Hello Again!

Hello guys!

I’m definitely not so self obsessed to think that anyone (that’s if anyone is even reading this, haha) has wondered where I disappeared to over the past few months, but regardless this post is my step back into blogging! It feels like forever since I’ve actually sat down and written a blog post... Most probably because it has been absolutely ages; as in... At least a few of months, oops. In all honesty, it was an unintentional break in that I just found that I was loving life, travelling, reading lots and spending time not worrying about social media or living life through a camera lens. As much as I was still taking lots of photographs and updating my goodreads account, I felt like for once in my life I didn’t feel like I needed a distraction from my life.

Over the past couple of years my mental health hasn’t been excellent, however at the moment I’m so fortunate that I’m in a fantastic place mentally. That’s something that I will never take for granted as although I’m so happy there are still tough days and it’s important not to downplay that but overall I’m very grateful. 2018 was a good year for me and 2019 so far has been great too; I've already visited Hungary and Wales, as well as having many more trips planned. In 2018 I travelled to four countries; the Netherlands, Spain, Czechia and Poland, which was such an incredible experience and as a result I can state with certainty that I have caught the travel bug; I’m forever dreaming about my next trip these days! So far in 2019 I’ve travelled to Hungary, which I’m planning to write a blog post on very soon, which I’m excited to share with you all.

2019 is going to be a busy year for me overall; there have been some pleasant surprises, such as my boyfriend picking out some city breaks for us (my favourite kind of holiday) and I’ve also started at the university of my choice to start a postgraduate degree, so I’m super excited to see how my life is going. Busy does mean less leisure time, so ultimately that is the main reason that this post has taken so long to get written out and posted, which as sad as this is to admit (for once upon a time I was a very regular blogger) at the end of the day I will soon be balancing a full time job and part time university so blogging has definitely been pushed to the back of my mind. However, I’m going to continue blogging and shall try and plan my life to the point that I can start posting regularly on social media once again.

Lots of love & hoping that you’re all well, Rachel xx

I’ve started a YouTube channel!

Hey guys! I’ve finally bitten the bullet and decided to start a YouTube channel. In all honesty, this isn’t the best or most polished video but as you all know by now, I’m not necessarily the most polished at blogging either but I do th see things because I’m passionate about my interests, rather than because I want to make money (I don’t make any from blogging haha) but please do have a look at my video, let me know any comments, good or bad as I’d love to know what you think and how I can improve! I’ll see you guys again soon! :)

Beauty Review: Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish

Hello again guys; today’s post features one of my life’s loves; nail polish. I recently purchased the Rimmel London 60 Second nail polish (I’m not sure of the shade name) after using some other Rimmel polishes and having a good experience. Over the past couple of months I’ve been thinking about getting false nails, but in all honesty I really can’t be bothered to go and get them done or pay that much (when it's cheaper to do it yourself), even though they do look nice when done professionally. I like that I just paint my nails in my break at work and they look lovely with a bit of colour on; it makes my nails pop and my eczema less noticeable. Although, I would like them to be a bit longer my nails have been breaking a lot recently, which is super annoying and actually surprisingly painful. I somehow managed to find this gem of a nail polish in Poundland of all places; an absolute bargain! The lilac/purple shade is really attractive and not like any polish that I already had; for a mere £1 I was more than satisfied.

In terms of formula, the polish is quite thin; it needs at least two coats to make the colour fully opaque but that isn’t too much of an issue for me. What is an issue for me is how quickly this nail polish chips; I'm not the best at keeping up my polish but I do like it to last for at least 3 or 4 days before you can start noticing wear on the nails... Which this polish doesn't do, unfortunately, it literally started chipping at the edges towards the end of the same day. One of reasons why that really irritated me was not because of the price (as previously mentioned, it was excellent value for money) but because it's a good brand so I would expect the chipping issue to be less, but in fairness that can be resolved by topping up coats which although is a bit of a hassle, isn't a problem as such. Overall, I love the shade regardless of the fact that it chips like a bitch as it does look lovely on the nails. I feel like the nail polish and I are going to have a very love/hate relationship over the next few months as although I love how it looks, I can't help feeling a little disappointed with the quality, particularly as I've used other polishes from the same brand without the issues. A sad 2/5 for this one, purely because of the thin consistency and the need for reapplication. I love getting feedback, so please let me know in the comments if you like this kind of post! :)

Exploring London // Regents Canal

Hello again guys; this post is a little more out of the ordinary for me and I’m hoping to start posting more photographs of the world around me as the weather improves (I literally cannot wait for Spring!) and I love the light of the sky as the seasons begin to change. I had to travel to the Regents Canal // King’s Cross area of London recently for a course after several years of just travelling through the area and never exploring. Even in the midst of the winter months, the view of the canal and beyond is lovely; I know not everyone likes an urban view, but personally I like the mix of the man made and the natural world. Since I was a child I’ve loved looking at buildings old and new alongside rivers and fields, although that’s probably because I’ve grown up as a city girl. The day that I visited this part of London it was pretty grey and dreary; typical of London actually. Using the app A Color Story, I then picked the filter May from the Seasons pack that was made by the blogger Rebecca from aclotheshorse which made a beautiful pink sheen across the skyline in each image and generally lifted each photograph with minimal effort from me. I would love to revisit this area in the middle of summer, all green areas and blue skies (hopefully). Sometimes it’s nice to simply walk around and enjoy the air rounding areas. What parts of London do you like to visit? Let me know in the comments :)

A Family Christmas Present // 3 Years Old

Hello again guys; I’m really, really, really wishing that I was more organised in terms of blogging. This month I’ve been feeling super inspired to blog regularly (erm... everyday!) and this far, I’ve been really proud of the content and also the amount of engagement that my blog is getting. Today, I’m looking back to Christmas 2014, when I was at university and working part time. As a family, we decided to get a dog; although that isn’t so unusual, at the end of the day, many people get a pet every day, it was a massive step for us. At this point, we had 4 cats, a fish and a rabbit and were dealing with the loss of another dog. However, it had been 5 months and Scarlett looked perfect for us. A small dog, with fluffy hair and a big heart; we adopted her from a Spain through an animal charity. 3 years ago, we were suddenly told that she would arrive just in time for Christmas, which she did. As was a rescue dog, she did have some issues. As a young puppy, she had her tail chopped off and she can be very nervous, particularly around new people. However, three years later and she’s a happy and healthy little dog with a bad habit of barking whenever anyone knocks on the door. The main reason for this post is that, in 2017 we’ve now taken the steps to adopt another rescue dog, due to arrive in January 2018. As a family we now have 3 cats, a rabbit, a hamster and soon to be two dogs! It’s crazy in so many ways, but I love having so many pets, they’re family. I’m so excited to see how Scarlett likes having a sister, and how the puppy will fit into our household. Scarlett has been the best Christmas present to us over the past three years and she genuinely has all of us wrapped around her paws at all time! Do any of you have any furbabies? Let me know in the comments :)

The Christmas Tag // 2017 Edition!

Have you ever had a white Christmas?

No, England (more specifically London) isn’t really a country (city) that really gets much snow, although at the minute it definitely feels cold enough for some snow... But next year I’m likely to be spending Christmas in Poland so I’m sure that I’ll be seeing a white Christmas, which is exciting as seeing a white Christmas is a bit of a dream for most people!

Where do you usually spend your holiday?

Always at home with my family and for the past couple of years, my boyfriend. I like a quiet, chilled Christmas with good food and hours spent watching the Christmas themed tv shows and films just because it’s always nice to get in the spirit of things and basically relax. A lie in is always key to having a good Christmas too, alongside all of the good foodie stuff like Yorkshire puddings and pigs in blankets!

What is your favourite Christmas song?

This is actually really difficult! I like so many Christmas songs although I do love the ‘Power of Love’; both versions, but I do prefer the Gabrielle Aplin version that was used in the John Lewis advert a few years back. I’ve always had a soft spot for ‘The Fairytale of New York’ by the Pogues and Kirsty McColl too as it’s my Nana’s lifelong favourite so it’s a Christmas staple in my household - I’ve lost count of how many she’s played it in the house already this month, haha.

Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?

No, I never have, although that is likely to change if I do celebrate Christmas in Poland next year as they celebrate present giving on Christmas Eve. But in the UK (e.g. Christmas with my family) we always celebrate on Christmas Day and spend Christmas Eve preparing for the next day. I think generally it depends on what traditions you and your family uphold.

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

Erm, no... I get stuck after Rudolph, Dancer, Prancer. Oops.

What holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?

I’m so ready to open a box of Celebrations after Christmas Dinner and pudding... We always sit and watch crappy tv whilst eating chocolate and other naughty but nice food bits whilst relaxing and just enjoying having a day spent being happy and together as everyone in my house works different jobs and shifts so it’s a rare occasion to all be together. 

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

Always fake, personally I find it easier to just whip it up and decorate every year, although real trees are beautiful and the smell of a real tree is gorgeous, let’s be honest I’m a lazy Christmas decorator and so fake is easier and cleaner haha.

What is your all time favourite holiday treat/food/sweet?

I’m a sucker for a pig in a blanket, although Lindt reindeer’s are definitely another item high up on my list of must haves for a good old Christmas Day dinner and treat. This tag is really getting me ready for Christmas dinner...

Be honest, do you like giving or receiving gifts better?

If I’m honest, I’m a bit of both person. I like seeing what my family and friends buy me as it’s nice to see how well that they know me, but I also like the process of picking out presents for those that I love. This year I’m being a bit more creative in terms of giving and I’ve had a wardrobe clear out with the intention of donating to my local charity shop, as well as donating some food to the local food bank. At the end of the day, I don’t care how many presents I get, I love spending the time relaxing with those I love.

What is the best Christmas present you ever received?

I’m a walking cliché but every year I get something Harry Potter related, for example the illustrated versions of the original series and I always love whatever book I receive each year. It sounds strange, but getting Harry Potter books as a gift was a massive part of my childhood and so I like that those gifts have carried on into adulthood.

What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?

Realistically, I’m really looking forward to going to Poland for Christmas next year; my boyfriend is Polish and I’ve fallen in love with the country more each time that I visited (even if learning the language is a nightmare for me) but in all honesty, I’d love to go to Iceland and see a proper wintery, snowy Christmas with the Northern Lights in the background. That is the dream.

Are you a pro present wrapper or do you fail miserably?

Hah, definitely a failure of a present wrapper... I absolute hate wrapping anything as it is, but Christmas is the worst as there’s so many gifts to wrap as in my household we wrap everyone’s presents for everyone altogether, it’s literally the most stressful part of the season for me. Luckily my mum is a pro!

Most memorable Christmas moment?

Last year was the first Christmas as a couple for my boyfriend and I, as well as the first time he had spent Christmas with me and family and I loved seeing his confused face at receiving so many presents from various members of my family. Neither of us expected it, but it was nice to realise that he was being properly included even if my Nana made millions of jokes about him being spoilt because he’s was a guest and not family... Generally Christmas Day for my family is really quiet so we don’t have any wacky moments as such.

What makes the holidays special for you?

I love being able to chill out, eat as much as I want with the excuse that I’ll start a diet in January (which never works haha) and just spending time with family and not stressing about work or anything. It’s great to just enjoy life and relax knowing that you’ve got a bit of time to yourself at home, all comfy and cozy in a crazy Christmas jumper and pajamas. I feel like it’s the only time of year that people noticeably care for one another, friends, family or strangers; a lot more love is shown at Christmas in terms of giving and I like that.

Visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour

Hello again guys; I have to admit that I have had no second thoughts on not participating in blogtober. As much as I would love to blog every day for a month, in all honesty I’m simply not organised enough for that, especially when you consider that the inspiration for this post is from a trip on the last day of September. For the last few years I’d been desperately wishing to visit the Harry Potter Studio Tour, something that I’m therory should be easy for me, considering the fact that I live in London (the tour is also in London). However, I either never seemed to have the money or anyone to go with. On September 30th I went with some workmates and honestly... Any Harry Potter fan seriously needs to consider going; it isn’t cheap, but it is worth every penny. I actually want to visit again at some point as there’s so much to see that you can’t take it all in just once. Plus, the gift shop is enough to literally want to revisit; it’s an actual childhood dream! Below are a variety of photographs that I took on the day, have any of you visited the studios? How did you like it? :)