Haul of the Holiday: Geeking Out in Greece

Welcome to a new post!

While you're reading this, I should hopefully be sitting on a beautiful, sunny beach in the gorgeous country that is Greece. I've been looking forward to this trip for a while, as I have never been to Greece before. But as I love reading, and I also can't just spent the whole time on the beach by sleeping, because I hate being unproductive, I thought I would at least treat myself to a few new books for the beach times. Yes, that's not technically being productive, but at least I feel like I'm doing something haha. Let's hope I'll kind of find a way of actually relaxing by reading. Usually that works...at least for a little while.

I picked up three books, which might be a little over ambitious for such a short amount of time and depending on how much time we'll actually spend at the beach, but I like to be prepared. If I only end up finishing one of these, because we're having so much fun that's fine too. I'm not there just to read after all. At least I am hoping that I can persuade my fam to do a little bit of exploring around the area we're staying in. 😊

Dunkirk: The History Behind The Major Motion Picture - Joshua Levine

You might have seen the trailer and adverts for the new Christopher Nolan film named 'Dunkirk' (featuring the gorgeous Mr. Harry Styles). I really want to go and see the film, but before that, I really want to learn something about the actual historic events that the movie talks about. If, like me before I heard about the film, don't know what Dunkirk is about (we don't learn about that in school over here), here's a small summary from the back of the book. I'm really exited to find out more about what happened back then.

" The Battle of Dunkirk, in May/June 1940, is remembered as a stunning defeat, yet a major victory as well. The Nazis had beaten back the Allies and pushed them across France to the northern port of Dunkirk. In the ultimate race against time, more than 300,000 Allied soldiers were daringly evacuated across the Channel. This moment of German aggression was used by Winston Churchill as a call to Franklin Roosevelt to enter the war. Now, historian Joshua Levine explores the real lives of those soldiers, bombed and strafed on the beaches for days on end, without food or ammunition; the civilians whose boats were overloaded; the airmen who risked their lives to buy their companions on the ground precious time; and those who did not escape."

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Joanne K. Rowling

Why the hell is she buying a Harry Potter book, shouldn't she already own one if she's a Potterhead? Well, yes she does own this book already but she has never read the whole series in English, although many many MANY times in German. Don't know why the hell I was talking about myself in third person there haha.

Basically, I feel like it's finally time to re-read the whole series again, after not having re-read it completely in about three years, which is a long time for me not to re-read Harry Potter, let me tell you. And this time I'm finally doing it in English.

I just finished re-reading the Philosopher's Stone again, so now it's time to explore the Chamber of Secrets again...although, to be fair, it's my least favourite book of the series...Sorry, if that sentence just broke any hearts, it's just the truth. 🙈😃

Unfiltered - Lily Collins

Finally I got this book in my hands. I've been exited to read Lily's book, basically since the day she announced that she was writing one. (Can we also please talk about her gorgeous British accent in "Love, Rosie"?) I don't know exactly what she is talking about, apart from the fact that it has some autobiographical bits and life tips included, but otherwise it's going to be a complete surprise. But as Dunkirk is quite the heavy book, I felt like it would be perfect to take this one with me as well, as it's a much lighter and easier read. I mean, it's all about balance, isn't it?

If I somehow manage to actually get through all three of these books, which I don't think I am, I have also got the book "The Circle" waiting for me on my Kindle, just in case. I really want to read that one since I saw the trailer for the film with Emma Watson and thought it sounded awesome, so that's definitely on my TBR list, whether it's for Greece or later in the year.

Do you have any recommendations on things to do or places to go in Crete? Definitely share them with us in comments below. I'm open to any suggestions, because I really want to do some exploring  whilst we're over there (my mum will hate me for this haha).

Also, any other book recommendations - just leave them below, if you like. :)

Have a gorgeous week! ♥

Love, Jacqueline Xx

BACK TO SCHOOL HAUL 2017: Stocking Up For A-Levels

Welcome to a new post!

If you're reading this and are actually still going to school, it's likely that a school haul is still pretty early for you, but here I am, still throwing stationery pictures at you because, to be honest - who doesn't enjoy stationery? (Seriously, if you don't, how do you do it?). I'm already almost half way through my summer break, and as I want to have everything sorted out before I go on holiday (be prepared for a ton of pictures), and I get way to exited about buying this stuff, I decided to do it now. Yes, I didn't buy the cutest and most instagramable stationery, but honestly, stationery is already expensive enough without being overly fancy. Also, you can always DIY stuff, which, very likely, I will do.

As I am going into my last EVER year of school (unless you want to count uni), which is absolutely mental, and I've got my A-level exams coming up in March, I really want to set up a proper study space on my desk this time. If you want to see a blog post on that, or how I am planning to study or anything else that has to do with school, definitely let me know. (It makes me more exited than it probably should oops).  

To start off, I got some new folders. I got two plain ones, although not in the prettiest colours. I decided before starting Sixth Form that I would not buy a folder of one colour twice, not realizing that there aren't that many pretty colours available. But oh well, I'll be fine. We also managed to have a browse through the dollar shop recently and I saw this Despicable Me folder. I think it's just so freaking cute. Call me childish, but I just needed to get it. I'm very much a visual learner, so having stuff like this motivates me so much more than those plain folders so I just could not resist!

Then I got a bunch of other folders, which are the ones I'll actually be taking to class with me (the ones in the last picture are for revision files etc. at home). I love how colourful they all are together! Way to aesthetically pleasing! 😍

Does anyone know what you call these things? I tried finding pretty ones on Amazon but just couldn't find the right title for them. These are going to be containing loose and/or important papers for class and for the actual A-level exams.

I love being organized when it comes to my school stuff (it usually only works for a few weeks but I guess the thought counts haha), so I also got a bunch of dividers for my folders. We also found these cute and super cheap cups at some dollar store - perfect to put any pens, highlighters etc. in, and make a study space even cuter.

There are also a bunch of things I needed to stock up on. So I got a new tipp-ex, some erasers for the end of my pencils, a new set square/triangle (no idea what's the right term, let me know), some post it notes and these lilac clips, which I saw people using for their index cards, which seems like a really good idea to keep them together. Last but not least, a bookrest, as I kept wanting, but not finding my old one during last exam season, so I picked up a new one.

Let's be honest - who doesn't love highlighters?? There's just something so pleasing about having a whole bunch of different coloured highlighters and making your notes look pretty and full of colours. I also got some overhead markers, as we often need them now, some new pens and a new pencil as well.

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There are still a few bits and bobs missing, but that's the main overview, I guess. There are two huge, fancy folders and a lovely new notebook currently on their way to me, but I guess we'll all be okay if I don't show you every single thing.

I honestly don't know what makes buying school stuff and stationery in general so exiting, but you just can't deny the fact that it motivates you at least slightly to go back to school, just to make use of all of them. I can't believe I just did my last proper back to school haul, where I'm actually going to go to school with this stuff ahhhh - I'm getting old. That hopefully won't mean that it's my last stationery haul though hehe, already can't wait to stock up for university...although, that may take a little longer than just a year, who knows. :)

I really hope you enjoyed this blog post. If you did, definitely leave me a comment below. Also, let me know what type of stationery you love buying the most and where you get it from!

Lots of Love ♥

Xx Jacqueline


P.S. If anyone is buying their school stuff in Germany - I got all of these things at Müller, Tedi and Aldi.

6 Spring Wardrobe Additions

Welcome to a new post!

Spring is here, and with that comes short sleeved weather. Seeing as I spend the last few years only buying few things, I am now standing in front of a huge list of things I need, as I seem to practically have way too little shirts for the warmer times. With my internship approaching, I also need a few new shirts and other bits for that. So me and some friends headed to Frankfurt, and I actually found quite a few bits that I liked. However, there are still some things on my list, so if you have any tips where to look for cute pieces for Summer and Spring that aren't too expensive, let me know.

I'm really sorry that these pictures aren't that great, but I sadly don't have the time to find someone to help me with them right now. I'll try to do better next time.

 H&M

It's a little see through, but I don't think you can do a lot wrong with a white blouse, sprinkled with dots. The v-neck isn't too deep either and it's a piece you can easily dress up and down, wearing it with a huge ass, but very comfy cardigan or with a blazer, for example.

Hollister

This is one of the pieces I got from my voucher. I was really surprised to see that it actually turned out to look a lot better on than I thought it would, because tops like that usually tend to not be very figure hugging. White is a risk for me, as I easily spill stuff over me, and it's also slightly see-through, but it was too pretty not to take with me.

Hollister

This shirt is actually a bit too big for me, but I didn't want to carry that voucher with me for another four years, so I decided to get it anyway. It's just fine when stuffing it into your jeans or shorts.

Vero Moda

I actually didn't really want to buy black clothes, or dull colours in general, but this looked really good on, and it's also armpit free - aka sweet free, which is great. I still need some other clothes, so I guess I'm going to have to force myself to buy some colours.

Primark

To be completely honest, this is actually from the men section. But the design was too nice not to take it with me. In the end it's still a t-shirt, no need for gender labels.

ONLY

I don't buy many dresses for some reason, even if I love them. I need something nice to wear on my first day at work though, which is not allowed to be a pair of jeans, so I thought this would only be perfect. I can easily wear it all through summer as well, and it wasn't too expensive either. I had to get it.

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Soo, did you make any new additions to your Spring wardrobe yet? What have been your favourite places to get clothes from right now? Leave some suggestions, and you might find them in another blogpost when I've gotten the other bit of clothing that I need. :)

Have an amazing start to the new week ♥

Love, Jacqueline Xx

New In The Skincare Drawer

Welcome to a new post!

I haven't done a beauty related post in quite a while, and I thought since I have recently ordered some new skincare bits, I might as well show them to you today, and maybe some of you will be inspired.

It is one of my goals of this year, not only to use up all the skin and body care bits that I already own, but also invest in some better skincare. And since I got some vouchers for my birthday and Christmas, I just couldn't resist ordering some straight away.

I really focused on trying brands I haven't tried yet but wanted to, and also get a variety of brands and different products instead of getting pretty much the same things from just one brand.

If you are interested in seeing a proper review of any, or maybe  even all products, please let me know, and I'll totally do one! :)

Clinique Extra Gentle Intro Kit

I had been walking past these Clinique sets for so so long, yet I never got one because I was a little scared I would spend money on it to either not end up using it or my skin reacting badly. Yet, this time I somehow forced myself to do it, especially because I wanted to get the moisturizer and it was literally the same price without the other two products, which is pretty much why I decided to go for this.

It includes an Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam (45ml), a Clarifying Lotion (100 ml) and a Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream (30ml).

So far, I am pretty happy with it, although I am still not quite keen on the smell of the clarifying lotion. But I will report back once I have properly tested it!

Origins Mask Samplers

Bloody hell I cannot tell you how happy I was when I realized that Origins are now selling small one use pots of their masks. I have been wanting to try them for ages, but never got them because the thought of spending so much money on a mask that either me or my skin might hate kept stopping me. But this time I just had to go for it, and I cannot wait to try them. Let's hope my next order will include a full size because I have completely fallen in love with it.

If you've ever tried any of their masks, please tell me what you think and which one's your favourite, I'd love to find out. :)

Khiels Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Mask

To be honest with you, I actually didn't buy this one, but you got it for free if you ordered for a certain amount of money, and I just could not resist trying something from Khiel's. And can we just talk about how freaking cute this tube is?? It's so small, I'm still not over it and I've had it for like two weeks already. I'm so ready to try this, and I am definitely keeping the tube once it's used up, just to stare at it haha.

I really hope you enjoyed this post, especially because I don't do as many beauty posts anymore. I'm really sorry if that's annoying you.

If you would like to see some more beauty related posts, or maybe you would like to see something completely different, definitely contact me, I am open for any inspiration! 😊 Definitely leave me some inspiration on what other products and brands I should try this year as well, I really want to invest a little bit more in my skin!

Have a phenomenal week! ♥

Love, Jacqueline Xx

Shopping it Back To School

Welcome to a new post!

As I'm writing this, I am nearly half way through my Summer break, whilst other people are already back in school. Every year again, I get more exited about buying new stationary bits for school than anything. I also love seeing people's hauls, and I'm probably not the only one, so I thought I would tell you all about the stuff that I got. I apologize if this ends up being totally boring...you won't seen any other one's for another year from now on haha :)

Now that it's time for the year before I do my A-levels, there's obviously going to be a lot more important stuff happening that we need to keep, especially in our advanced courses, which is why I got myself a new big folder for all of my stuff. All my other ones are literally full, so I guess it was kinda necessary...and I loved the cherry red colour as well to be honest :D.

Then I got myself a lined exercise book, though I will probably have to get a few other ones. I will try my best to put all of the stuff for the books we're going to read inside these things. I only got one for now, as so far I am only having to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Next is a divider - I hope that is the actual translation - as I feel like they are a lot better than having to go through tons and tons of pages that are the same length and height until you find the subject you're looking for. Might have to get a second one though...too many subjects..:D

I also got a little A5 ring binder notebook. Not because I need it, but because I really like writing important stuff and ideas down in one place, but my school's homework planner doesn't really have enough space, even for my homework. I thought this would be a nice idea, as I needed a new notebook anyway.

According to my translater there is no actual translation in English - I would basically call it a vocabulary book. I got two of these - one for English, one for Spanish. I wouldn't usually get one for English, but as we are going to learn a lot more and harder vocabs in the next two years in the advanced course, I thought it would make sense to get one this year.

Next some neon coloured sticky notes. I've been loving to use them over the past year, especially for To-Do-Lists - Germany also doesn't sell a lot of pretty stationary bits like that anyway, so I had to get something else.

What I've found to be an essential over the past year, is a pocket hole punch - YES, thinks like that actually exist! I find nothing more frustrating than trying to be organized for the first few months in school and teachers just keep on giving you papers without holes, ready to be put into your folder. This is a life saver - sorry, I get a little nerdy from time to time :D.

Last but not least, A5 sized index cards, as I usually get them a size smaller which can be quite annoying when you've got bigger topics from time to time.

I also got a few new  pens, as I can be a little picky with the way they write, as well as one that you can erase (best thing ever!). As my yellow highlighters are all black after the past few months, I also got a new one of those.

I love using glittery pens when decorating DIY presents or writing cards, but recently my ones had grown so old and dead, it was time to get a new package. I told my mum to get that set at Lidl, and she literally came back with 30 pens haha. Well, now I've got 30 instead of 10 - not going to complain though :D.

I also had to get a few other bits, just like disinfaction spray - another essential at our school, especially when it comes to the girl's toilets. You know the struggle of dissapearing hair ties, so it was time to get a new one of that as well. Last but not least, a new waterproof mascara. I usually don't buy from L'oreal, for a few reasons, but Ms Danielle Peazer has been talking about it for the past few weeks, so I thought I'd give it a go, as my other mascaras are used up anyway hehehehe :D.

Last but not least, my homework which I only just finished last night, as I am writing this - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, including Annotations and Additional Background Material. I really liked it, even if it's a school related book, and I'm glad I finally got round to reading it. I'll soon have another book related post going up, featuring a small review, so watch out for that. ;)

I'm going to be redecorating the boring front pages in the next few weeks before school starts, and I'm thinking about showing you the finished products. Let me know if you would like to see that, as I absolutely love doing that, instead of sitting around with the same boring folders and notebooks as everyone else.

Don't forget to let me know, what you are most exited about, if you are going back to school? Yes, I know, it's kind of boring and annoying, but I am pretty sure all of us got a reason why it ain't as bad as we always say. :)

Have a great day ♥

Love, Jacqueline Xx

MAC & Revlon Haul

Welcome to a new post!

I recently went online and used my vouchers for a German make-up store, that I got for Christmas and my birthday, and ordered a few new things. I really wanted to invest in a few new things instead of buying tons of really cheap stuff that I am not entirely happy with. 

I orginially had also ordered some skincare bits as well, but it really is important to look at the size of the bottle that you are buying, guys. Anything can sound kinda cheap, but then a tiny tiny bottle might arrive if you forgot to check how much there is supposed to be in it. :D Let me tell you, I know what I am talking about. :D

 Here's a quick overview over the things that I bought.

I literally went mad when only the insert of the MAC palette arrived, because I had no idea that you had to order the insert AND the proper palette, which is quite annoying. I still ended up ordering the actual palette then, because I had wanted this palette for ages. It is just so pretty, even if it's literally just a piece of plastic for 26€. The price is ridiculous, but to be honest I will treasure this and probably won't buy another one for quite a while, as it actually is quite a pricey thing, especially for someone my age.

I want this palette to only consist of loads of colours that I will actually use and love a lot, so basically - tons of browns and golden shimmery colours, so when I have filled this palette it will be this desert-island-palette kind of thing. 

To start that off I ordered two eyeshadows, both colours that I will get a lot of use out of. I chose the shades 'Handwritten', as well as 'All that glitters'. 

'Handwritten' is a really nice warm brown, which actually the exact colour that I was looking for, as I like wearing this kinda colour in the crease and corner of my eye.

'All that glitters' is really hyped, so I guess I won't have to tell you much about it, but it's basically just a really nice golden, apricot shimmery shade, perfect for the whole lid.

 Ever since I saw Lily Pebbles talking about the MAC lipstick in 'Syrup' I have been interested in this shade. It is the prettiest shade ever. A really nice neutral tone, that isn't too unnoticeable. I would describe it as an old kind of pinkish tone with a really nice brown undertone, which gives it this really nice and unique in between shade. If you are looking for something natural but a bit more noticeable, have a look at this one, you might fall in love with it as well.

They are finally selling some Revlon bits in German online shops which I am really happy about, as I didn't end up buying anything when I went to London.

I ended up going for the Lacquer Lip Balm in the shade 105, which I thought would be a  really nice natural rosy tone, but when it came, actually looked more peachy toned. It contains quite a lot of glitter, which I am not really a big fan of, and I don't think it's very moisturizing either, but I do still like it.

This is a sample of the Strictly Jil Sander Shampoo, which I actually got for ordering so much stuff lol. I did expect something else, but I always enjoy trying new shampoos, so we'll see how I get on with it.

And last but not least the samples that I picked with both orders, which I am really happy about, even if the shade of the foundation won't match me. :D

Thank you for reading this post, and my other blogposts. I am really thankful for all of it. :)

Let me know if there is anything in particular that you want me to talk about, or think I should check out. Recommendations are always appreciated. :)

Love, Jacqueline Xx