HOW TO STAY POSITIVE

Everyone can go through a period of time where they feel stressed, and find it hard to keep a positive mindset. I can sometimes be like that, and specially now that I have exams coming up, I often feel trapped within my own mind, and I need different things to help me stay positive all the time.

WHAT TO GET YOUR GIRLFRIEND ON VALENTINES DAY

A few days ago a friend of mine asked me what he could get his girlfriend for Valentines day. I told him I would think about it, and then I sent him a list of all the possible things a girl would like. I thought I would write a post about it, in case there are any guys out there who need a little help…

1. Take her out to dinner. You should do this and then give her the present you have bought for her. Of course it doesn’t have to necessarily be dinner, it could be a film at the cinema, a picnic… whatever you know she likes to do with you. 
2. Flowers: any girl would love a bunch of roses, or her favourite flower(if you don’t know what her favourite flower is, which most guys wouldn’t, then stick with roses), with a special note of course on which is written a super cute message. 
3. Chocolates: subtly try and find out what her favourite type of chocolate is and buy her lots of, and put it in heart shaped box. Or you can buy her a pre made one, which won’t be as thoughtful though.
4. If you’ve got the money, a trip. Who wouldn’t like a little holiday with her favourite guy?
5. A frame with a photo of you two on a special day. Maybe you can even sneak a cute little message on the back of the photo…
6. A movie that you both love to watch together.
7. If you’re artistic in any way, you could draw her something, write her a poem or a song… Work on your strong points.

These are the things I would like to receive for Valentines day, but you have to try and pick out one that you know your girlfriend will love! Good luck in finding the perfect gift! Love, Sara xx

HOW TO KEEP WARM IN THE WINTER

Here in Italy, the winter is very cold. I’m normally someone who is always hot, but this year I suffered from the cold a lot, so i thoughtI would share with you my tips for staying warm.

1. Wear layers. the most important things is to have layers of clothing on. You can always take things off if you get hot, but you can’t put on something you don’t have with you if you’re out.
2. If you’re in the house, have a hot-water-bottle always with you. These are my lifesavers, and I always have at least one with me while I work or study. 
3. In the morning put your clothes on the radiator so they get nice and warm before you have to put them on, it’s a much nicer way to get up in the morning.
4. Have hot drinks. This might seem very obvious, but I know people that never drink anything hot during the day, even if they’re cold. Even if you don’t like coffee or tea, you can have a nice warm hot chocolate. 
5. Always wear socks. They are so easy to not think about, but they make a huge difference. You can find cosy socks anywhere nowadays, so I really recommend buying a few pairs to wear day and night. 

I hope these tips were useful. What’s the weather like now in your country? Love, Sara xx

ps. these are my favourite warm socks, my cozy jumper, and my hot water bottle called Jim xx

PERIOD TIPS AND TRICKS

Periods are something that most of us girls need to go through until we’re in our 50s/60s. For some people they aren’t a big deal: they feel no pain at all and have very light ones. For others, that can be horrible days of the month, with aches and pains for days.

TIPS FOR ASPIRING FASHION DESIGNERS: MATERIALS

Today I thought I would write the second ‘episode’ of my ‘Tips for aspiring fashion designers’ series. This one is going to be all about materials. 

TIPS FOR ASPIRING FASHION DESIGNERS: BOOKS

When I first started getting into fashion designing, when I was about nine years old, I would copy my drawings from books and magazines. I thought today I would tell you what are the best books you can own about fashion and that are great inspiration.

I received The Teen Vogue Handbook when I turned 13, and since then that has been my source for a lot of information. It’s great if you want to find out more about the business, the names you need to know, and where are the best places to study.

I actually received the next four books all last Christmas. The first one i’m going to talk about is 50 Contemporary Fashion Designers You Should Know, which is, as the title says, a book that talks about designers you should keep an eye on, as they are amazing unknown, or emerging designers. I’ve found some great designers in that book, and I really like to read it now and then to find some inspiration.

Then I have Japanese Street Style by Pat Little, this book i absolutely amazing for inspiration. The Japanese fashion culture is absolutely crazy, and they have strange but amazing ideas on how to pair things.

The next two books are pretty much just for fashion culture. 20th Century Fashion by Jim Heimann and Alison A. Nieder and Vogue Covers by Thames & Hudson are two books, mainly pictures, of ads from the last one hundred years, and the Vogue covers since 1920. 

I absolutely love these books, and out of all the fashion books I own, they are definitely my favourites! 

Do you own any of these? 

Love, Sara xx

HOW TO EARN MONEY AS A TEEN

This year, I have earned a lot of money, to be able to myself a Macbook. Lots of my friends have asked me how I managed to get all of this money, so I thought I would put together a post to show you. 

1- Find a subject you're good at and give lessons to children. You can advertise with mothers you know and ask them to tell their friends.

2- When you receive money for Christmas or your birthday, save it.

3- Tell your family that you would just like money for your birthday or Christmas as you're saving up. 

4- Offer to babysit for families you know.

5- Do jobs in the house to earn some pocket money.

6- Keep track of what you earn in a notebook, so you know how much you spend as well.

7- Plan how much you think you can earn a week, and by when you think you'll be able to purchase whatever you were planning to buy.

These are my tips on how to earn money, I've used all of them in the last few months, and I've been able to earn a lot. I hope it was helpful for you guys.

Love, Sara xx