April Showers

Last weekend Virginia had some crazy storms & the temperature has been up & down all week.  I am hoping it settles down into a calm Spring  soon with nice 70 something days.  I am also hoping there won't be to many April Showers but just in case I have come up with the perfect rainy day look with Friday Fancies this week.

Part of being British means you should be prepared for April Showers all year round.  It also means Wellies (rain boots) & trench coat's are wardrobe staples for necessity not a fashion statement.  My Dad thinks its funny that the local college girls wear Hunters even when its not rainy. Clearly he doesn't understand fashion trends.  

Being 5'2 I can't wear knee length trench coats without them looking like they drown me, so when I saw this Burberry coat I fell in love.  The detailing is classic yet modern & the length much more appropriate for us shorties.  The Red Hunters provide a great contrast to the navy jacket & I thought the striped top was a lovely compliment to overall look without being to casual. 

Don't forget to visit {av} over at {longdistanceloving} to see lots of fashionable rain wear!

Have a great weekend!!

One Week Today

One week today I officially take the Pledge of Allegiance & become a dual Citizen!  I can't wait, the long process was definitely worth it, however I am so glad its almost over.

My family will be driving to Abingdon, VA to take the oath & then we are having lunch at the Martha Washington Hotel.  Seems rather fitting to dine in the hometown of the Original First Lady.  

The one thing I am not excited it about it picking an outfit! Part of me wants to really go all out.  This is one of the most important days of my life so far & should be celebrated.  Another part of me wants to go low key & then there's the part me that thinks I should rock the flag!

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Ok I am kidding about the flag dress even though this girl looked amazing.  Where as this lady really should get in trouble for ruining the flag!!

 I am leaning towards a classic dress in navy blue & maybe red heels.  What do you think about red might be to cheesy?

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I love the classic look of the first dress but then I love shape of the others & how fun are polka dots?  I always feel retro in them!!

Stike a Pose

I am always on the look out for fab poses that I could use as inspirations for photo/video shoots for Stella Jewelry.  So of course I love the whole concept of Pinterest & making collages in Photoshop.  However, today for the first time in months I picked up a copy Vogue & realized there is nothing like taring pages to save when your creativity is lacking.  

When I combed the pages I was inspired in a whole different way than I am online.  I felt more emotion & connection to the pieces & marketing.  I wanted to rip out all the pages I love & make a scrap book.  Just like when I was a child collecting designer ads & proclaiming I will wear that dress when I am older.  I obsessed over a Escada gown in 1998, I still remember the ad.  It was champagne with a square neckline, very Princess Diana & way to mature for my 16 yr old style.  The model was stunning with glamorous hair standing in front of a bronze wall.  Its funny the things that speak to you & how long your remember them.  I still have a love for square necklines. 

Here's a couple of my fav. shots from the April Vogue (I took pictures of the pages just so I could play with my new Frame Magic App lol).  

Chanel is always a classic, yet this ad combines edge with such timeless pieces, a perfect way to grab my attention!!

How beautiful does Kate Moss look? Shes like a gorgeous statue on the mantle. I am normally not a fan of her but she looks stunning in this spread. Kate Spade also added some edge to her ad's with pink hair with pearls & a trench!

Then there is Victoria, to me she is always perfection!!

Does anyone else still love getting inspiration the old fashioned way?

Coral Again!!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I saw 21 Jump Street this evening & was surprised it was so funny!! It was no Hangover but definitely a decent movie if you want some laughs! Channing Tatum in a Uniform isn't a bad reason to see it either!

 

I also spent most of my weekend craving coral pieces for my wardrobe.  After my inspiration board last week I can't get enough of the color.

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I am in desperate need of a new satchel bag for summer & swoon every time I see a Proenza Schouler.  They are the perfect combination of casual, chic & quality.  Of course all of that is reflected in the price!!  I wish I could find something similar that's not $2000.  The other pieces would add so much fun to my closet & be really versatile mixed with classic pieces.

Then there is this Motorcycle Jacket I found on Pinterest, so edgy & girly at the same time!  I'm obsessed!

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 I was so excited when I received my Birchbox this month & it included a full size Essie Luxe effects "as gold as it gets".  So of course I needed to pick up to polish to feed my color obsession!  I choose "A Crewed Interest", its a nice alternative to a classic pink manicure. 

I can't wait to try this combination tonight. 

Happy Monday Everyone!!

March Madness - Friday Fancies

With football soccer being the nations Sport/obsession in England,  the closest we came to Basketball was the Harlem Globetrotters.  Even after 13 years here I still don't know much about the game, except the Kardashian's have a thing for the players.

I however do love Virginia Tech & route for them in any type of game so I put together a Friday Fancies look I would wear had they made the Sweet 16.

Unfortunately, the school colors are Maroon & Orange, generally not a cute look. Then I found this fab motorcycle jacket & thought it was perfect way to represent the team without rocking an ultra casual hoodie.  I paired it with some great True Religion Jeans, a school 

t shirt, Toms flats & a fab satchel bag.

When I designed the earrings above I kept in mind a true Hokie Girl who wants something chic to represent their school.  I would defiantly rock them with my look. 

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend.  If you are in the Roanoke area come to Salem Saturday.  Lots of stores are having a Spring Open House, whats better than spending a Spring Day shopping locally :)

England ~ Part 2

  I love days like yesterday, days where the weather gives me the best of both worlds.  The morning had gorgeous blue skies, perfectly (& unusually) warm.  A  windows down, music up kind of day.  Then this afternoon took me back to England with sudden storms.  The smell of the air after the rain falls evokes childhood memories of running for shelter as we played outside or the miserable times I forgot my umbrella & had to walk home from school soaking wet.

England often gets a bad wrap for its weather, however it gives the little country character & in Spring it gives us this:

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Beautiful Green Grass & bright yellow daffodils are always a sign Spring is here. 

Then in late April come's the stunning periwinkle forests filed with Bluebell's.

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I was lucky enough to live near a small wooded area filed with these beauty's. I remember running through them with no cares in the world!  Ah to be a kid again.  

Hope you all enjoyed your first day of Spring!  I am so glad it time for cute shoes & dresses!  

Coral & Gold

I hope everyone had a fun St Patrick's Day, hopefully you have recovered from all that green beer.  

After seeing all that green I am kind of over the color.  So I spent Sunday looking for inspiration elsewhere on the color spectrum with gold & Coral.

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I have always been a fan of Coral, I think its perfect in summer to brighten an outfit & looks amazing with my favorite color turquoise.  Although, I haven't always been a fan of gold, it is so easy to look cheap or dated when wearing it that I tended to stay away.  However, I cannot get enough of these colors together at the moment. 

My inspiration board lead to a new bracelet design. 

They aren't quite finished yet but I'm loving the contrast of the gunmetal with the neon coral ribbon & the gold leather.

What do you think? I would love your feedback.  

St Patricks Day Friday Fancies

I love to keep it casual on St Patrick's Day, I just want to enjoy one a few green beers & not worry about heels or a dress.

I was originally planning on using some green skinny jeans but then came across this adorable skirt.  I love hints of retro in my looks & this paired with a sweet polka dot tank seemed perfect.  Especially since the weather in VA is supposed to be in 80's.  

These watermelon flats seemed to be the perfect pop of color for me & the earrings are from our new collection.  I couldn't not include them in a St Patrick's Day look, they are a perfect shade of green.

I hope everyone has an amazing weekend & doesn't get pinched tomorrow!  As always don't forget to check out the other looks at {longdistanceloving}

England ~ Part One

That's me age eight stuffing my face on holiday.  How amazing was my shell suit?? & that headband? Fabulous!  Clearly I have always been fashionable!!

When I saw this picture today I realized I haven't really talked about my life in England much.  Which is a shame because England has a huge part of my heart & makes me feel complete.  From now on I am dedicating Wednesdays posts to England.  Whether it is about my life there, favorite places, foods or tips for travelers, I want to give you a glimpse in something I love so much.

To catch you up I was born in England & moved to America at 17 when my Step Dad got a job over here.  At first I thought brilliant, it will be just like the movies. NYC, LA, Florida.  Ummm then we moved to Roanoke VA, the middle of nowhere.  Ok, the middle of nowhere is dramatic but it really felt like that for the first few years.  Yes, I came from a small village but I was only a short train ride away from towns & major cities.  Here it is a four hours drive to D.C & back then, four hours was a lifetime in the car.

So the move was not so much the American Dream that this girl wanted. I mean who didn't want live Cher's life after watching Clueless??  The closest was genius for 1994!!  

* holiday = vacation

* Shell suit = leisure suit

* chocolate all over your face is acceptable right?

New TV Obsession

I am a week late with this find but I cannot get enough of GCB.  The writing is amazing & I am obsessed with GG.  The one liners are perfection & their jewelry collections are ridiculous!!  I need some of those statement pieces!!

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How adorable is Kristin Chenoweth?  I mean I can't stand her character but she plays the GCB too a tee.  Part of me feels like these characters were based on a few VA ladies.  

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If you haven't seen the show yet you MUST watch it next Sunday!

Summer Plans

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend.  During my downtime I caught up on my favorite blogs, found lots of amazing new ones thanks to {longdistanceloving} & looking into summer metal smith classes. 

I have come quite far in terms of my jewelry yet I want to actually be able to create the elements & set stones myself.  I will never be Tiffany but would love to make simple pieces like these from Tangerine Jewelry.

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I am obsessed with these colors & the clean lines.  They are the perfect Spring Pop of color, especially seen as I wear so much black.   I am also loving this LBD from ASOS. 

So far I have found classes in NYC & LA & Italy.  All fab places to learn.  So I am thinking about packing up for the summer.  Obviously I have two jobs, which I would have to leave.  My work in general is draining for me both physically, mentally & emotionally for various reasons & the last two weeks have been even worse.  My gut is telling me this is the time to do it whether you are ready or not.  If  I don't make the change now I am going to be in same situation next year only more discouraged & miserable.  Yet my logical side is saying you have bills, you need more in savings. 

Argh what to do, what to do??  

Have you ever taken a large leap because you gut told you to? Was it the right decision?

Kony 2012

If you use any sort of social media then you must have heard of KONY 2012 in the last few days.  At first I was confused by all the hash tags on twitter & comments on Facebook.  Then I took 30 minutes to educate myself.  If you haven’t already I am encouraging telling you to watch the video below, not only is it amazing marketing & production, it is emotional, heartbreaking & inspiring.

I can’t believe it has taken 26 years for me to hear the name of this monster.  How was this not bigger news in England or America?

We are a country that fought for its freedom, we have provided aide to countries after devastation, & we have ended wars, taken down dictators in less time.  This is no different; the actions of Kony are devastating for the children, the parents, their country, the world.  OUR WORLD.

I want to live in a country WORLD free from hate; some may laugh & say it will never happen.  Maybe not but your negativity is what is stopping people from trying.  I will never know if I don’t do something to try & change it.  My life can only be better from trying to do the right thing & caring.

In the world of social media, Jason is right we are more globally connected than ever. The small people have the biggest voice & we can make our leaders listen to what we WANT and I want Kony stopped.

Thank you Jason, the adorable Gavin & friends for caring about our world, for connecting & inspiring us to see we can help.  We can change the world.  We must tell the government that we want to help; we want to help innocent children take their lives back.

I care what’s going on the in the world, I care that 30,000 children have been stolen, raped, murdered, mutilated.  Our countries have the knowledge, the training, and the passion to end this.  Let’s use skills for the right things.

Do you care?

PLEASE find your small voice & a way to help.  Cover the night April 20; wear the bracelet, contact officials/celebrities, tweet, and blog, be creative so we can continue to do the right thing! 

Visit the Invisible Children Website for more information

Spring Break

My life for the last few weeks has been filled with travel & non stop working, my head is still spinning, I can't keep up. Each day I think about my blog posts then I get home for the night & exhaustion sets in :(

Friday Fancies is always my favorite post of the week so I felt it fitting for my return be today. I linked up with {av} & put together a few pieces I would take on Spring Break.

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I am more of city girl when it comes to vacations.  I love museums, fabulous restaurants, the typical tourist spots mixed with local treasures.  However, a week in the sun sounds amazing right now so here's a few things I would pack.

Cute shorts would be a must for those casual beach & shopping days paired with a loose tank.  Paris has a piece of my heart so this slightly cheesy top caught my eye.  Of course flips flops & a tote are essential, cake for breakfast?  Sounds like the perfect vacay treat, no?

I also love versatile, effortless dresses for trips & this light pink is perfect for dinner & dancing without going over the top!

In other news, what do you think of my new header?  I worked with Michelle from Sweet Musings Paperie & I am in love with it!!!  Her illustrations are adorable & she is amazing to work with.  Go see her blog here!

Happy Friday Ladies, I am going to spend a lot of time working on my blog & hopefully I won't disappear again.