Monthly Round-up #1

In May...

• I finished university! After 4 long years of training to be a primary school teacher I am finally qualified and never have to write an assignment again. It feels too good.
• My boyfriend moved back home. The negative of finishing uni is the fact that my boyfriend James has moved back home for summer. He's about 2 and a half hours away which isn't awful but we now need to plan our summer adventures.
• I've been getting creative. My extra time has allowed me to get extra creative this month. Lots of DIY posts to come!
• And finally...I've started a blog! Obviously this month I started my little blog and so far i'm loving every minute of it. Let's hope Little Jen continues to grow over the next few months. 

Next Month...

• I want to secure a full time teaching job for September
• I want to read at least 3 books
• I want to run at least twice a week

What is the best thing that happened to your this month?

Friday Favourite | Pink Beauty Products

What is it with pink makeup? I'm obsessed. When deciding between products, I always find myself drawn towards the pink and nude choices. My nails always look best when pink, nude or pastel. I've already admitted to being a nudest when it comes to lips and it seems my eyes always look sleepy unless I use a pink or champagne eyeshadow. These pink products have been some of my favourites over the past few weeks.

As far back as I can remember i've always been drawn to pink and nude nail polishes. I think I have been influenced by my mum who is an advocate for 'classy nails'. She has a beautiful collection of nudes, greys and pinks which I have dipped into over the years. Also, as i'm a primary school teacher, I try to keep my nails reasonably simple (even though I don't necessarily have to). Maybelline nail polishes make up most of my collection but the Maybelline Color Show in Love This Sweater might just be my favourite. It's so classy and subtle on the nails and paired with a topcoat, doesn't chip for days. 

Another Maybelline product I have been using is the oh so popular Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Pink Gold. I tend to find that a huge amount of eyeshadow colours don't suit me but a light sweep of this product adds a pop of colour to my eyes without making them look dirty and tired (anyone else know what I mean my dirty?). It lasts well and is a great eyeshadow to apply quickly if you're in a rush.

Recently I have been experimenting with makeup brushes and have fallen in love with the Real Techniques Stippling Brush. I'm always after a way to create that 'no makeup, makeup look' and this brush allows me to create a light, smooth base. The dual-fibre bristles are so soft and pick up the product well. For the past month or so I have been swapping between this brush and the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. They're both amazing.

I bought the Sleek Blush by 3 pallet after seeing a lot of other beauty bloggers/vloggers review it. Most blushers seem to suit me (or at least I think they do!) so a purchasing a pallet instead of more individual blushers seemed to make sense. I've been using the cream blush a lot as I try not to use too many powder products (stupid dry skin) and so far i've been very happy. From the two powder options I much prefer the shade 'Icing Sugar' as 'Pink Mint' is just a bit too dark for me. Perhaps it will be more appropriate in summer when I have a tan (wishful thinking Jen). 

As I've already said, i'm a complete nudest when it comes to lips. I've been branching out a bit recently and have particularly enjoyed exploring Revlon lip products. The Revlon Colourburst Lacquer Balm in Demure Reservee is a beautiful lip lacquer that gives your lips just the right amount of colour and shimmer. The Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Sky Line Pink is from their pearl collection and has a creamy consistency which is very hydrating on the lips. The colour isn't as pigmented but that works for me and my fear of intense colour. Its a lovely lipstick to throw on and not worry about colour fading, texture or smudging. Just my cup of tea.

(Left to right)

Revlon Colourburst Lacquer Balm (105, Demure Reservee)

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick (025 Sky Line Pink)

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Eyeshadow (Pink Gold)

Sleek Blush by 3 (369 Pink Lemonade - Icing Sugar, Macaroon, Pink Mint)

What is your favourite pink beauty product?

How to beat stress

Stress. That one little word that can have such a huge impact on your life. I never used to worry about anything until my anxiety kicked in and so i've had to adopt some stress relieving techniques. Being a teacher, I often find myself will 100 different tasks to complete and once and it can really bring a person down. As well as the usual strategies like being organised, I've learnt some things that really help me to get everything done.

Confront the problem.

One thing I have been guilty of doing of the past is to pretend certain jobs don't exist and will just disappear on their own. But lets face it, we all know that never ends well. It's important to actually face up to the jobs you need to accomplish, which leads us nicely on to tip number two. 

Lists.

If you're anything like me you often don't complete a goal because you simply forget! Often I will have a returns package ready for the post office sat under my desk and forget about it until it's too late (please say i'm not the only one)! I'm an obsessive list maker and it's the only way I will be able to make sense of the millions of things happening in my life. If I have important things to do for the next day, I will make a list and stick it on my mirror so I can't forget about them the next day. Plus how satisfying is it to tick things off a list! I also use the site Scribbless as an online list maker for when i'm glued to my laptop and don't have my phone or a pen to hand. 

Do the small jobs first.

Being faced with a list of 20 jobs can be quite daunting. Instead of starting off by doing your taxes or redecorating your house, begin with the small jobs. Lots of education theorists explain the need for 'quick wins' and I couldn't agree more. Look at your list and do the easiest and quickest jobs first. Booking a dentist appointment, cleaning your makeup brushes and doing the washing up are all jobs you can complete within a matter of minutes and gain instant satisfaction. It will also give you motivation to tackle the bigger jobs later on.

Reward yourself for the big jobs.

When it comes to tackling the biggest stresses in your life it's important to reward yourself afterwards. For example, I've had a few interviews recently and it takes a long time and a lot of energy to prepare everything for a lesson observation and an interview portfolio. Afterwards, I have allowed myself a couple of hours to sit and read blogs, watch films and eat some yummy homemade food. Knowing that I was going to reward myself made the tough jobs so much easier. If you don't reward yourself and move straight on to the next job you will loose motivation and feel deflated. 

Don't be afraid to ask for help.

I have never been one to ask for help...ever. I never let anyone proof read my university assignments and struggled through the long days of my teaching placement on my own. It wasn't until I met my other half and he forced his help upon me, when I realised how much easier things are with an extra helping hand. SInce then, I have used my friends and family as support for all sorts of jobs. And of course I have helped them in return. 

What are your stress relieving techniques?

What makes you happy? #1

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Something I have struggled with through the past 18 months is how to be happy. I went through a series of bad things and felt like I had nothing in my life to be happy about. It took a toll on my health (anxiety), my university attendance and therefore attainment and my social life. I lost the majority of my friends and I was in a low, lonely place.

This soon changed when I removed people from my life that made me unhappy and spent more time with my family and good friends. I also met my other half 6 months ago and he has done nothing but improve my life significantly (I wonder if he will read this). I have surprised myself with how well I have built myself back up from being such an unhappy person but even now I have to constantly remind myself of the positive things I have in my life. 

So after reading Rosie's '10 things that have made me happy this week' posts (incredible blog alert!), I've decided to take inspiration and tell you all what makes me happy. 

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Walking my dog 

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Teaching

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DIY projects

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Beautiful working spaces

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I don't think I need to explain this one 

What makes you happy?

Friday Favourite | LVNDR

LVNDR is a jewellery and fashion accessory shop that stocks the most beautiful dainty products you will ever see. Recently I decided to treat my hands to some of their pieces and i've never been happier. I have got into a routine of buying silver jewellery lately so I decided to buy some gold pieces to add to my collection. Luckily for my bank account, they were very reasonably priced (less that £4 each for the rings and £4.99 for the bracelet).

P.S how cute is this packaging! *Squeals*

Overall i'm very pleased I found this shop and will definitely be returning. The first time wearing the giraffe ring I received compliments from two different shop assistants (yes I was shopping again...oops) and even my other half liked it. So a very successful buy if you ask me.

What are your favourite jewellery shops?

DIY | Washi Tape Candles

If anyone else is as much of a Pinterest lover as me, you have probably seen these washi tape candles before. It's one of the simplest DIY projects ever and can bring a much needed pop of colour to a boring space. There really isn't a need for me to show you guys how to make these as they are so straightforward but heyho, here we go...

You will need: 

• washi tape (can be bought from ebay for £1-£2)
• tealight candles (mine are sweet vanilla and coconut scented from Primark)
• pair of scissors

Step 1

Take your washi tape and carefully wrap it around the side of the candle, trying to be as neat as you can on the top. There will probably be some excess tape on the bottom.

Step 2

Washi tape tends to be fairly thick so you won't need more than one layer. Cut off the tape and smooth down the edges.

Step 3

You may find that your tape is wider than your candle. In this case you can either tuck the excess tape underneath the candle or cut it off to create a smooth line.

Before                                                     After

This DIY project is so simple and you can choose any colour tape to compliment the room. Has anyone else tried this? 

Book Review | The Snow Child

At the beginning of this year I promised myself I would read one book per week. At the time it seemed like a pretty achievable goal as i'm always glued to my kindle. However with job interviews, teaching and writing a little thing called a dissertation, I found myself having no time the past couple of months. Now i've got a lot more time on my hands (bye uni!) i'm going to try to read a lot more and post the evidence on here.

So welcome to my first book review.

The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey

1920's Alaska. Jack and Mabel have started a new life in their cabin in the woods after the loss of her unborn baby. The stark wilderness is interrupted by the appearance of a little girl who lives in the snowy woods. The Snow Child tells the story of Jack and Mabel's acceptance of the little girl and the mystery surrounding who she is.

This book is perfectly paced, utterly captivating and ends unexpectedly. Mabel and Jack are very honest, relatable characters and you can really feel their pain. The story has an interesting balance between the mystical little girl and the realness of the daily struggle the couple face on the farm. Ivey describes the Alaskan wilderness perfectly and gives you a glimpse into the harshness of trying to make a living. On the whole the book took me about a week to read and I enjoyed every minute.

Rating : 4/5

Friday Favourite | Topshop lipsticks

Saint - Petal - Pillow Talk - Whimsical - Rio Rio

Now i'm not the biggest beauty addict in the world and I am certainly no expert but let's face it...I am a girl. Therefore, whenever I walk past a makeup stand my heart skips a beat. When it comes to lipstick I am a bit of a nudest and rarely find lipsticks that compliment my pale skin. However, Topshop seems to do the job. I bought my first makeup item from them about 6 months ago and haven't looked back since. In fact, I have actually repurchased the colour 'Saint' 3 times now (Yikes!). 

Saint - Petal - Pillow Talk - Whimsical - Rio Rio

Saint

Saint is my perfect nude. Like all Topshop lipsticks it is really velvety and nourishing on the lips. It suits my pale skin particularly well without making me look washed out. 

Petal

Petal is my newest addition and has taken a front row seat in my collection. It has quickly become a regular day time lipstick as it is still nude but with a more pink hint.

Pillow Talk

I'm going to be honest... Pillow Talk does not suit me as much as the others. Lip products that are too pink tend to not look quite right on me. Saying that, I have work this shade in the evenings and it looks beautiful. It's just slightly too pink for my daytime look!

Whimsical

Recently I have enjoyed wearing Whimsical with quite natural face makeup. It has been my go to evening lipstick and I can't fault it. Well done Topshop.

Rio Rio

Anyone that knows me will know how scared I am of red lipstick. I have been told I suit red but I've not had an occasion where I feel confident enough to wear it. I've even tried just wearing it around the house to try to get used to it. Anyone else do that? Just me? Let's hope I suddenly get invited to a ball and get the chance to test drive this beauty.

What's your favourite Topshop makeup product?

Well hello internet

Hi internet!

My names Jen and i'm a 22 year old primary school teacher from Manchester. I've read blogs for years and thought it was about time I started my own. I'm aiming to post 3 times a week on a Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. My blog will hopefully be full of DIY tips, book reviews, outfits and just a little bit of everything else! 

Speak to you all soon!