Baking

I have gone a little bit mad baking this week.

This is the result of a very late night of baking. When I entered a cake decorating competition a few months ago I was given some baking mixes . One of these was a cookie mix which was used a lot. I also got a muffin mix, a 3kg bag of it. I hadn't used it before now and thought I'd give it as go. I made some plain vanilla ones which were so nice. I then wanted to make some blueberry muffins , then some strawberry. I also made some banana ones by halving the liquid needed and adding 3 small bananas to the mix. These where the nicest of them all especially when they where still hot. I may have gotten carried away with baking and made a little to many, so anyone who came to visit went home with some haha.

Mini Haul

I went shopping yesterday and it was only to window shop as I really souldn't be buying anything else because I don't know where I'm going to put it. Anyway I went for a little browse in Penney's (Primark) because it's to tempting not to in the off chance I find a bargain or two that I have no choice but to buy as the price is just too good haha.

I did find some bargains actually and really good ones. First I got this mint green top for €1 and then I found these pink runners. 

The top is a lovely green which is one of my favourite colours and it's 100% cotton and really soft.

The shoes where only €2 which is great. They are very bright but I have always loved pink shoes and for €2 where could I go wrong. 

Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff Review

First of all I love the smell of this, it just smells fresh and makes me want to use it even more. Secondly I love that it's pink.

This is one of the best product that I have bought in a very long time. The first time I used it I knew I would become obsessed with it. There is definitely no going back now.

It's described as "A no nonsense 3 in 1 body scrub" used to prepare skin for cocoa brown tan, remove stubborn old tan and as a fabulous exfoliating body treatment.

I have used this for all three of these. Using tough stuff before I applied my tan helped my tan develop without any bad patches around dry areas. I struggle with this usually which tend to put me off tanning. As I suffer with eczema and keratosis pilaris (bumpy red skin that can be very rough) on my arms and legs I have been let down by a lot of products that just don't work for me. This is definitely not one of those products. I used it on dry skin the first time and then on wet skin every couple of days since. 

I expected good results from the reviews I kept seeing but didn't expect how good the results would actually be, my legs and arms especially have never been so soft. I literally kept telling people to feel how soft my skin was .... Like a weirdo haha.

I used it when my tan was fading to help it as it tends to sick to the insides of my elbows and the back of my knees. Oh and also on my hands and feet. Basically anywhere I tend to have eczema breakouts.

I recommend that anyone who wants supper soft skin and perfect tan should give this ago and the results will speak for themselves. I must pick up a new one to stick in my suitcase to bring with me.

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Nose Pore Strips

I picked these up as an impulse buy not knowing how good they are but they where only €1.50 for 6. They are described as cleansing nose pore strips for removing blackheads and unclogging pores. 

The directions say to apply to a clean wet nose, and then to smooth the srtip  over the nose to get ride of any bubbles. They suggest that it should be left on for about 10-15 minutes. By this time it feels rock hard. Next is to remove it by slowly pulling it away from the skin on the side of the nose. My skin is sensitive and I wasn't very gentle removing it the first time so it did sting a bit. The second time I was more carefull and it didn't hurt. The results can be seen instantly on the strip. So if you suffer from backheads in this area you should see quite a lot like I did. The skin on my nose felt so soft afterwards. 

My nose is an area that is oily and I get a lot of blackheads here as well as my cheeks just beside my nose. I wanted to see if the strips would help me with the blackheads on my cheeks too so I cut one in half and applied it in the same way and yes it worked great. 

I have used these twice now on my nose and can really see a difference. I hope by using them more often like twice a week as they suggest I can improve the look of the pores on my nose.

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New Bag

I love this bag. I saw it on ebay a few weeks ago and feel in love with it. I just had to have it and it was only €8.22 with free postage, so bargain. I love finding these types of bargains. It only took a couple of weeks to get here which is great for ebay. 

It came in a few different colours aswell like pink and beige. It has a leathery feel to it and the size is perfect, not to huge but big enough to fit everything in and definitely not small. It even has a little purse attached to the inside which I think is the cutest thing ever. 

To be honest I am genuinely impressed with the quality given that it was only €8.22 and on line. My Aunty was even so impressed that she's asked me to order her one as well in the same coulour. Well it was either that or mine may have just gone missing haha. 

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Nude and Glitter Nails

While staying in and watching the Holiday which I love I stared to do my nails. It took me over half an hour to pick a colour. In the end I went with a nude colour by Nails inc called Havana and a glitter nail polish from H&M. I started off with the nude colour then gradually started to add thin layers of the glitter polish. I wanted it to look full on the top of my nail and less as it went down. Sort of like a firework if that makes sense. It took forever but finally turned out great, so sparkly. I love glitter but not so much when its time to take it off. I applied a top coat so that the glitter would stay in place. I used Rimmels 60 second clear as a top coat. 

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What I've been up to lately.

I have mostly been planning my trip or at least trying to. I have also been packing up my room slowly as I keep getting distracted by things I forgot about for getting bored. Obviously I packed the important stuff first haha.

The week end before last it was my parents 30th wedding anniversary so we had a family dinner which I cooked and got a lovely black forest gatau for after. It had to be black forest as that was what they had at their wedding. Unfortunately my dad was called to work that weekend so they had to cancel their party, this is why we had a family dinner instead.

I went to the Bray air show that weekend too. It was a great day even if I came home burnt to a crisp. I was wearing factor 30 but unfortunate wasn't high enough for the sun that day. I burn so easily. I went with my Mam, Sister and Two of my little cousins who had a great time on the amusements. My younger sister was there aswell with her boyfriend and his brother so was a big day out. We found them on the carousel having a great time haha.

I had family in Ireland form Australia over the last month or so and they where leaving to go home so went to see them on their last night.

This was my outfit I wore. A cream dress I have had so years and still love it's lovely for the weather we are having. Cream shoes with flowers on them , flats of course I can't wear heels for a while since hurting my leg. Last but not least My coral bag I got on ebay a few months ago for a bout €9 I think. I also wore a necklace my sister made me.

My make up I tried to keep simple but of course couldn't resist using my contour palette.  I wore pink blush and a gold smokey eye. My lipstick and lipgloss where a light glittery pink. 

My hair was easy to do and love doing it this way. I twist the hair along the hairline on the top and around the back and them plait at the side. so simple and looks summery. I also find that doing this before my hair is completely dry helps to keep it in shape longer.

As one of my Aunty's will be away on holidays when I'm leaving she came down for a few good bye drinks last during the week and surprised me with these lovely balloons. I love the batman one it's huge. We had a great night. Another Aunty popped down aswell and my Mams friend also came down so ended up being a great night in with a lot of laughing.

I was making cupcakes this week for a Hens party. My sister's friend is getting married soon and asked if I would make her cupcakes for the hens party. This is what I made. The cupcakes are vanilla sponge with chocolate buttercream. They are decorated with fondant roses, wedding rings, L plates in pink and white and some purple stencilling. The yellow flowers are the colours her wedding flowers are going to be. 

Last but not least I finally went to see the Fault in our Stars movie. I have been wanting to see it but hadn't gotten around to it yet. I love going to the cinema and love cinema popcorn. The movie was great and having read the book I couldn't help compare them but actually wasn't that far off like other books that get made into movies.

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Travel Haul Part Two

As I'm clearing out old stuff I'm replacing it with new stuff for travelling. The cycle never ends. I bought some practical stuff this week as well as some fun travel accessories. 

First if all I got this purple zebra print travel pillow and matching luggage tag in Dunnes Stores for €8 for the pillow and €3 for the tags. I just love the print and the way the pillow is filled with little beans. I got one last year that was memory foam and at first I found it comfortable but after a while I just found it uncomfortable and irritating, it felt like a rock around my neck or something. I'm hoping for better luck with this one. I saw them in pink as well but went for the purple as someone pointed out that most of my stuff is pink ....woops. 

I also got two packs of vest tops and a pack of socks in Lidl for great prices. I'm genuinely impressed with the quality of the vests and socks. The tops came in packs of 3 with either mint green, pink and white or blue, yellow and grey and also a 3 pack of black but I didn't get those ones. They only cost €6.99 for a pack and came in loads of sizes.I even picked my sister up a packed while I was there and she was delighted with them. I love vest tops they come in so handy for when a top is a little to low for my liking, a little too sort which I always find and hate or when I'm wearing a sheer top or blouse. The socks came in a pack of 7 for €3.99 and came in a couple of different sizes, I got size 21/2 to 5 even thought I'm a six and a half but I got socks there before in a bigger size and they where too big. They colours are lovely and bright and a change form just plain black and white, and well you can never have enough socks. 

Argan Oil Night Repair Serum

I've been using this night repair serum for the past two weeks now. I found it in the Euro General shop for €1.50. Seriously I'm starting to love this shop. 

I really like the packaging of this. It comes in a little glass bottle with a dropper. It recommends applying a few drops to a clean face and neck. I've been using about 4 to 5 drops and gently massaging it into my face and neck. The serum is light but not greasy. It doesn't disappear into the skin straight away. It feels like a night cream on my skin. A little goes along way with this serum and I am less then half way through the bottle even after using it a couple of weeks. 

I find my skin is very soft and hydrating by the morning, which helps me when applying my make-up. I usually have dry skin and can take me a while for my make-up to look right but not with this serum. 

I  would recommend this as an alternative to a night cream. Although it doesn't work miracles in terms of repairing my skin it is still early days and I have high hopes for it after maybe a month or so. It does do an amazing job of hydrating my skin which helps the appearance of my skin look smoother and it feels it too especially around my eyes where the eczema has really effected, and all for a €1.50 price tag.

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Wet N Wild Ultimate Brow Kit

E963 Ash Brown 

I picked up this brow kit in Dunnes Stores Last week while doing shopping. I noticed the new Wet N Wild stand and stopped to have a look. I spotted this kit and thought Id give it ago. The shade is Ash Brown which is lighter then I would normally have my brows but I wanted to see if it would suit me better. Sometimes I think dark brows don't always suit me. 

In kit consists of a Wax and two shades of powder. It also has a little application brush and a tiny tweezers. Oh and what really impressed me was the little mirror that pulls out from the side. I used it straight away and was really impressed. I was able to create a good shape with the tweezers and the power was great for filling them in. I had never used a wax like this before and was really impressed it kept the shape great. I can't believe I never used it before. Here's how they turned out.

It's a great bargain and I find it great quality . I do think it is something I would buy again and have been recommending it to everybody. 

Travel Haul

I have been on a huge budget lately as I'm saving for my trip. I do have one exception though, I still have to buy some bits and pieces for leaving. It's now 7 weeks until I leave so I am slowly starting to get some stuff together. I have a lot to do before I leave and don't want a huge panic or fuss in the last two weeks. I would love to be able to enjoy my summer which is about to start when I finish work in a week then enjoy my six weeks with family before I leave. This is why I am arranging everything already that way I can slowly get things done and just be ready to go. I even bought boxes in Ikea to pack up my room and plan on having a big clear out in the next week or so.

Here is what I have gotten so far.

My New Suitcase.

How amazing is this case. I love it so much as soon as I saw it I wanted it. I have been looking for one like this but didn't think I would find one so pink. When I was in Penneys (Primark) the other day I was browsing around the bags when I came across this.  I looked at the price and was equally amazed as it was only €40. This really surprised  me as the quality seems as good as the more expensive cases I have been looking at. My Mam and Dad ended up getting it for me as a little going away present. ( I think my Mam is now coming around to the idea and not crying any more.) Also it has four wheels that move sideways so can be pushed easily beside me as well as pulled behind me. I haven't had one like that before so can't wait to use it.

Make up bag and little bathroom bag.

I bought these two from ebay a few weeks ago. They weren't very expensive or anything and didn't really know the quality until they got here but they seem to be what I wanted. 

The little purple bag is big enough to hold some toiletries like moisturiser and shampoos and so on. It was only 77 cent including postage.

The travel mate is little but great it all opens up with little pockets and pouches and was only about 2.50 I think.

 It also zips up nice and neat.

Travel bottles

Another great find from Ikea and with the family card cost under €2. I love how colourful they are and are great for moisturiser and sun cream in my handbag so I don't have to carry the big bottle. I can't use hand soaps as they effect my skin so instead use silcocks base which I can put in the bottles and take with me when I'm out instead of not using anything but water.

FlipFlops

While doing shopping in Lidl over the weekend I saw these flipflops for €1.49 which is great and I love the colour so I picked up a pair and stuck them on when I got home to see how they are on. The size is 5/6 and I'm usually a 6. They fit all right but if my foot was even a cm bigger my heal would be over the back of them. I was thinking about picking up another in Pink so might try get a 6/7 for a better fit.

Laundry Bags

I got these laundry bags on ebay fro less then €2 and are great for packing. I always uses these when going away as I can separate clothes in my suitcase and find things easier its also great for doing my washing when away.

Other bits I've bought

Pink perfume atomizers I got two of these for just over a euro on ebay. I wanted one of these for ages so when I seen them I wanted to give them a try. 

A little black purse again on ebay only €1.20. I think it's really cute it is big enough to hold my phone, money and even a couple of little bits.

A pink Microfiber travel towel from ebay which was €5 and very very soft. I did think it would be a bit bigger as it was ment to be a bath size but I think I should have read the description better haha. I will remember that next time, it's still handy though. 

Last but not least I got a pack of five toothbrushes I picked up in Penney's for €1. I saw them at the till and just picked them up, I usually buy tooth brushes for sensitive gums so hope they won't cut the gums of me.

I also got a First aid kit

My Mam came home with this a little while ago for me. I am a little accident prone so she got me a travel first aid kit to stick in my case. Hopefully I wont have to use it but it is handy to have. I don't know how much it was but it's from Lidl.

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New lip stuffs

I bought these in the RDS at the Womens world show.

I seem to have a new obsession for lipsticks, glosses and balms which I was never that crazy about.

This is what I bought

Revlon

Colorburst Lip Gloss

002 - Crystal Lilac

This lipgloss is such a cute colour its slightly sparkly and I have worn it over the Bourjois sweet kiss lipstick and they worked so well together. I have also worn this on it's own and as a gloss it is glossy but not very sticky thankfully I hate really sticky glosses. Definitely one for summer days.

Revlon

Colorburst Lip gloss

046 - Sizzle

Vibrant colour that stands out again another orange shade which seems to be everywhere I look right now. Glossy and thick and didn't rub off too fast.

Bourjois

Lipstick

42 - Sweet kiss

I really like this shade and the slight sparkle it has to it. It's a nice light shade and makes my lips feel very soft. I first tried this on a sunny day and instantly felt more like summer it even has a nice smell to it, which is great as I've gotten lipsticks that turned me off instantly from the smell (yes I know that sounds strange). I think is a lipstick that I would wear more on a daily basis then for a night time look but is definitely added to the favorites list.

Revlon

Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

040 - Rendezvous

I bought this as an "I'm not sure it will suit me but I will give it a go" type of moment. I am very glad I did, sometimes I can be terrible for trying new colours, this is why I have so many reds I think. This colour actually works well for me it reddish but with an orange colour to it aswell and is soft and doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything on my lips. I wore it for the rest of the day when I got home and didn't rub off very much which is always a plus, nobody like having to keep reapplying lipstick or gloss every time they drink something, well I don't.

Visa, Shopping and Baking.

So this I week had a few exciting moment like applying for my 1 year working holiday visa for Australia. I applied and paid on-line through a company as I was interested in a package they had, not so happy with the package now though as including bank account and tax file number sounds like they arrange things with you or for you not email you a pdf with some information about how to do it all yourself and why you should. Felt a bit ripped off to be fair definitely not work the extra  money. I filled in the application for the visa and dropped it in to town and the next day was told it was approved. That part at least was easy and quick. 

I also done a little shopping on ebay for things that I need for my trip. I will do a post on them all when they arrive. I also got a couple of bits in Penny's (Primark) and Euro General shop which I may like a little to much but I do keep finding great things there. 

I got another Osiris CC Cream because I have gone through yet another one but accidentally got it in tanned.  I did a review a while back that you can find here. I tried it a little and it's not that drastically dark or anything so maybe if we keep up with this nice weather it might be ok .I may also be a little to optimistic sometimes. 

I also picked up this Argan Oil Night Repair Serum. I'm not sure if this is any good I haven't used it yet or heard anything about it but I have used the shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, heat defence spray and hair oil and was a fan of all of them even felt nice on my skin so hopefully this will too. I have done a review of the Hair mask that you can find here. I will also do a post on it after I try it out. This night repair serum was only €1.50 and so was the CC Cream.

In Penny's I didn't buy anything overly exciting just some socks two 7 packs one black, one white for €3 each. Then toothbrushes which I'm sure will be fine as I usually get the same type for sensitive gums but these where 5 for €1 and I couldn't leave a good bargain.  I also got a new top its a blue knitted string top which I thought I might like for the summer it was also €3 and my sister bought one to.

I finished The Fault In Our Stars on Friday and it was so sad I don't want to give anything away so I'll keep it short but even though it devastatingly sad it's also one of the best thing I've read in a while so I highly recommend giving it a go if your looking for something to read. It's not a book I would usually read but I was so surprised at how I just couldn't put it down. I didn't know what to do with myself when I finished the last few pages. I am just not sure if my next book I read will be as good. 

On Saturday I made a cake for a 30th Birthday. It was chocolate biscuit with white SugarPaste  icing and decorated with Yellow, Purple and Pink sugar paste including three handmade roses. I like making this cake I was a asked to make it colourful with a white base. That is usually the cakes I love to make. 

On Sunday as it was Father's day we had a family meal of Roast turkey that my Dad marinated and I cooked with baby potatoes, roast potatoes, lots of veg and potatoes that I'm not sure what you would call them but are mashed then piped into swirls and baked again in the oven until crispy and a little browned. Anyway they were lovely I kept seeing them and wanted to make them so thought today I would give them a try. Thankfully they turned out nice. 

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Round up of my week

I'm currently doing six weeks of work experience which I am really enjoying and also delighted that all my exams are finished. I have now done two weeks and have only four more to go then I can start counting down the time until I go away. I am also saving for my trip so not going out all that much and trying not to spend money on things that I don't actually need. I'm already trying to minimise the stuff I already have as I can't take it all with me.

My sister was also on holidays in Spain and when she came back this week she brought me home this gorgeous watch. I don't usually wear watches but I have hardly taken this off I just love it. I am made about the little diamonds and rose gold with the white strap. The watch face itself with the Eiffel Tower is so nice. 

She also brought home these nail polishes. The last few times she was away she has brought home Yes Love nail polishes and we both love them. They are only about a Euro and the quality is quite good. The other nail polish is Easy Paris which I haven't heard of before but so far it seems good too. My sister has been wearing the coral Yes Love polish and is really happy with it the colour is great and it hasn't chipped or worn off so far. I can't wait to give these all ago but unfortunately they don't stay long while I'm doing my work experience in fact my nails are not in good condition the last two weeks. When I finish I need to get them back in shape. 

Also this week I have been making invitations for my parents 30th wedding anniversary party this summer. I offered to make them and to be honest turned out to be a bit of fun. I used one of their wedding photos and turned it black and white and put it on the left of the invite so that I could put the writing and details on the right. I have of course covered most of that as I don't think they would be very happy to put them details up for everyone to see haha. I then put a black border around the the outside and printed them as size 4x6. I did have one glitch when I couldn't get them to print properly the black ink kept coming out very strange, then I realised that I forgot to that off the little tab on the ink before I put it into the printer. All I could do was laugh seriously something that I would do. I cut out the invites out around the outside of the black border and placed them on top of another piece of card slightly bigger. We bought the card in the Art and Hobby Shop, they where €19.99 for 100 A4 cards which is great value as we where going to buy them individually and it would have worked out much more expensive. I have been doing a few every night when I'm home and only have a few more to do, then have to write them slick them in envelopes and post them. 

My Mam came home with this the other day. It included a chocolate mould that looks like little presents, a box for the chocolates and little bags and ribbons that are meant to be for the marshmallows that are inside. I can't wait to try the marshmallows because I love marshmallows they are my favourite food ever. I try not to eat so much of them any more because if I could they would be all I would eat. But how cute is the chocolate mould and box, its a great idea as a little gift instead of buying chocolates I always prefer home made the shop bought but maybe that's just me.

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Sunny Saturday, Hair ,Make up and Haul

Today I went to the RDS to attend the Woman's World show.  My Mam and younger sister were going to collect their race numbers and goodie bags for the Flora Women's Mini Marathon on Monday. Myself and my older sister decided to go along as well. I was supposed to be doing the Mini Marathon as well but unfortunately my leg hasn't healed enough yet. I tore muscles in my calf and knee two months ago but it's taking so long to get back to normal. I did re hurt my calf last week so any hope of walking it I had went right out the window again. 

My hair and make up today.

I love this bun my sister put my hair into this morning. I really need to learn to do it myself. I also kept my make up simple with just some primer, cc cream, a little bronzer, highlighter and of course mascara.

This is what was in the goodie bag.

These where being given out ... yes and actual pan of bread.

Last but not least I picked these up at one of the stands. They where 2 for €5 or 5 for €10. I bought these four and another lip balm/gloss that my sister wanted.

More about this lot in a later post.

My day at the Working Abroad Expo

All week I just kept thinking of having a nice lie in on at the weekend. That was until I heard about the working abroad expo that was taking place in CityWest. I decided to go along and find out about Visa's, working and insurance for traveling. So I got up nice and early and headed over. It's about an hours drive from me, I had planned on taking the train and luas but my Mam had decided that she wanted to go along and find out more ( shes a bit nervous of me going travelling) she took the car. 

When we arrived we paid out €10 entry fee and had a little look around to see what was there. 

I had so many questions about when I should apply for my visa , what sort of jobs I could get over there, how to set up a bank account or if I could before I left here. I had them all answered today which has put my Mams nerves to rest a little and my confusion. I talked to a man from the bank who told me that I could have it all set up before I leave and nominate a branch to collect my card from. I also talked to a woman about my visa and how long it will take ( not so long actually) and how much it is. Then I went to find someone about travel insurance. I like the sound of the VHI backpackers travel insurance and have arrange for them to contact me in July when I will pay and finalize my insurance. It covers a lot like  accidents and trips to the hospital (which me being so accident prone I really need), lost luggage, canceled trip and some sports too. I also talked to some others about jobs and other things like that.

My main plan is to save as much money as possible and to get my insurance and visa set up in the next month or so. I also got some information from Goforless about there visa packages which also include sim cards, tax numbers and lots more. I will probably go with them for that sort of thing so that its all done at once.

Another week, another cake

After the last cake I made for a book club member I was asked to make a another. I got a phone call from the woman that asked for it and said that she loved the cake and so did her son. As he is making his Confirmation and liked the cake she asked if I could make one similar but in white and blue and instead of books on top could I put a dove on it. A dove is the sign for Confirmation.

The cake I made was chocolate sponge with chocolate fudge icing. I cover it in white and blue sugar paste. The decoration was white and blue beading, Confirmation day on the top and the name Alan in the center on the front. I also made a white sugar paste dove. I had not originally planned on doing this as I have a dove plunger but I couldn't find it so thought I'd give making one go.

So this is how it turned out and they where very happy with it as was I. I was so organised for this as I'm also studying for exams so had to be on top of everything but then just as I was about to decorate it I re tore the muscle in my calf so had to hobble around the kitchen for a few hours. I was exhausted the next morning. hopping around on one leg takes alot of effort. I also burnt my hand while melting the chocolate for the fudge icing. I'm a bit of a disaster if you haven't noticed but I do get the job done in the end. 

New Lipstick, Make up Academy

So a little while ago I entered a competition on facebook for a lipstick from Makeup Academy and I won one of them. I have been waiting to try it out and finally got around to it. The lipstick is Makeup Academy's juicy lipstick shade 15. It's a nice coral colour and makes me think of the summer.

I do really love this colour but at first I wasn't sure it was for me. After a little while of wearing it I got used to it and started to like it a little bit more. I think it is such a different colour then I would usually wear but I suppose that's a good thing as it I wouldn't have picked it myself but now that I have it and after wearing it I like it.

Also I just noticed that the end of the lipstick screws off and is like a little pot of lipstick. I can't believe I have never noticed this before now. I'm going to check all my other's to see if there the same.

100 happy days challenge

On Friday I picked up a copy of the latest issue of Stellar Magazine. I really like this magazine and love their articles including this one about the 100 happy days challenge. On Saturday I sat down with a lovely cup of tea and began to read through the magazine. That one article stuck with me and I found myself thinking of what happy things I would photograph every day for the challenge.

Today I went back to the magazine and reread it and then looked up the website aswell and searching the hashtag #100happydays on twitter and Instagram to see what others photographed. I loved what I found so decided to sign up straight away. I'm taking part on Instagram and can't wait to see what I find to photograph everyday. If I have counted it right it should end on the 5th of August which is actually my dogs 16th Birthday.

Since this magazine article is the reason I'm taking part I thought it should be my day 1 photo. 

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This weeks Baking

This week I was asked to make a cake for someones 50th birthday and of course I said yes. I love any excuse to make cakes. They asked for chocolate cake and as it was from the other members of her book club that it had books on it or something along those lines.

When I got home on Thursday and I got stated on making the cake and then icing and decorating. It worked out quite well that one of my favourite movies just happened to be on so ended up watching Saving Private Ryan and decorating a cake. I surprised it didn't turn out army themed.

I made a chocolate sponge and chocolate fudge icing, it smelled so good and the smell of chocolate kind of lingered in the house all evening. I used white sugar paste to cover and decorate it. I had never made sugar paste books before but it wasn't that hard to do.

I wanted to keep the colours bright so I went for pastel type colours in pink and yellow. I'm very happy about how it turned out.

Easter

I started off my Easter morning by going to the battle of Clontarf festival in St Annes park in Raheny. They had viking boats on display as well as tents and a craft fair with people dressed as vikings and selling things from that time. This is where I got my silver coin. There was a man making them by hammering the imprint into them like they would all those years ago. They also had a reenactment of the battle but unfortunately there was a lot of people there and I was too small to see over them :(. But still it was very good.

After the festival it was all hands on deck to get dinner made. In my house Easter dinner is like Chirstmas , it always has been more about a family meal them chocolate eggs not that chocolate isn't important. For dinner we had Ham, Turkey, Mashed potatoes, lots of veg, roast potatoes, home made croquet's (which I usually make but have now thought my sister to make), Yorkshire puddings ( I was up late the night before making these in advance) and of course the best stuffing in the world (my dads recipe). Ohh and not to forget Bisto gravy because no proper dinner is complete with out it.

I didn't make desert so instead after dinner ran to the shop ( I say ran but since hurting my leg it's more like a slow hobble) and myself and my sister treated everyone to icebergers, which went down a treat. After recovering from a very heavy dinner (and maybe a nap.. my leg was very sore at this stage)  it was time to relax with a glass of chilled Preseco and a bit of Easter egg.