Pink Friday

Once again Friday has arrived very quickly. After such a busy week I thought I'd bring you a little blog about my all time favourite nail colour.

This is OPI 'Pink-ing of You'. 

I first bought this in 2008. I was on a mission for the perfect pink to wear on our wedding day as I didn't opt for the normal 'French Manicure'. After many many 'pinks' I found the perfect one for me.......and this it.

As many of you will know pastel colours are on trend this year, and I'm pleased to say this shade falls into that category.

So there you have it, my perfect pink .

Have a great weekend
Hannah x

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Want to try something.....

...........a little different with your hair??

This style caught my eye whilst flicking through the Sunday supplement magazine in the UK (one of the models in a fashion shoot had her hair like this). I loved the look and I decided I had to give it a try.

Last week I finally got the chance to try it out on a friend, and here are the results. This is such a simple look, and I think it will be fabulous in the Summer for keeping your hair out of the way whilst looking stylish.

To re-create this at home you will need:-

• a hair elastic, 
• a long ribbon or scraf,
• hair brush  
• and a crocodile clip. 

Step 1 - Clip your hair up out of the way.

Step 2 - Place your ribbon around your hairline and tie in the nape of your neck. Now let your hair down out of the clip.

Step 3 -  Part your hair into 2 pieces and using the ribbon as the 3rd piece start to braid them together.

Step 4 - Once you have braided the length of your hair, use the hair elastic to secure in place.

Step 5 - Now wrap the left over ribbon around the elastic and tie in a bow.

(This can also look nice as a side braid. You simply tie the ribbon at the back of your neck and move it slightly off centre, so the braid is on the side)

There you have it - something a little different :)

Have fun with this look xx

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Cool Romance by Orly

This is part of Orly's newest collection of nail colours called 'Cool Romance'. I really like these and they're perfect for this Spring's trend - pastel colour nail polishes.
This set comes with a free purse which you could either use for a night out or to store these polishes in for safe keeping. Retailing at 35CHF / £25 I think they're great value for money.

This set includes:-

• Prelude to a Kiss (Creme, Peachy-pink)
• Faint of Heart (Creme, Mink)
• Jealous, Much? (Creme, Pale Green)

Also available (as individuals) are :-

• You're Blushing (Creme, Lilac)
• Steel your Heart (Shimmer, Charcoal Grey)
• Artificial Sweetener (Shimmer, Dusky Rose) 

I think everyone should have at least one pastel shade in their collection...........which will you choose??

Bye for now, Hannah x

www.orlybeauty.com

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Hand-luggage.....

Once again it's time for me to organise us for our regular trip back to the UK. This time however is a little different.............

After using a backpack as hand-luggage for the past year (and feeling like I'm carrying a tortoise shell) I decided I wanted a bag with a little more class but still practical for 'all' of our bits and pieces.

This bag from Charles Vogele Mode seemed spacious enough without being too big,  so I decided to take a chance and buy it.

Click on the images to enlarge.

My challenge was....could I get all of this (see pile of stuff below!) into my new handbag? 

The answer - YES!....as you can see from the next picture, everything is in my new bag and I still have room for 'Little Miss's' favourite Ted to go on top. 

Happy Days!!

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Mum-To-Be Outfit

Here's a little something for all you Mums-to-be. 

I've put this outfit together to give an idea of an easy every day style you can achieve with your growing bump. All the items can be mixed and matched so will last you throughout your pregnancy and the changing seasons that come...

Mum-To-Be by littlemisskme featuring oversized totes

Red Herring Maternity maternity, £26
Dorothy Perkins maternity, $35
River Island black boots, £60
River Island oversized tote, £37
River Island beaded bangle, £3.50
Dorothy Perkins pink scarve, $17
Old Navy Maternity Sideshirred Tanks, $11

You will notice some of the prices show up in US Dollars but all items are available in the UK and online in GBP.

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Bespoke Necklace

Zurich is a great place for finding little treasures like my beautiful stone necklace. 

There are so many little shops in and around the 'old town' to hunt down that something different, and an item like this can  add a chic casualness to your look, or transform a simple top into something special. 

I've had the piece below for around 6 years now (it was a gift from my husband). He found a fantastic little shop off Bahnhofstrasse, ZH (close to the lake), which was filled with beautiful individual jewellery - all designed and hand made by local artists. 

This one is made from stone and antique silver, which gives the whole thing a vintage feel. All of the stones are worked by hand and have such wonderful colours through them, especially the main stone with its pink tones.

I love wearing it, although since having our 'Little Miss' it hasn't been out much due to her pulling at it!!

My favourite way to wear this is simply with a black jumper or t-shirt. I think the darker background really shows off the necklace nicely.

                                                 xx

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NEW Nail colour.....

Here's a very quick post to let you know about a fabulous nail colour!

Over the weekend I went to see my manicurist. Since my last visit she has received the new Essie Nail Polish collection, so naturally I wanted to try one of them out to share with you.

This colour is 785 'Navigate Her'

I really like it and it makes a nice change from what I would normally wear on my nails. Personally I think if your going to wear a colour like this its best to keep nails short (no longer then the tip of your finger) AND of course tidy your cuticles :-)

Have some fun with your nail polish this Spring!

Hannah x

For those of you in Zurich please see contact Demee on info@u-nique.ch to check which colours she currently has available. 

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Half-Moon Manicure.....

Brief History 
The Half-moon Manicure was popular through the 1920s, '30s and '40s. This was normally done in red or pink shades (back then there wasn't the wide variety of colours we have now). The 'Half-moon' was left natural or painted in a beige tone, and nails were an oval shape unlike today's popular square.


Creating The Look.
Since this can be a little fiddly, I've put together an easy 'Step-by-Step' so that you can create a Half-Moon Manicure at home.

You will need :-
*Base & Top Coat
*Round "hole in the middle" Stickers (reinforcement stickers for paper)
* 2 or 3 Nail Polishes

Step 1 - Apply base coat on all 10 nails followed by your base colour (this will become the 'Half-Moon' colour)

Step 2 - Once this has dried, place a round sticker on the bottom of each nail. You need to have half the sticker on the nail, and the other half on your finger (see picture). Make sure you press the stickers down firmly so your next polish doesn't leak underneath.

Steps 1 & 2

Step 3 - Carefully apply 2 coats of colour on the top of each nail, overlapping the stickers slightly. 

Step 4 - Once dry gently pull each sticker from the cuticle to the free edge of your nails. 

Step 5 - Apply Top coat to seal and your done. Beautifully polished nails that are bang on trend.

Step 3

I've used 3 colours to create this look, mainly because the new Orly Cool Romance Collection has arrived and I wanted to show them off  :)

The colours are 'Prelude to a Kiss' (peach), 'Jealous, Much?' (green) and 'Faint of Heart' (mink).....and I think they're simply fab!

Finished look

Have fun with this, 
Hannah x

P.S I shall bring you more on the new Orly Collection soon!

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Home-made scrubs are so easy to do!

Speaking to a customer recently about combating dry skin, I was reminded of this quick and easy exfoliating scrub (which I hadn't made for some time).

 

This scrub can be used either in the shower or while you're in the bath - just remember that the oil will make the surface you're bathing in/on slippery, so please be careful when you have finished!

To create this scrub you simply need to combine 1 part Almond Oil with 2 parts Sugar (or Salt*). 

Personally I prefer to use Sugar, but for very hard skin you may want to use Salt (which is more abrasive). If you don't have Almond Oil, you can use Massage Oil, Baby Oil, or even Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

A natural home-made body scrub....perfect :)

*for example 1 cup to 2 cups

 

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Sheer Shirt by Papaya

"Calling all Yummy Mummys"

Here is my newest shirt and I think its a 'must-have'.

I bought this in Matalan (in the UK) during our trip back in January. This shirt is part of Matalan's Papaya range. I've yet to wear it but I think its fabulous. I'm really getting into sheer tops, and I partictually like this one with its black deer print and contrasting cuffs. I'll be teaming this with my skinny jeans and ballet pumps (which I'll bring you more information on soon). 

These shirts are a great way to look polished without spending a small fortune and are very popular this season. They're also a loose fit, which means  they skim over any lumps and bumps we've gained from having our babies!

I don't always have much success on the Matalan website (I prefer to go in-store), but do check it out.

http://www.matalan.co.uk/

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Kiddie Curry...

Having travelled and lived in many countries, we've picked up a wide variety of different cooking styles and recipes. We both like to cook, and we think its important to expose 'Little Miss' to the same variety of foods we enjoy.

 
My husband is particularly partial to spicy food, and one of the simplest curry recipes I've come across is his variation on a traditional madras. Unfortunately its a little too hot & spicy for 'Little Miss', so we tweaked it to remove some elements and make it child friendly. 

Here is the tweaked recipe......'Little Miss' loves it. Why not try it for your little ones?

You will need:-

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Clove of Garlic (crushed)
• 1 x Large Onion (chopped)
• 1 Cup of Vegetable Stock
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• Olive Oil

Step 1 - Dice and set aside the chicken breast

Step 2 - In a pan heat a small amount of Olive Oil and add to it the onions and garlic. Cook until softened.

Step 3 - Now add the spices (Ground Cumin, Coriander and Turmeric), mix until the onions are coated in the spices.

Step 4 - Add the diced chicken to the pan and stir until coated in spices. Continue until the meat is sealed.

Step 5 - Now carefully stir in the vegetable stock. This should just cover the chicken. Leave to simmer for around 20 minutes, allowing the meat to become tender and more manageable for little ones.

Once you have finished serve immediately with steamed rice, or put into freezer pots for a later date.

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Mothering Sunday..

Anyone rushing around not knowing what to get their Mum for Mother's Day?

Well I may have the answer......

How about some lovely bath goodies from LUSH?

LUSH has a great range of bath and body delights, prices starting from a mere £3.75! They smell wonderful and are bound to make your Mum feel special!

Check out LUSH for more details

www.lush.co.uk

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Twinkle Bow's Boutique

Looking for beautiful hand made hair clips suitable for children? Twinkle Bow's Boutique is an online store I found via Facebook.  

Our 'Little Miss' was graced with a good covering of fine hair and was lucky enough not to loose much. Being a hairdresser by trade I couldn't help myself; I just had to buy some hair accessories for her!

These are just some of the beautiful non-slip hair clips I've bought from  Twinkle Bow's . They're made from soft fabrics and have a small clip on the underside to fasten them in place. 

I love the fact that they're made from soft fabric, and our 'Little Miss' doesn't seem to notice she's wearing them (always a plus, as they stay in place longer!).

The company owner was very helpful, and now also has a online shop which makes ordering easier. 


Twinkle Bow's prices were reasonable, and their delivery was fast.

Here's the link for those interested......


http://www.twinklebowsboutique.co.uk/

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Waterfall Braid

 This is one of my new obsessions.......the waterfall braid!

I had a friend come over last week to model for me, as I wasn't sure how easy this would be to recreate on my own hair (mine is very layered and I have a thick fringe).  I was pleasantly surprised that it only took 10 minutes to do on her hair, and you can see from the image how pretty it looks.

This is style is perfect for anyone who likes to wear their hair down but off their face. Its ideal for someone with long hair and long layers as it can be fiddly to achieve on shorter hair.

I will be bringing you a 'How-To' for this style very soon so watch this space!

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Looking after your nails

Its the end of another busy week, and those of you who follow my blog on our main website (KME Hair and Beauty) you will be aware that this week has been all about 'Nails'.

Today's post is about looking after your nails at home and contains a few of my top-tips.

• After having a shower or bath gently push back your cuticles with your towel. They will be nice and soft after all that hot water.

• ALWAYS wear gloves to wash up. There is nothing worse than detergent to dry out your hands!!!

• If you are removing nail polish, always try to use a "non acetone" based nail polish remover. 

• On days when you are not using nail polish, you may wish to use a nail  strengthener to protect and strengthen (I use OPI Nail Envy).

• Use cuticle oil every day before going to bed. This is the best time to apply it as it can soak in nicely while you sleep.

• And finally.......don't scrimp! Buy a good quality Hand-cream, this will work wonders on your hands AND nails. Plus you will only need a little due to the cream being more concentrated then cheaper ones.

And there you have it, my daily routine. 

xx

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"Pesto Pesto do your very besto...."

Sometimes, when its raining outside and the shopping delivery is not due for another day, you need to get inventive with what you have to create a quick and simple meal that still tastes great. 


Pesto with pasta would have worked fine, but we'd had this a few days ago and I wanted to give 'Little Miss' something a bit different (to keep her interested). The result was Pesto Chicken, Stir Fried in a little Olive Oil.


For this recipe you will need :-

• 2 x Chicken breast
• Green Pesto (home made, or from a jar - recipe below)
• 1 x Bell Pepper (any colour)
• 1 tsp Olive Oil

1. Dice your chicken breasts and set aside
2. Chop your pepper into bite size pieces
3. Heat the Olive Oil in a pan and add your chicken. 
4. Once the Chicken is sealed, add your diced peppers and continue to stir fry until cooked
5. Finally stir in 2 generous teaspoons of the Pesto and allow to heat for a few moments.

Remove from the hob and serve with rice, or put into freezer pots for a later date.

Once its cooled a little it's perfect for baby to get their hands into and experiment feeding them selves (without coating the dining table in too much sauce!!)

Try it out you may just like it!


PESTO

Quantities for the pesto recipe will depend on how much you are making. You only need a couple of teaspoons made up for the meal above, but obviously if you're making your own pesto, then you might want to make more to keep. You can use the following guideline to make 1 cup of pesto. 

• 2 cups of Basil
• 2 - 3 medium garlic cloves - crushed
• 1/2 cup parmesan grated
• 1/2 cup Olive
• 1/3 cup pine nuts

1. Pop the Basil, Pine Nuts, and garlic into a food processor (I use a hand processor rather than a full size food processor). Pulse several times.
2. Slowly add the Olive Oil, while continuing to mix with the food processor.
3. Finally add the Parmesan and pulse again to get it all mixed in. You should end up with a nice Pesto paste.

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H&M Ring

"My obsession for costume jewellery will never end!"

I can't help myself, if I'm in the city I just have to pop into H&M to check out their accessories. Ever since I can remember I've loved buying inexpensive bits of jewellery. 

This particular day I had some "child free" time (my husband was home with 'Little Miss'), so I decided to pop into Zurich and check out H&M's latest collection. 

There I was sitting on the top deck of the train into Zurich; strolling up the escalators at the Main Station; weaving through the crowds on Bahnhofstrasse...and all the while with this strange feeling that I'd lost something....and then it hit me, I'm so used to pushing a stroller around that it always feels a little odd when I get out on my own :)

It was lovely spending a lazy afternoon shopping for something and nothing at all. I finally found some pretty rings in H&M which I just had to have. 

.......the peach and gold ring set.

Its a steal at only CHF7.90 considering you're getting 3 rings! 

They can be worn alone or together depending on your mood. I like them alone personally, but hey everyone is different.

I would also like to add my 'top tip' for costume jewellery - always put a coat of clear nail polish over to stop the colour wearing off over time.

Have fun with your jewellery!

xx

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Home-Made Pasta Sauce

Here's one of my favourite simple recipes for our 'Little Miss'. 

This easy to make pasta sauce combines some delicious ingredients that make it great for the whole family. I add this to pasta for a perfectly quick meal.

For this sauce you'll need:-

• Tinned tomatos
• 1 clove of Garlic (crushed)
• 1 Onion - chopped
• 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 6 Basil leaves (fresh if possible but dried will do)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper (optional) - chopped

Gently heat your Olive Oil in a pan (over a moderate heat). Add the chopped onion and garlic, allowing to soften. Next add the tinned tomato's, basil and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn to the bottom of your pan. Now put the mixture into a food processor (or use a hand-blender) and wizz until smooth. 

You can either serve immediately with pasta or put into freezer pots to reheat another day.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do :-)

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Doll's Bassinet

"Can't stop Daddy, busy busy busy....a girl has so much to do you know"

For quite a while now we've been looking for a dolls pram for our 'Little Miss'. She loves putting her toys into things and pushing them around our apartment; off on her little adventures!

Finding one was not so easy though. Most prams were either aimed at "age 3+" and very clearly unsafe for a 15 month old, or were just ridiculously expensive (300 - 400 CHF). After alot of searching we found this one in Toys'R'Us (in Dietlikon, ZH). 

It really is beautiful, and the perfect height for our 'Little Miss'. 

The make is 'Beluga' and its called 'Korb-Pupperwagen mit kissen und Bettdecke'. 

The pram is made from wicker-work, with a wooden frame and plastic wheels. It also comes with a pillow and blanket. Measurements are 50 x 60 x 30cm, so its one of the smallest I have seen over here. 

The box states "age 3+", but after playing with it our selves in the store, we decided it would be safe for her to use. There are no exposed metal collapsible parts (think scissor action), so nothing for little fingers to get trapped in, and the hood is very simple & light weight.

We also thought it was very reasonably priced at CHF54,95.

'Little Miss' absolutely loves it.......result!

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Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm

I AM IN LOVE (again) 

After many, many years of playing around make-up I can't believe I managed to miss Clarins products! They have been there all the time and I never thought twice about checking them out.........well I'm so glad I did!

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