Thursday, 1 January 2015

Happy New Year!




Hello lovelies! 

First of all, I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas (I certainly did!) and I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year! 

I can't believe it's 2015 now... In the words of John Lennon and Yoko Ono: "Another year over, and a new one just begun". With this in mind, I thought I'd have a little bit of a reflection on 2014 and some forward thinking for the upcoming 12 months.

A lot happened in 2014 - I turned 18, I finished my A-Levels and got into university, I went to New York and I've moved to London (two of my favourite cities in the world), I saw my favourite band live... There were many highlights (as well as some not-so-great moments, but let's not dwell on those). I managed to start and end the year in a relationship (albeit with two different people), I've grown closer with my friends from home and also met new people who I'm pretty sure will be friends for life! 

I think over the last year I've grown as a person - I've become more confident and less concerned about others' opinions of me (although I still have a way to go) but going to university and adjusting to living away from home has definitely helped me become more mature and independent, as well as appreciating my family and friends a lot more. 

As for 2015, I have plenty to look forward to - I have three concerts coming up (McBusted - again haha - in April, The Vamps in May and 5 Seconds of Summer in June) and I've got plans to move into student accommodation for my second (and hopefully third) year with some of my friends. I'll also be spending time with old and newer friends (as well as working hard at university, of course...)! 

In terms of New Year's Resolutions, I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself because I never manage to stick to them, so I've only really got one:

Be more organised - whether that be in terms of maintaining this blog (which I've got better at, admittedly, but I'm still not updating as often as I feel that I should be), or in terms of organising my personal life, I feel like if I plan things out rather than letting them pile up I'll be much better off. Not only will I be more productive, but I'll also be able to give myself time to relax and socialise with friends, which everyone needs from time to time.

I've rambled a bit, haven't I? Oops...

Wishing you all the best for 2015! 

Lots of love, 

Fliss xx


Thursday, 18 December 2014

A Weekend with Ben

Hello lovelies!

As I reported in my last post, my friend Ben came down to see me a couple of weeks ago and it was so lovely to see him again! 

I'll give you a brief description of our situation... Basically, our mums were pregnant at around the same time (Ben is 3 months older than me) and as we'd grown up our mothers swapped stories via a mutual source, Ben's auntie (who I call my auntie but we're not related, if that makes any sense?). Anyway, we'd essentially grown up together without actually meeting each other. Fast-forward to 2012 and it was Ben's cousin's wedding (my "cousin" but again, not related) and we met for the first time and we hit it off right away (in that he's just as crazy as I am... In the nicest way possible haha). We talked on Facebook a lot and Skyped quite a bit, but never saw each other in the flesh again until I moved to London for uni and we finally got to meet up again! 

Okay, I'll get on with the exciting stuff now. I decided that as we really only had a day to do stuff, I'd become Ben's tour guide and I tried to cram in as much as I could, so we did all the cheesy stuff: Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace... And it was so much fun! 

Here are some photos from the day:


First up: A walk from Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square and its amazing Christmas market!



I had a crepe and Ben had a Belgian waffle, both with Nutella and strawberries - heaven! (The strawberries count as the healthy bit, right...?)

We also managed to win some Minions... How cute are they?!




Next stop: Trafalgar Square, complete with multiple floating Santas and Yodas...


 Then we went to Buckingham Palace, where we saw a newlywed couple having some photos taken - such a lovely idea (and they both looked amazing!)... We also got some spectacular views:



Lastly, we went to Covent Garden and had a wander around... We even discovered Santa and his reindeer made completely out of Lego!!

I had a fantastic weekend with Ben, we had so much to catch up on and I had great fun exploring my new home like a tourist with him! We're trying to meet up more regularly from now on! 

I hope you enjoyed having a little nosey at what I've been up to recently (I certainly enjoyed writing it)... My next post will of course be all about Christmas! 

See you soon!

Lots of love, 

Fliss xx

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Life Update: Where Did I Go...?

Hello lovelies! 

I am soooooooo sorry for not posting anything lately, but I have been so busy lately that at times I don't know whether I'm coming or going! 

First of all, I have deadlines coming up that just have to take priority, but I should be back around Christmas time when I'm back home and enjoying being with my family again! 

Secondly, I've got a job! If any of my family and/or friends are reading this, they'll know already, but it's certainly exciting and I get to meet lots of new people all the time!

Thirdly, I joined the Musical Theatre Society at my university in September and for Halloween we put on a performance of the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'. Here's a photo of me and some of the girls for you...


Our next show is Disney-themed, and I have been cast as a certain comedic meerkat (I hope you got the Lion King reference...). And, after that, our showcase performance of the year is going to be Cabaret. I'm so excited!! 

And I just couldn't leave out an encounter I had last week... I was coming out of my seminar and who should walk past me but Mr Harry Judd from McBusted?! I was absolutely stunned! I would have summoned up the courage to say hello and ask for a picture but he was on the phone the whole time so I had to make do with calling my mum when he was out of earshot and fangirling as I was walking down Oxford Street... I only got one weird look...

In other news, I have a very exciting weekend ahead of me! My friend Ben is coming down on Friday and we'll be doing lots of cheesy tourist-y stuff when we're exploring central London. It's going to be amazing because we met for the first time over two years ago and we haven't seen each other in the flesh since (although for a while we talked over Skype which helped quite a lot), and I absolutely cannot wait!! 

I will try my best not to leave it so long before I post next time, but you guys will have to bear with me while I focus on my uni work.

Lots of love,

Fliss xx

Monday, 29 September 2014

I'm Back... As a Student!

Hello lovelies! 

It's almost the end of September already... Where does the time go?! 

So, as you may or may not have gathered from the title of this post (or my last post), I am now officially a student! I'm studying English Literature at the University of Westminster and so far, so good. Well, I'm still alive so I must be doing something right...

I've settled in nicely, I think. My halls are in Wembley, so I have to leave an hour before I'm due on campus, but it's a nice area of London to live in - I live across the road from Wembley Arena and Stadium. I know, pretty darn cool huh?

This new environment seems to have brought about a new 'me', according to my friend Vicky. And, with this new 'me', I am hoping there will be some new stuff going up on my YouTube channel! The only issue I have is that my flat is one floor above the ground floor so if I sit facing the window with the curtains open everyone in my halls will be able to see me and will probably think I'm mad. Also, I don't have a windowsill so I can't use that as a makeshift tripod. I'll figure something out haha... 

The other thing is that I have to do a lot of reading as part of my course so I'll try and film as and when I can, but please bear with me!! 

So there we are, a little life update for you! I'm going to try and stick with this as best I can but I can't promise regular updates as life is about to get a hell of a lot busier...

See you soon! 

Lots of love, 

Fliss xx

Tuesday, 19 August 2014

I'm Going to University!

Hello lovelies! 

Bit of a short post today (I have yet to upload my summer holiday posts, but bear with me!) because I just wanted to share that I will be attending the University of Westminster this September to study English Literature. Yay! 

Hopefully once I've settled in to my halls I will upload more regularly on my YouTube channel (at the moment all I've got are a few covers that I've done and a couple of vlogs, but I'm hoping to get better at that haha). 

So, I've got into uni... Brilliant! And now I have every student's worries: How will I be able to support myself? How will I cope with having to budget for everything? Will I make any friends? 

Well, I'll just have to listen to advice from friends and other people who have already been to uni (YouTube is brilliant) and stay calm, balance everything evenly and most of all, be confident! 

See you soon! 

Lots of love,

Fliss xx

Friday, 18 July 2014

Lip Lovin'

Hello lovelies! 

What's this? TWO posts in the same month? I'm spoiling you rotten... ;)

Today's post is beauty orientated and was inspired by Zoella's recent post on her top 5 lipsticks. So, I thought I'd compile a list of my own favourites... This was a bit more difficult than I originally anticipated, but I did manage to whittle it down to my top 5!

Here in the UK, particularly in the South East where I live, we have been having one hell of a heatwave and quite frankly makeup is the last thing on my mind when I'm getting ready to go out during the day because I know it will just slide off my face. However, a little something on the lips is enough to brighten up the barest of faces and, in my opinion, adds a touch of glam to an everyday outfit.

I will confess that I am a bit of an addict, and have lost count of the number of lipsticks, lip glosses and lip pencils that I have in my makeup drawer (yes, drawer)... and that's before I get started on my red lip products. Is there anyone else out there with the same problem? 

So, without further ado, here are my top 5 picks. I've tried to pick different colours so hopefully there's something for everyone! 





Left to right:
The Body Shop Lipstick in 11 (discontinued)
Topshop Lipstick in Brighton Rock
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 040 Rendevous
MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian Red
Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick by Kate Moss in 107




First up, the Body Shop Lipstick. This is quite an old lipstick so they don't sell it any more, but I picked this one because it's my favourite nude lipstick. I usually use this if I want something on my lips but have gone heavy on the eyes so this lipstick is perfect. The finish is quite glossy and I would say it has got relatively good staying power, even after eating - if you happen to leave it at home when you've gone out for dinner (which I have done on more than one occasion...) it rubs off evenly and is barely noticeable on the lips, so you needn't worry about having to top up. In terms of price this leans toward the higher end, it was something like £8-£10, but it is good quality and fairly easy to apply. Also, the rose gold on the packaging is GORGEOUS.


Next is the Topshop Lipstick in Brighton Rock. I first got this a while ago and although I don't wear pink lipstick very much, this is my favourite. I love it because I can put it on and it instantly brightens up my face! The packaging is nice and simple but sophisticated, and looks more expensive than it actually is, at £8 each. The finish is satin matte, which means it has longer staying power and is not too drying on the lips, perfect for this time of year when skin and lips can get so easily dehydrated. Again, it's a good quality and application is relatively easy, although perhaps not be attempted on-the-go. 


Enter the lip crayon. These are big news at the moment and are popular with many bloggers, and I can see why as I also own a matte pink Revlon one. I was intrigued by this as I never normally wear orange on my lips (I'm much more of a blue-toned pink or red kinda gal) and once I applied it I fell in love! This has literally been the only product that I have worn out over the last couple of weeks as it is nice and summery, which brightens up my face no end, but the glossy finish means it is less bright on the lip, and therefore better for those who want to tap into the orange lip trend but don't want anything too strong (like me). It also looks really nourishing and hydrating on the lips, which is always a plus! The packaging is fairly simple but nothing to really rave about; you could say less is more. This doesn't last as long as the others but application is easy, especially on the go, which more than makes up for it. 


This should have had its own post when I bought it in New York (view that post here), but I forgot (quelle surprise...), so I had to put it in here. This MAC Lipstick only fuelled my addiction to red lipsticks but I wanted to treat myself and so bought one for me and one for my mum. The packaging is just so beautiful and sleek and really expensive-looking (and yes, in reality it is expensive - £15.50) and you can tell it is good quality. It has a matte finish which adds more sophistication, so I save it for special occasions - I wore it when I went out to dinner for my 18th birthday (as well as when I went to Planet Hollywood in Times Square) and on stage in a show I was in recently (I'm thinking of doing a makeup tutorial on my YouTube channel, what do you think?). However, I often apply some Vaseline first to hydrate my lips, and I also use a lip liner to avoid the colour bleeding and to add to the lipstick's already impressive staying power - if you blot your first layer on a tissue and then add another layer, you'll probably only have to top up once, if that. Can you tell I love this lipstick?


Last but not least, it's the Kate Moss for Rimmel lipstick. Also featured in Zoe's post, this is my favourite dark red lipstick. The shade is perfect for autumn and winter as it's more of a berry shade, but I did wear it several times last summer and will probably find occasions to wear it this summer as well. The packaging is very sleek and is rather impressive for a high street/drugstore product (£5.49) and the quality is so good! It has a matte finish, so again I'd recommend using a lip balm and liner first to ensure hydrated lips with no colour bleeding. IT's also very long-lasting, so minimal top-ups are required. Definitely my staple dark lipstick!

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed that little sneak peek into my lip collection, and let me know in the comments if you want to see more of these kinds of posts! 

Are there any lipsticks that you guys think I should try? Let me know! 

Lots of love,

Fliss xx

Monday, 7 July 2014

My 18th Birthday!

Hello my lovelies! 

I know, I know! I need to update more regularly! *Holds hands up in surrender*

Firstly, how are we in July already? Where does the time go?!

Secondly, I have finished my A Levels! I am a free woman! 

(Well, not quite... I'm still living at home until I move when I hopefully go to uni)

Anyway, my new found freedom means that I intend to update more regularly, so without further ado, here is an account of my 18th birthday celebrations (that crept up on me quickly as well, hmmm)! 

I'd known for quite a while that I wanted to celebrate this milestone in style, and eventually it turned into a bit of a birthday weekend with visitors on the Friday (my actual birthday), Saturday (the day of the party) and Sunday. And to me, a momentous occasion such as this was something best shared with those closest to me and, in the case of many of the guests, who had known me since I was a baby. So what better way to do that than throw a party?

I settled on a fancy dress party because I thought it would be more fun (you may or may not have already noticed that I am a huge child at heart), and I was amazed at the efforts everyone went to! I originally planned to go as a 1950s girl, but the dress in my wardrobe that I was going to wear no longer fit me and the boobs that had suddenly developed in the 3-4 years since I had last worn it (even after 2 alterations), so I ended up digging out my pirate outfit. Arrrr... 

I'd been browsing the internet for ideas one evening and came across a website where people could add what they'd done to celebrate 18th birthdays, and as I was scrolling I was drawn to a comment left by someone who had decided to buy a scrapbook and decorate it for the party, for the birthday girl's friends and family to leave messages in. I thought this was a really lovely idea, so off I headed to Hobbycraft to buy a few bits.

Once the night was in full swing I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I am so thankful to everybody who came. There isn't really much else to say, so I shall leave you with photos of these rather special celebrations...

Hobbycraft 12 x 12 Craft Scrapbook White: £10
Numbers: 40p each

Me and one of my best friends, Vicky

Me and another gorgeous bestie, Evan - check out her blog here at The Cornerstone of Thoughts

(For some reason when I held my fake pistol I unintentionally positioned it to look like I was about to blow people's limbs off... Oops...)


I would be looking away from the camera when I was having a family pic taken...

 My wonderful cake. It tasted amazing!


One of my favourite photos of the night. Being surrounded by some of my best and closest friends made the celebrations even more special!

And that, my friends, is a brief summary of my 18th birthday. I hope you enjoyed this post and I promise to be blogging more often from now on! 

Lots of love,

Fliss xx