28 February 2014

Things That Make You Go Oooooo (February 2014)


February may be the shortest month of the year but it always seems to be the most productive, for me anyway. I've got so much done this month and put plans into action, I even booked tickets for my summer holiday in Thailand! I've been so busy this month that I'm more than ready to enjoy some "me time" in March and hopefully catch up with friends, as nice as it is to be productive and get things done there should always be time for a little fun and relaxation.

 Who to Fall in Love with First: 6 Ways to Love Yourself

 Make This: Paper Flower Hair Accessory DIY

 HELP! I’ve Fallen Out of Love With my Blog

 61 Quotes That Will Make You Feel Beautiful

 The Girl Code: What Are The Rules For Women?


 Party Planning: A Valentine’s Day Girls Brunch

 XOXO Heart Clutch DIY

 10 Things to Refresh Your Relationship with Exercise

 We Live in Public (and the end of empathy)

 Help! I Judge EVERYONE!


 Forming Healthy Habits: 3 Tiny Choices That Create Huge Change

 26 Things A Hen Party Can Teach You About Friendship

 10 Creative Rituals You Should Steal

 5 Ways I Stay Healthy While Kicking Ass at Work

 How to Start a Video Blog or Vlog


 25 Pictures That Will Make You Believe In True Love

 13 Rules for Being Alone and Being Happy About It

 5 Ways to Declutter: Conquer Clutter Before It Conquers You

 Why I labelled Saturday Loneliness Day

 You Are a Canvas






Love & Cupcakes
Cate
xoxo

25 February 2014

Adventure Time in Iceland: Waterfalls, Geysers & Tectonic Plates


I'm completely in love with Iceland's beautiful scenery and I've been lucky enough to visit quite a few beautiful places on this planet but I think Iceland definitely ranks high on the list of most beautiful I've seen so far so we made time on this trip to visit some of Iceland's most popular natural wonders starting with Gullfoss




I've been referring to this place as the Prometheus waterfall but apparently that one is in the north but Gullfoss is still as epic, so beautiful encased in all that snow and ice it almost seems surreal, the trek down that icy staircase, freezing cold winds and temporary loss of feeling in my fingers were totally worth the view!




Next stop a visit to see Strokkur one of the few geysers in the world that erupts and lucky for us quite regularly, we timed it to go off about every 5 mins although while we were standing there it did a double eruption, it really was an amazing sight and a great reminder of just how magical and awesome nature is.




We ended our "Golden Circle" tour with a trek through Iceland's rift valley and actually saw where the Eurasian and North American plates meet which is pretty damn cool when you think about it, you can actually go scuba diving between them to although it was probably a bit to chilly to do that when we were there.


Iceland is so beautiful in the winter time but I would love to go back in the summer and see everything in colour, there is just so much natural beauty and amazing wonders to see there I hope I get the chance to visit again one day.

Snow Shoes & Hot Tubs
Cate
xoxo

20 February 2014

Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Review


The search for that perfect yet affordable foundation can be hard, I currently use several different ones depending on how my skin is feeling or what time of year it is and I also like to get a bit more out of my foundation which is why I often use BB cream instead, so when I was approached to test Maybelline's new SuperStay Better Skin foundation with its vitamin enriched formula that claims it will give you a better looking skin in 3 weeks I thought I'd give it a go.


Honestly the claims of it giving better skin in 3 weeks I don't buy, in my experience drinking lots of water and a healthy diet is the key to better skin, but that being said it didn't make my skin any worse and actually did make my skin feel and look good. The foundation glides on smooth and feels light on the skin giving you a nice even coverage which covers up any redness or blemishes you may have. I used this in Iceland in extreme cold and it did a really great job of covering up my cold red nose which lasted without primer almost the whole day!


I suffer from extremely dry skin around my nose sometimes and foundation can often exacerbate this but I found using this worked pretty well at keeping my skin hydrated despite it giving a powdery finish, although my dry skin was still noticeable it did a great job of covering it without it looking too obvious and because of the matt finish I didn't need to use any powder on top.


I'm definitely impressed with the results and for £8.99 it's something affordable that in my opinion rivals the more higher end brands, you also get a great amount of product for the price as a little of this goes a long way so it's worth trying out and something I will most definitely continue to use.

Love & Lipstick
Cate
xoxo


*Disclaimer: Although this product was given to me for free for the purpose of a review the thoughts and comments expressed are entirely my own.

19 February 2014

Dog Sledding in Iceland


Dog sledding has been something I have wanted to do for the longest time so on my return to Iceland I made sure I booked myself a lesson. I absolutely adore dog and Huskies are my favourite so I was super excited to go see these adorable wolfies even though it was 17 below freezing and one of the coldest days that Iceland had experienced in a while.


Luckily the dog sled team provided us with some thermal suits for extra warmth, I was already wearing several layers but I wasn't going to refuse another one that day, once suited up we were then taken out to meet the dogs.


They had different varieties of Sled Dogs at the center, Greenland Dogs, Huskies, Malamutes and some puppies which I think were a mix of Pointer and Spaniel, if you couldn't already tell I'm a bit of a dog nerd and the guys at the center both found this amusing and impressive, you can thank my childhood obsession with Puppy in my Pocket for that!


I loved these dogs so much they were so friendly and the huskies howling and "talking" was the best thing ever, one of the reasons I love huskies is because they're so chatty (anyone remember Mishka). We were then given brief instructions on how to harness the dogs and then got to work suiting them up.


After harnessing up all the dogs we then attached them to the "sled", as there wasn't much snow we used a trolley instead of an actual sled but it was still dog powered and man are those doggies strong. I was taught some simple instructions in Inuit to give to the dogs then it was my turn to drive the sleigh, which was SO much fun!


I imagine doing it on an actual sleigh would be much more challenging as you've got the added problem of trying to keep yourself balanced and upright but on the trolley I found it relatively simple (this coming from someone who can't drive) and I would love so much to do it again.


Our sled dog trainer seemed to be quite impressed with how I handled the dogs and I was so in love with them at this point I could have spent the whole winter with them so when he mentioned that I maybe should think about applying for a job next winter I totally gave it some serious thought...


So who knows maybe I'll be spending next winter living with huskies in the land of ice and fire, it seems hard to imagine but after my day dog sledding with these cuties how can I resist.

Dog Cuddles & Snow Angels
Cate
xoxo

15 February 2014

Inspirational Quotes #47

"I think I am naturally attracted to things that are a little bit out of this world."
- Christina Ricci

13 February 2014

D.I.Y. Tutorial: The Walking Dead Daryl Dixon Inspired Winged Vest

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Vest

Daryl Dixon is one of my fave characters from The Walking Dead and ever since saw his angel winged vest back in season 2 I have wanted to make my own. It took me a long time to get round to making this vest because of my seemingly endless search for the perfect vest but I finally found one (from Forever 21) and now "Project Dixon Wings" is complete I'm going to show you how I made mine and how you can make one to.


I used this bad ass photo of Norman Reedus by Terry Richardson as a base to trace out the wings, then scanned the sketch, cleaned it up and resized it so I had a template to work with, you can use my sketch alternatively there are some other wing designs or if you're feeling extra artsy you can sketch out your own.


Once I was happy with the design I did a few test prints to make sure I got the sizing right for my vest then you can either use the stencil method to paint on your wings which I used to make my Direwolf Jacket or you can draw them on or use transfer paper to iron the template onto the fabric which is my preferred method as I found it much easier and quicker. Pro tip if you use transfer paper remember to mirror your design otherwise your wings will be the opposite way round and remember to read the instructions as different paper brands can give different results.


I then went over the print with a fabric pen to make the outline stand out more and add detail then once I was happy with the results. I cut out the wings leaving a 1cm border (just to prevent any fraying) and ironed them to seal in the ink. I prefer using fabric pens as they're easy to use and give a great results but there are lots of other options you can use, personally I would've loved to embroider the outline of my wings but my sewing skills aren't that good yet...


At this point your wings are pretty much done but to give my wings a fun "realistic" effect I decided to cut a few of the feathers out, to do this I just used a smaller pair scissors, made a small incision and cut carefully around the outline. There are other fun things you can do to make your wings look more worn and Daryl-esque but I decided to keep my wings clean and wear them in naturally. 


Another thing I did to give the wings more strength and keep them rigid was to give them an extra layer of fabric by just using fabric glue to stick them back onto the fabric. I also made sure any feathers I cut out didn't stick back onto the fabric and applied some glue around the edges of them to prevent fraying and make them extra rigid. I then allowed the glue to dry overnight and cut the wings out again leaving a small border around them just to prevent fraying.


There are a few options you can use to attach your wings onto your vest, you can use fabric glue or iron them on or sew them on. I decided to sew mine on as I thought it would be more longer lasting and durable than gluing. To begin I first pinned the wings into place, tried on the vest and checked in the mirror to see if my placement was correct, then went through this process a few more times until I was happy I had them in the right position.


I used the outline as a guide to sew on the wings, pro tip make sure you use a strong needle to go through all those layers of fabric as I managed to break mine the first time! Before I started on the second wing I checked the placement first to make sure it was still symmetrical as the fabric can move quite a bit whilst sewing then re-pinned and tried it on to make sure everything was looking good before sewing that one on to.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Vest
And it's done!

Who is your fave character from The Walking Dead be sure to let me know in the comments
Zombies & Crossbows
Cate
xoxo

08 February 2014

Valentines Day Spicy Chocolate Wine Soup


Valentines Day is next week so what better way to show someone you care that a hearty stew to warm the heart of your special someone. Now I know you're thinking soup isn't very romantic so I added a special ingredient to make it a bit more luxurious, chocolate wine! Just trust me on this one it adds such a great depth and richness to the soup that you are sure to impress with your awesome cooking skills.


Ingredients

  • 200g mince beef
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 peppers
  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 parsnips
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1 can of mixed beans (180g)
  • 1 carton of chopped tomatoes (370g)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 cup chocolate wine
  • 2/3 cup of water
  • Salt & pepper to taste

(Serves 4)

 Dice the garlic, onions and celery then cook on a moderate heat in a saucepan along with the mice beef until brown.

 Dice the peppers then peel and cut the carrots and parsnips into diagonal chunks.

 Add all the remaining ingredients to the saucepan, stir then place a lid on and simmer on a low heat for 15 - 20 minutes until the carrots have cooked

 The soup should be fairly thick but feel free to add more water or stock if you prefer it to be more liquidy.

 Garnish with some coriander or chilli flakes and serve alone or with some crusty bread.

Good Luck
Cate
xoxo

05 February 2014

Daily Outfit: The Walking Dixons


The Walking Dead returns this weekend so I had to dress up to celebrate, I am so excited to see the aftermath of the mid season finale, I won't spoil it if you haven't watched it but OMG WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM!?


If you couldn't tell already Daryl is one of my favourite characters and I've loved seeing him grown and develop into the bad ass he is. I bought "The Walking Dixons" tee whilst in San Diego around the time I also bought this leather vest so I just had to turn it into Daryl's iconic angel wing vest.


♥ Vest - Forever 21 (wings handmade by me)
♥ T-Shirt - Hot Topic
♥ Skirt - River Island
♥ Tights - M&S
♥ Boots - eBay

Are you a fan of The Walking Dead? Let me know in the comments
Angels & Zombies
Cate
xoxo

04 February 2014

New Handmade Designs for Sale


In case you missed it I added a few new items to my Etsy and Storenvy, I just love crafting it completely soothes me and it makes me so happy that others like my creations to, I love seeing pictures of people wearing my stuff and if you have any then please do share them with me and I'll give you a shoutout on my Facebook page.

Mike & Sulley Necklaces
Etsy // Storenvy ♥
Monsters, Inc. is one of my fave Pixar movies and after getting Monsters University for Christmas I was totally inspired to make something fun featuring my favourite monsters. I chose beads that I thought would compliment each of them and created the little charms using figurines I got from blind bags, now I kinda want to make necklaces for the other monsters what do you think?

White Snow Fox Scarf
Etsy // Storenvy ♥
Winter is well and truly here and I wanted to make something a bit special for those snowy days so chose a yarn with some added sparkle which I think adds an extra wintery touch to it and some icy blue buttons for eyes, just a little something to keep you looking cute and warm on those chilly days.


Violet Bunny Scarf
Etsy // Storenvy ♥
I love the colour of this yarn so much and I think it suits the bunny design so well, I've been making these for a while but gave them a mini makeover as the bows I was using previously had been discontinued but nevermind, I think these new bows are just as cute and compliment the violet colour perfectly.

Grey Glitter Bunny Scarf
Etsy // Storenvy ♥
Glitter makes everything better! I wasn't sure exactly what to do with this yarn when I first bough it but I figured everyone loves bunnies and they pretty much look cute in all colours. I didn't want to make this design too busy with the yarn already being glittery so chose a simple silver bow and some grey eyes to bring out the sparkle.

Love Bunny Scarf
♥ Etsy // Storenvy ♥
Valentine's Day is nearly here and I wanted to make something special for the occasion and nothing quite says love and cuddles like a cute bunny. I used a heart print bow and some red roses for that added Valentine's Day touch and thought I would give the bunny blue eyes to add a bit of softness, the perfect "I Love you" gift for that special someone.

Snowflakes & Bunny Hugs
Cate
xoxo