Get Organised: Back to School


Most schools in the UK go back this week so it's time to get organised.

I have a double whammy when it comes to 'back to school' organisation, because not only do I have to organise myself in terms of my job working within a school but I am also studying for a degree with the Open University.

This means that I have lots to consider. The only thing I'm missing is having kids of my own to get ready for school!

So I thought I would share a few things that I do or use to get myself organised for the start of the new school year from both the side of the employee and the student, because I am both!

Use a timetable

This is a particularly useful one for me as I work some full days at school and some part-time, plus with my own studies to complete it is easy to have a schedule to see it all together.

I was inspired by this schedule to create my own, but combining my work hours and the slots I have for my studies.

I have two copies of this planner. One stays on my person, tucked inside my diary in my handbag, and the other stays in the front of my main university folder.

Have tidy folders

I have two folders for university this year as I am studying two subjects (Children's Literature and Advanced Creative Writing), so I have a folder for both so that nothing gets muddled up in one big folder.

My text books and paperwork for my courses won't be mailed out until next week as the OU year doesn't officially start until October, so my folders looks pretty empty right now. What I have already included is enough plastic wallets for each topic and assignment to have its own pocket and a lined Oxford pad of A4 paper. I don't like to use dividers because I've never found any that I really like and that work for me. The paper ones just get dirty and rip and the plastic ones can be a bit bulky and can't always be written, hence the extensive use of plastic wallets in my folders.

Have the right supplies

Every year I replenish my stationary, but I always make sure I have the basics that I have used for my GCSE studies, my A level studies, and my four years of OU studying so far (I know, that's a lot of school!)

I make sure I have good pens in blue, black, and red. I tend to do my headers on notes in blue, my actual note in black, and my important points or underlining in red so you can easily pull those bits of information out.

I also have a pencil, a sharpener, and a rubber, a glue stick, a pack of sticky notes in a variety of colours, and some mini bulldog clips.

My highlighters have an erasable tip on the other end of the pen so if you highlight the wrong section or go to far with it you can go back over it and remove the pen. Magic, right?!

My favourite items in my pencil case have to be my colourful fine liners which I use a lot. I mainly use them when I'm planning my assignments as I get some blank A4 paper and a kind of mind map with them, with all different aspects being colour-coded so the information is easy to group. This is a handy tool.

Plan your lunches

I have had this adorable planner for quite a while now and I will continue to use it this year. It makes it so much easier when it comes to putting lunches together. I will often make my lunch the night before so I don't have to make time for it in the morning. You can get this brilliant meal planner from Hello, Cuteness.

There is also a dinner planner here and many more beautiful freebies on her amazing website here.

Have a morning routine

It is very important to use your morning time wisely so you don't have to leave everything half-complete. I have a rather strategic morning schedule which gives me two and a half hours before I have be at work.

My alarm is set for 6.15 AM on my mobile phone, but my phone does NOT go on my bedside time. It goes on my dressing table on the other side of the room. This is so I have to get up to turn off the alarm, therefore I won't lay in bed and turn it off by accident and fall back to sleep or continuously snooze it.

Once I'm up the first thing I do is go into the bathroom to wash my face to wake me up a bit more. I then go downstairs to make a cup of tea and some breakfast. I try to never skip breakfast unless I really don't feel like it. I know some people say they can't eat right away when they wake up. I'll eat my cereal or toast while my tea is brewing, and go around opening the curtains and blinds after that.

While I drink my tea I sit down at my dressing table to do my makeup and hair. It sounds awful but this is probably what I spend the bulk of my morning doing! I try to make sure this is done by 7.30 AM.

I then have little tidying up bits to do, such as washing up my breakfast things, and then I get myself dressed last. I always pull out whatever I'm wearing the next day the night before so I don't stand there saying 'I have nothing to wear'.

I walk to work, which takes 10-15 minutes so I leave just before 8.30 AM to get there for 8.45 AM.

Having a routine that works for you will stick and you will find that you get it all done and may even have time sometimes to get some other bits done too!

I also make sure to get myself up on weekend mornings to get some studying done, that way I can spend the evenings doing something I enjoy if I get it done.

Use a diary

A diary can be your best friend for planning if you use it right. I always make sure to get a diary with quite a lot of space per day so I can fill in work dates, studying or assignment deadlines, and personal commitments.

I keep my diary in my work handbag so I can add anything in when we have meetings, so that way I know I (shouldn't) miss anything.

Technology is your friend - but also your distraction

Use your laptop, or your iPad, or whatever it is you have to get online. I use mine to log into my Open University student account and check up on the tutor group forum and other such things, but make sure you manage your time and uses on it wisely.

So many people are tempted to just check Facebook, or just read the trends on Twitter, or I'll just go on Pinterest quickly. I know what happens because I have done it many times! Keep yourself off of social networking and other non-work related websites until your work is done. I wouldn't even recommend using your break slots as a chance to check things as fifteen minutes whilst having a rest can quickly turn into an hour before you realise, and then you've lost 45 minutes of studying time!

Have a goal list

I keep a running goal list next to me when I'm studying. I do this using sticky notes with one task written on each one in rows of three. When I have completed a whole row I give myself a 10-15 minute break, just to walk around or make a cup of tea.

Try to keep the goal on each sticky note small and simple. Don't write 'check to see if results have been posted' on one and then 'write next assignment' on another. Break it down into easy chunks so that they are all easily managed.

Rest and sleep

Make time to take some time out for yourself and make sure you're getting enough sleep. You need at least seven hours. As I said, on weekdays I wake up at 6.15 AM so I make sure I am in bed by 11.15 PM. That sounds quite late and it isn't that late every night but sometimes I'll be studying until 11 PM. If this is the case I make sure in my latest break, which is probably around 10.15 PM that I go and brush my teeth and get my bedtime things ready. That way when I finish at 11 PM I can go straight up to bed and just relax for 15-20 minutes with a book or listening to some of my bedtime music (I'll do a post at some point about my bedtime routine and music playlist).

So I hope all of those little tips and examples of my routines helped you. Have a fantastic 2015-2016 school year, whether you are a teacher, teaching assistant (like me), a student (also like me), or a parent!

My Top Ten: Funfetti Recipes


Today I thought I would share some tasty sweet treats with you, with a colourful funfetti theme. I love sprinkles and can often be found pinning funfetti baked goods on Pinterest (check out my funfetti pins here and my whole treats board here).

So here are my top ten funfetti bakes to make your mouth water and possibly for you to try:

Funfetti cake (via Baked Bree)


Funfetti gooey bars (via Crazy for Crust)


The Barefoot Contessa: Outrageous Brownies (via Simply Taralynn)


Cake batter cinnamon rolls (via Sally's Baking Addiction)


Softbatch funfetti sugar cookies (via Averie Cooks)


Funfetti biscotti (via My Name is Yeh)


Funfetti creamsicles (via Studio DIY)


Funfetti marshmallows (via Raspberri Cupcakes)


Funfetti pancakes (via Yummy Healthy Easy)


 Vanilla funfetti cake roll (via Shugary Sweets)

What do you think of these recipes? Will you be trying any of them out?

Film Review: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.


This movie review is a little bit late as I saw it on opening night two weeks ago today (14 August) and I actually then went to see it again this past Tuesday. To be honest that should be enough to tell you I loved this film! But I'll go into a bit more detail anyway, otherwise this becomes a very short and very pointless blog post and not really a review.


First, I am a Guy Ritchie fan, with his Sherlock Holmes films being amongst my all-time favourite movies, and as soon as I saw this trailer (you can watch it here if you haven't seen it) I knew I had to see it. I was also incapable of waiting because, as I said, I went to opening night.


I love a good action movie, and for me this certainly didn't disappoint. I've read some reviews online of this and it sounds like quite a few people were left wanting, with some describing it as 'boring' and 'pointless'. I would like to tell you that I saw it as the total opposite.


For me, what truly made this film brilliant was the cast. Henry Cavill, probably best known for playing the most recent Superman in Man of Steel, and Armie Hammer, who played the title role in The Lone Ranger alongside Johnny Depp, were in a word: amazing.


Armie Hammer's Russian accent was out of this world, and played my favourite character in the movie.


Henry Cavill was a brilliant choice for American soldier - turned thief - turned spy Napoleon Solo. I heard that originally it was supposed to be Tom Cruise in the role, but he had to drop out due to other commitments. Personally I am thrilled that he dropped out because I can't imagine anyone else playing Solo as well as Cavill did.


There was also a couple of great female parts, both strong women, played by Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Debicki. Also starring is Hugh Grant, who I think is brilliant at pretty much every role he does.


Again, it's that thing of me not wanting to give too much away, yet I really want to rave about this film and tell you all about it. So the best thing for you to do is just to go and see it for yourself! If you like spy movies or action movies then I think you'll enjoy it.


So my rating for this film is:


Have you seen this movie yet? If yes, what did you think of it? Do you agree with my scoring? Let me know through Twitter, Instagram, or in the comment section below.

I'm Excited For: e.l.f. Cosmetics


I'm super excited this morning and it's all because after checking back on the e.l.f. (Eyes Lips Face) website every day for the last couple of months, I literally let out a squeal of delight when I saw that the website is finally up.

If you read my e.l.f. Cosmetics post back in January then you would know that this is a makeup brand that I adore. I got a lot of messages and great feedback about that post and how people wanted some of my five favourite products that I mentioned. But most were left disappointed as not long after I posted it most of the items sold out and disappeared from the website completely.

The UK branch of the company announced that they were having a change of distributor, so they would now be able to bring more products to the website. I

I've been keeping my eyes open for updates on Twitter and Instagram, but after waiting for what feels a VERY long time the website has officially launched. And let me tell you, you will not be disappointed.


So many of my old favourite products are back, such as the lip exfoliator (above) and the baked blush in 'peach cheeky' (below).


They also have the best slanted tweezers I have ever used!


I have a couple of these long-lasting lustrous eyeshadows already, but they no longer have the colours I own online, such as 'confident' and 'outdoorsy'. But I have fallen in love with the colour 'gala' (below).

On the subject of eyeshadows, how amazing is this endless eyes palette?!


I have heard so many amazing things about this blush palette in 'light', so I think I will try this out next!

 
This eyebrow kit in 'medium' has also had good reviews and I'm looking to try something new on my brows.
 
 
I used to have one of these clear mascaras for my brows from another brand that stopped making them, but when it ran out I could never find one I liked so I may try this one.
 
 
I have this essential lipstick in 'flirtatious' and really want to try the shade 'classy'.
 
 
The final product I want to share with you is this gloss in 'wild watermelon'. I love every colour this lipgloss comes in, but I think I'll try this one first, followed by 'ballet slippers'.
 
So, what do you think of the new e.l.f. website and their larger range of products? What will you be buying first? Let me know, and I'll do some reviews of my products when I've given them a proper test run. You can shop their products here.
 
 

I'm Loving: Casey Holmes

 
Today I wanted to share with you another person who I admire in the world of the internet. This is the gorgeous Casey Holmes. If you are friends with me on Facebook you may already know who she is as I often post her videos onto my page. If you're not on my Facebook or you haven't noticed my excessive Casey posts, then I'll tell you a little bit more about her.


Casey Holmes is one of the most beautiful people I have come across on the internet, both inside and out. She makes killer make-up videos on YouTube and since I discovered her last year I have been hooked on her channel.


Her 'monthly favourites' videos are some of the best ones to watch as it gives you so many ideas about colours and new products that are about that she has trialled and tested. Here is her most recent favourites video from July.


Her tutorials on her make-up looks are so well-filmed and put together. The timing spent showing each product and her applying it is so good that you actually get to see how it goes on and how it should look at each stage. Here is one of my favourite make-up tutorials.
 

Below are just a few - well, more than a few! - photos of the beautiful Casey with some of my favourite make-up looks:

I adore this lip colour, and just this whole look in general.
 

Red lips are one of my favourite looks for a night out.

Isn't she just stunning?!

 

A great sense of style too, she does some great fashion haul videos too, like this one (This was when she dyed her hair blonde for like two weeks).
 

Her hair is incredible, both in length and style. She did a great tutorial video on great hair for the gym.
 

Casey's 'get ready with me' videos are also fun to watch, like this one.
 

And who doesn't love a good make-up haul? This recent Sephora haul and drugstore haul are my favourites.
 

Casey has helped me to try new things with my make-up, which had become a bit old and boring.
 

This is my favourite video out of all the tutorials I have watched. I just love the way it turned out on her.
 

She has really inspired me. Thanks, Casey!


Have you seen Casey's channel? You can subscribe and watch her videos here.