Reflection of 2013!

Hello! 

This seems so weird writing a post and not having to include the same 'Blogmas' picture that I have done for the past 3 weeks! I have enjoyed a few days off from posting to reflect on the past couple of months as well as blogmas altogether.

I started blogging at the end of August this year and can really say that although I haven't been blogging for a long time, I have spoken to the most wonderful people and have felt so accepted within this community. I have never been very confident in myself and before blogging thought that I didn't really have anything important to say more than any other person. For me blogging has become more than just a weekly thing but something that has made me change my mind on a lot of things. University being one of them. I am struggling right now with what I am going to do once my foundation year is up, and writing my blog is one thing that I find a lot of comfort in, although nobody in my family or friends know that this little space exists! (I guess I like it that way!)

Some of my new year resolutions for 2014 are as follows..
- Stop Worrying. I worry about every single thing. I even worry to the point that I make up things that may happen if I do or don't do something. This needs to stop!
- Do what makes me happy. This is something I am going to try so hard to achieve this year. I have for the longest time gone along with things other people say and do because I don't want to start an argument. I need to do whats best for me.
- Appreciate the small things. I saw a quote the other day saying 'Appreciate the small things because soon they will be the biggest things'. This quote is so true. I am so blessed to have the family I do and I take them for granted.
- Make time for my interests. Photography and fashion are two of my most favourite things. I have a lot of free time now until september and I really want to expand my photography and make more of an effort with producing images of great quality to share on my blog.


Thank-you for following me on here, it means a lot. Over this past month I have spoken and gained some lovely followers that I really do appreciate! Sorry for a bit of a rambling post today!

Thank-you again!

Francesca

xoxox

Blogmas day 25!

Happy christmas everyone! This month has gone by so fast. It has been such a challenge for me to post every single day also. I give credit to people who do this all year round. I have really enjoyed doing Blogmas though, and I hope you have enjoyed reading them just as much. Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year and being able to share it with likeminded people also means a lot. I am growing in my blogging venture and I can't wait for the new year to grow my blog even further.

I have really come out of my skin by making the decision to blog. I have never been the most confident person and the comments that are left really give me some courage to carry on posting. I love connecting with people who take time out of their day to comment on my blog by commenting back.

So I hope you all have a wonderful christmas spent with the people who mean the most to you, I know I am going to be doing just that! I am probably going to take a little break from blogging for a couple of days then get back into my usual sunday uploads.

Thank-you again for coming on this little blogging journey with me! 

Lots of love, 

Francesca

xxx

Blogmas day 24!

It is officially christmas eve! I can't believe how quickly december has gone already. I am soooooo excited for tomorrow and as I post this I am getting ready to go to a carol concert with my family which we go to every year. I am not sure what time I am going to be able to post tomorrow as I will be spending it with my family so the last blogmas post may be on thursday!

Today I wanted to share with you all my gingerbread house that I made with my brother. We are really happy with it. This is the first time that we made one of these so were unsure how to cook it. We are over the moon with our first ever attempt though! It was a joint effort (Although I did most of the icing). Let me know if you make gingerbread houses traditionally?

Hope you all have a lovely christmas! 

xoxox

Blogmas day 23!

Today I am going to see a pantomime. We go every year to the local theatre with all of my cousins to see the production. I believe that this year it is going to be Dick Whittington. I love a good pantomime. I love how they get the crowd all festive by clapping and cheering. It is also nice to spend some quality time with some of my family before the business of christmas day and boxing day comes around.

What is your favourite pantomime? Another one of my favourites is

Aladdin and Cinderella. We have also seen Jack and the Beanstalk in previous years. There is definitely something about a pantomime that makes me feel so festive!

Have a lovely christmas!

xoxox

Blogmas day 22!

Technically we are now on the run up to christmas, 3 DAYS TO GO! Seeing as this week is going to be super super busy, I decided to have a chill out day today wrapping up presents and watching christmas movies. I thought I would share a few different ways that I have wrapped up some of my families presents. It is nothing to over the top but I think a little thought goes a long way! 

This year something I have been obsessed with is ribbon and little cards so everyone knows who's present is for who. We also haven't gone for a theme so use any paper we have got, I like this mismatched way of wrapping them up!.

Happy Christmas!

xoxox

Blogmas day 21!

Some of you may have seen this post yesterday, But I didn't mean for it to post. Basically I scheduled a post for today because I have been out all day and didn't think I would be in.. Whoops. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Over the past couple of weeks the weather in the UK has got much much colder, even writing this post the weather outside is windy and wet. I needed to invest in an item of clothing/accessory that would help keep me warm on my commute to and from uni. This Zara scarf was the item in question. I saw this scarf online and thought it would be one of their bestsellers in store and one that I wouldn't be able to pick up. I managed to get the last one in store and I couldn't be happier!

I love the tartan print on the scarf and the festive colours also. There is a different print on the inside which makes it look pretty whichever way you look at the scarf. It is so thick and I even wore it out on its own with a jumper and was warm enough!

Do you have any winter essentials?

xoxox

Blogmas day 20!

Yesterday I was reading some lovely comments and saw that I was tagged in the TMI tag by the lovely Abbie over at http://afhblogging.blogspot.co.uk. Please go and check out her blog as it is one that I love to read! 

So heres the tag..

1. What are you wearing?  

Primark Snuggly christmas pjs.

2. Have you ever been in love? 

No

3. Have you ever had a terrible breakup? 

Nah Im all good. 

4. How tall are you? 

I am 5 ft 2, So not very tall :(

5. How much do you weigh? 

 I don't even tell my family this information!  

6. Have you got any tattoos? 

 Nah I don't really think tattoos are my kind of thing..

7. Have you got any piercings? 

 I have the generic lobe piercing, again I am not very adventurous. 

8. OTP? 

 I had to google to find out what this meant, and I don't have one. 

9. What Is your favorite TV show? 

I like a bit of Kardashians, any fashion related shows and Dance Moms.. I know.

10. Favorite bands? 

Little Mix, One direction.

11. Something you miss?  

How carefree life used to be!

12. Favorite song right now? 

I don't know if you can call it my favourite but I am liking Royals by Lorde. I hate the song so much but can't stop singing it.

13. How old are you?  

18

14. Zodiac sign?  

Pisces

15. Qualities you look for in a partner? 

Just someone who is generally kind, and genuine. 

16. Favorite quote?

Shoot for the moon because even if you miss you will land amongst the stars. 

17. Favorite actor? 

Will Ferrel.. (I love me some elf) 

18. Favorite colour?  

PINK 

19. Loud music or soft music? 

Soft music, I am not one for in your face music. 

20. Where do you go when your sad?  

I go up to my bedroom and lounge on my bed, Or I have a bath. 

21. How long does it take you to shower?  

About 10-20 minutes usually. Depends if I am washing my hair or not. 

22. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?  

About 15 minutes, 

23. Ever been in a physical fight? 

 No

24. Turn on? 

This is the same as before, a Kind and nice person... Good looking too might help!

25. Turn off? 

Someone who is rude about my family or someone who smokes. 

26. The reason I joined the blogging community?  

To interact with like minded people. Also to share my passion for fashion and makeup. 

27. Fears?  

SPIDERS. I cry when I see them. Also I am scared about losing family members :(  

28. The last thing that made you cry? 

Friends and Life. 

29. Last time you said I love you?  

This morning when my mum went to work. 

30. Meaning behind your Blogger name? 

Bella Momento means Beautiful moments.. Kind of. And Thats what I am trying to express throughout my blog! 

31. Last book you read? 

Hunger Games trilogy. 

32. The book you are currently reading? 

Pretty little liars 6th book.  

33. Last show you watched?

Dance Moms

34. Last person you talked to? 

My brother. 

35. The relationship between you and the person you last texted?  

My brother..

36. Favorite food? 

Pizza, Chips, Icecream. 

37. Place you want to visit? 

Anywhere in America. 

38. Last place you were? 

In my bedroom! 

39. Do you have a crush?

No!

40. Last time you properly kissed someone? 

I dunno!?!

41. Last time you were insulted? 

By my brother through text..

42. Favorite sweet?  

MOAMS

43. What instruments do you play? 

Nothing ha. 

44. Favorite piece of jewellery? 

 My pandora bracelet that I got for my 18th birthday. 

45. Last sport you played? 

I don't play sport..

46. Last song you sang? 

 Royals by Lorde. 

47. favorite chat up line? 

  Don't have one

48. Have you ever used it? 

 no. 

49. Last time you hung out with someone?  

Yesterday I spent the whole day shopping with my auntie. 

50. Who should answer these questions next?  

http://bootsandcookies.blogspot.co.uk

Happy Christmas!

xoxox

Blogmas day 19!

A couple of days ago I shared a post about putting together a few gifts called 'mistletoes'. This is something that I have decided to do for my auntie. I collected the bits from my local drugstore and I bought the bags from wilkinson for one pound! I shredded some silver paper to put on the bottom of the bag and then placed some of the items on top of that. I then sealed it with a silver tie which keeps it all together.

I love the way that this has turned out as it is really personal as you can buy whatever you think that person would like. I also liked how you can add some of your favourite things for somebody to try out, for me this was the soap and glory hand food product.

Let me know what you think of this stocking idea!

xoxox

(Also apologies for the photographs not being of high quality. My camera was unavailable!) 

Blogmas day 18!

Today I have decided to do something very different. Over this past weekend I have been baking some festive treats for my family. The cookies that I cooked are called 'Sparkling vanilla christmas cookies'.

 1. First things first you need to get out all of the ingredients.

• - 140g icing sugar, sieved
• - 1 tsp vanilla extract
• - 1 egg yolk
• - 250g butter, cut into small cubes
• - 375g plain flour, sieved

 Then you mix together the Icing flour, Vanilla essence, egg yolk and butter until it is smooth.

Finally you need to add the flour to the mix to form a dough. 

Once you have the dough you need to kneed it until it is thick and split it into two. This then needs to be flattened and wrapped in cling film. Place the two pieces of dough in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes to harden a little. 

 While waiting for the dough to harden you need to pre heat the oven to 190c/ fan 170/ gas 5. You can also line two baking sheets with non stick greaseproof paper.

You can also dust a surface in flour in preparation of rolling out the dough. 

 Once the 30 minutes is up you need to roll out the dough and choose whichever christmas cookie cutters that you want to use. I decided to use a small star, Bell, Snowman and holly. The dough needs to be rolled out to about two pound coins on top of each other. Once you cut them out these need to be placed on top of the greaseproof paper. This needs to be placed in the oven for 12 minutes, or until the top of the cookie is golden brown.

Once they have come out of the oven place on a cooling rack and enjoy! 

You can add some icing to the top of the cookies but I thought that they were perfect the way that they are. They taste gorgeous and are perfect with a coffee/tea/hot chocolate.

Let me know whether you made these cookies and I would love to see the results on your blog!

xoxox

The recipe I followed was from (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2798/sparkling-vanilla-christmas-cookies)  although I adapted it slightly.