2018. The Positive Year.

Oh hello all. It's been a while hasn't it? 
I mentioned at the end of last year I'd be taking a break from blogging until 2018, well... that flew by and now we're here, a week into January and I'm feeling ready to throw myself back into the blogosphere. 

The hair tool I could never live without - ghds.

So.... this post was meant to go up FOREVER ago... but a dodgey memory card and a crazy couple of weeks later and I've finally sorted it. (sorry for the wait guys!)

The brand ghd have been in my life since I was 13 years old and I received my first pair for Christmas 2003. Until last month these were the straighteners I had used.... yes that's right - for 13 years they had been by my side!
By far the best investment my parents could have made for me at that young age haha - they had seen me through the awkward teenage years, the girls night out (every weekend) years and the 'I should probably put some effort in' years!

So when ghd contacted me and asked if I'd like to try out the brand new platinum copper luxe preium gift set* .... I nearly through my phone across the room with excitement! It had been that WEEK that I had been talking to my work colleagues about how long I'd had my ghd's and that it was probably time for a upgrade.... I couldn't believe the coincidence!

Like I said this post was supposed to go up already but I have had some major trouble with memory cards and bits and bobs (life!) - which has never happened to me before... so frustrating - so some photos will be a different quality than others, I apologise in advance! (I have to be honest!!)

Anyway.... back to the fun stuff! 
Ghd challenged me to #Glitztheseason and create a fun party look for December with the exciting new ghds and the variety of styling products they had kindly popped over!

Within these products was the 'curl hold spray' so immediately I knew I wanted curls involved somehow, curling with straighteners has been a challenge for me but I think I've finally got it down!
Something a different for me when going 'out out' is having my hair up - and I actually do love wearing it up, it's at that awkward growing stage at the moment so it's not short or long so UP was a no-brainer for me!
At this point once again.... I'm not going to lie... I had a slight bit of help from my lovely friend (what a babe!)

The hairstyle below may look a bit fiddly and complicated.... but it really isn't!

Firstly I curled my hair in the biggest bounciest curls I could manage, using the heat protect spray and then the curl hold spray to make sure they weren't going to drop!

It was then time for a million hair grips, strategic placing of curls and a mountain of ghd shine spray and a tab of hairspray and ta-da a unique up-do ready for any party! Glitz yourself from head to toe a little more with a pretty detailed grips or some hair glitter!

Let me know if you give it a go - so fantastic for more or less any hair length ... you might just need a few more grips and a bit more hairspray if you're blessed with super long locks!

My January Lust List

All the things I have been aimlessly window shopping over this month..... it's about time someone invented a money tree!

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YOUTUBE : January Favourites 2015

New video alert! It would mean the world to me if you checked out my Jan Favs and if you like it hit subscribe! I would love to get into YouTube alot more this year - I've been wanting to do it for years and years and my confidence grows with every one that I film.
I have been loving your comments and tweets to me about them too - they literally make my day, so thank you guys :)!

What have you loved this month?

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This Week I'm Loving... #4

Celebrity Big Brother

Well if you follow me on twitter you will know this already. I'm totally and utterly addicted to big brother and I'm not ashamed! I have so many opinions they are coming out of my ears! I LOVE Michelle (obvs), Katie Price and Calum - and surprising don't mind KAtie Hopkins that much! I'm horrified I ever liked Perez though - urgh what a horrible guy!

Herbal Essecnes Bee Strong Collection

This stuff has been around for ages now but I always seem to have some in the house! The smell is great and it leaves my hair feeling amazingly soft and smooth - better than some products that are double the price! They are always on offer in Boots so give them a go!

EOS Lipbalm - Strawberry

My lips have been so so sore over the last week or so, stupid weather, stupid heating at work! This has been a total life saver - I forgot how much I love EOS balms ... I really want to get my hands on some of their hand creams too!

Day Dreamer 2015 A6 Diary

I said I'd get a 2015 diary to keep me organised and at the beginning of the month I found this beauty in Clintons for half price! Yes it was only £2.49, for a whole year of organisation that is a bloody bargain! I've been writing my to-do lists weekly, blog stuff, work stuff, social stuff - and I feel super organised! Yay me! (Plus look how cute it is!)

Nutella

No explanation need - YUM.

Tangle Teezer

My hair has felt so dry and brittle over the last couple of weeks - I blame this horrible weather! My tangle teezers are my life - I cannot live without these! They have definitely helped my hair from becoming any worse for sure!

Clean & Clear Shine Control Daily Scrub

I have used this facial range for years now! I used to just have the wash version but I can't seem to find it in my local Boots store - boooo! So I have settled for the daily scrub. I use this every morning in the shower, it really helps to wake my up and make my skin feel funky fresh for the day ahead! 

Snack-a-Jacks

Seriously I love these rice cakes - not much else to say really! Whats your favourite flavour? 

Rodial Translucent HD Powder

You may have seen this in my last post all about Rodial's new make-up range. I have used this everyday since trying it out, it i the perfect powder to set my foundation with and gives me a get soft finish.

 Hot Water with Lemon

Last but not least is a random one! Thanks to my friend Megan I have been drinking this alot, like alot, alot! A slice of lemon in hot water - so yummy and refreshing - try it!

What have you been loving this week?

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OOTD : Winter Walks

I said this year I wanted to do more fashion and lifestyle type posts.... so here's my first one! I always get nervous doing OOTD's but in 2015 I want to be less of a wimp and more open to putting myself out there!

Roll Neck :  New Look

Fur Gillet : New Look

Bag : Topshop

Ripped Skinny Jeans : New Look

Orinoco Club Boots* : Clarks

I'm obsessed with this roll neck top at the moment, I've been wearing it so much! It's so easy to dress up with a cute skirt and heels and dress down like this with jeans and boots! It was super cheap in New Look and I think it's about time I bought it in a few more colours!

The fur gillet is something that has been in my wardrobe for over 2 years now and I love getting it out, makes me feel a bit more glam in the daytime!

These jeans are brand new and this was actually the first time wearing them! I was fed up of always wearing the same 2 pairs of jeans and after wanting a a ripped effect pair for months and months I decied to invest in these ones from New Look! New Look is my favourite place to get jeans and I near enough always buy the soft skinny style! They fit so well and are so comfortable, I hate thick,hard jeans which you can't move in!

On my feet I'm wearing some brand spanking new boots from Clarks! Clarks actually were lovely enough to give me a voucher to spend on whatever I wanted in my local store!

 I haven't been in Clarks since I was younger and picking out those trusty school shoes and I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely designs that they had in store!

I decided to go for a pair of boots as I thought they would definitely get the most wear over the next few months. After looking at my shoe collection I noticed that black boots have kind of overtaken everything I own so a different colour was high on my list!

I saw these leather beauties and fell in love! They aren't a style I would always go for as they are really casual but I haven't stopped wearing them!

They are the Orinoco Club boots in the shade Brown Snuff, they are leather and have elasticated sides which makes them really easy to get on and off!

I was surprised by how comfortable these were, I was worried they were going to rub on the first couple of wears but I've gone for a few walks in them now and they are amazingly comfy! They are £55 which is a slightly more than I would normally pay from a high street store but they are leather and I can already tell that they are going to last ten times longer than my other daytime boots - bargain!

Here's a few other photos from my walk - I love where I live, it only takes me about 3 minutes to get here, it's the best place to take these cute little poochies!

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3000 Followers : Thank You & Giveaway

Wow! I cannot believe I am actually writing this post.

I've hit 3000 followers on bloglovin - three thousand. 
That is insaneeee, I literally cannot believe it! I am grinning from ear to ear and feeling a little bit proud I tell ya! 

It has been less than a year since I reached 1000 followers, so to be at 3000 already is overwhelming!
When I started this little hobby of mine up I could have never imagined how much fun it would be and how much I would learn and achieve, it's been an amazing 20 months so far! Blogging has transformed into a major passion of mine and I have loved watching this random little website grow and involve into something that people actually want to follow!

So.... I thought it was only right of me to hold a cheeky little giveaway for you lovely lot!

I am giving away a Marc Jacobs Dot 50ml Gift Set. A gorgeous perfume in a gorgeous bottle ... I kind of wish I was keeping it for myself to be totally honest!
This set includes the 50ml Eau de Parfum, a body lotion and a shower gel.
(You may remember when I hit 1000 followers last January I gave away a Marc Jacobs Honey gift set so I thought it would be fun to stick to the same theme!)

This is an amazing start to 2015 for me and I can't wait to put even more hard work and love into my blog this year!

NOTE : I really, really would love for this prize to go to one of my readers/a fellow blogger/a beauty lover - so if you have just stumbled across this site and are just going to enter for the sake of it then I please urge you not - as at the end of the day whoever wins is out of my hands and I would love to be able to give back to someone who has supported me!

All you need to do to enter is fill in the snazzy Rafflecopter below!

Love, hugs & THANK YOU xoxo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is UK only.

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Beauty Wishlist : January

Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection

Make-Up Revolution Naked Chocolate Palette

Palmer's Coconut Oil Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner

Benefit Watts App Highlighter

Dior Hypnotic Poison edt

Mac Lip Pencil - Spice

thebalm Put A Lid On It

Zoella Just Say Yes Beauty Bag

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2015 : Goals & Resolutions

Another year, another list of things that I will be striving to do and achieve in 2015! (Can you believe we are half way between the millineum and 2030 already?!)
Well.... it wouldn't be January without them would it? Lets just hope I put them into practice for the 365 days or more and not just a fortnight!

Some are blog related and some are just life related and I'm sure some are probably repeats of last year too, opps haha!

"A goal without a plan is just a wish."

- Get fit and stay healthy

I'm sure most of us are going to have this on our lists. I'm forever up and down with my weight and dieting on and off has become the norm for the last 3 years or so.
 This year I am super determined to get that body I've always dreamed of and finally be fully confident with myself, as well as ditching lots of the crappy foods that seem to run my life! Just look at Charlotte Crosby - I can do that too!

- Stay tidy

I'm nearly 25 which means I should know how to be a tidy human being by now. Goodbye clutter, hello organised home!

- Say YES more

It's about time I got out there and said yes more. Whether it's a blog event or dinner with friends - Kirstie saying yes is going to happen more!

- Be a positive Polly

I moan far too much and really what do I have to moan about? My weight? My job? I can change all that myself so I'm going to try and see things in a positive light and really appreciate how lucky I really am in this world.
 "Happiness is a choice." - Shay Carl

- Finish the Vampire Academy series

Well I was going to say "read more" but that was definitely on my list for 2014! I started this series months and months ago and even though I bought all 6 books on my kindle I'm STILL only on book 2 - so this year I WILL finish them!

- Get a tattoo

Every year since turning 18 I've said I'd get a tattoo. I have a few ideas in mind so I just need to decide on one and go for it! Yolo!

BLOG

- Focus on quality not quantity 

This year I have done a whopping 322 blog posts - to me that is alot. I ended up doing a blog post every single day for most of the year and I have to say it was a serious challenge at some points. Don't get me wrong I loved it but some days I feel like I put way too much pressure on myself to get things done! 
In 2015 I want to focus more on the quality of the post rather than how many I do!

- Invest in better equipment 

 I love blogging and it has become a real passion of mine but I have been really scrapping through with the stuff I have been using to keep it going.
 I cannot wait to invest in a new camera, some lighting and hopefully eventually a mac. I have recently bought a new laptop to replace the awful netbook I have been working with for the past year - the first step to help me improve A Yellow Brick Blog!

- Youtube

Yes I started uploading videos to Youtube this year after years and years of self-doubt but in 2015 I really want to put more effort into it! The amount I watch others on youtube makes me so motivated and determined to do it myself and improve my videos... because at the moment they are pretty pants!

- Push Myself

Improve my content, expand my audience and take up all the amazing opportunities I can! Time to stop being such a nervous wuss and get out there :)

What goals do you have?

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Surviving The January Blues With F & F

The January Blues - I can guarantee 99% of you get this. With another year over, Christmas and new year bleeding us dry all of our hard earned cash and pay day seeming a million light years away... January can be a bit pants (not to mention the weather... will this wind and rain ever stop!)

For me this January hasn't been too great, lack of money, lack of work, lack of social interactions and those few extra lbs gained over December - they all add up and have a serious effect on my mood. (Okay I know things could be alot wore but still.... it's okay to miss Christmas and a full bank account isn't it?!)

So I was just ecstatic when F & F contacted me and ask whether I would like to cure my January Blues with a Bloggers Night In Survival Kit. Yes F & F... yes I really really would!
Not only that but this kit was for me AND a friend - and I knew exactly who I was going to pick!

February is a month I always look forward too (hello birthday!) and not only is it my big 2-4 next week but I'm also going to see Taylor Swift - something I've wanted to do for the probably the last 4 years or so! 
So it was time for a cosy night in with my pal to relax, chill, eat, watch and organise our trip to London! 
What better way to cure the January Blues than to have a perfect night in and something to look forward to in February aswell!

My box arrived and I was overwhelmed by the sheer size and weight of it - what could be in there? I literally had no idea what to expect and I could not believe what I found when I opened it!

Pyjamas each, slippers each, 3 amazing girly chick flicks, an amazing soap and glory face mask, popcorn (our favourite food), some insanely good chocolates, hairbo and some yummy hot chocolate.
I could not believe my eyes - major girl time was happening ASAP! So the next night my lovely friend came up to my crib, we got in our new pjs and slippers (which can I just say are amazing!), ditched the make-up and shoved our hair up - it was time to hit the sofa (aka the most comfiest thing ever!).

We'd both been on diets so a cheat night was definitely on the cards and seeing as F and F had totally spoilt us with incredible snack choices, we dug straight in!
Popcorn, sweets and the most amazing chocolates I've ever eaten. These were chocolates by a brand called Hotel Chocolat - and OMG I need to go to this hotel in London. Literally some of the best chocolate I have ever eaten.... and that is one serious statement from one serious chocoholic right here! As soon as I am in Tesco next my mission is to find them!

Should we be ashamed we polished off 2 bags of popcorn with ease? Nahh... never!

Not only did we have yummy treats and obviously great conversation (duh) but the TV and DVD player to ourselves (no men in sight!). 
F & F had sent us a fab choice of girly chicks flicks -What's Your Number? is amazing! AND we had the joys of Celebrity Big Brother ... man it is addictive!

We booked up our exciting trip to London - wahhooo something to look forward too and I'm sure I'll be blogging all about it!
Also... Soap & Glory facemask? FABULOUS! I'm thinking of doing a whole review post on it... what do we think?

A perfect Friday night in it was and I would like to say a huge huge huge thank you to F & F who made it possible, me and my friend couldn't have planned a better night in ourselves and we were so overwhelmed and grateful with everything they treated us with!

So it is true, the January Blues CAN be cured, just one night, one good friend and some fabulous treats and entertainment and the fact we are poor and it is still January just fades away! 
So whether it's January, February or even bloomin' August if you need a pick me up - a cosy night in with a friend or ten is definitely the way to go!

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