QUICK HALLOWEEN OUTFITS

Hey guys! Today I've put together a few outfits that are quick and easy to do, if maybe you've got a party invite last minute or haven't got your costume sorted yet! They should be simple enough to achieve with things you've already got in your wardrobe, so let's get in to it!

This one is really simple and effective! I think pretty much everyone has a pair of black leggings or jeans and a stripy top laying around, and many will have some plain shoes and a black beanie, too. If not these can be picked up for super cheap in places like New Look! The plain black mask is also super affordable and only around £2 from shops like Rockbottom Toystore, and as well for the bag, you can easily use a plain canvas bag you can pick up from most supermarkets and draw on the dollar sign with a permanent marker!

This Cat is definitely the easiest costume to do! These tights can be found on eBay for around £2, the ears can be picked up from several stores such as Claires for really cheap, and then you just need any black dress you already own and a pair of heels!

My final idea is quick but effective! All you'll need is some chinos or a beige/sand coloured skirt, and an old white top! Then pick up some of these craft lolly sticks (which can be found in most supermarkets) and glue them to your top. If you can't find coloured lolly sticks you could paint them yourself, or just draw directly on to your top. This will create the sprinkle part of your costume! Finish it off with some nude heels or shoes, and you're good to go! An additional touch could be a cherry on top, maybe in the form of a headband!

So that's it guys! I hope you find this useful if you are stuck on ideas or just need something to put together really quickly! What are you dressing up as this year?

Lauren x

Halloween Cupcakes!

Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been a long while since my last post, I've had a lot going on but anyway I'm not going to blab on about it! This week I will be doing some Halloween type posts in the run up to the big day, starting with this easy cupcake recipe, perfect for any party or just to have for yourself! Let's get into it!

The ingredients you will need for the batter:

• 110g Butter (or margarine)
• 110g Caster Sugar
• 2 Free Range Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 110g Self-Raising Flour
• Green Food Colouring
• Disposable Piping bags
• Cupcake Cases (mixture normally makes 12)

I think pretty much everyone knows how to make a simple cake batter, but I will quickly go over the details!

1. Pre heat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream them together with a wooden spoon, until they are light and fluffy.
2. Slowly beat in the eggs a little at a time to make sure your mixture doesn't curdle.
3. Then, slowly sift in your flour, making sure not to mix too fast. Fold it in slowly until completely combined.
4. Add in your vanilla extract and mix again.
5. Then, you'll need to separate about 1/5 of your mixture and put it in a different bowl. Add in a couple of drops of Green food colouring and mix it through until you have your desired colour.
6. Transfer the green mixture into a disposable piping bag. (This is just to make things easier and isn't a necessity).
7. Now, you need to put some of your original batter into the bottom of each cupcake case, not too much though as you will be needing some again later! (If it is easier for you, put your original batter into a piping bag as well. It will give you a little more control.)
8. Next, cut off the tip of your disposable piping bag with the green mixture inside, and squeeze a little into the middle of each cupcake case. Remember not to do too much as it has to go into all 12 of the cakes! 
9. Finally, spoon/pipe the remainder of your original batter over the top, covering the green batter back up. 
10. Give the cupcake tray a little bang on your worktop, just to even out the mixture and make sure any air is released.
11. Place the cupcakes in the oven, they should take between 10-15 minutes! Poke a skewer into them to check that they are cooked all the way through.

Whilst the cakes are in the oven, you can start making your decorations to save time. To make the decorations, you will need:

• A template of the design you want to go on top ( I found some simple spider webs and spider templates on Pinterest)
• Baking Paper
• Disposable Piping Bag
• Candy Melts in Green and Black

To start, place your template on your kitchen side, and place the baking paper directly over the top. Secure them together using tape. Next, melt your candy melts following the instructions on the packaging, and place it into a piping bag. Now you can cut a tiny bit off the bottom of the bag, so it is almost like a pen, and trace your design on to the baking paper! Once it is complete, transfer it to your fridge to harden, this should only take about 10 minutes.

Finally, you will need to make the Icing! You can do this while the cakes are cooling to give them plenty of time. You will need:

• 150g of softened Butter (unsalted)
• 330g of Icing Sugar
• 1-2 Tablespoons of Milk
• Around 1/2 a tablespoon of any flavourings you want ( I used a Salted Caramel Flavouring)
• Disposable Piping Bag
• Open Star Tip (or any you'd prefer!)

The icing is very simple to make! All you have to do is mix the icing sugar and butter in a bowl until they are fully combined. Once this is done, add the milk and continue to mix for around 2 minutes, until it is paler and smooth. Then, add your flavouring if you are going to! Finally, cut the tip off the piping bag and slot in your choice of tip, then fill the bag with the icing.

Now, to put it all together, all you have to do is ice each cupcake, and place a decoration on top! And when you bite into the middle, it will reveal the green insides! I think they look really cute and they are perfect for Halloween!

Lauren x