Wall and Decor - Interior Inspiration

29/09/2013

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Thought I would bring another interior instalment as we make me dreams and plans to our new home (when we finally move). This week we have been thinking about walls and how to make the walls that surround you, individual, unique and interesting and they should not be something you looked over.

Bring a hint of aesthetic beauty to walls in a home or office with classic and modern uniqueness. By decorating bare regions with stunning mirrors, shelves, pictures, or other specialty wall hangings, a fresh new look will be achieved. Check out some of the ideas for creating different moods and scenes with today's selections.



interior inspiration



Mirrors and Space

Be gone with a plain mirror, sandwiched between two level sconces. Instead, make a journey of space and movement with mirrors of different shapes and sizes. Mirrors are great for bringing focus and light to a room, picking up light from all angles. Get really creative and chose a clock embedded in a mirror and accented with bursts of crystal or metal to draw energy. Place off-center and cascade small round mirrors down from the clock for an amazing reflection.


beautiful mirror


Shelves, Racks and Hooks

Not every wall demands a focal point and in these common spaces, use a stylish shelf, rack, or hooks, to add a touch of color. Use the shelf to show off a picture easel with a cherished picture or ceramic piece. Small pictures or plaques can be scattered about or used in a grouping. If only a tiny bit of color is needed, look at wall hooks that portray a fresh and clean eye-catcher, without being overbearing.




designer room



Pictures that Tell a Story

There are thousands of pictures to choose from, but by selecting a scene that tells a story, the walls seem to burst into life. For example, pressed flowers, live plant scenes or geometric designs can create a different appearance, depending on the time of day. Watch how one leaf can appear to grow or change color. A geometric design will transform into different objects by being in a particular mood. Use several like-scenes and make a block or extend side by side. In addition to bringing a unique flavor to the wall, the whole group of pictures will be intriguing and fun.




picture frames


Unusual Wall Decor


Rooms can tire after years of staying the same. Wall plaques and unusual accents of metal, wood or color, can change the appearance of a room on demand. A home office or study is the perfect place to try out wall pieces that have a different type of quality. Work can get boring and by bringing in an abstract work of art, a gear wall clock, or circles of mirrors, the mind is suddenly at rest and entertained. 


Wall clock


Find a touch of class for walls, on the Internet, through sites such as The Bombay Company. Here, examples of modern, luxurious, unique, cheerful, and classic wall decor, are available to deliver a breath of fresh air into rooms. By using walls as a means of changing decor, the change is simple and affordable. Creativity has never been so easy. By exploring the possibilities of great, new wall designs online, ideas will flow easily, to form the perfect feeling and scene.



This post contains a sponsored link, views are 100% my own
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Boys Club - wild haired child

28/09/2013

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wild haired child
My wild haired child


With being so busy lately with the MADS blog awards in London, two birthdays and various other things, we missed a week of Boys Club - Johns and Mr A's posts about what they are up to, wearing and loving at the moment, we were more than overdue an instalment. A few weeks ago we were lucky enough to attend the White Company opening in Cardiff (I did a review here) and we both really loved the children's wear and picked up two pieces for Mr A for his birthday and this was the first time he was out and about with his little Bulldog jumper. White Company is a bit pricey, although because we signed up to the mailing list we got 20% off making our two purchases more reasonable and since it was for a special occasion such as a birthday it's lovely to have such a beautifully made garment ready for the autumn season.

White Company jumper
Mr A wearing a White Company Jumper, M&S trousers and Clarks shoes

Mr A photobombing John

This week John is wearing some of his favourites with a Ralph Lauren shirt, Edwin jeans and Quoddy - Made in Maine Moccasin shoe. The three different shades of blue with touches of green work really well without looking too much like all one colour and with the weather getting cooler it's the subtle change from short sleeve to long sleeve and thicker denim.

menswear


John is also on the lookout for some new shoes, it's been a while since he has bought any trainers and it's all he has been showing me lately. There has been a lot of different styles and color ways come out and we both really like what some of the popular brands have been producing and with us out and about, cycling more with the little man who now has he own set of wheels it only seems practical to invest in some comfortable yet on-trend trainers. Here are his favourite picks...


Dark atomic teal
Nike Free Run - Dark Atomic Teal

retro trainers
Adidas Marathon 85

Hipster shoes
Nike Mayfly Woven QS

Mr A has also been up to a lot this week, one being ask to test and review a new boys magazine fresh to the market - called DC super friends, which is catered for pre-school boys aged 2-5. It's based around the same characters found in DC Comics with friendly toddler versions of Batman, Superman, Green Lantern etc. Now I have to be honest, Mr A does not watch any of the cartoon versions of these, in fact he watches very little TV altogether so I was intrigued to see what he though and also a bit apprehensive that it may touch on things that we try and avoid such as fighting but fear not it's all very digestible, feel good and friendly. The fact he didn't know much about the characters before hand didn't seem to affect his enjoyment and this magazine really came in handy on our trip to London. It has some fun activities, cut out crafts and colouring in and really appeals to an action loving boy. The thing he loved most of all was the two walky talkies that came with it and we spent lots of time talking to each other with them, my only criticism and I think he would agree is the lack of stickers, children his age love stickers, it gives them something to focus on, otherwise an action packed magazine full of fun.


Toddler magazine
DC super friends now on sale in all good supermarkets

I have linked this up to Fridays Fab Favourites, Monday Funday linky
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Drink Coffee for Charity!

27/09/2013

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Macmillan cancer support


If your looking for something AMAZING to do, why not pop down and join in with the UK's biggest Coffee morning, happening all across the UK on Friday 27th Sept, all in aid of the very deserved charity - Macmillan Cancer Support. If your in Cardiff, M&S Cafe on Queen Street are holding an action packed coffee morning starting at 10am, hosted by Welsh Actress Siwan Morris and Olympian Helen Jenkins.

The day will include -
Cake decorating demonstrations
Hand Massages from the M&S beauty team
Children's cupcake decorating
Close-up magic and Balloon modelling
As well as face-painting

So something for the whole family to enjoy, although I never really need an excuse to have a cuppa and some cake. The customers coming into the Cardiff Queen Street store will be joining over 5 million people across the UK who are expected to take part in coffee mornings on the 27th - that's such an amazing number and hopefully a great boost to the charity which helps so many people through a hard time in their life.

I am going to try and pop in, if not thing this M&S possible another local coffee shop near me which is also joining in.

M&S charity


I thought I would also do a cheeky mention of a super cute cashmere jumper I am eyeing out from the M&S range, and it was recently seen on fellow mummy Holly Willoughby and think it would be perfect for autumn winter, I want! Like I had said in previous posts I am really glad the direction M&S is going in, they are really producing some fresh and fun collections and it's really refreshing to see.


Dalmatian print
Pure Cashmere Dalmatian print jumper £99

Dalmatian jumper
Holly seen in the jumper earlier this week


I have not been paid or received anything to mention this, simply sharing my loves
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What we wore to the MADS

26/09/2013

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The Kooples


On the 20th September we were so honoured to be able to attend the Mads Blog Awards as finalists in the Fashion and Beauty category. The awards took place in a swish hotel in Kensington, London and we took our time over deciding what to wear. I opted smart monochrome suit type style instead of going for a dress along with my new loves - my Clarks Brogues, which took a longtime to find in my size (not sure how many shops I had to call in a last minute bid to find them), I was also really excited by the prospect that I can finally tie my hair right back. John went for a high street edit, smart but individual and a slightly different look than just going for a black suit. Wearing Jacket and Trousers from TopMan and a lovely polka dot tie from Boden which matches his pocket square to a tee.

beared man

Mens wear London Look
John wears - Jacket and trousers - Topman, Shirt - Next, Tie - Boden,  Pocket square - Tie Rack, Shoes - Samuel Windsor, Glasses - Rayban

I really wanted something smart but also very me and I love the whole monochrome trend at the moment even though I have not featured it much on the blog and when I saw this lovely white jacket in River Island I knew it would go perfectly with my TK Maxx finds and shiny brogues

tomboy chic
Laura wears - Jacket - River Island, Trousers - Max Studio, Top - Poof,
Bag - Dents of London, Shoes - Clarks, Necklace - New Look

Jacket and bag

I was lucky enough to have my Makeup done by the lovely people at Oriflame, they really made me feel so pampered. We also finally got to meet some of the bloggers we have know via social media but have never had to chance to meet face to face, plus a whole lot of new inspiring ones which we cannot wait to read, the great thing was the variety of categories which parenting, food, travel all in one room it  really was an amazing evening. Some of the lovely bloggers we got to meet were - Fashion Detective, Style Me Sunday, Maggie Stone, GrenglishDaddacool, CoombeMill, Mum in the Mad House, Kip Hakes and My Two Mums (I apologise if we have left anyone out)


couple
Having my makeup done and enjoying the night together

The night started out with a drinks reception which was followed by an wonderful three course meal - We both loved the vegetarian tart to start and the dessert was soo good. Dr Ranj Singh of Cbeebies fame presented the awards and did a very good job if we don't say so ourselves, especially to a room filled with mainly women who at that point had more than one glass of wine (they just kept topping ours up). We didn't win but we honestly didn't expect too and just being nominated was amazing - so thank you readers for all your amazing support over the last year! Once the awards had wrapped up we were treated to some side splitting entertainment via Mr Mozzarella from Just Eat, who is amazing by the way and I want at my 30th Birthday next year. With music, dancing, more drinks and a surf machine what more could you ask for. We couldn't get too tipsy though as it was Mr A's birthday the next day (pics to  follow soon)

I just want to say a huge THANK YOU to our readers who nominated us - you guys are amazing! To TK MAXX for sponsoring our category and providing Laura with lovely pieces for the awards and to Oriflame for doing Laura's Makeup. To Boden and Samuel Windsor for helping out John with his outfit. To the lovely people at Parentdish and Tots100 who without this awards ceremony would not take place. Also a little shoutout to Just Eat for the entertainment and drinks


We have linked this up to Style Sessions, Three-Fer
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The costs of staying fashionable laid bare

25/09/2013

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expensive clothing


In a dream world we would all win the lottery, spend our days relaxing in the sun in the South of France, without a care in the world, long days spent with permanant smiles on our face and no lines or wrinkles caused from the stresses of the world, we could waltz into stores and buy lovely beautiful quality garments on a whim and be able to put outfit's together in an easy fashion. I could have all the ethical products I wanted and it would be magical, I am sure for at least a while - I am not one of those to not have a purpose in life, so perhaps boredom at some point would set it, but one thing is for sure life would be easier.

However nearly all of us do not live the life of Riley and the reality of life, work, moving home, wanting to travel, becoming parents, running a car or simply wanting to buy the latest on-trend fashion piece can bring compromise in terms of finance. The main thing is to stay on top of things, if you let your finances go out of control, your life will start to unravel, but really as long as your make good decisions this should never happen. So I have put together some tips on how to still have the things you love but without breaking the bank

thrift style
Me wearing thrifted Levis top and River Island jeans


1. Always buy quality over quantity - this may sound strange if your trying to save money but buying cheap clothing from lets say Primark - is simply false economy, it's not going to last and it really is worth going from something more classic and timeless when updating your look as you will be able to wear it year on year.

2. Never disregard charity and thrift stores as you really never know what you could find. I have picked up some amazing pieces in thrift stores from beautiful heritage jackets to Laura Ashley printed dresses, all for a fraction of the price. Plus some charity/thrift stores are aiming more at the High end market, for example the Oxfam Boutique in Cardiff.


Oxfam Cardiff
Upscale Oxfam charity shop in Cardiff


3. Live within your means, you really don't need to prove anything to anyone. If you like to go out on the weekend than you really need to budget during the week. Make food plans, take packed lunches with you to work, watch movies in the house and enjoy free outdoor activities such a stroll in your local park.

4. Buy and Sell on ebay - this is a great way to recycle, it's environmentally sound and it's a great way to get ride of unwanted items while using the money to update your look.

5. Customise and rework what you have. I don't throw many things out, especially clothes as I keep the fabric for future projects. It's a lovely thing making something unique and putting a little twist on current trends while keeping the cost down.

ethical
Restyling and upcycling is green and creative

These things can apply to a lot of areas of your life. If however you are planning bigger projects such a revamping a room, buying a car, a big holiday you might otherwise miss out on, moving home or investing in a life-long item such as a bag that is simply out of your reach you could talk to your bank and seeing what your options are, it's far better than going into an unarranged overdraft and it can be a far more responsible option.

So what do we know about any of this? In our personal experience both of us were like most young people, spending too much on clothes, going out and in my case travelling all the time (yes I have a major travel bug), but in the years coming up to having our son we knew we had to be responsible and pay off any outstanding credits which we did and now as soon as we find a house to move to we have spoken to our mortgage advisor and are in a good position to move forward.

rainy day fund

The Number One tip though I can give anyone is always have a little bit tucked away in case of a rainy day, you never know when an unexpected bill might hit you, for example last month one of my dental crowns fell out and cost a couple of hundred pounds to fix, a big pain, but as we had be saving for a trip to Paris we at least had some money at hand to cover it, even if it meant postponing the trip till next year.

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Wanderlust and Birthday giveaway

23/09/2013

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camper van


So the past saturday I turned 29!! I know 29, only one year until I am 30, I simply cannot believe it. I find birthdays are a bit like New Years, you look back, reflect, celebrate all the things you have done and make note of the things you still want to do.

That's me! With my little man, at Loch Ness, Scotland and having a pint in Prague


It's also a great time to be grateful for all the wonderful people you have in your life, especially with it being such an up and down month with losing out on a house we really wanted, the car dying and seemly never going to be revived among other things This however does not dampen our lust for life and lots of exciting travel plans for next year (a mammoth road trip is in the works).

So far in my life I regret very little and I am glad about the life I have lived, having travelled to so many wonderful places and having had the chance to live in South Africa, France, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Cornwall and now Wales - I feel that spending long durations in other countries and other cultures has taught me a lot and has only reaffirmed my liberal and open minded thinking.


Bratislava
Old man in Bratislava

The biggest adventure of my life so far though has to be becoming a mother and starting a family, it's a trip filled with ups and downs but is always worth it and is really life changing and brings a love into your life you never had before, by far the most fantastic thing I have ever done.


family


shoes
Us

The last big trip I did before having Mr A, started in 2007 and lasted for about 2.5 years, I left the UK with around £600 and by being travel savvy, couch surfing, sharing meals and working while travelling I managed to meet some amazing people and go to some beautiful places such as Zagreb, Bratislava, Prague, Vienna, Zurich, Venice, Budapest and Milan and name a few, as well as living in a remote West Coast village in Scotland (with only 300 inhabitants).

black and white
A photo I took of a woman on a bench in Zagreb

While I was living and working in the South of France, a fellow traveller and friend gave me his copy of Vagabonding - a great book about longterm travel and has some amazing tips, inspiration and truly one of the most useful and creative travel books I have read. I really wanted to do a giveaway for one of my readers to win the book (worth $15) and some ad space (worth $24). I am also running a 35% ad discount for the next two weeks as a b-day gift - the code is Birthday






a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Autumn style on a budget

18/09/2013

15 comments

Bicycle scarf
Cute bicycle scarf

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

So I was set the challenge of finding some key autumn accessories for under £25 and couldn't wait to search out some cute pieces for one of my favourite seasons of the year. Being a busy mum means I cannot always get into the city or high street and with accessories I like to feel and touch them, something you can't do online, so I thought I would check what my local Sainsbury's had in stock as I have always been pleasantly surprised with their clothing and as supermarkets go I feel it is one of the best in terms of quality and affordability and I love how they pair up with stylists such as Gok Wan to make one off collections. It also means I can fit in a little bit if retail therapy while doing the food shop, so it's a win win all round.


Autumn accessories
My finds, all for under £25

After having a real good look through all there new AW clothing and accessories, I picked up a lovely tan bag, a scarf with a very cute bicycle print and some super cute knitted gloves, coming to a total of £21.50 and not only are they practical but also on trend and are in my mind are lovely pieces that will last throughout the autumn/winter season.


A casual Autumn look - wearing a Juniper jacket, Forever tee, Next jeans, Urban outfitter brogues

I love the pop of colour from the blue scarf and shades of brown within this outfit. One of my favourite things about this season is layering and putting together outfits that of full of different textures and patterns. The bag pairs up well with my corduroy jacket and this is a nice and casual outfit that is also practical for running around after a toddler.


parker jacket
Wearing - HM boots and Jacket, Forever tee, RT denim skirt

I also wanted to pick pieces that are versatile and can be paired with a variety of looks and outfits, I think when picking key pieces you need to go with something that is classic but also unique and reflects your personality like I love the vintage feel to the bag and cosy feel of the mittens. I wanted to show off too completely different outfits to showcase this and feel that pieces I picked are perfect for both being dressed up or down and evening for a night out.

bag and gloves
I love this bag and mittens

autumn fashion
Being photo bombed by my little man

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How to wear the latest LFW trends whatever Your budget

17/09/2013

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London fashion week
Mary Katrantzou LFW collection

It is that time of the year again, when we all keep our eyes peeled for the latest trends coming from the catwalks of London Fashion Week. As with every season, the high end designers beautiful creations will be remade and twisted to fit in with the high street ethos, making the latest trends accessible to all. The question is, what can we be expecting to see on the high street come spring 2014?

Pretty in pastel pink

Pastels were a big hit last S/S and they have returned to the London catwalks for another season. The hottest colour for spring is pretty, feminine pink creating the ultimate in feminine looks through the latest dress trends as well as suits.. Pink is one colour that can work for us whatever our age, especially in a pastel shade as the brighter the pink the harder it is to blend with our skin tones. Now as a busy mum, pastel shades can be slightly worrying; firstly due to their light tone they are susceptible to dirt and secondly many people avoid light colours for fear they won’t suit their body shapes.

These are genuine concerns, but as with all fashion trends, they can be bent and changed to suit our shapes, lives and of course our personalities. With pastel pink you don’t have to go all out, you can keep it simple for a more mature, independent look. These trousers seen in Simone Rochas show this weekend are the perfect example of classic tailoring and body conscious design. Wide legged trousers suit both hourglass and athletic figures, offering to elongate our legs and slim our thighs = perfect!


pastel pink trousers


Get matching 


Remember shell suits? Unfortunately for some they are remembered all too well for their matching tracksuit bottoms and jackets – well it was the 80’s after all. It appears that the big fashion houses have channelled some of this matching love into some easy to wear and versatile looks for spring 2014. Matching work suits and tracksuits were huge breakthrough trend last year; especially floral versions. This season’s pattern is tartan, which is not the easiest pattern to wear as it can accentuate the areas we really don’t feel comfortable about.

There are many ways that we can still create the match-matchy look and feel comfortable at the same time, starting with the pattern. If tartan is not the right style for you, why not try thin, vertical pinstripes to elongate your figure and flatter those areas you are not confident with. You can go as bright as you like, in fact the bolder you go with the matching trend the better. However keep in mind the colours that suit your skin tone as well as your budget.




matching suit

Whatever trend you pick from fashion week this season, to be able to match both your purse and your shape you need to stay true to your personality. If you prefer to choose comfort over fashion then why not look at the key colours rather than picking a pair of sky high stilettos. The key to fashion is being yourself no matter what.



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A Boys dream bedroom

16/09/2013

9 comments
Interior ideas


Well with Mr A's third birthday this month and finally getting round to buying him a proper bed (he is a major wriggler and has only calmed down enough recently to be moved into a "big bed") it has also made me think about updating his room on a whole. I love his room except it's a little bit young and now that his personality is out in full force I really want to pick up a few things that are more him.

We are strong believers in quality over quantity and investing in quality pieces. I love that his little chest of draws was picked up at an antique store and restored by my mother. We also love traditional characters such as Peter Rabbit and Paddington Bear and it goes without staying that we opt for well built wooden toys that leave a little bit more to the imagination than bright flashy plastic toys. At the moment he is really into tractors and his train set.

Ikea train set

I have put together some simple tips on updating your child's bedroom

1. Buy quality, long lasting toys and furniture, although do shop around for the best price and don't be afraid to rummage around in charity shops, they can be real treasure troves and as long as it's well made you can transform boxes, crates and old furniture into something unique.

2. Shop to your child's loves not just your own. I don't mean decorate the room in top to tow with Fireman Sam but maybe have a few personal touches that invites your child to play and spend time in his/her own space, this could be in the form of a wooden firetruck for example or some colourful books.

3. Brighten up the room with interesting and fun prints, bedding and pillows and let your inner creative run wild. Children love colour so everyone wins.

4. Find things that are both beautiful and practical, there is nothing like a well designed piece of furniture that is pleasing to the eye and simple to use.

5. A child's room is place for magic, play and imagination, it's not tied down by the reality of the world, so why not have stars on the ceiling or little gnomes and fairies hiding in nooks and crannies.

So on a mission to create the perfect kids bedroom I have picked out a few key pieces from the online store Alex and Alexa which has beautiful fashion and interior's for little ones that are high quality, creative and matches both my own needs and my sons. These are my favourite picks


Organic cushion
Organic cotton Mr Robot cushion £25.50

boys bedroom
Blue crochet pouffe £66

Print cushions £43

In my heyday growing up in Cape Town, where the weather is good and spending hours on end outdoors everyday, I was very much into surfing and skateboarding, something which my son is starting to show an interest in too and when I came across these skateboard deck shelves and chair I knew I just had to have it, this one I am locking away for christmas time. It combines design and practicality as well a creative spin on something.


skateboard chair
Skateboard shelf £56 and skateboard chair £99 - I love both!

As I said a child's room is a place of imagination and fun and I love things like this cloud which is very cute. What would you like to get for your child's room?

kids room
Multi-colour rain cloud £15

I have linked up with the Creative Mondays linky

This post contains a sponsored link but all the words are my own
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