Summer Haul!

So since I'm getting ready for my summer trip (19 days and counting!) around Europe, I have been wanting to get some better stuff to take with me on the trip. And by "better" I mean:

• Summery
• Light weight
• Easy to wear
• Cheap, as it will probably get destroyed

So where better to go for all this than Primark? So my first stop was the Primark in Leicester. I picked up some great bits there!

First on my list and the main reason I wanted to go to Primark was a bag. I am planning on travelling fairly light; but I wanted to bring a backpack and one smaller bag. Since I have to carry my laptop in my backpack, it will help distribute the weight, as well as leaving room for souvenirs and giving me room for my makeup! (I have problems) This duffel was EXACTLY what I was looking for! It's fairly roomy but not overly large, and it was cheap as chips at only £9! 

I also miraculously found a pair of sunnies that I LIKE. Mine are pretty scratched up and about 2 years old; I really don't like sunglasses on my face, so I very rarely buy them. These were only £2.50, and I liked the way they looked, so I had to buy them! I also grabbed a case to match (£2), so that I wouldn't ruin these, as knowing me it'll be another 2 years till I find some more! 

As far as clothes, I picked up 2 strappy tops (£2). I spilled grease on my white one yesterday, so I needed a new one! I also wanted some more tank tops for the trip; I only had two and one of them wasn't so great. I found this gorgeous floaty one in blue and cream, with a pretty lace top for only £6! I also was really looking for some high-waisted shorts. These were perfect; I love the floral detail and they were on sale for only £5! They're slightly gappy and not QUITE as high waisted as I would have liked, but with a belt they still look great, and perfect for my summer trip!

I also picked up a really lightweight blue and white spotty romper, or playsuit. I've never owned one before but always wanted too. This guy was a steal at £5, and SO comfy I could sleep in it! The crisscrosses in the back remind me of the pinafore trend which is so big right now, so I feel like I can wear this with shirts underneath as well! ALSO, main selling point here: There are BUTTONS on the straps! This means going to the loo is made significantly easier, haha! I also grabbed a pretty skater dress in a aztec printed jersey material; lightweight and I can wear loads of things with it because of all the different colors! Perfect for what I needed :) 

After Primark we went to New Look, where I found my second and final tank top and a swingy skater skirt, both in neutral colors! I wanted stuff that would be able to match easily with lots of things, and these were exactly what I was looking for! 

My skin has been driving me crazy recently, so I went to Boots where they were having a 3 for 2 sale! I picked up the Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm, the Freederm Gel, and the Vichy Normaderm Hyaluspot. I've heard the Vichy is really good for fading dark marks, so I'm planning on using that on my hyperpigmentation and using the Freederm gel for active spots! I may do a review on some of these products, so this may not be the last time you see them!

Lastly we stopped into Superdrug, which is one of my favorite stores in the world everrrr. I've been wanting a real techniques brush for my foundation for ages, and kept going back and forth on getting one. I was going to get the stippling brush, but it was £2 more expensive, and I knew I wouldn't have the patience to stipple anyway, so instead I picked up the domed face brush. I also grabbed a Dare magazine, because these things are awesome! Free magazine? Yes please. I love them!

Please don't take this as bragging, I know I really enjoy seeing what other people have bought, and especially with Primark it's nice to see what they've got in stock before you go as well! What all have you guys bought recently? Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!

<3 Alice

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Soaking up the sun!

After days and days of rain and cloud, my sun-loving self was starting to REALLY miss Colorado, where it's been about 75-80 degrees and gorgeous for the past few weeks. England? Psh, England. YOU MAY HAVE GREEN THINGS BUT COLORADO HAS SUN GOSH DARN IT. Luckily, before I went too mad, the sun decided to brave it's face and give England a glorious three whole days of sunshine. What? Three days of sunshine? I KNOW.

The first of these days was Saturday; which was great as we'd already planned to go to a small car boot and farmers market in town.

They had loads of lovely things there! They had eggs from a bunch of different birds; including an ostrich! Loads of meat, specialty cheeses and olives, and hand-crafted beer which I was VERY tempted to get! There was also this really lovely stall that was selling hand-crafted soaps; they smelled SO lovely and were displayed in the prettiest vintage suitcases! Of course I immediately gravitated towards the cupcake stand, where lo and behold I found CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES. At 1.50 a pop I couldn't say no :)

After the farmers market, we wandered down the street eating our cupcakes and generally soaking up the sunshine to the car boot sale! It was quite small, and I forgot to take pictures, but there were quite a few cute bits and bobs! I didn't pick anything up, but Liz got some scraps of fabric and a pretty wicker basket for her kitchen!

Not wanting to waste the sunshine, an impromptu picnic with the dogs, my uncle and my lovely baby cousins was the perfect solution for our rumbly tummys!

We packed up and headed to the park where we feasted upon sausage rolls, chicken samosas, coke, pringles, and various other goodies! Diet? What diet?

At some point my 3-year old cousin Lucas got a hold of the camera and took this lovely, albiet extremely blurry, photograph of the picnic. Watch out for this rising talent ladies and gentlemen!

After the picnic we went back and feasted upon chocolate rise krispie bars with smarties, which were deliciously messy to eat, and then headed back home for some well deserved rest time!

Top: New Look, Jeans: Charlotte Russe, Belt: Florence Leather Market, Shoes and Cardigan: I Forget.

And a "what I wore" photo for you all! MINT JEANS HURRAY!

How do you like to enjoy the sunshine?

<3 Alice

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Rain, rain, go away!

Two posts in one day! What is this! Well... it's not the most exciting outfit in the world, but it was cold today and I wanted to keep warm! So I decided to get a little fun by pairing my comfy maroon top with a pretty swishy blue skirt, and keeping the accessories simple!

Shirt and Leggings: Forever 21, Skirt: Target, Boots: Ross, Belt: H&M, Earrings: Tourist Shop in Rome, Necklace: Topshop

I couldn't resist getting a little cheeky and curtsying and prancing around everywhere! This skirt just swishes SO nicely! AND it has pockets, if you haven't noticed!

For some reason I spent a ridiculously long amount of time on my makeup today. I think I just hadn't had the opportunity to do anything fun in a while. It doesn't make much sense though because thus far I've spent all day inside! If you can't tell, it's raining and hailing horribly outside and, and there's nothing for me to do really, so I've spent all day sitting inside like a boring person. Ahh well. 

I am really loving delicate jewelry right now. I got these earrings in Rome, and they're the perfect little bit of added sparkle. The necklace is from Topshop and I'm absolutely obsessed with it; it's so darling and small and pretty, and a bargain at only £4!

On another note, can we just look at how horrible my hair ends are? Good lord! Thank god I have my lush split end saver to help!

What do you like to do on rainy days? Do you become a couch potato like me? Let me know in the comments!

<3 Alice

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Inspiration Friday

Thank GOD it's Friday right? I just finished up my month's work yesterday, and I'm SO glad! Sadly I don't get to take today off to recover, because I'm desperate to take Saturday off to shop! So I'll be forcing myself back to the grindstone later on tonight!

It's Friday, and in the spirit of being excited for the weekend, I thought I'd post some things that have been inspiring me recently!

Via Pinterest

This DIY tutu is so easy to make, and the length keeps it more refined than little-girl. I'm desperate to make it as soon as I get back to Colorado and my sewing machine!

Via Pinterest

"398.2 is the fairy tale section for the Dewey Decimal System." - I love this necklace, pretty sure I need it in my life! What a nerdy and cute way of expressing our love for that wonderful imaginary world that is the fairy tale :)

Via Pinterest

I just sent off my signed lease for my new apartment; it's the first time I will be living TRULY by myself, no roommates! I'm ridiculously excited and have been collecting interior design inspiration pins. I love the soft neutral colors and the mix and match aesthetic! It's beautiful!

Via Tumblr

As my Europe trip gets closer and closer, I'm getting more and more excited about packing, despite the fact that I'm ALREADY living out of a suitcase! I wish this was all I needed to pack! Camera, art supplies, passport! Who needs clothes right?

Via Pinterest

I love this quote :) After having been travelling for so long, and being away from home since January, the shiny excitement of travel tends to wear off; especially since I'm stuck in a limbo state in England with my family! This helps reignite my wanderlust spark, and I can't WAIT to head off to Italia come mid-June, but also to find my own adventure in a day to day life that can get a bit humdrum!

Via Pinterest

I've been going through a bit of a rough patch recently, with various things in my life. When I get bogged down like that, I get really, really bad until suddenly I snap, and realize that I am in control of my own emotions, I am stronger than any mental disorder I may have, and I am brave enough to face it head on and be happy. Since making the decision to be happier, to act happier, and to see light and joy in the world around me, instead of focusing on negative things that are upsetting me, I've been filled with much more joy and creativity! I just decided to change my outlook on life. It's hard but well worth it, and even though I know I'll hit lows again, I know that eventually I will shake myself out of it, just like I always have done! :)

Lastly is this video by Britpopprincess AKA Patricia on YouTube. I've always admired her positive outlook on life, and this video really really struck a chord with me, espeically the self-esteem part! It is up to us as women to choose the positive words we say about ourselves and each other; lets all focus on the positive inside us, and our true beauty, and not the negative :)

I hope you guys have a great Friday! If you have found anything inspirational recently, post it down below!

<3 Alice

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Hullo World!

Hello there blogging world!

My name is Alice, and this is my nine millionth foray into the scary world of blogging. For years I have watched YouTubers and followed bloggers who inspire me SO much every day, and it's always been something I've been massively interested in. I've tried to make a few fashion or beauty themed blogs before, all of which eventually failed because I just wasn't posting and blogging regularly  or sitting down and taking the time to create well-crafted posts. I was very scared, you see, of going outside what "box" I had put myself in. So I didn't post about anything except for a few certain categories and really limited myself to what I was putting out there.

However, the idea of starting a blog was still something that stuck with me! I realized that I wanted a place on the web that I could call my own, to fill with pretty things that inspire me, and hopefully will inspire you! An informal place where I can express my creativity in all the different forms it comes in! I do have a few other places on the web, which I'll link down at the bottom of this post, if you'd like to explore them.

So, I've decided to jump into the water once again, and start "The Wish Nook." This blog is probably going to primarily be focused around fashion and beauty, but also incorporate design, art, creativity, DIYs, lifestyle,  travel, and whatever else pops into my head! I want it to be a reflection of me; my little space where I can live my wishes :) I really hope you guys enjoy my blog, and if you have any suggestions for getting started posts I'd LOVE to hear them!

So who am I? My name is Alice; I'm 22 years old, although I'll be 23 in a couple months. I'm from England, but I live in Colorado, and have since I was 9. I'm currently travelling around the world! I'm based in England until the 16th of June, and then I'll be embarking on a month long round-Europe tour, which will probably be the first focus of this blog! Travel, sight seeing, and travel fashion! (I'm not bringing much, so my creativity will be tested!) I have a BFA in Painting and Graphic Design. I love web design and illustration, they make me happy. I also enjoy: shiny things, clothing, Avatar the Last Airbender, makeup, Sherlock, the colors blue, cream, and pink, Elvis, Coldplay, Italy, Game of Thrones, reading, Jeffery Deaver, Tamora Pierce, How I Met Your Mother, lace, tea, Disney, Tangled, and most things girly. I currently work online as an artist, it's pretty great :)

I hope you enjoyed this "getting to know you" post, and I'd LOVE it if you would post and share about yourself a little if you see this! I'm so excited to dive into the blogging community, lets make friends guys!

I'll see ya' soon!

<3 Alice

Find me on the web: Artblog, Tumblr, Personal Website

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