The Life Post | Top 5 YouTubers

As you may know I've really gotten back into the YouTube world this year and I've fallen completely in love with it... Today I am actually off sick from work as I have a ridiculous cold so I've literally been sat watching video after video to make myself feel better. So I thought it would be good to share my favourite 5 youtubers with you...

The Life Post | TMI Tag

I've seen this TMI tag on a few blogs so decided to do one! I got this one off of Beth from Birds Words (lovely girl, lovely blog). My blog is nearly two years old so I thought it would be the perfect time to have a little refresh about me! Hope you enjoy...

Have you got any tattoos?

No, I've always wanted a little butterfly somewhere but keep putting it off and off. Maybe when I move out I can get one to show I'm flying the nest... Who knows!? I know Adam doesn't want me to to have one but hey, tis my body!

Piercings?

Yes - this is where I did all my rebelling really (I wasn't too much of a rebel). I have ears as normal, I used to have a second hole as well but they've grown over now. I have one half way up my right ear which I got when I was 16. I also have my belly done as well which I wanted for years and years and finally convinced my dad to take me when I was 15. 

How tall are you/How much do you weigh?
I'm about 5ft 4inches. I like my height, which is weird to say, but I'm not too high and I'm not too short! With regards to my weight, I really don't know. My Mum won't have scales in the house and I'm really not bothered. I go on how I feel and how my clothes fit more than anything.

Have you ever been in love?

I am as we speak :) I've had a lot of boyfriends... Well, I've always been in a relationship really, I'm not really a "single" person. I thought I was in love a few times, but to be honest probably only twice. With my boyfriend I'm with now and my ex before him.

Have you ever had a terrible breakup?

I wouldn't say terrible. I've had a few break ups, at the time they probably seemed horrible but I don't think I've every really been truly heart broken. I've been hurt of course, but not heart broken. I am definitely one of the lucky ones.

Something you miss?

Honestly a couple of friends. My oldest friend Beth moved to Cheltenham for university almost six years ago and I miss her all the time. She moved back here for three months but moved back to Chelt this week which sucks. Hopefully she'll be back soon though!

Zodiac Sign?

Scorpio - we forgive but we never forget! Haha so true. I'm not really one for horoscopes so I don't really know what I am or what I'm supposed to be like...

Quality you look for in a partner?

Oh god this is a tough one. I've been with Adam for over six years so surely I'm just going to describe him...! Let's see... He has to be able to make me laugh or it's a non starter. He has to be as much of a friend as a boyfriend. get on with my family and my friends... Obviously be attractive, bit of romance... I can't think of anything else, but hey!

Turn off?

Those guys that are happy for a one night thing - as I said before, I'm a relationship kind of girl so those types of guys just really don't do it for me.

Favourite Quote?

There are a couple - "nothing worth having comes easy" and "everything happens for a reason". It makes me feel better about having to work so hard for everything, for all those little knock backs and just all of the crap.

What are your fears?

That I'm going to be in exactly the same place as I am now in a years time. 2014 needs to be the year that gets me moving - I want to move in with Adam and start our life together properly. My fear is we can't do that this year.

Favourite Show?

I have so many, so I'll just tell you what series I have in my collection.... Friends, Bones, The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl and The Big Bang Theory :)

Favourite Bands?

Erm, I like Paramore, The Vamps, I love Clean Bandit at the moment, Little Mix, Rudamental... I like a real variety of things.

Favourite Flavour of sweet...

I love lemon bon bons... I love citrus sweets or chocolate raisins. 

Favourite Song?

I don't have a favourite... There are many that I love and sign along too, but no favourites. It really depends on what mood I'm in as to what song I love.

Do you have a crush?

Who doesn't have a crush.. Where should we start... Chris Hemsworth is definitely at the top of my list, Paul Wesley (Stefan from The Vampire Diaries)... Yum yum yum.

The last song you sang?

Sadly it was one from work. We play "Emerging Artists" so aload of stuff you've never heard of before, but there is one called Trojan Horse that is one of the guys favourite songs and he signs along and well, he got me hooked!

Where do you go when you're sad?

This seems very bizarre, but my bathroom. I'm lucky enough to have an en suite and when I get upset I usually shut myself in there and have a little cry. Weird yes, but it feels like my own little den.

A place you want to visit...

There are so many places I want to go. It used to be Australia but I've done that now yay! I'd love to go to Hawaii, the Maldives, anywhere hot really. For some reason I've also always really wanted to go to the Antarctic - no idea why but I think it would be frigging awesome!

The last sport you played...

Does Zumba count as a sport? Every Tuesday I go to Zumba with Amber - so much fun I actually love it to pieces. If that doesn't count, it would be squash on Sunday with Adam. We've started playing every week and I absolutely love it. It's brutal and exhausting but so much fun and I'm improving every week. 

Favourite Colour?

Anyone who knows me knows this - BLUE! blue blue and more blue. I just love me some blue :)

Have you ever been in a physical fight?

Um, kinda yes and kinda no. I was bullied a bit at school and at one point I got my head shut in a door - I also got slapped as well. Otherwise I grew up with two brothers - you do the math. I do remember kicking my younger brother in the head once, I was not a popular child then. 

The reason you started blogging?

I just love to write, I needed an outlet for it and something that wasn't under pressure for me to do it all the time. I loved it from the off, the freedom of it, the community and just the whole picture. If anyone is thinking of doing it just go for it - you have nothing to loose!

The meaning behind your blog name?

This is in my About Me section as well but hey. Topaz is my birthstone - I'm a November baby. I love blue topaz, not such a huge fan of orange topaz but give me blue topaz anyday and I'm your girl! May is one of my middle names (I have two). It's the second of the two and the one we all really use... When I'm in trouble it's "Lisa May!" If I ever have a daughter it will be her middle name as well.

The last time you were insulted?

At work probably - we all have really good banter where I work and there is one guy I get on with really well - he's my usual banter buddy! In a mean way? Probably comments on here - the ones who keep telling me I have a tash. It's all very mature and I don't pay attention to a single one!

Let me know if you decide to do this tag, I'd love to know you all a little better!

Any Size | Birds

Here we are again with a new Any Size! It's a lot easier to try and do every two weeks as opposed to every week so I'm definitely going to do it that way from now on. This week I decided to go with birds - an autumnal trend that coincidentally fits with one of my new fave dresses... Maybe not so much of a coincidence!

Size 8 | Paige from Paige Joanna

blog | twitter | bloglovin

Second time this week this lady has appeared on T&M! I love this dress, the print is adorable and the fit of the dress compliments her figure perfectly. Her slim legs means she gets away with coloured tights with ease as well. This is the perfect bird outfit for her shape and size.

Size 10 | Me from Topaz & May

blog | twitter | bloglovin

A very baggy-eque dress so looks bigger then a 10 but I promise it is! I love the colours in the dress and the dark of the dress hides any curves I don't fancy drawing attention to on the day! At the same time the dress doesn't swamp me. Love it.

Size 12 | Victoria from Victoria's Vintage

blog | twitter | bloglovin

This is a super super cute blouse that I am now coveting desperately. Teamed with the ever handy skater skirt and you have the perfect bird outfit for her figure. It's a subtle way of introducing a bird print without it taking over the entire outfit.

Size 14 | Sera from The Agoraphobic Fashionista

blog | twitter | bloglovin

This dress is uber slimming on Sera, a smaller print is meant to be better for "larger" (hate saying that) sizes and this dress looks gorgeous on her. Very fashionable as a midi and styled incredibly well with the gorgeous pink hair, kudos to Sera!

I had some AMAZING bloggers take part this week so a huge thanks to them. My next theme is going to be "Skater Skirts"... Get in touch if you want to take part, I am looking for all sizes so find me on twitter @topazandmay

How would you style your birds?

Outfit | Styled by Paige Joanna #1

It's always nice have a bloggy friend near you. Paige and I decided to take advantage of this and we've decided to do a monthly post where we style each other. Basically we rummage in each others wardrobes and pic out a couple of outfits. This was our first attempt and I think it's safe to say it was a success! It's also a great way to revamp some old clothes you haven't worn in a while - a different perspective is always helpful! So let's take a peek at the results...

jumper: h&m | shirt: new look | leggings: topshop | shoes: new look | necklace: new look

I've never really thought about popping a shirt under this jumper before, but it does work really really well. I love this jumper because it is so so comfy, but the leggings toughen it up - gotta love some pleather!

Paige's Thoughts... 

I really wanted to create a look with layers for a versatile Autumn outfit. I loved the floral and printed selection blouses Lisa has and wanted to style one in a more edgy way. I remembered Lisa wearing these pleather leggings to the meet up where I met her and really liked them. They make a great basic item and go with everything. In ther jumper and knitwear section this blue really stood out and against the floral pattern of the blouse looked really sweat together. I think it doesnt matter hiiding a print under a jumper as long as there is a section of it showing for detail. The heeled ankle books were a finishing touch to dress up the outfit and bring it from casual to smart.

dress: topshop | shirt: river island | cardigan: french connection | necklace: superdrug | hat: accessorize

I would never have thought of putting this shirt under the dress, but Paige has popped the two together really well. I love this hat as well, I really don't wear it enough so have now vowed to love hats forever more..! Thanks for that!

Paige's Thoughts... 

This casual look really shows off what I love about styling, and that's layering quirky things together. I loved the shape of the nude dress and wanted to make it stand out a bit more without the use of too much accessories. To make it warmer for the current season I loved the pale blue polka dot blouse under it to have collar detail and add a girly touch to the look. The black cardie has really sweet bobble ties and I think it worked nicely in tying the black boots and tights to the overall outfit. This was my favourite in the end because it is something a bit different but Lisa pulled off so well.

To take a look at how I styled Paige pop over and see her full post here. Let us know what you think - we'd love to hear your feedback and also let us know if you have any requests for themes!

Any Size | Tartan

O look! It's back! After a mini hiatus Any Size is back with a new trend, slightly new banner design and a new time schedule as well. Every week was beginning to get a bit stressful, trying to organise bloggers every week etc. So it'll now be every other Friday.

This week we are focusing on one of my fave autumn trends... Tartan! So let's meet this weeks Any Size bloggers...

Size 8 | Georgina from Georgina Goodman

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With her tiny frame this skirt and crop top combo really show her off her figure and show a more night time way to sport this tartan look.

Size 10 | Lisa from Topaz & May (o yes, me!)

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I love the colours of this tartan dress, making it a bit different from the norm. It's a large sized dress, so looks bigger than a 10 but really cute as well.

Size 12 | Sammie from Love From Sammie

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I love these leggins, and i love this look as it really goes to show you don't have to be stick thin to wear patterned leggings. Such a simple yet chic daytime look

Size 14 | Kel from Kel Loves

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Again, different colours to the usual tartan and i love how shes styled it with the colour pop cardie. This dress really compliments her figure, really love this daytime look.

Coming up I have Any Size: Birds... Am in need of a size 12 and 14 so if you can give me a shout over on twitter (@topazandmay). If you want to take part in any at all, give me a shout there too!

Also don't forget to enter my September Giveaway here ... You could win Mac, Essie and Maybelline!

How would you style your tartan?

Giveaway | September

I wanted to start a new little feature as a thank you to all of you guys. So what I'm going to do, instead of a favourites post at the end of every month, I'm going to do a wee little giveaway to say thanks to you guys for sticking with me. It will only be a small one every month, it will be the top 3 products that I've loved that month. I love my blog, but those days when I'm feeling blue and unloved the fact that you guys are still here and still reading really spurs me on so that's why I want to say a big thanks.

So this month I want to giveaway the following three items - ones that I couldn't have lived without this month and that I've been reaching for continuously.

1. Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch

2. Mac Fix+ 

3. Essie Chubby Cheeks

I've loved these three products this month and I hope you guys will too! So T&C's... You must be a follower of the blog on either here (GFC) or BlogLovin. I will be checking so no cheats please. There are also optional entries as well but that's the one must.

Also, only UK only I am afraid - I just don't have the funds to ship anything abroad atm, hopefully I will do soon so will let you know when that changes.

So! Just fill out the form below, competition will run for one week so get your entries in! Enjoy!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Outfit | A Bloggers Date

dress: forever 21 | boots: H&M | necklace & earrings: Lola Rose | ring: forever 21

On Saturday I went on a date. Kind of. I went to meet a new friend for lunch, this friend being the lovely Paige from paigejoanna.co.uk (go visit now!) and I must admit I was pretty nervous. We'd met before at a blogger meet up a couple of weeks ago and got along really well, and we'd spoken a few times since so we made lunch plans. I was a lil worried that it would be awkward at times but it turned out I needn't have. We got on really well, talked a lot, and even went for a little (big) shop afterwards. 

Now, when you are meeting a fashion blogger for lunch your usual "omg I have nothing to wear" train of thought goes into overdrive. Luckily I'd just received this gorgeous bird print dress from Forever 21 and knew I wanted to wear this. So even with the rain I got my stubby little legs out and headed on over to Gunwharf. I really do love this dress, it's a baby doll fit so oversized, but flattering and I love the print.

After lunch Paige and I went a shopping... We both ended up with the same MAC lipstick from the discontinued Archies Girls collection (review coming soon) and I also ended up with a dress (see pic here). Now a word of warning - a fashion blogger, meeting up with a beauty blogger, around shops is just a bad idea. If we weren't both short on cash at the moment it would have been a bank account disaster... O well, we will save that for when we are rich and famous.

All in all, I had a lovely day and I cannot wait for our next "date". It's actually really nice to have someone down the road that does blogging as well - as much as my friends understand it and love that I do it, it's nice to not explain why I'm taking a picture of that seeminly uninteresting object...

So here is to the next date! And the next outfit that goes with it....

What do you think of my new dress? Bird prints for the autumn!

Any Size | Dungarees

Dungarees seem to be such a summer staple this year - definitely takes me back to my youth (yes I sound like an oldie). This week I have some GORGEOUS bloggers... Again, missing my size 14 - girls where are you?! But lets see who we do have... Two repeats and a beaut newbie!

Size 8 | Paige from Paige Joanna

blog | twitter | bloglovin

A brand new BEAUT of a blogger for dungarees, I love the yellow shirt underneath and the quirky twist - the clash of yellow and red with the softness of the denim and the hat makes this girl look super stylish and so much fun.

Size 10 | Chelsea from Through Chelsea's Eyes

blog | twitter | bloglovin

Back again! We love having Chelsea here! Here she works the boyish look with her dungarees, with the element of hotness with the stripey crop top - she is definitely looking hot and shows how dungarees can be sexy as well as slouchy.

Size 12 |  Ally from Tea Toast and Daisy Chains

blog | twitter | bloglovin

Her second week running - she's on a roll and I'm happy to have her! Having stolen her boys jeans (love it) she is rocking this look. Popping some stripes and the adorable head scarf, it's great. Showing a tom boy edge with the girlishness of the scarf, really works for me.

Big thank you to these girlies, have loved having them and I've loved seeing the shoots from this any size - I've not gone into this trend yet but hey, you never know. If you want to get involved with Any Size let me know... I am sending out an SOS to all those size 14 and over to get in touch - am in desperate need, it's not any size without you gorgeous girls so please give me a shout!

How would you style dungarees?

Life | Southampton Meet Up

Yesterday I went off to my first ever bloggers meet up - exciting and also very nerve wracking! The lovely Hannah organised the meet up with help from mycurves&me for the goody bags.

I hopped on the train with the gorgeous and incredibly lovely Paige (go see her blog and vote for her in the Cosmo Awards) and headed to Southampton. It was the first time we'd met eek, but we are now officially travel buddies!

The meet up was at the Orange Rooms in Bedford Place, Southampton. It's a great place and lunch was so good, I had a Chicken Nacho wrap - it all came in little carton boxes which I loved - made it so much easier to eat on the sofas. Anyway, after a few ice breakers and introductions we were well on the way to chatting, gossiping and have henna's done by Leanne. It was a really lovely meet up and I'm so glad I got to go. If you are new to blogging, or a seasoned blogger I would definitely recommend going to a meet up - I met some lovely lovely bloggers and was so nice to meet like minded people.

Only downside? Well, I walked from my house to the station in cute little heels - so hello blisters! Poor Paige had to walk back to the station with me and my bare feet! So when I got home Arthur was welcome to chew them up for me...

I was a bit naughty and didn't take my camera - forgot :( so I've only got a couple instragram pics above. Can't wait for the next one!

Have you ever been to a meet up?

Any Size | White Dress

 

As you can see I am missing one size, unfortunately I couldn't find anyone to do size 14 for me, but we still have three gorgeous ladies showing us how to style their little white dress - a summer staple for sure for any size...

Size 8 | Callie from cllrs

blog | twitter | bloglovin

I love this dress. Teaming her little white dress with denim is a classic summer look that you cannot go wrong with, popped with her ankle boots toughens the look and keeps it chic and stylish.

Size 10 | Chelsea from Through Chelseas Eyes

blog | twitter | bloglovin

One of my fave ever bloggers and regular any sizers, Chelsea looks gorgeous in this 50s style prom dress. It's the perfect summer evening dress, simple accessories and fab wavy hair. Love this look, hello tiny waist!

Size 12 | Ally from Tea Toast and Daisy Chains

blog | twitter | bloglovin

Ally is putting a fab twist on the little white dress, putting it with a classic blazer but make the entire look seem very rock and roll. Really suits her and I love the twist on this.

A big thank you to all three girlies, you'll be seeing Chelsea and Ally again next week - be excited!!

If you are interested in getting involved let me know, in particular I need more size 14's for Any Size..! 

What's your fave look? How do you style your white dress?

Any Size | Crop Top

Crop top is a scary word. For me, it's definitely a scare and I've just recently been braving this trend. But these girls above are ROCKING it and looking super sexy while they do. So let's check out my sexy, confident any sizers this week...

Size 8 | Beth from Birds Words

blog | twitter | bloglovin

If you don't know Beth you should. This girl is GORGEOUS! And look how teeny that waist is! She rocks this sophisticated crop top look and shows you how to work it in a sexy secretary way. I may have developed a serious girl crush at this image...

Size 10 | Christy from Another Weekend Without Make Up

blog | twitter | bloglovin

A definite rock skin spin on this trend and boy does she rock it. She looks incredible here, a printed tee with a dogstooth skirt is brave and she pulls it off with minimal effort. Total style icon here I love it and shows off her beautiful figure.

Size 12 | Sarah from Friday is Forever

blog | twitter | bloglovin

A regular here on Any Size - she works the most casual look with some jeans and a simple crop tee and it looks so simple and yet so chic. It really works for her size, not making her look big and showing her gorgeous tum. Work that tum Sarah!

Size 14 | Meg from Mgnhndly

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Showing you don't need to be a skinny minny to work that cropped look! Popping a midi pencil skirt with this simple tee is the perfect way to hide any lumps and bumps and she looks curvy and incredibly sexy, a really fab look!

A great big thanks to these girls above! All looking amazing and rocking this brave and sexy trend! If you want to get involved in Any Size, let me know - I have spaces for the following:

White Dress - size 8, size 14

Dungarees - size 8, size 14

Spots - size 8, size 12, size 14

Just contact me via email (lisa@topazandmay.com) or tweet me at @topazandmay

What's your fave crop top look? Any requests for an Any Size theme?

Any Size | Maxi Dress

It's back! Any Size has had a bit of a hiatus for many different reasons - non of which I'll bored you with, all you need to know is... it's back! This week I've decided to go with Maxi dresses - a style that seriously anyone can wear, any size and it's so versatile. So let's take a peek at what the ladies have popped together this week!

Size 8 | Angharad from Style Trunk

blog  |  twitter  |  bloglovin

A truly gorgeous dress and a new take on maxi - maxi sleeves, maxi skirt, definitely maxi print. I love it and makes her look teeny tiny. Gorgeous gorgeous example.

Size 10 | Lisa from Topaz & May

blog | twitter | bloglovin

Done when I have longer hair, but I love the bright colour of this dress and the way it comes in at the waist, showing curves by creating an hourglass figure.

Size 12 | Sarah from Friday is Forever

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Showing you don't need to be a skinny minny for bright colours, this dress looks gorgeous on her, with the tie dye print elongating her figure and making her look amazing.

Size 14: Helen from Helen Hearts

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I love this dress, the print is delicate enough that it doesn't overshadow her gorgeous curvy figure. The dress comes in at all the right places to give her a mini waist and a long body.

All these girls are gorgeous and rock this look completely! Showing how to wear it for their shape. At the moment I am looking for sizes in crop top, white dress, dungarees and spots. If you're interested in taking part contact me on twitter or by email lisa@topazandmay.com

What's your favourite look?

Life | Cosmo Blog Awards Picks

It's that time of year again for the Cosmo Blog Awards. A big congrats to all that have been nominated! I think it's a great way to check out new blogs and I love that there are some under dogs again this year. Obviously I would love to be nominated one year - however, there are some blogs this year that I LOVE and they definitely deserve to be there. So, like last year I've popped my pick... Enjoy!

Best Established Beauty Blog

I really struggled with this one as there are two on here that I regually look and read and go to for advice. However, in the end I went for Beth from Birds Words. I love her reviews, how detailed they are. It shows that she really looks at her products and her features are great as well. The other I would recommend is Kayleigh from Couture Girl - her blog is amazing too, some fab reviews! Check both of them out as they both definitely deserve to be recognised.

Best New Beauty Blog

This was a category that I was suprising stuck on as I didn't really recognise a lot of them. However in the end I went for Hannah from Cosmetic Crave. Her blog is gorgeous and her reviews are really well put together. She's a gorgeous girl as well. She's done so well for a newbie blogger and should be very proud of her blog. Really loved her post on DIY scrub and Plastic Surgery Debate. It's a real mix and has become an everyday read for me.

Established Fashion Blog

THis was a really easy one for me. What Olivia Did, Olivia, has incredible style and I would love her wardrobe and confidence to style herself as she does. She is incredibly gorgeous and her photos are really well done. This is turning a big gushy stalkery so I'm going to apologise!

Best New Fashion Blog

Again, easy one for me. Laura fron Tiny Twist is such a lovely lovely girl and she looks incredible. I love the way she puts her outfits together. I don't have the courage that she does to wear some bits, but she always looks chic and gorgeous. I love her hair/complexion as well. Basically I have a major girl crush and everyone should go vote for this girl as she really deserves it.

Best Lifestyle Blog

I recommended this blog to win Best Food blog last year as well, but it's Rose from The Londoner. If you don't wish you had her life you must be insane. I love reading and looking at her latest journeys and exploits, wishing I could go where she does and live her life. Would love her figure/wardrobe as well please?

Best Interiors Blog

A recent find for me this blog and I'm loving it so far, Abby from Un-observed has a beautiful blog. It's really well designed and incredibly unique and her little quirkly interior posts and great and really inspirational for someone who is looking to move into her own home at some point over the next few months. Take a peek - for me it's gonna be my go to when I move out!

Best Vlog

Estee from EssieButton hands down gets this for me. I LOVE her videos. She is always the first channel I go to when I need a pick me up on youtube and I love her beauty reviews on there as well. She has such a fab personality and it really shines through her videos. She is quirky in the best possible way and I suggest you all go and subscribe now. Also in this category that I do love is Fleur from Fleur de Force, so if you haven't checked her out as well I definitely would.

Best Beauty Vlog

For me this was definitely between Anna from Vivianne Does Make Up and Corrie from The Dizzy Brunette, in the end Corrie won out however. I've met her recently and she's absolutely lovely and stunning in real life. Her videos are also great, she has a lovely personality on them and I love her tutorials and just the range of videos that she does on YouTube. Plus shes from the South like me!

I have missed a couple of categories, mainly because I didn't know the blogs nominated so I didn't feel like I should pass a vote! But all the above are regular reads for me and I would definitely recommend checking them out. You can vote for your favourites here!

Who are you voting for?

Life | How to Follow T&M

I didn't know whether to do one of these posts as I've seen a few around and some people have been a bit negative about them. However, I love my blog, I work hard at it and it makes me feel incredibly humble when I see a new follower has popped up somewhere and I like returning the favour with some of my favourite blogs. I love following them and I hope they get the same humble feeling when they get a new follower, like me. So, I thought I would pop up a post letting you guys know how to follow my wee little blog here.

So you can follow T&M on a variety of platforms and I've popped all the links below for you to make it easy for you!

GFC
Bloglovin
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Hellocotton

Just to let you know - once I hit 200 followers on Bloglovin I will be doing a giveaway for those followers so keep your eyes peeled!

I want to a say a huge thanks to the followers I already have, all those who have been with me on this amazing journey - I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for you guys so a great big HUGE thank you for that!
Now usually I hate getting comments going "i've followed you, follow me" but I am giving you all permission to leave your links below and I will work my way through them - 1,2,3... go!

Leave your links below!!

How To | Blog with a Full Time Job

Running a blog with a full time job, and college on the side is hard, I'm not going to lie! There are times when I do think why do I do this to myself, but the answer is (and has always been) that I love it too much not to. I try and put a post up every day, mainly because I get excited when I know a post is being published and I can't wait to see what you guys, but also because I know when I go to look at my favourite blogs and they haven't posted that day I'm always a little disappointed.

So how do I do it? I promise I am not wonder woman - it's purely a matter of time management! So here are my top five tips!
1. Set aside time for taking pictures and writing
I usually have Wednesday's off work, so these are usually my days for taking pictures of products or outfits, or anything else I plan to post about. I do it all in one huge lump so that it's all done. I then upload them and edit them then and there.
Again with writing, I will usually use one evening a week (usually a Tuesday) where I sit down and write all my posts for the next week. This takes off a bit of the pressure and I spend an evening doing something I love!

2. Schedule Your Posts
I work in a shop, so access to a computer is pretty limited and definitely prohibited when it comes to personal use. So, I schedule all of my posts when I write them. This way I don't have to worry about getting a post up or what time it will go up - I schedule for the same time every day so I know when it goes up and can then tweet the link accordingly.

3. Don't stress if you don't get a post up!This is one I struggle with, mainly because I love putting posts up everyday, so if I've had a busy week and not had a chance to write posts I get a bit stressed. BUT! I keep telling myself to stop stressing - it's my blog and if I don't post for a couple of days the world will not end, people will not hate me for not posting.

4. Keep a notebook
To begin with I didn't do this and I was a very unorganised blogger. My posts were all over the place and features weren't really something I did - definitely not well. But recently I've started carrying a notebook around so when I get any ideas I can pop them in there, link any posts together and see when I can space them, what I can do for them and prepare.
With a feature like "Any Size" this is ridiculously important - I need to remember what theme is when and who I have signed up for it and when the pictures will be in by. This notebook is a definitely blog saver.

5. Take a break!
On my tea/lunch breaks I sit in the canteen and wonder what to do with myself. So I pop onto my smartphone and catch up with my favourite bloggers on twitter and their blogs as well. I read posts, and just have general chitter chatter.

I'm not going to pretend I am an expert - I definitely don't get it right all the time! But most of the time I manage and this is how I do it. I know a lot of bloggers struggle, so I was hoping this could help a little! There is no definite how to - just what works for you! Another great post on this is one written by the gorgeous Beth other at Bird Words, you can find it here so check that out as well if you need some more tips!

What are your tips for running a blog with a full time job?

Any Size | Leather

This week is another trend that's meant to be huge for spring, and the first in a while that i've not featured in! I asked you guys on Twitter what themes you thought I should do and this seemed to be a popular choice so voila! Any Size - Leather!

Again, no size 14 - please let me know if your this size and want to feature as I could do with more bloggers of this size!

size 8: Katrina from Carousel Diary
Spring shorts and leather in one go! Not only that but she's thrown in a gorgeous monochrome shirt to boot (slightly in love with this). Love this look on her and it's a subtle leather!

size 10: Laura Kate from Lolacolakate
Leather trim is definitely a way to do leather if you're not fully confident in a full leather item. It's a gorgeous skirt and the leather adds that extra chic feel to the entire outfit.

size 12: Hollie from H0lliedays
A classic leather jacket is definitely a safe way to try the leather trend and it never fails to look chic and stylish. I love this outfit and definitely on a hunt for a leather jacket now!

There isn't an Any Size next week, but it will be back the week after! Let me know if you have any suggestions for themes as well!

How would you style leather?

Any Size | Monochrome

Monochrome seems to be the big trend coming into the Spring so I thought this weeks Any Size should definitely reflect this.

Black is always said to be slimming, so surely monochrome suits all sizes? You bet it does! Take it a way any sizerss...

Size 8: Ellie from Maydoll
I love this outfit. The detail on the top is gorgeous and it's a great way to spice up the monochrome trend, of course Ellie always does gorgeous outfits so I couldn't be happier to have her on Any Size!

Size 10: Me
Mixing it up by teaming my maxi dress with a chunky knit for early spring and silver accessories. A easy lazy day monochrome look that can go into warmer springtime!

Size 12: Sarah from Friday is Forever
A reappearance for Sarah with this incredibly cute girly look that's perfect for work or a lunch date. Also a perfect look for early spring, remove the tights and you have a late spring look as well!

Size 14: Sera from The Agoraphobic Fashionista
So many trends in this outfit - clashing prints and monochrome with her gorgeous vibrant red hair. I love this outfit and it shows you don't have to be a mini to pull of patterns!

A massive thank you to Sarah and Sera for reappearing on Any Size - go visit their blogs!! And a massive thanks to Ellie for her first appearance and her excitement at taking part - makes me excited too!

Let me know what you think I should do for my next any size - would love some suggestions!!

How do you wear monochrome?