Sunny Delights

As I look out of my window at the rain pelting down, the wind howling and the clouds turning an even darker shade of grey, it's surprising to think that we are entering the season of summer sunglasses. But we may as well prepare ourselves for when the Irish summer decides to appear. Shouldn't we? And if all else fails, just go and book that sunny trip away so you can make the most of those shades! 

I'm definitely not one for buying super expensive designer sunglasses, because lets be honest, they would most likely break in my handbag, as many others have. (Rest in peace H&M sunnies, you were my fave)
But after dandering about a few of our High Street shops it's great to see that they are certainly awash with all the latest statement shades in preparation for that glimpse of sun. With an excellent range of summer frames to meet your fancy and ultra affordable too there's just the difficult decision of choosing the perfect pair for you. So which ones do you choose? And in my case, how many pairs do I choose?! 

Thankfully over the past five years sunglasses have become much cooler with a greater variety to choose from! Say hello to the chic cat-eye, the hippie oversized, the 60's round, the cool aviator, the classic wayfarer and the laid-back preppy. I have to say my favourite style is the cat-eye. And no, not just because I like cats. I really love the retro feel of the cat-eye and they also suit the shape of my face. 

As part of this blog post I thought I would try something a little different. Rather than just display photo after photo I thought I would put my Photoshop skills to use and rustle up some collages to hopefully give you some sunglasses inspiration! I have to say that I did have fun creating the mini collages! Now's the time to go out and hit the shops and find your perfect pair of sunny delights! And remember, your summer shades are probably the only accessory your doctor will recommend! Yes! You can be stylish AND look after your eyes!

Enjoy the rest of your week everyone!
x

Walk into Spring

Spring is officially here!

So I guess someone was listening to me when I ranted and raved in my previous post about the weather being so gross. Easter week brought beautiful weather for us all (HUZZAH) and it put a huge smile on my face. Thankfully I had a few days off work to make the most of the sunshine and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get my camera out and take some lovely snaps!

If you don't already know, I come from a wee wee village outside of Armagh. While driving through it, if you blink you will certainly miss it. Now, no matter how much I complain about being quite isolated out here in the 'shticks', the place where I was born and bred contains quite a few snippets of beauty. When I was younger I always loved exploring the nooks and crannies of the countryside around me. My dad and I would even venture out at 6am on a crisp Spring morning (Wellington boots and stick in hand) and traipse through the fields trying to spot some furry creatures. Almost every time we would come across a fox or hare going about their business collecting food for their babies and being stopped in their tracks by two lunatics hiding behind some trees. (Those lunatics being my dad and I) Back in those days I didn't carry around a camera, because I was 10 and I was more interested in enjoying the moment. Now, on the other hand, I love capturing the moment through a lens and adding a wee filter here and there. *Disclaimer: I'm no photographer, okay?*

On Easter Monday my boyfriend and I took a trip up to Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor. We soon realised Easter Monday was probably one of the busiest days of the year for this park, but we trudged on and made the most of the day. Ice cream was scoffed, the bare milky arms were out and some beautiful scenery was seen. All in all a brilliant day was had!

Below are a just few photos I took of the forest beside me. Once a huge stretch of greenery it is now a huge area of deforestation with only just a little patch of woodland. Sun, shadows and silhouettes made for a great series of photos!

I'm currently looking out of my window at a very grey sky but here's hoping the sun will peek through those clouds soon enough! I'm off to enjoy a weekend full of lots of celebrations! Hope you all have a fab weekend and a big 'Happy Birthday' to my boyfriend!

It's amazing what a bit of sun can do!

My 2015 Mood Board

So a month has passed, resolutions have been broken and you've revived the box of Quality Street which you swore you would 'never touch again'. 

Well, fear not, because it's not too late to start afresh and embark on some new goals for 2015.

Personally, I don't make any new year's resolutions in January. To be quite honest in the past I did believe establishing a plan for the year was pretty pointless and setting myself up for disappointment. And quite frankly, who actually keeps their new year's resolutions? Hands up! Anyone? Nope, I didn't think so. But this year I made the decision to stop being so negative and change my outlook on how I view some things. I believe you're more likely to maintain your intentions if you give yourself time to figure out what you really want to achieve by the end of the year. Even if it's just one small aim you wish to accomplish and it's personal to you. I think you will feel much better for it. I also think it's important to be realistic and to not put too much pressure on yourself. And remember that they are YOUR goals. Don't let anybody else influence them. (Also, I wish I could take heed of my own advice sometimes). 

I decided to construct a mood board to help me stay focused this year. For those of you who don't quite know what a mood board is, it's basically a visual tool to quickly inform others of an idea or concept. The mood board above illustrates my own personal aspirations for 2015!  Now, don't get me wrong, I do love making a list. Somehow I can even make a list within a list. However sad and boring that sounds. But having something visual to look at makes it much easier for me to stay focused at the task in hand. 

So the 'Selfie' has taken over the world. My aim is to take photography a bit more seriously and take more photos. But more importantly, higher quality photos.

This is pretty self-explanatory. I really want to improve upon my hand-knitting skills this year.

Nope, I do not want to bet all my money on whether an extremely admired character in GOT will be killed off. (To be fair though, I could probably make a lot of money on that bet). I just mean taking a few relevant risks to improve myself. Also, to the ladies out there. If you haven't already read Girlboss, I would highly advise you to do so now.

There are many, many places I would love to travel to. Unfortunately there is only so much one can afford in a year. First stop, Barcelona.

I love visiting museums and exhibitions. No matter where I explore, top of my list will always be a museum or gallery. This year I want to make more of an effort attending exhibitions. 

I know it's pretty cheesy. But, hey, everyone has dreams! No matter how little or large they are. "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

And I don't mean wearing the latest trends, however much I try to. This year I would like to try and keep up-to-date with what is happening in the fashion world. And reading more fashion-based books and articles.

Top of my list this year was to create a blog. Most of my January was spent preparing and learning how to set up a blog. I hope to continue creating new posts for you to read and potentially going back to my roots and getting stuck into some sewing and machine knitting again.

So there you have it, my eight quite small, but realistic goals for this year. Now, go ahead and make your very own mood board for 2015! You don't have to be 'techie' or Photoshop literate to create your own visual board. You can simply just rip out pages of magazines, take your own photos or find words that inspire you and stick them on your wardrobe, fridge or mirror. You could even have a cut-out of someone who inspires or motivates you. A certain Mr Dornan may be blu-tacked to my wardrobe door....

What's your goals for 2015?

*All images featured in this post are my own.