True Story: "My Best Friend Moved to Australia"

By Amelia @ Into my Imagination

Hi! My name is Amelia and I’m over on Into my Imagination. I am really excited to be writing this section for Chit Chat and I hope you enjoy my post!

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 Nearly 2 years ago, my best friend immigrated to Australia with her family. I have been friends with her for 10 years and we did everything together. I honestly couldn’t believe it when I found out the date they were going. I just thought that it would never happen. I guess all good things come to an end. We both cried so much the night before she left. I was used to her being just around the corner but now she’s around the other side of the world, thousands of miles away from England (where I live). I still feel a sinking feeling whenever I think about it now.

Once she was over there, we used to Skype every weekend and send each other letters and gifts over in the post – often both resulting in tears for both of us. We stopped sending letters after a while as it was actually quite expensive. We could still Skype but even that became more infrequent. I honestly thought we were going to lose contact as it was just so hard being close when you can’t physically see each other. I thought I’d never see her again until one day she told me that they were coming over for 5 weeks! I haven’t seen her for nearly 2 years so you can imagine how excited I was! They are coming in December and I am so so excited and we’ve already planned so much!

You just have to think that things can only get better. There’s no point in just being upset all the time and feeling sorry for yourself; you have to make changes too. The main message I have is that you can’t split up true friends: you will always find a way to be together.

- Amelia

Tips on improving your fitness

By Grace @ bellemode102.blogspot.co.uk

Hello lovelies,

I am Grace and I blog on over at Belle Mode.  I am a fashion and beauty blogger and I love to dance and act. Today I am here to talk to you all about fitness. Now I am on a fitness boost and I am determined to tone up.  I am going to tell you about how I do it!

I go for regular runs. Running works all of the muscles in your body. You are using your arms, your legs and your stomach. A quick tip here, pull your tummy in when running and it helps to strengthen your tummy muscle. If you are going to go running though make sure you have some proper running trainers. Running in shoes like converse which you may think are trainers are not. They don’t give you the support. I have unfortunately experienced shin splints before which is common within runners.  If you feel slight pain in your shins when running, stop running for a while. You don’t want to risk hurting yourself.

Working out from home. I use an awesome youtube channel called blogilates.

Cassey Ho is the founder of the youtube channel blogilates. She is a trained fitness instructor and does all sorts of routines to your favourite songs. Cassey  has routines for your whole body. I can recommend a few, Cardio Ballet Challenge.  As I do ballet I was intrigued  for this. It’s a great legs and bum workout. I really love doing this one! Abs challenges. Cassey has lots of Abs challenges and my oh my after doing one you wake up the next morning and your hurting. You can feel that you have worked out. Cassey also has Pilates, arm workouts and so much more. I also recommend doing some Cardio with the stretches. My dad has also bought me the insanity dvd as he found it somewhere for lots cheaper than its meant to be so we will be trying that shortly.

Eating healthily. Try to eat 5 a day everyday. It is possible. This is how I do my five a day. I have a portion of raisins with my bran flakes in the morning, an apple at break time at school. In your lunch have a portion of grapes. That’s 3 portions and your only  at lunch time! And then with your dinner have 2 different vegetables. Simples. Switch crisps for a fruit bag. I haven’t had a bag of crisps in my lunch for over a month. I have switched crisps for a piece of fruit. Substitute fatty foods for a healthier option.

I have felt lots better about myself since I have been working out and eating healthier. I also have an after school job which includes fitness which is all good for you. Even taking the stairs instead of the escalator can work. Every night after my dinner I go for a walk. Walking is great after dinner and is also really good to clear your mind. I really enjoy going for a walk with my mum.  I know getting motivated to get fit and healthy is sometimes hard and you have those days where your walking through the shop and you see a chocolate bar you really fancy. Sometimes it's ok to have it. Treats are great to have in moderation, but other times I personally think ‘Do I really need this?’.

I hope this gives you some tips and tricks on getting healthy.  I would love to see you bunch of lovely people over on my blog. bellemode102.blogspot.co.uk

Speak to you soon.

Grace xx

Book Review: P.S I Love You

By Lauryn @ funfairsandfairydust.blogspot.com

 Nothing gets my heart racing, palms clammy and head giddy quite like the prospect of reading a new book. I am a book-a-holic. Nope, I am not just an 'avid' reader, but I am an absolute book-a-holic. I suppose that's a lot better than being an alcoholic at 14, so my mum should be happy about that! My mum moans at me for spending 99% of my time on the internet and with my nose in a book, but really? I could be a lot worse! Oopsies, what is it with me and rambling!

Because of book-a-holic-ness (have I mentioned this already? haha.) I am always looking out for new books to read. But after browsing the bloggersphere for quite a while, I didn't come across any blogs that included book reviews. So without further rambling I am immensely excited to introduce you to a new weekly feature on my blog; 'Falling For Fiction Thursday' where I'll post my thoughts on a book that I love or have read recently! I have so many books that I would love to bombard you with, so every week I will be posting about a new book!

So today I thought that I would start off with one of my all time favourite books, 'PS I love you'. You've probably seen, or heard of the film - No it's almost guaranteed you've either heard about it or seen the film! 

As I mentioned before in this post I am 100% an absolute sucker for heart-wrenching, tear-jerking and page-turning romance books, and if you're like me, then you are in for an absolute treat with 'P.S. I Love You'. The book is about a couple Holly and Gerry, but it has such an unexpected twist. "They were childhood sweethearts", "destined to be together" and were expected to "stay together for the rest of their lives." But then the unthinkable happens, as Gerry is diagnosed with a brain tumour and passes away, leaving Holly devastated and thinking she has no purpose without "her Gerry". However, Holly discovers that Gerry has left her a bundle of notes for each month for a year, with little messages to guide her into a new life without him, each signed 'PS, I love you'. Aw-eee isn't it simply the cutest?!?! I know the cancer aspect really touches the heart of many people, including myself as we all know of somebody who has been affected by this terrible disease. However, some books seem to rely on this fact to make the book sad, but this is not the case in this book as you feel the pain of Holly and you feel as if you are experiencing the devastating effects of it alongside her. Although the book does include some serious issues it is also full to the brim of witty sentences, and one minute you're crying, the next you're giggling away to yourself like a mad woman! But yet Ahern does all of this without crossing that line where cute and bearable cheesiness becomes, well a block of Cathedral City mature Cheddar. (I really should stop with these awful cringey jokes!) Ahern has a very 'modern' style of writing which makes it all the more relatable for the reader, and I think this is why so many of us shed a tear whilst reading. Holly's friends and family are such 'real' characters and as cheesy and stereotypical as this is, you really do feel as if you know them by the end of the novel. 

I couldn't possible fault this novel if I'm honest. Ahern effortlessly captures the raw emotions of the characters, especially Holly, and you are left daydreaming for a similar relationship. I found myself wanting to turn the page before I had even finished the current page, and once I'd finished it I was left wishing for more! However, although it was tackling an incredibly hard topic I found that it was still quite a light hearted read, but it did pull at the heart strings. 

Much love, Lauryn x

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The Perfect Pamper Evening

By Lauryn @funfairsandfairydust.blogspot.com

Okay, we've all been there. Had that one particularly stressful day, week, month at work, school, you get the picture. So, as girls, what idea automatically pops into our heads? A girly pamper evening of course! That's right, pamper yourself until you feel like a princess. But everybody has their own way, so let me introduce you to my idea of the perfect pamper night in!

Right, first of all turn off that phone, you can give tweeting and texting a little rest for now! Plus this also stops you from taking those uber-embarrassing bath-leg-selfies that are currently filling up our instagram news feeds (Trust me, you'll regret them).

Now we all know a pamper night is hardly complete without a nice, hot soak in the tub. So after turning off your phone, its time to prepare the tub. Pour a generous amount (bubbles are an essential!) of your favourite bubble bath under hot running water, and leave the bath be for a minutes.

Whilst your waiting for the bath to fill up, de-clutter the bathroom, add in a fresh towel, a fresh dressing gown and fresh pj's and you're almost good to go. A good idea here is to take off your make up using your favourite cleanser - the steam from the bath will trap your make up in your pores if you leave it on!

The final prep you need to do is light a candle! Now, as I mentioned previously, I am completely and utterly head-over-heels in love with the parma violets scent, so when my friend bought me this candle for my birthday I was over the moon! I really feel that a candle completely relaxes you, and adds a happy-go-lucky feel to the atmosphere! 

By now, the bath should be deep, hot and completely bubble filled! I always add in a bath bomb, or a bath creamer at this point, because I think this an essential! I decided to use this bath bomb from a little bath bomb shop near where I live because the small hearts are confetti, and the 'herby' bits make the bath smell gorgeous! 

So hop in, and just take 10 minutes to relax and gather your thoughts- the buffing and de-fuzzing can come later! After soaking for a good 10 minutes, you should feel super calm, should have left your day (and your worries) behind you - you are now in a complete bubble of relaxation!

Now comes the buffing and de-fuzzing! So the first step is to de-fuzz..you get the picture! Next is my favourite part - the buffing! Now, the product that I love to use is the Soap and Glory 'Flake Away' scrub which firstly, like all soap and glory products, smells simply amaaaaazzinnnggg, and secondly, after using this product, your legs go from reptilian to radiant - it's truly fabulous!

The Lush shower jelly is a must have for any pamper evening.(Although I must admit this is my sisters- but-fortunately for me-she lets me use it in return for my Body Shop coconut wash!) My favourite is the sweetie-pie shower jelly-and let me tell you, it really lives up to the name! On the pot it says 'this is a party in a pot. Make everyday feel like you birthday' and I agree with this little statement 100%! It smells good enough to eat, it's long lasting and best of all? It's infused with glitter so 
it leaves you sparkling- as well as squeaky clean! 

                                  Almost there. The final step is to give your hair a wash. 

So give it a good clean, and while you're at it, a little 

head massage is perfect for relieving any stress. I don't 

really have an essential shampoo and conditioner, although 

I do love Tresemme platinum strength, it leaves your hair 

glossy, silky and light! So, that's it! (the bath side anyway!)

Now, hop out of the tub, dry yourself with a nice clean 

and if you're lucky enough to have a heated towel rail- 

then warm) towel, and pop on those nice fresh pj's (ahh!)

But, who are we kidding? Any pamper night is hardly complete

without...yes, you guessed it - a face mask! I currently have

a selection of face masks that I received for my birthday a few

weeks ago, which I love because they make my skin feel so soft and 

supple! (My little sister joined me on this step-what girl can 

resist a facemask!)

Sometimes after a hot bath, your legs can get slightly de-hydrated

so I suggest you massage a generous amount of moisturiser in! Not 

only will your legs be extremely grateful- you will also have uber

soft and silky legs! I am absolutely loving the Body Shop Coconut 

'Body Milk', not only does it smell heavenly, but it is also leaves

your legs ridiculously soft!

Despite the fact you may now have perfect pins, your hands and nails

must be getting increasingly jealous- so it's now time to show them

a little love and affection! Grab a hand cream (Soap and Glory Hand

Food is my favourite) and give yourself a nice hand massage. Next,

pick a nail varnish - my current favourite is the Fearne Cotton in 

Coral, it's really summery and a lovely colour!). After painting your

nails, its always a good idea to go over the top with a clear nail

varnish - I use the MUA one because its cheap and effective, plus this

prevents any immediate chipping- (lets be honest, chipped 

nails don't look good on anybody!) Also, by now your facemask should

be dry so take it off with warm water, and pat your face dry.

So after all of that pampering, hop into bed with your favourite magazine

(Mine has to be company!), your headphones, a bar of chocolate 

and a good book. A bit decadent? yes, maybe, but you've well and 

truly earnt it!

So there you go lovelies, that was a slightly different style of

post today, but I hope you've enjoyed it and take a few hours 

out of your busy schedules to pamper yourself until you feel like a princess!

Enjoy!

Much love, Lauryn x