You Can Do Anything! ♡ Quick Update

As I am sure you can tell this isn't a normal blog post but I thought I'd try something different today. I love quotes and think that they can really help when you feel weighed down. Me and Alicia have passed our GCSEs and are now studying for our A Levels. We weren't expecting it to be easy but we are suddenly being pulled and pushed from 4 angles and it is becoming more and more stressful. I believe you can do anything you set your mind to as long as you work and there's no such word as can't (I think that comes from the dancer in me) but I think we have all been doubting ourselves lately which is not good. Sometimes we all need some motivation which hopefully this post can give. People say you should just aim to be happy which is true but I believe everyone will be happier if they achieve bigger and better things which all comes from hard work. However, with hard work , as much as we hate it, sometimes things have to slip. This is why I haven't been posting on here much but I am planing things that I can upload when I have time. 

Im not sure where I'm going with this anymore but I just wanted you to know I am alive! and that we wont be posting very regularly at the moment while we get on top of all our work.

Abbie x

Back to School ♡ What's In My Dance Bag

While many people are thinking of back to school, us dancers are also thinking of a new year in the studio! Although my dance school didn't close over the summer as we are preparing for exams, I know many schools did so I am going to do a ' back to dance ' what's in my bag post!

Bag- Jack Wills

The bag I use is the Jack Wills Haberton Bookbag because its a good size and I probably take too much stuff to dance really so I need to be able to fit it all in!

Firstly in my bag I have my (very worn) Roch Valley pink ballet shoes which I have had for so long but they were from my local dance shop! They are really comfortable and when you've had them a few weeks they start to mold to your feet so they don't start coming off when you dance and they don't make you conscious of them while your dancing because lets face it there's already so much to think about in ballet without your shoes feeling like they're falling off! I also have my Bloch tap shoes which are from Dance Direct and I love them! Again they're really comfortable because they rent too high and they allow you to make strong taps when they feel comfortable. The taps are also really sturdy and don't come loose so I think that is something that is really important when finding tap shoes.

Obviously we have to stay hydrated so I do sometimes use energy drinks and I probably will be more in September when Ill be dancing for 3 and a half hours on a Friday! But I always usually keep a couple of Robinsons Fruit Shoot Hydro Blackcurrants in my bag. 

I also keep 2 body sprays. The first is Adidas Woman in the scent Fruity Rhythm. I really like Adidas perfumed deos but I think this one is probably my favourite. The second is just a Morrisons one called Delight that I got once when I really needed one but it isn't my favourite. It is a fresh smell though so its okay just to spray a quick little bit one if needed. 

Three things I have loose in the bottom of my bag are a hairlines hair brush that I'm not sure where I got it from, and 2 packets of tissues. There isn't much to say about these things other than they are just things that are kind of essential in any kind of bag I think.

Next I have 2 dance accessories I guess?! First I have an IDTA (dance exam board) Theatre Dance Terminology Vocabulary Book. This just has all of the words that you need to know for exams up to Grade 6. That comes in really handy and I think that everyone who does IDTA exams  would find this really useful. The second thing is a Capezio Bunheads Medium Weight Exercise Band. This is used for feet strengthening as pointe preperation and can be used for flexibility too. It is basically just a long piece of rubber but it is really good!

I like to keep this Ted Baker makeup brush bag in my bag with a few bits in. First just some hair grips, bun grips, hair elastics and hair bobbles. Then a hair clip, nail file, lip balm and hand gel. Just a few things that I think are really useful to have.

Just in the top of my bag I keep a cropped dance t-shirt which is by the brand Pure Simple Sport at JDs. It is cropped but I wear it over my leotard so I dont know if it would be any good on its own because it is also off the shoulder but I do really like it. I also keep my Capezio Foot Thongs in there too but I dont have a picture of those!

And that's it! More back to school posts are too come but I did just want to do something abit different! Now im off to read the book for English that Iv had 10 weeks to read but naturally brought 2 days before we go back to school! Iv made a great start to sixth form!

Abbie x

Makeup Brush Collection ♡

Since probably last Christmas I have managed to gather quite the collection of makeup brushes. I always apply all my makeup with brushes because I think that it leaves a nicer finish and then using your fingers and less product gets wasted.

Also just in case you were wondering the pot that I keep them in is actually a small plant pot from IKEA! They do lots of different sizes and mine is 10.5cm which I think is the smallest one.

Firstly I have the Real Techniques Core Collection. This set is the best for just starting out with makeup because they are such good quality and can be used for many different things. Starting from the front, I have the Buffing Brush. I use this with foundation and concealer and I find that it blends them really nicely. I also used to use this for powder which it was great for too. Next is the Contour Brush. This is what I usually use to apply bronzer and I sometimes use it for blusher if I want it in a precise place to contour and not just add some colour. Thirdly, I have the Pointed Foundation Brush. I must admit, out of this set this brush is the one iv used the least. I just think that when it comes to applying foundation or a BB cream etc, the buffing brush is better so this doesn't get used too much. Finally I have the Detailer Brush. I use this brush to apply eye shadow to the inner corner of my eye as it is the perfect shape for it. I have particularly loved using this with the Benefit High Beam in the inner corner of my eye.

These 3 brushes are again all Real Techniques brushes but they were not a set, these are the ones that I have bought separately. Again going front to back, I firstly have the Expert Face Brush. This brush is great for blending out concealer and perfect for doing under the eyes because of its shape. The only thing I will say about this brush that bothers me slightly, is that there are so many tightly compact hairs/brissels that it takes ages to wash! But it is a great brush aside from that. Next I have the Blush Brush. This brush is pretty self explanatory, its the best blush brush iv tried and a great domed shape to help get the blush just where you want it. I have also seen people use this as a powder brush. Lastly I have the Powder Brush which is HUGE! Its so big but that's what makes it work so well because just a few swipes and your face is powdered! This means you use less and your powder will last longer. Something I will mention about Real Techniques Brushes is the price. They aren't cheap at around £25 for a set and £10 seperatley but I think they are definitely worth the money for the quality so if your hesitant about splashing out, I would so recommend that you do.

These 2 brushes are both from Ted Baker beauty sets. The purple is from A Star Is Born and the pink is from The Great and The Gorgeous. They are fluffy brushes that I use for powder and bronzer usually. 

Theses are my eye shadow brushes. I firstly have the white one which is the Models Own Eye Shading Brush. The shape of this is perfect to contour your eye and go up to around the brow bone. Next 2 fluffy and 2 fluffy angled brushes from Ted Baker. The fluffy brushes I use a lot to apply 1 eye shadow colour across the whole of my eye lid but the angled ones I really haven't used much! These are probably for if you want to do a more precise look with multiple, maybe bold, colours to stop to much fall down but I haven't used them much at all.Then 3 Ted Baker sponge applicators which are really good to apply an eyeshadow base. I also like these because of the long handle as they are so much easier to use.

I'm not to sure what these 4 brushes are! They were in sets and are a cross between lip brushes and concealer brushes. The top 3 are Ted Baker and the bottom one is Models Prefer. I have used the silver and purple ones for concealer but I should really find out how to use them properly. 

These are just some random brushes and applicators I also keep in my brushes pot. Firstly on the top you can see I have a Natural Collection Mascara Wand that I have washed. This is great to separate eye lashes when you've used a clumpy mascara so they aren't all stuck together because if you go over it with a different mascara you'll just add to the problem. I also lots of small sponge applicators. The black ones are from Barry M Pallettes and the gold is a Chilli Pepper pallet. I don't use these much because I love the Ted Baker ones but they are handy to travel with. I also have a Clinique lip brush which I haven't used yet and a Sponge from boots which I do sometimes use to stop my t-zone looking like its caked in makeup, as it takes any excess off. Finally I have 2 Benefit brushes that I had in the Away We Glow set that Alicia got me one Christmas! The first is the brush from the Coralista Blush and applys really nicely and the second is a fluffy end brush that is nice to blend eye shadows together and a hard angled brush that I use often for eye brows and eye shadow as eye liner.

There we go! It should of taken a few hours to sort this post out but it some how managed to take a lot longer! I have 2 more planned though to keep this great streak me and Alicia have going on!

Abbie x

Fletchers Hall ♡

Last weekend me and my family went to a big house that my mom and dad rented for my moms birthday to spend a weekend together. The house was in Lytham St Annes which is near Preston and it was so nice! We didn't do much, just stayed around the swimming pool and hot tub and had a little walk around the town so we just relaxed. I want to share some photos but I don't know how my family would feel about their photos being put up on here so I an just going to include the ones I'm in. 

Firstly some photos of the house and what was there. On the first night there was such a lovely pink and purple sun set so I got my camera out and got some great photos! 

Living Room

It was a Tudor style house surrounded by field after field! There was even an old abandoned tractor in one. There was a white horse in one field that my cousins and brother liked to go and feed and one of my cousins decided it's name was Snowy. There were all old cupboards, wardrobes, vases, tables, dressing tables (which I really wanted to bring home with me!) and a stuffed pheasant which I'm pretty sure will still haunt me when I'm about 80! That all added to the oldness? I'm not sure but it was all very vintage and lovely. We also managed to get our full use out of the hot tub, heated pool, trampoline and table tennis table, there really was something for everyone! 

On our second and last night we decided to all dress up and my moms auntie cooked an amazing meal. While we were eating the red arrows even made an appearance while training for the Blackpool air show!I loved my dress and every one looked lovely so here are some photos of that!

Dress- Topshop

Shoes- Dorothy Perkins

Earrings & Necklase- Warren James

Bracelet- Pandora

Hair clip- Celebrity (Prom Shop)

Close ups of jewelry and shoes are in THIS post

Selfies were taken

There are just some photos that I wanted to share! We all had an amazing weekend and I hope we can do something similar soon.

Also just quickly, I noticed before writing this that we have over 3,000 page views now so thank you all! Hopefully me and Alicia will have some back to school posts soon so get ready for then!

Abbie x