I was an extremely lucky girl for Christmas, I got a lot of thoughtful and beautiful gifts and I am so greatful. One gift that I was SUPER excited about was something I had hinted at Adam to get me since it had been released and the man did good, because as soon as I saw a little rectangular present laying there I knew I had finally gotten my hands on the urban decay basics 2 palette. I still feel a little emotional about it now.
LOOK AT HOW BLOODY BEAUTIFUL IT IS. I genuinely felt a bit choked up looking at it because it is just such a wonderful little palette. If you aren't into your neutral shades then you'll probably look at this like its just another palette (like Adam did) but to me, it is like angels have crafted it themselves. Each shade is super pigmented and very wearable, I find that I can create both daytime and evening looks with this palette. I was concerned it wouldn't be very show stopping for evening looks, but this little beauty proved me wrong. I used skimp, cover, primal and undone and created such a good smokey eye; I was very proud of myself.

TOP- L-R: Skimp, Stark, Frisk, Cover BOTTOM- L-R: Primal and Undone

I have to say that my favourite shades out of all the five are stark, frisk and primal as I use them basically everyday now. On their own or with some black winged liner and it just works and looks effortless.
It's the perfect travel size compared to my naked 3 palette and because of that it is becoming a very firm favourite of mine. For £22 I will definitely be purchasing this for myself again as I cannot be in a world without this palette.

Have you tried the urban decay basic palettes?

Although the photo above doesn't do the shades justice, I promise you they are absolutely stunning and you will just have to take my word for it!

I know what you're all probably thinking and yes I know that 13 doesn't come after 11. I'm not quite that bad at maths! I was obviously in London for Thursday and Friday and so I've not really had any access to a laptop, and as I knew I wouldn't be doing much this weekend I thought I'd combine Thursday with today and then I'll do tomorrow and Friday together. I'm sorry if it's a bit confusing, but it does make sense in my head I promise!

So Adam and I woke up early Thursday morning and got in the car to drive to London, yes you heard me right; we drove into London. Why we decided this would be a good idea I have absolutely no idea, but it was an experience to say the least. We were obviously in London to go to the first ever BBC music awards, so we still had a few hours to kill before we needed to get ready and so had a bit of a mooch around London. I've been obsessed with trying five guys ever since I had heard there was one in Covent Garden, it just needed to happen. So when we saw it wasn't that busy we ran straight in and thank god we did because it was so so worth it! You definitely get what you pay for and I cannot wait to go back. We then went to have a look around Convent Garden and I fell in love with the Christmas tree because who couldn't?! It's bloody beautiful



 After a few hours of shopping we hurried back to our hotel to get ready for the music awards. I'll say now, this was the first ever BBC music awards and if they decided to do it again next year and you can get tickets; then go. It was one of the best experiences of my life so far, the music was amazing, the atmosphere was fabulous and the crowd was just full of really polite nice people apart from a couple of inconsiderate douche-bags. We were stood up and we were actually really close to the front of the stage which was insane, although we are both really short it was quite hard to see but there were big screens so the little people could see which was great. In all honesty though it was just an absolutely amazing experience that I'm so glad I was able to see for the first time.

The highlight for me was Coldplay, Clean Bandit, George Ezra, Catfish and the bottlemen and Will.I.am & Cody Wise. Coldplay started off and were so so stunning, they put the crowd in such a mental and up-beat mood and I genuinely want to see them again. Clean Bandit have been one of my favourite bands this year and so I was super stoked to see them and they were worth the wait, they are such an interesting mix of genre's and they were just as good live as they are in the music videos. George Ezra was just an absolute darling, which I thought he would be and I just love him so much! Catfish and the bottleman won an award (WOO BEST NEWCOMER) and me and Adam were cheering so loud for them because they deserved it 110% and Will.I.am and Codywise were fabulous; I've always been a huge fan of Will.I.am so when he was announced as an act I did a massive fistpump.
My phone died, but here are a few photos that I managed to get.

The necklace isn't actually the one I have and I also couldn't find the shoes I have. Don't shoot me! Lace dress from H&M Necklace from H&M Draped blazer from New Look Essie Rock at the top Barry M Passion fruit Bourjois Rouge Velvet Edition

With August being my birthday month it has been a very VERY hectic time, so I haven't posted for quite a while again unfortunately. I'm sorry to everyone who actually keeps up with my blog I feel super super happy! So what better way to kick start my blogging life then some of my favourite music that I've been listening to at the moment. George Ezra is probably one of my absolute favourite artists right now, his voice is so stunning and full of soul and I genuinely see him getting really big in the music world. Obviously Troye is on here because his single is actually so much better than I thought it would be! He has such a huge fan base that I didn't know whether people were being honest about the music or just because they love Troye, and I was so so impressed with the single and I keep finding myself singing along to it.

I actually go on holiday with my boyfriend in 43 and I am so so excited to sit on the beach and just relax! However, saying that I'm really not actually that prepared and still have so many things that I should really buy and so I thought I'd do a wishlist of some things that I need (want) for my holiday!

It seems all I ever do is apologise for my lack of blogging, I promise I'm going to start pre-writing posts instead of just writing when I think of something. I will be a good blogger from now on I promise, although I have still been gaining followers on BlogLovin which is incredible! So thank you all so much and it is greatly appreciated. I was paid on Friday and although I don't have the money to actually buy any of these things, I still thought with it being spring and all that I'd have a cheeky look online and I was not disappointed!
Next is this fabulous bag, I can't really justify buying a bag just yet as I still have my Zara office city one which for my everyday work is a little (quite a bit) too big for what I need. I still love it though, but this bag is very tempting.

Hi my name's Ashleigh, and I'm an Instagram addict. I'm kidding obviously (or am I...) but I've always thought that its really sweet when you get bloggers who do little monthly updates of their lives through the photos they've taken. I post quite a lot on IG, but I've never felt any of the photo's I've taken are particularly note-worthy. This month however I have taken quite a few and so I thought why not give this post a go and see if I can keep it going, simply because I just think it's a really sweet and fun idea. These aren't in order, so I'm sorry, but I'll explain them in order of date just so it makes a bit more sense!

At the beginning of this month I went with my friend Zach to Essex university to visit our other friend Sean. With both of them being at different universities and myself working full time, we don't get to see each other a lot and so it was so fab to be able to spend the night drinking, dancing and just having fun with them. I definitely miss them both a lot *queue sad music* anyway I'm going to stop before I have them both read this and mock me for being soppy.

Second is the photo of the sunrise, I live in the middle of the countryside and I have to walk to my bus stop pretty early in the morning and this sunrise was so beautiful and had amazing colours so I thought a cheeky snap wouldn't hurt!
The next photo is of the little horse, which is the Chinese zodiac of 2014. The reason I took a photo of it is because I found it's eyes really funny and big, I'm quite clearly more of a child then I let on. This was a night I went out to try a Chinese all you can eat restaurant and the food was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

The next photo is of my lovely valentines card. I didn't receive any this year and it's probably one of the first years I've been single for valentines day in a while, which I'm totally okay with but also slightly passive- aggressive towards which I have no shame for. I got this from someone I work with and it made laugh so much because it was done on a post-it note and took about 30 seconds, if that isn't adorable I don't know what is. The day after I went and spent the day in Norwich, which was great because although I've only been a few times I just love the place and think its beautiful and awesome. I also got to try my first wagamama's which I was slightly apprehensive about as me and spicy food are not exactly friends so I was worried I'd have to force myself to eat some spicy food and die inside. However, I got this lovely chicken and noodle dish which I really enjoyed.

The last two photo's are from a night that I spent with my closest friend Frasmine. We haven't seen each other in a few months, but as soon as we're back together it's like nothing has changed and we're exactly the same as we use to be. We spent the night chatting, wearing face masks and watching keeping up with the Kardashian's (we cry all the time because we don't look like Kardashian's) and the last photo is of the extremely funky PJ bottom's I had to buy because in my tired state I forgot to pack some pajamas and Jasmine told me I HAD to buy these bottoms because they made us laugh so much. I'm glad I did because oh my gosh are they comfy!

So that's my month! I know there is still a week left, but I haven't got a whole lot planned in that time and as I've been a bad blogger recently I felt a post was in order. I'm going to try and do this monthly, if I can carry on taking photos at the rate I did this month! Did you enjoy this kind of post? Let me know!

 I don't have a lot of pictures from my childhood, my mum mainly has them. I have a few and these are some of my favourites that I picked out of my box, how hilarious was I?! Me and a friend have just said by looking at these photos you can actually see I've never been a normal person in my life. I just find that I was a bit of an ugly kid, but cute ugly if that makes any sense; especially the bottom one look at the little smooshy face!















 These are a few bits from my school years that stood out the most; at the top is the card I received when I did my work experience at school. I got to go and help teach kids which is something I've always been VERY passionate about and I can honestly say I've never enjoyed myself more then when I was working with those kids. This one particular class I got very attached to and I came into the classroom and they gave me this card and some chocolate and I honestly stood and cried because I was so touched (they were all very confused). The second photo is from my prom, I can honestly say I hated prom but that was my personal opinion! This was my ticket and corsage from the night. At the bottom when before I went to high school we all got to make these little booklets and it just makes me laugh reading through them because the comments are just such a giggle!
























At the top is a little perfume bottle that my mum brought me back from her honeymoon to Prague and I love it because it's just so beautiful and it's one thing I see myself keeping until I die, maybe I'll even pass it down. It's not financially valuable, but personally it means a hell of a lot! The second is a letter that I received when I was younger from someone who was very important in my life, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever received and one day when I was extremely emotional over something I actually ripped up the whole letter and regretted it immediately. I gathered up all the pieces and put them back in the envelope and they are still in there to this day! (I luckily didn't rip the drawing with it thank GOD) although it's all in the past, I still like to keep the letter as it means a lot to me. In the next photo is one of the first presents my younger sister ever chose for me herself; there doesn't really need to be an explanation as to why that's special. Lastly is a picture I have of my uncle who my family unfortunately lost a few years back, I'd experienced loss and death before this but this hit me especially hard and I honestly still struggle a lot of the time with it now, but that's life for you.

After finishing my GCSE'S back in 2011, I was certain I wanted to do a-levels but didn't know where to go. I was terrified of going out of my comfort zone and doing something completely alone, I ended up deciding to go to a sixth form that took 3 buses there and 3 buses back each day. I was absolutely shattered but I can honestly say that I wouldn't change it for the world, the friends that I made in the space of those two years are some of the most wonderful and extraordinary people I have ever met and I also learnt much more about myself. Although I didn't get the results I had hoped for in the end, I don't regret a second of it.

me with some of my bestest boys ever

I've personally never been a big fan of birthdays, if it's someone else's I love to spoil them but in regards to myself I'm more a no fuss type of girl. This was probably my best birthday though, my parents we're absolutely amazing and arranged a party at my house for me, I had a few friends and some family come and I was drunk by about 4 o'clock and I just enjoyed myself so much. Having some of my closest friends around me and having my parents put so much time and effort into something for me was definitely the best present ever.

Good old Spain!

Spending a week in Spain was one of the most surreal times this year, it was like being in a dream. After a few crap months, spending a week in such a beautiful place was amazing as I'm a huge fan of the sun and heat so spending the days relaxing and topping up my tan was fabulous and then drinking the night away was just hilarious. This was right after my eighteenth so for me it was just one big party, I ended up making friends with some awesome people whilst over there as well, it also taught me about myself and to try not to care what people think of you, even if it hurts. So it's not a holiday I'll forget anytime soon.

my eyes have never made me happier in a photo

For the first half of the year, I didn't really do a lot of parties or anything for various reasons. So when it came to finishing my a-levels I really wanted to start going to a few more, the best ones to memory are my friend Charlie's eighteenth, my eighteenth, going to Norwich for a hen night, going to Essex to see Sean, the leaving party for everyone going to uni and going out with everyone when they got back from uni! They were all awesome and have so many memories within each party or meet-up.

Before everyone went off to uni!

Love my pals

After finishing my a-levels, I didn't really have any direction and I ended up very secluded and in a small box by myself and extremely unhappy. Then this job just popped up and I'm so thankful for having the chance to challenge myself; the people are amazing and make the job even better than it already it. It's somewhere I would quite happily stay for a very long time and I hope I get the chance to!
Starting this little gem is definitely up there as one great thing about this year, I've wanted to start blogging and vlogging for years now. Although I've not started a you-tube or vlogging, having this blog has actually made me seriously happy and in the new year I hope to meet and talk to a lot more of you lovely bloggers!
So those are some of my top memories from this year, there has been ups and downs but that was expected. I hope 2014 is going to be my year! What have been some of your best points for 2013?