Monthly Favourites #3

My monthly series, sharing the food, places, fashion, beauty and entertainment that I'm currently enjoying.

1. Such an amazing coffee table book, with a truly inspiring story. A look inside one woman's wardrobe after loosing her mum to cancer, showcasing 365 days of outfits, built entirely on items from charity shops. A refreshing look into how cancer touched one woman's life and her mission to raise awareness and money - of course all proceeds from the book go to Cancer Research. Available to buy now from Amazon. I love the concept of this book and there are some great styling tips in there too.

2. Since i started swimming again my hair is a nightmare - love to swim, but hate the chlorine! So after reading something about oils helping with hair condition after swimming, i decided to try out coconut oil and it is amazing, not only for my dry hair but also for my skin and nails. This is Superdrug's own brand coconut oil, so isn't expensive but has left my hair feeling soft and hydrated, will be going back for the larger tub.

3. My favourite summer dress of 2016. Love the simple shape, the off the shoulder styling (not full elastic so actually stays in place) and the super flattering mix of stripes. This was a bold choice for me, don't think i have ever owned anything red before but i feel in love with the nautical twist to the dress. This was actually a shot taken on my wedding anniversary (hiding a belly full of an amazing tapas meal!).

4. Enjoyed an amazing day out, with my sister at the West Midlands Safari park. Saw lots of animals, screamed a lot while getting soaked on the rides and during a couple of torrential down pours plus made a couple of feathered friends. These colourful little birds are lorikeets - they were so beautiful and friendly, to the point where just after this pic was taken one was sat on top of my head, preening my hair!

5. Nothing better than fresh flowers in the house. These were a beautiful bunch from a local shop and i was so impressed that it included peonies plus i love the rich purples shades. Have to be careful not to buy flowers that include lilies, as they are poisonous to cats and Willow can't help herself - as soon as she see the vase she has her head in them, usually chewing on the leaves.

6. A cheeky little treat from Etsy - this pretty little rose gold unicorn pin, is the perfect addition to my faithful denim jacket. Check out the seller - Ilovecrafty, for this and many more fun & quirky jewellery pieces. 

7. When it comes to my nails, i only ever use Essie polish. I love the consistency and coverage, plus there are so many gorgeous shades to choose from. My favourite shades for the summer are: Tart Deco - a dreamy coral / Saltwater Happy - sugar sweet atlantic blue / Funny Face - a provocative shade of fuchsia / Mint Candy Apple - a creme de menthe mint. What shade do you love to wear in the summer?

8. Enjoying a brief afternoon of summer sunshine in my back garden, with these gorgeous purple aviators from Primark and only £2!. Plus how cute are my flower beds, they are the only good thing to come out of the last month of rain!!

9. My gorgeous new sale purchase from The Cambridge Satchel Company - who could resist this oxblood leathery delight? Read more in the satchels introduction post.

10. Finally trying out a recipe from the new Tanya Bakes book. So many yummy recipes to choose from but i went for the cheesecake & dark chocolate cupcakes as my first bake. While my icing skills need improving, the cakes themselves are really nice, especially loving the cheesecake element and so many chocolate chips!

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