Tuesday 20 December 2011

Something Christmasy... Feed The World

Christmas is really gettting close and all those Christmas songs have been blaring out everywhere I go. I love them! Feed The World is my favourite. Here's the video:

 The best Christmas song??
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Friday 16 December 2011

Something Christmasy...The Coolest Christmas Food

Ho, ho, ho! Getting in the Christmas spirit yet? You will LOVE the pictures I have to show you! I found them on various websites. And yes... which is your fave??












The brownies are an instant love, I am completley and utterly trying that, they are just so adorable!
What do you love?
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Saturday 10 December 2011

Chocolate Cupcakes

Mmmmmmm... I've died and gone to heaven. Why? Because I've just bit into an yummy chocolate cupcake! Here's the GORGEOUS recipe: (Recipe from http://www.cathycassidy.com/.)

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
INGREDIENTS: (For cupcake)                               INGREDIENTS: (For chocolate icing)
2 and a 1/4 cups plain flour                                                    150g butter- softened
1 and 1/3 cups sugar                                                              250g icing sugar
2 large free-range eggs                                                           2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 teaspoons baking powder                                                    2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt                                                                    Decorations-chocolate buttons, sprinkles, etc
1/2 cup butter/margarine                                                         YOU WILL NEED:
1 cup milk                                                                              A cupcake baking tray
1 teaspoon vanilla essence                                                  A mixing bowl
                                                                                              Cupcake paper liners      
                                                                                       A wooden spoon or electric mixer
                                                                                              A spatula
                                                                                              A sieve
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas Mark 4. Put paper cases in cupcake tray.
2. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl and mix well.
3. Add butter, milk, and vanilla essence. Beat the mixture for 1 minute until thick and gooey, and add eggs. Beat for a further 1 minute at medium speed, and then for 2 minutes at high speed.
4. Spoon cupcake mix into tray until 1/2 to 2/3 full and bake for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool.
5. For the icing, beat together the butter and icing sugar. Mix the cocoa powder and water in a separate bowl.
6. Add the combined cocoa powder and water to the butter and sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy and then swirl over your cupcakes.
7. Enjoy!

Yummy or what? Let me know if you give it a try, or if you have any cool recipes you'd like to share.
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Something new & something blue

I don't know why, but suddenly my wardrobe's been filled with patterns, shades and designs- all blue. I've also been noticing a few gorgeous blue pieces in the high street. Which will be your 'I need this now!' item?
New Look, Floral Tube Scarf, £23.99
    
New Look, Ballet Shoes, £49.99

H&M, Jersey Dress, £12.99 

H&M, Skirt, £14.99


Topshop, Velvet Coat, £68.00 

H&M, Demin Jeans, £29.99


I really can't decide! What about you?
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Sunday 4 December 2011

Read all about it

A poem...

When you read,
You read words that someone has taken the time to write.
When you talk,
You are saying words that could be written.
A word is a part of something,
And a sentence is the whole.
What is the whole?
Whatever you want it to be.
Walk down the street.
Words leap up all over the place.
Do you ignore them?
Of course, there are some words that people consider not worthy to be read.
But picture this:
Someone took the time out of their day,
To write those words that they consider to be important.
So give them a chance.
Lift up your eyes.
And read all about it.
Thoughts? Anything you'd like me to post about? Drop a comment.
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Friday 2 December 2011

Something Christmasy...Inspirational Wrapping Paper

Well, I'm back! SO sorry to have been gone with no warning, but my laptop suddenly bust and I had to wait for it to be fixed. How long has it been? A week, two? It seems an age.
Welcome to a new feature! Of course it had to be something to do with Christmas! For all you Scrooges out there, this is completley and utterly for you. (You know, and all the Christmas lovers like me.) There's going to be five, and they are all, (did you guess?!) going to have the theme of Christmas.
So bring on inspirational Christmas wrapping paper!









Okay, I know I always say this, but which is your fave? Personally, I love the white paper bag with the candy canes and big pink bow. I might try it out for a friend's present!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)



Tuesday 22 November 2011

The Kooks

It's a music post! I thought I'd talk about a band that are haunting my iPod.. The Kooks...
They're an English indie pop band with a flare for originality, and a cool urban vibe. Formed in Brighton, East Sussex, 2004, the band has gone from strength to strength in the music industry, signed to Virgin Records just three months after forming. Their first album- Inside/Inside Out was amazingly successful- achieving quadruple platinum status in the UK within a year and picking up a nomination at the Brit Awards for their single: 'She Moves In Her Own Way.' This band is so unique, cool and have a great style. Here's some of their most successful songs:


She Moves In Her Own Way



                                                                          Naive


                                                                 Do You Wanna

Which of their songs is your fave? Do you like The Kooks?
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Friday 18 November 2011

100 style and beauty tips- 4

The fourth in the feature! Check my tips out below:

31. Use a peach-coloured eyeshadow if you're tired and want your eyes to look fresher!
32. If your hair is greasy- start washing it less, once every two days if you don't already. Also, you could try going for a shorter cut next time you go to the hairdresser's.
33. Don't go for the bright red lipstick look if you're under eighteen. In my opnion, it looks a bit tacky.
34. To make the casual jeans & t-shirt look a bit more interesting- have you tried a waiscoat? They're amazing!
35. Going to a party? Opt for gold shimmery eyeliner- not liquid, pencil looks more impressive.
36. If you need to get your hair out of the way, have short hair, and don't want to wear a hairband, simply buy a few cheap grips to clip it back. They're barely noticeable and keep your hair out of your face- much more effective than using big clips.
37. But if you've got long hair, sleek and shiny ponytails are in! Try clipping back your fringe too to make the effect more dramatic.
38. Want a romantic look? To get inspiration- take a look at this post by Katie from her blog Katie's bliss. It inspired me!
Click HERE.
39. For a sweet, neutral scent this winter my fave is Daisy by Marc Jacobs. Put it on your Christmas list!
40. Snoods are so gorgeous! Swap one with your winter scarf- they're warm AND fashionable. Accessorize and Topshop have a great selection.


Remember my competition! Comment YOUR style and/or beauty tips below and the best one will be the 100th at the end of this feature and I'll leave a link on the post to your blog!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Wishes & waves

Something to sweep you away, a quick sketch......

I sink into the soft grains of sand. They quickly engulf my legs, swallowing them up so only my pink toenails are visible- pink that is, decorated with sand sprinkles. It's a beautiful time to be up. Only tiny wisps of clouds are making their way across the sky, like fragments of candyfloss. The sun has just arrived. And so, I see, have you.
You sit by my side all morning, tracing broken hearts in the sand, splashing in the waves, dancing in both. You listen and you don't interrupt. There's no-one else around. We are safe in our own little paradise.
It's warm, well- actually, slightly cold. I wrap a soft blanket around my shoulders and sigh. When was the last time I actually though deeply about things? When was the last time I smiled with genuine abandon? When was the last time I watched nature get on with it?
I look down to you, and sigh as you start to dissolve in the water. A shadow doesn't stay where you can always see it, I guess.
I stand up, ready to return to real life.
Well, almost.
I send my wishes out to the waves.........
From The Girl With The Notepad :)


Monday 14 November 2011

Book review: Marshmallow Skye

You may have seen my last post on the vintage style. I got inspired for this post by Cathy Cassidy's new book: Marshmallow Skye. It's really dreamy and the plot is great, so I thought I'd share it with you here.
Marshmallow Skye is the latest in Cathy Cassidy's Chocolate Box Girls series. In my opinion, it's the best! The series is all about sisters (plus one stepsister) who all have stories to tell. Skye's story? She's the dreamy one out of all the sisters. When she finds a trunk containing vintage clothes, accessories and objects she adores them. And then she finds out they belonged to a girl called Clara long ago who drowned in the sea to escape from marrying a man she didn't love...
Then Skye starts having weird dreams, dreams she loves, dreams she wants to stay in as real life isn't going too well for her at the moment. Her twin sister, Summer, is constantly getting the spotlight while she is overlooked. Even her best friend, Alfie, fancies Summer instead of her! On top of all of this, why is there a boy she's never seen before appearing in her dreams?
It's a great 'escape' book. Fab if you're feeling in a dreamy mood. This book makes you think, and the ending is not what you'd expect.
Five stars from me!

Let me know if you've read it- did you like it? What's the 'dreamiest' book you've ever read?
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Saturday 12 November 2011

Vintage!

I LOVE vintage everything!  Here's an cool vintage style outfit for you to try:




Hat: New Look, £6.99
Ring: H&M, £6.99
Dress: Topshop, £46.00
Bag: H&M, £34.99
Shoes: New Look, £15.00

The best vintage style item of clothing, accessory or shoes you've ever bought?
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Erm... I've changed the design. Again.

Yup, I've changed the design again. I have a feeling this is going to happen often...
Let me know what you think!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Operation: Cheer myself up

Hey! Well, I've not feeling that great at the moment because one of the guys at school has nicked my purse, which had my bank cards in. I'm not looking forward to trying to get it back tomorrow.
So I thought I'd think of a list of things to do to cheer myself up, and if possible, to do them. Sometimes just thinking about them make me smile! I also thought I'd share them with you here:
OPERATION: CHEER MYSELF UP!
Things that cheer me up:
1. Watching an episode of Friends
2. Chocolate. ANY kind.




3. Reading & commenting on blogs!
4. Shopping
5. Playing the piano
6. Talking on the phone to a best friend

7. Reading fashion mags

8. Having a bubble bath
9. Trying out new makeup
10. Playing basketball

So what cheers you up?
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Sunday 6 November 2011

100 style and beauty tips- 3

Who knows? One of these might be useful to you...

21. Bad hair day? Wear a hairband, or put a flower or a pretty clip in your hair. It'll make you feel better. Plus, people will be distracted and won't notice your hair!
22. Instead of shaving, for really smooth legs use Veet Hair Removal Cream, it's amazing!
23. When applying concealer, never rub it in. Pat it in for a more even finish.
24. For fuller, smoother lips.. you don't need the lipgloss! Vaseline is perfect, in particular for winter.
25. When a new brand is giving out free giveaways.. ask for two. Say the second one's for your sister, cousin, mother, etc. This way you can get double freebies!
26. If you want to look fresher and make your legs look longer, opt for skin tights instead of black tights.
27. Always take off mascara before you go to bed. If you don't your lashes over time can become dry.
28. For shinier hair, when it is completley dry blast with cool air with your hairdryer.
29. With cream-based eyeshadows, less is more.
30. If you want to give yourself more of a figure, try cinching in your waist with a belt. This ALWAYS works!

REMEMBER my competition! Comment your favourite tip (or tips) on style and beauty below and my fave will be the 100th tip in this feature, plus I will leave a link on the post to your blog!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Thursday 3 November 2011

Wherever you will go

I have fallen in love. This song is AMAZING. Have you ever seen the Twinings tea advert? This is the song in the background. It was originally done by a band called The Calling, but this girl did a cover of it for the advert. You will be blown away.
Don't you just wish you sang like that?
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Death or love

I've just read a post that made me think how lucky I am. It inspired this poem:

Wading through
Water.
Dirt, glass, plastic.
Noises swirling
Crying, wailing
Overwhelmed.
You never knew life could be this bad.
A little girl
Sat in the gutter.
‘Take this,’ you say, and hand her the pack.
She looks up.
You’ve never seen her before.
But suddenly
It’s like you’ve seen into her soul.
She gobbles the food
But who knows? You might already be too late.
You scan her face
Looking for signs
A clue, if you like.
Your finger traces the tears on her face.
You hand her more food, and she stares.
You stop.
Is it death or love in her eyes?

I might turn it into a song one day, I think it's that kind of poem. What do you think? Was it death or love?
Drop a commment to give me ideas for posts- fashion or writing related if you think of one you'd like me to do. =) Thanks!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Sunday 30 October 2011

A shout out to those special blogs! :)

Well, I'm feeling FAB because I have now reached 25 followers! Sooo.... THANK YOU! Seriously, I really appreciate it... you all rock!
SO, because everyone is so kind recently, I thought I would give a shout out to those blogs which are all unique, cool, and special in their own way. Some of these people aren't following me. Some of these people probably haven't noticed that I'm following them! But each of these blogs are amazing and you should definetley check them out.

Flirty Dresses- a sweet, girly, fun blog with fab features that I'm obsessed with!
Book Swept- calling all book lovers! Great pictures and great quotes to go with them!
Fashion Tidbits- inspirational high fashion pictures every day!
The Fancy Teacup- amazing, stunning outfits in interesting settings, updated regularly!
My Happy Reality- a fun, interesting blog with posts that make you smile :) !
Shenanigans of Caroline- hilarious stories and interesting posts, you'll love this one!
Everyday, A Song to Sing- a new music blog that promises to be fun and interesting!

So, I hope you check them out! They really do deserve it.
If you find any cool fashion/music/fictional writing/ funny blogs I would love for you to give them a shout out by commenting their link! I follow lots of blogs, but I'm always looking for more.
Thanks again, followers!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Friday 28 October 2011

The Giant Mood Board

Hey everyone! So, you might have seen before the post I did on mood boards and how to make your own.
If you haven't, check it out here: I've been a bit creative...
I've been ill recently, (which is why I haven't been posting as regularly as I should) and I got so bored I made a giant mood board on my wall, using up all my spare fashion magazines. It's a meant to be in the shape of a heart......
To make a giant mood board, you don't follow the same steps as I showed you before in my other post. In fact, here are some new tips:

How to make a giant mood board
1. You don't need to get all the images in front of you first, as that would take far too long. Just get a few large images to start with.
2. Then, simply cut out of magazines any pictures that intrest you or look good, and layer them up.
3. For giant mood boards, brighter is always better.
4. You could also cut out magazine titles or words and stick them on afterwards.
4. Always, always stick to your theme because otherwise a large mood board can look messy.

What's the biggest thing you've ever made/created etc?
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Monday 24 October 2011

Frankenstein

Well... Halloween is coming up soon and I thought my post should have something vaguely spooky related. Have you ever read Frankenstein? I haven't, though I would like to, but I do know something about the plot. I got to thinking this morning, what was going through the monster himself's head when he first came to life? Here's my imaginings.....

I drew in a musty breath, letting dirt fill my body. It felt clean, even... good. My eyes roved the room. A strange flicker of light shone inches away from me, it coaxed menacely, I reached towards it, and a ghostly jump leaped inside me as pain shot through my hand. I turned away, startled... and saw a man. His face was a complete mixture of emotions, disappointment, hatred, fear- a wisp of excitement? I stared into his eyes and tried to understand. I wondered, why?


Thinking was hurting my head, tormenting it. Thoughts were sprinting through my brain, when one skidded to a halt. For now I understood. This person, this thing in front of me, he must have created me. But he didn't look happy. He looked like he hated me. My heart thumped painfully and loneliness' cold touch seeped through my veins, through to the tip of my fingers. But that felt like nothing to what I felt next. For I saw a monster! A monster that made me gasp to look at, a digusting creature so horrible tears rose to my eyes, and I shook uncontrollably like the devil himself had possessed me.


A soft sound made me turn my head. My creator was backing away from me- I reached out to him- but then he screamed.
"Stop, please!" he begged me.
I was confused. I had only been trying to help. Sadness threatened to kill me as he ran away. What had I done? Why did he not want to see me? I felt trapped in a maze of darkness. I resolved to find him, I managed to sit up- but then my eyes reached something that made me bury my head in my hands.


For I had just seen my reflection in the mirror.

Spooky! Till next time!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Sunday 23 October 2011

100 style and beauty tips- 2

Want some inspiration? Check out my tips below: (for more, click on my first post on these called 'A new feature!- 100 style and beauty tips :) )

11. Want to look designer? For your coat this winter choose a quilted jacket- it can look designer for a fraction of the price of a proper designer coat.

12. To give your hair more volume, when wet, backcomb and massage in a volumising mousse. Dry off, and then spray with hairspray to keep it big all day.

13. Give your nails a fun look with Barry M Crackle Nail Polish, it creates fab patterns on your nails and is so easy to do!

14. If you've got an old jumper ready to throw away, first cut off halfway up the arms. Then hem each side and you've got arm warmers.

15. Vintage jewellery can give a boring outfit the boost it needs. Don't know where to find it? Check out http://www.thischarminggirl.com/.

16. When applying blusher, smile first, and then apply the blusher up your cheekbones so it looks more natural.

17. Never underestimate the power of magazines. Stuck for inspiration on an important outfit? Go out and buy a few fashion mags. If you find an outfit you like, cut it out. Continue until you've finished all magazines. You'll be left with a kind of mood board of inspiration!

18. If you're broke but are desperate for clothes, try out a 'swapsie session' with some mates. Everyone brings something they don't want, and swaps with something a friend has that they do want.

19. If you're not going out or are going somewhere that isn't that important, don't wear makeup. It'll give your skin a breather and stop it breaking out in spots.

20. When wearing eyeliner, thickly outline your eyes for a dramatic effect. However, if you want to keep it subtle, apply brown eyeliner on just the bottom lids of your eyes.
And, rememeber to comment YOUR style and beauty tips below! My fave will be the 100th tip in this feature and I'll provide a link on my post to your blog!
From The Girl With The Notepad :)

Sunday 16 October 2011

Train

I hope this sweeps you away... that's what I was aiming for, anyway.

Imagine... a seed. It's little, underground, unnoticed. A drop of water from the land up above drips slowly down, down, down... it hits the seed. Suddenly, there's hope. Suddenly, the seed begins to grow...
Imagine... a tree. Your tree. A tree you've known since it was a little seed. Go there. Feel its breath. Look at its leaves, or does it have leaves? Is there fruit? Is it a happy place?

Leave your tree now. Go to a station. A train station. A train station you've never seen in your life before.  You're helpless, lost. You look around for someone to ask what to do. There are many people like you. People who stick a mile out because they don't know what to do.
Suddenly a guard shouts, "All tourists get on now!" You're unsure, as are many people around you. The guard repeats. "If you don't know where you are or what to do, GET ON THIS TRAIN NOW!" You have no choice. You step on the train.
But this is a train journey like no other. At times, the driver seems to have gone mad. Or even, at times there doesn't seem to be a driver at all. The train hurtles dangerously from side to side. Each corner comes with a shout from the passengers. Is it from fear, worry, or excitement?
But at other times... the journey is peaceful. You're relaxed. The tracks are straight in front. A woman sits next to you. You smile at her, as if to say, "This is the life, isn't it?"
But this journey has been going on a while now. And suddenly it hits you. Suddenly you panic. You don't know where you're going! Is this train ever going to stop? You ask the woman next to you. "Do you know where we're going?" She shakes her head. You ask the guard. "Where are we going?" He doesn't know. Nobody knows. Except the train driver, and you don't even know where he is!
But there's nothing you can do, and after a while, you sigh and except this. The train hurtles on into the distance.........
But who is the train driver?

From The Girl With The Notepad :)