New Years Eve Outfit Inspiration.

It's coming up the busiest party night of the year, New Years Eve, and I thought I'd share with you all a little outfit post for the big night.

Skater Dress With Scallop Lace- Asos Curve- £24.50

Selena Gold Mesh Box Clutch Bag-New Look-£15.99 

Black Floral Lace Tights-Evans-£8

Loop Drop Earrings-Marks & Spencer-£9.50

Gold Plated Clasp Fastening Bracelet- Marks and Spencer-£12.50

Lydia

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2013: My Year in Instagram Pictures.

Well, Christmas is over already, and that means one thing...A New Year. I have taken inspiration for today's post from Sunny Sweet Pea and her post 'My Year In Photos' However, as you can see from the title, I have adapted it to my Instagram photos, my number one stop for sharing my photos. So here it is; my year in photos:

January started with a late-night train journey home in the snow to see Tilly's first experience of snow. It was so funny seeing her go crazy!

March included a one night stay in Birmingham, ok, it was for a night-out but I still managed to see the city.

April was spent seeing friends, loving student life, and cycling round Cambridge.

I was still enjoying Springtime in Cambridge in May, and snapped this picture of Pembroke College on the way to meet up with friends there.

June, 12th, the day I spent about 3 hours in A&E after a lovely day at work, and being halfway through a friend's birthday celebrations. Silly me, I slipped and fractured my fibula. When I woke up that day, I did not have any ideas that I would have to stop studying, and move home 2 days later.

After 2 long months, in the hottest summer England's had, in a knee-length cast, I was finally allowed to wear a pair of shoes, trainers, with a ankle support thing on (hidden under my jeans).

After starting a new job in September, Settling into normality in October, I took a day trip to Portsmouth in November. A lovely day, going  up the Spinnaker Tower.

And here it is, Ending the year with a wonderful Christmas Dinner, Served straight away when I finished work.

I hope you have enjoyed looking through my year, if you want to follow my instagram, my username is; thelittlelifeoflydia. Here's to 2014!

Lydia

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Last Minute Secret Santa Gift Idea.

This week at work, I was kindly reminded that I had been put into the Secret Santa. I pulled out my recipient, A lady who seems lovely, but who I don't know very well. I went food shopping after work and picked up her gift. A little bag of goodies, totalling £4.93. The budget was £5 so I was thoroughly chuffed with my spend.

The gifts in the bag include a lovely miniature bottle of Kendermanns Spec Edition Riesling, which looks a lot more expensive than the £1.50 price tag.

A lovely wine glass which came in at 50p.

The next part is job specific, a tube of Palmer's Shea Butter Hand cream for £1.93, an essential for a nurse, who is constantly washing their hands!

To add another treat, I picked up a tube of Pink Smarties, these were £1.

I bought all of these from Asda, and I dug around in my home for an old gift bag and some tissue paper, then I put it all together.

All ready for delivery!

Lydia

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Dark Chocolate Truffles.

I've recently fallen in love with chocolate truffles, and, because of this, I thought I'd share my recipe for dark chocolate truffles. These are very simple to make, and the method is split in half. Making it perfect for starting them, then finishing after a long winter's walk.

All you need is:

• 280g Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa),
• 290ml Double Cream,
• 50g Unsalted Butter,
• 200g Milk Chocolate,
• 200g White Chocolate,
• 100g Icing Sugar.

Simply chop up the dark chocolate into small pieces, and put into a large mixing bowl.

Then, heat up the butter and cream together in a saucepan, until the butter melts, and the cream starts to bubble.

Pour the butter mixture over the dark chocolate, and stir until all smooth.

Cover, and chill for at least 4 hours.

After 4 hours, put put the milk and white chocolate into separate bowls, and melt them. Then pour the icing sugar into another bowl.

Cover your hands with a little sunflower oil, and start rolling the truffle mixture, immediately covering it with one of your toppings.

After finishing all of the truffles, put them back into the fridge for another 30 minutes+.

Then enjoy! I enjoy these truffles in the winter with a nice, hot glass of mulled wine!

This recipe typically makes around 30-40 truffles (depending on the size of them)

Lydia 

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December's Christmassy Dozen

Now it's December, I thought I would create my dozen especially for the Christmas lovers out there.

There are some 'not exactly Christmas songs' but they are songs I love during Christmas.

Lilly Allen- Somewhere Only We Know

Download: iTunes

Maria Ferrante- Ava Maria

Download: iTunes

Bing Crosby- White Christmas

Download: iTunes

Christina Perri- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Download: iTunes 

Choir of King's College Cambridge- Once in Royal David's City

Download: iTunes

Eartha Kitt- Santa Baby

Download: iTunes

Lady Antebellum-Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Download: iTunes

Kelly Clarkson- Run Run Rudolph

Download: iTunes

Michael Buble- It's Beggining To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Download: iTunes

Andy Williams- It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

Download: iTunes

The Ronettes- Sleigh Ride

Download: iTunes

The Pogues- Fairytale Of New York

Download: iTunes

I hope you enjoy listening to my Christmas Playlist. 

Lydia

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Spicy Sausage Puff Pastry Pizza.

Today's post is another super easy, completely delicious recipe. This recipe can be followed to the t, or you can mix up the pizza toppings, which is great for using up leftovers.

All you need is:

Jus-Roll Puff Pastry Sheet,

Tomato Purée

Pepperoni Slices

Chopped Chorizo

Cherry Tomatoes.

Mozzerella

Take the pastry out of the cardboard and leave out for 10 minutes, pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 7 (220˚c)

 During this time you can chop up the tomatoes and mozzerella.

Follow the instructions from the puff pastry and place it into a rectangular  baking tray. Put a good sized dollop of Purée and spread around.

All you need to do now is put all your toppings on the base and put in the oven for around 20 minutes. 

Cut into generous slices and serve with salad.

 

Super easy!

I would love to see your variations of this, send me pictures using the Twitter hashtag #littlelifepizza

Lydia

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Delicous Lemon Drizzle Sponge Cake.

It feels like forever since I last wrote on here. Though probably not. I have just finished a crazily busy weekend of work and decided to celebrate the best way I know how. Cake.

Oh yes.

All you need for the cake is:

• 6oz (170g) Self-Raising Flour
• 6oz (170g) Caster Sugar
• 6oz (170g) Butter
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Icing:

• 4oz (113g) Butter
• 8oz (226g) Icing Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Milk

For the Lemon Drizzle:

• 2 Lemons Juiced
• 3 oz (75g) Caster Sugar
• Lemon Curd

 
How to make the cake:

• First things first is to light the oven up to Gas Mark 3, or 160°C. Grease and line the tins.
• Then cream together the sugar and butter.
• Add the flour, a few spoonfuls at a time and mix. After 3 spoonfuls, add the eggs, one at a time and mix.

 

 
 
 
 

• Pour in the vanilla extract and baking powder and mix. 
• Spoon the mixture into the tins and pop in the oven for 25-45 minutes (until the cake springs back when tapped).
• After a while of patiently waiting for the cake, mix together the lemon juice and caster sugar. Drizzle over the top layer of cake when cooked, and out of the oven.
  

 
 
 
 
 

• Let the cakes cool. 
• To make the icing, soften the butter and slowly add the icing sugar. Add in the milk alternatively until all mixed together. Whisk for 3-4 minutes.
• Layer the cakes up with Lemon Curd and The Icing. 
• Top the cakes with a sprinkling of caster sugar. 
  

Tilly the dog was patiently waiting to taste the cake, nice try Tills!

A simple, quick, and absolutely delicious Lemon cake, perfect for the cold winter's nights. 

Lydia

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Getting in the Christmas Spirit, Garden Centre Style.

A few days ago my sister and I decided to see the Christmas display at our local garden centre which is part of the Notcutts company, It was a lovely sunny day so we made the most of it!

After a while browsing the autumnal flowers outside and a wander round 'Pets Corner' we found the Christmas Display! Quite a few people know that Christmas is my joint most favourite time of year, along with summer, so I get excited quite prematurely, much to the disappointment of others'. 

 I love the red colour scheme here, I think it portrays so much of Santa Claus and has a real American vibe, which would look great on a great big green Christmas tree!

As well as just generally walking around/taking photos, I thought I would choose a decorative item that really caught my eye. This bauble is so detailed, I found it in the 'White Christmas' display and it is definitely where this belongs, along with lots of silver sparkly lights. And for £3.50 I think this is an absolute bargain!

  

I plan to be visiting a lot of the garden centres around my hometown in the run up to Christmas, so keep checking this page to see what other great finds and ideas I get from them!

Lydia

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