Friday 30 December 2011

Ashley Olsen outfit Adore........

Stunning ensemble and as always very inspiring! The list is coming along just nicely.
All credit to Olsens Anonymous for photo fun, I am slightly obsessed!
Topknot
Xxx

Only thing I needed for Christmas was a watch

I may just have been lost in the ever so suffocating time period that is Christmas, and every year I swear to myself I won't let it happen and allow for a comforting ease to sweep over me and take,with gentle persuasion i will add, all of my time. Don't get me wrong, I adore the festive period but i certainly allow it to take over everything, leaving January a bleak and morbid gap that is solely filled with what I want to be and activities I Wish i was doing. Rambling, I know, I feel stuck in a block of calendar that exists for everyone but is still a lonely suburb of melancholy and longing. Today I will begin my list, oh yes, a list. One that will forever establish 2012 as the year of change, control and deliberate action. One that should be exciting to watch and worthy of silent applause within my own narcissist mind, I am willing to own up to. So without further ado, I am away to write up my list and will post it soon. I am interested to see what everyone else wants to tackle in the coming new year!? I'll be egging you on from the side lines with an over sized thumbs up!!!!!!!

Topachiever

Xxx

Saturday 24 December 2011

Happy Christmas Eve!

To all and everyone!
Glasgow never looked so charming!

Merry Christmas When it comes!!!

Top love
Xxx

Tuesday 20 December 2011

The joys of bathing

Well hello girly pops. What a lovely night I've had with lovely friends. Topsicle and the bowster will fill you in I'm sure. But for now I wish to discuss the joys to be had in a bath. Firstly, wash your dirty mind out, I don't mean 'with a friend' tut. No, the bliss of turning on that hot tap and walking away till that tub is full, adding some tasty bath milk and jumping straight in. I always find that the best bath is one that is too hot for your feet but not your hands. It's a great way to equalise that crappy winter body temperature and prepare for a great nights sleep. When I was a student and our heating was broken I'd have a hot hot bath to get me warm enough to fall asleep. Sad eh? Worst thing was the only problem with the heating was that the pressure was wrong. We live and learn eh?! Now, that bath. To me the best ones last less than ten minutes. Get in, get clean, get warm, get out. If you're lasting any longer in there it wasnt hot enough...and there's nothing worse than a bath that's just a weeee bit too cold but the water you add isn't warm enough and you just sit for twenty minutes in a kind of lukewarm soup wishing you were toasty hot. So how's about it chaps? Go run yourself a hot one and relax. You deserve a wee treat.

Muchos loves, F x

Christmas Madness!

Jesus girls, I cannot find a spare minute these days! Christmas has came and fully bitten me on the arse and it hurts! how are you lot getting on with your shopping, panicking and general party fun? hopefully better than I! Anyhow most of this blog post will be pics, however, gorgeous ones, whatelse is crimbo all about? oh I will chuck in a wee recipe for mincey pies that were very very tasty. So tasty my other half ate, eh, 10! yup, luckily I separated the ones I was taking away as a gift.

Finally went to see It's a Wonderful Life in the GFT cinema in Glasgow and I was not disappointed!!! cried from the very start and left on a high as everyone stood up and cheered and clapped in the end. Thankyou to one of my fav ladies for taking me and for such a lovely night! So in love with James Stewart it is unreal! I am defo getting it on DVD.


Ok I came across something that made me so excited I considered logging off my station at work JUST to tell my other half about it. It is Def what I want for Crimbo, however it kind of surpasses that a little as it is a year round monthly treat for as long as you wish! ha intrigued I hear you say, follow me I respond, girls get this on your wish list, I know I have! Jolie Box is now part of Boudoir Prive and for £10 plus postage and packaging every month you will receive thee most sophisticated french inspired goodie box filled with 6 samples of the best and high branded beauty products out there! with products from Lancome and Benefit this gorgeous idea allows you to sample, try, find and LOVE a world of products that you would be out of a few pockets trying to purchase!!!!!!  I am in love already and cannot wait to order this.


Ok, so catching the gosh and darn it flu last week I was feeling rite sorry for myself and I dragged my sorry self about the house with one leg trailing behind. My skin hurt, my hip bones hurt and I was so sick I now can't look at certain foods! but my lovely other half made me a bloody good chocolate cake and it was literally amazing! so I took a few snaps to show its moisty moisture! Cheers Mr!


Ok a little and quick recipe and I am also glad to say that it actually works. Mince pies for this season are an absolute must must must and I myself am a convert so if I can do it so can you. I made a bunch for a pressie and they infact went down a treat, and as mentioned before, my hubby ate the rest! all you need is..... 

Ingredients

  • 225g cold butter , diced
  • 350g plain flour
  • 100g golden caster sugar
  • 280g mincemeat
  • 1 small egg , beaten
  • icing sugar , to dust
This was a good food recipe I used and it was smashing!
Using your fingers rub in the butter to the flour then add the sugar and bring it together to a dough which is firm enough to roll. I found adding a little milk to bring it together worked better as it was a little dry and I couldn't get it to bind! Add a little pinch of salt to the sugar before mixing into dough also. Then roll and cut into whichever size or shape you like, I lightly greased a cupcake tray and pushed the base if the mince pie ( circles )  into each hole then spooned in my mincemeat ( pre bought and made from my local ) then using a heart cutter, cut hearts for my wee lids on the top and then baked them in a preheated oven at 180C for 20 minutes. Forgot all about brushing with egg wash but it never made a difference it seemed. I then dust them with icing sugar and packaged them up prettily for a gift! Yum.

             
Went along for festive fun to Edinburgh and to get ourselves in the mood for shopping and christmas jumpers we went to the market they had going on and it was magical! the wind blew and the rain killed but hey we grinned and bared it for the love of the season! Fringe and I then stumbled across a brilliant suprise which was Anthropologie and we could not of been happier! took as many sneaky flicks as I could ( see how good I be to you lot? ) and tried on lots of their perfumes!!! ha! it was a great mix of homeware, clothes and gorgeous gifts. The interior of the shop had us in awe also. Just loved it. Get yourself along, its our new fav!





















Really must go, I still have loads to wrap, things to bake and people to see! much love and merry christmas, Topknot.


xxx

Thursday 15 December 2011

Sunday 11 December 2011

Have yourself a merry little....

Well lassies, feeling incredibly sorry for myself and ill the last couple of days, I decided that the best thing to cheer myself up would be to inspire oneself with stunning christmas snaps, shabby chic crimbo interiors and then some gorgeous vintage inspired prop images. I won't be saying too much ( thank god I hear you yell ) as my head is currently swimming and the threat of being sick is very close to the rim. Nice I know, however, this will cheer me somewhat and I know you guys like some good pics to ooooh and aaaah at! Bow I will defo try those totties and let me know if the MAC primer is as good as people say it is!



Big fan of a great wee blog Inspired Mrs. Stevens and how she can create a vogue finish to whatever she does and I LOVED her take on a vintage inspired shabby chic crimbo! ahhhhhhhhhh....


Would you not just love a big christmas shin dig at this table and dining area? another great wee blog Cut'n Paste


Feast your eyes on some eye candy snaps via Alkemie blogspot and I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Ah I feel better already!
Happy Holidays!!
Topmood
x

How to pass a day

Hello my little chickadees. Today I am killing time. I love it. I should explain. Today I have arrived four hours early for work. Yes I know this is excessive, even for me. But I had a choice. I could either get a lift at 9 and be four hours early or could sleep more and spend two hours getting here. So the idea of coffee and reading won. Yippee :)

Today I am going to talk about eye make up. I've been threatening to do this for a while, but I've been working a bit excessively. So here I am. I am a fan of mascara (daily) and eyeliner ( on occasion) It doesn't need to be a special occasion but I do love to slap on the old kohl when I can.

Sooo...I've been working my way through lots of different brands in the name of beauty and wonderness. To save my wee fingers I will simply tell you the best and worst of the options.

Coming in with the worst unfortunately is the waterproof liquid eyeliner by collection 2000, which, while waterproof is not BLINKPROOF! And simply crumbles off...

But the best (I've found, of the non luxury brands) is...dadadada...smoulder kohl by soap and glory! Yey! It's a fiver, and super creamy with a handy handy sharpener attached (wee note though, I've been using it for nearly 3 weeks and not had to sharpen it yet) It goes on super smoothly and has a lovely waxy finish which keeps it on nicely. It does transfer to your top lids, but only once I've found. So wipe that off, or add a bit of powder over the top for a whole day of gorgeous eyes.

Peace out my loves,
Fringe xxx

Friday 9 December 2011

Paprika Potatoes

Just a little extra - I thought I'd post about my paprika potatoes as they were so simple and really yummy! 


Grab yourself the following:


8 tbsp passata
2 tsp ground paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper

Mix them all up in a bowl

Wash and half some baby potatoes, and slice up a few sweet potatoes

I also added 2 red onions which I roughly quartered.  

Put all the vegetables in a big roasting pan and spray with Frylight low fat cooking spray  (a total saviour if you are dieting!)

Pour on the passata and spices and mix it all up so that all the veg is lightly coated and then bung in the oven at about 180 degrees for about an hour.  


It was so tasty and totally free to eat on my Slimming World diet - woohoo! 

MAC-A-RAMA

Hello ladies! Have been MIA for a while but have just started a new job in a swanky jewellers and have been so tired when I get home! Loving the pineapple cake Topknot, looks mega yummy! I wonder if it will be allowed on my diet??? (Please please please be a yes!)


Since I've not been on in ages I'll give you a wee update on my life this month so far:




DIET 


I have lost 1st 1lb on my diet so far (started at the beginning of November).  I've been going to Slimming World and it is really working for me! I find using the Extra Easy plan really straightforward and still manage to have the odd treat (a full packet of Viennese biscuits/ chocolate orange/ turkish delight) without suffering too much!  I don't know how I am getting away with it but it seems to work so I'm not complaining!  The other great thing is I've been cooking lots of new meals and soups to eat and am finding out that I love cooking, a revelation! 


WORK


This week I left my job in a gift shop and started working in a fancy jewellers - still not what I should be doing (being a primary teacher, for those who don't know me!) but I'm enjoying learning about precious metals and stones and it is definitely more interesting than selling wrapping paper and birthday cards.  I'm not sure how long I will stay there, one of these days I will definitely get my but back into gear and look for a teaching job, but for now I'm loving having no job responsibility and being able to relax when I get home from work! 


FUN THINGS


I had a big night out at a dinner/awards ceremony last weekend and I decided to treat myself to some new makeup so that I didn't look like a blotchy ghost in the photos! So I took myself off to MAC in my lunch break and picked up some nice things! I had heard mixed reviews of MAC foundation and I was a bit worried about paying lots of money for it and then finding out it was rubbish, but eventually I was convinced by the large selection of shades available.  I bought Studio Fix Fluid in NW15, which is the lightest of the Warm shades.  It's a pretty thick, matt coverage which I wouldn't wear every day but was perfect for a night out where there are loads of photos.  I was totally talked into the Prep + Prime base - I have no idea if it makes a huge difference but I'm a sucker for a sales pitch! Finally I picked a new blusher - I've been wearing a pink Guerlain blush which was great in the summer with a bare face but wasn't going to be great with a full face of foundation! So I went for a matt powder blush in Melba, a really nice dark peach with a hint of coral.  Overall I'm pretty pleased with my MAC purchases - the photos from the night out turned out pretty well and my face still looked even and 'made-up' at 3am! 


Also, I bought a lovely Limited Edition set for my boyfriend's sister as a Christmas present - see here!
I'd love some of the sets for myself, might add the brush set to my wish list! 


BRIDESMAIDS


My better half is off to London today for a job interview, so today I've had a duvet day, didn't get dressed and spent the day cooking (chilli and paprika potatoes) and drinking coffee (instant, nothing fancy) and I've been watching Bridesmaids.  I spent ages watching the extras and gag real - almost as funny as the actual movie! The scene on the aeroplane cracks me up every time!


That's all for now - I'd love a tea party soon, lets have a Christmas themed one? 


See you all laters...


Bow xxxx

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Teaparty Time!

I think girls it is about time for another tea party don't you? been heavily inspired by these snowy nights and my mother in laws dining room!! the woman puts vintage tearooms to shame I tell thee! I snapped a few pics to show you guys and to make matters even more inspiring/worse she made all these cake stands you see before you herself. Not even a lie. I considered ( because I know you are thinking it gals ) stealing one ( hard to hide though ) breaking one ( sheer jealousy? and totally uncalled for? ) demanding one, again ( i'd get a punch to the gub? ) in the end I took photos and applauded her bloomin talents! Look down * points to pics *.






Ok so also on the Mother in Law front, I baked for her birthday, which was scary as she is a Ceoliac and I am worried I do it so wrong orelse forget and stupidly add WHEAT to the recipe!! anyways I had to put all my weirdness aside and bake for her birthday. So I decided on a lovely Pineapple sponge cake, with mixed fruit jam and fruit and icing topping. I am well glad to blog that, the cake rose. Thankgod. I had fears of giving over pancakes! can't put a candle in that can we? So, heres what I did.


Pineapple Cake ( for Gluten Avoiderers )  

Ingrediants: 2 cups of Crushed Pineapple
         175g of unsalted butter
   175g caster sugar
      3 eggs, beaten up :)
                       175g self raising flour (gluten free)
          1 tsp of Vanilla Essence

Get your OVEN heated to 180C/GAS 4
Cut greaseproof paper to fit two circle cake tins
Cream the butter and sugar together till light fluffy and creamy
Gradually add whisked egg and sieved flour to butter mix
(Fold it in mind)
Once all blended add in your pineapple, a little juice is ok but not it all, the fruit will be giving the sponge great moisture!
Finally add the vanilla and again fold it all in till its as evenly mixed as you can get.
Divvy the mix up and spoon into cake tins
Flatten it out as evenly as you can
Pop in the oven for 20-25 mins until golden brown
Now, serve as you like, with any jam you like in the middle of the sponge sandwiches, both by the way should be really soft springy and moist to the touch
Decorate as you please in accordance to Gluten Free allowances
I used Icing and fruit
And SERVE!



I then made some vanilla cupcakes and dyed them pink just for a little something different. Again I used gluten free self rasing flower and just followed a basic cupcake recipe but used Silver Spoon food colouring in Pink and split my cake mix in two making one bowl of cake mix a soft pink and the other a much more vibrant pink. A spoonful of each colour into my silicone cup cases on top of eachother and it baked split in two colours! I then iced them with pink icing and made little decors for them out of toothpicks and hearts (will blog post on that later ) eh walla! have a little look girlies!


So Tea anyone? i'll stick the kettle on.

Toptea
xxx

Sunday 4 December 2011

Made in ......

Watched a GREAT film the other night and to be very honest I am disgusted at myself for not seeking it out sooner, however I've seen it now, so panic over. The film I am talking about is Made in Dagenham and It is based on a true and fantastically inspiring story of a group of Ford motor car machinists that went on strike in 1968 and demanded equal pay amoung all workers. When I mean equal pay amoung workers, I don't mean between departments, I mean between men and women.( isn't that mental you guys? don't know how lucky we are ) A courageous group of women workers walked out of their sewing halls and all production of ford seat covers stopped which in turn ceased all production of the cars creating a massive outrage in the community and amoung the men who didn't want to be on strike. The film follows the journey the women took and the victory that they achieved in bringing forward the Equal Pay Act 1970 aswell as enforcing trade unions and Womens rights Campaigns. What these women achieved was nothing short of amazing and a true inspiration to women all over the world. We have them to thank for our ability to earn what we earn and doing what profession we choose. The fashion was fantastic, the cast believable and I guarantee you it leaves you feeling a little glow in yer cheeks and raring to go in the big bad world of work! Please give this a swatch girlies, you will LOVE IT.




For full info on this tremendous story Made in Dagenham

Found a cute little hair dye that I am going to try one day as I am continually jealous of any blonde I see with the gorgeous barbie doll dye in pinks, blues and greens and want to have hair just like it and yours Bow! so I found these wash in and out pods in three colours and maybe quite fancy trying the purple? what do ya think? these Colour Bugs have it spot on with vivid colour and can be washed out the next day if you like, which is perfect for me and my ever changing fads. So keep your eye balls peeled. You might just not recognise me the next time I swan in through Silverburn!!!


Not a huge chocolate fan ( offends EVERYONE ) however I saw these in Debenhams and they caught my ever roaming beady eye. Jamie Oliver's Some Like It Hot and Hello Sailor  chocolate bars, and I think these would make fantastic gifts for anyone at anytime of the year. I must say I was more into the packaging and play on phrases but I really do like the twist on your average bar of dairy milk. With chilli and sea salt you can't ask for anything more adventurous and at only £2 your chocoholic mateys will love ye!




Always on the search for the best eyeliner for the bat wing cat eye look I adore so much I came across these bad boys girls but the price is also BAD. They are called Velvet Eyes Eye Liner and are by none other than Dior. I know, I want! In this pack you get four adhesive eye liner patches that can be worn several times and comfortably placed to fit any eye shape! Brilliant! with catwalk perfection and even one with sequin whatelse could we be looking for girls? oh yeah, the money to buy them! at a pricey $59 i'd be tempted to use super glue to keep the stick! still though,stick on eye liner? yes please!!!



Ok ok,i better go, my eyes are beginning to meet in the middle. I got so tired in work today the old lady that phones everyday hundreds of times on 100 to ask what day and time it is even had me confused. I told her on three separate phone calls the wrong time by an hour, the wrong time by four minutes and then the wrong date completely! i'll be joining the old bugger at her game soon!plus its snowing like a bampot!me car will be stuck!


Much loves.
Toptired xxx