Customise-a-tee.

I'm such a cheapskate - I can't help but look at slogan tees and think 'god, I could do this with a fabric pen on my kitchen table'. And if I can, so can you! Seriously, customising your own t-shirt is literally as easy as writing in most cases - sometimes you might have to draw, but it's up to you - and it's better than buying one from the high street because it's one of a kind. And when somebody asks you where it's from, you can say smugly 'oh, I designed it myself' (smugness non-optional). Simply buy a cheap t shirt (or 5) from Primark to practice on, then you can either wear the finished result or be extravagant and invest in a little Topshop number to scribble on.

Use a fabric pen by the way, not a sharpie. Just trust me on that one. Fabrico are good and come in about a billion different colours, but just head to your local craft shop and have a look what's available. You'll want one that lasts through washing.

When you want to use it, make sure you stick a sheet of paper up the t-shirt, so on the off chance the ink goes through the first layer it won't go onto the back of it. Make sure the top is completely clean before you decorate it, and let it set for a full day before you wash or wear it.

Here's some inspiration.

And if you're feeling really creative ...

Belated Merry Christmas.

I was going to post this last night, but I was far too busy watching the Strictly Christmas special, eating and playing on the Sims (priorities). I hope you all had an absolutely lovely Christmas, you got everything you wanted from Santa and you ate far, far too much. I was a very lucky girl presents-wise, and I also ate more than I thought was humanly possible. It was so good to see my family again, I hadn't been home in a couple of months (damn you New Look. BTW, the sale's dead good) and I missed my dogs ridiculous amounts. I'm going back next week though when I get a few days off work after the mad Christmas period, I'm excited! Here's a couple of little updates on my day.

My present haul. Including, but not limited to: clothes from Topshop, River Island and Missguided (you did good, Mum); cookbooks; The Sims 3 Seasons and Assassin's Creed 3; lots and lots of chocolate; Christmas Cookie Yankee Candles; a Lush gift box, Marc Jacobs Dot perfume and plane tickets to Belfast in February to go and see my friends.

Rosie the Border Collie, reluctantly modelling my new earmuffs. I bribed her with her new treats.

Bella the Greyhound, in her jingle bells collar and a Christmas bow on her head. She was getting in the festive spirit.

Christmas dinner. Need I say more?

Like I said, I hope you all had a brilliant day. I want to see photographic evidence please, let me see your dinner and presents, and anything else you want to show me! I'll be eagerly awaiting links to images, and I'll stuff my face with chocolate in the meantime.

3 things #2.

1) This absolute beauty from the Marchesa SS13 collection.

2) Seriously pretty tattoo without black outlines. Oh, the temptation.

3) Baked bitesize s'mores. I didn't read the recipe but they look simple enough, I'll bake them and report back.

Christmas nails.

It's Christmas eve eve. And my first day off work in what feels like about a fortnight (it's not, I just like to exaggerate). So what better day to spend a day off than shopping, and getting your nails done? When getting extensions, I get the lovely nail ladies to leave my tips plain, so I can paint them myself. I have a big enough nail polish collection, I might as well make the most of it. I'm also a control freak - they'd only do it wrong! I'll show you what I bought today, at some point. Most of it was boring stuff - tights, white vest tops (they stop your tights falling down, it's magic), face wipes and dry shampoo. I did get some rather nice bits from New Look - hey, I get staff discount, what can I say - so expect a post on them soooon. But back to the nails - here's the result of a day off and therefore an awful lot of free time.

1) To do the dots you just need a dotting tool (I use a hair grip cause I'm cheap), and a reeeally fine brush. White, dots, 5 minutes to dry a bit, silver, black outlines.
2) This really should have been neater. It's a tape mani, so you just paint on your base colour, wait til it's completely 100% dry, tape off the sections you don't want to paint and then paint over the tape. For a better guide than that poor attempt, try here.
3) Gradient glitter! I love it ridiculous amounts. Paint your base on, then three lots of glitter polish. Make sure the glitter brush is almost clean, then paint from the top downwards, to about halfway down the nail. When dry, repeat to about two thirds down, and then finish off the top quarter.
4) This is quite clearly Santa's belt, okay guys? I should have done it with tape but I'm lazy,so it's a bit messy. It was all freehanded.
5) Another tape one here - just cut a little triangle out, and use the bit you cut it out of to block off the majority of the nail.

I'm in love with them, seriously.

3 things #1.

I'm going to do a new series of posts, a little weekly thing. 3 things that I like for any particular reason: cause they've inspired me, made me laugh or stuck in my head. I would love to say the graphics/photography will come from me, but an awful lot is likely to be from my Pinterest page. If not, I'll let you know!

1) Simple as that.

2) S'moretini shooters: Bailey's, Smirnoff fluffed marshmallow vodka (that stuff exists?!) and chocolate liqueur.

3) Green eyeshadow to make blue eyes stand out. I haven't got any green, is this a good enough reason to buy some? (Help me justify it please.)

Fluffy Vanilla Cake

This cake is absolutely beautiful. I've adapted it from the Hummingbird vanilla cupcake recipe, which means it's ridiculously soft and fluffy. This fluffiness means you might have a bit of trouble getting it out of the tin, so it's really vital to grease, line, grease again and use a tin with a removable bottom. Or you'll end up digging it out with a fork bit by bit, which doesn't sound like as much fun. Don't question the use of mayonnaise in the recipe, it's the secret ingredient. Would I lie to you?

Ingredients

• 240g self-raising flour
• 240g caster sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 240ml milk
• 2tbsp mayonnaise
• 80g Stork
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190c (170c if you have a fan. Don't want burnt cake now, do we?). Grease and line two cake tins thoroughly (I use 8”) and set aside. Seriously, if you skip the lining step I will be mad.
2. Get a nice big bowl. Beat the Stork and sugar together until nice and creamy.
3. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla extract. Try not to get any shell in it, though it's not the end of the world and 99 % of the time my cakes have egg shell in them. It's fine.
4. Add flour, salt and baking powder (don't overuse the baking powder, it'll make it sink) and mix to form a dough which in no way, shape or form resembles a cake batter.
5. Add milk and mayonnaise and stir in until incorporated. Beat for a few minutes until smooth and airy.
6. Pour into prepared tins - make sure the bottoms are on firmly, I learnt to do this the hard way - then bang them down on the worktop to get rid of air bubbles. 
7. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes, or until they look done. Remove from the tins after 10 minutes or so of cooling. They will be crumbly, but try and get them out in one piece if you can. Don't worry if bits of the edges come off, either glue them back on with icing when you do that stage, or just eat them. No prizes for guessing which method I choose.
8. When completely cool, ice. Sandwich the two layers together, then dollop the rest of the buttercream on top of the cake. Smooth it all down the sides, and then level off on top. 
9. Add sprinkles! I cannot stress how important this step is. 

Buttercream Ingredients

• 450g icing sugar
• 150g softened butter (not gonna lie, I just use Stork)
• Milk – add a splash at a time until you reach a nice thick, spreadable consistency
• Food colouring  (a few drops should do it, but it depends what you use)
• Sprinkles or other form of pretty decoration

Method 1 - by hand (denser)

1. Sieve the icing sugar into a big bowl (it's an important step, just do it you lazy bunch). 
2. Stir in the softened butter as much as you can. Don't worry about it when your hand slips and you end up covered in a cloud of icing sugar. Happens to the best of us. Well, me.
3. Add milk until it's a nice thick, smooth consistency. Add the food colouring, and beat for a few minutes.

Method 2 - mixer (lighter)

1. Sieve the icing sugar into the mixer. Add the softened butter and whack the mixer on on a low speed until they're incorporated - it should be sandy.
2. Add the milk bit by bit, mixing in between additions.
3. When the consistency looks about right, add the food colouring, whack it on full and leave it for about 5 minutes. This will get loads of air into the buttercream and it'll be super light and fluffy. You'll also need to use less because it will increase in volume. You can store the leftovers in the fridge (I don't know how long for, but a long time. I've had some in the fridge for about 3 months, I don't know if it's still alright though and I daren't try it). 

Let me know what you think!

Lipstick Post #1 - Plucking up the courage.

Lipstick has - until recently - been an area of make up I've left well alone. I was all 'it's bright, it's scary, not everyone wears it so I'll be -gasp- DIFFERENT, and it smudges and gets on your teeth'. There are also so many shades it was quite frankly daunting; I mean how many shades of red can there possibly be?! The answer to that is a lot. Then there are different formulas, brands, methods of application ... I stuck to my trusty Burts Bees lip balm (review coming up if you're interested, I'll pretend you are).

However, it's always fun to try something new with make up, so I decided I'd give it a go, starting small of course (because I'm a massive wimp). I started out with a few different varieties of nude lipstick, progressed into a pale pink, then a brighter pink, a few reds, a vampy oxblood shade, and now? I've asked for Mac Chili and Rebel for Chistmas. I feel that makes me a proper lippy wearer, oui?

Tips for plucking up the courage to wear bright lipstick:

• Start small. Go for a sheer, nudey pink colour; think your lips but better.
• Wear it for a night out - everyone wears dramatic make up on a night out.
• Pick a low maintenance formula. 17's Lasting Fix is a good one.
• If you're going for a more daring colour, dab it on with your finger rather than going straight from the bullet.
• A natural balmy texture is generally more wearable than a matte lipstick or a high gloss one.
• Wear it round the house all day, you'll get used to how it feels, and seeing it on yourself when you look in the mirror.
• Put it on. Take a photo. Instagram it. Breathe in all the likes, and accept that it looks gooood.
• Try a pen/stain formula first, they're very wearable and you can't even feel them.
• Just DO it. Put it on, go out, own it *insert Tyra-style comment/gesture here*.

P.S. This post is just the start. Keep an eye out for tips on how to apply your lipstick and make it last, a guide on which colours suit you, info on the lip trends this season and posts on the best sheer, matte, cream, shimmer and even glittery (yeah, maybe not) shades.

My Insta-month.

Jumping on the Instagram bandwagon, here's the wild and crazy happenings of my last month. Follow me, thanks, katechilds_.

Our Christmas tree, put up on the 1st December. Giddy with excitement.

Candles during a 2am powercut. 'Ohmygodddd we have no internet, ring the emergency power number' (We did. I shit you not. Also note the advent calendars, eeeee.)

Xmas specials at Costa: what my diet currently consists of.

Not the sort of car you expect to see parked on the uni campus. Anyone know if Patrick Stewart owns a Lambo Gallardo?

Okay you can't actually see the meat, but I assure you these were very big, tasty burgers. They had bacon in.

Birthday night out? Yes please.

Gotta love a cheeky Graze box.

Models Own Emerald Black.

My first foray into nail extensions. Painted by myself, don't trust anyone else.

Does the healthy couscous cancel out the camembert inside the filo pastry?

My attempt at the Londoner's gyros. Seriously tasty.

Sneaky Costa smuggled into my lecture.

Putting the star on top of the tree!

Firework display on bonfire night!

The diet of a student. Atrocious, right?

Making friends at a belated Halloween house party (I was Little Red Riding Hood).

My new baby, my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. We're inseparable.

Shotting wine because you're too drunk to reach for the correct bottle?

Chris the boyfriend looking after Scooby because it's cold, he's a good egg.

Xmas present for Mummykins, get your own here.

I'm officially allowed to call myself a grown up now I wear lipstick in the day, right?

Salmon and sweet potato cakes with roasted veg (I probably had treacle sponge afterwards, though).

Buy one get one free on pineapple, might as well make the most of it.

Poor, poor attempt at snowflake nails.

Making my own mint flavour coffee syrup, who needs Costa? (I still do.)

How to style Maxi Skirts for Winter.

Ah, maxi skirts. Floaty fabric in pastel colours, keeping you nice and cool in the hot sun, blowing around in the Summer breeze, worn with a simple tank top, sunglasses and flip flops. Right? Wrong. It's Winter now, snap out of your daydream people! Maxis have been given an update, with heavy, dark coloured fabrics and now you can wear them with your cosy tights and jumpers, score.

As a general rule of thumb, I wear anything with my maxi (a black jersey Topshop number with a split up each side, which doesn't appear to be on the website any more). Trying new things keeps it looking interesting, and as it's just a simple black skirt it'd be totally pointless to limit yourself, chances are it'll go with the majority of winter stuff you have in your wardrobe.

For the day, try teaming your skirt with a tucked in t shirt, or a loose drapey vest hanging out. Chunky knit cardigans or loose jumpers will keep you warm and cosy, or try a leather jacket to toughen it up. Fine knit jumpers belted at the waist look great. Shoe-wise, chunky Lita-style heels look great, or try some flatforms (they're growing on me). I tend to just wear my regular ankle boots with a little chunky heel, or ballet flats. When it comes to jewellery, go for studs and crosses which are EVERYWHERE at the minute but I love them regardless.

For nighttime, try a more fitted skirt, maybe with a raunchy little slit up the side (though I wear this during the day. What that says about me I don't know). Mix up your textures - try a sheer blouse with an embellished collar tucked in, or a leather (read: faux leather) peplum top. If you have killer abs - and you're not shy - you could even go for a sequin bralet, I wish I could pull that off. Keep your heels high and your jewellery gothic, and carry an oversize clutch to fit your studded flats in for when your feet hurt too much. Is it only me that does that?

Here are some ideas for you visual folks.

Daytime

Wear with casual tops and chunky knits to keep you warm, patterned scarves will add some interest to the look. Chunky shoes and on trend jewellery finish off the look.

Night time

As a general rule, go for different fabrics and sparkly embellishments.  Wear a fitted blazer to keep warm, and try a dressy top and high heels with your skirt. Dress it up even more with jewellery.

And, because I'm good to you, I've picked out a few of my favourites from Lookbook to inspire you even more. As usual, click to enlarge.