dressing for the dark

Dress: Topshop (old)

Jacket: Miss Selfridge

Scarf: Primark

Shoes: Topshop

Pearls: A gift

Bangle: Custom Made

This was just an outfit I wore to the cinema with Alex the other day. I know it's dark in the cinema so noone sees what you're wearing but I still enjoy getting dressed up! We also went to Bella Italia for pizzas and I tried one from their Pizza Vita range which are under 600 calories and I was really impressed! I prefer them to the Pizza Express Leggerra range if I'm honest. 

I definitely need to work on my posing. I realise I look pretty goofy in the last picture but it was the best of a bad bunch! I'm getting braces soon (yes I'll be atleast 24 by the time they come off eek!) so need to work on smiling without showing my teeth.

I'm off to Wales for 5 days from Saturday and the cottage we're staying in has no internet so the blog might be a bit quiet. It's kind of a good thing as hopefully it'll encourage me to spend time reading my kindle and camera book rather than browsing the internet so much! 

mini cupcakes

So earlier this week I ordered a Wiltons Mini Cupcake Tray so that I could start baking mini cupcakes rather than the humongous ones I normally bake. I wanted to be able to enjoy the treat that is having a cupcake but without the ridiculous number of calories - they came out at roughly 85 calories each in comparison to 380 calories for my usual ones. Of course that didn't stop me eating several at once! Luckily I put most of them in the freezer so I can take out one at a time. 


I used my usual vanilla cake batter recipe which was a big mistake! It made 72 cupcakes! And as I only had the one tin, that was a long night of baking. I love the results though, I think they look a bit like iced gems. 


What's your favourite thing to bake?

weekly ups and downs #2

exciting bag, new toy, topshop vectras

diy french manicure, washed my makeup brushes, love notebooks

home-made fish pie, relaxing with a glass of wine, peach nails

I <3 couscous, baby fruit puree- my secret addiction, blogging

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Ups

+ I can't believe I finally own an SLR (okay I'll stop going on about it now).

+ I now only have 4 weeks left working at the nursery (but I'll miss my little ones so this could be a down too). 

+ I'm going to Wales on a mini-holiday with my Mum, Dad and my fiance in less than a week yay. 

Downs

- My two best friends who I met almost 3 years ago when we first came here for university moved out of the city yesterday and back to their hometowns as they have finished their degrees. Sad times :( We have made lots of plans for get-togethers though so hopefully it won't be too bad. I'll miss the random little times where we just got a pizza, watched trash tv and gossiped all night. 

- Despite feeling like I'm eating healthy and exercising lots I'm just not losing any weight! I definitely intended to be a lot lighter than I am at this point but it's just soo slow. 

- I got harassed by a drunk man on a bus on Friday. He made me feel so uncomfortable that I just wanted to get off at any bus stop and run :( Horrible horrible man!

this week's splurges

 

This weeks hauling is certainly not typical of the average week in the life of Emily-Alice.. it has definitely been an expensive week and I've come out of it with considerably less savings oops! 


My most exciting purchase was my new Nikon D3100 camera - plus quite a few extras including a tripod, camera bag etc. The camera came with a 18-55mm lens but the bundle I bought it in also included a 70-300mm lens. Yes, I'm still working out what these do! That's where the 'Dummies' books come in. I'm going to Wales next week and I'm predicting awful weather but atleast I can spend sometime swatting up on my new hobbies.


I picked up the notebooks from WHSmith - if you know me, you'll know I'm a bit of a listaholic. I will write a list for anything, especially if it distracts me from actually doing the task at hand! 


Onto the clothes. The swan dress featured in my weekend wishlist post last week. The print is so 'me' I just had to have it. I rang up my local Topshop and despite the website saying they had my size in stock, the lady on the phone said they only had 6s and 8s. Luckily I decided to pop down there anyway and was beyond ecstatic when I found this one hiding at the back of the rails. I can't wait to wear it but am trying hard to save it for Alex's graduation in four weeks. I just need to find some shoes to go with it now! I'm thinking cream or black strappy wedges and tanned (fake) legs.  


I also picked up these Topshop Vectras - I've been wanting a pair for ages now but never got round to buying them and I'm so glad I did. They really add something to my outfits - much more than a plain pair of ballet flats (my staples) do. And of course the scarf, £4 from Primark - bargain! I was very restrained in Primark and only bought this scarf! Normally I'm walking out with arm fulls of stuff but I guess my splurges in Topshop and Jessops temporarily put me off shopping - shock horror!


So after all that, don't mind me - I'm just off to tighten my purse strings!

skulls and spikes

Dress: Primark

Scarf: Primark

Shoes: Topshop

Necklace: Primark 

Okay so I still haven't got any more to grips with my shiny new camera, hence the dodgy differences in lighting etc but I'll get there. I've realised my photo editing skills also leave much to be desired but it's another skill on the list to get learning! It's been a long time since I had a new hobby to play around with - baking has always been my thing but this is certainly a lot more technical than baking!


I love this grey dress, it's a blatant copy of the topshop one but it was only £8 - bargain! I just wish they did it in different colours as I really like the style. I think they do it in stripes but I already have plenty of stripey tops/dresses in my wardrobe. So pleased I finally got myself some Topshop Vectras. I've been wanting some for ages but never got round to it. I wore them out today and they're surprisingly comfy too - I can definitely see them becoming my go-to flats. 

i heard you were a wild one

Wow I did something crazy yesterday. If you saw my previous post you'll know I was drooling over the Nikon D3100, well I may have succumbed eek! I almost had a heart-attack in Jessops, my adrenalin was through the roof haha. When I asked Alex if I was doing the right thing (spending half my savings on a whim), he pointed out it wasn't so much of a whim as I had been BANGING on about buying a good camera for most of the time we've been together (nearly 5 years). So when you put it like that, perhaps it wasn't so much of a whim afterall. 


The hour and a half it took for the battery to charge when I got it home were, perhaps, the tensest moments of my life. I couldn't wait to play with my new toy. Okay so I still haven't ventured past the auto settings but rest assured 'The Nikon D3100 for Dummies' guide is on its way as we speak and hopefully I'll be up and running in no time. I've always wanted to get into (amateur) photography but my Sony Cybershot wasn't really cutting it (the men in Jessops belly laughed at me when I said that's what I had currently!). 


So, whilst I haven't bought it specifically for blogging or outfit of the day type posts, it will definitely come in useful for that. And here is my first. Photos were taken excitedly by Alex around midnight so lighting is not great, nor is the subject who is experiencing bloating after a dominos delivery...

Top: Primark

Belt: Primark

Shorts: Bought ages ago from a boutique in New York

Shoes: Primark

Definitely didn't realise how Primark heavy my outfit was until now! If anyone has any tips for getting to grips with a DSLR for a complete beginner, they will be very welcome!

weekend lust list #3

Okay so I know it's not the weekend anymore but this is just a small collection of things I was pining for at the weekend (and still am). I'm going shopping at Meadowhall tomorrow and will be keeping my eye out for a few of these beauties.

1. Quilted Bumbag, Asos 2. Swan Print Collar Dress, Topshop 3. Nikon D3100 4. Duke Nude Studded Slippers, Miss Selfridge

1. I'm sure bumbags will make a come-back this year. I've seen them dotted around a few magazines and I think they're very 90s which is in. I'm thinking of getting one for the festival season/being a tourist as they're so handy for keeping valuables close and hands-free. 

2. I saw this dress over on Helen's blog and I can't understand how I missed it! It's sooo cute, I have a bit of a thing about swans - mainly to do with my love of the Swan Lake ballet (and the film Black Swan of course). It'd be perfect for Alex's graduation in a few weeks but much to my annoyance it's sold out on the Topshop website and is only selling for silly prices on ebay. Definitely keeping my eye out. I have no idea if I'd need a 10 or a 12 though so I don't want to take the risk on ebay either and then have to return it to some seller. 

3. I need an DSLR camera. Okay I don't but I've felt for a long time that it would enhance my quality of life greatly. I've been reading reviews for the Nikon D3100 and it looks like just what I need - the ideal starter SLR. It still looks complicated enough that I'd need this guide to help me work it out but not so complicated that I wouldn't be using it properly. As I said in yesterday's post I have 8 weeks of awesome summer plans approaching and having a new toy to play with would be the icing on the cake. I'm going to Meadowhall tomorrow and will be browsing in Jessops. Let's hope I'm wearing my sensible head or the savings might be coming out to play...

4. I missed the Topshop Vectra wagon but I really like these studded slippers from Miss Selfridge. I think they're a little less in your face than the Vectras but still that slipper style. 

beauty haul

Just thought I'd do a quick post of my recent beauty buys. 

I've never tried this brand of skincare products before but after reading the blurb on the back about it being free from lots of nasties I thought I'd give it a try. I had been using the Nivea Visage Rich Moisturising Cream - probably for several years actually so I fancied a mix up. I love the smell of this moisturiser - it's very fruity so if you don't like that kind of thing it's probably not for you. It's quite light which I like as I need my moisturiser to sink it relatively quickly before I apply my makeup. The only downside is that it doesn't specify what the SPF number is, although it does contain UV filters. 

I like the exfoliator too - very fine beads but you don't want to use anything too abrasive on your face, and again a yummy fruity fragrance. 

This is just a re-purchase as Garnier Summer Body has been my go-to fake tan for years now. I know technically it's only a gradual tanner but I buy the deep sun-kissed look so it is closer to fake tan only more moisturising and more buildable in my opinion. You do have to keep on top of it though - I had a really good glow going on a couple of weeks ago but I let it slip and now I'm back to pasty white. I'm going away in less than two weeks though (albeit only to Wales) so I'm definitely getting back on the tanning wagon soon. 

Nothing original here but I bought two copies of Glamour (gave one to my Mummy), purely for the freebies. I've always wanted to try Benefit's Bad Gal to see what the hype is about but it's a little out of my price range so this sample was perfect. I have to say I'm not as impressed as I thought I would be and I'm glad I've never splashed out on it. I think lots of drugstore mascaras do the same if not a better job on my lashes. 

I quite like the Porefessional, but again I'm not sure if I'd splash the cash on it. It gives a similar finish to Boots No 7 Shine Free Make Up Base which I always buy for £6 when they give out the £5 off vouchers.

And lastly, onto a new shampoo and conditioner set. I actually ordered my favourite John Frieda Go Lighter products but it got substituted with these in my ASDA grocery delivery. Atleast they were still in the 3 for £10 deal which is a bargain considering their meant to be £5-£7 each. I haven't tried them yet but I'm having another full head of foils done at the hairdressers tomorrow so 'highlight activating' is pretty fitting.


Tomorrow is my day off work so I'm getting my hair done in the morning, going shopping and to the cinema with the boy in the afternoon and then having a pizza night with friends in the evening. Bring it on :)

instagram and weekly ups and downs

 cooking outside feeling like a tv chef, amazing disco taxi, night out with my besties, drunken nail painting = yellow stain on leather jacket :(

eek so excited to see Cheryl live, can't find this dress anywhere on asos, a nice slow 5k, drying my hair in a topknot a la Dollybowbow

follow me on instagram @lifeofemilyalice

I keep changing the way I write these sorts of posts, sorry about that! I'm a pros and cons kinda person though so I think this way will be fun.

Ups

+ Me and my uni besties had a cracking night out on Tuesday - possibly the last night we go out before they leave the city and move back home as they've finished their degrees now. The highlight of the night was probably the disco taxi (only by request, it's kitted out with strobe lights and your choice of very loud music) - definitely getting in that again.

+ My parents came and stayed with us for the weekend and brought their amazing gardening skills. A day of gardening later and we can actually walk down the garden path and sit out in the yard (if summer ever comes!). 

+ I now only have 5 weeks left at the nursery before leaving. That means 5 weeks til my epic summer plans begin. 8 weeks of little trips, seeing friends and going to festivals before knuckling down to third year in September. 

Downs

- After getting a new PB at parkrun last week, this weeks time wasn't anywhere near as good and I've no idea why. Just need to remind myself I can't improve every week! I've still cut 5 minutes off my 5k time since I started in November. 

- Just general money troubles blah blah. So many pretty things I want and not enough funds!

weekend lust list #2

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 

1. I'm always on the hunt for the perfect white lace dress. I must have about 5 different white dresses in my wardrobe but none of them are as lovely as this one. I love the flared skirt and boat neck. If only I had an occasion to wear it too, I could definitely justify buying it then!

2. I've seen this dress on a couple of different blogs and I've fallen in love with 18 and east's plate print. I *have* to have something in this print but I haven't decided what yet. 

3. A black maxi skirt is a wardrobe staple, I think this would look great with different vest tops in the summer months. Only £8.99 on ebay so I've taken the risk!

4. I just love Kate from Dolly Bow Bow and want everything on her website! This crown would look so pretty with the white lace dress. Or with wellies at a festival :)

5. Fell in love with this purse in John Lewis the other day, but at £69 I think it might be staying on the lust list for sometime. Maybe one for a birthday/christmas/anniversary if I'm lucky!

6. Discovered Kirsty's blog this week and love this jumper she was wearing. It reminds me of the kind of thing I wore when I went through my emo/goth phase in my teens. Think it would look great with my AA disco leggings. 

instragram photos and update

proud of my dad running, ice-cream and pizza - perfect sunday food, gave up diet coke but cracked

travelling home, fish and chips picnic, <3, summery dress

fotd, sunbathing by the arts tower, jubilee flowers in preston, my grumpy face

me and my mum, passed my driving theory, couldn't choose so bought both, strawberries dipped in nutella

  chocolate and banana loaf, pimms o'clock, jubilating, queen for a day

follow me on instagram @lifeofemilyalice

Wow, lots of instagram photos from the last two weeks. I uploaded them in a different way this week as I noticed the quality of the photos wasn't very good in my last instagram post. It was a bit more time consuming but hopefully should look a lot better.

Me and a couple of friends headed down to our union bar for a jubilee party today. Did a bit of flag waving and pimms drinking in honour of our lovely Queen! I'm not a massive royalist or anything but do love getting a bit patriotic on these sorts of occasions! I've learnt a lot about the royal family this week and found it quite interesting. Just watched the documentary about the making of the jubilee single with Gary Barlow, that song is soo catchy!

The highlight of my week was passing my driving theory exam. As soon as I passed I booked my practical test for mid-July, fingers crossed that's enough time to fully prepare! If I pass this, summer is going to be great - someone in the family has offered to lend me a car for a few weeks so I have a few roadtrips planned :)

Enjoy the bank holiday weekend, even if it is raining!