Hi there!

I would like to start by thanking Daniella (Polkadella) for nominating me for the Liebster Award. When I first started blogging back in June, I saw these posts but never really understood what they were about. This is an award which can be given to up and coming bloggers with under 200 followers.

The Rules:                                

So once you have been nominated you will need to follow these rules, that is if you decided to accept the nomination.

You will need post a blog post with the following included:

1. Accepting the award

2. Answer the questions set by the blogger who nominated you

3. Nominate 11 other bloggers (try to avoid repeats) for the award

4. Set 11 questions of your own for your nominees to answer

5. Please place the Liebster Badge on your post

Just remember when you nominate other bloggers you should post on their blog or send an email just to notify them that they have been nominated by you.

The quickest way to explain what's what is to give them a link to the rules which can be the link to your blog post. You also need to list the nominees on your blog with links so others can gain access.

Before I finished this post, I was nominated by two other bloggers too! (Lucy from Cheshire Beauty and Jess from Dungarees and Donuts) Which was so nice of them! So instead of doing three separate posts or an uber long one I thought I would answer some of all of them!

Now to answer the questions!!

1. What made you want to start blogging?

I finished school early this year as I had my GCSE exams and honestly I was bored. But my Year 10 chemistry teacher actually suggested I start a blog as I want to be a journalist.

2. What is the craziest thing you've done?

It may not sound very crazy to some people, but I jumped off of a 35ft cliff into the ocean when I was in Cornwall a few years back. This is a big deal for me because I have a minor phobia of heights!

3. What is your most precious possession?

I really had to think about this question. What I realise is that my necklace that I wear daily is actually quite precious to me. It's pretty simple - just a thin silver chin with an 'A' charm. I think my Mum got it for me when I was about 12 and I hardly ever take it off.

4. If you were on a desert island what 5 things would you take?

• The Hunger Games book series as it has a few survival skills in it and they are just amazing books!
• Food! Obviously, I love my food! 
• My laptop with internet connection,  I spend so much of my time on here...
• Sun cream as I burn easily 
• DVDs to pass the time away...

5. What skin type are you?

My skin is the one thing that annoys me the most! It can be dry as anything one minute and oily the next! But it is also really sensitive, so I guess I have combination skin?

6. What is your favourite make up beauty brand?

I love Maybelline and Rimmel London for my standard make up like foundation and lipstick, but for nail varnish it has to be Barry M!

7. What is your dream career?

Probably working in magazine or film production. I'm not bothered about being in them but I love the feeling of finishing a big project.

8. What's your favourite hobby (aside from blogging!)

Dancing! I've been doing ballet since I was two years old and have trained in various other styles throughout the years. I really don't know where I would be without it. 

9. Favourite high street store?

Definitely New Look, maybe because it's the only fashion store in my town but I have a lot of clothes from there!

10. Favourite place you've visited?

New York! I went in April 2012. I don't know why I love it so much but I literally tingled with excitement whilst I was there and it was so fun to be somewhere so iconic from films and other mediums.

11. Name three bands/singers that would be in your dream festival line up

Mumford and Sons, Kodaline and Bastille.

12. Who is your inspiration?

My inspiration is Jennifer Lawrence. I respect her for not being the stereotypical celebrity who thinks they have to be well behaved and always say the right thing. She isn't afraid to say something embarrassing and she also doesn't change how she looks just to get a role.

13. What is your favourite book?

The Fault In Our Stars. Just read it and you'll understand.

14. What is your favourite thing about yourself?

My eyes. They're unique to me... 

15. What is your biggest fear?

I used to have no obvious fears. But somehow over the last five years or so I have become a little scared of heights. I went up the Eiffel Tower in 2007 and was absolutely fine. However, going up the Empire State Building and the Jungfrau I was absolutely frozen with fear and couldn't go near the edge.

My nominations

Belle Splash

Hidden Beauty

Sleek-Chic

Polka Dots and Whiskers

Dorky, Fizzy and Quirky Stuff

Funfairs and Fairydust

Next Route Style

Ramblings of the Beautiful Unnecessary 

Bristol Vogue

My Miss Dior Fashion

Little Ellie Mae

And these are my questions for you lovely ladies...

1. If you could travel to any where in the world, where would it be?

2. Who is your fashion icon?

3. Would you rather go a day without make up or a day without properly doing your hair?

4. What is the most exotic food you have eaten?

5. Which celebrity would you most like to meet? (Male or Female)

6. Where do you see yourself in the future?

7. Do you think that getting married is the ultimate expression of love? Why?

8. Do you love stationery shopping? (I do, just curious to see if I'm the only one!)

9. Which music artist do you listen to most?

10. What is your favourite beauty brand?

11. Can you make your own clothes, accessories or anything else?

That's it! Thank you again to the bloggers who nominated me and I'd love for my nominees to leave me a comment with a link to their answers! 

- Amy Caitlin xo

Skin Care Review | Vichy Products

Hi there! 

A couple of months ago I got a really bad reaction to a moisturiser I was using so I went to the chemist to see if they had any good sensitive skin moisturisers - they gave me Vichy!

Originally I only had the moisturiser, which is excellent for sensitive skin! 

The only problem I have ever had with it is that I once forgot to wash off some prescriptive spot gel before using it and the combination of the two products made my face sting and flare up.

Other than that one time incident this product has worked fantastically. It feels so light when I apply it to my skin, compared to other moisturisers that can feel like they are blocking my pores instead of moisturising.

After using up the first sample of moisturiser, I went back to the chemist to get another and they gave me this tin with all the products in - I was thrilled!

It included a facial wash, a toner and two moisturisers.

The facial wash was (is) spectacular and helped to sooth and clear my face fairly quickly. The consistency of the product is smooth and thin so it doesn't give the feeling of roughness when using it. I know that some facial washes can be too thick and feel more like a face mask when applied to the skin. My parents ended up buying me a regular size bottle, which they put in my Christmas stocking, little strange, but you can buy it here.

Also as a Christmas present I got a larger bottle of the moisturiser, which can be found here.

However, I feel that if you use the products as a set it gives a result ten times better than if you only use one. It really feels like my skin is clean after using them together.

Vichy also does various other products like hair care and foundations so if you want to have a look at them, check out their website!

And men - they do products for you too!

If you already use Vichy products or you are going to buy some, let me know in the comments what you think of them!

- Amy Caitlin xo

Music Monday #1

Hi there!

For me, music is always involved in my life. I listen to it a lot and I love to find new artists who aren't that well known. I have seen this sort of post on several other blogs and have decided to start my own - after all, everyone has different music tastes.

I don't actually know what to really call my taste as I listen to quite a wide range so I shall let you, the reader, decide!

These won't be weekly posts but I thought I'd share my five favourite songs every now and again...

1) Pieces by Lewis Mokler

I love the guitar in this song! and the video is so cute! Lewis' other music is awesome too!

2) Sinners by Lauren Aquilina

Lauren is one of my favourite artists that I have ever found through YouTube and I am so in love with her music! She also did an amazing cover of Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Ray which you can check out here.

3) Forget Your Past by Son of a Lumberjack

This guy actually followed me on twitter so I checked out his music and well I thought it was great!

4) Teenage Icon by The Vaccines

I've only just started to really love The Vaccines' music and I remember hearing this song when it first came out. It's so catchy and perfect to put me in a good mood. Also, Freddie Cowan. Enough said.

5) Wake Me Up by Avicii

Yes, we have entered the chart music...but this new one by Avicii has been in my head for days! Especially the chorus, which was probably how it was designed! I also think the girls in this video are so pretty!

So that is my five favourites of right now! If you have any favourite songs I would love to see it in the comments!

- Amy Caitlin xo

P.S I have just realised that I have used way to many exclamation points in this post - oh well!

My Swiss Adventure!

Hi there!

If you follow me on Twitter you'll know that I recently went on holiday to Switzerland. I didn't go with my family, I actually went with my Explorer Scout Unit. For some people you may immediately think of roughing it camping and chopping wood for the camp fire or something - I don't know!  However, my Explorer Unit is nothing like that. It's become a lot more modern in recent years! 

For the first five days we stayed at a place called Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) and I really loved this as it was an opportunity to make friends with people from different countries or different parts of the UK. 

We then moved on to stay in a Youth Hostel in a town called Interlaken which was not what I was used to as I have never had to share a kitchen with strangers before. But it was an experience! So as to not bore you all to death, I'll just leave you with some picture and captions...

The Matterhorn

A decent photo with my brother for once.

Me and my friend Courtney

This is a Trotti Bike...I fell off... (helmet hair).

This was the best chocolate I have ever eaten!!

The restaurant that featured in a James Bond film in 1969

I made friends with George...

Traditional Swiss Horns

Let me know if you like these sort of posts! I really loved this holiday, so I hope you enjoyed seeing some pictures!

- Amy Caitlin xo

Movie Review | Now You See Me ****

At first I was drawn to watch this movie purely because it features Dave Franco in its cast and not because the plot really appealed to me. However, after the first ten minutes, I was captured by the magic of the movie (no pun intended, the literal magic tricks).

The Plot, in the smallest nutshell possible

Now You See Me follows four magicians - J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) and Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson) - who are brought together, via Tarot Cards, by an unknown benefactor. One year later, they perform in Las Vegas as 'The Four Horseman'. For the finale of their act they invite a member of the audience to come on stage to help them with their next trick: robbing a bank. The man is seemingly teleported to a bank in Paris where he activates an airduct which vacuums the money up and showers the crowd in Las Vegas.

Everyone assumes that it is all for show but when it's discovered that the money has, in fact, been stolen FBI Agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) is called in to investigate the theft. Unable to find an explanation for The Horseman's trick other than magic he is forced to let them go.  Rhodes then meets Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), an ex-magician who makes money by revealing the secrets behind other magicians' tricks and, with his help, pursues The Four Horseman in the hope to catch them out on their law breaking magic tricks.

There really is something for everyone with car chases, romance and magic the film really is jam packed.

My thoughts

I actually really enjoyed the movie and the only downside that I can think of is that they revealed how the magic tricks were done. If it had been left I think it would have added a bit more mystery but then again the whole idea of the film wouldn't have worked. 

Before writing this, I read a few other reviews from newspapers and such and I was surprised to see how negative they were. Lots said that the movie was slow and the first ten minutes was the only good part or that the plot was rubbish, even if the actors were good.

I don't agree with this. I don't think the movie was slow at all: to me there always seemed to be a piece of action right around the corner. Saying this though, during the movie the plot confused me a bit but then when finished I realised that it all made sense, so that was okay. Also if you watch the trailer beforehand, a lot of the plot and magic tricks are shown so leave less surprise for the movie.

My overall feelings for the movie are positive and I would recommend other people to go see it! I liked how they had four magicians which all had different areas of expertise. There were also lots of quips and jokes - particularly from Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson's characters, making the movie light hearted in serious scenes. But the ending...well that was a major plot twist! I'm not going to say what it is or it'll ruin the whole film, let's just say that it made my jaw drop...

I hope you like my review, leave a comment with your opinion if you've seen the film.

- Amy Caitlin xo

London Shopping Haul

Hi there!

This has been such a long time coming seeing as I went to London nearly a month ago! Apologies for that! 

Obviously I couldn't go to London without going shopping! I was going to add it to my previous post but I decided that it would make it to long so here we go!

First off I bought this cute Stag necklace from a stall in Camden Market which was £5.00.

On Oxford Street I went in lots of stores but didn't actually buy from that many. There was a sale on in River Island so I took full advantage of that! 

I got this red varsity t-shirt which was reduced to £7.00. I've become a little obsessed with varsity tops at the moment as they can be worn in so many ways! I would wear this with either jeans for a more tomboy look as it is fairly long but also knotted to the side with a pair of denim shorts.

I also got this orange cropped t-shirt with birds printed on the front, which was also reduced to £7.00. Again I would wear this with jeans or denim shorts or dungarees.

My last item from River Island is these mint brogues with a small wedge heel. I walked past these and just fell in love. At first I was a bit dubious about buying them because I'm tight like that and then I thought what the heck and bought them anyway! They were £20.00 reduced from £45.00 after all!

The next place I visited was Forever 21. Seeing as the only store in Britain is in London I went a bit mad when I went in there! I did get a bit annoyed at first as I loved the denim shorts in there but they all seemed to be ridiculous sizes.
Be that as it may I still got some gorgeous clothes!

This key t-shirt is actually a couple of sizes too big but I didn't mind as it is so nice to wear on a hot day because it isn't tight fitting! It goes really well with jeans and shorts but also looks great tucked into a block coloured skirt. (Sorry I can't find how much it was!)

Next I found this lush mint green jumper with on-trend studded shoulders. It's a perfect summer find as it is a really light fabric that can easily be worn on an overcast day.

I normally have real trouble finding trousers that 1) fit and 2) I like but this pair I fell in love with immediately! I thought the print was unusual for a pair of jeans and so perfect for being a statement garment for an outfit.

The final item I bought in Forever 21 was this cute pair of ice cream patterned - I just couldn't not buy them!

So that's it for my little London Haul, let me know your favourite pieces or how you would wear them! Also comment if you like these sort of posts.

- Amy Caitlin xo