Easter Lemonade.

Happy Easter! X x

Brunch Favourites.

One meal that isn’t my fav is a full English (am I still English?) there’s just something about the grease that makes me feel like I’ve been put in a deep fat fryer after I’ve eaten it. But this is my alternative which I could eat alldayeverday and not even feel guilty about it. If you haven’t tried this or something similar I urge you to. Feel free to switch it up abit by adding toast, more veg, meat etc.

I think smoothies are genius. Technically abit gross, with everything blended up, but they taste ~amazing~. Keeping with the theme, spinach is involved.. obviously. These make you feel full whilst also getting a load of healthy foods. If we ever run out of spinach for some crazy reason, I can recommend using anything green- from raw broccoli to celery whatever you have, it does still taste good.

Boiled eggs & soldiers just reminds me of my childhood, I must have had dippy eggs for breakfast most days. Adding asparagus just makes it even tastier and makes it feel like a more adult breakfast.

What are your brunch favourites?

Spring Style Essentials.

As I write this there are blue skies, the sun is shining and the trees are blossoming (FINALLY.) And although I haven’t seen a butterfly or bumblebee yet, the sun is enough to shut me up for now. It’s still a bit chilly out but a few daffodils are enough to start picking out some pretty pieces. So, I thought I’d share a handful of my picks for spring…

Lacy Strappy Bras.
I am definitely not a jewellery person- I wish I was, but I’m just too forgetful. However, I never (well usually don’t) forget to wear a bra. I  love wearing these underneath a shirt with a couple of buttons undone or a low-cut top. They are so sassy and just kinda jazz up the chest- basically my alternative to a necklace.

Pleated Midi Skirts.
If I was a piece of clothing I’d be a midi skater skirt, they are by far my fav thing to wear. I love 50s/60s fashion and when I wear these I always feel like I’m channelling that. I will admit I have a few…but I am currently obsessed with this pink velvet one from ASOS. They look super cute with converse or dressed up with heels.

Culottes. 
Whenever I wear ‘usual’ trousers, I always feel like I’m going to work but culottes have that casual look to them- especially with some trusty converse. & they are so so comfy.

Pretty Tops.
Everything looks prettier when the sun comes out and frilly, stripy, colourful, detailed (the list goes on) tops look so good in Spring. & the best thing about pretty tops is that you can wear them with anything e.g. trousers, culottes, jeans, skirts…

Cute Bags.
Little pretty bags to make those pretty outfits look even prettier. A bag like this one is perfect, as it fits everything in but it’s still small enough to hold as a clutch (the amount of tiny bags I am no longer able to use because of having an iPhone Plus is v v sad!)

C O N V E R S E.
And last but by no means least, my fav shoes in the whole wide world. My step-sis is currently planning her wedding and she said how she plans to wear converse under her wedding dress- and that’s all I need to say really. They’re just the best shoe, they go with everything, last for 10000s of years and always look super cute. Love you Chuck Taylor X

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SHOP THE POST

 

 

Lacy Strappy Bra.
Pleated Midi Skater Skirt.
Culottes.
Stripe Ruffle Top.
Ruffle Bag.
Converse.

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Spring Lips.

It’s HERE! Technically it’s still Winter but as soon as I noticed a little cluster of flowers that had sprouted up out of nowhere I automatically starting saying ‘it’s spring.’ Spring is one of my favourites (although, I notice I say that about every season.) But blossom is just too pretty. It’s crazy how much a blue sky, a bit of sun and a few flowers can produce so much optimism/happiness/motivation etc. It’s just crazy uplifting, don’t you think?

I’m so excited for light evenings, so it feels acceptable to go and sit in a beer garden after work. For pretty dog walks, iced coffees, mojitos (as they taste so much better when the suns shining), driving with the windows down (!!!!), butterflies (!!!!!!!), and BBQ’s (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Ah, so much excitement.

I don’t know about you but when Spring comes I automatically start whipping out brighter colours from my wardrobe and I think the lips are begging for a brightening too. Lipstick is obviously a huge staple for most females make-up bags but I think most stick to their usual colours that they feel comfortable with. But now the suns shining and we are slowly coming out of hibernation, it’s a good opportunity to mix things up in the make-up dept.
These are a few high-street lipsticks to brighten up your pout for Spring…

Sleek Matte Me Lip Gloss- Shabby Chic, £4.99.
You can never really go wrong with Sleek Make-up & this lipstick is perfect for Spring. It’s very mauve which is so so pretty and one of the smoothest liquid lipsticks I’ve used. This is probably the darkest I go in Spring time, otherwise I end up feeling a little too Autumnal. Ps. This is so long lasting!

Sleek Power Pump Lip Crayon- Fully Fuschia, £5.49.
Oh another Sleek. If you’re not into Matte lips or Glossy lips, this is the one for you. It’s more like lipstick consistency but the crayon design makes it way easier to apply. I would rarely wear this colour (even though it’s super pretty) but it’s just a little too pink for me. However… it looks fabulous on other people. My sister worked it for a party and side note, it looks so good with a black dress and subtle make-up.

KIKO Pencil Lip Gloss- Pink Glitter, £3.90.
So a KIKO store just opened where I live and lets just say Kiko will for sure be featuring in a lot more posts… the products are lush. I was pretty much testing everything in the store when I came across this gem. The best way I can describe it is a lipliner/lipstick/lip crayon/lipgloss- all into one little stick. It’s not super pigmented which I actually really like because it looks subtle and v natural- like your pout naturally sparkles. Ps. I’ve used this over the top of a bolder matte lip just to jazz it up a bit.

NYX Professional Makeup Round Lipstick- Snow White, £4.00.
I think it’s important to always have a classic, no matter what season it is. For me, red is the go-to. This lipstick has some coral tones to it, which I think gives it that Spring vibe. NYX’s products are always super pigmented which is so appealing when looking for a bright/bold lipstick.

 

Pancakes.

It’s Pancake day on Tuesday and today I spent the day making a stack of fluffy American pancakes- in order to perfect it for Tuesday. I’ll be totally honest pancakes aren’t my fav, they never have been really. Maybe it’s something to do with the word ‘cake’ being involved, but I do lovvvve making them- something v satisfying about the way they look. As well as listening to ‘Send Me On My Way’ – the Matilda pancake song (if you know, you know) whilst making them. There are endless options to top your pancakes… I went for a Nutella batch, a lemon batch and my personal fav ~berries & yoghurt~.
Happy Pancake Day!
(& let me know what topping you went for.)

 

How To Have A Productive Morning.

Having a productive morning usually = the whole day being productive or at least, getting it all out of the way. Since having a job and a blog I like to try to plan my time. I usually spend the weekday evenings in a bubble bath and weekend evenings drinking alcohol. So I ~try~ my best to have productive mornings.

Rise Early.
I know it’s easier said than done, but just try to resist the snooze button. And I know weekends were basically designed for lay-ins but I do secretly love it when I wake up at 8am on a Saturday and can’t get back to sleep. Sometimes I lay in bed and watch a film or I will get up and ready. It means the day is way longer (and you can fit a nap in later.)

 

Breakfast.
If you want to be productive you need to eat- not only to be energised and all that rubbish but, because if you don’t eat you will probably spend the rest of the morning having to stop because your stomach rumbles are too distracting.

Diary.
I could no longer live without my diary, probably because I have a v forgetful memory so I neeeeeeed to write everything down. But there’s something that makes everything feel a little more organised if it’s actually on paper. I use my diary as abit of a daily to-do list and ticking the stuff off is oddly satisfying.

 

Journal.
My journal is literally my most precious possession. It’s kind of like my head on paper, where all of my crazy thoughts go. It helps sooo much with my productivity. Not only am I the biggest day dreamer but my head is also rammed with thoughts, so whenever I’m having a moment were I’m drifting or getting too stressed I open my journal and write anything that comes to mind. For me my journal is like my outlet so if you’re not the writing type pick something that fits for you e.g. drawing, dancing, running. I use the Pause journal from kikki.K that has pages and pages of thought provoking quotes and ideas. + Journals are the best to look back on!

 

Music.
This may not be for everyone as sometimes music has the opposite affect on some people. For me music zones me out, so if I want to get really stuck into something listening to music helps. However, if your the type that needs silence that’s totally fine- go with what works for you.

 

Environment/Atmosphere.
Make sure you’re working from somewhere that makes you ~want~ to get stuff done.
This also really depends on the type of person you are and what sense is your strongest/ the one you identify most with… So if you’re a visual person it’s unlikely that working from a dull room will increase your productivity. & the atmosphere plays a big part… natural light vs artificial light, smells, sounds, people etc.

 

 

 

 

Skincare.

I will admit I’m super lazy when it comes to my facial skincare. So… along with trying to take more care of myself this year, that I touched upon in my >>2017<< post. I decided to add skincare to the list. I’ve had a much stricter skincare routine for a few weeks now (which my skin is ~loving~) so I thought I’d share my current fav products.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water.
I had heard so much about this I had to try it. I’m not a fan of waters and toners as I have no faith that they actually do anything. But, when I tried this I loved it. I personally, couldn’t use it to remove all of my make-up but it works perfectly after I’ve cleansed and before I apply moisturiser.

L’Oreal Paris Pure Clay Detox Mask.
The USP for me is the smell. It smells ~insane~. It’s really creamy which makes it feel thick on the skin and like it is actually detoxing. It’s probably one of the few facemasks that leaves my skin with a noticeable change . However… I’m not sure how it would be for sensitive skin as it’s so highly perfumed- I can imagine it would irritate/sting.

Yes To Tomatoes Pore Scrub.
I was drawn to this product as it’s so natural with minimum chemicals, which did make me question whether something so natural would work when my skin is being stubborn. But it really works. It’s pretty coarse which really cleans and exfoliates the skin. I use this around every other day to give my skin a deep cleanse. It’s also quite drying, which dries out any breakouts. I have normal-oily skin so it works really well but if you’ve got dry skin, I think it may be too much.

Formula 10.0.6. Moisturiser.
If you have normal to oily skin you will love this. I’ve never been able to use moisturiser before applying make-up, as after a few hours I start shining. However, this works sooo well. The consistency is kinda like a gel rather than a cream, which dries so fast but leaves my skin smooth and soft. I use this both morning and at night.

Yes To Grapefruit Brightening Facial Wipes.
These are by far my favourite out of all of my skincare products. They are ~amazing~. The quality is so impressive- they are huge and so thick! Plus, they smell good and are v natural. I like to use them when I’m feeling super sleepy and need waking up in the morning, or after a facemask. I don’t want to get into the habit of using these too often, as they make my skin feel so refreshed and I wouldn’t want my skin to get used to them and not have the same effect.

What are your favourite skincare products?

 

2017.

Happy New Year! How has another year passed already? I hope you had an amazing Christmas and New Years Eve. It’s been way too long since my last post, I had the flu for a week- I’m not making excuses, I wont lie I didn’t really know what I wanted to write. I have so many ideas for this year but I didn’t want to just go straight in without a happy new year post. But then I also, didn’t want to ramble on about new years resolutions or any of the clichés so I spent a few weeks procrastinating.

Anyway…. I thought oh why not.

I think it’s good to have ~goals~. I’m not the type of person who has 1/5/10+ year plans, who sticks to it religiously- I am waaaay to indecisive for that shit. I was saying to my Mum the other day I kinda feel like I’m just blagging life, half the time I don’t know what’s going on or where I’m going (literally, I regularly get lost when I’m just trying to drive home from somewhere.) But I said I kind of like it, there’s something nice about not knowing where I will be 10 years. I have no clue what job I could be doing, I could be married, single, happy, sad…It’s so so daunting but so so exciting. (Oh so deep.) All that being said, I do have a few things floating around in my head that I am aiming for, realistic things.

-Healthy. This isn’t a cliché one of go on a major diet, loose weight, blah… It’s just to look after my body a little more. So, eat more fruit and veg, drink more water, get more fresh air, moisturise more, get better nights sleep etc.

-Save. Save money because you know… life.

-Take risks. Not quite sure what I mean by this- risks as in, something crazy like jumping out of a plane. Or risks as in just saying yes more, to anything and everything because the feeling after is so worth it.

-Music. Listen to music more because everyone should.

-Stop overthinking. This is the story of my life. Everyone overthinks but my mind just exhausts me sometimes. I always feel like I never switch off, or know how to switch off. I take hours getting to sleep as I’m laying thinking about the most pointless things, like how I need to get petrol in a weeks time or even how soft my bed sheets are. (Lol, I’m crazy.)

-Appreciate everything good, there is always something to smile about.

-Travel. (This probably contradicts the saving.) But I want to try and visit at least a few places this year, as much as I want to see the whoooole world.

-Read & write more. Both always make me feel relaxed and more open-minded if that makes sense. And both kinda go hand in hand… so if I read for a while it leaves me wanting to write and if I write for a while it leaves me wanting to read.

-Be kind, always, then even kinder.

So there’s my extremely deep post for the year. What are your short/long term goals? I hope you are as excited for this year as I am.

X

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DIY Christmas Gifts.

Gifts mean sooo much more if there are personal thoughts and touches that go into them. I felt like I’d gone really practical with my gifts this year, which left me thinking if I could make some of the presents a little more thoughtful. I can’t believe it’s Christmas Eve!!! Here are two very last minute DIY ideas to save you…

Cookie Mixture in a Jar.
So this one from the title sounds a little weird but trust me I think it’s wonderful. You may have seen these in the shops- they are so easy and simple to make and very cheap.

First, you need a glass jar. The size is up to you. I went for mason jar. 

Now all you need to do is to measure out your dry cookie ingredients and layer them into the jar.

Measurements:
(Around 4-8 cookies depending on how big you make them.)
80g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
80g soft brown sugar
30g coco powder
50g milk chocolate chips
50g white chocolate chips

Next, decorate your jar. I then attached a gift tag and wrote the instructions- ‘Just add: 80g butter, 1 egg, and bake at 170 degrees for 6-9 minutes. They also last pretty long as it’s only the dry ingredients.

Star Buscuits.
These are really cute edible gifts. 

First of all,  preheat your oven to 190 degrees. Next mix together 110g butter 100g soft brown sugar. Add 1/2 cup of golden syrup and mix then add 340g plain flour. Now add, 1 tsp. bicarbonate soda. Then use your hands to form a dough and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Now roll out the dough so it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out your shapes- I used a star cutter of 3 different sizes. Place them on grease proof paper and bake them for 8-10 minutes, until their golden brown. Once they have cooled you can ice them.

Once the icing had dried. I stacked them, wrapped them in cellophane and tied them with a ribbon.

Merry Christmas!
X

Christmas Bedroom Décor.

A little inspo if you want to make a bedroom festive X