Sunday Samples, Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Chocolate Chip Cookies are not your traditional cookies. The chocolate is a galaxy bar chopped up and I used brown sugar instead of white but this was completely for my own taste buds. You can of course use traditional chocolate chips and white sugar if you prefer.
The weather has been getting colder in Ireland over the past few weeks so these cookies were the perfect remedy for those moments when you can't seem to get the warmth back in your body and they taste soo yummy too.

You Will Need:
225g Butter
440g Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
335g Plain Flour
5g Baking Powder
5g Baking Soda
335g Chocolate Chips

Preheat your oven to 190 Celsius.

Prepare your chocolate chips ready to be added to the mixture

Line your baking tray with parchment paper.

Mix your brown sugar and butter until smooth. Then add your eggs one at a time.

Add your flour, baking powder  and baking soda and gradually stir into your sugar mixture

Fold in your chocolate chips

Drop small rounded spoon fulls onto your cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes

Place on a baking tray for 5 minutes. Pour yourself a large glass of milk and devour.

A Quick Catch Up ~ September

My September was pretty much dedicated to my best friend and her wedding. The hen party took place in Belfast on the first weekend of the month and her wedding was on the 30th. The rest of the month for me was spent either recovering from the hen party or preparing for the wedding itself. I was a bridesmaid and also the beautician for the day. I did the makeup for the 3 other bridesmaids and the bride herself. I also did the tan and the nails. Busy Busy. Anyway I will go into further details on the Wedding in a special Wedding post next week in which I will show you some of the professional pictures taken on the day.
So here is my month of September in picture form.

 

We all headed off to Belfast for a weekend of eating, drinking, pampering and partying. We headed to a few bars, none of which I can remember the name of. Drank alot of cocktails. Ate the most amazing dinner at TGI Fridays and had a fabulous morning of Massages and Facials and cured our hangovers in a fabulous Jacuzzi.

As per usual I took loads of photos of Amina through the month but this one had to be shared. How Amazing is she, seriously?

Before heading home for the wedding preparation another friend and I took our girls to a great little city farm in Dundrum for a day out. We checked out the amazing pot bellied pig, the cows and calves and the Shetland ponies.

 

As the dutiful bridesmaid I tried to do everything I could to take pressure off my girl before her wedding, so I moved in for the week running up to the wedding. Our girls had a great week together playing and dressing up together.

 












The Stunning Bride and her new Husband on the day of their Wedding. She looked radiant and we all had a fantastic day.

So did you do anything exciting in September?

First Look

The first look of the latest MAC Viva Glam 2012 Collection has hit the web. The amazingly eccentric Nicki Minaj and Ricki Martin are the latest faces of the campaign which benefits the fight against HIV and AIDS. They are not a couple you would necessarily place together, but, by the looks of the picture, they're absolutely fabulous.

I can't wait for these 2 pieces, the lipstick and lip conditioner, to hit the stores in February. I love Nicki Minaj and I'm obsessed with the barbie pink lipstick that she wears. And when 100% of the profits are fighting these unnecessary diseases, I can't think of much more of a reason to buy both.
Will you be running out to your local MAC to grab one of these once they hit the counter?

LOVE, WANT, NEED, HAVE TO HAVE

For this weeks LOVE, WANT, NEED, HAVE TO HAVE I have chosen the one and only Jeffrey Campbell 'Lita' Booties.

If you haven't heard about these babies, you must have been living under a rock. They are the most Fierce pair of 'affordable' shoes EVER!!

These amazing shoes have been probably the most popular shoes over the last year on the blogosphere and any fashionista worth her weight in salt has a pair. For me since I saw them I have wanted them and the desire has grown so much that now when I'm shopping or Internet browsing I think of outfits in terms of Lita and what will look fabulous with them. Coming in such a huge range of colours, finishes and designs the Lita bootie really can be for everyone.

And the best thing is with the 5" heel and 2" platform they give you the height without killing your feet. I'm so excited to own a pair or 5 of these gorgeous platforms and i literally already have my whole wardrobe based around them. I'm loving the taupe suede and the brown calf however I think my first purchase will most definitely be the original black distressed leather.

This is one dream of mine that WILL come true this year. With my new job and Christmas coming soon there are high chances of being able to rip some wrapping paper off these on Christmas morning. Here's for hoping. You will notice of the next few months if not longer that the Lita Booties will be making appearances on my blog frequently whether in Wishlist Outfits or My Style Posts. I'm very excited for it.
What do you think of the Jeffrey Campbell Lita Booties? Do you already own a pair or more?

Keeping the **X in Xfactor

Two weeks ago I gave you the first of my Xfactor Updates in my post The **X in Xfactor and because 2 weeks has past for my Style Star, the ever gorgeous Kelly Rowland, that means four more outfits. I said in my last post, for me Tulisa just isn't hitting the mark. She's urban, she's cool and she's dressing too old for me. The dresses are beautiful and she's beautiful but they're just not her.
Kelly however is FIERCE!!

From Left Week 5: 
Saturday: John Galliano Dress and Nicholas Kirkwood Heels
I like this dress, I don't love it but it works

Sunday: Alberta Ferretti Dress, Christian Louboutin Heels, An Asprey London Necklace worth £125,000 with Lorraine Schwartz Earrings and Ring
I loooovvvveee this. The dress is gorgeous, the red really looks great on Kelly and WOWZA that necklace. I have to admit I was staring at that necklace all through the show. It's Amazing! Everything in this look is Spot On

Week 6:
Saturday: Stella McCartney Suit, Anne Fontaine Shirt, Giuseppe Zanotti Shoes and Lorraine Schwartz Jewels
I love this look. It's rocking out. Not everyone would have the balls to rock a mens wear look on a show like this. It's totally different from everything else she's worn thus far. Totally fab and really pulling out on of the hottest trends for this season, Masculine Tailoring and Androgyny. Love it! And seriously, do those legs ever end?

Sunday: Corrie Nielson Blouse, Elie Tahari Skirt, Nicholas Kirkwood Shoes and Lorraine Schwartz Jewellery.
This again for me is so beautiful. You would never guess that the blouse and skirt were seperate pieces from different designers because they blend so beautifully together. Absolutely gorgeous. With that mega watt smile to accessorize the look. Fab!!

And as for the music of Xfactor. Finally Frankie has gone and it can actually turn into a music competition. The rumours whether or not are they are true are disgusting. I absolutely detest any Muppet that takes drugs and what makes it even worse is when they boast about it. I find it absolutely deplorable. As a mother of a young girl I hope she grows up to want to emulate people like Michelle Obama, an educated woman who holds herself with grace instead of known drug users and people who are famous because they're famous.... Anyway I'm still loving Misha B, however, I don't actually know if winning the competition is the best thing for her. Look at JLS, One Direction, Cher Lloyd and Jedward to name but a few. You nearly seem to do better by not winning. Just saying.
Drop back again for more upcoming posts on the further fashion spotting in Xfactor in the coming weeks.
What do you think of Kelly's style? Do you prefer Tulisa?

Handbags TO DIE FOR!!

As you know my style at the moment is literally anything with a boho feel. I'm in ♥ with feathers, tassels and as the wife of an African Man I am truly partial to my ethnic prints, especially African prints aswell as this seasons MUST HAVE, the Navajo Print. While doing a little online searching a couple of weeks ago for my new wallet I came across some of the most gorgeous lust worthy bags that I have ever seen. I just had to do a post on these bags as not only are they Gorgeous but they aren't ridiculously expensive. I also know that my fabulous sister is going to just die when she sees these as they are just up her alley, so Ari this post is for you ;)

Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent
E155.96

Sass & Bide
E234.13

I have had this Sass & Bide clutch saved on my desktop for months. I am completely in love with it. As it is slightly out of my price range I have plans to try and use it as inspiration in making my own clutch like it. I will keep you posted and I will be sure to blog about it if I do finish what I have planned.

L.A.M.B
E247.73

ONE by Subtle Luxury
E60.42

Wayuu Taya Foundation
E133.52

Wayuu Taya Foundation
E152.60

The Wayuu Taya Foundations bags are just beautiful. So colourful and vibrant. I also love the message behind the bags. The Wayuu Taya Foundation are a non governmental, nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to help improve the lives of Latin American indigenous communities while maintaining and respecting their traditions, culture and beliefs. These are fabulous bags for a fabulous cause. I am making sure that I will invest in one of these bags in the near future. You can see more about the Wayuu Taya Foundation on their website and you can purchase their bags (and all shown above) on the Shopbop webiste.
What do you think about these To DIE For Handbags? Would they be your style?

Honorable Mention

For this Week's honourable mention I have chose the Stunning Nicole Richie. Photographed on Sunday night in Los Angeles at the annual Museum of Contemporary Art Gala.

Nicole is wearing a Julien McDonald Autumn Winter 2011 Dress. The gorgeous mauve colour compliments her skin tone perfectly and I love the exquisite leaf detail which decorates the bust and high neck. With an open back and a floor length sweeping tail to the dress, I literally cannot fault it one bit.

 As Always Nicole, the best ambassador for her own brand, accessorized the dress with her own House of Harlow 1960 'Olivia' python clutch, silver strappy heels and silver jewellery. Absolutely fabulous.

Her makeup was absolutely flawless with a soft smokey eye and pink lip.

J'Adore this outfit, everything about it. It's Ethereal, it's pretty and classy but yet Nicole is still able to show off her personality with the backless detail and her Angel Wings tattoos on show. It's something I would love to wear myself and I wouldn't style it any different. As I've said on many occasions before Nicole Richie is definitely one of my favourite Style Stars. I'm always on the lookout to see what she's going to wear next. I especially love it when she flies the flag for her own lines, House of Harlow 1960 and Winter Kate as I am a massive fan (Check out my post of Winter Kate 2012 Collection).
Did you rate this outfit?

It's a Wrap

Following yesterday's Monday MUST HAVE with Winter Woolies I wanted to do a post on River Island's selection. As a lover of all things RI I always tend to go to them for Winter Woolies. The price is affordable and the pieces last. I am still rocking Winter Woolies from 3 years ago that I bought in River Island, so check out the fabulous It's a Wrap feature on River Island's website with some of my favourite Winter Woolie pieces on offer at the moment.

I adore this Chevron Stripe coat. It's going to be my Winter Jacket purchase for this year. I am also completely obsessed with River Island's capes and ponchos. They fit into my boho aesthetic perfectly and can be worn so many different ways. I showed my favourites yesterday and I will also be featuring some pieces in my Santa Baby post which will be coming soon.
What do ya'll think of River Island's selection for wrapping up this winter?

Monday MUST HAVE

Winter Woolies are an absolute MUST HAVE at the moment with the weather already starting to go below freezing. The days have beautiful clear blue skies but with the twist of being so cold that you fear for your toes, especially as you are unable to feel them anymore. I have chosen a selection of my favourite Winter Woolie Accessories from River Island in order to ensure your kept nice and toasty in the cold.

Capes:

 I am completely in love with the cape above. I love everything about it from the boho feel to the navajo print and the versatility that is the cape. I will most definitely be purchasing this piece very soon to get me through those Winter months stylishly.

 

 

Hats:

 

Scarves:

 

 

Gloves:

 

The Little Extras:

 

I'm absolutely loving the feather cable knit boot cuffs. The perfect little Winter Woolie to help stay warm while being completely on trend and so super cute. I truly think that if you want to invest in Winter Woolies this collection from River Island is the way to go. Check out there selection for yourselves and find the perfect Winter Woolies for you.