Stationary Queen

OK some may call me weird, everybody thinks I'm weird, but i don’t care! I am the Stationary Queen, I ordered some stuff fro amazon and it all came last week, and then I went up to Bristol and went shopping in Stationary World (i.e. Heaven)!

Does no one else get excited about scalloped scissors and colourful pens?

From left to right, Staedtler triplus colour pens 1mm; Flowers Pignanature notebook; Cath Kidston Tissues;Steadtler mars plastic rubber; A5 folders; Flowers Pignanature A5 Folder; Uniball eye medium line fine pens;  Scaloped edge scissors;

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Ellie Goulding

I love love love Ellie, she can’t do wrong when she’s acoustic.
This is a different style to what I usually love from her but I am hopelessly in love with this track and can’t stop listening. – I adore the electric guitar! Can’t you imagine it being in a very dramatic travelling scene in a film?

Closed for Love – Ellie Goulding

http://elliegoulding.com/

(Image courtesy of FAMEmagazine.co.uk)

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A Slice of Fashion

D&G Autumn/Winter 2010

Mmm, cable knit skirts, furry boots, graphic knit corset dresses teamed with layers of heavenly chiffon.

(Images courtesy of Vogue.co.uk)

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A Slice of Fashion

Well, actually this is more like a big hunk of Lanvin cake! From his Autumn/Winter 2010 collection.

Every girl likes a bit of floaty romantic chiffon

I’ll tell you a secret – this one’s my favourite! Classic black heels, lace pencil skirt, sheer gathered nude top that looks rather like a blouse,made effortlessly classy with a fur stole and evening bag, could see this as a wonderful day to night.

I love this shift dress with bondage heels and the black blunt fringe, nice twist on a classic.

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Annette Pehrsson

I adore this woman. I have a little print out of one of her photographs framed on my wall.

A young woman based in Sweden. She takes the most beautiful photographs. I can’t understand how she does it but they are the most emotive pictures I've ever laid eyes on. Each one tells a story and draws you in.
Her lighting is always perfect, I love the colours she uses and the ways she captures skin. I am also quite fond of her wardrobe!

ᴥ Annette’s Blog
ᴥ Annette’s Flickr
ᴥ Annette’s Website
ᴥ Buy her book, Zenit B – Excerpts from a diary.

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Lykki Li

Seeing as now I’m like super cool and down with all the technology stuff….I thought I’d share another song with you.
This one isn’t Christmas themed, it comes from the girl who brought 'you ‘I’m good I’m gone’, ‘Little Bit’ and ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ and now she’s back with a brand new album.
Here is the title track, ‘Get some’

 

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Natalie Portman in Dior and Charlotte Olympia

Natalie Portman at the Black Swan Screening in New York

Wearing a beautiful off shoulder black dress, I love the sheer sleeves.

…and holding this Charlotte Olympia Clutch. I really want one of these!

…her Perspex spider clasp clutch is pretty sweet too.

(Images courtesy of Vogue.co.uk and svpply.com)

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A Slice of Fashion

Well look who it is, Miss Abbey Lee Kershaw I believe sporting a stunning Anna Sui dress with equally gorgeous patterned tights and bag.
I suggest wearing while listening to anything folk e.g. Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons or Bombay Bicycle club (so basically what’s on my playlist).

I really love Anna Sui’s tights this A/W

…and I have some wonderful news…you can buy some Anna Sui tights at Urban Outfitters for £25. (I think that’s pretty pricey for tights, but they are pretty).

Images courtesy of Vogue.co.uk and Urbanoutfitters.co.uk

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CHTISTMAS TIME!

FINALLY I can be all excited that it is December and only twenty five days till the big one!
To spread some Christmassy joy, I’ve spent ages trying to understand technology and have created a Christmas playlist with some Wintery-Christmassy tunes that I love!

(Man I hope this works!)

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

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Chocolate Vanilla Cupcakes

It was my friend Josh’s 18th birthday yesterday, so of course I baked him some cupcakes!
I adapted a recipe from Gizzi Erskine’s Kitchen Magic (my friend got me a copy for my birthday and I love it, it’s such a pretty book. Plus her recipe for Chicken and Mushroom soup is delish!

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ᴥ  Chocolate Vanilla Cupcakes 
-Makes approx. thirty

Ingredients
● Self raising flour – 255g
● Caster sugar – 255g
● Butter (I use marge) – 255g
● 1tsp baking powder
● 4/5 tbsp. cocoa powder
● A sprinkle of ground cinnamon
● Four1/2 large eggs ( I know you do  not get half eggs, I put in four + one white)
● 3-4 tbsp. milk
● 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Step one: Cream your butter and sugar together until light and creamy…

Step two: Add in the eggs one by one, whisking as you go.

 

Step three: Sieve in the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon and baking powder (I felt that i used too much, you may want to not put in the baking powder, as long as you are using self raising). Fold in.

Step four: Add in your milk  and vanilla essence and give it all a blast with your whisk but not for too long.   

Step five: Pop into paper cases and put in the oven for about 25 mins ad 170 degrees C (150 if you’re using a fan)

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ᴥ Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients
● Dark Chocolate (Milk if you prefer, but trust me, you will like dark!)
● Double Cream
●Icing Sugar

I haven’t put in quantities for this as I have no idea how much you will need or how much I used! However much you use, put in as much cream as you do chocolate and the icing sugar to taste.

Step one: Melt your Chocolate in a Bain Marie.

Step two: Mix in your cream a little at a time, keeping it smooth. (you must use good quality chocolate or this will not work, I used Cadburys one time and it was just a big mess!).

Step three: Take off the heat and add in the icing sugar to taste. Whisk together until smooth.

Step Four: Cut a a cone shape into the middle of your cake and take out. In its place fill the hole with your lovely gooey sauce and pop the middle back in.

Step five: Let cool before icing the top. (you can try one if you like but prepare to get messy!)

 

I topped mine with a butter cream icing and then put royal icing disks on top which I then piped more chocolate ganache onto to say ‘Happy 18th Josh :)’
On my smaller cakes I used the ganache as icing and then piped little buttercream tops on too.

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Yum yum yum!!

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