May Favourites

Hey Guys!

I realise that I actually haven't done a favourites for quite a while, even though I said that I was going to try and do one each month! I can't believe that we are now halfway through the year. It seems as though time has gone really fast, so here is everything I have been loving in the month of May. 

MAKEUP

Natural Collection Mascara

So as I said I was going to try a different mascara, as I decided that one wasn't doing good for my eyelashes. I picked up the Lash Definition Mascara in the colour black and have been loving it. Although it isn't very bold, it isn't subtle, so I really like this and expect I will be sticking to it.

Natural Collection Juicy Lips

Along with the PS Lipstick that I put in my last favourites, this is a really nice finish to add to your lips. It is a clear lipgloss that once applied gives a shiny, finished look to your lipstick colour. It can be used on its own, however I prefer using it with a colour underneath.

SCENT

Boots Floral Love - Violets and Mandarin

This I think is Boots own brand of spray, however when looking for one to buy, this had a very floral, bold smell to it. I had never tried this range before, and considering sprays are quite expensive now, I wanted to try a cheaper one. These smell really nice and I would definately recommend as the smell stays for quite a while. 

Fresh Fruit

I know this isn't the usual scent you would find in a favourites, however it's coming to the season where the more tropical fruits are ripe enough to eat. We have been buying lots of strawberries and mangoes recently and when the are cut into, it just reminds me of holidays with all the lovely fresh fruit you can eat.

MOMENT

Bedroom
I know that my last moment was my bedroom, however we have now got to the stage where it has been cleared out completely, and all that is left is the walls. I am really excited for when it will be finished and I will hopefully do a room tour once it is done. 

SONG

Louisa Johnson ft. Clean Bandit - Tears
After Louisa won last Years X-Factor, she must be one of the first ones to bring a single out so quickly. It builds up into a really good song that is catchy and upbeat, and I have enjoyed listening to it on the radio.

TV PROGRAMME

Britain's Got Talent
This month I really enjoyed watching this and all the contestants that audition. I like watching the ones that aren't very good, as well as the ones that definately are. It took me a while to catch up as they put it live on TV in a week, however I thought this years winner was definately one who deserved to win, even though there were others that I really liked.

YOUTUBER

Aspyn Ovard
I really like Aspyn as she does relatable, easy watch videos that aren't that long in length. Her videos are well edited and interesting to watch. As they are quite short, I manage to watch quite a few at a time!

SHOP

New Look
I still love New Look and I always will! I am still loving their clothes and have recently bought some really nice clothes in there, as they aren't too expensive either. 

Primark
I really like some of the things Primark are starting to do for summer. I actually went to Lakeside today and I bought some canvas shoes for summer, but in the past few weeks I have bought some tops and bikinis for a good price in preparation for summer.

That's all for last month! Lots of them are summer related, however some are the same and always will be! Let me know what you have been liking in the past month.

Imagine Creativeness

Emily x

Current Favourite Playlist

Hey Guys!

So at the moment I have really loved listening to music - whether that's on my phone, one the radio or listening to Spotify. When searching for ideas, I came across a few to do with playlists, and I though why not give it a go? I want to try and experiment more with my posts and vary them up more. Here are some songs and playlists I have been loving at the moment.

At the moment on Spotify, I have three favourite playlists. These you can find on by going onto my account and looking at my playlists: mimi_emmy. My three playlists I am enjoying at the moment and are my most listened to are: Hits 2016; UK Chart Tracks, Various Artists - Acoustic Cafe and Emily's Party (this one was created for one of my parties!)

Hits 2016; UK Chart Tracks

This is a bit like listening to the radio I suppose. It is updated daily and has all the recent chart tracks. There are a lot of recent new songs, some of which I haven't heard before and some which I really love. There is a variety of different types, however I prefer the more upbeat, garage type music as it gets me in the mood! My top 5 favourite songs on this playlist include:

1. One Dance by Drake
2. I took a pill in Ibiza by Mike Posner Seeb
3. Stitches by Shawn Mendes
4. Fast Car Radio Edit by Jonas Blue Dakota
5. Eyes Shut by Years and Years

Various Artist - Acoustic Cafe

This is a completely different style of music to the last playlist. It has a lot of recent pop songs, however they are sung in an acoustic version, which can be really calming sometimes. There are lots of songs, some again which I haven't heard and some that are so nice in an acoustic way. My top 5 favourite songs on this playlist include:

1. Chandelier Piano Version by Sia
2. Somewhere Only We Know by Lily Allen
3. Shut up and Dance Acoustic by WALK THE MOON
4. Budapest by George Ezra
5. My Love Acoustic by Jess Glynne

Emily's Party

When I had a party recently I created a playlist that could just be on in the background and that we could possibly dance to if we felt like it! I might have gone a bit overboard which meant that I created over 5 hours of music. However it means when I am doing a long project or something, I have a good playlist I can listen to which will get me into the mood for doing homework. I included a mix of pop, a few ballads and also garage - so a lot of these songs are some of my favourites. But here are my top 5 favourite songs on this playlist:

1. Real Love Tough Love Remix by Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne
2. Intoxicated Radio Edit by Martin Solveig GTA
3. Sorry (I didn't know) by Monsta Boy
4. Can't Feel My Face by The Weeknd
5. House Every Weekend by David Zowie

These are some of the playlists and songs that I have really been loving recently. What are your favourite songs?

Imagine Creativeness

Emily x

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

Hey Guys!

It's another baking post today! I was watching some of Tanya Burr's older videos and came across a video where she made Peanut Butter Pretzel M&M Cookies. They looked amazing and I decided that I might try them. However I adapted them a bit as I didn't have any pretzels and I made more cookies. So this is basically Tanya's recipe however and adapted version. They turned out amazing and taste so good, however I expect they are't actually very good for you! So here is the recipe:

For the cookies you will need:

• 300g Caster Sugar,
• 325g Self Raising Flour,
• 200g Peanut Butter,
• 200g Butter,
• 1 large egg,
• 200g M&Ms,
• Milk.

1) Place the caster sugar and butter into a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy. Either use a mixer or a wooden spoon - either will work.

2) Then add the peanut butter and mix it all in. It might take a while to mix in but it needs to be a smooth consistency. 

3) After that, add the egg and mix. Once mixed, add the flour a little bit at a time until the mixture is all combined together.

4) If the mixture is too dry, add some milk so that it isn't too wet or dry. Then add the M&Ms and combine together.

5) Gather the mixture into a ball and wrap it up in cling film. Leave it in the fridge for half an hour or until it is harder.

6) Once the mixture is out of the fridge, separate it into little balls and place on greaseproof lined tins. Make them quite thin and spread them out as they expand quite a lot, so don't make them too big in the first place! I managed to split mine into about 20 cookies.

7) Put them in the oven for about 10 minutes. They will come out still quite soft, however they harden up once exposed to air. 

8) Leave them to cool once out the oven and enjoy! 

These cookies are amazing and taste so good. I expect that they probably aren't that good for you but oh well! Let me know if you tried them in the comments below.

Imagine Creativeness

Emily x

How to handle too much Homework

Hey Guys!

It's coming up to that time of year where everyone is asked to do end of unit tests or just exams in general. This means there is more pressure in homework and we are given loads of it. Sometimes I find it so hard to sit down for ages and try to get it all done with other things I have to do too. So here are a few things that might help you when you are in the need of motivation and need to get all your homework done.

MUSIC - Listening to music quietly in the background makes homework more fun for me. Although some people say it can distract them, I feel that personally, it actually helps me to focus more on what I am doing. I find a playlist that I have been loving on Spotify and either plug in earphones or put it quietly on in the background. My two favourite playlists at the moment are Hits 2016 and Acoustic Café.

WATER - Keeping yourself hydrated is a must. If you aren't drinking, you are going to feel more weak and tired, so making sure you drink enough is key. I try to drink as much water as I can throughout the day so that I can stay focused and know what I am doing. Keeping water beside me when I am doing lots of homework makes me want to drink more, so I am not dehydrated or tired.

BREAKS - Sometimes, short relaxing breaks are what everyone needs when they start to get stressed. It can take your mind off work for a bit and keep you in the mood. It keeps me away from what I have just been doing to give me a rest and time to think. Some of my favourite things to do when I have a break could be taking a long bath, or even going out in the garden for a bit of fresh air. Whatever you do, keep away from your work for a short amount of time to reframe your mindset.

FLASHCARDS - Sometimes if I have a lot of revision and it's too much to be doing it all at once, I will create flashcards for the topic my revision is on. I find then that I can take them with me wherever I go so that I don't have to do it all at home. Maybe on a long car journey or a bus ride to school, flashcards are a great way to revise when there ins't much time.

SNACKS - To be honest with you, I can't really do much homework unless I have had a snack or a drink. When I get in from school I like to have something to eat to keep me going until the evening. It keeps me focused and I don't feel horrible or moody because I'm not hungry anymore.

YOUTUBE - Although some people find this distracting, I find again like music, it helps me stay more focused. I won't usually put a video on that you have to watch, otherwise I am drawn into that instead of the homework, however a chatty vlog or video gets me in the mood. It allows me to do something I enjoy whilst doibg something we don;t enjoy. Best of both worlds!

These are some of the ways you can handle a lot of homework and some that I find useful. Have a great week and make sure you keep on top of everything.

Imagine Creativeness

Emily x

Living a Creative and Inspiring Life...

Hey Guys!

So today I thought that I might try something a bit different and see how it turns out. I found a quote on the internet about living a creative life, and thought about perhaps expanding it and seeing how many things you can add on. Here are some of the ideas I came up with.

To live a creative life we must...

• Loose our fear of being wrong,
• Try new things that interest us,
• Let our imagination run wild,
• Take inspiration from those we love,
• Experiment through new projects,
• Surround ourself with inspiring people,
• Take risks and new opportunities,
• Know that things won't always be perfect,
• Understand that frustration is part of the process,
• Express ourself through things we love, 
• Make friends with those who enjoy our creative presence,
• Push ourself that extra mile to make our creative side stretch further,
• Accept when it stops and we struggle,
• Learn to live with criticism from ourself and others,
• Focus on action, not opinion,
• Set ourselves a reasonable target we can achieve,
• Do our best in everything we do, not matter how hard it is,
• Live the life we imagine it to be,
• Not quit or give up when things get tough,
• Set a goal that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning!

These are just 20 ideas on how to live a creative and inspiring life that can encourage those around you as well as yourself. They can boost your self-confidence and make you feel better about yourself. Have a go at trying some out if you want to live a creative and inspiring life. Start with the smaller ideas and build it up. Let me know how it goes and if you like this kind of blogpost.

Imagine Creativeness

Emily x

The 'me time' Tag

Hey Guys!

Hope that you are all having a good week - it's certainly been a long one for me. As Charlotte on her blog recently posted the 'me time' tag and tagged me in it. I was't quite sure what to write about this week, so I got to Charlotte for inspiration. She gave me the idea for the 'me time' tag, which I thought I would give ago so you could get to know me a bit more. You can find Charlotte's blog here.

1) What do you like to watch/read during your me time?

At the moment, I don't really watch many TV shows as I never have time or don't have Netflix. However if I am going to watch something, I would usually go for Youtube. My favourites to watch at the moment are The SacconeJolys and Zoella, both two of my favourite youtubers. I don't always have much time to read, however in the evening before I go to bed, I try to read for at least 10 minutes if not longer so that I can settle down and so I actually feel tired! At the moment, I am reading Girl Online On Tour by Zoe Sugg, and it is a really interesting book.

2) What's your go to comfortable outfit?

Usually at the weekend if I am going to Romford or out, because of the weather, I try to keep warm so that I don't get cold. I also want something that is comfortable. On my legs, I would either go for leggings which are my go to at the moment or jeggings. I recently bought a pair from Primark and they are so comfortable as they are not only soft, but have elasticated waist. ON my top, I usually wear just a short sleeve top along with my favourite flannel shirt. It is the most comfortable outfit I have and I literally wear it all the time. 

3) What are your favourite me time beauty products? 

Do bath bombs count as beauty products? Because if they do - it would definately be these. Whenever I am stressed or just want a bit of time to myself, a bath is always nice with a Lush Bath Bombs and a smooth bath soak. My favourite bath bomb at the moment is either Frozen which Charlotte recently bought for me and ButterBear - however they only do that at Christmas time.

4) What's your favourite comfort food?

It always depends what mood I am in, what we have at home and what time of the year it is. At the moment though, I think it might be chocolate. I know that sounds really unhealthy but after receiving so much chocolate at Easter, I seem to have so much, and I just love chocolate!

5) What's your current favourite scent?

I have quite a few sprays I am going through at the moment. Usually everyday I will put on a spray in the morning along with a perfume. My favourite spray is  Tease which is one of Superdrug's own and has a lovely floral scent to it. Then my favourite perfume is Zoella Let's Spritz, as it has again, a lovely scent to it. 

6) Do you ever have outdoor me time?

To be honest, not really. Occasionally do I go outside on my own, however when I do, it is usually to the shops or in the garden. I have recently been going on the trampoline when the weather is nice, but recently I haven't had much time and it has been quite cold! 

7) Would you ever go to the cinema alone?

I don't really go to the cinema much however I did last week to watch the Jungle Book (which was a great film for those of you who want to watch it). I don't think I would really go on my own because it would be a bit boring, and you always need someone to laugh or talk to about the film during and after. It just doesn't seem the same on your own. 

8) What's your favourite shop?

My favourite shop is New Look. I love when I get vouchers or money and I can go and spend it there. Recently in Romford they have made the store bigger, so there is now a teens section, however I prefer the store in Lakeside as it is larger and there is more in there. I love all the clothes and accessories they do as they are really good quality and great price too.

What do you like to o in your me time? Let me know in the comments below.

Imagine Creativeness

Emily x

DIY Toothbrush Art

Hey Guys!

I haven't actually done a DIY for quite a while - so thought it might be a good idea to do one. I recently did a piece of art homework where I made a starry sky. This involved using a toothbrush and paint and flicking it onto a canvas - surprisingly taking me back to young days and making me have lots of fun. I find it so therapeutic just to flick paint! Anyway I thought that these could make really pretty unique art that you could stick pictures to or frame - the choice is yours.

For this DIY you will need:

• Paint in lots of different colours,
• Water,
• Toothbrushes,
• Card,
• Templates of your choice.

1) To start off, you will need to mix each colour paint with a little drop of water, so that it will be easier to flick rather than thick paint. Mix in the water with the head of the toothbrush and set aside.

2) If you are wanting to make a shape with the art, a template will probably be needed as the paint goes everywhere. You can either cut one out yourself or print one off - any shape or size you want. You will also need some card to paint on. Black works better as the colours come out bolder, however white will still work. 

3) Place some form of sheet on the floor, and preferably - so it outside! This can go everywhere as it is quite messy, but on a warm sunny day, it's quite nice to do it outside.

4) Using the template or just a piece of card, start taking each colour with a toothbrush and flicking it onto the piece of card. Build up all the colours and add layers till you have the desired amount of paint on your piece of card. Once finished leave to dry.

These can be really nice as either a present or to frame a picture in. You can have so much fun experimenting and making all sorts of different things with this type of art.

Imagine Creativeness

Emily x