'Coming up roses' A review from the heart.

Where do i even start with this? For a very long time i have been one of the masses that is absolutely, madly addicted to all things Cath Kidston. From it's adorable pastel washed colours to it's remarkable kitsch patterns, it's every girls dream to have an entire house decked out in it's finest creations. Now don't get me wrong, I'm 21, so i haven't been with it from the beginning although i really wish i had. But i started to fall in love with C.K when i went from the ridiculous change of severe moody goth to flamboyant floral chic. I think there was always a small part of me that admired all the twee products. 

So you may be wondering what has brought on all this Cath like love? I have just read her new book 'Coming up roses' in one sitting. I sat down with my breakfast coffee and read it cover to cover. I was so inspired by her vulnerable nature whilst working in the business world. It's like she woke up one day and wanted to capture her's and many other British children's childhood's in her patterns. As she says in the book:

'I was always influenced by the prints and fresh colours of my childhood - my bedroom with its pale blue walls and striped rosebud curtains, the magnolia chintz in our playroom, my favourite Ribena coloured dress. Smell may bring back memories for some, but for me it's more likely to be a colour or a pattern.'

I think most girls can look back to when they were younger and remember an item of clothing they wore. Obviously most of my generation it was about spice girl leggings and scrunchies, but there are specific items of clothing in my past that i remember being put in for special occasions. I look fondly back on this cream puffy chiffon dress with a peach waist band that tied at the back. I remember wearing delicate scallop trimmed white blouses with patterned pinafores over the top. It's the clothing memories like that, that draws me towards Cath Kidston products. 
It's not just a pretty product. It's a little bit of every girls past. 


The book goes into so much detail about each step she took with all the products, without giving too much away, i was shocked to discover that a lot of her home-ware products were a complete and utter accident due an over order of some beautiful gingham fabric! Through out the book, it tells you the highs and lows of opening up a shop near Notting Hill, and her decision to expand with some companies and not others. The only small disappointment about the book is that i wanted to know about her life, and more about her mischievous dog Stanley, in saying that though, the front of the book does say:

'The story of growing a business.'

So i couldn't really expect it to be a tell all book about herself but maybe that's a good thing, she's just an ordinary woman who has done something extraordinary with her life and creativity. That's why its so inspiring because she started with an idea at the age of 25, and it's gone from there. With a lot of help from her friends and family it's became what it is today. As cliche as this is going to sound, if she can do it then maybe one day i can too.

Over the few years I have collected only a few items from C.K but they are all precious and wonderful. Most of them are gifts from my family and friends. My boyfriend bought me a beautiful dainty floral sewing box with separate compartments and twine wrapped handles. To live in my sewing box, i was bought a metal cased tape measure and a felt squishy cupcake pin cushion. They were both gifts from a fellow Cath obsessed lady who also lent me the book! My mom bought me both the 'Sew' and 'Make' books, maybe in aid to spur me on to a creative path, she also bought me my little floral green purse which i will use til it literally falls apart. My friend Sarah bought me the rose printed half apron, she knows my secret desire to be an amazing baker but knows i'm really no good in the kitchen. The only C.K item i have bought myself (unintentionally the only item, it's just everyone knows to buy me C.K things as there is nothing i don't like!) was a oil coated shopper bag with a beautiful bird print. I bought it on my 20th birthday when i was in Brighton, the C.K store there was insane. I could of spent hours and A LOT of money in there.

I CANNOT stress how great this book is, it will inspire to get out there and pursue your creative dreams and even if your not into kitsch living it just has a good feel to it. Like there are great rewards for great ambition.

What are your favourite Cath Kidston products and have you read this book? Let me know!
Thanks for reading!

Love Madison

A never recovering 'Cathaholic'. 
♥

So my adventure begins in September...

After what seems like an absolute eternity, i finally did it, i applied to university (technically for the second time) and i got it. I got in. I know right, I'm in shock too, so much so when the confirmation email came through i got both my housemate and my boyfriend to read it out loud to me. I cannot believe it! I screamed, i laughed and i rang my mom straight away.

Come September i will be a 'Fashion Buying with Design' student. 

Got a nice ring to it i think.

Just before Christmas last year i decided i wanted to try again, i wanted to do my time at university. As a slight recap on my life, i applied when i was 18 to a few different uni's, got in to Derby and Lincoln, then when it came to it, I didn't wanna go. My mom and dad were both suffering from illness's still and I found that spending majority of my time in Leicester seemed a better idea than moving away from everything i knew. Daft it may have been but there's not one bit of me that regrets that decision, especially now. So after deciding i was gonna go for it, i set about applying through UCAS, writing a personal statement (with A LOT of help from everyone, thank you) and getting an amazing reference from my boss. After doing all of this it dawned on me that i was gonna have to pull a portfolio together. For a course like this i will definitely need a kick ass portfolio. So with the very few days i had off i set about photographing old art pieces, clothes i made and print screened images of my blog. I then emailed the creative department at DMU and asked their advice on portfolios and the best way to get it to them. After a few emails back and forth the lovely lady on the other end asked me to send her a short online portfolio that she would then pass on to the tutors. So after much debating what to include and what not i sent it off.

It had been 3 weeks. Not a single response from DMU and i was beginning to see that they must of viewed my portfolio and were deciding of a nice way to put me down. I'd check the UCAS site everyday for any sign of progress and nothing. I started researching other courses and i came across this really good university level course at Leicester College for basically the same thing, i decided what harm would it do to apply, if i got it at least I'd be doing something productive this year? So i applied and the next day i got an interview date, so in high spirits of this new encouragement i got my portfolio printed and bound and i was all ready with my interview outfit hanging up on the back of my door. 

Tuesday 18th came around, the day of the interview. I woke up at 9am and started feeling ridiculously nervous, excited but nervous. Ate breakfast, drank coffee and was just pottering around the house. Beep beep went my phone. Emails again! Probably spam i thought, i'll check it later i thought. But what if its the college sending me some last minute requests? I checked my emails and my jaw dropped.

'Dear Madison, thank you for your application for Fashion Buying with Design at DeMontfort University. We are very pleased to make you an unconditional offer of a place on the course. The details of your offer will be available on UCAS shortly.'

So the morning of my interview for another course i had been accepted onto my dream course with an UNCONDITIONAL offer.

I have never been so bloody happy about something in all of my life. Well maybe the exception of a few festival memories and special dates with Joe but it was up there with all of that.

So this is it. I am going to be a full time fashion student come September.

I am bricking it.

I can't wait to spend summer getting ready for it all. What do i wear on my first day? Will i have a ridiculous freshers experience or will it be tame? Will i start eating 10p noodles coz that's what students do? Who knows. 

But i know one thing for sure is that i couldn't do it without the loving support of my boyfriend Joe, my wonderful family, my amazing friends (in and outside of work) and my incredible bosses who are letting me leave their nest to run after my dreams.

Thank you everyone who has helped me get this, and if i manage to come out the other side in 3 years with a decent grade you wanna get your party frocks on coz it will be one hell of a night.

Also after finding all of this out my wonderful friends bought me tokens of congratulations! SO sweet of them.


Leah bought me a fashion colouring book with a beautiful note tucked in with it.

And the lovely Saskia bought me a massive bag of chocolate buttons and a lovely card!

Thanks for reading about my acceptance day!

Would love to hear everyone else's experiences on getting onto their dream courses or results day!

Madison

I received some wonderful news!

So about a week ago i had the delightful news that i was nominated for the 'Leibster blog award'. It thrilled me that people are actually reading my blog let alone giving me kudos about it. Chuffed isn't enough of a word to describe it. I then got given 11 questions to answer about my blog and my life. I want to thank Heidi for the chance to do this!
What a wonderful girl :)

'If you've not heard of the Leibster Award, I know what you're thinking, what on earth is a 'Leibster'? Leibster is a German word meaning; sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Cute hey? Blogging is all about building a community & its an amazing way to connect with other bloggers & spread the word about new blogs.'

Here are the rules:

• Each nominee should answer 11 questions from the person who nominated them
• Choose 11 bloggers with under 200 followers to pass the award to and link them in your post
• Tell them about their nomination. No tag backs

Whats your guilty pleasure?

Starting off with a tough one i see. Well a guilty pleasure of mine, its gonna sound gross so be prepared, i love clicking my toes on everything. The wall, my bed post and more often then not, my boyfriends leg in bed when he's asleep. Sorry about that Joe.

What do you love to do when you're not blogging?

I love to walk, i walk everywhere with my headphones in too. It's like having a personal soundtrack to your day. I love catching up on 'Mad Men', the characters costumes inspire me so much. I love writing blog post ideas in my notebook, or painting. I try to fit a lot into my life around my full time supervisor job. My days off are precious to me.

What inspires your blog?

Anything i write here will be deemed cliche but life inspires my blog. Seriously, it sounds like I'm trying out for Miss World but honestly it does. It's somewhere i can put my creative thoughts in order and on screen. Where i can vent, i can create and join in with something so huge. I originally wanted my blog to be fashion based but life and fashion intertwine so romantically that i can't resist spilling my heart out whilst writing outfit posts.

Who do you look up to the most for your beauty and fashion choices?

I look for the chance to be part of a variety. I love that one day i wake up thinking i want to be purely 40's inspired with my hair, makeup and clothes. So pinned and curled hair, a very fitted pencil skirt with a tucked in blouse and a vintage scarf. For this i look right at Christina Hedgewick from Mad Men. She has an incredible wardrobe!

Then the next day i could be down right grungy (this is usually an off day after a week if work) or dress to what's current trends like a chunky gold necklace, a cropped tee and cigarette 'pants' with some flat=forms. For my more casual style i look towards Alexa Chung.

What do you love most about blogging?

I love that i feel apart of this huge life sharing community. Soppy but true. I've met some wonderful people! I love reading about other bloggers lives and i love everyone's pictures! It's so inspiring.

Whats your ultimate way to chill out?

Cliche but watching films, reading blog's and the pub with my friends. Though that does end up being messy majority of the time.

Where do you feel most at home? 

My bedroom, I've made it my perfect sanctuary. 

What are your staple beauty products that you just couldn't be without?

Oh this is a good one, i'm gonna say Moroccan oil, Maxfactor foundation and liquid eyeliner. Seriously could not bear to be without these things.

Where would you most like to travel to and why?

New York. It's been a dream to go since i could remember, i'd like to stay in the hotel from 'Home Alone'

and have cocktails down town. Honeymoon there perhaps.

Do you have any really bad, embarrassing habits?

I want to say no but like everyone i probably do.

Early Bird or Night Owl?

Could i say both? I go bed late then wake up early, perhaps it explains why in so tired all the time. I do prefer early mornings because it feels the right thing to do you know?

I now want to nominate a few bloggers of my own that i love to follow and read. 

Truly inspirational.

Tori

Vanessa

Elle May
Kerry Brown
Kelsey McCann

I would love to nominate more newbies but everyone i follow atm has LOADS of followers! So don't wanna break the rules :P

Here are your questions!

1) What is your favorite possession?
2) What do you enjoy about blogging?
3) Where was your last wonderful holiday?
4) What do you get up to when your not blogging?
5) What is your worst pet peeve?
6) Where would you like to travel to and why?
7) What would you do if you had an unlimited amount of money?
8) What year would you go to if you could time travel, past or future?
9) What is your beauty regime in the morning?
10) Who are your style icons?

11) And finally, favorite month and why?

Hope these questions aren't too boring and pass along the happy thoughts!
Can't wait to see your answers!

It may be grey outside but it's sunny in my wardrobe.

So it was my first day off in a while and i felt the need to dress up a bit seeing as our uniform policy at work is black, white or grey and formal casual. Alas not strict but seeing as majority of my wardrobe is floral's or pastel's, this means i have to dull it down ever so much. On my days off i like to take advantage of the freedom i have, even if the weather was ridiculously overcast, warm but grey. Is that even a type of weather? So i opted for my handmade pastel blue cotton skirt, a sleeveless floral blouse, white frilly socks, brown t-bar shoes and my tweed blazer. To top it all off i wore a chunky gold chain, some cute badges on my jacket and a mint green headscarf.

Jacket - Jane Norman (bought from a charity shop!)
Shirt - Charity shop
Gold necklace - ASOS
Skirt - Handmade by myself
White socks - Topshop
Brown t-bar shoes - Vintage

Sorry i can't put any useful links on this outfit post apart from the socks & the necklace, majority of it is charity shops!

Thanks for reading!

Love Madison♥



 

Seeking some outfit-of-the-day photo advice...

When i originally started this blog i really wanted to aim it around various outfit posts and make it a very personal fashion based blog. A few months on and i am still yet to do this. I look at other fashion bloggers in so much envy. Their professional  looking photographs of themselves in their favorite garms always inspires me to go out and do the same. A few hiccups i have encountered whilst trying to do this, which is:

A. I don't have a nice background in my house to do them, my house is a bit of a maze and full of clutter, i don't think it would 'add' personality to the photo at all, i think it would scream 'that girl needs to stop collecting things'.

B. I DESPERATELY need to invest in a decent camera that i can actually do take the photographs on, i can use my phone camera, which isn't too bad but still, it could be better.

AND

C. Where do i even position the camera to try do take these photographs, other bloggers pictures always looks like someone has stood there for hours flicking their hair out of the way and shouting 'smile for the camera baby'. I know that a lot of the bloggers I'm referring to put SO much effort into their blogs and images, trust me, it pays off, i am incredibly jealous!

So really this post is just to seek some advice on how to take successful self timed photo's and maybe what a good camera would be to have this kind of self timed relationship with it, purr-say. I just want to share the inside of my wardrobe and silly outfits choices with you lovely people but not quite sure how without doing the typical mirror shot in my bedroom which isn't the most flattering way to do it.

You can catch me on:

Twitter
Facebook

Any comments or advice would be so gratefully received and sorry it's such a short whiny post with nothing pretty to gander at so to make up for it my next post is gonna just have to be bloody amazing.

Lots of love,
Madison
♥

Little treats.

So as I may have mentioned in other posts, i shall be jetting off to Mexico with my lovely boyfriend & his darling family in just over a months time. I will be lying on a beach for two weeks straight! It's quite hard to holiday shop for such an occasion because the weather in England is so unpredictable that i thought it was wasteful for buy such summery garms for such a wet country. So I've tried to shop for both climates, summery enough for the hot sun in Mexico but versatile enough for the wet summer we may have. Bikini's aren't such a problem, either way they will be worn around water and i doubt ill be rocking one in my back garden. I've bought a few tops, skirts and dresses to see me through. My boyfriend works for River Island so if i ask him nicely i can get a cheeky 30% off. I will use this to my advantage. So here's a snippet of what I've got ready for my holiday.

This gorgeous high waisted, retro inspired bikini from Asos is on it's way to me! And because I'm a sucker for anything gold, i also purchased this simple chain necklace too.


So whilst being on a sensible shopping trip, I also purchased this little mint green lace fitted crop from Topshop. I figured i could wear it with denim shorts or a pencil skirt in the evening. It's from the basic range so it came in lots of different colour's but i felt mint was the way to go!

I also bought a grey flared skater skirt from H&M basics for £7.99 and two backless fitted crop tee's from Primark for £5 each, one white, the other black. I figured the more basic items i buy, the more i can switch them all up. Either dress them up with jewelry and shoes or wear casually on the beach.

I am also selling a few of my old clothes to make a bit of pocket money for holiday, mostly stuff I've only worn once or twice, varied sizes. Pretty dresses and tee's!

Follow the link! And i would be ever so grateful if you repost it to your friends :)

My Ebay!

If there's anything on there that you simply have to get, then comment and i'll withdraw the item from Ebay (If there isn't already bids on it) and we can come to an agreement through the blog!

Thanks for reading!

Love Madison ♥