Guess where I'm going?

Evening everyone :D Just a quick post about the upcoming bloggers event here in Galway. Rebecca Casserly from Bec Boop Fashionista World is the host for this event and I am so thrilled that I was invited to it. It's taking place in the house hotel this September and I could not be more excited about going to this event to meet all the other bloggers. I've found out that I can now go, only for two hours or so but that's good enough for me! 

The biggest challenge is just finding something to wear :P Comment below if any of you guys are going! Be sure to check out Rebecca's page HERE and  Stephanies (her sister) modelling page HERE.

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Back to school Must Have's

Afternoon everybody. Hope that you are enjoying a nice relaxing Sunday. I sure am anyways. I was treated to a lovely dinner last night by my boyfriend and did in fact prove that he is able to cook :P 

Well it's only a week until most of us are back at college and I thought I'd put a bit of a list together. I'm talking clothes, stationary, shoes and other essentials.

1. You can use some of your summer dresses as a new winter outfit. Just team it with a pair of thick tights, a jacket and a pair of boots! Don't waste your money on things you don't need and it would be an awful shame to lock your gorgeous dresses up until next summer.

2. A diary is so handy to have. A small one is ideal so that it will fit nicely in your bag. There's loads of diaries available but I always stick with the paper blanks collection. They're strong and have a magnetic seal which holds and fly away bits of paper I add in. (Available in Easons)

3. A good pair of boots that will literally go with everything are great to have in your wardrobe. It's good to invest now as you'll save money in the long run. They'll also keep your feet warm and dry in the colder months. River Island have a great selection and my pair have been a great buy! Applies to both guys and girls ;)

4. GET A DECENT BAG! There are so many durable and stylish bags on the market so why not invest in one. I bought a brown leather bag from Monsoon last year and it's still going strong. It's been to photoshoots, fashion shows, daily college classes and still manages to look great. I called it my Mary Poppins bag because it literally held everything I managed to fit into it. It only cost me €35 because I got the student discount. Investing now is good so you can save money on replacing things LATER! Have a look in Monsoon, River Island, David Jones (my bag for this year) and Topshop (they're doing adorable satchels this season).

5. Stationary. Click HERE to read about last week's stationary haul from Easons.

If you would like me to do a more detailed "must have" post for back to school, don't be afraid to leave a comment or two. 

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Stationary Excitement!

Well hello there everyone. I had quite an exciting day! As sad as it may seem, I went stationary shopping for college! I get so excited when I get to go and get all knew pens, colours, sketch books and notepads. Sometimes I even go to the kids section where they keep all the Hello Kitty stationary......... CRINGE!

Anyway, I thought I'd share all the things that I bought with you and my mammy even bought me a leather covered professional portfolio case! So for any of you who are heading back to college, here are some of the deals I got both stylish and practical ;)

The essentials: Pritt Stick, rubber bands, paper clips, Blu tack and tie on tags.

I got an adorable little notebook last year to keep all assignments, scrap notes and loose pages organised. I love the paper blanks range. This book was a bit pricey at €12.95 but they're such good quality and come in loads of different shapes and designs. I had it in purple last year so this time I went with red.

My swanky new portfolio case :D

Display folders and polypockets.

A3 Sketch books and notepads.

Who else loves stationary shopping?

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Why Dare to Dream?

Hello my little marshmallows. Huge apology for my absence. I've been taking a break from blogging to seek some more inspiration. It worked for me last time so, why not!?!?! Also, I've been away in Clare for the past week and work was hectic just before that. I've decided to do a more personal post this time around about an experience that I had finished going through one year ago.

So, dare I speak of the dreaded topic? Leaving Cert results are only just out and I'm beginning to feel the relief surrounding the streets. This time last year, I was also in LaHinch, avoiding anyone that would ask me about my results. I spent it with some amazing people and had the chance to do it again this year (I'm still recovering from the weeks antics). I was so nervous but I'm talented when it comes to hiding. You see, I'm not a book person. I'm not the type who can memorise words from a book or remember anything that was ever said to me. I admire people who have the ability to do that. So obviously, I was not suited to be a class A candidate when it came to the leaving cert. My dreams of doing well stopped at 300 points (even that was a dream too big for me to believe in). I also started the year a loner. My little group of friends went to Yeats and anyone that I had outside of that was also either in Yeats or too busy. It was scary to think of starting the supposedly biggest year of my life without my protective circle around me to help me on the way. The first couple of months were weird. But I was lucky enough to bond with some unforgettable people and I remain friends with them still.

The year presented itself with endless difficulties but I came out of it the other end. Even though I found it hard to memorise things, I tried my best and worked my ass off. I left school this day last year with 395 points (way more than I ever dreamed of achieving). You see, I didn't need points for what I wanted to do. I needed skill and experience and I made sure I gained both with any spare time I had between days off and free study periods. But I also wanted to work at getting a decent leaving cert to give myself some sort of security. My parents were (and still are) incredibly supportive of what I wanted to do and made sure that the number I came out with, didn't mean I would never achieve anything.

I'm now one year on and my life has changed completely. I've had once in a life time experiences and got to style my first fashion shoot. I was finally in my element in college and it was an amazing feeling to be able to understand what the teacher was actually talking about. Measurements made sense, I worked quickly and I always knew who Dior or Chanel were ;) For once, I felt like a genius. With this new found confidence and social scene, I began to blog about a day in the life of a fashion student. It's been CRAZY!! GTI has given me so many opportunities and taught me what it meant to be talented. It does not matter where you go or how much money you spend getting there, it's what you make of it that matters at the end of it all. I've been slagged, teased and laughed at for going to GTI, sometimes even from the people who I considered my friends. I could have gone to NUIG, I could have gone to DCU. But why would I do that if it was the complete opposite of what I wanted to do? When I tell people what points I was awarded, they turn and ask me "why are you in GTI?". I know why I'm there and that's all that matters. 

So for all you anxious annies out there, do not fear. Life has a way of giving back. In a few months, the leaving cert will be nothing but a distant memory and you'll be living it up in whatever college or workplace that you find yourself in. I'm so proud of all of you for bravely tackling the year and so far, all of my friends have been delighted with their results. Remember one thing, be proud of how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go.

Much love and luck,

Shannon.

xoxo