Opening October 2016's Kawaii Box!



So last month I heard about this cool subscription box service called Kawaii Box. You've probably tried a fair few in your time, the kind that include beauty and skin products galore but this one is for the cute lovers in life. Kawaii is a Japenese term for 'Cute' and this very cute box contains various adorable items from Japan and Korea. Like any other subscription box it comes monthly, I purchase a 3 month subscription so you've got another two of these delightful boxes to enjoy- though I'm sure I'll renew my subscription because this box was just too good! Anyway, on with the unboxing (which was easy enough, I appreciate when they don't cover it in tape and it requires angry cutting to get into)


First inside (as well as a cute 'Share your Box' explanation and signature paper) is this little 'Thank You' card which is so sweet- thank you Kawaii Box!


On the flipside it contains 'spoilers' of what's inside the box. I chose not to look at this when I opened it purely for the surprise but it is handy, especially with items that are completely in Korean/Japanese, to figure out what things are.


Firstly is this little Pote Pote Disney Snow White keychain. I've never heard of these before, they kinda remind me of a Tsum Tsum, just standing upright and not lying down. This is very soft and squishy, the body feels like a beanie. It's actually quite big for a keychain, I've added it to my car keys anyway as I love it so much- and so does everybody who sees it!


These took a little investigating, they're Halloween themed gum from Marukawa. I'm not normally a gum person but I'll give these a shot, one is red and the other seems to be silver/black according to the packaging. I'm expect something really sweet out of these.


The first thing that caught my eye and OMG IT'S PIKACHU! I love Pokemon, if you didn't know, and this coin purse is just everything I need in life. It says Pokemon Center on the back of the card and comes with a keychain, so I suppose you could hang it from your house keys, car keys or bag for easy access. I currently use a big pencil case for work (I'm a Waitress and all my free money goes towards a float) but hopefully, fingers crossed, I'll change jobs soon and get to use this little guy!



A third cute keychain (keep it up Kawaii Box my car keys can take it!) is this little Strawberry Oreo delight. I love Oreo's, particularly all the new exciting flavours and surprisingly I've never tried Strawberry. It looks so cute and it's very squishy, it reminds me of a stressball (I normally find Oreo's a source of comfort when stressed) and it has a very nice Oreo-y smell as well. Pleasantly surprised.


These are Karipori Candy Sticks, according to the little 'Thank You' note. They come in a very nice little box with a flap that opens at the top, and you get two per packet. I've only tried the Cola flavour so far and it's very cola-y. You may as well have a pint of coke, you'll get the same taste. I have no idea what the purple one is, it looks sweet and tasty anyway. We'll have to see. I'll try and post what I think on Twitter. Check below for my Twitter handle.


This is a very cute Animal Spray Bottle. I love this. It's travel sized so it would be perfect for on the go or if you were heading on holiday (With the amount of liquid restrictions imposed this could be helpful for carrying perfume etc.) It may even help with hot days, we have the fires on at work and I might carry this with some cold water topped up to cool me down when the kitchen gets too much. Thank you Kawaii Box you're a lifesaver!


This is a 'Happy Food Eraser', it looks like it says it's from Yatai? Anyway it's adorable, it reminds me of the cute ones you used to find in WHSmith's stationary section. He has a blue body with a melting pink Ice Cream top and a smiley face all on his little Ice Cream stick. This could definitely be a cute present for a niece or nephew or yourself! I'm more than excited to use this whilst drawing.


MORE KEYCHAINS! This is a Cross Stitch Keychain Kit from Korea, it comes with two little keychain patterns and lots of different coloured threads. I wish I was good at cross stitching, I might give this one to my Gran and ask her to make it for me for Christmas or I could get my act together and try it myself! I love the little Apple design and the Pineapple is very relevant for Pineapple Pen!


Two of my favourite things in life- Food and Stickers. These cool food stickers come in a range of Japanese food designs, ideal for your sketchbook, journal or to decorate a phone case or notebook. They look so tasty! I'm going to open up my old language book and use these to help me learn Japanese in a fun way.


My heart melts for this card. It says 'Whatever you do, do it with all your heart'. It's from Moomin and shows a little guy trying to cut wood with an axe. It definitely gives out a positive message of never giving up which I love and it could be an amazing good luck card for somebody, I might keep it for when a friend moves jobs (No I won't give it to myself! Even though I want to ,hehe)


Our penultimate item are these very cute Sakura Blossom envelopes. I would love to use these to send letters, they'd be much better than your normal boring brown/white envelopes. I can also imagine they'd be a great way to wrap small presents like necklaces. The blue pops and the pink is a cute touch indeed here.


Finally the box contained this little mechanical pencil which I nearly didn't see.There's a little lion design with a mint green rubber, white background and mechanical pencil top. Very handy for writing without the need to sharpen, it's so dainty and cute that it would fit into any pencil case without looking garish at all!

I loved this month's Kawaii Box and I'm very excited for next month's- and the month after's! If you'd like to purchase one visit @KawaiiBoxCo on twitter or Kawaiibox.com for more details. Really hoping for some Christmassy delights in the months to come. Thank you so much Kawaii Box!

Sophie <3
Twitter: @nosophienoblog
Snapchat: nixonlsophie
Business Email: nixonlsophie@gmail.com



So Many Kitties!- Mog On The Tyne Mini Vlog





Last Friday I had the pleasure of visiting what is now one of my favourite places in the North East. I've been hugely interested in Cat Cafe's from watching Japanese Culture videos and I love cats. Like really REALLY love cats. I'd heard of Mog On The Tyne from former colleagues but it's not been until recently that I've found the opportunity to go. Me and my friend Keely caught the bus to Newcastle after booking a table and had a great time munching food with all of the cute cats they had. Stan the man is certainly a character and Keely fell in love with Sybil ("No Keely you can't take her home") and I loved Sir Francis and Gizmo (Well all of them actually).

The staff are really lovely people, it didn't feel like talking to a waiter, more like talking to a friend with the same interests as you. The rest of the customers were great as well, I struck up conversations with people I'd never met over our love of cute cats. The space is small and cosy so it doesn't feel manufactured and there's plenty for the cats and you to enjoy. Not to mention all the food and drink is super cute and even sometimes cat themed which I loved.

For £5 per person entry fee it felt like an absolute bargain, our bill actually came to much less than I thought. There's even merch I was tempted to buy (maybe next time) and the cosy slippers provided when you take off your shoes gives the cafe a much more relaxed atmosphere. It's lovely how your money goes towards helping the cats who are all strays from Westgate Ark- my heart just melted.

It really is a gem of a cafe that is well worth a visit. I've nabbed myself a loyalty card so I'm definitely coming back ASAP- especially with Christmas on the way. I can't recommend this place more. It's absolutely incredible.

Sophie <3
Twitter: @nosophienoblog
Snapchat: nixonlsophie
Email: nixonlsophie@gmail.com

QUESTION RANDOMISER + FUTURE PLANS

DISCLAIMER: I have much more time consuming content than this planned, however Winter is coming and for the hospitality business that means our hours skyrocket. Therefore where previously I had everyday to blog now I'm going to have to be selective with my posts at least until New Years. I'll make it my duty to drop a post on Monday, Wednesday and Friday like I originally intended and any other posts will be an added bonus. 

Anyway!

I'm well aware of the small size of my blog, and that if I asked you for questions to do a Q&A I'd likely get 0 responses. So I wracked my brain for a way around this and googled 'random question maker' and found this website:
http://www.conversationstarters.com/generator.php
So me and Mr Conversationstarter are going to have a chat! I have no idea what these questions are going to be, I didn't even know this website existed five minutes ago but hey, here we go.

What was the last gift you received?
If you call a meal a gift my colleague took me for lunch the other day. Before that it was probably something my ex got me. Oh no my parents got me Unicorn slippers!

What was the last thing you bought?
I bought the Lush 'Northern Lights' bath bomb yesterday and I've just used it. It was very snazzy.

What is your favourite food?
Everything. I joke. I like Thai food, so probably a Thai Green Curry or something like that. But seriously everything.

How did you get your name? Do you know the meaning of your name?
My sister named me. She called me Sophie and the Louise part came from a neighbour of my Grandma's. Fun Fact: My mam wanted to call me Jack Russell or Jack Daniel if I was a boy :/

Are you clean or messy?
I'm some dodgy in between. I'm not obsessively clean but I like to keep things at a basic standard. For the brief time I lived away from home I was the only person at the house who cleaned and it was frankly spotless seriously.

Where do you work?
I work at a Pub near where I live. It's part of a chain but the manager's run it independently. I guess that's called a Franchise.

What's the worst thing about your gender?
Having to buy expensive bras.

What things should you not say during a job interview?
Anything I have ever said because it obviously didn't work.

What is your favourite brand?
Lush. Duh. Seriously.

What is your least favourite chore?
Cleaning the evil oven.

It may not be much but I'm sure someday I can do a bit better than a randomiser on the internet. Thank you for all your continued support. Hugs from Sophie!

Sophie <3
Picture from Pixabay
Twitter: @nosophienoblog
Snapchat: nixonlsophie

MY WORST JOB EXPERIENCE!

In the nearly three years I've been in employment I've had my fair share of terrible positions. But that's life right? You can't find your prince without kissing a few frogs and it's the same with getting a job. I've scrubbed floors, cleaned toilets and served very angry customers (which is of course what I do now!) but one job definitely tops the rest in terms of awful experiences. 

Get your cup of tea ready, maybe a digestive biscuit (other biscuit brands are available) and put your feet up becaues this is going to be a LONG story.

So let's begin...

My first 'proper' job was working as a Waitress at a Hotel. It was pretty rubbish, the staff were lazy and the pay was poor. But as a student with no responsibilities, other than learning to drive, it was enough to get by and have some spare change for the fun things in life. I was there maybe five or so months before I finally passed my driving test (only 1 minor may I add!) and I was overjoyed. Finally I had the freedom I'd been waiting for. I didn't have to have my parents on standby to ferry me about, I was my own boss. I felt like such an adult. But with great rewards come great responsibilities and I was now faced with a hefty £1,500+ insurance fee to be able to be an adult. I spent so many nights crying because I just didn't have the money, neither did my parents. I applied for hundreds of jobs and heard nothing. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, I could leave my current job and possibly be worse off in the long run or delay driving.

I really wanted to get my insurance going, the longer I was a good driver the more it would go down and I thought that in the long run this would benefit me, after all nobody likes paying thousands for anything. It was late at night I noticed an advert for a new 'Vintage style store' opening (I'm not going to disclose the shop's name) and I thought eh, I could do that. I liked vintage at the time and it looked pleasant enough, plus the wage was a wopping £2 more per hour than what I was on at the time. It looked perfect. Oh how wrong I was.

I applied and managed to get an interview. Because it was a new store they were interviewing in bulk and I was in the last batch of three, maybe four groups. So my confidence wasn't particularly high, after losing out on so many jobs before I guessed I wasn't likely to get a position in a room full of experienced beautiful people. I tried though, I thought the manager looked impressed when I mentioned something about teamwork and I led my group with confidence. At the end we filled in sheets with our availability and left. It felt right? You know when something seems to fit you so perfectly. I knew I had to get at least an offer for a position.

On the Friday after I got a call saying they were willing to offer me an 8 hour a week contract. They explained 'ALL' (this is a key point) contracts would be reviewed after Christmas with the shop being new, so nobody was safe. I accepted it, the money was good and I wasn't fussed about serving another plate of food at the time. So I handed in my notice and stepped into the dangerous world of retail.

At first it was good. Shifts were fairly short and most of the staff seemed friendly. As the weeks passed however something seemed very wrong. A lot of girls were going about like they already 'had' the permanent positions. I felt like one of the only people working, most staff just stood chatting about their holidays or whatever they'd been up to, I heard more about shopping than I did our new stock. Bag checks, although necessary, felt intrusive and often older members of staff got away without having them. Our manager was frantic, she yelled at everybody when she was stressed and ignored the inexperienced members of staff instead of supporting them with their training. All in all it was a shabby place to work and my confidence started to dwindle.

Then I discovered something that really sent a chill down my spine. I was looking at the next weeks rota, around Christmas time, and found a sheet of paper detailing everybody's contracts. To my horror not all of the positions were temporary like they had previously stated. I was down as a temp, which is not what I had agreed to, and some of the other members of staff were permanent. We were all pretty annoyed at this. I was panicking all the way home, I had £120 a month insurance that needed to be paid for and now faced the possibility of not having a job at the end of the year. But still, I sucked it up and decided to face management. 

I was terrified of my manager so decided to speak to the slightly calmer looking Assistant Manager. I explained my situation, and how I was unable to get discount bus fair because I had been lied to about my contract. She smirked at me, telling me I didn't need a permanent job (Yeah like the 16 year old students did) and that I should've turned down the contract knowing the situation. She was completely ignoring me. I felt as a temp I didn't stand a chance of getting a permanent contract especially after overhearing that staff numbers would have to be cut. I went home in tears. My anxiety peaked and I had constant panic attacks, I could barely do a shift.

To make matters worse I received my P45 (Cancellation of employment) a single day before my last shift. So in a matter of hours I went from having a job to not having a job. My manager called me in and explained that Head Office had wrongly sent out the P45's without permission of the store and she was sorry. I couldn't care. I put on a front and said I was fine and walked out on Christmas Eve without a job. All temps had been cut and some permanent staff's jobs' were on the line.

I'd been messed around, lied to and bullied by older members of staff. It was three months, medication and counselling later for my anxiety that I eventually got another job. I love it, I'm back waiting tables and although some staff aren't my cup of tea it's good for me.

Always be extra careful when signing contracts. Check twice, three times, maybe four just to make sure everything is spot on. I was lucky I had my parents' support or I wouldn't struggled paying my insurance.

Tell me your worst job experiences here or via Twitter. 

Sophie <3
Twitter: @nosophienoblog
Snapchat: nixonlsophie
Business Email: nixonlsophie@gmail.com

CUTE TOTORO WALLET/PURSE + DURHAM ADVENTURES

LONG story short I've been looking for a cute wallet/purse forEVER. It sucked that every cute purse was mega expensive and often overseas meaning excessive shipping charges (It's going to the UK not Mars!) But behold, my super kawaii wallet, featuring the star of My Neighbour Totoro and my favourite anime character- Totoro! I fell in love with this the moment I saw it ("OMG I HAVE TO BUY THAT!") And £15 later (which I personally thought was a bargain) I was in the possession of a pretty pink Totoro wallet. Perks include:
* PLENTY of space for cards (Because I am a loyalty card hoarder)
* LOTS of different compartments for paper money, receipts and coins
* THE CUTEST LINING of pink and white for the coin section
* ITTY BITTY TASSLES as a cute added extra




I believe this was made by SAMILON according to the very chic black and white card inside. But I bought it from Darkmatter Cafe in Durham. If you're visiting Durham I'd highly recommend visiting Darkmatter, it is THE most awesome place, and the closest I'll get to a Japanese merch themed cafe until I travel there (I thought this because they had a tub of Pokemon figures I was tempted to buy that I also noticed in SharlaInJapan's videos). There was SO much I wanted there. A giant Mew Plush for £22, a surprise Suicide Squad Figure Box for ? (No tag, and I forgot to ask) and Pokemon card packs for £3.99. Not to mention they have comic books to read, Science magazines, a screen for anime, a downstairs arcade, comfy chairs and an awesome game themed menu + trading card nights and recently they held an adult only night with game themed cocktails.

I used to go there all the time before my friend passed away, we loved hanging out as a group and watching anime on the TV. Now I'm VERY glad I've gone back and I certainly wont be staying away for long. That's if work allows.

I also got to visit the Fat Buddha Asian Bar & Restaurant in Durham yesterday. Happy to say it was incredible. The spring rolls were delicious and it's the first time I haven't minded a sweet chilli sauce. The thai curry was the best I've ever had and the green tea came in the most adorable tea pot.

Tell me if you've visited Durham and loved it. Drop a comment, like and share and get hyped for my visit to Mog On The Tyne tomorrow. Much excitement abound!

Darkmatter Cafe: http://dark-matter.co.uk/
The Fat Buddha: http://www.fatbuddharestaurant.com/

Sophie <3
Twitter: @nosophienoblog
Snapchat: nixonlsophie
Business Email@ nixonlsophie@gmail.com


LETS PLAY 10 BILLION WIVES!

Because I'm constantly travelling to and from work I find it hard to get the time to play many video games anymore with the exception of those I desperately want to play (Sun and Moon hype anybody?) So as an alternative I thought I would share my favourite Kawaii app games that I play each week, to give you a cute present to play on your way to work.

This week it's 10 Billion Wives by Masukachi Inc. Because why choose monogamy when you're full of Chibi cuteness? (10 Billion Husbands is also available).

The goal of the game is to collect 'Wives' using 'Love' points which are gained over time from the wives you currently have. This is called 'LPS' or 'Love Per Second' which depends on her initial 'LPS', level and what presents the player has bought her. These can be achieved at lvl.20, 100 and 120. You can also gain love through tapping, this starts at 1 love but increases with upgrades you can buy later on. There are sixteen unlockable wives.

I'm currently sat at 8 wives. For the time I've been playing on my breaks I think that's fairly good, the brilliant thing about this game is the speed 'Love' is gained. It scales well depending on the level of your wives, how many you have, how far you've got in the game and their gifts. So to begin with you only need 1,000 Love for a level which progresses to 10,000,000 Love for a level later in the game. 

It's cute to see your wives running across the screen (some faster than others, ONI Wife I'm looking at you! I couldn't capture her in a screenshot). The variation of the wives is an appealing part of the game, it's nice to see so many different characters and in a strange way it's nice to see so many different people represented in their hobbies etc. 

The game provides an easy tutorial mode that I pretty much skipped through, it wasn't difficult to figure out how the game worked. Because it's so straight forward it is addictive, you can find yourself tapping away until your love runs out and you're forced to wait. But than in itself is what keeps you coming back for more.

The game also gives you the option to receive notifications. This is handy to find out when you can meet another wife, meaning you don't have to be constantly glued to the game to see how much 'Love' you have. The game is free on iOS and Android devices. An easy option if you just want to pass the time with some visual cuteness and simple methods.

Sophie <3
Twitter: @nosophienoblog
Snapchat: nixonlsophie
Business Email: nixonlsophie@gmail.com
(Images courtesy of 10 Billion Wives by Masukachi Inc.)





'LETS PAINT!' Team Rocket Pikachu!

Whilst doing some browsing (*cough* shopping*) on Pokecenterloot I came across the new range of 'Villain' Pikachu's from the Poke Centers in Japan. And in celebration of this and Pokemon's 20th anniversary I did a little painting of the Team Rocket Pikachu plush to kick off this 'series' (I don't know what to call it) of paintings. I may not be the best artist but I enjoy it, and I think I verge more on the simple style of things- if it looks like it then that's good for me!

So let's get on with it!

Since I started painting again (I stopped when my anxiety got so bad I couldn't finish a piece) I started sketching in blue, I remember BananaJamana (amazing Youtuber and artist, check her channel out, I'll pop it below) saying sketching in blue helps the colours pop and it really does. It's less harsh as well and easily coverable with light colours if your sketch goes a little wrong. I used the Plush as a base and changed the pose to give Pikachu a bit more life and sass (because who is more sassy than Team Rocket!)

I don't paint in any particular order. I like doing the striking bits first because it gives me a bit of confidence that the painting will look like what it's supposed to so here I started with the ears and the eyes. I pick up most of my art supplies from my local Boyes shop, it has an amazing craft selection upstairs. They aren't the fanciest but art supplies in the UK are fairly expensive so I do my best with what I have. I thought getting new acrylics was spoiling myself! Acrylic is normally my paint of choice because I find watercolour dreary and oil too thick. I normally paint on canvas' as well but I'm out currently so I used paint paper.

The painting took more shape after I started Pikachu's body. My painting skills are still a bit rusty so there was some smudging around the eye that I later corrected with more yellow. The shape of Pikachu's body made it easy to create shape. I like to stop myself once I finish the painting and look away from it, that way I notice any obvious bits I need to finish.



And this is the finished product! Just as cute as the Plush and bent on world domination, Pikachu must've finally gone over to the dark side after being captured by James, Jessie and Meowth! If you fancy getting the plush I'll pop it below. I'd also recommend checking out the special Pikachu's and the Christmas range now we're all taking down our Halloween decor! If you liked this then drop a comment, like or share on Twitter and follow me for more Kawaii art.


Sophie <3 x
Twitter: @nosophienoblog
Snapchat: nixonlsophie
Also on Bloglovin

19 Facts About Me + Drawing Chibi Me!


If you aren't already familiar with Chibi Art (if not, look it up!) then behold it's enormous cuteness. Chibi makes everything small and cute, with the head usually out of proportion to the body. And after watching a few too many Chibi videos (and realising it's probably about time I stopped being a stranger to all of you) I thought I'd do a quick Chibi Drawing/Sketch of me and tell you 19 facts about myself to represent the 19 years I've been alive!

1. I love Thai food.
2. I work as a Waitress/Front of House team member at a pub.
3. I'm naturally a dark ash blonde but I like to bleach it lighter.
4. My favourite movie of all time is Spirited Away.
5. I suffer from General Anxiety Disorder but I don't let it get me down.
6. My dream is to travel to Japan someday.
7. Speaking of which I'm going to Amsterdam next year with my close family.
8. My favourite song (currently) is LA Devotee by Panic at the Disco.
9. I've been single for a month now.
10. My favourite anime is No Game No Life!
11. I have an addiction to LUSH.
12. I own a car called Poppy.
13. I don't generally drink a lot of alcohol.
14. So far what I've enjoyed the most about blogging is the community.
15. My favourite Youtuber is probably Noodlerella.
16. I prefer painting over anything else art wise.
17. I did History, English Language and Philosophy at A Level (Achieved ABB)
18. I didn't go to Uni because I prefer working currently.
19. My favourite TV Show is Versailles (I'm a history nerd)

Thank you for reading, I've enjoyed sharing some little facts about myself and I always want to know about you guys and what you'd like to see more of. I've got a lot planned for November. If you loved this then give it a share, follow me on Twitter or comment something you want to see.

Big love!

Sophie <3 

Twitter : @nosophienoblog
Snapchat: nixonlsophie
Contact email: nixonlsophie@gmail.com

WHICH YOUTUBE ARTISTS INSPIRE ME?

If you've been around since the start of this blogging adventure you'll have seen a few paintings of mine and maybe even the odd sketch if you follow me on twitter. The fact is I love painting, as much as I love anime, and when the two interlink it's my favourite way to pass time. Of course I'm not the only one to merge animation with art, there's a bunch of incredible artists to do the same and some of them have inspired me to do my own pieces and provide creative content for me to watch when I'm having a bad art day.

Jamie-Jo 
Words cannot describe how incredible Jamie-Jo is. Her art is adorable, colourful and fun. Ever since I first found her videos I've been inspired to paint that little bit more, when I used to struggle with the confidence to do so. She paints a whole array of things, from anime to Disney to Pokemon. She recently posted an Art Answers Q&A which was amazing, as even her quick sketches look well finished and realistic. Her craft videos are incredible as well, if you're looking for some quick and fun craft ideas she's well worth a watch. If there's any youtuber you watch today, make it Jamie-Jo. I'll pop a video down below as an example of her work for you to enjoy (and become addicted to and probably see all of them, sssh that wasn't me).

Mei Yu
(Fun2Draw)-  https://www.youtube.com/user/Fun2draw/featured
Another cute artist I love is Mei Yu, who posts videos on her channel Fun2Draw.  Like Jamie-Jo she does fun videos drawing anime characters, Pokemon, film characters and Disney princesses. She even does 'Tutorial Thursdays' where she explains how to do something- which is incredibly helpful when you're a mini artist trying to find your feet in the art world and need that bit of help how to draw some very tricky things. Speaking of which she recently did a video on drawing easy Halloween art which would be great if you still need some little decorations to make your house extra 'spooky' for tomorrow! Not to mention her craft videos are also amazing.
How to Draw EASY Things- Halloween Art- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eV5_y5_FN8

Draw So Cute- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3dEvA1is6-0_yuei9iCdEw
This one is less for my own aesthetic art style but more for pure pleasure! I just love cuteness. This channel is full of different adorable step by step art from Pokemon to food to comic book characters. If I ever need to destress from a painting gone wrong this is a great channel just to let the creative juices flow and have a bit of fun with art. After all that's what art is for! I'll pop a recent video down below of a Trolls drawing from the new film, what is more cute than a little pink troll called Poppy?
How to Draw Poppy from Trolls movie step by step Cute and Easy- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77Hhinu-rTI

Sophie :3 x

Twitter: @nosophienoblog

Snapchat: nixonlsophie

THIS IS HALLOWEEN- Mini Vlog!

I loved doing the Mini Vlog the other day, and by chance I ended up going to the lovely Beamish Museum the day after and since it was Halloween and they had really gone to town on the decorations, I couldn't help but film a few little clips for your entertainment (and mine!) Beamish really is a wonderful historical themed place, if you happen to head to the North of England it's well worth a visit. Even just for the cute pigs! I spent the entire time humming 'This is Halloween'. It's certainly got me into the 'spirit' of things. Geddit? Haha. The trams really remind me of the train scenes in Spirited Away, it really felt magical at this time of year. And I can't wait for more events to come in 2016!


Sophie :3 x

Video clips my own

Twitter: @nosophienoblog

Snapchat: nixonlsophie

Blogger template by Ipietoon





Kawaii Studio Ghibli Halloween Costumes/Cosplay Ideas!

Halloween is a mere three days away and I'm already in the spooky spirit of things with my own costume prepared (you'll have to wait until the weekend to find out what it is however!) So in the mean time I'm going to be the spooky fairy godmother to anybody yet to have picked their costume with the help of my favourite animation studio. The creators of box office smashes like Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し), Howl's Moving Castle ( ハウルの動く城) and Ponyo ( 崖の上のポニョ), Studio Ghibli has had it's fair share of creepy characters that would make ideal sources of inspiration for some spooky Halloween costumes.

Spirited Away, Faceless Man, Decoration
No Face (カオナシ)
No Face is a lonely spirit who follows Chihiro through her journey after her family stumbles upon a mysterious place through a tunnel attempting to find the way to their new house. No Face begins the movie as an obsessive creature who preys on the greediness of the Bath House workers but ends it docile, helping Zeniba at her house and at the end of the film stays with her as an apprentice. I've seen plenty of No Face cosplays, a black dress or sheet would act as the body leaving all you need being a mask painted in his likeness and maybe a giant cold coin like in the photo above from the moment in the film he is handing out the gold.

Calcifer (カルシファー)
Who wouldn't want to be a scary fire demon? Calcifer is a magical spirit from the movie Howl's Moving Castle. Calcifer moves the castle and provides many infamous lines from the movie like 'May all your bacon burn'. Calfcifer could easily be recreated, get yourself looking firey and animated, perhaps uses a mask for Calcifer's very expressive face.

Kiki's Delivery Service ( 魔女の宅急便)
Kiki's Delivery Service could act as an entire film worth of amazing costume ideas but for now we'll stick with the obvious. Kiki is an apprentice witch in the film, strong willed she leaves her parents Okino and Kokiri to travel with her pet cat Jiji for the year. Kiki is a very cute (kawaii) choice for a Halloween costume and a fun spin on the traditional witch. Copy her big eyes, bow and bag and bring along a plush kitty to resemble Jiji. This is a great one for kids, I've seen loads of adorable Kiki costumes online that are well worth a look.

San (サン)
Another fun spin on a classic can come courtesy of San from Princess Mononoke. Instead of a regular wolf/werewolf costume try taking on the child raised by Moro who is determined to save the forest who is unable to forgive the humans for what they have done and chooses to live apart from them and return home to the forest. San takes on many different forms during the movie, try her furry cape and green hair and face smothered with blood or don a mask which you could remove if you desire and wear it on the top of your head like San does during the film.

Catbus (ネコバス)
I know this one might seem slightly far fetched but it's definitely worth a shot if you're more experienced with making cosplay's. Catbus appears on the road waiting for Mei, Satsuke and Totoro who mistake it for their father's bus Catbus' creepy smile could be done in the form of a mask with a catlike bodysuit and a shell in the shape of the bus interior. It's well worth a try, after all how many people will be a creepy cat bus, you could even ignore the bus aspect and just pay loads of attention to detail on the signage etc, creating a cool costume.

Sophie :3 x

Photo from Pixabay

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WE SAW SOME CUTE ANIMALS!- Mini Vlog

Yesterday me, my sister, my brother-in-law and my two nephews went on a trip to Broom House Farm. I enjoy spending time with those two little terrors (I joke, they're lovely), we got to explore the forest with it's Halloween theme, find secret clues for prizes on the Wind in the Willows themed trail and enjoy seeing some super kawaii/cute animals. I've compiled some clips together in a mini vlog below, to show just how good a time we had and how beautiful this farm truly is, if you're in the area by any chance it's worth a visit.



Sophie :3 x

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Lessons In Love | NoSophieNoBlog


(This blog post is way overdue because I've had a wonderful day with my sister, brother-in-law and nephews at a farm- something I'll show you in my first VLOG tomorrow. But since it's the bake off final in less than an hour I wanted to share something special with all of you before we all get absorbed in cake glory in BBC Bake Off's swan song. )

Today is the one month anniversary of when I moved out of my parents house and in with my then-boyfriend. But as you can probably guess from my choice of words this story didn't have a happy ending. Or at least a traditional one. Because a few weeks ago his unpleasant behaviour, derogatory attitude to women and lack of support for my disorder got too much and I went home. He broke up with me a week later, despite the fact I was willing to work things through he was adamant he would never change.

But I'm not crying. I expected, knowing that moving out was a cruel blow to his ego, that it was going to end but on my terms and not his. I just delayed doing it. I didn't have the heart. I can say now however that I'm the happiest I've ever been. He's no longer bringing me down. I still love him as a person and I want the best for him but for once I have to come first. I have a loving family, friends and colleagues who have supported me through so much, it all has been hard but bearable with their help. So I've learned a lot in the past month about myself, what I want but what I'm going to share with you is what I've learned about love. I'm no longer the naive 17 year old I was when I met him.

Love is equality
I always loved him. And to my knowledge he always loved me. Although since the breakup he has said otherwise. But the decline was a test of that, it was probably the healing I was experiencing from my disorder that got me through the dark days because I knew if I could recover from that I could stand tall in the storm of his worst moments. Love can't be one sided. I gave everything I could to keep this dying flame going but when his 'want' ran out, whenever that was, not even I could save it. Equality isn't just that however, it's also giving the same. If you expect something of somebody then they have every right to expect something of you. You're a team.

Love is support
I was undiagnosed when I met him, it was only February this year when I finally got the news. He was supportive back then, when it didn't seem so bad. He'd often ask if it would ever interfere with aspects of our relationship. I said no. Because I was basing it on our relationship then and not what it would become. He later said he was struggling and by the time we broke up he was cold. There was no support. Just blame. If I had a bad day it was all my fault and it was hurting him and ruining his life. Love isn't putting somebody down for something that they can't help. I supported him when he was struggling with his problems, though he'd never own up to them, I stood through many bad arguments not making them worse because I knew it would just fuel the anger. He just wasn't there for me and that's how it should be, you should never feel alone.

Love is motivation
We did so much together in the beginning, even as time moved on we still made the effort for time with each other even when we lived apart and until a few months ago we went out for a meal once a week as our special treat. It broke down towards the end, when he refused to go out and sat upstairs playing video games all night. We couldn't go out for a meal because there wasn't time. Even food shopping didn't occur unless I brought it on myself to do it. Love is making that little effort just to do something. Just a little thank you for them being such a nice person. It doesn't have to cost anything, a meal from the scraps in the fridge would have been amazing, a cup of tea, a big hug. Because without motivation there is a void and where there is that there is loneliness.

Love is sometimes being picky
Back before I met him I didn't have a type I'd say. All my boyfriend's had been pretty different. None of them lasted because they meant nothing, you know the relationships you have when you're a teenager where they're just for show and not much else. I thought he was attractive and still do, I'd joke about fancying celebrities but didn't meant it- I just saw qualities in them that I liked. And not just visually, personality became obvious. I didn't like constant sadness, I'd experienced it and it was unpleasant for all involved. And hobbies, where we did have a lot in common I had dreams and things that I yearned to do that I could never achieve with him. After a while I gave up and stopped waiting and then it unexpectedly ended forcing me to re-look at my life. Sometimes people are too fussy, I've seen dates where they're perfect for each other but it's a silly thing that prevents it from going further than friends. But it's good to be selective. Science proves we're compatible with certain people based on genes, height, build and other things. So it's ok to like a certain look, a similar personality and have the same dreams. There's no line. It's whatever works for you. And them too.

I know I'll learn more. I'm 19 for god's sake I'm no love guru. But it's a start. I'm not planning on dating for a long time but when I do I'll know what I'm looking for more than what I did before. Remember you deserve the best. Don't accept any less. And don't ever let anybody put you down.

Sophie :3 x

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So White Lush Youtube Demo + Modern Snow White Simple Cruelty Free Makeup!


It's nearly Halloween which means one thing! Nearly Christmas. I know I'm getting a bit ahead of myself but I'm just so excited. When I did my Mini Lush Haul the other day I tried to resist buying any Lush Christmas Bath Bombs but I couldn't stop myself from trying the new and improved So White! And to spice things up I've attempted video editing this time and as an added extra I'll pop the products I used down below to create a modern cruelty free makeup look inspired by Snow White (So White/Snow White, geddit?). I'm no beauty guru so it's nothing fancy but I feel like when you're inspired by something there's no need to get it perfect. Enjoy!


So White

Contains:
Rose Absolute (Soothing and moisturisin with an evocative and delicate fragrance)
Neroli Oil (Floral, uplifting scent and has a toning effect on the skin)
Orange Flower Absolute (Fragrant and uplifting, thicker than Neroli oil)
Bergamot Oil (Natural fruit acids encourage hair to lie flat to reflect more light, antibacterial, uplifting fragrance that can treat SAD)

The bath bomb itself was an incredible surprise. I'd tried to avoid spoilers as to what changes had been made inside (besides the obvious adorable leaf on top) but I was amazed to see a swirl of blue and yellow as the bath bomb spun around similar to the way 'Northern Lights' is meant to work. It finished in a gorgeous apple lime green which was beautiful. Not to mention gorgeous to bathe in.



***Modern Snow White Makeup***
The Prep!:
Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser
LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub
Barry M Colour Correcting Primer

The Makeup:
GOSH Foundation Drops (Lightest Shade 02)
Makeup Revolution Focus & Fix Concealer (Lightest Shade 02)
Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder (Lots)
MUA Volume & Lengthening Mascara (Black)
GOSH Velvet Touch Lip Liner (001 Nougat Crisp- Softer than Red)
LUSH Santa Baby Lip Tint

All Cruelty Free!

Dress: New Look

Sophie :3 x

Photos & Videos my own.


Music copyright in video.

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Kawaii Mini Spreepicky Haul!

If you follow me on twitter (if you don't, where have you been! Get the link down below) you'll have noticed recently a few mentions of some beloved Kawaii items. Cute things are abundant in the UK where I live but if you want truly cute clothing, especially anime inspired, you normally have to look overseas which can be extremely costly. That's why I was so happy a few months ago to find Spreepicky. They are a wonderful company that sell a whole range of cute anime inspired bits and pieces, from Pokemon crop tops to Cosplay wigs to Neko Atsume accessories. It's a girls dream! These four items are from across two purchases, one made for me and another I spent my hard earned money on as a treat. Behold the cuteness!



I've also tweeted a lot about my obsession with Neko Atsume and my destiny to be a crazy cat lady which I'm absolutely fine with. A friend bought me this adorable pink jumper with some cute kawaii kitties on it, decorated with stars and a fluffy inside to keep you as warm as a cat in front of the fireplace during winter. I got this in a medium, as it was the smallest size I could get at the time. I'm utterly obsessed with Spreepicky's Neko Atsume page. I really want the Tubbs cushion and the little Parisian style hat. I'll be wearing it when I visit my local cat cafe soon!





 I was so impressed by my Neko Atsume jumper (and amazed by everything they had in stock) that I had to go back for more. I bought three little treats for myself, the first being this big fluffy white jumper with an image of an ickle Kumamon that has eaten too much and is exhausted! He's absolutely lovely and definitely reminds me of myself. I can't explain enough how soft this jumper is, often I find jumpers don't actually do their job of keeping you warm and are more of a fashion choice. This is both! This one came in a small which fits me pretty well. I love wearing this because I can go out, express myself and not freeze to death in the process. It's just too cute to bear! Geddit?



I've also tweeted about my love for all things Ghibli (that's Studio Ghibli by the way) and of course I couldn't stop myself from buying this black and white 'No Face' tee. This t-shirt features the character giving a Kawaii pose wearing some adorable bunny ears. It's certainly humorous especially if you've seen the film/movie and know how much trouble this little guy causes for Chihiro! I got this in a small and again it fits pretty well, just follow the sizing guide and you can't really go wrong.



Last of all I bought this beautiful off the shoulder top.  It may no have the obvious cuteness of the other three but I was in awe of it's pretty lace style detail and the flowing almost completely see through fabric beneath. This for some reason reminded me of cherry blossoms. I don't know why but it's just so dainty and precious I thought I would give it a try, especially considering it only came in very small sizes and to put it lightly I have a fair sized chest. But one great thing about Spreepicky's clothing is it is very forgiving, this still fits perfectly fine despite being made for somebody obviously smaller than me and unlike most elasticated off the shoulder tops that tend to ride up this doesn't, meaning you can glide around like the elegant princess you are.

I'll pop down below all of the links to the items I've bought. Sadly I can't find this one on the website. I will link a similar one instead.

Sophie :3 x

Photos all my own.

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My Small Pokemon Plushie Collection!

If you asked me what my favourite things are in the world one of my responses would definitely have to be plushies! They're so cute! And so fluffy! I could just squeeze-sorry- collect them all! Sadly the opportunities for plushies where I live is pretty slim. I can find a few in my local comic book cafe but besides that I have to order from Amazon or buy abroad. I bought a few for my former boyfriend that could've been featured in this, however as splits do go he does have a few of them including beloved Goomy (RIP Goomy). I'll be ordering some more via Samurai Buyer later in the year from the actual Pokemon Center, so watch this space for plenty of Poke-cuteness!


Little Eevee came courtesy of my local comic book shop and carries a little Pokemon Center tag (though how true this is I don't know since I didn't buy it direct).

Teeny tiny Lapras also carries a Pokemon center tag and comes from the same shop but it's small size means I can't imagine it being able to be rode across the Alolan waves!

It's just too cute! *faints* Adorable Chikorita also comes from the comic book shop. Her little tag says Banpresto but despite the fact she isn't Pokemon Center official she is super cute with her big red eyes, green spiky collar and huge leaf atop her head.

Guess where this little guy came from? Yep, same place (I really could've done with my ex's plushies). Cyndaquil though comes with a very fluffy firey tail and he's just as cute as he was in the anime and games!

Raichu also doesn't carry a tag and is much smaller than his pre-evolved form Pikachu that I have. He's so cute and itsy bitsy however and certainly loveable. He isn't 'Pika-pi' but he's adorable in his own little 'Rai-chu' way.

My own heart is dedicated to this little *cough* fella. I've had him since I was very small. His tag says 'Play By Play, Official Nintendo Licensed Product 1995,1996 and 1998) so I assume he's fairly old. And of course being 90's Pikachu he's got those Kawaii curves we knew and loved before he hit the treadmill to get in shape.

Sophie :3 x

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19 year old liver of life delivering you quirky readings on lifestyle topics, anime and all round cuteness on a regular, or as regular as I can, basis. Twitter: @nosophienoblog