Goodbye to summer?

Oh my goodness, is it really time to say goodbye to summer? I keep seeing these posts from other bloggers embracing autumn and oh, how I hate to give up on the joys of my favourite season! I'm dragging my feet at the prospect of cosy clothes, but here I am nonetheless posting my last summer offering for you.

Is summer your favourite season too? How on earth can it not be? I love the warmth of the sun, the promise that each day holds, the lightness in my heart, the spring in my step, the joy of my summer wardrobe and the delights therein. Nothing can rival the happiness I feel when I'm on the beach at six in the morning with the heat of the rising sun on my back, the company of a few Oystercatchers chattering their way along the shore. My morning swim sets me up for the day. As the sunlight reaches the turquoise water my mind turns to the outfit of the day. What shall it be? Can I find that winning combination of style plus comfort, especially in the shoe department? Today's ensemble pretty much fills all of those requirements.

Topshop seemed to come up trumps for me several times over the summer with this cinnamon zebra print skirt being one of those that were in the sale. The double splits up the front make for a bit of a flirty feel which is no bad thing. If seeking joy is my mission statement then this fits in nicely thank you!

This gold blocked logo tee was from TK Maxx, the brand is Public Envy and it cost me all of £5.99. You can't go wrong with a white tee shirt for summer, can you? And this one has the perfect message too.

It's a job to tell if my expression is one of outrage or laughter at something Polly had thrown at me. "Shut up" was her most often interjection, probably due to my endless stream of nonsense during these photo shoots. Happy days!

My white Puma trainers were well worn throughout the summer months and goodness how my feet loved the gentle support and comfort of these simple shoes. Will fashion dictate something as feet-friendly next year I wonder?

I sometimes wonder if it's right that I'm still having this much fun at my age?

I'm sporting a mix of old and new jewellery today - preloved rings, Primark gold chain necklace and rose gold Michael Kors watch, plus a new pair of Quay Australia sunglasses that I found in Topshop, once again in the sale. 

This weekend I'll be dragging bags and cases out from under the bed, ever hopeful that my autumn/winter wardrobe will be full of lovely surprises. The past week on Scilly has been a time of changing weather, one that I can't ignore any longer. Thick tights, tweed skirts, fluffy jumpers and cosy jackets will be back in evidence by the end of it - I hope!

In the meantime, please join me and the ladies of the Style Not Age Collective on Monday as we tackle this month's theme of "Autumn florals". My choice this time, so wish me luck with that!

                                                                                        Anna x

Pentle Bay photo shoot

Hi, hello and how's your weekend going? I had a day off work yesterday and managed to fit in a visit to the beach in the morning. Steve and I both had chores to do, but it was too lovely not to take a stroll out together and combine it with a quick photo shoot. This location is on the bank above Pentle Bay showing the island of St Martin's behind me.

From an aesthetic point of view, this beach looks more attractive on the high tide, but even on low water it's still pretty. See it later in all its turquoise glory.

I found this lovely crisp linen shirt in a charity shop while I was in Truro recently and this is the first time I've worn it. The colourway just says summer doesn't it? Turquoise and fuchsia pop beautifully when paired together making a great impact in this floral pattern. The brand is Tina Taylor and it only cost me £7. I'm often asked how I manage to find these super bargains and really it's very simple - I search each and every charity shop thoroughly, scouring the racks regardless of the sizes they claim to be. I try things on in the shop to avoid bringing home bad buys too. But all of this takes time and dedication which is where most of us falter. We're all so busy nowadays, that devoting a whole day to browsing in this very undefined way might seem like a dreadful squandering of a day off. I think my successes fuel me to have patience with these searches. It's not for everyone, this time consuming hobby, but I love the surprises and the bargains, plus the fact that I often find a new brand that's a bit unusual in design, like today. The frilled trim on the sleeves and down the front of the blouse make it stand out from your ordinary high street linen shirt.

When I got it home I was rather pleased to discover that the pink of the shirt was the same shade as my Boden chinos which I'd bought in the sale in the spring (see more of them here). The trousers have an element of stretch in them helping reduce creasing and adding to their practicality. The brocade mules aren't new, in fact I think I may have had them since last year, or maybe the year before. I bought them in TK Maxx and the brand is Red Kiss. My blogging friend Sheila of Ephemera featured her similar pair a couple of weeks ago which is what reminded me about these lovelies of mine. Thanks Sheila!

I had to include this shot purely for the crazy bird that looks like a flying mini-submarine! Your help in identifying this bizarre creature would be much appreciated. Oh goodness, Steve has just taken a look and tells me that it's probably a bee, not a bird. Doh!

My double heart silver Tiffany necklace was another charity shop buy, this time from many years ago when I was in Ireland. It's a great memento of that trip with my two sisters when we drove around the lush green countryside of county Cork. The silver ring is pre-loved too and the pink ring, (isn't it a great match) was a gift from my friend Maggie.

The silver and pink bangle was also a gift from another friend and the terribly cute handbag was a charity shop scoop. The flowery sunglasses were from Sainsburys a couple of years ago.

It was so lovely on the beach that Steve and I went back home and waited for the tide to flood so that we could go off in our boat for an off-island picnic, however the weather took a turn for the worse, bringing heavy cloud and rain with stronger winds. On the other hand it did mean that the chores got done after all!

Just a little addition to this post, with the tenuous link of Pentle Bay. My friend Fiona and I had a day off together a couple of weeks ago and set ourselves the task of having a longer swim than usual. We swam from Blockhouse Point to Pentle Bay in brilliant sunshine, encountering a few jellyfish, the occasional swimmer and the odd sailing boat along the way. Fiona is in training for the inter-island swim which I did a few years ago and as you may already know I'm hoping to circumnavigate the whole of Tresco in one day - both of us are lined up to do this in September which seems to be coming around rather quickly!

Flushed with success at Pentle Bay. We sat and admired the view for a while, had a drink and bite to eat and congratulated each other on how well we had done. Since then work, bad weather and bad tides have interrupted our flow, but we hope to still get a good few miles in between now and the events. Wish us luck!

                                                                                       Anna x

Summer show 4

This was Saturday evening, the 3rd of August and the fourth of our summer exhibitions at Gallery Tresco. Artist Chris Hankey joined us for the reception party, enjoying the opportunity to chat to our guests, explaining the locations of his work and his inspiration for this beautiful collection. See the full August line up in our brochure here. 

The outfit of the day wasn't meant to be this one at all, but the promised sunshine didn't appear making the flimsy frock I had planned look completely out of kilter with the grey weather. A last minute flurry of trying on commenced at 5.20pm which, when you consider that I was due at work at 5.30pm, made things a bit tight! Even as I legged it along the road to the gallery, I wasn't convinced that this was actually what I wanted to wear, but it was the only outfit that didn't need to be ironed, making it the winner.

I've worn this lace jumpsuit before, but not with these accessories which almost almost constitutes a new outfit doesn't it? The brand is Darling London and I found it at TK Maxx a couple of years ago. 

I added this (pre-loved) metallic belt to cinch in the waist as the cut of the all-in-one is bit straight. On reflection it may have looked fine without, but I was in a mad rush and didn't have time to co-ordinate a proper look as such. The necklace was from the Topshop sale this summer, as were the sunglasses and the rings are from Boots. 

I've had these pale gold sandals for ages and wish I could tell you what brand they are, but I slipped out of them at the end of the party when we were closed. I tootled around the gallery clearing up wearing some silver flatties and then left these glamorous heels at work. Do message me if you really need to know the brand and I'll check later today.

Cue a few actions shots for Polly before the rain appeared.

The post party shots are always the best, much more relaxed. Chris had a great evening, ending with a red spot for his first sale and talk of a commission to come. Chris's work is showcased across the whole of the island from the Ruin Beach Cafe to the Flying Boat Club spa and in many cottages in between too. The commission piece will be a copy of the large painting housed within the changing room at the spa - a painting that is much admired. 

And that's it folks - another show opened and another to come in less than 10 days now. Summer is rapidly slipping away bringing about a slight sense of panic in me. In just over a month's time I hope to swim the full 360 degrees around Tresco island. I don't know exactly how far that will be, but I think it might be about 7 miles, depending on the effects of the tide. My training, or lack of, is always at the back of my mind as I try to plan for another long stretch into deeper water away from the balmy turquoise shallows that are my daily playground. If the weather is reasonable on Saturday, Steve and I hope to venture out to the craggy North End of the island where the waves around Kettle Rock crash and surge in a way that creates fear in my belly rather than joy in my heart when I think about it. But, I've set myself this challenge and won't be happy until it's done. 

Wish me luck with the training!

Anna x

Midweek fun

Welcome to my midweek burst of fun! After the other evening of glitz and glam (see here), I really couldn't top that look and have gone all playful and practical with this everyday work outfit. 

Polly and I refer to these as our Children's TV Presenter looks for very obvious reasons. Playful suits me fine on a summer's day when life is fabulous and work is a joy. I can nip up and down ladders without flashing anything I oughtn't and the all-in-one is lightweight and airy too which is perfect as the mercury rises. These Birkenstock type sandals (the brand is Autenti by Penta) are comfy and cool for the scorching temperatures. I bought my sandals in TK Maxx when I was in London recently and they're perfect as a flat runabout pair of sandals that still look stylish thanks to the pop of orange.

The seersucker gingham dungarees were also a purchase from my London trip (see here if you missed that little adventure) and were in the Topshop sale. I found these along with a nude coloured boiler suit in the racks downstairs. I'll let you see those in another post soon. The white long sleeved tee is by M&S, second hand via Oxfam. 

Polly was impressed that my shadow managed to keep up with my antics this morning!

Orange had to be the colour for my accessories don't you agree? The bangle and rings are all pre-loved and the resin necklace is very old indeed. My sunglasses tie in with the black and white theme too and are by my favourite brand Quay Australia. 

How's your summer unfolding? Are you jumping for joy or dancing in the streets? Do drop me a line - I'd love to hear what you're getting up to. I'll be back on Sunday with my next offering at the second summer exhibition. Do swing by if you have a moment!

                                                                                                  Anna x

Pastels - our Style Not Age challenge

Hello and welcome to the Style Not Age challenge which this month has the ladies of the collective featuring pastels thanks to Emma. After a bit of thought I decided to showcase my beautiful mermaid coat in its many pastel hues (see the first time here). Steve bought me this for Christmas (it was from Topshop) and I've been waiting to feature it on the beach in true mermaid style. However I had to draw the line at actually plunging into the sea as I fancy these are really sequins and not scales. 

Steve and I went to Borough beach just after sunrise on Easter Sunday and the surroundings looked pretty idyllic. It was high tide and the beach was bathed in a gorgeous soft light. This is such a dreamy beach, don't you think? There are rocks at either end of the cove but its smooth sand stretches from end to end without rocks or pebbles making it family friendly for paddling and swimming. Straight ahead of me lies the uninhabited island of St Helen's which is a prime picnic spot as well as offering a safe anchorage for yachts and beyond that is Round Island with the lighthouse on top of the rugged cliff tops. It used to be manned when I first came here over 40 years ago, but is now operated remotely. The bleak wailing of the foghorn drones on during thick pea-soupers warning boats of the treacherous rocks nearby.

Anyway let's take a look at how my blogging friends tackled this month's challenge and we can come back for a few more beach shots at the end shall we?

Jacqui has entered into the swing of things with her rear view too. But here's her pretty pastel offering from the front as well -

Tres chic ma cherie! Catch the full story on Mummabstylish blog.

Here's another cheeky shot this time from Emma of Style Splash. I love this combination of coral and lilac, don't you?

Hilda is playing full tease here, so there's no choice but to zip right across to Over The Hilda blog to see what's to be revealed ...

I do feel that I have an unfair advantage with what Mother Nature has laid on for us on this perfect cove. The silky soft sand has captured the rosy morning glow and the tide is on its best behaviour with not a rogue wave in sight. 

Excuse me if I look pleased as punch in this fabulous twinkly layer, but honestly this does make me feel rather glamorous in a beach babe kinda way! I did a fair bit of twirling around and generally swooping about in a non-mermaid fashion. Thank goodness we had the beach to ourselves!

My swimsuit was a super find in TK Maxx last summer and was first showcased here. 

The golden dawn obliged me perfectly with this pastel challenge. I do hope you enjoyed this month's feature. Next month it's my turn to choose a theme, so I'd better get my thinking cap on!

As always, I'm so grateful to have these islands as my home, my most beautiful home. To be steeped in this kind of imagery enriches my life on a daily basis. I could never take island life for granted nor walk away from the opportunities it affords me. I do hope that you're able to count your blessings today and find things in nature to bring pleasure to your life too. 

Have a super week!

Anna x