Sunday, 9 March 2014

This week's favourites - tumblr edition!

I haven't had enough things to make a favourites post for a while but I was scrolling through my tumblr and I kept finding interesting pictures, quotes and articles that I thought would be fun to share here as a tumblr edition of my favourites for this week! 

1. National Geographic Leopard Seal.


This is honestly so amazing and makes me think of how we see animals and what we really know about other species. It's a short video but it's amazing!

2. Johnson Tsang - Big Fish.


It's a beautiful piece of artwork shown in production piece by piece - it's fascinating and the end result is so beautiful. I love oriental designs and this one has gone a step further by being 3D!

3. The Writer's Kit.


A kit I found on Tumblr that looks completely perfect - I wish I could be given something like that!

4. 1907 French Girl photograph


Paris, at the fin de siècle, taken close to 1907. It was printed in color by a technique involving a composite of black and white emulsion passed through a series of colored filters (red, blue and green).

We always seem to imagine the past in black and white but this photo is amazing and shows the colour an vibrancy of it which gives a whole new dimension to it! 



I found these all really interesting and I hope you guys do too!
Jess xx

Saturday, 8 March 2014

Guest post!

I wrote a guest post over on my friend Amy's blog, Blending Beauty, as she's writing her dissertation this week! 
I'd love to know what you guys think so head over and have a read! 
Jess xx
P.S. She also made a really pretty title picture for it and I'm going to bug her to tell me how she did it! 

Friday, 7 March 2014

Life's little loves.

Source
- Cudding up in my duvet.

- Reading a good book and getting lost in it.

- Having a blogging creative spurt and writing three or four posts at once.

- Finding new artists and listening to everything they've done.

- Searching recipes online to try one day in the far future.

- Making lists of books/films I need to read/watch.

- Download the free ones from said book list onto my kindle.

- Mini marshmallows.

- Candy corn and popcorn.

- Completing that day's to do list.

Add your own below!
Jess xx

Wednesday, 5 March 2014

I CAN DRIVE!

After starting to drive around last May, I finally took my driving test today...and PASSED FIRST TIME!
I'm so unbelievably happy about it as I was really nervous before I started and actually dreamt about it which I've never done before a test! For my manoeuvre I got to do a 3 point turn which I was really happy about - they're the easiest in my opinion! 
I only got 2 minors which I'm also really pleased with as they were only about hesitations because I was being overly cautious and making sure I was doing everything right! It seemed to fly by and I was actually enjoying myself and getting into it by the time it was over! 
I can't wait to get my own car now and start driving everywhere properly but I have to do pass plus to get my insurance down before my parents are letting me! 
I think that it was definitely the best decision to book my test in the morning so I didn't have to wait around all day for it - I was shaking from nerves at one point! Luckily the examiner was really nice and chatty so I got to just drive like normal eventually! 
Are any of you guys driving? 
Jess xx

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

High End/Designer wish list.

I have a problem where I seem to fall in love with everything that is vastly out of my price range so I thought I would do a post with a selection of my current favourite High End/Designer make up and accessories.

Michael Kors Jet Set Large East/West Tote Bag - £240



Chanel Le Vernis nail polish - £18 per bottle

Chanel Rouge Allure lipsticks - £25
J Crew Pearl Twisted Hammock necklace - £98
Tory Burch Classic Reva ballet flats in black - £205

I'll never be able to afford any of these (I could maybe save for one of the Chanel products...) but in reality, I will probably only be able to look at them from afar and wish I could buy them! 
Who knows, maybe one day there will be a miracle and I'll be able to afford the bag or shoes! 
Jess xx

Sunday, 2 March 2014

Instagram snapshots #4

I've been spending the last two weeks mostly at college doing lots of work so I can spend more time at home relaxing! It's working so well and I'm getting to sleep more too which is obviously a lot better than only getting 5 hours per night like I have been previously.

Amazing book.
If I could have an unlimited supply of these, my life would be perfect.
Excited to review all of my new pieces!
The best combination.
A perfect day out in London finished with the perfect macaroons.
My new favourite nail polish - Essie Chinchilly.
You can follow me here if you want to see these when they are posted!
Jess xx

Saturday, 1 March 2014

My Nail Polish collection!

For this month's 2014 Blogger Challenge post, we have to write about something to do with nails and as I wrote a review of my favourite polish yesterday (well done Jess...very clever planning there...), I've decided to show you the rest of my collection!
Apart from lipsticks, nail polishes are my weakness and I own too many in my mum's eyes. As far as I'm concerned, they're all gorgeous and wearable colours that I will use over and over again when the occasion arises and they're all as necessary as each other!

From the top pink going clockwise: The Girls are Out, Naughty Nautical, Bahama Mama, Chinchilly,
Orange, It's Obvious, Tea and Crumpets, Mademoiselle, Ballet Slippers, To Buy or Not to Buy,
Mojito Madness, Muchi Muchi, Tart Deco, Turquoise et Caicos, Aruba Blue.
My most collected brand of  polish is Essie, of which I own 14. I got 6 from Fragrance Direct for Christmas at £1.99 each and the rest have been bought at Boots over the last year or so. The 3 for 2 offer they have has saved me a pretty penny in that time! The colour range available is gorgeous and I always get so confused when trying to cut down the colours I want to buy to three because I love nearly all of them! The quality of these polishes is second to none and they're easily my favourite in all areas. The consistency is amazing, colours great, application brilliant and it always looks professional as the colours are strong as opaque. Add a base/top coat and you have a long lasting set of gorgeous nails! 

The rest of my collection!
See below pictures for names.

Left to right: Prickly Pear, Blue Moon, Mint Green, Berry Ice Cream, Pomegranate.
I also have 5 Barry M colours, 2 of which are part of the Gelly range. Even though a lot of people swear by these, I don't like them as much. They have a really good colour range and the polishes are pretty, but I find that they chip really easily and the Gelly colours aren't actually that shiny once dry. I don't dislike them and if I looked I would still probably find a pretty colour and want to buy it, but compared to Essie, they just don't hold up to the same standard. 

Left to right: Double Decker Red, Tangy Tangerine, Diamond Dust,
Block Your Green, Marshmallow Heaven.
I also own 5 Rimmel polishes - 4 from the I heart lasting finish range and 1 from the precious stones range. I've only used one of these and I really liked it. Again, they chipped quite easily but I have a feeling that as I haven't used base or top coats with any but Essie, I'll need to test this theory again sometime soon and then see how they last! I've also used the precious stones polish as an accent nail and I thought it was really good! 

Left to right: Cosmic Crush, Black Cherry, Red Robin, Topaz.
As they are only £1.99 each, I bought 4 Natural Collection polishes which, for their price, aren't too bad! There is a limited range of colours but the two I have are pretty and chip in the same amount of time as the Barry M or Rimmel even though they are about double the price of the Natural Collection polishes!

Left: Miami.
Right: Peacock.
I also own two 17 polishes but I don't remember the last time I wore either of them! I really love the green colour, I actually accidentally bought it for a second time once because I didn't remember owning it! Luckily Boots gave me my money back!

Left to right: Vivid Violet, Pink Grapefruit, Elixir, Tangy.
In a box on my set of drawers, I found 4 No7 polishes, all of which apart from the orange one I don't remember buying as they're quite old! I think the burgundy shade was a present from someone but again, I'm not really sure.

Marilyn.
My only Jessica nail polish was a present from my parents for Christmas a few years back (as a joke because of the name I think!) and I only opened it a few months ago! It's really high quality and would have lasted longer with a base/top coat but the colour is gorgeous and it applied nicely - I definitely want to find more colours! It also has such a pretty name!

No name.
I bought this NYC polish years and years ago for a party and I haven't used it for about 4 years...I should probably throw this one out! I think I ended up just using it as a polish to do polka dots with when I was in year 9 or so as it was difficult to remove so I didn't coat my whole nail in it. I remember that it was also quite gloopy when I used it so it really should head to the bin...

Big Apple Red.
I got this free with Glamour magazine a while back and I love it. It's a Nails Inc/Kate Spade collab and you all know my obsession with Kate Spade so I had to pick one up! I'm quite sad that I didn't also get the silver one too because it was really pretty and they're also really good quality! Very shiny and bright! I might have to see if all Nails Inc polishes are the same!

All in One
Since I bought it a little while back, this All in One base/top coat has been my holy grail. It goes on smoothly and thinly, dries in an instant and produces the most amazing shine when used as a top coat. It also doubles up as a nail strengthener so it's pretty good! Last time I used it, I managed to peel my nail polish off instead of having to use nail polish remover which is also great because the chemicals in the remover didn't get to undo all of the good work the base had done! My current nails have been going almost a week with this on and they still haven't chipped so I think it speaks for itself!

I have no idea how many of these are actually still being sold because as I've said, some are quite old and I don't even remember where I got them from!
Hope you guys enjoyed this, it made me realise how many polishes I have!
Jess xx

Challenge post four.
Challenge post three. (with links to two and one!)