Khajur Pak 'ENERGY BALLS' | RECIPE

Hello! 

"A vegan friendly, healthy yet delicious snack to grab whenever you feel a sweet craving"

Medjool dates are getting popular by the minute. Known for their incredible caramel-like taste and sticky texture which is great for no-bake treats. Yet little did I know the treat I'd been having since as long as I can remember would be huge in the 'Western World' too! Being Indian, my family love the good old sweet treat and the now known 'Energy Balls' were always called Khajur Pak [kha-joor pah-kh] in my book. So, as I made a batch, I thought I'd give you the low-down to these incredibly tasty, nutritious and super EASY treat!

3 Wearable Ways to Braids | BEAUTY

Hello!

sources (clockwise from top) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
"it's a nice way to princess-ify your hair,"

Do you remember when I told you about me becoming slightly (okay a lot) obsessed with Once Upon a Time? The show, thankfully on Netflix, has been my go-to and the one thing I couldn't get over while watching it was Elsa's hair. 

"What? Elsa, as in Frozen Elsa?" you may ask - yes, I say, Elsa from Frozen featured in Once Upon a Time and she looked gorgeous! I couldn't not write a post inspired by it, so here we go! 

"easily recreate-able with a simple side braid"

Braids are one of my favourite ways to style hair. Not only does it allow hair to be out of your face, but it also looks super pretty! For the hot, summer months, you may opt for an up-do, and what better way to spice up that up-do than with a braid?

Blake Lively created a beautiful style, which is easily recreate-able with a simple side braid and a bun. She pulls the boho look off nicely.

As well as a bun, throw your hair into a pony tail instead and you're good to go!

"one I'll definitely be resorting to this summer!"

The third style is the one shown above. Although slightly different, both styles consist of the same idea. Either a braid, and the other with a twist, it's a nice way to princess-ify your hair, and one I'll definitely be resorting to this summer!

Tell me, are you a braid fan, or is another style your go-to?

Spring Festive Décor | featuring EASY DIY

Hello!

" grab a glue gun, some flowers and possibly some fabric to create an array of beautiful Spring decor"

"April Showers bring May's Flowers" is what they say, and as we're in the middle of May, I thought it'd be a nice idea to bring those flowers into our homes. Pinterest is a great source for fun and simple DIY ideas that look super cute - so doing a roundup of a few favourites seemed like such a festive post to write in May.

Ca we just take a moment to look at this. How stunning? Of course, you can use fake flowers if you want it to last longer, but either way, it's so pretty! A hot glue gun can produce masterpieces (though you don't necessarily need a hot glue gun, it looks pretty cool to work with ;) ).

Mason Jar's have made their debut this past year, and I must admit, they're super cute and oh-so versatile! This ombré affect looks wonderful, and the hydrangeas are beautiful. Luckily we have a few hydrangea plants in our garden (see picture here), so as soon as they grow, this will be a lovely way to display them!

"you could totally gift it to someone, and I'm sure they'd love it!"

I have a thing for wooden furniture, and I love the way this looks. In fact, although I'm a bit of a glass fanatic too, the contrast of the modern glass with the wooden piece would look gorgeous (ideas for my future home..).

Have you seen the little hanging succulents around instagram? This reminds me a little of that. Oh, and what cute little way to up-cycle old light bulbs?!

"what better way to make the perfect quote pillow than make it yourself?"

As well as having a thing for wooden stuff, I have a thing for cushions. If you've seen my bed, I have about 7 pillows, which might be a bit excessive for some, but I love it! For those on the same wavelength as me, you can never have too many pillows, right?

Pillows with quotes are lovely and inspiring, and what better way to make the perfect quote pillow than make it yourself? You can choose your own fabric, particular shades of colour and your favourite quote! Using Spring prints and pastel shades will look beautiful during this season!

So why not grab a glue gun, some flowers and possibly some fabric to create an array of beautiful Spring decor to spruce up your home. Even better, you could totally gift it to someone, and I'm sure they'd love it!

Tell me, what are your favourite DIY's to do with flowers? Oh, and your favourite type of flower?

Introducing.. BBXO The Edit.

Hello!

"full of exciting stuff, including exclusive codes and a SUPER EASY sign up form"

This is exciting. You may have already noticed it via the Poll set up last Friday and the signup form there since last week. It's finally time to launch something I've been working on for a while... Introducing, BBXO The Edit. 

"finally time to launch something I've been working on for a while... "

The newsletter is full of exciting stuff, including exclusive codes and a SUPER EASY sign up form! Isn't it really annoying when the sign up form is really long, with a billion irrelevant questions before you can finally subscribe? Well, all you need is your e-mail address!

"all you need is your e-mail address!"

You can sign up from this link. Also, the easy sign up form is on the sidebar - so please sign up to show your support.

Tell me, what would you like to see on The Edit.? 

BerryWeekly: Flowers, Room Scents & Vita Coco

Hello!

"prepare to get some tips to spice up your room for Summer"

Another Friday has approached us! OMG I feel like every Friday I start with the same intro, either that or 'TGIF'. Gosh, it's getting old! Anyway, that may be getting old but lets see what's new and loving this week! Also, prepare to get some tips to spice up your room for Summer, too! :)

"you would have NEVER in a billion years thought of it"

The flowers in the garden have been blooming and that's when the most creative idea ever hit me: Cut up a few flowers and leaves and stick them in a vase for the room! Yes, I know - you would have NEVER in a billion years thought of it!

Why not make the most out of what we have - so if you have flowers in your garden or if anyone allows you to take their flowers, definitely do this - it's super easy and looks amazing! Plus, it's always lovely to wake up to these beauties in the morning!

"you would understand my excitement when a whole box of it landed on my doorstep"

You may be as hyped about coconuts as I am - as shown in this post, this post and this post - and if you are, you would understand my excitement when a whole box of it landed on my doorstep on Monday! I ordered it from Amazon, by the way.

"Definitely recommend it"

Finally, another thing thats great for your room is this fragrance diffuser. It is a plug-in and has 3 scents which change every 45 minutes. This makes it so you can smell the fragrance every time it changes and realise it is there. I have the trio in 'Thai Orchid' and this is the 3volution fragrance diffuser by Ambi Pur. Definitely recommend it and it lasts forever!

I hope you had a fantastic week and tell me: What's your favourite type of Flowers? 

5 Simple Strawberry + Chocolate Recipes

Hello!

British Strawberries - the fruit of the season, especially in the UK (I guess that goes without saying!). The thing with strawberries is that they don't last for very long - so simple recipes are perfect for when you want them eaten before they go to waste. Also, what better way to eat strawberries than with chocolate?

Here are 5 easy recipes which can be substituted with Raw Chocolate (1 cup cacao, 1 cup melted coconut oil, 4 tbsp agave syrup)  for a healthier version! Healthier White Chocolate recipe here.

This is a simple recipe which is easy to replicate (the whole idea of this post) and is so versatile as you can add things to it without much worry. You can add almond flakes or make it a coconut chocolate filled strawberries or whatever you wish! 

This is a little different but just as simple. If you use whipped cream, ensure that you eat it soon and not leave for too long!

This idea is another simple one. Sort of like the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups but with strawberries instead of peanut butter - not saying peanut butter cannot be added to it!

This idea I thought was totally different. I would have never thought of it yet it's such a lovely idea! You can add any fruits you want or any other toppings.

A little trickier but just as tasty and yummy as all the others, this recipe consists of an oreo crust and a strawberry and chocolate filling!

What's your favourite simple go-to recipe with strawberries?

image sources: 1//2//3//4//5

Easy way to Deep Clean your Technology

Hello!

Maybe it's the season, the sun shining and the spring cleaning 'bug' - but whatever it is, I felt the need to clean the thing I use most: My Laptop. Are you with me?!
Obviously, being the clean freak that I am, I have cleaned my laptop prior to using 'CyberClean' but it wasn't that effective.. read on to find out why!

Well, this product is totally handy for cleaning and screen - your TV screen, Computer Screen, Phone Screen and in this case, Laptop Screen! It comes with a little holder and a cleaning solution which is squirted out using the spray. After spraying you use the felt at the back to wipe the screen. 

I'm not sure if you can see the difference from the pictures but any finger print marks and dust disappeared and, in the after shot you can see how much clear the screen is! 

When I'd clean it before, I'd usually somehow still end up with dust on the screen or some inevitable random fluff - but with the felt on the spray, it really got everything and the shape of it was great for rounded corners too! 

In addition, Cyber Clean sell this compound that intrigued me - mainly due to the selling point of reaching the hard-to-reach areas of the keys. The compound is basically goo. It's actually quite fun to handle and smells citrus-y - very clean! Notice in the 'After' picture above, you can see the shape of the keys and some dirt on the compound gathered from cleaning.

It's super easy - and kind of fun - to clean the keyboard. I also cleaning the edges of the laptop and pretty much everywhere!

In addition, I cleaned my keyboard cover too - and it worked quite well! It reached around the keys too, and was left as good as new! 

I totally recommend the screen and keyboard set from CyberClean! It will make your cleaning so much easier, trust me, and if you're a bit of a clean freak like me, then I'm sure you'll be glad this came into your life! 

Here are the links to the website:

UK: https://www.cyberclean.uk.com 

International: http://www.cyberclean.net

Tell me, what is your one favourite cleaning product?!

*Product sent for PR purposes, it doesn't bias the review in any way. 

Happy Pancake Day!

Hello!

Tomorrow is no ordinary Tuesday… it's Shrove Tuesday! Yay, pancakes for all! :)

Of course, this post has to be based around the festivities! Well today I bought a packet of Pancake Mix and was thinking what toppings to put on the pancakes tomorrow, and incase you're in the same situation, here are some intriguing ideas that may help:

Go Fruity

Adding Fruits of your choice with a bit of Golden Syrup or Honey on top will be lovely! I love the combination of Strawberries and Banana.

Nuts & Custard

The idea of warm custard drizzled on the pancake sounds amazing, with a bit of cinnamon and some nuts on top would be perfect for a comforting pancake

Jam it Up

Jam is so sweet with a fruity flavour too, top that on your pancake for a nice spread - if you want a PB&J version, add some Peanut Butter!

Nutella, Duh! 

What's a crepe or pancake without some Nutella? The world's favourite chocolate hazelnut spread…. on a pancake… on Shrove Tuesday… yumm 

Granola Pancake

Crunch form the granola and a soft pancake sounds so well-fitting! 

Ice-Cream and Fruit

Ice-Cream with Fruit and honey/golden syrup is the perfect pancake. Add a drizzle of Nutella and that's heaven for ya.

What's your favourite Pancake Topping? 

image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Easy Valentines Day Recipes!

Hello!

Being it February Valentines Day is one of the big events (if not the biggest) - whether you have plans or not, it doesn't mean you can't make valentines inspired food!

Well, I'm not that great of a baker, yet I do like to bake! So, for V. Day I wanted to make something simple and easy, which doesn't take very long so it can practically be eaten straight away - being impatient and all! So here are some VERY simple recipes you (and your friends) can make in a matter of minutes!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

A typical Valentines Day Snack that is super easy and extremely tasty! The first picture looks so lovely and pink - perfect for Valentines Day, but still quite hard, so a simple chocolate covered strawberry will do too! All you do is melt some chocolate (milk, white or dark -up to you) and dip strawberries in. You can either have a fondue style or simply leave the chocolate to cool and have later. I prefer it like a fondue! Yum! 

Cocoa Cornflakes/Rice Krispies Treats

Do you remember doing this as a kid? I remember in Primary School one Friday afternoon we got to make these - that was because a teaching assistant was leaving so she decided to treat us! 

Anyway, there are multiple ways of making this - you can either simply melt chocolate and mix in cornflakes/rice krispies or with cocoa. Melting Chocolate is probably the easiest option. To break it down, just get some chocolate, melt on a double boiler or microwave (be careful not to burn it, trust me it's not nice in terms of smell, or taste of course!) and mix in cornflakes/rice krispies.

I'm not sure if that was completely necessary to explain yet there we go! :)

Pink Popcorn

This was a new one for me! I thought it was very nice! Basically you add food colouring to popcorn! I haven't done this before yet loved the idea! Perfect if you're watching a movie for V. Day! 

Pretty Pink Trail Mix

This is so super easy too, it's just throwing together things you have such as cereals (cheerios, raisin wheats, shredded wheat… etc.) chocolate chips, M&M's, popcorn, raisins, dried cranberries, nuts… whatever you have! I love how you don't need anything specific for this and you can make this completely to your taste! Again, perfect for a movie or night in or something you may have planned for valentines day!

So, that's a couple of snacks you can make which are super, super easy to make and so simple!
Also, for Valentines Outfit Inspiration click here! I hope you have an amazing, fun day on Friday with your valentines, or even watch a movie by yourself with yummy snacks (it seems like a fun night too)!

What's your favourite simple recipe to make?

 Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Giveaway: FREE Pair of Stylish Glasses and 5 vouchers!

Hello!

Well, there's a first time for everything and why not make TODAY the first time for a GIVEAWAY?!
Okay, I've never done this before but I thought I should! I really wanted to thank you for reading the blog and took this opportunity to do so.

About two weeks ago, I posted a Relaxing/Lazy/Sick Day To-Do List/Must-Haves (wow that's a lot of slashes and hyphens), where I posted a picture of me with a pair of glasses:

Well, now you have a chance to own the same style of glasses or choose from any of the classics (click HERE to view)...

They will come with 2 cases, a cleaning cloth and, obviously: the glasses! All expenses are covered so it's completely FREE for you! They can be altered to your prescription (zero - 1.5 powered lens)  - if you don't wear glasses, then you can get the zero powered!

All you have to do is follow this blog and choose the pair you want (from here).
Then follow this to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember, even if you don't win this, you can still get a pair free with your first purchase.

So, I hope you find a style you like, and remember you can win 10 extra entries EACH day if you tweet the giveaway!

It's open until midnight of the 8th of February 2014 - I will announce and contact the winners by the 10th of February.

Good Luck!

Dry Skin from Cold Weather?!

Hello!

Now winter is full blown and yes, we're reaching temperatures below 0 degrees Celcius in England right now, it means to say you may be finding your skin getting drier? Even worse: Flaking!

You may think that its the cold weather that is actually drying out your skin - but this is a MYTH.
In reality it's the central heating in your home that is drawing out moisture from your skin. Notice how flowers kept near a radiator are likely to quench up and dry out? It's the same for your skin.

STOP your skin drying out by adding a humidifier to your home, or just your bedroom. Yet, these can be expensive and somewhat unrealistic to get. So, these are some easy ways you can add moisture to your home:

Dry some clothing on your radiator: this means the moisture from the wet clothing/material will evaporate and add moisture to the room

Houseplants: like I mentioned earlier, plants can get dry if near the radiator. Make sure to water the plant well so it a)Lives and b)Adds moisture to your room

 Or, you can simply use a dish of water: place a shallow dish of water near a radiator so again the water can evaporate and prevent the central heating leaving your skin cracked!

Oh, and if you currently have dry skin - apply some vaseline before you go to bed, and rub it in.

So, keep your room nice and warm, yet moist this winter and save your skin!

What's your skin saviour for dry skin? 

image source

Who to be for HALLOWEEN - Costume Ideas!

Hello!

Halloween is the highlight of October, even though it's right at the end!
It's great fun dressing up and watching scary movies or going to costume parties but there's one problem... what to dress up as?!

When I was younger I had this Witch hat that was black with a purple velvet trim and a fake spider stuck onto it which I wore for like 3 years straight because I wouldn't want anything else. One year, I found these fake fangs which when you kind of press your teeth together it lights up, so going trick or treating at about 6pm with a group of friends and our mums when it's really dark, my teeth would guide the way! I wander what happened to them...

Anyway these are my top ideas and how to get the look!

source

Headband - Claires

Dress - ModCloth

Shoes - Karen Millen

Belt - Asos

The good thing about this is you can wear the dress, shoes and belt throughout the year too, so you know you'll get a lot of use out of it! Plus it's super cute! 

source: 1, 2 

Angels and Goddess's look quite similar yet you can go with the boho style for the goddess and buy a halo for the angel look! 

Dress: Oasis

Headdress: Asos

Shoes: Asos

So that's another outfit that you can wear again and not only on Halloween! 

I personally love the idea for something cute and girly this year for halloween and these are three ideas that you can go with! 

And if you're not really doing anything for halloween or planning to dress up, get with a movie, a chai tea latte and some cookies and wait until the first of November comes around - which sounds like just as fun!