I first made these cupcakes a few months back near Halloween. Obviously pumpkin is more traditionally a Halloween ingredient but I think the cinnamon and spices in this recipe make the cupcakes deliciously festive, and I've been making batches non-stop for the past few weeks as a Christmassy treat. I honestly think this is the best cupcake recipe I've ever tried - I literally just can't stop eating them! Here's how I made a batch of 12:



Ingredients
For the cake:
- 120g Plain Flour
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
- 240g Unsalted Butter
- 120g Casted Sugar
- 1 1/2 Eggs
- A few heaped tablespoons of tinned pumpkin (I got this from Waitrose if you're struggling!)
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
- Splash of milk

For the icing:
- 120g Cream Cheese
- 30g Butter
- 250g Icing Sugar
- 1 tsp milk
- A few drops of vanilla essence


After that, I added the sugar and beat again for around 2 minutes, before adding the eggs and pumpkin and mixing thoroughly. Next, I added the Vanilla essence and milk and beat on a low speed for another couple of minutes. 

I then popped them in the oven for around 25 minutes.




I took the cakes out after 25 minutes of baking, and checked they were cooked through (prod them with a fork, if it comes out clean you're good!).

Q&A A Day - £10.49 This is such a lovely idea for someone who loves the thought of keeping a journal, but doesn't have the commitment or time to write a long passage every day. Each page has a quick question ranging from 'What is your favourite accessory?' to 'What is your mission?'. The best part is that the journal lasts five years, so you can look back on how your answers have changed.

Sensational Deluxe Gel Starter Kit - £55 I had this last year for Christmas and have absolutely loved using it all year. It's perfect for someone like me who, when using regular polish, chips her nails within five minutes of painting them. I found when I've used this my polish has lasted almost two weeks - and considering how much you pay for one gel manicure in a salon this set is a bargain!

Bunny Rabbit Cotton Wool Holder - £10 I spotted this in Boots whilst Christmas shopping a few weeks back. It's would look adorable on a dressing table and makes something as boring as cotton wool cute!

Meow Christmas Phone Case - £8 Not much needs to be said about this one, it's just so cute, and who can resist a novelty phone case?

Ciate Haute House - £22 This is a lovely little gift set. The packaging is so well thought out and pretty which just makes it so much nicer. The colours are all perfect for the party season and I for one would love to unwrap this!

Polka Dot PJs - £19.99 Pyjamas make the perfect Christmas present, I don't know anyone who doesn't look forward to getting pretty new pjs at Christmas time, and this set is super pretty.

Flamingo Candle - £11 I've only recently discovered Flamingo Candles - and I'm already obsessed. The scents are amazing and the gorgeous packaging makes them a perfect Christmas present. My personal favourite is the Pomegranate and White Fig scent but if you wanted more of a festive choice then Cranberry, Orange & Cinnamon Explosion sounds amazing.

Bleach London Spin the Bleach Bottle - £12 This is such a cool idea, if you know someone who loves experimenting with hair colours this would be the perfect gift.

And, for the boys... 

Grey Knitted Scarf - £20 I think a scarf always makes a great Christmas gift - you know it's something that's definitely going to get a lot of wear living in England.

Magnetic Gadget Holder - £6.99 This is such a clever little idea for someone who struggles to find a phone holder that sits in the right place on the dashboard (trust me, this has been an ongoing complaint from my boyfriend). You stick a magnetic strip on the back of your phone, satnav, or anything else you want on your dashboard, and then stick the 'hub' disc on any surface that takes your fancy.

Wash Bag - £20 For someone who travels or stays away regularly a new wash bag is a really useful gift. This ASOS one is the perfect size for the essentials.

Apple TV - £79 Allowing you to access iTunes as well as the likes of Netflix and YouTube from your TV, this is a popular Christmas gift this year. Half of the reason I want to buy this is because I know I'll get just as much use out of it as him!

Hudson Tan Boots - £110 For the shoe lover these boots would be a great gift. Smart, but not too smart for day time wear, I know a lot of people that would get tons of wear from these.

Wallet - £25 A wallet is a fail-safe gift for men. Something that everyone uses, a new one is always going to be appreciated.

Daniel Wellington Watch - £179 I am literally in love with this watch. It's such a classic style and I know a lot of people who would be seriously pleased to receive this.

Liz Earle for Men Cleanse & Polish - £14.99 Anyone else notice their cleanser being used at double the rate whenever their boyfriend is around? I know I do, so I'm using Christmas as the perfect opportunity to get him his own so I don't have to share anymore!

That rounds up my choice of last minute Christmas gifts, I hope this has made Christmas shopping just that tiny bit easier for some of you!

I started by painting my nails a really pale, almost white shade. I then used a dotting tool (the end of a grip is just as good!) to paint on two dots for eyes, and another underneath for a nose. I then painted on four short lines at the bottom of the nail to form the 'teeth'.

As much as I'm determined to hold on to summer for as long as possible, I can't help but get excited for the colder, autumn weather. I'm definitely a summer person, but autumn has got to be a close second, I love all the excitement surrounding Halloween, Bonfire Night and the run up to Christmas! These are a few bits I've had my eye on for the coming months!

Now for the real world! Congratulations to you if you've graduated this year.

Hello! Long time no blog! I've had a jam-packed month or two in between finishing uni, graduating, applying for jobs, and attending interviews I feel like I've had no spare time at all. On top of all that my laptop decided to give up on me after 3 years, leaving me smuggling my boyfriends laptop home at every chance I get!


Now that it's nearing the end of the summer (boo) I've been gathering my favourite skincare products ready for the change in weather. I don't know what it is, but any major change in temperatures causes havoc with my skin, so this year I'm making sure I'm ready for the cooler climate with these little saviours!

For the past few months my make-up removing weapon of choice has been the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. For a long time I'd been a fan of oil-based make-up removers, and always found myself scrubbing at my make-up with any water-based products. Garnier Micellar Water has completely converted me! My make-up disappears with just a few sweeps of a cotton pad, which makes the cleansing water a perfect choice for lazy make-up removers like myself!

Once a week, or when I feel my skin needs a really deep clean I've been using the Boots Essentials Cucumber 3-Minute Clay Mask. I was SO hesitant to try this, and didn't have high hopes at all. However, I've been very pleasantly surprised by this little tube, for £1.50 it is an amazing product! It leaves my skin feeling smooth, refreshed and squeaky clean and I can see this being a staple in my skincare routine for a long time.

Another line from Boots that I've been seriously impressed with is Botanics. I have pretty dry skin, and whilst I don't have too many problems with spots, the few I do get leave annoying dry patches for weeks. The Botanics Radiant Youth Microdermabrasion Polish has been an absolute saviour whenever my skin gets a little bit dry or dull. The 'grit' is so fine and leaves my skin soft and radiant looking.

After using a mask I like to inject a bit of moisture back into my skin. To do this I've been relying on the Superfacialist Rose Intense Moisture Mask.  I smooth this on, leave for 5-10 minutes and rinse with warm water, leaving my skin soft and nourished. I don't love the scent of this one, but the product is so gentle and moisturising it's worth putting up with for a few minutes!


Surprise Surprise, this was bound to end up in here somewhere, but I honestly think La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+] has changed the texture of my skin completely! It took me a while to get on board with this one, but once I'd used it for a few weeks my skin looked clearer and brighter than ever before! I pop this on every night before I go to bed, and any spots that might be appearing have completely gone by the morning.

I picked this next product up on a complete whim when I was shopping for the Boots Essentials Clay Mask. Everything I have tried from this range has seriously impressed me and the Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel definitely hasn't let me down. I apply this all around my eyes after cleansing and before moisturising morning and night and I've seen a real difference in my under-eye circles, particularly in the morning! This gel really clears up any red-ness and leaves my under-eyes bright and awake looking. I would honestly pay a lot more for this product!

The two products I'm missing from my saviour collection are a moisturiser and cleanser! I'm yet to find the perfect products, I would love recommendations if you have any!

Long time no blog! After I handed my dissertation in the excitement of having nothing to do got a bit overwhelming, so that's exactly what I've been doing for a while. Now I've had my results, started working a bit more and began applying for graduate jobs I'm ready to get back into real life, and back to blogging!

This outfit was from a few weeks back when it was slightly cooler, hence the leather jacket. I have lived in these trousers ever since spotting them in TK Maxx on my way to the home section. I've never really explored the clothing in TK Maxx before now, but these trousers are so comfortable they're quickly becoming my go-to outfit for lazy days!

Have you found any bargains in TK Maxx recently?

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