Love is in the air

Outfit:
Quilted fair leather jacket - Zara (similar)
Burgundy heart printed shirt - Topshop (similar)
Denim midi skirt - Topshop
Burgundy patent loafers - Zara (similar)
Glass statement necklace - Primark (similar)

If you can't wear hearts on Valentines Day then when can you?! Following on from the £100 ASOS giveaway a few weeks ago, the Brit Pack have decided to carry on in our adventures and do a linked themed post once a month. This month is Valentines themed and click on the links to see the other girls take on the lovey-dovey holiday. There are some right corkers!

Have you got plans for Valentines tonight? There's an indoor picnic in front of the telly calling my name following a trip to see the Foals at Ally Pally and lunch at The Rum Kitchen on Saturday. I've been wanting to sample the restaurant for a long time so am excited to finally stuff my face!

 (l-r)Maria of Frills n Spills, Kim of What Peggy Said,Christina of Kimi and Me, Donna of Polka-dot Pink, Erica of Being Erica

(l-r)Rachel Of Rachel The Hat, Sophie of The Story of a Girl Who Lives Above Her Means, Sarah of A Million Dresses and Gemma of Fat Frocks

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Recipe - Caribbean Inspired Shepherd's Pie

I have a soft spot for Caribbean food, add some jerk paste into anything and it becomes 100 times better in my opinion. I had the idea of making a Caribbean inspired Shepherd's Pie after having a few sweet potatoes and some jerk paste hanging around. This recipe is a mixture from The Telegraph and Levi Roots. I really just made it up as I went along but it came out amazingly well. It's definitely something i'd make again as it's perfect for a cold winters night. It's really good for you too as it uses lean turkey mince and sweat potato - who says healthy has to be boring?

Serves 4 - 6 depending on how many vegetable sides and how hungry you are! 

Ingredients:

500g of lean turkey breast mince
2 large sweet potatoes
1 chopped red pepper
1 finely diced onion
1 can of chopped tomatoes
Up to 4 teaspoons of jerk paste depending on how you like your spice
Vegetables of your choice to serve - I had spinach and green beans

001. Peel the potatoes and chop into small pieces and boil for around 25-30 minutes until they're soft.

002. Pop the mince, onion and pepper into a large wok and cook for around 20 minutes until the mince is cooked throughout. Add the jerk paste and stir thoroughly.

003. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes.

004. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and mash them until they're nice and smooth. Pop the mince mixture in the bottom of a rectangular deep dish and layer with the mash on top. Fluff up the top of the mash with a fork.

005. Pop into the oven for about 10-15 until you're happy with the crispy top. It won't go too crispy, just a word of warning! 

006. Cut into equal slices and serve with the veg! 

Please do let me know if you try it out as i'd love to see some pictures! 

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Beauty: January Empties

001: No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser
Review here

002: Paul Smith Hold Tight Firm Hold Hairpsray c/o work beauty drawer
I am like a magpie and when I spotted this bright pink bottle peaking up from the depth of the beauty drawer I thought it was worth a shot.  It stated that it was a firm hold hairspray but it seems a bit flimsy to be unless of course you sprayed for a very long time. Then it turned a bit crispy. It wasn't the perfect partner for my curls but did the job if it was in a topknot. It's not the best product I've tried and I do think there are better hairsprays out there in the price point. It's not something I'd pick up and buy with my own money.

003: Schwarzkopf Osis+ Sparkler Finish c/o work beauty drawer
This was another product I picked up in the same binge at work - have I mentioned how much I love my job? I'm always a bit confused by shine sprays. They always remind me of the Emperors New Clothes - do they actually make a difference. Maybe it's because luckily I've never had dull hair and it doesn't need much of a boost to help it shine. A good shampoo does the job! Therefore I'm not convinced this made a difference at all.

004: L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-gloss Crystal Sparkling Conditioner
I picked this up as it was on offer in Boots and had tried a few L'Oreal shampoos and conditioner before. This was a good conditioner, nothing too ground-breaking but it kept my hair lovely and soft. I had to brush my hair before as it didn't cope well on knotted hair.

005: L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-gloss Crystal Sparkling Shampoo
This shampoo lathered up brilliantly and a little went a long well. It seemed like the bottle lasted forever! It was such good value for money and I did buy it again a few times. It did they job well and kept my hair in good condition. I'm onto something else now just for a change!

006: Witch Cleansing Lotion c/o
I won this from Witch Skincare's twitter in their Flawless Followers competition. This cleansing lotion did the treat. It was gentle around the eye area and took out the make up without too much rubbing. It doesn't beat my Bioderma but it did the trick. Well worth picking up if you're on a budget.

007: Marc Jacobs Daisy
I have gone through so many bottles of this I have lost count. It's always brought for my birthday from my nan. I think it's the perfect day time scent as it's not too heavy and smells lovely and fresh. I like to think of it as my signature now!

Have you tried any of these products?

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I know i know your face but ive forgotten your name, again

Outfit:

Leopard print longline blazer - Next (similar)

Charcoal grey polo neck jumper - Primark (similar)

Faux leather a-line midi skirt - c/o Pretty Little Thing (similar)

Black leather penny loafers - Office (similar)

Considering this skirt graces my body about twice a week - my mum keeps threatening to bin it - it's not really appeared on this blog. I never knew how much I needed a pleather skirt until one appeared in my wardrobe. It's great to wear lounging around at the weekend as shown here and fab to dress up slightly with a blouse and heeled boots for work. In fact i'm tempting to get a back up. You know, just in case. 

Thank the Lord it's February - did anyone else feel like January dragged on? I spent the weekend celebrating my birthday again with my friends in North London. I've learnt a long time ago to organise birthday nights out after payday if you want more than two people to turn up. We spent the night stuffing our faces at Five Guys and dancing to 90s classics at the o2 Academy. Any club that plays the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys in one night gets a thumbs up from me! 

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Missguided SS14 Preview

  

Last week I was kindly invited along to have a sneak preview at the SS14 drop at Missguided. It was so nice to be able to take one of my best friends along and have a mooch around at what the brand has to offer in the coming months. We were treated to some delicious cocktails and Mexican treats so armed with full bellies we set about to have a look. I was delighted to see lots of 60s influenced clothes - the grey checked pencil skirt caught my eye straight away. It looks like checks are firmly here to stay so you'll be able to carry over the next season! Twin sets and neon brights were plentiful. Just look at the colour of that neon lace midi dress! I just need to work on my six pack and that pink Pop Art striped set will be mine.   

Has anything tickled your fancy from the collection?

There are more pictures over on my Facebook page.

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Wining and dining

Valentines Day. Codswallop or romantic? Personally my boyfriend and I prefer to spend the evening indoors gazing into each others eyes - pass the sick bucket - rather than venturing out into an overpriced restaurant squeezed in like cattle. We celebrate Valentines Day the following day and get to pick off the normal menu rather than a fixed one. Who said romance was dead after 7 years?!

In a bid to try to be romantic, we've decided to hold an indoor picnic this year in front of the telly watching our favourite films. I'm voting for Leonardo DiCaprio. I much prefer a buffet style dinner anyway - roasted pepper hummus for the win!  One of goodies we shall be stuffing our faces with is the chocolate fondue below. Melted chocolate complete with heart-shaped marshmallows, strawberries, mini shortbreads and bananas is what dreams are made off. Complete with a glass of this tasty Gallo Family Vineyard Moscato, it really is a match made in heaven. The fruity flavours of peach, orange blossom , citrus and pineapple make it the perfect accompaniment for a cheeky dessert and with a RRP £6.99 it's not going to break the bank. Thanks for letting me sample the wine Gallo!

How are you going to be spending Valentines Day?

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This week i'm loving: Clay Masks

Argiletz Laboratoire Yellow Clay Face Mask

Commuting really does take it's toll on your skin. Early risers and light nights do not go very well together, I brought this clay mask following a recommendation from Elodie whilst we were in Paris last year. I've been using it around twice a week for the last month or so to try and keep my skin into check. After using a hot cloth cleanser I put on a good thick layer of the mask and leave it on my face for around 10 minutes. Once the time is up I remove it using a lukewarm muslin cloth and slap on my night cream.

I've noticed a clear reduction in the unsightly blackheads around my nose and my skin has lost it's tightness. It feels a lot more smooth and less like sandpaper. I feel it's going to become a stable in my winter skincare routine and will be purchasing another as soon as it runs out.

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Recipe - Feta, Chicken and Spinach Pasta

Serves 4
It works out around 9 Weightwatcher Propoints

This makes a great mid-week meal as it's simple to make and takes around 25 minutes. You don't want to be slaving around in the kitchen when you come home from work after all. The men in my life complained this wasn't enough so i'd suggest you pop some garlic bread in for them if they're not following Weightwatchers!

Ingredients:
160g Wholewheat pasta
120g of low fat feta cheese
Fry lite
200g baby spinach
250g of baby plum tomatoes
4 chicken breasts
2 crushed garlic cloves or two tsp of easy garlic

001. Pop the pasta in a large saucepan filled with boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Remember to keep stirring so it doesn't stick to the pan.

002. Chop the chicken into bite size chunks and fry in a wok sprayed with fry lite. Cook for around 20-25 minutes.

003. At around the 10 minute mark, chop the tomatoes in half and chuck in the wok and carry on stirring. Eventually the tomatoes will disintegrate and form a sauce. Pop in the garlic and give it a good stir.

004. About 3 minutes before the chicken is cooked, put in the spinach and stir until it's wilted. Once it's wilted pop in 3/4 of the feta cheese.

005. Drain the pasta and mix the rest of the ingredients and serve equally into four bowls. Sprinkle the remaining feta evenly over the pasta.

Once again do tweet me and let me know if you've made it. I loved seeing Elinor's version of this Spanish-style chicken dish!

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I swear she's destined for the screen, closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you've ever seen

Outfit:
Black roll neck jumper -Primark (similar)
Black midi tulle skirt -- Next (similar)
Silver pointed pumps - Topshop
Statement silver flower necklace - Stolen from the Mother bear (similar)
Rimmel lasting finish colour rush in 600 On Fire - c/o Beauty drawer at work

Once again it's been proven that this tulle skirt is one of the hardest working items in my never ending wardrobe. It goes with absolutely everything. Pat on the back Sophie, pat on the back. I hit up the Topshop sale the day after Boxing Day and managed to walk away with these pumps - totally pretending to be a short Brooklyn Blonde - and two statement necklaces. I do love Topshop jewels but my oh my are they expensive. I can only justify the jewellery in the sale until I become a millionaire. I'm still working on that... These are the first pictures taken using my snazzy new Canon 1100d, a birthday present from my long-suffering boyfriend. Didn't he do well? I'm in love, completely and utterly in love with it.

So 2014 eh? Haven't you crept up on me quickly and who else thinks January is flying past?  New year, new starts and all that jazz. I've been having a think and my first goal of the new year is to try and perfect victory rolls and that elusive beehive. One day I will walk out the door looking like I've stepped back in time. Any tutorials you know to help me on my merry way? I also want to travel more, buy more midi skirts and finally run a 10k. But one step at a time eh?!

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22 grand job in the city it's alright

Outfit:
Quilted faux leather jacket - Zara (similar)
Charcoal grey polo neck jumper - Primark (similar)
Grey taffeta midi skirt - Topshop (similar)
Black Bayswater - Mulberry
Leather heeled ankle boots - Topshop (similar)
Ultra Glazewear lip gloss in Fiery - c/o Avon

This skirt still holds the honour of being my favourite piece in my wardrobe. It's such a statement and can easily be dressed up or down. Perfecto! I wore this outfit out for a birthday burger at Honest with my blogger babes at the weekend. They very kindly surprised me with the gift of a Lulu Guinness lips clutch bag. I suppose after hearing me drone on and on about how I needed one in my life helped them make their decision. I was absolutely blown away by their generosity - I may have let out an excited squeal - and I feel very lucky to have such amazing friends in my life. Who says internet friends aren't real friends eh?

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Fancy winning £100 to spend on Asos?!

Today I'm happy to be co hosting an-amazing 'bloggers give back' give-away hosted 

by myself Sophie and what we are affectionately calling ourselves...

The Brit Pack...

Meet:

 L-R Rachel The Hat, The Story of The Girl Who Lives Above Her Means, A Million Dresses, 

Fat Frocks, Not Dressed As Lamb

L-R Frills And Spills, What Peggy Said, Kimi And Me, Polkadot Pink and Being Erica

10 Fabulous British Bloggers have all rounded up together to give one lucky winner a spending spree at ASOS with a £100 gift voucher. Its our way of starting the 2014 off with a bang, and also as a big THANK YOU to all of you who read and follow and comment on our blogs week after week.

The Brit Pack are some of Britain's finest bloggers. Every single one is worth getting to know! So in good old fashioned Blighty style, grab a cup of tea and take a moment to check out their links, find some new favourites, and enter away!

GOOD LUCK!!!

The competition will run for 10 days and is open internationally. Winner will be emailed an asos gift voucher with an e-code worth £100 (approx $160 at current exchange rate) and announced on the rafflecopter widget.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Hit the road Jack

When I was asked to be a security and safety expert for Tesco compare, the first thought that came into my head was to test it out to discover a new gem to have a hearty punch lunch. Always thinking about my stomach! As much I'm a London lover, I love all the quaint chocolate-box villages Essex has to offer and you can find some cracking little pubs that offer some amazing food. What could be better than chatting nonsense with friends in front of a cozy open fire stuffing your face?

The Old Windmill in South Hanningfield is an amazing find. With generous portions, friendly staff and an amazing dessert offering, you really can't go wrong. It's the sort of place where you can chat for hours and not even realise the time. With a menu of tasty pub classics such as fish finger sandwiches, juicy steak burgers, deep fried haddock and stodgy steak and ale pies it's the perfect comfort food. It's not too far from Chelmsford so you can easily pop into town for a spot of shopping to walk off the food.

The sat nav itself was a godsend. It was very simple to use and it found our location straight away. The directing voice was loud and clear so it couldn't be easier to follow. You didn't have to keep glancing down to check you were going in the right direction. The five inch screen was perfect for us to see the all important details as you don't want to be squinting as you're driving along! My boyfriend was very impressed with how it sticks to the windscreen - no sticky residue left behind! Boys and their cars eh?

Do you have any recommendations of tasty pubs in the West of Essex we can go for our next adventure?

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Liz Earle Radiance Glow Bronzer

Liz Earle Radiance Glow Bronzer c/o

 

I'm a bronzer girl through and through. I think it's the Essex girl in me and I very rarely venture over to blusher. If truth be told, the pink slightly scares me. When I was kindly gifted this Liz Earle bronzer I did a little happy dance.

 

As with the nail polishes, the bronzer is part of the limited edition that drops this Spring. With a subtle shimmer, it can be used to help to highlight the cheekbones for that killer look. The great thing is it can be used on the eyes too so you're getting two products in one.

 

It's such a shame that it's not as noticeable on my face as it really is so pretty in real life. As it does have a shimmer, I didn't want to pile it on and end up looking like a disco ball. It's a bit too much to be popping to the shops! It looks perfect on the apples of your cheeks adding a bit of glamour. I can imagine it'll look even better once I've managed to get a tan. It's quite pigmented so I found using a little at a time to build up the colour worked best. That way it can work for both day and night. It would be easy to go a bit heavy handed and end up looking orange. The lasting power is fab and you can get away for a most of the day without having to apply more.

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If you say the word then I'll say goodbye

Outfit:
Grey polo neck jumper - Primark
Cream woolly midi skirt - River Island (similar)
Black ankle leather boots - Topshop (similar)
White gem statement necklace - c/o New Look (similar)
'Moonlight' grey nail polish - c/o Liz Earle
'Fiery'  Utltra glazewear red lip gloss - c/o Avon

Expect to see lots more appearances of polo neck jumpers in a variety of colours. Prepared to be bored. They're the perfect piece of clothing to battle the cold weather and managed to look pretty chic whilst doing so. I'm in the market for a nice chunky knit one soon. I have a sneaky feeling Zara might come up trumps. This skirt was a sale purchase alongside the burgundy one I posted a week or so ago. It was brought with the intention of wearing it to work without a thought what to pair with it apart from lots of black. I think they grey works pretty well. I'm slightly neurotic with keeping it clean as i'm a bit of a messy pup.

On Thursday I turn 25. Yep I'd now be in the overs in The X Factor and it's my last year for a 18-25 young persons railcard. So there we go I do have a few things to be sad about but one year older means one year more wiser right? I'm not quite where I though I'd be in life at this age but do you know what? I'm having a pretty fab time and I wouldn't change a thing! I'll be spending it eating my weight in cake and stuffing my face with a family meal at Pizza Express in the evening. You can't get a better Thursday!

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