Summer Bucket List

Hey, Miri here!

I thought it would be a really fun idea to do a summer bucket list post, so here it is.

~pull an all nighter
~go to the beach
~get a tan
~go to an amusement park
~go out of the country
~collect seashells
~go shopping
~have a summer romance
~attend summer hobby classes
~do yoga
~become healthy and fit
~jump into a pool fully clothed
~create a lemonade stand
~participate in a 5km run
~do a pet or car wash
~complete a wreck this journal
~try a new look
~sit on a rooftop and watch the stars
~visit a black sand beach
~meet a celebrity
~donate to charity
~drop water balloons off a building
~make tie dyed tshirts
~have a bonfire
~make a music video
~have a disney movie marathon
~create a home spa
~build a fort
~make a fun photo booth
~go to a concert
~swim with dolphins
~eat breakfast in bed
~have a picnic in the park
~have a triple sleepover (three night sleep over!! duh)
~organise a block party (a party with the people on your block/street)
~buy a hammock
~dance under the moonlight
~ENJOY LIFE!

Edit, rearrange, add to, or ignore this list. It's up to you!

Have a nice Summer!

Hug and Kisses,
Miri

Summer Vacation Tips

Hey, Beccy here.

Recently I've been super busy with exams and "end of school" stuff, then I went on a family vacation to Iceland, which, I would just like to say, is absolutely stunning I totally recommend it, although it was rather cold. Miri won't be around for a couple of months, she's spending 6 weeks in Australia, lucky her! 

In this post I'm going to give packing and travel tips. So, without further ado, let's jump right in!

Travel Tricks

~Save space in your suitcase by rolling your clothes instead of folding. 

~Place a dryer sheet in your suitcase to keep your clothes smelling fresh and to reduce static.

~Keep bobby pins or hair clips handy in tic tac containers.

~Store your smartphone in a sandwich bag to prevent it from being scratched by sand if you're heading to the beach. the touch screen will still work.

~Cases for glasses are perfect for chargers and cables.

~Put your smartphone in a mug for an effective diy speaker for playing music.

~Summer highlights: spray some lemon juice in your hair before you go out in the sun, and you'll find your hair a little lighter by sunset.

~Use a fitted sheet instead of a towel on the beach to keep sand out of your sunbathing area.

~If you forget your wall plug, you can charge devices through the usb slot on a tv.

~Put a scented teabag or dryer sheet in stinky shoes before packing to deodorize.

~Invest in a brightly colored suitcase (Or just use a large ribbon or bag tag) for easy identification at baggage reclaim.

~On the last day of your trip to a foreign country, collect all of your loose change and give it to a charity box at a nearby supermarket or airport.

Helpful Hints

~ The first thing you must remember when packing is where you are going. It may seem stupid and simple but I cannot stress this enough. Look up the weather forecast for your destination before packing, so you have an idea of what sort of clothes you will need. I don't know how many times I have realised I'm out of clean and weather appropriate clothing halfway through the trip. Please don't make the same mistake.

~ If you are going somewhere cold, pack layers. It's always useful. If you are going somewhere warm or hot, make sure you have lots of flowy clothes, such as dresses, floaty tops, loose shorts, and skirts. Make sure to bring a cardigan or sweater in case the night gets a little chilly. Also make sure to pack a swimsuit and towel. 

~Make sure you are organised, but not too organised. I always hate having to rush to things, I prefer booking certain things like a trip to a museum or a dinner reservation, then leave the rest of te day to explore and discover the area like a local. It's more relaxing that way.

Flights, Long Car Journeys and Road Trips

~When on the road, nothing is worse than sitting uncomfortably. Make sure to dress for comfort, choosing loose or baggy clothes as apposed to skinny jeans and a tight top. 

~Bring a pillow or neck cushion, to relax on.

~Charge electronics the night before, and bring a car charger or portable charger if you have one. Entertainment while traveling is important.

~Pack a smaller back for snacks, drinks, games, books and electronics to keep with you in the vehicle, while your clothing, toiletries and other essentials are kept in the back.

~GO TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE YOU LEAVE!!!! I don't care if you don't need to go. You will in a few minutes and you'll have to stop the car (It doesn't matter as much on the plane, especially if you have the aisle seat)

~If you have travel games, bring them to play with your parent/sibling/friend/travel companion. Avoid your devices for as long as possible to conserve battery and data usage. You never know, you may enjoy it more than beating your high score on flappy bird.

Where ever you choose to spend your holiday, even if it's just at home on your sofa, I hope you enjoy yourself. Sometimes a break is all you need. I, for one, have a bucketlist that needs completing. So, until next time!

Hugs and Kisses, 

Beccy

P.s. You can comment tutorial/tip/recipe requests if you like, I'd really appreciate that :)

Must Know Summer Recipes

Hi, Miri here,

Sorry I haven't been around lately, I had to do my GCSEs......
Anyway, I'm back now, with more fresh, delicious ideas for you!!!
In this post I will share some of my all time favourite recipes. These recipes are simple but tasty, that even the most ungifted cook can perfect. I'll start with the easiest, but some do take a bit more time and patience.

Scrumptious Smoothies

True to our name "Smoothies and Sparkles", here's a yummy smoothie recipe for you to try. You can edit it depending on taste.

Ingredients:
~Frozen or Fresh fruit - of your choice (Mangoes, bananas, strawberries and blackberries are always nice)
~Non concentrate, no additives fruit juice (use something with a weaker flavour, such tropical or mango passionfruit rather than orange or apple juice)
~Ice cubes

Put the cut up fruit or berries into a blender and then add your juice (fill it just below where the fruit goes up to)and mix until it has a smooth consistency. Pour it into a glass and drink it outside in the sun.(With a straw)

Cheesy Muffins (makes 6) 

Deliciously simple, these cheesy muffins will have you begging for more.

Ingredients:
~1 cup self-raising flour
~1 cup grated cheddar cheese
~1 cup milk

Heat your oven to 180C. Line six holes of a muffin tray with a square of baking paper 14cm by 15cm. 
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl (remember to sift the flour!)and then share the mixture equally in the muffin tray.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy as a snack or lunch.

Mac & Cheese (serves 4-6)

This one is a little more difficult, as you have to use several methods.

Ingredients:
250g Macaroni
100g ham bits
500ml milk
30g butter
30g plain flour
150g grated cheddar cheese

Heat your oven to 180C. Cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the packet. Put the pasta into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with ham.
Make an all in one sauce by placing the flour the milk and the butter into a pan and gradually bring to a boil, stirring all the time. When the sauce is thick and glossy add in 1/2 of the cheese and stir. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15-20 mins and serve hot with a salad or vegetables.

Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes (makes 6)

Ingredients:

~75g self raising flour
~75g butter
~75g sugar
~2 eggs
~1 teaspoon vanilla essence
~1 bottle of whipped cream
~Jam

Heat your oven to 180C. Cream the butter and sugar, add the vanilla essence. Add the eggs and mix well. Sift in the flour and mix. Spoon into a muffin tray and bake for 15-20 minutes. When they are cool cut them in half horizontally and spread with jam and whipped cream. Dust with powdered sugar.

 

Elderflower Cordial (Makes 2 Litres)

This recipe is by far the most difficult. It requires keen devotion and patience.

Ingredients:

~15 elderflower heads with their stems trimmed (the buds should be JUST opening)

~Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and 1 orange, plus their juice (about 75ml in total)

~500g sugar

Inspect the elderflower heads carefully and remove any insects. Place the flower heads in a large bowl together with the orange and lemon zest.Bring 1 litres water to the boil and pour over the elderflowers and citrus zest. Cover and leave overnight to infuse.Strain the liquid through a scalded jelly bag or piece of muslin and pour into a saucepan. Add the sugar and the lemon and orange juice.Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer and cook for a couple of minutes.Use a funnel to pour the hot syrup into sterilised bottles. Seal the bottles with swing-top lids, sterilised screw-tops or corks.

TIP: Ratio of syrup to water is 1:2 or 1:3 depending on how sweet you like it.

Hope you enjoy these fun easy recipes as much as I do!
Hugs and Kisses,
Miri

Room Decor ~ 3 "Three-Step" D.I.Ys!

Hey!
It's me again, Beccy.
Miri is unable to post very regularly, but hopefully in the few weeks coming we'll see some action from her. 
In this tutorial I'm going to show you some super easy ways to make your room look gorgeous... and the best part is they will cost you next to nothing!

D.I.Y no.1
Jewellery Tree
I absolutely love this D.I.Y, it looks great and I've recieved many compliments from my friends about it. I feel it is the main feature of my room and it looks very stylish. I spray painted mine, but I've seen ones that are literally just sticks in a vase with jewellery hanging from it, and that looks super cute too.
So, without further ado, let's get started!

You need:
~6-10 Smallish Sticks (40-80cm)from your garden, it looks really cool when they're interesting shapes (you could also use a larger stick with lots of mini branches!)
~Newspaper
~Spray Paint (Metallics look really cool, but any colour is good!)
~A cute vase (You could pick one up from the dollar shop[U.S.A] or poundland[U.K] or similar, I got mine for three euros from a little craft store!)
~Some of your cutest necklaces and bracelets to hang on the 'tree'

[Tip:It would probably be a good idea to wear old clothes or a painting smock, it could get messy. Make sure to remove jewellery before hand, my watch ended up with silver paint flecks all over it!]

Step 1 
First you have to prepare for your spray painting. Lay out some newspaper on the ground outside or in a well ventilated area (Make sure to weigh it down if it's windy!!!) Lay your sticks out along the newspaper. If you are using more than one colour you should keep the different coloured paints seperate. 

[Tip:Before you paint, make sure your sticks don't have any moss on them or any bark falling off!]

Step 2
Use the spray paint to cover one side of your stick, but leave about 2-4cm paint free at the bottom (so you can hold it), then flip it over without getting covered in paint. Spray the other side and repeat with all your sticks.

Step 3
Once the paint has dried, you can arrange your sticks in your vase and hang your favourite jewellery from it, I think it just looks so cute and adorable!!!!


D.I.Y no.2
Pinboard Decor
I know how boring a pinboard can be... colourless, disorganised and ugly. But, with a little bit of paint, your corky disaster can become an adorable way of showing off photos, reminding you of events coming up and little memoirs of that time you went to that concert. It just needs a little T.L.C.

You need:
~A cork board, big or small.
~Paint (colours like white and grey are really nice)
~Tape (The papery kind is best)
~Stencils (usually you can pick some up from a craft store)
~Paint brush



Step 1
Place your stencil where you want it to go. Tape it down so it doesn't move.

Step 2
Use your paint brush to go over the stencil. The beauty of it is that you can go over the lines!

[Tip:You could find a cute stencil on the internet and print it out onto some paper, then cut out the parts you want to see]



Step 3
Now you can take your stencil off and wait for it to dry. You can either do more stencils, or you can finish there. The choice is yours! 

Omg all of these corkboards on pinterest are just adorable!!!!




I honestly think they all look so so cute especially the ones with the world map on them!


D.I.Y no. 3
Photo Garland
For the final D.I.Y of this post, I'm going to teach you how to jazz up your room, with just a few simple things. I really like this because it gives a wow factor each time you enter the room, and I can display so many great memories.

You will need:
~A Length of String. I got a cute brown spool from the local craft shop.
~Pegs. I got some little wooden ones that look so cute.
~Photos. You can usually get these printed out at a supermarket or department store. You could also use polaroids, or print them out onto plain paper.
~Hooks (Optional, You may already have hook-like things around your room, like a curtain rail. Make sure to check before screwing a hook into your wall, too!)

Step 1
Screw your hooks into the wall, or use hooks that are already there, and drape your string over it. Make sure to tie it and cut it so it's secure. You may want to leave enough excess so it hangs loosely (like the pictures shown)

Step 2 
Get all your photos, and decide where you want them to go. Peg them onto your garland one by one. You could do it in order, like a timeline, or just randomly. I also pegged up little bits and bobs (concert tickets, leaves, flowers, cut outs from magazines)

Step 3 
Look at it from a distance and decide where to space thing out a bit. Feel free to add and change part of it as time passes. Old memories are nice, but we have to remember to make room for the new!



Be sure to try out these D.I.Ys, I hope you enjoyed reading this post even if you don't, and I hope I've given you some inspiration for redecorating! I certainly enjoyed making them, and writing about it afterwards! Until next time!

Hugs and Kisses,
Beccy

Workout Routine and Tips!

Hey,Beccy here. 
Today I was feeling motivated. Summer is just around the corner and I for one am SO not bikini ready. I thought it would be a good idea to share some workout tips and tricks that are great to keep a healthy mind and body.
 I always find it really helpful to create my own workout routine, making it far out of reach for my (usually!) fairly unfit body, and my aim is to be able to complete it in a month. The point of it is the exercises get more difficult as you go along. If you feel like you won't challenge yourself enough, here's a routine I designed to get you started.
10 sit ups
10 push ups 
10 V sits
10 leg lifts
10 squats
30 second plank
30 second side plank (right side)
30 second side plank (left side)
15 sit ups
15 push ups 
15 V sits
15 leg lifts
15 squats
1 minute plank
1 minute side plank (right side)
1 minute side plank (left side)
20 sit ups
20 push ups 
20 V sits
20 leg lifts
20 squats
2 minute plank
2 minute side plank (right side)
2 minute side plank (left side)
30 sit ups
30 push ups 
30 V sits
30 leg lifts
30 squats
3 minute plank
3 minute side plank (right side)
3 minute side plank (left side)
as many sit ups as you can
as many push ups as you can 
as many V sits as you can
as many leg lifts as you can
as many squats as you can
hold plank for as long as you can
hold side plank (right side)for as long as you can
hold side plank (left side)for as long as you can

Remember, this is out of reach on purpose, unless you're already super fit. Don't be frustrated if you get tired. 

Tips for motivation and fitness: 
~ Look at pictures and quotes on the internet. It will inspire you and motivate you. You can even buy a pinboard and cover it with pictures and cut outs from magazine



~Use a notebook to keep track of the exercise you're doing every day. When you can't be bothered to work out get it out, read all you've done and realise how much progress you've made. It can make you feel so much better. You could even use a calender or a chalkboard.

~If you want to get into it for good, buy a nice pair of workout shoes and cute workout clothes. They'll make you want to put them on and use them.


~Drink and eat healthily. Put down that bottle of fanta and pick up a delicious healthy homemade smoothie or detox fruit water. You can find recipes online or purchase a book, or you can just put in your favourite fruits and vegetables. The choices are endless!


~Make a playlist on your mobile device. Find a bunch of upbeat, motivational songs that you love and put them on shuffle while you work out.Listening to music can be helpful for working out, it can make you work more productivly.

~Find a friend (or friends!) who wants to get fit too. You can workout together, hold competitions(weight loss or weight gain), motivate each other and make sure neither of you quits!
 
~Join the local gym!If you get yourself a gym membership card, there's no excuses for not staying healthy! And plus, you get access to all that great equipment!

~Join a new sport. It's a great way to keep active while having fun. You can make new friends that share the same interests, and you don't have to be amazing at it already. There are plenty of beginners groups everywhere. Consider netball, basketball, tennis, badminton, football, soccer, or volleyball.


Hugs and Kisses,
XX Beccy

DIY: Tattoo Choker

Hey!

The tattoo choker was a popular trend in the 90s, but it has faded out of fashion since then. Luckily for me, now it's back, and cuter than ever. You can get them in all kinds of colours and styles! Usually people buy them from the store though. But, did you know it's actually really simple to make them yourself? 

For this DIY you will need
~A hard surface, maybe a hard back book or a hard place mat.
~A binder clip/bulldog clip
~Scissors
~Elastic of your preferred colour, I got mine off amazon but you can usually find it in craft stores, make sure it's okay for use as a necklace before you begin. 

Step one
Measure out your elastic, about two lengths of your wingspan. (I know, it seems a lot but better safe than sorry, and you can cut off excess at the end). Fold your piece of elastic in half and attach the middle point of it to your surface with a binderclip, don't let your loop be too big, I made that mistake!

Step two
This is the point where you make your choker. The first thing you have to do is hold the two pieces of elastic hanging from your binder clip, and put on under the other, around, and through the loop you've created. Repeat the process on the other side and continue. When your choker is about 7 inches long take it off and measure it against your neck to check how  much longer you need. re-attach and continue, checking if it fits every inch or so. 


Step three
So your choker is the length you want it too be, it fits, and it looks great. The only thing left to do is tie it off. Make several knots in the end with your strings, and once it's secure, take it off your surface. Next loop one of your loose ends inside the loop at the other end, and tie both loose ends together, repeat until secure. You can now cut off the loose ends and put your choker on! the bit you tied off tends to be a little messy so make sure it's at the back of your neck. 

I think they look super cute and are a great addition to any outfit, whether you're just wearing it out shopping, or if you're at a party or at school (if your school allows jewelry)

Hugs and Kisses, 
xx Beccy

Lovely Lemonade

The weather is getting warmer so it's the perfect time for relaxing in your garden with a cool drink. 

In this recipe I will tell you how to make delicious homemade lemonade.

This makes a jug of lemonade, btw.

Ingredients: 

6 large juicy lemons
6 cups of water

2 - 4 cups granulated sugar (depending on your tastes)

I know it's not very many ingredients, but trust me, simplicity is key!:) 

1. Squeeze all the lemons using a lemon juicer and put the juice into a large jug. Add the water.

2. Add some of the sugar, mix it with a wooden spoon, and taste it to see how much more you'd like. Add, then stir until  completely dissolved.

Voila, tasty and refreshing lemonade!

If you like, you can put ice cubes in, too.

Store it in the fridge or drink it straight away.

Serve with a straw and one of those mini parasols for an cuter look!

Hugs and Kisses,

Xx Miri