Summer 2014 Bucket List

(Photo credit: Pinterest)

This morning I had my final exam. I'm finally free from the pressure of exams and it is such an amazing feeling. I now have around 11 weeks holiday before I start year 12 and I'm determined that it's going to be a summer to remember.

I decided to write up a list of all the things I want to do before the colder days are upon us once more.

I've been mentally planning this list for the last few months. I'm a huge believer in having something to look forward to and the idea of an incredible summer was just what I needed as motivation to get me through my exams.

Learn how to use my camera to its full potential.

I want to read through lots of online guides for my Canon 1100d so I can learn as much as I can about it, which will help me to achieve the best photos possible.

Go to the cinema and watch all of the films I said I wanted to see during the previews last time.

Admit it. We all watch the previews before the film comes on in the cinema and say “I must go and see that” after at least 3 trailers. Well, this summer I’m determined that I am actually going to see them.

Spend a weekend in London watching West End shows.

I’ll put my hands up – I’m a huge musical theatre geek. I know every single word of the Wicked soundtrack and I spend half my life prancing around my garden pretending to be Billy Elliot. There really is nothing better than seeing a show in the west end. I’d love to down to London with my mum and see Les Mis, Wicked (again) and possibly even Billy Elliot again too.

Use an underwater camera.

I think I’ll get so much use out of an underwater camera during my holiday to Greece. The Mediterranean is just so clear – perfect underwater photography conditions. The photos would also be great for a blog post, don’t you think?

Go on a huge shopping trip with some fellow bloggers.

Back in April, I attended the #SE Bloggers Meet Up and I got to meet a whole load of lovely bloggers. I’ve kept in good contact with a fair few of them (if you attended the meet up and we haven’t been in touch, drop me a tweet or the likes so we can have a catch up!) and I’d love to meet up with them again for a bloggers girly shopping trip. I’m actually planning a Teen Bloggers Meet Up for the end of august in London, and we’re going to go on a shopping trip as well as as having a little picnic. If you fancy joining us, you can find all the information here.

Read as many books as possible.

Although reading is something that is really important to me, it has had to take a backseat whilst I complete my exams. During the summer I am going to have a whole load of free time that I can dedicate to reading and I am so excited about it. My goodreads “To Read” list is full to the brim of books I’d love to read and I’m planning on reviewing some of my favourites so keep an eye out. If you can think of any good summer reads you think I might enjoy, let me know!

Do the Warner Brothers Studio Tour.

Oh how desperate I am to go on this tour. I’ve wanted to go since it opened and I haven’t had a chance yet but fingers crossed this will be the summer I finally make it.

Go to an outdoor concert

This one is actually already booked. I’m off to London on July 6^th to see McBusted (along with the Backstreet Boys, The Vamps, Scouting for Girls and Diversity) in Hyde Park. I’m oh so very excited to see the boys again and I think it’s going to be an amazing day.

Try out lots of new recipes.

Cooking and baking are two things I really enjoy but haven’t really had a chance to explore that much recently. Fingers crossed, over the summer I’ll be able to really start making delicious things.

Get a Shakeaway milkshake.

Shakeaway milkshakes are heaven in a cup. I adore them. When I visit shakeaway, my milkshake of choice is a cadbury creme egg shake (large of course) with whipped cream on the top. Sadly though, there isn’t a Shakeaway store in my local area so I only get to enjoy one of their fabulous milkshakes a handful of times a year (if by any chance any of the important Shakeaway boss people happen to stumble across my blog for some bizarre reason, pretty please with a cherry on top, open a store in a Peterborough – I’ll love you forever). I do, however, have a list of Shakeaway store locations saved on my phone, so I never miss a chance to enjoy a shake. This summer, I’m determined I’m going to visit Shakeaway at least twice.

Go to lots of Car Boot Sales.

Summer is car boot season and I love it. I love having a good old rummage through the different stalls at a car boot sale (even if it does involve getting up early in order to get there before all the good stuff is gone).

Complete (at least) 5 pinterest inspired projects.

I have pinned far too many projects on my pinterest and I finally need to get round to actually doing them all, so I think a trip to Hobbycraft is in order to purchase all the necessary bits and bobs, and then I can get to it.

Channel my inner tourist

When I go down to London, I always head straight to the likes of Camden, Covent Garden and Oxford Street for a good old shopping expedition, but I’d love to spend the day channelling my inner tourist and visiting all the sites, (armed with my camera of course, to get some good snaps.)

Finish redecorating my room

My room is a work in progress and has been for a good two years now. All I have left to sort now is my wardrobe, bookcase and bedside table. I’m going for a shabby chic style, for my room, and I’ll make sure to write a room tour post, once it’s all finished, so you can all have a nosey.

Visit a selection of exhibitions at various museums

I actually really really enjoy visiting museums and going to different exhibitions; I find them so interesting. There’s a couple of exhibitions at various museums over the next few months that I’d particularly like to visit, such as the ‘Wedding Dresses 1775-2014’ exhibition at the V&A Museum.

Have a movie marathon

For what seems like forever, myself and one of my best friends Alice have been planning to have a whole load of movie marathons, and I’m determined that these will happen during the summer. Currently, we’re planning to have a Harry Potter marathon (although I very much doubt we’ll go the whole hog and sit for around 20 hours as sleep is very important to me so maybe we’ll do it in two sittings). We’re also planning a Channing Tatum marathon (with the likes of Magic Mike, Dear John, 21 Jump Street, Streetdance and The Vow being included of course) because what girl doesn’t want to sit and stare at him in all his gorgeousness for hours on end?

Get into a blogging schedule and stick to it.

Over the last few months my blogging schedule has been a bit all over the place because of exams and revision but I’m determined that I’m going to get back into the swing of things. I’m currently thinking Monday, Wednesday and Friday might work well.

Try to Instagram something everyday

I tend to not use my Instagram for anything other than sharing blog posts but I think it would be really nice to post a photo everyday to save the memories of all the amazing things I do this summer. If you fancy following me on Instagram, my username is Chloe_Bellamy1.

I'll be taking photos documenting each of my adventures, and posting regular updates here on my blog sharing my progress as I tick each of them off.

What are your hopes and plans for the summer?

Review: Mr Nutcase Phone Case*

As I'm sure anyone who doesn't have an iPhone will agree, finding a phone case is a tricky task. I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 and it's rather hard to find a pretty yet practical case, as it seems like all of the big retails favour iPhones.

Recently I was offered the opportunity to create my own phone case with the brand Mr Nutcase. They offer custom phone/tablet/kindle cases (for a large range of manufacturers and models including Apple, Blackberry, Samsung and HTC) using a simple but brilliant design process. There are three different syles of cases available to personalise so you're sure to find something to suit you.

Designing the case is simple. You can choose from a selection of premade collages and then drag and drop your photos in. Alternatively, there's a range of snazzy designs you don't have to personalise ready for you if simplicity is more your cup of tea. You also get to preview your case before it's added to your basket so you can make any changes as and when necessary to ensure that your case is the bee's knees.

I went for quite a Ultra Light Weight Slimline case (retailing at £14.49), using a single photo template and a lovely photo from tumblr. The sides of the case are clear which give the impression, from the front, that there isn't actually a case there at all, and the case fits the phone like a glove. It clips on perfectly and stays put no matter how much your phone is bashed around in your bag.

When the case arrived I was instantly pleased with the quality of the photos. It really is flawless. The case feels very durable and (based on when I accidentally dropped my phone yesterday) seems to be relatively scratch-proof, which is great as scratches were something I was worried about because of the cases' semi-matte finish.

And just when you think Mr Nutcase can't get even more splendid, they offer free worldwide shipping; how fab!

Overall, I would completely recommend Mr Nutcase for all your phone case needs; I was really happy with the whole process from start to finish and I couldn't fault the company at all. Over the last week or so I have recieved so many compliments about my phone case, and that's aways nice to hear isn't it?

As a special little gift from me to you I'm able to give you a 10% discount if you choose to purchase a case from Mr Nutcase. Just use the code "Thanku10" at the checkout and enjoy your new case!

*Disclaimer: This product was kindly gifted by Mr Nutcase for the purpose of this review. All views and opinions shared on realityleaveslotstoimagination are always honest and unbiased.

Lush "Movis" Facial Soap Review

"Movis" is one of the new innovations from the Lush product inventors. I'm not going to lie, when the lovely people in my local lush store suggested the product I was a little apprehensive because it's unlike anything I've tried before. But I was intrigued so I decided to give it a go and I've fallen in love.

The product is a lovely and sweet smelling bar with a rather squidgy texture. It contains all sorts of lovely ingredients (including: Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Wheat Germ Oil and Extra Virgin Coconut Oil) that work wonders when it comes to softening your skin as well as wholemeal bread to exfoliate and revive it.

I do find the appearance of the product slightly hilarious. It reminds me a little bit of meatloaf, which is slightly strange for a cleanser but it just adds to the fun of the product.

One of the best things about the cleanser is just how easy it is to use. I fill the sink with warm water, cut off a tiny tiny amount of the cleanser, dip the slice into the water to get it wet, and then apply it all over my face (I've heard some people say that it's better to wet your face rather than the product but I've tried both methods and wetting the product is so much more affective). Then, I take a wet flannel and simply wipe the product off my face, taking all the makeup and dirt from the day with it. It literally only takes less than a minute to completely wash my face, which is so nice because I'm rather impatient when it comes to that sort of thing.

Let's talk results. I can honestly say that I've had far better results from using this product for a week or two than I have using any other cleanser ever. One of the results I first noticed is how it leaves my skin feeling so moisturised. It doesn't suck out any moisture and I even don't feel the need to use another moisturiser on top. It's also worked wonders for my blemishes. I've had acne for a good four or so years, but now I'm using this cleanser, my skin is looking clearer everyday. It's much more affective than any of the chemical-heavy spot treatments you get in the likes of Boots. The cleanser has also done a brilliant job at tightening my pores, which I really needed, so thank you Lush!

The only negative aspect of the product is it's quite bitty (although it doesn't stain the sink). It can leave quite a lot of rubbish in your sink but when it all comes down to it, the results you get from using the cleanser make having to clean your sink slightly more often completely worth it.

"Movis" is priced at £4.50 for 100g (or alternatively you can buy 250g or 500g). This is a complete bargain because 100g lasts forever. I've been using it daily for the last week or so and I've barely used any. If you cut an extremely thin slice and then half it to make a tiny square, it will last a good two or three washes.

What's your current favourite cleanser?

Summer Teen Bloggers Meet Up!

Hello you lovely lot!

Myself and the ever so lovely Georgie from http://life-of-georgie.blogspot.co.uk are currently in the process of arranging a summer meet up specifically for teen bloggers. I don't think the teen blogging community get many opportunities to meet each other, and as I learnt when I attended the #SEBloggers meet up back in April it's an amazing experience, so that is why we decided that a meet up just for us sounds like a fantastic idea.

We're currently planning for it to take place in London on a Saturday in July/August, although we're trying to get an idea on numbers before we officially set a date. The idea is to maybe have a picnic or the likes, to make the most of the (hopefully) good weather summer brings although obviously, if the weather on the chosen date is going to be rubbish, we'll organise a restaurant. Of course, we're hoping that lots of shopping will be involved too, either before or after the picnic so we can all pick up lots of new bits and bobs, based on the recommendations of fellow bloggers.

If you could let me know if you'd be interested in joining us, that would be fab! Just leave me a comment or drop me a tweet (@Chloe_Bellamy).

Thank you!

 

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Maybelline "Matte Maker" Mattifying Powder Review

I recently purchased the Maybelline "Matte Maker" Mattifying Powder at my local supermarket on a whim and I'm not going to lie, I've fallen in love. This is a product that really hasn't had the attention, in the blogging world, that it really deserves.

I picked the powder up in the shade "classic ivory" which is the lightest of the four shades available (with the other three being "nude beige", "natural beige" and "sun beige") and a really decent match for my skin; well done Maybelline.

When it comes to application, I choose to use the Real Techniques Multi-Task Brush from the travel essentials collection. It applies with ease and provides a really even mattifying coverage that isn't cakey in the slightest. It also works as a really good setting powder, as well as mattifying my skin, which is an added bonus.

This powder is as light as air and has a really natural soft finish, that isn't chalky like I sometimes found the likes of Rimmel 'Stay Matte' to be. I found it to last a good four or five hours before I even needed to think about reapplying it, which is a considerable amount of time longer than any other pressed powder I've tried in the past.

This powder retails at under £4 which is so good for the quality of the product. I'd definitely recommend trying it if you're looking for a good budget mattifying powder.

Overall, I adore this product. To be completely honest, I actually prefer it to Rimmel's Stay Matte, which is a total cult product in the blogging world. The finish is much more natural and not chalky in any way and it keeps my skin looking lovely and matte for much longer.

What's your favourite mattifying powder?