Pride Month Movie Watchlist.

Hello my lovelies! HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!! This month will be my second pride month since coming out and so far it’s been a month of fun, love and learning. So, since it’s pride, I thought I’d share with you 10 LGBTQIA+ movies you should put on your watchlist for this month (even though every month is a good month to support gay and queer media).

Before we get started, here’s a pair of very cute trousers that I picked up at Lucy and Yaks which are perfect for pride and are incredibly comfy! Bonus points because they’re a small business who are all about sustainable clothing that’s unique and comfy!

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Now that you’ve seen one of my cute pride photos, let’s get into some movies you should watch! I’ve added in all of their trailers so I’ll leave the descriptions short and sweet for you!

In no particular order:

Pride

Pride is one of my favourite comfort movies, it’s based on the true story about the UK gay activists who worked to help the miners who were in strike in 1984. It’s a feel good movie about a part of the LGBTQIA+ and uk history, and it has a load of actors you’ll recognise in it!

Disclosure

This is such an important film for a range of reasons. The main one being that it takes an in-depth look at the representation of the transgender community and the impact of their stories on transgender lives in American culture. It’s a must watch for everyone in my opinion!

Kinky Boots

Another movie based on a true story! This one I usually watch near Christmas for some reason, maybe its just because it’s always on telly at that time of year; this movie is the story of a men’s footwear factory in Northamptonshire that was struggling and turned to making ‘kinky boots’ after they gained a new creative consultant in the form of a drag queen.

Billy Elliot

This movie is also usually shown around Christmas time, it must be something about the festive season that gets all the feel good movies out on the telly again. I’d be surprised if you didn’t know about Billy Elliot, but in case you don’t, it’s a story of a young boy who decides to swap his boxing lessons for dance after finds a passion for ballet. It’s a story all about challenging toxic masculinity and stereotypes.

Bohemian Rhapsody

I debated putting this one on here, and I think it’s because people don’t really associate this film with being a part of the LGBTQIA+ genre, but it’s a movie that is filled with such great music and although it has mixed reviews, it’s still a good time when watched with friends and singing at the top of your lungs!

Prom

Prom is a new release from Netflix, and I wanted to mention it on here because it made me laugh, made me cry and was an easy watch, something that we all need every now and again. Plus, who doesn’t love a cheesy bright movie you can sing along to?

But I’m A Cheerleader

I found this movie recently and it’s instantly become a favourite of mine. One of the reasons is that it’s all about conversion therapy which is something I’m very passionate about stopping; but it’s actually somewhat of a comedy movie about how conversion therapy doesn’t work – and if you think putting a load of gay people in camps together is going to magically make them straight you’re very wrong.

Call Me By Your Name

This one is on so many LGBTQIA+ movie lists and of course I couldn’t leave it out. It’s a story about first love of a teenager played my Timothée Chalamet who falls for his fathers intern who is staying with them for the Summer. Don’t forget to grab some tissues (being an empath I cry at everything so maybe that’s just me)!

Carol

Carol is a story of an older woman who gets into an affair with an aspiring photographer in the 1950s in New York after meeting in a department store in Manhattan. It’s a great film that is not only gorgeous to look at but also shines a light on the hidden lesbian sub-culture that existed in the 1950s.

Love, Simon

Love Simon is a coming of age story that focuses on finding yourself, coming out and the ups and downs of falling in love. It’s a great movie to watch with friends or when you want some me time with all the snacks in the world to just chill out to.

And with my list at its end, go watch some queer focused content, spread love and remember that there’s always room to continue learning and educating yourself. If you’re wanting to learn more about LGBTQIA+ history you can check out my post here.

Whilst you’re here, here’s some support services you can access if you’re in need of some support:

• LGBT Switchboard – this is an LGBT+ helpline which is 100% confidential where you can talk about anything. You can call them on 0300 330 0630 (10am-10pm everyday).
• MindLine Trans+ – which is a confidential mental and emotional health support helpline for people who are transgender, gender fluid, agender or non-binary. You can call them on 0300 330 5468.
• And here’s a big list of support services that Stonewall have put together!

Have a fabulous weekend my loves and an amazing Pride Month!!

Love,

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My Favourite Pieces Of Bedroom Decor.

Hello my lovelies! It’s been a little while since I last wrote, but I’m happy to be back writing; I’ve been spending the last few weeks busy working on the last few assignments for my apprenticeship which I have finally sent off. It’s such a great feeling to have that extra bit of time back to chill out and spend more time on my passions now everything is sent off for marking.

Speaking of my passions, I love art, interior design and collecting unique items; so this week I thought I’d share with you my favourite pieces in my bedroom!

So, let’s get into it!

First up we have my mini greenhouse that is perfect for some of my fittonia plants. I was lucky to pick this up from ikea for £12, mine was actually the display model because they completely sold out! The bottom of the green house is like a tray so you can lift the entire top off, and you can also open the top to make watering and misting plants easy. Anyone who knows me knows that my bedroom has slowly turned into an indoor plant jungle, and I can’t seem to stop buying more plants!

Next up we’ve got my wall of witchcraft supplies tools and lanterns! I’ve also got a few extra bits and bobs up there but it’s mainly things I use in my witchcraft. My favourite things on these shelves are my crystals, candles and my tarot cards; my collection of cards is always expanding and I use them several times a month. I picked up the lanterns in TK Maxx and they look beautiful when lit.

Leading on from my shelves with lots of my supplies, we also have my altar where I practice. This space gets used every day for meditation, spell casting, tarot readings and much more. My altar is definitely one of the most important spaces in my bedroom and I feel like my space wouldn’t feel right without it.

I absolutely LOVE these wall hangings I got from amazon, and they were pretty cheap too at around £18 I think?! They look gorgeous on my wall and came as a pair; the sun print is my favourite out of the two but together they look great. All I can really say about these is that they’ve been one of the best, if not the best, piece of home decor I’ve bought from amazon.

I fell in love with this psychic readings mirror sign the second my eyes landing on it when I went to my local antique shop (it also has pieces from small businesses and general quirky stuff).

You can probably see a bit of a theme with some of my favourite pieces of decor, wall art and magick. Now, you know I love my tarot cards, so when I saw this with the sign I mentioned before you know I just had to have it. (If you ever want to know more about witchcraft and how I practice let me know in the comments!).

Next up we have something that I put together because I was running out of places to put all of my stationary and journalling supplies! These are two organisers I picked up that are for nails, screws and wall plugs that I ended up cutting down to fit snug in some shelves that are built into my desk. Here is where most of my small stickers, stamos, paper scraps, pins and photos are kept which makes finding supplies and creating journal pages so much easier. If you’re looking for a good craft supply organiser, here’s the boxes I picked up.

Here we have a piece of wall art again (sorry not sorry haha, my room is tiny and I’m a bit of a hoarder so lots of stuff has ended up being put on my walls), and this one was created by my very talented older sister who gave this to me when I came out. It’s sentimental to me, gay and very cute so obviously this had to be featured in my favourites.

And finally we have this green velvet bust that I also picked up at the antique shop. I’m not one hundred percent sure what drew me to this bust, probably the colour (gorgeous I know) and my love for art. I know that when I get my own place that it’ll be filled with loads of unique and slightly strange pieces like this and I cannot wait.

So, now you know what some of my favourite pieces are, I’d love to know what your favourite pieces of home decor are! Interior design is something that always interests me and I’m always looking for new ways to decorate and change the aesthetic of a room. Where do you go for design inspiration? What’s your favourite aesthetic? I think mine’s definitely a mish-mash of all-sorts and is ever evolving.

I’ll show you a full updated tiny room tour soon, so you’ll get to see even more of my interior style! And with that, time to chill out in the sunshine that has finally arrived!

Have a fabulous bank holiday weekend my lovelies!

Love,

3 Year Blogiversary!

Hello my lovelies! I hope you’re having a great bank holiday weekend so far and are enjoying the sunshine. As you can tell from today’s post title, about a month and a bit ago was my 3 year blogiversary! So I’ve been reflecting on all of my different blog posts over the past year and what I’m looking forward to in this next year!

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I can’t believe how much I’ve changed and grown over the last three years, and I can see a massive difference between the person in the first photo compared to now; I’m so much more confident and comfortable with who I am and I think you can see that in these photos. That being said, I still love that shy and insecure girl and if I could tell her anything it would be to believe and love herself even more because it will only lead to great things.

So, what’s been happening over the past year?

I’ve written 32 blog posts last year, left a long-term relationship, I came out, spent a lot of time working on myself and just had a lot of fun (even though I couldn’t really go anywhere during it!). So, let’s go through my top 5 favourite posts from the last year!

Number Five: ‘Art Journaling.‘

I loved writing and filming this post, it’s the first time I’ve filmed my journaling process and I’m proud of how well it came out. I still journal pretty much every day and I can’t wait to show you some of my newest journal spreads!

Number Four: ‘What Pansexual People Want You To Know.‘

This post just like the next post on this list meant a lot to me, and still does. This was a blog post I had wanted to write for a really long time, and I think it covers a lot of questions and misconceptions people have about people who are pansexual. It also helped a lot in the early days when I came out as some of my family and friends had no idea what pansexuality is.

Number Three: ‘It’s Time For An LGBTQIA+ History Lesson.‘

This is such a important post to me as it covers the beginning of pride from the Stonewall Riots, important people in queer history that you should know about and how love will always win. If you’ve never heard or read the story behind the first pride, you should check out this post or go to the Stonewall website!

Number Two: ‘I Moved Into A Tiny Room.‘

This post had to be included in my top five because it was like a reset and refresh that I felt was needed, especially when the first lockdown kicked off and I knew I would be spending a lot of time in my room over the next few months! I also love this post because I haven’t done any posts on my bedroom before, so this was a nice change and was fun trying something new. Maybe I’ll do an update post soon because the room has changed a bit since then!

Number One: ‘I Shaved My Head.‘

Of course this post had to be my favourite post for the past year, because it started a huge shift in how I feel about my own beauty and appearance. Shaving my head was something I’ve always wanted to do, and last year I finally did it. It was such a liberating experience and I’d 100% do it again in the future and recommend it to anyone who’s been wanting to do it!

I’m going to continue to grow and evolve over the next year and I can’t wait to write all about it! What was your favourite post from the last year? Let me know in the comments below! It’s always fun reflecting on the past year and seeing how much I’ve changed in a few months, and for me last year was a huge year of self-growth and self-love.

And with that, I’ll leave you with a poem that has stuck with me:

Maybe,

true happiness

is when we are

happy with

ourselves.

– faraway

Have an amazing weekend my lovelies!

Love,

25 Things I Want To Do Before I Turn 30.

Happy Saturday my lovelies! This past weekend I turned 25 and got to join the quarantine birthday gang. Since I couldn’t (and still can’t) go out or do anything for my birthday I decided to chill out with a slice of cake, low-alcohol wine and an episode of the Great Pottery Throwdown; which honestly is probably how I would’ve ended my birthday anyway being an introvert and little old lady at heart.

One of my Christmas presents was a gratitude journal so I’ve also been reflecting on what I’m grateful for, what lessons I’ve learnt over the last 25 years and I’ve also decided to make a list of things I want to do before I turn 30.

Things I’m grateful for are:

• My body for getting me where I am today – even though I live with chronic pain, I’m grateful for what my body allows me to do.
• My imagination and creativity.
• My family and friends.
• My job – it’s honestly the best job I’ve ever had and that’s not only because I love me work family but I also love making an impact in the mental health and addiction sector.
• My newfound ability to not care what others think of how I look.
• Finding witchcraft.
• Music – it helps me find motivation, brings me joy and always helps me unwind.
• For finding myself again over the last year.

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So, onto the 25 things I want to do before I turn 30 (in no particular order):

Birthday Selfie! (Still baby-faced as ever)

Go to pride in London – I wanted to go last year but obviously due to covid we couldn’t, so hopefully by 2022 we can have an in person pride!

Buy my own home – at the moment I’m living at home with my family and saving up for a deposit so I can get a mortgage in a year or two.

Have a full diagnosis of my chronic back pain – if you didn’t know already, I’m a spoonie and have been going back and forth for over 4 years trying to find out what causing my back pain (you can read more about it here!).

Travel somewhere by myself – you always hear about these transformational travels people go on and I want to experience that!

Get a new car – mine happens to be slowly deteriorating on my driveway at the moment..but I’m also not going anywhere so it’s pointless replacing it until we can go out again.

Learn another language well enough to be able to actually have some form of simple conversation with others – I’m currently learning Spanish with the trusty ‘ole Duolingo.

Go to one of the sleepovers at the Natural History museum!

Get two more tattoos – a big one of peonies and another of a robin.

Learn how to code – I’m already learning this and know a decent amount, but it’s always good to keep learning and I want to be able to remember all of the different codes without needing to triple check them.

Take a fitness/dance class without feeling self-conscious – when I say that I look like a robot who has two left feet I’m not exaggerating.

Try throwing pottery – I’ve just never had the opportunity to do and love sculpting with clay in general.

Take a full life drawing course – I’ve dipped in and out of life drawing lessons over the years and I always absolutely loved them so I want to make them a regular thing when we can all meet up again.

Join or form a book club – I just need to read more to be honest and when I find a book I love I read it in about 4 days and then can’t find a book I like for ages.

Learn how to animate – I’ve made a start on this already by learning how to do basic animations in procreate but I want to get better at it!

Fully understand how taxes and all the other finance stuff works that we should’ve been taught in school.

Have a decent amount of money saved for emergencies.

Design and sew an entire outfit – I love the Great British Sewing Bee and I have an A-Level in textiles but I never give myself the proper amount of time to actually finishing sewing projects.

Sell some of my art – I’ve made art all my life and been too scared to actually sell it even when people say it’s great, so I think it’s about time I actually believe it when people say they would buy my work.

Have a solid morning and night routine.

Make more friends – I have less than 3 friends outside of my work family so I really need to learn how to make friends as an adult. If anyone knows how to do this please tell me hahaha.

Get better at swimming – I am an extremely weak swimmer.

Try more food – I’ve been a fussy eater all my life and I’m slowly getting better. Progress is still progress no matter how small.

Grow my hair as long as I can stand it now that it’s healthy – and then maybe I’ll shave it again and donate it for charity? Who knows?!

Do something that scares me.

Learn to stand up for myself when a boundary is crossed.

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And those are my 25 things I want to do over the next 5 years. One of the biggest things on that list is getting my own place, and I can’t wait for the time when that happens, not only because it’ll be my own place, but also because I love interior design and can’t wait to decorate and make the place my own. Another thing I can’t wait to do is go to pride because it’s just such an uplifting time filled with celebration, community and love and to be there in person will be amazing.

You may have noticed that there are two things I’ve missed from my list that people my age are quite likely to include which is getting married and having kids. Well, I’m currently single, and believe it or not over the last year I’ve realised that I don’t actually mind being by myself; that doesn’t mean there aren’t days when I feel lonely, it just means that I’m fine with being by myself if that’s what happens in the end. And on the kids front, I’ve always imagined myself having kids one day, in fact when I was younger I thought I’d have kids by the time I’m 25, but as time has gone one I’ve realised that I’ll just have kids when I’m ready instead of putting a proper timescale on it. And if I do end up not having the ability to have children by myself for whatever reason (whether it’s because I’m by myself or if I’m in a relationship and it’s not possible) then I’ll either adopt, get a donor or foster.

It’s funny to me how much I’ve changed over the last year. I used to think that I needed to have so many big life events happen before 25 or before 28 and I would put stupid time frames on events you haven’t always got control of; and that was because I kept seeing people on social media my age having kids, getting married and buying their own places already. But what I completely forgot is that photo of house keys or engagement ring isn’t the entire story, and the majority of people feel like they’re behind. I’ve also realised that I’ve actually done a hell of a lot in the time I’ve been on earth, and I’m pretty proud of what I’ve achieved so far!

So here’s to year 25 and whatever it shall bring!

Have a great weekend my loves!

Love,

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Before i Turn 30.

Halloween Movies and TV Series Watchlist.

Hello my lovelies! We’re in October, and that means we’ve got 3 weeks until Halloween! So this week I’ve decided to give you a list of halloween, spooky season movies and tv series that are perfect for watching in the lead up to Halloween. Plus, I’m making this list especially for the scaredy cats like me, so you won’t find any horror movies here!

So, grab yourself some snacks, your favourite cosy blanket and your pj’s, and let’s get into it!

1 . Halloweentown – I watched this for the first time the other day and it is great! It’s a easy feel good halloween movie.

2 . Hocus Pocus – I love this movie. It’s perfect for watching with the entire family and I can’t help but smile when I watch it!

3 . Beetlejuice – A little spookier but with a great dance number that I think we will all be singing for days to come!

4 . Shaun of the Dead – Not one for the little kids, but an absolute classic. And a forever favourite with my family.

5 . Casper – You can’t really go wrong with a friendly ghost!

6 . Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit – Perfect for the little kids, my niece and nephew love this one.

7 . Corpse Bride – Tim Burton doing what Tim Burton does best!

8 . The Nightmare Before Christmas – An all time favourite that can be rewatched over and over again and still not be bored with it. It’s the perfect bridge between halloween and christmas!

9 . Coraline – Freaky alternate universe with buttons for eyes.. spooky no?

10 . Ghostbusters – Whether you like the originals or the new version, ghostbusters is a must for halloween!

11 . Coco – Cute, good music and an easy watch; just don’t forget some tissues!

12 . Monster Inc – An oldie but a goodie. This one’s great to watch with the kids, I can’t believe some kids nowadays haven’t seen monsters inc before, I even had the game!

13 . The Craft – You must’ve seen this challenge going around on tiktok at the moment where you lift your friends up with your fingertips, well if you have, now you know where it’s from!

14 . The Addams Family – Funny, and an absolute classic. Tell me you’re not singing the song in your head right now?!

15 . The House with a Clock in its Walls – A recent addition, and who doesn’t love a movie with Jack Black?

16 . Goosebumps – This movie is great for when you’re not a massive fan of scary films but don’t mind being spooked a little.

17 . Buffy the Vampire Slayer – I started watching Buffy last week and now I’m into season 3 (all of it is on Amazon prime at the moment!), it’s super addictive with vampires, demons and high school drama!

18 . The Witches – Maybe skip this one if you’re freaked out by old school special effects, this one I have a love hate relationship with. It’s a classic, but the special effects creep me out a lot, but not so much I won’t watch it!

19 . Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – I remember watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch when I was little, so was so excited when Netflix brought out the chilling adventures of Sabrina a few years ago; and I was not disappointed!

20 . Stranger Things – I love stranger things, it’s just an amazing series and once you start watching it I guarantee you won’t stop! And even if you have seen it before, rewatching it never gets old!

21 . Dark Crystal – I have the movie (from what feels like a lifetime ago) on dvd, and Netflix has filmed a series of it! If you know the movie, give the series a go for some nostalgia!

22 . Edward Scissorhands – Johnny Depp with a million pairs of scissors for hands, who would’ve thought he’d make such a good barber?!

23 . E.T. – This film is perfect for halloween and christmas. I guarantee you’ll be able to find the on the telly on repeat over the next few months, and I’m not surprised because who doesn’t love e.t. and wish they had their own friend from another planet?

24 . The Goonies – An oldie but an a oh so goodie. This one is a must for any halloween movie marathon.

This list is by no means in order from best to least best, because what I put on the telly definitely depends on what sort of spook I’m in the mood for! But those are just a few of my favourite Halloweeny movies and tv shows that I think are perfect for watching around this time of year!

So, what are your favourite shows and movies to watch around this time of year? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great weekend my loves, and I hope you’re enjoying this spooky season!

Love,

It’s My 2 Year Blogiversary!

Hello my lovelies! I hope you’re staying safe and well at home and keeping busy, not looking at the awful news too much! The good news is that I am hoping to take your mind off of what’s going on outside with today’s blog post. And incase you didn’t guess it from the title of today’s post, ‘The Weight Of My Worlds’ has just turned 2 years old.

I can’t believe it! And since my blog has turned 2, I thought I’d reflect on what has happened over the last year on the blog and in my life!

111 blog posts, loads of fun photoshoots and tries so far and I can’t wait for so many more!

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So, I thought I’d keep last years theme going by having a look at my favourite blog posts I’ve written over the last year. And with that, let’s get right into it!

First up we have January’19 :

• Body Positive Instagram Accounts You Need To Follow – I couldn’t decide which blog post was my favourite for this month, because to this day I still follow and love so many body positive and body neutral instagrams, because seeing people of all backgrounds and appearances loving themselves is such a huge mood booster!

• Finding My Style – I couldn’t talk about January 2019 without mentioning my ‘finding my style’ post. I love expressing myself through my style, and I love seeing how my style has changed over time!

February’19 :

• A Year Of Blogging – That’s an easy one. It’s amazing how fast time has gone and I loved writing that post just as much as I love writing this one now!

March’19 :

• The Sun: Living With Our Star – London Science Museum Trip! I loved creating this post, going to London and visiting the museum was such an incredible weekend that I will never forget, and I can’t thank the Science Museum enough for having me, I’ve been back since and it’s always a great day out for everyone!
• Styling a T-Shirt 7 Ways – This was my first ever video, and it was so much fun to film! I haven’t done any style videos since, but that is definitely something I’d like to do in the next year!

April’19 :

• I Hate My Belly, So I Got My Belly-Button Pierced – It would be silly to not include this post; it was a scary experiment to do, but it was so worth it!

May’19 :

• I Tried Lush’s Henna Hair Dye – As someone who loves to switch up her hair, whether that be with colour or a haircut, trying henna was certainly on my list of things to try, especially since it doesn’t damage your hair, and it worked amazingly!

June’19 :

• Why You Shouldn’t Care If Your Clothes Are Made For Men Or Women – i love androgynous style, I’ve never really cared whether or not my clothes were sewn for a particular gender, and I will forever go by the notion: ‘if I like a piece of clothing, I’ll wear it, regardless of what part of a shop it’s in’.

July’19 :

• My Trip To Edinburgh – Everyone loves a holiday! And I had such a lovely time in Scotland, even if it tipped it down for most of the time; there’s so much to do, and has loads of great shops and cafes!

August’19 :

• Harry Potter Inspired Outfits – I love putting together outfits, and as you know, I love Harry Potter, and I love looking up cute outfits inspired by my favourite shows, films and books!

September’19 :

• My Fitness Journey – This post means a lot to me, mostly because I have struggled with weight and fitness for the majority of my lifetime, and finding a fitness routine that works for me has been incredible. And it’s all thanks to the be.come project!

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October’19 :

• Apprenticeship Awards Ceremony – How could I not include this when it is one of the best memories I have from last year. I’m still in shock that I was awarded ‘Apprentice of the Year’, and that I got to meet Warwick Davis!

November’19 :

• Everyday Makeup Tutorial – This was the second video I’d filmed since my black tee styling video, and it was so much fun to do as I’d never filmed my makeup routine before! And that video is up on my IGTV still to this day!

December’19 :

• Top 20 Christmas Movies! – Anyone who knows me, knows that I love Christmas, and in my household Christmas starts about 2 days after Halloween. So as you can imagine, I have quite a few favourite Christmas movies!
• Easy DIY Snowmen – I had to include these, I give these out as gifts around Christmas every other year, and people are always asking me how I make them, so this post was a lot of fun to put together!

January’20 :

• Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid To Change Up Your Hair – This post is great, and a prime example of how much I believe in not being afraid to change your hair is that during the current quarantine we’re in in the UK, my mum and I got bored and decided to give me an impromptu haircut. (If you want more details let me know and I’ll do a post on it soon!)

So much has changed over the last year, I’ve finished one apprenticeship, then continued learning by starting the next level up, I’ve started my own business (called Sociaglow if you’re wondering), I’ve bleached my hair to bits for fun, chopped most of it off for fun, I’m now single, and I have fully embraced who I am, in all of my weird quirky self.

And I couldn’t be happier with where I am right now. The last year has had ups and downs, but at the end of the day I have so many things to be grateful for and people that I love and cherish. And I can’t wait for what the next year will hold!

Oh, and be prepared for things to get weirder and so much more wonderful!

What’s your favourite post been from the last year? Let me know in the comments! Have a great weekend my lovelies, and stay safe out there (or should I say ‘in there’?). To keep up to date with everything I’m up to, go follow my insta’s @theweightofmyworlds and @sociaglow !

Love,

Taking Some Me Time.

Happy Saturday my lovelies! This week we’re talking me-time. Self-care. Down-Time. Whatever you like to call it, I’m letting you into how I like to make time for myself.

We all have stressful days here and there, and we all deal with them in different ways, so this week I’m hoping to either give you some ideas on how you can make time for yourself. Or this’ll just be a healthy reminder of some of the small things you’re already doing without realising it’s something you do to make yourself feel good as self-care.

Self-care is often perceived as a bubble bath and a face mask in my eyes, and don’t get me wrong, those’re definitely I like to do to relax too, but there’s loads of other small things I do for some me-time.

So, enough blabbering from me, here’s what I like to do!

Get an early nights sleep.

Who doesn’t like staying in bed? If we love having lay-ins so much why not go to bed earlier and have longer in bed? I struggle to actually stay in bed once I’ve woken up – which is usually around 7 without my alarm so going to bed earlier let’s me have at least an extra hour in bed without feeling like I’ve wasted the next day.

Spending time on my hair.

Ever since I decided I wasn’t going to straighten my natural curls and waves anymore, I started taking care of my hair in a way that I have never done before. Before I’d brush it like mad, hate the frizz and straighten it everyday all whilst using sulfates and silicones on my hair damaging it. Whereas now I do bi-weekly protein and moisture hair masks, use more natural hair products and I avoid using heat at all costs. It takes more time than before, but I like to listen to my favourite music and spend that time in the moment, relaxing.

Organising my things.

I love a tidy room. And I’ve learnt overtime that when I begin to see mess piling up in my room it’s a sign that mental health is taking a dip. So I then take time to get everything organised and make sure that I do spend some more time doing things that make me feel good(in other words, what’s on this list!).

Taking a bubble bath.

It’s a classic I know, but I won’t deny that I enjoy a big bubble bath with candles, Netflix on my laptop and a nice cold drink. There’s not much else to say about that one!

Listening to my body.

This is new to me. Something you may or may not know about me is that I struggle with back problems (I’ll do a post about it all at some point!), and for me that means that I’m near enough in some form of constant pain. Sucks I know, but life goes on! Because I’m often in pain, over time I stopped listening to what my body needs and then suffering because of it. So recently I’m trying to actually listen to how my body is feeling and if I’m struggling then I give myself permission to simply stay home in my bed with snacks.

Doing my physio exercises.

Leading on from my last one, when I’m in pain that can be an indicator that I should try doing some more of my physio exercises to try and ease my pain. Plus, this helps me in the long run, and it’s time well spent since it then make the next day a bit easier on my body!

Reading a good book.

Who doesn’t like to curl up somewhere cosy with a good book? I’m currently reading ‘Happy Fat’ by Sofie Hagen and I’m loving it. It’s all about loving yourself, how society continues to spread fat phobic messages (whether we’re aware of it or not) and why you should stop hating your body.

Making myself a cup of tea.

If you’ve been here since the start of  ‘The Weight Of My Worlds’ then you’ll know that I’m a bit of a tea addict.. which is why I’ve recently switch to exclusively decaf tea! And I try to stay mindful when I’m making my tea and of course I just love a good cuppa. Bonus points if it’s in a super cute mug like this!

Watching old TV series’ that I love.

Although disputed, I love old TV series that are no longer in circulation or that came out years ago, in particular crime/CSI style shows like Bones, Castle, NCIS, CSI and so many more. That doesn’t make me weird does it? Well.. I don’t care anyway haha it’s great television.

Spending time on my hobbies.

I have a long long list of hobbies, most of them creative. So I like to spend time drawing, painting, sculpting, up-cycling, sewing, playing the piano and interior design. I can’t count how many times I’ve redone my room in some way, in fact, I’m actually re-painting mine as we speak!

Styling clothes.

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You look good when you feel good, right? I certainly do. Plus I was known for changing my outfit multiple times a day when I was younger, but what can I say, I like to change things up! I wear different styles depending on my mood and creating and styling clothes based on that is always fun.

And that’s it from me! Those are some of the things that I like to do when I’m needing some me-time. There’s more, but I think we’d be here for quite some time! It’s important to make some time for yourself, because you matter and self-care is NOT selfish.

What do you like to do when you need time for yourself? Did you get some new ideas from here? Or did you not realise you might already be practising some self-care without realising it? Let me know in the comments!

Might I suggest spending some time this bank holiday for yourself? Have a good one my lovelies!

Love,

City Break Holiday Packing.

Hello lovelies! How’s everyone doing today? This weekend is pretty exciting for me today because.. I’m off on holiday! I’ve not been away for a holiday for way over a year, maybe even two, so I can’t wait for this break from reality!

So, where am I off to you ask? Edinburgh! Why Edinburgh? Well, if I’m completely honest, I’m on a budget, but also Scotland is absolutely beautiful.

Which leads me to this post. It’s summer. It’s raining. It’s then a heatwave. Then its raining again. So, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO PACK?!?

Well, I’ve been trying to decide what I want to bring with me for the last few weeks and I’ve finally come up with a packing list that has everything you’ll need for a Summer city break with unpredictable weather.

And since I am off to Scotland, the weather is probably going to be doing all sorts, which ultimately led me to the decision that layers and creating a capsule wardrobe are probably going to be good options. Plus I am a serial over-packer (and I love making lists) so streamlining what I’m packing is always a good idea.

Right, let’s get into it!

Here’s the sort of things I’m going to pack:

So, this is what I plan on bringing with me for 5 nights in Scotland! It may seem like a lot for 5 nights, but when you think about it, it’s nice having options for outfits; especially for me in particular because I always get dressed depending on my mood.

Here’s the run down of what I’ll pack:

• 4 x tops
• 2 x jumpers
• 1 x cardigan
• 1 x day dress
• 1 x pinafore dress
• 1 x night dress
• 1 x denim skirt
• 2 x jeans
• 1 x denim jacket
• 1 x colourful jacket
• 1 x heels
• 2 x trainers
• 1 x boots
• Accessories
• Oh.. and underwear and all that stuff. Nearly forgot about that!

I think it’s important to remember what you’re planning to do during the day’s and in the evenings because that’ll determine your looks and if you’d want to swap different pieces in and out. So.. onto a few of the different outfit combos you can create! I won’t show you them all, because we’ll be here a while!

1 . Comfy and casual, you cant go wrong with a jumper, jeans and trainers!

2 . Sunny day out, this look is great for when you’re off out shopping for the day, chilling out and you can even dress it up with heels for the evening!

3 . Casual date night, I love this outfit! It’s great for all times of day, and I would pair this outfit with polka dot tights too, I think this outfit is great for cinema dates and going to places like the zoo.

4 . Fancy date night, who doesn’t own a LBD?! (Little black dress) This is perfect for making you feel sexy, confident and it’s great for going out to dinner or drinks.

5 . Day to night, this outfit and the one coming up are great examples of how accessories and changing a few things can transform your look from day to night in a flash! This one I would consider the night look purely because I don’t know anyone who can go all day in heels, that can’t just me right?

6 . Day look, here’s another day look. Let’s be honest, floral little dresses and denim jackets are all the range right now, and I’m totally here for it! They’re cute, cool in the warm weather, and you can dress it up and down as you please!

7 . Let’s go to a museum! This outfit is super cute in my opinion, and you can dress it with tights when it’s chilly, or without when it’s warmer, and it’d be great for little touristy attractions like museum, gallery and theatre visits.

And those are just a few outfit options you could make from my list of clothes I’ll be bringing with me to Scotland. And the great thing is that you can use this as a guide for pretty much any city break anywhere with a few tweaks so things suit your style!

What’s your favourite look from the group? And are you going on holiday this year? Where? Let me know in the comments!

Have a great weekend everyone!! Love,

10 Must-Haves For Your Handbag

Happy Saturday everyone! It’s been one busy week! And with this week being so busy, I’ve been on the go a lot, so I’ve been thinking about what I absolutely MUST have in my bag.. and poof! Today’s post appeared.

It’s kind of crazy how much stuff I carry around with me, and I think that’s partly due to women’s clothes often lacking in pockets! Or having pockets which are either fake or so tiny you can only fit a 50p coin in there.

It always makes me laugh when someone says to me: ‘Why is your bag so big? You surely don’t need it that big?’. Well you do if you haven’t got pockets and when your boyfriend asks if he can put of his stuff in your bag too, and sometimes I just like having a huge bag to be honest!

Let’s get into it!

1 . Your Purse – Duh!

I can’t go anywhere without it, even if I know I won’t be needing it.

2 . Hand Sanitiser

I hate using public toilets, and even though there’s soap and sinks, I still like to have that little extra clean feeling. Plus, all of my friends and family often ask me for it.

3 . Travel Perfume

If you’re someone who always has perfume on, I’d suggest getting yourself a travel perfume bottle! They’re super cheap and it’s great for when you’re on the go and want a little refresh.

4 . Headphones

I can’t go anywhere without my headphones now, partly because everyone nowadays are listening to music and podcasts on the go! Plus it’s great for if you need to make a phone call when out and about and need to hear someone better.

5 . Water

A bit of a change from what I used to take along with me, I never carried any form of drinks with me but these days I need to bring water with me! I get that you can buy a bottle, but why spend more money when you can bring it yourself?

6 . Hair Grips and Clips

I have recently started my curly girl hair journey (post to follow in a few weeks!) and with that comes not using any form of heat on my hair and letting my natural curls and waves do their thing, which means that every now and again my hair goes a bit nuts… So hair grips and clips are pretty essential for me at the moment!

7 . Nail file

I don’t know about you but I often chip my nails when I’m about and about, and hate it when they catch on my clothes, so over the years I’ve just got used to carrying a nail file around.

8 . At Least One Pen

I always need a pen when I haven’t got one so I’ve got into the habit of leaving one in my bag all the time, and voila’ no more needing a pen and not having one.

9 . Power Pack and Cable

As someone who loves taking photos, listening to music and because I use my phone as a sat-nav sometimes, my phones battery life goes down ridiculously fast, so a power pack is a must. My power pack doubles as a torch too!

10 . Different Earrings

This one’s not essential, but it’s something I like to always have with me for if I ever decide to switch up my look whilst I’m out and about!

And those are the essentials that I carry with my everywhere! I would say I’m a bit of a mum when it comes to what’s in my handbag, partly because I have basically everything plus the kitchen sink in there! Haha!

What are your handbag essentials? Did any of these surprise you? Let me know in the comments! Have a great weekend lovelies!!

Love,

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

It’s just over 2 weeks until Mother’s Day 2019, so I thought it’d be a good time to put together my mother’s day gift guide! Even though I believe that you should show people how much you love and care for them all year round, it’s still nice to have a day to remember any loved ones who are no longer with us and show those who are, how much them mean to us.

I always feel that personal gifts are better, but sometimes it can be hard to find a gift that’s just right. So, lets get into it! (I decided to add links to gifts from notonthehighstreet.com and tk maxx because I personally like those sites for presents!)

1 . Food – Get your mum whatever her favourite treat is, it could be her favourite sweets, chocolate, takeaway or café treat! These cute biscuits can be found here!

2 . Jewellery – There’s loads of different pieces that you could get your mum, if your mum is a bracelet wearer, I suggest a simple bracelet which is symbolic of your relationship. Here’s the link to the bracelet pictured above for you to check out!

3 . Make it, or take her out for it. Breakfast – This is a traditional one, but you can’t really go wrong with this one, surprise your mum with breakfast in bed or take her out to a café that she has always wanted to go to or just loves going to!

4 . Flowers – If you’re mum likes getting flowers, why not buy her a bunch of her favourite kind with a new vase and if she isn’t a fan of getting flowers (or if she isn’t great at keeping them alive..) why not get her something that doesn’t require a load of attention, like succulents and cacti. Find this pretty vase set here!

5 . Personal photograph(s) – Get some of your mums favourite photos printed and framed, or go one step further and use some snaps you took in the past that she hasn’t seen and surprise her with them! If you’re looking for an idea on what to do with some photos, click here to find the copper plate above!

6 . Personalised glass or mug – If your mum is a gin and tonic lover, why not grab a pretty glass for her, and get her name or any inside jokes you have on it! Or if your mum is a tea drinker, get her a her own teapot and teacups! You can get the gin glass here!

7 . Handbag – My mum and I often go out shopping together, and from experience she always loves getting a new handbag, especially from Tk Maxx! This cute bag is from Tk Maxx and you can find it here.

8 . Treat your mum to a day doing whatever she wants – If you’re super stuck for ideas you can always ask her what she would like to do! It could be a spa day, relaxed day at home with her every need done for her or simply taking her out for lunch, the choice is theirs!!

9 . Things for your mum’s hobby/hobbies – My mum loves gardening, doing jigsaws, getting a massage, reading a good book and loads more, so why not get your mum something to do with her hobbies? Click here to check out the book subscription gift above!

10 . Smellies – As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found I enjoy getting smellies more and more, if your mum has a favourite brand for makeup, smellies or candles, you can’t go wrong in picking up some of them! This gift bag can be found here!

Those are just a few ideas for what you can get for your mum, and at the end of the day, it’s the thought that counts. Plus, I’m sure letting your mum know how much she means to you, how much you value her and everything she’s done for you will make her very happy.

If you’re still stuck for ideas, pay attention to what your mum has been liking, loving and needing over the next two weeks and use that to get something she’ll like. And if you’re beyond stuck, just ask her what she’d like to do! I’m sure she’ll be happy to tell you what she’d want to do, and sometimes that will actually allow you to get her exactly what she wants.

So, Happy Mother’s Day for two weeks time!! And thank you so much to all of the mums, granny’s and great grandmas out there for everything you do. Have a great weekend lovelies!!

Love,

*all images of gifts were taken from notonthehighstreet.com and tk maxx