Hearty winter squash soup

So, I go a bit overboard with soups this time of year, but I thought why not share another super tasty recipe! Having picked up some winter squash from the super market I thought it only right to make a Winter Squash soup!

You will need

1 Onion

2 Carrots

A few small potatoes

Winter squash of any form ( Pumpkin, butternut squash etc)

Vegetable stock

Seasoning ( Salt, Pepper & Coriander)

How to

Chop & fry your onions 

Chop and boil all your veg and squash

Drain the water and add all the veg to your stock mix

Simmer until soft

You can either leave your soup lumpy or blitz it up in a blender

Season to taste

Serve with some thick chunky bread and butter

ENJOY :)

Drugstore Autumn makeup must-haves

Not only does autumn bring us hot chocolate and candles, but also, beautiful makeup.

Autumn gives us the chance to experiment with deep, dark romantic tones as well as warm autumn leaf colours. Here are some of my favourite products for autumn. 

Barry M nail paint in Cappuccino, Berry Cosmo & Raspberry

After completley finishing my bottle of Berry Cosmo last year I bought a brand new bottle for this winter, I also added to my collection Raspberry, its a very pretty berry tone with a hint of red- its beautiful. For more casual days I love to wear Cappuccino, it goes with everything!

I really enjoyed the Maybelline Colour Drama lip pencils last year, they work as a lipstick and are thick and easy to use! They last a really long time and I cant wait to get some use out of them again this year!

Bourjois eyeshadows are beautiful any time of year, but I particularly love them in the winter because they are so shimmery. This one in burnt orange is one of my favourites, its very autumnal and suits my eye colour perfectly! 

Kate, by Rimmel, shade 107, amongst a few others below this one is a firm favourite! It has a berry, red tone with a beautiful shine! The mix of purple and red in this means it suits most people - Love this! 

 What are your makeup staples for Autumn!?

Wedding planner, Dress fitting & Princess shoes

“But they say if you dream a thing more than once, it’s sure to come true…”

Wow, September was one hell of a busy month and here we are already in October, my blog feeling massively neglected. With just seven weeks to go until the wedding I am completely rushed off my feet with exciting tasks and bridal duties, dress fittings, table planning and more cutting, sticking and stamping than the royal mail does at Christmas.

To manage my time better and avoid being stressed I have made a six week monthly planner, which takes me right up to the week before my wedding! All I did was created a table on word, 7x6 to create my week to week day to day itinerary , it’s really great because I have enough space in the boxes to fill in as much or as little as I want and I’m not restricted like a normal diary. It also means I have everything right in front of me, as a visual learner I find this is the best way to get organised, I don't have to flick through numerous diaries or my calendar on my phone - fingers crossed I wont double book anything! 

The first week on my wedding planner has been so enjoyable and full of all the exciting bridal things that I have been looking forward to from the start. My bridesmaids have been having their dress fittings, I have raided Hobby craft for my home-made wedding bits and bobs and also had my hair trial and dress fitting! I have to say my dress fit me absolutely perfect and after trying it on with my shoes and Veil Its starting to feel very real. Also, I cant go into too much detail but I have Princess shoes! <3

Autumn, things to do on a budget

As we are finally starting to creep into autumn/winter I thought I would share some of my favourite things to do this time of year, on a budget. It’s not as easy to keep yourself entertained on a budget when it’s pouring with rain out or cold, but if you can face some of the more brisk weather there is plenty of great things to be done this time of year.

Explore the countryside and national parks

This time of year is particularly beautiful in woodland areas and parks. Why not visit your local national trust area, or get a membership online and travel to somewhere new. Explore amazing woodland trials, walk through towering beeches and ancient oaks and enjoy the tranquil areas bursting with autumn colours and wildlife, a yearly membership starts from just £30.

Homemade Hot chocolate and winter pudding

Why not have a go at making some homemade hot chocolate or your favourite winter pudding? I can’t resist Rhubarb crumble and custard this time of year! Here’s a Hot chocolate recipe to try, pop your feet up and watch a movie with this and your cosy winter evening is complete!

Real hot chocolate, made with dark chocolate and whole milk. It’s like drinking chocolate pudding.

You will need

· 8 ounces, weight Chocolate (preferably Dark)

· 3-½ cups Whole Milk

· ½ cups Heavy Cream

· 3 teaspoons Maple Syrup Or Natural Sweetener Of Choice
· 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

· ⅛ teaspoons Salt

Instructions

1. Chop chocolate very finely.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring milk and cream to a low simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally.

3. Add chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Whisk vigorously until all of the chocolate has melted. Cook for an additional 4 minutes, whisking constantly.

4. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.


Pumpkin Carving

Halloween is almost here, why not grab a Pumpkin from your local supermarket and get creative! If it's a bit too early for Halloween festivities why not just use the seasonal fruit for some baking! Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin soup, the list goes on! I can't wait to start some festive baking!

Movie night

There's nothing better after a cold autumn day than having a movie marathon, scary movies are particularly good this time of year, or why not just re-watch your favourite Harry Potter films! They're sure to get you in the winter mood!

Charity shop books

Take a trip to your local charity shop and grab a selection of books to keep you busy on the cold days & nights! With books usually starting at £1 , you could be kept busy all winter. You can read in your local coffee shop with a hot beverage or just at home in comfy clothes!

Winter walks & cycling

On a nice day, autumn can be beautiful with clear skies and crisp days. Make the most of it by visiting a new city, local forest or even cycle to your local pub for some wholesome winter grub! Why not grab some mulled wine or cider whilst your at it!

Saturday fun, Pret a Manger & Winter pillows

I love having Saturdays off. I love to potter around, in the hustle and bustle, eat lunch have coffee then chill.

We popped to the local garden centre in search of pretty candle holders for the wedding, unfortunately there was nothing we liked. However, they were starting to put their Christmas displays up! (gets excited)

It was a really beautiful day so we had lunch in Pret a Manger! I had Miso soup & some fresh grapes, Liam had a Brie, Bacon and pear baguette with crisps. After lunch we pottered around the shops, doing a bit of window shopping, but also purchasing a new Autumn pillow to add to my collection! It's from Matalan, I love it.

Over dinner we chatted weddings, 8 weeks to go, we think we may have conquered our seating plan! Words can't explain how great that feeling is!

Happy weekend!

:)

Doing my own wedding makeup, Harry Potter & Winter jumpers

Am I the only person who is a Pumpkin Spiced Latte Virgin? Well today I lost my virginity and it was bloody good. I have always stuck to my winter Hazelnut Hot Chocolate, but today I thought, why the hell not!? 

I also have just begun purchasing and testing makeup for my wedding day! With 9 weeks to go I had finally decided I wanted to do my makeup myself. I have always been a lover of high - end makeup and I have been super worried about it looking right on the day, so I thought I would attempt to do it myself! So off we went on a search to find the nicest products out there for my big day! I ventured, alongside one of my bridesmaids to Jolly's in Bath, it has a really large variety of all your high end brands so we picked up some testers from Chanel and Giorgio Armani and also picked and purchased my eye-shadows from MAC! We also popped to Space NK, for everything Jolly's didn't have but mainly, Hourglass and Laura Mercier!Although I had a rough idea of the products I wanted, I think it was definitely worth while visiting the shops and testing the products out, some we're even better than what I had seen online. I've also got some testers of things for home too as its important I can see whether the products are long lasting and suit my skin. The main bonus of doing my makeup myself is I get to keep all the beautiful makeup after :) <3

Whilst in Bath I also had a nose in Primark, I found a great winter jumper ( yes, another jumper ) but I couldn't resist. It's so festive and autumnal, but not too Christmassy! I also picked up a Harry Potter T-shirt to wear at universal next year! I might wear it as a PJ top until then! 

:)

Dads 50th - Southampton, Starbuck's & The Queen Mary 2

My dad turned 50 last week! He's not one for big parties and flashy presents, so me and my brother decided to take him out for the day. Our first stop on arriving in Southampton was of course for coffee. My dad is a huge fan of Starbuck's, so we popped there had a natter and sampled from their new Autumn takeaway cups ( best thing ever )! <3

We did some window shopping in Southampton's huge West Quay shopping centre, then took a stroll down to the water front. Southampton is a well known ferry port, in particular ferries to the Isle of white, but also huge cruise ships port there! We we're lucky enough to see the Queen Mary 2! I have to say I've never been particularly interested in ships, but this was definitely worth seeing! Ofcourse, we took some selfies!

We finished the day with a yummy Sunday roast! 

Happy Birthday Dad!

 <3

Autumn homeware, for every budget.

Autumn/Winter home-ware has to be my favourite. Shops are full of vibrant, warm colours. An array of different fabrics and wool fill the stores and you really can mix and match patterns from floral to checked.  

I have been browsing in stores and online to find some really great pieces that I would love to spruce up my home ready for winter.

From top to bottom.

1. H&M Tealight, in Bronze, £2.99

I love pretty tealights and think this one would look perfect on the fireplace in winter. It would add a warmth and sparkle to the room. I love the colour.

2. Deer Pillow, Tesco, £10

I love anything animal related most of the year, but I love deer in the winter. This pillow is simple and could mix with any colour scheme!

3. George Asda pillow collection, From £6

I really love George home at the moment, their colours for Autumn/Winter are really beautiful! The whole range feels really rustic and homely. 

4. Moose ornament, George Tundra range, £20

Although this is a bit pricey for Asda I think this would look beautiful on my bookshelf!

5. H&M moss knit blanket in Green, £39.99

There's nothing better than a throw in the winter, personally you can never have enough. I love this colour, and material and think this would be a great edition to my collection!

6. H&M cotton rug, £19.99

I love this effect on rugs, I already have a few at home!

7. Next home, Christmas pillow, £15

Ok, so this isn't appropriate all winter, but I think its amazing! I will have to get this for when we get our Christmas tree! 

8. Next home throw, checked tartan, £79

A bit pricey, but great quality and very seasonal. I can imagine being sat on the sofa with the fire on with candles and fairy lights feeling very festive!

9. Pendant shade Tesco home, £15

So, this isn't specifically for Autumn/Winter, but I really want some for our dining room. I love having low lit lighting and love the design of these! They are a bargain and come in a variety of colours too! Go tesco!

10. Woven baskets, Sainsbury's home, £10

These nest of baskets are adorable, I would use the biggest one for my throws and the smaller ones for the bookcase for bits and bobs! 

11. Pillow, Tesco home, £12

I love deep plum colours in winter and think this pillow is really lovely! I think mixing and matching pillows in the winter is way nicer than having them all co-ordinate!

12. Throw, Tesco, £15

For a more budget throw, I thought this was great, Its a lovely colour and texture and would look great on any sofa due to its neutral colour!

I cant wait to get my home spruced up for Autumn, plenty of candles and fairy lights and an abundance of throws and cushions! 

What winter style are you going for in your home!?

Beautiful Butternut Squash Soup

There's nothing better than some home-made soup as the colder months creep up on us, so I thought I would get some practice in!

This soup was really filling and full of flavour, it was pretty delicious - If I do say so myself!

Here's how I did it...

                                                                     You will need

Low calorie cooking spray

1 Onion, Peeled and diced

1 Butternut Squash, Peeled and cut into wedges

1 Small potato, peeled and quatered

2 Garlic cloves, diced

900ml Vegetable stock

Thyme, sprinkled

Salt and Pepper, for seasoning

How I did it

Spray a large pan with your light spray

Add the diced onion and cook for 2 minutes

Add the Butternut Squash and Potato and leave for another 2 minutes

Add the garlic and seasoning, to taste

Pour in the stock and leave for 25 minutes

Blend using a food processor or hand blender, sprinkle some Thyme 

Serve

:)

Let me know if you tried this recipe

Please share any other great soups!

A cold September morning

I'm not sure about anyone else, but today has really felt like the start of the cold winter months. For what is only early September, I felt surprisingly cold as we walked up to the town- I would have happily worn my coat and a scarf.

We popped to the local monthly farmers market, which we both love. The smell of fresh hot baps and pork and stuffing rolls filled the air, the hustle and bustle of locals rummaging around the stools and tasting homemade chutneys and cheese really made today feel like winter. I tempted myself away from the fresh Hobbs House bakery bread and lardy cake which was extremely hard, but treated myself to a hot chocolate in the coffee shop, which by this point was very needed as I was SO cold.

I chose the traditional hot chocolate, 'skinny'- with skimmed milk- which I prefer as it makes the hot chocolate less heavy:)

Now for an afternoon of films on the sofa before my night shift tonight!

Happy Saturday!

What have you been up to!?

10 Facts you didn't know about me...

We share so much over the internet now, whether its on Facebook, Twitter or here on our blogs. Snapchat, Tumblr and Instagram join the many platforms available for us to share every detail about our lives. So here are 10 random things I probably haven't shared on the internet...

1. I can confess I have only just started watching 'Breaking Bad' - totally missed the bandwagon, but we have had the boxset four days and were already on series 2- LOVING IT

2. If I was a boy I was going to be called Luke

3. I am not a fussy eater, but I hate Swede. My Dad used to flatten it into a pizza and try to make me eat it slice by slice. It wasn't very convincing

4. I have one tattoo & no current piercings

5. I have never broken any bones, although I came close once when I slammed my finger shut in a door!!

6. I am very sentimental and love to keep things that remind me of happy times

7. The first film I watched at the cinema was Pocahontas

8. I was a vegetarian for about four years through my early teens. It was part rebellion, part hatred for animal cruelty but I gave in to a KFC. I do still really enjoy using the Quorn substitutes in my meals though.

9. I would happily trade TV for films, I could watch films all day long!

10. I have never learnt to Ski , but I would really love to!

<3

Breakfast, Rose tea & Chill day

Good morning,

It's few and far between that I have a day with no plans and no to-do list in site. I would usually be up, out of bed and at the gym but today I have given myself the day off. 

A day in comfy clothes, with plenty of books and of course plenty of tea.

The most important meal of the day

How do you like your eggs in the morning!?

This morning I had Eggs on toast, accompanied by some spinach! 

Now for some tea!

I chose some Rose Tea this morning from my lovely new teapot! Rose Tea is my favourite new find of this year! Its refreshing and full of flavour yet not to sweet! It also smells like sweet sweet roses! <3

Have a lovely day! Drink plenty of tea, its almost Friday!

:)

Hello September,

Summer is over, sadly, but I welcome September with excitement! In typical British style our summer has been pretty drab and dreary and we have taken every attempt on a hot day to wear as little clothing as possible and spark up BBQs, but this has certainly been few and far between this year. With this in mind I am quite happy to say goodbye to summer and get excited for what the next few months has in store for us! 

Here’s a look back at some of my favourite memories of Summer 2015.

Bring on wool blankets, mulled wine and hot chocolate.

West Midland Safari Park

Croyde/Woolacombe

Woolacombe

Croyde <3

Life Goals - The sound of music

Bristol Zoo

Longleat Safari

Birthday fun

Friends!

More Croyde

Balloon Fiesta

BBQs

My birthday #23

Besties!

New car!

Family <3 #75

Bella at prom

Fairwell Summer '15