Makeup Graveyard

Hi lovelies, 

Today I've downsized my makeup collection. What I've done is sort out everything that I either don't use, or that has become to old.

This is the initial amount of makeup that I'vecleaned away from my makeup collection. It's a mash-up of both old and unused items!

I then cleared out all item that are too old and I threw those out. Whatever was left have been given to my sisters and my mother to bicker over - the items are pictured below

It felt good to declutter that part of my life, along with my office earlier in the week. New things are coming my way. I can just feel it :)

xx

Zandrina

Planner obsession

Hello lovelies,

I'm typing this at half past nine in the evening because I've spent the day doing nothing but looking up planners on pinterest and google!

I'm officially obsessed! My Moleskine planner is not enough anymore! It's too standardized and I can't change on add anything!

During the weekend I ordered new dividers and new diary inserts for my filofax in the personal size, but as I'm looking through videos and pinterest I am slowly realizing that my Personal sized filofax will not be enough!
It's just too small for all of my planning and the things I want to do with it! So what am I going to do? I can't cancel my orders as they've already been shipped!

The plan is as follows:
To save some money and buy an A5 or A4 filofax system (currently leaning towards the A4 as it seems easier to customize) at the end of March and use my Moleskine for another month.
The diary inserts that I ordered are day per page and that is way to much space for me to plan out my day - therefore those inserts will be used as a journaling tool instead!

I have also spent the day making even more dividers and my own printables!
I now have my own, customized vlogging and blogging ideas sheets and a social media tracker to go with it. They are all in personal size and I was really happy when I figured out how to create them!
It's actually really simple!

So, my Filofax in the personal size will be used as my journal and an outlet for vlogging and blogging. Now, that will probably not stop me from creating something pretty for my other Filofax that will be used for work as well!

Enjoy the pics of my newly customized planner and the printables I made - let me know if you want me to share those with you!

xx
Zandrina

IBS and FODMAPs

Hi Lovelies,

So, I don't know how many of you actually know this about me, but I suffer from IBS. It's a fairly common disease, that happens mostly to women around my age and people don't like talking about it because the symptoms are not that kosher.
It's also very hard to determine if it's a "real" disease or not. This is because the triggers are mostly phycological. Basically I got mine from my anxiety and panic attacks. Which is another thing you might not know about me. Senior year of high school I got my first panic attack, and I got scared of public transportation. It took some weeks before I got a diagnos and medication to help me. I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and panic attacks. It was a very difficult time. If you are not familiar with this disease I'm not going to explain it, just send you to a video that Zoella posted a while ago that describes the symptoms and disease very well, even better than my phycologist did back when I was diagnosed!

It's almost 20 minutes long, but trust me, if you don't know what panic attacks and anxiety is this will explain it. And if you are suffering from it yourself this will help you understand it a lot better!

Now, back to the topic at hand, IBS and FODMAPs. I was diagnosed with IBS as a follow-up from my panic attacks, which is usually how you get IBS. IBS stands from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and has also been called Nervous Bowels. Basically, if I'm nervous, stressed or faced with something challenging or new my body stops functioning as it should. I get stomach pains and the urge to visit a bathroom becomes an emergency. I won't go into details, but let's just say that I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

It has become such a problem that I've let it control my life and because of it I'm not actually living my life to the fullest. I've lived with this problem for almost eight years now and it has been a constant struggle and worry for me.
One of my resolutions this year was to actually live my life and in order to do that I have to get my IBS under control. I've read about this diet called FODMAPs which is an Australian thing where you eliminate quite a lot of foods that are known to be irritable for your bowels. I've been eating according to this diet for a week now and I've noticed major improvements! Trust me, I noticed a change 24 hours into the diet!
I've eliminated gluten, lactose, unions and garlic. This is very, and I mean very, problematic and difficult in the beginning because there is unions and garlic in almost everything. However, it is so worth it due to how much better I feel already.

On Friday I accidentally ate something that had unions in it and the pains arrived a couple of hours later. This diet has definitely showed me things that I absolutely can't eat, and that I do feel better when they are eliminated. My co-workers are telling me that I have a healthier glow to my face now and that I am more energised.
I'll update you more about all of this as I go, but for now I'll leave you with that this diet works and if you have IBS I urge you to try this.

xx Zandrina

New Year

Hello lovelies,

So Blogmas was not a success. I hit a bit of a slump there in the beginning of December and I'm just getting out of it. I'm hoping that 2015 will be my year as 2014 wasn't!

I am not making resolutions, as I never keep them anyway. I am, however, wishing. I am wishing things for the new year, or of the new year.

I am wishing for organization in my life. Seriously. When I am finding bills and important things that I don't know if I've paid or not I seriously need to sort things out!
I am wishing for happiness and joy to my family. They really deserve all the happiness they can get.
I am wishing for love. I know that this is very superficial and silly, but I'm tired of being alone now.
I am wishing for friendship. Yes, you read that right. I feel like I've lost many friends this year and it has all been my own fault. I need to find good company and stick by them. And they need to understand me and all of my flaws.
Lastly I am wishing for adventure. I want to be swept of my feet and I want to be spontaneous. I want to have enough courage to actually live.

In 2015 I wish that I will finally live my life. To not hold myself back and tell myself that I can't. I want to do new things, experience life.

I hope for a good year, one with many laughs and smiles that will warm my heart.

Happy New Year all my readers!

xx
Zandrina

Package haul | Blogmas 2014

Hi lovelies,

Yesterday I got a package from my dear friend Patrice. She was in Canada earlier this year and I asked her to pick up the Naked 3 palette for me, which she posted to me and it arrived yesterday. However, upon opening the package I found a few more goodies!

The lovely Naked 3 palette that I've been waiting for since its launch! It's so beautiful and I can't wait to do looks with it!

She gave me this beautiful bracelet. The infinity symbol is one of my favourites, and the band is a lovely turquoise :)

She also sent me this compact powder that I've never heard of - but she says it's her new favourite! Super excited to try this!

I also received this beautiful blush! it's called heat wave and the last two items are from Essence.

I've used Essence products before and they are pretty good in quality. Bought all my other things in Croatia and I've not seen them in Sweden at all! Shall be interesting if I fall in love to see where I find these products!

xx

Zandrina

More eBay packages | Blogmas 2014

Hi lovelies,

So I came home today to two more packages from eBay! Let me tell you, those small cute paper packages get me super excited! Today was a delivery of two Harry Potter things and I'll show you which ones they were below!

This gorgeous wrap around bracelet (that I've also ordered in another colour) has the Deathly Hallows symbol on it as  as two owl and The Golden (silver) Snitch. The band is some sort of pleather material and it looks really nice one the wrist. Will probably wear this one tomorrow!

The second thing is a necklace and it's of the Hogwarts Houses and their animals in one Hogwarts Crest. It's really pretty and even though it's gold, and I'm usually not a gold person, I can see myself wearing it! 

P.s. My Whovian friend and I shared our Tardis necklace today and I walked around feeling like a nerd and a 10 year old all rolled in one! Best feeling ever! ;)

xx

Zandrina 

Nerdy accessories | Blogmas 2014

Hi lovelies! 

So a few days ago my first ever order from eBay came in the mail. I was super excited as the earliest expected delivery day on all of my items were 17th December I wasn't expecting anything to arrive before then!

If you follow me on Instagram you'll know exactly what arrived, but I'll let the rest of you in on what it was!

A Deathly Hallows necklace that is jus so pretty! It's at an odd length compares to what I'm used to as it tend to fall inside my tops and chill my boobs - uncomfortable! But I'll figure out how to wear this asap! 

Today I was happy to walk down the stairs and find a second little package on our counter! Excitement feels queued and I just tore the thing open to reveal my two Doctor Who necklaces!!!

The first one is of the Tardis key and I'm super pumped about this one!! It's the key that belonged to the seventh doctor and even though I haven't seen the Old Who it still gets me excited. Besides, all the New Who Tardis keys look just like normal boring keys so this one contains much more awesome in my books!

It has this star sign pattern on the back and I'm dying to find out if it means something specific or just manufactured that way? Can someone tell me?

The second Doctor Who necklace is this Tardis one. It is supposed to be for couples and lovers but since I don't have one of those I'm giving the other half to my fellow Whovian who I made into a Whovian. We just need to figure out who gets which half! 

I'm a happy nerd today and I'm going to get something to eat and then proceed with the rest of my day! 

xx

Zandrina 

Nails | Blogmas 2014

Hi lovelies!

Just wanted to show you what's on my nails right now. I think they are beautiful and I hope you'll agree! :)

Don't mind my cuticles and nail beds... This is what happens during the colder months! The blue polish is Revlon Chroma Chameleon in Cobalt and the glitter is Essie On a Silver Platter.

What do you think? A beauty isn't it? :)

xx

Zandrina

Makeup Love | Blogmas 2014

Hi lovelies,

Thought I'd share two makeup favourites with you. One that I just ran out of and one that I recently purchased!

The one that I've run out of is by Lumene and it's their mattifying and retexturizing primer. 

It works amazingly well and mattifies the skin as well as fills in the biggest pores. It has done wonders for my base makeup theology the years and I'm very thankful. Unfortunately, when I ventured out to restock they were out of stock in the store! So right now I'm trying out a new primer from NYX that I'm hoping will do the trick!

My next favourite is by Warpaint. Now, can I ask how their logo has any connection to the word Warpaint? It's a W and a 7.... I don't get it but I'd love for people to tell me!

I bought their In The Buff palette the other day and tried it out this morning with my makeup. It gave a lovely result with great lasting power! I'm very impressed and excited to try the other Warpaint palette that I bought!

Look at all those lovely nudes! It's definitely a Naked 2 knock-off but it also does a very good job for a fraction of the price! I bought mine at Rusta, but if you don't have one near you I know they stiok them at craycray.se. I guess that they have them in other countries too but I don't know for sure!

I have some exciting stuff happening very soon in my life and I can't wait to share it with my Blogmas readers!

xx

Zandrina

Lena Meyer-Landrut | Blogmas 2014

Hi Lovelies,

You know when you listen to an artist, and you love their every song and follow their every move and sing along to everything? And then after a while you kinda forget about them? And then some time passes and you rediscover them?

Yes, that's what has happened to me. I rediscovered Lena the other day and now I have major hair envy. Today I also have rediscovered her music and OH MY GOD! I LOVE IT!!!

Her single Stardust is on repeat and it is bloody amazing! And to make it even more fun she's releasing a new album in 2015!! Get excited with me!!!

Yes, I might be addicted to watching her on The Voice Kids Germany because she is so darn cute!! Seriously, cannot express how in love I am with this person right now!

Mr. Arrow Key is another one of her songs that I really like! I especially like the art for this song as my hair envy is going nuts!!

Here is a pic from The Voice Kids auditions that I keep looking at just to see her reactions!
I am also trying to brush up on my German skills to understand what she says in interviews and things like that so having Lena as my Woman Crush is definitely not bad! ;)

xx
Zandrina

Hair Envy | Blogmas 2014

Hey lovelies,

I've spent a good portion of today watching The Voice auditions and I got serious hair envy going on right now!

In The Voice Australia they have Delta Goodrem as a judge - have you seen this woman?! She's always been a looker, but jeez - it's like she's photoshopped or something!! She's so pretty it's insane! And her hair is like Disney Princess Hair! Oh my lord, what I wouldn't give for that hair!! 

So gorgeous!!

And then we have The Voice Kids Germany... And they just happen to have Lena Meyer Landrut as a judge and this girl has been on my radar since she won ESC - but oh my god has she changed and DAAMN I want her hair!! Scratch that, I want to be her! Gorgeous from head to toe and the sweetest person ever according to what I've seen!

 

Like, I need my hairdresser on the phone stat - can we make this happen, please?!!

xx

Zandrina

Bathtub and Doctor Who Feels | Blogmas 2014

Hi lovelies,
This post was supposed to go up yesterday, but due to me being sickly, I changed the rhythm of the day and it kinda messed everything up!
So, just think of this as December 1st, and the second post will be up later today :)

So, as mentioned, I am sick. I am home from work because I have a bad cold and I am constantly coughing my lungs out. Seriously, every now and then, mid cough attack I stop breathing... It's scary, and I think my students would find that horrifying!

So, I started December off with sleeping until noon, waking up to take a new round of medicine and then sleeping again until 15:30 when my mother called and woke me up. I was well rested, but had messed up my daily rhythm - so I was also awake until 2:30 am....
Spent the day watching all the vlogmas videos in my feed and getting super pumped!
And that's when I decided that Blogmas is what I'll do and hopefully, once I feel a little bit better, there will be some videos included in the blog posts! :)

So yesterday, as I was sitting in the sofa I decided to take a bath. And, if you are really good with using up your Lush stuff within the "fresh" dates - please don't judge what I'm about to tell you!
In January of 2014 I visited my local Lush and bought lots of festive stuff on sale. Bath bombs, bath melts and bubble bars. Most of those things I used up in around February - March. Look back on my Instagram feed and you'll know that I'm not lying about that one! However.... I didn't use up my last Shooting Star Bomb, or my last Cinder Bomb... So they've been sitting snuggly in a box in our bathroom since January... And I used them yesterday in December.... That means that they were like batched a year ago.... Let me tell you - they smelled just as nice, and they made the water all colourful and left my skin feeling smooth and soft as they should. The only big difference was that I plopped them in the water and they were gone within 30 seconds.... Which the fresh ones weren't...

So my verdict it - don't leave your Lush things for too long, but if you do they are still useable and they won't kill you!

After that I sat down to do some preparing for my students assessment and I decided to finally watch the new Doctor Who series... I've been putting it off and not having time to properly indulge in it until yesterday. I watched the first three episodes and this is what I have to say;

I really liked how they made Clara's reaction to the Doctor's regeneration into a big thing. I liked how they kinda had to convince her that he is the same guy. Cause, let's be honest - it's a big change!
I cried when Matt Smith called her phone in the end. She was all done and ready to leave and he called her, from the past. It was so beautiful and thought-through by Moffat that I just couldn't take it. Jenna's acting in the spaceship - where she has to hold her breath to trick the robots and then she gets captured and has this whole speech and just wishing the doctor is there to have her back. BRILLIANT! Yes, I was kinda hoping that Matt would be behind the mask, and was disappointed for a little while.
I am so sad that Clara will be leaving at Christmas, that is probably the one thing that is making this Christmas Special one that I 'm not looking forward to. Clara is my favourite companion because she is very similar to myself and how I would've portrayed the companion.

Now.... what do I feel about the Doctor? I gave him three episodes to redeem himself and to see if he could win me over. I must say that I think I like him. I think I can get used to him and his grouchy Scottish behaviour! I'm not entirely convinced yet, but at least I don't hate his guts. Which is what I thought I'd do!

Christopher Eccleston is the first Doctor I saw, without knowing who or what the show was, David Tennant is my Doctor, he's the one I fell in love with and Matt Smith will forever have my heart... I just need to figure out what I'm gonna do with Peter Capaldi...

I'm going to try and get some actual work done now, see you later!

∞ Zandrina ∞

Saturdaze

I know,
I am so bad at keeping things I promise.
I say I'll post videos regularly, and I don't.
I say I'll do blogtober, and I don't...
I say all these things and I just don't stick to it....

I'd like to sit here and announce blogmas. but I don't know if I'll be able to stick to it.  I really want to, jeez - don't get me wrong, but there is part of me that knows that I'll just feel pressured and that I will end up not following it through.

I'm sitting here, curled up in my sofa, and I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner! Tomorrow is the first of Advent and on Monday we have December 1st. Where has this year gone? And I remember that I said I'd try and blog for a year... how did that go? 21 blog posts in a year.
Jeez, that was a great success... And don't get me wrong, I like blogging. I like the idea of people reading what I write and finding my jabbering exciting. I want to be able to tell you about all the good books I read, the movies I see, the music I listen to, the pictures I take, the things that I like and the things that I don't like. I want to share my life with my trusty readers.
There aren't that many of you, but that's my own fault for not writing as much as I promised...
The same way that I want to make videos for my loyal viewers - even though there's only a handful of you!

And then life happens. Life gets in the way. The stress of work and life in general gets the best of me and then I'm stuck there - with nothing! The blog calling in the back of my mind and nothing that I can do about it.

I want that to change. I want to be able to update you without feeling obliged to, or feeling guilty for not doing it. I want to be able to live and update you at the same time... It's a very odd thing to get to work, believe it or not. In my life at least...

I'm sorry, not it's just mindless rambling and I'm sorry for that.

Hopefully you'll hear from me soon
love you lots

~Zandrina

Movie review: Feast of Love [Blogtober #2 2014]

Hello lovelies,

I watched this lovely film called Feast of Love. That is the original title, but here in Sweden it was called Cup of Love. Don't really know why they changed it!

Some information to start us of with;
Year: 2007
Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Brad Silberling
Stars: Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Radha Mitchell, Toby Hemingway, Alexa Davalos and Jane Alexander
Synopsis: A rustic Oregon town is the backdrop for this tale of men and women touched by love's inescapable spell. From Bradley, the hopeless romantic who looks for love in all the wrong places; to Harry, a local professor with the wisdom and experience to guide those close to him; to young, beautiful Chloe, who defies fate in romancing the troubled Oscar. (From IMDB)


I actually bought this on DVD many months ago, because I liked the synopsis. Although I never got around to watching it.
I'm so glad I finally did!

Anything with Morgan Freeman is bound to be great, and this film was no exception. All these love stories that he gets to see and experience. Everything from young love, to mistakes, to old marriages and death.
It was absolutely beautiful and had me hooked from the get go. The actors did a stunning job and the storylines seemed well thought through and real. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Just the thing to watch on a Sunday evening!

I can't really tell you anything about the plotline since I will spoil it for you - that's an issue with me, I don't know when to stop, so I just won't start!
I will tell you though that I squealed a little when Stana Katic, who plays detective Beckett in Castle, showed up on the screen. I love her and even though she was just in it for a little while it was spectacular!

I recommend this movie to be watched with people you love, or on your own to make you think about your life and the love around you.
All in all a great film, but not the best one I've seen! But still a great watch!

Final rating: 3.5 stars out of 5!
Verdict: Watch it if you feel like a good watch, but you won't be missing out on a masterpiece if you don't!

xx
Zandrina

Blogtober Announcement [Blogtober #1 2014]

Hello my lovelies,
I thought I'd let you know that I'm going to be doing blogtober! I'm a little late to the party, but will spend the next few days catching up!
I have done vlogtober before, but have more or less failed miserably. I have decided that blogging might be easier - and it might get me into the rhythm of regular blogging!

So this is the announcement, and I'm also calling this Blogtober #1!

Am currently watching a film and blogtober #2 will be a movie review!
Blogtober posts will also be in the form of videos since I'm doing my best to get back into the swing of things now that all the stress has settled just a little.

And, on top of that, I've decided that I can't just work all the time, every day - all day, so doing this might get me to calm down and do things for myself instead!
And this is the way I've decided to do it!

Talk to you very soon
xx
Zandrina

Life update

Hey guys,

So sorry for not updating you in forever! I'm back at work and everything is super hectic! I haven't filmed a proper video since June! And no, I'm not counting my ALS video as proper. 

I have a huge pile of book that need reviewing so I'm going to get to that as soon as I can! Also have lots of ideas for tags and stuff that I want to do! So, I need to start filming stuff! 

Have some work to do, but I'm going to try and blog a little later - have a few posts planned :)

xx

~Zandrina 

Cyprus

I'm here! I say that like I just arrived, but I've been here for a week now. It's heavenly. Pool just outside the terrace, lovely beaches with crystal clear water. Food for years and days full of relaxing and the occasional shopping. 

I am trying to remember to film vacation vlogs, but it's just that, trying to remember. I'm so relaxed that by the time I haul out my camera the moment is gone or it's time to leave wherever we are. Gaah, frustrating to the max!

I've finished reading two books so far and in contemplating filming the reviews while I'm here since they're fresh in my mind. However, I do have 4 books back home that needs reviewing first and I might forget stuff if I start reviewing my two most recent reads.

The internet down here is very limited. For €5 you get 90min of wifi and I've already used up half an hour today alone. This means that I have virtually no contact with anyone back home or anywhere else. It SUCKS and it means that I can't keep updated with anyone's life! IRL or URL! It's just very depressing. Going to do my best to remember and film things, as well as take pictures to upload once I do have wifi. 

Oh, make sure you follow me on Instagram if you don't already. That is where all of the pictures will be up since it just seems easier to do it there.

I'll probably film a collective video of the vacation when I come home - haul and all!

Now I'm going to participate in a music quiz and well probably win again. Most due to the fact that people are leaving the restaurant and that it's a leaving/arriving day at the hotel!

Catch you later

~Zandrina

14 Days

Fourteen days left. Then I'm on my way to a lovely holiday with my amazing family! But before then I have two very hectic weeks ahead of me.

Monday-Friday we have summer school at the gymnastics where I'll be coaching. On Saturday I'm traveling to Helsingborg in Sweden to attend Eurogym. It's a huge event with gymnasts from all over Europe with a week of absolute fun! We'll be performing a show twice, trying out new sports, watching other performances and meeting new people from the gymnastics world!

Coming home next Friday evening and then I have the weekend to repack and organize the last few details before we're off to Cyprus for two weeks!

I sure have an exciting month ahead of me!

Before Eurogym I need to shop some more summer clothes, workout tops and bras along with a few other necessities. So that needs to be fitted in somewhere before Friday as I'm busy all of Friday!

Now food and then I'm going to enjoy a few hours in the sun! :)

~Zandrina

Disney Dork

Hey lovelies,

I'm currently in bed with my electric warmer and netflix on my iPad. I have a really bad stomach ache due to two separate things; Period cramps and IBS aches. 

Yes, I feel sorry for myself but I'm cheering myself up with the Disney show Jessie. Yes, it's for children. Yes, it's Disney. Do I care? Nope! It makes me feel good and I deserve it! 

I'm such a dork...

~Zandrina

Changes

Hello dears,

I've changed a lot of things in my social media life recently. I've taken all my blogs into 1 and I've gotten myself a private instagram account.
I've been wooing over my youtube situation as I'm not uploading  as I'd want to.
Last evening I saw a video on Youtube that made me thing. Robyn Schneider, author of The Beginning of Everything, used to have a beauty channel that she didn't talk about too often and therefore not many people knew about it. I did, however, and I loved her beauty and lifestyle videos!
She is actually one of the reasons why I gathered strength to post my own beauty and lifestyle videos.
She just announced that she will continue to upload her lifestyle videos but now on her main channel instead as she is finding it stressful to have two channels and upload on the regularly. I have four channels! My beauty and book videos could easily go on my main channel and I'll just keep my follow round videos and vlogs on my second channel.
It would be like going back to basics and the way it was before the side projects came along. However, I'd still have them but on my main channel instead!
And it would be easier for me to upload videos and I'd not be as stressed out! I could possibly get one video up a week on one topic, either music, books or beauty and lifestyle! I can do my favourites in one video, combining beauty, books and randoms!

I can honestly only see positive things come out of this... How about you?

Let me know what you think of me taking all of my channels into 1, but keeping my second channel as it is? It would allow me to upload more videos and more frequently as I'm not restricted uploading a certain type of video to one channel.

~Zandrina