Last Minute Christmas Gifts





Decisions,decisions...

Yesterday I've been having so many contradictory thoughts when thinking what should I buy for my husband.Christmas is getting closer and closer, the stores are getting more crowded than usual and the panic starts kicking in.

Over the last couple of years, I've always left the gift buying for the last moment.What can I say?! I'm a busy woman. :)
So, I have a few options that I think that my husband would like for Christmas.



Option number one: Today I went for a free eye check and surprise surprise, I will need to wear glasses every now and again, but what I want to say is that this place was next door to a pet shop. My husband is crazy after fish.We've had fish when we were and after we finished Uni, and he never stops reminding me of how much he misses having a tank with small fish. Extremly relaxing and fun to look at,but we don't have the time to care after them.Also,the humidity from the tank makes me have second thoughts.


If your partner is a technology geek- just like mine is - then the gift choice is pretty clear.
Let me explain to you how Nick is - when he wants something, there's no review left unread for the products, Nick has to know everything: specifications,cost, efficiency  how the competition presents itself.Therefore, I cannot dissapoint-I have to do the same thing.This leads me to option number two: a fitness tracker. Not only that he likes being active, but he used to play professional basket ball a few years ago and still enhoys doing sports.Luckily,I found a website that reviews, compares and contrasts only the best quality smart watches out there, so I got my eye on a few products.

Option number three: Going on a holiday. I've been praying to go on a holiday ,just the two of us for almost one year, but 2019 was...hecktic to say the least, you know that we have our own business now, Nick Calini Photography &Videography and that's extremly time consuming.We love love love what we do, but many times this means that we will spend more time together indoors editing and less time travelling and just chilling. It all comes with a cost,so booking a holiday might not be the best idea right now, but it's still something on my mind.


Please do let me know, did you manage to buy the Christmas presents?Can you give me any ideas,which option should I pick?? :)


Leeds Light Night




Hi,guys!

The last couple of weeks-what am I even saying, months- my schedule has become hectic. I've been working non stop for at least 12h/day and weekends included.If I think about it, in the last half a year I've had max 3-5 days that were my selfish days,meaning I would just relax and forget about the things that need doing,so having a day off was a complete luxury.Anyway you can read more about what I've been up to with Nick Calini Photography over here.
So thinking about all the hard work that I've put into our business I've decided that enough was enough and  that we should have a date night, out in Leeds.
Friday night we've been fortunate enough to catch the last day of Light Night. If you've never been to Light Night,please go next year, it's an absolute treat for your little one and a delight for adults as well.There are different locations throughout Leeds City Centre where you can see different shows, loads of good food and just good vibes all around.










This was for sure the best night that we've had in a long time.
If you follow me on Instagram,you might have noticed that...I have not posted anything about it,and it's not because I didn't want to.
Why didn't I post anything ? Well...this makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, but the truth is...
I am on a pay as you go sim card,sometimes it works for me , but every now and again I just run out of credit without warning. I've been going on like this ever since I came to the UK almost 6 years ago.
When you are on a pay as you go sim, sometimes you realised you just run out of credit in the most important moments...when you have to make an important phone call, when there's a special event, when there's an emergency...

when there's an emergency...
For the last couple of months I've had to speak with our clients and having a business there's always something to sort out,so having unlimited data, unlimited texts and unlimited minutes is a must.

Trying to fix this problem I've started to look for unlimited sim only deals, and after doing my research I found out that it would only cost me a couple of pounds extra per month to benefit from …let’s call it a stress free , peace of mind mobile plan.

There are so many network providers offering good deals ,I haven’t changed mine since coming to the UK, and I was so happy to see that 3mobile network is also offering the unlimited sim data.
The price range is between £18.75 and £44 per month, so there’s a package to suit every pocket.

Now, talking from a blogger's point of view, I remember a very famous blogger/vlogger saying about events ' if you're not posting in that exact moment and you're not letting your audience know about it you're irrelevant' . These exact words went through my mind on Friday night, at Light Night in Leeds.


Now tell me, what are your thoughts on this?Have you ever been to Light Night Leeds? 😊

Ps: You can see my Last Minute Christmas post here.


eShores Event




Not long ago I was kindly invited to the eShores event,which took place in Leeds City Center, at the Lambert's Yard where we got a bit of a taste of what the USA feels like. Personally, I have never been to the States, so this event sparked my curiosity .
I have arrived at the event with my fellow bloggers Lucy and Emma and we also met there the lovely Mr. Luke Christian. 






The evening started with some delicious cocktails all inspired by San Fransisco and made by Anthony from Mix & Twist.These were:


  • Wall Banger – Vodka, Mango & Pineapple Juice, Mint & Galliano
  • San Francisco – Vodka, Cherry Brandy, Lime & Sugar
  • Pornstar Martini – Vanilla Vodka, Lemon, Pineapple Juice & Passionfruit syrup
  • Californian Ginjito – gin, Mint, Apple Juice, Lime, Sugar & Soda

My favourite ones were Pornstar Martini and Wall Banger.





The food was inspired by Los Angeles and made by Bears Pantry.For the starter I had the vegetarian Tacos and this was the first time that I had jackfruit.And I liked it! :)
We continued with a fried chicken sandwich and the incredible Vegas Greek Yoghurt Martini. Amazing dessert, especially for the summer time.
I do want to mention that I have stopped being gluten free for a few months, but I want to go back to the gluten free lifestyle.









Inspired by Las Vegas, we were entertained by Sebastian Walton, a very talented magician and the main photographer of the event was ElouisaI just love participating at these kind of events as that's the perfect occasion for a fun day out,have new experiences and also meet new bloggers that can end up becoming your friends. :)


eShores are offering you a £100 discount when you are booking a holiday with them, how amazing is that?! All you need to do is quote “USA/LeedsEvent”. They are offering tailor made itineraries, so there's a perfect holiday for everyone, just make sure that you will contact them to find out more.

Tell me, have you travelled to the USA ?

When You Open Your Own Business - Our struggles and advices




I've been a bit on and off with my blog recently, so many things have changed in a short period of time and it was completely unexpected.
The last couple of months have been so hard, so beautiful, so time consuming and so rewarding at the same time. A beautiful chaos if you might ask me.

It all started when I asked Nick to take pictures for me at events because :1. I cannot take quality pictures of myself with a DSLR and 2. my time there is so much more enjoyable when I got him around.
This is how pixnkix.com was created.I told Nick 'hey,we are already doing so many things why aren't you opening your own blog where you can write about your own experiences ?'. He did open the blog and obsessively started learning about cameras and Photoshop. He would spend 12 hours in a row looking at tutorials and doing masterclasses.
We started investing in lighting and equipment and his skills were improving quicker than ever expected.When people started to ask for his services we knew for sure. We can turn this into a business.
Ever since, I've been working with Nick Calini on his new photography business.If you need a photographer in Leeds Bradford , feel free to contact him.











What should you know when building your business from 0 ?


It will be time consuming. The beginnings are the hardest and you will have to spend every moment of your free time working for your goals. There's always going to be something to do,something to solve,something to improve.

You will have to invest a lot.You can never be prepared enough when it comes to building a business,there's always going to be unexpected expenses,that's why it's good to have a good amount of savings or if you run out of money, a short term loan such as CashLady.com can be a good solution.Buying equipment can be very pricey,so keep this in mind.


You will need help.One person can't do it all, so if any of your family members can help with the small things, such as writing an email or picking up the phone or who knows, even SEO , then don't refuse them.


Networking is key.'It's not what you know, it's who you know that matters most' . Sounds familiar? I bet it does. You can be the absolute best at what you do and it doesn't matter if people don't know about what you're offering. That's why you have to get out there, and know like minded people who can help you promote what it is that you're doing. Knowing the right people will make your business thrive ,you can find mentors and people that can put you in contact with the ones that want to help you.Literally, your whole life can change over night if you meet the right people.



These are a few of the things that I've learned ever since we started our own photography business.
Tell me, do you have your own business? Do you want to start your own business? What are the struggles that you are facing currently?




You can know more about and my lifestyle.
Post writen in colaboration with CashLady.com








GLUTEN FREE SOFT CHEESE AND CUCUMBER STARTER




Whenever I think about this recipe I think about celebrations and New Years Eve.
This was one of my favourite starters that my mom has ever made, almost 12 years ago , and ever since it’s been my first option whenever I have to make some starters for a party or I just want a light and tasty snack.
As I said before,it doesn’t matter if you change one ingredient because you will still have a tasty recipe ,so today I will use goats cheese combined with soft cheese, but if you’re not a fan of goats cheese that’s all right, you can remove it from the recipe and only use soft cheese. It’s just as delicious!



INGREDIENTS

(2 PERSONS)

 

1/2 ORGANIC CUCUMBER

70G GOATS CHEESE

125 G SOFT CHEESE

PANCETTA OR CRISPY BACON

SALT, PEPPER



PREPARATION:

  1. IN A SMALL BOWL PUT THE GOATS CHEESE AND THE CREAM CHEESE AND MIX IT TOGETHER WITH A SPOON OR FORK AND SEASON IT WITH A PINCH OF SALT

  2. CUT THE CUCUMBER INTO 1 CM ROLLS AND PUT THE PIECES ON A PLATE

  3. ADD THE MIX OF GOAT AND SOFT CHEESE ON TOP ON THE CUCUMBERS

  4. CUT THE PANCETTA OR CRISPY BACON INTO TINY PIECES AND ADD THEM ON TOP OF THE CHEESE

  5. SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER

 

ENJOY!


Modern Renaissance Makeup Look





Inspired by Anastasia Beverly Hill’s most well known palette, Modern Renaissance, I created this feminine, sweet ,playful but also dramatic  look using mostly Love Letter and Venetian Red as the intense pink shades .
the orange shades from the 10th year anniversary palette from Kat von D combined with the mono eyeshadow burnt from Makeup obsession complimented the final look.
If you want me to film a tutorial to show you how i did this make-up or have any questions leave a comment and I will be happy to respond. You can find the complete list of products used below.




PRODUCTS USED






KAT VON D BEAUTY PRIMER



KAT VON D LOCK IT FOUNDATION



MAKEUP OBSESSION E101 BURNT



KVD 10th ANNIVERSARY PALETTE


NYX LIQUID EYELINER BLANC


W7 LIPGLOSS TRIPPER



NYX LIQUID SUEDE KITTEN HILLS



CINECITTA MAKEUP PIGMENT



ABH MODERN RENAISSANCE



ARDELL INDIVIDUAL EYELASHES

Skin Care Tips if you are in your late 20's



A while ago, I wrote a blog post about how I take care of my skin during the cold season . Ever since, a lot has changed, and the main thing that has changed is my skin. I will be turning 30 next year -oh my gosh,where did the time fly???- and the fine lines and expression wrinkles are more and more visible, so the products that I used in my twenties, what am I even saying, even the ones that I used one year ago, do not work as well as they used to.So...what did I actually change?



1. Exfoliation and cleansing
I put on my makeup every single day,that's why exfoliating my skin twice per week with a gentle exfoliator is an essential step in my weekly routine.At times I use a facial cleansing brush  together with my cleansing gel from Clinique- Liquid Facial Soap to make sure that I remove every trace of makeup .

2.Serum
Years ago I could not find any benefit for a face serum,I would just put on my daily cream and call it a day. Nowadays, after exfoliating or cleansing, I immediately have to use a serum, or I get an instant feeling of tightness of the skin.The serums that I use and like are from Caudalie- Vinoperfect Radiance Serum. This product is so light and it's immediately absorbed by the skin.

3.Hydrating and moisturising cream
Did you know that the first type of skin that gets all wrinkly is actually the dry skin?This is why using a moisturiser at least twice per day is a must! I use a very dense cream Apidermin which contains honey, it is not suitable for every skin type,just for very dry skin.

Occasionally I use face oils like Hip Rose Oil, but only every once and again as I did see sometimes that it can cause mini break outs on my forehead.

So tell me, which products do you use for your daily skincare routine?

Healthy Summer Brunch - Gluten Free Recipe







What I love about cooking is the diversity, the endless combinations, how a small twist can change the whole flavour and also…there are no rules! You can add or change an ingredient and still get a delicious and healthy meal.
I really want to let everyone know that healthy recipes don’t have to be hard to make and complicated, anyone can do them and I am here to help you with discovering new and delicious meals.
One of my favourite summer salads is the Italian tomato and mozzarella salad, so refreshing and tasty and did I mention, so quick to make? It takes even less than 5 minutes.
You can change the organic ingredients with non-organic ones, but I will always recommend to eat organic food, it’s so much healthier and tastier.
Let’s start!







Ingredients:

1 or 2 slices of gluten free bread

1 mozzarella bufala

1 organic tomato

1 avocado

1 slice of bread

Salt, pepper

Extra virgin Olive oil

3 leaves of basil








Preparation:


1.Start with toasting the bread
2.Slice the tomato and arrange it on a plate
3.Slice the mozzarella and arrange it on top of the tomato slices
4.Cut the basil leaves into tiny pieces and sprinkle them on top of the mozzarella and tomatoes
5.Cut the avocado, slice it and lay on the plate
6.Season all the veggies with a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle a bit of olive oil
7.Add the toast to the plate
Enjoy!




The land of fire - Lanzarote


How often do you travel?
Life always gets in the way, we make plans one day just to see them crumbling the next, things don't always go the way we expect, do they? 
Well, no matter how much things get twisted up, I learned one very important lesson: always have fun. You know why? Because no matter how hard things might seem, I always tell myself: This too shall pass. With that in mind, I prioritise going on holiday,no matter what.
Over the last year, I've been on roughly 6 vacations , two of which were so dear to me that I had to visit the same place twice,once just with my partner and the second with my whole family as well.
If you follow me on Instagram( @Luizacalini ) you should already know what I'm talking about....my vacation in Lanzarote !



Lanzarote is located in the Canary Islands , in the Atlantic Ocean.
With high temperatures all year round,  this island was our favourite place to travel in December and in March.
That place is absolutely stunning, I always get that feeling of wonder but also a bit frightened when I see the landscape, a similar feeling when visiting Iceland.
For me, Lanzarote is the Yin to Iceland's Yang. Fire and Ice.
With numerous beaches and sand from white to black, I must admit that my favourite one was Papagayo Beach. 
A very sheltered beach, with white fine sand and cristal clear water, quiet and with a decent number of tourists, Papagayo Beach is the place to visit when travelling to Lanzarote.Just be aware that you will need to pay a tax to get there and the road is in works,so quite bumpy.




The swimming suit that I have used there is from Hunkemoller.I love the blue-electric kind of colour.You can find the top here: https://www.hunkemoller.co.uk/uk_en/47-crop-game-bikini-crop-top-blue-150107.html and the bottoms here: https://www.hunkemoller.co.uk/uk_en/47-crop-game-low-cheeky-bikini-bottoms-blue-150108.html 
Have you ever been to Lanzarote?

Wedding Dress Styles: How Have They Changed Over The Years…

Many people dream of their wedding day their whole lives… the flowers, the venue but most importantly, the dress.

Although the whole planning process is exciting, it can also be overwhelming. Especially when it comes down to the dress… because let’s face it, it’s what everyone’s looking at.

One way to kick off your wedding dress shopping is to get a good idea of all the wedding dress styles out there.

There is plenty of information out there about the different styles that suit certain body shapes. You can, therefore, narrow your search down a lot by knowing which styles and features are likely to compliment your shape and make you feel a million dollars.

When you’re doing some fun research of wedding dress styles, it is a good idea to look at how styles have changed over the years. You may be someone that loves the vintage look, so may fall in love with a style from the 1980s. On the other hand, you may be a lover of all things modern and benefit from looking at more recent wedding dress styles.

For many, finding the perfect wedding dress doesn’t always go to plan. Why not buy a dress and then alter it to suit your shape and personal style. The Alterations Boutique in Manchester specialise in offering a range of wedding dress alterations. If you have a dream dress in mind, there is no doubt they will be able to materialise it. They offer a complimentary initial consultation and free fitting services, so you don’t have to spend a penny until you know how you want your dress to be transformed.

 To give you a helping hand with figuring out what style of dress you like and send you on your way to hitting the wedding dress shops, let’s take a look at wedding dress styles over the years. 


Let’s go way back…


1900s




The 1900s wedding dresses were extravagant, however in more reserved ways. They mostly featured high necks and frills… lots of them. The high necks were complimented by large puffy sleeves known as Gigot sleeves. Showing some skin on your big day in the 1900s just simply wasn’t done. They still look beautiful though! It’s practically impossible for a bride not to look perfect, no matter what dress she chooses. So don’t fret too much. 


Although the high neck-look and puffy sleeves together might not be something that a bride would choose to wear today. You could incorporate some of the incredible lace detailing and embellishment to add a dainty touch to an otherwise modern dress. 


1920s


The 1920s, otherwise known as the Jazz Age, showed a shift to less fitted dresses. They often had no shape whatsoever, known as ‘swing’ style. The focus of wedding dresses in the 20s seemed to be on the embellishment and headpieces. 


In contrast to the 1900s dresses, the necklines and waistlines were a lot lower. They were covered all over with beautifully patterned beads and embroidery. If you have a dress already but love the look of the detailed embellishment, you can always use an alteration service like Alterations Boutique Manchester to add it on. 




1940s



Wartime wedding dress styles were understandably pretty understated. The dresses and veils were largely made from simple and cheap fabrics. Some brides even had to get creative with fabrics they already owned, such as lace curtains, to add to their look. Fun fact: it was around this time that male wedding rings became popular, to connect loved ones when they were apart during wartime.

During the 40s, the emphasis seemed to be more on the wedding experience rather than the dress, and rightly so. It was not often people were all together and able to let loose, so weddings presented people with the perfect excuse to do just that! 

If

 you don’t take any wedding dress inspiration from the 1940s period, take their mindset. Having a beautiful dress is important yet, but making sure your day is enjoyable should be the priority. 

1950s


Wedding dress styles to keep in mind for this period involved sweetheart necklines, ballerina skirts and gloves. Gloves tend not to be popular for brides today, but if your dress is simple, they are a great way to add some drama! 


Shorter hemlines rose in popularity in this period and as a result, wedding shoes became more of a focus. If you’re one of the many gals out there with a passion for shoes, a 50s-esque dress may be the answer! 


One aspect of 1950s wedding dress styles that is still often seen on aisles today is the sweetheart neckline. This was popularised by Grace Kelly at the time and became the really only seen neckline in that period! It is a super flattering neckline without revealing too much. You could incorporate this neckline into your dress with a more modern twist by making it strapless. 


1980s


Fast forward to the 80s and there is almost a complete reversal in terms of wedding dress styles. 1980s dresses were very traditional looking, long, frilly, lacy and downright extravagant. Princess Diana’s famous dress showcases the trends of this era perfectly. The huge sleeves, long train and veil… such a statement! 


If you are one of those people who certainly isn’t shy of the limelight, why not transform your dress into something similar? You could add a long train or veil to an otherwise simple dress to emanate some Princess Diana vibes on your big day. 

As you can hopefully see by now, the opportunities to incorporate prominent features from wedding dress styles from over the years are endless!