Taking a break

Sorry girls but I'll be taking a break for a while (again, I know) as I have just found out some upsetting but personal news. I'll hopefully be back sooner rather then later though!

Life according to me...

If anyone is interested, I also have another more personal blog! I started this blog when me and the ex first broke up, taking a very humorous approach to things whilst writing things out was helping me get my head around things. I originally planned to keep it personal, but those who have seen it have complimented me saying how funny it is! I guess it's your sort of average life-transformation-after-a-break-up blog but do have a look if you like. I am aware that a lot of people like to use their blog to update about their personal life, and I do to a certain extent with posting up photos and letting readers know what I'm up to, but this blog is a little off topic so I've posted it on a separate blog. So if you'd like to read an honest account of somebody going through a break up, please check it out!

http://life-according-to-lou.blogspot.com

In case you are not quite sure what type of things you can expect, I have posted a little taster below.

The Second Day - Friday



Friday was the kind of 'ooh maybe this is really it, but it probably isn't' day. We hang out for a bit, insisting 'just as friends'. Oooh those were the days, I remember when we first got together and went out for a romantic meal 'just as friends'. We spent the whole time talking about how great it is to be 'just friends' and how we'd be fine, until it came to splitting the bill. I then asked him, outright and in these exact words 'So do you want to go back and have sex?' to which he said yes, to which we did. We worked in mysterious ways being 'just friends' back then!

Anyway, we watched a movie 'just as friends'. A weakness occurred by both of us this evening. He tries to tempt/seduce me by flashing me (smooth move, thanks for that flashing of your willy, lets call of the whole breakup because I've seen your downstairs and make babies, shall we?!), and me - using a much more classy approach - donning matching underwear and giving myself big hair and nice makeup to watch the movie together. (Girls are always more classy when it comes to seduction, a boy will flash you, while the girl will always leave some to the imagination).

It almost worked. Again, he asked me to sleep downstairs and I almost did, but went upstairs to my own room in the end. I think that was more the fact that I wasn't tired and wanted to stay up for a bit, whilst he had to sleep as he had work the next morning.

Oh, and the dreaded 'swapping of the items' happened today too! It wasn't half as bad as it was with my last ex (he dropped my stuff off in a plastic bag while his Mum waited in the car with the promise to call me. He didn't.) as we didn't really have much to give back. Our stuff ends up in each others rooms all the time until we get frustrated with the mess, give it back to each other and bans the other from coming into the room for a week. I gave him a random 'love' teddy back, and a meerkat toy he won me in an arcade. The next day I took the teddy back because it looked daft in his room, and I took the meerkat toy back because I like meerkats.

Read more here!

Pictures From The Present ; Snapshots of how I've spent this week

Week of 18th - 24th July 2011

Rainbow Cake!

Mmmm yummy! If you follow me on twitter then you'll know the week before last I was declaring myself a domestic goddess for making a rainbow birthday cake. Thing is, my mum helped, and we didn't have many colours so it wasn't really a rainbow cake. Nonetheless, this was the end result! It was very yummy and I got loads of compliments about it.

Winner!

I won this gorgeous Soap & Glory set from Rachel Marie as part of a giveaway. I'm so pleased, I never win anything and I adore everything Soap & Glory! So thank you so much Rachel!

Graduate!

As you are aware, I recently graduated from uni! This is me on the day, looking very proud!

This is me and my family, who all drove 6 hours to see me graduate and celebrate with me! It was such a lovely day! The only person missing from this picture is the ex who also celebrated with me, but there is a group photo with him in as well somewhere!

 

Finally, this is me and my sister (looking a bit shiny faced) drinking cocktails. We all went out for a really nice dinner afterwards and had some drinks. It was such a laugh and the cocktails were so yummy!

Be Inspired

P.S Visit http://inspire-mag.tumblr.com for more (fashion) inspiring photos!

Some Great Giveaways

I would definitely suggest entering each and every one of these giveaways!

Tinks Tales Giveaway

Enter this giveaway to win £50 to spend at Itsocks.co.uk! 

Giveaway closes on 1st August  at 6pm

Enter Prettymakings great giveaway by clicking the picture above!

Giveaway closes on 14th August

The real ins and outs of planning a wedding ; Shopping for Bridesmaids Dresses

By our guest blogger Laura Lowe

If I’m honest, this was the part of the planning I was really looking forward to... bridesmaid dress shopping with my best mate, plenty of coffee and cake stops, and a chinwag. I have spoken a little about Laura before, but words don’t really do her justice... she’ll hate me for this, but I’ll put a picture up so you can see for yourself...

It is probably worthy to note here, my fellow Brides, that my plan of attack was – in hindsight – probably not the best way of going about the choosing of dresses. Due to my highly organised professional life, I think I’m starting to take after my mother and be totally the opposite at home. See below.

10.07am: 7 minutes late (due to *ahem* unpredictable traffic). Pick Laura up, have a gossip with her and her mum (who I’ve known for years) and put the world to rights.

11am: Arrive in town. It’s packed... saturday shoppers, mothers and their damn pushchairs, schoolkids. Nightmare.  Decide it’s too much to handle, go for coffee and midmorning snack (Starbucks cappuccino and double choc chip cookie). Note to self: STOP EATING!

11.30: Feeling refreshed.  Take one look at queue in Debenhams, head to M+S. Try on some ballgowns in a lurid green colour. Hate them. Move on.

11.50: Fight through the crowd at Beatties and try on some hugely expensive dresses. Looks lovely – but then, Laura would look good in most things, lucky cow! Decide it’s too expensive. Definitely move on!

12.13: Debenhams. Lovely dresses. Great style. Fit beautifully. Wrong colour. Move on.

12.25: Head out of town towards the independent wedding shops. Get sidetracked at Frankie and Benny’s.  Drink wine and eat pizza. Not to self: STOP EATING!

13.15: Independent wedding shop in Telford. Ask to try something on, get a snotty reply about booking an appointment. I point out that there’s no one in the shop. Get a withering look. Try on some dresses. Love them. Laura loves them. Send pic to Rob, he loves them. Get presented with a booklet of 150 colour combinations and lengths. Get very confused.

14.00: Still in the wedding shop. Annoy the assistants with our indecisiveness so take the booklet without ordering anything. Get more snotty looks.

14.15: Head to another shop. Discover that you really do need an appointment. Leave without booking an appointment. Note to self: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT!

So, our day of dress hunting, out of wedding season and with no organisation, wasn’t very fruitful. However, I’m sure you’ll all agree that catching up with your best mate is always a winner and we had a fabulous day! 

The real ins and outs of planning a wedding by the future Mrs Burke

Graduation!

I'd just like to do a quick post on this because I am absolutely ecstatic that as of yesterday, I have now graduated! It's been a long, tough three years and I think my degree was touch and go for a while but I still got to graduate yesterday and it was an amazing feeling!

If any of my friends or family are reading this, I just want to give a big thank you to all of you that have supported me over the past three years!

Me and my brother! I'm clearly too cool to wear the hat properly!

I've decided to put together a few tips for anyone who is starting/thinking about going to/studying at uni - mostly tips I wish I'd knew over the years!

• Don't get into a relationship before starting uni. If you've been with your bloke for a long time and you are in a stable relationship then ignore this! But there's really no point trying to be serious with anyone when you start uni - you will want to have fun at freshers. I don't mean that in any specific way, but yes you may want a couple of cheeky snogs or hook ups and you certainly don't want to worry about putting time aside for your boyfriend when its freshers and you're going out meeting new people, really having no worries. If you do have a boyfriend though, do consider his feelings - if you've moved away and you're out getting drunk and clubbing and meeting new people every night then it's no surprise he's going to worry a bit. So if you are in a relationship, try and see things from his point of view, reassure him that you're relationship is stable and maybe agree to always have one or two nights a week to skype with each other or something. It's not worth having boyfriend worries when it comes to your second year because you'll have enough stress as it is!
• Really put yourself out there. After uni a lot will change so essentially this will be one of your last chances to have a bit of fun. Do go out all night on the cheapest, busiest night of the week - even if you have a 9am lecture the next day. The following week just put your uni priorities first. What I mean is try to have a good balance - but take chances too. You don't want to look back and regret not getting a good grade because you didn't buckle down - but at the same time you don't want to look back and regret not having as much fun when you were still at that age.
• Be safe! This one is self explanatory but be as safe as you can. Never get taxis alone (especially when drunk), always keep a spare tenner in your shoe/bra aka away from your other money so if you spend it all on drink you've got that last bit of cash to get home etc. Also, register with a doctor and dentist immediately and look around to see what the uni has to offer. My uni did free condoms (lol!) and they also had a scheme with the local taxi rank - if you couldn't afford to pay your fare then you gave the taximan your student card and simply paid the taxi fare within the uni to have your card returned to you! Also, don't listen to what other people think! If you are single, there's nothing wrong with having fun, as long as you are safe and you are not hurting anyone/cheating in the first place!
• When it comes to living arrangements ALWAYS make a rota and lay out some ground rules. It sounds boring - but get it done ASAP and you can always do it whilst pre-drinking or whatever. I never did with my two flatmates and at the end of the year everything escalated into massive arguments. By the end of the second year they were bullying me and by the third year we weren't even talking. So a simple thing by not setting out ground rules (i.e who takes out rubbish on what day, even things like checking to see who has early starts and when or who has to revise for exams so you know not to come in late being loud and such) can lead to something as serious as bullying which will most definitely effect your work.
• Money save all the time. Moneysavingexpert.com is useful, as is using cashback websites. Don't forget if you're running low on supplies, mum will always be happy to post up/bring up some resources! And look around too, you can get a travelcard which is useful if you travel back home by train, and loads of shops offer student discount.
• Finally, have fun. It will be hard and it will get on top of you (which is usually about the time you ring mum!) but it will also be one of the best times of your life. Keep your head down, but also go out and party. Celebrate big, or drown your sorrows big too if you fail an exam. Hook up (safely), make lots of friends, and take lots and lots of photographs!

Sorry...!

Sorry about the lack of updates this week! Sunday and Monday I was sorting out my room, trying to make space for when I move and baking a birthday cake, then Tuesday was spent traveling back up to Sunderland! Wednesday was my ex's birthday so his family were around and we went for a walk down to Barnes Park, and Thursday was probably the most stressful and dramatic filled day of my life! Then Thursday evening I was packing..Friday I graduated! Friday was absolutely lovely, all my family came up and the ex (god I don't even know what to call him, technically he's an ex but he's still a close friend and between posts we're constantly on and off!), all came to the graduation then we had a lovely meal afterwards! And cocktails! And finally today I have travelled all the way home again. So its been a long week. I'd love to do some pictures of my week but they're all on different people's cameras, so maybe I'll put them up next week.

18 Day Photo Challenge

Day 18 - a picture of one of the best times of your life

One of the best times of my life was when I met Shia LaBeouf!

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...just kidding! (Unfortunately :( ). This is just me harassing a guy that REALLY looked like him. I tried to get this lads number, but he had a girlfriend :( 

..actually one of the best times of my life was the summer that this photo was taken! At least I think this photo was taken in that summer. These are two of my best friends and I spent most of this summer with Sarah who is the girl in the middle. We basically spent the whole summer listening to really good music, going to gigs, drinking underage in this awesome pub that EVERYONE went to, hooking up with hot emo boys, dressing up as emos ourselves (as a joke obviously, I mean it's not like it actually suited us or anything...), going on double dates up the downs under the stars at night and annoying people on webcam. It was lots of fun and definitely one of the best summers ever.

Although I still wish that first photo was actually of me and Shia LaBeouf, I'm not entirely sure it would have topped this summer!

And there you have it, my 18 Day Photo Challenge! I hope you all enjoyed this little insight into my life, I definitely did, let me know what you think!

18 Day Photo Challenge

18 Day Photo Challenge

 Day 17 - a picture that makes your heart smile

This is a very old photo of me and my first boyfriend. It makes my heart smile because although it took me a long time to get over him, now I can look back and remember all the great times we had. He was my first serious boyfriend and really the first boy I ever loved so it was all definitely very special to me. This was taken the summer we met ; we literally got together and right away without any complications and just had a really great summer. We are in his uncles car as we spent the week camping with his uncles family and again this was really great, we watched a meteor shower laying under the stars with a lovely warm campfire, we played football, we went swimming...it was so much fun. It's all such a distant  memory now but this kind of represents the fact that you can love someone once and then lose them and go through all the hurt...but eventually you will get to that point where you just wish them happiness and can remember it as an important part of your life!

18 Day Photo Challenge

Pictures From The Present ; Snapshots of how I've spent this week

Giant Giraffe

My parents took me antiquing...not really. But we did go to an antique place filled with adorable chic furniture and vintage clothes. I almost bought a birdcage (the white chic kind!). I saw this massive giraffe there and thought it was funky. 

Fly Girl

I bought these awesome vintage glasses (which are probably from New Look or whatever but have the vintage look). I'm really bad with sunglasses, I think when I was in highschool like three years in a row I'd nick my Dad's and forget they were in my bag before sitting on them and breaking them. I'm really giggling at the fact that my Dad walked around the corner as I took this photo and that if you look closely you can see him in the background. He looks like a ghost caught on camera haha!

Saturday Night Takeaway

Getting a curry from the local is our Saturday night tradition in the Joy household. Sooo yummy!

Hell :(

Although I'm home atm, next weekend I'm moving back properly. So in the week I'm going back up North for the ex's birthday, to pack and to graduate, then coming home at the weekend. There's so much to sort through so I started doing my room this weekend to make space. I'm really sad at leaving when I think about it and it makes me upset to think I'll never see my ex again. We haven't been broken up long and when we were still together I was either going to stay up North or he was going to move down here. Now that we've broken up, I have little reason to visit the North East and until I get a job I can't afford it anyway. It's going to be a weird situation saying goodbye knowing that will be it. 

Empty Wardrobe

This is the end result of my sort out (bear in mind at the other end of my wardrobe I have stored coats, hoodies and day dresses). Not much at all!

18 Day Photo Challenge

Day 16 - a picture that makes your heart hurt

This photo makes my heart hurt because it was taken in high school when I was spending the night with a bunch of close friends...I'd do anything to go back to those days!

18 Day Photo Challenge

18 Day Photo Challenge

Day 15 - a picture of a time when everything was changing

This is me in the car on the way to university, moving up there. It was a massive change in my life, not only was I starting university but I was also moving to the opposite end of the country and living with my parents for the first time in my life. Very scary!

18 Day Photo Challenge

Look Of The Week - Scouting For Emo Boys!

Only a little bit of scouting for emo boys! Today I'm just lounging around the house, feebly job searching online. I really love this jumper so I wore this outfit a couple of days ago when popping into TK Maxx and B&M with my Mum, and we all know that it's a well known fact that these type of stores only employ hot men. So I was sort of perving on emo boys at the time.

I can't believe I've actually had the guts to put this up! This is what I wear on a day to day basis when I'm lounging around the house - it's not a pretty sight! Have you ever looked at other girls blogs where they post photos of them constantly looking glam? Have you ever wondered how they do it everyday? I have! Well, this is me with minimal makeup, little sleep and no effort haha!

I adore this oversized jumper, I actually bought it in a few sizes too big so it was baggy on me so it's perfect for a day like this. My hair looks horrible! Unfortunately for me, I cannot do my hair nice, and even when I pull it up into a messy ponytail it never looks like the nice messy kind!

I must also note that I hate wearing my hair up anyway, I never go out in public like this, even so that when I went to TK Maxx I still refused to put it up despite the fact that it needed washing!

I didn't bother with any accessories either, except for some little flower/rose stud earrings and a hairband that had a leopard bow on. I've hardly done my eyebrows here too, I can thank my dad for having fair eyebrows! And my nails are, shock horror, still a very chipped version of last times LOTW (see here). I'm clearly a terrible excuse for a girl, leaving my nails to get this chipped, not making much effort today haha! I'd die if today was the day Shia Labeouf came to my house (my motto is normally you never know who you might bump into so always try and look your best)! 

So yeah, in conclusion, this is me not at my nicest but I suppose it's refreshing to see! I'm also wearing most makeup I wear anyway but it doesn't seem to have made much difference today!

Outfit :

Jumper : Internationale 

Jeans : Primark

Shoes : Primark

Make Up :

Foundation : Colour Supplement in Light Yellow from LUSH and L'oreal Paris infallible brush in 015 Porcelain shade

Eyeliner : Bad Girl by Benefit

Mascara :  Rimmel London Glam' Eyes Day 2 Night 

Blusher : Thrrrob by Benefit

Lipstick : unknown

Accessories :

Leopard bow hairband (barely seen) : Matalan

18 Day Photo Challenge

Day 14 - a picture that describes how you’d like to spend every day

There were loads of photos I wanted to use today ; photos of me in London, photos of Christmas (I love Christmas!), photos of the beach...but I chose this photo taken in York! It was on mine and my ex's anniversary and it was our first weekend away together so it was very romantic. York is gorgeous and we spent the whole time exploring little oldy worldy places, me popping into boutique shops and vintage shops like the one above, doing tourist things etc. I'd really love to spend every day doing that type of thing and of course with someone I love.

18 Day Photo Challenge

18 Day Photo Challenge

Day 13 - a picture of how you’d like the world to see you

  

This was a toughie! I wanted to find an every day photo of me looking stylish but couldn't really find one. This is a photo of me and my ex in the VIP section of a club. I'd like people/the world to see me like this - glam, sophisticated, getting into VIP sections haha! Also this top actually gives me big boobs so I'd like the world to see me with bigger boobs then what they are now ha.

18 Day Photo Challenge

18 Day Photo Challenge

Day 12 - a picture of you with someone you love

This is an old photo and obviously not all the people I love are in it, but this is the photo I could find with the most people in! From left to right - my sister, Claire (my brothers fiancee), my brother, me (standing oddly away from everyone), my mum and my dad! This was taken at a wedding a few years ago.

18 Day Photo Challenge