summer?

I know from Twitter that I wasn't the only one mourning the cold temperatures yesterday. This was the first of THREE outfits I had on trying to stay warm whilst not looking like I was dressed for Autumn. I was horribly over-ambitious with this one but it's still August, which means Summer...right? Clearly not. I am bitterly disappointed with the frankly shit weather we have had this year. Anyone want to emigrate with me?

(Matalan dress, Pretty Polly tights, Yull shoes).

Back at work today after an extra long weekend, a three day week almost makes up for everything else.

How are you dressing right now? Is it time to admit defeat with Summer clothes? I've not even had chance to wear some of my purchases!

xxx

P.S. Giveaway open until Sunday!

Yes

from

Time to re-evaluate and make some changes. Proper, not half hearted changes.



How do you cope with making changes? I need to get my ass back on track before I face losing what I've worked so hard for.

Chic Unique

You can't beat a surprise in the post for putting a smile on your face, and last week when this pink swallow earrings dropped through my door from Chic Unique the theory was once again tested and proved correct.

Chic Unique encapsulates modern design and fashion and adds a funky, unique, vintage edge yet still at affordable prices making it accessible for all tastes, budgets and occassions.
We specialise in bespoke design for any taste and budget, an up cycle and repair service is also available upon request.We have also had jewellery worn at the Brit Awards by the up and coming artist Tiger Lilly in 2011.

I love the cute designs, my current favourites from the site are the "to catch a bird" Necklace (£14), "time for tea!" Ring (£10) and the Scrabble Initial Earrings (£15)

What is your favourite piece? Check out the online shop ... it is almost (or, just gone) payday!

And whilst your at it, don't forget my 1000 follower giveaway below!

xxx

P.S. another never fail smile maker?

Finding THE perfect striped jumper for a bargain price! Thank you T.K. Maxx, thank you from both myself and my bank account.

Thank You x One Thousand

source

Wow, so...a thousand followers...I'm amazed. What started as a random outlet has turned in to something so much more.

As a thank you, I have a bit of a giveaway for all you lovely followers who read and support adaisychaindream with some prizes I'm a little bit jealous of!

Prize ONE is this incredible leather jacket c/o IL2L...online super shop for leather jackets. This jacket is just beautiful, you have no idea how badly I want to keep this! (size Medium)

Prize TWO is courtesy of Matalan and Metcalfes; the winner will recieve a bag of each flavour skinny top corn and loads of goodies from Matalan (the clothes are size 10 and the sandals are a 5). You've heard me rave about both these brands for long enough...now's your chance to see why I love them so much!

 source

Prize THREE is for the international blog followers as realistically I cannot afford to ship the first two overseas. This is a mystery prize and will contain an assortment of things I love and think you will love too!

I don't know how many MALE followers I have, but if there are any of you out there, shout...I'll put together a little prize for you, too.

To Enter:

- Be a blog follower, this is to say thank you to my followers, therefore I'd like you to be one.

- Leave a comment on this post to say which prize you'd like to win (UK folks, enter one, or both, there will be a winner for each)

- Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you if you win!

- The giveaway is open for one week and will close at NOON GMT next Sunday.


Good Luck, and thanks again

xxx


P.S. for an extra entry you can follow me/RT the giveaway on Twitter

weekends

Weekends are for being indulgently lazy; reading a good book, cat naps, pottering about, watching crap TV, drinking far too much coffee and eating comfort food.

All those affected by Hurricane Irene, be safe.

UK'ers, I hope your planning to be extra lazy with the Bank Holiday

xxx

Snacking Saturday: Homemade

Because sometimes you just can't beat a homemade treat.

(Sticky) Date and Coconut Slice
a.k.a. a mish-mash recipe adapted from several other recipes.

Ingredients:
225g muesli (I used an un-sweetened one as this is sweet enough)
25g dessicated coconut, although you could add more depending on your taste
100g chopped dates
175g butter
1tbsp golden syrup
100g golden caster sugar

The How-to:

Weigh out/prepare the dry ingredients in to a large mixing bowl. Pre-heat the oven to 180*c (slightly lower for a fan oven) and grease a 20cm square baking tray (or two smaller round ones)

Melt the butter, sugar and syrup together until you have a smooth liquid. Tip this in to the dry ingredients and stir well until everything is coated.

Squash down in to the baking tray and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then cut round the edges of the slice (to prevent sticking) and score the slice in to portions (mine made 9 generous bars)

Allow to cool completley, slice and enjoy.


A word to the wise...this is sticky due to the dates...and a bit prone to crumbling. Be prepared for delicious mess!

Have a recipe to share? Do it here!
Shop-bought or homemade for you? Homemade for taste, here, but shop bought for quick and easy snacks!


xxx

starry eyed.

Simple Thursday outfit, worn for a morning at home and an afternoon at work (hidden away in the office, else I'd have gone smarter!)

I'm pleased to see stars come back in for A/W as it gives me even more excuses to wear this dress, despite it being about 5/6 years old and from Primark back when a full price dress cost less than a tenner.

The shoes are by Clarks and came c/o this month's voucher from Sarenza. I can't believe how much Clarks have upped their game lately, there are at least four more pairs I want by them, if not more!
The bag is also via Sarenza...oh yes, they do bags too! Lots of them infact. This one is by Georgia Rose.

I want to take this chance to give a big shout out to Sarenza and their faultless customer service. My Mum ordered some shoes that were too big,
within five minutes of sending an e-mail I had a response, and less than 24 hours later the return was sorted. Fast AND friendly service? That alone is enough to keep me shopping there!

Have you checked out Clarks shoes lately? Bigggg fan!

How about Sarenza? Even bigger fan here!


Finally...it's FRIDAY and a BANK HOLIDAY. I'm off work until Wednesday after this morning. Oh yeahhhhh. Let the fun begin.

xxx

Now Voyager; hair lust

I'm not a huge hair accessories fan, don't get me wrong, they look amazing on other people...just not on my unruly mop,
however when a press release for Now Voyager dropped in my inbox I realised I should possibly have a re-think and these are just beyond awesome.


Now, Voyager are the Sister design duo who believes that every lady deserves to be a Pin up.
With different influences, Felicity and Jess both work together for the same goal of creating beautiful
and unique pieces that enhance the wearers style and confidence.

Pulling inspirations from a variety of eras and different objects, Now, Voyager aims to produce Hair accessories with a difference. As well as each item being home-made, the accessories are designed to sit comfortable and perfectly with any style or texture of hair, showing that Now, Voyager can be for every girl.

Now, Voyager is stocked in a variety of stores in London, Glasgow, Essex and Japan and can be bought from US websites as well as their own...www.now-voyager.co.uk

A massive breakaway from my usual style; but sometimes change is good, right?

Yeah, I'd say it's time for a change...now...get me that bird!

xxx

Indecision

Yesterday I started out wanting to wear this Topshop skirt, several combinations later I ended up with this, and remembered how impossible I find this skirt to style. On other people, it looks great and so I've reluctantly kept hold of it, hoping...but really, the cut/fit doesn't work well on me, so if you were looking for this skirt, it's now on ebay
I have such a love/hate relationship with skirts. Being tall with long legs and a long torso I find it near impossible to find one that sits where it should

And so yesterday I ended up wearing this New Look dress with M&S tights (plus converse). I love these tights but they sadly laddered later in the day. I wonder if M&S still do them? Has anyone seen any two tone polka dot tights about?

In other exciting news, I managed to track down the MUA Heaven and Earth palette! My local superdrug finally got a stock; they only started displaying the pro range just over a week ago but the palettes had been distinctly missing. I want the pastel one too...so pretty and such a bargain price!

My Becca has started a blog too! It took a lot of persuading/bullying but she's done it! Go over and say hello! she's a gorgeous girly with lots of insight.


Happy mid-week dolls, half way to the (long) weekend!

xxx

In My Dreams (or hurry up payday)

Just a little wish list for a cloudy Tuesday.

 ASOS Africa dress.

Maggie Angus Animal Print Necklace (or anything, basically, that this lady designs)

I Kissed a Smurf Mug from Campus Gifts, because the Smurfs movie has re-kindled a childhood obsession.

What are you wishing for?
xxx

polka

Dress- New Look (tall would you believe?), Shoes- Timeless.

Outfit for Monday morning at work.


There really isn't much else to say...Monday is enough!

Have a good one xxx

weekends and wishes

True to form, I'm feeling much better after a fabulous weekend. Friday night, letting my hair down put me back in a good mood and planted a smile firmly on my face.

 How amazing is Becca's hair? A few weeks ago it was long and blonde. Now it's PURPLE and amazingly short. I'm obsessed! The necklace I'm wearing was a gift from the awesome people over at Jon Richard (more to come on that as they have an exciting new website and gorgeous A/W collection on the way!)

Something else that seriously brightened up the week was the Fairy Hobmother who lives at Appliances Online
She spends her days visiting blogs and granting wishes. I've been desperate for a bread maker for ages now, and danced around the office on Thursday when I received an e-mail saying my wish had been granted.

Make sure you leave your hearts desire in the comments here, you never know...you might be the next lucky person to have a fairy wish granted!
I can't wait to show off my bread making experiments. If you have a killer recipe, do share!


xxx

Snacking Saturday: the review of a review

I don't know about you, but when I see bloggers review products they have been sent, I wonder if their opinions would stay the same had they paid for it themselves. Most of my Snacking Saturday posts involve products that have been sent to me for the purpose of the series, and I think sometimes it might be good to look back and see what really did make an impression.

Back in May I review Metcalfe's Skinny Topcorn  and it received glowing praise....did it really deserve that review though?

In short. Yes.

I have spent a small fortune buying Metcalfe's products since then, most notably the Wasabi and Salt varieties

My Mum, one of the fussiest snackers known to man-kind ordered a bulk box of the salt variety, and I demand friends drive me to the local garden centre so I can get my wasabi fix! The man who works in the Bristol Pret (a stockist) now greets me with a smirk and a carrier bag!
I'll admit I've not purchased the Chocolate variety since. It wasn't my favourite, although still very, very edible!

Good news for those still seeking to get hold of this crack... Metcalfes have expanded their stockists to include Julian Graves, Sainsburys and Sainsburys Online!

On the website you'll find a selection of NEW products including wasabi peas, chocolate edamame and coated rice cakes...all of which I am yet to try but are lined up for my next order.

Have you tried this yet?
Would you like to? Check back here for my next giveaway for your chance to win some!

What do you think of product reviews? Is there an element of bias?
Would you like to see more follow-ups?

xxx

TGIF x 1000

I don't think I've ever welcomed a Friday quite so much. Another of those mad, mad weeks that seem to pass for normal right now. Before I started my job, I heard rumours that Summer was generally a quieter time...LIES I tell you, cruel lies.

With a scarily Autumnul chill in the air yesterday I abandoned Summer clothes for a favourite shirt dress. Even with a vest under and cardigan over it was still chilly. Not impressed.

Plans for the weekend have only got as far as dinner + drinks with Becca tonight. The rest can fall in to place. I'm so tired I'll happily go with the flow and see where I end up...Sunday, rapidly becoming known as Supermarket Sunday will hopefully take place with Trudi, it's a tradition of ours and always ends up in giggles.

Thanks for the kind words on yesterdays post. I'm fine; just one of those weeks, oui?

xxx

A Reminder Never Hurts

We'll get there.

xxx

Blocked

 Yesterday: Floral dress, Yellow shop in Bath, Ethel Austin tights, Shellys shoes via Sarenza

Today: Colour block dress, Matalan (Sunday purchase, £16), Accessorize tights, New Look flats.

Just a couple of outfits before I head to work. Today and Tomorrow are my mad days, but we're mid-week now, halfway to the weekend, and I, for one am looking forward to letting my hair down!

xxx

Blue + Mondays = Hand in Hand

For work yesterday. Blue on a Monday should be the law.

Or perhaps we should work on getting Mondays banned.

Either way, it's Tuesday now! Have a good one

*mwah*

xxx

P.S. ever closer to 1000 followers! Eek.

Not so Ugly Betty

Another new to me shoe brand from Spartoo, Betty London seems to have an edge on masculine/feminine shoes and I LOVE it!

1. Greva, £58. Practically perfect. I'm thinking floral dresses, pastel tights and midi skirts. Not my usual style shoe, but I am smitten.

2. Moulouk in Blue, £58 because my obsession with brogue style shoes knows no bounds. The blue colour and fringe detail means I can totally justify owning a pair of these because they are like nothing I already own!

3. Sibel in Beige, £75...again with the florals and maybe some denim? I'm not usually drawn to pale shoes because they show up the dirt so easily but with a bit of weatherproof spray and I'm sure they'd survive my less than tidy walking ways (else, I'll just never walk anywhere!)

4. Vatchi in Brown, £75. Stompy, clompy "I mean business" boots. I really don't need to elaborate further, do I?

Have you heard of Betty London before?
I'll be keeping a closer eye in future. My shoe obsession is really getting out of control...but shoes. Oh shoes, they always fit and never let you down.

xxx