Autumn Treats and Creative Time

Tesco cupcakes - yesss Tesco's now sell proper nice cupcakes. As I don't live in London or a big city there is no where to buy nice cupcakes near me. I get very jealous when other bloggers post pictures of cupcakes - now I can do my own.  My girls went mad when I made them wait for me to take photos before they could eat them. They come in boxes of four! This is a red velvet one and whilst perhaps not as tasty as freshly baked ones from a bakery, it was very delicious.

African Prints in Autumnal Colours - My new skirt from ASOS Africa has arrived and I am very pleased with it. If you haven't yet checked out ASOS Africa, it is well worth a look for a great way to add some colour to your autumn wardrobe.

Berry Lipsticks - I love Chanel lipstick and my new Rouge Noir lipstick was just a little treat that goes perfectly with most evening outfits and some neutral coloured ones too. I always think that it is the finishing touches that make an outfit.

Getting Organised - I have been wanting a way of organising my necklaces for a long while now and this hook from a local boutique (you can order them online from Bombay Duck) was just the ticket.

A New Coat - I have finally made up my mind on a winter coat and got it just in time for the cold weather . I opted for this Maison Scotch coat which is available from either Coggles or ASOS. It is a really nice cut but a slightly thinner fabric than I expected so I ordered a slightly bigger size so that I can fit a cashmere cardi underneath if the weather is really cold. I haven't managed to take any pictures of me wearing it yet but will do soon.

Whilst all of these things are lovely autumn treats, what I have really been wanting for some time now is a little bit of time and space to be creative, this would be the best treat. Here are the creative things that I have been wanting to do.

• Shorten my vintage kimono jacket
• Make a collar with some scraps of lace I have left over
• Customise some secondhand knitwear with lace, scraps of fabric and beads.
• Take some amazzing autumn photos with lots of beautiful leaves
• Redesign my workspace - it is such a mess at the moment and needs to be more of a creative space
• I love cooking. Cupcakes, soup, great big roasts, curry I just need a bit of time to get a glass of wine, out on some music and get cooking.

I am making it a priority to have some me time and do these things in November and December.

What are your favourite autumn treats and how do you get creative?

Friday Finds - Classic Coats

Style Eyes Fashion Blog has now moved to Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog. I look forward to seeing you there.

Everyone is talking about classic winter coats and everyone seems to want one, including me. I learnt my lesson buying a cheap coat last year which is now no good for anything. This year I want to invest in a really good quality coat to last. The great thing about a classic coat is that it is really versatile and unlikely to go out of fashion so I will be able to wear it for years to come. In terms of colour I am stil undecided on whether to choose a black, navy, grey or camel coat.

The Eco / Ethical Labels (both of these are in the sale)
Amana Double Breasted Karida Hemp Wool Coat


Wildlifeworks Organic Grey Military Coat

The Investment Choices

Black Lisa cashmere wrap coat by Joseph


Charcoal Admiral Puff Sleeved Coat - Fahri by Nicole Fahri

Wool Button Cape by Pied A Terre

Alia Coat by Coast (not yet being sold)


The Second Hand or Vintage Coats




Beige Long Wool Coat - Rokit Vintage




Navy Blue Coat With Quilt Lining - Rokit Vintage




Grey Collarless Coat - Rokit Vintage


Tan coloured wool overcoat - Oxfam


Vintage Jaeger Coat (cashmere mix) - Oxfam

Marks and Spencers Camel Coat - Oxfam

Are you buying a new duffle coat for the winter? Which is your favourite?
Have a great weekend


Ceri X

Lacking a winter coat

Today I was so cold and just wanted to wrap up really warm. Unfortunately my new coat from Next is on a 2-4 week delivery. Luckily the snood that I ordered has turned up. I decided to keep nice and warm by layering, perhaps a more interesting and creative outfit than just throwing on a winter coat.

I completely love my new snood. It is so cosy and warm but not too tight around my neck and nice chunky knit. If it gets really cold, I might even pull it up over my head to keep my ears lovely and warm. Or pull it down over my shoulders when I am around the house on a really cold day.

Snood - Next
Top - Next (many summers ago)
Jeggings - topshop
Grey ombre leopard pattern cardigan - George at Asda
BCBG denim jacket - swapped on posh-swaps.com
Boots - Whooga boots

I need a winter coat

Today, I decided despite the fact that most of the day will be spent working at my laptop blogging etc, to make a bit of an effort not to wear jeans again, I evening put some earrings on which is probably a once a year occurence. However, I did end up wearing denim in the form of a dress which I bought from Wholly Cow last year.

I did need to leave the house to drop children at school and nursery and as there was a definite chill in the air, this led me to spend quite a bit of time (that I really didn't have) deciding on what to wear to keep me warm. I finally settled on a linen jacket by East which I picked up in a charity shop a few weeks ago. Finding outdoor attire for the winter, to go with my outfit has always been a major challenge for me. I usually start with jackets for my first trip out of the house, then change to another for the second time before finally resorting to my granny cardi, , for that last dash of the evening to Tesco Express, when I am usually too tired and cold to care what I look like.

The problem, that I have never really managed to invest in a good versatile and classic winter coat that can be thrown on with almost anything to look effortlessly stylish. Last year I opted for a cheap and cheerful coat which lasted for all of about 5 wears before it looked a complete mess and was thrown in the charity bag. I usually start out the autumn and winter with the presumption that I never stay still long enough to get cold, but by mid November, the British weather has proved me completely wrong and I am in desperate need of a cosy winter coat. So this year, I am going to take that advice that is so often uttered by stylists and fashion editors alike, especially those obsessed with the recession "invest in a timeless coat in a classic style"

As if by luck, along comes the new collection by Jil Sander for Uniqlo +J, packed full of gorgeous and very versatile coats. I want, I want, I want!