The "Book"et List...

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As the title may (or may not depending on if you got the pun) suggest, this post is my Book Bucket List... Or "Book"et List as I have appropriately named it...
I'm an avid reader, it's one of my favourite ways to spend down-time, and normally I read books at a pretty fast rate (typically one per fortnight or so...) However, as A-Levels have literally taken over my life, finding the time to sit down has become increasingly difficult...
That's why I'm composing this list... Writing down all of the books I wish to have read by the end of 2015, and my oh my there's a lot of them... Despite my awareness of the fact I have way more books than time to read them, I always end up purchasing even more...

1. What Alice Forgot - Liane Moriarty

2. The Husbands Secret - Liane Moriarty

3. The Mortal Instruments - Cassandra Clare

4. Beautiful Creatures - Garcia Stohl

5. The Dark Herione - Abigail Gibbs

6. The Divergent Series (three book series) - Veronica Roth

7. The Maze Runner Series (three book series) - James Dashner

8. Girl Online - Zoe Sugg

9. The Shock of the Fall - Nathan Filer

10. The Demon Trappers Series (four book series) - Jana Oliver

11. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

12. A Room Swept White - Sophie Hannah

13. Lasting Damage - Sophie Hannah

And they're just all the books I currently own... My aim is to read all of them by the end of the year (hopefully!), and by my calculations, that's at least 20 books...
Are you an avid reader like me? What book are you currently reading? Let me know in the comments!

Chloe

In A Nutshell | Let's try this again...

Last year I attempted a "weekly summary" series (attempted being the key word here) and although I hate to admit it, I failed miserably... I think I only managed to write four posts, and they weren't even consecutive...

Seeing as one of my resolutions for 2015 was to blog more (and yes, I am sticking to that) I've decided to get back into the swing of things and try and commit myself to posting a "weekly summary" every Sunday, given that I actually have interesting things going on that week! However, rather than keeping with the original name of Weekly Summary, which in total honesty I was never very keen on in the first place, I've decided to re-brand it... It's only fitting that a new start requires a new name, right? Hence the new (and improved) name, "In A Nutshell"... After having what I can only describe as Bloggers Block for the past few weeks, I finally settled on this; a great suggestion by a great friend (shoutout to Alex for the well-needed assistance!)

This week has been a busy one to say the least, although a pretty standard one all the same...
It's only my third week back at sixth form since the new year, but it feels like it's been forever! With mock exams rapidly approaching and requiring all of my time and energy, I already need a break!

Wednesday was a slightly more exciting day, as I travelled to Manchester University for an interview. This was my first proper interview, and nervous is an understatement... After having an informal and laid back chat with one of the professors, I soon realised that I had absolutely nothing to worry about, and actually started to enjoy myself! Overall, I thought the interview went well, and I must have said something right because by Thursday afternoon, I received an offer! Woooo, celebrate!

In that regard, I feel like a massive weight has been lifted from my shoulders, as now I've received all five of my Uni offers, the only thing I have to focus on is actually getting the grades this summer... Which is admittedly easier said than done *weights reappear on my shoulders*

I found myself at Liverpool University on Saturday for an applicant day, which allowed me to find out more information regarding my course and gave me a deeper insight into the Uni itself, as well as visiting the accommodation! It was a great day, I loved every minute of it, which has made me increasingly excited to (hopefully!) study there in September! Having to get up at 7am on a Saturday however was a task I didn't enjoy as much... 
Saturday was also the day of my friends Jenny and Val's joint 18th party! The best thing about being in upper sixth is definitely the fact that everyone turns 18! 
I had such an amazing time, dancing and drinking the night away with some pretty amazing people, definitely on an emotional high that night! A few friends and I also had a sleepover which was insanely hilarious... Playing "snog, marry, avoid" at 3am... Yeah we did that...

Today was slightly more relaxed, although I was absolutely shattered... Being up for 20 hours straight and only getting 4 hours sleep is something I definitely would not recommend! 
Getting to see my cousins was something I really enjoyed, as they live six hours away so therefore I don't get to see them as often as I would like! 

A busy week... But an eventful one nonetheless! Anything exciting you've been up to this week? Leave a comment and tell me all about it!

Chloe

Rimmel Haul...

Rimmel is a brand I love, whether its for foundation, mascara, or even nail varnish, it's constantly a staple in my makeup collection.

Recently I purchased a couple of Rimmel products, some I've used previously, others were a bit of an impulse buy... (something I do on a regular basis) and I can honestly say that I am happily surprised that they're all great products.

The first thing I picked up was the Stay Matte pressed powder - something I'm very familiar with. This product is my go-to powder, and being only around the £4 mark, it's affordable too. It keeps my foundation in place and shine-free for several hours, only needing an extra light dusting throughout the day. I always go for the translucent powder, as my foundation is a suitable colour for my face already.

The second thing my eye caught was the Wake Me Up concealer. I've never used this product before, and I'm extremely happy with it! I previously used the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, which I also loved, but it was starting to run low and I fancied a slight change. Considering I use the Wake Me Up foundation, I figured the two matching products would go well together, which I can admit they do! I would say that the coverage is medium; it's not too thick but it gives good coverage. It's better for under the eyes rather than blemish concealment due to this, but it definitely makes my eyes look less tired!

I've been in need for a standard black kohl pencil for a while now, and so I picked up the Soft Kohl eye liner pencil in 'jet black'. The pigmentation is amazing, and hardly smudges on my waterline which is something I've struggled with past products. It was only around £3 as well which is great and very affordable!

Lastly, I got the new Lash Accelerator Endless mascara. I actually got this product for free as I'd already spent £10, and considering it has a value of £8 itself I was more than happy to try it out. Overall, it's not bad, but not great either. It can be slightly temperamental and leave clumps here and there, leading to me using a clean mascara wand to try and brush them out, however it does make my lashes look a lot longer! It doesn't add much volume, however it is only a lengthening mascara. To get the best results with this I tend to use it first to give my lashes length, and then another volumising mascara for the second coat for volume.

Have you ever tried these products, or have any that you're loving at the minute? Let me know in the comments!

Chloe

The Winter Playlist

What's better than sitting in bed, surrounded by blankets and cushions, listening to music on a cold wintery day?... Not much...
Recently I've been loving doing just that... the perfect way to relax after a long, hard day at sixth form... Here's what I've been listening to this winter...

1. Pretty much the entirety of 1989 by Taylor Swift... Man, I love that album...

2. Superheroes - The Script... Loving the rhythm of this song...

3. Night Changes - One Direction... My guilty pleasure... I'm not normally a fan of One Direction, but something about this song has me listening to it over and over again...

4. Something I Need - Ben Haenow... Despite my loathing of The X Factor, again, we have another guilty pleasure creeping in...

5. Jealous - Labrinth... This song speaks to me on so many levels, and its relevance to recent situations means I have it on repeat...

6. Ships In The Night - Mat Kearney... I stumbled across this little gem on Spotify, and the chorus is just... I love it...

7. The Only Way Out - Bush... Again, another random discovery thanks to Spotify, and I can't help but sing along at the top of my lungs...

8. Photograph - Ed Sheeran... I've loved this song for a long time, but there's something so calming about it on a winter evening...

9. Mountains (acoustic) - Biffy Clyro... After taking a break from good old Biffy for a while, my obsession was once again sparked when listening to the acoustic version of Mountains... It's the perfect song for a winter night... Oh, how I've missed you Biffy...

10. Snowflakes - Passenger... Such a beautiful, acoustic winter song.

11. Like I Can - Sam Smith... I simply love listening to this song...

12. Never Getting Over You - Colbie Caillat... I love Colbie, and when I listened to her album Gypsy Heart, I especially loved this one...

There you have it! These are my most loved songs for this winter... What are you listening to at the minute? Leave a comment and let me know!

Chloe

The Liebster Award...

Recently, I was very kindly nominated for the Liebster Award by the lovely TheHomelyChic, so thank you Charlotte!

For those of you who haven't heard of it (I know I hadn't until I was nominated), the Liebster Award is for bloggers who haven't quite gotten the recognition they deserve, and it's a great way for you to find out more about them, and really bring the whole blogging community closer...

There are a few rules that go along with this, and they are...
1. Thank the person who nominated you, and link them in the post.
2. Answer the questions provided by your nominator.
3. Nominate 11 other bloggers, all with under 200 followers, and link them in the post also.
4. Create 11 new questions for your nominees to answer.
5. Notify all of your nominees through a form of social media, such as leaving a comment on their most recent blog post.

Now, onto my answers!

1. When did you start your blog? I started my blog in April 2014.
2. Why did you start your blog? I'd been considering it for quite some time, and it seemed a great creative outlet, and a way to share my thoughts.
3. What are your New Years resolutions for 2015? I actually wrote a post about this, which you can find here, but my basic resolutions are to blog more, enjoy life to the full, and take a heck of a lot of pictures!
4. If you could go on holiday anywhere, where would you go? I honestly don't think I have a single answer for this... However I would say either Hawaii or Florida.
5. What is your favourite clothing store? Either H&M or Forever21.
6. What is your favourite season? An impossible question... They all have great qualities! I'd have to say summer... 6 weeks away from school, going on holiday, ice cream... what's not to love!?
7. Flats or heels? Hmmm... flats.
8. Favourite film? Again, another impossible question! I'm so indecisive... Let's just go with Safe Haven...
9. What TV shows have you watched recently? Revenge and Pretty Little Liars.
10. What is your dream job? I actually don't have any career aspirations... And I don't think I have a dream job, but I would love to travel the world and write about it... Does that count?
11. Where do you see yourself in five years? Honestly... I have no clue... Probably working, having just finished University, and hopefully being happy too...

My nominations... (also, apologies if you've already done it! And further apologies if you have more than 200 followers, I went off of Bloglovin stats)
All things Ali x, Beauty Kisses, bloggerjames, Ciara's Corner, beautiful hope, Lauren Loves Laughter, Living In June, Mexican Lime, Nabsticle, Simply Being Young, WHERE SHE GOES

My questions for the nominated blogs...
1. What's your favourite thing about blogging?
2. Favourite cuisine?
3. If you could share one piece of advice, what would it be?
4. What are your goals for 2015?
5. Favourite hobby?
6. What's your favourite book?
7. Where do you get the inspiration for your blog posts?
8. Who is the most important person (or people) in your life?
9. Who is your favourite blogger?
10. Where in the world do you want to visit?
11. Fast forward to ten years in the future... What are you doing?

I really enjoyed writing this, I do love a good Q&A style post... Thank you again to Charlotte, and I hope you enjoyed this post!

Chloe

Skating, Selfies and Spontaneous Bowling...

This is going up slightly later than I would have liked, but better late than never, right? 
I'd suggest you sit down and make yourself a drink of your choice (Hot chocolate would be mine...) because this is quite long... Aren't you lucky!

One of the things I love about being off school for holidays is having the free time to spend with friends... Don't get me wrong, I see my friends at the weekend a lot! In fact, as I'm writing this, I've just realised I'm going to a party tomorrow night... See, I can be sociable...

I saw my friends a lot over the Christmas holidays, and seeing as it's our last year together, I think it was pretty important that we did so... After all, it was our last Christmas together too...

The following Sunday after breaking up from school, myself, Alex and Catherine went to Emma's house, where we were supposed to have a movie day... Instead it turned into a "watch one film, play The Game of Life and Bop-It, and eat pizza" day... Nevertheless it was absolutely hilarious, I swear I went home with abs of steel... Cat got confused by the film, which was Now You See Me, and got into debt playing The Game of Life...  Many inside jokes were formed that day, and it was the perfect way to kick off the Christmas holidays!

After Christmas, we all met up again... Except this time, we went ice skating! I was quite nervous, as I've only ever been ice skating a handful of times, and well.. I'm not very good... I blame my lack of balance and spatial awareness... Normally I'm dependent on my Mum's arm (and literally put my life in her hands), but going with friends was something I was wary of... Thankfully, I didn't break any bones! Nor did I fall on my arse and make a complete fool of myself! I'd say it was success... 

I was, however, pretty dependent on both Emma and Alex, and screamed when they tried to let go of me... Pretty much the same situation as a small child on their bike without training wheels for the first time, when their parent says they won't let go, but they inevitably do... Only, I wouldn't let them...

Me, Emma & Alex

Cat, Alex, Me, Emma

Alex, Me, Emma

(shoutout to the guy who I trusted with my phone
to take the picture on ice...)

Despite all of this, I had a great time! We unanimously decided that we weren't ready for the day to end, and all ended up back at my house for The Game of Life part II! 

We also took selfies with my lifesize cardboard cutout of Ian Somerhalder (yes... I do own that...) which I received from them the previous Christmas, and ate more pizza...

Selfie ft. Ian...

Yet again, on New Years Day, we went out! Except this time we were joined by our other friends Emma (there are two), Becky and Kerri, to go to Pizza Express! (SO much pizza!!)... 

It was a lovely evening, which I thoroughly enjoyed for the amazing food and equally amazing company! Plus, seeing as I was babysitting on New Years Eve (such a party animal...) it was the perfect excuse to dress up and go out!

Kerri, Cat, Me & Emma

Becky, Emma & Alex

Finally (wow I was more sociable than I initially thought!) myself, Alex, Emma and her boyfriend Connor spontaneously decided to go bowling before returning to school! We paid for unlimited bowling, and ended up playing five games... Of which I won one! *fist bumps the air* 

Connor thought it would be funny to bowl alongside us, on the same lane... Yes, there were two bowling balls rolling down the same lane together... Luckily for me, it meant I got strikes or spares every time!  We kept that up for about an hour or so, until security kindly came over and told us to only bowl with one ball... And then continued to watch us play for the rest of the time... 

It was definitely worth it though, as we were all in fits when one of the balls came rolling back up the lane towards us! I wonder if we'll be able to get away with that one again?...

Me & Alex (the only decent selfie taken
that night...)

Like I said, spending the holidays with friends is by far my favourite way to spend my free time... I'm only gutted I'm back in school now and the ridiculous amount of work I get hinders my ability to go out with friends as often as I'd like... Roll on the weekend!

Chloe

Embracing Change...

Change is one of those topics that's constantly circling my mind, and after reading Gemma's post on Mexican Lime here, I thought I'd address the matter as well... 

Change is inevitable. It will happen whether you like it or not, whether it's good or bad, it will change. But when one door closes, another one opens, right? 
This has really hit home with me recently, and despite just how much I've desperately tried to avoid change, it's happened.... a lot... 
I think struggling to adjust is one of the problems of change, but what if you find something better along the lines, that you never knew existed? 

I'm really enjoying sixth form at the minute, and despite how much I'm looking forward to getting exams out of the way and welcoming summer, the thought of a mere four months left is slightly unbearable... To think, in four months I will no longer be seeing my best friends five days a week, no more sharing free periods playing card games instead of doing work... It's terrifying...

Although I'll be devastated to see it come to an end, I'm determined to fully make the most of these next few months before the impending adventure of University begins... 

Despite how much I really don't want this chapter in my life to end, I'm extremely excited for the next one, so not all change is bad... It may take some getting used to, and a bit of grieving of the past, but change brings an essence of excitement... the unknown lurking, waiting to (hopefully) make the next chapter better than the last...

Relationships change.... I've had to say goodbye to people I never wanted to lose, and it's difficult to let go sometimes... But what if losing people opens up spaces in your life for new ones, who can influence your life through ways you never thought possible? That's how I like to look at it... People come, and people go... It's change...

How do you feel about change? Do you accept and embrace it, or try and avoid it? 

Chloe

What I got for Christmas! | 2014

I can't believe that Christmas has passed again! Every single year it surprises me just how quickly the festivities end, despite the seemingly never-ending run up...

I always love reading hauls of what people got for Christmas or their birthdays, as it brings products to my attention but also provides ideas for gifts! This haul isn't me bragging or showing off, but just sharing what I was lucky enough to receive this year to those of you who share my enthusiasm for hauls! There are a few things missing from this list, but these are just the main and most loved gifts I received!

Skin & body care

Something I've been wanting to try for a while is Liz Earle, and after trying a cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser sample, I really wanted a full size version! I got one in the limited edition sweet orange and mint, which smells absolutely amazing, and I'm in love with it!

I also got the Liz Earle brightening treatment mask, and boy does it work wonders! Since using it my skin has gotten much brighter and looks a lot healthier... I simply love it! 

I am beyond obsessed with Soap & Glory, and I got a heck of a lot of it for Christmas! 
Firstly is the Soaper Woman gift set which includes a full size Foam Call body wash as well as a full size Butter Yourself body cream.
I also got some of the Sugar Crush collection, including the body polish, body wash and body cream. It's safe to say I'm going to be clean and smelling great until next Christmas!

Makeup

Being a girl who is more than obsessed with makeup, it's pretty much guaranteed that I'm going to get some for Christmas, as well as the fact it's what makes up the majority of my wish list...

Zoeva is a brand I've heard of and wanted to try for the longest time, and I was lucky enough to receive the Naturally Yours eyeshadow palette! It's gorgeous, and each shadow is highly pigmented and lasts for hours! 

A gift that I absolutely love, and am so over the moon to have received is the Laura Mercier foundation primer! I tried a sample and fell in love with it, and immediately knew I needed the full size product! Being £30 and slightly out of my price range, I waited until Christmas and tried my luck putting it on my wish list... Waking up on Christmas morning to a Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar bag nearly had me in tears...

Miscellaneous

As mentioned in my birthday haul, candles are amongst my favourite things in the world... I love lighting them, especially during the brisk winter months as their ambience is extremely calming and creates a warming environment. Yankee candles are my favourite, mainly due to the extensive range of scents... 
I received so many gorgeous candles for Christmas, including one of the Christmas Votive gift boxes. It includes five festive scented votive sized candles, this particular set containing Mandarin Cranberry, Christmas Cookie, Christmas Eve, Sugared Apple, and Christmas Memories. Each one is captivating, and definitely lifted my Christmas spirit to an entirely new level...
I also received the Snowflake Cookie candle in a small jar, which has a delicious sweet smell with a hint of spice, that isn't at all overwhelming... Bliss...

Books, books, books... 
It's pretty much a given that I'll get books for my birthday or Christmas, and this year was no different! 
I got the Maze Runner series, and after seeing the film back in October I'm really looking forward to starting it! I also got Girl Online by Zoe Sugg, which I haven't started reading yet either, but is definitely next on my list!
As my collection of books has increased exponentially recently (I currently own 30 books that have yet to be read), I've run out of space in my bookcase for them all, so I also received these adorable owl bookends for my shelf!

Finally, clothes! (Or boots and a scarf should I say...) 
As soon as I saw these grey suede boots in Deichmann, I immediately knew I had to have them... I love wearing boots in winter, however my trusty old black ones from Primark had seen better days, and it was time for a change...
I also got this gorgeous plaid scarf from New Look, which I am absolutely in love with and have worn nearly every single day since Christmas!

I hope you enjoyed this haul/what I got for Christmas, I am beyond grateful for everything I received, and would love to know what you got this year! Leave me a comment and tell me!

Chloe