OOTD: Summer Evening Birthday Meal

Hey! :) 

So tonight we celebrated my lovely mother in-law (to be)'s birthday by going for a pub meal. The weather in my part of the UK has been gorgeous today so I felt it was prime opportunity to try out some of my new summer wardrobe! :D 

Maxi skirts don't usually suit me as I'm short so they tend to make me look quite 'stumpy' but.. this one from Primark (my all time FAV shop so expect to see it featured A LOT on this blog) is really flattering as it has a slit either side to knee length, to show off some leg - legs that are in desperate need of some tan!! 

H&M is another favourite store of mine and I think this fringed top works really well with the skirt. It is slightly cropped but I still felt comfortable as the fringing left me feeling a bit more covered than a cropped top usually would.

Even though the sun was shining today, I am the sort of person who will still get cold so I threw on my denim jacket (also from Primark) just in case!

Monochrome seem to be featuring in my wardrobe a lot at the moment and as it is Summer, I added a pop of coral colour to this outfit in the form of my sandals, nail polish and watch.

I didn't feel like using a handbag as I knew I wouldn't need to carry much so I opted for my Fossil purse which doubles up as a clutch as it has a compartment for an iPhone (4/5 fits perfectly, however my new iPhone 6 did fit too, just not in the specific section).The colours of the purse were perfect. 

My nail polish is from Avon Nailwear Pro+ in the shade 'Coral Reef' and my lip gloss is from Beautiful Movement Cosmetics in the shade 'nude'.

My perfume was a birthday gift and is Katy Perry's Royal Revolution.

We had a lovely evening out and a lush meal. Happy Birthday Mumma Fran, I hope you had a great day! 

I hope you enjoyed this post as I look forward to posting more OOTD's in the future!

What's your summer staple in your wardrobe at the moment? Leave me a comment below! :D 

Emma

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The Making of Harry Potter: Warner Bros Studio Tour

On the 23rd of May, we paid another visit to the Warner Bros Studio (our 3rd one to be exact!) before travelling up north for our holiday. 

Even though myself and Joe have been twice before, I was still so excited to experience it all again. I'm not a huge film fanatic however the Harry Potter films are definitely my all time favourite films! 

The tour is spread over two hangers (conveniently named 'J' and 'K') and once through the queue to get in, you are free to roam and experience the magic yourselves. The three times that I have gone, the place has been full of people of all different ages and cultures - yet we all have one thing in common; the love of magical world of Harry Potter. Despite the amount of people, the queue moves quickly and you will soon find yourself in the room where the tour begins to unfold. Before entering the Geat Hall, the friendly staff entertain you with video clips of where JK Rowling started her story about the boy wizard and the huge fandom it created all over the world. 

Once in the Great Hall - which is an incredible start to the tour - you are guided by staff and given more facts and secrets about the making of the films. This only last for a few minutes and then you are free to take yourself around the rest of the film sets. When in the Great Hall you are faced with original costumes once worn by Daniel Radcliff, Robert Pattinson and many more. Secrets are revealed about how they filmed certain parts and staff point out things you may never have noticed in the films. It is incredibly surreal to imagine that at one point in that Great Hall, it was full of Hogwart's students, Dumbledore, Snape and Professor McGonagall. 

I love Hermione's ball gown! 

When continuing the tour, you will find more costumes, wigs, props and facts about the making of the films. You'll witness the Gryffindor coomon room and bedroom, Dumbledoor's office, the Weasley's house and Hagrid's hut (plus so much more). Once again, it was very surreal to imagine that it was actually, really filmed in these sets. 

Sherbet lemon!

In the first hanger, you also get the opportunity to ride a broomstick and learn some spells!

The next part of the tour was the reason for our return visit. The Hogwarts Express was added to the tour recently and as Joe has a love of steam engines (they are part of my family and childhood too) we couldn't not check it out. 

Whilst in this part, you can go through the carriages that are set out with more props from the films and adjacent to the engine you can be involved with 'interactive' carriage, whereby you can sit down with friends and family whilst a green screen in the window makes you feel like you're actually on the Hogwarts Express, travelling to Hogwarts. 

There is a gift shop in this part of the tour that sell memorabilia that is specific to the engine and platform 9 & 3/4. I strongly recommend if you find something you want to purchase, make sure you purchase it there and then! I made the mistake of assuming the main gift shop at the end of the tour would stock the same items so rather than carrying it around the rest of the tour, I'd buy it later. I was wrong and as the tour works on a one way system, I couldn't go back :( :( :(!

After platform 9 & 3/4, you get a chance to purchase some food and drink, have a sit down and maybe even try a Butterbeer!

The next part of the tour is outside, where you can see the Khight bus, the Dursley's house and the giant chess pieces. 

After this, you get the chance to experience hanger 'K'. This is where you'll find more props and special effects secrets. In this part, Warwick Davis will talk you through (on a video) the animatronics of the film, including how they created Hagrid's robot head; but my favourite part of this was seeing Buckbeak and finding out how they made him and watching him move. It was like he was a real life Hippogriff and I wish I could've stroked him! Personally, I wish Hippogriff's were a real thing!!

The first time we visited the studio, I was amazed by this next part! After witnessing Buckbeak, we found ourselves in Diagon Alley.. Once again, it was amazingly surreal and I couldn't quite contemplate that where I was stood, was really where they had filmed the film!

Next, you'll find walls covered in drawings and plans for building and vehicles. It really shows, just how much work goes into these films even before the camera starts rolling. As well as illustrations, you'll find models made out of matchsticks and paper. These were so detailed and incredible to see. 

We knew we were nearing the end of the tour but I was not prepared for what I'd witness next (first time visiting as obviously, I knew what was coming on the second and third visit). This is by far my favourite part of the tour. 

This is the Hogwarts castle. You get a 360 degree experience over two height levels and every little detail is incredible. As well as this, the lighting will change to represent sunrise and sunset. I was blown away by this part and find myself looking at every detail and imagining/wishing I could see some of the characters in the windows or walking around the grounds. 

The tour ends with the gift shop, where I found numerous items I wanted to buy, however, personally I felt a lot of the items were quite expensive. 

I highly recommend this tour to everyone and anyone as it is suitable for most ages! It will definitely be a day to remember! 

If you have already been, leave me a comment telling me what your favourite part was! I'd love to know!

Emma

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M.E Awareness Week

This week is ME awareness week.

ME (Myalgic Encephalomyeltis) is an illness that is very close to my heart. In 2008 my Mum was diagnosed with the invisible illness and since then I have been learning more and more about the condition. 

I'm not a doctor but I will try my best to explain ME which is also known as CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). 

Lot's of people mistake this illness for people "just being tired all the time", however, it is a very serious illness that can leave some sufferers bed bound with the need for a full time carer. 

The illness can last for years, symptoms vary from person to person and often fluctuate, even daily.

The most common are: 

Extreme physical & mental fatigue

Muscle and joint pains

Flu-like symptoms

Headaches

Sensitivity to light and sound

Poor memory and concentration

Visual disturbances

Digestive disorders

Loss of balance and co-ordination

Sleep difficulties

Poor temperature control

Sore throat/swollen glands

Depression

The exact cause of ME is unknown but in my Mum's case (to put it simply), she caught the flu one day and after suffering badly, never fully recovered. 

ME can be seriously debilitating but because it is 'invisible', it doesn't get the awareness it deserves. 

My Mum works incredibly hard and is a very independent woman (who I have spent my life looking up too, and continue to do so), however she pays a huge price for this in the shape of her health and well-being. 

Pottering around the garden is one of my Mum's favourite hobbies, yet to spend a Sunday afternoon doing so she will be incredibly exhausted for the next few days. This is because she also earns a living, has a house to upkeep and laundry to wash. Unfortunately life doesn't stop or slow down for my Mum and she is a very strong woman to keep up with it all despite feeling like she has been hit by a truck 24/7. 

As well as this, my Mum has Fibromyalgia. This is a persistent (chronic) condition that causes pain all over the body. Alongside this, sufferers struggle with sleeping, have digestive problems and brain fog (problems with memory and concentration). 

Just because someone with ME looks ok on the outside, it doesn't mean there is nothing wrong with them. This is why more awareness is vital so more people can start to understand what the sufferers go through. 

My Mum runs the local support group for people  with ME and their carers. They meet once a month to offer support and encouragement to help those cope with the condition. 

On Thursday 14th May, the support group are holding a coffee morning event for ME sufferers, carers, friends and family. You don't have to suffer alone! To find out more information, check out the Swindon ME & Fibromyalgia Facebook page!

Visit the website for lots more information. 

And Mum, if you're reading this, I want you to know I am so so so proud to call you my Mum. You're the strongest, most selfless woman I know and I don't know what I'd do without you. You're amazing, I love you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

April GlossyBox

If you read my first Glossybox post, you'll know I was excited to receive this box as it was another special edition box. This month was called 'The Iconic Edition' which paid homage to Hollywood's beauty icons. There were four boxes available, all in beautiful pastel colours printed with Marilyn Monroe's  iconic portrait.  I was very happy to see that I had received the pastel yellow box; it's currently one of my favourite colours for Spring! 

Inside the lid of the box was a quote from Audrey Hepburn which I thought was a beautiful touch! I think this is a quote that lots of, if not all girls need to remember! 

 I absolutely adore this yellow colour, it just scream Spring! 

There were 5 products in this edition.

Lord & Berry Lipstick Pencil in Kiss - This is a new brand to me so I was keen to try this. I'm not really a lipstick person but I'm willing to experiment. The description that Glossybox give for this product is: The perfect Marilyn red. This intense classic pillar box hue is ideal for spring. Unlike lipstick, it’s in pencil form – making application easier than ever! Long-lasting and softening, it’s available in both matt and shine finishes. However, when I applied this I found it was a very orange toned red and was way too bright and most definitely out of my comfort zone. The application was smooth and the product is very pigmented. I believe mine is a matt finish so I felt it was quite drying. I can't comment on how long it lasts on the lips as it was too bright for me so I removed it straight away lol. 

£10 - full sized product

Colour Club Barely There Nail Polish - Nude nails are a statement for Spring so I was excited to receive this. I have a huge collection of polishes but believe it or not, nothing of this shade. The colour in the bottle isn't as appealing to my eyes as I thought it would be but maybe I'll change my mind when I apply it. 

£7.95 - full sized product

Kajal Eyeliner Pen - This eyeliner can be used to recreate the classic cat flick and it has a smudger on the end to help create a smokier eye. I'm yet to try this out. 

£6.50 - full sized product

Darphin Exquisage Beauty Revealing Cream - I'm always happy to get different lotions and creams in my Glossybox. They say: This cocooning cream quickly replenishes skin, enhancing firmness and boosting luminosity for that sought-after red-carpet glow. Any lines and wrinkles appear softened and thanks to the inclusion of strengthening probiotics, it will keep skin protected and nourished. 

How amazing does that sound! I will definitely be trying it our tonight so I hope it lives up to it's expectations!

£65 - 50ml (original size) 

Nougat London Soothing Bath Pearls - Anything that involves a bath makes me very happy! These bath pearls have a floral scent and are said to leave a shimmer on your skin after use in your bath so they are perfect to use before a night out or party. 

£6.00 - 35g (original size)

You definitely get your money's worth in this months box! Did you get anything different in your Glossybox?! 

Emma 

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50 Facts about Me Tag

Heeeyyy! So, as I'm still fairly new to the blogging scene, I thought I'd complete this tag so you could get to know me better! :)

1. Full name: Emma Louise 

2. Zodiac sign: Gemini

3. Three fears: Death, Frogs & Toads, Heights

4. Three things I love: My family, the Internet and being creative 

5. My best friend: My mum

6. Last song I listened too: Don't Cha by the Pussycat Dolls 

7. Four turn ons: Big arm muscles, if you can make me laugh, cheeky sarcasm, confidence 

8. Four turn offs: Selfishness, cockiness, immaturity, poor hygiene 

9. What I'm wearing right now: Pj's!

10. How many tattoos/piercings I have: no tattoos & 2 piercings (ear lobes & belly bar) 

11. The reason why I joined social media: it was the cool thing to do years ago lol! 

12. How I feel right now: tired, with a headache but life could be worse so I won't complain! 

13. Something I really, really want: To pay off my debts, buy a house & make it my own. 

14. My current relationship status: Engaged 

15. Meaning behind my URL/blog name: Choosing my blog name took me months. I'm slightly obsessed with Katy Perry and 'make everything glitter' is part of some of her lyrics and in turn, I like to make things & I like glitter! 

16. My favourite movie(s): Mary Poppins & all the Harry Potter series

17. My favourite song(s): Mama - Spice Girls & I won't give up - Jason Mraz but a more current fav is Blank Space by Taylor Swift!! 

18. My favourite band: Don't really have a fav but I loved SCLUB7

19. Three things that upset me: Incurable illnesses, anxiety, lies

20. Three things that make me happy: Seeing my mum happy, my fiancé, shopping 

21. What I find attractive in other people: Selflessness, creativity, willingness 

22. Someone I miss: I have everyone I need right now but it would've been nice to have known my grandad

23. Someone I love: my fiancé 

24. My relationship with my parents: My mum is my best friend & I don't know where I'd be without her. My dad is a private matter that I don't want to share.

25. My favourite holiday: Cornwall 

26. My closest friend: Katie 

27. Someone famous I would date: Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom - he got hot!) 

28. A confession: I am a shopaholic. Spending makes me feel happy but I find it addictive which isn't helpful for my bank balance! 

29. Three things that annoy me easily: Selfish people, stuck-up people, incorrect grammar lol 

30. My favourite animal(s): Giraffes, zebras, owls, cats 

31. My pets: Two cats, Pebbles & BamBam 

32. One thing I've lied about: I honestly HATE lies and I find it hard to lie about anything. 

33. Something that is currently worrying me: Have you got all day? I could write a list as long as my arm. I'm back to work on Monday & I have assignments for uni due soon! 

34. An embarrassing moment: I tend to erase these from my memory lol 

35. Where I work: A primary school in my home town 

36. Something that's constantly on my mind: everything and anything... I overthink constantly. 

37. Three habits I have: I think too much, I always switch the bathroom light on regardless of the time of day, I worry too much.

38. My future goals: Clear my debts, graduate university, buy my first home, get married, establish a career, have children, be happy.

39. Something I fantasise about: 'what if' situations, living life as an American, the future.

40. My favourite store(s): Primark, H&M 

41. My favourite food(s): Raspberries, crisps (not together lol). Fav meal is tomato pasta. 

42. What I did yesterday: Went on a bike ride, went out for a meal with the in-laws & then lounged around watching TV. 

43. Something I am talented at: Being creative and organised. 

44. My idea of a perfect date: I'm not fussy but as long as they go to lots of effort & input, I'll be impressed. 

45. My celebrity crush(es): Matthew Lewis, Taylor Swift

46. A photo of myself: 

47.  My favourite blog(s): Sprinkle of Glitter, Merry Musing

48. Number of kids I want: Two 

49. Do I smoke or drink: Smoke = never. Drink = occasionally 

50. One thing I'd like to change: overthinking/hypochondria/negativity 

I tag anyone who reads this to complete their own 50 facts :)

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Instagram Photo Challenge | April 2015

So every now and again I come across these photo challenges on Instagram and every time I think: "yeah I'll do that easily!". Who knew following a list and posting a photo daily would be such a challenge! I always give up by about day 10, if not earlier! 

However...as conveniently it is the 1st of April, I have created my own version of the daily photo challenge and once again I'm putting myself to the test to see if I can actually complete one (bonus points if each picture is posted on time too)!! 

Feel free to join in with me and follow me on Instagram! Make sure you use the hashtags #AprilPhotoChallenge and #MakeEverythingGlitter or tag me so I can see how you get on! 

Enjoy! 

Emma

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Cleaning My Make-Up Brushes

Cleaning my make-up brushes is a chore that I always put off and should definitely do on a more regular basis.  I aim to clean my brushes every Sunday (if this happens, it's a miracle!).

Clean brushes are really important when it comes to applying make up as dirty brushes will harbour bacteria and germs that won't have any benefits for your skin, especially if you suffer with acne. 

A build of old make-up on your brushes won't help with the application of your make up either; I especially notice this when applying my foundation/CC cream. 

There's lots of different ways to clean your brushes and the method I use is simple and inexpensive. 

All you need is baby shampoo and warm running water. I use Johnson's Baby Shampoo as it is a really gentle formula that leaves no residue and if it's safe for babies then it should be harmless for your brushes. 

When cleaning my brushes, I use a small amount of shampoo in the palm of my hand and swirl the damp brush around until the make-up breaks down and then I rinse the brush and my hand under warm water. It's really important to squeeze the bristles and ensure that all the soapy residue is washed away.

Another option that I have tried and tested is olive oil, used in the same way as the shampoo. The oil will break down the make-up on your brushes but I found it difficult to remove all the oil residue from my brushes (using shampoo) and it extended the time it took to complete the dreaded chore! :( 

Drying the brushes can take a long time; ideally I leave my over night (another reason why I dislike this chore lol). If you're in a rush, you could blow dry the brushes using a hair dryer on cool setting,  however, I wouldn't recommend this as you may find your brushes lose their natural shape. 

I much prefer to leave my own hair to dry naturally so I do the same for my brushes.

I leave my brushes to dry on a towel whilst they stand upright. Leaving your brushes to dry in this position is so important as it allows any water to drain away from the glue inside the barrel holding all the bristles in place. 

Half way through the drying process, I like to swirl the brushes around either on the towel or in my palm, just to 'fluff' them up and reshape them. 

The majority of my brushes are from the Real Techniques range by Sam and Nic Chapman from PixieWoo. You can shop for their range here!  

How do you clean your brushes?! Leave me a comment to let me know?

Emma 

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