Summer hopes

With the clocks going forward it's a sure sign that Summer is just around the corner and it is by far my most favourite season! This weekend has seen very unexpected beautiful sunshiny days which makes me even more excited for summer. There is something about the feeling of the sun on my face it just makes me feel all happy inside and it is just what I have needed! These past two weeks have seen me ill with a terrible cough and flu and the very sad passing of my grandmother.

My lovely Nan sadly passed away in the hospital after a battle for the last 6 months with lots of small strokes and illnesses. She has suffered for many years from diabetes and high blood pressure but always came across to us as a strong woman. She loved to dance in fact at my 18th birthday party she was the first to get on the dance floor and the last to leave it! This was one of the sad things as over the last few years she started to get pain in her legs and was unable to go to her dance clubs and had to go out shopping on her mobility scooter (she always wanted her independence to get around).

My husband said the first time he met my Nan was at Christmas we went to my parents house for Christmas Dinner and the tradition after is always to play a board game. This particular year we opted to play Singstar on the PlayStation and my Nan took great delight in joining in she did a great rendition of Westlife's "world of our own" the playback was hilarious and she always loved to join in and be a great sport. She will be missed a lot at least she is no longer in pain and is at rest

Nan and I on my birthday a few years a go shes wearing the sparkle necklace I gave her one year for her birthday she always wore it when we went out we both like our sparkle

Nan and my uncle in our photo booth at our wedding always glam!

At our wedding love this picture of her smiling

With my Nan passing it has made me think more about life which funny enough a death tends to make you do. It makes you think about your own mortality and what you want to get out of life. It has made me think about children I have always thought that I didn't want any but maybe it's time for me to stop being selfish and think about bringing another life into this family, a son or daughter for my husband and a grandchild for our parents and that child should enjoy the memories that I have with my family. I'm not about to get pregnant right now mind you I think we have a few more years to wait!

So with this new season it brings a new hope and maybe even a new me.

Love you Nan xxxx



Tropical Paradise

I went to New York about 12 years ago with one of my bests friends we shopped and did a lot of sightseeing in four days until we dropped it was an amazing trip. One of my favourite shops was Anthropologie I loved everything about it from the merchandise down to the shop styling.  You can imagine my excitement when I found out they were opening a store in the UK and even better an on line shop!

They have such an eclectic mix of styles it is quirky, fun and sexy. I am particularly loving their fashion range at the moment it reminds me of 50's south pacific all the bright colours with little dresses and sexy wedge heeled shoes

I love the abstract pattern on these shoes they would look really cool with a long maxi dress or cute 50's style skirt

woven raffia strapy wedge sandals


The pattern on this skirt is amazing and the colours are great for spring you could dress this up with heels and wear to work or with flats and t shirt for a relax feel.


 

Kudzu skirt

How cute is this 50's style prom dress? and the bike pattern is great fun
the style and fit of this dress gives such a sexy silhouette

Bike lane prom dress

These gorgeous suede heeled sandals are pure shoe porn to me vintage style and the multicolours are divine



Piled prism T Straps


A shirt dress has always been a handy staple to a wardrobe what I love about this one is the beautiful photographic print and colours. The style of the skirt is floaty makes me think of having cocktails on a veranda very madmen!

Crepe myrtle shirt dress


You couldn't get more vintage style than this dress its pure 50's sexy siren look at that teeny tiny waist!

Rodna halter dress

 

I am in love with these earrings butterflies are one of my favourites and I've never seen anything like these before they are so pretty

 

 

Farfalla earrings

 

I have started to get into wearing large flowers and clips in my hair when I leave it curly it's amazing how many compliments I get when I do this water lily shape clip is so pretty and comes in three different colours

 

 

 

Water lily clip

 

 

There are just so many lovely pieces from Anthropologie you must take a look and let me know if you buy anything I will be very jealous!

 

One Hot Wedding

We have just got back from a wonderful week away in the Caribbean our reason for the trip was to attend the wedding of our friends. The brides family live in Tobago and what could be more perfect than to have the wedding at their home?

The wedding took place on the Saturday at 4.30 in the afternoon Guy was a grooms man and therefore he was dressed in tails (a little bit on the hot side) The day had started off with rain showers so we were hoping this would stop as the ceremony was taking place outside.  All the boys got ready in the Grooms hotel room which was a stones throw from the beach pictured below the views were amazing.

Grafton Beach

The groom cooling off before we set off for the venue

All the tails were hired from Moss Bros for an extra cost they were able to take them for the week

Me doing a bit of posing on the beach

I had a bit of nightmare trying to find an outfit as January doesn't tend to have a lot of summer clothing in the shops and the only maxi dresses I could find were in the sale and very informal and beachwear looking. I was very lucky to find the dress above in John Lewis two weeks before we went. The colour was perfect and I liked the fact that the straps were not tiny thin ones as I have rather a large chest and didn't want to have too much on display! The length was about a foot too long so my mums friend very kindly took it up for me.I am not too fond of my upper arms so I looked for a shrug but I didn't want anything that was going to be too hot. Coast had this perfect ivory shrug that has chiffon ruched sleeves. I wore an ivory flower clip in the side of my hair and gold flip flops on my feet. The dress was only £99.00 and was worth every penny it was so comfortable and even after wearing it all day and night in the heat it still looked amazing.

The wedding ceremony took place at the Brides parents house which is high in the hills surrounded by tropical rain forest. The views are simply stunning you can see two different beaches on one side and rain forest on the other.  The actual ceremony was positioned on the lower hill where the Groom had previously proposed. The hill was rather steep but we attempted to stand either side of it to create a natural aisle for the bride to walk down. The sun was blazing down on us but we had some relief when some clouds blew over giving us much needed shade.



The beautiful Bride and her father

The bride looked stunning in a dress she had found in America on a shopping trip in Miami the fitted bodice had pleating that dropped down below her hips the skirt ruched out with a slight train at the back and had silver beading detail on the left hand side.  

 

Her bridesmaid walking down the aisle

The bridesmaid dresses were a beautiful soft coral colour they each had a one shoulder strap that draped and plated down oneside.



The bride and Groom

My handsome hubby

The decor on the verandha

The house had been decorated by the Bride and her family they worked so hard even finishing to build the house in time for the big day!
The white lanterns hung down from the main verandha which gave a beautiful glow in the evening.

Views from the verandha

The table decorations had a theme of natural materials from string, dried rose petals, sand, shells and hessian sack cloths



The table decoration with the guest book

The guest book table was decorated with The initals of the Bride and Groom which had been decorated with lace and skeleton leafs.



The Brides creative skills for the table centrepieces



Bunting of photographs that were hung all around the house of the bride and groom with their friends and family

The photograph bunting that hung all over the house was a lovely touch which was so simple but very effective.



The Wedding cake with three different tiers of chocolate, carrot and lemon drizzle decorated with orchid flowers

One of the entertainers playing tradition steel drum

The breath taking view at Sunset



As the sun went down the candles and lanterns glowed and we all danced the night away (I had swollen ankles from dancing so much!)  Later on we lit chinese lanterns over the swimming pool and watched them drift off over the hills into the distance which was very magical.  A truly lovely wedding