The Pursuit of Happiness

Since getting back from the most ridiculously incredible four months of my life, living out of a backpack around some of the most beautiful countries in the world, it's been an interesting task adjusting back to the real, and far less sunny world. Of course I have loved being reunited with all of my friends and family, and coming home ready for the birth of my beautiful baby niece was the best homecoming gift, but aside from the welcome home parties and baby cuddles there have been days when I've been sat at home watching my tan fade (which by the way is more dull than watching paint dry) and it's been difficult not to get sucked into the big travel-shaped hole that's been left in my life. And I feel guilty even writing that as I know I am unbelievably lucky to even have seen and experienced some of the things I did (and at my age too!), but there is no denying that the spontaneity of travelling can give you a slightly tarnished view of the 'normal life'. So in order to lift my spirits between the endless job applications and reorganising of my wardrobes, I have ensured that time has been taken out of my day to enjoy the little perks of home life. They may not quite compare to lying on a tropical island or hiking through glaciers, but considering these cost just a fraction of the price, they don't do a bad job.

• A good cuppa cha. In the biggest, bowl-like mug you can find.
• A fresh batch of ultra gooey brownies. Tutorial for some particularly indulgent badboys coming soon!
• A crisp, unopened glossy (along with that staple cuppa).
• Starting a new book. If you can't be in a Utopian far away land, then why not imagine you are?
• A hot bubbly bath. Aaaaand relax.
• Some exercise. No matter how much you don't want to do it, you know it'll make you feel better in the long run (pardon the pun).
• A ruthless clear out. Clear space, clear mind and all that. You'll be shocked at how much you find that you no longer want/use - why not stick it up on Ebay/Depop and earn yourself some pennies at the same time?!
• An iTunes revamp. Get some upbeat, positive tunes on there and blast them out at all times of day.

16 Old School Products Every '90s Girl Owned (and probably still has lying around somewhere)

1. A pot of body glitter, which was essentially glitter mixed with glue that would stick your eyelids together when you were trying to make an extra special effort for the school disco.

2. Transfer tattoos, especially the hoop shaped ones that would go around your belly button, which you would then show off (also at the school disco) by wearing a crop top and low rise flares. Sexy.

3. Nearly every piece in the Glitter Babes line, from bright purple peel-off nail varnish to hot pink eye shadows. When it came to Glitter Babes, you had to have it all. 

4. Speaking of glitter... another absolute essential was that spray in hair glitter that clumped together in suspicious dandruffy patches. Anything that sparkled and made you feel like Baby Spice was pretty dreamy though.

5. An electric blue mascara. Apparently looking like an alien was cool back then?

6. Dream Matte Mousse - without a doubt every girl’s first ‘grown up foundation’. Pretty sure the only reason this is still on the market is due to revenue made by no one other than 13 year old girls

7. The entire range of Impulse body sprays, one to suit every mood and occasion. Because you truly believed that ‘Tease’ would drive the boys crazy!

8. A bottle of So....Kiss Me? for those occasions when a spritz of Impulse just wasn't enough.

9. A very sticky, gloopy lipgloss you got free with a copy of Mizz, which made a sickening suction noise every time you pulled the wand out. It may have clung to your hair every time you turned your head but it made you feel grown up whenever it needed ‘topping up’ whilst in the presence of your friends.

10.  L’oreal Kids Shampoo and Conditioner, which led you into a false sense of trust when the advert stated it to be ‘tear-proof’, only to find it still stung like a bitch. You still can’t fully trust L’oreal for this reason.

11. Lip Smacker lip balms, most of which you would end up consuming due to their unbelievably tempting scent and surprisingly nice taste (especially the watermelon one). You’d only ever apply it so you could lick it off again. Yum.

12. A Miss Sporty eyeliner when Avril Lavigne became a style icon and made the ‘emo look’ cool. After hearing Sk8er Boi for the first time you ditched the body glitter and went from pink fairy girl to punk rock princess over night.

13. Clearasil Deep Pore Face Wipes, which actually felt like acid wipes due to the amount they stung your face. You didn't care though if it meant having spot free skin, because what was worse than having a spot? (Nothing). Skin stripper anyone?

14. Some Body Shop bubble bath, usually given to you in a party bag, that smelt too good to use and sat in your cupboards never to be used. Because ‘wasting it’ would have been worse than looking at it for years only to chuck it away having never used the stuff, obviously. 

15. Stick on gems that you’d carefully arrange around your eyes for a mysterious, sexy look. This was only for very special occasions like birthday parties and (again) school discos due to the complexity of the task.  

16. A Babyliss Crimpin Trio. This one isn't so much as a product as a styling tool, but it definitely deserves a place on this list. Where would we have been without our hair crimpers that took a good half hour to heat up and a further two hours to work around our head?! 

Summer Wish List!

It may only be April but in my eyes that can only mean one thing... Summer is nearly here! Since getting back from travelling the world three weeks ago I have been getting serious withdrawal symptoms from seeing the sun and my body is not happy being wrapped in 1000 layers every time I leave the house. So, to brighten my mood and get me excited for the fast approaching summer, I decided to make a summer wish list of some of the beautiful seasonal items hitting our stores at the moment. I particularly love the Miss Guided jumpsuit and the Peter Pan Collar blouse which is a steal at just £9.00 in the Fashion Union sale!

Let's just hope we get some nice weather to wear it all now!

1) Floral Jumpsuit - Miss Guided, £29.99 2) Mac lipstick in Hoop, £15.00 3) Peter Pan Collar Blouse - Fashion Union, £9.00 4) Dolce and Gabbana - Dolce, £62.00 5) Heels - Miss Selfridge, £38.00 6) Teardrop Ring - Freedom at Topshop, £8.50 7) Sunglasses - Topshop, £16.00

2 Backpacks 4 Itchy Feet!

I am ashamed to say this blog has been slightly rejected over the last few months, as my attention has been hogged by a different project of mine! 2 Backpacks 4 Itchy Feet was born last November shortly before I jetted off around the world as a Travel Reporter for thegaptravelguide.com

Writing a travel blog whilst exploring some of the most beautiful and fascinating countries in the world was like a dream come true. My office was usually a poolside sunbed and my research tasks consisted of jumping out of planes at 15,000 ft, and surfing the waves off the Indonesian coastline!

2 Backpacks 4 Itchy Feet gained many loyal followers across the world and it was amazing to hear how many fellow backpackers used it to help guide their own travels. Unfortunately the dream has now come to an end and I am back in the gloomy UK. That's good news for Stitching Words though, as I am now back and more posts should be popping up soon!

If you'd like to check out 2 Backpacks 4 Itchy Feet, you can so HERE.

And if you have any questions about anywhere I went in the world, feel free to ask!

My Essential Summer Shoes

You don't need to be a genius to know that girls and shoes have always had a close bond. They come in every shape, size, and colour and best of all they don't judge you like clothes do if you put on a couple of extra pounds! I have always been a bit of a shoe fanatic but as ever my budget doesn't allow me to be stocking up on Jimmy Choos or Louboutins...
Although my collection is overflowing and ever growing, these are my staple pairs that I can't live without this summer!

The Comfy Canvases

There's nothing better than getting dressed up and feeling fit for the red carpet, but we can't be expected to look like that 24 hours 7 days a week- our feet would be crippled! So for lazy days or when I know I will be walking a fair distance I just have to be in my trainers. My current pair are Vans 106 Vulcs in navy from Schuh.

The Simple Sandal

In the summer, sandals pretty much become glued to my feet. You can pick up a pair for just a couple of quid and they keep your feet cool and comfortable whilst going with pretty much anything in your wardrobe- what more could you want?! I am still wearing my pair from last summer, which are very similar to those in the photograph, so I am currently looking for some new ones to replace them; any recommendations welcome!

The Black Boot

Although it is summer we mustn't kid ourselves...we do live in England after all! So for when the weather is not so great I always fall back on my black boots. They can be dressed up with a mini dress if you're out for lunch, or down with jeans if you're just popping to the shops, and you can always rely on them to give you comfort and support. I LOVE the black boot! My current pair are these cut-out buckle numbers from New Look which were a bargain at £27.99!

The Wedge

Before a night out I always plan my outfit, which usually includes a pair of 5/6 inch stiletto heels that will elongate my legs and, in my head, make me look like Rihanna...then I have a few glasses of wine (or maybe a bottle) and when the taxi arrives without fail I reach for my wedges over the killer stiletto. For me, a wedge never lets you down. They give you enhanced comfort so you won't end up walking out the club bare foot carrying your heels (never a good look), they are easier to walk in so you're not shuffling around like an idiot, and they pretty much stop you from breaking your neck by giving extra stability. My newest pair are these suede cut-outs that I managed to pick up in the Office sale. 

What shoes can't you live without this summer?

5 Ways of Surviving on a Student Budget!

It’s a well known fact that students don’t usually have much extra cash lying around, but with nights out to fuel and new dresses to buy on top of keeping your fridge topped up, how are you meant to survive on nothing but a termly loan?!

As a girl who used to enjoy splashing out on regular shopping sprees and treats, I found I soon had to adjust my usual spending habits once moving to uni to ensure that I didn't find myself without a meal to eat. Seeing as I have just endured 3 years of student life and even managed to save a bit whilst living a comfortable lifestyle, I  have decided to share a few of my secrets that are likely to help keep your bank balance in the green and with a little left over for an extra cheeky pint!

1. Budget yourself. This may seem obvious but it’s also the most important thing to do. By totalling up how much cash you’ll have each month you’ll be able to work out how much needs saving for the important stuff like rent, groceries and textbooks, and how much you can afford to splash on those new shoes you had your eye on. Draw up a budget and stick to it.

2. Sell your stuff! Time to be ruthless. If you’ve got stacks of old books, dvds, clothes or gadgets that you no longer need why not make a profit out of them?! Clearing out your draws and wardrobes is not only highly therapeutic but you may also find things that you can sell on sites such as ebay and gumtree. You’ll be surprised what other people will buy- remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

3. Work out meal plans. If you are guilty of buying trolley-fulls of food every week, only to throw half of it away when you don’t get a chance to eat it, you could be wasting valuable dosh! In fact, according to a survey, a third of the food we buy, we end up chucking away- which amounts to £420 of food waste for the average household and 70kg per person (the weight of an average human being). A way to get around this? Make meal plans and decide exactly what you are going to eat before you even get to Tesco; that way you won’t end up with a mouldy bag of potatoes that you forgot you’d bought. If you’re stuck for meal ideas team up with flat/housemates and do your dinners together!

4. Dig out the vouchers. These days there are vouchers for just about EVERYTHING, especially for the student market. So before you go out for a meal with your mates, check on sites such as studentbeans.com or vouchercloud.com and see what offers they have available. Some can give you up to 50% off which is tasty for your tummy, and even tastier for your bank balance. 

5. Give up your bad habits. I know this is easier said than done, but some of your bad habits could be running you into hefty debt! Whether you smoke, love designer brands or prefer to take taxis rather than buses, we all have our guilty pleasures, but by cutting down on how often you treat yourself just think how much you would save over the course of a year. And remember, you won’t be a student forever so just save the luxuries for when you have your degree and a steady income!

It may take a while to adjust to moving away from home and having to fund your own rent, bills, food shops, clothes shops and entertainment but always keep in mind: If you look after the pennies then the pounds will look after themselves.

Black Mirror: Be Right Back

After watching all three episodes of Charlie Brooker's intelligent, experimental and imaginative show, Black Mirror back in 2011 I was excited to see that Channel 4 was releasing a new series. To someone who doesn't tend to venture far from Eastenders or Downton Abbey (like my housemates), Black Mirror can seem very far-fetched and unrealistic, but thanks to my three years of studying a degree in Drama, I was able to see deeper into the crazy and often sickening (''The National Anthem') plot lines. I, unlike my housemates who mocked the entire series, could see what Brooker was trying to achieve through his futuristic writing style.

So I sat down ready for the first of three episodes of 'Be Right Back', intrigued to see what he had come up with this time and I am so glad I did as this, in my opinion, was the best episode of them all. The whole series in general was made up of beautifully written and acted pieces of drama, but the subject matter explored in this specific episode deeply affected me at an emotional level. Like many of his other works, Brooker explores the concept of technology and how it is constantly progressing and taking more of an active role in controlling the way we live. With new iphones, tablets, cameras and laptops emerging every day in today's society, 'Be Right Back' felt dauntingly real and justifiable.

The episode began with a couple, clearly living in a future year where technology has greatly advanced. Brooker takes no time in getting straight into the action and before the first ad-break has even arrived, the male character loses his life (presumably in a car accident). As a complete sap who strangely enjoys anything remotely tear jerking or romantic, I became fully immersed and emotionally engaged with the widowed protagonist. If this was Eastenders I would have shed a few tears, gone to bed and forgotten about it by the next day; however, Brooker's innovative twist left this 48 minute programme etched in my mind for days to come. 

With the opportunity to reconnect with her dead husband through a new form of technology that compiles information from his past online networking to form realistic responses, Martha enters the dangerous yet addictive realm of communication with the deceased (or a vitual form!). During the one hour duration of the programme I constantly criticised her for giving in to use this software and stunting her ability to let go and move on from her loss; however, once the credits had rolled (along with a few tears) I began to consider whether I would have done the same. It forced me to consider the pain and desperation felt when losing a loved one and posed the question, what are the boundaries of technological development? Companies are relentlessly trying to invent new, innovative gadgets to help improve our lives, but at what point do they stop improving and start ruining?

Overall 'Be Right Back' was an incredibly moving piece of drama that I highly recommend anyone to watch. I will be keeping an eye out for more of Brooker's work in the future as I find it inspiring and deeply thought provoking.

If you want to watch it you can do so here:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-mirror/4od#3490648