what the heart desires

A Belated Chinese New Year

2012-01-28T10:19:00.000-08:00

In the midst of my work, I seemed to have completely forgot that I planned to do a post on the Chinese New Year. I'm fascinated by the colours and traditions of this cultural new year in what seems like the other side of the world. Here in the UK, new year is an opportunity to have a huge party and make changes to ourselves and set goals that we wish to achieve in the next 365 days. In China, it is a party consisting of an explosion of colours and wonderful tasting food. In my curiosity I googled the subject and found out some interesting facts that make me want to visit China at this time of year...

Windows and doors will be decorated with red paper decorations, often in the theme of good fortune or happiness.
New Years Eve is spent on a giant feast, endulging in pig, duck, chicken and sweet delicacies, finished off with firecrackers.
In the morning, wishes of good luck are passed amongst friends and family and children are offered red envelopes filled with money
The holiday lasts for 15 days, each day celebrated in a slightly different tradition
Gifts are exchanged, markets are set up, the new year is welcomed with fireworks, lanterns and decorations are hung
This is the year of the Dragon

In spirit of this celebration I went and found out my chinese zodiac; I'm the year of the rat.
People born under the sign of the Rat are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. They are hardworking and consequently often financially wealthy. And are likely to be perfectionists. Rats are easily angered and love to gossip. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful. The Mouse is very social and has many friends who he supports in generous ways. The family is important; a Mouse is loyal to his family and will fight for it if needed.They are most compatible with people born in the years of the Dragon, Monkey, and Bull.
Find out your chinese zodiac at http://www.orientaloutpost.com/chinese-zodiac.php

So happy chinese new year!
comment and tell me: what does your chinese zodiac say about you?xo
lanterns

friday favourites.

2012-01-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

My lovely, loyal followers, the time has come for me to become fully committed to what the heart desires again. Exams are over and now I seem to have all the time in the world! Bliss. So, I hope everyone has had a good week and is looking forward to the weekend as much as I am! Here are a couple of things that have got me back in the blogging mood...

Favourite Doodle

Favourite Valentines Pressie

Favourite Heaven on Earth

Favourite Home Decor

Favourite Springtime Manicure

Favourite Passtime

comment and tell me: what are your friday favourites?I'll feature one next week?xo
doodle. pillow. heaven. home. nails. journal.

Friday Favourites + A small apology

2012-01-20T10:06:00.000-08:00

So, as you have probably noticed, I havent been very active in terms of posting this week. I have been extremely busy preparing for my exams next week and probably wont be very bloggy next week either! However, don't panic too much, I'll be back to my usual posting standards after next week (*sigh of relief). Today I'm having a little break and treating you to some friday favourites, because even though my weekend wont be very fun who's to say yours shouldnt be! So, happy friday guys! Don't forget to comment and wish me luck!

Favourite Art

Favourite Interiors Blog: HomeShoppingSpy

Favourite Party Trick

Favourite Smile

Favourite Hair

Favourite Bucket List

Favourite Decor Idea

comment and tell me: what abstract artists do you like?xo

art. eyes.elephant.hair. map. books.

A little note from my cupboard...

2012-01-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

Following on from the hit TV show, Come Dine With Me, my friends and I took inspiration and decided to host dinner parties where we try and show off our culinary skills. Mine was the other weekend. It was scary. When it comes to cooking, I usually have to rely on luck rather than exquisite skills, I think it's rather safe to say that my creative skills lie else where. However, being a perfectionist and always wanting to impress, I tried REALLY REALLY hard to find delicious recipes that didn't require the skills of Mary Berry or Jamie Oliver. In the end I chose some rather simple recipes that seemed to go down rather well, if I do say so myself, for starters; parmesan lollies and sundried tomato pinwheels, mains; spicy chicken kebabs and sweet potato (a new obsession of mine) wedges and now for desserts - the highlight, in my opinion, of the meal- was Pear Crumble.
I'd seen a picture of these somewhere and thought they looked so cute and rustic, then couldn't remember where I'd seen them, so spent an hour or two searching for the exact picture I remembered. Luckily, I found it; I told you my cooking was based entirely on luck.

This is the picture that was so clearly etched in my head.

Now of course, I cannot take full responsibility of these (though I wish I could) and must credit Sips and Spoonfuls, one of my absolute FAVOURITE cooking websites. I don't know if it is simply the photography, that captures an artistic essence of the food as well as making them look splendid to eat, or the chatty blog-talk that slowly makes you become slightly obsessed with the website. Either way, it was spectacular. And I think that I prooved to my friends that, actually, I do have some skills in the kitchen - even if it is only in desserts and cakes! But, hey, who doesn't like a good pudding?
Here's Sips and Spoonfuls recipe for Poached Pear Crumble.

Ingredients:1 ½ cup all purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
120 gms butter, room temperature
120 gms dark chocolate, chopped
3 tbs cocoa powder
4 tbs coffee powder
½ cup hazel nuts, chopped
5 pears
mixture of whole spices such as 1 cinnamon, 1 star anise and 3 cloves

Directions:Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade. Peel the pears but leave the stalks intact. Put the pears into a pan with 1 tbs coffee and your spice mixture. Add enough water so that they are fully immersed. Boil on medium heat until a skewer can easily pierce the pears (about 30 minutes). Set the pears aside on a cooling rack.

Mix all the rest of the ingredients together so that it resembles breadcrumbs. Take 5 ramekins and place a poached pear into each one. Fill the ramekins all the way to the top with the crumble mixture. Pat down gently. Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Serve immediately with hazel nut ice cream.

Makes 5 pear crumbles.

comment and tell me: how far do your culinary skills stretch?xo

friday favourites.

2012-01-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

Happy friday everyone! I hope that you all had a stress free week and are looking to enjoy yourself for the weekend. I almost definitely am and have that wonderful friday feeling now that I know I have two days of relaxation in front of me. Here are some photos of things I've been feeling this week!

Favourite Winter Scenery

Favourite Friday Motto

Favourite Fashion Inspirations

Favourite Ring

Favourite Keep Sake

Favourite Project

comment and tell me: whats your favourite way to record the memories?xo

winter. motto. inspire. ring. instagram. project.

DIY Home Spa

2012-01-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

Spa treatments are way overprized and only worth it if it's a special occasion or their is a special reason to have beautifully smooth skin. If like me, you are not willing to pay the extortionate prices just to experience a little relaxtion, there are so many ways of creating the tranquil atmosphere of a spa. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to experience a spa day, it's just way out of my price range. So here are my top ways of making the perfect spa day in the comfort of your own home!

Lemon Water! on Lauren Conrad

Chocolate Face Pack! on BeautyMakeupDivas

Mani Pedi!

Deep Conditioner! on Ciao Beautiful

comment and tell me: whats your spa indulgence?xo

Inspiration is Key

2012-01-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

I found this quote on pintrest and it struck me how appropraitely right it is. I am definitely one for being creative and I believe this quote fully. Often we find ourselves sacrificing dreams and ideas out of fear of looking stupid or losing. But I am a strong believer of "if you don't try, you don't get." However sometimes it is hard to find the motivation to actually get up and work hard towards our dreams and this year, one of my new years resoulutions was to work harder in order to achieve and I am using inspiration from everything and anything in order for me to check these goals off my 2012 list. Whether you need motivation to get up and lose weight, or just like me, you want to broaden your mind and get that little bit of confidence that will help you become more creative, here are some extremely simple photographs that will have inspired me to live a creative life of photography, design and art...

comment and tell me: what do you find inspirational?xo

Friday Favourites: Sunday Seven Style

2012-01-08T06:28:00.000-08:00

Due to a very hectic week and an absent laptop, I missed my this weeks friday favourites. Of course, this being a tradition and all, I owe it to the blog to do it, even if it is two days late! So in spirit of friday, happy weekend guys! As you all know, it is actually sunday, the day where we have a post with seven things. So to amalgamate both of these two together and celebrate the weekend like never before on what the heart desires, here are sunday's seven of this friday's favourites.

Favourite Recycling

Favourite Dress

Favourite Inspiration

Favourite Hair

Favourite Wish

Favourite Place to Go

Favourite Detailing

comment and tell me: if you could have one wish, what would it be?xo

A New Obsession...

2012-01-08T05:09:00.000-08:00

Like it; reblog it; tweet it...now there's Pin it.

Pintrest is an online picture website, similar to weheartit.com and tumblr however, this one takes inspiration from pinboards. Now it is no secret that I love pinboards for many reasons; it allows me to organise my life OCD style, they are incredibly cute and are the perfect way to display stunning photographs and important information all in the same place. So of course, when I heard about a website that was named after this, that was inspired by pinning inspiration onto giant boards, I was there in a shot.

To sign up for pintrest, you must apply. After this, you must wait. Awful. Every day I checked my emails at least twice for that email saying I had been invited to join the website. And trust me, when the day actually came, I was super excited.

Don't panic, that isnt the end of the story-the excitement kept on coming. I was scouring some of the other blogs I follow and I discovered that they too have pintrest and you can actually follow them! And you can have multiple pin boards, themed and catagorized too!

Just in case you think I have completely lost the plot and am going slightly mad and turning into an extremely sad person, here are a couple of pins that will hopefully inspire you to join (and follow me, of course). Find the link to my Pintrest on the side of my blog under Follow Me.

comment and tell me: what do you think of pintrest?xo

Spotlight

2012-01-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

As a blogger, it is my job (hobbie, call it what you like) to scour other blogs looking for ideas to inspire and steal. The Lovely Cupboard was next on my list, as I came across it randomly - most probably off another blog. This website however, was different. Not only did I want to have it inspire me and help me think of a couple of posts but I actually found myself wanting this website to be mine. It has everything a good blog should have, and the creativity from Heather is something to be jealous of.

It is a website that, similar to mine, supplies recipes; crafts; interiors; inspiration and I think you would be stupid not to take my advice and check it out. But don't get too hooked, remember where you first heard about it *wink wink*. To proove to you that this site is definitely worth your time, here are some of my favourite posts from Heather.

(computer use is sparse at the moment, so give me time to do posts!)

comment and tell me: what do you think of the lovely cupboard?xo

Book Club: another list

2012-01-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

As said in my new years resolutions post, I told you that one of my promises is to read more. Often we make these resolutions and forget about them in a couple of weeks, or we become tired and bored, I've found that if I make a list that I can keep track from and I can cross things of when I've done them, it's much easier to actually accomplish things, as the OCD in me wants to be able to check each one off! So I can say that I've kept to my word and I've actually read a lot more, I've made a list of all the books I really want to read this year, here it is, hopefully you'll be inspired and want to read these with me!

comment and tell me: whats your favourite book of all time?xo
book drawing

sunday seven: resolutions

2012-01-01T05:18:00.000-08:00

Everyone makes resolutions, whether they write them down or just store them in a little part of their brain, everyone makes the promise to themselves that this year will be better; they'll give up smoking and drink and do exercise every week and work harder on the diet. More often than not, we find it extremely difficult to keep these promises and we last for january, then the temptations creep back in, so this year, I'm going to try and swap some these unrealistic resolutions for ones that might be slightly easier to keep...though I can't promise anything!

Read.

Work harder.

Be happy.

Be kind.

Fulfill my dreams.

Make every day count.

Achieve.

comment and tell me: whats your top promise to yourself?xo
read. work. happiness. kindness. dream. time. achieve.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T04:20:00.000-08:00

comment and tell me: what were you doing at midnight last night?xo

This Time Next Year...

2011-12-31T04:13:00.000-08:00

This time next year, things will probably be very similar; celebrations for new year will be well under way and everyone will be buzzing at the thought of a second chance and a new chapter of their life. I'll probably be writing a post very similar to this one, explaining how I cant wait till next year and how I plan to make the following year even better than the one just gone. But in between then and now, I've got an awful lot to do; exams to pass, memories to make, journeys to go on; new feelings and emotions to experience, so I've put together a list of things I want to have done by this time next year.

comment and tell me: where do you plan to be in a years time?xo

friday favourites.

2011-12-30T03:50:00.000-08:00

Another week has been and gone and friday has rolled around and as per usual, here on What the heart desires we're going to celebrate it with a look back over our favourite things of the past week. Hope you guys had a great holiday week and are now prepping for your New Year celebrations, happy friday!

Favourite Party Trick

Favourite DIY Artwork

Favourite Way to Instantly Update Your Home

Favourite Fashion Shoot

Favourite Manicure

comment and tell me: give the fingerprint a go, find the instructions at MyDogAteMyClassroom!xo

Cooking Up a Treat

2011-12-29T09:11:00.000-08:00

Huge celebrations and friendly dinner parties are the thing to do at New Year, there's nothing better than sitting round and having a laugh with friends and family..throw in some delicious food and you've got yourself the perfect party! However, if dinner parties are your traditional celebration for New Years then it can become quite difficult to think up new and original ideas that everyone will enjoy and will make them want to celebrate with you the following year, so as I know this can be such a pain, I've put together a little menu that will hopefully inspire your last supper of 2011...

Savoury Nibbles, Chicken Skewers, Party Nibbles on Good Food, Party Food

Squash Pasta Bake, Roasted Butternut Squash and Goats cheese, Moroccan Spiced Pie, Guinea Fowl, Slamon en Croute, Layered Vegetables on Good Food, Dinner Party Mains

Sticky Toffee Tarts, Lemon Panna Cotta, Baileys Cheesecake on Good Food, Dinner Party Desserts

comment and tell me: do you have any New Year traditions?xo

In 2011

2011-12-28T03:55:00.000-08:00

What with it coming up to the end of the year and all, I thought now is probably the perfect time to have a little look back over the past 365 days; I've ordered my last photos of 2011 and will soon be finishing yet another photo album full of all the memories and occasions of this year. Also, coming across a little checklist of experiences that were achieved in the past year I thought, this would be the perfect way to wave goodbye to 2011 and truly appreciate the past year, there are loads of different lists but this one was definitely most appropriate. Why don't you copy and paste the list and comment showing me what you've done this year too?!

In 2011...

Gotten a new piercing

Dyed my hair

~~Ended a relationship~~

Started a new relationship

~~Been on a long car/bus journey~~

~~Passed an exam~~

~~Met someone who’s now an important part of my life~~

~~Cried on someone’s shoulder~~

~~Had a massive fight with a boy/girl~~

Received flowers

Had a Valentine

~~Written a letter using pen & paper~~

Gone to see a therapist

Been prescribed medication by a doctor

~~Read a really good book~~

~~Gone to the zoo~~

~~Spent too much money on unnecessary things~~

~~Traveled by train~~

~~Cried over a member of the opposite sex~~

~~Spent the day out in the sun getting a tan~~

Slammed a door out of frustration

Had an anxiety attack

~~Babysat for a friend’s child~~

~~Had a BBQ~~

Gone to the fair

Gone Bowling

~~Seen a film at the cinema in 3D~~

Gone on a date

~~Been the only sober one on a night out~~

~~Helped someone home after they had been drinking~~

~~Stayed up all night~~

Talked on the phone for over two hours

~~Supported someone who’d received bad news~~

Watched some kind of live sporting event

~~Read an entire book in one day~~

Bought a DVD the day it was released

Eaten McDonald’s more than four times in a single week

Cried as a result of exam stress

~~Met some incredible new people~~

~~Gone to great parties~~

Fallen backwards off a chair

Broken my glasses

Worn a watch for the first time in years

~~Cried over someone in the past~~

~~Spent hours aimlesslybrowsing the internet~~

Thrown up

~~Cried over a film~~

~~Gone out of my way to avoid an old ex boy/girlfriend~~

Fought with someone in public

Been in a relationship for a year or longer

~~Cried in front of someone I adore~~

~~Lost a close friend~~

comment and tell me: how does your 2011 checklist look?xo

In Order to Keep Up...

2011-12-27T03:06:00.000-08:00

It is a tradition in our family to buy each other calendars for the new year, one for the kitchen; one for me and my brother; one for the downstairs bathroom, often each calendar has a theme; the kitchen is fun and for the family - this year its the gruffalo!, mine is often a place I'd really like to travel to - Paris, twice in a row now - my brothers is usually football orientated and the bathroom is of a place we have been previously or would like to go to.

I think picking the perfect calendar is very important as not only will you have to look at it for 365 days of the year (366 next year) but it also acts as wall art and decor for the interior of the room. So if, unlike my family, calendars are not a traditional christmas present and you are yet to choose your hanging diary for the next year, then I have put together a little montage of my favourite calendars for 2012!

Keep Calm and Carry On

Rosie Robins Typographic Calendar

Linda and Harriet

comment and tell me: what are you most looking forward to next year?xo

add a splash of colour: celebrations

2011-12-26T05:53:00.000-08:00

How was everyone's holidays? did Santa bring you everything that you wanted and did all your christmas plans fall into place? Mine certainly did, and of course, it's time to move onto the next holiday..the new year. I always look forward to this time of year and I find that starting a new year is like turning over a new chapter, time for change. Of course the new year is full resolutions that never get fulfilled and diets that are always over powered by the temptation of left over christmas cake! But before the new year actually comes around, we must celebrate the past year, and welcome 2012 in with a bang, so over the next week, I'll be helping you make next year look more promising than the last, starting with a huge celebration party that ends on the beginning of a new start - the ever so exciting New Years Eve Party!

No one can refuse an evening of booze, food and celebrations, therefore New Years is the perfect oppurtunity to open your house to the ones you love and throw the biggest and bestest party of the year. Of course, like any other celebration, the decor is vital and with decor comes a colour scheme...When I think of this particular time of year, I see shiny lights and sparkly glitter, all things that suggest happiness and laughter (cheesy, I know, but its's got to be said). So here are a couple of things to help inspire your New Year decor..

comment and tell me: what was your best christmas present-gift or memory?xo

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T02:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Christmas Guys! I know it's not actually till tomorrow but I'm not that devoted to this to actually come on here on ACTUAL christmas day! So, have a lovely holiday season and I hope all your christmas wishes are granted.

Lots of love, Sophie xo

friday favourites.

2011-12-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

In all the excitement of christmas (it being christmas eve eve and all!!!!) I very nearly forgot that, actually, it's friday! Therefore, it is time for my friday favourites and all the things I've been favouriting this week. I'm super excited for the holiday season to arrive, are you? Happy Christmas Everybody!

Favourite Project: Project Life by Becky Higgins

Favourite Holiday Decor

Favourite Wreath

Favourite Little Moments

Favourite Hair

comment and tell me: what are you plans for the 25th December?xo
Check out more of my friday favourites here.

Do-It-Yourself Nail Art: Xmas Edition

2011-12-23T03:52:00.000-08:00

I like to dress up on christmas day; fancy dresses; hair straightened; more make-up and this year I will be adding fancy nail art to the list. Over the past few weeks I've been experimenting with different patterns and pictures, trialing them on my friends and myself, I've even invested in some proper pens-rather than using up my mums cocktail sticks! In true blogger style, I've done plenty of research and found some incredibly original ideas that got me feeling festive before December had even begun! I know my previous nail art post went down a storm, so here's my christmas edition, happy holidays!

My Nails!

My Inspiration!

comment and tell me: what will you be wearing on christmas day?xo

Dear Santa

2011-12-22T06:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa,
I have been a really good girl this year and would you please please please bring me....

Ever since we were young, we've believed with all our hearts that a fat man would climb down the chimney and leave a pile of presents underneath the tree, so who's to say that just because we have to grow up the magic of christmas has to stop!
I've got my two front teeth this year, so here are some other suggestions! please...

Topshops Faux Leather Shorts

River Island Shoobs

Anthropologie Calendar

comment and tell me: whats on your wish list?xo

Last Minute Shopping

2011-12-22T03:34:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that right up until christmas eve people are charging around the shops, desperately searching for the inspiration that will lead them to the perfect gift. Well, more often than not, we end up with the duds of the shelf because we've left it way too late. But to prevent this happening for the hundredth year running, I've prepared a little guide of things to buy him, her, them, because, we still have 3 days left and you never know, this could be the year where you prove that your presents under the tree are thoughtful and that you haven't just chosen it because there was nothing left!

For Him
Ralph Lauren Eau de Toilette

Reinbeer - us girls aim to please and I'm sure these jolly beers will go down a treat, especially if we choose his favourite brand!

Apple iPhone - let's be honest, who doesn't want one?

iPhone Camera Lenses - to go with the phone! Perfect for the budding photographer who cant carry round a giant SLR

For Her
Le Creuset Dish - the epitome of all home cooking!

Kitchen Aid Mixer - to go with her new Le Creuset dish

Anthropologie Monogrammed Mug - personalize your gift by choosing her name!

Yankee Candle - christmas in a candle!

comment and tell me: when do you finish all your christmas shopping?xo

Hyde Park

2011-12-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I took a small family trip to London and visited Hyde Park's Christmas Winter Wonderland. We browsed through the market stalls and oohed and ahhed at bizzare adrenaline junkies throwing themselves upside down and round and round on gut-wrenching rides. I took my camera along with me and took a couple of shots of the best bits which got me in the perfect wintery mood!

Travel back to your childhood!

Sweet-toothed heaven!

comment and tell me: whats the best thing at christmas fair?xo

Tag, You're It!

2011-12-19T02:19:00.000-08:00

So in the past couple of weeks, I've done multiple posts on christmas labels to write your special christmas message on each present. I've done a lot of blog spotlights and I think it's time I showed you my ideas instead of blabbing on about everyone else's! I took inspiration from lots of well-known loved christmas songs, typography was also a huge part of my labels! Hope you guys find these as inspiring as those I've blogged about!

comment and tell me: whats your favourite christmas song?xo

sunday seven: best places to be at christmas

2011-12-18T06:33:00.000-08:00

For me, waking up in a bed thats not mine on christmas day doesnt exactly play a big part in my perfect christmas. However, if I were to be offered a small trip before christmas festivities, well, it would be rude to turn it down! I suppose there are two types of holiday that would cross your mind at this particular time of year - hot or snowy...
Here in England, it's not particularly renowned to be a white christmas so the thought of experiencing snow is truly magical. On the other hand, who in their right mind would turn down a week on a tropical beach with white sands and heat that we would have to wait another six months to experience?
So in case any of you have packed your suitcases and are just looking for inspiration on where to hop on a plane to (unlikely I know, but it makes a good blogging subject!), here are the seven best places to visit this time of year, whatever the weather!

New York (my previous post)

Paris

Lapland

Sydney

Germany

Bangkok

Caribbean

comment and tell me: where is top of your christmas travel bucket list?xo

Yes or No?

2011-12-17T07:20:00.000-08:00

What do you think about the new design?

please comment and tell me your opinions!xo

Jar of Hearts

2011-12-17T06:31:00.000-08:00

When this season comes round, many of us are left gazing hopefully at our purses, using our christmas wish to ask for an unlimited purse, so that we can buy anything and everything for friends and family. However, we all know this is extremely unlikely and we must try our best to buy presents that are thoughtfully cheap. This year, I opted for handmade gifts that cost next to nothing, my favourite idea being an old jam jar filled to the brim with colourful sweets and confectionaries, and let me tell you, they went down an absolute treat..

You'll Need

Kilner Jar (I recommend IKEA)
Lots of sweets - depending on amount of jars
Pretty ribbon
Vintage hand-drawn labels

Sweets aren't the only thing you could fill your jars with, here are some other ideas:

Cookies-justgivemestamps

Homemade Sugar Scrub-Tidy Mom

Classic Cocoa - My Recipes

Soup-maryeaude

Popcorn - You Are My Fave

(as seen in my sunday seven)

Journal - Make & Takes

comment and tell me: whats your top tip on saving money at christmas?xo

friday favourites.

2011-12-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

Ah, friday again so bring on a weekend of early festivities, celebrations with friends and family and final preparations for christmas! So in true What The Heart Desires style, here are my favourites this friday ...

Favourite Manicure

Favourite Accessory (tumblr)

Favourite Way of Life (tumblr)

Favourite Truth

Favourite Song To Get You Feeling Festive

comment and tell me: what's the ultimate xmas song?xo

Handmade Holidays

2011-12-15T08:41:00.000-08:00

In searching for things to blog about that will interest you and something I can actually do myself, I came across a booklet on Ruche which demonstrates lots of holiday crafts, but not only christmas, every holiday of the year! The booklet shows you how to bake specific holiday foods or how to make crafty ornaments, here's a pick of my favourite different crafts. It really is a special book, check it out!

comment and tell me: what do you think of Ruche's website?xo

Christmas Cookies!

2011-12-14T11:06:00.000-08:00

I posted this delicious cookies on my sunday seven and recently my friend baked a batch up and they really are as cute as they sound! Wrap a few up in a celophane bag with some curly ribbon and you've proved that you've put blood sweat and tears into a truly special gift, heres the recipe I found on Bubble and Sweet

Ingredients and Equipment
1 Batch Triple Chocolate Cookies (click here for recipe and instructions). A full batch will make approx 40 cookies.
White fondant icing (you can get this at the supermarket in the baking aisle or cake decorating stores)
Red and green food colour - Wilton Gel or Americolor
As an alternative to the food colour you could use red mini m&ms and green sprinkle toppings or lollies.

Make a batch of Triple Chocolate Cookie dough reducing the amount of white chocolate chip cookie by half CLICK HERE FOR CHOCOLATE COOKIE RECIPE. Chill the dough in fridge for approx 1 hour.

Shape into cookies using 1 slightly rounded Australian Tablespoon (4 slightly rounded US Teaspoon) of dough and slightly flatten the dough. Pop extra white chocolate chips or coloured mini M&M's on the top of the uncooked cookies see picture for example.

Bake at 160C (320 F) for 10 to 12 mins or until just baked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie trays for 5 mins before removing to cooling rack.

Once cool decorate with fondant topping.

My cookies ended up about 7.5cm (3") in diameter. So I used a round cutter of approx the same size to cut out a half circle shape. If you don't have a cutter the right size you can use the rim of a clean cupI then used a 4cm flower cutter that I squished down a little bit flatter to cut out the pudding shapeMake a small round fondant 'cherry' for the top or use a mini red m&m.
Also make some leaves, I made a tiny oval, flattened it out and then pinched the edges.Then arrange the cherry and leaves on the top of the white fondant how ever you like. I used a tiny teensy amount of water to stick them down.

comment and tell me: whats your favourite baked present?xo

we're all mad here...

2011-12-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

Join the Mad Hatter and Alice and throw a tea party! They're the perfect way to get everyone together and enjoy delicate food that often you wouldnt get to eat. I'm going to one this weekend and I'm so excited, tea parties are original and are the perfect excuse for a party for foodies like me; tieing together socialising and eating cake and sweets, my two favourite things! I've put together some of my best tips on how to throw the ultimate tea party...

Bake. Baking is the perfect way to show you've made an effort and flaunt your baking skills, there's nothing more appreciated than a beautifully iced cupcake or a delicately made meringue. Make sure you are well prepared and make all the food well in advanced - you dont want things to still be in the oven when they arrive.
Decorate. Go all out and impress your guests with vintage inspired decor; bunting, doilies, flags + labels, table cloths and pretty stands. Use pretty floral fabrics and polka dots to really tie together the vintage theme
Dress to the Occasion. It would be fantastic if your tea party was themed like alice and wonderland or if everyone had to go dressed in certain colours. If there is no dress code, make sure you're not overly dressed, tea parties tend to be pretty casual.

Look out for a future post on the best food recipes + decor for a tea party!

comment and tell me: whats the best food served at tea parties?xo

sunday seven: Crafty Christmas Gifts

2011-12-11T02:25:00.000-08:00

I know that I do seem to be going on rather a lot about christmas crafts but I am genuinely really excited about showing people you care with a little handmade gift! I have made my own tags for my pressies, many of my presents have been made by moi or I have added a little handmade touch! So, up until christmas, I promise to blog about ways to make your christmas even more special! Here's seven special gift ideas....

1. Kirstie Allsopps Heart Garland

2. Mufn Inc Lantern

3. Kirstie Allsopp's Labels

4. You Are My Fave's Edible Jars

5. Edible Crafts Christmas Pudding Cookies

6. Martha Stewart's Etched Glasses

7. Martha Stewart's Rolled Candles

comment and tell me: would you appreciate a handmade gift more than a shop bought one?xo

friday favourites.

2011-12-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

1 week left of school. 2 weeks left until christmas. 3 weeks left till the new year. Wow, so only three more friday favourites left in 2011, scary thought..So lets start of this countdown with my traditional friday favourites...

Favourite Sentiment

Favourite Laugh

Favourite Craft (DIY wrapping paper)

Favourite Photo Opportunity

Favourite Shoes (see my heels post)

comment and tell me: what do you plan on doing to make this christmas special?xo

Eco Invite

2011-12-07T08:32:00.000-08:00

Festive parties are just around the corner and we should be expecting invites somewhere in among christmas post...or maybe not; if it really is time to green then the festive season is no excuse to ignore one of the biggest projects of the entire population - being eco-friendly. Luckily, there is another option, websites are now offering online ways of posting our invites, Paperless Post. Now of course, this doesn't have to be restricted to the christmas season and can be used any time of the year, to absolutely any occasion; party, dinner, christening or even wedding (though that might be taking eco-friendly to the extreme!)

In spirit of my blog, I have signed up to one of the most popular sites - paperlesspost - and to be completely honest, I was pretty surprised with my findings. I was expecting cheap, unnecessarily bright invites, written in comic sans with silly borders and clip art images. Thankfully I was proved wrong, and actually these websites are well worth a go, obviously nothing can compare to an expensive looking printed paper invite but they come a close second. You can either choose to pay a small fee for customization or if you're less worried about the standards of the invite, then free invites are available.

In the true fashion of Blue Peter, here is one I made earlier...

comment and tell me: what would you think if you opened one of these?xo

trend alert: leggings!

2011-12-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

Leggings are the new comfier version of jeans and luckily the highstreet has enlightened us with more than the basic black leggings and the rather embarrassing jeggings; now dont get me wrong under the right circumstances, jeggings are completely acceptable, as long as they are stretchy jeans, not the elasticated, obviously not-denim-but-trying-to-be jeggings!
Luckily for us, we can enjoy this look with a lot more creativity and style as we are able to choose from wet look leather leggings to printed leggings to wolly leggings, all of which offer a little more than the £10 primark jeggings, here are what I think are the best leggings on offer at reasonable prices...

from left to right: Boohoo (£10.00), New Look (12.99), River Island (£18.00), Lauren Conrad, Paper Crown ($156.00)

comment and tell me: what is your favourite way to wear leggings?xo

On the fourth day of christmas...

2011-12-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

I know life is possibly too short to have a handmade christmas and to make each christmas unique, however I've decided that life is too short not to! Over the next four weeks, I'll be showing you my ideas and plans on how my christmas will be made by me and how my house will be decorated with holiday crafts I have made myself!

Idea 1: Christmas Labels

So I'm starting of simple with some designs I've found on some fellow blogs. I think a label is one of the easiest ways of adding some loving homemade touches to your gifts. My favourites would include a kitschy font and some typography on unbleached luggage tags, stamps also help to create the desired look. The best design I've come across is on the blog Eat Drink Chic, where the labels are the epitome of my handmade christmas. Take a look at her blog for the free printables...

comment and tell me: what do you plan on doing to make your christmas crafty?xo

sunday seven: a permanent mark

2011-12-04T02:23:00.000-08:00

I often look at people with tattoos and wish I had the guts to get one myself but I'm too much of a coward to have one picture permanently etched onto my skin, right up until the wrinkles appear and everything is heading south. However just because I don't have the pain threshold to withstand a tattoo doesn't mean I can't admire the ink drawings, so here are my sunday seven favourite tattoos...

comment and tell me: where would you get a tattoo?xo

friday favourites.

2011-12-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that this week seems to have sped on by, as per the weekend is welcomed with open arms. And to kickstart our regular two day holiday, here are my favourites that have kept me going...happy friday!!

Favourite Feeling

Favourite Feel-Good Film

Favourite Nail Art

Favourite Dream

Favourite Inspiration

comment and tell me: whats your dream?xo

Christmas Spirit

2011-12-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

The first of december means that christmas is just a short distance away! Soon family will be arriving and it will become a time for loved ones, however, if staying home and local isnt really your thing, you're in luck because today I have decided to blog about the most magical time of year in the most magical place on the earth...if you haven't already guessed it, here are a couple clues:

this year, the world famous christmas tree reaches an almighty 74ft high!
the tree alone attracts over 2.5 million people
the most magical attraction of all would have to be the ice rink that stands infront of the world renowned rockefellar centre

did you get it?NYC of course!!

There's a reason why New York is the home of so many well loved christmas films, as at christmas, New York offers even more than usual; sparkly lights, snow, santa and disney-like parades!

I wanted to share with you the most magical pictures, whether they inspire you to book a flight to the big apple or simply just gets you in the festive mood, I hope to make your day!

comment and tell me: where would you spend your perfect christmas?xo

brrrrrr!

2011-11-30T01:05:00.000-08:00

From tomorrow it is officially winter however the weather has decided not to wait around and dragon breath and goosebumps are now permanent accessories to daily wardrobe! But ladies, fear not, because the high street is very understanding and there are ways to keep your chills at bay, for such a small cost as well! Here are my top tips for keeping warm and surviving this global chilling!

There's no need to hurry to the sales and stores, this winter, as shops are supplying snug knitwear without the old grandad style-esque patterns or colours. Check out my trend alert post on this seasons best knitwear

For us coldys who need a little more than layers to keep us warm, there are many methods that I am no stranger to; they're simple, if not a little obvious, yet very effective! Here's what I think...

cosy in front of the fire with a steaming cup of (enter hot drink of your choice). This will not only warm up your insides but wrap your hands around your mug and voila...hand warmers, body warmers and a drink all in one.
ginkgo bilboa is a herbal remedy that helps to speed up your circulation. It also has the ability to help memory and brain functionality, two-in-one!
do something. If we sit around moaning about our chills, we'll get colder. If we get up and cook, clean, run...just move in general, we'll get warmer and fitter. It seems to me that whatever we do to keep warm has added bonuses, so why not follow these tips and get warmer, fitter and smarter!

comment and tell me: whats the method to your madness when it comes to keeping warm?xo

25, 24, 23, 22....

2011-11-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

Today it is the 28th of november; in 3 days it will be the 1st of december and the countdown to christmas will begin. Little children will start the count by opening the first window of their chocolate advent calenders, devouring each miniscule treat a day at a time, waiting eagarly for Father Christmas and Rudolph to grace their chimneys. But whose to say that it's only the little-uns who can enjoy the run up to christmas?or the chocolate lovers, come to think of it? This year I plan to have a homemade christmas, advent calender included! Here are a few ideas...

comment and tell me: which ones your favourite?xo

sunday seven: mail me!

2011-11-27T02:43:00.000-08:00

In this new technological era, we share our thanks through emails, we talk via tweets, we flirt with texts. Theres a heartwarming quote from one of my favourite films, No Strings Attached, where ashton kutcher says "so you can't text me, you can't email me and you can't write on my wall", I reckon the sweetest way to tell someone something is via card or letter, you can't go wrong with a good old-fashioned love letter! So if you are going to listen to my advice, here are 7 of the best cards to write your letter in....

if you're going for the comical effect...

if you're going for the sensitive effect...

if you're going for the sweet effect...

if you're going for the creative effect...

if you're going for the romantic effect...

if you're going for the nerdy effect...

if you're going for the childish effect...

comment and tell me: when was the last time you sent a card?xo

paperchase, paperchase, paperchase, rob ryan, oh so cherised, poppysparkles, temptation gifts

Take Me Back: to black and white

2011-11-26T03:55:00.000-08:00

A bucket list is a checklist of things you wish to accomplish over a time, this year I decided to make one. So far I have managed to tick off almost everything; watch nothing but disney films for a whole day, read almost every jodi picoult book, visit brighton, see legally blonde live in London...watch my first ever black and white film. Lucky for me, on a film channel it was Audrey Hepburn weekend - one of my heroes - she just so happened to be the lead in a black and white film called Sabrina. It was a beautiful film which completely satisfied my desire to watch a black and white film! Here a some of my favourite clips of the film!

comment and tell me: whats your favourite black & white film?xo

friday favourites.

2011-11-25T08:13:00.000-08:00

It's the globes favourite day today, friday. I mean who doesn't get excited over friday?works done and its finally time to relax! So, Happy Friday guys and in the spirit of Maria Von Trapp, these are some of my favourite things....

Favourite Look

Favourite Dress Code

Favourite Tattoo

Favourite Laugh

Favourite FAD

comment and tell me: whats your most creative fancy dress idea?xo

milk, no sugar!

2011-11-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

A cuppa tea, traditionally british and extremely stereotypical. Now you can't go wrong with a decent cuppa, blanket and a romcom dvd, especially when tea has such amazing health benefits! So I've been doing my research and tea really is good for you, and not just the yucky green stuff...

A website especially dedicated to tea has says tea can...

Help protect cells from the normal, but damaging, physiological process known as "oxidative stress." Although oxygen is vital to life, it's also incorporated into reactive substances called free radicals. These can damage the cells in our body and have been implicated in the slow chain reaction of damage leading to heart disease and cancer.
Help prevent blood clotting
Help lower cholesterol levels
Help neutralize enzymes that aid in the growth of tumors
Help deactivate cancer promoters
Help stimulate the immune system
Help fight against mutagenic agents
Delay aging
Help fight high blood pressure
Help fight against viral and bacterial infection
Help improve the functions of the digestive and excretory systems

To sum it up - by drinking 2-4 cups a day of tea, you can reap in the numerous curative and preventive tea benefits.

comment and tell me: how do you take your tea?xo

Decoupage me!

2011-11-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

On Kirstie's Handmade Britain, Kirstie Allsopp shows us how to use those dreary winter days wisely and make the most of staying inside - getting crafty.
One of my favourite crafts that Kirstie has demonstrated is decoupage, the art of paper! You can update just about anything with some pretty wallpaper or delicate tissue paper, from gigantic furniture like drawers or tables to something much more subtle like photoframes or ornaments. You can decorate anything in just about any pattern, here are my favourite ways to decoupage....

comment and tell me: what would you decoupage?xo

inspiration:ideal home, poppytalk, etsy, kaboodle, not beige

Cobbler!

2011-11-21T09:24:00.000-08:00

Plum and Apple Cobbler

Ingredients:

750g cooking apples

350g ripe plums

juice of 1 lemon

100g golden caster sugar

FOR THE COBBLER

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp cinnamon

50g butter

50g golden caster sugar

1 egg

4 tbsp milk

50g walnut

Method

Preheat the oven to fan 160C/ conventional180C/gas 4. Butter a 1.5 litre ovenproof pie dish.
Peel, core and slice the apples. Halve, stone and quarter the plums. Put the apples in a pan with the lemon juice, sugar and 1 tbsp water. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the plums and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Turn the fruit into the prepared dish. Tip the flour and cinnamon into a bowl, add the butter, cut into small pieces and rub in with your fingertips. Stir in the sugar, then add the egg and milk and mix lightly to a soft batter (this can be done in the food processor).
Drop tablespoonsful of the batter over the fruit, leaving gaps where the fruit peers through, then scatter over the nuts. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping has a crisp brown crust.

comment and tell me: when would you make this for?

quote of the day

2011-11-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

sunday seven: accessorize!

2011-11-20T04:14:00.000-08:00

Life is too short to look boring and bland, therefore the god of fashion created the accessory; necklaces, bracelets, rings and bags were all created in order to turn an outfit from drab to fab!

1. Lacquered Flower Ring, £3.90 Forever 21

2. Filigree Cuff £5.65 Forever 21

3. Feather and Bead Necklace £12.50 Topshop

4. Bow Necklace £58 Dogeared

5. Brown Oversized Hoop Earings £13 River Island

6. Wool Felted Floppy Hat £9.99 New Look

7. The Ultimate: Return To Tiffany's Heart Tag Charm Bracelet £225 Tiffany's

comment and tell me: whats your favourite way to accessorize?xo

Book Club

2011-11-19T03:23:00.000-08:00

Dear my fellow nerds,

It is time for a new read and as you all know, I have an obsession with Jodi Picoult so when I saw the quote "Beautiful" by Jodi Picoult on my latest read, it shot straight to the top of my list of must-reads.

The book is called, the particular sadness of a lemon cake and is written by Aimee Bender. It is a book about feelings and emotions, however Bender has managed to tie these in with one of my favourite things, food.

Young Rosy discovers the ability to taste other peoples feelings via homemade food, she discovers her mothers cravings, a bakers anger and at one point, these feelings are so poignant that she ends up in hospital crying her eyes out. Now this may sound slightly weird however, I started it this morning and I am already on chapter 12. Compelling and gripping are just two words I would use to describe this bizarre tale.

Now don't let me put you off by making it sound science-fictiony and unreal, it really is a wonderful book. You will find yourself trying to decipher every persons emotions and has even left me trying to taste the feelings behind the cookies and cakes...Give it a go, please!

comment and tell me: what emotion do you think would be tasted in one of your homemade goodies?xo

help is on the way

2011-11-18T10:25:00.000-08:00

Here in England, today is the day where we raise money to help children who suffer. Tonight there will be a long show where comedians, singers, actors help do there bit through sketches. This cause is hugely important and I just wanted to take time to think about these children, xo

friday favourites.

2011-11-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

Happy friday my lovelies! And my word am I grateful for the weekend, a week of exams can do that to a person! So I hope that my glee rubs off on you and you are excited as I am for friday, to kick start the weekend, let's get excited about friday favourites!

Favourite Crafty Ideas

Favourite Style

Favourite Treat

Favourite Quote

comment and tell me: whats your favourite craft?xo

d'hiver salade, s'ils vous plait

2011-11-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

This winter warming salad is a great way to keep healthy whilst enjoying a rich tasting succulent meal, it takes into consideration all the seasonal ingredients, like pears, and creates the perfect comfort food to enjoy by the fire.

Ingredients

2 x 120g rocket

pine nuts

16 slices pancetta

2 knobs of butter

1 tsp olive oil

4 pears, peeled, cored, quartered

salt & pepper

1 tsp honey

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp of dijon mustard

150g gorgonzola

Prepare

Distribute the rocket evenly among four serving plates.

Heat a frying pan and toast the pine nuts for three minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove the nuts from the frying pan.

Heat the pancetta in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook until crispy. Remove and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.

Place a knob of butter and the oil into a clean frying pan set over a low heat. Once the butter melts, add the pears, salt, freshly ground black pepper and honey. Turn up the heat and cook for a further five minutes.

Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute, then take the pan off the heat. Remove the pears from the pan, reserving any juice that may be left.

Arrange the pears and pancetta on top of the rocket leaves so each person has four quarters each.

Now put the pan containing the pear juices back on the heat and add the remaining knob of butter, a dash of honey, the mustard, salt and freshly ground black pepper and the pine nuts. Cook the mixture until warmed through.

Pour the dressing over the pears and the rocket. Scatter over the gorgonzola and serve.

comment and tell me: whats your favorite seasonal fruit?xo

add a splash of colour: cranberry sauce

2011-11-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

Christmas is approaching, sort of, and already the shops are filled with seasonal colours that would make even Ebenezer Scrooge start to feel excited for the festive holiday. One of my favorite colours closely related to christmas is red: father christmas' jacket, rudolph's nose, the stockings hung on every mantel piece!

comment and tell me: what colour do you associate with christmas?xo

Language

2011-11-14T09:10:00.000-08:00

Language is one of my favorite things, whether it is english or foreign, it never fails to amaze me. So when Lauren Conrad posted about the french version, I jumped at the chance to share them with you!

I'd love to make one of these and these videos have definitely inspired me to do something linked with language.

comment and tell me: if you were to make one of these videos, where would you choose?

sunday seven: be pictoresque

2011-11-13T02:10:00.000-08:00

Photography is one of those things that can take your breath away, it can be simple or extremely clever..either way it's one of my favorite types of art.
The new year is rolling in quickly and the task of choosing the perfect calender is on my to-do list, of course it cant just be any calender if I'm going to be looking at it everyday for the next year! The most important thing for me to look for in a calender is a stunning photograph, usually of some foreign place I dream of visiting...so if I were to make my own calender, these 7 (I know it should be 12, but it's sunday seven) photographs would be my top contenders for the calender!

Paris

NYC

Venice

Canada

San Francisco

African Sahara

comment and tell me: do you have any breath taking photographs that I should consider putting in my calender?

Disney Wall of Fame

2011-11-12T04:34:00.000-08:00

Now I am no stranger to a good disney film, in fact I have been known to spend a whole sunday watching disney films. I, also, have an obsession with wallpaper. However, I'm not sure if the two go together. Graham & Brown, major interior company, seem to think differently and either I am missing out on a major trend and my flair for interiors isn't all that I thought or they've just gone completely barmy....

I mean, it's not even as if the wallpaper is of cute happy disney characters; the seven dwarfs, bambi, dumbo. Oh no, Graham & Brown have decided to choose one of the scariest disney villains of all classic disney films: the witch/crow from Sleeping Beauty! Now if you ask me, sleeping in the same room as this not-so-beautiful face would surely give me nightmares..

comment and tell me: what disney character would you most like on your walls?and do you like this villainous wallpaper?

never forget.

2011-11-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Today we show respect to our long lost soldiers who fought so bravely for our country over the past, not just those two world wars, but for all the others who have died in vain of this country, may you rest in peace and never be forgotten.

friday favourites.

2011-11-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

Friday is here at last after a week of what seems to have been dragging on forever. The weekend will soon come and go and before we know it, christmas! But first, here are my friday favorites to help commemorate today in our usual blogging way.

Favorite Pattern

Favorite Jewellery

Favorite Tribute to a Film

Favorite To Do List

comment and tell me: which film would you most like to pay tribute to?xo

Bad Lashes!

2011-11-10T08:58:00.000-08:00

Eyeshadow. Check. Gel eyeliner. Check. Volumising Mascara...hmm..now which one to use?

The eyes are my favorite part of the face, they show emotion when all else tries to hide it and they instantly take a face from ordinary to extraordinary. But we were given eyes + beautiful long eyelashes for a reason, and we would be silly not to play up what we have been given, doesn't the saying go make the most of what you've got? But it's all very well buying hundreds of products to help enhance your eyes, but lets be honest, we all want that one mascara that adds instant volume to our lashes, minus the clumps; adds length without the I'm wearing falsies look; and darkens and deepens each lash yet doesn't make us look like we're going to a fancy dress as a panda.

Over the time, I've had my fair share of mascaras, and I've worked out which is best for crying in, partying in and being au natural in....

Best Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Waterproof Lash Building Brush Very Black

Best Natural Looking Mascara

Clinque, Naturally Glossy

Best Priced Mascara

Natural Collection (boots own)

Best Lengthening Mascara

Lancôme Définicils High Definition Mascara

Best Volumising Mascara

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes

Best Falsies!

MAC

comment and tell me: whats your favorite way to dress up your eyes?

Take Me Back: to the brat pack

2011-11-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know, the brat pack are a group of teens in the 80s who were in almost every teenage film made around that time. Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club (my favorite), 16 Candles, St Elmo's Fire are just a few of the many. I was introduced to these films during an english lesson where our teacher found an excuse to let us watch The Breakfast Club, we were supposed to comment on how teenagers are presented in media, but we never got round to actually completing the work, and due to that lesson, I fell in love with the brat pack.

For those of you who have seen The Breakfast Club, I'm sure you'll all agree when I say that Brian (Anthony Micheal Hall) is adorable, I'm a little shamed to admit that he was one of the main reasons I became obsessed with these films.

Films these days lack the pure teen spirit that those of the 80s had, they lack the brat pack.

comment and tell me: who was your favorite?and whats the best brat pack film?xo

trend alert: the big knit

2011-11-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

So as winter rolls in and we see the end of the mild weather, it becomes time to sort out your wardrobe and start shopping for the perfect warm winter outfit. However, this doesn't mean that our wardrobes must suddenly fall into darkness, black tops, navy jeans, plain jumpers, because fear not ladies, there are thousands of shops stocking different knit wear, meaning that no longer must our winter wardrobe be as bleak as the weather outside.

from left to right: H&M (£24.99), Topshop (£40.00), Topshop (£50.00), Jack Wills (£129.00)

comment and let me know: which one is your favorite?xo

m'inspirent

2011-11-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

So today I'm in need of a little inspiration, a little wonder that will kickstart the happy emotions and positive thinking. Whenever I'm in these moods I find that there is nothing better than a little bit of something you love to put you in that can do no wrong moods, whether it be a chunk of chocolate, a scoop of ice cream, a good book, a favorite movie, that one thing can turn your frown upside down!
Now, my favorite pick me up (other than le chocolat, of course) is looking at things that are my fads of the moment, getting excited over something that anyone else would turn a blind eye to, the small things, I guess...

comment and tell me: which of these photos is most inspiring to you?xo

sunday seven: warming up winter

2011-11-06T04:35:00.000-08:00

November is well underway now -did you have a good bonfire evening?- and the cold weather is rolling in. Now my dad is always saying the best way to keep warm is by getting up and doing something, anything that requires thinking of anything other than the cold; so instead of wacking up the heating and spending all weekend by the fire under a blanket (although, that does sound good, doesn't it) I try my hardest to listen to this advice and keep busy, so that when I do stop and relax, it won't just be the fire that is causing me to glow, I'll have the satisfaction of all the things I've managed to do on this cold winter day!

Of course you could get on with the house work, laundry; ironing; cleaning etc, but where is the fun in that? So here are seven fun things that will result in that warm glowy feeling...

1. Slave over a hot stove

2. Tidy up the garden

3. Prepare for afternoon tea

4. Make chutney (check out this recipe!)

5. Organize your winter wardrobe

6. Get crafty

7. Prepare for christmas (cakes should be made in advance!)

comment and tell me: have you made your christmas cake yet? and what are your favorite winter crafts!xo

Tie it in a knot!

2011-11-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

Minnie Mouse first introduced us to the feminine bow! Then Lauren Conrad soon became a bow lover. And then Lady Gaga taught us how to incorporate the bow with our best accessory - our hair! Now this hair style is fun and different however be prepared to be oohed and aahhed at (and possibly stared at!) because this look is definitely far from the casual pony tail or ballerina bun....

Step 1:

put your hair in a pony tail but on the last tie, twist your hair so that the tail is falling over your face and only pull one-third of your hair through to create a bun.

Step 2:

use a bobby pin and clip the start of the 'tail' of your hair to your head.

Step 3:

part the bun equally and then pull the tail back through it - creating a bow - pin this down.

Step 4:

tidy up both sides of your bow, gripping the base to your head and spreading it out evenly.

Step 5:

hairspray it all into place!

comment and tell me: what do you think of this hairstyle + my instructions?and do you have any other different hairstyles, I'd love to try them out! xo

A treat for the around the bonfire!

2011-11-05T05:34:00.000-07:00

Whilst enjoying the fireworks, we do everything we can to keep warm; hot tomato soup, hot chocolates and now these campfire inspired cupcakes, best eaten warm and straight out the oven.
Every one has memories of roasting marshmellows, whether it be on the BBQ or over a campfire, when caramalised and gooey, marshmellows are one of my favorite keep-me-warm treats, so when I came across these cupcakes, I practically started drooling....

Campfire Cupcakes
Ingredients
140g light muscovado sugar
100g self raising flour
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
125ml vegetable oil
3 tbsp milk
50g milk chocolate chips
30g mini marshmellows

Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Tip the sugar, flour, cocoa and baking powder into a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil and milk, then stir together with the dry ingredients until well combined. Add the milk chocolate chips. Place cupcake cases into a 12-hole bun tin. Divide the mixture between the cases, then bake for 20 mins until risen and cooked through. You can now leave to cool and store for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
2. Just before serving (either warm from the oven or cold), arrange marshmallows over the tops of the cakes. Heat grill to medium and pop the cakes under it for 30 secs, watching all the time, just until the marshmallows are lightly browned. Remove and eat straight away.

comment and let me know: what will you be cooking up for everyone round the bonfire?xo

friday favourites.

2011-11-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

so halloween is long gone and bonfire night celebrations are already under way! enjoy these friday favorites on bonfire night and enjoy your friday!

Favorite Firework

Favorite Way to Spend the Evening

Favorite Alternative

Favorite Bonfire Food

Favorite End to an Evening

comment and let me know: how are you celebrating the 5th of november?xo

Shabby Chic

2011-11-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

So I am proud to confess to you all that I am obsessed with interiors and all things creative and crafty, so I thought I would try to prove to you the delight in a gorgeous interior complete with cushions and home made crafty bits.

One particular style that I adore is known as Shabby Chic and requires pastels, worn looking furniture, a home made touch along with a soft, minamilistic, vintage atmosphere about the room. It is combination of all things feminine; pastels, french inspired decor and florals, how could you resist?

So to help demonstrate the pure beauty of this popular interior style, here are a couple of my favorite ways to add some chic towards your room, shabby style!

Bunting! you can make this with any left over material that you have lying about the place. Try to stick to a particular colour scheme (pastels if possible!)

Stripes + Florals define this look, so try to incorporate them into your room as much as possible; cushions, bunting, duvet set, curtains etc!

Age your furniture to tie together your shabby chic room..paint your furniture with your chosen pastel colour and then sand down the paint to make it look de-stressed, like this dresser on www.housetohome.co.uk. Don't worry about taking off too much paint, the more rustic your furniture looks, the better!

comment and let me know: have you tried out any of these handmade shabby crafts?xo

wanderlust

2011-11-02T11:19:00.000-07:00

In my bedroom I have a giant map similar colours to the main globe of this picture and on it I have placed stickers illustrating where I have been throughout my life. Now yes I admit that I have been a fair few places, but this has only lead to me developing something I refer to as wunderlust. The world is a huge place and I have so many plans of visiting many of these cultural and unique places some point in my life, so of course, like any blogger would, I thought I would share some of my ultimate travelling dreams with you...

The ancient land of Bali and Asia

Borneo: look at the eyes...

NYC: concrete jungle dreams are made of.

African Safari: Lions, Zebras, Elephants, Giraffes!

Au Paris: the city of love and fashion

comment and tell me: where do you want to go more than anywhere in the world? where have you been on your travels? have you visited any of my dream travel destinations?xo

Mwah Mwah, Darling!

2011-11-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Lips, the one accessory that you can paint any colour and make look as creative as possible. Whether it be bright bold red or deep sumptuous purple lipstick; bubble gum or pastel pink gloss; nude by lipstick or nude by balm..your lips should always look good.

So here are my tips and suggestions of ways to ensure that your lips are looking pout perfect!

1. Always keep your lips moisturized.

your lips face what ever the weather throws at them, from harsh winds and bitter cold to scorching sun and dry heat, so it is vital that you keep them topped up with a little lip balm (can't go wrong with a little tub of Vaseline!) to ensure that you're never left with flaky dry lips. Added bonus if your balm has SPF 15 in it!

2. Look after those pearly whites.

What is the point of looking after your lips if whats inside them looks vile? You could have the most stunning shade of lipstick on but as soon as you open your mouth, the look is ruined. Obviously, we should be brushing our teeth at least twice a day but they can still be left looking pretty grot. So change your tooth paste to one with added chemicals that add a sparkly white shine to your teeth, I would recommend Colgate Advanced White toothpaste to help you get one step closer to that hollywood smile.

3. Eyes + Mouth...

It is an unspoken rule among us beauty loving girls that if you're going to dress up your lips, it is essential that your eyes are not too OTT either...just imagine a striking red lipstick + bold smoky eyes...you'll look slightly like you're going out trick or treating with the vampires. So rule number 3 ladies, make sure if you're playing up your lips you keep your eyes neutral, a little mascara and possibly a smidgen of cream shadow to even out your tone.

These are my 3 top tips to ensure your lips are as poutable as can be, so go on...try it!

comment and let me know: whats your favorite shade of lippy?xo

Book Club

2011-11-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

One Day, David Nicholls
So the recently book turned smash hit movie is the current read on my bedside table. I'm about three quarters of the way through and I'm struggling to put it down; it's one of those books where not much actually happens yet you still fall madly in love with the characters and i have spent my entire time willing for the right thing to happen to them. Now, I havent seen the film myself, but i have been told that it is definitely one of those books that you should read before seeing the movie and i can see why...

To wet your appetite and make more of you book lovers read David Nicholls, One Day, here is a brief synopsis of what actually happens:

Dexter and Emma spend the night together following their graduation from Edinburgh University in 1988. Though they do not become romantically involved, they become friends and in subsequent years, their lives take them in different directions, but they keep in contact. The novel visits their lives on July 15 in successive years in each chapter for 20 years.

So my lovelies, comment and let me know whether or not you have read this?and if the book is actually better than the film?xo

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

so tonight is the night where nightmares come alive; the goblins, the ghosts, the witches, the wolves.Our streets will be littered with creepy pumpkins that small children will have carved; little children will be knocking on our doors, tricking or treating us...so to keep up the spooky theme, here the best halloween party games!

1. Apple Bobbing is the perfect excuse for getting people soaked!

2. The Mummy Game, who doesnt want to wrap their friends up in rolls of loo roll?

3. Tell Spooky Ghosts Story, dark nights + scary stories = creeped out!

4. Pin the Nose on the Witch, a halloween twist on this classic party game.

5. The Flour Game, this is a family favorite: fill a bowl with flour and mix in a sweet of your choice...then make people get the sweets using only their mouths! it usually ends in spluttering and spitting out a mouthful of flour!

comment and let me know: What are you doing to celebrate halloween this year?xo

sunday seven: Halloween Costumes

2011-10-30T03:45:00.000-07:00

halloween is just around the corner and in case you still havent got your trick or treating costume ready, here are some different ideas...

pirate pumpkin scary clown killer bride

headless man tombstone the aadams family

comment and let me know: what will you be dressing up as?xo

trick or treat!

2011-10-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

Halloween parties are a huge hit and are a great way to experiment with creative presentation of food..it could be limeade made to look like ogre juice, or possibly cupcakes covered with orange icing and bat silhouette biscuits...or even these funny mummy style pizzas that i found on Craftys Cuppa Coffee...

Ingredients:
english muffins
tomato puree
black olives
scallions
red/green pepper
cheese strips/sticks
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350 F/180 C
For each mummy, spread a table spoon of tomato puree on to half a muffin
Set olives in place for the eyes & add pepper for the pupils
Lay strips of cheese across the muffin to look like the mummy's bandages
Bake for 10 mins (or until cheese has melted)

comment and let me know: do you have any other themed foods like these mummy pizzas?xo

friday favourites.

2011-10-28T04:11:00.000-07:00

3 days until halloween, that means it's time to plan all the spooky parties, witches + wizards inspired games and ogre style food. Seeing as it's friday, I've decided to help you guys through the process by sharing with you all my favorite halloween trick and treats!happy friday guys xo

Favorite Halloween Pumpkin

Favorite Halloween Decoration

Favorite Halloween Ideas

http://www.marthastewart.com/276965/halloween

Favorite Halloween Costume (Harry Potter)

Favorite Halloween Trick

Favorite Halloween Treat

Look out for more Halloween posts over the next couple of days!

add a splash of colour: burnt pumpkins

2011-10-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

Colour is one of those things that can bring a smile to your face instantly, changing your mood and creating images and themes spark in your head. In a couple of days time, the roads will be lit by pumpkin light and our roads will be flooded with a burning orange glow, adding a warmth to the night time. These burnt hues are what i associate with autumn, so here are some orange-inspired photographs to kick start what is soon to be a burning pumpkin colour palette...

comment and let me know: do you have a particular burnt orange inspired item?show it!xo

trend alert: lace

2011-10-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

This modern twist on the classic little black dress has become one of my favorite trends. Whether it's lace sleeves on a dress or a completely lace top + bandeau bra, this look is perfect for parties! So where are the best places to get this look? No matter what your price limit is, this look is achievable by all...it's just knowing where to look...

from left to right:Topshop (£28.00), New Look (£39.99), Lauren Conrad, Paper Crown, Ted Baker (£149.00)

comment and let me know: whats your favorite way to wear lace?xo

beauty is in the EYE of the beholder

2011-10-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

gel eyeliner + cat eye flicks = my favorite make up look!

one of my friends is amazing at make-up and with every opportunity, we all get her to do ours, but i would love to know exactly how to do it on myself...so being a blogger, i did what i do best, searched the internet. I came across stunning pictures, some step by steps and then the most useful- the video tutorial. Here are the ones I found best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrh8fASUxAU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtVy7EqpExc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK5XGfFIEDw&feature=relmfu

comment and let me know: got any tips!? or any other make up looks you think i should try out, please comment!xo

sunday seven: dear photograph

2011-10-23T00:37:00.000-07:00

I have come across this fantastic website, that quite frankly, i could waste all day on. Dearphotograph.com is where people upload pictures of past pictures in the present, so clever. Here are seven of my favorites:

try it out and take some of your own, post them as a comment on here!xo

Sweet Cravings

2011-10-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

So it's my friends birthday tomorrow, and as a treat, I decided to make her a scrummy ‘I can’t believe you made that’ cake that i found in Lorraine Pascal's first cooking book, Baking Made Easy (i'd check it out if i were you, it's fab!). I have decided that it will taste just as good as it looks and that my chocoholic of a friend will very much appreciate it! Here's the recipe if you want to give it a go:

Ingredients
vegetable oil or oil spray
200g/7oz butter, softened
200g/7oz caster sugar
4 free-range eggs
140g/5oz plain flour
60g/2½oz cocoa powder
pinch salt
2 tsp baking powder
400g/14oz plain, milk, or white chocolate cigarillos (about 75–80 in total)
For the buttercream
250g/9oz butter, softened
500g/1lb 2oz icing sugar
100g/3½oz good dark chocolate (at least 70 per cent cocoa solids), melted and slightly cooled
For the decoration
Strawberries
Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 180/C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 20cm/8in round deep cake tin with baking paper and brush or spray with oil.
Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until they begin to go pale. Add half of the eggs and half of the flour and mix well. Add the rest of the eggs, flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder and beat for a minute or two until the mixture is uniform. Dollop into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 30–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin.
Meanwhile, make the buttercream: put the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk together until the mixture goes fluffy. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and whisk for a further two minutes.
Once the cake is completely cool, remove it from the tin. Carefully cut the top flat with a large serrated knife. (Eat this bit as a chef’s perk!)
Turn the cake upside down on a 20cm/8in cake board so that the bottom now becomes a nice flat top. Split the cake horizontally and sandwich the top and bottom together with a 1cm/½in layer of buttercream.
Spread half of the remaining buttercream all over the top and sides of the cake, making it as smooth as possible. Put it in the fridge to set before doing another layer - this makes it much easier to get neat squared-off edges.Gently push the cigarillos vertically onto the sides of the cake, positioning them as straight as possible and making sure they touch the bottom.
The next step is up to you - I can’t tell you the wide-eyed looks you’ll get when you walk into a room holding this finished cake. Serve with a self-satisfied grin.

friday favourites.

2011-10-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

here in the UK, we have a week off starting now...so thank goodness it's friday! Here's my classic favorites..

Favorite Classic Glasses

Favorite Classic Camper Van

Favorite Classic Car

Favorite Classic Dress

Favorite Classic Handbag (Miss Dior)

So do you agree with my classics? or do you think Chanel makes the best classic handbag?xo

Belle of the Ball

2011-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

So today is the school fashion show and we're modelling fashion dresses. Flatteringly, I have been chosen to

model two of the dresses, both of which are extremely flattering! I have to wear these incredible wedges to make me 3 inches taller, broaching 5 ft 11"!!! And yes, I may be pretty dire at walking in them, but i have been practicing and hopefully I wont fall over and embarrass myself...Anyways, these skyscrapers of shoes have inspired me to look for some absolutely jaw dropping heels, enjoy girlies!xo

Home is where the heart is...

2011-10-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

Latest trend in the UK at the moment is designer Emma Bridgewater and I am not ashamed to admit that I too, am obsessed with her! Her crockery and china is kitchy and very homely; she's so popular that people have started to copy her designs, however these are not quite as good! Here are some of my favorite home furnishings:

and you can even personalize!!!

so let me know what you think of her work...and if you have any designers you want to spotlight! xo

sunday seven: sunday brunch

2011-10-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

at my friends house, the saying breakfast is the most important meal is definitely true. there is always something a lot more exciting than cereal or toast. a good brunch to help make the weekend something to look forward to.

1. Pancakes (with fruit is my fave)

2. Bacon Butty

3. Porridge (with banana + honey!!)

4. Full English

5. Bagels + Jam

6. Breakfast Omelette

7. Smoothies

I love a good porridge on a cold day, or a thick smoothie to top up the fruit intake!

What are your favorite breakfast ideas?

leopard print nails

2011-10-15T03:16:00.000-07:00

so here, as promised, are my leopard print nails inspired by Lauren Conrad.

Have any of you guys been inspired by my nail art blog? if so, let me know and maybe I'll do a post on your nails, or even try them for myself....
xo

friday favourites.

2011-10-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

So the weather has suddenly turned cold here in England, and seeing as it's friday, I thought I would post my favorite ways to keep warm and cosy!

favorite drink

favorite throw

favorite way to keep warm

favorite snuggily outfit

what are you doing to keep warm?!xo

Book Club

2011-10-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

HAPPINESS IS A CUP OF COFFEE & A REALLY GOOD BOOK.

So if you are smart and have looked at the rest of my blog (of course you have, you'd be stupid not too) you would have noticed that my favorite read is Jodi Picoult's Perfect Match. Now i'm no stranger to Jodi Picoults books; I have 14. S

If you haven't read this book I will give you a little synopsis of what happens: So a little boy called Nathaniel goes mute one day and his mother, who is a lawyer herself, takes him to physiotherapy where they work out he has been abused. The whole story is about the turn of tables when the lawyer is suddenly the victim...and how work and personal life shouldn't mix.
It's brilliant. Harrowing, but brilliant!
I was wondering if any of you have read this book, what your thoughts are on it; the characters, the plot, the ending...
What are your favorite books? Maybe book club could be regular, just let me know which ones you want to talk about..
xo

Do-It-Yourself Nail Art!

2011-10-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

So i have a party at the weekend so went searching for some interesting and unique nail art that will complete my party outfit! I came across a blog called http://diynails.tumblr.com where a lady has posted lots of the designs that she sells at her company.
Here are some of my favorites.

some others i came across!

I'm planning on doing Lauren Conrad's leopard print nails for the party, will show you the end result soon!

Are you inspired by any of these? Any fruity ideas to challenge the kiwi? Let me know, I'm always looking for new creative looks!xo

sunday seven: Television Q&A

2011-10-09T02:47:00.000-07:00

I love TV, so I thought I would share with you the shows I love the most.

Top 5 television shows:

1. Glee

2. Pretty Little Liars

3. Friends

4. The Hills

5. Britain's Next Top Model

Who is your favorite character in 2?

Spencer: toby is hot and i love how she isn't afraid to be herself

What is your favorite season of 5?

The one just gone, season 7

What’s your favorite relationship in 3?

Chandler and Monica

Who is your anti-ship in 2?

Emily and Paige, Paige is nasty!

Who is your favorite actor in 4?

Lauren Conrad, what a role model

If you could be anyone from 1, who would you be?

I would be Rachel, she may be annoying but she has it all

Which has better theme music, 1 or 5?

1 obviously! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWEeePBXUFc

What are your favorite TV shows? Who do you pine over or wish to be killed off? Do you share any of the same opinions as me? Comment and tell me! xo

elephants never forget

2011-10-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

elephants have such a strong bond with each other that they never forget who to protect and who is family. sweet, huh?
Looking at this photo, you can tell that, just like us, family is one of the greatest values in life for an elephant; the mum standing protectively over her baby. In my next life, I want to be an elephant, just for the pure fact that they care for one another so much, family would matter just as much as it does now.

What are your views on family?xo

friday favourites.

2011-10-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Every Friday I am going to share a few of my current favourites but be careful, because it's a girls prerogative to change her mind...

Favorite Read

Favorite Home Accessory

Favorite Look

Favorite Destination

Are you as obsessed with cushions as me!? If so, link me some of your favorites!
Have a good friday, xo