. British adverts. 

xoxo

Soap&Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub | An Ode To Products at Home

Now that I am actually back at home, this piece seems easier to do and I am reunited with all of my products and stuff! I have a whole basket full of just beauty/body/hair products and it's so exciting to be rediscovering things.
I adore this product, mainly because of the smell. It smells just like sweets and kinda makes me wanna just eat it with a spoon ... it's limey and sweet and just sooo good. The product itself is also amazing; it's one of those scrubs that has the right amount of scrubby bits; not to mention the the general consistency of it makes it so easy to use. It's thick and works as soon as you apply it to your skin, leaving it feeling gorgeously smooth. It isn't too harsh so you can use it every few days as it doesn't aggravate sensitive skin or leave your skin feeling a bit raw. It has the perfect balance of the aforementioned scrubby bits to be used on a regualr enough basis to keep your skin from being any kind of scaley!

You will note that the above picture is of the older packaging; this is the particular version which I have almost used up (a little goes a long way!) and I much prefer the entire old packaging collection of all Soap&Glory products and thus am refusing to accept the new packaging. But for those not living in the past, the new version is thus:

You can get it here for £8.00 or here for $25. (Note that S&G is waaaaaay more expensive in the US!)

Have you tried this product?

xoxo

Easy Like Sunday Blogging | Home Edition

Just a really quick one to say that I got home, and all is well! It is soooo nice to be home, I cannot even explain. I've got one of my cats sitting with me, tea, food apleenty. It feels so good!
This also means access to other products and ... BOOTS!!! Popped in one quickly today and  felt so overwhelmed, I could barely look at anything properly!

I hope you' re all having good weeks, and safe travels if you are travelling. Sorry this is so short; I am falling asleep at my laptop as I'm writing it!

Would you travel somewhere for Christmas?

xoxo

Easy Like Sunday Bloggin - Home Edition by superkarina5 featuring quote posters

Stuck for Present Ideas? Give a Diary

One of the best birthday presents I received this year was a Moleskine diary (and a really amazing pen to match). I had never had one of these diaries before, but had always admired them from afar. They are gorgeous. They feel so nice. And the pages! Oh the pages; with a week to your left and a lined page to make notes to your right, what more could you want?
Oh that's right. Tabbed pages. Yesyes, these have tabbed pages which you can customise at the back. AND. Stickers. They come with stickers. rehgiaerhgaiowg. (I am a known sticker fiend...)
AND. It has lined pages at the back, for you know, all your lined page needs.
AND. It has a little wallety folder kinda thing at the back, after the tabbed pages, and where those glorious stickers are contained.
AND, It has a year calendar at the front.
AND. It has a whole host of list pages at the front, where you can note down your events, birthdays and travels.
WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT?!
Oh yes.
A range of colours. Done.
A bookmark. Done.
A elastic thingy to keep it shut. Done.

If I haven;t just sold you a Moleskine diary, I don't know what will...OH yes, other than they amke great presents! Diaries are those things which you know you need but you never really want to fork out the money for yourself because you want a really nice one...
Hence give them as a gift! These are practical and amazing, and then it means that the receiver of your really thought-out gift will already be prepared for the new year!

You can get Moleskine diaries in a lot of places, (but Paperchase do 10% student discount ;)  )

Would you like to receive a Diary as a gift?

xoxo

Top Ten Things You Hear As An International Student

1. Oh wow! Do you have an accent?
(*whispers quietly* everyone has an accent)

2. How did you end up here?

3. Omg can you say *insert probably really cringey word*?! It sounds so different when you say it!

4. Ohh I have a friend/relative/person that went/lives there!

5. What do you miss most about home?

6. What's your favourite thing about being here?

7. I've always wanted to visit *insert your home country*!

8. Is it true that *insert again probably really cringey stereotype*??

9. I can't imagine not seeing my family for that long; at least there's Skype!

10. When was the last time you were actually at home?? 

It's like we're from a different country or something...

xoxo

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer | An Ode to Products At Home

Not only have I spoken about this product on numerous occasions, but also, so has the rest of the entire beauty world. If you have never used this product or have never heard of it, you must have been living under a rock or something. 

This concealer, is hands down, the best drug store concealer. (It really annoys me that I have picked up the phrase 'drugstore', but the English equivalent is high street which isn't really the same thing.) Not only is it so cheap, but it is just so good. It covers a manner of sins; it claims to last 16 hours,  wouldn't quite say that but it does last a bloody long time! (i.e. all day). 

They had also recently updated the shades I do believe...so that I no longer know what shade I use as they do not still do the shade I had... but only a few days until I can go into Boots (THE EXCITEMENT) and get my hands on a new one!!!

You can get this here for £4.19 (This takes you to 'international Boots', which is what America takes me to directly and they apparently ship all over the place!)

Have you tried this before?

xoxo

Easy Like Sunday Blogging

Let me first say that I am exhausted. I covered a three hour shift today which then turned out to be six hours as there were hardly any staff and it was so busy. Thus, I am in bed, in my pyjamas and could literally just pass out here.

- On a brighter, much brighter note, this time in 7 days, I will be homehome!!!!! Just 6 days until I leave; I cannot wait.
I leave next Saturday night and so have a night flight and get back into London around 8 in the morning. Bloody 8 on a Sunday morning! But I'll be homeeeeee. 

- It is finals week, which means that everyone is stressed out and just about ready to leave/lie down of the floor and just cry. I have two exams, a paper due and a project due, but as my year doesn't count, I'm not stressing too much and am just offering my assistance to anyone that wants it! It's nice to not be stressed, but  it's also not great seeing all of my friends really stressing themselves out. Hopefully this week goes quickly!

- MODA PRINT ISSUE. Omg guys. It's beautiful. The whole issue is just incredible, and I am so happy to have been a part of it. Everyone kept coming up to me and telling me how much they loved my article and how good and sassy I look in the photo! (It makes me feel like I would love to be working as a journalist or editor and then I end up questioning everything that I want to do with my life... )

- This time last year, I can remember vlogmas being the only thing that made me get up in the mornings. I was soso unhappy and I was counting down the hours until I could go home. My last night at uni last year, I actually worked the biggest event of the year for Bleinham Palace; Flavia and Lois Smith performed, and although I didn't meet Lois, he stood right in front of me as I tried not to drop my tray of drinks.
It's such a nice feeling to be looking forward to going home for reasons other than that I just needed to be away from uni for a while.I'm pretty sure I got myself chinese at three in the morning and ate it sobbing in my bed of relief that I was going home in a few hours. But not this year!

- And on that note, despite being surrounded by some of the greatest friends last year, I have met some really great people here at Madison! I have definitely found some friends for life here which is beyond anything I could have expected. (Shout out to my bambinos; they know who they are!) And it will be really weird to not see them for a while! Not to mention, my British lecturer who brought me a homemade mince pie. Life made. 

I hope you're having wonderful Decembers; I have Michael Buble on repeat. Of course.

xoxo

Klimt Gold | Moda

Guys, guys. My new Make Up Masterpiece is live on Moda! This is the life and style magazine and website on campus, and it is really pretty amazing.
The launch party for the print issue is tomorrow night; I'm so excited to see it! I have the closing article in it, and cannot wait to see how it looks in actual print!!

If you want to read how to create the Klimt inspired make up look above, then please click here! I'm really happy with it, and looove this look!

Would you wear this golden Klimt look?

xoxo

Vlogmas Weekend - Painting and Squirrels! | Video

Guys. I have outdone myself with my title screen. Just saying, I have done some good work there. I have watched just that bit over manymany times. Even if you don't want to watch the whole thing, at least watch the few opening seconds!

I hope you enjoy this little snippet of my weekend and are having good Decembers! 

(Only 11 days until I go home! :D )

xoxo

(You can also watch the video here and if you really want to, please like and subscribe!)

Vera Wang Princess Night | An Ode To Products At Home

This was the first ever perfume that I actually bought! I had lusted, yes lusted, after it for months and months and months. In fact possibly a couple of years...anyway, my love affair with this perfume was a long and ongoing one!

The smell is just gorgeous. When it has the word 'night' in it, you know that it is going to have darker undertones, and I do generally just wear this in the evening. However it works great all through Winter. I however did not bring it with me...as I brought Lovestruck which my brother bought me just before I left.

This is one of those perfumes that I have had many compliments on, mainly from boys! It is just such an alluring smell; numerous descriptions use the words 'exotic, floral, nocturnal', I am loving the last one! 

I definitely miss the smell of this, and if you have never smelt it, what have you been doing?! You need this in your perfume collection. trust me. 

You can get it here for $31.19, or here for £31.95 (You are soo much better off getting it in dollars!)

What are your favourite Winter scents?

xoxo

Easy Like Sunday Blogging

Let me just say this; I really do not like Sundays. At all. I mean, when I'm at home I do enjoy popping down the town with Mother, and god I love a roast dinner, but the general feeling of Sundays. I just do not like. Singing in a church choir for 5 years also gives you a very different perspective upon what you should be doing on Sundays. 

- You will all be pleased to know that Vlogmas on The Kazlight Anthem is on it's way! My voice is back! It was a joyous day on Friday when I woke up, and could finally speak again. So that means that I had to do a bit of vlogging :) I'm really excited to be finally uploading something again!

- On a not so bright note...at work last night, whilst cleaning the friers, I burnt one of my fingers. Essentially it went straight into the oil, resulting on it being completely salved and bandaged up for the rest of the weekend. It's fine, just a little sore, so don't worry everyone!

- Tomorrow it is 12 days until I go home! I cannot wait. I am of course enjoying my time here at Madison, but after four months here, time back at home will definitely be appreciated. And a snuggle with my cats! Oh and proper British tea. Oooohmy yes.

- Thanksgiving - this was a completely wonderful time. I was in a wonderful place, with wonderful people. I will have a post dedicated solely to this coming up, but I really was so very thankful for a lot of things. (On the coach down to Chicago airport, an American lady who lives in London was complaining that we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in England. Umm...)

- I also have some exciting posts coming up on Moda, which if you don't remember what that is, it is the life and style magazine on campus. The print issue also commes out this month in which I have the closing article; I literally cannot wait to see it!!!

P.S. How cool is this!?

I hope you have all had a lovely week!

xoxo

A Hundred Happy Things | Part 2

With Christmas coming up, I will feel no shame in making this essentially, the Christmas edition of the things that make me happy.

11. Christmas Music. 

A Spaceman Came Travelling, Chris De Burgh is by far the best Christmas song, in the world ever.

Fact.

12. That general feeling of merryment that everyone gets around Christmas. You know that one where it makes you feel all tingly inside like you've had champagne. That one. 

13. Christmas food - the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry sauce, the mince pies, the bucks fizz, the mulled wine, ooooh how I could carry on!

14. Christmas Eve. This is actually my favourite day in the entire year. 

15. Christmas films and tv; because who doesn't love Elf, Love Actually and Home Alone? Or a Christmas special of nearly every programme going?

16. After Christmas dinner naps. 

17. Christmas coffee; we always seem to have a special packet that only ever appears on Christmas day and is never around the rest of the year...

18. The thought that in some places, i.e. Wisconsin, it does snow on Christmas day! (Come on England...this'll be the year...)

19. Being able to wrap up warm in hats, scarves, gloves, boots and coats and getting all snug in your coat.

20. The majority of my teenage years were pretty much dedicated to a church choir, thus when it comes to September...that's time to practice the Christmas hymns. And they are just so good. (And yes I did wear robes.)

What about Christmas makes you happy?

xoxo

Blogmas!

'Tis the season to be bloggy, falalalalala!

Hellohello Bambinos; it's been a while, again, I know. But I have good reason! As I said previously I went to New Jersey for Thanksgiving (a really nice part, don't worry!) and I mentioned that I may vlog...this did not in fact happen. When we got there, it was so lovely and nice and relaxing and warm and cosy, and a whole host of other things that I was just enjoying doing nothing too much to then vlog. I was also really enjoying having a break from the internet; I didn't even watch any youtube videos! (Except some cheeky SacconneJolys!) And so I did not vlog, or blog and only tweeted really happy emojis. 

But not to fear...with 15 days to go until I am homehome, I am back with Christmas music gearing me on! I have blog posts aplenty planned!

In relation to youtube...all of this week I have had no voice at all. It has been a struggle to participate in my classes. I had to get one girl to read out an announcement for me. And when discussing my final canvas with my painting tutor, it basically consisted of me pointing and nodding. Thus I have been completely unable to film, but my voice is croaking it's way back and hopefully a new video shall be with you all soon!

With all of that being said...Blogmas! I am not saying that I am fully committing to blogging every single day, but I will be blogging whenever I possibly can! 

I will now leave you all with this little anecdote to lighten your cold Fridays and make you feel better about yourselves:
When walking home yesterday a mormon stopped me and asked me 'Are you struggling today?' (It's quite common around here that they will talk to you, and they are always lovely!) Of course, I had no voice, and of course, I'm always struggling, so I just mouthed yes at him and ran off. #winning ... 

Eat some mince pies and whack on the Michael Buble Christmas Album!

xoxo

How I Got A Better Nights Sleep | Part 2

This wasn't intended to be a series or anything on The Kazlight Anthem, however my first post proved pretty popular, and as I was struggling to get to sleep last night, I realised that I have another solution to sleepless nights. (I was struggling so much I almost got right back out of bed to just whip out this post then and there!)

My mind is always going a few thousand miles a minute, literally there is so much going on in my mind, it's no wonder I get headaches so often. But then, as with a lot of people, as soon as I go to bed, all of those thoughts get faster, and worse, and I begin to worry about every little thing in my life, big or small and massively stress myself out.
A few weeks ago, this had gotten to the point where I was almost sobbing nearly every night because I was just stressing myself out so much. Then I just thought calm. Stop thinking. Just clear your mind. Now this is SO HARD to do.
 (As a taster, when I first start doing this, my thought process is as such: not thinking anything, but then that is something, does this mean I'm not doing it right, like I didn't do that blog post right, and my videos are pretty shoddy, and I'm basically useless at everything, and I'm so poor right now, can I afford dinner tomorrow? etc ...)
So instead of just that, I think calm, and then just track my breathing. I just think in, and, out,  and I keep this up until I drift off. And it's pretty good! In and out now tend to be my last thoughts (I think), as opposed to my continuous incompetent worries!

So if you have trouble turning your mind off at night, give this a go!

*Reasons as to why, again, I have been pretty absent from everything will be clear soon!*

I hope you all get better nights sleep!

xoxo