Karen Millen Sale Goodies!

I've been holding on SO long for the Summer sale, every year it seems to get earlier and earlier, traditionally it starts around the 30th June, not sure if that's a good thing or not?! I guess it is.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to be given a £75 Karen Millen Voucher as a gift at Christmas and unbelievably I've had the will power to hold onto it for 6 months in time for the Summer sale! Here's what I chose...

Karen Millen Palm Print Skirt £49

I had my eye on this when it was £99 so I was pretty happy to see it hat a full half price. I think it's a great thing to have in for an "any time" wear - fine for work, great for day, holidays, evening, the list goes on! It's nice to have a more formal structured skirt and if the quality is anything like the rest of Karen Millen's stuff it'll be awesome.

Snake Devore Top £25

I thought this top was a good buy and means I was within my £75 limit too! It might be a bit loose fitting for me so I'll see what it's like when it arrives!

I was REALLY tempted with this block heel sandals too, were £110 now £55. They looks pretty as well as practical.

Karen Millen Two Part Block Heel Sandal £55

 Have you spotted anything good in the sale yet this Summer?

My Capsule Wardrobe!

Every Summer I always have the same dilemma - what clothes shall I buy this year? Inevitably I end up stocking up on quantity at H&M and then getting better quality items at Karen Millen and Oasis. This year I was determined to be super organised, and also move out of my comfort zone a bit too, and I decided to buy only five or six items and sort of, mix and match them! Otherwise known as a capsule Wardrobe. Here is what I went for...

Floral Print Dress from Dorothy Perkins, £22

Gingham Jeggings from Topshop, £22

White peasant blouse from Dorothy Perkins, £22

Coral Texture Jumper from Dorothy Perkins, £22

So here I have many different looks I can go for! I can:-

- wear the dress on its own
- wear the dress with the jumper making it look like a skirt
- wear the dress with the white blouse, again making it look like a skirt
- wear the jeggings with the white blouse
- wear the jeggings with the jumper

Winner! I also bought a light blue shirt from Gap but I think it hindsight it was a mistake for me - it's not very structured so it sort of hangs off my narrow shoulders, strangely it's not on the Gap website but I do like wearing it over the gingham jeggings, but only tied at the waist over a white tee.

Shoes wise I'm all for buying a couple of new pairs of pumps each year, as even expensive ones get worn out. I like these and they also go perfectly with the items listed above!

H&M Ballet pumps £7.99

What do you think of the idea of a capsule wardrobe?

Get Your Garden Ready for Summer

Spring has well and truly sprung, and with summer just around the corner it's time to start thinking about getting your garden in shape for the warmer months. But if you're new to gardening, or perhaps don't know where to start, what should you do? Take a look:

Spring Clean

Just like your home, your garden needs a bit of a spring clean to get it back to looking its best after the winter months. Rain and wind take a lot out of the garden, and trees and bushes may well be overgrown thanks to all that rain they've been showered in, so take the chance to trim bushes and trees back, prune those plants and sweep up any fallen leaves. If you have a young family it's a great way to get the kids involved - give them a child-sized broom and encourage them to help sweep alongside you.

While you're in the mood for a little spring cleaning, make sure all your tables and chairs are wiped down, ready for you to enjoy the sun and eating outside again. Also give the windows a clean both inside and out, so you can see your garden in all its glory.

Give it a New Look

Perhaps you have grand designs for your garden and you dream of pretty rockeries, a vegetable patch and some pretty flower borders. Take time to plan what you want from your garden and make it work for you. Sketch out your garden and take some measurements so you know exactly where everything will go and you'll always have the measurements should you need to work out the amount of gravel you need or how long your garden bench (you'll find great value garden benches from ASDA) needs to be to fit exactly where you want it.

Planting

It's often rather confusing trying to work out what you should plant and when. At this time of year you should consider planting things like sunflowers, nasturtiums, poppies, cornflowers and Nigella. These will all add a great burst of colour once they have grown. But if you want that beautiful pop of colour in your garden immediately, pick up a few of the seasonal plants available in garden centres right now and fill borders, pots and hanging baskets with them.

In terms of vegetables you can sow beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, parsnips, peas, spinach, spring onions and salad leaves right into the ground. Inside the greenhouse you can sow sweetcorn, runner beans, courgettes, cucumber, kale and even melons. Add to that an inside and outside herb garden and you'll have a fantastic crop of fruit, vegetables and herbs that will last you all year round.

Like anything, if you plan exactly what you want to do in your garden, whether that's planting new seeds or laying some decking, you'll be able to create your perfect garden with just a little hard work. And won't it be worth it when you're sitting outside watching the sun go down with a glass of something chilled and bubbly in your hand.

Silent Sunday - Camel Valley Vineyard