Instagram #1

breakfast on the balcony // second year, first night! // happy birthday mumma //afternoon tea anyone? // photobooth fun // got ma hurrr did // twilight at the beach // girl power // i finally found zap lollies! // dad & ethan's triathlon // sunset selfie // pizza and good company // painting and baking with grandparents // lemon drizzle cake // cotton candy grapes // admiring the fiery blooms.

NEW VIDEO // The British Tag

I thought I'd give 'The British Tag' a go! 

If you have given this a go, please leave your links in the comments! 

Cheerio! 

xxx

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

I've been pretty happy this week*

*I know it's a wednesday... but go with it! 

An extra little one here. Film nights with tea, chocolate buttons and blueberries with the best friend. fun fun fun.

1. Moving out, Moving in! My flat this year turned out not to be the best of places, for various reasons. I ended up staying with Henry for the majority of my first year and I was so lucky to have him there for me. On Monday, I moved out of that house and into my new one. I'm living very close to Hen and all my friends and I think know it'll be much happier there.

2. My new All Saints Leather Jacket. I freaaaking love it, although the price tag? not so much, but it's definitely an investment. Hasn't left my body since it was purchased!

3. I FOUND A ZAP LOLLY. It's only taken all summer.

4. Pots & Co. Salted Caramel Chocolate Pot. Delicious! And the cute ramekins you get with them are so cute!

5. Home Shopping. I could do it all day everyday. I'm definitely my mothers daughter, seeing as she works in interior design. I feel a home haul coming on...

6. Pretty Little Liars. Although before bed time it's pretty creepy!

7. Great British Bake Off. For obvious reasons... it's BRILL.

8. The baby shower I went to on Saturday. Fun and games with lovely people!  

9. Dads's bolognese sauce on a roasted butternut squash, topped with shavings of parmesan. Perfect for gluten free and also my favourite meal... EVER.

10. Nights, be it parties, dinner parties or just being at the pub with the best people. I really appreciate my friends and family right now.

What's made you happy this week?

♥

Student Bedroom Tips

This was meant to be filmed as a Youtube Video, along with my university series, but in an error on my behalf of planning to film when I had actually already moved half my stuff into my flat... that wasn't possible. Not to the standard I wanted it to be anyway!

So, here are my top tips for saving space and making your university bedroom your own!

(I do not own this image. Source Unknown... but how unbelievably cool is this?!)

Pin up!

I lived in a flat, not university halls, so I was allowed to put pin boards up. In halls, I wouldn't put anything up on the walls but most of them already have big pin boards up. If not, have one leaning against the wall on you desk or something. It's lovely to have photos, messages, notes and reminders up!

No monsters under the bed? Then get some storage boxes!

These are great to have if you have space under your bed if your bed base isn't solid. Double check before you buy them though, otherwise they take up a lot of room.

Fairy Lights!

Candles aren't allowed in a lot of student residences, so fairy lights are a lovely alternative. Or you have both, if you're like me!

Hooks!

Radiator hooks & Door hooks will come in very handy for every space to dry clothes, or hang jackets!

Wedge that door!

 If you're in halls, keep your door open whilst you're setting up and unpacking. People are then able to stop and say hello, knocking on a door can be a little intimidating!

Tidy room, Tidy mind! 

I know I'll be able to think a lot more clearly if my room is tidy. Clutter isn't good for me!

Plants & Flowers 

They bring life into a room. If you think you can't keep them alive, get some pretty fake ones for a splash of colour!

Most of all, make it a place where you feel at home and happy to be!

If you want to see my video on Tips for Freshers, University Emergency Kit or Top Tips for Students click here! 

xxx

Home Sweet Home: Desk Space

When moving house, this girl resorts to tumblr, pinterest and a hell of a lot of blogs. 

I knew in my new room I have my desk by a huge window, therefore a very light and airy space.

A clear/tidy desk space is so important to me. It'll be where I write my essays, where I need to feel inspired, where I will write and plan blog posts and videos. So I want to get it just how I'd like it. 

These are some of the photos I've got for inspiration. 

 (Source: Tumblr. I do not own any of these images)

They're all so beautiful in my eyes! 

I'll update you on what kinda thing I go for when I settle in next week.

Two Girls, Five Guys.

Slap bang in the middle of a day of fashion and art exhibitions, we wanted burgers. 

Serious burgers, not just any old thing. 

That's when we discovered Five Guys...

We flicked between Shake Shack or Five Guys in Covent Garden, but the hour long queue for Shake Shack decided it for us, and, boy did it give us a gooden'.

We queued for not even five minutes with peanuts to snack on if we wanted. 

I opted for the cheeseburger with lettuce, ketchup, tomatoes, grilled onions & pickles (A burger isn't a burger without them...). All the extras for no extra cost. Charlie went for a Bacon Burger and we shared a regular chips between us. 

The food prepared in front of your eyes, quickly and sufficiently with the orders flying in every few seconds. 

Order number yelled & brown bags in hand we found a table & discovered the drinks machine with an unbelievable choice of drinks. 

We had Strawberry Sprite, which I'd recommend you try sometime. It was delicious! 

This burger. One of the best burgers I've ever had. 

It's fast food that doesn't feel extremely unhealthy and greasy. It doesn't leave you with that horrible sluggish feeling. 

We devoured ever last bit of our burgers, every last chip and every last drop of our Strawberry Sprite.

Charlie came up with the incredible caption of 'Two Girls, Five Guys' and I had to steal it for the blog post, but props to C for that one!

Chocolate Avocado Brownies

I know what you're thinking...

Avocado in a brownie?!?! I think not.

But think again! These brownies are to die for and you can't taste the avocado at all. 

They are very rich and feel like the naughtiest of treats, when really they're no where near as bad as normal brownies or cookies. 

I'm not saying these are going to send you into minus calories (if only!) but they are a healthier option to grab with a cup of tea! 

What you'll need to make these bad boys:

1 Ripe Avocado (finely mashed) 

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/3 cup of flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

White/Milk/Dark Chocolate

Want to know why these are a healthier choice? Here's why:

- Avocado acts like butter, but it's a healthier fat!

 - Sugar, these give it a little more sweetness, which I think is necessary as the cocoa powder is very rich and powerful, but in a normal recipe there'd be a hell of a lot more sugar! 

- The flour in some recipes for these is optional, so if you can't have flour, you can still make these! 

- Chocolate. This is where you'll be adding in some cheeky calories, but the little burst of sweetness makes them even better. It is still a treat after all! (And when they're straight from the oven, the molten waterfall of chocolate is the best bit)

They are so simple to make.

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. 

2. Combine finely mashed avocado, white sugar, brown sugar, egg & vanilla extract in a medium sized bowl. It will not look appetising at this stage, but don't worry!

3. Mix together cocoa powder, flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. 

4. Combine both bowls together and add in your chunks of chocolate. It's up to you how big your chunks are, but I felt when I cut them smaller than the chunks they're already divided into they disappeared a bit.

5. Divide them up on a baking tray (If you're worried about the amount of chocolate you could stick a chunk in the top to go all gooey)

6. Bake for 8-10  minutes in the oven. (I would check them at 8 minutes, then decided if they need more time. Wouldn't say any longer than 12 minutes) 

Stick the kettle on whilst they bake, ready to have a hot cup of tea with a melty, fudgey brownie. 

They're not exactly pretty (all the more reason to eat them quickly, if you ask me!) but they taste amazing.

They're super rich, but I'm a dark chocolate fan so that's fine by me.

They taste amazing with berries, they cut through the richness a little.

If you're worried people will be put off by avocado, you don't need to mention the secret ingredient!

Sit down with your tea, indulge in your chocolatey treat and enjoy! 

xxxx

Croquet, BBQ's & Fires.

A warm midsummers day, one perfect for a bbq full of friends!

Henry had some friends from university staying at his new family home, so took the opportunity to to have everyone over for a bbq. 

After a rushed morning of tired band members, the morning after a gig, whizzing around various super markets to buy burgers and beers, we thought we'd relax and start the bbq with a game of croquet. 

Seriously sophisticated for us students! 

Tired and quite positively famished from our two games... (ha!) we retired to the table and got the bbq going! 

We laughed and drank, then indulged once the food was done! 

I made Lemon Drizzle Cake that went down an absolute storm. I wish I'd made more, it was gone in a heartbeat! 

That afternoon we grazed and picked at the yummy food, we drank, we played with Hen's doggy, Milo, we laughed and we caught up on what had been a busy summer! 

How stunning is Lucy's maxi dress from Topshop?!

Then, it was time for another game of croquet. 

Luce & I were determined to win...

We lost. Big time. Last, in fact. 

Clearly, croquet isn't our forte! 

The sun started to set and the air cooled a little, but determined to enjoy what was left of summer. We stayed out until the early hours. 

Fire pit and chiminea a' blaze. 

I could of taken photos of the smouldering logs and coal for hours.

When the sun had disappeared and the moon was shining brightly, we all sat around the fire pit. 

Couples kissed and cuddled, old friends laughed about past times, new friendship started, friends joked and caught up on each others lives and we all buzzed about our next year at university

. Everyone was merry, happiness and positivity filled the smoky, warm air.

Waving a hello to the autumn that's just eagerly waiting to arrive, we toasted marshmallows until we physically could fit any more in. 

One by one and couple by couple, we start to slink off to rest our eyes after a long and fun day. 

The perfect way to end Summer.