Bewitchery » Personal

Dissertation = DONE

Naomi — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 19:57:47 +0000

You may have noticed that my blog hasn’t been as busy as usual over the last few weeks and months. That’s because I have been locked away in a room since June with a pile of books and my laptop, researching, writing and editing my postgraduate dissertation. I have been studying for a Master’s degree in Modern Literature since October 2011, and tomorrow I will be handing in a 20,000 word dissertation which signals the end of my time at university! Obviously I’m relieved that the dissertation is done and dusted, but I’m also sad that, after nineteen years in education, it has now come to an end. Having said that, I’m really looking forward to graduating and being able to think about the future. I’m hoping to find a graduate job as soon as possible so I can start saving up for a house, and of course I’m going to be dedicating a lot more time and effort to blogging, so you’ll be seeing a lot more of me!

But before all that, I need a little break, so on Tuesday my partner and I will be heading to Dublin for a few days. Seeing as I spent pretty much all summer cooped up inside, I can’t wait to get out and about doing stuff. We have quite a few things we want to do and see whilst we there, and I’ll be taking my camera, so expect to see a LOT of photos upon my return!

Have a great week everyone,

Naomi x

What I Wore: Cool Summer Weekends

Naomi — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 16:25:03 +0000

July’s heat and sun seems to have given way to a much cooler August, so a lot of my summer clothes have taken a back seat and my spring skinny jeans have made a reappearance. Last weekend was particularly rainy, but it’s not quite cold enough for jumpers just yet! As such, I’ve been making compromises, and have invested in a dip hem shirt which is perfect for the recent unsettled weather. The long length and sleeves make it great for those cooler days, but it’s sheer and light so not too warm. I think this is a look that will work well in early Autumn too.

So, here is my go-to outfit for this month’s not-so-summery summer days. I wore it recently to see a band play at a pub, and I’ll be wearing it tonight with comfortable flats for a meal out with my partner.

Dip Hem Shirt, Vest and Skinny Jeans – Primark

Suedette Shoe Boots – New Look

Studded Skull Bag – Everything5Pounds

Handcrafted Silver Bat Skull Necklace – Birthday gift from my Dad (bought from Etsy)

What have you been wearing on these cooler summer days?

Naomi x

Elusiveness: Explained!

Naomi — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 20:15:55 +0000

Evening all!

As some of you may have noticed, I have been rather elusive on the blog front this week. So firstly, allow me to apologise! I have a lot of exciting blog posts and reviews planned, yet things keep getting in the way, but I hope to be back and blogging properly as of tomorrow.

My absence was mainly caused by one thing in particular – work! All kinds of work. I work at a university, and after three weeks off over Easter I started back on Monday, and needless to say it got very busy, very quickly. On top of that, I have been planning an essay for my postgraduate degree, and of course I have also been researching for my dreaded dissertation! As I’m sure you can imagine, that takes a lot of effort and can cause a lot of stress, and has been taking up a lot of my time. However, amongst all the work, I managed to find the time to be more social than usual this week. I ended up going out for drinks one night, to a pub quiz another and out for a meal and a catch-up with some friends, all within four days.

Perhaps the biggest development comes in the shape of my bedroom. Since starting my blog it has got gradually more and more cluttered with beauty and fashion products, so I decided it would be appropriate to give it a complete overhaul – why I chose this week I’ll never know! I’ve ended up chucking a lot of old clothes away to make room for new stuff, I have brand spanking new storage for all my make up and toiletries (YAY), and my walls are being redecorated with a gorgeous floral print wallpaper. One of the main reasons for this change though is that I have decided to start keeping rats again. I used to have rats when I was younger, but over the past few years I have been sans rodents, and to be honest I missed them! So, when everything is sorted (hopefully next weekend) I will be bringing home two new little girl rats, and I am VERY excited. Expect a photo heavy post when my mission is complete!

There you go – my elusiveness explained, and hopefully that will be the end of it! Keep an eye out for a new review coming tomorrow.

Naomi x

Bewitchery featured on Superdrug’s Look at Me Blog

Naomi — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:16:14 +0000

I have something very exciting to share with you today… Bewitchery has been featured on Superdrug’s Look at Me beauty blog!

The article, called ‘Beauty Bloggers We Love: Bewitchery‘, features a little Q&A with myself, including beauty tips and Superdrug product recommendations, as well as a few pictures. Of course, my beloved MUA get a big mention! You can read the feature here.

What do you think of Bewitchery’s feature?

Naomi x

Bewitchery’s 1st Birthday!

Naomi — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:25:22 +0000

Yesterday was Bewitchery’s first birthday – a whole year since I started blogging about beauty, fashion and lifestyle! When I first started this blog I never thought it would become the success that it has, and what started out as a hobby has become a big part of my everyday life. I would be lost without my little blog now, and looking back over the last year I can really see how my blog has evolved.

I would like to thank every single one of my lovely followers for supporting me and helping me get this far. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am, but I’ve had a lot of fun doing it and I can’t wait to see what this next year will bring. So whether you follow my blog as a WordPress subscriber, via Twitter, Facebook, HelloCotton or Bloglovin’, thank you so much for reading what I have to say, and for commenting on my posts. You all rock! The interest I’ve had from beauty and fashion companies has also been beyond what I ever imagined, so thank you too to those who have asked me to review products and write for them – it’s been a pleasure and will continue to be so!

To celebrate my one year blog birthday, I am hoping to host a giveaway soon for all of my readers, so keep an eye out for that.

Here’s to another exciting year,

Naomi x

Beauty Vs Brains Tag

Naomi — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:52:40 +0000

In honour of the forthcoming weekend I thought I’d give myself a day off from reviewing and post something a little bit different and fun today. I saw this tag post over at Nocturnal Beauty, and being the scholar that I am I thought I would give it a go. So, without further ado, here are my answers.

1. Favourite Book

I learnt to read when I was three years old and am currently studying for a postgraduate degree in Modern Literature. As such, I have read hundreds and hundreds of books and find it next to impossible to choose just one favourite! My favourite books when I was a child were The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell and Mog the Forgetful Cat by Judith Kerr, and I still hold these books very close to my heart. In terms of ‘grown up’ books, I am a big fan of Working Class, Carnivalesque and Transgressive Fiction, as well as a few classics, and have many favourites. Some of these include Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Millennium People by JG Ballard, The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks, The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning by Alan Sillitoe. The list could go on!

2. Favourite Quotation?

Since childhood I have always loved the quote ‘Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing’, by French artist Camille Pissarro. I can completely relate to what he means, and I always think of this quotation when I’m taking photographs, as it encourages me to try to photograph the beauty in ‘humble’ things.

3. English or Maths?

Without a doubt, and you can probably guess what I’m about to say – English. I have been passionate about literature and words for as long as I can remember. As I mentioned before, I learnt to read (and write) when I was three years old. My grandma taught me, and she encouraged me to write stories and visit the library as often as possible, which I did, and I feel it really benefited me. This passion grew over the years, which has been reflected in my studies, in this blog, and in my aspirations for the future. I would love to write professionally one day, and that is what I’m working towards!

4. Science or Art?

This is a tricky one and I can’t answer it, because I like both. On the one hand, I enjoy being creative and am fascinated with the Pre-Raphaelite art movement. Every time I visit London my first stop is usually the Tate gallery so I can sit and stare at my favourite paintings, but I am also intrigued by science. Science amazes me, and I regularly read about and research different scientific topics, particularly space related ones, and I truly believe that some of the most significant people to have ever inhabited this planet have been, and are, scientists.

5. 5 musical artists that changed your life?

This is a tricky one as so many bands and singers have had an effect on my life, so these are just a few:

1. Foo Fighters

- I’ve been a Foos fan since the late 90s, and I have been lucky enough to see them live twice. The last time I saw them was in Milton Keynes last July with my partner, and when they sang my favourite song, Everlong, with fireworks going off in the background, on a warm, breezy Summer night, I felt elated. The moment was just perfect and will stay with me forever.

2. Kate Bush

- For some unknown reason, I have never been much of a fan of female vocals, with the exception of Kate Bush. When I was about four I used to put my mum’s Kate Bush vinyl records on and dance around, and I really think Kate Bush’s songs helped to shape who I am today. I love her quirky personality, and I think it rubbed off on me a little bit through her music.

3. Oasis

- I remember sitting in the back of my dad’s car when I was very small, windows down, sun out, Oasis playing very loud. When I think back to the music I was brought up with, Oasis played a big part in shaping my musical tastes. They were one of my dad’s favourite bands and in time they came to mean a lot to me too. In 2009 I was lucky enough to see them live, with my dad, a few weeks before they split up and I’m so pleased I got to see them!

4. Mike Oldfield

- Mike Oldfield is, in my eyes, a musical genius and Tubular Bells III is my favourite composition. It gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it, and Far Above The Clouds even makes me cry… Not many songs can do that!

5. Depeche Mode, T.Rex and Pink Floyd

- I’m cheating on this one, but all three of these bands have had a massive impact on me at various stages in my life. My favourite songs when I was a baby were by Depeche Mode, and T.Rex and Pink Floyd both opened my eyes when I was younger to a wider variety of music.

6. Favourite and least favourite subject at school?

My favourite subjects at school were English, Science and History, and they were all areas in which I excelled (amongst others). I never really enjoyed PE, Dance or Drama as I was very shy and quiet at school and always got so nervous about having to perform or join in with group activities!

7. Favourite celeb with a brain?

Hmm… This is a difficult one as I don’t have many ‘favourite’ celebrities, but I’d have to say Joseph Gordon-Levitt. A number of years ago he set up his own online collaborative production company called hitRECord (which I’m a member of), where collaborators can put together joint creative pieces such as books, songs, films and illustrations, and any profits are shared between the contributing artists. I really admire the effort and passion he puts into hitRECord, and it’s not often you see a celebrity giving something back to society, joining in, enjoying it and being a ‘Regular Joe’.

8. If you could study anything anywhere, what would it be?

If I wasn’t studying English, I’d like to study some sort of animal care. I used to want to be a Veterinary Surgeon, but now I think I’d prefer to work with animals in the wild. Maybe researching the intelligence of Dolphins and Whales, or something like that.

9. What is your ‘nerdy little secret’?

It’s not so much a secret, but I am obsessed with Batman. I grew up watching the old Batman films, and now that the newer, darker films are out there I like to think Batman has matured and grown up with me! I even collect Batman related things, and have lots of Batman clothes and accessories, and even a Batman mug and glass that only I’m allowed to drink from haha.

10. Favourite beauty gurus who you admire for more than their love for beauty/fashion?

Another difficult one, but because she shares my love for English and literature and all things nerdy, I’ll say Claire from Nocturnal Beauty who I got this tag from

11. If your channel couldn’t focus on beauty/fashion, what would it be?

I’d either write about vegetarian cooking and baking, or literature and film.

12. Name some things that you’re obsessed with that other people would find strange.

Bats! I remember posting about this a couple of months ago, but I adore bats. I often go on bat walks and listen to bats ‘talking’ using detectors which pick up their sonar. I think they are very interesting animals and I like to learn as much about them as possible. I always get so excited when I see one flying about! We used to have a few nesting in our garden which was fantastic, and for some reason they just make me feel calm and happy. They’re beautiful, gentle creatures, despite what people may think.

I also have a thing for magic, particularly sleight of hand and close up magic. My favourite magician is Pete Firman and every time he comes to Leicester to perform I go and see him!

Oh and when I was younger I was obsessed with dinosaurs, fossils, rocks and crystals, and I still have a soft spot for them.

13. Name 5 people who inspire you (not friends or family)

1. Dave Grohl, because I admire his confidence, humour and outlook on music.

2. Kate Bush, because she’s a strong, successful woman and remains true to herself.

3. Jonnie Peacock, because last night he won gold in the Paralympics Men’s 100m final for Team GB, and I admire him for not letting his ‘disability’ stop him achieving highly.

4. Wynn Bullock, because his outstanding black and white film photography inspires me to be the best photographer I can be.

5. Vladimir Nabokov, because he wrote what I think is the best opening chapter of any book ever.

14. Who is your intellectual soulmate?

To be confirmed…

I hope you enjoyed reading my answers! Please feel free to do this tag yourself if you feel like it. Let me know if you do

Naomi x

Finding Inspiration in the Olympics

Naomi — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 20:01:25 +0000

Hello everyone!

There are only 25 days left until the London Olympics begin, and the Olympic Flame is well into its long journey around the country. Today, the Flame reached my hometown of Leicester and it passed fairly close to my house, so my mum and I joined the thousands of people lining the streets to see the Flame. Each torch in the relay is being carried by an inspirational British person, some famous but most not, who were nominated by the public for their achievements and inspiring stories.

Up until recently I hadn’t been paying much attention to the Olympic shenanigans, but now that the games are getting closer, the excitement in the country is building and it’s difficult not to get caught up in it! Hearing the stories of the torchbearers and seeing ‘normal’ people having their moment to shine has been incredibly inspiring and moving, and it is these amazing people that make me proud to be British, and encourage me to work hard and try my best to succeed in everything I do.

I’m now really looking forward to the Olympics, and I have a few Olympic inspired make up and nail posts up my sleeve for you all to (hopefully) enjoy, so keep an eye out for those! Are you looking forward to the games?

Naomi x