17 Resolutions for 2017

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Hi Everyone,

I know for some people it is probably a little late for a resolutions post. Because I am on holidays from work, I don't feel like the year has properly started, so I think it is the perfect time. People should make new goals whenever it suits them and if you are going to make new goals for a new year, it is probably smart to wait a bit, so you can let the procrastination start before you go making any crazy plans to "better yourself".

Some of these are goals that I want to achieve and some of these things are important things that I learned that I want to remember. I had some of these on my list last year. I am repeating them because I want to continue with those goals, because I did make a little progress with them and I want to continue doing that. Who says you only have 12 months to achieve these things?

I feel like I learnt a lot about life and I changed a lot last year. I am looking forward to this year, for many reasons. My sister is getting married this year, some friends might be travelling back my way this year and there are a few other smaller events I hope to go to. I think there might be a few possibilities for things to improve in 2017 so I look forward to those!

Here are my resolutions:

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1. LEARNING THE GUITAR:
I already know a couple of basic chords and strumming patterns. For years, I have just looked up songs with easy open chords and played while I sang along. I call this DIY karaoke. It is awesome because you can slow the fast songs and do your own thing. I decided to invest in a more expensive guitar at the end of last year (an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Pro in Trans Blue to be exact) with the condition that I would try and improve my playing and actually learn some riffs.

I have already learnt to use a Capo and learned a couple of really slow riffs. I have a list of songs I want to learn, I also want to learn some harder chords, get better at quick chord changes, transpose some piano songs for guitar and get to know the notes on the fret-board a little better. I would also like to continue purchasing cool guitar pedals and learn how to get the best sounds out of them. I have been nerding out over famous guitarists and what techniques/gear they use to get their sound, So I can't wait to learn more and start experimenting.

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2. GO TO THE BEACH MORE OFTEN:
I love going for walks along the beach and even though I live in a good spot, where there are quite a few nice beaches at a very short driving distance, I still don't tend to go very often. It is such a shame that I don't go more often as I find that walking along the beach is very relaxing and is pretty good for the skin on your feet.

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3. STOP WORRYING:
I don't know if this is just me, but I seem to have this problem where I think about all the things that can go wrong and I actually try to prevent some of them happening and end up creating a problem that wasn't even there. I don't know why I worry. I wish I didn't, because I think it is stupid. If I worry about something it usually doesn't happen. If something bad does happen, then it is usually not what I thought it would be anyway. Sometimes I will guess that something is going to happen, And it does happen, but those are usually things that don't affect me, therefore I didn't come to those conclusions because of some random fear.

So in 2017 I will be trying not to worry. What happens will happen. There is no point stressing about it. Stressing is bad for your health and uses up time that could be spent focusing on something more interesting...

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4. REMEMBER THAT I AM MORE CONFIDENT THAN I THINK I AM:
This is kind of a weird one. I have always been one of those people that thought I wasn't very confident. I get told a lot that I need to be more confident and I decided against doing future pin-up competitions because I'm not really confident enough to get up in front of people and try to fake the charisma that I just don't have. At the very beginning of this year (about an hour in) I was talking to someone and they reminded me that I am a lot more confident than I originally thought. While I may not be very outgoing, I do wear vintage dresses, apply bright lip colours, get up in front of people at karaoke and sometimes go out alone. A lot of people wouldn't do those things.

I also realized that being outgoing and being confident are not necessarily the same things. I'm not an outgoing person by nature and I don't know if it is really possible to change that about myself. However, I will do something that a lot of other people wouldn't do, because it is uncool and they would be embarrassed. Some of those people are the chattiest, most outgoing people I know. Just something to think about...

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5. DO FUN THINGS WITH NICE PEOPLE:
Last year I decided to be more social and make an effort to go to things. I ended up meeting some really nice people and I had a lot of fun hanging out with them. I want to continue having fun in 2017 and find some people that enjoy some the same kind of "fun" as me. My kind of fun is hanging out at the quieter pubs (versus the one with the blaring music) or hanging out at the beach or just chilling in general.

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6. ENJOY MORE OLD MOVIES:
I really enjoy old movies, but sometimes I will choose to watch something that I have already seen  instead of one of the unopened classics taking up residence in the TV cupboard. Most of the old movies I watched in 2016 were pretty enjoyable and in 2017 I hope the same is true.

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7. CONTINUE TO BE 100% ME:
In the past there have been many times that I have toned down the way that I dress for other peoples benefit. It wasn't because they wanted me to tone it down, but it was because I thought that is what they want. It wasn't really until last year that I took the plunge and started buying more vintage style reproduction dresses and deciding to actually wear them. I noticed that people actually like me more when I wear what I want to wear.

The same goes for a lot of things. There have been times where I would be careful what I said, so that I didn't offend anyone, or I wouldn't talk about the things that I actually wanted to talk about because I would scare other people away with my weird interests. Once again, I think I realized that people actually like you to have your own opinion. I think the moral of the story here is that people don't want you to be something you are not. People want you to be the person that you want to be and they can tell when you are being authentic or not.

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8. GROW MY HAIR
So I started this last year. I had a really short pixie cut and it has taken me a very long time to get it to what is almost a bob. Even at this short length I have found some interesting new ways to style my hair. I have been setting my hair as often as possible and learning the best way to brush out the curls and pin them into place. I hope to resist the urge to cut it all of again, so that I can continue trying out new styles.

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9. BE MORE ADVENTUROUS WITH STYLE:
So last year I wanted to "Dress my Age" more often and I feel like I did that. I also wore a lot of things that I had never worn before. This year I wanted to continue with both of those things, but I also wanted to try going for things that I usually wouldn't go for, such as a different colour or a different cut.

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10. BE MORE ASSERTIVE:
In 2017 I am giving up on subtlety and people pleasing. Firstly, subtlety does not work. Some people don't know what you are telling them when you are speaking right to their face, so why would a subtle hint be any better? Also, trying to be careful how you say something, just means that you aren't saying it clearly. If the person is pushy they will just think that you are indecisive and argue with you about it. Finally, I want to give up on procrastinating my true feelings. Sometimes I will agree to something because that is the easy thing to do, so that I can find away to get out of it later. Which just means that I will stress out about it until I find a solution. Stress that would have been avoided if I had just been honest from the beginning.

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11. GO TO THE HORSE RACES:
I haven't been to the horse races in a couple of years. It hasn't stopped me from accumulating pretty dresses and matching hair pieces. I really wanted to go last year. I had a list of events written down that I was going to make myself go to and I managed most of them except the races. At the start of the season I couldn't find someone who wanted to go with me and at the end of the season I had to work. I honestly don't know that I will enjoy it that much, but it is one of the few things you can do for fun in this town and I'm going to give it a go.

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12. BE LESS SERIOUS:
I am a very serious person and I don't think there is anything wrong with that, but sometimes I would like to be a little less serious. Have a bit of fun and just care a whole lot less about what anyone else thinks.

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13. BE LESS CRITICAL OF MY CREATIVE EFFORTS:
Sometimes I start doing something creative and I give up on it pretty early because I am too critical of it. When I think about the creative people that I admire I forget that they probably had days when they felt the same. If they criticized themselves as much as I criticize myself then a lot of the artworks, fashion designs, songs, books and movies  that I like probably would not exist. This year, I would like to post-pone all self-doubt until after I have created my ideas.

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14. STOP CHASING AFTER OTHER PEOPLE:
I get that sometimes I have to make the effort to organize things with people if I want to be social, however, If I find myself in a situation where I am the only one making the effort then I'm out, because one-sided friendships are not real friendships. It is really that simple. If you have to constantly chase up people, then those are not your people.

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15. TRY TO PERSIST:
I don't want to give up on things too easy, just because it is hard or because it seems like it isn't going my way. I want to give things a chance before I give up completely. Some of the best moments of 2016 wouldn't have happened if I hadn't persisted.

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16. LEARN TO MANAGE TIME AND MONEY:
So this one covers a lot of different aspects of my life. I have always been good with money in the sense that I am rarely ever broke and I still manage to buy a lot of things that I want, but I would like to improve on what I buy to make sure that I am making purchases with research behind them and not just buying the cheapest thing.

As far as time goes: I want to procrastinate less, waste less time on the Internet/social media, waste less time putting up with people that I don't want to put up with and less time waiting around for other people to do the things that they said they were going to do. I would also like to spend more time sleeping and less time running late for things.

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17. ACCEPTING THINGS:
I have decided to look at the past from a new perspective. There were things that happened in 2015 and 2016 that I wasn't happy about. I have realized that these things happened for a reason and changed me a lot as a person. So I accept them. I want to put more energy into the present and the future. I also want to remember what happened and who was responsible, so that I can avoid making the same mistakes again in the future.

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So of course I still want to read more books, write blog posts, and do some fancy nail designs, but those 17 resolutions listed above are the main goals for the year. What are your goals for 2017? Have you started on any of your goals already?

Your Favourite Blogger,
Natalie

Ten Thoughts about the New Year

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Hello Everyone,

For once I am doing what I said I was going to do; I am writing a post before the new year. I've been seeing a lot of cool outfit ideas and funny memes relating to New Years Eve and it has inspired me to write something a little different this year. I've decided to postpone my goals/resolutions post till the beginning of January and write this post instead.

Like everyone else out there, I am looking forward to the new year. I want to party. I want to  continue to make achievements. I want to have fun and I want to let go of all the bad stuff. I love the magic of Christmas and New Year. However, some of the posts I've been seeing on social media have really got me thinking. Maybe we put a little bit too much emphasis on the New Year. Below I've expanded on ten thoughts of mine on the subject.

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1. WAS 2016 REALLY THAT BAD?
I know some people had a terrible time, but everyone seems to have jumped on the "2016 was the worst year" band wagon. It seems wrong to write off the whole year. There were some things that I didn't love about 2016, but I wouldn't say it was the worst year of my life. The things that happened (both good and bad) have changed me as a person. I would like to think that I've grown as a person and these are changes that I wouldn't want to take away. So nope, I don't want to forget that 2016 happened.

2. ACCEPT THE PAST, FOCUS ON THE FUTURE
To me the New Year is a chance to reflect. You get to look back at everything that has happened in the past 12 months. It gives me a chance to think about how far I have come and if there are any changes I would like to make. Am I happy with the path that I am on? That kind of thing. It is a chance to remember the amazing things that happened and to move on from the bad.

3. A NEW YEAR IS NOT A CLEAN SLATE
However, a New Year isn't magic. You don't get to forget "the worst year". You can't erase the bad stuff that happened. It doesn't work like that. The things that you don't like about your life right now, are probably still going to be there next year.

4. ROMANTICIZING 2017
At the end of 2014 I said 2015 will be my year. It wasn't. Then everyone was saying 2016 would be great... If you have high expectations, then things will always work out worse than what you hoped. I am looking forward to 2017, but I'm not expecting everything to go perfect. If I look back on my life in terms of years, then I would say good and bad things happened in each one.

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5. PEOPLE AND THEIR RESOLUTIONS
There are a lot of people saying they won't do resolutions this year because they can't stick to them. If you really want to achieve something you won't get there by giving up before you start. If you are happy with your life the way it is, or if the things that you would like to change are really out of your control then I totally get not wanting to make resolutions. It is ultimately your choice. I also don't see why it has got to be New Years. For me, it's a great time to set goals, because I am on holidays and I have got a lot of time to think about it. If you decide to make a change later in the year there is no reason why you can't set new goals then...

6. MAKING UNREALISTIC GOALS
One of the reasons people don't reach their goals is because they either don't make realistic goals or they don't have a plan. For a couple of years I have had some similar goals, but I have never met them because I never really defined the goal for myself. This year I feel like I progressed with those goals a bit because I broke them down into smaller chunks. For example: If you want to get "Fit". How "Fit" do you want to get? Do you want to train to run marathons, or do you just want to do a bit more regular exercise? What kind of exercise do you want to do? etc.

7. HAVING A RESPONSIBLE NEW YEARS EVE
I am looking forward to making plans for New Years Eve. This is something that is pretty new to me. I have that little responsible voice in the back of my head saying that I wouldn't like to start the New Year off on a bad note because I was irresponsible. So if you are going out please follow the advice of caring friends and/or relatives. Don't get too messed up. Don't leave your drink unattended. Watch out for your mates. Don't let one crazy night define your life.

8. YOU DON'T NEED TO KISS SOME RANDOM AT MIDNIGHT
If you want to, then go ahead. However, you don't have to. It is not necessary. There is no troll at the gates of 2017 that will stop you from entering because you didn't lock lips with a stranger on the last night of 2016.

9. NEW YEARS ANXIETY
I know that going to a party or thinking about making changes to your life can trigger anxious feelings. It can be stressful to go to a busy party. It can be claustrophobic. It can be scary to set goals that are difficult to achieve. Please be supportive of people in your life that are feeling this way. Don't push them to do things. If you are reading this and you are feeling this way, remember that you are in control. You can back out of plans if you feel you can't go. You can leave a rowdy party if it gets too much. You can make smaller goals if you need to. You don't have to make any goals if you don't want to. Take a deep breath and think about it. You've got time.

10. MAYBE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCES US TOO MUCH
The New Year is just another example of how social media can influence our views on something. At the end of the day, the way that I feel should be influenced by my experiences, not some random on the Internet who made a meme. It is just another new year. Just a bit of fun.

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So there it is. Those are my thoughts on the New Year so far. Do you have any exciting plans for New Years Eve? or are you setting any exciting goals?

If you want to see the original image sources, please click on the star underneath the image.

Your Favourite Blogger,

Natalie

Spring Beauty Favourites

Hello Everyone,

Can you believe that it is 18 days into summer already and I have only just started to write my 'Spring Beauty Favourites' post just now? Christmas isn't too far away and I have most of the gifts lined up, but haven't wrapped any of them yet. I know I'm not the only one who puts off wrapping presents till the last minute... Nothing too exciting has happened lately. I'm still waiting for my new guitar too arrive. I haven't gone out as much as I would have liked to (except for karaoke). I finally figured out a bit  of a setting pattern for my hair (which is forever stuck in the "growing out stage"). And, I am finally trying a new alcoholic drink that isn't wine...

I've actually got quite a few new favourites this time around, which is a bit of a change.

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BEAUTY:
- After my local supermarket stopped selling my favourite facewash, my mum managed to find it on 'Catch of the Day' website. Garnier Pure Deep Clean Cream wash is one of those face washes that I didn't really take a whole lot of notice of, until I ran out and had to use something else. My skin was starting to get really bad again and I am so glad this face wash is back in my life.

-I tried the Palmolive Oil Infusions Body Lotion (the Avocado oil and jasmine one) and I really like it. It smells really good, is really nourishing and doesn't cause any bad reactions with my skin. It would be awesome if they made a body wash in this line too...

- I started using my Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume (from the miniature set) again and I can't get enough of it.

- I love my new Besame Lipsticks in 'Blood Red' and 'Victory Red'. 'Victory Red' really stains your lips, so I highly recommend it if you are looking for a red that will last.

- I got a bunch of new things from Colourpop again. At the moment I really like 2 of the highlighters ('Flexitarian' and 'Might Be'), the brow pomade in 'Red Head' and the Ultra Satin Lip in 'Calypso'.

-I bought a Morphe Liner Brush on Ozsale and its the best liner brush I've tried so far. I highly recommend it.

HAIR:
- My favourite leave in conditioner is the Toni & Guy Prep Leave in Conditioner. It's not too greasy and it actually works. I own a few different leave in products and I always come back to this one.

-I always put Tresemme Wave Creating Sea Foam in my hair before curling it (wet set curls or with using hot tools). It doesn't irritate my scalp like some styling products do and it doesn't make my hair too wild.

- I usually use the pink 'Volume' one of these, but I've decided I really like the purple 'Satin' version of the Loreal Elnett Hairspray. Mostly because you can brush it out.

-I really like my Conair Sponge Rollers, Diane Pin Curl Clips and my Breville Curling Iron which have all been getting a work out now that my hair is getting a little longer. My hair naturally has a bit of a wave to it, but in my current hair style it tends to stick out a bit and look a bit fluffy so I like to curl my hair downwards and style it a bit like Scarlett Johanson in This Picture. My hair isn't as long as hers and it doesn't look quite the same.

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STYLE:
- I have been trying to keep it simple, because it is hot and I'm usually strapped for time. I have a couple of basic outfits that I just wore over and over.

- I also made a Pintrest Board...

MUSIC:
-The Album 'The Getaway' by Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I really like 'The Getaway', 'Go Robot', 'The Longest Wave' and 'Goodbye Angel'.

- 'Burn the Witch', 'There There', 'The Let Down' and 'My Iron Lung' by Radiohead

-'Follow the Boys' by Connie Francis

-'Running to Stand Still', 'If God Will Send His Angels', 'Staring at the Sun', 'Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out of' and 'Desire' by U2

-'Stay' by Rihanna

-'Dancing on My Own' Cover by Calum Scott

-'Road To Nowhere'  and 'Psycho Killer' by Talking Heads

-'Lovely To Look At' by Eddy Duchin

-'Love is a Blindness' and 'Love Interruption' by Jack White

-'The Breaks' and 'Run Me Down' by The Black Keys

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MOVIES:

-I rewatched 'Aloha' which I think is an awesome movie.
-I really enjoyed 'Hello My Name is Doris'
-I thought 'Roberta' was a lovely movie.

OTHER:
- I started going walking again which has been really nice. I got stopped by the rain for a while, but I will start going again as soon as I get a chance.

-I bought 'The Fashion File' by Janie Bryant on Ozsale for a ridiculously cheap price and I love it. The illustrations are so cool and the book has a lot of classic style advice. This is also a great read for 'Mad Men' fans.

DISLIKES:
-My only real dislikes  were these Freestyle Bendy Rollers I tried which don't really stay put in your hair and can snag on your hair.

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I hope you are having a wonderful summer/winter and that you are as excited about the holidays as I am. I am especially looking forward to new years. I am hoping to get a few more blog posts in before the year is over. So no this isn't the last you will hear from me in 2016.

What are your current beauty favourites?

Your Favourite Blogger,

Natalie

Pretty Picture Post: Spring or Summer?

Hey Everyone,

The Weather is warming up quite quickly here and it seems like we are going straight into the summer weather without having much of a "Spring". I really prefer the warmer weather and am enjoying getting to wear some sundresses and shorter skirts already. I think summer is my favourite season. I feel like I can get away with being a little bit more disheveled in the summer and the warmer weather makes me think of holiday fun.

Here is some Spring/Summer Style Inspiration:

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I love the prints on summer clothes from the 40s and 50s. I love how simple it is to throw on a sundress and a bit of lippy and be ready for just about any occasion. I could go on forever...

What is your favourite season?

Your Favourite Blogger,

Natalie

Winter Beauty Favourites

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Hi Everyone, 

Well winter is over already. I can't believe how quickly it went. Winter didn't get very cold at all and I managed to get through it without buying any new knitwear or jeans. I feel like this was the most eventful part of 2016 yet. It rained a little bit (which is not the usual weather for this season) and I went out a fair few times. I also turned 23, which is something that wouldn't be included in this post if I had of written it on time...

I had a pretty good birthday and I celebrated a few other peoples birthdays too. 

 I feel like I've changed a bit this year and my attitude towards going out has changed (the kind of time you have really depends on where you are and what kind of people you are with). I've had a lot of fun nights and I've made some new friends that I otherwise might not have met. I went to Karaoke at one of the local pubs whenever it was on and it is the most fun I've ever had.

I also decided to spend a little bit more time on some of my hobbies such as guitar. I ordered a new guitar and promised myself I would make more of an effort to learn guitar if I spent more money on it. My guitar hasn't arrived yet, but all the other bits and pieces (pedals, amp, case etc) are here.

I hope you have all enjoyed your winter (or summer if you are from the Northern Hemisphere) and that there is something in this list of favourites that is helpful or entertaining to you in any way. I have decided to include some favourite links to cool videos etc as well. Please note, because this post is late, some of the favourites are very recent early spring discoveries rather than favourites.

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BEAUTY:

- I bought two new lipsticks this winter and I have been wearing them a lot. Revlon Superloustrous in 'Ravish Me Red' is an orangey red, and Loreal Color Riche in 'Carmin St Germain' is a pinky red. They are both very creamy and perfect for this sort of weather.

- I really like the Australis Eyeshadow Primer it isn't completely crease proof, but I think it does an alright job.

- I am in love with the NYX Pin-up Tease Mascara. At first I thought the name was a bit gimmicky, but it really is the nicest mascara I have ever tried. And it is water proof too. 

- I recently got a bottle of the Taylor Swift 'Incredible Things' Perfume and I have been wearing it every day.

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STYLE:

- Since I am trying to grow my hair, I have started wearing hair flowers more often. I managed to get some nice ones on sale from ASOS.

- I have really gotten into wearing short shirt-dresses (button up dresses with collars). I really like the way they look with a cardigan and ballet flats. I think they are fun and comfortable, but they are also respectable enough to wear to work.

-I didn't manage to buy any new pairs of jeans  this winter, so I spent most of the colder days (luckily it doesn't get too cold here) with stockings or footless tights on under my dress/skirt. 

-I have been getting a lot of wear out of a black round neck cardigan I bought from Target. I love the 1960s look you get from buttoning the first button on a round neck cardigan.

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MUSIC:

- 'DNA' by The Kills

- 'Impossible Tracks' by The Kills

- 'Dark Necessities' by Red Hot Chilli Peppers

- 'There Goes That Song Again' by Roy Orbison

- 'One' by U2

- 'Only One' by Sarah Blasko

- 'Nothings Gonna Hurt You Baby' by Cigarettes After Sex

MOVIES:

- Pal Joey

- An Affair To Remember

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YOUTUBE FAVOURITES:

- Premier Guitar Rig Rundown with Jamie Hince from The Kills

The Kills is one of my favourite bands, so I was pretty stoked to find this video of Jamie Hince talking about his guitar collection. 

- 'Blue Monday' New Order cover by Orkestra Obsolete

Some musicians cover 'Blue Monday' using musical instruments that would have been available in the 1930s, plus a few "alternative" musical instruments (such as wine glasses or playing a saw) I think it is the most inventive cover I have ever seen.

- The Pinup Companion - Pin Curl Tutorial

One of the most honestly done Pin Curl tutorials I have seen. 

- Marilyn Monroe Iconic Make-up Look with Lisa Eldridge

I think this video was intended for people who want to dress up as Marilyn for a costume party, however I think some aspects of this make-up look could be used everyday if you wanted. I have adopted the under-eye line that she does to fake a "shadow" from the eyelashes.

- 'Cheap Thrills' Sia (Lyric Video) 

It says "Lyric Video" but this is actually like a second music video. I think the concept for this clip is awesome.

- 'Don't Know Why' Norah Jones Guitar Cover By Hooni Jeon 

This is a really lovely cover.

- The Edge and echo from 'The Story of Guitar' part 3 

This is a short video of the famous Guitarist The Edge (from the Band U2) playing the intro to 'Where The Streets Have No Name' and talking about the use of a delay pedal in the song.

OTHER:

- I really love the sound of the "Slap" setting on my new TC Electronics Flashback Delay Pedal. (guitar effects pedal)

- I am in love with my new Joyo Ironman 'Space Verb' Reverb Pedal. (guitar effects pedal).

- My parents bought me some Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers movies which I am really looking forward to watching.

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I'm looking forward to the warmer spring weather and getting to wear some of my patterned skirts again. I'm also looking forward to getting my new guitar (hopefully it is suitable for what I want) and some other online purchases. My travelling friends might be coming back this way in a month or so and it should be good to catch up with them. 

What are your beauty favourites this season?

Your Favourite Blogger,

Natalie