HONEYCOMB COOKIE RECIPE

Welcome to the first recipe for a new segment of my blog where I will be sharing my favourite baking recipes. I have enjoyed baking from a young age and due to dietary requirements, I have had to always alter and create my own recipes. I am allergic to eggs and nuts, and recently discovered I am also intolerant to dairy. These foods are key baking ingredients, so a number of changes have to be made to make my bakes work, but I enjoy creating them. So, expect many recipes excluding these ingredients.

Ingredients:

100g Purelife butter

50g Light Brown Sugar

50g Caster Sugar

125g Plain Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

1/2tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda

1tsp Vanilla Extract

2tbsps Oatly Oat Milk

Half A Bar Of Honeycomb

This recipe makes 10 cookies.

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4 or 200c. 

2. Line a baking tray in baking paper.

3. Cream the butter and sugars in a bowl.

4. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarb into the same bowl. 

5. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until fully combined.

6. Crush half a bar of honeycomb into small pieces and fold into the mixture. Alternatively, you could also use chocolate chips.

7. Using a tablespoon place similar size spoons of dough onto the baking tray (ensuring you leave room for them to grow, I did 5 per baking tray)

8. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy! Send me a photo if you tried to bake these yourself!

MOTIVATIONAL BOOKS TO POSITIVELY IMPACT YOUR LIFE

All of the books I have included in this post have led me to lead a more productive and inspired life. When I read each one of them it made me feel excited, and I think that is key when reading a self-help/inspirational story, you want to feel motivated and ready to tackle or create goals. I think the joining factor in all the books in this article is that they present life in a different way then you would usually look at it, which makes you look at yours from a different perspective and want to change it for the better.

Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King

Vex King is a social media influencer, writer, mind coach and lifestyle entrepreneur. He experienced many hardships growing up, but despite this managed successfully turn his life around. Using his own experiences and knowledge he has gained along the way he aims to teach the power of using positivity to transform people’s lives in the same way he did.

I read this book back in January 2020 and felt as though I learnt a lot from it. I have always found spirituality intriguing and looked at books of this genre before but felt overwhelmed by the mass of information. This is one of the reasons I loved this book; it has all the information you need to know from a positive outlook to learning about good and bad vibrations, to manifesting your goals, but rather than being overwhelming with heaps of information,  this book is written in short and concise chapters. Vex challenges us to change the way we look at life, I think this a book anyone would benefit from reading, especially if you are new to learning about spirituality and changing your mindset.

Girl Boss by Sophia Amoruso

This book is written by the owner/founder of the fashion brand Nasty Gal. Her story from literally ‘rags to riches’ is inspiring, and her anecdotes of spirituality are honest and relatable. This book is part life advice, part biography. Amoruso looks back on her youth, including some of her less desirable actions like shoplifting, which she does not condone, but appreciates is part of her journey that got her to where she is today. I found her honesty about her motivations then and now refreshing. Girl Boss is an inspiring book, and I found it interesting to find out what goes on behind the scenes of a popular fashion brand.

This book has an emphasis on female empowerment and is packed with motivational quotes and success stories from other girl bosses in addition to Amoruso’s own, if you are looking to start your own business or just interested to find out what it takes to start a one, I would recommend reading this book.

How To Be A Badass by Jen Sincero

This book is an entertaining how-to guide written by Jen Sincero, who is a bestselling author and world-travelling success coach. The book is made up of 27 chapters full of advice, inspiring stories and easy exercises you can implement into your life.

At first, I found this book challenging to get into to begin with. However, I gave it a second chance and was glad I persevered with it, as there was some very insightful knowledge. The book is written in the manner like you are being spoken to by your most brutally honest friend, who only wants the best for you. This book has an emphasis on self-love and doing the best for yourself, I have a few of favourite quotes from this book, the first is ‘Erase the phrase “I don’t know” from your vocabulary and replace it with “I’ll know soon enough”, as someone who is guilty of saying “I don’t know” far too much, this resonated with me and is something I have taken on board. The second was on the topic of manifestation, which I am still on a journey of learning about. The book tells you to write your own ‘Manifesto’ down, she tells you to write it as specifically as possible and to read it every morning and every night before bed, and the more you want it and have a connection to it the faster it will become a reality.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits is a step-by-step manual on how to change your routines to create better habits to not only reach your goals but how to maintain them. James clear had spent years prior to writing this book studying the science of habits. The book contains many diagrams, which illustrate the studies he explains in his book. Another feature which stood out to me was the bullet-pointed summaries at the end of each chapter, I think this is great for when you are referring back to the book or to refresh your memory when reading other related parts of the book.

This book had great reviews and had been recommended to me by people close to me. In other self-help books, habits are touched on, but this goes deeper. The hypnosis of the book is to not focus on the goal but instead the system which gets you to the goal. One of my favourite parts of the book is when Clear provides examples of how your habits make you who you are, such as ‘each time you write a page, you are a writer’ or ‘each time you practice the violin, you are a musician’.

What is your favourite motivational book?

ISOLATION HAIR AND BEAUTY MAINTENANCE

HAIR

I see this is a fantastic opportunity to give our hair a break from heated appliances, if you are anything like me and use heat almost every day in regular life - your hair will appreciate the break. Treat your hair with hair masks before each shower and try to wash your hair less frequently – this will allow more time for it to be left alone. I have been using the Loreal Dream Lengths hair mask, you can simply leave it on ten minutes before your shower, although I tend to leave it on longer. I feel that it is making my hair feel thicker and look shinier after using it every week.

Now, I’m not saying I have gone cold turkey on the heated appliances, when I wash my hair twice a week I allow my hair to air dry for a short while before I finish drying it it off with the use of a hairdryer, I usually dry it straight and only if it looks frizzy will I run the straighteners over it, but only once – there isn’t a special occasion to go to (apart from maybe the facetime catch-ups). Aside from that, I have come up with several no heat hairstyles for days in-between hair wash days. I will share these in a separate post!

BEAUTY

I think it is fair to say we will all appreciate our nail technician and beauty therapist a little bit more after all this. In a bid to look presentable, here is what I have been doing:

Eyebrows

I’ve been on a journey with my eyebrows, after like a lot of us did overplucking and ruining them in my teen years, I have finally got them to a place that I am happy with. In the last 3 years, I have been having them waxed and tinted, and letting them grow to be thick and be able to achieve an arch shape – that we all desire. Nowadays, I avoid touching my eyebrows with tweezers at all between appointments. I don’t want to ruin the work my beauty therapist has achieved, so as I’m not able to see her during this time but still want to somewhat maintain them, I simply brush my eyebrows into place using an eyebrow brush and very carefully pluck the hairs that are obviously out of place. I feel this makes them look neat and presentable until my next appointment. I have seen some people have tinted their own eyebrows at home, this is something I may look in to. Is there a tinting brand you would recommend?

Nails

After having acrylic nails and then SNS on my nails for the past 4 years, the idea of not having these and having to do my own nails seemed daunting. I remember I previously bought (and hadn’t used) a gel kit, complete with the perfect nude colour and professional LED lamp.

To achieve an at-home manicure I started by soaking the SNS off my nails, which was easier than I expected. I did so by using acetone nail polish remover on balls of cotton wool, placing them on each nail and wrapping them in strips of cut kitchen foil, I let them soak for 30 minutes before scrapping the SNS off with my cuticle pusher, and filing away any excess.

To use the gel kit was simple. To use it you simply file your nails to the desired shape, I went for short and round. Apply the base coat polish, put this under the lamp for 30 seconds. Apply your colour polish, I applied 3 coats for this nude, drying each coat under the lamp for 30 seconds each time. Before finally applying the top coat polish, I left this under the lamp for 60 seconds to ensure it was set. Before wiping it away with a cotton pad. This is the perfect isolation activity!

Skincare

This unknown time can be stressful, and you may be indulging in extra sweet treats (I’ve been baking every other day), this can show on our skin and lead to extra breakouts. To protect our skin, we should give it some extra TLC. I am lucky enough to have a draw full of various sheet masks, my favourites are the Garnier moisture bomb tissue mask and I love the range that Sephora do – I have collected a number of their face and eye masks on trips abroad, as unfortunately, they are not available in the UK. If you cant access a store to buy a facemask and don’t have any at home, this is a great homemade face mask recipe, that you can make with ingredients that you’re likely to already have in your kitchen.

What you need:

- 1 tablespoon of manuka honey.

- ½ teaspoon of Dead Sea salt.

- ½ teaspoon of Aloe Vera gel.

How to use it:

1. Measure out and thoroughly combine the ingredients.
2. Use a flat make-up brush to apply the thick mixture over your face, avoiding your eyes, eyebrows and lips.
3. Leave the mask on for around 15 minutes.
4. Wash the mask away with warm water and pat your face dry with a clean towel. Patting your face dry with a microfibre cloth, this will prevent your skin from becoming irritated and red.

Honey is a beneficial ingredient to use in a homemade face mask. It is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to calm, soothe and soften your skin.

I hope these tips help with your isolation beauty maintenance; the salons will be open before we know it!

ASOS PETITE LOUNGEWEAR

While we're spending more time at home, I find it always makes me feel better and more motivated for the day when I like my outfit. With that in mind, I have been wearing my favourite loungewear day-to-day, and I recently did an online order for more. Finding loungewear that fits my petite frame in the right way can be a struggle, so here are my tried and tested favourites.

Missguided Ribbed Belted Jumpsuit in Camel

I have always found Missguided Petite pieces to fit true to size, this one was not an exception. I ordered this in the smallest size a UK 4. However, it fits different from the model and the trouser length finishes at my ankle - which I actually prefer. The material is thick and cosy, it washed well and maintained its quality. Click here to shop.

ASOS Design Petite Exclusive Lounge 3 Piece Set

This is probably my favourite out of everything in this post. I love this 3 piece made up of wide-leg trousers, a cami and a long cardigan. This set would instantly make you feel more put together, but still super cosy - I love it! I wear a UK size 4. Click here to shop.

ASOS Design Lounge Petite Fluffy Co-Ord 

I love this fluffy two-piece, it really reminds of the most recent Skim's collection. I've seen a lot of dupes for it. So, it's nice to see a petite one. The top and leggings are sold separately. I wear UK size 6. Click here to shop the leggings. The top is currently sold out.

ASOS Design Petite Tracksuit With & Contrasting Binding

For those lazy days when you just want to wear a tracksuit. I like this one as it is made of cotton, so should wash well and be super soft. I like the detail of the white stripe down the side of the tracksuit bottoms and sweater. I also think the cuff detail is nice, as it makes trousers more flattering for a Petite frame. I wear a UK size 6. Click here to shop.

New Look Cuffed Jogger In Light Grey

These joggers are a perfect fit, I wear a size 6 so they are comfortable but still fitted. I think the oversized is unflattering on my petite frame. I often like to pair baggier bottoms with a tight-fitting top or vise versa, as I feel this looks smarter and more put together. Click here to shop.

ASOS Design Petite Crew Neck Jumper In Skinny Rib

I have owned this jumper for two years now. It has been well worn and been through many washes, and it is still as soft as the first time I wore it. This is the kind of jumper, I would pair with joggers as I mentioned before - I'm actually wearing the grey joggers and this jumper as I write this. I wear a UK size 4.  Click here to shop.

River Island Petite Leggings

Everyone needs a good pair of black leggings. These are my favourite petite ones, they are thick and the length is perfect - so no need to roll the bottoms up. I wear a size 6 and would pair it with an oversized jumper or sweater. Click here to shop.

ASOS Design Petite Ultimate Organic Cotton White Sweatshirt

I love basics like this, most of my wardrobe is made up of things like this. I would size up to a UK 8 in this, so it is slightly oversized to pair with leggings. Click here to shop.

I hope you liked my Petite Loungewear picks. Where is your favourite place to buy loungewear?

STAYING AT HOME RECOMMENDATIONS - NETFLIX, YOUTUBE, BOOKS

In this uncertain and surreal time, we are all spending more time than usual at home. Many of us have work to focus on throughout the weekdays, but find ourselves with time to fill besides that. In this post, I'm going to be sharing my top recommendations, from Netflix to books, to YouTube. 

Netflix

Series:

1) Friends. A classic 90's tv show, that never fails to make me laugh, and can always be there to uplift any mood.
2) Gossip Girl. This will always be a favourite of mine. It's so easy to get lost in the world of the New York Elite. XOXO.
3) Pretty Little Liars. I watched this when it was on tv for 7 years. To stick with a show for that long shows how good it is, and worth the wait. With the full series on Netflix, this is the perfect cliff-hanger show to binge-watch.
4) Love Is Blind. I am still in the process of watching this, but loving it. It's a social experiment where couples get engaged based on conversations alone.  
6) Travels With My Father with Jack And Michael Whitehall. A hilarious travel/comedy series, that follows a humorist son and traditional father as they travel to Asia, Europe and American over the 3 series'.

Movies:

1) Sex And The City: The Movie. For your classic chick-flick/rom-com movie.
2) Limitless. For a Sci-fi/Thriller and Bradley Cooper.
3) Jumanji. For the all-star casting and the perfect mix of action and comedy.
4)  The Social Network. For the true story of how Mark Zuckerburg created Facebook.
5) The Hustle. For Anne Hathaway And Rebel Wilson making a hilarious duo.

YouTube:

1) Lydia-Elise Millen. For luxury fashion and home renovation content.
2) Sophia & Cinzia. For styling, weekly vlogs and food videos.
3) Syd & Ell. For food and fashion challenges, daily and travel vlogs.
4) Dionne Crowe. For weekly vlogs and fashion hauls.
5) The Ace Family. For challenges and family life.

Books:

1) Him & Me by Jack And Michael Whitehall. By far the funniest book I have ever read. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a light-hearted read, which is guaranteed to make you laugh.
2) Still Friends by Saul Austerlitz. For any Friends the TV Show fans. This book takes you from the auditions, to behind the scenes and includes cast and writer interviews.
3) Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This book leaves your feeling inspired, with a fresh outlook, and a want to be more positive.
4) #GirlBoss by Sophia Amorusa. An inspiring success story by the founder of the fashion company Nasty Gal.
5) One In A Million by Lindsey Kelk. A hilarious feelgood read, that you won't be able to put down. I read this book within days.

TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN PRAGUE

1.       PRAGUE CASTLE

Prague is thought of for its beautiful architecture with Prague Castle being one of the most famous buildings. The castle is the official office of the president of the Czech Republic. You can go inside to explore the castle, and there is also a viewing point at the top of the castle.

2.       DANCING HOUSE

Another interesting building, unlike one I’ve seen before. So, just for that reason, I would recommend going to see it. The Dancing House is also nicknamed Ginger and Fred after the tower reminding of the famous dancers Ginger Rogers and Fred Astair. The building is used for offices but there is a French restaurant on the rooftop, which has views of Prague Castle and the Vltava River.

3.       JOHN LENNON WALL

A tribute to John Lennon of the Beatles after his death. Since the 1980’s the wall has been filled with John Lennon inspired graffiti and lyrics – including a famous lyric from his band ‘all you need is love’ covering the wall in many different languages.

4.       OLD TOWN SQUARE

A historic square in the Old Town Quarter in Prague. The square is home to the famous Astronomical clock, this medieval clock was installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock to still be operating. The best Prague Christmas markets can be found in this square during the winter months, where you can find embellished decorations, handmade clothing and Czech food such as the famous chimney cakes.

5.       PRAGUE ZOO

It is ranked as the fifth-best zoo in the world – and I can see why. It is one of the largest zoos I have ever visited and is home to a large array of animals including a polar bear, lions, elephants, wolves and the list goes on and on. You can easily spend an entire day here exploring the zoo.

6.       PRAGUE GOLF AND GAMES

Great evening entertainment, especially for the colder months when you want to be inside. The 18-hole mini-golf course is UV lit, with glow sticks and UV paint provided for everyone. There is a bar to get drinks from as you play, and a variety of old-school games to play afterwards including pinball and Jenga.

7.       VYTOPNA PUB

A railway-themed restaurant, that is thoughtfully decorated to capture the aesthetic perfectly. There is an intricate model railway line which runs around the entire restaurant which begins at the kitchen, the train stops by each table and booth to deliver and collect your drinks in the train’s wagons. This restaurant is a quirky and fun place to visit, which serves food and drinks for reasonable prices.

8.       ILLUSION ART MUSEUM

You are guaranteed a fun experience at this museum, it is made up of illusions, trick art and interactive tasks. The highlights of the museum include the height-changing room, the bed of nails (not painful) and the upside-down room.

9.       THE PALLADIUM SHOPPING CENTRE

It is located in the centre of Prague and is home to 170 shops and 30 restaurants. If you are looking to shop this is the place to be, as it is the largest shopping destination in Prague.

10.   HARD ROCK CAFÉ

   The rock ‘n’ roll-themed chain restaurant serves American classics, a variety of cocktails and sports famous memorabilia around the restaurant. In addition to the restaurant, there is also a bar to continue your evening at, with a stage for live music. You can always rely on a Hard Rock Café for delicious food, excellent service and a buzzing atmosphere – as always it did not disappoint.  

Where To Stay:

I stayed at Lime Apartments, which I booked through booking.com. The apartments are self-catering, our apartment was one bedroom, with a bathroom and kitchen amenities - including a fridge, hobs, a sink, kettle and a microwave. The apartment was clean, nicely decorated and had everything we needed. It was nearby a tram stop, which could easily take us to anywhere we needed to be. The staff at reception were helpful, and without asking gave us a guide to local amenities and travel tips. I would stay here again and would recommend it to anyone booking a holiday to Prague.

How To Travel:

Travelling around Prague on the tram and buses is easy and convenient. You can buy tickets for the tram & bus at the stops, the machines state that you can use cash or card, but unfortunately wouldn't accept my card on every occasion. So, I would recommend taking cash with you when taking public transport. Uber is also available in Prague and will get you to your destinations for an affordable price. 

FEBRUARY WISHLIST

ASOS Design 90s Shoulder Bag In Black

I’ve seen these bags around for a while, but until now I haven’t found one that I love. I like the material of this one, and it also reminds of the Prada Re-Edition 2005 bag.

Stradivarius Corduroy Shirt In Beige

I love this shirt; I don’t have anything like this in my wardrobe. I would wear it with pale blue or black Mom jeans for the day with chunky trainers, and perspex heels for the evening.

Misguided Black Button Front Ripped Bodysuit

A simple basic that can be paired with joggers or jeans for put-together everyday outfits.

Miss Pap Corset Rib-Detail Puff Sleeve Shirt

I LOVE this! I think this would be the perfect top for a ‘jeans and a nice top’ occasion. I need this shirt in my wardrobe asap.

Pretty Little Thing White Faux Leather Pocket OversizedJacket

I would size up in this jacket and wear it as a dress, paired with perspex heels. Being petite has its benefits when you can wear oversized jackets as dresses.

Zara Faux Leather Overshirt

Like the above jacket, I could wear this with a belt as a dress. Alternatively, I would pair it with leather leggings for an all-leather look with black sock boots.

Zara Halterneck Bodysuit In Black

I have seen these on absolutely everyone since Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wore them and started a craze. I have actually just ordered one so I’m interested to see how they fit. I like to wear a bra - so I will have to see how that works because of the cut of the top, a strapless one will hopefully work. I like how these bodysuits look paired with high-waisted jeans and under blazers. If I like it I'm sure I'll be buying them in all the colours like the Zara basic vest tops.

ASOS Design Hark Clear Barely There Block Heeled Sandals

These are the perfect heels for the warmer months, I like the squared shape of these ones – I think it makes them look more expensive.