Making 2017 My Year - Prioritizing Self Care

Image: Amovita.com

Well, guys, it's been a while since I write a post about how I'm taking steps to make this year my year. As I write this, I'm finished college, but waiting to sit my final exam. I've got a new job. I'm making real progress in my professional life. I've booked the trip of a lifetime to visit my best friend over New Years in Japan. Things are exciting, and moving forward at a rate I nearly can't fully comprehend. And it's great, I'm thrilled. But I'm also run down.

With that in mind, I'm going to jot down a few little tips for self care, to help to boost you up when you're feeling run down and tired.

Image: eatingdisorderspecialists.com

Take Care Of Your Insides

Looking after your physical self goes hand in hand with your mental health. I've started taking a multivitamin, and it's nice to know I'm making an active, albeit small, investment into my health, whether that's a placebo effect or not. I feel less sluggish. It's an easy way to keep your energy levels going and ward off any little sicknesses that are doing the rounds. A little boost can help a lot.

Go for walks, runs, to the gym, whatever you like. I like to walk when I can, and usually I will use the time to reflect and think. It's good to clear your head with a little jaunt into the world.

Show Yourself Some Self Love 

This is different for everyone, but you should always take time for yourself, at least once per week to just switch off, and do something that you feel will serve you, and only you. Pamper nights are something I try to do even if it's only just to put on a face pack after I take off my makeup. Some of my favorites are the Montage Jeunesse ones that you can get almost anywhere. Cook yourself a nice meal, put on a DVD, and relax while you paint your nails or something of that nature. It's worth investing in yourself, to remind yourself that (even if its only one evening per week) feeling relaxed and taken care of is more important than that email (which can wait, girl, trust me!), or that call.

Self care can be anything you want, by the way, from a pamper night in to a pint with a friend or whatever you like to do. If you want to do the ironing as a self care activity, that's up to you.

Image: cheapandcheery.co.uk

Make Time For Your Interests

Something I've come to learn this year is that if you have an interest that not everyone else does, that's okay. I love going to art galleries. I like the serenity, the creativity, the quiet violence of a surrealist painting from WW2. I don't share that with many of my friends, really, and that's okay. That's extra Me Time, when I go to do that. If you have a shared hobby with someone, that's awesome, do that!

It's okay to have fragmented interests within a shared hobby, though. For myself and my boyfriend, we love to read. He loves fantasy, and honestly, with the exception of LOTR, Harry Potter, and some Pratchett, I couldn't care less about fantasy. I love non-fiction, Sci-Fi rooted in reality, dystopian novels. I'll read biographies of painters and Ross O'Carroll-Kelly til the end of my days, and he wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole. If you like to read quietly with your other half, do that. Make a pot of tea or coffee, curl up at opposite ends of the sofa and share the quiet together.

Find A Meditative State You Enjoy 

If you had told me last year I would be using guided meditation to ground myself, I'd have laughed rudely into your face. But here I am. I use the Headspace app that a friend recommended to me. That's useful during the day if I feel myself zoning out.

At night, I do something a bit weird, but it works for me, so maybe it'll help you. I go to bed around 11pm every night and I put on a Bob Ross video on YouTube. I let that play quietly in the background and I focus on my breathing, while Bob paints his happy little trees... I'll breathe in deeply but gently, and I'll breathe out quietly. I focus on my breathing for a minute or two, and then I'll try to focus on the weight of my legs, then my arms, then my torso and before I know it, I've woken up the next morning. Since I started doing this, I don't have nightmares, I sleep deeply and unbroken. It's been such a helpful tool. The only bad thing is I never see a finished painting! A small price to pay, really.

There are a million other tips I could write about here, but I'll leave it there for today. 

If you have any other tips for me, please let me know in the comments! 

Amy 

xo 

What Time Is It? It's Quiver Time*!!!

Quiver Time Logo Image: www.quivertime.com

If you didn't know this about me, I've been playing Magic The Gathering for a few months now. In that time I've amassed quite a collection of cards. I have been storing my decks in deck boxes, and those deck boxes in an archive box I had laying about for a long time. 

Now, that information is meaningless without some context: I live in rural Meath, and my trek to my Local Game Store, of which I have two, Gamers World Jervis St, and Sub City Mary St, can take two hours on a bad day. I also play MTG before college most Thursdays with my friend Darragh on Thursday afternoons. This adds extra bulk and weight to my college bags and makes transporting my collection both bothersome and tiresome.

Recently I've attempted to cut my travel decks down to one Commander deck, the C16 Feline Ferocity, for those curious, and a Rakdos (red/black) standard deck, though even still they take up a chunk of space in any bag I put them in, from my backpack to my purse, especially with my playmat in a cardboard tube. My only saving grace is that my boyfriend lives a stones throw from both Gamers World and Sub City and so I don't have to worry once I make it to Dublin. The thing is, I want to be able to take all of my standard decks, my commander, some sideboard goodness and some other cards with me all the time. I also want to carry my Glorybringer Playmat (Amsterdam GP, not that I was there, it was a gift) with me too, in one compact place. I mean, Ixalan has had it's pre-release, so I want to be able to experiment on the fly with different tribal combos, buy boosters and not worry about space or transportation.

Enter, stage right, the Quiver Time case. Quiver Time is a small company that makes one thing, the Quiver Time Case, and does it really well. From the moment I opened the package, I was blown away. Firstly, it was somehow bigger and smaller than I expected in equal measure. It's bigger in that it's thicker, more sturdy than I imagined, and smaller in that despite it's thickness and build quality, it's still compact. Then I realised there was a plethora of other accessories, two red and two black acrylic dividers, two packs of clear sleeves for cards, velcro dividers for sectioning off areas of the case, two end caps to square the ends of the interior (which stops cards bending) and two straps (one wrist strap, one back/shoulder strap).

To the non-MtG players reading this, the level of division and protection offered may seem like overkill, but honestly, this hobby can get expensive. Players like myself, and competitive players alike want to protect their collections at all costs.

As soon as I had un-boxed it I popped my current "in play" decks into it, and my play-mat, zipped it up and took in the fact that now I have a compact, space efficient way to store and transport my collection. The outer skin of the case is a thick, tough PU made to look like leather, with water resistant zippers and great quality pull tabs. The strap is super strong, well woven to take the hefty weight of up to 1000 cards and anything else you want to pop in there. I wouldn't worry about dashing through the rain with this on my back, that much is for absolutely certain. It's tough, but it has to be to stand up to me!! 

One thing I noticed and continue to be delighted by is the sheer level of love and attention that has gone into the concept, design and build quality of this case. I have nothing but the highest respect for people who pour their love and attention into creating amazing things, and the team over at Quiver Time have my utmost respect and admiration. I get intense joy from the name too, Quiver. As an archer, I am endlessly drawn to things that remind me of my beloved sport. Throwing this over your shoulder, across your back, it really does look like a medieval quiver, Robin Hood style. Very cool indeed!

I should also say that this case is not just for Magic The Gathering, it's suitable for all kinds of people, whether you play Magic, YuGiOh, poker, whatever you like! There might even be a cheeky pack of Uno cards getting slipped into my Quiver soon, but shh, don't tell Dex!

It's ideal for the intrepid traveler, such as those who play at Grand Prix, the Pro Tour, even just those like me who play with friends in the city. Truly, I cant imagine there being a player out there that this wouldn't be a good purchase for. It would also make an incredible gift for someone you love, who loves card games.

Quiver Time sells on Amazon for £39.90 GBP, and comes with a bunch of extra accessories such as dividers, a long strap, a wrist strap and deck separators similar to what you get in Ultimate Guard 100+ Deck N Tray boxes. It fits sleeved, un-sleeved and double sleeved cards, most standard deck boxes (Ultra Pro, Ultimate Guard etc), dice, accessories and your play mat. What isn't to love, guys?

Amy 

xo

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I was not paid for this review, however, John over at Quiver Time did send me this for review purposes. As always, my opinion is 100% my own. I want to thank Dex for taking these photos, and being the lovely model in the last two!  

How I Look After My Stretched Ears

I love my stretched ears. They are, after my tattoos at least, my favorite modification I have on my body. I've been stretching my ears for 2 years, and they're currently at 14mm. That's not huge, I grant you, but on my tiny ears, it's pretty sizable. Anyways, I digress. Today I'm going to talk to you about what I do to look after my stretched ears. 





Cleaning:

I clean my ears in the shower, like most people with stretched ears. I slip out my plugs, use a little bit of soap (or shower gel, or antibacterial wash) and clean the entire lobe, get it all sudsy, then rinse with lovely warm water. Then I clean my plugs. 


Generally just running them under the shower head does the job, but from time to time I give them a good wipe over with surgical spirits to make sure they're totally germ-free. Then I pop my plugs back in. All clean. 

Moisturizing: 

Anyone with stretched ears will tell you, moisturizing is a key part of the maintenance of stretched ears. I use Vitamin E in a few forms.   

After showering and whenever I feel it's necessary, I use Kelkin Vitamin E Cream. Now I use this on my face but any time I use any creams, I take them from the pot with cotton wool buds, so I don't contaminate the pot with my icky finger germs! I pop a little on my lobes after showering or if I'm going out in the cold for the day to keep my ears looking lovely. I even bring a mini tub of Vitamin E cream and some cotton buds in my handbag in case I might need to pop a little cream on them during the day. 

Massaging:

 A couple of times per week I burst a Sona Vitamin E capsule and rub the oil on my lobes before bedtime. Vitamin E encourages new growth and healthy skin, a must for anyone with stretched ears! 

If you've little lobes like me, massaging them helps to promote blood-flow and new cell growth. When I'm moisturizing my ears, I massage the lobes for a minute or two to stimulate the flow of blood to them. This helps to thicken them up over time which is great if you want to stretch your ears to bigger sizes.




Other Stuff: 

If it's cold, keep your ears warm. Don't wear steel, wear wood or glass. Wear a hat that covers your ears if you can! Some people I've seen on YouTube with bigger stretched lobes are able to wrap them around their ears near their face, which allows their body heat to keep their lobes warm - while I can't do that, I can say it's a good idea for those who can! 

Wear nice stuff in your holes. I favor stone, almost exclusively, but I also really like to wear glass too. Glass can be made into spirals and fancy shapes, where stone cannot, so it's nice to have some fancy glass plugs for special wear. I also really like the satisfying weight that you can feel with stone and glass.

So there you have it, how I look after my stretched ears. Hopefully you found this useful if you are new to stretched ear care and if you're more seasoned than I am, please do let me know your tips!! 

Amy

xo

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My 12mm and 14mm Plug Collection

In my last post, I waxed lyrical about how I look after my stretched ears, and today I'm here to show you what beautiful things I wear in them. I try to buy as much as I can in my local piercing shops, but as you can see, I am a big fan of the online store Crazy Factory. This post isn't sponsored, I just really really like Crazy Factory, and I wanted to share my collection. I've been waiting for my most recent order from Crazy Factory to arrive so I could write this post, actually.

I'm going to show you my 12mm and 14mm collections because I'm proud of both collections as they stand. I am presently wearing 14mm jewelry and all my 14mm plugs are stone except for one pair of stainless steel tunnels which aren't pictured because they look exactly like the 12mm ones - just bigger!

NOTE: For all the gauge size users reading this, 12mm is 1/2" and 14mm is 9/16".

12mm

Stainless Steel Tunnels: Wildcat Ink North 

Flowery Acrylic Tunnels: Wildcat Ink South 

Clear Silicone Tunnels: Crazy Factory 

Red and Green Foil Finish Acrylic Plugs: Crazy Factory 

Blue Stone Plugs: Crazy Factory 

Glass Plugs: Crazy Factory 

Opalite Plugs: Wildcat Ink North 

14mm

Opalite Tunnels: Wildacat Ink North

Sparkly Black Stone Plugs: Crazy Factory

Rose Quartz Plugs: Crazy Factory

Glow In The Dark Glass Plugs: Crazy Factory

Tigers Eye Single Flare Plug: Crazy Factory

BONUS!!! Handmade Pyrite Dangles/Hangers

I made these Pyrite hangers for wearing with fancier outfits, and I'm in love!! They've a T-bar closure for ease and a little extra detail.

So there you have it! My plug and tunnel collection in all its glory! I hope you enjoyed this post, if you did I would love to hear which pair or pairs you thought were the prettiest in the comment section! 

<3 

Amy 

xo 

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None of the plugs in this post were gifted, provided for review or anything else. I parted with a lot of cash for these! 

I Can See Clearly Now... feat. Glasses Shop**

It's no secret at this point, if you've been following me for even five minutes, that I love being an eyeglasses wearer. I am a huge fan of glasses as accessories, as well as for correcting poor vision. This is why I spend an inordinate amount of time looking for glasses online - it's too expensive to be buying multiple pairs of specs in my local opticians.

One thing I really like is weird glasses, from over-size to floral to bright colors. The more odd and off-kilter, the more I love them! So this time around, when Glasses Shop got in touch and asked me if I would like to review a pair of glasses from their new range, I said "Heck yeah!!" and here we are!



I picked the Park Oval in the Crystal option - a matte, frosted but almost see-through frame. They're more understated than a lot of frames I own, which is part of the reason I like them! I can wear these with a slightly more dramatic makeup look and know they work together.

These frames are lightweight and flexible, as well as looking very chic on the face. I like to wear them with a light base, bold liner and a neutral lip, for an understated look, however as I mentioned earlier, I know they will stand up to a more bold, night-appropriate look too!

These frames are my favorite of every pair I own, and of the three pairs I own from Glasses Shop, they have been on my face every day since I got them, ousting every other pair AND my contact lenses to boot!

If you would like to get your own pair of amazing quality frames from Glasses Shop, I've been given a coupon code for you lovely readers! Use the code GSHOT50 to get 50% off your chosen frames and your scrip added to the frame for free!

TOP TIP!! 

If you've already got a pair of well fitting glasses from your local opticians, have a look inside the arms for the measurements, which will look like "50-20-145" and use this as a guide to help you pick a pair of correctly sized frames from Glasses Shop, which have every size and measurement noted on each listing! Handy!! 

What do you think of my new specs? Do you love them  or loathe them?? 

Let me know!! 

Amy 

xo

**Glasses Shop kindly provided these frames for free for review purposes but this post is all my own opinion and was in no way influenced by the Glasses Shop team. The links included are not affiliate links. **

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How I Stay Organised

Getting organised has been a serious journey I've been on since January - My New Years Resolution was to make more of an effort to be productive. Productivity and organisation go hand in hand. Today I'm going to talk you through my organisation tips and what I've learned to help productivity.

Image: Google Images

Prioritise Your Time

Decide what's important, and make sure you have time allocated. I block in time for college, study, writing, training. I delegate particular tasks to particular blocks of time. If I have to be in the college library, I'll get all the things done in the library that I possibly can, in order to eliminate those tasks for as far into the future as I can - realistically that's about a week at most.

Be Open To Change 




Image: Pinterest

 

At first, I was a staunch advocate of the FiloFax, but over time, I've been leaning more towards digital. Google Calendar has a great functionality, which I can access from my phone, or either of my laptops. I color coordinate to a few different uses so I know at a glance what is on the agenda. I also make written lists for tasks, day to day. So if on a Friday I've blocked in time to get tasks done, I've a hard list I can cross things off, and I don't have to be glued to my phone. This makes me feel more productive and spurs me on.

Block In Time Off 

Image: Google Images

 

I've a weekend away coming up, and I've the whole weekend blocked out. This means that I can't double book myself. I always make sure that Wednesday is never booked unless it's unavoidable. Wednesday is my day to do anything I want to do, from cleaning, to watching TV. Generally I get to write blog posts on a Wednesday. For me, that's down time. That's not time for anyone else, just me.

So there are some of my tips to staying organised. If I didn't have these working in my daily life, plus the time management effectiveness of Google Calendar, I'd be a big ball of stress and nothing would be done.

 

I hope this helps,

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Amy

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Red Letters... Cork

Dear Cork,

How can I begin to explain how much I adore you? You've always been a place of peace, safety, joy. The comfort I feel with you, it's unparalleled. When things seem bleak, unhappy, scary, I turn to you. Cork, you've always got friends, food and laughter waiting for me. There's been so much great food eaten with you over the years, so many bottles of wine, and more adventures than I could ever relay in a letter. You've brought me joy and safety in a way I've never felt with any other city.

 

When I'm visiting you, I fill up on vintage shopping, book stores and crafting. I eat great food and watch old movies with old friends and new friends alike. I stay up til the wee hours having deep conversations with new friends, learning about who I was, who I am and who I want to be. So much has happened that you've been witness to, many drunken fits of laughter, sporting achievements, running a 5k in the midst of a dual-ended road trip, the list goes on, but you know that.

 

Then I pick up, and I head out to see the sea, down to Crosshaven, or out to Myrtleville, and I feel so small, and yet so big at the same time. Standing on the edge of the county, pink converse contrasting against the navy and grey pebble beach, looking out at the ships, there is no place on earth that I would rather be. I support two teams, Meath and you, Cork, which caught me by surprise. I'm not much for GAA, and yet I own a hoody in your colors. That's how much I love you.

When I say your name, I say it as you would, with that musical twang, with that funny accent that always makes me smile. Cork, its fair to say I cannot imagine my life without you in it, and I don't want to have to do that. No distance is too great to get to you.

 

I'll be back with you soon,

All my love,
Amy
x

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Tips For Self Care

My name is Amy, and, to my detriment, I am a fan of the word "Yes". I will always try to do as many things as I can, for as many people as I can. I put myself under immense pressure, across college, career paths, friends, sports, my relationship and personal obligations. I have only recently learned the word "balance" and even more recently have I come to know and enjoy the act of "self care".

So, with that in mind, I will talk you through my tips for self care.

Book Time For Yourself

Image: SKConcepts.com

If you take no other advice from me, please just do this one thing. When I look at my Google Calendar, I am acutely aware of how busy I am. By booking in time for yourself, you are making a positive choice for your self care regime. If that hour if filled with eating bread, or going for a swim, or tea with a friend, then you've made good use of it for your personal reasons, and that's the only thing that matters. Personally, I make sure to have some personal time for a bubble bath with Netflix, an hour for tea with a friend, and time to spend with Dex. If nothing else, I get some regular, bite-sized chunks of time and that way, I don't feel so overwhelmed when I'm going to bed late and up early, day in and day out.

Image: Pinterest.com

Take Time For Cathartic Things

I find so much peace in methodical tasks, which is why when I need to take some time for me, I tend to cook and clean. Call me a 50's housewife if you want, but it makes me feel so much better. Not only in the moment, but when I've cooked enough mac and cheese to stock my boyfriends freezer for multiple dinners to come, and left my house looking like a cover off House And Home magazine, the feeling of relaxation and contentment sticks around far longer than just the moment!

Exercise

Take up a sport, go to the gym, run, whatever. Take time for your body. Personally for me, running was the best thing I could do. Every time I took myself out for a run, however short or long, I felt better. If you've thoughts to pick through, or you need to relax, running can be a great help.

Image: Pinterest.com

Pamper Yourself 

I don't mean book a massage, but if you want to do that, then be my guest!! Take an hour off for yourself, take a long shower, exfoliate, do a face pack, make a fuss of yourself. This is the kind of self care it can be even more effective to share with a friend over a glass of vino.

So how do I implement Self Care?

I take myself out for coffee, I run myself super hot bubble baths and watch Riverdale on a Friday, I cook, I do laundry (it sounds wierd, but I love it). I indulge in my one passion project that doesn't have anything to do with my career path or sporting life - Scientology documentaries/books. I rope Dex into doing nose-strips and face packs, and every once in a while when I have the time, I take to my bed for a day to watch movies and eat tortilla chips with nacho cheese dip!

Doing the things that make you happy, that take the stress away in that moment, that's SO important. You are important. The things that make your life better are important. Do more of them.

If you're a fan of self care, let me know your recommendations for things to do in the comments!

Amy,

xo

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Beauty Tag!

I'm so blocked when it comes to writing, it's killing me! I'm coming to you today with a tag, because I'm trying to work off the block right now. Bear with me, this isn't my usual style. 

On we go!

SKINCARE

-How many times do you wash your face daily?
I wash my face once a day, but I use cleanser twice a day. 

-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
Oily with dry patches. Generally speaking my skin is actually pretty well behaved. 

-What is your current facial wash?
I use the Peaches and Clean Cleansing Milk from Soap and Glory. 

-Do you exfoliate?
Once a day, maybe once every other day. 

-What brand do you use?
I move between exfoliating masks from Lush and Loreal Men Expert Pure Power.

-What moisturizer do you use?
Nivea Q10 Energising Day Cream every day without fail! It's my holy grail.

-Do you have freckles?
Yep. Comes with the territory of being ginger!

-Do you use eye cream?
Sometimes, when I do I use the Nivea Q10 Eye Cream

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
I've never had acne, woohoo!!

-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
Nope. Never!! 

MAKE-UP

-What foundation do you use?
I move between Estee Lauder Double Wear, Rimmel Match Perfection, and Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1, 

-How about concealer?
Collection Lasting Perfection

-Do you know your undertone color?
I think it's pink? 

-What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I like them, they can really make a look 

-Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months?
I did, but I don't always abide by that...

-What brand of mascara do you use?
Benefit Roller Lash or Catrice False Lash Effect

-Sephora or MAC?
After being in Paris, Sephora all the way! BRING SEPHORA TO DUBLIN!

-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
Nay! 

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
Brushes and my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge...

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
Not always, but when I do I use my Essence I Heart Stage primer

-For the face?
Without a doubt, my Catrice Smoothing Pore Refiner

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
I love a smokey eye... 

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
Both! 

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
Every time, I'm clumsy!!

-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
They're alright, I haven't much experience of them to be honest... 

-Do you use mineral makeup?
Not that I'm aware of.

-What is your favorite lipstick?
Ah lads, how long have you got to hear me wax lyrical?! I love my HEMA red, Urban Decay Shame, MAC Faux, to name but three...

-How about lipgloss?
I cannot abide the stuff, it makes me feel so uncomfortable. 

-What is your favorite blush to use?
Catrice Ultimate Color in Rosewood Forest

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
Nope. Never. 

-Do you like drugstore makeup?
I love it, often times I will opt for budget brands over high end...

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
Like The Cosmetic Outlet? Sometimes! 

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
Yes, please someone teach me! 

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
Well I don't know how to make my winged liner match, and I've been wearing winged liner for years...

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
Some girls don't know how important brows are. Also, BLEND DOWN YOUR NECK OMG!!!

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I like both, I tend to go for neutral eyes and a bright lip. 

-Which celebrity always has great make up?
Emmmm, I cant think of any celebrities...

-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
Brows, brows, brows, brows, BROWS!

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Of course. I do it all the time. I don't need a full face to feel beautiful. 

-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
I've got to say, I feel just as confident without makeup. 

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
Hmmmm..... I love Urban Decay, but I also feel incredibly loyal to Rimmel...

-What do you think of Makeup? 
I think it's an incredible thing, you can use it any way you like and express yourself any way you see fit. I think it's wonderful and liberating and fun. 

I TAG: All of you reading this! If you decide to do this tag, send me the link, I would love to read it! 

Amy 

xo

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The Bigger, The Better - GlassesShop.com REVIEW

If you've been here for a while you might know that I'm a bit of a glasses addict, for lack of a better way of putting it. In the past year, I've accumulated five pairs of corrective eyeglasses with my current scrip in them. I love having glasses I can treat like another accessory - albeit much more useful than rings or chains!

Recently, Glasseshop.com got in touch again to ask me would I like to work with them again, to review a new pair of frames from their new range! Since I'm me, and I love glasses so so much, I of course said yes, and here we are. They have a whole plethora of new stock, from regular glasses frames, to prescription sunglasses, of every shape and size, for every taste.

I love tortoise shell toned frames of every shape and size, I love giant frames and I love them to be lightweight. And today I am going to review a frame that ticks all of those boxes! I've a huge soft spot for oversized designer frames, but with my return to college, I don't really have the budget!

The Mamie Wayfarer has a large prescription lens, which I think is great, every way I look, I can't see the frame. The arms of the frame are thin enough to be lightweight, thick enough to have decent strength. I am incredibly pleased with the build quality of the frame. Having already gotten to wear a pair of frames from Glasses Shop (you can read the review HERE), the best thing about the frames I've found is the toughness. They're springy, they're robust and they don't scuff!

What I love about these frames is that I can wear elaborate eye makeup, and you can see it behind the lens and frame. In many other frames I've worn, I can't justify wearing eyeliner or any eye makeup because the smaller the frame, the less you;ll see it! With this, you are guaranteed to see my liner wings and I don't risk mascara smudges on the inside of the lens.

I love the frame pattern, a subtle tortoise shell motif that looks like a plain black glossy finish in the right light. It's subtle, picking up my freckles in the golden brown shade and complimenting my red hair to boot!!

If you've ever bought a pair of well fitting frames, you will be able to pull the measurements from the inside of the arm on the frame, which will help you pick a well fitting frame from GlassesShop. That way, you'll be sure that you're buying the right size for your face, as you would be if you were to buy shoes online. Glasses Shop also have a helpful guide to help you work out the measurements and what they mean and you can find it HERE!

If you're in the market for a new pair of glasses, I have a coupon code for my readers: GSHOT50 will get you 50% off any frame you want, including sunglasses and you'll get the prescription lenses for free. The only caveat is that you can't use this code on frames that are in the sale section.

So now I must ask, what do you think of my new glasses?

Be brutal! 

Amy 

xo

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Thanks to GlassesShop.com for providing me with these frames to review. 

No money has changed hands for this post - #NotSpon 

The College Comeback - Doing It Maturely

Going back to college as a mature student, well, that's a different story to the usual college experience. When you're 18 and wildly into partying, there's a different culture to being 25 and chasing a dream career. Chances are, you've been out of the education system a little while, maybe you didn't have such a good time in college first time around.

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In order to succeed at anything, preparation is key. Prepare yourself for the course ahead. Know what you're getting into. For me, I'm taking on a special purpose award level 7 from Dublin Business School in Digital Marketing. I have been through the module headings, spoken to the lecturers, emailed and called the college with questions, and I've taken online courses that give me a stronger grounding in the concepts I'll come up against in lectures.

Don't get too overwhelmed. Keep lists and plans. Invest in a FiloFax or a diary of some kind. Write down your deadlines, make notes of meetings you need to attend. Spend time in the library. Read on the bus or the train. If you know the things you need to do, you can tackle them more easily and the act of checking things off a list will motivate you to keep going.

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Having an end goal is great, but short term goals are key to maintaining momentum. You see it all the time, people who go into something feet first and end up drowning in work, with no real focus or drive or direction. Knowing what you want at the end of the course is of course a huge driver, but do you know what you need to do at the end of every month to keep you moving towards that end goal? Short term goals will keep your wheels in motion, and every one you meet is one step closer to the dream.

Plan for after the course. Apply for jobs or internships. Know what you're going to be doing when the course finishes up and you graduate. Have a plan stepped out so you're not going to flounder when you finally have your qualification.

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Take breaks, though. Remember to look after yourself. I've been talking to friends about my impending studies, and one thing I've noticed myself saying if that I'll be "climbing the walls". Probably not a good thing, girl! So I'm going to make plans for one or two weekend breaks, archery, and friends. Keeping the balance in life means you can maintain some sanity in the midst of all the academia. Go for cocktails once in a while, eat dinner with your other half, watch B-movies with your friends. If you plan and prepare well, you won't have to worry about taking weekends off!

Enjoy your college experience, dear reader, and take from it everything you can possibly get! 

I wish you the best of luck, 

Amy,

xo

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