tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73847351692377512732024-02-21T03:27:14.370+00:00Confetti LettersBecause every girl deserves to be a Princess with nice things - A beauty and lifestyle blog.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.comBlogger370125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-87078496109617200352015-06-17T21:44:00.000+01:002015-06-17T21:44:03.040+01:00A Trip To Disneyland Paris...& A Disney Merchandise Haul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello everyone!<br />
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I recently came back from a mini break to Disneyland Paris (DLP) and I wanted to share with you a quick run down of the third Disney park that I've been to, as well as a couple of my pics. I'd been looking to visit DLP for a good number of years now (as far back as 2012 I believe) after I came back from WDW in Florida and decided to make it my mission in life to experience every Disney Park property on the planet. I've now achieved half of my goal, having been to Disneyland Hong Kong in 2008 and WDW twice in 2007 and 2012, and now DLP in 2015. There's only Shanghai, California and Tokyo to go! </div>
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I scoured the internet looking for the best price to book my DLP package, from the <a href="http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk/">DLP Disney website</a>, to using tour operators like Thomas Cook, before I decided I would go it alone and book the components of the holiday separately. I got return Eurostar tickets for £66pp, a hotel in London for £27pp, return coach tickets to London for £25pp, 3 nights in the Explorers Hotel at DLP for £150pp and then 3 days of park tickets for the price of 2 at £97pp. All in all, my friend Catherine and I paid just over £350 each for our 5 day, 4 night adventure. Which, if you ask me, is a bargain - I've seen some people pay the same amount of money to go to DLP as they have to WDW!<br />
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We embarked on a journey to London via the coach from the South West and arrived just before midday into Hammersmith. I gave a quick wave to Disney HQ before boarding the tube to Aldgate East, Whitechapel to make our way to our Ibis hotel. I'm not one for negativity much here on Confetti Letters so I'll leave my review short and sweet: I won't be staying there again. That is all.<br />
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The next day our experience of the Eurostar was effortless at 0530am, the RER slightly confusing once in Paris, but the welcome sight of Disney at the end of the train line at Marne-la-Vallee was amazing. We boarded a (free!) bus to our hotel, <a href="http://www.explorershotels.com/en/?trk=1">The Explorers at Disneyland Paris</a> and was told that although our room wasn't ready yet, we were welcome to leave our luggage (also free!) in a safe room at the hotel and hot foot it into the parks. We did so, and we in Disneyland Park by midday!<br />
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Fast forward 10 hours and we'd visited all of the attractions in the entire park, from It's A Small World, to Big Thunder Mountain, to Pirates of the Caribbean and Snow White, eaten a Casey's Corner hotdog and sampled an all you can eat buffet at Plaza Gardens, and watched Disney Magic on Parade. I was in complete awe throughout the day, soaking up the pixie dust and just being incredibly, genuinely happy to be back home in a Disney Park. <3<br />
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I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet the park was for a Friday, our longest wait time was 45 minutes for Big Thunder, which pales in comparison to a WDW queue! The whole park seemed much less rushed too, people were ambling around, no-one was pushing through to get somewhere fast, there were hardly any queues that used the overflow lines for the attractions and people were just generally enjoying the slower pace of Disney life. I definitely also welcomed the later park times, where Disneyland Park opened at 10am and closed after the culmination of Dreams at 1130pm, and Walt Disney Studios park opened at 10am and closed as early as 7pm!<br />
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On day two we ventured next door to the Studios park, arriving just after 10am. As it was Saturday we were expecting huge queues, but again our longest wait time was just under 60 minutes for the Ratatouille experience (definitely a must-do!). Again we also managed to complete the whole park in one day, and instead of taking a break back to the hotel as planned we went right through to midnight and watched the nighttime spectacle, Dreams at Disneyland Park after Studios closed. My highlights from this park of course included the Rock & Rollercoaster, screaming on Tower of Terror and meeting the boss, Mickey Mouse. What I didn't enjoy so much was riding Crush's Coaster backwards (I fully expected a calm experience type attraction, akin to Peter Pan's Flight or something, but this was before I read the ride description properly and realised that there would be darkness, drops and spinning!!), the fact that no smoking rules are completely ignored and not enforced, and the amount of rubbish that littered the parks. These latter two aspects tarnished the seamless Disney experience for me that I know and love if I'm honest. You just shouldn't see a lost Coke bottle on the Indiana Jones set because someone's been too bone idled to put it in the bin - it made me sad!<br />
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That said, I had an amazing time at Studios park, and so for our third day we went back to Disneyland Park to meet Princess Ariel, have lunch at Pizza Planet and ride Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Blast. We inevitably had to say goodbye to the parks, and did so after watching the parade for the second time, and meandering around Disney Village before heading back to pack up our hotel room. I would honestly go back to DLP in a heart beat, and I'm happy to report that I don't have too bad of a Post Disney Depression this time round because I know that my WDW CRP begins in 18 weeks (4 months!!), but I will definitely plan to go back to DLP in the future. I'd also definitely recommend the Explorers hotel, and would probably choose to stay there again above a Disney owned hotel as it has a lovely breakfast included in the price, very comfortable rooms and free wi-fi. It also has a pool, and big soft-play areas for kids, as well as some lovely restaurants and seating areas. The free bus service was also reliable, well run, and very easily accessible. All in all, a fantastic trip!<br />
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I also managed to make a like a good blogger and do a little shopping whilst in Disney. If you're from a country where Euros aren't you home currency like I am, then you'll probably have fewer qualms about handing over lots of money for Disney merchandise and Disney food just because you can't work out the exchange rate fast enough in your head before you pay (I am speaking directly from experience). For example, upon reflection, I was handing over £2.50 for bottles of water, paid nearly £30 for a set menu meal, and was going to buy a tank top before I calculated that the 45 euro price was the equivalent to £32. Disney isn't cheap...roll on my Cast Member discount! However, as you can see I did pick up lots of little keepsakes to add to my Disney merch collection, including a musical jewellery box, a gorgeous pink Disney Princess scarf, some Tsum Tsums, stationary, sweets, chocolate, popcorn, pins and more. I was in Disney merch heaven, and can't wait to get some bigger items in Florida in October.<br />
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So that was a little snippet into my DLP mini break. Of course I still wish I was in Paris, tearing up over Dreams and celebrating the magic but I must come back to reality with a bump and return to work...*sad face*.<br />
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Have you ever been to a Disney Park? Or DLP?<br />
What's your favourite Disney film?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-80279772292247478582015-05-10T15:04:00.000+01:002015-05-10T15:04:35.032+01:00A Sephora Wish List<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wouldn't be a proper #bblogger if I didn't have a list as long as my arm detailing bits and pieces I'd love to buy from Sephora - that sacred, hallowed ground of beauty goodness. Given my imminent move across the pond I feel that it's only fitting to scour the Sephora website and pick out some goodies to watch out for come October...so what have I chosen?<br />
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">Haircare</u><br />
I haven't chosen much haircare as it's not really an area of my particular interest, but I did spot <a href="http://www.sephora.com/happy-hour-blowout-shampoo-P378177?skuId=1506385">DryBar's Happy Hour shampoo</a> which caught my eye. It's a similar concept to Bumble & Bumble's Sunday shampoo in that it's designed as an all in one hair cleanser to be used once or twice a week in between regular hair washes in order to remove product build up and deeply cleanse the hair. This will be perfect for me as I just know I'll be caught out by the humidity, and I'll definitely be in the pool before work.<br />
The other haircare item I like the look of is the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/premiere-dry-shampoo-P394233?skuId=1695428">Show Beauty Premiere Dry Shampoo</a>, a lightweight dry shampoo that absorbs oils and adds volume. It's a bit on the pricy side at $47, but I'm in love with the jewel encrusted cap!<br />
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">Skincare</u><br />
I have three skincare items on my wish list. The first is to try a Glamglow product, and the one I have pictured above is <a href="http://www.sephora.com/thirstymud-tm-hydrating-treatment-P384782?skuId=1582725">Thirstymud</a>. I also love the sound of Ole Henriksen's <a href="http://www.sephora.com/walnut-complexion-scrub-P42318?skuId=958652">Walnut Complexion Scrub</a> to get rid of dead cells - I've not tried anything by Ole Henriksen before. My final skincare wish is actually one of Sephora's bestselling concepts, a box of their bestsellers, or favourites. The one I have chosen here is <a href="http://www.sephora.com/the-great-cleanse-P392520?skuId=1672096">The Great Cleanse</a>, a 12 piece set of cleansing products put together to help you choose the right cleanser without having to purchase full sized products. I love a good cleanser, washing my face is one part of my skincare regime that I love doing, so this is a perfect way to try new brands and products!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><u>Make-Up </u></span><br />
There are some cult favourites highlighted on my Sephora make-up wish list, namely <a href="http://www.sephora.com/sugar-rose-extreme-lip-treatment-spf-15-P393514?skuId=1684604">Fresh Sugar Lip Balm</a>, <a href="http://www.sephora.com/better-than-sex-mascara-P381000?skuId=1533439">Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara</a> (two products I know to have rave reviews), and <a href="http://www.sephora.com/amazonian-clay-12-hour-blush-P278610?skuId=1306844">Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blusher</a> - again a blush game changer and a HG product for many. I'd also really love to try <a href="http://www.sephora.com/hd-invisible-cover-foundation-P217905?skuId=1096908">Makeup Forever's HD Foundation</a> (a favourite of Kim K, so I've read!) and of course get my hands on some much coveted Marc Jacobs beauty items, including a <a href="http://www.sephora.com/kiss-pop-lip-color-stick-P387037?skuId=1613116">Kiss Pop Color Stick</a> and a gorgeous <a href="http://www.sephora.com/style-eye-con-no-7-plush-shadow-P380704?skuId=1505171">eye shadow palette set</a>.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><u>Miscellaneous</u></span><br />
Do we have make-up remover filled cotton buds in the UK? If so point me in their direction please. I'd love to try them, which is why I've put <a href="http://www.sephora.com/targeted-eye-remover-swabs-P378041?skuId=1479112">Sephora's Targeted Eye Remover Swabs</a> in my virtual basket. They'd be perfect to remove mascara residue.<br />
I've also popped two rollerball perfumes onto my wish list because I think they're a really neat way to try new scents and perfect for travelling...and we don't have a lot of them freely available in the UK. I know that I'll definitely be keeping fragrances in my work bag...I'll be wanting to smell fresh in the heat!<br />
The other two miscellaneous beauty bits are two make-up bags, <a href="http://www.sephora.com/beauty-on-the-fly-P383016?skuId=1625268">Sephora's Beauty On The Fly</a> is a TSA approved clear plastic travel bag, perfect for carrying liquids airborne...and perfect for taking to Disneyland California (should I have the fortune to go!), and <a href="http://www.sephora.com/the-voyager-P387819?skuId=1670843">The Voyager</a> is a Sephora branded make up bag that reminds me of gorgeous mermaid scales.<br />
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Do you have any Sephora product recommendations? I'd love to hear them :)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-68888380565240730562015-05-02T08:44:00.000+01:002015-05-02T08:52:07.588+01:00Moving to Florida | Disney CRP 6 Months To Go Checklist!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Good morning :)<br />
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I've hit the 6 months to go mark. Well, in fact it's actually 5 months and 24 days to go now until I move to Orlando for the year, so I thought I'd write this blog post as a visual reminder for myself of the things that I need to complete, and for you to peek into the process of what it takes, post acceptance, for you to physically haul your life across the ocean...<br />
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Yummy Jobs set me up with a Cultural Representative Programme step-by-step guide / cheat sheet kind of document that will help the British CRPs get everything in order, which I have found incredibly useful.<br />
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So what do I need to be doing? (This list is not set in stone, you could, I guess, complete these steps no matter how close or far you are to your programme start date, providing they're all done before you step onto the plane!)<br />
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<li>Accept job offer and pay initial fee - <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">complete @ 02/04/15</span></span></li>
<li>Pay CRB check fee - <span style="color: #c27ba0;">complete @ 13/04/15</span></li>
<li>Receive CRB paperwork in the post and send back to YJ</li>
<li>Book a flight -<span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="color: #c27ba0;">complete @ 03/04/15</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Arrange a hotel at the airport</span></li>
<li>Arrange a hotel in Orlando - <span style="color: #c27ba0;">complete @ 30/04/15</span></li>
<li>Upload all necessary documents to Disney's DOC</li>
<li>Research and pay for medical insurance</li>
<li>Scan CRB and email to YJ</li>
<li>Email flight information to YJ</li>
<li>Await 1 month before departure to arrive before commencing visa application</li>
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So that's a little update of where I'm at with my formal planning. I'm currently having a huge mare with my medical insurance because it's just so confusing and it's making me really appreciate the NHS! </div>
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So my question for you is, what's one British home comfort that you think I need to pack in my suitcase that I'll miss while I'm away? (I'm thinking food related!) Let me know in the comments below!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-87731801530062041272015-04-15T17:30:00.002+01:002015-04-15T17:30:48.864+01:00Working At Walt Disney World| How To Apply Stage 3: The UK Face-To-Face Interview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disney IP Banner</td></tr>
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Hello :)<br />
<br />
This is part three of my posts detailing the UK application for the Disney Cultural Representative Program (CRP) and will cover my experience of day of the final interview, or the face-to-face interview as it's also known, which took place on March 19th, 2015. Again, as I have said before, this post talks about my personal experience and as such your application experience may differ slightly. Click on my CRP page in the bar above to find my other posts about my CRP journey.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Through to the final round! </td></tr>
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So, 48 hours after my pre-screen interview I was at work and checked my emails to see that I'd been invited to the final round of the application, a visit to Disney HQ in Hammersmith, London! For me this was to be the most exciting part of the application process as I'd have the chance to see a little bit of the inside of Disney HQ, something that many people will never have the chance to do.<br />
<br />
In order to prepare for this interview I made sure to join the new Facebook group to help me connect with the people that could potentially become my new work colleagues, decide what to wear, and plan out some answers to potential questions in my new Mickey Mouse notebook. I was also sent an email from Disney asking me to fill out my role preferences (I put Merchandise as my preferred interest because I wanted to try something new, and then Food & Beverage. Unfortunately the UK only has these two job roles available as we don't have any attractions in the UK Pavillion!), and to select my interview date and time. I was also invited via email to upload my CV, emergency contact details and other such important documents to Disney's online hub, DOC, which I did in anticipation that it would save me some time if I was given the job (update: it did!).<br />
<br />
The final interview was set for approximately 2 weeks after the pre-screen event so I didn't have much time to plan a trip to London. The email will ask for you to be at Disney HQ for 09:00 on the morning of your interview so I knew that I would have to include an overnight stay this time which arrived in the form of my friend Hannah from Saudi, who graciously let me stay at her flat for the night.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><u>The Day Itself</u></span><br />
On the day of my interview (which was the 19th of March, the second of the two available dates) I caught an overcrowded train and tube during morning rush hour to meet with my fellow interviewees outside of McDonald's in Hammersmith Bus Station. We made our way to Disney HQ and received our security passes before waiting patiently in the lobby beside a giant Swarovski Micky Mouse to be called upstairs to check in with Yummy Jobs. My passport was checked and then we were all ushered into Disney's full sized movie theatre for a presentation from two Disney representatives, Chuck (the general manager of EPCOT Theme Park!) and Sue (an international recruiter for Disney).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YBbYN-YwGhA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YBbYN-YwGhA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
The presentation was much like the one at the pre-screen, where Sue talked us through some important information like the job roles, the wages, housing, and cast member benefits, only this time it came with added videos that made me want to cry with happiness, and really hit home just how much I actually really wanted to make it onto the program. The video I've linked above really sums everything up for me, and I actually shared this to the Facebook group prior to us arriving for our final interviews and everyone agreed that it's a tear-jerker!<br />
<br />
After the interviews everyone had to leave Disney HQ and then come back 15 minutes before their allotted interview time. As mine was at half past 3 that afternoon I ended up having 5 hours to spare before I was called into the interview room. In the interim time myself, and some new Disney friends (Hi Peter, Leanne and Matthew!), decided to go to the Disney Cafe in Harrods which was an excellent choice as we ate the most delicious lunch and spent about 3 hours there in total (<a href="http://confettiletters.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/where-i-went-disney-cafe-by-harrods.html">see my blog post here about it</a>). It was so great chatting to some fellow 'Disnerds'!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disney HQ Reception</td></tr>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">In The Interview</u><br />
So 3:30pm rolled around and I felt myself getting a little nervous as I made my way back to HQ to wait to be called back upstairs. I ended up having to sit for another hour to be called into the interview room because my last name begins with a W, which was nerve wracking because I got to see how everyone felt on their way out of the interview room, but no-one was giving anything away! It was nice chatting to Katie from Yummy Jobs, and fellow CRP hopefuls but all too soon my time came around and Chuck came to the door and called my name - I was to be interviewed by the general manager of my soon-to-be-new-home theme park!<br />
<br />
Now I'm going to be completely honest here and say that I truly can't really remember the ins and outs of what my interview actually consisted of because it all went by in a complete blur, and I honestly thought I'd fluffed it. I know that it lasted about 10 minutes, and I managed to make Chuck laugh a lot, but I don't really remember what my main answers consisted of. <br />
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What I do remember is that I sat down and Chuck asked me what I'd done with my time in between the presentation and my interview slot and I told him about going to the Disney Cafe for a toastie. He asked me what a toastie was and I immediately answered saying that it was akin to a grilled cheese (one point to me for cultural exchange!). The interview then bounced between being a really informal chat and a proper interview, which completely took me by surprise. Chuck asked me questions like:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Why Disney?</li>
<li>How would you cope with the heat?</li>
<li>What would be the hardest part of your program?</li>
<li>Do you have any experience with handling money?</li>
<li>How would you deal with a guest who had a complaint?</li>
<li>Have you any experience of manual / heavy lifting?</li>
<li>Which airport would you fly from?</li>
<li>Do you have any tattoos?</li>
<li>What is your availability?</li>
</ol>
<div>
A lot to get through in 10 minutes, eh?! I remember that I did do lots of talking and also made a point to translate every time I said something very British into an American alternative so that I could demonstrate that I could talk about anything to just about anyone (for example I converted how much I'd normally cash up in the Drive-Thru till from ££ to $$ so that he'd have a greater understanding of the scale of my cash handling), and looking back I think this worked in my favour. We also talked about my experiences of international living, and my current job with McDonald's, where Chuck told me that I was the first person with McDonald's he'd interviewed in this intake in the UK, as in the US he speaks to many people with a McJob. (I believe that he also said that he began in McDonald's once upon a time, so hey, don't you ever knock us hard working McWorkers!)</div>
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All too soon my interview was over, like I said it went by so fast and there I was thanking Chuck for his time, shaking his hand and collecting my luggage ready to catch the coach from Hammersmith back to the West Country. </div>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">My Top Tips</u></div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Your interview will only last 10-15 minutes and may take place in a room with one other person and another interviewer (although strangely you cannot hear what they are saying and I don't remember the other girl leaving). Keep your answers short and succinct, be prepared to physically sell yourself in a professional setting and really try not to ramble. </li>
<li>Do lots of smiling. The interviewers may seem intimidating (purely because their jobs roles and personal CVs are so great!) but smile loads and showcase your personality through your answers and you'll naturally relax. </li>
<li>Ensure that you meet the Disney Look guidelines when choosing your interview outfit. If you google the guidelines you'll find lots of information about Disney's preferred look for it's cast members and this was really helpful for me as I wanted to look and feel a part of the company right away to get me in the right mindset. In all honesty I wore exactly the same outfit to my final interview as I did my pre-screen but this was purely because I work in a uniform and therefore only own one set of proper business clothes. I made sure to wrap my bun in my Minnie Mouse style bun wrap and changed my shoes into neat flats instead of boots to feel more professional. </li>
<li>Get to HQ early on in the morning, leaving plenty of time to make sure you're at the correct entrance (you need the one without the life sized storm troopers!) and enough time to mingle with your fellow potential colleagues. It's much nicer putting a face to a name from the Facebook group and having some people to hang out with in between the presentation and your interview slot. </li>
<li>Take some time to drink in the Disney details. Some of us had to give in to nature when collecting our ID cards and ended up being shown a toilet behind a concealed door in the wall. Magic. There are hidden mickeys all up the stairs, art work and movie posters on display and lots of merchandise in display cabinets along the walls. It's pretty damn cool!</li>
</ol>
</div>
So there you have my experience of the final interview with Walt Disney Recruitment for the CRP 2015 Winter intake, if you have any questions, please let me know!<br />
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Have a magical day!<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-21010666370411494902015-04-09T08:07:00.000+01:002015-04-09T08:07:23.723+01:00Working At Walt Disney World | How To Apply: Stage Two - The UK Pre-Screen Event<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disney IP Banner</td></tr>
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Hello :)<br />
I'm back with the second part of my three part mini series detailing the application process I undertook at the beginning of this year to help me get my new job at Disney World. <a href="http://confettiletters.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/working-at-walt-disney-world-how-to.html">If you've not read stage one then please click here to do so. </a><br />
<br />
Stage two incorporates a selection process with Yummy Jobs, called the <i>pre-screen</i>. This replaced the telephone interviews that they used to do previously following your successful online application form, and in my opinion is much more fun and informative that simply chatting to someone over the phone. Remember that I can only speak of the 2015 application process so keep that in mind when reading.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E-Mail Inviting Me To The Pre-Screen Event</td></tr>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">So How Do You Get To Pre-Screen? </u><br />
A couple of days after the applications closed in January I was sitting at home after a long day of work and saw the above email. I was so excited that I called my Mum straight away and she helped me to prepare mentally for the possibility of actually doing this, like, now that I was through the online application page, then a job at Disney World could actually happen!<br />
<br />
The interview event was scheduled for just over 2 weeks away from the original email being sent, so I quickly rearranged my shift cover at work, booked a train to London and then the train to Stanstead Airport. For the first time (since I've been doing my research anyway) the pre-screen was held just outside London, at the Radisson Blu Hotel near to the main airport terminal building. If I'm honest it was quite a faff to get to, considering I had to get the train to Waterloo, then a tube to Tottenham Hale, and then another train from Tottenham Hale to Stanstead. It was worth the 6am early start though, and, because my registration event was scheduled for in the afternoon, I was happy to see that I could do all travelling in a day, whereas some people who interviewed in the morning had to pay for accommodation.<br />
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You must dress the part for this event as it is an interview. I went for a nice black dress, with my hair up in a bun and subtle Disney details like Mickey ear earrings, and a red bandana with white polka dots around my bun to make me stand out a bit. Nothing too in your face Disney, but still professional and fun all the same. I also took a lovely black leather handbag and wore flats for maximum comfort. I would also recommend taking a notebook, some water, a pen and some mints just in case. YJ will also ask you to print off your YJ passport from their website to take with you. This is vitally important as you must affix a passport picture of yourself to the page and hand this in to your interviewer. This is where they'll make notes about you during your interview.<br />
<br />
<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">Arriving On The Day</u><br />
I arrived alone just after 1pm (I think!) and had plenty of time to spare. I realised that I hadn't actually eaten anything due to nerves so I entered the main terminal building and bought a sandwich from M&S before entering out onto what I thought was the main concourse to go to the hotel. Turns out that I could see the hotel, but couldn't physically get to it, so I ended up having to ask for directions!<br />
<br />
Once inside the hotel I noticed that there were a lot of neatly dressed people milling around in the bar area and on the chairs, and according to the Facebook group I had become part of, these people were also waiting for the 2pm registration, so I joined them and chatted merrily for half an hour or so before we were called in to register.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><u>Registration & Presentation</u></span><br />
The first thing we had to do was wear a Yummy Jobs sticker to help identify us as part of the YJ group. We then signed our names in and were assigned an interview time slot and group name (I was in the first interview slot at 3:30pm, and part of Team Cruella DeVil!), before making our way into a room where YJ was going to talk though a presentation about the job and do a mini quiz.<br />
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If you're like me and good at planning and researching then the information YJ gives you during the presentation shouldn't really be anything new, it should just reconfirm to you how bloomin' exciting it would be to have a job at Disney, and provide some information about the housing arrangements. I've been following the Disney IP YouTube channel for a while now and each of the videos they showed are available on there should you wish to have a look and get inspired.<br />
<br />
In a nutshell the presentation covered:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Walt Disney World </li>
<li>What the Cultural Representative Program is about </li>
<li>A look at Food & Beverage and Merchandise roles</li>
<li>A look at Disney Housing</li>
<li>Living, Earning and Learning</li>
<li>A Day In The Life of a UK CRP Participant</li>
<li>Costs you'll have to pay if offered a job</li>
<li>Potential earning salary when working</li>
<li>A look into the next steps of the recruitment process</li>
</ul>
<br />
After the presentation my interview group didn't have long to gather our thoughts before we were off into the interview room (but I did have chance to quickly Google how to make bubble & squeak as I'd heard YJ would quiz us on British dishes!)<br />
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">The Interview</u><br />
The interview lasts approximately 1 hour and will consist of 6-8 people sat in a semi circle around the interviewer who is behind a table in front of you. I was happy to see that my group was all girls, and that none of us had ever done a Disney program before (there were lots of people who had done the college program at the pre-screen).<br />
<br />
We entered into the room, and said hello to our interviewer and she took our YJ Passports from us while we sat down. I felt like I was quite lucky to be in the middle of the semi-circle because I was right in front of our interviewer, and was able to talk to the girls on both sides of me quite easily. The questions asked of us were:<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Choose 2-4 Starburst and depending on what colours you chose you had to give answers to an icebreaker type set of questions. I had to name two of my favourite places in the world (I said a library and aside from my bed, the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney / Disney Springs), and also what I like to do in my spare time. </li>
<li>Why do you want to do this programme?</li>
<li>What would you find difficult living with other people?</li>
<li>How would you organise getting to work? </li>
</ol>
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(I'm sure there was one or two more questions but I can't remember!) There are also two activities you have to complete in your interview which are designed to showcase your personality and your knowledge about British culture. The first is to bring an item that best represents your hometown or the UK. This was extremely difficult for me because I don't have a home town (see previous post here) so I took a tiny set of Beatrix Potter books that I have had since I was born to help me illustrate my passion for reading and represent all of the great literary geniuses that have come from the UK that have helped provide the stories for so many Disney films. (In hindsight, my friend Hannah says that I should have taken a globe!)<br />
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The second task is to 'sell' a British item or food dish to the group and the interviewer. We were each given a piece of paper with a picture of our product and they ranged from scotch eggs to the Queen to whiskey to cottage pie and so on. I was given a One Direction t-shirt to sell so I decided to have a bit of fun with it, pretending I was an X Factor voice over introducing them on the stage - something along the lines of 'you little sister wants to marry one, your mum loves their songs and your boyfriend thinks their hair is great, so come and buy this t-shirt and be part of the directioner family'. (I'm not a 1D listener so this was definitely quick thinking!)<br />
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All that was left to do once the interview was over, and believe me when I say that it flew by, was thank our interviewer (I shook her hand although lots of the other girls didn't) and make my way back home (via the Disney store on Oxford Street...).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bought myself Cinderella to read on the train home :)</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><u>Top 5 Tips</u></span><br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Make conversation with those around you while you're waiting. If any of those people get put in your interview time slot / group then you'll really thank yourself because you'll already be at ease! </li>
<li>Don't panic. The interview is like have one big discussion about how you'd fit into the program, and although there are interview questions and activities designed to make you think on your feet, it's quite a relaxed atmosphere and the YJ team are incredibly friendly! </li>
<li>Showcase your personality. Disney is all about personality, they're not looking for mountains of experience (although of course that will help you), but someone that is friendly, loud and proud to say that they're British with an appetite to learn and succeed. If you say nothing during your interview then you're really not what they're looking for. Be respectful, let others have their turn, but don't be afraid to showcase yourself. </li>
<li>The primary purpose of the pre-screen is to see what you're like in a social situation, so wear something professional yet comfortable that will allow you to breathe and act like you would do normally. Try not to let nerves overcome you, stay calm and focus on your answers. </li>
<li>Don't prepare answers so far in advance that you sound like a robot reading from your mental auto-cue. Sure, think about possible answers and have key words that you want to mention to help you talk but please don't sound like you're reading from your notebook, it will really show, and it's really not what Disney are looking for. </li>
</ol>
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So that was stage two, the YJ pre-screen event. They told us that we'd wait no longer than 48 hours to see if we got through to the final face-to-face interview stage, so watch out for part 3 of my application round up coming soon! </div>
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Any questions or comments please leave them below or email me: louisekwilliams@googlemail.com </div>
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Have a magical day! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-23865162480871821352015-04-08T09:46:00.000+01:002015-04-08T11:19:16.148+01:00Working At Walt Disney World | How To Apply: Stage One - The UK Online Application Process<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disney IP Banner</td></tr>
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Today marks 200 days until my boss changes from a clown to a mouse. Bye, bye burgers, hello happiness!<br />
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But let's rewind a little and think back to January 2015, when I decided to put in my application to work for <a href="http://ip.disneycareers.com/en/default/">Disney</a>, through <a href="http://www.yummyjobs.com/">Yummy Jobs </a>(YJ) in the UK. There are a couple of ways in which a British person can work at Walt Disney World, including summer exchanges and programmes whilst at university, but I don't know enough about them to give you any concrete advice, so I'm only going to write here about The Cultural Representative Programme (CRP).<br />
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I initially heard about the CRP whilst attending a function with The Royal Navy. My father was a serving officer when he passed away in 2009, and every year since we have attended a prize giving ceremony at HMS Raleigh in Devon, where we have a prize in his name. Whilst I was at one of the ceremonies I met an officer who told me about his daughter doing a Disney college program and I thought it sounded amazing. Like so many other people I've grown up with Disney. From wearing a Pocahontas two piece legging and jacket set as seven year old, to colouring in Disney Princesses, and now to using an iPhone encased in a Minnie Mouse cover and blasting out The Hunchback of Notre Dame soundtrack as I get ready for a night out. The world may change exponentially, but the Disney magic of films old and new will never tire. In 2015 I decided then that I was going to put my all into my application, but not to expect too much due to the popularity of the <a href="http://ip.disneycareers.com/en/cultural-representative-program/overview/">CRP</a>. I applied on a whim, for the very first time, and I've gone all the way. Now that I've had my experience with the recruitment process, and been successful, I feel it fated to share my experience in the hopes that someone else in the future may achieve their Disney dreams.<br />
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">So what is the Cultural Representative Programme?</u><br />
The <a href="http://ip.disneycareers.com/en/cultural-representative-program/overview/">CRP</a> is a year long contract of employment as either a Food & Beverage or Merchandise Cast Member working in the United Kingdom Pavilion at EPCOT theme park, Walt Disney World. The roles are both very different and each offers the Cast Member an opportunity to hone skills, learn new ones and interact with guests of all ages from all around the world. The emphasis of the CRP is cultural interaction, and, as a CRP participant, you're expected to be able to confidently and proudly share your British heritage with guests, answer their questions about the UK and demonstrate British culture. The pavilion sells traditional food and drinks of the UK, as well as lots of home comforts in the shops, including Dairy Milk chocolate, Twinnings tea and football shirts. Coming from a food and beverage background I really hoped that Disney would allow me to transfer into something new and my lucky stars were shining over me as I'm actually going to be a Merchandise Cast Member...!<br />
<a href="http://ip.disneycareers.com/en/cultural-representative-program/overview/">Click here to learn more about the CRP. </a><br />
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If you're a national of any of the eleven countries EPCOT houses in its world showcase then you can apply, via Disney, through your in country recruitment process, but here in the UK the application consists of three stages, 1) An online application to YummyJobs which opens twice a year, usually in August and January, 2) A group interview somewhere in or near London, and 3) a personal face-to-face interview with a Disney International Recruiter at The Walt Disney Company HQ in Hammersmith, London. I am going to talk about the first stage in this post, and the latter two in upcoming blog posts. Please bear in mind that this is information about the 2015 application process and may differ slightly with each intake session.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YJ Website </td></tr>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">The Online Application</u><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">In my opinion this is the most difficult of all three stages, simply due the fact that you've really got to make your application stand out from the other thousands of people who have also applied during your intake session. I believe I am quite fortunate to have lived the life I have up until now and this was what my Unique Selling Point (USP) consisted of - my background. I grew up in many different locations throughout the UK (including Scotland), I also grew up in Moscow, Russia and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I'm half Welsh, half English, I went to boarding school in Suffolk and I'm quite well travelled for a early 20 something (including Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua, Dubai and the Eastern Seaboard of the USA). In my opinion this is what makes me unique, and I wrote a lot about that. Find your USP and centre your application around it - whether it be some experience, a talent, what you do for a living or anything that really makes you and your personality stand out. </span><br />
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">The Form Itself</u><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">The first part of the application is generic personal and contact information. You know the type, name, address, next of kin etc. Then comes education where I listed my educational achievements in order from most recently achieved. Here I included my degree, A Levels, and GCSEs, and also qualifications I've achieved though work, like my shift management diplomas, and first aid. Next is entitled 'Work Experience' where I wrote about having been employed with McDonald's for the past five years and noted my main responsibilities, and my official job title.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">The second part of the application process is the most important, it incorporates 'additional questions' that are designed to make you think on your feet. The first is <i>'Why do you value cultural exchange and interaction?'</i> and here it's asking you to think about why it is important to you that we connect with people from all over the world to share information and why you would personally enjoy sharing Britain with the rest of the world. I focussed here on living in cultures that contrast to my own, and living in a globalised world, and how it's important for our growth both individually and as the wider human race to appease our natural curiosity for things new and exciting by exchanging cultural information with different people from across the world. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">The next questions is ambiguously titled 'Final Comments'. I was very unsure of what to write here, but I used it as further space to showcase my USP, and focussed on the individual traits that I thought would make me a perfect fit to become a CRP Participant. I touched upon extra curricular activities I did at school and university, how international living made me adaptable and independent at boarding school and in my university college at Durham, as well as how I enjoyed being part of the literary and debating societies at school. I then mentioned how I thought my background and life experience thus far has enabled me to be comfortable and confident in new situations, as well as how to adapt in unfamiliar surrounding - skills that allowed me to enter into my senior management role at work, and skills that I can definitely bring to EPCOT. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.yummyjobs.com/">YJ</a> will then ask you to upload some documents including a passport style photograph of yourself, as well as a recent CV, cover letter and copy of your passport's information page. It also asks for a previous visa if you have one before offering you the chance to input your Passport details (I didn't do this as I felt that a photocopy of my actual passport page was sufficient, but you can choose to manually enter your details if you wish). </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">The last part of the application form is the killer question, the make or break between you being a valued Disney enthusiast without taking you further, and a possible future Cast Member. The question is '<i>What is your motivation for the programme?' </i>and it requires a good answer.<i> </i>Up until now the application for has allowed <a href="http://www.yummyjobs.com/">YJ</a> to get a feel for you as a person, your background, what your current job involves and why you think it's important to perform cross-cultural exchange, but without you displaying your own motivation to go out and perform this exchange then you fall short of the Disney requirements. I made a point to emphasise how my current job as a hospitality ambassador for a fellow multi-billion dollar has really helped with my motivation for customer service. Couple that with my adulation for the Walt Disney brand and there I had a lot of motivation to succeed as a CRP Participant. This really is a personal question, and relies upon you knowing why you really want to do the programme and how to word it well. </span><br />
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">My Top 5 Tips</u><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">1) Write in good coherent English, if necessary get someone to check your application for you. This is your one shot to stand out from 2000+ people to get through to the next stage so really take the time to perfect your application as much as you can. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Draft out your answers on Word or Pages (or equivalent) and think about how they would sound to a potential recruiter. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">2)Be professional. Ok, so you're putting your all into working for the number one entertainment brand on the planet but you still need to be professional, both in your answers and on your CV. I'm talking no colloquialisms, Mickey images on your CV, or silly WordArt. You can of course have some fun with your words, I used a lot of the Disney language like 'guest' not 'customer', and 'cast member' not 'employee' to make my application more <i>Disney</i>. I also slipped in phrases into my answers like 'It might be a small world after all...' and 'there must be more than this provincial life...' to inject a bit of my personality and into the monochrome pages of the online form. Fundamentally you're still looking for employment, it just so happens that that employment comes from Disney and at the end of the day they're really looking for professional people that will uphold the Disney Values. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">3) Write a Cover Letter. I'd not really written a cover letter before so I googled how to do it and took it to be an extra amount of space to sell myself. YJ and Disney are essentially looking for hardworking individuals who have lots of energy and personality so your Cover Letter is definitely one place to showcase this. In mine, amongst other things, I wrote about how I once ate over 30 Kinder Eggs just so that I could collect the Disney Princess toy collection. If that doesn't show brand loyalty then I don't know what will! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">4) Don't lie. This may seem like a given, but if you write something on your application and then get offered a pre-screen interview then YJ may ask you about your 'love of impersonations' or 'interest in wine' or whatever it is that you've put. I've read stories of people who say they've been asked, in depth, about something they'd written so don't lie to make yourself look better - it'll only come back to bite you later if you can't answer truthfully! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">5) Keep to the point and don't waffle. You don't get a lot of space to write out your answers, only a limited number of characters, so you have to be prepared to cut down what you've written to make your words really pack a punch. Although I love to write, I can have a tendency to ramble and so I had to edit my answers a lot to get them into the word limit. Ensure you're only putting relevant information in your answers, and ensure that this information is going to sell you as a person. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">So there you have my experience of the online application process, the first stage of recruitment. Do your research, watch lots of vlogs on YouTube, read other people's blogs for their experiences,and read about the <a href="http://ip.disneycareers.com/en/default/">International Programs on Disney's website</a> and you'll be well on your way to realising your dreams!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below or feel free to email me: louisekwilliams@googlemail.com.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Have a magical day! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-73446537015040927962015-04-05T21:27:00.000+01:002015-04-05T21:27:11.151+01:00New Job | I'm Moving to Orlando, Florida, With The Walt Disney Company! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I can't actually believe I'm about to embark on writing this post! It truly doesn't feel real to me yet, but I can assure you that what you've read from the title is no April Fool. In 204 days time I'll be flying out to Orlando. The Walt Disney Company have deemed me worthy enough to employ as a Merchandise Cast Member, and I am truly floating on cloud 9...!<br />
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Back in January, after much longing and dreaming I finally got the courage to send off my application to <a href="http://www.yummyjobs.com/">Yummy Jobs</a>, the in-house UK recruitment team in charge of supplying Disney wish fresh talent to interview for employment on the <i>International Cultural Representative Programme</i>. I had actually penned the beginning of an application in 2013, however something told me to wait, to carry on up the career ladder with McDonald's (which paid off as I'm now an Assistant Store Manager), and see where my McJob could take me.<br />
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I'm a big believer in the notion that a person is exactly where they're supposed to be at that moment in time, and although I sent my finished application off on a whim in January 2015, I had every fibre in my body crossed to get through to the next stage (I'll write separate blog posts on the recruitment process soon). See, I don't think I was meant to apply in 2013. If I'm truly honest having my McJob has definitely helped me in a huge way to get my job at Disney, and the fact that I followed my niggling feeling back then has really paid off now - note to self, listen to gut feeling! I feel like the Disney magic has been sprinkled in my favour because I've now got a whole year in Orlando to look forward to, and believe me when I tell you that the planning has begun in earnest already!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Congratulations Email / The Disney IP /<br />My ID For Visiting Disney HQ in London / Welcome To The Team!</td></tr>
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So what will I be doing? Forgive me if you're familiar with <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/epcot/">EPCOT</a> theme park, but to explain it simply, <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/epcot/">EPCOT</a> is one of 4 theme parks located at the Walt DisneyWorld Resort in Orlando, Florida. Inside <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/epcot/">EPCOT</a> is an area called World Showcase which houses pavilions from 11 countries around the world, including Mexico, France, Norway, Japan and UK to name but a few. Inside each pavilion you'll find an authentic representation of that country, from the architecture, food, and merchandise, to the very people that work there. Yes, Disney travel the world annually to scout out talented people who go through a recruitment process with the ultimate goal to become a Cultural Representative of their country and, for a whole year, live, earn and learn on Disney property in Orlando, central Florida. This is the programme I will be doing beginning in October 2015, where I will be earning my ears as I train in the Disney art of Merchantainment.<br />
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I am planning to blog as much as possible, and I definitely feel like I have so many fresh ideas to share with you about my journey. So far I've booked my flight, a hotel in Orlando for the night before Disney check-in, and paid my program fee to reserve my apartment, but there's still so much to do and plan! I'm in the middle of planning my bucket list, a Sephora shopping spree, a trip to WalMart and what American goodies to stock up in the pantry for my first week.<br />
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So if you're like me, and Disney is not only your 'thing' but also consumes all aspects of your life, then please join me on my journey to becoming a Walt Disney World Cast Member :)<br />
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- Instagram: louisekwilliams<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-58057233585908077692015-03-31T11:48:00.000+01:002015-03-31T11:48:00.296+01:00Where I Went | The Disney Cafe by Harrods <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I recently went to London for what I'm going to call a 'work trip' - all to be revealed shortly. During my stay I met up with a friend I'd not seen for nearly 2 years (hi Hannah!) and combed through the drawers of Victoria's Secret at Westfield Stratford looking for pastel pink delights (which I found, check out my Instagram: louisekwilliams). I also treated myself to a fabulous larger Longchamp 'Le Pliage' from Selfridges, and drank a gorgeous peach flavoured cocktail in TGI Fridays. But were any of those activities the highlight of my trip? No, The Disney Cafe by Harrods was.<br />
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As you may be well aware I'm a out and proud Disnerd. Aside from just watching the films, Disney is a way of life for me. I use Disney character toiletries, select a morning banana from my Mickey fruit bowl, wear Minnie Mouse pjs to bed, and swoon over my Tsum Tsum collection as I get ready in front of my mirror for work every morning to go out into grown-up world. Yes I'm 24, and no I'm not planning to become a fully fledged adult any time soon.<br />
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Imagine my delight, then, when I learned that I would have an ample amount of time to have lunch in the Disney Cafe located on the 4th Floor of Harrods in Knightsbridge, London! Truth be told this ample time extended to a 3 hour lunch affair, with both a main course and dessert being consumed whilst new friendships were made and sing alongs were sung to the new Cinderella film soundtrack. *Insert Disney Princess squeal here.*<br />
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Right from the entrance I just knew I was going to have the best time ever in this Cafe. The Disney details were everywhere, the walls painted a gorgeous royal blue colour with character murals and sparkles, TVs playing many Disney film clips and shows, a giant working Big Ben clock from Peter Pan in the centre of the room, and the tables had cute Mickey Ears affixed to the back of the chairs. Every where you look your eyes are filled with Disney magic! It was perfect.<br />
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The menus were already laid out on the tables, doubling up as placemats with fun colouring in and puzzles to keep *ahem* <i>everyone</i> entertained. The servers were busy bustling around the restaurant handing out Princess crowns to the younger guests and gifting them a Cinderella storybook to keep them entertained until the food was brought out. My new friends and I spent ages pouring over the 'spot the difference' puzzles (which, by the way, were incredibly difficult!) and choosing our lunch from the adult menu. I opted for a ham and cheese toastie with a side salad, and after becoming sad when told they had no Mickey waffles, I opted for a brownie for dessert. When both were presented I was so excited to find that they were Mickey shaped!<br />
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The food was absolutely delicious, and although it's not a cheap meal, (my main, dessert and two drinks came to £30) I believe it's worth it for the quality and fulfilled the Disney standard that I have come to know and love. Our servers were so friendly and even took the time to help us with our puzzles and answer any questions. We were actually the first visitors of the day as the cafe opens at 11am, and could have sat there well on into the afternoon if we hadn't had to go to our meeting!<br />
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If you're a Disney fan in any shape or form I'd fully recommend you paying a visit to the Disney Cafe by Harrods, even if it's just for a coffee, or an afternoon tea, or a full meal like we did. You're guaranteed not to be disappointed! Children are more than welcomed, and adults too, because as Walt would say, '...adults are only kids grown up, anyway!'<br />
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Have you ever been to The Disney Cafe by Harrods?<br />
What's your favourite Disney film?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-74291091052365204312015-03-13T17:10:00.000+00:002015-03-13T17:12:31.069+00:00My 24th - London & Birthday Haul <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oh hello blogosphere :')<br />
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What a hectic world we live in, eh? One minute I'm counting down the days until my birthday and the next it's the day after and it's all over for another year. Madness. I thought I'd share some pictures with you from my lovely little day out to London with my Mama and J, as well as the beautiful pressies I was incredibly lucky to unwrap and pick out in the shops for my 24th birthday. (Wow, I'm getting on!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-HESjP8msN7Iy70y8dyDDYi5zTmVPzk9C_ycZqAXVek-yZD1P4vV6QwMGUSx9e5464Cs-4XmMw6uldhSSz9F0dfv1fsCaJWWTzrmdS7FNC-bKxptzgntt0Th02AR3TzlbNgwRgu5sPw/s1600/Birthday4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-HESjP8msN7Iy70y8dyDDYi5zTmVPzk9C_ycZqAXVek-yZD1P4vV6QwMGUSx9e5464Cs-4XmMw6uldhSSz9F0dfv1fsCaJWWTzrmdS7FNC-bKxptzgntt0Th02AR3TzlbNgwRgu5sPw/s1600/Birthday4.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cinderella / Laduree Stationary</td></tr>
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We got the coach from Somerset (where I live) to Hammersmith bus station and waved to Disney HQ as we boarded the tube to take up to Knightsbridge for a run around Harrods. I adore visiting Harrods, if the outside window displays are anything to go by, this shop is heaven. I squealed with delight when I saw that the windows all along the main street were filled with beautiful Cinderella scenes from the forthcoming film, my inner Disney Princess was in awe!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhfIeV7kjSSYFa9yRosuS85nJmHWUtkFbJwYiFT_7h4bfYA5BYcOYnzck7s6-drvfr0o3uoH4u9vuhEmCyKXfj9hC1Xkaoo5DgPVuR7FOfWtu7cBzSyShkBHwSp_vksDUbQNB6ucT0fM/s1600/Birthday5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhfIeV7kjSSYFa9yRosuS85nJmHWUtkFbJwYiFT_7h4bfYA5BYcOYnzck7s6-drvfr0o3uoH4u9vuhEmCyKXfj9hC1Xkaoo5DgPVuR7FOfWtu7cBzSyShkBHwSp_vksDUbQNB6ucT0fM/s1600/Birthday5.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake Face :P / Five Guys</td></tr>
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Two hours later we meandered back on the tube to Covent Garden and went to Five Guys for lunch where I feasted on copious amounts of cherry vanilla Coke and strawberry lemonade (as well as my burger!) before making our way back to Covent Garden market via Cybercandy and The Disney Store. I purchased macarons at Laduree (naturally!) and my Mama treated us to some Godiva chocolate covered strawberries for dessert from lunch. Yum!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0p_bHGVX5Ou38ZFFol-mh45npEUBQfbL_bng7uMbQKMxSv576i_3SA_qg7WCAWeeFFBlhfLrD-sIZEZ9QYdT8MqTz0GUstpylCB2SXQ3sbWdCtAu4omVUJpWz1CM9sVvHX_sKt-_DiQ/s1600/Birthday3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0p_bHGVX5Ou38ZFFol-mh45npEUBQfbL_bng7uMbQKMxSv576i_3SA_qg7WCAWeeFFBlhfLrD-sIZEZ9QYdT8MqTz0GUstpylCB2SXQ3sbWdCtAu4omVUJpWz1CM9sVvHX_sKt-_DiQ/s1600/Birthday3.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday Breakfast / Presents / Cake / Light-up Disney Balloons</td></tr>
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I'm fortunate to know London quite well, so the three of us then walked down to Trafalgar Square, before winding our way up to Picadilly Circus and then walking the whole length of Regent Street and Oxford Street right up to Selfridges. J has never really been to London before so it was really lovely to take him around and show him some of the sights. He particularly enjoyed the Harrods food hall, and ended up coming away from there with some sausages for his Mum for mother's day (don't ask!).<br />
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We caught the coach back to the West Country at around 6pm and while we waited we played 'spot the Disney / Pixar characters in the Disney HQ windows' and ate <i>Pret a Manger</i> baguettes (my new favourite spot for food on the go!). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-B8hGExuLNwgoKbfRADZd3F_vFW-VQG5mSaeRqZKc_BBQPK60BqkxytOiTShBMajstiqP6QAczRPflXSNFaDhcVxZN6aHb49FnGXRMplPCRjugm4oF2ZYUX-DUtL5zpgiVlRUcsfVPY/s1600/Brithday2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-B8hGExuLNwgoKbfRADZd3F_vFW-VQG5mSaeRqZKc_BBQPK60BqkxytOiTShBMajstiqP6QAczRPflXSNFaDhcVxZN6aHb49FnGXRMplPCRjugm4oF2ZYUX-DUtL5zpgiVlRUcsfVPY/s1600/Brithday2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely bargain bag from Primark for £10! / Laduree Macarons & Truffles<br />
Disney Store Presents from J / Macaron kitchen timer, Frozen bubbles & £20 note tissues from my Mama, Bunny ring holder from J.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlsYef8dSPG2d-_dnlujL-lMYeWMEmLLIlN60XGwcpNvNAa6dr5tdJfeO_zpFdjYaJcqFnEzztSFbOpp9mT0weNAItlrNinAk2dOm-kxu9rUDcfAQY6__Xt5MII7m9dKX_YRa6er7kJg/s1600/Birthday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlsYef8dSPG2d-_dnlujL-lMYeWMEmLLIlN60XGwcpNvNAa6dr5tdJfeO_zpFdjYaJcqFnEzztSFbOpp9mT0weNAItlrNinAk2dOm-kxu9rUDcfAQY6__Xt5MII7m9dKX_YRa6er7kJg/s1600/Birthday1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allure, DHC makeup remover wipes and gorgeous makeup bag from J / Bumble & Bumble and Penhaligon's goodies from my Nana / Too Faced Palette from my Mama / Lulu Guinness for Tangle Teezer from J</td></tr>
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It was such a lovely little day, although long, because we literally never stopped walking all day and London was really busy, as expected. I got some beautiful things too. J got paid on my birthday so he let me pick out some bits and pieces when were were walking around London, my Mama gave me some pennies to pay for my Disneyland Paris ticket in June, as well as some bits and bobs I've shared above, and I got various other money gifts and presents from my Nana.<br />
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What a perfect way to turn 24!<br />
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What's your favourite shopping spot in London?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-74445197123888075002015-01-22T08:00:00.000+00:002015-01-22T14:33:38.885+00:00Brand Spotlight | Yves Rocher<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I always feel incredibly honoured when a brand or PR agency reaches out to me to see if I'd be interested in some of their products to try out, and was recently contacted by <a href="http://www.baobella.com/">Baobella</a> with the chance to try some Yves Rocher skincare products in exchange for a post about them. I'm not at all familiar with Yves Rocher, save for a lovely brown eyeshadow I recently received in a subscription box (it pairs well with my blue eyes!) and so I held out hope that their skincare products would be just as lovely. <a href="http://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/control/com/uk/">Yves Rocher</a> has been voted the number one favourite beauty brand in France, and boasts a plethora of products from sun care, to haircare, makeup and fragrance to name just a few categories.<br />
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After a mishap with the postman, a little brown box finally appeared in my hand containing a body lotion, <a href="http://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/control/product/~category_id=6000/~product_id=44766"><i>Silky Cream</i> </a>which contains organic oats (RRP £13.50), a leg and foot cream, <a href="http://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/control/product/~category_id=4400/~product_id=01496">Anti-Fatigue Iced Gel</a> (RRP £5.00), <a href="http://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/control/product/~category_id=4410/~product_id=85927">a botanical hand cream</a> (RRP £3.90) and also a gorgeously scented coconut <a href="http://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/control/product/~category_id=6000/~product_id=47088">bath fizzer</a> (RRP £1.50). I've had a chance to try out all of the products (apart from the bath fizzer - more on that in a minute) and on first impressions they're all incredibly lovely to use.<br />
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My favourite product of the selection I was sent is the long-lasting moisturising botanical hand cream. As someone who works hands on with food day in day out keeping my hands in good condition is incredibly important to be or else they'd be very weathered from constant hand washing and food preparation. This hand creams applied very well, absorbed quickly and left my hands feeling pampered.<br />
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Silky Cream comes in a hefty 200ml jar so there's plenty of product for your money and I know that this will last me for a long time yet! It's an all over body moisturiser that's fragranced with organic oats, which are not strictly to my taste (I much prefer sweet and fruity scents) but it's not too powerful. The lotion absorbs quickly into the skin leaving your limbs feeling soft and pampered. I can definitely see myself buying one of these for my Mum for her birthday, she'd love the scent!<br />
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The final two products are particularly apt for my current life situation. At the beginning of this week I had to go into hospital to have surgery on my foot. I'm currently propped up on a pillow at home and feeling a bit sorry for myself, but mostly because I have to wear sandals and flip flops everywhere until my foot heals (summer shoes in January are not the one!). I've been using the Anti-Fatigue Iced Gel on my feet around my bandages to help, literally, take the weight off them and give my poor feet a bit of TLC following the anaesthetic and the procedure. It contains peppermint for a refreshing feeling, as well as lavender to promoted general foot comfort and well-being. That said, the coconut bath fizzer is something I desperately want to try (I love baths and coconut!) but I'm not actually allowed to get my foot wet for another 4-6 weeks, *sad face*. I therefore cannot give you an actual review on that, but I promise you it smells divine and the Yves Rocher site promises immense relaxation with its use so I'm excited for that!<br />
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Have you ever tried any Yves Rocher products?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-4439287980068397792015-01-06T12:57:00.000+00:002015-01-06T12:57:45.759+00:005 Things I've Been Loving Lately<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello :)<br />
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Just a quick little post to show case five little things I've been loving lately...and I've only just noticed that they're nearly all chocolate related!<br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>St Ives. I fell in love with St Ives in Cornwall when I went for Christmas down to my Mum's house. It's the cutest little seaside town I've ever been too, full of pokey shops, cobbled streets and adorable fishermen's cottages all sitting atop one another. I went to all 5 beaches, saw the Tate St Ives, played on the amusements arcade and did a small bit of shopping. If you ever have the chance to holiday in Cornwall then St Ives is a must see. </li>
<li>I popped into town to do a bit of last minute sales shopping the other day and decided to stop in Starbucks. I played my 3DS while I sipped on a caramel hot chocolate and munched a delightful slice of chocolate cake. Oh so indulgent, but oh so naughty!</li>
<li>When I was in St Ives we ate in a bar / restaurant on the seafront called Hub. It's going down as my favourite place to eat in St Ives, as we went there twice and I had the same thing both times, pulled pork nachos - yummy! On both occasions I also got an American style chocolate milkshake made with Cornish ice-cream which was both huge and incredibly tasty. My brother and J also got themselves a beer flight each, which went down rather well I'm told!</li>
<li>Continuing on the milkshake theme, I've been loving chocolate almond milk in my cutesy little milk bottle couple with some pineapple and mango for breakfast - yummy. </li>
<li>Finally, my beloved Chocomania Body Shop range has been discontinued! Queue the tiny violins! I first posted about this range back in 2012 <a href="http://confettiletters.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/bodyshop-chocomania.html">here</a> and instantly fell in love with it. I went into the Body Shop just before Christmas to see if I could find any of the range and it'd all gone. It's back in the sale to shift the last stock, so if you love this range then get stockpiling just like I've recently done! </li>
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What have you been loving lately?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-90590712578100651992015-01-01T13:21:00.001+00:002015-01-05T10:02:54.476+00:00On The Bookshelf - January<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's only right, as I start writing my chapter 2015, that I carry on into the year reading somebody else's words. There are too many unread books on my shelves and so my literary resolution to myself is to stop buying more books until the ones on my bookshelf have been read.My four books for January are a mixture of girlie glamour, science / dystopian fiction, crime, drama and history...can you tell that I'd read just about anything?<br>
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<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><u>Beneath The Glitter - Elle & Blair Fowler</u></span><br>
There's such a massive hype at the moment surrounding YouTube personalities having their own books in print, and despite any controversy I enjoyed Zoella's book for a light read when it was published last month. I decided to pick up Beneath The Glitter because it's loosely based around the lives of the Fowler sisters, the protagonists are sisters who make online videos who then move to L.A and find themselves in a world of glitz, glamour, betrayal and vicious gossip. It sounds like a nice fluffy, easy read. One for the bath!<br>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">Dangerous Boys - Abigail Haas</u><br>
Has anyone read Dangerous Girls by the same author? I honestly don't want to spoil that for you but the book both enraged and completely amazed me. It was unlike anything I'd ever read before, full of passion, crime, betrayal and the biggest plot twist I didn't see coming. I was completely emotionally invested in that book and so I am hoping that Ms Haas has pulled it out of the bag again with Dangerous Boys. The blurb notes that this is about three teenagers who venture into an abandoned lake house one night but a couple of hours later only two emerge from the burning wreckage, one boy and one girl. Another boy was left in the flames but was his death murder, or a tragic accident? I'm incredibly excited for this one.<br>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">The Infinite Sea - Rick Yancey</u><br>
This is the sequel to The Fifth Wave, a book I picked up a while ago, but was only half curious about the story because it contained aliens, and ended up being hooked on the dystopian element of the novel. I'm currently part way through this book and once again am enjoying picking up the story where the first novel left off. The main gist of the trilogy is that aliens have been watching Earth for some time, and have successfully managed to exterminate humans in five different waves of destruction, in order to claim Earth as their own. Cassie Sullivan is a human girl trying to survive and the story follows her and a number of other characters trying to fight for the last of humanity.<br>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">The Wolf Princess - Cathryn Constable</u><br>
I picked this up in the Waterstones 3 for 2 offer just before Christmas. It's a children's book so will be another easy read, but I wanted to buy it because it's set in Russia, and I used to live in Moscow as a child. The main story centres around three school friends who are on a school trip to Russia when they find themselves abandoned on a train. They are rescued by a glamorous Princess who takes them away to her palace where she tells of her tragic past. The friends discover more that just a Princess in the castle walls when night falls and wolves begin to prowl. I'm definitely eager to read this one!<br>
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So, those are my literary picks for January. What's on your reading list?<br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-51967734063294617302015-01-01T11:49:00.000+00:002015-01-04T21:45:57.738+00:00My 2015 Erin Condren Life Planner - Platinum Foil Bubblegum Edition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Good morning & Happy New Year!<br>
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I hope that however you spent welcoming in the New Year was a lot of fun for you...I spent mine at work, cashing up tills and serving countless people our new promotional burgers. I couldn't indulge in any kind of bubbles as I was running the restaurant, so instead we got the fireworks in London up on someone's phone and counted down in the kitchen.<br>
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Celebrations aside, as it's officially 2015 now, I wanted to share with you my diary for this year as it's something I'm rather fond of, having had it for a month already and having been using it every day. I decided to go for the <a href="https://www.erincondren.com/">Erin Condren</a> life planner this year and ordered it back at the end of October. It made its way over to Somerset from sunny California in just under a week, having taken a week to produce with the company because it's personalised. A little warning though, if you're wanting to order one of these, the shipping will be extortionate (£30 with FedEx priority shipping *gulp*) and the diary itself doesn't come cheap either. I'd been lusting after an EC Life Planner for absolutely ages, having watched countless planner organiser videos on YouTube to satisfy the inner organiser in me so I decided to go for it...and I've not looked back!<br>
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My life planner is the <a href="https://www.erincondren.com/life-planner-platinum-edition-bubblegum">2015 foil platinum edition in bubblegum</a> which appeals to my inner magpie for shiny silver things, and I absolutely adore the baby pink colour of the cover. EC Life Planners come with a variety of different cover designs and colours to choose from (the covers are even interchangeable) and each cover is personalised with the text of your choice. I've seen people have their blog/website name on the cover, but I simply went for my name because my planner isn't blog exclusive.<br>
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The inside features a number of fancy things that I find useful that other diaries were lacking for me. There's a removable perpetual calendar at the back that houses all of my important birthdays and anniversaries, a clear plastic ziploc pocket to keep important paper and pens, removable stickers to mark off important days and things to do (again sticker sheets are customisable), plain and lined sheets of paper for notes and random doodles, as well as cute little inspirational messages to perk up your day.<br>
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The diary itself is laid out month by month, each month is accessible by a different tab, and within each month section there's a two page monthly calendar and then each week thereafter is given two pages. I am using the month on two pages to plan out my blog posts for 2015 and I've already got lots of ideas in the pipeline for things I want to write about and photograph to properly get back into writing again...I used to post every day or every other day and I'm working my way back into a routine of doing that.<br>
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The weekly pages are definitely my favourite part of this planner because of the way they're laid out, they completely appeal to my inner organiser! Each day is split into three parts, Morning, Day and Night and allows you to not be completely time bound with what you have to do as long as what you need to do gets done in the day part you've scheduled it for. The pages allow me to visualise an entire day and work around what I need to do at home versus what I need to do for work and so on.<br>
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Each week also has a section for goals and notes down the left hand side of the left page where I like to write big things I want to get done that week, for example picking up a parcel from the Royal Mail depot, or sending a birthday card. I haven't quite decided what to use the lined space underneath each day for yet, perhaps meal planning or a mini food diary.<br>
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When I used to use my Filofax I would decorate each page with washi tape and stickers, bits of card and fancy decorative craft pieces, a bit like a scrap book. I've still decided to decorate my planner in a similar sort of way, but only using stickers and washi tape in order to keep it useable. I don't want to deal with craft pieces falling out when I'm trying to write any more! I don't keep any sort of theme running all month, just decorate the pages as I want and ensure I get maximum usage out of the planner. The week pictured above just so happens to be my birthday week where I know I'll be off work, so I made it all fancy with a cake and disney theme ready for March to roll around.<br>
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So that's my planner for this year. Are you an organiser like me and keep a diary / life planner?<br>
How do you like the look of the Erin Condren life planner?<br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-69003830404684586492014-12-31T14:34:00.001+00:002014-12-31T14:34:15.507+00:00Drawing a Line & Starting Anew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzb4RfoBxB9xHQ6BHX4ZDvUywPI7SDjduXCKIPsv06CDjrGyi5NOi9wiKv-C3-O6HUG68ic4lK_x61CwJuCuOrAcerTdSPOtJ2AbV6HeiU0QCssk-FnPyeD3xVrhEjMZ3rQp0Az5qUI8/s1600/New-years-2015-clock-300x269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzb4RfoBxB9xHQ6BHX4ZDvUywPI7SDjduXCKIPsv06CDjrGyi5NOi9wiKv-C3-O6HUG68ic4lK_x61CwJuCuOrAcerTdSPOtJ2AbV6HeiU0QCssk-FnPyeD3xVrhEjMZ3rQp0Az5qUI8/s1600/New-years-2015-clock-300x269.jpg" height="358" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Found on Google Images</span></td></tr>
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As another year draws to a close I'm drawing a line underneath it. Turning a fresh, clean, page of an unwritten book and beginning, in media res, once more. 2014 wasn't bad, in fact there were a lot of positives, but towards the end I felt myself get a bit lost and carried away with the momentum. Without trying to sound too overly romantic or dramatic, I feel a bit wayward with who I am, what I want, and where I need to be, and feel like I have compensated for this unidentified feeling of late in material things, working too much for so little, and so on.<br />
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I've neglected my lovely little blog, neglected my health, begun to push aside the people who mean the most and pretended so many times that I'm ok. Ok isn't good enough. In fact it's worse than being just fine. It's not happy, incredible or brilliant. It's just ok. I'm just ok.<br />
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My little head has finally realised that I deserve to be more than ok, that I don't have to work so many hours, and that taking time out is a good thing. So 2015, I'm coming for you...for me. I don't owe anything to anybody (well apart from the bank!), certainly not my workplace, and certainly the world does not owe anything to me. But I'm going into this new year in a resettled frame of mind, and wow, let's make it a good one...!<br />
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I've just finished compelling my bucket list, as I do year on year, and you can have a read though it above if you'd like and see if we have any of the same goals/hopes/wishes. Just click on '215 Things For 2015'.<br />
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A very happy new year to you all <3<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-3147274056607047042014-12-11T17:57:00.000+00:002014-12-11T17:57:59.934+00:00Blogmas Day Eleven: Getting Cosy With My Little Box<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQnzA1Looz5pvx_Waqoca5qq0Fo2lzytOZi_VuNcipee-Ii_JWTaBHLoHp_02A4zG0YGvI7R3hm02nWj2m5eSwZdjZzIvwDRPph0CIGs7xK6oybb6C6RQphsl-3l2oLKFd1M-tBaSTqM/s1600/Cosy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQnzA1Looz5pvx_Waqoca5qq0Fo2lzytOZi_VuNcipee-Ii_JWTaBHLoHp_02A4zG0YGvI7R3hm02nWj2m5eSwZdjZzIvwDRPph0CIGs7xK6oybb6C6RQphsl-3l2oLKFd1M-tBaSTqM/s1600/Cosy1.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
Winter is undoubtedly the season for feeling your cosiest. I, for one, absolutely adore the winter months so I was so excited to see that the latest <a href="https://www.mylittlebox.co.uk/home">My Little Box</a> (November edition) was a cosy themed edition. This is my 3rd box from the company and i'll be completely honest and say that if they carry on with how undoubtedly gorgeous their boxes have been then I'll probably become a subscriber for life. There's not a single thing in any of my previous two boxes that I've not loved, or not used!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4jJ954b_f1Zyy-EaZeaCxOJQIUgIYWmDfzCBMzh48agp_AZe0F7ukPWAhXgWAbQcOmhiRzK87ZPj-UuOhv1Zt1-o6ZuKERqSs7nCOigKvJOjR1sHlIGwhs_zjge8Hvw_UArq7LV4i10/s1600/IMG_1995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4jJ954b_f1Zyy-EaZeaCxOJQIUgIYWmDfzCBMzh48agp_AZe0F7ukPWAhXgWAbQcOmhiRzK87ZPj-UuOhv1Zt1-o6ZuKERqSs7nCOigKvJOjR1sHlIGwhs_zjge8Hvw_UArq7LV4i10/s1600/IMG_1995.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
Like every month before this one, I've received a pretty little print with an inspirational saying on it, and like every month before this one, this now lives on my wall above my dressing table. Pretty soon I'm going to get a collage frame when I've received enough boxes and put that on the wall. Super cute!<br />
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The products in this box were definitely well suited to the theme, and you can tell that a lot of thought and love has gone into compiling these boxes. I received:<br />
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- An espresso mug<br />
- A wheat warmer<br />
- My Little Box's own brand mascara<br />
- An eyeliner<br />
- A Yves Rocher eyeshadow<br />
- <i>My Little World</i> magazine<br />
- Inspirational print<br />
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I have to say that even though I love the idea of everything in this box, I don't drink coffee so can't use the mug for it's full intended purpose (although I have had a mini hot chocolate in there for when I needed a little warming up), and I don't have a microwave so I can't use the wheat warmer (although I really want to! I think I'm going to take this to my Mum's house at Christmas and use it there). But the makeup products were right up my street and I've been using them to create a simple brown smokey eye for work that accentuates my blue eyes.<br />
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If you're not already signed up to <a href="https://www.mylittlebox.co.uk/home">My Little Box </a>then I truly believe you're missing out. I cancelled my Birchbox and Glossybox in order to solely receive this one and I think that says something! 3 boxes in and I'm in love!<br />
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Are you a fan of subscription boxes? Which are your favourite?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-40907823113229001912014-12-06T11:57:00.001+00:002014-12-06T11:58:03.030+00:00#Blogmas Day Six: What's In My Work Bag?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Morning :) I've woken up to a frost covered wonderland, brrr what a chilly day!<br />
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Seeing as a I work in a bit of an unconventional job, I thought it'd be fun to show you the inside of my work bag today because it doesn't contain the necessary items that say an office worker would need (paperwork, laptop etc etc). More often than not I do also have some bits of paperwork in my bag so that I can read up about new promotions, the updated cash policy and so on, but for confidentiality and company policy reasons I can't show them to you here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoGut1kLt8ldGBenYK-bbIRZqK6gB26bMFz8r-rDv4ZDAEGO0U_Va6zrGL4RBqIdtXKQXJLZp5WmZo26UeWRfWcNVZ9GczwUDvGsDxiuMUU21boz9c25N6DconNT4qePTpfJlXho36Nk/s1600/TedBaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoGut1kLt8ldGBenYK-bbIRZqK6gB26bMFz8r-rDv4ZDAEGO0U_Va6zrGL4RBqIdtXKQXJLZp5WmZo26UeWRfWcNVZ9GczwUDvGsDxiuMUU21boz9c25N6DconNT4qePTpfJlXho36Nk/s1600/TedBaker.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anyhow, I'm currently sporting a <a href="http://www.tedbaker.com/uk/Womens/Accessories/Bags/BECON-Large-bow-shopper-bag-Black/p/116898-00-BLACK">Ted Baker Large Bow Shopper</a> as my work bag. It's patent, spash proof and is big enough for me to fit in my huge management development folders that I need for my promotion, just perfect! I chose a black bag because it's hard to pair anything bright and wintery with a grey skirt a a mustard yellow belt (but that's a rant about my uniform that I'll save for another day!).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBr3RSIyT84cZ9dOumDR_wN756WNfmY0k67RKAJWt4FDapl6OGIrrx_KoEY0YekXh8QuszJabtt_Mo4CIlPkiCM7NZ1wdzOP-cqIcU1Cd_PyU2MxyHKoA0Cnlf_2R9f3arRPQRVA4etk/s1600/IMG_2033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBr3RSIyT84cZ9dOumDR_wN756WNfmY0k67RKAJWt4FDapl6OGIrrx_KoEY0YekXh8QuszJabtt_Mo4CIlPkiCM7NZ1wdzOP-cqIcU1Cd_PyU2MxyHKoA0Cnlf_2R9f3arRPQRVA4etk/s1600/IMG_2033.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Inside my bag you'll find my hat, apron and the QRG, which is basically a McDonald's bible that has all the nitty bitty information inside of it that I need to know on a daily basis to help me run the restaurant. Like how long it takes to toast a hamburger bun, and on what compression setting I should have my toasters at and other such information. I'm forever praying that I don't have to go into the kitchen though because I'm clumsy and end up burning myself a lot!<br />
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You'll also find bits of stationery in my bag for when I'm working my admin days and looking after the restaurant's training. I use a Jack Wills makeup case as my pencil case which houses many highlighters, black biros and Sharpie markers (and of course my precious Tip-Ex Mouse!). I have my Employee of The Month sticky note set for reminders to my training squad and apprentices, and also my Erin Condren life planner which does exactly that: it holds my entire life inside of it!<br />
I also, of course have a selection of lip products usually floating about in my bag, and a pocket mirror to help me apply them. I also usually carry a mini deodorant and a spare pair of tights too but neither of those were in my bag when I took my photos!<br />
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Finally I will usually have some kind of snack in my bag to munch either while I walk to work, or walk home from work (9 hours on your feet is hungry work!). This time I had yoghurt coated fruit flakes, yummy! Of course I carry my keys with me so that I can actually get home after a long day, and some delightful cotton candy body spray and a mini Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream rollerball perfume to keep me smelling sweet throughout the day. My final item in my bag is my personal McBible that I'm using to house all of the passwords for the computer programmes that we use, as well as any financial and business information about the restaurant that I need to learn for my promotion. I don't know what I'd do without it!<br />
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What do you carry in your work bag?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-15670977557747779522014-12-05T22:21:00.001+00:002014-12-05T22:21:34.414+00:00Blogmas Post 3: The Magical Orlando Tag<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.floridatix.com/blog/competition-orlando-magic-tag/">Credit</a></td></tr>
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On this day in history: Walt Disney would have been celebrating his birthday, having been born on December 5th 1901. I, like millions of other Disney addicts across the world will be celebrating this day in honour of the man who changed the face of animation and children's lives for generations to come. I've grown up with Disney films, owning them on VHS, belting out soundtracks to audio sing-a-long books and worn numerous items Disney branded clothing (Pocahontas leggings, anyone?). I'm almost 24, and my adoration for all things Disney knows no boundaries, in fact although I might sip a cider whilst watching Cinderella nowadays, I still long for those times past when I'd be tucked up in bed with a mini hot chocolate and staring at the beauty of Mulan or Belle. <br />
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What better way to celebrate this day than with <a href="https://www.floridatix.com/blog/competition-orlando-magic-tag/">The Magical Orlando Tag</a>, hosted by <a href="https://www.floridatix.com/">FloridaTix</a> in celebration of their new and improved website (a website that I have used personally in the past to plan my visits to Orlando attractions, I'd definitely recommend it!). Whilst this tag is not Disney exclusive, it incorporates my other great literary and cinematic love, Harry Potter, and a selection of the other amazing attractions that Orlando, Florida have to offer. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let us begin...<br />
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<div style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 28px;">
<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">1. Which Hogwarts house would you be sorted into?</u></div>
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I'm already a member of Pottermore and ended up being sorted into Slytherin on the site. I'm not sure this would translate in real life as I'd say I'm more of a Ravenclaw: I'm bookish, witty and eager to learn all that I can about anything and everything. I've always been academic, and a bit of a self confessed over achiever, but Slytherin's are characterised as being cunning, resourceful and ambitious, again traits I would identify with. I guess I wouldn't want to choose, and ultimately wish the Sorting Hat would do it for me! </div>
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<div style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 28px;">
<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><u>2. Name a Disney character you’d like to have dinner with.</u></span></div>
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A bit unconventional, because although my first instinct was to mention any of of the beautiful Disney Princesses, I would absolutely love to have dinner with the merry band of ruffians Rapunzel comes across in the Snuggly Duckling in Tangled. I can bet that they'd show you a good time and definitely have many a story to tell to while away the evening. We could sing and dance and talk about each other's dreams! </div>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">3. Which Marvel superhero power would you choose?</u></div>
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I think I'd like to have a go at being The Invisible Woman for the day. Reading her biography is like reading the life work's of a nobel prize winner. She can render herself invisible at will, make objects explode and erect invisible, near indestructible force fields. Wow. </div>
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<span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"><u>4. If you could bring back one dinosaur breed from Jurassic Park, which would it be?</u></span></div>
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I really don't like dinosaurs, so much so that I purposefully avoided the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom having experienced the terrifying Jurassic Park ride at Universal. So I think i'm going to pass on this question. Earth is much safer sans dinos, sorry! </div>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">5. You can ride a dragon at the Triwizard Tournament and visit the Owlery at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but where else would you go on a school trip to Hogsmeade?</u></div>
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As 90% of my life revolves around my next meal I can't pass up this question without mentioning a trip to Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks for Chocolate Frogs, Butterbear and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. I went to Honeydukes in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter during my Orlando vacation in 2012 and seriously couldn't take my eyes off the decor and the products on sale. Just like Harry, when he entered Diagon Alley for the first time, I felt like I needed more than one set of eyes. After visually gorging in Honeydukes I also ate in The Three Broomsticks and sampled a scrumptious butterbeer...mmm, so tasty! </div>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">6. A scene in any Disney, Harry Potter or Marvel movie you wish you could experience?</u></div>
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This is a difficult question because there are so many magical scenes that I wish I could recreate just to see how they'd translate to real life. I'd love to experience the glass slipper fitting my foot as Cinderella did and see my life magically transform into something wonderful, good will always triumph evil, even in the darkest hour, all you have to do is believe :) </div>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">7. Name one item from any Harry Potter, Disney or Marvel movie would you want for Christmas.</u></div>
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I don't think I want this, I <i>need</i> it - Hermione's time-turner. Time is just that one luxury we waste and claim to never have enough of. With everything happening all at once in my life I'd love to be able to revert back a couple of hours and help myself out with work and general life! And of course, I'd love to use my time turner for adventures...mischief managed!</div>
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<u style="background-color: #ead1dc;">8. Name one unforgettable experience/moment you’ve had at the Orlando Parks.</u></div>
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Now I'm not known to be a sensitive girl, sure I'll sympathise with your problem but I'd rather get on and fix it. So it may come as a surprise to you, and it certainly did to me, that I physically cried when I walked into Magic Kingdom and rounded the corner of main street to gaze upon Cinderella Castle. I was so overwhelmed by <i>everything </i>that I was incredibly thankful for my oversized sunglasses. That's the magic of Disney, it's so hard to put into words how it makes you feel if you're enthralled by the Disney touch, but anyone like me will just <i>know</i>, y'know?</div>
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I would like to tag <a href="http://www.cocktailsinteacups.com/">Amy</a> and <a href="http://www.blogofshadows.com/">Kayleigh</a> in this post, they're fellow Disney and Orlando lovers so I can't wait to read what you beauts write about!<br />
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Have you been to Florida?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-76157850374863107412014-12-04T16:29:00.000+00:002014-12-04T16:29:32.205+00:00#Blogmas Post 2: A Magical Disney Haul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As a self confessed Disney addict it will come as no surprise to you when mention that I've recently been on the Disney Store website and come away with a haul. I was also recently saddened to discover that both the Bristol and Plymouth branches of the Disney Store have closed down so now my nearest physical Disney Store is all the way in Cardiff (cue sad face). I am actually going to London next Monday so no doubt a trip to Oxford Street's branch is a must!<br />
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Anyways, I had some pennies to play with and ended up spending just over £50 to qualify for free delivery (always a bonus!). Here's what I got:<br />
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I'm a big stationary fan so naturally this was the section of the website that I headed for first. I picked up <a href="http://www.disneystore.co.uk/mickey-mouse-3d-head-pen/mp/65283/1000267/">this cute minnie mouse 3D head pen</a> for £3.50. You press a button and her teeny tiny body pops out, and then you press is again and it disappears, so cute! I can't find the Minnie Mouse one online anymore but Mickey's still on there. I also found a <a href="http://www.disneystore.co.uk/minnie-mouse-red-stationery-set/mp/71025/1000266/">Minnie Mouse Stationary Set</a> for £10 which comes with a variety of desk essentials including a stapler, notepad, highlighters, paperclips etc etc. I absolutely adore this and use it for work. My final stationary item is this gorgeous <a href="http://www.disneystore.co.uk/disney-fairytale-designer-collection-journal-sleeping-beauty/mp/70733/1000268/">Sleeping Beauty Designer Fairytale </a><a href="http://www.disneystore.co.uk/disney-fairytale-designer-collection-journal-sleeping-beauty/mp/70733/1000268/">Journal </a>for £12. I spotted the artwork for this online and fell in love with it instantly (so much so that I'm considering getting the rest of the collection, which includes Cinderella, Tiana, Pocahontas and Mulan).<br />
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I was then inspired by my notebook to purchase the <a href="http://www.disneystore.co.uk/disney-fairytale-designer-collection-mug-sleeping-beauty/mp/70783/1500054/">Sleeping Beauty Disney Designer Fairytale Collection</a> mug for £10. This has seen many a hot chocolate and marshmallow creation in the short time that I've owned it, and again I'm tempted to finish off the collection if they're available in store next week.<br />
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My other item of homeware is an ice cube tray (which was initially my main reason for being on the Disney Store site in the first place!) and that set me back around £8. I've been having a Baileys after work some nights and having a cute Minnie & Mickey floating in my glass has made me smile post shift. I can't find this on the website anymore I'm afraid.<br />
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I also spotted some adorable <a href="http://www.disneystore.co.uk/minnie-mouse-pink-ears-headband/mp/72984/1500030/">Minnie Mouse ears</a> for £5 to start my preparations for Disneyland Paris sometime in 2015. I love the colours pink and white together, and the sequinned ears will make this a fashionable accessory to accompany me to ride Space Mountain.<br />
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Finally, I couldn't help but purchase a <a href="http://www.disneystore.co.uk/bambi-mini-bean-bag/mp/32185/1000260/">mini Bambi plush</a> for £7 to accessorise my dressing table. He's so soft and snuggly!<br />
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Are you a Disney fan?<br />
What's your favourite film / character?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-19187876483982112702014-12-01T11:04:00.000+00:002014-12-04T16:29:48.068+00:00#Blogmas Post 1: A Christmas Wish<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Merry #Blogmas! I didn't partake in any kind of festive themed blogging last year and given my excitement that's building this year I have decided that I definitely would like to this year, to finish off 2014 in high spirits.<br />
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#Blogmas day 1 sees me share with you what I'd love to unwrap on Christmas day. Now, I don't know how you do it in your family, but my Mum and brother and I all swap lists of things that we'd like for Christmas and then the person buying chooses a couple of things from the list (not all!) to wrap up and place underneath the tree. This way everyone gets things that they actually want/need but there's still an element of surprise because we don't know what we're going to receive. This year has been no different, and so I've spent many hours so far gazing longingly at various items on the internet...<br />
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My mum styles herself as 'Mrs Christmas' throughout December, something that I absolutely adore, and she'll ask my brother and I to write to her with our Christmas lists. Gone are the days of circling everything in the toy section of the wishing book (a.k.a The Argos Catalogue!), now it's all about sending her links to webpages so that she doesn't have to search very far! This year I popped on a Mulberry Bayswater (forever on my wish list until I actually buy / receive one), the TooFaced chocolate bar palette, a gorgeous textured jacked from River Island with a detachable faux fur collar, some cute grey boots from New Look, Frends Layla headphones, and Benefit's Total Moisture facial cream (it wouldn't properly be Christmas unless I received something from Benefit, it's like a tradition for my Mum and I!).<br />
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My brother and I always set a budget for each other and he usually finds himself discovering the counters of beauty brands he has never really heard of in order to buy my gifts. This year I've introduced him to YSL with my wish for another tube of Babydoll mascara (a HG product of mine) and some makeup remover. He and I also share a particular love for Jack Wills as a brand and I adore the colour of this water bottle, it'll be perfect for taking to work in a bid to drink more water in the coming year. Finally, I recently upgraded my handheld gaming to a 3DS XL (in pink!) and am currently making myself a list of games to purchase. Although this is clearly aimed at tiny people I'd be so excited if James bought me this to play on boxing day!<br />
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So that's my Christmas wish list for this year, what's on yours?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-37146836022988470542014-11-23T20:00:00.001+00:002014-11-23T20:00:47.138+00:00The Christmas Tag<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found on Tumblr</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 21px;">So it's getting to that time of the year where all I want to do is sit at home, under my Tinkerbell blanket, with a hot chocolate and wrap Christmas presents. I feel that I may be a little premature in my festivities, however, so I thought I'd curb my enthusiasm and complete the Christmas Tag that I found on </span><a href="http://milkbubbletea.blogspot.co.uk/" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 21px;">Becky's</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: 'Droid Serif'; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 21px;"> blog:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie/s?</span></div>
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I absolutely adore Miracle on 34th Street, The Snowman, Father Christmas and the latest of the Raymond Briggs franchise, The Snowman & The Snowdog. </div>
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<span style="color: #e06666;">2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?</span></div>
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We will always open presents on Christmas morning, usually still in our Pjs and usually making our way through a mountain of selection boxes and chocolate coins. My mum usually asks if we want to do it all in one go...or save some presents for later and it's the same every year, the former wins! This year I might try and see if we can spread them out over the day, let's see how well that suggestion will go down with my brother...</div>
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<span style="color: #e06666;">3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?</span></div>
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My Mum & Dad's Christmas tree has always been placed on a side table with a cloth covering the top of the table, and then the presents put under table. One year my brother and I cleared out all of the presents and turned on the lights on the tree and laid under the table so it looked like we were lying under the tree. My Dad put Emerson Lake & Palmer's <i>I Believe In Father Christmas</i> on his stereo and we laid in the light and festive atmosphere and listened, silenced in awe. That memory's become so much more poignant since my Dad's passing, and that song remains my favourite Christmas song of all time. </div>
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<span style="color: #e06666;">4. Favourite festive food?</span></div>
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It's got to be a good old chocolate coin bag! Or Christmas dinner :)</div>
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<span style="color: #e06666;">5. Favourite Christmas gift ?</span></div>
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I've been so lucky to have received a multitude of amazing gifts over the years, Barbies as a child, lots of books, stationary, trip to Dubai, and jewellery amongst other things that I can't pinpoint a favourite gift of all time.</div>
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<span style="color: #e06666;">6. Favourite Christmas scent?</span></div>
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My Mum will always place cloves inside clementines and put them on the radiator to make the beautiful citrus spicy scent fill the room...so yummy!</div>
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<span style="color: #e06666;">7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?</span><br />When we lived in Russia we'd always go to a Christmas party. Since we moved back to England my brother and I will usually squeeze the Christmas presents and put our stockings outside our bedroom doors. For the past couple of years it's also become a bit of a tradition to go out for Chinese on Christmas Eve and watch people do the frantic last minute dash around the shops :)<br /><br /><span style="color: #e06666;">8. What tops your tree?</span><br />I've not remembered anything particularly iconic topping our tree. My parents' tree is older than I am and the top branch hangs a bit limp these days so we usually just place a star sitting on the branches below it. </div>
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<br />9. <span style="color: #e06666;">As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?</span><br />Never mind as a child, more like over the past three years or so I've been lusting after a brown Mulberry Bayswater handbag. It goes on every Birthday and Christmas list (usually as a bit of a giggle between my Mum and I!) and it will do until I am either gifted one or I save up and buy one for myself!<br /><br /><span style="color: #e06666;">10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?</span><br />Absolutely everything, the preparation, buying presents, decorating, eating, wrapping, writing cards, secret santa, wearing silly things in my hair, chocolate, christmas music, wearing christmas socks...the lot!</div>
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So that's my Christmas Tag :) If you do this too please leave the link to your post below so that I can read it too!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-42041948914191796192014-10-11T12:31:00.000+01:002014-10-11T12:31:06.086+01:00A Little Home Haul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last night I decided to take a trip to my local B&M home store to spend some pennies on their home accessories. I don't know if you have a B&M store near you, but if you don't it's basically a discount retailer that sells kitchen cupboard staples, home accessories, toys, DIY bits and pieces, beauty items and the odd bit of furniture. I'm not a massive fan of the stock, some of it really looks as cheap as it is but you can definitely find the odd gem hidden amongst the rest of the items on the shelves.<br />
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I came out with 14 items costing just under £20.00, which is a delightful bargain indeed! I'm not going to show you all of my haul per se as some of it was for my kitchen cupboards (think cranberry sauce, Nutella and stuffing for my Sunday roast!) but I did want to show you some of the cute little home decor bits I found nestled on the shelves.<br />
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First up is this gorgeous woven wicker decorative heart that I found in the Christmas (yes, there was an aisle of it already!) section. It doesn't scream Christmas to me, which is why I've already put it on my dining room door to add a bit of Winter cheer to the room. I adore the silver heard garland that's wrapped around the heart and the tartan bow is a nice touch. This was a total steal at £2.99.<br />
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Next are two decorative pieces I bought for my bathroom. Being the daughter of a Naval Officer I am obsessed with all things ocean themed, anchors especially! This lovely little wooden anchor was 99p and looks the part sat next to my ceramic bathroom blocks from Tesco.<br />
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The Bathroom Rules sign is a little joke to remind J of the rules of the room. Having been living with him for just under a year and a half I am still surprised (read: annoyed) when I come home to find his underwear right in front of the shower door, or a sink full of shaving foam and the toothpaste without the cap on it - grrr! It's cute and girly and will look great either hanging on the front of the bathroom door or just above the bathtub. I paid £1.99 for this.<br />
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This fourth piece has to probably be my most favourite, it's an adorable Home Rule print full of all of my favourite mantras and quotations to live by. Something to stop and read every morning to guarantee a happy and fun filled day! This was another steal, at £2.99 and in my opinion it looks a lot more expensive that what I paid for it!<br />
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Finally, I made two beautiful stationary purchases, a floral notebook and pencil case ready for my upcoming management development day on Tuesday. I've mentioned before that I'm chasing a pretty big promotion at work and this day is the first stepping stone to for me to prove how well suited I believe that I am for the role. I'm a stationary addict / hoarder anyway so these two were definitely not being left on the shelf. The pencil case was 99p and the notebook was also 99p.<br />
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What's on your home with list?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-23061442385980483522014-10-08T08:28:00.001+01:002014-10-08T08:28:24.599+01:00October Library<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Reading has always been a big part of my life since I was teeny tiny. I used to always receive books as gifts and would literally sit and devour one after the other on my beanbag throughout my school holidays. My mum's had this longstanding joke that I'd read anything and everything, so much so that if she gave me a reel of bus tickets I'd probably read them right though to the end of the reel!<br />
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My enjoyment of books stalled at university. Every time I picked up a book that wasn't Criminology related I felt guilty that I wasn't studying, but it didn't stop me from spending a good hour in Waterstones or the WHSmith book section when in Durham, there's nothing nicer than a good bookshop. In fact, I'd be absolutely over the moon if I was able to get a job in Waterstones one day!<br />
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Despite owning a Kindle and using it all the time I still adore that feeling of holding a book, a proper one, with that new book smell and engaging pages. The fact that I am no longer at university, and that I have more than just Kindle books waiting to be read has prompted me to begin a monthly post about my reads for the month, hence, October Library.<br />
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<li><i>Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn.</i> Truth be told I'm writing this on October 8th and I've already finished this. I read it in one day, this Monday just gone! The plot is thus: Nick's wife is missing but Nick is claiming not to know anything about it despite all evidence pointing to Nick and her murder. It's such a well written book, with a vibrant plot and leaves a lot to keep you guessing what's going to happen next. I didn't even realise that there was a film version of this in the cinemas at the moment, but I've got tickets to see it tomorrow so hopefully it doesn't leave me deflated by being a rubbish adaptation! </li>
<li><i>The Charm Bracelet, Melissa Hill.</i> I own a few Melissa Hill books because the premises always sound cute and girly and the kind story I'd want to read in the bath with a candle burning. The Charm Bracelet takes place in New York City at Christmas and sees Holly try and reunite a charm bracelet with its owner, with only the charms to help her by acting as clues. I'm excited to start this, but will do so at the end of October to get into the festive spirit. </li>
<li><i>Paper Planes, John Green.</i> Everyone has probably heard of <i>The Fault In Our Stars </i>by now, but what about Green's other novels? I particularly enjoyed <i>Looking For Alaska</i> so I thought I'd try out <i>Paper Planes</i>. The blurb sounds like this: Quentin loves Margo, but it's always been from afar. One night she invites him on an all-night road trip of revenge and he cannot help but go with her. The next day Margo doesn't arrive at school, but she's left clues to her disappearance for Quentin to follow. So what has happened to Margo? I'm intrigued and can't wait to start reading this. </li>
<li><i>The Pointless Book, Alfie Deyes.</i> While I realise I am most definitely not part of the target audience intended to purchase a copy of this book, my final read for this month is Aflie's book and I just know that I'm going to love it! I like that this is an interactive book, you can most definitely get involved with it as each page contains a different activity for the reader (or author!) to do. It would be perfect for travelling to keep you entertained on the move! </li>
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So that's my October Library, what's on your 'to read' list at the moment?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-42093765626531580202014-10-01T19:41:00.002+01:002014-10-01T19:41:59.476+01:00September Favourites<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In my 3 years of blogging I don't think I've ever done a monthly favourites. I have no idea why, it's just never been a post I've really thought about writing. However, this month I thought I'd buck my own trend and share with you the four essential products I couldn't have lived without this past 30 days.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #d5a6bd;"><i>They're Real</i> Mascara, Benefit Cosmetics - £19.50</span><br />
This is an absolutely amazing mascara, it's akin to my beloved YSL Babydoll mascara in terms of lash length, lift, colour, lash thickness and longevity. I absolutely love it and I'm onto my third tube already! I think that They're Real will be a constant repurchase, buy this and you won't be disappointed!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #d5a6bd;"><i>Creme Cup</i> Lipstick, MAC Cosmetics - £15</span><br />
A holy grail nude lip colour for many, MAC's Creme Cup is my most worn lipstick of this month. It's a perfect colour accompaniment to my makeup for work, natural and fresh, and had great staying power to give me a perfect pout for working on the front counter and the drive thru. This will definitely be another repurchase come the great day that it runs out, I might even get another one when I go 'back to MAC'. <br />
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<span style="background-color: #d5a6bd;"><i>Paris Amour</i> PocketBac, Bath & Body Works via eBay - £1.99-£4.00</span><br />
If you're anything like me then you'll enjoy washing your hands, and having a pretty little pocket hand sanitiser makes hand washing that bit more fun. I carry one of these in my pocket at work, and have just purchased a holder from eBay so that I can clip it to my skirt to make it easier to feel clean between serving customers on tills and touching dirty money. Bath & Body works have some amazing scents too, I also own cotton candy, ice cream, pink macaron and pumpkin cupcake - dreamy!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #d5a6bd;">Chocolate Body Butter, The Body Shop - £5.00</span><br />
What a gorgeous, gorgeous body lotion with an equally delectable scent - chocolate! This smells so yummy on the skin and is so nourishing too. I've got the smaller pot of the range, but I'm very tempted to ask for the bigger pot for Christmas so that I can continue to smell delightful well on into the New Year. Big thumbs up from me for The Body Shop.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #d5a6bd;">Floral Bun Donut Accessories, Primark - £2.00-£4.00</span><br />
My final favourite for this month has to be my selection of bun donut accessories that I wear in my hair to work everyday. I have a great love for all things floral, and adding a brightly coloured hair accessory to my uniform adds a bit of personality to my otherwise boring McUniform. Primark have a fab selection of hair accessories, all at affordable prices, and I can't wait to add to my collection.<br />
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Those were my monthly favourites, what were yours?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-16069290609540994802014-09-30T12:07:00.001+01:002014-09-30T12:07:43.002+01:00Oooo - New Shoes...!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's really not everyday that I get fanatical about shoes. Handbags, yes - definitely, but shoes? Not so much. It came as a great surprise to me then that I felt it absolutely necessary to dedicate and entire post to a new pair of boots I purchased only yesterday. That's right, it's not even been 24 hours since I parted with the pennies to pay for them and here they are gracing my blog in a post all to themselves. <div>
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Don't you think they're marvellous? I espied them on the shelf in Primark (!) and immediately had to try them on. They tick all the appropriate boxes for me: black - yes, not too high a heel - yes, day/night - yes, and, most importantly, they're from the wide fit section. With a quardruple yes, I just had to have them, and at only £15 they're a complete steal too, right?</div>
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They're suede(esq) with a lovely gold metal detail just above the heel, and a zip on the inside of each shoe to get your foot in and out. They're also surprisingly comfortable to wear (even if I only have worn them around the house) and if I didn't know they were from Primark I would have guessed a multitude of other brands before being surprised at where they come from, they just seem too sophisticated in my opinion to be from Primark, but I promise you they are!</div>
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I can't wait to wear these out...perhaps I'll convince J to take me on a date very soon...!</div>
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Are you a fan of this style of shoe?</div>
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What's your favourite boot for winter?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7384735169237751273.post-1904240172057187202014-09-28T10:21:00.000+01:002014-09-28T10:21:16.576+01:00Jo Malone - Peony & Blush Suede Cologne<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Good morning!<br />
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As I mentioned in yesterday's post about my holiday to St Lucia my Mama kindly bought me a duty free present mid flight, which significantly improved my inflight pamper routine! She let me choose what I wanted and I chose this gorgeous Jo Malone cologne in the scent <i>Peony & Blush Suede</i> (100ml RRP £82, Duty Free £62) which is one that I tried when fragrance combining at the counter in Harvey Nichols in Bristol back in May.<br />
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I'm not really one for overpowering floral scents, I prefer a perfume that's light and fruity, bordering on the sweet side (think Prada <i>Candy</i>). For this reason this perfume is definitely one of the more grown up scents I have in my perfume wardrobe, but I currently cannot get enough of it. Jo Malone are clearly much better at providing an accurate description of this scent than I can, describing this perfume as <i>'the essence of charm. Peonies in voluptuous bloom, exquisitely fragile. Flirtatious with the juicy bite of red apple and the opulence of jasmine, rose and gillyflower. Mingling with the sensuality of soft, blush suede. Luxurious and seductive'</i>. The notes include red apple (top), peony, jasmine, carnation, rose (middle) and suede (base).<br />
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A word of warning: spritz lightly. You really don't need to shower yourself in this cologne or else you'll lose the delicate scent. But it's perfect for day wear (just not at night in the Caribbean or else you'll attract the mosquitoes like I did!) which makes it such a lovely perfume, a very welcome addition to my collection indeed.<br />
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Are you a fan of Jo Malone fragrances?<br />
What's your favourite perfume?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17508203236247507752noreply@blogger.com1