LEGO To The Moves!

Lego has emotional memories for me. My Mum used to teach at a local middle school (ages 9 to 13 for anyone who doesn't live in Suffolk) and she often used toys from our childhood to work with her pupils. One summer, our middle school was burnt down and although nobody was hurt, my Lego melted in the blaze. Ever since, my brother and I have mourned the loss of our precious childhood Lego and whenever I see Lego, I can't help but think of the story. Now, at the age of 23, I finally have some more Lego and everything is awesome:

You might have heard of a little film which has been fairly popular this Christmas... yes, I'm talking about Star Wars. Talented Talkers kindly sent me a Cineworld voucher so I could see the film and if you haven't managed to go yet, you really should! It's brilliant, whether you are a die-hard Star Wars fan, an admirer of JJ Abrams' directing or simply love a blockbuster and want to see what all the fuss is about. 

I also was able to choose some Star Wars Lego* from George at Asda's Lego range. I was really impressed with the prices and range of different sets, from Star Wars to Marvel Avengers, My brother and I quickly assembled the sets and the joy of building your own Lego never really leaves you - you really can never be too old! We were impressed with how much Lego has improved over the last decade, particularly the firing power of the tiny Lego guns. 

However, this Lego isn't just about reminiscing about my childhood. It's going to be used by my Mum for a more important purpose; Lego Therapy. My Mum works as a specialist teacher with ASD children (otherwise known as Autistic Spectrum Disorder) in mainstream schools and Lego Therapy is a vital technique to aid social interaction in a structured way. This Star Wars Lego is going to be perfect, particularly for her pupils who are fans of the Star Wars franchise - although I still plan on playing with it myself in the school holidays!

Have you seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Do you have any Lego memories?

Jess

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Getting Organised for 2016

Can you believe it's New Year's Eve tomorrow? I really can't get my head around the fact that it is nearly 2016! Today I wanted to get back into blogging, after a small break over Christmas, by talking about getting organised for the new year with the help of a brilliant diary and some colouring in:

I always have a lot going on in my life and I love lists and organisation, so for me a diary is a must. Stick To Stigu* is a fantastic planner which is perfect for getting yourself organised and back on track in 2016. The diary itself has plenty of space to note down appointments and work shifts and I find the layout of one week per page useful to give me an overview of what to expect each week. Personally, I love the columns for each day, so I can assign a column for different tasks including work, gym workouts, social events and blog posts.

I love the mindfulness focus of Stick To Stigu, which includes a monthly 'focus' and tasks to help you work on this. For example, January is of course all about 'restoring' and each week has a challenge or question to work towards this theme. You can write your response on the left hand page or use this space to write 'to-do' lists. If you aren't as obsessed with diaries as I am, I think this is a great way to encourage you to actually make the most out of your diary and get inspired, organised and rested.

Another great way to get inspired and relaxed is of course colouring books, and I have finally jumped on the bandwagon. I was lucky enough to receive the Harry Potter Colouring Book for Christmas and just look at it!. Isn't it brilliant? I've already whiled away a few hours colouring in Fawkes and it really does allow you to relax and take your mind off any worries. I am looking forward to making lots of use of this so I can relax in the evenings and focus on something other than the internet.

Interactive planners and books are so popular at the moment and I can see why - they provide a sense of relaxation, organisation and 'time away' from busy life. Do you have any for 2016?

*This post includes affiliate links. For more information, check out my disclaimer.*

Jess

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Birthday Wishlist

It's my birthday next Wednesday and I am definitely not prepared to turn 23! I'm starting to feel scarily like an adult, despite the fact my student card is still valid (a fact I am desperately holding onto until it expires!) I wanted to put together a little wishlist of some items I've been lusting after, and what better time to do it than just before my birthday?

1. A Bit of Fit

I love the idea of a FitBit as a great motivator to work out and just be more generally active. I’ve been struggling with my gym routine recently as I have thrown myself into working three part-time jobs and blogging as much as possible, leaving little time to workout. I love my fitness apps and the pedometer on the Nokia Lumia 735 was one of my favourite elements of the phone, as I mentioned in my Lumia review. Now I am back to using my regular phone, I miss this app and the FitBit is great for tracking general walking as well as gym sessions. Working so much, I’m also having to adjust to the lack of sleep so I think the sleep tracker would be another brilliant addition to my gadgets.

2. Give Me A Ring

As I just mentioned, I have become increasingly frustrated with my Huawei phone and hoping to invest in a new one. The camera simply isn’t good enough, particularly for Instagram, and I’ve got no more room to download any apps. Rather than irritating everyone with my constant moaning about it, I should probably just get a new one! An iPhone would be the dream, but I just can't justify the price as much as I try to!

3. Jean-ius

I’m trying to get the hang of my ‘adult’ wardrobe, especially now that I need a 'work' wardrobe, a 'blogger' wardrobe and a 'casual weekend' wardrobe (although this normally just means pyjamas!) These J Brand* jeans from Trilogy are expensive, but the kind of great quality which makes all the difference to a wardrobe. I love the skinny fit and the ankle roll ups are trendy and perfect for my short frame. A great pair of jeans looks great in all kinds of situations and it's something I think is a great investment piece.

4. All About The Eyes

I always feel frivolous asking for make-up as a gift so this is definitely something I would buy as a treat for myself, rather than expect somebody else to buy me. For me, make-up is a luxury not a basic so I feel guilty asking for something so unnecessary – although I suppose that’s what the treat of a birthday present is all about! I have been umm-ing and ahh-ing over the Charlotte Tilbury range for months now and I would love to invest in something for my make-up bag. I’m leaning towards the Dolce Vita palette thanks to its beautiful colours and glamourous packaging, although I’m tempted by a lipstick too.

6. You're A Wizard, Harry
Isn't it beautiful? I've been following the build up for the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for months now and I am so excited that it is finally published! Bloomsbury have done a fantastic job of the design and the illustrations I have seen so far by Jim Kay have been breathtaking. I've managed to resist buying a copy as my birthday is so close so fingers crossed somebody decides to treat me!

I seem to have chosen fairly expensive items for my birthday wishlist – I promise I’m not getting greedy! I think, as I get older, I’m starting to realise the value in items I need and want to invest in, as opposed to fast fashion or ‘filler’ gifts. I may not have learnt that one good quality item is better than 10 tshirts from Primark (I don’t think I’ll ever be able to quite shake that habit!) but I know the difference between what I need and what I want. This list is admittedly things that I want, and I could do without them all, but they are slightly more sensible and definitely items I would get a lot of use out of. How do your birthday wishlist tastes change each year?

*This is a sponsored post*

Jess

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"Don't let the muggles get you down"

I love Harry Potter. I really, truly love it – it is a symbol of my childhood and has followed me into my twenties. I’m becoming well known for my Dobby earrings, I own almost every Harry Potter themed tshirt and pyjama set sold by Primark and my internship with Bloomsbury was partly so exciting because it was the publishing home of the Harry Potter series. The films have become as big a part of my love for Harry Potter as the books and the first time I visited the Warner Bros Studio Tour a couple of years ago, I actually cried as I stepped into the Great Hall - yes, I'm that fan. When I was offered some tickets for the September Screenings by the Studios, I might have screamed, cried and screamed some more with joy at the amazing opportunity to visit and review the special event:

I last visited the Warner Bros Studio Tour at Christmas in 2014 so I had been planning to visit the tour again for a while. For me, the tour continues to be excellent whether it is your first or fifth visit, thanks to the constant innovation and new sections introduced by the Leavesden studios. The latest addition to the tour was the part I was most excited to see; the Hogwarts Express. Just look at it. And I actually got to stand in front of it and even walk on it! It was such a highlight and a genius addition to the tour. I was also amazed to see some trolleys attached to wall, exactly the same as the ‘Platform 9 and 3/4’ trolley at King’s Cross Station. I have been waiting for months to spot a queue short enough to join for a photo at King’s Cross, which has obviously never happened, so I was more than happy to pose with the trolley at the Studios instead and pretend I could reach Hogwarts!

This visit was even more special as a result of the September Screenings. Unfortunately now finished, the tickets for the Screening not only included your entry to the tour, but also included some hot food, a soft drink and a cup of the famous Butterbeer to enjoy at the mid-point of the tour. After the tour, the ticket also included a screening of one of the Harry Potter movies in the tour cinema, accompanied by some popcorn or pick and mix. The day I attended was the screening of The Goblet of Fire, probably my favourite book of the series and I had honestly forgotten how good the film is too. After walking round the tour and getting excited about all the props and displays on show, I always want to go home and immediately watch the movies, so being able to sit down and watch one of the films in a room full of Harry Potter fans was perfect. Everyone was so involved in the film, nobody minded the odd popcorn rustle or whoop at an exciting moment; we were all there together as fans of Harry Potter to enjoy the evening and it was magical.

I’m hoping Warner Bros Studio Tour plan to repeat the September Screenings next year, if not sooner, as I would definitely return and do it again. It was a wonderful day and the Studios are constantly innovating and adding new events to their calendar – like the incredible option to dine at the Great Hall this Christmas, which was unfortunately completely out of my price range and is now sold out. I personally don’t mind these higher priced events, as long as there is still a balance of alternative events and seasonal offerings for a range of fans, whatever their budget. For me, the September Screenings were the right price for an amazing experience and I loved every single second. I cannot wait to head back as soon as I can!

Have you ever visited the Warner Bros Studio Tour? What was your favourite part?

Jess

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Nokia Lumia 735 Review

I hate my current phone. My trusty Moto G finally died a few months ago and since then, I've been making the best of a Huawei Ascend Y550. It's fine and does the job, but I've ran out of storage space so I irritatingly can't download any more apps, even with a memory card. I've been getting fed up of making do so when Microsoft got in touch about me trialing a Nokia Lumia phone, I jumped at the chance:

I was sent the Nokia Lumia 735, as Lumia Voices thought it would be a great fit for me thanks to its 'Selfie Cam' and they judged me well! If you follow me on Instagram, you will know that I love a good selfie and I've been posting more than ever thanks to the Selfie Cam. The front camera is an impressive 5MP and the Lumia Selfie app automatically smooths everything, making your photos totally Instagram-worthy without any extra filters. I get seriously annoyed at the quality of my current phone's front camera so the Nokia Lumia 735 was a dream. I could flip my camera, snap a quick image and I was done - simple! 

The normal camera was also great and I made a lot of use of it; the photos above from my Instagram were taken with a mix of front and main camera. I particularly liked the self-timer and exposure settings; it meant that I could attach the phone to my selfie stick and set a timer to then take up to five photos on different exposures, which meant I was sure to get the right shot. Unfortunately, what really let the phone down in the whole was the lack of apps. The only version of Instagram was a BETA version, with far less filters and no ability to edit brightness, highlights or contrast. This was such a shame as for some photos which needed an extra boost, I ended up Bluetooth-ing the photos to my current phone in order to post them to Instagram., which slightly defeated the point!

My favourite app was definitely the pedometer. Thanks to my trips to London and Paris, I managed to rack up a decent number of steps and I quickly became addicted to tracking how far I'd walked each day. It's a great motivator to get off the sofa and an easy, free alternative to a FitBit, which I've been thinking of buying for a while but they are just so expensive! The records of how far you've walked and calories burnt were brilliant, and you can also personalise this by inputting your height and weight for more accurate readings. 

Overall, I was impressed with the Nokia 735; the bright green style is striking and modern, the selfie camera is a blogger's dream and there are some great inbuilt apps like the pedometer. However the lack of social media apps really let me down and I'm not sure I could transfer to a Nokia without my beloved Instagram! It must be said that for me Nokia phones still bring up images of the clunky bricks everyone owned at school and they have certainly come a long way since then - I'm pretty impressed!

Have you tried any Nokia phones? 

Jess

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OOTD: I Solemnly Swear

Oh look, it's another outfit post with a Harry Potter theme, and I'm not sorry at all! The unusual thing about this post isn't the Harry Potter top, but the fact I'm wearing jeans...

Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters. Vest: Primark. Boots: Primark. Belt: Primark.

I've probably mentioned before that I am not the kind of girl who wears jeans. I am definitely a dresses and skirts girl - somehow jeans don't look quite right on me. However, when I recently went shopping with a friend and popped in to American Eagle Outfitters, I somehow found myself trying on jeans. They were a bargain at just £15 rather than the £40ish they were originally listed as and I picked up some skinnies and these mom jeans to try on. The skinny jeans were quickly rejected but I found myself loving these dark mom jeans. The rips are very 'trendy' but I don't think they look too daft on me - at least I hope not! I like the oversized casual style, the high-waist and the rolled bottoms. I think this fit suits my shape much better than standard skinny jeans - take note, short girls with thighs - and works well with an oversized casual top.

Today I teamed the jeans with my latest Harry Potter top from Primark. Since I was getting out of my comfort zone with the jeans, I decided to stick to something I love on the top half, so it had to be a Harry Potter top! I love the cute cropped vest too style and, of course, the Mauraders Map motto "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." It's great to chuck on with these jeans or some other high waisted bottoms. I added some chunky boots which I picked up for just £10 from Primark. They're great to 'toughen up' a look - a phrase which I always feel ridiculous and pretentious using, but it's the perfect description for chunky, slightly masculine boots.

I couldn't resist getting my pose on in my garden; I definitely got slightly carried away! However, these jeans might be the start of my conversion to the denim side of fashion. I am amazed by quite how comfortable they are, as the fabric is super soft and the slightly oversized feel means you don't have to pour yourself into them. They are simply perfect for casual days or drinks with friends and I love it when choosing something out of your comfort zone pays off.

What are your thoughts on denim? What do you think of the outfit?

Jess

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OOTD: A Free Elf

Today I’m sharing a Leeds based outfit post from my flying visit to my favourite city. I always tell you all how much I love the place and thanks to some beautiful weather, I spent one afternoon in the amazing Kirkstall Abbey, drinking Pimms and catching up with the amazing blogger that is Corinne from Skinned Cartree. Obviously, this resulted in some outfit photos (and a quick tutorial on how actually to use my DLSR by Corinne) which I wanted to share today:

Dress: Forever21. Shoes: Primark. Necklace: George at Asda* Earrings: Platform 9 and ¾

I picked up this dress in Forever21 and it has become my go-to dress for sunny days, casual drinks and dates. The elasticated waist is comfortable yet flattering and the extra layer on the top half is perfect is you are lacking in the boob department like me! I love the Aztec style print and the tassled tie waist adds a little something to the otherwise simple dress. I feel like my wardrobe is lacking pretty summer dresses at the moment, so this has been a perfect addition to my wardrobe. All I need is my favourite Primark pumps and a simple white necklace from George at Asda and I think it created a cute summer look – perfect for lazing around Kirkstall Abbey in the sunshine.

Have you spotted the Harry Potter trend throughout my wardrobe yet? Well this OOTD is no different, all thanks to a cancelled train. When leaving Kings Cross for Leeds, my train was cancelled as it was ‘too hot’ so I inevitably found myself in the Platform 9 and ¾ store.  I managed to resist the expensive keyrings, tshirts and jumpers but as I was trying to exit the store, I spotted these Dobby earrings. Dobby is one of my favourite characters, alongside Hermione, so I was more excited than is probably acceptable when I headed straight to the till with them in my hand. They have barely left my ears since and I have been wearing them every day during my internship at Bloomsbury, however geeky it may make me!

What do you think of this outfit? Am I weird for being so obsessed with these earrings? 

Have you entered my giveaway to win some hippy yoga pants yet? Well, head on over! 

Jess

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OOTD: Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon

I'm back from Greece and a rather longer than I intended break from blogging. I thought I'd throw myself back into things with a fun OOTD:

Top: Primark. Skirt: Asos. Sandals: Topshop. Earrings: Culture Vulture.

You've probably seen these tshirts floating around various blogs, but if you haven't heard yet - they are from Primark and just £6! I've since also picked up one of the 'house' tshirts, Ravenclaw, for the same price to add to my collection. Yes, I'm a Harry Potter nerd and proud! It certainly helps that these tshirts are unbelievably comfortable for lounging around the house in. Who wouldn't want to pretend they go to Hogwarts?

Today I teemed it with my 'go-to' skirt from Asos. This A-line skirt has become one of my wardrobe staples and if I'm ever stuck with what to wear, I am guaranteed to reach for this. The cut is so flattering and the scuba-style fabric keeps the look structured. I also love the pattern, which is so pretty and interesting, yet pairs with pretty much anything - including my Hogwarts tee!

What do you think of my outfit? Have you managed to get your hands on Primark's Harry Potter range?

Queen of Hearts Fancy Dress

As you may have guessed by my heart-shaped shoe-clips DIY and Alice in Wonderland themed party post, I decided to dress up as the Queen of Hearts for my birthday. It's my birthday today so I'm looking forward to an evening of food, cocktails and champagne with my housemates to celebrate turning 21. However I wanted to share with you my look from the weekend as it's probably my favourite ever fancy dress costume. I'm pretty proud of the result and hope that you like it!

Dress: Jones and Jones (via Topshop.) Shoes: c/o Barratts. Shoe clips: DIY. Floral headband: DIY. Crown: DIY. Earrings: New Look. Ring: c/o Temp Sec.

Ever since I decided on the Queen of Hearts I had a very specific dress in mind - bright red, with a lace top and full-on tutu flared skirt to give a striking impression. It took me way longer than it should have done to realise that Jones and Jones are the experts for this look. When I discovered this beauty in the Topshop sale for just £27 including a student discount and free p&p, my search was over. I was worried that the puffy tutu wouldn't suit me and that it would be too short, but I was overjoyed with how it looks. I ordered a 10 after reading some reviews that the sizing was quite small and I was glad I did - it is slightly too big around the waist, and the shoulders and back gaped a little, but I don't think I could have managed to squeeze myself down a size! The height was short but not too indecent on me, but watch out taller ladies because a couple more inches would have made it quite inappropriate! I love the deep open back, lace overlay and focus on my waist - I even like my legs in these pictures, which for me is quite an accomplishment!

My legs are of course helped by the assistance of some heels. I wanted something sparkly yet comfortable and luckily I had these amazing shoes from Barratts already in my wardrobe. I added my custom DIY shoe clips, which I explained how to create here, as a key heart-themed accessory to the costume

The other key accessory to the Queen of Hearts theme was of course my crown. I created the floral headband earlier in the summer by simply wrapping some red paper roses from Hobbycraft around an old headband. I made the crown by using some pliers to wrap and shape gold wire on another headband and then adding some pearl hearts. I didn't think to take photos of this process, but I hope you understand what I mean!

Finally, I added a glitzy pearl necklace and some heart-shaped earrings and a ring. I curled my hair and added some simple make-up focusing on my bright red lips and nails and a simple heart shape below one eye. With such a showstopper of a dress and a crown, I wanted to keep the make-up simple and regal so my outfit didn't become too costume-y - it was my birthday party after all, not Halloween! I then had some great fun acting all moody and Queen-like in my garden for these snaps before the party kicked off.

So, what do you think? Do you feel inspired to try an Alice in Wonderland party or perhaps dress as the Queen of Hearts this Halloween? Please let me know your thoughts!

<3
xx

Alice in Wonderland Birthday Party

I have always been a massive fan of fancy dress and themed parties - people seem to either love them or hate them, and I am firmly in the former camp. Therefore for my 21st birthday party, I decided to host a Alice In Wonderland party. I went all out with themed food and decorations and I wanted to share my efforts with you today:

I baked two different batches of cupcakes using one of my favourite cookery books The Hummingbird Bakery: Cake Days. It has a great selection of fun, different and easy cupcake recipes for every occasion and season. I decided to bake Earl Grey cupcakes and some Strawberry Daiquiri cupcakes too. I was worried that the Earl Grey would be too bland as I find it to be quite a subtle tea, but I was pleased to be able to taste the tea in the buttercream frosting. I was excited to try out the Strawberry Daiquiri cupcakes, mainly thanks to the rum element involved in the recipe. However, although yummy, you couldn't taste the rum which is a shame for a pretty expensive ingredient, and the strawberries placed in the bottom of the bun cases created a very soggy bottom - Mary Berry would not have been very impressed!

I also baked some heart-shaped jam tarts and created some rum jelly limes. I was heavily influenced by Pinterest with all my party planning and you can see my inspiration board here. I create my own 'eat me' cake toppers and 'drink me' labels using John Tenniel's Victorian illustrations and cut up playing cards to top the remaining cakes. I printed famous quotes alongside illustrations to cover the walls, created card bunting and 'this way/that way' arrows to direct my guests to the house. Yes I really went all out!

I'd like to think that it was a successful party. I felt almost like a real grown up as my friends tasted my cakes and drank wine. Obviously this was somewhat balanced out by the amount of wine they consumed, the fact that everyone was in fancy dress and the various shots involved! Overall, it was nice to have a proper house party, a surprising rarity in my student life, and spend some quality time with some great people.

What do you think of my Alice in Wonderland themed party? Look out tomorrow for what I wore!

<3

xx

DIY: Sequin Heart Shoe Clips

In one week's time, I will be 21 years old. It's a scary thought, which is starting to hit home when I look at all my current bio descriptions which I will soon need to update - the downside of including your age on your profiles! However, the exciting part of this milestone is the birthday party I have planned this weekend. I am a massive fan of fancy dress, as you may have now realised, and my favourite part is creating an effective costume on a very low budget. Therefore I wanted to share with you a few of my DIYs for my costume before you see the finished look. Perhaps they can offer some clues on my theme and character!

Today I made some simple heart-shaped shoe clips and I was surprised at how easy and effective they were. If you want to make some too, you will need:

Red felt (eBay)

Red sequins (eBay)

2 hair grips

Pen

Scissors

Fabric scissors (if possible)

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

I have linked the two eBay sellers where I bought my felt and sequins from because they were cheap and arrived quickly, meaning that I didn't need to brave the cold to make a trip to my local craft store (I'm that lazy!)

1. Print a template (I used a simply drawn heart shape on Word) and trace around it onto the felt:

2. Cut the shapes out of the felt using fabric scissors, if you have a pair. If not, normal scissors are fine:

3. Heat up your glue gun and start to glue the sequins from the outside into the centre of the heart:

4. When complete, cut the sequin strand and do the same with the other heart (can you tell which one I did first?)

5. Glue a hair grip onto the back of the heart, ensuring that it is the right way up! I clipped mine onto peep toe heels so I glued the hair grips with the opening at the top. They therefore slide from my toes up towards my ankles, which is far more comfortable.

And you are finished! I found the clips very cheap and easy to make and I feel that they add an extra touch to my outfit, clipped onto my Barratts shoes. I love the Melissa Vivienne Westwood vibe that they channel, without the price tag or need to buy a new pair of heels. I think that they are a really cute accessory that can be used in many different ways and for many different occasions; I have also seen them used as hair clips or on wedding shoes - adorable! How would you style yours?

What do you think of the DIY? Will you be giving them a go? Let me know how you get on!

<3

xx