Wednesday 31 December 2014

New Years Resolutions 2015!

So, it's finally arrived, the last day of 2014 and the anticipation of the forthcoming year (big words, I know right?)I thought I would post my resolutions. Anywho, I'm positive there'll be countless posts on this throughout the day on other people's blogs but I thought I would make my own little contribution to that; so here's my 2015 New Years Resolutions.


  • Eat/Cook Better - I'm no different to the majority of people out there, I enjoy my food and I always eat more than I should at Christmas time but in 2015 I'd like to make an effort to eat at home more often rather than grabbing something from a shop or - eek- a takeaway when I'm too busy or running late. It's really important to eat as healthy as possible particularly as you get older and I haven't been the healthiest of individuals this year, well in the last 6th months at the very least. So, hopefully I'll learn to cook some healthy new recipes.
  • Exercise More - This is really important to me as keeping health as I get older isn't just important for health it's becoming very clear that I'll have to have a significant amount of physical stamina if I'm to pursue the career I would like; midwifery. I'm not one of these people who sits idle most of the time, I exercise at home and I walk whenever I can rather than using my car however I'd just like to give my fitness level a little boost so I'm going to do about an extra 30 minutes of exercise per day and build up the time spent over a few months; I'm planning on holding myself accountable via this blog and posting about my fitness routines and plans in the very near future. 
  • Find an Outlet for Stress - I'm a stress head. There's absolutely no denying it anymore. Stress gets to me far too easily and it's hard for me to wind down once I've reached that level of mania, this year I'm making a point to make sure I find an outlet for all of my stress to keep myself calm and relaxed rather than manic and uptight. I have a good few ideas of how to wind down after being so stressed, those being cross stitch, knitting, reading or writing. Hopefully I'll find something that suits me down to the ground. 
  • Make Time for Blogging -  I adore blogging so as my fourth and final New Years Resolution I want to make it a priority to find time to post as often as absolutely possible, it may be difficult to post everyday for obvious reasons but I'd love to make time to post every second day and more often if I can. This blog is very important to me and I appreciate all those who read on a regular basis.
  • Leave My Comfort Zone - This is pretty important to me, I've always been really shy and introvert but since starting college I've been much more confident. However, I still have difficulty leaving my comfort zone therefore I am going to work hard at leaving my comfort some whenever possible. Maybe through volunteering, travelling alone (I hate that) or even making a talent show audition. If I'm feeling really brave I may even try for X-Factor... unlikely but it's worth a try. 
  • UPDATE: Learn a New Language: For about 10 years now I've wanted to learn a new language, literally any new language and when I was around 11 I discovered how much I love the German language and Irish Gaelic so I'm making it a priority to learn one of these two languages, I'll probably start with German as it seems much easier... if Imanage to learn two words in these languages I'll be happy. I may even move on to trying to perfect my English first haha!
So, there you have it. My new years resolutions have been made and I have to say it will be a miracle if i manage to stick to two of these, never mind four.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! Do you have any New Years Resolutions? Please let me know I'd love to hear from you.


Love Katherine. X

2014 Favourites - General Awesomeness

Okay, so this will be my penultimate post of 2014, I have one more post after this which is my resolutions post coming later on today which I'm really excited about! Anyway this post is basically all about my favourite things of 2014 and you'll find a mix of hair, beauty and other general stuff that I liked. I hope you enjoy it. 

Firstly, I discovered the Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub from Lush Cosmetics. This is basically an organic sea salt scrub for the face and body that helps get rid of dead skin, smooths out the complexion and just given your skin a brighter glow. I only got this for Christmas so it's a relatively new product and I've got to admit it is absolutely wonderful! So far I've used a little each time I shower or get a wash, a small amount about the size of a 5 pence piece on problematic areas has massively helped my complexion and it also helps reduce redness of any spots you may have. A mighty thumbs up for this scrub!

This year I've also discovered the wonders of Tresemme Colour Fade Protection shampoo and conditioner. Obviously Tresemme has been around a while and I have tried their products before but they used to make my hair frizzy and flat however, since I've had my hair dyed Tresemme Colour Fade Protection is my go-to shampoo and conditioner. Since using it my hair fades much slower than usual and this is a great help to me because I dye my hair a dark chocolate brown, sometimes it looks black, and with bright blonde roots fading is often a big problem for me; however, this seems to lock colour in for much longer and when it does start to fade it's not as harsh, meaning that my roots don't seem as bright. So for me I love this product and I'd recommend it to anyone with coloured hair. 

The next thing of 2014 that I love is my collection of Baby Lips lip balm, they smell absolutely amazing and they make my lips so soft! Especially in winter time I tend to have problems with chapped lips and I first used Baby Lips a couple of months ago and I was really surprised that it lasted so long and when it faded the softness remained. I also love they they come in tinted or non-tinted forms so if you want a bit of colour as well as protection on your lips it's al in one lovely smelling lip balm. My personal favourite is pictured above on the right, the Peach Kiss is lovely and it smells so sweet. 

I also discovered these two lovely candles just hiding away in the back of a small shop in my local city centre, they were really cheap and I adore candles and bargains so putting them together was like shopping heaven for me! The white candle pictured above and left is sweet vanilla and coconut scented and it genuinely smells so sweet and smooth it's fab to light and just chill out with after a nice bath or something. The pink candle pictured above and right is red berry and jasmine and this actually smell like sweet sherbert, when it's first lit it gives a blast of sweetness that can be kind of sickly but after a while to scent softens and it's just really nice and homely smelling. Put the two together and WOW! They mix really well and you get over 30 hours of burning which means you can use them again and again.

Finally, although technically I didn't find this in 2014, I found it in 2013, I had to put it on my list as it was bought for me at Christmas. I'm a perfume freak and I have around 20 different perfumes, eu de toilettes, body sprays and so on and I have to say Prada Candy - pictured above- is my all time favourite. My Mam bought me some from Italy in 2013 and again for christmas this year and I have to say it just smells so elegant and brings back some great memories; I just remember going out every other day with friends to the beach, driving around and having driving lessons and that perfume reminds me of that good year. Every women should have a bottle of this perfume its absolutely beautiful!
So, thats the end of my 2014 favourites post, I hope you enjoyed it and keep an eye out for my post later on - My New Years Resolutions 2015! Also follow me on Bloglovin' 
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Love Katherine. X

Tuesday 30 December 2014

Soundtrack to My Life Tag

Hey All!
This post was suggested to be by my riend Aymie, she's also a fab blogger and she did this post earlier in the month, you can take a look at her post here. After looking over the questions I thought I'd definitely have a go myself; let's get going then...

1. Song you listen to when you're happy? 
Right now it's Galway Girl by Foster and Allen Ft. Shane Ward. I love this song and I have a soft spot for Irish music.

2. Song you listen to when you're sad?
I always listen to 'A Thousand Years' by Christina Perri, because sometimes you just want to listen to a soppy song.

3. What song will you have at your wedding?
I have always said that if I ever get married I'll have Ben E. King's 'Stand By Me' playing as my first dance. It's such a lovely song and I think it fits perfectly with the feel of a wedding.

4. What song do you dance around the house to?
I'll dance to anything but at the moment it's 'Dance With Somebody' by the late, great Whitney Houston.

5. Song you play on your headphones when you're out and about?
Usually it's nothing particular but lately I've been listening to a lot of Queen and the last song I went out listening to was 'Killer Queen', a classic.

6. Song you listen to when you're angry?
I usually like to listen to violent or angry music when I'm angry myself because it actually tends to calm me down so I like to listen to Rob Zombie's 'Living Dead Girl', I also love the Chucky movies so it's a bonus that that song was on Bride of Chucky.

7. Song you'd have at your funeral?
I don't want my funeral to be miserable so I'd like something like my all time favourite song which would have to be Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys Are Back in Town'.

8. Song that makes you lose your s**t at a party?
Edge of Glory by Lady GaGa, I just adore this song and it's such a tune to dance about to. You'll find me on the dance floor as soon as this song comes on at any party.

9. Your karaoke song?
Oh...tough one, I'd probably say Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On, I can slay a room with this song when I'm up on stage!

10. Song you exercise to?
Definitely Outkast's Hey Ya! This song motivates me SO much it's unbelievable, it's fab to exercise to because it fits any type of physical activity.

11. Song with the most memories attached? 
Not sure who it's by but there's an old song called Me and My Teddy Bear and I just remember my Grandma and Mam singing this to me when I was really small; I also have a 60 year old teddy bear that's been handed down from my Grandma's generation to my Mam's then to me. Every time I see this teddy bear I hear that song.

12. Song that makes you cry?
Passenger's Let Her Go. I'm not a particularly emotional person when it comes to music but this just brings me to tears every time I hear it. It's an emotional song and I cry whenever it's played.

13. Song you hate the most?
Every. Single. Rave. Song. Ever! I don't see the point in that type of music to be honest.
Thanks for reading my Soundtrack to My Life Tag, it was fun writing it. Be sure to check out Aymie's post too!


Love Katherine. X


Monday 29 December 2014

My Top 3 Quick Everyday Hairstyles

Hi Everyone!
Today I'm going to be posting my Top 3 Quick Everyday Hairstyles, these are just the styles I tend to wear when I'm running late for college or on those mornings I simply can't be bothered with all of the hoo-ha of styling. 
  • Sleek and Straight - My default quick hairstyle for those late days is simply using a couple of products on my hair, one of my favourite being the L' Oreal 3 Day Straight spray. I usually give my hair a quick spritz with that then straighten my hair, I don't usually take a massive amount of time with this or do it very meticulously so it usually just takes me 5-7 minutes all-in-all, excluding time for any heat tools to warm up. After I just blast my hair with Elnett Lasting hairspray and I'm ready. This gives my hair an effortless skeel and shiny look that will last over 2 days. 
  • Doughnut Bun - Another personal favourite of mine that is really easy and quick is the doughnut bun or "sock bun" depending on whatever you use. I like to use doughnuts because I'm OCD and I get rather stressed out of my hair doesn't look exactly the right shape or style and I just fine I get a better look with doughnuts too. Anyway I usually straighten my hair the night before I do this style but it's not necessary as you'll get the same results with or without straightened hair. I don't just any other product other than my hairspray to keep it all in place and 3/4 bobby pins. Evenly displace the hair around the doughnut and secure with bobby pins once you've done that and then spray to hold in place, they've got yourself a nice even looking bun that will last all day. You hair will also look really cool once you take it out of the bun too, especially if you keep some volume on the crown area. All in all this should only take about 5-8 minutes.
  • Beach-y No Heat Waves - This is a personal favourite of mine that I tend to use on the summer more often that not. To start with I will loosely plait my hair in 2 or 3 thickish plaits before  go to bed, making sure my hair is completely dry or it will stay flat on my hair which I personally hate. In the morning I just take out the plaits, pull apart the waves they've created and rough my hair up a little that makes it look more natural, then I use my Urban Fudge Salt Spray which works really well and smells heavenly; give the waves a quick scrunch and there you have it! Lovely surfer girl style waves. Takes around about 3-4 minutes.
Thanks for reading guys, i hope you enjoyed it, here will be pictures accompanying many of my posts but I'm having some technical problems with my computer at the moment so there's a bit of a delay. 
Let me know about some of your favourite hairstyles and what you like to do with your locks on those late and lazy days. 


Love Katherine. X

Sunday 28 December 2014

Lazy Days and Weekend Summary

This post is just going to be a rather quick round up or summary of what's been a fabulous lazy weekend following the Christmas rush, hope you all enjoy it. 
Well it's firstly really important to note that usually my weekends are packed full of fun stuff like coursework, shopping with family members and housework (sarcasm if you hadn't guessed) but this weekend I made a point of having a very lazy couple of days. 
I mentioned in a post yesterday that I spent a few hours searching through all of my christmas stuff which was rather fun, I had a fab lie in yesterday and today and I feel great for having finally slept in after weeks of 6AM starts. 
Normally, because of college and work, I have a lot on my mind but lately it's been lovely not having to worry or stress over anything so today I took my chance to start reading one of my favourite book series of all time, the Skulduggery Pleasant series. I'm a massive bookworm and to me there's nothing better than letting yourself get completely and utterly lost in a favourite book. I hand't realised that I'd been reading nearly 5 hours so when I finally did decide to put the book down I managed to get some writing done. 
As well as reading I enjoy writing short stories so I managed to start the ball rolling with another piece of writing which I've been meaning to do for a very long time. Writing is a very good way of relieving stress and just forgetting about everything else that's going on around you, I personally find it is anyway. 
After writing a bit of a story I decided to publish one blog post I'd pre-written yesterday to post at some point today which was fun to do because it got me thinking about certain products i'd love to have a go of and it give me inspiration form many more blog posts that hopefully you'll all look forward to. 
Now here I am, sat in my poke dot onsie in bed after a hot bath with tons of smellies writing this post because I don't have much else to do. 
I hope you l have had a wonderful weekend too and I hope I've not bored you all too much with my ramblings. Thanks for reading all!


Love Katherine. X

My Hair Wishlist

Hey All!
Today while I was attempting to control my hair, after my last unfortunate cut it's hard to keep the fringe down, I started to think about all of the different hair related products I'd really like to try. I love experimenting with hair and beauty trends or just for fun. So, let's get to it:
  • L'Oreal Matt and Messy Shine Free Spray Tousled - Naturally my hair is a kind of fluffy but straightish texture so my default style tends to be straightened which gets rather boring after a while. This is why I'd like to try this Matt and Messy spray so I'm still able to straighten my hair and get some nice tousled waves along with it. This product has good reviews so it definitely seems like a good investment, especially on those busy days where time is lacking, just a couple of quick sprays and Ta Dah! Nicely styled hair!



  • Wella Shockwave Power Volume Mousse - Personally, I can not stand flat hair, I just think it looks awful when my hair is stuck to my head therefore I'm always looking for new products that will add a bit of volume. I've tried other products such as mousse, spray and even gels as well as different ways of styling or drying my hair and it does seem to work for a short period of time, however, Shockwave is a good brand and I've tried several products before that have worked quite well for me. I'd love to give this mousse a go and see how well it works. Also well is the brand I use to dye my hair and it is absolutely fab!

  • Studio Line Hot Curl Spray - This is a product I've been wanting to try for a while now mainly because whenever I get time on a morning or whenever I'm able I really enjoy curling or waving my hair and I like them to last as long as possible. I have the 3 day straight spray from the same line and it is really good particularly as it's also a heat protectant which is essential when using heat so... BONUS! and as long as you've got a good dry shampoo your hair genuinely does stay in the style for 3 days. So, I think it would be nice to try it out with my curls and see how ti goes, if it works I'll definitely be curling and wing my hair more often. 





  • Tresemme Lasting Hold Hairspray - As I've said before it's kind of hair to control my hair at the minute because of the style I'm currently wearing but generally I find it rather difficult to keep my hair the same or near enough the same all day so it's really important that I have a good hairspray and I've found Tresemme products are wonderful on my hair type so I thought this would be a good product to try.




Hopefully I'll be able to try them al at some point in the future and maybe review them. Most of these products can be found in Superdrug or Bots theatre my "go-to" shops. 
Thanks for reading.







Love Katherine. X

Saturday 27 December 2014

Driving Test Tips!

Hi All!
Trying to tackle those pesky driving test nerves can be just as daunting a task as the test itself but don't despair! If you can get your nerves under control, or at least toned down a little, it will make the whole experience much easier no matter what the end result.
Everyone, no matter how old or how experienced they seem to be, gets nervous before taking exams and a driving test is no different, in fact a driving test is one of the most nerve-wracking exams you'll ever sit and it's absolutely understandable that people get stressed and nervous before it. As a teenager particularly there is a significant amount of pressure and expectation from friends and even parents in some cases which makes the experience a whole lot more stressful. I have gathered together some snippets of advice and helpful tips from my experience and others' experiences of the test that should help you prepare for your own UK driving test. One things that should be noted throughout this post is that I recently passed my driving test and I suffered from extreme nervousness, however I managed to pass with only 3 minors first time simply by staying as calm as possible. Here we go:
1. You need to be patient.
When you decide to get your driving license you will be eager to get mobile as soon as possible but you need to be patient, son't expect to be a fantastic driver the moment you get into the car, the more you worry about your own ability the lower your confidence in your ability will sink. This was a major issue of mine, I love to be the best as everything but that just wasn't the case when driving. Driving is a skill that takes time to refine, patience and confidence in yourself. When you're confident and patient with your own ability you then have the change to focus more on what you are learning rather than the negatives e.g. if you've hit the wrong gear or something. This applies on the day of your driving test, be patient with others on the road as you're liable to be agitated or tense, be confident in your skill and this should help lessen nerves.
2. Read up!
It is absolutely essential that you read your literature thoroughly and ensure you are aware and you understand what it all means. Read the Highway Code as well as The DSA Official Guide to Driving: The Essential Skills, The Official DSA Theory Test and The Official DSA Guide to Learning to Drive. It also wouldn't hurt to grab a CD or DVD which you can use on your computer to allow you to watch over people's driving tests, see what they did wrong and so on. I personally recommend GSP Driving Test Complete.
3. Make sure you know your weaknesses.
When you are aware of your weakest areas when driving you can confront your instructor with them, ask for more lessons based around those weaknesses. My weakness for example was roundabouts and lane discipline, I am also aware of people whose weaknesses included traffic signs, motorway rules and many more. You must tell your instructor what your weaknesses are because if they are not addresses they could result in a minor or a test fail.
4. If possible practise out of lessons.
If, unlike myself, you have the chance to drive with insurance outside of lessons with a parent or someone over the age of 21 with a valid driving license older than 3 years, take it! Practise makes perfect after all. However DO NOT drive on the road if you are not confident with your ability. An insecure driver makes for a dangerous driver.
5. Drive in different weather conditions.
Obviously this is going to be a difficult one as weather in Britain is unpredictable. If you can do private practise outside of lessons go out when it is windy, raining, snowing, good weather. Each different weather condition means driving style must be altered. Driving in rain is much different from driving when the weather is good as any driver should tell you.
6. Keep it on the DL.
If you're bad at keeping secrets this one might be difficult. If you tell only a few people about your driving test you will have a lot less pressure and expectation placed upon your already nervous shoulders. I highly recommend that you only tell your parents and a couple of close friends. Also if you tell a lot of people about your upcoming test you're basically asking for trouble, you're inviting people to tell you all of their driving test horror stories, how they failed, their cruel test examiners (who most likely we're very nice but people can get bitter if they're failed). Also don't believe the rumours about people being failed because of their appearance. Of course of you go into your test looking as if you've been drinking for a good 4 consecutive nights that could have an impact. It is important that you're comfortable and refreshed and ready for your test.
7. Sleep, eat, drink.
Make sure you have at least 8 hours of sleep to wake up well rested, have a good breakfast (many driving instructors recommend Bananas for an increase of potassium) and hydrate yourself, take a cold water bottle with you if necessary.
8. If all else fails.
I, and as thousands of other drivers across the UK will, highly recommend Bach's Rescue Remedy which is an over the counter calming mixture. I swear by it as it has gotten me through many educational exams and most recently my driving test.
 I wish all of the prospective young drivers the best of luck in their and your upcoming test!


Love Katherine. X

My Experience at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour!

Hi All!
I have mentioned in a previous post, regarding my love of Christmas I believe, that I consider myself a fan of a number of things; the television shows and books that I read and watch tend to be the only things that keep me sane what with the copious amounts of work I get from Sixth Form and living with a rather strange but very loveable family as mine is. I tend to gravitate towards fictional shows and books such as Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, Sherlock, The Walking Dead Harry Potter. I absolutely adore the Harry Potter books and movies which have provided me with years of entertainment, no matter how many times I re-read/watched them all; I am ashamed to admit that I watched the movies first because I thought the books would be... wait for it... BORING! Now I've never claimed that I knew what I was talking about all of the time because in this case I certainly didn't, I read the books for the first time early 2012 and, as previously mentioned, fell in love with the characters and their fascinating stories and world. After finishing the first book I was definitely hooked and I've been a massive fan ever since. I had always wanted to go to and see where the films had been made and I am lucky enough to live quite close to Durham Cathedral and when the second movie 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' was being made I visited the Cathedral the same day that Daniel Radcliffe was on the scene. Alas, I didn't get close enough to see the boy who, at that point, I had decided was destined to be my husband who didn't know it yet; however I was lucky enough to see that the "blood" writing was still on the walls, you know that part "The chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of the heir beware"? Yeah I was over the moon at that. It was in late May 2012 after I'd finished my last GCSE exam that my Mam said she was taking me for a surprise and to pack an overnight bag. I later learned that I was on my way to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour... WHERE HARRY POTTER WAS FILMED!! Oh my days! I was so excited I practically burst my own eardrums from screaming!
When we arrived after getting lost and driving around aimlessly for hours on end I could not be contained, I practically dragged my parents into the main building. Immediately I was surrounded by my favourite childhood characters such as young Ron Weasley, young Harry and Hermione and some not to loved characters *cough* Voldemort *cough*. After getting our tickets stamped and sent on our way we were led into a big movie theatre where we watched the cast welcome us all to what had been their world for 10 years; when we exited the theatre I was awestruck as I wandered into the great hall, sat on the tabled where the cast had sat as their wizarding alter egos for many, many years... I loved it!

We gradually made our way around the titanic excuse for a building being able to see things I never dreamed I would see such as the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore's office, Hagrid's hut, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and so much more. It's hard to pinpoint the highlight of the tour when just being there made it one of the best days of my life, I did thoroughly enjoy going into the creature creation section where they held all of the creatures such as a Basilisk skeleton, Aragog the giant Acromantula (which for someone who suffers severe arachnophobia was terrifying!), Inferi and lots of others. Halfway through I got a tap on the shoulder off of my Dad pointing to a bedraggled little house elf saying to me "Look Kate it's Dobby!" I was so disappointed that he had gotten Dobby and Kreacher (and Hagrid and Gwarp) so terribly confused... I thought I had trained him well in Harry Potter trivia. Me any my Mam had a giggle at his cluelessness of characters that took a more back-seated role. Out of the whole day the highlight of the tour came right at the end for me when we walked, with hundreds of other Harry Potter fans who had come along to experience the magic and wonder of the tour, into a dark, almost black room. We then saw the ceiling light up with hundreds of tiny blue and golden lights which illuminated the most magnificent sight I've ever seen in my, albeit short, life... The Hogwarts Castle (as pictured above). It was a phenomenal sight which was greeted to over one hundred fans giving a rousingly enthusiastic round of applause, the placed I had so longed to be in from being a young child I had finally arrived at. It truly was a dream come true and it remains to this day, and I am sure it will in the future, one of the best best experiences of my life and I am so very thankful that I got the opportunity to experience it with many other Potterheads from around the world.


Love Katherine. X

I Love Christmas! Why? Read on to Find Out!

Hi All!
I know it's a little late for a post such as this one but I feel it's really important for me to post this, even if it's just to let my readers know a little more about me. For me the Christmas seasons begins in August/September for me! Some people love the bands they listen to, the TV shows they watch, the books they read and fandoms they belong to... I LOVE CHRISTMAS! In fairness I do love the TV shows, books, movies and music I listen to, watch and read but Christmas is my thing. My friends must think I'm crazy but I can't help it, I love everything about it, I love the atmosphere when you're out shopping when the Christmas songs are playing and people are moaning that its the 1,000th time they've heard that song that day, I love seeing people buying presents for their families, I love that when you wake up on a morning you see your breath and yes, even as a 18 and 8 month year old I do love pretending I'm a dragon. Childish I know but hey! That's me. There is SO much I love about Christmas like the songs which I am listening to as I write this post (Cliff Richard's 'Saviour's Day' to be precise), the decorated shopping centres, excited children talking about Santa as their exhausted parents drag them around more and more shops looking for the exact presents they've asked for, I love everything about it. One of my favourite things about Christmas is that my family has several Christmas traditions running from my birthday, which is mid December, to New Years day; on Christmas eve I always get up very early because I will always have trouble sleeping on Christmas Eve night no matter how old I am, I make sure I look presentable for all of the family visits (nice hair, Christmas jumper on even if it is hideous, make-up perfectly applied and such),I'll drop in the last few Christmas cards that need be, me and my Nana will run around the house trying to make it immaculate while my Mam and Dad go out for last minute food shopping or present shopping, sometimes my Uncle and Aunty will visit our house with huge bags of presents for us all and sometimes we go to their house, then we visit my older Uncle who we see only once or twice a year if we're lucky and usually we get home from family visiting at 4:30-5:00PM when I sit downstairs as my Grandad might visit friends, Mam and Dad will be wrapping presents and trying not to let me see, I love that part. At this point Me and my Nana and my Mam have a break from whatever we're doing and usually I will have a Snowball with a Cherry, Mam and Nana have a Bailey's in their hand, we'll watch some TV before we get back to putting things away and oogling at the enormous tree situated in the living room next to the front window which tends to get set up around November 5th. Then we will all relax for the night and get ready for the next day. That is my favourite part of Christmas, not the presents, not the shopping or anything material based. I get extremely overwhelmed at the love I harbour in my heart for my family, it reminds me how grateful I am to have my family, to have a home, food and warmth and most importantly that I am loved by my family too. Christmas is my favourite time of year for so many reasons, love, family the atmosphere, the snow OH THE SNOW! What a wonderful part of Christmas that is (no sixth form at least once), the lights on the trees in the houses as I walk home from wherever I've been, hot chocolates with cream and cinnamon, when me and my best friend get together and tease one another about how we will never tell what we've bought when we exchange our gifts. So you can see that Christmas means a lot to me. I hope it means something to you too because it truly is a magical time of year!


Love Katherine. X

Top 4 Favourite Places to Visit - in the UK!

Now I must admit I am far from what anybody would call a traveller, I am not one to sit and ponder all of the gloriously hot or exotic places I'd love to go. I'm much happier thinking about all of the road trips and visiting to do right here in the UK; however I have been to a few places so far in life, all in the UK obviously. I was thinking today while I was travelling up North (East) from down South about all the places I have been and how much I've enjoyed where I've been. So I thought it would be a good idea to make a post on my top 4 favourite places to visit in the UK. I'll only be putting 4 because these places are very special to me and wherever else I've been, the experience simply hasn't matched up with these 4 locations.

4. London - One things you should know about me, particularly for this post, is that I am 110% NOT a city girl, I can not stand the hustle and bustle of city life and would much prefer to be in the countryside... or better, at the coast. London however is such an amazing place! I first went there when I was 6 or 7 but unfortunately it was to spend 5 days in hospital so for the majority of the time I was there I barely saw a thing until I was allowed out. Oh but when I was I was absolutely gob-smacked, the place was brilliant with so many people in fabulous clothes walking around, the history of the capital is astounding too! If you're ever to visit London I highly recommend going to the London Dungeons and Madame Tussauds, my Mam almost got her eyebrows singed off in the Dungeons ha! It is a wonderful place to visit and should be on anybody's bucket list.


3. Edinburgh - Edinburgh, what can I say about it? The views are phenomenal, especially when you're up a height and get to see the whole city in its glory. It really is a splendid view, although the language barriers may be a stumbling block, if you're a strong accented Geordie you may have difficulty understanding the Edinburgh accent as I did ha! The history and culture of Edinburgh is so rich and varied its a wonder how anybody couldn't be fascinated with the place.

2. York - York is fab and has some absolutely wonderful markets, particularly around Christmas time, I've recently visited York again and the magnificence of the architecture hasn't diminished at all. The Cathedral is a must see for whoever is considering a visit there. There's so much you can learn about the whole of UK culture and history from the city, the architecture, as mentioned before is great and offers some fantastic photography opportunities. Also there are SO many cute tea rooms for those of you who're like me and can't resist a real Yorkshire cuppa tea.

1. Whitby - My all time favourite place to visit has to be Whitby. It's a small coastal town in North Yorkshire and, as with all of the previous places I've mentioned, it has a fantastically interesting and captivating history (including the fact that Whitby was the place Bram Stoker set and wrote Dracula! *fangirl squeal*) and some views that would melt your heart. It is not for these reasons that I love Whitby with such a passion, it's because of the memories the place holds for me; some of my happiest times have taken place in that little seaside town. Vintage, beautiful, comforting and my "soul place", Whitby is and always will be at the top of my list of favourite places to visit. 
                         

Let me know about any of your favourite places to visit.










Love Katheirne. X

Review: Gellish Nails!

Hi All!
This post is going to be all about Gellish Nails! Anyone who has known me for more than a few hours will know I'm an absolute nail polish freak, I've got over 200 different coloured nail polishes and over 90 nail polish brands including Barry M and Rimmel London. Rimmel being my favourite because it goes on so well and the colours are stunning. Anyhow, I usually do my nails myself just because I'm OCD and can't deal with uneven nail polish so I only trust myself to do it; however, I'm pretty rough with my hands as I work with children and often on a simulation hospital ward which is hard work at times, so my polish always chips very easily regardless of the number of coats or type of polish I use.
So, I decided to throw caution to the wind and go to my favourite local beauty salon and have my nails professionally done. Initially I was simply getting a deep red polish for Christmas but I fell in love with the deep purple and gold sparklies which I though would be more Christmassy, so I ended up getting professional quality gel nail polish and I have found this type of polish to be SO much better than any I've ever tried before. Below I've noted some of the best points about Gellish Nails:
  • It strengthens the nail itself. The polish is so strong that even if your nails bend and snap easily (like mine) you simply can not bend them to that degree.
  • It never loses its shine. I've had mine on a while now and they're still as shiny as the day they went on, in fact they could be mistaken for acrylics.
  • The colours are stunning. Who doesn't love a nice colour?
  • They're up to 3 weeks chip resistant. This is a godsend for those of you, like me, who are always working with your hands or tend to chip polish easily.
  • It dries very quickly. If you've got a UV light to dry them under your nails will be finished within 20 minutes, completely.
  • Rather cheap. Depending on where you go the prices tend to be rather good, mine were £15, however other salons in my area will charge an astronomical £30!
  • They're so pretty! Need I say more?

Overall Gellish nails are definitely worth the price because they're such high quality and the benefits are massive.
If you've ever had Gellish nail polish let me know your experiences or your favourite nail design!












Love Katherine. X

What I Got for Christmas 2014!

Hi All!
Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year for so many reasons, particularly the delicious food, warm and loving atmosphere, the traditions and obviously the presents play a part in why it's such a wonderful time. Presents are far from the mot important thing  about Christmas for me, however there is one particular tradition in my family regarding presents that I love; each year on December 27th we spend the whole day looking through and organising out presents into neat little piles. I love this because it gives us all the chance to really fuddle through everything we were given and appreciate the gifts. So, I thought that now I've finally finished sorting through all of my pressies I'd write a quick post on what I got for Christmas this year. This is only going to be brief as I'm rather strapped for time today but I'll be posting much more in the coming weeks. 
In the picture above you'll see how I've very badly organised all my presents. 
Apple MacBook Pro - This was my main gift from my Mam. After only ever using laptops or desktop computers it's been quite different to use this but I have to admit this is absolutely brilliant to use and it's much easier that I expected to use.
Converse - I practically live in my Converse so these were a fab gift to wake up to on Christmas morning; they're absolutely gorgeous, they're black with high tops and gold studs on the outer sides. I find converses go with practically any outfit and these are no exception as they are rather neutral looking so they should be good to wear with any outfit. I personally recommend avoiding silver when wearing anything with a heavy gold tone.
Canvas Bags - I got some extremely cool canvas bags, my favourite of which is is a really simple cream bag with black writing saying "I bloody love books", this is fantastic because it's totally British and I do bloody love books!
Disney DVD Collection - For such a long time now I've been wanting to start a collection of Disney DVDs; Disney movies are favourite and a fab way to relive childhood, Mulan and Oliver and Company are two of the best. I now have a solid foundation to start my collection after getting roughly 50-18 Disney DVDs.
Mini Polaroid Camera - Polaroid cameras have always been my favourite, I just love the way the pictures come out with a rather retro look. I finally got a mini-polaroid camera in one of my favourite colours, pink. I'm planning on making a collage with all of my pictures with my friends and experiences so it's definitely king to be a useful give that I adore!

As I said, this is going to be a pretty brief post so for the rest of my presents I'm just going to make a quick list, here we go:
The Rest:
  • Various pieces of make up 
  • Clothes
  • Perfumes - Prada Candy
  • Lush Cosmetics haul
  • Soap and Glory stuff
  • Books, lots of them
  • Sweeties
  • Jewellery 
It's been a fabulous Christmas all in all this year and I honestly hope all my readers have had a wonderful Christmas too!


Love Katherine. X









Friday 26 December 2014

All About Me Tag! - 25 Questions

Hey Everyone!
I thought I'd do an All About Me Tag just to let you all get to know me a little bit better, I'm very excited about this so here we go!

1) What is your middle name? I have 2 middle names, Hayley Jazz.
2) What was your favourite subject at school? Music and English, I always loved singing and reading. 
3) What's your favourite drink? Hot sweet tea is my favourite drink of all, I'm a total tea addict. 
4) What is your favourite song? My all time favourite song has to be Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back In Town.
5) What is your favourite food? It has to be pizza... duh.
6) What is the last thing you bought? Maleficent Seven by Derek Landy.
7) What's your favourite book of all time? Oh... this is a hard one to answer, I can't chose between the Skulduggery Pleasant series and the Harry Potter series.
8) Favourite Colour? Silver.
9) Do you have any pets? I have two hamsters, Hamish and Molly, and two dogs Bella and Samson. 
10) Favourite perfume? Prada Candy. 
11) Favourite Holiday? Primrose Valley in 2012 with my best friend. Some amazing memories that year!
12) Are you married? Nope, single as a pringle, figuratively speaking. 
13) Ever been out of the country? No never, I'd LOVE to go to America though.
14) Do you speak any other language? I speak a little French and I kind of speak German too.
15) Do you have any siblings? No I'm an only child.
16) Favourite shop? Waterstones!
17) Favourite restaurant? I like a small place in Durham called In Shanghai, a chinese restaurant.
18) When did you last cry? When I finished reading the final Skulduggery book, a week ago.
19) Favourite movie? Forest Gump, no question! 
20) Favourite Blog? Far too many to mention now.
21) Favourite TV show? Loads including Sherlock, Doctor Who, American Horror Story and Coronation Street.
22) PC or Mac? I currently have a Macbook Pro but i don't have a preference.
23) What phone do you have? White iPhone 4s.
24) How tall are you? 5 foot 4.
25) Can you cook? Not really, I can bake though. 
Thanks for reading.


Love Katherine.  X






Hello!

Hello there!
First thing's first, Merry Christmas my lovelies and I hope everybody has a fab day yesterday, I'm Katherine and this is my personal blog!
This is my second blog overall but I wasn't able to keep the first going for as long as I would have liked, mainly because I had exams at the time and it was a real shame that I had to give that up as I do love blogging. Anyhow, a little bit about myself:
I'm a 19 year old health and care student with a love of anything crafty, I'm a massive bookworm and highly geeky. Fashion and beauty are something that I'd adore to get into therefore I've created this blog!
My blog is going to be about anything and everything that takes my fancy so I'm basically going to call it a lifestyle blog. It is going to include things like:

  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Reviews
  • Tags
  • Things I've been up to
  • Crafts
and loads, loads more. I sincerely hope that you all enjoy my blog and please feel free to leave comments on any of my posts or get in contact with me via Instagram: katysavage95, Tumblr: wholockianofthefuture or email katysavage1412@yahoo.com
Merry Christmas All! 


Love Katherine. X