How to... Scrapbook

Hi guys xx Sorry this post is a few days late, I tried to zap myself into the 21st century by writing and uploading this Thursday's post on my phone, however it completely failed and I accidentally deleted the whole thing instead of uploading it. Still, I have managed to retrieve the photos for this post as I couldn't do it without them, so without further ado let's start!

Today's post is about one of my favourite hobbies..... Scrap-booking!!! I love the thought of collecting all my cute photos and things from over the years and compiling them into something physical to show my children and grandchildren in the future. There is no set way to scrap-booking, and you can really do it any way you like, however I thought I would show you how I tackle it with the help of some photo's. So, here we go!

You will need:

Your chosen photo in the correct size. I recommend using photocopies, particularly if you're going to cut them as it is nice to keep originals separately.






A scrapbook, mine is from an arts and crafts shop called The Works and was only a few pounds.




Scissors, sellotape and super glue. I find it best to have both sellotape and super glue, however I mainly use superglue for the photos and embellishments.

 And finally you will need a selection of embellishments. You could have anything from lace, ribbons and fabrics to stickers, sequins and gems. I like to have lots of different embellishments to ensure all my scrapbook pages are different in some way.


Right, now you've got everything you need it is time to get started. First thing first, find the next empty page in your scrapbook and make sure that your photo is the right size.

Then, once you've decided where to put it, draw around the outline of your photograph. Once you have your outline drawn, select the colour for the background. This isn't essential but I think having a different coloured background is a really easy way to make each page a bit different and can help enhance the photo. Because this photo is outside, I thought a blue background would be perfect as it would represent the sky, but you can choose whatever colour suits your picture best. Make sure that you have coloured the whole page up to or slightly over the outline, however there is no point colouring in the part where your photo is as this won't be seen.
 Now you have your background done, it is time to stick down the picture. I recommend using superglue, as it is more subtle than sellotape and is sure to hold the picture in place. Mine is from The Work and was only £1.

Now you can start placing your embellishments. Try using different ones before choosing a final design. Look at the colours in your picture and choose suitable embellishments. I have decided to use a sticker flower and butterfly, some green sequins for the opposite corners of the photo, and piece of white flowery fabric and gold and purple pen for added details and to say where the photo was taken.

And here is my final page. For more scrapbook inspiration, see some of the other pages I did below:

I hope you enjoyed this post! See you on Monday :)







*Also, feel free to check out the dance blog I co-own, The Bunheads by clicking here. I post there on tuesdays*

The Disney Tag

If you know me, you know that I am a huuuugggee Disney fan! I have watched almost every Diney film and could happily sing the words to almost all the songs, therefore I think it is about time I do The Disney Tag. 

Feel free to answer any of the questions in the comments or leave a link to it on your blog!

I hope you enjoy: :)

1. A scene in any Disney movie you wish you could experience

I have always wanted to jump into the pictures like they do in "Mary Poppins". I would love to experience a drawing come to life around me. 

2. An unforgettable experience you've had at the parks

The wishes fireworks show- it was soooo magical!

3. When was the first time you went to a Disney park?

I think I was around 5??? I don't remember much except crying because I thought Winnie the Pooh was scary!!

4. If you could choose any of the characters to be your best friend who would you choose?

I think I would choose Tinkerbell because she could help me learn to fly and I could see the fairy world.

5.  Who is your favourite Disney princess?

I think it has to be Rapunzel, I just love her voice and personality and listening to the music from that film never ceases to make me smile.

6. Name a scene/moment in any Disney film that never fails to make you cry

That's easy- Mufasa's death. I think I cry because I feel so sad for Simba when he's looking for his father, then finds him trampled to death. It's just.... so sad..... :( 

7. What is your favourite Disney movie?

This question is so hard!! I love Disney so much and all the movies are great but my favourite would have to be "Pocahontas". The soundtrack is amazing and the animation is beautiful. It is the film that even as a teenager I can watch over and over again. 

8. Underrated Disney?

My childhood was filled with Disney, and it's safe to say that I watched a lot of films that are not classics that I think should be. Firstly, my brother and I used to love "Atlantis: The Lost Empire", and I think it is a hidden gem. I also loved "The Rescuers" and "The Black Cauldron", so if you haven't seen any of these I urge you to do so!!

9. Favourite Disney Song?

Another really hard question!! I think it has to be "That's How You Know" from "Enchanted" because when I hear that song I can't help but get up and sing-along. Also my whole family knows the words so we have a whole family performance :)

10. Most memorable Disney Villain?

It has to be Maleficent. She was always the scariest Disney villain in my childhood, and I didn't actually watch "Sleeping Beauty" because I was so scared of her!! 

11.  Favourite modern Disney movie?

I really love "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam". I didn't remember how much I loved this film 'till I watched it recently and then couldn't stop singing the songs for the rest of the day!!

12. Favourite Disney Score?

Either "Beauty and The Beast" or "Frozen". What I loved about "The Beauty and The Beast" was the softness in the melodies and the use of flutes and violins in the soundtrack. In the "Frozen" album, they included the soundtrack and it really highlighted the beauty of the music in this movie. 

Well, that's it! I hope you enjoyed hearing my answers to these questions and if you would like to tell me your opinions then please feel free to leave a comment below xx 

See you on Thursday xx

"You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"

Invisible Time

Hey!
I hope you like the new layout of my blog, I thought it was time to make it a bit more professional and I thought this design was simple but effective. Today I have another post where I just let my thoughts flow through the keys, I hope you don't mind this.
I know that I haven't got much experience or am very wise, seeing as I am still a teenager, however I would like to share my thoughts with you in the hope you may find it relatable or in any way interesting. I have been thinking about the concept of time and human ability to over think the future.

I hope you enjoy :)

In this day and age, we as a human race are prone to thinking about the future. What am I doing tomorrow? What's happening next week? What do I want to do in the holidays?
I understand the importance of planning ahead, otherwise we are faced with the stress of last minute arrangements and would be forever disappointed when others are busy because we didn't let them know in advance. But because we spend so much time thinking ahead, are we missing out on what is happening right now?

I invite you to stop reading for 1 minute and look around you. Whether you are at home, outside, in public I ask you to look around and take in your surroundings. Observe the people around you, push away your thoughts and for a moment be free from worry and live in the moment.

We seem to live in an age where schools are making you think about your future way before you should have to, leading to worry if you're not certain. The question "What do you want to do when you're older?" is one that I think is quite controversial. You've probably heard before, that most of us will do a job that hasn't been invented yet, so how are we supposed to know what our futures may hold. If I've learnt one thing in life so far it is that it is unpredictable, and we can't plan our whole life and expect it to work like that. Love, nature, fate and destiny are all factors that are out of our control, so in my opinion we should just embrace life, for that is the only way to live without stress and worry.

Recently my school attempted and failed to teach my class about mindfulness. Most people laughed at the concept of sitting and zoning out your mind and body in order to help yourself relax, however I looked into it to find that it may really help. I have reached the point in my life where for the next 3 years I will be having non-stop major exams, which is enough to stress out even the calmest person. I don't want to be attacked by stress and anxiety and wouldn't want my peers to be either. If any of you are suffering with stress or anxiety then I think it is definitely worth having a look at.

I leave you with 5 words: unselfconsciousness, savouring, breathe, flow, acceptance and engagement. Although they may seem unrelated, they are the words that make the foundations of living in the moment.

For more information on mindfulness and living in the moment see the article that inspired this post:
The Art of Now: Six Steps To Living In The Moment

"By living in the moment, you are limitless"

A Book's Ability

Hey!

Here is an extra blog post this week, because I have been thinking a lot about this recently. 

Today, I went into my nearby bookstore and had a look in my favourite section, the teen fiction.

I have always loved that a book has the ability to whisk me away into a different world, where the society is broken or not everything is as it seems. For me, a good book makes you feel like you are the main character. You relate with their emotions, and even if they are in a situation you've never been in before, you seem to understand. You sympathize, empathize and fantasize, until your life is entwined with theirs. You can't put the book down without spending all your time thinking about it because it is no longer just a book and you are no longer just a reader. When it is over, you cling onto it, and if the book is really good you find yourself thinking about it weeks after you've finished reading it. 

Books are not just sheets of paper bound together in between two covers. They can shape a person, make a person and help someone learn about themselves. Over the years I have read many books, and I feel that the majority have stayed with me, some of which have shaped my thoughts of the world and all have made me think. Sometimes I wish I had never got to that last page, however just because there are no more words left on the page, it doesn't mean the story is over. 

I hope that one day I could write something that can have this affect on someone, but 'till then I'll just enjoy the works of others.

"A room without books, is like a body without a soul"

My Make-up Bag

Hi guys xx 

Today I thought we could delve into my makeup bag together and have a look at some of the products I have been loving forever. I would like to say that I am not one to wear LOADS of makeup, because I don't think you need it to be beautiful. However, everyone has some things they are insecure about and want to cover up, or like the way they look with a certain product on e.t.c, therefore whether you do or don't wear makeup doesn't really matter. 

So let's go! 

Okay, so this is my makeup bag, and it's safe to say it is very full, to the point it is actually overflowing (note to self to buy a bigger one). 

I will start with my old and new foundations. My old foundation was the Clarins matte perfection (not sure what shade) but it was one of the only foundations that matches my skin tone perfectly! I was really sad when it started to run out because I'm not sure what shade it is and I can't see it in any nearby shops. 
I bought the So Matte Miss Sporty perfect stay foundation in 03 medium. It is great in summer when I am slightly tanned, as it matches my skin tone then, however it was slightly darker than I thought so it isn't great for everyday use. 

Next is my powder, equipped with my powder brush which is the softest thing EVER!! It is by Makeup Academy (MUA) and mine is in shade 3. I find it gives a very even, matte look and works really well with my foundation. The brush is great at avoiding blotches and keeps my skin looking coloured and even. It was only a few pounds and was well worth it! 

Moving on to quite a new purchase of mine, my eyeliner pen. I found it very difficult to apply eyeliner without it being all messy and hurting my eyelid, so I thought I would try something other than a pencil. I picked this pen up for £3.60, which I thought was reasonably cheap from Boots. It is the Rimmel London ScandalEyes Precision Micro Eyeliner in the colour black (I'm pretty sure your could also get it in light and dark brown as well). It has a soft tip and I find it makes applying eye liner soooo much easier and it does great wings too. 

Next it my rather large collection on Ruby lip glosses. I got them in a big bulk set and it had many colours, many of which I still haven't tried. They range from silvers to dark reds and my favourites would be the dark pinks and reds.  

Okay, we're basically halfway, so if you've made it this far I hope your finding this remotely interesting. My next two products are the MUA lipstick in Shade 3 and it is definitely my favourite lipstick! It applies really well and is a great hot pink colour that stays rather well too. The other product is a cheap lip pencil which I also use as a liner, it came in a big set and was qite cheap, but even though it isn't great quality I find it does the job pretty well. 

On the subject of lips, I have the Body Shop Born Lippy lip balm and colour in Strawberry. I love this lip balm because it smells great and also gives my lips a subtle colour which is great for light makeup days. There are many others lip balms in this collection including raspberry, which I would also recommend. 


Moving onto eyes now we have my mascara, which is again by MUA and is the Mega Volume Mascara in black. I have had this mascara for quite a while now and it hasn't dried out, which is one of the reasons I love it. It also makes my lashes look significantly bigger, and is easily removed at the end of the day. I really like MUA's products because all of the ones I have tried so far seem to do their job magnificently!


 This is my pink blusher, which gives a nice subtle colour, which I like as it makes you look healthy without looking like a tomato! I'm not sure of prices or brand as it was given to me but any blusher is a must have.

And finally we have my large collection of eyeshadows. I have 3 pallets and a compact with several rows of colours, mainly bright or neutral, and I love all of them. Eye shadow is my favourite make up product because I think it ca really make a look and can turn any makeup into something more exciting! 

So, that is everything in my makeup bag, not including some wipes and spare brushes. I hope you found this interesting and try out any of these products because I use them all and they are all great!

"Smile, it looks good on you" 

The "Joseph" Experience

Hi guys!! 

Today I would like to tell you about a big opportunity I was given last November. I was given the chance to rejoin the cast of "Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" for its shows in my area. I have performed with them twice before, but was still extremely excited to be doing it again, particularly as everyone who does it is always so nice and we have a great time together. 

The experience began with several weeks of rehearsals, with dozens of harmonies being learnt and actions too. Once we started, memories of the last time I performed these songs came flooding back and I found I still remembered all of the words (including the ones I wasn't supposed too) from 4 years earlier. With around 16 songs and reprises to learn, the rehearsals were sometimes stressful, especially for the younger kids, who were 7/8. 

The day of the first show, we went to the theatre to collect our "Joseph" t-shirts, have a practise with the cast and to be set our places of stage. I was on the top step, meaning I was able to see what was happening on stage through the corner of my eye, as we were not allowed to look at it directly, fidget, talk or move around. The first night was lots of fun, and several members of cast talked to us befire the first curtain was raised. 

I did 6 shows over that week, and it was great to spend time on stage with loads of friends (and to miss a few days of school). I can only hope that the tour comes back soon, so I can do it all over again!

"Being happy is letting go of the things that slow you down"

Long Time... No See

I started this blog and my aim was to keep it going for at least a year, but I most definitely haven't done that! So this will be my second attempt, and maybe it will work this time? 

There are soooooo many things I have done since my last post back in August, not to mention the start of a new year. So I have many blogs posts planned to fill you in on what I've been up to that I will post every Thursday. 

Who knows, maybe this time I won't be so lazy and only blog for a month. Or maybe you will see this kind of post from me again next year, vowing to do something I may not be able to do. 

Still, there's no harm in trying, so today (8/03/15) marks the rebirth of the memory box

"There is no genius without a touch of madness"