One Direction, hehe

So! I've certainly had a jam-packed few days. In fact, I was snowed in on the first day off as I had a sleepover with my friends and we ended up staying for three days due to the incessant snowfall throughout the entire day. We managed to do a lot, including cooking a proper roast with all the trimmings, cooking tomato soup, taking photographs, walking the dog, going out in the snow. One blemish on the otherwise faultless few days was that I dropped my sister's camera and it broke :-( I feel really guilty, but I'll be getting her a new one, but it's pretty sucky news.

Anyway, moving on, then on the Monday, we traipsed to my friend's house for her birthday. We went out for curry and had a generally lovely time. I had a chicken tikka masala, garlic naan and rice, which was actually really nice considering I'm not really into my spices. Then we had another sleepover, played scrabble at 2 in the morning and watched Kick-Ass which was a lot more gory than I imagined. Being someone who is extremely squeamish, I spent a lot of time doing my crossword and Sudoku.

As well as that, I went into town on Tuesday and on the top floor of Selfridges was... Liam Payne! For those who don't reside in the UK or simply don't watch the X Factor, he's one of the dudes from One Direction. I don't particularly like him, but the band were okay singers and I did quite like them in the X Factor, so my sister and I got a picture:


I look pretty awful, but it was a cool opportunity as there aren't too many celebrities in Birmingham. Here are a few other photos from the past few days as well :-)









So, those are just a few photos of the last few days. I'm gonna be spending loads of time with my family now and I'm off to Oxford tomorrow where I'll be spending Christmas with the family. I'll also be heading off to London and Manchester (hopefully) after that! I hope no-one's Christmas plans have been called off due to the dreaded snow and I wish you all a very very Merry Christmas! Happy blogging!

Chloe xxx

And my last note is about a certain lady named Anisha The Pizza who has an absolutely amazing blog which you should all visit. Anisha used to have a joint blog with her friend, but slowly turned to tumblr, but it is my pleasure to see that she is back to the good old blogosphere! She's a friend I know from school whose interest for music, art and fashion never ceases to give us something to talk about. Moreover, our love for tennis and James Franco is another thing we have in common :-) But don't let me try and pinpoint her exuberance with my God-awful descriptive skills, find out for yourself - you won't be disappointed. :-)

Postcards From Italy

2 days left of school... And counting! I am honestly so psyched for the Christmas holidays now, where I can do whatever I want and meet up with people. My family are also coming over from various corners of the globe and it's gonna be a fantastic time, I can already tell. Anyway, not much to report apart from I'm going to have a busy few days to celebrate the Crimbo hols!

On the Friday that we break up, I'm going to my friend house and we're all having our own mini Christmas and a roast which will be so lovely! Then we're sleeping over and doing loads of sleepover type things. Then on the Monday, it's my other friend's birthday, where we're gonna go out to a restaurant for curries. Then on Tuesday, after the sleepover, I'm going out to town and make a stop at the annual German Market as well, so I'm gonna be busy busy busy!

Anyway, here are some pictures that have been hiding away in my 'Random' picture folder and I thought I'd share them since I haven't had much chance to take any of my own lately. :-)









Hope everyone's well and enjoying themselves in the run up to Christmas! Will be back very soon with lots of pictures of my own, hopefully! Happy blogging!

Chloe xxx

Freefallin'

It's official. I suck at blogging! I'm only managing like one a week, but I'm sure that once the holidays roll around, I'll be able to get back into it. It's just that school is still as relentless as ever, with loads of tests to revise for, etc. But, on the flip side, there are only two more weeks left of school!

Here's some of my art work to show you, because I've had no chance to do ANYTHING else which is productive or creative. Hopefully in the countdown to Christmas, I'll have some (hopefully) inspirational outfit posts, etc. Anyway, here's my art project:








Anywho, I'm off to do some constructive stuff and then watch a film. Be back later to check out my fave blogs. I'll be back to my normal self soon, promise! Happy blogging!

Chloe xxx

Freezing

Hey everyone! I'm currently freezing my fingers off as I type this to you under the covers of my bed. Just catching up with my weekly doses of my favourite blogs and drinking some tea. It snowed today and whilst most people are getting very excited about it, I'm just cold. This week went really quickly at school though, mostly because I was dreading it so much! Not much happening in terms of life and such, but with the completion of many essays, projects and homeworks, I have actually had quite a bit of free time this week.

So I'm feeling quite a bit more cultured after lots of reading, films and the like.
I read Paper Towns by John Green - an absolutely amazing novel. It was recommended to me by two friends and it is honestly a fantastic story with profound meanings. Just everything that you want, really. I recommend it to every one of you!
It's not pictured, but I also read Looking For Alaska by John Green, another great novel.
Bought Elle a few weeks ago, Alexa Chung on the cover, of course.
Watched two really good films:
Entre Les Murs or The Class, about a French teacher in inner-city Paris. I really love foreign films and subtitles, I thought that the message was strong in this, so yeah, I found that it was really good.
Also, Capitalism: A Love Story, a documentary by Michael Moore. I've seen another Moore documentary called Sicko before. He instills a lot of humour into serious issues and I really liked this one too.
And last but not least, the Times newspaper with a Harry Potter special. Which links nicely with my trip to the cinemas with some friends to see The Deathly Hallows on Friday 19th. Had so much fun and I cried when Dobby died!





Also pictured above is my successful fishtail plait! After a couple of days of useless attempts, I finally managed it. I can do them a lot better now as practice really does make perfect. :-)

I'm gonna go warm my hands up with the hairdryer now and maybe peruse the Zara website. This year, I haven't quite got the Scrooge outlook on Christmas like I did last year. Despite the cold weather, I have to remember that I only have three weeks of school left. Which isn't quite so bad, is it?! Hope everyone's having a lovely weekend! Happy blogging!

Chloe xxx

I won a blog award and a giveaway!

Ahhh I can't believe I haven't blogged in 2 weeks, it's a travesty, but I'm back on track soon. I'll be updating you on everything that's gone on in the past two weeks, but firstly... Here is my blog award!
I received a blog award from the lovely Jasmine at :: Lavender's Green ::! Honestly, Jasmine is a fantastic blogger and does the best posts about everything blog-like. Take a look!

1. Why do you blog?

I don't really know, I just love writing about random stuff and having something as an outlet. I'm always too lazy to write in a diary every day so I like being able to share various things to people and being able to interact with people from all around the world is just amazing! Receiving positive feedback is ridiculously reaffirming and just to be able to talk about whatever is amazing.

2. Three best memories.

- This summer, when I saw the musical, Wicked, at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway in New York City. It was possibly the best moment of my entire life thus far. I got goosebumps and honestly, I can't even explain it, the entire 2-3 hours, I was just in awe and thought about how lucky I was to be able to experience something as magical as that musical.
- When I got into the grammar school that I now go to. Doing the exam was the most nervewracking thing ever, but when I got in, it was an amazing moment.
- Climbing up to the top of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City in Rome. It was overwhelming and brilliant, crowded yet amazing. It was magical and I don't know why it was so great, it just was.

3. Four of the best fiction books you've read.

- The entire Harry Potter series - J. K. Rowling
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
- The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger
- Paper Towns - John Green
- High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
- Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
- Before I Die - Jenny Downham
- Let's Get Lost - Sarra Manning
- Man and Boy - Tony Parsons
(Sorry, couldn't stick to four!)

4. Five best movies ever made.

- Pretty Woman
- 500 Days of Summer
- Thirteen
- Amelie
- Juno
- Anchorman
- Zoolander
- Into The Wild
(Sorry again, I couldn't stick to five!)

5. Five things you can't live without.

- My family and friends
- Laughing
- Good food
- Good music
- Good books

6. If you could change your name, what would it be?

I don't know! I've always thought about having a different name, but honestly, my name isn't really so bad when I think about it. Maybe something more interesting, but my mind is failing me at the moment.

7. Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself.

I have had the dream of going to Christy Church College, Oxford University, ever since I can remember. It is slightly weird and not the most glamorous fact ever, but I've just always known that I want to go there; my two aunties and my uncle went there, I went to my aunty's graduation there, my other aunty got married there. It's a magical place and I never want to go study anywhere else.
Other than that, I have a twin sister (non-identical) and we're good friends most of the time and have the same friendship group, she's pretty much my best friend.

8. What do you love most about yourself?

I love the way that I can make someone feel good about themselves and I love the way that it makes me feel. I also love the fact that that I don't have to get on with everybody and it doesn't bother me if I do or don't. I think that's important, cause you can't have everybody love you. I'd hate it if I was the sort of person who dwelled on stuff like that too much.

9. If you had a 'Freaky Friday' experience, who would you change places with?

I would change places with my mother, just to see what her life is like and how she deals with life, especially since it's not easy being a mother of three kids and practically having to juggle doing that and a job, practically single-handedly, is a pretty massive feat. I would want to swap places to understand and be more empathetic when I'm acting like a spoilt teenager!

10. What is the best thing about being a woman?

I love that I can be hormonal and laugh and cry and do whatever I want. I guess it's just consolation for all the labour, childbirth and monthly crimson wave... :-)

Also... Some other very very exciting news as I won my first ever blog giveaway! Ever! Thanks so much to the lovely Poppy at Bears and Bunting! I received the lovely package from her after school one day and I was ecstatic, thanks so much! Here is what I received:

Great prizes, right?! Feeling rather lucky right now... Now I must be off to do some work, but I'll definitely do an update again soon. Hope everyone's enjoying their weekends too :-) Happy blogging!

Chloe xxx

Tired Eyes

It's November already, what has happened to 2010?! I'm now distinctly aware of how much has happened in this past year or so, I just can't believe it's gone by so quickly! This week has been the longest one so far though, I'm sure of it. First week back after half term and I realised just how much I have to do and so little time to do it in! My Biology exam is on Thursday and I'm dreading it, it's such a weak point of mine and I don't want to completely flop it. Blah de blah, school is boring me and I just want to fast forward to the holidays.

I wish I wasn't so negative and also that I had something to blog about other than school stuff, but it's pretty much the only stuff going on right about now. Anyway, here are some photos of the paper-mache shoe I made for my Art project. I'll take some more pictures later and post them as well. Art was taking over my life for a while a few days ago, but now I'm back up to speed and it's actually such a great creative outlet, because the rest of the subjects I've taken for GCSE are just so academic, so yeah, really enjoying that.




Hope you like them! I'm thinking about tinkering with my blog name/URL, but I dunno cause then I don't think my followers can see my blog if I change the URL or something. Also, I have no idea what I'd change it to. Maybe I'll just be too lazy and not change it. Who knows.
ALSO, guess who has a half day on November 19th? Guess who's already booked her tickets to go to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1? YES, THAT'S RIGHT, ME. I know, I'm so psyched, it's unreal. :-) Bon weekend and happy blogging!

Chloe xxx

P.S. This is called Tired Eyes because my eyes are drooping at this current moment in time, seriously. I am so tired and I had a four hour nap when I got in from school, and now I need to sleep because I'm feeling uncharacteristically tired lately. Partly due to my living on five hours a night, every night this week. Zzzzzzzzz

Canon

I can't believe that it's almost the end of half term already! I've been quite busy, had a sleepover and IKEA adventure on Thursday and Friday last week... Then on Sunday, had a day out with my mum, sister, aunty and gran, stayed round at my grandma's and spent a whole day out and went to another IKEA... I know, I can't believe it either, two trips to IKEA in the space of a week! But I had a good few days, which was really nice.

Apart from that, I've been watching loads of television now that we have Freesat, which is way way way better than Freeview. I've also been procrastinating and trying to do some work; my Biology module is coming up on 11th November, which is quite nervewracking as I only got an A in my first module. Anywho, also lots of Art coursework and stuff like that. I also have a terrible cold and cough, my nose is like a tap (sorry to be so blunt)! :-(







I love my friends! :-)

Been watching DVDs and listening to loads and loads and loads of Sam Cooke. Been nursing this cold with cups of tea and blankets. I'm gonna try and relish the next few days of freedom, before the impending daily doom and gloom that is school. Hope everyone else is enjoying their week, weekend's almost here!

Happy blogging!
Chloe xxx

This subject title is devoted to my absolute favourite piano piece ever, Canon in D Major by Pachelbel. It is honestly one of the single most beautiful pieces of music ever. Take a listen here!

I'm In Here

This week has been pretty long, even though we had a day off school on Thursday (Pupil Review Day). Went out for some shopping and buffet-eating with my friends, it was such a nice day and I had a lovely time, even though I neglected to bring my coat out with me and resorted to shivering throughout the day and trying to stay in the heated shops for as long as possible. We bought presents for my friend, Abi, stuffed our faces at the buffet and then spent the rest of the day at Abi's. Then the rest of the week was Charity Week at school, which I'm part of, and I presented some stuff in assemblies, raised lots of money and then it was non-uniform day. I wore my purple Burberry blazer, jeans and a cream Gap top - didn't get any pictures though!

Oooh and I bought a new book, which I've been wanting for ages, like over two years, but it has never been in stock whenever I've gone to Waterstone's. It's Running With Scissors, a memoir by Augusten Burroughs. Never mind the fact that I have two other books on the go at the moment, I've already started reading it and it's amazing!





Sorry for being so vain up there, I was in a bored mood this afternoon! Anywho, I'm going out tomorrow, so best be off to write this English essay on Oliver Twist and try and do some more revision (it's only October and I already have tests and exams to revise for!) Hope everyone's doing well, it's getting so cold already and so dark at like seven o'clock! I am not relishing the upcoming few months! Happy blogging!

Chloe xxx

P.S. This song is I'm In Here, by Sia! She is such a great singer, her music makes me really want to think and to contemplate, sort of like it gives me clarity or something. Listen to her here!

A Sunday Smile

Thanks to those who commented on my drawing and everything, it's such an affirming thing so thanks so much! Anyway, just wanted to show you a couple of photos of two items I bought in America, at the outlets in Chicago. I bought a beautiful Ralph Lauren cable knit jumper for 60 USD and then I snapped up an amazing bargain on some beige trousers for 15 USD!




Right now, school and homework is taking up my time, as is reading, watching Gossip Girl, Ugly Betty and The Apprentice and sleeping... So glad to be getting into blogging again, it's so good to have another outlet to just vent or comment on things and to just talk. It feels good. I can't believe I've had this blog for only just over a year, feels like a lifetime!

Happy blogging!
Chloe xxx

P.S. It's not Sunday, but the title of this post is 'A Sunday Smile', a brilliant song by Beirut. Go check it out! :-)

Drawing

As usual, school is becoming the very bane of my entire life right now. This lack in posting is most likely linked to my decreasing number of followers, sorry guys! Anyway, I'm making a proper effort to start posting more regularly, even if it doesn't seem like it. This post is gonna be a sort of showcase of the first few bits of artwork I've done in my project thus far.

It's based on footwear, culture, planting your roots and stuff like that, I suppose. It's really interesting and I think it's so good to do a creative subject at GCSE, just to have that sort of creative outlet.







As I said, I've been pretty busy lately and blogging really has taken a backseat. I keep saying that I'll start posting more often, but I dunno. Hopefully, I will from here on in! Yesterday, I chilled out and read Oliver Twist and did housework for my momma. Just a lazy day and then I watched the new series of Strictly Come Dancing (I seriously love that programme!) Today, I watched Ugly Betty and then in the afternoon, I went out with my sister, mum and two friends for ice cream. I had hot brownie with two scoops, it was so nice. But now I have a cold and the weather is all terrible!

Anywho, the weekend has gone really quickly, but half term is in three weeks so hopefully I will be a bit more interesting by the time half term comes round.

Happy blogging!
Chloe xxx

A Change Is Gonna Come

My blog posting has become even less frequent, for some unbeknownst reason! Well, school has been keeping me preoccupied and with year ten comes its massive workload. I've had to read Oliver Twist, do countless pieces of homework and extracurriculars in school too, such as Amnesty, Charity Taskforce, Debating club and Netball. On Wednesday 15th, I went on a Maths trip to Birmingham Uni. Then on Friday and today (Monday), we have teacher training days which are great and on Saturday, I went to my friend's quiz night to raise money for her trip to Sweden.

Other than all that, things have been pretty quiet around here. September is a busy month, next week I'm going out for food and ice cream with friends which is good. Haven't taken many photos lately, which is sad, but I will try and take some soon when the occasion warrants some picture taking.

I've been watching lots of films lately. Watched Lost In Translation, 10 Things I Hate About You, A Walk To Remember, Jumper and Envy over the past couple of weeks. Haven't had a chance to finish reading On The Road because I've had to read Oliver Twist for English.

I just love all of these photos, they're reminiscent of.. something special, something a little extraordinary. I don't really know what. I'm really intrigued by film, so hopefully for Christmas, I'll be looking into getting maybe a Holga or a Diana. Maybe even a Fuji Instax if my purse strings will allow it.

I'll try and get an outfit post in soon and I hope all you bloggers are keeping well. Happy blogging!
Chloe xxx

P.S. The title of this post is a great song by Sam Cooke. Fantastic bluesy, old-school soul. Listen to it and I defy you not to get a little bit teary. :-)

September

Hi all! So it's September. After an amazing holiday in America and lots of great moments throughout the summer, it was inevitable that it would end soon. On the 24th August, I went into school to get a few GCSE results and I obtained:

A* in ICT (100%!)
A* in Chemistry module
A* in Physics module
A in Biology module

So all in all, not too bad! Anyway, went to a sleepover the day before we got back to school. Went back on Thursday 2nd September, which seemed a bit pointless since it was only a two day week. Lessons started properly on Monday and I can already see the workload increasing exponentially over the next two years. I've already had five pieces of work in the last two days which doesn't bode well, not to mention being busy with debating society and now Amnesty International, netball, etc. Anyway, apart from that, life's been pretty normal.

For now, here are just a few photos that I took about a month ago when it was about 5 ish in the morning. I couldn't stop looking at the sky and I just thought that it looked so captivating. Also, the other photo is one of when I cut my fringe!

I'll be back to post at the weekend, maybe something a little more interesting, but no promises. I've still been checking out everyone's blogs and it's interesting how people are taking the whole back-to-school thing. Funnily enough, I don't mind it too much even though this next year is going to be ridiculously hard. But anyway, will be back soon!

Happy blogging!

Chloe xxx