Tag: I ♥ Summer

My good friend and fellow blogger, Kirsten, tagged me to do this, and in turn I tag each and every one of you to do this too. Leave me a link in the comments to yours! Here's how mine turned out...

#1: What's your favourite summer nail varnish?

At the moment it would have to be Claire's Accessories mint coloured matte varnish, and although it's not the best varnish I've ever had it's definitely my favourite colour especially for summer. I've been trying to find some more accessories to match it as I love matching my nail varnish to my accessories.

#2: What is your favourite lip colour this summer?

If I'm completely honest, I'm not much of a lipstick person during the summer! So I suppose I should answer with this: au natural. I do, however, make sure I keep my lips in top condition with Chapstick, my personal preference being cherry. If I had to pick a colour, it would definitely be a nude colour.

#3: Show us your favourite summer dress.

Unfortunately I had to take this picture from off the Topshop website (with a little help from Polyvore) - I should have prepared beforehand and made sure I had a decent picture of myself in the dress! It cost me £34.00 which is more than I'm usually willing to pay but I couldn't resist; I adore the lace detailing.

#4: What is your favourite summer accessory?

It has to either be my floral earrings I got from Claire's (which I showed you guys in a post not so long ago) or my Isle of Wight wristband! Not too sure if it counts as an accessory but I guess it's classed as a bracelet and I'm not taking it off for a while yet, especially not during summer!

#5: What summer trends are you most excited about this year?

I'm not really one to keep up with trends, but I have noticed that frills and fringing on swimwear seem to be in fashion. I love these - I recently bought a white bikini that had a frill detailing around the edges. So I guess this is the trend I'm most excited about this year!

#6: What is your favourite summer song?

I would have to say... Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) by Shakira. It was the official song for the last World Cup (2010), and the music video features many footballers I love. It's also got me excited for summer next year, seeing as it will be time for the World Cup again!

#7: What is your favourite body spray or perfume?

For summer, it would definitely have to be Avon's Tahitian Holiday. It isn't your typical perfume, as it smells purely of coconuts and reminds me of beaches. I'd say it is more of a body spray than a perfume, but it is in a perfume bottle. I'm not too sure if they stock it anymore, though!

#8: What is the weather like where you live in the summer?
Well... it really depends! This year we're experiencing a heatwave, which I am enjoying (asides from at night, the perks of living in Britain with no air conditioning), but usually it is quite rainy. Like last year. Pretty sure we only had a few days' worth of nice weather! I'm just enjoying this weather whilst it lasts.

#9: What is your favourite thing about the summer?

Definitely being able to relax, no stress of college. Also going to the beach, relaxing in the garden with an occasional dip in the pool (don't get too excited, it's just a 10ft wide, 3ft deep inflatable thing, nothing fancy). I always mean to work on my tan, but I never get much darker than I naturally am...

#10: What are your plans for the summer holidays?

Not much if I'm honest! Beach... pub... garden. We are going to the zoo this weekend though, and we may be going to London to watch a show which is pretty exciting. We're not going on holiday anywhere this summer, so there's nothing overly interesting planned for this summer!

Playlist for the Week #15 {22/07 - 28/07}

I unfortunately missed a week so you'll have to bear with me! I still haven't managed to get a new laptop yet, and I don't really get much access to the computer so apologies for the blog running so slowly... I'll try and update as much as I can!

MONDAY: Hail To The King - Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged are one of my favourite bands and they released a new song the other day after previously releasing a snippet from it, and I have to say I am very impressed. Their sound has definitely changed but I expected that, and I really like the direction they've gone in. Bring on the new album!

TUESDAY: Mind Your Manners - Pearl Jam

I really need to include the grunge gods in my playlists more often as they are another of my favourite bands. Coincidentally enough, this is also a new song by them - it sounds like their older stuff which I really like, and has a really punky vibe. This song wouldn't be out of place on a Tony Hawk soundtrack!

WEDNESDAY: Someplace - Jake Bugg

I haven't included Jake in my playlists for a while (or rather I haven't been blogging enough, whoops) so I thought it'd be a good idea to include him this week. I am seeing him in November and it's only 90 days away now, woohoooo! Although I only saw him last month, I cannot wait to see him again.

THURSDAY: Moonchild - Iron Maiden

I can't believe I've only included the mighty Maiden twice before in the playlists, so I am including them for a third time as they are a band who I take a lot of inspiration from. Also... I think this week needs a little more metal, so here we go. Enjoy a little slice of Iron Maiden. :)

FRIDAY: Coeur D'Alene - Alter Bridge

I love Alter Bridge so much and I always get little shivers every time I listen to them because they are just so good. I'm gutted that I'm missing out on them (again) in October but hopefully I will see them one day. They are currently working on their fourth album and I can't wait!

SATURDAY: That's What You Get - Paramore

...and of course, I can't not include my current favourite band! It's only 66 days until I see these guys and I've finally got everything sorted for when the day comes (I think I already told you guys this but oh well). Here's a slightly more classic song by them, not as classic as the ones off All We Know Is Falling but y'know.

SUNDAY: End Over End - Foo Fighters

I thought I should end the playlist with a bit of Foo Fighters this week, although I think I may have included them for quite a few weeks in a row now. Oops. Ahh well. Foo Fighters are a band I've loved for a very long time so I suppose this means I can get away with including them all the time. :D

Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?

...wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

No... unfortunately, no it is not. The reason why? I have just found some fabulous Ariel (The Little Mermaid) inspired pieces and they are honestly a couple of the most amazing clothing items I have ever found. Ever. As you may or may not know, I have a massive love for Ariel, being that she's my all-time favourite Disney Princess - she always has been, still is, and always will be, and I am even dyeing my hair red to fulfill one of my childhood wishes. I always wanted hair like Ariel's, so I will have hair like Ariel's (about time!!).

Anyway... here are the items that I have found.

Green High Waist Mermaid Bikini Bottom, AliciaZenobia @ Etsy, £26.86-£35.58 (+ £10.07 shipping costs)

I think my heart may have broken a little. Altogether it would cost me £36.83 to own these cutesy bikini bottoms. If I had any idea how to make my own, I would! Maybe one day I'll allow myself to splurge out on these.

Urban Mermaid Crop Top, Adorkable Apparel, £18.21 (+ £9.76 shipping costs)

This beautiful crop top (also available in a t-shirt) was created by Traci Hines, who I have been a fan of on YouTube for quite some time now. I think she perfectly encaptures each Disney Princess she imitates (especially Ariel!) and I think she's excellent. As soon as I am able to, I am going to buy this top because I adore it! However, it would cost me £27.97... a little more than I would usually be willing to pay, but I can't resist this.

I guess I'll just have to wait a little while before I can be Ariel, but watch this space - I should hopefully be dyeing my hair as soon as I've had my hair cut, which should be very soon!

Just a heads up ~

As you may have noticed, I'm not going to be posting much until I get my new laptop. Hopefully that won't be too long, seeing as I may be ordering it this Thursday! I'll post what I can, including the weekly playlist and little snippets that may be going on in my life. But for now, I guess I'll see you guys again properly when I have my personal access to the internet again :')

Much love x

Playlist for the Week #14 {08/07 - 14/07}

I've decided to go for a pretty upbeat and happy playlist this week, seeing as the weather is b-e-a-utiful!

MONDAY: Siberian Breaks - MGMT
One of the longest songs I have ever heard. It's like three or four songs in one. It's so chilled out and definitely a lot different from MGMT's most popular stuff. I like the direction in which they went with their most recent album, and I'm anticipating the next one quite a damn lot!

TUESDAY: Shake The Ground - Cherri Bomb
This is a song I've been learning to play on guitar (along with numerous other Cherri Bomb songs) and it frustrates me because I can't quite get the hammer ons/pull offs during the main riff! However, listening to the song makes me happy anyway because I can still sing along to it.

WEDNESDAY: Junk of the Heart (Happy) - The Kooks
...because a happy and summery playlist would not be the same without The Kooks. They're a band I've loved for a long time (did I ever tell you about how my dad met them before they were famous? I don't think I have) and their music makes me so happy and smiley, yay.

THURSDAY: Scar Tissue - Red Hot Chili Peppers
I really hope I get to see the Chilis sometime soon. Isle of Wight or Reading next year would be nice, please. They're also a band I've loved for many years, in fact one of the ones I listened to growing up. I can't remember a time when I didn't like RCHP. I hope they carry on for as long as they can.

FRIDAY: Interlude: Holiday - Paramore
Their interludes on the new album are so adorable! I love all three of them and this is the first that springs to mind when I think of summer and happiness. I have also sorted out the dilemma of what to do in terms of getting there and back, now the only thing left to do is put the plan in place!

SATURDAY: Radio - Lana Del Rey
Lana's music is (mostly) really happy and feel-good, and of course she is a wonderful person who fills me with happiness too. Okay... that was really cheesy, but it's true. I love Lana and I love her music, so this is why I have included her in this week's playlist.

SUNDAY: No Way Back - Foo Fighters
And of course, I couldn't not include my all-time favourite band. The band who are the most feel-good for me. Oh, and Chris Shiflett (one of the guitarists) followed me on Twitter. That is an awesome claim to fame right there, right? So here's a bit of the almighty Foos, fronted by Jesus himself (Grohl).

(A very) Mini-haul #4

So, yesterday I went shopping with my sister as she needed more summery clothes and even though I wasn't planning on buying anything, I still bought these earrings for £4.50 from Claire's Accessories. I'd seen them a couple of months ago and have been putting off buying them until now, and I'm glad I've finally bought them! They match perfectly with my favourite nail varnish - always a bonus!

P.S. I'm having to write this from my phone, my laptop broke earlier today :( Pretty gutted.

Fashion Friday #12

So, this weekend us lucky lot in the UK have been predicted a heatwave, with the longest sunny spell in 7 years... exciting stuff! So of course, this week's outfit has very summer vibes.

Of course, I had to promote healthy skin care seeing as the weather is going to be so hot. Always remember to wear sun cream when you're out in the sun, I don't want any of you getting burnt (or maybe even worse)!

Today's outfit is mostly based around the shorts, although I did have the top in mind to begin with before even creating this set. I think little tied tops are adorable. Sandals are a must for being down the beach - although saying that I barely ever wear sandals myself!

Things I recommend.

1.) Balconi cakes - I've had them every so often in the past, but recently both my parents have bought them because they're really delicious and also cheap. You can get a 10-pack for around £1 from Asda! They're cute little Italian snack cakes (and they also do tiramisu, which I have yet to try...)

2.) Vanilla and honey tea - You can pick up vanilla teabags almost anywhere; it's a delicious twist on the standard tea. Pretty much all I do is make the tea how I usually would, but add a dollop of honey in the bottom before I pour the water in. I have this one without milk (but still with three sugars of course)!

3.) McDonald's Iced Mocha Frappé - Trust me on this when I say their iced mocha is better than Costa's. And it's a lot cheaper, too. And you get whipped cream and chocolate sauce on the top. And they do a caramel version too. And they also have smoothies. (And Burger King brought out the same thing.)

4.) Palmer's Cocoa Butter - It may be a tad expensive, but it does work. I use it on my face mostly, since I get pretty bad dry skin, but this sorts it out immediately. I find it evens out my skin tone as well. You can also use it all over - it firms, smoothes and tones. I think it also helps fade stretch marks and scars too.

5.) Fantasy by Britney Spears - This is my all-time favourite perfume and I've used it for god knows how long. My dad's fiancée got it for me for Christmas one time, and I fell in love with it immediately. Then my mum got me another bottle once I've used up the first. It's very floral and sweet.

6.) Spare phone battery - If you're going to be out for a long time and won't have access to a plug socket to charge your phone, it's always useful to have a spare battery. Just make sure it's charged up! I found this useful when I went to Isle of Wight festival, and it'll come in handy for when I see Paramore.

That is all I can think of right now, but if you have any things you recommend, tell me and I may just make a post of them!

Playlist for the Week #13 {01/07 - 07/07}

MONDAY: Figure 8 - Ellie Goulding
Skins came back today, and Ellie wrote a song to be specially used in Effy's story. I did want to include it, but I couldn't find it on YouTube, so Figure 8 will have to substitute. Not only do I really really love Skins, but I also have an increasing soft spot for Ellie too which makes this more awesome.

TUESDAY: Pokémon Theme Song - Pokémon
Okay, this isn't exactly a serious song but hey! I have been spending a lot of time recently on Minecraft, most specifically recreating Pokémon (I am considering posting pictures once I've done more). Therefore, I found it very fitting to include the Pokémon theme song especially as I'll probably be creating again tomorrow.

WEDNESDAY: All Apologies - Nirvana
I don't recall ever featuring Nirvana. This makes me sad, seeing as they are one of the greatest bands to ever grace the earth. And I claim to be a fan of grunge, yet don't feature the most famous and most recognised grunge band. So much logic. This ends NOW. Have some Nirvana, yay!

THURSDAY: Some Might Say - Oasis
So... I've been hearing a lot of rumours lately that Oasis are considering reforming. If they do, I swear I will be one of the first to buy tickets as they are a band I've grown up listening to and c'mon, it's Oasis, man! One of the most influential bands of all time. This is a song that reminds me of my childhood.

FRIDAY: Made Of Stone - The Stone Roses
...and here's the band that greatly influenced Oasis. Hell, why don't I just include influential bands for the rest of the playlist? It's like a little blast from the past. I already included my favourite Stone Roses song the last time I featured them, so here's my second favourite.

SATURDAY: For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic - Paramore
Okay, so Paramore aren't quite influential yet. They are starting to be, but the actual reason why I included them here is because Saturday marks 12 weeks until I see them, meaning if I really wanted to I could book a train right now. That reminds me, I really need to figure out how I'm going to get back...

SUNDAY: Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers
This just came on my iPod and I decided it'd be cool to include the Chilis. Now we're back on the 'influential' track. To be honest, I'd say Flea (the bassist) is one of my main influences because he's just so funky cool and different. If I could ever play bass like he can, my life would be complete.