Honey Go-Lightly

& Other Stories Wish List

2013-05-18T10:18:00.003+01:00

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

I made the mistake of logging on to their website.

Now I need everything.

Sophistication meets edge and Jesus everything in the store is like a work of art! I'm sure some of it is over priced but I don't care.

It's beautiful.

Hell even the site is beautiful. The items are set and photographed in such a way that you can't help but gawp at them in awe. I can only imagine what the actual store is like, and I mean imagine as I really won't be able to go in there without coming away with half the store. Unless of course someone has taken my credit card from me, bound my hands up and blindfolded me.

Not in that way, I know what you're thinking..

The beauty products have caught my eye too, I really stand no chance. Send help...

...and blank cheque.

May Bank Holiday

2013-05-17T09:13:00.000+01:00

We had a fun filled bank holiday weekend at the beginning of the month. Starting off with some mask making with the little person.

I am still find glitter now....

I bought the masks from Tesco and as they are kids ones they are quite obviously too small for the likes of us "adults"

And,

well,

lets just say I won't be showing you the pictures that were taken of myself or the other half as they may just freak you out a touch. Hell I can't even look at them without peeking through my fingers in horror.

Well enough of that,

Here's the child looking incredibly adorable...

Fooled ya!

A friend lives in the country and had a little get together.

She has a pond in the back garden.

With a boat.

And some geese and ducks as neighbours.

It's not a BBQ unless something has been cremated.

Fake fun, better than the real thing..

Silly pictures are always on the cards when we get together.

These are most certainly tame..

He wasn't a fan!

A couple of ducks reside in the pool chatting about their day.

Ah the life eh?

More silly pictures,
OK it doesn't look that silly but you need to be behind the scenes ;)

I am not a boat fan, I think I hide it well.

Luckily there is no sound on stills...

Peek-a-boo!

Cardiff Blogger Meet

2013-05-16T08:40:00.004+01:00

The lovely Leanne from A Slice of My Life Wales invited me to join the #CDFMeet a few weeks ago. I live in London but thought sod it, I shall attend even though it was going to be a 7 hour round trip! I actually don't mind sitting on a coach for a few hours with my iPod. I get to have a bit of peace for a change...

Leanne, Chantele, Laura and Georgina were the organiser's of this little event and didn't they do well! The shindig was held in Brew House where cocktails were 2 for 1 as were the beers which is what I stuck too. I can't be trusted with cocktails during the day! Laura had made some gorgeous looking cupcakes which I forgot to nab for the journey home. Lush were there for chats and mask making demonstrations. They handed out a few samples which smell delicious!

After chatting to some lovely bloggers and scoffing the cheesiest pizza I've ever eaten we headed to Crabtree & Evelyn for a beautiful hand massage.
I also made a cheeky purchase...oops!

St Davids were putting on a fashion show so we popped down there to have a gander. The models put on a bit of dance too which was great fun to watch. Especially the men...ahem..

I had a lovely time and met some lovely bloggers! I really should have taken more pictures, bad blogger. We also were very lucky to receive some products from Benefit, She Said Beauty, Birchbox, Olllie & Nic, Little Moose, Crabtree & Evelyn and Jenny made us some cute earrings. So a big thank you to those brands and the girls that organised it!

Bright Colours have kindly offered my readers the voucher code we received at the meet. 15% off orders over £20 with code Wales. You have till May 31st to use the code. Find them here, I've got my eye on the large orange handbag!

Glossy Box 2nd Birthday Box

2013-05-13T13:26:00.000+01:00

I haven't posted about Glossy Box for a while. Mainly because they have been cack.

I shall rephrase that.

The boxes that everyone else received looked pretty good, I on the other hand seemed to get the runt of the litter. Name of the game I suppose? Anyway this month I felt it was worth a mention as it's actually not too shabby.

I'll start with the good..

Caudalie Divine Oil: I love love Caudalie. You may have seen me rave about the cleansing water once or a thousand times. This oil has been on my wishlist for a while and had I known that you can get this size (15ml) for £4 to try out I would have bought it eons ago. Smells lovely and can't wait to slather it everywhere.

Actually I can't find anywhere that sell this for £4. GB need to do a bit of research before printing me thinks..

Givenchy 4 in 1 Mascara: I don't think I have ever tried anything from Givenchy so a mascara is a good start. I have a couple on the go at the moment and won't open this yet so's not to waste it.

Beautiful Movements Prime & Create: Originally named BM Beauty this is a multi purpose product that can be used as a er primer or mixed in with foundation for a flawless look (gawd knows I need that) or mix with powdered blushes, eyeshadows pigments for tints, liners and the like. I have had a few products from BM and liked every one of them. Excited to give this a whirl!

The 'Meh'..

Nails Inc Portobello: I love Nails Inc don't get me wrong but so utterly bored of seeing them in every flipping box and as a magazine freebie. This is a neon coral shade and would be a great holiday colour but seriously NI, stop whoring yourselves out!

Harmony Moisturising Cream: This is for combo skin so not really for me. It doesn't smell too exciting either so I think I may pass this on.

Glossy Box Nail Files: This is a little extra. I find these very handy, I don't tend to use them as much anymore mind you.

I know there were variations so what did you get?

Lanolips Golden Ointment

2013-05-09T10:02:00.000+01:00

What drew me in to the Lanolips Golden Ointment* was the cute vintage-esq packaging. Who could resist? I have used their lip treatment before which worked wonders so this was a no-brainer. The ointment contains manuka honey which has a multitude of benefits and Lanolin provides 60% of the formula along with vitamin e.

It's like a thick balm and slightly greasy, almost sticky. It smells a touch like vanilla and quite pleasant and works bloody wonders on the cuticles. This isn't a product I would personally take out with me due to it being a touch tacky and I sense possible nightmares like managing to get it in my hair (these things do happen to me..sigh) but it has sat next to me at home and a quick swipe and rub every now and then on my cuticles and knuckles (which have been so dry at the moment) have been a life saver. Although great for extra dry areas this is not suitable for the lips.

A good all rounder product in a cute tin. You can find the tube of it at Victoria's Health or Boots if you are not a tin fan although this seems to be the only option as I can't seem to find the tin online at the moment sorry! I do know Victoria's Health was carrying it but they have sold out.

Do you use any products from Lanolips?

*PR Sample

Real Techniques Powder Brush

2013-05-08T10:52:00.001+01:00

So say hello to the newest member of my Real Technique family.

Look at it standing there with it's big beautiful fluffiness.

I actually don't own a powder brush, I was using my RT stippling brush to press in the powder so a big fluffy brush just wasn't necessary. However, my current pressed powder is on it's last legs and with a mineral powder languishing in the drawer I thought what better choice than Real Techniques to dish out some lovin'.

I must say it's more dense than I was expecting but boy is it soft against the skin. It picks up the powder easily and although it's big you can distribute it in to the areas that you prefer whether small or if you need to cover your whole face. I need to be careful of powder spilling out on other areas of the ol' boat race (that's face in cockney slang by the way, in case you didn't know and thought I was mad...) as powder tends to turn my cheeks cakey so precision is key. With Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder under the eyes and a light dusting of powder on my t-zone applied with this brush I can achieve the finish I am looking for.

Are you a fan of Real Techniques?

Chicken Souvlaki

2013-05-05T09:12:00.000+01:00

Now that the sun has made an appearance (it better be here to stay god damn it) I am all over the Mediterranean diet. Grills, fresh bread, salads with lots of vibrancy and anything to induce that holiday vibe. A Souvlaki ticks all those boxes. These kind of meals are great as they feel naughty but are actually quite guilt free and healthy. I pretty much lived on them in Greece. Top memories from that mini travelling trip.

Well, maybe they are little hazy...

Ingredients

Chicken Breast - cubed

Veg - peppers, onions, courgettes, cherry tomatoes and whatever you fancy really

Wholemeal wraps

Skewers

Marinade

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of half lemon

2 garlic cloves- minced

Seasoning

1 tablespoon oregano - fresh if you have it but dried is fine

Tzatziki

Natural yogurt - 150ml

1/4 cucumber - grated

Small bunch of mint chopped

Splash red wine vinegar

Squeeze lemon

Seasoning

1 garlic clove minced

Mix the chicken with all the ingredients for the marinade. Leave in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Chop up the veg then skewer them with the chicken

If you are using wooden skewers make sure you soak them for 30 minutes before using them.

Place on a really hot grill and cook for approximately 10 minutes turning occasionally
If you don't have a grill plate then a frying pan or under the grill would work

To make the Tzatziki grate the cucumber and squeeze the water out.
I use a muslin cloth but if you don't have that then use a sieve.

Mix with the rest of the Tzatziki ingredients

Warm your wraps through and serve with extra salad

Munch away while pretending you are sitting on a beach in Greece...

Summer Shoe Porn

2013-05-04T09:22:00.001+01:00

Soooooo. I've made a....cough...couple of...cough...unauthorised purchases lately. Mainly shoes so I thought I would share this lovely lot with you as I'm nice like that..

Primark bargains, I think these were £8 and I would assume they are still in store. These would look great paired with red nail polish, skirts, cropped printed trousers and well pretty much anything. I do however know these will be uncomfortable as the back curves in slightly which would result in rubbing.

Hath no fear folks, plasters at the ready.

I've done this before.

Hello pretties from Stylist Pick. These were twenty English pounds and definitely a cheeky purchase. I love the cut out at the heel and the studs at the front give them a touch of edge. They were bought to wear with printed jogger trousers mainly. They are a little narrow at the front so I'll be buying shares in plasters at this rate.

By far my most beloved purchase. I bough these beauty's from Emily's blog sale as I just couldn't resist the vintage style. They are very comfortable and I will wear these to death, with hopefully no plasters insight!

Another Primark bargain. These design of flats were in quite a few years ago and are a take on a vintage style. Every store had a pair out and looks like they are back much to my delight! I originally owned a green heeled pair (obsessed with the colour at the time) and wore them into the ground. Was a sad day when I had to let go.

*sob*

I have worn these and can report that no plasters were required.

I first saw these Zara stunners on Chelsea's blog. These aren't the type of shoes I would wear regularly so there was no justification for buying them.

That was until we received a slinky little invite to a wedding reception at Claridge's. Result! At 30 quid these are truly the best buy and yes, I will be taking plasters with me.

Quite sexual really aren't they?

Skin Care Wishlist #2

2013-04-30T08:48:00.001+01:00

Antipodes // Caudalie // Pai // Kiehls // Micheal Todd

I am rather fond of facial oils...ahem...read addicted. I have quite the collection and there are many many more I'd happily add to my stash. Pai's newest addition to the Anti-Age range is top of the list. Their Echium & Amaranth age confidence facial oil sounds like a beaut, skin plumping, brightening, calming oil and anti-ageing? I may need to start drinking it! My visage has encountered the the Kiehls Midnight Recovery Oil before and I bloody loved it. My credit card has been itching to purchase it ever since, the time is nigh folks.

In the summer my skin is a lot oilier and it's quite rare to find products for sensitive AND oily, generally it's dry/sensitive. That was until I came across Micheal Todd. A few bloggers/You Tubers have been loving their products recently and I am keen to give them a whirl. Honey & Oat Cleanser, Cranberry Toner, Avocado & Mango Mask, Roobios Tea Eye Gel and a Concentrated C Serum. Oh lordy these sound like heaven!
Worth the hype? Lets hope so..

I have been using the Antipodes Avocado & Rosehip Oil pretty religiously lately which has helped calmed down my redness an impressive amount. As I have heard only great things about the mask it is definitely on the cards to try (as is most of the brands products). With Mauka Honey as the main ingredient this can only be a winner. After recently coming across a half empty sample of the Caudalie Vinosource Sorbet I have fallen right back in love with it! It smells delicious and is incredibly soothing. A must have for any sensitive skin sufferer.

Do any of these products take your fancy?

No7 Gay Geranium

2013-04-26T09:32:00.001+01:00

Gay Geranium, well what an unusual name for a lipstick? I spied Amy from The Little Magpie wearing this little number from No7 and I made it my quest to hunt the beauty down.

Yes it's true,

I need another orange lipstick like a hole in the head. But to be fair, I actually thought it was going to be a bright cherry red. I popped to Boots to have a nose but no testers were present, It was the last one so of course I had a peek inside the lid.

I was so hypnotized by the colour I swiftly pulled out the cash (and the Boots card, points people, points!)

I felt like it was fate.

As you do.

This is a lot more in ya face orange in real life but my camera wasn't catching it too well in the swatch and it shows more red. Although it's fairly pigmented and thick when swatched it applies more thinly and takes more than one swipe on the ol' pout to achieve that opaque finish. The stay perfect formula feels velvety smooth upon application and dries down very quickly to a satin finish. In fact I'm not sure I have used a lipstick that dries so fast!

To be honest it's not the best lipstick I have tried. It ain't bad by any means but I do own extremely similar colours in my collection that I would reach for first and at £9.50, I expect more. Plus factor in that I own enough of these shades already (yep I really did say that!). So I kind of feel like I wasted my pennies. Why did I not wait for the £5 off vouchers?

I will learn not to impulse buy.

One day.

Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance Foundation Review

2013-04-23T09:09:00.000+01:00

You may have noticed I loves me a bit of Daniel Sandler makeup. New to the stash is his Invisible Radiance Foundation and Concealer*. I love the idea of a foundation and concealer in one pot, takes the pain out of matching them shade wise.

With sleek and sophisticated packaging this wouldn't look out of place on a dressing table. The concealer hides under the top lid sandwiched with a mirror. Unscrew the bottom half and you'll find the foundation and a small spatula to scoop the product out. With it's glass looking plastic I would think this was made with travel in mind. I picked the shade Beige which is ever so slightly too dark for my skin at this time of year but perfect when I have a bit of colour. Roll on summer!

Formula wise, the foundation is a light but can be built up. Not quite to medium coverage though. Blends in well with a buffing brush and lasted with a primer around the 7/8 hour mark. I find it works really well with Laura Mercier's radiance foundation primer. The concealer is creamy and easy to apply from the pot. I find the coverage much higher than the foundation and works well with covering red blemishes and dark spots. It's lovely to use under the eyes, lightweight and I experienced no creasing but not heavy duty enough to completely erase my suitcases. I think it would be OK for those more fortunate in that area.

I love the finish of Daniel Sandlers Invisible Radiance Foundation, natural and dewy, but not overly so. The only thing is it's just not enough coverage for me. Of course I chose the worst skin day to take pictures but still, it doesn't hide the redness on my cheeks too well. With my skin improving at the moment due to a combination of an oil (review soon) and an almost dairy free diet, I am hoping to try this out again when the weather is warmer (my skin is generally better anyway) and I won't need as much coverage.

Curse you skin, curse you!

So I think this would be great for no foundation foundation day's for evening out the skin tone or if you have a near on perfect canvass and light coverage is all that is needed. The odd blemish or dark spot easily covered by the concealer and you'd be left with a dewy natural look.

You can find it here from Hairtrade

*PR Sample

Style Crush: Olivia Palermo

2013-04-22T08:41:00.000+01:00

Source

I can't fault Olivia's style. She always looks impeccable. How the blardy hell does she do it? I must admit I wasn't a huge fan of her in 'The City' but that could have been, well most probably would have been edited to make her look bad. Still, I have always admired her style and would kill, yes kill for her wardrobe...and the contents of course.

I love that she doesn't play it safe and mixes patterns with ease. Leopard and floral would look horrendous on me but Olivia certainly can pull it off and make it look fabulous daaahling. She does casual so well thought out that is looks effortless. A fur gilet and leather trousers would have me look like I was auditioning for one of the Real Housewives shows but Olivia looks sleek and sophisticated.
Jeez I do hate her ;)

You can check more of her style on her blog here

Are you a fan?

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

2013-04-21T09:35:00.000+01:00

A simple, delicious and full of' fat dish....Well it's not too bad if you use wholewheat baguettes (can never find part baked ones), don't use much oil (I don't) and skimp on the cheese (but where's the fun in that?).

So what do you need?

Steak - Any kind you like. I tend to go for Sirloin. You can also use leftover beef from a roast. Works well but ends up more well cooked so factor that in. I like ma meat bloody ;)

Peppers - Sliced, I prefer to use red, green and yellow for the vibrancy

Onion - Sliced

'To bake' baguettes - One per person

Paprika

Garlic salt

Seasoning

Olive oil

Cheese - grated (cheddar or Mozzarella works well)

Prepare the baguettes according to the instructions and pop in the oven. They normally take around 10 minutes to cook. If you are using raw steak, season and pat oil on both sides and slice.

Start frying the peppers and onion, I use a griddle pan with no oil.

Once the peppers and onions become soft add the steak with a good sprinkling of the paprika and some garlic salt then cook steak to your liking

The baguettes a should be done by the time the steak/pepper mix has cooked
Slice the baguette and layer the mix

Scatter some grated cheese over the top

Don't worry, I won't tell anyone if you want to add more

Pop back in the oven until the cheese is all oozy

Use whatever sauce you like. I am a bit partial to ketchup.
And it's also great for a hangover..

Lips and Tips Spring Picks

2013-04-19T08:59:00.000+01:00

As the sun makes an appearance (finally!) the dark shades are hidden away while the pastels and nudes come out to play, Hooray! (bit of a rhyme there for ya). I still love my bold shades at this time of year but a light hue on the lips makes for feeling all summery and fresh. Innocent was my first foray into Topshop makeup, a baby pink which applies creamy and is moisturising (post). Next on the lip front is MAC Vegas Volt, a beautiful, fairly bright coral that is an easy day wearing shade (post). I am not a huge gloss wearer but NYX gloss in Natural makes the cut. A pinky nude that looks great layered on top of Innocent. With a non-sticky formula (sticky glosses should be banned if you ask me!) that feels comfortable on the lips.

So when it comes to polishes, darker shades will always be first pick but when it's bright outside the dark nails just doesn't feel right for some reason. I think Nails Inc Porchester Square (post) has got to be mine (and many others I assume) favourite nude. There is just something about the tone that compliments the skin. Another fab shade from Nails Inc is Peach Sorbet (post). A white based pastel peach which also looks pretty amazing with a tan. The loveliest baby blue I have ever owned is Revlon Blue Lagoon (post), scored from Poundland.
Result.
With tiny iridescent sparkles running through this does look outstanding on. Last but not least is Essie Bangle Jangle. A beautiful lilac with that brilliant Essie formula.

What will you be wearing this spring?

Above-The-Knuckle Ring

2013-04-18T09:30:00.001+01:00

I've seen above-the-knuckle rings around for a little while now and it got me wanting in, as always. I decided on plain and simple in gold and silver.

I purchased these beauties from Love Hearts and Crosses. They had a discount at the time and ended up being £5 delivered for both. Bargain me thinks.

Easy to wear and gives that little something different.

I Luffs!

Kim Kardashian True Reflection Perfume Review

2013-04-17T09:45:00.001+01:00

OK first things first, look at the beautiful bottle. It's dark, mysterious and almost alien like (well I think so anyway). Actually it's an art decco vessel reminiscent to a diamond.
I am going to stick with alien.
But is Kim Kardashian's Eau de Parfum True Reflection* more than just aesthetically pleasing? Well I think you'll find yes, yes it is.

So what do they say I hear you ask! Well..

A tantalizing oriental fragrance that opens with a burst of sparkling Italian bergamot, luscious plum and succulent peach, True Reflection guarantees instant attraction (can't say I've noticed this, perhaps I've been hanging out at the wrong places, or maybe I was having a bad hair day?). A rich floral heart blends night blooming gardenia, chocolate orchid and lotus flower for a thoroughly addictive (can certainly agree) mélange, while the earthy finish of textured woods, patchouli and musk rounds out the sultry scent. Juicy and decadent, playful and seductive, True Reflection is a warm, sensual embrace that lingers on your skin in celebration of all that you stand for.

It's the chocolate that has me hooked, it has the same addictiveness to me as Vanilla and I just can't stop blinking sniffing myself. As a bit of a sensitive soul when it comes to scents I can say that this is not too strong or headache inducing at all. I found it lasted pretty well on the skin too, I'm not one to carry perfume around so a long lasting scent is pretty important to me.

I have been on the hunt for a new perfume for a while and this one has wheedled it's way onto my perfume tray, which at the moment consists of about five small sample bottles as nothing has really taken my fancy in recently. I am pretty sure I have owned a scent similar before, but as I have a memory like a sieve I won't be able to tell you what that was...story of my life.

This is also quite reasonably priced at £24 for 30ml, £30 for 50ml and £40 for 100ml which you can find at Debenhams here

Are you a Kardashian fan? Have you had a sniff of this, what do you think?

*PR Sample

Bloglovin' 300 Follower Giveaway

2013-04-14T20:39:00.000+01:00

With the demise of Hello Cotton (sad) and Google Reader on it's way out Bloglovin' has been the only reader I have been using, I know most of you lot have been too. So as I've just hit 300 lovely followers on Bloglovin' I have a little giveaway as a thank you for reaching this milestone :)

What's up for grabs:

Topshop: Gel liner and brush, Nail Varnish in Treasure, Lipstick in Secret Admirer and their under eye Brighten.

Dainty Doll eyeshadows in Teach Me Tiger and Lollipops & Roses

Necklace from John Greed

Just follow the instructions of the Rafflecopter below and good luck! If you are 16 or under please ask parents permission first as you will need to give out your address. This is international but due to new laws I will only be able to ship the polish within the UK unfortunately!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Post Flu Pampering

2013-04-12T09:20:00.000+01:00

So I have just had the misfortune to catch man flu, yep the worst kind of flu.

My skin flared up wonderfully and I looked like I had a tropical disease. Nice.

In dark times like these I can't use my beloved oils as they just tend to suffocate my skin and I end up looking worse. If that's possible! So if I can manage to get up from my death bed you'll find me rummaging through the cupboard to find the gentlest products in there.

It did not take me long to fall in love with the Intral range from Darphin. Soothing, gentle and the cleansing milk smells incredible...think vanilla/banana milkshake...oh yeah! I have been using the cleanser, toner, serum and soothing cream in the morning and I can feel my skin pinging itself back to normal. Well, as normal as my skin gets that is! Darphin are a definite new skincare love in my life.

In the evening sees a good scrub over with the Pai exfoliator. If you read my blog you may well know about my love affair with this stuff. So I won't go on too much as you can find my review here but glowy, smooth skin. Yes please! Gentle enough to not irritate my skin even further but powerful enough to slough the flu remnants off the skin.

A new product to make it into my stash is the Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Rose Face Mask. It does what is say's on the tin. Feels pleasant on the skin and leaves it soft as a baby's bum. I apply a small amount of the Neals Yard Wild Rose Balm (a little goes a long way) all over the face, nourishing yet gentle and you'll wake up to revived skin. My secret weapon for reducing the ever-so-sexy 'Rudolph' look is the Wild Planet Lavender & Chamomile Multi Balm. Calming on the inflamed redness around the nose to which I apply liberally when needed. Unfortunately that was often.

What's your favourite 'get me back to normal' products?

Btw Red magazine are giving away Aromatherapy Associates products, I would definitely pick up the mask!

Outfit Styling #2

2013-04-11T08:58:00.000+01:00

Top // Trousers // Necklace // Clutch // Shoes

I've never really been a fan of neon and the only trousers I would wear are jeans. But for some reason the past few weeks these two trends are all I can think about! Things are a changing my friends. These printed 'joggers' from Dorothy Perkins look a little more like PJ bottoms - could be why I am in love with them as I spend the majority of my time in mine.

Oops a little secret exposed there ;)

I do however think you a little limited to what you could pair the top half with. Nothing too dressy otherwise you'll look like you've got dressed in the dark. So a casual loose/floaty top would work well, plain or with a slogan and if you're feeling braver than me then go down the double print route!

You can never go wrong with a statement necklace and I came across this delightfully unusual one from Topshop. It's probably overpriced but it's a beaut! For a night out a splash of colour from the shoes or bag or both and neon is the way to go. A bright yellow neon bag would be equally as fabulous!

By the way Dorothy Perkins have 25% off EVERYTHING with code DPFWE and free delivery worldwide if you spend £75. I am definitely taking advantage!

How would you style these trousers?

Melt Candle Review

2013-04-10T09:26:00.001+01:00

Are you a candle fan? I find there is nothing like walking into a room and engulfing a lovely fragranced candle burning or just chilling (and blogging) with a relaxing scent wafting around your nose. It's that ahhh kind of feeling. I used to burn them often but my habit has fallen by the wayside, the little person and the fact I'm scared I'll forget to snuff it out makes it a sporadic occasion. But it is a New Years resolution to get back on the saddle!

Melt are not a brand familiar to me but they do have a celebrity following including the X Factor judges so they must be good right! The candles are hand poured and take up to 36 hours to make each one, they try not to use synthetic ingredients were possible which is a plus in my books. I have been burning More*, a Rose scented candle with Rose Bulgaria, Rose Geranium, Rose Absolute Maroc, Bois de Rose, Turkish Rose oil and Violet. So yeah, if you like Rose then this is for you! They took two and a half years to make this particular scent! Perseverance at it's best.

The Melt candle is housed in a fancy sturdy glass jar that whilst burning is still cold to the touch. Some get a little hot in my experience. It's quite heavily scented in the box but once burning turns beautifully light. These have up to 70 hours burning time which is pretty impressive.

I really rather like these handmade scented candles by Melt. They look lovely and smell gorgeous. I will definitely be using the glass jar after the candle has burnt out! They have quite a variety of scents and also available to purchase are Reed Diffusers, fragrances and I have my eye on a couple of their quirky candle holders!

You can find Melt online here

*PR Sample

Chicken & Prawn Quesadillas

2013-04-07T10:27:00.001+01:00

These are easy, delicious and are a great sharing dish. This is probably not for the waist conscious though, or haters of cheese. I've tried to cook these many different ways. Grill, don't bother - not worth the pain, oven - erm hello soggy mess and a panini maker - if you find mine, please do send it back.

But the best for crispy quesadilla goodness is in a large frying pan.

I would always choose flour tortillas but when the husband came back with the corn variety by mistake one day you can imagine my face right? But luckily for him they actually work a bit better and come out crispier and tastier.

What you'll need to make two

Chicken - 1 breast
Prawns - Around 12, best you use raw but pre-cooked will work fine
Fajita spice
Corn tortillas - 4
Cheese - lots - mozzarella or cheddar work well
Tomatoes - 2
Spring onion - 3 or 4
Pepper - About 3/4 of a medium size
Coriander
Lime juice

For the Guacamole
Avocado - 1 medium sized
Tomato
Red onion

Garlic - 1 crushed
Coriander
Cumin
Lime juice

Mash the avocado (not too much if you want a chunky guac). Finely chop as much red onion, coriander and tomatoes (minus the seeds) as you want.

You can omit the tomatoes or use less than I did. I am a tomato fiend!

Mix this with the garlic, good pinch of cumin and a squeeze of lime.

Pop the stone back in if you are not serving it straight away to stop it turning brown

Finely chop the spring onion, tomatoes (minus the seeds) and pepper

Mix together with some chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime and pinch of salt

Chop your chicken into bite size pieces and throw in a pan, chuck as much fajita spice on as you can handle

Then I'll tell you my little tip..

Once the spice is coated and the chicken browned, throw over a good splash of water. This keeps the chicken moist and turns the spice into more of a sticky paste, much tastier ;)

Add the prawns with 4/5 minutes to go if using raw or with a minute to go if cooked

Add a touch more water if needed

Now grate some cheese...now grate some more..

Start layering,

Cheese first.

Then a layer of the 'salad' mix,
Then a layer of the chicken/prawn mix,
More 'salad',
Then another layer of cheese,
You just grated some more didn't you?
And a tortilla on top.

Heat a frying pan big enough to house the quesadillas.

Now you want a little oil so it doesn't burn. I use a sunflower oil spray as that just gives enough grease without it being too oily. Plus one cal per spray ;)

Carefully place the quesadilla in the pan and cook over a lowish heat until brown.

Now the fun part! Slide it onto a plate, Add a touch more oil to the pan then turn the frying pan upside down and place over the quesadilla.

Flip the pan with the plate and carefully slide the plate off of the pan.

Don't burn yourself please!

Cook that side until brown, crispy and the cheese has melted.

Repeat with the second quesadilla.

Slice up and enjoy with oodles of guac, sour cream, salsa and jalapenos!

I would choose quesadillas over Fajitas anyday. I think it's the melted cheese and crispiness of the tortillas that makes it a little bit more special.

And if you're not eating Mexican spicy, then you're doing it wrong ;)

The End of the Spending Ban

2013-04-04T08:44:00.001+01:00

My ban ended on Sunday. What ban I hear you cry?! Well yes, I have been bad, pretty bad so I haven't updated.
Just couldn't face the shame... *throws back of the hand to the forehead in a dramatic fashion*

OK so I bought a few clothes last month, and well just decided to give up. Yes I am annoyed with myself too! I am however going to definitely cut down on the spending in the future. In terms of what I would normally spend I have no where near done as much damage but I do think there have been a few unnecessary purchases. I think the more I 'can't spend' the more I get the urge to. Plus the desire to update my wardrobe is always niggling at the back of my head. I didn't go over board but it wasn't life or death if I had those items (summer dress anyone?).

I haven't felt the need to buy the lastest beauty item which I think was my biggest downfall before. I blame that must-buy-into-the-hype on blogging. You know what it's like, someone raves about something and you instantly need it! I can now add a product I see that appeals to a list and then generally forget about it. Which helps with the purse and makes me realise that actually it doesn't matter if I don't indulge in the latest innovated lip product.

But yeah, my weakness still lie with clothes.

Now I have had a few splurges I feel better. Sad as it is. But I am ready to give a 30 day spending ban a go, reassess and if I need to buy something then I will and not feel guilty. I just need to reign it in!

So...erm...expect a haul soon.

If you have been on the spending ban, how have you done?

Easter Outfits

2013-04-03T09:24:00.000+01:00

Just a few snippets of the outfits I wore over the weekend. Remnants of a cold meant no head shots, I'm sure you are all vair disappointed ;)

Plus my tripod has died a death!

Ring: Can't remember! | Dress & Belt: Vintage | Cardigan: Tommy Hilfiger | Tights & Socks: Primark | Boots: Ellos

Jeans: Pull & Bear Similar here | Boots: Nine West | Jumper: H&M | Ring: Honey Go-Lightly | Necklace & Scarf: Presents

Skirt: Mango (via Ebay) | Top & Blazer: H&M | Bracelet & Necklace: Primark

The arm candy of choice for the weekend is from Stylist Pick. It's not the most amazing bag I have ever bought but it's a perfect size to house my camera so I don't have to take a second out with me and risk looking like a bag lady (this happens often btw). Can't complain too much as it was only £15 as they had £20 off recently!

Bag: Stylist Pick

No shots from Monday as I was too busy trying to not die of hypothermia! But if you are interested I was wearing my lovely warm velvet trousers which you can see here and teamed it with this top.

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter!

Easter Weekend

2013-04-02T08:56:00.001+01:00

I have had a pretty busy weekend. It's been good apart from the miserable cold weather. My little one has had 4 Easter egg hunts! So he's pretty happy...who wouldn't be? Saw the first set of Daffodils in the garden (I knew Spring hadn't fled) , drank copious amounts of tea and may have indulged in a bit of chocolate and cake.

Friday was a egg hunt in the garden. A new set of golf clubs for the small Mister and the big Mister.

The egg hunt was replayed many, many times and as it was very! cold, tea was needed.

Saturday saw a trip to the working Steam Museum in Kew

The third Easter egg hunt was had (first was at nursery on Thursday) and a ride on the steam train in the frickin' cold was loved by mister.

We headed over to the folks on Sunday for a typical yummy roast.

And cake..

We had an impromptu visit to Battersea Park Zoo on Monday with some friends. It was a petting zoo and certainly not worth the £9 that we paid each!

We headed to the nearest pub for some most welcome warmth and food. Two burgers and two fish & chips were ordered and a couple of cheeky beers. The food was OK, nothing outstanding but looked great.

Ah well, the company was fab and the beers cold so who am I to complain..

Oh and a 'drive' of the fire engine at the zoo.

So be honest, how many eggs did you get?

Easter Baking Ideas

2013-03-28T09:18:00.000Z

So this is going to be a bit long, and a picture heavy post. In hindsight I should have made two or three posts but hey, what can you do?
I will say though, by the end you may be salivating a touch.

So a tissue to hand wouldn't go amiss.

Without further ado, three Easter baking and decorating ideas for ya!

The Easy One
Mini dark and white chocolate rice crispy cakes topped with mini mini eggs.

What you'll need..
White and Dark chocolate
Rice Krispies (Or cornflakes if you wish)
Mini mini chocolate eggs
Mini cupcake cases

I'm sure you'll all know how to make these so I'm not going to take you all for idiots. But just in case you haven't the foggiest I'll give you a quick lowdown.

Melt the chocolate and mix in the rice krispies
Jobs a goodun'

Well actually you need to to mix the dark and white separately.

And make sure you spoon them into the cases fairly quickly as when they set, they set into the bowl and you'll end up with crumbly cakes.

I popped a few mini mini chocolate type eggs on top (before the setting of the chocolate) for that 'Easter Basket' look.

The Fancy One
Birds nest chocolate cupcake's
I made these with a Hummingbird recipe. You can use any recipe you want or follow the instructions below.

What you'll need for the batter..
190g Plain Flour
120g Caster Sugar
40g Coco Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
125ml Water
40ml Sunflower Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoons White Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Icing ingredients..
150g Icing Sugar
25g Unsalted butter (room temperature)
65g Cream Cheese
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Paste (or extract)
Flakes and mini eggs to decorate

Preheat oven to 170 degrees, Gas Mark 3

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and the wet in a jug.
Slowly add the liquid into the dry mix while whisking.
If you find it's a bit too thick, add a little more water and oil.
Fill cup cases 2/3rds up and bake for approximately 20 minutes

For the Icing..
Cream the butter and icing sugar
Add the cream cheese and vanilla extract and mix until combined
Pop in the fridge to chill until needed

Cut up the flakes into smallish lengths

Ice the cakes

Plonk 3 mini eggs in the middle of each cake and build a 'nest' of flakes around the outside

No need for uniform here, the messier the better

Sprinkle any crumbs on to. Actually sod it, just east them

Store these in the fridge due to the cream cheese and actually they just taste better

My mum used to make a similar style nest with mini eggs but on a larger cake, so this is technically her idea

But shhh, don't tell her I stole it

The Kids One
Biscuits for kiddy winkles to decorate
Again this recipe is from Hummingbirds

What you'll need..
200g Unsalted butter (room temperature)
280 Caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
400g plain flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
Shape cutters
Decorating paraphernalia
Just for reference, I halved this recipe but it still made a shed load!

Preheat oven to 170 degrees, gas mark 3

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract till light and fluffy

Add the egg and mix well

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Be careful not to overmix

The dough should be light and easy to handle

Roll out on a floured surface (approx half an inch)

Start cutting your shapes

I cut the bunnies freehand. Yep I really am that good ;)

Place on a greased baking tray and pop in the oven for 10ish minutes

Once cooled, start decorating

I pulled everything out the cupboard, icing writing pens, silver balls for eyes, mini mini choc eggs etc etc

The little one loved it. Especially as he ~~stole~~ got to eat the biscuits at the end

Erm, remember that tissue I mentioned earlier? You might want to use it now, you have something on your chin...

Feel free to tweet me @HoneyGo_Lightly any Easter cakes/biscuits etc you make. Would love to see your ideas!