Fashion - Myleene Klass for Littlewoods

Little Miss Myleene Klass has done it again with her second collection for Littlewoods.com. This A/W collection is made up of some seriously beautiful and show stopping dresses. And Myleene has modelled them all herself in this rather stunning set of editorial photos taken at a stately home.

This is what Myleene herself had to say about her collection “I wanted the clothes to feel luxurious and special. The attention to detail and the feel of the fabric is so important as it adds to how good a woman feels in these clothes.”

So here is a selection of the collection for you to see and what I think about them!

 This little number is so simple and would suit all ages really. A great little day dress in a classic silhouette that will flatter most shapes.

 Wow now this is a real show stopper! The simple off the shoulder silky top part looks amazing next to the heavily sequinned and beaded skirt. It is really dazzling! I think it will probably only work for ladies of a taller, slimmer build though as it is pretty fitted in the skirt. It really is beautiful though.

 This sexy little number remind anyone else of Jessica Rabbit? Or is it just me! Such a simple dress, no fuss and a really simple silhouette but super sexy! You will remembered for this at the Christmas Party! Again probably best on a slimmer build though.

 Now I think this one will suit lots of builds but will look especially classy on the older generation. It has such a vintage feel to it. Very 40's I think. Simple and sophisticated but also incredibly flattering. I love the fur collar as that really adds a fun touch to it.

 Another really sexy little number, without being overly sexy! Lace is such a great fabric but you have to be a little brave to wear it all over. This is a simple silhouette which is jazzed up with a complete lace coverage. Suitable for all ages too I think. Whether you wear it with mega heels or flats and a black jacket it'll suit lots of people.

Prices range from £32-£125, sizes 8-24

So ladies what do you think? Do you like the Myleene Klass for Littlewoods collection? Which is your favourite item?

Cardiff News - Pedal Power Vintage Fair

A quick post from me today lovely ladies! This is important for any Cardiff or locally based girls, especially if you like a bit of vintage fashion. Pedal Power the cycling charity who's aim it is to make cycling more accessible to everyone, is having a fund raising vintage and craft fair today!

So if you happen to be out and about in Cardiff and fancy a bit of vintage shopping then why not take a wander over to the Scout Base at Pontcanna Fields and grab yourself a beautiful bargain. Running from 11am-4pm. It's just a £1 donation to get in and all funds raised go towards Pedal Power.

 I shall be popping in for a bit to see about finding some new/old little treats, and maybe some items for Christmas (yes it's on it's way!) So if you see me please say 'Hi!'

DIY - Smashbooking!

Have you discovered Smashbooking yet? I recently found this video on Youtube of the new journalling craze to hit us crafters. I've always liked the idea of scrapbooking, but just don't have the time and patience to do it properly. If it is doe properly scrapbooking looks amazing, but it seems to take so much tim, planning and arranging it all nicely. So when I came across this video I knew it was more up my street.

Essentially its like a kids scrapbook, where you just stick everything in, how ever you want to. And you can keep all sorts of little trinkets, bits and bobs and fun stuff in it. K&Company are the brand who make the official Smashbook brand but you can really use any journal or sketchbook. Mine are off eBay, I wanted ring bound so I could put bulkier things inside and it would still go together ok. You can add anything and everything to it! Thats half the fun of it. I have found old postcards and notes that I had stored for years, which I have now added to my 'everyday' book. And when I get fun stuff in the mail I add them to it too. You don't have to use photos like a scrapbook, but I have been printing little pictures out using Picture Frames App so I can make them smaller. Got lots more to do though. 

So here is the start of my everyday Smashbook. I have a separate one for our travel - China, Paris, Barcelona - which I have yet to start! I'm trying to collect up all those little brochures and leaflets you accumulate while visiting places. Not all the pages are finished as I have been adding little bits here and there when they fit and when I find or receive interesting, pretty stuff. I intend to fill the cover with stickers when I find some or am sent some. (If anyone wants to send me some fun stickers please feel free!)

The cover so far - still pretty bare

Some Paralympics fun

Our tickets, pin badge mounts and some pictures

Pretty postcards and mail I received from Miki and others, plus a Stamp themed ATC (wondering what an ATC is? I'll be doing a post on them soon too! Another new craft I've been enjoying!)

Fun mail and ATC's, and a Hell Bunny Dress Tag

A London ATC, 2 Paris ATC's and a recipe I fancy trying

A fun night out with Jon last week! Yo Sushi and cinema trip.

Receipts from September and an old postcard. The envelope is a sample pack envelope from Crabtree and Evelyn, isn't it super cute!

More old Postcards and my winning letter from Stoli

That's all for now, I have more pages but they are still in progress.
Has anyone else been Smashbooking? Or fancy trying it? It really is a lot of fun and a great way to collect memories.

Monday Mail - 24th September

I think I told you a few weeks ago that I had recently signed up to Swap-bot. A snail mail site where you can join different types of swaps, to exchange mail with people all over the world. I love snail mail and pen pals. I have 5 regular penpals already (who are all bloggers) but I've always got room for more! and I like to get random mail too.

So this site has been lots of fun so far. This is just some of the cards I've received in the last few weeks. Lots of postcards from all around the world!

I love seeing fun tourist spots from other parts of the world, and I love to learn about other peoples lives and cultures. Plus I love to write back to people and tell them about my life and Wales.

If you'd like to send me a post card or letter, just drop me a comment with your email address, or email me (address in left side bar) and I'll send you my home address.

Anyone else love snail mail? Have you got any pen pals?

Sunday Catch-up - 23rd September

I've been a little lax on the Instagramming recently, so haven't really had enough photos to do a Sunday Catch-up post for a while, but here you go. A little catch-up of my outings and edibles via instagram photos for the last week or 2. Enjoy!

The Paralympics!

 Margam Abbey Outing

 Food:

1. Thai Red Curry my mum made

2. BB's Muffins - White chocolate and raspberry!

3. My first outing to Yo Suchi!

4. Tapas at Juno Lounge

My friends baby, Rhys. With his Mum and Dad, Phil and Lindsey

My current reading! Not loving it though sadly. 

Anyone else been up to anything fun this week?

Outfit Post - 70's in the Ruins!

So after all the excitement of the last few days I thought I would bring you a nice simple outfit post! Me and Jon made the most of the day of decent weather we had last week and headed home to see our parents via a little hike to Margam Abbey Ruins. Although both of us have lived near Margam all our lives and visited the main house a number of times, neither of us had ever been to the Abbey ruins on the top of the hill, so we decided to take a little walk up for some outfit pictures.

The view from the top was beautiful (at least one direction was - the other is the steel works!) looking over Margam Castle and the grounds all around. Very peaceful! 

Here are some pretty outfit pictures taken around the ruins in my lovely hippy vintage 70's dress.

 Outfit:

Dress: Cross Roads - Vintage via eBay

Boots: Firetrap via TKMaxx

Bangles: Vintage via Blind Lemon Vintage Fair

 Yep, I decided climbing things was a good idea again! Getting down is never as simple though.

Look how green it all is! Beautiful!

Me playing hide and seek, lol!

And a last shot of my sexy hubby, that I took! Isn't he handsome! hehe!

Hope you are all having a fun weekend, sadly it is my weekend on at the TIC so I will be in work for the next 3 days. 

Events - Winner of Welsh Life Style Blog of the Year 2012!

You read that right lovely ladies! If you weren't following the live stream last night, or the onslaught of tweets, from the Wales Blog Awards you might not of heard my totally amazing news - I won Best Lifestyle Blog of the Year at the Wales Blog Awards! I am super excited and super happy, I really wasn't expecting it. But it has really made my year. 

I never started this blog thinking it would be a professional thing or that I would get any recognition really. So winning an amazing award like this is a huge deal. After almost 3 years, it is a really amazing feeling to know that other people really like and appreciate what I am doing. Kinda makes me feel like there really is a purpose to what I write. I've actually had a bit of a hard time this month with my writing - but winning the Lifestyle Blog of the Year has really shown me that writing is what I am meant to be doing, and really is something I am good at.

Here is what the lovely judges had to say about my blog: "One of the first things you notice about this blog is how easy it is to find your way around it. That and the bright and lively homepage drew the judges in instantly. This blog has a distinct personality – the posts are interesting to read and informative with good use of social media links and multimedia. And the more you read the more get a real sense of the person behind the blog. This ability to connect with a reader is important and Chantele does it very well."

So all that being said I would just like to say a big thank you to Media Wales and Warwick Emmanuel PR for organising and running the Wales Blog Awards, and also to all the judges who chose my blog as the winner of the Lifestyle section! Also a big Thank You to you guys! Without you actually reading my blog I would never have stuck with it and I certainly wouldn't have won this awesome achievement.

Congrats to all the other nominees and all the other winners. Here is the low down of what happened on the night:

1. Best Community Blog was won by Cwmbran Life (sorry no image)

2. Best Sports Blog was won by Forza Swansea

3. Best Entertainment and Music Blog was won by Motown Junkie

4. Best Writing on a Blog was won by Do Not Go Gently Into The Good Night

And then there was me!

5. Best Lifestyle Blog won by ME

 

6. Best Multimedia Blog was won by Cardiff Before Cardiff

7. Best New Blog was won by Our IVF Journey: All the fun of living life with twins (no image, as they couldn't attend) 

 8. Best Political Blog was won by Oggy Bloggy Ogwr

 9. Best Technology Blog was won by Hacio'r Laith

10. Best Food & Drink Blog was won by Gourmet Gorro

 11. And the peoples choice Best Blog was won by We Are Cardiff

And lastly - hello to any new readers!! Welcome to my blog and I hope you enjoy reading it. Check out some of my older posts, or use my side bar buttons to jump to a section that most interests you.

Accessories - House of Ismay

I recently found a great new shop on Etsy so I thought I would share it with you! Its called House of Ismay and it manages to combine 2 of my favourite things - Books and Jewellery! Sarah the designer has made a great collection of animal shaped brooches and earrings based on characters/themes from books. Then used the pages of the book to cover the brooches. They really are beautiful and so whimsical! Plus at just £6-£8 each they are a bargain.

Here are my favourites:

To Kill a Mocking Bird

Of Mice and Men

Alice in Wonderland 

Wind in the Willows

Black Beauty

The Raven

Oh and these cute heart earrings with Pride and Prejudice on them!

Pride and Prejudice 

So if you were to have any book as a brooch what would you have? I love the white rabbit, Alice in Wonderland brooch the most I think. Although if I was able to have any brooch I think maybe a parrot umbrella for Mary Poppins, or a Mokingjay for The Hunger Games - seriously how cool would that be!