Magpie & Hen

Sunday Stroll

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 18:03:00 +0000

Today I followed the advice from Hands free mama, I went for a walk with my husband and left my phone behind. In the name of being authentic I will tell you it was a little weird and I did have the momentary panic of "what if someone needs me" but I ignored it and you know what it was amazing. After ten minutes I felt so calm, in a way I haven't felt in years. I looked at Stuart and said "my soul feels soothed".

Searching for beauty in every day life sometimes seems daunting, there can be times where you feel overwhelmed or blinded to beauty. My goal is to show that it can be found anywhere, today I found mine on a lazy Sunday afternoon stroll with my husband.

Break time breathrough

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 06:45:00 +0000

I have taken a really long break from blogging and I couldn't figure out what was stopping me from writing until yesterday. I was reading a few posts on Hands free Mama and I was so inspired by her attempts to live honestly that it caused my own breakthrough.

I realised that what I had wanted to post was beautiful, inspiring house and craft posts, with gorgeous photos. I took the fun out of blogging and created a work/fun imbalance. Yesterday I realised that the reason I found it so hard and couldn't get motivated was because its not me. I love all those things but I wasn't being authentic to me.

When Jenny and I started this blog it was because we wanted to record the beauty we see in everyday life.

Yet I was the one person who forgot to look at my life and see the beauty in the details, the tiny little things that make me smile in a day.

So through all of that Ive decided to use this blog to be from authentic to me, to show the real me and all the tiny details that make my life beautiful.

Halloween fun ideas!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 15:21:00 +0000

As All Hallow's Eve approaches I wanted to do a quick round up of all things halloweeny.

I've been having a look around the internet and found a few fun games, songs and costumes for all ages so if you are stuck for ideas then read on!

Fun and Games

The queen of all things party-related, Martha Stewart has a round up of fab games, invites and crafts for everyone. I love the look of the 'pop goes the pumpkin' game!

Spoonful has a really great selection of games and a ton of printables and colouring pages to keep little ones entertained.

In case you are in need of some adult games, Punchbowl has a list of games for grownups which incudes 'shot in the dark', a drinking game which is sure to have everyone in good spirits ( get it...drinking, spirits, ghostys...you get it ..haha)

Costume Ideas

Jokers Masquerade is the place I always turn to for amazing costumes and great service, they do a gazillion costumes of all kinds for both adults and kids. My favourites...I love the steampunk costumes. So unbelievably cool.

Amazingly talented Youtube beauty guru Nicole Guerriero has a ton of halloween makeup ideas. I really like her female mad hatter tutorial. Its beautiful and creepy at the same time. I definitely want to try it sometime.

For something simple both Lily Pebbles 'dead dolly' and Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup's 'sugar skull-esque' tutorials are both easy and impressive.

Playlist

Who are we to argue with Billboard? They have complied a list of the top 10 halloween songs and I think they are all awesome. Find it here.

Movies

This is a toughie for me because I hate scary movies! So if you are looking for a list of horror movies then you are looking in the wrong place haha. However, there are a few kids movies that I absolutely adore so if you are looking for a not-so-scary show then these are my favourites.

Hocus Pocus - Fun and trouble with Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker circa 1993. This was one of my faves as a kid and I still love it.

Labyrinth - One of my all time favourite movies, any time of the year. This is spellbinding stuff and David Bowie as the goblin king is just priceless.

The Nightmare Before Christmas - An animated masterpiece with a brilliant soundtrack, I watch this at least two or thee times every year between halloween and christmas.

So there you have it, a quick round up and run down of halloween things to do and see this week.

Has anyone got any epic plans for halloween this year? We have a family party planned this year and I'm babysitting on Thursday so a movie marathon featuring all of the above is definitely on the cards. I may enjoy it even more than the kids haha!

The Life/Uni/Blog Balance

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 12:15:00 +0000

So it happened again. More days than I care to count since a blog post on here. Drat.

I started back at uni a few weeks ago and its the first time that I have had to balance studying and blogging at the same time, not to mention life and housework and all that fun stuff getting in the way. It's safe to say that I'm failing at the blogging part (though hopefully not at uni haha!).

I am a distance learning student with the Open University. I love to learn (total geek over here) and I actually love distance learning and going at my own pace. The OU is a great institution and I have never had a course I haven't like or a tutor I didn't get along with.

It does however require a lot of discipline and it always takes me a little while to get into the swing of things with each new module.

So I'm asking you to please bear with us here on Magpie and Hen. Fingers crossed that we will find our balance and our blogging mojo again soon.

I have a few posts planned out that I'm hoping to get photographed over the weekend so those should be up soon.

Thanks for sticking with us!

Have a great weekend :)

Skin Woes - Coping With Couperose And Rosacea

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Sidenote: Apologies for the naughty lack of blogging lately!!! Alas, life got the better of me last week.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming now :)

Today I want to talk about skin, well, the skin on my face to be exact.

I had pretty good skin as a teenager, it had the usual oily areas and the odd spot but on the whole it was generally well behaved. The only problem I had was that my fair skin was very prone to flushing. I had very rosy cheeks on a good day and looked like a bright red shiny beacon on a bad day (not so cute).

It started getting worse towards the end of my teenage years, my face would struggle to stay calm if I was even slightly to warm and then began to flush when I felt chilly too (which was often since I live in Northern Ireland).It also began to get very sensitive and reacted badly to all the products that my teenage and early twenties self kept piling on to try and hide it.

At twenty one I was doing a course in beauty and loving it. One day one of the teachers was demonstrating a facial on my skin and commented that my skin was great for showing how a facial should be done on someone with Rosacea. I remember thinking 'Wait. What? I have what on my face?'

Turns out she was right. We'll, almost. I do have Rosacea but it's really only developed in the last couple of years. What she saw on my skin ten years ago was the beginnings of Couperose. It's similar to Rosacea and has a lot of the same triggers such as excess heat and stress and can sometimes go hand in hand with Rosacea, as it does in my case.Basically my skin has a bunch of red patches, lots if little red prickly dots and broken capillaries and gets very flushed if I am too hot, too cold, under any kind if stress and is easily aggravated by rubbing of any kind. My chest also flushes very easily and when I'm too warm my entire upper body gets pretty pink to the point I look sunburnt but it disappears as soon as I cool down.

So, lately my skin has gotten a lot worse, its very dry and easily irritated and all the products that I have been using for ages seem to be making it worse so I decided to go back to basics, a simple cleanse, tone and moisturise routine with a serum thrown in for good measure, all with products suitable for sensitive/dry/redness prone skin. I normally spend a fair bit on my skincare but since my skin is going through a rough patch and reacting to so many things I thought I would see if I could find some sensitive products that weren't too expensive in case my skin reacted badly to them and they ended up a waste of money. I thought I would share with you what I have been using in case it is helpful to anyone out there with similar issues.

I have been using Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish for about five years and although my skin tolerates it fairly well I can only use lukewarm water and have to be very gentle with it. In the past I have used Bioderma Micellar water to get rid of makeup and grime and it is fab, really good for sensitive skin as no rubbing is needed at all. It is however expensive and sometimes difficult to get in the uk. L'Oreal have totally upped their skincare game this past year and have released a Micellar water of their own and I think this might be every bit as good as Bioderma! I've been using it for a month now and my skin is smoother and less irritated. I still cleanse with the Liz Earle every other night as well but giving my skin a break from rinsing with water seems to have helped it a great deal. I'm also using a sensitive L'Oreal Eye Makeup Remover as I find the Micellar water doesn't always shift waterproof eye makeup without a little rubbing which I am trying to avoid as much as I can.

Following that I have been using a toner from Superdrug's Simply Pure range for sensitive skin. So far it seems to be doing the job and not irritating me in any way so that's a plus as so many toners really don't agree with me. Next I've been using this serum from Boots Botanics Ultra Calm range. It has been a lifesaver for me! My skin is protected and soothed and feels so soft since I started using this. It's not expensive, I got it on offer with one third off and it was just over a fiver. Bargain!

The moisturiser is one that I found in Savers Chemist and I can't seem to find it anywhere else! It's this Garnier one for sensitive skin. It has a very light fragrance and seems to provide enough moisture to get me through the day without making my skin shiny and again is soothing enough to calm my redness down a bit.

So far so good, my skin has settled a bit and seems less angry. I do think I need more hydration though than these products are giving me though, especially coming into Autumn and Winter when my skin is at it's driest. A night cream and maybe a hydrating mask would definitely improve the levels of moisture in my skin but I don't want to overload it right now with too many different products. For now I'm just happy that my cheeks are less red/angry/sore and my skin feels a little bit softer and smoother than it did a month ago.

Does anyone have any other great products for sensitive skin? Leave a comment below and let me know, I would be forever grateful!

Carry on packing list

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 20:22:00 +0000

Hey guys....

I've been preparing for my trip to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin next weekend. Since Im writing out my lists on what to pack and what I need for my carry on luggage, I thought I would share what I always take with me to help on the trip.

Carry on survival kit.

1. Handbag - Its taken me years to find a handbag that I like to take on a plane, I prefer a messenger style bag so that I can sling it over my should, I don't have to hold it in long queues but it has lots of pockets for passport, ticket etc.

2. Face wipes - I am probably quite strange in that I take my make up off when i get on the plan with a face wipe and moisturise and then again before I landing.

3. Eyedrops - I always use eyedrops on a flight, it help to keep your eyes hydrated and bright.

4. Toothbrush - This can make you feel human again after sitting for so many hours

5. Hand sanitizer - Did you know most people are not made sick by what they breath in but by what they touch - you cant trust everyone to be as clean as you are.

6. Deodorant - its just necessary!

7. Kindle Fire - Its all my entertainment rolled into one little package.

8. Magazine - for when they tell you not to use you kindle even though its in airplane mode!

9. Noise cancelling earphones - even if you just want to sleep, they will make it so much easier

10. Clean top - just in case me or someone else spills something on me

11. Snacks - plane food, even when it is available is gross, it always makes me feel bloated. So now I just refuse it and enjoy some of my favourite snacks brought from home instead.

Is there anything you think I've forgotten? Or anything that you think that would make my flight more enjoyable?

LovelyLinks...Autumn Fashion For Your Home

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 09:00:00 +0000

I've been on a little bit of an Autumn shopping bender lately. I've been stocking up on all of my favourite essentials, the things that make Autumn and Winter cosy and cheerful for me and I'll be posting about those on Monday.

Today I wanted to show you some of the things that I am considering for our home this Autumn.

I like to have neutral walls and furnishings so that we can update the room each season and keep things fresh and interesting.

Autumn for me is all about getting cosy so I've been on the lookout for new blankets, cushions and candles.

The links below are a few of my favourites:

I love a pretty candle, especially at this time of year, and this candle from Zara Home is one of my favourites. Its beautifully carved and intricate, a statement piece that will look great in any setting.

I'm pretty crazy about scented candles too and Yankee Candles make my two favourites, this one, which is perfect for this time of year as its autumnal without being too festive, and this one, which is pretty much all out Christmas in a candle!

We actually bought two of these cushion covers last Autumn and they are still available from Dunelm Mill. I love the tartan and they are back on our sofa again for this season. They look festive without being totally-all-out Christmassy. We are in the market for a few more to add to these two this year.

I love this cushion also from H&M, it just looks so squishy and comfortable yet also very elegant.

I tend to go a little red crazy at this time of year and this blanket from H&M ticks all the boxes for me. Its a beautiful colour, a gorgeous knitted pattern and is big enough to fit two people under it for sofa cuddles ;)

Last but not least I think that this decanter and matching glasses from Next are a great idea and since I'm a big lover of mulled wine this is at the top of my shopping list right now.

So has anybody else been thinking of a few seasonal buys lately?

Found any gems?

The Autumn Tag!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 09:00:00 +0000

I love Autumn, I'm literally an all singing, all dancing happy girlie on September 1st! I have seen 'The Autumn Tag' on a few blogs recently (Makeup Pixi3, who actually created the tag and the pretty graphic above, and here to name a couple) so I wanted to join in and you know...be like the cool kids ;)

So without further ado...

The Autumn Tag

1. Favourite thing about it? I love cosy nights in but I'm not overly fond of dark mornings so Autumn is the perfect time of year for me, the mornings aren't too dark yet but the evenings are perfect for a cosy fire and lighting a few candles. I'm also crazy in love with the colours of the leaves and the fresh crisp air, is it just me or am I the only one who loves the smell of Autumn?

2. Favourite drink? I love a good cup of tea as much as the next person but at this time of year I tend to go a little nuts for hot chocolate, add some cinnamon and a marshmallow or two and I'm in heaven!

3. Favourite scent/candle? My favourite perfume of all time is Liz Earle Botanical Essence No15, its warm and spicy with just a little sweetness and its perfect for this time of year. For candles I love Yankee Cadles in either Cinnamon Stick or (my favourite) Mandarin Cranberry which is a little bit christmassy but not so much that you feel weird burning it all year round.

4. Best lipstick? I wear coral colours all summer long and in winter I'm all about the red lip but when September hits I usually go with pinky nude or brownish-peach lips. My favourites right now are Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee and Lime Crime Babette.

5. Go to moisturiser? I have pretty dry skin with a lot of redness which is a nightmare to take care of but I've recently been loving L'oreal's new skincare Skin Perfection range. Their new moisturiser and serum have been great at evening out my skin tone and moisturising without leaving oiliness. For lipbalm it has to be Carmex Moisture Stick in Peach, I have used Carmex since high school and I'm loving the new tinted version.

6. Go to colours for the eyes? I like warm browns and coppery colours, they seem to really bring out the blue in my eyes. Favourites are Urban Decay's Chopper and Tease, both of which are in the Naked 2 Palette and Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr in On &On Bronze.

7. Favourite music or band/singer to listen to? I really love the Drive soundtrack, it's such great chillout music and I tend to drift towards that kind of style at this time of year.

8. Favourite outfit to wear? Grey skinny jeans, these Tan knee boots and anything burgundy or wine coloured, a cardigan or jumper and a big chunky knit scarf, I'm liking this taupe and coral one from Forever 21 for a splash of colour on grey days.

9. Autumn treat? I love getting all set for Autumn and Winter, getting new boots and a coat is usually my favourite treat at this time of year. I've also got some new comfy slippers (I'm so darn rock n' roll) and will be getting some new nail colours too, probably a dark red and maybe a bottle green colour.

10. Favourite place to be? In front of the fire with the hubby and our fur baby Fudge, preferably with a hot chocolate, listening to the wind and rain.

This was such a fun post to write! Hope you enjoyed it.

Leave a comment below and feel free to let me know your favourite things about Autumn too!

Pretty Craft Storage

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 18:37:00 +0000

After I finished my craft room transformation I wanted to make some pretty things for it.

I love pretty!!

However I didn't want to spend any money though.

I'm on a thrifty spree at the minute!

I shopped the house and found this box in the cupboard (see I knew it would be useful!)

I chose pretty paper from my collection, I believe I got it in the Hallmark store.

Isn't it adorable! Even better because it was free!!!

It was really easy, I used a spray adhesive on the box, after I had cut the paper to size and it fitted so well

This is it in location, I have to say I really love it, it makes me smile and it used up some of the many rolls of wrapping paper sitting around!

Easy 'Eton Mess' Style Dessert

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 20:52:00 +0000

When we go all out for Sunday dinner or cook up something special for a mid-week supper we like to have dessert, well, really we just like dessert and will use any excuse at all to have some haha ;)

One of our favourites is an easy variation on 'Eton Mess' which normally consists of meringue, double cream and strawberries. We make our version with sour cream, crème fraiche and a ton of chocolate!

There are a lot of different ways of making something that resembles Eton Mess, my mother in law makes her version with greek yoghurt instead of cream and it's awesome because the yoghurt is silky and creamy without being as heavy as the double cream.

For us however no dessert is complete without the addition of chocolate and we find that the tart flavour and silky smoothness of sour cream and crème fraiche mixed together is the perfect partner for crunchy meringue and sweet chocolate. We use low fat creams because there so much chocolate and meringue you can't taste the difference and I like to try and limit the amount of damage to my waistline where I can! You can also add less chocolate if you feel its too much but we are chocoholics in this house so we just throw it all in.

Its super easy to make (you literally just have to stir it together!) and is great to throw together at the last minute so its fab for parties or just as a treat after Sunday dinner.

The recipe below will yield enough for four generous portions so you can multiply as needed to feed more.

Ingredients:

6 ready made meringue nests

300ml Creme Fraiche/Low fat Creme Fraiche

300ml Sour Cream/ Low fat Sour Cream

A handful of strawberries or other berry fruit.

2 Crunchie Bars

2 40g bags of Malteasers

2 Flakes

60ml of Berry Fruit Coulis (optional)

1. Crumble two of the meringue nests into the bottom of a large bowl or jug. If you add all the nests they will start to dissolve pretty quick so I add one into each individual bowl instead of adding them all now, adding two at this stage will sweeten the sour cream just enough to make it delicious.

2. Add the creams to the jug or bowl and stir well to mix in the meringue.

3. Use a rolling pin to smash up all the chocolate.

4. Add the chocolate the cream and meringue mixture and stir.

5.Try not to eat it yet.

(I always fail at this part)

6. Dice up the fruit and add to the mixture. (*bad blogger alert* I totally forgot to take pictures of this stage, to be fair I was more interested in eating it once I saw all the chocolate so its amazing there are any pics at all!)

7. Add one crushed meringue to the bottom of each bowl and spoon the mixture on top.

*optional* 8. Add a tablespoonful of fruit coulis on top of each bowl and swirl to give a pretty effect. You could even add a little jug of this to the table so everyone can add more if they wish, it really does just finish this dessert off beautifully and it tastes delicious.

Ta Dah!!!! Doesn't it look gorgeous? It tastes even better believe me!

So that is my easy peasy dessert, totally foolproof and everyone always loves it.

You can adjust it in so many ways, less chocolate more strawberries,

maybe raspberries and blackberries instead

or even add little bits of chopped nuts or fudge for some pizazz.

The possibilities are endless and delicious!

Hope you enjoyed this recipe, any questions just comment below and Ill get back to you asap.

I'm in the mood for a little dessert now, anyone care to join me?

Craft Room Transformation

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 19:35:00 +0000

I spent this weekend transforming the spare room into a guest/craft room. I had a very small budget to work with so most of the pieces are things we already had. Advance warning, I haven't finished yet but I like to see progress on a project as people are doing it so that's what you guys are getting too.

This is what we had to work with, when we moved in, there was a lot of

family coming to stay for the wedding so we just put in the bed and that was it.

Now that I see the photos, I'm not sure I love the layout but it seems to

give me the most room to work at the desk.

The oak drawers were in my husbands old bedroom so we got those when we moved

The green cabinet was given to me by my aunt when she was clearing out her garage, it was scratched mdf and so I sanded, primed and painted it. I used Morris Blue from Craig & Rose 1829 Acrylic Eggshell paints

I used these little ice buckets that were left over from the sweetie table at our wedding. I plan to make labels for them so I know what is in each bucket.

I found this desk in Auld tat in Ballymoney, they have some amazing pieces for sale.

This beautiful doll was given to me by my mother-in-law at my wedding, she hand-knitted her dress and train. Isn't she amazing!

So that is my little craft room, where I can hopefully create in

peace without my craft stuff ending up all over the house.

So what do you think? Does anyone else have a craft room or closet?

How do you manage your craft storage

Currently...

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 19:04:00 +0000

A snippet of life lately...

Tying...So. Many. Knots. I've been wrapping my headphones this week, mainly because they look awesome but also because it stops them from getting tangled in my bag. I watched a couple of videos on youtube (this one and this one) and then just went for it. I'm nearly done and they look super cute!

This is how my headphones are looking so far...cute no??

Cooking... So, in a bid to eat more home cooked fresh food I am continuing on my little chef journey this month and these yummy burgers from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food cookbook are what we had for dinner tonight. They were delicious and really easy, which is my favourite kind of cooking :) I have no idea why there are cream crackers in these burgers or what purpose they serve but all I can say is it works. We've had these twice now and they are really tender, not at all greasy and packed full of flavour.

Watching...In the spirit of learning how to cook I've been watching the Food Network channel which I have recently discovered has been added to our freeview box. I'm a little bit addicted I think, I love "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" simply for the weird and wonderful food (it literally makes me hungry every time I watch it!) and the awesome cakes on "Amazing Wedding Cakes"

Reading...This book by Tess Thompson. This is the third in her River Valley Collection and I really enjoyed the first two (one & two & both) which I read over the summer. These are the kind of books I like to read before bed, nothing too heavy, just a bit of light hearted, mushy romance and a wee bit of a mystery thrown in. Don't get me wrong, I love a book with depth that really grabs you but sometimes you just want to zone out. Romance novels or "chick-lit" are my version of watching reality tv.

Buying...I go through phases of not really buying much make-up or any beauty products and just enjoy using what I have for ages but eventually I will yearn for new products to play with. Lately I have been on a make-up spending spree, I've bought a ton of new stuff and I'm really enjoying playing with it all. I've also been eyeing up some new make-up storage (maybe this to keep my favourite things at hand) and some new brushes. I've asked Santa (aka my hubby) to buy me this Sigma set for Christmas but in the meantime I've been eyeing up these Real Techniques brushes. I keep hearing soo many good things about them and most of my brushes are ancient and are falling apart so I might be naughty and order them this weekend. Has anyone else tried them?

Enjoying...catching up on my favourite youtubers! I've been on a youtube bender this week haha ;) I have so many subscriptions but my favourites are sweet little Zoella, a British beauty blogger/youtuber, her brother ThatcherJoe, Jim Chapman who always makes me laugh, his fiancée make up guru Tanya Burr and the always funny and adorable Tyler Oakley, an american blogger who just happens to be friends with all the awesome brit bloggers. I also love Jacklyn Hill and Nicole Guerriero, two american beauty gurus that are so inspiring and fun to watch. There are so many great youtube channels, these are only a handful of favourites. Anyone else have any recommendations for channels or vloggers I just have to watch?

So that's what I've been up to lately. How bout you guys?

Am I the only one who's loving the food network?

Craft Room Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 18:55:00 +0000

I enjoy a variety of crafts and especially love trying new ones. The only slight downside is my house is cluttered with supplies. I realised I needed to create a separate space in the house for crafting.

I decided to use the space in the guest room, I want it to be dual purpose - a guest bedroom & a craft room. I've been gathering all my supplies together so that I can work out what storage I will need.

As always when I start a project I start researching, I browse magazines, the internet an blogs. I wanted to share some of the inspiration I got with you.

source

I love the wicker magazine files on the shelves, I do love wicker!

source

Such pretty storage options!

source

I love this one, it's perfect for a spare bedroom.

I'm going to be working on transforming my craft room over the weekend so I'm going to show you my progress on Wednesday.

Jamie Oliver's Easy Roast Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 08:30:00 +0000

I have a confession to make...I am a terrible cook. Well, it's not like I burn everything I make, its just that everything I make comes out of a packet..or a jar...or a box. Basically, I can't cook anything from scratch.

Until now.

I promised myself (and my poor husband) that I would learn to cook a few things from scratch this year, nothing fancy, just good tasty home cooked food. I now know how to make (among other things) carrot and lentil soup, cottage pie, steak and chips and, as of Sunday, a roast chicken dinner!

Ta Dah!!! Doesn't it look delicious. (It totally was!)

I ever so slightly adapted this recipe from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food book. When I say adapted what I really mean is that I couldn't find fresh Thyme at the supermarket so I had to make do with dried and I didn't add any garlic as my husband hates it.

I also used this recipe for the gravy and this one for the roast veg and potatoes, both again from the Ministry of Food book. I added a little honey to the veg and some good old fashioned Bisto gravy powder to the gravy and they were both delicious.

Jamie uses a vegetable trivet underneath the chicken which you can then use to make the gravy. I have to say it really was surprising quick to prepare it all as the veg only needed very roughly chopped.

I parboiled some potatoes, carrots and parsnips before tossing them in a little oil, a little honey and some salt and pepper before putting them in the oven to roast in the bottom of the oven. I made some mashed potatoes too (because you can't have Sunday dinner without mashed potatoes) and I used a potato ricer to get them nice and fluffy.

I basted the chicken with juices in the bottom of the oven every now and then and the skin came out really crispy but not at all dry. The meat literally just fell off the bones it was so tender. I was so impressed that I not only managed to not mess the whole thing up, I actually loved the end result! This chicken is foolproof and gorgeous.

I was so excited about using our lovely wedding china that I may have left the roast veg in the oven a few minutes longer than I should have so the veg was definitely crispy! It was still gorgeously sticky and sweet though so I didn't mind too much.

. *note to self - stop taking pictures of the pretty table setting next time and remember you are supposed to be cooking!*

I think it actually went really well for a first time. I'm so excited to learn more recipes and I love the idea of being able to cook a Sunday roast for my wee family, especially if we have kids in the future. I think I would like to learn how to cook roast beef next.

I have a ton of cookbooks but I have to say I really enjoy Jamie Oliver's books. He seems to cater to people like me who are complete beginners and doesn't assume that everyone on the planet knows how to do simple things (like make gravy) and I find his recipes easy to follow.

Does anyone have any good cookbook recommendations? Or any really great, can't live without, recipes they want to share?

I would really love to add a few more to my repertoire.

Lavender & Vanilla Homemade Sugar Scrub

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Sat, 31 Aug 2013 18:31:00 +0000

I'm having a pamper night this evening, I always like to start off with a good body scrub. It helps to exfoliate and leaves your skin glowing.

They are so easy to make at home and they are so cheap.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cupOlive Oil
4 drops Lavender Essential Oil
2 drops Vanilla Extract

Mix all together in a bowl until you are happy with the consistency and smell

Let me know if you give it a try!

Easy No Cook Playdoh

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:51:00 +0000

When we were kids my Mum used to make homemade playdoh with us to keep us amused during the holidays. She runs a day nursery now and she still uses this same recipe to make playdoh for her kids there. I have no idea where she got it originally but I had a look around online and it is really similar or practically identical to a lot of other playdoh recipes out there so I'm guessing this method is pretty foolproof. It isn't sticky or too hard and will stay soft for a few weeks if kept covered in between playtimes. I make it when I'm babysitting and the kids just love it (though I think I enjoy it more than they do haha!) and we add all sorts of things like sequins and rice to the dough. Glitter is awesome too but be aware that it gets everywhere!

First things first, you will need:

a large bowl

either an actual cup or a 1 cup measuring cup

a teaspoon

two tablespoons

a wooden spoon

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of salt

2 cups plain flour

2 tablespoons of cream of tartar

2 tablespoons of oil ie. vegetable/sunflower/groundnut oil

1 teaspoon of glycerine

1 and a half cups of boiling water

Food colouring

Optional extras: rice/glitter/sequins for texture.

This will make one batch of dough in one colour. Its so quick to make that I usually make three or four batches in different colours so we can get a bit more creative!

Method:

First add all your dry ingredients to the bowl and give it a stir.

Then add the oil and the glycerine.

The add the boiling water and the food colouring. The easiest way to add the colouring is to add it to the water before you put the water in the bowl, that way it will dissolve in the water and when you mix it in the colouring will be evenly distributed throughout the mixture and you won't have to knead it in after (which takes forever!)

This is how it looks when all the ingredients are added. Stir everything together, it will be sticky and gooey at first but it will come together pretty quickly.

When it starts to form a ball you can take it out of the bowl and knead it for 30 seconds or so to make sure everything is incorporated. If it is very sticky add a pinch of flour and work it in, if it feels a little dry then add a splash of water. This recipe is a dream though so it should be perfect. The whole thing should take no longer than five minutes from start to finish!

Now is the time to add any extras like rice or glitter or even sequins!

I love adding sequins or small craft stars to playdoh, kids really enjoy the different textures.

I made this a few days ago for a couple of kids and they had a blast. We made pink, blue, green, orange and lilac as well as the yellow. Add a few cookie cutters, plastic cutlery and a jar of coloured lollipop sticks and you're sorted.

I like to add real world/grown up things like the cutlery and bun cases too as I find that they like to pretend to make delicious treats for everyone.

We even used a cake stand to display them afterwards which they loved.

So that's how we make playdoh in our family,

a super easy way with no cooking involved that takes just five minutes.

That's it from me for today, I'll be back Wednesday next week with a great roast chicken recipe so check back for that.

Any questions just shout out in the comments below :)

Cajun Chicken Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 20:08:00 +0000

I am a real pasta addict,

I am always looking for new recipes and ideas for how to cook it.

My brother in law is a wonderful chef and he showed me

how to make this wonderful creamy cajun pasta.

He made this for our wedding rehearsal and everyone raved about it, he even converted one of my friends who refuses to eat pasta.

So I tried making it again at the weekend for my hubby and myself.

I served with Mediterranean bread and dipping sauces of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients

Chicken Fillets x 2

Pasta (I used bow ties but any will do)

Spinach

Onion

Cherry tomatoes

Peppers

Double Cream

Philadelphia Cheese (1 tbs)

Cajun Spices

Recipe

1. Cut up chicken and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned.

2. Cook pasta for 10 minutes in a pan of boiling water

3. Add cherry tomatoes, spinach, peppers, and onion, cook for a few minutes until tomatoes are soft

4. Add Cream, and Philadelphia cheese

(The soft cheese will help to thicken the sauce)

5. Add as much spices as required to suit your tastes.

This is so easy to make and will only take about 20 minutes, perfect for a mid week dinner.

Beauty Favourites Wishlist...Budget Buys Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 13:59:00 +0000

Hello again! So I'm back with part two of my favourite budget beauty buys for you guys, this time a selection of lovely little things for lips and eyes.

First up is one of my new favourites, Nyx Butter Gloss. It comes in twelve different shades, the sassy pink below is called Strawberry Parfait. I also love Tutti Frutti, a peachy coral shade and Eclair, a pretty nude pink. These are literally like butter, so smooth, with great pigmentation and not at all sticky.

Also one of my favorites for lips is Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter, something that has become somewhat of a cult product. These are really moisturising and deliver a semi-sheer colour with a beautiful shine. My favourites are the gorgeous Candy Apple which is pictured below, a red-ish coral that really seems to suit me and Raspberry Pie, a sexy vivid fuchsia.

I found the next product totally by accident, I was ordering some other bits and pieces from E.L.F, spied this and figured I'd give it a whirl...turns out its awesome! It's the Lip Exfoliator from E.L.F. It's packed full of nourishing goodness for your lips and has lots of little scrubby (totally a word...right?) bits in it to make your lips super soft and smooth. I'm crazy about this stuff, it's especially great during the winter months when my lips get dry and flaky.

On to some great products for eyes. This first one also happens to be from E.L.F, its their Essentials Eyelid Primer. I have used the Urban Decay primer in the past and to be completely honest I think this one is almost exactly the same...and at a bargain price of......wait for it......£1.50!!! They come in four shades, each with a different undertone. I have the pearl one and it works with pretty much every shade of eyeshadow. These babies sell out super quick every time they come into stock though so you need to be quick!

Secondly I have the Wet 'N' Wild Coloricon Eyeshadow Trio in Walking on Eggshells. The only place to get these in the UK is usually Amazon or Ebay and shipped from the US. I found mine on Amazon for £3 plus £3 postage which isn't too pricey. The amazing thing about these eyeshadows though is that they have almost the same buttery smoothness as Urban Decay amd MAC shadows and are really long lasting, especially if you use the Eyelid Primer above.

The colours of the Walking in Eggshells palette are actually pretty close dupes to some of the most coveted MAC and Urban Decay shadows. The top one is a close match to Urban Decay's Virgin or MAC's Shroom, the middle one is a dead ringer for MAC's Cork and the bottom is a great dupe for MAC's Naked Lunch, Urban Decay's Sin (my holy grail eyeshadow) and actually alot like Stila's Kitten too (which is also one of my favourite ever eyeshadows). I highly recommend this little trio of fabulousness!

So now onto something that is a little easier to find on the high street. Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Eyeshadow...wow that's a long title for a product. Anyways...it retails at £4.99 at good old Boots and comes in a bunch of colours. This stuff is amazing, it literally stays on all day. The best thing is you can use it as a base too and layer a similar coloured powder shadow on top and, trust me, it will. not. budge. On and On Bronze is a great classy bronzey brown and Eternal Pink is a pretty shimmering pink. My favourite though is the shade below Everlasting Navy, a beautiful pearly dark blue.

Staying with Miss Maybelline I also can not get enough of this next product. It's the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner and it costs £7.99 at Boots. I had never used gel liner before this one and I was worried I'd just make a total mess of it but lo and behold it was actually easier than applying liquid or kohl. Before this I used Lancome's Artliner which is really goo but honestly I think this is better, I can get a much sharper line with this and a little angled brush than I ever could with the Artliner.

It comes in black and brown and sometimes you can find it in dark purple and grey too. I've only used the black but I think I might have a look for the brown next time I'm in Boots or Superdrug as I think it will work well for Autumn. It has a lot of great reviews so if you are considering a gel liner then I would definitely have a look at this one as it really surprised me with its smooth formula, ease of use and long lasting colour.

Well I think that's it. My pick of the best budget beauty buys for lips and eyes. If you missed part one of Budget Beauty Buys for the face and cheeks you can check it out here.

All this chatting about beauty shopping has made me want to buy something new!

Hope you enjoyed the post! Any questions leave a comment below and I'll get back to you :)

Beauty Favourites Wishlist...Budget Buys Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Hello lovelies...Have you read Cheryl's fantastic post Thirty, Flirty and Fabulous ?
(If you haven't you totally should, some great advice there!)
I thought I would write a little beauty post since we seem to be on a beauty and fashion kick
on Magpie and Hen lately.

Autumn is approaching and it is my favourite season. I just love it. Plus, with every new season comes the chance for new clothes and a new look!

I'm totally a beauty junkie. Utterly and completely addicted. Now, while this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it does sometimes (often) leave me in a bit of a quandary as to how to spend my pennies. Do I spend £30 on one awesome thing or do I spend £30 on three sorta kinda awesome things.

Thankfully there are a ton of amazing beauty buys out there for us gals on a budget. £30 on three amazing things....heck yeah!

I've rounded up a few of my personal favourite budget beauty buys that also have got great reviews around the web (that's how I found out about most of these in the first place!) so I know they will suit a variety of skin tones and types, not just mine.

First things first...foundation.

This is L'Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation, it's £10.99 from Boots. This is a gorgeous foundation for the price which lasts pretty well and gives an ever so slightly dewy finish. I like it because my skin gets drier in the winter and I need something like this to help me get my glow on.

If however you don't like a dewy finish then good old Revlon Colorstay is for you...it comes in two variations, one for normal/ dry skin and one for combi/oily skin. At 12.99, again from Boots, the price is pretty reasonable too. This is one of my favourite ever foundations! It's great for special occasions when you don't want your make up to move at all.

To put on my foundation I use one of these...

It is a flat top kabuki brush from Sigma, it's called an F80. I love love love this thing. It makes every foundation look better and smoother than anything else I've tried. Its not cheap though, at around £20 its doesn't really count as a budget buy but compared to the cost of MAC and other big brand make-up brushes its brilliant. Actually, I think a lot of the Sigma brushes are better than their MAC counterparts!

Next up is blush. One of the greatest blushes I have ever tried is Nars Orgasm. I love it but I've had mine since our wedding and its pretty much gone now. I just can't justify spending the money again but there are two (not one but two) really great dupes out there that are affordable and are available in the UK. Hurrah!

Firstly there is Milani's Baked Powder Blush in Luinoso. This. Is. Beautiful. Its Orgasm minus the glitter which I actually like better. Priced at around £5-6 on Amazon its a steal!

The second is NYX Powder Blush in Pinched. Again this is so similar to Orgasm and gives a really pretty colour to the cheeks. At just £6.00 it's a great price.This is the blush I have been using everyday recently and I've even had a few people compliment my pretty glow!

Lastly, something I can't live without. Concealer. I have a blue tinge under my eyes no matter how much sleep I get so concealer is something I use everyday. I need mine to be hard working, not settle into my fine lines and last all day. I've tried dozens, everything from Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer to Benefit's Erase Paste (I like this for concealing imperfections but it's a little to thick for under my eyes) and of course the beloved YSL Touche Eclat ( good but rather pricey!)

This is what I use every single day.

Priced at just £4.19 in boots this Lasting Perfection Concealer from Collection 2000 is an answer to my prayers. It does a brilliant job of lightening and brightening my under eye area and it does it all. day. long. Its pretty great at evening out redness and imperfections too. What more could you ask for?!

So there you go, a few of my favourite inexpensive beauty products that have made their way into my make up bag and my daily routine. I have a few more budget beauty buys for lips and eyes which I cant wait to share with you in part two so check back on Monday for that.

Does anyone else have any great beauty buys they want to shout about? Budget or otherwise haha.

Let us know in the comments!

Or do you have any beauty questions you would like us to answer in a post?

Just give us a shout and we will get back to you asap.

Holiday clothes

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 20:39:00 +0000

I am going on holiday in October to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I'll be visiting my sister and brother in law. It's a great excuse to treat myself to some Autumn clothes. Something I haven't mentioned yet is that I am a plus size woman, a UK size 20-22. Since I had to put a lot of effort into finding clothes that make me feel fabulous, I thought I should share with you guys where I was able to find really nice things in case anyone else out there is having the same problem.

1. Obviously need boots - I love shoes, so much easier to find!

www.very.co.uk

2. New Look - they do some fabulous clothing for plus sizes, it's on trend.
Some of my favourites for this season are

3. Peacocks - have some really cute basics

4. Simply Be - I love this website, you can return items if they don't suit you but so far I've never had to return anything

5. Debenhams

They had a great selection especially of dresses, I've got quite a few dresses for weddings here recently.

There are a lot more places now available for plus sizes. It just takes some effort to search for them. Now the problem is stopping myself from spending all my money before I go on holiday.

Photography Tips From A Beginner...Camera Modes.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 09:04:00 +0000

I've been thinking a bit about my photography journey and how much I have learned over the last couple of years, particularly thanks to the internet and all the free tips and tutorials there are. I decided I wanted to write a little series of my own photography tips in my own words to try and make it easier for other beginners out there. Little bitesize nuggets of info that are simple to understand and remember. Hopefully this will be the start of a monthly series here on Magpie and Hen.

So I've been spending alot of time lately with my new favourite toy, my Canon 700d. Someday I would love to own something like a full frame Canon 5d Mark III but the chances are pretty darn slim. As a photography enthusiast (read...junkie) I simply can't justify dropping a couple of grand or more on a camera. So until I win the lottery I figure I will just keep snapping away with what I've got and learn how to use it to its fullest potential.

Since buying the 700d in June I've taken over 3000 photos. I literally pick up my camera almost every single day. I think my photography is getting better, I'm starting to understand what aperture, ISO and shutter speed are and how they all relate to each other. I've read a ton of books and online tutorials and I'm really enjoying the learning process.

Source

One of the things I keep reading over and over again is how important it is to shoot in manual mode...and honestly...I don't agree.

Now, please don't get me wrong, I absolutely think learning how to shoot in manual mode is truly one of the best things you can do for your photography.

That being said, I don't think that manual mode is the be all and end all of photography. When you are starting out it can be very hard to figure out which settings to use and so very disheartening when your pictures don't turn out the way you want them to.

I decided that it would be better for me to learn what the different modes on my camera were for and learn how to use them to their fullest before moving to manual.

Here's a little rundown on what I figured out so far and what a few of the letters on the mode dial stand for:

P (both Canon and Nikon) - Program Mode - this mode is alot like automatic mode, its sets all the settings for you but allows you to change certain settings like exposure compensation and whether to use the flash.

Av (A in Nikon) - Aperture Value Priority - Gives the user control over the aperture and the camera assigns the right shutter speed to achieve a correct exposure.

TV (S in Nikon) - Time Value Priority - This mode enables the user to choose a shutter speed to match the situation and the camera sets the aperture for you.

So which mode do you use for which situation?

Well here is what I do....when I know I'm going to be taking pictures of kids or our dog running around or maybe even a sports game, then I know I'm going to want freeze the action in a split second. This is when you want to use TV (S in Nikon), the shutter priority mode. Choosing a nice quick shutter speed of 1/250th or faster will keep your pictures sharp.

Pretty much the entire rest of the time I use aperture value priority (AV in Canon, A in Nikon) and set it to the widest aperture I can. I have Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens, which has a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, this works great indoors for parties as it sucks in tons of light so you get nice clear photos. Using a wide aperture gives you a blurry background behind your point of focus, this is called a narrow depth of field. If you are shooting lots of people then a slightly narrower aperture will give you a larger depth of field and allow you to keep more of the scene in focus, f/8 or f/11 would work well but the keep in mind the the higher the f number the narrower the aperture, which means your camera won't be letting in as much light resulting in darker photos.

All that being said, there are times that I use manual mode. One of the things about manual mode is that you have to continually change your settings as the environment you are shooting in changes and as a novice this is pretty tricky. However, when shooting something that it is completely within your control, where you can choose the lighting and it is a still subject that isn't going to run away from you, then this is the time to bust out manual and get playing with those settings. You can learn an awful lot just by snapping, changing a setting, snapping again and figuring out what changed.

So there you have it, my first post on photography. I know that shooting in manual will get the best out of my camera but learning which mode to use at the right time has really made a huge difference to my pictures and for now that is enough.

Does anyone have any questions they would like answered? Or any of their own tips and tricks to help me shoot smarter? Drop me a line in the comments below and I'll get right back to you :)

Thirty, flirty and fabulous

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 21:29:00 +0000

ThI'm not sure how anyone else feels about being in their 30's but sometimes I find it difficult to balance how I dress. I worry something makes me look too young or worse too old.

I wanted to share some tips with you all that I found helpful. Don't worry I'm not saying you have to lose the sense of style you developed in your twenties, but it's nice for your style to mature along with you.

1. Start with a wardrobe clearout
It's time to get rid of the items in your wardrobe that make you look childish, immature or
cheap.

2. Be confident
You still look fabulous! You didn't stop being a confident,gorgeous women because you had another birthday.

3. Take care of yourself
Get regular haircuts, give yourself a manicure, keep your skin exfoliate and moisturiser.

4. Buy some classics
Invest in some classic pieces of clothing, bootleg jeans, a blazer, a beautiful pair of boots. Then dress them up with amazing accessories, some patterns and gorgeous jewellery.

5. Think about fit
It's important not to wear poorly fitting clothing, no matter how much you spend on something if it doesn't fit well then it's going to look cheap.

I look to celebrities of my own age for inspirations, just think of Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Anna Paquin, or Sophia Bush, they look elegant and stylish and completely individual.

Lovely Links - Autumn Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 11:15:00 +0000

I know it's only mid-august but lets face it, here in the UK summer is pretty much over. The nights are getting darker and each day is a tiny bit chillier than the last. Not that I'm complaining, I love autumn. Leaves falling, cosy jumpers, toasty evenings in front of the fire...totally my idea of a good time.

The other reason I love autumn is the excuse for some new season shopping and this year I have more reasons than usual. Is it just me or do all the things that you need to survive the autumn and winter all seem to fall apart at once? My boots have holes in them, my coat is worn out, my umbrella has bent spokes and I am in dire need of a couple of new jumpers.

With that in mind I have been doing some window shopping and found some gorgeous new finds perfect for the new season.

First up I found these gorgeous boots from Next. The last few years I have had black boots and chocolate brown boots so I think it's time to go back to tan for a little change. Plus, tan goes with everything

In the interest of change I've decided I need a parka this year since I've had a wool duffel coat for that last few years. This one from ASOS looks comfy, cosy and exactly what I'm looking for.

This Zig Zag umbrella from Topshop is awesome, such a great pattern and I love the colours.

Aztec prints are my jam these days so this dark red snood from New Look is definitely going to be coming to live with me pretty soon. I'm predicting that dark red is going to be the colour this autumn. Last year it was mustard and spicy orange, this year will be all about burgundy.

Last but not least I adore this cosy jumper from H&M, all three colours are great but the mole/light brown colour would go with pretty much everything in my wardrobe. The perfect cosy autumn jumper for layering.

So that's what I've got my eye on right now. A few little things to keep me a wee bit warmer (and hopefully drier) once September rolls around.

Anyone else already scouting out their autumn wardrobe?

Find anything great you'd like to share?

Or anyone have any other predictions on what this seasons big colour will be?

I'm telling ya, it will be burgundy/ox-blood/dark red all over the shops in a few weeks...mark my words!

Currently reading.....

noreply@blogger.com (Sole Haven) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 18:42:00 +0000

Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin

I've been thinking a lot about seeing beauty in everyday life and enjoying what I have, so Ive been reading about the subject. I am re-reading Happier at Home. I love the way Gretchen Rubin sees the world, its so inspiring. I've also read the Happiness Project and I believe that Happier at Home is the natural progression from the first book. I find both these books very inspiring.

Rubin sets specific goals throughout the year to enhance her happiness and to eliminate bad feelings. This seems to be vital in making us happy. When I am decorating I am guilty of adding more and more but reading this I realised I need to remove the things and habits that make me unhappy.

Rubin points out that while possessions shouldn't drive our life, they are important because we are surrounded by them everyday so they have some influence over us. I think we ahould attempt to allow out belongings to add value to our lives. As someone who loves Pinterest and lifestyle blogs I know how easy it is to caught up in how things look but reading this book reminded me that my home is my sanctuary, my playground, my shelter from the world.

So has anyone else read Happier at Home? Or have you made your own resolutions to improve your happiness?

I'd love to hear from you!

Fun in fabulous Edinburgh

noreply@blogger.com (Jenny Doherty) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 14:52:00 +0000

Last week the hubby and I went to Edinburgh to visit my brother in law and his lovely lady. I love Edinburgh, its such a great city. The Military Tattoo and the Fringe festival are both on right now so the city is just buzzing with people and there is a great atmosphere everywhere you go.

We spent an afternoon just wandering around Princes Street, watching all the street performers and magicians around the National Gallery and perusing the stalls of an arts and crafts market at St.Johns church. It rained a little so we ducked into the National Gallery for an hour, a really lovely place to just wander around. I totally love gallery's and museum's and they tend to be on my hit list no matter where I go.

This dude was an awesome magician, his card tricks were amazing! At the end of it he somehow cut open a lime to reveal a ten pound note inside! I have no clue how he did it!

We also spent a day at Edinburgh Zoo, (question...why oh why do they always build a zoo on a hill?!?!?...my legs were so very sore the next day!)

Look at his little face! So very cute and they were so funny.

Unfortunately we didn't get to see the Panda's as all the slots were booked up but we got the whole way round the rest of the place. It's such a nice zoo, very clean and beautifully landscaped. We really enjoyed our time at the zoo, my favourite animals were the penguins and the squirrel monkeys.

The penguins were such posers! They seemed to really enjoy all the attention.

We went out for dinner to the Hard Rock Cafe while we were there (I can highly recommend the strawberry daiquiri!!) and really enjoyed it. In fact we spent pretty much all our time there eating and drinking too much, either at home or out somewhere or other. I guess that's what holidays are for huh? haha.

It was a great wee trip. We would love to go back again soon, maybe at Christmas time.

Anyone else been on any little trips lately? Any good recommendations for city breaks in the uk? Or places to visit next time we are in Edinburgh? Would love to hear from you!