Halloween Treats: Cupcakes

Hey Guys,

This is a follow on from my Halloween Treats: Cookies post. I'm now going to show you how to make some halloween inspired cupcakes. As you have seen on my cookie post things didn't really go to plan so I didn't make these but if things go to plan they could look really cool.

Cupcakes

I'll be making very simple vanilla cupcakes. Again this is a very simple recipe, a similar one to the one I'm using can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/cupcakes_93722
The recipe I am using is from M&S 'Easy Baking': Chocolate chip cupcakes

Makes 28                                 My recipe
3oz butter, softened               Butter
3 1/2 oz caster sugar             Caster Sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten           Eggs
2oz chocolate chips             Chocolate chips 
8oz of self raising flour       Flour
1oz cocoa powder               Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp of milk                      Icing Sugar
                                             Food colouring, black 

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius/Gas mark 6
• Beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy
• Add eggs
• Add little flour if curdling 
• Add milk, fold in chocolate chips
• Sift flour (and cocoa powder) fold into mixture 
• Place in cupcake holders
• BAKE FOR 20 MINUTES

Icing

Make normal runny icing. 

I will telling you how to make a 'mummy' cupcake, but follow the cookie icing recipe to make a pumpkin and eye cupcake.

• Separate the icing into 2 separate bowls
• Add black food colouring to 1 of the bowls
• Pipe a white base on the cupcake
• Then pipe 2 black eyes and a stitched mouth

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

ENJOY!

Love Daisy x

Halloween Treats: Cookies

Hey Guys,

This halloween I am staying at my friends house and I thought it would be nice to make some halloween food.

I'm not the best cook so all of the recipes are very simple, the only interesting thing about them is their icing.

Cookies

I'm making some basic round vanilla cookies which I will hopefully be able to turn into some eyes. There is a simple recipe on this website - http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/607380
but the one I used is a M&S 'easy baking' book: White Chocolate Cookies

You'll soon find out that I don't follow recipes very easily and the first thing I'm going to change it the white chocolate, I'll be adding milk chocolate chips.

Makes 24                                                         My Recipe

4oz butter, softened (extra for greasing)                Butter

4oz soft light brown sugar                                Sugar

1 egg, beaten                                              Egg

9oz of self-raising flour                                   Self-raising flour

4 1/2 oz of white chocolate, chopped                     Chocolate Chips (no measurement)

Salt                                                        Salt

1 3/4 oz of Brazil nuts, chopped                           Vanilla extract  

                                                                    Icing sugar

                                                                   Food colouring (Red, Blue, Orange, Green, Black) 

• Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius/Gas mark 5
• Cream together butter and sugar
• Add egg
• Sift flour and add salt, stir in chocolate (and nuts) 
• Place evenly sized dough balls on a baking tray 
• BAKE FOR 10-12 MINUTES

Icing

Make normal runny icing

• Separate into different bowls and add colour to individual bowl; remember to save some white
• To pipe these colours use a piping bag or a plastic bag with a hole cut at the bottom

Eyes

• Cover each cookie with a layer of white icing
• In the centre of the cookie with your blue create a small circle
• With the red make thin lines coming from the blue, this will create a blood shot effect
• Finally, either with the black (or with a spare chocolate chip) add a dot in the centre of the blue

Pumpkin (easier)

• Cover the majority of the cookie with orange icing - a smaller circle 
• Add a green line and the top to act as the straw

So as you can see mine really failed, I didn't have many food colour options so I tried my best - but it doesn't really matter as long as they taste nice. 

                         

Hopefully they'll look more like this. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN
ENJOY!

Love Daisy x

A - Autumn Accessories

Hey Guys,

This is the first post in a new series of posts I will be doing called Inspiration from the Alphabet. Each post will start with a different letter of the alphabet, starting today with the letter A.

Autumn Accessories are everywhere at the moment and so they seemed like a perfect place to start. I have chosen 12 of my favourite Autumn Accessories in the shops at the moment to prove that dressing for cold weather can still be stylish!

If, like me, you tend to veer towards darker colours, such as black and burgundy, as the nights draw in, then the accessories below will be perfect for you....

top left to right...

- Absolutely Chelsea Boots £75 (Topshop)

- Flat Brim Bowler Hat in Black £22 (Urban Outfitters)

- Dr. Martens Scarf in Black Stewart £25 (Dr. Martens)

bottom left to right...

- Recycled Brown Leather and Suede Boxy Backpack £75 (Rokit)

- Cape with Burgundy Stripe £25 (ASOS)

- Leather Belt in Brown £7.99 (H&M)

 

Alternatively if you love the colour Summer brings to your wardrobe and don't want to loose that going into Autumn, then the accessories below should keep your wardrobe bright ...

 

 

 

 

top left to right ...

- Classic Wool Bowler Hat in Blue £9.50 (Forever 21)

- Small Purse in Orange £7.99 (H&M)

- Ribbed Fur Pom Beanie in Yellow £16 (Urban Outfitters)

 

bottom left to right ...

- Pieces New Eira Wool Scarf £20 (ASOS)

- Two- Tone Leather Shopper £69.99 (Zara)

- Marvel Double Buckle Boot in Pink Leather £45 (reduced price) (Office)



 

My favourite of all these accessories has to be the Flat Brim Bowler Hat from Urban Outfitters. Bowler hats and fedoras have both become more popular as cold weather hats, with many people choosing them as a more stylish alternative to the traditional bobble hat. Both fedoras and bowler hats can smarten up a winter outfit and still keep your head warm at the same time.

 

Love Holly x

Song of the Week

Hey Guys,

The song I have chosen this week is 'Say Something' by A Great Big World. A Great Big World is an American two-member group from New York made up of singer and songwriters Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino. I've been listening to their album 'Is there anybody out there?' continuously and this is also the score for the trailer 'If I Stay'. I also love their other song 'Every one is gay' which is a very upbeat and funny song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chlZ0KFRlwQ&spfreload=10

Love Daisy x

Half term haul

Hey Guys,

I've been a bit naughty this holiday and I've already bought a lot of things - and it's I still have a week left!

At the moment Disney have a promotional offer of buy one get one free in many stores, so I purchased 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Mulan' - £12.99 (and they come in really shiny packages!)

From That's Entertainment on the offer of 3 for £5 I bought, 'Bridge to Terabithia', 'Herbie Fully Loaded' and '500 days of Summer'. As well as 'The Sisterhood of the travelling pants' from a charity shop for £2.

From Waterstone's normal buy one get one half price section I picked up, 'If I Stay' and 'Where she Went' by Gayle Forman - £7.99 individually.

At the moment in Primark they're selling a lot of Harry Potter merchandise really cheap, so naturally I bought a new House Crests top, £6, and the House socks, £3. As well as the DVD of Vampire Academy (which I strongly recommend) for £7 - the next time you're at Primark check out their DVD collection, because although there isn't a wide stock it's usually much cheaper.

From H&M I bought a new black pencil skirt for school, £14.99, and a basic grey striped
top, £9.99.

At New Look I got my first winter accesorie of the year for £14.99, which is a reversible green tartan and black/white pattern scarf.

Finally I bought some all black low converse but I didn't like them as much in person as I did on the website, so I have exchanged them for the regular black with white tips - and now I just have to wait for them to arrive...

Love Daisy x

Song of the Week

Hey Guys,

'I Remember' by Saint Saviour is my Song of the Week. It is such a beautiful, captivating song and the lyrics are so well put together; luckily they are written out underneath the music video.

Saint Saviour, who's real name is Becky James, is an English singer/songwriter. She toured with Groove Armada, forming their vocal sound in 2010, after firstly touring alongside them as part of a band called The RGBs. Her name, Saint Saviour, comes from the St. Saviour's Dock area in London and she begun her solo career in 2012.

'I Remember'       Saint Saviour 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j2c_lqothQ

www.saintsaviour.co.uk

Love Holly x

Movie Review: The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

Hey Guys,

I spent last weekend binge watching The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 1 and 2, and to sum it up quickly, it was just a roller-coster of emotions. The film 'The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants' is based off the book series by Ann Brashares.

"Four teenage girls — Carmen, Tibby, Bridget, and Lena — are best friends from Bethesda, Maryland, who are about to separate for the summer for the first time in their lives. Lena is spending the summer in Greece with her grandparents; Tibby is staying at home; Bridget is going to soccer camp in Mexico; and Carmen is visiting her father in South Carolina. On one of their final days they went shopping together, the girls find a seemingly ordinary pair of jeans that fit them all perfectly and flatter their figures, despite their very different measurements. The girls dub them the Traveling Pants and decide to share them equally over the course of the summer. They part the next day, and the film focuses on each girl's journey separately."

Both films made me feel so emotional, in just a second I went from hysterically laughing to pathetically crying, I was just a wreck! Although the second film had a more mature plot and had less drama it was just as amazing - I ordered the DVD box set the second the credits started rolling.

While I was watching, all I could think is that I wanted to live their lives (admittedly most films make me feel like that) and that's how you know a film is amazing! The overall meaning was to appreciate the lovely friends around you because they'll always be there for you through really tough time and through important decisions. 

The characters were obviously the best part of the film; I loved America Ferrera, who played Carmen, mainly because she also played Betty from Ugly Betty which is one of my favourite TV shows, so naturally I became attached to her. But my favourite character was Bridget played by Blake Lively.

I genuinely don't know what's not to love about her. She's out going, strong minded and stubborn,  everything I love - and because every film needs a head strong character. If I could do half the things she could, I would be living a very fulfilling life - and if these GIFs don't instantly make you fall in love with her, I don't know what would.

This is such a feel good film I wish that everybody could see it, it would be an especially great film to watch when you're having one of those girly nights in - but don't forget some tissues as well.

Love Daisy x

Song of the Week

Hey Guys,
The song I've chosen this week is 'Bones' by Alex G. I've been subscribed to her for a while now and I always love her covers so I recommend checking out her youtube channel. This song is from her new debut album which was released September 9th and can be downloaded from iTunes, but if you don't want to do that then click the link below for her music video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlak4XVlAAs&list=PLKjb5CwZBVO5z4YcIKrv_RW3iCJ9DKNI_

Love Daisy x

Chanel SS15 follow up post

Hey Guys,

So last week I posted 'Chanel SS15 & Emma Watson'. I was browsing Rookie at the weekend and came across an interesting essay by Meredith Graves that was written in response to Chanel's SS15 catwalk.

The essay is entitled 'Faux Feminism in Trademark Tweeds' and outlines a completely different way of looking at the show. I found it really interesting as it talked about the show in a way that I hadn't even thought about before, discussing '...racist caricatures...historical erasure...' and '... co-opting of politics...'. It helps that Meredith Graves has an inspiring way with words.

I recommend you give it a read, so here it is...

www.thehairpin.com/2014/10/trademark-tweeds

Love Holly x

Song of the Week

Hey Guys,


My Song of the Week is Bloom by The Paper Kites. It is a really sweet song and I discovered it on a playlist on tumblr. a few months ago. The Paper Kites are an indie-folk band from Australia and have been together for 4 years, made up of 5 members.

Bloom by The Paper Kites
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8inJtTG_DuU

Love Holly x

Chanel SS15 & Emma Watson

Hey Guys,

Browsing the internet earlier I came across the pictures from Chanel's SS15 show and thought I should share them with you.

I think that this show is inspiring, as it has been styled as a mock 'feminist' protest, led by the likes of Cara Delevigne, fighting for freedom and equality. I think this catwalk is sending out an important message and am happy that Chanel is using the huge influence it has over so many people to send out an important message.

In his show Karl sent a single male model alone down the catwalk bearing a protest sign painted with the words 'HeforShe', this seems to be in support for Emma Watson's recent campaign.

This 'mock' protest has followed Emma Watson's recent speech in her role as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador about feminism and her 'formal invitation' to men to join her in the fight for equality, telling men that 'gender equality is (their) issue too'. She stated that the fight for 'women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating' and I agree, I am also glad she has clearly outlined what feminism is really about saying...

 

'For the record, feminism by definition is: ‘The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.'

 

The 'HeforShe' campaign, fronted by Emma Watson, is an campaign calling for men to get involved in the war against sexism, which is a crime committed against both men and women. The aim is to unite and bring equality.

Read her full speech here...

www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/9/emma-watson-gender-equality-is-your-issue-too

See Chanel News here...

chanel-news.chanel.com/en/home.html

Have something to say in response to this post, or any other post? Please don't hesitate to get in contact with us via. email at haisy15@gmail.com

Love Holly x