September Favourites

September is coming to an end and it's been a pretty good month. I was reunited with my best friend, my parents came to visit with my nephew, I got to meet and go shopping with the gorgeous Tania (When Tania Talks), my boyfriend turned 30 and I was published in The Guardian (you can read that here, if you're interested).
Let's get on with my favourites, it's Nars heavy, I couldn't help it.

#SelfLoveChallenge13 Tag

Rules
Share 13 things that you love about yourself, forgetting the word 'selfish' Nominate 13 bloggers to do this challenge Share this post using the hashtag #SelfLoveChallenge13
I'm a huge fan of tags, so when the wonderful Kimberley over at The Colour Chronicles nominated me, I jumped at the chance to take part (not literally jumped, y'all know I'm a Spoonie). I was completely unaware this tag existed but the idea of focussing on our positive aspects is such a great idea; we can all be a little too hard on ourselves these days. Check out Kimberley's #SelfLoveChallenge13...and follow her, she's a star.

Happy 30th Birthday, Mr Martin

 Dedicating this post to my boyfriend, Ian, who turns 30 today.

Happy Birthday, I love you <3

Adult Colouring Books

* Disclaimer - This post is picture heavy *
Adult colouring books have become a craze over the last year or so which pleases me. I've always found colouring really therapeutic and relaxing but was sick of colouring in houses and teddy bears. Each time I'd have a hospital stay (and it's been a lot - #ChronicLife), I'd ask my Mum to buy me a colouring book and some pencils to keep me occupied on the long, tedious days.

Shine Bright like a Diamond: Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator

Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator - Starlight | £28 | Link | A lovely little email pinged into my inbox last week informing me that Cult Beauty was stocking the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminators. New. They were only released in the U.S. last month and us poor beauty lovers in the UK usually have to wait months for the gorgeousness to cross the Atlantic. I mean, come on, I need them ABH glosses in my life already! I knew I had to pick one of the highlighters as soon as I could. I'd been stalking them on Instagram like some weird, creepy make up freak and now it was finally mine <insert insane laugh here>

Productivity and a Change of Scenery

I haven't felt this productive in such a long time and it feels good. I was stuck in a cycle of wanting to be productive but putting things off as other things got in the way.

When I finished my MA (in December 2013), I intended on starting a blog, writing a novel, getting more poetry and short stories published...just basically writing. Writing until my little heart was content, but I didn't do any of it. Every night I'd go to bed and beat myself up about not picking up a pen. I mean it's not like my life is busy. Living at home was chaotic, my two year old nephew was always around and instead of taking some time for myself to get creative, I'd play with him. I don't regret it at all, my nephew is my tiny bestie but I wish I'd have got my laptop out after he'd gone to sleep and bashed out some words.

When Beauty Bloggers Meet and Go Shopping: My Day with When Tania Talks

The day had finally arrived to meet my wonderful friend, fellow Spoonie and blogger, Tania, from When Tania Talks. Pop on over to her blog and check out her YouTube channel, you won't be disappointed. 

We'd been talking about meeting up for a while and it finally happened on Thursday. We decided to go shopping (obviously) in Milton Keynes and I was super excited. Tania and I talk most days and I consider her a really good friend so it was good to actually see her. 

A Geek who Loves Make Up: Make Up Geek Collection

Make Up Geek Eye Shadow Pan | $6 | Link |

Make Up Geek Foiled Eye Shadow Pan | $9.99 | Link |

Make Up Geek Blush Pan | $9.99 | Link |

Z Palette Large | £15.95 | Link |

What I Learnt at RNOH Pain Management and Rehabilitation Programme

'They tried to make me go to rehab'...and I went. 
I'm on my fourth week home from spending three weeks in Stanmore, on the amazing, life-changing Pain Management Programme. 

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation: Review

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation - Siberia | £31 | Link |
I know, I know, I'm late to the party, everyone on earth has tried this foundation and I'm only just getting round to it. Don't judge me, okay? I'll tell you why I haven't tried it before, two words: SHEER GLOW. I have combination skin with a fairly oily T-zone so this Nars foundation scared me. Surely it wasn't going to suit my skin type? Not only that, I like a matte or demi-matte finish to my base and given the name of the product and the reviews I'd read that highlighted (see what I did there) how dewy and glowy the Sheer Glow is, I stayed well clear. I'm a fan of highlighting products but I don't want my whole face to shine bright like a diamond. 

The Museum of Extraordinary Things - Alice Hoffman: Book Review

I picked this book up on a whim when I was browsing in Waterstones. I judged a book by it's cover, it intrigued me and when I read the synopsis I knew I had to have it. 
'A tale of star-crossed lovers set against a creepy, gothic backdrop of freak shows, murder and mystery.' Independent
'Entrancing...Hoffman has amply succeeded in conjuring the teeming press of life in early twentieth-century New York, laying before us, in all its splendour and horror, the museum of extraordinary things that is humanity itself.' Financial Times

Bag Haul from Grindstore: Backpacks and Chronic Life

A few weeks ago Grindstore had a 10% off Back to School sale and I had to take advantage. 
Many of you know that I spent three weeks in hospital recently and during my treatment my Occupational Therapist suggested I use a backpack. I alternate between two crutches and a wheelchair due to my disability and I'm always struggling carrying a conventional handbag. I've tried them all, they either slowly fall off my shoulder and get entangled in my crutches or whack into my crutch each time I take a step. I also have a lot of problems carrying a bag on one side as it hurts my back and shoulder. Why hadn't I considered a backpack before? It was so bloody obvious.

Mac Matte Lip Collection: Whirl and Stone

Mac Lipstick - Stone and Whirl | £15.50 | Link |

Recently Mac added 12 new lipstick shades to their permanent collection. The colours are all Matte or Retro-Matte finishes and I had to pick up Stone and Whirl. The Whirl lip liner is constantly sold out due to the popularity Kyle Jenner brought to the colour, so when I saw that Mac were releasing it as a lipstick, I knew it had to be mine.

All I ask for is empathy

It's hard enough being a 28 year old disabled woman without the insensitive comments of abled people, but factor in the dickheads of society and their ludicrous questioning, things can get very awkward, very quickly.

I don't deal well with comments regarding my health. To this day, there are certain people that say extremely negative and hurtful things that really affect me. I wish I was strong enough to let words slide off my back but when it's an attack on something I have absolutely no control over, it really hurts. Being in pain day-in-day-out and told you're not good enough, you're a scrounger or 'putting it on' is worse than the pain itself. It eats away at you and breaks you down even further.

10 Book Challenge

The marvellous Maggie of The Secret Life of Maggie May asked me to take part in the 10 Book Challenge. As a huge bookworm, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

How does it work? 
It's simple; you are asked to name 10 books you have read in your life which have stayed with you the most. They can be any genre, any length, any author. They might have stayed with you the most because they were poignant, because they were laugh-out-loud funny, or because they were just beautifully written. It's not that simple for a true book lover.
Nominate three other bloggers once you have completed the challenge and use the hashtag 
#10BookChallenge on Twitter and Instagram.

Goin' to the Chapel: We Attended a Wedding

Bank Holiday weekend was busy. We attended a wedding on Saturday and my friend, Natalie's birthday party on Sunday. The wedding was my boyfriend's cousin, Louise and her now husband Steve. They've been together 30 years and married on Louise's Mum's 70th Birthday, so it was a double celebration. The wedding took place in a little village in East Northamptonshire called Wadenhoe, it was adorable and very picturesque. It was a lovely day, the weather stayed nice, the bride looked stunning and her dress gorgeous. 

Chronic Illness Sufferers Be Heard: #SufferingTheSilence

Suffering the Silence is an online community for people living with chronic illnesses to share their stories. They are an amazing movement that are breaking the silence by giving sufferers a voice and a platform to tell others what it is like to live with their condition/s. As soon as I read about #SufferingTheSilence here, I knew I had to get involved. Spoonies all over are taking pictures covering their mouths with their condition/s written on their arms and a paragraph or so about living with a chronic illness. Here's my story...

Rehab Fam: Amazing Friends from RNOH

So many people have asked me how I got on during my three week stay in RNOH Stanmore for Pain Management and are surprised by my answer of 'amazing' or 'I bloody loved it.'
It's the truth, other than learning about my condition and ways to manage it, I made some incredible friends. Every night when the physiotherapy was over, we'd be on the ward laughing our heads off, giggling till the early hours.
I thought I'd share some pics of the ladies that made my three weeks in hospital so memorable. I love them all and I can't wait to be reunited with them.