A Month in Photos #5

1. Adding Woody & Buzz Lightyear to my growing tsum tsum collection. So cute!

2. Valentine's Day treats. I was lucky enough to get a new bottle of my favourite fragrance by YSL 'Black Opium' and a few Lush bath treats.

3. I managed to get my hands on a limited edition patch from the embroidery artist, Adipocere. I'm on the lookout for a frame to display this in! 

4. Cards Against Humanity, there is no words. 

5. Catch up coffee and peanut butter cake with my mum.

6. Five year anniversary gift from my boyfriend. A lovely silver and gold intertwined heart necklace. 

What have been the highlights of your month?

Carly x

September Favourites

1. No7 Stay Perfect Foundation

This was a new purchase in September and have been wearing it on a daily basis, it provides long lasting coverage and is great for dehydrates skin!

2. Eau des Missions Cologne

This was a great find this month! I found this in TK Maxx and couldn't believe the price, £7 for 250ml!! It is a beautiful vanilla cologne which I have been wearing non stop, perfect for chilly Autumn days.

3. My ever growing Tsum Tsum collection

Yes, I am 5 years old, but look how cute they are!!

4. Caramel Nut Delight Coffee

This tastes...amazing!

5. Home Sweet Home by Yankee Candle

This is my 'go to' Autumn candle, it's the perfect cinnamon and spice scent and does a great job of making the whole house smell great!

6. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror by Robert Louis Stevenson

I always like to read a few good horror stories during the months leading up to Halloween. This is a classic gothic novel, it's wondefully atmospheric and does a great job and leaving you feeling uneasy and creeped out. I highly recommend!

What are your September favourites?

Carly x

A Week in Photos #3

1. My lovely boyfriend surprised me with roses and lush goodies :)

2. Relaxing in my new coffee PJ bottoms I picked up in Forever 21 when I was in Amsterdam.

3. Discovering a new coffee shop while on my way to work, I will be revisiting this cute cafe soon!

4. Frozen Yoghurt date night! A new frozen yoghurt place has opened up in our area, so once every week we take an evening trip and try out some new flavours! This week I tasted their mocha and vanilla cake batter flavoured frozen yoghurt. Oh so yum! 

5. I love having a noisy in TK Maxx home section every now and again and found this lovely candle. I love the packaging and it smells wonderful! A bargain for only £6! Hooray!

6. I finished reading Caitlin Morans ' How to be a Woman' this week and really enjoyed it! It's written perfectly and includes hilarious insights into her teenage years, while making some incredibly thoughtful observations on modern feminisim. 

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend! 

Carly x

Coffee 101

Have you ever walked into a coffee shop and been completely mind boggled at the vast array of coffees on the menu? Hopefully this post giving you the low down on some of the most popular coffees and will help you in the decision making process next time you are getting your morning caffeine fix!

Americano

• 1/3 espresso based (you can ask for a single or double strength)
• 2/3 hot water
• Can drink black or add hot milk
• Thin layer of foam at the top (crema)

Cortado

• An espresso cut with a small amount of steamed milk
• Usually served in a special glass with a metal wire handle
• Quite similar to a less foamy cappuccino 

Cappuccino

• 1/3 espresso
• 1/3 heated milk
• 1/3 milk foam
• A good option if you want a mild caffeine hit

Café latte

• 1/3 espresso
• 2/3 heated milk
• 1cm foam
• Usually served in a glass on a saucer
• Flavourings can be added such as vanilla, chocolate or caramel
• If you ask for this in Italy you will get a glass of hot/cold milk!

Café au lait

• 1 part hot coffee
• 1 part steamed milk
• This is similar to the café latte but with more coffee is added

Cafe Mocha

• 1/3 espresso
• 2/3 steamed milk
• portion of chocolate (usually in syrup form)
• Can be served with whipped cream & marshmallows
• Great if you have a sweet tooth 

Ristretto

• A less watered down version of the regular espresso
• Hailed as the most delicious part of the espresso as it avoid the burnt taste many have

Flat White

• Steamed milk (poured from the bottom of a pitcher) over a single or double shot of espresso.
• Similar to latte and café au lait
• Typically served in a small cup
• Uses microfoam instead of dry foam
• Usually made with whole milk

I hope this post helps all you coffee lovers decipher the abundant coffee options out there!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend!

Carly x

(Images taken from weheartit.com)

20 Random Facts About Me

Hi lovelies!

I thought it was time to introduce myself a bit better here, so here are 20 random facts about myself that will let you get to know me better!

1. I live in Northern Ireland, UK.

2. I have a degree in fine and applied arts.

3. I have a serious coffee addiction!

4. I am a sucker for cute duvet sets (I currently have a little racoon printed one on)

5. I have a pretty eclectic taste in music, I have been listening to a lot of Jazz recently.

6. My idea of a treat is a tub of Ben & Jerrys icecream all to myself! 

7. I am currently living with my boyfriend whom I have been with for over four years.

8. I have both my ears pierced twice, a tragus and a helix piercing. 

9. I used to have super long hair but got it all cut off recently and I love it!

10. My favourite film is Disneys Alice in Wonderland (1951)

11. I own way too many stuffed toys for somebody my age (but there so cute!)

12. I love watching cartoons, The Misadventures of Flapjack and Adventure Time are my favourites.

13. I'd rather stay home cuddled up watching Netflix than being out partying. 

14. I collect vinyl records.

15. I recently lost 3 stone through Slimming World ( I did enjoy buying a whole new wardrobe, yay!)

16. I am constantly buying new mugs even though I have no room for them.

17. My middle name is Brianna.

18. I would love to have a dog one day.

19. I am always buying new candles, I can't get enough of them.

20. I have been wearing the cat eye eyeliner look (pretty much every day) for about 8 years.

Carly x

A Week in Photos #2

1. Picked up the Happy Buddha shower foam and Fortune shower scrub from

Rituals at a 50% off sale. These smell so

good- refreshing with a citrus zing!

2. Finally got my hands on two of my favourite films on dvd- 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' and 'The Grand Budapest Hotel.' 

3. Checked out the degree show at University of Ulster last week, there was a lot of great work on show. This students work consisted of a large studio floor covered in fake flowers, it looked amazing.

4. My very talented bestest buddy painted me this great water colour portrait of Bill Murray from the Wes Anderson film 'Moonrise Kingdom.' I have it framed in my sitting room, love it!

5. H&M have some beautiful minimalistic jewellery in stores at the minute. I haven't taken off this rose gold layered necklace, it goes with everything and anything!

6. How cute are these mason jar candles? I picked up the scent Lemon Pound Cake and Pancakes & Maple Syrup. My house smells like a bakery now :) 

7. My first ever Whistles purchase. I will get a lot of wear out this top, it's soooo soft!

8. New Book. These little penguin classics are only 80p in Waterstones!

9. The weather has been great here so a lot of coffee has been consumed outside in the sun.

A Week in Photos

1. Getting a freshly brewed cappuccino brought to you in bed by a handsome bearded gentleman, I am spoiled.

2. How adorable is this pillow?! Picked this up for £6 in Tesco, bargain! 

3. Fresh yellow roses to brighten up our living room.

4. A recent addition to my ever growing book collection; Nourish 'mind body & soul.' This is a great little book covering healthy recipes, relaxation techniques and workout ideas.

5. I have been wearing this Breakfast in Bed top a lot recently, found it while rummaging through my local TK Maxx, it is the softest most comiest top I own, perfect for lazy days.

6. Coffee! Always.

7. I have been having a nostalgic music throwback recently, does anybody remember CSS? 

8. I love love love my Wall-E mugs I got last month for my birthday. How cute are they?

9. I love to pamper myself on a Sunday evening, to treat myself this week I picked up Lush's Twilight bath bomb. A seriously lovely smelling bomb worth checking out. 

Hope you have all had a lovely week :)

Carly x

Lazy Weekend Outfit

Cardigan- H&M (sale) £15

Loose tee-H&M £7.99

Canvas bag- Forever21 £3

This has become my go to outfit for lazy weekends when you only venture outside to pick up a hazelnut mocha. Pair with skinny ripped jeans and converse and you are good to go! 

Lazy Sunday Routine

"A Sunday well spent brings a week of content."

Firstly, Coffee!
After a nice lie in, I like to make myself a cup of coffee (loving salted caramel flavoured coffee at the minute...yum!) which I like to drink back in bed and read a book. This is something I always enjoy doing if i'm feeling particularly lazy!

After I've spent (far too long) lounging in bed reading, I finally get around to my quick and simple 3 step cleansing routine in the morning. 

I start of my using the Simple Micellar water on a cotton pad and sweep this over my face and neck. This is a recent purchase and so far i'm impressed! It's a gentle formula and is great for sensitive skin  like mine.

Next I use another new purchase the Balance Cosmetics hyaluronic 554 youth serum. It's far too early to let you know if I am noticing any difference in my skin from using this, but i'm enjoying using it so far. This little bottle of clear like gel  claims to give 'immediate hydration and is clinically proven to give 24 hour non-stop moisturisation.' Well! Anything that is claiming to boost hydration is worth a try in my books! 

My last step is yup, you guessed it, another Liz Earle product. This moisturiser is nice and light and absorbs quickly, making it a nice base if you are planning on applying makeup.

After making myself feel more human, I'll treat myself to a nice breakfast. I've opted for the healthier option today- strawberry yogurt with blueberries, chopped up banana and strawberries. 

If i'm feeling like more of a treat, i'll whip up some poached eggs and crispy bacon on a round of toast.

 

Fast forward through one Netflix binge, copious amounts of coffee, lunch and dinner, this is when the real pamper for me begins! I love having a bath on a Sunday evening, it's one thing that I feel relaxes me and prepares me for the work week ahead.

I use a Lush bath bomb (if i'm lucky enough to have any!) If not, I make do with a good old Radox bubble bath. I like to apply a face mask too while relaxing in the tub, i'm currently loving the Lush 'Mask of Magnaminty.' 
If you haven't tried it already, I recommend picking it up, you won't be disappointed!

What's your favourite things to do on a lazy Sunday?