26 March 2012

Where am I? UPDATED with lounge!

Hello gorgeous girlies!

It’s been a while! So sorry for being absent for a couple of weeks, things have been so hectic. Darren ♥ and I have moved into our first house together so I’ve been without internet/time to post anything. I’ve also spent my ‘Stacey Funds’ on some lovely bits and bobs from Next home! (What’s happened to me?) lolz!

Here's a pic of my kitchen, we're in the middle of decorating the lounge/dining room so I will do a post on that when it's done, should be next weekend, maybe I'll do a little home corner section on my blog.



Please stay with me whilst I get back into the swing of things. Having a house takes up so much of your time! I can’t wait to get home every night to just potter about and get everything organised for the next day. I love it!

I went to the Vitality Show this weekend and bought some lovely bits and pieces so can’t wait to blog about those!

Someone tell me what the hype is with these Revlon Lip Butters!!! Are they worth picking up?


8 March 2012

FOTN - UD Naked Palette 1 look

Good afternoon lovelies!

This is probably going to be my last post for a week due to the fact I am moving this weekend into my very own house! *dancing round the room to LMFAO* Please don’t leave me whilst I swap my life around and move the powers that enable me to write this blog! I love you all!!

I have packed most of my make up away ready for the big move, but kept out my UD Naked Palette for work. I had a free afternoon on Saturday and decided I would quickly throw together this look.

I’ve had the Naked palette for nearly a year and I don’t think I’ve ever used the shadows Gunmetal and Creep, both gorgeous colours that were sat unloved in the palette. So this is what I came up with. Gunmetal is such a gorgeous colour, it came out a kinda bluey grey on me and in some lights it just looked blue, it has a gorgeous shimmer to it. I love both colours and I need to use them more!



Face
Chanel Pro Lumiere 10
MAC F&B mixed with foundation to darken slightly
MAC MSFN Medium
FashionistA blush (can’t remember name but peachy colour)
Benefit Hoola to contour slightly

Eyes
Gunmetal and Creep e/s from UD Naked palette
Avon Supershock Mascara
Avon Supershock Gel Liner
Matte brown from Sleek Oh So Special palette for brows

Lips
MAC l/s Hue
MAC l/s Lovelorn

Shame I had nowhere to go, after this it was back to packing boxes and breaking more nails! Boooooo!!

Stay with me girlies, as Arnie says “I’ll be back”


2 March 2012

Chocolate and Hazelnut Cupcakes

Good morning girlies!

A few weeks back I used my Hummingbird Bakery cookbook that Darren ♥ bought me for Christmas to make these gorgeous cupcakes! I am on Weight Watchers at the minute and I won’t lie to you I’m struggling. I was doing so well before Christmas and was 2 pound away from my stone award I’m back up to 8 pound lost, 8 pound in 17 weeks is rubbish, but I’m not giving up. The week that I decided to make these I didn’t go to Weight Watchers and the bad eating carried on for 2 weeks, when I went back to Weight Watchers I had gained 4½ pound! It was well deserved and very easy to do!

Pages 14-45 in the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook muffin cases were used  instead of cupcake cases, with muffin cases this recipe makes 12 and on Weight Watchers they are 10 pro points each. If you were to make them in cupcake cases the recipe would make 18 and the pro points would be 7. I followed the recipe and made 12 in muffin cases.

1 ate 4 of these cupcakes (greedy cow! Haha)


100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g butter, at room temperature
120ml whole milk
1 medium egg
120 Nutella
36 whole hazelnuts to decorate

Frosting
250g icing sugar, sifted
80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
25ml whole milk
80g Nutella

12 silicone cases or a 12 hole tray

Makes 12 cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 170’C (325’F) Gas 3.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric whisk with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture, beating well until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add the egg and beat well (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cold, hollow out a small section in the centre of each one and fill with a dollop of hazelnut and chocolate spread. (the cute outs are lovely with a bit of nutella on them!)

Frosting
Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to a slower speed. Slowly pour in the milk, then when it is all incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Stir in the hazelnut and chocolate spread by hand until evenly mixed into the frosting. When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the frosting on top and finish with 3 hazelnuts per cupcake. Voila!

This recipe said to use muffin cases instead of cupcake cases which are a little bigger, however next time I make these I will use cupcake cases because I prefer my cupcakes to be a little deeper in sponge!



Nom Nom Nom!