Advice by Charlie

I've Moved!!!

2017-01-03T01:28:00.001+00:00

I have recently moved my blog to www.advicebycharlie.co.uk. all my previous post will stay here but in the future I will only be posting on my new website.

Thanks for reading,
Charlie x

Day 28, 29 & 30 - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-08-15T23:22:00.000+01:00

So even though I should have finished the blog challenge ten days ago I never got around to it. To Finnish up I am going to write the last three post in one to save some time so I can move on and begin blogging about other things. The reason I am so behind is because after chasing Tinkerbell up the road because she decided to dart out of the door and go for an adventure, I had an asthma attack and had to be nebulised which is basically like an inhaler but stronger and gives you constant salbutamol for fifteen minutes to help your breathing get back to normal. That took a few days to recover from but also the next day my oldest fur baby Mango passed away and it really upset me and I didn't really do anything for a few days and I really didn't feel like writing at all.
So now I will start with finishing off my 30 day blog challenge.

Day 28 - Things I am grateful for.
This was one post I was dreading as it the sort of question that makes your mind go blank when you are asked it.
Firstly I am grateful for Tinkerbell. She may drive me crazy sometimes but she makes me happy and she keeps me company when I'm feeling low. I love her personality, she is naughty but also loving and I really love when she cuddles up to me of an evening to let me know its time to go to sleep.
I'm grateful for everyone who takes the time to read my blog posts and also for being patient when I didn't post for ten days. I'm also grateful for Lloyds and Mark and Chappell for sending me great products for me to review for you.
I'm also grateful that I live in a country where I have so many different choice for education. This past year I have been able to give University my best shot but also have the freedom to change my path and move to the Open University.

To be honest I can't think of anymore, and I know I will as soon as I post this so I might add something later but will let you know if I do.

Day 29 - A day in the life of me.
So this could be boring! I going to combine several things that I do into one day otherwise to get the full picture I would have to write what I do for a whole week and that would take a very long time.
I usually wake up around 10am (It used to be 9am but I've got into a really bad routine!). I always check my social media accounts before I get out of bed and for some reason I do it without my glasses on so I can't even read the screen properly! I then have to take Tinkerbell out to go to the toilet otherwise she just does it on the floor as she has been soooooo hard to toilet train. I then give her breakfast which I have to hand feed her because she doesn't really like to eat so that take a long time! I then usually have toast with chocolate spread on and a drink.
After watching a little t.v I go and get dressed. This takes me a little while as getting dressed with only one hand and arm is difficult. I have to do things differently. I never really share with people the things I have to do differently but I guess now is a good time to share. I tend to choose my outfits depending on what I'm doing and who I can ask for help. If I've got clothes with a lot of buttons I have to have help as I haven't been able to master doing up buttons with one hand yet. I can manage one but thats about it. Putting on my bra is also difficult. I used to have my mom do it every morning but now I have found ways to do it so I don't have to rely on people for help all the time. I have a few sport bra's which are easy to pull over my head and if my bra is old I've usually stretched it enough to be able to pull it over my head and if its too loose I get mom to then tighten it. With less stretchy bras I have to be a little bit more inventive. I usually kneel on the floor next to my bed with both arms resting on the bed. I then hold one side of the band in my left hand and grab the other side with my right hand and fasten it at the front. I then put of the straps and turn it around. I have to do it this way as I need something for my left arm to rest on as I can't lift it up.
after spending a ridiculous amount of time trying ti get dressed I always throw on some sort of make up. I usually go for mascara and I don't like how my eyes look without it on.
I don't always take Tinkerbell out for a walk as I can't walk far and get tired easily but she is only a small breed dog and we have a very big garden so she gets to run around a lot and she is not a big food orientated dog (except she did pinch a piece of chicken out of the oven today!) she won't get over weight.On a day where I have a blog post to write, depending on the topic it does take me a while to write them as I have to check what I have wrote several times because I make a lot of mistakes. At some point in the day I will catch up on any YouTube videos that are newly uploaded and have a little rest too because I get tired really easy. I help my mom around the house and we also have a lot of animals to feed and clean so that takes a while. I go to my room in the evening at about seven. I watch a lot of t.v so that takes up several hours in the evening. I have just finished watching all seven series of Gilmore Girls and that took about two weeks which I was pretty impressed with myself for managing to watch them in that time. I'm now watching Mr. Robot on Amazon Prime with I would really recommend to anyone who likes tech related programs, mystery and thrillers.
I take my medicine any time between 9pm and 10pm because I get sleepy after I have taken them so I sometimes take them really late if I'm busy blogging or watching something. I tend to go to bed around midnight and wake up between 9 and 10am.

So thats basically what I do in my day. Its a bit boring at the moment but when I begin my uni course and start blogging more my days will be a lot busier.

Day 30 - What, where and why you write.
I chose to start my blog to talk about my disabilities and how I cope with them but I also write about things I enjoy because It gives me an escape and I defiantly need that sometimes. I write products reviews on things I have recently brought and sometimes products that have been sent to me. I love testing things out, and it also gives me an excuse to buy things!
I tend to write in the evening in bed or if I'm writing alot of posts I will spend the day isolated in the conservatory so I can't concentrate and get my writing done.
I write because I need an outlet for things I am feeling and thinking about. Some posts will be personal and some will be completely different and will add a little spice to my blog.
I also love to see when people have visited my blog because It gives me a sense of purpose. Even though I'm writing for myself I love that other people are finding what I write interesting.
So that is the last post of my 30 day blog challenge.

So those are my final posts for my 30 day blog challenge. Thanks for being patient while I got back into the flow of writing. I've had a nice 2 week break after I had my asthma attack and also after the death of my little fur baby Mango
and now I'm ready to get back in the swing of things!
I have a product review to be uploaded soon which will be good for any of you that suffer from joint pain.

Thanks for sticking with me and reading my blog.
Charlie x

Day 27 Hopes for my blog - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-30T16:20:00.000+01:00

Hi,

This post is all about my hopes for my blog and to be honest I haven't really thought about it yet.

When I started my blog it was really just so I had something to do but I also enjoyed writing so I also really wanted to do it. I didn't know that after such little time so many of you would be reading my posts and that I would be reviewing products that companies had sent me. I hope that in the future I will have even more readers and be able to develop my blog further by hosting it myself so I have more freedom with the layout and style of the blog. I also hope to get more interactive with my readers, by being more active on social media so you can tell me what you think and ask me any questions.
Thats it really, I don't think I've though about it enough to write anymore and I don't want to get my hopes up thinking my blog will be bigger than its possible to get.
Thanks for reading,
Charlie x

Day 26 Favourite food - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-30T15:35:00.001+01:00

I'm defiantly a foodie and will most likely eat anything but I do have some I really hate.

My favourite foods are -

Any pasta dishes.

Salmon

Prawns

Pizza (without the cheese of course!)

Waffles

Scotch Pancakes

MILKYWAYS!! (even though I'm allergic to them)

McDonalds

Pretzels (the bread kind not the crisps kind)

Squid

Muscles

Crab

Things I defiantly won't eat are -

Lamb

Beef Joints

Gravy

Peas

Carrots

White Fish

Thanks for checking in for day 26!

Charlie x

Day 25 If I won the lottery - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-28T01:55:00.000+01:00

Hmmmmmmm..... What would I do if I won the lottery? Well its pretty vague as you could win like £5 or more than a million.
I'm going o answer as If i had won like serious amount of money.
Firstly I would pay off my parents mortgage so they didn't have to worry and could start saving money for when they are older.
I would probably then buy myself a house with a big fenced garden for Tinkerbell. I would have it completely modern with all white and gold fixtures and fittings! Im not sure where I would buy the house, maybe in my home town or possibly near London as I've always wanted to move there. I might consider a move to America, probably in California. I think Tinkerbell would love it there and America has a lot more pet friendly shops and business so we could go for mani pedi's and out for lunch together everyday!
I would probably start a massive art collection too fill my new house! I would cover all the walls with painting from loads of big names and I would just host so many parties so I can show them all of to people!
Next I would buy all the new Apple tech as I love Apple products so much and even though I have a really low income all my big purchases are on Apple products. I would literally buy everything they have ever invented and fill a wall size display case full of them. It would be like heaven and I would just spend everyday in that room! I know thats sounds pretty sad but its definitely an addiction.
Next would be to donate money to a cancer charity. I would do this because they helped my nan a lot when she was diagnosed and I guess it would be a great way to say thank you.
Finally I would pay someone to create me a fabulous blog website. Even though I can do it myself if I had the money I would just let someone else so it so I can spend all my time writing and testing new products to share with you!.
I'm not exactly sure what else I would do.
I would save the money after I had done all of these things so I had something to fall back on in hard times.

Thanks for reading this rather mad and different post.
Charlie x

Day 24 Relationship status - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-28T01:36:00.002+01:00

This post is very short.

I'm single and happy. I don't want a boyfriend right now, I'm happy on my own with Tinkerbell.

I don't feel lonely at all, I don't feel the need to have someone else in my life either. It might be nice to have someone to share things with, I mean I don't really have that many friends since they have all gone to university and moved away. But apart from the depression and the anxiety I'm happy.

Thanks for reading!

Charlie x

Day 23 My biggest fears - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-28T01:21:00.003+01:00

Todays post (well a few days ago, I haven't wrote in a while I haven't slept as Tinkerbell is in season and hasn't been sleeping) is all about my biggest fears.

I'm not actually sure what they are, apart from heights I'm not sure what I fear.
I fear for Tinkerbell incase she became ill or injured. My heart races so fast when she gets loose from the garden and I just imagine her getting hit by a car and that definitely is a massive fear of mine! Thats exactly why I take such good care of her and don't like leaving her in the care of other people. I defiantly am over protective of her. I mean unnecessarily weighting her because weight loss can be a big sign if your dog is ill. I always check her ears, keep her nails short so she cane hurt her tootsies and give her conditioning tablets to help if she gets ill and I literally carry her everywhere as I feel thats safer for her. I know a may be too over protective and that probably why she suffers from separation anxiety but I have nightmares of terrible things happening to her and I will do anything to prevent that. She is my world.

I guess another fear if having an uncertain future. I mean this time last year I had applied to universities and knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life an that all suddenly changed. Now I don't know what my future holds. I chose to study because I know getting a job is difficult these days and I figured by studying part time I can get a lot of experience with jobs and volunteering which will look good on my CV and it is what employers look for. I actually can't wait to start my course as I will feel like I have something thats mine and I will have something to do everyday!

Thanks for reading day 22's post,
Charlie x

Day 22 My favourite bands/singers - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-26T23:47:00.001+01:00

This post is sort of connected to day 21's post as its about music again, specifically about my favourite artists.

My first favourite band is The 1975. I have no idea why I love them I just really do. I never used to listen to music like theres before but when I stumbled across them, specifically their song Girls; I just couldn't get there songs out of my head. I have t-shirts of theirs, all their albums and even their logo tattooed on my wrist. I really can't wait to go to there uk tour in December, it will be the first one of theirs I will have been to because I couldn't get my hands of the tickets for their last one and because of my disabilities I can't really go to festivals and see them.
My favourite songs of theirs at the moments are UGH!, Paris and Somebody Else.
I just really really love them!
Leave me a comment below and let me know if you like The 1975 too.

My next favourite band is U2. I first heard them a very long times ago, I was a lot younger then I am now and I can't really remember how I discovered them really. The first song I heard from the was the song Vertigo. I know all the words to it and I never even read the lyrics I just sort of learnt them without realising. I don't know what drew me to U2. Bono is like my old man crush (even though he's not like really old but compared to me he is!)
I love their music videos, especially for the song Elevation and The Sweetest Thing.
Check them out now I'm sure you will love them too.

Thanks for reading this quick post!
Charlie x

Day 21 Songs I currently love - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-23T00:57:00.004+01:00

This is actually a very easy post!

My favourite song at the moment is Somebody Else by The 1975. I just love it and I'm not sure why! The video is a little strange but also makes sense and its the kind of song that gets stuck in your head. The video is about 8 mins long and its the kind of video you can watch over and over again.

Check it out below.

My next favourite song is also from The 1975 and its called UGH!. Its a easy song to pick up the lyrics too and I find myself signing it all the time. Check it out here.

The next song I'm really loving at the moment is Dancing on My Own by Calum Scott. Its not a new song but when he performed it on Britain's Got Talent for his audition I listened to it over and over and now I've just found a love for it again.

If you haven't listened to it check it out now.

I've been really loving listening to U2 recently. I've loved them for ages and I hadn't listened to them in a while so it's been nice to hear some of my favourite songs from them recently.

Here are two of my favourite songs from them from their U218 singles album.

I hope you enjoy some of the songs I currently love as much as I do. And did I mention that Me and My Fibro a New Beginning are going to see The 1975 in December! I can't wait. What an awesome treat a few days before Christmas.

Thanks for reading,

Charlie x

Day 20 Why do you blog? - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-23T00:33:00.000+01:00

Why do I blog? Thats actually a good question and it's one I've had to ask myself a few times when I'm stuck for something to write about.
I started a blog because I needed a release for all the things I had stuck inside my head. I've tried using a diary but it doesn't really work. I think because its in written format and I am such a perfectionist I just started tripping out pages and that sort of defeated the point of it. I don't know why I enjoy blogging so much but I gives me something to do to be honest. Since I left university I have had nothing at all to pass the time and I also felt a little isolated but having this blog makes me feel like people are listening to what I have to say. Ive tried writing blogs before, two times I think but it really didn't go well. I always couldn't find a topic to write about or I wasn't really in to social media sharing so I didn't really have many readers. I feel this blog is a lot more successful and It makes me happy that so many of you read my posts. I didn't expect to get many people reading my blog as I didn't think I had anything to write that people would be interested in what I had to write.
The 30 day blog challenge has helped a lot as its given me the motivation to write and its made it a lot simpler because I have the blog titles already for me. I will defiantly do another blog challenge in the future and maybe the same one to give an update if anything has changed, I think that would be really interesting.

I hope you liked my post.
Thanks for reading,
Charlie x

Day 19 When are you happiest? - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-22T23:22:00.001+01:00

This post, even though its four days late, was one I had no clue what I would wright about.
I don't think I have one particular time I can think of thats my happiest, maybe when I'm at my favourite place or when Tinkerbell does something so cute it melts my heart a little I'm not really entirely sure.

My favourite place is somerset. Brean, Western-Super-Mare, Burnham-On-Sea and Cheddar (go and also Clarks Village near Glastonbury). I just love that area. Ive been going there since before I can remember and Its like a second home. We used to go on holiday and stay in Brean either camping or we used to have our own caravan too. I was content just going to the beach, spending all my saving at the arcades and queuing for ages for the rides and the amusement park but we used to go on days out while there to Western and Burnham. My favourite place was clarks village. Despite the amazing discounts on shoes there is a Cadbury shop with cheaper chocolate and I would buy so much and eat it all before the end of the holiday. I just love that place so much. Brean Down Cove is really important to me because we scattered some of my uncles ashes there and I just feel close to him when I go to the place we scattered them.

Another time when I am at my happiest is when Tinkerbell does something so adorable. It just makes me realise how much I love her and it reminds me that I am so lucky to have her.

Just look how cute she is! I love her so much!

Thanks for reading,

Charlie x

Day 18 Where do I want visit and why? - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-18T21:32:00.000+01:00

This post is all about the place I really want to visit.
Apart from Disney World, Florida; which I think every person in the world wants to visit, their are three other places I want to visit.

First is Paris. Really to only see The Mona Lisa but also I think everyone has to experience the Eiffel Tower once in there life. I also want to try french food. I don't think there is anywhere near where I live the offers french cuisine which is a shame but I think I might enjoy it (maybe not the frogs legs though, but someone did tell me they taste like chicken?).

Next place I really want to go is to New York. I want to go in the winter time as it always looks super festive in photos and I want to see the ball drop on New Years Eve too!! I think I''ll be saving a long time for that trip though!

Finally the last place I want to go to is Germany. Specifically to go to Aushwitz. I love History and learning about Nazi-Germany was defiantly my favourite. I have read so much about it and watch every documentary I can find that all thats left is to go there myself.

I hope you enjoyed this short post.
Don't forget to check out my review of VetIQ Serene-Um Calming Tablets for cats and dogs on my blog.

Thanks for reading,
Charlie x

Day 17 A picture of me and my friends - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-18T18:39:00.001+01:00

Today's post is sharing with you pictures of my friends.

Thanks for checking in,

Charlie x

VetIQ Serene-Um Calming Tablets Review.

2016-07-17T01:48:00.000+01:00

I was sent some of the VetIQ Serene-Um Calming Tablets by the lovely people at Mark and Chappell for Tinkerbell to try. I have been having trouble trying to stop her separation anxiety as it was becoming a big problem and affecting our relationship and the vibe in the house.

Serene-Um can be used to help cats and dogs with separation anxiety, noise phobias, indoor toileting, grumpiness, settling at night, excessive barking, chewing objects, tail chasing, spraying in cats, marking in dogs, grief, unruliness, car journeys, poor concentration, restlessness, over grooming, problem house cats and hyperactivity. I was super happy to find out that this product is a non-sedating formula, which is the main reason I have been finding it hard to find a supplement to help because I didn't want to sedate Tinkerbell as I feel thats not fair on the pet.

In the box I was sent you get 120 tablets, which means the amount of time it lasts dependeds on the size of your pet. This particular box is made for dogs and cats weighing between 1 and 20kg. There are two other products in the Serene-Um range, one is called Xtra, for big dogs up to 60kg and there is also a syrup for smaller animals.
On the packaging it says the product begins to work within 6 - 8 hours but you should wait 24 - 36 hours to see the full effects of the product.

The tablets are small which means it is easy to swallow or hide in food. They are also very soft so can be easily crushed with the back of a spoon or even your finger to be sprinkled over food for pets who won't take tablets. The tablets themselves actually smell nice and I think this would mean that dogs may take them as they smell like a treat.
This bottle of Serene-Um can be used for puppies over 6 months but if you feel okay about giving it to a younger pup you need to half the suggested amount. The one bottle can last anywhere between 240 & 30 days.

A top tip from the makers of this product is that it may take months or years for you to break the habits you are trying to overcome and its okay to use Serene-um for extended periods. They do mention that the tablet is not a miracle worker. It only conquers the emotional side of the problem and you have to be vigilant and break the cycle of the bad behaviour or habit.

Dosages

The dosages are written on the side of the packet but I will write them out here so you can evaluate how much your pet would need to use determine by their weight.

Animal Type Weight Range Recommended Amounts Pack Duration
Cats up to 2.5kg 1/4 tablet twice daily 240
Cats 2.5 - 5kg 1/2 tablet twice daily 120
Dogs up to 5kg 1/2 tablet twice daily 120
Dogs 5 - 10kg 1 tablet twice daily 60
Dogs 10 - 20kg 2 tablets twice daily 30

What is in the tablets?

I was happy to know that Serene-Um has been recommended by veterinarians to target the symptoms listed above.
The composition of the tablets are calcium carbonate which is a vital nutrient for growth and help to sustain pet health. Calcium is also a component of bones and teeth, it facilitates blood clotting, binding protiens, it serves as a key conductor of nerve signals, it initiates muscle contractions and calcium also buffers PH changes.
Your dog or cats diet should contain a sufficient amount of calcium and the recommended amount is not always found in their food so supplementation is sometimes necessary.

A key ingredient of the product is L-tryptophan which is responsible for creating serotonin and this leads to the feeling of happiness, relaxation and well being. Click here to read about the effects of L-tryptophan in pets.

The tablets contain crude protein 11.7%, crude fibre 4.8%, oils and fats 5.4%, ash 55.5% and moisture 33%. If you don't know what crude protein is, its the term used for the total protein content of a food source as determined by its nitrogen content. The term is mainly used in animal food products.

The ash is the tablets is a filler in dog food. Its not the ash you would think it is, its just the non burnable/combustable minerals left over after food is burned. Dogs have a requirement of about 2% ash.

Tinkerbell's Opinion

Tinkerbell only needs half a tablet twice daily. She dosen't like taking tablets at all as she is quite a fussy eater but the soft texture means she can have it broken up over her food. I think she enjoys the taste of the tablet as I have seen her liking the little crumbs off the bottom of the bowl, so its definitely a paws up for taste. Because it is non sedating I thinks she doesn't realise she has been given anything that will alter her behaviour. She has tried other medications for calming but they just made her sleep and thats was no good for her. Tinkerbell takes the Serene-Um Calming tablets to help with separation anxiety. She has a problem with being left in room where she can't she me, she gets aggressive and wines but also destroys things as well. Tinkerbell also didn't like being left in the watch of someone else. She would become agitated and pace behind the door until I returned and act like she hadn't seen me for weeks when I returned. Overall I think taking the tablets has defiantly improved her behaviour. Our relationship is a lot happier because I'm not always fighting with her to behave properly and I can't now actually have a bath without her watching me and sometimes jumping in!

My Opinion

I was desperate to find a way to stop Tinkerbell's separation anxiety. I was fed up of having to carry her around all day because she would panic if I left her alone. I guess its sort of my fault she has separation anxiety but I'm now working to break the cycle of bad behaviour. It was even getting to the point where someone else couldn't take her off me because she would become aggressive towards them because she didn't want to leave me.

I wanted to avoid vet prescribed medications. Firstly because they are a lot more costly and secondly because that are usually sedating. I simply Googled 'Dog separation anxiety supplements' and found VetIQ Serene-Um Calming Tablets.

There were great reviews on Amazon and people were having a lot of success with this product.

People stated how the it took longer than the packaging says to begin to work which I agree with. I didn't see any difference in Tinkerbell's behaviour for about a week.

I would suggest that you leave at least a week between starting the tablets and the event you are taking them for eg. Travel sickness, fireworks and thunderstorms.

I am almost relieved that Tinkerbell is small as 120 tablets cost £14.99 (on Amazon) which means I will only need to restock every 4 months. If your dogs weighs between 10 - 20kg the pack will only last you a month and if you add multiple dogs into the equation it could become quite costly. This is where you need to make the decision for yourself and decide whether the price is worth improving your dogs behaviour. For me it is. I would recommend this to anyone and say if there dogs or cats are having any of the symptoms that the Serene-Um is targeted then the price if worth it.

I love that the tablets are so soft. It means you can literally administer them in any way. I have tried them crushed, whole and even mixed with a little water to make a paste and fed it to the dog through a syringe. This is one of the main factors I love about the product and it would make me recommend it to everyone.

I am very happy that it has helped with Tinkerbell's separation anxiety. I must be honest, I was apprehensive when I first chose the product but I have really noticed a difference in Tinkerbell's behaviour and its improved our relationship a lot.

Another positive is that it has made Tinkerbell's travel sickness disappear. She used to not be able to make a 15 minute journey to the vet without being sick, but the veterinary nurse suggested I let her look out the window but that didn't help at all. I didn't buy the VetIQ Serene-Um for the purpose of aiding her travel sickness, it was just a loverly surprise when it actually helped. She went through about 5hours of driving and was not sick once. This makes me so relieved and happy that I don't have to try prescribed medicines to help with this.

Overall I absolutely love this product! The packaging is great and it gives you all the information you need on the outside but this does mean the font is very small so if you struggle with reading small things you may want to check out the internal leaflet or their website.

I would definitely rate this product 5/5 stars *****

Thanks again to the lovely people at Mark & Chappell for sending me this product to review!

Grab your VetIQ Serene-Um calming tablets now from Amazon - Usually £14.99 but now on offer for £11.49. (at time of publishing)

Thanks for reading,

Charlie and Tinkerbell 🐾 x

Day 16 A photo of my family - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-16T14:00:00.002+01:00

Day 16 is nice and short. I am just sharing with you a picture of my family.

This is the most recent picture of my family all together. This was taken at my sisters wedding in 2015.

From L-R is Kelly (my brothers girlfriend), Luke (my brother), Rory (my sisters boyfriend), Lucy (my sister), Steven (my brother in law), Millie (my little sister), Hannah (my eldest sister), Me, Mom, Grandad and Dad.

Thanks for reading.

Charlie x

Day 15 Everyday make up look - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-15T17:43:00.001+01:00

Today's post is all about my everyday make up look.
If I'm not leaving the house I tend not to really wear make up. I make sure I wash and moisturise my face though otherwise I tend to breakout really badly.
All prices and where I got the products from can be found at the bottom of the post. All the brushes mentioned are from Real Techniques.

I use Clean and Clear Daily Exfoliating Wash every morning and night. It has exfoliating micro beads that remove dirt from your pores. It also doesn't leave you with that tight skin feeling like when you wash your face with normal soap. I usually use a cotton pad to remove heavy eye makeup first so I don't end up looking like a panda.

I then use Garnier Skin Naturals Moisture Match Shine Be Gone Mattifiying Fresh Cream all over my face and neck. I use this morning and night to help keep my skin soft and shine free. I sometimes mix this with my foundation if I just want a light coverage to even out my skin tone.

If I don't really feel like wearing make up I usually just stick to the two steps above but I always apply mascara because I think my ginger eyelashes make me look tired and my eyes appear really small. I use No. 7 Extreme Length Mascara in black. This mascara is the best I have ever tried and as I have sensitive eyes, its probably the first one that hasn't caused any irritation at all.

Even though it is not actually part of the post I think I will share what I used to wear everyday when I was going to Sixth form and Uni.
I get a lot of breakouts and they make me feel really self conscious so I used to wear a full face of make up. This is fine, as long as you remove it all before going to bed and use a good primer it shouldn't effect your breakouts.

I start with using a toner on my skin and then apply Garnier Skin Naturals Moisture Match Shine Be Gone Mattifiying Fresh Cream all over. I let this dry fully before I start applying any makeup.
I take my favourite primer which is Dr Jart Pore Refine Recover Primer and work that in with a buffing brush. I apply my Mac Face and Body Foundation in N1 all over my face and down my neck using either a sponge or brush depending what coverage I am looking for. I then use Rimmel London Lasting Finnish Concealer in Ivory on to any blemishes and the same concealer but in Porcelain under my eyes to make them look more awake and remove any dark circles. I will then move onto my eyes to let the foundation and concealer work itself into my skin.
On my eyes I used Rimmel London Undercover Shadow Primer all over the lid. I then apply a nude shade all over the lid, recently I have been using Toast from the Tanya Burr Birthday Suit eye palette. I then take a darker colour in my crease to add some depth, usually Stormy Sky from Galaxy and Soft Truffle from Birthday Suit, both Tanya Burr. I then add a little shimmer to the centre of my lid using Marzipan from the Birthday Suit palette. Finally I add a light colour to the inner corner of my eye using Snowflake from the Galaxy eye palette. All eye products are applied using brushes from the Real Techniques Eye Set.

I sometimes add a little eye liner using a black eyeshadow from my MUA Romantic Efflorescence palette and then I apply my mascara.
I contour using Maybelline Contour V Stick in light which has a cream contour and highlight in one. I then apply another highlight just to my check bones which is Makeup Revolution The One Highlight Contour Stick. This is a very shimmery unlike the Maybelline one.
Over that I use a powder highlight and Contour to set it so it lasts all day using the Sleek Contour Kit in Light.

Finally I am left to powder my T Zone with a mattifiying setting powder and apply a lipstick if I want too. Recently I have been using Tanya Burr Matt Lip in Rhubarb and Custard.

And then I'm DONE!
Thanks for reading this post. Don't forget there will be a review up soon of the Tanya Burr Birthday Suite and Galaxy eye palette's and the Rhubarb and Custard Matt Lip.
Below you can find out more about the products I mentioned I my blog.

I only use Real Techniques Brushes and you can find them on their website or from drugstores like Boots and Superdrug.

Charlie x

Clean and Clear Exfoliating Daily Wash - £3.20 at Boots.
Garnier Skin Naturals Moisture Match Shine Be Gone Mattifiying Fresh Cream - £2.09 at Boots.
No. 7 Extreme Length Mascara, Available Waterproof also - £10 at Boots.
Dr Jart Pore Refine Recover Primer - £18 at Boots.
Mac Studio Face and Body Foundation 50ml - £22 at Mac Cosmetics.
Rommel London Lasting Finnish Concealer - £5.49 at Boots.
Rommel London Undercover Shadow Primer - £4.99 at Boots.
Tanya Burr Birthday Suit Eye Shadow Palette - £5.99 at Superdrug.
Tanya Burr Galaxy Eye Shadow Palette - £6.00 at Superdrug.
MUA Eyeshadow Palette, Romantic Efflorescence - £4.00 at Superdrug.
Maybelline Contour V Stick in light - £6.99 at Superdrug.
Makeup Revolution The One Highlight Contour Stick - £5 at Superdrug.
Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light - £6.99 at Superdrug.
Tanya Burr Rhubarb and Custard Soft Luxe Matt Lip - £5.99 at Superdrug.

(Prices may change as some products are on offer)
(3 for 2 available at Superdrug on all cosmetics at time of publication)

Day 14 Future goals - 30 day blog blog challenge

2016-07-14T10:00:00.001+01:00

Day 14 is all about future goals and at the moment I am in the process of making a change to mine. I will let you know more about that now.

As you probably know I left University in December after a couple of months because I was unable to cope living away from home and with the amount of work the course entailed. I was planning on doing something art related in my future. I didn't want to be a teacher but I was thinking about working in a museum or even being self employed.
I recently applied for an Open degree with the Open University. This means I can choose what modules I want to complete from everything they offer. I am going down the route of art history and also europe's history around the time of the world wars. I chose this because what the course entails means it will be a lot of reading and writing and I also love studying history and I regret not doing it for A Level.
I have no idea what my future holds after university. Hopefully getting some use back in my left arm and moving out of my parent home (at some point, why would anyone leave a place they live rent free! haha) I know I want to travel to America and also to Paris but I'm not sure what else. I'll just focus on the present and hopefully things wont go too badly.

Thanks for reading,
Charlie x

Day 13 Favourite films - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-13T10:00:00.000+01:00

I've been looking forward to writing this post since I started the 30 day blog challenge. I will give a brief description to some of the films but I am just going to write a list from most favourite to lesser favourite films.

Elf

Im sure everyone know the film Elf, and if you don't where have you been? I must have watched it like 100 times and I'm not even joking I start watching it in September! It starts explaining the begging of Buddy's story (played by Will Ferrell), how he ended up in the north pole and the problems he had growing up with the other elves. You see him find out that he is actually human and then he begins his journey to New York to find his Father who works at a publishing company but buddy had found out his Father was on the naughty list and this upset him and he wanted to find out why. He defiantly does that as his father rejects him at first and but after a paternity test he takes buddy home to meet his step mom and brother. Without telling you the rest of the story, It ends great for Buddy, despite some problems settling in to the real world at first he finally finds himself and is happy. As you can tell I love Elf as I said I wouldn't write much about the films but I just couldn't help myself! I hope you enjoy the film as much as I have over and over again.

Django Unchained

Django Unchained has Leonardo Dicaprio in it.. enough said. Its actually the film where he cut he hand open while filming and then improvised and smeared it across his fellow actresses face and they kept the scene in the film. He even had to go have stitches after.

The film is about slavery, but focuses on one particular slave, Django and the journey he takes from being freed by a bounty hunter and then finds his wife who is enslaved at Candie land owned by Dicraprio's character Calvin Candie There is a lot of violence and swearing in the film but I think thats what makes it realistic. When I started watching it I thought it was bit slow at getting into the action but it its a perfect pace for the film and makes you want to watch it again and again.

Directed by Quentin Tarantino and staring Jamie Foxx, Samuel L Jackson, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Coming to America

Released in 1988 Coming to America is about and african prince who travels to Queens, New York to find a wife of his choice who has more than just a title and that he has something in common with. He hides his true identity, which cause some problems later on but all comes together at the end for a big african royal wedding.

The Exorcist (1973)

I watched this for the first time when I was quite young and I was apprehensive because my mom told me it was really scary and that she didn't like it. I think if you were watching it in a theatre when it first came up the special effects were modern and it probably felt scary but because of some of the films I've watched like all the Saw's and the Purge it actually made me laugh!

Despite that its still a great film and I would recommend it to anyone.

The Purge

I was terrified when I first watched this film. Its like my worst nightmare for something like this to happen and I think thats why its one of the scariest films I've watched but also one of the best. Check the trailer out for yourself and see what you think.

Other movies I like are

Grease
Saw
Purple Rain
Killing Bono
The Hobbit
All Marvel Films
21 and 22 Jump Street
The Conjuring
The Twilight Saga
The Fault in Our Stars

Thanks for reading, there are probably loads more films I love but my mind goes blank when I need to list things :)

Charlie x

Sorry for the terrible spelling!

2016-07-12T23:28:00.001+01:00

Hi guys,
This is just a short post to say if you notice spelling mistakes or that I've used the wrong kind of work, Its not that I am being lazy and not bothering to check my posts ( I actually read them about five times before pressing the publish button) Its because I have Dyslexia and I sometimes don't even realise I have made mistakes.
I hope you can still make sense of what I am writing and if you can't just drop me a comment and I will change it so you can.
Thanks for understanding!!!
Charlie x

Day 12 My daily routine - 30 day blog challenge

2016-07-12T10:00:00.000+01:00

Day 12 is all about my daily routine. It won't be very interesting but here we go!

I wake up around 9.30/10am (except a Thursday when I have hydrotherapy and have to get up at 7am) and the first thing I do is let Tinkerbell out for the toilet and then feed her. After I feed my guineapig Mango his morning veggies and top up his hay. Then I can finally have some toast, which I have every morning, a cuppa and watch the TV for a while before I go to get dressed for the day.

Some days I am really motivated or having a pain free day and I will write like a weeks worth of blog posts, clean my room, help Mom with the house work and walk Tinkerbell.

I have more toast for lunch (I have a really bad toast addiction at the minute and eat it about three times a day! and then I will relax until the afternoon when I sometimes help mom with the Dinner. Of an afternoon we have to feed and check on all the animals down the garden. That consists of checking on the Turkeys and chickens (and hoping they have laid some eggs!) and giving the bunnies and guineapig's food, water and hay.

When its time for Tinkerbell's dinner, usually between 5 and 6pm and the other three dogs too I also give Mango his second lot of veggies for the day (if he hasn't had any of the kitchen scraps) and fill up his water and dry food.

at 6pm I have to take my amitriptyline and gabapentin which my mom have to give me as I can't open the bottles because I can't grip with my left hand. (Thanks Mom for doing every night and remembering even if I forget!!!)

I head up to bed at around 7.30pm because my pain get worst as they day progresses and I like to get comfortable and watch the TV or write some blog posts. I take my nightly medicine at 9pm which consists of Co-codamol 30mg, Kalms Sleep, Piriton, Omeprazol and Setraline. I try to turn the TV off then (if I'm not in the middle of a good program) as I begin to get sleepy and if I don't go to sleep before my medication begins to wear off I have to wait up for another four hours until I can't take some more.
I'm usually asleep by 11pm but recently I have got into a bed routine of not going to sleep until 3am but its slowly getting better now.

And then the whole process starts again, and again, and again...

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me.
Charlie x

Day 11 Favourite books - 30 day blog challenge

2016-07-11T10:00:00.000+01:00

This probably sounds bad but I don't think I actually have ten books that I would class as my favourite but I'll have a go and this post anyway. I only read a book if I love it by the first paragraph as with my dyslexia it would be too much work to read a crap one.

Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done

My first favourite book is from a couple of years ago and its called Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski. Its a great book for teen girls, I would probably say 16+ and I am really glad my friend brought this for me, I've read it several times and it never gets boring.
'2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house - parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.'

April moves in wither her friend and lies to her parents who think her friends mom is there when she is actually not. A fake email and a few lies later April is living the parentless life and the journey starts.

It is defiantly worth the read and is actually hilarious!
I couldn't put the book done and despite my dyslexia I read it surprisingly faster than any other book.
grab yourself a copy of the book here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005ES0V6G

Address Unknown

My second favourite book is probably Address Unknown by Kressmann Taylor. I actually read this book when I was doing my A Levels as part of my English course. Its an epistolatory book between two friends which starts when one of them moves back to Germany just before the uprising of Hitler but the catch is that the other friend is a Jew so when then censoring of letters began they had to be careful to make sure they weren't spotted corresponding to each other. Its a short book and if you have an interest in the Nazi uprising in WWII then I think this book is for you. You can grab a copy here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006WB2EC8

The Innocent Killer

I read this book after seeing the series Making and Murderer on Netflix and I loved it. It explains the process of what happened to Steven Avery.
The description on Amazon is 'The story of one of America's most notorious wrongful convictions, that of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man who spent eighteen years in prison for a crime he did not commit and now the subject of the hit series Making a Murderer. But two years after he was exonerated of that crime and poised to reap millions in his wrongful conviction lawsuit, Steven Avery was arrested for the exceptionally brutal murder of Teresa Halbach, a freelance photographer who had gone missing several days earlier. The “Innocent Man” had turned into a cold blooded killer. Or had he? This is narrative non-fiction at its finest and the perfect companion read for fans of Making a Murderer.'

Go grab a copy now here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01AND3IM0
and also check out the series on Netflix if you haven't already!

Thanks for reading and I hope you would enjoy reading one of these books too!
Charlie x

Day 10 My current favourite TV series - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-10T14:34:00.001+01:00

Todays post was hard to write, I couldn't think of TV series that is my favourite. At the moment I am watching The American Horror Story from the beginning and also The Big Bang Theory From series one. But there is one program I want to tell you about that I have just finished watching as I was apprehensive when I started it but I was so gripped by the end I really can't wait for the next series (and it didn't help they left it on such a big cliff hanger!)
The show I am talking about is called Spotless.

I watched it on Netflix but I think it was released on a French TV network first. The two main are characters are brothers Jean and Martin. Jean is a crime scene cleaner, whose tidy life is turned upside down when his brother arrives from France on the run with a dead body in a freezer and turns his life upside down and entangles them into a life of organised crime. The show is set in London so their are no annoying subtitles apart from in the flash back scenes where you see what happened to the brothers when they were young boys living in France. When a drugs handover goes wrong then are recruited by the gang who use Jean's crime scene cleaning business to their advantage and make them clean up after then business exchanges. This eventually begins to effects Jean's family and as he becomes the ring leaders personal murder scene abolisher he drifts away from family life, and Martin strangely becomes closer to his brothers family, but not in the way you would think. Over the ten episodes there is something that draws you in and makes you feel connected to the characters and I just couldn't turn it off, watching the whole of the series in two nights. Some of you may notice the crime ring leader Nelson Clay (played by Brendan Coyle) from the amazing Downton Abby where is played Mr Bates.

The cast of Spotless where very well chosen and really suite the characters.

I would rate this program 5 stars and I think I have told most people I know that they need to check this out. go ahead and see for yourselves, you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for reading,

Charlie x

Day 9 Worst memories of my life so far - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-10T13:47:00.000+01:00

Todays post (which is technically yesterdays but I fell asleep early before I had a chance to post) is all about the worst memories of my life. I think I will keep it short as it's probably going to be quite a personal and negative post and I don't want to bore you with the details. I will start with the earliest bad memories I can think of and work up to the present day.

The first worst memory I can remember is loosing my uncle and grandad in 2007. They died within six months of each other and that was such a hard time. This is when I had help from the charity Noah's Ark which I mentioned in my previous post.

I think next has to be having my appendix removed. The pain started in the middle of the night and I had never felt anything like it, the only way to explain it is that it was like I was being sat on and then in the morning the excruciating pain started and the being sick. I seriously think that is the worst I have felt in my whole life. I spent a day back and forth to the doctors and then I had to go to hospital but I was kept in for a few days before they could operate because I have a problem in my heart where one of the valves didn't close when I was 6 weeks old and they didn't want to operate until they had spoke to someone at Birmingham Children's Hospital to see if it was ok to go ahead. I was lay in that hospital bed for nearly a week in pain and not being able to eat as they didn't know when I would be having the surgery. And to top it off, I had a problem with the gas they use in the surgery and it remained in my body for ages so my recovery took a lot longer than it should have. I did have a long time off school though so that was a positive!

Next defiantly has to be when I injured my left arm with lead to me being diagnosed with FND. I was pulled over by my dog, Oscar. He is a Lurcher so is very strong and runs VERY fast. It all happened so quickly I didn't get chance to let go of the lead so was pulled across the floor and then he flipped me over and I was dragged backwards. Straight after it happened my arm when really heavy and felt like it was a dead weight. I wasn't in pain then and I had full movement of it. Over the next few days it slowly began to get painful and I was unable to move it which lead to my hand swelling. It took two years to get a proper diagnosis. They though I had dislocated my shoulder at first which lead to shit loads of x rays and then I went to a specialist who diagnose me with a brachial plexus injury but about a year later I saw a specialist physiotherapist and consultant and they made the final diagnosis of Function Neurological Disorder. This was a relief to get a proper diagnosis so I knew what could happen in the future, even though the news wasn't exactly positive. To be honest they don't really know what will happen but I might never regain full use of my left arm. That was scary to here. I mean, its not like it the end of my life, I'm still alive and have a good future a head of me but its just nor going to be as easy as it would of been if I hadn't have had that accident. It really hit be about 2 months ago, despite all the crap that happened with university I could cope with that but when I though I might loose the use of my other arm, It really made me realise that I'm lucky just the way I am. It happened one night when my brothers dog got too excited and nipped me on the right shoulder. Straight away it began to feel different, just like the day I hurt my left arm, and when I lost the feeling in my little finger and the one next to it on my right had I was just like 'crap'. The doctors have always said I need to be careful because FND effects the brain, when I have another injury it might tell that limb thats its too hurt to ever move again. I did loose bit of movement in my right arm for about a week but it slowly came back because I worked it really hard and didn't give up. I still can feel two of my fingers on my left hand, which sucks, I'm just left with three that I have any sensation in but at least I one had that functions properly!!!

Last year, I unfortunately lost my nan to cancer on my birthday. It was a hard battle for her, after having two strokes as well and I hurt so bad but inside I knew it was better for her to be gone. She hated relying on others as she was an independent woman and thats how I will always remember her. It was extra difficult also because we had became distant and that made it difficult especially at the funeral, which was on my sisters birthday 7 days later. I felt strange sat at the back when I really wanted to be close to her but I knew that wasn't possible. I'm just thankful I had such a close relationship with her when I was young and I have plenty of memories to reminisce about.

At the start of this year I was diagnosed with Depression and also Fibromyalgia. The depression diagnosis was not a shock because I knew i was depressed for several months but I only just felt able to get any help. The Fibromyalgia diagnosis was not a shock either, I knew that what I had as all the females in my family have it. I think it was actually a relief to get a diagnoses and know that all the shitty pain I was experiencing has a name.

The most recent bad memory I have is when my grandad past away suddenly in May. It was such a shock and so not expected. I think I was able to cope with it quite well because of the help I had received from the Noah's Ark trust when I was younger and I thank them for teaching me how to process grief even 8 years later.

So that is all the bed memories I can think of, I feel thats quite a lot for only 18 years but we are only given what we can deal with. It definitely turned out to be a much longer post than I thought it would but I hope you enjoyed finding out a little bit more about me.
Thans for reading,
Charlie x

Don't be shy, leave me a comment.

2016-07-09T00:48:00.001+01:00

Hey guys,
Just a short post to let you know you can leave comments on my post if you click on the post title and scroll to the bottom of the screen the find the comment box. Feel free to ask me anything about what I have written about or if you don't want other people to read it send me a direct message using the contact box in the bar on the right side.
Thanks for reading my posts! Nearly 1000 page views, I am so grateful to anyone who reads my blog.
Thanks,
Charlie x

Day 8 Best memories of my life so far - 30 day blog challenge.

2016-07-09T00:20:00.000+01:00

Day 8 is all about some of the best memories from my life so far. This is surprisingly something hard to write about, its like your mind goes blank when someone asks a question like this.
I think to make it easier I will start with the most recent things I can think about.

The first best memory is picking up Tinkerbell. I will always remember it because she was the smallest ball of fluff and I had never seen a dog so small, she was about the size of a kitten but with tiny legs and a tail like a rabbits. I fell in love with her instantly. She would just sleep on my lap all the time and she did hand stands into her food bowl because she was too small to reach the middle. I also will always remember the first time she walked up the stairs, I was so proud of her as she kept trying for months but she had to wait until her little legs were long enough. I have attached a video of the first time she walked up the stairs below.

My second best memory is probably seeing my eldest sister get married (check out her blog here and read about her best memories too). It was a great day and I was glad that i was bridesmaid. It took a lot of planning, I helped with all the invites and the table decorations and it took a lot of hours too complete, but the venue looked stunning. It was a great night too after the ceremony and the wedding breakfast, even if I did drink a little too much and nearly brake my nose when I smacked it off a sink (atlas thats some great memories, I don't think I will be forgetting that anytime soon!). Here are some of my favourite snaps from the day :)

Me and my friends (L - R) Sam, Me, Desi & Shannon.

My brother and his girlfriend with my grandad.

Cutting the Cake.

The cake arrangement.

Me and my two sisters with my dad in the background.

My third best memory would have to be getting to be apart of an amazing charity called Noah's Ark Trust. Unfortunately it is no longer around, which is a shame for all the children in my area who have lost a loved one and need some help to grieve. We had residential and one to one sessions and a few years after I was a part of a project with other people who had been through the charity to create a film that explained the process of what the charity does so it could go into school and be shown to people who may need some help coping with their loss. Even though I lost my uncle and grandad which was two on the worst things I have even been through, I found something so special for the children going through the worst experience of their lives. I owe everyone who helped me through the period after I lost my grandad and uncle and if I had the chance I defiantly would give something back and help all the children in their time of need.

These are all the loverly people I met at Noah's Ark.

I hope you have enjoyed hearing a few of my favourite memories from my life so far, and I'm sure there are many more to come and I plan on sharing every single one with you.

Thanks for reading,

Charlie x