Throwback Thursday Week 3: Childhood Photos

A few weeks ago, I decided to start writing a series of posts using the popular 'Throwback Thursday' idea as inspiration.
  I started off the posts with an introduction and my Year 11 prom and followed this up last week by looking through my Facebook profile pictures.
  This week I have been searching through the old family photo albums and looking back at some photos taken whilst I was growing up and thought that I would share them in the form of this blog post.
  In this first photo I am clearly rocking the trends that teenagers and adults are wearing in 2014! I appear to be wearing some gorgeous red tracksuit bottoms and what we now call a 'snapback.' Obviously I was creating trends that would catch on years later without even realising it. Haha.
  I'm not sure how old I am in this photo, but I would imagine I was around 2 and I can see that I am loving my first ever car which I can still remember using throughout my childhood.

 In this next photograph I look much older and I think I must have been about 7 years old when this was taken. With me in the photo is my Auntie and you can just about see the London Eye in the background.
 My Auntie used to live and work in London and I remember this was the day that I went on the London Eye for the first time after queuing for what seemed like forever. Along with my Mum, Dad and Sister we met my Auntie in London and spent the day sightseeing. It's hard to believe that this must have been around 12 years ago now, especially because I can still remember parts of this day.
  My auntie always used to wear the red coat pictured here and you can see that some of my own clothes have been inspired by her because I am sporting a rather lovely red coat to match. I'm not quite so sure on my hair, especially because my fringe has parted here so I look as though I have curtains. Not a good look.
  I'm not sure what I'm holding in my hand but I think it might be a teddy bear wrapped in cellophane or something similar. This photo must have been taken in the Winter as it doesn't look particularly warm, but considering that it's England it could well have been the middle of summer for all I know.

The car makes another appearance! I wasn't lying when I said that I loved this toy car growing up and here I am again looking a bit older than before actually inside it this time.
 I remember pretending to fill this car up with fuel because of the pretend fuel cap and that I used to like people pushing my around in it as opposed to using my own feet to get around. I also remember it wasn't very good on grass and so tried to use this on the pavement and patio as much as possible.
  Looking back now, the fashion here isn't too bad and I could quite easily see someone today wearing a jumper similar to the one that I'm wearing.
  Next up is a photo of my sister, myself and my dad. This was taken on a family holiday when I was about 7 years old. I don't remember much about this photo apart from the fact that we were in Spain but I love this photo because it isn't posed, it's just a spontaneous moment.
  My dad looks really tall and tanned here in comparison to how small me and my sister look here.
 Our mum's fashion taste also comes through here as she dressed both me and my sister when we were younger. Bold colours and floral print was obviously a favourite choice, although looking at it now I'm not a huge fan of my blue sandals. I'm also not sure why I'm wearing a bib whilst enjoying my ice cream because surely I had grown out of that stage by then.
  This is one of my favourite pictures from my childhood and always makes me feel happy when I look at it because it has two of my favourite people in it. I've lived with my dad and sister for my whole life so far and it's hard to imagine life without them.

To finish off this post I thought that I would include a photo of myself with one of my first ever pets. Although I've always had cats, this hamster was the first pet that I could call my own and I loved her. I think this may have also been the hamster that went on to have 12 babies one day before eating all but 3 of them. These 3 survivors went to three of my best childhood friends, which for some of them was their first ever pet too.
  For a large part of my childhood I sported this bobbed haircut with a full fringe, probably because it was easier for my mum to wash, brush and maintain. I'm glad now that these days of terrible hair have gone and the fringe has gone for good!
 I'm also rocking some beautiful Barbie pyjamas, which screams out typical child of the 90's.
 I also like how natural this photo appears to be, and that I'm not playing up to the camera of posing. I'm just holding and enjoying the company of my hamster and this is probably where my love of animals and pets originally started.

I've really enjoyed looking back at some of the old photos I found of both myself and my family. So much has changed since these photos were taken in terms of both personal changes and also fashion and social changes. It's good to have these reminders to look back on and I'm glad I found them.   

Throwback Thursday Week 2: Looking Through Facebook Profile Pictures



July 23rd 2010

The term 'Throwback Thursday' has become more and more popular since the inception of social media. I often find myself uploading an instagram photo on a Thursday of a past event but thought it was about time it was introduced to my blog. So this week in true throwback style, I thought that it would be interesting to look through all of my profile pictures as I've had my Facebook page for 4 years now. My first ever profile picture was this black and white number. I have no idea what I'm doing with my hand here and it dates back to the good old days of 2010. In this photo I am about 14 years old and obviously didn't have the most brilliant camera due to the quality.  About a month later, on the 13th August, 5 days before my 15th birthday I apparently felt the need to change my profile picture. Once again it is another selfie and I have no idea why I thought a close up of my face would be a good idea. The quality of this image is much better though and I'm glad that I haven't gone overboard on the makeup which I was guilty of when I was younger. This photo was also taken around the time that I discovered editing and I can tell that I have applied a few filters and probably used some type of blemish fix to make my skin look flawless. Looking back, I can see how poker straight my hair is and it doesn't look in the best condition, probably because I used to straighten it everyday. I seem to remember this next profile picture to be a big deal to me at the time I uploaded it. I can remember this being one of the first photos where my hair was natural so hadn't had any heat styling put onto it. At the time this was huge because my hair was always poker straight but now when I look back at it it's strange because now most days I go out without using straighteners or curlers.
  In terms of the editing of this photo, it is very similar to my previous photo, I must have taken a liking to a particular filter at this stage in my life. I've also noticed there has been no variation in my pose either, in all three photos so far I've had the same face going on. I must have also had a phase where I either was a) very vein or b) got very bored with my profile picture quickly because this was uploaded on the 31st August 2010, only a few weeks after my previous.
  I actually then kept this photo for a few months until the 7th November 2010. I then changed it to a photo of myself and a couple of my friends, one of which is holding my face. I'm not completely sure why this was my profile picture but I remember it being from a friend's 16th birthday party. The quality of this photo is so much better because I remember it being taken on my new at the time Sony A290 DSLR camera. There are so many good memories that go with this photo and the party itself and it's nice to see that I moved away from the typical selfie shot for a while.
  I thought it had kept this as my profile picture for a while, but I then realised I changed it the same day to one of me and one of my best friends. This was taken on the same night and just before the party. I remember I had gotten a new eyeshadow from Maybelline in the run up to this party and so was insisting on trying it out. The shade itself was a beautiful blue/green although I'm not convinced it suited me that well. The rest of my makeup here is quite simple and it's clear to see that my staple eyeliner has been around for at least 4 years now which is crazy! This was also one of the first parties that I went to at someone's house and it set the bar for the parties that followed.
The next profile picture of mine isn't exactly a photo of myself. In fact whilst I was looking through these photos I was trying to remember why I decided that Pingu was going to be set as my photo. Then I remembered that there was a phase on Facebook where someone would post a photo saying 'Set your photo to...' and in this case it was 'Set your profile picture to your favourite childhood tv program.' I used to love watching Pingu when I was little and so I decided on this as my picture. I changed it to this on the 3rd of December 2010 and surprisingly it stayed there until January 21th 2011 when I decided to go back to the selfie stage.

  I'm not sure why, but I then went through a stage of abandoning  my camera and starting using my webcam a lot more. This maybe because these were the days that MSN were in full swing and I'm pretty sure I spent a large amount of my life online. I'm not sure whether it is the awful quality or if it's awful editing on this photo or a mixture of both but I'm not sure why I am a horrible shade of green. I notice that my hair is also shorter in this and I know I'm wearing a top from River Island which one of my best friends also has. In fact this top is still in my wardrobe three years later although I haven't worn it recently.
 About two months later, on the 3rd March 2011, I decided it was about time to have another change. This time I'm still sitting in exactly the same place in my bedroom and the only things that have really changed are my hair, the angle of my face and my clothes. I've even kept up the trend of striped clothing and gone for a more classic black and white number. My hair was probably curled with my old trusty Babyliss ones, which have now exploded. Yet the horrible quality and editing still remains, although my skin doesn't look as green as before. My makeup is exactly the same but I do have a full fringe at this point, which I often swept to the side anyway. 
 My next profile picture continues the trend of using the webcam on my laptop with the most awful quality and in this photo I have on one of my favourite shirts at the time and have styled my hair into plaits. This photo was uploaded on the 31st May 2011 and once again I'm doing the typical smile like in a few other of my profile pictures. This spot in my bedroom must have been a favourite with me because once again it has been taken in the same place as the previous two photos. My makeup looks exactly the same as it was previously and once again there's no surprise that my face and hair look slightly green.
 Next up is a photo that was uploaded on the 2nd of July 2011, the day after my Year 11 prom. Before going to prom myself and some of my friends met at the beach to have some professional photos taken for the event. My next profile picture was one of the photos taken whilst on the seafront and is with one of my oldest friends. I absolutely loved that evening although it was the last time I did see some people as we all went our separate ways after leaving school. The day itself leading up the event was amazing too and I absolutely loved my dress and thought that everybody looked amazing. The weather also stayed nice that day too which was an added bonus.

On the 31st July 2011 I then changed my profile picture again. Once prom was over and exams were done, I had officially left school and had one of the longest summers whilst I was preparing to start Sixth Form. This meant that I spent a lot of time with my friends and family during the summer and so lots of photos were taken. This one is of myself and two friends in our friend's garden. Looking back now I don't particularly like this photo of myself but there are good memories from this photo. I'm glad I moved away from the editing too as this one is very natural but still taken with my Sony camera.
My next profile picture was changed on the 9th September 2011and once again features myself and one of my friends. This particular photo was taken in my Mum's garden when I had a BBQ round there with friends for my 16th Birthday. I remember from this gathering that we set up a mini bar in the shed and I think in this particular photo I was enjoying a lovely cold sangria. This photo always reminds me of the summer and my birthday celebrations that year were awesome.
  In September 2011, I started Sixth Form and started to study for my A-Levels. My next profile picture was taken whilst at Sixth Form, on my friends new laptop webcam. We actually took a series of different photos on the laptop but this was the nicest out of the lot, especially because I was messing around with the different filters and effects. I'm also wearing glasses in this photo although I do not actually need them, as they are my friend's. I don't think that I look that much different from what I do now in this photograph although it was taken almost three years now.
   Next up is a photo that was uploaded 5 months later in February 2012. This is again of myself and two of my other friends and was taken just before a house party. My hair again here looks a bit shorter than before and I still have a half side, half full fringe alongside my straightened hair. I remember the top in this photo was from H&M and I still I think have it in my wardrobe although I haven't worn it in some time.
 I also really like that my lashes look quite long in this photo and I remember that the song 'Whip my Hair' by Willow Smith was really popular around this time because we all danced to it at this party.
  I'm so happy that I'm still good friends with these two girls and they are some of my closest and oldest friends. We've had a lot of good times together throughout our years at high school and Sixth Form and now although I don't see them as much as I used to it's good to spend time with them. The party that night was also really good and there are plenty more photos of that night on the internet.
  My profile picture was next changed in the same month.  After quite a few profile pictures with myself and friends, for this one I went back to a typical selfie. This was taken again with my Sony DSLR and my hair looks much longer in this photo. This is due to the fact that I'm actually wearing some extensions that my sister had and I wanted to try them out. However, I've never actually worn them out in public, my experience with extensions started and ended in this photo.
 I also went back to experimenting with editing in this photo and I probably touched up my face to remove blemishes and I have obviously added a black and white filter. I have to admit I do look a little tired in this photo but I think there is a huge difference between this one and the one before even though they were taken in the same month.
  Next up is my profile picture from 25th August 2012, just after my 17th birthday. I think this photo was actually taken with my iPad, because the quality is no-where near as good as my camera but quite obviously better than my webcam.
My hair actually looks quite messy in this photo and I think I have it in a half up half down style which gives it a bit of volume. This is also one of the only photos where I'm showing my teeth, although admittedly I am only showing half of my face. Again this photo has been changed to black and white, which I really like as a filter and sometimes I prefer photos when they are in black and white.
  I also think my eyebrows look quite groomed in the photo and I like the natural looking arch they have and this photo reminds me of the end of summer time.
  Fast forward to the 26th of September 2012 and I have changed my profile picture yet again. This time I have gone back once again to my Sony camera.
 I think this is one of the first profile pictures where I'm wearing more makeup as usual. Typically I'm wearing my trusted eyeliner and mascara but I am also wearing a red lipstick, of which I think is from the No.7 range in Boots. I really like my makeup look in this and I think this is around the time I started to understand a bit more about different products and what they exactly do and how they work. I wish I had done something to my eyebrows for this photo because everything else looks bold and I think they look a little bit sparse. Filling them in a little bit would have been good I think.
  I've also left my hair natural in this and it is starting to get just that little bit longer. Here I have also started to grow out my fringe and think this suits me much better than a full one.
  I'm actually surprised how white my teeth look in this photo, especially because red lipstick sometimes can make them appear more yellow and I'm surprised that for two photos in a row you can actually see my teeth!
  I then went through quite a long phase where my profile picture was unchanged. In fact the next one was uploaded in January 2013. Again using my Sony I took this photo, which looking back at it now I don't like that much.
  I went back to editing in this photo and think that instead of making myself really pale, I should have either chosen a black or white filter or stuck with the original colouring. In this I have chosen somewhere in between and I don't think it works as well as I obviously thought it did in the first place.
  However I like that I've decided to stick with a lip colour and really like the shade of red I'm wearing, although it may be the same red as before but the filter may have made it look different. I'm also impressed with my eyeliner because it looks almost perfect and I really like the flick I achieved.
  March 2013 signalled another new photo. This time I opted for another black and white image and I also think that it was taken on my iPad. I love the top I am wearing here, which is a grey oversized one shoulder top fron River Island, which I really got into wearing last year after having it sit in my wardrobe for about a year.
 My hair appears to still be growing and it appears much longer than in some of my other photos although once again it looks as though it has been straightened.  
 In June, I changed my photo again and to be honest it doesn't look hardly any different to the previous. The only differences are that I'm wearing something different, the photo is in colour and my hair is slightly wavier. Apart from that the pose, makeup and angle is literally identical. This was taken when I went through a phase of wearing peplum tops because they flattered my figure. I think I have around three of them and the purple one I'm wearing here is now in the bin because I accidentally spilt bleach on it and turned it pink on the spot on the front of my top. It was a sad day.
  My next photo was taken on my sister's Samsung compact camera. This was uploaded on 5th September 2013, a month after my 18th birthday. It's hard to see here if my hair is longer, but I am still trying to grow it longer. My makeup again in this photo is my typical everyday look and I must say it actually looks quite neat. I think this picture was taken just before a party but I'm not sure. Again I've gone for the black and white filter but have moved away from the other editing and I'm not even looking at the camera which is different from my other photos.  
  Next up is a profile picture from this year, on the 15th March. This was taken using my iPhone and uses the filter that I have been obsessed with pretty much since I got the phone. This was taken one day after work when I was bored and I love how dark my hair looks here. Apparently I decided this photo would be much better with only half my face in shot and makeup wise I haven't done anything particularly special, although I think my lashes look quite long which is down to the Maybelline Falsies mascara. I've kept my lip colour very natural here and I look quite happy which is a good thing I think.
 The last photo is the one which is my current profile picture and was only uploaded on the 18th April. It was taken in my conservatory on Good Friday using my iPhone and this is probably  one of the first pictures that hasn't used the instant filter. Instead I went for a classic black and white filter and I really like the results. The quality between the new iPhone 5S and the iPad 2 is incredible. Even the front camera has been improved a lot and this results in me being able to take good quality images of everything without necessarily needing to take my big DSLR out with me.
  You can't tell from the picture but I am wearing one of my favourite pieces of clothing at the moment, which is my bright red blazer from New Look. Since buying it last month it has been a real staple piece in my wardrobe and I have been able to wear it casually and also dress it up for evening and more formal events. 

 



I've enjoyed having a look through all of my profile pictures since I started my Facebook page. I don't actually think I've changed that in 4 years but I still can't believe how quickly that four years has gone!

Saving Money Whilst Shopping

It's no secret that I enjoy shopping on a somewhat regular basis. However over the past few months I have been trying to save and reduce the amount I spend each month on shopping. At first I tried to extreme cold turkey approach where one day I just stopped spending altogether.
 Although this was quite effective, I've now found that I have started to slip back into old habits and the spending is mounting up again. Therefore I have put together some tips and tricks and although they don't stop me spending money, they do help me to save some money which is a good start.

1. Use points/reward systems in stores and online
Many stores nowadays use a number of different reward systems, which in the long run helps consumers save money.
 Drugstores such as Superdrug and Boots have their own versions of an advantage card, where you collect points dependant on the amount of money you spend. In Superdrug it is 1 point for every £ spent and each point is worth 1p. You scan the card everytime you spend money in store and then you can use your points whenever you like to either pay for a full transaction or to put money towards your purchase. I recently used 400 Superdrug points to pay for some of my purchases but that does mean that I have spent over £400 in store which is very scary.
  The Boots Advantage card is very similar but you collect 4 points for each £ spent and each point is worth 1p. However unlike Superdrug you can only use your points to pay for a full purchase and cannot use points to pay for part of your purchase. However using free reward systems is a good way to save money in the long term.

2. Vouchers/Promo Codes
Another way to save money whilst shopping is to make full use of vouchers or promotional codes. 
 Vouchers can be found in multiple places and can be used in a huge variety of different stores. They can be found in magazines or brochures, on receipts and places like Boots often give away vouchers such as money of No.7 makeup when you make purchases. They can entitle you to free things, money off or a multitude of different offers.
  Places like Prezzo usually have offers running from Sunday to Friday varying from 2 main meals for £12.95 to 20% off your food bill. Superstore Morrisons also have a Morrisons Miles scheme where you collect points when you fill up your car and once you reach 5000 you receive a £5 voucher to spend in store.
  Promo codes are similar in that they entitle you to money off your spending, but these are usually found online. There are so many websites nowadays offering codes to type in at the checkout stage of buying online. Many clothes sites such as H&M and Asos usually have promo codes available and can be found on websites such as www.vouchercloud.com and www.vouchercodes.co.uk

3. Offers instore/online
In addition to collecting rewards and points, both online and in store there are usually a whole range of different discounts and offers. Some of these may include 3 for 2 or Buy One Get One Free to 20% off or free delivery for spends over x amount (online.) I know Superdrug and Boots have recently both had a 3for 2 offer on all of their makeup, which means you save money on your third product.


4. Discounts
Another great way to save money if you are a student is to use your student card or apply for one to use. These give great discounts of 10% or sometimes even 20% purchases in store such as New Look and Dorothy Perkins. Student discount also entitles you to a free burger, fries or mcflurry at McDonalds.

5. Sale
Instead of heading straight towards full priced items, shopping in stores sales saves you money and also allows you to find a bargain at a reduced  price. Many stores and online websites have big sales after Christmas and Summer but they also have smaller sales throughout the year to get rid of stuff from the season before. A great way to find some great stuff for a snip of what it was originally priced at.

6. Research
If you are really set on saving some money but still feel the urge to go shopping, I highly recommend researching and planning before hand. Some stores nowadays are starting to sell items that are very similar. If I find something I like, I look at different websites or stores to see if they have something similar that is cheaper.
 Also planning what you are going to buy also helps because it makes you less likely to overspend. If you are set on just buying one top and one pair of jeans you are less likely to come out with the whole collection of scarves they've just put onto the shop floor as well.

My final tip would be to pay for as much as you can with cash. Paying with a card is so easy because it doesn't feel like you are spending money and you don't physically see the money leaving your account. If you pay with cash you can see exactly what you are spending and you are less likely to break into that £20 note which is sitting in your purse.

April 2014 Favourites!

With Spring officially here and the sun shining more, we are already quarter of the way through 2014. This month I've been so busy working but with a few bank holidays and Easter happening it has also been nice to have a few days for rest and relaxation. Here are the products and things which have made April awesome.

Beauty/Makeup

Revlon Colorburst Balm:

Whilst I was out shopping with two of my friends at the start of the month, we realised that Boots had a 3 for 2 offer on all of their makeup. After deciding to buy three lip products, one of my friends recommended to me the Revlon colorburst balms which I had never used before. I actually ended up buying two of them and ever since I have loved using them. I bought two matte shades, one pink and one deep red, and they look amazing. They also smell like mint which I was surprised at when I first got them but since then I have loved the scent. They are great if you are looking for a crayon- styled lip product which hasn't got the common sweet vanilla scent to them. The mint in these makes your lips feel so fresh and hydrated and is certainly a nice change. 

Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick:
As well as the Revlon balms I also picked up a lipstick from the Maybelline Colorsensational range. I had previously picked up two others and loved them so much I wanted to expand my collection. These lipsticks are so pigmented, hydrating and they have a lovely range of colours. I personally find it quite hard to find a red lipstick that I think suits me and in this range I think I've fallen in love with all of the reds. I've even got my eye on a coral shade for the summer which is something totally different to what I would usually buy. These are also so affordable and the packaging is amazing. The tube is a different colour plastic depending on the shade of lipstick you buy and are similar to the Revlon ones in terms of packaging although I am yet to try them.


Sleek Au Naturel Eyeshadow Palette:
My final makeup favourite is a product that has been kept away in my drawer since January. Before using this product I was going to invest in some new decent eye brushes as I thought it would make the end product better. Oh how I regret waiting this long to use this product. It is the Au Naturel eyeshadow palette from Sleek. I've still not got any new brushes but I decided to try using the palette with my old ones and I have been loving the results. The palette I got is a mixture of both matte and shimmery shades, all of which are wearable everyday and in the evening time. I plan on writing a full review on this palette because it has changed the way I do my makeup, especially when I am getting ready for a night out.

Fashion

New Look Heels:

As a treat to myself towards the end of the month I decided to buy myself yet another pair of shoes. However this time I was rather sensible and decided that I actually needed a new pair of shoes to wear on a night out because I actually don't have many of these in my wardrobe. When I saw these black suede platform sandals on the shelf I knew they would be coming home with me. They cost £30 and are actually surprisingly comfortable. I wore them recently on a night out and managed the whole night in them (which included dancing, stairs and walking to a nightclub down a hill from the pub) which is very good for me. They came off just when we were leaving the club because it would have taken around 4 hours to get home but I still call it a success. When they are fully broken in they will be even better!
Gap Checked Shirt:

This shirt from GAP  would have been in my December, January, February and March favourites purely because I have been wearing it so much since I got it for Christmas. I don't usually shop in GAP but picked this shirt up in one of their sales for just £14.99 (reduced from £30) and it is probably the most comfortable and best looking shirts I've bought. I love that it is long sleeved and I love the checked pattern. I probably won't get as much wear from it in the summer but when Autumn and Winter comes around again I'm sure it will make another appearance.



New Look Blazer:

My final fashion favourite this month has been my New Look blazers. At the end of last month I purchased a bright red one from New Look and have been regularly wearing it for both casual and evening occasions. It is of a great quality, with a cream lining and is a great shape and flatters my figure. I have loved this so much that I went back and bought the same one again in a mint green colour and these two have been the main thing that I've been wearing this month. I've found them to be so versatile, pairing them with plain tops and also printed logo tops as well. They also brighten up an otherwise dull outfit and with the sun shining a bit more they just make you feel happy and confident whilst you are wearing them. If the bright colours aren't for you, New Look are also stocking a navy version which is also very appealing.
Food/Drink

Sweet Potato Fries:
This month I have been absolutely loving sweet potato. Whenever I have been out for dinner, I have always scanned the menu for sweet potato fries and have ordered when they have been there. I've preferred them over ordinary fries this month and I'm hoping to make some home-made ones myself or use sweet potato more when cooking in my own home.
Ben & Jerry's Half Baked Ice Cream:
This month I have also gone through a stage of craving ice cream. In particular at the start of the month Morrisons had a deal on all Ben & Jerry's costing only £2.15 for 500ml. This was great because it usually costs nearly £5 and so it was a great bargain. I have been especially loving the half baked flavour, which is half cookie dough and half chocolate fudge brownie which has been very addicting.
Disarronno:
My final food and drink favourite this month has been Disaronno. This is an alcoholic beverage and so should only be consumed if you are of the legal drinking age but this has been amazing. When mixed with Coca Cola it tastes exactly like Dr Pepper and because of this it is so easy to drink too much of it. It has been my drink of choice whilst out too and also it is slightly more expensive than some of the other spirits it is worth it. Some places do make it extremely strong though so make sure you like the taste of Amaretto before you order one. Served best with ice and lime!

Music

The Vamps:
Ever since I discovered The Vamps on YouTube last summer, I have been regularly listening to both their original songs and also their covers. I especially loved their performance in the Radio 1 Live Longue and their cover of Jason Derulo's 'Trumpets.' They have also recently released their debut album and I'm looking forward to listening to it. I've heard a few songs from it so far and some of my favourites are 'Somebody to You' and 'Last Night.'
Radio 1:
I've been a big fan of Radio 1 for years now, but I went through a phase where I found I wasn't listening the station as much. However this month I've rediscovered my love for the station and have been regularly listening to the shows throughout the day. I've noticed that they play a lot of different music too so I've been getting into some music that I wouldn't have discovered otherwise. My favourite shows include Fearne Cotton, Greg James, The breakfast show with Grimmy and Dan & Phil on Sunday evenings from 7pm.

Films/TV

Formula One:
The Formula One season is officially back and we are already 5 races into the season. I have loved watching qualifying sessions and the races once again although there have been some early mornings and falling asleep during races involved after being out the night before. With a huge change in the regulations and the introduction of V6 'power units' the field seems to be much closer together apart from if you are Hamilton or Rosberg in the Mercedes, which has won every single race so far. Hamilton has just wrapped up his 4th win in a row and has made British Formula One history by becoming the most successful British driver in history for the most pole positions. We are now moving into the European part of the season, which sees the drivers and teams visit some of my favourite tracks and I'll be excited to see if Mercedes can continue their dominance and whether or not McLaren can become more competitive.

Random

New Car:
When I started my new job last year, the first thing that I decided to save up for would be a new car. Although there is nothing wrong with my 2003 Ford Fiesta I just fancied a change and had my eye on one of the new Ford Fiestas for a while. Originally I wasn't going to buy a brand new car but as it turned out it was cheaper for me and more practical to take the plunge. I ordered the car at the end of March and have been so excited for it to arrive. I went for the colour 'Frozen White' and had privacy glass added to the rear windows and had parking sensors fitted to the back of the car because it wasn't going to affect the price of the car too much.

Ear Piercings:
Throughout the month of April I have been nursing and taking care of two new piercings. One Saturday me and my friends visited a local piercer and I decided to perhaps stupidly get three at the same time. I already had my lobes pierced once, but wanted them pierced again so had one in each ear followed by having my tragus pierced on my left ear. At the time it was painful and I almost fainted but now that they are healing I've found myself wanting more. I love my new piercings and definitely don't regret them.

 

Introducing: Throwback! + Week 1: Year 11 Prom

Sometimes there is nothing better than looking back at old photographs and bringing back old memories. These events could have happened just a few weeks, months or even years ago, yet living in a digital age means that we are able to document our lives now even more then ever. Over the next few weeks in true 'Throwback Thursday' style I am going to be reminiscing, taking a trip down memory lane.
  These posts will include photos and stories from my past and will include some of the biggest events that have happened to me in the past 18 years. From growing up to attending Prom in 2011, I'm going to look back at the music I used to listen to and the books I used to read as well as sharing some memorable stories.

My first throwback will be to July 2011, nearly three years ago now, the night of my Year 11 prom. After finishing all of our GCSE exams my whole year was invited to spend one more evening together before we all left school and went on to sixth form, college or even work. I had been on the Prom Committee, helping to organise the evening and like my peers, was so excited for the night.
   When the day finally arrived, I certainly made the most of it. Although we didn't need to be at the venue until around 7-7.30pm I actually started getting ready around mid-day. I walked to my Mum's work and we went to my hairdresser's who styled and curled my hair  for me. I knew exactly what I wanted and absolutely loved what my hairdresser did and the style lasted the whole night!
  After my hair was finished it was a quick rush back to my home town where I quickly popped into town to buy a new foundation and to get my nails done. I loved my nails, as they matched my dress perfectly and were so intricate because I had floral patterns painted by hand too.
After leaving town I remember  not having much time at all to do anything more to my makeup apart from touching up the stuff I was already wearing. I then got on my dress and put on my accessories and after a few photos made my way down to the seafront in my Mum's car.
 Around 5.30pm myself and my friends met at the seafront where we had professional photos taken of us by a brilliant local photographer. Our friend had won the shoot at a prom fair type thing a few month previous and it was lovely to catch up with friends and have so many photos taken before we actually went to prom. As we had someone to take the photos for us, no-one missed out on having their photo taken and we were so lucky with the weather because it was a gorgeous evening.
 After we had our photos taken our transport arrived to take us to the venue. Myself and a few of my friends went in a classic white limo, complete with a playlist of music which we could control and a complementary bottle of non-alcoholic drink and the others went in a vintage car, which matched one of our friend's dress.
  I remember us all being so happy on the way to prom, singing and dancing along to so many good songs and about 20 minutes later we arrived at the Golf Club where our prom was held.
 

When we arrived there was already loads of people there. There were some rather interesting dresses and suits admittedly but overall everyone looked amazing.
  Our school year was always big and so when our teachers attempted to get a whole year photo it didn't exactly work. Even to this day I don't think I've seen this attempt but I know it can't be good because there was no organisation to it at all. There was tall people in front of short people and I'm pretty sure even standing on a table didn't get everyone in the shot.
  After the attempted photo shoot we went inside and were seated for our main meal. For starters I had chicken with parma ham I think (tasted like rubber), main was meant to be roast beef (but no Yorkshire puddings!) and for dessert I had chocolate torte (the best part.) After the average dinner we crammed onto the tiny dance floor and had lots of fun dancing to some of the classics.

 

Our prom night ended around midnight when our limo arrived to take us home and the music stopped playing.  We then went on to a house party at a friend's house which ended a brilliant night although many of us were exhausted.
My Year 11 prom was absolutely amazing and I wouldn't have changed any of it. Although it was the last time I saw some people in my year, there was no better way to celebrate all the hard work and effort we had all put in throughout our GCSE's.
  Looking back on it now it's hard to believe that this Summer it was three years ago since Prom. So much has changed since that summer but it's so good to have the photos to look back at and the memories that go with them.

25 More Facts About Me!

During summer last year I decided to write a '50 Facts About Me' post. I really enjoyed writing that post and so thought it was about time I shared 25 more facts about me.
 The original post can be found here: http://tammypenton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/50-facts-about-me.html

25 Facts About Me:

1. I have 4 piercings. Before last month I only had my ear lobes pierced but since then I've had my lobes pierced another two times and and also my left tragus.

2. I like the idea of the saying 'everything happens for a reason.'

3. I love my job, although I never expected to be doing what I am a year ago.

4. Not going to University last September was the best decision that I've made and I haven't regretted it one bit.

5. I believe strongly in doing things that make you happy. I've learnt over the past year that if you don't enjoy what you are doing then you should be brave enough to make a change.

6. Whenever a new season of the TV show Criminal Minds starts, my sister and I always watch it together.

7. Simply spending the day doing nothing is sometimes my favourite way to relax.

8. I love Mexican food.

9. Buying my new car has been my biggest commitment so far.

10. Although I'm of legal drinking age, I'm not the biggest drinker and don't mind being the only sober one on a night out.

11. You can count my DVD collection on one hand.

12. I prefer buying physical CD's rather than downloading music digitally.

13. I like keeping parts of my life secret and there isn't one person that I've told everything to.

14. I live with my Dad and sister.

15. I'm going to my first ever festival in August.

16. I have become much more independent in the last year.

17. I like reading motivational and inspirational quotes.

18. I would love to learn how to play a musical instrument.

19. I wouldn't say I like a particular genre of music. If I like a song and the way it sounds I'll listen to it regardless of who it is sung by.

20. The first thing I notice about somebody is their teeth.

21. I own over 30 pairs of shoes. (Oops.)

22. I love driving, especially when the sun is shining and I'm listening to my favourite songs.

23. Ever since I was born I've lived in the same town.

24. I get distracted too easily.

25. Over the past year I've learnt not to stress too much over the small things and to try and have a more relaxed and chilled attitude.