Ingredients:
4oz Butter
4oz Caster Sugar
2 eggs
4oz Self Raising Flour
Vanilla Extract
Icing Sugar
Food Colouring

If you want to make more, you could double (8oz) or do 6oz of everything and 3 eggs.

Recipe:
1.) Measure out the butter.
2.) Measure out the sugar.
3.) Put butter and sugar together in a big bowl.
4.) Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5.) Crack the eggs. You may wish to beat them first.
6.) Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time. Be careful not to let it curdle.
7.) Stir until light and creamy.
8.) Measure out the flour.
9.) Sieve the flour into the bowl.
10.) Mix the flour in, using figure of  eight motions and add the vanilla extract.
11.) Spoon into paper cases, ready for the oven.
12.) Remove from the oven after 15 minute and leave to cool

To make the butter cream

Mix icing sugar with butter- you have to guess a lot with this as it depends how you like it. Then add the food colouring of your choice and pipe onto the cupcakes.




Speak soon

Okay, so *deep breath*, today I post my first official fashion post- yaaay! And I have to admit the photos are pretty rubbish. I was planning on taking photos of myself wearing the clothes but it is Sunday( when I'm writing this) and I don't have my tripod and I don't have make up on- hehe naughty. So I tried my best to do otherwise, and took photos of just a few items by hanging them on my wardrobe. Hope they are satisfactory- promise it'll get better.

So I thought today I would show you a few staple items that I have in my wardrobe for this Autumn, here goes:

 Black Velvet Skirt-Primark- This is a great staple to have as it's warmer so perfect for Autumn and Winter. Black goes with everything so this is great for an evening or night out! I actually wore this on Christmas day last year I believe!
 Blue Peplum Dress- Everything 5 Pounds- I am so pleased with this purchase, it fits me perfectly. The colour goes so nicely with my new blonder hair as well. It has a nice lining as well so you feel nice and covered and it isn't too see through. Can't wait to wear this for a lovely Autumn date night, or cocktail party.
 Black Roll Neck Jumper- Primark- I love this so much and got it about a year ago, but it's so cute with jeans. It's pretty thin so you want to wear a vest underneath, but it's great for wearing under a leather jacket too, or embellishing with a bold necklace.
 Checked Shirt- Primark- I can't live without some cool shirts in my wardrobe. I love this one as it's got a denim look, so looks funky with leggings for a relaxed slouch day at home or in uni.
 Patterned Blouse- Everything 5 Pounds- I haven't warn this yet, but it looks so lovely on. The sleeves are super cute and looks great tucked into high wasted jeans and with a smart jacket. The pattern is sort of Autumnal too.
 Gothic Peplum Top- This is so on trend right now and with Halloween coming up this is perfect for a night out. With my new lipstick that I wrote about in a post last week, this would rock!
Maroon Cardigan- Everything 5 Pounds- I love this so much already. The colour is very in this Autumn and it is lovely and thick and because it doesn't button up it feels really casual. it goes with most things and so I love wearing this to uni- keep warm guys!

Okay, so it was a brief post but I just want to see how well the fashion side of things go for A Little Bit Of Laura. Tell me what you think and what you'd like to see!

Speak soon

So today's post is going to just be a happy, little Sunday post about things that have made me either happy or proud this week.

• So previously in my life my house mates and I rescued two rats from our student house and set them free. It all started a few weeks back, we kept having sightings of the little hairy creatures. It wasn't until this week that we managed to actually catch them. I have to say they were pretty adorable but still we didn't want them in the kitchen. Hopefully Phillip and Brenda will find happiness in the park we set them free in! Good luck to them both.

• What else? Well one of my assignment's deadline got pushed back, meaning more time to work on it- yay.

• I spent 8 hours on Tuesday and another 8 hours on Thursday, in the library studying- patting myself on the shoulder for that. 

• I got my first ever gel nails- woo, happy days.

•  We made 'cake in a cup' which was a bit of an experiment but kind of worked- might put the recipe up at some point, if it's something you'd be interested in.

• Today, I actually had a good lie in and aim to spend my Sunday relaxing and watching 'Friends'.

• I also plan to work on a fashion post for you all!

• I continued my hard work at the gym and did a 2 hour session on Friday!

So what else is new with all of you? What experiences have you had this week?

Let me know loves,
Speak soon

So this product I got from amazon. Great delivery and came within a few days. The product package included the Julienne eyelash & brow permanent colour, Julienne eyelash & brow activator, eyelash tinting brush and a glass dish for mixing. There was also a mascara looking brush that was included in the permanent colour box!

    I was rather sceptical of this product because I thought 'if you can do it at home, why does anyone bother going to a salon?'. So I thought it'd either have an average result or nothing would happen at all. WRONG. This product has changed everything.
    You can use it so many times as well which will probably save me hundreds of pounds in the long run! This tint you can use for both eyelashes and brows. I chose the dark brown shade. At a salon I'd go for blue black for my eyelashes, so I was worried the colour wouldn't be as good, but it came out excellently.
   You leave the product on for as long as you want depending on the desired shade- of course do not leave it on for too long, and READ ALL THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS before use!
    The thing I was worried about the most was how I'd use it on myself. Of course in a salon you sit with your eyes closed with cold cotton pads over your eyes. I was also worried about getting it inside my eyes.
     Basically how I did it was I applied it using the mascara brush, and put it on carefully as if it were a mascara, being sure not to get any in my eyes. If any gets in your eyes wash it out immediately- it'll sting a bit! I then used the brush to coat the places I couldn't get too, again being careful. I then just waited, I didn't need to keep my eyes closed- just continued using my eyes as normal (haha).
    Then after about 10- 15 minutes I used a wet cotton pad to remove the tint, being sure to close my eyes as I did it. Eyebrows are much easier of course, you just wipe!

Then all done. Ah yes I forgot to mention, you may want to put Vaseline in places you don't want the tint to get on, for example you eyelids!

All done, and now you have saved yourselves so much money!!!

Hello everyone, so Autumn is here and already I'm feeling the cold I don't know about you? My big coats are already hanging up waiting for me and my hands are getting dry and chapped- ah England. So I thought for today's posts I'd talk to you about Autumn trends and which products I tend to keep in my make-up bag this season.

Let's starts with basics.

Foundation

Foundation to me is essential, I need a good base. Especially as my skin dries out more in the colder months and I seem to have a lot of breakouts at the moment. Anybody else? Because I will be wearing more layers, I definitely won't be wearing so much fake tan and so a darker foundation won't be needed. I can get used to being my pale girl self again! I'm really enjoying BB creams at the moment especially this one which I may or may not have reviewed- honestly I can't even remember anymore, there have been so many. But this is great because it's thin enough that it doesn't feel heavy but its thick enough that it gives you a lasting coverage. It smells nice too! It seems the older I get the less make up I wear, which I think is good. I feel as though I am gradually getting in touch with myself more and more and accepting my body, which we all should. That's why this Autumn I will be opting for a more subtle base.

Concealer
I've never been a massive concealer fan, purely because it seems to just come off straight away with me, maybe I'm doing it all wrong. However I do have quite a few blemishes and oh my goodness I think I'm getting wrinkles already- help #20something. So I will keep a concealer in my make-up bag this season. This one from natural collection is great for me because it is so student friendly! It is nice and creamy too!

Bronzer and Blush

Now I definitely want to change this up a bit. I never wear blush but because you naturally blush when its a bit cold anyway I feel as though this Autumn I want to try wearing a few shades of blusher. Bronzer will forever be a love of mine, great for contouring and what not so I will always keep one in my make-up bag. I also feel as though bronzer is already Autumnal anyway as its colour is Autumny so I was hardly going to kick it out. This one from Avon has lovely multitones which highlight the skin perfectly. And this cream blush keeps the skin hydrated.

Powder

Powder for me is essential for locking make-up in place. If it's cold and windy you want to make sure everything stays in place. I will be using my trusty Collection Powder because I still really like it and it's student friendly too! This will be going in my Autumn make-up bag.

Eyes

There are so many colours you could go for in Autumn. Bronzes, oranges, browns etc. Right now I'm loving purples and nudes. I think purples are in at the moment and nude always looks great and natural. I will also be trending some brown shadows and perhaps bronzey pinks too this season! These pallets will be going in my Autumn bag.

I tend to buy natural collection mascara as I have long eyelashes already therefore all mascaras tend to have the same effect on me, so why not go cheap? Mascara is essential for me as I always want my eyes to be the main feature on my face, probably because they are my best feature I think.

I'm loving winged eye liner as ever and think the cat eye look is really great with the nude shadow. I also recently found out my white eyeliner pencil and so I really want to incorporate that into some of my Autumnal looks.

Eyebrows

I still think eyebrows need to stand out, but in a good way. I want them to look natural enough and using my Palette from Collection I feel as though I can get a great shape.

Lips
Now this is the part I was most excited to write about. The past few months I have been obsessed with lips. In the past I never really cared, maybe it's come with ages, but I feel like a good lipstick can go a long way. Dark red and purples are so in this season, making the Gothic look become somewhat of a craze. Going with this, it means pale skin looks great with dark lips, so all you pale girls can celebrate (with me). I just purchased these lipsticks and they look fantastic and I am so excited to wear them this Autumn.



I hope you have liked my Autumn Make-Up bag, I certainly enjoyed writing this post for you. So please let me know what colour you are most excited to use this Autumn.

Speak soon

I was fortunate enough to receive my first ever book to review on A Little Bit Of Laura the other day which in itself is an achievement for me. I could have asked for the book as a kindle copy however I wanted to take photos of the book so you all could have a look at it, and so the lovely author Dane Cobain sent me a paper back copy.

Now the first thing I can say about this book is the cover. It has a very eerie design, with tombstones and blood like splatters but in an abstract pattern that doesn't reveal too much about the story inside. I had read the blurb before receiving the book and I was thrilled because it sounded right up my street. As a writer myself I am constantly learning from books about genre and themes and styles. I personally love reading and writing thrillers and horrors and this book seemed like the perfect match. It also screamed 'Supernatural' at me when first reading if any of you have ever watched it.

Another thing to point out is that the book is a great length. I may only be a student, but students get busy too and I for one do not have enough time on my hands to read a book that could be used as a door stop. This book is about 130 pages long (give or take) which, if you're a keen reader, could take you less than a day to read easily. If you're like me and like to take your time  then it is great to split up over several days. The chapters are extremely short which to me is great because you feel accomplished after each one passes, it also keeps you on edge, keen to read on.

The plot follows several characters of whom all link to each other as the book continues. Father Montgomery is one of our main characters and is a priest who has escaped his past. We go back and forth between present day and past to witness his secrets. However the main theme of this book is angels. That's right. Now you may expect that this means the book is really religious but it by no means is. These angels are 'androgynous' and are punishing people for their sins. Gradually the world starts to notice that these angel appearances are causing many people to disappear. Our main characters must discover the truth behind it.

As the tension in the book built, I was excited to see where it would go and how the angels would be defeated. Of course we tend to think of angels as being good however there is something quite evil about these ones and it makes for a great story with an interesting twist. Great writing, and great plots- what more culd you ask for?

Without giving away the ending, I enjoyed this book very much. I've never really read anything quite like this and so stylistically it was a new experience. I loved that it was easy to read and quite a short book, because it made it all the more relaxing to read. Sometimes if you have a book that weighs more than yourself, all you can think about is 'How am I going to get through this?'. But this was fantastic because I could read a bit each night and not have too much pressure to rush through it.

A great story from Dane Cobain, something I would reccommend, especially for anyone looking for a book to read in a short period of time- perhaps a holiday read? Thank you to Dane Cobain for sending me this book, I will be passing it on to my brother and friend next, as I think they will enjoy it as much as I did.

This morning I rolled over in bed and tried to breath in the morning air. Except I couldn't, because I had a blocked up nose. Oh aren't colds just the worst? I had a 9am seminar which I had prepared and done the reading for AND extra research. I knew I had to get up and shower and so I prised myself away from the comforts of my double bed.

By 8:30 I was ready to go and because the bus is usually packed at that time, myself and housemate decided to walk, as we usually would for a 9am. It was really cold and I was only wearing a jumper when I should have taken the time to pick up a coat. The cold was certainly not going to help my illness but ho hum, you can't have everything.

When I finally arrive at my University building my classmates were all gathered around. So like a normal person, I went to say hello. They explained that the class had been cancelled. Oh goodie. I'm so glad I got my ill self out of my comfy duvet for this, I had thought to myself. Luckily the Uni bus was coming and so I hopped on.

When I got home I was greeted by another disappointment. My flask which I had prepared earlier (for my seminar) with delicious hot chocolate in, wouldn't open. I spent ages trying to get into it. It wasn't a big issue but when you don't feel well and have been deprived of a lie in, the little things get to you.

I started to watch a movie- Into The Woods- I'll review it later. I started to get hungry and thought 'ooo a lovely baguette filled with salad is what I need.' So I walked to the shops to buy one. Nope. All out of bloody baguettes, I had to settle for 3 small rolls which couldn't fit anything in. So I had to take my three rolls home and have them on the side with my bowl of salad.

I hoped my seminar in the afternoon wouldn't be cancelled, but thought I ought to check. So I emailed the course administrator and I was reassured that it would be taking place as usual. Great.

Oh by the way I forgot to tell you that my phone turned off and stopped working, which made it very difficult to arrange things with friends etc.

Anyway. I found out that the time I needed to go back to uni was at the same time as the bus's driver break, meaning I'd have to walk in... AGAIN. So I put my headphones in and set out.

Myself and course mates all waited outside our class room. Time went on and our lecturer was not there. Hmm, we thought. So eventually we found out that the lecturer had mistaken the time of the class for an hour earlier and thought that we hadn't turned up and had gone home. But the class started at 2pm not 1pm and so yet again I had to go home.

When I returned home, luckily my phone started working again. But my friends told me they were no longer going to our gym class in the evening and I realised that I too felt ill and wanted to cancel. I went on the app to cancel it and it said it was too late to cancel. Fantastic, now I have to go and work my arse off, when I'm ill, and angry and go onto campus for the 3rd flipping time today.

It's fair to say that today... is not my day.

My face right now ^^

Rant over.

Hello my lovelies

I hope you have all been enjoying my beauty posts recently. I still have a fair few lined up along with some fashion posts and fitness articles so do stay tuned if you want to keep up!

Once again a massive thank you to everyone who reads this blog and leaves lovely comments. If I don't get the chance to reply to your individual comments please know that I am deeply touched by ALL of them and thank you for reading.

Now, my life, things are going pretty well at the moment. I've been really good at keeping up with my gym sessions, which I do about 5 times a week plus fitness classes. I am still settling back into my new house and being back at uni.

It has dawned on me how much work I have to do, and so today I wanted to just let you know that I really am doing my best to provide you all with posts however I have to admit that keeping to my schedule is going to be pretty hard. As I said I will do my best, but please note that there will be days when I am unable to post due to my work load! But remember I am still here!!

So I know this post has been very boring but I needed to write a little note to you all just so you know that I am not giving up on the blog, just very very busy!

Speak soon