October is my favourite month and I always get a little sad when it comes to an end, but this October has been particularly wonderful. For a start, the weather has been beautiful! Usually here in South Wales it starts raining at the beginning of September and doesn't stop until June, but the last few weeks have been dry, still and unseasonably warm. It's such a lovely change to hear the crisp crunch of autumn leaves underfoot as opposed to having to wade through a slimy, wet mulch. Eww.
And this year we had a Halloween party! Halloween is favourite time of year (I may have mentioned that before, just once or twice) and this month was cram-packed with all things Halloween. Making new decorations, baking Halloween cupcakes, putting together a costume, and, of course, watching Hocus Pocus.
I'm really sad to see the back of such a fun month.
Magical Moment
It goes without saying that the magical moment of this month was our Halloween party. It was fantastic! We had a creepy scarecrow and a graveyard and our bathroom was so terrifying that people were too afraid to go upstairs alone (I include myself in that). It was the best night I've had in a long time!
What a month! I climbed a mountain in torrential rain, started university and reached the ripe old age of 25. I bought my first ever pair of 'sensible shoes' and even set myself a budget. I know, I know, who am I and what have I done with the real Aimee?
And now summer (or the weird rainy haze we in the UK are forced to refer to as summer) is suddenly over and we're into Autumn. That happened really fast, right? But here's a recap of my September and all the weird and wonderful things I got up to.
Magical Moment
This month I turned (gasp!) 25! How terrifying is that? I'm officially closer to 30 than I am to 20 now. Eww.
In the weeks leading up to my birthday my quarter life crisis went into overdrive. I was plagued by Facebook photos from people I went to school with, smiling into the camera with their babies/engagement rings/houses. They all seemed to have "I have a pension plan" written all over their faces. When did everyone become so grown up?
But, loathed as I was to face up to being another year older, I really enjoyed my birthday. For the first time in my life I didn't have a party. Instead my niece and nephew descended and we stuffed our faces with pizza and Disney princess birthday cake (because I'll never be a real grown up) and watched Top Gear (because even on my birthday, I still don't get control of the TV). It was low-key and chilled, but it was lovely.
#FAIL of the Month
Either my house is haunted and some kind of mischievous spirit is taunting with me or I'm losing my mind. Either way, I'd call it a fail.
Since I gave up my job on a whim to become a penniless student again, I've had to readjust to a fairly frugal lifestyle i.e. I can't justify my weekly Boots splurge, Yankee Candle obsession or unfathomable need to purchase a range of obscure homeware items from Etsy despite not actually owning a home. I have no doubt my postman is thrilled that he doesn't have to stagger under the weight of all my packages anymore, but personally I'm having shopping withdrawal!
I miss being able to treat myself to anything I fancied. I'm mourning a life where I could immediately replace my foundation without having to weigh up my expenses. Was being a student this hard the first time round? I have a list as long as my arm of pointless things I want for absolutely no reason other than that I just want them.
And then I thought, hey, I'll share them with you guys! We'll call it the Lust List.
So here are some of the things I've been lusting after recently...
The world is truly a cruel place! Here I find there's a company that makes Disney scented candles(!) and it turns out they only ship out of the U.S. I have no doubt I could justify £12.62 for a candle, but it's the £26 on top for shipping that well and truly puts them out of my reach.
It's September, which means it's officially acceptable to start talking about Halloween. Many of us are already trawling the internet, searching for this year's costume inspiration. Others won't give it a second thought until the day before and will suddenly find themselves frantically searching Pinterest for something that can be thrown together in 30 minutes or less.
Regardless of which camp you fall into, I have a bunch of Halloween costume ideas that are quick, simple and, most importantly, super cute! You're welcome!
Unicorn
You know what they say. Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn, then always be a unicorn! And Halloween is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Hello everyone and welcome to November! Yes, I'm aware everyone else has been here for a while, but you know me. I'm never on time!
I've said it before and I'll say it again, October is my favourite month. I love the feeling of the crisp autumnal breeze and the crunching sound of fallen leaves beneath my feet. But most of all I love Halloween! The pumpkins, the black cats, the gruesome latex decapitated heads...good times!
I can't help feeling sad that October is over, but the one consolation is that it's time for Monthly Musings! Hooray!
Obsession of the month...
As I mentioned in my Halloween Goodies post, I have recently developed a huge (some might say ridiculous) obsession with scented candles. Up until this point I have always found the worldwide fascination with scented candles bizarre. I mean, realistically, you may as well just set fire to your money and sprinkle it with pot-pourri. Same basic principle.
But all of a sudden I find myself with some kind of scented candle shrine taking over half of my dressing table and I can't walk into Debenhams any more without sniffing all the candles in the home-wear department.
It's becoming a problem...
Accomplishment of the month...
Have I actually accomplished anything this month? Surely I must have done something within the last month that I can be proud of!
I mean, I would say I accomplished breaking in my new work shoes, but even that would be a lie because I got my mother to break them in for me.
I am really judging myself right now.
Thing I am most ashamed of this month...
The sheer amount of Milkybar Ghosts I ate. Repeat after me: Halloween is not an excuse to up your calorie intake by 4000%.
Book of the month...
You guessed it! I am still making my way through *Middlemarch! I've really been struggling to find time to sit down and read since I started my new job and, with another 500 odd pages left to go and my workload set to increase even more during the run-up to Christmas, I'm worried that I'll be reading this book for the rest of my life.
I am really starting to get into it though. I mean, I still have absolutely no idea where the plot is going (if anywhere), but I really feel for Dorothea and her disenchantment with grown up-life. I feel you girl!
I was drawn to Bunny's channel this month because she is just as much of a Halloween nut as I am. I was lured in by the Halloween makeup tutorials and "Follow Me Around a Halloween Store" videos and then proceeded to binge-watch her channel for the rest of the month. She is totally mental...and I love it!
Things ticked off The 2015 List...
Absolutely nothing. I'm close though! All I need to do if finish Middlemarch and I can cross off "read 12 more books from the BBC Good Reads list". But the way that's going, I could be waiting a long time for that small victory.
Next month I will aim to...
Start eating more fruit and veg. Like...one a day or something...
Psst! You can check out my October Favourites here:
It's my favourite time of year again! The ground is scattered with crunchy orange leaves, the morning air is crisp and fresh and, best of all, Halloween is just around the corner!
I've been in love with Halloween since I can remember. The musty smell of Halloween decorations that have been sitting in the attic for the last 12 months, the feel of pumpkin guts between my fingers, scaring the life life out of my niece and nephew, I love it all!
I thought it was totally necessary to write a Halloween themed post since the witching hour is almost upon us so today I'm going to share my must-have Halloween goodies with you.
The Lush Halloween Range - Lush
Yes, all of it! Every year Lush brings out a range of Halloween themed bath and body goodies that smell frightfully good. I am obsessed with Lush products all year round so it goes without saying that these spooky soaps just call to me.
I am particularly drawn to the Sparkly Pumpkin. Lush, Halloween and glitter all combined into a single product?! Yes, I'm all over that! Grab it here!
Yankee Candles - Yankee Candle website
Ok, I'm going to be honest with you. I have never understood the worldwide obsession with Yankee Candles. £20 for something I am literally going to set fire to? Really?
But recently I've become totally obsessed with scented candles. Every time I leave the house I somehow manage to find a new candle to add to my collection.
And the candles I am most desperate to get my hands on right now are the Halloween Yankee Candles. I have no idea what Witches Brew could possibly smell like. I just know that I need it in my life! Grab it here!
Hotel Chocolat Boo! Box - Hotel Chocolat
Let's be honest, one of the best parts of Halloween is stuffing your face with sweets at the end of the night. Usually goody bags are filled with cheap lollies and gummy bears, but now that I'm a fully grown adult (most of the time) I think it's acceptable to splash out on some posh treats from Hotel Chocolat.
The Nightmare Before Christmas Jack and Sally Mug - The Disney Store
The perfect addition to your mug tree this Halloween...and all year round! I have a deep-rooted love for Disney Store mugs, which is slightly odd considering I don't drink hot drinks. They are just beautiful to look at. Is that weird? Probably.
The obsession is real! Hocus Pocus is one of my all time favourite films and I have always wanted to get my hands on The Book. I mean, how great would that look casually sitting on my nightstand?
This phone case is a slightly more practical size than the actual book and is absolutely adorable (in a creepy, bizarre kind of way). There are plenty of different sizes for different phone models too.
Hopefully this post will inspire you to go out and bag some Halloween goodies. I for one have accepted that my bank balance is about to take a serious blow.
Have a happy Halloween everyone!
It's no secret that I love Halloween. There's something magical about the musty smell of a box of Halloween decorations and the thrill of carving out pumpkin guts. Usually my father and I will start planning for Halloween in the Spring. There are props to construct, costumes to put together, themes to imagine. It's a big deal. But this year there was to be no party. My brother was working nights and Ellis and Lauren were going to a Halloween disco with their friends from school so, for the first time in more years than I can remember, there would be no spider webs, fake blood or shrieks of terror in the Wellington household on October 31st.
...Or so we thought...
In fact, the school disco was on the 30th, meaning the kids would have no spooky celebrations on Halloween itself, which, in this family, is totally unacceptable. Fast-forward to the afternoon of Halloween, which I spent in a state of utter panic, searching in vain for pumpkins, hyperventilating at the distinct lack of decorations I had to work with, and edging ever closer to the brink of insanity as I was forced to accept there was no time to make creepy cupcakes.
As if trying to plan an ad-hock Halloween celebration in less than 24 hours isn't hard enough, by 12:30pm Asda had already packed away their Halloween aisle and had replaced all the spooky party supplies and trick or treat sweets with Christmas crackers and baubles. I wasn't the only irritated customer loitering at the end of the aisle in disbelief, wondering why they couldn't have waited an extra 24 hours before snatching all the Halloween themed goodies out from under our noses. Luckily Tesco had a fantastic selection of Halloween themed treats, but, in my highly stressed state, I couldn't resist having a little dig at Asda on Twitter. After all, it was totally ridiculous to pack up all the Halloween stock before Halloween was over and what's Twitter for if not to rant to the world?
"I think I did a pretty good job considering time constraints"
Once my slightly passive aggressive moment has passed, I headed home for some manic decorating and an entirely new problem. What on Earth was I going to wear? The Playboy witch costume I had set aside for a grown up Halloween celebration with my friends was not going to cut it for trick-or-treating with small children. I mean, even if I traded in the stockings for tights, there was no hiding the suspenders.
So I was forced to take my own advice as outlined in my last blog post and rummage around the house to find some odds and ends I could make a costume out of. Personally, I think I did a pretty good job considering the time constraints.
And, despite all the frantic rushing around and the last-minute nature of everything, our little get together went really well. Lauren and I went out trick-or-treating (Ellis and his friend, Alex, are apparently too old and cool for that sort of thing now) and it was the perfect night for it. It was unseasonally warm and the air was dry and still. Whereas usually trick-or-treaters are few and far between, this year the streets were full of children rushing from one house to the next. I felt like I was in a scene from Hocus Pocus! And the bonus moment was when my neighbour insisted on giving me £1 because 'I made such a pretty witch'. I don't understand people who don't like Halloween. How can anyone have negative feelings towards a holiday centred on fancy dress and free sweets?!
When trick-or-treating was over, we settled down to stuff our faces with pizza and chocolates and watch Hocus Pocus. (Side note, someone please remind me I simply have to dress as Sarah Sanderson next Halloween. Sarah Jessica Parker seriously rocks that look!) It was lovely.
After all the last minute stress, our low-key little Halloween get together was perfect. It was just like the Halloween celebrations we used to have when I was little, before we started bringing in bigger props and planning more intricate games. Bobbing apples and a scary story were more than enough to keep everyone happy.
Unfortunately, happiness quickly evaporated and was replaced with shrieks of genuine terror when Lauren caught sight of the decapitated bride's head we had hanging in the bathroom. I hope I won't have to pay for her therapist's fees one day because of that...
Halloween is one of my favourite times of year. At our house we've always made a big deal of it, decorating the house inside and out, making paper mache heads, discussing pumpkin carving over dinner and the like. Personally, I love planning out my Halloween costumes and, even on the few years at uni when I didn't celebrate, I still had a costume on standby just in case. But I'm aware that not everyone has a box full of witches hats, vampire corsets and cat ears and that, for some people, the aim is just to find something quick, simple and cheap to throw on.
So I thought I'd write up a little post filled with ideas for last minute costumes made from things you'll probably already have hanging in the wardrobe. Zero effort and zero fuss.
Zombie
The cool thing about being a zombie is that you can be a zombie anything. If there is not something in your house right now that you can use to be a zombie I would be amazed. For instance, if you have any non-Halloween fancy dress costumes, you can splatter a bit of fake blood, darken up your eyes and make a very convincing zombie Snow White/ pirate/ doctor/ lifeguard...anything. I have even seen people taking it to a whole new level and opting to go as a zombie witch, so you could even recycle last year's costume.
If you have no fancy dress costumes to work with at all, a) seriously take a look at yourself because that is totally unacceptable in my eyes and b) don't panic. What's in your wardrobe? A school uniform could work or some converse with a band t-shirt to make a zombie rock star costume. Even your PJs are an option. And, if all else fails, just be a zombie you. Make up is key.
Superhero
Forget overpriced Batman gear. All you need is bright, contrasting colours. Take a marker pen and draw your initial on a brightly coloured t-shirt, match it with some coloured tights or leggings and, if you're not comfortable going along with the traditional 'pants on show' thing that superheroes seem to be so fond of, you could always opt for a pair of shorts or a skirt instead. Then you just need an eye mask, which you could make out of spare fabric or paper and you're set to go forth and fight crime.
Animal
If Mean Girls has taught us anything it's that all you need to make a convincing Halloween costume is a pair of animal ears. The lingerie is, of course, optional. But going as a cat, mouse, dog, rabbit, fox or whichever animal you choose is wonderfully simple. A few years back I went as a cat for Halloween. I reused my black lace dress I'd bought to be a witch the year before, attached a tail and popped on some ears and it was one of my favourite costumes of all time.
Witch
My mother does not like Halloween. She will put up with the parties, does her best to ignore the excessive amount of skulls and giant spiders we have spread throughout the house during the month of October, and even went along with us covering her bathroom in fake blood a few years back. But she will not wear a costume. Instead, what she does each and every year is dress entirely in black, grab a cheap broomstick and throw on a witch's hat. The moral of the story being never underestimate the power of accessories.
Creepy China Doll
I love creepy china doll costumes! You can get some really beautiful ones in fancy dress shops. Personally I am in love with this one:
But if you don't want to spend out any money and you just want to throw something quick and cheap together, then the creepy china doll can still work as the perfect Halloween costume. Look in your cupboard. Any a-line dress or skirt will work and ditsy patterns, ruffles and bows are all perfect. If you have a petticoat or tutu to stick underneath then even better.
Here's an example of what you can put together in a matter of minutes. I raided my cupboard and pulled out a few things at random in less than 60 seconds. Of course, it would be great if you could add embellishments or maybe take a look in some charity shops for something will puffed sleeves, but this is proof that you can put together a doll costume in a few seconds flat without spending a penny. Again, it's all in the make up with this costume.
Barbie
If I was blonde this would be my go-to costume. Think pink! Pink dress, pink shoes, pink lipstick. Providing you can find some kind of pink attire, rock some cute shoes and look unnaturally happy all night, you can pull this off without a problem.
Regina George
I saw this idea on Pinterest and simply had to share it. Mean Girls is one of those iconic films, loved by all. Quotes such as "She doesn't even go here" and "Four for you Glen Coco, you go Glen Coco" have been legendary and, despite it's simplicity, I really think this costume would go down a storm. All you need is a purple bra, white top, black skirt, and a bad-ass attitude.
Wally
Stripy jumper. Glasses. Bobble hat. Go.
Homicidal Maniac
And, if all else fails, take a leaf out of Wednesday Addams' book.
So, as you can see, there's no need to panic if you find yourself stuck without a costume on All Hallow's Eve without a stitch to wear. There are plenty of costumes you can put together with things you have at the back of your wardrobe. So go have a rummage and see what treasures you can find.
Three weeks ago I was wearing flip flops and sunglasses. Then, all of a sudden, literally overnight, I had to trade in my sparkly sandals for wellies and have, over the last fortnight, found myself in the centre of more thunder storms than I care to recollect. Just last week I had to spend the entire second half of a day-long business course sitting in my socks like a total professional because I'd stupidly allowed myself to get caught in a downpour of Biblical proportions on my ways to Greg's at lunchtime. In my Uggs. They will never be the same again.
So it seems that Autumn is well and truly upon us. Either that or, judging from the extreme weather conditions of the past few weeks, we are in the early stages of the Apocalypse. Either way, I've been tagged by the wonderful Mismatched Knitwear to complete this Autumn themed post. So here we go...
What do you love most about Autumn?
As much as I love that weirdly satisfying found of newly fallen leaves crunching underfoot, my absolute favourite thing about Autumn is Halloween. Carving pumpkins, watching Hocus Pocus, erecting a graveyard in the front garden to terrify trick-or-treaters...I love it all. Over the years some of my best memories have been of Halloween parties or of helping my dad put together ridiculous props and hauling all the boxes of decorations down from the attic.
And, for my fellow Halloween junkies, I'm in the middle of uploading a series of Halloween makeup tutorials on my Youtube Channel that you will almost definitely love. (Shameless self-promotion.)
What's you favourite seasonal drink from Starbucks/ Costa/ Cafe Nero?
I didn't even know that coffee shops offered seasonal drinks. Coffee is something I avoid at all costs and will only resort to if I'm travelling a long way or find myself falling asleep in my sandwich. Even then, so offensive is the taste to me that I always order a vanilla latte and add four sweeteners to make it bearable.
What accessories do you opt for, scarf, boots, gloves?
All of the above! Add to that earmuffs and mittens I can thread through my coat on a string. I may look like an oversized child, but I'll be the one laughing when you lose your gloves.
What's your favourite music to listen to during Autumn?
I don't tend to change my music tastes according to the seasons. I'll probably continue listening to the bizarre selection of CDs I currently have in my car. You know, the likes of the Frozen soundtrack, a Britney Spears album from the 90s and a whole lot of country music. I know, I'm the height of cool.
What candle scents will you be burning this season?
I feel like for some reason it's assumed that all bloggers should have strong feelings about things like overpriced candles and washi tapes. I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you, but if I light a candle it's usually because I want to burn something, not because I have a strong attachment to the smell of pine needles infused with tangerine extracts...or whatever.
What's your favourite perfume for this time of year?
I had a bottle of Beyonce Pulse for my birthday last month and I am absolutely in love with it. I don't think it's a particularly Autumnal fragrance (although I'm not sure what would be apart from pumpkins or smushed damp leaves), but I love it all the same.
Favourite make up look?
I'm very excited for berry lips this Autumn. In fact I would love some recommendations because otherwise lipstick shopping can be a whole minefield.
What are you looking forward to most in Autumn?
This Autumn I'm going to be setting up my own business. I know I've been promising to throw light on this exciting news, but I can't fill you in on all the details just yet. I'm still in the boring process of making cash flow forecasts and signing paperwork. But as soon as things are up and running I seriously can't wait to tell you guys all about it! (You will definitely think I'm mad.)
So there you have it. A little seasonal post, which will hopefully brighten up this chilly Autumn afternoon.
Oh, and to my American readers, I'm talking about Fall. Yeah, that confused the Beacon more than once...
It's no secret that I'm partial to a good fancy dress costume. I have two big boxes of costumes under my bed with everything from Daphne from Scooby Doo to a sailor, a mobster to Snow White and at least three pirate costumes alone. Whatever the occasion, I will find a way to incorporate a costume.
"Oh, St Patrick's Day? Let's all dress as Leprechauns (despite the fact that we don't have any plans for that night)."
"It would be a travesty for us to go all the way to Berlin without lederhosen!"
"Pirates of the Caribbean is showing in the cinema. Obviously we need to dress as pirates and go and watch it."
So last week when the lovely people at Joker's Masquerade sent me a costume to review, I was:
a) As excited as a small child on Christmas Eve.
b) Confident that I was enough of a fancy dress connoisseur to write a well-informed review.
What's even more exciting is that they sent me a costume from their Halloween range. Because, in our household, Halloween isn't about merely carving a pumpkin and throwing cheap sweets at small children who knock on the door. We have graveyards, we have coffins, we have smoke machines and strobe lighting. Planning for our parties starts as early as January and, once September hits, my dad, my brother and I will be talking severed hands and skull collections non-stop while my mother keeps clear of the house and pretends she doesn't know any of us.
So try and imagine my pure glee when, the very next day after being in contact with the company, my witch's costume arrived. Devastatingly, the postman arrived just as I was leaving for Exeter so I had to wait a whole weekend before I was able to try it on, but once I tried it, I didn't want to take it off! If only it was acceptable to casually walk around every day dressed as a Playboy witch in the middle of July!
So, let's get down to the nitty gritty. My first personal rule of fancy dress is to go for the size smaller than you would in normal clothes. This costume was a size six and in real life I'm an eight to ten. That doesn't necessarily mean the same applies for everyone. After all, I'm not exactly blessed in the bust department so that probably has something to do with it. But it's worth considering that fancy dress sizes and highstreet sizes can differ.
Now on to the costume itself. I love it! The stripy socks and criss-cross affect on the front make it really witchy and it's sexy in a fun, cute way rather than a 'I charge for sex' kind of way. Because, let's be honest, life is not Mean Girls and, no matter what the occasion, I'm never going to willingly go outside looking like a prostitute. That said, it probably won't be the costume I wear to my niece and nephew's Halloween party because the suspenders might be a bit much in a room full of five year olds.
The quality really impressed me. It's no secret that fancy dress costumes can be really cheap-looking and sometimes very naff. But this fell nicely, it didn't feel cheap and tacky, and the fabrics were nicer than some of my other costumes. What I really loved was the lining under the skirt to give it volume because usually I have to wear a petticoat under my costumes or else they just hang there looking very sad and pathetic. There's also a stiff lining in the hat, which is genius because no one wants a floppy witch's hat! Plus, what's really cute is the lining has tiny little Playboy bunnies on. I'm a fan of little details. Also, I'm loving that the cut on the bust is so flattering because usually costumes are made for women much more blessed than I am and the fabric kind of bunches up around my boobs in a really unattractive way. In fact, the whole way it fits it's perfect.
The only thing I didn't like were the suspenders. It's a really cute design, but they're more aesthetic than practical. They kept coming undone and it would have been nice if you could adjust the length on them because I'm quite short so they were too slack to hold the socks up properly.
That said, I am so impressed with this costume. I would never have considered opting for a costume made by Playboy, but in future I will. The quality surpassed my expectations and, seriously, look how cute it is! This whole experience has kick-started Halloween fever in my house. I know most normal people won't start thinking about Halloween until October hits, but remember that if you want a great costume you can't leave it until last minute. Like the guy I saw in Sainsbury's last Halloween who was looking for a costume for a party that was starting in an hour's time. The poor guy couldn't even find any face paint!
So a big thank you to Joker's Masquerade and if anyone sees me wandering around Port Talbot dressed as a witch in the upcoming weeks, you know why.
Let's make the most of the fact that for first time in a week I can get internet in my room and write a blog post. Yesterday my housemate Jess, the blogger behind Mismatched Knitwear, tagged me to do the Liebster Award. I have no idea who or what Liebster is, but these are the rules...
1. Include a link to the blog that tagged you.
2. Share 11 facts about yourself (11 seems like an odd number, but I'll roll with it)
3. Answer 10 questions put to you by the person who tagged you
4. Make up 10 new questions and tag some more bloggers to answer them.
Confused? I am...
11 Facts About Me
1.I have a crippling fear of cows. I don't know whether is the slow, lumbering way they move or the evil that is clearly lurking in their eyes, I am just terrified. Once, when I was younger, I was on a walk with my father when I noticed a cow lurking in the bushes. I screamed and fled and have never walked down that path again. To this day my father insists that the cow was just standing there, but clearly it was up to something malicious. 2. I am left handed. Let's just put that one out there now because I'm sick of people I've known for years randomly shrieking one day, "You're left handed? Since when?" Since birth. Let's all accept it and move on. 3. When I was born I was a jaundice baby. For those of you who don't know, jaundice is a pretty common condition in newborns that turns your baby an attractive yellow colour. The doctor told my mother to make sure I got plenty of sunlight to make it disappear faster. When I was a few days old my Nanna dropped by to check up on us, only to find my mother had left me out in the garden to bake in the noonday September sun in some kind of attempt to cook the jaundice out of me. My Nanna quickly pointed out that this was probably not what the doctor had had in mind. 4.My favourite food is Dominos. I know my dad is right when he says it tastes like cardboard, but I just can't get enough! 5. Most nights I dream about Disney World. I don't particularly spend a lot of time thinking about Disney World when I'm awake, but it somehow always manages to find a way to creep into my dreams. Usually I'm rushing to see the parade or meet Belle and recently my dream-self has spent a lot of time trying to get onto It's A Small World, which, for some reason, has an entryway so small you have to crawl through it. If any medical professionals would like to offer an opinion on what on earth is going on in my brain, please feel free. 6.I'm a godparent to both my niece and nephew. No one actually ever mentioned this to me and it was a bit of a shock when the vicar asked all the godparents to step forward. The first I knew of it was when my mother poked me in the back and hissed, "Move, that's you." 7. I don't like gravy. Go ahead and judge. 8. I love Halloween. Ever since I was little my dad made a big deal of it. It started out with him making a few creepy decorations and screwing in coloured bulbs. Eventually it got to the point where our entire house would be transformed, inside and out. One year complete strangers dropped by to take pictures of it (Halloween isn't a big deal in the UK like it is in the US...except in my house). Some of my best memories are of Halloween and now that I'm a grown up it's my job to scare Ellis and Lauren. 9. My eyes are so big that my eyelids don't cover them when I blink. I need eyedrops. Yes, I'm a freak. 10. I am pretty much always cold. There are not enough layers in the world to get me through winter in my student house and, when I'm at home, I have to put the heating on full and curl up next to the radiator while everyone else slowly melts. 11. I organise my wardrobe by colour and I am in no way ashamed of this.
Jess' Questions
1. Where did the name for your blog come from?
I don't particularly like the name of my blog. It just kind of happened. I wanted to start writing about all the random stuff that was going on in my brain and didn't have the patience to sit and think about the fundamentals of the blog itself. 2. What was the last thing you ate?
Bran Flakes. Is there a more boring food? 3. What is the weirdest thing someone has searched for to find your blog?
I always hear these great stories about the weird and wonderful keywords that can lead to your blog. Unfortunately, the only thing anyone has ever searched to find me is twentyoddball. 4.What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
I'm judging myself right now, but the first thing I do is look at my phone to see if the Beacon has text me. Loser! 5. What was the last GOOD film that you watched?
I watch a lot of bad films. The other day Kirsty and I watched Boogeyman 3. I can't imagine how Boogeyman 1 and 2 proved so popular that it was necessary to make a third, but it does exist. The last good film I watched was Frozen. I loved that, Tangled, and the Princess and the Frog. Finally Disney are making good films again! 6. What was you New Year's resolution? Have you stuck to it so far?
My resolution this year was a bit of a tricky one. Basically it was to get my life together. Get more organised, spend less time in bed, get fit and healthy, stop wasting so much money and so on. I've definitely improved in some areas, but it's an ongoing process. That's how I can justify being in bed right now. 7. What is the 'go-to' song on your Ipod?
Oh Jess, why would you ask this? Generally speaking, I refuse to let my Ipod embarrass me. I fully admit that my music tastes are...individual and varied. I'm aware that the amount of Britney Spears is probably disturbing for some people and the lack of house music or whatever annoying noise my housemates listen to probably makes me very uncool.
But I am ashamed to admit that recently my go-to song has been my 4 year old niece's favourite, LOL by Isabella Barrett and Eden Wood. I need to link the video so you can see why it grieves me, but be warned. It will be stuck in your head forever.
8. If you could pass 1 law right now, what would it be?
Twentyoddball is not the place we go to to talk politics so I'm not going to give this much serious thought. I do think they should ban airbrushing because if you've seen that weird gif that's going around the internet of a model being 'touched up' you'll know how freaky it all is.
9. What is your proudest achievement?
Tough question! Probably winning a Blue Peter badge. My dad used to tell me that when he was little he'd always wanted one. I didn't tell anyone I was submitting anything and when I won and they sent me the badge I felt so proud that I could give it to my dad and he could finally have his own. He still has it framed in his bedroom. 10. Tell us an embarrassing story.
My life is just a series of embarrassing stories! Where to even begin?
When I was in my first year of uni I lived at the bottom of Cardiac Hill, which, if you can imagine, if even worse than it sounds. One day I had a 9am seminar (boo!) and I hadn't felt too great when I first got up. But I ate some breakfast, packed my bag, and made my way up the hill. Then I got to the top...and collapsed. No one seemed particularly bothered about my being sprawled on the grass with by head in my bag, but I did get a few funny looks when I came to and had to lay on the floor for 15 minutes before I could walk back home. I did not enjoy that.
Ok, so now I have to tag some bloggers to answer some questions of my choosing (all of which will probably be totally bizarre).
So Bethan Jane and Ashleigh, it's all on you.
1. What's at the top of your wishlist right now?
2. What was your most ridiculous hairstyle?
3. What would be your plan of action in a zombie apocalypse?
4. What's your signature dish?
5. What was the most random thing that happened in 2013?
6. Do you still sleep with a teddy? (I won't deny that I am guilty of this)
7. If you had to be a Muppet, which Muppet would you be?
8. What has been your best ever bargain?
9. What is your weird food addiction?
10. What is the worst item of clothing/outfit you own?
So there we are Liebster, whoever you are. I hope that's done to your satisfaction.
Hi! I'm Aimee. I'm a blogger, Youtuber and full-time loon. I may be stumbling through life with no clue which direction I'm heading in, but at least I'm wearing good shoes.
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It's no secret that I love Halloween. There's something magical about the musty smell of a box of Halloween decorations and the thrill of carving out pumpkin guts. Usually my father and I will start planning for Halloween in the Spring. There are props to construct, costumes to put together, themes to imagine. It's a big deal. But this year there was to be no party. My brother was working nights and Ellis and Lauren were going to a Halloween disco with their friends from school so, for the first time in more years than I can remember, there would be no spider webs, fake blood or shrieks of terror in the Wellington household on October 31st.
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As much as I love that weirdly satisfying found of newly fallen leaves crunching underfoot, my absolute favourite thing about Autumn is Halloween. Carving pumpkins, watching Hocus Pocus, erecting a graveyard in the front garden to terrify trick-or-treaters...I love it all. Over the years some of my best memories have been of Halloween parties or of helping my dad put together ridiculous props and hauling all the boxes of decorations down from the attic..JPG)
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It's no secret that I'm partial to a good fancy dress costume. I have two big boxes of costumes under my bed with everything from Daphne from Scooby Doo to a sailor, a mobster to Snow White and at least three pirate costumes alone. Whatever the occasion, I will find a way to incorporate a costume..JPG)
So try and imagine my pure glee when, the very next day after being in contact with the company, my witch's costume arrived. Devastatingly, the postman arrived just as I was leaving for Exeter so I had to wait a whole weekend before I was able to try it on, but once I tried it, I didn't want to take it off! If only it was acceptable to casually walk around every day dressed as a Playboy witch in the middle of July! .JPG)
The quality really impressed me. It's no secret that fancy dress costumes can be really cheap-looking and sometimes very naff. But this fell nicely, it didn't feel cheap and tacky, and the fabrics were nicer than some of my other costumes. What I really loved was the lining under the skirt to give it volume because usually I have to wear a petticoat under my costumes or else they just hang there looking very sad and pathetic. There's also a stiff lining in the hat, which is genius because no one wants a floppy witch's hat! Plus, what's really cute is the lining has tiny little Playboy bunnies on. I'm a fan of little details. Also, I'm loving that the cut on the bust is so flattering because usually costumes are made for women much more blessed than I am and the fabric kind of bunches up around my boobs in a really unattractive way. In fact, the whole way it fits it's perfect..JPG)
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8. I love Halloween. Ever since I was little my dad made a big deal of it. It started out with him making a few creepy decorations and screwing in coloured bulbs. Eventually it got to the point where our entire house would be transformed, inside and out. One year complete strangers dropped by to take pictures of it (Halloween isn't a big deal in the UK like it is in the US...except in my house). Some of my best memories are of Halloween and now that I'm a grown up it's my job to scare Ellis and Lauren.
