Showing posts with label pinterest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pinterest. Show all posts

Wednesday, 23 April 2014

Pinspiration... For The Sake Of A Laugh!!!

Hey lovely people!

So it's Wednesday and the long weekend is well and truly behind us, and if you're anything like me then that is a very depressing thought. So, in a bid to not only cheer myself up, but you lovely people too... I thought I would post some funny things I found on Pinterest recently. 











So I hope you managed to squeeze out a laugh or 2 reading those... I certainly did... And I feel miles better for it...


Take care lovelies. x

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

It's that time of the week again!

Hey lovely people!


I just loved this when I saw it... and on that note I'd like to say HAPPY HUMP DAY lovelies! Lol

With today being the half-way point of the week for most of us, it's only right that instead of posting another of my favourite recipes, I thought I would post a couple of my favourite COCKTAIL recipes instead. If, like me, you're having one of those weeks where nothing is going right and you're stressed to the hilt, then a little cocktail is a welcomed idea. 

Cranberry Ginger Fizz Cocktail

Ingredients

1 cup of fresh cranberries
1 lemon - cut into wedges
4 sprigs of mint
1/2 an orange - cut into wedges
1 cup ginger ale
1 1/2 cups of gin
3/4 cup of sparkling water
3/4 cup of sugar


Preparation
  1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; pour off all but one cup of syrup, reserving any extra for another use.
  2. Heat the syrup to a boil and then reduce heat to a medium. Add the cranberries and simmer for 2-3 minutes until they just begin to burst. Remove from heat and let cool in syrup.
  3. Place 2 tablespoons of drained cranberries and 6 tablespoons of cranberry syrup in a large pitcher; add the lemon and orange wedges.
  4. Using a wooden spoon, vigorously mash the fruit.
  5. Stir in gin and let steep for at least 5 minutes.
  6. Strain into a medium pitcher.
  7. Fill 4 glasses with crushed ice and 1/4 ginger ale.
  8. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and then pour half of the cranberry mixture into the shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds, strain liquid into two glasses. Repeat.
  9. Mound additional ice on top of each glass and garnish with 3 candied cranberries and a mint sprig.


Strawberry Vodka Lemon Sparklers

Ingredients
4oz strawberry infused vodka
4oz sugar syrup
4oz pink lemonade
4oz sparkling wine
Cubed ice
Fresh strawberries
Fresh mint

Preparation

  1. Pour syrup and strawberry vodka into shaker with ice and shake vigorously.
  2. Strain and pour into 2 cocktail glasses.
  3. Add pink lemonade to the glasses 3/4 full.
  4. Top off with sparkling wine.
  5. Garnish with strawberries and mint.



Now repeat after me...

IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE!!!



So there you go lovely people, 2 fantastic cocktail recipes that once you've tasted, you will instantly fall in love with and I predict you will continue to make for years to come! 

If you would like to find more fantastic cocktail recipes like this then look no further than Pinterest! There are literally thousands upon thousands of fantastically delicious recipes there for you to try. 

Take care lovelies. x

Thursday, 20 March 2014

A little Décor Inspiration - My Bedroom

Hey lovely people!

You probably don't know this about me... but have quite an addictive personality. If I'm into something, i.e. a TV show for example, then I'm obsessed with it and will watch every episode there is available.

So when it comes to things like blogging (which is still a very new part of my life), I have become utterly devoted to delivering as many read-worthy posts as is humanly possible for all you lovely people to delve into.

On this note, I thought I would share another of my addictions... and that my lovelies is PINTEREST!

I can't get enough of this fabulous site, and quite literally haven't stopped using it since I discovered its brilliance 2 years ago.

I can quite literally scroll for hours and hours, liking and pinning away and my absolute fave pins are those related to Home Décor. So this post is going to showcase my current bedroom decoration inspiration.

I'm a bit of a NYC fanatic so this décor is inspired by the city itself. The crisp sharp edges of the mirror, the interior brick walls, and the dishevelled hardwood flooring all remind me of the real, edgy feeling of New York City. 
This look was more of a classic one. Something along the lines of an "English Rose" theme. The strong and sturdy wooden bed-frame, the fluffy sheepskin rug, the dreamy vintage dressing table and the ornamental lamp all give a cosy, homely feel. Obviously this room would be dressed with lots of vases full of fresh flowers.
Finally we have a classic contemporary look. This is always my go to style when it comes to creating an inspiration mood-board. I really don't think you can go wrong with it. It's simple and sleek, with a modern punch. A bit safe maybe, but I honestly believe that sometimes sticking to the most simple of styles, delivers the best overall look.
So there you have it. My current bedroom inspiration mood-boards brought to you through the absolute genius and fabulous little gem that is Pinterest.

If you haven't already given the site a little visit then get to it... I guarantee you will find something of interest there, be it the 1000's of recipes available at the click of a button, the numerous DIY/ Craft ideas for you to try at home or the countless posts showcasing the current trends and celebrity styles at the moment. It is an enormous world of pins to get lost amongst and you can't help but love it!!!

Take care lovelies. x

Saturday, 15 March 2014

T.M.I Tag

Hey lovely people!

Is everybody having a good Saturday??? I hope so.

So today I thought I would go ahead and share some info with you all... or perhaps too much info as it were.

This is a tag that I have seen loads of times and I love reading posts about it and watching YouTube videos about it, so I thought I would give it a go and share it with you all.

So here goes:


1: What are you wearing?
I'm having a "black day" today so I'm wearing black leggings, a black long-line vest top, a black jumper & black socks. I am however wearing a bright orangey red lipstick so at least there's a pop of colour. 
2: Ever been in love?
Yes. I am super in love with my husband.
3: Ever had a terrible breakup?
Yes. I had quite a serious boyfriend when I was 14 and my mum thought it was getting too serious so told me I had to finish it, hence a some very complicated break-up drama. 

4: How tall are you?
5ft 7inches. 
5: How much do you weigh?
Too much.
6: Any tattoos?
Nope. However my husband has 2 that are dedicated to me. One is a small "D" behind his left ear and the other is the date we started seeing each other on his right wrist. So does that count???
7: Any piercings?
Yes. I have one piercing in each of my ears. I used to have 2 piercings in each ear but I kept forgetting to put earrings in them and so they eventually closed up. 

8: OTP? (One True Pairing)
Ok, I have a few of these. I absolutely love New Girl and want nothing more than things to work out between Nick & Jess. Also I am obsessed with The Vampire Diaries and I very much in love with Ian Somerhaulder who plays Damon and I much prefer him and Elena as opposed to Stefan and Elena.  

9: Favourite Show?
This is too hard a question. How can I possibly whittle it down to one show. So 
I'll just give you my current faves: Modern Family (HILARIOUS), New Girl (AMAZEBALLS), and I'm re-watching Ugly Betty from the beginning again so that too. 
10: Favourite bands?
The Killers, Snow Patrol, Cold Play, James, Mumford & Sons to name but a few. 
11: Something you miss?
This is more a "Someone" I miss... and that's my Granny Rose. She died almost 14 years ago and I miss her everyday. 
12: Favourite song?
Oooft... too many to name. Current faves are Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" just because it's a super sexy wee beat and "Drunk In Love" by Beyonce just because she's freaking awesome!
13: How old are you?
28... 29 in June!!! *sobs 
14: Zodiac sign?
Cancer.
15: Quality you look for in a partner?
Somebody who is kind. 
16: Favourite Quote?
This is a little "Photography" related number but I just love it:
"Life is like a camera. Focus on what's important. Capture the good times. Develop from the negatives. If things don't work out, take another shot".
17: Favourite actor?
Oooh... erm... I love Christian Bale & Tom Hardy just because they're such method actors. Every role I watch them in is completely different from the last one. 
18: Favourite colour?
I lurrrrvvveeee Red!!!
19: Loud music or soft?
Loud all the way.
20: Where do you go when you’re sad?
Into the arms of my hubby. He's the best cuddler you will ever meet and he always makes me feel better with one of his big bear hugs. 
21: How long does it take you to shower?
10-15 minutes. I love a shower so I do. 
22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
Lol... 5 minutes. Unless of course I'm going out and in need of a little makeup fix, in which case it's about 30-45 minutes. 
23: Ever been in a physical fight?
Not really.
24: Turn on?
ARMS!!! I am obsessed with arms on a man. 
25: Turn off?
Arrogance & superiority.
26: The reason I started a blog?
Initially it was to document my photo-shoots but after reading loads of the fab blogs out there I decided to just make it a lifestyle blog, covering all the aspects of my life as opposed to one single subject.
27: Fears?
I'm terrified of insects... like irrationally terrified. But on a bigger scale - I'm scared of losing the people I love in my life. 
28: Last thing that made you cry?
I cry all the time. Like ALL THE TIME!!! I seriously do believe that there is something mentally wrong with me at times. So the last time I cried was this morning - watching a programme on the TV about Astronauts and the dangers they face in Space. 
29: Last time you said you loved someone?
Today. I end every call with my hubby with "I love you". :)
30: Meaning behind your Blog Name?
Ok so "Once Upon A Picture" was the username I chose when I set up my Flickr account because I aspire to be one of those photographers who tell stories through their pictures... so I decided that I would name my business "Once Upon A Picture Photography" and when I decided to do my blog it 
only made sense to continue on with the theme.  
31: Last book you read?
"Reflected In You" by Sylvia Day - It's a raunchy little number so not for the faint hearted.  

32: The book you’re currently reading?
"Entwined With You" by Sylvia Day - The final book in the 3 part series.  
33: Last show you watched?
Ugly Betty. 

34: Last person you talked to?
My husband. 

35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted?
My sister Joanne.
36: Favourite food?
Oooh chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.
37: Place you want to visit?
New York! It's my ultimate dream holiday - but I want to have the proper New York experience in a fancy Manhattan hotel and do all of the touristy things so I'll need a few weeks to spend over there and a few thousand pounds to book it in the first place. 
38: Last place you were? 
At the park with my dogs and my hubby.
39: Do you have a crush? 
Yep... my hubby... and Ian Somerhaulder. 
40: Last time you kissed someone? 
10 minutes ago.
41: Last time you were insulted? 
Wednesday night on Facebook when a narrow-minded individual put a post on about "chunky women".
42: Favourite flavour of sweet? 
I love citrus flavours so lemon, lime and the like.
43: What instruments do you play? 
None... *shamed
44: Favourite piece of jewellery? 
My wedding ring of course. 
45: Last sport you played? 
Lol... I'm not exactly a sport playing type of gal... I can however swim really well. And I was at the swimming a few weeks ago. 
46: Last song you sang? 
Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis - an addictive wee tune! 
47: Favourite chat up line?
None - they are cheesey as heck!
48: Have you ever used it? 
Refer to the above. 
49: Last time you hung out with anyone? 
Right now... my hubby & my 2 pooches. 
50: Who should answer these questions next?
You, you and you!

So there you go, far too much information on yours truly! Hope you enjoyed reading this and by all means leave the link to your blog or video responses in the comments section. I'd love to give them a read. 
Take care lovelies. x

Wednesday, 5 March 2014

Home Design Inspiration

Hey my lovelies!

Happy hump day to you all. Hope it's not too much of a hard week for you so far.

Today I am talking about my ridiculously outrageous need to re-decorate my home all the time! With that being said - I am more often than not an all talk & no action type of person, as my decorative desires are often outweighed by the lack of funding I have to fulfil them. This however fails to stop me in my endeavours and I still spend hours researching designs and creating decor mood boards.

So... on that note, I thought I would share one of my recent creations and inspirations for my livingroom which I currently plan (a term I use loosely) on redecorating:


Ok so first let me explain the colour inspiration. 

I'm a bit of a nut for New York - despite never having had the opportunity to visit the place. I think it stemmed from my love of the tv show Friends (despite later learning that the show was in fact filmed in LA). I instantly loved everything about it. The culture, the people, the yellow cabs, the buildings as tall as the eye can see. I loved everything about it. I love the idea that the city never sleeps - that you can get Chinese take-out food at 4am. That you can walk past grates shooting steam 6ft into the air. I loved everything. So it should be no surprise to you that I have hung pictures and artistic portrayals of NYC on my livingroom walls for years. However, I recently discovered a tremendous little website called I Love Wallpaper that is dedicated to providing its customers with the most artistic and diverse array of wallpapers you can imagine.

I scrolled through pages and pages of wonderfully different wallpaper & initially had my heart set on a brick wall effect, but instead I found a black & white collage of NYC with only the colour of the yellow cabs being showcased, and I fell in love! So I had found my colour palette... Shades of grey & yellow. 

Then I began looking at flooring. I knew I wanted Laminate not only because I wanted a change from always having had a carpet in my livingroom, but because I have 2 very mucky dogs who love nothing more than dragging dirt all through the house. Therefore it was an aesthetic and practical choice. 

My initial thoughts on flooring was a dark wood - something quite brown that would go with the yellow pops of colour, but I came across an oak coloured laminate that was quite worn and dishevelled looking that I thought would be perfect. This again was found on a fab website called Floors Direct which offers an abundance of flooring options for those looking for wooden options. 

So I have my wallpaper & I have my floor - so there's nothing left to do but accessorize with home furnishings and textiles! Which for me is the most fun part of it all, exploring online stores like Ikea, The Range, Achica and World Stores.

So that's my livingroom design inspiration.I hope my rambling wasn't too boring and perhaps you were inspired to create your own mood boards for future decorating plans. 

Take care my lovelies. x

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

My High Street Haul Loves!

Hey my lovelies!

I wanted to share the current loves of my life... my beauty must haves!

Now let me be clear when I say that I am in no way your conventional beauty loving person. I can go for weeks without putting on a scrap of make-up. However, I have been reading beauty blogs, following Youtube channels dedicated to the stuff and have generally had a real interest in learning all about it!

In the same breath though, I don't use make-up enough to really invest in the more expensive brands like Mac or Bobbi Brown - although I have often spent an inordinate amount of time around the beauty stations in House of Fraser trying to convince myself that I really need that £45 concealer! :)

Anyway, I am very happy to share my high street faves with you all so here goes:


The first of my faves is The Body Shop Moisture Foundation. Now I have pretty dry skin and so it's often quite difficult for me to find a foundation that A. Doesn't dry my skin out and B. Isn't too heavy coverage. This came up trumps! Not only is it really moisturising on my skin, but it also gives me flawless coverage without making me look too made up. Now I am pretty pale - almost dead looking sometimes, but I bought shade 03 thinking it would give me a bit more colour, when in fact it really does suit my skin tone quite well. Therefore I would advise actually going into the shop and testing the product first instead of assuming a certain tone might be the correct one if it's the same tone you always buy, but all in all it's a fab foundation in my opinion and one that I will continue to use in the future, and at £13 how can you resist!


This little baby has got to be my absolute fave beauty product at the moment. It's ideal and kind of a necessity for me because I have really short hair (pixie cut) and therefore I am limited with the kind of styles I can wear. So this gives me the opportunity to really volumize my hair as subtly or as wildly as I like. Don't get me wrong - once its in there you are not getting it out until you wash your hair. However I find it a much better approach than constantly back-combing to the point of hair suicide. And this baby is only £4.07 in Asda so is an absolute bargain!


And now the fun begins! Nails!!!

I love nail polish. I love all kinds of nail polish. But I truly love O.P.I Nail Polish! It is by far (in my opinion) thee absolute BEST nail polish out there, and I'm pretty sure I have tried them all! The great thing about O.P.I is that not only do they come up with the best colours and the best formulas that give you a perfectly polished nail, but they also really and truly care about the health of your hands and nails. Hence the creation of Avoplex.

Avoplex, for those who haven'y used it before, is a cuticle oil from O.P.I used to moisturise the cuticle area of your hand as well as strengthen your nails and believe  me when I say it really does work. And because your cuticles are all soft and moisturised it means that your nail polish goes on so much smoother. So it's a win win!

There are a couple of options as far as how the Avoplex is presented, which are currently the 7.5ml (Avoplex to go) form like mine shown below, and the 15ml version which comes in the form of a nail polish bottle. Both are very reasonably priced and are actually on offer at the minute on QVC UK for just £17!




More nail stuff next!

This Rimmel nail polish is my fave high-street nail polish at the moment, not only because I just LOVE the colour, but also because it goes on the nail like silk. It's so easy to apply! The colour that I love is called Hip Hop and its quite a coral red colour when applied to the nail. As well as this the Finishing Touch Ultra Shine topcoat is tremendous and gives longer life to the coloured polish as well as enhancing it. Both of these polishes cost £4.49 from most retailers.


Ok so most people probably wouldn't even consider naming this next product as their favourite fragrance... but I have to say it is the only choice when it comes to picking mine. I have loved this fragrance ever since I worked part-time in Next as a teenager... many moons ago! Its so floral and fresh and poignant and it doesn't come with the price tag of certain other high brand fragrances, in fact you can get a 30ml bottle for £7.50.

In all honesty though, I really don't think it would make any difference to me if the price was in the same bracket as the higher brands. It's one of those fragrances that you only have to spritz once in the morning and you can still smell it on your clothes at dinner time. If you fancy getting your hands on it then please do so... you won't be disappointed.


And last but certainly not least is this fabulous little mascara from George at Asda! Now I know what you're all thinking, but it is actually a great wee product! Forget the idea that it is a relatively "cheap" brand product and just try it out for yourself.

It has a curved wand, which I find much easier to apply the mascara with, without getting those annoying black marks on my eyelids. It also plumps the lashes and for someone like myself who doesn't wear a lot of eye make-up, it really wakens up the eyes and enhances them. All of this for the measly price of £3!


So there you have it! My must have high-street products! 

Take care my lovelies. x


Happy Shrove Tuesday!!!

Hey my lovelies!

It's Pancake day... and I am soooooo excited to make pancakes today. The one is just your basic, everyday, easy peasy recipe:

Ingredients
100g plain flour
2 large eggs (free range if possible)
250ml whole milk
1 tbsp butter
Small pinch of salt

Instructions
1. Mix all of the ingredients together until mixture is combined and there are no lumps (feel free to add a little extra milk to the mix if it is too dry).
2. Add 1 tsp of oil & 1 tsp of butter to a frying pan on medium heat.
3. Spoon the mixture onto the frying pan and wait for little air pockets to appear on the surface of the pancake before flipping.
4. Stack & serve with Maple Syrup.





They are delightful little bite-size pancakes that can be made from start to finish in 10 minutes!!! What isn't there to love???

Take care my lovelies. x

Monday, 3 March 2014

Mondays Dinner Plans

Hey my lovelies!

I know that I have already posted today, but I thought I would try and get into the habit of sharing my cooking with you. This is intended to be more of a "lifestyle" type blog, showcasing my life through photographs as opposed to a more specific field of interest.

So on that note, I thought it would be a fun addition to include a few of my recipes over the week, starting with tonight's dinner choice:

Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients:
Lean Diced Beef Steak
1x Red Bell Pepper
1x Yellow Bell Pepper
1x Large Onion
2x Spring Onions
1x tsp Sea Salt
1x tsp Pepper
2x tsp Paprika
2x tbsp Soy Sauce

Instructions:
1. Marinade your meat with Sea Salt, Pepper, Paprika & Soy Sauce. Add chopped spring onions.
2. Leave the marinade for 2 hours (longer if possible).
3. Fry chopped onion in a tsp of oil, until onions are translucent and beginning to caramelise slightly.
4. Add the marinaded meat to the frying pan and fry for 10 minutes on a medium heat.
5. Add chopped bell peppers to the frying pan and leave to fry for a further 5 minutes. 
6. Serve with a baked potato and green salad.




I may be bias my lovelies... but this is a truly delicious little dinner, as well as being a fairly healthy meal option for those of us who could really do with losing some lbs!!! 

Take care my lovelies. x

Thursday, 27 February 2014

Sunday, 5 January 2014

Pinspiration

Now I think that if you have taken the time out of your day to visit my blog and read my posts, then I should let you into a little secret about me...

Well here goes...


I      AM      ADDICTED      TO      PINTEREST


Now I know that this is probably on a need-to-know basis... but there are most definitely going to be several pinterest posts in the future on my blog so I thought it was wise to warn you! :)