BLOGMAS DAY 25- MERRY CHRISTMAS

Thursday 25th December 2014

I had planned a bigger post today including my Christmas day outfit and makeup but I've barely been home today so I've decided to cut it down to my festive nails. 

I painted my nails completely in the Barry M shade 'Raspberry', which is a beautiful pinky-red (lighter than it appears in the picture below). I then painted my middle finger in Barry M 'Jingle Bells'- very fitting for Christmas. 'Jingle Bells' is a new shade, made up of chunky and small pieces of gold glitter, mixed with small pieces of red glitter. 

I love the simplicity and ease of this nail varnish look- it's festive and fun while at the same time being classy and beautiful.

Merry Christmas everybody, I hope you all had a good day, and a happy new year to you all. 

BLOGMAS DAY 24- THE APTLY NAMED LUSH PRODUCT

Wednesday 24th December 2014

1 sleep till Christmas

I mentioned in my previous Lush post that there would be another one later in the month for certain reasons. And the time has now arrived. You can't write about a product called 'Christmas Eve' on any day other than Christmas Eve, can you? 

'Christmas Eve' is a bubble bar, and it has literally changed baths forever for me. I decided after using this once that bubble bars are my favourite Lush product and I'm not sure how I survived without them. Bubble bars are great as they have so many uses; you break off a small bit, crumble it under running water, and there's your bubbles. 

According to Lush, 'Christmas Eve' is scented with ylang ylang and jasmine absolute, and it smells incredible. Aside from 'Butterball', I think 'Christmas Eve' may be my favourite Lush scent. It smells like nothing I've ever smelt before and I can't describe it but I'm in love.

As a product, I would definitely recommend bubble bars.They're such a lovely product and you get a large amount of bubbles from the smallest bit of the bar. 'Christmas Eve' is 100% my favourite of all the Lush products I've bought this year. 

BLOGMAS DAY 23- MINCE PIES

Tuesday 23rd December 2014

2 sleeps till Christmas

Wouldn't be Christmas without mince pies (recipe credit to Delia Smith with a few alterations).

You Will Need (For Pastry):

-350g plain flour

-75g lard

-pinch of salt

-cold water for mixing

You Will Need (Everything Else):

-700g mincemeat

-Small amount of water and milk.

-round cutters (see below)

-cupcake tray

To Make (Shortcrust Pastry):

1. Sift the flour and salt.

2. Cut the fat into cubes and rub into the flour and salt until crumbly.

3. Add two tablespoons of water and mix together. Add more water bit-by-bit as needed. 

4. Form the dough into a ball and leave.

To Make (Mince Pies):

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, and grease the cupcake tray.

2. Roll out half the pastry dough, and cut into circles using the medium-sized cutter (see above).

3. Roll out the other half of the pastry dough and cut into circles using the smaller-sized cutter (see above).

4. Put the medium-sized circles in the tray and fill with mincemeat. 

5. Use the smaller-sized circles as lids and seal round the edge with a small amount of water. 

6. Brush the top of the mince pies with a small amount of milk.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes and leave to cool. 

The mince pies can either be served hot or cold. To serve hot, simple reheat in the microwave or oven for roughly a minute. 

BLOGMAS DAY 22- IT WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT

Monday 22nd December 2014

3 sleeps till Christmas

I will always have a slight weakness for 'tag' posts so I couldn't not include one. The 'Sweater Weather Tag' (as this is) is technically an autumn tag, but I have edited it for winter.

1. Favourite candle scent?
As much as try and branch out, I think I will always like vanilla the best for candles or bath bombs. I do have the Yankee Candle 'Christmas Eve' candle though which smells really good but I have no clue what it smells of (sort of sugary but sort of spicy?).

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
As much as I love the others, tea will always be the one.

3. What's the best winter memory you have?
To be honest, this December is the best month I've had for the whole of the past two years and these memories of the past month are some of the most important ones.

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner?
Dark lips, dark lips, dark lips. Dark lips all year round please. Lets ignore the fact that I can't do winged eyeliner...

L-R: Rimmel Kate Moss Matte '107', Topshop 'Beguiled', Accessorize 'Infatuated'

5. Best fragrance for winter?
Not a big fragrance wearer, so we'll go for a classic vanilla again.

6. Favourite Christmas food?
Sausage stuffing and bread sauce mixed in a bowl together for dinner on Christmas day after a massive lunch.

7. What is winter weather like where you live?
Cold and wet. No snow. Misleading sunlight. Weirdly warm on some days. That's London.

8. Most worn jumper?
I wear all my jumpers a lot- I like jumpers.

9. Must-have nail polish this winter?
Anything dark or berry coloured. And obviously glitter.

L-R: Essie 'Chinchilly', Essie 'Bahama Mama', Essie 'After School Boy Blazer', Barry M Gelly 'Plum', Barry M 'Berry Cosmo'

10. (American) Football games or jumping in leaf/ snow pile?
Leaf and snow piles in wellies.

11. Skinny jeans or leggings?
Black skinny jeans all the way.

12. Combat boots or Uggs?
Dr Martens, the only shoes you'll ever need.

13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?
It's pretty damn good. (Autumn question I know).

14. Favourite winter TV show?
Liberty of London- I love it when it gets all festive on the programme. And I know it's not a TV show, but I really love Harry Potter in the winter.

15. What song really gets you into the winter spirit?
This year I'm loving Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas'. But nothing beats Elton John's 'Step Into Christmas' or the Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York'.

BLOGMAS DAY 21- A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Sunday 21st December 2014

4 sleeps till Christmas

I read this for the first time last Christmas after being an avid Muppets Christmas Carol fan for the majority of my life (my family can quote the film perfectly, it's weird).

I would consider 'A Christmas Carol' to be one of my favourite books. It's really short so super easy to read and it has a really enjoyable storyline. (Plus Muppet's Christmas Carol is really faithful to the book so you can visualise the Muppets when you read it).

Being set on Christmas Eve, it's the perfect Christmas classic to get cosy in your blankets and read. It's the the ideal book for making you feel festive, and I am recommending it to everyone.

BLOGMAS DAY 20- NUTELLA HOT CHOCOLATE

Saturday 20th December 2014

5 sleeps till Christmas 

Nutella hot chocolate is one of those 'I wonder if it's possible' recipes, and it kind of is. I haven't perfected up recipe yet, but I think what I've got is pretty damn good.

You Will Need:
-Mug

-Milk

-Nutella

-Microwave

-Spoon

To Make:

1. Some people may this by heating up the milk in a saucepan first but I really don't think it needs it. I heat my milk in the microwave for about three minutes- partly because I like it burning hot, and party because you need the milk really hot in order for the nutella to dissolve. 

2. Use your spoon to get a massive lump of nutella out of the jar and stir into the milk.

3. It does take a fair amount of time to dissolve the nutella, which is why you need the super hot milk. But it's so worth it in the end. 

BLOGMAS DAY 19- PRESENT WRAPPING

Friday 19th December 2014

6 sleeps till Christmas

'Do Not Open Until Dec 25th' tape- Marks & Spencer

Wrapping paper- asorted Marks & Spencer and Card Factory

Present labels- Card Factory

'When Harry Met Sally' DVD- family present wrapping tradition

Chocolates that look like sprouts- Marks & Spencer