Vintage treats!

Hi there! I hope all you lovely readers are enjoying this marvellous weather we're having. It really does put you in a cheery old mood doesn't it? Well when you're not too busy sweating to death... Anyway! Moving on!

Yesterday I spent the day in the sunshine with my Mum at a very adorable little village in the country where they have vintage shops galore. Literally about three within 10 feet of each other! I am a sucker for all things ornate and old fashioned - hence why my flat is full of clutter, but at least it looks pretty!

I decided to snap a few pictures in one of the stores we went into which had laid out an entire room entitled, very wittily, 'The Vintage Room'. 

It's all so adorable! Please comment if you share my enthusiasm for all things vintage, or if you prefer modern decor then tell me why! Thanks so much for reading.

Much love and other things xo

Enjoying the little things

Hi there! Just recently I've really been enjoying the little things life has to offer. We all sit and fantasise about a dream holiday in an exotic location or achieving a slightly difficult goal we've set for ourselves; but from time to time it's important to just take a second to see what's right in front of us. 

I know that personally I'm very guilty of not living in the moment and taking life for granted. There are probably days that have passed me by and I haven't appreciated how special they were until they were already long gone. Or I've spent days feeling frustrated because I'm convinced I haven't achieved my full potential yet. But I've realised that in life it's so important to take a moment to realise what we have achieved. And it's okay to be proud of yourself!

For instance, I planted these seeds at my Mum's house back in Autumn and we were convinced they were never going to bloom. I visited the other day and couldn't believe how beautiful they look now! 

This is something I can be proud of. I planted the seeds and now I've created something so beautiful which my Mum tells me makes her smile every time she sees them outside of her home. That in itself is something to be proud of!

So next time you're feeling a bit glum and unfulfilled; take a deep breath and look back on your achievements. Whether that's climbing a mountain, getting past a level on candy crush saga or passing a really hard Math test back in your school days; who cares? We all have our own personal achievements, you've just got to look a little deeper sometimes and appreciate yourself. You're wonderful, so start believing it!

Much love and other things xo

Let's go to the beach 'each...

Hi there! The sun is once again shining in the North of England and oh my what a rare treat this is! I've spent my morning and the majority of the early afternoon at the beach which is 5 minutes away from my flat. I'm very lucky to live in a seaside town and it's days like today that make me appreciate it even more. Here are some snaps I took of my day.

Obligatory writing of your name in the sand!

How are you spending your weekend? When was the last time you went to the beach? Let me know in the comments below and I hope you're spending your weekend with loved ones, enjoying yourself in the sunshine!

Much love and other things xo

Wishlist Wonders #1

Hello there! I've decided to do a regular Wishlist blog post so all you lovely readers can see what items I'm lusting after and see if there's anything to tickle your tastebuds as well. 

Let's get started!

#1 - ASOS CURVE Skater Dress In Summer Blurred Floral - £45.00

I first saw this dress being worn by the lovely Louise (Sprinkle of Glitter) and immediately wanted it, no dare I say, needed it. The colours are so bright and vibrant and I adore the sweetheart neckline. The dress is skater style so I enjoy the fact it has soft pleats into the skirt section which travels away from the body in a fit and flare style hiding any lumps or bumps I may feel self-conscious about. Definitely a much wanted addition for my summer wardrobe, I just wish the price were a little less. Alas, I shall wait for the inevitable sale price to roll around before I purchase this key wardrobe item. 

#2 - Yours Clothing Black and Pink Tropical Print Popper Dress - £30.00 NOW £19.00

When I feel a little stressed out I thoroughly enjoy 'window' internet shopping. That's exactly what led me to find this little beauty of a dress. Yours Clothing is a Plus Size website and store that I absolutely adore and they have some really gorgeous pieces in a price bracket that's not too expensive. As you can tell from the previous ASOS CURVE dress, I'm all about the florals this season and this Tropical Print dress is no exception. I specifically love the front 'popper' button fastening which runs the entire length of the piece. I also adore the cut out detail to the back of the dress. Reduced from £30 to £19.00 makes this dress even more of a bargain and definitely earns a place on my Wishlist!
#3 - New Look Gold Cat Face Ring - £2.99 I'm not really a jewellery kind of person. I have a few key pieces that I wear every day without fail for sentimental reasons, but when I saw this adorable little kitty kat ring I just fell in love. I have a small obsession with cats at the moment (not sure where this has stemmed from as I've never had a cat, nor do I know anyone with a cat!) and this is just an adorable gold ring. It's a fun accessory which I feel I could add to any outfit this festival season and being priced at less than £3 I feel it's a bargain to be had. 
#4 - New Look Cream and Gold Stud Embellished Bowler Bag - £24.99 It's all about the studs for me! My shoes have studs on, my jackets have studs on, my t-shirts have studs on and so I only feel it's fair to want a bag with studs on it too! This embellished bowler bag in cream and gold is a perfect fit for the summer. It's the type of bag I can take when I go on long train journeys to visit friends over the summer and big enough to fit my iPad mini and makeup bag in too! I also feel I could wear a fairly plain outfit and this chic bag will effortlessly add a dash of excitement to it. 
So there you have it, the first instalment of Wishlist Wonders which will become a regular topic on this old blog of mine. If you enjoyed this then please leave me a comment telling me so and link me to an item that's currently on your wishlist. Thanks for reading!
Much love and other things xo

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Hello there! Today's blog comes to you from a 27 degree (that's centigrade) heatwave here in the North of England! I do feel for the southerners, you're probably in humidity hell down there so keep well hydrated and stay safe where ever you may be.

Today I did something which for me is a pretty big deal. I made my first youtube video! *gasp* here's a little screen shot from it while it uploads.

 I will edit the video into this post once it has uploaded.

It's something I've wanted to do for a while but I've never felt quite confident enough or interesting to really pull it off. But then I had a wondrous realisation; you don't need to be anything other than you to pull something off successfully! It's like a blog or any other creative outlet. If people are interested in what you're talking/writing about then they'll watch/read it and that's all there is to it. As long as you're passionate and committed to your art then you can't go far wrong in life. 

This lead me to thinking about all the times I've held back from doing something for the first time just because I felt like my attempt or what I could achieve wouldn't be as markedly impressive as others. And I realised pretty quickly that that's a rubbish way to look at things. If you go through life evaluating yourself against your peers it's going to be a very long and miserable road you will travel along, my friend. 

I feel like we're currently in a culture where we are very much focused on how successful or popular our internet pages are i.e. how many twitter followers, tumblr followers, Facebook friends etc. I'll be honest, I've got two twitter pages - one has 167 followers and the other 27. My tumblr has 615 followers and my Facebook friend count is around 200. This blog of mine has a grand total of....0 followers. And this is the online space I'm most truthful and most proud of, so I don't care!

Basically, in a very round about way, I'm trying to say don't spend too long dwelling on the fact your friend has more twitter followers or more people reblog their posts on tumblr. It simply does not matter. Don't be afraid to try something for the first time. Do a sketch, make a video, write a song, knit a scarf! Be creative and inspiring to others, but above all else, be yourself. 

Much love and other things xo

P.S. If you've read this post, tell me when was the last time you did something for the first time? Leave me a comment below! xo