DIY Room Decor - String Art

It feels like so long since I've done this. Written a blog post, I've forgotten what I'm supposed to say haha. Well Hi, hopefully some people have stuck around but I am most likely talking to myself right now! 

Anyway I got back from holiday a couple days ago and I've sort of been stuck for things to do, so yesterday I was scrolling through Pinterest, as I have been doing a lot recently and I came across this amazing looking piece of art called "String Art" I looked at the website and it was under a list of "18 DIY projects to decorate your dorm room" it had this picture but didn't tell you how to do it. I looked string art up on YouTube and loads of things came up, so I decided to give it a go my self. 

What you will need: 

Wood

Naills/Tacs

Hammer

Coloured thread 

The first thing your going to want to do is come up with a design and then make sure you have enough nails for the design you want to do. I decided to do my name with stars on either side. 

Next prep your wood and clean it (mine wasn't in the best condition) I sand papered it then put linseed oil all over it, to make it a nice texture and colour. Next draw your design onto the wood using a pencil. I used a cookie cutter for my stars. 

Now when hammering the nails into the wood you need to make sure they are straight and also that you leave quite a bit of the nail sticking out of the wood. 

Next take a floured thread of your choice I used white, pink and purple, then knot it round one of the pins and intertwined it through the nails. Remember to wrap the thread fully around one nail before going on the next! 

These stars are my favourite bit because the white stands out a lot against the wooden background. 

And there's the finished product, if I had to do something differently I would have painted the wood white first as my name would have stood out more, (I would have done the stars a different colour) however I am really happy with the outcome! If you try this out please let me know how it went and what design you went for! Thankyou for reading.

Until next time

-Anna 

Maybelline Lash Sensational Review!

I have never had a good mascara, until now. I was never bothered enough to spend £7-£8 to get a decent mascara, mine were all Primark or cheap £1 ones. Now I know that £8 is hardly extortionate but I don't have a way of earning money so I have to really want something to buy it. (Unless I've saved up a bit to go shopping, then I will spend it all!) Aftee reading a few reviews and looking at different mascara a I finally decided to pick up the Lash Sensational Mascara by Maybelline. 

It is so good. I've heard from others that it is a dupe of benefits roller lash! 

This mascara makes my eyelashes longer, fuller and darker. I love it! I have actually had compliments on my eyelashes. 

The wand itself is plastic and has a side with longer bristles and a side with shorter bristles to grasp and pull your lashes upwards. I also love the darker rosy purple colour of the packaging! It is sleek and pretty.

Here is a before and after picture of two coats (I think, it might have been one):

And yes I know my eyes are an ugly swamp green colour! 

Anyway I would really recommend this product! It is about £8 and is most definitely worth it. 

What's your favourite drugstore mascara? 

Until next time

-A ❣

Current Favourites!

Before I start can I just say, the picture I used for the edit above, I found it on google and HAD to use it! I love it so much, it includes my favourite things, mint green, pink, chevron (love chevron) and flowers! Okay now I'll get on with it...

I said a little while back that I was going to do monthly favourites, I did January then just kind of stopped. Hopefully you read my post last week (I think) about not having a schedule any more so I move decided to just do favourites posts whenever I want, probably about every couple months or something like that! 

So here's a few things I've been loving recently. 

1. Shu uemera eyeshadow

I've been wearing a light pink shade by this company every day for school because it's really natural but still gives a light shimmer.

2. Rose Perfume

I've talked about it in a few blog posts, but I just love it! It smells like spring and summer in is amazing! 

3. Hoodie

I literally live in my Hollister hoodie, I love the colour and it is so soft and warm! I definitely recommend hollister for the best hoodies.

4. Smoothies

I drink smoothies all year round, they are my favourite drinks, I'm definitely going to be doing a whole post about them really soon so look out for that! 

5. The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

This book is amazing! It gripped me right from the start and I really enjoyed it. I won't give anything away because some people might want to try it, but it's about a girl who is looking through family belongings once her father had died and uncovers a few family secrets! There are lots of plot twists and it's just really good.

6. Music:

The main songs I've been loving the past couple months are Style and Crazier by Taylor Swift and also anything by The Kooks who are the best band! I love all their songs even though they are quite old, I've always loved the kooks, my favourites are Seaside, She Moves in her own way and Naive. 

7. TV 

I started off this year loving Gossip Girl but I've just started watching Pretty Little Liars a couple weeks ago and I'm Obbsessed! I need to know who A is. I literally can't stop watching it! I still like Gossip Girl but PLL is better and I'm just going to wait to finish GG another time. Both of these are on Netflix and I really recommend both! By the way don't be put off by either of the names because they sound really girly but PLL is actually really creepy and is about a missing/dead girl. Just watch it!

8. Apps

At the moment I'm trying to get healthier and fitter so I have downloaded some health/fitness apps and my favourites are My Fitness Pal, 30 Day Squat Challenge and Low Fat. My Fitness Pal lets you track what your eating, how much excersise your doing and how much water your drinking. It tells you how many calories are in different things and how many calories you should be eating a day depending on you age, height, gender and if you want to loose, gain or maintain weight.

These are just a few things that popped into my head that I've been loving! It's not much but I just thought I'd share them with you. Tell me what your favourites have been recently in the comments below! 

Also I wrote a blog post for someone else's blog and it has just been posted! Please go check it out and some of Sineads other posts while your there, thankyou! http://www.sinnysully.com/2015/03/annas-favourite-hair-products-guest-post.html?m=1

Until Next Time

xo

-A ❣

A New Year, A New Chapter: Collab ft lots of bloggers!!!

Happy 2015 everybody! 

(I'm aiming to upload this on New Years Day but who knows when I'll wake up? You know, after partying hard the night before! Just kidding, we are now staying at home for New Years Eve so I don't think there will be much hard core partying going on :'))

Right well I was just going to do a boring old post about my New Years resolutions and it would have been, well, just like the next persons blog post about New Years resolutions. 

But then I had an idea. 

(And before I explain I just wanted to say a massive thankyou to Zoe one of my best Twitter friends (@velvetsuggdeyes and www.the-beauty-birdie-says.blogspot.co.uk) because I wouldn't have done this without you, it's your project too! And good luck with your blog this year, I'm sure it will be brilliant! {everyone go check it out now,actually after  you have read this post:)} Oh and your amazing and I hope we stay friends for a long time! You can always talk to me if you need anything!)

I wanted to bring all my favourite bloggers (and anyone who wanted to join in) together, as a way of showing how grateful I am that blogging can bring me so many new friends. I also hope that this inspires you to maybe make a blog or do something different, something out-going, this year.

Let's start this year, this chapter, off with a bang. Let's hope it's a good one. :) 

So here are some paragraphs written by me and a few other bloggers, enjoy:

Me (its-annas-life.blogspot.com):

Although 2014 wasn't the best year for me, one of the best things that happened to me was that I started this blog! It makes me really happy writing posts, little updates, tips and I love how it can allow me to make friends with someone who could live on the other side of the world! 

This year I decided to only make one New Years resolution because then I'm more likely to keep it:

• Be happy with who I am and don't try and change for the sake of someone else. I over think things way to much, I want to be a lot happier in 2015.

There are a lot of other things I would like to do in 2015 like doing things I've never done before, be adventurous, and maybe meeting some youtubers especially Zoë because I've been watching her for 3-4 years now and her videos make me so happy :) 

-Anna(me)

Zoe (the-beauty-birdie-says.blogspot.com):

So before now, I wasn't ever the type of person to make resolutions let alone stick to them! I mean of course, when I was asked I'd make up a few common ones on the spot like eating healthy or whatever. However, this year I'd really like to make a serious effort to make genuine resolutions and stick to them. So here are mine. In 2015 I'd like to:

-Get much more organised.

Now I am quite an organised person but recently my priorities have been all over the place and now that I am doing GCSE work I cannot afford to waste time doing things like watching TV when I have a lot of homework anymore. 

-To keep on schedule with blog posts.

I know that I have not long had this blog but I would really like to always post on here regularly (about 2-3 times a week) and hopefully I will gain a lot from doing this blog.

-Do more charitable volunteering or just charity work.

Lately, thanks to Louise, (SprinkleOfGlitter) I have been thinking a lot about how lucky I am and how there are many people out there who are not so lucky and who need people like us to help them out, so please leave any suggestions in the comments on some charity work that I could do, bearing in mind I am 14 years old. 

I wish you all the luck with your New Year's resolutions, if you have any and if not I wish you a happy New Year!

-Love Zoe 

Ella (Ellawashere.com):

I’ve never been the New Year resolutions kind of girl. I would just get too disappointed in myself If I  wasn’t able to stick to them. But I do have a few things I would like to do in 2015. Like visiting Disneyland for example. I have never been there and It is about time that I finally do it. I would also love to visit a few new places, places I have never been. I am a traveller at heart and would love to travel the world one day. But for now, a few trips a year would have to do.

I would also love to meet a few more bloggers and broaden my blogger horizon (if that is a thing). Just being able to stick to blogging and inspiring a few people would be amazing. I want to make people smile with what I’m writing, make their lives a little bit better. And I hope 2015 will be THE year to do that!

Never forget, the scariest moment is always just before you start. So 2015 might be your year to start something new and exciting. Something you have always wanted to do. Take a chance and do it!

-Ella

Anna (@floralsuggx):

There are many things that I'd love to achieve within the upcoming year of 2015 but just simple things like getting fit stands near the top of my list. To contribute towards my fitness but also my hobby,  would be to enter a gymkhana which sounds soooo fun! I'd also be glad to get a job as this could help me gain independence and give me some insight on how adult life is.

An amazing opportunity for 2015 for me is to have the chance of meeting my fav youtubers because they're such an inspiration and the experience would just mean so so much to me.

Lastly, I'd just wish for my family and friends to have a happy year and get through each obstacle they may have to face.

-Anna 

The net girl (the-net-girl.blogspot.com):

New Years resolutions have never really been something I have properly thought about. I made some a few years ago, like eat less chocolate or read more books, and it would never, ever happen. So this year, I've thought about them a lot more and these are the ones I've come up with: (I decided to make 3 resolutions so it was more likely I could keep them) 

• To do more exercise: I know this is very general, but it is something I really want to attempt. 

• To care less about what people think of me: In 2015 im determined to the things I want to do without worrying about others opinions.

• To focus more on being happy in general:

Kind of in the same category as resolution 2, but I want to worry less and be happy more. Basically I want 2015 to be care-free

2015 is also the year that I want to do more, I want to try and go to concerts and youtube meet ups, I want to try and get a job and generally do as many things as I can. 2015 is the year I just want to say yes. (eh?!)

-Anonymous 

Sara(Sarapags.eu):

Hello to everyone! It's Sara from SaraPags here! Firstly I wanted to thank Anna for letting me write on her nice blog. For me, this has been an amazing year, full of experiences and events. I have a few resolutions though, that hopefully will make next year even better. Blogging-wise, I'd like to see posts not as a way to show people what you own but what you like, so that other people can make the right choice between two products. It has happened quite a lot this year, that I wasn't grateful for the stuff I already had, just because I wanted more. And that's not a good thought.
In my personal life instead, I want to say YES to more occasions that are given to me, and try and not be afraid of new experiences. It seems really easy but I swear to you, for me it's not.
Okay, so these were my two little resolutions for the new year, I promise I'll try to keep them! -Sara

Beth(misscosmeticblogger):

Another year has come to an end and it's time for me to decide upon a couple of new resolutions. Whilst last year I stuck to a really achievable resolution, wearing odd socks everyday which I completed, this year I have decided to choose two resolutions involving blogging. My first is to reach 400 followers on Bloglovin' as I would like to think it is achievable within the next year. I've decided the best way to manage this is to create a blogging timetable and stick to it; which is coincidentaly my second resolution. It also meant that each post was quite detailed and posted on time! Hopefully having a schedule will mean I always have sufficient content which may help me grow my following! These are my two resolutions which I really hope I can achieve! :)

-Beth

 

I hope you enjoyed hearing from some different bloggers other than me for a change.;) I loved making this post so much, I got to collaborate with some of my favourite bloggers. I really liked putting it all together and seeing all their different writing styles. I really, really hope you liked this post and dont forget to check out all the girls, I will link them all below! Also if you have come from elsewhere, welcome to It's-Anna's-life! Thanks to all the people that stick by me no matter what, love you lots, let's make 2015 amazing! HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Lots of love 

xo

Anna❣

Zoe: http://www.the-beauty-birdie-says.blogspot.co.uk/

Ella: http://ellawashere.com/
Anna(not me the other one): https://twitter.com/floralsuggx
The Net Girl: http://the-net-girl.blogspot.co.uk/

Sara: http://www.sarapags.eu/
Beth: http://misscosmeticblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

What I did yesterday: The Lion King

So I went to see The Lion King at the millenium centre in Cardiff yesterday, which was amazing! And I thought I would show you some of the pictures I took:

This is the theatre! It says 'in these stones horizons sing' 

This was a really cool chocolate shop we looked round because we had some time before the show started :) 

A water tower thingy 

This is the inside of the building before you go into the theatre, it looks really cool I like the wood :) 

They had some Christmas market type stall thingys in the entrance.

This is what the inside of the theatre look like, we were sat really high up and had a good view. It looks bigger in real life and btw I don't know who that man is so sorry to him for putting the back of his head online :) 

Decorations have been put up and it looks so pretty!

Then we went to pizza express and I had risotto! 

It was such a good day! The Lion King is amazing the costumes were so cool! 

Thankyou for reading :) comment below!

Anna❤️

Christmas!!!

Soooo... Christmas is just around the corner! No matter how many people say to me "it's ages away!" I still believe that it is nearly here!!! You can probably already tell, I LOVE Christmas ❤️ and for those who are thinking it, I don't love it because of the presents! I love it because the family is together and it's just a really happy time of year. I love Christmas songs and trees and decorations and advent calendars and Christmas food!!! And maybe a tiny bit about the presents ;)

I was just wondering what kind of posts do you guys want to see around Christmas time? If you could comment or tweet (@livelovedream10) me some suggestions that would be amaaaaazzing! Just give me some really festive, Christmassy post ideas, it would mean a lot and of course I will give you credit! Also just posts in general! It would be great if you could let me know which of my posts you like best, the recipes? The DIYS? The random ones like this? The Tags? Photos? Or whatever else? 

I was also wandering if you guys would like to see a Christmas haul after Christmas? I will only do this if you want me to because I don't want it to seem like I'm showing off! 

Anyway I'm getting really exciting for the upcoming Christmas seasoonnnn! So Yeh thanks for reading :) comment below! 

Anna❤️ 

Yummy peppermint hot chocolate recipe!

Today I wanted to share with u all my homemade peppermint hot chocolate recipe, I always start to make it this time each year :) 

Ingrediants:

• Cocoa Powder

• Sugar

• Milk

• Peppermint Extract

Method:

It is really easy so I don't really know why I'm telling you guys this but I thought I would be a nice, autumn/festive post :)

So first you need to get your cocoa powder and put about 1-2 teaspoons in a mug of your choice, then you mix in enough sugar to sweeten the cocoa! 

Next put in a few drops of peppermint extract, not too much (you can always add some more after!) now you need to add a little bit of milk and stir it lots with a fork, spoon or mini whisk like me :)

After it is all combined add more milk until the mug is just over 3/4 filled then put it into the mircrowave for 1-2 minutes! After it comes out of the microwave just add a bit more milk and top with cream and marshmallows or whatever you fancy (I don't like cream!) 

And there you go! Enjoy!

Thankyou for reading, comment and share!

Anna❤️