Faded Spring

    Princess Ana

    I grew up enamored with fairytales, fairytales that span centuries and the boundaries of time. Fairytales where women were mythical creatures bristling with unseen power, tales where there was no difference between creativity and narrative. Over time the Grimm's Tale's became Disney-ified and princesses became the definition of the perfect female 'doe eyed, hapless and in need of a Prince to come rescue her from oblivion'. Feminists criticized the construction of 'female identity' in these 'male-centric narratives'  and stated that women had become subordinate 'vessels' for male gratification. As a feminist I grew up believing that fairytales was no longer something to enjoy reading but a ... read more

    Speak Up

    He's too afraid to speak out, worried that his actions, that his words will make him a 'sissy'. He tried talking about his feelings before, how she made him feel, what she made him do. His words were met with blank stares, empty faces. He tried to tell them what she did, how she used and manipulated him to get what she wanted. She was in a position of power and she abused that power with abandon, she made him feel like the smallest man on earth. Its our little secret she used to say, plying him with the promise of a promotion that would never come. She made him cry hot salty tears, she tasted them with cruel ecstasy. She told him to serve her in more ways than one, he refused, she threatened ... read more

    My Mermaid Fantasy

    I can see myself sipping mocktails by the pool, watching the world go past as I regroup again. Sometimes life can take a toll and the only remedy is a holiday away from civilization and the people you know. Being able to take a break would be a dream come true but when your finances are dire it is easier said than done. Still I remain optimistic that out there is a golden ticket, waiting to be grabbed with both hands. I would never let go of that golden ticket and I would cradle it like a mother cradles her newborn child, listening to the slow tick of time crawling past. In the midnight hour I stand at my window, dreaming of a life that exists outside of my monotonous reality; un-regimented ... read more

    Saying Goodbye

    Its never easy  saying goodbye, all those memories shared, the emotions evoked- letting go is one tough bitch to handle. But i'm not talking about the loss of a loved one but the loss of memories, memories I had carried around with me for 22 years and have given up in the name of sacrifice. Coming to London and renting the teeny tiniest box room you could imagine meant that I had to say goodbye to memories I had treasured and loved; from photos, clothes to books no memory was safe from London's need to purge. Gone were the documents from my school days, attesting to my hard work and dedication to education, to the charity shop went droves of clothes from Ana's past and au revoir to precious ... read more

    Summer’s In With Type The Hype

    Imagine a personalized box made especially for you, stacked high with goodies, gifts and samples from all your favourite brands. But this is not just any box, this is Type The Hype's box.  A feast for the senses, TTH has the ingredients of a subscription box, with luscious skin food sachets, glorious Graze flapjacks that melt in your mouth and the ever favourite Miscellar Water from Elemis begging to clear up your skin. While at first glance TTH might appear to be your typical subscription box you better believe that it is not because this beauty is is entirely exclusive to approved bloggers like myself. No two boxes are the same and the 'discovery' box truly allows you to explore and dive ... read more

    Imperial Candles Are A Girls Best Friend

    The saying goes that diamonds are a girl’s best friend but I am always one for turning allegories on their head. Ever since I was a young girl I was obsessed with candles and jewellery, dreaming of a day where I could combine the two passions together. I used to buy candles in their droves, (scented of course) to brighten up my room and bathe in its tranquil light. Passionfruit cordials and raspberry delights would waft invitingly underneath my nose, transporting me into my scented fantasy. Yankee Candles were often a favourite of mine, delicious winter warmers to stave off the cold and fresh tropical brights to welcome the brief linger of summer. Pinks, oranges and whites seemed to be the ... read more

    Storytime With Yumi

    ' Twisting and Turning Through The Valley Of Cartoon Dreams, The Puppet Turns And Cocks His Head In Amazement, Soft Veiled Whispers Sweet Like Cotton Candy,Munching On A Leaf Of Glazed Caramel, Drive Into The Cartoon Wasteland, Defined By Ghosts Of Cartoons Past, Long Forgotten By New Age Fanatics, Too Obsessed With Their Quest For Modern Living, Gone Are The 90's Flipped Into The Skipper,Mass Produced Living Is The Order In This Town,But Wait, There Is Hope, There Is Love, Yumi's Brand Is The One For Me,Fried Eggs Dancing On By,Soft Fabrics in Rhythmic Dance,Plucked From The Cartoon Wasteland, Fresh and New, Rebirthed, Re-Churched,          Come Into The Yumi Kingdom' I was always a ... read more

    Honey My Hair Fell Out: Hair Loss

    Honey it's official my hair is falling out. Here I am at the ripe old age of 22 with clumps of hair in each hand, absentmindedly plucking stray grey hairs out of my ‘aging’ scalp. No, no this is not what I signed up for, not at all. How the hell can a 22 year old who looks like a 12 year old be sitting there with chunks of curly frizzy hair malting like some freaking overgrown cat? I mean it is everywhere, in the bath, in the sink, sometimes lurking in more inconspicuous places like the fridge (namely the butter). I honest to God feel like I am a human cat wafting around the place and marking my territory with hair instead of piss. It sounds strange for me to discuss hair loss when I ... read more

    Home Sweet Home

    I thought this day would never come but here I am flying the nest and moving to London. Ever since I started university four years ago I fell in love , dreaming of the day I could call it my own. In the last four years I never had a permanent home to call my own and moved six times, this being my seventh. There was tears and mishaps along the way but today is the start of a new dawn. I can forge a new beginning and start afresh, away from the memories of a past best forgotten. No longer will I cower before the people who betrayed me nor will I be stuck in the past like a broken record on repeat. Instead I will stand tall and bask in the warm glow of London, a multicultural haven full of ... read more

    Creating A Positive Bedroom Environment

    In a world governed by chaos, greed and misfortune having 'sex' is often a recipe for disaster. A bedroom environment should be welcoming and be a space where partners feel comfortable with each other but quite often that is not the case. Having sex in a negative environment can cause both psychological and physical long-term effects, and in some cases permanently or temporarily damage a persons sex drive, a conundrum that over half of the population face when 'trying' to get intimate.  Our stress levels are rising, our pulse rates are dropping and the desire to get intimate can become a struggle to emulate, leaving both partners sexually frustrated. But why has our sex drives decreased in ... read more