Long Time No Blogging

Hello friends,

The last time I posted I outlined how I was going to post atleast once a week. Well, what a fail that has been! Demi and I have both been super busy but I no this is no excuse, we really should be blogging more!!

I have spent the last three weeks in London and have one week left. I've been working for a PR company and it has been really cool working in the big city! I have done a bit of work, ate quite a lot, and drunk copious amounts of cocktails...mmm delish! I have also done a little bit of sightseeing. The boyf came to visit for a weekend and we took a little sunset trip up the London Eye, Awww. We also went to The Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. The Summer Exhibition showcases lots of hidden talent as anyone can enter work to be put in it. However, my favourite part was a room of tapestries by Grayson Perry, especially the one below.

Grayson Perry Tapestry 

Fun in Londres (see background for Big Ben:D)

Anyhow! I only have one week left and then I have lots of things going on in August to blog about such as my upcoming trip to Paris. WOohoo!

Alex xxx

ETSY.COM - Etsy Items of the Week #1

Etsy.com is a site with hundreds of cute handmade and vintage items. I love trawling through the different shops for handmade jewellery, stoneware mugs, tea towels, pillows and all sorts of nic-nacs. As well as selling my own stuff on an Etsy shop, GarnishedVarnish, I thought I'd put my obsession to good use. Each Sunday I am going to post my picks of the week from Etsy which will be great inspiration if you are looking for a gift or even a little treat for yourself. I might also include things of the site Folksy.com which is a kinda of Etsy-esque marketplace. I realise this will be quite a good insight into what I am shopping for at the moment! Demi and I are moving into together for our last year of uni so I have been searching for cute items like pillows, throws, mugs and even egg holders...

SO let me begin:


Etsy Items of the Week #1 




PILLOW POODLE FRIEND

I love things in houses that make people look even if they don't like it. These pillows are a bit weird and out-there but they have a quirky charm that I love. I especially love the dog ones. I think the people pillows might creep me out a little too much!








THREE STAR EAR PINS

These earrings are a bit different and I always get stuck trying to fill three piercings with earrings that go together. These would also make a cute pressie.

CUDDLE COFFEE MUG

I have a bit of a weirdo obsession with mugs. I am a massive tea addict and I don't know why but stoneware mugs make the tea taste that bit better. This mug has a smaller top which keeps the liquid in it hotter for longer. All round winner!

TURQUOISE MINT DROP EARRINGS

These earrings are gorgeous and a massive statement. The turquoise stone pops next to the gold. I'm sure they'd make any girl stand out in the crowd!

AFTERNOON TEA CUSHION

In my search for some cushions for my new flat I found this little delight. Super chic and cute and £10 is to much of a hefty price tag either!

I hope you've enjoyed and look out for my etsy obsessions next week!

Alex xxxx

How To Cook The Perfect Steak

As my friends know, Bonnett Family Friday Steak Night is a bit of a tradition in my house. Mum and Dad are in charge of the funding and purchasing of the steak while I am the chef for the night. If I may say so myself, I think I have become a bit of a steak master so I thought I would share with you my guide to what I think is the Perfect Steak.

1) BUYING THE STEAK
Personally from the most common four steaks you can buy in the super market I order them like this:

Fillet (The Best)
Ribeye
Sirloin
Rump

However, due to the fact that fillet is ridiculously expensive my parents tend to buy us Ribeye. Look for a piece with some nice ripples of fat throughout.

2) PREPARING THE STEAK
This is the bit most people leave out. They think that plonking the steak in a pan with some fat will taste just as good but believe me preparation is SO IMPORTANT.
Firstly, make sure you cook your steak from room temperature. Cooking straight from the fridge can dry out the outside and take longer for the heat to hit the middle.
Secondly, you need to tenderise the meat with something like a meat mallet. This also evens outs the steak to make it the same thickness all over so that it cooks evenly. Just go a bit crazy on either side of the steak and beat it until you feel satisfied.
Then, put a little pile of olive oil and salt onto the steak and give it a good massage to flavour and tenderise it a bit more. I like to put the oil on the steak instead of in the pan to make sure everywhere is coated and to spread the salt about.

3) COOKING THE STEAK
In my opinion, cooking a piece of steak anything longer than medium rare just destroys it. All you chickens who can't stand blood then please don't waste my beloved steak. Why eat something if you aren't going to eat it properly?
The absolute key to steak cooking is to get the pan (preferably a griddle) as hot as can be. I leave mine to heat up on high heat for nearly 10 minutes. I also only ever allow one steak per pan as I don't want the heat to be shared.
Slap your steak on and don't be tempted to move it around, let it sit so you get the nice cooking lines in it.

If, like me, you like yours rare (or blue) then just cook for 2 mins either side but if you want it pink in the middle then I flip it the minute you see any pinkish juices coming out the top side then just cook on the other side for 2 minutes.
Serve with garlic or sweet potato chips and a salad. Also try with horseradish sauce for something a bit different.

Who knew there was so much to cooking steak!? But trust me, its worth it! Happy Steak Cooking!

Alex x

BBC Sound of 2013 List

One of my favourite things about the beginning of the year is when BBC announce their nominees for the Sound of 2013. It is a great way for me to find new artists that I might like. So I thought I'd give you a quick run down of the top 5 and the ones that I like the most.

The Winners - HAIM
HAIM are an all girl trio who are influenced by Fleetwood Mac and Kate Bush.

Second Place - AlunaGeorge
This duo are the winners for me personally. I absolutely love their catchy electronic songs and cannot wait for their debut album coming out this June. If you want to read some more about them then be sure to check out our previous post: Crazy Faze - AlunaGeorge

Third - Angel Haze
I have only recently started listening to Angel Haze after I first heard of her from TheRedPages Hot 100 of 2013. I think its hard to come by female rappers who can really pull it off and that she certainly does. She released a diss at Azealia Banks titled "On The Edge".

Fourth - Laura Mvula
Laura Mvula brings something a bit different to the Pop/Soul scene. I especially like her track 'Green Garden'.

Fifth - CHVRCHES
Electro-Pop group with MGMT sounding synths. Its a bit chirpy for me and I think they sound like Robyn (which I don't think is a good thing) but decide for yourself here:

Alex x

Ten Things We Love

We were chatting about our favourite blogs and realised that one of the things we love to read is  something about the person who is writing! So we thought we would give you an insight into 10 things we both love right now. Some of you may judge our lists as we think everyone loves things which others might find a little sad. But we can't help it! Just being honest :) SO... Here goes:

ALEX
1) Urban Outfitters - Pretty sure Demi is going to write this too but it's the best thing about living in Newcastle. My nearest UO at home is about 2 hours from my house :( I especially love all their little bedroom homeware things like rugs. They do really nice rugs.
2) Photos - I love looking at pictures and I think people get annoyed about the amount I take on my phone on a night out! I recently got all my instagram prints done as little polaroids. So Cute!

Get your own here: www.inkifi.com

3) The Internet - My housemates will agree with me on this one. They know I can't go long without it.  We once got cut off because we hadn't paid the bill... It was the first time I ever went to the Library...Oops!
4) Makeup Brushes - People are shocked about how much I'm willing to spend on a brush but I just love them. The different shapes and cool handles plus how good they can make your makeup look!
5) Cows - One of my housemates won't eat beef because she loves cows so much but thats the opposite reason to why I love them. They make steak - my favourite food ever. They make leather = handbags and nice boots. Their milk makes cheese. They are the second best species on the planet after humans.
6) Bedroom Accessories - Following on from loving UO's homeware stuff...I love home decor... candles, fairy lights, pillows, bedspreads, mirrors, organisers, canvases etc and I spend ages on sites like Etsy and Achica looking at all the pretty things.
7) Nails - Doing fun nails is always a good way to pass the time! Check out my nail tumblr at garnishedvarnish.tumblr.com
8) Reality TV - I don't care how shit it is, if it's partial reality and its on TV then I'm usually game.
9) Gold Jewellery - I have a little obsession with looking at gold jewellery. I don't know why. But I do. Especially brushed gold that isn't so shiny like this ring.
10) Daily Mail Online - I hate to write this one down but its true. I check it at least twice a day and it just has so many good photos!

DEMI
1) Sex and the City- Although not actually a tangible object, Sex and the City is my go to tv series in times of need. It has made me laugh, cry and question everything in between. Many of my close friends will also know that I idolise Samantha and one day wish I could be like her (minus her promiscious ways, of course)!
2) Shoes, shoes and more Loubs- Since I can remember I have always had an extensive shoe collection, shoes for every occassion. When I go to London I often spend the best part of two hours wandering the Shoe Hall in Selfridges only wishing I could afford some of the creations they sell. (One day, maybe?)
3) Baths- There is nothing more relaxing to me than a few candles, lots of buddles and a steamy bath of hot water. Having no bath at my house at uni drives me insane and I really take advantage of our bath at home during the holidays, it gives me time to soak in my thoughts for as long I want.
4) Friends- I really love my friends, sounds a little silly I know but over the years I have made some life long friends, some live 5 minutes down the road, some are currently living in different time zones, but my friends are those I have shared some of the best memories with throughout my 20 years of life so far.
5) Sushi- Only over the past few years have I really jumped on this bandwagon, I don't just like it - I devour the stuff. #ilovesalmon
6) Flying- I love flying, especially as it usually involves landing in a new destination to rewind for a week or more. The greatest invention, where you can get to new places in a matter of hours and explore exotic surroundings.
7) Cupcakes- Since last summer I have really started to enjoy baking. Although I haven't really pushed myself outside my comfort zone in the baking sense I like making cute cupcakes for my friends
8) Bombay Sapphire, Naturally- I love a G&T (slice of lime, mandatory). Bombay is my favourite. It is such a refreshing drink and enjoy the occassional few on a night out.
9) Spanish- The language, the people, the culture, the tapas, the dancing. You name it, I love everything about the Spanish. Since starting to learn the language at school I have been obsessed. Many a holiday, or a language trip enjoyed in Spanish territory and the paella ain't bad either.
10) Mulberry- I am the fortunate owner of a few lovely Mulberry numbers and I plan to, over many years, expand my collection. Timeless classic fashion right on your arm and they get better with age. Here is one I have my eye on next.

Also just to tell you, we have decided to make posts more regular! So we are going to attempt to post twice a week normally on a Tuesday and a Friday! So keep coming back to check, or follow us on bloglovin (top right of page)!

Demi and Alex xx

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

New Season, New Blog

Amidst revision and procrastination the thought occurred to us that we should create a blog. As both of us are lovers of all things pretty and aesthetically pleasing we wanted a place to post our daily finds and thoughts. So if you want to see what we have in store, keep reading! ENJOY!

Alex...

Favourite TV show... Real Housewives...(ALL OF THEM)
If I could be anywhere right now I would be... Scuba Diving in the Great Barrier Reef
I'm lost without... my guitar
Current Craze Faze... Lianne La Havas (She's AMAZING)
If I had to buy clothes from one brand it would be... One Teaspoon

Demi...
Current Craze Faze... Sushi! (I could have it all day, everyday) Its so good and guilt-free. 
Lusting over those... gorgeous pair of YSL tributes for the past two years. Maybe one day...
This summer its all about... Creamfields, we'll keep you posted!
All time favourite TV show... without a doubt, Sex In The City 
I don't feel at home without... my two lovely dogs, they're always happy to see me