Short and sweet

So I don't really have many photos to share on this post, so you're just going to have to read instead! This week I went to Barrel Oak Winery to photograph the ripe grapes and beautiful area it is situated! It was so exciting because I've never been to a winery before so it was interesting learning about the process of how to make wine and to see the vineyard in full blossom! The scenery was absolutely breath taking and reminded me so much of home - it felt like I was in Abbotsbury.. except being able to overlook mountains opposed to the sea. Not a bad substitute if I'm completely honest!
We're going back next week as it's time for the harvest so me and Jen are going to help pick the grapes as all of their grapes are hand picked! Might be able to work on my tan ;) silver lining! We're there also to take photos of the whole day too as people from all over will come and volunteer to help with the harvest as there are acres and acres of vineyards! I feel lucky to be able to have a part in this, although it's the smallest part ever, I can still say I helped! This is made into Virginian wine - both red and white! Unfortunately no rosé as that's apparently a winemaker's worst nightmare.. I won't go into what I used to drink at uni then haha.. awkward.
Anyway, here's a view of the landscape :)

Apologies for the quality. I'll update with the proper ones at a later date!

Sephora had an unmissable deal on last weekend so being the girls we are, me and Jen sped to there as soon as we could to look at all the heavenly make up. For those of you who haven't been to a sephora, imagine the makeup section in debenhams but 5x the size, smelling like a fluffy pink cloud and workers taking place of angels. That is what it's like for me. In simple form; heaven. The awesome sale was if you spent over $35 you got a free little bag of goodies!! Who can pass up the opportunities of free samples?! Certainly not me. Even with willpower, I don't think that would've been possible.
After reading beauty reviews on some blogs, I went in knowing exactly what I wanted and it began with B and ends in enefit. They've just released their new mascara 'They're Real' which people have been raving about so I had to get it! It also had a deal that you got a free travel sized mascara with it. Amazing! I'm now set for my plane ride home (which is in just over 10 weeks!), so if anything it was an investment ;)

Hearts cos I'm so in love!

In a pack which included a cute little Benefit make up bag, I got: 'Bella Bamba' blusher, 'Eye Bright' eye pencil, 'Stay Don't Stray' eyeshadow primer and 'High Beam' highlight! Separately I bought 'They're Real' mascara in full size and travel size :) I highly recommend the 'they're real' mascara!! The wand is similar to Telescopic which I've always loved but this has bristles on the end which gets right into the corners! Beaut! 

Here is my bag of samples!!

L'Occitane hand cream, Murad day moisturiser, Algenist overnight restoration cream, Stella McCartney fragrance, Benefit cha cha lip and cheek tint, Smashbox foundation primer, Lancome mascara, and Sephora instant moisturizer.

SO IN LOVE!

I had my first experience of an American liquor store called 'ABC' this week too. I felt like McLovin in Superbad!! It was unreal - I was just in awe of the hundreds of different colours, flavours and super cheap price! Just wish I could bring some back to the UK :( they had banana flavoured rum for god sake! I don't even like rum but it was banana!!!

I managed to get a cheeky sunbathe in at the pool after this which was nice and for once I felt quite tanned!

At least I have a tan line I guess! My V Fest bracelet has officially been on for a year now :( time is going too quickly.

I made this bun in my hair with a sock. An actual sock. There is a Spongebob sock in my hair!! Easiest hairstyle ever and to me it looks like I've spent sometime on my hair but it takes like 2 minutes. Less is more ;) I have another hair appointment next Friday where I'm hoping to go even lighter and boarder on blonde!!

Sunday night I went to the cinema with my friend Cailtin and we watched 'The Campaign' with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. Unbelievably funny!!! It's also set in North Carolina which is where I'll be visiting Emma next month! Super exciting :) Can't wait to see her face! 

Cinema snacks - an icee and a packet of milk duds and I'm anyones.

I'll keep ya posted about other events and such. I'm going to watch the Redskins play American football on Saturday which is gona be so fun! Such an American thing to do and another chance for a foam finger! Yayuhhhh

Missing my Weytown beauties xxxxxxxxxxx

P.s. I can't wait to raid some vintage shops to get some clothes like Kelly, Lisa and Jessie....

Wish I was this age in the 90s :(

No rest for the wicked

Helllloooooooo!
Having abandoned my blog for the last two weeks, I decided it was about time for an update for all my fans out there! (just my Mum then..)
In these past couple weeks I've been extremely busy so I'll just try keep it to a minimum on here cos else I'll be writing for days!! So what have I been doing? I've been busy with photoshoots, working, shopping, wine tasting, having a short break at Virginia beach - you know, the usual ;) but my laptop being the bitch it always is, caught another virus so I'm very much hating on Norton 'anti' virus right now and had to system restore it again ugggggggh so I'm gona have to just rely on the majority of the photos being from my instagram :((( I know, it sucks.
Here's the break down of my 'hectic' life:

I did my first new born baby shoot!! He was an 8 day old little boy called Wiley :) being around him though had the reverse effect on me and made me not want kids for an even longer time because whilst he looks all cute and snuggle, during this time he managed to wet everything with wee and poo so much that it even got on to him mum - yeah, how cute are babies...

'Bundle of joy'.....

Obviously you can see I worked on these photos and edited them but Jen went in and added her finishing touches and this is how one of them came out that she put up as a 'sneak peak' on her facebook page..

Oh, and this is how one of the tons of amaaaazing photos of Dorothy came out!!! 

She so pwiddy

Me and Katy have decided we're going to go on regular bike rides around Reston on the beautiful trails (like the Rodwell Trail for you Weymouth folk) so, on our first adventure I obviously had to get a photo with the big yellow school bus!!

That weekend we went to Fair Oak shopping mall to burn some dollar!!! It's ridiculous how much of a step up the shopping is here - even from Nottingham! I wish I could bring back all these beautiful shops - main one being my second home, Sephora!! Absolutely addicted to buying make up and I need to get a grip!

The time I was leaving to go shopping (the Malls stay open until 10 here!!) was the time Sammie, Sallie, Abby and Ele were pre drinking ready to go out to town on a Friday night which was a bit depressing, so we sent each other photos haha! I suppose my mini haul made up for it...

Hello beautiful

                                                
I got bits from all sorts of places including Macy's! :) and I finally got myself some decent trainers for my running!! Oh yeah, I've also started running in the mornings... it's hell.

Laura Mercier is the best make up I've everrrr used!! It is the bees knees, the dog's dangly bits, THE CAT'S PYJAMAS!!! Especially the camouflage concealer. Trust me, it's a life saverrr.

My new sexaay shoes. I've also came to realise I apparently have a subconscious addiction to purple shoes - I now have 3 pairs which are these, my vans and some new heels. Hmm.

So! The next day was a Saturday and I was excited because it was my first experience of photographing a lesbian wedding!! We drove into DC which is where their hotel was where they got ready and then onto Maryland where gay marriage is actually legal as it isn't in Virginia.

I really didn't know what to expect when I imagined the day and what the women would be like but I was definitely pleasantly surprised because they were so lovely and the best brideS to work with. So laid back and loving life! The ceremony and everything else was at this old fashioned amusement park with a big carousel. For the ceremony, they got married under a beautiful Chuppah one of their fathers had made especially as it was a Jewish wedding. I'm not able to upload any proper pictures of them but I managed to get a sneaky pic of my phone in!

So casual.. hahahaha

   

View from the Hotel

The brideS to be

It's actually extremely hard photographing on a moving carousel hahah

Had to put a pin on mine didn't I!

I was almost as happy as when I have fanta beach at home when I found this; almost.

I also went back to DC but this time in Georgetown which is absolutely beautiful and seemed quite English to me which I loved :) I've never seen anything like it though with the amazing shops - it was like strolling down Oxford street. They even had Jack Wills which I didn't realise they had out here! Jen said there's a rality programme on the shop called Georgetown cupcake so we had to have one! The queue was insane out of the door and everytime I've drove past it, it always seems to be that way! Ok so the cupcakes were amazing.......

Ew, but Olympic cupcake!! So so so proud of team GB and proud to be British! :)

I just spent 3 days down at Virginia Beach with Jen's husband's parents and it was so lovely. Felt SO good to be back by a beach again with sand in my toes and the sea smell in the much needed breeze :) Really happy I had the opportunity to go and I will definitely go back at some point in my life! It's exactly how you'd imagine an American beach to be like - the wooded huge beach houses over looking the horizon, sand dunes with grass growing out of it.. the whole shabbang!! I also went to the VA beach Aquarium which was so cool and I got to see some sharks!!! Best day everr

Whenever I see grass growing out of sand it always reminds me of 'remember me' when they're sat at the beach.. awwww

hewo

We drove back from VA beach yesterday which took 7 bloody hours - talk about numb bum! Then today me and Jen had a photoshoot at a breath-takingly beautiful winery called Barrel Oak. We were there pretty much all day and even ended up wine tasting!! :) I genuinely felt like I was in England because of the countryside and just general feel the vineyards and winery had! 

sunset!

So that was my last fortnight here!! Sorry for the extra long/boring entry.

NANIGHT XXX