@kathrynscupcake

@kathrynscupcake 

Long story short, I deleted my old instagram account because I was in a low moment in my life and my photos reflected that. It wasn't me and although I regret deleting it now as I had some amazing followers I feel my new account will bring my love for blogging back! I want to stop looking and comparing my photos to others and not spend over an hour just to get one shot that I think people will love. 

I've only just started this account so it would be great if you could follow and I shall follow back to ensure I don't miss out on all your goings on either. 

@kathrynscupcake 

Signed, Kathryn x

Perfumes I Can't Live Without

I think a spritz of perfume is a key daily beauty essential, if you haven't put perfume on in the morning I bet you feel pretty naked don't you? It's like creating your key outfit then realising you have forgotten to put your watch on and the whole day you are left wondering what the time is and checking your invisible wrist, rookie error. 

Over the years I have tried and tested many perfumes with determination to find my signature scent. Like many of us, I started with childhood classics such as Curious by Britney Spears and Ghost but have now secured 4 fragrances that will most likely be on my wishlist for every birthday and Christmas. Now I am no perfumer so I won't tell you the ins and outs of the undertones etc however I will explain why I have fell in love with these perfumes. 

A recent newbie to the collection is Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt Cologne, a clear blogger favourite. The smell isn't usually my go-to kind of scent but there something about the woody muskiness that I love with the added benefit of a good staying power. 

Chloe Eau de Parfum is one that I feel pretty sad about when it is close to running out. This to me shouts chic, its a beautiful feminine scent and is probably my favourite day and night perfume of all time (so far). Every time I use a spray of Chloe Eau de Parfum I instantly feel girly and luxurious which is exactly what a perfume should do in my opinion and I like to think this is my signature scent, aka the smell people would recognise me for. Chloe Roses also makes an appearance in my go to perfumes but original Chloe deserves the spotlight tonight. 

And last but not least my 'Date Night' perfume, Miss Dior Eau De Parfum. This is a long lasting, romantic, musky perfume that is my dressing table statement perfume, the bottle is just beautiful and matches the elegant, youthful scent perfectly. It is a powerful fragrance that I would usually wear on date nights or special nights out, just because I know it'll last and hopefully make a good first impression. 

Whats your go to fragrance? 

Signed, Kathryn x

Style Crush: Mollie King

Since Mollie King stepped foot in the spotlight she has certainly become a well known fashion icon. Her looks range from the classic white jeans and a casual tee to the elegant floral pastel statement dresses and I can only wish that one day my wardrobe will be as sophisticated and girly as hers. 

Mollie dropped her third Oasis edit today which includes some gorgeous classic pieces such as crisp whites and feminine dresses ready for the transition into Summer.

Inspired by Mollie King, I have picked a range of items that are now 100% on my wardrobe wish list. 

1. Banana Republic Swing Trench Coat £110
2. Banana Republic Drapey Sleeve Top £49.50 
3. French Connection Valentine Viscoe Top £38
4. French Connection Spring Mozart Neck Cotton Jumper £69
5. Oasis Stripe Tube Skirt £35
6. Topshop MOTO White Ripped Jeans £40

Thank god for pay day tomorrow eh! 

Signed, Kathryn x

A Bedroom to be Proud of: Boux Avenue Room Spray

Let me begin by letting you all know that I have a complete obsession with Boux Avenue, not just because they produce some beautiful and affordable sets of lingerie but also because their stores just provide you with complete bliss, it's as if you are walking into a huge walk-in wardrobe full of cosy pj's and drawers full of an endless amount of bras and underwear. A girl's dream right? 

One thing that always strikes me when I walk into Boux Avenue is the fresh aroma that the store has. Considering my drawers are covered with Boux Avenue rose petals and scented pouches I even surprised myself when I realised I didn't have the matching room spray. 

The signature scent of Boux Avenue is called White Chiffon, which is a subtle mixture of lily, jasmine and elderflower and provides you with a room you to be proud of (even if it is a bit untidy). I am so happy with this room spray, it makes me want to stay in my room and keep it fresh all the time now. Also how clean and sophisticated is the bottle?!

The 100 ml White Chiffon Room Spray can be found here, there are always discounts here and there so have a good search around. 

Signed, Kathryn x

Mothers Day Cupcake Bouquet

In case you didn't know it is in fact the wonderful Mothers Day here in the UK, the day we can spoil our mums and show them that we do appreciate every little thing they do for us, even if it doesn't seem it sometimes.

It would have been very rude for me not to bake cakes for the special day but considering my family receive two different batches of cupcakes a week I felt like I ought to of upped my game in the cake decorating department so voila, here is a peach rose cupcake bouquet! 

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend and had a lovely day with your mumma's.

Signed, Kathryn x

Kate Spade Cedar Street Nisha Wallet

At the end of last year I was on the hunt to buy a new purse that was large enough to hold all of those beauty and department store cards of mine but wouldn't be bulky or have loose change roaming about in it. I had seen Kate Spade pop up on some blogs and instantly fell in love with the simplicity of the logo and the general look of the brand.

The designs are continuously changing and apparently they bring out new designs every month. I visited the store in Covent Garden where my mother and I were greeted with a glass of champagne. Talk about great customer service! Its a beautiful, fun and quirky store and all the shop assistants were so friendly and knowledgeable.

After continuous picking up, putting down, picking up and trying to convince myself I could justify £145 for a new purse I soon walked away with the Cedar Street Nisha Wallet in Black and honestly it is one of my favourite purchases of the year so far. 

It is made from crosshatched thick black leather with 14 karat light gold plated hardware. Inside features custom woven la pavillion dot printed faille packed with 8 interior card slots, 3 billfolds and an interior zip pocket for the coppers. Size wise: 3.5" x 6.6" x 0.8". In non metric terms just imagine a Ted Baker purse size just slightly smaller in width.

This purse is just perfect. Because of the woven leather it is resilient to any scratches or marking, better yet it has still kept in the same shape and condition since January when I bought it. The box, the bag, the cute little envelope all add the excellent buying experience!

What do you think about Kate Spade? Do you own anything from the brand?

Using Pinterest to Make Your Dreams a Reality | The Secret

Yesterday evening I finished reading a book, not any old story book but a book which I believe will and has already changed the way I see my life and the beauty of the world. And the title of this it? The Secret to Teen Power by Paul Harrington.

If you feel like you're currently trapped in a bubble and can't quite see the light, or maybe you have these dreams but keep thinking to yourself "its only a dream" then I highly recommend giving The Secret a read to hopefully give you the power of making your goal or passion become reality!

So you've created a new board on Pinterest. Now the most important thing about this new board is that it is set to SECRET. This board is about you and your life.

Your first pin topic. What do you want in your life? 

This one is extremely broad so start with the first thing that pops into your mind and it can be absolutely anything from a car to a dream holiday or maybe you want the latest Michael Kors bag. Whatever it is, search it and pin it. My first pin: a dog. Yup that's right, what I really want and will make sure I get in my life is a Beagle puppy. 

This one will grow and the more you think about it the more things you want, so just keep expanding on it.

Your hobbies and passion. What do you love doing?

Imagine you've been working or studying so much that you've had no time to yourself and then suddenly a day off! What do you do on that day? What makes you think yes I have the time to do that and puts a huge smile on your face. It could be going for a run, painting or just reading a book. Pin it along with some quotes about that hobby! One of my pins: Baking cupcakes! 

Travel. Where do you really want to visit? 

Imagine you have all the money and free time in the world to go somewhere. Where do you chose? You could go on a safari to South Africa, go to New York to shop and visit Broadway or visit see the Northern Lights in Iceland. Pin all those places and start imagining yourself going there! 

So you get the picture right, you're building the life you want. Keep going, include things such as your ideal home, motivational quotes, your perfect job, your favourite food and drink, anything that just makes you smile. Of course there is more to just pinning a photo online and imagining getting those things but if you read The Secret to Teen Power you will believe that you have the power to have anything you choose! 

Now whose to say you can't go get all those things you've just pinned? No one. 

Signed, Kathryn x

Dairy Free Rocky Road Cupcakes

"If you're going to be alive and on this planet, you have to, like, suck the marrow out of every day and get the most out of it." Drew Barrymore

Rocky Road cupcakes are one of the easiest yet most rewarding cupcake topping going, you can simply edit this basic recipe to your desire. If you aren't raisins why not replace them with walnut pieces? Not into marshmallows? Try fudge instead!

These dairy free Rocky Road cupcakes have a chocolate sponge with dark chocolate chips with a tasty chocolate buttercream topped with glace cherries, digestive biscuits, raisins, chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Chocolate Chip Sponge
What you will need:

• 3 Eggs
• 180 g of Caster Sugar 
• 180 g Pure Margarine 
• 150 g of Self Raising Flour
• 30 g of Cocoa Powder
• 100 g Dark Chocolate Chips
• Dash of Vanilla Essence

1. Pre Heat oven at 180 degrees and line 12 cupcakes 
2. Cream in the margarine and sugar until smooth
3. Once well mixed add an egg one by one and whisk, add drops vanilla essence
4. Sift in the flour & cocoa powder and beat with a wooden until smooth
5. Add the chocolate chips and gently mix
6. Place in cupcake cases 
7. Cook for 20-22 minutes or until the top is spongy or golden brown & leave to cool

Chocolate Buttercream

What you will need:

• 200g Stork Butter Block
• 250 g Icing Sugar 
• 30 g of Cocoa Powder
• Few drops Vanilla
• Handful of Marshmallows/Biscuits/Raisins/Glace Cherries/Chocolate Chips
• Pipping Bags
• Piping nozzle

1. To decorate, cut the butter into small cubes and whisk until soft and pale. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and cocoa powder using a wooden spoon until creamy and soft.
2. Add vanilla essence
3. Fill a pipping bag with a 1M Wilton tip (or whichever you wish to use) and pipe a rose or swirl.
4. Decorate!

P.s This song will get you in the decorating mood! 

    Signed, Kathryn x

Eton Mess Inspired Cupcakes

"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you" Oprah Winfrey 

Today's post is all about these beautiful Strawberry & Meringue cupcakes, I suppose we could call them Eton Mess?

These have a strawberry sponge with a hint of pink food colouring then a sprinkling of mini marshmallows in the mixture to add a chewy meringue feel to the cakes. Yum.


Strawberry & Marshmallow Sponge
What you will need:

• 3 Eggs
• 180 g of Caster Sugar 
• 180 g Pure Margarine 
• 180 g of Self Raising Flour
• 100 g of Mini Marshmallows
• Cap full of Strawberry Essence
• Dash of Vanilla Essence
• Pink food colouring 

1. Pre Heat oven at 180 degrees and line 12 cupcakes 
2. Cream in the margarine and sugar until smooth
3. Once well mixed add an egg one by one and whisk, add drops of strawberry & vanilla essence
4. Sift in the flour and beat with a wooden until smooth
5. Add the marshmallows and a very small amount of food colouring and gently mix (but not too much)
6. Place in cupcake cases 
7. Cook for 20-22 minutes or until the top is spongy or golden brown & leave to cool

Strawberry  Buttercream

What you will need:

• 250g Stork Butter Block
• 250-350g Icing Sugar 
• Few drops of Strawberry Essence and Vanilla
• Pink Gel Food Colouring
• Pipping Bags
• Piping nozzle
• Dr Oetker Eton Mess Sprinkles

1. To decorate, cut the butter into small cubes and whisk until soft and pale. Gradually beat in the icing sugar using a wooden spoon until creamy and soft.
2. Add the strawberry and vanilla essence.
3. Add a tiny amount of Pink Gel Food Colour and mix until a pastel pink shade.
4. Fill a pipping bag with a 2D Wilton Flower Nozzle (or whichever you wish to use) and pipe a rose or swirl.
5. Decorate with Eton Mess Sprinkles!

If you really wanted to push the boat out why not cut out the center of the cupcake and fill with your favourite strawberry jam! 

P.s. This song deserves a place here as I listened to it on repeat writing this! Years and Years hands up to you guys!

Signed, Kathryn x