UPDATE AUGUST 2015

I know I haven't posted anything on this blog for ages but I've been so busy, its just insane so I thought I would update you on what's been happening over the last few weeks.

Probably the biggest thing that happened in August is that I got my A-Level Results and I'm so happy to say that I PASSED. Like I said before, it hadn't really hit me until the day before but when it did, I felt so nervous. I woke up really early on the day and checked on Twitter to see how people were feeling before we went to get our grades from Sixth Form at 9am. There were some people who were saying that they were so happy because they had gotten into university and so I decided to look on UCAS just in case. I couldn't find my password for about 15 minutes and my heart was literally racing the entire time. But when it finally worked, I just froze through sheer shock when I read the words 'Congratulations'. I obviously didn't know the actual grades until I went to pick them up at about 9am but I didn't care because I got into university which is all I've EVER wanted.

Actually as I'm writing this, I move out in 6 days which still hasn't hit me and I don't think it will until I get there. I've got pretty much everything sorted apart from the fact that I need to get my student ID and enrol for the on campus surgery which I can do when I get there, but I'd rather do it before. All my accommodation has been sorted and paid for and I've got a few books on Psychology which is what I'm going to be studying, all ready to go. A lot of the basic household things that I need I haven't bought yet but really its just because I don't want to have to travel with a load of stuff I might not need, so I plan to buy things there. I would definitely like to write a 'Tips for Uni' type blog post once I've got settled in, so I can pass on anything I've learnt to other freshers or people possibly thinking of going to university.

Another thing that I wanted to speak about is the fact that I have my own car which is so EXCITING. I don't know if I mentioned but I was looking into getting a car first and then my mom told me that it might be cheaper to put me on her insurance, which it wasn't. Then my auntie decided that she was selling her car so my mom bought it for me as kind of a 'Congratulations-for-getting-into-uni-and-happy-birthday' type gift because it was my birthday 2 weeks after. I turned 18 so I am now an ADULT. It feels both weird and strange and yet completely normal at the same time. I did say that I was going to write a blog post about my birthday presents like I did the year before last which I will leave a link to here (My 'Sweet Sixteen'), but I didn't get a hell of a lot which I knew, because people just gave me money and like I said, the car from my mom was my bulk gift. I did get a few clothes, some shoes and champagne, which I have yet to open.

The last and final thing I wanted to speak about was that I have actually handed my notice in at work so I did my last shift on Saturday. It wasn't like particularly special or anything really, but I was told by my team manager that he secured me a transfer from this store to the one near my university campus. He also said that he kept my job here meaning that when I come home during half-term or at Christmas at whatever, I can still work at my local store which was really nice of him. I want to ring the general manager to make sure that its actually legit and find out all the details because I literally have NO idea what's going on with. I don't know if I'm moving departments or starting a new contract.

So that's pretty much all I have to update you on for the month of August, I definitely want to write about how September goes especially since it'll be my first month away from home.

Tayla xx


UPDATE JULY 2015

UPDATE JULY 2015

I started this blog post thinking that there would be little to update you on but honestly, quite a bit has happened this month that I didn't even realise until I finished writing, so I thought I would tell you.

 

Now the biggest thing that's happened is that I've started my driving lessons again. Like I said before, I did loads of lessons but then because of exams and revision sessions after school, it was just really difficult me for to continue on with it. Plus, my driving lessons were really expensive and I just wasn't getting on well with my instructor. I mean, there wasn't anything wrong with him specifically, he just didn't suit me and how I needed to learn. Anyway, I switched from a large driving company to an individual woman who was recommended to me by my friend, who passed her driving test last year so I trusted her opinion and I'm so GLAD I did. I've already had one lesson with this one woman and it was fantastic. I was so nervous about even getting into the car because by this point, I hadn't driven for over 2 months so I thought I would have forgotten everything. However, within 5 minutes of driving, I felt so comfortable with it; it was as if I hadn't had any time off at all. It sounds bad when I say that she was hardly paying attention to my driving but honestly, I think it helped me. It meant that some things started to become more instinctual because someone wasn't telling me exactly what to do like my other instructor did; I just had to do it for myself. The lessons with her are also cheaper so it really just works out better for me overall.

 

The next thing I wanted to update you about is work. It was going so well until the 6 weeks holidays started and now the shop is ridiculously busy just ALL the time, especially since I work on Thursdays, Friday's and Saturdays when so many customers come in with their bratty little children. It also means that I'm called onto the checkout constantly which means any work I'm supposed to be doing on my department goes undone. Anyway, what I wanted to say was that my boss found out that I am quitting at the end of the month (because I'm going to university, hopefully) and so asked Personnel if I could be transferred to the store near campus, which was so nice of him. One of the women from Personnel then spoke to me and said she would send them an email of recommendation if I ring up and introduce myself first, which I will once I find out my results and whether I'm actually going to university now.

 

That brings me into my next thing that I wanted to talk about which is A-Level Results day. I'm writing this 2 days before I find out and yet I'm still not as nervous as I thought I would be. Honestly, I really don't know how I feel about it so I'll have to wait until after I actually get my results to see.

The last thing I wanted to say was that it is currently 16 days until my 18th birthday and I'm so excited. It's so awful being the last one out of all my friends who turns 18 because they all go out all the time and I just have to stay at home. I think I'm just going to do something simple like dinner and a few drinks with my friends. We haven't got long before we all go our separate ways so I just think it'd be nice for us all to get together and have a little fun.

Anyway, I'll definitely be writing an A-Level Results day post like I did last year, as well as writing an update on how August goes.

Tayla xx

 

 

July Favourites 2015

July Favourites 2015

This is my list of things that I have been loving for the month of July, let me know what other products that you LOVE that I should try. Word of warning: this one is kind of a long post because I went full on in writing about why these things are my FAVOURITES so grab a drink, settle in and enjoy.
 

Makeup products:
Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24H in 01 Black: you've probably heard me talk about this before but honestly, it is my 'go-to' gel eyeliner. It is the only eyeliner that I constantly go back to because I love it so much. I've had the same one for literally years and I know people say you should replace your makeup after a certain amount of time but I don't really believe that. The gel eyeliner was so cheap and I'm only about halfway through the pot. I always recommend this one to my friends but they always say that gel eyeliner is difficult to use yet this one really isn't. The brush they give you works so well and as long as you press the Brussels down into a fine point, you can draw the thinnest line of eyeliner. I've also for the first time in forever starting doing winged eyeliner which this gel works so well for. It's just perfect for everything and will always be my absolute favourite.

 

The links below are to previous blog posts over the years where this gel eyeliner has been in my monthly favourites and as you can see, I always return to the same one which proves how GOOD it is.
 

November Favourites 2013

April Favourites 2014

My Favourite Eyeliners 2014

Maybelline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara: I can't remember specifically why I bought this mascara; I know I needed a new one and my friend was getting another one of the BRAND ones so I just thought I would get this one. I don't really look for much when it comes to mascara yet I was really impressed with this one. It really makes a difference to my lashes which is actually really rare. I don't tend to use a lot because I don't like when my eyelashes get crunchy but this mascara is actually really good, and relatively cheap if I remember correctly.

 

 

Music:

My Summer Playlist: I've actually added more music to my Spotify playlist as well as taking certain songs off because I'm constantly changing my mind about things. Music is supposed to reflect your mood and right now, its very 'pop' inspired. Like I said before, I never listen to music that is necessarily current, I like listening to songs that mean something to me, whether that's because it reminds me of a particular time in my life or whether I just like the song. I thought I would include this in my music favourites because my playlist is just fab right now.

'X' by Ed Sheeran: I have just got rid of all my music on my iPod because there was over 500 songs on there and it was just becoming way to difficult to find what songs I wanted. Half of them had no titles plus there was about 40 songs that I had multiple versions of from different compilation albums so I decided to just start over. So right now, I only have songs on my iPod and iPhone from albums that I physically have and I will be adding more songs once I get the time. Anyway, I bought my mom the Ed Sheeran album either for Christmas or her birthday last year but I put it onto my iPod as well so I have been listening to that on repeat. I usually listen to it on my walk to work and I'm OBSESSED. I've heard all the songs hundreds of times individually because my mom plays the album in her car but I've never just listened to the entire album as a whole. I would definitely recommend it to anyone because you can really tell listening to it how real and personal the lyrics are to him.

Other:
Psychobabble with Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl: I've been watching Tyler's videos on YouTube for literally years because I think he's such an incredible person. He uses his platform to raise awareness towards issues that the LGBT+ community face and I think that is just amazing. I've always supported what he stands for because I think that not only does he do that but he has been the driving force for more tolerance of all sexualities within both YouTube and just wider society in general. I particularly love his videos with his best friend Korey and so I was super excited when they announced that they were starting a podcast late last year. I've listened to every podcast MORE than once because they make me laugh from start to end with their random chats about pop culture as well as other weird things they talk about along the way. I would definitely recommend the podcast to anyone who has half an hour a week to spend just LAUGHING. I listen to it on SoundCloud on my phone because its easier for me that way but its also available on iTunes if that works for you.

Netflix: I know, I KNOW that I am obviously the last one to realise how incredible Netflix is but I have a reason for this I promise. I'm the type of person that gets obsessed with things easily as you've already probably noticed, but I knew that if I started an account that I would just watch shows all day long which is EXACTLY what I've been doing. I waited until I finished Sixth Form so that I wasn't wasting my time watching episodes when I was supposed to be revising so let's hope that worked out. Anyway, I've already binged watched 3 seasons of Orange Is The New Black which I liked but didn't necessarily LOVE. The last season was so much better because I feel like the story was just starting to go somewhere but I will obviously be watching the next season to see what happens to Piper and the gang. Anyway, the show I really wanted to talk about is Pretty Little Liars. Now don't tell me any spoilers because I've only just got onto season 4 but I am HOOKED. My friend has been telling me to watch it for months and now we can finally have conversations about it which is so exciting. I've literally been watching about 10 episodes a day which is so incredibly unhealthy but honestly, what else do I have to do? I know its summer and all but here where I live, its raining right now so I'm using that as an excuse to get through as many episodes as I can.

 

I have no clue why I wrote so much for each product; I guess it just provides how much I've been loving these things. Anyway, I promise I will see you on Friday with another blog post and I know I say that every week but I do TRY. Life is just crazy now but trust me, I do still enjoy blogging and wish I could have more time to do it.

 

Tayla xx

 

Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

I want to apologise for the fact that I haven't blogged for two weeks; I know that I said I would post every Monday and Friday and I did plan to write during those times but I've been given loads of extra hours at work, meaning that I've hardly had any time to do anything other than sleep, and trust me, I've definitely needed it.

 

Anyway, I thought I would dedicate my entire day to writing a few blog posts, starting with one that I've wanted to write for literally months. As you probably remember, I was given a blender for Christmas last year and so today, FINALLY, I am going to write a strawberry smoothie recipe blog post. I will say before I officially start that I did try to work out the exact measurements a few times but honestly, it just doesn't matter. The more smoothies you make, the easier it becomes to make what you like.

 

Now because this recipe is strawberry based, I would say make sure the strawberries you have are fresh because it really does effect the overall taste of the smoothie; it just tastes so much better. I tend to quickly wash them with water and then freeze them before I use them. That way they are both fresh and can be used instead of ice to make sure your smoothie is super cold for a warm summer's day. I'd say about a handful or so of strawberries is fine enough, you'll always be able to add more if you need to.
 

This is when you should add the juice you've chosen because it means that you can actually blend the strawberries you've just added. I would recommend again another juice that is berry-based because it doesn't change the overall taste of the smoothie. The first few times I tried making this, I used a tropical orange juice and while I still liked the final taste, my mom did say it tasted a bit sour because of the contrast between the fruit and the juice. Adding the juice to the blender can be kind of a guessing game because it really depends on the amount of strawberries you've used. It should kind of be a bit thinner than you want it at this point because there are a few final ingredients that are added right to the end.

 

At this point, I also recommend adding some extra berries to your mixture, just to really increase the amount of vitamins in your smoothie. Blueberries are a really good source of vitamin K and C, just like the strawberries. This helps to protect your cells and increases wound healing.

I tend to just put about half a handful in because it very quickly changes the colour of the smoothie from a bright red to a deep purple. I've often used raspberries as well because they have many health benefits too. This is also where you can add more ice if you need to, I usually add 4 or 5 ice cubes because I like my smoothies to be freezing cold because I do really only make them on really warm days. This might also be where you have to separate your mixture in order to blend the ice completely; I usually have to do this because my blender is completely full by this point and its the best way to make sure that there are no pieces of fruit or ice left at the bottom.

The last step is to add a banana to your smoothie. Now, I do this because it thickens up your mixture and makes it super creamy and delicious. And that's pretty much it. You can change parts up yourself or not include certain ingredients, its entirely up to you. I hope you enjoy your smoothie, however you decide to make it.

 

Tayla xx

 

My Summer Playlist

 

 



My Summer Playlist

Every now and then in my monthly favourites, I write about certain songs that I have been loving so I thought I would write an entire post about music that I have been listening to recently. Most of the time I listen to my playlist on Spotify because it's easier for me yet there are certain songs that are only on YouTube and so I listen to them there as well. My playlist is about 3 hours long so I thought I would narrow it down to only the best songs that I am DEFINITELY going to be listening to over this summer.

Worth It by Fifth Harmony ft. Kid Ink

This song has been the song that I have been listening to pretty much on REPEAT. I first heard the song when they performed at the Capital FM Summertime Ball which I watched online. It was really catchy and since then it's been stuck in my head; I also saw them on the Jimmy Kimmel show where I think their performance was much better.

 

Bad Blood by Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar

I wrote a review on this song a few weeks ago but its still definitely one I'm LOVING. I just think its one of Taylor's best songs yet and like I said before, the music video is so good. It really is. I saw her perform the song as she wrote it, without Kendrick Lamar but to be honest, I don't think its as good. I like his rap in the song because it makes the song a bit edgier which is a bit different to other Taylor Swift songs that are very strictly 'pop'.

 

Black Magic by Little Mix

I saw the countdown on Twitter for this music video but if I'm being honest, it wasn't that impressive which is why I didn't review it when it came out. But I do REALLY love the song; I again watched the song first performed at the Capital FM Summertime Ball and they were incredible. I have liked them since they were on the X Factor and they've only gotten better since then, which this song proves.

 

Black Widow by Iggy Azalea ft. Rita Ora

This song isn't a new release but I've only just started listening to it now. I tend to do that with many songs because I don't listen to chart music so it takes me a while to get into current music, and by the time I do, it's no longer relevant. Anyway, I like this song because again I saw Rita Ora perform it at the Capital FM Summertime Ball and I just really like it. I think that Iggy Azalea is a really good rap artist and many songs that she's released herself or has been featured on, I tend to like so I thought I would put this on my playlist.

 

One Last Time by Ariana Grande

This song is old as well (i.e. about a year old) but again I have only just discovered it. I remember hearing little parts of it a while ago but I'd never listened to the entire song altogether. I've only just watched the music video for it and I really like it because of how incredibly simple it is. I'm always completely blown away by Ariana's voice and I think this song definitely caters to her.

 

Clouds by One Direction

This was the first song I saw performed without Zayn and I genuinely think that they were AMAZING. I didn't even notice the fact that Zayn wasn't there because they put on such an incredible performance of the song. I was a bit worried about how they would cover Zayn's voice because as you know I am an dedicated One Direction fan but honestly, they sound great and I would encourage you all to look at some of their performances without him cause they are so good.

 

Bills by Lunchmoney Lewis

I hadn't even heard of this song until my friend recommended it to me and I'm obsessed. It always reminds me of her because its so carefree and relaxed. The lyrics always make me laugh and so does the music video because its so ridiculous but I really love the song. It was also the first time in years I've listened to a song that has been on its way up the charts which just shows how GREAT the song is.

Biscuits by Kacey Musgraves

Now this song is a country song and I've never really been into country before yet I heard someone recommend this on a podcast and I have to say, I LOVE it. If you listen to the lyrics, they sort of just sum up everything I feel. The song is just about being yourself and not interfering with the way other people choose to live their lives which I think is a pretty good sentiment.

 

Blank Space by Taylor Swift

I've written a review on this song which I will link because I still love the song in exactly the same way as I did when I wrote that blog post, so you can read all of my thoughts on the music video if you want right HERE.

 

18 by One Direction

The last song I wanted to write about is again from One Direction. Again, I am a huge fan of theirs and I absolutely LOVE their latest album 'FOUR'. I would have loved to have included all of their songs from the album on this list but it would have been way too long. I would definitely recommend the album because all of the songs are so well written and produced that I think people who aren't even fans of One Direction would enjoy it. I think '18' is one of their best; every time I listen to it, I just want to cry because it is so incredibly beautiful. I particularly like it because Harry sings the entire first chorus and as you know, he is my absolute favourite.

 

So that's it from me; like I said, I did have many MANY more songs I could have included but the post would just be way too long. Now that I've finished Sixth Form, I am trying to get onto a schedule of posting every Monday and Friday at 6pm so if you would like to follow my blog post then you can.

 

Tayla xx

 

UPDATE JUNE 2015



UPDATE JUNE 2015

I wanted to write a blog post on how this month has been going because its been pretty good so far. It was this blog's second birthday earlier this month which I've had marked down on the calendar and yet I still almost managed to forget because it was just before my exams started. Anyway, I thought I would do a little update because there's been quite a few good things that have happened recently which I thought I would tell you about.

 

One of them is that I passed my driving theory test last week which is so great, I didn't tell anyone that I had it booked just in case I didn't pass again. But I did and I'm so happy as well. I've also been helping my friend with advice on passing your theory because she is planning to book hers soon. Anyway I want to look into starting my driving lessons again because I have a goal of passing my practical test before my 18th birthday, or at least before I go off to university.

 

Like I said a few blog posts ago, I am looking into starting my driving lessons again but I'm definitely going to have to research it a lot beforehand in order to get the best person for me. I want to write a whole post on my driving experience once I eventually pass because its been kind of a rollercoaster for me personally. I just wish that I'd looked into it a lot more before I started because its more difficult, and more expensive, than people think. I want to be about to write about my own experience on learning how to drive.

 

Probably the biggest thing I wanted to update you on is the fact that I have FINALLY finished Sixth Form. All of my exams are done and overall I think they went pretty well. I don't know if I told you but I did 10 exams this year, 3 of which were re-sits for Year 12. I did 2 Psychology re-sits, Core Studies and Research Methods, and then 1 English re-sit on WW1. I thought all 3 of them went better than last year but honestly, I don't know how much more marks I would have scored. I mean, I was pretty confident about last year's Psychology and English exams and yet I got a D and C overall so who really knows?

 

So the exams I did this year went as good as can be expected. I felt really good leaving every single one of them because I could answer pretty much all the questions. I did 2 General Studies exams (one of which went better than the other), an English exam on Love Throughout the Ages, 2 Psychology exams (one on Health and Clinical Psychology and Forensic Psychology and the other on Research Methods and Approaches) and 2 Sociology exams (one on Beliefs and one on Crime and Deviance). I felt really funny on the last day, I had 2 exams and I had signed out of Sixth Form before my final one so I literally had nothing I needed to do. My last exam was General Studies so I didn't revise for the last few hours before it; me and my friend just sort of walked around school, had a few chats with our favourite teachers and just spoke around life. It was really weird but really good as well, after the exam was done, I just walked out feeling FREE. It was like this weight had been lifted, like I didn't have to revise for anything which means no stress, until results day that is.

 

So speaking of results day, its Thursday the 13th of August which is just over 6 weeks away. The anxiety has not yet set in but it definitely will at some point in the next month. I'm just hoping that I will forget about it for a little bit and give my mind a little bit of a break. I've been trying my best to distract myself with other things but unfortunately with work, I only do 3 days a week and so the rest of the time, my mind RACES.

 

Luckily though, I've been given a few more hours which uses up some time, plus I'll be earning some money which is great. As far as work goes, I've signed off some parts of my training card which is pretty cool. It was all fairly simple to be honest but I'm so glad I did. I've done about 6 weeks now and I feel very settled there. I know what I have to do every shift, certain priorities and the layout of my department. Like I said before, I'm on a 13 week contract so technically I'm about half way through but I really hope I am given the job at the end of it. It would be a good way to use my summer and earn a bit of money before I go off to university.

 

That's pretty much the end of my update for this month. There's not much else that I need to say apart from the fact that I am planning to write a few more blog posts and I know I say that all the time but honestly, I have so much more free time so I can write, and I WILL be. My last post is linked below as always; it was just a little update on the biggest things that have happened to me since I started the blog which was a really interesting one to write. If you want to check it out, feel free. There's also all of my other update blog posts linked within that one in case you want to have a little read.

Tayla xx

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY BLOG

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY BLOG

Yesterday was my blog's second birthday and I have to say I was super EXCITED. I feel like it was literally only a few weeks ago that I created this wonderful little website, if I do say so myself, but the fact that it was two years ago just BLOWS my mind. I've had yesterday's date set on my phone since last year because I always wanted to remember when I started blogging and because I'm a sentimental idiot. I will leave a link to last year's birthday blog post called HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG. (I see my blog titles are just as straightforward as ever). Anyway, I wanted to talk about a few things that have changed for me in the last two years.

 

Joining Sixth Form was probably the biggest life change for me. I went from my high school, my sort of safe place I guess you could say since I had all of my friends there, I knew all of my teachers, it was close to my house, plus I'd spent FIVE WHOLE YEARS there so I was comfortable. But when it came time to leave, I chose to go to a Sixth Form that wasn't in the same area so the only people I knew, were the small handful who came from the same high school as me. Looking back, it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be and I settled in really quickly. The walk there, as I've mentioned many times before is an hour long and yet I've sort of gotten used to it now so it really isn't that bad. Last Thursday was my last official day and I have to say that walking out of there made me feel really good. I think I've changed a lot as a person because of that place and I really appreciate it. I'm more accepting of different ideas which I feel like maybe I lacked before. I'm hoping that this will continue on because it was a really good learning experience for me.

 

Another thing that I wanted to talk about which has changed in the last two years is the fact that I now have a job which is so GREAT. It's only part time, on a 13 week contract but its been really good so far. It kind of came at the right time for me because I started about 5 weeks ago which was right before my AS resit exams. Since then, I've gotten used to the hours I work and the general things I have to do during my shift, so I feel like I've settled in well. Everyone is so nice and they always help me whenever I ask, which is pretty much every shift because I'm always the one customers ask despite the fact I know where NOTHING is in the store. If someone asks me where something is in my department, then I'm just about helpful but anything else, and I'm USELESS. One of the biggest reasons why I'm happy I now have a job is because once I finish my exams in 2 weeks time, then I'm going to ask to pick up more shifts so I can earn some more money. My goal is to have £1000 in my bank by my birthday so I have a little bit of freedom in my first few weeks at university, so I can settle in before I have to find a job and become a real adult.

The last thing I wanted to talk about which is another big thing I guess, is my driving lessons. Now, I'm not going to fully go into detail, just because I might write about it in a future blog post if I ever pass my test. Anyway, I've finished my lessons for a little while just while my exams are happening and I will continue them after but for right now, its just better to come back to them in a few weeks. I'm changing instructors as well because while the person teaching me is really good, the lessons are so expensive and its taking me forever to save money which I HATE. I've always been good at saving money but ever since learning to drive, it breaks my heart wasting that much money, especially since the company I use only does 2 hour lessons so I'm literally buying new lessons every few weeks.

Overall, that's probably all I have to say right now. Its kind of been a crazy few years which I can't even begin to summarise in this little conclusion so I will leave a link to my past UPDATE blog posts in case you want to have a little read. Soon I will be blogging more and I know I say that ALL the time but honestly, Sixth Form and exams are taking up my entire life but its almost over. And I'm so happy. I will update you guys on how my exams went like I did last year; I actually did my first real exam this afternoon so I will start that post and just add to it every time I've done another one. So, I'll end this blog post right here, I hope you have a wonderful week doing whatever you're doing and I wish anyone doing exams good luck over the next few weeks.

Tayla xx

High School VS. Sixth Form

 

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2013

 

UPDATE DECEMBER 2013

 

UPDATE MARCH 2014

 

UPDATE MAY 2014

 

UPDATE JUNE 2014

 

UPDATE AUGUST 2014 

 

UPDATE JANUARY 2015

 

REVIEW: 'Bad Blood' by Taylor Swift

I've written a few music video reviews on Taylor Swift but it's just because she is absolutely KILLIN' it recently. I've always thought she's an incredible artist and her last few singles have just proved that, they really have. For those of you who don't know, how I have no idea since its been all over everywhere, but Taylor Swift recently released her music video for 'Bad Blood', a song which is reportedly about fellow pop singer Katy Perry. Now, I don't really care whether it is about her or not, because it is such an incredible song.

 

The video is completely different to everything Taylor has ever done, all of which I love, yet I have to say that this music video may be her best one yet. It starts off with Taylor aka Catastrophe fighting a load of bad guys with Selena Gomez aka Arsyn, until she double crosses her. The rest of the video shows Taylor rounding up her army, a whole host bad-ass of female celebrities, to help her defeat Arsyn. The video has loads of action and is very heavily female orientated, featuring celebrities such as Lena Dunham, Karlie Kloss, Jessica Alba, Cara Delevigne, Ellie Goulding and many MANY more.

 

'Bad Blood' has been out for just over two weeks now and I have listened to it on REPEAT which is probably why it has over 116 million views. That is absolutely insane but I have to say that Taylor deserves it. Her '1989' album has received so much praise and I know that she's only going to get better and BETTER.

#RoyalBaby2

Tayla xx


PS. Taylor Swift's last three singles have been reviewed by me so I thought that I would leave a little link to them just in case anyone wants to read them. I still listen to both of them and its been months since they've been released which just PROVES how great the songs are.

REVIEW: 'Blank Space' by Taylor Swift

REVIEW: 'Style' by Taylor Swift

#RoyalBaby2

This is the second blog post that I have dedicated to a Royal Baby. The first one being Prince George of course and now his little sister Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. It's kind of crazy because I wrote a blog post about George's birth and to think almost 2 years later, I'm writing another one about Charlotte. She was born on the 2nd of May 2015 at 8:34am and within a few hours, I read somewhere that she is one of the most powerful women in the world, which is INSANE if you think about it.

 

  

I just wanted to say Congratulations to both Kate and Will for producing another beautiful little baby. Like I said the first time, I know some people aren't really into the Royals but I really am. I think they are incredible people to lead this country, not just in terms of the monarchy but as traditional British symbol for the rest of the world to view, I think they are just perfect for it.

 

I always think about my life in terms of big events like this, I want to know where I'm going to be, the person I'm going to be, when Prince George or Princess Charlotte comes into power. It's really something to think about, isn't it?

 

Spring 2015

 

Tayla xx

Spring 2015

For the last few weeks, I've been taking photos of just cool flowers that I've seen on my way to Sixth Form as well as just out and about. Now here in the UK, it had been raining for what feels like forever and then all of a sudden, the sun APPEARED. The flowers bloomed, the temperature rose and everyone started acting so much more pleasant. I really appreciate the seasons just in general, especially since I've been writing this blog and dedicating certain posts over the years to wonderful beauty that is nature. As I've said, it takes me a few weeks to collect the photos and so doing this sort of confirms the fact that its time for the seasons to change.

    

 The photo on the left is genuinely one of my favourite photos I've taken for this post. I took it in one shot on my way home and I just thought it looked cool. The entire field I walk through in the right photo is absolutely filled with daisies and it made me think of my childhood. I spent so long making daisy chains with my friends during lunch time so now whenever I see the flower, I always just feel happy and sentimental about that particular time in my life.

 

I walk past these flowers every day and I've always thought they were so beautiful. It's not really captured well in these photos because they're hanging over someone's garden wall. I had to go on my tip-toes just to take the photos which is why they look a bit off. Anyway, I really like the bright pink so I thought I would show you guys.

     

 I literally have no idea what the yellow flowers are but they were as bright in real life as they are on here. The purple flowers in the middle are actually part of someone's tree in their front garden and I'm so glad I managed to get this photo when I did because they really look their best here. The flowers themselves have been drooping and fading in recent weeks which is actually annoying because they are so beautiful. They are also right across from a field where I tried to take a photo of the sheep in there because the quality of my camera (also known as my phone) is really REALLY bad.

I'm pretty sure these photos are from two separate blossom trees from around where I live. Now I think they are so beautiful and it really represents Spring to me because I used to have a blossom tree near my house and again it represents my childhood.
 

I thought I would save the photo below for the end because I just thought it was the MOST beautiful picture I've probably ever taken. I also thought that it should be on its own for this very reason; take a second to just appreciate it...

I did take a few photos from the other side so that you could see how large the tree is but again, the quality wasn't the best plus it was quite a cloudy day at the time so the photos didn't look great. That's why I'm so glad I have this one because it just looks amazing. I did also try to take a few photos from under the tree like I did with the white blossom tree but there was so many people looking at me, I just didn't have the courage to stop to take a photo because it would have been super obvious. Anyway, whenever I walk home and I see this tree, I cannot help but smile at how beautiful nature can be.

 

Feeling Overwhelmed

 
Tayla xx

 

PS. If anyone wants to read the other posts I have dedicated to the seasons, then the links are below so you can have a little read of them if you would like. Just a word of warning, the format of some of the posts were a bit rubbish BUT in my defence, I was just learning how to blog and I feel like I have improved a lot since I started so. Alright, now you can read them...

Autumn 

 
Summer

Autumn 2014



Feeling Overwhelmed

Yesterday, I did my driving theory test and surprise, surprise, I failed. Now, I wasn’t shocked that I failed because I hardly revised at all, not because I thought I was going to pass straight away but because I’ve been so busy this week trying to get as much work done as possible before the Easter holidays are over. This meant that while I was pretty confident on the hazard perception section, there was a hell of a lot of stuff from the multiple choice section that I didn’t know and so had to guess. Fortunately, I got 42 correct answers out of 50 which I think is pretty good for someone who basically started revising the day before, which I do not recommend by the way. Unfortunately, in order to pass you have to get 43 correct answers so I failed. By ONE point. This is really annoying because test centres where you do your driving theory are booked out weeks in advance and so if I was to re-take my test, it would be during my exams, which is the last thing I need.

 

Now while my mom was driving me back from the test centre, I felt so disappointed with myself that I actually wanted to burst into tears. It was made worse by the fact that my mom wouldn’t stop asking me if I was okay which I know she was only doing to make me feel better but it just didn’t help. I’m the type of person that when I’m upset, I need to be completely alone. I need the time to just be sad without people constantly trying to reassure me and that’s exactly what I did once I got home. It’s kind of my attitude towards dealing with all emotions and I bet that’s incredibly unhealthy, but that’s just my thing. I’m actually very sensitive and yet there are many people, even my closest friends, who find that difficult to hear about me. Mainly because I am often the one who jokes about being 'emotionally neutral' as I like to say, but really that's only around them. When I'm on my own, if I'm feeling sad then you can bet that I'll be crying. And when I cry, I cry HARD. Yesterday was one of those days, and it wasn't just about failing the theory test, but a whole range of other stuff that I won't go into.

 

Anyway, I just started thinking about how busy my life is right now and how stressful it’s going to get in the next few months, and I suddenly started feeling incredibly overwhelmed. Now it just hit me. Completely out of the blue. And I started panicking. The whole reason I wanted to learn how to drive was so that I could drive to school during the exams so I wouldn’t be wasting an hour walking when I could be revising or something. Now that I failed my theory, I just felt like I’d wasted my time because I definitely won’t pass my practical driving test in time. I was just really upset and I still am, I guess. I know I’m overreacting but you have to understand that I do not cope with failure of any kind. The pressure that I put on myself is so insane and I know it is, but I genuinely cannot help it. I work myself up into such a state that I find it difficult to relax because I’m constantly worrying about everything.

 

I was talking to my friend earlier and she was quite surprised by how honest I was because like I said, I am a closed person. People never see me overwhelmed because I just hide it. It doesn’t matter how stressed I feel, I always deal with it on my own and I really shouldn’t. I was thinking about this which is why I wanted to write this blog post. I’m sort of surprised by how easy all of these words came out which is probably a bad thing. I should feel this free speaking to my real friends and family and yet I don’t. I feel more comfortable just writing about my emotions, when I’m alone, in the privacy of my own room.

 

It only really hit me how being overwhelmed is so underestimated as a valid emotion, especially for teenagers my age. I think we forget how much our lives change in such a short space of time. I feel like I’ve only just left my high school when in reality it was a year and a half ago. In just over a month, my exams will be starting and then in the summer, I'll find whether I've got the grades to go to university or not. Everything I’ve worked for comes down to one piece of paper which is HELLA SCARY. It makes me feel overwhelmed, it really does.

 

 

February Favourites 2015

 

Tayla xx

February Favourites 2015

Now I've had this list of things that I've been loving lately; they're not necessarily just from the month of February but from since around mid December. I guess you could say they are 'winter favourites' because a lot of them are actually products for my hair, skin and lips since they've been so dry recently. But there are also other things that I have genuinely been using so I thought I would share them. Anyway, let's get started!

 

Makeup Products:

 

Nivea Lip Essential Care: I'm always carrying a lip balm because my lips always need to be hydrated since they are so dry. I tend to put it on every day before my makeup but feel like I need to use it every now and then throughout the day. I find that Nivea do the best lip balms just because they're really cheap and do the job perfectly. I've actually used up the Nivea Lip Essential Care so right now I'm using the Nivea Hydro Care which is just incredible. It makes my lips feel really soft and luxurious which is all I really want from a lip balm. The best thing about the Nivea Lip Care line is that they have an SPF which although there isn't much sun in the UK, its good to know that my lips are protected regardless.

 

 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer: I only bought this a few weeks ago and to be honest, I absolutely LOVE it. I've never really been one for concealer and so I've only ever used a cheap one just to reduce some of the bagginess from under my eyes. Anyway, since that one ran out, my friend suggested that I buy the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and I'm so glad I did. Not only does it take away the bags under my eyes, but it brightens my entire face. I used it around my nose, under my eyes, on any spots I have and sometimes under my brows, if I've plucked them before doing my makeup. I use the colour Warm Medium 3 which is perfect because its only a little bit lighter than my actual skin colour and so it doesn't look too bright on my face.

 

 

Hair Products:

TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Deep Treatment Masque: I've had this for absolutely ages and yet I've only starting using it recently. As you know, I use the TRESemmé shampoo and conditioner and have been LOVING that for as long as I've been using it, but it never occurred to me to try this Treatment Masque. Its always just been sat in my bathroom doing nothing until about a month ago, when I just tried it out of the blue. It gave my hair a very silky shiny texture which I thought was so good. I've been trying to treat my hair recently because it has been so dry and using the masque does actually help. I don't know how long its supposed to be on your hair for, I just leave it on for about 5 or 10 minutes which seems to do the job well.

 
 

Skin Products:

 

Garnier Oil Beauty Nourishing Scrub: This is probably the BEST thing I've discovered recently. I always been a big fan of an exfoliator but I've never been able to find one that its harsh on my skin. This one is absolutely incredible in that the grains of sand are the perfect size which sounds ridiculous but you know what I mean. This one also creates a thin layer on your skin which I thought was going to be an oil but its actually not. I can't use anything with oil because my skin is naturally oily so this product is just amazing. It makes your skin feel soft and supple, plus it has this incredible smell that always reminds me of honey but its actually Argan, Macadamia, Almond and Rose oil.

 

Nivea Body Lotion Express Hydration: This is my next BEST discover after the Nourishing Scrub because again, it has made my skin feel beautiful. I have no idea where I got it, probably from some sort of set from Christmas or my birthday or something. Anyway, its kind of incredible because not only does it sink in to your skin really quickly, its noticeably hydrating your skin at the same time. It says on the bottle that its an improved formula which I kind of agree with because I've never used anything like this before. It literally feels like your skin is drinking it up which means I would definitely recommend it for anyone whose skin is particular dry or even if its not. Its just really good and again, its from Nivea which I think has such a nice skin care range.

 

 

Music:

 

Sledgehammer by Fifth Harmony: I've known of the band Fifth Harmony for so long and yet I've never been inclined to listen to their music. I don't really venture out of my own range of music, especially recently, but I heard them on The Ellen Show and I really LOVED the song. Its such a classic pop song yet you can tell its well-written and well-produced which is all I ask for in a song. I really hate songs that have no production value at all just because it makes the song sound completely trashy. This one on the other hand is just a feel good song and I LOVE it.

 

Style by Taylor Swift: As you know, I've liked this song for a long time and I actually wrote a review on it which you can read HERE. I think its a good song and Taylor Swift has gotten better and better recently, as seen through pretty much all her songs on her album '1989'. One of things that I love most about this song is that it has an amazing chorus, its the best part of the song but doesn't overshadow the brilliance of the verses. The entire song is incredibly written and you can really relate to the lyrics. I think that's one of the reasons why Taylor Swift is so successful because all her songs are exactly like that, just absolutely perfect.

 

 

REVIEW: 'Style' by Taylor Swift

 

Love, Tayla xx