Saturday, 21 December 2013

1 Year Ago Today

One year ago something happened in our family that completely changed my perspective on life and life itself.

My Dad aged 54 had a stroke. 

Its so weird to think that one whole year ago this event happened. I remember being woken up by my mum at around 1am, after my parents had returned home from a late christmas party, and my dad almost home had a stroke. At first he lost his speech, after him and my mum had been joking around and he suddenly couldn't talk. They the left side of his face feel a bit and he lost support of his body. My mum had to help him get home and called 999. I was woken up, and the rest of the night was a blur of tears, the paramedics arrived and my dad was taken to hospital with my mum and a family friend came over to look after me until the morning. In the morning, my mum told my sister what happened and we went to visit my dad in hospital, who was discharged the next day. Since then he's been diagnosed with a hole in his heart and is on multiple drugs to thin his blood. He is also trying to loose weight and has cut down on his alcohol intake.

Anyway, my point is don't take anything for granted, that night a million things went through my mind, and a lot was regret for not listening to my dad at times, arguing, ignoring, and a massive sense of guilt. You don't think that things like this will happen to you, but can do. Please tell your mum, dad, career, friends and family that you love them, even when you feel you hate them, and be kind to friends, people, I know it sounds cheesy but life is so unexpected and this event still scares me just thinking about it. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and my family through this last tough year and my wonderful best friends, thank you so much.

Ella

Wednesday, 18 December 2013

Christmas cupcakes and decorations!

1 week until Christmas everyone!

Last Saturday (14th December 2013), me and my family went and got our christmas tree from Tarlton, pictures shall be up shortly, and decorated the house with christmas festivities! Lights, baubals, tinsel and candles lit up our home, and the tree was soon up hung with stars, hearts and memory hidden decorations, with the train track chugging around the trunk in a gentle pace.

Today I made some christmas cupcakes for a charity sale we are having tomorrow at a school panto, and I went all out. I was desperatly looking for decorations, such as those of white sprinkles, red food colouring, and maybe mini snowmen and father christmas's, but all I could find was green food colouring and pink sprinkles, ah well. Chocolate chip cupcakes with half white and half brown sugar taste slightly weird, but still edible, with a few month old choccy chips- I don't think anyone will notice, hopefully...

Anyway, below are some cupcake festive photos, and my christmas tree day photos are being developed as we speak!

Merry Christmas one and all,
Ella xx



Friday, 6 December 2013

Blogmas #6

Hi everyone,

Okay I had been planning to do blogmas but I've been so busy so I'm starting on day 6! *sorry hehe*

Today was Friday (of course) and I had Biology, Double physics, maths and private study, god I love fridays..

But we received all our results for mocks, and I couldn't be more happier!!

Maths: BB
Science: AA
History: A*
Geography: A*
History: A*
English: A*
French: A*

*jumps around her room in pure christmas spirit*

Then I got home (late due to the bus hmm) and started on my homework which I have yet to finish. We had fish and chips (me and my sister), then I had the best bath in the history of baths whilst watching elf with a hot choccy, before slipping into my joggers and christmas jumper, now I'm on my laptop watching the rest of elf hehe.

For my bath:

Lush Star Light Star Bright Bath melt
Orla Keely Candle in Blueberry
The Country Candle Company Midnight Pomegranate candle
Velvet Rose Mint Velvet candle
The Body Shop Grapefruit soap

Review:
1. Lush Star Light Star Bright Bath melt
I've tried quite a few of Lush's bath melts but this one was definitely the best! It is a gorgeous silver citrus melt in the shape of a star. When you put it in the bath, the silver melts off and you're left with a white star with blue swirls that dye your bath water a pale blue. Afterwards I smelt of lemons and had glitter on me which I thought was 'lush'!

2. Orla Keely Candle in Blueberry
I'm not a huge fan of fruity scents, but this candle is by far my favourite and smells of heaven. When it burns it releases the scent subtly but overtime and now my room smells of delicious blueberrys!

3. The Country Candle Company Midnight Pomegranate candle
Not only is this candle divine but the packaging is gorgeous and I love it so so much. The smell is also delicious and compliments my other candles really well

4. Velvet Rose Mint Velvet candle
Such a lovely scent, not too strong, but I'm not sure what exactly it is, almost citrusy but not quite, anyway, a lovely simple candle, perfect for cold evenings

Thats it for now guys, fairwell!
Ella xxxx

Saturday, 30 November 2013

Shopping, Snow and Sweaters

November 30th

1 day before the acceptance of christmas cheer. One of the hardest day (in my books) to handle.

Anyway I went christmas shopping anyway..

Kingston shopping is fantastic, Kidson on one street, Topshop on the next, down an alley to LUSH then hop over the road to a bubbling christmas market, a festive atmosphere at its height, with hot mulled wine, frank Sinatra in the background and twinkling white fairy lights totted around the gorgeous victorian renovated cottages.
First I had to buy my friend her 16th birthday present (a few days late I'll admit..), so I went to Oliver Bonus (If you are unfamiliar with this shop, it is heaven for the cute vintage things you always wonder their wareabouts) and bought her a beautiful owl spinning candle, yellow notepad and some owl pins, they were super cute.
Then I had a SecretSanta present to purchase, so along i went to paperchase, *admire the rhyming*. I bought a gorgeous smelling festive candle and some wrapping paper and bags. Then I popped over to boots and grabbed a body lotion and hand food from Soap and Glory, which I kinda of wished I'd kept for myself..

Finally I bought a Nutella crepe, of course and snuggled up on a bench in the cold in my fairsle jumper, true christmas joy.

Oh and no snow appeared despite my prayers

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Top 10 Christmas Jumpers

Hi guys!
Its coming up to christmas and a must have for the festive season is an over-the-top christmas jumper! So I've narrowed it down to 10 of my top favourites with the price and shop it came from. Ive also put them in price order: Cheapest to Slash Out!

1. 3D Christmas Pudding Jumper from George, Asda
Price: £14
Website: http://direct.asda.com/george/womens-knitwear/3d-christmas-pudding-jumper/G004385658,default,pd.html
The cheapest of of the lot, but one of the best. Asda's christmas jumper range this year is it's best, I think, and this lovely jumper is super soft and super cosy. Best worn with leggins.
2. Corrine Reindeer Fairsle Christmas Jumper from Boohoo.com
Price: £15
Website: http://www.boohoo.com/restofworld/winter-warmers/corrine-reindeer-fairsle-christmas-jumper/invt/azz37971?cm_sp=Recently%20viewed-_-Product%20Detail-_-azz37971?cm_sp=Recently%20Viewed-_-Category%20Page-_-azz37971
This is such a lovely jumper and one of my favourites. Its perfect from girls aged 14-16 and comes in either Cream or Red (Cream being my favourite and the one in the image). They're perfect with jeans or leggins.
3. Women's Stag and Deer Jumper from Peacocks
Price: £16
Website: http://www.peacocks.co.uk/christmas/christmas-jumpers/lds-jumper-stag-and-deer-red.html

This jumper from  Dorothy Perkins is such a perfect christmas gift, with beautiful reindeers and snowflakes. It's also great value and super cosy. DP don't usually do that many christmas jumpers, so grab it while it lasts!

4. Fairisle Stag Jumper from George, Asda
Price: £16
Website: http://direct.asda.com/george/womens-knitwear/fairisle-stag-jumper/G004387307,default,pd.html

Definetly one of my top favourites! A beautiful mix of coral, cream, blues and blacks, this is such a pretty jumper and perfect for a hot chocolate and Love Actually.

5. Alexia Reindeer Knit Jumper from Boohoo.com
Price: £20
Website: http://www.boohoo.com/winter-warmers/alexia-reindeer-knit-jumper/invt/azz36818?cm_sp=Best%20Sellers-_-Category%20Page-_-azz36818

Such a gorgeous jumper, and it goes amazingly well with some plum lippy or red wine. 

6. Skiing Robin Jumper from Dorothy Perkins
Price: £25.20
Website: http://www.dorothyperkins.com/en/dpuk/product/clothing-203535/knitwear-203563/skiing-robin-jumper-2443847?bi=1&ps=200

This little red robin is super cute and perfect for any kids/teens.

7. Asos Christmas Jumper in Reindeer Fairisle from Asos
Price: £35
Website:http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Christmas-Jumper-in-Reindeer-Fairisle/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3157113&cid=2637&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=36&sort=-1&clr=Multi

I really love these type of jumpers and they look great with maxi skirts too but I was quite disappointed  with Asos's festive jumpers this season. 

8. Knitted Gingermen Man Jumper from Topshop
Price: £42
Website: http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/knitwear-444/knitted-gingerbread-man-jumper-2411745?bi=1&ps=20

Topshop's jumpers were awful this year! I found two that I thougt were quite nice but all the others were dreadful! What happened Topshop? This cute gingerbread man jumper is perfect for the festive hols though.


9. Knitted Fairisle Yoke Jumper
Price: £48
Website: http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/knitwear-444/knitted-fairisle-yoke-jumper-2322717?bi=1&ps=200

I really love this Olive coloured jumper from Topshop, its super warm and cosy and is crying out for a hug. I think I shall order this one for myself..

10. Fat Face Andi Angora Mix Jumper in Navy from FatFace, John Lewis
Price: £48
Website: http://www.johnlewis.com/fat-face-andi-angora-mix-jumper-navy/p747180


My final choice, although quite pricey, is really perfect for blonde's and short haired girls. Its pattern is a classic Christmas sign to grab that tree and mince pies!

So that rounds up my top 10 favourite christmas jumpers! Next Top 10 Christmas Tunes! Thanks for reading, Ella Bellaa x

Saturday, 9 November 2013

Topshop Make-Up

Hello everyone,

So as my last blog post kinda of summed up, I love autumn! However, I have very little autumn make-up and quite alot of peachy, coral-y summer-type make-up, so I went online and ordered a few things from Topshop which I shall share with you all!







What I brought:
Lips in Hazard £6.00
Lips in RioRio £6.00
Matte Nails in Sober £8.00
Matte Nails in Crushy £8.00


Happy shopping everyone!

EllaBella

Mock Fun

Mock time is upon us. Wow I'm so excited I just can't control myself.

Anyway, sarcasm out of the way, although its stressful, tiresome, makes you loose contact with friends, causes arguments, makes you moody, get emotional about some tiny thing like dropping your pen, etc etc,  I guess I can see some of its benefits.

Firstly, it prepares you for the real thing, which I think I'm going to need a lot of, considering in my French Listening mock, I may have fallen asleep for a few questions...

Secondly, it helps you revise early for your actual exams, so when real revising comes in place, you're half-way there.

Thirdly, you miss school for 1 1/2 weeks, which I'm not going to complain about.

Anyway on that note, I should actually be revising Pythagoras and his sassy theorem, along with hypotonic solutions and tectonic plate margins.

Toodle doo,

EllaBella

Friday, 8 November 2013

Hello!

Hi Guys!
Okay so this is my first ever blog post..wow.
I'm not too sure what my blog is going to be about or what will happen over time, but we'll just have to wait and see, something along the lines of reviews, maybe some beauty(?) and some other things thrown in.

So lets get started!
EllaBella x

Fireworks Party

'Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason'

Hot chocolates, 3 blankets, endless refillings of hot water bottles and smoky warm fires. Ahh I do love Autumn.

Many say their favourite seasons are summer or spring, because it starts getting warmer and new life emerges, but autumn is by far my favrouite, with gorgous landscapes of amber, crimson and browns, and leaves crunching under wellies covered in a light frost. 

In autumn you get things like halloween, bonfire and fireworks, and every year our family has a big party celebtrating fireworks.
This year I'm wearing (make-up wise):

GOSH nail lacquer in golden brown 573
Nivea lip butter in Raspberry Rose
Rimmel London Wake Me Up concealer in 020
No7 Natural blush tint powder in Soft Damson
No7 'Amazing Brown Pencil' 10
No7 Fanomenal Lashes

I know thats alot of No7 make up but even though its an 'own brand' and I tend not to go for those kind of brands, but No7 make up is actually really good, especially the masca, which fully fans out my lashes, and makes them look longer and fuller. The blusher is such a natural tone, which I adore, and is perfect for this kind of season. The brown pencil I used for my eyebrows and my eyeliner, which makes my eyes look more natural and fresher, and not so heavy.

I've ordered 2 lipsticks and 2 nail varnishes off Topshop which should be arriving Saturday so I'll do I blog update then.

What are you guys up to for autumn? Have you got a special pair of wolly socks or a christmassy jumper (don't get angry, I love christmas, and usually start celebrating a bit too early..)

Ella Bella