Got to get down on Friday.

I have been super geeking out this week as I promised myself I would do when I got back to Uni :) The dreaded Maths assignment got handed in on Wednesday which definitely called for a night out with my house mates and the primary ed girlies in Salvation! Despite having to send Sammy home after too many jagerbombs I had a great night :) and I was even at the library at 9am the next morning starting on my humanities assignment, what a trooper!

Sammy's mate from her music course was celebrating her 21st birthday this week so we all got invited along as a sort of +5. I decided to give myself a break as I have had Egyptians, APP grids and Piaget coming out of my ears this week and go along with them. Friday nights in York are pretty expensive because all of the drinks offers are usually Mon-Thurs :'( We wanted to treat ourselves to a cocktail (or three!) in Evil Eye Lounge because they are divine but they weren't letting people in because it was too busy! We ended up in Blue Fly as they were doing £4 cocktails but the most HILARIOUS guy started talking to us.

First he starts trying to palm off his drinks, "try this, try this it's vodka." Slightly sceptical as it was very cloudy, after the sniff test.. confirmed not to be vodka. Then we have an entire speech, complete with forgotten words, about how people in life are random and there has to be progression. Um.. what now?? Then he kind of gives up on this and starts calling Carl the silent assassin and everyone else an anti-Christ, sounds like a right friendly chap doesn't he? His big finale was to pull up his top and flash us his beer belly. Classy guy. I did take a picture of him sneakily but to save the poor bloke from embarrassment by this story I shan't include it in this post!

I have Dally coming to visit from Thursday to Saturday so I'm hoping we don't come across any more of York's loonies while out and about! I am officially her tour guide so fingers crossed I've managed to plan out a lovely few days for her to enjoy :D On the agenda we have a bit of live music at Uni, cocktails at Evil Eye, eating out, a Ghost Walk and plenty of girly shopping in the cute shops on Stonegate and the Shambles.

Now I'm off to try and make a canopic jar out of salt dough while my house mates go and watch the Avengers :) story of my life!

Bits and bobs

Sometimes in life it is all about the little things. We are all so busy and wrapped up in the important things that we need to get done that we forget to appreciate the small things that make the world go round. All I seem to think about lately is my Uni assignments and it is driving me crazy :'( so I'm dedicating this post to the little things that have made me smile lately :)

Fundraising
My housemate Leah and her cousin are running the Race for Life in June this year. Now that is going to be an amazing feat for Leah as she is super unfit (sorry but you know it's true) :P I'm really proud of her for taking part and I have already donated money on their sponsor page which you can find below. As of writing this blog they are £30 of the way to their £50 target which is amazing for the few days the page has been up. If you guys have a spare pound then I am sure they would be super grateful if you sent it their way :)

Katie and Leah Race for Life

Charity Shop finds
In a few of my recent posts I have mentioned how disappointed I am with high street stores at the moment. How am I meant to get a new holiday wardrobe when I don't like anything? :'( major shopping strops/depression were on the cards until I thought about having a look in charity shops. I went to the Compton Hospice near my home in Wolverhampton over Easter and I came away with a lovely Next jumper and a Warehouse skirt for £4.50! There are plenty of charity shops in York so I will most definitely be having browse when I next go into town. You can also buy online, most charities now have a shop on their site so snap up a bargain before someone else does :) I wanted to show you the Oxfam online shop but they are having a refit! So here is a picture of a goat instead...

A new recipe
I bought a new recipe book for Uni because I love to try new food :) I opted for the Innocent book 'Hungry?' that you can buy from here. So far I've tried the quesadillas, spanish eggs in a pot that you can see below and the boozy milk (sans booze).

It is such a cute book with all the wit of innocent drinks. There is a guide to good eggs, what to buy in season each month and ideas of what you can do in 5 mins, 10 mins, 15 mins etc while you wait for your food to cook.

The power of the hula hoop
It is no secret in my house that I looooooooooove to hula hoop; a trip to the beach back in September ended up trying to squish my new lovely yellow hoop into my housemate's boyfriend's tiny car. I know you can fake hula hoop on the wii fit and supposedly burn calories but I never really think about it when I have a hula session. This article on http://hellogiggles.com/ (Zooey Deschanel fans need to check this out) got me really excited as it highlights all the benefits of hula hooping!

Hula Hoop your way to a fitter you

A feel good song... on repeat!

This song magically got me through my maths assignment yesterday! When I originally watched 500 days of Summer this was favourite part of the film :) 

Bare faced beautiful.

Doesn't everybody wish they had really nice skin?

For as far back as I can remember all I have wanted was lovely clear skin that I didn't have to wear make-up with. Unfortunately as a teenager I was one of those with rubbishy skin that sent me running for the cosmetic counters with my pocket money as soon as I could.

 I have lost count how many different spotty skin ranges I have tried over the years and all of them kind of work but then dry my skin out so badly! As an adult I have realised I have slightly oily but VERY sensitive skin and I also suffer from rosacea that flares up when I'm stressed or when I drink alcohol; major BOO!

Everyone knows how tough it is in today's society with the pressure to look a certain way; it isn't exactly a new story. I'm thinking that as a teacher I should be thinking about my influence on the children I work with, I should be happy in my own skin right? I'm a strong believer that there should be some more natural looking women on the television, we have plus sized models now which is amazing and a whole load better for the younger generation to aspire to. I was really happy to see how gorgeous and bare faced Jennifer Lawrence was for her portrayal of Katniss Everdeen in Hunger Games; I went to watch it again last week and she does look fantastic natural.

So I am now on a make-up detox. It is one of the toughest things in the world for me because it's one thing that really bugs me about me, I don't care about my weight or my hair or my teeth or whatever else, skin is the thing for me! I have officially made it ten days so far without wearing a scrap of make-up (partly because I have been ill) and I have to say my skin is looking a little clearer! I'm not saying I will never wear make-up again, I will still enjoy getting glammed up for a night out but I'm trying to stick to a fresh every day look.

I am really determined at the moment but I'm still going to need that little bit of inspiration along the way. Seeing celebrities without make-up for some girls can trigger nasty comments just to make themselves feel better but I think we should celebrate the lovely ladies that are putting their bare faces out there for the world to see!



Jennifer Love Hewitt tweeted a picture of herself without make-up and of course I retweeted it :)


I am a Jennifer Love Hewitt fan after watching her in Ghost Whisperer for years, she always look lovely in her stunning dresses with the big smoky eyes. I think she looks equally as good, if not better, without all the make-up :) You go Jen!

I also gave my blog a fresh makeover too :) hope you guys like it

x

"After all this time?" "Always," said Snape.

19th April 2012.. the day I went to the Harry Potter Tour at Leavesden Studios. It was possibly one of the most exciting and overwhelming experiences of my life. Warner Brothers have done a fantastic job of making sure their visitors definitely get their money's worth as every single prop and detail you can think of was there; and even the ones I hadn't thought of!! A visit is a MUST for any Potter nut like me as I loved every second of our five hour journey round!

The tour starts where we first meet the ten year old Daniel Radcliffe in the films, the cupboard under the stairs of course! It was good that you could have a good old gander at this while you were waiting for your allotted time slot. There were family pictures of the Dursleys, including Uncle Vernon outside Grunnings. Your smallish group then moves through to a cinema section that covers the story of the Harry Potter films from the 'low priority' shelf right through to the giant production family and fanship; it brings a tear to the eye!

The moment you step into the Great Hall you know that you are in for a treat for the rest of the day! I felt like I was really in a castle with the stone floors and the detail in everything, despite there not being a magical ceiling. My favourite part of the room was definitely the fire place, you just got lost in the detail when you were looking at it; the Hogwarts crest and the blackened stone.. every last inch of detail.

The costumes on the tour were absolutely gorgeous, the pictures definitely don't do them any justice. The designs were amazing so no wonder they looked so good on screen. There were costumes in every set for you to look at and there was even a huge selection of wigs and tattoo designs. You can see how excited Leah was to be hanging out near Snape, look at that face! :P I loved the Yule Ball costumes the best, as well as Snape of course.

If the costumes weren't enough for you then the sets would definitely take your breath away! It was impossible to take in all of the work that had gone into making the sets so life-like, they really did feel magical! Even though you couldn't go into the rooms, a glimpse into the world of Harry Potter was amazing, I just couldn't believe how much thought had gone into each set with the decor and the props; there was even an empty pack of Bertie Botts Beans in the Gryffindor common room.

The props... there were just so so so so so so so many props! Here are a few of my favourites as I would be here for a week explaining each and every prop section. The monster book of monsters and Dobby were in a really interesting room that told you all about the animatronics in the film. They showed you how they created Aragog, Buckbeak, Gringott's Goblins, Dobby, Thestrals and even the Mandrakes! The Cabinet of newspapers and flyers really shocked me because they were all so intricately designed and so beautifully authentic. In the main area there were plenty of glass cases with really important props in; I loved seeing the philosophers stone and the time turner as well as poring over the case of horcruxes, how beautiful is Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem? Not so lost any more.

There were plenty of photo opportunities in the outdoor part of the tour as you get to knock on the door of number four, jump onto the Knight bus and into the Ford Anglia or Hagrid's motorbike. Amazingly these were all FREE and had teeny tiny queues :) we just went over when they were a little quieter so we didn't feel too rushed. There was chance to have a professional picture indoors on a broomstick where they make it look like you are flying over Hogwarts; these are quite steep at £12 for one picture but luckily they offer three for £18, perfect for our trio!

The last section of the tour shows you how Hogwarts was created. There are literally paper models of everything where they still didn't slack on the details; each hole in the Owlery had a teeny tiny paper owl! The model of Hogwarts was breath-taking, the pictures don't do it justice by FAR! I had so much fun searching for the greenhouses, stone circle, Hogwarts bridge, the clock and the boat house.

Before you leave and spend hours in the gift shop you pass through a recreation of Ollivander's wand shop. Each wand case had a name of someone that worked on the Harry Potter films, not just the actors and J.K. Rowling though! There was the name of every architect, plumber, make-up artist, producer and so many more. It was an amazing way to end the tour as it makes you realise how many people contributed to my favourite franchise of all time and that isn't even including the millions of devoted fans that made it the phenomenon that it is.

Just in case you were wondering, I bought a replica of Hermione's wand and a Hogwarts book from the gift shop that I plan to fill with ticket stubs, photos and quotes!

Thoughts of the day.

Found by Emma Galley :) who is obviously procrastinating as much as I am ;)

<3

& here are a few I found on my own..

x

Daisy dukes, bikinis on top.

In the midst of what I consider to be the WORST cold I have had in a while I am seriously craving the Summer! I can't wait to feel the sun on my skin and the grass between my toes...

If being bombarded by beautiful summer photographs online wasn't enough, during the two hours I have been sat watching the 'Phoebes song book' FRIENDS special on Comedy Central I have seen so many adverts that have me longing for sunny days and my holidays! :)

I love the pink maxi dress that Danni Minogue has on <3

I just keep thinking I only have five more weeks of hard work and then I'm free to enjoy the lovely Summer weather... well if we are lucky enough to have sun in England!

x

A bee is never as busy as it seems; it's just that it can't buzz any slower.

So I might have accidentally given myself a two week break from doing my Uni work by inadvertently doing loads of other useless stuff instead. I'd like to think I've been busy but really I have just been filling my days with enjoyable, though some may say unnecessary, tasks rather than geeking it up like a good student should. As of this weekend the nerd cap in going on and I will be getting as much work done as possible.. well until next Thursday because our trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour will FINALLY be here!

So what have I actually been doing with my time? I hear you ask. I don't have a job, I haven't really been studying that much and I haven't had any other responsibilities or obligations that would steal my time other than spending time with my family and James. Weeeeeeell...

I made gingerbread men with Nikki
So unbelievably yum! Find the recipe here :) Good old BBC.

I had a super long catch up in starbucks
When we are free from our super busy lives, Dally, Pam and I like to go to Starbucks, order one drink and then sit there for about three hours talking about EVERYTHING we missed out on in the last few weeks. It is tradition.

I blog about absolute rubbish
When I write a post, it is literally all my thoughts at present thrown on to a page. I am still surprised that people like to read them haha it also makes me doubt your sanity a little ;)

Look at this funny llama :)

...and my name in llama! Cooooool.

The more observant of you may of noticed the new tabs at the top :) check it out!

I went to my neighbours wedding
There was so many people and food and beer and beer and beer and even more alcohol and a GIANT marquee in the garden! Now I'm no expert on these celebrations so I asked Dally to write you a little something :) I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did!

"One of the things I love about being Indian is the weddings. Simple, but true. Indian weddings have to be some of the most over the top, extravagant, but yet incredibly loving and personal events you will ever witness.
For anyone unfamiliar with the Indian culture, the weddings have the potential to be quite an overwhelming event. For Asian families it’s not unknown for hundreds of family members and friends to be invited to join in all parts of the celebration which can often last a week (Yes, A WEEK!). At my first cousin’s wedding I don’t think I slept for four days as I was roped into cooking, seeing guests, making decorations, babysitting, and of course being force fed an unbelievable amount of food doused in copious amounts of butter and sugar (How I have not yet contracted diabetes or heart disease I’ll never know!)

Every time I go to a family wedding, I walk into the reception hall after the morning ceremony at the temple and am greeted by hundreds of people flittering about, music so loud I begin to contemplate the DJ’s hearing abilities, often a table full of beautifully displayed exotic fruits and if I’m lucky a chocolate fountain I spend the whole night next to! As soon as we take our seats mountains of freshly cooked food is put in front of us, alcohol is offered like it’s going out of fashion and everyone is literally made to dance like no one’s watching. Even at the tender age of 52, having been to hundreds of Indian weddings in his lifetime, the look on my Dad’s face when another pint is put in front of him before he has even taken a sip of his first always guarantees hilarity! 
So much blood sweat and tears are gone into planning these weddings, as with any event they don’t always go to plan but there’s one thing for sure...Asians sure do know how to celebrate!"

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I finished reading When God was a Rabbit
I do not recommend.

I have owned the road in my Dad's car
Yes I have been on the roads people! I haven't driven since I passed my test in September but I think my driving is pretty immense. The car is an automatic but lets just slip over that slight detail shall we? :P I really want to take James to Chester Zoo for his 21st as we are loser animal lovers :) never met a guy so into penguins. So I have to prove to my dad that I'm not going to die on the way, so far so good!

I also had to wait a day to post this as I decided to fall ill, on Friday 13th would you believe it! I guess that's another day off from doing some work then ;)