Daily Summary- Monday

This is a different sort of post for me. I've found that if you sit back and properly reflect on your day to pick out all of the 'interesting' (I say that VERY loosely of course) parts of your day, you get so much more from it! I thought I had a pretty naff day and although it was mostly uneventful, having a little summary has made me realise that you know what? Things aren't so bad. HAPPY MONDAY!

I think this is my first real Monday morning in about 3 months! This morning was intense, my alarm was set at 5 minute intervals from 6am onwards just to wake me up. Argh! I'm so not used to early starts and thought it would be best to set 5 alarms to make sure that I'd definitely be ready for my first day back at college.

• In the Lovatt-Jones household this morning, shit went down. I introduce the Teatowelgate scandal. I needed a tea towel to wrap around my very hot porridge bowl so that I could carry it upstairs with me, and apparently that tea towel was already in use. I was accused of tea-towel theft and it all kicked off. Over a tea-towel. Drama, drama, drama.

• Today was my first day as a second year (I have been through college twice, so does that mean that this is my second first day?) Going back to college was infinitely weird, it was great seeing friends that I haven't caught up with all summer and meeting the newbie first years who all seem pretty lovely. I really enjoyed getting back to a bit of ballet, I think that was definitely the best class of the day!

• I was a bit nervous about re-dying my hair. I've slowly been going blonde over the past few months and after a cheeky colouring session last night, I am now very blonde. I was a little worried that it might not suit me, but people were really lovely about my new lighter hair. Nothing makes you feel better than a quick compliment from someone who doesn't need to say anything, and it made me especially happy because I was so worried. Thank you, you lovely people!

• However, college broke me today. Recently I have felt very very lost. One minute, I think that I've figured out what I'm doing with my life and then I realise that I actually don't have a clue and I'm back to square one. I have been finding myself pretty fragile when it comes to talking about the future and that's exactly what happened in college. The 'unbreakable' persona that I had at the end of last year, where no one could make me crack, seems to have gone. Definitely not planning on crying in front of my peers again anytime soon.

• This minor blip was followed by a chat at lunchtime with one of my really good friends and made me realise that I have the most amazing supportive people around me. You don't always realise but having good friends makes you one of the luckiest people in the world.

• My lunch today was also totes healthy! I'm totally in the habit of putting myself a lunch together in a morning so that I can keep track of exactly what I'm eating throughout the day. Today my lunch consisted of a lettuce, cucumber, red pepper, sweetcorn and tuna salad, followed by some honeydew melon, an apple and a banana. Certainly a positive of today.

• Tonight was definitely a onesie night! I came home tired, cold and wanting some comfort, and climbed into my owl onesie that my boyfriend bought me from Christmas last year. I had a good cuddle with my dog and caught up on Downton. Ooh it's getting good already. I LOVE Downton Abbey!

• On top of it definitely being a onesie night, it was also the perfect night for a lovely hot camomile bubble bath. When I'm in the mood for one, there's nothing better than just having a soak with my Spotify Musical Theatre playlist. The only negative was the appearance of a random fat ass daddy longlegs, however once I gave him a name (Arnold- for anyone who is interested) he settled down on the wall above the bath instead of frantically attacking the light. Think I made a friend.

• Let me get one thing clear. I hate burbon biscuits! But at the moment I have cravings for nothing other than...BURBON BISCUITS! I don't understand, I had two before bed because I desperately fancied some. And no, I'm not pregnant. I just have cravings for a biscuit that I don't actually like. Obviously living life in the fast lane there... 

Thinking about the 'C' word...

Christmas!... There I've said it. I've used that dreaded word.

 Christmas. There, I've said it again.

Now you've gotten over that initial shock (even though it's only 3 months today- panic stations everyone), I'll continue with my post. I know that it's really early, I was talking about the arrival of Autumn only yesterday, and I'm probably going to be strung up by my toenails or something, but I'm so excited for Christmas!
I've already thought about and planned Christmas presents, namely how I want to wrap them, but I have made a few lists- of the 'nice' variety, of course; I've thought about decorations, new Christmassy recipes to try and what I'm going to put with this year's Christmas turkey. I'm just super excited! And let's face it, it'll be upon us in no time.
It's without doubt my favourite time of year and I'm already on the verge of listening to Christmas songs- we even had a cheeky burst of Shaking Stevens at a staff meeting this week, so maybe I'm not the only one? I've been planning people's gift hampers and trying to budget how I'm going to survive until January payday and I just can't help it. I worked my way through various Youtubers' 'Vlogmas' videos from last year just to try to satisfy my need for anything festive.
This year I hope to fill my blog with festive spirit and plenty of Christmas related posts! It's probably not acceptable to start just yet but watch this space...

Help! Autumn is coming!

Autumn officially started on the 22nd September...that was Monday!

Autumn is such a good season, it starts to get all cosy, and all of the leaves go all crisp and fall off the trees, you can light candles while you cuddle and drink hot chocolate, and go for long walks- it's genuinely just pretty lovely. My birthday falls in Autumn and then just a few days later we've got Halloween (amazing- any excuse for a themed party). It's very exciting!

However, the prospect of Autumn is so scary! 1) How are we already in September? 2) How do I keep spiders from coming into my house? 3) What the hell am I supposed to wear? and 4) Autumn is one of those words that I'm never quite sure whether it has an 'N' on the end or not. What is a girl to do?
We've had an amazing summer and it's decided to stretch out into September as well which is so lovely. But the really lovely weather is just not going to last- boo hiss! And that's the problem! One thing I really struggle with is what to wear when it gets colder. I've already tidied away all of my summer clothes and pulled all of my woolly jumpers out of the top of my wardrobe, but it's like I've forgotten how to dress. I look at my wardrobe and I just can't seem to put anything together. I'm one of those people who has a massive Spring clean out so some of things that I wore last year did go to charity, so I do have a few gaps but even so, I have no idea what I'm doing.
I know that there are things that I would really love ("Hello Birthday list!") such as I'd love a parka coat with a white faux fur trim around the hood, they just look so cosy! I'm also really falling in love with light coloured faux fur coats- they just look so chic! I'd also adore a red tartan scarf, a fedora and a really chunky pair of wedged black Chelsea boots. This little wish list is all well and good but how expensive are clothes at the moment?? These things cost a lot of money. Bad times.
Literally all that I seem to be wearing is leggings at the moment (and they have a tendency to develop random pesky holes) but I don't want to spend the rest of the year in them. I just don't know how to wear other trousers though.
Last year my go-to Autumn/Winter shoes were a pair of military boots that were nearing on their 4th birthday and absolutely falling apart. So they went in the bin during my Spring clear-out. I am now bound to ballet pumps, which are less than practical when it starts to get a little cold.
I want to look all girly and Autumnal; wearing browns and burgundies and greens, but I have no idea how to do it with very little pennies and without looking like a VSP (very special person). Therefore any inspiration is very welcome. Obviously Pinterest is a first port of call. Alternatively I may be forced to employ someone to just dress me in a morning so I can be sure that I leave the house looking moderately presentable.

'Only Boring People Get Bored'

We've all heard it before, usually as a small child and from whichever adult had the misfortune of keeping an eye on us over the summer holidays- 'only boring people get bored'. For me, I've heard this about 9 billion times and it's now completely ingrained on my brain. In fact, I now refuse to be bored at the risk that I might be accused of being boring. Because of those 5 little words I go to extreme lengths to keep myself busy including cleaning the house, tidying and sorting my bedroom and ironing as much washing as I can stomach. STOP RIGHT THERE, this is all getting very out of hand.
Let's face it no matter how much we try no one can be completely content at all times and this is me at the moment. I'm filling the time with things that I hate doing just to keep myself busy. My college term finished way back in June and I have been bored out of my mind! No seriously, Jeremy Kyle, This Morning and Loose Women are all well and good for about a week or two but then the novelty just completely disappears. Luckily I go back to college tomorrow (hallelujah!) so hopefully I'll be feeling like a real person again in no time. But it got me thinking- does all of this make me a boring person?
My conclusion- NO! Sometimes we all just run out of things to do with ourselves and that's totally okay. So here's a few things that I got up this Summer to stop me from going crazy, 1) to prove that I'm not mind-numbingly dull and 2) as it might inspire a few of you to go out and try something a bit different instead of resigning yourself to watching the Coronation Street omnibus. Enjoy!

• GET SOME WORK! Extra work equals more pennies, and more money in your pocket allows you to go out and treat yourself. Aside from that I love going to work, I'm super lucky to have a part-time job that I love, with a group of people that are so friendly and lovely. For me, going to work is a great way to fill my time because I enjoy going! Don't be scared to ask for extra hours, if you've got the time to give then it's not just benefitting you if the hours need to be filled at work anyway. And for anyone who hasn't got a job, GO AND GET ONE! I know that's so much easier said than done but if you don't try then you'll never know. This time of year is also a really good time to find something as companies are often looking for extra hands ready for the Christmas rush.

• GET SOME WORK EXPERIENCE! Whether you have a job or not, invest some of your spare time to bettering your own future. Right back in June I did 6 weeks work experience in a school, I had such a great time and it was really good to get some experience of seeing just how things work as I want to go on as a Secondary School Drama Teacher. I was based in the drama department and was given the chance to share some of the things that I have learned about the subject with students, including leading a few sessions with Year 7 and Year 10. It was a great insight and a really memorable 6 weeks of my time out of college. Now I've got this experience under my belt I can put it on my CV and it may just help me pave a path for the future. I'd recommend anyone to go and give this a go in whatever you want to go on and do.

• VOLUNTEER YOUR FREE TIME. This could be in a charity shop, going to visit an elderly neighbour or offering help in any other way. Giving your time to other people is a great way to use the time that you've got. Helping others gives yourself a sense of worth but I promise you that if it makes you feel good then it's making the people that you are helping feel even better. For the past couple of years I have volunteered a few hours every Wednesday evening to work in a soup kitchen. It's hard work but I do enjoy it and just a few hours work really brightens someone's day, directly or indirectly.

• READ! BECOME A BOOKWORM. You may have caught up with my 'Bookworm Week' posts about 2 weeks ago, and if you did then you'll know that this summer I have been loving the 'Divergent' series. Along with those I also re-read a few books that had just been sat on my shelf and a few new books that I went out and bought, like Vicky Pattison's autobiography, a book about the Plantagenets and a bit of Adrian Mole. It's great to get lost in a book and the subsequent conversations about them are good too.  

• GO FOR A LUNCHDATE. Catching up with friends feels so great when you've been at home on your own all day. Catch up with old friends or friends that you see all of the time, either way I love having a good chin-wag. I've loved Wednesday meet-ups with my best friend, Dids, in Starbucks for a coffee and a salad. But I've also been able to see friends that I haven't seen since they went off to uni last year and they have been some of my favourite parts of this Summer.

• FIND SOMETHING NEW TO DO. A few weeks ago I let my boyfriend take me to go and play pool at our local pool hall- not going to lie, I didn't even know that we'd got one. But it's been great to go out and do something different, sometimes you have to mix up date nights a bit and a change of scenery has been great. Find something that you can go and enjoy with someone else and have a bit of fun.

• LEARN SOMETHING/ TEACH YOURSELF SOMETHING. I'm not a great advocate of this one but I have made an effort. Learning something new takes time and to come out of it at the end better off can't be a bad thing. I've spent some time learning monologues, which for a lot of people might be pretty random but for me it's definitely a useful thing. You could better your maths, or learn a language, learn sign language or teach yourself to cook or knit. Just do something worthwhile with your time.

Life in 8 Photos

 

 

Rocking that 'Noddy' bib!

 

Definitely need to work on the blusher...

The World's most pathetic snowman

Woah, not a good look there

It was a pretty standard Saturday night really

The year I got a 'Peppa Pig' mug in the secret santa

Because we're not planning on being normal yet



Typical Saturday night out mirror selfie...guilty as charged

I'm not really feeling a personal 'About Me' sort of post just yet, but if a picture says 1000 words then technically this is an 8000 word 'About Me', which can't be that bad going.

Weather Inappropriate Blog Posts...

I wish the weather would just make it's mind up! Like, seriously!
Last week I wrote a blog post, scheduled for today, about the really awkward period of transitioning from Summer to Autumn. The day I wrote it was really overcast and cold so I considered it a prime time to start thinking about all things Autumnal. However when I woke up this morning the sun was shining, it was lovely, warm and bright outside and I've been sat outside working in the sun all day in a little playsuit. It's certainly not feeling like Autumn today.
So...to save myself the embarrassment of a miss-timed blog post I've decided to save it for a rainy day. Hopefully then I can find a more logical season appropriate day instead of posting it right now when it feels like practically June.
I apologise for this really really naff post, but I didn't just want to leave today empty, especially since I was on a roll last week! It just didn't seem right to post about leaves coming off the trees and warm coats when the weather hasn't decided what it's doing yet. I'm not complaining though- at least it's not raining.

To make up for a terrible post, here's a picture of my dog in the sun.

Bookworm Week: Sunday

BOOKS I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN ROUND TO READING
(BUT HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO)
The Bridget Jones's Diary Series- Helen Fielding
The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky

I have a little stash of books on my shelf that have never been read, I'm not even fully sure whether they have ever been opened. It's really quite sad that these little gems haven't been read yet. Gosh I feel guilty. Even though I really want to read each of these I've just never quite gotten round to it.

The first 3 are the books in the Bridget Jones series. You can only see them as two physical books in the image but that's because the blue book on the right contains both 'Bridget Jones' Diary' and 'The Edge of Reason'. I am an enormous fan of the films! There's nothing that I love more than a cosy night, with candles, hot chocolate and Bridget. And after I read a section of the first book in an English lesson I knew that I wanted to read the books. I was lucky to receive them all for my birthday last year but have not picked them up yet. Sad times.

Another one where I saw the film first. My boyfriend took me to see 'The Great Gatsby' as our first date when it came out last year. He then bought me the book and the film on DVD for our first Christmas together. Yay! I love the story of Gatsby and even though it is such an iconic novel I had honestly never heard of it before the film came out. I really want to read this book and I did start it on a train to Reading once but have not gotten past maybe the first two chapters. I definitely need to pick this one up again.

The last one, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'. The good news: I haven't seen the film! Not only that but I haven't got a clue what this book is even about. I couldn't tell you if you asked me to. My gorgeous friend Kate lent me this book (I am terrible at giving things back, do not lend me anything) and it's just been sat on my shelf untouched. Is this a good book? I think I need to find out.

Bookworm Week: Saturday

BOOKS FOR IN THE KITCHEN
Sam Stern's Student Cookbook- Sam Stern
From Pasta to Pancakes: The Ultimate Student Cookbook- Tiffany Goodall
Eat Vegetarian- Sam Stern

I've always been a bit of a foodie. When I little I used to live with my Nana and we used to make all sorts! I remember making bread (and eating it with lemon curd), biscuits, Victoria Sponge and I really wish that I had gotten chance to help her, and find out her secrets for, the perfect Meat and Potato pie- which she used to make every Saturday.
I've also learned a lot from my step-mum, who makes amazing food. 2 days before Christmas last year, we spent all day in the kitchen making massive amounts of mince pies and a fair few quiches. But she has also taught me to make curries, stir-fries, pastas and the best Sunday dinner! We do a lot of cooking!

However for those who maybe don't have someone to teach them or for those who just want to go it alone, I totally recommend these cookbooks to start off with!

I bought Sam Stern's first cookbook, 'Cooking up a Storm' and since then I have bought every single cookbook that he has brought out. Because he's just so good! He doesn't use crazy unknown ingredients and he doesn't overcomplicate anything. It's just good, wholesome, easy, laid-back food. I love his 'Student Cookbook', they always contain really cheap recipes but I like this one in particular as he goes past the basic Spag Bol, Sausage butty and Chilli con Carne. One of my favourites is his 'Sexy Tuna and Chilli Pasta' which I throw together on a regular basis!
I'm also a little bit in love with his 'Eat Vegetarian' book. I try not to overload myself with eating meat and this is great for really tasty, really easy vegetarian food. Winner!

I picked up 'From Pasta to Pancakes' one day because I fancied buying a new cookbook and it looked pretty. But I'm not going to lie, I was really pleased when I got it home because although it may not be the most adventurous book in the world, it's filled with real food that I actually make. I love that Tiffany Goodall breaks everything down and it's all presented as like a photographed comic strip which makes it super easy to follow!

Bookworm Week: Friday

A BOOK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ AT LEAST ONCE

You've probably heard of this one before. It's not been massively in the public eye but it's been pottering along quite nicely, worming it's way onto peoples' bookshelves. The title probably rings a bell, even if you've never heard of the book, as a performance of an onstage adaptation of this was stopped when the roof of the West End theatre that it was being performed in collapsed onto members of the audience. Yikes. But lucky no one was seriously hurt.

'The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time' is one book that I believe everyone in the world should read! No, really, I'm being serious. I borrowed this book from a friend (in fact I've still not given it back) over a year ago and it took me a while to pick up, but when I did it took me only a day to get through. We had been talking about books and she mentioned this one. She had read it while on holiday and passed it to her Dad to read as well, who remarked that it looked like a children's book, but was also totally captivated by it. I have to agree, this is not a children's book due to a little bit of strong language but also because it deals with the sorts of issues that I don't even think most adults could fully deal with.
The story follows Christopher. It's Christopher's diary. He is 15 and although his condition is not actually specified the back of the book refers to Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism. The book as a whole follows Christopher as he tries to discover who killed his next-door neighbour's dog, Wellington. It is a fabulous mystery story and really leaves you guessing as to who did kill Wellington but also gives a great insight into the challenges of someone who lives with a condition such as Asperger's.
I'm not going to tell you any more than that really. I will admit that this one is filled with twists, but has to be one of the single best books I have ever read!

Bookworm Week: Thursday

BOOKS THAT TAUGHT ME SOMETHING
Bobbi Brown's Makeup Manual- Bobbi Brown
The Fabulous Girls' Book
The Girls' Book of Glamour

As a pre-teenage girl I just wanted to know about makeup, hair, fashion and all of those other girly things that I wanted to be part of and the two pink 'Girl's Books' were exactly what I needed. They are just a bit of fun with some tips and tricks on how to do your makeup and different ways to do your hair. Some of the titles in them include 'How to turn your bedroom into a haven', 'How to appear fabulously confident', 'How to apply eyeshadow' and 'many others and 13 year old me probably wouldn't have gotten by without them.

This one is a much more recent purchase. The 'Makeup Manual' by Bobbi Brown breaks down everything from basic skincare, how products work and what they are used for, how to choose the best tools for applying makeup and then how to actually apply gorgeous makeup. I found the section at the front about skincare so unbelievably useful I can't even tell you. It's so nice to really understand the products that you use on your face and whether you're using the right thing. And then the rest of the book about makeup application has really changed the way I put my makeup on and I feel like I'm finally getting there with better makeup application. If you love make up and skincare and just generally looking after your face, I'd definitely point you towards this bad boy.

Bookworm Week: Wednesday

MY FAVOURITE SERIES EVER!!!!!
The Black Magician Trilogy- Trudi Canavan
-The Magician's Guild
-The Novice
-The High Lord

I think that this trilogy has seriously slipped through the net. I don't actually know anyone else who has read these. Apart from my mum. Have you read these?

If they ever make these books into films I HAVE to be Sonea. It's one of those fantasies where you genuinely want to play the main character in your favourite series of books! If not then I may have to boycott the films or maybe even go into hiding.

I'm not going to spill too much, partly because it would be so blooming confusing for me to try to explain the story without just typing out the first few chapters. But if you love stories about magic and fantastical worlds then you have to read these books! The first book takes a while to get in to while you figure out who is who and where everything is (I find that's always a problem in stories where the characters have unusual fictitious names) but once you're in, you're hooked. I promise, tread with caution because you won't want to put these down.

Bookworm Week: Tuesday

BOOKS THAT MADE ME CRY LIKE A BABY
Never Let Me Go- Kazuo Ishiguro
The Fault in Our Stars- John Green

I don't understand us girls' obsession with having a good cry from time to time, and I cry more than most people. Maybe it clears out the pipes? Anyway...
Two books that  I needed a good sized box of tissues to get through are these two.

I first read 'Never Let Me Go' on holiday after I had bought it in the airport, I had already seen the film but the story was so bittersweet and tragically beautiful that I just had to read the book as well. It was really easy to read, the words that the author uses are pretty straightforward and simple and it's really easy to follow. It is narrated by Kathy who takes right through from when she is a little girl through to herself as a fully grown adult. I'm not going to lie, it's one of those books that makes you want to curl up into a little ball while you try not to cry and then have a good wailing session.
Also I more than recommend the film as well, it features Carey Mulligan as Kathy, Keira Knightley as Ruth and the gorgeous Andrew Garfield as Tommy. I was a little bit disappointed that the book and the film have different endings, and although my favourite ending is the film, that's probably just because the books ending is even more heart breaking.

This one is probably no shock at all. I know that it's been everywhere recently, everyone knows the story, most people have also seen the new film and we can all admit to having a good cry over it. I picked up 'The Fault in Our Stars' after my boyfriend surprised me with it, he'd heard good things about it and knew that I wanted to read it so just dropped it into my handbag one night.
I thought it was a story about the 'C' word. But it's really not, it's a story about living, it just happens to be that the main character has cancer. I didn't cry at the end, I cried about half way through for a bit but then the ending was so positively handled and uplifted that I couldn't cry at it. I haven't gotten round to seeing the film and I don't think I'm quite ready for it yet but I have heard some great things about it.

Bookworm Week: Monday

A SERIES IV'E BEEN HOOKED ON!
Divergent- Veronica Roth
Insurgent- Veronica Roth

I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty late on the whole Divergent series hype and yes, I did see the film first. So shoot me. I'm a massive lover of books about dystopian civilisations and this series does not disappoint.
When I went to see the film with my mum and my sister I hadn't really heard much about the film or even seen the trailer. I wasn't expecting much. But in the end I enjoyed the film so much that I went straight out and bought the first book.

The story follows Tris Prior as she basically has to choose exactly how she wants her life to pan out, at sixteen, in front of everyone that she knows by choosing a faction. Everyone must pick their faction based on their values and aptitudes and Tris shows just how hard it can be to choose something so clean cut when your personality blurs the lines between those different factions. (And we thought UCAS was hard!) And from then onwards it's all drama and action, what more do you want?

I read the first book in about 2 days, I just loved it so much. It was super easy to read but at no point did I feel like it was really basic or boring. So I straight away moved onto the second one which twists and turns all over the place! I'm just waiting the third in the trilogy, 'Allegiant', to come out in paperback (in this design, because I'm picky). I've seen the third one in paperback in the box sets and I've seen it out in hardback but can not find it for love nor money on it's own. Alls I can say is HURRY UP I WANT TO READ THE NEXT ONE! But seriously, I definitely recommend this series as something to get your teeth into next time you want to pick up a book!

Welcome to Bookworm Week!

So, a bit of a different one from me to coincide with the start of the new school year. I love a good read but I really struggle to walk into a bookshop and just pick up a book without knowing anything about it and gamble maybe £9 on a book that I don't know I'm going to enjoy. So I decided that I would put together a series of posts dedicated to some of my favourite books, books I think everyone should delve into at some point and some the I haven't read yet but really want to!
I've tried to avoid just fictional books, although we all love a good storybook, so there's a bit of everything in there. The series stretches over the next 7 days so keep an eye out, and I hope you enjoy!

Oh Television boxsets...

Most people are off back to school, college or work and I'm still sat at home twiddling my thumbs. I still have almost a month until I go back to college. Shoot me in the face!
I am not normally a big tv watcher. I'm not. I might put it on in the background but I very rarely actually sit and watch live tv properly. However this summer I have done nothing but sit and watch tv. I've spent so much time sat at home on my own (while the fam were on holiday or working) and with a broken car (bah-humbug) that I haven't been able to occupy myself any other way.

Just recently I have been ploughing through box sets. Here's the dilemma, I've been watching them so much so that I've run out!! HELP! I've worked my way through 8 Seasons of the American crime drama 'Criminal Minds' (my absolute favourite) which is about 210 episodes; every episode of 'The Vicar of Dibley'; all 3 series of 'Gavin and Stacey'; all of 'Misfits' and now all of 'The Royale Family' as well. That's a fair few hours of tv watching.
But now I've managed to get through so many shows that I wanted to watch that I've run out. I need some serious help. What can I watch? Please help x

Back to Normality

Hello Stranger! A quality that I have in bundles is the ability to disappear off the face of the Earth without really meaning to. For this I apologise (for probably the 90 millionth time!) I realise that I have been AWOL for a good few weeks now but I've had a busy few weeks and now I'm back!
September is here and everyone is getting ready to go back to work or school. Summer is pretty much officially over! Boo hiss. I'm not going to lie though, over the past few weeks I've had a fab time: I spent a lovely week in Wales with my gorgeous other half on our first holiday together, my best friend in the world jetted across the Atlantic to perform on Broadway (she's a talented bean) and my car broke (that's not so fab). But I am well and truly back!

With the end of Summer comes the reality of early get ups and going back to the real world and hard work. I still have a few weeks left to myself but I thought that now would be a good time to share with you my little stationary haul. And guess where I stocked up...Wilkos! Wilkos?! Yes, Wilkos!

I'm super happy with my little bundle of goodies and I really didn't spend that much. Around this time of year it seems like all of the 'Back to School' stock gets a massive price bump up, and can be pretty expensive. However, nothing that I bought cost more than about £3, the most expensive things were the highlighters at £3.25! A good little bit of bargain hunting right there methinks...

My Little Haul:

8 Miss BIC Pencils - £2.70
BIC Black Pens (Pack of 10)- £3.20
Coloured Uni-ball Gelsticks- 65p each
Stabilo Boss Highlighters (Pack of 4)- £3.25
Pencil Sharpener- 35p
Pink Eraser- 50p
Sticky Tabs- 50p
Vanity Bag (used as pencil case)- £2.50
Purple Notebook- £1.25
Patterned Notebook- £2.75

AND there was a multi-buy on offer on! So it didn't even work out at those prices in the end anyway!