Sounds Live Feels Live Tour in Dublin

Image belongs to me, Sarah Jane Allen

It has been two weeks since Australian pop punk band 5 Seconds of Summer rocked up to Dublin to perform 2 sold out nights in Dublin’s 3Arena and they put on a seriously good show!

Okay so I unashamedly will admit this: I WENT BOTH NIGHTS. I know, such a fangirl. It gets worse. It was my 12th and 13th time to see them live since 2013. I just can’t help it, they are my thing, I just need to seem them live, like all the time! I even considered just going on the whole UK & Ireland leg of the tour but you know, I ain’t rich so that plan was put to bed. I usually go to London for 1 date but due to SO MUCH university work this year, I had to call a rain check on that and it broke my heart because it meant I wouldn’t see my fave 5SOS friend Giana. It’s all good though, we have plans for next tour already 😉

Image belongs to me, Sarah Jane Allen

In case you are completely clueless as to who the hell I am talking about, I’ll help you out there! I wrote a blog about them a few years ago now actually, so you can check that out here to bring you up to speed!

Their second album, Sounds Good, Feels Good was released on October 23 worldwide and went to Number 1 on the charts worldwide, including Ireland! In just one year since their self titled album ‘5 Seconds Of Summer’, they have matured their sound and produced some amazing songs on this album. A key thing to take note is that the guys actually wrote all their own material for the album and some of the lyrics came from personal experiences. I am still  trying to decide my favourite song, get back to me on that 😉

One of my favourite parts of a 5SOS show is the queue because that is when we drink and catch up ( we typically queue for like 10 hours!!!). This time was a little different as I went with my friend Lisa (both nights!). But somethings never change and we did drink, causing us to get some strange looks from the young ones around us! We did make some friends in the queue both nights also! Still, I missed Gi!

On Tuesday night, we were on Mikey’s side and in typical Sarah Jane style, we were very close to barrier. I mean, we were 3 rows away. So close that the feedback from the speakers ruined my videos, but I didn’t care. I was happy out being on this angel’s side all night!

Image belongs to me, Sarah Jane Allen

On Wednesday night, we were on Calum’s side and Lisa was only delighted! And again we were 3 rows away from barrier. So I am your girl if you need to be close to stage okay?! Well it actually only happens at a 5SOS show but still *hair flick*

The set list for both nights was as follows:

• Carry On
• Hey Everybody!
• Money
• Voodoo Doll
• Don’t Stop
• Outer Space
• Waste the Night
• Castaway
• Jet Black Heart
• Amnesia
• Beside You
• Vapour
• Catch Fire
• Disconnected
• End Up Here
• Good Girls
• Permanent Vacation
• What I Like About You
• She’s Kinda Hot
• She Looks So Perfect

On Tuesday night, they did do a short cover of The Script’s The Man Who Can’t Be Moved.

Image belongs to me, Sarah Jane Allen

I vlogged both days and shows and you can check them out below.

 

 

Stupidly enough, we decided not to go out after Tuesday’s night show, even though we had planned to head to Dublin’s finest nightclub, Copper Face Jacks, but when it came to it, we decided to get pizza. I got a text at around 3am asking if I went out because a certain band WENT TO COPPERS!!! Ugh!
This is where my Mam would say ‘It wasn’t meant to be, don’t worry, there is always next time!’, even though that is the second time it has happened!!!

Anyway, the guys took a well deserved two weeks off and our now about to embark on the European leg of the Sounds Live, Feels Live tour.

If you are lucky enough to be going to see them somewhere around Europe, you are in for one hell of a show 😉

Don’t worry, there are some tickets still available and you can check here for more details.

 

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.

Meet Stereo Kicks!

If you don’t watch X Factor, you will probably have no idea who I am about to talk about. If you are a fan of boybands and haven’t heard of these boys, keep reading! You’ll fall in love with another one by the end of this (if not, let me know, I’ll convert you, trust me!!!)

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

Tom Mann, Jake Sims, Barclay Beales, Casey Johnson, Chris Leonard, James Graham, Reece Bibby and Charlie Jones all auditioned for the 10th season of UK X Factor as solo singers. They all made it through the first two auditions but failed to make it through bootcamp. But all was not lost for the 8 boys, they were given a life line. Like One Direction when they were on X Factor in 2010, the 8 boys were asked if they would like to go forward as a band. They were given just 24 hours to rehearse before they had to sing at bootcamp as a newly formed boyband. They sang Snow Patrol/Leona Lewis’ Run and their journey started! They blew the judges away with their performance, and were one of the only few acts who received a standing ovation from all four judges. With all their own individual vocals, the judges knew this band was going to be something special, especially Simon Cowell, with him saying ‘Honestly, one of the best groups we’ve had on the show’.

 

They made it through Louis Walsh’s Judges Houses and got to the live shows. Fans got to suggest a name for the group after their Judges’ Houses performance. Week after week, Stereo Kicks wowed the judges and the public with performances such as ‘Everybody‘, ‘Let It Be Medley/Hey Jude‘ and ‘Boys of the Summer‘ and began building up an incredible fanbase, which is continuing to grow. Stereo Kicks lasted until week 8, where their last song was the one that started their journey on the show.

They are hottest thing since Mr Simon Cowell created One Direction and I don’t think that Simon is going to let them slip through his hands even though many people have spent too much time saying 8 boys won’t work, there is too many of them etc. These same people aren’t actually listening to the amazing vocals these guys have. Plus there is already a successful X Factor boyband in the world with 5 members. The world needs something fresh in the boyband scene and I believe these 8 boys are it.

The X Factor Tour is currently on and after going to one of the Dublin dates, the majority of the people going to the tour are for Stereo Kicks. The crowds are going mental for the 8 boys and rightly so.

It’s now time to get to know the 8 boys :

Tom Mann (@TomMannMusic)

 

Casey Johnson (@CaseyCodyJ)

 

Jake Sims (@JakeSims)

 

James Graham (@itsjamesgraham)

 

Chris Leonard (@ChrisOfficial_)

 

Barclay Beales (@BarclayBeales)

 

Reece Bibby (@ReeceBibby) 

 

Charlie Jones (@CharlieJones)

 

Stereo Kicks recently done their first headline show at Showcase Live and done a cover of Coldplay’s Fix You. This cover is insanely good. Those words don’t even do it justice to be honest, when I first watched it, I cried unknownst to myself and only realised when I took off my headphones. ( Chris does get his words a little mixed up in the song but that’s why we love him okay?! 😛 )

They also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit On The Side and performed a stellar performance of Taylor Swift’s Blank Space!

 

I am lucky enough to have met the boys (only 7 of them though, Casey snuck off before I could meet him 😦 ). I met them back in November when I went to Fountain Studios for my birthday.

Jake and I. Image belongs to me.

Chris and I. Chris got a little excited when I said I was Irish! Image belongs to me.

Tom and I. I was so happy I got to meet him. Fave forever! Image belongs to me.

Reece and I. Image belongs to me.

James and I. Image belongs to me.

Barclay and I. Image belongs to me.

Charlie and I. Image belongs to me.

The world better start preparing for Stereo Kicks. Everyone is going crazy for them, girls, boys, and even mothers! (Yes that does include my mother, even though she is still struggling to get all their names right! 😛 ) I promised myself that I would never get attached to another boyband on X Factor after the heartbreak I went through when One Direction came 3rd (I had voted A LOT of times, you can forgive me for crying okay?!) but when I heard that Chris and Tom were in this band, and heard their audition at bootcamp, I was already too emotionally involved. I am glad I am supporting these boys. I am already so proud of them and I will travel the world if I had to see them.

Simon Cowell / Syco, sign these guys now because you’ll be making the BIGGEST mistake ever if you don’t.

 

 

X Factor Tour Dublin!

Everyone knows I love X Factor and especially this season with the formation of my favourites, Stereo Kicks, and Only The Young being on the show! So when tickets went on sale for the tour, I snatched them up straight away!

X Factor Tour kicked off on Friday 13th February in Belfast and was there two nights before hitting Dublin on Sunday 15th of February. Only 8 acts made the Tour, Fleur East, Lauren Platt, Andrea Faustini, Jay James, Stevi Ritchie, Ben Haenow, Only The Young and Stereo Kicks!

Fleur. Image belongs to me.

Lauren. Image belongs to me.

Fleur opened the show with ‘Can’t Hold Us’. Lauren performed her slowed down version of ‘Happy’, which took me about a minute to know it was that because she was singing so low and I couldn’t hear the words! She then followed with ‘How Will I Know‘, and she danced a little bit. Jay sang ‘Changing’. Stevi performed ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’. Andrea belted out ‘And I’m Telling You’, his voice is incredible.

Only The Young really got the arena going with their version of ‘I Wanna Be Like You’. They made me fall in love with that song again. They made it fresh and cool. They put the OTY Stamp on it. They put a few dance moves in there too. And I got a little excited and screamed ‘Gwan Charlie and Mikey!’. I am sorry you can hear me in my video (insert cover eyes monkey emoji here!).

 

My bae’s Stereo Kicks hit the stage and the place went crazy, with them receiving the loudest screams of the night. They sang their cover of ‘Let It Be/Hey Jude medley and their vocals live are just incredible. With the reaction they got all night, I firmly believe Stereo Kicks have a great future ahead. Who said 8 boys wouldn’t work? They are incredibly talented and so down to earth, they can’t believe everyone loves them.

 

Charlie from Only The Young. Image belongs to me.

Fleur proved she is a double threat when she returned to the stage to perform ‘All About That Bass’ and ‘Bang Bang’, with her killer moves and stellar vocals. Andrea then sang ‘Listen’. The last song of the first half of the show was a group ensemble, minus Ben! They sang Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’. Stevi donned his Freddie Mercury outfit and performed ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, probably his ‘best’ performance. Not much I can really say about Stevi. Fleur was back on stage to sing ‘Thriller’, she didn’t give it as much energy as she did on the show or her other performances on the night which was disappointing. Lauren sang Disney favourite ‘Let It Go’, which had everyone singing along as usual.

Only The Young sang ‘Blame It On The Boogie’ and I just wanted to get up on stage and dance with them! They are so energetic and have so much on stage, it is infectious. These guys are going places. They are unique and extremely talented. I am excited for their future!

Stereo Kicks. Image belongs to me.

Stereo Kicks got the girls (and boys) screaming again when they sang ‘Everybody’. It was during this that I couldn’t contain myself and shouted ‘Casey you are fit’ and ‘Tom you are fit’ several times. They look gorgeous though, so you couldn’t blame me! My SK buddy Tania is very proud of me 😛

Jay sang Skyfall. Jay did nearly put me to sleep during this but that is simply because he doesn’t mean anything to me. He has incredible vocals but I am just not a fan. Jay got quite emotional after his performance. Stevi sang Footloose. To be honest, he ruined the song for me. I know he is the guilty pleasure act and he does proved entertainment but… I can’t even say anything. There are no words. Stevi is a genuinely nice guy and very pleasant when I met him. Fleur sang her only ballad ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ and she proved she can slay the slow songs too.

Only The Young performed one of my favourites of the night ‘Jailhouse Rock/Twist and Shout’. Charlie’s vocals were seriously on point all night but he’s parts in this song were incredible. Mikey looked so hot (love heart eyes emoji here) and he even wore my favourite Houndstooth shirt!!!

 

Lauren. Image belongs to me.

Lauren’s final song was ‘Don’t You Worry Child’. Apart from ‘How Will I Know’, this was my favourite performance from her. After her throat problems recently, I doubted if she was vocally ready for the show but she was and she sang incredibly. She also looked very beautiful.

Stereo Kicks stole the show with the song that started their journey, ‘Run’ and 6 months later they are on an arena tour! I was so proud, there were tears! Chris made a little speech at the end of their performance and I was so proud of him. I’ve known him for over 3 years from his days in Level 5 and met him at Niall Horan’s birthday party in 2012. I was also extremely proud to see Tom Mann on stage. I’ve been supporting him for nearly 3 years too. He’s really fit. I might have mentioned that before but I am just making sure you know it. Casey Johnson is also fit. Okay Stereo Kicks are fit.

Casey Johnson and James Graham. Image belongs to me.

Tom Mann and Jake Sims. Image belongs to me.

Chris Leonard and Barclay Beales. Image belongs to me.

Reece Bibby and Charlie Jones. Image belongs to me.

Fleur performed her outstanding performance of ‘Uptown Funk’, wow that woman can dance!!!

Ben Haenow. Image belongs to me.

Finally the winner graced the stage! Ben Haenow (HAENOW, HAENOW, DON’T DREAM IT’S OVER!) started his set with ‘Come Together’. Ben also sang ‘Thinking Out Loud’, ‘Highway to Hell’, ‘Jealous Guy’ and ‘Demons’ before closing his set with his winner single ‘Something I Need’.

All 8 acts closed the show with a group performance of ‘Never Forget’ and seemed to happy with the response they got in Dublin on the first night!

If you are a fan of X Factor, you will adore this concert! Ben, Only The Young and Stereo Kicks were my stand out favourites and the three acts I heard the majority of people talk about after the show.

So the Irish leg of the tour may be over but if you live in the United Kingdom, tickets are still available for some of the shows. Go get them ASAP!! A show not to be missed, especially if you want to say you’ve been there from day one for OTY and Stereo Kicks 😉

I have a few more videos to add but I am currently in Laois and Wifi is slow. I will add the rest of the videos when I get to University with fast internet!! ❤

Check out my X Factor Blog from when I went to London here.