It has been so long since my last post, and so much has happened in that time, that I don't even know where to begin.  I guess I should start with what has taken up most of my time though... I bought a house!!!  I can't believe that I am even saying that!  Me and my boyfriend have been planning this for a while but I can't believe it has actually happened and I am now officially a homeowner.  The whole process has been both exciting and stressful, and has wreaked havoc with my anxiety but it has all been worth it!

There are several reasons why I haven't taken the time to post here on the blog during this period.  Firstly, I have spent every spare moment that I have had packing and unpacking, all whilst being full of cold.  So needless to say I was feeling pretty rubbish during what they say is one of the most stressful things you'll do in life.  Secondly, I have had to take time out for a bit of "self care".  If you are a follower of my blog I'm sure you're no stranger to the fact I have been battling anxiety for a while now and one of the biggest things for an anxiety sufferer is having a "safe space", a place where you can relax and feel completely comfortable.  Moving to a new house means I have lost this "safe space" and trying to create a new one has been difficult and something that I am still working on, but I am starting to get more comfortable here.  Thirdly, all this happened over Christmas and I feel like that completely bypassed me this year.  Anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with Christmas and I just didn't have time or money to do any Christmas shopping or just to enjoy it.  I know it's only one year and I got the biggest present possible in the house but I still couldn't help but feel a little sad that I had to forego Christmas this year.  I did however get to experience Christmas at Disneyland at the beginning of December, but I'll save that for a post of it's own soon.

Lastly, one of the main reasons I haven't been blogging regularly lately is that I think I have just lost a little bit of my passion for it a bit.  I feel with all the amazing bloggers around nowadays I have put too much pressure on myself, comparing myself to others and their blogs.  The usual things a girl does when they are having a bad day... I'm not pretty enough, I'm not skinny enough, I don't have great outfits etc.  Which has got me thinking that I would like to get back to basics.  When I first started blogging I just use to blog about stores, styles and trends that I liked, sharing my favourite looks from celebs and editorials.  Then as the blogosphere grew and the "OOTD" became a thing I finally started sharing pictures of my own outfits, but my anxiety and lack of funds for a new outfit each day meant that I couldn't keep up with posting regularly.  All the comparisons and pressure I put upon myself kind of took a little bit of the joy out blogging for me, so I'm taking the pressure off and I'm going to blog whatever I feel like whenever I feel like, whether that be outfit posts, beauty, hair, fashion, food or maybe even interiors now I have a new house to decorate.  I am hoping this will enable me to get my blogging rhythm back and become a more active part of the blogging community again as I have really missed it.

It may be a little late but I hope you all had a great Christmas and are having a great start to the new year.  I can't wait to catch up on blogs, so don't forget to leave your links in the comments.

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Mermaid Brushes, £8.25 - Rosegal*

Can we first just take a minute to appreciate how beautiful these Rosegal rose gold mermaid brushes are!  My pictures do not even do them justice!  I have not wanted to use them as they are just so beautiful and I didn't want to get them dirty, but I can't just have them sitting there looking pretty and let them go to waste now can I?!

This beautiful set comes in a set of 6 with 4 face brushes and 2 eye brushes, which for £8.25 is an absolute bargain!  I have to admit that due to the stupidly affordable price I was a little dubious about the quality of the brushes but I had nothing to worry about.  These brushes look and feel so luxurious.  The heads are so ridiculously soft that they are so gentle on your skin and blend products beautifully. The last foundation brush I used was the Real Techniques Total Face Brush (which cost more than this whole set for just the one brush) and as good as it is, it is no way near as soft as these brushes and used to leave my foundation looking slightly streaky.  So I decided to give a Beauty Blender a try and have been using that ever since after deciding I would never use a brush for my foundation again.  When I recieved these brushes though I decided to give the flat top brush a go at applying my foundation and I was wonderfully surprised.  It applied my foundation beautifully and blended it in perfectly with not a streak in sight.  Another of my favourite brushes from this set is the smaller tapered brush.  I have been using this brush to apply highlighter and again it has worked just perfectly, it has such a light touch that it is just perfect for applying a subtle everyday highlight.

I really cannot rave about these brushes enough!  I could go on all day about how beautiful and soft they are.  For the price you really can't go wrong.  They would make a perfect and affordable Christmas present for any beauty lover and look like they cost way more than their £8.25 price tag.  You can get them for even less than this if you use the code RGEN for an extra 10% off.

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 Lace Up Kimono - New Look

Vest - Primark

Jeans - New Look

Shoes - New Look

I can't believe it's November already, so much has happened in the last month that the blog has had to take a backseat but I'm hoping to be back regularly blogging very soon and I can't wait to share with you all what's been happening.  It'll be Christmas before we know it and I can't wait, but I have lots of exciting things coming up before then, *cough cough* Disneyland!!!  It is only 18 days away now and I am getting more excited and anxious by the day.  It's going to be a huge test for my anxiety but one I can't wait to take and, that I hope more than anything, will be successful.  As excited as I am for it to be winter and Christmas I am not enjoying the freezing cold weather, especially as I am on a spending ban and can't go out to fill my wardrobe with chunky knits and winter coats.  This makes me a little sad as they are one of my favourite things to shop for but it'll all be worth it, you'll see.  I am going to be spending the rest of the winter trying to find ways to rework the wardrobe I already have, so if you have any tips please do share.

I took these pictures a couple of weeks ago before the temperatures dropped too much and I could bare to still go outside without a coat on.  I can't see that happening anymore, it's getting way too cold.  I didn't realise until I started listing my outfit that pretty much the whole outfit is from New Look.  The lace up kimono I bought at the end of summer in the sale for a bargain of £12 to add a bit of colour to my wardrobe and I thought it'd make a great transitional piece for the winter too.  As it gets colder I will be swapping the vest for a roll neck I think.  I just love kimonos, they are great for adding a bit more interest to a simple outfit and the fact that this one ties at the waist makes it so flattering too.  I could only find it on the website in tall but if you're short like me but love the style and print they have a cute little dress version too.  The jeans are one of my favourites too, they are the India jeans and they are so comfortable and one of the few pairs that I don't have to roll up for my stubby little legs, they are the perfect length!  

I'm going to try my hardest to blog more regularly but these dark days are killing me.  It's so hard to find good lighting to take pictures, especially now I can't take them outside as much, and as soon as it hits 4.30pm and starts getting dark all I want to do is put my pyjamas on and climb under a blanket.  I'm trying to keep myself motivated with exercise and yoga though, which is sometimes hard to get up and do but once I do I feel much better and it warms me right up too which is an added bonus because boy do I feel the cold!  It's much more tempting to curl up with a hot chocolate and watch Stranger Things, or at the moment I'm trying to catch up on American Horror Story.  I've just started Freak Show... how scary is Twisty?!!  Definitely not a fan of clowns!

How do you keep yourself motivated and not wanting to hibernate all winter?

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Happy Halloween!! As I'm not big on Halloween, it does not mix well with my anxiety, I hate fancy dress (especially scary fancy dress) and I spend the majority of it tucked up in my bedroom, pretending to the trick or treaters that there is nobody home as I am too afraid to answer the door, watching something more anxiety friendly such as Harry Potter or Hocus Pocus.  I am currently watching The Nightmare Before Christmas as I write this.  I thought it would be the perfect time though to share with you my visit to the Warner Bros Studio Tour.

Things like this are a massive step for me and I had a huge mix of anxiety and excitement and as I am doing as much as I can this year to battle my anxiety and try to find a bit of enjoyment in life again, I was determined to go.  I also thought it'd be a nice little stepping stone towards seeing how I will cope when I go to Disneyland in December.

I have to admit I don't remember much about the first part of the tour besides trying to focus on not having a panic attack.  All I remember is being led into a dark room where a member of staff was explaining what was going to happen to us and then into a small cinema room.  I honestly could not tell you a single thing that happened in that screening, that is how much my anxiety takes over and this time last year I would've ran as fast as I can to get out of there but I am learning to find coping mechanisms so that I don't have to run away from every situation and miss out on all the good things that follow.  I was so pleased I didn't as when the screen lifted to reveal the door to the Great Hall it was the first distraction from my anxiety that pushed me to fight through and not give up.  I did not want to miss out on this like I had so many things before.

The Great Hall was all decorated for Halloween and looked amazing.  This had to be one of my favourite parts of the tour, it really felt as if you were on the set of the movie.  My only qualm with this is that it didn't feel like we got very long to spend looking around in here before we were being ushered out ready for the next group to come in.  This may have just been me, as I do like to hang back where I feel more comfortable than in the midst of a crowd of people, but I do feel like they could've left a little longer between tours as this part of the tour did feel a bit rushed to me.  After this we were left to wander around the rest of the studio tour at our own pace.

I took so many pictures, another technique I used to manage my anxiety as it gives me something else to focus on rather than the amount of people around me, as it was pretty busy.  I wouldn't want to bore you with them all though so I'll just share a few of my favourites.

It was very interesting to see how the films were made and I was quite surprised that the majority of the films were filmed on set here in the studios and not on location.  It's amazing what they can do with a green screen!  Just to see some of the time and effort that went into the making of these films was incredible, especially some of the artwork.  I also got to try my first Butterbeer and it tasted amazing!  I need the recipe!  We also paid for an audio guide which I have to say was a bit of a god send when it came to my anxiety.  To be able to put on those headphones and watch the videos on the screen were a great way to shut out what was going on around me when it all got a bit too much.

The tour ended with this incredible model of Hogwarts, which switched between day and night to show it all lit up.  This was one of my favourite parts of the tour as there was just something about this room that was a lot more relaxing than the rest of the tour, I don't know it it was the dim lights or the music or just the fact that it was over, ha ha!  No, in all seriousness I am glad I have got to a point where I am able to even attempt to do things like this and not let my anxiety rule my life as much and miss out on all the fun things in life.  Although it's still not as plain sailing as I'd like, each time I do something like this it gives me hope that one day I will be able to do things like this filled with nothing but excitement like everyone else.

Have you been to the Warner Bros Studios?  How did you find it?  Also if you are a fellow anxiety sufferer I would love to hear how you manage it in situations like this?

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Dress and Necklace* - Rosegal

Shoes - New Look

Wow it's been a while since my last post!  So much has happened over the past few weeks that I just haven't been able to find time or concentrate on posting here on the blog.  There's so much going round and round in my head, both exciting and anxiety inducing.  I have just taken a massive step into making a big change in my life and I can't quite share what it is yet, but lets just say it has been quite stressful but I can't wait to share my news with you all!  Due to this most of my spare time has been spent on organising myself and trying to keep my anxiety at bay with relaxation exercises, baking and spending quality time with my dogs and friends.

I was recently sent this lovely dress from Rosegal and with the freakishly warm few days we had last week I was actually able to wear it.  I am really impressed with the quality of it and it is really comfy.  I also really like the fact that it is a slightly longer length, making it perfect now the days are getting colder.  I think it will be great for transitioning into winter with a pair of tights and chunky boots.

If you're after a bargain I definitely recommend taking a browse of their website, especially as they have a summer sale going on starting from 33% off.  You can also get an extra 10% off using the code RGE N

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Top - Damaged Society

Shorts - Asos

Belt - Asos

Shoes - George

Sunglasses - Amazon

I can't believe it's September already and judging by the weather over the last week this'll probably be the last time I wear these shorts until next year.  As much as I'm looking forward to wearing boots and snuggly coats and jumpers, I am a little sad that it's time to put away my summer clothes when I feel like I've barely gotten to wear them.  The joys of the English summer!! However it does mean that I am another month closer to Disneyland (86 days!! Not that I'm counting or anything!).

When I was shopping in Nottingham a couple of months ago, wandering around the Victoria Centre, I stumbled upon a store called Damaged Society.  It is what I suppose you would call a "streetwear" store which is not necessarily my style but I do like to have a browse of something a little different and I did stumble across a few hidden gems.  One of them being this vest.  As soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it.  I feel like this thought enters my head at least once a day, ha ha!  I feel like there are just too many small minded people in the world and I've noticed as I've got older I have less time and tolerance for them and this is exactly what I'd like to say to them.  As I am too anxious and too polite to say this to the majority of them I decided that I would buy this and let my clothes do the talking for me!

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