SUNDAY PORTRAIT WEEK 016

001. It has been a pretty boring week again at Uni, just inductions for literally everything you could think of. I can't wait to start actual work! I'm not looking forward to using the sewing machines though, my god, they are so fast. Definitely going to sew my fingers soon enough.

002. Dylan came to visit this weekend, it was fun! We visited the art gallery and we all went out to Nation of Shopkeepers last night. It's really nice inside, it reminds me of this little place i went to in london. But the drink prices are unbelievable. £4 odd for a cider. Only one drink for me last night! After, we regrettably went to Players. Last time i went was on a Tuesday and it was good! (minus the dutch girl trying to steal my bag, and shoes...) But this time it was actual shit, so expensive and full of chavs. I did wack out a few Jenna Marbles dance moves to lighten the mood, but there was just no saving it. Hungover as hell.

003. I did buy some pretty things from a charity market this weekend. £2 for the brooch and £5 for the purse! And i went to TGIFridays, it was amazing! Sweet Potato fries are my favourite thing ever.

WEEK IN PHOTOS

Ugliest thing at the carboot sale, Michael Jackson Doll, Suck My Teet, Unfortunate branding, Chips and Curry sauce, Sleepy kitty, Travelling back to Leeds in this lovely weather, My new favourite necklace, Lonely night in, Lost teeny stretcher replaced by 3 paperclips, Most awful 3 hour lecture on how to empty a recycling bin using a mac, Lovely typical Leeds weather, Meal for two, Fancy Cocktails with Caitlin, Yes, Cutest salt and pepper shakers from Cath Kidston, Visitor, Nation of Shopkeepers, Beautiful terrace, Guess Who session, Museum day, TGIFridays Monster burger, Charity shop find, again. 

Ps. I have been needing to post this for ages! But unfortunately i no longer have photoshop, boo. So i put off posting because i couldn't resize it.  I've given in. 

SUNDAY PORTRAIT WEEK 015

001. Oh hello there. It hasn't half been a boring week! I have been bored beyond belief! I'd say i haven't done any less than i usually would do but i was expecting to be busy, and i was looking forward to it. God, i actually want work to do! I'm really excited to crack on with some projects and the tutors seem so nice. We even had a tea-party on my first day. 

002. I think i've been a pretty crappy fresher this week. I've only been out twice since i moved in. I think Tuesday was my favourite night though. It was the LCA freshers party in Hifi, awful party. I left within half an hour! My feet were killing me, the place was expensive and it was dead. I wasn't the only one who decided to leave Sarah (my flatmate) joined me. We got hustled into buying some bullshit tickets for Chilli Whites, sold them on in less than 2 minutes and ran through the town meeting many strange drunk characters. We ended up in Players which i really liked, mainly because of the 2 triple vodka and cokes for £5 deal! But what i didn't enjoy was some Danish drug girl trying to steal my handbag and shoes from me TWICE! Thinking it was hers apparently, I'm suspicious. A Russian man did put his "Russian Bazooka" (as he called it) in Sarah's hand as a surprise. Actual sexual harassment, but it was amusing. Then i trashed my room.

003. Thursday night wasn't as good. It was a Geek themed dress-up party at Evolution. It was shit, to put it lightly. My feet kept sticking to the floor, it was chavy and i was sober. The music was awful too. I did get two drinks bought for me though, even if they were from a couple of losers/perverts. I swear if my friend hadn't been with me there would have been an attempted rape "Let's go for a private dance outside?" Nah!

004. By the weekend i just couldn't hack it. I missed home and i was in an awful mood. There's no point sat moping round, i may as well do something about it! I did miss Judy's Vintage Weekender though :( But i got to see my Boyfriend and my Kitties! There seem to be vintage events on all the time so hopefully net time i won't miss out! 

005. Being at home was fun, we all went to Silloth Carboot sale this morning. It wasn't very big but i did manage to pick up a few items. My favourite being a gold candelabra to display my bracelets and what not. The charity shops in Silloth were surprisingly good this time. I got 3 cream shirts for £4.50, a blue velvet dress and floral top for £4 and my sister got an orange African shirt and fur coat for £7!  House At The End of the Street tonight! 

WEEK IN PHOTOS

Cute Ikea stickers for the kitchen, Enrolment Tea-Party, Gammon and Bad Girls Club, Turkish Crocheted Slippers from Dylan, Student Union Welcome Pack, Rapey Russian, Trashed Bedroom after a night out, Horrible horrible Milkshake, Skype with Pumpkin, And Morticia, Finally i have received my first parcel, Mushy eggs and bacon, Nandos with the Fashion Girls, Exploring Leeds, My Beautiful Boyfriend, Caitlin Man-hunting, The classiest way to drink Frosty Jacks, Geek Party, My Doll, What is this magnificent machine?, Milk and Vodka anyone?, Skype, Dylan, Coming home for the weekend!, Sat next to this guy, My glamourous assistant, Welcome home meal.

 

MELTING ICE CREAM CUPCAKES

Me and Dylan made these cute little cupcakes last week. So so good. They are made using cooked cupcakes and raw cake mix to give a melty effect!

Ingredients

250g of Butter

250g Caster Sugar

250g Self-Raising Flour

4 Eggs

A little Vanilla Essence
Ice Cream Cones
(Cocoa Powder for Chocolate cupcakes)

Method

001. Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F/Gas Mark 4. Fill your Cupcake Baking Tray with your Cupcake Cases.

002. Cream your Butter, Vanilla Essence and Caster Sugar together in a mixing bowl and add the Eggs. 

003. Gradually sieve in the Flour (and Cocoa powder) whilst mixing all the ingredients. The mixture should be smooth, if not add a little milk. 

004. Half the mixture, and divide one half into your Cupcake cases, and place your Tray into the Oven.

005. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until nice and golden brown! Stick a fork through one of the Cupcakes to check it's cooked through, the fork should come out clean when inserted into the centre. 

006. Leave to cool on a rack for a while. When cool cut each cupcake into 3 pieces. 

007. Stuff one piece of cake into each Ice Cream cone and pour in one Tablespoon of cake mix, then another piece of cupcake, and cake mix etc. Making sure the top of the cupcake is placed in last. 

008. For the icing i cheated and bought some Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Vanilla frosting. It's amazing. Ice the top of the cupcake carefully.

009. And decorate! 

MINI-ME DOLL

So for my summer project for my fashion course i was asked to make a doll of myself (complete with fake eye-lashes). Reflecting the way i look, as well as my personality. I spent two weeks on this, and it was hard work! I knew people wouldn't put as much effort into it as i would, i guess that's typical. I'm a little obsessive. 

So i based my doll design on Coraline, my favourite ever film! I could literally watch it on repeat. I wanted a similar silhouette, with the exception that it would have my features. I created the pattern myself, which was probably the most difficult part. I made her a little outfit by hand also, that took forever, my sewing machine decided it didn't want to sew! But it looks pretty. I'm never without my typical Bodycon skirt, brown belt and grey cardigan. So what else would i make? I even attempted to make little Vans! 

I really can't think of anything that represents my personality. So i made a sloth, not because i'm lazy, which i am, but i just couldn't resist. I love sloths! I hope you like it.

SUNDAY PORTRAIT WEEK 014

001. Oh God, i look absolutely terrifying in that photo. It has been a very emotional/busy week! Yesterday i officially moved away from home and into my flat. Boo hoo. I really didn't want to leave, i never thought i'd say that! Saturday was spent out in Whitehaven for a change. I actually really enjoyed it surprisingly. For the first time in years i was gutted for it to be over. I did manage to get a Peshwari naan, and to jump head first into someones hedge-rows on the walk back to Dylans. 

002. I finished my doll! Like completely! It looks so cute, i'm quite excited to hand it in, i am so competitive, mine has to be best! I shall post about it this week. 

003. Although it was my last week in Whitehaven i have infact really enjoyed it, it feels like i have done more with my days than all of summer. Even just sitting in Jess's for a Takeaway watching Project X. It was a good night, but at 19 telling eachother Ghost stories, i was too scared to walk to my car! Oh dear. (Well, not my car, i failed my driving test again on thursday!) Thursday was probably one of the worst days ever. 

004. I miss home so much already. I'm such a sap. I know i'm going to see him soon enough but i was in hysterics leaving Dylan. It's just so lonely, and you have to make friends really quickly because you're forced to live with strangers. All my flatmates went out lastnight but i wasn't really feeling up to it. I'm sure i'll go out soon, Leeds is a big place, i'm jus a bit nervous! So scared to start uni tomorrow!

WEEK IN PHOTOS

Pre-drinking at Jess's (Such a long time since i've been out), Yummy Strawberry Cupcake, Morticia reminds me of that Tickle Slow Loris video, Leaving meal with the Family (I love gammon), Baking session, Morticia's fat neck, Pre-drinking for Lauren's Birthday with Chelsea, Matthew and Moi, Alien face, My sister and Pumpkin, And again, My first ever iphone photo when leaving Dylan :(, Daim cake in Ikea is the best ever, ... , My lovely view from my flat in Leeds.

I take way too many photos of my cats. 

CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIE BITES

As a little leaving activity Dylan and I made these today and there were so good (even if i didn't manage so eat many), so here's the recipe if you'd like to have a go!

Ingredients

115g of Butter

115g of Milk Chocolate

300g Caster Sugar

A Pinch of Salt

2 Large Eggs

140g of Plain Flour

2 tbsp of Cocoa Powder

50g of White Chocolate

A Hand full of Fudge Pieces

A Generous helping of Toffee Sauce

Method

001. Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F/Gas Mark 4. Line an 18cm square baking tin with Grease Proof paper. 

002. Chop the white chocolate into small chunks. Break the Milk chocolate into bits and but into a heatproof bowl with the butter and heat over a pan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Stir and leave to cool slightly.

003. Stir in the Caster Sugar, the Salt, then gradually stir in the Eggs. Stir well until blended.

004. Sift the Flour and Cocoa into the mixture and beat well until smooth. Stir in the White chocolate chunks, Toffee Sauce and Fudge pieces. Transfer to the tin and smooth the surface.

005. Bake for 30-35 minutes (or longer if you don't want them as gooey). Stick a fork through the brownie to check it's cooked through, the fork should come out clean when inserted into the centre. Remember the brownies should still be fudgy inside!

006. Leave to cool in the tin for a while while, then squirt on some Toffee sauce if you fancy!

Ps. Enjoy and Remember to share!

SUNDAY PORTRAIT WEEK 013

001. It has been a busy week! Not a very interesting one, but none the less! I can not believe i move to Leeds in 5 days. It's creeped up on me, i thought i'd have ages left at home. To be honest, i'm not really looking forward to it. (While i'm sat here writing, my mum is dancing with the cat round the living-room to Coldplay) I didn't think i would, but i'm definitely going to miss home so much. It'll be so lonely. From seeing your boyfriend almost everyday to once every few weeks is horrible. And i just can't sleep without Pumpkin on my bed. Just can't.

002. So this week has been dedicated to full on doll making, well finishing (whilst watching almost the entire Bad Girls season 8). It seems like i've been making this thing for ages! I should have really finished it off fully tonight, but i'm hungover wah. I made a cute little big sloth to cling onto my dolls back. I love it! I do love my doll, from the neck downwards, she's so ugly. She looks like one of the muppets. At least all i have left to do now is cut the hair shorter, it will get done tomorrow. Promise!

003. I may have had a day off to go to the cinema, leaving my money and bankcard at home. Typical. We went to see The Possession. When i'd seen the trailer i thought it looked like the same old average exorcism-ish film, ie. Shit. It was actually alright, obviously i had to embarrass myself as i do in every time i watch a scary film. I physically screamed "She's behind you!", like a child watching a pantomime. Dylan didn't get to see the end of the film. He couldn't see it through the tears of him laughing so hard at me. I can't help it!!

004. So the reason for my hangover. After whining about having to go out all day yesterday because of lack of money and clothing. I caved. It was actually really fun! I haven't fully enjoyed a night out in so long, not many of us went out and we ended up arriving in town after half 11. It went so fast, i could have easily stayed out another hour and that's so unlike me to say. I am a bit regrettable about the fact i jumped belly-flopped into someones hedges on the way back to Dylan's house. Y'know, just to see what it felt like... Worst of all doing it twice! My belly is killing today! 

005. Today we went for a leaving meal at the Waverly Hotel. Ever since we went for our last family gathering i've wanted to go back. Honestly, the Gammon is huge. I just wish i'd felt a little more alive. I'm still feeling the effects of alcohol now. Ergh. Also, i'd been wearing these new fake eyelashes today and it was so hard choosing a photo for this post, every single one (except this one of course, my eyes are closed, thankfully) i had a huge knock-eye. 

WEEK IN PHOTOS

Homemade Butterbeer, My Sloth (it does look better in person), Leaving cake, £4.70 to Dunmail park and back extortion, Goat's Cheese and Red Onion Chutney Pizza at The Bounty, The Possession, Styled To Rock and Tesco Meal Deal, Pumpkin, Cute Morticia.

SUNDAY PORTRAIT WEEK 012

001. All i have done this week, yet again, doll making. That, and Bad Girls Club. American Reality TV is the best. So apologises the the extreme shortness of this post. I can't say i fully remember what i've done this week, it's that dull! I made my doll some clothes. (My mum has actually just put on The Inbetweeners, this is an unusual but amazing moment) Aaaand i have just spilt tea all over the carpet. Great.