Weekly Roundup #LastEver

Hello!

This is BerryBloomXO's 100th post!!! What??! Can you believe it! Well, to keep this one more personal, it's a weekly roundup, and quite possibly the last EVER Weekly Roundup…

That's right, last ever. Okay, well, not the last EVER ever, but seeing as there are more than 10 Weekly Roundup posts, it may be time to change it up a bit… like a new name, perhaps? Considering that 'Weekly Roundup' is used by like every blogger, that or 'Friday Favourites'! To make things different and change up the name, a new one is needed so here are some ideas: Weekly Berry, BerryRoundup … okay, I'm not that creative but YOUR help is needed!!

We'll come back to that, but to the Weekly Roundup:

I passed my Driving Test!! 

I obviously had to blur out like all of the certificate due to personal information and things, BUT I passed! It was my first time taking the test and I thought I was going to fail as the first turn I took was very wide - because I was nervous, of course - but it was all good! Honestly, it was unbelievable and it still hasn't hit me that I can drive officially now! 

Relax time watching BRITs 2014

Being a true candle-lover, you would know what joy it brings when a candle is lit! After having redone my room, I had not lit a candle - purely because I had forgotten. Watching the Brits on my Laptop (while tweeting, of course!) with a candle on my bedside table was super fun and the show was great this year! 

Birdie Time

The rare times when the sun actually shines in London, we make the most of it! Having gone to the park to feed the ducks and birds in the beautiful weather, I couldn't resist but take a snap!

It was a lovely week! I hope you had a great one too and I wonder what your highlights of the week were!
One solution left to find: What to name the series, please share your suggestions!

BerryReads: Wishlist

Hello! 

Reading is something I have not done in a while. Having redone my room, there are now a few more areas whereby I can relax and… well sit and read! Don't you just love having little areas to chill in?! Well, obviously that calls for more reading, right? Isn't that justice enough?! :)

Well, since a very young age I've been a reader yet I haven't read in a while. You may be like me: one that loves story lines such as those in movies, tv shows and even music videos! Well, books are like little movies in your head and you can direct them however you wish!

You may notice a slight theme in this BerryReads today: Movies. Well, not all of the books but 2 of the 3 are (soon to be) movies!

Wolf of Wall Street is currently a movie featuring Leonardo DiCaprio - it's about a guy who makes thousands of dollars per minute yet 'rinses' (spends) it all during the night on things such as drugs, alcohol and bad, bad stuff! I like that it's a different storyline based around greed and power. It intrigues me, and the fact that it's based in New York makes it even more interesting!
(GoodReads Rating: 3.6/5)

Cancer patients are being increasing by the minute in our day to day lives, The Fault In Our Stars is a love story about a cancer patient. You probably have heard of it, if not read it already! The first time  watching the trailer for TFIOS reminded me a bit of The Sisters Keeper in terms of the cancer idea - yet it still seems a must read before watching the movie!
(GR: 4.5/5)

GoodReads is a great place to find ratings of books and lists to choose books from. Looking at the 'Popular' list of what others are really enjoying, I came across Shatter Me. It is about a girl who has the power to kill someone at the touch of her fingertips. Sounds pretty gruesome, right? Actually, thats the part that repels me from the book! However, she wants to use her powers for good not evil (Frozen, anyone?) and it makes me wonder how she deals with it! Though, if it's too gruesome I won't continue reading it!
(GR: 4.09/5)

That's it, nothing too girly this time but quite a few to get my hands on!
What book is on your Reading Wishlist?

source: GoodReads, Image

New OPI Brazil Collection - SS14

Hello! 

The sun is finally peaking out from behind the clouds now meaning it's a good time to talk about Brazil. Well, OPI's new Brazil SS14 Collection, that is! 

I am a huge fan of OPI for many a reasons, one being the very creative names on probably every nail colour they have and the second being how on point they are with the trends of the season. Now, don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean I buy every new OPI Nail Polish released, in fact most of my polish are not OPI, yet I do find myself painting my nails in similar shades to their recent collections!

So, these are the colours for Spring Summer 2014:

The Brazil Collection consists of mostly creme finishes with both neutrals and brights. I have seen the bright yellow colour in many SS14 collections, so that will be a bit hit this season.

Out of this collection my favourites would be 'I Såo Paulo Over There' and 'Toucan Do It If You Try' - see what I mean by the names?! I love taupes and coral, so these shades are 'right up my alley'.

What do you think of the collection and your favourite shades?

Polish Images Source

Music of the Moment

Hello!

Right now certain songs have literally been on repeat for hours on my iTunes - so, of course you had to hear them! Although it hasn't been far too long that you've seen a playlist type of post on BerryBloomXO, yet I couldn't resist!

1. Say Something - Christina Aguilera, A Great Big World

This song was covered by this years US X Factor winners, Alex & Sierra, which is where I first heard it. A couple of weeks later I came across the song on YouTube and had it on replay for about 2 hours straight! For the record, I am still not sick of it! A song that will never get old and a must listen to!

2.  If - Luke Conard

Another YouTube find, Luke Conard is a YouTube musician and this is one of the many great songs he has on his channel. If you watch the Music Video, you'll see it's not just another 'boyfriend/girlfriend' song, but about another special lady in his life. It's so lovely and again I can listen to it on repeat (but not quite as much as 'Say Something'! Haha!).

3. What Now - Rihanna

She's back. RiRi has been off my playlists for a while now but this song has bought her back! I feel she has evolved to a different perspective again and this song is definitely one you could fall in love with. At first I thought it was a little iffy, but it has definitely grown on me!

That's it! My fav songs of the moment!
Are you as addicted to 'Say Something' as I am, or is something else on repeat for you?

source: 1, 2, 3

Health Benefits of Flaxseed

Hello!

It's been a long time since I've done one of these, and since I had this on my peanut butter toast this morning, I was wandering why exactly these little Flaxseeds were actually meant to be so good for you, and to my surprise, there are more health benefits than I had thought! 

If you don't know what Flaxseeds are, they are basically seed like sunflower seeds, chia seeds etc. They are also called Linseeds, which is what they're called in England.

Flaxseeds are getting more and more well known recently and many people add them to many different meals and snacks… but what is the big deal about these teeny tiny seeds?

- Very High Fibre Content, hence lowering bad cholesterol, stabilise blood sugar, help proper functioning of intestines.

- Source of Antioxidants, these are also very good and also helps to balance female hormones

- Has healthy Omega-3 Fatty Acids, this reducing inflammation, prevents heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and some cancers - by blocking enzymes that are involved in hormone metabolism and interfering with the growth and spread of tumour cells

- Also a source of B Vitamins, Magnesium and Manganese

Some call it the 'most powerful plant foods on the planet', and clearly these benefits are the reason why!  However, be aware that Flaxseed Oil doesn't contain the fibre nor phytochemicals (antioxidants) of the whole flax seed. In addition the benefits of the flax is easily damaged by heat and oxidations, so be aware to store in a dark, dry place.

You can eat them sprinkled on yogurt, on cereal, porridge, shakes, cereal bars, juice, baking (flaxseed muffins), pb toast like I did or even find them in seeded bread!

Have you tried Flaxseed? If so, what do you eat them with/on? 

sources: image, info, info

Motivation Monday: Be You

Hello!

Well, it's another Monday so time for another post. Actually, this post is based around something I saw on YouTube. Okay, we all hate those annoying adverts that appear before a video, yet sometimes don't they just reach out to you so you can't bring yourself to press the 'skip' button?! Well, this was one of those times…

The song is really good and the message even greater. You see people labelling other people all the time. It's like because they look or dress a certain way, they have to act that way. This is not the case and shouldn't be regarded as the case either. You can be whoever you want to be, no matter what other people think of you: Just Be You and don't let anyone else bring you down.

I thought this quote was appropriate, too:

So, let's end on a lighter note: Just be happy! :)

So, what do you think of the video? Wasn't it great?!

Happy Valentines Day!

Hello! 

14th February. The day you either love or hate - however, as Valentines Day is going to occur whether we care or not, it's nice to spread the love. That could be to family or friends or even a special person!

It was super fun to write Valentines Post's for the blog! If you didn't catch them they were (click on them to view) :

So, I hope you have a super fun Valentines Day, with your valentine, family, friends or a simple me-time movie night in - just enjoy it!

What did you think of the Valentines Post Series? Would you want to see more festive series? Leave suggestions below! :)

Easy Valentines Day Recipes!

Hello!

Being it February Valentines Day is one of the big events (if not the biggest) - whether you have plans or not, it doesn't mean you can't make valentines inspired food!

Well, I'm not that great of a baker, yet I do like to bake! So, for V. Day I wanted to make something simple and easy, which doesn't take very long so it can practically be eaten straight away - being impatient and all! So here are some VERY simple recipes you (and your friends) can make in a matter of minutes!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

A typical Valentines Day Snack that is super easy and extremely tasty! The first picture looks so lovely and pink - perfect for Valentines Day, but still quite hard, so a simple chocolate covered strawberry will do too! All you do is melt some chocolate (milk, white or dark -up to you) and dip strawberries in. You can either have a fondue style or simply leave the chocolate to cool and have later. I prefer it like a fondue! Yum! 

Cocoa Cornflakes/Rice Krispies Treats

Do you remember doing this as a kid? I remember in Primary School one Friday afternoon we got to make these - that was because a teaching assistant was leaving so she decided to treat us! 

Anyway, there are multiple ways of making this - you can either simply melt chocolate and mix in cornflakes/rice krispies or with cocoa. Melting Chocolate is probably the easiest option. To break it down, just get some chocolate, melt on a double boiler or microwave (be careful not to burn it, trust me it's not nice in terms of smell, or taste of course!) and mix in cornflakes/rice krispies.

I'm not sure if that was completely necessary to explain yet there we go! :)

Pink Popcorn

This was a new one for me! I thought it was very nice! Basically you add food colouring to popcorn! I haven't done this before yet loved the idea! Perfect if you're watching a movie for V. Day! 

Pretty Pink Trail Mix

This is so super easy too, it's just throwing together things you have such as cereals (cheerios, raisin wheats, shredded wheat… etc.) chocolate chips, M&M's, popcorn, raisins, dried cranberries, nuts… whatever you have! I love how you don't need anything specific for this and you can make this completely to your taste! Again, perfect for a movie or night in or something you may have planned for valentines day!

So, that's a couple of snacks you can make which are super, super easy to make and so simple!
Also, for Valentines Outfit Inspiration click here! I hope you have an amazing, fun day on Friday with your valentines, or even watch a movie by yourself with yummy snacks (it seems like a fun night too)!

What's your favourite simple recipe to make?

 Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Manicure Monday - Matte GunMetal

Hello! 

I love the look of freshly painted nails - it's a nice aspect to change as it is easy to do so and can make a difference! I swear I pick the colours of the polish depending on my mood!

Being a fan of the Matte Nail Polish trend, I again picked up the matte topcoat to paint my nails! I used Barry M 'Dusky Mauve'. I am in love with this polish. It is a Grey with Purple Shimmer.

Adding the Rimmel Matte Top Coat meant that the polish lost it's purple shimmer and is left with a gunmetal-y grey colour.

I've got to say I really like the way the matte topcoat turned out on this polish. It completely changed the look of it can I can't stop touching my nails. Others have mentioned how good it looks and feels (… yes people actually felt my nails!)...

Using the Matte Topcoat in the LAST Mani Monday was not as effective as it turned out this time. I am really pleased with it. Unfortunately last time my nails chipped quickly - having not enough experience with the Matte Topcoat, I'm not sure if it was that or another reason why the polish chipped so quickly, I'll keep you updated!

Are you in for the Matte Nails trend?

Weekly Roundup #10

Hello!

It's Friday again! What a relief! I feel like this week has really dragged out, yet can you believe it's the first Friday of February?! We're already in the second month of 2014!! Just stating the obvious here…

Anyway, so seeing as I had not done a single Weekly Roundup last month, I feel this is necessary. I miss showing you little bits of the week as every week should be cherished - you will never get another exactly like it!

Things I watched: 

'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green has been such a talked about book and soon-to-be-released film. I have yet to read the book yet you may have done so. The reviews of the book are all amazing and just watching the trailer has made me super excited about it! I like the storyline shown in the trailer - that everyone finds their happiness, and everyone deserves to be happy!


Next Movie to see: 

This week I have heard so much about the movie Frozen. It is said to be a great feel-good Disney movie with great songs! haha! Maybe it's time to go back and watch a Disney film, why not?


Favourite Laugh:

source: 1, 2, 3, 4

I follow Barbara Palvin on Twitter - as I was scrolling through my News Feed these popped up. If you're on twitter then you might have realised the new(ish) layout whereby the images show up even if you don't click them. Well, when Barbara posted these, they caught my eye and I actually LOL-ed. It was a bit embarrassing as people around me must have thought I was crazy, but I just thought it was so funny! Barbara simply stunning, and she has a great sense of humour - what more could you ask for?! :O
 Being it Valentines Day next week, I thought this was appropriate to share! haha! My favourite is the Kanye one as I love that song and remember when I went to Disney Land, Timone and Pumba sang it! It was a good time!

Okay, for some reason there is a lot of Disney in this week's post - which I find a little bit weird!
Anyway, I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

What's your memorable laugh this week? 

Valentines Day Outfits!

Hello!

February has fast approached us and that means the day of chocolate and flowers is fast approaching. That means you may have plans booked (or surprises coming up) which you want to dress nicely for, and you may not know what to wear - story of my life!

Anyway, I thought it'd be super fun to plan some outfits for various occasions - feel free to mix and match! Oh, and you will see that I've gone for the red theme… seeing it's for Valentines Day and all, I thought it's a nice touch! :)

1, 2, 3, 4

Going out for a movie is a typical thing to do. For this occasion, I love the girly heels and lace top paired with the edgier leather outfit and super comfortable leggings. If you're like me, then you love comfort with style and leggings are perfect - I basically live in them!

1, 2, 3, 4

 A night at a lovely restaurant sounds perfect! Wearing a red dress with a patterned top area is different, lovely and elegant. To add an 'oomph' to the outfit, I paired a pearl and diamond decorated bracelet - with a dress like that, a statement necklace may clash, so a statement bracelet is the way to style it. I also love the simplicity of the coat which would look stunning with the heels as the detailing on them would stand out!

1, 2, 3, 4

Then there are those really casual plans, where you stay at home and watch a movie or whatever, so for that sweaters are perfect. I love this sweater which looks super warm and cosy, with the casual jeans and slight dressy Tory Burch flats. I also had to add this cute red and white polka dot phone case (I have a pink and white one!) which fits perfectly with the outfit.

Anyway, so I don't have any plans for Valentines Day! Maybe bake a batch of cookies or something? I was thinking of another post whereby you can see what to bake on Valentines Day, like themed cakes and things, how cute?! The post may be up next week, so stay tuned! I remember last year we had pancakes, nutella, strawberries and Haagan Dazs on V. Day and it was super fun!

Have you got any Valentines Day traditions or plans?! 

Motivation Monday

Hello!

I was scrolling across FaceBook - a site I rarely spend much time on nowadays - and came across this beauty. Being it Monday and it being the day we generally feel most down-in-the-dumps, I think this will leave you enlightened and feeling good this fine morning.

source

This is quite amazing and shows that if we really put our mind to something - we can achieve it. Okay, I'm not saying that everyone will be able to draw the New York skyline from memory, I probably can't even draw something that well after looking at it for 3 days. However, what I am trying to say is that what you might feel is impossible to do, it is possible. Our body and minds do amazing things and we don't realise this - yet, I feel we should just take a step back and realise all that we can do, instead of things we can't do. 

So, step out of your comfort zone, love life and do what you want to do…

What is the one thing you've always wanted to do yet never got around to it?