a clutch of clutches

So many stylish clutch bags (purses) around this spring.  My own collection is made up mostly of leather, muted tone clutches but my eye has been drawn towards some super bright fun ones this season, perfect for adding a splash of colour to an outfit or just carrying for fun.  Here's a few of my faves (and it's obvious that I have a penchant for tassels!!)...

Mango

H&M

asos

Shop bop

Happy Monday!

ear bling

365 days of the year I wear little black onyx stud balls in my ears.  I've worn this style forever (this is my 3rd pair).  Even on my wedding day!

I've tried and tested other earrings. Studs, loops, dangling ones, big big big ones!  But always come back to my much loved and treasured black studs.

But now I'm thinking a little ear bling would be fun for the upcoming party season and up my game in the glamorous ear department!  An ear cuff or crawler.  Just on one ear (two would be over the top, for me anyway).  These are some of my favorites...

Asos

net-a-porter

Bauble Bar

H A P P Y   S P A R K L Y   M O N D A Y   T O   Y O U!

fall(ing) into fall

Well summer has well and truly ended!  I've had the early morning walks in the dark with our dog Harvey, when I've had to pull my Hunters and my rain jacket!  Not pleasant at 7am, even before my first coffee!  The endless summer did actually end, of course it would - this is Oregon!

Thoughts obviously turn to keeping cosy, whether that's a feeling achieved with food, surroundings, ambience or style.  The change of season is welcome.  I absolutely LOVED our extended summer this year but definitely am feeling that Fall has made a welcome appearance.

Five things I'm going to enjoy this Fall are….

Wearing this fabulous skirt.  I purchased it from Marks & Spencer as soon as they were previewing.  I love this 70s style, and the hype around it being a "must have" was justified.  Beautifully designed and so well made, and the suede is perfect and makes you want to keep stroking it! 

This gillet from Zara caught my eye on Le Catch.
I pretty quickly found myself clicking on 'Add to Cart'.  Love it.

Soups.
I'm determined to be more adventurous in the soup department.
Not just good old veggie soup, made with whatever veggies happen to be in the refrigerator!
This Lemon Chicken Orzo soup is going to be near the top of my list…

This Fall Sangria.
I'm planning on serving this at a little gathering with friends at home next week.  Delicious.

White Pumpkins.  My favorite.




Happy Wednesday!

spring greens

Fresh bright greens.  Immediately appealing for this time of year.  New shoots.  New beginnings.

I've been adding more plants around our home.  From a huge Fiddle Leaf Ficcus, to cut branches with green leaves, cacti and succulents and ferms in my terrariums. Opening blinds to let in as much light as possible and feeling spring in the air.

My favorite daytime item of clothing has become these Gap cargo jogger pants. 

Super comfortable and  I love the narrow ankle. 

Teamed with my favoroite vintage style Nikes…

Hope your Monday has a Spring feel to it.

tan and white

Yes we're still a little way off from summer, but I've been spoilt by a few wonderfully unseasonably hot days over the past few weeks (Spring sprung early and kind of tricked us into thinking (hoping) it might stay - of course it didn't!  This week temperatures dropped and rain lashed down (good for the garden I keep telling myself!).  But with a vacation to sunnier climates on the horizon I'm ready and raring to go.

This is how I envisage my look to be this summer.   White and Tan.  With some blues mixed in. I already have a few items in my closet that go perfectly with this style.  More than a few pairs of sandals in tan (I'm always attracted to them.  Every year.), a crisp white shirt, embroidery anglais shirt (seen last year on Le Catch - a fabulous fashion style blog - and snapped up at the click of a mouse!), a perfect Trina Turk white dress from last Summer's sales, a beautiful tan Cowboys bag that the Huzz purchased in Amsterdam for my birthday, teamed with jeans, a gold or silver cuff and that's about it.

Fresh.  Relaxed.  Classic.  Crisp.

all that glitters

I can't resist a little sparkle at this time of year (any time of year really but more now).  Whether it's on a cushion, a new tree ornament or a splash of sequins on a party outfit (not head to toe though!).

I'd wear this fabulous skirt with a simple black top, and high high black heels.

Grey and Sequins perfection.

A beautifully simple craft idea to add some pretty sparkle to your home.

Gorgeous navy sparkling flats.  Now on sale!




Hope you have a sparkling weekend.

orange

My favourite colour for summer.  Just a splash, not head to toe.  I love this colour on my toe nails. It enhances even the lightest suntan and makes me feel so good.  A few orange favourites from around the web today…

Madewell

Lia Sophia
Can't wait for my ring to be delivered!

Hope you're having a fablous and bright week.

a new week rolls around

I hope you had a great weekend.

I took the kiddos to see The Lego Movie, which they loved.  I had a little nap in the middle of the movie, but then I seem to do that during most kids movies at the cinema these days!  The kids came home inspired to get to work on their Lego mountain (thankfully) and a new city is being resurrected as I blog!  Everything is Awesome!!!

We also went to my son's drum teacher's home to hear him and 3 other musicians (piano, saxaphone, bass) put on a little jazz concernt.  Wow!  So impressed by their skill and love for music and how they instinctively moved from one piece of music to the next from memory of years and years playing.  Ruby's comment was "Why do they have their eyes closed when they play?"She has been asking to take violin classes (eek - I believe I will have headphones on permanently for the next few years with the violin and Luca's drumming).

I'm longing for spring now. Last weekend we had sunshine and blue skies on a day at the coast.  And now this weekend (and the whole week ahead it seems) its rain rain and more rain.  I have these new Adidas Dragons that I want to wear all the time (but not in the rain) but it looks like the Hunters are going to be my footwear of choice this week.

The Huzz is the pancake maker in our house.  A stack of fluffy American style pancakes graces the breakfast table most Sunday mornings.  He is travelling this week, and so it will be up to me to rustle up pancakes for Shrove Tuesday / Mardi Gras / Pancake Day.  American style pancakes I love with maple syrup.  But the large thin pancakes I had as a child, I will always have with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar.  Delicious!

via Pinterest

Here's a couple of links to start your week with.

10 Things You Must Have in Your Home by the Age of 30! - Well, I'm past 30 and I'm short on a couple of these must haves!    How about you?

What your Starbucks drinks says about you! - I'm a regular 12oz, 2% milk, latte drinker all year until the Pumpkin Space latte arrives and that's all I'm about!  What's your coffee fave?

Hope its a good one for you.

dramatic eyes

I don't wear much make-up - a little cover, lipstick and blush and high-lighter.  And almost no eye make-up, just a little brush of mascara now and again (I can never seem to find one that stays in place!). And yet I love the idea of wearing eye-liner and eye-shadow. Thick, dark and dramatic.  I love these looks and would so love to recreate, without looking all panda eyed or like I've come off worse in a boxing match!

  

 

 

All images via Pinterest

Maybe next time I pass one of a cosmetic counter at Nordstrom or Macys I should ask them to make up my eyes for me and have a little try out by a professional hand, rather than a smudgy, wiggly look done with my own fair hand!

Do you try out new make-up styles, or do you have a tried and tested look?

a new addition to my wardrobe

A quick stop at Target this morning after the school drop off, resulted in finding the style of skirt I had been searching for leading up to the Christmas holidays.  Black, sequin, knee length (so many I looked at were too short).  Perfect to have in my wardrobe and something I know I'll wear lots, dressed up or down.

Black sequin skirt - Target

the good, the bad and the ugly holiday sweater

Festive holidays are here and the arrival of the seasonal sweater seems to come with it!   I've already been to one Ugly Holiday Sweater party (so hilarious) and we've had the Ugly Sweater Run here in Portland recently too.  The 'Holiday Sweater' seems to be much more of a US thing than the other countries I've lived.  And there sure are some frightful sights to behold!  It's sometimes hard to know whether someone is wearing their sweater as a dare or out of choice, so be careful with any comments!

If you can't resist adding a festive sweater to your wardrobe, here are some designs which give enough nod to the season, but aren't all covered in Santa, snowmen, reindeers, jingle bells and flashing lights and won't win you first prize at an Ugly Sweater party.

Asos

Asos

JCrew

French Connection

D O   N O T   W E A R   T H I S

Loving ...

Some images that caught my eye this week …

Oh how pretty is this lace.  I'd love to see the whole dress.

Love the mix of black and brown leather.

I'd love to use this idea for place setting at a dinner table. Simple, aromatic and stylish.

Vanilla Bean Creme Brûlée.   Mmmmm.

Something on my To Do list for this Fall.

Love the colour of this velvet jacket.

I have a black velvet jacket that has really seen better days

and this would be a fabulous replacement.

We have a VAST shell collection from all our travels.

Our suitcases always come home with lovely specimens

we've spent hours trawling along beaches looking for.

This photograph inspires me to sort and photograph them.

H A P P Y   W E E K E N D I N G