10 Things I Love About Autumn

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Autumn. We all know when Autumn has arrived when Starbucks announce their pumpkin spiced lattes and the shops are filled with all things knitwear. I think for me, the Autumn months have to be my favourite months of the year. Don't get me wrong, I love Summer too, but once my birthday is over at the end of August, I just want it to get colder and wrap up in my jumpers and coats.

To get us into the Autumn mood, I thought I'd kickstart with a good old '10 things I love about Autumn' (standard). Who doesn't love a list?

1. Dark nights. I love light nights in the Summer but when the dark nights start to creep in, it makes me excited for Christmas. As I'm sitting here writing this blog post, it's actually really dark outside (and raining), and I've never been so relaxed. I always love the cosy feel that they bring and especially when you're wrapped up in bed and not going anywhere, it's the perfect feeling.

2. Candles. Oh my goodness gracious me, I love candles. What's not to love?! I light candles all year round but it doesn't get as serious as it does from September. I light a candle nearly everyday, just for a few hours, and it makes my room smell so Autumnal, particularly when the cinnamon and pumpkin scents come out to play. 

3. Rain. This is funny because I hate rain when I'm out in it but when I'm all warm and cosy inside and I can hear the rain hitting off my window, I'm in heaven. And what's better than that? Thunderstorms.

4. Chunky knits. I love a good woolly jumper and what is a better time to get them out than in Autumn. In England, it's always cold, and I have already whacked out the chunky knits. A jumper and a pair of leggings is my cosy Autumnal night outfit. What's not to love?

5. Boots. It's officially Autumn when the black boots appear from my wardrobe. Give me a pair of chunky heeled boots anyway.

6. Fairy lights. I actually don't think there's any better feeling than coming home from work, changing into some comfy clothes, lighting a candle and turning on my fairy lights.

7. Fires. We have a log burner at home and to be completely honest, we've already started lighting it!

8. Coats. I'm a coat fanatic. Most people tend to buy one Autumn/Winter coat for the year but me? No, I have 10. 

9. Autumn colours. Khaki, burgundy, black, grey and white. I love wearing these type of colours. I feel like they're the perfect Autumnal combination and match the leaves on the trees. Because who doesn't love to coordinate with trees ey?

10. Baths. I have baths all year round and there is no secret in that. But there's something about a bath in Autumn/Winter when it's cold outside that makes them much more special. Using a bath bomb that smells just like Autumn would smell, if it had a smell (SMELL SMELL SMELL), puts the icing on the cake.

What's your favourite thing about Autumn?

Charlotte xxx

Newcastle's Hidden Treasures: The Great British Cupcakery

From flower walls to unicorn milkshakes, The Great British Cupcakery, in the heart of the Newcastle Quayside, has everything your sweet tooth needs. The cafe is filled with gorgeous pink flowers and chairs, neon lights and marble tabletops, perfect for every blogger (the aesthetic was too much to handle).

I have visited The Great British Cupcakery in the past, before they had their refurbishment, and I was just as in love now as I was then. Previously, I had one of their amazing milkshakes topped with whipped cream and chocolate brownies. I can tell you now, between my boyfriend and I, we finished that within 15 minutes of receiving it. This time, however, I was kindly treated by one of my best childhood friends to afternoon tea for my birthday and it's safe to say I was not disappointed.

The afternoon tea was brought to us on the cutest vintage cake stand alongside a giant pot of tea between two of us. We both got a stand each which was nice because then we knew we weren't taking each other's food! What I loved about this afternoon tea, which was different to any afternoon tea I have had before, was that I liked every single bit of food in the selection. Sometimes I feel like with afternoon tea, there are some things that I'm not keen on or don't fancy eating. With this one, however, I could eat everything.

There were four different finger sandwiches on the bottom plate: egg mayonnaise, tuna and cucumber, ham and pease pudding and cheese and pickle. We dug into them first then followed them with a fresh cheese scone. We were told by the lovely waiter that the cheese scones were fresh out of the oven and he was right as they were still warm as we buttered them. For sweet, there were four different items. Sometimes there are always too many sweet items for me but four was just enough. We were given a huge plain scone filled with cream and strawberry jam. I must say, this was probably my favourite part as they had put just the right amount of cream and jam on and the scones were delicious! We were then given a miniature chocolate brownie and a miniature white chocolate and raspberry slice which were to die for! And to finish, a cute little pink cupcake with a tiny meringue to top it off. I was so full I had to take the white chocolate and raspberry slice and cupcake home. It's safe to say, they're long gone! Nothing better than a cake and a cuppa ey?

As well as the food, the cupcakery's decor was absolutely stunning. They've recently had a massive refurbishment and it is every blogger's dream. I couldn't wait to get a good insta in front of the flower wall and of course, I had to match with my pink suede jacket from Zara. They have thought of every last little detail and can I just say, their instagram matches that (@gbcupcakery)!

The afternoon tea is £19.95 per person, and they also have a full menu of cakes, sandwiches and milkshakes to choose from. As well as their cafe, they also make bespoke cakes for weddings and birthdays etc, which you can view and order through their website.

I honestly would recommend everyone to take a visit here!

Let me know if you've been to The Great British Cupcakery!

Charlotte xxx

June: To Do List

Hi my lovelies!

Long time no speak.

Finally we have some sunshine and it is really motivating me to start writing again.  I have encouraged myself to get back into my organised self and do the things I love again. So to start off, I thought I would make a to do list for this month. After all, I love a good list, and why not share it with you all.

Workout more. I'm always falling in and out of love with the gym. I go through phases of wanting to go and then just point blank refusing as I have very little motivation. Exercise has never been my favourite thing to do but I want to start falling in love with it. I've realised how little exercise I actually do and so June will be the month I start a more healthier lifestyle.

Run. This may sound like I'm just repeating myself and to some, it may sound like a funny one to tick off the list. To be blunt, I hate running and always have done. My goal for this month is to start running on the treadmill so that by the time summer arrives, I am able to go out for runs in the (hopefully) sunny weather and enjoy it. I've ran before but decided it just wasn't for me so by doing a little bit at a time I will hopefully build up my fitness levels but also enjoy running.

Change up my wardrobe. I tend to have a regular de-clutter of my wardrobe every few months and give to charity whatever clothes I don't wear anymore, so that will be on my to do list! I also want to be more adventurous with my style choices and Pinterest is my port of call when it comes to style inspiration!

Print photos. When I was little, we had albums and albums full of photos. My Mam loved taking photos, and still does, and every now and then we like to reminisce on the good times (and the bad haircuts). Nowadays, we take so many photos on our phones that we just keep them there and never have physical copies so from this month, I want to get loads printed and organise them into albums so that in the future, I can look back on the good times I'm going through now.

Share more on Instagram. Following on from the photo theme, I really want to share more photos on Instagram. I love Instagram, it's probably my favourite app. I love arranging photos and making them look pretty so I would love to share more.

What's on your June to do list?

Charlotte xxx