Ellen's Blog: July 2015

, by Ellen Smith

My July Instagram Pictures

Hey Lovely people!

July has come and gone so quickly and now it is time to say goodbye. I am now starting this monthly tradition of ending the month by sharing my instagram photos.

I hope you like the photos.

Follow me on Instagram!

I remember having this relaxing candle lit bath, using the "comforter" and drinking a mojito!

Here is one of those smoothie bowls I was obsessed with eating and had at the start of the month. This is a picture from one of my "What I Ate Wednesday" posts.

Flowers, just for the sake of it.

This is one of my recent eye shadow purchases from Make up Revolution - The iconic pro palette. I can't say I've used this that much yet!

Here is a picture of myself and Nel, one of my fave people in the world. This picture was taken at Dave's party which was a pretty good night.

One of my lunches from a "What I ate Wednesday" post. It is my signature combo at the moment, tomatoes and carrots.

Here is a picture I really like of my self from my "how to style crop tops" post.

I stayed in Cathal's house for a couple of days in Dublin this month. I had such a lovely time and he made me a lovely breakfast in bed. He really could be the world's best boyfriend!! :O

When in Dublin, I of course popped to Lush. I bought this Blackberry bath bomb which looks plain and boring but was actually fab!

Here are some of my most used eye shadow palettes. I discussed some of these in my "Neutral Eyeshadow Palettes" post. Click here to read the post!

I've been told that this was quite a brave photo to upload. I don't really see why, I've seen plenty of photos like this on instagram, and well that day I went for a jog and wanted to share it!

Another meal from my "What I ate Wednesday" post!

Last July I went to Italy so I am suffering from the holiday blues this year. I just shared this image because it is one of my all time favourites from the trip. I love the colours of the buildings, it just captures the whole mood of the place .

I have really been liking my photos at the moment, this isn't an exception. But it is also another picture from my "How to eat healthily" post. Have a read here!

This may sound vain as hell, but I really am in love with this selfie of myself. I just think I look really nice in it. I just wanted to take a nice picture to use in my 1 year blogpost and I am happy to say that I managed to get a great picture!

One of my pre work out milkshakes I had for breakfast in my "What I ate Wednesday" post.

This is another adored picture from Italy. But I used it in a guest post I wrote on another blog.

Click here to read the post!

Here is a photo of the prizes in my Giveaway that is opened until the 23rd of August. If you haven't entered yet, enter here!

Here is a photo I put on my instagram to advertise a post I wrote on "The Glasses Shop". Click Here to read it!

What have you been uploading to Instagram?
If you have an instagram account, share it below!!

Ellen,

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, by Ellen Smith

In Food,

What I Ate Wednesday #9

Hey lovelies,

I hope you're all well, it is Wednesday again and if you've been on my blog for the past nine weeks, you'll know that it is time for my "What I Ate Wednesday" post of the week. This week I feel like I didn't eat as healthily as I normally do. This is okay though, I don't deprive myself of bad foods, most of the time I don't eat them because I prefer the taste of healthier foods. But sometimes I have an indulgent day, today was one of those days.

Just putting it out there until they're over that I have one beauty related giveaway here and one fashion related giveaway here so please enter if you're interested!

Breakfast : For breakfast I had a fruit smoothie which included frozen banana, frozen berries, yoghurt, milk, walnuts, almonds and peanut butter. I also sprinkled some chia seeds on top!

Benefits of the food:
- Nuts like almonds, peanut butter and walnuts are a great source of fibre, protein and essential fats.

- Milk and Yoghurt are high in Calcium for strong bones and teeth as well as protein.

- Peanut Butter is a great source of healthy fats and protein. According to this article there is an array of advantages to eating peanut butter. It reduces the risk of heart disease and colon disease as well as reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Read more here!

- Bananas are rich in potassium.

- Berries are rich in antioxidants.

Lunch: We went out for lunch to the forge where I opted for their soup of the day and some bread.

Benefits: This meal provides carbs for energy for the day as well as vitamins and minerals included in the vegetables incorporated in the soup!

Dinner: I whipped up some of my sweet potato veggie burgers and has some beetroot and carrot on the side! It was so yummy and vegetarian!!!

Also if you want a recipe for those burgers, let me know in the comments!

Benefits of the food!
- Sweet potatoes have a variety of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, D, B6 and Iron. Read more benefits on Sweet Potatoes here!

- Carrots are rich in antioxidants and vitamin A which helps with our vision.

Snacks!

Cashew Nuts

Hot Chocolate.

What did you eat today?

Ellen,
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, by Ellen Smith

In Lifestyle,

Pixar's "Inside Out" film review.

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Hey Guys,

I think my love for animated films comes from the inner child in me. I absolutely love sitting down and watching an old disney classic, animated of course. Sometimes, I think I even prefer it to sitting down and watching live action films (although the new live action "Cinderella" was pretty decent)! I am an absolute sucker for some of the old pixar classics like "Toy Story" or "Monsters Inc" and I adore the newer Disney films like "Frozen" or "Tangled" just as much. When I heard a bit about the new release "Inside Out", I was pretty excited about it!

My brother is pretty much a movie encyclopedia! If you've any queries about movies, I am almost positive that he would be able to answer to most of those. He was saying that "Inside Out" was given absolutely incredible reviews on line, so we decided to go see it in the cinema. I came out absolutely touched by the movie, to the extent that I felt compelled enough to write a review on the film on my blog! Movies are something I really haven't discussed on my blog.

The concept of the film is essentially the exploration of the different voices inside our head; joy, sadness, anger, disgust and fear. The focus in this film is on the protagonist Reilly's, a pre-teen who is honest, loves hockey and is extremely family oriented. The focus is purely placed on her memories as well as her emotions. Most of her memories are happy memories which puts immense pressure on joy to keep Reilly constantly happy. As the film progresses, we discover how the other emotions play a role in making Reilly a generally content person.

I don't want to give too much away about the plot because that was one of the main aspects I loved about it. I loved the storyline because it was extremely moving to me. I felt quite emotional in the theatre.

As well as being an absolutely touching film; there was also a lot of good humour included as well as excellent animation. I thought the animation was thought out very well and they came up with some very creative ideas as to how to create an alternative world inside somebody's head! They include things like imaginary friends, brain freeze and other minute details which make the film very clever. There were also some very aesthetically appealing camera shots in the film, I thought a lot of them were beautiful, so fair play to the pixar crew for that!

This film would get a solid five out of five from me. I couldn't fault it in any shape or form. It is one of those pixar films which cater to audiences of all sorts, whether you are 4 or 40, I am sure you would enjoy this!

Have you watched inside out? What did you think of it?

Ellen,
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, by Ellen Smith

In Fashion,

The Glasses Shop Review!

Hello my lovely readers,
I hope you had a lovely weekend. What were you up to? Please let me know in the comments, I would love to catch up.

Recently I was contacted by a lovely lady from The Glasses Shop. She asked me if I was interested in doing a little collaboration with them and providing a bit of my own person insight to the store and my thoughts on their sunglasses and other glasses. I was offered to pick a pair of sunglasses of my own, which when you have a pea sized head is quite a challenge! I always see people rock sunglasses and then when I put them on I look so ridiculous because my head is so small!

So the SunGlasses Shop is an asian online company who offer cheap glasses as well as prescription glasses. If you require prescription glasses, you simply need to provide the company with details of the lens and frame of preference, I believe.

The company offer glasses in a variety of styles, from glasses with a tortoise design or glasses in a cat eye shape. I had originally opted for some round sunglasses, but I changed my mind to these sunglasses which are aviator glasses in gold. It is available to buy here!

I have to say that I quite like the glasses, They probably look a bit big on my petite face, but that's no surprise, most sunglasses look massive on my head! But I really like how they looked on my face with my hair all around my face *see very bottom photo*. I just adore that blue reflective surface of the sunglasses!

They came very well packaged, in a box which I took a good five minutes to open! When I finally got the package opened, I discovered that the glasses were stored in a plastic container with one of those wipes that most glasses wearers use to clean their glasses if they get foamy or dirty in any shape or form. Included in my order was also a little token which enables me to get 25% off my next order, a nifty little marketing trick.

The only negative I have about my service from the Glasses Shop is how long the delivery took. But that is purely a location issue, something that really cannot be helped. Other than that I would highly rate the service, the company were very cooperative with me and provided me with a handy tracking number to keep an eye on my package!!!

The company have very kindly given me a voucher code so that anyone who reads this blogpost can get a discount on their next order! The voucher code is simply GSHOT50, so if you want to rock sunglasses like mine like the beach babe or suffer dude you are, be sure to use that code to make a small saving on your purchase!!!

The following code will allow you to get a 50% discount off eyeglasses and sunglasses with free lenses(sale frames excluded) available on the Glasses Shop website!

Check out their promotions here!

Have you shopped with The Glasses Shop?

Ellen,
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Please note that the following post is sponsored and the opinions I have posted are my own.

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, by Ellen Smith

In Giveaways!, Lifestyle

CLOSED Win an item of your choice from Jexshop! (YES ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!)

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, by Ellen Smith

In Blog Q&A, Giveaways!

100 Followers on Blog Lovin and 1 year anniversary Giveaway!!! (International)

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, by Ellen Smith

In Food,

What I Ate Wednesday! #8

Hello lovelies,
It is Wednesday again so that means it is time for another addition to my "What I Ate Wednesday" series.

Breakfast

I was about to go on a jog so for breakfast I had something as a pre-work out snack and I made one for my mum. This is a milkshake which contains Milk, Yoghurt, 2 Bananas, 3 tablespoons of peanut butter, a handful of almonds and a handful of walnuts.

Benefits of the food!

Milk and Yoghurt are high in Calcium for strong bones and teeth as well as protein.
Peanut Butter is a great source of healthy fats and protein. According to this article there is an array of advantages to eating peanut butter. It reduces the risk of heart disease and colon disease as well as reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Read more here!
Bananas are rich in potassium.

Nuts such as Pecans and Almonds are a great source of protein and the good fats, These can be high in calories but be sure to eat small amounts to obtain the benefits. Almonds are high in vitamin E which helps with the appearance of your skin. It is also a great substitute for those who avoid dairy. Nuts can also contain high levels of fibre.

Lunch

For lunch I had a mix of things, I had a fried chicken sandwich with gluten free bread, potato salad and couscous on the side along with fried tomatoes and fried cucumbers.

Benefits of the food!

Gluten Free bread is a great alternative for those who can't digest gluten.
Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin A and are very good for improving vision and eyesight.
Chicken has less saturated fats than red meats and is high in protein.
Cucumbers have antioxidant properties. Read more on the advantages here!

Dinner

For Dinner I had a Fajita roll with some of the fillings on the side. The fillings included mixed bell peppers, onions, red onions and celery.

Benefits of the food!

Bell peppers will have a variety of antioxidant properties.
The tortilla wrapped around the filling is a carb which will provide energy for the day!

Fluids

Over 2 Litres of water.

What have you been eating today>
Let me know in the comments,

Ellen,
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

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, by Ellen Smith

In Lifestyle,

I have posted a guest post on Peace and Blessings!

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, by Ellen Smith

In Blog Q&A,

1 year blogging!

Hello my friends,

How are you all doing? How has your summer been? Have you been up to any crazy adventures? Please, let me know in the comments.

It has been almost a year since I started this blog. It all started on July 14th 2014, I believe, when I posted a pretty crappy introductory post to my blog. To be honest with you, I really don't think it does "FishnetsxD" any justice anymore. If I recall correctly, I wrote that I was bored and decided to start a blog. I guess I only intended for it to be a summer project, but after awhile I really enjoyed writing this blog and having my own place on the internet to customise and to share my thoughts with you. I have shared many intimate details of my life from my college life, to my experience in relationships to my regrets when hungover!!! Fishnetsxd has become my mini kingdom of thoughts and ideas on the internet.

My blog isn't only a personal sanctuary of mine, but it is also a place for self expression. I can't tell you how much fun and excitement I have when I create fashion and beauty posts and by making friends online and discovering other blogs. I have only flourished in confidence about the way I portray myself and my image. This all comes down to "Fishnetsxd" blog.

So far, I have had an adventure that I could have never imagined experiencing before. I have met and discovered so many wonderful bloggers, I have worked with some great organisations (Tagstr and Dresslink, to name a few) and I have improved so much in terms of taking photographs, editing and displaying them on line as well as writing and delivering blog posts. I sometimes look back on my past cringe-worthy blog posts. But I've decided to keep them for the nostalgia and to see how far "FishnetsxD" has come!

In terms of the future of this blog, I see it as pretty optimistic. My blog can only improve and grow in quality, which will most definitely enthuse me to continue in my adventures on it. I wish to continue blogging as I do, and as often as I can.

As a way to celebrate my blog's anniversary, I will be hosting a giveaway on July 23rd, so be prepared for a small giveaway on that date as an expression of my gratitude.

Thank you my readers for reading this post, or any of my other posts. It really means a lot, and I love that my ideas are appreciated.

I look forward to the future of "FishnetsxD" and the mysteries that I have in store.

Ellen,
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

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, by Ellen Smith

In Beauty,

UU Hair Extensions!

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, by Ellen Smith

In Food,

How to eat healthily!

Hey Guys!
How are you all?

Getting healthy and fit seems to be an ongoing trend in recent times. With people growing an increasing concern for their life expectancy and general health, many opt to start a healthier lifestyle. It isn't only about being physically active but also putting the right types of fuel into our bodies.

As I have been sharing a lot of what I have been eating in my "What I Ate Wednesday" series, I have been trying to eat very healthily. For one thing, I don't want to look like a complete slob on the internet and I also want to eat healthier because I feel better about myself in the end.

I feel that I eat pretty healthily right now so I thought I would share some of my tips on eating healthily.

My tips for eating healthier!

1. Be educated
It really isn't a bad idea to do a bit of research on the foods you are eating on a regular basis. For example, lets say you're eating granola everyday for breakfast. Your particular granola may have a lot of sugar in it so it may not be as healthy as it seems. And as it has a lot of sugar it will allow your glucose levels to sky rocket very early on in the day. Alternatively you could find a different brand of granola with less sugar or make your own!!!

2. Research the benefits of your food
I think this is similar to the first point I tried to make. If you know why the food you are eating is good for you there is more chance of you continuing to eat it. I know that avocados are high in potassium and those good fats we need and I have been consistently eating them for over a year now!

3. Make changes slowly
As the saying goes, "Slow and steady wins the race". Make changes slowly. Maybe eat one biscuit less tomorrow night or drink your nightly cup of tea without sugar. If you change slowly they will become subtle and you probably won't notice that you're eating a whole lot healthier!!!

4. Try new things
Some of you may be aware that earlier on in the year I bit the bullet and went vegetarian for about two months. In that time, and during college in general, I tried so much new food. A year ago you wouldn't have seen me eating spinach or kale or beetroot or cucumber and they are some of my favourite foods now. If I could give somebody some advice it would definitely be to try new healthy foods. I think most of the time they taste delicious and you'll feel better by eating them too!

5. Eat wholesome and tasty foods
One of the difficulties facing many people in the healthy eating transformation is their cravings for sweet treats. We are all human and we are going to have these cravings. I would advise you to eat healthy foods you like the taste of to ease those cravings. When I have a smoothie bowl I feel like I am eating something indulgent when in actual fact it is quite healthy for you. There are so many healthy recipes available on the internet so why not do your research and find one that appeals to you!!!

Do you have any tips on eating healthily?

Ellen,
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

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, by Ellen Smith

In Lifestyle,

Things I've learnt from breakups!

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Hello Everyone!
How are you all?

Today I am coming to you with another "Things I've learnt from" posts. I really like writing these posts and sharing some of the experiences I have had with you guys without giving you a lot of detail.

If you have ever been in a relationship, you have undoubtedly experienced a break up; whether it was positive or negative is really dependant on the situation involved. The following are a few things that I have learnt (and probably didn't realise at the time of the break up) from the experience of leaving a relationship.

Breaking up is hard - I'll be honest, break ups can be very difficult. I went through a very rough period when my last boyfriend and I broke up. I pretty much felt miserable all the time. The only time I wasn't as sad was when I was occupied, like when I went to Munich in Germany. It is definitely a good idea to keep yourself busy and distracted when going through this. Surround yourself with friends, start some new hobbies and get to know yourself and somehow your situation will be much easier to comprehend and deal with.

Time is a healer - I can't really explain myself for this one, but things do get better over time and you eventually get over the person. I suppose you learn to accept it the longer you are without them.

You can still be friends - Some people think that it'll be virtually impossible to be friends with your ex boyfriend/girlfriend after you're finished with them. I can assure you that this isn't through. In fact, I am friendly with every single guy I have ever been involved with. You may need a bit of time apart in the initial stages of the break up, but by the end of it, if you agree to be friends, that is totally achievable.

You won't get back together - Unless you are in that relationship that has those constant on-again-off-again stages, then the chances are, you two are finished for good. There is no point praying that you'll get back together. If it happens, it'll happen, if it doesn't then it doesn't. Your primary focus should be to get over the breakup.

What have you learnt from break ups?

Ellen,
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