5/31/2013

Ginger's Jollies: Bank Holiday Camping



This past weekend in the UK was a Bank Holiday weekend. That means a three day weekend for some of us (sorry to those people who had to work!) It was also my friend's birthday. She decided that she wanted to go camping for her birthday, so early on Saturday morning I headed down South to join her and Saunders on a camping trip adventure. 




We camped on a farm around the Dorking area. It felt so good to be back in the countryside for a few days (my flowery wellies even got an outing.) We spent Saturday chilling out on the camp site and walking through the wood, having an explore and taking some photographs before settling down around the camp fire and having a BBQ.



On Sunday, we took a drive down the road and discovered Shere; a beautiful country village surrounded by rolling hills, and hundreds of trees. We stopped for a drink and a bite to eat, and had a mosey around the shops (we even discovered an Antique Fayre, which made Saunders very happy!) 


 After a short stop back at the camp site for a mid-afternoon nap, off we went again to find somewhere to have tea. A hop skip and a jump down the road (in the car) we found a gorgeous little country pub to stop at and have a bite to eat and a relax. I had the most delicious home-cooked curry, and it was so lovely sitting out in the sun. We were definitely blessed with beautiful weather that weekend. 

After our tea, we spent the evening around the fire toasting marshmallows and making S'mores (if you live in the UK and haven't heard of a S'more before - hehe- here is a good definition - thank you Wikipedia. - S'mores are delicious! You ALL should try therm!)


Instagram: @Gingerjax

The Bank Holiday weekend was beautiful and it was really great to spend some quality time with two of my really good friends. I do love camping, but I wish I'd packed a few warmer clothes. The temperature really dropped in the evening, and on the second night, I had to sleep in the car because I was so cold.) It was my silly mistake for not going prepared. I should have learnt from going to Canada last year, but it didn't dampen my spirits - just gave me an even bigger excuse to have a warm bath when I got back to my parents' house!

Are you a camper, or a glamper?!

Ginger x



5/21/2013

A Mini Fashion Haul | Just Add Ginger


Blogging everyday throughout April was so much fun, but I did get a bit behind on the day-to-day life stuff, so needed to take a bit of a break to sort myself out and just enjoy life. There have been loads of exciting things going on lately, and I really wanted to engulf myself in them and have a good time! 

During these few weeks I have done a little bit of shopping, so I thought I'd share my purchases with you in mini haul posts...this one is for fashion items, and next time I will cover beauty. 

Nb: I am in no way showing off what I've bought. I really like watching hauls on YouTube, or reading haul blog posts because it gives me the chance to see what clothes are out there on the high street/online. This is what I'm doing in sharing my purchases with you. 

New Look 

Just Add Ginger blog

These are my newest purchase. 

A few months ago, I bought a pair of wedged trainers from Primark. I was desperate for a pair of comfortable shoes for a weekend and they were a complete impulse buy.....I fell completely in love with them! For the summer, I wanted a lighter coloured pair, and found these beauties in New Look. They are super-comfortable, and I particularly loved the spike detail on the velcro strap. The colour is the perfect for wearing right now all the way through to Autumn! I already have big plans for these shoes!

Just Add Ginger blog

Playsuits are normally my arch-nemesis. I absolutely LOVE them, but normally, the cut does not suit me at all. My legs and around my hip area (and my bum) are quite shapely compared to the rest of me, so wearing playsuits can make these areas look even big. 

However, the cut of this playsuit is super flattering. The shorts are slightly flared, and almost culotte-style, so don't cling to my legs. I really like the design too. There's something quite Art Deco and Great Gatsby about it. When I put it on I felt instantly glamorous!

Just Add Ginger blog

With warmer weather gradually starting to creep in, I knew I wanted to pick up a pair of wedges. Because if foot issues, it is impossible for me to wear flip flops because they don't stay on my feet. Sandals/wedges with thin straps near the toe are out of the question because my left pinky likes to pop out the side, and I always need to have a strap that secures my foot in. 

With these limitations (and wide feet to add to the mix,) finding a pair of wedges that I could actually wear was a bit tricky. I found these in the New Look in Westfield, and couldn't believe it when they fit me! The buckle at the front means I can loosen the shoe to accommodate my chubster feet, and the strap at the side means my feet are in no danger of going anywhere! The tan colour is perfect for the summer, and the wedge height is perfect for comfort (and high enough to be worn night time too.) I'd definitely recommend giving these a try if your feet are on the wider side, but they are beautiful shoes even if you have slimmer feet too! 

H&M 

Just Add Ginger blog

I spotted this dress quite a while ago in H&M. I wasn't too sure at the time if I liked enough to buy it. But then at home, I decided I did really like it, went back to find it, and it had vanished from sight! 

Noooooo!!! 

When I went to Westfield, I found it again in the H&M there and immediately picked it up. I am a huge fan of the skater dress style as for my body shape it is an extremely flattering cut (nips me in at the waist and skims my hips.) the skirt is mini length, so great for day time or night time looks! And I just love the statement the tiger makes staring out from the top...it's instantly eye-catching and the colours pop out from the black fabric. 

I have already worn this dress. Check out my Instagram for how I styled it up.  

ASOS 

Just Add Ginger blog

Like the H&M dress, I had been eyeing up this maxi dress from ASOS for a while. Because of my shape, I lot of maxi dresses I have tried on in thec past have not suited me because they are just shift or shealth style, and cling to me in all the wrong places. This dress however, is A Line, so flares out just after the waist and skims over the parts of me I don't want to accentuation. 

I decided to go for the dress in the black because I wanted something quite classic that I could wear all year round rather than just in the summer. I thought black would be the best choice for this as it is such a versatile colour, and carries through all the seasons. 

It never goes out of style!

Again. I have worn this dress already, so check out my Instagram if you want to see how I styled the dress. I'll probably do a lookbook post/video on it soon too!


Everything featured in this haul was under the £30 mark. I'm a great believer in investing in affordable fashion that I'm going to enjoy wearing again and again without fear of my purse erupting into flames!

What fashion items have you been buying recently? Any recommendations?

5/01/2013

Happy May Day!



It's the 1st May today!! 

Happy May Day Everybody! 

I cannot believe how quickly this year is going. It seems like only yesterday that it was my 26th birthday and the UK was getting covered in snow, but now, I'm looking out my office window and all I can see is blue sky and sunshine (and houses.)

This year has been phenomenal so far. It has been filled with lots of fun times, and I have learnt so much about myself over the past 4 months. I feel stronger, more confident, and just really happy in general, especially when I think about the amazing friendships I have, and what an great support system there is behind me!

I had so much fun doing the A-Z Blog Challenge during April that I'm thinking about keeping up blogging every day. I'll have to have a ponder over it, because I think if I do keep it up,, there should be some structure to it instead of posting random things each day. 

What do you think? 



I'm a bit busy for the rest of the week now, but on Monday I'm going to post up some links to some of the fabulous blogs I discovered during the challenge. It was great being a part of a new community and uncovering new blog gems! 

This is just a bit of a chatty post. I felt in the mood to post something contemplative and uplifting  The sunshine always puts me in a contended, reflective mood!

Well done everybody who took part and completed the challenge! 

Ginger x