Monday 30 November 2015

Seeing is believing!



Do you believe in magic?  If you don't, then I strongly recommend that you go and see a live magic show, because the acts and tricks that they perform are quite literally mind blowing!  Earlier in the month, I had the pleasure of seeing one of my favourite magicians live at the Apollo theatre and it was an experience that I will never forget!



For my fiancĂ©'s birthday last May his parents bought him two tickets to see the one and only Dynamo in London's Hammersmith.   After six months of waiting the night finally came when we would feast our eyes on the wonder that is Dynamo and his famous tricks!



The show went on for a good two hours and it was exhilarating from the moment it began, right up to its finale.  I will not give any spoilers away regarding his show that he is currently touring, but I will say that he is extremely skilled and is definitely one of a kind!

I am proud to believe in Magic!

M x
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Sunday 29 November 2015

Shoot for the stars!




Happy Sunday everyone!  What a relief that the week is finally over.  I don't know about you, but I have had one hell of a busy and super stressful week.  So much so that I just felt like I never stopped.  So today, I have decided to have a good old pamper session (or a top to toe as I like to call it) in my bath with a brand new bath bomb from Lush.

Before I talk about my new addition to my ever growing bath bomb collection, let me just quickly say how important Lush is to me.  Every time I need an energy boost, or deep relaxation or even something skin or hair related, Lush always seems to offer the products that keep on working.  I am lost without my bath bombs, Snow Fairy shower gel and lip scrubs.  Therefore, once a week I try to pop in and treat myself to a product or two!



Now, with that confession said, let's move on to the bath bomb!  I saw this bath bomb a while ago but I ended up getting 'Sex Bomb' and Butterball' instead.  However, it popped up into my local branch again, and so I knew it was a sign that I must have it!  It is called 'Shoot for the stars' and the overall look of the bomb goes so perfectly with the name!  I love how it's a gorgeous pale blue colour with yellow and purple flecks, as well as a huge shooting star on top... Genius!



Although the bath bomb smelt of delicious honey, the two main ingredients are: Bergamot oil and Brazilian Orange oil, which both help to take your skin to the next level.  They are truly nourishing and moisturising oils that are perfect for your skin and make you feel super smooth!




Once my bath was poured, I couldn't wait to drop my ball of delight into the water.  The moment it touched the surface.... Bursts of blue, yellow and purple darted across the bath.  As I watched with amazement... I saw that the colours  had merged together into a luscious deep purple - almost imitating a dark nights sky!  The indigo water looked stunning and what really impressed me, was that it was covered in a blanket of glitter!  It was truly magical!



Overall, I absolutely love this bath bomb and I shall definitely be stocking up on it for when an evening bath beckons!!

What's your favourite Lush bath bomb?

M x
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Saturday 28 November 2015

Time to get my sweat on!




In the past month or so, I have really been trying to up my fitness levels by attending the gym three times a week (usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday).  With this sudden burst of fitness comes a great deal of much needed motivation... For me that is my number one priority when it comes to exercising, because I'm normally not very motivated!  So what better way to give you the focus and drive, than a new gym kit?

Yes that's right I said it, a new gym kit!  Usually I wear my puma leggings with a plain black baggy tee, but lately I have wanted to wear something a little more vibrant and more importantly on trend!

I popped into my local newly refurbished H&M store and pondered the fitness rails.  H&M have created a line for gym clothes and if I'm honest... It has some seriously stylish gear!



After perusing the isle of leggings, tops, jumpers, jackets, shorts etc I finally came across two items which were unique and extremely useful... I needed a revamp and I knew that these pieces were going to give me just that!



I picked up this grey and black workout shirt as I was interested in the fact that it said the material was quick dry.  In other words the more you perspire (sweat), the quicker the material dries, leaving you feeling comfortable throughout your workout!



Then I was in desperate need of a splash of colour for my bottom half and these leopard print multi coloured leggings fitted the bill!  They are super stretchy and a good length too!  They are supposed to be three quarter length, but because of my short stature, they end up being full length.  I just end up rolling them up anyway!  I love the print of these... I never knew how great pink and orange go together... It's a great colour combination!



Overall, I'm so thrilled with my new workout outfit!  I've used it a couple of times now and it has given me so much confidence and determination to continue with my fitness training!  It's always a real treat when you get a new outfit!  Check out their range in your nearest H&M store!

M x
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Thursday 26 November 2015

Manicure Post: Dark Lava!



Today I went to my favourite beauty salon "Beauty Box" in Oxted and surprise, surprise... I had a new Shellac manicure!!  It always cheers me up when I have my nails done and makes me feel very relaxed.



I really did not know what colour I was going to have, as not only were there fifty colours to choose from, but there were five new colours that had just arrived.  I asked Lindsey (owner of Beauty Box) to choose her favourite colour for me to wear and she did not disappoint!



She picked out the new shade "Dark Lava", which sounded incredible!  (I always find that Shellac list their polishes with such beautiful names)!



From the outside of the bottle I could tell that it was a very dark shade of red and was very Autumnal.  However, the moment the polish was applied to my nails, it changed to a much deeper shade... Almost portraying a dark purple.   I had been really wanting to try out dark berry colours for a while now, but was always distracted by lighter shades.




I think that "Dark Lava" is a stunning nail varnish for anyone who wants to make a bold statement with their nails.  It is perfect for going out in the evening and is also amazing for November, as it is a true Autumn shade.  What I love the most about it, is that it has tiny pieces of glitter incorporated within the formula, so that when the sun hits your nails they truly sparkle!



So that is my gorgeous new nail colour which I cannot wait to start wearing.  Now for the rest of my day, I am going to draft more blogs and catch up on this months Elle magazine, which has my favourite person, Alexa Chung on the front cover!

What colour nail varnishes are you loving at the moment?

M x
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Thursday 19 November 2015

Happy Birthday my friend!



The 31st October is usually Halloween to most people, but it also happens to be my best friends birthday too!  This year, she invited a load of us down to London for some dinner, drinks and great company!



She booked a table at an Italian restaurant in Wapping called 'Il Bordello'.  It was a very secretive place because it looked tiny from the outside, but once we were all inside it was much bigger and had such a great atmosphere!



We all thought that, because there were fifteen of us, it would be wise to order lots of starters that we could all share with each other.  We had garlic bread, bruschetta, and avocado and prawns wrapped in salmon.  Each starter was so delicious and it really made us excited for our main meals.



For the main courses, we each had something different.  I opted for the three cheese gnocchi with extra cheese on top, (because I absolutely love cheese if you hadn't have guessed already)!



My best friend went for a gorgeous pasta dish with a rich tomato sauce, vegetables and lumps of melted cheese.



Perry went for the Calzone (a pizza folded in half) which was filled with salami and pepperoni and served with a tomato sauce on the side.  What I loved the most about this restaurant was the fact that they gave out such big portions of food to each person.  (Sometimes it's great to have a full plate rather than a small decoration of food)!



Finally, it was time to bring out the cake and sing happy birthday!  The cake was so beautiful and we each had a slice of its chocolaty goodness!

Overall the night was so magical and it was safe to say that we all had full bellies!  I definitely will be returning with Perry in the next few months because it is one of the best authentic Italian restaurants by far!

M x
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Sunday 15 November 2015

A Victorious cake every time!



Sunday's are always great for unwinding and taking a break.  For me, baking does just that.  So I wanted to share with you all a good old recipe that works every time for making the legendary Victoria sponge cake!



Ingredients
For the cake you will need:

200g caster sugar
200g softened butter
4 eggs beaten
200g self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 table spoons of milk

For the filling you will need:

100g softened butter
140g sifted icing sugar
A drop of vanilla extract
170g strawberry jam




Method:

* Heat your oven to around 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.  Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.
* In a large bowl, beat all the cake ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
* Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then bake for about 20 mins until golden and the cake springs back when pressed.
* Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
* To make the filling, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in icing sugar.
* Beat in the vanilla extract if you’re using it.
* Spread the butter cream over the bottom of one of the sponges, top it with jam and sandwich the second sponge on top.
* Finally dust the cake with a little icing sugar before serving. 





And there you have it.... A classic Victoria Sponge cake that serves up to ten people.  Now go, eat your delicious cake and put your feet up... You deserve it!

M x
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Saturday 14 November 2015

Little Lipsticks!



Earlier in the week I grabbed the opportunity of purchasing this months Glamour magazine for two specific reasons.  One... That the beautiful and extremely talented Tanya Burr was going to be the cover girl and had a huge four page interview all about her (so proud of how far she's come... Go team Tanya!)  The second reason was that Clinique were giving away five different makeup products (one product per magazine), including their best selling 'Colour Pop' lipsticks!  You can see why this was just too good for me to miss and why I ended up buying two magazines so I could get both lipsticks!

I am no stranger to Clinique's Colour Pop range of lipsticks... The moment they were released I was constantly testing them to find the perfect shade for me.  I ended up purchasing the amazing 'Poppy Pop' lip colour and it is still one of my all time favourites to this day!



It's all about the formula with these lipsticks.  The combination of primer and lipstick, makes this the best lipstick around for staying power as well as for moisturising your lips.  I ended up buying two magazines and therefore was able to get both the lipsticks that they were giving away!  I know, that it sounds bad, but when you're an avid makeup addict like me... You just don't think twice about it!



'Nude Pop' was the first lipstick I chose, because it was actually on my wish list and I was so surprised and happy that it was included in the giveaway.  It is a gorgeous brown/nude shade that looks perfect for daytime looks and for understated makeup!  The fact that it has a primer incorporated in the formula, means that in just two coats it glides onto the lips and stays there without any need to reapply!



The other lipstick that they were giving away was the shade 'Cherry Pop', the ultimate Autumn ruby red!  This lipstick gives me such confidence when I wear it... I always feel more dressy with a brighter lip - perhaps it's because I usually tend to wear more natural makeup.  The finish on this colour is so glossy and really nourishes the lips!



I can't tell you how happy I am with these two miniature freebies!  They are the cutest little lipsticks I have ever seen and take up zero room in my rather packed makeup bag.  They are such good quality and for them to come free in one of my favourite magazines was incredible.  Nice one Glamour!

M x
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Friday 13 November 2015

"We meet again James Bond!"



A couple of weeks ago my Dad very kindly took me, my fiancé and the rest of my family to our local cinema 'The Screen', to see the highly anticipated film 'Spectre!'



Because the Bond films are the most famous British franchise around, it was no surprise that this new addition was going to bring a lot of hype to us all.



When we arrived at the cinema, we noticed that the windows had been decorated with '007' and there were playing cards hanging from the ceiling.  It was all very effective and made is even more excited to see the film!



Once we were inside, we were all offered Vodka Martini cocktails that were of course "Shaken not stirred!"  The cinema had gone above and beyond with setting the right atmosphere for the film and it was a real treat to be there!



I will not give anything away with regards to the storyline of 'Spectre', but I will say that I hope you all manage to catch this film in your local cinema, because it really is such a great watch!

M x
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Saturday 7 November 2015

"Remember, remember, the fifth of November!"




Happy Bonfire night everyone!!!  I know that the actual bonfire night (5th November) has flown past us, but I know that a lot of you are still celebrating it tonight with friends and families.



I cannot tell you how much I love bonfire night..... From toasting marshmallows to playing with sparklers to watching bursts of light dance across the sky... The whole thing is just so magical!



And I was incredibly fortunate to have a beautiful display right outside my house.  I live behind the grounds of a private school and every year they put on an impressive show for around twenty minutes and it truly is breathtaking!



Every time I go and watch a firework display, I always pick one firework to be my favourite.  This year, the one that stood out from the crowd for me was a gorgeous Copper colour that sparkled and slowly fell from the sky.  Copper is one of my favourite colours and when I saw it light up my vision I screeched with joy!  Eeeeek!!



I hope you all had a brilliant firework night and if you're going out tonight..... I hope you have a great time!

Don't forget to bring out the sparklers!

M x
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Manicure Post: "Sage Scarf"



On Wednesday, I went to my favourite salon "Beauty Box" to have my nails done!  I try to get them professionally painted every two weeks if I can, so that I maintain the shape, health and growth of my nails.



From reading up on all of my favourite fashion magazines (Elle, Glamour, Vogue and Grazia), I have found out that the colour green is this months 'it' shade.   Pinterest is full of inspiration behind khaki, olive, peppermint, bottle green... Literally any nails in the shade of green!  I loved the colours and knew that I wanted to try out green for my new manicure.



I opted for Shellac's new colour 'Sage Scarf' and it is really rather special!  It has such warmth to it and therefore gives your hands such colour.  I was afraid that it was going to wash me out but if anything it does the complete opposite and makes me look like i have slight tan.... And I desperately need that!



This colour is so amazing, because it goes with all of my tan, camel, burgundy, khaki and gold coloured clothes and accessories that I live in at the moment!  I always find that the right nail varnish can give your outfit such sophistication and this shade does just that!



I am so impressed by this colour and I cannot wait to start styling it with my favourite jewellery.  I've become slightly obsessed with my nails and I'm already planning my next colour!

What nail varnish are you wearing at the moment?

M x
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