Fabulous Favourites

I've got a favourite posts folder on my bookmarks and want to share some of these with you. I only started it last month and I often forget to use it so i'm sure i've read many other excellent posts.

There's life out there - From The Chronicles of Wasted Time this post made me remember LIFE. As in that thing we are trying to portray on our blogs. Your blog isn't going to fade away your readers abandon ship if you put down that laptop or phone and live a little.

My photo storage is a mess! - Does anyone else have *really* unorganized photo's on their computer? As in keeping every single one (including 50 photo's of that sunset you took) and only having half in folders? Read this post, you'll feel less guilty. :)

Some of best SEO tips you'll find - I love this post from Corinne. I've heard of SEO. I've read a few hints. I didn't have any idea how to implement them however. SEO instructions for dummys here!

Late 90s/early 00's child? - There are many of these lists floating around but most of this one applies to my childhood. Eraser pens were awesome and Arthur? My sister and I quote that program all the time. 'Hey . . DW . . . . .. !!'


A product I have been loving in the past week or so is my ELF eyebrow palette. I've only recently started filling in my eyebrows so am experimenting with different products. I have had this for years and had never used it until now. With very little effort it shades in gaps and makes mine look a little less untidy. Holds well and looks very natural.

  

Finally, to finish up my favourites, I have been LOVING Taylor Swift's new song 'Shake it Off'. I only really became acqainted with her last summer as our head chef was obsessed with her and her albums were on contant loop! Play this when you are in the kitchen and I guarantee you can't help but give a shake as you are cooking!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend, whether you are working or otherwise. I am going to a Kylie/Beyonce tribute night at Trentham Gardens tonight (brrrrr cold!) and then doing a carboot tomorrow morning.

What are you up to this weekend, do you share any of these favourites? 

Mini Blog Sale

Got a few things to sell and there will be a few more bits and pieces i'll put up tomorrow. I can't be bothered to do Ebay (though I spent long enough trying to make a college I may as well have done!). Postage will be £3.20, if you buy more than one I will combine. Please email amynmore@gmail.com.

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1. Avocado (Australian) green dress, size 12. £3

2. Topshop Tall range dress, brown and black size 12, real size 10 or small 12. £5

3. George dress, size 12, real size 10/12. Need tights or shorts under this as skirt flowey. Worn once. £3

4. George dress, size 12, real size 10/12, knitted/wool type fabric, winter dress. £3

5. Primark gilet, size 14, real size large 12/14, brand new with hood with detachable fur rim. £4

6. H&M vest, size 38, real size, 10/12/14, worn once, is one of those wide-style tops. £3

7. Pussycat London from New Look purple sequin dress with lining, size small, chiffon type material, real size 10/12, worn once. £5

8. Debenhams Strapless black polka-dot swimming costume with removable cups. Has ruffle down the front which handily hides the tummy ;) Has hooks to add a strap to make it halterneck. Brand new with tags rrp £35 Size 12, real size 10/12. £7

Skincare and Beauty haul

I'll be honest, these skincare and beauty bits are from a few weeks ago. I just don't post all that often and I thought it wise to get my birthday post up sooner rather than later as that is the sort of post that just can't wait! So i'm finally writing this one. These items I purchased last month, some based on repurchases, some based on recommendations and some just because they were cheap!

The Body Shop Tea Tree Cool & Creamy Wash and Aloe Calming Toner - The first I have seen mentioned on a lot of blogs and I used to like the tea tree facial wash from the body shop before they changed the formula. I use this a few times a week and I think it keeps things in check and my face refreshed. I am a bit confused as to its application though. I presume you use it like a wash but because it doesn't foam, it feels like it doesn't do anything. I am sure that is not the case, it is just because we are so used to everything foaming. I mostly use it with a flannel and wipe it off.

The toner is a repurchase. I liked it but wasn't wowed (though it is very hard to be wowed by a toner) so was going to try something else. But then I saw Caroline Hiron mention this and because I take most things she says as truth I bought it again lol.

Trilogy Cream Cleanser and Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum - Both of these I purchased on Ebay. My first ever serum had run out so after a recommendation I looked to purchase this. A lady was selling both this and the Trilogy cleanser. I wasn't looking to purchase the cleanser but you know it was half price and I could combine postage . . . I haven't used it yet but the serum i'm about a third of the way through. At first I liked it as the texture is just as I think a serum should be. But now . . .  I don't dislike it, I just think I prefer my first one which was from the Body Shop's Aloe Range.

Benefit Dream Screen and The Emu Oil Well Moisturising Eye Cream - Both bought from Lookfantastic.com because I found a discount voucher (£10 off £25 I think). Although I have only used the dream screen once (it's factor 45, i'm saving it for special occasions . . namely when the sun comes out or I actually remember!) I did appreciate the silky finish it gave.

The emu oil eye cream I believe was just something I spotted and reading reviews I liked the look of. I use this at night because it is thicker than my other eye cream (Body Shop Aloe). A little goes a LONG way. I can't say I have noticed much difference at the moment but I like it and there is no way I am stopping using eye creams now.

Lastly is the Aussie Miracle Recharge Colour Lightweight Conditioning Spray - I dyed my hair red a few months ago and so have been using the shampoo and condition from the John Frieda red range. They are not very nice to be honest and leave my hair a little dank and lacklustre so I bought this spray to use in the place of the conditioner. Much better that the red conditioner. Does anyone have any recommendations for red hair products?

All the Rimmel products were bought from Poundland. We have Scandeleyes Eyeshadow, a soft kohl in brown and Scandeleyes Gel Eyeliner in dark blue. I am impressed with the kohl, namely because it draws so easily and doesn't drag. However I think that may be partly due to the hot weather when I was trying this. It did seem to melt all my eyeliners! The gel eyeliner is pretty awesome in blue. I find it really easy to apply.

Barry M and Seventeen Nail Varnish - I wanted a lilac and it was a toss-up between the Seventeen one I got called Lilac Love or a similar shade from Barry M. Probably should have chosen Barry M as I don't think this appliesvthe best. Still, I have had a LOT worse before. The Barry M ones I chose were Almond, which is a browny-nude and Berry I/C, a light purple.

Incase you like the almond one, the actual colour is what is on my little finger. My middle finger must have been in the shade. The lilac looks more blue in this picture but it is lilac I promise!

So that's a little roundup of some products I bought last month, I haven't bought that much this month, hardly anything actually. Have you got any of these products and how do you like them?

Birthday weekend: Hula Girl and Harry Potter Tour!

Wow hasn't the weather turned now it is August? I don't mean rain, but there is a definite chill in the air. I do think nowadays that summer is May, June and July and August is preparation for autumn. 

Anyway I thought i'd let you now what I got up at the beginning of August on my birthday. 

My Mum made me an awesome Freddo and chocolate finger cake. I do love Freddo's. Infact i have been given a whole box (the type you get at the wholesalers) for my birthday in the past!

On the Saturday night my friend Becca and I, who shares the same birthday as me, had a fancy dress night out in town. I went as a hula girl:

Giving it a little shake, am I hula hooping or trying to catch a wave, who knows?

On the Sunday was my surprise. My family had clubbed together and bought me a ticket to The Harry Potter Studio Tour in London! So on Sunday my sister and I traveled down to Watford on the train. (Anyone else done the East Midland train to London? Sloooowest train in the world I reckon ;) We ate at an American diner before hand and below is the amazing shake I had. Made with blended skittles and blue sauce (whatever that is) it tasted delicious.

Onto to Harry Potter and the place was pretty cool. We (meaning I) spent far too long in the first section which showed various sets and costumes meaning we had to rush round the second half. I did take rather too many photo's like I always do. So much so that I need to go again so that I can actually take it all in this time!

I would say my favourite set was the potions classroom and the best surprise was the model of the castle at the end, I think my jaw dropped open. (Though I was pretty surprised when I found out about Hagrid/Robbie Coltrane) In the shop I bought a Marauders Map mug which I managed to break before I even got home! I am saving up for a scarf and some Hogwarts gloves the next time I go.

What a brilliant weekend, thanks friends and family :)

GBBO Week 1 - swiss roll

I've decided to join in with The Great British Bake Off tag #GBBOlinkup here so hopefully most weeks I will post my creations from the show. One of the cakes featured this week was the humble swiss roll. I've never really thought about how you roll sponge but the key is using no marg/oil/butter in the ingredients and rolls whilst it is hot. Here is how I got on:

Ingredients:

3 eggs

75g self-raising flour

75g sugar

Butter/Margerine

Icing sugar

Vanilla essence

Jam

Method:

1. Beat the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Maybe because my eggs are from the garden and so are large, but how do you get it to go light and fluffy? I just beat it for a while to get some air into it.

2. Fold in the flour. Pretty simple, just make sure you don't have any clumps of flour floating about.

3. Pour into a lined and greased rectangle tin and bake at 200c for between 7-10 minutes. I took out at 7 1//2 minutes because I didn't have that much mixture.

4.Tip onto another sheet of greaseproof and with the paper still on start rolling! Roll it up nice and tight. I left it in this position until it cooled down a little. I ran out of paper at this point and had to make do with half greaseproof and half a cut-open brown paper bag haha. Did the trick though.

5. Once cooled spread buttercream and jam on the sponge leaving a gap round the edges.

6. Roll, peeling off the bottom greaseproof paper as you go. Maybe it would be better to take this off beforehand I don't know, this is just how I did it.

7. Admire.

My sponge was a little dense. Probably needed more flour or less eggs. The fillings all but disappeared as you can see below but I was using buttercream because we had no double cream so it was perhaps a little more runny. A lot did come out when I rolled it! Pretty pleased with my effort though. If anyone wants to join in you can add your post to this post.

Hugo - the perfect summers drink

The Hugo (pronounced OOH-goh) quickly became my favourite drink during my time in Italy last year. Well that and the Mojito. I'm pretty sure you are familiar with that however. The Hugo and the Aperol Spritz are the signature drinks of Italy. I'm not keep on Aperol so I won't be showing you that but the Hugo I love. Made with prosecco and sweetened with elderflower syrup it is light, refreshing and addictive! Surprisingly though it has taken nearly a year since I left Italy to create it here, but a little BBQ during the hot spell last week seemed the perfect opportunity.

To make it you will need:

- Prosecco
- Sparkling water
- Elderflower syrup
- Mint
- Ice

No exact measurements but something like this will will work:

1. A few cubes of ice.
2. Pour prosecco to just under half the glass.
3. Add a couple of splashes of sparkling water.
4. Add the elderflower, again a couple of splashes or pouring twice round the circle of the glass should be enough. Have a taste and add more elderflower if you cannot taste it.
5. Add a few mint leaves, stir and serve with a straw and enjoy.

Let me know if you make this drink and what you think of it. Here are a few Italy pics including my friend and I enjoying our Hugo: