Let the REAL holiday begin :)

Packing. Definitely not one of my favourite things to be doing when it's a beautiful 30 degrees outside, without a single cloud in sight :)But, it has to be done if I want to spend 8 weeks in SA with clothes. LOL.

Im looking forward to this trip home (to South Africa) as I haven't seen my 6 year old brother since December! Seeing friends and family is going to be great.

I hate packing because no matter how hard I try to remember to pack everything I need to, there's always SOMETHING I forget.

Im not sure when I'll be able to blog next, not that there isn't internet, but because i'll be too busy having an amazing time :)

Inspiration

"This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And baby, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up becuase if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about."

- marilyn monroe

♡ Forever, I Do ♡

Aren't those the words every little girl dreams of hearing one day? And don't forget the big, magical princess wedding that only you can perfectly envision every detail of?

How about the gorgeous hunk of a man you have fallen completely in love with, about to become your husband? Yes Please :)

On 1st May 2010 my cousin Nick married the girl of his dreams, Rebecca. I wasn't able to attend the wedding as it was in the beautiful Kwazulu Natal Midlands in South Africa, 6000 miles away from London.

A breathtakingly stunning blushing bride.

They had an AMAZING photographer, Drew Mc Gibbon from Cellar Weddings, that captured every moment perfectly.

"I promise to love you forever"

Although I couldn't be there, these photographs have truly captured the joy, happiness and love on the day :)

A girls best friend

Seeming as its the holidays, what more could a girl want than to spend some time shopping? I ADORE Summer. Sigh.

Harem trousers are everywhere, and one of my favourite trends at the moment. They are simple and comfortable and can be easily dressed up with a pair of heels, accessories and a jacket.

These are amazing and just perfect.

Eva Mendez is the face of Calvin Klein Jeans 2010, and looks amazing in the add campaign!

If only we all had a body like that. Sigh.

British Pride

So I know I haven't blogged for a week, but what a busy week i've had! Studying is DEFINITELY not one of my strong points, and is exactly what I have been doing. Can you believe that there is a Citizenship test in the UK? CRAZY I TELL YOU! Luckily, the studying has paid off, because I am now one step closer to becoming British :)

On top of having to study a book on "Life In The UK", yesterday I wrote a 3 and a half hour Aptitude and Careers test. Not knowing 100% what I actually want to study anymore and do with my life is getting really irritating. Hopefully the results will help me make some decisions :)

Floating Away on a Cloud...

Today the clouds looked like clumps of candy-floss, as they

effortlessly floated above my World. They brought back memories of myself as a little girl, dreaming of floating away to new and exciting places :)

3D was my personal topic for my Final Piece in Photography this year. I was interested and inspired by Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and chose to photograph Airship Hangers and a girl with balloons, to illustrate

floating.

Unfortunately you can't see the 3D effect without a pair of these:

So if you have a pair (red for left eye, blue for right) then its your lucky day :)

The Italian Way...

ITALY = Food, Love, Adventure.

One of the many places in Europe I have yet to experience, but will probably only be able to in 2 years. At least I don't have to be in Italy to enjoy one of its many delights. PASTA!

CHICKEN PASTA RECIPE:

1 aubergine, roughly chopped

5 tbsp olive oil

3 red peppers, deseeded

3 leeks, sliced

4 red onions, chopped

6 tomatoes, quartered

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

thyme or sage

1kg penne pasta

100g butter

5 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

100g mascarpone

200g cooked chicken, strips

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.

2. Place the aubergine, leeks and red onions into a large roasting tray and drizzle over two tablespoons of the olive oil. Mix well to coat, then roast in the oven for 15 minutes, or until starting to soften.

3. Add the peppers, tomatoes and herbs to the roasting tin, mix well and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if the mixture looks a little dry. Return the tray to the oven for a further 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and starting to caramelise around the edges.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Stir in the butter and toss well to coat.

5. In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, the remaining olive oil and the garlic until well combined.

6. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and tip them into the pan with the pasta, then add the cooked chicken strips. Drizzle over the parsley, olive oil and garlic sauce and mix well.


7. Stir in the mascarpone cheese until the pasta is coated and the sauce is creamy and smooth. Pile into pasta bowls and serve immediately.