March Wishlist

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I know its meant to be spring now but what with all this snow it sure doesn't feel like it! So I'm reserving all the enthusiasm for dresses and flowery patterns and what-not until the sun actually makes an appearance. Which I hope will be very soon. In the meantime, here's a few random items that have recently caught my eye. 

Incoming From Instagram

When I started Ginger Jabber last month I decided not to include a link to Instagram as many blogs do because, to be honest, I don't use Instagram all that often and when I do all the good photos just end up here anyway. That's mostly because I am currently looking into buying a new camera (decisions, decisions!) and in the meantime this means taking most photos on my iPod touch.

Soooooooo, I thought I'd just quickly share a few photos that I've recently stuck up on Instagram.

(left to right, row by row)

1. Banana and chocolate loaf cake | 2. Icicles at Moor House | 3. Lava lamp that my dad got me for Christmas | 4. Banana and toffee crepes on pancake day | 5. My three favourite perfumes | 6. Can anyone find James in this picture...? | 7. Snow in March. I wish it would be summer already. | 8. Accidental shot of myself whilst trying to get a photo of my skirt, turned out pretty nice | 9. Curry take-out this evening with the girls. And a film of course!

I have nothing really exciting on this weekend. Going to get my hair cut tomorrow and stock up my biscuit tin. Desperately need to clean my room; half my wardrobe is on the floor and I've just made a narrow path from the door to my bed. And desperately need to get cracking on with writing my dissertation literature review. Whilst watching a bit of Tudors, naturally. And maybe blogging a few bits and pieces along the way.

Hope you guys have something more exciting planned.

Any tips on which cameras I should consider? 

Thankful Thursday #1

So today I've been busy finding a few new people to stalk in the blogosphere, and I came across a great idea for a new feature I thought I'd try out; Thankful Thursdays. Thanks a bunch to both Lisette and Paige for this, they both have lovely blogs so be sure to click your way over to them.

Thankful Thursdays are going to be about sticking a middle finger up to all the mad and bad happenings each week and remembering that life is actually pretty good. Here goes.

In less than a week I will be reunited with the boy

I got a free mug at work today

My flatmate's dog is THE cutest EVER

The Tudors is on Netflix

Tomorrow is take-out and film night with my Lancaster girls

The dissertation research is going full steam ahead

The existence of pyjamas

Also, I suppose its not something to really be thankful for but I scored a goal in hockey today (I play with the guys from work in our lunch break). It was my first ever goal in the 6 months I've been playing...and then I scored a second time! Just shows that persistence pays off as I'm not exactly what anyone could ever call gifted at sport, and that its good to get out there a try new things. I've met some brilliant(ly crazy) people through hockey - something else to be thankful for!

Stay thankful guys!

(I've discovered how to add a signature. Yey me!)

Ten Bedroom Inspirations

I was thinking that it was about time I did another ten things post.

I've been scouring around for bedroom decor inspirations lately because a few weeks ago I signed the contract for my house for next year when I'm back at university. I'm so excited about my new room! Its currently Elliot's room but he'll be graduating this year and plans to go home to Liverpool so I'm going to have his room. Its a gorgeous room (when its not covered in the general mess that guys apparently are happy to live with); its got an amazing high ceiling and a big bay window and a fireplace. Its lovely and light, and unlike all the other bedrooms in the house it doesn't have God-awful granny-pattern carpets (ah, the quirks of student housing). It just has so much potential to be a beautiful room so I've started looking so some inspirations for decor ideas. These are my favourites from what I've found recently.

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I love the huge Paris mural 

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I want a wall of books. Stat. 

8.

A photo collage is a must; I love displaying memories.

9.

I so need a quote on the wall.

10.

I know, I know, but a girl can dream, right?!

As you might be able to tell, I'm loving the fairy lights. They just make any room look so cosy and just make me totally relax. I really want to get some of these ambient balls. I'm also crushing on bunting right now. Look how amazing some of these bunting designs are. 

Hope you are all having a good weekend. I've spent the morning in bed, the afternoon blitzing the kitchen and the evening lounging on the sofa with my flatmate James watching Being Erica. Such an addictive show, you guys should watch it.

H x

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

All the ingredients used to make these cakes

As tomorrow is comic relief, we are having a baking competition at work where we can bake cakes, bring them in and the best looking and tasting wins a prize (and the glory) whilst, most importantly, others can buy the cakes therefore raising money for charity.

I decided if I was going to bake a cake, then I was going to BAKE a cake and make it good!! So I made cookie monster cupcakes.

I used that old and simple sponge cake recipe of 100g each of butter, caster sugar and self-raising flour with a touch of baking powder and then two eggs. Whap it all together in a bowl and fling it around a bit with a wooden spoon until its a smooth batter. Try not to eat the batter; raw eggs and all that but, more importantly, less cakes later on!

Then fill muffin cases about two thirds full with the batter. I bought these gorgeous Britiain themed cupcake cases on offer in Sainsburys.

Cute cupcakes cases

I put them in the oven on a low heat. Recipes I looked at say on gas mark 4 but our oven is electric and doesn't have numbers on the dial so I just turned it down low and then kept checking the cakes regularly. They were done after about half an hour when they were springy to touch. While I waited I kept with the cooking theme and watched the new series of Masterchef. I'm routing for James.

So, I've got my baked cakes and they're cooled but they're looking pretty naked. To make the buttercream icing I added one part butter to two parts icing sugar and then added blue food colouring. As it turns out, you need a huge amount of food colouring to turn the icing a good shade of blue so I added another one part of icing sugar again to make a mouldable buttercream icing consistency. I spooned about three quarters of the icing onto the cupcakes so that the tops were completely covered, then the rest was piped on. I didn't have an piping bag or nozzles or anything, I just put the icing in a sandwich bag and sniped a tiny bit off the corner. This way, you can make the cool furry effect of the cookie monster.

This piping business took patience and a steady hand. And buckets of time. I also found that a bit of David Guetta and Jay-Z helped. Perked my up when my hand was cramping up and all that. Once this is all done though the best bit is next - adding the cookies! I broke them in half and shoved the bigger half into the icing and into the sponge a bit too. Then I added soft mints with a dot of black icing in the middle for eyes. And voila!! Some pretty awesome cookie monster cupcakes! I really want the feel that winning glory...

They were much easier than I thought to make, though I was quite scared after seeing the failblog attempt. I would definitely make these again. Now I just have to get them to work tomorrow in one piece....

What else have people done for comic relief??
H x

Sleepy Theo

Thought I'd share a montage of doggie photos from when I put Theo to bed earlier.
Theo is my flatmate James' dog but when James isn't home I can pretend that the doggie love is all for me.

Having a cuddle before bed time.

Upside down stretch - strange dog!

Such a babe!

Now it's my bedtime.
Goodnight world.
H x

Life Lately

So, although I'm definitely becoming a little old lady prematurely and loving the nights in on the sofa with a giant hot chocolate a bit too much these days (could I be becoming, shock horror, mature!?!), I have had a bit off a booming social life this past week. Thursday I met a few of my Lancaster girlies for dinner and we headed to that old classic, Wetherspoons. I swore I wasn't going to get a desert...so of course I ended up walking home stuffed full of chocolate ice cream sundae. I have zero willpower. 

This was how I wore my hair on Thursday for Wetherspoons. I found this old boho-style dress in the back of my wardrobe and felt it was definitely time it had an outing again. My fringe is at a really awkward length at the moment though so I plaited it across the front and left the rest loose, backcombing the underneath layers a bit to give it a bit of life. It looked so cute with the dress.

Friday evening I went to Lancaster beer festival with my housemate and some of his friends which was really good fun, though the train journey home to my parents early the next morning was not so fun with a beer hangover. I went home to surprise my gorgeous mum for Mothers day. She was definitely surprised - she was so happy, made it all worthwhile. The major shopping trip in Newcastle also helped in that department. I  really wanted to make this post about the clothes and stuff that I bought but I went for a run earlier and then literally didn't have the energy to do anything but lounge about in pyjamas, watch Bridesmaids and prematurely crack open the Easter goodies. I'll add it to my list of posts for the near future.

Roy (The IT Crowd).                                Nathan (Bridesmaids).

Talking of the film Bridesmaids, how much of a babe is Joe McHale's character, Nathan the policeman. I mean, how does one go from being lovable-but-never-fanciable Roy in The IT Crowd to Nathan?! I have definitely become a bigger Joe McHale fan in the last half an hour. And I'm sorry to adhere the stereotypical  female thought process, but half of his charm has got to be down to the beauty that is the Irish accent. 

So Tuesday night was a bit different; I went to Lancaster university boxing society's Easter ball. I have never boxed in my life. I never plan on boxing in my life. However, two of my friends do and I was invited along as one of their 'dates' so I donned a dress and we headed to the Dalton Rooms. Was a fun night, even though I had to leave early to be up for work this morning. I took this quick snap shot of my dress on the way out the door. Apologies about the awful quality, took the photo on my iPod as I was in a rush (I blame Elliot, we were talking on the phone for hours and I lost track of time...silly me!)

Dress from Coast sale (2010)

In fact, I was in such a rush that I didn't get to paint my nails to match the dress which I'm trying to get into the habit of doing now I actually have nails (I started biting my nails as soon as I grew teeth and only stopped at the start of this year). So I did it this evening, whilst admiring Joe McHale's face. I tried out my Barry M chameleon nail paint which changes colour when you put on a clear top coat. So simple and looks so pretty, could easily do some really cool designs with this. I went for this simple half and half design just to try it out. Its definitely something worth investing in if you're into trying out new nail polishes. 

Excuse the sleepy doggie in the background of that last photo! That's Theo, my housemate's weimaraner. Such a cutie!! More photos for the dog-lovers among you here

Over and out.

H x

Starry Night Themed Nails

Supplies used (left to right):
Barry M Jewel Glitter in Gold Mine
Barry M Chameleon Nail Effect in Blue
Barry M Instant Nail Effects Foil in Gold

The wonderful Mothership got me a whole box of Barry M nail polishes for Christmas including all kinds of paint colours, glitters and other effect polishes; I love Barry M simply because of the huge range of different and quirky nail polishes they do and great prices - you can see the whole range here.

I got inspiration for this design from Kaylah's 'weekly nail' post. She's spot on in saying that blue and gold go great together, so I combined my three blue and gold themed nail polishes and created what, I think, looks like a sort of starry night sky design. I totally loved experimenting with a few colours all together which I've never been able to do before as, up until November, I've spent my entire life biting my nails so never had the urge to paint them and draw attention to them. I've definitely got the urge now though, I can't wait to try out some other combos!

And it's always nice to have something pretty to look at, especially on a grim ol' Monday.
H x

Ten Table Lamps

So, I've decided to set up a feature called 'Ten Things' where I show you the things that I am crushing on at the moment, the ten things to be precise. I totally started getting into the whole internet window shopping malachy lately and have seen so many pretty and quirky items that I want to share with you guys so I'm going to make it so that each Ten Things post has a theme, and I've already made a list of a whole bunch of themes I want to do!

The first theme for Ten Things is going to table lamps. Random, I know, but a few weeks ago I tragically broke my all time favourite table lamp; I was vacuuming and accidentally pulled on the wire, making the table fall over. The shade was made of glass so obviously smashed into a million and one tiny pieces which was heartbreaking to watch as, not only did I love the lamp just because it looked really cool, but my parents had bought it early on in their marriage from Habitat so it had sentimentality too. Now I'm looking for a new table lamp and, in my searching, I've uncovered some pretty amazing ones. Here's ten of my favourite:

1. Baby bedside lamp from Radiance
I love this lamp because its just so pretty. I've never usually one for pink but this looks so gorgeously delicate.

 2. Bottle neon lamp from Notonthehighstreet.com
At first I thought these were a bit garish but now I think they're great. I'd want to get a few in different colours and display them all together.

3. Louie white glass table lamp from Habitat
This lamp is basically the contemporary version of the one I broke. When lit, they look like balls of light and give this amazingly soft glow to the whole room.

4. Vintage cup and saucer table lamp from Folksy
My friend who is studying art made a lamp base similar to this and it was incredible. So I was really excited when I came across this one which is made from a set of vintage cups and saucers.

 5. Jeeves table lamp from Graham and Green
Because who isn't a fan of Jeeves?!

6. Love Heart Lamp from Next
I think this would look gorgeous on some shelves or a bedside table with fairy lights draped around. Oooh, and maybe a few candles and flowers.

7. Birdcage table lamp from Dunelm Mill

This birdcage design is incredible value but is cute enough not to be too tacky. It's look perfect in a pretty bedroom which had the whole pristine, starch white linen look about it. Unfortunately my bedroom could never be described as pristine. 

                                       

8. Colgao from enPieza
I find this lamp quite creepy, yet somehow still charming.

9. Upcycled Jagermeister bottle lamp from Notonthehighstreet.com
This is a fabulous lamp! I love it, love it, love it! It comes in some many different kinds; Disaronno, Smirnoff, After Shock, Jack Daniel, all the old favourites. Blue Sapphire looks especially cool because it glows blue. And the best thing about these lamps is that they recycle old bottles whilst looking wicked. Tempted to have a go at making this with some LED lights rather than fork out a whole bunch of money for it. And that way I'd get to enjoy some (possibly not so) quiet nights in with a giant bottle of Jagermeister!

10. Wise Owl table lamp from Urban Outfitters
Finally we get to the lamp that I most want to buy for my bedside table. However, disaster has struck and Urban Outfitters have suddenly stopped selling it! Will have to keep my eyes pealed for something similar. I don't care how mainstream it is, 'm just loving the whole owl craze at the moment.

Keep an eye out for the next Ten Things post. Excited to make this a regular thing!
H x