Granite City Girl's Christmas Tag

Since it's Christmas time the bloggosphere appears to be overwhelmed with festivities, from the blogger gift exchange and gift ideas for him and her, to all of the festive make up collections and of course who can forget all of the gingerbread syrup products we've all been drooling over.

So I was quite chuffed to be tagged to do this post by Kate of Girl With Bambi Eyes as this year I've been feeling particularly festive!

These days I get more into the Christmas spirit. (Me and my Dad in 1993)

1. What is your favourite Christmas movie/s?

Elf, I still remember seeing this in the cinema when it first came out and I am still as much as in love with it now as I was then. I think cinema wise you get to see a different side to Will Ferrel's acting and it's a completely unique take on the traditional Christmas story. It also helps to be set in New York which I have had a love affair with since a very young age and will continue to until I visit ALL OF THE STORES to get it out of my system!

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
My mum HATES me for this and accuses me of lack of excitement but I always wait until Christmas morning, it's not that I'm not enthused by gifts but I like the wait, plus it feels like Christmas lasts that little bit longer.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
My favourite memory from my childhood at Christmas was leaving out a Turkish Delight and glass of Coke for Santa (judging by those Coke ads Santa is an advocate!) At least when he came to my house he got something a little bit different!

4. Favourite Christmas food?
I love gingerbread if we're talking simple festive foods, I love that bit in the Grinch where they give him a Christmas cookie but he eats the plate, the gingerbread looks amazing. In fact the entire who feast in the Grinch looks amazing! If we're talking favourite part of Turkey dinner, I'd have to say roast potatoes with cranberry sauce, delish!

5. Favourite Christmas gift?As a kid I got an amazing Barbie dream house, I was very much a girly girl back then too, I remember it was mainly pink and white and it had blue roofing and I was jealous of her interiors and truth be told I still am,  Barbie has got taste!

6. Favourite Christmas scent?

Cinnamon scents are my favourite scents ever, I love anything tasting of cinnamon and extra bonus if its apple and cinnamon.

7. Do you have any Christmas traditions?
I must still be in bed before midnight, otherwise it just throws off Christmas, even if it's 11.55pm it must be before! We also always watch Elf when we're putting up our tree, truth be told that is quite a recent tradition that Nick and I have implemented over the last 3 years. Oh and when we're opening present I always sit on my blanket on the floor, some childhood traditions you just don't let go of!

8. What tops your Christmas tree?
A silver glittery star, I like to keep it traditional when it comes to our tree and those angels often freak me out!

9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you asked for but never got?
Probably a puppy, I was never too disappointed though I got some amazing gifts, and I still do!

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?

I love watching people open their gifts on Christmas morning, I also love sitting eating my breakfast on Christmas morning while this is happening, food and presents have to be the best combo ever!

This tag has been so much fun to do I really do recommend you give it a bash if you're a bit low on the festive spirit this season so with that in mind I tag all of you bloggers and even non bloggers to give this a bash on your facebooks, blogs, social media or even writing it down will help.

Of course if you've enjoyed reading this or if you'd even like to share some of your Christmas memories, drop me a comment below, send me a Tweet or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latests on my Aberdeen antics, little life posts and such like, come find me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks!

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Girl's Week Without Heat

For those of you who follow me on Twitter you will know that just last week I embarked on a journey back to health... back to healthy hair at least and I decided to go an entire work week without applying any heat styling or drying etc to my hair whatsoever. So I thought today I would share with you just how I got on, how I styled my hair and the overall results.

Just for a reference my hair without any blow drying, straightening or curling irons looks a bit like this, so I don't suffer from any MAJOR frizz or slicky greasy problems some people do when they go without heat can, in that sense I have been quite lucky, but it was still no picnic!

Just so I can clearly lay the parameters, I wash my hair every evening and I use a hair masque twice a week. I lightly towel dry my hair afterwards, brush it through and leave it to dry itself.

Hair Au Naturale

Day One

This was the day my hair was in the worst condition and it was definitely the day it took the most getting used to. My split ends were out in full force, but on the brighter side I was surprised to learn the style itself was actually not too bad, so all I had to do was give it a wee brush and off I went (although people at work did think I had just rolled out of bed)

Day Two

It seems even though I wasn't using direct heat to my hair you still can't escape some damage, especially with these cold wintery days! So needing a little bit of TLC I broke out my new Tres Emme Keratin hair masque, and indulged by leaving it on my head for about 10 minutes.

Day Three

After my hair care and TLC from the night before this was probably the day I noticed a considerable difference in my hair, it seemed much smoother especially at the ends (which are usually frazzled!)Unfortunately due to the lovely Scottish weather we've been suffering of late I had to just swish my hair into a pony for the day!

Day Four

Another TLC evening for my hair as it was treated to yet another indulgent hair masque, which it thanked me for the next day! Since I had an event on the Friday evening I thought I had better pay extra attention to it this evening and ended up wearing my rollers for a while while it dried minus heat obviously! It still came out voluminous of course but just not as I would have hoped!

Day Five

Using a barreled hair brush I got my desired volume without heat, just with spray! And you'd never have been able to tell I hadn't used any heat on my hair whatsoever if you were judging simply by the style. It's much more work than I am used to but if it's going to improve the health of my hair then I say go for it.

I survived my week without heat, and I do recommend you try it from time to time to give you hair a little break from styling and harsh temperatures otherwise you are at risk of causing some major damage in the long run! When I was younger I'm the first to hold my hands up and say yes I was guilty of OVER straightening my hair and no wonder it took so long to grow out my Snow White bob!

Of course if you must use heat for example if you have a special occassion or just cannot part with your heat styling tools be sure to use a good quality heat defence spray on your hair, below I have listed a couple of my favourites just in case anyone is interested in how I plan on maintaining my silky smooth locks now I have them back!

Heat Styling Product Choices



For day to day - Tres Emme Heat Defence Spray

For evenings out - VO5 Plump it Up Amplifying Blow Dry Lotion (Heat Defence)
For styling - Large barreled hair brush
For long lasting hold - VO5 Ultimate Hold Hairspray

I hope you enjoyed today's post, have you ever gone without something to improve the health of your hair or have you even gone without something to improve your skin and nails? Be sure to share you experiences in the comments below or come tell me about it on Twitter or if you're interested in keeping up with my latests come find me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

Beauty Haul | Pre Christmas Party Ready Treat

Every time I know I have to save for something I seem to spend more than ever. Having just booked our holiday for next year and with a good few birthdays and of course Christmas looming you'd think I'd exercise some self discipline! But alas it was not meant to be, unfortunately my route home happens to force me through Aberdeen's Union Square shopping centre and who can resist the twinkly lights and the special offers of their stores, especially after a long day at work AND with the cold weather coming in?!

Does anybody else do this? act as their own bank account saboteur when they know they really shouldn't? I suppose it's just my vice, I was quite restrained at one time but let's face it those days appear to be long long gone!

So now around £50 down and a good few products up, I thought I would be proactive, productive and pro product and share my latest buys with you.

Apologies for poor quality pics - teccy troubles!

Bourjois Délice de Poudre (RRP £7.99)
At the weekends especially I've been trying to experiment a little bit more with make up and of course with one of the biggest trends of the year being to perfect that Kardashian contouring routine I thought I'd give that a bash. When I was in Boots I saw this palette and thought it was perfect as a contouring and highlighting tool, stay tuned for my thoughts and review as I have yet to have a play about with it!

Eyelure Katy Perry 'Bangin Beauty' lashes (RRP £5.95)
As you'll know if you've been keeping up with my wishlists for the past couple of months I have been on the hunt for Katy Perry Party Lashes and as I think I may have missed the boat with the glitzy glam ones with the sparkles and studs I thought I would compromise and add these to my collection instead. I think these will be perfect for party season and they offer a middle ground to my current collection, as I have the Sweetie Pie lashes which are slightly shorter and a bit more sparse, I have the Lovely Lolita which look like spaced out medium lash clusters and finally I have the Feline Fierce which are long, thick, full and have a wee flick at the ends. These are a medium length full lash which as I said are a fab middle ground!

Goody Dent-Less Waves Foam Rollers (RRP £10.99)
Boots Essentials Sleep In Rollers (RRP £5.19)
My go to look when I'm dressing for a special occassion is to sit with slightly damp hair up in my massive rollers for about half an hour and then blast them with some heat to achieve that Cheryl-esque volume we all often crave. But if I'm honest I'm looking to inject a little bit of glamour and style into my everyday look so I have invested in these sleep in foam rollers to achieve this on a daily basis and to avoid heat damage to my hair. I got this idea from watching Becca Rose's vlog on how she achieved her lovely curls and volume on a daily basis and I really liked it and thought hey why not give it a bash (link to her video just below in case you are curious)
Becca Rose Video - Overnight Heatless Curls Using Primark Sponge Rollers

Tres Emme Keratin Smooth Deep Treatment Masque(£5.50)
Of course it goes without saying the Winter weather isn't often the kindest to our hair, mine for example is looking a little lack lustre, full of split ends and just feels generally damaged in the cold. And of course you can't very well experiment with your hair if it isn't in great condition (unless of course full frizz is your thing) And well Tres Emme has never let me down in the past and with the description of this item being, 'intensive rescue for unruly, frizz-prone hair. This masque deeply replenishes each strand for unbelievable salon-smoothness.' I suppose we shall just have to wait and see.

After writing this post for you guys I must say I do actually feel a little bit better about having spent so much this close to Christmas, I mean I was able to justify all of these products... right? And I just want to say before saying goodbye for the day that I do apologise for the pics for this post, perhaps Santa will bring me enough money to treat myself to some new photo taking products....

Guys once again I hope you've enjoyed this post, if you've tried any of the products above or of course if I've missed a trick please let me know in the comments below, I love chatting to you guys about new and great products on Twitter or of course if you'd just like to keep up with my latests do come find me on Bloglovin!

Until next time folks

H.Elizabeth

Doing Your Bit | Cyrenians Aberdeen Rucksack Project 2014

This is another special post which as you'll notice has not been posted on my usual Wednesday or Sunday but I feel it deserves a slot all on it's own as it's a cause that ought to be close to our hearts given we see this cause when we are simply walking down our high street on a daily basis!

 As you'll have possibly seen in my previous post I always try and do a little something for the various charities in and around Aberdeen on an annual basis. This year I took part in the bare face selfie (don't worry you won't have to look at my made under face again for a while!) I ran the Baker Hughes 10K for local Aberdeen animal charity Mrs Murrays Cat and Dog Home and I also took part in the annual Race for Life 10K with my mum.

So with Christmas coming up and this being the most difficult time for those less fortunate I have been looking for something to do to help locally as I always feel charity begins at home (or at least your local high street) and my friend has recently started working alongside local Aberdeen homeless charity the Cyrenians who help the homeless and less fortunate around Aberdeen City.

I must say Cyrenians themselves are not hosting this particular charity event I'm about to talk about but the cause is one and the same, it is called the 'Rucksack Challenge' Basically they are asking people to fill a rucksack (funnily enough) with items that could help the homeless through the harsh winter we seem to be in for.

The challenge is taking place on the 6th of December and they are looking for as many people to get involved as possible, and the task you have to complete is so so simple and you can actually do this with most items from your own home, so no rushing out to buy things, it is incredibly cost effective and not to mention charitable. 

How to get involved:
Simply fill a rucksack of essentials which would help the homeless make it through the harsh winters and stay warm this winter, then show up to the event on the 6th of December and hand it over.

They are looking for everything from warm clothing, to easily heated foods, torches, ponchos, blankets, first aid kits, sleeping bags and even winter boots, no contribution is too big or too small.  As long as the items that you donate are usable and in reasonable condition then they're a huge help.

If you'd like a little more information about the Rucksack Project Aberdeen and the items which would be useful for donating then click here or if you'd like to know a bit more about the Cyrenians then please click here

Over the last couple of weeks I have been looking out a few bits and bobs to hand over on the day so if this has at all inspired you to get involved or maybe theres another charity event you're already contributing towards then I salute you and be sure to leave a comment below on what you're involved in or would like to become a bit more involved in. Hope to see some of you fellow Aberdonians there on the day!

Thank you for taking the time to have a wee read of this, of course drop  a comment below if you are coming along on the day or if there is something similar in your area, as always you can catch me on Twitter or to keep up with the latest, find me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

What I Wore | I Wanna See Your Peacock

If there's one thing my nearest and dearest know about me it's that I rarely have a night on the town. I'm afraid I'm an old soul who would sooner cuddle up with my iPad and a mint tea than live big in the city after dark. But on those rare occasions when I do find myself at a 'perty' I do like to make more of an effort, so I thought I would share with you guys my most recent outfit for hitting the town.

What I wore on my body

I didn't want to go too OTT with my outfit for this particular evening as it was beginning as a games night so I thought something you can dress up or down was most appropriate and I came up with this wee number.

L - Full Length Peacock Dress. R - Close up dress pattern

Peacock Dress - New Look

My friend actually spotted this dress on a weekend away to Edinburgh and promptly put it down, which I was in shock and awe of since I found it so beautiful. Due mainly to the pattern, the shape and suit to my body was a simple bonus. The pattern is a monochrome peacock print with accents of red in the centre, a great pop of colour that would do well with some red flats on a day out or some red heels for an evening (which I don't have!) 

What I wore on my feet

Black Stilettos - H&M

Never underestimate the power of a plain black heel in classing up a casual outfit, since losing my usual, comfy black stilettos due to general wear and tear I have been at a bit of a loss when it comes to my heel collection and funnily enough H&M had the answer. I never expected H&M stilettos to be quite as comfortable as these but they are my new go to shoes for a long evening out. Since I can NEVER find a size 3 shoe in New Look anymore I think I will be visiting them quite a bit more now.

What I wore on my head and face 

This was one of  my more experimental looks of the past few weeks and I have to say I was pretty darn chuffed with how it all turned out (I have since tried to repeat this phenomenon to no avail) I found it was very bouffant 1960's, not quite the trend of the moment but hey sometimes who cares it's all about what works for you!

Hair and make up look

How I wore my hair

Voluminous Curly Wurly Do - Rollers and Heat Tools

So to achieve this look I used my huge velcro rollers and applied them to slightly (VERY slightly or it'll take ages to dry) and left them on my head for about an hour. I then blasted them with really hot air from my hairdrier and then quickly swapped to the cold setting to allow your hair to hold that sort of style. After taking the rollers out I brushed it out and then curled the ends of my hair only and then backcomb backcomb backcomb (SO bad for your hair so I'm not endorsing this for you guys at all) I loved the way my hair came out for the evening as I got a lot of depth and texture to it by styling it this way, and with the right amount of hairspray it really did last (until the long walk home!)

How I made up my face

Eyes - 
L'Oreal Colour Riche Liner in Charcoal
MUA Charcoal, Silver and Shimmer White Eyeshadow Trio
Benefit's They're Real Mascara (top and lower lash)
Katy Perry Lashes by Eyelure (Feline Fierce Lashes)
Brows -
Sleek Brow Kit in Medium
General Face Area -
Arbonne Make up Primer
MAC Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation
Rimmel Natual Bronzer (Contouring)
Collection Lasting Perfection concealer (Highlight)

Blush by George at Asda (A hidden beauty gem)
Lips -
MAC Hip 'N' Happy Lip Pencil
Clinique in Mighty Mimosa

This is obviously not what I would wear on a daily basis I usually don't wear foundation or concealer or anything on my face for a general working day but you know when you've got so much make up and an occassion is coming up you just can't help but play with it sometimes.

Let me know what you guys think of this look I hope it has inspired you to go and have an experiment and play about with your own looks! Or of course if you have any tips, pointers or comments be sure to leave them below, otherwise and as always you can catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more of my latests keep up with me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks!


H.Elizabeth x

Domestic Goddess | Mini Baked Oreo Cheesecakes

Now even though I have been making a solid attempt to eat a little bit better to shed a few lbs. for the festivities, this doesn't mean I'm going to give up some of my sweet stuffs! And I always think making something nasty yourself is better than buying it in, hey at least you know how it's being made and what's going into it!

So today I thought I would share one of my most recent culinary successes, if I do say so myself, in the form of bite size (depending on you gob size) Oreo Cheesecakes.

Now these are not good if you're looking for a quick sweet fix as you will need to refrigerate these over night, but these are perfect for an after dinner treat! 

What you'll need (equipment wise)

2 large bowls

Wooden Spoon

Paper or Silicone Cupcake Cases
Something to weigh out your ingredients (it's surprising how often people forget this)

What you'll need (foodie wise)

400g Philadelphia Light

75g Caster Sugar (I use silver spoon)

2 Medium Eggs

12 Oreo Cookies (keep extra if you like crunch)

110g Milk Chocolate (or any kind of chocolate you like)
A couple of tbsps of Philadelphia Cadburys Chocolate

What you need to do
For the Cheesecakes

1. Preheat your oven to 180oC and beat the Philadelphia, caster sugar in a bowl until completely blended (Philly goes funny when you mix it, you'll understand when you see it) Add your eggs, one at a time, stirring until fully blended again.
2. Place one cookie in the bottom of each casing, and if you like a bit of crunch in your cheesecake I suggest crumbling up some of your cookie biscuits into your cheesecake mix. Now fill your cases evenly with batter.
3. Bake in the oven for 18 - 20 minutes until your centres are almost set. Cool these on your cooker top and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours. I recommend doing these over night though just to be sure. 
 

For the chocolate topped fondant (to be done after refrigeration)

1.  Using a plastic bowl over a pan of boiling water melt your milk chocolate (or any chocolate     you so choose)
2. Once your chocolate has fully melted add a dollop of your Cadburys philadelphia, don't panic it will not look like its going well.
3. Add enough philly and it should roll into a fondant chocolatey ball which you can take off of the heat and leave to cool a little before dolloping on top of your cheesecakes and leaving to set.
   

And that's all there is to it, they are so delicious, and not good for you but you know you've got to treat yourself sometimes!


If you do or have given this recipe a try before please let me know how it went or if you'd even like to share some similar recipes drop me a comment below, come tell me about them on Twitter or if you'd like to see more beauty and lifestyle posts make sure you keep up with me on Bloglovin.

Happy baking folks!

H.Elizabeth x

Filling Station Aberdeen | Christmas Menu Review

As you'll probably notice this is not Wednesday or Sunday, but I couldn't wait to share this special review with you from an event I attended just this week, I hope you enjoy!

Just this week I attended my first ever blogger event, which was exciting, nerve wracking, fab and just a down right brilliant evening. We were all invited along to try out and test the Filling Station Aberdeens new Christmas menu and cocktails which I do believe go live as from next week and guys really, get yourself along and stuff yourselves silly!

The Filling Station Aberdeen Union Street

The Filling Station, for those who have never been is an American Style restaurant who have a good few restaurants in Scotland. They specialize in authentic American dishes and always try to offer a unique twist to their specific menu so there really is something for everyone.

When we arrived the scent of warm cinnamonny cider filled the restaurant and thankfully those were for us, and was to be the first of many more cocktails on their way! But let's crack on and review this menu shall we?!

Cocktails

We were treated to a mini cocktail masterclass which was entertaining when the head cocktail master (this is absolutely not the technical term!) picked on people to pretend to be Parick Swayze. We were shown literally every new Christmas cocktail and the meaning behind them was explained which was great to listen to.

Mimosa (Or as we know it Bucks Fizz)

Pitched to us as the simple Christmas morning drink, this is the American style version of our Bucks Fizz, sounding a bit more sophisticated, but I was really surprised as to how much work and attention to detail the bar tender put into this particular drink as it seems so simple.

Egg nog

Something I have never tried, but having watched it being made I would certainly love to, and usually when I see something being made it puts me off! The key ingredient for this festive treat? Gingerbread syrup, need I say more?

Chocolate Orange Martini
Based on the UK tradition of enjoying a Terry's Chocolate Orange in your stocking (clever eh?) it was actually blended with a white chocolate liqueur to take the darkness out of the drink which is great if you're not looking for something too heavy.

The Snowman
By far my favourite, I can only describe this fun little fella as milkshakey, he's made of vodka and creamy goodness and vanilla syrup. With whipped cream topped for a heat and chocolate for eyes he's simply adorable!

Filling Station Festive Menu 2014

Starters

Mushroom Risotto
(This is actually a main on the menu but since there was a vegetarian among us it came out first)Since I don't like mushrooms I wasn't really holding out much hope for starter number one, but this creamy dish was a delight, and I scoffed it! (minus a few mushrooms)

Goats Cheese Bruschetta
My friend actually ate this for me (sorry Filling Station Chef) but the only cheese I dislike is goats cheese.

Main Dishes

Maple Bacon Burger
Of course this reminded me of Elf (perhaps this was the inspiration?) Everyone was pretty skeptical about this dish but it was a-ma-zing! I am now a passionate advocate of maple syrup on everything, I mean who would have known!? Traditionally Aberdonians aren't known for their keen palette on sweet and savory but all I know is we were in awe!

Maple Bacon Burger

Turkey Dinner
Of course we had to have this wee traditional feast in here, even though it was a smaller portion it certainly filled a gap. Turkey with all of the trimmings indeed, my favourite part of a roast is dipping all of the things in cranberry sauce so I was chuffed by the major tub we were given!

Turkey Dinner

Dessert

Cookie Cheesecake

A sharer I'm afraid for us anyway, things got serious when I heard my friend and I had to share, I was stuffing my gob like I don't now what! The cheesecake is made with oreos and mascarpone cheese, the perfect blend of creamy taste and the richness of the oreos.

Cookie Cheesecake

Verdict

I highly recommend you get yourself booked in for the Filling Station at least once this Christmas, perfect for if you're organising the office party, catching up and exchanging gifts with old friends or even if you just want something a little different from your usual Christmas dinner. This restaurant has something for everyone this festive season! Remember this is just a sample of what they actually have in the restaurant for the full menu please check out their website.

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank the Filling Station for giving me the opportunity to come along and sample their Christmas menu for the blog, I hope you guys enjoyed reading my thoughts on the menu especially and I hope you do get a chance to go and have a taste! If you do happen to go what do you think? Drop me a comment below come catch me on Twitter or keep up with my latests on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x