June wishlist

Summer always brings tempting new products in the shops which put my bank balance in danger. This year is no exception with gorgeous prints and feminine cuts, plus numerous other goodies that I would like to purchase immediately. So here's 10 things on my wishlist this month...

1. What Would Audrey Do from Oliver Bonas. 
Audrey Hepburn's fabulousness overwhelms me. I'm a huge fan and absolutely love to watch her. So imagine my excitement when I stumbled across this new addition to the collection of books in Oliver Bonas. I want to put on my pearls and flick through every single page aspiring to ooze the Hepburn charm.

2. Floral short wellies from Joules.
Summer showers? Preparing for festival season? Joules have got you covered. I love love love these ones in particular because of the floral print, but there are loads of others to choose from.

3. Branch rings from Pia.
Tried these on in the shop and instantly fell in love. So dainty, so pretty, so me. 

4. Floral frill duvet cover from John Lewis.

As you know, homewares are my weakness and I've got my eye on another duvet to go with my newly neutral room. This is particularly cute with the detailing.

5. Cap sleeve dress from French Connection.

I just love the colour and pattern of this dress. With a light coloured blazer and a pair of nude heels, it would just look so perfectly summery and elegant. Plus, it's in the sale! The temptation is real.

6. Run tank from Sweaty Betty.

Oh, Sweaty Betty... If only my bank account had the funds, I would repeatedly buy everything in your shops. For now though, this is a definite favourite for summer running in a bright colour (but not too bright, this is me after all!) but lose enough to benefit from nice evening breezes.

7. Molly skirt from Boden.

I originally saw this on Cider with Rosie (post here - definitely check out her blog, it's awesome) and got a lovely surprise because it's also got money off at the moment. Rosie pulls it off so well in her post that I was immediately tempted, even more so when I saw that Boden pair it with the striped breton I also have!

8. Stripe zip tee from Mint Velvet.

Speaking of striped tops... Here's one I love because the zip detailing makes it a little bit different. I also find Mint Velvet is a bit hit and miss - I normally love all the colours and shades but struggle to like some of the styles which aren't very flattering on me. This top, however, is a hit with me!

9. Scallop trim swimsuit from Topshop.

I think I'm probably with the majority of the population who love this swimsuit. I feel like I've seen it everywhere. When I finally tracked it down, I fell in love with it even more. Super cute with a retro vibe, I'd be perfectly happy if they wanted to design a similar top.

10. Alison shirt from Crew Clothing.

Perfectly cool for a summer preppy look, this shirt paired with white shorts or crops would be totally dreamy. 

Like anything you see here? Do you have anything that you're loving at the moment? As always, I'd love to hear from you!

Graze box review

This has been a long time coming and I'm pleased to report it has not disappointed! Graze boxes have been around for a little while now and I absolutely love the concept. The idea is that every week, or every fortnight because you can alter how often you receive them, Graze send you a postbox-sized package of four different healthy snacks. Being a bit of a health-nut, this was enough to get my attention. But it gets better - you can even give your preferences on the snacks they send you, 'binning' anything you definitely wouldn't like (for me that was anything wasabi-based!), marking 'try' on anything that looks interesting, or 'liking' or 'loving' anything you know would be super scrummy. These last options can also be marked with the option to send soon so you could even get them in your next box. 

Based on these choices, Graze go away and pick the snacks to give you a balanced box and I think the best part is that it was a total surprise about what I was going to receive. And it was a very good surprise when I saw I'd been sent the following: Super Berries, Carrot Cake with an Afternoon Tea infusion, Herby Bread Basket and the special Graze Brownie. I can already confirm that the carrot cake and tea are super good. I don't even have to feel guilty having it as a mid-morning snack because their perfectly-portioned packs means I'm getting a healthy dose of goodness that sees me through to my next meal.

I think £3.99 for a box, it's actually not badly priced either plus you can usually find a deal somewhere where you get your first box for free. There's also the choice to get a Light box, which are snacks all lower in calories, and there are now even Breakfast and Kids boxes. If for any reason you're away, or don't want a box one week, there's also an amazing option to postpone your next box! I thought I'd write this review because I couldn't find much about the concept when I first tried to look into it, so I wanted to let everyone know that these really are worth trying! If you love the idea of little guilt-free, nutritious snacks arriving through the postbox and brightening up your day I would totally recommend giving it a go, especially since it's usually easy to get your first one for free!

March wishlist

There are so many pretty things in the shops right now that I'm running out of dribble to drool over them. So I thought I'd do the next best thing and post about what I'm lusting after so that my bank account doesn't have to suffer the effects...

1. Baking Scales from Urban Outfitters, also available in pink and mint. 
These basically sum up what my future kitchen will look like - vintage, cute and oh-so-chic. I'd probably have to justify the spend by actually cooking/baking though...

2. Eiffel Tower drawer pull from Oliver Bonus. 

If you know me well, you know I love Paris to a point where it's probably borderline obsessive. So imagine my joy when I found this beauty. Verrrry convenient since I'll be doing a lot of furniture updated over Easter. Stay tuned for more details...

3. Bronte by Moon Stripe throw from John Lewis, in beige or grey. 

I went slightly crazy on the John Lewis website when I saw that one of their trends for SS15 is Maison. As you can imagine, any home décor that is vaguely French-themed is a winner with me. This gorgeous throw would be perfect with the new neutral colour scheme I'm going for when I redecorate my room.

4. White Shop Puritan Stitch Towel from John Lewis, in oyster/putty. 

So I'm an old lady now and one of my greatest pleasures is looking at homewares for the house I plan to own someday.  These are so perfect; if someone were to embody my tastes in towel-form, this would be it. Très chic.

5. Modalu Pippa Grab Bag, in blush. 

I purchase a black Pippa bag last summer and never looked back. This price made me seriously hesitate but out of all the handbags out there, this is the only one that's made me go, 'oh my god, that bag is so me and I kind of want it... Really, really badly'. I'm not overly a bag person but it's one of the best investment pieces I own. So it kind of goes without saying that I'd loove one in this blush colour for the summer season. It's going to have to happen at some point. Maybe I'll reward myself with my first paycheck.

6. Cooperative ribbed knit tank top from Urban Outfitters, also available in dark yellow.

This is so super sweet for Spring, and I love the denim skirt it's paired with here. In colder weather I'd wear it with light blue jeans and ankle boots. 

7. Murano skirt from Reiss, in blue. 

Being a working woman in a few months time (eeeeek!!) I'm starting to think about my work wardrobe. I absolutely adore the colour of this skirt, but it would have to be an investment piece. There's also a matching jacket. Swoon.

8. Cece Stone stacking rings from Z for Accessorize. 

I love this range at Accessorize, but I still haven't purchase anything because I'm scared the 'gold plated' will still make my fingers go green. If anyone has purchased anything, let me know below whether it does! I love dainty jewellery like this to incorporate into my daily jewellery accessories. 

9. Nail polish from Topshop, in Mannequin. 

Wanting a sort of nudey colour for summer, and something a bit more understated. Topshop polish is always a winner.

10. Shorts pyjama set from Next. 

Such a pretty nightwear set, and they have loads of other lovely sets at the moment, including these shorts. Very reasonably priced too.

Birthday celebrations!

I've had a crazy past couple of weeks, but it's definitely not something to complain about! It's been a whirlwind of birthday fun and holidays/work with a lot of riding thrown in too!

My celebrations started on Sunday, the day before my birthday and my family took me to a very nice restaurant for lunch where I had a quinoa, roasted aubergine salad followed by a chocolate tart for dessert. The food was delicious and, although it was obvious to us that we were out celebrating, the staff obviously twigged too so when I got my dessert, I got a super cute surprise birthday message!

With my brother having our meal out

I spent my actual birthday out on a birthday ride and then had a lovely afternoon tea in the gorgeous sunshine. I drank lots of wine/champagne, ate (too much) good food, galloped across fields and opened some fantastic presents. One of which was this beautiful thing on which I am currently typing- a Macbook Air. It happened. I took the plunge (after so much deliberation that mum ended up just dragging me into the Apple Store) and I have to say I do not have a single regret. I've officially become an Apple whore, but it's awesome. I also got some lovely pieces of jewellery, and the most exciting thing- VENICE! I'm counting down the days until my biggest 21st birthday present in the form of a 4 day break with mum to this beautiful city.

Birthday lunch, 'scuse the ambulance- nobody was harmed!

I also celebrated with my gorgeous girls (minus one- we missed you!) over the weekend and we had the most wonderful weekend country retreat. We started off with afternoon tea and a BBQ on the Friday, and headed into Cambridge on the Saturday to go punting. We booked a private tour with Let's Go Punting (who were fantastic- full of banter and interesting facts and made for a great trip, find their website here). We took along a bottle of champagne and made some chocolate-covered strawberries in the morning to have a classy little picnic on board. This was followed by some shopping, and lunch at Harriet's tea rooms, which as always, lived up to expectations. Then we returned to mine to have a cocktail night with more champagne. It all made for a fabulous weekend. I had such a wonderful time.

Punting with champagne!

Giving it a shake!

As for the birthday cake, I decided to have cupcakes made in a cute vintage style which were so so yummy and absolutely perfect! There rates were very reasonable considering the quality of the cakes and they were perfectly decorated so if you're thinking of having some cakes made, seek her out! They were made by a lady in the Cambridgeshire area, and you can find her website here: http://www.thesweetkitchen.co.uk/

My lovely cupcakes, plus an extra 12 mini cupcakes too!

A day after my friends left, I was getting ready to jet off again to the South of France for my job as an Au Pair for two weeks! So I really haven't had that much room to breath but it's been a fab few weeks and now I have to whole of summer to make more memories before Venice, and then going back to university at the end of September!

Holiday updates

I love being at home, but sometimes it can be too wonderful because I never want to leave. Mum and I had lots of little plans and we ticked off things we've wanted to do for ages, including having a little shopping trip (of course). We managed to coincide this with a theatre trip to see Wicked with the local 'Welcome Club', the leisure club in our area for the older generation. It was so much fun!! We had a lovely lunch in John Lewis, consisting of a mediterranean-style tartine and a delicious banana and caramel cupcake (a recipe I will certainly be attempting soon!).

Afterwards, I decided to invest my money in some decent products for my skin. For ages I have been complaining about my problem skin, having tried everything to try and improve it. Everything apart from a decent skincare routine, I might add. I know, bad girl. I've bought products in the past and haven't kept up the routine, or have just used them when I feel I need them (which isn't as often as they should be used). Before I returned from France, I started to look in the mirror and see an ill person staring back- I just didn't look healthy. My skin was dry, blemished, and as far from radiant as possible. I had bags under my eyes and looked bad enough that people constantly asked me, "Are you okay? Are you tired?"

Hence the efforts to look after myself. So I went for a skin consultation with the lovely ladies at the Clinique stand in John Lewis who recommended their anti-blemish skincare routine. I purchased the soap bar as my cleanser and also the moisturiser (steps 1 and 3), with the intention of using my current toner and potentially replacing it with the Clinique one in future (step 2). I have been using the products for about 3 weeks, and was told to wait at least a month to start seeing more permanent results. But the first week I was using these saw my skin clear up instantly, it was incredible! It has worsened slightly now, but I expected that, and even then it isn't as bad as in the past. I'll update in the near future to give a proper review of the results.


Meanwhile, I've become a green tea addict and have started to actually like eating vegetables. Shock, horror. I love cakes, and chocolate, and crisps and I generally have a huge appetite so everytime I sit down for a meal, I eat more than your average girl. I never thought eating healthily would be for me, but I tried it and I love it. I think it is something to do with the fact that you know what you're putting in your body is good for you. That makes me a happy girl. Plus, I still treat myself which stops the overwhelming temptation to buy everything in a French bakery when I walk past. Success.

Autumn Style

It’s November: think beautiful colours in the trees; think chilly mornings and gorgeous sunrises; think curling up with a mug of hot chocolate; and most of all think of those gorgeous layers and accessories you can pull back out of hiding.

I have finally invested in a long cream chunky knit cardigan, with elbow patches, from Zara. It’s great for laying and I love wearing it over dresses, to make a previously summery look, a bit more suitably autumnal.

I also eventually decided on the pair of boots I wanted and purchased them recently from Clarks (find them here). Clarks’ shoes always have reasonably hefty price tags, but failing to find what I wanted anywhere else, I tried these on in the shop and they are the comfiest boots I have ever worn. Seriously. I should listen to mum more: it really is worth paying more for quality. While I was on a roll, I also got this bag which matches, and I have had a lot of compliments on it. I have to admit, with the price tags I was unsure about keeping both after having bought them (I’ve become obsessive about spending even a penny of my money) but am so glad I have kept them- I can tell they will be season staples.

At this point, I should probably confess that I have an extreme obsession for accessories this season. I don’t know where it’s come from, but anything from adorable cloche hats and snoods, to structured totes and statement necklaces, prompts little heart signs to form in my eyes. I really do need a job! This is going to be an expensive year!

Here’s some of the things I’m obsessed with at the moment and have treated myself to in the last few months...

• Pretty earrings: these were actually my prom earrings bought from a small independent boutique.

• Statement necklaces: to glam up any outfit! I like wearing them over jumpers or plain long sleeved tops.

£20, Next

£10, Next

•  Loving hats generally: very Parisian chic, and adds that little touch of class.

Cloche hat in aubergine, £25, M&S

• Anything fluffy!!! I obsessed over this combination for so long, I was particularly drawn to the warm fleece lining of the snood. So glad I finally invested though as the snood has certainly served me well already. The prices noted here are RRPs. I don't think I actually paid full price for any of it, which makes all these treats that little bit sweeter.

Hat, £20 and snood (fleece lined) £25, both Oasis

Discovering Etsy

My friend told me a while ago about this site which she deemed "like eBay, but better". This sounded too good to be true! I love eBay but I do think it's getting a bit too commercialised and it's starting to overlook all the little gems that are hidden in the depths of the website. So when I finally got around to visiting Etsy, I got super excited. 

If you're into genuine vintage items, handmade jewellery and loads of other cool, unique gifts and accessories, this is the place for you. Everything ranges in prices so it can suit every pocket and the items are just gorgeous. I think the greatest thing about this site is that everyone is so like-minded: we're all interested in the same style and want to buy and sell genuine items. From what I've heard, although I can't yet speak from experience, the site is welcoming and is absent from any of the hostile tensions which quite often exist between buyers and sellers on eBay. I have read several online reviews of the website because I've been interested in buying a few things and, naturally, you always want to know that the website is safe/you're not going to see your money disappear. Whilst I've found the majority are very positive, particularly one reviewer who had set herself up as a new seller, there was one website where many of the comments underneath were hugely negative, with 1-star ratings littering the section. But I haven't been put off that easily. Etsy seems like it was literally made for me and my tastes and there are too many lovely things on there that I simply cannot wave bye-bye to. So, I'm, taking these with a pinch of salt and hoping that it's only those with bad experiences who have taken the time to comment. Like eBay, there is a feedback system with a percentage rating and obviously, you avoid those that look even vaguely dodgy... I'm going to give it a chance.

Take a look! It's well worth it... www.etsy.com

Once I've made my mind up on what to order, I'll post about my new goodies soon... xoxo