Snuggle up with Knitwear from Veuxdoo

Knitwear season will soon be upon us- although it’s hard to believe with the gorgeous weather we’ve had this week!
I’m a big fan of cuddly jumpers and these jumpers from Veuxdoo’s AW collection fit the bill perfectly.

Veuxdoo is a real treasure trove for all things quirky and vintage at reasonable prices. It was only founded in August 2012 and has already made a name for itself in the online fashion world.
The lovely people at Veuxdoo have been generous enough to offer all readers of this blog a fantastic 15% discount off of their already reasonable prices,
to take advantage simply enter the following code at the checkout.
Let me know what you buy!
xxx

Introducing Ilumi

It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen a proper foodie post on this here blog and I’m kicking things back off from now (you know, now I love food even more) with a review of a fantastic range of ready meals from Ilumi.
Ready meals tend to get a bit of a bad rap these days, slated for being unhealthy and laden with ingredients we can’t pronounce let alone digest properly. I try my best to limit my intake of them but I was curious and hungry to try this range when I saw them appear all over twitter and some of the blogs I read.
Ilumi cook up a range of gluten, milk and nut free foods and have been for nearly a decade in their County Durham kitchens. The meals are created and over-seen by a team of nutritionists to make sure everything is allergy friendly as well as utterly tasty.
I was sent a sample from across the ready meal range to try for myself. Apart from whole nuts I don’t really have an issue with any of the allergens these meals are free from but I can appreciate what a relief it must be for someone with a serious allergy to know there are some convenience meals they can safely eat.

As you can see the meals come in microwavable pouches and can be kept at room temperature which makes them perfect for work as well as home. There’s a clear (short) list of fresh, pronounceable ingredients as well as serving suggestions and nutritional breakdown (for the record, most are diet friendly although that’s not a current concern for myself)
My favourite meal was the Chicken Cacciatora which I served with warm bread and a salad. The meal takes a mere two minutes in the microwave and whilst not a huge portion was filling and very, very fresh tasting and full of flavour. 
The other meals were equally delicious, I had the soup one lunch time and the curries are versatile enough to make a quick, hot lunch on their own, or a decent evening meal served with some steamed rice (you can  purchase pouches from Ilumi for £1)
Ilumi also do a range of sauces, gravies and vegetarian meals at varying prices. Sauces start at £1.50 and a meal will set you back between £1.90-£3.75
they may not be the cheapest of options but for something so speedy and delicious I say you can’t go wrong as an occasional quick fix. I’ll be stocking up on a few more (making the most of the offers on the Ilumi website) for days when I’ve got in late from work and just can’t face cooking but still want something with nutritional value.
In short, I’m a huge fan of these meals and I love that they are safe for those with allergies too. One word of warning when cooking in the microwave though, the can sometime splatter!
Have you tried Ilumi yet? Do you think you will? I’m all for home cooking but sometimes a girl needs to be lazy. 
Want to know if Ilumi could work for you and your specific needs? There’s a handy FAQ section, too.
xxx

Magpie Eye- Dogeared at ASOS

My magpie like tendency to home in on anything shiny has led me to lusting after this gorgeous little bracelet from the new and exclusive to ASOS Dogeared collection. 
I’ve always loved Dogeared’s delicate and meaningful designs so to hear they had come up with an exclusive collection for one of my all time favourite retailers was pretty damn exciting.
The collection compromises of 9 pieces- four necklaces, two bracelets and three sets of earrings with prices starting at £32
The collection is available now on ASOS. If you were planning on getting me a Christmas present then this would be a good start 😉
Which is your favourite piece?
xxx

Hello, Darling

Trousers c/o Darling
Tee: Uniqlo
Shoes c/o Yull
Say hello to my favourite trousers ever, sent to me the other week by the generous folks at Darling these might just convert me in to a weekday trouser wearer. The Poppie trousers are part of the gorgeous AW collection over on the website, compromising of fabulous florals right through to the coolest (yet warmest) coats. I’ve spent many an hour persuing Darling and I’m delighted I can now say I own a piece…with my wages going on more in the future now I know the quality and fit is excellent. I’ve got my eye on the dress version of the trousers too!
I wasn’t really sure how to style a pair of printed trousers but opted for simple yet office appropriate with a faithful Uniqlo tee and the Cambridge flats from my dear friend at Yull.
It took a bit of getting used to wearing trousers for work, really the only trousers I wear are jeans at the weekend but they proved comfortable and eye-catching and will retain my dignity when I inevitably fall off my chair at some point in the near future (it always happens!)
Happy Mid-Week ladies and gents, where is time going? It’s flu jab season at work and we are busier than ever…still, I have my window shopping to keep me sane and I’ll be keeping a close eye on Darling for seasons to come.
How would you style these trousers?
xxx

Bag Lust- Brit Punk from Cambridge Satchel

Think Satchels and you don’t instantly associate the word “Punk” with them, do you?
Cambridge Satchel are out to challenge this with their latest release the Brit Punk Collection compromising of two toughened up black leather Satchels to perfectly accentuate the tough AW leather and black fashions (so basically they’ve created my ideal bag!)
13″ Black with Studs- £150

14″ Black with Tartan- £159

My personal favourite is the black with studs as to me it seems the most long-wearing of designs in terms of seasonal versatility. My love of all things tartan means I am also seriously coveting the slightly larger version with that fantastic front pocket.
Sadly for me, both are out of my price range, dammit.
Fancy a closer look or been tempted to make a purchase?
The bags are available right here on the website.
Which do you prefer?
xxx