Sum Up Monday?

Hello. hello everyone! I hope you have had a wonderful week. I myself have been a busy bee on the set of a short film shoot (more to come on that in a separate post), so have barely had time to glance at a computer screen!

Last Saturday I headed off to London with Tim for the United Makeup Artists Expo at the Business Design Centre, with a list of things I needed to buy, and a boyfriend for support. There were some amazing stands their full of makeup, and also some stands showcasing makeup artists. In the back there were also talks going on, but sadly I did not have time for these due to needing to be elsewhere in London by 6pm. I was able to get everything on my list (and more) on our target budget, and I even managed to pick up something I have been lusting after ever since completing my course!

These Rose Gold Zoeva brush sets have been in my sights for a long time, and when I found out I had a little left over in my budget on Saturday I just knew I had to pick them up! They are so soft, and beautiful, and I cannot wait to use them!

Then at 6pm I went to meet the parents of the Director of a short film I was selected to be the Hair and Makeup Artist for, we stayed the night in London then travelled all the way up to Sunderland. I was there a whole week doing the hair and makeup on several artists. It was a lot of hard work and was very tiring, but honestly so much fun!

The main setting of the short was the beautiful Allerton Castle we were there for 3 1/2 days, I mean just look how stunning it is. Although it was a nightmare 1h 40m drive from where we were staying, and doing that every morning and evening and working super hard was pretty difficult.

There were also beautiful costumes, and I couldn't resist trying on this bonnet in between takes, I think it really suits me to be honest!

We shot at many beautiful locations throughout the week and above are some of them. My particular favourite is the room in the top right of this picture. That is the drawing room in Allerton castle, and the walls are blue silk!

Everyone was amazing and we all had a great time, it was nice staying in the family home of the director, and her mum was amazing at looking after us all and even got us a cake.

Sunday I simply spent travelling home and catching up on sleep. I don't want to give too much away about the shoot and my time in Sunderland because I am planning a bigger post once I receive the photos from the Director.

This Week I'm...

Reading: The Curvy Girls Club by Michele Gorman

Listening To: Disney songs on the way to locations

Playing: Honestly haven't had time this week, not even for Star Stable!

Feeling: Happy to be back home with Tim

Looking Forward To: An interview that I have on Thursday!

Wishlist Wednesday: Doctor Who

This week I went full nerd as I went in search of items that are based off of one of my all time favourite TV shows, Doctor Who. Which by the way I am totally pining for... can you tell?

1. Dalek Dress

2. Doctor Who Monopoly

3. Doctor Who Van Gogh Dress

4. Tardis String Lights

5. the 11th Doctors Sonic Screwdriver

6. Weeping Angel T-Shirt

7. Silver Tardis Bracelet Charm

8. Tardis Safe

9. Doctor Who Watch

Let me know in the comments which of these items is your favourite!

Movie Mondays: Insurgent

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***WARNING THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***

Welcome one and all to a new feature on my blog, Movie Mondays! I have written film reviews before which you can see here.

The first thing I want to say about this film is you should definitely see the first one before you go ahead and jump into this one. 

I'll be 100% honest here, I have not read the books that this film series is based on. It is on my list, and I am normally of the opinion that you should read the book before you see the movie! To be honest when I saw the trailer for the first movie, whilst I was interested, I wasn't overly excited about it. In fact it was my sister (who in fact has actually read the books), that was so excited about it, and demanded that I go and see it. I did, and I was pleasantly surprised. So when I found out that the second in the series was being released on my sister's birthday, I just knew I had to go and see it with her...

Insurgent is set shortly after the events of the first film. Tris Prior (main character) is on the run from Jeanine and the Erudites after their attack on Abnegation. The faction system is crumbling, and Jeanine scrambles to find an answer to keep the situation under control. All the while Tris and Four try their hardest to find a way to stop her.

When you strip back the plot, in it's most basic form it is very similar to other films in it's genre, such as The Hunger Games. One strong female individual bringing down the entire system, whilst seemingly by accident. All seems very familiar right? In all seriousness though, I don't feel like it's similarities to other novels/films (mainly the Hunger Games) discredit it in any way. The film itself held my attention, it wasn't entirely predictable either (well if you haven't read the books already). Although one thing that struck me at the end of the film was that it felt complete, despite knowing that there is a third book (so therefore undoubtedly there will be a third film), I honestly don't know where they can go from here... I guess I will have to wait and see.

Shailene Woodley who plays the main character Tris Prior, is fast becoming one of my favourite actresses. Some of you may know her from her role in 'The Fault in Our Stars' based on the best selling novel by John Green. I think the reason I like her so much is that she has such an expressive face, without really having to do a lot with it. I don't even know if that makes sense, but what I mean is, she doesn't have to do a lot with her face for you to know what her character is feeling, and that is one of the reasons why I think she really sells the character of Tris. I think one of the most interesting parts of her character in this sequel is that fact that she is having her own inner struggle with the events that unfolded during the attack against Abnegation. All the while this is running parallel with the physical struggle she is having with everyone around her.

As for Ansel Elgort, Shailene's co-star in both the Divergent series and also in 'The Fault in Our Stars' his character, Caleb, couldn't be any more unlike-able if he possibly tried. I think it's Caleb's weakness that makes him the most annoying, in fact if it wasn't for Ansel's performance in TFIOS I think that I'd dislike him solely on his character in this franchise. Then again when you are sister to one of the strongest individuals in the entire faction system, it stands to reason that you would come across as weak. I literally wanted to reach into the screen and slap him, and I don't know whether that means that Ansel did a very good job, or a very bad one.

Overall if you are into The Hunger Games then this is worth a watch, if you've read the Divergent books then you have probably already seen this and therefore I am wasting my breath. However if you are thinking about seeing it, I didn't regret handing over my money for this one, and once it comes out on DVD I am sure I will be watching it again!

Let me know in the comments if you have seen this film and what you thought!

Sum Up Sunday #17

It's been a busy and also at the same time not busy few weeks for me! I've finally stumbled out as a Make Up Artist and have started taking jobs. Then in other news I managed to become an Aunty again! I can't even remember if I mentioned it on the blog, but Tim's sister went into labour five weeks early and a beautiful (and very tiny) baby boy was the result! Babies will never cease to bring me great amounts of joy, and to be able to call myself an aunty to two beautiful babies (soon to be three), I honestly couldn't be happier. 

As mentioned above I am finally stumbling into the world of Make Up Artistry. I have booked a few jobs so far, and am going on my first film shoot on location next week for a period short film. So if you want to follow all the action on that then make sure you follow my MUA instagram (@alyssiarosemua).

The above shoot was one I did with a photography student for his finaly project, in which he is focusing on the Seven Deadly Sins. The above makeup is one I did for Vanity/Pride, and was certainly bold!

I have also managed to book my first Wedding of the year! It's all very exciting for me at the moment, and it seems as though it is going to continue to be so... I couldn't be any more happy with the leap of faith that I have taken if I tried...

This Week I'm...

Reading: The Curvy Girls Club by Michele Gorman

Listening To: My Chemical Romance and becoming an angsty teen again!

Playing: Mario Kart Seven with Tim! He finally picked up a 3DS and we've been enjoying playing together

Feeling: Happy about having my dream job

Looking Forward To: A week away up north filming on location!

Epic Disney Tag

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It's been ages since I have done a good tag, and what with the recent release of Disney's Cinderella, I thought it was about time I had a go at a Disney related tag post! I found this one online and it's called the 'Epic Disney Tag' and it questions you about all the things you love about Disney. Now we all know that I was brought up on Disney and it is very dear to my heart, so why not share more about me with you all?

1. A Scene in any Disney movie you wish you could experience?

This is a seriously tough one, as there are so many scenes that I would love to experience... Although now I am thinking about it I cannot get the lantern scene from Tangled out of my head... To be on a boat in the middle of a lake, watching thousands of lanterns decorate the sky, with my true love by my side... what could be more dreamy?

2. An unforgettable moment you've had at one of the parks?

This is not necessarily a happy memory for me, but it's one that makes me laugh every time I think about it. When I was seven I went to Disneyland Paris with my family and my dad took me on the Ghost ride, I can't even remember what it was called, but looking into it I think it was the Phantom Manor. So I went on this ride as a seven year old girl, and let just say I was terrified... no not terrified, traumatised. Anyway when I finally got off of the ride my teeth wouldn't stop chattering, like you know in old school cartoons how when a character is scared their teeth chatter... yep... I was literally straight out of an episode of Scooby-doo! AND they wouldn't stop for another 30 minutes after... silly me eh?

3. What non-disney song brings back disney memories for you? 

This one is a tough one to be honest and nothing springs to mind...

4. When was the first time you went to a Disney park?

As above. When I was seven years old I was lucky enough to go to Disneyland Paris, and I have been since then (despite numerous efforts).

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5. If you could chose any Disney character to be your best friend, who would it be?

It would have to be Anna from Frozen, me and her are like two sandwiches in a picnic basket! 

6. Who is your favourite Disney Princess?

Probably Tiana from Princess and the Frog. Her hard working attitude is one that I myself share, and I've always gone through life believing that nothing is greater than something that you have worked hard for and earned yourself! 

7. Name a scene/moment from a Disney film that makes you cry without fail?

There are honestly a million scenes in Disney that make me cry, what can I say? I'm an emotional lady... but if I had to pick one it would definitely be the scene in Wall-E when EVE installs a new chip in him, and for a moment you really believe that his character has been completely lost... I blub like a baby at that moment without fail...

8. Your favourite Disney movie?

I have many, as do most Disney fans. I couldn't pick just one, even if I tried. In fact I have been sitting staring into space for the last 20 minutes trying to think of one, and that just goes to show how hard it is...

9. The most overrated Disney movie?

Frozen without a doubt, but it still happens to be one of my absolute favourites! I understand there are a million people out there wishing that the Frozen hype would just die... I however chose to embrace it!

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10. The most underrated Disney movie?

Without a doubt The Fox and Hound... I LOVE that movie. I was obsessed with it when I was a kid, and yet I speak to so many people who like Disney, but have never even watched it! It saddens me that people tend to overlook it.

11. Favourite Disney Song?

Another seriously tough one... therefore I MUST name a few:

• I Just Can't Wait to be King - The Lion King
• Be Our Guest - Beauty and the Beast
• Part of That World - The Little Mermaid

12. Least Favourite Disney Movie?

Probably Pinocchio, I don't think I have ever seen it the whole way thorough...

13. Most memorable Disney villain?

Ursula is definitely a contender... As is Maleficent.

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14. Favourite Classic Disney vs your favourite Modern Disney?

My favourite Classic has to be Aladdin, mum says I used to sit in front of it all the time when I was a kid. My favourite modern Disney is probably Frozen, but I honestly couldn't pick between the two in a fight!

15. Favourite Disney Score?

Hands down Frozen, it's the only score that I can sit down and listen to the whole way through without getting distracted!

Friday Favourites: Apps I am Loving

I love my iPhone 5S, it goes everywhere with me, and one thing I have learned this year is how much I can rely on my iPhone. Now a lot of this is down to the apps that I have installed on my phone, so today I thought I would share some of my most useful apps with you!

Any.do Cal is a user friendly calender app that can sync calenders from numerous email accounts and applications. You can create new events and include attendees from your contacts list, notes to remind you what the event is all about, and even a location so you can use maps to find your way there! 

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You can set numerous reminders about an event from a few weeks before, up to a few minutes before the event. You even get a notification every morning letting you know how many events you have on that day (even if you don't have any). In the settings you can chose from several themes for the background pictures including art, locations, and food, meaning you'll always have a pretty backdrop for your calender. It also runs really well with the next app I am going to talk about, making it even easier to organise your daily tasks! 

Any.do is basically a simple and clean 'to-do' list app, in which you can create tasks for today, tomorrow, upcoming and someday. 

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The face that it is so simple makes it easier when trying to look at what tasks you have to do that day. There are no fancy pictures or colours to distract you from what you have to do. Even better is the fact that any tasks you have in this app will appear in the any.do Cal app which I mentioned above, meaning you can view them all in one place!

The Navitime Transit UK app has been my absolute saviour these last few months whilst I have been back and forth from London. This little app will help you plan a journey from start to finish, and will show you what changes you need to make, and even which platforms you need. This has honestly saved me several times. London Underground transport is hardly the most reliable and there were a few times trains were cancelled etc, and I would have been completely at a loss as to what to do without this app!

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The best part about this app is it covers travel all over the UK, not just London travel! Meaning you can use it to help you plan any train journey you may be embarking on.

I first heard about Best Fiends from Pewdiepie, as he was doing some sort of campaign with them, but honestly I'm glad I heard about it, because it is so addictive! Unlike your usual 'Candy Crush' style game, instead of moving items to match them you make 'chains' and the longer the chain, the more points you get for it. Best all all you have these little buddies called fiends, and each one has their own unique powers that can help you, such as directional bombs.

You also get given missions on some levels such as defeating a certain number of slugs (your fiends' number one enemy), or getting a certain amount of one item. Honestly this game takes up a good chunk of my time whenever I am journeying somewhere, so if you are looking for a free app to curb your boredom then look no further!

Let me know in the comments if there are any apps you think I should try next!

250 Bloglovin Followers Giveaway: LUSH Mystery Bundle!

You may remember a few weeks ago that I announced that I had managed to not only reach, but to surpass my target of bloglovin' followers for the year, in a matter of mere months! I had wanted to reach 250 followers by the end of the year, but now I am sitting on 291 followers and really I have all of you to thank for that!

Now I'm sure you are all wondering now I reach my target, whether I will be setting a new one, so I'm being rather ambitious, and setting myself the goal of reaching 500 Bloglovin followers by the end of 2015, and I hope that you will all continue to support me in reaching this target! 

In my last post, I asked you all what you might like to see me giveaway to celebrate reaching my target, and here is what you asked for...

It seems as though my readers love LUSH just as much as I do, because that is what I will be giving away, a mystery LUSH bundle worth at least (but probably more than) £20! I will also be giving you the chance to let me know what ONE Lush item you are desperate to get your hands on, and the lucky winner might just receive what they ask for in the mystery bundle that makes it's way to them!

The giveaway will run from now until the 8th of May 2015, so you have a month to get your entries in using the widget below, good luck to you all, I can't wait to put together the mystery hamper for the lucky winner!

250 Follower Giveaway: Win a Mystery LUSH Bundle

Wishlist Wednesday: Etsy Rings

Whenever I stumble onto Etsy I always find the most beautiful things... for some reason rings have been on my mind recently so I thought I would see what I could find in the handmade section. Lets just say I wasn't disappointed...

1. Vintage Silver Rose Ring: £22

2. Feather Ring: £22.06

3. Moonstone Ring: £11.03

4. Silver Arrow Ring: £9.65

5. Silver Crown Ring: £6.20

6. Vintage Elephant Ring: £12.96

7. Fox Ring: £6.72

8. Tiny Bow Ring: £16.54

9. Open Heart: £13.79

What is even better about all of these rings is that they are all under £25, some of them even less than £10... a serious bargain if you ask me. Don't forget to let me know in the comments which of these rings is your favourite!