The ultimate Christmas playlist!

hiyaa,

Some may say it’s to early, but I most definitely think not. This is my first Christmas post this year. And I won’t lie to you, I’m over the moon! The fact it’s mid November doesn’t phase me at all because…this girl loves Christmas!!!

The truth is, I’m going on holiday around Christmastime and I would be devastated if I missed out on a few cheeky festive posts! So for lucky you, Christmas will be coming early! 

One of my favourite things this time of year is the music, and if I’m honest, I started listening to these songs many many months ago. You might even say, I never stopped listening to them since last Christmas……I know I know, that is a bit naughty but who can blame me, these tunes are the best to sing out loud for all to here. It’s a pity they only get heard at Christmas when they deserve so much more appreciation!

So here they are (in no particular order because I love them all equally) the perfect songs for my favourite Christmas playlist !

Last Christmas ~ Wham!

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday ~ Wizzard

Merry Christmas Everybody ~ Slade

Do They Know It’s Christmas? ~ Band Aid

Lonely This Christmas ~ Mud

Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord ~ Boney M.

Merry Christmas Everyone ~ Shakin’ Stevens

Step Into Christmas ~ Elton John

Christmas Lights ~ Coldplay

White Christmas ~ Bing Crosby

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas ~ Frank Sinatra

Frosty The Snowman ~ Jackson 5

A Spaceman Came Travelling ~ Chris de Burgh

Walking In The Air ~ Aled Jones

A Winter’s Tale ~ David Essex

All I Want For Christmas Is You ~ Mariah Carey

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) ~ Michael Bublé

Fairytale Of New York ~ The Pogues (feat. Kirsty MacColl)

Jingle Bell Rock ~ Mean Girls

Believe ~ Polar Express (Josh Groban)

What’s This? ~ Nightmare Before Christmas

It Feels Like Christmas ~ The Muppets Christmas Carol

Stay Another Day ~ East 17

2000 miles ~ Pretenders

Blue Christmas ~ Elvis Presley

So that’s ALL of my all time fave Christmas Songs, and let me tell you it wasn’t easy whittling it down to these 25! I’ll be honest and tell you, this post was meant to be a top ten list but as I went along I couldn’t just leave some of these out and there are some I feel guilty about not adding to this list but I’ve tried my very best to just put down the ones I love love love! None of these are them songs on your playlist that you just skip past either!

Hope you enjoyed this post!

see you later, byeeee x

New Copper Loves!

hiyaa,

So I am currently in the process of redecorating my room. So I’ve kept my eyes peeled for some great stuff for my bedroom and I can’t even tell you how many homeware hauls I’ve watched on Youtube! So my theme is copper and white (well that’s what I’m trying to keep to at least). Once it’s all finished I’ll probably do a full post of everything in my room. So today I’m just going to show you a few copper bits & bobs I’ve bought for my room that I’m totally in love with! 

Copper Double Picture Frame

I basically just tried to buy every copper thing possible in New Look. Its like my eyes now have a special filter because I’m instantly drawn to copper and I can spot it from a mile away! I need to find some cute pics to put in these frames so they can go on my shelf. These are actually joined together by a hinge so it stands nicely at an angle without a stupid sticky-out bit holding it up. The little quotes that come in it are adorable and I will be sure to keep them and place them somewhere on my wall. It’s just something else to bring the room together!

Copper Mini Alarm Clock

So I was on the look out for a clock for my room anyway and how lucky was I to find a cooper one straight away…in Asda of all places. Asda’s homeware is actually amazing and I’ll probably be returning to get the bigger wall clock as well. I’ll keep this on my dressing table by my bed too and everything will look great together. I don’t use the alarm part because I can’t workout how to set it but I’ve got my phone to wake me up in the morning anyway. I thought I’d mention that it does tick because I know that it annoys me sometimes, especially when I’m trying to get to sleep. I know it’s not loud at all but I like silence; your’e probably thinking I’m silly because all clocks tick but it’s a serious problem for me.

Copper Light Up Star

As soon as I saw this I couldn’t not buy it! For something like this, £9.99 is a great price! I’ve put it on my dressing table and it looks so cute lit up and is surprisingly very bright! I was devastated when I accidentally bought one with a scratch in it and since then I’ve realised that it’s very easily scratched because of the mirrored effect and it gets dirty quick ( probably from my fingerprints when I’ve been admiring it). I also love how it’s both shiny copper and a sort of matte copper which switches it up a bit. This star fits perfectly with my theme and I think it’s my favourite piece. I think I’m going to go back and get the mini version!

Light up star  ~ New Look

picture frame  ~ New Look

Alarm clock ~ Asda

So that’s what I’ve bought recently copper-wise and you’ll probably see a few more of these mini homeware hauls over the next few months while I’m still getting lots of stuff for my room and hoping to get a few added decorations at Christmas!

see you later, byeeee x

P.S. I just want to say a massive thank you for 50 followers on my blog! I can't believe it and I'm super duper happy! I don't know if anyone still reads my posts on my little blog but I'm so grateful if you do! So thank you x

Tanya Burr's chocolate fudge spider-web cake!

hiyaa,

Since I’m in the Halloween spirit and it’s only tomorrow I thought I’d do a second Halloween spooky post! With that in mind, I decided to do a baking post which means another recipe from Tanya Bakes! I had a look through the book and came across a few different Halloween inspired bakes but then I saw it…one of the most delicious looking cakes I’ve ever seen! Chocolate fudge spider-web cake! I had to male it and share the recipe on my blog, so here it is:

prep time: 40 mins

cooking time: 30 mins

cooling time: 10 mins

you will need 2 x 21cm round loose-bottomed cake tins

Ingredients:

• 200g dark chocolate
• 200g unsalted butter
• 250g plain flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 200g dark muscovado sugar
• 200ml buttermilk
• 3 eggs

For the icing:

• 200g dark chocolate
• 250g slightly salted butter, softened
• 275g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• half a bar (25g) white chocolate

To decorate:

• a spider, edible or not (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉ / GM4. Grease and line two cake tins.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl and add the muscovado sugar.

Mix together the buttermilk and eggs in a seperate bowl and add the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour/dry ingredients to form a smooth batter and divide between the two cake tins.

Bake for 30 minutes, then leave to cool in the tin.

For the icing, melt the dark chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water, make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Set aside to cool slightly.

Cream the butter in a bowl until light and smooth, then slowly add the icing sugar until fully incorporated. Add the dark chocolate and vanilla extract to form a smooth icing.

Melt the white chocolate in the same way, then transfer to a piping bag witha thin nozzle and leave to cool for 10 minutes until slightly cooled.

Use about half the mixture to sandwich the cake together, then use the rest to ice the top and sides of the cake. Pipe even circles of white chocolate on top, starting in the middle and working outwards. Use a skewer or knife to draw lines from the centre to the edge of the cake, to create a spider-web. 

Pop a decorative spider on top and then it’s all ready to eat or if you have the will power, save til’ your Halloween party to share with all your friends!

I think mine turned out alright and I’ll let you know how it tastes. But from the bits of batter, spare icing and trimmings I’ve taste tested I know it’s going to be delicious! All good bakers have to try a bit of their mixture! It’s part of the experience!

I hope you give this recipe a go and love it! Tanya Burr has done a brilliant job!

Happy Halloween!

see you later, byeeee x

5 films to watch this Halloween!

hiyaa,

So it’s that time of the year where all you want to do is cosy up and never ever get out of bed! The weather is miserable and it’s the perfect excuse to just snuggle up in your duvet and stay in. So, with Halloween just around the corner I thought I’d introduce you to my favourite spooky films/programmes that I love watching this time of year! 

Addams Family

This is a Halloween classic and it’s a must watch every year! It’s not really scary at all (good for me haha) but this film is hilarious! It’s creepy but lovely at the same time. The theme song too is great and I know all the words…is that kinda sad?!?!

Hocus Pocus

I’ve seen this film loooaaads of times and it just never gets old! I used to be really scared of it when I was much much younger but now when I watch it, it just brings back all the childhood memories and I love it. I actually remember having a dream about it years ago and I had a washing machine broomstick, I’m not quite sure how that works but you can use your imagination! Out of all the amazing dreams that I forget straight away, that’s one that I still remember? Why?!  

American Horror Story

Now I know this is a show rather than a film but it is halloween-y so it's not quite cheating but I just had to add it to the list. This one is actually very very scary! I don’t quite know why I’m still watching this because it gives me nightmares…but I love it! I’m hooked and I can’t stop watching. The acting’s amazing and I don’t know who comes up with all the creepy storylines but I suggest they get help because it’s messed up. If your someone who enjoys horror films and freaky things then this is one for you. That’s the opposite to me but there’s just something special about it! 

Corpse Bride

I am a huge fan of Tim Burton and all his work. I love his creepy films and Corpse Bride is no exception. I have to admit that the people/models/puppets/whatever they are, are rather weird and send shivers down my spine but this movie has quite a nice story actually. Also, A Nightmare Before Christmas is also a really great film and kind of Halloween-y (any excuse for me to start watching Christmas films)!

Halloween Town

I can’t even express how much I love this film (and its sequels)! I’d watch it all year round if it was socially acceptable (I do anyway I just don’t tell anyone). It’s a Disney channel classic and I watch it every single year! This is my favourite Halloween watch of all time! I can’t wait to watch it this year and I’m probably going to watch it right now after I’ve finished writing this post!

Sorry for the lack of actual scary halloween films in this post but this is what I love! So grab your blanket and your mug of hot chocolate and start watching these 5 amazing Halloween shows! 

Happy Halloween!!!

see you later, byeeee x

10 things to do on a rainy day!

hiyaa,

A while back I did a post about 10 things to do on a sunny day so now I am back with a follow up post about 10 things to do on a rainy and boring day! Since it’s almost winter, the weather in Britain will constantly be cold, rainy or worse! But do not fear because I’ve got some ideas for things you can do that probably won’t require leaving you house!

If you know you’ve got hours free, with nothing planned then why not get out the box sets and watch your favourite film series from the beginning to the end! My fave is to have a look on Netflix what tv programs they have and binge watch entire seasons! It’s weird how proud I feel when I finish a new season and I then can’t hold back the temptation to watch another episode! 

One of my favourite things to do in the world is bake! It’s so much fun to do but its even more rewarding once you’ve finished and you get to eat all your lovely food, makes you put more effort in. I’ve done a few posts on my blog about some of my favourite recipes so you can give them a look for inspiration. Imagine how happy your friends will be when you treat them to a slice of cake, but remember that no one is making you share!

On a day where you’ve got nothing else to do, you can take a nice, long bath. And I mean longer than usual since you’ve got so much time to spare. Make sure you use all your favourite products and of course it has to have bubbles!

Also, along side your bath, you could have a pamper evening or even an entire day dedicated to you! You’ve got to make sure you’re looking after yourself and just take some time out for a good pampering sesh! Whip out the oils and creams and relax! No pamper evening is complete without a scary face mask and some hot chocolate!

I’ll just get this one out of the way, but on a miserable day you might want to do a bit of exercise! You may just feel like doing nothing but take this lazy day opportunity and make something from it. Think of how proud you’ll feel afterwards. It’s a good idea to balance it out if you’re planning on making yourself a hot chocolate and eating all your baked goods. 

Something I love to do when it’s raining is just sit in the car with the radio on and watch the world go by. I just love hearing the rain hit the roof and I feel safe inside my nice, warm car ( don’t forget the blankets ). Also, if you’re going out in the rain, I’d really recommend buying a clear umbrella and watch the rain fall above you, it’s very therapeutic.

One of my best friends is Youtube! It’s always there when I need something to watch or something to do. Full of tutorials, hilarious cat videos and then there’s the creepy conspiracy theories that I can’t get enough of. You can never get bored with Youtube, it’s just magical. Sometimes I’ll even start from the very beginning of my favourite youtuber’s channel and rewatch all of their videos!

Why not have a look on your bookshelf and find a book you haven’t read in a while or one you know you love the most. Sometimes it is good to have a little technology break and put your phone and laptop down. Just do something as basic and simple as reading and get lost in a book, forget about the horrible weather and in your head, imagine yourself at a different, beautiful place.

Before you do this next one, make sure you definitely know you’re not going anywhere and no one’s coming to visit. But something I love to do is experiment with makeup. Try a different eye shadow colour or maybe a bold lip that you would never ever be caught wearing in public and just rock it!

If it’s the weekend and you’re stopping in then whats the point wasting energy picking an outfit. Just stay in your pyjamas! Nobody’s watching so have a dance party in your onesie! Wearing your PJ’s just makes everything better and try out all the things on this list in your pyjamas and just see how great it is!

So thats my list of things to do on a rainy day at home. There won’t be no more boring days in anymore!

see you later byeeee x

September Favourites!

hiyaa,

Today I’m gonna try something a lil’ bit different. This month I’ve been lovin a lotta lotta stuff so I’m gonna give a favourites post a try! Some of these things I’ve been lovin for longer than just the month of September but that’s okay because many of these are my all time faves so I’ll just show you!

Telly&Netflix

I can’t think of anything stranger than Stranger Things. Now, I already watched this in July but I recently rewatched this the other week because it is literally A.MAZ.ING! I can’t even express how great this show is! You just need to go watch it on Netflix. You’ll fall in love with the characters, get lost in the plot and you will not have a clue what’s going on till the very last episode! I can’t wait for the next season because surely they can’t leave it where they have! I watched it in a day and I will warn you, it’ll mess with your head!

Something else I have binge watched for the past few days is American Horror Story. Possibly my new favourite show. It’s kinda freaky but I like that. I think there’s a bit of a theme that I’m into weird programmes. I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t like horrors as it is quite gruesome but now I’m hooked I can’t stop myself from watching episode after episode. It’s addictive! I’m onto season 4 now but don’t worry I’ll have finished all the seasons in the next few days. I also love how every season has an entirely different, spooky story. Also, I take my hat off for the actors, they have to do some creepy stuff and probably have nightmares. It’s just great.

Food&Drink

So obviously while watching all these creepy shows I need something to keep me sane so my best friend this month has been a good old fashioned Hot Chocolate. Though delicious, hot chocolate can be vicious ( didn’t mean for it to rhyme soz ). I can’t even count how many burnt tongues I’ve had this month. So in just plain fear, I can’t help but to leave my hot chocolate till its pretty much cold! So actually it’s more of a chocolate milkshake! I vary a lot with hot coco and I like to mix it up a little. Sometimes I’ll go for magic stars and warm milk or maybe a galaxy mixture with hot water. Usually, if I’m feeling lazy, I’ll just use the coffee machine that also makes hot chocolate. Topped with whipped cream and marshmallows…mhhmmm! It’s just lush!

Beauty&Skincare

One thing I’ve used everyday this month since I got it was my Simple face wash & moisturiser. Now, I won’t go on too much about this because I’ve already done a whole post about these two bad boyz ( which you can find here ). They’ve worked really hard taking my make up off and keeping my skin feeling super soft so they just needed a bit more appreciation.

Makeup-wise, I’ve been reaching for my Tanya Burr Hollywood eyes palette. The colours are the perfect golds and browns and they work really well together. I think this quad can create a day look or a night look which is perfect. The actual quality is fabulous for just a drugstore palette and the packaging is just adorable! And for just 6 quid, I can’t complain!

Music

Now, don’t tell me it’s too early because it most certainly is not. My music favourite this month and for the next coming months ( and probably the rest of my life ) is…christmas songs! More specifically, Now That’s What I Call Christmas. On really early school mornings, when it’s cold outside and I can’t be bothered to get out of my bed, when chestnuts are roasting on an open fire……just kidding, but seriously, Christmas music must be some of the happiest songs in the world and they really motivate me for the day ahead. Christmas is my favourite time of year and I love it more than my Birthday. I can’t wait till it’s socially acceptable to start watching Christmas films and sing carols in public! It gets me excited just thinking about it!

So that’s all I’ve been loving this month ( of what I can remember ) and writing about all these things just makes me soso happy!

see you later, byeeee x

How to draw a Mandala!

hiyaa,

So I was searching the web for therapeutic things to do ( because watching Netflix and Youtube all day is oh so stressful ) and then Google recommended art. So then I searched different ways of drawing ( because I’m a bit basic and don’t have time to juggle both Netflix and whipping out the paints ). So the other day I discovered Mandala drawings and I’ve fallen in love! They are super easy to do and look like they took ages to make and require a lot of talent. When in actual fact they don’t just a lil’ bit of patience and maybe a lil’ bit of math! One quick tip is if you’re on the same level as me ( meaning beginner and not very good ) then get everyone to look at it from about a metre away because up close they look quite messy. These look really effective from far away :)

By no means am I an expert or someone to tell you how to do things but I’ll give you the simple guidelines and your imagination can take your artwork in whichever direction you choose! Just enjoy it, it’s meant to be fun and it’s not meant to be perfect. Just put your own spin on it! It’s a nice way to be creative! And let’s not forget if you’re really wanting to push the boat out, then why not colour it in as well, nothing better than a trip down memory lane!

So anyway, let me show you a few ways of doing things…

You will need:

• compass
• protractor
• pencil
• pen ( or a few different colours )
• ruler 
• paper

Take your compass and put it at 8cm ( that’s what I did anyway ) and draw your circle on the page. You could also just use something to trace a circle around.

With your ruler, draw a straight line down the middle of your circle ( please don’t judge my High School Musical ruler ). Then mark every centimetre. You could do every 2cm or every 5mm, whatever effect you’re going for.

This is the tricky part so just be patient. Using your compass, draw circles inside each other at each cm mark. ( this is kinda hard to explain so just look at the pictures.

Take your protractor and line up the bottom with your straight line then mark out every 10 degrees.

Then draw straight lines, starting from your marked out degrees from the edges and making sure the line goes through the middle dot.

Now you are left with a weird spider web looking thing, that’s it isn’t it gorgeous…just kidding! Now you can draw triangles on it, straight lines or whatever you like. I think it likes good if you go for the flower effect. I’d also suggest making it symmetrical as that always looks nice!

I’ll just show you the process of how I mad my design so you get a little bit of an idea of how it could look!

These are a few others I've done...

Hope you enjoyed this post and give it a go yourself! I’m sure yours will look alot better than mine!

see you later, byeeee x