Creative Writing... Five-Minute Fridays: Cherished

I spotted a hashtag recently on Twitter called '#FMFParty' and as I hate not being invited to a party, I decided to click and find out what I was missing out on. I am so glad I clicked on the hashtag now! Basically, the deal is simple, every Friday, LisaJo Baker posts a prompt word on her blog for us all to whip up a bit of creative writing about. You only get five minutes to write and you aren't allowed to go back or change anything. It is kind of a stream-of-consciousness writing challenge which I love! I've loved writing since I was a very little girl and it is something which I practice regularly, especially as I'd like to try and get a novel published before the time I am 23... a bit ambitious I know, but that gives me just over a year so maybe I can manage. Plus, a bit of ambition never hurt anyone. Anyway, on with the challenge. The word we have been provided with is 'Cherished' so here goes...

My University Experience...

I decided I might record this video so that I could share my university experience with you all. University is a very expensive and time consuming investment to make in ourselves, and is a decision which should be thought out very carefully. University is not for everyone and although there is a lot of pressure from teachers and parents and society to go and get a degree, I think that many more people will be reconsidering their motives for applying since the raise in fees last year. I had a very bumpy university experience, and although I happy that I went in hindsight, during some stages of the experience I genuinely regretted choosing English Literature or even staying in education. So many careers would be better achieved through getting work experience rather than attending university, so I just entreat each of you who are considering applying to not rush into anything, think things through in detail and follow your hearts.

Are any of you applying for university just because you think you should? What careers do you all want to get involved in? Tell me your university stories...

In order to be aware when I post new things, you really must follow, subscribe and like my pages! Here are all of the links...

Please follow me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/hautefuture

Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:
http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/

Subscribe to my Youtube channel where I post hauls, tutorials, outfits of the day and WAY more:
http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/HauteFuture/149057205180776

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love
gabriellasofia x

Quick Update... Succeeding in my University Degree and Travelling Across the Globe...

Hi there!

I know I haven't posted in a while, but I have a pretty good reason.... I've been so busy accepting my 2.1 degree (!!!) from the University of Birmingham and packing for my USA adventure that I really haven't had much time to write which has made me very sad. HOWEVER, I'm now sat on the top bunk at my West Hollywood hostel, Banana Bungalow, filling you in on my most recent goings-on.

*This is what a 2.1 student looks like when she's going out for lunch...*

That's right readers, in spite of my 2.2 from my second year of university (which carried over as 25% of my overall degree classification) I managed SOMEHOW through hard work, determination, and enduring a soul-less existence for a year, to achieve a 2.1. I was absolutely gob-smacked with my success as I had really lost all hope of getting a good grade, purely because I found final year to be nothing but incapacitating pressure. But I guess the pressure must have worked for me for some reason as I magically managed to get a degree classification which reflects my abilities and the hard work I have put in. My parents were very happy for me, and we're all very proud. And surprised, and thankful to whatever greater being allowed this to be. Thanks readers once and for all for being here for me and waiting for me while I had to take that long blog-break all those months ago. I guess it paid off!

As I say, I'm now in West Hollywood and I've been awake for just over 26 hours so far as today was my travel day. I'm going to grab me some shut eye in a minute as I'm absolutely exhausted and I'd like to get up tomorrow morning to take the fantastic *sarcastic eyebrow raise* Los Angeles public transport system to Venice Beach. Haha, not looking forward to navigating the buses but the beach should be incredible.

I was really nervous about coming here last night when I was packing in Stoke-on-Trent. However, now I'm here I can see I really had nothing to be frightened about. I've always loved my own company and meeting new people and roaming around, so I feel a bit like this trip is going to be one of the best things I've ever done in my life. Of course, I've only just got here and my positivity may be something to do with the Taco Bell induced euphoria I'm enjoying at the moment... But watch this space!

Over the next few days I'd like to post up a few different items on my To-Do List. But I'm not sure if I'll have time/energy when there's so much else to do... Forgive me if I'm a naughty blogger while I'm away. I absolutely promise *pinky swear* that if I forget to post or don't have chance to do so as frequently as I would like, I will make a note every time I have a post idea and  get them all typed up for you when I'm back. Expect shopping hauls, backpacking-inspired beauty tutorials, travel reviews and more.

Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia
x

So, where the devil have I been, eh?

On the 16th of February this year I decided to take a nastily long blog-break in order to finish my degree. However, enough of that sadness, because today, three months and four days later, I am back and am absolutely ecstatic :) Before I get stuck back into reviews, hauls, event write-ups etc, I decided to ease myself back into the blogging scene with an update on what I've been up to over the past three months... I'll give you the highlights shall I?

1) My 21st Birthday!

 

 

My 21st was a fab day. My best pal Vikki from Victoria's Vintage came to visit me at home in Stoke-On-Trent from Milton Keynes which was lovely. We went shopping, ate at my favourite Chinese restaurant with my family, went clubbing with my little sister (who is in the first picture... I know she looks WAY older than me when she's actually only 16!!! FML). I got some great presents including the outfit I'm wearing in the photograph, a Bobbi Brown make-up book and a Thomas Sabbo bracelet. My white chocolate and raspberry birthday cake was lush! 

2) The Hippy Hippy Shake Company presents HippyHaze 2012

 

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but my dad lost his mind about four years ago and left his job as a Sales Executive so he could open a milkshake chain, named The Hippy Hippy Shake Company. I know, crazy right? But since my mother promised to love him in sickness and in health, she left her job with the NHS and jumped aboard the crazy train. During Easter weekend, the crazy train pulled in at Foxfields Railway Station which my dad decided was a fantastic location to start his own local music festival named HippyHaze. Before we knew it, he'd thrown together an awesome weekend which everyone who's anyone in the local area showed up to and thoroughly enjoyed. The weekend could not possibly have gone any better and in spite of the insanity, I've never been prouder of my adorable father. 

3) Study, study, study!!!

Of course, I studied like a nerd on crack. I had to! I had a 10,000 word dissertation to write on the relationships between adults and children as presented by popular twentieth century children's literature. Thrilling right? At least I got to read Matilda, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, Mary Poppins, The Lion, The Witch and The Warbrobe, The Secret Garden and The Little Princess for my degree *Ican'ttellyouhowpainfulitwasformetolistthosebookswithoutcomplyingwiththeharvardreferencingsystem*. I also had a 2000 word language assignment on the narrative features of film. Then I had two exams, one on Shakespeare plays which lasted for two hours. Then the other was three hours on fantasy literature titles such as Lord of the Rings, Beowulf, Lud-in-the-Mist, The King of Elfland's Daughter and many more. There was a LOT of reading to be done in time for both of my exams and I had to work really hard to prepare. I definitely did my best. In the above picture you'll see my colour-coded Shakespeare notes. Impressive, methinks.

4) Boux Avenue opening...

If you haven't already heard of Boux Avenue, then I'm about to let you in on the sexiest secret since Victoria's. So we all know the business brain-box Theo Paphitis from The Dragon's Den UK show. Furthermore, ladies nationwide know him as the man behind La Senza for a certain amount of time (before it went a tad tacky with desperate signs splattered all over the place with 'TWO BRA'S FOR £20' written on them. Not that I have anything against getting two bra's for a tenner, but when the sizes are as screwy as I often find they are at La Senza, I could be getting ten bra's for £20 and I'd still be £20 poorer without a single useful bra... *RantOver*) However, Theo has a new exciting project and its called Boux Avenue. I will do a full write up of the event that I attended in Birmingham with more pictures, but for now all you need to do is prepare yourself for a luxury lingerie experience like no other at exceptionally reasonable prices.

5) Bedroom Organization...

Not sure about you guys, but when I'm going crazy with studying I'm constantly trying to find a new way to procrastinate. The dishes in my house have never been so clean as during exam time. My family has never eaten such elaborate and time-consuming-to-cook delicacies. And my bedroom has never been so tidy! I've only put the one picture here as I'm planning on doing a full Youtube room tour soon, so keep and eye out for that...

6) Holiday? BOOKED.

Last summer I worked at Disney World in Orlando with my pal and fellow blogger Victoria's Vintage. If you want to know more about my Disney experience, please click here for my Disney International College Program Youtube Channel. Anyway, I've always been mad for the United States and had planned to travel the country after finishing my College Program. Unfortunately, I broke my finger whilst working on one of the rides and after putting up with agony and pain-killer-caused exhaustion for a couple of weeks, I decided to come home a week early and skip my travelling. Luckily, I was feeling spontaneous early on this year and decided to book a five week coast-to-coast tour from San Francisco to New York city for this summer. I'm going all alone and I leave in just over a month! Wish me luck...

So I think that's everything IMPORTANT that I've been up to over the past three months. Exciting, right? Haha. Anyways, now we're all up-to-date with me, I want to get up-to-date with the blogging community! What have I missed? Any great events coming up which I must attend? Have you tried and reviewed any fantastic products recently? Have any of you decided to spend a bomb on an insane travel sesh? Catch me up!

Anyway, keep an eye out for any upcoming blog-posts as I have loads planned :)

Love and snuggles

gabriellasofia

x

Honey, I'm Home!

Ohhhh the excitement of seeing blogger interface on my screen once again! The thrill of sitting before a clean page of 'New Post'! The buzz of being able to type the blog-post which I have been looking forward to for ever so long... I am LOVING LIFE!

For those of my lovely loyal followers who have stuck by me during what feels like a millenium-long blog break, I have nothing but the most sincere thanks. As you will know, making the decision to take my break was really difficult, because to be honest, blogging is quite literally my favourite thing to do. I love it so much, that I was wanting to invest more time in HauteFuture than in my university studies. Now I know some of you are probably thinking, 'So why didn't you???' Well, it can be hard when you know that the consequences of doing something you love might be disappointing to the people you love the most. Although I'm still quite positive I'm only going to get a *perfectly respectable* 2.2 degree classification for my past three years studying English Literature at the University of Birmingham, I had to feel like I was doing my best, so at least if my grade does disappoint, I know there's nothing more I could have done. Anyway, enough of that palaver, if you want to read more about my Blog Break Decision click here. So as I said, thank you very much, followers, for sticking by me and being patient whilst I pursued my education for a little bit.

Also, a huge thank you goes out to my fantastic guest bloggers who held the fort for me while I was gone. If you missed any of their posts, please check them out! We had...

Fighting Acne Together by Sophie Nightingale

Long Distance Fairy-Tale Relationships by Karyn O'Donnell

Being Miss Thrifty by Victoria's Vintage

Fur, Friend or Faux? by Erin Allenn

North American Fashion by Rachel and Her Journal

Also, there were many other lovely ladies who got in touch in order to write guest posts for me, but we just didn't get round to publishing them yet, so please expect a couple more guest posts in the future, and similarly, if you think you'd like to write a guest post for me please read this post and send me an email :) I welcome anyone, blogger or non-blogger, male or female, human or amphibian.

Finally, I want to say a huge thank you to my friends and family who have been so supportive over the past few months. Having to quit something you're passionate about in order to pursue something you're not passionate about was a big sacrifice for me and without lovely home-cooking, hour-long phone calls, and the occasional late night booze-up I literally wouldn't have gotten through all this! You realize the people who really love you not by the fact that they're always there to enjoy the good times, but also because they pick you up when you're down and share the bad times with you too. I'm pretty sure I owe drinks to way more people than I can afford at the moment because of all the support, but I promise I'll get it all sorted in good time... Like, when I get a job maybe? Yes, I think that's fair... :)

So this was just a huge 'Thank You' post really, but I think it needed to be said. I'm so happy to be back to blogging, especially as there are so many posts that I've been dying to write for months and I can't wait to get back to my YouTube channel as to be honest, I feel like my most recent video was one of my best and the most professionally done so far, so I can't wait to improve even more! I'm definitely going to be posting often now, however, I'm not going to make a schedule just yet because I believe that will ruin the spontaneity which I'm loving at the moment. I may consider making a schedule after a few weeks, but we'll see! If you'd like a sneak peek of some of the things I've got in the pipeline, click here. My next post will be a run-down of all the things which have been keeping me busy over the past few months...

Now you know I'm back in blogging-business if there are any posts you'd like to see, please let me know... Would you like some more beauty tutorial videos? More lifestyle than I used to do? Perhaps I could write up some more events I've been attending? It's totally up to you! So please let me know :)

Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia x

Back From Sabbatical!

Hey Strangers!

Yes, I know how terrible I've been recently by not blogging for ages, but honestly, my university commitments are more intense now than they were back in September when I started this whole 'blogazine' idea and as it turns out, it's just not practical for me to operate my blog in that way. In theory, the 'blogazine' would have been great... Like our favourite mags I would have had a different 'issue' published each month with almost a feature a day posted on an array of topics. But the pressure to post certain 'articles' on pre-decided days got a bit much and I simply couldn't keep it up!

This year is my final university year so it's really important for me that I make my degree my first priority. And so I've abandoned the 'blogazine' (although I'm likely to revisit it once (or if!) I graduate) and I've decided to keep this fun, breezy and something I can do to escape the pressures and deadlines I have rather than adding unnecessary deadlines to my To-Do list. Having said that, I will be listing blogs I want to post in my To-Do List page, purely to remind myself!

So what else has been keeping me busy, rather than the likes of Shakespeare, Dickens and Rowling? Well, as you may have noticed, I've been making some changes to this blog in order to make it look more professional, attractive and easy to navigate. As you can see, I've changed the back-ground and my header with the help (ok, she kind of did it all...) of my best friend Vikki to something a little better suited to the sophisticated luxury feel I would like my blog to exude. Also, you might notice I've listed a few tabs up at the top so it is easier for my readers to Contact Me and I've also included an About Me page which allows readers to learn a little more about my personal life. I put the links for all of my Reviews so far in one place making it easier for readers to find my thoughts on different items I've tried rather than having to hunt for hours through my archives. My favourite page by far though is where I list my BlogCrushes... Blogs and vlogs which inspired me to start HauteFuture, blogs and vlogs which I check almost daily as they're so full of great stuff! Be sure to go and check them all out.

I've also been busy hanging with my bestie Vikki as she came to my hometown for a couple of days. We went shopping in the town center, ate posh cake at the gardens near my house and ate Italian food. Call me sad, but the times I love best with Vik are when we're just sat under the duvet eating yummy cupcakes, catching up on the Junior Apprentice and working on our blogs!

On top of fixing up my blog and hanging with Vikki, I've also been juggling four literature modules including my dissertation which will (hopefully!) culminate in a 10,000 word assignment on April 25th... I've spent more time in the library in the past two weeks than I probably did across first and second year put together.

Things have been pretty crazy, but I'm finally happy with the direction this blog is heading in so I feel really mellow :) I hope you like the way I've organized it all and I have many plans for blogs over the next few weeks, so hit Follow (even if it means you have to set up an account) and you can come along for the ride! Please take some time to click on my tabs and see the new features I've added as I've put a lot of work into this blog and I'd love to see that there are people out there reading!

I love you guys and hope that you get involved with HauteFuture by following (here at Blogspot and also on Twitter), liking (on Facebook), subscribing (on Youtube) and commenting (EVERYWHERE!) as it would mean an awful lot to me!

Love

gabriellasofia

x