Monthly Favourites | Summer

  Hello everybody!

  This week is something you all probably know about, it's a monthly favourites... With a twist, instead of doing just random items, I decided to choose items with a summer feel. So, here are some great 'Summer must-haves!'

  ▪️Converse black cap

  ▪️ Tortoiseshell brown sunglasses

  ▪️ Accessorise blue and white stripe beach bag

  ▪️ White jewel sandals

  ▪️ Zoella Beauty 'Fresh Fizz' fizz bar

  ▪️ Aquarius Orange drink

  ▪️ Next fruity plastic cups

  That's all, I hope you enjoyed the summer twist. I think all these items are essentials, let me know what your summer essential is! I will see you next week for another blog post. Love you all!

  Byyeee!!!!

Embarrassing Dad Jokes

  Hello everybody!

  Since its Father's Day today I thought I would do something dedicated to all the dads out there, hopefully you will enjoy (and cringe) - it's embarrassing dad jokes. To make it a bit more interactive (because I do love involving you all) I have made an embarrassment scale rating (1/5) on how painful these puns are. Let's get cringey...

  What's the richest country in the world?

  Ireland, because its capital is always Dublin.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 3/5

  First man: How many people work in your office?

  Second man: About half of them.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 1/5

  Did you hear about the man who drowned in a bowl of muesli?

  He was pulled under by a strong currant.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 3/5

  Where did Napoleon keep his armies?

  Up his sleevies.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 4/5

  What lies on the seabed and shivers?

  A nervous wreck.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 2/5

  I used to think that the sea was orange...

  Now I know that it is just a Fanta-sea.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 5/5

  Two men walked into a bar.

  You'd of thought one of them would have seen it.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 1/5

  Two goldfish were in a tank.

  One says, 'Do you know how to drive this thing?'

  Embarrassment scale rating: 2/5

  How did the tap-dancer hurt himself?

  He fell in the sink.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 3/5

  Waiter: And how did you find your steak, sir?

  Diner: I just moved a chip and there it was.

  Embarrassment scale rating: 4/5

  

 Apart from cringey dad jokes our dad's are heroes and amazing people! Show this to your dad and see what he thinks! I will see you again next week for another blog post! Love you all!

  Byyeee!!!!

  

  

Berry Meringue Nests

  Hello everybody!

  It's getting hot so, berry meringue nests are a great way to feel that it's (almost) summer. This is a fun bake but quite difficult. Challenge yourself by making these delicious summery meringues!

 

Tip:

All the equipment you use to make meringues must be scrupulously clean, dry and grease-free. Even the slightest smudge of oil on the bowl or pin-drop of egg yolk in the whites will stop them from whisking properly. It's best to use a metal bowl as plastic retains traces of fatty substances on the surface.

  Serves: 9

  Cook time: 2 Hours

  Prep time: 40 minutes

  Effort: Moderately Difficult

  To make the meringues you will need:

  

For the meringue nest:

  3 egg whites

  1/2 tsp lemon juice

  150g caster sugar

  

  For the rippled cream:

  200ml tub crème fraîche

  200ml natural yoghurt

  300g strawberry, hulled

  250g raspberry 

  Small bunch mint, leaves stripped and finely chopped

  Small knob fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated (optional, I didn't use it)

  5 tbsp icing sugar (you may not need it all)

  9 little sprigs of mint and icing sugar, to decorate

  Method:

  ▪️ Heat oven to 110C/fan 90C/gas 1/4. Tip the egg whites and lemon juice into the clean bowl of a food mixer (or you can use an electric whisk or by hand). Whisk until the whites double in volume and hold a peak when the whisk is drawn through them. Keep the whisk running and add the sugar a tbsp at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next. Whisk until all the sugar has been added and the whites are glossy.

  ▪️ Place a square of baking parchment on a large baking sheet. Pencil nine circles, about 7cm each, onto the parchment. Spoon the meringue into a large piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (or star nozzle) and pipe concentric rounds to fit each drawn circle, piping two or more rings around the edge to form a nest. Bake for 2 hrs until they are crisp and lift off the paper easily. Leave to cool completely.

  ▪️Whisk the crème fraîche until stiff, then fold in the yoghurt. Set 2 strawberries and 9 raspberries aside and roughly chop the rest. Tip the chopped berries, mint and ginger into a bowl. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar and use a wooden spoon to mash to a rough purée. Gently fold the berries into a yoghurt mix, adding icing sugar to taste.

  ▪️ To assemble, cut the remaining strawberries into 9 slices and place a slice inside each meringue case. Generously share the rippled cream between the cases, then top with a raspberry and a mint sprig. (Meringues keep in an airtight container for 2 days.)

  That's it! I guess it was fairly straight forward apart from the piping, which needed some concentration! When I first tasted these delicious meringue nests I thought of summer! I hope you enjoyed reading this baking blog! See you next week for another blog post! Love you all!

  Byyeee!!!!

  

 

14 Beauty Tips!

  Hello everybody!

  This weeks post is something you might find helpful or you might just learn a few things! It is beauty tips! I have a mixture ranging between skincare, makeup, nails and hair. Here are the tips...

1. Use excess eye cream on cuticles. The more you hydrate your cuticles, the stronger your nails will be.

2. To prevent hair colour from fading in the summer months, use a conditioning treatment weekly or bi-monthly.

3. Always allow about two fingers from your nose to where blush starts.

4. Balance out your shimmer. If you’re doing a shimmery eye, opt for a matte lipstick.

5. Wear white eyeliner in your water line to make eyes appear less red.

6. When choosing a red lipstick, you just want to remember to get one that looks good with your undertone. If you have a warm undertone, then go for warmer reds, and if you have a cool undertone, then go cooler.

7. To make a spot go away faster, don’t pick it! The bacteria on your fingers will create more redness, and any attempt at popping will make things worse.

8. Pick a sulfate-free shampoo, as sulfates can be harsh and drying on the hair cuticle.

9. If you have greasy hair, avoid directly conditioning roots and condition from your ear down to ends.

10. Remember, clean your makeup brushes to fight against potential bacteria and breakouts! At least once a week, swirl brushes around in a mixture of warm water and mild soap, then lay flat to dry.

11. If you don’t have nail polish remover, apply clear nail polish over your nail, and then wipe off. It will remove old polish.

12. To clean up the flick of a cat eye, use a dampened, pointed cotton bud.

13.  If you have chipped nail polish, add glitter on top to disguise the look of chipping.

14.  Carrots are good for the hair. A healthy diet leads to a beautiful you.

  I hope you enjoyed these tips! Some of them are quiet generic but others are a bit unusual! If you do happen to try these let me know what you think of them, you can check out my Instagram page (@ISayBell_blog) and my new Facebook page (@ISayBell Blog). Love you all!

  Byyeee!!!!