2013!

Okay, so, we're a little bit late considering the fact that we are officially 20 days into 2013 already, but, Happy New Year! 

Last year we compiled a list of all of the things that we wanted to complete and achieve and this year we have done the same...

What do you want to do this year?

Wooly Jumpers and Winter Wishlists

Hello! It's been an extremely long time since our last post here on the blog which is not good! However, all will soon be well as we are planning to get back into the blogging scene (yes, I called it the blogging scene) and posts will be far more regular! I thought I'd do a quick update...

As winter has finally dawned upon us (hallelujah) the season of tea sipping by the fire, fluffy slippers (which are a huge subject of conversation between Vicky and I), wooly jumpers and tights, christmas card writing and spending too much money has arrived along side it and I for one, could not be more excited!

I'm currently on the prowl for the perfect skater skirt to wear this winter because as practical as jeans may be, they are not always comfortable and can get quite boring which is a shame and I'm obsessed with these two from Olive Clothing .

I'm hoping to test out my self control on some online shops on the 1st of December because Vicky and I set ourselves a challenge called 'No Spend November' which oddly enough I managed to stick too, so I must wait until December to unleash myself on the shops. 

Last week, we went to a Lucy Rose gig in the most adorable place in our town, the inside was decorated with fairy lights which accompanied Lucy Roses voice perfectly. She was truly phenomenal and due to the venue being so small the gig was really intimate which was something I'd never seen before! If you're not familiar with Lucy Rose you should definitely search her up on youtube. I would personally recommend 'Night Bus' or 'Be alright' which, is still in my head and has been since last Tuesday! 

Vicky and I were fortunate enough to meet Lucy (yes, we are now on a first name basis) after her performance and we bought some of her tea (she sells her own tea and jam, how incredible!) which is true to it's word... amazing. It's the perfect combination of earl grey and english breakfast and as a tea fanatic, I approve!

Not the greatest quality, but there was a large head in the way, so that is my excuse!

Anyway, winter is here my dear friends, and I for one am determined to set aside the fact that I have many exams coming up (I wish I could genuinely do this) and make this winter an unforgettable winter (could I be more cliche?)

We have many plans for this winter, Lucy Rose can be ticked off the list, A trip to London to go Ice Skating at Somerset House and to drink tea is coming up, a christmas dinner with friends and an end of the world party, oh, and (too) many christmas shopping trips.

All I can hope for now is a sprinkle of snow to make this winter perfect. 

Goodbye for now!

expecting the unexpected is always more fun

a few months ago, I discovered the world of film photography (bit overdramatic) and I fell in love with it. I bought my first film slr camera (canon eos 650) from ebay and some film and quickly began taking pictures. admittedly, looking back on my first roll of film, it took me a while to learn the tricks of the trade but sooner or later I figured out how to change the settings to suit my environment and now, seven rolls of film onwards and seven trips to the camera shop onwards, I have been left with a lovely selection of photo's that I'm excited to look back on in a few years.

taking pictures on film is very different to the usual snap of a digital camera, first of all, you are left with a satisfying shutter sound each time - which is undeniably (aside from seeing the pictures afterwards), one of the greatest factors associated with using film cameras. another thing which is nerve wracking at times but always ends up for the best is the fact that you do not know what your picture will turn out like, I personally think that this is one of the greatest parts of film photography because you are purely attempting to take photo's of the things that you know you will not regret, it's the most exciting part of it because film photography is all about spontaneously taking a picture and waiting for the outcome - sometimes you'll be pleased and sometimes you won't but that's the best part, waiting to see how the pictures will turn out. as much as i love taking pictures though, the only problem is each roll  of film only allows 36 photos, which stresses me out a bit, because i can be rather ocd at times and also the developing stages are a bit painful for my purse but it's all balanced out by what is produced out of it!

admittedly, i'm not a photographer, so my pictures are definitely not at exhibition standards! however, i thought i'd share a few of them just to give anyone who is thinking of joining the world of film photography (which i'd definitely recommend)! - kimiya xx

              

obviously my ability to scan my pictures in straight is non existent, but let's try and put that aside!

a week in with the Vintage

I actually have something exciting to write about for a change! This past week, i was lucky enough to have a work-experience placement at Vintage Seekers. Now, if you are like me, and when someone says vintage you think charity shops, because that is all you can afford, you can imagine how excited i was to work alongside legendary names, including Chanel, Dior and so many more names that i so hope to one day make up my closet . My first day, being extremely nervous, i started to understand a bit more why Anne Hathaway panics so much in Devils Wears Prada, but lucky the people i met couldn't off been more different. i straight away fell in love with the ambiance of the white bricked wall office, the view on Covent Garden and just generally the niceness that filled the room. after my some what panicked and rushed first day, feeling too shy to ask a question but at the same time so confident that in 10 years i would be so happy in this exact place, my second day was a bit more relaxed and i was definitely oblivious to my age, feeling about 5 years older, catching my train, grabbing a Starbucks hot chocolate (i don't like coffee yet!) and simply in love with this feeling of independence. the day continued with a tour around an Arts Fair, and i use the word "fair" loosely, the cheapest item their was hardly under £100 and it went all the way into the millions, but there is no denying that there was definitely some beautiful treasures to be found, Vintage Cartier watches and Louis Vuitton cases, oh and a baby elephant skeleton, something i'm actually considering adding to my wishlist!  The week continued, never failing to interest me and question my future carer path, now considering even more and more that maybe i should dare the fashion industry! All in all, it was been quiet an exciting week, one not to forget and definitely one that has changed my view and confused me ( but i suppose that is a good thing to be confused now and not later) in my future choices (not that it was ever clear).

No surprise that Covent garden was looking festive, Britain is no stranger to being patriotic!

Being quiet the celebrity watcher i was so excited to see the dress worn by Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn.

I do wish i liked coffee!

Friday Afternoon, can't blame the office for being emptier then usual

Never thought i would get so good at running after a train!

¡Hola

recently, one of our friends celebrated her day of birth by inviting her into her home and and entertaining us in quite a Mexican themed evening. walking into this huge farm house, is amazing, because of the high ceilings and the unexpected twist and turns that loop into another room, but most of all, on every flat surface was another sort of sweet or chocolate that could be indulge whenever, without restriction. so firstly, once recovered by the large variety choice of sweets, i quickly placed all the Haribo rings on my fingers, before have the time to take a  ice-cream shaped cake i found myself outside, admiring a multi-coloured-paper-mache- horse-piñata, hanging off the quite over-large tree. being a some what inpatient person, and having never hit a piñata before, i went first, before anyone could object. and it was surprisingly hard and it did take everyone all together at the end for it to fall, and for everyone to gather their own personal stock of sweets, personally, i went for the white-chocolate buttons, but their was also party poppers, which brought me back 5 years. once the piñata got replaced by a tire swing, this lead to whole new exciting venture where laughing and screaming were both present as everyone tried their hardest to fit in, and to not fall out. once we finished swinging of that tree, we moved over to another tree which was made, born, grown for climbing. i never found out if they had carved it so perfectly or not, but this tree was made to be climb, and being that it was my first encounter with this tree i didn't go that high, but i had never seen people climb a tree so quickly and get so far up, it was quite an amazing thing to view, and i was tempted to carve myself a climbing arena in one of my trees, but then i remembered that i had no ability or skill when it came to gardens or nature in any way, shape or form. once the discovery of this amazing tree had been experienced, and everyone stopped pretending to be squirrels, we made our way to the inside of the white farm house, and i will take this opportunity to sincerely apologise to anyone i may of harmed or visually scared with my original dancing skills. but once others had recovered, we realised our Mexican experiences had finished and tacos and nachos were still to come. now personally, ii have never had tacos and i don't think i will have them again, simply because i do not deal well with spicy food, and my mouth was slightly on fire. after about 10 glasses of fruit punch, the dancing skills returned and the evening was finished with laughter and pictures people try to forget.

Quite the Piñata 

home-made rainbow cakes in a jar

a bit of nostalgia with the party poppers

ohh, those ice-cream shaped cakes.

we try to look our best on a daily basis, but in the end we simply laugh at the attempt and give-up

busy bee

so lately things have been kind of hectic (for once!) last weekend i had my bronze duke of edingburgh practise expedition which was surprisingly a lot of fun considering the large amounts of excercise that i did - which is normally such a chore. luckily for me, the following monday was a bank holiday and of course i had to reward myself for getting home in one piece with copious amounts of tea, skittles and magic stars. on the monday my mum and i went into town because i'd been anxiously waiting for a moment to arrive so that i could develop my latest roll of film (pictures that i had taken in paris during the easter) - it turned out that i had taken more pictures of pigeons than i recalled taking. nevertheless, my mum and I decided to visit a good friend of mine, H&M as we waited for the pictures to develop. At first i walked in and i was quite unpleased by the collection, but i made my way upstairs and found a selection of block coloured bright tops, boho lace and my personal favourite, peter pan collars. much to my delight i did not have to go home empty handed! i ended up buying two new tops that i'm so excited about wearing when the sun finally makes an appearance that i thought that i should share them on here!

So here they are! (excuse the bad quality photo's, i am in no position to name myself a photographer and seeing as i'm too embarrassed to ask a member of my family to take them for me (unfortunately my cat is not a very good photographer), i settled with taking them myself)

coral pink top

baby blue top with peter pan collar adorned with pearls

again, i apologize for the terrible pictures! x

a bit of sour in the sweet

so let me start by saying that i am not a cooking person. in any way, shape or form. my unlimited number of cooking disasters are enough to write a book, but instead i decided to write a post. but, recently i have discovered quite a miracle, perfectly  illustrated and written for my-non-cooking-self to understand, The Hummingbird Bakery. my usual consecutive trend was broken when i made the soft squared brownie, proud of my rare accomplishment, i then tried the blondies - white chocolate brownies, a personal favourite. once all the chocolate had been melted, stirred and cooked, i searched the book for something different, and i came upon this lovely lemon bars recipe, being quite fond of sourness, i decided it was time for a change, and a less-chocolate one. 

the wonderful book i recommend to all

lovely little lemon bars, perfect with tea.