Category Archives: life stuff

Mustard and Navy

02nd December 2015
Despite my best intentions of not buying myself any more clothes for a while I seem to have acquired quite a number of new pieces lately, oops! The high street is a maze of temptation at the moment, I don’t seem to be able to walk past a shop doorway without seeing at least a dozen things I need to own and this makes even the quickest dash to pick up essentials a dangerous game.

Jumper: Topshop (get it here) | Pinafore: (get it here) | Tights: Primark | Boots c/o Lunar Shoes

For some reason I spent years convincing myself I hated roll neck tops as they made me feel claustrophobic. I’m not sure what I was thinking and this year they are a real staple of mine, especially the jersey ones from Topshop at only £16. I picked up a few of these in various colours but this mustard yellow is my favourite. I love how it looks against my hair colour and it makes for the perfect partner for the cord pinafore dress from New Look which I bought after seeing on Amie’s blog. It also comes in a lovely deep red colour and at £19.99 is a great value layering piece for my winter wardrobe.

The only trouble I find with wearing a couple of block colours in an outfit is how to pair up some tights. Nude just doesn’t cut it when the temperatures dip and trying to match either the yellow or the navy turned out to be a nightmare in shade coordination. In the end I went with a tonal brown to tie in the boots and I think it works but I can’t help but wonder if there is a better alternative…

Are you finding the high street as impressive as I am right now? I am having to fight so hard to stop myself from continually shopping!

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Posted in life, life stuff, outfits, shopping

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Thoughts on Christmas Shopping*

29th November 2015
One of my favourite things about the festive season is the excuse to shop for those around me. I’d say I’m a pretty generous person and it’s rare for me to go anywhere near a shop and not bring back something for someone other than myself. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than picking out something to make someone smile and at Christmas I have been known to get more than a little bit carried away. With that in mind here are some tips and tricks I use when searching for the perfect present.

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Set a budget and then allow a buffer for when you inevitably go over it. My best friend and I always do this, we set a “limit” on our present buying knowing full well that when it comes to it we’ll spend at least the same again. If we set the budget at a higher level we’d still go over so this keeps things within what we can afford.

Buy it when you see it or regret it later! How many times have you seen the perfect gift for someone but didn’t get it there and then? Countless times I’ve gone back to get something only to find it’s too late leaving me either paying over the odds on e-bay or having to wrack my brains to think up something not half as awesome. I also never wait for Black Friday in the hopes of snagging a good deal- if I know it’s the perfect thing for someone then I get it when I see it rather than run the risk of it selling out for the sake of a few quid.

Think small… independent local shops are one of my favourite places to pick up gifts with a unique and often personal touch. The same goes for indies online. Some of my favourite haunts include Hill Road in Clevedon, Not on the Highstreet, Lisa Angel and cheekyboo

It’s a common thought that bigger is always better when it comes to giving gifts but I’ve found this isn’t always the case. Some of the most loved presents I’ve given to people have been something small, inexpensive and utterly random that showed care and thought went in to the process of buying it. I like to think I’m pretty good at giving gifts these days and I’m yet to meet someone who disagrees (to my face at least!) It was pretty interesting to see that Currys PC World made an infographic featuring the 10 greatest gifts ever. I don’t think I can top those!

What are your top tips for Christmas shopping? What’s the most extravagant gift you’ve ever given or recieved?

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Posted in christmas, gifts, life, life stuff, shopping

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Mae Reviews: The November Purrfect Box

28th November 2015
After the success of previous packages from Purrfect Box it was hard to tell who was more excited about another delivery from them a couple of weeks ago. The Purrfect Box is a monthly subscription which costs £19.90 a month, or £15.90 per month if you take out a years subscription. The contents of the box are guaranteed to be worth at least £30 with 4-6 premium products inside so it’s a pretty sweet deal, especially as each box is catered to your feline’s needs and preferences. Let me know if you’d decide to treat your feline friend to a box- I’ll be picking up a few on a one off basis throughout the year, I can’t afford it on a monthly basis but as an every so often treat I think it’s wonderful!
In typical Mae fashion she wasn’t been at all co-operative in the taking of these photos so you’ll just have to take my word for it that she really enjoyed her box once again. There was a fantastic array of products in the box, from treats to toys and pretty much all of it was greeted for what one assumes was enthusiasm from my feline fiend.

A particular favourite in this month’s box were the lovely paw print blanket from Sauvagine which is keeping Mae nice and toasty warm in this recent spell of chilly weather. She’s never really been much of a cat for blankets and beds but this one appears to have changed her mind somewhat as she’s spending a good deal of time hiding under it and looking rather smug.

One product that I really rated were the wipes by Camon as I’ve lost count of the times where I wished such a thing existed. Utterly ideal for when a certain someone comes flying in after a dig around in the garden and for removing the evidence that she’s been walking through leftovers on a dinner plate again.

As ever the toys in the box were brilliant fun for both Mae and for myself. The treat roller is an endless source of amusement to me and frustration to Mae as she doesn’t want to work hard for her treats (and often I relent and give her a few extra, oops!). The only product that she didn’t like was the Cat Pudding from GimCat. She’s a bit funny about textures and for some reason wouldn’t even go near the packaging for this- but worry not, a visit up to Ben’s family saw this enthusiastically lapped up by their three cats so I’d say it’s still a success.

Have you given Purrfect Box a try before? I’d love to hear your thoughts…and watch this space for more “Mae Reviews” type posts, she’s getting quite in to this blogging lark.

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Posted in life stuff, Mae, review

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Basic

25th November 2015
The darker, colder days are driving me mad. From having more sets of outfit photos than I knew what to do with to now having to really eke out what I do manage to get is massively frustrating. Not to mention that most of the time the weather is so bad that all I want to do is pull on my largest wooly jumper and some cosy tights and slippers and hibernate from the world. Still, I do occasionally get dressed properly and it turns out that Ben’s flat isn’t too bad in terms of lighting and shelter from the wind and rain to take some pictures.

Jumper c/o TTYA x Long Tall Sally | Skirt: ASOS (get it here) | Boots c/o Just Fab

A skirt I originally bought for wearing in the Summer months has proven more versatile than I thought especially as the jumper is so soft and warm. I really like the combination of tan and black- it makes me feel far more sophisticated than I actually am…

As I mentioned in a post last week I am definitely taking my blog down more of a lifestyle route at the moment, even thought these photos turned out ok I kind of feel like taking a break from constantly “dressing for the blog” and always thinking about where to go for some decent shots. Hopefully in time that phase will pass but for now I’m taking the pressure off of myself and focusing instead in other things that are making me happy right now (that and Christmas content galore, sorry!).

Do you put too much pressure on yourselves when it comes to blogging? Sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s a hobby and I won’t be disowned by anyone if I change things up a bit or step back for a while.

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Posted in life, life stuff, outfits

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#LittleBlackBoxes with TNT direct

20th November 2015
Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately you’ll be aware that next Friday the 27th November will otherwise be known as “Black Friday”. Originating in the USA, the day after thanksgiving sees retailers slash prices of their wares in preparation for the Christmas gifting season. To celebrate this the folks at TNT Direct sent out some #LittleBlackBoxes to help set the mood.
The box housed a whole variety of familiar all-black products including some of my long-time favourites…
Black nail polish and lipstick takes me right back to my late teenage years (you know, like a decade ago) when I tried to be edgy. Although I never did manage to pull off either with much success and steer very clear these days both of these products bought back some hilarious and mostly drunken memories of being young and carefree with my friends.
100% Gold Chocolate– this is as dark as chocolate gets and I love it! Given the choice I’d take dark chocolate over milk any day and the stronger the better in my eyes. This particular bar is just to my taste and goes wonderfully with a cup of strong coffee…
Which leads me swiftly on to my next favourite, Coffee from the Little Coffee Bag Co. I’ve always taken my coffee black, I just prefer it that way. I also drink it so hot I risk burns in my mouth every time. These coffee bags are perfect for a proper cup at work where a cafetiere is too much faff, I’m looking to stock myself up asap having discovered these.
Growing up I was the odd child who loved the strongly flavoured sweets, aniseed and liquorice being particular favourites (and with family in Holland I have always been well looked after when it comes to liquorice). Black jacks and liquorice wheels are both long time favourites and the ones supplied in my Little Black Box didn’t last long at all!
Will you be shopping the Black Friday sales? I admit I am pretty much done with my Christmas shopping by this point but I’ll still be scouring the stores for any additional gifts to be giving.

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Posted in life, life stuff

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