Balancing Blogging and School

{photo credit - weheartit.com but edited by myself}

 

School can be very difficult on its own, homework and revision takes up lots of time and concentration. But when you throw in blogging as well things can get pretty stressful. I don't think people who aren't bloggers appreciate the time and effort that goes into a post, it can take hours of writing and photographing before the publish button is pressed. Being a teen blogger means I have to balance school with my blog and it can be very difficult at times, but I try to organise and schedule everything to help me keep focused and concentrate on the important stuff like exams. I'm going to share with you my tips on how to stay organised with school work and your blog!

Keep a blog schedule

I keep a notebook with a schedule of the date of when each blog post is going to be published. This is really handy because I can plan ahead so I don't fall behind on blogging. I also keep a tick box section on the right of the notebook so I can track down what I need to do for the post. As you can see in my picture of my notebook, I have the headers P E W C S for my tick box. These stand for Photos, Edited, Writing, Checked, Scheduled so I can keep track of what I have/ haven't done so I can keep organised.

Write posts in advance
I also write most of my posts in the holidays or whenever I have a free day. I then schedule them to go up whenever I have set them to. This is helpful because I can easily write and finish a post and schedule it for the future and not worry about pressing publish. Writing posts in advance is very useful and I really advice it! School holidays are the best time to do this.

Homework and Revising comes first!
Honestly, if you have homework to do, do it before blogging! Revision for exams are much more important and I mean this in the nicest way. Your readers will understand if you need some time to focus on your studies, you don't need to worry about getting your post up by 6:00 as your readers wont be mad! I'm sure you would rather not post than failing your exams! Another tip is do your homework once you get set it, I know everyone says it but honestly it is very helpful! It means you can get it out of the way and not pile it up so that you have too much.

Take photos in bulk
When you have good lighting, use that time to take LOTs of photos for your posts, I usually take about 4 posts-worth of photos at once so that I don't need to keep coming back and taking photos. It will save you time as you wont have to keep setting it up for every time you need to take photos.

Take a break if you need it!
Blogging should be a hobby and not a chore. So only blog if you are really in the mood! No one will mind if you don't post one week, your readers will understand. So sometimes it is necessary to take a break. Try to fit blogging around your school work as it should be fun and enjoyable, not stressful!

Magic Lipstick - Barry M

 

If there's such thing as a magic lipstick, this would be it. It's the Barry M TMLP (Touch of Magic Lip a paint, but personally I prefer to call it Turn my Lips Pink)

'A green lipstick?' I hear you say, well don't fear, it changes into pink once applied onto the lips. It changes to a shade of pink depending on your pH levels of your lips, but I think on most people it comes out as a dark berry shade. You have to be quite careful when applying this though because at first it is clear, but after a few seconds it changes colour. So if you're applying a LOT then after a minute it might be really bold. 

The lasting power of this lipstick is incredible, it is more like a stain and can actually be quote difficult to remove sometimes! But as it is a bold colour, after a few hours it tends to be very strong around the edge of my lips and fades in the middle. So a bit of re-applying might be necessary if you're going to be wearing it for a long time.

I really like how different this lipstick is and the colour is really flattering and wearable too. I haven't really seen a lipstick unique like this so I really recommend it. I think the packaging has changed as I have the old version but I think the formula is pretty much the same. So have you tried this lipstick before? That is all from me but thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed, bye!

Weekend Reading

Weekends are a great time to relax in bed with a cup of tea and a book. My post today is all about weekend reading, for one of those days where you just want to chill and lose yourself in a book. I really like the book: A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell. 

This book is about Lara who returns to Bath for her fathers funeral who she hasn't seen in 18 years. She meets her childhood bestfriend Evie who is about to get married - or so she think. Her ex-boyfriend, Flynn who she left 18 years ago, finds out about her secret she's been keeping for all this time. It's a great laid back easy to read book. I'd really recommend it as it is funny and keeps you wanting to read more! Perfect for those Sunday mornings!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this blog post, bye!

Top 5 Thursday - Autumn Nail Varnishes

 

 

 

 

I'm back again with a Top 5 Thursday post which is going to be a monthly thing. Last month I did my Top 5 perfumes and today I am going to tell you about my top 5 Autumn Nail Varnishes. When I think of autumn I think of burgundies, purple, reds and dark colours. I think my choice of nail varnishes really represents these autumnal vibes!

Bourjois So Lacquer in 24 'Rouge Escarpin'

If you're looking for a very sophisticated red then this is the one to go for. It applies very easily and smooth and you really only need one coat because it's so opaque. I think the quality of this nail varnish is great and it dries quickly to a gloss.

Essie Leading Lady

Glitters are perfect for the Christmas season and this gorgeous Essie nail varnish in the shade leading Lady is perfect for the festive season. It's a dark red plum colour with red glitters and I think this could look stunning on all the nails or as an accent nail. As usual for Essies, this nail varnish is great quality and needs about 2 coats but the results afterwards are lovely on the nails.

O.P.I Silver Shatter

This nail varnish is a top coat and has the crack/shatter effect similar to Barry am crocodile nails if you've ever tried that. It looks lovely on top of a bright red or simply white. I think the silver gives it a very winters feel which is why I think it's great for autumn. Only one coat is needed.

O.P.I Magazine Cover Mouse - Minnie Mouse Collection

I got this nail varnish in a set of 4 from the Minnie Mouse Collection, I feel like this nail varnish has the most festive feeling about it, I think its the gold sparkles in the red. This applies really nicely and only needs 1-2 coats. It is one of the O.P.I liquid sands so it has a sandy, gritty texture but looks great!

The last nail varnish doesn't have a name so I am unsure about the brand and shade; but it came in a set and I got it as a gift so I don't know where its from. But I think the colour is very autumnal, plums and berries are always on trend in autumn so if you can find a shade similar then please tell me!

There you have it, all my top 5 autumn nail varnishes, I don't have many autumnal shades as I have more of the bright spring and summer shades :( But thank you for reading and have a nice day, bye!

 

Autumn Lips #FallintoAutum Series

Today's post in myself and Fran's series #FallintoAutumn is our Autumn Lipstick!

I have chosen the Nina Ricci lipstick which I am unsure of what it is called as it doesn't say. But it was limited edition anyway so I don't think you can purchase it anymore :( But anyway, I think it is a perfect autumnal shade. I have also featured it in a FOTD post here if you are interested in seeing what it looks like on me.

This lipstick is quite a creamy, glossy consistency which does mean it can easily slip and slide during the day and doesn't last very long. However, I think the colour is gorgeous, it is a dark red/plum shade, perfect for autumn! You can probably get very similar shades to this from other brands but this is the most autumnal lipstick I have. As you can see from the swatches it is also very pigmented which is great.

So that is my perfect autumn lipstick! What is yours? Thank you for reading and have a nice day, bye!