Friday 30 September 2016

Summer | 16

Summer was -a bit all over the shop if I am being entirely honest. This space is often inspired by my lifestyle however I don't often write posts directly discussing my personal life. I think this is what these Recap posts will probably become; a little bit of an honest recap of, not only this space but also my health, studies, and personal life.

Life: 
The summer started with a disaster. Long story short the bottom floor of our townhouse flooded -with knee-high neat sewage. Because of this, we were evacuated to my grandparents where we have spent the whole summer. My grandparents only live a few towns away but still it has been difficult to stay well rested, keep updated with the house, battle with insurance assessors whilst also remaining sane. 

Throughout this time my beach hut has served as a serene oasis to escape to whenever we have the chance. With low signal and very little people around it is almost like being marooned on an island without any interference which has just been pure bliss. 

Feeling: 
The flooding process has also made me realize that I am very inward when it comes to my emotions and thoughts. I tend to go into my shell, only voicing my opinion when I think it is really necessary or, as my granddad says, be like the owl sees all, hear all, say nothing. Having said this, I have also noticed that my emotions and feelings tend to fuel a creative fire and I have felt driven and inspired more than ever to create. 

Reading:
I had a list of things to achieve over the summer but when the flood happened things had to be moved around a bit. A lot of the things I wanted to achieve were things I needed to do at home so I had to move to Plan B -my reading list. I didn't want to set my sights too high but there were quite a collection of books I wanted to read. These are a couple of them I got through:
Skin Cleanse, The Night Circus, It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be, The life-changing magic of tidying up, The golden rules of blogging, The Miniaturist, The Hound of Baskervilles and The Valley of Fear, and Careless People. 

Watching: 
Marathoned MIC, Friends, Gilmore Girls, My Family and a lot of youtube!

Creating:
Lots of Blog content -I am so excited to share the posts I have been working on throughout the summer. This space has really been a welcomed distraction from the house stresses. I have also been journaling a lot and updating photo albums, something I have been meaning to do for the longest time. 
Recent Favorites: 
These favourites are creature comforts along with a few new pieces. My mom gifted me a turntable at the beginning of the summer which I was over the moon with. I have a couple of records, my favourite being this one by the Script. I also got this pair of pink velvet loafer slippers, with an embroidered rose detail on the toe, that I have been obsessed with. Usually, I don't go for such light, feminine colours or styles but I love loafers and for some reason have felt so drawn to blush tones this year that I couldn't pass up on these beauts. My last favourite would probably be this granny square crochet blanket that was a gift last spring. It is so cozy, perfect to have to go into fall. 
Listening: 
To a lot of Podcasts. I have many favourites but the ones I have been leaning towards recently are LadyGang, Ctrl Alt Delete and Elise Gets Crafty. I particularly loved the episode of LadyGang when they had Amanda Schull as their guest. As a center stage fan, I couldn't help but listen to that episode a few times. 

Enjoying:
Something I have really been enjoying is this DSLR course, by A Beautiful Mess, I have been working through. I purchased it before Christmas but with health and finishing my uni year I wasn't able to crack it open. With my list of blog ideas as long as my arm and a numerous amount of photos to produce, it felt like the perfect time to whip it out and get to know how to use my camera in manual mode. Needless to say, I think it has gone really well, and I'm enjoying the flexibility that manual mode gives my photos. 

So, that has been my Summer and now I am so ready for Autumn. October is my favourite time of the year, mainly because of Halloween but also as my uni year starts and I'm ready to get back into my routine. 


What have your Summer highlights been? Are you looking forward to Autumn? 
Cheerio for now! 
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Monday 19 September 2016

Book Review: The Night Circus

Ribbons, Ravens, and Rêveurs 
The Night Circus Book - accompanied by a red Rêveurs scarf and a black and white cup and saucer
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern has quickly become my favourite book. I remember constantly seeing it recommended on blogs and in magazines but never troubling myself to search it on Amazon. It wasn't until a few years back I picked it up as an impulse buy at my local bookstore. It was right at the checkout and feeling drawn to the cover I quickly purchased it before having time to give it a second thought. It sat on my bookshelf ever since til last fall, when I devoured it on a rainy day. 

There is very little detail of the story I can give without giving away spoilers so let's just say the story is a game played by Celia Bowen and Marco Alisdair which takes place at the night circus. It involves magnificent feats, vivid characters, and the most beautiful story ever wrote (in my opinion). The way it's written is truly magnificent, not only telling you the story of the circus but also threads of outsiders' stories who baffle you, to begin with, only to fall into place as you read on. The threads carefully curated by Morgenstern slowly weave together and make the book even more enchanting. I also love how the reader can experience certain elements and feats from within the circus through sections of the books; which just adds to the overall enjoyment and lures the reader in, as though they could brush shoulders with the characters themselves. 

It's the type of book you can read over and over, with its enticing magic affecting you more and more with every read. The type of book you never want to finish, as you will have to leave this wonderful escape Morgenstern has created and come crashing back to reality. 


Have you ever read The Night Circus? What did you think? Comment below. 
Cheerio for now! 
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Monday 12 September 2016

Tropic ABC Collection

Tropics ABC Skincare Collection 
tropic - ABC collection face routine

Having started to go natural with my skincare and toiletries, I came across Tropic last year through a friend. The first element of my routine I was trying to change was my face care, so naturally, the first products I bought were the Smoothing Cleanser, the Vitamin Toner and the Skin Revive to fill the place of my usual 3-step routine. It's more than likely that customers will purchase certain products to use together, so Tropic has created certain collections with products such as this. For instance, those three products come in a collection along with the Eye Refresh and save £15 in the process (essentially you get the eye refresh free).

Tropic Products - smoothing cleanser, vitamin toner & skin revive

Smoothing Cleanser, complexion purifier with bamboo cloth:
The Smoothing Cleanser is the first step in the ABC face routine. The cleanser contains Golden Jojoba oil, Sweet Almond oil and Avocado oil giving a refreshing blend for clear and soft skin. The texture is milky and smooth to apply, and it quite literally melts away makeup in the gentlest of ways.

To use you simply massage 2-4 pumps onto dry skin in gentle circular motions. This will remove any makeup or impurities on your eyes, face, and neck. To remove, rinse off with warm water using the bamboo cloth. If you use this to remove makeup it's recommended to use another 2 pumps to cleanse your face after, and remember to give your bamboo cloth a good rinse after removing your make up.

Vitamin Toner, pore refining mist
The Toner is probably the most refreshing product I have ever come across. With a mixture of Rose Water, Cucumber, and Aloe Vera Juices it is perfect to calm, rejuvenate and minimise pores.

After using the cleanser, just spritz the Toner across your face and neck, and leave to sink in. You can also use a cotton pad to wipe around the face, it's just as effective either way.

Skin Revive, nourishing cream concentrate
With a blend of Rosehip oil, Golden Jojoba oil and Aloe Vera Juice I can see why this product is labelled as nourishing. Skin Revive is hydrating and moisturising on your skin, whilst also being gentle and giving a radiant complexion.

Use 2-3 pumps onto face and neck in circular motions and leave to absorb.

Tropic products - bamboo cloth & eye refresh
Eye refresh, cooling gel roll-on
In a rollerball applicator, the Eye Refresh is easy to apply for that little pick-me-up or when you need to look wide-eyed. The cooling blend of Cucumber Juice, Aloe Vera, and Ginseng makes the mixture perfect for calming puffy, tired skin and dark circles. This little bad boy has quickly become an essential to not only keep on me when I go out but also when I'm studying or just lounging around the house. 

To use, simply roll under eyes as much as you require.

I love each and every one of these products. All of them work so well together but also have such strength as individual products. Whenever I have come across natural products in the past they have often been way out of my price range, so it's incredibly refreshing to come across natural products that are not only within my budget but also effective and match my own ethos. 
You can read more about Tropic and their brand here.

Have you ever tried Tropics?
Cheerio for now! 
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