CAKE POPS

Cake pops are one of my favourite types of cakes to make. You can make so many different looking cake pops and you can decorate them to suit any occasion. For Christmas I received a cake pop set and I didn't actually use it until I stumbled across it a month or so ago. I wasn't quite expecting them to turn out so well on my first attempt, but luckily they turned out better than I could have imagined.

Cake pops are quite simple to make, but it is about technique and being precise. Here is how you make the beautiful little pops! 

1) Obviously, the first step is to make a simple cake batter. I made chocolate batter for these cake pops, just to add a bit more chocolate!

2) Next, carefully pop some cake batter into the cake pop moulds and fill it just above the top of casing.

3) Place the other cake pop mould on top and place the mould into the oven. I always place it onto a baking tray before putting it into the oven. 

4) Once they are cooked, after about 20 minutes in the oven, take them out of the oven and place them on the side to cool for about 15 minutes.
5) Once cooled, push the cake moulds around with your finger to loosen the cake from the mould. Then slowly peel the top mould off, making sure to not break any cake pops. Place the cake pops onto a plate and put them into the fridge for a while.

6) Melt the chocolate into two bowls. Get the cake pops out of the fridge and using a cake pop tool, make holes in the center of them for the sticks. 

7) Carefully drip some chocolate into the holes and place the stick into the hole. Place them into the fridge so that the chocolate can solidify. 

8) When they are cooled enough, roll them into the chocolate (melt more if needed) and place them, stick first, into a beaker. Once they are all covered, sprinkle with hundreds and thousands and place in the fridge to harden. 

Tah dah! There you have some very cute little cake pops! 

BLOGGER MEETUP

On Sunday I was very fortunate to be able to meet some of my blogging/YouTube friends in Taunton. We spent a  girly afternoon shopping (who doesn't like a bit of retail therapy?) and sipping teas and hot chocolates in a little independent tea room. As usual, the time went very fast and left us feeling a bit rushed for time and wishing we could forever hold the time still. We all bonded very well and I definitely think there will be a long term friendship between us, despite the distance. We have already thought about a second meet up at some point. It was definitely a day I would re-do over and over again! 

The meetup was arranged by myself and a friend called Emily. I was lucky enough to get some companies to provide some gifts to make a few beautiful little gift bags for the girls. As most of us are quite focused on beauty products, there was a few beauty gifts in the bag, along with the obvious food side of the gift bags.You definitely can't have a goody bag without food goodies! 

The goody bag included: 

Papier Poudre Powdered Paper

Metcalfe's Skinny Popcorn

Dream Dots (for spots)

The question is, would I recommend these products? 

Papier Poudre

When I first used this product, I didn't think much of it. I didn't really understand what it was meant to do and whether it was actually beneficial for my skin or not. However, I have used it since and have found that it has been quite helpful on some of the past humid days we have had when my face became a bit oily. I took a pack around with me in my bag and used it when I popped to the loo while I was out. It quite quickly soaked up the excess oil on my face and I would probably think about purchasing them again. Brilliant for the summer months to remove excess oil on the skin. 

Dream Dots

These dots are the perfect spot remedy to combat redness and reduce the swelling! They are so easy to apply and they remain stuck on for hours and hours. They are also transparent and so do not show up much at all. I have been placing these on every spot I have had appear, and it has reduced them a lot! They leave a sticky residue, but it is easily removed by the after cleanse. Although, they do not completely remove the spot, they reduce it a lot! I would definitely repurchase these. 

Metcalfe's Skinny Popcorn 

I was gifted two types of popcorn - sea salt and sweet 'n' salt. I wasn't at all a big fan of the salt flavour, I have a very sweet tooth. Although, I absolutely loved the sweet 'n' salt flavour. The popcorn itself was delicious too! It was so light and fluffy, full of flavour! However, there was one thing that I noticed. Although they do say 'skinny', I personally wouldn't say they are as 'skinny' as they are making out. Although the calories are low, the fat levels are extremely high for a 25g product. Usually, 5g of fat per 100g is healthy. This pack had 4.8g of fat and 0.4g of that was saturated fat! That is a lot to be claiming that it is 'skinny' popcorn and in my opinion is a bit misleading. But on the other hand, popcorn isn't known as a healthy snack, so obviously the fat level can't be as low as I may have expected it to be. The popcorn tasted good and I guess that is the main thing! 

As I mentioned before, we did go shopping for an hour or so, and of course I bought quite a bit (especially considering I didn't have much money). As I am quite the bargain hunter, always on the look out for sales, I found a few bargains! First I bought the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush, which I have wanted to try for sooo long!! I really don't need any more face masks (I already have two) but I bought it anyway...cheeky! Review coming soon (watch this space)...

We then headed off to do the bargain shopping in River Island, because of course, I spotted a sale! Emily found the two Barry M nail varnish for me and I found some absolutely gorgeous summery shorts! The shorts are one or two sizes too big, but I loved them soooo much that I couldn't resist. I mean, for £6 you can't really go wrong. Orange/peach isn't usually my colour, but I definitely loved these at first sight. I love the over-sized look they give. With a sweet little belt, they look perfect! I cannot wait to do a blog post about them!

I love it when I find a bargain; I spend forever telling everyone about it. But, who doesn't love a bargain? Have you found any bargains recently? Are you a bargain hunter? 

This is a collab post with Emily and you can check her post here

CHANNELING MY INNER BOOKWORM

I must admit that there is one overriding reason that I am so excited about summer; I can finally find my inner book worm! I absolutely love being sat outside in the sun reading an intriguing book, and after all of these exams, it's just what I need. Spending hours sat in a deck chair in direct sight of the blazing sun is just my ideal day. I can spend hours reading books when I have the time. I have to be able to focus every thought into a book, otherwise I just can't get into it. During school terms, I cannot read at all. There's far too much other stressful stuff going on and I can't cope with having to remember someone else's life, along side remembering the events in my life. 

Talking of school, I was speaking to a friend a few weeks back and we were talking about our enticing summer plans and how we are going to go all out. By 'all out' I mean being antisocial, sitting reading books in our garden. But hey, we did say that we might sneak a barbecue in at some point, just to be a bit normal. That counts right? Anyway, we decided that it would be a good idea to recommend books to each other, and all of a sudden this idea sprung into my head. I mean, what else was I going to do with this pot? Leave it lying around being misused? Of course not! It's perfect for this! I decided to make a book raffle pot which contains the names of about 30 books. Every time I finish a book, I dunk my fingers in, shuffle around inside, and pick a new one. I love the idea! Considering I get through about 1-2 books a week in the holidays, I probably won't finish them all, but who's to say that I can't try? 

I know for a fact that it won't be just me that has a long list of books awaiting to be read, when the sun arrives permanently for a few months, (we hope)! Summer isn't just about being out every day. It is about giving yourself some down time too. I definitely know that I need some time to chill and get myself back together before preparing for college and exam results. Exam period is challenging but it's only a few months of our lives and then we get to open the next door in life. I cannot wait to reach my goals!

There are several books in this pot that I have been meaning to read for so long, I just haven't got around to it. There's popular books like Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, but most of all, I am excited about reading the books I have never heard of before! I am always open to a new read, you never know what you might find. 

The books on my list are:

Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon,

Spell Bound and No Humans Involved by Kelly Armstrong 

The Woman's Daughter by Dermot Bolger

A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnerlly 

Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant by Veronica Roth 

The Quick by Laura Spinnery 

Girl, Nearly 16, Absolute Torture by Sue Limb

Are You Afraid Of The Dark? by Sidney Sheldon

Fade Away, Back Spin and Six Years by Harlan Coben

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green 

Massive by Julia Bell 

Watch Your Mouth by Daniel Handler 

Dear Nobody by Berlie Doherty 

Sane New World by Ruby Wax

An Abundance Of Catherines by John Green 

Before I Die by Jenny Downham

The Naked Face by Sidney Sheldon 

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight 

Everything and Nothing by Araminta Hall 

If You Could See Me Now, Thanks For The Memories and Ps, I love You by Cecelia Ahern 

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult 

Ghost Girl by Torey Hayden 

Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman 

Chill Factor by Rachel Caline 

Paradise End by Elizabeth Laird

I am currently half way through reading Sane New World by Ruby Wax (for the second time). I mean, what can I say? If it's an amazing book, why not read it again and again? Oh and also, it's about taming the mind, so it's good for me! 

Do you have a summer book list? Which books would you recommend? 

STAND OUT IN THE CROWD

As a child and a young teenager, I would always follow the fashion trends in the hope of fitting in with the other girls. I always wanted to try my own style, but I never had the courage to be that girl who didn't follow the trend. I always used to look at the girls who were unique and wish I was like them. In fact, I still do that now. I love to see people making their own fashion, it gives me a sense of liberation. It makes me feel like I can be myself and fly free from the comfort bubble of fashion. It gives me proof that I am the only me, and I have the chance to express who I am through what I wear. Thank fully, I wasn't one of those people who spent extortionate amounts of money on shoes and clothes, but I did follow the trends, usually if I liked them. I wish I had allowed myself more freedom as a child, because as your grow older, people find their own fashion anyway. I wish I hadn't made myself follow the fashion, when it wasn't really me.

There have been many events that have shaped who I am today. I am definitely proud of where I have ended up and I am excited about my future. Of course, not everything is perfect and we cannot always have the best of everything. We have to accept that life isn't perfect and that we all go through suffering. But, everything that happens in our life happens for a reason. It may not always be good, but there's always a reason for it. That is something I have believed for the majority of my life, it helps me to accept the bad things that happen to us all.

I guess I decided to write this post to challenge those of you who tend to follow the crowd with fashion. I challenge you to find an item of clothing that you like that isn't necessarily 'in fashion' right now. Wear something that represents you as a person and allow yourself to feel free from the metaphorical ties of fashion. It is the first step in finding your own fashion, and a small part of beginning to find who you are as a person. 

I have to admit that it was a challenge alone to take these pictures. I hate busy places and town is always busy. Taking these pictures meant being in the center of attention for a while, and I really wasn't confident with that. I guess you're wondering why I did it? Well I guess there was two reasons.

One being that I believe that this is one way to gain self-confidence - put yourself into a situation that you don't feel confident with, learn what it is that you aren't confident with and work on that. I also hoped that taking some pictures of myself may boost my self-confidence slightly. I do really like this outfit and I am beginning to accept that I look okay in it; obviously not perfect. I think that is a problem for many people. We want to see perfection, but that is never going to happen. We all have our flaws and we must remember that we manage to manipulate ourselves more than those around us. We see the flaws that no one else would notice.

The second reason is that I wanted to push through to show you all that it is possible to change something. It is because I believe that if I can do something that is out of my comfort zone, you can do it too. I actually managed to enjoy myself as you can see in picture 3 with my little smile seeping through! That is a great achievement for me. We are all amazing people and we can control our lives. We determine our futures and live how we want. It is up to you to change something.

So, this week, do something that is out of your comfort zone. Explore yourself as a person and let yourself be free. And as this cliche saying goes: "Be yourself, because everyone else is already taken."

THE PRICE OF A PROM*

Prom is becoming a very big thing for all teen school leavers in the UK. Each year, the amount that people spend on prom in the UK is increasing significantly. You would be surprised to hear the price of prom for many young teens. As I am in year 11 and have finished my GCSEs, I have just had prom too. I have to admit that it was a lot more 'fancy' and extravagant than I had actually anticipated it being. Ours took place in a very posh hotel with a buffet which consisted of very delicate food. The tables were also decorated very elegantly with wine glasses, a white table cloth and tiny little stars scattered all over the table. It was more jazzy than anything I have ever been to. I felt like a princess for a few hours. We stood out on the balcony with the sun shining down on us all. It was truly beautiful.

I wore a quite plain outfit, not the typical prom dress, but I still felt prom-worthy. I chose not to wear a dress due to the fact that a dress isn't what I wanted. I wanted something pretty but not a dress. On that basis, I decided to get a jumpsuit. Obviously, it is not the traditional thing to do, but I did receive many complements with people saying that they loved it! I definitely felt much more confident in it then I would have in a dress. I guess it is all personal opinion. All that mattered to me was that I was comfortable and content with how I looked.

Prom took up a lot of time before the 'big day', although I didn't faff around with all of the spray tanning and getting my makeup done. On the Wednesday before prom I had my nails done. I had a pink neutral gel nail on my fingers and a similar normal colour on my toes. On Thursday afternoon I had my hair done. I had a little bow with some curls and it was very pretty; small but elegant. My outfit was from Quiz and only cost about £37, which is very cheap for a prom dress. My shoes were from New Look and were about £35, which is also not a bad price. In total I spent about £143 on prom, including the prom ticket. That does seem like an extortionate amount, but I know for a fact now that it is actually quite a small sum compared to others.

Although we all think of the US as the 'big prom leaders', I think that the UK are beginning to catch up. Prom prices are increasing fast and dresses are becoming more glitz and glam. I don't really know if there is a difference between the US and UK proms anymore. Some research from MyVoucherCodes that I came across shows that in the UK, the average price spent on a prom is between £50 and £100. Compared to the US, which is between $75 and $150, this shows that the UK are catching up with them in terms with how much we spend on prom outfits. Along with those statistics it shows that 15% of people in the UK and US spend over £300 and $300 on outfits.

It is just crazy to think how much people will fork out for a prom that lasts a night. This research also found out what prom dresses people planned to buy - 26% wanted designer, 18% wanted a custom outfit and 10% were looking for hand made dresses. I would guess that this is probably why so many girls spend such a large amount of money on prom outfits. Typically, girls tend to spend more on prom than boys. Fake tan, nails, hair and makeup claims half of the money for the girls, while the boys tend to just get a suit and sometimes get their hair done. If you want to read more about this topic, here is the article I used - click here

Although prom can be very expensive, it is definitely one of the most enjoyable and memorable moments to look back on! It is a time that you will never forget. How much would you spend on a prom? What do you think your budget would be?

THE BODY SHOP BASE

If there is one brand I know will never let me down, it is definitely The Body Shop! I am drawn into their products anyway because they do not test on animals (give me a hey for animal equality), but as well as that, their ranges are just beautiful. The Body Shop has been my favourite since a very young age. My Nan actually used to sell their products so I guess I am a bit biased. Anyhow, in the Body Shop, you will never find a product that isn't adapted to benefit your skin in one way. It is the perfect place for all skin types.

Having combination skin, I really struggle with finding decent foundations and skincare products because they just either don't sit on my skin right or just make my skin look especially oily. I can never win, it's a lose-lose situation. I get myself into such a muddle when I can't find what it is I am forever dreaming about.

For example, yesterday I went searching for a prom foundation just to feel a bit more glamorous on the big day, but obviously I couldn't find one I liked. After about 2 hours of searching around the whole of Boots and Superdrug, I ended up in The Body Shop. Tah-dah, of course they had a specific range for my skin type. The lady recommended that I try the BB Cream, and she tried a few products on me. She cleansed my face with the sea weed range (good for combination skin) and it felt so good to have fresh skin and finally have someone who not just knew what she was doing, but also understood my skin type, and my struggles.

I ended up purchasing a very glamorous looking set of base products. They have been nothing but perfect for my skin. I wore all of these products for prom and I received so many compliments. They are all very natural looking and provide an illuminated look.

All-In-One Face Base
The all-in-one face base is one of The Body Shop's most popular make-up products, and I definitely know why! It is even better than the Rimmel Stay Matte powder. I have never changed my powder, once I had discovered the Rimmel one I didn't want to try anymore. However, I can happily say that I have been through a conversion, and I couldn't be more content.

This product is described as 'a foundation and powder in one neat compact.' It can be used wet to make a medium coverage foundation or dry as a powder. This is ideal for my skin because it provides a matte finish which soaks up any extra oil produced by your skin. It is perfect for the summer when we all produce a lot more oil. The formula leaves a very soft feeling base, perfect for those who like the matte look. It also gives a bit more coverage for foundations or bases that don't provide enough.

All-In-One BB Cream
The BB cream is a light formula, white colored with skin colour adapting pigments.  When applied at first it is white, but once rubbed into the skin, it adapts to the skin colour. The BB cream doesn't gather on my skin and adapts to my skin tone perfectly. It is very natural looking because it doesn't have an orange tint, which is just what I was looking for. It leaves an even finish and provides a light to medium coverage, which is perfect for everyday use! This is what makes it so different from many drugstore foundations.

Being a BB cream it is also moisturising and better for your skin than foundations. It claims to provide 24-hour hydration, and I do believe that is true! Even though I get oily parts on my face, I don't find that this BB cream makes me any more oily (like I have found with some). It just gives my skin a healthy glow. I use the powder to soak up any natural skin oil that doesn't look appealing.

All-In-One Concealer
Once again, I am so glad that I came across this concealer. I also have friends who love this concealer, but I wasn't quite sure about paying £8.50 as I only usually use the cheaper Rimmel concealer. I can happily say that this concealer is definitely worth the price. It covers blemishes and spots perfectly. It has a suitably creamy formula which makes it perfect to blend into the skin without clumping or gathering on top of the skin. I found that it lasted for a good 8 hours yesterday. It is not usual to find a concealer that lasts that long. The formula also contains Vitamin E and Marula Oil which is a huge advantage for your skin. It is a super caring formula. It is also a very light-weight but high coverage product. Perfect for all skin types.

All together, I can honestly say that The Body Shop is a brand that I can always depend on, especially with my troublesome skin! When I am having a little panic, I always find what it is I am looking for in The Body Shop. Another advantage is The Body Shop card - I managed to get a £5 free gift in this purchase because I had obtained 4 stamps. That definitely works to entice me back into the store when I am considering going elsewhere. Although I do love The Body Shop, some times I am looking for something slightly different. If you haven't got a Body Shop card, I would recommend that you get one. They are very useful and it's so easy to collect stamps. 

A SUMMER SMOOTHIE!

I have got to admit that smoothies are one of my favourite things about summer...they're so refreshing! I love waking up in the morning, after a long and lazy lie in, grabbing some fresh or frozen fruit and blending it up with a bit of ice cream and milk. It provides the perfect start to a summers day! My favourite smoothie flavour is raspberry, but I have to admit that I haven't tried a large variety as of yet. It is my goal for the summer to try different flavours to find a favourite! I must do it because I can already tell that I am missing out on a whole other world of flavours. 

I made this smoothie the other day. It is a bit different from the usual ones I make, however, it was just as delicious. I used: frozen raspberries and blackberries, blueberry yoghurt, milk and coconut yoghurt! First, I combined the frozen raspberries and blueberry yoghurt and then added a tiny bit of milk just to make it easier to drink and pour. It was a bit like ice cream consistency before I added milk. After, I poured the smoothie into a cup and then topped it off with some coconut yoghurt (it goes really well). I then topped it with a few more raspberries and blackberries. It was delicious!

What smoothie flavours would you recommend? I need to make a list of smoothies to try, so I would really like it if you could recommend some to me! I like most fruits, so some strange combinations would be cool to try! What is your favourite?

P.s. Once again, apologies for not having a regular blogging routine recently. I have been very busy with exams and haven't had chance to write any posts. However, I have plenty planned for the summer, so watch this space!