Blog 24

So this will be my last post as a 24 year old as Wednesday (November 6th) I turn 25! I know 25 isn't a milestone age but it seems like a real grown up age and with the fact that when I was little my life was mapped out to be married and have children by the age of 28 I think I need to hurry up and get my life sorted.. Haha!! 

So I spose really this is a blog post to look back on the last 24 years and to see how much of grown and how far I have come in my life.. 

My biggest achievement so far this is a hard one because it's a toss up between two things so I'll just throw them both out there, the first I think was renting our first and 2nd property. In the 2 years we have lived together we have worked our butts off to be able to afford rent continue with my shopping addiction and be able to live life the way we did when we lived at our parents. Despite having to make a few cut backs and sacrifices I think we have done pretty well, and the fact we have still continued to save for a mortgage fills me with happiness that all the hard work we both do most defo pays off. We recently went to see a mortgage advisor who has said within the next 6-12 months we could be looking at buying a place of our own.. For two people who have more or less been able to maintain a social life to the standard we did before rent and still save up on the worst kind of paid jobs out there that's pretty impressive. 

The second has to be with my job it kind of ties in with the first one, some of you may know I left my first hairdressing job nearly 2 years ago after working their for them for 9 years, my first job gave me my qualifications and I will forever be thankful to them for what they did and how much they helped me and I shall never regret working for them but things happen times change and people move on, and since leaving them my career has taken a serious turn for the better, I'm now doing my goldwell colour masters degree and have entered myself into lots of competitions. I have also helped out at a few catwalk shows as a little intern but iv enjoyed the experience so much and it given me a completely different outlook on my career I didn't mind doing it for free.. I'm just so thankful to my bosses for the 100% support they give me and to my lovely loyal clients that have gotten me where I am today.. 

My worst lows in the past 24 years.  Well life is like a roller coaster anyone who says it's all be plane sailing would be lieing it's how you deal with things and what outlook you take on things that help you through your lows. I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason, that times are there to test you to make you a better person and life is gar to short to worry. 

I try not to let myself get knocked down but I think one of the worst times of my life was with one of my boyfriends. It's ironic  that he also shared some of the best times in my life with me too. I won't name any names because that's unfair I will just refure to him a 'J' 

J played a huge part in my life he was my first serious boyfriend that I honestly could say I loved and that I saw a future with. Obviously that vision wasn't too accurate as some of you will know Iv been with my Steve the past 4 and a half years. But J made me smile when no one else could. Things took a bad turn when trouble at home (his home) interrupted our relationship we became distant to the point we just didn't recognise each other anymore, he broke my heart and despite stringing me along for a good few years after our official break up he will to this day still send me the most random texts about past times. I wish J all the best in his new life and despite back then feeling I had nothing i thank him for our failed relationship as it taught me a lot about myself and helped me find Steve (my partner of 4 1/2 years) J taught me that in order to love someone else I needed to love myself when he left I tourched myself to the point my family were extremely worried.. Never again will I let someone determine my life so much. Life is what you make it and I never plan to get myself back into that dark place. Anyway spending time worrying about stuff only gives you wrinkles. 

Looking to the future 

Well my idea of having a house being married and having 2 children by the age of 28 is now unrealistic. In the next 5 years I hope a proposal is in order with possibly changing from a miss to a mrs and changing my last name, I'd rather like the fact I (all going well) will have completed my masters degree in hairdressing and may look into doing my level 3 nvq to broaden my prospects.. 

I don't want to own my own salon nor would I really be interested in going mobile but i would like to be extra successful within the salon I work in. 

Finally id like to think that babies were on the cards in 5 years time. 

But for now I'm happy to take each day as it comes and look forward to my 25th birthday celebrations 

Xoxo

All good things will end

Well this is not my normal kind of blog post it's more just a post to remind me on feelings when I look back in years to come. So yesterday Thursday 31st October 2013 my nans house was officially sold and keys handed over... 

It was such an emotional day and to say I didn't have a few tears yesterday and the days leading up to it would mean I was lieing. 

My nan has lived in that house ever since my dad was a little boy, as a child growing up every other weekend I was blessed to spend the whole weekend with her from the Friday night right through to the Sunday night. 

The weekends I didn't stay at my nans my sister did. It was more company for her especially after my grandad died. 

As a youngster around the age of 5 I got glandular fever and was very very poorly with it. I was off school for more or less a full academic year and was lucky to attend ant more than 3 classes a week when I eventually did return. My nan used to look after me on the days my mum had to work. This is when my very first memory stars.. 

Back then my grandad would have been alive and I remember getting sudden bursts of energy even if it was just for 5 mins and I can always remember my grandad telling me to be careful of the side cabinet I used to run past in fear I would split my head open.. Other than that the only other memorie I have of my grandad is him pickin me up from nursary with a ice finger waiting in the car for me and his leather driving gloves and bead seat cover... 

My grandad passed when I was around the age of 6-7. My nan was devastated but she carried on for the sake of her children and grandchildren.... 

My nan didn't drive so my uncle spent most weekends with us too. I remember packing my little suit case on a Friday after school and taking it to my nans, Saturday mornings would alway consist of smtv live and cduk followed by a yummy breakfast of jam on toast with a nice cuppa. My uncle used to then pick us up and take us to his. 

My nan and uncle are very keen gardeners so my nan uses to help him with the garden while I watched music channels on sky..... 

Saturday evenings at my nans always consisted of a salad tea and SUPRISE SUPRISE or blind date casualty was always a one we would watch my nan would pour me a very small glass of ginger wine and I thought i was the most grown up little girl in the world and kicked back while choping down on salted peanuts.

Sundays always consisted of a garden centre or two and my nans white wine chicken that smelt amazing and tasted just as good.. 

Growing up I have so many lovely memories of holidays and times spent with my nan, i Am so truly gutted I never got to spend the time with my grandad like I have with my nan, and as hard as I try to remember him and more memory's I guess I was just far too young when he died.. 

My nan introduced me to cups of tea, brought me clothes i knew mum and dad never would and always took me to mcdonalds when we went into town. 

She is such an admiring lady and I have everything to thank her for. 

She shaped me into the person I am today. 

So with all the above memories and others such as nan teaching me to knit when we started clearing her house after she went into a care home it was the most heartbreaking bittersweet weekend. It was the same weekend me was due to move from our first house into a new bigger apartment And seeing my nans house empty was just too much. 

So here I sit outside what once was a beautiful home to my lovely nana writing this blog post remanising on all the beautiful memory's it holds while staring at the sold sign waving in the gentle night breeze.  The place looks so empty the lights are off and it's safe to say this is no longer a home just a standing house... 

But it's not all doom and gloom. Despite my nana being a very good age (94) she's still with us, it may not be in her home but she's still here In a nice residential home where we can make lots of new memory's with her. (Their is still lots of life in the ol gal as yet) 

The one thing i will miss the absolute most on top of everything is going to see my nan after watching the local firework display. It was always tradition to go round and warm up with a cuppa with chocy biccys while sat around her big table. she would always give me my birthday pressies... As my birthday is the day after firework night the suspense of knowing I couldn't open any parcels until the following morning killed me but the excitement carried me off to bed the moment I got home to make the following day come quicker..

I know at the end of the day my nans old house is nothing but bricks and water, bricks and water that will be the start of a new generation of memories. 

What I remember from all the past will stay with me in my heart forever and if I ever lose site of what my nan was like and what she did I will just look in the mirror and see her smiling back at me.... 

The house may have gone now but the memories I hold in my heart will never fade.... 

Im guessing if anyone is reading this the moral of the story is never to take a special loved one for granted and know that whatever happens in life the memories that you have made will forever more be in your heart ready to be opened and told one day 

So as I said its not my normal kind of blog post and I don't expect many to even have a comment for this it's just for me to sit back write out how I'm feeling and look back on it in years to come.,

Seasonal nails

Today I went to my local beauty and nail salon, with halloween just around the corner I thought its time to get some seasonal nails, at Christmas every other week from mid November I get different Christmassy nails with snowflakes Christmas trees, snowmen and santa's, New Years I have sparkly new year nails with the year printed on them and cocktail glasses free hand designed. Easter is the return of the Easter egg and bunny nails and summer brings bright bold colours with sparkles and sometimes Palm tree prints. 

I love my nails and spend a fortune on getting them done, I only ever go to one place because they understand my needs and I can't find anywhere in a 20mile radius of me who can free hand design as well as Mae from art of nails bury. (Trust me iv tried them all) 

So today when i popped in for my two weekly infill appointment i told Mae to do whatever she wanted halloween style. 

Words can't discribe just how much I love these nails. 

The Casper ghosts are all done free hand. 

Infills £18

Design £4

 Total £22! 

LBD diet

Christmas is fast approaching and with Christmas always comes the little black dress and the little black dress diet. Now I'm a proud size 14 and love my curves but at one point i found myself pushing onto a size 16, and that really didn't make me feel comfortable. Like with any persons weight we all know how we feel comfortable. 

Some size 16s love it and they look amazing for it but I just didn't feel happy within myself, and with Christmas coming and all the fatty foods it brings on cold nights in, the huge roast dinners and the sweets that seem to have started to litter the shops already I decided to get back into my comfort zone. Ideally I'd love to be a size 12 but some girls are just not designed to be. 

I have a little back dress in a size 12-14 that i would love to wear to my Christmas party so iv recently started to watch what I eat and taking up the gym on a regular basis. 

Iv been using these fat metaboliser from holland & Barrett. I love holland & Barrett for all their natural and herbal products and do tend to shop in their bury st Edmunds store a fair bit, I find it very easy to find what I am looking for and the staff are extremely friendly and will help with advise any time. 

To be fair the only reason I picked these up was because they were in the penny sale, you know the buy one get one for 1p. And they looked good value for money. 

I believe they were £6.20 for 56 tablets so I brought 2 packets and gave one to my sister. 

To use these tablets safely you need to take one tablet mid-morning and one mid-afternoon and do not take any near bedtime. 

I'm not usually one for swallowing tablets and find it very hard at the best of times so if your like me and struggle when you have to take them, you'll think their is no way you can take these. 

9/10 you will be wrong, iv had no trouble at all taking these due to there easy swallow coating they just glide down the throat with water. 

I have been taking these for the past 2 weeks combined with a balance diet and have noticed the difference already. 

It's like anything you still need to eat healthy and do regular excesise for these to work (their not miracle tablets and you won't lose weight over night by sitting on your ass) 

I have found that the tablets make me less hungry so I don't seem to snack I between meals and I find I have a lot smaller plate sizes now and usually don't finish all my meal. 

I have continued going to the gym a min of 3 times a week for 45mins each time iv been, I have been a few times more when I have had the time but I won't go any less than 3 times in 7 days.. 

I have included a before and after photo. Before taking the tablets, 1 week in and a now photo.

Hopefully you can see the difference like I can.

Like all tablets please read the institutions before use and consult a doctor if you are on any other medication when using these. 

This is how I started the diet, admittedly this isn't a great pic due to the baggyness of tr top. 

This is half way through what I have done so far I feel I look like iv lost abit but I still look bit wide. 

Now this is my most recent picture from the diet I feel my hips look smaller and I look like I'm developing more of a waist my legs I think look slightly smaller too, but I'm not sure If that is due to the colour of my trousers from picture #2 to #3 

Please let me know what you think and what other products you have used and think have been good... 

Happy little black dress dieting 

A nice day for a white wedding

Recently I was bridesmaid for my boyfriends sister becky. 

I wanted to post on my blog about the special day due to the beauty of the dresses and the hand made by Becky's mum table runners and bunting. 

The day was absolutely beautiful, admittedly it did rain as we was about to leave the house to go to the ceremony but as soon as we got their the sun come out and didn't stop shining all day. 

Becky had 3 bridesmaids her best friend liz and myself who wore a gorgeous knee length cow neckline sage green dress and liz daughter Faye who wore a very glitzy, sparkly full length swishy white dress. 

The bride wore a very gorgeous ivory sweetheart neckline figure hugging dress with lace detailing and diamonds and pearls set on the side, with a simple veil with sparkly stones on. 

Below are a few pictures of the bride Liz and Faye 

The boquets we all had were gorgeous, rusty pinks and greens with gorgeous white roses 

The wedding and reception was held at the priory hotel (www.prioryhotel.co.uk) in the beautiful historic town of Bury St Edmunds. 

Becky's dad Paul gave her away in a very tear jerking ceremony, becky walked down the isle to elbow. 

Below is a picture of Becky and her dad 

If anything the sun was shining so brightly it was causing everyone to squint in the photos what was a real shame but between being in the pictures I managed to get a few gorgeous snaps so iv selected a handful of my fave below. 

Below is a picture of Becky and Marc's  parents 

After the photos it was time for the wedding breakfast and speeches.

Becky and Marc got gorgeous glasses made up with our names on as a thank for you being their bridesmaid. The glass is sitting on the gorgeous table runner that Becky's mum made. 

Following the wedding breakfast come the after party. The staff at the priory did amazing to turn around the rooms in such good time. 

Mr and mrs German's first dance was to chasing cars. 

The day went past so quickly it was unbelievable. 

The staff at the priory hotel did an absolute amazing job decorating up the rooms with the home made bunting and table runners. The cake was amazing and tasted gorgeous. 

All in all it was a perfect day 

Below iv attached a few more photos from throughout the day that I took, hopefully I can do another blog post with some of the professional photos (if the photographer managed to get more pictures of the table runners and home made bunting) 

Above is the jag that Becky and her dad had to the wedding. 

Below to the card the bridesmaids and mother of the bride travelled in 

A/W country trend

I'm back!! 

And so is autumn, well nearly. Just when we think the temperature is calling down we get a lovely suprise day like today. 

Today me and my boyfriend decided on a Little shopping trip to pick up some autumn/winter outfits to update our wardrobes with.

I have no idea where this has come from but I have developed a real love for country style clothing, you know how you imagine a posh farmer to look like when his back from mucking the pigs and cleaned up alittle. 

Luckily for me this seems to be abit of a trend right now. Knowing exactly what I was looking for today I headed straight for my usual clothing and accessorie store PRIMARK. 

As some of you will know PRIMARK is my ultamate fav shop especially in my job where I need to stay in fashion but run the risk of messing any clothes up with colour dye. PRIMARK is just ideal and I don't feel too sad if I mess any clothing up as I know I didn't pay through the nose for it. 

On entering the Cambridge store in burleigh road I was instantly faced with a large selection on gilets. 

I picked up a few to try on at the bargain price of £10 it would have been seriously rude not to. To my disappointment Cambridge seem to be full of stick thin size 8s and 10s with the odd few and very far between size 12s. For a curvy size 14 girl I was beginning to lose hope of finding a bargain buy. But tucked away in the depths of all the gilets was a sneaky size 14. 

To my delight it fitted and being the only one in that size in all the different styles I clung onto it for dear life. 

I love the colour of this as it's very autumn/winter and the leather like trip on the shoulders and around the pockets just adds a touch of something to this gilet. 

While in primark I picked up a gorgeous scarf to go with my gilet. An over sized scarf is the perfect accessorie for this time of year. I'm addicted to scarfs but picked out this one because of it gorgeous pattern. 

My final primark buy today was a gorgeous small tan bag. This took my eye because it's a lovely colour and I like that's its small but I can still fit plenty in it. 

To compete my look I picked up a gorgeous owl print top from peacocks for £14. 

We then took a stroll over to burtons for the other half keeping with my theme he picked up a gorgeous country style jacket. Ok it was abit over what he wanted to pay at £70 but I think it was so worth it. Now we can go out this fall matching. 

So below is a few pictures of mine and steves couples outfits 

Gilet - primark £10

Scarf- primark £4

Bag- primark £8

Owl jumper- £14 peacocks 

Men's coat - £70 Burton's 

What's your favorite A/W trends or must haves? I'd love to know. 

For now I'm off to pack up more things ready for the big move, I shall be posting a blog post of the new home when all is settled. 

Pink ombré

Hi beauty's sorry its been such a long time were so mixed up with the move I'm struggling to find time but I'm back even if its just for now as soon as we have moved in and fixed up my own blogging room will be in business and you will have plenty of posts to read. 

So back to this post pink ombré. 

I love doing creative things on people's hair, I believe that every client is different and no one should leave my salon chair looking exactly like someone else so their for when 'G' came into the salon and mentioned she wanted ombré hair I was quick to try and encourage her to sway away from the blonde. After a long convocation it was easy to see G likes the idea of having pink hair, having done a few blonde ombré and seeing a lot of blonde ombré out in the streets at the moment the chance to try something different but still using the same technique was welcomed. 

G's hair was fairly natural when I started and I wanted to keep her natural in as she has no greys theirs no point putting in another colour to start regrowth, the pink colour I used was goldwell ellumen pk@all 

Pk@all only works on pre-lightened hair to show its full potential so I started by bleaching up the ends. 

1. Section the hair in 4 and tie hair bands where you want the top of the ombré to start.. The hair in its band should allow to fall flat if it sticks out from the band like a high pony tail chances are the ombré is too high. Make sure all 4 bands are level with each other and apply oxyplatin goldwell bleach granules  with goldwell topchic 6% peroxide To the hair under the bands using the bands as a stopper. (Picture show below)

  

2. After the bleach has developed for roughly 30mins wash off with a deep conditioning shampoo and conditioner 

(development time will vary from head to head you need to take into account virgin hair damaged hair and length of hair) 

Now the fun part begins. 

Because G wanted a baby pink we had to mix goldwell ellumen clear with the pk@all I used equal parts of both. 

Ellumen needs to be added to dry hair and comes out like jelly so it has to be evenly spread all over where the bleach has just been put. (As shown in pic above when washing the colour off I removed the bands, to add to ellumen we need to put the bands back into the hair using the bleach as a guide. I moved my bands a bit higher this time with 1-2cm of natural hair under the band. This helps add in the gradual from natural to pink. Letting the ellumen process for 30-40mins.. 

3, once colour has developed wash off and complete with ellumen lock for 5mins and let it saturate into the hair. Finally shampoo and condition with colour care products and dry...

 

I love this colour and think keeping the natural hair at the top really shows off the pink beautifully. 

Ombré has been a really big trend for a few years now and I love that this isn't the traditional blonde ombré look but is still in high fashion and looks stunning.. 

Next time you visit your stylist why don't you see how they can take the recent colour trend. mix it up and match it to suit you, your lifestyle and your personality. 

Happy colouring..... 

P.s ombré is not a technique i would advice for you to try yourselves with box dyes.... Yes many claim you can get that salon look at home but it fully depends on your hair type colour and condition.. Very dark hair or over coloured hair will only lift to a ginger if your lucky.. Always consult a professional prior to attempting it at home and where possible always alow a professional to carry out the service for you with salon approved products... It will mean less disasters and more beautiful healthy looking and feeling hair