The British Tag

I keep seeing these British Tag blog posts, and since I posted about loving being british (and mostly the british sun we're actually finally having) with my Strawberry Picking last Saturday I feel like this tag might be good for me! 

1) How many cups of Tea and how many sugars?

Uh-oh, first question and I'm already a british failure - I HATE TEA.

2) Favourite part of your roast?

The roasties, obviously! Plus loads of gravy!

3) Favourite dunking biscuit?

Well, since I don't drink tea (or coffee) I don't really need a dunking biscuit! But I love chocolate digestives and custard creams on their own...

4) Favourite quintessentially british past time?

It has to be eating fish and chips by the seaside! We used to drive up to southend when I was younger just for fish and chips by the sea... & I used to love it! aaaahhhh, childhood memories.

I also love strawberry picking or drinking cider in a pub garden!

5) Favourite word?

Okay, I've kind of picked my favourite words, not word - but it's hard to choose!

Grub; for example 'pub grub'. Yummy food, but something quick, easy and probably really unhealthy - like a burger and chips.

Skew-whiff; all wonky... not straight.

Sloshed; drunk.

Yonks; ages... a long period of time! "I haven't seen you for yonks!"

6) Favourite cockney rhyming slang?

Some of the cockney rhyming slang is great, I actually used it for my photography book I had made about London, called Hail and Rain (Train). Cream Crackered (Knackered) is probably my favourite; I actually use that one!

7) Favourite sweet?

Toxic Waste used to be my favourite when I was younger, I love sour sweets! And Strawberry Jellies.

8) What would your pub be called?

We always drive past a pub in Frinton called 'The Black Boy', which makes me laugh because surely that's not even allowed any more! Maybe I'd steal that...

Or maybe something cat related? Fat Cat's? Puss in Boots?

9) No. 1 British Person?

Do I have to say The Queen on this one? I feel obliged, everyone seems to love her!

Or David Beckham, he's pretty cool, and nice to look at...

Can I also say Harry Potter .. He's british, but I actually mean Harry Potter, not Daniel Radcliffe.

10) Which British song pops into your head?

Wonderwall - Oasis. That one's a classic.

Or maybe some Robbie Williams - he's a classic himself!

11) Favourite shop / Restaurant?

The Beefeater. or Missguided online!

12) Marmite?

YES YES YES! 

13) Favourite British TV Show?

Gotta be Misfits for me, or The Inbetweeners.

"You bumder!"

Hope you've loved my british post, I think you should all do it too! 

Add your link below,

Embrace you're british-ness...

& LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!

He's Just Not That Into You

{He's Just Not That Into You - £5.59 here}

If you have read my previous post, Turning Twenty, you will know that I have recently been through a very hard break up. Although, let's face it, no break up is particularly easy and I know I'm not the only one dealing with it. That's why 'He's Just Not That Into You' has suddenly appeared in my life. I am telling you to read this one - you will not regret it! Forget Shakespeare, this should be a compulsory read for all GCSE girls; this would be the real life lesson!

My friend recommended this book to me back in February; "Honestly May, It will just make you feel woman power". Stupidly, I never read it back then but in hindsight I really should have. It's a 'wake up and smell the coffee' kind of book. A book that shows you that you don't have to take no shit from no man - especially one who is supposed to love you, protect you and care for you.

In all honesty, I am still completely heartbroken about my break up. Five years of love and happiness doesn't go away that quickly and one little book isn't going to change that. But what this book does have is insight, wisdom and most definitely a lot of inspiration... Inspiration for women, like myself, to change the way they feel about men.

When I first went to read this book I wasn't sure that opening it was a good idea and thought it would just upset me even more. No one - especially me - wants to admit that the person you're into isn't into you. How wrong was I. This book is light hearted and humorous but covers the serious edge of break ups absolutely perfectly. Yes, it may make us women look slightly looney and obsessive - but that's what we are, isn't it?! We have to laugh at ourselves and learn from our mistakes and this book points us in the right direction for change.

It covers absolutely everything that a guy does wrong and that proves he's just not that into you; from the more simple things like not asking you out, not dating you and not having sex with you to the more serious things like cheating, drinking, disappearing and being abusive. Despite all these negative stories, it proves to you that you are worth better...
"You already have one asshole, you don't need another".

Everyone needs a Greg in their life, just to keep us under control when we do turn into the crazy ex-girlfriend (we've all been there). And we all need a Greg just for the things he says. He may be extremely blunt, but his humour gets us through the hard times and actually stays imprinted on our minds. And, he can get away with it too. Somehow he tells the truth, without bringing us to tears!

The chapter that hit home most for me was 'He's just not that into you if he's having sex with someone else'. This is the chapter that I had to take a deep breath before I read - the chapter I was dreading. It also turned out to be my favourite chapter. Greg has made me realise that I deserved better. I didn't deserve the heart break, or the cheating, or the pain. And I deserve someone who won't cheat on me and make me feel that small ever again. I deserve a man in my life that if we have a problem he should talk to me about it, 'not put-his-penis-in-a-strange-vagina about it'. That's right, another Greg quote. A brutally honest but totally true and hilarious quote.

So girls, I suggest whether you're having relationship troubles now, or you have in the past, or if you're getting over a break up or coming into a new relationship - no matter what's happening in your love life - read this book! We should all remember, we deserve better. We deserve a man to make us happy; a man that won't make us cry ourselves to sleep. This book is inspirational for us women. No mumbo-jumbo. This book could save our generation who could be wasting our times waiting by the phone.

So go girls! go, go go! Go read 'He's Just Not That Into You' - you won't regret it.
And then go find your man - and don't waste your time on the ones who don't deserve it.

I think I'll go watch the film now :)

Update:

I just watched the film! After all the woman power you accumulate from reading the book I suggest you don't go back on yourself by watching the film. Yes, there are lots of stars in it (Including Bradley Cooper who is so hot) but it also goes back on almost everything the book has said. The man who left you after 7 years because he wouldn't marry you probably won't change his mind, if only he would. The guy who's cheating on his better half with you probably won't leave you for her, and if he did, surely he'd do the same to you too. The guy who cheated on you and then left you probably won't come running back five years later and marry you {even if you want him too}, and the happily ever after that you're looking for with the man you marry too quickly definitely won't happen. The film is full of a false sense of hope. The only thing that you should note is that the woman who's husband cheated on her did actually leave him and throw his lying arse out of her house. That should always be real life. So don't watch it, not just yet anyway! Don't give up all the good feeling you just earned from the book.

Manicure Monday

I feel like this is a good little regular post to have on my blog, and I also feel like this is a good time to introduce you to my other blog. I have been a "niche" blogger for quite some time now, in terms of nail art. I call myself, "The Nailphile"! You can see all my previous nails and follow my blog here.

Anyway! Today's Manicure actually started off as a pedicure to match the new playsuit I brought last week. {I wrote a post about it called "Yesterday's Therapy"}
It's almost like a tie-dye pattern! It was really hard to photograph because the topcoat was so shiny and actually, I'm not such a massive fan of the fingers as I am of the toes and I took them off very quickly.

{Here's a photo of the playsuit, I should upload a picture of myself wearing it as this is my blog after all, but I had slightly too much alcohol and the pictures are much less than attractive! haha! You can get it from Missguided, here, for £19.99}

Here are the tootsies, which I definitely prefer! I love that they look all artsy! I think I prefer them on the toes because there's more room for all the colours and they look brighter!

This was extremely simple to do, I painted my toe nails white and then with a brush added random strokes of each colour, followed by a topcoat. Didn't take long at all and was super easy!

You could do your own using the same colours, or even change the colours up and create different tones and patterns... 

Hope you like them and they inspire you for easy-peasy nails!

We're Feeling British!

On Saturday the Sun decided to make an appearance, and as any other typical brit does, Becca and I decided we wanted to embrace the sun. And what better way to embrace the british sun than to go Strawberry picking! After all, everyone knows that British Summertime Strawberries are better than any other!

We went to Cammas Hall Farm, a lovely little family-run business in my home town. They grow all kinds of berries ready for eager summer pickers - Blackberrys, Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries. Their produce is great quality, and at an affordable price. If you live near Cammas Hall Farm, I definitely recommend that you get yourself down there!

And if you don't live near there - I recommend you go Strawberry picking anyway! It's fun, healthy, tasty and affordable.

{oup, shameless and unattractive selfie!}

There's something relaxing about Strawberry picking; the sun, the calm, the sky, the farm... I just loved it, it felt so summery. It's the simple things!

& Of course, we couldn't finish off a British Summer's Day Out without going to a pub garden, could we!? I'll have a mixed fruit cider, please!

I'll be posting some things I'm making with my strawberries soon! I'm also planning on going back to pick blackberries to learn to make my Granma's blackberry jam with her!

Hope everyone's had a great weekend - British or not!

Yesterday's Therapy

Well, when I say therapy - I mean retail therapy of course! Yesterday was a sad day. I left my uni house with the girls for the last time, I didn't want to leave and I'm going to miss them so much, but I know I'll still see them; I've got friends for life with those two. {and we're going on holiday soon!}

So I thought that I would have a little shop, cheer myself up and get excited for holiday!

I definitely needed some new nail varnishes, and I had my nails painted by a friend the other day who used OPI base coat and top coat and they lasted for ages compared to any other nail varnish I've used. I got the set from John Lewis {£11.95} but I am aware you can get it cheaper online if you look - I just couldn't be bothered to wait for it to be delivered!

I also got myself a light pink Essie Nail Lacquer, "Fiji" {£7.99}. It is really really light pink, but I chose that because I wanted a light colour for the summer but literally cannot stand white nail varnish, unless it has a pattern over it. I feel like this is a good in between and because of the lightness it will go with almost anything.

And finally, on the nail varnish part, I got a Barry M Matte Topcoat {£2.99}. It annoys me when I'm painting my nails with matte nail varnish and can't finish them off - a topcoat is always a must. But also, with matte nail varnishes I feel like you're just buying all the colours you already have again in matte... why not just buy the topcoat and make the colours you already have into matte!

Piz Buin One Day Long Suncream - ON SPECIAL OFFER! I can't tell you how excited it makes me, it is my favourite suncream and I always use it. It protects you all day and smells beautiful at the same time. What more could I want? It's buy one get one free in Boots at the moment, although be quick because it's going! or better than half price in SuperDrug {£8.98}.

I also got 'He's Not That Into You' by Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo in a little book shop near me. A friend recommended this to me a few weeks back after my break up. I said that I didn't think it sounds like a good idea. Her reply? "It just makes you feel woman power". Well, it's worth a go then, isn't it! I'll write a little review once I'm done, for all you heavy hearted women. You can also get this book here, from amazon. And I might even watch the film afterwards, it's got some good actors!

And last, but very much not least, the most beautiful little playsuit I ever did see. I am in love already - can I live in it please!? This one I didn't buy while I was out, I had actually done some online shopping the day before but it came in the post today. I love the colours, I love the fit, it's just so comfortable and so cute at the same time - Missguided, you've done it again! You can get it here. {£19.99}

After all this, I only went out for a pair of sunglasses I was desperate for from River Island... I couldn't even get them!

And, to finish off the day, I went out for an extremely belated birthday meal with my family and David, my dad's friend who has been in our lives for as long as I can remember. We went to The Fish and Eels, doesn't sound very appealing, huh!? Well, it was. Cheesy garlic bread, lamb shoulder and chocolate brownie - went all out on the 3 course meal! Such nice, yummy, home made food. Its also right by the canal, and it was a beautiful night.

Hope everyone had a lovely day!

Turning Twenty

July 3rd, my birthday, fell on a Thursday this year. Turning the big two-oh! Only a couple of weeks before I had been really looking forward to it. But then only 6 days before the day, my boyfriend Andy (who had been since I was 14) broke it off. We had gone from a serious relationship - looking at flats, holidays and cats to being well and truly over within one week after he ventured off for his first boys holiday. 

I suddenly felt like everything I knew, everything I was sure of was gone and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get it back. But after a while I began to realise that maybe not having it back was actually better than continuing to hang on. The hardest thing in your lives will be to let go of someone you really care about - wether its through a break up, a move or (as much as I hope not) a death. But these unfortunate circumstances are always going to be a part of life, and it’s about learning how to deal with them - I know that already and I’ve only just turned twenty!

When I was 15 and leaving school, I was so excited to get older and see where life would take me... I was so excited to go to university, to become a photographer, to travel the world and I never thought that things would have gone this way. Responsibility has already got the better of me and I have stopped myself from doing so much. So I’m here to warn you not to let it get you too. We are only young once, and we need to start living our lives the way we want too - not the way we are expected too.

Life will teach us a lot any way, but it will teach us more if we are actually living it and taking risks; we need to do the things we want to do because we can and not hold ourselves back because it’s in the land of the unknown. We need to do the things we really want to now, before it’s too late.

I will never regret spending my teenage years in a long term relationship, and I got to experience some of the most amazing moments of my life. I’m sure anyone reading this can probably relate - you will always have feelings for your first love. No matter how badly it ends, no matter how long you were together, no matter what happens you will always love them and that’s what makes it so hard to let go. I appreciate all the times we had together; all the holidays, days out, dates and laughs - we laughed a lot - but it really is time to let go now and although it hurts more than anything I've ever done before, and I will try to do it gracefully.

  

So, now is the time to work on ourselves. Twenty is the time to really find yourself - as cliché as that sounds. It’s time to travel; New york, Paris, Rome! It’s time to make new friends, and get rid of any old ones that tie you down. Sleep out under the stars, dance in the rain, drink pimms in the summer and walk bare foot on the grass. Visit different places, even in your own country, go to festivals, volunteer, read lots of books, speak to complete strangers and promise yourself to always always keep moving forward. And remember to spend time with the people who are important to you, especially your closest friends and family. Always be there for them and they will willingly return the favour. But it's also time to be alone. It's time for you to understand yourself and what you need.

Sometimes things may feel like they’re moving too fast, sometimes time might be moving too fast but there will also always be days that we wish to go by quicker. But sometimes we need to remember to slow down. Take time to breathe and take it all in. It wouldn’t matter if I’d just turned 30, or even 40 - the main goal is to always live your life - stop wishing it away and make sure you do the things you really love. It’s hard to let someone go and it is completely heart breaking, but it’s harder to spend your whole life wondering “what if”. I'm glad I've got my friends, and I'm looking forward to what the future has to offer.

Goodbye to Andy, Hello to my Twenties - and my future.

Favourite Five: Bikinis

Summer is here! Even in England, so it must be official! And with the sight of sun, blue skies and butterflies I've decided to book a holiday.
I'm only 20, and since I was in a long-term relationship from the age of 14 and would go on holiday with my boyfriend instead, I never got the chance for a girls holiday. Well, since we split about 3 weeks ago; I think I've finally found my chance!

I have got my girls together ready for a girly week, and we are now booking for a week in Zante!
I'm so excited, I really feel like I'm starting a new chapter of my life - and what better way than to start it with my girls!

I started to think of what I've got; holiday clothes, shoes, bikini's .. OH MY GOD BIKINI'S!
I get so excited about them! I'm not thin, or toned or have the 'perfect' bikini body but there's something great about a nice bikini! However, whenever I look online, in magazines, on blogs I always feel like all I find is overpriced bits of cloth - considering they cover basically nothing, it amazes me how expensive they can be!

So here are my favourite 5; the cheaper but still as lovely alternatives...

1. ** LONG LINE BIKINI TOP BY MODEL.

Topshop is always my first go-to website, even though I still think it's a bit pricey for what they sell considering it's "high street" fashion; Especially considering I'm a very poor student!

However, this beautiful daisy print high waisted bikini instantly caught my eye. I love daisies any way so I just fell in love! I love that its on black too, you don't often get that with bikinis. 

Unfortunately you have to buy the top and bottoms separately
{that always puts me off because I feel like it's another way to steal my money} but they're totally worth it!

Bikini Top: £22
Bikini Bottoms: £18

2. WHITE FLORAL PRINT BANDEAU BIKINI

This was my favourite find from River Island; simple but pretty - exactly what I like. The floral print isn't too girly but still feminine and the fact that it has so many colours is great because it means you can match so many nail varnishes, accessories and cover ups with it - another holiday must!


Bikini Top: £15
Bikini Bottoms: £10

3. COLOUR BLOCK BIKINI

Simple, Easy and EXTREMELY cheap... what more could we possibly want? Thank you, Matalan!

I love this yellow one, what's more summery than the colour of the sun?! But there a range of other colours if you feel like you're not loving this neon look; light blue, navy, hot pink and black.

Bikini Top: £5
Bikini Bottoms: £4

4. DREAM PUNK FLOUNCE BIKINI

In jumps Primark! The saviour of everyone who has a tight budget, especially us students. Granted - they may not last as long, but lets face it when you live in England you don't get to use bikinis often any way! 

I loved the colours of this, it looks very artistic. The shape of the bikini is also different to many others I've seen; top and bottoms. The only problem is, I've just got to hope they have it in store.. WHEN WILL YOU GET A WEBSITE, PRIMARK??

Bikini Top: £4
Bikini Bottoms: £3

5.  50's MULTI HAWAIIAN PRINT HIGH WAISTED BIKINI

I loved this bikini as soon as I saw it, probably because it reminds me of the high waisted leaf print bikini from Top shop that I so desperately wanted and couldn't get last year!

It's just so tropical.

Slightly more expensive than the last two, but I suppose the quality will be better...

Bikini Top: £18
Bikini Bottoms: £16








Bikini Shopping has made me way too excited and I'm not even booked up yet!!

Any one else found any beaut bikinis and off on their holidays soon!?

Dreams

Recently I have been having the craziest dreams; random people, random places, random things... It's all just completely random.
Dreams amaze me, I don't understand how during the day as our lives go on around us we have this sense of normality and although some of us can be slightly strange none of us have the ability to think up these wild stories while we are conscious.

I have always been a crazy dreamer and have had a dream book under my bed for a few years which I write my dreams in when I wake up and can remember them. I have also always been interested in the analogy of dreams; understanding what they really mean and how these stories in your mind can link so well to your own life. 

When I was 5, me and my family decided to take the plunge and move house. I remember a dream I had around that time very vividly; It was plain black, there was nothing there but I knew I was dreaming. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a cute little penguin with a blue wooly hat and scarf just wiggled along the screen from right to left and then disappeared again - and then I woke up. One of my new neighbours had a dream book then and when she looked in it to see what the penguin meant, it meant I was experiencing a change and unwise behaviour. 

Since then I have been interested in these dreams, in the crazy meanings behind them. I remember a few of my dreams which for some reason have stuck in my mind for many years. It's strange that I have always been a very vivid dreamer, maybe because I am a more creative person? It would be interesting to find out why people dream, and why some dream a lot more than others. 

Anyway; my reason for this post was because last night I had 3 separate dreams. They seem funny now I think about them, random people that I haven't been in contact with for years and people I've never even met - like Professor Snape showing up. And the fact that in one of these dreams I had made the decision to come a nudest with one of my oldest best friends who is male; and who I would definitely not get naked in front of in real life! Naked dreams are apparently one of the most common and often can resemble insecurity and vulnerability - both of which I am feeling at the moment!

I have found this website; dream moods. It is very informative and seems very precise, it's also very popular with the media in America. So if you're interested in Dreams, like myself, I'd advise going to take a look!

I also have the app; iDream. It's perfect for a quick search when you wake up and you can also save your dreams into the "secret journal" if you don't have your own to write in!

That leaves me with one question...

What are you most memorable dreams!?

Funny, Sad, Scary, Happy....

Favourite Five: Photo Apps

I never noticed the effortlessness of smart phone cameras and apps until I too got myself an iPhone. Using these apps and an extremely light and multi-functional device really makes everything so much easier - which is why so many people are on board.

The most popular photography app must be Instagram. Everyone is using Instagram - including all the stars, from Kim Kardashian to Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus to Channing Tatum - they're all loving this new promotional platform. It's simplicity is what makes it so appealing; it's so easy to edit your photos with beautiful filters and so easy to share them with the world.

But Instagram is too obvious to blog about, everyone already knows about that, and Instagram is too easy. Even if it is one of my favourites. So here I am to blog about my other favourites...


1) Tadaa
Tadaa's range of tools are perfect when looking for a more advanced editing app, with the options to adjust things such as brightness, clarity, blur, perspective, grading and much more. There is also a large community of support in Tadaa - perfect for a quick view around the world.
{You can get it here - Free}

2) Instasize
Instasize is a convenient, helpful and handy app. It allows you to post full sized images onto Instagram without cropping, which - let's face it - is often a very difficult task. It also has some nice filters and the opportunity to create a collage and download coloured and patterned backgrounds.
{You can get it here - Free}

3) PicStitch
When you want to get a little creative, PicStitch is a great place to go. You can choose from a variety of layouts, shapes and sizes to create your own picture montage! And it's so easy to use!
{You can get it here - Free }

4) VSCOcam
VSCOcam is perfect and easy for any editing process. VSCO cam gives you the options that you need to do anything you wish to your photos and lets you bring out the best in your shots. This app is a must for any iPhone photographer.
{You can get it here - Free}

5) Afterlight
The best part about Afterlight is the filters which look genuinely like film and add a super vintage feel to your photos. You have the option to add dust, light leaks and instant film effects to your photos at the click of a button. The tools available are also a high quality, giving your images a very professional look once finished.
{You can get it here - £0.69}


There we have it! My Favourite Five Photo Apps! I saved the best 'til last with Afterlight, I'd definitely recommend it as an overall winner.

So, What are your favourites?

15 Random Facts

Hello!

I figured the first blog post would be the hardest, and since I've been looking through other blogs - this seems like the most popular way to start and get acquainted! so here goes for my 15 random facts about me!

1. I had a major and rare operation on my hip when I was 16 because my hip bone cracked from being the wrong shape. I was the 2nd person in the UK to have it done!
2. Back in 2008 a boy named Ali Bellikli, now known as "Myndless Grimes", wrote a song about me called "Be My Girl '08 Wifey Rap". Me and my friends found it hilarious at the time and I turned him down, which was actually quite mean of me. Anyway, turns out he gets the last laugh because he's now doing really well for himself, with over 3,000 fans and counting and producing his own music.
3. I love quotes; quotes from films, books, actors, characters - quotes from anything! I'm just a sucker for quotes.
4. I'm named after my Dad's Mum, Mavis. She died when my dad was 12. I'm proud to carry her on with us in my name, I wish I could've met her.
5. My middle name is Patricia - I used to be really embarrassed of it and never told anyone. But that is after my Mum's Mum; my wonderful Granma. Who I love very much.
6. No facts post would be complete without 'My favourite colour', would it? Mine is red, or purple - no maybe red. Oh, I don't know... Can't I just pick both!
7. I love cats so much. Like, not just a little bit, cats are the best creatures in the entire world & if I could adopt them all I would! I also love giraffes.
8. I am absolutely terrified of injections and needles and just anything sharp. Once I went to have a blood test and I freaked out so much I ran away and locked myself in the toilets for over an hour - the doctors weren't impressed.
9. I fancy Nick Miller. If you don't know who he is, you're missing out.
10. I broke my ankle on a cross trainer when I was younger. I thought it'd be really fun to race my best friend in the gym at school and see who could go the fastest. I won! Because I was going so fast, I lost my balance, fell off, my foot went into the machine and it carried on going round. It was a beautiful clean break and I had to have it screwed back together. Despite it being extremely painful it was also extremely hilarious and we still laugh about it now. I wish I could've seen the CCTV.
11. I really look up to all my Grandparents. They've all done so well in their lives and made the best out of everything. If I'm ever even half as successful and happy as they are, I know I'll be just fine.
12. I love candles! There's something so lovely and comforting about them.
13. Unlike so many others - I'm proud to be from Essex!
14. I don't eat the ends of my sausages. My cousin always brings it up, he finds it really weird. I know it probably is but I just can't bring myself to eat them. Ew.
15. I want to travel - more than anything. Everyone else seems to be wanting to settle down, move in, have children and get married already. I just want to travel the world.

This has been quite hard! It's hard to think of things that are actually unique.
But it's definitely a personal view of me - and I probably look like a weirdo!

I'd like to get to know my small amount of followers too!
Let me know some facts about yourselves...