Lucky Dip Club Review - Pet Parade

On Saturday, I received what I can only describe as the most awesome post ever to come through my letterbox. That's no exaggeration. The previous Tutti Frutti themed Lucky Dip Club box (which you can read about here) really impressed me, but this month's Pet Parade box was like it was made JUST FOR ME!

As usual, everything was beautifully packaged, and with a handwritten note from Leona, who is behind the Lucky Dip Club boxes. Having seen the huge piles of boxes she has to post out every month on Instagram, I really don't know how she has the time to do everything!

On opening up the little packages, the first thing I found was this, a wooden necklace featuring some super cute kittens in a basket. I thought it went perfectly with my red dress.

Some stationary in the form of postcards and kittycat gift tags.

A kit to make Budgie Bunting (see below for the finished product!), and what can only be described as the most outrageously bright kitsch socks I've ever owned. My boyfriend, who knows nothing, strongly proclaimed how much he hated them. I, on the other hand, absolutely love them <3

And in the final little wrapped parcel, I found this months personalised item. Leona asked those ordering boxes to let her know their favourite animal or pets name, so instead of something personalised with my own name this month I received this little wooden balloon brooch featuring my baby kitty- my favourite thing in the box! I did try to get Pancake to pose with it for a picture, but unfortunately he isn't very bright... Instead he picked up the brooch and decided to have a little nibble, naughty boy - so that's the best picture we could manage!

Thanks Lucky Dip Club and Leona for making my day! Next months box will be on the theme of 'Think Happy Ice-Cream Parlour' - I'm expecting summery prints and candy colours. You can order here, if you'd like - I really can't recommend highly enough :)

Gooey Chocolate and Walnut Brownies

Ingredients I used:

200g dark chocolate

180g butter

200g caster sugar

110g plain flour

3 eggs

50g walnuts

LOTS of chocolate chips

I melted the chocolate and butter together (the original recipe said to do this in a bowl over hot water, but who has time for that? I chucked it in a saucepan and made sure to keep stirring - less washing up too!). I then whisked up the sugar and eggs, stirred in the melted chocolate mixture (after it had cooled a bit) and chucked in my walnuts and chocolate chips - but I guess you could use any extras, white chocolate chunks would work well. It all went in the oven on 160 for about an hour - it took a long time to cook as the mixture made quite chunky brownies in my small square cake tin. They were still lovely and soft and fudgey in the middle, so that was good! Flowery flags optional, of course...

The best brownie dessert is a melty warm brownie with a big spoon of ice cream, YUM. 

I want to try melt in the middle chocolate puddings next, I'm not sure how hard it would be. Any recipes? What have you been baking recently?

Sunday Favourites

I didn't get a chance to post my Sunday Favourites last week as I was on my holidays in Barcelona with a group of friends. So this weeks favourites, of course, feature a lot of sun!

My favourite Topshop boat dress / Fun on the beach / Cute red sundress I picked up before my holiday / Rocking my Lucky Dip Club Tutti Frutti patch on my denim shorts

After doing a bit of pre-holiday shopping for some summer dresses I had plenty of cute things to wear on the trip - I love both of the above dresses, even more after discovering they both have pockets! The others on the trip didn't get why this was awesome - I can't be the only one who loves a dress with pockets, right? Somewhere to put your sunglasses? 

Art gallery and fountains / Most terrifying cable car ride ever up to the castle / Gaudi's Sagrada Familia / Reading on the beach 

We did a huge amount of walking, climbing in the hills and visiting all the tourist attractions, but we did fit in a day at the beach (where I wore my awesome bikini from my last post and actually didn't feel that self-concious in it at all!)

Celebrating our anniversary

My boyfriend and I also celebrated our 6-year anniversary - the time has just flown by. We went out for a nice dinner and a stroll around the city, and he pretended not to be bored while I dragged him to some of the cities vintage shops - there is a whole street which reminded me a lot of the Northern Quarter we have here in Manchester. 

While the holiday was great, coming home was good too, as it meant we were back with little Pancake kitty. He'd been on his holidays too, in the countryside, but seemed very happy to see us - until he fell asleep from all the excitement, at least...

So there was my week! Do let me know your own Sunday favourites too :)