Let's Start With This One...

Hey Lovelies, 

Well, where do I start with this post! The past few days have passed in a bit of a blur. If you follow me on social media, you may already know this but if not I wanted to let you know. Recently my dad was admitted to hospital, after falling ill. 

After an incredible battle, he sadly passed away unexpectedly on Thursday. No one in my family saw it coming and because of Covid, we were unable to be with him. I am feeling raw. I am unbelievably sad. I don’t know what I am going to wake up like every day. Yet, I am using the power and strength my dad gave me to continue to fight my eating disorder and to stay strong. 

With everything that has been going on, I have found it a little hard to do anything creative. However, I am back now to tell you that after much debating, I will be doing Blogmas again this year. Getting festive and creative is going to be a huge help to my mental health. Even though I don’t really have a plan now, I will try to keep up with the days. I can’t promise that I will know what times posts will be going up though lovelies aha! 

I am so sorry for being a bit slack recently and I hope that you can forgive me. I am back now though for the whole of December and I have some competitions, gift ideas and more all lined up to share with you. Plus, some exciting personal festive posts, including special radio shows and reviews. 

Sit back and enjoy this advent style Blogmas of random, weird and festive fancies to end your 2020 on a hopeful high! 

Joey X

Hey Lovelies, 

TV has been a saving grace for many of us during lockdown. Whether it be online or through our big screens, we have been watching loads. Rightfully so I say. Especially when there has been so much goodness for us to fall in love with. 

Over the past few weeks, I have been catching up with some of the biggest talking points. Including the following, which I wanted to share some small but exciting reviews on. So, grab the remote and get stuck into these gems if you fancy…

Inspector Montalbano Collection 10 Review

After a small break, Luca Zingaretti returns as Inspector Montalbano to give us another exciting collection. Made up of three episodes, the new release is filled with intense and gripping moments that show the dark side of Sicily and the underworld that Inspector Montalbano has to handle. As before, the episodes promise more to come and give us a thrill for the eyes from start to finish. Exciting, new and full of interest, it is a series that just keeps on giving from a character who knows how to entertain. 

4 Stars

All Creatures Great and Small Review

With many of us seeking the comforts of something familiar to watch during lockdown, the idea of a classic show being remade left many wondering if it would work. Yet, All Creatures Great & Small delivered a new take on a British hit incredibly well. Nicholas Ralph took hold of the lead, after years of being away, to give both familiar and unfamiliar viewers of the old show, a new and exciting lead. Someone who we could all get on board with. Each episode provides an inside look into each character, whilst providing us with a soothing piece of art to watch. It may be a short series, but it is one that will leave you feeling comforted. Something we all need right now.

4 Stars

Upright Review

Co-written and starring comedian Tim Minchin, this series flew under the radar for a long time. After airing on Sky Atlantic earlier this year, this Australian comedy, provides light entertainment, as Minchin’s character comes to terms with the life of a teenager. Someone who is facing her own problems, which lead to an unlikely friendship between them. What you might be expecting from the show is not what you get. Yet, this is a good thing. Minchin has made a refreshing series that is like many we have seen before, but also in a league of its own. Making it a worthy watch in lots of ways. 

3 1/2 Stars

What have you all been watching during lockdown lovelies? 

Joey X

Hey Lovelies, 

Do you ever feel like time is going so quickly? I can’t believe how fast November seems to be passing us by! Maybe that is a good thing, especially with lots of us in lockdown, however, for me, I feel like I am letting you all down by not sharing as much. I promise you there is a good reason, as I have been preparing for Blogmas, which I am doing again this year. 

As well, I have started working with BBC Three Counties on Monday morning’s to create a daily round-up of TV shows and films that you should be watching. Having started last week, I have done two shows now and I love it. 

They have really motivated me and helped me find a new love for radio. A fact I am so grateful for. It is a key element in showing me how well my recovery is going. Finally, I have the attention to make magic like this happen and I am so proud of myself. So, I wanted to share the shows with you all. 

Please give them a little listen if you have the time. The first one starts at around 2hrs and 34mins in, with the same one happening around the same time. However, I would suggest listening to the whole show because the morning team is simply fabulous. Enjoy lovelies…

Radio Show One: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08wkj8w

Radio Show Two: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08x51rr

What did you all think? Is there a show or film that you have been loving? Tune into BBC Three Counties from 8:30am every morning and share it with the team or let us know in the comments below! 

Joey X

Hey Lovelies, 

Finally, I am back with a baking post. I have been taking the past few weeks to myself to help rebuild and get strong again before I embark on Blogmas. Yet, with only a few days to go until Stir Up Sunday, I thought now would be a good time to share my Christmas cake recipe. Taking just 15 minutes to prepare and then three hours to bake, this is a simple and easy creation that takes little time to make. You don’t even have to add more alcohol to it if you don’t want to. 

You can really just get creative with it and find a way to enjoy it the way you want to lovelies. Get ready to tuck in with the whole family...

Ingredients

• 3 Large Eggs
• 300g (10oz) Plain Flour
• 250g (8oz) Butter, Softened
• 250g (8oz) Light Muscovado Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Ground Mixed Spice
• Pinch of Salt
• 410g Jar of Mincemeat
• 500g (1lb) Dried Mixed Fruit
• 4 Tbsp Brandy

Tools

• 20cm (8in) Round or 18cm (7in) Square Cake Tin
• Wooden Spoon
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Tablespoon
• Scales

Method

1. To position the cake centrally in the oven, put one of the shelves just below the middle of it. Set the oven to 140°C/280°F/Gas Mark 1 and line the cake tin with baking paper at the bottom and up the sides.
2. Break the eggs into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, except the brandy. Beat the mixture until smooth, then spoon into the cake tin. With a wet hand, press and smooth the mixture on top, until it’s level.
3. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for three hours, or until the cake feels firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean after being inserted.
4. Remove from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack. Leave the cake to cool for 15 minutes, then spoon over the brandy. Leave it to cool completely in the tin.
5. Remove the cake from the tin and peel away the baking paper. Wrap it in clean paper and then foil, before storing it away in a cool place for up to 3 months or until ready to decorate.

When do you think is the perfect time to enjoy this cake lovelies? Have you already been baking? Don’t forget to share your creations with me, as I would love to share them! 

Love, 

Joey X

Hey Lovelies, 

Recently I have been watching a lot of great films and TV shows. Maybe it is because of lockdown, but for most of it, I am finding a love for them again. Allowing my brain the time to enjoy them has been huge for me and the steps I am taking in my recovery. As I have been watching I have been making notes and thought I would do a small number of reviews to share with you on a select few I have seen. Because what is a good binge-watch if you can’t tell others whether something is good or not…

The Crown Series Three Review

It isn’t long now until we will be graced with the beauty of the fourth season of this incredible Netflix show on the royal family. Meaning now is the time to binge the third series again. One that is so different to the previous two in all the right ways. With a new cast taking over, including the formidable Olivia Colman as the Queen, alongside Helena Bonham Carter, Charles Dance and more recognisable faces, the storylines are a highlight to some of the biggest moments in history. Especially the episode dedicated to the tragic 1966 Aberfan disaster. A piece that will teach both young and old the reactions of the monarchy in a whole new way. For a show that has gripped the world for nearly four seasons now, there is a lot to be learned. Every tiny detail has been thought of and it truly pays off. There is a royal gem in each episode and a triumph of a series is born. 

5 Stars

Vikings Season Six Review

Not every TV show manages to make such a huge impact after so many series, yet the sixth one of Vikings is a gripping thrill ride. There is an endless range of action, romance and darkness that doesn’t let up, but you don’t want it to. You find as a viewer that the characters have become even more compelling and with such stunning scenery and storylines such as these, you can’t help but want to watch on. Throughout the show manages to make a compelling case that historical features can be brilliant when done right like this. 

4 Stars

El  Camino Review

Breaking Bad was a show that many of us spent days binging. When news came that this year would see some of our most beloved characters return, the preparations for the ultimate screening began. Picking up right where the show left off, the series brings a sense of a real ending for viewers, with lots of closure. Filled with new content and flashbacks, you learn of Jesse Pinkman’s (Aaron Paul) future and past. You learn of what become of his life and why he fell into the drug-making process that his now-dead science teacher, Walter White (Brian Cranston), created. Whilst it may not be the show, it works and feels like an extended episode. One that has no flaws. Apart from the fact that Pinkman’s famous catchphrase isn’t used. Something that we can easily forgive when this feature is so good. 

4 Stars

Adult Material Review

Starting a new series with the sounds of an orgasm taking place is a bold move to make. Yet that is exactly the way in which this one does. Starring Hayley Squires in the lead role, Adult Material is a bold and statement-making series that will stay with you long after watching. The script holds nothing back and the actors give performances of a lifetime within it. There are plenty of twists and turns, with comedy and emotion at the forefront of the show. On every level, though it works. Audience members who watched, The Secret Diary of A Call Girl, will be reminded throughout of the brilliance of Piper. Yet, with a new lead and a completely original storyline, the show is a one of a kind winner. 

4 Stars

What have you all been watching lovelies? 

Joey X