Summer

Happy (couple of days of) Summer!

I spent the day walking with mum on Sunday and unfortunately got mega sunburn on my shoulders and back - wear sunscreen, girls!

Here's a couple of summery photos I took whilst in our local park. 

<3

x

How to: Ultimate "Devil's Food" Chocolate Cake

Hi guys, today was one of those days where I needed some (ok, a lot) of chocolatey goodness.

I happened to be watching Nigella Lawson on television yesterday and saw her make a Devil's Food Cake and I thought I'd give it a go myself.

What you need for the cake:

50g cocoa powder

100g dark muscovado sugar

125g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

225g plain flower

baking powder and bicarbonate of soda

vanilla extract

2 eggs

water

What you need for the frosting:

30g dark muscovado sugar

175g unsalted butter

300g dark chocolate

water

Firstly, preheat your oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4/350°F.

Put your cocoa powder and muscovado sugar into a container, boil the kettle and pour in 250ml (one cup full) of boiling water in with it. 

Mix together and set aside for later.

Make sure your butter is soft, and cream together with the caster sugar.

Add a few glugs of vanilla essence, half a teaspoon of bicarb and half a teaspoon of baking powder.

Then crack in one egg and pour in half of your flour. Mix it all together and then add the second egg and the remaining flour.

Once mixed, add in the chocolatey concoction you set aside earlier.

The consistency is very runny...don't worry!

Pour your cake mix equally into two greased cake tins. Mine are about 7/8inches diameter.

Put your cakes into your preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Now we can move onto the frosting.

In a pan add 125ml water (half a cup), the butter and muscovado sugar. Turn on a low heat and allow the butter to melt and combine.

When the mixture starts to bubble slightly, add in your chocolate. It's best to chop it up finely so it melts quickly. Take the mixture off the heat.

Once the chocolate has melted, whisk until it's smooth and glossy. Allow to cool and thicken up. This can take a good hour or more.

After 30 minutes in the oven, your cakes should be done! Leave them on a wire rack for about ten minutes to cool slightly before turning them out of their tins.

Once your cakes have cooled, turn one upside down on your cake stand/plate.

Pour on a few dollops of your frosting mix and then place the second cake on top.

My frosting mixture had stood for over an hour and was still too runny as you can see in the picture above, so I decided to pop it into the freezer for another half an hour or so and it hardened up perfectly.

Spread the remaining mixture over the cake and round the sides.

And you're done!

Rich, chocolatey, gooey heaven.

Enjoy!

x

I'm alive!

Hi guys.

I'm sorry I've been a bit MIA. I've not been feeling myself for a while and didn't really feel like doing anything - let alone blogging.

I'm just checking in to let you know I'm still alive...if there's anyone still here that is!

I've started to feel a little more human the past couple of days so actually put some effort into my makeup and outfit, only to be rained on in the downpour of rain whilst I was out buying fitness stuff.

I've decided to try and get myself into shape and keep my body and mind active. I went out and bought Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred fitness DVD, a yoga mat, some hand weights and gym clothes the other day so now I HAVE to do some exercise!

Has anybody tried Spinning? I really fancy trying it but fear I may die a fast, stationary-bicycle related death.

Anyway, I tried Tanya Burr's new makeup tutorial which you can see HERE. I think it turned out really nice and made my tired skin look a bit healthier.

I used Nars Sheer Glow foundation (FINALLY got my hands on some, ugghh love it!), Illamasqua cream blush in Brazen and YSL Touche Eclat to brighten around the eyes.

I hope you're all well.

Thank you for sticking around if you're reading this!

Love, Neeny x

Ps.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me. If I get enough good luck, I may have some amazing news to share soon.

Blackpool Critical Mass April 2013

Hi guys, sorry it's been a while.

Yesterday I took part in Blackpool's First "Critical Mass".

Critical Mass is a group bicycle ride which caters for all ages and abilities. We had no set route, just a leisurely ride around the town.

The turn out was great and if you're local, you should definitely try to come down to the next one.

Visit the Blackpool Critical Mass Facebook page to keep up to date on when we're planning another ride.

Here's a few photos from the evening, and an awesome video at the bottom which shows you the route we took.

We had a speaker system in this trailer which played out some awesome tunes whilst we rode.

xx

OOTD WIWT - Skater Skirt and Celine Dupe - 20 April 2013

Here's what I wore today. 

I know I wear the same boots and jacket all the time, sorry!

Jacket from Dorothy Perkins

Hoody from Topshop

Tshirt from Topshop

Skater skirt from Topshop

Bag from Aldo which I love. Total knockoff of the Celine bags but a fraction of the price.

Boots by Ash

Pandora Double Wrap bracelet and Casio Mini from ASOS

xx

OOTD WIWT - Fluoro Satchel and Floral Dress - 17 April 2013

Nipped to Preston today to try and find a suit for the bf. Found nothing but managed to pick up a couple of pairs of shoes for work, since I don't have to wear a uniform anymore - yay!

Cambridge Satchel Company Fluoro Yellow 13" Satchel

Biker Jacket from Dorothy Perkins

Dress from Topshop

Boots by Ash

Tights by Primark.

And I picked up these two babies in the sale. 

These studded flatforms are from Office.

And these holographic ballet pumps are by Steve Madden via TKMaxx.

xx

OOTD WIWT - Fluoro Satchel and Nike Free Run - 14 April 2013

Here's what I wore today. Can't believe I stood in the pouring rain to take pictures before I went out. Dedication/stupidity, I'm not quite sure?

American Apparel Easy Jean

Dorothy Perkins Faux Leather Jacket

Warehouse Knit Snood

Topshop Knit Jumper

Cambridge Satchel Company Fluoro Yellow 13" Satchel

Nike iD Free Run 2 Trainers (oh my, SO comfortable!)

I nipped into town to try and find a birthday present for a friend. Unsuccessful on the present front, however, I walked past this little beauty in River Island and fell in love.

It comes up a little large if you want to wear it on your waist like I want to. I had to down a size to a size 6?!!? Never in this world am I a size 6, so I would definitely recommend trying on or sizing down if you decide to buy online.

Side note: How flattering are River Island mirrors? Or is it just me? I swear they have some distortion on them to make you look tall and skinny - and the lighting makes you look tanned as feuuuk. Maybe it's just my local one, but no other mirrors in town reflect the same image back to me as the River Island ones haha!

xx