25 Before 26

Morning!

Bit of a lifestyle and list post for you today.

I keep seeing lots of these doing the rounds, they're like mini bucket lists and as lover of lists I think they're awesome. I have quite a large list of things I'd like to do/complete over on my 101 in a 1001 page here, but most of these are expensive and probably completely unachievable in the time I have left; things didn't go quite as I'd thought.

Instead I'm going to start breaking it up and aiming to tick off a few things in smaller installments. I'm 26 in March next year, so I'm giving myself the target of ticking off one task for every year that I've existed so far.

Here's my 25:

1: Visit another place in the UK, my aim is 5 and I've ticked off 2. Another one should be achievable in this time; suggestions below please!

2: Read 4 Classic Books. 20 was my aim and I've only read 1, I can surely manage to get a few of these read over the next few months as I have a lot on my kindle for free. I'm going name a few specifically to ensure they're read and fill up more of my 25! First is Robin Hood

3: Second is Frankenstein, I've heard its a great story and a complete classic

4:I also plan on reading the real Beauty and the Beast

5: The real Jungle Book

6: Wuthering Heights

7: Treasure Island

8: Dracula

9: and lastly the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. This is quite a list.....fingers crossed I get some time off soon! 

10: Try 2 new foods. My aim is 10, surely 2 more can be done over Christmas!

11: Visit an art gallery; cannot think where this will be but I'll have to find one

12: Give blood - this is simple and I have to fit this in somewhere; maybe on a week off

13: Work harder at toning up - I've put on a few pounds recently and am feeling a bit too pudgy for my liking. Need to drop 7lbs and I'd be happy, this sounds easy but my diet is pretty good and I exercise 3/4 times a week as it is. If I work harder though it can happen!

14: As a sub list I have a number of new things I'd like to do to make this happen. Firstly, I'd like to try rock climbing, it's supposed to be a great way to tone your upper body and I'd love to give it a go. There's an indoor climbing centre in Cardiff so I think I'll start there

15: Start yoga/pilates - still haven't tried a class and I think it's about time I tried one. Body Balance is the class at my gym that combines a number of stretching and poses so I think I will try one of these and start there!

16: Gorge walking - a fun day out that my dad and brother also want to do, winner! Family time will always be a good thing

17: Run 10k - Initially my aim was to run 5k but I do that regularly now. Running 10k is something that terrifies me but i have to get there to complete other challenges! My friend has recently signed me up to do a 10k at the beginning of March. I have no excuses now...

18: Go ziplining - there's a Go Ape near me that does this kind of thing, definitely need to go!

19:Go to a gig - no idea what one yet but something!

20: Learn to cook something new, one of each sweet and savoury

21: Continue to plough through the excess of 'stuff' in my possession. Capsule wardrobe be mine!

22: Learn basic things to fix on a car - this is ongoing having just bought my first car. The winter will bring lots of issues that I'm sure will be a learning curve for me!

23: Go to London over Christmas - this might seem easy for some of you but I've never wandered around London at Christmas just to soak up the festive spirit and see the shop windows in Harrods and Selfridges. I've booked my train tickets for December so will definitely be going!

24: Visit an Antique or Vintage Fair - hopefully I can find one of these in the next few months. It would be great to wander around one of these and see what gems can be found!

25: Write a short story. I'd love to write a book but it is such a mammoth task involving so much free time that I just don't have at the moment. I'm sure I can stretch to writing a short story, even if it's something based on my own experiences!

What do you think of my list? Achievable?

Hopefully I can get a load of them done over Christmas and then I can check off more! I have a week off coming up so fingers crossed I can get some reading etc done then, and maybe an outdoors task.

Do you have a list of tasks you'd like to achieve by a certain date?
Do you have an tips for achieving them all??


Send me any links you have to your own lists, I love reading them!

L xxx

Cold Turkey June

Good morning all!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was starting a spending ban for the entire of June, absolutely no spending whatsoever, so I thought I'd tell you how i was getting on so far and what I'm lusting after!

I feel that as I only have 3 posts to write a week it would be a waste to write about it weekly so every few weeks I'll give an update. I'm hoping to continue the ban further than June but at the rate my wishlist is increasing I'm not so sure that will be achievable!! Maybe I'll give myself a limit to spend at the end of June, and restart it again for July?!

I've so far not bought any cosmetics or products of any kind, so firstly lets congratulate me on that amazing feat! I'm actually enjoying using up my stash as I'm finding lots of half finished things that I can easily finish and get rid of, which is ultimately giving me more space that I desperately need.

I have however had to buy a few extra clothes for work, I did buy some initially that I thought would tide me over for a couple of months until I could justify buying more. But unfortunately as the lab is hot, long sleeved tops are out on account of having to wear lab coats, and vests aren't allowed cos of the whole bare shoulders/cleavage thing.

Sooooo I had to hot foot it into town and pick up some more tshirts that are acceptable in the work place.

The top 3 are all from New Look, and I managed to get them all for £5 when they had a 'Tshirts for £5' day and then student discount so that was pretty good!

The stripy tshirt is from Dorothy Perkins where I also picked up a black and white leopard print tshirt too, both were £10 and I got my 15% student discount too. So although I technically broke my 'no spending' rule it was pretty important to have clothes for work and I didn't stretch that out too far!

Obviously having been shopping I saw a massive amount of stuff that I want....siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

Most importantly, I need some new trainers for the gym and I've also got my eyes on some Supra type trainers.

I've got my eye on a specific pair in particular that I'm sure you will have seen, but here's a photo collage of what I'm lusting after at the moment!

(none of these images are my own obviously! Otherwise they wouldn't be on my wishlist...but if you click on them it will take you to the original link, mostly from google)

Mmmm pink Nikes!!

Infamous Illamasqua Maneater lipstick, saw it, tried it, loved it, need it.

Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask, love in a product!

Naked 2, the only palette I'm missing from the Naked collection.

This is actually my image! Origins Make a Difference Gel really did make a difference, it's high on my wishlist again as a definite repurchase.

This is OPI Bond Girls Liquid Sand in Jinx, just look at that beautiful coral with gold shimmer. I have the miniature version which is not going to last at all, I need the full one!

I am hoping my American friend will be able to send me one over as a gift...but not too sure now the international rules have changed.

 

 

Following on from the OPI theme, I am still lusting after these 5 polishes from their Bond range back around Christmas. I need to get my hands on Moonraker, Die Another Day, Live and Let Die, Casino Royale and You Only Live Twice.

These have been on my list for so long that at the end of this month I think I'll have to purchase them just for sanity reasons!

What are you guys lusting after at the moment?

My brain has suddenly gone crazy lusting after everything I can't have.

I have £15 of Debenhams Beauty points to use by the end of this month....would you buy the Illamasqua Maneater lipstick, or the pricier Urban Decay Naked 2 palette?
I need somebody to decide for me!!!


Here's hoping that going 'Cold Turkey' will mean I can pay off my credit card bills and start afresh.

L xxx

List Love

I have a really big love of lists and I've no idea why that hasn't translated into my blog posts, but I figured it was time it had to happen!
I have notebooks everywhere around my room, in my bags and generally around the house with lists for anything you can imagine.

For my first list I thought I'd break in gently with a general 'Lust List'.

There's so much right now that I'm lusting over and I thought it would be a fun post to make a wish list and see if you share the same ones as me!

Here's my Top 5 Beauty Products to lust over at the moment:

Clarins Odyssey Eye Quartet Mineral Palette

This needs no introduction and absolutely no explanation.

Look at the casing!

And that gold just has to be mine.

Bobbi Brown Desert Twilight Palette

This is an absolutely perfect palette of shimmery nudes.

I haven't even seen it in store yet but still want it.

I have a friend who works for BB, will have to get her to give me a make over ;)

Alpha H Liquid Gold Serum

I've been using the Liquid Gold recently and have been loving the effects.

Ruth from A Model Recommends uses this on the nights she doesn't use the Liquid Gold, for perfect skin I would like to do the same!

Hopefully then all of my scars and spots will permanently leave my face.

Origins Make A Difference Gel

I had a sample of this from the Origins counter and loved it, it's a beautiful light gel that absorbs straight into your skin leaving no residue but fully hydrating.

Loved it!

MAC MSF

M already has this and we recently posted about it on our Sunday posts as I had the chance to use it for a night out.

Obviously as everyone else has I fell in love instantly and would quite happily apply it all over every day!

What a look ;)

So that's what I'm currently lusting over...there's plenty more to come but I thought I'd stick to beauty for now.

Do you love lists? I'm already planning my next one, there are a lot of clothes, shoes and bags I have my eyes on!

What do you have your eye on at the moment?

L xxx