An Evening With Collabro - London Palladium

Hello again everyone! Firstly, huge apologies for it being so long since my last post, i've been incredibly busy the past few months from going on holiday in September, to working alot since being home and been busy seeing friends. I've finally got a few hours free to write up a new post and I thought, what better post to do than to tell you all about my fabulous evening seeing the wonderful Collabro boys on their UK Home Tour at the London Palladium - hope you enjoy!!

On Thursday 16th November, myself and my friend Dani (among many others obviously) went to see Collabro headline a sold out show at the Palladium - right in the heart of London's West End. For anyone who knows me well enough, you'll know how much I adore those boys and this was actually my 3rd time seeing them this tour - i'd previously been to Southend and Guildford and had amazing evenings at all 3.

Anyway, getting on with the post. We got down to the venue early and met up with a few friends, managed to see the boys before they went in before going to get pre-show food before heading back inside to get ready for our VIP M&G. We checked in, had our m&g, which, as always, was an absolute pleasure, then headed back into the foyer before doors re-opened for the show.

Onto the exciting part - the show!! First up is Philippa Hanna who is the support act on the tour, she supported the boys on their first tour back in 2015 so it's AMAZING to see her back again! Philippa's style of music is more country inspired by her faith, her songs are inspirational and really come from the heart. She openly speaks about her troubles and battles she's faced in life that have led her to being the artist she is today and it really does make me believe there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and if you keep striving for what you want, one day, you can achieve that. Opening up the show Philippa performed one of her own songs 'Happy in my Skin' which, just as the title suggests, is a song about wanting to be comfortable in your own skin and being happy in yourself. She also took us through some other of her original songs including 'Speed of Light', 'Raggedy Doll', 'Arrow', and my personal favourite - 'I Am Amazing'. This song is truly inspiring and makes me feel that I am who I am for a reason and I should accept that, no matter how difficult that may be for me. I absolutely adore this incredible lady and I highly recommend anyone who doesn't yet know of her, check her out - I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Around 8.00, Collabro come on and open with 'This is the Moment' from Jekyll and Hyde, following this they perform 'Send in the Clowns' and two songs great for Disney fans - 'Beauty and The Beast' and 'Journey to the Past'. I'm not gonna lie, I got a tiny bit emotional during the opening, simply because it was amazing to see them shining on a West End stage and looking so happy. After a few more songs, the boys introduce their special guest - Carly Paoli, perform 'Over The Rainbow' with her before leaving the stage for Carly to perform 2 of her own songs from her debut album. Carly is absolutely stunning and has a beautiful voice and i'm sure she has a bright future ahead of her.

Once the boys re-appear they take us through more songs including a Les Mis medley including Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, I Dreamed A Dream and Bring Him Home - now I LOVE Les Mis and I may have shed a tear or two (okay, alot) during this - apologies to anyone who had to see me ball my eyes out! We also get some more upbeat songs like Don't Rain on my Parade before the interval. The second half kicked off with the boys performing Bui Doi from Miss Saigon followed by a Lion King mashup of Circle of Life and He Lives in You performed with a fantastic children's choir. Moving away from the musical theatre for a moment, they perform a fab version of Mumford & Son's song 'I Will Wait' before Carly comes back for 2 more songs.

Going back up-tempo, the boys perform Frank Sinatra's 'That's Life' which definitely had me dancing in my seat a bit (I secretly wanted to stand up and dance but didn't want to be the only one doing so!) After this, the boys talk to the audience about the first ever original song 'Lighthouse' and how they released it recently as a charity single with all proceeds going to the charity Save The Children - this comes after Michael was unfortunately caught up in Hurricane Irma whilst on holiday in September. This song definitely tugs at the heart strings whenever I listen to it, they always dedicate this to their fans and it's truly a beautiful song for everyone to check out. Back to musical theatre but keeping with the emotional theme, they perform 2 songs from Wicked - For Good, which they dedicate to eachother and (finally) Defying Gravity - I can't tell you how much i've been longing to hear them sing that for the past 3 years and they NAILED it - incredible! Finally they perform Somewhere from West Side Story with Carly again before ending the set with the song that started their incredible journey - Stars from Les Mis. Then, much to everyones delight, we get treated to a Jersey Boys medley which is AMAZING and has the whole audience up on their feet dancing along. It's here we get to see them having so much fun singing and dancing before changing into the iconic red Jersey Boys jackets and coming back to sing 'Oh What A Night' to end the show. If i'm honest, the title of that song really sums up the evening - oh what a night indeed! Incredible from start to finish, I smiled, laughed, cried, danced and sang my heart out. I couldn't be prouder of these boys and i'm so thankful I was there to witness a truly special night. Thank you boys for being the stars you are and here's to an incredible future!!

Thank you so much to anyone taking the time to read this, hope you enjoyed this one and let me know your thoughts. Sorry again i've taken so long to post but hopefully i'll be posting again soon!

                                                               Beki x

THEATRE TRIP

Hey all, so it's been around a month since my last post so here I am, finally back with a brand new post for you! This post is going to be based around a theatre show - I am aware my last post was about Half A Sixpence so apologies for doing two musical themed posts in a row but whilst it's still fresh in my mind, I wanted to share my trip to see The Wind in the Willows. Hope you enjoy!

So yesterday - Tuesday 29th August - I took myself to see The Wind in the Willows for a second time at the London Palladium. I booked myself a last minute ticket on Monday and managed to get front row of the stalls - and the seat number was 16, my lucky number - what luck! I saw the show a few weeks ago with my friend Emily and just had to see it again as it is just an amazing piece of theatre and it's a real shame its closing!

I'm sure everyone has heard the story of The Wind in the Willows at some point in their life, it's a classic and timeless children's story and has been adapted for this stage version, and personally, I think it's incredible. 

The Wind in the Willows follows the adventures of different animal friends. You have Mole, Rat, Toad, Badger and friends who live by the river, and you also have Weasels, Foxes and Stoats who live in the 'wild wood'. The opening of the show sees many of the animals come out for the first day of spring - this is where we first meet Mole who comes out of his home where he's been spring cleaning. The opening song also reflects this as it is titled 'Spring' - this really is a beautifully written song and shows all the different animals preparing for spring to arrive. Mole soon ends up at the river where he meets Rat and the two soon build up a friendship sailing around the river in a little blue boat and sing one of my personal favourite songs 'Messing About in a Boat'. During their adventures they come across Mrs Otter and of course, Mr Toad. 

This whole show is about love, friendship and adventure and it draws you in from start to finish. Every scene is different and amazing in its own right and it really is a wonderful show. As I mentioned one of my favourite songs above, another has to be "We're The Wild Wooders" sung by the Chief Weasel, Weasels, Foxes and Stoats. This song shows the slightly darker side to the show but is still full of so much energy - the singing, dancing, its all so energetic and done SO well. I think my favourite song overall though, has to be 'A Friend is still a Friend". The lyrics in this song for me, speak so truthfully and reminds you what friendship is about and to stick together no matter what. I'd highly recommend listening to this song if you're ever feeling a bit down or alone, just to remember that no matter what you may go through in life, friends are still friends and we should stick by one another even in hard times.

This show is truly wonderful and enjoyable throughout every second and I certainly left with a smile on my face. I truly hope one day, it may come back to London and if it does, i'll be there to see it again without a doubt! Huge thank you and well done to all the cast and crew for putting on such a fabulous show!

I've also got to mention some of the principle cast members as they're truly fantastic:

Craig Mather playing Mole - now I truly adore this guy and for anyone who may not know him, he's previously been in shows such as Sweeney Todd and Les Mis which is where I know him from when he was playing Marius. He's also been in films such as the live action version of Cinderella and Alice - Through The Looking Glass. Craig has such a beautiful voice to listen to and I really loved his portrayal of Mole, a good natured, curious animal and he plays the role perfectly. It's been a joy to watch him in a more upbeat role and a happier show, he's a hugely talented performer and such a nice guy to talk to also. If anyone reading this is into musicals, definitely keep an eye out for his name in the future!

Simon Lipkin playing Rat - i'd not heard of Simon before this show but bloody hell does he have a amazing voice! His portrayal of Rat is fabulous to see and he's a truly incredible performer. I hugely enjoyed watching him in the role, especially him and Craig together as they show the friendship between Rat & Mole wonderfully and i'll definitely be keeping my eye out to see what he may do in the future. Again, a lovely guy to chat to, although it was a bit brief when I spoke to him as I was a bit shy and he was probably wanting to go and get some food in between shows, none the less, he's a wonderful man.

Neil McDermott playing Chief Weasel - okay so anyone who knows me well will know i'm also a bit of an Eastenders geek - and pretty proud to say that too! Neil used to play Ryan Malloy in Eastenders which is where I first fell in love with him, so obviously I was a little excited to see him in Wind in the Willows and I can say, he did not disappoint. Weasels are known mischief makers and he truly portrays that PERFECTLY in the role of Chief Weasel. He has so much energy when he performs and really gives the impression he's absolutely loving life in the role which makes it even more enjoyable to watch. His performance is gripping and exciting and, if i'm honest, he made me fall in love a little more and steer toward being #TeamWeasel. I was also pretty happy getting the chance to meet and speak to him briefly after the show, although my shyness almost stopped that so a big thank you to the lovely lady who stopped him for me! I think i'll definitely be keeping a close eye to see what he may do in the future too as he's an incredible and exciting performer to watch! 

Rufus Hound as Toad - I think almost everyone has heard of Rufus Hound and honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect seeing him in a musical but I can tell everyone now, he was fantastic!! I think he's probably perfect for the role of Toad as he's hilarious and creates a wonderful energy for Toad and has the whole audience clapping and laughing at his brilliant performance.

Denise Welch as Mrs Otter - another quite common name here and again she was brilliant! She portrays Mrs Otter in a strong yet emotional way and is just truly wonderful.

Gary Wilmot as Badger - again, a name i'd personally not come across but many others at the shows have and I can see why he's so loved. He has a very powerful and amazing voice and is just brilliant playing Badger.

I'm going to wrap this post up now and again say a HUGE well done to the wonderful cast and crew of the show, had me smiling from start to finish with brilliant, heartfelt songs, a great energy and atmosphere for the audience. Thank you to the cast for putting on such a fabulous show and making me smile and making me happy for a few hours, a truly special cast and show which will definitely be missed!

I hope you've enjoyed reading, let me know your thoughts and i'll be back very soon with a new post! Beki x

A Little Touch Of Happiness...

Hey everyone, so i've not posted for a few months as i've been busy and if i'm honest, all my motivation went away, BUT i've had a new found inspiration and i'm back to it and will hopefully post more often again.

To give you a little 'life update', i've been busy working alot the past few months and my mental health has also been quite bad, I found myself going downhill quite quickly, I don't want to go into this too much but about a month ago I went to the doctors and got diagnosed with severe depression, which didn't really come as a surprise to me unfortunately. For a long time, i've not really felt true 'happiness' and had almost forgotten what it felt like to be happy, but on a more positive note, now I have that diagnosis I feel as though I can be on the road to recovery, I know now of different options available to help me and I know of ways or things I can do to help myself too. So onwards and upwards!

Anyway, what I mainly wanted to talk about in this post is a theatre show. Anyone who knows me well enough will know I LOVE musicals and I make no secret of the fact Les Mis is my favourite. But on Saturday 22nd July 2017 , myself and my friend Emily went to see the matinee show of 'Half A Sixpence' in London, and I now think this show is definitely also up there. This was both our first times seeing this but I have been listening to the soundtrack for a while and just absolutely love it so was obviously VERY excited about seeing it live. The show follows the story of Arthur Kipps, a young man who works in a drapers shop and suddenly finds himself inheriting a large fortune which he then loses again after investing his money in someone who turns out to be a fraud. Arthur falls for Helen Walsingham originally who is of a higher class than him before he re-meets childhood friend Ann Pornick who he falls in love with and marries after ending things with Helen. 

From the very minute the music begins to play and Arthur and Ann run onto the stage, there's a warm sense of joy and happiness. There's a real special sort of energy surrounding this show from start to finish, starting from the opening song which takes the title of the show and Arthur singing 'I've got this sixpence and I managed to file it in half' all the way through, song by song, to the final pluck of banjos in 'Pick Out A Simple Tune'. One of my personal highlights in the show is the first time 'Pick Out A Simple Tune' is sung at a party Arthur attends with Helen and her family and he gets asked to play his banjo, while the party congregation seem unimpressed at first impressions, they're all soon joining in singing and dancing along having a good time and it truly is such a 'feel good' song. Another of my favourite moments is toward the end of the show with the cast singing 'Flash, Bang, Wallop' - this song is full of love, happiness and a vibrant energy from every single cast member involved and for me, sums up the vibe of the show. Another song I want to mention is 'Believe in Yourself' - self confidence is something I struggle badly with and I think maybe, this song, may just be a new inspiration for me. I've not laughed and smiled so much at anything for a long time and I went home feeling happy for once and I do genuinely believe that is thanks to this incredible cast and show, it's such a shame they only have 6 weeks left - I definitely need to get down there again ASAP! Half A Sixpence truly is a wonderful, feel good show, with incredible, beautiful music and songs, fabulous choreography and is full of smiles, happiness, love and an amazing energy. I'm so glad I got a chance to see this wonderful show and I think i'll always treasure it from now.

I also need to talk about the cast - absolutely INCREDIBLE and you can truly tell they have a genuine love for their job and this show and it really is lovely to see.

Just a few names to mention:

Charlie Stemp playing Arthur Kipps - WHAT A GUY!! In all honesty, Charlie really is someone to watch. He is a phenomenal performer in literally every single possible aspect. He can sing, dance, act ...he's just truly such a phenomenal performer, I can't sing his praises enough - you can 1000% tell why he won the award for 'Best Actor in a Musical' - thoroughly deserved! His voice is unique and a joy to listen to and he dances with just as much passion as he sings with. We also got the pleasure of meeting him at the stage door after the show, despite it raining, he was happy to stop and, as well as being a ridiculously talented performer, he's an all round lovely guy also - winning combination right there!! Definitely a huge and bright future ahead for him.

Rebecca Jayne Davies playing Ann Pornick - Rebecca is one of the understudies for this role but I have to say she was amazing. For my first time seeing the show I don't have anyone else to 'compare' her to which is always nice. She's got a beautiful voice and a wonderful energy surrounding her, also another to watch! Again, we were fortunate to meet her at the stage door and she is another lovely girl with a bright future.

Emma Williams playing Helen Walsingham - Emma is a very talented performer and has a really lovely voice. I feel as though Helen is quite an elegant and sophisticated character and Emma portrays this with finesse and grace.

There are so many other names I could mention here as every single member of that cast we saw were simply incredible - there's no other way I can describe them really. Hugely talented and passionate about a wonderful show and a wonderful enjoyable experience for the audience.

So, to finish, I'd like to say a MASSIVE well done to the cast, orchestra and crew for putting on a brilliant show. Also, thank you to the cast for being so wonderful and for allowing me to escape the reality of my depression and to forget about it for a few hours, thank you for inspiring me, for making me smile and for showing me what happiness feels like again for a while. I will definitely make a trip back before the show closes and if anyone else gets a chance, I highly recommend going whilst you can, you won't regret it. The show is incredible and perfect in every way.

Thank you all for reading and hopefully i'll be back with a new post soon!

Beki x

Life Update

Hey guys, I hope you're all well! I want to start today's post by saying Happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there, I hope you've all been spoilt on your special day. Secondly, i'm going to apologise for not posting for a few weeks, i've been so busy and tired and i've just not had any inspiration....BUT i'm back now with a little life update for you all about what i've been getting up to recently...enjoy!

So recently, i've been working alot but mainly short shifts and i've just been so tired. So, as some of you who read this may know, i'm a big fan of a band called Collabro. To give you a little information on them, they are a 4 piece musical theatre boy band, (originally a 5 piece), who formed in London back in 2014. They then went onto win Britain's Got Talent that same year and have had many successes since, most recently, the boys 3rd studio album, and 1st as a 4 piece, 'Home' released on 3rd March 2017. Home features 13 songs, 12 of which are well known and much loved musical theatre tracks ranging from Les Miserables, Wicked, Love Never Dies, Jekyll and Hyde and more. They have also included their 1st ever original track 'Lighthouse' which was co-written with Ben Adams of A1. If you're a musical theatre fan and haven't heard of or checked these boys out before, then i'd recommend giving Home a listen to, it's such an incredible album definitely worth checking out! On Thursday 2nd March, the boys did an intimate album launch gig at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicster Square, London. They performed the 13 tracks for the first time to an audience, had a few jokes and tears on stage also! What was nice about it too, was the fact the boys decided to do a little Q&A giving fans the chance to ask them questions, lovely idea! This was a wonderful and emotional evening from start to finish and I wish I could do it all over again!

A couple of weeks go, I had a lovely week off from work and it was well needed...'me time' I called it! During this week, I had 2 trips into London including 2 theatre trips. Wednesday 8th March seeing Les Mis and Thursday 9th March seeing Phantom. Myself and my friend Fleur went to both of these together and had a lovely time!

Les Miserables - we went to the Wednesday matinee show which was my 13th time seeing this show - incredible as per. The whole cast were just amazing, to name a few in some of the principle roles: Adam Bayjou as Jean ValJean, this man is a seriously talented performer with a beautiful voice, the few times i've been lucky enough to see him in this role he hasn't failed to reduce me to tears during 'Bring Him Home' and during his death scene, incredible performer! Paul Wilkins as Marius -everyone who knows me and my love for this show knows i'm a bit of a sucker for this character and I think Paul could potentially be my favourite out of the 4 'Marius' i've seen. He really does have a beautiful voice and it draws me to the character even more, his version of the song 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables' is definitely my favourite, and once again, I cried...I think you may start to get the hint now that i'm a bit of an emotional person, oops.

Chris Cowley as Enjolras. I've grown to love this guys voice the more I hear it. I truly love watching his passion and interpretation of the character and he's definitely someone to look out for. Charlotte Kennedy as Cosette, Charlotte is a truly beautiful girl with a beautiful voice to match! I think she's perfect for the part and paired with Paul as Marius, they create a magical partnership and are my favourite Marius/Cosette pairing. Lucy O'Byrne as Fantine. Now, I fell in love with Lucy's voice when she appeared on tv show 'The Voice' back in 2015 and was beyond excited when she was announced as Fantine in my favourite show. Lucy's voice is simply stunning and i'm not kidding when I say her voice gives me goosebumps when I listen to her sing. To be honest though, I can't fault this show or the cast at all. The whole cast are wonderful and incredibly talented and the show truly takes you on a believable journey from start to finish, my favourite ever show.

Phantom of the Opera - again, a matinee show on the Thursday this time and my 3rd time seeing this wonderful show and probably my favourite time so far. Again, I want to talk a little about the 3 principle roles; Raoul, Christine and of course, The Phantom. Nadim Naaman as Raoul, I just really love this mans voice, I don't really know what else I can say. In my opinion, he's phenomenal. He plays the role of Raoul with so much passion and i'm personally #TeamRaoul. One of the main things I love about Nadim is aside from performing, he's recorded 2 AMAZING albums; 'We All Want The Same' and 'Sides'. These just really show how talented this man truly is. Ben Forster as The Phantom, as the saying goes '3rd time lucky', well that was the case for Fleur and I. 3rd time seeing the show and we FINALLY got to see Ben in this role. I'm in love with his portrayal of the character and adore his voice, what more can I say?! He's incredible. Celinde Schoenmaker as Christine Daee. This woman is absolutely gorgeous and so talented. I'm in awe of her performance as Christine and in awe of her beautiful voice. As a ballet dancer myself, I also really enjoy watching the ballet girls in Phantom and they truly inspire me (and make me wish I was that good!). Unfortunately, I don't know the names of all cast members but none the less, they are all fantastic and they make the show even more brilliant than it already is. I can't lie though, as much as I loved seeing Ben as The Phantom, I also really would love to see Luke McCall in the role as I constantly see good reviews from his performances. I can't wait to get back to this beautiful theatre and see this show again fora 4th time, hopefully soon!

I also enjoyed a little bit of  time in Trafalgar Square before meeting Fleur on the 9th, luckily it was a beautiful sunny day in London so it made waiting alone that little bit better. After finally meeting up we headed to Planet Hollywood and enjoyed a lovely meal and a glass of prosecco each - perfect day!

On Sunday 12th March...another London trip! This time was to go to a Peak Productions show which is a company owned by Michael Auger (Collabro member) where he gives upcoming artists a chance to showcase their music. This was a lovely and funny afternoon/evening in London spent with friends before watching a talented girl band - Ida - perform a number of songs from pop crossover tracks, musicals and opera songs, beautiful ladies with beautiful voices! We were also treated to a couple of songs from Michael & Matt (Collabro), Matt performing a Monologue from blood brothers with the two of them then performing a duet from Blood Brothers following on from it, and a great/funny version of 'Be Our Guest' from the Disney CLASSIC, Beauty and The Beast. All in all, a wonderful day and evening had by all I think! I also went to see the new live action Beauty and The Beast on Sunday 19th March and it was AMAZING!! Emma Watson is wonderful as Belle and I can't wait for another little cinema trip to see it again. Has anyone else seen it yet? If so, let me know your thoughts :).

My final little outing to tell you about was a little day trip to Mersea Island in Essex to see my friend Lauren who has recently moved there temporarily. There isn't much to do really in Mersea but it's quite a peaceful little area and I had a lovely day regardless and am looking forward to going back and seeing her again soon!

So that's it for today's post, I hope you've enjoyed reading about some of my recent adventures! What has everyone else been up to recently? Anything exciting? Let me know, i'd love to hear!

Thank you for reading and i'll be back sooner next time, promise!

Lots of Love, Beki xx

About Me

Hey everyone, welcome to another post! Today, I thought i'd do a little 'about me' post as I thought it'd be a chance for you to get to know me a little. I did post a few facts about me in my first 'welcome' post but thought i'd give you a little more information in more detail, hope you enjoy this one!

• My name is Beki, i'm 22 and from Chelmsford in Essex
• My favourite colour is pink and most people who know me well know that!
• I've always had 2 main hobbies - dancing and horse riding - and I absolutely LOVE both, very different from each other but both great fun!
• I absolutely LOVE Disney
• I'm a huge musical theatre fan, I just think it's amazing and sitting in a theatre or listening to songs from musicals is one of my favourite things to do.
• I'm an Arsenal supporter.
• I've always dreamed of travelling and seeing more of the world and also the possibility of working abroad is something I have dreamed about.
• It's also a dream of mine to travel round Italy, I think it just looks a beautiful country!
• I'm a qualified Beauty Therapist
• My friends and family mean the absolute world to me and i'd be lost without them - that also includes my dogs.
• I got bullied quite badly during school, mainly at secondary/high school. This happened virtually on a daily basis for the whole 5 years, all verbal, i'd get called 'ugly', 'fat', 'spotty' etc, people used to pretend to gag when they saw me, people would move away purposely when they had to sit next to or near me. It ended up getting to the point I was scared of going into school, I used to go home in tears every day after school and ended up being diagnosed with depression. I ended up self harming and became suicidal with a few unsuccessful attempts, the first time trying, my sister found and stopped me and sometimes i'm grateful for that, sometimes i'm not. I've also had times where i've had bad anxiety and panic attacks, I lose focus easily apart from when I listen to music - most specifically - Collabro. I've got some great friends i'm able to speak to when I feel I need to and listening to Collabro's music takes me into a "happy place" and I am so grateful for that.
• I can be quite a shy, quiet and reserved person at times even if some people don't think it!
• I love trying new things and meeting new people
• I have quite a few phobias including: spiders/bugs, snakes, pigeons (weird I know), public speaking, heights and clowns - they are literally my worst nightmare, the sight of clowns horrifies me!

So there you go guys, a few facts about me, I may do another post like this at some point in the future with some updated facts maybe?! But for now, this is another post completed and i'll be back with a brand new post again asap!

Thank you for reading and see you again soon,

Love Beki x

Dear Younger Me...

Hey guys, welcome back to my blog for a brand new post! I've had a busy week so just doing another quick one today, this post is going to be a letter to a 16 year old me...hope you enjoy!

Dear 16 year old Beki,

You're now 22, time to look back and reflect upon what's happened the past 6 years! It's been one massive journey and a long road to full happiness again, I won't lie to you, you're not quite there yet but keep going, you'll get there soon! 16 is the age you first started to become depressed and anxious, you felt a little different and isolated at times, but that's okay, through the years you'll come to learn that being different is sometimes good and a lot more people than you realise struggle and suffer from all sorts of things!

Don't stress so much over your GCSE's and getting good grades, just get the best you can get and if it's not what you wanted, remember that it isn't the end of the world, you'll still get into college and do the course you wish to do and you'll have ups and downs on that but it'll be some of the best 2 years for you. Just enjoy being a 16 year old and stop worrying about the little things, everything will work out for you one day.

Once your GCSE's are over, you'll go to prom and have a good night with your friends and it'll be a time to celebrate the past and look forward to the future. You may not turn up to prom in a fancy way or have a prom date but that doesn't matter, enjoy the night with your friends, that's what matters! Then you've got summer to look forward to, spend as much time as you can seeing friends as once you start college you may not get as much time. You'll go on holiday too and have a great time, one final chance to relax before college!

Summer over, college begins. You'll be going to Writtle College and studying the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horse Management just like you wanted to. You'll feel nervous and anxious to start with but you'll be in good company and you'll soon settle in. This course will be great for you, you'll meet new friends, you'll learn new things and just remember to enjoy yourself, time flies by!

Try not to take things to heart so much and try not to care about what others think, this will get easier in time but you're still pretty sensitive now at 22. Just take things one day at a time, every day is a new day with something new to bring, you'll learn over time how to be positive and you'll lose some and gain some friends along the way, but that's all part of life and growing up. You may think now that you're stuck in this depressive state forever, but I promise you're not. Harming yourself isn't worth it either, I know it seems like the only option at times but things get better, listen to some music, block the negativity out, have a little cry if you need to -it's healthy sometimes!

Stay strong, stay smiling and stay positive. You've got an amazing family and some great, supportive friends who'll keep you going. There's a light at the end of the tunnel and you'll get there eventually, just keep on going and look forward to the future instead of dwelling on the past. Chin up, you've got this Beki!

One day, we'll be able to rewrite this and say we've made it, but for now, we'll keep going and keep fighting until we reach the goal.

Good Luck!

Lots of love, 22 year old Beki x

Travel Wishlist..

Hey everyone! Firstly, I wanted to wish you all a Happy Valentines Day, whether you're celebrating or not, enjoy whatever it is you are doing! Secondly, I also want to apologise for neglecting my blog a little the past few weeks. I've been so busy working or doing other things i've not really had the time to sit down and write a post. Also, as the weather has been pretty dull the lighting in my bedroom has been way too awful to try and take decent photos to post! So today, i've decided to do a travel wishlist and share with you some of the places I want to travel to/around at some point - hope you enjoy! 

   First up is actually a place i've been to many times but I just can't get enough of it, it's my absolute FAVOURITE place to go on holiday, and that place is Majorca. More specifically, a resort called Club Mac, in a town called Alcudia. I just love it there. Alcudia is such a pretty town with so much to do. There's lots of little shops everywhere and a market in the old town twice a week which sells all sorts from clothes, to jewellery, to little bits and bobs you can pick up as souvenirs. There's also a beautiful beach and a harbor with lots of gorgeous boats! It's not really on my 'wishlist' to travel as i've been many times, but I couldn't resist telling you all a little about it!

 Italy:

 Italy is a country that just really fascinates and interests me. I think it's so beautiful and it's my ultimate dream to explore it. There's not one particular place I want to go to in Italy. I want to go all over, Rome, Venice, Verona, Florence, Tuscany, Pisa, Milan, Amalfi Coast, Italian Riviera...just everywhere! I'd love to explore, sight see and try proper Italian food. Also, the language is stunning, i'd love to learn to speak it too! If anyone has any recommendations on where in Italy to go or what to do/see, please do let me know!

Prague - Czech Republic:

Next on my list is a particular city - Prague. Prague just fascinates me, I think it looks absolutely stunning. I know a few people who have visited there and I just love the way it looks. It's got some really gorgeous settings and buildings and I think i'd just love to explore the city.

Spain:

I know this one may sound a bit boring to some people, but the only part of Spain i've ever been to is an Island and that is Majorca. I'd love to go to mainland Spain and visit some places there. Mainly places such as Madrid and Barcelona - for pretty obvious reasons as they are just stunning cities with so much history and culture to learn about. But i'd also love to go to some of the more maybe 'forgotten' places, places such as Seville, Granada and Cadiz as they just look so pretty! Obviously i'd also love to go to areas along the Costa Del Sol such as Marbella, Fuengirola and Torremolinos - just because they're gorgeous places to go and also, who doesn't love a good beach trip?!

France:

Again, maybe a 'typical' place but i've only ever been to Calais and Paris, and as much as i'm dying to go back to Paris, including Disneyland - obviously, there's other parts of France i'd love to visit too. Bordeaux for example. Looking at pictures of Bordeaux, something really draws me in, it looks so pretty and has some lovely old buildings i'd just love to see. Marseille being another place, especially the port, it looks stunning there and being in the Southeastern coastal region of France, the climate seems gorgeous! Loire Valley also looks absolutely beautiful. It has a stunning castle and river and i'd just love to explore and pretend to be a princess for a day! Obviously I have to finish off France with the French Riviera, you'd just be crazy if you don't want to visit, in my opinion, it has some seriously gorgeous places to visit and also amazing views!

Netherlands:

Another Europe destination here, this time it's the Netherlands. I'd absolutely love to visit Amsterdam simply because it looks like such a gorgeous city. It has some really pretty canals and buildings and the city just looks stunning so it's definitely somewhere i'd like to go! Rotterdam is another, it has more of a 'city' look to it with it's buildings, but it still looks beautiful. Final one is Giethoorn - a bit of a hidden gem but it is stunning! It reminds me a little of Venice as it has no cars so people get around by boat and it just looks one of the prettiest little places ever!

Ireland:

Final Europe one, I promise!! Ireland is another dream destination of mine and has been for quite a while. I am completely in love with the accent and that is just one of many things that draws me there. I'd love to get to Dublin as it just looks super pretty. Donegal is next as it just has gorgeous places to see. Next on my list is Wicklow, look it up on google and you'll see why, it has some breathtaking views! Limerick is another place, it looks super pretty there! My final place in Ireland is Kerry, another place that is just simply stunning!

America:

Like most people, i've dreamt of going over to America since I was little. I'd love to go and experience the American lifestyle and see some of the obvious tourist destinations. New York is up first, I mean who doesn't want to visit the big apple?! Times Square, Central Park, the shopping...oh and i'd love to see a Broadway show or two! Florida next, one of the warmer parts of America, it has stunning beaches and obviously the major tourist attractions being Walt Disney World and Universal Studios which i'd love to go to both! Miami is another place simply for the stunning views you get there! And obviously, LA - seeing the Hollywood sign in person would be amazing and also the Hollywood walk of fame would be fab to see! I'd also quite like to visit Boston, bit of a random one but I have family out there so it'd be great to go even just to see them! I can't forget San Francisco, even if it's just to see the Golden Gate Bridge!

Canada:

Canada is quite a new one on my wishlist. I never realised until the past year or so how beautiful it actually is. I'd absolutely love to see the Niagra Falls up close as I personally think its gorgeous. Toronto is another place i'd love to visit as the city just looks stunning! Finally, Vancouver because again it looks super pretty!

Australia:

Final one on my wishlist is Australia. I'm sure many of us dream of going there to be honest. I'd love to visit Sydney to see the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge etc. Melbourne and Brisbane are also cities i'd love to see. Not too far away from Sydney is the Blue Mountains which just look beautiful! I also have family there too so it'd be lovely to be able to visit them! I also really want to visit some of the beaches, especially the Gold Coast, Bondi Beach and Whitehaven Beach.

So there's my travel wishlist done for now, if anyone has been to any of these places and can recommend anywhere to visit or things to do then please do let me know! Or if you have any recommendations of any other places to visit feel free to let me know of those too.

Hope you all enjoyed reading this one and i'll be back with another post soon!

Lots of Love, Beki x

My Skincare Products

Hello everyone, welcome to my second post!! Today, i've decided to share the skincare products I like using, why I like using them and why I feel a skincare routine is important, enjoy!

I studied Beauty Therapy at college for 2 years and it allowed me to learn alot about skincare. There are 3 different skin types: Oily, Dry and Normal/Combination. 

Oily Skin: open pores, shiny skin, coarse texture, blockages in the pores and an oily residue.

Dry Skin: visible dryness on the skin, tightness and tight pores.

Normal/Combination Skin: no open pores or fine lines, generally smooth textured, has oily and dry areas. Oily areas tend to be around the forehead and T-Zone whereas dry areas tend to be around the nose and cheeks.

When choosing skincare products to use, i'd recommend reading the labels, find out what the product is used/good for and what skin type it is best suited for. You should also take into account any skin conditions you have, for example: sensitive skin, dehydration, ageing skin. 

I personally feel a skin care routine is important as it can really help to keep your skin looking healthy. Before doing my beauty course I didn't have much of an idea about skin care, but now I am quite into it and enjoy finding new products to try and recommend to others!

First up is my cleanser. I use the Botanics Micellar 3 in 1 Cleansing Solution. This is probably my favourite of the different cleansers I have used in the past. It feels so nice on the skin and refreshes you in the mornings when you wake up. I put this product on with cotton pads twice a day, once in the morning when I wake up and before putting on makeup. And once in the evening after I remove my makeup using Nivea makeup wipes, just to ensure I get all remaining traces of makeup off before going to bed.

This product can be found in any Boots stores and it's an affordable price if you're on a budget.

Next up is again from the Botanics range (to be honest, most of my stuff is as I really like the feel of the products!) The second product I am going to talk about is another form of cleanser, this time is the Cleansing Foam Wash. I've only been using this for a couple of weeks now but it really does feel great on the skin! I tend to use this in the mornings after using the Micellar Cleansing Solution so I doubly cleanse my skin. This is just as an extra way to cleanse any impurities I may have in my skin!

As stated in the name, it is a foamy cleanser - but not too foamy. You put this on with your fingers onto damp skin and work it into a foamy lather before rinsing it off and I for one think it makes your skin look and feel so nice after using!

My third product is the Soothing Eye Makeup Remover, again from Botanics. I use this product every evening to ensure my eye makeup is fully removed. I personally feel this product works very well but it is a little oily so I usually cleanse my face after using this.

Next up is my every day moisturiser. At the moment, I am trying out the Day Lotion, SPF15, Hydration Burst - Botanics again! I haven't been using this for very long but as I was browsing the range in Boots a and reading the description of this lotion, I decided to try it out. I absolutely LOVE it!! As it's a lotion it's not as thick as a normal moisturiser. It feels so so nice on the skin and is so smooth and light. I think it makes your face feel soft and refreshed even with makeup on the top!




Product number 5 is actually from Nivea. It's the Daily Essentials, Rich Regenerating Night Cream. I've been using this for a few years at night time just so my face feels softer and refreshed when I go to sleep and wake up. I do like this product but it is quite thick so I think I may have to look for a new one if anyone has any recommendations at all!




 Next is another Nivea product and this time its the Pure and Natural Moisturising Day Cream. This is another product i've used for a few years and I do like it just feel it's quite heavy on the skin. I think this is more of a product to use if your skin is overly dry in the mornings and if you aren't intending to put makeup on the top of it as it doesn't sit very well.






Number 7 - i'm going back to Botanics for this one! This is the Purifying Face Scrub which is like an exfoliator. It only needs to be used 2-3 times a week and just helps to draw out impurities from the skin like an exfoliator would do. I really like using this product as its easy to apply and remove and your skin really does feel nice afterwards.






My next product is a bit of a strange one. It's a Charcoal Detox Warming Mask. Now, I actually found this product in the Body and Bath section in Homesense (which is where I currently work). A friend of mine had mentioned that Charcoal is good for the skin and when I found this I thought why not try it out?! I've not actually used this product that much but I do quite like it. As it says in the name, it is a face mask. So once you've applied, leave it for 5 minutes before removing. It does feel warm on the skin and is a little messy to apply but that aside, it is a nice product to use once in a while!




My final product is a hand cream. I actually use the Floral Collection hand cream from Marks and Spencers and I personally use the Rose scented one. I've been using this for years and absolutely LOVE it. It really does make your hands feel so soft whenever you apply it. The packaging is so pretty too and the tube is a nice enough size for it to last a while and also to pop in your bag for every day use. I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable hand cream to pop in your handbag for when you're out and about or to just leave in your bedroom to apply when you feel your hands need a bit of moisturising.


So this now marks the end of my skincare post. These are just the products I personally enjoy using, i'm always looking to try new products and if anyone has any recommendations or any products you particularly enjoy, please do let me know and i'll consider looking into some in the future!

Hope you all enjoyed this post and see you soon for another!

Lots of Love,

 Beki x