TREATS: // Ted Baker Make-Up Bag

If there ever was a cheeky splurge, this is it. There are make-up bags-a-plenty out there but there is just something special about the Ted Baker ones. The candy colours, the bow detailing, and the whimsical beauty that is Ted Baker London in general. I treated myself to this wee beaut on a recent trip. I don't have a local store that sells Ted Baker so when I was mooching around the fancy Wellington department store Kirkcaldie and Stains (side note: their make-up section is to die!), I spotted the Ted Baker section and that was it, it was all over. I ended up going for this one as I 'needed' one to pop in my handbag, that would fit my make-up and a few brushes, and this one is the perfect size for just that - not too big, not too small. I'm not sure that the quality of the bag matches the price tag, but I don't have regrets as I'm not gonna lie, I do feel that little bit more special carrying this wee beat in my handbag.

Anyone else think that Ted Baker is a little piece of whimsy and joy? :D

Lu x

DIY // Flower Crown / Headband

Flowers: Choose any colour you like, and also size. My ones were quite average size (not tiny but not huge) so five were the perfect amount to go around my head, but this will change depending on what you choose.
Felt + Thread: I would suggest getting a colour that either matches the flowers, or the felt could even be the same as your hair colour to make it blend in and not be too obvious.
*Bobby Pins (not pictured): Didn't know I would use them until I got to sticking it all together, but you only need a few.

1. Pull all the flowers of their stems GENTLY. I learnt this the hard way when a couple fell apart on me... oops.

2. Measure the felt around your head and headband and cut it, leaving a little extra on all sides which will be trimmed later. Arrange the flowers as you want them.

3. With a pencil I marked the middle of my piece of felt to make it easier when positioning the middle flower when sewing it on, and to make sure it was centered and I wouldn't end up with a lopsided crown.

4. I sewed them on by threading the needle between each leaf and petal, making sure to thread through a few petals, and going around each flower 2-3 times to make sure they were all secure and stood upright.

5. I measured roughly 2.5cm between each flower, but this doesn't matter very much as you can have them closer together or further apart depending on the type of flowers used or just personal preference.

6. Once all the flowers are on, position the felt on the headband again just to make sure it looks good and you're happy with it.

7. Cut the access felt, but still leave a little extra (0.5-1cm max) around the sides to make it a bit easier to work with. Also, cut another strip of felt to roughly the same size as the piece the flowers are sew onto.

8. Run some glue along the felt with the flowers on first and position it on top of the headband. This bit got a little fiddly, but I found the best way to do it was by running some glue along the other strip of felt as well, and then positioning the strip with the flowers on one end of the headband then taking the other strip of felt and sticking it onto that strip of felt from the bottom of the headband and securing them together with a bobby pin. Basically sandwiching the headband between the felt. Then keep going around the headband sticking the two strips together and sliding a bobby pin between each flower, to make sure that they stay together when drying. I left mine overnight, but this depends on the glue you are using. (Hope all than made some sense...)

When all dry, just slide the bobby pins out and trim around the edges so that there is as little excess felt as possible (careful not to trim too much though as it may start to come off the headband).
If you want to make it super sturdy I would suggest stitching around the edges also, to make sure that the two strips of felt are not going to come apart - but this is not essential).

I hope all this made some kind of sense! Haha I must say it was quite fun making the flower crown/headband and doing it as a wee DIY post on here. Hope this may have come in useful for someone, or even as something to have a wee nosey at!

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions for other things I could do this kind of post on I would luuurve to hear them, or even if I should never do it again...hahah all opinions welcome :)

Lu x

Monica Vinader // Fiji Bracelet

Here is my cheeky, CHEEKY splurge from this month, oohh how pretty! For a good couple of weeks I couldn't decide whether to take the plunge and buy this bracelet, but then I decided that if I was still drooling over it after that long it was worth it. There are so many colour variations of the Fiji bracelet on the Monica Vinader website that it did take me a while to choose. I ended up going for the sterling silver as my other 'every day' jewellery is silver, although the rose gold ones look amazing as well. When I first started looking at them I thought I would get the cream cord, but then figured that if I was going to have a naughty splurge then I might as well get something a little bit different and bold - hence the fluoro pink, which is actually the nicest shade! I'm sooooo happy with it, the quality is very good, the silver is really shiny and polished and the pink gives it a little pop of color. Now, could we take a moment and just appreciate the packaging of this wee treat? It is literally the nicest packaged item I've ever received. Layers and layers of MV embossed tissue paper, a gift card, a gift bag, more tissue paper, and the wee magnet lid box - oh the small pleasures in life! All in all I feel pretty damn special wearing this bracelet, the only downside is that now I have visions of lots of these stacked on my wrist, in all different colors...dangerous territory.

Anyone else out there love themselves a bit of Monica Vinader? :)

Lu x

Wishlist: Marc Jacobs

1. Logo Disc Stud Earrings / 2. Classic Q Slim Zip Wallet / 3. Daisy Stud Earrings / 4. Huggie Hoops / 5. Skinny Logo Bangle

(All Marc by Marc Jacobs from Shopbop.com)

I was having a cheeky wee browse on Shopbop today and found myself getting totally immersed in the Marc Jacobs jewellery collection, and some accessories. I'm really into quite simple, dainty and fine jewellery at the moment and I think these pieces are so cute and wearable. They are not over designed or too 'blingy' or tacky, they are just right. Usually, or I guess in the past, I have never been very into gold but after getting my Michael Kors gold watch I began to like it. I really like the gold and cream/white combination of these and think they are so timeless and effortless, and easily styled for both summer or winter. 

The wallet is the odd one out here, but I've been searching for a nice wallet for a while. This one is very similar to a Michael Kors one I fell in love with, it's basically the same but it had rose gold hardware instead of gold like this one. I love it, but I'm just not sure if I'm ready to spend this much on a wallet, just yet...mind you I can talk myself into buying almost anything, but for now I am restraining myself! (fingers crossed) 

Really all I have to say is damn you Marc Jacobs and damn you Shopbop for making all these so available to me, as now I may just have to treat myself to one of these beauts next pay day which means saving my pennies may have to once again be postponed for a bit...

Lu x