Everyday sequins?

I'll understand if wearing sequins in an everyday way may not be for you, but when you have a fabulous sequinned jacket just hanging around waiting for its moment, then sometimes you just have to make up an excuse to wear it. The wind was sharp and strong yesterday morning when Steve and I had planned to scoot out for a quick photo shoot. I'd already decided to wear these Boden chinos (quite old) along with this white tee shirt with the lovely gold blocking stating "Paris is always a good idea" (by Public Envy from TK Maxx), but this was chosen when we'd had a lovely sunny day. 

It wasn't too difficult a decision to pop this fabulous jacket over my outfit making this a very happy ensemble. The jacket is by Anothereight and was also from TK Maxx, a birthday find earlier on this year. It's nicely padded and so was the perfect toasty layer. I love the practicality of it being padded but also the impracticality of it being sequinned - cosy and beautiful, hurrah!

More posing and less bossing was pretty much what Steve was saying here. 

You've no idea what joy it is to have these brocade trainers in my shoe collection. The brand is Replay and they too were a wonderful TK Maxx discovery. Jazzy shoes are the best!

Accessories read like this - necklace was a present from Sasha, ring is preloved and sunglasses are from Quay Australia.

This is a grin-a-minute outfit. I'm frankly sequin mad, a true magpie collecting all things that are bright and sparkly. My passion doesn't rival Lisa, the Sequinist though! Check out her blog for sparkles in almost every feature.

It's a glorious Sunday morning as I sit writing this. In fact it's two weeks ago since Steve and I captured that other glorious sequinned offering on the beach on Easter morning (see here). I had a lovely swim after that shoot, but that's been my only swim in the past two weeks. The flu virus has just about passed and I may have a swim later on today after work. The enforced break from swimming has been a drag, but the longer it goes on the more difficult it seems to get back into the water. I think I could leave it forever and still find an excuse not the take the plunge. Yes, it's going to be a terrible shock to the system, but it's a deed that has to be done. Wish me luck!

                                                                    Anna x

Happy Mother's Day!

Hello and Happy Mother's Day to all of you lovely mums out there. Are you having a great day? Jamie and Sasha treated the family to lunch at the Ruin beach Cafe today, and how fortunate we were with the lovely spring weather. We sat outside in the sun and congratulated ourselves on our luck. I suppose I ought to have done that whole raft of images to show you what we ate, but we were far too hungry to shilly-shally about with that nonsense! Suffice to say, it was delicious and very filling - so filling in fact that one of us had to take the remains of theirs home in a doggie-bag.

The cafe sits on the beach at Old Grimsby affording a beautiful view across the bay to the Old Blockhouse and on towards the Eastern Isles in the distance. I love coming to this side of the island - it's my favourite spot, reminding me of when I used to work at the Island Hotel which was located in these grounds. I could never have imagined that 41 years on I would be standing here with my very own family, happily ensconced on this beautiful island.

The vista from our table shows the spit of sand called Blockhouse Point which always looks so inviting - it's the stuff of daydreams for me. In fact, that's exactly what I used to do when I was meant to be dusting in room 2, I would actually be hypnotised by this view, thinking how wonderful it would be to live here. 

After lunch Sasha and I took a detour home via this field of oxalis flowers, far too pretty to be classed as a weed surely? Anyway, they made the perfect backdrop for our photo shoot.

My kitten heels kept sinking into the soft soil.

I built the whole outfit around this fabulous tee shirt (new, from Primark) which will be my go-to top for the summer. I already wish that I bought a couple of these as I worry that the colour will fade. Hand washing may well preserve the dye so that's what I'll do. 

You'll probably remember the pink (pre-loved) Topshop trench from here. After my recent abstinence from bright colours I have reverted to my default setting of colour, colour and more colour for my Mother's Day celebrations. I feel so much more me when I'm swamped in brights. This is the third outing for the coat bringing down the cost per wear to under £1.50 already. 

The trousers are new from Boden (still some left in the sale here), the result of a severe longing I've had for a pink suit. The matching jacket was sold out, but this trench pretty much fits the bill. I'll confess now that I am in the midst of a trouser suit moment - so you have been warned! The blog will be awash with suits very soon in all sorts of colours and patterns, some second hand, some new, all of them filling me with excitement and utter joy at the prospect of a suited summer ahead.

The white kitten heel boots were from New Look, in the sale for £7.

Just rings to finish the look. Pink one was a gift from my friend Maggie, silver and gold one by Emily Nixon.

My pink handbag was new from a charity shop last year/year before? Oh dear, time is whizzing by so fast!

My Quay Australia sunglasses add the final flourish to this springtime outfit. 

I know my homage to neutrals may have been short-lived, but I will make another stab at these sombre shades again, I promise. The addition of the JD Williams snakeskin jacket has already given me some new ideas along those lines, so do please bear with me if that's more your thing. In the meantime, I hope that you're enjoying a bit of a lazy day and that someone is out in the kitchen getting the evening meal together while you put your feet up. Hope your Mother's Day has been as lovely as mine. I have a new magazine waiting for me amidst a pile of cushions on the sofa. Steve, what's for tea?

                                                                                           Anna x