Things That Make You Go Oooooo (December 2013)

Goodbye 2013, you've been a really strange year for me... I wouldn't say this has been a bad year but it's had its moments, but when I think of the time I had this summer in SDCC, celebrating my birthday and earlier this month my trip to Iceland, 2013 has been pretty gosh darn amazing! What have your highlights been this year? Be sure to let me know in the comments and check out these awesome links!

♥ How To Make This The Best Week Ever - Let's start January on a positive note and do something great for ourselves.

♥ 8 Easy Ways To Spread Happiness Around You

♥ 17 Things To Do Today That Will Make You Proud Of Yourself In A Year - If you want to make 2014 the best year ever here are some fun little ways to make life a little better.

♥ Overcoming Nerves - I'm a very anxious person when it comes public speaking or just meeting new people and it's something I'm trying to overcome so these are some great tips.

♥ My Top Ten Superfoods For Crazy, Glowy Skin

♥ I Got Better - Will Wheaton shares his experience with dealing with depression, something many of us relate to, when you're having one of those dark days you don't think there is a way out but then there are those truly amazing days which make you realise how precious life is.

♥ The 100 Top Things You Honestly Don't Need To Do Before You Die - Don't feel obliged to do something because "everyone else" is doing it, we only have a limited time on this planet do what you love and if you'd rather watch The Kardashians than Breaking Bad then so be it.

♥ Do Your Goals Conflict With Your Personality?

♥ Can You Chat With a Girlfriend? Then You're Really Good at Sales - I've never thought of it this way so these are some great tips on how to sell yourself without really selling yourself.

♥ Fake Geek Girls - "If someone says they're a fan, then they're a fan and no one has any frakkin' right to question that!" DAMN STRAIGHT!

♥ Destroy the Spec, Break The Rules and Overwhelm Us With Joy

♥ Shy? 4 Ways You Can Ditch the Anxiety & Go Wild - One of my goals of 2014 is to get over my anxiety it's the one major battle I feel I have left so here's to being brave and facing your fears!

♥ Best Brassy Brunettes of the '90s - AKA women who made me the sassy brunette I am today and a special shoutout to Lois Lane from The New Adventures of Superman who I am totally still obsessed with!

♥ Disney Thoughts

♥ Thor: Bring The Thunder - These mini games always remind me of the games I used to play when I was a kid, it's great fun and who doesn't love Thor?

♥ Snowflake Sugar Cookie Scarf - I definitely want to improve my crochet skills and this is such an adorable pattern by Crochet Queen Twinkie Chan

♥ I Just Saw A Photo Of Myself So Bad That It Made Me Want To Change My Entire Life

♥ Be Mine? Why It's Smart To Court Your Friends - Friend dates are so much fun, don't think it's weird let go and have fun girl times together!

Hopes & Dreams

Cate

xoxo

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my wonderful blog readers, I just wanted to wish you all a happy day no matter what you celebrate I hope today is filled with fun and happiness and as a special Christmas treat you can enjoy 25% off all purchases made in my Etsy Shop for the next 25 days, just enter the code 25DAYS at checkout and don't forget to checkout my Storenvy for even more great bargains.

I hope you all are well and have an excellent day!

Eggnog & Apple Pie

Cate

xoxo

Zoo Trippin' in San Diego

Flashback Friday and time to look back on a much warmer time, summer in San Diego. It has been a very long time since I've been to the zoo and even longer since I've seen a panda so whilst I was in town for San Diego Comic Con I just had to take a trip to San Diego zoo to go see those cute pandas again.

Totally unrelated to the zoo but this was my yummy pre-zoo breakfast because my body needed the fuel to get around that huge place, can you believe that we actually walked around the whole zoo in that SoCal heat!? I think I definitely worked off all those yummy bacon filled calories that day!

 

 

I love how diverse all the animals at San Diego are, it's amazing to think of how far they've come although I did kinda feel sorry for that Polar Bear as it was pretty hot out there for those of us who live in cooler northern climates!

How cute is that baby panda? It makes me happy to see that San Diego have such success at breeding Pandas as it's sad to think how rare they are. Seeing this cutie also totally made me miss China and my panda babies so much, I hope I get the chance to visit again sometime.

Leopard Love & Panda Hugs

Cate

xoxo

More photos on [Flickr]

Inspirational Quotes #45

"Be daring, be different, be impractical."
- Cecil Beaton

Oh, You Pretty Thing!

David Bowie is 110% awesome so I thought I would get out the make-up and pay homage to one of my idols by re-creating one of his iconic looks. I'm definitely no expert when it comes to make-up but I love having fun with it and trying new things and although it's not quite perfect I'm happy with the way it turned out and I'd love another excuse to try this out again sometime!

Becoming Bowie was the perfect excuse to try out these awesome blue lenses from Pinky Paradise, they're surprisingly more comfortable than my regular lenses and actually make my eyes look blue so I'll definitely be back for more, maybe I'll get myself some red ones to try out...

Look kids I made a video, I wanted to try something different although I'm still very much a make-up/video making noob but let me know what you think and I may try to make more, also stay tuned till the end of the video for bonus make-up mishaps.

Red Shoes & Goblin Kings

Cate

xoxo

The Last Comic Con of 2013

My last comic con of 2013 also happened to be my first UK con this year, San Diego is pretty damn insane compared to any UK con but they're definitely getting more popular here and I'm happy to see a lot more people are cosplaying to these events now including me!

I bought this jacket in July and shortly after was introduced to the Young Avengers, naturally I just had to do a Miss America outfit, so out came the fabric paints and on went the stars. I kinda love that America's style is basically American flags on everything as I could probably dress as her every day of the week!

Daryl Dixon Winged Vest Tutorial coming soon!

I also met the cast of Red Dwarf again and it's always a pleasure to see them as they are such nice people although this was my first time meeting Danny John-Jules AKA The Cat and although I love all these guys The Cat was always one of my favourites, so I was super excited to finally meet him.

We also went to the Red Dwarf panel which was great fun, they're so funny and I loved hearing about the stuff that they get up to on set, also Chris Barrie does pretty damn good impressions of his fellow cast mates and he even did his Mr. Brittas voice at one point, hilarious!

And then I spotted the Funko booth and went a bit crazy, ok not too crazy I only bought 2 figures (I'd already bought 7 Game of Thrones figures earlier that week...) but I probably got a bit over excited when I saw it and the giant Daryl Dixon Funko and the Funko Christmas Tree and the DEAN WINCHESTER FUNKO that's on its way soon!!

I promised myself no more comics until I finished the pile sitting in the corner of The Batcave but when I saw a bunch of Before Watchmen comics for 50p each I was done and then I happened to notice the Skottie Young variant cover of X-Men #1 which I've been wanting to read and of course I couldn't leave without getting some Captain America, so I picked up Theater of War... I have no self-control at these thing but all in all it was a nice chilled out con to end the year with and I can't wait till con season 2014 starts!

Cuddles & Comics

Cate

xoxo

Things That Make You Go Oooooo (November 2013)

2013 is almost over, what the heck people, what the heck!? I've said it every month but guys this year seems to have flown by so quickly I'm not quite sure I'm ready for it to end so I'm cramming in one more adventure before the year is totally over and flying off to Iceland in a few days YEY! So while I'm out of blogging action here are some links to check out and keep you busy...

♥ 3 Different Ways to Deal with 3 Different Forms of Negativity in the World - It's so easy to be negative but I think we should make an effort to fight those urges and don't let negativity ruin your life!

♥ Are Comparisons the Root of all Evil?

♥ Candid Thoughts on Bloggers "Perfect" Lives - I have to admit I do get a little jealous of my blogging friends when I see them doing awesome things, but no life is perfect and no one should be hated for sharing the things that make them happy in life.

♥ Top 20 Ultimate Ways to Use Disposable Cameras - I just found a disposable camera in one of my old suitcases so these are some great tips I'm going to have to try out on my adventure to Iceland.

♥ Blog On, Babe: If You're Struggling to Start

♥ 10 Rules To Live By For My 10 Year Old On Her 10th Birthday - This is so sweet, I often wonder what knowledge I would pass on to the little people in my life.

♥ Skin And Sleep Have A Closer Tie Than You May Think - I say this all the time but the best thing you can do for your skin is eat clean, drink water and get that beauty sleep it'll improve your mood by miles to!

♥ Six Rules Every Business Owner Needs to Obey

♥ How To Say No To People Who Want To Pick Your Brain - This is some great advice, sometimes it's tough to say no to people but this is great help for those of you with busy business schedules.

♥ Feather Ombre Skirt - This is such a pretty idea and would be great to wear for the upcoming party season.

♥ Choose Your Battles: Fighting Less in Relationships

♥ The Art of Intentions: Tips For Making + Achieving Your Goals - Love this, I'm obsessed with making lists.

♥ Spiked Apple Cider Float - This sounds so delicious, definitely a holiday drink I want to try!

♥ 7 Tips to Make Sure Your Post Actually Gets Read

♥ Surviving A Panic Attack - Thankfully I haven't one of these in a while bit sometimes the holidays can get a bit crazy and overwhelming so I'm definitely taking notes incase it happens

♥ Choose Happiness: 5 Ways to Get Out of a Funk - This resonates so closely as to how I've been feeling lately but instead of letting the funk win I'm taking these tips on board and choosing happiness!

♥ 18 Beneficial Ideas To Do With Blogger Friends

♥ I Think I Finally Don’t Care as Much About the Way I Look - I feel like I've had one of these epiphanies to lately, I'm the happiest I've ever been with myself and no longer stress out about how I look to others and more about how I feel about myself because if you feel good nothing else matters.

♥ Don't Let Small Minds Convince You Your Dreams Are Too Big - Love this post it's so motivational and those are definitely 5 rules to live by.

♥ 13 Tips From Breaking Bad for Startups

♥ DIY Planet Necklace - This is so pretty definitely something I'll be putting on my crafting to do list!

Love & Bunnies

Cate

xoxo

Rescue me Chin Boy and show me the stars...

Nothing quite like a TARDIS showing up in your hometown to get rid of those Monday blues!

Space Men & Blue Boxes

Cate

xoxo

Inspirational Quotes #44

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up with more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you'll never, ever have enough."
- Oprah Winfrey

Handmade Holiday Gift Ideas

Bunny Scarf  //  Candy Cupcake Earrings  //  Direwolf Scarf  //  Kitty Scarf  //  Cupcake Keychain  //  Fox Scarf  //  Mystery Lucky Bag  //  Pom Pom Scarf  //  Elephant Felting Kit  //  Donut Bracelet  //  Teddy Bear Bracelet

Be sure to order your goodies soon so you can get them in time for the holidays!

Cinnamon Buns & Eggnog Lattes

Cate

xoxo

5 Cute & Simple Craft Projects

One of the best things about staying in during these colder months is that you have lots of time to craft. I'm going through one of those rare times when I have nothing to craft, or should I say no personal craft projects going on as my Etsy & Storenvy keep me pretty busy, but I love trying out new things so I found these cute, simple crafting tutorials on YouTube and thought I would share.

Cuddles & Hot Chocolate

Cate

xoxo

Things That Make You Go Oooooo (October 2013)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, it's my absolute favourite holiday today but it's been another crazy month for me so I haven't had time to plan out anything to do tonight but I still want to dress up and have some fun even if I'll just be staying in and hiding from the trick or treaters whilst eating all their sweets hehehe!

♥ Halloween Nail Art - These are awesome, forget about Halloween I would happily rock these nails all year round!

♥ The Habits of Supremely Happy People

♥ Game of Thrones: The 8 Bit Game - You guys this is amazing, it's totally playable and FREE I love it, BEST.GAME.EVER.

♥ Do Milk and Sugar Cause Acne? - If you suffer from bad skin as I once did you may find this really useful I have to say since I gave up dairy and cut down on sugar my skin has definitely improved, it's amazing how much your diet can effect your skin.

♥ I Eavesdropped on This Disgusting Conversation and I'm Still Mad I Didn't Cause a Scene

♥ 8 Simple Tips to Bring More Love into the World - I've found myself being caught in a lot of conflict this month and remembering these things has helped me be more rational, understanding and able to resolve things more calmly without completely losing my head.

♥ 9 Signs It's Time To Quit Your Blog - I love blogging so I could never imagine quitting completely but a time out could be a great idea.

♥ One Bad Review

♥ After Tragedy: 3 Reasons And 21 Ways to Bring Joy Back in Your Life - Some simple and great ways to get some happiness back into your life here, I definitely will be doing several of these things very soon!

♥ D.I.Y. Monsters University Sweatshirt - This is adorable, and so easy to do perfect for Halloween or all year round cosplay fun

♥ Mini Bunny Pattern

♥ Coconut Oil Uses for Body and Health - I love this stuff and it has so many great uses, it makes a great hair mask, soothes dry skin and tastes awesome with eggs!

♥ Pastel Rainbow Cake  - How cute and yummy does this look!?

♥ Balancing Blogging, Advertising and Ethics

♥ 9 Rules for a Simpler Day -  Plan your day, don't be afraid to say no, stay focused and live each day as stress free as possible

♥ How to Handle Negative People - We all have those "energy suckers" in our lives we can't avoid and this is an interesting way to deal with them.

♥ Internet Vs. Happiness

♥ When All You Want To Do is Quit - Some great advice here, we all have those moments when quitting seems the only option but that struggle may make you realise that sometimes those things are worth fighting for.

♥ 50 Ways to be Ridiculously, Shockingly Generous and Feel Ridiculously Shockingly Good - Some cute little ideas here and a great way to practice positivity.

♥ How to Get Flat Abs, Have Amazing Sex and Rule the World in 8 Easy Steps

♥ How to Take a Blog Break Without Losing Momentum - Some great tips on how to keep your blog active during a break, I'm going to be taking my own little break soon so these tips are really helpful.

Bats & Cats

Cate

xoxo

5 Super Simple Healthy Snacks

Lately I've been trying to get back into my healthy diet but eating healthy can be a real chore sometimes, it's so easy to just order pizza or snack on a biscuit when you're hungry so I've come up with just a few of my favourite healthy snacks which are simple to make, super healthy and absolutely delicious.

Smoked Salmon Salad Wraps

I first had these in a Vietnamese restaurant in Thailand and they tasted so nice I had to recreate them all you need is a pack of smoked salmon and some shredded carrots and salad leaves, wrap the salmon around a few of the salad leaves, season with a bit of salt, pepper and lemon and you have an instant delicious healthy snack! 

Mango Salsa

Salsa is awesome with everything and a simple one to make to just chop up a few tomatoes and some mango, add in some coriander and season with salt, chilli and lime. Salsa is fresh and easy you can have it as a side dish or even eat it on its own and the mango adds a nice juicy sweetness to the mix.

Cucumber Som Tam

Another revelation from Thailand which I've pretty much been eating weekly these past few months! Just slice up some cucumber and tomatoes, smash in some chilli and garlic, squeeze in some lime juice, add soy sauce, fish sauce and palm sugar (or brown sugar) if you need a little sweetness and you have an instant taste of Thailand.

Beetroot Chips

A simple snack which should curb your crisp cravings, just thinly slice up some beetroot, season with some salt and pepper, throw in a bit of rosemary, drizzle with olive oil and then bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until crisp, yum!

Peach Donuts

Perfect to curb any sweet craving you'll have just peel and core your peaches, sprinkle with a touch of cinnamon, drizzle with honey and bake for 10- 15 minutes, when the peaches have softened a little sprinkle on a few crasins and serve, they're just as good as the real thing!

Fruity Tea

This is a little bonus just incase you needed something fresh to water down all those healthy snacks. I've been obsessed with fruit teas lately all you need to do is brew your favourite tea then chop up any fruit you may have, put it in a bottle, pour in your tea and chill overnight then in the morning you'll have a gorgeous, fresh, fruit infused tea to drink throughout the day.

Love & Strawberries

Cate

xoxo