All maxed out

Just wanted to do a quick post to twirl my most recent purchase in front of you. I have been scouring high and low for a casual maxi dress that didn't flap around my ankles or make me look like a character from a Jane Austen novel.


H&M was the place my search finally ended. This maxi was £12.99 and is available in a whole host of hues: - blue, purple, black and khaki.
I opted for this khaki green colour as the fashion at the moment is heavily influenced by this military green colour,  I've seen it everywhere from shirts to bell bottom shorts, and I really think it is a very wearable, functional and flattering colour. 


Definitely not an ankle flapper - in fact,evidently way too long which is why I had to add the belt so I could hoist it up a  few inches!


I wore this outfit to work today and I really love the look, ultimately because I wear a lot of big tribal-esque faux gold jewellery, and the two combined work in sweet harmony together!
I especially love the diddy pocket detail on the left breasticle area!

What are your musings on maxi dresses??

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Sequins and a big heart

Hello pickles

Last night was Friday, and Friday equates to happy hour cocktails with my lady friends after work. We were meeting up with a gorgeous girlie we use to work with, who has now fled the nest and is seeking her fortune in the Big City. It had been too long since I last spied her face, so I organised a reunion and it was a wonderful night, catching up with gossip and sharing plenty of giggles.

This was my attire for the night. Nothing particularly special as it was just casual drinkies in town, and when the sun shines, it seems everyone dons the gladiators sandals and goes for a more laid-back look. I had literally minutes to beautify myself after work before I was due in town, so apologies for the poor effort with the photos!

I am wearing: -

Denim shorts - H&M

Gold plaited belt - H&M

Heart leotard - Topshop

Sequin jacket - H&M

LOVE necklace - River Island

Daisies in my hair - Miss Selfridge

On my feet - gladiator sandals...

This morning I was feeling like a delicate flower and my face ached from all the laughter. A sign of a good night out with some beautiful people!

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Keep calm and have a cupcake

Hey pumpkins

I thought I would share with you all, my latest cupcake collection. For those of you who don't know, I have a little sideline 'business' and bake these beauties to order. Luckily word has spread in my office and further afield, and I have catered for a number of birthdays and functions. I also do big cakes as well, but much prefer doing the dinky versions!

Before this venture, I use to just bake cupcakes for fun, finding it quite therapeutic and a blissful relief for my sweet tooth, but now I actually get paid to do something I love so it's fab! :) 

Some of my customers will come to me with quite defined ideas of the type cupcakes they want, and that's great. It is nice to have some direction and assures me I will produce something they are happy with. But others let me chose the style, design, colour and finish of the cupcakes, and that where the fun begins. 

These particular ones are for a "girlie girl" - flowers and glitter and other such pretty things! (And no not me!!)

So I was allowed to be a free-spirited fairy baker and this is what I created...

Everything is entirely handcrafted, so I source the boxes and decorate them myself. I have this marvellous little market near me that sells quaint little arty-crafty bits and bobs, so I am in my element and can pick up tissue papers, stickers, ribbon, and anything else I spy that I think will make the package look nice.

I only use free-range eggs in all my cakes and the glitter is edible! :)

At the moment this is just a little experimental venture that is gracing me with a little extra pocket money, but one day I would love it to be more than that...! 

So watch this space...

I am delivering these tomorrow as a surprise...so fingers crossed she likes them!

xxx

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A Nice Day for a White Wedding

Hey pipsqueaks

So following on from my previous post...once I had had my pearly whites shined at the dentists and my bouffant fluffed at the hairdressers, it was time to jump in the jalopy, little brother in tow, ladened with Red Bull, and begin our road trip up 'Norf' to attend my cousin's wedding on the Friday.

The wedding was in Chester and the reception was in Northop, just a hop, skip and a jump over the Welsh border.

This Essex gal had never been to this area of the UK before, but I have to say that I thought Chester was a gorgeous, vibrant and intriguing city and was worth the four hour trek up there, and the reception venue, Soughton Hall in Northop was simply breathtaking. 

The weather on the day was just glorious, which was blooming lucky as a long dress and puddles would not have equated to a happy Milly.

Soughton Hall was spellbinding...it was like something out of a Jane Austen novel with its picturesque sweeping drive, enchanting landscape and manicured gardens. 

And so a Wedding OOTD for you all...

♥ Dress - Debenhams (about 5 years ago!)

♥ Gold sandals - Accessorize

♥ Twisted gold arm bangle - Accessorize

♥ Clutch - erm....Accessorize! :)

♥ Butterfly bracelet - Miss Selfridge

♥ Antique-esque earrings - H&M

THE MUG

I didn't want to get too slap-happy with my makeup as it was going to be a long day, and I didn't fancy looking like a grease ball as I hot-footed it onto the dance floor!

So I used...

♥ MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC30

♥ Benefit Erase Paste No.2

♥ MAC MSF Natural in Medium+

♥ Benefit Dallas to bronzed and contour

♥ Benefit Coralista on the apples of my cheeks

♥ MAC Rubenesque paint pot

♥ Covergirl Lashblast Mascara

♥ Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero

♥ Lips - MAC Myth with MAC Viva Glam Gage dabbed over the top

BEEHIVE BARNET

For my hair, I just pinned it back randomly with kirby grips and created a bit of a beehive on top. Unfortunately these photos were taken at the end of the night so the hair is not looking so hot!

And now for some cheeky snaps from the splendid day...

The beautiful couple

My mother, her exquisite dress and wonderful man

Pretty petals in Chester

Time for a toast

Roses and sparkles makes for a perfect bouquet

Champers and chatter

Personalised love hearts :)

Mmmmmm..

I just love a good wedding! :)

xxx

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Caramel Coiffure

Hello chickadees
♥
I hope you are all well and enjoying your weekend!

I have been extremely jammy and am basking in a 4 day weekend this week, and have been a very busy bee so far...
There will be a few posts about my travels and meanderings over the last couple of days, as I felt that would be a bit more digestible than one mammoth post.
It started on Thursday morning with a cheeky teeth cleaning session, and then onwards to my hair appointment, as my quest for lighter locks continue!

I had some more blonde and caramel highlights added and I think I have finally been satiated on my mission for the perfect hair colour, and am pleased as punch with the result.
I thought I would share with you my hair journey, the tears and the tantrums, over the last couple of months.


♥ April ♥
Exhibit A: This represents months of home colouring kits, and it was a gorgeous shiny dark chocolate brown. It was perfect for the winter but as the months were getting soaked in sunshine, I was desperate to go lighter and embrace some warmer tones. 

♥ May/June ♥

Exhibit B: Removing this thickly ladened dye was not going to be any easy feat! But my hairdresser was a trooper and I went in for a cleansing treatment, to try and lift the colour. For the next few weeks, I pretty much lived in the hairdressers chair, as she fluffed, coloured, treated, dyed, stripped, cut and conditioned my hair back to some pretty state!

♥ July ♥

Exhibit C: I went back on Thursday to the hairdressers for another lot of caramel/blondey highlights, and my hairdresser exclaimed in a jubilant fashion that all the dark had now been eradicated from my barnet! It was a joyous moment for us both. 

And voila...this is my current colour and I am just peachy about the result! :)

I really do like what is going on with my hair at the moment, but I know what I'm like...and will get over-excited and slowly seep back to my blonde ways! 

Therefore my hairdresser is under strict instruction not to allow me to get dabble with anymore peroxide!

Been there...done that!! 

So there will go, a little barnet babble for you!

What are your thoughts on lighter hair for the Summer and are you as fickle as me when it comes to changing your colour?!

xxx

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