autumn shades

I feel a bit ridiculous posting with this title as we are still having really humid weather here in Durham but I just can't help it. I'm the type of person that gets attracted to the new season rails as soon as the sales start, and this year it has been especially the case given that these are the clothes that I'll be wearing when I'm done with the maternity clothes.

I have had loads of fun finding really nice maternity clothes, and experimenting with items in my pre-pregnancy wardrobe, but as d day approaches I'm really looking forward to getting some new non maternity wear! I'm particularly coveting the lovely knitwear that is hitting the shelves, especially in my favourite autumnal hues of chocolate brown, dusky pink and rust. With that in mind these are two looks I've come up with ...

The first is more relaxed, something that I would like to wear when we have visitors or for that first and short trip out. I have these jeans, they are skinny indigo maternity jeans from new look and they are fab. As they don't have an over the bump panel I think they will be great for the transition as everything (more or less) returns to normal. I've also bought some looser fit basic tees, this one is from topshop, I think they will be great to have on over a nursing vest while I'm still tummy conscious. The lovely cardi is from dorothy perkins and is top of my shopping list at the moment. In the house I would team this outfit with some trusty slipper socks, outside I'd still go for comfort and opt for some pretty ballet flats, these are lovely and a bargain from garage shoes (I love garage shoes!). I'm planning to keep makeup very simple and have added a lovely tinted balm from topshop and good old falsies mascara, also some dry shampoo might come in handy! Now this watch is well out of my reach at the minute, it's Marc by Marc Jacobs ... one can only dream! I do have a lovely gold watch but had to put this one in the pic because it is just so pretty!!

This outfit looks like you've made more of an effort, even though the emphasis is still on comfort. I love the style and colour of this knitted dress, again from dotty p's, they seem to have got it spot on so far with their new season collection for me! I would team this with some fab riding boots, these are another bargain from the fabulous garage shoes (look past the naff gladiators and stripper shoes and you too will see the genius of this shop). The knitted dress would be quite forgiving on a mummy tummy and as I regain my waistline I'll be making the most of it, emphasising the new shape with a skinny belt like this one from dorothy perkins. To save the outfit from becoming too drab in hues of rust and tan, I'd bring some colour in. These earrings from topshop are lovely, as is the sunny yellow/mustard nail varnish. Again I would keep the makeup light and fresh, tinted balm and lashings of mascara will suffice.

I'm practically salivating at the thought of a shopping spree for non-maternity wear but I suppose the next spree for clothes won't be for me! We've saved money so that we can splash out on a fab new wardrobe for the baby once we know whether we are shopping for blue or pink ...

Cx

sun, sea and stretch marks ...

I know I've mentioned before that I keep fantasising about a summer holiday, somewhere warm and a nice place to relax ... then I think about what warm means and the fact that I haven't been coping too well with the warmer weather we've had here in blighty.


Anyhoo ... if I was to go on holiday there is some great summer maternity clothing out there so I thought I would bring a collection together of items I would pack for this fantasy summer holiday, just for fun!


So I'm thinking of stretches of lovely white sandy beaches with the odd pair of sun loungers here and there, a perfect place to relax and catch up on some reading.

Shirt, tankini, sunglasses and nail varnish from Topshop. Mascara from Benefit - there is a reason why this is a classic. Sandals from Dorothy Perkins and Bag from River Island. I've made sure to include my essentials in there too - the bible (as it is known when pregnant) what to expect when you are expecting, factor 50 sun protection and a big bottle of water.


I'd like to go somewhere historic, preferably with plenty of sightseeing opportunities.

Dress, hat and earrings from Topshop (as above). Bag and shoes from ASOS. I love easy to use, practical products. The last time we were away we bought some sport sun protection in an aerosol. It's so easy to apply and transport, feels really light when you put it on, and because it's designed for sports withstands those 'glowing' moments. As I seem to melt in the heat I've also included two great products - water face mist to cool down and the long lasting NARS multiple, to make sure you are camera ready.


One thing I love about being away is the lovely fresh food. I'm imagining a small restaurant by a harbour at night, with plenty of outdoor seating.

Top, earrings, bag and sandals from Topshop (as above). Sunglasses and palazzo pants from Dorothy Perkins (as above). Bangle from River Island (as above). I love the nude and muted colours that are in all the shops at the moment, but being me I have to bring in some shots of colour. This time it's coral, introduced through the shoes and earrings and continued through the makeup. It's a lovely strong colour and works really well with a tan. I always like to treat myself to a new scent when we go away - preferably on the way there and then I wear it while away which means when you get back to reality the smell transports you back on holiday (for a brief moment) - this year it has to be Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh. It is so light and refreshing, and more importantly my heightened sense of smell still loves it!


What a lovely fantasy holiday. The reality is, when not at work or out and about I'm far more comfortable in a pair of lounge pants and an oversized t-shirt. I'm using a gradual tanner to get that sin kissed look (garnier summer body is the best for my ridiculously pale skin) and have filled the house (and office) with fans to ensure there is always a breeze! Oh well, there is always next year ...


Cx

love it!

Ohdeedoh featured the grand nursery reveal of house thirty six this week ... it's lovely!

There is quite a lot going on in the room, but keeping the colour pallette to a few select shades (cool dove grey and lemon!) helps everything come together beautifully.

Cx

nursery design #4

I'm letting my softer side through with this one, pretty and feminine is the mood of today's room ... not so suitable for a baby boy! That said, I've not gone completely overboard and twee, letting some really lovely elements speak for themselves. To stop things from getting a little to sugary I would keep the background (walls) neutral, maybe a soft putty or my favourite grey again??

Clockwise from top left - garland pendant vertbaudet £25.00, curtains (dagny) ikea £69.99, birdcage mirror vertbaudet £39.00, lamp (ljusas salbo) ikea £30.99, rug (aborg) ikea £35.99, bedding dwell studio £202 (approx), rocking horse moover £68.00, sleepsuit baby joule £22.00, coat stand vertbaudet £45.00, hanging bird ornament (centre) monsoon £6.00.

Cx

nursery design #3

I love fresh and vibrant colours in a nursery, I know I've said it before but when you look at what is available in the UK high-street we seem to be falling into a beige for babies trap! I read that they need strong contrasts to help with their visual development ... and this delivers on that front! To keep things from getting a bit overwhelming I would use white as the main colour for the walls, maybe using the beautiful isak wallpaper on just one area.

Clockwise from top left - penguin wallpaper isak £38 (per roll), curtains (gronska prickar) ikea £14.99, lamp (lykta) ikea £9.18, picture (solmyra) ikea £9.99, sleeping bag vertbaudet £17.40, storage boxes vertbaudet £17.00, bedding dwell studio £220 (approx), rattle kidsen £18.99, changing mat £53.74, cot and drawers as before.

Cx

nursery design #2

I've based this whole scheme around grey - I think it's a restful colour that works really well in a nursery. However, I do think you need elements of bolder colour to keep the scheme playful, something that can easily be achieved through art and of course lovely toys!

Clockwise from top left - light (torna) ikea £59.99, swallow mobile flensted £11.99, curtains (kajsa) ikea £30.63, picture (solmyra) ikea £10.99, lamp (alang) ikea £35.73, bumper dwell studio £96 (approx), crib skirt dwell studio £34 (approx), rug (ludde) ikea £20.42, cloud changing mat kidsen £29.99, elephant pull along sebra £30.99, laundry basket (grundtal) ikea £51.99, pillow (centre) lucky boy sunday £45.00.

Cx

nursery design #1

In the midst of decorating and putting together our perfect nursery, I thought it might be fun to take the bare essentials of the room and see what different design options I could come up with.


The basics of our nursery will be the furniture - we've opted for a double malm dresser from ikea and the bibi cot from Mamas and Papas (both in white). Both are brilliant quality at an excellent price - the drawers come in at £101.11 and the cot is currently on offer at £80. We're going to use the dresser as the changing unit, as we're pretty hard up for storage in the house the drawers can accommodate plenty of essential but unpretty baby items while still leaving plenty of room for all the lovely tiny clothes (we also plan to get the stuva wardrobe from ikea too, small but perfectly formed for little people!).


So here is nursery design #1 - I've called it cool and contemporary. I would start with a pale blueish grey on the walls which ties all the other elements together.

This is a real mix of high-street bargains and luxury baby goodies. Clockwise from top left - curtains (gronska prickar) ikea £14.99, picture (solmyra) ikea £11.99, lamp (fillsta) ikea £20.42, rug (ludde) ikea £20.42, truck shelf dwell studio £75 (approx), bedding (skyline) dwell studio £220 (approx), mobile dwell studio £46 (approx), cot and dresser as above. Just realised I only 'shopped' at two places here ... perfect if you are ordering online!


While I absolutely love this look it is a little masculine - as we're team lemon a no go for us. I do think it would make a little boy very happy though!


Cx

art for babies - update

I've just discovered oohmoon.com, by Katy Moon an illustrator. The site gives you one free illustration a day, every day. After that they are downloadable at a small charge. There are some absolutely beautiful pictures on there. For example, today's free download is hope #5 (shown below with water mark).

Why not keep a look out for something to suit your nursery ... I know I will!

Cx

nursery inspiration

I love interior design and looking on the internet for inspiration is how I have spent a lot of my time over the years, I have to say that is how many of the ideas for our renovation have come about! As such, I've long been a fan of apartment therapy and their family lifestyle blog ohdeedoh. Their kids room tours are where I go for ideas for the nursery that span beyond beige and cutesy. These are some of my favourites ...

As you can see I'm not shy of colour but I like to offset a strong colour against a neutral or white, strong walls white furniture etc. I also love the way that these rooms have included standard (I mean not designed specifically for a nursery) furniture which will grow with the child! Lots of these rooms feature furniture design classics or pieces from my favourite ikea (future design classics) which goes to show you can make the nursery an extension of the style found in the rest of your home!

We'll be getting some of the key from ikea, I know some people turn their noses up at it but personally I love it - I love how clean and simple the pieces are ... and ultimately I treat them like I would a basic dress ... it's all about the accessories!

Cx

work it!

The workplace is where I seem to struggle the most with clothing - having to be smart and comfortable all day is a challenge! I've totally fallen for this patterned dress from Dorothy Perkins (£32) and based a whole work day look around it ... add to my basket, how did that happen?!

I know I've declared my love for this season's coral colours already but I can't help sneaking in a few more accessories  this time in more of a red shade and ... I couldn't resist the lovely shade of this nail varnish, something I may need to purchase soon!

My skin is a little dry so I try to keep a lip balm or tin of vaseline nearby, I also have a tube of 8 hour cream in my bag for emergencies, it is great for dry skin a calming down any irritations. I know I have said I'm sleeping better but my under eyes still need a little help to make me look fully ready for the day, I've tried most of the alternatives but keep coming back to good old touche eclat.

I love these shoes - need them in my life and wardrobe ... shame we have to keep the heels to a minimum because these are great, plenty of support for your foot and not too high. Maybe if I keep a pair of pumps to hand?!

This is something I would wear to the office (I actually wore something very similar today!), the shape of the dress is really flattering and if (like me) you are self conscious about your expanding chest you can add a plain white vest top underneath. You could also dress this down just by opting for flats and more discreet jewellery.

Cx

bump not frump

Maternity clothes are notorious for being ... well boring. However, with so many high street shops jumping on the yummy mummy bandwagon, and so many celeb pregnancies, I thought finding fashionable clothes to see me through these 9 months, at a reasonable price would be easy ...


First impressions weren't great - there are only so many 'does my bump look big in this' and 'hands off' t-shirts that a girl can take ... thank goodness for the internet, where style, comfort and expanding waistbands are plentiful.


I thought I would do a regular feature on maternity style, to show you what I've been wearing and when.


The outfit below is all based around the jeans, a bargain at £15 from the dorothy perkins sale and something that should see me through nicely. While you may think it's a little early for over the bump waistbands I couldn't disagree more ... not much to look at but sooooo comfy, especially when in the car! I've been leaning towards muted colours as I get used to my expanding middle but brightening everything up with fab accessories - I love the coral shades that are in all of the shops at the moment. I've been wearing this outfit at the weekend - perfect for browsing the shops or a nice walk in the sun.

Also, my skin seems to have settled down after the early stage breakouts so I'm making the most of my new glow with a gradual self tanner and an all in one lip and cheek gloss, all topped of with lashings of mascara - maybelline one by one at the moment although the brush takes some getting used to (have to admit I prefer the falsies).

Cx.