Cornish Wardrobe

Good evening, everybody! It's a Friday night, it's the weekend, and my boyfriend's currently cooking beef burgers and sweet potato fries for dinner... Life is good.

Exactly one week ago today, we were driving down to deepest, darkest Cornwall for a mini holiday with my parents. Just before I left, I shared with you some of the things I'd packed for my trip - and I purposefully left out my clothes, so I could write a separate post on my holiday wardrobe.

So, here's what made the cut...

St Eval Candle Pot in Orange & Cinnamon

So as you all know, I recently returned from a lovely little holiday in Cornwall. And of course no holiday would be complete without some shopping...

It was in the gorgeous village of Sennen Cove, not far from Land's End, that we stumbled across a small gallery filled with local crafts and paintings. The minute we walked in, we were greeted by the most wonderful autumnal, warming scent. I knew I had to track down where it was coming from.

And then, right in front of me, dotted amongst the impressive ornaments and glass art, were a selection of St Eval candles, handmade in Cornwall.

Packing Essentials

Good evening! For the last hour or so I have been manically running around my bedroom, doing some last minute packing for my trip to Cornwall.

I'm so excited! Top of the agenda for me is Falmouth; I've heard from so many people how beautiful it is - I can't wait to get snapping with my camera and having a look in all the independent shops and boutiques I've heard so much about.

Anyhow, I will fill you all in on how my travels went on my return... Tonight I thought I would just share with you a glimpse of what I'm taking with me. It's always fun to snoop through other people's luggage, isn't it?

Autumnal High Street Fashion

HELLO! It's me, I'm back! Back from my month long blogging hiatus. Why was I gone for so long? Well, lots of reasons... I started a new job, we had family troubles in the form of illness - and maybe I've spent a bit too much time drinking Pumpkin Spice Lattes over the last few weeks.

But this brings me on nicely to my first blog post of October... Autumnal fashion! I LOVE Autumn. It's by far my favourite season. The leaves on the trees turn a gorgeous colour, with their burnt orange/bronze tones, the air turns crisper and fresher, and most importantly, it means I can start wearing all my beloved boots and thick jumpers again.

Baker Days

One of the things I love about blogging is that you are one of the first to be made aware of new brands and products; therefore I was extremely excited when the lovely folks at Baker Days asked me if I'd like to try out one of their new Halloween themed letterbox cakes. My answer was unsurprisingly a loud, enthusiastic and resounding YES.

A few days later, I received a plain white box in the post. What I found when I opened it was a brilliant surprise.

Fashion at the Emmys

I love it the day after a big awards ceremony, when all the social media newsfeeds are filled with pictures of the gorgeous dresses from the night before. The Emmys a few days ago were no exception; gone were hours of productivity as I ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the range of designs showcased at the awards' 66th year.

I thought I'd share with you my five favourite dresses from the evening (although it was SO difficult to choose just five)...

1. Hayden Panettiere in Lorena Sarbu

Photo credit: www.emmys.com

Barry M Matte Nail Paint in Copacabana

Good morning, Maggie May readers! (Just... 10 minutes before midday!)

A quick beauty post for you all today. I tweeted a pic of my nails last week and shared it with my Instagram followers, and it went down a treat. I'm not surprised; it was my yummy new nail enamel from King of Nail Polish, Barry M.

Collaboration with Avon!

Hello, beautiful blog readers!

I'm very excited to share with you some news which I have been BURSTING to tell you all... I recently joined forces with the wonderful people at Avon, and have written a review of my favourite Avon summer products for them.

You can have a read of it here on the Avon Connects website. It would be great to see some comments and feedback!

Included in the post are nail wraps, perfume, bronzer and lip gloss... All summer essentials, I'm sure you'll agree!

Let me know what you all think.

High Street Bridesmaid Dresses

I love weddings.

I always have done! I get excited when someone's wedding pics appear on my Facebook newsfeed, so I can scroll through and look at the dresses, the flowers, the cake. I'm pretty sure I've watched every episode of Four Weddings, and I love chatting with my friends about wedding themes, music and photography. Why? I don't know. I just do...

I was really pleased that my first wedding related post on The Secret Life of Maggie May was well received by readers - "Should bridesmaids have to pay for their dresses?" was a controversial topic choice, but that's what made it so fun to discuss!

So I'm back with my wedding hat on, here this afternoon to show you my favourite high street bridesmaid dresses - I thought this linked in well with my previous topic! There really are some gorgeous designs out there in some of our most loved shops; I hope you like the ones I have picked out today.

Daisies for Emily

A few weeks ago, I was on a Flybe flight reading their complimentary magazine when a picture of some Sheila Fleet jewellery caught my eye - each piece was a beautiful daisy, and there were pendants, earrings, bracelets and rings. I began to read the article accompanying the photos, and it was then that I came across the story of Daisies for Emily.

Chocolate Banana Bread

Good evening!

This morning I spotted in our fruit bowl three bananas which looked like today was their last day... So I decided to put them to good use and whip up some banana bread!

I've tried quite a few banana bread recipes over time, but the best one I think is from The Great British Book of Baking. (Yes, it's a Great British Bake Off one, of course!) The resulting loaf is moist but not sloppy; chocolately and delicious.

Should bridesmaids have to pay for their dresses?

Picture the following scene...

One of your best friends has just rung you to discuss her exciting new engagement, and the early stages of her wedding plans. You have a good old natter for half an hour or so, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over possible dates and venues. Then, she asks you a question you have wanted to hear since you were a little girl - "Will you be my bridesmaid?"

"Of course!" you say excitedly. "Thank you so much for asking me, what an honour! I can't wait!" You hang up the phone, bouncing with glee, already picturing what you will look like walking down the aisle in a pretty chiffon number.

Some time later, Facebook messages start to flit between yourself, the bride-to-be and the other bridesmaids, with Google images of certain bridesmaid dresses being pinged to and fro. Some you like, some you don't. Eventually, the dress is chosen. Although it wasn't your first choice, you still think it's nice, and happily scribble down the date for your dress fitting.

Then, a few days later, your phone buzzes as a message comes through: "Great news, girls! We've managed to get a discount on the dresses, so it works out at £95 each. Thought you'd be pleased :-) "

Your heart sinks. You didn't realise you'd have to pay for your bridesmaid dress. 

This Week's '-ings'

It's FRIDAY! Yippee. I don't know about you guys, but I've had a really busy week and I'm exhausted now! So I decided to plonk myself on the sofa, with a big mug of coffee and some chocolate, and get writing this week's '-ings.'

Paperchase Recipe Book

Good evening! Today I thought I would share with you one of my favourite recent purchases... Any regular visitors to the blog may be confident in hazarding a guess that it's baking related - well, you'd be right!

I am very proud of my collection of recipe books; a lot of the greats are there, including Mary Berry (obviously!), Gizzi Erskine, Jamie Oliver... The list goes on and on. (I'll share my collection with you sometime!) But I recently noticed that in addition to this, my bookmarks bar on my computer was starting to get quite built up with links to good recipes I'd found, and that there were a fair few bits of paper stuffed into my books - cut-outs from magazines and newspapers, photocopies from friends, handwritten recipes from family members etc etc.

This Week's '-ings'

It's a Sunday, I had a beautiful lie in this morning, and now my boyfriend is making American-style pancakes with bacon and maple syrup for lunch. (Photos to follow if I can sneak a snap on my iPhone without him seeing) Life is good! I thought now would be a good time to write down my current '-ings'. Let me know what you think on Twitter - you can find me @secretmaggiemay. 

Melting Moments

I have been meaning to bake these melting moments for a while, as I wanted to try out my new piping bag and set of nozzles - yes, my life really is that exciting! I'm sure the bakers among you will understand my eagerness.

These biscuits are also perfect for June; I think they fit in with the whole British summertime/Wimbledon/high tea ideal, don't you think?

Greetings from Andalucia!

Good evening, my lovely blog readers! I want to apologise for the slight lack of blog posts over the last few days... But I have a good reason for it; I spent the week in Andalucia!

Above is a view of Granada from the breath-taking Alhambra.

I won't lie to you; it was very hot.

June's Recommendation: Excel Clothing

Earlier this week, one of my friends suggested that I take a look at www.excelclothing.com and write a review for the blog. At first I wasn't too sure; I only like to write posts about brands and products which I genuinely love and feel passionate about. That's why you guys read it, right? However, just a few minutes spent on Excel's website, and I'm hooked.

This Week's '-ings'

Hello to my lovely blog readers! It's a Sunday, which means it's time for this week's '-ings'. I hope you like reading my '-ings' - I like writing them, as I think it's a great way to sum up my favourite things from the last 7 days! It's always great to have feedback from you guys though, so please feel free to comment on this blog post with your thoughts. If you enjoy reading my '-ings', you can find previous ones here.

Classical Music for Beginners

Good afternoon everyone! Today's post follows a slightly different theme to what I usually write about... But I think it's good to have a change from time to time!

I am a big fan of classical music - I've already told you all about my love for ClassicFM. I'll say it from the start; I am definitely no expert. I just know what I like listening to, and what puts me in a good mood. Classical music is like any other genre though; your favourites depend on what the situation is and what you're up to, so it's very hard to pick just a few recommendations... I've given it a go though, and below are five of my top classical pieces. I think these are great ones for newbies to this genre - why not have a listen? Go on....

This Week's '-ings'

It's JUNE! Yippee. Time to stock up on Pimms, fish out the Wayfarers and slap on some sun cream. We are going to have a hot summer this year in the UK, I'm sure of it.

Are you ready for this week's '-ings'? There's a bit of a summery theme going on with this post... I'm just so excited for some sun!

Get ready for the summer with Avon!

So this isn't the first time I've declared my love for Avon products (remember My Night Time Beauty Tips post?), and it certainly won't be my last - but I can't help sharing with you some of their bestsellers which will be seeing me through the summer months.

People can sometimes be a bit snooty about buying from Avon, which really frustrates me as the products are of a high quality - and yes, they are affordable! Not only do I buy lots of make up from them, but I've bought jewellery, accessories, bath products, hair products and things for the home in the past. If you've not bought from Avon before, you can either order online, or find a representative near you who will deliver to your door for free (which is great!) Find your local rep here.

It's so hard to choose my favourites, but in this post I have reviewed some of the top items which I will undoubtedly taking with me on holiday.

This Week's '-ings'

Hello! Happy bank holiday weekend! It's been a very busy week this week... But I've managed to sit down for a few minutes and scribble this week's '-ings'.

My Night Time Beauty Tips

Good evening! I don't know about you lot, but when it gets to the end of the day I usually feel like just falling into bed fully clothed and with all my make up on. But as we all know, this isn't a very good idea.

Over the last few months, I've developed a simple bedtime routine which takes no time at all, yet has made a nice difference to my skin, my energy levels and my beauty sleep. Today I thought I would share with you all some of my top tips!

This Week's '-ings'

It's Friday, woohoo! I'm sat snuggled up on the sofa while my boyfriend is cooking a yummy curry for dinner. Then it will be a night of telly for us after a long week of work.

It's time to share with my lovely blog readers this week's '-ings'... Hope you enjoy!

It's time to get (social) networking!

The Secret Life of Maggie May blog is still in its early days of life - a baby blog, if you like - but of course I could not delay any longer diving into the world of social networking and setting up some exciting new profiles.

Soooo... Any Facebook users, it's time to get a-Liking my new page!

Italian, baby!

Last night my partner and I decided to have dinner at our local Jamie's Italian, as my sparkly new Gold Club card had arrived in the post and we wanted to use it!

I'd eaten there once before and had a great time with some of my best girlfriends; we'd treated ourselves to Prosecco, crab & avocado bruschetta, chocolate brownies and Bellinis...yum. I was very excited to return.

So off we went, and we were delighted with the wonderful service from the second we walked in. It didn't take long for my Tom Collins to arrive.

Saturday Slutty Brownies

It's a Saturday, the weather is horrible outside, and this afternoon I had a major chocolate craving - or more specifically, a chocolate brownie craving.

The thing is, I'm feeling quite lazy today, and I couldn't really be bothered to bake anything from scratch. And that's when I suddenly remembered a fantastic recipe I found a couple of years ago on one of my favourite blogs, The Londoner: Slutty Brownies!

My Dress Wish List

We all have a wish list, don't we? Some people's may include new cars, or diamonds... Or maybe a lovely new house? I'll tell you what mine consists of: beautiful dresses.

So here's what I currently have my beady eye on....*

Tease those Tangles

My hair is fine - really fine. When I step out of the house in the mornings, my hair instantly ties itself in knots - and don't even get me started on how it gets when I wear scarves!

I'd simply accepted my tangly-haired fate, allowing extra time everyday to comb through my mid-length locks with a slight grimace on my face. And then, something amazing came along - a product which has cut my getting ready time down by about 15 minutes!