Holiday Cooking: St. Patricks Day

I was tempted to make a typical St. Patrick's Day food, basically anything I want coloured green with food colouring. Instead I decided to go with something more traditionally Irish. This carb-filled wonder is a combination of my favourite food and my favourite thing to put vegemite on (potato and bread), so I thought I'd give it a go. 

Ingredients: 

- 4 cups (600g) Plain Flour 
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 600ml Buttermilk
- 1 Cream Delight Potato (preferably small)
- 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary 

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre.

2. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough starts to come together. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead for 1-2 minutes or until almost smooth. Shape dough into a 35cm log. Place on the prepared tray.

3. Use a small sharp knife to cut slashes diagonally at 3cm intervals in the top of the loaf. Insert the potato slices, overlapping slightly, and the rosemary into the slashes.

4. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.

This bread is delicious warm, would be fantastic with soup. I definite must try if you're into soul warming food and lots and lots of carbs. 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

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25 Facts About Me

I figured it was time to share a bit about myself in list form. I took the idea for this from the 50 facts about me tag that was going around Youtube and a few blogs a little while ago, but I only have 25 facts. Why do I only have 25 facts? Because I thought 50 would be getting a little long and boring (I also couldn't think of 50 things, I must be boring). Lets get into it: 

1. I used to make up my own homework in year 6 because I thought we didn't get enough. I can't believe this actually happened, because now I absolutally hate homework, but I was that much of a nerd. 

2. I really love mangoes. 

3. I cried during my last P.E lesson. I am so bad at sports that while I was being told off for my awful tennis technique during my last ever sport lesson, all of the times I have been told I'm bad came up and so did the tears...that one was awkward. 

4. My guilty T.V pleasure is Beverly Hills 90210 (Really, 90's TV overall: Fresh Prince of Bel Air marathon anyone?) 

5. I knew basically nothing about makeup until I got into beauty gurus on Youtube. Not that I'm an expert now but I'm far more into it. 

6. I once re-wrote the words to 'Work It Out' from High School Musical 2 so that it was about doing your homework, this song was then performed at a school function. SUCH A NERD. 

7. I was in the LEEP class at my school - Learning Enrichment and Extenstion Program. 

8. I have been doing Calisthenics (that is a form of dance in Australia, google it) for 13 years. 

9. I say my favourite colour is purple as to not look boring, but it is actually grey. 

10. I never finish a TV show if I really love it. I hate the thought of my favourite shows ending, so I just don't watch the last few episodes. 

11. I own a King Charles Spaniel named Gibby. 

12. I have an awesome memory for things that happened, but if you ask me to do something I will forget it straight away (not in a mean way, I can't help it). 

13. I have read all of the Harry Potter books twice. 

14. I just got my learners permit. 

15. Not to toot my own horn, but I am a rather good cook. 

16. My favourite food is potato. I love potatoes in any form; mashed, scalloped, baked or any sort of chip. 

17. I have a wall in my room full of black and white photos of my friends and family. 

18. My favourite TV show of all time is One Tree Hill (though I've never seen the last couple of episodes...I'm an awful person)

19. I don't drink even close to enough water each day. 

20. My favourite quote is 'Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind'.

21. My Dad and I share a Canon SLR camera. 

22. My eyelashes and eyebrows are basically invisible without makeup on them, it's weird. 

23. I only check my Facebook about once a week because I really don't care about it anymore. 

24. I LOVE musicals. 

25. I am going to America for a holiday in less than three weeks and I'm a smidge excited!! 

Now you know a little more about me, do with that what you will. 

Lots of Love,

Shannon xo 

Current Reads: So Much Closer

When my uncle gave me this book for my birthday he told me it was to read on the plane on my trip to America and I totally ignored those instructions. I just couldn't wait. Though this is the best book I've read all year (not that I've read too many so far), I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. It was a nice easy read for a teenage girl. Brooke follows a boy to New York, this is all well and good except he doesn't know she exists. She packs up her life and moves to the city for her senior year of high school and to keep close to her love, which may or may not turn out well. I got more into this book as I got closer to the end, it ends on a really inspirational note about following your dreams and finding your true path in life. All up it took about two hours to read so it was a bit of simple entertainment. 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

My Top 5 Nail Polishes

If there is one thing I struggle with it is keeping my nail polish seasonal (I also struggle with algebra and shopping impulse control but that's off topic). I tend to wear whatever I want whenever I want, even when I end up feeling a little silly for wearing black nail polish over Christmas time. I have five nail polishes that I keep going back to time and time again, so I thought I would share these with you. 

This Essie nail polish in Saturday Disco Fever is the newest addition to my hall of fame, but I think it's going to be around for a while. Though I have only had it a few weeks (See the haul from when I bought it HERE) I have worn it multiple times and gotten some good reactions from friends. It is the brightest/ most out there polish I wear on a regular basis and wearing it gives me some extreme finger confidence...is that a thing? 

Ah Revlon Colorstay in Bold Sangria, my old love. This colour has graced my nails more than any other I own and it gets complimented every time, even by friends who should have seen it hundreds of times before. This is a really deep purple in real life, though it comes up more red on camera, and it compliments all outfits I try. 

As the most ladylike colour on this list, I paint my nails with O.P.I Mad About You when I'm feeling a little fancy. If I have a tea in the garden to attend you can be assured that I will be wearing this colour - not that I have ever gone to a tea in the garden. The most endearing quality of this polish is that it makes me look tanned, which is basically impossible because I often look as though I am Casper the friendly ghost's baby sister. 

Until I really gave the bottle a good look for this post I did not realise that this was an O.P.I product, I thought it was Sephora's own brand. You learn something new every day. This Sephora by O.P.I polish in Frankly, I Don't Give A-dam is my safety colour: grey. If I am ever in doubt over what to wear, I go straight to my grey things. It's not the most interesting colour,  sometimes you need your nails to be subtle. This was actually a gift friends gave my Grandma, but since it's not the most Grandma-y colour she passed it on to me. Thanks for this one Nan, I've become quite attached to it! 

Do You Lilac It? This O.P.I polish is a slap it on and go shade. I can put this on and feel comfortable and confident that it's not going to chip or look overpowering (unlike that little Essie polish peeking over her shoulder, trying to steal the spotlight). This was the first O.P.I polish I owned and I couldn't think of a better start. 

What's your favourite nail polish? I'm willing to add another spot in my hall of fame if I find the perfect new shade and formula. 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo 

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Academy Awards Style Review

I am cuddled up here with a huge cup of chai tea looking at the top looks of the 2014 Oscars feeling heartily impressed. I'm not impressed because there was lots of phenominal dresses, but because there was no really really awful ones. I struggled to find three bad dresses, well three bad dresses I felt okay about criticising (ladies who are pregnant with twins or really old are not okay to criticise).

The Good

Lupita Nyong'o

She's done it again! Lupita looks like an absolute princess in this frosty blue dress (an homage to Academy Award winning Frozen perhaps? Probably not.). It has such a deep V neckline but she doesn't look at all inappropriate or vulgar because she is flat chested enough to pull it off. Not to mention the diamond headband. DIAMOND HEADBAND. That she pulls off effortlessly without looking childish or overdone. It accents her outfit perfectly without any need for a huge necklace or statement earrings. If I ever need a stylist, I want hers. 

Sandra Bullock 

Old Hollywood glamour was the phrase of the evening on Sunday and Sandra was leading the way. If you put this photo into black and white you wouldn't know when it came from, it is the opitomy of timeless beauty. Sandra is such a legend that she doesn't need to walk the carpet with a seagull on her head, she can come out looking classy and elegant. Her hair and makeup is flawless as well. 

Kate Hudson

I'm not just praising Kate because we have the same last name (though I have convinced people we're cousins before, which we sadly aren't), I honestly believe she looks amazing. It is the prefect combination of Lupita's elegant plunging neckline with Sandra's old Hollywood glamour. Plus she's wearing a capelet and you know I'm a sucker for a cape. 

The Not So Good 

Anna Kendrick 

I'm right over the leg, people who have a slit in their dress need to resist the urge to stick out their leg. Anna's dress would have flown right under my radar if it had not been for the leg and the weird red lace around her waist. The lace is distracting and not in a good way, it simply makes it look to busy and takes away from her beautiful face. As a good note to finish on, her slit does hit her leg at a good place. It is not so high that it would be uncomfortable to sit and walk in, but it shows off her great legs and stellar heels. I just wish it only showed them off while she was walking not while she was posing dramatically.

Cate Blanchett 

I know everyone is loving this dress, but it is doing nothing for me. I personally think the nude colour washes her out and the embelishments look like pieces of scrunched up tin foil stuck on her dress. Even though her face and hair look amazing and she's the closest thing Australia has to royalty because she is just so regal, her dress doesn't hit the mark for me this time. 

Pharrell Williams 

Some people need to learn how to dress for the occasion. He is wearing shorts to the Oscars. With a leg tattoo no less. That is all I have to say on this matter. 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

February Favourites

Can you believe it is already the end of February? I certainly can't. This year is flying by so fast and I'm already feeling as though I haven't accomplished much. Though I hate that feeling, it is motivating me to try and get some more important things done before time slips away. One thing I have accomplished this month is accumulating a few favourite things. Some are re-discoveries from times past and some are brand new products. Let us begin...

One of the first beauty/skincare products I can remember owning is a strawberry Body Shop Body Butter and I loved that thing. A few weeks ago I was going through my drawers and found this stack of four body butters that had barely been used and I decided that I would use them up before purchasing anything new. This idea has been working well except for that I can never remember to moisturise. I have fallen back in love with these fruity beauties. 

I am single handedly bringing back the scrunchie. We all loved these as kids and I don't understand why girls stop wearing them when they reach their teenage years. I picked up this pack of four very chic scrunchies a couple of weeks ago and have been wearing them ever since. Some of my friends think it's stupid but I personally think they really liven up an outfit. 

I purchased the Rimmel Match Perfection foundation in mid January, but for the first month I owned it the weather in Melbourne was far too hot for me to wear a full foundation, so I've only tested it out in the past couple of weeks. I like this far more than I liked the much hyped Wake Me Up foundation, it gives my skin a better finish. It covers up everything I want covered up, but it doesn't look really obvious and heavy. This is my go to foundation of the moment. 

I also love my Nyx Butter Gloss in the colour Eclair. I'm not really one for lip glosses because I find them really uncomfortable to wear and my hair is always getting stuck in it, but this one is so buttery and moisturising that I really enjoy wearing it. I only have the one colour which is really natural and subtle, just what I wanted when I purchased it. As you can see, it is already a little battered around the edges, so I'm using it a lot. 

Just the packaging for this lipstick earns it a spot in my February Favourites. I'm sure there are better colours in the Topshop Lipsticks than this one (Saint) because when I apply it fully it is too light for my skintone and makes me look dead. Instead I blend it out and it looks much more flattering on my lips. The formula is great and I really want to try some other colours of Topshop Lipsticks. 

I know told you about this perfume in one of my last posts, but I would like to reiterate just how much I like it. I'm not going to go into the details (If you want to read the original post click HERE), but it is just amazing and really different to anything else I own. Since I've been wearing it every day since I acquired it, it deserves a spot on the list. 

When I was 9 and I got my ears pierced I was all about the dangly earrings, but now I can't even remember the last time I wore them. I got this pair for my birthday from my friend Dani and I love them so much that I've started wearing long earrings again. They're so modern and simple that I can wear them with anything and not have it look too over the top. 

That sums up my February Favourites, now we move on to a new and even better month! 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo