My relationship with war

As it was Remembrance Day at the weekend, I wanted to share with you my story.

I was looking back on my previous posts, and 'about myself' when I noticed I haven't mentioned anything about a massive part of my life.

As you already know I'm newly engaged to the love of my life Darren. We have been together nearly six years, and I just could not be happier, however in every relationship there are ups and downs. Our down is war. Darren works in the military, he's in the RAF, and oh boy does he look good in uniform! When we first got together he was already in the military, so the routine we have with being with each other has been the same from the very beginning, so its not anything new or surprising. He works on his base camp Monday-Friday, so I only see him at the weekends, which can be difficult on my behalf because the majority of the time, I'm at my own job. It can be very hard at times, we have had arguments about this, but we both always realise how much we love each other and how understanding we both are. Each moment we have together is precious so we try not to take that for granted.

 I couldn't be more proud of him, I wouldn't change anything about our relationship for the world. I always get asked by people 'isn't is difficult?' and I always respond with saying 'yes and no, no because its been the same from the very beginning so we are both so use to the routine we have together, and yes because lets face it..it never gets easier saying goodbye, but overall we love each other and no amount of miles will ever change that' 

Then it comes to what I'm going through this very moment. Darren has been sent away for 3 months. He left last week, this never ever, ever, ever gets easier, I'm finding it quite hard to write this without getting upset. He left on the Monday morning, just before I went to work, which was a bundle of laughs..not. It was a very difficult morning, a very emotional one too, as soon as we woke up we were crying, Darren doesn't cry at all really, there are only certain things that will set him off, so when he does cry its always surprising. He went to get petrol for his car, and came back with a huge bouquet of flowers, I cried some more. I think I reapplied my makeup about 4 times! 

Everyone has probably seen the movies, where the lovers are saying goodbye, and its terribly romantic with beautiful music in the background, and even when the famous actress is crying her makeup is still flawless. Unfortunately it isn't like that, we was stood outside in the freezing cold, crying, probably looking a right mess and there was no music, just the cold reality. I've been quite lucky to be honest, throughout our relationship he has only been away twice, where I see other military wives/families/stories having to go through it at least every month. So to you all, I salute you!!

I'm finding it very difficult this time around just due to the fact he won't be here for Christmas and New Years Eve. We haven't not had a Christmas together for the last six years, so it will be very difficult. My family and friends have been incredible, I got so many sweet messages so I just want to say a huge thank you! However I'm surrounded by my family and my friends, but there are days where I still just feel so alone, and lost. I just want to shake myself and get a grip because it is ONLY three months, but each day is a marathon, and sometimes I feel like time isn't my friend and it just decides to stop, to make each day longer. 

I know this is a very soppy post but I really wanted to write my side of the story and be honest, that the world can be cruel. Ever since I was a little girl I have always been so interested in war, learning about the World Wars, Civil War etc. Even though times have changed war is still happening every day still, people are loosing their lives, and it breaks my heart, and I feel like the past six years I've learnt more about war than any history book could tell me.

 Me and Darren both know that next year he will be going away a lot more, we are prepared for that and we are going to get through it together, even if we are not in the same room. 

I am soon-to-be military wife and I will take that title and own it!

How to survive a long distance relationship

1. Skype, Facebook, Facebook messenger, WhatsApp. Download them. It's the best thing ever. Stay up all night talking to your loved one until your eyes start burning and you absolutely have to go to sleep.

2. When your feel down or sad, DON'T stay up in your bedroom listening to sad love songs, that will make you feel so much worse.

3. Let it all out. By all means don't keep it bottled up, but instead of being alone pouring your heart out, text or ring a loved one. Trust me they will be more than happy to be a shoulder to cry on.

4. Always remind them how much you love them. If you don't get the chance to speak much, when you do, tell them you love them. It will always make your day brighter, whether your saying it or hearing it. 

5. Buy a calendar. That way you can mark down the number of days until you see each other again.

So for anyone else who are going through a similiar situation, whether its military or just working away for Christmas. Just remember the reasons why you love each other and you'll get through anything. Trust me when I say...everything is going to be okay.

S'laters!

Ellie

xx

My smokey eye makeup look

Hello my darlings! So today is a dull day, its cold and raining outside, so that can only mean 1 thing! Hull Fair is here! For those who don't know what that is..its a huge fair that comes once a year in Hull, they have loads of rides and countless stalls where they sell all the traditional fair foods like brandy snap, toffee apples and delicious (but very fattening) burgers! So I decided to do this look for it and I thought it would also be great for my blog!

I do the same foundation routine that I did in my last blog.
This is the Estee Lauder eye shadow palette I used, I'm not too sure the exact name..but on the back it says 'Deluxe Eyeshadow Copact' 'Pure Color Eyeshadow' I couldn't find it on their website but they may have it in store if your interested in buying it yourself.

This is the colour I start off with, is called '38. Chocolate Bliss. Matte' I apply this on the outer corner of my eye with a standard flat eye makeup brush and blend it with a blending eye shadow brush, no brand name..just a standard one I bought in a shop. I blend it upwards just on the crease of my eye, and then I just keep adding the shadow and blend until I feel like its enough.

I then add this very dark brown (almost black) colour. It's called '45. Lavish Mink. Matte' By the way..I have only just today turned my palette around to find all the names of the eye shadows..I absolutely love the names they have given them..theres one called 'Sugar biscuit' it made me giggle slightly. I have no idea why.
I apply this colour just across where I put the colour before it, and just blend blend blend blend until I'm happy.

I apply this colour, '01. Sepia Sand. Satin', on the lid of my eye with my flat brush, I applied this a couple of times and then added the second one to the left of it, just to give it a bit more of a shine. That one is called '30. Sugar Cube. Satin'
I go back to the first eye shadow and apply it with an eyeliner brush just under my waterline, right up to my outer corner so it looks a little bit more smokey.
I then add my liquid eyeliner that I used in my last blog, on top of my eyelid. I do sometimes also do the cat flick with my liner with this look but today..I won't lie...I couldn't be bothered. But I think it looks great without it anyways but its just up to you if you fancy it. I then add some mascara on top and bottom, I also put a white eyeliner pencil on my waterline..I just feel like this can really make your eyes pop! I then put a highlighter on the inner corner of my eye, and added a nude lipgloss by Estee Lauder...I feel like I'm giving the impression I like Estee Lauder..yes..yes I do.

If you want to give it that extra smokey look, you can use a black pencil eyeliner on your waterline and under your eye..this really looks great for a night out!

 I love this look, so I decided to show it with how I looked just before I went to the fair.

And then my dog came and stole the show....

I really love this eye look. I use it quite frequently if I'm in the mood to make a bit of effort. I love it that much that I'm considering using it for my wedding day!
I hope you enjoyed this look, I would love to see some of you with this look!

S'laters!
Ellie
xx

My Natural Makeup Look

So this is something different eh? I do have a passion for makeup, and I do want to more of it..different everyday/glamour looks and even costume/theatrical looks, so I thought this would be a start, and show off a look I wear 90% of the time on a daily basis.

Arbonne primer £29.00

I was first introduced to Arbonne by my future sister in-law, she's a consultant. This company has some amazing products, so I decided to buy a primer, because I've never managed to find one that does the trick for me, and I am in love.

I use this first all over my face before I do any makeup, it makes a lovely barrier for my face when I apply makeup. This product is so silky smooth it makes my skin feel incredible and it is worth every penny.

Color trend perfect and hide concealer £3.00

I do use a fair few Avon products because I use to be a consultant, and there are a few products that I just can't not buy now. I use this after I applied the primer just to put over any spots I may have that day.

Estee Lauder double wear foundation £31.00

Next I apply foundation. It took me years to find my perfect foundation for my skin, a lot would wipe off within an hour, make me look orange or just didn't feel right on my skin. Until I found this. I use the shade 1W1 Bone because I'm extremely pale and it is perfect! And the way it sits on my skin is flawless.

Estee Lauder double wear concealer £22.50

So I apply this liquid concealer all under my eyes, I tend to suffer from really dark circles and this product covers it up beautiful. I apply it all under and then use a blending sponge to blend blend blend.

Rimmel stay matte pressed powder £2.99

I always like to put a little bit of powder on after I've applied my foundation and concealer just to fit everything is place, I hate looking cakey but I also hate looking shinny. So I only apply a quick brush over my face with this, and the shade goes really well with my foundation too. 

L'Oreal Paris glam bronze £10.29

I use the shade Blonde, I only like to put a touch of bronze on my cheekbones and both sides of my temples, it just really shapes your face and can sometimes make your face look skinnier if you do it right..it took me some practice. It also comes with a highlighter and I apply a little bit on my chin, down my nose, across my forehead (inline with my eyebrows) under my eyebrow and just under my eyes too, I believe this is called contouring but I'm very new to all this contouring.

L'Oreal Paris true match face blush £6.99

I then put a little bit of this on my cheeks, again not too much otherwise I look like a clown. I use the shade 105 Rose Pastel, its a lovely colour and it smells amazing! It really does, I think it smells like raspberries but I could be wrong. 

Avon perfect eyebrow kit £3.50

Avon glimmerstick brow definer £6.00

I use two products for my eyebrows. I start off my using the eyebrow kit, which is like an eyeshadow and I shade it all over my brow, shaping them as I'm going, if I do make any mistakes, or I've made it too thick..I just use my concealer stick to take any off. I then use the glimmerstick to add any bits (little hairs at the front) to make it look more natural, I use the shade blonde.

Estee Lauder pure color eyeliner £17.00

Next is eyes. I use this eyeliner to go under my waterline, this took some practice..I kept poking myself in the eye. This really makes your eyes pop if you do this, especially when you apply mascara, makes your eyes so much fuller.

L'Oreal Paris super slim eyeliner £6.99

I've only discovered this eyeliner the other day, and I'm in love! I use this to do the wing eyeliner look and this does it perfectly. It's because of its name..it is super slim! It makes it easy for me to make it look really professional and it really makes it easier for me to get right in the inner corner of my eyes. 

Avon superextend waterproof mascara £10.00

I won't lie..I have been testing a few waterproof mascaras out for my wedding. I know I will be a crying mess so I need a mascara that won't budge! This is one I'm testing at the moment and it is going really rather well..it doesn't move whatsoever! In fact it can be quite difficult to take off when you want to go to bed, but it does last ALL day and it makes my eyelashes super long!

Estee Lauder lipstick £22.00

Last but not least..my lips. I use this Estee Lauder lipstick in the shade Candy Shimmer 16. Unfortunately they're not selling it on their website anymore at the moment, but the shade is a lovely shimmery pink shade, so any lipstick like that will do.

So that's my natural everyday makeup look. I will be doing a lot more interesting makeup looks in the future!

Let me know if you go for this look or if you use any of the products!

S'laters!
Ellie
xx

Suicide Squad- Movie Review! No spoilers!

Let me start off by apologising for not writing anything for a while. I have been super busy with life itself, but I'm hoping I'll be back now writing more frequently. However, of course, I made time seeing Suicide Squad this evening, so here I am telling you my thoughts. Enjoy!

It only seems like yesterday I saw the first trailer to this film, dancing around my living room with excitement, wishing August 5th 2016 would hurry the hell up (however I am 6 days late on watching this film, oops) I was also really happy to see that David Ayer was directing and writing this film, I love the film 'Training Day' and he also wrote 'Fury' another film I really like, he is super talented so I was very excited to see what he could bring to this film.
I really enjoyed this film, it was a lot of fun, so much stuff was going on in this film that I felt constantly entertained. It is also in areas very messy and all over the place, but in times it worked because a majority of the characters are like that anyway, but another part of it was the editing. I think Warner Bros. was meddling and messing with the editing, believing the film shouldn't be as long as it probably first was, especially in the second half of the film to the end, there were defiantly some serious editing going on there, and they also wanted to make it more of light hearted shorter version, which I didn't mind but I know a lot of other MASSIVE fans will have a problem with because they want to see more darkness. I guess we will all have to wait until the unrated version comes out on DVD/Blu- Ray...more money for Warner Bros.
Will Smith as Deadshot, I really liked this character. He is one of the very few that got any type of characterisation, you learn a lot about him and about his personal life. I also found him very funny and entertaining, it did have moments where I felt like it was just Will Smith, being badass Will Smith, but nevertheless I still really liked how he played this character. The same with Harley Quinn played by Margot Robbie, she was probably my favourite character. Margot did an amazing job with her, she showed off her unhinged insanity really well, and also a little bit of her humanity that she has left. She really brought Harley Quinn to life on our screens. The rest of the team, I felt like we could have known so much more about them, it almost felt like as long as they made sure Deadshot and Harley had most of the limelight, because lets face it they probably knew they were the two characters most of the audience wanted to see more of. So it was kind of like Harley and Deadshot were leading the Suicide Squad, which is fine, but there were a couple of characters I felt were maybe unnecessary to be there but had to be otherwise it wouldn't be the team without them.
I loved the brief appearances of Batman, he looked awesome, and he was pretty great. We now just need to see Ben Affleck as Batman in a great film!
Captain Boomerang, I really liked. Jai Courtney, bless him, a lot of people had so many doubts about him but I really liked him with his fun a likeable presence.
Jay Hernandez as Diablo, he looked amazing, and I loved the special effects with the tricks he could do with fire. We got to learn about his dark past, and I really liked the scenes that he was involved, just wish we saw more of him.
Killer Croc, I went to see this film with my dad and he said he loved him. I wanted to love him but again I didn't see enough of him in it, he barely spoke, but that maybe because that is just his character but I felt like I knew Katana more than him, we learnt about her past but not Killer Croc which was a shame.
Jared Leto as the Joker. I love him. I loved his portrayal of the Joker, how different he made him. Another thing that is annoying me, everyone is comparing him to Ledger and Nicolson's joker which is not right. Jared is making him totally different, it was almost a combination to the best of the both. His physical appearance looked incredible, it really worked with the way he was portraying him with his acting skills. You don't see the Joker an awful lot in this film, but I quite like that, a lot of you will disagree on that, but this film isn't about him, it isn't a full love story about him and Harley..they may make one in the future but for now its about the Suicide Squad, and the fact he was only in it for shorts period of time, making his main focus about Harley I really liked, because then of course you will see him from time to time. I almost believe that, that is what the trailers were telling you. You only ever saw snippets of the joker in the trailer anyway, so some of you may thought thats because they were saving you for him in the movie, but nope thats just genuinely because he's not in that much.
Now lets talk about the villain, and I'm not even talking about Amanda Waller, but man she was a massive bitch. I'm talking about Enchantress..meh. That's what I thought about her to be honest, no disrespect to Cara Delevingne, she didn't do anything wrong, this just goes back to the editing, when you really see her in the second half of the film, everything is just happening so fast that you need to take a minute what it is she is really trying to do and also to the point..why? Because she's an evil witch who wants to take over the world? It's just so cliche.

Overall I really, really enjoyed this film. There are some good jokes, some good scenes but the action sequences feel very pedestrian and there doesn't seem to be anything special about them, and nothing really happens, but I loved all the characters in this film, I love how they worked together with there each individual personalities and backgrounds. It's just the editing that needs some sorting out but I'll just wait for the deleted scenes and the unrated version when the DVD comes out.
I am going to give this film 7/10.
Let me know what you thought of this film, what your likes and dislikes are!

S'laters!

Ellie
xx

The Martian - Movie Review! No spoilers!

I know, I know! This isn't exactly a movie that has just come out into cinemas, but I have literally only just watched this and I need to tell you my thoughts on it!

The perfect way to describe this film in a short sentence is Apollo 13 meets Cast Away, yep.
I still get so excited when I see that Ridley Scott has brought a new film out because he is a pure genius, he has done yet another amazing movie, I mean this is the man that gave us Alien! Enough said. However he did make the mistake on giving us Exodus: Gods and Kings..but we won't go there.
Matt Damon, I have to be honest there is something about this man, but whenever I saw him in any film, he didn't do anything for me..nothing exciting. Now I've seen this, he's changed my opinion of him so much! He was amazing! I mean..I haven't read the book..but for those who have..he brought Mark Watney to life on our screens. I loved his character! I loved the fact that he woke up, after everything that just happened, the realisation that his team has left him stranded on Mars (believing that he was dead, not that they're just plain assholes) but he still had an amazing sense of humour. This film was so funny, it really did make me laugh out loud..it almost felt like you shouldn't laugh because of the situation he is in..but he makes it funny. That's the same with his team he worked with on Mars, from the start they all had banter with each other, and when they even get into contact with him, they still all roast each other even in the most toughest situations. He found humour in the most troubled situations, and that was his personality all over and throughout the film, that no matter what kicked him down he keeps on going and thats a big theme of this film..is persistence. He knows that he could very much die, but I love how he doesn't over do the drama, sitting around feeling sorry for himself he just gets straight to work, figuring out a solution to a main problem he will soon face..running out of food. When there were moments of Mark Watney showing some emotion in the film, again he didn't over do it which I loved, but those moments still make you believe that he is desperate, scared and so happy when he is able to make contact. Those moments can actually be a bit of a tear jerker.
So Matt Damon..bravo!
The writing was fantastic! Obviously a lot of that will come from the book (I really need to get my hands on that book!) but even though this was nearly a 3 hour film, it never felt like it dragged, I never felt like there was a scene that just went on and on. Noting felt like they milked it, for example, when Marks team found out he was still alive, yes they were shocked and felt a lot of guilt, believing that they just "abandoned" him, but you see that guilt for about 3 minutes maybe less, and then they start to focus on what the plan is to save him. The same with when Mark realises his team left him, yes he was angry, but you never focus on that because he doesn't drag that on, he understands, and gets to work. Now for those that don't know me, I'm not the smartest of girls believe it or not. However I still understood everything that was going on this film! They were all talking scientifically but I got everything that was happening! It felt great, I felt smart (for once) I never thought I would understand a space movie again after watching Interstellar. Gosh, I do love that film but it really made my head hurt, and to this day I'm still not sure if I really know what happened or what the result was. But I love Christopher Nolan, always have, always will.
Now the supporting cast. Everyone is great! At first when I saw the cast, I thought it would be a bit of a well-known-actors-overload, but you see that everyone is perfectly cast. You believe that when you see a couple of actors in, you almost think..'really?!' for me that was Kristen Wiig and Sean Bean, but they all did a fantastic job! I even thought Sean Bean was actually quite funny! Aaaaaand this is the first film I've actually seen where Sean doesn't die! Sorry for those that may be disappointed.
If I had to give a minor negativity, it would probably be that nearer the end of the movie theres about 20-25 minutes of scenes where its on Earth, Matt isn't in any of that, and there were a few moments where I wanted to get back to him. The scenes were fantastic still don't get me wrong but that would be my only criticism.

Overall I would give this movie 8/10, it was a really great film to watch, the visual effects were brilliant, the acting was really good! I really enjoyed it!
But hey, thats just my opinion. I would love to hear your thoughts!

S'laters!

Ellie
xx

Oreo Brownies!

Another recipe..YAY! It's three of my favourite things, brownie, chocolate and Oreos..put them together and you get this beautiful creation! I have made these babies sooo many times and I swear they get more and more gooey each time, so I decided to share this recipe with you all..your welcome!

Recipe

165g butter, plus a little bit extra for greasing

100g dark chocolate

100g milk chocolate (or if your a lover of dark chocolate you can just use 200g of dark chocolate)

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla extract

165g soft light brown sugar

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp cocoa powder

154g pack of oreo biscuits (I use original, but now they have invented a variety you can use whichever is your favourite!)

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees/ fan 350 degrees/ gas 6. Before you begin grease the baking tin you want to use, then line with baking paper, let it overlap the sides a little bit so its easy for you take out.

Melt the butter in a pan (or microwave) when it has melted, break up your chocolate and add it to the butter. Leave it to stand for a few minutes until the chocolate has gone soft, keep stirring. If your impatient like me you can blast it in the microwave for a few seconds so the chocolate is fully melted.  

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract until they begin to go all light and fluffy (I recommend you use an electric hand whisk otherwise you will be there all day and your arms will start to ace, but if you don't have one I recommend you buy one) Once it looks light and fluffy add the brown sugar, pour it around the side of the bowl so you don't knock out the air that has been whisked in to it. Once the egg mixture becomes more stiff add your melted chocolate/butter, again around the sides. 

Then add the flour, cocoa powder half the oreos (or as many as you'd like) stir until fully combined, then pour the mixture into the tin you prepared at the start. I then break up more oreos and scatter them on top, pressing them in slightly. 

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, the middle should be slightly gooey and delicious! 

Leave the brownies to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes, the top will sink and crack a little bit but have no fear its meant to do that! 

Once cooled pull the brownies out using that overlapping paper and then cut the brownies into however big or small you want them to be. I then just dust it with icing sugar, because icing sugar always makes it look better. 

Every time I make them, as soon as I take them out of the oven I always say to myself "the oreos in the mixture looks like fossils!!" Don't you agree?!

They are also so tasty if you warm them up slightly in the oven and then add some vanilla ice cream with them. Yum!

Let me know how you get on! 

Happy baking!

S'laters

Ellie

xxx

Kefalonia..a holiday I will certainly remember!

Kefalonia, what a beautiful place it is. Me and Darren were desperate for a holiday where we didn't have to do an awful lot, we needed somewhere where all we had to worry about is topping up on our suncream and staying hydrated..with alcohol.
This is exactly what this holiday gave us. We stayed at Apostolata Island Resort & Spa, and went as all inclusive. The hotel was gorgeous! Our hotel room had a wonderful view (shown in the pictures above) and the staff were so friendly, they couldn't do enough for us. I would happily go back and I can't stop recommend this place to all of my friends and family!
As much as me and Darren sat around the pool doing..well..not a lot, we did actually move our fat tooshies and went on a couple of day trips, mainly to explore Kefalonia, and I can't express myself how beautiful this island is. Everywhere you look there is just another beautiful view you haven't seen yet, and with the sun beaming down it always looks a thousands times gorgeous!

We visited Messalini Lake, Drogarati Cave. It really is breathtaking, the water is so blue and clear, I have never seen anything like it.

Can you tell I caught the sun a smidge?

And the holiday was just getting started...

On the first night of our holiday, we were both sitting in the bar having a few drinks, Darren then turns to me and says that we need to go back to our hotel room because he has bought something for us that he wants to show me, and as we get close to our room I was dying for a wee (no wonder with the amount of drinks we've had) so we made the deal of me doing my business and he calls me when he's ready for me to come out to show me what he had bought. When I go out he is nowhere to be seen, until I hear his voice coming from the balcony, but the curtains are shut which I found quite unusual. What has he bought that needs for him to be out on the balcony?!

All I kept thinking was 'what the bloody hell has he bought?!' I had no idea what the hell was going on, but I open the curtains. 

Do my eyes deceive me? Is this actually happening?

Darren was dressed in a full tailored suite, looking gorgeous as alway, kneeling down on the floor with a box in his hand, and there was this shinny, glistening thing in it..blinding me with its sparklyness! Oh my god this was actually happening! Darren was asking me to marry him!

I immediately started bawling my eyes out, Darren was saying this wonderful things to me about how happy I make him, and of course I said yes! (I won't lie, I can't quite remember what he said because my head was spinning with all different emotions! That makes me sound like the worse girlfriend ever, oops sorry fiancé!) 

Behind him, the table on the balcony was covered in such beautiful things. Darren, the sneaky monkey, went off to the reception at the hotel to tell them his plans, and they created such a beautiful scenery while we were drinking in the bar!

It was such a beautiful moment, something out of a fairytale! 

Next..WEDDING PLANS! :D

S'laters!

Ellie

xx