Chocolate Dipped Strawberries & Pink Champagne

by Adele

This weekend we had some friends over. I decided to crack open the Pink Champagne my friend Ruth had given me for looking after her Pug Billy, but wanted to serve something a little more exotic to go with it (I normally serve olives/feta cubes/crisps etc with drinks).
I used this recipe & decided to add my own little "je ne sais quoi" with some pink sugar sprinkles on a few of the strawberries.



I never knew how good these tasted!!! Needless to say there was not a drop of Champagne or a Strawberry leftover!!!

Chanel Autumn 2011 Makeover

by Adele

Last week I was lucky enough to have a personal makeover courtesy of Chanel using their new Autumn 2011 make-up collection.
The Autumn colours combine luminous metallics for the eyes & sumptuous berry & pink colours for the lips & cheeks. For the nails you can see the colours in my previous post here.

I came home a very happy girl all set with my autumn colours. What autumn make-up trends will you be buying into?

Special thanks to Cathy at Chanel.

New In

by Adele

Topshop
I love the colour of this top - there's a lot of it about in the UK shops

I find the start of a new season so exciting! Lots of new colours, prints & trends to buy into. I also love seeing how the trends we've been eyeing up on the catwalks translate down to the High Street.
This autumn is no exception. Now that the summer sale racks have almost gone (I hate sales!), the stores have now launched their new collections. I felt like a kid in a sweet shop the first time I went shopping!! Here are a few of my favourite purchases so far...

Zara
My second purchase of something snakeskin

Zara 
I'd been after these for a while but couldn't get my size until recently

Topshop
I love the open back & front of this top

What are your favourite buys so far this season?



Spots & Stripes

by Adele

Definitely feeling more autumnal these days...

top Oasis, pinstripe trousers (gifted) Baker Street Design, bag & belt Topshop, sandals River Island,sunnies Marc Jacobs, watch Rolex, earrings & ring Oasis, bracelet gifted, nail varnish Chanel Graphite

We have a Bank Holiday here in the UK on Monday - don't you just love 3 day weekends! We are really excited as Missy is having a little friend to stay - Billy the Pug, who is my friend Ruth's dog. He's stayed a couple of times before & it's great to see Missy & Billy playing together.

I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend taking the dogs for some lovely long walks, a bit of retail therapy & hanging out with friends. What are your plans?

Have a lovely lovely weekend x

Sunshine Award

by Adele

I'm so excited & thankful to Nicole from Simple But Fabulous for giving me the Sunshine Award 2011 last Thursday. Thank you so much Nicole for making my day - this really means a lot to me! If you haven't checked out Nicole's fabulous blog, then click on the link above.

Please see below my answers to the 10 questions that go along with this award:
    1. Favourite colour: Gold

    2. Favourite animal: Dog (of course!!)
    3. Favourite number: 8
    4. Favourite drink (alcohol free): virgin Mojito

    5. Twitter or Facebook: Facebook
    6. Your passion: to live life to the fullest
    7. Giving or getting presents: Getting! but I also love to give a present.
    8. Favourite pattern: animal prints
    9. Favourite day: Saturday
   10. Favourite flower: Orchids

I would like to give this award to the following 10 bloggers:
1. beancakes
2. couturelust
3. The Fancy Teacup

4. The Alternative Wife

5. Dressy Celeb

6. AMuse About

7. Pop Champagne

8. Ruffles & Sequins

9. Cecylia

10. The Key Pieces

The rules:
- Thank the person who gave you this award.
- Write a post about it.
- Answer to the questions.
- Pass it on to 10 bloggers who you think really deserve it and send them a message to let them know.

Thanks to everyone who follows & comments on my blog. I love reading all your comments & feedback.

A favour.....I've finally got round to adding a Facebook page for my site. I'd be sooo grateful to you if you would click on the like button (only if you do like!!!)

Thanks a million x

Apple & Blackberry Super Crunch Crumble

by Adele

I've been wild Blackberry picking again! I came back with about a kilo which was plenty to make one of my favourite desserts...and the reason I love this so much? The crumble has a nice crunchy edge to it due to the addition of oats. Another reason I love it is that it has been passed down to me from my Mother in Law Grace who is the most amazing cook! Oh, and it's soooo easy to make...

Ingredients:
Fruit:
3-5 cooking apples
Blackberries - add to your taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons water
2oz granulated sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
Crunch topping:
4oz soft brown sugar
3oz self raising flour
2oz porridge oats
3oz butter

How to:
1. Peel, core & slice apples into bowl. Wash & add blackberries to your taste.
2. Add lemon juice, water & granulated sugar to dish.
3. Rub the butter into the sugar, flour & oats until it resembles breadcrumbs.
4. Sprinkle over the top of the fruit.
5. Cook in the oven  for 1 hr on 180 centigrade/ 350 farenheit/Gas Mark 4.

Serve with custard, cream or ice cream....bellissimo!



organic apples picked straight from the tree in Grace's garden



Enjoy x

New In: Le Vernis De Chanel

by Adele

I'm sure by now you will know what an addict I am of Le Vernis De Chanel, seen in this previous post. The new Autumn colours have just launched in the UK, so I headed straight to my favourite Chanel cosmetics counter to purchase!!

Here are the 3 colours Chanel have launched (in order of my favourites!!):

Limited Edition colour GRAPHITE


GRAPHITE on the nails



PERIDOT



PERIDOT on the nails

QUARTZ

QUARTZ on the nails



I ended up buying Graphite & Peridot as these are the must have colours for the season & perfect for the Metallics trend.

Although I like Quartz, the colour is so close to Particuliere, only with more of a sheen, so was undecided whether to buy. Maybe I will still buy at a later date!

Which is your favourite colour? 

photo source: temptalia.com





 

Hello Sunshine!

by Adele

Just as I thought Autumn was on its way, we had an unexpected summery weekend full of sunshine in the UK - hey, not that I'm complaining! It was so nice Ian & I made an impromptu decision to go to the pub for Sunday lunch, wile away the afternoon lazing in the pub beer garden & make the most of the sunshine.
This is what I wore...

silk dress Warehouse, leather drawstring bag Topshop, wedges River Island, sunnies Chanel, earrings Emporio Armani, necklace Tiffany & Co, watch Chanel, ball bracelet Gucci, heart bracelet Tiffany & Co, enamel ring Oasis, nail varnish Chanel Particuliere