Winter Warmer | How I Make My Special Hot Chocolate...

So it's that time of year again, the mornings are dark, the evenings are darker, the air is fresh but bitterly cold and all you want to do is stay in bed and watch Christmas films and drink hot chocolate. Well don't you worry, here is a little post on how I like to make my hot chocolate that's so simple yet so tasty that will be sure to warm you up this Christmas. I usually make this for my friends coming round for a girly night or when I'm entertaining the children of my family, they love to decorate using the cream and marshmallows!


For this recipe I use the classics, Cadburys drinking chocolate powder, Semi Skimmed Milk, Spray Cream and Mini Marshmallows!

Start by measuring how much milk you will be having in your mug, don't fill it too high though the trick is to fill it to just under where the handle starts at the top.

Then in a small pan carefully pour in the milk from the mug and heat on low to take the chill off. You can also do this in a microwave but just be careful you don't boil the milk over.

Using a spoon stir milk to avoid it getting a skin on the top. Once the milk is warm (test using a teaspoon and tasting) add in 3 heaped teaspoons of the Cadburys Chocolate Powder and 1 extra for luck! and stir to remove all powdered clumps.

Once the powder is incorporated continue to gently heat the hot chocolate and stir and taste to check the temperature of it.

Once you are happy with the temperature of the hot chocolate grab the mug you measured your milk in and start to ladle or pour in your delicious hot chocolate mixture. If ladling, do this over the pan so you catch any spills.

You can tell if the hot chocolate is hot enough as some steam will be rising off of it, if not however just heat for a few more minutes on a low heat or pop back in the microwave for 30 seconds.

I then add an extra sprinkle of chocolate powder to the top of the hot chocolate, nothing much just a half teaspoon.

Then its time to add the canned cream, give it a good shake and spray on the cream round in circles.

To finish scatter some mini marshmallows on the top and another little sprinkle of the drinking chocolate. Then you can either enjoy with a spoon or stir it altogether, I like to do a bit of both!

Enjoy guys! Hope it keeps you warm this winter!

Lily
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Younique 3D Fiber Lashes Review

Hey Guys!! 

I have been hearing a lot recently about the 'Younique 3D Fiber Lashes Mascara' so when I found out one of my friends started selling them I knew I had to buy & try ASAP!!!

When it arrived I was really impressed by the hard black case making it seem so professional and high quality!

When you open it you see two tubes one is a 'Transplanting Gel' and the other is the '3D Fibers' 

Transplanting Gel Tube

Transplanting Gel Brush

Natural Fibers Tube

Natural Fibers Brush

I must admit I was nervous about putting the Fibers near my eye! It just doesn't seem right to put a fluffy wand with little fluffy bits anywhere near my eye! I was convinced that it would be the most irritating thing ever but its not, you don't even notice them! The Fibers are made from Green Tea so are completely natural!

3D Fibers

 Application 


It takes a bit of getting used to but once you get the hang of it it couldn't be easier!


1 - Once you apply regular mascara, wait for it to dry completely.


2 -  Hold both of the tubes in your hand, you will be moving pretty quickly from the Transplant Gel to the Fibers tube.

3 - Apply the Transplant Gel to your lashes like you would a regular mascara and move onto the Fibers tube applying carefully like you would a mascara. (Try to have the fibers distributed evenly along the wand as best you can.)

4 - After applying the Fibers, use the Transplant Gel again to move some of fibers into place. 

5 - Run a eyelash comb through your eyelashes to remove any unwanted clumps.  














THE RESULTS 

As you can see there is an amazing difference! Its like I am wearing fake lashes! I love this and definitely recommend to anyone who struggles to make their lashes look fuller with regular mascara!

Removal

The lashes are water resistant but NOT waterproof. They come off easily with a bit of warm water and a regular facial cleanser.

I Gently wiped my eye with warm water on a cotton pad then used Lancomes Bi-Facil  to remove all the unwanted panda eye marks. 

A really easy mascara to remove though! A lot easier than my other favourite 'Benefit They're Real' I find that mascara takes a lot of effort to remove and a LOT of cotton pads! 




Overall I'm really pleased I purchased this product! This cost me £23 and is really worth it! I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it too so even more with its money. If you want to order contact Live it Love it Lashes she ships worldwide!!

My Amazing Healthy Chicken and Spinach Curry!!

Hi Guys!

So recently I have been dieting and one night I really had an urge for a chicken korma! Although I am all about treating yourself often, and not denying yourself of anything I just didn't want to ruin the hard work I had put in to lose some pounds! So I thought to myself, why not create my own easy healthy alternative, and if I'm being honest I much prefer having this to a chicken korma any day! This recipe is really basic!! Doesn't contain a lot of fancy spices, I only had a few ingredients in the cupboard and didn't want to go to the shop so I made use of what I had and I was shocked at the result! Just shows how you don't need much for something to taste great!! Give it a try!!

Ingredients 

Serves 2

• 2 Tablespoons Oil
• 1 Large Brown Onion 
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 Chicken Breasts 
• 4 Tablespoons of Mild Curry Powder 
• 1 Teaspoon of Paprika 
• Chicken Stock Cube or Pot 
• 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
• 90g Spinach
• 200g Low Fat Natural Yogurt 

I have this with Rice and sometimes Naan Bread, so if you fancy rice remember to boil some whilst making the recipe! 

Method

1. Preheat your Oven to 180 Degrees Celsius Fan Oven / 356 Degrees Fahrenheit / Gas Mark 4

2. Peel and cut the onion and garlic into thin slices. 

3. In a large pan sweat the onions and garlic on a medium heat until soft and transparent. 

4. Once Oven is preheated cook chicken on baking tray on a centre shelf for 25 minutes. Remember to cook for longer if chicken is still pink.

5. Boil 375ml  (1 & 1/2 cups) of water in a kettle. 

6. Add 4 Tablespoons of Mild Curry Powder and 1/2 Teaspoon of Smoked Paprika to the onions. 

7. Add the boiled water and stock pot or cube to the onions and spices (375ml) and simmer for about 5 minutes on a low heat. 

8. Add heaped 1/2 Tablespoon of Tomato Paste and stir in well and simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes.  Remember to stir frequently.

9. Once chicken is cooked through, remove from oven and set aside to cool. 

10. Once cooled to warm handling temperature pull the chicken apart with your fingers into medium sized strips and add to simmering curry sauce. 

 

11. Add 90g of Baby Spinach and leave to wilt, stirring gently (if needed add a little more water). 

12.  Once all the spinach is wilted and the chicken is coated in sauce remove from heat. 

13. Slowly add Low Fat Natural Yogurt a Tablespoon at a time and stir in. How much yogurt you want to add is up to you but I don't really like spice so I usually add the whole 200g!!, I find this makes it more like a korma also. 

14. Enjoy! 

Thanks Guys, Hope you like it as much as I do!! 

Lots of Love, 
Lily x

Autumn / Fall Nail Colours!

Hello Everybody!

Autumn is here! I LOVE Autumn! I love the freshness in the air and the warm jumpers I can start buying, but most of all I love the colours for nails! In Autumn I like darker, warmer colours for nails, the type that reflect the colours of the leaves or weather! I needed to overhaul my nail polish collection so I took a little trip to boots to see what ones I could find. I have chosen four colours all from different affordable brands just to keep it different.

1. Collection Lasting Gel Nail Colour in Daredevil 17
    £3.19 12ml  (Boots)

  

I have always liked Collection nail polish, particularly their 'Hot Looks' range because of the varied colours, affordability and drying time so this one was desirable to me. I liked this one for is dark rusty orange colour, perfect for October! I used two coats for the picture above but could probably of done with three! It says it has 'Easy Wide Brush' to help with application, I prefer wide brushed nail varnishes for convenience but to be honest it didn't seem much bigger than the standard! For being a 'Gel Colour' nail varnish it does lack in shine, compared to others I have used such as Barry M. Overall really pleased with the colour and application for the price!


2. Maybelline Colour Show in 352 Downtown Red
    £2.99  7ml  (Boots)

Reds are great at any time of the year, a classic colour choice! I must admit this colour looked a lot darker in the shop when I bought it but it is great all the same. I haven't been a fan of the 'Colour Show' in the past, I have only ever had pastel colours and find that they take forever to build and when you have built the right colour they don't dry because you have so much on! So I thought since this was a dark colour I would give it another try and I am really happy with the results! Its quite a thin consistency but a really strong colour and will only need about two coats. The shine you get is unreal, you would think this was a Gel style one! It drys fast and is really durable! I will definitely buy more of these in future but only in darker colours! 

3. Rimmel London Velvet Matte in 013 Velvet Touch
    £4.49 12ml  (Boots)

The most expensive of the four but I believe its worth it. I have never owned a matte nail polish before but this is by far my favourite! It has a great big brush for quick easy application! I used two coats but you would be fine with one as its such a strong colour! A great nail polish and I can't wait to try the other colours!


4. Barry M Nail Paint in 358 Vintage Violet
    £2.99 10ml (Boots)

   

You can't go wrong with Barry M, whenever I need a new nail colour its my go to brand, mainly because of the wide colour range and long lasting wear! This colour has great shine and is a lovely dull grey / brown purple and I can see myself wearing this a lot!

Hope I brought you some nail inspiration!

Lots of Love

Lily x

10 Office Desk Essentials!

Hello Everyone! 

All over the World, a large percentage of us will work in offices and have our own desks or personal spaces. I have kitted my desk out with all that I need to get through the day, every day of the year! Here's a few desk essentials that I would like to share with you!  


1. Vaseline! 

Especially good in the winter months! I have extremely dry lips anyway so when I come into work on a morning I like to pop some on and it usually see's me through till lunch time before I have to put some on again! Its also good for the odd patch of dry skin around the nose when you have a cold (nothing more embarassing going around the office with a dry flaky nose!!) I use the Aloe Vera one because it feels nourishing and smells and tastes great!


2. Moisturiser

I keep this for 'no make up days' when I have forgotten to pop on or haven't had time in the morning I apply this at work usually twice in a day! I use a little tester pot of the CLINIQUE moisture surge extended thirst relief that I was given before purchasing the real one that I keep at home. Such a good moisturiser for really dry skin like mine and really works wonders! I find this size is perfect to keep on my desk without causing too much clutter!


3. Pain Killers

If you are looking at a computer screen all day you will at some point and time to time get headaches! Keep some painkillers handy you never know who may need them! In my experience - there's always one! 


4. Chewing Gum

Especially after lunch and you have a meeting! 


5. Hot Water Bottle

I don't know about yours... But my office is freezing in the winter! So I keep this wee fluffy hot water bottle to keep me cosy! 



6. Post it Notes 

For when you need to jot something down or when you aren't at your desk someone can leave you a note!



7. Headphones 

When you have just been landed with a heap of work, what have you got to do? Plug yourself in, put on your favourite playlist and just work through it! 



8. Phone Charger

When you have spent a little bit too long on youtube and instagram through the day you and you need a quick recharge! 



9. Collection of desktop Elephants

Okay sooo this isn't essential but it does perk me up... So you may have already guessed but.... I LOVE Elephants!!! I didn't intend to have such a collection on the top of my monitor but I started with one, then two, then people were buying me them as gifts and I cant say no to that! Notice the one a colleague made me out of blu-tac also! These just bring a bit of quirkiness to my desk and are always a talking point!



10. Concealer 

Since I am constantly tired I tend to rub my eyes a little bit more than I should! Leaving my dark circles to shine through! I dab on some Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and my make up is good as new!

That's just a selection of things I used day to day in the office. If you also share these things or I have inspired you to buy leave a comment! 

Thanks! :) 

Lots of Love,

Lily x

My First Post!

Well Well Well.... It's my first blog post! 

So, let me introduce myself!

My name is Lily, I Live in Scotland and I am recently engaged! I'm sure we can talk about that story another time! Anyway.. I thought I could start a blog for all other recently engaged people looking for wedding ideas and hints and tips! This blog however isn't just about weddings its about everything! I am a big fan of crafty things and run a business under the name LilyDoodles (Hence the blog name) where I make American folk art type plaques and home keepsakes! Along with that I am a big fan of makeup and all things beauty related so lets just call this blog a thing for everything and something for everyone!! I look forward to posting more in the future and watching the blog grow!

Lots of Love, 

Lily 
x