Wednesday Wish List

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

Cath Kidston X Disney Snow White Collection

I didn't think I was going to be interested in the upcoming Cath Kidston X Disney Snow White collection as Snow White has never been one of my favourite Disney films, but then Cath Kidston released preview images of the collection and now I'm I want it all! Damn it, Cath Kidston; you've done it again. The designs, which feature imagery from the movie mixed with Cath K prints, are all so beautiful.

I'm particularly obsessed with the scattered blossom singing birds and the apple designs- especially the singing birds tote bag. Sadly, I can't afford to splurge when the range launches next Thursday, but I know I'm tempted to make a small purchase. We'll see what happens! 

If you'd like to see the full CK Snow White collection, you can preview it via the link above.

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Another range I'm lusting over this week is Erstwilder's brand new Halloween collection, A Haunting We Will Go. It features ten Halloween-themed resin brooches, and one necklace, and the designs are amazing. I couldn't afford to make any purchases this week, but I would particularly love to get my hands on The Witching Hour brooch (#8), the Fright of the World Lights brooch (#10), and Count Von Kitty brooch (#2). I love them! I've linked to Erstwilder above, but if you're outside Australia you can find the list of Erstwilder stockists around the world here.

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I don't own a lot of plain, non-patterned clothes, but I love these block-coloured Lyra dresses from Lady Vintage. They look perfect for Autumn, and cater to sizes 14 to 30/32.

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I'm also loving Lady Vintage's new selection of Isabella swing dresses, especially the black polka dot number. This style comes in UK sizes 8 to 28/30.

The Jane Austen Collection Arcturus Books

Pretty books are one of my biggest weaknesses in life, and I've fallen in love with this Jane Austen book collection from Arcturus Books. Just look at how beautiful those covers are! (You can get a better look at all the covers here). I love the designs and the colours so much. I've been coveting them for a while, but stumbled upon the set for sale for under £20 on the weekend, and I'm itching to snap them up. I've earnt almost enough through surveys this week, so once that's cleared, I'm going to treat myself to them. 

If you're making heart eyes at the screen right now, you might also like the Arcturus Anne of Green Gables collection. (These are the covers). I bought myself the set on the weekend, after finishing the first book last week (different edition), and also falling in love with the Arcturus collection after gifting one of the books to my sister for her birthday. The covers are gorgeous. The set is due to be delivered today, and I can't wait for them to get here. Is that sad??

Too Faced Then and Now Eyeshadow Palette

The new Too Faced Then and Now eyeshadow palette looks absolutely dreamy. I love the gorgeous mix of colour and neutrals, and shimmers, mattes, and glitters. Apparently they also smell like birthday cake! I'll definitely be adding this one to my Christmas list.

NYX Love You So Mochi Eyeshadow Palette

I also love the look of NYX's Love You So Mochi eyeshadow palette in Electric Pastels. So many pretty colours!

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I really like these striped tees with embroidered applique from Hell Bunny. I think they'd be perfect for wearing under pinafore dresses, as well as with skirts and jeans.  I haven't seen a plus size listing for the ghost Casper top yet, but I'm sure one will appear soon.

Hell Bunny Nicola Mini Dress

Another Hell Bunny piece I'm completely smitten with is this stunning emerald green velvet mini dress. I was going to say, I'd wear this dress to death all Autumn and Winter, but I've literally just realised the embroidery on the collar is of Christmas baubles! Change of plan: can this be my Christmas dress this year?

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And finally, I also have my eye on Oh So Flamingo's upcoming Halloween brooch collection, which is now available to pre-order. I'm particularly loving Shadow the Cat. Look at how cute he is!

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

Any favourites this week?

25 Things I Want To Do This Autumn

Can you believe we're already a week in to September? Where has the time gone? This year is passing so fast! 

I know it's not officially Autumn here in the northern hemisphere until the 23rd, but it's already beginning to feel like Autumn here in The Cotswolds. The leaves have already started to change, the nights have started drawing in, and there's a noticeable chill in the air today. It was absolutely freezing when I woke up this morning, and I'm still cocooned up under a blanket now. It seems like summer is almost over for another year.

I'm not ready for the nights to draw in, but I am looking forward to Autumn, and all the fun Autumn activities, pastimes, and scenery we'll soon be able to enjoy. In fact, I've already come up with a bunch of things I want to do this Autumn, and I thought I'd share some of them with you today. So here are 25 things I want to do this Autumn...

1. Finish my cross stitch mandala

I started another colourful mandala cross stitch (this one) a few weeks ago, and I want to dedicate lots of time to cross stitching it this Autumn. I'm hoping to have it finished by mid October at the latest so I can then get working on some new Christmas designs. Wish me luck!

2. Paint the wooden house-shaped shelving unit

Back in the Spring, I bought a wooden house-shaped display box with little compartments for displaying little things (this one), that I intended to paint and use to house some of my nail polish collection. Six months later, I still haven't got around to it, so it's time to get it done. I bought a new paint brush for the job yesterday, so I have no excuse now.

3. Make my Christmas wreaths

After the success of my felt spring wreaths, I've decided to make some felt Christmas wreaths, too, and I'm being proactive and making them now so that they'll be ready to hang on time. I've already made a start, but it's time to get stuck in and get creating or I'll still be working on them in the New Year. I might also make myself an Autumn wreath if I can come up with a good design, but one thing at a time.

4. Make a brooch display board

I'm also hoping to make some kind of brooch display board this Autumn to showcase my ever-growing collection of brooches, and make it easier to see them all and choose which one to wear when I get dressed. I haven't got a plan as such, I just know it's time I made one.

5. Paint more

I haven't done a whole lot of painting lately, but I'm going to do my best to do more of it this Autumn because it's another hobby I really enjoy, and I miss it. Am I the only one who wants to make and create all the things as soon as summer is over?

6. Take lots of blog photos

Every blogger in the UK knows that our winter daylight is shit; it's so dark and dreary, and there's very little of it, which makes capturing the perfect blog photos a nightmare from about October to April. I don't have studio lights, so I'm hoping to take as many photos for future blog posts as I can before the nights draw in and we lose the bright summer daylight for another year. The only problem is, I've just broken my bridge camera (it fell off my bed and now the lens is jammed and it won't turn on), and I don't know what I'm going to do as I can't afford to replace it... so I might have to use my iPhone for a while... (Also, sorry about the old photos I had to use for today's post because of said broken camera).

7. Blog lots

I have so many blog posts I want to write this Autumn, and I'm going to do my best to blog as much as possible. Health allowing, of course.

8. Read lots

Autumn is definitely the time for curling up under a cosy blanket with a good book or ten, and I want to do lots of it this season. I'm already on my second book of the month (The Handmaid's Tale), so I'm off to a good start already.

9. Have lots of Autumn / Halloween movie marathons

I'm looking forward to having lots of Autumn / Halloween-themed movie marathons this fall, while wrapped up warm under a cosy blanket on those chilly Autumn days / evenings. I've got lots of Autumn horror movie favourites, but to be honest, I'm most looking forward to rewatching Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, You've Got Mail, and Little Women for the millionth time.

10. Up my survey answering game to afford Christmas presents

I've been slacking lately and haven't participated in as many paid surveys as I used to because I CBA, but I'm determined to get back in to the swing of things and dedicate more time to it this Autumn to help pay for Christmas presents. I paid for last year's Christmas presents through surveys alone, so I can definitely do the same again this year. If you want to learn more about earning money through participating in surveys, you can learn everything you need to know here.

11. Finish my Christmas shopping

I actually started my Christmas shopping earlier in the year and have several presents stowed away already, but with Christmas just over three months away, I want to actively start shopping for the rest, and hopefully have all my Christmas shopping finished by December.

12. Try to wrap Christmas presents as I buy them

With my chronic pain and chronic illnesses, I find December exhausting and painful, especially wrapping presents which always inflicts an unbearable amount of pain and stiffness on me, that can take me weeks to recover from. After the state wrapping presents left me in last Christmas, I've vowed to try to wrap my Christmas presents as I go along this year, or at least tackle them in a couple of sittings before December to take some of the pressure off in the run up to Christmas. Challenge accepted.

13. Plan and schedule Christmas blog content

I know December is still months away, but I also want to start preparing and scheduling some of my Christmas content now so I have more time to relax and enjoy the festivities with my family during the festive season. I don't want to stress about putting a blog post together when I could be decking the halls or having a Christmas movie marathon instead.

14. Train Rosie to stop barking

My Tibetan terrier is a vocal little lady, and loves to bark at anything that moves and every little noise she hears. It's getting a little tiresome and I'm sure our neighbours don't appreciate the noise, so I'm going to work on clicker training her to stop barking when we ask her to. I will crack this!

15. Go to the bonfire and watch the fireworks

It's been years since I last made it to our town's bonfire on bonfire night as I've not been well enough to go, but I really want to make it this year... or at least find a good spot to watch some fireworks. Going to the bonfire was always one of my favourite Autumn activities.

16. Take an Autumn walk

I'd love to take at least one Autumn walk in the countryside (or at least somewhere with lots of trees), to crunch through paths of fallen Autumn leaves, breathe in the crisp air, and appreciate the pretty foliage. I always love being outdoors during the Autumn, and the more time I spend trapped indoors, the more I long to be outside, close to nature.

17. Buy new ankle boots and ballet pumps

My black ankle boots and my ballet pumps are falling apart (not to mention making my feet burn), so I must buy myself some new ones this Autumn before I start looking like a street urchin. I haven't found any I like yet, though.

18. Treat myself to some new clothes

I haven't bought any new clothes in the longest time, and I really need and want to treat myself to a few new dresses and some knitwear in gorgeous Autumn colours like burgundy, raspberry, forest green, mustard, teal, rust, and plum to wear this A/W.

19. Dye my hair

My hair is also in dire need of a touch up ASAP. I haven't managed to dye my hair since May and my roots are getting ridiculous, so I must push through the pain and get it done again soon. I also need a hair cut, but I think that's going to have to wait until after Christmas.

20. Organise my dressing table drawers

It's been a while since I last tidied my make up drawers, and right now they're a total mess. They're long over due a tidy, so I must find some time to pull everything out, bin anything past its best, and reorganise it all. I'll probably share photos of it when I do.

21. Decorate the house for Autumn

I feel the urge to bring Autumn in to the house, by adding a few pumpkins, foliage, and homeware in Autumn colours, and I'd like to give it a try this year. Perhaps I should make an Autumn wreath to hang up, after all. And also treat myself to a bunch of giant sunflowers? I could even make a felt Autumn leaf garland or a pom pom garland using wool in Autumn colours! 

22. Carve a pumpkin

I wasn't well enough to carve a pumpkin last year, so  I'm all the more determined to carve me a Jack O' Lantern this year. I love the smell of them when they're lit afterwards.

23. Make pumpkin dog biscuits for Rosie

I'd then like to make some homemade pumpkin dog biscuits for Rosie using the pumpkin flesh I scoop out. Or maybe I'll just buy a pumpkin especially to make her some.

24, Make French onion soup

My sister keeps bugging me to make her some French onion soup because it's been years since I last made some, so I'm hoping to oblige when the weather gets colder, and I'm having a "good" pain day. It is delicious, if I do say so myself.

25. Start saving for concert adventures

I'm aiming to go on some new concert adventures in the New Year, so it's about time I started saving anything I can now (and over the next few months) so I can afford to go. I really should do another clear out to raise some extra pennies for it, too.

So, those are my Autumn goals; what are yours? What do you want to achieve this Autumn?

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Wednesday Wish List

I'm sorry that it's been so quiet on the blog this week, and that there wasn't a Sunday Favourites post from me last weekend. My heart has been racing away like crazy since Thursday night, and I've barely been able to touch my laptop or phone as the electrical currents have been sending my heart in to overdrive every time I go near anything electrical. Yes, really. I did try to put a Sunday Favourites post together on the weekend, but in the end, I had to give up and get off the laptop because it was affecting my heart too much. I've got so much I want to blog about, but I had to be sensible and put my health first.

I've had issues with tachycardia daily since February last year, when I ended up in A&E with a BPM of 160, but I think this time, I triggered it myself by over-doing it preparing for my sister's 30th birthday barbecue on Thursday. I spent all day putting up decorations, blowing up balloons (which also made my heart race after inflating about thirty of the things and getting light-headed from lack of air), and helping my Mum with the barbecue, and I was in so much pain by early evening that I felt sick and dizzy and was close to passing out. A couple of hours later, after I got in to bed, my heart started racing again, and it kept me up most of the night while it painfully hammered, jolted, and contracted away, so I'm pretty sure it was my body throwing a tantrum for having to deal with more pain. I'll never learn!

It's been a scary few days, but my heart rate is finally slowing down again, and I'm feeling much better today. I'm even tolerating the laptop this afternoon, so I'm going to attempt to get some blogging done before my heart changes its mind again. I'm going to start with this week's Wednesday Wish List...

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I love these giant squid and rainbow fish necklaces (and those mesmerising iridescent colours) from Tatty Devine. Now those are what I call statement necklaces! 

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And I also have my eye on Tatty Devine's beautiful Phoenix collection. The designs are all stunning, and that autumnal colour palette is just dreamy. It makes me want to go jump in a pile of autumn leaves.

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This year's Advent calendars have already started hitting the shelves, and some of the first to be released this year are The Body Shop's range of calendars. The Body Shop have always been one of my favourite beauty brands, so I can't help coveting these calendars, which are packed full of their amazing products. This year there are three Advent calendars to choose from catering to different budgets from £49-£99, and they're also releasing a fourth calendar to help you count down the days to the New Year once Christmas is over. (Although that one's not available to buy just yet). I had a Body Shop Advent calendar a few Christmases ago, and I enjoyed it so much, I'm definitely tempted to treat myself to another this year... but I have so many beauty products, I may be sensible and go with a nail polish calendar this year instead. If you're interested in this year's beauty Advent calendars, I'm already busy putting together this year's beauty Advent calendar round up post, so keep an eye out for that coming soon!

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I know it's almost time to pack away our summer wardrobes for another year, but I can't help loving these summery embroidered crop cardigans from Banned Retro. I'd wear them to death during the warmer months.

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Banned Retro also have some amazing dresses at the moment. These are just a handful of my new favourites. The good news is, they offer a good range of sizes, catering to sizes S to 4XL!

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I Love Crafty's 'Autumn Kittens' jewellery collection has to be one of the most adorable jewellery collections around at the moment. Just look at how cute this necklace and earring set is! I'm sad most of the other pieces are already sold out because I kinda want them all.

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Another new jewellery collection I'm loving right now is this pretty fuchsia collection from I Am Acrylic. I've always loved fuchsias- I think because they remind me of my childhood as my Mum always had some growing in the garden of our childhood home- and these necklaces, brooches, and earrings are making me feel all nostalgic for those years. I still miss that house and garden. This collection is so pretty, and I love that it's a little different to the floral collections we usually see in the fashion world, that are usually designed around roses, daisies or sunflowers. I may need a piece. Or six.

Retrolicious Nocturnal Dress

I've fallen in love with this gorgeous swing dress from Retrolicious after seeing it modelled by Ashley on her blog Southern (California) Belle last night. (She looked amazing!) Isn't this dress stunning? It looks so glamorous, and perfect for Autumn. And for those of you who'd like to know, it caters to sizes XS to 4X.

And finally, I'm already excited about Erstwilder's new Halloween collection which launches next Monday (the 10th). This witch brooch is the first piece that they've revealed, and she is a beauty! This could get bad...

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.

Any favourites this week?

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?

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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