Covet Monday - Sweet Maple

Of all the currently introduced new styles that Mulberry has on offer, my favourite has to be the Maple:

An open tote, with short handles,  a long strap and a clever little pouch that can be attached to the outside or inside of the bag - or carried separately as a clutch.

I think Coca delivered on his promise to design beautiful but practical bags: The size is just right for nipping to the shops or popping in your office stuff (though I'd be careful carrying it on public transport, as there's no closure) and the strap makes it really versatile. 

 The leather feels lush but sturdy and like it would wear well.

Prices start at £795 for Black Flat Calf but (as per usual) my favourite is slightly more. I really like the colour combo in the Burgundy Printed Goat with its purple pouch and (£895) but - being my predictable self - my favourite is the Black Polished Embossed Croc (£995).

What do you think? Have you had a play or maybe even bought one?

Covet Monday: Clever and Gorgeous

It seems that at the moment I am constantly stumbling across new handbag designers. Well, maybe I am looking more than I used to. Anyway, after discovering Strathberry, Linjer and Rodtnes I have now come across VVA Bags and I am so tempted!

Whilst they produce just a few styles, they offer these in a large choice of leathers and - what I love most - the different elements can be swapped out and the bags can be customised to fit different uses.

The bags are made in Britain (apparently in "deepest darkest Lancashire") with the exception of the hardware but they are hoping to change this in the future.

My favourite model is the Dahlia, a good work-sized tote. Prices start at £350.

It features a removable zipped pouch/clutch, that can also be worn on its own. (Yes, I know. Mulberry does that with the Willow but I've never been a fan.) This pouch even has d-rings for attaching a chain or strap, both of which come with the bag. It also comes with a removable tassel, which you can replace with a different colour one. So what you're getting is:

- the tote,
- a zipped pouch/clutch (called Ivy),
- a leather strap,
- a keychain/chain strap,
- and a tassel.

The bag measures H29cm, W40cm D11cm, so you can fit in A4 and even a laptop. 
You can carry it by the short handle or on your shoulder by the leather strap. 
You can avoid scrambling for your keys in the bag by attaching it to the keychain. 
You can detach the Ivy pouch and use it as a clutch in the evening or attach the strap and carry it on your shoulder with your essentials.

Oh, and it comes in a printed leather.

So, a smart looking, practical, high quality bag. Perfect for work and it ticks pretty much all of my boxes. I need help.

Goldilocks

So you know I've been looking for a bag that could take my laptop and be pretty. The Strathberry wasn't really a laptop bag, so that didn't work but I had high hopes for my recent discovery: the Loretta from Danish bag designer RODTNES.

I had jumped at the chance of ordering it at a discount and was eagerly awaiting delivery. When the box arrived I was not disappointed: well wrapped and packed (a box within a box), it emerged from its dustbag with that lovely leather smell.

The zips run super smoothly and overall the quality looks great. Nice details and features such as adjustable shoulder straps and, as you'd expect from a laptop bag, a separate laptop compartment, that's roomy for even chunkier machines.

It's that chunkiness I struggled with though. As much as I loved the style and quality, the bag was simply too big for me. It looked more like a weekend carryall than a work bag. I probably should point out that I am only 5'2", so if I wasn't so short,

Other than that I could only find two things I could nitpick at: The zip has a leather pull attached that, due to its length, just sits strangely when the bag is closed. I would also prefer a slightly safer closure for the small outside pockets.

I'm not that bad, am I? Either way: the search continues...

Lovable Rogue

I've been laid up with the flu all weekend and my head still feels like it's full of cotton wool. No big write up today but I have been coveting this bag for a while now and didn't want to wait any longer.

Coach haven't really been on my radar. I sort of passed by them, be it in Selfridges or in the outlet as nothing stood out to me. I can't even tell you how or when I came across this bag, I can just tell you that I stopped in my tracks, went "whoa!" - and instantly added it to my wish list.

It's the Coach Rogue Bag in glovetanned leather.

Not only does it look lovely, the leather seems lush, and the design so practical and perfect as a work bag. I mean, look at all those compartments! And the long strap!

And whilst it is lovely in light blue, this teal combo really pulls a punch. 

Not exactly cheap at £750 but compared to Mulberry's Bayswater Double Zip Tote in small or regular, you'll still be "saving" (yes, we are buying a handbag here, I know) £450.

Flight Of Fancy

So whilst we are all totally up in arms - or pleasantly surprised - about what Mr. Coca has served up for Mulberry's AW16, I am still browsing their website, trying to convince myself that I don't need that tote. That tote being Mulberry's Kite Tote. 

Initially I had thought that the Small Kite Tote would have been just what I wanted: lush leather, compact size that would fit my essentials and a strap that could convert to a length that would facilitate cross body wearing.

I tried it on when I picked up that Small Bayswater Double Zip Tote for my mum and, as I was in a rush, didn't even try the regular and large size. Big mistake. Or not. Whilst I did find the small one a bit gimmicky in the end, I think the regular would be perfect as a smart throw it all in tote. And now I seriously want one. Only I can't decide which leather I want it in. 

Ordinarily I would have defaulted to the printed leather but I am actually really tempted by the nude or (the slightly more sensible, but equally lush) khaki. Obviously I need to see them in real live. A obviously I need to have a good play first. I think a visit to Mulberry Manchester is on the cards.

Which one is your favourite?

Head vs. Heart

Ok, so maybe I am over-dramatising a bit. (Me? Never!) But seriously: after I figured out only recently that the oh-so-coveted Strathberry Tote had a serious design flaw, which made it impossible for me to use as a work bag, I thought I'd step back for a bit and re-consider. 

Though said issue won't be as deal-breaking in the smaller-sized Midi Tote, I hadn't planned on jumping straight onto the next want-this-Strathberry story. And then they send me an email, which goes all "AW 2016 Preview" (*insert mocking voice*) and shows me this. 

 Strathberry Midi Tote Charcoal Tri Colour, £450 

This has to be my favourite: such a classy grey, inject a bit of pretty, whimsy and fun with a pastel shade in lilac but prevent it from going 00's 2-tone by adding navy. I'm already building an outfit around it. And I don't do that.

 

 Strathberry Midi Tote Metallic Dusty Pink, £475

Dusty Pink - whatever. That looks rose gold to me and rose-gold anything is a "yes, yes, yes!" in my book. Oh, and to top it off it's saffiano, which doesn't only add some weighty texture to prevent it looking all shiny and twee but also makes it more resistant to scrapes and smudges. My inner German loves it.

 

Strathberry Midi Tote Black Haircalf, £495 

Never been a big fan of haircalf when Mulberry did it. Usually that was done on slouchy bags, such as the Alexa and I just always thought it looks a bit like a cuddly toy you're carrying around but also that it's so unpractical as it will, eventually, go bald. No danger in thinking anything cuddly with this structured bag. It just is so perfect juxtaposed against the clear lines. And I don't care about the bald. I'll tell the inner German to shut up.

I mean, what am I even supposed to do?!

Don't answer that.

Rustic Weekend Tote

So after my dream of that smart yet pretty Strathberry Tote didn't come true, I am still looking for something along those lines. 

I am also, however, tempted by something more weekend and casual. Something to just pop on my shoulder when I go to the shops, library... whatever I might do on a Saturday morning. I am thinking something where the leather looks better with age and where I'm not bothered about any minor scratches or blemishes. Something along these lines...

Shoulder Bag by PARK, £137

CUYANA Leather Tote, $150

Chicsparrow Tote, $160

Whipping Post Vintage Tote Bag, $195

Maybe I'm just not happy when I'm not searching?

Pretty Sensible Tote

I know I have the habit of going on about stuff that I fancy getting - and then I never do. But every now and then I go beyond fancying something from afar and actually buy it. 

I've been intrigued by Strathberry since I discovered their fundraiser on kickstarter.  And I've been a big fan since I took delivery of the MC Midi. A satchel shape with a formal twist, it's the perfect work bag for days when I don't need to carry too much. Since starting my new job though, I have been wishing for a larger bag, which will hold A4 and can be carried on the shoulder. I love my Bayswater but find her too heavy for the everyday commute.
 
I had long been coveting a Strathberry Tote but had been unsure whether it would a) look too big on me and b) be practical. A quick search on Pinterest lead me to a Bethany's blog post with some lovely model shots and what tipped me over was her statement that she carries a 13" laptop in the bag. Perfect! After some dithering between colours I have ordered the Strathberry Tote in burgundy and it should be arriving tomorrow. Eeek!

So watch this space for the upcoming review!

Covet - Discipline

The year is coming to an end and that's usually a good time to take stock, evaluate and make new plans. I am not a big goal setter. I aim more to be happy in general. Try to let the niggles get to me less. And appreciate the little things that bring a smile to my face. 

However, new year's resolutions are pretty common even to people who normally don't do formal goal setting. Also, since I started using a journal/planner every day, I find I want to track more what I do and there is nothing quite like putting a big tick next to something you achieved. And if you regularly read my blog, you might have seen my resolutions that were supposed to give me a bit more time to do the stuff I love. So before I select a new set of goals for 2016, I thought I'd better have a look on how I did on these. (The very fact, that I need to look them up, is a big clue. Hm.)

1. Get up 10 minutes earlier every morning

Yeah right. If anything that's been worse. Due to coughs, colds and too late bedtimes (yes, we'll get to these later), I just haven't slept enough, which meant peeling myself out of bed was really hard. I feel really guilty though as little M needs some extra cuddles in the morning and if he doesn't get them is mega grumpy and not very cooperative. If he gets a few minutes of me for a chat and a cuddle, he is happy enough to get ready and get going. As I am due to start a new job in the new year, I have the best motivation to get this sorted though. So much nicer not having to run for the train and getting to the office a bit less dishevelled. 
Verdict: Fail

2. Get my Filofax sorted

Not only did I fully move into my DIYFish inserts, I used them for a couple of months in my Filofax and then moved into the same version of inserts but in Fieldnote sized booklets form for my Naked Cow Fauxori. I loved the size and bound pages so much that I am still in the Fauxdori but as I wanted something with more flexibility I am now using a Bullet Journal system.
So in a way I did get my Filofax sorted.  However, I have also ordered a full Traveller's Notebook sized van der Spek Nomad. I intend to use it for work and collections - but it may well throw a spanner into my recently achieved "planner peace".
Verdict: (temporary) Pass

3. Go to bed earlier, aim to be tucked in by 23:00

Yes. Right. I don't know how other people are doing it but by the time little M is in bed and we have eaten (huge thanks here to Mr G, who does all the cooking), it's around 21:00. I then try to do all my blogging, reading, bujo admin, online shopping etc and before I know it it's 23:00. I just want to do one more thing and before I know it, it's 23:40 - and then I end up going to bed after midnight. 
Verdict: Big Fat Fail
 

4. Use commuting time more efficiently

Hit and miss. Usually miss. Firstly, I need to have a seat and space to move my arms to get my diary out of my bag. Secondly, I need to be awake. Not going to bed early enough and running around like an idiot in the morning to catch that train usually means my brain is taking some time out before we reach the office and/or I douse it in caffeine.
Verdict: Fail

5. Make proper plans for the weekend

Whilst we haven't been out every weekend, I have managed to do some fun things with little M. He hugely enjoyed cutting apples for the apple compote I made. Or watching an old Disney movie whilst snuggling up to me. Point is: I have made a conscious effort to spend quality time with him and whilst I will always wish there was more of it, I am happy with where we are so far.
Verdict: Pass
 

Total score: (just about) 2/5

Ok. Not great. I think the main aim has got to be get a better balance in terms of sleep and "stuff to do in the evening". Theoretically that should help me with 1, 3 and 4!

Do you set goals? Or make new year's resolutions? Let me know. :)

Covet Monday - Focus

If you've seen a number of my weekly outfit roundups you will probably have noticed the nice soft filter I have applied to my photos. Only that it isn't a filter. It'll either be the dust that has settled on the only large-ish mirror in the house or simply the fact that I am taking all pictures with my iPhone6 camera.

Don't get me wrong: mobile phone, or rather, smartphone cameras, have come a long way. Long gone is the 1.3 (?) MP of my iPhone3G. The newer iPhones have 8 MP and can create some seriously good pictures. And the advantage is, of course, that it's so easy: you always have your phone with you, you can instantly use the picture for social media updates and if you want, you can edit them really easily with various apps that are available. I don't really edit but I do use Pic Stitch to combine a number of images into one, especially for the aforementioned outfit pics.

The above mentioned fuzzy-ness mainly manifests itself in low-light situations and I decided it's time for a "proper" camera. I have to add here that I have no idea about cameras but my wishlist contained the following:

• compact and light
• decent image quality
• flip-able screen
• remote shutter release
• not too expensive (had no idea, really, but thought no more than £300)

So after doing a bit of googling and chatting to a colleague of mine, who does know cameras, I rather liked the Sony a5000.  Available from £250 and ticking all the right boxes, I was pretty much sold. And then Black Friday happened and the Sony a5100 was reduced to £279 (even the white one!), so I pounced!

The little box got delivered this morning and so far I am really impressed: nice size and weight, it just "feels" like quality. Well, that's pretty much all I can say right now as I've not had the chance yet to play. So really, my "covet" this week is more of a "I wish I knew how to use it".

Covet - Peace and Pens

I wrote this very short post last week and now feel really silly publishing something this frivolous after the past days' events in Baghdad, Paris and Kenya. How can I covet a pen when it is so irrelevant? When there are people dying and suffering all over the world and we have no idea how to put a stop to it? On Friday morning I read a horrendous article on the conditions of refugee camps in Lesbos, donated money and shared the piece on my Facebook timeline. On Friday evening more pain and suffering had been added.

I don't know what to do to make the threat go away. I have no solution of how to take all the suffering away. Only the desire that each and every one of us thinks about what we can do. Be kind. Compassionate. Donate. Share. Don't push those away that need our help. Other than that we'll just have to continue to live our lives. Even if that means just lusting over a shiny pen...
  


I have tried to to become too obsessed with my planner stuff and generally only buy items I know I actually need but one can never have too many pens, right?!

So, how pretty is this pen?! 

PenGems don't just have a pretty outer but you can customise them by adding a high quality refill - also available on their website.

I think I am going to have to just need that pen...

Covet Monday: Be a Domestic Goddess

If you read my Covet post from a couple of weeks ago, you will know that I am pretty rubbish in the kitchen but that a glut of plums made me take the plunge and try out my hand at jam making. In said post I also mentioned that we did not only harvest plums but also blackberries. I guess, I could have just followed the same recipe and done some blackberry jam but memories of my grandmother's blackberry syrup made me search for a syrup recipe. Really remarkably easy, I managed to not mess it up.

700g blackberries
700g sugar

1. Wash berries, don't worry about the odd stalk left in there
2. Put berries into a saucepan on a low to medium heat. Add sugar. Do NOT stir.
3. After 5 minutes the berries will start to break up. Stir gently.

4. Leave on a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stir gently every 5 minutes.
5. Put a muslin over a sieve and ladle in the mixture. Leave it to drip into a bowl for 1 hour. Do not squeeze.
6. Fill into sterilized bottles. I stood the bottles in boiling water for 10 minutes after filling.

The syrup is lovely drizzled over icecream or puddings, diluted in water or maybe in a glass of champagne as a Kir style drink.

Covet Monday: Topshop Mini Skirt

As much as I like wrapping up warm when it gets cold, I find myself drawn to shorter skirts as soon as the temperature drops. I just think knee-length works best with no or nude tights, whereas short skirts look better on me with black opaques. Hunting for a new mini, I suddenly found myself back at one of my old favourites: Topshop

It has been ages since I bought anything at Topshop. Partially because I've been "good" and bought less than I used to and partially because I have been opting for slightly higher priced items. My theory of "buy less but higher quality" had been working pretty well and my cost per wear ratio had definitely improved.

Anyway, picking up a shirtdress, I had stumbled upon, I found three contenders and shall pop into store this week to buy one up if it fits. :)

High-Waisted Check A-Line Skirt
I like the retro dogtooth pattern and the contrast lines breaking it up. Can see myself wearing this with a chunky knit and lace up boots. 

Checked Twill High-Waisted Skirt
I am sure, Rachel in Friends wore a very similar one - and I used to love that one! This one I'd combine with one of my grey cropped sweatshirts and either black boots brogues. 

Floral Boucle A-Line Skirt
A bit pretty-pretty but I'd love this with chunky lace up boots and a black lose sweathshirt.

So wish me luck. Let's hope I can still pull off a mini...

Covet Monday: Something Sweet

People who know me will be happy to testify that I am not very good in the kitchen. When I try to do anything more complicated than pancakes or boiled eggs (both of which I can actually do very nicely, indeed), it usually goes wrong. Tears have featured a number of times in the past.

So when our garden produced a bumper harvest of plums and topped it off with an incredible amount of wild blackberries, I needed some really easy ways of preserving them. A couple of phone conversations with my mum, some light online research and a trip to a jar wholesaler and I was ready to go.

So this is what I did with the first lot of plum:

Plum Jam

All I used was plums, a squirt of lemon and sugar. Ordinary sugar. Not preserving or jam sugar or any other setting agent. If you use ordinary sugar you rely on the natural pectin in your fruit to set your jam, so it will work best with fruit that contains more pectin; you might struggle with berries. And you typically need to use a fruit to sugar ratio of 50:50. 

1. Wash plums and de-stone.
2. Put fruit, lemon juice and a bit of water in a pot.
3. Bring to the boil, stir frequently.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
5. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
6. Turn up the heat and bring to a rapid boil.

 
7. After about 5 minutes, take a drop of your jam and pop it on a cooled plate. Leave for a minute and push your finger through it. If it wrinkles, it has reached setting point. If not, boil a bit longer and try again.

8. Fill into jars. [I remember my granny sterilising huge glass jars in pots and this being a big palaver. I just got some ordinary jars with screw tops, washed them well, rinsed them hot and put them in the oven upside down for about 20 minutes. I put the lids into boiling water and filled the jam in when the glasses had just come out of the oven.]

I was a bit worried that this jam would be too sickly sweet due to the 50% sugar content but the fruit had good flavour and a bit of tartness and I am happy to report that it tastes nice and fruity.

So this was the first lot of plums taken care of. We had another one to come. And all those blackberries. I am happy to report that I have since then produced blackberry syrup, blackberry jelly, plum vodka and blackberry gin. So watch this space if, like me, you need easy ways of preserving some fruit. If I can do it, anybody can!

The lovely people at Independent Fashion Bloggers have chosen my post this week for their top 20 "Links a la Mode", alongside with the others below. Do check them out!
Links à la Mode, October 29

• A Handful of Stories: Two Unbelievable Makeup Looks for Halloween
• Anakin and His Angel: Star Wars Cover Girl | Kylo Ren Inspired Makeup
• A Preponderance of Fashion: DIY Halloween Costumes for Women
• Banarsi Designs: 7 Street Style Scarf Looks to Steal Now
• Cat Eyes & Skinny Jeans: {Beauty Boards} Magic Wands
• Dresscode:HighFashion: 10 High Fashion Looks for Halloween 2015
• Epouser La Mode: One Sweater 4 Styles!
• Fashion Blender: Sandals of Love
• Greige Market: How to Dress Like a Grown Up
• Happy. Pretty. Sweet.: Halloween in Your Closet | Dorothy Gale
• La Vintage Vida: The Fitting Room Chronicles | Channeling Stevie Nicks
• Lil Miss JB Style: Longline Vest
• Mama in Heels: How to Wear Faux Fur without Looking Like Chewbacca
• Modavracha: Stoles | Will Get You Noticed But Keep You Warm
• Ms. FABulous: Fashion Underground | The World of Susanne Bartsch
• MySelf Expressed: Twice as Nice | Oversized
• Sheela Writes: Get Your Sheet On
• Tell Me, Y…: This Camera Will Help You Take a Killer #OOTD Photo on Your Own
• We Are Ready Made: To the Next 1000!!
• Wish and Wear: Covet Monday | Something Sweet

SPONSOR: Shopbop Blank Denim, Love Sam Tops, Schutz Shoes, Zoe Chicco, Bickley + Mitchell, Sara Battaglia, Long Cardigans, Black Lace Tops, Fur Coats, Men's Splendid Mills

An Apple a Day...

I have an iPhone 6, which serves me just fine. More than fine. An iPhone 5 or even 4 probably would have been easily sufficient. I even went for the fancy gold colour on my 6. 

And what do Apple do? They bring out a new one, with barely any new function but in rose gold - and I am such a sucker for rose gold that I instantly want it. 

I need help!

Covet Monday: A Little Bit of Grace

Woman One: She looks effortlessly chic. Moves with grace. Always seems "put together".

Woman Two: She stumbles occasionally. Realizes a button is undone. Mixes up her words.

And then there's me. I can only aspire to be like Woman Two.

I am the one that is in front of you in the queue, tries to be quick and, in the process of pulling her purse out, drops all her change, 5 tampons and a kid's toy.

I take off my bag that I wore cross body and get the strap completely tangled up in my scarf. Queue a dance of untangling and trying not to strangulate myself. I swear, my colleagues try not to laugh when I come into the office in the morning.

I regularly bang my hips into doorframes, tables and other furniture. Do I really think they're even more boyish than they already are?!

I'm a bit lazy and want to take my bra off without removing my top. Instead of saving the one minute I could have saved, I spend 5 minutes getting so hopelessly tangled up in my bra, top and vest top that I need to call Mr G for help.

I could go on. But I won't in the hope that I can retain some sort of illusion that sometimes I do look chic or put together.

I just would like a bit more of what Woman One has.

Something Ringless: Midori & Co.

If you've followed my blog in the past weeks, you might have seen that I recently got into carrying around a planner. At the moment this is a personal-sized Filofax, which is working quite well size-wise. I have now also found inserts that I really like, though I am still tweaking how exactly I am using them and deciding on which version I will continue to use.
 
The rings are, of course, what make a Filofax a Filofax. Having them means I can chop and change my setup really easily, add pages if I need more writing space or rip out a page where I’ve done something I’d rather not see again. This is certainly much more flexible than buying a ready bound planner and especially helpful for me now when I'm still in the figuring out phase.

However, there are two things I'd like to change – and both are inherently linked to the rings themselves:

1. They get in my way and I really can't be bothered taking pages out to write on them. This means I don't utilise the space as well as I could or my handwriting is even more aesthetically challenged than it already is.
2. When moving used up pages out of my planner, they end up clipped together in a box. I would really like to archive pages in a way that invites me to flick through them. I still pick up old planners or diaries form over 20 years ago and would love to preserve some of the stuff that is going on now for years to come. I think this applies even more so as little M seems to be growing up so fast and I'd like to record little anecdotes.

By immersing myself into the wonderful world of plannering I discovered something recently that might just fit the bill. It's called a Midori or Traveller's Notebook and it is, essentially, just a leather cover with string that allows you to slot in various inserts by slipping them behind an elastic band. Midori Traveller’s Notebook is a brand name of a specific company but the concept seems to have spawned (or supported) a whole industry. You can get these covers now in all kinds of sizes and I am drawn to either the traditional TN, which takes inserts measuring 11cm x 21cm or a cover that takes Field Note sized inserts, which measures 9cm x 14cm. 

So yes, the FN is much smaller than the TN but whether it would work would all depend on how I'd set it up. I like the idea of having one insert for my planning/calendar and then another one for journaling rather than to write down personal notes in the planning section. But then again I imagine it would be nice to have the luxury of 22cm x 21cm on an opened up page to scribble, sketch, stick in things...

I've been going back and forth on this so I think I'll just have to take the plunge and try one. My current favourites for both TN size are:


Midori TN Blue Limited Edition £45
An "original" Midori but in a limited edition blue

FauxDori by Ink Bandits £22.99
Extra-wide Midori-style cover made from real leather and available in some lovely colours. Extra-wide means you can slot in a larger number of inserts and really cover all your planning needs.

Gillio Giramondo €180
From what I have seen in recent months, Gillio are the ultimate in planner luxury due to the quality of their leathers and the craftsmanship applied. Given their fantastic choice of colours, I am probably being pretty boring picking something that would match my Mulberry oak items but I just love that kind of leather and what it does when it ages.

And for Field Note size:

Pelledori Leather Journal in Lush Grey - Pocket Wide £23.11
Pocket size wide should accommodate 4-6 Field Note sized inserts and give me the flexibility to add all the sections I want. Oh, and I love the Pelledori colours! 

Pelledori Honey Tanned Leather Journal - Pocket Wide £23.11
Same as the above, just in a lush natural leather colour.

Explorer 3 Leather Notebook Cover by FennerCRAFTS £54
The leather on this looks so sturdy and gorgeous and I love the subtle detailing

So I really just need to decide on size, right..?