Food: The Easiest Pancake Recipe

As part of the #EarlybirdChallenge I have teamed up with Free Office Finder to talk to you about the benefits of getting up early. As well as having the opportunity to be more productive during the day, you will have more time to enjoy a nice and healthier homemade breakfast.

I must admit that getting up early can be a bit of a struggle sometimes for me, as I turn pretty much into Grumpy the dwarf if I haven't had anything to eat first thing in the morning. Breakfast is such an important meal and I never go without it - in fact I make sure I never skip any meal - but I definitely won't go anywhere without having had something to get me through the day. 

Today I want to share with you the easiest pancake and milkshake recipe ever: for the pancakes you only need 3 ingredients, and 2 for the milkshake; plus they only take minutes to prepare.

For the pancakes you will need: 

1 cup of wholemeal self-raising flour

1 cup of milk

1 egg

Just mix the 3 ingredients together until you get a smooth batter and pour onto a pre-heated pan with a bit of butter. When the mix starts bubbling carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden brown. Top with your favourite ingredients - I used butter and honey. The mix yields about 4 medium sized pancakes.

For the milkshake you will need:

1 cup of milk

1 small banana

For this you only need to blend the 2 ingredients together and then serve. I garnished mine with a bit of ground cinnamon.

See? I told you it was easy (as well as delicious) and better than the shop bought versions that contain lots of added sugar. You can replace milk for a non-dairy version (I used soy milk) and you can use white self raising flour as well but the wholemeal version contains more fiber and is better for digestion. 

Will you be trying these recipes?

xo

This is a sponsored post.

Personalized Photo Magnets

One thing that people don't seem to do anymore is print pictures, as we constantly upload them onto social media, but there is something quite charming about having a physical reminder of a special moment you've shared with the people you love. 

On PicStick you can upload pictures from your PC, phone or even Facebook and have them printed as mini magnets with a glossy finish, which makes a really nice gift for birthdays, anniversaries or Christmas.

Something that I would recommend before sending your pictures for printing is to make sure that they are bright enough as when they are printed they can come out a bit dark, and also be careful when you separate the magnets from the pre-cut sheet to avoid damaging them.

You can get a sheet of 9 magnets with free worldwide delivery for £9.50/$14.99 though if you use the code IHIN25 you get 25% off ;)

xo

Reading | The Kate Moss Story

One day, while casually having a look in The Works, I found The Kate Moss Story by Chris Roberts, and it had been reduced to a mere £1.99, so as an avid Kate Moss worshiper I could not pass it up. 

This book is an unofficial guide to all things Moss: starting with her childhood to how she was discovered, her evolution from new face to supermodel, her partying ways to her romances with Johnny Depp, Jefferson Hack, Peter Doherty and Jamie Hince; complete with candid, runway and campaign photographs. 

If you are a fan of Kate the Great (as am I) or know someone who is then this will make a great gift/addition to your Moss shrine.

Find The Kate Moss Story in The Works.

Do you love Moss the Boss?

xo

Sportswear to Match your Personal Style

When you shop for sportswear, whether you do yoga, run or go to the gym, pretty much every jogger, tank top and jacket look the same, which is a shame considering that when we dress for everyday life, we don't all look the same (nor do we want to). 

A couple of weeks ago ILU Fitwear contacted me and sent me the ILU Lace Leggings pictured above. 

What I like about these leggings is that not only they are comfortable and the fabric is very soft, but they also have a really feminine lace panel on the side, and the logo is printed in a very subtle way.

They feel like normal leggings only softer because of the design and purpose, so they're comfortable enough for me to do my ballet inspired exercise routine that I try to do at least a couple of times every week.

Find the complete ILU Fitweare range here.

xo

Patterned Blouse

Blouse: H&M

Jeans: Topshop

Boots: H&M

(similar: blouse, boots)

I made a carrot cake. Lesson of the day: do not use quark when trying to make icing. And a tip: always use (at the most) half the sugar a baking recipe suggests.

Have a nice weekend.

xo

Brooklyn Bowl London & Har Mar Superstar

       

On Friday we went to the Brooklyn Bowl in the O2 to see Har Mar Superstar. Before the show we had some dinner in the restaurant/bar area of the Brooklyn Bowl. I had the Sloppy Joe (mince meat in a bed of coleslaw in a bun with chips), which was ok but I didn't love it as it tasted somehow sweet (sweetened mince meat is not for me).

Before the show we just stood by the stage and Dot spotted Har Mar bowling on the area to the right of the stage. A random dude that arrived early as well started talking to my hubby and when he asked where I was from and said Mexico, he was like 'no mames, yo tambien' haha. It was the funniest thing when he asked where in Mexico I'm from and I said Monterrey, he said me too! I couldn't stop laughing, how weird was that?

Anyway, this dude went up to Har Mar and spoke to him. I was excited because I thought Fabrizio Moretti from the Strokes would be playing drums with him but he wasn't. 

As the support band was getting ready to start playing I thought one of them looked incredibly similar to Gossip Girl's Dan Humphrey. I kept staring like a weirdo but evaded his look when he got close. My compatriot also spoke to mr gossip girl and, there was loud music, but heard him say his name was Penn. That was it... I was 99% sure it was him haha. My mind kept playing games on me but once I saw him from a certain angle I was completely sure, as well as vaguely remembering hearing about him being on a band, but on that moment I got excited and cried -not literally- 'it's him!' to my husband haha.

At the end of their set, when he got close I said 'excuse me, are you...(embarrassed pause) are you from gossip girl?' and he said yes! Then I said 'could I have a picture?' and he said yes though he had to clear the stage first 'but I'll be around', he added. 

Then came Har Mar Superstar's turn on stage. He was good, though his 'sexy dancing' was kind of disturbing for me haha. When the show finished we went out and looked for mr gossip girl, and there he was, selling some merch. I got close and awkwardly stood there, then he asked 'do you want to buy a record- oh you want a picture' (he remembered haha). I said 'please' and then took a couple of pictures with him, thanked him and left to catch the train home.

Did you do anything fun over the weekend?

xo

New Coat

Ok, so today I received the new H&M catalog by post and on the inside of the cover I saw this coat. This beautiful androgynous, longline, dark grey wool coat is only £24.99. So I knew I had to get it before it sold out, I mean £25 for a super long wool coat? And right now H&M have free delivery (use code 2277, valid until 28 Sept) though I used my newsletter subscriber 25% off code (use code 1319, valid until 06 Oct).

A good coat always comes in handy, especially when you were born in the desert and now live in the forest (meaning I'm always cold- yes, even in the summer). Find the coat here.

Will you be buying anything from H&M?

xo

New in: August 2014

New bits from last month, apart from my birthday gifts: Nivea double effect eye makeup remover and sensitive night cream from Superdrug. Minimal necklace from H&M. Swapped the Chanel Chance for the Eau Tendre version. Kew 159 cardigan from TK Maxx and jumper from GAP outlet. Serum/Cream from Superdrug and watercolour supplies from The Works. Books from charity shop (the Dragon Tattoo trilogy books were just 50p each!). Crop top from F&F, sunglasses that I got sent from ASOS. Stuff I won at a charity raffle. And the polka dot shown I actually exchanged for this parka which has a detachable lining so I can wear it in the summer and during winter as well. I decided to get it after I got emailed a 25% discount code to use both online and in store from H&M.

Did you get anything nice last month?

xo

Illustrated: Chanel Chance Eau Tendre

I've always had a love for all different types of art and been recently really into illustration, so I started painting again and this is my first illustration in a few years. It's Chanel Chance Eau Tendre, the perfume I got for my birthday. I used a pencil to draw it first then watercolours.

xo

My Wedding Day Makeup

In commemoration of our wedding anniversary this past weekend I thought about sharing a post on my wedding makeup. I did my own makeup on the day and even though the products I used weren't the fanciest out there, they helped me achieve the look I was going for and that's what counts. Some of these products' packaging has changed but instead of hoarding it for years I thought of taking a picture of it all and letting go of the products that are no longer usable.

Face

As a base I used a mattifying moisturiser (Simple Spotless Skin Anti-Blemish Moisturiser) to prevent shine and smooth my skin. Normally I don't wear foundation but wanted my skin to look better on my wedding day, so I used Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation to even out my skin tone. To conceal marks and blemishes I used No 7 Concealer stick. On my cheeks I used The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain in Rose Pink* to add some long lasting colour. To set everything I used a pressed powder by Witch, applied with an Ecotools brush.

Eyes

To conceal the under eye area I used foundation. I wing-lined my eyes with the Collection Lasting Colour Gel Eyeliner in black to ensure it would last all day, then curled my lashes with the La Cross Double Curl Eyelash Curler and applied a couple coats of the Maybelline Falsies Volum' Express Flared Mascara* in black. On the inner corners of my eyes I used the shimmery shade on the top left of the MUA Heaven and Earth palette to highlight. 

Lips 

For the ceremony in the morning I used Rimmel London Kate Moss Lipstick in 03 as it is a lovely nude colour suitable for day; and for the reception in the evening I used The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain in Rose Pink and then layered Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple* on top for added intensity. 

Have you tried any of these products?

xo

Pastel Blue Shirt

Cotton Shirt: H&M (similar)

Shorts: Primark (similar)

Leather loafers: Miss Selfridge (similar)

Watch*: The Watch Hut

It's Friday! Outfit from a couple of weeks ago, when the skies promised sunny days; now it's cold and grey. Maybe not that cold yet but definitely grey, good thing I've been stocking up on winter warmers in the last few months. Our wedding anniversary is this weekend so we might go out for dinner to celebrate ;D

Have a nice weekend!

xo

Autumn Staple: The Leather Jacket

From left: Whistles Lita Leather Biker, Mango Leather Biker Jacket, Dorothy Perkins Textured Leather Look Biker Jacket

Now that the seasons are changing and the temperatures are beginning to drop, it's a good time to start thinking about autumn cover-ups. A favourite of mine is the leather jacket and I've picked 3 different options for every budget.

Which one is your favourite?

xo

Leigh-on-Sea Part II

Part 2 of the photographs I took when visiting Leigh-on-Sea with my family. 

After our picnic at the beach we decided to walk up the hill and explore the little town. There are some lovely houses with a gorgeous view of the sea. Even though there are no major shops on the High Street, there are lots of independent stores and charity shops tucked into little alleyways here and there. 

Have you been to Leigh-on-Sea? 

xo