October 2012, According to my iPhone...

Hi guys,
It's officially November! That means it is officially the month we will be having this baby - it feels like I've been waiting forever! But it's not time to get ahead of myself and think about next month when I haven't told you what I did last month yet.

Here's what I got up to in October:

Carving pumpkins - You can check out my tutorial on how to carve your own here.
Baking cookies for my nephews first birthday party - I can't believe he's about to turn one!
Caviar manicure - I was really excited when I saw this new nail technique (and it looks great!) but was disappointed on application. It only lasted one day, and the little balls started falling off almost immediately.
Hello Kitty lust - I saw these lipsticks in Superdrug and immediately bought one because of how cute the packaging was. As a lipstick it has no staying power at all, but it does brighten up my dressing table!

Checking out dresses - At the V&A. I went to see the ballgown exhibition with some friends and was just obsessed with some of the dresses. I wish we lived in a time or place where I got to twirl and dance in full skirted frocks occasionally!
Bedroom mini-make over - The bedroom was the only room we hadn't done anything to since we moved in, so I decided to give it a quick mini makeover: new bedding and curtains, new blankets and cushions, and new artwork. Easy peasy!
Pickling! - It's that time of the year again! If you want to make your own pickles and chutneys for Christmas then you need to get a wiggle on - God, I sound all domesticated and old don't I?!

Feeling festive - In Primark! Primark have got a great selection of Christmassy jumpers instore at the moment - early I know - for both men and women. In a slightly-ironic-but-secretly-awesome way, I really love a good Christmas jumper but because you can wear them so little they just aren't worth the money. These Primark ones are the solution!
New eyebrows - I had my eyebrows shaped at the Benefit brow bar. More expensive than a quick wax at my local salon, but the results are totally worth it.
New hair - I've been trying to get myself pampered as much as possible before bubs arrived, so I also had my highlights redone. Next on the list is a relaxing pedicure and a massage or two - I'm reliably assured that in a couple of weeks I won't have anytime to do these things so I'm making the most of it!

Love Tor xx

Fabfrocks at Home: How to carve a pumpkin

Hi guys,
Pumpkin carving is something of an annual Halloween tradition in the Fabfrocks household: hubby and I carve a pumpkin each every year, and compete to see who can create the best design! But if you've never carved a pumpkin before it can be quite daunting. Which is why I've written this quick step by step tutorial (complete with pictures) so that you can create a scary Jack-o-lantern of your own!

1. You will need: We don't buy special pumpkin carving kits, we just use the tools we have in the kitchen. We use a sharp knife, a blunt normal eating knife, a spoon, and an ice cream scoop. You will also need a biro to draw your design template.

2. First you need to do your prep work. Take a sharp knife and remove the top of the pumpkin: traditionally this is done in the shape of a simple circle. I like to create a star shaped lid. Once you have removed the lid comes the boring bit: emptying the pumpkin! Remember that the more of the flesh you can remove, the longer your pumpkin will last. I use a spoon and an icecream scoop to remove as much of the flesh as possible.

3. Choose your design. Google images is a great source of inspiration for this! Once you know what you want your pumpkin to look like, take your biro and draw your design onto the front of your pumpkin: this will provide the template that you will cut out.

4. Get cutting! Take the sharp knife and remove the skin and flesh from your design. I then use the blunt knife to smooth the edges as much as possible: I find it much easier to control and stick to the design that way.

5. Insert your candle, light you're pumpkin, and put it in your living room window so that it can frighten all the children on your street....Mwah hah hah!!! It really is that easy!

Have you carved a pumpkin for this Halloween? What design did you go for? I'd love to see your pumpkin pictures!

Love Tor xx

Last Minute Costume Ideas

The clock is ticking to choose a Halloween costume for this weekend and for those of you who have a party to go to tonight, time has nearly run out! We know some of you may have planned costumes way far in advance, but for those of who you who live on the edge, here are some costume ideas that you can put together last minute.

Okay, we know being a cat for Halloween is a bit played out, but like Saira's mom always says, "beggars can't be choosers!" Throwing on a pair of cat ears and clipping on a cat tail is sometimes all you need. It's quick, easy, cheap, and suitable for family friendly parties as well as sexy midnight soirees. Just throw on all black, paint on some whiskers, and you're set.

Unless you've been living under a rock these past 2 years, zombies are all the rage and are sure to be the biggest costume trends this year. The best thing about dressing as a zombie is that you can be a zombie anything. So take out your inappropriate Princess Jasmine costume from a few years back, throw some blood on it, and voilà, you're zombie Princess Jasmine. Or you know, a zombie nurse, zombie Spiderman, zombie tennis player, etc.

Okay so we're a little reluctant to share this one because Saira's been waiting to whip this costume out at some point, but we love you, so here you have it. James Bond movies always feature super villains and super sexy women, so why not combine both and be a super sexy villain! All you need is a hot evening gown / cocktail dress and an eye patch and you'll be the hottest bad girl around.

We love-love-love this cereal killer costume idea. Just wear a box of cereal somewhere on your body (the head is too cute) and carry a fake knife, and you're set! It's incredibly simple, requires almost no new purchases, and is very punny.

We love Lady Gaga's music, but sometimes she rubs us the wrong way. While we weren't big fans of her whole Jo Caledrone character, it does make a pretty sweet and easy to make costume. All you need is an old tee shirt, black blazer, jeans, a lot of hair gel, and some black eye shadow for stubble.

All you'll need for this costume is some white gloves, face paint, and black eyeliner. Pull your black (or black and white!) t-shirt and black pants out of your closet and you'll be all set. Of course you'd likely need to remain silent most of the night, but hey, you can't have everything.

 For more ambitious projects, make yourself into a DIY hot air balloon or the house from the movie UP! Find a cardboard box, rig it around your body, add some fake paper bag weights, and top it off with bright, helium filled balloons. Just make sure your party will have a lot of wide open spaces!



Happy Halloween!



XOXO

Jen & Saira

Happy Halloween!

Hope you're all having a suitably spooky weekend! Mike and I carved these pumpkins this weekend (he did the Hello Kitty!) and are on our way to the London dungeons for their "hell-oween" experience: i'm wearing my skull scarf and pumpkin orange nails for the occasion! Have a great day!

Love, Tor xx

Wedding Style: Hauntingly Gorgeous Goth

It's finally here!  With Halloween just two days away, this post concludes our creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky series.  When planning for your Halloween event it is not always necessary to include ghosts, pumpkins, witches and the like. If those things seem a little too silly and childish for you then the best alternative for you would be to think in terms of Gothic style.  Instead of ghouls and spider webs you get roses and lace.  The key players in this motif are black and dark, blood red, candles, ornate damask prints, and lace.  These may not be the most traditionally beautiful spaces, but there is something eerily enchanting about this type of decor that we just can't seem to resist.

Horror movies always take place in the dark, which means you need candles! Candles are a great way of adding light and ambiance to your venue, and the type of candles you choose can really shape the theme of your wedding. You can opt for heavy pewter candelabras with tall, thin candles, or large pillar candles to give it a Gothic feel.

We truly believe that your choice in flowers really sets your wedding theme, which is why we think these black calla lilies are perfect if you're going for a dark, Gothic theme.  Lilies are often related to funerals and death, but traditionally they signify innocence and purity! Regardless, they are beautiful. If you're not into the lilies, however, then opt for black roses as a nice twist on tradition.

This Gothic wedding cake proves that beauty is in the details.  Seriously, how gorgeous is this cake?! It simple, but so detailed! Covered in swirls, vines and flowers, this cake really helps evoke the feelings of love and passion and it just looks too good to eat!

Or, for something even more dramatic (did you think that was possible?) check out this bloody masterpiece.  It's gorgeous in that American Beauty meets True Blood meets Twilight kind of way.

The first thing you think of when you think of horror and Gothic style are skulls, and we agree with that sentiment.  However, as far as your wedding goes, you may want to hold back on the skulls, as it can be a little too kitschy and Hot Topic for our tastes.  With that said, we think you can use skulls in your decor to add a subtle and interesting look, without coming off as too Avril Levine. Try this silver skull place card holder, for example. It's small, discrete, and tasteful (as far as skulls go), plus it's practical!

Antique rings are both unique and beautiful!  This antique Edwardian ring is an intricate little work of art and would be a perfect engagement ring for the off-beat or Gothic bride.

Sexy & sultry, the birdcage veil is a must have for a modern Gothic wedding.  There is something about it that is just so mysterious and alluring.  Plus, the feathers on top really help to give this a costume-y Halloween feel.

Unique guest books are always fun!  This ultra eerie book and feather pen are a beautiful and unique way incorporate the Halloween theme into your event.  The torn pages are a nice touch and create an aged look and the matte finish on the frame and table certainly add to the drama.

 The Goth bride can't just wear any old dress - she needs a dress with character, something enchanting and a little different. Luckily Claire Pettibone has such a great eye for romantic details and this dress from her 2009 Fall collection is perfect for our post today.  Having a Halloween wedding doesn't have to mean costumes and scary make-up, it can be really feminine and pretty if done the right way.

Double, double toil and trouble.



XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Halloween (Orange and Black)

Better late than never!  We apologize to our regular readers for having to wait so long for today's color post so, without further ado:



 When it comes to selecting color schemes not everyone goes for soft, coordinating colors. Some brave souls take the road less traveled and go for bold contrast. Luckily for those with a flair for fright, Halloween is all about the drama! Orange and black are the traditional colors associated with Halloween, probably due to a variety of things such as darkness, death, and the general orange-y colors of the harvest. Orange and black can be a fun pairing to really get you in the "spirit" of fall, but it can also be elegant and warm depending on the shades of orange you go with.  A vibrant orange will give you that youthful, spooktacular, kind of feel while a butternut squash or pumpkin hue will create a space that feels more cozy and sophisticated.

Black and Orange Halloween Color Inspiration Board

Images from: a variety of wonderful sources that were lost when Jen's computer crashed.  We are working to recover them and will credit accordingly.

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Halloween costume ideas

Hi guys,
With Halloween just a few days away, everyone is talking about what costumes they are going to be wearing. I love Halloween (we will be spending ours at the London Dungeons) and I love dressing up, but I hate unimaginative slut costumes: what exactly does a playboy bunny have to do with Halloween? My thoughts exactly! A costume party is the perfect opportunity to express yourself: do you really want people to think the inner you is a stripper, or worse still, that you have so little imagination you think its OK to dress as a witch? (again!)

So if you still haven't decided what you're going as and you need a costume quick, here are my picks of the best ones to be had:

Of course there was bound to be a Lady Gaga costume or two in the mix. And lets be honest, the Lady is pretty scary! This has all the aspects needed to be a great Halloween look! For around £40 you can buy the two official lady gaga outfits. But lets be honest, the quality is unlikely to be great, and for that money you could buy a dress you might actually wear again! Why not just invest in a couple of cans of coke to wrap in your hair, throw on a pair of fishnet tights with either a black dress or black leotard (depending on how daring you are!) and then add a black studded leather jacket. The one in the picture is from Topshop.

Corpse bride: I have weddings on the brain at the moment, and the corpse bride costume is a nice easy one to do! Tesco's had an amazing corpse bride costume on their website (it's now sold out online) However with a little time this is a costume that can look great on a budget: buy an old wedding dress or long white dress (the older the better!) from your local charity shop. Tear it and add either streaks of dirt or fake blood. White out your face with facepaints and your hair with talc and you're ready to go. Easy as that!
Speaking of my wedding (were we? again?) Alice in Wonderland characters make great costumes (especially if you team up with a group of friends) and are so popular they are no 2 on the list of 100 most popular homemade costumes. From Alice and the Queen of Hearts to the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit, these would be super-easy to buy, and easy to make too (especially the hatter and the rabbit) The Alice dress shown is available from etsy.

Other great ideas for fashion lovers include: Marie Antionette, a 1920's flapper girl, Anna Wintour, and my personal favourite: Karl Lagerfeld.

I can't wait for the start of the witching hour: i'm making jellies with spiders in, and am even attempting orange cake pops (I want to make them look like pumpkins!)How will you be spending your Halloween? What will you be dressing up as this Halloween?

Love, Tor xx

Halloween Planning: More Treats, Less Tricks

Halloween is one of our favorite times of years, and it's only a week away! Almost every year we throw a Halloween party with all our friends, who have the most amazing, over-the-top costumes. And when you have serious Halloween costumes, then you need serious Halloween treats. Here are some ideas on how to get creative and express the true spirit of Halloween:

This looks disgusting, but it's actually delicious! It's just shortbread cookies topped with almonds and a little bit of red dessert sauce. The hardest part is getting the shape right, and adding in the authentic finger lines. But if you can pull it off, then this will be one grossly yummy snack!

Halloween cupcakes are one of the most creative treats to make. The smooth, rounded surfaces makes for a great palette, and there are endless options available online. Rather than provide an exhaustive list, we decided to feature these cupcakes that are to die for! We're not entirely sure how they made the little knives on top, our guess is that they took some card stock, cut it shape, and threw some icing on top. Of course, an all edible version would be perfect, so if you have any ideas how to do this, please let us know! 

If you're not much of a baker, then these vampire cupcakes are for you. We like this cupcake style because it's simple, a little creepy, and a little artsy. Plus they're super simple to make: all you need is vanilla icing and some red gel, and voilà! You have your own mini Edward Cullen, sorta. 

Halloween doesn't have to only be about candy! Check out these creepy teeth made from healthy and delicious apples! All you need is a half a dozen apples, a sharp knife, and maybe some lemon juice to keep it looking fresh. On second thought, the apple turning brown will make it that much creepier! 

There are many ways to make creepy eyeball snacks (cupcakes, deviled eggs, fresh mozzarella) but we love how squish and slimy these lichee eyeballs look! They're pretty easy to make, you just need some fresh lichees, strawberry jam, and blueberries. Of course, we're not sure how many of your guests will want to actually eat these... they look a little too real.

Another simple, but very festive option, are these blood test tube shots. Fill them with anything you want, fruit punch, jello shots, what have you, and throw in some little gummy spiders to add some extra spook to it.

These tombstone pudding cups are very detailed, but require very few ingredients! You just need some dark chocolate pudding, cookie crumbs, cookies, and some chocolate icing. The little flowers are a good touch, but if you're feeling especially morbid, you can also throw in some little skeleton hands!

Happy Halloween!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Black and Purple

Jen's back from vacation, and just in time for this week's color day!  Let's dig a little deeper into the holiday of the season and explore some excellent color combinations for Halloween themed or Gothic style weddings or parties.  Of course we'll do the traditional orange and black in the upcoming weeks, but before we get to that, we figured we could show you some other takes on Halloween that are sure to create a dark and down right spooky kind of event.  Orange isn't for everyone.  So if you love Halloween but sunshine orange makes you cringe, don't fret.  Purple is sexy and classy enough for the modern bride, but creepy and eerie enough to take the phrase "til death" to a whole new level.

Halloween Black and Purple Wedding Inspiration Board

Images from: Project Wedding, Couture Events by Lottie, Marilyn San Clemente , Elizabeth Ann Designs, Zena Dia Design,  Manolo Blahnik Shoe Shops, Polyvore, Chrissy Watson, Jamball, Create and Adorn

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Halloween Look Book: Couples Costumes

Hey, dolls! It's that time of year again, when we start obsessing over our Halloween costumes! Admittedly, we start planning our Halloween costumes months in advance (or a year in advance if you're Saira), but this is crunch time. If you're buying online, you should order soon to get it in time, and if you're buying in stores, you need to head over before they run out! We decided that we wanted to post about one of our favorite Halloween traditions... couples costumes! Sure they may be a little cheesy, and it's usually close to impossible to get your guy to agree to it, but if you can manage it, then it can be a lot of fun! The key to having a cute couple's costume, and not making everyone around you gag, is not taking yourself too seriously. That means no to Romeo and Juliet... unless it's zombie Romeo and Juliet, and in that case, it's awesome.

Before Bella and Edward, there was Doug and Patty.  Episode after episode, young Doug Funnie pined after Patty Mayonnaise, and fans wondered, would he ever get the girl? Well you can answer that question this halloween, by dressing up as the adorable cartoon duo. We found this image at collegehumor.com to give you a visual, but honestly, we think you all can do much better than this.  Think big!

One of the greatest love stories of our time... Rogue and Gambit from Marvel's X-Men. Their passion for each other is only matched by their incredible style. If you're a Marvel fan, then this costume is for you. Of course, you can't buy it in stores, so you'll have to put a lot of time and effort into it. But the end result is very impressive.

If you're more of a DC gal, or you don't want to take the time to put together a costume, then this Batman and Robin costume might be right for you! The crime fighting duo make an iconic team, and we just love the colors of Robin's outfit. 

 

Sticking to the comics theme, what comic book couple isn't as beloved as Archie and Betty? Or is it Archie and Veronica? You can (finally) choose for Archie by pairing him up with one of his best gals. While you can purchase pre-made costumes available online, we're sure you can do a much better job re-creating their look yourself. Let's just hope that if you're Betty, Veronica doesn't show up to steal your man. She can be pretty persistent!

Last year, Saira and her main squeeze opted to go as bacon and eggs. It was fun, comfortable, and incredibly affordable! They spent less than $30 on the costume, which you can find online or at your local costume shop!

Popeye and Olive Oyl are one of the cutest cartoon duos, and make for a great couples costume. It's easily recognizable, not too played out, and Olive Oyl's costume is pretty darn cute. You just gotta convince your guy to wear the fake muscles, to make it really authentic. 

If you're into more traditional Halloween costumes, then how about Morticia and Gomez Adams? Sure, you might have to talk your guy into it, but tell him he gets to wear a sweet mustache, and we're sure he'll be in.  Plus you get to wear a sexy dress and awesome wig, so it's really win-win!

Okay, so this might not exactly be a "couples costume"... but it's a costume idea for a couple of friends, so we think it counts! Alvin and the Chipmunks was one of our favorite shows growing up, and the best part about it (other than Theodore) were the Chipettes! They were the cutest, freshest, and most stylish chipmunks in town. We found this picture online of a trio of girls who did an absolutely AMAZING job dressing the park. While it's a DIY costume, a lot of the stuff you can find in regular stores, so it's just a matter of taking a shopping trip one weekend. If any of you end up doing this, please send us a picture!



Caring is creepy!



XOXO,

Jen & Saira