What I've Been Up Too

Hi guys!

Apologies for not posting in a while, I've been so busy!!
As I haven't blogged in ages this post is just going to be a general catch up and a list of things that have been amazing for me in the last month.

Firstly, and probably the biggest thing that has happened in the last month is my work experience with a PR company.
I have never done any work in PR and to be honest I had very knowledge around the subject too, so when the opportunity for some work experience came up I was excited but at the same time I was so nervous!
I completed 3 weeks working there and in that short space of time I learn't ridiculous amounts! I was meeting with journalists, writing blog posts and researching big and exciting brands! I knew that it was definitely something that I would love as a job! It was all so fast paced and stressful but in a weird way I really enjoyed it! So on one of my last days I had a meeting and was told that they wanted to start an apprenticeship scheme and they would love it if I was to join them as their first ever apprentice!! WOOO! I'm so excited and hopefully I start in a few months!! I'll keep you posted on it... If I remember ;)

Secondly, I had one of my best weekends ever! For mums 40th birthday nine of her friends and family all went up to London to have a girly weekend. The theme was tourists.... Yup, we had to walk around busy London on a Saturday dressed as tourists! It was hilarious! We then went to a top London night club and had the best time ever! I don't know whether it was a one off but people really seemed so much happier in London! Everyone was wishing my mum happy birthday on their way past and we even got free bus rides there and back! Result!!

Ok, so most people are going to think I'm mad for this but... I've created my dog, Buster, an Instagram account! haha! But I bloody love it! So far Buster has got 140 followers and that was just in the space of 5 hours! I didn't realise how many dog accounts there were!! Its amazing! It's like a little community and everyone is so friendly! I've had loads comments on the posts saying how cute Buster is and also a lot of mentions welcoming him to Instagram, it's nice to share my love for labradors and Buster with other dog lovers! His Instagram is: Busterthechoclabrador for those wanting to join in on this madness!

So in the space of one short month quite a lot has happened and there is also quite a lot happening next month! It's an exciting time and I'm glad that I am finally moving onwards and upwards with my life and finally have some direction.

Thank y'all for listening to my wonderful month and hope your month has been just as fabulous! Share in the comments what's been good for you, I'd love to hear!

Love
Ellie x

LUSH- Happy Birthday Tin

Hey :)

So it's been a while since I last posted as I've been extremely busy with my 18th birthday celebrations :D I will be writing a post on that soon, with some of the presents I received and what I got up too :)

But I decided to dedicate this post to one of the amazing presents my boyfriend got me- the Lush Happy Birthday Tin. I have never been a hardcore Lush shopper, and I don't actually think I've ever owned a Lush Bath bomb- which is weird considering I LOVE baths and pampering myself! So I was round my boyfriends house one day and his little sister had loads of them in a pot in the bath room, and omg the smell was AMAZING!! She told me what ones she loved and showed me pictures of what they looked like when they were in the bath, and I had to get some! My boyfriend must have over heard this or something because here I am with the most amazing smelling bath bombs!

Firstly the tin they come in is so cute! Its got a summery, hippy look- which completely matches the vibrant smells inside!! I love it when the packaging is good because it means that you can reuse them later on.

Inside includes:

Pop In The Bath- (The pink and green flower one) 'When you need a pick me up, pop this in the bath. These bubble bars all have the same zesty blend of bergamot, lemon and refreshing mandarin'.

Fizzbanger- (The yellow one) 'A Catherine wheel of a bath bomb, this changes colour as it fizzes around, crackling with pooping candy and releasing a toffee apple fragrance'.

Brightside- (The orange and yellow swirly one) 'Look on the bright side of life with this cheerful bubble bar that turns your bath water a magnificent orange with a sunny citrus scent'.

> This is the only one I've tried so far and it was amazing! The smell was so fresh and fruity, whilst the water turned a bright orange colour. It has also left my skin feeling hydrated and soft!

Granny Takes A Dip- (The blue, pink, red and green one) 'Make bath time blissful with this bomb that dissolves into a kaleidoscope of swirling colours, releasing lemon, ginger and black pepper essential oils'.

Dragon's Egg- (The white one) 'Popping candy and swirling sparkles in olden orange water make this lemon sherbet bath bomb a feast for the eyes as well as the skin'.

Red Fun- (The red bar) 'A gentle 4-in-1 product with orange and mandarin oils that can be used as a solid shampoo, bubble bar, or even to play with'.




Granny Takes a Dip

They all sound amazing and I'm so excited to try them all!! Let me know what your favourites are, and whether you have tried any of these ones before :)

Lots of Love

Ellie x

'There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't sure, but I don't know many of them'- Sylvia Plath

Be Grateful

Hi everyone,

So when I was writing my most recent post ‘top tips’ it got me thinking about things that I’m grateful for and things that I perhaps take for granted. We all do it, we are surrounded by things we should be proud and thankful for but instead, we choose to focus on the negatives in our lives. So I thought I’d take the time to share with you somethings that I’m grateful for in the hope that you will perhaps think about yours and focus on that instead.

One:

Firstly, and probably my most important is, Family. I am so grateful to have a young, fit and healthy family that all get along. It breaks my heart when I hear that people have lost loved ones or have fallen out with family over something small... I am happy that I have a mum as a best friend, a dad who I look up too for his hard work and confidence and a brother who I actually get along with (most of the time). But family to me isn’t just about my blood relations, they are important to me but equally so are my closest friends. I would class my best friend as family as I know that she carries all the paradigms of a sister. So whether you have blood relations or simply just a best friend, there will always be someone in your life to be grateful for: even if you don’t recognise it straight away.

Two:

Secondly I am thankful for good health. I hear on the news all the time about life threatening illnesses or people falling ill and having to raise money for life changing operations. I am aware that a life threatening illness could strike at anytime so for now, I am again just grateful for the good health my family and I have.

Three:

Third in the list is education… I moan about having to go to school day in and day out but really I don’t know what I would have done without it. By going to school I haven’t just learnt the basics such as how to read and write, I have learnt life lessons and morals that have made me a better person. Seeing countries where education isn’t an option really makes me thankful for the education system we have in place here and how brilliant it is, in comparison.

Four:

Number four is soppy but as well as my family I am extremely grateful for my boyfriend. He’s with me through thick and thin and without him I would have found the past few months very difficult. He makes me extremely happy and can make me laugh in a way that no one else is able to do. He has a kind heart and simply being around him makes me a better person. Having positive people in your life have a big impact on the way you view things. So I am grateful for having him.

Five:

Next on the list is having a choice. This is something I don’t really think about a lot, and wasn’t going to include it, but really it’s such a big thing! I have the choice to do pretty much anything (within reason). If I worked hard enough I can be in whatever job I want… I can dress however I want… I can choose what I want to do. I think that many of us don’t put it into perspective enough and realise how grateful we should be for that opportunity.

Six:

Finally I am grateful for being able to blog and share with you all how I’m feeling. Even though at the moment it’s only to a few of you, if any, it’s still comfort to know that I could be helping people de-stress and make you appreciate what you've got.

If you are ever in a situation where you can only see the down side, take a minute to think about all the things you are grateful for. It helps…

Me and my Boyfriend Jack                             Me, my half sisters, brother and dad

Lots of Love

Ellie x 

Lets be grateful for the people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.- Marcel Proust.

Stress Relief Top Tips

 Hi Guys

So I thought that I’d write a quick post with my top tips for stress relief. Recently I’ve been in a bit of a funk with school and exams etc. and I’ve been finding it hard not to focus on the negatives. I’m usually an extremely calm and chilled person but, like most teens, I’ve been going crazy over my exams! The only way im coping and staying positive is down to these top tips…

I hope they can help you in some way.

One

Be organised! This is probably a tip you have been told time and time again but it really does have benefits. For me it helps because if I have things done then its one less thing to worry about… I hate being in a rush so being organised eliminates all of this. Another organisation tip is to make lists… my notebook is full of them! I like the satisfaction of ticking them all of and knowing that I’ve completed something!  Lists are also a good escape for procrastination.

Two

Think positive! This is something I have a love/hate relationship with… The reason I hate it is because it’s the new campaign that my schools introduced and its everywhere!! There are stickers on all the doors, motivational posters on the walls, and teachers giving us boring assemblies on it… However as annoying as this is I have to agree with it… To think positive is the best thing you can do and is what keeps me happy… When you think positive everything just seems better, your daily tasks will change drastically and even major issues like exam stress will be minimised by you simply believing that you can do it! It's about having a 'growth mindset'- the way this works is as follows... instead of saying 'I can't do it' they teach you instead say 'I can't do it yet'... its a bit cheesy but honestly it works!

Three

      See the bigger picture… This tip is probably the biggest one that I try to follow! Whenever I’m getting upset and stressed over something minor I like to sit back and think about the whole picture… Thinking about the whole pictures puts into perspective how trivial the problem probably is, and how it can be easliy overcome! 

Four

      Take time out… Sometimes it’s hard to do this when you lead an extremely active life, however everyone needs to take the time to chill… Everyone relaxes in different ways but for me a nice hot bath and a pamper session before bed always seems to do the trick!

Five

      Finally, surround yourself with friends and family. Recently this has been a big stress factor for me! Bitchy girls frustrate the hell out of me! And in sixth form all I seemed to do was listen to he said/ she said arguments and after a while it really started to have an effect on me! My grades rapidly declined and my mood-changed a lot so I knew it was time to do somethign about it- I moved away from them a sent more time focusing on my revision then gossip. My advice would be to hang around with people that you generally like and people who’s life isn’t a soap opera! Family, friends and laughter can be an amazing source of stress relief.

      Thank you for reading my top tips; I would love to hear if any of  them have worked for you or if you have any of your own tips!

      I hope you all have a wonderful week and whenever stress builds up take a time out to consider the bigger picture. Remember that everyone gets stressed, and there are always people you can talk to.

  

      Lots of love

      Ellie x

When there is no struggle, there is no strength- Opera Winfrey 

February Favourites

Hola!

So another month down... 10 more to go!
I thought I'd keep this post simple and just share a few of my February favourites. Ive tried include beauty products as well as everyday random things :) Enjoy!

My first Favourite product of February is my Nike Freeruns (Top Right). They are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn! As I am at sixth form Monday to Friday I want to be comfortable so these are perfect to just throw on with leggings and baggy top, whilst also looking good. The groves on the bottom allow natural foot movement, that feels close to how it would be to run bare foot! They are amazing for the gym as they are light weight and comfortable. The price is around £80, which is expensive however they are worth it.

http://www.footlocker.eu/en-gb/Shoes/Nike-Free-Run-2-Ext.aspx/5243485802?gclid=Cj0KEQiA99qnBRDnrYCkt4ClzZABEiQAvqPaLIbEaGDtVjCvnD3eFEAbOldg1MjOfqx3uiw1Xn9Q-QUaAprV8P8HAQ

Top left is my top fragrance of the moth- Mademoiselle by Coco Chanel. I got it for christmas but only really started wearing it last month. This perfume has such fresh smell and lasts all day. I have had so many compliments on it. I usually don't like rose smelling things however this perfume has changed my mind! 

http://www.chanel.com/en_GB/fragrance-beauty/Fragrance-Coco-Mademoiselle-COCO-MADEMOISELLE-EAU-DE-PARFUM-SPRAY-95342?sku=95345

On the left is a handbag essential! Hand cream should be in every girls handbag- especially this one! This hand cream leaves your hands feeling so soft and hydrated, without leaving an oily residue. Its also very reasonable at £3.99. 

http://avonshop.co.uk/product/bath-and-body/hand-cream/avon-care-glycerine-hand-and-nail-cream.html

 Next along is the Urban Decay- Naked Pallett. I had seen so many reviews about this pallett that I knew I had to get it! The colours are amazing and vary from white, though browns and golds to a deep black. This pallet is perfect for an every day subtle look as well as a dramatic smokey eye for a night out. The pigment is amazing in all of the shades (even the lighter ones) and they don't crease at all! A perfect pallet for people who are new to the makeup world, as well as more advance people. 

Click on the link below to have a look at all the different shades.

http://www.urbandecay.co.uk/naked/naked-colour/naked

In the middle is my Cath Kidston note book. I absolutely LOVE stationary and get excited over pretty notebooks like this, so when I saw it in the shop I knew that I had to have it! I am a big fan of Cath Kidston products, I just think that they are so simple and pretty, and I love the Provence Rose design. I use this notebook for all my blogging ideas as well as everyday notes. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1849491372/ref=olp_tab_all

Okay, so this next product isn't really a February favourite... it has been my favourite for about a year now- I refuse to use anything else! In the past when I have attempted to change my moisturiser I have either come away with oily skin or broken out in a million spots! This moisturiser makes my skin feel so refreshed and hydrated, and just generally makes it feel super clean! It oil free, and is amazing at fighting spots! Its cheap and I think its going to take a miracle moisturiser for me to change it! 

http://www.boots.com/en/Clean-Clear-Dual-Action-Oil-Free-Moisturiser-100ml_914/

Last on the row is Dior's Cleansing water for face and eyes. I always put this product on after a bath and before bed. It makes my skin feel healthy and refreshed. My skin always feels smooth the morning after I have put this on and I wake up feeling confident to have a makeup free day! 

http://www.boots.com/en/DIOR-INSTANT-GENTLE-Cleansing-Water-for-All-Skin-Types-200ml_1121893/

My final product is Wake Me Up foundation by Rimmel London. I purchased this last year and forgot about it until recently. I love it! Its the perfect consistency, and doesn't feel like you're smothered in makeup! It eliminates signs of fatigue and gives a natural finish. The colour matches perfectly and I actually prefer it to some of the higher end foundations such as MAC's studio fix. 

http://www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-Wake-Me-Up-Make-Up-Foundation-30ml_1246748/

So thats my favourites for February and I'm sure that many of these things will pop up again in later posts! I hope you all have a lovely day and I would love to hear any of your favourites!!

Lots of Love,

Ellie x

Whoever said money couldn't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping- Bob Derek

New Year- Memory Jar

Hey guys :)

I hope you all had a fabulous christmas and new year!

To me, I think of New Year as a great time for reflection. It's good to look back and remember all the good times you've had, as well as the bad. However I do believe that most of us tend to focus on the negative memories that, in our mind, have dominated our year... this shouldn't be the case!
So in 2013 I saw someone post something on Instagram that I thought was an amazing idea! A memory Jar...
So here's the idea behind it: You start it at the beginning of the year and eventually you fill it up with all the happy memories you have had. Whether it was just a really happy day with friends or whether it was an important milestone in your life. You write them down on a small piece of paper, fold it up and put it in the jar. You are not allowed to open the jar until new years day when you make your new one!
This simple idea only takes 2 seconds to do and is a brilliant way of looking back and focusing on the happy moments of the year and allows you to look forward to the next year where more memories will be made! If you keep all your memories it is nice to look back in years to come!

In my jar I included things such as: passing my driving test, good grades at school, trips out to the theatre etc, fun days out with friends and other happy times :) 

Lots of Love

Ellie x 

Take care of all your memories. For you cannot relive them. -Bob Dylan

About me

Hey :)

So I've finally given in and decided to join the blogging world- The blogosphere!
Im not really sure what I will be writing and how often but I thought that having a blog might be helpful to unload some of my random thoughts!
I sat here pondering what my first post should be about and I decided that there would be no better way to start then by introducing myself and telling you all a bit about me.

Firstly, my name is Ellie Carter and I am 17 years old.
I live in Essex, England but I am definitely not a 'TOWIE' girl... which seems to be a developed ideology that has stuck with my unfortunate county... yay!
I am in my final year of sixth form/ college where I have been studying English Literature, Law and Media Studies. It's all fab! I am hoping to go to university to study English Language and Communication which will hopefully lead me to a job in speech and language therapy or journalism :)

Some other pieces of information that you might want to know:
- I have a dog called buster who is amazing! He's a chocolate Labrador and is literally the daftest, cutest, stupidest dog you will ever met!!
- I LOVE Disney!! My favourite film is The Little Mermaid, closely followed by the Princess and the Frog (because they both have amazing soundtracks!)
-I am the editor of my school newspaper 'The Yard' which actually gave me the idea to create a blog!
-Finally, I am obsessed with all things beauty! I am forever buying beauty products that I don't actually need, but they just all look so pretty, so I simply have to get them!!!!

Thank you for reading my first blog post!! Hopefully I shall be writing a lot more in the future but who knows.. :)

Lots of Love
Ellie x

-Me

-Me and my Bestie- Chubb

-Buster <3

-Me and my brother Jack 

The most important thing is to enjoy your life- to be happy- its all that matters. - Audrey Hepburn