The Battle Between Living Life and Wishing it Away

I feel like I’m in the middle of two seasons in my life right now.

One season that is definitely not my favourite season. Which is making me strongly believe that the next season will be the best I’ve ever had. Whether or not that is actually realistic is not the point. I’m barely living in and for this season because all my free time and free thought is being spent thinking about the future.

I am essentially wishing away the present.

The Bible says:

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:”‭‭ [Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:1]

What that means for me, right here and right now, is that there is a reason for where I am right now. I never seem to see and understand the reason behind why things happen, especially while they are happening, but that is what faith is: trusting that God allows things, situations and people around you at any given time for particular reasons.

Through this faith that I am exact where I am supposed to be, and the hope in a future where I continue to grow into the amazing, accomplished woman I’m called to be, I still constantly battle with restlessness about where I am. I want to be accomplished and established now. Now, now, now! But I am also very conscious that I still have a lot of growing and maturing to do so I can’t be there yet.

I guess, life is always going to be the battle of enjoying every season you are in, whether or not it feels good, while still hoping and praying for a better future.

In Steven Furtick’s book Crash the Chatterbox (if you have me on social media you’ll know I’m obsessed with this book!), he presents a letter from an established Austrian poet, Rainer Maria Rilke and a young aspiring poet. Rilke’s words are timely and when reading this section, I felt like they were written for me:

“You are so young, all beginning is so far in front of you, and I should like to beg you earnestly to have patience with all unsolved problems in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms, or books that are written in a foreign tongue. Do not search now for the answers, which cannot be given you, because you could not live them. That is the point, to live everything. Now you must live your problems. And perhaps gradually, without noticing it, you will live your way into the answer some distant day.” (Crash the Chatterbox, Pg 178)

I know he’s a poet so it’s a given to write beautifully, but I cannot believe how spot on this is. It is a nice reminder that through struggles, perseverance is built and by the time you come out at the end, you’ll begin to see why you came through the path you did.

I’ve deliberately kept this post quite vague. Firstly, to keep my business, MY business (lol) but mostly so you can apply it to whatever season you are in. Or if you are blessed and in a super joyful season at the moment, keep this one in your back pocket to bring out when you’re in a not-so-great time.

Peace&Love.

Paula Melissa xx

THE DOS AND DON’TS OF CVS AND COVER LETTERS

After working in recruitment and screening hundreds of CVs, cover letters and portfolios at work, I have picked up a few best practices for CVs that I thought I’d share with you all. Make sure to share too!

[Feature image from Unsplash]

DO use headings and sub-headings to make your CV clear. Remember, recruiters often glance over your CV quickly, especially with roles they have recieved a lot of applications for. DON’T make it unclear what, when and where your previous experience was. Dates and locations need to be easily identifiable.

DO briefly outline who you are in your cover letter/CV’s opening paragraph. DON’T write paragraphs and paragraphs about how great you are! Your experience and education should speak for you.

DO outline your education/qualifications, particularly if they are relevant to the role you are going for. DON’T break down every single GCSE and A-Level you got, especially if they aren’t relevant to the job or were achieved a long time ago. If you got a D, E, F or U in any subject,  DON’T include it. I would say when talking about any educational qualification before an undergraduate degree, summarise: ‘9A*-C GCSEs including Maths and English, ABB In A-Level subjects Maths, Chemistry and Physics’

DO have your CV ready to attach to jobs you are applying for. DON’T attach a cover letter when applying for a role by email. You can just copy and paste it into the body of the email.

DO concisely talk about your relevant past roles and work experiences, always starting with the most recent or split your experience into ‘relevant experience’ and ‘other experience’. DON’T outline every job you have ever had, especially if it isn’t relevant for the job you are going for, at all impressive or was a million years ago!

DO get someone to look over and check your CV for mistakes. DON’T leave your tutor’s comments/notes on your CV. That is a straight delete.

DO have a nice, smiley, appropriate image on your LinkedIn profile, which you can have a (hyper)link to on your CV (post on LinkedIn dos and don’ts coming soon!). DON’T add your photo to your CV if you are applying for a job in the UK. It’s cringe.

DO use the space on the page well in your CV. This way you can have all the key information you would like the recruiter to know without over/under doing it. DON’T have more than 2 pages for a CV, unless it is a specific technical CV. If you can make it one page without loosing good details do so, but if not, two nice full pages is the way to go.

DO put dates (at least the month and year) to your education and experience. Recruiters want to know how long you were in role for and when. This is especially crucial in early careers where you may or may not qualify for certain roles, internships and placements depending on when you started university or when you graduated. DON’T put your age or date of birth on your CV. Ageism is REAL in the workplace.

DO read the job description, and read it well! DON’T apply for the job when you know you are not suitable for the role. DON’T annoy the recruiter. Three is good number of similar roles within one organisation to apply for. Any more than that – BYE!

DO try and explain any technical/specialist terms on your CV and cover letter as simply as possible. DON’T deliberately try and use fancy terms that confuse the recruiter.

DO save your CV’s file name as your first and last name. DON’T save the document as ‘My CV’, ‘Doc 2’ or ‘fhhjbasbdsbj’. Not helpful.

DO save your CV in pdf form as well as as a word document, especially if it is a creative/art and design CV. This keeps the formatting the way you intended it whereas the format of word docs depends on which year of Microsoft the recruiter has. DO have a visually attractive CV, especially if you are applying for a creative role. DON’T save your CV on any other program other than Word (or as a pdf) such as Adobe InDesign or Sketch as the recruiter may not have these programs and will not be able to open your CV. And you won’t get the job!

 

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any points to add and make sure to share with your job-hunting friends!

Peace&Love.

Paula Melissa xx

#2 HOW TO BE A CREATIVE!! ALL THE LINKS YOU WILL EVER NEED!! – #CareersForCreatives

By Paula Melissa

Want a creative career* in Marketing, Journalism, Music or Technology but you don’t know where to start?

You’ve come to the right place!

When I first decided I wanted to be a creative, I did not know where to start! There weren’t many people doing what I was doing. It wasn’t like today where Twitter is full of likeminded people (Why does 2010 sound like SO LONG ago?)

So I decided to make this list of a few links** and organisations I’ve come into contact with over the years. There is a real mix here- from bursaries and scholarships to job boards and internships. I know I would have loved something like this so I’m hoping this is super helpful for you.

*Also, I should make it clear, because I have so many lovely readers outside of the UK, that these links are specific to the UK.

**All links should open in new tab

As always, please contact me with any questions!

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General Creative:

Sanctuary Graduates

Guiding graduates through the recruitment process

Graduate Fog

Career advice to help with navigating through the changing career market

We Heart Mondays

A space for creative female entrepreneurs

Foundervine

A community for entrepreneurs

The Middle

A platform highlighting creatives and entrepreneurs in the middle of their creative journeys.

City Career Series

Detailed resources and handbooks on different City careers e.g. Law, Investment Banking and Business

The Dots

A professional network for creatives – like a creative LinkedIn – where you can find creative jobs and brands can find you!

Lively Stones

An online platform for inspired and entrepreneurial Christian students

Pursue Your Passion

Guidance and support through GCSEs, A-Levels, Degrees and Graduations through networking events (FB)

PressPad

Offering free accommodation for journalism students/graduates on unpaid internships

LinkedIn Learning

Thousands of courses on different careers and skills, from graphic design, to personal development

SocialFixt

A Facebook group enabling people to share internal opportunities to make you aware of creative jobs out there that you may have missed! They also organise career events.

Women in the City  (WCAN)

A large group of Black women, both students and professionals, working within different industries across the City (corporate). They provide mentoring, networking opportunities and advertise vacancies.

Creative Access

Present career opportunities for BAME young people in the creative industries: Book Publishing, Film, Museums & Galleries, Music, Newspaper & Magazine Publishing, PR, Advertising & Marketing, Radio, Television, Talent and Theatre.

uptree

An online professional network & careers platform

Livity 

A youth-led creative organisation that do everything, from music to film making to photography! They also offer co-working space and workshops.

Google’s Digital Garage

Learn digital skills to use in business through free training courses

Hiive

A network for professional creative people to connect with people, brands, jobs and opportunities

GoThinkBig

Provide help, advice, work experience and internships for different creative paths

GetMyFirstJob

An extensive database of apprenticeships, placements and internships

Government – Apprenticeships

National apprenticeships in England

Apprenticeships

Help with apprenticeships all over the UK

TargetJobs

Graduate jobs, grad schemes and postgraduate courses

Student Ladder

Job/work opportunities from year 12 to graduate

RateMyPlacement

Reviews on internships and placements with large companies

The Muse

A careers site with jobs, articles relating to careers and BTS on large companies worldwide

employeeREDEFINED

Articles and one-to-one help for young millennial ‘stuck’ in their careers

Creative Toolkit

Advice and information for new entrants about working in entertainment – including your legal rights!

Young Barbican

A scheme for 16-25 year olds, giving them discounted tickets to art and entertainment shows and creative workshops

Girl Got Faith

Beauty, lifestyle and faith blog for teenagers (I’m including this as inspiration for creative ventures and I love the way they run their social media)

Refinery29.uk

Global media company focusing on Women

Amplify

Joining dots between people, brands and culture

LDN_LAB from Facebook

Offering mentoring, office space, workshops and chance to network with key people at Facebook!

Urban Nerds

Culture and Youth marketing agency specialising in influencer, events and content marketing

Black Sisters Network

Space for Black Christian women

Journalism:

Studying Journalism at University [VIDEO]

Here’s a video I made at the end of my second year studying Journalism Studies at the University of Sheffield talking about the course.

Journalism.co.uk

Industry website with information on jobs, placements, courses and other things to help trainee journalist.

The Guardian

A portal for jobs and training opportunities in The Guardian – mainly in London, New York and Sydney.

Media Trust

A media and communications charity connecting media professions with charity organisations to communicate their message with the world.

Media Diversified

An UK-based online magazine focusing on hearing from writers of colour

Black Ballad

An online publication written by and primarily for Black women, founded by freelance journalist, Tobi Oredein.

TCS Network

A 100% publicly funded online news publication

First Employ

Professional development and careers website that advertises jobs but also provides courses and workshops to improve employability

Sky Early Careers

Career opportunities for students and graduates

Clarity Mag

A young Christian female magazine (I included this one as website and product inspiration! Their magazine is beautifully produced.)

Broadcast and Digital Media:

Edinburgh TV Festival – Talent Schemes

Schemes to help you break in to TV (brought to you by YouTube and BT)

VIACOM – Breaks

Work placements and internships with VIACOM and their corresponding brands: MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and Channel 5.

news:rewind

Digital media events by Journalism.co.uk

Bauer Media

Bauer Media UK manage a LARGE amount of the entertainment media we see on TV, Radio, Magazines and Online

The Talent Manager

A large database of jobs primarily in broadcast media in the UK

BEBB

An online media platform founded by BkChat presenter and content creator, Nissy Tee

Espire21

An online lifestyle women’s magazine

MoCunks.com

A lifestyle platform founded by online content creator and host, Mo Chunks

Mediaworks

Digital marketing agency that literally do it all: SEO, paid media marketing and content creation

Marketing/Advertising/Graphic Design:

D&AD

A global organisation and forerunners in the creative design and advertising

Adobe – Forums

Discuss design ideas and het help from others

Creativepool

A network and job board for agencies, brands and individuals to showcase their work, connect and look for creative jobs.

Branding/PR/Comms/Publicity:

Adzvice

Content on personal and business branding

We Heart Mondays

Co-working office spaces and social communities of female influencers, freelancers and entrepreneurs in London

FBL Bloggers

F.B.L (Fashion Beauty Lifestyle) Bloggers network connecting bloggers and YouTubers with branding opportunities

Sixteenth

Influencer talent agency

Photography/Videography:

Digital Camera Photographer of the Year 2018

A major photography competition with great prizes and an opportunity to present your photography to professional judges

YouTube Academy 

Lots of courses on how to start and grow a YouTube channel

TriForce Short Film Festival

Film makers competition to have your film played at BAFTA

Scholarships/Bursaries/Awards/Youth Services:

Leweeza’s application handbook

A handbook of CV tips, cover letter, application helps, assessment centres etc

The Amos Bursary

Leadership programs and opportunities for young men of African and Caribbean descent

Amazon’s Women in Innovation Bursary 

helping young women from less advantaged backgrounds fulfil their ambitions of a career in innovation and technology by providing financial support.

Amazon’s AWS re:Start program

AWS re:Start will provide free training and job placements to help 1,000 out of work young people as well as military veterans, reservists and their spouses, to launch a career in technology.

One Pound Something

Content on personal finance, money and saving

UK Youth

National charity providing life services for young people primarily from disadvantaged backgrounds, through local charities and organisations.

Big Lottery Fund

National organisation that provide funding for community groups, charity projects and social enterprises all around the UK.

Royal Television Society

An educational charity working within TV, Broadcast and Film. They have different bursaries and scholarships – I’m actually an RTS member myself!

D&AD Awards

An award for creative branding and graphic design

Elevation Networks

Youth employment, recruitment, training and education

Aleto Foundation

Organisation that runs leadership programmes

Music:

SheSaid.So

A global network of women who work in the music industry, offering networking and mentorship opportunities.

Roundhouse

An organisation helping young artists, primarily in music but also in media and performing arts, with career help, life skills and help with equipment and facilities. They have rooms and studios for SUPER cheap for young artists.

Technology:

Code First: Girls

Free coding and tech lessons for women in tech

Google Internships

Google offer internships and entry level jobs and also sponsored programs

Amazon’s Women in Innovation Bursary 

helping young women from less advantaged backgrounds fulfil their ambitions of a career in innovation and technology by providing financial support.

Amazon’s AWS re:Start program

AWS re:Start will provide free training and job placements to help 1,000 out of work young people as well as military veterans, reservists and their spouses, to launch a career in technology.

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Let me know if this has helped you!

Peace&Love

Paula Melissa xx

PRAY FOR PARIS, PRAY FOR HUMANITY

 

 

 

My heart is really heavy, right now. There are so many things going on in the world that make me feel small, and useless and out of control. Yes, I know this is not about me but I want to be able to feel like I have done something to reduce the hurt that our world is feeling.

An earthquake in Japan. An attack in Lebanon. Bombings in Baghdad. Hurricane in Mexico. Terrorist attacks in Paris. I do not know what is happening and why it is happening, and neither do I claim to. If you have been affected by any of these disasters, I pray that you and your families are comforted. All I can offer are my prayers and my condolences.

I feel like we are getting closer and closer to the end of the world and while this is a really scary thought, I am strangely comforted by the idea of meeting my Maker soon. I know you may not what to here this as it may sound like a total cliché, but honestly, God is in control. I do not understand what is happening and I do not fully understand God and His ways, but I think that we will be alright.

Keep praying and keep fighting, because we only lose when we turn on each other based on religion and race and political views. We need to understand that before any of that, we share one thing in common – we are all human. We are all part of the human race. There are human beings out there today mourning the loss of children, wives, and husbands. Why not focus your energy on praying for them and showing them love in anyway you can, instead of spreading hatred towards people and religious groups. We are all mourning, as a human race we are all mourning.

My heart is so heavy. #PrayForHumanity

Paula Melissa xx

 

How to become a Journalist

I want to be a journalist. I’ve wanted to be a journalist for quite a long while. My desire to be a journalist gave birth to this blog three years ago. My next step in this journalism journey is going to university to study it, later this year. Wooooo!

Over the past couple years, I have been advised and I have researched intensively how to improve myself to ensure I am ready to become a journalist.  I am by no means an expert in this field yet obviously, but I have a few tips that hopefully will steer you to the right direction, especially if you want to be a presenter, journalist, reporter or writer.

1. First of all, you need to love reading and writing. As obvious as this sounds, you would be surprised how many people want a career in Journalism, but groan when asked about books or panic when asked to write a short story. Mate, you need to love reading and writing.
2. Secondly, you need work experience or work placements. This needs to be done as soon as humanly possible. Seriously, start now. It doesn’t even matter if you haven’t finished high school yet – get work experience. Now, I mean no disrespect when I say this but when I say work experience, I am not referring to working in a primary school or a retail outlet. What I mean is in the media industry – intern in your local newspaper, magazine or radio station. Or all three. Anything and everything is valuable experience. Here are a few good sites to begin your search for placements, work experience, internships and apprenticeships: https://gothinkbig.co.uk/, http://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/, http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/ and https://www.gov.uk/browse/working/finding-job.
3. Thirdly, get yourself online. Nowadays, everything is online and we (as young journalists) need to use this to our advantage. All these media outlets and institutions are now increasingly using social media and online services. The online world is constantly expanding and evolving, rapidly – do not allow it to leave you behind! You (as a young journalist) need a twitter account. It is necessary to find out about news and opinions on news stories, literally as they are happening all over the globe. Keeping up with current affairs is everything (forget Keeping Up with the Kardashians) in this profession. Make sure you follow broadsheet and tabloid newspapers, radio shows and media cooperation (follow me while you’re at it: PaulaPaceSetter;) such as; The Guardian, Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The Independent, Sky News, BBC News, Radio 1 etc. You cannot be a journalist if you aren’t interested in the world around you. You cannot live in a social bubble.
4. Start researching universities from now. This one may be a little early or a little late depending on how old you are, but generally this is an important step in the whole journey. Find a course that balances all media platforms, especially online journalism which is an emerging mode. Also, make sure you find a course that is taught by established and practising journalists – that way they aren’t teaching out of date content.
5. This one closely follows the previous step but is SO important it deserves it’s own number. Only go for universities that are NCTJ accredited. The National Council for the Training of Journalists has been training journalists since 1951. This course is the industry benchmark that ALL editors value and expect from their journalists. Make sure you go to a uni that offers this qualification alongside your BA or MA in Journalism because trust me when I say, it will be much harder to get a job with just a regular journalism degree. Do not waste three or four years of your life on something that doesn’t open doors to your dream job.
6. Ensure that you can spell and write in good grammar. This seems really silly and small but honestly this is super super important. I recently completed (and passed) a 2-hour Journalism admission test at a university and honestly, I almost fell at the hurdle of the spelling and grammar part. It made me realise how much work I need to do on spelling. I cannot rely on spellcheck forever.
7. At any stage in the Education system when you are deciding what subjects to do, ensure you pick essay based subjects. You need to learn how to cohesively structure writing in and interesting but functional way. Here is a list of subjects I suggest from; English Language, English Literature, English Language and Literature, Sociology, Psychology, Media Studies, History, Geography, Law, Government and Politics, Philosophy and any modern foreign language.
8. Lastly, practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Find a story in your local area, get interviews and write an article. Just write. Then ask someone to read it and get feedback. then build on that feedback and build up a portfolio of your work. This blog is kind of my version of that.

 

I hope this tips are some what helpful. If they are, I’m glad.

Peace&Love.

Paula Melissa x

 

Motivation for high school, sixth form and college – VIDEO

 

I feel like we all get to that stage in the education system when we’re like, “I’m so done!” so this video is to motivate you all to continue on!

 

Peace&Love.

Paula ox’

How to make an impact – 4 simple steps

Have you ever asked yourself, ‘how do I make an impact?’ In this kind of world, it gets harder to truly be the person God made you and wants you to be.

1) Make an impact through the type of lifestyle you live
People are watching you… Us. Everyone is looking for that guidance, that ‘something’ and therefore we must be that ‘something’ in their lives, shown through our lives.Be a comforting voice or reason in peoples lives, a voice that reassures everyone. Let people know you as a positive person, a person know for uplifting words and actions, not words and actions that pull others down.

2) Make an impact through your giving.
This one is a little touchy because I know most of you lot were literally like, “Oh! Heck no! My money is my money!”, but giving don’t always mean money. It can mean giving your time, your emotions, your service, your resources or your knowledge. If someone is in need, and you are capable of helping them, help them. It’s not everyday sit and wait until they come to you begging on their needs; some days just help wholeheartedly. It is literally the little things that people will notice are different in your life. You’re in McDonald’s for lunch with a friend. You’ve already ordered and paid for your lunch. Your friend assumes he/she has more money than she actually does and can’t afford the medium diet coke with the meal. If you have that extra pound, give it to the friend. That is making an impact with your giving. Lastly, don’t be that person who keeps a record of your givings. “I gave you 33p on the 6th of June 2005, it was a Monday, and it was snowing. You was wearing a blue top, I was wearing a red.” That’s just ridiculous. Give wholeheartedly. Again, give wholeheartedly.

3) Make an impact through your speaking
Prayer is communicating with God; it is just talking. It may look like you’re speaking to yourself, but you’re not. God is listening.
You can make an impact by praying over your life and the lives of your friends, family and peers. Quick story; once, a good friend of mine was heading down the wrong path, and it was really worrying me. I didn’t feel like I could talk to her about it because she had the mindset that everyone was judging her, and that everyone, including me, was against her. In fact, it is the exact opposite. I wanted what was best for her. So I tweeted out, “What do you do when your friend is going down the wrong route?” and someone replied and said, “all you can do is pray for them.” Long story short; they are back to where they are supposed to be, thanks to the prayers of myself and her friends, family and church. If you care about someone, pray for them.
2 Chronicles 7:15
15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

4) Make an impact through knowledge and passing on knowledge

The Bible is referred to as ‘The word of God’. Technically, people wrote it, but it was under the interpretation given to them by God. I don’t know how some people expect God to pick up a heavenly pen and heavenly paper and wrote down stuff. God is a spirit and not of this earthly world. Therefore, he must use physical people to physically write down his words. When you hear or read the things written down in the Bible, your faith grows. Faith is your belief, your belief in life, your belief in God and your belief in yourself. Think about it like this, if someone verbally abused a child from a young age over a long period of time, that person will grow into a young adult and believe all the abuse the have heard over time. The Bible works in a similar way, except it is positive, reassuring words that helps you build a confidence which pulls you through troubles and problems in life. The Bible’s definition of faith is found at Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Furthermore, Romans 10:17 (Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.) establishes that hearing the word of God is a priority. As well as hearing the word, you need to be able to share the word with other people. This encourages people who have low levels of faith and belief, in their selves or in life, due to what they have gone through in the past.

These four simple steps work when used all together in a persons life.
These steps are an adaptation from a message heard in church, so not all my own work.
Peace&Love.
Paula ox’

 

Team healthy living

People say I always have phases in life when I’m obsessed with a particular thing, activity, music, artist etc for a while, then I get bored of it and move on. As sad and childish as that makes me sound, it is so true.

I’m laughing because on the 25th of September 2012, I wrote a post about healthy living and that phase of mine lasted like a week, maybe even less.

But now, I’m a lot more grown up so I’d like to believe I mean it for real this time.

Ever since the first day of the year, I have made a conscious effort to eat healthier. i must say, I was a relatively healthy person beforehand, because I don’t eat a lot (which is really hard to believe since I am always talking about food and complaining about being hungry lol), but this year I hope to improve my relationship with food. I used to eat really irregularly, skipping meals and bingeing. BUT NO MORE.

So far I’ve managed to stay on track, but since college is back the real challnege is back too. Part of my healthy living also, I do a 25 minitue walk every morning to college and a 25 minute walk back (so nearly an hour of walking a day which is the only nit of excersie I do).

Let’s see how that works out, lovelies:’)

Peace&Love.

Paula ox’

Birthweek Lookbook

So, my birthday was on the 20th of December and I decided to do a Birthweek Lookbook.

Let me explain further, a Birthweek Lookbook is when I display the outfits I wore the week of my birthday –  Monday 16^th December 2013 – Sunday 22^nd December 2013. No, I don’t think I’m a model or a fashion guru, I just thought it would be a fun little thing to do. Hopefully, this will interest some of you. I do realise how late this is but consider the fact that I took a break for Christmas (and I had no WiFi, but that’s a story for another day). Also on that note, I hope you had a great festive period.

Because I had decided that I was going to do this, I made sure to dress a bit more fashionably than before. Most of these outfits are so ‘dressy’ shall we say, for normal days especially considering I was in college most of the time. Never mind that, most people at my college are used to seeing me overdress because I literally live to overdress.

Monday 16th

On Monday I wore a gold Mesh-sleeved top which I bought from Fashion union (brand: Headgirl), which I paired with a simple black pencil skirt, (also purchased from the online store Fashion Union, I love them) and black flats. My only accessory was an exotic black necklace (that was a personal gift and I have no idea where it was bought from. Sorry.)

Tuesday 17th

After my super dressy Monday, I decided to dress down for Tuesday and settled with a pink ‘New York’ printed tee, which is from New Look. With this I wore a pair of comfy black leggings and my Pink Timberlands (which I literally wear all-of-the-time). I’m not sure, but I think pink Timberlands can only be purchased directly from the host company Timberland as they are customized, and tend to be rather expensive. (Another personal gift, which is why I’m not sure) However, I’ve had mine for years; they are great quality so definitely a great purchase.

Wednesday 18th

Wednesday was freezing; hence my outfit that makes me look like a fluffy penguin. I went with a stripy hat (Have I mentioned how much I am loving hats and beanies nowadays?) paired with my Dad’s long winter scarf. I tied the ends of the scarf together and used it as a snood (tip!). My top is a striped long jumper, in the same colours as my hat and scarf (all matchy!), which was bought from New Look. On top of that, I wore an over-sized fluffy jumper – from Primark – which is literally the warmest thing ever made. I finished this look with black leggings and dark blue pumps. For some reason, I also choose to accessorize with a white bangle, although it was totally unnecessary.

Thursday 17th

Thursday consisted of the same fluffy jumper as the day before however, this time it was paired with a much more ‘girly’ outfit. I sported a white and black skater skirt (brand: Premier der toi) with a tucked in black t-shirt, finished with simple black ballet flats. I accessorized a helluva lot on Thursday; a feathered necklace purchased from New Look, a black skinny belt and a black and white bangles. I had a lot of fun with this look.

Friday 20th (The big day)

Finally, it was the big day. I did try to dress down a bit that day, however, I’m not really sure if you will agree with me.

I wore a pair of grey jeans (brand: heaven sent), black boots, purple and white striped tee that I got from Primark like 4 years ago (I’m not sure how I still fit in it) and a purple and pink plaid shirt unbottoned on top. I finished this look with a blue ‘New York’ beanie that I have been wearing all of the time. I had a pretty chill day.

Saturday 21st

When I first got the idea to do this, I planned on doing it from Monday to Friday, but on Saturday I decided to extend it to Sunday. On Saturday, I wore my pink Tims again (I told you I love them) with dark blue jeans. My top is from M&S and its one of the only things I own from that shop because I used to believe there clothes are for matured women. They did a teenagers and youth line last year and I bought that top, which I love so much. Lastly, I wore my blue ‘New York’ beanie again, mainly because I couldn’t be bothered to style my hair. Sorry.

Sunday 22nd

Last but not least, Sunday the 22nd of December. I actually had a reason to dress up for this day because I went to church. I wore a burgundy peplum bodycon dress which was bought from Fashion Union. I wore with black tights (it was like 2 degress outside) and navy blue heels. I accessorized with a white bangle, a black statement necklace and a gold watch. You can see a flower in my hair too, but I totally just added that for the picture lol.

There we go, my week in outfits. I had so much fun doing this. I really do hope this interests or entertains some of you. Lastly, I must thank my sister for playing photographer the whole week. Trust me when I say, I am so picky about these kinds of things. We took so many pictures just for me to decide on about 2 or 3 (due to lighting, awkward posing, the usual).

Peace&Love.

Paula ox’

Party like it’s my birthday

WOW, the title is quite misleading, because I am not partying but yes, it’s’s my birthday. Yay!

I’m grateful to God for adding another year to my life. Another year older, wiser, stronger etc.. In this past year, 2013, I’ve learnt so much. I’ve been through so much and I’m grateful for every minute of it, to be perfectly honest. Every hardship and good time has made me a million and one times stronger than I was this time last year.

Gosh, I’m so soppy. lol but yes, I’m grateful for life, my friends, my family, all of you and everything, generally. And that’s the main point of this post, to show my gratitude.

Peace&Love. and Gratitude.

Paula ox’

Christmas Gift Ideas for Her

So, the countdown towards Christmas has already begun. Everyone is scrambling to get the right gifts for their loved ones – preferably on sale, of course. Here are a few ideas for Her, whether Her is your mum, sister, girlfriend, wife or even next door neighbour, she is guaranteed to love you.

The first item is a River Island Paris perfume set – From River Island

River Island Paris 75ml perfume set with body lotion and gift box. Paris is our uber feminine fragrance with a sexy mix of white flowers and creamy woods blended with dark amber and vanilla bark.

Product no: 641233

Price: £15.00

What I like about this perfume set is how cheap it is. £15 for a product that looks like it should be sold for £40. Also, I love the packaging. It looks makes the perfume look classy and of high quality. This is sold exclusively at River Island.

The second item is a Spa Complete Bathing Set – from Tesco

Offering everything you need for a pampering, relaxing bath, this Spa complete bathing set makes a great gift idea. The set includes bath salts, body lotion, body scrub, body wash, tea light candles and a bath puff.
Catalogue Number: 588-1796

Price: £5.00

Most women, young or old, love cute little bath sets because they just help you relax and feel feminine. I like this set from Tesco because, again it’s cheap (I’m a bit of a bargain hunter) but also because it comes with little candles which can make you pretend you’re in a Spa.

The third item is a Sparkle Cosmetic Bag Gift – From Next

A radiant floriental with sparkling citrus and luminous florals wrapped in precious woods. Set contains 30ml eau de parfum, nail polish, 100ml body lotion, solid fragrance, glass nail file.

Product code: 865-470

Price: £20.00

I feel like cosmetic gift bags are literally made especially for Christmas. I know that I’ll probably receive one this year. This one has won my vote because it has so many mini components, making you feel like you’re getting more for your money. Plus, who doesn’t love some glitter?

The fourth item is a Metal Feature Necklace – it isn’t available on the high street only online at http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/poshinteriors/product/silver-metal-feather-necklace but River Island and Topshop have made similar designs.

A lovely silver metal necklace with a unique design. A gorgeous detailed feathered effect. This stunning necklace will finish off most outfits beautifully. Versatile enough for a party, a wedding or a business meeting. A short bib style necklace that sits just below the neckline. A matching feather metal bracelet is also available in our collection. A gift box is included with this necklace and makes a lovely gift.

Product code: 202730

Price: £24.00

Although, this is a pricy one, I genuinely believe it is worth it. This feather trend is ALWAYS popular during Autumn/Winter and this year is no exception. That’s why I think this statement necklace is a great present for a young lady you know. The necklace is made from plated metal and the reviews are full of happy customers who were happy with the quality. So in this case, the price does reflect the quality. I’m usually not a fan of online purchases, but this may be an exception.

The fifth item is a Small Crystal Effect Sports Watch – From Next

Adjustable bracelet. Case diameter 2.7 cm.

Price: £22.00

 

This watch looks so attractive and is a great present for a girl that you know who isn’t too girly. We all know one!

The sixth item is a pair of Isotoner Smartouch Gloves – Found online at http://www.firebox.com/product/2956/Isotoner-SmarTouch-Gloves

SmarTouch Gloves are super soft, gloves with special conductive material woven into the thumb and index finger, so you can tap, pinch and scroll even when it’s minus whatever outside. Skin-like responsiveness? App-solutely. Staying toastie whilst fiddling with your gadgets has never been easier. 

Just think, with a pair of these innocuous looking gloves you’ll be able to text in the depths of winter, scroll through photos at freezing bus stops, manipulate your satnav when the heater’s on the blink and photograph polar bears without exposing delicate fingers to the elements. Now that’s gotta be worth a hand. 

Will not scratch or damage your screen

Works with most touchscreen devices including iPad and iPhone

Product code: 2956

Price: £14.99

 

You know those days when it’s so cold that you need to keep your gloves on but then you see someone has just replied to your hilarious tweet but you can’t reply because that requires taking off your gloves but your hands are already turning blue. Those days are no more. I found these gloves which are screen sensitive. They work on most touchscreen devices, but are specifically for apple products so I’d be wary if I was getting them for someone who owned a Samsung. However, the reviews are generally all positive; people believe they are worth the price, which I must admit is a little high. And apparently, when you order them at that site, they come with sweets. They also come in Black, Grey & Pink for women and Black and Charcoal for men.

Lastly, the seventh item is a Grey Faux Fur Bag – from Next

Product code: 886-749

Price: £30.00

 

Like I also said about the feathers, fur is another trend that is ALWAYS on point. (Us females really have this thing about dressing like animals, don’t we?) This bag is gorgeous and extremely spacious. I also love the price. Next are usually overpriced but here I think the price is great for the product.

I hope this was helpful and gave you a few ideas, or just entertaining to read.

Peace&Love.

Paula ox’

How to Deal with Stress in 3 Simple Steps

I’d like to think I’m a relatively calm person. I’m as calm as a teenage student can be in life, really. But, I know a lot of people who are the opposite of me and completely fall under the pressure of stress. I really know how to handle stress because I used to stress out about every little thing a lot. I’ve grown out of this though; I learnt how to deal with it.

 

We are roughly 4 months into our academic year and for most of us, it means we’re half way through our coursework, finished a module and are preparing for exams. Wow, time really does go by so fast, especially for first-years, like me, who aren’t so used to the speed at which college moves at. And that is why I decided to give you all pointers on how to deal with stress.

 

1. Time Management

 

Starting college, time management was a phrase that was thrown at me a lot, and genuinely, I actually believe it’s one of the things that will single-handedly carry you all the way through college. Time management is something that will drastically lower your stress levels, by at least half (not exactly scientifically proven). Give priority to the subjects or topics you know you’re not as strong in, but don’t give them too much attention or you’ll start to slack in the other subjects or topics that you know you’re good at. It’s all a balance, really.

 

2. Be Strict with Yourself

 

Okay, let’s say you’ve been eating a lot and you’re starting to put on weight, what is the solution? You have to become strict with yourself, you have to say no when you’re offered that second donut from Sainsbury, or you have to say no when you know you’ve eaten Chinese for lunch 3 times that week alone.  If you don’t say no to yourself and follow it through, you can’t really blame anyone for the consequences. Likewise, you need to know when to put your phone off (for some of us, me included, putting your phone on silent and away from us isn’t really enough) and do that homework you have been ignoring for days. You need to know when to log off Twitter or Facebook (Facebook is dead, by the way. Please don’t hate me) and open that revision guide. At the end of the day, if you haven’t made the necessary effort to work, you can’t blame anyone if you don’t do well.

 

3. Take a Break, Have a Kit-Kat

 

Honestly, this is literally the most obvious thing in the world, yet people will still forget it. We as human beings tend to need rests, so why do students feel like they are invincible? Guys, take my word for it, working until you explode really doesn’t help you or anyone else. Learn to sleep at a particular time – that really does help, believe it or not. A lot of teenagers go to sleep extremely late, and that’s completely depends on you, but if you set a specific time that you go to bed, no matter how late, your body and mind gets used to that. Your body and mind then begin to recognise when to rest and relax and when to work.

Peace&Love.

Paula Melissa xx

 

Strut in Studded Collars

If you want a versatile accessory that you can wear for a night out, as well as to college, then studded collars are for you. They make a real statement, whether worn under a jumper or with a girly dress.

The actual studded collar fashion trend started back in 2009 by fashion giants, Prada, but has now made a comeback looking bigger and better than ever. I think it’s because they look fierce, assertive and attractive. You can either wear the actual collar or shirts which already have studs or embroidery on the collar. Major sweetheart and fashion icon , Alexa Chung has been noted for sporting this gorgeous trend, as well as other fashionable celebs; Natalie Portman, Ashley Benson and Hailee Steinfield .

 Source: http://iriswholesale.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/embellished-collar.html

It is extremely easy to dress up and dress down studded collars – it all depends on what it’s paired with. For an evening out, a studded blouse with a fitted blazer or jacket is always hot. For college or a meet up with friends, just slip on a jumper on top of a studded collar shirt. So simple. So chic.

Source: http://www.arabiaweddings.com/sites/default/files/tips/2012/11/09/collar2.jpg

Here are a few examples I found, where you can buy them and for how much. The prices of them might have decreased, however, due to Christmas, Boxing Day and January Sales. Treat your friend or sister to a studded collar top or a few studded collars for Christmas; they’ll love you. If you’re still freaking out about prices, there are many High Street options – New Look, Next and Primark will have the look for less.

Peace&Love.

Paula ox’