Autumn Wardrobe Overhaul!!!

If there's one thing I love it's organising!

I think if I could spend my days organising then I would be one very happy bunny.

 

Recently though my wardrobe has been a little unloved and I must admit it had become a little bit of a dumping ground. Trying to find some of my clothes had become a bit of a problem so I decided a couple of days ago as It is now Cold in the UK, it's a good time to sort it out so I could re organise my cold weather clothes.

 

My wardrobe its self  is slightly difficult to work with as it's a built in wardrobe which goes over our stairs and has a very odd shape. I have limited hanging space as you'll see from the photos.

 



Weird Wardrobe!!!



 

The first step I took was to completely strip out my entire wardrobe so I could start completely from scratch which resulted in the photo bellow!

 



Where's the bed???



Once I'd pulled everything out I gave it a complete clean so I had a nice dust, cobweb free wardrobe to organise my clothes back into. I also looked at what storage I'd been using in the wardrobe and decided to ditch it as it was just causing more clutter and using up valuable space. You can see from the above photo I had a canvas hanging shelf which Is supposed to be for shoes but I use it for odd bits and bobs such as belts, hats, gloves etc... This was the only storage that I kept.

 

Empty and Clean!!!

Next step.....Organise all your stuff.

 

This step is the hardest as you have to be tough deciding what to keep and what you haven't worn in a while and really don't need any more. I go by the rule that if I haven't worn something in the last Year then I obviously don't need it any more. I discovered whilst doing this process I was still holding on to quite a few dresses and skirts that I haven't worn since Uni (6 years ago!)

 

This brings us to the next step.......Sell, Pass On or Donate.

I sort anything I no longer want into three piles,

Sell - Anything of value i.e. Designer items can generally be sold on Ebay.

Pass On - Sometimes there may be something a friend has had their eye on.

Donate - Anything else you can donate to charity shops, as long as it's sellable. If you have any textiles that don't meet that criteria H&M have a great scheme where, if you’ve got something worn, torn or hopelessly out of style or any home textiles, take it to them and for each bag you hand in, they will give you a £5 voucher to redeem off your next purchase of £30 or more in store.

The scheme is to help decrease the amount of fashion and textiles being wasted. Every year, tons of textiles end up in landfills. But as much as 95% of these textiles and clothes could be used again. That’s why H&M are now collecting clothes and home textiles of any brand, in any quality and any condition in their stores. Your clothes and home textiles are sent with their deliveries to the nearest processing plant. They are then graded and hand-sorted. Zero waste is the goal. Items that are too worn and torn to be reused will be recycled and turned into raw materials and new products.

 

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So Organising done, it's now time to put your newly slim lined clothing collection back into your wardrobe. If you're anything like me then you will have to put it back in, in some kind of order. My personal preference is clothes facing to the front of the room i.e. the door, leading in with Basics, T-Shirt, Shirts, Cardigans, Sweaters, Blazers, Trousers and finally Dresses. Within each category I also organise by Sleeve length, short to long.

 

Basics, T-Shirts & Shirts.

Cardigans, Sweaters, Blazers, Trousers & Dresses.

Now you should have one beautifully organised wardrobe. Which means you can now look at which areas you may need to restock, so to speak. This is my personal favourite part as it means you can go..............Shopping!!!

 

If you've made any money from either Ebay or other ways you can now re invest in some timeless classic pieces that will see you through season to season.

 

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Now my clothes are nicely sorted and new investment pieces purchased from ebay sales I am going to look at other storage solutions for my stupidly designed wardrobe. You can't tell from the photos but it's actually quite deep so I'm thinking about getting some shelving to put behind the clothes for shoes etc... There is also a shelf above the hanging rail which is again very deep so I'm hoping to find something I can use to make it easier to organise up there too.

 

Once I've come up with a solution I'll post an update as I'm sure some of you out their have equally difficult shaped wardrobes.

 

Fi xXx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jo Malone - Blackberry & Bay Cologne

My favourite all time Perfume for this time of the year (well all year to be honest) is Jo Malone's Blackberry & Bay Cologne.

 

 

 

They describe it as: Childhood memories of blackberry picking...A burst of deep, tart blackberry juice, blending with the freshness of just-gathered bay and brambly woods. Vibrant and verdant.

 

 

It is just the perfect fragrance for this time of year and it definitely brings back memories of blackberry picking when I was little.

 

 

You can pick up this fragrance in either a 30ml bottle for £40 or the 100ml bottle (pictured) for £82. Slightly on the pricier side but definitely worth the price tag in my opinion.

 

 

They also have a Body Crème in the range that retails for £50 for a 175ml pot which comes in a beautiful glass jar. Totally luxurious and definitely the type of product you'd always want to keep out on your dressing table.

 

Pop in and have a smell, I'm sure you wont leave empty handed!

 

Fi xXx

Autumn Afternoon

 

 

I've been having a bit of a Kitchen overhaul recently and re-organising all my cupboards which has really spurred me on to try my hand at lots of new cooking adventures. One thing I've wanted to try for ages, is making my own bread as there is no better smell then the smell of freshly baked bread. So today I thought, Just Do It!!!

 

I will openly admit that for my first Bread Baking attempt I did cheat and I picked up a Pre-Mixed Packet from Tescos as I thought I'd make it a little simpler for my self on my first go. I used their Crusty White Bread Mix.



 

The instructions are really simple to follow but I still may have made a phone call to my Mum along the way to double check I was doing the right thing! lol

 

• All you have to do is add 325ml warm water to 500g off the bread mix and mix for 5 minutes by hand to form a dough.
• Place the dough on to a floured surface and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
• Knead the dough for 2 minutes and then mould into a ball and rest for 5 minutes.



Dough ball resting for 5 minutes.
Candle burning - Warm Apple Pie by Everyday Luxe.

 

 

• Mould the dough into the desired shape and place into your greased and floured loaf tin, dust with flour then cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes or until doubled in size.

 

Dough left to rise till doubled in size.

• Place on the lower shelf of a pre heated oven 230^C/Fan 210^C/Gas mark 8.
• Bake it for approximately 30 minutes.
• Remove from tin and place on a cooling rack.

Finished Crusty White Loaf.

 

So there we have it, A rather decent looking Loaf of bread if I do say so myself. Thankfully my first bread making experience was a success and the house smells amazing. Hopefully my Husband wont expect to come home every Friday from work to freshly baked bread from now on!

 

 

Fi xXx

 

 



Autumn Ambiance - part 2

So despite only posting a couple of days ago about my favourite Autumn Ambiances I'm afraid I went shopping this morning and stumbled across another amazing candle which I just had to mention.

Everyday Luxe - Warm Apple Pie (picked up in Homesense)

 

This is not a candle brand I have ever come across before but the second I laid my eyes on it I couldn't help but notice a similarity to another well known brand Bath & Body Works, whose candles are commonly talked about and loved by many and for good reason as they are amazing. I'm still slowly burning two I bought in New York back in February as I don't want them to run out as I sadly can't get my hands on them in the UK. (Please hurry up Bath & Body Works and come to the UK already!) I also purchased A candle holder whilst in New York and was worried about not being able to use it once my candles have run out but this Everyday Luxe candle is exactly the same size and fits in perfectly. I've struggled to find out much about the brand apart from they are made in the USA and distributed by MVP Group International who also Distribute Colonial Candles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now to the smell......I was in the market for a real Autumnal cooking fragrance and this ticks all the boxes. The packaging doesn't give any clues as to the notes making up the fragrance but if I was to guess apart from the obvious Apple Pie fragrance notes coming through I would also guess there is some Cinnamon in there somewhere. I'd definitely describe it as a Sweet but Spicy, Foody Fragrance.

The weight of the candle is equal to that of the Bath & Body work 3-wick candles at 14.5oz / 411g so I would guess in terms of burn time it should be about equal too, at approximately 25 - 45 hours.

 

I will most definitely be taking another trip back to Homesense  soon to take a look at the other fragrance's available as I'm very pleased with this one and when they're priced at an incredible £5.99 I don't think you can really go wrong.

 

Fi xXx

 

 

Autumn Ambiance

 

 

Now I don't know about you but the second the nights start to draw in and that Autumnal smell is in the air I grab all of my Autumny fragrances out of my candle cupboard (yes that's right I have a cupboard just for candles #addicted), have a good old smelling session and then struggle to decide which one to burn first.

 

My all time favourite is the Cassis fragrance form The White Company which just makes me reminisce back to when I was younger and would go Blackberry picking with my parents.

 

 

They describe it as: A sophisticated scent that combines notes of fruity ripe blackberries and blackcurrants with a relaxing woody base of cedar, clove and patchouli. What I can tell you is that it smells simply delectable.

I was lucky to get the 3-Wick candle as a wedding present last year and despite the urge to burn it all the time last Autumn/Winter I've managed to save half of it for this year. #SelfControl

 

 Their candles are all hand poured in the UK using high quality mineral wax and burn for an impressive 85 hours which when they're priced at £55 is pretty awesome. They also come in a beautiful white gift box, making it a special treat or gift.

 

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Coming in a close second is the Pomegranate Noir Fragrance from Jo Malone.

 

 

 

They describe it as: The sensuality of a daring red dress. Ruby-rich juices of pomegranate, raspberry and plum are spiked with pink pepper and laced with Casablanca lily and spicy woods. Dark and enigmatic. Understated. Sleekly designed.

 

As a comparison the 3 - wick candle costs £115 for an approximate burn time of 90 hours. So slightly more on the pricy side but a truly gorgeous gift if you're in the mood to treat yourself or a loved one.

 

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A new fragrance that's just wafted onto my radar is one of Woodwicks' new Autumn Candles called Birchwood.

 

 

 

They describe it as: Rich, warm woodsy notes, blended with rosewood, green grass accord and luxurious amber.

It features Woodwicks' renowned wooden wick that creates the soothing sound of a crackling fire when burning which is just perfect if you don't have the luxury of a proper fireplace. They use a Soy wax blend which is renowned for being a slower and cleaner burn than conventional paraffin wax.

The cheapest option out of  my three favourites coming in at £21.99 for an approx. burn time of 180 hours! Perfect if you want that Autumnal scent at a more affordable price.

 

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I hope you find your perfect Autumn fragrance......or three!!!

 

Fi xXx

 

 



 

Crazy Chocolately Chip Cookies!!!

 

Now recently I have become just a little bit addicted to Baking, as I'm sure most of the country have with Great British Bake Off on our Screens at the moment. I've always loved a bit of baking but never really been a super keen baker. I guess since getting married last year, becoming a Wife and having a kitchen all of my own it's driven me to learn to cook more adventurous things and try my hand out at slightly trickier Bakes.

 

 

Now these Chocolate Chip Cookies may not be an advanced Bake but they are super quick, easy and seriously Chocolately!!!

 

 

YUMMERS!!!
(Please excuse the slightly burnt ones on the back row the oven temp was too high! :s )

 

 

Oven Temp: 180°C (Fan Oven)

Makes: 12 (Large Sized Cookies)

 

Ingredients: 200g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

                            300g Caster Sugar

                            1 Large Egg

                            275g Self Raising Flour

                            75g Cocoa Powder

                           Three bars of chocolate (white, milk and dark)

                           A splash of milk (if the mixture is too dry)

 

Method: Firstly line your two trays with baking paper. Put your butter into a bowl and

                   add in the sugar. Grab a spoon or electric whisk and mix till creamy. Crack an egg

                   into the mixture and mix it up some more then throw in your dry ingredients. Add

                   your chocolate chunks into the mixture and mix until evenly dispersed.  If you

                   find the mixture a little dry then add a splash of milk to make the mixture a bit

                   more dough like. Separate your mixture into 12 even sized balls and place evenly

                   onto the baking trays. (6 on each) Bake for 10 minutes then take out. They may

                   still look soft and bendy but that's just how you want them! Leave them to cool for

                   a bit and they should firm up nicely.

 

 

The result....Amazingly Super soft, Gooey, Chocolatey Cookies.

All you fellow Cookie Monsters out there.......ENJOY!!!

 

 

Fi xXx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Wonderful Watches

 

Having recently decided that one watch is just not enough for me, despite having had the same watch for the past 3 years and having never had thoughts of a new watch in that time, I began my search for something a bit different. My current watch is a very classically styled Emporio Armani silver bracelet watch which was a beautiful gift one Christmas from my parents and one which I love and plan on having for a very long time.

 

and so the search began.....

 

I've always fancied a Rose Gold watch and so of course looked straight to Michael Kors as they do some beautiful ones. After many ponderings and almost buys, I realised that actually, it just wasn't really what I was looking for. Then one day whilst browsing on Twitter, I randomly stumbled upon a company called Oliver Burton London.

 

 

 

 

Olivia Burton London was created by the duo of Lesa Bennett & Jemma Fennings. When they were struggling like me to find a watch that fulfilled their need they created their own. They were inspired by Vintage elements and also from the catwalk. These inspirations are clear to see and makes each watch very distinctive.

 

And so a love affair started!

 

The initial picture I saw was, to put it simply,.. Stunning, and to give the end of the story away it's actually the one I purchased a couple of days later!

 

Winter Garden - Navy - OB14WG03 - £75

 

I could not be happier with it as it's just perfect  the perfect accessary for Autumn and I have already had so many compliments on it, even though I've only had it for a couple of days as it just stands out from the ordinary.

 

One other thing to mention is the packaging.......my goodness it's beautiful.

 

 

 

The only problem now is that I don't think one is enough! Having already set my sights on a couple of others, I think another purchase may be in order. Oppps!

 

 A few of my other favs:-

 

 Flower Show Grey and Gold - OB14FS01 - £65

 

 

Big Dial Mink and Rose Gold - OB13BD11 - £75

 

 



Moulded Bee - OB14AM28 - £125



 

http://www.oliviaburton.com/

 

https://twitter.com/OB_Watches

 

Good Luck with choosing just one!!!!

 

 

Fi xXx