Friendships to hold dear.

Hello my loves,

I'm really getting back into blog writing recently, but as usual, there is no continuity between my posts.

Today I was going to write about the summer, but after almost completely finishing the post, I decided to write more about the friendships that were formed over my summer instead of just that vague topic of 'summer'.

I recently said that this past summer was the best of my life, but it wasn't because the weather was good or because I did anything particularly life changing, it was because I somehow ended up forming one of the best and craziest friendship groups consisting of myself, my brother Ryan, his girlfriend Lily, and his best friend Ellis. At first, I'll be honest, I did think I might end up being a bit of a fourth wheel or the odd one out, but that didn't happen at all, in fact, I can safely say that I now proudly call Ellis my best (guy) friend and that I actually probably spend more time hanging out with him than I do with most other people. I don't know how or why it happened, but we just seemed to click, we get each other and now we even say the same things at the same time and probably finish each others sentences.

This summer taught me that you can form friendships in the most unlikely places and that those friendships can become the very thing that hold you together when you feel like your whole world is falling apart. We did a lot this summer, from bowling, to bathtub shots, to camping, to just hanging out and watching movies, and when the summer ended, that didn't end. Our bond as a group only gets stronger, and our bonds within our separate friendships only grow stronger too.

I'll keep this short and hopefully a little less sweet as I'm far too sentimental to begin with, but more than anything, I'm glad that this summer gave me the opportunity to experience such an overwhelming love for another person and for a group of people that will hopefully be in my life for a long, long time.

Thanks for reading,

Alie :) .xo

Lime Crime Velvetine: Red Velvet Review | HeyyItsAlie

Hello my loves!

I decided to do something a little different today as usually I just rant or fret or talk about music, but I thought why not post a review? Some of you may know that I post beauty videos amongst other things on my youtube channel (www.youtube.com/heyyitsalie - shameless plug) so I thought why not review a product that I've had sitting around for months and not had a chance to use?

I'll start with a little back story: I originally got the Lime Crime Velvetine Red Velvet lip stain for christmas last year (2013 for anyone reading this quite far into the future) and although I've worn it a couple of times, I haven't really had a chance to give it a full outing, until last night that is. I decided I wanted to at least try to impress someone, and so as I stared into the jumbled mess that is my lip box, my eyes fell upon Red Velvet, sitting not so innocently in it's gorgeous packaging, daring me to give it go, all for impressive purposes of course.

Outer Packaging.

Tube.

I started off by applying a cheap drug store lip pencil in a similar colour so that I could get the true outline of my lip shape. Next I went in with Nivea's hydrocare lip balm which is literally one of my favourite inventions on this earth, and then I finally began to apply Red Velvet. I'll add here that less is more with this product. From previous experience I knew to relieve the applicator of most of the product otherwise it just goes everywhere and you tend to just give up and go with a regular, boring and quite frankly less sexy lippie. Anyway, I followed the shape of my lips and filled in the blank space and after a few moments of tidying the edges, I was pretty much set.

Right before I left, I decided to add Nivea's hydrocare lip balm over the top as well as underneath as the product felt quite drying and I was paranoid about it flaking or cracking throughout the night.

Once dry, Red Velvet feels silky smooth to touch (I did a survey ;)) and looks gorgeous on. It is highly pigmented and shows no signs of shifting throughout the night, even after a cheeky maccies and a few nervous lip bites.

Over all, I actually adore this product. It's sexy, light and actually smells delicious too. I probably wouldn't chance it without some kind of lip hydrator either underneath or over the top, but the staying power is absolutely amazing, and if I gave it a rating it would be 9/10/

Life saving Nivea hydrocare lip balm.

Red Velvet with hydrocare underneath

Red Velvet with Hydrocare underneath and on top

Red Velvet with hydrocare underneath & on top + cheeky insta filter.

Thanks for reading!

Alie :) xo 

All is fair in love and war but really I can't take much more.

I don't know where to begin really. I haven't posted a rant or a personal blog on here in a long time, but I just feel as if getting back to blogging might be nice.

Recently I have been conflicted, once again. I really don't know what to do for the best. I have a situation, and like with all situations, it is a complicated one. I just don't know where my head is at or what I should be doing. I know deep down that what I want to do is get my brave on and just shout how I feel from the rooftops, but an unfortunate thing happened a few years ago and now I find myself terrified to utter the words. I don't personally think they'll do any good anyway, but then again, my apparently very low opinion of myself could possibly adding to the anxiety I feel when I contemplate biting the bullet and just going for it.

Now you've probably figured out what I'm talking about by now, so I'm not going to elaborate through fear of being found out, but I really needed to vent and get it out. Quite frankly, in my own head I feel as if I can't compete and that is another thing that is definitely getting in my way. To myself, I feel as if I am not good enough to even attempt what I want to attempt, and I find myself in a vicious circle where I constantly end up getting myself hurt because I was either too brave, or not brave enough. I wish things were easier. I wish that for once, the thing that I want would just come to me instead of me having to fight tooth and nail for it like I've had to my whole life. Deep down, I just want things to go the way I want them to go because if they do, I'll be the happiest girl alive.

Thanks for reading my ridiculous ramblings,

Alie. xo

Two Faced Serenade @ Chinnery's 12/09/14

Hey Everyone, 

I know it's been a while and I've completely neglected this blog as of late, but to be perfectly honest, I just didn't feel like I had anything much worth saying, but now I do, so here it goes. 

Please brace yourselves as the following blog may contain small traces of fangirl. 

So of course I would kick-start this old blog with a post about music, but this post is more than just a review of a band or a gig for me as the band it is about is one I am very heavily invested in (you kind of have to be if your little brother and best friend are actually in the band). 

Now, readers, if any of you still even follow this blog after I so rudely neglected it, this band I want to write about today is called Two Faced Serenade (there will be links below so please make sure you check those out). Two Faced Serenade have been described as many things, the most recent of which being 'energetic edgy punk' and I really think that term is probably the best I've heard so far. As someone who has the rare privilege of tagging along to rehearsals once in a while, it's easy to grow used to seeing the music played 'live' as such, but what rehearsals don't prepare you for is the sheer brilliance of a band when under the spotlight. 

Last night (12/09/14) Two Faced Serenade played at Chinnery's in Southend and my god was it good. The other bands on the bill were all brilliant which is a rare thing for me to say about a gig with more than a couple of artists, but I could hardly contain my excitement for the last band on; TFS. The night rushed by in mostly a blur for me as I hung out with my pals and waited for the big moment where I would see my friends up on stage. I'll admit, I went a little overboard getting them to sign pretty much anything that was sign-able and I'm sure the home-made T-shirts we made to support them went down an absolute treat, but no part of the night compared to the moment when the guys went up on stage to set up and the rest of the posse, including myself, went to stand at the very front so we could get the perfect view.

As they started playing the first song I could hardly contain myself and the fangirl squeals that were rising in my little throat. From that moment onwards, TFS's set was a whirlwind of energy, jumping and down-right brilliant music. The songs are catchy and completely unforgettable, sticking in your head like you wouldn't even believe, and the new songs also sounded freaking awesome, even if one of them was almost completely off-the-cuff. TFS managed to get every single person moving right from the get-go and were one hundred percent on form throughout their set. They interacted with the crowd, played their hearts out and it was completely obvious that they were having the time of their lives which is always lovely to see. Their songs are full of heart and life and sound incredible with a crowd clapping along and screaming for the band afterwards. 

I may be biased but I'm giving those guys a Freaking-Incredible-Out-Of-10 for their performance, energy, musical talent, charisma and of course, songs. 

Make sure you check out the links below to follow the band on twitter, like them on facebook, sub to them on youtube and whatever else, and definitely look out for their Acoustic EP which should be coming out soon. 

https://twitter.com/@Official_tfs_
https://www.facebook.com/TwoFacedSerenade/info
https://www.instagram.com/twofacedserenadeofficial
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq4FZZZ_Zw3bjyp5SOQjG2w

Thanks for reading,

Alie xo. 

ATTENTION WATTPADDERS :)

Hi everyone,

I know it's been a long, long time since I last posted a blog, but I'll be honest, the past year or so had been hectic. I used to post here regularly, and now I don't post at all.. I know, I'm terrible.

So I'm writing today to ask everyone and anyone who has wattpad to please, please, please go check out my stories. I'm so passionate about writing, and I love feedback, but people just don't seem to want to give feedback or have a friendly chat about the characters in the comments any more.. So, if you're a fellow wattpadder, and fancy reading something new, please check out my work and let me know what you think.. If you follow me, I'd be more than happy to follow back and read your stories too, because I love reading and I'm always looking for something new to read!

That being said, here are the links to my wattpad page/books, and I really hope you can find the time to check them out and possibly even enjoy them ;)

Profile: http://www.wattpad.com/user/StarGirlLou95

Perfect Sunday: http://www.wattpad.com/story/1307823-perfect-sunday-wattpadprize14-fully-edited
Addi James is a girl with a dream, and a secret past. When an unlikely person breaks her tough shell, she finally reveals what's been keeping her in a rut. A weight lifts from her shoulders and her life begins to fall into place, but will an unexpected tradgedy affect Addi's new found happiness? A story filled with music, romance, comedy, drama and tradgedy. Watch as Addi's life unravels and unfolds into an adventure she'll never forget. You: http://www.wattpad.com/story/11327936-you-wattpadprize14 Nick Lacey is a good guy. If his life were a comic, he'd have played the nerdy superhero with the secret side of badass and the secretive past, but when a fiery beauty moves to Ravens End, he begins to realise that there's more to life than just getting by, sometimes you just have to live. Sasha Santiago has been the damsel in distress, and she wasn't fond of it. She's passionate and imaginative, and for some reason, those traits just seem to draw people to her. One of those people just happens to be dependable good guy, Nick. What will happen when the hero and damsel cross paths? BRAND NEW STORY - PROPHECY: http://www.wattpad.com/story/17355284-prophecy In a highly superstitious town full of supernatural creatures, Aarin Chase is an ordinary witch, but when a handsome stranger rides into town on an obnoxiously loud Harley, everything starts to change. Why? Because Mr. Tall, Dark and Dangerous just so happens to trigger the beginning of the fulfilment of a long forgotten prophecy. Nothing is as it seems in willow-oak any more, and before anyone can blink, their world is turning upside-down.

Thanks a million to anyone who so happens to stumble across this post and give my writing a chance, as I said, if you follow me on wattpad, I would love to read your stories :)

Alie xo

The third tattoo: an explanation

So I got a new tattoo yesterday, and I've been asked several times 'why?', 'what is the meaning?', or 'what is the relevance?' and well, I just wanted to explain.

This tattoo, is a lyric from a song by an incredible band called Rumours, but this lyric, it means so much to me in so many different ways. I didn't go into this with a half thought out plan to get some words on my wrist, I fully sat and thought about it, and designed and designed until I was one hundred and twelve percent happy with my idea. If I wasn't one hundred and twelve percent happy, I never would have gotten it.

This tattoo to me, is more than just words. This tattoo is one hundred memories, all captured in a quote. When I look at it, I see all of those times when I was euphorically happy, all of those people that made me that happy, and all of the times in the future that are going to make me feel that way too. I never want to forget that feeling of being so happy that I could just shout it to the world, and that is what this tattoo means to me.

I truly believe that even if we aren't musical geniuses, we all write out own metaphoric soundtracks and melodies as we stumble through life, and 'our melodies lit up the night' to me, isn't just about the amazing music that does light up my nights, or the inner soundtrack that I have going.. It's a way to describe those amazing moments that lit up and light up my life.. Those nights standing out under the stars, waiting for a wish, those nights outside venues talking to incredible bands, those days just chilling with my best friends, and those times when only family can make you feel better. This tattoo reminds me of all of those things, of how music warms my soul, and how certain amazing people light me on fire. I never want to forget those feelings.

So when I'm older and my future children are asking: 'what does that tattoo mean?' I can explain to them that it means the world, and I can explain to them how amazing those nights under the stars, outside venues, with friends or with family were, and when my grandchildren and great grandchildren ask, I can tell them the same, and when I'm ninety, and looking down at my wrist and see those words, I can remember what it was like to be so amazingly happy that I felt like my heart was going to explode, and I can also remember the people who brought those words into my life. I can smile and remember those guys that didnt treat me like an annoying idiot, those guys who treated me as an equal, and who wrote incredible, amazing and inspirational songs. I can remember how they were all amazing and always there if I needed them, and hopefully, by some beautiful little miracle, they'll still be in my life in all those years.

Thanks for reading.. I'm not quite 90 yet.. So for now, live for the moment, get excited about the future, live your own life, follow your own path and adventure and just be happy.

Thanks for reading,

Alie :)

Rumours 30.05.13

Okay,

So I've written about them before, by this point, I think it's certain I'll write about them again, but this blog is going to be and short and sweet one about Rumours.

So they played in Camden last night, and well, without ruining my entire point, they were incredible.

I can't even describe how those guys just capture every ear in a crowd by how purely amazing they are.  Their songs are well thought out, intelligently written and purely from the heart, and that's what makes them just so relatable and soul capturing.

The vocals are heavenly, sending chills down any listeners spine, the songs are catchy and get stuck in your head so easily and just know you're going to be singing them for days, but I think the thing that made everyone enjoy their set so much, was purely and simply that you could see that the guys were having so much fun playing, and playing together. They fit so well as a unit, like a driving force that's getting music back to where it should be.

These guys are lovely, kind, inspiring and amazing people, and are literally my heroes. I have no doubt that they will be yours too one day.


Thanks for reading,

- A very orange armed Alie.