The Great Bloggers Bake Off - Week Six - Paul Hollywood's Fougasse

Monday 3 October 2016

Photo of my finished Paul Hollywood's Herb Fougasse
Paul Hollywood's Herb Fougasse
We're over half way there everyone! Can you even believe it? This week was yet another first in Bake Off history, Botanical Week. Now when I first heard about the theme for the week I was a little sceptical, but then I got very excited. I had originally wanted to make a lemon and lavender cake inspired by my favourite Yankee Candle, but I couldn't get hold of culinary lavender in time, so I had to quickly come up with a plan B. Sorry Paul but yes, your Fougasse wasn't my first choice bake... Having said that, now I've finally eaten some Fougasse I can confirm that it is very tasty indeed.
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The Great Bloggers Bake Off - Week Five - Mary Berry's Bakewell Tart

Monday 26 September 2016

Picture of My finished tart!
My finished tart!
With the release of this post I am officially half way through the Great Bloggers Bake Off! I feel like we've only just begun, and that there should be a tonne of weeks left, in reality we have five more... With that being said let's continue to enjoy Bake Off and the blogger version with my submission for week five, a copy of Mary Berry's Bakewell Tart.

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The Great Bloggers Bake Off - Week Four: Cinnamon Sugar Churros

Monday 19 September 2016

Photograph of my freshly baked Cinnamon Sugar Churros w/ Plain Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Cinnamon Sugar Churros w/ Plain Chocolate Dipping Sauce
 Few this week has flown by and once again I didn't have very much time to get a bake done. However I am adamant that I will take part in this Bake off for the whole 10 weeks, so I persevered and ended up making Cinnamon Sugar Churros with a Plain Chocolate Dipping Sauce. It's no secret that I am a massive fan of cinnamon sugar, actually it might be because I don't think I have ever mentioned it on my blog before... Oh well, the point is I LOVE cinnamon sugar, so it was a no-brainer for me that I would do Churros. If you would like to know how to make these beauties then keep reading!

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The Great Bloggers Bake Off - Week Three: Nutella Star Bread

Sunday 11 September 2016

Photograph of my finished Nutella Star Bread
Nutella Star Bread
How is it already week three of the Great Bloggers Bake Off? Time seems to be moving really quickly at the moment, every time I blink another week is gone. As always week three on the bake off was Paul Hollywood's domain, bread week. This is always a week that I dread, normally my bread bakes don't go too well, this week however everything seemed to fall into place!
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The Great Bloggers Bake Off: Week Two - Galaxy Iced Biscuits

Saturday 3 September 2016

Photo of my Galaxy Iced Biscuits
Galaxy Iced Biscuits
Welcome back to The Great Bloggers Bake Off, this week we got to tackle something that I rarely bake, biscuits. The three challenges in the tent this week were, iced biscuits, viennese swirls, and gingerbread structures. As much as I wanted to take on a Gingerbread structure to challenge myself, I don't have a good track record of making Gingerbread structures (last year I had a meltdown when making a gingerbread house). So instead I decided to push myself in the decorating department, and made some iced biscuits instead!

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The Great Bloggers Bake Off: Week One - Mirror Glaze Cake

Monday 29 August 2016

Photograph of my home baked Blackberry Mirror Glaze Cake
Blackberry Mirror Glaze Cake
Welcome back to The Great Bloggers Bake Off 2016! If you read my blog around this time last year then you will already know about this link up. If not then you are in for a treat as EVERY week I will be making a bake based on one of the three challenges from the Great British Bake Off, and then link up with a tonne of other bloggers that will be doing the same.

As always the GBBO started with Cake week, and the challenges were a signature drizzle cake, the technical was Jaffa Cakes, and finally the show stopper was the absolutely beautiful mirror glaze cake. I'm sure by the title you've already realised that I decided to make the mirror glaze cake, which turned out to be not as difficult as you would imagine... So if you would like to know how to make this cake then keep reading...

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The Great Bloggers Bake Off 2016!

Tuesday 23 August 2016

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/everything-you-need-know-great-11634914
via
How is August almost over already? It feels like yesterday that I was celebrating my 24th birthday, and now we're almost into Autumn. With the end of Summer comes one of my absolutely favourite TV shows, The Great British Bake Off. Who doesn't love watching Amateur bakers compete in three weekly challenges, sprinkled with perfectly British innuendo courtesy of Mel and Sue, the cold stare of master baker Paul Hollywood, and the ray of sunshine that is Mary Berry. Now I'm not shy about telling people how much I love Mary Berry, I don't think I really knew what an idol was until I came across her.

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Where Have I Been?

Friday 5 August 2016


Well Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog. It's been over a month since my last post, but I promise the reason why I have been absent is a very good one! I actually have several pieces of news to share with you today so lets get started with the big one...


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Artigiano's Cocktail Tasting

Thursday 23 June 2016

Photograph of the Artigiano's event aread

A couple of weeks ago an email landed in my inbox regarding a cocktails tasting event at Artigiano's in Reading. At first I was a little unsure about going as I have been sober for a year and a half now. Then it struck me that this would be the perfect event for myself and Lisa from United Cakedom to meet up after having not seen each other for a good few weeks, thankfully she was available so the plans were set in motion... Artigiano's is a speciality coffee shop during the day, and a really great cocktail bar by night, they also serve freshly baked artisan food, and very regularly have live music available in the evenings, making it the perfect place to go and chill with friends over a refreshing cocktail.

Photograph of our own personal cocktail bar for the evening
Our own personal cocktail bar...
When we arrived we were greeted by the lovely PR who organised the event, Heidi, who told us a little about what she does for the brand, and also about their other locations. We were also offered a drink to get us started, so I asked for a mocktail to be mixed up for me as I wasn't planning to drink. Once everyone arrived we were introduced to our mixologists for the evening, and taken through the cocktails that we would be sampling.

Photo of Artigiano cocktails being made
Shaking up that cocktail goodness!
One by one the cocktails were made for us, and as well as getting to watch them being made right before our eyes, we were also taken through each step of making them. Thankfully we didn't have to take notes though as we were given the recipes printed out with pictures so that we can easily recreate them ourselves at home, which I thought was really nice of them!

Photograph of the Artigianos cocktails that we got to taste
All of the cocktails!
Pictured above you can see all of the cocktails that we were lucky enough to be able to taste, it was a nice mix of different flavours, and different alcohols. As you may have been able to guess from what I said above, I wasn't planning on drinking any of these, but as they were made right in front of me I was fascinated, so decided to have one small sip of each cocktail, just so that I could give a decent opinion on them. So let's go through them one by one, starting with the cocktail on the far left, 'Arti's Espresso Martini'.

Photograph of the Arti's Espresso Martini
Arti's Espresso Martini
Arti's Espresso Martini:

This Martini actually only has three ingredients (not including the coffee bean garnish), so is really simple to replicate, but you of course be needing a cocktail shaker for most of these recipes, but I believe you can pick them up in most supermarkets fairly cheaply!

This cocktails includes: 25ml Kirov Vodka, 25ml Kahula, and a double Espresso. This is shaken for a few minutes with ice so that it becomes frothy, then strained into the glass carefully. There was a bit of a trick to making this one as if you just pour it into the glass you don't get the foam on top. You have to continue to wiggle the shaker when pouring so that the foam comes out first. To finish this cocktail you simply float some coffee beans on top of the foam, and you are done!

I can't say I had ever drank a Martini before this event, and I got to try two, and of the two this one was my favourite because it was just like drinking a coffee, although the consistency kind of reminded me of Bailey's.


Photograph of Artigiano's Porn Star Martini
Porn Star Martini
Porn Star Martini:

This cocktail comes with a little something extra on the side, a small shot of Prosecco we were advised by the experts that it's meant to be drank alongside the cocktail, sipping between the two for the best taste.

This particular Martini includes: 50ml Stoli Vanilla Vodka, 50ml Pineapple Juice, 12.5ml Passoa, 12.5ml Prosecco, 1/2 a passion fruit for garnish.

Add all ingredients except the garnish and Prosecco into the shaker with ice and shake for a few minutes. This is another cocktail where you need to build up the foam, as you need to be able to float the passion fruit in this, so shake it for longer than you think. Strain into the glass, shaking as you do so, this will help the foam come into the glass first. Garnish with the passion fruit, and pour the shot of Prosecco to go alongside.

This was the second ever Martini that I had ever tried, and it was very sweet, I could easily have drank the entire glass, must say though I'm not a great fan of Prosecco, so I probably wouldn't order this one again.

Photograph of the Artigiano's Bramble Cocktail
Bramble Cocktail
Bramble Cocktail:

Bramble was the smallest cocktail of the bunch, and looks perfect for a summer BBQ.

The ingredients for this cute little guy are: 37.5ml Belgravia Gin, 12.5 Lemon Juice, 12.5ml Créme De Cassis, 12.5ml Sugar Syrup, and 3 Blackberries for garnish. All of the ingredients except the Creme De Cassis and garnish go into the shaker this time. This cocktail has no foam requirement so this one can be shaken for much less time then the previous two. Add crushed ice to your tumbler before straining the mixture into the glass. Then pour the Créme De Cassis at the edge of the glass so that you get a beautiful looking gradient. Skewer your blackberries onto a toothpick or something similar, and then garnish the drink with them.

This cocktail looks so refreshing and cooling, which it totally is, but it also packs a big punch in the alcohol department, so don't let it's appearance fool you!

Photograph of the Classic Margarita
Classic Margarita
Classic Margarita:

I must admit that I have tried Margarita's before, and I'm not a big fan, they are just so sharp and salty and I don't understand it.

If unlike me you like Margarita's then here is what you need: 37.5ml Don Cruzado Tequila, 25ml Triple Sec, 125ml Lime Juice, Lime Slice, Cooking Salt. Start by wetting the rim of your glass and then dip it in salt so you get an awesome looking salt rim. Then put all the ingredients except the lime slice in your shaker and give them a good shake to mix. Pour into your glass, and then carefully float the slice of lime in the drink.

As I predicted this was my least favourite of the entire bunch, it is so sharp and salty, and just confuses the hell out of me, but I guess as Margarita's go it was pretty good, I'm not the best person to judge this one.

Photograph of Artigiano's Cointreau Fizz Tea
Cointreau Fizz Tea
Cointreau Fizz Tea:

The most intriguing of all the cocktails, this one involves tea, something which I rarely drink, but definitely made this cocktail memorable for me.

Ingredients for this guy are as follows: 50ml Cointreau, 1 peppermint teabag, 25ml Lime Juice, 1/4 Lime Wedge, Sparkling Water. This is the only one of these cocktails that doesn't involve a shaker, so it's even easier to replicate. Pour the lime juice and Cointreau into your glass and throw in the tea bag. Mix it together real quick. Then leaving the tea bag in the glass top up the glass with ice, followed by sparkling water, and you've got yourself a cocktail.

This was my favourite cocktail by far, it was refreshing, and fruity, and didn't even taste like it had alcohol in it, I could have easily downed the entire thing, but I didn't... The above five are just a few of the many cocktails they serve at Artigiano's which are priced at £8 or two for £12. Having had a look at the menu here are a couple of the others that intrigued me:
  • Zombie: White, Spiced and Dark Rum, Brandy, Pineapple juice, fresh orange, grenadine and a mint garnish.
  • Long Island Ice Tea: Gin, Tequila, Vodka, White Rum, Triple Sec, Coca Cola and Lime.
  • Mint Julep:  Bourbon, Sugar Syrup, Mint and aromatic bitters, and a mint garnish.

Photograph of myself and Lisa trying out mixology
Becoming Mixologists!
After we were taken through all of the cocktails we got a chance to make our favourite we had seen. Lisa went for the Porn Star Martini as she was fine to carry on drinking, but seeing as I am supposed to be teetotal, I asked to make a mocktail. This involved cranberry and lime juice in the glass, which was then topped up with lemonade, and garnished with a lime slice, this was both sharp and sweet, and seriously refreshing, so I would definitely recommend giving it a go.

Photograph of the pizza's from Artigiano's
Pizza time!
After getting everyone suitably tipsy (apart from me as I only had sips), Artigiano's kindly laid out some Pizza for us to eat, and to soak up all that alcohol. These were some of the best pizza's I had ever eaten. I ate the majority of the Margherita style pizza, which had a sauce almost like a salsa, and had red peppers, it was so delicious, but they also had pizza with olives on, which Lisa absolutely loved.

Photograph of the goodie bag given to us by Artigiano's
Goodie Bag!
Towards the end of the evening we were handed a goodie bag which had everything we needed inside to make a cheeky Gin and Tonic, including a really cute glass, in my favourite colour! There was also a craft beer which I gave to Tim which he seemed to enjoy and a small package containing some of their coffee beans, which if I had a coffee grinder I would probably get better use of. I guess I could use them in baking? We'll have to see...

I have to say a massive thank you to Artigiano's in Reading for hosting us and being so gracious, it was a great evening I would definitely recommend you head over and check them out, you can find them opposite the Broadstreet Mall pretty much on the corner of the highstreet. Also I couldn't leave this post without thanking Lisa from United Cakedom for letting me drag her along, and also for being an amazing friend, so go and check out her blog too.

***Disclaimer: I was given a goodie bag and free food and drinks at the event, however all opinions within this post are my own.
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Selfie Star Competition With Just My Look

Wednesday 18 May 2016

Photograph of some L.A. Girl Cosmetics
L.A. Girl Cosmetics
A few weeks back I was contacted by someone at Just My Look, asking if I would like to get involved in promoting their current competition, Selfie Star. The Selfie Star contest is a celebration of taking selfies, something which everyone seems to do nowadays (my sister even gets our nan involved in selfies). Selfies mean different things to different people, for some they just enjoy the fun of it, and for other if they feel good they want to capture that moment forever. For me a Selfie is all about documenting me and my life, and the ways in which it has changed, so that when I'm in my late 70's I can look back through my social media accounts and relive my memories. To help me raise my selfie game, Just My Look let me chose some products to help me create my signature selfie look!

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It's Always Been You...Tube

Friday 13 May 2016


I feel like I have kind of talked about Youtube a lot on this blog, and many times, because the truth is I have been trying to become a 'Youtuber' since I was 13/14 years old. By 'Youtuber' I don't mean someone famous on Youtube, I just want to make videos regularly and because I enjoy doing it. I mean let's not lie, having a career in it would be amazing, but that's not my end goal, for me it's just about something that I love. So instead of giving a million excuses as to why I haven't been making videos, I thought I'd talk about why I want to make videos, and a little history of my Youtube life. If you would like you can watch the above vlog which covers everything, but in case you prefer to read I'll also do a short write up of everything I talk about below!

So let's start on why I love Youtube...

I started watching Youtube videos when I was around 13/14 years old, and I watched Youtubers like Charlieissocoollike, Shane Dawson and Meekakitty, mainly daily vloggers, although Shane also did some sketch videos. I can't remember the exact reason why I first started watching videos, but the reason that I stayed was down to a sense of personal connection that you get from watching a certain Youtuber. I had plenty of friends at school so I wasn't lonely, but I think I was still working out who I was as a person, and watching people who were either going through the same, or had already been through it really helped. Even now I watch Youtube videos when I wake up, when I'm on a break, and when I get home, I consume so much Youtube that it's probably a little unhealthy, but I really don't care!

My first Youtube channel...

It wasn't long after starting to watch videos that I made my first Youtube channel, and I kept getting into the loop of making videos, and then deleting them, and then trying again a few months down the line. For some reason I could never make it stick. That channel is still up today and there is a clip of one of my really old vlogs in the video above, if you want to check out cringey 17 year old me! I even tried a couple of times (unsuccessfully I might add) to take part in VEDA (Vlog everyday in April) but only ever kept it up for a few days at a time.

University and blogging...

When I went to Uni my Youtube obsession was at it's height, I went to study Film and TV and I was hoping to make a lot of friends that also wanted to make Youtube videos. Thankfully there wasn't a shortage on people who were into Youtube, unfortunately I was rubbish at sticking to making videos. Then in my final year of Uni I got into something entirely different, blogging. As you can tell it went pretty well as I have been blogging for almost 3 and a half years now! I've told the story many times about how I got into blogging so I won't bore you with it again now, but if you really want to know I do talk about it in the video above!

Gaming Channel...

When I left Uni and moved back home I lost a lot of my creative outlet because I wasn't making films for work anymore, so I knew I really wanted to try and get a channel up and running again. At this time the type of Youtube videos that I was into the most was Gaming paythroughs, this was about the time that Pewdiepie started getting popular. So I got ahold of  a recording device and started recording myself playing on my Xbox 360. This was probably the first time since starting Youtube that I actually felt like part of a community, and I even did a collab with another small Youtube gamer. In the end I couldn't keep up with recording, it was mainly because I lived at home with my Mum and my brother and it was difficult for me to find time when it was quiet enough to record. So in the end my gaming channel fizzled out but it's something that I really want to get back into in the future.

Where we are now...

About a year ago I got really good at making videos and made one a week which went on for a good few months, and that is where I plan to get back to! Tim and I may be moving into our own place very shortly which will make it even easier for me to film, as I won't have to worry about his parents being around. In the mean time I plan to upload a new video once a week on either a Friday or Saturday, whether it be a vlog, a makeup look, or a challenge video, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

Let me know in the comments what kind of videos that you want to see on my channel, and I may just make them...
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Blogger Beauty Box March 2016

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Photograph of the Blogger Beauty Box Contents
Blogger Beauty Box Contents
I know what you are all thinking, why am I only know writing about a Beauty Box that I received back in March? Short answer, I forgot to right about it. Long answer, life has seriously been kicking my butt over the last few months, and as such blogging has been fairly low on my 'to do' list. So a bit of background on how I found this beauty box. I happened to be scrolling through twitter when I came across @bbloggerbox and I was intrigued to find that this is a beauty box specifically created for Beauty Bloggers like myself. The idea is to connect beauty brands and bloggers in a quick and easy way, and the best part of all is that it only costs £10 per box! March was the first box that I signed up for, but have since bought both the April and the May box, so expect unboxings of those coming soon!

All of the products I received in the March Blogger Beauty Box
All of the products I received
Inside the box were a mix of full sized products and samples for us to try. Honestly I was surprised to see that some of the items were full sized considering I only paid £10 for the whole box but here is what I got, and what my initial thoughts on the products are:

Full Sized Products:

Sass Intimate Perfect Skin Concentrate: This is a product from a skincare brand that I have personally never heard of, but after a quick Google search I found they are available in Boots. This particular product is specifically for using on the intimate area after shaving/waxing to prevent ingrown hairs. I haven't had a chance to use this product yet but I find the concept very intriguing, and anything to help me through the first week of regrowth, am I right ladies? Looking on the Boots website this retails at £12.

Moa Aphrodite Facial Oil: This is another skincare product, from yet another brand that I have never heard of. This particular facial oil contains Rosehip for its skin regeneration properties, Damask rose oil for dry/sensitive skin types prone to redness and a few other ingredients to help balance, cleanse and soothe your skin. Now a facial oil is something that I would never purchase for myself. I have oily skin, so the last thing I want to do is add more oil to the equation, but for the sake of science I am willing to slip this into my daily routine and give it a go. One thing I will say is that it smells amazing, and considering they suggest you only use 1-2 drops each time I can see it lasting forever! This product retails online for £20.

BeeBio Nectar Instant Eye Effect Serum: BeeBio is a New Zealand high end skincare brand, at least that's what I found from a quick Google search. Again I have never heard of their products but I think their packaging looks really great. It looks as though their skincare is more directed towards anti-aging, which is something that I personally don't tend to look for in my skincare. However I am fairly intrigued by the ingredients listed on this one. It contains Manuka Honey and Pure Bee Venom for an instant effect to reduce fine lines and puffiness. It's certainly peaked my interest and I will be giving it a go for a few weeks to see what happens with it. This product retails at NZ$129 so would cost roughly £60 to purchase, so fairly hefty for skincare. I shall have to report back with my findings!

Faust's Potions Elephant Family Recovery Pack: This item is contains two vitamin supplement drinks one of which helps you to stay sharp and awake, and the other which will help you get a good nights sleep. Now I'm not the type to be drinking supplement drinks or taking vitamin tablets etc. So this product honestly isn't for me. I do find it hard to drift off to sleep sometimes so maybe I'll give the Asleep potion a try. I would like to add the packaging for this item was hands down my favourite (it had elephants on it), and this item retails for only £6 so isn't too bad.

Sample Sizes:

MeruMaya Mud Marvels Mask 3ml: Ever since giving the Avon Black Mineral mask a go I have been a big fan of mud masks, so I was glad to see a tester of one for me to try. The MeruMaya mask claims to decongest and detoxify, clarify and deep cleanse, and finally revitalise and rejuvenate. The listed ingredients include charcoal which is the main component for a lot of the best mud masks which help to remove blackheads and blemishes. This was a sample size at 3ml so I would probably get one mask out of this. The full sized product comes in at 50ml and retails for £19.50, not bad if it does the trick!

MAYA Confident Styling and Curling Creme: This came in a little sample pot, and also came with a leaflet explaining a little more about the product, which was nice because from looking at the little pot itself I had no idea what it was! This product has a blend of 12 natural oils to keep hair looking and feeling strong, soft and healthy. This product is made to be used in wet air, before allowing the hair to air dry. I'm not that big on hair care, because I have such fine hair, I never really know what to do with it, but I will be giving this a go to see if it will help with the frizziness that I sometimes experience. The full sized product is 250ml and costs £22.95.

JR Naturorganics Mandarin and Chamomile Balancing Moisturiser: This is another skincare item, and this time we have a moisturiser, which according to their website is vegan and cruelty free so that's an immediate plus from me. This particular moisturiser is targeted towards normal/sensitive skin. Which unfortunately isn't my skin type, but I could still make this work so will be trying it out for as long as the sample lasts. The full sized product is 30g and costs £35, which considering the fact this is vegan and cruelty free is a good price.

So there you have the entire contents of the Blogger Beauty Box from March. You should expect to see another post like this very shortly as I am expecting my April box to arrive very soon! If you would like some more information on the box then please feel free to check out their website.
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Urban Decay Alice Through The Looking Glass Collection

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Photograph of Urban Decay Alice Through the Looking Glass Collection packaging
Urban Decay Alice Through the Looking Glass Collection
As soon as I saw the sneak peek photos of the new Urban Decay Alice collection I knew I had to have it. I missed out on getting the original Alice collection because at the time I was a student and had no money to spend on makeup (not that I have the money now either). The first thing I did was contact my local Urban Decay counter, and put my name down on the waiting list for the palette, and was delighted to find that there weren't that many people on the list ahead of me. Then however I found out that the college which I did my makeup course with, DFMA, were running an exclusive event with Urban Decay in Convent Garden, and this meant that I would be able to get my hands on the palette a full week before it's proper release! Of course I jumped at the chance...

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Z Palette and Makeup Geek Eyeshadows

Friday 29 April 2016

Photograph of my new Z Palette full of MUG Eyeshadows
My brand new Z Palette full of MUG Eyeshadows
Ever since I first saw some of my favourite Youtuber beauty guru's using Makeup Geek eyeshadows I have wanted to try them out. For whatever reason it took me a really long time to get my hands on them, and the only reason I finally got them was because I won them on a raffle!

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Wishlist Wednesday: Video Game Edition #3

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Collage of the Games on my wishlist currently
Games on my wishlist currently...
Welcome back to Wishlist Wednesday everyone, it's been a good few weeks since I've written one of these, so I thought it was about time that I got back into doing it. The past few weeks I have been playing a lot more video games as such it has created a fairly long list of games that I am waiting to arrive into my life! Here are the games that I am lusting after at the moment...

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Kiko Intensive Lip Mask

Monday 18 April 2016

Photograph of the Kiko Intensive Lip Mask packaging
Kiko Intensive Lip Mask!
A few weeks ago when I was in Reading meeting up with the lovely Lisa from United Cakedom, we decided to pop into Kiko and see what they had around. At the time they had a bit of a clearance sale happening and they were offering 5 items (from the clearance section) for £10. That was an opportunity that I simply couldn't pass up.

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Sk:n Clinic Launch Party!

Tuesday 12 April 2016

Photograph of the Sk:n Clinic Exterior in Reading
Sk:n Clinic Exterior
A few weeks ago I had a mysterious tweet, asking for my email address regarding a blogging opportunity. I'm always open to opportunities that come my way, particularly when it involves an event. I can never resist going out and meeting other bloggers, and networking, because talking with other people who understand what it's like to blog is priceless. Anyway an email landed in my inbox regarding the launch party of a new skin clinic called Sk:n in Reading.

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Avon Black Mineral Mask

Monday 11 April 2016

Photograph of packaging of the Avon Black Mineral Mask
Avon Black Mineral Mask
A few weeks ago I wrote an Avon Haul post, where I mentioned that I have recently fallen back in love with the brand after a long time away. One of the first products I picked up in my very first order was the Pore Penetrating Black Mineral mask. I was looking for a face mask which I could use weekly to help remove the excess oils from my skin, so I was hoping that this would do the trick...

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Why I Hate My Eyelashes...

Thursday 7 April 2016

Photograph of My natural eyelashes with nothing on
My natural eyelashes with nothing on
I hate my eyelashes, and I always have. Now I know everyone is going to be all like, 'hate is such a strong word', but it's true. My lashes and I are sworn enemies, and that's that way it has always been...

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The Gadget Show Live 2016

Friday 1 April 2016

Photograph of The Gadget Show Presenters
The Gadget Show Presenters
A few months back one of my blogging friends, Amy from Purely Amy let me know that she had been accepted as Press for The Gadget Show Live. Having a quick look into the event I was keen to go, and spured on by the fact that she was accepted I thought, what's the harm? So I sent off my application worried that my blog wouldn't be good enough but too my joy I was accepted, and offered a press pass, which gave me free access to the event, three hours earlier than the public.

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Avon Haul #1

Tuesday 29 March 2016

Photograph of all of my Avon Haul Goodies
Avon Haul Goodies
I mentioned a few weeks ago when I reviewed the Avon Perfectly Matte Lipsticks that I hadn't bought any Avon products since my mum was a rep when I was a teenager. Recently however that has changed dramatically, and I have been spending more and more time leafing through the catalogues and spending all my money there! I thought I would share my purchases so that I could actually sit down and work out what I have actually spent...

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Easter Hot Cross Buns!

Sunday 27 March 2016

Photograph of my home-made hot cross buns
Yummy Hot Cross Buns!
Happy Easter Sunday everyone! I hope your day is full of chocolate eggs and roast dinners, and lots and lots of family time. In celebration of this time of year I decided to bake something that I have not only never made, but have rarely eaten. I think in my entire lifetime I have probably eaten one or two Hot Cross Buns, such a shame right? So to redeem myself a little bit I decided to make not one, but two types of Hot Cross Buns. Chocolate Orange, and just plain old original. so read on if you want to know how to make them...
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Wishlist Wednesday: Kitchenware

Wednesday 23 March 2016

Pictures of everything on my kitchenware wishlist
Kitchenware Wishlist
It's been a long time since I've had a good look at Kitchenwares, mainly because living with Tim's parents means that we don't have our own kitchen, nor very much room for things. That doesn't stop me from dreaming though. I hope that very soon Tim and I will be in a place of our own and that will give me a good excuse to pick up some of the things on my list...
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Urban Decay Goodie Bag

Monday 21 March 2016

Photo of all the items from our event goodie bag

Over a month ago I was invited along to go to an event at an Urban Decay counter in The Oracle, Reading, which you can read about here. On the night we were very lucky to receive a goody bag from the team at Urban Decay, which was not only very surprising, but also greatly appreciated. Urban Decay is a brand that I have always been interested in, however until very recently I had never actually owned any products from them. You will have seen me mention before that I have started collecting their eyeshadow palettes since Christmas, but until the event I hadn't really ever used any of their other products. Since the event I have been obsessed with growing my UD collection, and this goodie bag certainly really helped...
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Creme Egg Brownies

Friday 18 March 2016

Finished Creme Egg Brownies in their tin
Finished Creme Egg Brownies
Another week, another creme egg recipe, and today I bring you what I think is my most highly anticipated recipe. I've never met a person who doesn't like a good brownie, and who wouldn't love a slice of brownie with a yummy creme egg right in the centre of it? Well except people who don't like Creme eggs...
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Avon Perfectly Matte Lipsticks

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Photograph of the packaging for the Avon Perfectly Matte Lipsticks
Beautiful classic packaging
A long time ago when I was younger my mum was an Avon Representative and I used to help her hand out books, and collect them, and every so often she would let me put a little order in. Nine times out of ten that order would be makeup, I used to be absolutely obsessed with the Colour Trend brand they have, and because it was so cheap I could often get quite a few bits. When mum stopped being a representative, I kind of just stopped buying Avon. That was until very recently when Avon seem to be trying to re-market themselves towards a younger market...

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Facebook Raffling!

Monday 14 March 2016


A few years back I was first acquainted with Facebook raffles, and I became obsessed with them, unfortunately the groups I was part of didn't survive, and I kind of forgot about them. That was until last week when I was reminded how much fun I used to have raffling things, and so I decided to revive my love of raffling by starting my own group!

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Creme Egg Bark

Friday 11 March 2016

Photograph of my Cream Egg Bark
Creme Egg Bark
This week I have yet another recipe involving Creme Eggs to celebrate Spring/Easter. This week's recipe is so simple, it literally took my about 10-15 mins to make this (not including setting time). As you may have guessed from the title this week is all about bark. If you've never heard of Chocolate bark, don't worry it doesn't involve trees! Bark is basically chocolate with yummy bits on top of it cut into random pieces. So if you want to know how I made this mouth watering stuff then keep reading...

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Girls Day Out in Reading

Thursday 10 March 2016

Photograph of the outside Wolf Italian Street Food Restaurant

A few weeks back I went to a blogger event in Reading at Urban Decay in House of Fraser, you can find the post all about that here. Anyway another blogger at that event was Lisa of United Cakedom, we had met each other a few times before, and we got on really well, so after the event we decided that we should have another meetup. As we didn't both get our full makeup done at the event due to time, we decided to book in to Urban Decay again, and spend the day in Reading.

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Wishlist Wednesday: Urban Decay Cosmetics

Wednesday 9 March 2016

Photo of the items in my Urban Decay Wishlist
So many beautiful items!
Having had my makeup done at an Urban Decay counter twice now, I have a massive list of things that I absolutely must buy, as you can see from the picture above! For full details and links please see below...

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Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipstick Collection

Monday 7 March 2016

Photograph of the rose gold collection packaging
Rose Gold Packaging
A few weeks ago I was scrolling through my Instagram feed when something beautiful caught my eye, some new lipsticks from my favourite budget brand, Makeup Revolution. I'll be totally honest it was the packaging that really grabbed me, I am a big fan of the rose gold trend, so as soon as I saw these I knew I would have to buy some...
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Cream Egg Cheesecake

Sunday 6 March 2016

photo of finished cream egg cheesecake
Yummy Creme Egg Cheesecake
Seeing as March is a month all about Spring and Easter I thought that I would pick a theme for my baking this month, and as you may be able to tell from the title, that my theme is Creme Eggs! The main reason I chose Creme Eggs is that they only have a really limited run every year from February to March, so I only have a short while to enjoy them. What better way is there to enjoy one of my favourite chocolates, than by baking with them. To ease myself into the month I decided to make something fairly simple, a Creme Egg Cheesecake! The recipe for which I found here on Taming Twins blog, so make sure you check out the original, but there were a few things I did differently...
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Happy Box Swap

Saturday 5 March 2016

Happy Box Swap post title image

A couple of months back the lovely Jenny of Ramblings of a Jaffa Cat posted in a Facebook group that she runs, that she would like to organise a box swap. I've always had a great time when I do a box swap with someone, and am always really surprised at how well people are able to read me just from my blog! I also really enjoy picking out things for someone else, it always makes me feel really good...

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New Sprinkle of Glitter Collection for Simply Be!

Friday 4 March 2016

Photograph of Louise from Sprinkleofglitter
Louise of Sprinkleofglitter via
Yesterday one of my favourite Bloggers/Youtuber's Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter announced that she has completed her second collaboration collection with Simply Be. Now to be honest I never got around to seeing her original collection, but when I saw her announcement video yesterday, I knew that there were some pieces that I wouldn't be able to live without. You can watch the announcement video below...

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My Recent Palette Purchases

Thursday 3 March 2016


Last year I made the decision not to buy only Drugstore/cheap makeup, and to spend some money investing in some high end makeup. This was in the hopes that I would be a lot more likely to use the makeup that I bought, considering it would cost a decent amount of money. Now I'm sure that I have mentioned before that I have an absolute obsession with eye shadow palette's, so naturally that is where I started...
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Mothers Day Gift Guide

Wednesday 2 March 2016

This weeks Wishlist Wednesday is a little bit different, because it's not about things on my wishlist. It's actually all about ideas for what to get your Mum for this coming Sunday! I always dread Mothers Day because I never really know what to get her, so normally she'll ask for something specific. If you are like me and you are struggling of a gift idea for your mother, then I'm hoping this will help you...


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Mooncup First Impressions

Sunday 28 February 2016

image of the Mooncup Packaging


Warning: This post will contain in depth talk regarding menstruation and the female reproductive system.

I remember a few years back when I was in university and I first came across the idea of a menstrual cup. I was fascinated, but also very grossed out by the idea. I couldn't wrap my head around the idea of ever using such a device. Somehow I kept it in the back of my mind, and each time I looked it up, I became more and more interested in the idea. Really I had no motivation to try the device because I was on the combined pill, and I made it so I would only have a period every 2-3 months anyway, so I didn't see the point in investing in one. Then just before Christmas I came off of my pill for a short while, and then when I wanted to be put back onto it, I was advised that I was now too overweight (more on this coming soon). As such I had to be put on the single hormone pill, which you still have regular periods on. This meant that once a month I now had to have my period, whether I liked it or not. So I bit the bullet and ordered myself a Mooncup in size B.


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Triple Chocolate Mug Cake

Friday 26 February 2016

photo of finished Triple chocolate mug cake
Delicious triple chocolate mug cake

This week I didn't have as much time for baking as I would have liked, but I still wanted to share a recipe with you, so I chose to make a mug cake. Mug cakes are quick and easy to make, and can usually be made with a few simple ingredients that you should have in your cupboard.

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Wishlist Wednesday: H! by Henry Holland

Wednesday 24 February 2016


It's been a really long time since I had a good proper look at clothing, and H! by Henry Holland at Debenhams is by far one of my favourite labels. Their clothes are just so cute, and they have a good mix of basic staples and statement pieces. Here are some of the things that I picked out from the current collection that I would love to own!
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