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!

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!

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!

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. 



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. 



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! 



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!



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. 

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

Website: http://www.amsterdamcitytours.com

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! 

Rhubarb and Raspberry Crumble

Ingredients

200g Plain Flour

150g Softened Butter

150g Caster Sugar

300g Washed Rhubarb (roughly)

100g Raspberries 

75g additional Caster Sugar

Method

• Pre Heat your oven to 180 degrees and get out your individual ramekins or oven proof dish.
• Put the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl before sieving in the flour. 
• Using your hands, rub the mixture until it resembles bread crumbs. 
• Once the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs, wash and slice up your rhubarb around 2 cm thick. The thinner the slices, the less time it will take to cook. 
• Put the rhubarb and raspberries evenly in the dish(s) before adding a sprinkle of sugar over the top to balance out the sharpness from the Rhubarb. 
• Evenly distribute the crumble mixture over the top, covering all the fruit and sprinkle some sugar on top again.
• Place in the oven and bake for 10- 15 minutes until the crumble is golden brown.
• Once cooked, leave to cool for 10 minutes before dishing up with frozen raspberries and ice cream!

Raspberry and Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

200g Softened Butter

275g Caster Sugar

200g Dark Chocolate

100g Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder

75g Cocoa Powder

100g Milk Chocolate 

3 Large Eggs

100g Raspberries

Method

• Fill a medium sized saucepan 1/3 way up with water and put the butter and dark chocolate into a large heatproof bowl and place on top of the saucepan and begin to melt on a low heat. 
• Once melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan and wait to cool.
• Turn on your oven to 180 degrees and line a shallow rectangle baking tin with baking paper
• Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl before adding the baking power. 
• Chop the milk chocolate into rough pieces 
• Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and mix in the sugar until combined using an electric whisk. 
• When the eggs are smooth, pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and gently fold until both mixtures are combined this may take a while so be patient! 
• Add the flour, baking power and cocoa power to the mixture and gently fold again.
• Stir in the milk chocolate pieces and raspberries before spooning the mixture into the baking tin.
• Place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes 
• Once done, leave to cool for a further 25 minutes and then cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Last Minute Purchases

Hello Everyone! Yesterday my friend and I went on a spontaneous trip to Chester which is a traditional Tudor City with black and white buildings, dozens of independent shops and of course, Primark! By the time we arrived it was already 4:30 pm so we did a quick dash around New Look, Lush, Superdrug and lastly Primark. I actually prefer going later in the day because the shops are quieter, especially seeing as it's the summer holidays in England. I picked up some cute items for my holiday at the start of September.I also purchased 3 books online from Amazon as they were having a ' 3 books for £10' deal, perfect for Summer reading. My favourite item of clothing was the Suede A Line skirt featured below, as I feel the skirt can be dressed for any occasion and is a good transition piece from Summer too Autumn. 

Primark| Cut Out Block Heeled Boots| £16

Primark| Burnt Orange Suede Aline Skirt| £8

Amazon 3 books for £10 deal
I Was Here By Gayle Forman
Just One Day By Gayle Forman
Dream a Little Dream By Giovanna Fletcher

New Look| BoHo Daisy Print Sleeveless Top| £12.99

Primark| 3 strap way Bikini in B&W Stripes| £6

Hope you enjoyed!

Amy

July Favourites

Happy Saturday everyone! Today's post is my July Favourites as it is that time of year again, how fast has this year gone? As I am off on my Summer break I have been loving a lot of pretty, cute items, so enjoy!

Polaroid Camera- Birthday/ London Polariods

I received a Polaroid camera for my birthday in June and this past month I have seized many chances of snapping some old fashioned and hipster photo's from my birthday party to London. If you wish to read about my time in London, drinking and dining in The Savoy,Click Here. 

Flowers are a new love of mine, I love picking out fresh flowers from the florists or even from my garden. My mum very kindly brought me my favourite flower, a sunflower plant, the other day! I love sun flowers as they are bright and remind me of happiness! My grandma also brought me the lovely bunch of pink flowers, up above, for getting an A in my first year at college! 

Soap & Glory| Hand Food| Body Mist| Scrub

As the weather has warmed up, very slightly in the UK, you need to keep you body moisturiser! I have been a HUGE fan of Soap & Glory for many years now, I adore their packaging, products and their scent. The body mist, featured in the centre, is a spray on moisturiser which is perfect after showers as it's not sticky in the slightest! 

Summer Reads| Take a Look at Me Now- Miranda Dickinson
Katy Carter Wants a Hero- Ruth Saberton 

Reading a good girly book in summer is my favourite thing to do, whether it's on the beach or just chilling in the garden. The two books I've put in this post are two of my favourite summer reads, they are inexpensive, easy and quick to read. 

Blue Quote Notebook| TKMAXX
Parisian Notebook| Paperchase

Having fun and pretty notebooks are my all time favourite thing, I love making lists, keeping a diary and writing new ideas for blog posts. 

Instagram

Dealing with Exam Stress

Hello there! This post is focussing on anyone who has upcoming exams, whether that may be GCSE's, ALevels or others, I hope these tips will help you like they helped me last year. Last year I did my GCSE exams, which in the UK are main end of high school exams which determine what you can go onto next, educational wise. 

1. Organise

One of the most important things in achieving your goals, whether it is that C or an A* is planning your time wisely. The reason why I stress this is because you need to have a balance. A balance of work, social life and your own time. For instance a month leading up to the exams I wrote out a time table for me to follow out of school hours. This time table focused on the most current exams and/ or the exams I found hardest like science and maths. However my time table also allows me time to spend with my friends and family, so I did not go insane and time for myself, whether it was a walk or reading a book. 

2. Note Taking

As I am sure many of your teachers will stress that it is important to take notes for later revision. However what I found whilst I was at high school was that they did not encourage me to find a method that suited me best. Whether you like a spider diagram, lists, post-it notes or flash card, USE IT. Use the method you find helpful as everyone is different. I personal found that flash cards and speaking about certain subject e.g.e World War 2 for History helped me remember the kept points. Using different coloured pens and highlighters to make it more interesting also.

3. Maintain your health

It is very easy to get caught up in revision and stress during this tough time, however the only way you can really achieve these exams is by maintaining your health. Eat a well- balanced diet with lots of fruit and veg to keep energy levels up and drink lots of water to keep you from dozing off in lesson! Also sleep is really crucial, I would suggest to go to sleep around about 10 pm, that way you should get enough time for waking up at 7am or whatever time in the morning for you to function. If you have trouble sleeping then reading, writing a diary or even taking herbal tablets help.

4. Good Hobbies

I found that doing hobbies each week helped me greatly as it kept my anxiety down as well as stress. My hobbies include baking, I LOVE to bake, whether it's a cake or a pudding, it was a de-stresser for me. I also kept a diary to write all my emotions down when things got too much. One thing I would deeply suggest doing the night before an exam, before you go to sleep, is Yoga. Yoga is a great way of building your inner core as well as relaxing you. I had trouble sleeping, so by doing 20 minutes of Yoga each night really relaxed me whilst keeping fit. 

Lastly, Good luck with your exams, stay calm, cool and collected :)

-Amy

When in Paris| Day 3&4

Day 3| Eiffel Tower & Louvre 

After an amazing two days in Paris I was excited on Wednesday, once again we woke up bright an early, greeted by a selection of plain croissants and chocolate one's from the local super market. Alongside it was jam, orange juice and peppermint tea. Despite the weather being rather cold it was sunny which is always good when walking outside and taking pictures of famous landmarks in Paris!

The first stop we went to was the Eiffel Tower, it is HUGE! If you have seen it before you will realise why it is such an iconic sight, it's amazingly structured! 

We were lucky enough to skip the hour long queue's to go up the Eiffel Tower by pre booking our tickets months in advance, so we ended up only waiting for 10 minutes! At the top of the Tower you can see over the whole of Paris and it's cute little Parisian streets, the sunlight truly makes the pictures seem extra special.

 Once again the Louvre is stunning, the whole building is massive which incredible design's and layouts alongside the famous glass triangle in the centre. Inside were masses of art and sculptures from around the globe at various decades. I was lucky enough to see the Mona Lisa!

That night we walked back along the streets leading up to the Eiffel Tower and popped into a nearby restaurant where we all indulged in a huge burger and chips. As it was our final night in Paris we took a quick stroll to the base of the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up at night once more before it glittered at 10 pm!

Day 4| Patisserie & home

After packing for home we went once again for a stroll to the nearby cafe that sold us the most amazing croissants and tea! We timed the weather well as it was raining heavily throughout the morning which made me the excuse to venture in some of the local shops. I brought my first ever macaroons from a Hotel shop and they even made it through the flight home with no breakages! When the weather had cleared we walked towards the Eiffel Tower again and stopped in a patisserie shop which had a selection of pretty treats including Easter cakes! I chose a raspberry and chocolate mousse cake which I ate at the base of the Tower under a little shelter to stop me getting soaked by the rain!

Afterwards it was time for home with a final goodbye of the Eiffel Tower and the scary ride around the Arc De Triumph which is seriously so life threatening! 

Overall it was a splendid trip after such a tough start to the year. 

When in Paris

Day 1| Travelling

On Monday morning we mainly spent the day travelling from Cheshire to Paris on the plane, we got our first glimpse of the amazing apartment we were staying in. It was decorated beautifully with views of the Eiffel Tower from the living room and kitchen alongside numerous French doors with pretty Juliet balconies. For the remainder of the day we went on a nice stroll around the Eiffel Tower which was only a 5 minute walk away before searching for something to eat.

 We found a little Italian Restaurant near the arc de triomph where we all indulged in pizza! Afterwards we did take another walk up the main road to see the arc de triompth lit up at night. My goodness it was stunning! The detail of the arch was crazy and everywhere was lit up making the scene more magical than in the day! After a walk around the arch we walked back to our apartment which was a good 30 minute walk away and was taken away by a glittering Eiffel Tower! You may be like me and not know that the Eiffel Tower glittered with thousands of lights on each hour for 5 minutes from 8pm- 12pm, it feel's like Christmas and truly magical! 

Day 2| Religious Day

We woke up bright and early to have a stroll down a market street 5 minutes from where we were staying, we came across a cute little Cafe which sold typical French breakfast including Croissant, Jam, Bread rolls, orange juice and tea/ coffee. It was delicious as the pastries were fresh and warm from across the road and we were greeted by regulars drinking their morning coffee! Afterwards we risked the tube which is like the London Underground, we took a short journey to the Sacre- Coeur, which is a breathtaking cathedral placed on top of a hill giving you great views of Paris.

 Inside it's white exterior was silence, everyone was quiet as you walked around the Cathedral taking in the amazing stain glassed windows. I lit a candle for more granddad who passed away last month and prayed for his peace. Outside was windy and rather cold so we took a departure to find some food, we found a tiny hole in the wall,a walk from the Cathedral which sold the biggest baguettes ever and sat in a nearby bench.

After we then got back on the tube and went to the Notre Dame, which again was a breath taking cathedral, however so different in comparison to the Sacre- Coer, it was a Medieval style Church which appeared very dark inside. I loved how the stain glass windows shone even more through the darkness and the carved stone work on the outside was impressive.