HP Sprocket Product Review

So I recently purchased the HP Sprocket, a device I’ve been wanting for months but couldn’t get my hands on anywhere, it’s been such a hit that it’s sold out everywhere but I finally got my hands on one.

What is it you ask? The HP Sprocket is the cutest little photo printer. It’s a pocket sized photo printer that lets you print 2 x 3” photos straight from your phone from anywhere. It comes in 2 finishes black and white with rose gold detailing. This is the one I went for. You can never have enough rose gold, right. The printer uses Zink Zero Ink printing paper meaning that there is no need for ink cartridges, just a well charger Sprocket. The Zink paper is also sticker backed meaning you can use your prints for photos or peel the backs and stick them to your wall or in a scrapbook. It is super easy to use. You simply download the sprocket app, load your photo for editing and hit print then 30 seconds later and boom, you’ve got yourself the cutest little picture.

I absolutely love this printer. As much as I love snapping pictures and storing them in my camera roll, there is nothing quite like a physical picture. I also love that it is small enough to fit in your hand meaning it’s the perfect travel sized. Although I haven’t had the chance to take it out yet, I can definitely see it being a regular item in my bag. It’ll be the perfect piece for capturing and keeping memories of days out and things I love. It doesn’t print amazingly high quality photos but for £99 the quality is fantastic. If you are a photo person then I would highly recommend investing in an HP Sprocket.

Luisa

xo

Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe

I don’t know about you but when I think of Christmas, I think of all the wonderful smells, cocoa, cinnamon and of course ginger or gingerbread. This year I was thinking of ways to incorporate gingerbread into my festive baking without making gingerbread men so I decided on gingerbread cupcakes. Ps, I know I’m a little late as Christmas has been and gone but it is still the Christmas holiday for many so it still counts. This was such a weird recipe and not one I’ve ever seen but surprisingly they worked and I’m super proud of them so here they are.

Ingredients

• 75g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 125ml black treacle
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 175g all-purpose flour, or plain flour
• 1tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/4tsp ground ginger
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2tsp ground allspice
• 1/2tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4tsp salt
• 1tsp baking soda
• 125ml hot milk

• For the Buttercream:
• 75g butter, softened
• 400g icing sugar, sifted
• 2tsp vanilla extract

Method

Start by pre-heating the oven to 175˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4 and lining a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcakes of your choice ( I went for plain white ones).

In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar. Once pale and fluffy add in your egg, egg yolk and Treacle. 

In a separate bowl, sift your flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Add this mix to your wet mixture. 

Heat your milk but be careful not to boil it and dissolve your bicarb in the milk. Add to your batter and stir until all is combined but be careful not to over mix.

Distribute your batter among your cake cases, I would recommend using a jug to pour the mixture as it is quite a wet mix. You should get 12 good sized cupcakes.

Bake cakes for 25 minutes or until springy to the touch. 

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

While waiting for your cakes to cool make your buttercream. Start by beating your butter until it is pale and fluffy. I used the whisk attachment on my stand mixer as i think it whips up the butter better. Once the butter is nice and pale, add in your icing sugar gradually, missing for a few minutes in between. If you find your icing sugar is getting too stiff, add in a couple of dessert spoonfuls of whole milk to loosen your mix. Add in your vanilla and mix again until well combined. Get creative with your piping, I used a closed star nozzle to get a rose effect on my cupcakes and topped with a little candy cane to decorate.

Luisa

xo

What I Loved In 2016

Well 2016 has officially come to an end and it’s time to open a new 365 page book just waiting to be filled with adventures. It’ll be my first full year of blogging and I can’t wait to publish some amazing posts with product reviews, recipes, fashion posts and more. I thought I’d kick of this year with a rundown of my favourite things of 2016, well some of my favourite things, there are just too many to get them all down in one post. I could still be here writing this post this time next year if that were the case. Pre warning, I have a fair sized list so I have tried to break it down into categories. Without further ado here is my favourite things of 2016.

Beauty

Makeup

• YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick in the shade Beige Blouse
• Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concelear
• Too faced Better Than Sex Mascara (Waterproof) 

Benefit Hoola Bronzer and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in the shade Mink
• Morphe Taupe Palette

Morphe Taupe Palette

• Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
• Benefit Hoola Bronzer
• Lime Crime Perlees Lipstick in the shade Gemma
• Benefit Gimme Brow
• Laura Mercier Invisible Setting Powder
• Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

• By Terry Ombre Black Star in the shade Frozen Quartz

Skincare

• Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask
• Lollipops Paris Délicieuse Lip Balm
• Garnier Micellar Water
• & Other Stories Sirocco Sands Hand Lotion
• & Other Stories Havana Blues Body Scrub
• Lush Cup O Coffee Face Mask

Tools

• Beauty Blender
• Zoeva Rose Golden Volume 11 104 Buffer Brush

Perfume

• Victor and Rolph Bonbon Couture
• Chanel Mademoiselle
• Jo Malone London Peony and Blush Suede Cologne

Chanel Mademoiselle and Ted Baker Lavene Flower Cuff

Fashion (Clothing, Bags and Accessories)

• Kurt Geiger London Saffiano Leather Tote in pale blue

• Kate Spade Lily Avenue Patent Carrigan

• Ted Baker Lavene Enamel Flower Cuff
• Tiffany Small Double Heart Pendant in Tiffany Blue and Silver
• Asos Curve Watercolour Floral Border Print Blouse
• Rayban Sunglasses

Others

• Harry Potter Mug ( This was a gift so I’m not sure where it’s from but as it heats up the Marauders Map appears from the black mug)

• Elephant Mug from Urban Outfitters 

• Kreafunk Headphones

• Iridescent Iphone 6 case from Case Mate
• Rowntree Randoms ( I may have developed a slight addiction to these)

I’m Also going to add a few places I’ve been in here:

• Edinburgh ( Up until this year I haven’t really been in Edinburgh other than passing through but this year I visited the dungeons, Edinburgh Castle and also went to the Elephant House Cafe, where J.K Rowling wrote Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone)

• New York ( Do I really need to explain? New York is Fantastic)

• Menorca ( I love the sunshine and was so happy to be somewhere sunny for the first time in years)

What Have you loved this year? I’d love to know so make sure to leave a comment or a link to your post with your favourite things from 2016.

Luisa

xo