A Satchel for Summer*

This Summer I’ve been craving pastels and bright colours more than anything. I guess it’s the grey skies and gloomy atmosphere that’s doing it but I suddenly want all of my accessories to be as bright and punchy as possible- even ditching my beloved black Mulberry Bayswater in favour of a mint green TK Maxx find. I’ve always had a soft spot for Satchel Bags, from their multi-ways to wear and practical nature to the way they effortlessly make you look that little bit smarter, both in dress and intellect. So in my sick-leave induced virtual window shopping I’ve popped together a little round-up of some of the highstreet’s best offerings.
The top two bags are via House of Fraser and the most expensive offerings being Michael Kors and DKNY. Despite being (in my eye) what I wouldn’t call a typical satchel I was persuaded by the beautiful soft colours and hint of luxury to include them in this list. It’s not all designer details at House of Fraser though, you’ll find plenty to suit all tastes and all budgets- I never manage to leave a store without some kind of purchase!
The middle row goes to ASOS, home of every bag style under the sun including those you never knew existed. I especially like the laser cut detail satchel as it’s perfect for adding a laid back boho vibe to a denim and white tee kind of outfit or a paisley printed dress.
Last but by no means least come two beauties from Brit-Stitch, a brand I have followed from the start and watched grow and flourish. I’m a big bag kind of girl, I just don’t seem to be able to condense down what I carry but given how head over heels I am with the adorable “with love from Brit-Stich” pink heart detailed mini satchel I’m going to have to perfect the art.
Are you brightening up your summer with accessories too? The perfect compliment to a sun-shiney day and an essential mood booster on the grey ones.

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Summer Sandals on the brain*

Apparently yesterday was the first day of Summer. The pouring rain and fresh wind did nothing to convince me of this and neither has the fact I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve worn anything other than converse or ankle boots lately. Still, in the spirit of the season and in the hopes it might encourage some brighter weather I’ve been browsing around and have put together (another) wish list of women’s sandals. Why not eh?

lace up flats | pink embellished | colour block | pom pom | patent black | the showy pair

I really cannot justify purchasing any shoes right now, especially when I have a whole host of as yet unworn sandals tucked away waiting for the sun and warmth to break through. Have any of these caught your eye? I’m dangerously tempted by all of them but none more so than the fabulous pom poms!

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Wow at a Wedding with Rosie Willett*

It’s wedding season once again and no matter whether you’re the bride, bridesmaid or a guest the pressure to impress is high! Another one of my “pass the time” browsing sessions has involved searching for the prettiest accessories to make any wedding outfit shine despite not having any invites myself and one of the most stunning discoveries I’ve made is Rosie Willett who makes the most stunning bridal headbands (which aren’t just for brides!).
Honestly, are these not the hair accessories that dreams are made of? More of a jewellery for the head than anything else I think. I’m basically smitten with the entire website but have a special soft spot for the newly launched blossoms collection which is inspired by natural vines and rambling plants.
How do you make sure you stand out at a wedding- or indeed any special occasion. I seem to have gone down a floral crown road for the last three weddings I’ve been to so it goes without saying that I am so taken with these!

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Etsy Introductions: The Catkin Boutique

Hot on the heels of my previous Etsy feature comes another, also discovered at the HAVE market a few weekends ago. This time I present to you Nicola, owner of The Catkin Boutique who I fully admit to being drawn to for the name alone! Of course I came away with a purchase in the form of some adorable cat earrings as well as a rather sizeable wish list of Nicola’s other creations.
The Catkin Boutique is full of cute handmade animal themed accessories. Nicola, the cat lady and general animal fanatic behind the label draws all her images in pencil and transfers them to plastic to make one of a kind pieces of jewellery. She also hand silkscreen prints her illustrations onto fair trade totes and cards. She loves to make beautiful jewellery and totes that are a bit quirky with a sense of fun and all inspired by nature. Keep an eye on her ever growing collection of earrings including narwhals, hedgehogs and platypuses (and of course cats!)
I’ve popped some of my favourite items from The Catkin Boutique below but as always I strongly suggest you pop over to the shop yourself and let me know your favourite pieces in the comments.
It’s only a matter of time before a tote bag finds itself in my possession.

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Etsy Introductions: Bumble and Moss

The other weekend there was a handmade market just down the road from me which I couldn’t resist checking out. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from a market that describes itself as “A Handmade, Artisan and Vintage Emporium” and entered with a curious mind and some birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. It was a lovely little event and through it I not only added to my ever-growing collection of jewellery but came across some sellers that I quite simply fell in love with- and upon discovering that they had Etsy shops too I quickly fired off some e-mails to see if I could share them with the world (or at least my blog readership!)

The first of these sellers is called Tina and she runs Bumble and Moss, an enchantingly named shop that sells the most fairytale-esque Botanical Inspired Jewellery. I purchased one of Tina’s necklaces at the market but could quite easily have taken home the lot. With each piece holding botanical and costal inspiration the necklaces are crafted from sea glass and naturally dried flowers.

The piece I treated myself to is just beautiful, I love forget me nots so finding this was a real stroke of luck and it garners attention whenever I wear it. I’ve popped a few more of my favourite items below but really, you must check out Tina’s shop, it’s a must for anyone who loves flowers, unique jewellery and handcrafted pieces.
Let me know what you think in the comments below- what’s your favourite flower?

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