A New Home

Things I'm thankful for-
The most comfortable, beautiful new bed. Think marshmallows and clouds. HEAVEN.
My new view. True there are better ones out there but I never even had a view at my old house, so I'm loving this at the moment. Seeing all the twinkly lights of town in the evening is so pretty and relaxing.
Space! Gary and I were so cramped in the old house living with my mum and brother, and now we have more than enough space to roam. It's amazing to not feel confined to one room!
My workroom. Gary being the kind soul that he is, offered to let me have the spare room entirely to myself. Although it's not set up yet, I plan on having a huge desk in there for somewhere I can write, draw, paint and photograph. I also have my wardrobe and mirror in there so I can treat it as my own closet too, yay! This is definitely going to be my happy place.
Freedom. Now whilst it's true we pretty much did what we wanted anyway while living with my mum, it's so good now to know we aren't affecting or bothering anybody else now. It's also SUCH a nice relief to not still feel like a child.
Possibilities. I don't have anything in particular in mind here, but it's fantastic to know that we've finally gotten the perfect place we've wanted for years. Who knows what other lovely things will come in the future.

And finally, I'm so grateful for having internet finally :) I will be back to my usual blogging routine before you guys know it! You can expect lots of photographs of the new place as we unpack and settle in properly. We still have so much furniture to buy! Hope you've all had a lovely week :) xx




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Love

Just thoughts ^_^

Have a wonderful week everyone! Hopefully back online by Saturday
xx



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Around Here Lately

DOING: So much lately! They say moving is one of the most stressful things you can do in life, and I'll be honest I never believed that until now. I mean in theory, it's lovely and just requires lots of packing and ordering furniture. Fun right? Hmm.. but there's filling in so many forms, paying so many bills, and having to go to work in between packing. But I'll stop moaning now. It's all good.
THINKING: About how to organise the furniture in the new flat, yay. I'm also SO excited about having a brand new bed, with lovely new sheets and stuff. It's the little things :)
FEELING: Exhausted. Honestly I've had the hardest few days. As I write this though I'm enjoying some quiet time, whic is very much needed. Overall I'm feeling satisfied that life is catching up with my dreams a little. Gary and I have spoke about, planned, and tried for this move for three years. It feels good its here finally.
HAVING: Fantasies about sofas, desks, footstools and cushions. Oh the cushions! 
LOVING: Serial podcast. HOLY SHIT. I've never been one to listen to podcasts really, and this is the first one I decided to really listen to and try. I totally lucked out big time. It's fucking incredible. I'm really sorry for swearing, I do that when I'm passionate about something. True Crime always fascinates me anyway, but this step by step recording process of someone making a podcast as they try to solve an old case is just THRILLING to me. Seriously, go listen.
HATING: Forms, ughh. I wish I could pay someone to do all this boring crap. Changing addresses, making long ass phone calls, trying to set up electricity in the new place! Hella boring, and a little stressful.
LISTENING: To Serial. Constantly.
READING: Nothing at the moment, eek. Not like me at all. I better get a move on if I'm gonna complete my Goodreads Challenge this year. Do blogs count?
NEEDING: Plenty of help boxing things up, and physically moving them to the new place. Luckily my brother is gonna be driving the van and helping us all Tuesday.
WANTING: Chinese food right now to be honest. Oh I also really want mail to the new flat! I know it's lame but I think I'm gonna ask our friends/family to send us even just our Christmas cards by post so we can be like, 'Yay! Our first mail' haha.
WONDERING: What to get Gary for Christmas, arghh! I love to get him gifts I know he'll be excited about, but I just can't think this year :/ Ughh. Although we might be getting Guinea Pigs!! Which would be presents for us both then haha. We're researching them a bit first though to learn all about how to properly take care of them :)

Anyway, hope you enjoyed my little update. I'm not sure when my next post will be, eek. I know we won't have internet until next weekend at the new flat, and we move Tuesday. So catch me on Twitter for updates, and please wish us luck!! Love you all x



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Winter Comforts

So I know it's probably not officially Winter yet. But it's the end of November and we're getting there! Where did the year go?! I'm a terrible last minute shopper and you can always guarantee I'm rushing around like crazy come Christmas week. And now that I'm in the middle of moving home, things are even more stressy. Despite that though, I love Winter! It's my second favourite season and has so much about it that makes me smile like a dork :)

To kick off this season of festivities, I decided to concentrate on all the great things about Winter that I love. Maybe you guys love some of these too, let me know!

The Cold - This is probably the one that a lot of people will disagree with. Now I'm not saying I love it when my tootsies feel frostbitten, but there's a certain comfort in the weather taking a sharp turn for the icier. It means extra layers wherever you go; blankets, scarves, cute bobble hats, mittens. These are special little loves we get to enjoy at the coldest time of year and personally I love it. It's a great excuse for extra cuddles too! (Whether from a partner, pet or teddy bear!) So I embrace the rosy cheeks and dry lips look...

The Beverages - Pumpkin Spice Latte anyone? White hot chocolate? Gingerbread latte? You know the drill. Those sneaky coffee shops get us every time with their once a year drinks that seem a little extra special to us. But really any hot drink is welcome, and makes Winter all the cosier for it. 

Sunrises - In the Summer the sunrise happens unbelievably early, much too early for a late sleeper like myself. However in the dead of Winter that big, bright thing doesn't rise until a little later in the morning, giving a chance to lazy mortals like myself to witness it. Sometimes a beautiful pastel explosion of reds, pinks and oranges - expect plenty of Instagram photos. And who can blame us? It's amazing!

Dark Nights - After we've gotten over that beautiful sunrise, we usually have around five or six hours before it's starting to go dark again anyway during Winter. And I love this! I'm definitely a night owl and darkness always makes things more interesting. I'm also at my most creative at night too, so I appreciate the extra hours of darkness.
Fashion - I am a lot more of a fan of Autumn/Winter fashion than anything Summer can offer. As a fan of my beloved little cardigan collection, nothing makes me happier than teaming them up with tights, boots and plenty of layers. I think we tend to see more prints such as tartan as well, and this just makes everything better, ..right?!

Makeup - Rest assured I'm a huge fan of a dark lip and smokey eye anytime of the year, but with Winter it feels as if we have the need to do it more than ever. Some people go all out; their hair gets darker, their nails, all their makeup. I've done this myself before, and it's wonderful. Almost like you're going in a 'cocoon' for the season.
Movies - I know with the internet we can basically watch whatever we want, whenever we want. But there's still always gonna be something exciting about turning on the TV and finding out that Home Alone is on as it's getting nearer to December 25th. These special Winter movies bring me straight back to my childhood; sitting in front of the fire and getting beyond excited for Christmas. Do you have a favourite festive movie?
Snow - Ahh that beloved, magical stuff that brings everything to a halt. I know sometimes we can get sick of it after too long trudging though it for weeks, but there is still something thrilling about seeing that first snow fall (if we're lucky enough to get it!). I can remember back to my school days, where you can bet your bottom dollar that if someone yelled, 'SNOW!', everyone stopped what they were doing. Everything transforms from that moment on. Trains and buses stop their services, people get sent home from school/work, and you officially feel you've gotten a day off. Even if you work from home anyway. It's brilliant.

What are your favourite things about Winter? Or do you just wish Summer would hurry up back around? Let me know :)

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Kawaii Wonderland

Bonjour lovelies! Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to the weekend. I myself am in for a hectic one, as we finally have our official moving day - Tuesday! So this weekend will be full of last minute packing, ordering furniture and manic running around I'm sure :) The house is a total mess right now, and I can't find anything I need to keep organised or creative, which is a little annoying. This means though that when this post arrived today, the beautiful contents were even more welcome than ever!

I was sent a little bag of treats kindly from Kawaii Wonderland who specialise in basically everything I LOVE. If you've followed me even for just a little while, or you have me on Instagram, you will know how much I am obsessed with cute Kawaii goods. It's my aim in life to be a Harajuku girl and visit Hello Kitty world one day, so Kawaii Wonderland is pretty much made for me.

In my lovely parcel (beautifully wrapped and packaged I must say!) was a Hello Kitty pen, a set of four cute rubbers shaped like books, a set of kitsch character stickers and lace sticker tape. I'm such a dork my first thought was, 'Oh wow my new desk is gonna look amazing with my new stationary!' - yes really, I'm that girl. The blogger in me was thrilled to adorn my notebooks with lace tape and cute stickers, all the while writing away with my new Hello Kitty pen.
If you're not turned on by stationary as I clearly am, then I completely understand. You are a normal, functioning human with interests maybe of a more important scale. But maybe if you are a Kawaii minded individual like myself, or a keen stationary hoarder (see this post), then maybe I've piqued your interest for a little while. I am 100% featuring Kawaii Wonderland and their products on my blog because I am in love with them and I am genuinely excited to be gifted with such adorable surprises. I thoroughly recommend you all take a visit to their website (or twitter) to see the other beautiful products they offer. I have my eyes on some pink lace tape right now..
Are you a Kawaii fan at all? :)




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*I have not been paid at all for this post. I was gifted these items by said company and not under any obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Inspiration MoodBoard 2#

Everything that has been inspiring me the past week.
I've been pinning away plenty of home/decorating ideas because of the excitement to move into a new place :) So some of that is kinda showing here. I'm loving pastel colours, twinkly lights, and delicate textures. I'm hoping to create some Artwork to reflect this, as soon as I can. 
What's been inspiring you lately?






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The 1989 Tag

I've taken a small break from packing up our lives (we're moving home! yay!) to do this tag. It's a little bit random, but appropriate I guess since I've listened to this album on repeat for the last week or so :) 

1. WELCOME TO NEW YORK

If you could live in any city, which would it be and why?

Seattle, it just looks beautiful. And it's rainy a lot, which I'm okay with.

2. BLANK SPACE

What is something that everyone thinks is true about you but is actually false?

That I’m a leader. My friends automatically put me in this role, and always have! Lol. I don't know why though because I hate leading.. :P

3. STYLE

What is one item in your closet that makes you feel unstoppable?

My glasses. I don't even need glasses, but you better believe I love them and feel better in them.

4. OUT OF THE WOODS

What is one thing that you’re afraid of?

Spiders, heights, very small enclosed spaces. Seeing scary faces in the window at night, lol.

5. ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS STAY

Who is someone you wish was still in your life?

My Dad, without a doubt. On November 28th it'll have been 4 years since he died and it still feels like yesterday.

6. SHAKE IT OFF

What is something you have had to shake off?

Bad people, and negativity. 2014 Has seen me become a lot more positive and leave behind certain things that were holding me back. I concentrate on the good a lot more and feel so much better for it.

7. I WISH YOU WOULD

What is something you’d like to happen right now?

That blogging would become my full time job <3 Or at least get a job I'm passionate about.
Or pizza. Pizza would be great.

8. BAD BLOOD

Have you ever had someone stab you in the back?

Yeah, but hasn't everyone?

9. WILDEST DREAMS

What would you like to be remembered for?

Being fun, being kind, being imaginative. Fingers crossed..

10. HOW YOU GET THE GIRL

What is your favourite pick-up line?

Lol I can't do that. I can't even flirt. I just like.. tease. Yeah, like an eight year old boy. It's at this point I mention once again I met Gary through Tumblr lol.

11. THIS LOVE

What is something you got back that you never thought you would?

Self confidence.

12. I KNOW PLACES

Where is one place you always feel safe?

Anywhere with Gary. I know, CHEEESSSE. Sorry. Failing that; bed.

13. CLEAN

What is an important lesson you have learned in life, and how did you learn it?

That I'm so much stronger than I thought. That I deserve better than treatment I've had in the past. That some people are only in your life for a small amount of time, and that's okay.


If you follow me on Twitter you'll already know that Gary and I have just found a lovely new home!, which we hope to finally move into next week. So right now life is a little bit crazy, packing up everything we own, trying to order furniture and do it all around our work schedules too! So I really appreciate you guys bearing with me while I try to get blog posts done somehow! This weekend I'm going to try get a few posts scheduled too, because I'm not sure when we will have internet in the new place either.

So keep visiting back, check with my updates on Twitter, and know that I'll soon have SO MUCH MORE home/lifestyle/diy posts available to do in the new flat :) Eeep!

Exciting times..

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Puurrfect Prints*

Roar! ...is the theme of today's post. Hey guys :)
Lately I've been after some new tees and needing some colour injected into my clothing, because somehow I've gotten into the habit of wearing only neutrals. And as much as I do love neutrals, I found myself getting so bored with the contents of my wardrobe. Like you know when you get annoyed at everything because it's not quite right, or you? Yeah, that.
What better solution than to tweet out asking some recommendations for great Tshirts/designs? (It's at this point you should know I do wear dresses/girly things, but on a day to day basis I am a full on jeans and tee kinda girl!) Within minutes of my tweet, I was contacted by Cat from Catillest.com, who kindly offered to send me not only one of her Tshirt designs, but also a poster print too! I had a look around Cat's website, (as you should too!) and seen that all her designs were all illustrated by herself, and then put onto Tshirts, hoodies, tote bags and prints. She specializes in animal designs, and each month adds a new furry illustration to her list of available prints. You can then choose one of these designs, and what product you would like to incorporate it into. Pretty awesome eh? Even better; you can ask for custom prints too!
Obviously I said UMM YES PLEASE, and she kindly posted them to me within a day or two.

The poster is such beautiful quality; printed on thick, slightly glossy paper. You can see from the photograph above that she puts so much work into every design, down to the smallest detail. This print is now proudly displayed on my wall in my bedroom along with my other favourite Art.
I was going to photograph my drawers (don't be rude!) to show you guys how much colour I seriously lack in my clothing lately, but then realised I'd have to tidy them up & that idea was thoroughly forgotten ;) But just trust me okay? I am the queen of black, grey and white. This does not represent my personality at all, if I say so myself. So when I popped this beautiful forest green tee on, I felt much more like myself! It's fantastic to have such a unique design on my clothing, and is so comfortable to wear. The only thing to take note of, is that I don't find the sizing quite as accurate as I'd have hoped. The Large (which I asked for) is supposed to be a 16-18, and I thought I'd go for something a little baggier just in case. I can say I'm glad I did because all my tops from a whole variety of clothing lines are always no bigger than a 16, and some baggy at that. This one is definitely only fitted at a 16, and while I still find this nice and I've been happily wearing it since; I wouldn't think it was suitable if you are an 18.
However, I am beyond thrilled with these items, and I really can't say enough of how good the quality is. Each item is made with care and love, and it shines through every product. I do suggest you all go take a moment and see if you can find something you love at http://catillest.com/ ! 
Toodle pip!


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Doodling Again

In the spirit of sharing all that I'm up to, I thought I'd stop a minute from drawing this little doll and post it on my blog. Because why not? I need you guys to know, this is not finished! There are many imperfections with this that are bugging me, but I've been practising on my tablet for like 2 hours now, and I need a break. So yes, I know there are things that need to be improved, but I'm happy so far with the progress. 
I'm just so inexperienced using a drawing tablet, I haven't used one properly since College. So forgive me :) I have however been playing about with the colours of this one. And as I'm taking a break anyway, I need feedback. Which colour combination do you prefer?

I originally wanted her with the pink hair theme, but somewhere along the line I've began to love the blue. And I've been staring at my screen for a few hours, so I've no longer got a clue haha. Let me know what you guys think, and also if you have any tips or tutorials which may help me improve using a tablet?
Just a quick post today I realise, but I'm keeping you in the loop of what I'm up to, and it is the weekend. I hope you enjoy anyway.





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Night Time Skincare Additions

If my blog doesn't show it enough, I love makeup. I love all things beauty related and that even includes taking it all off at night. I love having a great skincare routine and buying/testing products to see which works best for me, so I'm always keen to try new things.

But here's the thing. I'm terribly lazy and forgetful. After a long hard day at work, coming home to write a blog post, chilling with my man and generally vegging out; I tend to not pay much attention to my skincare routine as I could. I'm either way too tired for that, or I just genuinely forget. I always plan on doing the cleanse, tone, moisturise thing. Hey I buy enough of the products, in fact I spend so much in Clinique every time I visit that it embarrasses me. I love feeling organised when it comes to my skincare, I just don't follow through on my plans really. More often than not I'll use face wipes (gasp!) to clean away the days grime, and sometimes I enjoy using a gentle cleansing foam of an evening. But not much else happens, not really. Not often enough.
So recently I found myself drooling over some beautiful looking, but very expensive skin care ranges which I won't dare go into for fear of tempting myself. I didn't go for them because I just can't afford them right now and I know I won't give them the use they deserve! After getting all stroppy with myself, I decided to fix this. I reasoned with myself that I would improve my skincare, by getting into the habit every night of using the products I need. Except I would start this new routine out with much more affordable products. That way I still get to try something new, but it won't break the bank. Hence me popping into Superdrug this week and opting for their Vitamin E Gentle Micellar Solution & Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream. 

The Micellar solution sticks to it's word and proves to be gentle, even on my blemish prone, sensitive skin. It removes even the toughest of my makeup with a quick swipe of some on a cotton pad. It left my skin feeling refreshed and clean, and best of all there's no need to rinse it off. Great for a lazybones like me. After I've let that settle, I take a small amount of the Nourishing Night Cream and gently apply it all over my face. I pay special attention to my eyes, and any areas prone to dry skin, like sides of my nose. I can safely say this left my skin feeling so soft and supple, without leaving a greasy residue. So I do feel this would be okay even for grease prone skin. The cream settled into my skin quickly, leaving me feeling nourished without being too heavy.
Overall I'm actually really happy that I tried these products, and I will be keeping an eye out for the others in the Superdrug Vitamin E range. At such affordable prices, I really can't moan. Especially as I'm using these to get me into better habits. Watch this space..



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Jemma Explains It All*

*Queue the cute boy climbing through my window and the promise of terrible/amazing outfits. I'm sorry if you don't understand this reference but it's basically my childhood.

So I decided to let you guys ask me anything under the promise that I will answer anything. Yes anything! Oh dear, haha. Some of you guys went with the weird, some with the wonderful. But all were pause for thought and interesting in their own way!
I've left the twitter handles of everyone who asked me each question. Be sure to visit these crazy folk. Hope you guys enjoy because I so loved answering these. Maybe you'll learn a little about me too.

‏@EllaWasHereblog - Do unicorns exist? Yes! I own one. Her name is Princess Sparkle.
@thecreativegeek - One thing bloggers do that annoys you? Umm.. the select few who do that annoying 'Follow 4 follow' shiz.. :/
@OihanaSymphony - How did you start blogging? I'd read and visited blogs for years, and never even thought about making my own. I had a few bookmarked that I visited every single day and I loved the process behind them. It was only while I was out of work at the start of 2014 I realised I could make my own, and I just went for it.
- What motivated you? Everything I love to do. Writing, photography, design, craft. A blog was a place to do all that and more, and share it with others who like the same things.
- What do you prefer about blogging? The feeling of accomplishment, and the friendships I've made.
- What do you like less? Umm.. there's not really anything I can think about blogging that I don't like!
@_catsandvodka -  What's your favourite thing to do (except blogging)? Read, write, draw, paint, take photographs, craft, listen to music, be with my boyfriend, shop.
@PromptsByDee - If you could give your hair a name, what would you call it and why? Hha you strange one! Okay okay, it would be called..... Ariel. Because The Little Mermaid FEELZ.
‏@amazzable  - If you could be any age for a week, what age would you be? OOHH 19 again. It was my happiest and most carefree age. Mind you, I suppose I should pick something really crazy, like 6 years old. That'd be fun, maybe. Getting to be a little kid and be looked after again haha.
@sawuuh - If you could combine any two animals together to create a new species, what would it be and why? Oh dear. Umm. Can I pick a Unicorn & a cat? LOL
@Bendy_Mermaid - If you could have any flavour cake what would it be? Oh yum. CHOCOLATE. All the chocolate. Lol. With cream.
@fplfashion -  Favourite movie of all time? Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind... (and The Little Mermaid!)
Do you have a fave blog that you visit? Check out my faves page! :) All of those. If you want one I've visited like everyday for years, it'd be http://eliseblaha.typepad.com/ - I want my blog to be like hers one day.
Fave current TV show? I'm adoring 30 Rock. I was late to the party with this one. BUT OMG SO GOOD.
@gemch - What would win in a triathlon...a hippo or a giraffe?? A giraffe for sure!
@Rebelle_ution If you were starting Dorkface all over again, what advice would future you offer to baby blogger Dorkface? Oh wow. STOP trying to emulate other blogs. Think about what things you love most, and don't be scared to include them straight away. You don't have to stick to just beauty. - If I'd had that advice I'd have been doing lifestyle, art and craft from the beginning.

Thank so much to everyone who asked me these interesting questions :) hehe!





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Give Up The Ghost

This past week I've been going through a bit of a drag creativity wise. I'm keen enough to start a project, and have plenty of ideas to get me going well enough. The problem is I'm giving up half way through everything I begin. Whether it be painting, drawing both by hand/computer, or making my beloved collages, nothing has been seen right through to the end.

I don't seem to lack the inspiration to get started and get my creative juices flowing. In fact, this week alone I seem to have done more than usual within my schedule. So what is it that stops me halfway through each project? I'm lacking an end game here, and I'm not happy about it. I need to figure out what it is I want to create. Sometimes I'm happy just floating along aimlessly, experimenting with my Art and seeing what my hands feel like doing day by day. God knows that's exactly what my Art journal is all about, which is great.

Right now though, I want a purpose for it all. Whether it be something small, like making card designs, getting some prints ready for my own tshirts/posters, or an illustration/comic series; I need that idea. That one thing that spurs you on and sees you through each creative lull. I don't think I've had that challenge since College/University. Trying to create it for myself is proving difficult.

It's still fun, don't get me wrong. I can't not create, it's who I am and what I love. I think I just need to feel a purpose with my work, which I probably haven't for a while. I'm hoping you guys won't mind me sharing my half attempts of Artwork with you, talking through my process. I have plenty I've been working on, but I've been reluctant to share since it's not all finished. Let me know if you think it's worth including every now and again? Also if you actually have any suggestions of projects I might like to tackle, please let me know!

In the meantime I'll experiment with my paints, keep making collages, draw anything which inspires me and doodling along the sides of shopping receipts. And who doesn't find it extremely satisfying to swirl and mix paint around anyway? :)




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Music That Runs Through My Veins

Recently I wrote a post about growing up, talking over some things I wish I'd known, mainly over my teenage years. Some regrets, some advice and tips I wish I'd been given sooner, or just some common sense which I clearly didn't have back then. Writing that post and thinking back over the past 10 to 15 years, really got me feeling nostalgic and brought back plenty of memories. The one thing that always brings me back to my teenage years instantly is music. The music I was obsessed with, would listen to constantly, would queue for hours just to see performed live, and the music I basically lived for. 
The thing I realised when thinking back to those years, was that there were certain bands I was utterly devoted to, and still am. Even to this day I listen to their music on a daily basis, they still inspire me and they are my 'Go To'  music for immediate joy/love/understanding/adrenaline rushes. So I decided to share these with you guys as these music artists have a special place in my heart :)
*Sidenote - I know these aren't to everyone's taste. No music ever is. This post is purely to share a piece of myself with you guys.
                                                                                  ♥      ♥      ♥

First up we have The Distillers. You have no idea how much I adore Brody Dalle, I basically wanted to be her. Her raspy, gravelly voice, her amazing body, her kick ass style and no shit attitude. She is so fucking hot AND makes amazing music. Too good to be true really. A friend once described me as 'always going for the dirty girls', and I can see what he means with Brody. She was never clean cut or 'pretty', and it was inspiring. The Distillers remind me of times when I was a little more spontaneous, and probably a lot more drunk. Good nights with old friends, making new friends, and being out a lot. The music screamed down my ears, empowered me and ran through my veins. It still does.
Favourite Lyric: 'I never met a pearl quite like you, Who could shimmer and rot at the same time through'.
                                                                                         ♥

As a girl who always had a soft spot for Emo boys, floppy hair, piercings and plenty of ink; I was never not going to be drawn to Blink 182. But attraction isn't enough, obviously. There's gotta be substance you can relate or connect to there. And god these boys deliver for me. Whether I'm feeling on top of the world, or miserable as hell, these guys have a song for it. It's hard to say what their music specifically reminds me of, because they have spanned so many phases and memories within my life. One of my favourite songs, 'What's My Age Again?' is one that always made me feel SO happy, fun and.. well, young. Like life is a lot less serious than we have to take it everyday. It's a good feeling. Unfortunately around 2008/2009 someone I was in love with shared many memories of this song with me. They did something particularly sweet, unexpectedly while purposely playing this song because they knew how much it meant to me. Fast forward to this same asshole ripping my heart in two and not giving it a second thought - this song now brings up some things I'd rather forget. So the song is now tainted for me a little, weird how that can happen eh? Nevertheless Blink 182 continue to speak to my little emo girl heart and stay a firm favourite.
Favourite Lyric: 'With all of this I feel now, Everything inside of my heart, It all just seems to be how nothing I feel pulls at me at all, Again I wait for this to pull apart, To break my time in two, Another night with her.. But I'm always wanting you.'
- Fun Fact; This is a lyric from 'All Of This' which is a Blink 182 Collaboration with Robert Smith. AKA the amazing lead singer from The Cure. Which leads me to...
                                                                                         ♥

The Cure. Whether it's 'Lullaby', 'Friday I'm In Love' or 'Boy's Don't Cry', I'm always listening to one of these upbeat, yet dark and tormented tracks. It's so hard to think of a favourite if I'm being honest. 'Just Like Heaven' is actually my official happy song. I play it anytime I need cheering up, and every time I'm already feeling happy. It improves everything! Then there's 'Pictures Of You' which is so powerful it makes me feel kind of sad in those first few seconds of playing. It reminds me of a specific memory; travelling somewhere, listening to it and thinking of how much I missed someone. It's so painfully beautiful.It's the complete opposite of 'Just Like Heaven' but I love them both equally. The Cure are known for their Eighties vibe, and Robert Smith's signature look. Big, messy hair, black eyes and makeup streaked lips. I fucking love it. I regularly went for this look myself growing up. I mentioned before didn't I? I like dirty, grimy people full of attitude, haha. This band will always be there for me. Powerful stuff..
Favourite Lyric: 'Spinning on that dizzy edge I kissed her face and kissed her head, and dreamed of all the different ways I had to make her glow. "Why are you so far away?" she said, "Why won't you ever know that I'm in love with you, That I'm in love with you" '
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And finally Placebo. I only discovered this piece of music history in my first year of college, around 2004, when I seen a music video of a very androgynous man writhing around wearing makeup and still looking insanely powerful. Maybe I have a thing for men wearing makeup? Anyway, that man was Brian Molko and the band was Placebo. With alternative music that insisted you turn it up and lyrics like poetry, I was hooked from that moment on. I really believe Placebo push boundaries with their music, lyrics, style and performances and constantly surprise me. It's hard for me to even explain to you how much I love Brian Molko particularly, his voice has been playing in my ears for years and he's been captivating me with every performance. Favourite's include 'Nancy Boy', 'Pure Morning' and 'Where Is My Mind' (A Pixies cover). Go, let Brian seduce your ears immediately.
Favourite Lyric: 'You are one of God's mistakes, You crying, tragic waste of skin.' (AND!).. 'Carve your name into my arm, Instead of stressed, I lie here charmed. 'Cuz there's nothing else to do, Every me and every you.'
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If you bothered to read this all the way through, thank you so much! I know it's wordy one, but I really wanted to include this post for a while on my blog because this music is so important to me and something I feel so passionate about. Every band mentioned apart from The Distillers (sadly) are people I've seen live at least once. They are bands I will always love and respect and use to get me through anything.
I'd love to hear your thoughts, do any of you like any of the music mentioned? Let me know what music has stuck with you through the years :)

*None of these photographs are mine. All were obtained through Google images.

Honestly

I'm not one to do negative posts as I want my blog to be my super happy place, but this one might get a little iffy to be honest. I'm generally a nice person I think, and I do tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to voicing my opinion in most situations. I mean, even if I'm just trying out a new beauty product, of all unimportant things; I try to find a positive in it. Because if it's all just negative bullshit, then why bother immersing myself in it and writing a post about it at all? I'd much rather focus on the good in life.
That being said, I know life isn't all rainbows and sunshine, and people can't be expected to be that way either. Hence this post being published at all. Lately in blogging land, I've had an experience with certain people being very opinionated towards me/my actions, to the point it could be deemed alienating. And I've watched them act this way with one or two other people as well over time. I realise that we all have opinions, and we are all quite within our rights to voice them if we so wish. In fact I encourage this as a blogger. If we cannot express ourselves through blogging, then when? However, I do think there's something to be said about how we voice these opinions. You can totally 100% disagree with someone and tell them this, and why. But you can do so without it becoming hostile, or appearing like you are belittling their opinion. Surely most people understand manners and some social etiquette? 
Before you all think I sound like an over sensitive fool, please let me give a fantastic example. I can name a blogger who regularly voices strong opinions on issues regarding bloggers/blogging through a variety of ways. Whether it be through Twitter or a dedicated blog post, Hayley from Tea Party Beauty often voices her opinions on a plethora of subjects, and does so even if people are disagreeing with her, or she them. I absolutely love Hayley's blog, and her Wittering Wednesday series is worth a read through. The reason I name her is because she is a fantastic example of a blogger who is never afraid to say how she feels on something, but does so with a little bit of class. She doesn't belittle anyone, force her opinion around all of Twitter, or become hostile the minute you disagree. (Well I've never once seen this anyway..) She does however invite you to leave your opinions, whether opposing or not, into these discussions. She isn't afraid to write whatever she feels, but explains why she feels that way to back it up, and isn't hostile about it. In fact, I think I've disagreed with one or two things she may have voiced at some point, but so what? She always has my respect because she's voiced what she honestly believes, and does so without being a bitch basically.
Personally I think there are a few people who could do to be a little more like this. I've seen a friend of mine also feel a little 'attacked' by someone on Twitter recently for having a totally different opinion to them. And to be honest.. I don't blame them. A little bit of tact goes a long way, and they could have made it a discussion rather than a hostile opposing tweet.
Anyway, in the spirit of the subject I invite you all to leave your opinions on this. Is it better to be a little nice sometimes? Can you voice your opinion without getting hostile? Do you just generally try shy away from this stuff sometimes? Or do you believe being nice is a waste of time in blogging?
Thanks to anyone who bothers to read my ramble today, I really appreciate it. Sorry I won't be naming names, and sorry it was a negative one! I'll be back to my happy posts immediately, promise! 
:)