Wednesday Wish List

These are some of the things I've been lusting after this week...

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As a bit of a craft addict, I love this collection of craft-themed enamel pins from Australian brand Jubly-Umph, and I think many of you will, too. Whether you like to sew, paint, crochet, or do some other form of crafting, they have the perfect pins to represent your creative side with this crafty range. They'd all be perfect for me (except the 'Happy Hooker' pin, as I've not yet learnt how to knit or crochet), so I'd happily collect them all.

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I'm smitten with these beautiful acrylic brooches from Blue Raven Designs, who are another Australian jewellery brand I stumbled up on this week. I think the Sudan the rhino brooch (which is based on the last male northern white rhino, who passed away earlier this year) has to be my favourite- he's so beautiful.

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I'm feeling rather uninspired by the clothes available at the moment, but there have been two pieces which have captured my heart this week- this gorgeous check swing dress, and fox patch-pocket cardigan from Collectif. Get in my wardrobe now!

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It's been years since I last bought myself a new necklace, but I'm loving these amazing statement acrylic necklaces from Scottish brand Cherry Loco. I thought the flamingo design was my favourite, but then I found the Labyrinth Worm necklace, and clearly, that's the best necklace ever! I need him!

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Another Australian jewellery brand I've been admiring from afar for a while is Curious Carousel, who make the most adorable acrylic carousel animal brooches. Their designs include everything from horses to flamingos, swans, and even foxes. Naturally, I'm particularly crazy about the red fox brooch- Vixen Copper, and while I can't afford to snap her up just yet, I'd love her in my collection, and I'm hoping she's still available when I next have the pennies to spare. I've linked to UK stockist Lottie & Lu above, but you can also shop Curious Carousel's Etsy store here.

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And I'll finish this week's wish list with these lovely laser cut wooden cameo pieces from yet another Aussie company called Sconnie and Jam. It seems Australia is full of amazing jewellery creators! Their cameo bunny brooch and fox necklace are both adorable, and the hand painted borders are a sweet touch. I think the fox necklace has to be my favourite, but the bunny brooch is super cute, too.

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

Any favourites this week?

Sunday Favourites #342

Here are some of my favourites from the last seven days...

Aww Sam's floral macaron ice cream sandwiches look so darn pretty. I bet they taste amazing, too.

I love how unique and creative A Beautiful Mess' wall weaving sugar cookies are. They must've been so fun to decorate.

The House That Lars Built are giving away this fun rainbow-themed Care Bears Care Package to one lucky winner, which you can enter via the link. I need those rainbow notebooks and that colourful deck of cards!

These needle-felted felt critters by Cat Rabbit are so cute.

This antisocial mermaid pin from Unicorn Rock Star tells it how it is.

If you want to add some colour to a plain picture frame, Maritza Lisa can guide you through it with her easy pastel picture frames DIY. 

I love these pretty triangle jewellery holders from Quiet Clementine.

Damask Love has created the cutest DIY face plant pots in a diverse range of skin tones, and now I really want to make some, too!

This DIY rainbow rock candy bakery cake hack from The Salty Canary looks amazing.

I love this painted sign Damask Love have made using foolproof stencils.

These chocolate salted fudge truffle milkless milkshakes from Sugar and Cloth look amazing.

A Kailo Chic Life have shown us how to decorate an orange tree for fall, and I have to say, I love the result! It's so fun and colourful! I'd love to do something similar, but perhaps with a less garish-coloured tree.

This piece of original art from Sonia Lazo Illustrator is probably right.

This patch from Finest Imaginary. Pads before lads forever!

Lovely Links

♥ I enjoyed taking a closer look at the new Erstwilder Out of Africa jewellery collection with Miss Hero Holliday's Out of Africa review posts- part one and part two.

♥ Hayley Hall talked about what happened when she bought clothes from those promoted ads on Instagram. Spoiler alert: it didn't end well.

♥ Jasmin Charlotte shared her latest embroidery creations with the world, and they're all absolutely beautiful.

♥ Jemma from Dorkface wrote about how she feels about the future of blogging, and her positive perspective is really thought-provoking.

♥ Katie May shared her helpful tips on how to do Disneyland Paris with a chronic illness.

♥ I love Kaylah's photos from her visit to the New England rocking horse graveyard Ponyhenge. Why are abandoned things so interesting??

♥ Rebecca of From Roses talked about sustainable living, specifically when being sustainable doesn't feel obtainable. 

♥ Megan from Lazy Thoughts conducted a poll with her Instagram followers to find out what we want from Instagram. She shares her results.

♥ Plus size blogger Hollie of Pretty Big Butterflies talks about how she deals with feeling intimidated because of the way she looks. I can relate to feeling intimidated in the situations she described; I always have been.

♥ A Beautiful Mess have compiled a fantastic round-up post of their best sewing tutorials to inspire your creativity this Autumn.

♥ 18 'harmless' comments doctors said that actually hurt their patients. I've experienced several of these over the years. 'You're too young to be in pain' is one I've had over and over again. Some doctors really can be brainless idiots and insensitive jerks when it comes to invisible / chronic illnesses.

♥ Grieving the life fibromyalgia took from me. I can relate.

♥ The mother of a child with a disability found a hurtful note on her car for parking in an accessible parking space. It's ridiculous that disabled people and their families get treated like this. I wish the people who feel the need to police accessible parking would educate themselves on invisible illnesses and disabilities, instead of wasting their time harassing innocent people.

♥ People are posting the things that annoy them the most and they will probably annoy you, too. Just no.

♥ A group of divers tried to pin down a shark for a selfie. WTF is wrong with people? Stories like this make me so mad.

♥ This precious blind and deaf dachshund puppy. So. Cute!

♥ This guy is "Mum" to hundreds of kangaroos. I want his job!

♥ Did you know butterflies drink turtle tears when they need salt?! You do now.

If you'd like to see more stuff like this, check out my Pinterest and Tumblr accounts. You can also find all previous Sunday Favourites posts here.

Any favourites this week?

What I Got For My Birthday (2018)

I finally got around to taking photos of the presents I was given for my birthday last month, so I thought it was about time I showed you the lovely gifts my family spoiled me with this year.

Please excuse the terrible photos; I've been pulling my hair out trying to edit them, and they were the best I could do.

My older sister, Marie sent me the most colourful parcel of presents over from Germany. The presents were nestled under layers of tissue paper in all the colours of the rainbow, and the gifts were wrapped in the cutest, colourful Care Bears wrapping paper. It was one of the most cheerful parcels I've ever received in the mail! I mean, seriously, look how cute that gift wrap is / was! You couldn't not be happy opening a box full of presents wrapped like that!

Marie gave me seven presents altogether, including an amazing grapefruit-scented NEST candle, a beautiful Puffin in Bloom edition of Little Women (one of my favourite books), and some lovely American make up. I was given three Physicians Formula products including the Mineral Wear Correcting Powder, Argan Wear Ultra Nourishing Argan Oil Blush, and the Organic Wear Fake Out Mascara, along with a beautiful Milani blusher in Blossomtime Rose, and they're all so gorgeous! She also originally gave me theBalm Nude Beach eyeshadow palette, but she'd accidentally been sold a tester that had been swatched already, so I had to send it back for her to swap. She couldn't get a replacement, so she swapped it for the equally gorgeous Anastasia Modern Renaissance eyeshadow palette for me instead. I'll admit I'm a little gutted to have lost the Nude Beach palette because the shades were so pretty, but I'm also thrilled to have the Anastasia palette because it's full of dreamy shades, too. I've never tried any of these brands or products before, so I'm really looking forward to trying them all out. Would you like me to review any of them for you when I do?

I have to say, Marie always sends me the best American goodies from the American air force base she lives at in Germany. (They have a huge BX (military base shop) there filled with American branded goodies with American prices). When she visited last week, she brought me back some amazing Bath and Body Works products, Dove chocolates, and a big bag of candy corn- it's definitely a perk of having her living where she is.

My younger sister, Sarah, gave me a gorgeous clothbound copy of Jane Eyre because she couldn't believe I'd never read it, as it's one of her favourite classics. I love the clothbound classics, so I'm glad to have another in my collection, and I'm looking forward to reading it this Autumn.

She also spoilt me with a Nintendo 2DS, so I've been having lots of fun playing Mario Kart 7 lately, which came pre-installed. The best part is, I discovered you could download old Sonic the Hedgehog games from the nineties from the Nintendo app store, which I used to love playing on the Sega Mega Drive growing up, so I've been getting all nostalgic playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 circa 1992! I'm such a loser, I know!

My parents and two of my Aunties gave me some money for my birthday, which I pooled together and spent on three Erstwilder brooches, Eric's Otters, Michelle Sea Turtle, and Sandy the Shy Seahorse. (Which I've previously reviewed here, along with a couple of others). I thought my collection could do with some sea creatures for accessorising summer outfits and wearing on trips to the seaside or aquarium, and in the end, I couldn't resist these beautiful pieces. I mean, look at them! They're all amazing. My favourite has to be Michelle the sea turtle because she's made from the prettiest resins.

And those are the lovely gifts I received from my family for my 33rd birthday. It may not look like a lot to some of you with a lot of friends, but I don't have a lot of people in my life to celebrate my birthday with now I'm chronically ill and house bound. (I know, I know, tiny violins...) I'm not looking for sympathy, though; I really appreciate what I have and all the presents I do get, and feel like I was spoiled rotten by my family this year (as always). I'm a very lucky girl!

Thanks, family, for the lovely birthday presents; I love them all! (Apart from the '40' card from my little sister telling me it was pointless to resist turning 40. I turned 33. She turns 30 next week; I will get the bitch back!)

What's the best birthday present you've ever received?

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What I Got For Christmas Haul 2017

The World In Stitches Modern Spectrum Mandala Cross Stitch Kit

A couple of Sundays ago, I finally completed the Spectrum Mandala cross stitch I began earlier in the year, and I'm so pleased with how well it turned out that I just had to blog about it.

This colourful cross stitch kit was from a small English brand called The World In Stitches, and it's the fifth or sixth of their kits I've cross stitched over the last year or so. It's the same pattern as the Spectral Mandala cross stitch I completed last summer, except that the colour spectrum is reversed, this time bleeding outwards from purple to red in ten different colours. 

I began working on this spectrum mandala in the new year, but it got neglected for a few months while I concentrated on some other crafts. I picked it up again in late June, and basically sewed the last three-quarters of it in just over a month. I think if I'd worked on it for an hour or so each day, it would've taken just two to three months to make from start to finish. It shouldn't have taken me eight months to make, that's for sure! I've been slacking.

While I abandoned it for a while, I had so much fun stitching the mandala and working with all of those vibrant, colourful threads. There was something really satisfying about watching my stitches come together and blend in to a rainbow, and turn in to a beautiful mandala. Colourful cross stitch projects are always the most fun! I was enjoying making it so much, I'm actually a little sad that I've finished it, but I'm looking forward to getting it framed, and having it hanging it on the wall.

The kit includes everything you need to create this beautiful cross stitch including 16 count white aida (fabric), pre-sorted DMC threads, two needles, full colour charts, and even a beginner's guide to cross stitching to help you get started if you're new to cross stitching. (All you need in addition is an embroidery hoop, a pair of embroidery scissors, and something to cross the chart off with as you go along, such as a pencil or a highlighter). Everything included in the kit is fantastic quality, including the paper the chart is printed on, which is amazing considering it's so reasonably priced. If you're tempted to buy one, and give it a try, I can assure you it's well worth a purchase.

I'd recommend this kit for intermediate and advanced cross stitchers who've had a little experience and already mastered the skill. In all honesty, it wouldn't be impossible for a beginner to stitch as it's broken down in to small colour-blocked shapes and the chart is easy to follow, but I think it would be a little overwhelming for a newbie because of the amount of stitching to do, and how intricate and complicated it looks. Unless you like a challenge, I'd definitely recommend starting with something a little smaller and simpler for your first go at cross stitching, like their geometric squares or heart kits, and working up to a bigger piece like this when you've mastered the basics. If you're confident with a needle and thread, however, I couldn't recommend this cross stitch kit to you more! I enjoyed it so much I stitched it twice!

You can find the Spectrum Mandala cross stitch kit from The World in Stitches on Amazon here and Etsy here, or if you prefer, you can purchase a PDF of the pattern separately on Etsy here.

Have you cross stitched or crafted anything lately?

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The World In Stitches Spectral Mandala Cross Stitch Kit

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The World In Stitches Colourful Geometric Cross Stitch Kits
Hobbycraft Flamingo Cross Stitch Hoop Kit

Riverdrift House Colourful Patchwork Home Sweet Home Sampler

Wednesday Wish List

Here are a few things I've got my beady little eyes on this week...

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I'm loving all of these mustard yellow bags and purses from Cath Kidston. They look like the perfect Autumn accessories.

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These dresses and skirts from Collectif are so damn pretty. Get in my wardrobe now!

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Lindy Bop are still killing it with amazing dresses and skirts. Just look at these gorgeous designs! All four have been added to my ever-growing Lindy Bop wish list this week, although my favourite has got to be the wonderfully vibrant watermelon print Joy swing dress. 

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I'm obsessed with this beautiful green velvet Nicola mini dress and red Hermione coat from Hell Bunny. I know I'd wear both of them to death if I got my hands on them.

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These iron-on patches from OH NO Rachio are rather pretty.

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Would you look at these amazing brooches and necklace designs from Aussie jewellery favourite Baccurelli?! They're all fantastic, but I especially love the lady centaur and mermaid brooches. I need!

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Speaking of brooches, these handmade acrylic animal brooches from Kitschy Kittens are pretty cute, too. Naturally, Petal the fox is my favourite, with the Lilly Ladybug design a close second.

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

Any favourites this week?

Sunday Favourites #341

Hey guys,

I'm back! Sorry it's been so quiet on the blog this week. My sister has been visiting from Germany for the week, so I decided to take a little break from blogging and the Internet for a few days, and just concentrated on spending time with my family. I think it did me some good to spend some time away from a screen for a little while.

I actually made it out of the house for the first time in six weeks- and on five days out of six- so even though I'm absolutely knackered and in agony now, it's been a good week. I even made it to the zoo again on Friday. I'm tired, but I'm also feeling mentally recharged , and ready to get stuck in to blogging again, so you should get more out of me this week. For now, let's slide back in with a fresh batch of my Sunday Favourites... Enjoy!

I want to have a go at stitching this beautiful multi pansy embroidery pattern from Emillie Ferris.

This awesome dog petter enamel pin from Danger In Design. I always want to pet all the dogs!

This DIY pinata fringe photo backdrop from A Kailo Chic Life would make a fun background for parties, selfies, and blog photos.

A Subtle Revelry's banana cake recipe sounds tasty.

A Kailo Chic Life's DIY jumbo rainbow sprinkles look like the perfect decoration for brightening up a plain iced cake.

How cute are Little White Socks' ice cream cone cupcakes?!

These printable paper fruit decorations from The House That Lars Built would make fun decorations for a summer party or barbecue.

I'm going to have to make this colourful geometric rainbow cross stitch from Lucky Star Stitches.

I love this DIY colourful stacked book plant stand from A Kailo Chic Life. I'm so tempted to give it a try.

This moon cushion from OH NO Rachio is rather gorgeous.

Marinush have the prettiest handcrafted polymer clay jewellery. I especially love their feather / leaf designs.

Lovely Indeed can show you how to make these eye-catching embroidered felt letter decorations.

These panoramic 3D models of the world's most beloved cities by Maxim Shkret and AirPano City Book are absolutely amazing.

This paper leaf party garland from A Subtle Revelry would make a lovely decoration for Autumn.

I love this shoulder tattoo so much. It's featured on Unicorns Out in Russian (which I can't translate), but I think it's a Sasha Unisex temporary tattoo.

Lovely Links

♥ Katie May wrote two fantastic posts about chronic illness this week- 5 lessons she's learnt from being chronically ill, and about her enteropathic arthritis diagnosis and treatment plan.

♥ Rebecca of From Roses wrote a relatable post about how having a dog has improved her mental health.

♥ Kaylah of The Dainty Squid's photos from Thurber Cemetery are both beautiful and fascinating.

♥ Michelle from Thou Shall Not Covet gave us the first peek at this year's beauty Advent calendars, and now I want them all! Is it Advent yet??

♥ Fascinating before and after photos show how this woman changed lives of WWI veterans by 'restoring' their faces. This is amazing, especially for the time.

♥ 73 times nature made us say "nope". Some of them are creepy as hell, like the spiders, but some look pretty damn cool, like the hammerhead bat. It looks like a moose with wings!

♥ The world's ugliest goat, the Damascus goat, looks super cute until it grows up.  That's got to be the result of selective breeding or inbreeding. The poor things look deformed. And prehistoric. And a little creepy.

♥ This thread about asking people inappropriate questions about when they're having or why they don't have kids yet. Unless the person brings their reproduction plans or history up, just don't go there. Ever.

♥ A little kitten came home one day carrying a strange baby on its back... So cute!

♥ The world's 10 rarest dog breeds are super adorable. I want to adopt them all!

If you'd like to see more stuff like this, check out my Pinterest and Tumblr. You can also find all previous Sunday Favourites posts here.

Any favourites this week?