Turning 21 and Christmas Cheer

Yes the time has been and gone when I finally turned 21! I am now older, wiser and FAR more mature! So naturally, I threw a Disney themed birthday party (where my friends were too afraid to dress up... Except Pavan, who came as a dalmatian because she is full of awesomeness!) and drank plenty of Snowballs! :P

Me and some friends!

The Things We Say...

Ahhh good times last night as I went out and celebrated my friend's 21st birthday! :)

But it's always the day after that we start to regret what we say when we've had too much cloudy lemonade! :P I personally didn't say anything I regret (or at least I don't remember saying anything I would!) but having chatted about the events of last night, I can honestly say that we came out with some right crackers!

December has Arrived

It's December!!!!! It's the most wonderful time of the year and the countdown has officially begun! I am so excited and this picture is one that I found in late December last year... Yes I know I've saved it all this time just so I could use it on my blog this December. You can stop calling me a total saddo now-- I honestly can't believe it's taken you until now to notice! ;)

Tea and Toast

Early mornings wrapped in your dressing gown, with feet wrapped in fluffy slippers while you relax with a little Tea and Toast are often the best moments of indulgence.

Tea and Toast in The Morning!

Now that Christmas is here I'm really starting to settle into the winter regime. The only thing I've yet to crack are the early mornings! But nobody really likes those so I guess I can be forgiven! :P I'm sat here under a blanket with a mug of cinnamon coffee and some crumpets for lunch (Don't judge me; I'm a student!) doing what I love on my blog and I'm really just content.

Fairy Lights and Mistletoe: A Christmas Story

As promised amigos I have come up with the goods! I have created just for you bad ass readers a Christmas Advent Story Calendar.

Throwback Thursday!

It's Thursday!!! I LOVE looking back on old posts... Here's one I wrote back in March and looking back now, I can see just how much things have changed for me. :) That post is the Soundtrack to My Life and it has definitely changed a bit in the last 8 months for the better!

I'm not saying life is perfect (far from it) but the older I get, the easier I seem to be able to manage the hurdles life asks me to jump over!

So how good is my life right now? Have a look at the best 5 Things in Sassyland right now...........

Fashion Snaps: Fairies in My House

There are fairies in my house,
This I know for sure,
Cause the fairies in my house,
Have a little fairy door.........

Have you ever wanted to add a little magic to your home? Well I've found the perfect way to do it! Fairies in My House is a brilliant idea thought up by a woman who wanted her children to grow up believing in the wonders of fairies, magic and elves!

Essex Bolts

Despite having to jump through hoops for the Uni, some friends and I are setting up our very own running crew. Now most people think "urgh; crew" it should just be a normal club-- we're not in the 'hood'.

Running really is a complete life style. What you learn on a run, you can apply to your life and the hurdles you face, really can be tackled. On a run you have time to think, breathe, take time out and if you want get back to the raw material of yourself. Focus on your breathing, how your body feels, how you feel emotionally and how fluidly you move along your route. Unplug to plug in. No music, no pacers, just run!

Holidays Are Coming!

We've pretty much all seen it on TV (except me, I had to youtube it because I don't own a TV at uni!) and Facebook was a flutter with status updates and video links... That's right; HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!!! The Coca Cola advert is out and in a moment of festive madness I've come up with a sparky idea!
But, before I reveal all I shall tell you what has inspired me for the Magical Season!

 Aren't they amazing?!

Making Things Nice 'n' Easy

So I get LOADS of hits on my blog from all you babes out there looking to either strip your hair or dye it Clairol's Nice 'n Easy Light Ash Blonde (Shade 102) so I thought I'd give you a few pointers that I have learned by my own hair disasters (and there have been many) so you don't make the same mistakes I did! ;)

Spicing up the Winter Months

Check out my Nike leggings:
These will be spicing up my winter for sure!

 Excited for my morning run! =D

What spices up your workouts in the cold months? ;)

Beat the Winter Blues

Waking up at 6am, the sky dark, the frost thick.... Let's crack out the violins now because nobody's going to be doing anything other than feeling sorry for themselves as they haul their asses out of bed for that early morning run. In the bleak depths of winter.

OR, you can haul your sorry ass out of bed and after a sufficient amount of caffeine, you can get your kicks on and enjoy the crispy morning air whilst you pound the pavements!

You Give Me Fever...

...And the fever is catching! :P

Now before you start taping up your windows and boarding up the doors, declaring quarantine, I should probably tell you that this fever is a good one to catch. That's right, I'm talking about the Running Bug!!

How Do You Over Throw An Evil Dictator..?

You cut off her resources.

Regina George would be nothing without her... No I'm totally kidding!

On a serious note though, what do you do when actually there is someone in your life who has simply upset the balance of life? If someone you know starts to take over your life, making it their own (Cady style in Mean Girls) do you 1) do a Regina and publish the Burn Book or 2) do you take the High Road and talk to them about it. Personally, I have taken route 2 in the past. Except it doesn't always work. And we've all been there at least once in our life time: we hope to leave the silly games behind after school but not everyone is so mature...

To Publish or Not to Publish..........?

Fashion Snaps: H&M Striped Orange Sports Bra Review

Okay, so when I was in Spain I got used to running in my bright pink and yellow shorts and started to fall in love with vibrant, quirky patterned workout gear. Upon a late night shopping trip (including FroYo, Jewellery and muchos laughter) I stumbled across this bad boy and decided to buy it!

Fashion Snaps: Comfy Corner

Ever woken up and felt that ultimately, everything in your wardrobe is made from cardboard? Except of course those ever so inviting joggers and slouchy top, that want to envelope you into a hug of warmth and comfort, that tell you; they cannot go anywhere other than the sofa and to the kitchen (for tea and cake of course!) and they soothe your need to sit and watch hours of mindless Jeremy Kyle and not to worry about that mounting pile of ironing over in the corner…

Fashion Snaps: Just Another Bit of Hippie Chic

So lately I have been developing my style from Rocker in the winter, to Hippie/Surfer in the summer!

I adore wearing long floaty maxi skirts right now and teaming them with a simple vest and my denim acid wash waist jacket. Glitz it up with some beads and sparkly bits and bobs and there you have it… Right?

Starting the Festivities Early

Wow, training is hard! But it's good to get back into it-- 2 weeks off is a long-ass time!

So festivities is a bit strong... It's my 21st birthday this December and people keep asking me what I want as gifts, other than my student loan! Well I've been casually playing around on Nike iD with some new kicks and a running top!

Fashion Snaps: Bags and Bags of Goodies!

The word brings women across the globe to their knees. We love bags; Tote Bags, clutch bags, Weekend Bags, Shoulder Bags… You name it we LOVE bags!

I personally have a thing for most of Marc Jacobs handbags… SOOO pretty!

Marc Jacobs: Too Hot To Handle Leather bucket bag £405

Remember Remember...

So I'm going away this weekend to Kent for Bonfire Night in a town called Battle (apparently), set on the battlegrounds of Hastings 1066!

Fashion Snaps: Food? No, I live off SHOES!

I don't buy food... instead I buy SHOES!

We've all been there, raiding the sales, diving across the shop for the last pair of size 6 cobalt blue strappy platform heels, before the ungrateful teenager gets there first, right? Yes of COURSE you have…. Granted for me it’s usually some bratty teen in Dorothy Perkins but still, they were NICE shoes!!

However, DP aside and back to the good stuff (that none of us lowly students can actually afford even with a job!) I have died and gone to heaven with these particular shoes by Brian Atwood! They make me all warm and fuzzy inside by just looking at them!

Fashion Snaps: Love & Peace from The Hippie Era!

Sporting a gorgeous paisley design dress with Chiffon sleeves.

So currently, despite greying skies and torrential downpours, I am loving the Hippie/Surfer fashions that seem to only arise around festival season but WHY just because it’s winter do we feel the need to wear dark, dull colours with no patterns?

Starting Over...

A new image is kind of like a New Start. So to kick what I hope to be a plan of "The Field of Dreams" ....

You remember way back when I told you about the field of dreams, well I'm taking the approach that if I think positively and take positive actions then I'll start seeing positive results! So here are some changes on the blog.....

Treading Water...

So since finishing the Oxford Half Marathon, I've basically been going in a little bit of a downward spiral....

Fast Girls

Ahhh!!!! I'm missing the Olympics!!! Bring back the hype, bring back the positivity for women in sport and BRING BACK THE INSPIRATION!!!!

Oh you KNOW I found you all a little extra inspiration, just in time for the winter slack to set in! The Olympics was MASSIVE this year and this film just summarises exactly what it was all about.

That moment that will take your breath away with inspiration!

Crossing the Finish Line!

So as you all may have read, I had a half marathon in Oxford on the 14th October. Well, I did it!

Let's start from the beginning........

Aren't we a gorgeous bunch?! =D

Back to the Grindstone... AND A HALF MARATHON!!

So um, given the title you will gather that I'm doing a half marathon... uh yeah. It's in 8 days and I am terrified.. and excited and nervous and um, even if I pass out I am expecting someone to drag my unconscious body across the finish line because I WANT MY MEDAL!! It will be shiny and will also be going on my wall! :D

Check out my room! =)

Living La Vida Loca!!

So, here I am in Spain and what is the only think I can think about? Yeah, a home cooked meal by my mum!

Now don't get me wrong, I'm loving the hot weather and the tapas and for sure the icecream, but things would be going a lot smoother if I had my home comforts here. For example, I don't have the internet where I'm staying- the only reason for posting is that I have borrowed somebody's iPad!! Four weeks without internet, proper coffee and a comfortable bed and you start to feel homesick pretty fast.

Finding the right iD

Nike iD that is!

A more light hearted post than the last; I have decided to treat myself to a brand new pair of running shoes after the Oxford Half Mara as a reward for making it to the finish line alive!

Probably a bit too bright but hey they're mine!

Don't Call Me a SLUT!!!

So in light of the Assange case and terms such as "Legitimate Rape" being thrown around recently, the gals of the world feel it's time to unite once again on what is known as a Slut-walk.

Everyone hates you because you're such a slut!

Now I know that George Galloway is a prize prat and thinks it's okay to rape women but not everyone does-- hence the slut walk. But forgive me if I'm wrong but haven't we all seen that trashy girl hitting on everyone's boyfriend (and sometimes their girlfriends!) and remarked that she's "such a slut!"? Yeah I thought you had!

Be Pretty on Rest Days!

So given that I was 99.9% against the Olympics this year what with it usually being ALL track and ALL football on our screens with none of the other sports being shown, I have actually thoroughly enjoyed having the Olympics in London. But I am all for women sweating it out for fitness........

Copyright [bangsandabun.com]

So forgive me for joining the ranks of women who were shocked and appalled that London's Victoria Beckham of running, was out and out called HIDEOUS by a randomer on Instagram.Now the image in question was after a hill training session, which most people can imagine won't result in a stunner of a picture!

Going Bananas!!

Ahhh I started an INSANE workout program this week and let me tell you now, that shiz is BANANAS!!!
In a half hour workout of jumping and leaping about, I have never done more simple moves and worked myself so hard!! I could hardly walk this morning! It was crazy as and bless my parents, who went to bed at 9.30pm so I could take over the living room to do it!!

Tough Decisions

Okay so I'm not ranting. I'm questioning.

Why is it SO difficult to accept that I (a 20 year old student) have decided to give up alcohol except on special occasions, such as Christmas or weddings, my 21st Birthday or an anniversary bash etc? Why is that so unfathomable?

It's a Plan Stan!!

TRAINING IS HARRRD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This Half Marathon Lark is no joke.. I already knew that but things are really starting to sink in as training is becoming more and more difficult, so I have come up with a plan which means I will actually be able to run the MAJORITY of the race and FINISH it whilst still breathing! :D Win- win right?!

Sponsored To RUN IT OUT!!!!

Hey beautiful followers (yes I'm buttering you up but let's face it, my mama raised me to tell the truth!),
                     
As you could have picked up on from previous posts, if not you certainly will from this one, I'm going to run a half marathon in October...

Welcome to A Twisted Tale at The Summer Ball ♥

Sound the alarms and ring out the bells!!! EXAMS ARE OVER!!!!!! Sorry for what seems to me (as it probably does to you) to be longest absence in the whole history of man! But when revising for exams takes precedence and us students actually remember why we started University to begin with, we tend to become hermits! BUT I am back (Was that a "hurrah!" I heard you scream?)!! :P

Running in Monsoon Season!

Now, my uncle lives in Malaysia so Monsoon Season over there really is no joke. But considering England has a hosepipe ban and drought warnings, we aren't doing too badly for rain. I am not the biggest fan of running in the rain, drops of water stinging my face etc, I can think of more enjoyable runs. BUT, I went out twice (that's good for me) in the rain and pounded out a couple of miles!

However, since then, the dismal weather has been getting me down a bit so in order to stay motivated I have a few things around my room at uni to help me out.............

Bangs and her Girls!

Day 1 of Half Marathon Training & Valencia Prep!

Getting Back to Running

So training today was okay, but I can admit that man, I am out of shape! I busted my gut out there today doing my usual walk-run plan, and it was hard! I was a little nervous before as I forgot my bad boys (read: trainers) at uni and wore my trusty Reebok's (No Chav jokes please, I was exercising) instead. I had no lycra, no proper trainers and hadn't been running in a while, so to say I was nervous was a little bit of an understatement.

5 Things To Smile About in Sassy Land ☺

It's an exciting time in Sassy Land at the moment with things unravelling to some pretty awesome events in the near future... Here are my 5 things to smile about right now!

Stepping Out for 13.1 Miles!

It is official: I've committed to running my very first half marathon this year... So it looks like 2012 really will be the year I take on my life!

Mockery of the British Justice System: The Extended Edition

We all remember it well. The haunting face of 9 year old Shannon Matthews who went missing on 19th February 2008, filled us all with horror as yet another child went missing. The worrying trend which seemed to be growing at an alarming rate had struck again, this time taking Shannon.

Life Lessons: Part 1

With social media allowing everyone to promote themselves at all times, are there some things we should learn before we push ourselves onto others?

Festival Fever!

It's no surprise that I've never been to a festival (I go on holiday too much to be able to afford it!) but this year I really really wanted to go to Download Festival!
My love of live rock music has been deprived since that epic Iron Maiden concert way back in August last year! And had anyone (yes, anyone) given me a job, I wouldn't be in the predicament in which I find myself....
                                                

Now Entering the Realm of Douche

Okay firstly let me explain... WHAT IS WRONG WITH 99.9% OF PEOPLE THESE DAYS?

Seriously, douche-baggery comes from every corner at the moment it's unreal!

Big Up For BANGSPIRATION!

Today I'd like to talk about the inspiration for my life since October 2011: Bangs and a Bun!



*Photo from http://bangsandabun.com/ *

Coming Soon!!!

SassyLassy's Vintage Nicknacks
You heard it here first people. I'm strapped for cash and selling my stunning handmade bits and bobs such as Hessian bags decorated with Swarovski Crystals (what else?) and motifs, little decorative heart pillows to hang on your doors and I am even going to give the old doorstops a bash!! But above all are my favourites: Vintage umbrellas decorated with lace, beads and flowers that can be used as parasols or rain umbrellas!
                           

I made this tonight just for kicks but they are fun and look sweet around my house! ^_^

Dance Like Nobody's Watching ♥

It's the Essex Dance Club's annual show this week and it got me reminiscing about the days when I used to dance! I really miss Tap dancing, I started when I was about 8 and 12 years later, I have a pair of tap shoes and a lust for something that was lost to me a couple of years ago, when grades became all the rage! I was never one for doing the rigid grade steps and routines and didn't see the point in making every class exactly the same as last week.. I got bored! So now I know exactly what to do....

Derby Day: ESSEX SPARTANS vs THE UEA PANSIES!!

The ULTIMATE sporting event of the year happened at University this week;

Think;

• Harvard vs Yale...


• Oxford vs Cambridge...


• Bath vs York

ESSEX SPARTANS WIN!!

..................But Essex vs UEA!

Rainbow Hair!

It's common knowledge that I have dyed my hair pretty much every shade of red/orange and ginger as well as a blonde, brunette and the accidental black! So after someone found my blog by googling the colour of Ariel's (The Little Mermaid) hair, I thought I'd do a bit of a collage of all my hair colours! Just for kicks! ;)

 
Yeah I know I'm A TOTAL POSER!!! But less now than when I was 15/16 years old! :P
Well that's the gist of my insane hair and the colours I've dyed it! Feel free to let me know which one you like best, and let me know what the craziest thing you've done to your hair is!! :)

Times are Changing!

Post number 3 today! :)
I just wanted to talk a little about the changes on my blog:
♥ It's a little more girly! I love my pastel colours, and coming into Spring, I thought it was apt to change the look of my blog... Plus I am easily bored so until I find the right fit, it may still change!
♥ Vintage Chic: I am very into my florals and tea cups etc right now, and anything slightly flowery or vintage will probably feature on the blog.
♥ Positivity: I'm OOZING with it at the moment and hope to share the happiness and lurrve online with you guys!
♥ Give-aways! I will be doing the occasional give away to all my gorgeous followers, so if you want in, follow my blog and comment on the post! :D
"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living." -- Gail Sheehy
                             

Putting Pen to Paper!

It's no secret that many of us love technology and most likely we all have laptops and mobile phones of our own. BUT, will we ever be able to turn our backs on good old fashioned notebooks, story books and lists on paper! Because let's face it, nothing beats the flow of the pen as the words travel from your brain to the paper, the smell of an old book and having that trusty moth-eaten list of groceries you have to buy!

Who doesn't love a notebook?