Q&A With Sweet Tea And Storms.

For today's post I'm really excited to share with you the wonderful blog that is Sweet Tea And Storms. In case you didn't already know, this blog is run by the absolutely amazing Mikayla. Her blog is basically an extension of her personality, and her posts always make me smile. I enjoy being updated on what she's been getting up to, her personal thoughts, food posts, travel and general posts about encouragement and inspiration. There's no doubt about it that every post on her blog is filled with passion and written to absolute perfection. As you can tell, Mikayla's blog has been one of my favourites for a while!

1. Your blog name is definitely unique and creative. What inspired you to pick that name?

Aww! Thank you! I love my blog name because for me it is kind of a reminder of who I am. What inspired me was actually another blogger. Her name is Alyssa Campanella and she runs The A List but her first blog was actually called Jumpers and Jasmine. She had said that she came up with her blog name because she loved big jumpers (or sweaters as us Americans call them) and she loved the smell of jasmine. 
So when I was trying to think of a name, I really loved the idea to tie your blog name to yourself, essentially. I am from South Texas and one of the big things down here is sweet tea. I have grown up drinking sweet tea all my life and it is still my all-time favourite drink, so that was my first part of my blog name. The second part was a little harder because I wanted it to flow but still be me. One of my best friends actually suggested Storms as the second part because she knew how obsessed I am with storms-rain, lighting, thunder, it does not matter. And again it holds true to me being from South Texas, we get a lot of Summer storms so that is how the second part came to be.

2. Even though it's 2016, I think we can all remember songs that we were obsessed with last year. What were your top 5 songs of 2015?

Oh gosh... I have like horrible memory! But let me try to think... My top 5 songs from 2015, in no particular order, were Dark Side by R5, First Lady by Nate Evans, The River by Jordan Feliz, Chelsea by The Summer Set and Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon. All of them are very dance-y songs which I love because on road trips, I need to be able to stay awake so blasting those is a definite must!

3. What is your favourite blog post you've ever written, and why is it your favourite?

Oh there are so many to choose from! But I have to say my favourite blog post I have ever written was my "Wonderfully Made" one because for me self-love is VERY important and for me to pass on to everyone reading my blog. I hate how so many girls hate their body and try such unhealthy things to become skinnier and more liked by their peers, so if maybe just by writing this and trying to get all the young ladies to see themselves how they SHOULD be see, which is beautiful no matter what you weigh or how you look. 

4. Everyone needs little pick-me-ups every now and again. What do you do to cheer yourself up on a bad day?

Well one way I cheer myself up is by actually writing about it, which is where the "Sometimes You Need Crazy" blog post came from. For me, it is very soothing to write down what made your day so bad. Another thing I do is call up my best friend, Fe. She is the best person for me to be around when I have a horrible day, and she is great at making me laugh and feel better. Fe is also amazing at just being there if I need someone to cry or vent to. She also know which YouTube videos to send me to make me laugh. 

5. What was the last thing you laughed really hard at?

I cannot actually remember the last time I laughed really hard...Is that sad?

6. Did you spontaneously decide to start a blog, or was it something you thought about for a long time before plucking up the courage to do it?

I like to say it was a little spontaneous but also a little planned out. I thought about doing a blog around December 20th, 2014 and went actually live on the website on December 29th of 2014. So it was a very short planning stage, but thankfully, I had a best friend who was all for helping me design my logo and an acquaintance who was able to take photos for my first post. 

7. People either love or dislike animals, have you ever had pets?

First off, I am definitely an animal lover! And I have actually had several pets. Currently I have a rat terrier/chihuahua mix, a tabby cat and a rabbit. Growing up I had a golden retriever who was my best friend, a Siamese cat and another tabby. When I move into my own home, I plan on adopting several more dogs as well. 

8. When did you first discover blogging and what did you think of it at first?

I actually first discovered blogging when I was in middle school I believe. I know I started a website at one point, but I was not at all committed to it at all, plus I do not think it would be wise for like a 10 year old to be blogging, but I thought it was like the coolest thing ever (still do to be honest). But I'm glad that this kind of love for it has not gone away. 

9. We've still got a good few months left of this year. Are you hoping to have achieved something in particular by the end of 2016?

Oh no! Time is flying by so fast! I cannot believe it is gonna be April already! Well coming into 2016, I was determined that this was gonna be my traveling year, and so far it has been. I have taken a trip every month so far and I am continuing to for a while. So I hope that that want for travelling stays just as passionate, but one big thing for me is to maintain my faith and relationship with God. I have had a rocky start to the start of year so trying to get back on track with that is one of my biggest things. 

10. What is the message that you're trying to get across with your blog?

The message I am trying to get across with my blog is, I think, to just be yourself! I had a lot of problems with trying to fit in when I was younger and I hated that I spent a lot of my school years trying to be someone I am not, so I want everyone who reads my blog to remember that it is okay to be weird or crazy or shy or loud or quiet. We are not called to fit in, we were made to stand out. 

I don't know about you, but I certainly got to know Mikayla better through these questions, and I really enjoyed reading her answers. Thank you so much for taking part Mikayla, and I hope everyone had fun reading this post. If you haven't already, don't forget to check out Sweet Tea And Storms,

Izzy K xxx

Sleek Face Contour Kit

Since contouring and highlighting is all the rage at the moment, a little while ago I decided to jump into the craze and purchase the Face Contour Kit by Sleek in Light. This product is available in 3 different shades, Light, Medium and Dark, so there really is something to suit everyone's skin tone. This kit sells for £6.49 in Superdrug, which in my opinion is a complete bargain. 

The first thing I really like about this is the packaging. It's got a matte exterior which looks very classy and, well, sleek! This kit includes a contour colour and a highlighter colour. I do wish that there was an equal amount of both though, because I do like to overdo the highlighter in comparison to contour, but that's just personal preference yaknow!

The contour is, in my opinion, the perfect contour. It's got a cool tone which means it looks very natural on your skin and doesn't leave that awkward orange look that some bronzers do. And not to mention the fact that it is very pigmented so you really don't need to use a lot at all. 

I've recently become a highlighting enthusiast, and the highlighter in this palette is definitely one of my favourties to reach for. It is honestly so pigmented and really brings out the features that you want to emphasize. It's very shimmery too, which leaves a gorgeous little sparkle in the sunlight. The one thing I do have to say though, is as gorgeous as the shimmer is, it doesn't look too natural. So I would avoid using this highlighter if you're looking for an extremely natural makeup look. 

But this palette is most definitely my go-to contour kit and I will most definitely be repurchasing it because it's everything you need in a contour kit. I would rate this a 8/10 and would/have recommended this to friends. Have you tried anything by Sleek before?

Izzy K xxx