Shanmade With Love

Two blog posts in one week is basically unheard of for me, but I wanted to share my latest little project with you all as it's something I'm so excited about!

For the past two years I have been making crafts for family and friends, and it's something that I not only love doing, but managed to make money out of over summers at university so I didn't have to get a part time job.

It's something I've been meaning to get back into for a while now, and so my boyfriend finally pushed me to create a Facebook and Instagram page to make it all a little bit more real and professional. I really lack confidence with this kind of thing, but have been overwhelmed with the amount of support I have received in just over 24 hours in terms of likes, lovely messages and orders. 

Around six months ago now, someone did a rather nasty thing which knocked my confidence a lot, but this has honestly given me such a boost and words can't describe how grateful I am for the love shared.

I've included a few snaps of my creations above. I have listed several items on my Facebook page but also take custom orders. I love nothing more than someone sending me a photo saying "would you be able to make me something like this?" 

You can find my little shop on Facebook here

And on Instagram here

And I hope you take this as a lesson that you should just go out there and be yourself. People will always have things to say no matter what you do, so you should be happy and let them get on with it!

♥ 

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Iceland

Apologies for the lack of posts again over the past few weeks... I have been in the process of something BIG which I still need to keep under wraps until it is all confirmed... but I have also been settling back into work life after returning from my holiday to Iceland with my best friend.

Seeing the Northern Lights was one of the first things on my bucket list, and as I started doing a little research and staring in awe at the amazing photos on Instagram, I couldn't help but book a holiday.

We went for five days in total and it was honestly the holiday of a lifetime. As a country, it is the most magical natural beauty ever and I still cannot believe that it is only a three hour flight from London because it seems worlds apart.

We visited the Golden Circle on Monday morning, and after all that walking we couldn't resist a relaxing session in the Fontana Wellness spa. The hot springs were around 40 degrees and the view of the mountains was breathtaking while we lazed around in bikinis with cocktails. In the evening after a quick bite to eat, we booked a boat trip with Special Tours and managed to see the Northern Lights for well over an hour. It was honestly one of the most amazing things I've ever seen and I just couldn't prepare myself for it... it was also RIDICULOUSLY freezing on the boat even in a ski suit, but so so worth it.

The Golden Circle is a popular tourist route in Iceland to see sights of natural beauty - our first stop was Pingvellir National Park

Our second stop was the geothermal area in Haukadalur to see the geysers Geysir and Strokkur. I have some great videos of the water explosions!

Our third and final stop on the Golden Circle tour was the Gullfoss waterfall

The view of the Northern Lights from our boat

On Tuesday we had a few hours in the infamous Blue Lagoon, which was even better than I expected. The option of natural mud masks and body scrubs and the heat from the water creates the most amazing atmosphere, and the swim up bar just sets it off to a tee. When I got back in the changing room I panicked that my tongue and mouth was blue and that I was having a reaction to the Lagoon that was turning me into a smurf... before I realised I had several blue raspberry slush puppies whilst swimming. Typical Shannon moment.

Blue Lagoon with my chica

On the Wednesday we booked an Ice Glacier Hike which was IN-TENSE. It was a two hour hike with clampons and ice picks and it was exhausting but so rewarding. The views were incredible and I managed to drink from the small stream flowing where the glacier was melting. Even if I did then fall in said stream and spent the rest of the trip shivering. We met some really nice people and the ice was so beautiful up close. And you have never appreciated a hot chocolate with cream until you have been that cold!

Looking like full on wilderness explorers hiking through the glaciers as well as on top of them!

Iceland is as expensive as people say. Eating out was fairly pricey as is alcohol, and souvenirs more expensive than anywhere else I have visited. But it is honestly an experience like no other and worth every single penny. I was gutted to come home and would visit again in a heartbeat.

If you are thinking of visiting Iceland and would like recommendations of which tour providers I would recommend or trips you shouldn't miss, please comment below. But for now, feel free to just enviously scroll through all of my beautiful holiday photos... You can also find more on my Instagram. 

As always, my social media links are below. I would really appreciate follows/likes, and will of course return the favour if you comment below!

♥ 

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Byrons Burger Review

Everyone who knows me knows that I love a good burger. And they don't come much better than Byron Hamburgers. Me and my new boyfriend went to the Canary Wharf London branch last weekend and it was the perfect date. We both ordered the Double Bacon Cheeseburger, and for dessert I had the Banoffee Sundae and Ollie ordered the Oreo Cheesecake.

The food is absolutely incredible and really high quality (of course I had a spoonful of Ollie's pudding so I can honestly be the judge of all of it and not because I'm a pig) and the interior of the restaurant is very cool and has a kind of shabby chic feel to it. I have been to three Byron branches in London and I have to say the staff are always incredibly friendly. The bill came to about £60 including alcoholic drinks which I think is pretty reasonable for the quality of the food, and it was such a lovely evening.

If you are ever in London you should definitely check out Byrons. I have a huge appetite but trust me when I tell you I couldn't have managed another bite.

Can you recommend any burger restaurants for me to try next?

♥

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Christmas Party Glitter Look

Hi everyone! I can't believe we are only five days away from Christmas. This year has gone so quickly and I've made so many wonderful memories, so it was nice to let my hair down at a Christmas Party and celebrate as the year draws to a close.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a bit of sparkle, and I have to admit I really got into the glittery spirit for my Christmas Party this year.

I thought I would share photos as I received so many lovely compliments and it was really fun and easy to achieve this look.

For my hair: I straightened it like I normally do, and then used a fair amount of hair spray near my roots. I massaged my hair near the roots (or you could backcomb) to give it that bit of volume, but also so the glitter would hold for longer. I used children's craft glitter which I purchased in those handy little shaker pots, so I could just sprinkle it straight onto my roots. I used a rose gold pink near my roots and then turquoise further out than this to give it a sort of ombre look. I then sealed again with another layer of hairspray.

For my lips: This is a kit I purchased last year at the Clothes Show, but you can find a similar one here in red. I would recommend buying these kits because the glue and glitter is skin-friendly so won't cause any irritations. The glue is also really effective, and I find my glitter lasts through food and many a drink!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

♥

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Fireworks Night

Last weekend my best friend from university came to stay and we went to the fireworks display at Blackheath Common. It was free and the fireworks were beautiful. Bonfire nights is always one of my favourite nights of the year. I love getting all wrapped up and am always completely mesmerised by fireworks. There was a huge fairground with lots of refreshment stands, and we had a go on the carousel and a few rides. It was absolutely packed so it was a really nice atmosphere and I didn't completely freeze so I consider the night a success!

When we got back I made Hot Cookie Dough from scratch for the both of us - it tasted just like the popular dessert from Pizza Hut and was sooo delicious with ice cream. I made it using Cadbury's Giant Buttons rather than chocolate chips and I have made it since because it was so yum.

On the Sunday we had a chilled day catching up on X factor and eating bacon sandwiches. It was such a good lazy weekend and it was nice to just relax and recover as we had both had a busy few weeks at work.

Did you enjoy Bonfire night? Are you as excited for Christmas as I am?!

♥

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Upbeat Dairy Protein Drinks*

Sorry for the image - I will replace this with one of my own. I left my camera at my parents when I went home for a weekend and now I'm back down in London. Typical me!

*Disclaimer: I was kindly sent this product to review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. 

A few weeks ago I received a lovely email from the Upbeat team asking if I would like to review their drinks range. I was absolutely chuffed because I had heard about these online and had never gotten round to actually trying them.

Upbeat have a range of dairy drinks which are high in protein and low in fat, which are perfect if you are working towards a healthier lifestyle. Protein is one of those food groups I think we overlook when planning our meals and it is so so important, particularly if you are into your fitness like I am. Upbeat drinks are basically made from three ingredients: fruit juice from concentrate, fruit puree and fresh whey protein. None of those long fancy chemical-sounding words you see on so many shelves in the supermarket these days! 

They come in four flavours: Blueberry & Raspberry, Mango & Passionfruit, Strawberry, and the newest addition to the Upbeat family - Chocolate & Orange (made with real chocolate might I add) which I think sounds amazing! 

I tried the Strawberry and Mango & Passionfruit drinks. Both were really delicious and so much better than any other protein drink alternatives I have tried which are currently on the market. I've always been a sucker for Mango & Passionfruit smoothies but find that smoothies actually contain quite a lot of calories due to the high sugar contents. The great thing about the Upbeat range is that they contain no more than 150 calories!

I tried a drink each day and found that I felt more motivated and less sluggish, so I would definitely recommend them to anyone, even if you aren't particularly into your fitness. Especially now the winter months are coming and I think we all tend to feel more sluggish during the colder seasons. I will definitely be incorporating this range into my weekly shop from now on.

I am a big fan of the brand and packaging. I think it is simple yet also eyecatching and tells you everything you need to know. I personally find that most drinks of a similar nature focus specifically on putting out a 'I AM STRONG AND FIERCE' brand directly targeting the fitness bunnies, but I think that can completely alienate the rest of society who could also use a little extra protein in their daily lives. This is nice and fun and I think as a brand it just puts out a really caring, all-inclusive image.

I cannot recommend this range enough! These retail at £1.75 a bottle, which I think is a reasonable price to pay compared to smoothies and alternative drinks on the market. You can find them at your local Tesco or Holland & Barrett stores. 

♥

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Sunday Funday

Hi everyone! Today I have a major case of Monday Morning Blues, partly because I had the most perfect Sunday ever yesterday. My Mum came down to visit me in London and we went to the Met Police's Crime Exhibition at the Museum of London at lunchtime. It features evidence from crimes since the 19th century including ropes used to hang people, some weapons used by notorious criminals such as the Krays and sketches from the court room. Me and my Mum find crime so interesting and I would definitely recommend the exhibition if you are the same.

After that we tubed it on over to Leicester Square and ended up having the naughtiest lunch ever - this chocolate and ice cream fondue. I was in utter heaven - best cheat day I've had in a long time! It was only £22 for both of us which I thought was quite reasonable given the sheer quantity. As you can see you get the naughty cookies, brownies, chocolate and a little bowl of nuts as well as the ice cream, but then lots of fruit as well so it was a really nice treat. After having a nosy round the shops we had an italian for dinner before saying goodbye. It was the most perfect day and I definitely can't wait to go home again next weekend to see my fam.

♥

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My London To-Do List

I have been living in London now for around two weeks and I have to say that I am absolutely LOVING my new job, I'm finally getting used to the commute and the London way of life, and I'm really excited for everything the future holds at the moment.

I've been working on a list of things I'd like to do now I live down here, when I have a spare day or two. I thought I would share it with you in case any of you are planning on visiting London, and I was also hoping that you could all comment below with more fun things I can do!

1. London Eye
2. London Aquarium
3. London Zoo
4. Wander around Camden Town (especially the food markets!)
5. Up! at the 02
6. London Dungeons
7. Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
8. Haagen Daaz Chocolate Fondue
9. Choccy Woccy Doo Dah
10. Buckingham Palace

Please comment below if you have any other ideas!

♥

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Destress with Hama Beads

Just lately I've had a lot of job interviews, to find out I will be moving to London and starting work in 2 weeks! I'm super excited and happy about it, but also getting quite anxious trying to find nice accommodation and come to terms with the fact I'll be moving away from my family again. I've also been making a lot of the painted personalised wooden letters I talked about here and have just felt so completely run off my feet, exhausted and I haven't really been able to unwind, switch off and sleep very well.

Several people recommended the Adult De-stress colouring books that have been on sale everywhere, but I didn't feel that it would relax me at all and always thought they were kind of overpriced for what they were. Then one day when I was babysitting my niece and nephews, they were making things out of Hama beads and my niece asked me to make her an Elsa following a pattern she had found online. Within minutes I felt really relaxed and I was actually really enjoying it. If you've been stressed lately I would definitely recommend this as a little past time.

You can buy large mixed tubs but I personally hate the thought of having to sift through all the colours, so instead I just buy bags of the individual beads as and when I need them. The boards are relatively cheap and come in all different shapes and sizes too. What I do is usually google 'hama beads ideas' or 'hama beads disney' or really random things like 'hama beads Marilyn Monroe' and you come across no end of really interesting ideas, from making your own jewellery to all sorts of pictures. It's so much fun - but don't forget to buy the Hama beads paper like I've done! You need it to cover the beads before you iron it to secure them all together. Trust me to forget it.

♥

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Grease! Outdoor Cinema

On Saturday evening I took my sister-in-law to an Outdoor Cinema event in Woodhall Spa to watch the absolute classic which is Grease! It was one of her birthday presents and she absolutely loved it. The outdoor cinema environment was just as you'd expect, we were all cosied up with camping chairs, blankets, big hoodies and endless snacks. A group of women actually turned up dressed as the Pink Ladies and they had everyone in stitches all night because they got rather tipsy to say the least. It was nice relaxing, singing along to some of our favourite songs to one of the best films of all time in my opinion. If you have the opportunity to go to an outdoor cinema event near you, I would definitely recommend it. I'm hoping they do similar events in future with other films, especially Dirty Dancing!

♥

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Cancer Research Race for Life

Hi everyone! So I haven't quite got back into my blogging schedule yet but I hope that over the next few weeks I start posting regularly again.

On Sunday I completed the 5k Race for Life in Lincoln for Cancer Research UK. 

A year ago when I took up running, I couldn't even run for a minute without getting out of breath and wanting to stop. So I'm really proud of myself for how far I've come with it all. I ran the entire course in under 28 minutes - we're not quite sure what time - my sister-in-law crossed the finish line after me and she said the timer said 27 minutes 53 seconds, and we had a few minutes at the start line where we barely moved because of the amount of people (1,555 people took part in total!) so I reckon it could be anywhere between 25-28 minutes. My personal best before this race was 28 minutes 59 seconds so I'm really pleased with how I did, and think it was due to the determination I had to run a strong race for everyone who had sponsored me and for all cancer sufferers and survivors out there.

Both my Nanny and Grandad passed away due to cancer before I was born and every step I was running I kept thinking of them and it really gave me the determination to run harder and faster. I would have loved the opportunity to have known them and I hope that I did them proud.

I plan to run a Cancer Research Race for Life every year from now on - whether that be 5k, 10k or I'm actually really wanting to try one of the Pretty Muddy events. It was such a fun day and I felt such a sense of achievement when they handed me my medal.

If you would like to sponsor me, you can find my fundraising page here. Family and friends of mine - you can also sponsor me by giving me the cash in person as I have a sponsorship form and so far most of you seem to prefer that method :)

♥

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Graduation

You know when you feel like the whole world is shifting around you and you are struggling to take it all in? Well that's how my day was yesterday at my Graduation. I couldn't quite believe I was donning my mortar board and gown and the day just seemed to flow away from me and was over before I knew it. Now I've had a morning to reflect on the best day of my life so far, I wanted to pay tribute to all of the wonderful people who have been involved in my university journey and helped me get to where I was yesterday, walking across that stage.

After picking our tickets and robes up, my Department held a drinks reception for students and their families. After enjoying too much Pimms and not enough canapes (I think everyone could tell I was too nervous to eat!) we mingled and listened to speeches from various members of staff.

Before I knew it, I was sat in the ceremony listening to speeches and watching student after student go up and enjoy their moment on that stage. At this point I was feeling so incredibly nervous, but then when they called my name and I started the walk up to the stage, all of a sudden I felt like I was about to explode with pride and happiness.

Now, anyone who knows me knows that I'm extremely critical of myself and struggle to accept compliments or to ever feel good about myself. I always want to push myself that little bit harder. But as I started my walk up to the stage, I realised that I could only remember one other occasion when I had been as proud as I was yesterday. And that was three years ago, when I was sat refreshing UCAS and seeing that my offer at the University of Warwick had been confirmed.

You only have to ask my family to know that Warwick has been the making of me. I have learnt more about myself in the past three years than I have at any other time of my life. Life away from home at university is not always a bed of roses I will admit, there have been some really difficult times, but the staff within my Department have supported me 100%, every step of the way, and shown me that I can make it through any difficult time, perhaps a little shaken, but always with a smile on my face and surrounded by the kindest and most wonderful people.

I have had the opportunity to work with some incredible academic staff and will be forever grateful for the expertise and wisdom they shared with me throughout my three years. I went into my degree with the hope that I would come out of it understanding the world differently, and that has definitely been the case. I now think about things from different perspectives and with a whole new level of clarity and confidence.

So my three years are over and I'm about to start a new chapter in my life. At the moment my future is uncertain, and I'm absolutely terrified if I'm honest. But deep down I know that a PAIS degree from Warwick will help me to achieve my aspirations, goals and will allow me to embark on the most exciting adventures I could ever dream of. I know that I have not only gained the degree necessary to move forward into postgraduate study or a career, but I have gained the skills necessary to challenge myself and to reach for the highest stars. The possibilities are endless now and I will never be able to thank the Department enough for what they have given me.

♥

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Afternoon Tea in the Woods

Yesterday my Mum had the day off from work and because the weather was so beautiful we decided to take a drive to a nearby quaint little town called Woodhall Spa. We were planning on going swimming in the outdoor pool but the queue was enormous so we went for a wander around the shops and then to this little Tea Rooms hidden away in the woods.

It brought back some wonderful memories as my Mum used to bring me here when I was a really little girl, and we ordered what we did all those years ago! The Afternoon Tea was so yummy and we enjoyed sitting in the shade watching the world go by and enjoying being surrounded by nature. 

There is also a tiny old-fashioned cinema nearby where we used to go, but didn't really have time today. So if you live in the area I would definitely recommend checking out both, I think it would be sooo cute as a date night idea!

I can't believe how hot it has been! I enjoyed wearing my new summer clothes but I am so sunburnt it is unbelievable! My knees are red raw and I've genuinely had ice packs on my legs the entire time I've been home.

How have you been enjoying the heatwave?

♥

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Segway Safari

Hi everyone!  For my brother's birthday I decided to pay for us both to go on a Segway Safari experience as it is something we have always wanted to do. It is one of the things on my list of 21 things to do before I'm 21 list. I was a little nervous when I first stepped on but within a few minutes I was whizzing around like mad! It was strange for me because I'm used to driving a car with peddles, switches, gearstick, handbrake etc but this had no buttons. The instructor just electronically switches them on and then it's all about how you position your feet on the board and you lean on your toes to go forward or shift your weight onto your heels to go backwards. This is a little video my brother took of me once our experience had finished of me just driving around the car park, but we were taken all around a hotel and through into the woods where we went racing off. The experience lasted for an hour but I wish I could have stayed on all day. It was so much fun and I will definitely be buying one of these if I ever win the lottery! I would recommend it to anyone.

♥

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Graduation Ball

Last night was my Grad Ball and I thought I would share some photos and talk about how amazing a time I had. I can't believe how quickly my three years at university has flown by and I didn't stop smiling all night, I enjoyed every minute of celebrating. 

I will be graduating from Warwick University in July and our ball was held at The Hilton Hotel in Birmingham. There were a few choices on the menu and I went for a Meditteranean vegetable stack to start, Mango Sorbet, Mushroom & Beetroot Risotto and then we had to have Chocolate Torte for pudding, although I hate chocolate desserts so I was really disappointed and barely touched that. But the rest of the food was really delicious.

I absolutely loved my dress and felt really comfortable all night. I paired it with jewelled sandals and a simple black clutch bag because I am rarely one to wear heels. I had planned to have half my hair up but realised I'd forgotten to pack hair accessories when I was getting ready, oops! I am an absolute magpie when it comes to anything sparkly and so this outfit was really me.

After the formal dinner, we were escorted over to the party room complete with photo booth and chocolate fountain fun! After overindulging in both activities, we danced for hours and hours. The band were incredible, playing some absolute classic rock songs but also cheesy pop which got everyone up and dancing, and it was such an incredible atmosphere. The DJ was spot on as well and my feet were so sore by the end!

I only got three hours sleep last night but it was absolutely worth it! I loved every single minute and it was the perfect way to end my degree and time at university.

♥

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21st Birthday Weekend

Morning everyone, I have to say I am struggling this morning after an incredibly busy birthday week! My 21st birthday was yesterday and me and my Mum spent the day exploring London. 

On the Saturday evening we went to a restaurant where I live in Lincolnshire called Witham and Blues, which is a New York themed restaurant. I've always wanted to eat there and I definitely wasn't disappointed. I loved the NYPD police car and New York cab parked outside and the interior screamed New York. I ordered the 'Brooklyn Burger' with skinny fries which was two quarter pound beef burgers with endless cheese and onion rings. I also enjoyed a cocktail on the house because it was my birthday, and by the end I was so full I couldn't manage a dessert which broke my heart a little because they looked so good! If you live in the Boston area you should definitely check it out.

On the Sunday we woke up nice and early so we had plenty of time to explore London. I've never been to Camden Town before but I've always wanted to go, and I had so much fun exploring the markets. I bought a necklace and a new make up bag which I'm sure will appear on my Instagram feed soon if you are interested in seeing them. The food market was so tempting but in the end we decided we really fancied Fish and Chips, and sat in a retro style restaurant called Poppies which is the number one eat-in fish and chip restaurant in the UK at the moment apparently. Having now eaten the food, I definitely wouldn't find that hard to believe because it was so delicious. 

I really wanted to see the Amy Winehouse statue but we couldn't find it for the life of us, and it was so hot and there were so many people around that we decided to give up and head to the Regent Street/Oxford Street area to enjoy a quick spot of shopping. I ended up with a Raspberry and Cookies and Cream ice cream as well which kept me going throughout the warm afternoon! We then ended our day off by going for cocktails in the Ice Bar down Heddon Street. I loved every second of it, I just couldn't believe how amazing it looked and it was just one of those experiences that you know you'll never forget. I wore sandals though and I genuinely thought I would lose all my toes to frostbite by the end of our Ice bar session! 

I had the most perfect birthday and I want to thank everyone for your well wishes, cards, gifts and money. I have a list of 21 things I want to do in my 21st year that I'm still working on - kind of like a bucket list I guess - so if you'd like to read that I've posted the link here

♥

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21 Steps to 21

Hi everyone! This might seem a little out of the ordinary compared to the typical posts you find on Beauty and Lifestyle blogs, but it's something I've been working on for a while now and so I decided to share it with you.

On the 7th June I will be turning 21 and I am so excited it is unreal! Earlier in the year I decided to start working on a list of 21 things I want to do during my 21st year! I've already crossed a few off my list, there are also some that are in the pipeline, and some which are not set in stone yet because tickets aren't available or something. So some of these may not be achieved but fingers crossed I manage the full shabang! I'll try to regularly update this and include links of any posts related to these goals.

1. Own my very own car (DONE) 
2. Have a ride on a Segway (DONE - Read about it here)
3. Go and see Take That (DONE)

4. Go and see Matilda the Musical (DONE - thank you to my Nan, this was one of my birthday presents - read about it here)
5. Have my teeth done (DONE - Whitened)
6. Go and see Olly Murs (DONE)

7. Book a family holiday
8. Run a Cancer Research Race for Life - no walking! (DONE - Read about it here)
9. Have a vintage Afternoon Tea with my Nan (DONE)

10. Visit Camden Town (DONE - Read about it here)
11. Go to the Ice Bar in London for cocktails (DONE - Read abut it here)
12. Have the annual Shannon's birthday barbecue with family (DONE)

13. Have the most amazing personalised cake EVER! (DONE - it's my beautiful car!)

14. Invest in a proper camera for my much loved blog and to record memories (DONE - Olympus Pen EPL7) 
15. Grow my nails (DONE - no biting for weeks now!)
16. Go to the Clothes Show in Birmingham in December (BOOKED - 6th December)
17. Graduate (BOOKED - 14th July)
18. Graduation Ball with friends (DONE - Read about it here)
19. Enjoy a meal at a local restaurant I've always wanted to eat at - Witham and Blues (DONE)
20. Go to Winter Wonderland in December
21. Spa Day with Mum (DONE - Read about it here)

♥

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