The Ever Growing Pile Of Striped Tops

 It's inevitable, I see a striped top, I want a striped top. The classic Breton literally never gets old and as mine get a lot of wear they can often become discoloured or stained quickly. It is a style that is always on my radar as I find so much of my wardrobe goes with a simple striped top. Whether it's being paired with jeans and boots or worn in a smarter way with a skirt and jacket, a striped top seems to always stand to attention and make outfits look instantly classic.

A casual stripe

I can remember purchasing my first Harbour tee from JOULES. A classic navy blue and white stripe. It was my favourite and it went with everything. That pretty much started the obsession and I have owned a stripe top in every colour ever since. Over the years I have bought many Joules striped tops and have been endlessly pleased with them. This most recent one is another perfect edition, and a bit different to the others. What you can't see under my jacket is that this stripe top is a miss match of stripe patters. Have a look HERE. It really is a firm favourite already.

Wearing Stripes Smartly

I love it when JOULES run a batch of different stripped tops as apposed to their usual Harbour tees. This is because you can find some really individual pieces. The CHLOE ribbed top in grey and cream is a perfect example of this. It is a ribbed fabric, with a closer fit than the boxy harbour and has a beautiful frill detail cuff. I love how it skims the body a bit more and that lends itself to suiting smarter looks. Worn here with a very old but classic pleated skirt, leather overshirt and my GRENSON boots, this striped top sits perfectly and is a great way to show pattern in a minimalistic way.

How many striped tops is too many striped tops? Asking for a friend!

* The tops are a PR gifted to share. The thought are my own.

Emily x 

Continuing To Love What I Wear

I debated whether or not I continue writing about fashion on my blog. Simply because I don't always want to be alerting people to buy new things all the time but I realised, as good as I am at re-wearing my clothes, I LOVE SHOPPING! I love looking for things and making outfits. I love the feeling of new and "modern looks" that somehow are beginning to feel a bit like I have already worn them once before! 

I suppose for me, I just want you as a buyer to always remember that fast fashion will bring no long term joy but buying things that you really love, spending your money well on items that will last and buying less to enjoy more will change your wardrobe and help you become satisfied with what you have.

I have a few key items that over and over again prove to be "Worth It". I happily spend money on boots, coats and knitwear. These are the things that I spend the most money on because my day to day wardrobe through autumn to winter feature these the most heavily. I layer them up, wear them all with jeans, skirts and dress and find they are the most versatile pieces in my wardrobe. 

For me I have been loving some new pieces from JOULES and love how perfectly they fit into my wardrobe and wanted to share them with you.

The Ultimate Jumper dress

I have been after a jumper dress for years. I have never found one that was quite right, usually they fit too tight and all I want is a loose dress that just hangs from the shoulders. This Casey Midi Dress in black and beige stripe is a beautiful addition to any autumn wardrobe. Worn with my classic GRENSON and a simple black handbag this dress can be worn layered with a top underneath, with a coat on top or even over jeans for a edgier look. 

A Super Soft Cardigan

One of my favourite things from JOULES is always their cardigans. They are so soft and I wear mine with jeans and skirts ALL THE TIME! I couldn't resist this styled set. As soon as I saw it on the website I really loved it. This Fluffy Relaxed Cardi pairs perfectly with the ELLE Pleated Skirt. I have no floral patterned skirts and the mix of pink and red in this skirt just felt so autumnal. With my black GRENSON and a simple handbag, this is a fabulous look to add to my wardrobe. I am looking forward to layering it with my big beige coat, a bright red or pink wooly hat and maybe a scarf to match, this is another perfect look.

I will continue to share outfit ideas and styling tips so watch out for those blog posts.

*Joules products were PR Gifted to share. My views are my own.

Emily x

 

What Life Is Like At Home

It's so easy to watch days simply pass by. Sometimes one day can feel like the longest ever lived, then before you know it a week disappears, a month, six months, a year. 

So much change has happened for our family this year which in the moment of living it, it felt like time stood still but now, sat down typing away and thinking about them, they are becoming a distant memory.

My life has never really returned to normal post covid. Like so many I was left in this limbo zone, my work drastically changed, the needs of the kids changed and if I am being honest, I have fumbled through the last two years really thankful for my freedom of movement but also knowing that I can't go on like this forever. 

I suppose for most of this year I have found great comfort in my own space. I have watched more TV than ever before, also walked more than ever before and in a vastness of feeling like I have no purpose, I still manage to find it each and every day.

I can often feel a bit useless but actually by the time dinner comes round and we are sat at the table, I realise that without my role in the family the day would never work out like it does.

And my role with the kids, well, one thing Rob and I have always agreed on is that my role in the house has to heavily feature me driving round after them. I have to be honest, this is absolutely something  have always wanted to do. Not ridiculous club drives though, no, but the school pick - ups is a time I have always valued. I have always done them, been the one to get them out the car and bundle them back in again. I have loved it (most of the time). And now as I have two drop offs, I crave the moments where the school run was much simpler!

    I find this easy sense of clarity when I am at home. I think houses can become so overbearing sometimes, with a constant list of things to do to them but because we have kept our life quite small and compact (small house living over here) I find our home helps my mind be open. 

I can find fault or want change in everything round here, I think everyone can always find something to change with regards to bricks and mortar but the reality is our space is enough for me to live in a way that keeps me totally satisfied.

That absolutely doesn't mean I don't want for things, I absolutely do get jealous of Mr and Mrs Jones next door and that's ok, but I know, for me, home satisfies, my role as a parent satisfies, and my work life will be what it's going to be and I will figure that out accordingly. 

Life at home, probably boring for most but for me I do alright with it.

Just thought I would share some snapshots of the house from my camera roll.

Emily x

 

Welcome Ginny!

 Surprise, We got a dog!

Well one of the biggest difference to our life came in the shape of a four legged animal. If you have kids you may be a ware of the constant asking for a pet. They seem obsessed. At every point our kids quizzed us on having a pet. We even had names for this imaginary animal after long talks about what we would own. If it hadn't of been for the pandemic I would have got one 3 years ago but when covid hit it really wasn't the right time and dog prices were outrageous and un-justifiable for us.

However, one day in the Easter holidays I did what I had been doing for years, I briefly looked for the dream dog on Pets-For-Homes, and had a scroll through the mountain of cuteness. I pleasantly surprised when an advert for just what I would buy came up. Ginger, Cocker Spaniel, Female, Small. 

My dream. She was there, with one sister and two brothers, and our pick was the smallest by far. We visited the sellers, about an hour away to find a mum and her pups living a yard dog life. By no means were there dogs not cared for but they were absolutely yard dogs and mum and pups just roamed around freely. having had them bounce all over us it was decided that we would take one female and that my parents would take the other. My parents have always had dogs, usually two and they lost their oldest not long before the pandemic and hadn't replaced her. These two girls were right for both of us!

We choses the smallest who looked like she needed a family to grow her and my parents took the (three times our dogs size) sister as she was bigger and could roam around with my parents black Labrador a bit more confidently.

The dogs were already 16 weeks at this stage and ours was the tiny runt. She came home to a house of love and has become a huge part of our lives ever since. 

Ginny (named after Ginny Weasley) was the smaller than some of Ettas soft toys. She was malnourished and really under fed from the yard where the dogs were given one bowl of food a day. From Ginny's behaviour we discovered that she always got the scraps. We fed her and gave her a big soft bed and within days she slept through without a peep and began to really settle in. For weeks she slept on my legs through the day like a baby and as the has grown she can always be found still by my side but usually spreading out over the sofa instead! She is a joy and a pain at the same time but she is ours.

Until our next chat...

Emily x

A New Term

 And just like that, life moved on.

There is no excuse for my absence on the blog. It is the first time since starting writing on this space that I have disappeared off it for so long. The reason; unknown.

In all honesty, it was life. Life continued and my writing did not. And you know what, I was really happy with that. I was happy not writing and I was happy just doing. Maybe it was needed. Maybe I just didn't have the words. All I know is that there never seemed to be a natural point to write, but today, after weeks of thinking about it, I feel it and there seems to be a want for me to sit down and do it. 

So life. Where to even begin. Instead of recapping all in this one post I will leave it all to filter out over time where I see it is necessary to share.

Currently though I felt, as I always seem to do, that this September day is the perfect time to start MY new term on here. I waved off one child into year 5 primary this morning and (brace yourself) one child into their first year of secondary. I know. I have a child at secondary school. Our beautiful Raphael has grown up and you know what, I am ok!! I am definitely fighting back the tears (they flowed at the end of last term) because I am having to deal with the loss of his childhood but really I am so happy for Raph and the adventure he is about to start. There is no doubt in my mind that this stage of life is going to be really hard, really challenging and a period of life that as an adult he might be happy to leave far behind, but for right now, this is an adventure into understanding life, understanding people and discovering himself. I don't want to hold him back from that even though every part of me wants to wrap him up in a blanket and hold him in my arms. I want to be as supportive as I can and just encourage him to find the joy, have fun and learn through the experiences he is going to have.

With Raph walking off to secondary by himself it very much left our little Etta all alone walking into primary school and I just don't think she was ready for that this morning. It was a bit of a gut punch, she headed in with her cousins but I knew she was hurting. The nervousness and worries crept in last night as it all became very real. These two are now going to have completely different days and that isn't something we have done before. All new but I know that by the end of this month we will be in the swing of it and either getting to grips with it or catastrophically failing! I have faith in us though. We are stronger than that and we will all learn together.

And as for me (You'll be pleased to hear Rob is the same as always) I am entering a whole new phase of, "so where am I going?"

Watch out, I have no idea but I feel that my right place is exactly where I am meant to be at this present time so for now, that's being the taxi driver, running a house and getting my photography bits and pieces on the side. 

Until our next chat,

Emily x 

Five Reasons why walking is essential for living a healthy life.

I talk about going for walks a lot on social media. I think people must be pretty bored by now. But there is a good reason. I find walking one of the best forms of exercise which also offers countless other benefits for boosting goof health and positive mood. 

Like most people who like the outdoors, I find a real sense of action when I choose to go out. I am not a meanderer, a casual walker or a potterer; I walk with purpose and strength to get my body heat up and get me breathing lung-filling breaths. I have always been a fast walker but I don't go out to just walk fast. This obviously benefits me exercise wise as my pace means I hit high heart rate zones on every walk meaning that my body is in workout mode. But that is not my focus, that is just a great side effect from putting my effort into going for a good walk. 

With it being a great exercise it has become vital in keeping me balanced in life. Not only physically but mentally because walking as an exercise helps the release of endorphins; a chemical in your body that makes you feel good. You have got to walk strong though to get your heart rate up and make your body feel like it is working towards something. A slow pace means a slow heart rate and the chance for chemical change is reduced. But that is not a problem if you want to use walking differently to me. 

Walking is also a great way to relax, to be away from noise and stress. Going for a walk somewhere can bring inspiration and clarity. It can calm you and remove anxiety. Walking at any pace can install comfort and purpose, a simple challenge of getting from A to B can be accomplished. 

Walking can be done solo or with a friend. I find that walking with someone means you don't walk as fast but you walk and talk which can be more important for your mood. Being able to talk about problems whilst walking always makes be feel like I have walked my worries away. Almost like once you have said them out loud, the wind takes them off and they can be less of a burden. 

Walking always makes me feel like I have done something, and since I have stopped going to a gym as I felt that it was a stagnant way to train, I have found walks that make me vitalised and fresh in a way the gym didn't.

I also can't get over how much more I enjoy nature and just how the day works: morning walk, midday walks or even evening walks all have something wonderful to offer views wise, and each walk always makes me glad that I just gave a bit of my time to see it. 

If you started the couch to 5k run app this January and have found it uninspiring, too hard, or too pressurised, why don't you try walking 5k 3 times a week first for a month and see how your relationship with walking for fitness changes you. I know for me, it makes a huge difference. and it is something I do to help me keep balanced.

5 reasons why walking is essential to healthy living:

It gives you balance

It gives you clarity and calm

It is a form of exercise when paced well

It helps provide a positive mood boost

It helps you appreciate nature (which is a prescribed form of medicine in some Asian countries now!)

Time to let in the light

And just like that we are in a new year and already in the second month. My January ended up being an extended break. I always have such a keenness to write with ideas at the ready but somehow they never made it to here. I used to be so obsessed with timelines and writing but now I find it always flows best when I am ready to share. 

January was probably one of my most favourite Januaries yet. Not because anything particularly spectacular happened, but because I feel like we were totally blessed here in Lincolnshire with absolutely glorious weather. I can count on one hand how many times it felt like it rained, but in all honesty, it felt like we just had sunshine for days. We seemed to be blessed with really wintry mornings of frost and sunlight and then cold afternoons with a low sun and clear skies. I have been out on countless walks and been able to enjoy lots of Zumba sessions outdoors with the private club I dance with. Dancing outside really is a special thing!  

I penned this post to be sharing my love for always walking where the light shines but I feel like I am always talking about that on my Instagram and I am starting to feel repetitive. So I thought I would share something that always gets a ridiculous amount of love that uses pure sunlight to make it work.

During the Christmas lockdown 2020, I purchased a couple of really cheap mirror balls. It was when we were told that Christmas was cancelled and that we pretty much just had to put up with it. These were an absolute whim purchase but one that I have been so pleased with. January 2021 really showed me how perfect these Mirror balls were as I hung them from the lamp in our living area right by the window, and as that winter sun shone lower that usual it hit them with almighty power and those mirror balls dazzled the room. Since then Rob has fitted a mini motor to the lamp as that seems to be optimum hanging point and we get sunlight on winter's days in the most spectacular way. 

What I like more than just the perfect reflections of these mirror balls is that it gives me the biggest positive mood boost. It honestly changes my day, just for a few hours I get to have the set of Strictly Come Dancing in my own living room and it can change everything. Light has always been a really important feature in my life and in our home we work hard at creating a certain atmosphere using light simply because it can really make you feel comfortable. This light though, the fun that comes from natural sunlight pouring in through the window, is just so perfect. 

So, if you have a window that gets sun during a period of the day when you are there to enjoy, hang up one of these joy makers and really feel the benefits of letting in the light. 

Mirror Ball + hanging motor = A lot of joy!

If you want to see what my home looks like when the Mirror Balls are going CLICK HERE!