2013; A quick recap and some (probably unrealistic) hopes for 2014!

Hiya Peeps!

So as 2013 draws to a close, I thought what better way to celebrate my final post of the year than recapping everything that's happened in my life. For the most part it's been a pretty good year and I've had amazing people around me, but 2013 hasn't been all fabulous. Despite that, I've learned a hell of a lot, hung out with some amazing people and I've smiled almost all the way through. So without further ado, here's what happened to me in 2013... (And I'm sorry it's not in chronological order, I'm painfully lazy!).

Possibly the biggest and most talked about thing for me this year was when I graduated University back in July. I know it was 6 months ago now, and I haven't really stopped going on about it, but I actually still can't believe it happened. I've blogged about it a lot and you can check that out here, here & here and if you want to see the exact moment I 'officially' became a graduate, skip to 0.55 of this video and listen to my family scream at me... I won't talk too much about it because I've already said way too much, but I had the most amazing time with some really incredible people who I can't thank enough. I learned so much about my future, but also about myself as a person, so good job Cardiff, you treated me well.

After I finished studying, I was also lucky enough to land myself my first real bit of work experience with Social and Mobile Media agency, Coup Media. It's also something I've spoken about already on my blog and you can read more about it here, but like being at University, I learned so much while I was with them, and it's only made my passion for Social Media grow, so cheers guys!

2013 was also the year that I started to take blogging seriously. Now I know what you're all thinking... 'Amy, you haven't taken it that seriously, you haven't posted in about a month' and you're right. Towards the end of the year I have been slacking, but I promise you, 2014 is our year! I hit 2000 views which is absolutely huge for me, so thank you to everyone who's read previous posts or is reading now. Whether you've read all of my waffle from the beginning or whether this is your first time on my blog, thank you! And while we're on the Social Media topic, I also wrote my 20,000th tweet in 2013. A lot of you will say that this is because I don't have a life, but I think it's just because I have a lot to say, and I really like the internet. Tyler Oakley also followed and then unfollowed me this year, but I'm keeping this in because I'm so sad that it's no longer a reality.

For me, this year was a big year for music. I'm not necessarily talking about artists that have broken through into the top 100 or that have kick-started their careers, but I'm talking about music that I have discovered this year, and artists that I've been lucky enough to see live. Artists like SoMo, Kid Ink, Jay Loftus and Lewis Mokler have had my heart this year when it comes to discovering new talent. I also happen to have a love affair with Little Mix, Union J and Wiz Khalifa this year. I've been lucky enough to see some of my favourite artists this year including Hoodie Allen, Tyler Hilton, Bruno Mars, Ellie Goulding and Mcfly, among others! Music has spoken to me a lot in 2013 and pulled me through so much. I'm starting to realise that I think I love music more than people.

2013 is also the year of McBusted, and I honestly couldn't be more excited about it. I'm going to be seeing them in 2014 with my sister, and I'm super stoked. I've been wanting McFly and Busted to collab again for a really long time so I can't wait to be a part of it. It's also the year of the first McBaby and that's another thing that is super amazing. Being part of a fandom for such a long time, you really feel it when things like this happen and I just know he or she is going to be the coolest and most spoiled kid of all time!

Oh and for those of you who know, you'll now how hard the next two things were for me. Lent came around and I really wanted to have a good stab at it this year. I always give up things that I can't stick to, but this year I was going to push myself. I drink A LOT of Diet Coke and my Uni friends thought contracting me to give it up for 40 days would be a laugh. I knew it would be the hardest thing ever, but I decided to give it a whirl... And I actually stuck to it. And on the last day of Lent, I bought a crate of 30 cans of the gorgeous, fizzy, sugar free goodness and haven't looked back since. I also battled with my weight a lot throughout 2013. My anxiety got really bad, and in turn I think I got really lazy and just put on a lot of weight. I also think being in the University environment doesn't help when everyone around you can eat whatever they want and it goes to your thighs, rather than theirs. However, I have also lost a lot of weight this year. So far I've lost about 2 stone and in 2014, I hope to lose more. I've been at a bit of a standstill for a while so am looking for a bit of extra inspiration to push my weightloss in the new year!

Looking ahead to 2014, I have a lot of dreams and things I want to achieve. All of this year, and most of my life I've talked about my love affair with the USA. I am 100% certain I was born on the wrong continent, and this is something I want to work on over the next year and many more to come. I want to spend some time in America, whether that's a two week holiday or a three travelling trip, I'm going to do it. Ideally I want to hit up Florida before the summer, Los Angeles in October and New York for xmas. All probably completely unrealistic, but if I even manage to achieve one of those I'll be a happy little soul. America has had my heart since I was 11 years old, and I can't wait to get back.

I've mentioned it already, but I want to get to my goal weight in 2014. I'm not going to tell you how much I weigh now, but ideally, I want to weight 5lbs less than Harry Styles which I believe is 11stone. My friends know the reason why, but I'm not going into it on the internet. And when I get to that weight I want to maintain it. It's one thing to lose weight, but to stay there is the hard bit, so hopefully I can do it! 

I also hope that 2014 will be my year for luck in Love. Everyone I know is going to be freaking out about this because for the longest time I've been happy being single, and I still am but I guess I'm ready for someone to cuddle and eat Nandos with while watching trashy TV (soooo vommy I know, and I almost hate myself for writing it). I'm not asking for much though, so maybe Harry Styles will see my potential in 2014 and fall madly in love with me. 

So that's it. Thank you so much if you've lasted until the end of this post and thank you all for sticking by me this year. 2013 has been a pretty good one, but I'm almost certain that next year is going to be even better. 2014 is MY year. All of my Social Media links are in the side bar so come chat to me, I'm nice enough. Tweet me or tell me in the comments, what are your plans for 2014? 

You can check out my 2013 in photos on my Instagram or here!

Thanks again for stopping by,

Take care, Stay Beautiful and Dream Big (especially in 2014!)

All the love in the world, 

@amyjcollins

I'm back! | Figuring Out Where I'm Going in Life - The Next Chapter

Hiya Peeps!

I know it's been a super long time since I've been here, but please don't judge me, I've been super busy trying to figure a few things out and now I'm (hopefully) back for good. Setting myself a goal to post on a weekly basis on a certain day and time was obviously something that I wasn't going to be able to stick to, so I'm sorry for that also! 

As you may know, in July this year I graduated from The University of Glamorgan (now The University of South Wales) with a 2:1 in Media Production (I know, I still can't really believe it either!). Throughout the whole of my third year I didn't really think about what I was going to do after graduation, I guess I just focused on the work and holding onto the University lifestyle. I always knew that the time would come when it would all be over and I'd have to start looking for a job, but I tried to block it out. I'm one of those people who haven't figured out what I want to do yet, so actually getting my head down and applying for stuff scared the living wits out of me. 

Since I was able to get my hands on a computer with internet access, I've been a little bit addicted to Social Media. Don't laugh, I was even on Habbo Hotel and Neopets (and if you don't know what those are, I'm judging you!). During my third year at Uni, Social Media really became my thing, and I knew that it was what I wanted to do as a career. The whole Social Media movement excites me and watching how everything and everyone is moving online is fascinating. People use the internet so much in their every day lives and it's an industry that's moving so quickly, I can't see it ever being boring. When I finished Uni, I was lucky enough to land an internship with a Social and Mobile Media Agency in Newport and it completely changed my life. Being there, I learned so much and my passion for the business only grew more. I wanted to work in Community Managment and I wanted to spend all of my time online. 

 

I've since moved home to Essex, and finding a full time job is proving more difficult that I had hoped. Everyone told us it wasn't going to be easy, but I never ever anticipated that it could be this stressful. It's hard because everything you apply for asks for more experience than I have, but how am I ever supposed to get experience when no one will take a chance on me? I know my industry is a difficult one to get into and everyone is in the same boat, but I sometimes question where I'm going wrong. I have a part-time job which has been a lifesaver for me, but I can't help but look at where I am now and see that I'm in exactly the same spot I was in before I acquired my degree. It's really hard to be upbeat about the future when you literally have no clue where you're going in life, or really where you want to be. 

Last week I made the trip back to Cardiff where I studied to catch up with some of my friends and family, and my FMP lecturer from Uni. Going back was one of the strangest things I've ever experienced and being back in The Atrium was even weirder. I drove past where I lived, and went back to the place where I graduated and couldn't help but feel the huge lump in throat that it was all really over. I went back to my University to meet one of good friends who was also my FMP lecturer, Julie, and that was the strangest part. Being back in the building where I studied for three years didn't feel like home anymore. On one hand, I wouldn't have found it strange if my friends had walked in and we'd have gone to lectures, but on the other, I couldn't help but notice that it wasn't my life anymore. There were hundreds of people around me and not one of them knew who I was or that I'd even studied there before. Speaking to Julie, though, has made me feel a lot better about things. First, she gave me a kick up the backside about not blogging (probably why I'm back!) but she also helped me to feel okay about the fact that I'm not sure where I'm going yet. She reassured me that most people are in the same situation and as long as I have dreams and aspirations I'll get there one day soon. Seeing my best friends from Uni really brought it all home to me that most of us really are the same. We spent so long sharing all of our memories and I was so grateful to see them all again, but it was also so nice knowing that we all believe in each other. I think the Uni Glam Class of 2013 are the best yet! 

I've been thinking a lot recently about what the next step is for me. It's hard knowing that my University life is over, but that's not then end of my story. I've got so much more that I want to achieve and so many things that I want to see that I'm not giving up on. While a career is so extremely important to me, I've also decided that I might want to travel a bit. If you know me well, you'll know that I've always said I was born on the wrong side of the pond. My heart belongs to America, and even though I've only been there twice, I cannot wait to get back. I've decided that I NEED to go back. I want to spend part of next summer in Los Angeles, but that all depends on what I'm doing career wise at the point. I'm still applying for Social Media and PR & Marketing jobs every day in the hope that something will come along real soon. I guess I don't have a finalised goal of where I want to be. I don't know if I'll stay here in the UK or if I will make it to the US, who knows?! All I know is that I have great people around me, a degree that I'm proud of and the power to be whoever I want to be. I have no limits. I'm lucky enough to have the most supportive family and friends out there, and I know they'll be there for me whatever I do in life. 

I guess this is really a post for anyone who's in the same position as me, or for someone at Uni or someone who's thinking about going. It's a post for my family and friends, but it's also a post for me. It's good to talk about what you're going through and hopefully this way I'll find even more people that can relate to my experience. 

I know this is kind of a serious post but I do also want to keep this blog light-hearted and fun to be a part of. I'm going to keep blogging about life after University, but I also want to keep the Beauty and Tag theme around. What do you want to see me talk about next time? Pleaseee give me suggestions because they're really helpful at moments of severe writers block, but I also want to write stuff that you want to read! Just tweet me @amyjcollins or comment any ideas that you have! There are plenty of other Social Media sites where you can grab me as well, links are all in the sidebar. I hope you're still enjoying my blog and I'll see you very soon! 

Thanks so much for stopping by, all the love in the world,

Take care, stay beautiful and dream big!

@amyjcollins

xox

August Favourites - Oopsie, it's the middle of September!

Hiya Peeps! 

Happy Sunday! I'm back with another post, finally! I know it's a little late but I'm going with my August favourites.

I've actually had quite a few favourites last month but I'm still loving a lot of stuff from July. I apologise in advance for the poor images. I'm taking the photos at the moment on my iPhone and they're not brilliantly edited or great quality, but hey ho!

Maybelline Baby Lips

I'm sure that these have been released in the US for quite a long time but they came to the UK last month. I was sooo excited to try them because there was so much hype around them and they definitely didn't disappoint. I have them in two colours (Peach Kiss and Cherry Me) and I really like them both. The red colour is super pigmented for a lip balm so you can really see it on my lips. I love the Peach shade for when I'm going for a more natural look or if I'm wearing really simple make-up. I would definitely recommend these for younger girls who are experimenting with make-up as they're a cheap alternative to a lipstick and aren't as heavy.

Kate Moss Rimmel Lipsticks

 
Like I said in my July favourites, I've never been a real wearer of lipstick. I've been experimenting more and recently tried the Kate Moss range from Rimmel. I bought one colour from each of her ranges and actually wear them both an awful lot. I have shade 1 from the Lasting Finish range which is a gorgeous bright red colour. This is something I NEVER thought I'd wear, but I really love it. It works so well for evening make-up, but I really like wearing it in the day for a burst of colour when I've gone for really simple make-up. The second I have is from the matte collection is called Soft Pink (no 16?) and is a great colour for everyday wear. A definite must have in your collection.

Natural Collection Blush -Dusky Pink

I tried this blush just by chance and was so impressed because it was super cheap! It was only like £1.99 and it's super pigmented. This shade is so great for everyday wear and gives my cheeks the very slight, pink blush that I need to look healthy.

Wearing My Hair Tied Up
 I know this really won't apply to any of you, and this isn't really something you can try off the back off my recommendation, but all throughout August, I loved wearing my hair up. During some parts of the month it was just sooo hot and virtually impossible to wear my hair down and I eventually really started liking the way my hair looked when it was up. But yeah, just wanted to put this in. It's not really relevant to you guys but yeah haha.

Hoodie Allen
 
All through August I was completely obsessed by this man. For those of you who don't know who Hoodie is, he's an American rapper. If you're not familiar with his music, you should definitely check his music out. All of his EP's are available for free download on his website so go get them! I was lucky enough to see him in London at the start of September and it's been one of my favourite shows to date. Yeah, just go check him out.

Slimming World
Now, as some of you will know from previous posts of mine, I've been trying to lose some of the many extra pounds I've got hanging around. I decided to give Slimming World a go with my nan (woooo!) and I'm actually really impressed with the results. I've actually lost a stone and 4lbs now, and I know I've still got a long way to go, but I'm happy with how it's going so far. The diet itself doesn't make sense and I still don't really understand how it actually works, but it does! I'm really trying to keep it up because I'm finally starting to see results. If you're looking for a way of losing a bit of weight, I really would recommend Slimming World. It's a lot easier than it looks and it really does work.

Peach Sprite

 This is more of just a side note really as I've only actually had this once during August. I met up with my friend Ben (@Ben_Tarrant) in London and we went for lunch at Five Guys. If you haven't been there and you like burgers, just go. You won't regret it. But yeah, in there they have these immense drinks machines where you can basically put any flavour into any soft drink and it's craaaazy! I went with peach Sprite and it was b-e-a-utiful. I know that it's not something that's readily available in the UK, but what about in the US or the other countries that you're reading from. If you have peach flavoured Sprite in your country, please let me know!

But that's pretty much it. There are quite a few things that I've already fallen in love with in the month of September, so you have next month's favourites to look forward to, and they're coming a lot sooner than this one did.

For next week, I kind of want to sign my post over to you guys. If you've got anything that you'd like me to talk about please let me know in the comments below or drop me a tweet @amyjcollins and I'll do my best to give it a try! I also really want to do a review week real soon where people ask me to review products / things and I give my honest opinion on a different thing each day. Again, let me know if you have any ideas.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by.
Take care, stay beautiful and dream big!
All the love in the world,
amyjcollins
xox

Terrible Excuse for a Blogger! - 10 Different Ways to Apologise

Hiya Peeps!

So, as you can see by today's title, I am accepting that I have been a terrible human being. I made a pact with myself and you guys that I'd upload regularly (on a Sunday) and since I made that official, I haven't really stuck to it. It was all well and good me making the commitment to post on that day, but I'm a super busy human being and apparently also quite a lazy one. So this is me apologising without a real excuse, but hey, at least I'm trying! 

Today's post is kind of a filler ahead of Sunday's, and I thought I'd stick with something kind of topical. As I'm saying sorry, I thought why not give you '10 Different Ways to Apologise'. I've spent quite a while (at least an hour) trying to think of creative things to put here, so here it goes.

1. Hug them

Sometimes just simply giving someone a cuddle can do all the talking.

(Me and my best friend not apologising to each other, but it's a nice huggy photo. Sorry, Chris!)

2. Send them a video

More often than not, knowing what to say in person is really difficult. Whether you make a video (like the one above) or send someone their favourite video to cheer them up, it can sometimes be a good apology.

(I borrowed this video from YouTube! All credit to the person who made it.)

3. Write a song / poem

This is for all the lyrical folk among us. If words just aren't enough, or you can't say them in the right way, sing them! When things rhyme, they sound a lot cuter.

4. Buy a gift 

It doesn't have to be an expensive gift; in fact, it doesn't need to have cost anything at all. Gifts, like hugs, can sometimes speak the words you don't know how to say. Flowers are always a winner, as are chocolates (in my eyes).  For the arty and crafty people, there's always a handmade gift and if you're rolling in the money, your friend will almost always appreciate a car!

5. Write a letter

A letter is a really great way to say sorry. If you're not ready or able to be face to face with who you're apologising to, a letter works really well. It allows some space between people and gives them time to think. It also shows that you're sincere and you've taken time and effort to write it.

6. Dress up funny and pay them a visit

This is more for those of us who are really awkward with confrontation and have real panic when it comes to apologising (me!). It adds a bit of comedic value to the situation and nothing says sorry like me dressed up as a really pathetic looking mouse! 

(This wasn't an actual apology, this is me and my friend on Halloween but it's the best picture of me dressed up that I could find. Sorry, Jack!)

7. Cook something 

This would never work for me as I'm a terrible excuse for a chef, but for some of you it will. Baking a cute cake or someone's favourite meal could be the perfect way to cheer them up. Just make sure everything is cooked properly before serving it; you don't want to make someone ill as well as mad at you.

8. Public apology

When I use the term 'public apology', I'm actually being quite vague. In my eyes, this can vary from anything to saying a big sorry in a restaurant full of people to posting an apology tweet or blog post (hey, isn't that exactly what this is?!). Basically, it's public in the sense that other people will see it and see how sorry you are, and hopefully that way, so will the other person. (Please don't go with a cringey Facebook status, though. That really bugs me!)

9. Apologise through somebody else

Sometimes saying 'sorry' to someone's face is really difficult, especially if you're shy or uncomfortable with confrontation. If writing a letter isn't something that would work for you, why not talk to someone else about how sorry you feel. That way they may share how you feel, and it can sometimes be really sincere. If the person you've upset hears how sorry you are, maybe they'll accept your (sort of) apology.

10. Just say 'Sorry' (and mean it).

But finally, when it comes down to it, sometimes the best way to apologise is to just say 'sorry'. A face to face apology is probably the most heartfelt and sincere of apologies and it usually means the most. If you really mean it, it'll come across in your face and body language, and with a bit of luck, all will be fixed!

So there you have it, peeps. I truly am sorry! If I could write a song for you all or pay you all a visit dressed a chicken, I would. I hope this helps you if you have something to apologise for / someone to apologise to. If you liked this post, please let me know on Twitter @amyjcollins. Follow me, and I'll follow back and we can chat. Please follow (bloglovin') and share this post where you can. It really means the world to me!

Thank you so much for sticking around and being patient with me,

Take care, stay beautiful and DREAM BIG!

All the love in the world, 

amyjcollins

xox

Midweek Misery and The Big Brother Final.

Hiya Peeps!

Don't worry, midweek posting isn't going to be a regular thing. You can calm down, I won't be forever bombarding you with my constant chatter. 

I just really wanted to have a moan; I'm feeling a little sorry for myself today and blogging lets me get some things off my chest. I'm feeling poopey because even though I've been doing quite well with the whole weight loss thing (if I do say so myself), I bought a couple of casual dresses online and they just look horrific on me. I thought after losing almost a stone, I might start feeling a little better about my body and that clothes might start to look a little better, but I'm just not getting that yet. I know it's going to take time, but a stone is a lot to lose and I thought I'd be seeing some results by now. It's just frustrating because I really like the dresses and I know they'd look good on most other people. So basically, that's it. Sorry for my little rant. 

In happier, and slightly more exciting news, however, last night I went to the Big Brother Final. I've been to a lot of pre-recorded and live TV shows before, so I wasn't expecting this one to be all that different, but it was on another level. The production was of such a high standard and there were so many crew. It's not like being in a small TV studio with a crew of 30 and an audience of 200, there were so many people! The whole 'live' atmosphere is such a buzz and it just adds to the excitement of being at a TV recording. It really was so much fun, and we had a great spot right next to the stairs where the housemates come out. That being said, we were also right opposite where the media were, meaning that we're in the back of quite a lot of the press shots. It was hilarious coming out to messages / tweets from friends saying they'd just seen me on TV! 

 (Emma Willis' cue cards. Such a fangirl! Given to me by Floor Manager.)

But more than anything else, being back in the television environment has really given me a buzz for the industry again. I always knew I was passionate about TV production, but this has just confirmed it all the more. Being away from the TV production environment and coming back to it has made me want it so much more. Watching the Floor Manager work was so inspiring for me, and I even managed to grab a few words with him at the end which was awesome. He gave me some really good advice and really got me passionate for the business again.

Something that I kept a real close eye on over the course of the night was the fashion and the outfits that the contestants decided to wear for the final. I've decided that Sunday's post will possibly be a reflection of that. I might discuss what I thought of the whole event and focus mainly on what everyone looked like, and what my opinions were. What do you think? Let me know if you think this is a horrid idea and I'll come up with something else, but I think it could be quite fun. It's not like anything I've ever done before and it might be nice to get my opinions across. Tweet me @amyjcollins or let me know in the comments below what you think my next post should be about. 

Again, I'm sorry for posting midweek when I said I wouldn't, I just really wanted to let you know about my Big Brother experience and have a little whinge about my body. I also don't blame you if you haven't read down this far.

Thanks for stopping by, all the love in the world,

Take care, stay beautiful and dream big, people!

@amyjcollins

xox

Poopey Week - 11 Personal Questions

Hiya Peeps! 

So this isn't what I had planned for today's post, but I've had a pretty horrendous week. I've been quite busy at work, as well as attempting to overcome two illnesses, and to make things worse, the ear infection I had last week has come back, so I feel more poopey.

But despite feeling like death warmed up, I am here for you! I found this tag on Anna Saccone's blog and thought I'd give it a go. It gives you a chance to find out some more info about me, and is an easy one for me to do on the go.

1. What do you order at Starbucks?
Well, I'm not a regular customer at Starbucks because there isn't one close to me and I don't actually like coffee (sorry!). Occasionally, though, I will go to Starbucks and if I do, I usually order a Skinny Caramel Creme Frappachino, no whipped cream.
 
2. What's one thing in your closet that you can't live without?
 It's going to sound really boring, but the one thing in my closet that I can't live without is leggings. I think they're a staple item in any closet, and I think you can make them work with pretty much anything. Dress them up with a shirt and heels, or dress them down with a baggy tee and Vans. Simple, but a necessity.

3. What's one thing that most people don't know about you?
 A lot of people don't know that I can play the steel drums. I actually used to be in a steel band and we played gigs quite often in my town. We even played at the local MP's birthday party which was pretty cool.

4. What's one thing you want to do before you die?
I really, really, really want to live in the US. I'm so desperate to go back to New York and I really want to visit California, but my ultimate dream is to live somewhere in America at some point in my life for a period of time. I don't mind if it's not on a permanent basis (even though that's the ultimate dream), but I just want it to happen.

5. What's one food you can't live without?
I think I'd have to say chicken. I know a lot of people will turn their noses up at that, but I really do love it. It's such a staple part of my diet and can be cooked and served in so many different ways.

6. What's one quote that you live your life by?
'Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game'. It's a quote from the movie, 'A Cinderella Story'. I'm not sure where the quote came from before that, but I really do like it. It keeps me inspired.

7. What's your no1 song on your iPod/iTunes?
Well if you're asking me for my most played song on iTunes, it's Neckbreaker by Blizzard. But if you're asking me for my favourite song on my iTunes, at the moment, it's probably No Interuption (Acoustic) by Hoodie Allen. The Americoustic EP that he released last week is amaaaazing! I cannot wait to see him in September. 

8. What kind of style would you describe yourself as having?
Average. Painfully, painfully average. I don't really have a style, I just wear baggy tee's, leggings and trainers most of the time!

9. Favourite Number?
 3.

10. Two Hobbies?
 I love Reading. Since I've finished University I've had more time for casual reading and it's been really good for me. As well as keeping my brain active, it's my escape. Is it sad to say that my other hobby is just the internet? I love writing blogs, reading blogs, watching vlogs and social networking. I can't keep off the internet most of the time!

11. Two Pet Peeves?
I really cannot stand when people click their joints, that's my biggest pet peeve EVER! I also really hate being ignored. It really annoys me. If I text you, at least have the decency to text me back. It doesn't take a second to send a text saying you're busy. Don't be sat in a group of friends and ignore my question three times, and then answer to someone else straight away. 

There we go, guys. I hope you've learned some more random stuff about me and I'm sorry it's not the exciting post some of you might have been expecting. I've got a lot of good things planned, as well as hopefully doing a review week really soon. What do you want to me see me talk about? Let me know in the comments, or tweet me @amyjcollins.

Thanks for stopping by; all the love in the world.
Take care, stay beautiful and DREAM BIG!
amyjcollins
xox

Very Quick Update

Hiya Peeps!

Hope you're all enjoying yesterday's post, and are reading back over all the other stuff I like to waffle on about. I have nothing major to report, sorry (!), but I just wanted to give you a quick update on where I'm going with life at the mo.

I've recently started taking this blog really seriously. It's something I'm really enjoying doing and something I can definitely see myself doing for quite some time. The more people that click on my blog, the more I want to put into it and the more I love writing it. It makes me so happy to know that people actually open this page, so thank you very much! 

I also want to try and make things a bit more regular around here. Since I started this blog, I've sort of just been uploading as and when it suits me or when I panic that I haven't posted in a while. That's a terrible way to do things and I won't be sticking to it! I've decided that I'm going to put out new posts every Sunday so keep your eyes peeled for that. It'll give us all something to look forward to at the end of the week.

Currently, I'm still doing the job hunting thing which is really sucky and not fun at all. I love finding jobs that I'd love to do and think I'd really suit doing, but when I apply & I hear nothing back, that isn't a whole lot of fun. As most of you know I love Social Media, and writing this blog has only made me want to do it more. Imagine if someone wanted to pay me to write a blog / tweet / spend hours on pinterest and tumblr... Stop dreaming Amy. But on a serious note, having a degree but no job sucks.

 I'm also giving that whole 'weight loss' thing a go. I've been feeling pretty crappy recently what with finishing Uni and having to kiss goodbye to some of my closest friends. When you feel bad, you eat bad and I've ended up looking like a baby whale, so I'm doing something about it. I've just started doing Slimming World (review coming in due course, it's bloody brilliant!) and in three weeks I've lost a whopping 9 & 1/2lbs which I'm pretty blooming proud of. I'm also trying hard to work out when I can, which normally consists of me jogging around like a freak listening to One Direction for inspiration. Harry Styles will never love me while I'm fat.

In other news, I bought a new handbag. I like buying new handbags but I'm super fussy and it usually takes me forever to find one that's right for me and all of my useless handbag crap (and my laptop). I was just shopping in town the other day and happened to go into H&M. I never really shop in there so was surprised to find a bag that I loved straight away. At £14.99 it was an absolute steal and it fits my laptop in it (WIN) so I am bloody laughing! SUCCESS.

So, that's it. I'm sorry to do this so soon after publishing my last post, but I wanted to make you aware of the changes going on over here. Oh, I've also added an 'About' page up there ^^^ so check it out to find out a bit more about me. My social media links are on the top right hand side of your screen so come chat to me! Don't forget to follow/subscribe where you can! 

That's all from me,

Thanks for stopping by, all the love in the world.

Take care, stay beautiful and DREAM BIG!

@amyjcollins

My First Time

Hiya Peeps!

If any of you are familiar with the blogging / vlogging community, you will have probably already seen this tag floating around the interwebs. I'm terribly sorry to disappoint but this is not a post about my first sexual experience. This is merely a post about me experiencing things for the first time. But it's a cheeky title, isn't it?! ;)

 First Pet - My first pet was the cutest rabbit in the whole wide world (this is a fact) and she was called Jasmine. My aunt bought my sister and I a rabbit each for Easter, which was actually the coolest Easter present EVER! Originally I wanted to name them Jasper and Horris (like 101 Dalmations) but the vet then told me that mine was a girl so I went with Jasmine. Lucy called hers Barney and we had them for about 7 years.

First Kiss - Oooooooh, cringe! I'm not going to name names in case by some chance he ends up reading this but my first proper kiss was with a guy I went to secondary school with. I think I was like 12/13 and I went round his house after school and we kissed... A LOT. From what I remember, my first kiss experience wasn't a terrible one... Probably because he'd kissed hundreds of people before me but that's all we'll say on that.

First CD / Piece of Music - The first piece of music I ever bought was actually a cassette tape and it was Peter Andre - Mysterious Girl. I remember my mom used to give me like £3 a week pocket money and I'd always spend mine in Virgin Megastores hah! The first CD I ever bought was Lionel Richie - Tender Heart and I still completely ADORE it! That wasn't the first CD I ever owned though; I was given DJ Luck and MC Neat - With a Little Bit of Luck for my birthday by my next door neighbours and that's still one of my favourite songs ever!

First Concert - The first concert I ever attended was the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party. I think it was in 2001 but I'm not entirely sure. It was at the ExCeL centre in London and I saw Blue, Westlife, Steps and S Club 7 as well as many others. We got told off a few times for standing on the chairs, but I don't think we cared too much!

First Job - Well my first job was a paper round and I hated it! It was horrifically boring and I'm very lazy meaning I never wanted to walk around delivering newspapers. When I was 16, I got my first 'proper' job working in a health and beauty shop and I've been there ever since!

First Tweet - My first tweet was 'is getting ready for work :|'. It was way back in April 2009 so I can't scroll back that far to take a screen shot, so you'll just have to trust me!

First Best Friend - My first best friend was a girl called Leanne. I'm lucky enough that she's still one of my best friends because she knows everything about me and we've been through so much with each other. We're actually born only ten days apart and our parents knew each other before we entered the world, so it was destined for us to be close really! We went all through primary and secondary school together and maintained our friendship despite going to different sixth forms and me going away to University. Love you, Lea, my little XXi p3N1.


So that's it. I'm sorry this post has been quite text heavy, but a lot of these things happened earlier in my life and I don't have photos of them. I hope you enjoy these kinds of posts / tags and if you do, please let me know! All of my social media links will be below; come talk to me, I'm really nice and would love to hear from you all.

Thanks so much for stopping by, all the love in the world,
Take care, stay beautiful and dream big!
@amyjcollins

July Favourites

Hiya Peeps!

So I've never done anything like this before but I know they're really popular with bloggers / vloggers. I thought I'd give it a go and if enough people like it, I'll do one every month. I have included some photos that I've taken myself. I know they're not the best, but I need to get into the habit of using images in my posts and I think it's always better to use your own where you can :).

Here we go! 

ASOS Curve

I've really been loving ASOS Curve this month. Because I'm quite a bit larger than the average human, I often struggle to find gorgeous clothes on the high street that fit my body shape. I was introduced to ASOS Curve by beauty blogger, Sprinkle of Glitter, and found that I actually really like a lot of their clothes. I bought a dress for my Nan's 70th and also went on to get two dresses for Graduation on there, one of which I ended up wearing and loving! If you're a little bit bigger than average, but still want to dress beautifully, it's definitely worth checking it out here. 

 

(I'm in the red dress!)

Fudge Urban Strong Hold Hairspray - Iced Raspberry & Vanilla

Now, I'm not a massive user of hairspray, just because I can never be bothered to do my hair, but when I came across this I just had to buy it. Working in a high street Health and Beauty store, I'm always introduced to the latest products in store and this really caught my eye. It's a really fabulous hairspray, isn't too sticky and holds really well, but it also smells ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. I usually completely hate the smell of hairspray so this was an absolute blessing!

Sleek Blusher Palette - Lace

There's not an awful lot I can say about this apart from that it's positively brilliant! Blusher is only something I've recently started using and I'm really glad I got my hands on this one. Sleek products are all really impressive and I use a lot of their make-up and they didn't disappoint with this one. The three colours are all super pigmented so you don't have to use a lot, meaning hopefully they'll last a really long time, woooo! My favourite is 'guipure' (the middle shade) but I'm really loving the orange-y shade this summer.  

Revlon Colourburst Lip butter

Aaaah, another thing that I've only recently started using. I've always hated lipstick so was delighted to find a product that wasn't too heavy but gave me a really great colour on my lips. It's a little shiny and sticky but it's no where near as claggy as a proper lipstick, which is why I think I've loved it so much! I have the shade 'Strawberry Shortcake'; it's a really subtle pink and perfect for the daytime!

Wake Me Up Foundation

I'm aware that this foundation has been around a while but it's taken me a while to get used to it. At first I thought it was awful and really claggy and just far too heavy for an everyday foundation, but I've actually grown to love it. It is quite heavy as a liquid foundation for every day but it does give great coverage and it's very glowy. You don't need to use a lot of it on the face as it spreads quite well and less is more, especially in this warmer weather! Definitely worth a go!

Candy Crush

Now, I don't know anyone that hasn't at least had a go at this game! It's seriously addictive and I find myself playing it at any spare minute I get. It's sad and slightly pathetic but I can't stay away! 

Geordie Shore

I'm aware that a lot of people will turn their noses up at this, but I love this show! I can't really give reasons as to why, because quite frankly it's an awful programme, but it's another seriously addictive thing in my life. I think Charlotte is ABSOLUTELY hilarious and I'm always laughing at the stupid things they're doing and saying. I also happen to think it's brilliantly edited which makes it a lot easier to watch. I also love that they're in Australia this series.

So that's it, those are a few things that I've been loving this month. I'm sorry my posts have been very few and far between recently. I've been super busy with work and just got back from a few days in Manchester visiting family (which was lovely, by the way!). I'm really going to try and be more regular with my posts. I've got some really good ideas for upcoming posts and can't wait to share them with you all, so keep your eyes peeled. If there's something you'd like to see me post about or discuss, please let me know and I'll be sure to give it a go. 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and sticking around.

Take care, stay beautiful and DREAM BIG!

All the love in the world,

@amyjcollins

I just graduated... What did you do today?!

Hiya Peeps!

Another University related post, I do apologise! I am trying to change things up a little bit by doing other posts for those of you who aren't interested in me constantly waffling on about Uni life and how much I miss it, so you can just skip over this one if you like! 

I thought I'd write a quick post about Graduation but I'm going to keep it short and sweet because Ill probably end up crying the whole way through! I'm going to chuck in a few photos as well, but don't laugh at me in a weird hat and my 127367202047 chins.

Graduation day was one of the best, yet hardest days of my life. It was so amazing getting to be back with all my friends and laughing & smiling and having a catch up with brilliant people. There was so much pride and love in the University on the morning of the ceremony and it made me feel so good about myself and everyone else. I still can't believe I actually got there and managed to complete three years and I was honoured and overwhelmed to be graduating with some of the incredible people I've met over the past 3 years. As much as I had the best day, it was also so difficult for me. As most of you know, I am EXTREMELY emotional and goodbyes are the hardest thing ever. The reality hit me quite soon after I arrived at the Uni that a lot of the people that I was sharing the day with, I probably wouldn't see for a really long time, if ever again. I've made some really good friends at Uni and some people that I honestly will never forget. The phrase of the day soon became 'it's not goobye, it's just a see you later' and I'm really going to try and hold on to that. 

^^ My amazing course friends / Exposure colleagues ^^

The ceremony was actually totally different to what I expected and I really enjoyed it. I got to sit next to one of the funniest guys on my module (he probably won't see this, so can someone else let Alex know haha) and he made me laugh the whole way through. I know it's not supposed to be an event that's funny, but you know when you get in one of those giggling fits in completely the wrong environment...? Well that happened to us quite a few times. 

^^ The beautiful Emily Sandall and I ^^

The hardest part of the day for me though, was all the photo taking after the ceremony. It was the seeing of everyone's families, the saying goodbyes, the chucking of the caps, the talking about the old times that threw me over the edge though. It really bought it back to me that the University chapter of my life was coming to an end, and I'm just not sure I'm ready.

 ^^ My best friends in the whole world. I couldn't have got through the past three years without them, I love them! Ellie & Emma ^^

I've had the most amazing support from so many people and I know I say it all the time, but honestly, thank you so much. I hope a lot of my friends will read this and they know who they are when I say it. I couldn't possibly list everyone here because I'm a forgetful chap and I wouldn't want to offend anyone. I'm just gonna add some photos from Graduation day so not everyone will be included (sorry) but fear not, I'm working on a 'University in Picutres' post so I'm sure you'll feature in there!

^^ The fantastic four, and the ones that I owe everything to. Thank you Emma, Ellie and Chris. You're amazing humans ^^

^^ Neech and I obviously found something hilar! Love this diamond ^^

^^ Best friends and Beverages! Sophie, Emily and Neech. ^^

^^ My favourite Irish woman, Jayne Tennyson <3 ^^

^^ I have the best friends I could ever ask for. Jayne, Sophia and Dan ^^

^^ Mr Saville and I looking exceptionally beautiful. I have slightly edited my face before anyone gets agg and calls me out on it. ^^

^^ Bestest boy in life. Chris Willsdon, you have been a gem! ^^

^^ Class of 2013, I love you ^^
Emily, Sophia, Gwyneth, Joe, Julie, Jack, Emma and Sophie

I love you all so much, thank you for everything.

Take care, stay beautiful and dream big! 

@amyjcollins

The 90's Tag!

Hiya Peeps,

First off, I just want to say a huge SORRY for not posting in what feels like forever. I’ve been suuuper busy the past few weeks what with my birthday and graduation that I just haven’t had time to write. I hope you can find it within your hearts to forgive me and will jump straight back on board!

So I saw some of my favvy YouTubers make a video called 'The 90's Tag' and being a 90's kid myself, I thought I'd give it a whirl. Obviously I appreciate this would be much more fun if it was a video, buttt I have a hideous face and don't make videos so I'm going to chuck it in a post. I like talking about my childhood and it just gives you more of an idea about what I like, and what I got up to as a child. 

I was born in 1992 so I am a 90's kid before anyone tries to challenge it. I grew up through the 1990's so therefore I count, woooo!

Here it goes.

1. Favourite Disney Movie?

Oooooh, this is a toughie. I know you're all going to hate me and tell me that my parents are sick and wrong but I never really watched Disney growing up. I was suuuuper obsessed with Toy Story though so I'd have to say that's my favourite Disney movie. 

I also love Parent Trap and my sister and I were and still are completely in love with it, so there you go. My favvy movie of all time, though, is Grease. (I know it's not Disney but I wanted to throw it in there anyway!)

2. Favourite Music Artist?

Another toughie. I was much more into music as a kid than I was TV or Films so I've got such a wide spectrum of music to choose from. There are the obvious ones that everyone loved like Britney Spears, Steps, Five, etc, but I have two favvys that really stick out for me. I was in LOVE with S Club 7. I wanted to be in S Club 7, especially when they started having their TV show and what not; that was huuuuge for me. 

 My other ultimate favourite was Aaron Carter. He wasn't really hugely popular in the UK but I was in loooove with him. He had his first single when he was like super young, but I loved it that we were similar ages, I think. I used to run around homework club singing his songs pretending they were mine. I believed he'd come and pick me up and take me back to America and do duets with me. It didn't happen. Sob. 

 ^^ This album was my prized possession as a kid! Massive thanks to my nan's neighbour who gave it to me as a present! ^^

I also loved Take That all throughout the 90's. I was so little when they split up and I used to cry at the realisation all the time. I used to sit and watch their videos all the time and I've still got them all somewhere, they were my favourite. I also had a Mark Owen doll growing up, but you can read a little more about that in my '50 Facts' post!
My first piece of music that I ever bought though, was Peter Andre - Mysterious Girl on cassette. Fantastic.

3. Favourite Candy / Sweeties?

Hands down - Freddo Frogs! I still love them, and I will always love them, even if they have gone up in price and smaller in size. Also, who remembers 'Taz' bars?! They were sick, I loved those. 

 I also had this freaky obsession with Candy Sticks. I have to steer well clear of them now or I'd just eat them ALWAYS! Also, Cola Cubes, just because.

4. Favourite Game? (Board Game / School Game)

My sister and I always had these really random board games as kids; we just weren't normal. We had this Popstars (like the TV show) game where you had to move around the board and up into the Top 10 and then you had to do karaoke. It was weird, but sooo fun. We also had this weird Eastenders game where you had to move around the board, kind of like Monopoloy. I think we still have it somewhere, I'll hunt it down and we can play it one day. 

I loved playing 'Heads Down, Thumbs Up' in school. I don't know if any of you guys have it, but we always used to play it when we had supply teachers or wet-playtimes. 

Oh, hahahah! I almost forgot to mention this. Whenever Lucy and I went swimming with our friends to Broxbourne Lido (which has since been demolished, sob) we used to play this weird game on the floats. We used to pretend to be Sabrina the Teenage Witch and her Cat, Salem. It was so odd.

5. Favourite McDonalds Happy Meal toy?

No question, it was when they did the TY Beenie Babies. We never ate McDonalds that much as kids so it was really hard for us to get the toys, but our next door neighbour used to get them for us ALL THE TIME. We loved her so much for that hah! 

6. Favourite Book?

Oh man, this is so funny! There is one book that stands out to me over all of the rest. My mum used to read to us all the time before we went to sleep but there's one book that I got from school that has always and will always stick out to me. I don't know if any of you have read it, but it's called 'The Pig is in the Pond'. Oh my god, I just loved it! They read it to us one time in class and I made my mother go on a massive shopping search for it just so I could have this book. I hope I've still got it somewhere because I loved it! 

I also still love the Biff and Chip books we used to have to read at school. They were so funny and I feel all nostalgic when I see my little little sister reading them!

7. Favourite Clothing store?

Definitely Tammy Girl. Going into Tammy was like going into heaven, no joke! If you got your clothes from there you were sooooo cool! I will always remember they used to play music videos in the changing rooms which was awesome (especially if you didn't have cable TV at home like us). They also had this whole separate area for like accessories and socks and they had this little photo booth in there and every week I'd go to town with my friends and spend all my pocket money on little photo stickers and funky socks! 

8. Favourite TV Show?

We only had Cable TV at my Dad's house as children so it was like a holiday getting to go around his and watch all the trashy American TV on Nickelodeon and Disney. I loved Saved by the Bell and I thought that's what high school was going to be like. It wasn't and it isn't. Sorry! I loved all the classics, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Sister Sister, Keenen & Kel, but there was one TV show that I absolutely adored. 

I don't actually know if it was 90's or not, but meh. TAINA! Does anyone else remember this?! I was bloody obsessed with it, and knew all the words to all the episodes and I just loved it. They should never have stopped it. 

^^ This episode with 'Blue Mascara' (3LW) was my favourite episode as a kid! I loved it soooo much! I wanted to include a picture but it just didn't do it justice so I found a clip and chucked it on, ENJOYYY!

As kids we used to love the little game shows like 50-50, Get Your Own Back, Jungle Run etc. They were super fun! There were just so many, I can't even think! 

Well, there you have it. I hope you've enjoyed this. I've loved going through my childhood and talking to my sister about being little and what we used to do. Please let me know if you like any of the same things as me or if you think I've forgotten anything. Tweet me @amyjcollins or just leave a comment on this post and I'll definitely get back to you. If you can, please follow the blog or subscribe with your email address so I can be aware of what you like / don't like.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Take care, stay beautiful and DREAM BIG!

I love youuuuu.

@amyjcollins

xoxo