Friday 27 April 2012

instagram five

1. friendship bracelets
2. fruit cocktail torte for my mamas birthday
3. order arrived :) smiles all around
4. my favourite footwear at work
5. awesome snack
6. a project i'm working on...
7. mamas birthday card
8. buns and brownies from the students

Tuesday 24 April 2012

'made in chelsea' style icon

i'm addicted to made in chelsea. i've never been a fan of towie or gordie shore etc. but mic is definitely my guilty pleasure. the drama, the lifestyles, the fashion, the parties and of course the characters you can't help but love.

one of my favourite characters has to be millie mackintosh. i think she is stunning and such a style icon. no matter what she's wearing she manages to look beautiful and effortlessly glamorous. I would love to have her wardrobe (and body and boyfriend and job and money etc etc)


whether she's at a red carpet event or just a london shopping trip, she looks amazing. i will definitely be trying to put more effort in my everyday appearance, i feel ashamed to be sat here in my sweatpants and baggy jumper....surely millie must lounge around in sweatpants sometimes!!?? (she is human after all)

here are a few dresses that will help you to copy millie's red carpet look...

1. luna dress £135
2. jersey wrap dress £95
3. kelly maxi dress £350
4. symphony maxi dress £115
5. satin bandeau dress £145

all these dresses can be found at coast.
maybe too pricey for a trip down to the shops like millie, but great for special occasions.

well i can't wait for next weeks episode, i feel like planning a trip to london just to see if i can spot anyone from the show!

also i'm team jamie by the way! he's gorgeous :)

Monday 23 April 2012

more shoes?!

i never got the chance to go on my (well deserved) shopping spree, so i resulted in online shopping on my absolute favourite site...asos!

they have a 70% sale on at the moment too which is always a bonus :)

i didn't go crazy, which is so easy to do with their amazing jewelry and must have accessories- not to mention the shoes....which i love almost each and every pair of!

i purchased just a few bits (that i really needed...honestly) and as soon as they arrived, each item was as perfect as i imagined...


 
1. poodle print boyfriend blazer - was £60 now £24
so i finally bought a blazer...not exactly what i wanted originally (something plain that would go with anything) but i just couldn't resist this print, isn't it cute! i still think i'd be able to wear it with a lot of other pieces, just keeping the rest of the outfit plain, as i'm not a major fan of lots of pattern together. the fit and feel is brilliant, i can tell it's something that will last a long time as the quality feels great. it's fully lined and has full length sleeves, great for rolling up for a different style or leaving down.
so i got distracted by an animal print, again, but i think it was worth it.

2. lace loafers - was £25 now £17
now i really did need these...i'm sick of wearing my scruffy converse to work or wearing last years summer shoes, not that i'm a person that needs new things each season, but when my primark pumps and h&m wedges are falling apart from too much use last year, then i think it's time to update and move on. also with the weather being so unpredictable, it's too warm for boots yet too wet for sandals...hello to the loafer. they also come in black but i felt cream was a change and a nice choice for summer, also the see through lace adds a delicate, feminine touch to a simple day shoe. i thought it was quite an unusual design and fabric choice and i love it. they are so comfortable and go with everything day and night. definitely one of my best buys.

3. kitten heel slippers - was £35 now £24
i'll admit i've slated kitten heels in the past, all that 'wear proper heels or go home' stuff... but i take it back completely, as each night out my feet become more and more crippled (i should really do something about that but i can't resist a sky high pair of beauties) the thought of spending a night in a pair of these was too good to miss. first the colour caught my eye, available in lilac, green and black. then the suede effect slipper style which looks so comfortable yet bang on trend and the added little heel sealed the deal as i realised i could have pain free dancing sessions from now on! i think they would look great to dress up a pair of jeans or add a wow factor to a lbd. comfy, stylish and affordable. i will be testing them out this saturday night!

4. cross hand harness - was £8 now £4
whenever i shop on asos i have to buy a piece of jewelry, it's just my thing, whether it's to bring the delivery choice up to free standard or just because i'm addicted. these hand harnesses seem to be very popular right now and i'm one to try new things and ideas, so this cross design was perfect. simple yet effective as they say. the chain is very thin which could be an issue if i'm not careful with what i'm doing and the cross is made of a very thin piece of metal, therefore i don't think it's worth it's original £8 price tag as it's very dainty and delicate, not for the heavy handed.

with free delivery and free returns, asos is by far the best online store in my eyes. another great purchase received. check out the mid season sale now.

take me away





sun
sea
sand
take me there

Tuesday 17 April 2012

real friends last forever

i know this is nothing new, but i just find it amusing as i look around and see more and more people with arms adorned in multicoloured, multimedia bracelets of all sizes, shapes and styles. their collections getting larger at every glance...

friendship bracelets.

i have nothing against this trend, where less more is more, in fact i'm embracing it! i love looking at every ones different pieces, and learning the history or the reason behind it's place on their arm, whether its 'a family airloom' or a 'symbol of friendship' or even just a 'pretty item to add to the collection'.

friendship bracelets is really just a collective name for this everlasting trend. i've seen so many unusual jewellery pieces giving that finishing touch to an outfit, it doesn't have to be those traditional homemade embroidery threads that we've all had a go at in the past (i'm wearing one right now, there's nothing wrong with that!)

i love the idea of wearing a story. each bracelet having a memory or a meaning. it's fascinating.

 i guess i was inspired to write this post because i removed my festival band from june 2011 this weekend. it made me think of all the memories that were linked to just one piece of fabric, so much so that even though i no longer wear it, i will still treasure it forever. it's strange what something so simple can achieve.

i love wearing all my favourite bracelets at once. i have my everyday basics and then my specials depending on my outfit. although i think a mixture of colours and styles all at once looks even better. the only problem with my obsession is that i want to make my collection bigger, when ever i see an eye catching gem!

here are a few i've come across that would definitely fit right in on my arm :)

1. fashion union - £4.00 - timi multi bead bracelet
2. asos - £10.00 - spiked cord in blue or pink
3. asos - £12.00 - woven gold chain retro skulls bracelets
4. miss selfridge - £4.00 - stretch peace charm
5. h&m - £3.99 - colourful weave bands
6. h&m - £1.99 - beaded fridge bracelet

my favourites are probably the retro skulls and the weave bands, i think the mixture of colours and textures just adds to the fascination and makes a more interesting visual overall. and what a bargain from h&m!

here's my friendship bracelet choice for today...

a mixture of birthday presents, symbols of friendships and must have additions...


so no longer do we have to wonder which bracelet goes best with our outfit, or worry that we're gone 'too far', wear them all! the more the better, mix your styles and shades and rock the friendship bracelet overload!

you never know...if your feeling down- just glance at your wrist and smile at all the brilliant memories your accessories hold.

Saturday 14 April 2012

instagram four

1. princess phoebe and i
2. my finished restoration project
3. maisie <3
4. my easter gift from mama
5. yummy chick buns made by my auntie
6. chocolaty easter treats courtesy of lindt
7. april weather is crazy!
8. looking back at good times - my 21st

Saturday 7 April 2012

a little treat...in the shape of a discount code

so in an earlier post i mentioned a river island dress i really wanted and since then i've found pretty much the same dress...cheaper...and i have a discount code to share with everyone as well :)

crochet waist skater dress - ax paris - £21

pretty good match...this dress can be found at a website called ax paris, i've never bought anything from here before so i'm not sure how good the quality is, but i think for the price it's a great buy even if it only lasts one season. the colour is coral rather than orange like the river island item and they also sell a lemon version.

i also have a 10% discount code that can be used on all the 'new in' items on the website. just use the code LOOK0304X at the checkout! awesome!

i guarantee i will be purchasing one of these beauties for summer :)

fascinating fascinators


i stumbled across this selection of super sweet fascinators from the asos collection. i've never seen anything like this on asos before and love the quirky unique elements in some of the designs. each one has an elastic strap that can be hidden under the hair to secure them onto the head. seeing these pieces has definitely helped me with my own inspiration and ideas for my millinery collection. simple yet effective.

the prices range from £10 to £18 which i personally think is very reasonable as i know how much the materials cost to make things like this. it looks like the bases are made from sinamay and if they're good quality and strong then they are definitely worth a look.

my favourites are the apple and the cat! adorable!

add a wow factor to your outfit day or night!

all the fascinators can be found on asos here.

april - wish list

another look at a few items i'd love to own this summer. especially with the weather looking up (well it was until the down pour of rain recently and snow in scotland! what!!) lots of pretty pastels and delicate details are inspiring me recently, so fresh and sweet you just can't help but smile :)



1. topshop pale blue boyfriend blazer £40
i'm still in search of a summer blazer (shopping trip is planned next week so hopefully...) but came across this one from topshop which looks perfect. i love the pastel blue colour and the fact it has a contrasting lining, great for when the sleeves are rolled up creating a whole new look. i didn't think the price was too bad for something that will get a lot of use also i've had a blazer from topshop before and the quality is spot on i've never had any problems and get nothing but compliments on it.

2. miss selfridge skull ear cuff was £6.50 now £4.87
love love love this! i'm slightly obsessed with accessories like this at the minute. i've made a promise to a friend that we will accompany each other while we get the top of our ears pierced, but until then i'm sticking with the fake ear cuffs! i just really like the look of this and it's also in the sale! perfect!

3. river island mesh strip shift dress £28
there are quite a few of this dress design around this summer, and i've always been a fan. the only reason i picked river islands version is because i know the quality is usually trustworthy and the price is reasonable compared to a similar version from topshop at £40 and asos at £35. the colour is a nice change for me as i don't own many orange things (it also comes in lemon) it has a pretty summery fresh feel and could definitely be dressed up with heels for the evening or worn with flats for a daytime stroll.

4. asos nike dunk high ac trainers £65
i've wanted some proper high tops for so long! i practically live in my converse whenever i can (girls deserve a break from heels every now and then!) and these look so comfy yet bang on trend! fashions not always comfortable :) i don't think i'd necessarily spend that much on a pair just for nike, but the colour is unusual and adds a feminine touch.

5. new look bird headband was £3.99 now £1
this is just a cute little head accessory that i thought was a bargain at £1! the colours match perfectly with the rest of the wish list, and the cute bird print is so sweet it's a must have!

6. topshop slouchy pug tee and shorts £18
pugs are my favourite dog, so this was a no brainer for me. as soon as i spotted it it had to go on the wish list! it's adorable! also the fact that the style is 'slouchy' - isn't that just the best kind of pyjamas! great for the warmer weather and lounging around the house.

in total my wish list this month comes to...£156.87

i better be prepared for my shopping trip :S

Tuesday 3 April 2012

diy diva - take 2

seen as i enjoyed it so much last time and was happy with the result, i decided to try and transform another piece of old furniture. this time i was given an old chair a neighbour was throwing away to do what i wanted with. here's how it started out...


first i sanded down any uneven parts or paint splatters. anything that might get in the way of the finished look. i then painted the chair using a magnolia colour, there is something about using creams and whites in projects like this that helps creates that pretty vintage feel. it took 2 coats to cover the dark wood, and took quite a long time to finish, with having to wait for the top to dry before i could start on the legs, be patient and don't rush the overall painting, you will get a better finish if you let everything dry properly each time.


now, i could have left the chair like this and just given it a lick of clear gloss. (quite a transformation already!) but i wanted to try something extra with this one, and turn it into a really special piece that would look super cute in any room.

i used old tester pots of paint, various colours (ballerina pink, rustic red, lemon, mint green and a few others i came across) and using a thin paint brush, painted onto the seat of the chair a floral design. nothing too detailed or complicated but something simple and clear. i also painted a small motif onto the top of the back rest. i'm so pleased with the result. i went wrong a few times, but as long as your quick just use a damp cloth to wipe away the paint and start again!

if your not confident enough to just paint straight onto a piece of furniture i guess you can use stencils or even paper cuttings, which can be glossed over to hold them in place.



to complete the chair i waited until the paint was completely dry and then used clear gloss varnish to seal in my design and protect the chair from use in the future.

i love the finished look, and have had many compliments on my new piece of furniture. it's definitely something to try, you can transform an old scruffy piece of trash heading for the skip into a work of art!