My Year in Review – 2015

2015 can be described as one of the best and one of the worst years of my life. So many wonderful things happened, but a few heartbreaking moments also happened.

I’ll start with the good things that happened in 2015:

• In January, I got my voice back. In case you didn’t know, on December 1st 2011, I lost my voice. After 3 long years, which included intense speech therapy for 14 weeks, endless doctor visits, horrible pain and acupuncture, my voice started to come back slowly but surely. Now it’s a task to make sure I don’t lose it again!

 

• Also in January, I started my CoOp placement with I Love Limerick. There are no words to describe my experience with I Love Limerick, it was more than I ever imagined it would be. I learnt so much in my 6 months there and it helped me grow as a person and I became more confident in myself. The opportunities that came from working with I Love Limerick were unbelievable: meeting Maria Walsh, Paul O’Connell, George McMahon, Leanne Moore and of course Celia Holman Lee; helping many local and national charities; working on the Vote Yes campaign, oh there is so many incredible memories I have from my time there. Although, the best thing about my experience has to be meeting Richard. Richard Lynch is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. He has helped me in ways I’ll never be able to thank him enough for; he has taught me so much, both personally and professionally, he allowed me to see what I was capable of and helped me see the career I want. Most of all, he always believes in me. Thank you Richard, I love you xx

 

•  I have always wanted to take part in the Laois Rose Selection and this year, I got the chance. It all started back in January, when working with I Love Limerick, we got to meet Maria Walsh. After stealing her crown and taking selfies with her, she mentioned to me how I should go for it. I laughed it off because I had just got my voice back, so it was kind of the last thing on my mind. But then Anne Marie Bowe, one of the ladies behind Laois Rose Centre, asked would I go for it. After a chat with Mam and Dad, I found myself filling out the form and submitting it. I am very glad I did. What an experience it was. Hopefully, I will go for it again, when I am wiser and older 😉 I would love to represent Lovely Laois one day! I wrote a blog about the whole experience, if you would like to read it, click here

 

• With working with I Love Limerick, Richard set me up with the amazing opportunity to work for Celia Holman Lee. Oh wow, I have admired her from a very young age (ask my Mam!). To me, Celia is Ireland’s most fashionable lady and always will be, she truly defines Irish Fashion! Getting the chance to work with her from May through till August was a dream come through for me. I look back on the days we worked together and it still feels like a dream to be honest; working on photoshoots, fashion shows, tv shows, even just working in her office and having chats with her! Just like Richard, she has taught me more than any college degree can about the fashion/media industry, as well as giving me life advice along the way. She has helped me realize that a career in Fashion Media is one I most definitely would love. I am looking forward to working with her again in 2016!

• As part of my course in University, I had to go on Erasmus. So I went to Tarragona in Spain (well it is actually Catalonia) and what a four months it was. It took me a while to settle but once I did, I began to love Tarragona. The new friends I made, the new cities I have travelled, the memories with my old friends, it was a wonderful experience. To anyone who is offered the experience to go, TAKE IT!

• I started my Youtube this year. After many friends saying I should, I built up the courage and made a channel. I have been vlogging since May and my channel is doing quite good. I have 39 subscribers and over 4,500 views! If you haven’t check it out yet, click here to see my channel. Also, subscribe if you can and give a few of my videos a like! Cheers!

• I got to meet two YouTubers this year! On July 11th, I met Alfie Deyes aka Pointless Blog! Then on August 12th, I met Marcus Butler! Both were so nice. Alfie was very supportive of my YouTube and even gave my video a like and commented on it, making views and comments go crazy for about 2 weeks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• I met a few other celebrities throughout the year also.

 

Now to the sad parts of 2015:

• On January 31st, I almost lost my dad. He had a massive heart attack. This was one of the most terrifying few hours of my life. To think someone so vital to my life could’ve been gone just like that is petrifying to think about. Thankfully, my Mam got him to hospital in time and he is doing good, with 4 new stints in his heart. I am so grateful to still have my Dad. I wrote a blog about the whole thing – here

• Cancer once again appeared into my life in 2015, with two of my family members being diagnosed, making it 3 members of my family battling cancer. Thank god, all of them are doing great at the moment and hopefully they continue to get better and hopefully beat cancer.

 

• In July,  I lost one of my friends, Lorcan, suddenly. I don’t think I will ever be over his death. I have been friends with him since I can remember. Lorcan, it was a blessing to have you in my life, even if it was cut short way too early. You’ve made me proud to be from Trumera, but most of all, you always had faith in me and because of that, I’ll never give up until I have reached where I am supposed to be.

 

• I also lost my Auntie Lorna this year, 8 days ago in fact. Christmas will never be the same again. It just doesn’t seem real that she is gone. I am expecting her to call into my house any time I hear the doorbell. Lorna was one of the most thoughtful, kindest and funniest people I’ve ever know and even though we had our disagreements at times, I was blessed to have her as an Auntie. My heart is still broken. It will take me a very long time to get over your death Lorna, if I do at all. I am glad you were in my house when I came home from Spain and I am glad we got to have that one last drink with you.

 

2015 has made me realise how much my family and friends mean to me.

My New Years resolution is to appreciate my family and friends more, more than I do now. To appreciate every moment with everyone I love, because one thing I have learnt from 2015 is that life can change in a split second.

Finally, I want to wish everyone reading this blog a very happy and healthy new year. May it be filled with joy and laughter and many good memories.

Here’s hoping 2016 will be a great year!

A little update from Tarragona

A picture taken on nice beach, as Jacob calls it, here in Tarragona.

Tomorrow (Friday 9^th of October), it will be 6 weeks since I got on the plane and moved to Tarragona.  I still can’t believe I have moved to another country, even if it is for 4 months. Tarragona is a beautiful city. It is filled with many streets of old architecture and beautiful buildings. You could walk around aimlessly and not get sick of the city. The coast line seems endless, with sandy beaches and clear blue seas for miles; you could walk it for hours on end (I once walked along it for over 3 hours!)

College here is different from at home. It is a lot more like secondary school. The lectures are much smaller, more like what a tutorial would be at home. The modules I am taking aren’t too hard thankfully, meaning we don’t have to spend a lot of time doing college work. I have found a new appreciation for University of Limerick while over here. We are so lucky to have everything in one place on campus. The URV campus is all over Tarragona. It just doesn’t feel like UL here. There is just something about UL. God, I would love to go to The Stables right now for a pint with the gang.

The staff in Danny Boy pub in Salou are starting to recognise Kate and I, as we have been there nearly every weekend for the matches. There does be a great atmosphere in the pub for the matches! Also, most of the bar staff are beautiful, so we can’t complain! 😉

We have travelled a bit. Well, we have only been to Salou and Barcelona! Barcelona is a beautiful city but it is massive. So much so, we got lost for 3 hours trying to find Camp Nou! We are going back there this weekend to see more of the city. We are going to take the tour bus around the city and I am super excited. I am going to vlog it all. The girls say I will be like Joey when Chandler and Joey go to London (Friends reference if you didn’t know). We are going to Cambrills tomorrow also. So our adventures are beginning!

Although I love it here, I do find it hard at times. I miss home. I miss my Mum and Dad. I miss my pets. I miss my Mum’s blueberry pancakes. I miss going to/watching matches with my Dad. I miss Sunday evenings in Margaret and Joe’s.  I miss having wifi all the time (we still have no wifi in our apartment, so therefore we have no Netflix or TV3 player so I can watch Downton Abbey!!) I miss the autumn/winter weather. I miss the fact I live in the middle of nowhere in the countryside. My room is at the front of our apartment so, I hear traffic and people talking all the time, meaning I find it hard to sleep at times. I miss everything about home. But I do love it here.  I am very grateful to have Sarah and Kate here with me. There have been so many good memories already; Nicole and I got up on stage with a male dancer in the nightclub one night – Sarah, Kate and I had to run away from Moroccan fellas another night – oh and I love Peggy Sue’s restaurant.  There have been so many good times so far. Also, I can’t forget about Jacob, a wonderful person who is now in my life because of Erasmus!

I have found myself thinking about Lorcan a lot more lately. The smallest of things remind me of him and my heart hurts, then I feel nothing but sadness. It just doesn’t seem real or fair that he is gone. My life is continuing on as if nothing happened. He should be alive and continuing to have a great life. It is really hard at times. I know why he is on my mind a lot more this week; Trumera are in the county final on Sunday. I am devastated I won’t be there but don’t you worry, I will be proudly wearing my Trumera jersey, especially for Lorcan. I hope they win, I hope they win it for him.

I am sorry I haven’t been posting more blogs, I guess I have lost my appetite for write at the moment. I am sure I’ll be back posting non stop soon enough 😛

I have 10 weeks lift here in Tarragona. How crazy is that? I suppose time does fly by when you are having fun.

I’m moving to Spain and I’m a little anxious..

It’s has finally hit me. In less than 4 days, I’m moving to another country for 5 months. I’ve been kind of putting it to the back of my mind, only mentioning it to people when they ask and that’s it. I’ve been trying to avoid it in topic of conversation. But I haven’t been able to avoid it over the last two weeks as getting ready for the move is all I’ve been doing. And now I’m beginning to freak out. It’s 2am on Monday morning and for the past 5 days, I’ve been struggling. Struggling to sleep, struggling to stop comfort eating, struggling with overthinking, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I am super, super excited to move to Spain for the few months. I’m moving with two amazing friends and I know we are going to have the time of our lives. But my anxiety has taken over me. I’ve found my nerves in my hands shaking more and my breathing faster and my need to surround myself with my comforts has increased immensely – which is mainly watching Gossip Girl, drinking tea and eating M&M’s curled up on the couch!

Moving to another country is a huge thing. I’ve never lived in another country away from my family. I think that is the scariest part. I am such a family person. They mean the world to me. My family have been going through a rough time, (I have 2 uncles and a cousin who have cancer at the moment and another cousin who has Williams Syndrome and has a few health problems recently..) and that’s probably one of the reasons I’m scared to leave. Not to mention, my Dad did have a heart attack at the beginning of the year!! What if something happens when I’m gone? I know it’s a negative thing to think about but if you were in my shoes, you’d think the exact same. Deep down, I know (hope) everything and everyone will be fine.

I know part of why I’m feeling like this. Last year, I went to Lyon to surprise my friend Melodie for her birthday. But I came home to a funeral. My uncle Harold, who was perfectly healthy, passed away after having a heart attack. Friday June 20th 2014, I was in Stade de France in Paris with one of my best friends having a great time seeing One Direction while my mum roamed the streets of Paris heartbroken after Dad rang her to tell her the news. To come back to the hotel and hear that news was such a crash back to reality. I went from feeling so alive to numb. So I’m scared it will happen again.

It’s a big step. As I’m writing this, my head is going mental over everything, mostly my suitcases. I’ve packed them at least three times last week and I got so anxious last week, I just had to close them up. I know tomorrow morning, I’ll wake up and unpack both suitcases again, and go through everything. Can I just bring my whole bedroom with me? That way, I won’t be so anxious! I’m just anxious I’ll forget something I will need, it’s just so hard packing your life into two bags.
I’m kind of laughing at myself for writing this because I’ve always said I want to live in London and NYC. But I know Spain will be the best thing for me. It will give me the ability to live in those places later in life.
I made a promise to myself when I was sick to never miss an opportunity that I’ll regret when I look back. This is a once in a life time thing to do really and I have to do it (no seriously, I have to or I fail my degree!) I have so much to look forward to and that helps me. I’m going to be living with Sarah and Kate and sure that it self is all the reason to go! It’s Tarragona, which is in the middle of Barcelona and Salou, so many adventures! I turn 22 while out there and we’ve made plans to hopefully go to Paris (AND DISNEYLAND!) for my birthday! Before I know it, I’ll be home for Christmas! It’s going to fly by and I know I’ll be fine.

I’ve a frame in my room that has the meaning of my name on it. For the last few days, the top two lines have been catching my attention. They are ‘alway determined to face a new challenge’ and ‘never afraid to plot a new course’. Although I’m scared/nervous, I feel like that pushes me to want to succeed in what ever it is. There never was a minute where I thought of not going.

On a a lighter note, the thing that is really annoying me is that for the first time in years, I’m missing the All Ireland Hurling and Football finals and will have to watch from a pub, it will never be the same! I always go to those matches with Daddy! (I’m pretty sure the staff at the local Irish pub will know our names by the last week in September, with all the GAA and Rugby World Cup matches!)

Anyway, It will be great craic. I’m just a little anxious, like anyone would be.

I’m off to repack these bags for the 20th time!

July/August Favourites 2015!

Sooo… July and August have been pretty busy months for me! Where do I begin? Firstly, in case you didn’t know, I have been working for Celia Holman Lee since April or May but I worked a lot more for her in July and August. I even worked with her at the Rose of Tralee Fashion Show. Working with her has been a ultimate dream, I still can’t believe Richard got me that opportunity. I am sad it has come to an end for now. She was a dream to work with, we laughed a lot and I have learnt a lot about Fashion and the industry and I loved every minute of it.

With Celia after the Rose of Tralee Fashion Show.

Back in July, I got to meet Youtuber Alfie Deyes, better known as Pointless Blog, and he liked and commented on my vlog, making my channel views go crazy!! I have suffered a lot of migraines and anxiety attacks the last two months which also due to hectic lifestyle and personal reasons (which states why I haven’t been blogging a lot lately!) I have been redecorating my room and it is finally finished! In early August, I met another Youtuber, Marcus Butler! I also met Jake Quickenden. My acne has almost cleared, one more month and I am finished! I went to the Dome in Tralee for the Rose of Tralee 2015 and it was great craic altogether! I got to hang out and party with the beautiful ladies from the Laois Rose Centre, whom have got a special place in my heart. I adore those ladies, they are such incredible women to look up to.

With Mam and Night 1 of Rose of Tralee 2015.

With Anne Marie and Bernadette from Laois Rose Centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other than all that, I have been packing for Spain ( I move in one week, ONE WEEK! I am not prepared, in my head, I feel like I am just going on holiday!) So I have decided to combine my July and August favourites! I’ll stop rambling now!

Books

In July, I read To Kill A Mockingbird for the first time (I know such a crime!)  If you have not read it, GO READ IT NOW! It is a very good book, quite different to my typical book. In short, the book is about Scout Finch, her older brother, Jem , and their friend Dill. All three spend their summers spying on their reclusive and mysterious neighbour, Boo Radley. Scout and Jem’s dad, Atticus is a respected lawyer, but when he defends a black man, Tom Robinson against made up rape charges, the trial exposes the children to evils of racism and stereotyping.

Then in August, in like one week, I read The Maze Runner series. My goodness gracious, I couldn’t put the books down! Ashamedly, I did see The Maze Runner before I read the book. But the book is 100% much better than the movie, and I loved the movie! The books had my heart racing and I couldn’t sleep as I wanted to know what happened next! They say on the back that they are adrenaline filled and they certainly are. So here is what the Maze Runner is about: Thomas arrives in a glade at the center of a giant labyrinth. Like the other youths dumped there before him, he has no memory of his previous life, only his name. But something is different after Teresa arrives (who is the only girl sent to the glade). They soon realise they need to get out of the Glade and the maze. Thomas quickly becomes part of the group, but he knows he is different from the rest and  certain members of the Glade recognize this too, once they’ve been bitten by the grievers in the maze. Thomas shows the gladers a unique perspective that allows him a promotion to Runner very quickly. Thomas tries to convince his fellow gladers that he knows a way out. It is gripping and intense. If you loved The Hunger Games, this is a must read.

Outfit

Working with Celia means you get to dress up some days for work.

My first favourite outfit is this blue and gold dress from Born Boutique. I think it was around €69. I got so many compliments when I wore it. It is so flattering. These dresses are great, they cut at the middle of your waist and can give the illusion of being slimmer. They also hide your stomach!

This dress is from Born Boutique

This outfit is from swamp. Top is €29 and the Skirt is €49

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This other outfit I love is a blue lace crop top and a fabulous black Tulle skirt from Swamp. If you know me, I LOVE TULLE SKIRTS and more than likely buy one every time I see one in a shop. Tulle skirts are in for this A/W so I’d advise you to go by one! They are great.

Music

Fifth Harmony,  if you don’t know these girls by now, where in the name of god have you been living? The girl band released their debut album earlier in 2015 and there is a few gems on it including this song, Brave Honest Beautiful, which happens to be one of my favourite songs right now. I can’t stop playing it. It’s on repeat, all the time. No joke! I am pretty sure it will be the same for you!

 

So 5 Seconds of Summer have been working hard on their second album (SECOND ALBUM, THEY HAVE COME SO FAR!) and their leading single from the album ‘Feels Good, Sounds Good’ is ‘She’s Kinda Hot’. I see the trend in leading singles, first ‘She Looks So Perfect’ now ‘She’s Kinda Hot’! Maybe it’s just a biased opinion but I feel this song is step up for 5SOS, as in they could fully be classed as punk rock rather that pop punk! I feel like this is the game changer for them. It’s sounds like old school My Chemical Romance and I FREAKING LOVE IT!

 

And what would my favourites be without added these boys, One Direction. Drag Me Down, which is their first single without Zayn (it still hurts!) and it is pretty damn good. Just like 5SOS, One Direction’s sound has matured, which makes me a happy girl! Of course, the video is great! Also, I’ve always appreciated Harry’s vocals but jeeeez the feels on his vocal in Drag Me Down kill me everytime!!

 

Food

So I think I might have a problem with Blueberries. I have become addicted and when I see something that says ‘Contains Blueberries’ or ‘Blueberry whatever’, I most likely will buy it just because it has blueberries!! My latest love is Blueberry bars.

Make Up 

So I wrote a blog about Acne and my story with it recently and included most of the products I use. Recently, I have been using two other products also, and I love them! Coconut Oil is all you have been hearing in terms of beauty throughout 2015 and I can see why. I use it as a makeup remover and within one minute, all my make up is off and my face feels great. You take a little bit of the coconut and rub it between your hands until it turns to oil and you message it all over your face until you think all your makeup is removed. I usually do this in sections, so I would repeat this step 4 or 5 times. Then you get a wet Muslin cloth and wipe away the makeup/oil and now you have a fresh, clean face! Also, as I mentioned in my acne blog, I have some scars on my face. I was told to use Bio-Oil to try reduce the scars and I have to say, it is working. It is a slow process and I do have to put it on twice daily. If I miss one day, you can see the difference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Youtuber

If you didn’t know, I have been Vlogging and making YouTube videos! I am loving making videos and I am super excited to make loads more. Check out my latest video. If you want, like the video and subscribe to me, PRETTY PLEASE!

 

Home Decor 

You might know, I am redecorating my room, well I am actually finished now! So when I saw this Love Sign, I had to have it. It is so pretty and girly. It is from Pennys (Primark) and I think it was €5 or €7. I also got my hands on these lipstick holders (FINALLY). I got them on Esty.com and they were €5 I think! These are great, I can see what lipsticks I have and they look so organised!

 

That’s it for my July/August Favourites, I’ll see you in a month for September faves!

xoxo

 

 

 

My guide to Longitude 2015

Image from ticketmaster.ie

If you are lucky enough to be going to Longitude this week, whether it’s for a day or all three days, here is my guide to who to see and what you should/shouldn’t bring!

WHO NOT TO MISS:

Hozier – Who doesn’t love Hozier? He is one of the main acts for this year’s Longitude! Last year, he opened the festival at 2pm (we might of missed most of his set because Sarah needed to pee, but we got to see him sing Take Me To Church!) One year later, he is headlining the festival. You won’t forgive yourself if you miss him, he is fastly becoming the world’s most sought after singer.

Image from @yearsandyears

Years & Years – If these guys aren’t already on your list, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU! I wrote about these guys in my Ones To Watch for 2015 and god, they are owning 2015! If their tunes like King and Desire aren’t enough reason to see them, Olly Alexander, the lead singer is HOT. Please, for me, DO NOT MISS THESE GUYS!!

Alt-J – Alt-J was also at last year’s Longitude! The tent was crowded for them, and the crowd went crazy for them when they started their set! I am sure it will be the same this year!

Tove Lo – Name doesn’t ring a bell? It didn’t with me either. Until I googled her and figured out I knew her already! She sings Talkin’ Bodies and Stay High (Funny fact: I was convinced she was singing Say Hi for about 4 months!)

 

WHAT TO BRING:

• Your Ticket and please mind it at all times, don’t leave it behind you in the shop you stop in on the way to Marley Park. It just leads to disappointment and embarrassment.
• Cash – avoid depending on a card machine because either the queue is too long or the machine has run out of money!
• Most websites say bring a camera – if you are like me and can handle drink and be responsible, work away! But if not, avoid bringing too many valuables. You’ll have snapchat on your phone anyway;)
• PORTABLE CHARGERS (& USB)!! It amazes me how majority of people still don’t have them! I have 5 and bring them everywhere! There is nothing worse than being separated from friends and either your phone is dead or theirs!
• It is to be around 18-19 degrees all weekend in Dublin but with some rain. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear suncream! You can still burn when temperatures are that high and it’s cloudy! Trust me!
• Rain jacket – It’s Ireland!
• Wellies – again, it’s Ireland. I wore them last year and it was roasting on the Saturday but had rained on the Friday and I didn’t want to ruin my converse!
• Girls, go crazy with festival style! Flower crowns, kimonos, feathers, anything that screams festival style!! But please, wear shorts that cover your ass. I just want you to look good!
• ARRIVE EARLY TO AVOID MISSING THE FIRST ACT (if you want to see them) – The queues are crazy at 2pm!! Gates open at 1:30pm each day.
• Aerosols – Buy airport sized aerosols and beauty products. Much easier to carry around also!
• HAND SANITIZER!!!!
• Tissues – They are great for everything from when a friend is getting sick to when you need to pee to when your hay fever kicks in! Pack loads.

 

WHAT NOT TO BRING:

• To go with my last point above: avoid bringing anything that is going to hold you up in the queue, you are just wasting fun time with your friends and missing good music!
• Ladies, it’s not race day so please avoid big hats. The are pointless at a festival.
• Do not bring umbrellas, they are not allowed! God, they were allowed when I used to go to Oxegen!
• No alcohol or food (what harm will food do?) is allowed to be brought in. You have to buy it all on site.
• No folding chairs!! You have to sit on the ground like everyone else!!
• Excessive amounts of cigarettes, you are only allowed enough for you.
• Reflective jackets, you aren’t working!
• Fireworks, Flares or Chinese Lanterns, they are pointless at a festival anyway!

That’s it. Have a good time, look after yourself and friends, be careful and most importantly, enjoy the music.

I am not jealous of anyone going.. Nope.. I am just going to stay in my bed and cry!

Oh and one last thing, MIND YOUR DRINKS. Cover your drink at all time!

June Favourites 2015

Writing my favourites for the last month is the hardest it’s been because I love so many things at the moment! But I have struggled through to compile my faves! In June, so much has happened! I finished my Co-Op placement with ilovelimerick (check out the website here and like the Facebook here!), I’ve been to London and seen 5SOS x2 (yes, I saw Michael’s face/hair go on fire!), seen The Script in Croker and was filmed and featured in a video on their Facebook, seen Taylor Swift live, oh so much has happened in June, I’d be here all day!

So here are my June Favourites!

 

Book

I spent a good bit of June travelling which gave me plenty of time to read and I read The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks as I wanted to read it before I saw the movie. Nicholas Sparks is one of my favourite romance writers and I was incredibly excited to read this book. It’s about two couples, one elderly (Ira and Ruth) and one young (Luke and Sophia). Ira, who is 90 years old, is in a car crash, but it is snowing so bad that no one can see the car. He is already sick, and is barely surviving the car crash. It is all because of his late wife Ruth, who appears to him as an image in the car, and is reminding him of their life together, including how they met, the dark days of WW2 and how they began to collect all the paintings the collected. Sophia, who is a Wake Forest college student, falls in love with cowboy Luke at a barn dance one night. Luke is not like anyone else Sophia knows. Together they experience the joys of love as well as the difficulties that come with Luke’s dangerous career. Although both couples in the story have nothing in common, the story line brings them together! The elderly couple’s love story is a beautiful one. I loved this book!

Image from nicholassparks.com

Make Up

Topshop Lip Gloss/ Lipsticks are something I have only bought recently! After hearing several raving reviews about the products, I had to try them out and god why haven’t I bought them before! So at the moment, I am loving these two lip glosses. Because of the Roaccutane tablet I am on, I find it very hard to wear lipstick as my lips are so dry. So these lip glosses are perfect! They keep my lips moist and look good too! The purple is a colour I normally wouldn’t go for but I loved it more than the pink to be honest! I think I paid around £8 pound for the purple one and €3 for the pink one!

Fashion

A girl can never have too many shoes and I couldn’t say no to both these pair of shoes when I saw them in Primark/Pennys! I bought the blue pair to go with the black skirt from River Island that I mention below! I wore it with a white crop top from Topshop! I unfortunately didn’t take a photo but that is okay, it makes it easier to wear again! 😛 They were £13. The Flowery pair were just so gorgeous, I couldn’t leave them behind! They were €18. By the way, sorry about the mess in the background of the photos, I am redecorating my room!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After my love for tulle skirts, this River Island Skirt I got in London is my favourite! It is very Kim Kardashian style and very flattering on! Although the slit is very high up my leg, it is fabulous! It was £25, which was very reasonable for something from River Island! I wonder could I get away with wearing it to Portlaoise to the the grocery shopping? Maybe not…

Stationery

I am a bit of a stationery freak. If it is not new cute notebooks, it’s pens and pencases! I got this cute London pencil case in Monsoon when I was in London and I adore it. I think it was about time I put my One Direction one in the merch box and became a proper lady! This pencil case was €10. Monsoon have a great range of notebooks, pencil case and any other stationery you may need. It may be pricey but it is fabulous!

Movie

My favourite movie this month had to be Jurassic World!!! Oh my god it was so good. I know what your are thinking, why the hell did Sarah Jane go see that movie, that’s not her typical movie! I watched all the previous Jurassic movies with my dad when I was younger and had to see this as everyone was raving about it! Also, Chris Pratt, come on, there was no way I was missing that! He is one beautiful man! If you haven’t seen this movie yet, GO SEE IT NOW!!

Food

I love pancakes, who doesn’t? I usually only ate plain pancakes whenever I had them because I don’t like Nutella or Lemon Juice or any of those other things people typically put on their pancakes! BUT I have been LOVING Blueberry pancakes recently!! I saw a post on either Tumblr or Pinterest about them and was like oh my god I want them now! So I have been eating these a lot in June! A little tip when making them, burst the blueberries when in the pan before the are made, it tastes so much better!

Music

Firstly, I know I went to Sunday Sessions last night (9th July) but I had to tell you to check out these guys! Little Hours performed and they were incredible. I had heard about them a few months ago but it took me seeing them live to appreciate how good they are. They done a cover of Beyonce’s Crazy In Love a month ago on Sunday Sessions and it is INCREDIBLE! Check them out, you won’t regret it. And Ladies, Ryan is unbelievably hot, just a word of warning!

Selena Gomez has really grown up hasn’t she? I’m liking her new sound, and Good For You is a catchy song. Wonder who she wrote the song about? Bieber? Mmm..

 

I think the song of the summer 2015 has definitely been Lean On by Major Lazer. The minute it comes on the radio, I just turn it up and feel good and want to dance!

 

YOUTUBER

Gabby, who is better known as velvetgh0st, is my favourite Youtuber this month! She is a 20 year-old blogger and YouTuber. Her videos are predominantly beauty-based but with a few fashion and lifestyle inspired videos as well. From hauls, favourites, beauty tutorials and sometimes, vlogs. She isn’t on the list of well known Youtubers just yet, but is making her way there! She has been recently appearing in videos alongside Zoella, which is helping her become the Youtube star she deserves to be! Check out one of her videos below.

 

Okay, shameless self promotion time! If you didn’t already know, I started vlogging! I am NOWHERE near as good as my favourites but I’ll get there! So when I was in London, I vlogged majority of the time. If you want, check out the video. If you can Like & Subscribe also, I’d be very happy! Check out some of my other videos on my channel also!

 

That’s it for my June Favourites, I’ll see you in a month for July Faves!

xoxo

May Favourites 2015

I know I haven’t blogged much in May, life has just been crazy! But summer is soon, and I have loads of time to blog then! I am currently preparing to leave to catch a flight to London for the weekend and decided to post this blog before I leave!!

So here is what I enjoyed for the month of May!

Fashion

So my favourite outfit of the month had to be a crop top and high waisted skirt outfit I got from New Look here for £38. I wore it to the first night of the Rose of Tralee Regionals in Portlaoise last weekend. I wore it blue shoes from Pennys/Primark which were €18 and a handbag from New Look here for €30. I kept my hair slicked back and simple as the outfit was very vibrant! 

Movie

I went to see the highly anticipated Pitch Perfect 2 with Sarah, Joe and Lisa and OMG it was amazing. Almost better than the first movie. So it was basically about the Bellas trying to recover after being humiliated in front of the President of the United States of America and as a result, the Bellas are taken out of the Aca-Circuit. In order to clear their negative image and recover their status, the Bellas must win an International competition which no American team has ever won. But to achieve this, they need to go back to basics and work on their connection as friends and sisterhood. It is hilarious and the music is great. The ending of the movie is so good and unexpected! Is there going to be a Pitch Perfect 3? I do hope so!

Food

I’ve been having a guilty treat a lot in May and that is the Chocolate Muffin and Ice Cream from Supermacs. Now, I don’t like Chocolate that much and only eat M&M’s but that muffin and ice cream is heavenly! I even want one now.

That is mouth watering…

But on a healthier note, it is now summer time meaning that Fresh Strawberries are everywhere and I love it! Strawberries are delicious this time of the year and are a healthy snack instead of grabbing that bar of chocolate or that muffin and ice cream!! 

Music

LITTLE MIX ARE BACK!! So obviously my favourite song at the moment is Black Magic and you will hear me singing along to it as if I was Perrie Edwards (A GIRL CAN DREAM, RIGHT?) I love this tune. It’s so catchy and is a feeling good song!

 

Home Decor

Home Decor again! So I am loving candles at the moment, if you haven’t noticed. I bought this Red Raspberry Yankee Candle recently for €9.99 and oh dear god, it smells divine!!! It makes my room smell beautiful, even when it isn’t lighting!

Book

I have been reading Cecelia Ahern’s How To Fall In Love. I haven’t finished reading it yet, I didn’t have much time to read this month! Anyway, the book is about how Christine and Adam are thrown together on the night she stops his suicide attempt on Dublin’s Halfpenny Bridge. Christine is determined to help Adam. He gives her a deadline of his birthday to convince him life is worth living, which she discovers is in just two weeks time. At first, it is Christine who is meant to be saving Adam, but it soon becomes clear that Adam might just be saving Christine too. It is a really good book, I love a good Cecelia book!

Youtuber

Queen Tyler Oakley is my favourite for May, mainly because I saw him live in May. Tyler is a 26 year old American Youtuber, television and podcast personality. He began making videos in 2007. He has over 350 videos on his main channel and has over 400,000,000 views and over 7 million subscribers. Tyler is probably the most well known and most loved Youtuber currently. And he slays (insert hair flick emoji here!)

This is his most recent main channel video

 

 

And this is his most recent vlog ( I know it’s 9 months ago!)

Make Up 

So Su Nail Varnish is one of my favourite at the moment. The shades are all so beautiful!! My fave is Icing On The Cake! I goes on so easy and doesn’t chip too quickly. It also doesn’t have a strong smell like most nail varnishes. It’s a great bargain for €7.99!

I have been seeing raving reviews about Rimmel’s newest Mascara, Wake Me Up. I have had the same mascara for 3 years now so I decided I needed to try a new mascara and OH MY GOD I am so glad I picked this up! Firstly, it smells GORGEOUS! It smells like cucumber and is really refreshing! Secondly, it really opens my eyes and makes my eyelashes look even longer! I adore it, this will be my mascara for a long time!

That’s it for my May Favourites, I’ll see you in a month for June Faves!

xoxo

April Favourites 2015

It is very hard to believe it is May already. I honestly can’t keep up with how fast the year is flying by. In less than a month, I will no longer be on Co-Op with ILOVELIMERICK and I won’t be a Second Year student! 😮

I currently should be sleeping but I can’t sleep at the moment, I don’t want to say too much at the moment but my family received some bad/shocking news yesterday and I can’t get my head around it and now I can’t sleep. So instead of lying in bed looking at the ceiling, I said I’d be productive!

So even with April being a very busy month, (I know I promised to blog more but I just couldn’t find the time and when I did, I was just too exhausted!) I still had time to take note of what I was enjoying for the month, so here they are.

Music

So the first song I have been loving this month (and maybe a bit too much, I am singing it ALL the time!) is Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood BUT it is not the original I love. It is a cover by Max Schneider and Alyson Stoner that I adore so much. Their vocals blended together are incredibly beautiful and I could listen to it on repeat all day (which I have!).

Another song I have been loving is my 8 Boys, Stereo Kicks and their Debut single Love Me So. Written by one of the lads, Tom Mann, it is not the usual upbeat pop music a boy band would release as their first single. But this song is a beautiful ballad, if you could call it that. Their vocals are shown off in this song and I think the boys are trying to prove a point, that they should be given a chance because they can sing and can sing very well. And they can write songs very well! Tom’s vocals at 2:32 kill me everytime! I am super proud of my 8 boys! (Especially Tom ❤ )

Fashion

So with Laois Rose, I got to dress up quite a lot. So on the night Laois Rose Briefing, I wore a dress from Born Boutique (€69) and silver sandals from Korkys (I think they were €50, they are about 3 years old). I adore this dress. It’s such a girly dress, I felt like a princess in it and since I have lost weight, it was very flattering on. One of my favourite things about this dress is that it has pockets. 

 

So I had to get photos taken with my sponsor for Laois Rose so we had a little photoshoot in the pub. I wore a new wine coloured Tulle skirt I got on Etsy, which was €34.71 and you can get it here with a black tank top from Pennys/Primark, black blazer from New Look, black heels from River Island and hat from Topshop. I am in love with Tulle skirts at the moment. 

My last outfit is a casual one I wore to The Vamps’ Concert in April. The top and jeans were both from New Look. My black converse are from Schuh.

Book

My favourite book for April is Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. Having loved Fangirl, I was expecting great things from this book and it didn’t disappoint. Eleanor and Park is all about a high school romance, but not the typical type. Eleanor is the new girl in town, who has crazy red hair and the weird clothes, so she stands out, even though she never wanted to. Park is the smart but quiet Asian boy who hates the attention on himself. Eleanor and Park awkwardly sit together on the bus but never speak to each other, until Park notices Eleanor looking over his shoulder while he reads his comics. I don’t want to give too much away but this love story is extremely cute and I couldn’t put the book down once I started. The ending killed me though, I hated it! Summer Aurora from The Guardian agrees by saying: ‘The ending left me craving so much more of it. The last page left me confused and a complete wreck. Honestly, it hurt, and I was left hoping that there was an epilogue that had gotten secretly ripped out of my copy.’ If you love soppy, cute books, read this book.

Youtuber

So recently, I have been watching a lot more of Marcus Butler’s Vlogs and Main Channel videos. Marcus is from England and just like Alfie, vlogs every day and has a new main channel video every Friday. His fame has steadily rose since 2012 and currently, he has over 3 million subscribers on his main channel alone!!! (I have 2.. Even 100 subs would be the dream!) He is very attractive but sorry ladies, he has a girlfriend. He is dating Naomi Smart who is also a Youtuber/Blogger. Below are his recent Main Channel video and Vlog.

 

Beauty

I am crazy about any beauty products that contains coconut. I love the smell and the consistency. It just always makes me feel and smell good. The Treacle Moon range is one of my favourite ranges. The body scrub and body butter are simply divine.
Make Up

Contouring is a big thing at the moment. Instead of spending a ridiculous amount of money on those expensive contour kits, I bought Boujour Paris’s Bronzer and Highlighter. Not only does it work like the expensive ones but it also smells so good. I wear this every day and it lasts a long time.

       
Home Decor

(When did I get this fancy that I now blog about Home Decor? 😛 )

Anyway, there is nothing more relaxing that reading a book or even doing some work with a beautiful candle beside you. Lately, I have been loving a candle my Auntie Margaret gave me one day. The smell is Mulberry and Vanilla and it is gorgeous.
Food

So even though I have been super healthy since February, near the end of April, I relaxed a bit with the diet. My Mum came to visit me in college one evening and brought me out to Finnegan’s Restaurant, Limerick.  I was so hungry, I even ordered dessert (I never order dessert!) I had these DELICIOUS pancakes. I don’t think I have ever eaten pancakes as nice (apart from my mum’s!) (Oh and Sarah’s!). The food in Finnegan’s is beautiful. I recommend everyone to go there if they are near or in Limerick.

Lastly, I was reunited with some of my favourites in April. Union J were supporting The Vamps on their tour and I got to meet them again, after two years. They haven’t changed a bit, they are just as sweet and nice as they were back then, if not more.

 

See you in a month for my May Faves!

You Know You Love Me, XOXO,

SJ

Oh yeah, I am going to see Tyler Oakley tomorrow in Dublin! Super excited to see him. Also, I am going to attempt to film my first ever vlog. Wish me luck.

Met Gala 2015

On May 4th, the annual Met Gala took place in New York City.

The Met Gala, previously known as the Costume Institute Gala , is an annual fundraising gala for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. But it is really known as the biggest fashion event of the year. The event has been held at the Met since 1971 and is considered to be the ‘fashion industry’s premier annual red carpet event’ with all the big name celebrities attending the event yearly to kick off the fashion season with a bang!

Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour is the chair of the event and has been for over 19 years. Each year the event has a theme, and includes a cocktail hour and a formal dinner for all in attendance. 2015’s theme was ‘China Through the Looking Glass’. The guest list was kept to a ‘minimum’ of 650-700 a-list celebs and tickets were a pricey $25,000 to increase exclusivity. It’s okay Anna Wintour, I didn’t want to go this year anyway, I had plans to watch Gossip Girl instead.

My Best Dressed Ladies:

Beyonce, she just wins all the time! She looked flawless in her Givenchy Dress and Lorraine Schwartz Jewelry.

Image belongs to http://www.usmagazine.com

 

Kim Kardashian West looked simply gorgeous in her Roberto Cavalli dress and Lorraine Schwartz earrings.

Image belongs to http://www.vogue.com

 

Selena Gomez looked like a Chinese goddess in her Vera Wang dress and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

Image belongs to http://www.vogue.com

 

Amal Clooney stunned in her John Galliano and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

Image belongs to http://www.eonline.com

Kendall Jenner looked gorgeous in Calvin Klein and Chopard Jewelry.

Image belongs to http://www.look.co.uk

 

Jennifer Lawrence kept it plan and elegant with her Dior Haute Couture dress.

Image belongs to http://www.vogue.com

 

Zendaya wore a beautiful Fausto Puglisi dress.

Image belongs to http://www.vogue.com

Jennifer Lopez looked fierce ( she’s 45 and she looks UNREAL!) in her Atelier Versace gown.

Image belongs to http://www.cosmopolitan.com

My Worst Dressed Ladies:

I am extremely disappointed in the first two dresses here as they are from my favourite designer, Moschino 😦

Linda Evangelista in Moschino

Image from http://www.vogue.com

Katy Perry in Moschino

Image belongs to http://www.vogue.com

Solange Knowles in Giles Deacon. As strange as the other two dresses are, this tops them both. Like what is that Solange?

Image belongs to http://www.time.com

Best Dressed Men:

Ansel Elgort looked ever so handsome. I think he looked so handsome, people forgot to ask him who he was wearing. I could look at him all day. He is gorgeous. LOOK AT THAT FACE!!

Image belongs to http://www.ibtimes.com

Justin Bieber took note of the Chinese theme in Balmain

Image belongs to http://www.eonline.com

Dave Franco also looked handsome wearing Dior Homme. Also, where is your hair gone Dave? 😥

Image belongs to http://www.elleuk.com

And once again, the most anticipated Fashion Night is over! Can not wait for next year and another crazy theme, with more outrageously gorgeous outfits!

 

Golden Globes 2015

On Sunday 11th of January, the 72nd Annual Golden Globes took place in the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills in California. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey hosted what they say was their last time to host the Globes, and if it was their last, they done an amazing job. The night had many significant moments including Joanne Froggatt’s speech about rape survivors, Jeremy Renner’s remark ‘You’ve got the globes too’ to Jennifer Lopez and Gina Rodriguez when she won Best Actress in a TV show and the pure joy she had. Below is the list of all the winners on the night!

The Winners 

Best Drama Motion Picture – Boyhood

Best Original Song – Glory (John Legend, Common)

Cecil B.DeMille Award – George Clooney

Best Original Score – The Theory of Everything (Johann Johannsson)

Best Animated Feature Film – How to Train Your Dragon 2

Best Musical or Comedy Motion Picture – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Screenplay of a Motion Picture – Birdman

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)

Best Foreign Language Film – Leviathan

Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture – Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy – Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture – Julianne Moore (Still Alice)

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture – Amy Adams (Big Eyes)

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Miniseries or TV Movie – Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey)

Best Actress in a Drama TV Series – Ruth Wilson (The Affair)

Best Drama TV Series – The Affair

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)

Best Supporting Actor in a Series – Matt Bomer (The Normal  Heart)

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy or TV Series – Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)

Best Actor in a Drama TV Series – Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)

Best Miniseries or TV Film – Fargo

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture – Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo)

Best Director of a Motion Picture – Richard Linklater (Boyhood)

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture – Maggie Gyllenhall (The Honourable Woman)

Best Musical or Comedy TV Series – Transparent

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy or TV Series – Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin)

Miss Golden Globe – Greer Grammer

Okay now that is out of the way, let’s talk about the more important thing about award shows: The Fashion!

The Best Dressed Women

Emma Stone stood out among all the ladies in their dresses as she wore a metallic and black Lanvin jumpsuit styled outfit with an unique bow/train look.

Emma Stone. Image belongs to uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com

Jennifer Lopez has everyone talking as she graced the red carpet in a plunging Zuhair Murad dress.

Jennifer Lopez. Image belongs to http://www.ibtimes.co.uk

Kate Hudson wowed with a white Versace gown, showing off her incredible figure with slits down the side, low-cut back and a plunging neckline.

Kate Hudson. Image belongs to http://www.eonline.com

Amy Adams played safe with a simple yet stunning baby blue Versace dress.

Amy Adams. Image belongs to ibnlive.in.com

Jennifer Aniston rocked a Saint Laurent gown and showed a little leg. She also had an updo hairstyle, which she hasn’t done in years at the Globes!

Jennifer Aniston. Image belongs to http://www.reveal.co.uk

Anna Kendrick looked every bit of a Disney princess wearing a beautiful Monique Lhullier dress.

Anna Kendrick. Image belong to http://www.mtv.com

Lorde looked incredible and took a risk in crop top and suit combo. And she smiled!

Lorde. Image belongs to http://www.vogue.com

Khloe Kardashian was simply divine in her Theia frock. Not enough words could describe how beautiful she looked.

Khloe Kardashian. Image belongs to http://www.daily.co.uk

The Best Dressed Men

Okay there is only one. Jamie Dornan. He scrubbed up so well and looked incredibly gorgeous. He wore a classic tux (I don’t know who it’s by unfortunately). He did attended the award show with his wife Amelia Warner but all eyes were on him. More over Channing and George, their is a new hunk in town.

Jamie Dornan. Image belongs to http://www.elleuk.com

The Best Dressed Couples

Without a doubt, Channing and Jenna Tatum are the best dressed. Jenna stunned in a Carolina Herrera dress while Channing looked dapper in a Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo. Channing Tatum showed he is the perfect gentleman when on the red carpet by holding up his wife’s train of her dress as she walked the carpet. The couple later tore up the dance floor at the after party! Jenna, you are so lucky!!

Channing and Jenna Tatum. Image belongs to http://www.nytimes.com

George and Amal Clooney turned heads on the red carpet at the Globes as they looked ever so stylish. It was also the couple’s first red carpet event since they got married in September. Amal looked so glamorous in a long black Dior Haute Couture dress, teamed with white gloves. George wore the tux he wore for his wedding, designed especially for him by Giorgio Armani.

George and Amal Clooney. Image belongs to http://www.eonline.com

The Worst Dressed 

Keira Knightley is by far the worst dressed. She wore a Chanel dress and disappointed many fashion critics. While being pregnant, she should of showed of that bump in a more glamorous and chic number, instead of something you would see on bedsheets from about 50 years ago.

Keira Knightley. Image from http://www.ok.co.uk

There are no words for Lana Del Rey’s dress. Her hair and makeup are flawless but the dress is just shocking.

Lana Del Rey. Image from ww.nytimes.com

Tina Fey’s other dresses on the actual show were gorgeous but her red carpet one is a big no-no! It is very unflattering, makes her look bigger at the waist and smaller in height.

Tina Fey. Image belongs to tomandlorenzo.com

Lena Dunham never knows how to get it right at these award shows does she? She wore a Zac Posen gown and the shape of it is all wrong and once again, simply unflattering.

Lena Dunham. Image belongs to http://www.mirror.co.uk

Rosamund Pike wore a Vera Wang gown. From the waist down, it is a gorgeous dress. It’s just the top of it is extremely unflattering. Sack the stylist!

Rosamund Pike. Image belongs to http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Award season is in full swing now. Next up, the 20th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards on Thursday! Oscar Nominations are out on Thursday also, how exciting!