Bleak January Blues

I am 24 years old and living with my grandparents. They are very old fashioned and set in their ways, it is very difficult to talk them round something. For example: getting the internet, upgrading their Sky Box package for a much better price. They have set ways as do I.

At the start of January I was made redundant from my part time job, I work as a supply teacher in the day and work a second job in the evenings. I have a PGCE, but alas there are not many drama teaching jobs on the market at the moment.

I am feeling very deflated with myself, studying at Uni for 5 years and still not having a well paid job, it's horrible.

Is anyone else in my position with redundancy? No job prospects? I know I should be grateful for what I have, but I'm finding things very difficult.

I am trying to see the redundancy as a positive, maybe it will give me a kick up the bum and spur me on.

Kathryn x

A Winter Boot

I saw these boots in H&M about a month or so ago and for just £25 (I think), they had to be mine. I was debating whether to buy the Topshop pair, they are very similar but cost around £40.

I love a bargain so I decided for the H&M pair. I've worn these constantly, you can dress them up or down and they are very comfortable. With me teaching at the moment I'm always on the look out for smart/casual wear, these completely fit the bill.

So if you're on the look out for a cheap pair of black boots for winter, I'd recommend these beauties.

What are you're winter boots like?

Thanks for reading, Kathryn xxxx

Shoe Whore

The past couple of months have been so hectic for me, after two solid years of hard work I am a fully qualified teacher. I know I've mentioned this on my last post, but I like saying it at every opportunity. I've worked hard for it, so I think I'm allowed to gloat.

Recently I had to sell my car ( financial reasons, running a car is expensive) and I've had to resort to walking and public transport, not my favorite things really. Due to the amount of walking, my legs are more defined and muscly. YAY. My feet, however, are paying for it. Blisters are covering my feet, big sore blisters. I couldn't handle the backs of my feet resembling something from the the Texas Chainsaw Massacre anymore, and with my beloved Adobe Chelsea boots on the way to shoe heaven, I needed some new shoes.

I've been eyeing up various shoes throughout the weeks, In the end I opted for a pair of TOMS. Everyone and their grandma has a pair, they are very popular at the moment. However the good side is, for every pair sold a child in need is given a pair of new shoes. I bought mine from Office for £40 ( £36 with student discount), pretty expensive but It's for a good cause. I'm in love with the ditzy/floral pattern, what can I say I do love a good floral.

I have worn these twice and have walked a fair distance in them already, they haven't rubbed yet, touch wood. Up to now I have found these shoes to be extremely comfortable, however I don't think they will last well throughout the colder months. Indeed, these are a perfect summer shoe.

Sally Cinnamon, you are my world..

Hey everyone. I have been very absent from my blog recently, this is down to my commitments regarding PGCE (teacher training), I can proudly say I have finished now, getting a job is what I'm trying to do now. Word of advise, don't leave things until the last minute, the course was very challenging for me (yes there were tears and arguments), but I bloody did it :D

On a much more interesting note, I went to see the Stone Roses on Saturday (Heaton Park, Manchester), with my boyfriend and some of his friends. AMAZING. EMOTIONAL. BRILLIANT. The Roses split up in 1996, only very recently they decided to reform. Pro Green (with the help of Lily Allen),The Wailers, Hollie Cook and Beady Eye supported. Beady Eye, were mega playing Oasis classic, Rock and Roll Star, that certainly got the audience warmed up.

The Roses opened with 'I wanna be Adored', the atmosphere was electrifying. I think I damaged my poor boyfriends eardrum. They played Sally Cinnamon, which is my all time favorite tune.

I'm not going to try and 'gig review it', because that's not me. What I can say is that I am so happy to be part of history, the Heaton Park gig was the fastest selling gig in UK history. Ian, Mani, John and Reni, you were amazing, thankyou for a quality night.

Review on Chanel Pro Lumiere

After reading a few reviews on Chanel Foundations, I decided that It was time for me to go and purchase one. I recently bought the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation, their concession in Selfridges really caught my eye, they are very pretty and really draw you in with their amazing images and friendly members of staff. However the Skin Base is a bit too dark for me at the moment, it has definitley something to do with it being winter ( I'm quite pale and I got the shade No.08).

I had my excuse to buy another foundation, so off I trotted to Debenhams.
When I arrived no one was at the concession and none of the other members of staff knew where the lady was, so I had a wonder round and came back half an hour later. When I came back the lady was there but she was serving someone else, so I waited 15 more minutes to be matched up. When the lady was finally done she apologised for keeping me waiting and then she basically took me through the different types of foundations availible. She was in depth and explained to me what each foundation was most suitable for. The Pro Lumiere sounded appealing to me: semi-matte and you can build the foundation up without it looking cakey. I was matched 20 CLAIR and it looked lovely when it was appiled to my skin in the shop.

I've had the foundation for about a week now and in my opinion it's OK. It makes my skin look a bit greasy and shiny, I think is probably due to the high pigment, I usually prefer something a bit more matte as I like my skin too look really flawless. I found the foundation to be really runny too, I'm used to my foundations being creamy and thick within texture.

I won't be repurchasing this item as it's not my cup of tea in all honesty. What I want to repurchase however, is The Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation. And OH MY GOD, it's the perfect foundation for me and I'm kicking myself for not buying this instead!. But like most Make Up addicts, I wanted to experiment with other high end foundations.

Have you ladies ever had the same problem with Chanel Pro Lumiere? What is you favourite foundation at the moment?

Anyway thanks for reading and have a great Friday..

All my Love Kathryn
xxx

Arctics at Liverpool Echo Arena

Last night, me and my best friend Hayley went to see the brilliant Arctic Monkeys at the Liverpool Echo Arena. I first started listening to them when I was 16 when I was in my first year of college. My friend Faye introduced them to me and since then I've been hooked. I fell out with them a bit when they became commercialised and really big with the indie kids ( I went through a stage of loving bands and then hating them when they became popular, it wasn't cool when I was 17 to like a band that was popular) Haha, fickle!!!. Anyway, their new album Suck It And See impressed me.

Alot of Bands nowadays aren't innovative, they stick to what they know and produce music that sounds like a carbon copy of their previous song. In my opinion the Arctics don't do that. "Suck It And See" is raw, sexy and dirty. Plus I fancy the pants of Alex Turner. Droooolllllll....

The arena itself is based on The Albert Dock, if you're ever in Liverpool GO VISIT. Shops, Art Galleries, Restaurants, Museums, there's loads to do. At the moment the Christmas lights are up and it looks very pretty and festive, go visit ladies.:)

( Top tracks by The Arctic Monkeys: Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair, Bigger Boys And Stolen Sweethearts, Still Take You Home, A Certain Romance.

All my Love Kathryn x

Laura Marling.....

I bought Laura Marling's new album yesterday. I had a really none stop Sunday thinking about it.....Willowpool, Trafford Centre and the cinema to watch Tin Tin with the boyfriend.. Anyyway, I've been a massive Laura Marling fan for quite a few years now, If you have never listened to her you really should and I mean really should. She has this delicate yet powerful voice that really sends shivers down your spine. And she is stunning, without all the Make-Up and hair. She has this plain sense of style yet elegant, i'm thinking vintage Spice Girls tee with skinny jeans and converse. It's grunge but she really pulls it off.

At just 21 she has three albums under her belt: Alas I Cannot Swim, I Speak Because I Can and her latest A Creature I don't know.

Her songs are really breath taking and with her being so young, you would think these songs were written by a woman of 30. Her songs reflect on different matters, love being one of them.
Laura had a relationship with Noah and the Whale front man Charlie Fink. The album The First Days of Spring, written mostly by Fink, is about their break up when they were 17 / 18. I'm not a big Noah and the Whale fan, but if you listen to some of the songs on that album it's very obvious his songs reflect on a bad break up. The song, Stranger is about Finks first one night stand since his break up. It's heart breaking when you listen to it.

New Romantic is my one of my favourite songs written by Marling, partly because I can personally relate to it and partly because it's a stunning piece of music. Laura sings "I know I said I love you but I'm thinking I was wrong, I'm the first to admit that I'm still pretty young ".
Her songs have depth and meaning, she's not scared of being herself and all three of her albums reflect on how she has grown as a person.

Here is a live version of her singing New Romantic.

Are you a Laura Marling Fan? What is you're favourite album?

Hope you enjoyed my ramble.

All my love, Kathryn xx