Saturday 26 November 2016

DIY Edible Christmas Gifts | Melted Snowman Bark & Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows




Christmas for me is all about the giving part.  I absolutely love Christmas shopping (unless its for my fussy fiance) and finding the perfect gift for each member of my family.  However budgets don't always stretch far and its nice to be able to give a little gesture in the form of an edible gift!  Super easy to make and really inexpensive.  

My melted snowman bark and giant chocolate dipped marshmallows take very little effort for maximum yumminess!!  We will be making these over the festive period this year to give to our "playdater's" as a small token to celebrate Christmas.



I would love to know if you attempt to make either of these yule time treats, let me know in the comments below!! 
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Tuesday 22 November 2016

What's on my Christmas Wishlist?



YES its another ruddy Christmas post from another festive feeling blogger!  But you have obviously clicked here for a reason, perhaps for some gift inspiration?!

My birthday is Christmas Eve which is super annoying for my friends and family and it means I usually need to write them a list of ideas of gifts they can buy me.  This year my list feels pretty long but in this post is just some of my favourites.  Maybe this will give you some ideas for your own Christmas list or give you a light bulb moment for a present for that special someone in your life..


Sass & Belle Mr & Mrs Fund
ASOS £10 BUY HERE
If you didn't know already I recently got engaged in Paris!  We haven't booked anything yet but have started looking at prices and WOWSERS we need to get saving ASAP!  This money box is the cutest and would be a good gift for any newly engaged couples to start collecting those pennies!


Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
Cult Beauty £29.50 BUY HERE
My good friend and beauty obsessive Lara told me about this cleansing gel and boy it sounds like something I need on my bathroom shelf.  I am ashamed to admit that I don't like spending a lot on skin care but after a horrendous bout of breakouts I am venturing into the luxury skincare market in full force.  Oskia is a brand i'm excited to try and this Renaissance Cleansing Gel packed with a billion vitamins shall be my place to start.


Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Pallette
Boots £12.99 BUY HERE
There is nothing more mundane but ironically satisfying about cleaning makeup brushes.  Its got to be done and you feel fabulous for it afterwards but the actual doing part for me is such a chore.  I think this Brush Cleansing Pallette from Real Techniques could be a real game changer for me and it might cut down the time it takes to scrub that war paint from my beautiful brushes.


Team Internet Jumper
H&M £12.99 BUY HERE
Of course I need this jumper, I am all about the internet!! Need I say more.


Llama Pyjamas
ASOS £24 BUY HERE
There is something about the words "llama" and "pyjamas" put together that makes me giggle!! I love gimmicky pyjamas (as long as they aren't covered in emojis or pokemon) and this set from ASOS is top of my PJ list this Crimbo.


Sweet Almond and Macaroon Candle
Jo Malone £42 BUY HERE
Christmas wouldn't be complete for me if I didn't get to unwrap a new candle.  I'm quite fussy about scents though and I'm not happy unless it is overly sick sweet and in a fancy jar! Sweet Almond and Macroon smells DIVINE you could almost eat it and like all JM candles it lasts absolutely ages.


Lipstick in shade "Almost Pink"
Bobbi Brown £21 BUY HERE
"Almost Pink" is the perfect nude for my skin tone.  Its pink without being too pink and peach without being.. yeah you guessed it.. too peach.  The formula is creamy, not too sheer or too matte and wears off lovely in case you don't have time for top ups.


HydrateM8 Water Bottle
HydrateM8 £13.99 BUY HERE
I am so terrible at drinking enough water but I find my body needs hydrating constantly.  I have heard rave reviews about the physiological concept of these HydrateM8 water bottles and I think it could really help me to drink my much needed 2 litres a day.  This limited edition black version is my fave!


Zoeva Cocoa Blend Eyeshadow Palette
Beauty Bay £18 BUY HERE
I think every single shade in the Cocoa Blend Pallette by Zoeva is beautiful and totally wearable for Autumn/Winter.  I am a HUGE fan of Zoeva brushes but I haven't tried their makeup before so I would love to give these shadows a whirl.  I also think that £18 is such a reasonable price for a high end palette like this.


iPhone 7 Golden Ice Marble Phone Case
Madotta £25 BUY HERE
My friend Claudia pointed these beeeeeaaauuuttiful cases out to me a few months ago and I've been lusting after one ever since! I must admit I usually buy myself the 99p cases off Ebay that last all but one week and don't actually protect my phone in any way whatsoever so it would be nice to have a more expensive and practical case.


Alice Weekly Schedule Diary
The Magic Notebook £10 BUY HERE
I have used an Alice Weekly Schedule for the last 3 years now.  They are basically dateless diaries that you can start at any time of the year and you can customise them with pretty stickers etc.  This one is inexpensive, pretty and small enough to fit in your handbag!


Viktor & Rolf Bon Bon EDP
Boots £63.45 BUY HERE
As I mentioned I am all about the super sickly sweet scents and Viktor and Rolfs Bon Bon is exactly that.  It is so sweet you will be walking around smelling like a candy shop but a good candy shop!  I know that scent is such a personal thing but I really think its hard not to like Bon Bon


I would love love love to know what is on your Christmas list this year, let me know in the comments below!!
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Monday 14 November 2016

Talking About My Ectopic Pregnancy



Back in April this year, I was rushed to hospital with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy which was developing in my fallopian tube.  I wrote all about my experience here just a few days after it happened.  Now a few months down the line I thought I would branch out and share my story on YouTube on my channel Lucie and the Bump.

I was really nervous filming this but I felt like it was something I should talk about being a parent blogger and vlogger, in the hope it can help someone else or at least raise awareness. 

I would love it if you shared this video with anyone you know who has been through or going through something similar.  Or just take the time to hear about the signs and symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy.

Hopefully my next video will be something a bit more upbeat :)

Lucie x 


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Friday 4 November 2016

The Proposal




For me, one of life's little pleasures is getting away from the sleep-work-play-repeat routine, and that is exactly what I did last week.  My other half Scott aka Mr H surprised me with a trip to the city of love and one of my favourite places in the world, Paris.
We spent a long lazy weekend pre-baby there 4 years ago and we always said we would return, enticed by steaming hot chocolate and incredible architecture.

We hopped off the Eurostar in Gard du Nord and head straight for our favourite little boutique hotel Hotel Elysees Union, where we dumped our bags and trotted off arm in arm to visit the Louvre.  I must admit I am not usually the museum type, but there is something about the Louvre and its majestic contents that I adore.  We spent a good few hours exploring before sprinting through the rain to queue up for the ever popular Angelina.  If you haven't been to Angelina for their famous indulgent hot chocolate then you really haven't lived, it is truly dreamy. 
Day one in Paris was over quicker than my mug of hot choc and we finished it off with a takeaway pizza in bed (rock n roll) with our heads in our books.





Day two however was completely not at all what I was expecting and turned out to be the most amazing day I've ever had!
We woke up bright and early to croissants, cheeses, and sweet tea then jumped on the metro to explore the Tuileries Gardens.  Somehow, the last time we visited Paris we completely missed our the beautiful gardens that spread out in front of the Louvre so we knew we had to wander around them on this trip.  It was super quiet, with only a few early morning runners galloping past us and the air was thick with fog, but it was SO pretty!  It was quite possibly the most autumnal scene I've ever been in with rows of copper coloured trees and the ground covered with crunchy leaves.  



After collecting some huge shiny conkers and admiring the sculptures scattered amongst the gardens, we found a bench in a secluded spot to rest our feet.
Mr H then reached into the pocket of his humongous puffy coat and produced the most beautiful ring I have ever seen and asked me to marry him!!  I was so shocked and burst into tears... and of course said yes!  (I also asked why on earth he wasn't down on one knee, to which he responded that the ground was too dirty..!)



I was absolutely buzzing and spent the next half an hour gasping and squealing with delight and excitement!  I tried to call my mum and my best friends who annoyingly weren't answering their phones as Scott led me to a nearby coffee shop to calm down!
Then, just as our lattes arrived, a few familiar faces appeared at the coffee shop window.. Scott had arranged for our closest friends and family to join us in Paris and celebrate our engagement!  I know.  I am going to marry the best guy in the world right?!
My little boy Harry had been exploring Pairs for a whole 24 hours, with me none the wiser!
As you can imagine this was all followed by tears of joy, cuddles and quite a lot of bubbles as we sat and enjoyed such a special day altogether.  I really couldn't believe everyone had made such an effort to be in Paris with us and that they had all managed to keep it a secret for the last year of planning!!  




My gorgeous ring is every bit as perfect as I imagined it to be.  It is simple, classic and just so me.  It is also made from Scott's mums wedding band which is probably one of the nicest and most touching parts of the whole engagement.  She passed away when we first got together and I never had a chance to meet her.  I hope she is looking down and feeling very proud of her wonderful Son and the great surprise he arranged for me.

If you have read my blog for a long time you will know that my little family has been dealt its fair share of bad events, not that I am one to dwell, but I really feel like this is our happy ending now and I can't wait to marry my soul mate!





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