Gone Girl - The book/film experience

*Don't read for spoilers*

So I went to go and see the film adaptation of Gone Girl a few weeks ago with my friend Jade, we had both spent the last month reading it and we were both hooked on the story. Once we had both finished it, we were buzzing to see the film because the story is incredible and we were both so interested in how they had adapted it for the screen. 

I thought this film was really good, it was really well filmed and the actors were great. I think Rosamund Pike was a brilliant Amy Dunne, purely for those crazy eyes! For me, in the opening scene when she turns around and you see her eyes, she looks terrifying! she's got that psychotic look about her that fits so well. (I also have big love for Ben Affleck <3)

I do think that they missed a lot of things out of the film that were included in the book. I understand that to fit it all into one movie that yes they would have to cut a lot out, but it does annoy you from having read the book to being like "ooh that didn't happen like that" or "oh no but they've missed out that part" it is a little frustrating especially when it's a book that you really loved. 

For my friend, this was the first time that she had read a book before seeing the film version and then going to see it afterwards. She came out really annoyed that they had changed so much and left so much out. For me, this has happened a few times so I was expecting as much. It does annoy me but I understand that they can't physically put every little detail into a film without them making it into a TV series or something, which my friend suggested would have been better for this book. 

It did get me thinking about all of the movies this year that have come out in the cinema that have been based on books. It's got to the point where you see a trailer at the cinema for a film and you can tell which ones are book adaptations just from a snippet of it. It makes me kind of sad that it seems like movie producers don't have any good fresh ideas coming in so they just take a book and turn it into a film. You do also get that annoyance that if you're a big fan of the book, you know that they will never do it justice to how you read it and how you felt it.

I had this recently when I went to see the book thief which is my favourite book of all time. I loved this book so much that I knew they wouldn't portray it in the way that I fully imagined it and how I took the story. On the other hand, I think they did do a great job and that it was a very good film, but the film never quite compares to your experience with the story.

What do you think about film adaptations of books? What's your favourite or least favourite? Also if you've read/been to see gone girl, let me know what you thought of it. I feel missing without the book to read now I've finished it! Such a good read 

Happy Sundays to all! xx

Naan Bread Pizza

This little tasty treat was a totally spontaneous cooking experiment that ended up being so nice that i had to share. Using things that you probably have lying around in the kitchen now, i created these really quick, simple, naan bread pizzas.

Ingredients - for two naan bread pizzas

• 2 Garlic and Coriander Naan Breads (or whatever flavour takes your fancy)
• 2 Salad Tomatoes
• 1 Garlic Clove (as a guideline, i used lazy garlic as that's just what we had in the kitchen but feel free to use more or less depending on how you like it)
• Cooked chorizo slices
• Cubed chesse (I used extra strong chedder but again, feel free to use whatever cheese you prefer. I think mozzarella would be gorgeous with this)
• Salt
• Pepper 
• Olive oil

Method

Okay so you want to start by making the tomato sauce to put onto the naan bread. Simply chop up the tomatoes into small-ish chunks, add into a pan with the garlic, a glug of olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper and a little bit of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. 

Once you feel the sauce is ready, spread on top of the naan breads. Then add the chorizo slices and cubes of cheese as you wish, you could get creative here and add any other toppings that you like to make it a bit different. Cooked peppers, cooked chicken pieces, mushrooms, etc. would be lovely with this. 

Once the naan breads are prepared, pop them under the grill for about 5 minutes until cooked. That is literally the whole process, they are so easy to make and they taste incredible! The naan bread flavour mixed with the tangy tomato is a gorgeous combination.

You can make so many variations of this recipe and you can also have it as a side to a lot of meals. When i made this, i had some leftover tomato sauce so i cooked it with some chicken which also tasted gorgeous.

Give it a try! 

Pinterest Picks

My name is Lauren, and i'm addicted to Pinterest.

I think Pinterest is the main source of blame for my procrastination, it is always my go-to app on my phone when i'm bored, i can spend a ridiculous amount of time on it. I thought i would do a feature where i share my loved pins of the week (since i always have some to share!)

• Firstly, yes i have started a christmas board already! Even though i'm sure some would agree i'm late to the party here judging by all the stuff I've come across on Pinterest. I adore these Grinchkabobs, i think they're so cute and a nice healthy snack too. I can't wait to make these at christmas, i think my little nieces will love them - pinned on my 'Jingle Bells' board
• Secondly i came across this great guide to contouring your face for different face shapes. I thought this was great as there are loads of help guides on pinterest but obviously not everyone has the same face shape so a lot of them aren't as helpful for everyone. I found this really interesting - pinned on my 'Make Up' board
• Thirdly i just fell in love with this look, the jacket is stunning even though i'm not sure i'd be brave enough to pull it off! I am now desperate to find a lovely embellished jacket to pair with a fedora - pinned on my 'Style' board
• Fourthly i saw this little butterfly-tea-bag-holder-whatever-the-heck-they-are-called-things and thought it was adorable! I so want to make some! Think they'd be lovely for a tea party or something sweet like that - pinned to my 'Ideas' board
• Lastly, oh my god this lady is incredibly talented! The make up here is something i could never pull off and i think it looks fantastic for Halloween. I've been scouring Pinterest for Halloween ideas and this one really caught my eye (too cheesy?) I won't be attempting to recreate it but thought i'd share it because i thought it was amazingly done - pinned to my 'Fancy Dress' board

Are you as obsessed with Pinterest as me? Let me know if there's any boards that i should check out!

My Week

I am feeling like a big, fat, lazy sloth. I have worn my pyjama shirt all day, I slept in my make up last night because I came home drunk, and I've spent the majority of the day reading. I've had a weekend full of mini golf, drinking wine, reading, and mooching, it's been great. Now I'm chilled watching breakfast at tiffanies and reading Elle (Anne Hathaway's spread is stunning)

In other news...

•   I am going to PARIS! For my 21st birthday I am finally going to see Paris, I've always wanted to go and I am ridiculously excited for a mini break there

•   I am getting a new car! I feel like a bit of a spoilt brat this month with all these new expensive things, believe me, this isn't my general lifestyle. Paris and a new car are lovely one offs that just happened to happen at the same time, but I am getting rid of my sad little KA and getting a gorgeous cream mini one. I've been out in it for a test drive and picking it up in a few weeks, extremely exciting!

•   Nicole Scherzinger's new misguided line is gorgeous! I'm particularly in love with this dress

•   With Halloween just weeks away I've been constantly pinning outfit ideas. I've been back and forth with the idea of a scary clown, scarecrow, or ventriloquist doll. Decisions, decisions. There are some incredibly talented people out there that have inspired my fancy dress board.

•   Horrendously late to the party with this one but I'm obsessed with the book Gone Girl.  Me and my best friend are both reading at the same time (and trying to get through it quick so that we can go see it at the cinema this week!) but I'm on part two of the book now, for those who have read it, you'll know this is where it starts getting goooooood. I am so so hooked, I can't wait to finish it.

I hope you all had a lovely week and are ready for Monday! (Is there such a thing?) I'm going to try and do weekly catchup posts as they're posts that I enjoy reading the most. I hope you enjoy listening to me chat about crap.

Lots of love

Boots Budget Bits

Is there such a thing as going into boots for just one item? I'm starting to think that even if you have good intentions to go through with this, it's just not possible.

So my recent trip to boots to get shampoo ended up in a mini splurge. I bought a few things on the cheap so thought i would share.

Rimmel - Brow This Way Eyebrow Kit - £.399
I love this little kit! It comes with a tiny combing brush, a double ended angle brush to fill in your brows, a wax and powder. The kit comes in two shades and i opted for the lighter of the two, it is just the right colour to match my beasty brows. It's also a fantastic little size for you to just pop in your bag, really impressed by this little kit.

Natural Collection Blushed Cheeks in 'Peach Melba' - £1.99
This is honestly my go-to blusher, I have repurchased this time and time again. The gorgeous peachy colour is lovely and warm but not too much on the cheeks, it's a lovely matte blusher that's the perfect every day colour to dab on and at £1.99 you can't not at least try it!

Barry M Matte Nail Paint in 'Crush' - £3.99
I'm not a massive fan of matte finish nail polishes, i think they can look great depending on the colour but i tend to avoid them. However, i couldn't resist this gorgeous dark maroon colour from Barry M. I thought it was a great autumnal (i didn't believe that this was a word but have been proved wrong) colour and again at such a cheap price i had to get it. I do have a lot of faith in Barry M nail polishes also, they always serve me right.

Seventeen Define and Conqour Contour Kit - £4.99
This was a very impulsive 'yeah why not' purchase. I simply don't have enough contouring products, i always use my staple 'Hoola' by Benefit and i'm very stuck in my ways. I thought i would dip my toes into the contouring pool and branch out a little to try something new. Seventeen are a brand that have pleasantly surprised me, this little baby does not disappoint in that area. The packaging is lovely and sleek for starters, feels more expensive than it is! The kit comes with a highlighting and contouring powder, I've only used a few times but gives a lovely natural looking contour.

All this for just under £15, i thought that wasn't too bad considering the little goodies that i got. It's so easy to get carried away in Boots! Let me know what budget buys you've picked up in boots recently

Spring Nails

I realise that we're nearing the end of spring and I'm ridiculously late to the party but after going through my recent purchases of pastel nail polishes, I decided I would do a spring nails post to show off what I've been wearing recently. These are my favourite colours at the minute and I think they're perfect for spring as they're light, bright and girly.

Matte Nails by Topship in 'Heartbreaker' - £6

This is a gorgeous pastel pink (that randomly reminds me of tubby custard!) it is a matte finish colour which I love the look of however the matte finish doesn't last very long if I'm honest. It is still a gorgeous colour though regardless and one that makes me feel very girly when I wear it,

Nails by Topshop in 'Buff' - £5

I really love the topshop nail polishes, they've got a lovely range of pastel colours for a not so ridiculous price. This is a lovely light baby blue colour that is really sweet and looks really cute on the nails. I think it's a very easy to wear, everyday colour.

Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint by Barry M in 'Lychee' - £3.99
This is a great nude colour that I love the look of for spring. The Barry m gelly polishes are great I have to say, I've got quite a few shades and they're so long lasting which is fantastic. I have quite a few nudes beige colours in my nail polish collection however I think this one is my favourite.

Colour Riche Les Blancs by Loreal in 851 ‘Nouvelle Vague’ - £4.99

The Les blances range of nail polishes by Loreal are so sweet and lovely, they have four pastel shades; purple, yellow, pink and green, I limited myself to one when I was shopping in boots and it was a toss up between this and their yellow shade but the purple one won. What did it for me was the lovely lavendery look of it, it also reminds me of Parma violets (I think of the weirdest comparisons) a perfect colour for spring

I hope you enjoyed looking my little spring collection, I've seen quite a few posts like this and thought it was a fun idea to show off. Let me know if you've tried any of the above and how you got on with them, what are your favourite spring polishes? 

MAC Satin Lipstick - Captive

Today I thought I'd do a post about a new MAC lipstick that I've come across that I've fallen in love with! The lipstick is a satin finish in the colour 'Captive' which is a lovely plum colour.

First of all, Captive is a gorgeous colour that is quite bold but i feel like it could also be worn as more of an everyday lipstick with the right look. I think it's a great colour that would suit most skin tones so I would recommend to anyone.

The feel of this lipstick is lovely. It's so soft and creamy. It feels quite moisturising and not drying at all, it's not the most moisturising lipstick I've ever worn but it is very good, I feel very comfortable with it on my lips it doesn't feel thick or heavy on at all.

The lipstick is a satin finish which is quite matte but has a slight sheen to it which I love. I prefer the look of matte lipsticks over any other but I think this variation is perfect. The satin finish lipsticks by MAC are my new favourites, I love this colour, I can't wait to get more.

What's your favourite MAC shade? 

Boots Botanics 97% Organic Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm

As my obsession with Skincare grows and grows I have started to try more hot cloth cleansing balms. I decided to try out the Boots Botanics one as it's a fair price and I'd heard some good things about it. The Boots Botanic range raves about using organic products to create something that is excellent for your skin whilst using only the best ingredients. I'm not really one to buy into the 'it says organic so it must be good' thing, but after reading up on what the cleanser actually contains, for example rosehip and jojoba oil, it seemed like a really good way to go.

I have normal/combination skin, sometimes my cheeks get a little dry and I occasionally get a few blemishes here and there but I don't necessarily have problem skin. I have to say that it's worked wonders for me, it not only cleanses and melts the make up and dirt away but it also leaves my skin feeling so soft and quite moisturised afterwards. The only thing I would say is that it is quite oily, it's not surprising as the ingredients include Shea butter and jojoba oil so it may be too much for naturally oily skin. For me personally, on the whole I think it's a great product.

After removing my eye make up in the evening, I use this to remove the rest of my make up. I massage it into my skin and leave for a minute before taking off with a warm muslin cloth. I also like to use a foaming cleanser afterwards to remove any residue that may still be on my skin.

Overall, I'd say that it's a really good product especially for the price. It removes all traces of make up whilst leaving my skin feeling moisturised and radiant. As hot cloth cleansers go, I'd really recommend this, it's a great little cleanser that is great on your skin and your purse! 

Tattoo

One thing that has always been on my 'things to do before I die' list has been to get a tattoo. It's always been one of those things that I've dreamed about doing, the thought of having something permanent on your skin, something bold to make a statement to everyone is such a desirable thing. I suppose I've just never had the courage to go through with it or the imagination to think of something creative and original to have.

I've had the idea of having a diamond for a while, (explained below) but what drove me to actually have it done was quite a silly impulse. I turned 20 in December and I was sat at work a few weeks before my birthday and it hit me that these were the end of my teenage days. That thought terrified me more than it should have done really. I felt like I hadn't made the most out of being 'young' and I had this silly idea to do the most reckless things that I could think of in the weeks leading up to the day. I had so many ideas but one that really did appeal to me was to get a tattoo. Since I had never had any before, the thought of having one seemed really exciting.

When I seriously put my mind to it, there were of a few ideas that I had umm'd and ahh'd over in the past. I wanted something small to ease my way in - me being a ridiculous wuss and having a low threshold for pain. I also wanted something that meant something special. The diamond carries quite a personal message to me. My grandad, who died a year ago, always called me his 'little diamond'. My dad said that when I was born he was beaming with pride and the nickname stuck. He always saw the best in me, thought i was incredibly smart, beautiful, kind, all the good things that grandad's see that their granddaughters necessarily don't see in themselves.

I got the diamond to not only remind myself of him, but to remind myself that I can live up to the image that he had of me in his head. He saw all that potential in me and I owe it to him to make him proud.

After a few weeks of dire panic that it was scabbing and peeling (!) i can now say it looks (in my opinion) amazing and I'm absolutely in love with it! I will admit yes it did hurt but not as much as I thought. I think building up the pain before you go makes it seem better when you actually go through it, because it isn't as bad as you think. 

The pain can't have been that bad because I'm already thinking of having more! It is so true that once you have one done you get a craving for more...

Thoughts on tattoos?

New Years Resolutions

As 2013 comes to an end, I can't help but feel relieved. Isn't it strange how the end of a calendar year can make us feel so positive and prepared to start again? The concept of a new year for most people means a new start and a new outlook on life. I'll be one of many to admit that the changes I set out to make usually fall flat after a couple of weeks. I'm one of those people that always has the best intentions but ends up just slipping back into the old routine. 

I'm not going to be naive enough to say "these are my New Years resolutions and I will stick to them this time!" Because I know that that might not happen, don't get me wrong I do fully intend to fulfil them, but all that I am trying to do with them is map out the kind of things that I want to achieve. Without sounding too dramatic, this year has been very challenging, I've realised a lot about myself and about the things that I want to do and that has been the biggest positive out of all the experiences I've had this year. On that note, here are my resolutions:

BLOG MORE

I need and I mean NEED to get my arse in gear and dedicate myself to blogging. It's a very scary concept starting a blog and that fear has prevented me from posting. I need to realise that I do have the potential to do this and I am going to take that positivity and put myself out there more.

GYM MORE

I feel like this could be the most challenging resolution which will require the most dedication. I signed up for the gym in September and all the way through to November I was doing fairly well. December hits and for a lot of reasons I point blank just stopped going. I got into the faulty thinking of "oh I'll boss it in the new year so I can just have a month off - it's Christmas and all that" which I am so mad at myself for! I have made an actual gym routine (which will be fun to see how long I carry that on for), I have a class timetable for my gym so that I can dedicate myself to actually go to the classes, meet more gym people and motivate myself more. This is one that I really would love to stick to.   

THINK POSITIVE

I think a lot of people have this one. For me, it's more about losing that self-doubt. I need to remember that I can achieve the things that I want and I shouldn't let anyone make me feel like I can't. I need to get rid of the things in my life that put me down. 

REALISE THE THINGS AND PEOPLE THAT MATTER

Kind of a negative one but I've realised a lot about the friends that I can trust (which seems to be very little) I have made a few changes in my life over the past month and despite whether they might be the right thing to do or not, it's truly bought to light who my real friends are and the people that genuinely have my best interests at heart. I adore the friends and family that in my life and I'm very lucky to have them.

READ MORE

I adore reading but never seem to find time to actually sit down with a book.  I'm going to dedicate my free lunch breaks to reading. I weirdly feel clearer after having even half an hour in silence with a book. It sets my mind at ease with whatever stress I have or if something's getting me down. This is actually an easy one for me to stick to!

I could write myself tons and tons of resolutions but I think I'll stick to just these five. We never know where the year will take us and I guarantee that this time next year I'll be in a place in my life that I never expected to be. I really can't wait. 

Let's have a 2014 to remember!