Snowing Shortbread

Hello loves,

Today's post is going to be a super simple post on how to make these cute little chocolate 'covered in snow' short breads. This is something you could easily do with children or for your self and will only take a few moments to do!

Things you will need:

Shortbread (You could make your own by finding a recipe online. However, I just used the ones from the packet!)
200g Chocolate of your choice (Add more chocolate if you are making more than 8)
Icing Sugar

First of all you want to break your chocolate up into little squares and place them into a glass bowl.

After this you want to boil some water in the kettle. Once that has boiled pour the water into a pan and set the glass bowl on top. Turn the stove on and let the water continue to boil.

After a very short while your chocolate should start to melt and once it has completely melted remove the bowl off of the pan and now it's time for the fun part! Woohoo!

Resist trying to eat all of the melted chocolate with a spoon. I know, it's hard.

You want to take your shortbread and dip it into the chocolate; covering all of it but the bottom.

After doing this set all of your chocolate covered short breads in the fridge to cool down. They should be hard after around 30 mins.

Once the chocolate it completely hard you then want to start to sprinkle them with the icing sugar to give the effect of snow! And there you go! All done and ready to eat. Simple & delicious.

I hope you enjoyed this post & thank you so much for reading. If you make these please tweet me a picture @KatieEllen201.

See you tomorrow!

Katie Ellen. xxxx

Non Alcoholic Christmas Drinks

Hey Guys!

Today's post is for those of you who aren't a fan of alcohol or if you just generally want to be more healthy this holiday season.

I decided that I'm going to give you two recipes of nothing but fruit & veg that you can pop in a juicer and make some delicious drinks! I made one red & one green as they are always the colours that spring to my mind during the Christmas season. Ofcourse you can add decorations to the drink to make them more festive if you would like!

These ingredients are to only make one glass of juice. If you would like more add as much of each ingredient as you wish.

Let's start with the red juice, shall we?

What you will need:

1 Medium Beetroot
1 Cucumber
Cup Of Blueberries
Handful of Rocket
Handful of Spinach

And for the green juice you will need:

2 Apples
1 Orange
2 Handfuls of Kale
1 Handful of Spinach
1/2 Pineapple

I'm going to be fully honest and say that I wasn't very fond of the red juice as I didn't think it was sweet enough for me. However, if you taste it and think the same you can always add some pineapple or orange to make it more sweet!

Let me know in the comments if you would try these out!

Thank you for reading,

Katie Ellen, xxxx

Time To Change

Hey guys,

I am writing this just as World Mental Health Day is coming to an end and I'm feeling super emotional so obviously I had to write a blog post! Haha.

Firstly, I wanted to talk to you about a post that I wrote for the Time To Change campaign website. I always express that whenever I talk about mental health there will always be a reason behind me doing so - and that reason is always to help the people who are struggling.

Time To Change campaign against mental health stigma - which believe it or not still exists! And I had the opportunity to share my story and how I have also been stigmatised for having a mental illness. This was / still is a HUGE deal for me. To be able to potentially help so many people makes me almost want to cry and i'm not afraid to say that I feel really proud of myself for being able to open up beyond the comfortable space of my own YouTube channel or blog.

If you want to read the post I will have a link at the very end of this post. If you feel like my story or anyone else's on there could help someone then please do share them! It would mean the world to myself and everyone else involved.

I also wanted to say how days like WMHD make me super emotional. To see everyone coming together to support each other makes me so happy and fills my heart with so much love. As a person who struggles with MH I think I speak for a lot of us when I say that it's extremely nice to feel like someone cares.

I would just like to end this post by saying that if you have a mental illness I want you to know that you're not alone. There are so many people out there feeling the exact way that you do so please don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help. There is nothing to be afraid of - I promise you there are people who love you and want to help you.

Let me know in comments how you felt about world mental health day!

Thanks for reading,

Katie Ellen. xxx

TimeToChange.com/KatieEllen

Dog Therapy

Hey guys!

Today's post is going to be all about those little 4 legged human / animals that live in your house totally rent free and eat more food than you do. Yes, I'm talking about dogs! *fangirls*

So, first of all I would like to begin by saying that I wasn't always a huge dog lover. I have always loved dogs and animals in general to an extent but never really understood how people become so passionate about them. I remember having a conversation with my boyfriend Karl about his dog Jake (this is before I had my own dog) and I remember him saying he would take a bullet for him. Honestly, at the time I thought this was such an insane thing to say but I can completely say that my view now has changed 100%.

This is me and Jake, he's such a little sweetheart!

I guess before I carry on I should introduce you to my dog, right!?

This is Phoebe my little 10 month old Cavachon and we have had her since she was around 16 weeks old. She is a little a bit crazy (in the best way possible) and I honestly couldn't imagine my life without her.

It's absolutely no secret to the internet that I suffer from anxiety and depression but I truly do believe that Phoebe has helped me through bad times more than humans have, surprisingly! There have been multiple times when I have lied on my bed curled up in a little ball crying my eyes out due to depression just wishing I had the courage to ask someone to help me when this little fluff ball jumps up onto my bed and starts trying to lick away my tears and curling up onto my lap; suddenly I find myself crying with happiness. For once I didn't have to reach out to anyone and ask for help as she was already there. I'm honestly welling up just typing this!

I feel that she has also helped my anxiety more than I can even put into words. I struggle a lot to walk places by myself so before having Phoebe I severely avoided leaving the house unless I was jumping into a car. However, knowing that I have the responsibility of a dog I force myself almost everyday (other days my family members take her out) to take her for a nice long walk and having her by my side makes me feel so much less anxious and on edge; even if she does like to bark at everything! Haha. 

I honestly believe that if you do suffer with mental health issues that a dog can be a real help in your recovery but always remember that you have to show them just as much love, too! I would give cats a shout out too but I have never owned one so I'm not sure if they act the same. Do let me know in the comments below if you feel the same about your dog or any other animal you may have as I am always happy to talk about animals, haha!

Thank you so much for reading,

Katie Ellen. xx

Getting Your First Tattoo?

Hello loves,

So for this past week I have been wanting another tattoo so badly and since that is what I've had on my mind so much I decided I would write up a little post to try and help out people who are thinking of getting their first tatt by giving you some tips on how you can prepare for it.

First of all this is super cliche and kind of annoying but please make sure that the tattoo you are getting is 100% the one that you want. I suggest giving an idea a couple of weeks to think about before getting it done as there have been times when I have wanted a tattoo so badly and then a few weeks later had second thoughts. It's all about patience.

I would also like to state that I am of course not a professional; these are just tips that have helped for me in the past but for the best advice about preparing for a tattoo your best bet is to speak to your tattoo artist.

STEP NUMBER ONE

One of my main tips of advice is to make sure you get a good night sleep. Depending on the time of your appointment you want to make sure that you get yourself to bed nice and early so that your body is feeling alive and ready to tolerate pain.

For my first tattoo I made sure I went to bed early but as I got more & more tattoo's I became super cocky and thought I could handle a tattoo while I was tired and I can 100% tell you that I definantly felt the pain more when I was sleepy than when I wasn't.

STEP NUMBER TWO

Make sure to bring some kind of drink with you - preferably something quite sugary. This is because rising your sugar level can make you feel better during your tattoo. Sometimes the pain can make you feel quite light headed & some people even faint during the process so it is important to keep those sugar levels up & to also stay hydrated.

However, if you aren't a fan of sugary drinks you can bring a bottle of water with you to stay hydrated and also bring along a snack as this has the same effect as a sugary drink.

STEP NUMBER THREE

Something that helped me so much to stay calm during my first tattoo was bringing my sister with me; especially since she already has tattoos so I trusted her when she told me everything would be fine - and it was!

Having someone that you love there with you can make the experience much less scary and a lot more comfortable / calm. Now me and my sister often go together and it's become a really fun and bonding experience for us both.

STEP NUMBER FOUR

This step is completely optional and will depend on what your tattooist wants you to do after your tattoo is complete.

I always make sure that I purchase a cream called Bepanthen to use on my tattoo during the healing process. It has worked wonders for me and really helps with the itching you have during the scabbing of the tattoo. You do not have to use this specific cream but do ask your tattooist what cream would be best for you.

STEP NUMBER FIVE

ENJOY IT!

Yes, getting a tattoo can be scary and not everyone will have a great experience but just remember that once it's done you will have something beautiful on you for the rest of your life that represents you and your journey. You will never know how you will react to it until you try it yourself so try not to listen to other people! Getting tattoo's has become one of my favourite things and I love every single one of them for all kinds of different reasons and I hope the same goes for you!

Thank you for reading,

Katie xxxx

5 Ways To Be More Positive

Hello loves,

I think we can all agree that we all have situations or people in our lives that give us ALL the negative vibes. Lately I have been slowly introducing little things to create happiness and joy resulting in a more positive attitude towards life and I want to share these 5 little tips with you that I have found helpful when it comes to training my mind to block out negativity.

1. LET IT GO

There are so many things that have happened in my past that I have struggled to forget simply because I held onto the anger and hurt attached to those memories or people. Once I decided to lead a more positive lifestyle I realised that to do this I had to come face to face with these things and ultimately let them go.

Although it is hard I think getting rid of negative people is the best thing to do. It's so hard to be positive when you have someone down your ear talking about all the things they hate in life. Remember that this is your journey and sometimes it's best to leave people behind before you start it.

Memories are still something I am struggling to let go of. However, I have learned to detach the anger and hurt that came with thinking of those memories. I done this by thinking about them a lot - trying to understand the other persons point of view and also realising that I am human and bad things will happen to me it's how I deal with those moments that determine how I feel.

2. DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE

For me this is something that was completely necessary. I'm definantly someone who gets effected by my surroundings quite a lot.

The first thing I found helpful was to go through my wardrobe and bag the clothes I wanted to give to charity; not only are you getting rid of things you don't need but giving clothes to charities or homeless shelters can really boost your mood.

I also redecorated my room by filling it with things that make me feel happy. Posters with positive quotes, fairy lights, candles, plants and lastly some pebbles I had picked up from Brighton (which is my happy place!). It's little things like this that can surround you with good vibes.

3. REFUSE ANGER

This is something that I struggle with so much. I have always been an emotional person and anger is something that I hate feeling. I find that when i'm angry I begin to think all kinds of negative thoughts and it really brings my mood down.

However, I have began to look at things in a completely different way. For example; if someone is trying to begin an argument with me I will take myself away from the situation and remind myself that everyone has there bad days & that life is just too short to have petty arguments. Talking sense into yourself is so important when it comes to battling anger.

4. SOCIAL MEDIA

I'm definantly not going to be stereotypical here and tell you that you HAVE to stay away from social media to live a more positive life because I don't really believe that is true. You definantly need time away from social media, yes; but blocking it out completely I feel is a little unnecessary.

Finding a line between your online life and your 'real life' however is definantly important. By this I mean reminding yourself that you are a beautiful person & that you shouldn't compare your life with those on social media. You don't need that flashy car Kylie Jenner just posted on instagram, you don't need to hate your body because of Selena Gomez's bikini pics and you also don't need to be jealous of those online who seem to have it all because they 100% don't. Admire from a distance and be happy for them that they have what they do but don't forget to do the same to yourself too.

5.

Lastly is something so simple - SMILE.

I have gone through so many points in my life where I would smile and think 'Wow, I can't remember the last time I truly smiled.' and that is NOT cool.

If you don't feel you have anything in your life to make you smile then find it; even if it's a silly program on TV or a song that you love; finding time for things that bring us happiness will always lead to a positive outcome.

Thank you so much for reading and have a beautiful day.

Katie Ellen xxxx

My Valentines Story

Hello loves,

We all know valentines day is just a day away so what better way to celebrate than telling you the story of how me and my boyfriend Karl met. Some of you may already know him from my YouTube channel but for those of you who don't then I guess this is the best way to introduce him!

So, how did we meet?

We first became friends in high school in year 8 as we had a lot of mutual friends. We spoke often in school but had never talked properly outside of school until we ended up in some of the same classes together in year 9. We began getting the bus home from school together as we take the same bus and slowly became best friends over the years.

I remember him bribing me to walk the long way to the bus stop by saying he would buy me a cherry coke. "You where a cherry coke whore" says Karl - LOL. I was. Not even going to lie, I was obsessed with it.

Here's a little throw back picture of us on a day out to an arcade. I totes beat him on the motorbike games. (Not really.)

I'll be honest we where the type of friends that argued constantly. Mainly because his way of communicating with me was to annoy the living s*it out of me. I have always been a massive fan of music and back in the day 30 seconds to mars where my favourite band EVER. He used to always tell me that they where terrible to purposely wind me up. I got my own back though because a few years later he ended up liking them too!

So basically all the way through school we where best friends. I talked to him about anything and everything and could literally have the weirdest conversations and didn't feel like I was being judged. I always remember my best friend Katherine telling me he liked me but I never believed her, I was in a relationship at the time and sadly I just never saw us being more than friends. HOW WRONG I WAS, EH!?

So lets fast forward into college. We attended the same college and still talked pretty much everyday. However, I became a little bit of a party-holic through the first years and we slowly began to lose contact. Even though we barely spoke I knew he was someone I could turn to if I needed him and that was the type of bond that I could never let go of.

So, I began my third year of college and we began getting close again which sparked a lot of curiosity with our mutual friends. I remember sitting in the class next door to him and texting constantly and everyone giving me the 'why don't you just hurry up and get together' look. 

Most of the pressure came from our mutual friend Simon. He will be so happy he's finally getting some credit for this, haha! Me, Karl, Simon and another mutual friend always went to a pub after college for food and I remember us deciding to stay for a drink one day. I was a tad tipsy and Simon decided to bring up the fact that we clearly liked each other. AWKS.

That night we got home and started talking about what Simon had been saying earlier in the day and we decided it was about time we went on our first date. Although i'd known him for around 6 years at this point I was still super nervous. Here is a little snap from our first date.

Nothing calms the nerves like a glass of wine. AM I RIGHT LADIES!?

So the date was as planned - pub for 2 drinks and then the cinema. Instead we chatted so much we didn't end up going the cinema and just stayed in the pub chatting and I absoloutley loved it.

After spending a few hours talking we decided it was about time we went to get the bus home. 

On the way to the bus stop I realised that he seemed super nervous and quiet which I have NEVER seen Karl do before - especially around me. He slowly turned to me and said "Can I ask you something?" and at that point I knew exactly what was about to happen. Safe to say my heart almost fell through my arse. I was so nervous that we would lose what we had if we became more than friends. 

I laughed from nerves all the way to the bus stop and we sat down to wait for the bus. He sang and looked away from me awkwardly while I stared at him trying to figure out what to say and then we would laugh like school kids from the awkwardness of the whole situation. Eventually I asked if we could meet up again to talk about it. I look back at that now and I'm like Katie, you didn't even have anything to talk about, WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY YES.

Anyway, that weekend he came over and we talked. I got the guts to say yes and we sat up till 8am watching the sunrise and I knew that it was the start of the best relationship I have ever had.

So, where are we now?

We have almost been together for 2 years and I have never been happier. Yes we are human and have our arguments - we aren't perfect but I like to think of us as a real life fairytale and I can't wait to live out the rest of our story together.

I was never someone who thought of the future before we became a couple. He makes me look forward to every tomorrow and that is something that hand on heart I have never done before.

I feel lucky to be spending this valentines day with him.

I hope that whether you are spending V-day with your friends or someone you love that you have the best day.

Thank you so much for reading,

Katie Ellen. xxx 

Good Grief

Hello beautiful's,

I am back this week with a more serious blog post as I think this will not only help me but also help those of you dealing with the death of a loved one.

Over the Christmas period I was staying over at Karl's (My boyfriend) and was fast asleep when I awoke to my phone ringing. Now I didn't panic as when I am away from home even for a day my mum and I will keep in touch through texting and an odd phone call so I wasn't worried. However, when I answered the phone and heard my mums cries I immediately knew what had happened. It was then that she explained that my granddad had passed away.

Now I must stress that we was not expecting it to happen as although he was 89 he was almost healthier than me! Haha! So it came with trying to accept what had happened while grieving and it was a huge whirl wind of emotions in my head. I couldn't accept that my little Granddad was gone.

It's crazy isn't it how the world keeps turning and people go about their daily lives when your whole world has just came crashing down. But I guess that's why i'm here making this post. Because my life has to keep going without him.. whether I want it to or not. So, I am going to give you some things I have found helpful when dealing with the shock and death of a loved one.

1) Acceptance 

I actually want to write that I hate this word, because in a way I do. We never want to accept that someone we love has gone, but the sad part is that we have to. For me I took moments alone to sit and tell myself that what was happening was very real, it helped me to accept it when it came from my own head. Although it hurts and tears will come just remember that someone else is going through this too. You aren't alone. Every time I found myself upset I'd wonder what he would say to me if he seen me that way... I reckon it would be something like "Blasted ell, what are you crying for!?" haha. Remember those funny little things, they will probably help most.

2) Memories

Now, if you have just recently lost a loved one then I bet you rolled your eyes at this one didn't you? I almost did too if i'm honest, haha. 

Memories hurt most when a loved one first passes. You remember all the little things that mattered the most that now hurt you from the inside out. The good memories - the bad ones.. they all hurt. However, there is one thing that I can promise you. Over time and once the shock begins to fade and you find yourself thinking about them without having a breakdown - those memories will be everything. Cherish them in your heart and mind.

3) Grieving Together 

This one played a massive part for me. I am very lucky to have a very close family. We would visit my granddad at his home around 4 to 5 times a week with my uncle and auntie & maybe more sometimes; to have tea with him and just spend time watching TV and chatting away. The thing that comforted me most was that after his passing we still kept on doing this. We would meet at his house and talk about all our amazing memories with him and grieved together. 

Sometimes we believe we can't show emotion in front of our families after things like this because we want to stay strong for each other. That is not true. Sometimes crying together and picking each other up can be a huge step in processing grief together and alone.

4) Look After Yourself

Sometimes after a loved one dies it feels like part of us has gone with them too. We can get so caught up in making sure everyone else is okay that we forget about ourselves and it's so easy to do. We lose our appetite and when the person who has passed is part of your day to day life you find yourself losing track of time and days without them - but please remember that you are important to the people around you too.

Even if its as simple as taking a long relaxing bath or treating yourself to a takeaway. Those things can really make a difference to your mood and will also give the people around you reassurance that you are looking after yourself during a time when it doesn't feel possible.

5) Go Back

Honestly, if you could see my face while writing this one you would laugh as this section is going to be talking about taking those steps back to reality. 

I was lucky enough to be given 3 weekends off of work to grieve and I was off University for the Christmas break anyway, so that wasn't a problem.

However, before I knew it it was time to go back into work and I thought that as soon as I stepped foot inside I would begin to have a breakdown. Instead, I talked to some lovely customers, it kept my mind active and distracted and I also thought of the idea to do this blog post! 

When I left I felt so proud of myself but I can't deny that going back to reality was a painful experience but you have to remember that of course - it will be. Nothing is ever easy after going through something that breaks your heart but you have to push yourself as you and I both know that that's what they would of wanted.

I am going to end this post here as I don't want to overwhelm anybody with all my writing in this post, haha! 

I want you to know that if you're reading this and you can relate - I'm here for you. Feel free to contact me through my social media links on my homepage if you need someone to talk to. I am here for you and I promise things will get better.

Go out there and make them proud,

Lots of love,

Katie Ellen.

"We Only Part To Meet Again."

George Wright

x