MARCELO MONREAL FACES[UN]BONDED

Brazilian artist Marcelo Monreal creates stunning collages by splitting a model's face and imposing an array of blossoming flowers in the empty spaces. Called Faces[UN]bonded, Monreal reveals a part to someone who is hidden. I think his work is absolutely stunning, and it really connotes a message of beauty is within. He truly captures, by exaggerating the exotic colour range of flowers, that no matter what your exterior presents, inside everyone is beautiful. (Although if I looked like Cara Delevingne I'd say I was pretty beautiful on the outside too).

Image source and Image sources

Although I wouldn't get anywhere near the results of this, I'm definitely going to give this technique a try! You can see more of his work on Facebook and Instagram.

WHAT IS LUXURY? ...not this!

Not this exhibition!

When I went to visit the brilliant Alexander McQueen exhibition at the V&A I also went and had a look at the What Is Luxury? exhibition which was also in the V&A. 

At the beginning of summer I'd made a list of exhibitions I'd wanted to see and this was one of them. Luckily it was at the V&A because I would have been fuming to have gone up to London just to see this on its own. What a disappointment! In all honesty I hadn't read up or looked into it at all but wow, was definitely not worth a trip just for that. With a title like it had I was expecting a really "wow" display of items and objects, beautiful things that were desirable and were lusted over. I vaguely remember a big circle of sand and some mechanical device hanging above it, a chair made of plastic and a vending machine of medical treatments. Actually, I'm not even sure what it was, that's how memorable it was!

If you're bored and have some time to kill at the V&A, go and have a drink or browse in the shop. 

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN SAVAGE BEAUTY

On the 1st of July I visited the Alexander McQueen exhibition, Savage Beauty at the V&A in London. Having had it booked for months, and hearing so many raving reviews and comments about it I was almost bursting with excitement.

Source

THE JAM: ABOUT THE YOUNG IDEA

On Friday 31st July I went to Somerset House to visit The Jam: About The Young Idea exhibition with my dad for his Father's Day present. The Jam is one of his all time favourite bands and when I first heard of the exhibit I knew I had to treat him with a day in London (top daughter points!)

Hello 2015

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great night whether you were hitting the town or curled up in front of the TV.

I can remember receiving a (One Direction) 2014 calendar from one of my best friends for Christmas 2013, which made me think of the year ahead. When opening it up and placing it on my wall in January, it scared me thinking how different my life will be come December. And September. Even August! I think it's safe to say 2014 was a very big year in my life, and definitely an unforgettable one.

I left school. I did my A Level exams. I turned 18. I got my A Level results. I left home. And started university. 

Not to mention a brilliant holiday in Turkey, prom, V Festival and having a great laugh with my friends during the summer. Phew!

I can't wait to see what 2015 brings.

Christmas List 2014

Now the first term of uni is over I thought I'd gather a range of things that have made it onto my christmas list this year.

I love Love Actually

The One and Only: Adele

""When I sing ‘Someone Like You,’ I know that every single person in the room will be able to relate to it. That’s where that emotional connection comes from. I have sympathy for myself, I have sympathy for them, they have sympathy for me, and I know that we are all there knowing exactly how each other feels.""

Sighh Designs Rosy Case

For those of you who have read my blog for a while now, you may remember a post about Sighh Designs, link here, an online shop selling fun phone cases and pocket mirrors (and now nail transfers too!) all illustrated by the lovely Polly Vadasz. I own two pocket mirrors, and they have since been a staple in my handbag, applying a bit of lipstick, checking I don't have panda eyes. For my birthday I received this gorgeous rose case, aptly named the "Rosy" case. I was so excited to finally have a phone case from Sighh Designs after wanting one for ages.

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!

Hello! On Sunday it was my 18th birthday, and I thought I'd do a little show and tell of some of the goodies I received. Birthday hauls are one of my favourite type of posts to read so I thought I'd give it a go and write my own! Of course, I am by no means "showing off" or "bragging" about my presents, I just wanted to share some of the things my incredible friends and family gave me!

I'm back and - BIRTHDAY WISH LIST!

Hello, I'm back! I had my last exam on Tuesday, now leaving me free from exams and a great, long summer ahead. This also means I can now blog regularly again, and I hope to post more fashion posts like OOTDs as well as FOTDs! 

I also have some exciting news... it's my birthday on Sunday... yaaay! Today I have been especially feeling the "birthday bug" (is that even a thing? Or have I just made it up?!) as some parcels and cards arrived for me today! I'm so excited! Here's a mixture of some bits and bobs that made have made its way onto my wish list/birthday wish list.

1. Urban Decay - Naked 3 palette

2. Models Own - Polish for Tans/Hyper Gel/Barry M Gelly Hi Shine

3. Owl tart burner (and some Yankee Candle wax tarts)

4. Tangle Teezer

5. MAC Red lipstick (who else is excited for Lorde's collection later this month?! I know I am!)

6. Real Techniques - Starter Set/Retractable Kabuki/Duo Fibre

7. DVDs - Frozen/One Direction This Is Us/Gossip Girl/Now You See Me

Also exciting news - I picked up the gorgeous Kelly Yum Yum from the MAC Osbourne collection today in House of Fraser. I'd heard from my friend that the collection sold out in 10 minutes online yesterday and wouldn't be available in stores until the 12th (tomorrow). My jaw dropped when I saw the stand today and rushed in, swatched it, applied it, purchased it! I also picked up another one and Dodgy Girl for my friend! I'll do a post on Kelly Yum Yum soon!

How is everyone? Have you picked up anything new recently? I feel like I've been away for ages and am not up to date with the beauty world! Has anyone else picked up anything from the MAC Osbourne collection?

xXx

Recipe - chocolate crispies

Today I thought I'd share a recipe for one of my favourite sweet treats: chocolate crispies!

All you need is:

5 Snicker bars

5 oz butter

5 oz Rice Krispies

A few things I got for Christmas

I was going to go without doing a post on what I got for Christmas - I did a beauty product one here - but after reading so many posts I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon too! As I've already done a beauty post, this will consist a few of the other things I received.

Pamper Evening

For ages I've wanted a night in, with a nice bath using a new bath bomb, using and testing out some new products. For a couple of days now I've been desperate to have my pamper evening, and I can happily say I've finally had it! Yay!

Secret Santa 2013

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and got what they'd hoped for! Not to mention being full to the brim with food - I know I am haha!

I'm going to do a Christmas style haul post soon, maybe including the beauty related things I received this year! So look out for that in the next couple of days!

I haven't really seen many secret santa posts this year (no doubt after posting this I will come across dozens of them already posted!), but I thought I'd share with you what I received in my stocking. Back in November me and my friends at school picked each out each others names at random for who we would be buying presents for. On the Tuesday before we broke up for Christmas, we exchanged our presents from "santa" - although practically everyone had slipped and blurted their person! I received lovely presents from my friend Katie, including some unicorn themed gifts - I love unicorns!

Magazine Haul

As much as I love blogging, which is a lot, I do love to scan for the latest trends through the traditional printed media of magazines. One magazine that I will always get each month, without fail is Company, and I often get the odd ELLE or Vogue (although it's the cover star that often makes me buy it), but I still love browsing through them looking at the fashion, beauty products - to even the graphics used!

Stay at Nanna's

Last week I returned home from spending a week with my Nanna, who lives in a lovely quiet village. We had a lovely couple of days together; shopping, popping out, visiting people and having some relaxed days. While staying with her, she showed me her school satchel, with beautiful worn leather, which held her school books. It was lovely to see her elegant handwriting and to see what books and other topics they studied, all before the days of computers and advanced technology. It made me realise how different our schooling was, considering it is less than 60 years ago, and made me wonder how different technology will be in the next 60 years... scary, huh?