Everyday Make-Up

I love doing make-up. I didn't used to have any make-up skills whatsoever, it was all just self-taught through trial and error. However in the past year I have been educating myself more on techniques and skills and have really been enjoying becoming a bit more adventurous.

There's something about taking the time before my day properly starts, to do my make-up and prepare myself for the day, that I always look forward to.

In general, I tend to stick with the same face routine everyday, but like to switch up my eyes, and then try different things for special occasions. So I thought I'd blog my everyday face make-up products today!

I started using Revlon ColorStay Foundation for Normal/Dry Skin in the colour Buff (as I have pale, pale skin) last month. I love it as it has a really silky, light feel once it's on and also has a nice matte finish and good coverage. In addition to that it's kept my skin pretty clear, whereas my previous foundation was leading to slight breakouts. I would definitely recommend it as a good quality high street foundation. 

I have seen so many Youtube videos recommending this concealer and raving about how phenomenal it is, so when I needed a new concealer I decided to try it out. The Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer is a cheap high street concealer and is genuinely pretty good. It has good coverage and doesn't illuminate, which is something I don't like in concealers. It works great with foundation too, reducing the amount you need to use. 

For eyebrows I've been using the GOSH Eyebrow Kit Multi. On the one hand it's great as it has three colours to choose from, but on the other hand it's a bit annoying as I only actually use one of the colours. But the one I do use, the darkest shade, is the perfect colour match for my eyebrows, so I'm happy.

Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder is the only face powder I have used for the past few years and it would take a seriously good alternative to pry me away. It's cheap, it does exactly what you want it to and it isn't cakey or heavy. Perfect. 

First off, this Solait Maxi Bronzer is huge. Although it's Superdrug's own brand, I love it. It's not super pigmented, so you can easily control how much you build it up without looking like an orange and it's a flattering bronze colour. Cheap and gets the job done, exactly what I like.  

The blush I'm using at the moment is Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in the shade Rosewood. I'm averagely happy with it, but I'm looking forward to using it up and trying out a new one. It takes a few too many times of applying it to get the shade you want in my opinion, but other than that it's not a bad blush at all! 

I love having a little look into other people's make-up bags and seeing what they think about different products, so I hope you enjoy seeing mine too! 

♥

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Storytelling

What's your story? 

What springs to mind with that question? 

Is it a defining moment of your life? Is it how you got to where you are? 

Is it something God is speaking to you about at the moment?

I came across this question yesterday in a meeting when I was in a group with three others. Each of us shared what our first thought was in answer to that question. 

What is your story?

One shared about a defining childhood experience that has followed them throughout the following years. 

Another spoke of how the word unexpected sprung to mind to describe their story. 

The third described a picture God had given them about their current story and where they were going. 

For me, the first thing that came to mind was faithfulness. 

My story is one of God's faithfulness. 

I haven't had a particularly wild life. I haven't got a dramatic story of redemption. 

And yet that's precisely what shows me God's faithfulness. He never leaves. 

Faithfulness in my family. 

Faithfulness in my friends and friendships. 

Faithfulness in bringing together the at times random seeming strands of my life.

Faithfulness in restoration. 

Faithfulness in calling me by name. 

Faithfulness in giving me gifts. 

Faithfulness in putting me exactly where He wants me. 

Faithfulness in His word. 

Faithfulness in grace. 

Faithfulness in shaping me to be more like Him. 

Faithfulness in blessings. 

Faithfulness in my ministry. 

Faithfulness in always drawing me in to Himself. 

Always faithful. 

He has never once given up on me. He has never once left me. He has never once forgotten me. 

What's your story? 

Ready To Rock

Oh bless you, my little blog, how I neglect thee. 

It's been a year. A whole year. But I am back and ready to rock. 

I've been craving a place to write recently, a creative outlet, a place to let my thoughts and heart spill out. This is where this little space comes in. But it took me a while to actually come back, because I don't really see myself as a blogger. Or even a writer to be honest. But I like to write so I realised that was enough. And so I've returned. 

We haven't really had an Autumn here in England yet, it's been consistently too rainy or too warm to call it Autumn. However, this weekend the "super storm" hit the UK. We don't do extreme weather here, so a bit of a wind is a storm, but since then it has finally turned into Autumn. 

Consequently I decided that it was high time to enjoy Autumn and spent my day off Uni yesterday making the most of it. After going for a walk and buying a pumpkin I was ready. Pumpkins are one of my favourite things about Autumn: pumpkin soup, seeds, lanterns and pumpkin spiced lattes. 

The best. 

And so I got to work. 

Homemade Pumpkin Soup 

Roasted Salted Pumpkin Seeds 

Carved Pumpkin Lantern 

In a strange, small way, doing all of this made me reflect on the importance of being intentional in life. It's so easy, especially I've found being at University, to find life just going past me while I've simply being living in the mundane and necessary. 

But I want my life to be more than that. Not just a to-do list of necessary routine, but enjoy small moments and be intentional in creating those moments. Otherwise you find yourself going through life without actually enjoying it in the way it could be enjoyed and not living life to the fullest. 

I'm figuring out how to live life to the full. I'm barely living life radically for Christ, but I want learn more about how to. 

Engagement

Monday was a very exciting day in - Jody and Phil got engaged! 

Jody and I have been talking about it for months now, speculating about when and how it would happen, and as she is one of the sharpest and most on it people I know, keeping it a secret from her was a challenge. 

However, the secret was kept and the Phil popped the question at the Grove on Monday afternoon. They then had afternoon tea with champagne, before returning home for one last surprise for Jody: a surprise engagement party! 

It was really special for us as their closest friends to be able to celebrate with them, show them how much we love them, individually and as a couple, and how excited we are for their future together. 

One of the walls in the living room was covered with photos of the
two of them.

Emma and I made celebratory cupcakes. 

Food table. Incorporating English and American food.
Well. Some oreos. 

Luke Brown and Emma.

Good old Brown. 

Jody has been collecting little glass pots for her wedding
for months, so we took them and lit candles in them
lining the walkway. 

Jody is American and Phil is British, meaning that Jody's family couldn't be there for the party, so we got them up on Skype instead! We were all prepared for them to be surprised by us until we were told they had gotten into the wrong taxi (how does that even happen?!). So we put the lights on again and were unprepared for their actual entry! I suddenly saw the flash of Jody's gold bag in the hall and there they were. The surprise still worked, we just failed on the dramatic entry.  

Retelling how he proposed. 

The Hamrics! Jody and Phil in England; Justine, Gabe, Coleen
and Jeff (and Caspian) in California and Keely in Nashville.  

Champagne! 

Jo and new baby Bethany came round to celebrate
with us too! 

It was so great to surprise these two and now I'm excited for the wedding! 

Jody and Phil

Yesterday one of my favourite friends, Jody, got engaged to an amazing guy, Phil! We had a surprise engagement party straight afterwards, with all of their closest friends celebrating and loving them. 

There's a proper blog with photos of Phil, Jody and her bling and the party coming tomorrow. 

Until then...

...the beautiful, happy couple!

Fill in the blank Friday (Saturday)

Happy Fill in the Blank Friday...on Saturday. 

I hate picking favourites, so these are some of my preferences rather than faves...

1.  My favorite feeling in all the world is    the feeling of waking up a few hours before I'm meant to and realising I can spend longer staying sleeping in my cosy bed   .

2.  My favorite smell is  vanilla, roasted sugar almonds and my perfume   .

3.  My favorite taste is   pumpkin spice lattes, strong, rich coffee, chocolate or toffee apples and roast potatoes.

4. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen was   a brilliant sunset over the Swiss alps. So many amazing colours in one view.

5. The best sound ever is  being wrapped up inside with a cup of tea or in bed and hearing the rain pitter patter against the window panes. 

6. A smell that reminds me of my childhood is   smoke from woodburning at this time of year. Our neighbours at home have a woodburner, so as soon as they light it, the sweet smell wafts into our house and enhances the crisp outside air. That's when I know the cold seasons have begun.

7.  My favorite of all the senses is  touch. Is touch even a sense? Well it's the one I'm picking. I have to reach out and touch things, its the way I take them in. 

A Day in October

Living in the city leaves little room for lazy afternoon walks in beautiful countryside or enjoying the perks of autumn weather that I remember from home. I haven't carved a pumpkin for two years! I've been missing out. Not yesterday though. 

Yesterday my team and I went on a retreat day before the busyness of new interns and Christmas coming up in the next few months. We went to this beautiful house out in a cute village and spent the day there with one of our pastors, just chilling out, drinking cups of tea, spending time together and with God. It was just what we needed. 

After lunch we went on a walk on the common, taking in the fresh, crisp air and the beautiful autumn colours.

1. Coffee and porridge have become my staple breakfasts in this grey weather. Cinnamon or golden syrup porridge set you up perfectly for the day ahead.
2. A leisurely walk on Chorleywood Common.
3. The first fire of the season.  Roaring fires in fireplaces make everything so cozy.
4. Colourful trees losing their leaves.
5. Burnt orange.
6. The ladies. 

There's just something about a family home and a crisp walk that reminds me so much of family. Being away from mine is horrible, but it's moments like these that God blesses me with a little taste of family of a different sort.
And makes me all the more excited for Christmas when I can go for walks in the snowy countryside with my own family. 

I Love Words.

Source: olivlife.tumblr.com via Becky Louise on Pinterest

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Source: spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com via Becky Louise on Pinterest

I love finding words, sayings and statements that seem to speak from my soul. Beauty crafted carefully.

Friday Favourites

Jane Eyre has a beautiful way with words.

(via)

I made these cookies last night, they never fail to be amazing.

(via)

FILL IN THE BLANK FRIDAY

1. If money wasn't an issue, the first thing I'd cross of my life list is travel the world. I would love to take time out and just travel for ages, but I would hate to go by myself, so to be able to pay for me and some of my favourite people to go together would be amazing.

2. Having a perfectly-bordering-on-OCD made bed is something I like that other people think is weird.

3. If my life were a movie right now, the title would be 'Friendship'.

4. Three things I am looking forward to this month are seeing one of my bet friends who I haven't seen in three months - and twice in one month too! , going home for a weekend and the sun on freezing cold February days.

5. My favorite song to sing in the shower is none. I'm one of the minority who do not sing in the shower. I think and talk to myself instead.

6. If I found out that the production of ready salted crisps was ending this month, I'd go out and buy as much as I could tomorrow.

7. One thing I'll never get tired of doing is spending time with the people I love.