Wednesday Wish List

Here are a few things I've been coveting this week...

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I've added these eight gorgeous patterned Lindy Bop dresses to my ever growing Lindy Bop wish list. It must stretch all the way to Australia and back by now! I think it's safe to say the obsession is getting out of hand!

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These Danielle Nicole cross-body novelty bags are too cute. I especially love the Little Mermaid ones; Flounder is adorable!

Collectif Mainline Caitlin Nautical Swing Dress

I'm completely smitten with this gorgeous nautical print swing dress from Collectif. It's so cheerful and summery; perfect for rocking in the Summer sun at home or on holiday.

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These new Lady Vintage dresses are so beautiful, particularly the panda print Hepburn dress which is just incredible. I need it in my life ASAP.

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I'm obsessed with everything in the new Irregular Choice Mickey Mouse & Friends collection; the entire collection is simply amazing. While most people are clucking over the heels, I've developed a particular love for the flats, especially the eight featured above. The designs are all incredible. One of each, please!

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The Mickey Mouse & Friends bags and purses are also rather awesome, although most of them have already sold out online. I'm loving the four above, which I'm pleased to say are still available as I write this.

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These Chi Chi London Curve dresses for Dorothy Perkins Curve are absolutely stunning. My favourite is the navy floral v-neck dress (#1).

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These summery brooches and necklaces from I Am Acrylic would be the perfect finishing touch for any Summer outfit. How great would they look with a pretty sun dress and sandals when you're holidaying by the sea?! 

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And finally, I adore this watermelon skirt and dress from Unique Vintage. They're the skirt and dress of my dreams, and two of the best pieces of clothing I've come across all year. I don't think I'm ever going to tire of the fruit trend.

If you'd like to see more of the fashion pieces on my wish list, check out my style wish list boards on Pinterest. You can also find all previous Wednesday Wish Lists here.

What's on your wish list this week?

Wednesday Wish List

Here are some of the things on my wish list this week...

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Lindy Bop have released another big batch of beautiful dresses this week, so I've added approximately 4832 of them to my Lindy wish list. These are just eight of my new favourites- aren't they gorgeous?! Whoever is coming up with these incredible prints and fabrics deserves a big fat raise!

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I'm loving these magical circus-themed purses from Vendula London, especially the penny farthing clasp purse with the extra clasp on its wheel. It's too cute!

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Lady Vintage's new Isabella sweetheart dresses are all so pretty. The florals are lovely, but I'm particularly obsessed with the toucan and bird city prints myself.

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These two dresses from Joanie Clothing would be perfect for my upcoming holiday to Cornwall.

Joanie Clothing Claudia Crab Straw Basket Bag

How cute is this crab motif beach bag, also from Joanie Clothing? I could so see myself using this on the beach, or for strolling around bustling seaside villages with an ice cream in hand.

ASOS Curve Toucan PJ Set

I'm totally obsessed with this adorable PJ set! Now I can't get 'Two Can Play That Game' outta my head!

ASOS Lemon Ballet Flats

These fruity ballet pumps from ASOS are amazing! I adore every last detail. I doubt they'd comfortably fit my annoyingly wide feet, but I still want them in my life!

ASOS Curve Maxi Tea Dress

This yellow floral maxi tea dress from ASOS Curve is rather lovely, and the open back helps to keep it looking modern and fresh.

Pink Clove Gingham Playsuit

This gingham playsuit from Pink Clove is a beauty.

Oasis Flamingo Clutch

I need this flamingo motif clutch bag from Oasis in my life. It would have a welcome place in my bag collection.

Too Faced Natural Love Eye Shadow Collection

And I'm also lusting after the stunning Too Faced 'Natural Love' eyeshadow palette, after stumbling upon it this week. All of the shades in the palette are dreamy, and the packaging is rather pretty, too!

For more of the fashion and beauty pieces on my wish list, check out my style and beauty wish list boards on Pinterest. You can also find all previous wish lists here.

What's on your wish list this week?

Currently | May 2017

I can't remember the last time I sat down and wrote a 'Currently' post, where I chat about some of the things I've been doing lately, so I think it's about time I rectified that with a fresh new Currently post. This is what I've been getting up to lately...

Reading

I recently finished The Land of Later on by Anthony Weller, and Room by Emma Donoghue, both very different, but really enjoyable reads. The Land of Later on is about a chronically ill man who has just committed suicide trying to find the love of his life in the afterlife, and Room is a fictional story about a woman who has been held captive in a shed for seven years with her five year old son, through the eyes of the little boy who knows nothing of the world but Room, as he tries to process the world he's never been exposed to. I couldn't put either of them down; they were both harrowing and thought-provoking reads. I've just started reading This Must Be The Place by Maggie O' Farrell, which I'm only about a dozen pages or so in to, but already hooked on.

Watching
I haven't really been watching anything new on TV, but I'm loving the latest series of The Big Bang Theory, and got in to Timeless when it aired a couple of months ago. I have watched quite a few new-to-me movies, though, including A Theory of Everything, and Me Before You, (both of which had me bawling my eyes out), Room, The Choice, 3996 Days, and a bunch of other stuff I had ready to list in my head, but suddenly can't recall now I need to. Damn brain fog. I'm dying to check out La La Land, Fantastic Beasts, Beauty and the Beast, 13 Reasons Why, and The Keepers.

Listening

I downloaded Linkin Park's new album 'One More Light' on Friday which I'm obsessed with already, and I can't wait for Fall Out Boy's new album which is due out in September. I also really like Paramore's new single,  and I really need to check out their new album. I've not been impressed with a lot of other new music lately, so I've mostly been listening to the back catalogues of both LP and FOB on repeat, which I do often because their music never fails to make me happy.

Eating

a bag of Milka Mini Eggs, the last of my Easter chocolate. They're soooo good!

Wearing

a pair of raspberry-pink heart print pyjama bottoms and a navy PJ vest top. They totally don't match, but they were the only ones that were clean. And yes, I'm wearing PJs in the middle of the afternoon. What of it?

Stitching

I'm currently working on a rainbow spectral mandala from The World In Stitches, after recently finishing a geometric heart, and a geometric squares kit from the same company. I also have a flamingo picture on the go that I need to return to and finish, but I've put it aside for now as I needed a break from the repetition of sewing a sea of turquoise.

Painting

As I said in my Random Things Haul post last week, I've just started watercolour painting again, and have began painting a Johanna Basford canvas with a compass and nature design using my new Winsor & Newton watercolour paints. I'm making a complete mess of it, but I'm really enjoying painting again, and I'm sure I'll improve my technique again in time. I can already see an improvement in the sections I've painted over the last few weeks. I can't believe I left it so long to get back in to it; I'm finding it so therapeutic and relaxing!

Looking

forward to getting away to Cornwall for a week's holiday next month. I've not had a holiday since I developed chronic pain and chronic illness, so if I make it there, it'll be my first holiday in almost six years and my first to Cornwall in seven. I'm unsure how I'm going to manage the journey, let alone a week's holiday, and I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to cope with, but fingers crossed I'll find a way to power on through the pain, and get out and about to some of my favourite places (and maybe a few new ones) while I'm there. I know I'll do my best because I love Cornwall so much, and I won't be able to resist the siren call of my favourite places in favour of wasting the whole holiday lounging around a caravan. Ah, I'm so excited!

Planning

To go see Linkin Park play live in London in July as a birthday treat, providing we can get tickets, of course. I've seen them live twice before, and they've always been amazing live, so I can't wait for round three. I'm also making plans for Cornwall, sketching out future blog posts, and thinking about how to redesign the blog.

Craving

the feeling of sand beneath my feet, the sun on my skin, the sound of the ocean, the smell of salt water, the tides lapping around my feet in the surf, the cry of seagulls, and the scent of coconut sun tan lotion. I'm specifically craving Perranporth beach in Cornwall, but any sandy beach would do right about now. I'm not fussy. Hopefully I'll be able to satisfy my cravings in a few weeks when I go to Cornwall with a trip to the beach. If not I'll cry.

Buying 

I haven't bought a whole lot lately as money is really tight, but I treated myself to this Boohoo Plus smock dress last week after selling some old stuff on eBay, and managed to get my hands on a few of the Sleeping Beauty Tsum Tsums that went on sale last Tuesday. I'll give you a peek at them on Instagram when they get here. You can see some of the other things I've acquired lately in my Random Things Haul.

Needing

some new dresses, cropped cardigans, underwear, bedding, a new chest of drawers, a beach bag, a shower, a hair cut, some fresh air, a painkiller that actually kills pain, a concert fix, a new camera (Rosie broke mine), a good night's sleep, some excitement in my life... lots of things. Everything is on it's last legs, including me.

Wanting
I'm dying to get my hands on this poppy red maxi dress from Boohoo, this dress from Lindy Bop, this dress and this dress from Lady Vintage, the Too Faced Sweet Peach eyeshadow palette, this sewing box house from Cath Kidston, these Cath Kidston brooches, this flamingo pool float novelty bag from Skinny Dip, and some more Johanna Basford canvases to paint.

Wishing

I was rich and could afford everything I need and want. That would be the life. 

Loving

Linkin Park's new album 'One More Light'. It was released on Friday and OMG I'm loving it so much already. It's so uplifting and melodic, with some beautiful vocals from Chester- although not enough from Mike for my liking. As seems to be the tradition, it has a completely different sound to anything they've ever done before, and it couldn't be more different to their last album 'The Hunting Party', which was an epic album with a heavier rock and metal sound. I admit I'm a little disappointed by the total lack of rock tunes- I thought there'd at least be a couple- but I actually love the way they keep evolving their music. Once again they've nailed it. I have a feeling I'm going to be playing this album to death from now on.

Worrying

about my heart rate, which is still racing like crazy three months on. To be honest, it's scaring the shit out of me. It's been so fast the last few nights I've barely slept; I'm shattered. I just want everything to go back to normal, and to find out what the hell is going on with my body. I'll finally be meeting with a cardiologist on Wednesday, so hopefully I'll finally get some answers and some way of getting it under control, because I'm not enjoying this so much.

Crying

with laughter because my dog just threw a treat across the room to pounce on it. (She's developed a new habit of playing with her food). It landed under the open door of her crate, and now she's barking, howling, and making the funniest noises in despair at it because she wants the treat but is afraid to go near the open door. She cracks me up.

Teaching

I've just started working on recall with Rosie (again) because she still doesn't come when you call her, and it's time we cracked it. We have a huge garden so she has plenty of space to run around off the lead at home, but it would be great to give her the freedom to walk off the lead in public, and know she'll stay safe and come back. I've started getting her to come to me using treats and the clicker while I'm playing with her in the garden, but I'll probably look in to getting a long lead, and a dog whistle to gain a bit more control, especially for longer distances.

Clearing

out some of my old and unwanted things in an attempt to declutter, and raise a little extra cash. And I've also been having a good clean up of files on my laptop to try to declutter my virtual life, and get organised, too.

Scheduling 

some Sunday Favourites posts ahead of time for when I'm away, so I don't have to stress about throwing them together at the last minute. You'd be surprised how long they can take to assemble sometimes. I've been known to lose whole days to one post.

Wondering

how my appointment with the cardiologist is going to go on Wednesday, what their prognosis will be, and what might happen next.

Enjoying

the longer hours of daylight we've been having lately, and the sunshine streaming through my window today. I don't know why extended hours of daylight, blue skies and sunshine make such a difference to my moods, but they really do.

What have you been up to lately? Let me know what you're currently enjoying in the comments below!

Wednesday Wish List

This week, I have been lusting after...

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These colourful, cheerful hand-painted wooden brooches and necklaces from Layla Amber on Etsy.

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Lindy Bop have released another big batch of amaaazing dresses this week, and I'm particularly besotted with the twelve above. The wonderfully vibrant yellow skyline print Audrey swing dress {#2) is probably my ultimate favourite, closely followed by dresses  numbers 1. 3. 4, 7, and 8. I wish they'd all just get in my wardrobe now!

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Lady Vintage's latest releases are all drop dead gorgeous. The banana, bird city, and toucan prints are to die for! These are just a few of my current favourites; there are dozens of other beautiful frocks you should check out on the website if you like the ones I've shared above.

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These palm leaf bags from Skinny Dip look like the perfect Summer day bags.

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I love Vendula London's Sewing Shop collection, especially the Sewing Shop Box Bag (#5). The little hand-sewn details on each piece are too cute, and I love the duck egg blue and white colour scheme.

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I'm completely smitten with these stunning embroidered Isla maxi dresses from Boohoo Plus. I'm dying to get my hands on the poppy red version for my Summer wardrobe. It's so beautiful.

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I also really like these embroidered tees from Boohoo. I have a pinafore dress they'd go perfectly with.

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Scarlett & Jo have restocked their heart print Lollidot dresses, which I've been dying to get my hands on for about a year. The print and colours are so pretty, and of course, I love the shape of the dress, too. Fingers crossed I manage to acquire them both before they sell out this time.

ASOS Avocado Coin Purse

How cute is this avocado coin purse from ASOS?

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And these pineapple and flamingo keyring purses from Oasis are adorable. They look perfect for Summer, and for popping in to beach bags when you're soaking up some Summer sun on the sand.

If you'd like to see more of the fashion pieces on my wish list, check out my style wish list boards on Pinterest. You can also find all previous Wednesday Wish List posts here.

What's on your wish list this week?

The World In Stitches Geometric Heart Cross Stitch

If you read my cross stitch posts, you might remember those colourful modern cross stitch kits from The World In Stitches that I was raving about around a month or so ago. I'd picked up four new kits- two mandalas, a geometric heart, and a geometric square made up of lots of little geometric squares, and couldn't wait to get started.

Well, I've already completed the two geometric kits, and I've got the first one to show you today. (Technically, it's the second one I made, but it's the first one I have ready to share).

If you hadn't already guessed, this is the geometric heart, which is without a doubt one of the most fun and colourful cross stitches I've ever made. It was also one of the most enjoyable, because I got to play with a whole rainbow of coloured threads- and you guys all know how much I love to play with colour!

It was an easy little project to stitch because the entire design is made up simple colour-blocked triangles, and just a handful of single stitches. Once I got used to the sequence, I barely even needed to refer to the chart as I went along, and I actually found the simplicity and repetition really therapeutic.

It took me just over a week to finish it by putting in an hour or two at a time, along with a couple of five or six hour stints where I sewed rainbow triangles for hours on end. If I'd stepped up my game and dedicated more time in each sitting, it could've easily been made in just a few days, so it's a great short-term project if you want to cross stitch something without months or years of commitment.

I'm so pleased with how well my attempt turned out. I  love the end result,and how bold and colourful it is; it's so different to anything I've ever made before, and I definitely need to make more designs like it in the future. I still need to get it framed, but it's going to look great on the wall when I do, brightening up the room with that explosion of colour.

The kit includes almost everything you need to make the geometric heart- thick 14 count white aida, beautiful pre-sorted DMC threads, a needle, a colourful and easy to follow chart printed on thick, good quality paper, an image of what the completed cross stitch will look like, and even a beginner's guide to cross stitching to help you get started. You'll just need to get your hands on an embroidery hoop, embroidery scissors, and something to cross the chart off with as you go along. The entire kit is fantastic quality down to the paper the information is printed on, and I'm personally impressed given it's small price tag of just £8.49. It's amazing value for money!

If you're thinking of giving this cross stitch kit a go, I honestly couldn't recommend it to you more. It's perfect for beginners and pros alike, and the pattern is even simple enough for anyone who has never cross stitched a stitch before in their life to follow easily. I promise you'll quickly get the hang of it, and you'll enjoy making it!

You can find the geometric heart cross stitch kit over on The World In Stitches' Amazon and Etsy stores, along with lots of other gorgeous cross stitch kits and patterns.

I'll be back to show you the finished geometric squares cross stitch really soon.

Have you crossed stitched anything lately? Are there any other craft projects you've been making?

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