DIY Veil Beanie

And that's it! It's really as easy as it looks and you can make it as dramatic or subtle as you like. I've been wanting to try this out for ages but just never found the chance. This is unique accessory that will stand out amongst the sea of bobble hats this Winter. Totally wearable and totally cool! 

Hope you like this DIY and let me know if you want to see more ♣

How to make ... Lasagne Cupcakes

I must confess, I'm no domestic goddess, I love home cooked meals but I'm a bit of a menace in the kitchen. However, my boyfriend is a fantastic cook and one of my favourite dishes that he bakes is lasagne. I saw a picture on Twitter that inspired this recipe for mini portions. Because of the neater shape these would be great for dinner parties or, in our cases, making everyday meals a bit more exciting. We used Quorn mince & added veggies but of course use your own favourite lasagne recipe if you wish. We also opted not to make a white sauce this time but again if you want to, you can use one. Let's get started!

Hope you enjoyed this post although it's a little different to my regulars. Don't forget to add your favourite seasonings! Let me know if you try it out!

♣

Gold Accents

Jumper - Boohoo ♦ Jeans - Topshop ♦ Boots - New Look ♦ Frilly Socks - Topshop ♦ Bag - New Look ♦ Earrings - New Look  ♦ Necklace - c/o Narzipan ♦ Glasses - Replay

I've always been a silver jewellery kind of girl but recently I've been getting into gold. I'd chosen a small drawstring handbag a while back adorned with gold buttons and a chain and fell in love with it. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite do the job for the amount of crap I like to lug about with me to uni, so I've been on the lookout for something more substantial. I think the hinges on this make it look much more than £25.99!

I've not been overly impressed with the January sales this year, however these pretty earrings were £5.99, marked down to £3. I find it difficult to say no to a bargain so snapped them up. They are pretty dressy but can also be used to make a casual outfit look chic. I think they look best when my hair's twirled up in a bun. 

The lovely Sunita over at Narzipan gave me this awesome necklace at the Clothes Show this year. It's completely unique as she designs and casts them. I just love the shape of it, it's totally cool and different! It's definitely my current favourite necklace.

How do you like my new specs? I actually have terrible eyesight and my optician advised I ought to alternate my glasses and contact lenses as it's not healthy to wear them everyday. I've always felt uncomfortable in glasses but I am loving these and have found myself wearing them all the time! 

Hope you like my look!

♣

A Weekend in Paris - Day 2

On Saturday we had the chance to try the continental breakfast before setting out. It included fruit, yogurts, cereal and of course, breads and pastries. Nothing like a genuine French croissant and the pain au chocolats were lovely. The restaurant was so pretty and pink - just perfect for a girly weekend! After a lot of Actimels and a huge gulp of orange juice, we headed out on the underground to see the sights.

The Eiffel Tower

Coat - Peacocks ♦ Jumper - Boohoo ♦ Leggings - Primark ♦ Boots - New Look ♦ Bag - Obsessed ♦ 
Camera - Nikon Coolpix L820

Sophie & I beneath the Eiffel Tower!
My earrings - Forever 21

The symbol of Paris - the Eiffel Tower! Sadly, the very top of the tower wasn't open but we went all the way up to the second floor (in the lift, of course!) The view was incredible, if a little foggy. I'm so glad I got to experience it firsthand at long last.

Sightseeing 

The only way to see see Paris is surely along the river! The boat took us on a tour of the city, where we saw some iconic bridges such as the Pont de l'Archevêché, where lover clip padlocks onto it and throw the key into the water. We also visited the Flame of Liberty and memorial for Princess Diana, next to the tunnel where the accident happened. It was covered in heart-warming messages and mourners had attached locks to the chains of the memorial. 

Art Gallery 

I want this for my house!

You may or may not know I'm a bit of a arty farty fan, so I was really looking forward to checking out the gallery. The ticket was six euro fifty which was so reasonable as the gallery was HUGE! I could show you all the pictures I've taken from the gallery, but this post is already so photo heavy as it is so I've decided to just show you my favourite artist and pieces. Zeng Fanzhi creates amazing bright bramble paintings that look almost 3D, alongside a hauntingly odd collection of mask paintings.

After a short nap at the hotel and dinner, we got ready for a night out to celebrate a wonderful weekend. The night was amazing - the bartender set fire to bar so that flames covered the table, I'd never seen anything like it before! 

I hope you enjoyed hearing about our adventure in Paris; I'm pleased to say Laura had an amazing 21st. Au revoir Paris, one day I shall return! Read about my first day here

♣

A Weekend in Paris - Day 1

No matter how many flights I take, this sight will never cease to amaze me ...

Eiffel Tower view from our hotel!

Jumper - Asos ♦ Jeans - River Island ♦ Boots - New Look

I'm back from my weekend in beautiful Paris! It was my friend Laura's 21st and we couldn't wait to get out on the streets. Once we arrived at the hotel  at around four, we dropped our bags off and headed straight out for some late sightseeing. We walked down to the Arc de Triomphe which was so looked so pretty when it was all lit up. Walking down Champs-Élysées we saw many pretty sights, including the Roue de Paris! We chose to dine at a posh Italian where I had a santa lucia pizza. It was lovely but so big, I couldn't eat the whole thing! We probably should have picked a traditional French eatery but all the walking had got us pretty hungry so we went for what we knew, plus I didn't really fancy frogs legs! 

After dinner, myself and my roomies Alex and Soph decided to settle down for the evening to replenish ourselves for the next day. Unfortunately, there wasn't a great deal of telly available for us English speaking folk, just a channel called M6 that showed a marathon of Elementary episodes which we actually started to get into! 

So what did we get up to on Day Two of our Paris rendezvous? Stay tuned for the Eiffel Tower, a ride along the river, a whole heap of photographs! Read all about it here

♣

Christmas, New Year & Beyond

First Buddy's Pizza of 2014 - BBQ base, sweet corn & pineapple

Rudy in his high-vis jacket at Jack's nan's - hasn't he grown a lot from my last post?

Isn't my Salvador Dali clock amazing - I have my lovely sister to thank for this! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas - I had a great time and some lovely presents including a brand new TV! However we were all really unwell - I'm not exaggerating but by Boxing Day I felt like I'd been poisoned and I promise you this sickness was not self-inflicted (i.e I had not been drinking). I sincerely hope none of you come down with this illness, it was so horrible.

Luckily, I was feeling better by New Years Eve but I didn't really fancy going out - it's too expensive, too cold and to be honest, too overrated. Instead, I went with my boyfriend to give his nephew's their Christmas presents and later with my sister and I went to my brother's and his girlfriend's flat to eat pizza and watch films. On New Years Day we went for dinner with my cousins and aunt and uncle which was lovely. Afterwards when we returned home we watched Cabaret and scoffed chocolates.

I can't remember if I told you guys this but I'm going to Paris on the 10th for a weekend, it's my friend's 21st and I can't wait! I've been desperately been searching for a nice faux fur coat for the occasion but I haven't been able to find any recently, do you guys have any suggestions?

Thanks guys and I hope you had a lovely holiday

♣