Congrats You've Made It To Adulthood.

If you didn’t know already, exactly a month ago I turned 21; the big two-one, the key to the door. I’m not quite sure what door that is all I know is that I currently have 2 front doors, neither of which properly work – but hey, they’re my doors and I work to pay rent for them.

Anyway, I thought I’d do a little bit of a birthday haul because I really love photographing pretty things and all the things I received were pretty. I don’t want to brag in anyway, just show you what lovely things my family and friends gifted me in exchange for me being alive for 21 years. I did receive a few more lovely bits than what is in the photos, but didn't have a chance to capture them. 

Rose gold and bees, what's not to love?

Advice From a Graduate: Surviving Freshers Week.

Moving into halls can be daunting, especially for the shy and introverted. Speaking as someone who was shy and introverted and chose to live with 21 other people during her first year at uni, I think I can definitely give out some useful advice to those who are nervous. Here are my top tips for first years who are moving into student accommodation.

9 Reasons Why I love Autumn.

For those of you that know me well, you will know just how much I love autumn. Seeing as though it’s been put on hold this time round (please go away 30 degree heat in September!), I thought I’d cheer myself up by thinking about why I love the season so much.

#HullBloggersMeet 2016

Organising a blogger meet up was probably one of the most fun, but nerve wrecking things I have ever done. And I really hope that the people who attended enjoyed the day as much as I did!

Back in March, in the midst of my dissertation woe and Hannah's house hunting, we decided that we were going to organise our very first meet up. We had a lot to live up to, with last years meet trending on UK Twitter and boasting 3 huge goodie bags. However, after a few tips from Charley, who had organised the first #HullBloggers meet up in 2013, we were well on our way to planning the event...

Handmade Memories

Scrap booking is something that I have surpisingly never done. Maybe not so suprising to you, as I never let my crafty side show too much on this blog, but probably suprising to those that know me well and know I used to dabble with card making growing up. 

I think scrap booking (if that's what you even call it), requires a similar set of skills as card making: cutting, gluing and sticking. And ask anyone in my family and they will tell you that little Courtney (and now adult Courtney) always loved those three things...

Keeping It Casual With H&M

Sometimes wearing cinched in the middle dresses and vintage inspired cuts just isn’t feasible, especially during the summer or for more casual occasions. I’ve always loved H&M, and if I’m not wearing a cute 50's dress, I’m usually in something from the Swedish high street chain. Here is an example of one of my more ‘dressed-down’ outfits. 

A Taste of Twentieth-Century France in the Middle of York.

Opening its doors in London’s Soho in the mid-1920s, Patisserie Valerie now brings French café culture to cities right across the UK. With its retro, 1950s vibe and delicious cakes, breakfasts as well as a wide selection of tea and coffee, it’s a tad surprising that I hadn’t eaten there before.

Aaron and I wandered into their York branch on my 21^st birthday, seeking a tasty breakfast in beautiful surroundings – and we definitely found what we were looking for, and then some.

The space is strikingly decorated in a vintage French style, with old fashioned European posters on the wall alongside grand gold mirrors and light fixtures. A lot of the vibrant sweet treats are displayed in huge counters and on the shelves, which made it very tempting to have cake for breakfast!

We didn’t sample any of the stunning looking cakes or pastries, as we were heading out for Afternoon tea later in the day and didn’t want to overload on the sugar. However, we did order one of the gorgeous continental style breakfasts. We both opted for the scrambled eggs with toast and bacon, which cost £6.70. Being a bit of a fancy place, I was expecting the portion sizes to be small but I have to say there was plenty to go around! I also ordered a black Americano, which was delicious too! Next time, we’ll have to try some of those cakes…