31 Mar 2015

Photography Competition!

If some of you guys didn't know, Note + Rain is holding a photography competition which you can access by clicking the button on the side of this blog. Also, this post is super late because I've been studying heaps, so if you are reading this the day after I posted it, sorry, but the due date is today.

But go on over to the page anyway and vote for your favourite!

Anyway, here is my entry:

 
 
Hope you like it!
 
 
Lots of love, Little Robin
 
x
 

25 Mar 2015

A Fighting Friendship

Hello everyone!

Today, I had a bit of a 'brawl' with a friend of mine so I thought I would share some thoughts on the matter of friendship. (I've just realised that lots of my posts are getting quite deep!) I've been friends with this particular girl for a long time, but she is a young woman of very strong opinions, which I will explain in a minute.

So, the events of today got me thinking about whether this friendship was going to last much longer, and I started to worry. So my mum took me out for a coffee and we had a bit of a chat. And her words of wisdom were, "True friends are people you can argue with, but they will always forgive you for what you did, and vice versa." I thought this was a really good point, and really related to my situation (which I guess was the point), because this girl always seems to have something to complain about, whether it be her parents, siblings, school, homework. And, like I said, she is very strong in her beliefs and opinions, eg. she is 'always' right. But whenever she has a disagreement with someone, everyone bounces back and their friendship hasn't been altered.
Sometimes it may take a little longer for her to forgive, but it always works out.

Anyway, I realised that no matter how bumpy a friendship/relationship might be, it doesn't mean that you can't be friends anymore.

If any of you are going through a similar situation to me, my advice to you would be:
  • Be the first to say sorry - this something that's sometimes really hard to do, but if you don't, they might not want to either. Most humans are naturally proud, myself included, but you need to be the bigger person and forgive them.
  • Accept what you did wrong - there is nothing worse than receiving an apology that ends up sounding like, 'I'm really sorry. It wasn't my fault though!' No no no! You have to accept that you did something wrong as well, because otherwise it will probably make things worse.
  • Don't let the other person make you feel like it was all your fault - it's hard to find a balance between accepting what you did, and not taking the complete blame, but this is very important. If you take all of the blame, then they will most likely wait for you to apologise first the next time, and they won't take any of the blame. I am someone who feels guilty if I upset any of my friends, and will end up letting everyone blame me. Do not let this happen! (unless it was actually all your fault)
  • And finally, sort it out in person - In a tedious situation like this one, emailing or texting each other to work things out isn't always the best idea. Things are very easily miss-interpreted when written down and, again, can make things a whole lot worse. Although it might be a bit scarier, talk to their face instead of through a screen; it will probably have more effect as well.

I hope you guys liked this post and found it helpful (maybe). I'm worried that I might run out of blog ideas soon, so if you have anything you want me to do a post for, be sure to let me know and I will try my best!

Lots of love, Little Robin

x

20 Mar 2015

Shopping Haul!!!

 
Factorie
 
The first thing I bought was a grey, woollen cardigan from Factorie, and it cost $20. My friend has the same one but in maroon, and I fell in love with it and had to have one too. This cardigan is really thin , and you can actually see through it, but the material is quite heavy, so I though it would be perfect for Autumn/Winter! It's also quite baggy and slouchy (is that a word?), which gives it quite a casual, more laid back look.




I also saw this blue drawstring bag, which I thought was SO cute! On the front it says 'TODAY is going to be AWESOME' and there is a little pocket on the side as well. This would be awesome for taking your stuff to the beach in because it looks really beachy and it has a lining inside it so wet towels or bathers won't affect the material. Oh, did I mention it was only $2?!





Next I got a floral headband which was $3, and a nail polish in the colour 'Ice Blue' for $5. I thought that the nail polish looked really Wintery and I also love pastel colours at the moment.

 
 City Beach
 

I love the City Beach that we went into because it always has sales on. There is a rack at the back of the store which takes up the whole wall, full of 'faulty' items. Except they're not so much 'faulty' as 'marked by makeup or a really small food stain' which is usually easy to wash out. Anyway, this top is made of a course sort of material and is slightly see-through, so I need to get something to wear under it. It has three silver, diamond shaped studs on each corner of the collar and the material is sort of folded at the front so it doesn't look plain and boring. This was on sale at $12, but it turns out it was marked down even further and was sold to me for only $5, which was a massive bargain!
 

Priceline

I have been searching for this next product for absolutely ages, and it either hasn't been in stock or it's in the wrong shade. But today I found it! It is, of course, the Rimmel 'Wake Me Up' concealer, which I got in the colour 'Classic Beige'. Everyone has been raving about this concealer for I don't even know how long, and it infuriated me that I didn't have it yet! I'm yet to wear it, but I'm really excited to try it out.


Gloss

Next I went into Gloss (duh) and I bought this clip on hair bow. It's the same colour as my hair which makes it look like it could actually be my own hair. I've been trying to tie my hair in a bow for ages and I keep failing, so I think I'm just gonna give up on that and use this!

 
Valleygirl
  
And the final thing I got was from Valleygirl was a white crop top, with a lace pattern at the bottom and on the ends of the sleeves. I had to decide between this or another crop top that said something in French, but I didn't know what it meant, so I chose this one (duh). I also thought this would be great for Summer and Spring, or even in Autumn because it doesn't get very cold here until Winter. (haha, I just managed to mention all four seasons in one sentence. Life achievement gained!) I just thought this top was really pretty, and it was only $15.
 
 
I hope you enjoyed this post as it's a little different to what I usually do, but let me know if you like it!
 
Lots of love, Little Robin
 
x


18 Mar 2015

Anxiety stuff

Just a note, I don't have anxiety(as far as I can tell), nor do I get panic attacks, so I'm sorry in advance if I make a mistake or something like that. For those of you who do though, I need your help (yeah, I know, that seems a bit backwards!)

First off, a bit of background for those of you who don't know what anxiety/panic attacks are:
According to Google, a panic attack, also called an anxiety attack, is a brief episode of intense anxiety that causes the physical sensations of fear. These can include a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling and muscle tension. Spontaneous panic attacks occur unexpectedly and are not related to any external threat.
I think that pretty much sums up it up (as far as I know), but if you want more info or think you might be suffering from this but you're not sure, Google it or talk to someone about it.

Ok, now on to why I need your help:

I might not get panic attacks, but I have a very close friend who does and I seem to be the only one who notices or knows what is happening. This worries me because I have no idea what to do. It's not like I can say that I know how she feels, because I don't! What should I do?

Let me set the scene for you here:
We play in the same band at school, but this situation can cause problems for her, because it gets quite noisy with 30 something kids playing in one room at once (she starts to panic when it's too loud). We have a break half way through and if I notice that she's feeling anxious I try to find somewhere quiet for us to sit. But this is where my problems begin. Does she want to be alone? Should I sit with her? Does it make her more anxious when band starts again and I stay with her instead of going back to the group? Should I tell her to stay put for as long as she needs to and not to rush herself because no one will mind?

Do you kind of see what I mean? I am completely clueless.

Guys, I need your help! I worry that I make the situation worse when I stay with her, or maybe I don't. I know that it's different for everyone and that something that calms one person down might not do the same for someone else, but I asked the Internet for ways to calm yourself or someone else down:
  • Spray pure lavender oil mixed with water on a handkerchief. (Keep on hand In your pocket) The oils in the lavender help soothe and calm during an anxiety attack.
  • Have a friend distract you from your panic and analyse your fear so that you can overcome your feelings of stress.
  • Do something. Sitting and ruminating over your anxiety will worsen your state and make it harder to overcome your panic. Distract your mind and body by doing something that you enjoy.
  • Write it down. This will help you to focus your thoughts, and reading over your entry or looking back can help you to better handle your anxiety.
  • Use cognitive diversions. For example, count backwards from 100 by 3’s, list the presidents in order, or recite the lyrics to your favourite song or poem.
  • Practice deep breathing. If you’re having a panic attack, chances are you’re beginning to hyperventilate, so try to take a maximum of 8 breaths per minute. Take 4 seconds to inhale, hold the breath for 2-3 seconds, and then take another 4 seconds to exhale.
  • Create a playlist of songs that you listen to to help you relax or that make you feel happy. Then, when you have a panic attack you can listen to the music to help calm you.
  • If you have severe anxiety attacks over an extended period of time, visit a psychologist for therapy and advice. This is something my friend struggled with. She's quite shy, and not the sort of person to talk to a stranger about her problems. It was such an issue that she tried to hide her panic attacks from her mum, for fear that she would be sent to a therapist. My advise to you is, don't try to hide or fight it, it only makes it worse!
If you want to see where I got this information and tips, then click on the links bellow:

There is also a YouTuber who I watch called Zoella (Zoe Sugg). I mentioned her in 'My Top 3 Favourite Blogs' post and she also gets panic attacks. She has done a few videos on this which you can watch if you click on these links:
And she also did a blog post about it as well, where she probably explains things a lot better than I ever could:
I hope you guys enjoyed this post and if you have any tips for my 'dilemma' then please let me know. Thanks very much!

Lots of love, Little Robin

x

How much is too much?

Today, I decided that my wardrobe and chest of drawers needed a bit of a clean out, because half of my clothes end up on the floor because there's no where else to put them. Also, the large majority of my clothes are second hand (as mentioned in my last post), and I'm beginning to feel like I have been given a style instead of getting to create my own. (yeah, yeah, 1st world problems) So, to try to make a point to my mum that she needs to take me shopping, I gave away all the clothes/shoes that I don't want or fit and I ended up with...

10 FULL PLASTIC BAGS!
 


I mean, you could view this one of two ways. On the one hand, I have really generous (and tall) friends who are nice enough to think of me when they grow out of their own clothes. Or, I have so many clothes that I never get to pick my own unless I buy them (and I'm not very good at finding cheap clothes). I don't know - maybe it's a bit of both.

I'm going shopping this Friday to replace some of the clothes I gave away, but I'm beginning to think that maybe I have too much stuff. I mean, compared to 3rd world countries, yeah, we must all be like millionaires or something. I'm just talking about in general.

In my bedroom alone I have a laptop, an Ipod, a mobile, a bookshelf full of books I don't read, and a $3000 clarinet. When I emptied my wardrobe today, I still had lots of clothes hanging up. My drawers suffered a bit more of a loss, but I still have some clothes in there.

It just seemed a bit weird that we have this much stuff, and some people don't even have somewhere to live! I can't really explain it properly, but it just dawned on me exactly ho much stuff I have.

So, I pose the question - which is probably rhetorical, but whatever - 'How Much Is Too Much?'
Do you have heaps of stuff you need to get rid of, or have you recently had a massive clean out like me? Let me know down in the comments!

Lots of love, Little Robin

x

11 Mar 2015

50 facts about me

I've been wanting to do this post from the day I started blogging, but I couldn't think of enough facts about me. But the other day, Splash of Kate posted a 50 facts about me post, and I thought I'd give it a whirl. So, here we go:

  1. I'm 15 years old
  2. I live in Western Australia
  3. I play clarinet
  4. My favourite colour is blue
  5. I'm a Christian, and my friends can't make a comment about Christianity without me turning it into a long conversation.
  6. I got baptised last year
  7. I have a gorgeous 3 year old dog who has a blue eye
  8. I have a corner in my room with a comfy bean-bag for reading, but I never use it and end up reading on my bed. Instead, my dog uses it as a place to sleep.
  9. My favourite song at the moment is Blank Space by Taylor Swift
  10. I live with my parents and two younger brothers
  11. My room is always messy
  12. I am an extremely forgetful and unorganised person
  13. I love to shop, and my parents are starting to see me as a bit of a shopaholic who needs to save her money
  14. My favourite Disney movie is the Little Mermaid
  15. When I'm older, I want to do mission work overseas and/or teach clarinet (I know, it's a bit of an odd combination)
  16. I love candles and can't wait until the weather gets colder so I can light them again - I got one for Christmas and it smells amazing
  17. Sometimes I will light all of my candles at once, and my bedroom ends up very smelly (it's a nice smell, it's just very strong)
  18. I have flat feet, which means I can't wear open shoes :(
  19. I get distracted easily if I'm not doing something fun
  20. I LOVE the Sims! If I could, I would be on that game for so long everyday that I would be living through these virtual characters
  21. I have been blogging since the end of December last year
  22. I started blogging because I had nothing better to do, I love to read other blogs and I love to write
  23. YouTube plays a very big role in my life
  24. Apparently I am a wannabe Zoella
  25. I go to Youth Group once a week, and in the space of about 18 months, I have taken a total of 8 people with me who are still going there today
  26. I have 7 china dolls that sit on top of my wardrobe and watch me while I sleep (creepy)
  27. I hate horror movies because I get scared really easily
  28. My room is at the front of the house so it's like a furnace during summer
  29. I am in love with Sherlock (with Benedict Cumerbatch and Martin Freeman) and wanted to kill Stephan Moffat and Mark Gatiss when I found out the next season comes out NEXT YEAR, not THIS YEAR! AHHHHHHH!!!!!
  30. I am also a huge fan of Doctor Who (also directed by Moffat and Gatiss)
  31. I'm learning French, but I'm not very good
  32. All of my extended family lives on the other side of the country!
  33. When we're emailing each other, my friends and I only talk to each other through gifs
  34. I was always short in primary school, but I've had my growth spurt so I'm not actually short anymore. But my friends still call me short and it's kind of annoying
  35. Since I have always been smaller than lots of my friends, the majority of the clothes I own are second hand :(
  36. I have a habit of dressing in jeans or jumpers during Summer, and then realising it's too hot when we have already left the house and it's too late.
  37. My brother has 4 budgies and a canary
  38. When I move out, I want to get a shih-tzu puppy
  39. I love photography because I think it's a great way to capture really special moments forever
  40. My feet are now the same size as my mum's (I can fit into her wedding shoes)
  41. Orange juice is bae
  42. When I was little, I had a bob, but as I got older I decided to grow my hair out, and now it goes halfway down my back
  43. I am allergic to cats and grass
  44. My brother and I used to each have a hermit crab - one was called Elizabeth (mine) and his was called Wake-Up-Jeff (from the Wiggles), but his crab killed mine
  45. I hate getting up for school. If I could, I would lie in until 11am (it's happened once before - I got up when everyone was having lunch)
  46. I am terrible at remembering my music lesson time because it changes every week
  47. I am currently reading the book 'If I Stay' and I like it, but I just think it's not 'emotionally correct'. (I might do a book review for it soon)
  48. Whenever I play my instrument at a concert, I always squeak at least once
  49. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day
  50. I went to see the Fault in Our Stars with my mum last year, and cried most of the way through
I hope that you enjoyed reading this post and that it gave you a little more insight into my life. Stay excellent!

Lots of love, Little Robin

x

6 Mar 2015

Goodbye Summer!



 
 

 


 

 
 

 
 
Summer is over, so I thought I'd do a bit of a reflective post. I had so much fun during Summer this year and made lots of great memories, one of them obviously starting this blog. I can't believe how far this blog has come in just over two months, and I'm so excited to continue to share my experiences and thoughts with you guys in the future.
 
When I told my parents that I wanted to start a blog, I didn't get a very positive reaction at first. They said things like, 'It won't last very long, you'll run out of things to say', whilst at the same time telling me to start a diary to be able to express my thoughts and feelings. The two didn't seem very different, since they wanted me to make this blog private (I'm the oldest child, so they are quite protective of me). But (obviously) I ignored them and set up this blog secretly, and made my own little space on the Internet. And I'm so glad I did!
 
On to school related stuff now, 2015 so far has been really enjoyable for me. I've got great teachers who are really supportive and only want to help us achieve our best. As my Society and Environment teacher said at the beginning of the year, year 10 is the make or break year. It will decide what courses I can do in year 11 and 12, which is kind of a big deal.
 
I have found one downside to my school life this year though. Since I play an instrument through school, I have FOUR MUSIC CLASSES EACH WEEK (not including my instrument lesson, band and choir - all of which is compulsory for music students). This is a real disadvantage when it comes to elective subjects, because I only get one every semester, while everyone else gets three. And I chose French which I have to do for the whole year. Which means that I don't get any other choice subjects. And I have the same teacher that I have had for the past two years, who is also the one that has a really boring teaching method. We don't learn anything, and I'm really annoyed. So much so that I'm doing French tutoring after shool whith two of my friends.
 
Other than that however, the year so far has been amazing. I've gained a few more friends, caught up with old ones, and just had fun. I love Summer, and I can't wait until the next one!
 
 
Things I'm gonna miss about Summer:
 
- The beach
 
- Perfect, sunny weather
 
- Summer holidays
 
- Christmas
 
- Wearing open shoes
 
- Shorts and singlets
 
- Family BBQ's
 
- Swimming in the pool at school
 
- Oversized T-shirts
 
- Staying fit (kinda)
 
 
Hope you all had a great Summer too (or Winter, depending on where you are in the world), and are looking forward to Autumn (or spring).
 
Lots of love, Little Robin
 
x

4 Mar 2015

Photo Day Trauma

There is one school day that occurs every year that is the nightmare of most students (or, at least girls). And I'm not talking about exams or the end of summer break - that's a conversation for another day. No no, I'm talking about...

PHOTO DAY!!!
(Which you had probably realised from the title, but anyway...)

This is the day that every girl dreads - that day when you have to make sure you look pretty and perfect, and your hair is done to perfection... and then there's the makeup.

Don't get me wrong, I love makeup. I'm not allowed to wear it very often, but I think it's a fun thing to do when you're going out (like me), or everyday (like most girls), but the problem starts when we think that we have to splat as much makeup on our face as possible to look beautiful.

*long sigh*

This is not true. You are beautiful with or without makeup, and you don't need to be a "Cake Face" to prove it. There are some really pretty girls at my school who wear makeup, which is fine because they don't put too much on. But for photo day, they use heaps of products (and lots of it) because it makes them look "more beautiful". Instead of looking like they always do, they have pale faces and really dark eyebrows. There was a girl in my form last year who made the shape of her eyes look weird because of the way she wore her eyeliner.

*another long sigh*

Now I'm not saying that you shouldn't wear makeup, I'm just saying don't go over the top. You don't need to hide behind your makeup, because God made you, and you are perfect in His eyes. Just remember that you are beautiful inside and out and if someone judges you because you don't wear makeup, or whatever, then they just aren't worth your time.

I hope you enjoyed my (slightly cheesy) post today - it was our photo day today (well, it was supposed to be but we got moved to next week). Sorry I haven't been posting much lately, but in case you hadn't noticed, it's not the holidays any more :(  I've been quite busy, and I probably will be until next holidays, but I'm gonna try.

Lots of love, Little Robin

x

2 Mar 2015

The dress that melted the internet!

Sorry, I know this is a short post, but I need to get something off my chest. WHAT COLOUR IS THE DRESS?!?!?!

As some of you may know, for the last few days the Internet has been split over the colour of a picture of a dress. Some say they see blue and black, others say white and gold.

What do you see?


Personally, I see blue and black, but tell me what you can see in the comments.

It is a total mystery to me as to why some see different colours to others, but people are definitely very confused, as am I! WHAT IS HAPPENING???

Observe:

Taylor Swift
I don't understand this odd dress debate and I feel like it's a trick somehow. I'm confused and scared. PS it's OBVIOUSLY BLUE AND BLACK