How To Stay Motivated to Work in Winter

You might have read the title of this post and though, hey? How is staying motivated in Winter any different from any other time of the year? Oh man, it is. The nights are dark and long in Winter, living in a cold student house is the least glamorous of environments and sometimes, frankly, I just can't be assed. You can't pretend you haven't been there too!

Especially when it gets dark at 4pm I struggle to continue working, or to even start when it feels like I may aswell have stayed in bed all day but Winter is almost over my friends, Spring is only a month (or two) away. We can push through and get this work done before the blissful summer nights roll around to carry us and our coursework into the sunset.

Here's how I stay motivated to work when the days are short:

Think of the reward. I don't exactly mean the pint at the end of your essay, but that warm feeling inside when you realise that everything on your to-do list is done. Think about what it is to be free and go for it.

Ban yourself from your phone. If you're like me, procrastination largely involves scrolling for hours on Facebook and Twitter. If you notice yourself wanting to reach for your phone then put it away! Give it to your flatmates (bad idea) or put it on silent. ANYTHING, haha.

Get out while the sun is out. If you know you have a lot of work to do today and you haven't left the house in a couple days, head on a walk and get some fresh air before you sit down for a few hours. It will keep you going, promise!

Find something comforting. Stress isn't an option when deadlines are so close, we just have to crack on with our work and wrap ourselves in comforting things until it's all blown over. For me, a hot cup of tea almost every hour on the hour keeps me going.

Allow yourself breaks- but only when you're not on a roll. If you've been typing for hours and you're due a break but you're on a roll and SO close to the end, don't break! If you feel like you could push yourself a little more now then do it, it means more time to chill come deadline day.

Get up earlier. Getting up early on cold mornings can be hard I know, but establishing some boundaries to your lie in is as adult as this advice gets. If you're like me and lose motivation come nightfall, push yourself to get up a little earlier and make the most of your extra hour!

Change your scenery. There's nothing wrong with being that person in Starbucks tapping away on a Mac, really. If a change of scenery makes you feel better or get into the flow then do it, though maybe don't read your essay aloud in the library.

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I hope these tips are helpful for you! If you have any more tips then be sure to drop them in the comments for everyone to see :) 

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Quick and Easy Vegan Scramble | Sunday Post #14

It was Alex's birthday the other day and we chilled hard, had a drink at the end of the day and then ended up staying awake until 4am for the millionth time. We weren't so hungover as we were tired but everyone knows that there's not much a fry-up can't fix, and being vegan doesn't mean missing out! Here's a super simple recipe to replace your scrambled eggs and sausage if you're trying to kick the meat. 

Quick and Easy Vegan Student Fry Up | Serves 2

Ingredients: 

SCRAMBLED TOFU

A large handful of chunky chopped up mushrooms

A handful of chopped up cherry tomatoes

2 large handfuls of spinach (one is for serving)

A half-three quarters of pressed tofu block (find at all supermarkets, I use Cauldron Tofu and press for 10 mins)

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2tsp paprika

1 tsp mixed italian herbs

1 tsp tomato puree

4 tbsp water

1 tsp sunflower spread/non dairy butter

Salt and pepper to taste

TO COMPLETE THE DISH

3-4 vegan burgers (Morrissons has a nice range, as does Asda) 

1 handful of spinach for serving

1 tin of baked beans

If you want to add 'bacon' too, Quorn do meat-free bacon but I think it has egg in and isn't vegan! Linda McCartney sausages are AMAAAZING and would go perfect with this but I just want to show you how easy and tasty it can be with so little! There are other alternates out there too, but this is simple to make with what you might have already.

Method:

1.  After pressing your tofu, mash it up with the back of a fork until it resembles scrambled eggs. While uncooked, the texture should be a lot like if scrambled eggs were a little less soft. Pop this in the pan with the sunflower spread or non-dairy butter and fry lightly for about 4 minutes. 
2. Sprinkle over the turmeric, cumin, paprika, herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper if desired. Pour on the tomato puree and water, let simmer for a little in this mixture, stirring until you can smell the spices cooking. This is also really nice with garlic or shallots thrown in!
3. Add the mushrooms, spinach and cherry tomatoes and fry for another 2 minutes or so, until the tofu is soft and breaks apart with ease. 
4. Once everything is cooked, put the tofu mix aside and pop the vegan burgers into the same pan. Make sure you follow the packaging guidelines :)
5. Heat up some beans in true student fashion and arrange your spinach with any extras on your plate. Sometimes I like to grill a few large mushrooms or whip up some quick garlic mushrooms. Hash brows are amazing and vegan too, except McDonalds the ones from McDonalds. 
6. Don't forget a side of toast and whatever sauces you fancy. For extra flavour sprinkle some herbs on the tofu once finished.

Let me know if you make this meal and if you like it! Tofu isn't to everyone's taste but when you drop in a load of herbs and spices it turns into a whole other story. Also let me know what brought you here! I might do more vegan food on the blog, especially food that you wouldn't think you could vegan-ize, tell me what you think. Wondering why I choose to eat vegan? Here's my reasons for the change.

Are you a vegan or doing veganuary? What are you favourite hangover foods?

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6 Things We Need to Talk About Now More Than Ever | Taboo Talk #8

My blog is usually pretty full of sunshine and a chill place to be, but there sometimes comes a day when I really need to sit down and properly chat about what's in my head. I'm not a politician or scientist but there are a couple of issues and events that I've been paying most of my attention to over the last few months, that I feel need sharing with you now more than ever. 

"You may think that his sexism and other misogynistic ways won't touch you if you're not in the U.S, but think of it as an umbrella casting shadow over a much larger space."

Womens Rights

As everyone who's unfortunately not been living under a rock for the past few days knows, Trump is in the White House. I repeat, Trump is in the White House. You may think that his sexism and other misogynistic ways won't touch you if you're not in the US, but think of it as an umbrella casting shadow over a much larger space. 

If the President of the United States isn't a role model then who is? The Women's Marches going on all over the world now are just one way to raise our voices. WE control our rights to abortions. WE deserve respect. We have authority over our own bodies and do not deserve to be objectified, etc, etc.

Climate Change

If you've been reading here for a while you'll know that this has always been close to my heart! Can you believe there are still people out there that don't believe global warming is happening? Vivian Westwood even had her say in the issue this week, designing this badass tote for LFW. Talk about this issue. Especially since it's been censored from the White House website and is being revoked of priority and urgency, after so many years of trying. We are at the tipping point and only we have the power to change this. 

Equal Pay and Education

Although this fits into the category of 'womens rights', it's a pressing issue I thought deserved it's own slot. It will take 170 years, at this rate, for our pay to catch up to that of mens. This isn't just in the first world but perhaps more importantly in the third world where women often don't have access to the same resources as men, including education. Talk about this, fight for this. Challenge your bosses if you discover your male colleagues are being paid more than you.

"We are at the tipping point and only WE have the power to change this."

Palm Oil 

Nutella starred in some not so happy headlines last week such as Nutella Causes Cancer, because a base ingredient of it is the carcinogenic palm oil. Regardless of whether palm oil is cancer-giving or not, the farming of it has wreaked absolute havoc on the rainforest, driving lots of species including the Orangutang out of their habitats. Destruction of large rainforests ('the Earth's Lungs') means less CO2 absorption and less Oxygen output. In other worlds, palm oil is also a perpetuator of rising Greenhouse Gases, so never mind it being bad for you, it's bad for everyone! 

Many palm oil plantations use child labour and unbearably low pay rates for their workers, so talk about this and learn about this. Look for a sustainable alternative to products with palm oil in them and tell people!

Refugee Crisis

2015 and 2016 were the years where social media highlighted the refugee crisis a lot. Many of us saw some upsetting videos and just because these aren't currently viral doesn't mean that scenes like this aren't still happening. The next few years might see us taking on more refugees!

My hometown (a 98% caucasian seaside town) is taking on just over 200 refugees in the next couple of years and I can just hope that people are welcoming and accepting. We need to talk about how 'refugee' is not the dirty word that sad excuses for newspapers (I'm looking at you, The Sun) have made it out to be and be more supportive of those around us. Donate don't hate!

"There's no need for us to be using lipstick with fish scales or crushed beetles in."

Cruelty-Free Beauty

So many awesome bloggers, Youtubers and brands are going cruelty free. Kat Von D's make-up line is now totally vegan and bloggers such as Carli Bybel have stuck to the switch of choosing beauty that doesn't perpetuate animal cruelty.

In 2017, there's no need for us to be using lipstick with fish scales or crushed beetles in. There's no need for us to buy lipsticks that have been so cruelly forced on animals until these corporate giants were happy with the product quality. Just look at Too Faced, Seventeen, and Lush! All killing it without a single life at risk (see what I did there).

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Sadly there are plenty more issues going on that need talking about but none that I feel I know enough about to talk on! I'm trying to learn every day. Hopefully the message from this post isn't all doom and gloom but that now more than ever is a time to support, inspire, talk, teach and motivate each other. 

In numbers, we're pretty good at changing the minds of higher authority just by using our actions and voices. As long as we aren't hurting anybody else, there's no harm in spreading awareness, especially if you have a platform to use!

Which of these issues means the most to you?

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Seventeen Easy On The Eye Palette, The Big Smoke Review

I think in Winter, it's nice to go for colder colours in my make-up as my complexion is so much paler than it is in the summer (not that I ever really tan). My freckles go into hiding and my favourite wooly jumpers come out, along with the shimmeriest greys and blues of the season.

The Big Smoke* is a palette I've been dipping into a few times a week for that colder winter make-up that makes you look fierce as hell, when it's freezing outside and the wind turns your cheeks pink. It's a 12 shade palette (including one primer, a double ended brush and a mirror) with a range of colours from stone-grey to khaki green, bowie lookin' purple and aluminium metallics. Three of the shades in SEVENTEEN's sleekly designed palette are actually creams, which are my favourite right now!

I've always been more of a warm-toned eyeshadow kind of gal, but at the moment I can't get enough of blending a little cool grey into almost every look I do. 

I say the creams are my favourite because they're much more pigmented than the powders. I've seen a couple of reviews saying that they're a little too greasy but I've not found that. My skin isn't particularly oily and since fixing up my drylids a few months ago they've not been too dry either! Lately my skin has been a little sensitive though so I've been wary of putting on new products, on my lids especially, but this has been fine on sensitive areas and comes off easily.

That feature is a good thing and a bad thing. If I put a little too much on I can blend it out without powder settling everywhere and the glitter stays well, but by the end of the day most of the eyeshadow that's left is in my crease. I'm not sure if to blame the palette or the primer.

With some colours being more pigmented than others you may have to dab them on your skin before applying to gauge how much you need. In this palette, the purple is most bold and greys are less so.

Tip: Apply the less pigmented shades with a slightly damp brush and see the difference.

Above is a super quick look I did using the blues and greys with SEVENTEEN's 'Looking Buff' on my lips. I absolutely love the shade of blue in The Big Smoke palette* as even though I have green eyes, it really makes my eyes pop! Especially when blended with more subdued colours. 

Honestly, the only shade this palette is missing is one that allows you to transition from highlight to lid, making it not the only palette you'll need if you need to head out for the night. On the plus side, it's so sleek and light that it fits in alllll of my bags!

Overall I love the combinations in this palette and have been using the creams alongside my Morphe 35O, they compliment so many warmer shades too making this a pretty perfect buy if you're into experimenting. At £4.99 (down from £7.99) I'd say it's worth the pennies, but not at full price. Seventeen are waaaay on top of their lipstick game so their eyeshadows aren't as great in comparison. 

What do you think of these colours? Have you tried SEVENTEEN make-up yet?

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*this post contains products sent to me for review. All words and opinions are my own!

What My Tattoos and Being Tattooed Means to Me

Everyone has their own reasons for modifying their body, from lip fillers to split tongues and tattoos- ain't nothing wrong with any of it, as long as it's not harmful to anyone else (and how could it be).

My mum always knew I wanted to be tattooed, since I was about twelve (so you'd think the first one wouldn't have been a shock, right? Wrong. Hahaha), she's always supported me on my quest to colouring in everything and doodling my life away so art and illustration has always happily been a cornerstone of my identity.

My teenage years were probably the most radically changing years that I've lived through so far (I know, I'm only in my v. early 20's), but growing into your own skin is a tough deal for anybody! Before I even knew what it was to be 'uncomfortable in my skin' I'd wanted to get tattooed, not because I hated something about myself and wanted to change it but because I thought tattoos were beautiful. How amazing that we can put art under the surface of our skin? 

I think for a long time my mind dwelled on 'tattoos are art that you get to carry around forever'- quite romanticised in my head. The novelty of getting to keep a piece of art that eventually becomes a part of you and something people think of when they think of you, forever, is really beautiful!

How amazing that we can put art under the surface of our skin?

Tattoos, to me, are an expression of who you are on the inside; art you like, music, memories on your skin and experiences that make you wholly you and nobody else. Going from growing up struggling with self esteem issues to learning that I can change my body to how I see myself on the inside without terrible diets or magic potions is a lot of the reason why I continue to get tattooed! Being tattooed is a way for me to line up who I feel like on the inside with how I look on the outside. 

Not all of my tattoos have meaning, it's not necessary for me to tie every picture to a time, place or person to live regret-free. The ones that don't have meaning are just as special to me as the ones that do.

There's a heart on my ankle with a drawing that my friend Milda did, she passed away a couple of years ago and having that tattoo with her doodles on me really helped me to move on, learning from her death and remembering her in times when I need a little crazy injected into my life (she was awesome). There's also a heart with a little dagger in under my right boob, I actually got this around Valentines Day for myself. Hollllaaaa self love.

On my left arm there are flowers in my favourite black and grey to symbolise my immediate family and growing together (though one more needs adding at some point for little Alfie!) then above that is a choppy print inspired tattoo of Hokusai's Great Wave. 

Did you ever read Michael Morpurgo's Kensuke's Kingdom as a kid?

I remember reading it in Year 5 and falling in love with the illustration on the cover, heavily inspired by Hokusai's Great Wave. The love of that illustration and the original woodcut followed me through life as I learned more and created more so I decided to get it tattooed! A few months later at a little seminar in my classroom a man came in to talk about his illustration career. It turned out to be the man who'd done that very illustration, Michael Foreman! How weird that I would ever meet him and get to bond over a piece of art from the 1800's. So although this tattoo didn't have a lot of meaning other than 'I really liked it' at the start, it's now got a really awesome lil story to go with it. 

I didn't spare myself of some terrible stick and pokes in my teens (much to mum's dismay) but I love them just as much as my professional pieces. That's probably slightly insulting to the artists out there hahaha, but again each tattoo is a little memory!

Remembering who did them, where, who I was at that time in my head is all part of the magic and I know full well in 20 years I may be somebody completely different on the inside, but if I take nothing else from these markings other than memories, reminders and art, I really doubt I'll regret even one! After all our bodies are just what we use to walk around in, eh? We should decorate them as wonderfully as we look after them and express ourselves however we like.

If you're thinking of getting one but don't know how to start, or what it feels like, you might like these posts!

Do you have tattoos? I'd loooove to hear what they mean to you! If you like to read about tattoos check out my interview with Céline, the woman with an incredible bodysuit.

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An Afternoon with Alfie | Sunday Post #13

Hello lovely readers! SO, I've decided to bring back the weekly Sunday Post series- though you might not have noticed it was gone. Basically my Sunday posts were a day in the week where the post would be pretty chill, not discussing anything too heavy, just something to catch up on with your morning coffee. My last one was in October, so it has been a while. Bare with me while I get it back on it's feet!

I headed home for Christmas in the middle of December and left last week after bawling my eyes out for a good hour, half because some days my hormones like to get crazy and half because as much as I can never wait to get back to uni, I always miss being around home so much!

My mum works in a school so she's away in the daytime once term starts, so it's just me, my sister and nephew left at home nearer the end of the holidays. Christmas was awesome, I talked a little about it in my What I Got for Christmas post, and for once felt like I really made the most of my time at home. Alex even came to visit for a few days and rang in the new year with my family which was loooo-uh-vely.

A few days later Laura, Alfie and I headed to the park with Mylo. I've been working with a new camera (if you can't tell!) so here's a bunch of photos I took of that afternoon. 

I can't get over how adorable Alfie is. He's going to be two this year which is crazy. For me it's really nice seeing him grow up while spending time with him. Because I was so young when my lil' sisters were babies, it's hard for me to remember a time when they were *cough* cute. Every time I go home he's grown more and can do more things for himself, he even knows how to decline a phone call! Haha, Alfie is super sweet, even when he slaps Mylo or throws food on the floor.

We tried to feed the ducks and geese for something to do but they swarmed us as soon as we took our bag of bread out so we ended up screaming and panicking as they hissed and chased us *shudders*. There were two park wardens sat in a hut near us so I wouldn't be surprised if one of them filmed it and the whole scene is slowly going viral on Facebook. Quite a sight to see- we even had to run away from the buggy while Mylo chased them off haha.

Living on the coast means that seagulls live in the parks too (and pretty much everywhere if you've ever been to a seaside town). They're actually HUGE up close. Crazy birdies.

It sucks that my Christmas hol at home has to be over but I'm looking forward to getting back in my creative zone this term at uni. There are a bunch of amazing gigs coming up this year so at least there's something for me to look forward to through this forest of work! Definitely will be for a home visit in the next few weeks since going too long without this lil furball by my side can't be good for me. (What is life without pets?)

Did you do anything nice this holiday? Sometimes it's nice to enjoy the smaller moments so I'm glad I got some photos,  they'll be so nice to look back on if I feel homesick. Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in the Sunday Post series!

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5 Teas to Keep You Warm and Well | Pukka Herbal Collection

On days when the cold outside is biting at my nose and fingers, there's nothing better to warm me up than a cup of tea and a bath. Seriously, I thought it was cold in October but this week I learned that the Halloween chill was nothing compared to the bitterness of January! Luckily I have a kettle on hand, candles and a steaming bathtub full of Lush until I head back to uni.

The other day I visited a temple with my family (so beautiful, I might have to write a post on it) and around the deity statues and prayer bowls were offerings of organic food and drinks. These teas were scattered around and I've actually tried them before but since then, Pukka have renewed their range a little and there are some brews in here that I've not even heard of! The whole box was £2.50, containing 20 bags of 5 different gorgeous tea blends and infusions. 

My favourite is the Elderberry and Echinacea at the moment because it tastes so bold and fruity. Some herbal teas can be hit and miss as even when they're brewed for a long time, they don't hold much flavour in the mug but Pukka have their brewing techniques down.

What do they taste like?

Elderberry and Echinacea: A bold, fruity berry tea with a slightly tangy kick. 

Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey: Warming, sweet (especially on the throat) and not too bitter or spicy. Really good for when you have a cold!

Night Time Blend: Super calming and relaxing, more herbal and flowery than the others. Tastes subtly like chamomile.

Three Mint Tea: Refreshing and relaxing. Cooling (even though it's hot!) and really flavourful.

Detox Blend: Similar to the night time tea. Sweet, herbal with a tiny hint of aniseed. 

Thankfully, none of these teas have laxative effects like Bootea etc (seriously please don't drink those, they're so bad for you), although I'm sure anything consumed in large amounts can't be good for you. Most of the ingredients in Pukka teas are organic, all ethically sourced and every bag has individual brewing instructions on the back so you know you're getting the most out of every infusion. I've tried a lot of teas, heck yea, and Pukka are always a brand I'll come back to if I want real, bursting with flavour tasting tea. 

The only issue I have with these teas are they they don't come in loose leaf as far as I know! I'm trying to be a little more conscious of packaging and waste and would love it if purchasing Pukka didn't mean another few non-biodegradable teabags on the planet. 

What's your favourite tea? How do you keep the cold away in Winter? :)

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Lush Northern Lights Bathbomb Set

To be a glittery goddess one must first bathe like a glittery goddess! I was given the Northern Lights bath bomb set for Christmas by my boyfriend's sister, Emily (thank you again Em!) and thought it would be rude to not show you guys how insanely gorgeous they are. They really smell as heavenly as they look. The set is made of three bath bombs; Northern Lights, Shoot for the Stars and Intergalactic. Shoot for the Stars and Intergalactic both have body glitter in them that sits on top of the water like stars. 

Shoot for the Stars 

The glitter in this actually comes from little golden stars that don't dissolve until the end, giving you a deep blue bath with layers of golden twinkles to soak in! My bath water went a deep night-sky blue that I couldn't see my arms through and smelled amazing.

Northern Lights

Dissolving piece by piece, breaking down into a beautiful layered mix of pink, green, purple, yellow and blue this bomb turns your water a very deep black-purple with lots of bubbles and foam. Watching this dissolve was like a little northern light show in my bathroom which was really relaxing with a delightful scent.

Intergalactic

For a deep blue, glittery bath choose this one. It really lived up to it's name as I felt like I was bathing in the stars! This one smelled lightly of peppermint and left with with silver glitters all over my body. Don't worry, these came off with a rinse and dry.

I've started putting bath bombs in the water before I get in so that I can appreciate their full spectrum, Zoella style haha. I won't name which is which in the below picture so you can have a little magic for yourself if you buy them.

If you're caught up on my most recent posts you might know that I'm trying to cut down on waste! Ever since Lush expressed their newest packaging promise, to have naked products where possible, it's really made me consider how much plastic I use in my cosmetics! From shampoo to body scrub, from now on I'll be trying to invest in better alternatives and make sure at least that my packaging is recyclable or bio-degradable. The Northern Lights Set has been packaged in bio-degradable little 'puffs' that dissolve in water or soil, cased in naked cardboard. 

Lush also try not to use synthetic preservatives and 65% of their products are self-preserving, meaning you can keep them for longer without and of the artificial bad stuff getting in your skin.

The Northern Lights are probably my new favourite bath bombs (side with Dragon's Egg, a popping, crackling, creamy one). I can't wait to see what Lush come out with next or possibly get my hands on these again some day. ♥︎

What's your favourite Lush product? Have you tried these?

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