Hello Friday...

 I hope everyone had a good week and is looking forward to the weekend! During the last few days I had a small bit of a wardrobe changeover just to see what pieces I had from last A/W that may work with some new trends for this season. These dark jeggings from a local boutique were first out.
 Now I did pay more for them at the time as the quality and colour were great but the annoying thing about jeggings for me, is that they never quite sit right on the hips, and I always feel like they are falling down! For the moment they will suffice until I invest in a good pair of dark skinny jeans .

I was also waiting for an opportunity to wear the cropped jacket I bought in the Zara sale recently, so I thought it paired well with the darker colour jeans. It 's a good piece to have for the next few weeks or so with the weather turning a bit colder in the mornings! I have actually been made redundant from my school run job as she thinks she is old enough to walk with some friends! That may all change again when the weather takes a turn for the worse!!

I hope you all enjoy the weekend:)

Anne xx

Recipe: Garlic and Chilli Prawns ....

While on holidays in Spain my daughter ordered a gorgeous prawn dish for dinner one evening . Clearly missing the relaxed holiday  lifestyle, she decided to recreate the recipe for our lunch last week. Who was I to argue with that,  and once I heard garlic and prawns mentioned I waited in hungry anticipation for my lovely treat. They were absolutely divine and I may be looking for them every week from now on!! This is what she used for the recipe...

250g of large prawns

100 ml olive oil

50g butter

1 red chilli diced

chopped coriander to garnish

Directions...

Heat the oil and butter on a heatproof pan until foaming . Add the diced chilli and garlic and stir for a few minutes until  golden brown. When sizzling add prawns and cook for about 3 mins. Serve with some freshly sliced baguette to mop up all the lovely left over juices:)

Hope you all enjoy:)
Anne xx

Style inspiration: Simple Shirts/blouses....

Good morning everyone!

 Glad to report it is nice and sunny here after all the torrential rain and wind yesterday! I really felt like packing away every piece of summer clothing and returning to boots and knitwear! Having said that as soon as the schools go back the real summer will probably start, so a few light bits kept to hand will have to be at the ready! At the moment I'm loving all the new A/W styling and  I think you cant beat a simple shirt with jeans for everyday wear! Dressed up or down they always look fab :) Add colourful scarves and a cardi as soon as the Autumn chill appears to complete the look... 

1/La Garconne    2/Equipment  Fawn python     3/Dunnes      4/H&M

As it is relatively warmish today, I styled this plain basic shirt with the coloured jeans I bought last week (still not entirely sure whether I like them or not but I'm giving them a trial run anyhow)! I will probably be back in my trusty blue denim tomorrow:) My toes are also starting to feel a little cold, so cosy ankle boots are on my immediate shopping list!! 

Hope you all have a good day:)

Anne xx

Weekend recap....

Happy Monday all! hope everyone had a good weekend:)

 We had a busy one here with the two birthdays but I really enjoyed it all the same. On Saturday it was hubs birthday but as he was working we decided to hold Sarah's party a day earlier. We will go out for dinner next weekend instead! Saturday morning I  had to attend the funeral of a young mother which put a lot of things into perspective to say the least :(  Here are a few snaps of the party  which ran very smoothly and all had a nice afternoon I think:)

I hope you all have a good week! The schools are opening on Wednesday so it will be back to early mornings and routine for a while! Now I must head off and cover some of those new schoolbooks. Hate that job with a passion!!

See you all soon:)
Anne xx

Happy Weekend ...

Hi All!

It has been a long and busy week here in my house so I am really delighted to see Friday arrive:) On a good note Conor  got his chosen place in college, which means I will have two boys going to Maynooth University next month!! This is where I think I need to get a full-time job .... definitely won't be buying much after funding that!! I also want to thank Claire at Another New Day for a lovely award she gave me last weekend. I hope you all  pop over for a visit to her lovely blog if ye have any time:)

We have two significant birthdays in the family this weekend, Tomorrow is the hubs and Sunday is our youngest Sarah! I think hubs will be pushed aside tomorrow as missy is having a few friends over in the afternoon for a girlie spa day! (only joking Philip)

Now for the time being I am going to relax and lovely daughter Laura is going to recreate a prawn dish she ordered in Spain! (see above photo)... That will hopefully be my delicious Friday lunch :) I will let you know on Monday what they were like!

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Hope you all have a great weekend:) If anyone is visiting Dublin ,The Tall Ships festival is on over the coming days and it promises to be a fun weekend  for all!

Anne xx

A Day At The Zoo ....

We spent a lovely afternoon strolling around Dublin Zoo recently. I used to bring the lads a lot when they were small but I hadn't been up there for a while since! We chose the perfect day weather wise for strolling around and I really enjoyed it:)

It has increased in size a bit since I visited last so it took a while to get around and see everything! Sarah really enjoyed the day as she had only been there once before on a school trip when she was smaller:)

I think the monkeys and the  flamingoes were her favourites!

I think everyone enjoys an outing to the zoo whether young or old and I just wanted to include some of the lovely photos on my blog :) I hope you are all having a good week. I can't believe how fast the time is going at the moment!

See you all soon :)

Anne xx

Style Inspiration: Quilted Jackets...

Whilst browsing online last evening I came across this gorgeous jacket on the Monsoon website! Normally I only check it for dresses or shirts but I have to say I loved most of their A/W styling! This easy wear jacket kind of spoke to me (must be all the driving around country roads with Shane gone to my head lol !!) anyhow it set me thinking as to how I might style it for a casual Autumn day look. This is what I would imagine myself wearing if I were to buy a similar style jacket:)

Jeans/Dorothy Perkins    Jacket/Monsoon    Top/Paul and Joe    Bag/Dorothy Perkins    Boots/Tory Burch

I think this look is fab for a casual weekend style or walking the kids from school on a crisp Autumn day! I actually remember owning a navy one years ago something similar to this ,without the gathered waist! Maybe that's what drew me to it in the first place! I also picked up a similar pair of berry coloured jeans in Penneys/Primark this morning whilst shopping with Sarah! They are the same as the blue pair on my post here yesterday and for 13 euro I can't fault the fit!

Hope you all enjoy the day:)

Anne xx

Hello Monday...

Happy new week everyone!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend :) I was kept busy here with the lads soccer matches restarting on Saturdays. I am also trying to organise Sarah's birthday party for next weekend and the new school year starts in a weeks time this Wednesday!! Where has Summer gone!  Laura came home from Spain yesterday and I felt rather pale sitting next to her with her gorgeous golden tan!.

Whilst shopping over the weekend I picked up this delightful cardi in Tesco (see some good can always come out of a grocery trip) and into my trolley it went tout suite!! I think it's a nice little wardrobe addition for the nippy Autumn days ahead!

I hope you all have a great week

Anne xx

Happy Friday....

Hello!

Hope you all had a good week:) I 've been up since the crack of dawn today, as Shane has a new job location for a few weeks and of course there is no bus or train heading directly there! Mum's taxi will be in operation for the next while ,negotiating very narrow country roads , over small humpy bridges and god knows what else I could encounter on any given morning! Somehow I feel my posting may become a little erratic over the next few weeks until I adjust to this new routine!!

When I got back this morning I was famished so I made these delicious pancakes as a treat! I blame Pinterest for putting these gorgeous recipes my way and I just have to try them out when I see them! I  stacked some pancakes on top of each other and separated them with a layer of cream and blueberries. Dust with some fine sugar and a little icing sugar and cut into slices like a cake! There you go  ... a  lovely brunch recipe for the weekend :)

Hope you all enjoy! I am looking forward to Laura arriving back from Spain on Sunday. I also have to plan a spa party for Sarah's 12th birthday next weekend! Somehow that will keep me busy I think!

See you all soon:)

Anne xx

Decor inspiration: Currently Coveting...

One of my absolute favourite websites at the moment is Anthropologie. I could browse for hours just looking at all the gorgeous homewares and textiles! What appeals to me most is the use of strong bright colours guaranteed to cheer up any room, especially with some darker Autumn evenings on the way! Here's a little inspiration of what is on offer:)

I have been after these little bowls for ages now, so I think it is high time I made a few purchases! For lots more gorgeous pieces and prices go here.

Just a few other bits happening around here right now... I want to say congratulations to my son Conor who did brilliant in his exam results yesterday and hopefully has secured his chosen place in college! We will find out on Monday!

Thank you to Sue marie who blogs over here and who tagged me in a lovely blog award!

Also a big thank you to Beth from Style Guile who posted a lovely piece about my blog on Britmumsblog I was thrilled to be amongst such good company!

Hope you all have a good day :)

Anne xx

Style inspiration: Chanel Style Jackets....

Morning all!

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After a blast of sunshine over the weekend the temps are back to normal and I 'm continuing my series on transitional pieces you may have or could buy to wear over the next few weeks. Whilst doing a little pinning the other day I came across the lovely photo above. The styling of the jacket looks so effortless and paired with long boots and black bag it becomes a gorgeous chic Autumn look!

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Now I thought I had missed out on purchasing one of these jackets from the S/S range, but whilst shopping in Cork at the weekend I found this beauty on sale in Zara and in my size:)  I snapped it up straight away and it will come in so useful over the next few weeks when the weather gets cooler. Having a look around I think this style will be here for a long while  as I spied some gorgeous heavier jackets and one longer coat version which immediately went on my A/W wishlist!

 I don't have a photo of me wearing it yet. One of my photographers is lapping up the sun in Spain and my other little lady is out for the count in bed this morning!. I intend to style it with my blue jeans or skinny trousers and boots to extend the use well into A/W.

Hope you all have a good day:)

Anne xx

Some Weekend Snaps...

Hello!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend! I had a fabulous time visiting family and I'm delighted to say the sun shone for most of the time! We hit the beach on Friday and stayed there all day. I looked a bit pink in parts coming home but we really enjoyed our outing! 

Please excuse the hair standing on end but there was a lovely sea breeze blowing and I was gone beyond caring at that stage:) My mum was quite happy sitting on her chair and didn't move from that spot all afternoon!

On Saturday we had a family BBQ at my brother's house .... My sister in law and I sat down outside waiting for the sun to appear as it became rather cloudy in the afternoon. Sharing some lovely wine helped things along greatly!! 

I hope you all have a fabulous week!

Anne xx

Recipe: Chicken and Corn Tortilla wraps...

Hello!

Hope you are all having a good week:) Today I am posting this lovely recipe adapted from this one here , for these lovely tortilla wraps . I made them for lunch yesterday as my teens are always looking for quick savoury snacks during the day.... at night a couple of large bowls of cereal swimming in milk seems to do the trick!! Anyhow I think you might enjoy this recipe as it's very easy and  the mix of flavours combined together taste divine:) If you wish you could add extra ingredients such as red peppers for an added crunch !

Ingredients...

1 cup of sweet corn

2 boneless chicken fillets

2 tbs rocket chopped

salt and pepper

6 tortilla wraps

3 tbs feta cheese

1 avocado diced

Tomato salsa to serve

Directions...

 Grill or bbq the chicken fillets until cooked through , then cut into thin strips. Fill the tortillas with the chicken and corn. Top with some diced avocado and feta cheese. Sprinkle with the rocket and drizzle with a little tomato salsa to serve

How delicious does that sound ? 

Hope you all enjoy:) I am wishing you an early happy weekend as I'm off to Cork to visit my family for a little bit.

I am long overdue a trip down!! See you all next week:)

Anne xx

Style inspiration: Basic Black Trousers...

Hi all!

 I'm back with a quick outfit post today. I love the chevron print in this top and paired it with my silky black ankle length pants. These are great to have for all occasions .... I have several styles I rotate according to the season and always end up buying some new ones too. Add  a pop of colour with jewellery to lift the overall look and you have a simple everyday style.

Top/Dunnes Savida range (old)  Pants/H&M  Bag/Coach  Shoes/old (market in Spain)  Necklace/Wallis  Belt/Penneys

Having a quick look around this morning Topshop have this lovely pair of tapered trousers still on sale

These are linen and also have a flattering ankle length which would look great paired with sparkly sandals and top for an evening out :)  A fabulous bargain for £7 !! also check out Wallis for some lovely jewellery ... I got a few bits while I was away last week in Donegal which will come in useful for A/W .

Now I'm off to do a little fake tanning as I didn't realise how pasty my limbs looked until I put up the photo!!

Hope you all have a good day:)

Anne xx

Decor Inspiration: Amazing Outdoor spaces...

Happy Monday all!

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As it 's a long weekend here and we are all supposed to be in a fabulous holiday mood I'm posting my favourite summer outdoor images to keep the spirits up for another little while ( a few large gins could be needed to help things along also!!). I would love to be looking out at views like these, but sadly after another night of rain my own garden is a soggy mess! Anyhow I hope you all enjoy the inspiration :)

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I had dreamed of dining alfresco in a space like this but I could count the number of times our chair cushions appeared out of the shed! Oh well I will dream on for another little bit!

Hope you all have a good day:)

Anne xx

Style Inspiration: Casual Everyday Denim....

For the next month  I will be focusing on  finding some good, everyday versatile pieces that can be bought now and worn again later as part of a new A/W capsule closet .... I think basic denim is always a good place to start and one piece I already own and love is this chambray tunic I bought from Tesco whilst grocery shopping one morning in Spring!:) It has been worn over cropped trousers, full length jeans and even as a dress with coloured tights as seen here the first time around :)

Although I would imagine this style is well gone now, I have found a lovely replacement one below from Phase Eight which is still in stock and also on sale at the moment. I made up a collage as to how you could style it .... both for a warm end of summer day and the cooler Autumnal ones which are ahead, or as in our case around most of the time!!

Sandals/Steve Madden  Bag/Whistles  Shorts/J Crew  Tunic/Phase Eight   Jeans/Miss Selfridge

The shops are full of coloured jeans also at the moment and I love that berry colour as seen above! I have already purchased a blue pair from Penneys/Primark and will pick up another in this tone, as they are a fabulous fit and fantastic value at 13 euro !! Add in some gorgeous jewellery and scarves and you have a lovely complete outfit for the new season! Woolly tights and boots may appear at a later stage to stretch it even further:)

Hope you are all enjoying the weekend:)

Anne xx

Happy Friday .... Some holiday Snaps

Hi everyone!

Hope you are all well:) We got back from our little break away last night. We had a lovely time up in Donegal despite the dreaded rain appearing at one stage or another on a daily basis (usually just as I was hopping out of the car to snap a few photos!!) I really enjoyed visiting a part of the country I hadn't been to before. We based ourselves in the town of Letterkenny and drove out about 35 kms to see the most stunning scenery and amazing sandy beaches ....shame to see them so deserted but it did add to the beauty of it all I suppose :) 

In the evening, it was nice to come back to our lovely hotel and get dressed up for drinks and dinner:) This is one thing I am sure going to miss, as the food and service we got was amazing. Thank you to the staff at The Radisson Blu who made our stay so good! I haven't been paid to say that BTW, but I always think it's good to be able to give a great recommendation to anyone looking for an excellent place to stay :)

Back to normality here now for the time being ... it's also the August bank holiday here, so most people will be off work until Tuesday!

I hope you all enjoy your weekend :)

Anne xx