These gifts that I have found over the last few months are affordable ideas for Mother's Day. Some of these I have bought myself and loved and some of them are still sat in my wish list baskets but I only ever select pieces that have great reviews either way.
1. Custom Watercolour Painting with Pets
These custom pieces are a really great investment and personal gift to buy. I love buying presents from Etsy and supporting small businesses.
2. Honey Bee Solar String Lights
I bought these for my mum last year and they are adorable. They are great for lining your patio with or even hanging between trees.
3. The Ritual of Jing - Calming Collecting
If you haven't bought a Ritual's gift set yet, they are great. They are really affordable for the products you get in the bundle, they have a variety of sets for different budgets too.
4. Olive Tree
Since moving and investing in plants for my house, I have found eBay to be a great site to find deals for outdoor and indoor plants. I bought this 1/4 length olive tree and kept it as an indoor plant to give a mediterranean style in my dining room. Olive trees are really low maintenance so they're great for people that feel like they don't look after plants very well too.
These adorable natural fabric softener dryer balls are environmentally friendly which mean you don't need to use anymore fabric softener with your laundry.
I bought one of these for my kitchen to display cookbook recipes on, they look great and are very handy when you are actually cooking too.
I thought this bag looked lovely, it's perfect for spring and summer. It's also currently on sale for £17.
Joules is a brand I find is loved by mothers. They have a lot of countryside clothing but their wellies are great because of all of the fun prints they use.
Speaking of Studio Mcgee, they inspired me to start using dried bunches around the house to add in greenery. Etsy have a lot of preserved stems or bouquets to choose from. I recently ordered my pampas grass stems from Etsy which were really good quality.
This gorgeous eye mask has the option of adding lavender inside or keeping it unscented. It comes with a washable, removable cover.
11. Nura Reef Bangle in 18ct Gold Vermeil
I love the jewellery from Monica Vinader. I started working with them this year and I recommend their pieces to my friends and family. They are really high quality and great as everyday jewellery or special occasions. I'm currently wearing one of their bracelets that I featured over on my instagram everyday. I have a referral code from my instagram promotion that you can use: MVINS20RAF-2A76
12. Q10 Energy Recharging Night Cream
This night cream is my absolute favourite product at the moment. I have never seen my skin so clear and bright before. I work with Nivea long term so I get to try out their new products and give feedback about how I get on with them, I have mentioned to the team at Nivea how great this night cream is and I will definitely be repurchasing it.
13. The Hairy Bikers' One Pot Wonders
I know a lot of people love The Hairy Bikers' cookbooks. I'm currently using their vegetarian book and it's sat in the kitchen on my book stand that I mentioned before. This One Pot Wonders book is currently on sale for £11.
14. Diffuser Oils & Electronic Diffuser
This diffuser is really popular and sounds great. I bought myself a slightly cheaper one on Amazon but you just can't beat the scents that The White Company has. I love this stylish design of the diffuser, it's so sleek.
15. Bamboo Bed Tray
Ever since I got my bed tray (also from Amazon) I just can't go back. I occasionally work from my bed and elevating my laptop up is so useful and much better than hunching over. If your mum is someone that likes having their cup of tea in bed maybe this would be a great gift or even better having a breakfast hamper and a bed tray for the special day.
16. Spring Wreath Making Kit with Dried Flowers
Before Christmas I won a wreath making kit competition which meant that my mum and I spent the afternoon sat chatting making our winter wreaths. It was so much fun and it left us with wreaths that lasted a long time. A kit like this one with dried flowers would last and if you don't think your mum would want to spend the time making one, you could make it and personalise it for her yourself, otherwise it comes with the option of buying a ready made one too.
As I'm typing this, the doorbell went about 5 minutes ago and this wash bag arrived ready for my mum's birthday present. Sophie Allport has the most beautiful designs and they're really high quality. This wash bag also has the option of adding personalisation onto it with their name or initials embroidered on.
I hope you guys enjoyed this gift guide. Let me know if it has inspired you to buy anything!
These gifts that I have found over the last few months are affordable ideas for Mother's Day. Some of these I have bought myself and loved and some of them are still sat in my wish list baskets but I only ever select pieces that have great reviews either way.
1. Custom Watercolour Painting with Pets
These custom pieces are a really great investment and personal gift to buy. I love buying presents from Etsy and supporting small businesses.
2. Honey Bee Solar String Lights
I bought these for my mum last year and they are adorable. They are great for lining your patio with or even hanging between trees.
3. The Ritual of Jing - Calming Collecting
If you haven't bought a Ritual's gift set yet, they are great. They are really affordable for the products you get in the bundle, they have a variety of sets for different budgets too.
4. Olive Tree
Since moving and investing in plants for my house, I have found eBay to be a great site to find deals for outdoor and indoor plants. I bought this 1/4 length olive tree and kept it as an indoor plant to give a mediterranean style in my dining room. Olive trees are really low maintenance so they're great for people that feel like they don't look after plants very well too.
These adorable natural fabric softener dryer balls are environmentally friendly which mean you don't need to use anymore fabric softener with your laundry.
I bought one of these for my kitchen to display cookbook recipes on, they look great and are very handy when you are actually cooking too.
I thought this bag looked lovely, it's perfect for spring and summer. It's also currently on sale for £17.
Joules is a brand I find is loved by mothers. They have a lot of countryside clothing but their wellies are great because of all of the fun prints they use.
Speaking of Studio Mcgee, they inspired me to start using dried bunches around the house to add in greenery. Etsy have a lot of preserved stems or bouquets to choose from. I recently ordered my pampas grass stems from Etsy which were really good quality.
This gorgeous eye mask has the option of adding lavender inside or keeping it unscented. It comes with a washable, removable cover.
11. Nura Reef Bangle in 18ct Gold Vermeil
I love the jewellery from Monica Vinader. I started working with them this year and I recommend their pieces to my friends and family. They are really high quality and great as everyday jewellery or special occasions. I'm currently wearing one of their bracelets that I featured over on my instagram everyday. I have a referral code from my instagram promotion that you can use: MVINS20RAF-2A76
12. Q10 Energy Recharging Night Cream
This night cream is my absolute favourite product at the moment. I have never seen my skin so clear and bright before. I work with Nivea long term so I get to try out their new products and give feedback about how I get on with them, I have mentioned to the team at Nivea how great this night cream is and I will definitely be repurchasing it.
13. The Hairy Bikers' One Pot Wonders
I know a lot of people love The Hairy Bikers' cookbooks. I'm currently using their vegetarian book and it's sat in the kitchen on my book stand that I mentioned before. This One Pot Wonders book is currently on sale for £11.
14. Diffuser Oils & Electronic Diffuser
This diffuser is really popular and sounds great. I bought myself a slightly cheaper one on Amazon but you just can't beat the scents that The White Company has. I love this stylish design of the diffuser, it's so sleek.
15. Bamboo Bed Tray
Ever since I got my bed tray (also from Amazon) I just can't go back. I occasionally work from my bed and elevating my laptop up is so useful and much better than hunching over. If your mum is someone that likes having their cup of tea in bed maybe this would be a great gift or even better having a breakfast hamper and a bed tray for the special day.
16. Spring Wreath Making Kit with Dried Flowers
Before Christmas I won a wreath making kit competition which meant that my mum and I spent the afternoon sat chatting making our winter wreaths. It was so much fun and it left us with wreaths that lasted a long time. A kit like this one with dried flowers would last and if you don't think your mum would want to spend the time making one, you could make it and personalise it for her yourself, otherwise it comes with the option of buying a ready made one too.
As I'm typing this, the doorbell went about 5 minutes ago and this wash bag arrived ready for my mum's birthday present. Sophie Allport has the most beautiful designs and they're really high quality. This wash bag also has the option of adding personalisation onto it with their name or initials embroidered on.
I hope you guys enjoyed this gift guide. Let me know if it has inspired you to buy anything!
Hey guys!
It has been so long since I have posted on here. I've missed the world of blogs and really want to get back into it. I feel like since last time I was blogging on here, I have definitely become more confident with taking professional blog pictures and I'm no longer freaked out by having photos taken of me so it's the perfect time to try and combine words and pictures together over here. If you don't follow my instagram definitely go and check it out because that is where I upload all of my outfit pictures along with a variety of lifestyle shots.
I thought I would start off this new chapter of my blogging life with 6 Affordable Spring Dresses. If you're like me you might dread the idea of spring or summer where outfits should be simple but are so much harder to throw on because really they're just one or two garments so they need to be cute staple pieces. I've recently found that dresses are the way to go to get a quick, easy outfit and I have found it essential to have some go-to dresses that you know you're comfortable in and can just throw them on heading out of the house.
This red dress has become one of my favourites because it is so comfortable and really not something I ever pictured myself in but, I love it?!
It is actually heavier material than it looks so it works perfect in spring if you have a cute cardigan or thin coat to throw on then once inside it's perfect to roam about in. It's so soft and can become quite dressy or casual. For this outfit I just style it with my (also ASOS) white trainers. White trainers are crucial in my mind for transforming dresses into a casual daytime outfit. I also paired it with my Radley London backpack.
This dress I was really undecided about for a while. It reminds me of a night dress in many ways but actually once I styled it up it made a great casual, flowy dress that similarly you can dress up or make it quite casual. A white dress that isn't see through is always a bonus, this dress is made of quite thick material so it's perfect for those days when its eventually warmer to throw on and not feel self conscious in at all.
This dress was something out of my usual choice because I thought it might have been a weird length but really I think it worked quite well. The tie-in waist was fab for giving some shape with this kind of dress and it made the look less casual. Vibrant, bright colours are always great in Spring because especially when it's warm enough to throw on only a dress, it's nice to wear a statement piece.
Over to this M&S dress. I'm a fan of shorter dresses but for spring weather in England, you definitely still need some tights or over the knee boots! These boots from Evans were such a good purchases because they actually keep your legs really warm and if any of you need wide fit boots they do really great ones in a variety of calf sizes. This floral dress was really flowy and great for daytime outfits or evening.
This Primark dress has to be one of my best finds this season. It originally had a belt which I just wasn't a fan of so I got rid of it and it transformed this dress into a really cute, casual outfit. Personally I always find if you stick to darker colours for cheap dresses they can look really expensive. I would definitely wear this into summer because it was made out of quite light material.
Finally, we are onto our last dress. This New Look dress is so comfortable and flowy, it would definitely work well with trainers or dressed up in the evening with some heels. I love the colour and the print, it would work quite well to match with accessories.
That concludes my 6 Affordable Spring Dresses, I hope you guys enjoyed it and I will now be catching up on all the blog posts I have been missing out on over the last few months! I'm off to Paris soon so I'm thinking of documenting some good Paris spots to try out, as well as shooting some outfits over there.
I hope you all have a lovely week and I will be back soon,
Laura x
Hey guys!
It has been so long since I have posted on here. I've missed the world of blogs and really want to get back into it. I feel like since last time I was blogging on here, I have definitely become more confident with taking professional blog pictures and I'm no longer freaked out by having photos taken of me so it's the perfect time to try and combine words and pictures together over here. If you don't follow my instagram definitely go and check it out because that is where I upload all of my outfit pictures along with a variety of lifestyle shots.
I thought I would start off this new chapter of my blogging life with 6 Affordable Spring Dresses. If you're like me you might dread the idea of spring or summer where outfits should be simple but are so much harder to throw on because really they're just one or two garments so they need to be cute staple pieces. I've recently found that dresses are the way to go to get a quick, easy outfit and I have found it essential to have some go-to dresses that you know you're comfortable in and can just throw them on heading out of the house.
This red dress has become one of my favourites because it is so comfortable and really not something I ever pictured myself in but, I love it?!
It is actually heavier material than it looks so it works perfect in spring if you have a cute cardigan or thin coat to throw on then once inside it's perfect to roam about in. It's so soft and can become quite dressy or casual. For this outfit I just style it with my (also ASOS) white trainers. White trainers are crucial in my mind for transforming dresses into a casual daytime outfit. I also paired it with my Radley London backpack.
This dress I was really undecided about for a while. It reminds me of a night dress in many ways but actually once I styled it up it made a great casual, flowy dress that similarly you can dress up or make it quite casual. A white dress that isn't see through is always a bonus, this dress is made of quite thick material so it's perfect for those days when its eventually warmer to throw on and not feel self conscious in at all.
This dress was something out of my usual choice because I thought it might have been a weird length but really I think it worked quite well. The tie-in waist was fab for giving some shape with this kind of dress and it made the look less casual. Vibrant, bright colours are always great in Spring because especially when it's warm enough to throw on only a dress, it's nice to wear a statement piece.
Over to this M&S dress. I'm a fan of shorter dresses but for spring weather in England, you definitely still need some tights or over the knee boots! These boots from Evans were such a good purchases because they actually keep your legs really warm and if any of you need wide fit boots they do really great ones in a variety of calf sizes. This floral dress was really flowy and great for daytime outfits or evening.
This Primark dress has to be one of my best finds this season. It originally had a belt which I just wasn't a fan of so I got rid of it and it transformed this dress into a really cute, casual outfit. Personally I always find if you stick to darker colours for cheap dresses they can look really expensive. I would definitely wear this into summer because it was made out of quite light material.
Finally, we are onto our last dress. This New Look dress is so comfortable and flowy, it would definitely work well with trainers or dressed up in the evening with some heels. I love the colour and the print, it would work quite well to match with accessories.
That concludes my 6 Affordable Spring Dresses, I hope you guys enjoyed it and I will now be catching up on all the blog posts I have been missing out on over the last few months! I'm off to Paris soon so I'm thinking of documenting some good Paris spots to try out, as well as shooting some outfits over there.
I hope you all have a lovely week and I will be back soon,
Laura x
That concludes my TK Maxx haul. I hope you guys enjoyed and you will be seeing a lot more content on my blog as we head into my favourite time of the year. If you aren't following my instagram yet go and follow to see more of my hauls over there - @laurajanestanley
That concludes my TK Maxx haul. I hope you guys enjoyed and you will be seeing a lot more content on my blog as we head into my favourite time of the year. If you aren't following my instagram yet go and follow to see more of my hauls over there - @laurajanestanley
So, I have splurged out and had microblading done. Super exciting. It was quite a spontaneous decision brought on by me booking a last minute holiday and not wanting to have to worry about makeup. Personally, I always need brows and lashes done to leave the house, I don't care about foundation or bronzer but if I don't have brows and lashes on, I feel a bit naked. I always notice my brows in pictures and if you read my "brow transformation", you will know I have become way more confident with my brows since knowing what shape suits me to fill in, but the problem with going abroad where it's high humidity, means that I won't want to wear makeup really. I started looking into how much it would cost and tried to find someone who could do them quite naturally.
- Find a technician that has created similar brow shapes to what you want
- Save images of the brow shape you want and bonus if you followed number 1, bring/save images of their work that you like
- Spend time making sure the drawing is just how you want it, don't feel awkward to adjust it slightly. I asked my technician to square my shape more and not have a very prominent arch because that's just my preference.
- Wear comfy clothes if you can, I was sat getting mine done for 3 hours.
I'm now a week on from having them done. I absolutely love the outcome of my brows. I feel like I have makeup on ready to leave the house from the moment I wake up. I personally don't think the price of them is bad considering if you fill your brows in like me everyday, it takes so much time off your morning routine and it can really help you to feel confident with your brows. I have my follow up appointment in about 6 weeks time to retouch any faded areas. You should only need this touch up and then they last at least a year.
So, I have splurged out and had microblading done. Super exciting. It was quite a spontaneous decision brought on by me booking a last minute holiday and not wanting to have to worry about makeup. Personally, I always need brows and lashes done to leave the house, I don't care about foundation or bronzer but if I don't have brows and lashes on, I feel a bit naked. I always notice my brows in pictures and if you read my "brow transformation", you will know I have become way more confident with my brows since knowing what shape suits me to fill in, but the problem with going abroad where it's high humidity, means that I won't want to wear makeup really. I started looking into how much it would cost and tried to find someone who could do them quite naturally.
- Find a technician that has created similar brow shapes to what you want
- Save images of the brow shape you want and bonus if you followed number 1, bring/save images of their work that you like
- Spend time making sure the drawing is just how you want it, don't feel awkward to adjust it slightly. I asked my technician to square my shape more and not have a very prominent arch because that's just my preference.
- Wear comfy clothes if you can, I was sat getting mine done for 3 hours.
I'm now a week on from having them done. I absolutely love the outcome of my brows. I feel like I have makeup on ready to leave the house from the moment I wake up. I personally don't think the price of them is bad considering if you fill your brows in like me everyday, it takes so much time off your morning routine and it can really help you to feel confident with your brows. I have my follow up appointment in about 6 weeks time to retouch any faded areas. You should only need this touch up and then they last at least a year.
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