Portugal travels!

Last week I went straight from work to Gatwick airport and hopped on plane to Faro in Portugal! 

The boyfriend has a house out near Burgau and I was invited to stay with him and his family! As I've already taken a lot of time out with my Athens trip and my dig at Pewsey, I only went out from Saturday to Tuesday. 

Despite it only being a short trip, I got to explore quite a few different places which was great as I've never been to Portugal before! We ended up going to Sagres, Burgau, Lagos and quite a few beaches between!
I got to see a Medieval fort, a Roman fort, small villages and towns which gave me a great whistle stop tour of the country and I'm very grateful for being invited to go out there!
I love travelling so being able to tick off another place that I've seen is great!

There were a few people parachute gliding off the top of the cliffs!
I would love to try it one day!

A strange fog that covered both ends of the beach on the West Coast!

The slate cliffs were incredible!

The view from the Roman fort near Joe's house.

Sunset on the beach near Joe's.

The flora in Portugal is incredible - fennel, olives, almonds and figs
 were growing in abundance all along the roads!

The beach 10 minutes walk from Joe's house! 

The water had some strange greenish foam in it...
It's really satisfying to watch the sea come in and make half of your legs disappear! 

I didn't get a lot of photos of the food but everything there was so nice and I wish I got to try more! 

Apparently  I can't go anywhere without having some form of pastry!
The best chocolate croissant that I've had.

Seriously yummy chorizo, ham and bacon pizza and my favourite cider I only had in Athens!
I was rather excited when I found it again in the shops!

I'll end with a couple photos of me and Joe! 

Sorry about the photo spam, I can't really do the place justice with words, it was amazing and gorgeous! 

It was such an amazing trip and I will aim to go there again to explore further! 

Jess xx

Summer Bucket List!

This is the longest Summer I've ever had so it's a good chance to get a lot of things done! 

Topic 13 was to create a Summer bucket list so I've come up with a few things I've been wanting to do for a while and can actually get on with now college and exams are finally over and I have loads of spare time!

1. Go to the theatre

I haven't been to the theatre for so long but I have plans to go with a friend from college in three weeks time so I'm super excited to actually do this - it will be the first time going without my family!

2. Go to the beach

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the beach as sand annoys me and it's always really busy but it's something I feel I have to do at least once in summer. I also have plans to go to Brighton with a friend in August so this one will happen soon too!

3. Get into University

This is entirely out of my hands now but if I don't get into Reading, I'm hoping that there will be somewhere that's willing to take me instead!

4. Complete my summer reading list

I didn't make it just to look pretty! The books all seem really interesting and I'm going to have lots of time over the next two weeks at my Archaeological dig to read and get some of the books crossed off the list! 

5. Get a job

I'm still waiting to see if Waitrose will offer me the job so fingers crossed! This one can also wait until September as more will open up when people leave for uni and school.

6. Try something completely new

I love trying new and fun things which is actually a reason for points 7 and 9!

7. Make a plan of action for getting healthier

I want to try and get healthier at Uni so I'll be looking at food and exercise options to see what appeals to me and seems doable! So far I've been looking at yoga and running for exercise and smoothies for a way to have more fruit in my diet!

8. Meet up with college and secondary school friends

Every summer I fail hopelessly at meeting up with friends but this year I've actually been pretty social and good at meeting up with people I haven't seen for a while! Having a car probably helps with that as I can go to a lot more places without my parents needing to be around!

9. Make a scrapbook with magazine articles/pictures

I've collected Elle and a few of Glamour and Marie Claire since this time last year and it's getting quite difficult to store all of them so I'm going to create a magazine scrapbook to save my favourite bits from each one!

10. Create a recipe book to take to University with me

I'm going to be in self-catering accommodation next year so I need to learn how to cook. Until I go, I'm going to begin collecting recipes I like that I could make easily when I'm there!

Have you guys got anything that you're planning to do over the summer?

Jess xx

Ciate Playdate

I got this polish in this month's Marie Claire magazine (read: I bought the magazine for the nail polish...) after spying it in Sainsbury's. I've wanted to try one of Ciate's nail polishes for a while but couldn't really justify buying a full sized pot at £9 just to test it out as it's quite a bit of money for a student without any source of income!

I was so happy to find these and chose Playdate, described as a "bold pop pink with a playful coral edge" on the website, as it was a perfect colour to go with my prom dress! I wasn't sure if I was going to wear it at any other time but it's the perfect summer bright and I actually love it!

I'm not sure if it was just because it's a mini bottle or if it's a thing with Ciate brushes, but I found application quite difficult to get completely smooth and even because the brush was quite thin and the polish dried quickly making it more difficult to work with than my favourite brand, Essie. If any of you have tried the full sized polishes, let me know if the brush a consistent size with the minis and full sizes or not please?!

Once I got the hang of how to apply the polish (slightly thicker layers of polish and a bit more time to dry so it goes on shiny and even!), practically every nail came out perfect and I was really happy with the result. I'm quite tempted to buy some more if I can find a discount code for the website or an offer/sale!

With a good base and top coat, this has lasted 4 days now, including getting ready for prom, actual prom and cleaning my room, without a chip so I'm really impressed!

The colour also came with a bottle of their caviar pearls (not so sure of the name...) but I haven't used them yet as I know they'll get everywhere and will be a nightmare to get off! I'll probably try them over summer which will be fun!

Overall I think that the application of Essie nail polishes is much better but the staying power for the polishes is about equal. Essie is also cheaper which is another point in their favour but the colour range of Ciate is more appealing to me at the moment compared to Essie (though the line they've just brought out is rather pretty and tempting...)!

I'd love to hear your guys' experiences with this brand and what colours I should look at buying if I choose to!

Jess xx

Stress.

I have an incredibly bad case of over stressing about nearly everything. I worry about work, friends, family, money, my future, my appearance, my health and about a million other things all at once. Sometimes, it isn't so bad, but when I really think about what I have to do, it completely overwhelms me and I get really panicked. 

I didn't get good grades at AS so I have to do 3 extra exams in June which means I have to start revising earlier and a lot more. Now my UCAS is being processed by my chosen Universities, I'm worrying whether I will get any offers because my predicted grades I have been given aren't particularly good and one of my back ups changed their grades to be slightly higher, meaning my favourite University is actually my lowest grade so I have no back up choice. I've been a given an interview next month so I'm also worrying about that, just incase I'm not good enough for them or if I say the wrong thing. 

I feel like I'm running out of time and like I don't have enough time to fit in all of my homework and coursework while fitting in the books I need to read from my personal statement from my interview and I just feel completely overwhelmed with the amount of things I need to do, all with equal importance so nothing can be prioritised apart from by due date. 

I already spoke of being diabetic and I'm scared that if I end up stressing too much, my blood sugar will start to get out of control and I'll end up with unwanted health problems. I've also gained a bit of weight in the last few months which is also bad because it means my lack of exercise is actually making a difference and I feel like I'm being generally unhealthy but I can't do anything about it because I only have time for homework and the occasional blog post when things get too much. I know I need to change my ways but I just can't seem to fit anything into my schedule. 

I don't get to see my friends outside of college apart from the very occasional party so I feel like I'm drifting away from them which is terrifying as most of them have been my friends since I was 11 so I cant bear to think of losing them because I don't have time to fit them in at the moment. 

I also know that I need a job to fund anywhere I do end up going with people as it will inevitably cost money but I don't have time to get a job and wherever I do apply, they never even interview me, let alone offer me the job as I have no experience whatsoever. It worries me that I'll never be able to get experience so I won't be able to get a job in Summer when I will need to be saving up money for University.

The only things that are keeping me sane at the moment are this blog and talking to a new friend on Tumblr as it's nice to get to know new people (hi Jake, if you're reading). 

I seem to be crying a lot and feeling really moody because of this lately but I don't really know any ways of de-stressing. 

If anyone has any tips for not stressing out completely and having a breakdown, I'd very much appreciate it right now.

Jess xx

Autumn Rose.

Autumn Rose. by jessica-deacon featuring a loose crochet sweater

360 Sweater loose crochet sweater
$395 - julesb.co.uk

Skirt
$320 - colette.fr

Tight
modcloth.com

Cole Haan boots
colehaan.com

Leather messenger bag
etsy.com

MAKE UP FOR EVER lipstick
sephora.com

Silk by Bryony Cherry Cherry Silk Georgette Scarf
boticca.com

I love this look, the skirt is quite summery but looks great with this autumn/winter look! I just wish I could afford it! 

Jess xx

Maybelline Coloursensational Lipstick in Summer Pink Review

After enrolling back into college yesterday, me and my friend Liv had quite a lot of time free before out first lesson so we headed into town to have a look around! As per usual, I had my look around boots and I found a gorgeous pink lipstick! It looked so pretty so I went back and bought it today!

Maybelline Coloursensational Lipstick in Summer Pink is a gorgeous bright pink colour. It has little pieces of glitter in it which is subtle and gives your lips a slight shimmer which I really like! I wouldn't usually wear a pink that's this bright but it surprisingly works as an every day colour! I put it on just after I bought it and it was still there over 3 hours later! Most other lipsticks I own have faded after 2 hours or less so I've been majorly impressed so far! It doesn't dry out my lips and it smells so great so there are so many plus points for this product! I think the only issue I have is that the shape of the tip doesn't fit my lips very well but apart from that it's great! The packaging is also really sleek and looks more expensive than it was! It reminds me of the Revlon Lip Butter packaging a bit! 

I love the effect it has on my lips! It has a slight golden shimmer.

All in all, I'm actually really impressed with this lipstick and I might have to buy some more...again! Superdrug seem to have more of a selection of colour so I might have to have a look there!

Summer pink can be bought from Boots (this product isn't on the internet weirdly...) and Superdrug for £7.19

Jess xx

MotoGP

As a mini end of Summer treat, my dad got our family tickets for the MotoGP at Silverstone on Sunday. It was such a great day out! I've loved it since I was little so actually getting to see the races up close was such an amazing opportunity. We watched Moto 2 (lower class of bikes) first; it was so exciting and the atmosphere was great! The winner was an English man so everyone went crazy and cheered super loudly when he went past and won! MotoGP (highest class of bikes) wasn't as exciting because the leader stayed in first pretty much all the way through. It got exciting towards the end though when people started overtaking and closing gaps, every time someone overtook people cheered! The English guy in that race had crashes in the warm up and managed to dislocate his shoulder in the warm up lap so he didn't race as well as he could have which wasn't good but he still did really well considering!

It was a really great day and an even better end to summer - I'm so glad I got to go!

Jess xx

Raspberry fields!

Me, my brother and my Mum went Strawberry picking today! We intended to anyway. When we got to the field, most of the strawberries had gone so we went searching to see if there were any more somewhere else and we stumbled across rows and rows of raspberries instead!
It was warm but cloudy for the most part which was so nice because it meant I could enjoy myself without feeling like I was going to melt into a puddle! Trying to avoid bees and spiders was also fun...especially for everyone else - they got to laugh at me when I felt something on my leg/arm/wherever else and slapped it while shouting/screaming...gotta love hating bugs, right?
We ended up picking about half a basket of raspberries then we also bought some already picked strawberries at the counter so the trip wasn't a waste (in strawberry terms anyway...)! I think mum is going to turn them into Strawberry ice cream which is awesome! Don't know what will happen with the raspberries though...all I know is that they taste really good!

So many raspberries!

Lots and lots of raspberries, yum! 

We found a row with loads just the first bit!!! 

Fruit picking is so much fun to do with the family in summer, and it's better for the local people! Try it out, you'll enjoy yourself!
Jess xx

Sun, Sea and Sand in Sicily!

I've just come back from a week long trip to Sicily with my college - doing Ancient history and Classics = good trips to hot places! I haven't been on many plane journeys and I only remember one (yay Durham....) so it was quite exciting and scary to be going on a trip that was longer than an hour. It wasn't as bad as I had expected because everyone on the trip was sitting together so it was fun as we could talk to each other without annoying other passengers! On the way there, there was a 2 year old that wouldn't stop crying and screaming which was in the row in front of me. It was the single most annoying thing I've ever had to put up with.
The one thing I do love about flying is the duty free. You can buy things for cheaper so stuff that's a bit pricey is actually more affordable! After having my Benefit 'Laugh with me LeeLee' perfume for a while, I was super excited to see a benefit stall at duty free and I ended up searching through all of the different products until I found one that I fell in love with completely.

Cutest palette ever with the nicest colours!
The design is adorable!

The 3 eyeshadows are nice and subtle colours, very wearable!
Very handy mirror too! 

The kit contains 3 eyeshadows, creaseless cream eyeshadow,
bo-ing concealer, eye bright, bad gal lash mascara and 3 types of brush.

It also comes with a how-to booklet with added tricks!
It's so helpful and makes it easier to use!

Being someone who doesn't wear a lot of make up, this palette is perfect because it's subtle but looks amazing! The amount of powders and creams in the pack is overwhelming at the start but once you get your head around what goes where, it's so simple! I love it so much, it's really easy to apply and the booklet is super handy.

In Sicily, we visited lots of temples,  amphitheatres, a Roman town and other ancient buildings. We also went to the beach a lot which isn't usually my sort of thing, but it was nice to just relax at the beach after a long day of walking! Annoyingly nearly all of my pictures are still on my camera so I'll do an extra picture post when I put them on to my computer eventually! I have a couple of pictures from my phone of some of the beaches though!

This was taken from a beachside restaurant with the nicest pizza ever!

I didn't go on the beach here because it was too hot but the view was amazing! 

The weather was so nice out in Sicily, it was really hot but it was a different heat than it is in England so now I'm back it doesn't feel too hot!
On the last day, we got to look around Catania, a really nice town that looked how you would imagine Italy. We saw another amphitheatre that was right in the centre of the town and then we went shopping! United Colors (they spell it like that...it still annoys me...) of Benetton had a massive sale on so me and a couple of friends went for a browse and I found a really gorgeous top!

I have a weakness for stripes but at €21, how could I resist?!

I also have an addiction with spots...so at the airport back to England, I bought a spotty red scarf! It was €12.50 so it was amazing! It's such a nice, light material and it's actually really big when fully stretched out! I'm reminded of Minnie Mouse; it's a shame that the weather isn't cold enough to wear it at the moment though!

Minnie mouse scarf!

It was a really great trip and I got to spend time with some of my favourite people from college and get closer to others so it's been a great start to summer so far! 

Jess xx

Results day...

First of all, I'm sorry I haven't posted in almost a week...my life has become exceedingly boring and so full of work and revision that I don't even have time to do a quick blog post! Sadly, the work load isn't going to be letting up any time soon so the blog posts are going to be a bit less frequent.
I started to make my Roman style pot for extended project on Tuesday and I'm happy that it's going pretty well! I have to finish it tomorrow so that will be fun! It's actually going pretty well so I'm happy at the moment with it.
I also got my grade report back and I'm predicted all Bs and an A in extended project, so crossed fingers I get that!
I got my Biology exam result back from January....I got a D. I'm really disappointed to be honest, I thought I'd actually done well but because I wasn't used to the way the questions worked, even if I knew everything, I still didn't get the marks for what I knew and it's rubbish. I probably lost so many marks for not saying a specific word, or writing something a specific way. I really hate exams for that.
My parents have sorted me out going to a 6 day revision course over Easter to hopefully improve my grade. I really want to get a lot better so I hope it goes well. I'm just so scared that by taking that much time out of my holiday for a subject I'm not taking next year, will I be risking messing up my other subjects that actually matter? It's so horrible to think that I can't re sit so whatever I get in summer is what I'm stuck with.
I hate exams. I wish they would test your knowledge rather than your ability to answer questions how the mark scheme wants it. It's complete crap in my opinion.
Jess xx