Heavenly Hot Chocolate :D

I did it! I have formulated an AMAZING hot chocolate recipe, it tastes heavenly and I simply can't wait for you to try it, too! :D

Hot chocolate is one of my favourite cold-weather beverages and I want to share this passion with you- yes, you! It can simply warm you up regardless of the temperature, oh and don't even get me started on how well it completes a cosy winter evening, relaxing <3

It's also quite versatile, too, so you can play around with it to suit your tastes.

What are you waiting for? Whip out your ingredients and get going!

Yummy Hot Chocolate with plenty of marshmallows and some gingerbread to top it off <3

You will need:

• Enough milk to fill a glass, or maybe even two! It depends on how much hot chocolate you're making. Rule of the thumb- use as much milk as you want hot chocolate. I have used cows' milk but I think alternatives like almond would work, too!
• About 1 teaspoon of pure cocoa powder (per cup), or more or less to suit your tastes. Play around until it tastes chocolatey enough for you! 
• About 1.5 teaspoons of honey, again, play around with it until you get a sweetness that suits you! I probably used close to 2 teaspoons of honey for the hot chocolate pictured above xD (It was amazing)
• Optional: About 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Or maybe something else? Have you tried ginger? Vanilla? Maybe even mint! Isn't this hot choc versatile?
• Optional: TOPPINGS! Marshmallows, cream, grated chocolate... yum! Experiment and see what matches your preferences :D
• TOP IT OFF WITH A YUMMY MUNCHIE! Cookies, gingerbread, cake, muffins... wow I drool just thinking about it.

Make sure you heat your milk, then mix them all together!

ENJOY!!!

What hot chocolate mixes can you make?

How do you enjoy hot chocolate?

I sometimes get a cup at school,when I come in, yum :D

Top Virtual Worlds for kids

I have a passion for Virtual Worlds and pretty much any life simulation game. Many people misunderstand this passion and try to stop me from enjoying it, they frown upon it. I ignore those comments and try to prove them wrong. Sure, at first it appears that this passion won't get me anywhere in life (which isn't true, I can make millions from running a Virtual World). This passion is one of the many things in life that make me feel contented, happy and carefree for once. It's a bit like a escape from the burdens of homework and deadlines. Stereotypes immediately try to inhibit my enjoyment. People automatically assume I spend my whole days on the computer wasting my time,   doing homework 15 minutes before the deadline. Again, none of this is even slightly true. I put education as my number 1 priority, and  I have other interests- I want to learn the piano. I love reading. I like to draw. I have other things on the internet I love to do. I'm not on Virtual Worlds mainly for the social content. I'm there for the opportunities they present. Without them, I would never have formed many incredible memories. The joy of getting my art featured- that would never have happened without Virtual Worlds. I'm 13 and responsible. I know that if you're not careful, Virtual Worlds can potentially wreck your mental,physical and social life. Trust me -I've been there, done that- but I learn from experience. I was younger and immature but those mistakes helped me learn. Had I never gone through those experiences, I wouldn't be as mature as I am now. I know how to balance the things I enjoy with things that need to be done. School for instance. Stereotypes would imagine me as one who would rather use the computer than sleep, eat or get things done. None of it is true. I wish people would accept my passion. It's something that I enjoy (amongst other things) and nobody can take it away from me.
Now, the reasons for my enjoyment of virtual worlds. I don't really know how to explain. I have loved virtual worlds from the moment I discovered them in 2010. It wasn't the social content, friends and chat that attracted me to them as one would imagine. It's the creative potential I have found nowhere else. I do respect the amazing friends I have managed to make, and I think they are amazing and contributed greatly to my memories. However, they aren't what I love most. Virtual Worlds involve plenty of creative activity that I couldn't find anywhere else. Now I made that clear (and I don't want to get into too much detail- yawn!) I'm going to let you know that over the next few posts, each one will focus on a particular virtual world- it will be a review of it! Hopefully it will help you decide what's best, and I'm going to include all the virtual worlds I know regardless of my opinion on them, because what I find awfully dull you might find extremely awesome (and vice versa!). Some of the virtual worlds I will review  are:

• Club Penguin 
• Moshi Monsters 
• Stardoll 
• Bin Weevils 
• Animal Jam
• Fantage

See you all in the future posts! :)

Rainbow Splash: Sneak-peek of Season Queens!

Hi!
I know I'm doing a lot of Rainbow Splash posts lately, haha x3
ANYWAY, this is another of those posts with upcoming content. You can opt out by not clicking below the break ^-^
If you want to read on, click below...

Possible upcoming features in Rainbow Splash!

Hello!
As a bonus for all readers of Rainbow Panda Banana!, this post is full of never-before-seen, exclusive hints of possible upcoming features in Rainbow Splash! Since this contains spoilers; if you do not want to see this post- that's fine! There's a jump break so you can't see the rest of the post unless you click on it :D
If you do want to see what might be coming to Rainbow Splash in the future, click to keep reading.

Rainbow Splash

Have you ever wanted to venture into a world where everything is possible, where you can do the weird and wacky without being judged? Now is your chance!
Welcome to Rainbow Splash, the game where you can be whoever you want to be!
Created using the MyFirstWorld builder, Rainbow Splash combines innovative thinking and consideration for users to create one of the most creative and exciting games out there.
Rainbow Splash's official Beta release was on 1 November, 2014- and YOU have the opportunity to test out the game while it's still in those early Beta stages! Give your feedback and watch your suggestions being turned into reality. Collect exclusive items. Express yourself. All this and more, available in Rainbow Splash!
Why join Rainbow Splash? Current and upcoming features are listed below;

• Take part in exciting events, which bring opportunities to visit exclusive chatrooms, collect rare items, play special games and much more! There is always something happening- so don't miss an event! Sign up by November 30 to experience the Fall Festival, which has stunning rare items, beautiful chatrooms and exclusive games! Rainbow Splash is kept alive by constant events, so join now to ensure you don't miss a thing!
• Make your way to the top level, which will be even more worth it with upcoming level-exclusive features! 
• Purchase from an expanding range of items, including wonderful seasonal items such as cornucopias all the way to panda hats! Coming soon are more exotic items, such as breathtaking fountains and stunning plants!
• Decorate your very own room, and dress up an avatar however you want! 
• Efficient customer service, with all requests being dealt with effectively within 24 hours of submission! All messages are read and answered by a living, breathing human- me!
• Talk to others using the many wonderful chatrooms, the forums or simply leave a comment on their board! With so many possibilities, you cannot miss one social opportunity on Rainbow Splash! 
• Have your very own profile- choose everything from the font to background picture. Show off who you truly are!
• There is so much more to do in Rainbow Splash, so why not join today?

Unfortunately, my computer was glitching a little so I couldn't update/ post Issue 2 of Rainbow Jottings. Fingers crossed this will be possible tomorrow!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN NOW!

BONUS: PROMO CODE FOR ALL READERS! JOIN, AND SEND A MESSAGE TO THE ADMIN, HOLLY, SAYING: 1114ANJ AND RECEIVE 500 RAINBOW GOLD, A BOOST OF 2 LEVELS AND 1 FREE FALL FESTIVAL PUMPKIN!  REDEEM ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 30!

Please don't get too bored, it's still a work in progress and I don't want to rush anything! There is much more to come! :)
Have a fantastic day!

Sorry!

:(
I'm so sorry for not posting :(
My life has been so busy, but now I PROMISE more frequent posting.
When I have something interesting, of course.
I have some nice posts planned c:
Please forgive me :(

As promised, my age

Hello ^-^
So, since it's my birthday, I'm going to reveal my age now.
As promised.
So...
When I started this blog, I was 12.
I started my first ever blog when I was 9, in January 2011 e.e
Maybe a little earlier. No idea XD

Anyway, as of now, I'm 13.

Yup, that's what you need to know
I'm a bit tired, and had to change my food review schedule DX

Here's what I plan for the coming week! ^-^

Monday 6th Chocolate Goji Berries review (already tried them!)

Tuesday 7th Honey sesame bar review

Wednesday 8th Nākd cocoa crunch review

Thursday 9th Apple and Berry Fruit snack review

Friday 10th Sugar-free milk chocolate stevia praline review

Saturday 11th I'm really hoping to publish a sugar-free lemon muffin recipe! <3 

I got a subscription to How It Works magazine!!! :D
It starts in November, so I will still need to pick up the issue that is going to come out on Monday, the October issue.
I started reading the magazine 2 days ago and it was LOVE AT FIRST WORD O_O
Would you like sneak peeks into the magazine perhaps? Because I could definitely do that! :)

Mwah!

Food Reviews Coming soon!

Hello :D
There are more food reviews coming in the next few days!
Here is the predicted schedule. ^-^

Thursday 2 October Chocolate-covered Goji berries review

Friday 3 October (My birthday!) Honey sesame bar review

Monday 6 October Nākd Cocoa Crunch review

Tuesday 7 October Apple and Berry Fruit Snack review

Wednesday 8 October Sugar-free milk chocolate praline bar sweetened with stevia... hmm, can't wait to try it!

Hope For The Best Chapter 1:1

''Wait up, Rose!''

''What? Oh, hey Daisy...''

''What's up? You look a little down today.''

Daisy caught up with her friend, Rose, and slowed her pace to walk alongside her. The two Angels were nearly one month into the school year, and the first day of October brought a distinct chill with it.

''I'm fine, just a little cold, I guess...'' replied Rose, avoiding Daisy's gaze.

Although Daisy wasn't completely convinced, she let the matter go and launched into usual conversation.

''You know what? I swear that Flame actually really likes cats. You see, she has a soft spot for them... and she seems so tough on the outside! Just show her a big-eyed kitty and she'll be bawling in no time...''

Daisy continued spewing gossip, while Rose absent-mindely nodded at random intervals. She was only half-listening, as she was so busy concentrating on the events of last night.

''...And Cherry was REALLY embarrassed. In fact, she was so red I swear she lived up to her name for once! Her personality isn't even a quarter of the sweetness of a TART cherry.''

Daisy shared more newly-learnt secrets and information with her friend, and it didn't take her long to figure out that Rose was hardly taking anything in. Rose was gazing ahead, barely moving her eyes at all, looking like she was in deep thought.

''Rose, do you remember that time when... Rose? Come on, you usually love it when I share gossip, I didn't gather it all for nothing...''

Rose quickened her pace and walked ahead of Daisy.

''Hey, Rose!'' she yelled, jogging to catch up with her.

''Can you just leave me alone?!'' said Rose, the anger in her voice now more prominent.

*

The day crawled by extremely slowly- minutes passed  like hours. Daisy knew enough not to provoke Rose, for although Rose had a gentle attitude she was very sensitive during hard times. For the whole day, Daisy kept thinking about Rose, and what she could have possibly done to trigger her bad mood. It was only in the day's final lesson, that Rose and Daisy uttered another word to each other since the morning. It was the only lesson they had together that day, and when they spoke it revealed plenty.

''Hey, Daisy, hold on.'' said Rose, attracting her attention. ''Can we talk after school, please? And forgive me for this morning...'' she said, and then returned to her desk.The rest of the lesson passed considerably quicker and Daisy's spirits lifted at the thought of Rose's apology and whatever she had to tell her. What could it be?

When the bell went, Rose jumped in her seat, startled. Picking up her things, she hurried to leave the school as quickly as possible to find Daisy.

*

''Hey there, Rose!'' called Daisy, spotting her vivid pink hair above the crowd.

''Daisy... what I'm going to tell you is actually really serious... it stressed me out since last night and I could hardly sleep...'' Rose confessed, anxiously peering around her.

******************************************************************************

Here's today's question: What do you think Rose is about to tell Daisy? 

Hopefully, you have enjoyed reading the first part of Hope For The Best. It is rather short, and I would like you to know that all future instalments of the story will vary in length depending on how much energy I have. There are also no set intervals for new additions to the story. Hopefully, however, future instalments will be longer than this one.

I hope you have liked this instalment, and hopefully you are looking forward to the next one!

Rose will be added to the Angels page now that she has been introduced to the story.

Daisy will be added to the Angels page now that she has been introduced to the story.

A review of two different bars...

'Ello
Today, I feel like reviewing two rather different bars, which are very similar in the overall aims and principles but quite different in taste and texture/appearance.

The two bars you will now read about are presented below! :3

Nākd- Caffé Mocha

LoveRaw- Coconut Chia

So... I'll evaluate each bar and provide you with a review, and then I'll compare them. Sounds good? YES. Now let's get going ^-^

Caffé Mocha

A rather recent coffee flavoured bar by the company Nākd. 

Ingredients- I have no problems at all with the ingredients used in this bar. The bar is approximately 67% dried fruit and 26% nuts. It is around 7% flavouring agents used to give it the unique, coffee taste. Don't get scared off by the term 'Flavouring Agents!'. What this means is ingredients that give this bar the unique taste that sets it apart from other bars. This is 6% cocoa to give it a chocolate touch, and 1% of what is listed as 'natural flavours'. In this case, there's a 99% chance that this contains some form of coffee extract, which is rather amazing because although the bar has a distinctive flavour, it is only about 1% 'Natural Flavours'. If you want to know how small this is, divide a Nākd bar into 10 pieces. Now divide each of those pieces into 10 again. Take one of those pieces, and that is how much 'Natural Flavours' the bar has. The ingredients are very impressive. Mainly dates and raisins, which come with benefits of their own. Dates and raisins are both very nutritious and boost the value of this bar. The high nut content, in the form of cashews in this bar, is also impressive and delivers healthy fats often found in nuts and some other nutritional benefit as well. Finally, cocoa is only around 6% of the bar but does contribute to the total antioxidant content of the bars. 

Appearance and Texture- I have to admit that for me, this is the most boring area to cover. However, the appearance of the bar is quite nice and not repulsive at all. It is a very nice bar shape, quite dark in colour and the appearance also shows just how raw the bar is. You can see the nut pieces inside quite clearly, too. The texture is fairly soft and moist, chewy but not too chewy- just right. 

Nutritional Value- Alright, again, I find this a fairly dull area to cover so... 

Let's just get to the parts most people are going to want to know. The bar clocks in at 130 calories (which is about 6-9% of most people's daily calorie intake recommendation). 3 grams of protein, 3 grams of Fibre which is approximately 12% of most people's suggested intake. 

Taste- Well, it's healthy, but how good  is the taste? There is no point of making a healthy food if it tastes horrible, so how does this particular bar stack up in terms of flavour? Well. Since I'm not American or English, I may not be able to make the same comparisons as you, so it's up to you to try it out and see what it tastes like :D In other reviews, I have seen comparisons to brownies. The bar has a strong coffee smell, and taste too. It is very sweet, and to be honest if you were to ask me what it reminds me of I would say... well...

You know how sometimes you have coffee flavoured chocolates with those coffee fillings inside?

Well... I have to say this particular bar reminded me of just this filling on its own in both taste and texture.

Coconut Chia

The first bar I have tried from the company LoveRaw. It is intended to be coconut flavoured. 

Ingredients- As with the Nākd bars, I have no problem at all with the ingredients used in this bar. The ingredients are as follows; Almonds, Dates,Coconut, Figs, Chia Seeds, Cinnamon.

Almonds contribute to the nutritional content and are high in positive nutrients such as Vitamin E. Dates , as previously mentioned, are quite nutrient-dense and so are the figs. The coconut is very healthy and makes sense to be the third ingredient, Chia seeds are a very popular 'superfood' that make up approximately 10% of the bar and cinnamon contributes to the unique flavour. No problem at all, every ingredient is very healthy and something I approve of ^o^

Appearance and Texture- Very similar to the Nākd bar in texture but much lighter in appearance (which is actually quite obvious). However, apart from that, both bars actually look very similar to each other. In texture, this bar is quite hard and stable to the touch and soft once you start to chew it. This bar has a different shape- it's wider and shorter. You can literally see the almonds and chia seeds in there :)

Nutritional Value- Unfortunately, I threw away my wrapper and was unable to find the information online. There are  213 calories (which is 10-15% of most people's suggested allowance) and about 6 grams of Fibre, which clocks in at about 25% of the suggested intake! :) Omega-3 content is 1272mg and there are 1997mg of Omega-6. 

Taste-  Coconut flavour is quite subtle but still detectable. The sweetness is at a good, balanced, level- not too sweet and not too...well...bland. The cinnamon flavour really does stand out and makes this bar taste great. Overall, I do like the taste of this bar and since I never had Chia seeds before, I cannot really comment on how much the Chia flavour stands out. However... I do know that the balance of ingredients used is surely good! Although the cinnamon is the last ingredient, it stands out quite strongly. 

Now, here goes the comparison ^-^

Similarities-  

• The overall aim of both bars is the same. A healthy snack bar that provides sufficient energy. 
• Main ingredients are also very similar. Fruit and nuts make up the base of both bars.
• The appearance is also almost identical except for colour and shape.
• Texture and taste is quite similar, with the flavour differing (obviously).

Differences-

• The flavour, quite frankly. Nākd is also sweeter.
• The shape- the Coconut Chia bar has a wider and shorter shape.
• Nākd is more suitable for a younger market because of the bright, appealing packaging and language used on the wrapper (for example; the encouraging messages  are very casual and user-friendly)  
• LoveRaw focuses more on the super-food content and health of the bar, and Nākd focuses more on taste than LoveRaw does. However, both companies appear to have both the taste and health in mind. 

That's it for today!

What am I reviewing next?  

Raw chocolate covered Goji Berries- predicted date for the review is Thursday

Other Notes:

• My birthday is coming up on Friday, and as a special (okay...that's a bit of an exaggeration but ya gotta learn how to exaggerate if ya wanna survive in today's world) treat, I think it won't do any harm to reveal my age. I already revealed that I live in London, so I assume I can also reveal my age. I won't get any more personal though. At least not now, anyway. 
• This blog is going to get an autumn make-over just in time for October. Actually... it would make more sense to switch it to a Halloween look for the month, and then in November back to autumn. I know I'm a little late since Autumn started over a week ago, but hey. 
• I'm finally going to comment on this for the sheer pleasure of whoever the heck posted that comment. M'kay, I got my first hater the day before I left for vacation, and yes, I DID anticipate this coming. Anyway, the exact comment said ''You have a horrible life. And you suck.'' Firstly, what do I suck? I'm actually sucking a hard candy right now UoU So if that was your intention, gee, surprisingly accurate. At first I didn't want to bring this up, I was just like.. ''Alright, haters gonna hate, move on.'' So I did, and managed to forget about it. In future, I probably won't bring up any more hater comments in the blog, but this was my first one. Anyway, moving on; okay, you can't really say I have a horrible life because what I wrote down was just a very vague outline of ONE day, which is in short about  0.02% of my entire life so far. Dude, you can't just make a judgement based on just over 0.01% of my life, and since that post wasn't even THAT detailed, you probably only got a glimpse of LESS than 0.01%. Logic in that? I doubt the commenter is even reading this blog unless they're really sad and are looking for more ways to envy me (oh yes, I'm that vain). Anyway, the hater is also very stuck-up and I can tell because they said I have a horrible life. Did I mention bullying, threats, abuse, violence, racism, slavery, captivity, murder, starvation, poverty etc. etc. ANYWHERE in the post? NO, I DID NOT.And those things are the defining parts of a truly horrible life. If you think my life is horrible, I dread to think how cold-hearted you are. Bottom line- I was not at all impacted by your comment and I find it funny you commented anonymously :) You are a very cold-hearted saddo that I don't want to get into any further contact with. Gee, I don't care who you are. For all I know, you could be the same person as one of my ''friends''. I don't even care x3

                                                                           

Fudge Flavors

I love fudge- but until this August I have only ever heard of the regular and chocolate flavours. Never before had I tried any other flavour, and I suppose you can imagine the look on my face when I, a fudge lover, saw newer flavours that I have never seen before.

Of course, not all fudge flavours are created equal and I have discover that whilst some of those fudge flavours truly are amazing, others would be better off making their way into other recipes that are not fudge.

Without further ado, here is my review of my top fudge flavours and those that don't really taste as good. Let's go!

Good Fudge Flavours

Way to go. The way those heavenly combinations of flavour simply melt in the mouth is truly amazing, like a culinary work of art. Literally.

Nut-  Nut is a great flavour. Of course, the taste of regular fudge dominates it but the subtle nutty flavour is a great addition. It's not too strong, but not too gentle, either, so you get just the right hint of nut in there. 

Vanilla- Well, I don't really know what to say about vanilla. It tastes just like regular fudge, but maybe even better. Why? It seems like vanilla is just made for fudge. Gee, I think vanilla should become a part of regular fudge. Vanilla fudge tastes amazing, and even though sometimes you cannot differentiate between vanilla and regular, I still love the taste.

Chocolate- Tastes like chocolate, but not so much that the fudge flavour is totally lost. It's a really balanced combination and tastes great whenever I want some chocolate. Chocolate lovers won't be disappointed, honest.

Coffee- Tastes as good as it smells. Fudge and coffee do make a great combination, and you can detect the slightly strong coffee flavour very well. However, it's not so strong that it makes you sick or want to spit the fudge out. Excellent for coffee lovers especially.

Regular- Of course, there's something about regular fudge that got me hooked. It's not just the sweetness, it's something about that unique flavour that makes fudge wonderful.

Bad Fudge Flavours

Yes. I love fudge. But I probably wouldn't eat those flavours because they just don't belong with fudge. Of course, you might love those flavours, and if you do- keep loving! It's just a matter of opinion and opinion≠fact.

Apple Cinnamon- It could be because of my recent random nauseous feelings after eating apple cake and now feeling slightly wary towards the Apple Cinnamon combination, but fudge, apples and cinnamon do not mix. Nope. I felt a bit strange after eating the fudge, but washed it down with a regular fudge.

Cinnamon- It's not just Apple Cinnamon, I'm not a fan of the cinnamon fudge combination either. It doesn't taste very good. Cinnamon belongs more in apple crumble and certain cereals!

Coconut- I don't hate the flavour, but I don't think it qualifies to be on the good fudge flavours either. Coconut isn't made for fudge, and the coconut flavour is also too subtle. 

Chocolate Mint- I like chocolate mint. So I thought I would like chocolate mint fudge, too. I was totally wrong. The fudge tastes a bit bitter and the chocolate flavour is totally lost in the mint. I felt a bit sick after eating this fudge. Darn :(

Which fudge flavours do you love, if any? Which don't you like?

~Lilac

The return

Hello!
Happy September!
I'm back, yay yay woo.
Well, actually, I have been back since Thursday very very very early morning.
Anyway!
I feel far too lazy to post every tiny detail of my vacation BUT I will post about it anyway.
Sadly, I don't have any photos that I can put on the blog.
The flight was cool, obviously I was a bit scared on take-off and landing but hey, I survived, right?
We landed at around 6-7pm (I think) and arrived at my grandma's house at about 11pm.
While I stayed at my grandma's house, I went to the city a lot, bought things, bought lots of candy and made my own box out of a shoebox for storing all those delicious little gems. Plenty of fun, we saw many things including a multimedia fountain :D
And... we relocated to a place nearer the wedding on the 4th of September. The journey was quite long, but we did it eventually. The apartment we stayed in was great. The wedding was from the 6th-7th, and that was plenty of fun too! I fell asleep at around 3am, and had to wake up at around 10-11am. I was very tired on the 7th though, and barely had any energy. Life lesson learnt; when invited to a wedding, it's best if I don't attend the second day if there is one because trust me, lack of sleep=awful me.
There were loads of fun things we did- I went in a cable car up a mountain, visited some amazing restaurants, bought funky souvenirs from the town centre, visited a mine (it was a guided tour),a park of miniature figures and even went on a bobsled twice! o3o
The journey back was extremely long, and tiring. I have to say that Germany is one of the worst countries I have ever traveled through end-to-end because of HOW LONG IT TAKES! And no, I don't see any of this;

Instead, it's just this;

We just about made it on time to board the ferry, which was cool,too. I ate a fruit salad and cornflakes.

DON'T JUDGE ME DUDE

I was tempted by a muffin, but then I noticed it was one of those big ones and had over 500 calories and things like that right before bed  make it harder for me to fall asleep O-o I was like; mkay then, never mind because then I won't be able to fall asleep T^T

HERE ARE MY MOST NOTABLE PURCHASES FROM VACATION! :D

• A beautiful blue nesting doll.

  

  Meet the family. Address- Plain Road,Dull City,Northern Desk.

• A sand picture. It's like sand and coloured water in a frame and when you turn the frame around, the sand goes from the top to bottom. It's very relaxing :O
• A mug. WITH THIS FACE.

• A lot of awesome key rings, one with my name on it! o3o Four are meme key rings, one has a cute mini purple nesting doll (which can't be opened sadly),one has a cute fluffy thing on it,one has a gemstone. Yeah, I think that's it.
• A nyan cat label for my bedroom door!!! :D
• A tiny blue glass swan.
• A 'lucky tree'. A small rock with gold metal twisted so it looks like twigs. On the 'branches' are small turquoise gemstones.
• LOTS AND LOTS OF CANDY
• A small fountain for my room. It's going to come in a parcel from my gran, but it's awesome! It cost me the equivalent of around £16.40, but I'm too lazy to work out the exactly exact cost. From what I remember, there's a little basin and you pour water into it (you can add essential oils for a nice smell circulating around your room. I already got Rosemary but I plan to buy Peppermint, Lavender and others). On top of it is a cover to hide the basin. There is a model of an angel on a clam shell, and inside the clam shell is a glass ball to signify a pearl. When the fountain is plugged into electricity, the water circulates around and also the glass ball spins. It is also illuminated by colour-changing light!
• That's all I remember. I probably missed some though. OH WELL XD

I CAN RETURN TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY, THE 15th OF SEPTEMBER.

HMM.

I WONDER HOW IT WILL GO O-O

My day :O

Hey! ~(◕◡◕)~
This is a description of my day today, thankfully I have made it more exciting for you. Aren't I so abnormally nice?
So, I woke up at around 10-ish BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE I couldn't fall asleep last night! ◕◠◕
This has been happening to me for quite a while now and it's getting on my nerves. I don't want this to happen when I return to school!
This is what I had for breakfast. Note I didn't take a photo of my breakfast so this is somebody else's bowl but I had it too if you get what I mean.
DON'T JUDGE >:O

Om nom nom ♥○♥

Yummy yummy for my tummyyy! ♥

Refreshing.

My mum was away so I decided to work on my sequin art. But I couldn't get the first pin in because my finger hurt so much! So then I got round to writing in my journal.

Nothing exciting happened today, except the fact my mum bought me 3 Nākd bars! YAY!

She bought me;

Yay! Love the crunch ones! :D

More crunch!

Never tried those until today!

I then went to a shop. A shop which buys and sells entertainment, and stuff. Mum gave me £5 to spend on new DS games, especially for the flight.

Guess how many games I got for £5? THREE!

Oh, the joys of second-hand stuff. 

I tested them, and they are in excellent condition. WIN! Definitely going there again :D

There was a second-hand game for £35, though O_O

But the more popular games (Zelda,Pokemon, etc.) are the more expensive ones, and since I prefer most of the less popular stuff it's good for me cost-wise! :D

Anyway, the games I got are;

>Dr.Kawashima's Brain Training (£0.75)

>Big Brain Academy (£1.50)

>Planet Rescue Endangered Island (£2.50)

That should keep me occupied for the flight, especially since I also have a bunch of other games, my Kindle and a book.

On the bus home, I tried the Pecan Pie bar. I can say it's yummy! :D

And... I can say that's all I have to say for today.

Apologies!

-Lilac

Yummy Summer Smoothies!

Hey! {◕⩌◕}
Few Summer things can beat sipping a delicious, fruity smoothie bursting with flavour after a well-spent large amount of time in the sun.
I have been wanting to write about this for quite a long time now, but decided to wait until I got a picture of the smoothie. However, as I pondered on what to post about today, I figured that if I didn't post about the smoothie now then you wouldn't be seeing any smoothie posts until next Summer.
So... the long-awaited smoothie post at last!
I love those smoothies- they are quick, too, so go well with breakfast. Or any meal, to be honest! They are tasty, and you can mix and match flavours. Banana Chocolate? Go for it!
Here's how to make the smoothie- first of all make sure you have:
~ Your base- ideally a fruit  or fruits of your choice. For instance; bananas, strawberries,plums. Boil hard fruits in water for a bit until they soften.
~Any other extras- so, more fruit, chocolate, vanilla essence, peppermint oil etc.
~Optional but highly reccomended- milk or plain yogurt, or dairy-free milk such as coconut or soy.
~Optional;sugar,honey or any other sweetener

Once you have all those, you're good to go! <(^O^)>

1. Prepare the fruit- so peel and slice banana, peel,boil and slice apples, and so forth.
2. Put all the fruit in a food processor or blender. 
3. Toss in any other extra ingredients. This includes sweeteners. NOT THE MILK/YOGURT/DAIRY-FREE MILK THOUGH!
4. Blend the fruit for 5-10 seconds and add the milk/yogurt/dairy-free milk.
5. Continue blending.
6. Once the texture looks alright to you, pour it out into a glass, stick a straw in it and enjoy!

Aren't smoothies just awesome?
If you are stuck for extra ingredients, how about those?

• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Oils such as orange,peppermint and so forth
• Chocolate
• Caramel
• Jam

See where your imagination takes you!
Good flavours are;

• banana-strawberry
• apple-cinnamon
• caramel-chocolate (a special treat- kind of like Millionaire's shortbread in a glass!)
• chocolate-mint
• chocolate-orange
• strawberry-vanilla

Have you ever tried making your own smoothie?
Stay happy,stay safe and have an incredible day!
-Lilac <3

Chibi Mania <(>∨<)>

Hello! (\(◕◡◕)
I found this awesome Chibi Maker on Doll Divine, and you too can take advantage of it!
So, I have expanded my imagination and made tons and tons of adorable Chibis, here are my favourites! ~⨀∇⨀~

Hatsune Miku

Spring Chibi

Summer Chibi

Autumn Chibi

Winter Chibi

Fire Chibi

Earth Chibi

Air Chibi

Water Chibi

Starfire (from one of my favourite TV programmes as a kid- Teen Titans! :P)

And her buddy, Raven!

Yay! It's Harry,Ron and Hermione! :3

I hope you all have a wonderful day, stay safe,healthy and kawaii! :3

Lilac <3

DIY Kawaii Pet!

Aloha! (\(∵◕◡◕∵)(\
As you know, I have previously expressed my love for making things. The 5 main reasons why making things is awesome are;

1. It's much cheaper! You see a scarf for £7 while you can make your own scarf using materials you already have for much less. Same goes for other things! For instance, a keyring might sell for £8 but you can make your own for much cheaper. A decent sized batch of polymer clay usually  costs around £5-10! (Prices may vary according to size)
2. You get a super-cool, rare object that NOBODY else has! As a result of making your own things, a rare object is in your hands that only YOU have.
3. It kills time! Making your own things is the perfect cure for boredom, with some ambitious projects even taking weeks! There's plenty of variety- whether you need to find a way to kill 15 minutes with something simple or a couple of hours, you are likely to find what you need.
4. You choose it ALL. Sure, store stuff is often awesome. However, do you wish that skirt was just a little softer, or do you think a heart pattern would have looked good on a hat? Making things puts you in complete control- you can choose how frilly you want to make something, or how bright you want the colours in your keyring to be. Making things is also a great way of getting stuff you can't find in stores!
5. It's the best gift- handmade stuff is always victorious over factory-made! Sure, those store birthday cards might have gorgeous art or funny jokes, but nothing beats a card you took your time and effort to make. Plus, it's much cheaper. I know for one that a batch of card/paper costs less than some of those cards!  Making gifts is totally awesome, too. For instance, handmade friendship necklaces or even a stuffed toy. (Yes, you can make stuffed toys! It takes a LOT of soft filling though U◡U)

Back in early  March, I made myself a REALLY cute fluffy pet thing. It was pink, and it lived in my school blazer pocket ^-^ It watched everyone as I walked around the school, it watched my teachers and watched me eat my lunch xD
However, on the bus back home one day, I LOST it! I was really sad because the material piece I used was my only one, but now I have some more of a similar material and I made myself another friend!
It's not exactly the same, it's a bit more fragile, but anyway...

Isn't that cute? *o*

I have some more of that material in bright blue, and I might make myself some more :D

It looks a bit like a hamster, hehe.

DIY Fluffy Pet

Difficulty: Easy

Time required: 5-15 minutes

This fluffy pet makes a great ( rather kawaii!) companion, and looks great poking out of shirt pockets ^3^

It's also a great gift for friends and family, and can also work as part of a nice birthday present for small children. Especially girls! To make it even better, make your own set to go with the pet- food, toys, etc. and maybe even a house! owo

Looks fantastic as a decoration and is a good collectible. Makes a good trading item too!

SO VERSATILE.

1. Gather your materials- a length of fluffy material (can be found in craft and sewing stores, you can also use a bit of an old boa if it's small enough), eyes, scissors, glue and a pom-pom for the tail. The tail is optional. You can also add things such as pipe cleaners, etc. to customise your friend! :D

2. Cut some of the fluffy material off the size of your friend. You choose the size, but the one I have is around 8-9cm long. You can make babies, and also adults. Haha XD 

You can also cut a rather long piece, fold it in half then put it together (sewing, glue...) to have a wider friend.

3. Spread glue evenly on the back of the eyes (if the eyes don't have adhesive already) and then firmly glue them on to your friend.

4. Put a bit of glue on the pom-pom and stick it on for the tail. Add any other accessories and you're done!

Don't be afraid to give your pet a personality! :D 

You can also make food for it, or buy little figures. A house is quite easy to make, too. You can make it from card, or even from wood if you are experienced!

Experiment, and have fun with your adorable pet! ^-^

They make fantastic gifts :D

Another cute doll I made on Doll Divine! :3

-Lilac

Of course you can make clothes without a sewing machine!

Hello! ~(∘3∘)~
So err... I don't have much to talk about right now! ^-^
I haven't packed for the plane just yet, so I can't talk about that...
Today wasn't particularly exciting, either o^o
Hmm.
I'm just going to write about random things that come to my head, and then I'm going to see where this post ends up <(❂u❂)>
First off, if I DO get to go to Central London before leaving for vacation, it's most likely going to be on Thursday,Friday or maybe Saturday. Sunday... nope, and Monday or Tuesday? Ha, dream on! I will be too busy getting ready for vacation and there won't be much point anyway ^-^
...But if I don't get to go then I'm hoping to go for my birthday, so that's in October.
How big can my wishlist get? O_O
Perhaps I can leave out some stuff, save some for later or just get them another time :]

I was looking at a website and I came across a bit of text saying you can't make your own clothes without a sewing machine...
I'm going to debunk that! ;3;
Okay, sewing machines make it WAY more easier to sew your own clothes, but how do you think people got some of their clothes before the late 18th century?

Look at that fine 16th century dress. All before sewing machines were invented!

Sewing Machines just do the sewing part, which humans are capable of doing. It's just that sewing machines are way faster and efficient, but with enough time and effort you can do what sewing machines do ;3;

Well,almost. Maybe not exactly the same, but similar, right? :]

So, I'm thinking of making my own clothes at some point? :O

No, I'm not crazy.

Not this Summer, but maybe if I get some material and get used to sewing I can try making a skirt.

Then a shirt! :OOO

Anyway, that same site said you can't make a skirt without a sewing machine. Wrong! :O

There were some pretty good-looking skirts in the FOURTEENTH CENTURY, way before the sewing machine was invented.

Would you look at those posh dresses! Before, like, 1755. 

So umm...

I want the skirt to be REALLY CUTE.

Made out of CUTE FABRIC.

Then I'm going to sew the hem ;3; 

More sewing. Which will probably hurt my fingers a LOT.

After a few hours... going to add ribbons and frills and pretty stuff! :o

And then... I'm going to  be  SO PROUD! XD

So umm... here's what I know that's happening over the next few days ;3;

Tuesday- I'm going to the doctor's to pick up my medication and on the way we need to buy some stuff :3

Wednesday- I know that my mum is going to work, so I can't go to Central London ;o;

Thursday- Nothing so far, hope to go to Central London!

Friday- Nothing either ;o;

Saturday- ;o;

Sunday- Maybe going to the car boot! :D

Monday- Vacation prep

Tuesday- Vacation Prep

Wednesday- VACATION! :D

Eh, of course- I'm going to squeeze some fun stuff in there if I can. Which will result in interesting blog posts!

I know that some people already started school today O_O

School in August seems a strange idea to me, but I'm quite sure school in July and June is a strange thing to others too! ^-^

Like...

Me: Oh, my last day of term was the 18th of July. ~(=^u^=)~

Person: Wha-? I finished in May O_O

Me: O_O When do you start?

Person: Today

Me: O_O

Person: What about you?

Me: September 3rd >:D

CUTE STUFF CUTE STUFF MAKE EVERYTHING CUTE

FROM YOUR UMBRELLA TO YOUR PHONE CASE

DA DA DA ♫♪♫ > ~(◕◡◕)~<

Yup, that's it for today ^-^

See you all tomorrow, and don't forget that making your own stuff is super awesomely amazingly epic! :3

You can make a super-rare, one-of-a-kind object! :O

Bye bye!

-Lilac

P.s; Look! I made this super cute doll on Doll Divine ^-^

Vacation; change of plan!

Hello there! :D
Turns out there has been a change of plan, meaning my Summer fun posts have to be cut short :O
Remember this might change, and if it does I will let you know :]

I am not going on vacation by car and ferry, instead, I'm going by plane. It's an approximately two-hour flight, and instead of leaving on the 22nd of August I am leaving on the 20th. I asked my dad about it, and he said the flight is going to be for around 2 in the afternoon.
So... I have to wait less for vacation! Yay... XD
I plan to start packing and getting ready next saturday, the 16th of August.
From the 16th-19th of August I have to do the following;

• Clear out Kindle and install new apps and books
• Pack suitcase
• Pack travel bag

Okay, so maybe I can start on the 17th...
Either way, this means there are only 10 more days left...
Here is what you might find! I hope I will be able to post about those things this Summer, though this isn't a guarantee ^-^

• Car-boot sale experience; 98% chance of this post coming since I'm going tomorrow! I hope I will find myself something nice... 
• Summer Smoothie; I hope to make one, and I hope to share the recipe with you!
• Summer Food Spotlight: Coconuts. There's a coconut sitting in my cupboard and it's waiting to be opened :P
• More random drawings, when I draw them
• My garden! I spend the most time in my garden during the Summer, obviously :O
• Crafts and stuff like that
• Other weird and wacky things that happen to me!

So,yes...
I'm signing off, going to bed soon because I need to get up early tomorrow ^_^
Have a fantastic day, stay safe and enjoy the Summer!
-Queen Pickle
P.s; I might create a few random characters using some of the cool games on Doll Divine,do you think it would be fun to see some of the Hope For The Best characters being recreated on there?

Summer Snacks:Watermelon

Hello! ~(⚈∇⚈)~
★☆★Remember, there might not be a blog post tomorrow!★☆★
Wow, it's already the 7th of August, which means there is only so much time left to post about all sorts of fun Summer things while it lasts. Today, I am going to post about one of my favourite Summer snacks, which I did eat quite a lot of this year. It's delicious ice-cold, very sweet,red,and has a habit of being quite messy to eat!
The snack I'm talking about is...
♥WATERMELON!♥
Watermelon is a delicious Summer snack, and during other times of the year you can't buy them, or they are difficult to find.

Serving suggestion

If you remember, a few days ago I also posted a tutorial teaching you how to make a mini watermelon out of various rubber bands.

Anyway,there are loads of ways to enjoy this sweet fruit, here are my favourites!

~-Don't forget-~

➤ Watermelon tastes best and is most refreshing when ice-cold.

➤Don't leave watermelon out for long! It will dry out and taste strange, the texture will be unpleasant too.

➤To store leftover watermelon, I suggest wrapping it in something such as cellophane and storing it in the fridge.

➤Watermelons need large,sharp knives to be cut. I suggest that if you are young, you are supervised and assisted by an adult while cutting watermelon, or have an adult cut it for you.

 How to enjoy watermelon!
❃ Cut the watermelon up into slices, this is best done by cutting it in half over and over again until you reach your desired size. Remove the skin if you want to, and enjoy! This is great for tossing in a bag and taking with you as a snack on the go.
❃ Cut the watermelon into slices, then take how much watermelon you would like. Remove the skins, and dice the flesh. You can have this as a snack on the go, or you can toss it into a bowl and enjoy with a fork like dessert ^~^
❃For a summery oatmeal, ditch the classic blueberries and replace it with watermelon chunks! Sounds strange, but tastes good. If you can't stand watermelon chunks in your oatmeal, how about mixing it with watermelon puree instead? Alternatively, add watermelon to your cereal.
❃Use watermelon juice to sweeten up your water, surely makes a change from boring old water or that sour lemon water!
❃Purée watermelon and enjoy as a delicious,healthy smoothie. Add milk or yogurt if you wish.Bonus for dieters: Guilt Free!
❃Watermelon Yogurt- Start out with plain yogurt, mix in with  some watermelon purée and set it aside. Grab a bowl or something, then put leftover purée at the bottom. Purée more watermelon if needed, and then add the yogurt on top. Enjoy as a homemade alternative to fruit flavoured yogurts!
❃Watermelon Popsicles- Purée watermelon and then place it in individual popsicle moulds. Freeze and enjoy!
There are so many other ways to enjoy watermelon, from the juice to even adding it to cake! What is your favourite way?

Of course, watermelon is extremely healthy, too!
Here are the most notable health benefits you get from enjoying a watermelon popsicle or smoothie- proof that getting some beneficial vitamins and minerals can be yummy and fun!
~The red colour comes from Lycopene, an antioxidant. Antioxidants are known for their ability to protect your cells, and for fighting damage by harmful free radicals. Lycopene is also found in tomatoes. Watermelon also is a good source of other antioxidants, such as flavonoids.
~Watermelon is rich in Vitamins A and C, which are needed for good health. Hence, watermelon does good for your immune system and eyesight!
~Watermelon is also a source of Vitamin B6, needed for brain function and energy release. Back to school, anyone?
~Watermelon is a good source of potassium, essential for electrolyte balance and nerve function. It can also help with sleep!
~Watermelon contains amino acids which are beneficial to cardiovascular function.

***FUN FACTS ABOUT WATERMELON***
✣It is 92% water, hence the name watermelon!
✣There are over 1,200 varieties around the world!
✣Watermelon is grown in about 96 countries!
✣July is Watermelon month
✣Watermelon is a fruit and a vegetable!

Hopefully,you will enjoy watermelon at least once this summer!
How about spreading watermelon puree on toast?
-Queen Pickle

Food Serving Sizes-Doritos,Oreos,Cereal,Soda and Prepared Mac&Cheese

Hello! ~(⦿⟒⦿)~
How much soda do you typically drink after buying a bottle? Every single millilitre of the 500 in there? What if you were told this is double the serving size defined by the manufacturer?
Oh yes, ridiculous food serving sizes. What a juicy topic!
As you read this post, I have picked out many popular foods and compared the serving size listed on the packaging to what an average person would typically eat in a single serving. However, don't slash your consumption of Doritos just because the serving size is that small; one of the reasons for tiny serving sizes is the fact more people are scrutinising labels and no company wants to lose customers through seemingly scary nutrition information. (OH NO! TOO MANY CARBS! -faints-)

It's all marketing, children.

Okay seriously, back to reality now. Sit comfortably kids...

Doritos

What is it about Doritos that people love so much? I never liked them (mainly because I never even ate them in my whole life, and for some reason I just don't intend to).

What an average person would eat in a serving: Umm, the whole bag. Like, if you buy yourself a bag on the way home from work, what are you gonna do to the leftovers? O_O

An actual serving: Nope. The manufacturer disagrees. They expect you to stop once you reach 11 chips. Uhh...

Much more tiny than you thought it was.

Irony, please? The commercials show people wolfing down way more than 11 chips.

Oreos

The average person would eat: Once you eat one, it's hard to stop,right? Well,I don't know, but the average person eats 6-20 Oreos in a serving. Yes. 20. T-W-E-N-T-Y. Some people are that amazing.

An actual serving: Nah, the company is going to spoil your fun by declaring a serving is THREE COOKIES. THREE. SERIOUSLY?

Admit it- this is about how many Oreos you eat in a serving

Ha, no. Because Nabisco are all 3 year old toddlers with stomachs too small for anything above 3 (sarcasm). Gee, I  bet even a 3 year old would be shocked if they saw this midget serving size!

Froot Loops and most other cereals

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNGGGG.

That's your alarm clock, waking you up for the first day of school after a long Summer off.

Exhausted, you trail out of bed; depressed, exhausted and downhearted. The next summer is a year away. Hang on, only one thing raises your spirits...

GEE, THERE ARE FROOT LOOPS IN THE CUPBOARD!

You technically jump down the stairs and dig into your bowl, until...

Okay, from what I've seen ,this is how much most people eat.

Even Kellogg's say so! Why? This picture belongs to their website.

Let's see.... the serving size is 30g (or 3/4 cup)

WHAT?

No pictures anywhere, but I can tell you it's very small compared to that huge bowl you see above.

Here is 30g of other cereal brands;

Cheerios.

Okay, to be honest, this looks a bit bigger (but not too much) than what I would eat on a regular morning.

However, the person who owns the picture says the usually eat around this much;

A similar amount to that shown in most commercials! I assume that the owner of that picture isn't the only one who eats that amount.

SHOCK. CEREAL BRANDS. WHY?

Curiously Cinnamon.

I like those little guys, but haven't had them for a while O_o

This is meant to be 30g, which looks roughly the same, maybe just a bit bigger than what I would eat.

However, most people eat about 2-4 times that size, then again...

WHY CEREAL BRANDS?

Try weighing out your cereal, and see for yourself the serving sizes set by the companies!

Ha, not enough to stop me eating more than 30g of cornflakes though :P

Soda

Umm, what a tiring day! Thank Panda there's a Tesco right around the corner...

You grab a 50cl bottle of cola and gleefully sip it- great reward after such a long day, right? 

Though not all at once, this seems like the serving size... right? I mean, it's one bottle, so...

WRONG.

Coca Cola expect you to know where half of the bottle is as a serving is 250ml, and let's be honest- drinking is easy. You can easily drink 400ml without even noticing.

Finally...

Prepared Macaroni and Cheese

How much do you eat in a serving? The whole bag, perhaps? Nah, Kraft doesn't doubt your amazing visualising abilities as they expect you to know how much 1/3 of a bag is exactly!

Yup, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

You ate the whole package?

Kraft says you're a greedy pig because it's 3 servings.

Ignore them! :O

Yup, tiny serving sizes. See you all tomorrow, don't forget there might not be a post on Friday! 

-Queen Pickle