Flowers peepin’ up through a crack in the concrete

Monsters of Folk- Whole Lotta Losin' 

(Floral dress: Topshop/ Ebay, Coat: Topshop, Aeroplane belt: ASOS, Proenza Schouler copy: Ebay, Shoes: Marni x H&M, Flower necklace: H&M, Arm cuff: Fashionologie)

So when I was... 16/17 and before I worked in Topshop, my sister bought this dress and I loved it, it was a perfect floral dress; strapless, a little on the vintage side, a cute waffle fabric and florescent. Me and my sister did not have the same dress size so I never could share (steal). Then came eBay, and thank you! I got this dress on eBay a few weeks ago, I have watched lots of them over the years come and go, but I am one of those people who staunchly refuses to pay a lot for anything on eBay, it is basically an online charity shop so paying £35 for a 4-5 year old dress from Topshop was not happening. I think this dress is maybe a bit too summery for February in Scotland but oh well, I did wait 4 years.

Does anyone else have items that they could have bought but didn't and instantly regretted it, resulting in many hours spent trawling for it on eBay?

With love from,

Emma x

Favourite Things

1. Sparkly shoes from Zara, I got these in the sale, they were originally £60 which is crazy considering they are made of a satin fabric material. This shoes are also weapons, seriously, the first time I wore them I actually cut up my ankles. Does anyone else have these shoes and have the same problem or do I just walk with my knees locked?

 

2. This Dior lipstick is the perfect colour for autumn/ winter, it is a really deep red on and is the one I wear most commonly on this blog. A good drug store option is Kate 107, which I also have and wear a lot. I find Dior lipsticks really durable and moisturising, it often stays on for 6 hours without touch-ups if I don't eat or drink in that time. Does anyone have tons of lipsticks? Every time I go make up shopping I always want to buy more, but then I think it is silly as I already have the colours that are normal, a nude, pale pink, bright red, plum red and a dark black/ purple. I can not understand girls who have hundreds of lipsticks all of the same colour and can tell the difference between them. Please enlighten me!

3. Stupid Pandas. These little fellas are highlighters. This will come to a surprise to all but there were cat ones but I passed them up for these guys, they just had cuter faces. Now highlighting can be fun and cheerful with these derpy faces staring at me! Highlighters from Paperchase. 


I hope you all had a good weekend!

With love from,

Emma x

DIY Entomology Display Box

Recently I have really been loving these taxidermy butterfly cases. I am not a butterfly kind of girl really but no-one can say that Butterflies aren't pretty. I am not sure if anyone else has tried to buy them off of eBay or Etsy, but they are rather expensive, especially for the vintage ones which are really the only ones I am comfortable with buying. I received four for my Christmas and love them but then I thought they would look really good next to paper versions of them.

(photo credit)

Turns out Origami does not agree with me in a way I do not understand. Never before have I got so annoyed at a craft before, I have sewn thousands of beads in my lifetime and within the few hours I cracked throwing paper around in a huff. I am not sure if it was because my boyfriend referred to it as "applied Maths" that I had such an aversion to it or what? But if you do not like maths or paper I would advise simply cutting out the shapes from silhouettes like these, depending on the paper you used it could look equally as good. You could even layer them to get a similar effect as the origami.

Ingredients:
Paper in different patterns, origami if you have
A deep picture frame

Equipment:
Scissors
Glue

So cut your paper into squares, of different sizes and then look for tutorials for origami butterflies. There are honestly MILLIONS of options, I used ones that had accompanying Youtube videos so it was easier to see what I was doing. Most of the videos have pretty fruity music or dreamy voice overs, maybe this is what made me so angry, but regardless I linked each butterfly I made with the tutorial I used for it.

Here is a Youtube tutorial for this one:

Here is the video for this butterfly:

The video for this Butterfly is this:

Youtube Tutorial for this one

Hopefully you aren't too stressed, keep going, picking different paper, different types of origami and different sizes of paper until you have enough to fill your picture frame. 

Position in the box in an arrangement you are happy with them and stick the flat edges down of each butterfly to the box or mount with glue.

Clean the glass and put the frame back together and you are done! Maybe not as well as me, because it is pretty reflective and hard to photograph! Oh Hi hand.

If anyone makes one please email me a picture, I would love to see it!

With love from,

Emma x

Cold light of day

Portishead: Machine Gun

(Chain Jumper and leather bag: Zara, Coat and frilly socks: Topshop, foofy skirt: ASOS, Shoes: Forever21, Belt: Vintage, Necklace: DIY) # teenvogue

I bet the guys had a great Monday tea break laughing at me swishing around outside their place of work on tape. God, security cameras, how embarrassing. However, I got a good laugh too, what happened to the inverting in the first photo? Makes the car in the background look like a Nissan-cube which is maybe the worst looking car ever? Not that I know anything about cars, I am that person that when someone gets a new car I ask what colour it is. 

An awful lot of spinning/ sashaying going on here. I am naturally drawn to any skirt or dress which has a good spinning radius. Too much fun. Tutu-esque skirts are my meth, that slightly manic facial expression I am pulling is my flippy-skirt meth face.

In other news the boy is getting particularly good at taking very straight photos which makes for excellent inverting. Also look at that fancy lens flare he got in the last photo, show off. Goes with my douchey Kirsten-Stewart-mouth-open-ALL-the-time-face.

Hope your weeks are all going nicely! If you are in Scotland like me, I hope you are enjoying the sunshine, pretty nice, freezing, but nice!

With love from,

Emma x

Favourite things- Valentines/ post dissertation edit

1. Last time I post pictures of my underwear on the internet. But look how pretty! I made this this week using this tutorial from the beautiful Allyssa, but I was unable to do the straps like hers so ended up using miles of velvet ribbon for the straps, creating a bit of a bow overload, but when can you ever have too many bows? No sewing machine required, I made this by just using my hand needles and by scaling up the pattern slightly. Never again am I am buying these kind of bras, honestly so easy to make.

2. Valentines day sweet-treats. My sister got me a food related "dissertation survival kit" including brownies, biscotti and these heart shaped raspberry marshmallows. All of which was particularly bad for the old waistline, anyone else get studying munchies? The brownies didn't last the night but I saved the marshmallows for my valentines day hot chocolate, and don't worry Katherine, I saved you one, only one. For Valentines I also received a box of Hotel Chocolat chocolates, which have gone down very well.   

3. My friend rewarded my dissertation efforts with presents! She cross stitched me this beautiful Narwhal, her cross stitching is stunning, its so neat even the back, so much so that you could be fooled into thinking the back was the front. She has such talent! I also received a Laudree savory cooking recipe book, Laudree books are the prettiest books in existence, coming in a pastel box, the book itself is flocked and each page is silver.  Too Beautiful. The recipes are equally as stunning, while kinda impossible looking. Thank you so much Ashleigh!

How was everyone's Valentines day? I hope you were all spoilt rotten!

With love from,

Emma x

We looked like Giants

(Angora Jumper: Nowhere at Nelly, Leather skirt: Topshop, Plaid Coat: ASOS, Platforms: Marni x H&M, Bag: Mulberry, Pasta earrings: DIY, Pearl necklace: thrifted, Pink stone necklace: River Island) # teenvogue

This small, unimposing structure is the Wallace Monument in Stirling.  I actually wrote an essay about it once, if I remember correctly the plans used to build it were found in a bin... Fun Fact. It is worth a visit if you are in the area, I actually prefer it to Stirling castle as they have taken out all the original furnishings, so every room is just a shell with an awkward candelabra with fake fire. You can go inside the monument but heights aren't my friend.

I got this jumper from Nelly, and it was my first purchase from them. I really enjoy this jumper and its little frontal cut-outs. As always, as it is angora it is mighty itchy. I also recently rediscovered this coat, it isn't the most flattering but it is warm and goes with pretty much everything.

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, I handed in my dissertation this week and then the day after contracted a cold, so my weekend of freedom has deteriorated into watching Mad Men and feeling sorry for myself. Colds do not help me and my tissue phobia. Weird I know.

With love from,

Emma x

Favourite Things

1. I love Narwhals, they are such silly looking creatures. I remember I had this plush on my bed and a friend came over and point blank insisted that it wasn't a real animal and that I was lying. Only with Google evidence was he converted. This toy is ridiculously adorable. He is hand knitted and was from Etsy, he has a little wooden horn? nose? unsure... so he isn't for hugging but sits around my room making everything a little happier. How could you not love the unicorn of the sea?

 2. Bunny ring holder- Urban Outfitters. I have also seen something similar on ASOS but I think the bunnies are slightly more sinister! This ring holder is not only cute, but practical too, you can see every thing all nicely displayed and it actually holds quite a few rings. However, it is easy to break, I managed to knock off one of the poor things ears but after a bit of super glue it was fine again. The join is easily covered by the rings so it doesn't really matter!

(Photo credit: here)

3. This is really dorky and here I see my degree encroaching on my everyday life, but here goes.. This is the Polish Map of Scotland. It was built in the 70's by the Poles as a memorial to the Scottish friendships that were forged during the Second World War. It is a stunning thing and actually fills up with water to have its own sea, lochs and rivers. I am determined to drag someone, anyone, here this summer to see it in person. How did they even make this? So impressed. 

Sorry for the nerd send off! Anyone else take their job/ university degree home with them? 

I hope you all had a lovely weekend,

With love from,

Emma x

Peanut Butter cupcakes

Adapted from this recipe from Sally's baking addiction.

Chocolate cupcakes:

• 4 ounces of unsalted butter
• 5 ounces of light brown sugar
• 4 ounces cup cocoa powder
• splash of vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3.5 ounces plain flour
• Some chunky peanut butter

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Line muffin tin with paper cups.

Step 1: Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl then whisk with an electric whisk to make the mixture light.

Step 2: In one bowl mix the two eggs with the vanilla extract, in another sift the flour, coco, salt and baking powder.

Step 3: to the sugar and butter alternate between the wet and dry mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Step 4: Fill the cupcake cases 3/4 full and cook for 10 minutes, check they are fully cooked by inserting a knife into the centre of the cupcakes, if it comes out clean remove from the oven. Leave the cakes in the tray for a few minutes until slightly cooler then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Step 5: once cooled use an apple corer to cut a chunk out of the center and put the excess in a bowl (after trying a little bit to make sure it isn't horrible). Then add chunky peanut butter in the hole. It is important for the cupcakes to be cool otherwise they will melt the butter in the peanut butter. 

Step 6:Break up the excess cupcake to crumbs.

Step 7: Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle over the cake crumb to finish. A nice added extra would be chocolate covered peanuts, add two to the top.

Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 8 ounces of smooth peanut butter
• 4.5 ounces confectioners sugar
• 2.5 ounces of unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• some milk to add if frosting is too stiff

Step 1: mix together the peanut butter with the unsalted butter with a electric whisk.

Step 2: Add the sugar, fold in slowly by hand and once roughly incorporated whisk again with the electric whisk.

Step 3: Add some vanilla extract and if the frosting is stiff and isn't smooth when stirred add some milk gradually until smooth, just a splash at a time as you don't want make your frosting too wet.

Step 4: refrigerate if slightly on the wet side and pipe on cool cupcakes.

Tip- I advise not using reusable fabric piping bags as when used for icing it sometimes pushes the butter out of the bag which makes the bag really greasy and hard to control. Buy some disposable piping bags as the plastic prevents this and saves on the washing up.

If anyone makes them send me a photo! I'd love to see them! And if you have any questions just ask away!


With love from,

Emma x

Mr Art Nouveau

(Rose Jumper: Topshop, Blue kilt: Topshop Boutique, Angora snood: ASOS, Wood platforms: Marni x H&M, Jacket: H&M, Handbag: Zara, Fur tail: Etsy, Jewellery Miscellaneous and Fashionologie) #teenvogue

A little homage to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, these photos were taken outside the Glasgow school of art building which he designed. Another themed outfit with roses, tartan and a kilt, just for you Charlie. I wish this would also explain my apparent ginger hair, but it doesn't, why these came out making me look ginger is unknown to me.I am just SO Scottish (ignoring my weird English hybrid accent)!!!

I personally, really love Mackintosh's work, every building that contains his work is completely unique but quintessentially him. His style was so modern for his time and it is just so different. Here are some buildings he was involved with if you ever find yourself in the area. Glasgow School of Art , Hill House, Scotland Street school and the Mackintosh House . I have visited and had a tour of each of these buildings and honestly, each of them are really worth a visit, I couldn't pick a favourite.

Also, if any of you are feeling pretty flush and have a spare £650,000 you can buy a house that was one of his designs but built recently,  I would if I could. See it here.

Who is your favourite artist/ architect? Anyone heard of Mr Mackintosh before?

With love from,

Emma x