Fitness Update

Hi!

I am more than aware that it has been a while since I last posted anything, in all honesty I've been very busy with life and I was having a bit of writers block about what to post next! 

I decided to do a fitness update as previous posts like this seem to have gone down well. I am currently running two-three times a week and I am really enjoying it. I had a minor set back in March/April as I damaged my Achilles and needed to see a sports injury therapist however that seems to have cleared up (touch wood). I do a park run most Saturday mornings, a nice 5km to wake me up and I'm constantly improving my time so I'm expecting to plateau soon!! I have also completed a hill session and I try to run a distance once a week (5-6 miles)

My collection of running wear has also increased and I recently purchased a Garmin watch to track my progress and monitor my pace when I am running. As well as running trainers to ensure I have the correct support to reduce any injuries. I have a list of items I need to purchase for going into the winter months.

As well as running I have also started to swim again and have been doing 2-3 sessions a week on top of the running!! I've been mixing up my sessions completing distance, kick, pull and drill programmes.

I completed an Aquathlon in September which involved a 500m swim followed by a 5km run, it was a good challenge and although I felt wrecked by the end I really enjoyed it and I was pleased with my time. I plan to enter more events when the season starts up again and I'm really keen to do the Great North Run next year.

(My racing items all ready to go)

(at the Finish)

I am feeling so strong and fit at the moment, I love how exercise makes me feel and the challenges that go with it.

Thanks for reading

Kerry xo

Classic Victoria Sponge Cake

Hi!

You just can not beat a classic and this one is a particular family favourite of ours is a classic Victoria sponge cake, I often like to give these as little treats to my family and friends. I have always used the recipe from the Be-Ro Book,  its simple and easy to follow.

Recipe:
8oz Margarine
8oz Caster sugar
8oz Self raising flour
4 Medium eggs

Method:
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees and line/grease cake tins 
Cream margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy, mix eggs and flours in gradually until all is combined. Place mixture into pre greased tins and bake for 20-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Filling:
Classic butter icing- 4oz icing sugar and 2oz margarine, creamed together
Strawberry jam

Topping:
Icing sugar

Thanks for reading, see you soon

Kerry xo

Chilled Sunday in town

Hi!

So I spent a few hours in town with my mam enjoying the nice weather recently and as it was Sunday we decided to have a walk down to the Quayside market (which is on every Sunday unless the weather is really bad). The market is quite a traditional part of Newcastle and is made up of quite quirky stalls. 

The stalls vary from food to photography and home-made goods

(photography stall ran by SteveArt Gallery)

(I purchased these coasters, I love the quotes)

The quayside and town is lovely in the sunshine and so picturesque

Thanks for reading, see you soon

Kerry xo

  

Chocolate Heaven

Hi!

As you are aware I like to lead a healthy lifestyle but I think its important to remember not to restrict yourself, I like to live by everything in moderation!! That being said I recently made a calorific dessert, it really was a chocolate heaven and delicious as a treat.

I was inspired to make this after watching CupcakeJemma on YouTube and her video Easter Egg Chocolate Fridge Cake. Obviously its not Easter so I altered the recipe slightly. 



The Base=
60g unsalted butter
140g marshmallows
a pinch of salt
115g coco pops

Melt the butter in a pan, add marshmallows and a pinch of salt, when combined together add in the coco pops. Place base in a baking tray/tin, push down and spread evenly.

The Filthy bit (Topping)=
170g unsalted butter
335g Dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
45g golden syrup

Melt together in a bowl over boiling water, once combined together take off heat and leave to cool for approximately 10 minutes. Mix in a chocolate goodies- I added 160g digestive biscuits (broken into pieces), a twix, a boost, a crunchie, a double decker, smarties, dairy milk, a twirl and then added smarties, malteasers and milky bar chocolate (melted) on the top.

If you decided to make this or something similar I hope you enjoy it. 

Thanks for reading, see you soon

Kerry xo

Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Hi!

A little while ago I posted about my fitness routine and what exercise I had started to engage in. As that was in February I thought I would do a little update as I've made a few lifestyle changes since then. I am still doing a spinning class a week, I'm running and swimming along with a regular gym session too. Its important to remember that your body becomes stronger as you workout so you need to alter your routine as appropriate to your needs and goals. I think its also important to ensure that you are eating the correct foods to enable your body to recover and grow, that being said.......

I am still really enjoying exercising and I am feeling so much happier within myself, fitter and healthier. I have also started to eat better and trying new things which I'm happy about. I have increased my fruit and vegetable intake massively and I'm noticing the difference this is making. Below are some of the things I've eaten in the last week (Hummus with vegetables, mixed salad, stir fry and fajitas). 

It is important to remember not to restrict yourself as this often leads to binging on things and people then often feel guilty about this. Remember a leading a healthy lifestyle means everything in moderation (we all know I love cakes and chocolate!)

I think the key to enjoying exercise is to do something you like and a buddy always helps as you can motivate and encourage each other. I think nice training clothes are good as you will want to wear it, hopefully to exercise in. As well as making sure you have the right tools, as I recently started running I recently purchased these New Balance trainers. I was analysed running on a treadmill to ensure that my purchase would provide the correct support. I can already tell the difference in these new trainers compared to the ones I had been using. My feet have so much more support, they are light and have a foam sole.

A little tip, if you're lacking motivation put your gym stuff on and then decide whether you're going to do it or not!!

Thanks for reading, see you soon

Kerry xo

My dressing Table

Hi!

A few months ago I purchased a new dressing table from Ikea, I chose the Malm Dressing Table in white with a glass top. I really liked the idea of having a draw where I could keep my make up and some other beauty products to hand when getting ready and somewhere to sit while doing my make up. 

If you've seen my bedroom makeover post you will notice I kept my square mirror from my previous dresser.

 

















I received the No7 make up mirror at Christmas and love that it has a light and is duel sided, this comes in handy when applying make up and when touching up my eye brows. 
On the other side of my square mirror I have my make up brushes, cotton pads/buds, two ceramic hearts where I keep some clips and my current Yankee Candle (Meyer Lemon).

The draw is all organised with my make up and other bits, I have 3 plastic storage trays where my make up and moisturisers all divided and them my toner, masks and other bits are placed on the opposite side.

Thanks for reading, see you soon 

Kerry xo

Spa Day

Hi!

I had the luxury of enjoying a spa day with two of my cousins, it was a gift for my birthday, as part of the day I had the choice of a treatment and as my skin has been playing up lately I decided to choose a facial. (I will apologise now for the poor quality of the pictures, I only had my phone with me!)

Our day was at the George Washington Hotel, upon arrival we paid for the hire of a robe and slippers. Once we got changed we headed to the pool and enjoyed some girly time in the jacuzzi where we had a good odd catch up and gossip. We also enjoyed the sauna before getting changed into dry clothing ready for our treatment. George Washington use Elemis products which I was extremely excited about as they are product I have been dying to try and lets just say they did not disappoint.

Once in the room for my treatment I was asked to remove any straps from my shoulders and to take my hair down as part of the treatment also included a neck and shoulder massage as well as a head massage. The therapist asked what my skin type was and products that I currently use as well as what make up I tend to wear.  The facial was amazing and extremely relaxing, my skin was glowing and so radiant afterwards. 

I had told the beauty therapist about my current skin problems (I've had really dry patches, under the skin blemishes and dull skin) she advised that Lavender based products and face masks are really good for pulling out the impurities and skin would look better a few days later.  Since my facial I have definitely noticed a difference in my complexion and how my make up now applies. 

Thanks for reading, see you soon

Kerry xo

TRESemme Beauty Full volume (Reverse Wash)

Hi!

Ok so when I heard TRESemme had brought out a new volume range where by you reverse wash well I just had to try it out!! You first wash your hair with the pre wash conditioner followed by shampoo, the theory behind this is the conditioner doesn't not weigh down your hair and therefore you will have more voluminous hair.

So does it work??? 

I have to admit I did feel like my hair had more volume and was a lot more bouncy than with other shampoos I have used and it also smells pretty good. I probably use more of the pre wash than is recommended as I have quiet a lot of hair.  My hair was shining and looked really healthy, I would definitely recommend it especially if you find you your hair is flat.

Thanks for reading, see you soon

Kerry xo

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Hi!

This weeks baking choice were Chocolate sponge cakes with peppermint frosting and mint aero bubbles for decoration. 

Recipe:

8oz Margarine/Butter

8oz Caster sugar

6oz self raising flour

2oz Cocoa powder

4 Medium eggs

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Cream margarine/butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy,

Mix in flour, cocoa powder and eggs and blend together well

Place mixture into cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes

Frosting:

250g Icing sugar 

80g Butter

25ml Whole milk

A few drops of peppermint essence/extract 

Green food colouring

Mix butter and icing sugar together

Add the milk, flavouring and food colouring and blend together well

These are extra tasty with a nice kick, enjoy if you decide to make them!

Thanks for reading, see you next week

Kerry xo

Being organised!

Hi!

I personally love to be organised, I'm the one that has my Christmas list written by the end of October at the latest and the one who loves to write a list and tick my jobs off as I go!! I'm a little bit of a stationary geek too.

My top tips to being organised are:

1. Get yourself a nice little note book and pen- its always nice to write in something you really like and cant wait for other people to see therefore you're more likely to get it out and check what yo have written. Its also nice to use for shopping lists and a nice pen well everyone likes a nice pen right?!

2. A tidy work space-  whether this is a desk area, dressing table, specific room or wardrobe a neat and tidy area is always a good idea as you know where everything is and a clear space to complete whatever you are wanting to do. A messy area will just cause distraction and possibly stress you out a little bit!

3. Planning-  For me this is mainly just being aware of what I need to do whether its presents I need to purchase for special occasions, items I may need to take to work that day, tasks/chores I may need to complete with a deadline or arranging specific dates i.e. holidays/time away. (your note book may come in handy here too!!)

4. Use a diary if you have to plan a lot of different events, a diary is ideal for writing where you need to be or what you need to do even if its just a little purse sized one like mine above. By having this you wont be able to double book yourself!!

5. I also like to attempt to keep my handbag in some sort of order so its easier to find things if I'm in a hurry and rushing around. I currently use Katie Loxton pouches/clutch bags to keep everything tidy, I use one for my beauty bits and the other has my portable phone changer and cable in. 

I hope this helps and you find some of these tips useful.

Thanks for reading, see you soon

Kerry xo 

White chocolate chunk and strawberry lace cupcakes

Hi!

Its been a little while since I baked cakes, so I thought I would do just that as they are my favourite things to bake. I love that you can be as creative as you want and I like to try out new flavour combinations.
I made plain sponge with vanilla and white chocolate chunk frosting with strawberry laces to decorate. I have made some similar cakes before which went down well with my family and friends that said I decided to attempted to recreate them for the blog!

The combination of the vanilla essence, white chocolate and the strawberry laces work very well together and give a nice, soft and delicious taste (although maybe I'm bias!!) 

I used my usual recipe:
Sponge-
8oz Margarine/butter
8oz Caster sugar
4 Medium free range eggs
8oz self raising flour

Mix the margarine/butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, add the egg and flour in stages and mix well. 

Frosting
250g Icing sugar sieved  
80g Butter (Unsalted)
25ml Whole milk 
A few drops of vanilla essence
White chocolate (I used Nestle milky bar, cut into small chunks)
Strawberry laces to decorate (you could add these to the frosting before putting the frosting on the cakes for a different look)

Mix the butter and sieved icing sugar together until well combined, add the milk and essence to the mix then add the chocolate chunks.

Kerry xo

Afternoon tea at Bayberry Hollow

Hi!

I went for afternoon tea with two of my best friends, we had decided we needed some well deserved girls time for a good old catch up! My best friend booked it and the venue (Bayberry Hollow) was simply amazing, very shabby chic with a vintage feel.  We got a lovely selection of sandwiches, cakes and scones.We had a lovely afternoon and I would recommend this venue to anyone.

 

It also had an amazing gift shop full of quirky, gorgeous girly gifts.

Kerry xo

Updated Skincare Routine

Hi!

So its been a little while since I did a skincare post and I have made a few little changes to my routine so I thought I share them with you. 

My cleansers and exfoliator haven't changed at all, I am still using the Liz Earle cleanse and polish cleanser and the Liz Earle gentle face exfoliator as well as the MAC cleanse off oil. I did briefly try a new cleansing oil  for a few days but I didn't feel like it worked as well as the MAC oil, I find this really melts away my make up. The Liz Earle products work so well my skin feels so clean and fresh after use.

I use the exfoliator 1-2 times per week to remove any dead skin cells that are being stubborn.

A new product that I have added to my routine is the Vichy  Purete Thermale Waterproof eye make up remover. I found that I was having to rub my eye area quite a bit to remove my eye make up and this really isnt very good as the skin under our eyes is quite fragile so after watching a video by Victoria from INTHEFROW I decided to give this product a go and it certainly did not disappoint. I apply it to a cotton pad and place it over my eye area for a few seconds before gently swiping sideways, it removes the make up as well as nourishing your lashes at the same time.

I have been using a new toner, I bought the Pixi  skintreats Glow Tonic which is an exfoliating toner. I bought this at the start of winter as I was finding I had quite dull skin and I didn't want to change my current exfoliator and I also didn't want to use anything that's to harsh on the skin as my skin can be quite sensitive.

My moisturisers have also slightly changed, I have been using the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentrate. This is a very nourishing moisturiser and has been a cult product for quite some time.  I find my skin is so much softer and my skintone looks more even, I have also noticed a reduction in dry patches since I started using this product. 

At night I use Aveda botanical kinetics intense hydrating soft cream, I find this replenishes my skin while i sleep and I prefer to use it at night as I find my skin appears quite oily after I apply it.

For my undereye area I have been using my kiehl's creamy eye treatment with avocardo, it is quite a thick cream which you need to warm between your ring fingers before applying to the area. This has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. I have also recently been given a sample of the Bobbi Brown hydrating eye cream recently and I must say I am also really enjoying using this product. I have found that it is leaving my under eye area very soft and smooth and I am noticing a differnece in how my make up is applying.

Once a week I use a face mask, usually on a Sunday! I have been using two recently and depending on my skin sometimes I will use one followed by the other. I always use the Origins Clear Improvements active charcoal mask fist to help clear my pores and if my skin is feeling tight and dry I will follow this with Liz Earle intensive nourishing treatment mask.

Kerry xo