The last week has been full of crazy fun and games. It's been my first time off at Christmas since I've been working (that's ten years FYI) and I can tell you, it's been filled with food, fun and so much more!

Sticking with this new post series into 2015 here's what I've learnt this week:

1) Paintballing is SO MUCH FUN!! - I've never been before and after seeing M's bruises from when she went a few years ago....I was a little apprehensive about being a big baby and not pushing through the sharp pains of the paint balls splattering all over me. However it was so much fun that the bruises were so worth it, even in the torrential rain and with very steamed up goggles it was such a laugh and I'd jump at the chance to go again - maybe with better weather next time though!

2) Being outdoors is a new favourite thing - During my time off I've been on copious walks to the beach, started my running plan back up again, climbed a mountain with my dad - and I really do mean having to climb at some points! - topped off with paintballing above, I've had so much fun outdoors that I cannot wait for drier weather to do more. As long as it's dry there really is no excuse to be outside and fresh air can work wonders for you mentally and physically. Get your new gym gear on and go for a run!

3) Clearing and Cleaning is mandatory for going back to work - I've sorted through some clothes and shoes for charity and will be spending the rest of my day cleaning my room, washing my make up brushes with my new bottle of Dr Bronner's Citrus soap (post coming soon!) and eventually hoovering my car - courtesy of those trips outdoors. Having a quick browse on twitter tells me most people are doing the same thing, at least we can be feeling pretty smug about things later on this evening eh?? I'll be rewarding myself with a facial and my onesie before getting stuck into some tv I've got recorded.

4) David Attenborough Documentaries will never grow old - My brother was awesome and bought me the Blu Ray of the Africa documentary from 2013's series. It was amazing watching the giraffes fight over territory - though extremely scary and shocking - and so heartbreaking watching the elephant mother grieve for her dead calf due to the drought. Even though I've seen them before I felt like I was watching them all over again and I think I will have to make a bit of a collection of BluRays after this!

5) Cardiff Vintage Fair - Have just found out that this is back again on January 25th for any of you South Wales readers. I had so much fun browsing and rummaging through the vintage delights with my mum last time that we've already booked the whole day ready for round 2. It seems I'm a bit of a coat and bag fiend (I've bought at least 4 coats and 3 bags this season alone) so I think my mum will have to keep a few tabs on me and my spending this time. I'm also hoping there will be more home items for a browse; I'm always dreaming of moving out soon!

6) I'm a Beer Pong Genius - true fact! I have never played beer pong before New Year's Eve but after spending my evening at a friend's house playing games and what not I have made a massive discovery. It's not quite time to quit my job and all, but I might have found my secret talent in life.... I don't even like beer!

What have you been up to the last week or so? Have you learnt anything new about yourself?

L xxx

Hi all!

It's been a crazy busy few weeks and I haven't done a life update or anything recently so here it is; everything I've learnt in the last few weeks all rolled into one.

1) Staying in a windmill for a work course has been interesting! It's a Premier Inn but randomly has this on the top. It also means that I've been eating tonnes and tonnes of food that I wouldn't normally eat and consequently feel like a whale. I'm not used to not eating clean any more and that combined with no exercise has been disastrous!

2) Science is so cool SO FREAKING COOL. Sometimes I find it hard to get my head around it all, and other times I find it hard to get my head around writing a blog about make up but I like the split personality side of things.
This week my course has been taking place in the same lab that the equipment analysing samples from the Comet landing was created. You heard about Rosetta and Philae landing on the comet a few weeks ago? Here's a model in the building of the work they did that's about a third the size of the real thing:



HOW COOL IS THAT!!
I was like a fan girl walking around the labs with the scientists working around me; they're like the new kind of celebrity for me.

3) Street Food Cardiff is the best thing I've ever come across; not only is it held in a disused warehouse which is cool and creepy all over it's full of the most amazing food that I just couldn't get enough of!

You're met with a smoky smell and hazy view as you walk in and the most interesting looking tree made of pieces of wood stapled together forming the centre of the seating area. It's surrounded by massive tyres filled with wooden bobbins to act as tables and chairs and you just go to any food counter you like and chomp away!

What I like best is there's a huge variety of food there anyway but it changes weekly. We went to the thanksgiving weekend which had a lot of different types of American food. I ate a peanut butter bacon burger and it sounds weird but it was amazing!

4) I've been loving using some of my new products recently, the Black Magic eye pencil set from UD has the most wearable shades of black teamed up with a grey, brown, sparkly turquoise and purple. It's great for when you need to go from work to play and so easy to carry in your handbag.

I had a free sachet of this with a Space NK order and wasn't sure if another oil would be any good. But I really liked this and after using the products I have I would consider buying this in future.

Another kit I got my hands on had the beloved Grindhouse sharpener that everyone raves about; it's great and means I can finally use the 24/7 concealer pencil I purchased so many months ago that I haven't been able to use. Drawing on my face in the mornings is fun and very easy!

5) After my week of a work course with other outings with friends I've been feeling pretty damn huge after all the food that has been provided. As soon as I got back I was straight on the chia seeds, peppermint teas, chicken salads and as much veg as I can. It's hard to keep on track sometimes but with just over 2 weeks to the festivities begin I need to reel it in and get back to the gym!

(Still can't resist a dollop of peanut butter though!)

Eating at Wagamamas was fun and I tried to stick to my chicken/veg options but not knowing many of the meals on the menu I still ended up choosing a dish worth 930 calories! Oops.

What have you all been up to recently? Are you trying to eat healthy before the Christmas food begins or are you just embracing December for what it is??

L xxx

Hi!

After loving writing my quick posts of 'Things I've Learnt This Week' previously, I've decided to make it a regular feature (ish). Its a great easy way for me to communicate what I've been up to, what I've been trialling and what has interested me. Let me know if you like the new series or if you have any ideas how it could be made better, essentially i love lists and always have too much to say so it's a great way for me to tell you more about my extremely exciting life...!

1) Vice 3. Not much else is necessary to say but the strips either side of the palette have been PERFECTION for work make up. Nude colours in matte and shimmer, it's love.

I love the colours! So much fun to be had in future :)

2) Making big choices can be completely terrifying but can be the best choice you've ever made.
I was terrified to leave my job and give up the career that I'd worked so hard for. I'm lucky that I've found another job in a related field but in a completely different way and so far it has worked out for the best for me.

Sometimes I look back and can't believe how unhappy I was nor how i managed to get the strength to leave a job I'd worked for 8 years to get.
It's funny how things work out but I'm keeping everything crossed that this is all moving in the right direction and 2015 is going to be SUPER

3) Beauty Boxes never lose their appeal! Whichever one is in current favour with the blogging world, there is certainly one to tickle your fancy (ooh err!).

I recently snapped up these two - they really are like unwrapping presents to yourself;







I plan to do reviews on individual products rather than the boxes themselves as they are no longer available.

These were from Latest in Beauty and I can tell you that they have never disappointed me yet. Their Christmas ranges are even better too, £24.95 and there are three separate boxes available for almost every kind of female in your life! Perfect presents for hard to buy for people.

4) It doesn't matter what you're doing on the weekend; if the rugby is on and you're Welsh it's game over for everything else! I'm off to the Wales v Fiji match in the Millenium Stadium tomorrow - excited doesn't cover it! If you're Welsh, you're watching it and i love the family culture around it all. It's nothing like that with football and I much prefer feeling safe in a stadium! fingers crossed we can pull it out the bag this week for a successful family trip out.


5) Drawing spider diagrams and reading text books does not end when you finish uni. I thought it was just me but actually quite a lot of my friends also end up doing extra reading late into the night with a pad of A3 paper and coloured pens to go crazy with the annotations. Just shows you never really stop learning when you leave education!

6) I spent the weekend eating llama, horse, crocodile, ostrich, kangaroo and venison. It was lots of fun and whilst I did have some moral dilemmas I got over them to try new things; the end result was that I loved it all apart from kangaroo so at least I learnt something there!

What do you think of trying new foods? Would you try any of the meats that I did?


Let me know what you've been up to recently :)

L xxx