#OOTD

Tree of Life, $40 (on sale for $20!)

First off, yes, this is me in the photos – woo scary! Secondly, what camera do you lovelies use? I’m thinking of getting one as right now im only using my phone (hence the quality).

Anyway, lately I have been loving this gorgeous smock dress from Tree of Life! It is SO comfy and the colours are stunning. This dress is very casual and is perfect for every-day wear. I find this hippie style is great to wear to a music festival and it can be easily accessorised with some jewelery! This dress is perfect for those warm winter days and goes wonderfully with a pair of black boots.

Shirt – Topshop, $40    Trousers – Dotti, $20

I absolutely adore this look! Although, my judgement may be a little biased as my favourite stroe is Topshop, so any oufit including topshop I am bound to rave about. This Winter I have been loving the turtle-neck style (and my wardrobe is now full of them). The colour of this shirt is so pretty and goes perfectly with the trousers – plus it’s really warm, which is a bonus!

These pants are so comfy. I find I always get compliments when I wear them as they are a bit different. I have been looking for a pair of pants that aren’t jeans for ages and I finally found them – and I’m in love!

Dress – Miss Leona, ??  Jacket – Venus, $20

I cannot get over how beautiful this dress is! The lace detailing is to die for – I personally love the little mesh and lace fringe along the bottom. It is a very versatile dress as it can be worn to practically an occasion.

This jacket is the perfect match for this dress. It adds the classic red to the black and white, resulting in a lovely, sophisticated look. It is SUPER fluffy and warm (seriously, I could sleep in it!) and it adds a new texture to the look. I love to pair this outfit with some plain black flats for a gorgeous wintery look!

Hope you guys liked these outfits! ♥

Recipe: Mint Chocolate Bark

Hey guys! Back with another recipe! (should this be a regular thing? Let me know in the comments). This recipe is super quick and is perfect if your in a hurry or have had a bad day, and you just want a quick treat to keep you going! 

INGREDIENTS

• 99g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
• Green food colouring
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 226g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• optional: 1/3 cup chopped Andes mints

METHOD

1. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Melt the white chocolate Use a double boiler or microwave. If using microwave, stir the chocolate every 20 seconds to help avoid seizing. Once melted and smooth, stir in oil, peppermint extract and 1 drop of the food colouring. Set aside.
3. Melt the dark chocolate in the same way you melted the chocolate in step 2. Pour onto prepared baking tray and spread out into a large rectangle. Drizzle the white chocolate mixture on top in lines. Use a toothpick to swirl the layers together. Optional: Sprinkle the top of the bark with Andes mints.
4. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature in a cool & dry environment. My bark usually takes around 45 minutes. If needed, you can put it in the refrigerator to help speed up the process. Once hardened, break into pieces as large or as small as you would like.
5. Store in an air tight container at the back of the fridge and snack on it whenever you want!

This recipe is so simple and so yummy! Enjoy!

♥

Random Favourites!

Hey guys! Sorry for not posting last week! School just got back and wow I was not ready for that.
Anyway, these are some random favourites of mine. Enjoy! 

SONGS

• Bad Habit - The Kooks
• What You Know - Two Door Cinema Club
• Belmore St - The Vanns
• Addicted - Bliss n Eso

BANDS/ ARTISTS

• The Cat Empire
• Sticky Fingers
• The Vanns
• The Jungle Giants
• Chet Faker

(i have some spotify playlists on my account lily_bells)

BOOKS

• Harry Potter Series (all time faves)
• The Book Thief
• Looking for Alaska
• Alice in Wonderland

MOVIES

• We're the Millers
• What we did on our Holiday
• X-men: United (or any of them)
• The Shawshank Redemption

TV Shows

• Jam'ie Private Schoolgirl
• Masterchef Australia
• Orange is the new Black
• Friends

YOUTUBERS

• Zoella
• Cartia Mallan
• Brittney Lee Saunders
• Lauren Curtis

MAKEUP

• Revlon Colour Burst Matte Balm (225)
• Covergirl Lashblast Fusion Mascara
• Rimmel Stay Matte Powder (003 Peach Glow)

For more detail into my beauty favourites see my June/ July Favourites post

PASS-TIMES

• Baking
• Going on Tumblr (smile-like-them)
• Watching Youtube
• Going for runs

What are some of your favourite things? x

♥

Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Recipe

These are the fudgiest, richest, yummiest brownies. I love this recipe, it's so simple and quick - and they are DELICIOUS!

Prep Time: 40 minutes  Cook Time: 25 minutes

Makes: 20

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened
• 1 cup (230g) cooking chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup raw sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sat
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356F). 
2. Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk the raw sugar and brown sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth between each.
4. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
5. Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Once combine, fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan and poor the batter in.
7. Bake in the over for 25-35 minutes or until when you place a skewer in the middle, it comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
8. Let it cool and cut into squares.

This recipe is SO nice and goes really well with a nice cuppa tea!! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do haha. 

Comment down below your favourite desert!

♥

10 Ways to Enjoy a Sick Day

Having a sick day at home can be very dull. Basically every time I have a sick day at home I just end up lounging in front of the TV! (which really doesn't make me feel any better!) I have finally realised that being at home sick doesn't mean you have to sit around doing nothing all day. Here are 10 relaxing, fun things you can do on a day where you are feeling under-the-weather.

Before you start, gather up everything you will need for a day in bed. This may include: tissues, cough drops, snacks, extra pillows, your laptop and your phone. I would also recommend making a soothing honey and lemon drink if you have a sore throat.

1. Read a book - this is a great way to relax and pass the time when you are sick. 
2. Watch a few episodes of your favourite show - comedies can make you feel better. Some of my favourites are: Friends, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, Summer Heights High, Orange is the New Black and The Big Bang Theory.
3. Pamper yourself - you could paint your nails, put on a face mask or have a warm bath. When I'm feeling sick my favourite thing to do is treat myself to a nice warm bath and a face mask and it always makes me feel better.
4. Listen to music, a podcast or an audio book - sometimes staring at a screen or reading a book can only make your headache worse. So lie back, close your eyes and listen instead! I feel that getting involved in the story in this way can help you to forget how bad you feel.
5. Sit or walk outside - sometimes just some fresh air can help you feel better.
6. Shop online - sitting in bed sick? It's the perfect time to go for a browse through your favourite online shops. My personal faves are: Topshop, Peppermayo, BeginningBoutique, Boohoo.com and MadebyGrace. 
7. Sleep - sleeping is the best thing you can do to fight off a cold. Always make sure you get a couple extra hours sleep when you are sick.
8. Do some arts and crafts - art can be very calming. You could draw, paint, work on a scrapbook or whatever you're into.
9. Scroll through Pinterest - this is one of my favourite things to do on a sick day. Just go through Pinterest and test out some strange DIY's or try to do a new wacky hairstyle. 
10. Use Social Media - either go through Instagram, scroll through Tumblr or watch some Youtube. All are great ways to relax and pass the time.

I find that these are the best 10 thing to do on a sick day! What do you like to do on a sick day? xx

Make-up Q&A

• What’s your favourite eye shadow colour to wear? Natural golds and browns/ bronzes as these colours help to bring out my blue eyes.
• What’s the one product you wouldn’t leave your house without? My trusty Blistex lip-balm for when my lips are feeling a bit dry.
• What’s your favourite makeup look?  I prefer a light and natural make-up look with a gold & brown eye look. I also quite like to apply a pink blush (usually MAC's 'Peachykeen') to the apples of my cheeks to create a more flirty look. 
• Which feature do you play up the most? My eyes.
• Which feature do you try to downplay/cover up? My nose and any blemishes that may have appeared (do they count ahah).
• Your favourite makeup brand, if you could pick only ONE to exist? MAC !!
• Which product have you re-purchased OVER and OVER again? The 'Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer' as it is my favourite low-medium coverage concealer and I wear it basically everyday (which causes it to run out rather quickly too).
• Which product would you NEVER repurchase again and why? This is a hard one as I like pretty much any product I buy but if I had to pick one it would be the 'Garnier BB Cream' because I purchased the lightest shade and it was still a few shades too dark. :(
• One beauty treatment you would always PAY to have done? Manicure/ Pedicure.
• One beauty treatment you would NEVER pay to have done? Probably a facial.
• One beauty trick you can share with everyone? If you have dark under-eye circles, sweep a light shade of concealer on the "crease" of the bag and then apply your normal shade of concealer on the rest of it. This illuminates and lifts the circles and gives a more flawless finish.
• Best advice you've ever been given regarding beauty and makeup? Drink plenty of water! Your skin, hair and nails will thank you. 

♥