Wednesday 7 December 2016

Manc' Christmas Markets

Christmas Markets have become a firm festive favourite of mine, I just adore the combination of good food, drinks and independent shops situated in wooden huts! 

My festive craving was no different this year, I indulged in some nutella pancakes, mould wine and the famous Germany hot dog. Then drank my body weight in colour changing and Christmas inspired cocktails at Alchemist. What more could a girl want?






Merry Christmas!

Sunday 4 December 2016

DIY SNOWFLAKE GARLAND

This DIY Snowflake and Star Garland is perfect for back drops and adding a little bit of shine to your Christmas decorations. 

You Will Need:

  • Sheets of plain paper (Amount depends on how many snowflakes you wish to make)
  • Sheets of plain cardboard (Amount depends on how many stars you wish to make)
  • Silver acrylic paint
  • Silver glitter glue
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Needle
  • White thread

Step 1.
Begin to make A5 sized squares using the plain paper and fold (View the link to the Youtube video below to find out hoe to make a 6 pointed snowflake).

Step 2.
Once you have folded your paper, mark on your snowflake design in pencil, either following the one's in the Youtube video or your own design and carefully cut out your snowflakes. 


Step 3.
Once you have cut all your desired snowflakes (I cute out 5), use the silver glitter glue to add some shimmer to your snowflake using a small pointed brush and leave to dry. 


Step 4.
Using plain cardboard, cut out as many stars as you wish, I used a template online and held my cardboard over my phone to outline the shape. This size can be whatever you wish but my stars had the width on an IPhone. 


Step 5.
Decorate your stars with silver paint and leave to dry.

Step 6. 
Poke holes at the top and bottom of the stars and snowflakes when dry, using a needle. (Be careful not to jab yourself!)

Step 7.
Measure your white thread to the length you want your garlands to be before cutting. 

Step 8. 
Attach the needle to the thread and begin to hoop through your stars and snowflakes alternatively. Make sure the thread is at the back of the shapes. 

Step 9
Tie a knot at the end of the garland before hanging using white tack or sellotape. I used a little bit of sellotape at the back of each shape to stop them from sliding down. Repeat as many garlands as you want!


I hope you enjoyed this DIY! You can adapt this DIY by just making a star or snowflake garland!
Be sure to check out my other festive blogs including another festive DIY blog post!

Merry Christmas!





Saturday 3 December 2016

DIY NOEL SIGN

Yes it is December which means it's time for sparkles and glitter. This DIY is perfect for an added shimmer in your room this Christmas and is easy and affordable to do!

You Will Need

  • Plain NOEL letter blocks
  • Dark Grey Paint
  • Acrylic Silver Paint
  • Silver Glitter Glue
  • Painting sponges/ brushes

Step 1.
Make sure you have a clear area that is protected, I used bin liners to stop paint from marking my furniture.

Step 2.
Squeeze out the grey paint and put a small amount on a paint palette or plate along with the silver paint separately. 

Step 3.
Using the sponges, dab on the grey paint on the N, E and L and leave to dry.


Step 4.
Using a clean sponge, dab on the silver paint to the 'O' or the snowflake in this case and leave to dry. 


Step 5.
Continue to do a second coat on all letters to make the colours more opaque and wait for them to dry.

Step 6. 
Once dry, take the 'O' or the snowflake and using the silver glitter glue, line the edge of the shape with glitter. This will take longer dry than the paint, so make sure you're not tempted to touch it once finished too early to avoid the glue going everywhere!


Step 7.
Finally, when all the letters are dry, you can put them on display!


I hope you enjoyed this little DIY, I personally LOVE the sign and think it is very elegant and classy.
You can also purchase plain signs and shapes from hobby craft including an angel, Christmas tree and star if you wanted an alternative option.

Merry Christmas!

Sunday 27 November 2016

5 Things To Do This Christmas

1. Markets
Christmas Markets are hugely popular everywhere and in England we have plenty of good ones. My firm favourite has got to be the Manchester Christmas Markets, every year the city is brought to light with Christmas decorations, various wooden stalls, perfect food and drink and even an ice skating rink! You can buy anything, from homemade Christmas decorations to hot dogs and mulled wine. 

Image result for manchester christmas market 2016

2. Theatre/ Pantomime 
I feel like going to the theatre is becoming a more popular outing and is not considered an 'old folks' thing, at Christmas time, there are lots of festive favourites from Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and The Snowman. At affordable entry prices, it is certainly a winner for families. 

Image result for christmas theatre

3. Festive Walks
There is something about walking in the breezy morning when the sun is shining that is just so peaceful, plus is free! There are many woodland walks across the country, including festive walks where children get the chance to meet Santa and his Reindeer's as well as picking out your own Christmas tree! 

Image result for santa's grotto

4. Cosy Nights
As the skies begin to get darker and colder earlier, it is the perfect occasion for a Christmas inspired film night. Gather friends or family around the TV, with blankets and pillows at hand for the ultimate comfort. Stick on your favourite Christmas favourite film and demolish the many festive treats supermarkets and stalls are selling already. Also, get them hot chocolates and mulled wine down!

Related image

5. Craft Making Day
Instead of forking out on presents and decorations, have fun by making them yourself! Look online for fab Christmas ideas such as cookie recipe in a jar, making your own fudge and make your own Christmas sign for your room! Enjoy the day with others by blaring out the festive tunes and chomping on nibbles. 


Image result for christmas

Saturday 27 August 2016

Manchester Pride 2016

Hello everyone! This weekend I ventured into a Manchester for a different kind of Saturday day out, Manchester Pride! After hearing about the annual parades hitting the UK recently, I did some research into what actually Gay- Pride is. It appeared to be an exciting, fun way to celebrate all sexuality as well as raising Aids and HIV awareness. So we booked our tickets and headed down.

The Parade
Today, Saturday, the main streets of Manchester were decorated in rainbows, glitter and unique fancy dress, from dalmatians to drag. Hundreds lined the streets to welcome the paraders and I was pleasantly surprised to see so many families and young children there, a good way to start the concept equality young. At 1pm the parade hit off, music, dancing and whistle blowing came down the paths. 



Food and Drinks

Once the parade finished, it began raining (typical British weather), so we headed for the nearest restaurant, which actually turned out to be fab. It was called ' The Grill on New York Street'. With fancy decor and a pleasing menu, it was a winner. I had a classic beef burger, washed, more liked gulped down, with a rhubarb and orange fizz cocktail. As we had already purchased tickets to Pride online, we managed to get a 20% discount, which is always welcome!


Canal Street and More
Canal Street AKA. Gay Village. Entering the grounds to the centre of Pride, I was not sure what to expect as I have never been to a Pride before or even a gay club. However, the atmosphere was incredible, so many people packed in the streets outside the pubs and clubs, laughing, singing and dancing in their own little bubble, definitely made the occasion even more cheerful. The drinks were cheap with pints of cider and beer at £2.50 and shots £2. Inside a warehouse was crammed with many charity stands from HIV, RSPCA and many more. The main stage for live music was a few minutes walk from the main strip of the village, to be honest the stage and the area was a lot smaller than I had thought, but yet again the atmosphere was amazing. 

I would recommend anyone to go, I am straight and still had a whale of a time supporting everyone's choice, preference and life style, and so should you. 


Sunday 10 April 2016

Amsterdam Travel Guide 2016

Travelling to a new city is always stressful when you do not know what to see/do and expect. I recently went to Amsterdam thinking the city was going to be infested with weed and other legal drugs, thankfully, it was the opposite. Amsterdam is a  petite city with the famous tall, unique houses running alongside the many canal banks, parked with numerous bikes. Cafes, bars and restaurants appeared frequently on all streets in the old town Amsterdam with vast amounts of tourist shops. So here are my must see's if you are visiting Amsterdam for culture, sights and history.



Anne Franks House| Old Town Amsterdam
Best Time: 5pm onwards
Closing Time: Last let in's are 9pm
Price: Children 10-17| 4.50 euro
Adults| 9 euro
Cafe and shop inside

Of course a Amsterdam Travel Guide would not be complete without the main feature in the city, Anne Frank House. This important landmark is situated on the canal bank :Prinsengracht 263-267, Amsterdam 1016 GV. 
If you cross the nearby bridges onto the opposite side of the canal bank, you will capture the house in full view. If you wish to enter the museum, you need to be prepared for a long wait, when I visited, we went at 4:30pm, thankfully the line had slimmed down at lot to previous times like 11am and 1pm, however we still had a 45 minute wait. If you are planning a trip months in advanced it would be ideal for you to book tickets online, however tickets sell out pronto on the official website, so keep checking! Once inside, the atmosphere is very quiet, videos talking about the Franks lifestyle are played, pictures are hung up on the walls and in each room of the house is detailed information of what the room was used for. Lastly, her actual diaries and short stories are preserved in the museum and history of how her diary became world famous.
  It is a must too see!



Van Gogh Museum 
Best Time: Any Time
Closing Time: 9pm
Price: Under 17 FREE
Adults: 20 euro
Cafe and shop inside

The Van Gogh Museum is placed in the new part of Amsterdam, which has a completely different feel to the Old Town Amsterdam as there is fewer canals and lobsided houses are replaced with lavish, large buildings. The popular I AMsterdam sign is also by the museum. The Van Gogh Museum is different to what I expected, I thought it would be like any other art gallery. It was not. It captured his life before, during and the effect of his work after he died in mass detail. A large collections of paintings set out on each of the three floors in the building, explaining what he experience at the time of the paintings and further paintings from a artists who inspired Gogh, With each painting came an in depth description of why he created the painting and what of. You get to see how his painting techniques and use of colours change as he experiences new things. A collection of his final artwork pieces he painted before he died along with personal information about his life, relationships with friends, his brother and sister in law and how his paintings and himself actually became the fame it is today. I really enjoyed this museum, so unique and perfectly laid out, even the famous sunflowers painting was proudly hung in the first floor gallery!



Boat Tour Around the Canals
Duration: 1 Hour
Best Time: Any time
Price: euro 12 pp

As Amsterdam is made up of numerous canals with landmarks stretched out alongside them, going on a boat tour is a fantastic way of travelling around the city for a sightseeing trip. You get to go past the train station which is an impressive building, parliament, Anne Franks House, monuments and other quirky museums which you may be interested in later for exploring. I would recommend sitting on the right hand side as that is the side where Anne Franks House and the famous church is placed. Furthermore, sit on a bench where the window can open and close so you can quickly open it if you fancy taking a clearer photograph. Other boat tours are alongside the canal bank which includes fine dining, pizza or burger cruise, hop on hop off boat and the 1 hour boat tour, all at varied prices and times!


Vondel Park
Best Time: Mid Morning/ Afternoon
Price: FREE
Vondel Park is the biggest park in Amsterdam, it contains lots of lakes, water features, grass and woodland area, suited for everyone. The park is friendly to dogs, bikes and children. You can even hire bikes if you like for just euro 10 an hour. Also hidden in the park is a restaurant on a small lake and numerous cafes. A good place to go for some peace and quiet from the hustle of the city. 



Additional Information 
Weather | Like in all countries the weather in Amsterdam changes repeatable. When I went at the beginning of April, it gave out warm temperatures of 18 degrees, however it turned out to be bitterly cold and windy on all days with temperatures lower than 10 degrees. I would definitely recommended taking a thick coat along with a jacker if you are planning on going in Spring. Make sure you take an umbrella!
Food | The price range of meals and dining in the city can range from dirt cheap to expensive. Typically alcohol like beer and wine is the most costly thing on the menu! Across the old town there are numerous places to eat for cheap from burger and hot dog vans too cafes in landmarks like Anne Frank Museum which is surprisingly not costly. For further dining, evening meals can be consumed at the variety of restaurants and pubs across the city, Irish bars and Italian cuisine are hugely popular! 


Saturday 9 April 2016

Amsterdam 2016


Hello! I have just got back from Amsterdam the land of tulips and legalised drugs... Thankfully my visit to the city consisted of eating good food, drinking cocktails and sight seeing. Of course you can not go to Amsterdam without seeing the Anne Franks House which was certainly worth the 40 minute wait in the chilling weather, alongside visiting one of the museums. I would highly recommend the Van Gogh Museum as it gives you an in depth insight into his personal life and how his life experiences impacted his artwork.