Lil Miss Homely: Bedroom decor inspiration +

 I love all things home decor. In fact, I may have a slight obsession with it. My ideal room would be cream with  accents of pastel colours, have lots of candles and be incredibly cosy.

I trawled through the Internet for the past hour to collate these beautiful images! Let me know what you think! 

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Lil miss reminiscent: Lately I've been.....

Drinking copious amounts of herbal tea in my pretty new Cath Kidston style mug from Wilkinson's

Applying almond oil on my hands to prevent any dry skin

Exfoliating my body with the Sanctuary's Sea Salt scrub - this makes my skin feel baby soft.

Burning candles and wax tarts. My favourite Yankee Candle scents for Autumn are: Fireside treats, Merry Marshmallow, Vanilla Satin and Vanilla Sandalwood.

Watching the Mentalist on my new Samsung Galaxy note. I was always a fan of Apple products, but wanted to try something new hence I decided to buy a Samsung tablet. I am very impressed by it and it's also a whopping £200 cheaper than the iPad. I also love watching the Mentalist. Simon Baker is a great actor with a gorgeous smile, and he's also easy on the eye ;)

What have you been up to?

Lil Miss Organised: New handbags +

If I could get away with not carrying a handbag - I would. I don't like carrying things - I rather stuff things in my pockets. Unfortunately, that's not always possible. 

For work, I carry the essentials: Sat nav, work equipment, makeup bag, wallet, phone, keys and hand cream. As I carry so much, my bags get worn out quicker than normal, so my idea of the perfect bag is: good quality, durable, has different sections to organise my belongings and it also has to be profressional and 'sleek looking'.

I found the perfect bag in Next - and I absolutely love it! The detailing is beautiful, the material is of great quality and the straps are long enough to hang off my shoulder.  Unfortuanately I cannot find it on the Next website but I only purchased it a few weeks ago so it may be available instore. The bag cost me £25. 

 I was also looking for a smaller handbag for recreational purposes. I found this Mulberry lookalike from M&S for only £35. I love the long straps, the fact that it has a zip divider in the middle and the sturdy material.

Where do you buy your handbags from?

Lil Miss Indulgent: White rabbit tea house in Nottingham +

About a month ago, I went to the lovely White Rabbit Tea House in Nottingham, which I found out about through reading blogs.

Tucked on a side street near Nottingham shopping centre, White Rabbit tea house serves homemade cakes, scones, sandwiches, as well as tea, coffee and hot chocolate - all served in traditional china. 

I have been to many places for afternoon tea, but White Rabbit Tea House was my favourite - not only were the prices reasonable, but the service was friendly and efficient, the decor was beautiful (it had an old fashioned feel to it, which I love) and the food was delightful. 

I suggest getting there for about 12pm because it gets really busy after that as there's only a few tables (which adds to the cosy atmosphere).

The visit inspired me to buy some old fashioned china - I think I'm turning into a granny day by day!

There are currently two White tea rabbit houses in Nottingham, and I am hoping that it will there will be more tea houses - hopefully in London.

Would I go back again? Definitely, even though it's a good two and a half hour drive from my house.

Have you ever been to the White Rabbit tea house?

Lil Miss Healthy: The benefits of Fenugreek +

In the past week, I have been consuming fenugreek on a daily basis. 

Source 

Fenugreek is a plant and the seeds are used to make medicine.  My parents have been consuming fenugreek for the past few years and my mother recently told me the health benefits of it:

1. It can control diabetes. I am not diabetic but I do worry that I will get diabetes! My mother has type 2 diabetes, but since she has been taking fenugreek everyday, her diabetes is now under control. Even the GP was shocked to see the difference! 
2. It aids digestion - if you're digestive system is working well, your skin will look better
3. It suppresses your appetite - the soluble fibre swells in your stomach which will make you feel fuller for longer. I have noticed that I am snacking less in the morning after taking fenugreek
4. It can help to stave off viruses 
5. Fenugreek seeds are a rich source of antioxidants

How do I consume it?

My mother simply soaks the fenugreek seeds overnight in hot water. In the morning, I rinse out the seeds, add warm water and swallow the seeds. I didn't enjoy doing it at first, but when I noticed how much better I felt after taking it, I added it to my daily routine! 

Have you tried fenugreek before?

Lil Miss Glammed up: Party face of the night

Partying and me don't go too well. The bother of dressing up, loud music and feeling exhausted the next day are my ideas of hell - I prefer going to restaurants instead (food is my first love).

Having said that, I did manage to go to a party a few weeks ago, and I actually enjoyed getting dressed up. Out came the Barry M dazzle dusts and fake eyelashes - as well as some shameful 'selfies'

How the makeup turned out - I decided to contour less and focus more on the eyes

A genuine smile :)

A very awkward smile

My eyelash application needs working on lol

 Face:

• Mac Studio Fix Powder Foundation in C40.
• Mac moisture cover concealer in NC30

Cheeks:

• Mac Peaches blushes
• Mac vanilla pigment for highlight

Eyes:

• Too faced shadow insurance as an eyeshadow primer
  
• Barry M dazzle dust number 44 on the lid
• Mac Cork eyeshadow on the crease.
• Urban Decay eyeshadow in perversion on the outer V.
• Collection 2000 liquid eyeliner to line the upper lid
• Urban Decay Pencil eyeliner in black to line the waterline.
• Mac vanilla pigment in the inner rims of the eyes as well as the brow bone.
• Eyelure lashes in 101. 

Lips:

• Bobbi Brown lipstick in Carnation
• Mac lipstick in Freckletone  

 What makeup do you wear on a night out?

Lil Miss Homely: New home decor bits +

Home decor seems to interest me more than beauty products these days! It's Autumn and I tend to hibernate more in my bedroom (I don't like the cold!)

 Here are some lovely pieces I've purchased for my room in the last few months :)

My new mirror from eBay. I would love to have a French style dressing table but my room isn't big enough! I decided to purchase this mirror instead which makes my room look so much more elegant! 

I love tea lights - especially LED tea lights which are more cost effective (and safer!) I purchased the bird cage from eBay and the little house tea light holder from Debenhams!

I know this doesn't come under home ware but I love the new iPhone 5s - the thumbprint scanner saves me a lot of time, the gold colour is beautiful, the processing is much quicker and the camera quality has vastly improved (I used to have the iPhone 4s)

Are you into home decor?

Lil Miss Organised: My new lipstick holder +

I have been looking for different ways to organise my makeup without taking up too much space.

When I found this lipstick holder on eBay I purchased it immediately. It holds 24 lipsticks, is very compact and allows me to organise my lipsticks well (the most used ones are at the front). 
It only cost me £2.99 (free delivery too!) 

How do you store your lipsticks?

Lil Miss Organised: My travel bag *

Hi guys - after a blogging hiatus - I am back! I've missed blogging but had no motivation to do it - until now!

I thought I would do a 'What's in my travel bag post'. This post is more aimed at one or two night stays! I would pack bigger sized products for a longer holiday. 

I purchased this roll up bag from Amazon (link!) it's very sturdy - it doesn't look so great but it does the job pretty well! 

 When I get into the hotel room, I tend to hang the bag up in the bathroom. I avoid taking everything out - it makes my life easier when I'm packing. 

 I always take my Bioderma eye makeup remover, Amie Petal Toner, Soap and Glory body lotion, rose water and Amie cleanser (in the tub)

Cotton pads, cotton buds, deodorant, a smaller version of my Nivea soft face cream and shower gel are essentials!

 For my hair - I only take shampoo if I am staying over one night, but I usually take dry shampoo, heat protection spray and a Denman hair brush - which folds away neatly.

 For my makeup, I use this tiny makeup bag from Accessorize. 

 These are my makeup essentials! I like to take a selection of lipsticks because I can be quite indecisive sometimes!

What do you take in your travel toiletries bag? 

Lil Miss Outgoing: Saturday dates +

For me, Saturday means exploring London and Leicester with my other half (who lives in Leicester).

Three weeks ago, we went for Afternoon tea at the prestigious Harrods! The afternoon tea took place at the Georgian Restaurant, which is located on the fourth floor. 

The service was impeccable! The waiter's explained the different types of tea that could be offered, as well as explaining in detail the sandwiches and desserts we were about to devour! 

We decided to go for the 'Afternoon special' tea which is basically English breakfast tea. Home Baked English scones with strawberry preserves, clotted cream and rose petal jelly were also given. The experience would have been better if the scones were warmed up and strawberries and cream was served!

The sandwiches were delightful - the cream and cucumber sandwich was definitely my favourite! The food was unlimited which was a bonus. I enjoyed the desserts but I was full from eating the sandwiches and scones.

All in all, I enjoyed Afternoon tea at Harrods, but I would rather visit the Ritz or the Dorchester than go back to Harrods! 

Last Saturday, I drove to Leicester, and went to Maiyango restaurant. Maiyago was definitely the best restaurant I've been to - hands down. The service was fantastic - the waiter's were enthusiastic and very helpful. The food and cocktails were heavenly (they even do a parma violent cocktail!)

Maiyango stands out against other restaurant's because the menu changes every month (this gives me even more of a reason to dine there again) and the produce is sourced locally.

The food is off all sorts of cuisine - Indian, Italian, Thai - which makes it suitable for everyone's taste buds! There is also a good choice for vegetarians - which is a plus point for me! Dinner costs £30 a head for three meals (although soup and sorbet were  given in between meals free of charge)

Yesterday, I went to Bicester Village in Oxford. Bicester village is a designer outlet store. If you want great bargains on designer wear - this is the place to go! 

I spotted a pair of Jimmy Choos for £697 - I was super tempted to buy them! The Ralph Lauren store is also very popular - many of the shops have queues outside! I love going here for the day - there's plenty of restaurants (as well as Starbucks and Pret) to keep you occupied! 

If you ever want to go to Bicester Village, the best time to go (if you're driving) is before 10am. There is a car park which gets full up very quickly - and it's virtually impossible to find any spaces after 10am! I went in February when it was snowing and super cold - and again the car park was full! 

I had a great time - next week I'm going to be touring London in an 'amphibious vehicle' - I will definitely be blogging about this!

Have you been to either of these places?

Lil Miss Healthy: Benefits of Kale +

As I am vegetarian, finding foods with enough iron in them can be challenging. When I heard about the iron content in Kale,  I literally rushed out and bought it! 

Kale has even more iron in beef and more calcium than milk! Kale also contains: vitamin C (good for your immune system and metabolism), vitamin A (this is good for your vision and your skin), vitamin K (good for preventing against certain cancers)  as well as potassium.

I tend to eat a small bowl of raw kale everyday. My mum prefers to boil it, but I believe that eating it raw will preserve the vitamins! You can also add it to smoothies or juices.

I didn't take to the taste of kale at first - I was forcing myself to eat it because of the benefits. After a few weeks, my taste buds became 'acquired' to the taste of kale and now I crave the taste of kale!

What I have noticed since consuming kale everyday:

• My skin has improved - less breakouts and it seems to glow more :)
• My energy levels have increased - this is very important as I tend to work long hours, and I need as much energy as possible!

I recommend kale to anyone who wants to improve their skin and overall health! A bag of curly kale only costs £1 at my local Tescos! 

Source

Have you ever tried Kale?

Lil Miss Organised: Olivia Burton Watch +

After I saw this watch on Amy's blog, I knew I had to purchase it. I love my Michael Kor's watch, but I think it's too flashy for work, so I decided that I wanted to invest in more of a 'simple' watch.

 I have been lusting after this Olivia Burton Big Dial Mink + Rose Gold watch for months! Unfortunately, it was sold out for a long time - but I finally managed to find it from Kiki's boutique for £65 - which I think is very reasonable!

It's a beautiful watch that looks very classy! If I could go back in time, I would probably purchase the watch in the tan leather strap, as the white strap seems to get dirty very quickly!

If you want to buy a classy, rose gold watch and cannot afford to spend too much - go for Olivia Burton!

Lil Miss Sweet: Ferrero rocher stuffed cupcakes +

Even though I am a big advocate of healthy eating,  I do like to indulge sometimes ;) My family had a get together yesterday, and I decided to make Ferrero rocher stuffed cupcakes! The lovely MilkBubbleTea inspired me, but I used the recipe from The Curvy Carrot.

I think it's such an original concept! Ferrero rocher's are my favourite chocolates so this was the perfect cake for me! 

I started off by mixing cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt together. I then mixed 3 eggs, vanilla extract, butter, sugar and sour cream in a separate bowl.

  I then mixed them together and placed them on a cupcake pan evenly.

The Ferrero rocher's were added to the batter, and the remaining batter was used to cover the Ferrero rocher (this part is optional - you don't have to completely cover the chocolate)

 

 The cupcakes were left in the oven for approximately 20 minutes

For the icing (the most time consuming part), I mixed some butter, sugar, milk, nutella and vanilla extract. My cousin has icing equipment (purchased from Lakeland) so she was able to make the frost look pretty ;)

Optional - you can mash up some Ferrero rocher's and place them on the frosting.

The cupcake was delicious, albeit extremely sweet! 

Have you ever tried this? 

Lil Miss Aromatic: My new favourite perfume...+

One of my new obsessions this year (apart from home decor and clothes) is perfume! I have purchased four new perfumes this year - which is very unlike me!

I decided to treat myself to the Marc Jacobs Eau So Fresh perfume at duty free - 'tax free' just makes things look more enticing ;)

This scent reminds me of parma violets (my favourite sweet) - and it's fresh enough to wear for work! I love it! It also lasts all day and isn't too overpowering!

 

 Here are the notes:

• Top Note: Natural Raspberry, Grapefruit, Pear
• Middle Note: Violets, Wild Rose, Apple Blossom
• Dry Base: Musks, Cedarwood, Plum

Summary:

• Price: It costs around £40 for a 75ml bottle
• Longevity: It lasts all day, which is a plus :)
• Scent: I haven't met anyone who doesn't like the scent! I personally would wear it during the day - it's not strong enough for evening wear
• Packaging: This bottle looks beautiful on my dressing table!
• Repurchase: Definitely!

What's your favourite perfume?