Homemade Christmas Gifts: Chilli Jam

As a big foodie I'll take any opportunity to cook so when thinking of a cute Christmas gift for the grandparents I decided I was going to cook it!

This chilli jam is so easy to make and goes well with plenty of different cheeses, meats and would also taste great on salmon.

You can find the recipe here: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8257/sweet-chilli-jam

Also google "food gift recipes" for plenty more ideas from truffles, to chutneys, and even marinated goats cheese (interesting...)

Alex x

Christmas Gifts: Have you been naughty or nice?

For those who know me well you will know how unbelievably excited I am about Christmas this year. I have got into the spirt of things early as Christmas cards were out by the 1st of December (Ok, very keen).

For those who don't know me, I will warn you I haven't been this excited about Christmas in a long time! I think it may be down to the fact that after a hard term back at University I can't wait to unwind in the warmth with my family and friends.

What have you all asked Santa for this year? I'm sure if your like me and have run out of the obvious luxuries such as Make-Up and Perfume these will be high up on your lists...

I just thought I would share some of the goodies I have on my wish list for Christmas 2012

Miss Dior Eau de Parfum, it is utterly delicious!

 

You can find Miss Dior in most places such as Boots, John Lewis, Fenwicks... The cute bottle makes it even nice and I have a sneaky suspicion I am on to a winner here!

 

 

 

Another pressie that I have had my eye on is this uber cool bedding from Urban Outfitters. I can't say no to a floral pattern and this black and white number is no exception. It is a bit of a twist on the usual girly florals...

 



 

This bedding would look perfect on my bed up here at uni, plus some cool fairy lights and we've got the perfect combination... Which brings me to my next most wanted gift.

 

The Fairly Lights!!!

 

I did have some really pretty ones but they broke on me... so therefore I have asked for a new set. John Lewis have great selection, especially with Christmas around the corner. Some of the lights can double up as christmas tree lights as well as room decorations for all year round. Here is a picture of some that I have on my list this year...

 

 

So for those of you that haven't been as keen as me this year, hopefully this post gets you thinking about what you would like from Santa (Mum, Grandad, boyfriend, friend etc.).

 

 

Enjoy xo 

Cheese and Wine!

Being the massive foodies that we are, Demi and I came up with the brilliant idea of having a Cheese and Wine Party for us and our friends. Everyone loves a bit of cheese, and of course, a glass of wine! We had enough cheese (and wine) to feed an army and still managed to consume it all. We also did a secret santa since it's now December and (almost) acceptable to get into the Christmas spirit.

See some photos of the yummy cheese below. My favourite was the Pié d'Angloys, which is like an extra creamy camembert. 

Tips for hosting your own cheese and wine party

• If you are all big eaters get a cheese per person
• Add little touches like flag labels and explanations
• Make sure you have enough bread for everyone to fill up on
• Have a varied range which includes a few common cheeses and some interesting ones
• Be sure to buy some chutneys and grapes!

WafflesNCream

This weekend, I have headed South to visit a dear friend of mine in Reading. Whilst showing me the local sites, she mentioned to me about this clothing line a friend of hers has and is in the process of transforming the website into something amazing. The clothing line is called WAFFLESNCREAM and has jumpers, snap backs and t-shirts...


We went to visit the man behind the magic, Jomi Marcus-Bello, the creator of the clothing line and he showed us some of his latest creations... really simply but cool stuff. My friend just purchsed one of his snap back caps and a jumper. I used her as the model, naturally...

Here are some of the photos of her new purchases and the new stuff... Enjoy xo

My model, my friend, Gem

WAFFLESNCREAM Cap

The logo...

Jumper, love the back of it!

The Passenger

I realise that many of our recent posts have been about Music however it shows our passion and that passion to share the love with our followers...

Last weekend I had the fortunate opportunity of going to see an Ed Sheeran concert thanks to a friends invitation! He had two support acts and one of those acts was Mike or better know as 'Passenger'. His voice excuse my cheesy saying is 'what dreams are made of'. Just a chilled artist, beautiful voice... That's all I really have to say.

See for yourself here are some of his videos, give them a listen and see what you think!

Enjoy xo

The Perfect Eyebrow

Anyone who knows me will know that bad eyebrows are my biggest pet peeve. I will admit that even I have gone trigger happy with the tweezers before and ruined my eyebrows but some of you won't be as lucky as me and certain areas of your eyebrows might never grow back!

I won't be mentioning any products on this post but giving advice instead on how I think to best deal with your brows! Also I have some examples of good and bad eyebrows.

Scientists say that the key to facial beauty is symmetry and I ultimately agree with them, eyebrows are such an important element of your face and tend to be overlooked. As well as symmetry I think eyebrows should be NATURAL LOOKING. There is nothing natural about black, fine, drawn on eyebrows so if you're having dilemmas then keep reading.

There is a general guide to shaping your eyebrows and while everyone's face shape is slightly different this is the guide I tend to follow:

This technique is done using straight lines and the side of your nose as a starting point. The first line (furthest to the right) runs straight up from your nostril and should be where our eyebrows begin, not before and definitely not after. Starting your eyebrows after this line will make your face look fuller. 

The second line, as you look straight ahead in the mirror, passes by the side of your pupil and should be the highest point of your eyebrow. 

And finally, the third line touches the outer edge of your eye and is where your brow should finish.

Good and Bad examples:

GOOD - Cara Delevingne is an eyebrow crush of mine.
While they are dark, they frame her face perfectly and give her a distinct look

GOOD - Kim's brows look picture perfect

BAD - Angelina's brows have seen better days! Too harsh!

BAD - Demi's unnatural looking brows

BAD - Lauren Conrad's brows look like a result of trigger happy tweezing!

Luckily, I don't think everyone has to spend time perfecting their brows. If you have light hair then you may not need to touch them at all! Also, recently many models have used their unruly brows to give them a distinct and uber-natural look.

Arizona Muse

Daphne Groeneveld

Personally I tweeze my brows with tweezerman tweezers. I have never liked the thought of trusting someone else to shape them! I suppose its personal preference but I would just say that my top tip is to make sure they look NATURAL!

Alex xx

Disclosure ft Sam Smith - Latch

I know I did a post about music the other day but I couldn't help and spread my love for this song. Many of you have probably heard it as I think I am a bit behind but if not have a listen. Plus the models in the video are insanely good looking - especially the guy in the lift....*sigh* to die for!

Poalo Gallardo

Layla Young

The Present Problem?

As for myself, it is coming to the time when a lot of my friends are leaving their teens,the first year of the 20's and hitting that milestone of TWENTY ONE! This poses me with a great problem, the present problem to be exact. 

What to buy for a 21st? Do you splash the cash and blow it on the expressive gift? OR Do we stick to a sentimental sort of budget? 

Here's some of my suggestions for some 21st Birthday Present Ideas (both blow it and budget)

For the Blow it sort of present, I think nothing says Happy 21st better than a bottle of Champers... 

John Lewis do some lovely gifts, for girl friends, add that special touch of a Rose Champagne, here is one I found when searching today...

Bollinger Rose Ice Tube Champagne Gift- £60

For the Classic Blow-out and a keeper present (suggest splitting the cost of this with other friends as we are not made of money) but this gorgeous black patent Vivienne Westwood Purse is a lovely gift and good enough quality to stand the test of time. 

Vivienne Westwood Classic Patent Purse in Black- £125

Some ideas for the sentimental sort of budget, what about a memory book. If your like me and have known a lot of your friends since the start of school, I'm sure you have a lot of funny pictures dating back to the time of Bebo that you can fill a memory book with. Its a great gift and really shows that you have put thought into the present. On the plus it also doesn't break the bank, get your prit-stick and scissors at the ready... 

Here's a 21st Memory Book that you could fill with fun pics! stockist: www.gorgeousgifts.co.uk - £23

Another gift which I have received myself in the past, and is really cute is this range of Lolita wine glasses that again John Lewis stocks, here is 'Birthday Girl' one. Also what I like about this range of glasses is that under the bottom of the glass there is a recipe for a 'Birthday Girl' cocktail which is quite fun!

Lolita 'Birthday Girl' Wine Class- £18

So here's just a few suggestions of 21st Birthday ideas, I have many birthdays coming up so shall be using some of these ideas. Hope this helps any of you with the same problem. It just goes to show you don't have to spend a fortune on a fabulous gift! 

Enjoy xo Demi 

Make Up Go-Tos

I thought I'd share what makeup I am currently using daily to give you guys some good ideas....maybe for Christmas! I like to keep my daily makeup pretty simple. I can't usually be asked to concentrate enough in the morning to draw on eyeliner. I tend to wear mascara on my eyes (maybe a wash of eyeshadow), a bit of powder through my brows, foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer and my most recent favourite thing to do is jazz the whole thing up with a bright lip.

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Foundation in 2CN1
I am absolutely in love with this foundation. Its has taken me around 4 years to find a foundation that I have actually re-purchased. It is so light but covers perfectly and is really build-able. The tag line for the foundation is "See no makeup, Feel no makeup" which is exactly what you should be looking for in a foundation. You want people to think your skin is naturally this flawless!  It isn't too matte either which is good because heavy matte foundations tend to dry your skin out. For my day time makeup I use about a 5p sized blob and if I am going out about a 10p sized blob. All in all the foundation lasts me 2.5 to 3 months. The only thing is I don't like being too shiny so I have to use a bit of powder. However, it would take a miracle product for me to change from this foundation.

Soleil Tan De Chanel £30
While this product is expensive it is my new love. It only comes in one shade but you can build it up to become as sun kissed as you want! The best way to describe it would be the makeup version of fake tan. It has no real shimmer or, ultimately, bronze-ness to it. Instead it acts like a natural skin darkening tool which brings out the underlying pigments of your own skin. The formula is a bit odd because it is like a very hard moose and I use my Mac 09 contouring brush to really buff it into my skin. I know it is expensive but its a day and night product and will last an AGE.

Poudre Universal Libre - Natural Finish Loose Powder £34
Another expensive product, but I can easily say this will last/has lasted over a year. I find cheaper loose powders can be really chalky and the last thing you want is to look like the snow queen. This sits really well on my skin and also helps to reduce big pores. It also contains photo reflective pigments - perfect for a good profile pic. Ha!

Buck (2nd from right) and Baked (3rd from left) from the Urban Decay Naked Palette 

I absolutely love this palette and use it everyday. My go-to daytime shade is Buck. I would say it is a brick brown and perfect because it looks better when its not that neat! Great for applying at 7.30am! I would use a primer with it though to make it last the day! I use baked to run through my eyebrows as it is not that dark and just       provides them with a bit of definition.

L'Oreal Paris Lash Architect Mascara £5
This mascara is okay and I have been wearing it everyday but I'm not sure I would try it again. The brush isn't ideal for my lashes as I find it doesn't do a great job of separating. However, I have found for some strange reason that my eyelashes have grown a lot since using this mascara! Lucky me!

MAC Lipstick in Rebel £14.50

Love this colour. I wear it in the day and out at night. It is a purple/red and looks great with pretty much whatever you are wearing. It also looks really good with the Buck eyeshadow. Make sure to blot well and reapply before you go out to ensure the colour lasts. Be careful as well, I stood on mine and it is forever stuck inside the container :(







Chanel Lipstick in Pirate 

I don't actually own this lipstick but I have a little sample and have decided that this shall definitely be featuring on my Christmas list! The consistency is so silky that it almost feels like it won't last 5 minutes but the colour stays put for most of the day. As I said with Rebel though, it would be good to blot and reapply to make it last longer!

Everyday brushes

Left to Right: MAC 109, Real Technique Buffing Brush, Fan Brush, Eyebrow Brush, MAC 224, MAC 217, MAC 239

I hope I haven't bored you too much with this massive chat about makeup (I could go on forever). If you have any questions feel free to ask. Comment and subscribe!!

Alex x

AlunaGeorge

Recently I have been absolutely loving the 90s R&B sounds of AlunaGeorge. They are a two piece band from London who deliver the perfect combinations of R&B rhythms combined with catchy pop riffs. I think they will be ones to watch come 2013 and have already been tipped to be nominees in the BBC Sound of 2013 competition.

Aluna's voice is what really draws me in but you'll either love it or hate it. Most of their tunes are chilled-back tracks but also have enough syncopated beats (almost dub step style) that will get you dancing. I would love to see them live so shall definitely be keeping my eye out. Have a listen!

You'll Love Them If You Also Love...

The XX

SBTRKT

Jamie Woon

James Blake

Alex x

Happy Halloween

Halloween is one of the biggest nights out on the student calendar. Its a great chance to dress up and have a laugh. One of my favourite things about dressing up is doing mine and my friends' makeup. Below are some examples of great halloween makeup ideas. Enjoy...

Psycho Doll

Bunny

Minnie Mouse

Zombie

Witch

Road Kill

Clockwork Orange

Cat

JolieBox - September and October

For the last two months I have received a JolieBox. Now for anyone who doesn't know what this is, it is a members-only beauty club where each month you receive a luxury beauty box consisting of 4 to 5 exclusive, handpicked beauty samples. Normally you get one full size product as well. This is a great way, if like me, you love to try new beauty products. However, ultimately it is quite hit and miss because you never know what you are getting. It also costs £10 a month + P&P.

From the two boxes I have had so far there have definitely been some things I liked and some I really didn't! For example, the 'full size' product in the first box was a pack of two hair ties! While I really liked them as they were a bit different, I don't think these should classify as 'full-sized' products. However, I received a sample of Redken straightening lotion as well and it was a very large sample that I reckon will last me a good couple of months. Also, they sometimes do lifestyle products like last month when I got some LOVE tea samples which were little muslin cloth tea bags and so cute.

The box is a different colour each month

Some of the products from the September and October boxes

The actual box is really pretty and useful for stuff afterwards like jewellery and bits & bobs. The stuff comes in side a cute little drawstring bag as well.

Along with the box you also get a JolieMag which has beauty news in it which I always find quite interesting.

I am going to try one more box then I think my student budget will have had enough but if your interested I'd suggest trying it for a month and see what you think. PLUS, you usually get an extra full-sized product in your first box just for joining.

There are other companies that offer the same thing like GlossyBox but it is worth seeing what product companies each is affiliated with to see the kinda samples you will get each month. JolieBox seems to be more skincare than makeup but they were affiliated with OPI and had been known to give full size samples which I think sounded good. I may try a glossybox in a couple months to compare the two and do another post.

I may do an actual box review next month so keep an eye out!

Alex xx