Category Archives: life

Sending a Smile with Parcelgenie

22nd July 2015
I love nothing more than spreading a little joy in life and what better way to do it than sending someone you care about, or want to cheer up a little gift to remind them how special they are? I was recently invited the try out Parcelgenie, an app that allows you to send a gift straight from your phone. Pretty much everything costs under a fiver and it couldn’t be simpler to use!
I was given two codes to send out a little something to a couple of lucky people in my life. I picked my Mum as the first recipient as she has been my rock lately, and then I chose Ben because well a) I love him and b) He’s a complete sugar junkie so anything edible in the post is going to be a winner.
I selected a cute owl themed gift for my Mum which contained two chocolate owls and an owl keyring. Owls are a bit of a family thing and I thought this would be the perfect way to say thank you. For Ben I chose the “man box” full of retro sweets which I just knew he’d enjoy.

To send a gift you literally just need to fire up the app, select which gift you want to send then add in the recipients phone number. Pay for your purchase (prices include p&p) and your giftee will get a text asking them to reply with a delivery address. Simple! The gifts arrived within two days of address confirmation and we were pretty happy with the results.

For those without a smartphone or who don’t want to download an app Parcelgenie have also just launched a text service (TxtGenie) which follows the same principles just done by text instead. Genius! First time users of the text service will also receive 50% off of their first gift!
Small but perfectly formed, the gifts are the perfect size for popping through the letter box and come beautifully packaged. I really think Parcelgenie are on to something here. Whether you want to say “Happy Birthday”, “Well Done” or quite simply just because this is the perfect way to show you care.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has done for you?

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Yet another nautical inspired outfit

17th July 2015
I found this set of photos lurking on my laptop, forgotten amongst the chaos of my desktop (organising it has been on my to-do list since forever). It’s a bit of a matchy-matchy outfit by my standards, but I liked it- and still do like it as once again it has more than a touch of nautical style about it.

Top: Primark | Skirt: New Look (here) | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban | Shoes c/o Babycham

I’m fairly hopeless when it comes to remembering to photographer the finer details of outfits, accessories in particular although in Summer I’m rarely without a pair of sunglasses on my face. My current favourites are my Ray-Ban Erika pair which just seem to go with everything and clearly turn me in to a bit of a poser.

I couldn’t resist pairing my Babycham sailor shoes with this bargain vest top from Primark (£3 in a fairly recent sale), teamed of course with one of the two denim skirts I’ve been living in this Summer, my replacement for jeans it would seem as I end up wearing one most days, once outfit photos have been taken or work has been done.

What are you living in this Summer?

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Posted in life, life stuff, outfits, shoes

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The New Nautical with Lilac Rose

10th July 2015
It’s been a while since I added a really beautiful summer day dress to my collection, my wardrobe used to be heaving with them but as a few years have passed by I seem to have either sold them or given them to charity. I have no idea why I did this, I can only assume I had taken temporary leave from my senses, but still, thanks to Lilac Rose I’ve boosted what I do have left with this slightly nautical little number by Emily and Fin.

Dress c/o Lilac Rose | Shoes: Esprit at Sarenza (alternative) | Necklace c/o Lee Renee Jewellery | Earrings c/o Joy

I’ve long admired Emily and Fin dresses on bloggers such as Char but hadn’t ever managed to purchase one for myself. I’m pretty besotted with this little number, it fits amazingly (after following advice to size down) and the attention to detail is brilliant- I love that it has pockets and the straps have cute button fastenings.

I dug out these Esprit sandals which I have since got rid off, and I now regret. I am slowly but surely getting rid of my super high heels, I just can’t cope since the whole broken foot and then back surgery thing and low, ladylike shoes like these are ideal. As with my summer dresses I have no idea what came over me when I decided to part with these, but I’ve found some lovely rose gold alternatives (listed above) which might have to make their way to me.

As these photos were taken during Britain’s few days of heatwave weather I decided to accessorise with my summeriest jewellery- my trusty banana necklace from Lee Renee and these super cheerful pineapple earrings that Joy sent my way last year.

Are you a fan of Emily and Fin dresses? Lilac Rose is newly launched as an online shop, having run two shops in Cambridge and Leamington Spa for some years. This could be a dangerous discovery for me…really dangerous.

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Posted in jewellery, life, life stuff, outfits, shoes

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Stationery Favourites

08th July 2015
For as long as I can remember I’ve been obsessed with stationery. Going shopping for a new pencil case and it’s contents was the one consolation to the end of the long Summer holidays and over the years I’ve amassed quite a collection of pens, notebooks, pencils, stickers…you get the idea! I’ve recently added a few new items to my stash which I’m really quite taken with so I thought I’d do something a little different and give them some space on the blog.
Crazy Cat Lady Pencils (get them here): What can I say? I just couldn’t resist this set of true to life pencils from La La Land. If cats aren’t your thing (although I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t be) then there is a whole host of witty designs to choose from, the perfect addition to your desk, or for a cheeky little gift to someone.

Kate Spade Note Pad (get it here): I’ve developed a bit of a thing for Kate Spade stationery since spying it pop up on several blogs recently. I treated myself to this “short list” note pad as a pick-me-up during a not so easy time, it’s perfect for setting small daily goals and feeling accomplished. There is something so charming about the entire stationary collection, I may have added some pens to my collection since photographing this, oops!
Paperblanks notebook* (get yours here): My real weakness is a beautiful notebook and they don’t come much more beautiful than those by Paperblanks. I’ve admired their designs for years, and owned more than a few in my time- as soon as I fill one up with my random notes and musings I instantly replace it, feeling a teensy bit guilty each time for ruining something so easy on the eye. My most recent addition is the perfect size for carrying in my handbag and contains everything from shopping lists to inspiration for my next blog post.

Paperchase Organiser (get yours here): Essentially the only hope I have of ever remembering to do anything! I can’t get to grips with keeping my schedule on my phone, I much prefer the old school approach so when I saw this beautiful owl organiser in store I had to snap it up to replace my mid-year diary that was due to run out. I love that you can customise the inside of these- mine has a standard 12 month diary, plus note paper, a to-do list section and a handy plastic wallet for storing bits and bobs.
Fellow stationery addicts, where do you shop for your supplies? I can’t be alone in being a pen hoarder to the extreme!

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Posted in life, life stuff, stationary

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All Dressed Up with Kaliko

06th July 2015
It’s fair to say my life has been pretty quiet over the last few weeks, with not much happening and certainly no reasons to get all dressed up. However, this wasn’t enough to stop letting out an excited squeal when THE most beautiful dress landed on my doorstep, nor was it enough to stop me slipping it on that instant and prancing round the garden.

Dress c/o Kaliko (here) | Shoes: Next (a few years ago)

This dress from Kaliko is just beautiful and it makes me feel special when I wear it. I wish it had been around ten years ago for my end of year prom as it’s exactly the kind of thing I wanted to wear but could not find, as it stands I’ve got it earmarked for a wedding NEXT summer (yes, I’m that far ahead of myself), although probably with some different shoes and some delicate gold accessories.

Kaliko isn’t a brand I’m overly familiar with, but getting acquainted with their website revealed a whole host of beautiful dresses to the point where I couldn’t narrow it down and ended up getting their friendly PR to pick for me. Major bonus points to him for choosing such a stunner!

The dress has also convinced me that I can pull off some shades of yellow, something that I’ve always believed to be a “no go colour” for me.

How would you style up this beauty?

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Posted in life, outfits, shoes

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