Moving back home

For the last few weeks, my life has been completely chaotic. My blog has been relatively quiet and I apologise! I just haven't had chance to sit down and actually take the time to write a decent post or even so, actually sew anything. 

So, what's actually been happening? 

After much deliberation, my Boyfriend and I decided it would be best if we moved back in with our Parents for the time being. This way, we can actually save for a house of our own rather than privately renting. As much as I loved our little flat, it was slowly but surely getting the better of us because we just couldn't see a way out. All of our wages (well, mostly all of our wages) were going on forever increasing bills and we just couldn't justify it any more. 

Fast forward about 3 weeks and so much has changed. Bonnie is now an "outdoors" cat, me and Devon are living about 20 minutes apart from each other and to be honest, I feel really, really lonely. 

I don't know if it's because my bedroom is painted the same as when I moved out, I don't know. I feel like I'm about 18 years old again and this is not a place where I want to be, or how I want to feel. Don't get me wrong, my Mum and Dad have been so supportive of me moving back in, but I just don't feel like myself any more. I don't feel like an adult. I'm sure this feeling will pass, but for now, it's knocked me on my backside and I don't know how to get out of feeling like this. 

I can't wait to get back into sewing, I've had a good month long break and I really miss it! I've got a designated sewing corner in my bedroom where I have my table and machine set up and I'm itching to get going again. 

I apologise that this post is all over the place, but this is the first time in nearly 3 weeks I've had to just sit down and do nothing but just think. I plan on getting a lot more posted in the next coming weeks as the Tenancy on the flat ends on the 6th April, so I won't have to worry about that any more, and every other Saturday will be spent sewing. 

'til next time! 

♥

What have I been sewing? - January & February 2016

Can anyone else believe we're almost at the end of February already? Time just seems to be flying by! 

I've been a busy little bee when it comes to sewing, I've really come to love it. I think I've sewn 4 or 5 different things over the last two months, and here they are! 

New Look 6073 Cape Coat

It's a well known fact that I don't wear coats, I just HATE how restrictive they are! I've been eyeing up capes in shops for a while but refused to pay £30+ for a decent one. After searching the internet for what seemed about 10 minutes, I found this pattern and instantly loved it. I picked the pattern up for £2.50 off ebay and the fabric I had bought cost me £4.00 per meter (I bought 2.5m just to be certain) and the fastenings cost me about £1.00 each . I made this in an evening, so it only took me around 3 hours to make (if that!). The only part I found difficult was the hood, as I had never attempted a pleat before but after practicing on some scrap fabric, I think it turned out okay! 

I love the fit of this cape and I've had so many compliments on it already, although I think I may line it with a dark fabric just to make it look a bit more "finished". It's really warm and although it's a little bit on the heavy side, I can see me wearing this a lot when it's cold! 

Oh and one more thing, it totally makes me feel like I should be in Harry Potter, or at least take part in the Victorian Fare in Worcester when it's on... 

Sew Over It Ultimate Shift Dress

I've already made a post about my first shift dress, but I couldn't help but make another... I'm searching for more fabric to make this dress out of so I can bulk up my workwear wardrobe. 

The first shift dress I'd made was out of a polyviscose in a gorgeous black/white/grey floral print. The fabric was £8.00pm, I purchased 2m but I still have a LOT left over, so I think I might make a shift top from the remaining fabric. If you want to read more about the ins and outs of this pattern, head over to this post which will tell you more. 

The second dress I'd made was out of a mid weight denim fabric which I'd eyed up in Hobbycraft (£6pm). Now I never ever buy fabric from Hobbycraft, but I loved the deep blue colour of this denim, I think it's going to look really nice once it starts fading a bit! 

The denim fabric was lovely to work with, it didn't stretch/pucker anywhere unlike the polyviscose, but surprisingly has a lot of ease to it. Again, I had a lot of fabric left over so I've actually made a shift top from the remaining fabric, however this is yet to be finished! 

Merchant & Mills Dress Shirt

I just want to say one thing about this pattern. I. Love. It. I'd noticed Merchant & Mills in Liberty of London when I'd visited my Sister over new year but didn't even think to pick a pattern up (I later picked this up for £12.50 from FloJo online) but knew I'd be looking at pattern reviews online a little more! 

The fabric I'd bought was a a bit of a risk as it was from Ebay. Normally I wouldn't do this as I can't feel the fabric unless I order a swatch, but for £2.50pm, it wasn't the end of the world if it was a complete let down. However, I LOVE this fabric. It's such a nice lightweight denim and it has a lovely colour to it. 

I ended up making a size 18 as I wanted this to be quite a loose fitting dress, however I had to adapt it slightly. When I'd measured it up, the length of the dress was pretty much just above my ankles which would have looked ridiculous, if I remember I had to take about 7-8 inches off the length just so it sat at my knee! However, the instructions were easy to follow and I actually mastered the pleat at the front! 

Needless to say, I'm already searching for a lot more different fabrics to make this pattern out of. I love pairing this dress with a brown waist belt and a scarf to make it look like a complete outfit. 

There's my creations from January & February 2016! I already have a stash of 4 different fabrics which I plan on making shift tops from which I plan on starting this weekend, so expect another post relatively soon featuring those! 

'til next time!

♥

Pattern review: the Ultimate Shift Dress by Sew Over It

On my travels to London over New Year, me and my Sister ended up going to Liberty and spent probably about an hour walking around, lusting over everything in there. For me, the haberdashery floor was absolute HEAVEN. I think I wanted to buy around 80% of the things in there, especially the dressmaking patterns! I found the little corner where the Sew Over It patterns are kept there was something that caught my eye about the quirky, vintage style of Sew Over It. The patterns range from £10+, but to me, I generally don't mind spending a little more on the pattern if I know I'm going to make a lot of items from it. I didn't pick one up whilst I was there but knew that there was more to this company than I initially saw.

I came across Sew Over It on Youtube a couple of weeks after my trip to London, after watching various sewing tutorials. After binge watching all the videos on the channel and also browsing the website, I fell in love with the Ultimate Shift Dress pattern. Lisa, the founder of Sew Over It, had uploaded a video showing her Ultimate Shift Dress collection and from that moment, I knew I had to have it! I chose to download a PDF pattern as it was slightly cheaper (£8.50) and of course, I had instant access! 

PDF downloaded and printed out, I then had the task of putting this all together. This was my first time printing out a dressmaking pattern so I didn't really know what to expect, but to my surprise, it was really simple! Everything is numbered which allows you to match it together quite easily and the best thing is, if you make a mistake, you can just reprint the page you've messed up. 

The fabric I had chosen was a polyester viscose (I think?) which probably wasn't the best idea as I'd never ever sewn with a stretchy fabric before. However, I just could not resist the print on it. It cost me £8.00 per meter (this pattern requires 2 however I bought 2.5), which may seem a bit steep to some people, but I bought enough to also make a top one I had used it for my dress. Although, I seem to have used a lot less than 2 meters and I made the biggest size!

Okay about the sizing - I made a size 20 as I realised the sizing on this pattern comes up slightly small. I'm generally a size 14-16 with store bought clothes, but my body measurements fit exactly those of the size 20, so hey, who cares! It does have a little disclaimer in the instructions that the pattern has a little less ease than normal, so to me, making the biggest size wasn't a huge issue and in fact, I'm really happy I had done. As I have a slightly larger chest than "most" people (I'm an F cup but I have a small waist and a big tummy!) I wanted to have a little more room around the waist area, I think that if I made a size 18, it would have been a little less comfortable to wear. 

So, back to the pattern! As you can see from the image above, it's a relatively straight forward pattern to cut out and construct. I think the most difficult part for me was working out exactly where the bust darts needed to be, as I'd never sewn darts before. Or, set in sleeves for that matter! I was a little worried about doing sleeves and darts but really, once I had positioned the darts and pressed them, they looked perfect. The ease stitching on the sleeves really helped me to get a smooth seam on the shoulders, which I was actually really really proud of! 

 If I remember, this probably took me around 3-4 hours to make however I really think this was down to the fabric. If the fabric hadn't rolled around a lot, stretched, puckered or been anything less then 100% irritating, I think I could've made this in 2 hours. I had to unpick a lot on this, especially the arm seams and the back seam on the dress, as it just kept on puckering no matter what I tried. I just want to point out though, this is nothing to do with the pattern, it was in fact my fabric! 

What does the finished product look like, you may ask? 

I think if I was going to remake this dress, I would make it about an inch longer just to feel a little more...comfortable. It's not too short, it sits around 5cm above my knee but I think to feel really comfortable, I'd make it slightly longer. The other thing I would change is possibly the length of the sleeve, I can't decide if the full length sleeve makes me look slightly dumpy. I would also try and change the hem on the sleeve as it feels quite shoddy but again, I couldn't get it to stitch nicely at all! The fit on the body, however, was absolutely perfect, there's no pulling on any seams and it doesn't feel tight across any part of my chest or stomach. 

Here's an ever so slightly awkward photo of me showing off my creation! 

It's safe to say I absolutely love this dress and this pattern, I've already bought my next lot of fabric to make another dress! I think they're really versatile, I plan on wearing this to work as I can make it slightly more formal by wearing tights and a belt, however in this photo I've styled it with leggings which basically gives me a bit more security, should I lift my arms up a little too high! 

Have you made anything by the Sew Over It patterns? Or have you came cross this company before? If you have, please share your creations! 

♥

Looking back: 2015

I've been pretty silent on the blogging front for over a month now because I really needed a break from technology. I spend Monday - Friday, 08:15 to 17:15 in front of a computer so the last thing I want to do is come home and sit in front of my laptop. Like I've said before, I don't want to blog if my heart isn't in the post. 

Now the Christmas and New Year festivities are over, I wanted to take some time out and reflect on 2015, as honestly, I'm quite glad it's over. It hasn't been the greatest year for me, my Partner or my family but hey, let's look to the future, right? 

Here's a little reflection of 2015: 

January - I celebrated my 22nd birthday. I can't remember doing much for my Birthday other than going to Wellsbourne market in the morning and having a takeaway for dinner. The weather was pretty miserable, so I didn't really fancy doing anything! 

February - I left my job at Vax towards the end of the month as I really wasn't enjoying it any more. I used to dread going to work every day, so I thought it was time for a change. 

March - I landed myself in a job at a Hotel booking company. I thought this was the right decision to make, although it was a slight pay cut. I also went to London to visit my Sister- by myself! This was such a huge thing for me as I never go anywhere by myself and if I do, it's never this far. I thoroughly enjoyed going to see her. This was also the month I found out my sister's partner was planning on proposing to her! Oh and after many months of being in and out of hospital, I found out I have Bile Acid Malapsorbtion. 

April - I bought my new car early April. This was quite a quiet month as I was just getting used to my new job and also Devon had not long started his new job too. 

May - My sister got engaged on her holiday to Canada/Mexico. Although I'd known about this for a couple of months, I was still so happy for her when she announced it. 

June - Me and Devon went on holiday to Tenby for a week. I cannot explain how much I feel at home there, I didn't really want to come back! I also left my job at the Hotel booking agency this month. I ended up spending well over 40 hours a week there, for next to minimum wage. I ended up having to work weekends too, which is something I didn't want to do. I thought, enough was enough, and made the right decision for me and Devon. This is also the month I had my Septum and Daith piercing. 

July - My Nephew turned 3 this year and we celebrated with a party. I think I'd blown up about 30 balloons, wrapped so many presents and thankfully, the party was a hit! Me and Devon also celebrated our 3 year anniversary together. I can't really remember doing much for our Anniversary, other than booking tickets to go to Harry Potter World. 

August - Me and Devon went to Blackpool. Less said about that, the better! I also changed my hair back in August, I had a full fringe cut, which was a change from the side fringe I'd had since I was about 13. Also, after being in and out of work for a few months, I landed myself in a new job which I actually love. 

September - I started my new job properly at Mainstay in September. Little did I know, this would be a job that I grow to love, and still do even now. My team are amazing and have literally made me feel like I've been there for years. Me and Devon also went to the Harry Potter studio tour and I'm not even joking when I say this is one of the best experiences of my life. I also went to see my Sister on the way home, which was nice to have a catch up as I didn't realise I wouldn't be seeing her until December.

October - My Dad had gone into hospital to have his triple stent operation, which unfortunately did not go ahead due to complications. Also, Devon's Grandad passed away mid month, which was incredibly sad and is taking some getting used to. The funeral was lovely, though. (if that's the right thing to say!). This was also the month I stripped my hair dye out and changed to using Henna dye. 

November - Sewing took over my life this month. I really got stuck in with using my machine after it being in the box for months. I well and truly have the sewing bug now, which has been made all the worse by having an actual setup now! 

December - I passed my probation at Mainstay and earned myself a nice little pay rise. I also had my portfolio changed to Key Clients, which was a huge step for me! Also, Christmas was a nice event this year as I hadn't seen my Sister in a few months and it was nice to have a catch up with her. It was nice having time to spend with my family and Devon over the Christmas period, as life had been a little hectic with work. Also, New Year was absolutely awesome. I spent it in London with Devon, my Sister and her Fiancé, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. And shopping the day after in London with my Sister was amazing, I felt like such a tourist though! 

One thing I've really noticed this year is just how much my family "dynamic" has changed. I'm a lot closer to my Sister as I haven't really seen her a lot this year, however I find myself becoming a little more distant from my Parents and other Sister. I'm not sure how/why this is happening and I'm not sure I'm happy about it but hopefully this will change in 2016. 

I want to say though, I am in so much more of a better place than I was this time in 2015. Although I'm still battling with my weight and illness, I'm mentally in such a happier place. 2015 was a year of trying to find exactly who/what I want to be and if I'm being honest, I think I'm on the right track.

Much like my last "Looking back" post, it's nice to see how far I've come this year and I hope to grow more in 2016, both with my mental happiness and also my commitment to this blog!

♥

Sewing kit essentials & my setup.

This blog has been on a bit of a hiatus the last month, and for that I can only apologise. I've had a hectic month which includes family members going into hospital, feeling poorly myself and sadly, a death. I needed to take a bit of time to myself as I really didn't feel like sitting down and typing up a post knowing that my heart wasn't going to be in it. However, now all of that is over and things are slowly getting back to normal, I thought I'd start my blog back up again with a craft post, as I don't think I've ever actually done one on here!

I've always been quite a crafty person. My Nan showed me how to knit when I was little, my Mum taught me how to crochet when I was a teenager and I've taught myself how to sew. I also studied Art Textiles all throughout school, where I actually managed to get A* results! Over the years, I've gotten significantly better at crochet, however I've only just started out sewing, so my skills are still building there. Sadly, I've forgotten most of the skills I built when I was shown how to knit, but to be honest, I like the look of crochet more! 

As I've just mentioned, I've recently started out sewing. I bought myself a sewing machine for my 20th or 21st birthday (I actually cannot remember without checking the receipt!) and sadly, I've just not had the time to sit down and actually use it properly. I've dabbled here and there previously but never really gotten into it until recently. I also bought a sewing tin from Aldi about a year ago, but again, it hasn't been used properly until recently. After watching numerous videos on Youtube and reading several Sewing books, I thought it'd be nice to actually make my own basic Sewing kit and my own setup, so that's what I'm going to show you here! 

First things first, here's my setup. I actually bought this table about 2 days ago from a local Charity shop for £15.00, what an absolute bargain for something that's made from solid wood and not a laminated wood! This is actually a really useful table to have found as it's on wheels meaning I can place my setup anywhere that I fancy. It's big enough to hold all my fabric, sewing tins and also any books that I have. 

The sewing machine that I have is the Brother LS-14, which I purchased from Hobbycraft for around £70.00, but as I had vouchers for there for my birthday, this actually only cost me around £40.00. I think it still retails for around the £70.00 mark and to be honest, I couldn't be happier with this machine. It's a good starter machine and isn't too difficult to set up, it practically holds your hand with everything. It has diagrams showing you how to thread both the upper thread and how to wind the bobbin, it also shows you how to thread the bobbin too. It has around 14 stitches (if I remember correctly...) which range from various straight stitch positions, zigzag stitches and a buttonhole function. It also has a reverse stitch feature which is something that's come in handy whilst making my own clothes recently as it makes sure everything is just that little more secure when finishing off an item. 

You get a few items included in the box, such as a warranty card, instruction leaflet and a DVD. Also included is a buttonhole foot, a zipper foot, a set of spare needles, bobbin spools, a screwdriver and also the standard zigzag foot and foot pedal. 

So here are my two sewing tins. The small rectangle tin is the one I purchased from Aldi when they had a sewing "specials" week last year around the same time as the Sewing Bee on BBC. I think this was only around £3.00 and it's jam packed with essential items such as various threads, snappers, scissors and hand sewing needles. It's a good little tin to have as I always find myself delving in it to repair something. The heart shaped button tin is from B&M and I think this was about £1.50 a couple of years ago before I purchased my sewing machine. You know when you buy something just because you like the look of it...but you actually have no idea what to do with it? That was one of those moments. At the minute it's filled with little items I'm slowly collecting such as better quality threads, a bias tape tool and also buttons. There's more items in there, which are shown below. 

Okay! So here are the other items in the kit. These are what I'd class as essentials in my opinion, or different variations of these products should be classed as essentials. 

1. Tailors chalk, or any sort of marking tool. I purchased this container of 3 tailors chalks for about £1.50 and so far they've been really handy to mark out on fabric as it just brushes off if needed. I'm sure these will last me ages as I've already used the white chalk a lot and it's barely made a dent on the corner!

2. A tub of tins. I bought the little container for 60p and thought it'd be really handy to keep pins in as it's got a secure lid, so if I drop it, they wont go everywhere! I've had various boxes of pins for a couple of years so I've just emptied them out into this, however I also bought a basic box of pins for £1.00 to bulk out my stash a bit. 

3. Hand sewing needles. An absolute staple not only for finishing off any machine sewing mishaps, but also for hand sewing (as the name suggests!). This little tub was included in the tin from Aldi so they might not be the best quality but they surely do the job. 

4. Scissors. I have two types of scissors I'd consider essential, embroidery scissors to snip off any long threads and dressmaking scissors to cut your fabric out with. I bought both of these from Hobbycraft, the embroidery scissors were about £1.50 out of a reduction basket and the dressmaking scissors were also £1.50 from their value range, although I might invest in a better pair, going forward. 

5. Tape measures. This is pretty self explanatory, you need these to measure with believe it or not! I have two types, a retractable tape but also a long measuring tape, which I actually think was out of a Christmas cracker...! I'm not sure how much these would be new, possibly £1.00 each or so but as I say, both of these were actually given to me so don't quote me on that! 

6. A seam guide. Now this might not be essential to some people as you might use the markings on your sewing needle plate, but this has actually been so useful for me since I started making my own clothes! It's a simple metal object with a flat edge and a magnet inside so it sticks to your needle plate and is also adjustable. It simply guides your fabric evenly alongside it when you're sewing to ensure your hems/seams remain an equal distance rather than having a wobbly line! 

7. Stitch/thread ripper. Again, self explanatory. If you make a mistake and need it to be gone, these things are essential and make the job so much less tedious than sitting there with scissors trying to snip the thread away! This was also in the tin from Aldi but I know you can pick these up for as little at 50p if you shop around. 

8. Pencils & pens. Obvious, but essential for marking out patterns. 

I'm pretty sure that the items in my kits will grow inevitably as I get more confident in sewing, and I'll more than likely swap some stuff for better quality items. If you have any suggestions or any questions about my setup, please let me know as I'm always interested in hearing from you! 

♥

My favourite Youtube channels.

I've been on YouTube for as long as I can remember, both uploading and viewing. Although, my uploading days are yet to become regular and somewhat decent, it comes with no surprise to anyone that I spend many evenings having a binge on YouTube videos, as I'm sure many other people also do.

Whilst I don't follow the typical "mainstream" Youtubers, it doesn't mean I don't like them. People like Zoella and Fleur De Force may be considered Gurus, but to me their channels come across as very fake, especially as the more involved with companies they get. I'm not slating them in any way, as I'm somewhat envious of how far they've come. Although, I do feel that some of the videos posted aren't 100% truthful about the products they're reviewing.

I love finding channels which aren't as super popular but the video content is exactly what I'm looking for, so I thought I'd share my top 5 YouTube channels. (I do not own any images below, all links direct to the owner)

Madeulook by Lex

https://www.youtube.com/user/MadeYewLook

I remember the day I stumbled across this page and instantly fell in love with this talented lady's content. I've always been interested in SFX makeup and body painting but never thought to look at it on YouTube. Lex is around the same age as me and if I'm being honest, I'm quite envious of her talent. It makes me wish I'd pursued my art further after school. I highly suggest looking at her videos if you want to learn some body painting tips, or even just to have a look at the AMAZING detail in her work.

Glam and Gore

http://www.glamandgore.com/

I had seen this channel in my suggestions before and thought meh...it didn't instantly appeal to me, but how wrong could I be? I'm obsessed with Mykie's work. There's so much effort that goes into her looks, both SFX and "normal" beauty. She's got such a loveable personality, but she is also incredibly beautiful. Again, I highly recommend this channel if you're anything of an art freak like me because her attention to detail is second to none.

Annika Victoria

http://www.pineneedlecollective.com/

This is a relatively new find of mine but I'm already hooked on this channel. I love anything thrifty so this channel is right up my street. I'm 100% certain I'll be trying one of the tutorials from Annika's channel, she makes them super easy to follow. Her clothing style is so bold, I really wish I had the guts to try it myself on a daily basis! This lady deserves way more followers than she has.

Threadbanger

http://pinterest.com/threadbangerpin

For any Pinheads like me, you will love this channel. There's a frequent upload of "man/Corinne vs pin" which I've found both hilarious and satisfying as I've wanted to try so many Pinterest projects but never wanted to actually do it in case I waste my time. Rob and Corinne are a brilliant couple who share their crafty skills in a very unique way, again something that really appeals to me. There's a wide range of video content on this channel, its definitely worth a look!

Kiera Rose (formerly known as ScarletSaint)

http://www.littledoestore.bigcartel.com/

I've followed this channel for about a year now and I love looking through Kiera's videos to see how much more  confident she's become. I'd actually love to meet this lady one day as she just makes me feel very calm, even on the days where I've had a really, really bad day. She is also one of the reasons as to why I want to go back to my natural hair colour, she's previously had brightly coloured hair but has since gone back to her natural colour and actually, I really like it. Again, Kiera's style is gorgeous and is exactly what I like. She posts videos about a wide variety of things, such as mental health, tattoos, cosplay and also clothing hauls. I'd also love to purchase plugs from her shop one day.

My taste in YouTube has definitely changed through the years, I'm finding it more difficult to find a channel that I'm actually going to stay subscribed to more than a week. The 5 I've listed above are my absolute favourites, so I won't be unsubscribing any time soon. However, if you have any suggestions for new channels, I'm all ears!

♥

September favourites

I haven't done a monthly favourites in quite a while, but I thought as we're now in October and the festive season is fast approaching, why not! 

September was quite a tough month for me for a couple of reasons. At the start of the month, I started a new job which I absolutely love. I work with a great team of people and I haven't once said "I'm bored" since I started, which is huge for me. My dad was meant to have a heart operation last week but wasn't able to have it done - things turned completely upside down and it didn't turn out the way it was "meant" to. I've also suffered horrendously this month with migraines, I had a spell where I didn't get them and now they seem to have come back with a vengeance! 

Moving on from my little overview of the month, here are some of the things I've really been enjoying throughout September. 

I know I've said this before, but I really think I've found my "holy grail" foundation. 

I never really thought any colours from the Max Factor foundation range suited me as even the lightest shade was horribly orange on my pale, freckly skin. It was a bit of a risk to buy as this costs the same of the Revlon Colourstay (£12.99) which I've always considered as the best foundation for me. This one however took me by complete surprise. I've seen the Facefinity 3 in 1 foundation before and it felt nice on the back of my hand but I was put off by the colour, I'm not sure if the tester bottle of Light Ivory had oxidized but it was very, very orange. The bottle that I bought however, was the perfect shade for me. This foundation blends amazingly into my skin, leaving me looking absolutely flawless. And the best thing is I don't get oily skin right up until I go to take it off at night. I bought mine from Boots for £12.99.

I've become really addicted to my Yankee candle wax tart burner again now the days have gone a bit colder, one scent in particular which is Shea Butter. 

This smells absolutely amazing, I know that's a really vague way of explaining what it smells like but I can see myself repurchasing this time and time. The smell lingers all day but isn't overpowering, it's just...gah so nice! I only burn half a tart at a time and even after burning the first half around 5 times, the smell is still very very much there. I bought mine from Webbs of Wychbold for around £1.50 but you can purchase the wax tarts from any good Yankee candle stockists. 

I purchased myself some new glasses in September also, well around the end of August actually. I'd been wanting some glasses for quite a while, as the ones I had purchased a year or so ago weren't really right. When I tried the display frames on, they fit perfectly but I received my own, they just didn't sit right even after adjusting them endless amounts of times. Now, I've wanted Raybans for as long as I can remember, now I finally have some! 

I bought the standard Wayfarer frames, which actually fit perfectly. It's like it was meant to be!....but seriously, these are so comfortable. I was very nervous about buying these as I still spent around £80 on them from Glasses Direct, as I couldn't try them on a home trial. Once I'd ordered them, I received them around 3 days after which was really quick as I'm used to waiting around 2 weeks for them. So far, I'm really impressed. Not much to say, they're glasses and allow me to see perfectly! 

I also purchased a new tablet this month, as I really didn't get on with my Samsung Galaxy tab 3. I've been after a Tesco Hudl for quite a while, even after all the negative reviews I've heard about them. 

Going against everything I've read against these tablets, I really really love mine. I've used it every day since I purchased it, and I'm yet to find a fault with it. The battery life is perfect for what I want, it's a great size and you know what? I'm happy I got it. END OF. Anyone who is negative about the Hudl, get out now! 

And last but not least, my absolutely favourite thing from September was my trip to the Harry Potter studio tour. I could go on for hours and hours about this, it was genuinely an amazing and meaningful trip for me. Harry Potter is something I've grown up around, I've always read the books and I've always watched the films. We went for my partner's birthday and he enjoyed it just as much as I did! 

I took some amazing photos which I'm going to cherish. The photo I've posted above is going to be made into a canvas eventually, when I have enough money. I'm just so happy I went, that's all I can say! 

I'm glad it's finally Autumn, I've already cracked out the jumpers and scalves. I can't wait for it to be Halloween as it's possibly my favourite season, but I'm also excited for Christmas too. I've got a couple of posts lined up for my blog which will be published within the next couple of weeks or so, hopefully things will start picking up again!

♥