Summer to Autumn Golden Goddess

 This is what it consists of....


I start with applying THE ERASER EYE concealer from Maybelline under my dark circles and around my nose where I get redness, I blend this simply with my fingers as I find it works the best this way. I do not bother with any other base face products as this is a low coverage and almost a quite natural make up look in my opinion. 

Next up I sweep the BOURJOIS CHOCOLATE BRONZING POWDER over the cheeks, temples of the forehead and a little in the contours. This then gives me a healthy glow as it gives off a sun kissed feel. To top this off I use SUNBEAM by Benefit which is a liquid golden highlighter, I dab a small amount on the tops of my cheek bones which catches beautifully in different lights. 


Onto eyes I keep it pretty simple by just applying HALF BAKED from the naked 1 pallet all over the lid with a base shadow brush. I then draw a thin line along the lashes using my number 1 favourite eye liner MASTER PRECISE and also a generous coat of THE FALSIES mascara both of which products are from Maybelline. 

To finish the look off I use Kiko's SMART LIP PENCIL 700 and line my lips carefully. On top is Mac's satin finish SISS.


Transitioning from summer to autumn is one of my favourite times and this is my go to, safe make up option. I love the golden aspect to everything and as I feel my tan slowly fading I bump up the bronzing factor therefore making me miss it less. A bit of a cheat but it looks good and works! 

Thank you for reading once again, 

Love A LITTLE LIFE BLOG 

Boosting Breakfasts

Avocado and smoked salmon on ryvita 

This is my go to post work out breakfast as it contains delicious healthy fats from the avocado and protein from the smoked salmon. The 2 ryvita crispbreads come in at a total of 74 calories therefore making this healthier and less calorific than bread. I also find it reduces bloating and all in all is lighter on the stomach. 

Yogurt with homemade granola and berries 

To be honest this is probably my favourite type of breakfast, I use low fat greek yogurt and the granola is homemade and tastes so darn good if I may say so myself! I have recently done a blog post on how I make it so maybe you should go try it out? (link) What fruit I use varies on what I have in my fruit bowl or fridge but on this day I went for my classic choice of berries! Bish, bash, bosh into a bowl and eaten up. 

Bran flakes topped with banana 

Banana's have so many health benefits therefore taking one in in the morning gives you a healthy head start. It can give you a dose of potassium as well as lowering blood pressure and much more. Boring bran flakes are topped nicely with a chopped up banana as it gives the meal a sweet taste. This is definitely one of the quickest and very enjoyable. 

creativity.

When I am bored I like to doodle, play on my ukulele and attempt to write a song expressing my feelings; listen to music, edit photographs taken previously, experiment with different art mediums... This is something I've recently noticed. 

Does this mean I'm a creative person? 

To be honest I would like to think I was but why is CREATIVITY mainly associated with the artistic type?





I looked up the defintion of 'creativity', it says: the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.





And the synonyms: inventiveness, imagination, imaginativeness, innovation, originality, individuality, artistry, expressiveness, inspiration, vision, creative power, creative talent, creative gift, creative skill, resourcefulness, ingenuity, enterprise. 

Okay yes from the definition it suggests to create something with imagination however when you dig deeper and look into the bigger picture (which is what the synonyms do) it is highlighted that creativity is about your individuality and you as the person you are today, tomorrow and next week. 

ITS ABOUT YOU. > . > . > . > . > . > . > . > .

Don't shy away from situations you may feel less confident or uncomfortable in. As humans we worry of being judged and in this context it maybe due to a lack of skill. Let your personality shine. 

This doesn't just go for being creative... It can be used in any context. 

I was inspired to write this when my friend questioned herself and her creative ability. I wanted to show her what hopefully I have shown you today. 

and that's the end of another...

LITTLE LIFE BLOG 

x

Lake Garda- Italy

I want to move here. I came for a week to Torbole which is at the end of the lake, if there is an end? We came for a little holiday, a little get away I suppose and for the short time we were there I have completely fallen in love with the place. The whole town feels like a community and its pretty petite which I love. I am going back for sure one day!

  There are...

beautiful views

fun watersports

 And delicious food!  


A very photo heavy blog post from

A LITTLE LIFE BLOG 

Mixed Nut and Quinoa Granola

To be fair I can not take credit for this recipe although I did adjust it to make it how I like it so I guess it is kind of different? Anyways I thought this is a definite one to share amongst all of you as its pretty quick, easy, healthy and most importantly... delicious! 

To make it you will need:
100g uncooked quinoa (cooked for the method) 
75g cashews 
75g sunflower, pine and pumpkin nut mix 
75g pecan and hazelnut mix 
75g almonds (I used flaked)
75g dried cranberries
1 tablespoon honey 
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Lightly (olive) oiled baking tray

Obviously you can change it up to your liking, this could be done by adding a different spice or changing the dried fruit to something more exotic maybe? Your granola, your decisions. 


The simple method: 
1. Preheat your oven to 175 degrees 
2. Into a food bag put some of the larger nuts and with a rolling pin crush them to smaller sizes, however if you would like to keep your nuts whole skip this step
3. Mix all ingredients in with the cooked quinoa 
4. Evenly spread your mixture onto the lightly oiled tray 
5. Pop the tray into the oven for 6-10 minutes, until golden brown 
6. Take out oven and leave until completely cool
7. Put into a jar or container and then enjoy! 


I personally think it tastes best with yoghurt and fruit however you can also eat it with milk as a morning cereal. 


If you make it let me know and that just about finishes me up with yet another, 

LITTLE LIFE BLOG...

Capturing With The Forgotten

Capturing moments do not need to be done using the latest technology all the time. This summer I went on an educational trip to Sri Lanka volunteering and helping various communities for 3 weeks. Of course I took a digital camera however in addition I also took 3 disposable cameras. I remember using them when I was in primary school on school trips, taking mug shots of friends or accidental ones of the floor...

However nowadays I believe I am more careful and selective on what I decided to take a photograph of as only having 27 pictures on each camera limits me.

It is so nice to have print outs straight away and although the whole process may cost you a little more I definitely think its worth it! Some thing I also found is that by the time I come to getting them printed I've already forgotten what things I took photos of in the first place. This therefore is a surprise and in my case it triggered many forgotten memories. 

The actual photographs themselves are surprisingly really good quality, in my case sometimes I forgot to turn the flash on therefore they came out a little dark so you just need to be aware of your surroundings and the time of the day. Otherwise I was so happy with the results and I am just on my way to putting them in a scrapbook and some in frames. 


See... some old and forgotten things are in fact some of the best things...

That's it, another

LITTLE LIFE BLOG 

Dressing Table Bits

After recently getting my room re-decorated and designed I have decided one of my favourite aspects of it is my dressing table. I spend a decent amount of time here carefully doing my make up, choosing and putting on jewellery and generally getting ready for the day. Therefore I thought I would share it
with all you lovely people.

It consists of my jewellery box...

The box itself is from Muji, I love their storage! The elephant and sausage dog ring stands were both gifts so unfortunately I don't know where they are from but they are pretty darn cute in my opinion!

Next up I have my no7 mirror which was from boots, it is great as it has a light ring surrounding the outside of it in addition to it being double sided, one is magnified whereas the other is normal therefore making applying make up and plucking my eyebrows super easy. 

My eye brushes pot is just a jam jar which is a good alternative to buying yourself a proper, possibly expensive shop bought one. Having said that my face brushes pot is also from Muji in addition to my make up storage. This is just 2, 2 shelf storages stacked on top of each other. Finally I have my 'intimately Beckham' perfume kept on the top. 






My dressing table is from IKEA along with the stall.
   In my draws I keep quite a bit of rubbish but also I have some useful stuff like deodorant, nail varnish, make up wipes ETC..... However also the rubbish is like reseats, lose change and broken pens? 




THANKS FOR READING, ITS JUST ANOTHER

LITTLE LIFE BLOG.

The 5 Series- The 5 Accessories

Accessorising to me is like putting a cherry on the top of a cake. It finishes off an outfit. It is the final piece. So today I will be sharing with you my top 5 accessories... enjoy! 

Okay, so number one is the most obvious probably. 

Jewellery:

These two pieces are from uk.accessorize.com/ and they have been my go to items recently. I am loving the new gold range at the moment in store and online. The ring has a pop of colour in the middle and it is a statement once on as it is rather big which I am very fond of. The necklace is so pretty and elegant, I love the design of it with the cut outs and it just sits at a perfect length on my chest. 

Watch:

I do not know about you but I can not leave my house without wearing a watch. Just the fact of not knowing the time makes me anxious. This one from unlisted has been my favourite for a few months now and it is carrying on to be. It's something about the rose gold that makes me love it 10 times more. The watch has a big face which is good and the numbers 12, 4 and 8 are decorated in diamantes which gives it an extra sparkle. 

Bag:

A bag is a definite must for me and having a rucksack is so much more convenient. This is from warehouse and I picked it up in the sale last year. I love the colour of it (light beige) as it goes with practically any outfit. The style is almost like a satchel which I feel is quite unique and I like that about it a lot. It has a handle at the top if I want to carry it or straps for putting it on your back. 

Scarf:

Not only can scarves keep you warm, they also are a fashion piece. Mine was from monsoon and I have had it for about 2-3 years however I still love and wear it a lot of the time. The pattern on it is very vintage in my opinion and the colour is grey/pink/silver (great describing there, haha). 

I wear it all year round... spring, summer, autumn, winter. It is great!  

Hat:

Now I got this hat for Christmas and I already know that I will be wearing this a load! It is black with a black ribbon around the top bit. It is plain and simple which I love and cannot wait to pair it with so many different/boring outfits. Also to be honest it will be good to hide my hair if I am having a bad hair day!

And that's my lot! 

It's just 

Let's Get Healthy This 2015!

Lets all admit it, we have put on a bit of weight over the festive period. All them yummy chocolates and delicious puddings we could not resist... But now it is time for change. Does anyone want to join me? I am doing a no chocolate January to start off. At first it maybe difficult however once you have past the 3 day mark you can do it! I have been doing it for a week already and I can feel a change in me. I am just feeling so much more active and healthy. And that's just from one week!

So imagine after 1 month, you will not only feel healthier, you will be able to see a visible difference in you skin and body shape. Along with that I have started to go out on runs, they are nothing to long or intense however it is something to do and it gets me out of the house.

I don't think I have ever told you but I am a keen road biker and this year it is going to be a little part of my life which has not been there before. I have already planned and decided which road races I would like to take part in and one of which will be my longest ride yet, so me and my dad are going to be doing a lot of training leading up to it. This therefore means that it will be a great opportunity for me to share the sport with you all and what cycling allows me to do and why I enjoy it because it is my sport and what I love. Be sure to see a blog post up about it soon... 

Having an activity you love and can do on a regular basis is great and helps you to stay fit. So try some new ones out and find one for you. 

Food is the biggest part of getting and staying healthy and I am hoping to be sharing with you some new recipes and ideas that I discover or create on here, so look out for those.

It is all about the decisions you make. Whether that is the right one or wrong one is up to you. 

It is a new year, it could be a new you. 

The 5 Series. The 5 Shoes.

I am going to start a series called THE 5 series. Every Sunday for a few weeks I will be posting up with my 5 picks of that certain category. Today's is SHOES. 

Here are my 5 top picks of shoes...

In a girls collection you have to have at least one pair of party shoes... 

THE HEELS

I love these heels from primark, they look really good with any outfit, whether that is jeans or a dress, and can change it from drab to fab. They look and feel like suede however I'm not sure if they actually are. The heels have a peep toe which I like as they do not squish my toes and it's strap around the ankle helps to support me while walking. 

THE CONVERSE

These are every day shoes which you cannot go wrong with. I picked mine up from schuh but you can get them in a lot of stores or online. They are comfy and trendy which is the best part. Having them in the classic colour of white therefore means they go with a lot of different outfits. Although they do get dirty easily I have put mine in the washing machine before and they come out perfect and looking brand new! 

 THE BLACK BOOTS

These are the most worn pair of shoes from my collection. I got mine from debenhams and they are real leather. These have lasted me 2 years so far and they are still showing no sign of ageing. The buckle allows me to tighten or loosen the shoe around my ankle and also I think it adds detail to the boot. I wore these most of winter with jeans and jumpers, whether that was into town or taking the dog for a walk. 

THE QUIRKY ONES

I got these quite recently from tkmaxx and the brand is dolcis. I have not had anything like these before. They are quite chunky and make a statement without being to obvious as they are just a plain black leather. I can see myself wearing these all year round as I believe they will go with shorts and skirts in the summer and on the other hand jeans and trousers in winter.  

THE AZTEC PLIMSOLLS

These I picked up from primark and they are the most comfortable pair of shoes ever! They are just a simple plimsoll shoe with a red and purple aztec print and are easy to just slip on. What I love the most about these and why they are in my top 5 picks is because when I am wearing a boring outfit with no or very little colour I will wear these and it just spices up the outfit. Instead of having a bright and bold top, why not change it to shoes?




That's all.

It's just...