christmas, new years and 2017

Christmas is all but over and 2017 is fast approaching. The Baileys has run out so the cocktails are being mixed. New years is here so it must mean that it's time for sparkly drinks, confetti and even more sparkly outfits so while I prep my face for a wave of glitter I'm sipping on a sweet tasting cherry Corky's mixed with some lemonade - it tastes exactly like cherryade but better!

craving: black leather

I've probably blogged about back leather a few times before, relatively unknowingly however. This time I want to focus in on my little obsession with the shoe-drobe (and wardrobe) staple that is black leather, or more appropriately; imitation leather.

beautiful gift ideas for this christmas

I love a good gift set for Christmas, a luxury gift set even more so. They're great for giving as well as receiving and the savings from buying a more expensive branded set can be impressive which make them well worth looking into.

gift ideas for men this christmas

If like me you've still got some Christmas shopping to do in this next week then you may find this little gift list somewhat helpful when shopping for the guys in your life.

christmas shopping discounts and coupon codes

I've been coming across loads of great discounts and tweeting about them so thought I'd quickly collate a load of them on here for easier use!

I've already used a number of these to buy Christmas (and birthday) gifts so I hope you find these links useful.

Starting with asos.. because ofcourse I'm obsessed <3
Note: Some of these are selected lines only so i've linked directly to the categories.

20% off asos with coupon code: GOGOGO
expires 29th Nov

30% off Nasty Gal!
no code needed - ends after Black Friday

50% off Missguided with code: GOGOGO
or 35% student discount. Both for a limited time only

craving: awesome handbags

When talking handbags I'm in two minds; a bag either needs to be flawlessly simple and elegant or edgy with lots of details. For a while now I've been leaning towards dark bags with studs, quilting, tassels and extra hardware so I'm currently shopping around for a new handbag to add to my collection that will give my burgundy Mango quilted and studded bowler bag a bit of a break.

craving: autumn winter knitwear

Shopping for knitwear has to be one of my favourite things and this is absolutely reflected in the sheer number of cardigans and jumpers I have. At a quick count from my recent dressing room renovation I have approximately 21 cardigans but more staggeringly I have 52 jumpers. I agree that it is a lot but it doesn't stop me looking for more cute and stylish knits to add to my ever-growing collection (I just don't tell Shaun!)

craving: biker jackets

How I love a good biker jacket. I have a good few now and am always looking for new ones so to find so many in this seasons colours and materials is great. From a deep red velvet to a green leather and a navy suede, I've added loads of these beauties to my wishlist.

little things & happy distractions lately

It's been a long time since I kept on top of these posts, but it's been a long time since I had a decent blogging schedule so that's to be expected. This collection of 'things' seem to be my happy distractions of late and I found it nice to distract myself from everyday problems by sitting and having a think about some material things I love so I think I'll try harder to publish these posts more regularly.

craving: heeled black boots

Not an overly exciting topic for most but these heeled black boots are all gorgeous and I'm pretty into every pair so for me they're worth talking about. I really need to buy some new black boots before my go too fringed heeled boots die thanks to being over-worn. Donning my wood block high heeled boots on an almost daily basis is a favourite habit of mine and I'd like to continue to do it so why not add to my shoe collection.

why your everyday style is important when choosing an engagement ring

With engagement ring shopping for yourself becoming an ever increasing trend today, women who are looking for that perfect ring to symbolise their new chapter in life with their partner are faced with a lot of important things to take into consideration. Along with thinking about things such as your budget for a ring, the type of ring that you’re going to choose and the carat of the gold or diamond, your personal sense of style will be the one overriding thing that you’ll base all your decisions regarding your ring on. We’ve listed just some of the main reasons why your sense of style plays such a crucial part in choosing the perfect engagement ring.

halloween outfit shopping

Heading out for a halloween night out but don't wanna go all out on dressing up? Sounds like me this year.. I ideally want something that I could wear again this season so I've pulled together some dark pieces from the likes of asos that when paired with certain accessories will look the part without looking over-the-top or a cliche version of sexy. With the odd skull/skeleton bits thrown in that I would absolutely wear out again I'm a big fan of this little collection of bad-ass pieces.

craving: leather and suede skirts

If there's one thing I've loved for years now it's leather jackets but only recently have I got the appeal of a leather skirt. Be it a stiff leather or soft suede there are a lot of skirts out there right now that I'm seriously lusting over, some of which just so happen to be midi skirts. I just can't get enough good midis!

living in ankle boots this autumn

So I live in ankle boots all year round and not just in autumn but I thought I'd share some of my boots collection with you, particularly the ones that will be frequenting my feet over the coming months. Seeing as I now that I have my beautiful new dressing room storage shelves especially for my shoes to be displayed in what better way to show you some of my go-to's.

craving: gold details

I'm really into gold at the moment, rose gold, yellow gold, antique gold - I want it all! So much so that I'm slowly created an outlet for my obsession in each room of the house, so far my lounge and dining room house rose gold shades while my dressing room (and soon to be bedroom) have yellow/antique gold accents everywhere. My jewellery and accessories are no different as I have a healthy collection of gold and rose gold accessories but I can always add more!

asos save list - new season styles

Lace up, cross over, wrapped, lace trim, cropped, ribbed, bardot, cage and cold shoulder .. All words that call out to me on a daily basis and I know i'm not the only one because these styles are absolutely everywhere at the moment. Not forgetting black, khaki, grey, burgundy and metallics. Is it any wonder that my bank balance is close to tears and all I can do is want for more. Things may have changed around here, sorry about that, but one thing has remained the same and that's that shopping is  still most definitely a past time of mine as is browsing asos on almost a daily basis.

craving: dr martens

Coming soon to my boots collection... a pair of beautifully awesome hardcore Dr Martens. I just need to pick which pair are going to grace my feet and my new dressing room shoe shelves but there are so many great looking options to choose from that I thought I'd show some of my favourites before deciding.

practical tips for reducing costs when planning a wedding

Allow me to start this post by saying that reducing the cost of a wedding doesn’t mean it will be a bad (or cheap) one. A wedding is an incredibly special occasion and it should be celebrated as such. That said, you don’t have to spend over and above in order to have a memorable and intimate day with friends and family.

The key to having a beautiful yet affordable wedding is planning. When you have enough time on your hands and you are willing to spend some time planning, there are actually many ways to have an affordable wedding reception. In this article, however, we are going to focus on how you can reduce costs without hassle when planning a wedding.

new in: moda in pelle pretty heels

Looking for the perfect work shoe that isn't a boot is such a difficult thing to do for me, or at least it was. I now have one pair of shoes suitable for office hours, these nude-y beige patent heels from Moda in Pelle.

what to wear to a formal wedding: advice for guys and girls

If you have been invited to a wedding which has a formal dress code, you can be sure to have to spend some time putting together the perfect outfit. Whether you’re male or female, making sure that you get the right outfit for a formal wedding is hugely important to not only make sure that you look your best and adhere to the dress code, but also that you’re not upstaging the bride or groom on their big day. For this reason, there are a number of rules to stick to when you’re choosing what to wear to a wedding which is a formal affair.

nails: opi and champagne

Right now i'm away on a very good friend on mine's hen do. Sat somewhere in Budapest probably drinking some sort of fruity alcoholic drink and having a giggle! So this nail post is a special one because it's the combo I picked out earlier in the week to play with and chose to wear this weekend.

craving: pastels

With pastels heading back into high street domination I find myself drawn to the soft hues of colour more and more, especially where accessories are concerned. From flats to heels and boots for flip flops a pastel pair of feet warmers is a must this summer and there's nothing wrong with having a selection of handbags, clutches and totes to go with them.

little things & happy distractions: april

Once again my happy distractions for the month passed is lacking in books.. I figure that this is because I'm having trouble switching off from all of the things running through my mind. Between wedding planning and redecorating our home I don't seem to have time for a good book at the moment, maybe in May.

pearly pink & rose gold glitter nails

This Essie beauty was bought for me by my sister, it's a pearly pink that is so subtle and pretty that I can't get enough of it. Pink and gold is a recurring theme in my life at the moment so I thought it only right to try some gold glitter polish with the pale pink and I couldn't be happier with the result

the ultimate summer holiday packing list for women

Are you going on holiday this summer? If you have the summer trip of a lifetime planned, now’s the best time to start getting your holiday shop in order. If you wait until closer to your departure time, you run the risk of prices being put up due to demand or even worse, everything you’ve been planning to buy for the past few months being out of stock in your size. To make sure that you’re looking exactly how you imagine you would on your summer holiday, here’s the ultimate packing list to help you out.

irresistable me rotating curler

Anyone who knows me will know how bad I am at styling my hair especially when it comes to curling so I figured that a rotating curler would be the perfect tool for me - Problem solved.

new in: Typo homeware haul

I think that Typo may be a new obsession of mine. There are so many great stationery and homeware pieces throughout the site and at the moment I'm seeing new pieces being added all of the time. Everything is quirky or on trend or both and I want it all.

craving homeware: candles

I'm well into buying items to redecorate our lounge now, my recent post featuring a blush and copper wish list inspired me even further to go out and buy cushions, throws, photo frames and more things that tie in with our new look. One thing I missed out of my discussion on the living room, aside from the obvious absence of furniture, was candles.

Our home is littered with candles from scented tea lights in holders to big jars or those that stand alone, we have a sizeable love for beautiful smelling and decorative candles. Having a dog we like to light scented candles on a regular basis as it's much nicer rather than having air fresheners on all of the time so i'm always looking for new ones to add to the stock pile that we're constantly working through.

wedding planning: the theme

Having started with writing about choosing a wedding venue the next step would be to talk about the theme you're going for.

craving: wedding guest outfits

Following on from my previous wedding guest outfit shopping post I'm on the hunt for the perfect dress but this time for a special wedding in July. I'm looking for something especially beautiful and I've come across a new collection from Quiz that represents just that.

new in: agate earrings

The cliche of being a magpie is a popular one but I'd describe myself as just that, I'm attracted to shiny things, metallic finishes and jewellery, all the jewellery. So it makes sense that my next new-in blog post would be about silver pieces that I've added to my jewellery cabinet.

craving homeware: blush & copper

I find myself inspired by so many things of late, which is great! Especially seeing as one of the activities that I've particularly inspired to do is redecorate. Now that our home is officially that, 'ours' I want to make more of a mark, starting with redecorating certain rooms of the house, the lounge/diner and my dressing room being those I want to focus on first. Rather than settling for easy and cheap furniture with no real thought put into the look of the rooms I want a real colour scheme to be featured with strong design decisions displayed throughout. I want to be surrounded by things that reflect out taste, character and style (well, my style at least.)

While I've been planning my wardrobe room for some time now I'm hoping that by summer it'll be all-in and finished so I'll talk about the progress on that soon. For now I've been thinking about a theme for our lounge, how it would work with the attached dining room and how I can pull it through to other rooms like the kitchen.

I've collected together a number of blush and copper coloured items that I think would look great through the house. From rose gold flower pots and metallic inner lampshades to rose coloured cushions and dusky pink throws I've become quite obsessed with this theme and the possibilities of how beautifully stylish my house could (will) look.

copper inner lampshade | light pink lantern | copper heart canvas
rose gold planter | brushed copper cafetiere | light pink candle | copper finished lightbulb
dusky pink throw | rose gold basket
copper wire tealight holder | pink ombre cord hangers | copper geometric frame | pink faded vase
copper slogan cushion | blush rose cushion | blush velvet cushion pink glass drawer knobs

khaki and gold nails

With autumn colours fading out as the spring shades slip themselves into our everyday wardrobes I'm still choosing to embrace berry, camel and khaki where possible - particularly where my nails are concerned. I love light pastels and fun summer shades but feel as though I'm clinging onto a bit of winter while it's still so chilly in the mornings.

asos save list

This may come as a shock to you but I'm always on asos. I know right?! Who knew. I come home I go on asos. I think about a blog post I go on asos. It's basically my first port of call even before Pinterest for outfit and style inspiration. The only downside to this is that I find myself wanting and wishing for some many things so in order to put this addiction to good use I thought I'd begin sharing my save list with you every now and again. Not my full save list because at any given time I have 200+ items saved and that would just be silly to try and put in one post so I'm going to share my latest 20(ish) additions to the list.

Be it sale or new-in, clothes or jewellery, I come across some great deals and beautiful items and so on the off chance that I can't afford to buy them (which is often the case) I'd like to offer them up to you lovely people!

So here goes.. You'll find links to everything below.

the pastels are in : powder blue & baby pink

Pastels are a wonderful thing, especially when worn with a glowing tan, so as they slowly creep into the shops I've started to think about the ways in which I want to wear certain shades this spring and leading on into summer. Starting with the originals baby blue and baby pink because they're my go-to shades.

review: Wagglepets - dog essentials delivered

I am loving the ease of having a Wagglepets subscription to deliver all of the essentials to our door. Dog food, dentastix, poo bags and treats are delivered every month with a toy as well then worming and tic treatments when due. To pay for all of that and pet insurance in one lump sum is so easy and super convenient.

new in: asos black caged heels

New shoes are kind of my thing recently, they're what I shop for more often than clothes and find myself craving after very often. Pointed heels seem to be my kryptonite so pair that with shopping on asos and I'm pretty much sold on purchasing.

craving: michael kors footwear

Michael Kors is the first designer brand I set my heart on, it's the original designer I craved after not just because I loved everything in their collections but also because I found the pieces to be within reach though not too easily accessed that everyone would have it. I aspired to own an MK watch and handbag along with some other accessories and still now I find myself working towards my next purchase, be it a purse, item of jewellery or a very important a pair of shoes - Specifically my wedding shoes.

While I am supposed to be shopping for my heels for the big day it's hard to keep focus because there are so many awesome looking pairs of totally unsuitable heels that I want to add to my collection.

craving: wedding guest outfits

So many of my friends are getting married that I find myself in need of the perfect outfit pretty often these days. Because of that I thought I'd start sharing some of my finds and some of the dresses, co-ords and pencil skirt crop top combos that are in the running to be my next wedding guest outfit in a series of posts. First-up I've been browsing the Esprit website for something simply pretty or a stand-out piece that I could wear to a wedding reception I'm attending in May.

I love the idea of wearing a smart jumpsuit to a wedding, this black tuxedo one has such flattering lines and paired with some hot caged heels would look awesome at an evening do.

Alternatively if I decide on a more girly vibe then the pink lace and bow dress would be the ultimate choice. I'm a growing fan of high necklines, as you can see from almost all of the other dresses I've picked out, and paired with the tied bow waist I know this dress would be a complimentary and pretty piece in whichever colour I picked out.

Along with a higher style of neckline there is trend in material as I find myself drawn to full lace dresses and lace applique embellishment which are both perfectly suitable for attendance of a wedding all day as well as for a reception only.

From one shoulder bodycon dresses to high neck fit and flare or cinched in maxi dresses I'm certainly not stuck for ideas or choices on Esprit and can't wait to actually make a decision on my outfit for this wedding reception. :)

♥ abby

craving: flats by Melissa

Anyone who knows me will know my obsession with boots and how I've always been opposed to wearing any sort of ballet flats at all. It's been a strong opinion of mine for a very long time, but then so was my hate for pointed shoes and now I won't shop for a pair of heels that are without a point to them. These flats (along with pointed cut out pairs) have changed my mind about the ballet flat style shoe.

sparkly trainers are dreamy

Metallic and sparkly trainers are the epitome of dressy and casual mashed together and I want them all. Recently I've been trying to mix up my weekend wardrobe to feature a bit more of a casual vibe but rather than simply wear my Nikes all the time I'd like to be able to add a little something more to an outfit.

wedding planning: picking a venue

Who knew that this would be say difficult?! I've had a read of many bride experiences on browsing and choosing their venues and yet I still wasn't prepared for what hit me. I wasn't ready for the variety of ways in which we would be received, from blaze to well structured and quite frankly a bit odd. I wasn't expected to be made to feel unworthy of a location or on the flipside to catch a cold from a freezing cold old (and very dirty) country house. I wasn't expecting to fall in love with a place the moment we stepped through the doors. But all of these things happened and they made me want to put together a list of things to do and consider when looking for your wedding venue.

I will point out now that this post is talking about either a full day venue or a reception venue as we decided from the very beginning that we didn't want to get married in a church.

shopping: new-in

One thing remains while there is so much going on around me; my obsession with all things ASOS. I find myself in the 'New in' category more often than I'd care to admit and don't get my started on my love for their clearance section.

I thought I'd throw together some of my new-in favourites for a quick post in between my current busy schedule. Hope you like. :)

new shoes: Ravel fort worth

There's something wonderful about the feeling you get when a new pair of shoes arrive on your door step. Lucky for me this happened a number of times to me throughout January, introducing my wonderful new Ravel heels.

happy & healthy pet box delivery

This months Wagglepets delivery was a little different from others in that it included some preventative treatments. Alongside the usual goodies we received 6 months worth of FleaAway as well as a wormer treatment.

Every month we receive similar products that promote a healthy and happy dog so the flea, tick and worming treatments perfectly promote that along with the Wagglepets all in one service, I love it!

unicorns, unicorns everywhere

I feel like this is becoming an obsession, a scary obsession with something entirely imaginary that I adore and think are too beautiful. Maybe it's the glitter, or the purity of the all white fur/hair - or maybe it's just the fact that you can't get more girly than a unicorn. My reason for initiating this blog post is because I bought a number of unicorn-related items in London a couple of weeks ago, including this amazing coin purse. :D

craving: over knee boots

I'm back with more boots, because if all else fails then new shoes (specifically new boots) makes everything okay again. My over knee boots are on their last legs (see what I did there..) I've worn them out to the point where pieces of them are starting to drop off so in the spirit of new year - out with the old and in with the new. I've been browsing a collection of my favourite online stores to find these great looking collection of over the knee boots, both flat and high heeled.

introducing Miss Patisserie

On my visit to Cardiff just before Christmas I popped into the new boutique bath and beauty store, Miss Patisserie. At first my bestie thought I was talking about heading down to a bakery I'd heard about but Miss Patisserie is an adorable store full to the brim with a huge variety of bath bombs, fizzers, melts and beauty products like body scrubs, face masks and oils.