Sunday Kind of Love - 17/11

This week has been full of surprises and mini-triumphs! I was almost brought to tears earlier in the week when I put something out into the world and was so overwhelmed by the support that came back. I'm not the sort of person that often shares a moment of misfortune, or asks for help from friends and family - publicly admitting that things aren't always full of sparkles and glitter simply isn't my style! - so perhaps that's why the response was so momentous. Perhaps I need to have more faith that people actually do care. More likely, though, is that generally, people don't like to see hardworking, honest people be ripped off - and this week has proven that, while I'd fight to the bitter end for the things I hold dear, I don't have to do it alone.

Also, after a few weeks without driving due to car malfunctions, I jumped straight back into it this week and have seriously surprised myself by how much my confidence in my abilities has grown! Other things I'm loving this week;

Singing top of our lungs to 'Fast in My Car'... My first driving song, exciting!

Coming leaps and bounds with our Christmas pieces, thanks to Gareth coming in on the design process we now have a full-blown collection that we are shooting the lookbook for this week! Keep your eyes peeled.

Knowing intellectual property lawyers is all kinds of awesome.

Jaymie is organising a craft fair, with all proceeds being donated to helping people affected by the typhoon in the Phillipines. Be sure to pop down for donated goodies from some of our favourite independent brands!

 

 

Sunday Kind of Love - 10/11

 

This week has been all about my two favourite F words; friends and food! On Tuesday Emily from Fishee Designs paid a visit to nosey round our workspace and chat all things business over pizza and wine. We had a rare few days off and at home this weekend, and filled it with our favourite company, cooking up tapas and Vietnamese feasts, a giggly night out and exploring Whitsand Bay in our wellies this afternoon. After some much needed down time, I'm raring to go next week as we prepare for our stall at Crikey It's Christmas in Exeter next Saturday - hope to see you there? Other things I've loved this week;

• Goofing around and making up silly dances in a club full of pretence and desperation - and not caring that we were getting odd looks!
• The feeling of calm being by the ocean can bring - days like today remind me how blessed we are to be able to live in Cornwall
• Perfecting the 4 person selfie
• This beef pho recipe was my trump card this weekend, and so easy too
• Ordering the Christmas cards and gift tags - I can't wait for you to see what we have in store!
• Freshly brewed coffee and a spotless house
• Remembering to do a full cleanse tone and moisturise routine at 3am - maybe I am an adult after all?!

 

Sunday Kind of Love - 03/11

Remember Who You Are by Budi Satria Kwan on Society6

We've been loving the change of temperature at Crown and Glory HQ this week. The Halloween - Guy Fawkes' period truly is my most favourite time of year - the crisp cool air, the scrunch of fallen leaves, the promise of the excitement of the looming festive period all make me seriously happy. I've been particularly grateful for Daylight Savings and how much easier it now is to get up before 8am! While it's not a habit I should get that into I do love the darker evenings tucked up in our super cosy office, too. Other things I loved this week;

• Jumping around the office like a pair of loons to the first Christmas song of the year and the clutching-your-sides giggling fit that ensued
• The best sequin jumper ever
• Truly blessed to be able to work with my best friend every day
• Early morning drives through the beautiful Welsh countryside
• Rediscovering my love for MAC's Up The Amp
• Singing at the top of my lungs to 'Sex'
• Poached eggs and spicy kale forever!
• Trying and failing to perfect the photobooth jump...one day!

 

Sunday Kind of Love; 27/10

Well this weekend has certainly been more chilled than the last! With Gareth away at a friends' stag do I've been left to get stuck into our Christmas wholesale orders that are coming in thick and fast and batten down the hatches for the impending storm. Do anyone else's cats get visibly grumpy with them when the weather is horrid outside? I'm looking forward to an evening curled up in front of the box watching trash TV. Other things I've been loving this week;

• The biannual wardrobe switch around is always an arduous task, but it certainly feels good to have it done, despite being entirely ashamed about how many clothes I own, as per usual. On the plus side, I uncovered pieces for A/W that is forgotten I have - free shopping!
• Making headway with our plans for the festive season this year. We've got a whole bunch of new products to launch, from goodie bags to bespoke gift cards and in super excited to show you all. Is there something you'd like to see for the Christmas period? Join in the conversation on our Facebook page!
• Ben and Jerry's Blondie Brownie. Salted caramel core, people. Salted caramel core!
• Finding my perfect winter coat for just £32!
• Sausage and mash weather. Yum.
• Practising a kundalini yoga technique, Breath of Fire, to quell anxiety. It sure does work!
• Reading the sad, heart wrenching story of Joyce Carol Vincent brought an ache to my heart and a tear to my eye. I'm grateful for reading it though, because it made me reach out to a couple of friends I hadn't spoken to in a while, just to say hey.

 

 

Sunday Kind of Love 23/10

Yes, Sunday post on a Wednesday, but I'm sure you'll forgive my tardiness because this past weekend was spent having way too much fun at the One Love Wedding Show! We holed ourselves up for the weekend at the Hospital Club, Covent Garden, with a whole host of other like minded wedding vendors. We met so many brilliant babes, quaffed gin in a tin like the classy birds we're not, and made far too many trips to the LookLook photobooth. Kat, Gareth and I were in attendance to promote our collection and previewed the brand new drop. We also designed an exclusive Shauna Rainbow headband especially for the event which went down a storm! Obviously after a weekend of working it would've been rude not to let off some steam, so along with Craig and Ronnie, ran around Central London on Sunday night causing a whole bunch of chaos and laughing til we cried. Other things I've been loving this week:

- a spontaneous and unexpected gift from a friend, especially one intended to help me grow
- promoting good karma and paying it forward with a pledge to Veronica's dream; I'm going to do more of this, it feels so good!
- Gala Darling's Dare/Dream/Do had us in a horrible-music-athon Sunday night to try and find the fear
- still obsessed with OPI Gelcolour. Back to black this week.
- A Little Bit of Competition Never Hurt Anybody rung very true this week.
- LOVING the transition to cool, crisp weather. I spent a particularly lovely morning this week lying in a cosy, warm bed, with the weight of my world of my shoudlers after completing a particularly long to do list, listening to the rain drum on the window. Pure bliss.
- realising friendship shouldn't be a chore, or bring you down. cathartic.

Sunday Kind of Love; 13/10

 

'The Past is Behind You' by Jane Farr Calligraphy via Pinterest

This week has been procrastination city. I've got a to do list as long as my arm but kept heading over to buzzfeed instead of spreadsheets this week. Admittedly whenever the season starts to change I can feel myself getting into a funk. But instead of feeling immense guilt, I've allowed myself to slack off on the admin a little, to take a night off from anything and sit in bed and just 'be' for a few days; and it worked. I woke up Saturday morning feeling invigorated and bursting full of ideas. We'll call those 4 days of bare minimum quits and move on. Things I've been loving this week;

• I cooked up a Vietnamese feast this weekend of beef pho, raw spring rolls with spicy peanut sauce and sticky orange chicken with mango salsa and it went down a storm. Love throwing a good dinner party!
• New nails; ever since I've been having OPI Gelcolour applied my usually short and stubby's have been transformed into long, curved talons and I'm loving it. How will I ever go back to a regular manicure?!
• Similarly, there's nothing like a perky, fruity, happy smelling shower scrub to get you out of a funk - Soap and Glory Breakfast Scrub, I salute you
• The main sources of my procrastination this week; the mumsnet penisbeaker thread (NSFW!), The 21 Most Heartbreaking Things That Ever Happened and Real Travel Complaints. All of the lolz.
• Booking in my first 2014 meeting - and writing it on my Veronica Dearly wallplanner!
• Reading How to Kick Your Own Butt and actually applying some of those things; namely exercise and Pinterest. Simply things!
• Cheese on toast and tea in bed. Cheese on toast and tea brought to my bed by Gareth. He's a very kind man.

 

Sunday Kind of Love - 06/10

'It Always Seems Impossible Until It Is Done' by TheLoveShop on Etsy

This week we've been sorting out the office and adjacent box room from the explosion of glitter and bunny ears that happened this summer into a more useable workspace for both of us; we even have a store room now! I get my airing cupboard back! I must admit when Gareth started pulling everything out it felt like we were never going to have a useable office again - the 'worse before it gets better' stage was a long old one! While it's nowhere near finished as we'd like to add in some more desk space and switch up our current hideous plastic storage, I now enjoy being back in the office and it's been so freeing to have a clear out. Other things I've been loving this week;

• Gareth's endless patience with me when he discovered I'd left all the computer/hard drive/printer and camera cables to knot into a gigantic electrical ball behind the desk. With little huffing and only the occasional expletive thrown my way he proceeded to painstakingly untangle them for me; that's love for you, right?!
• We had such fun hanging out and modeling at Photography Farm last week for Kat and Gareth's second marriage! Anyone else thing we look like a pretty rad band in this shot?!
• This weeks' Its Business Baby post got a lot of love, being linked at Rock n Roll Bride, Bespoke Bride and Fishee Designs. I love writing the business series - it's pretty cathartic and it makes me so happy to think that they potentially help other people.
• Getting back into my exercise routine in a big way - if I have a few weeks off it's always really daunting getting back into it but I'm always surprised by how quickly my body adapts; also loving the new Bodycombat routine!
• Dressing up a red wine hangover with a sequin maxi skirt - the best cure!
• My mum got taken ill while out this weekend which was horrible, but the kindness of strangers was very overwhelming. If you're reading this, man with the Dacshund; thankyou to eternity for looking after my momma and making sure she felt safe.
• Did you see the Halloween collection go up this week? My personal favourite is the little glitter devil horns; one of Gareth's designs!

 

Sunday Kind of Love - 29/09

'Love is all Rainbows and Unicorns' by Veronica Dearly

It's been one of those rare weeks when play outbalances work and boy, it was a welcome break. Last weekend was spent celebrating the marriage of my dear friend Megan to her sweetheart Grant, in the epitome of a Cornish Fairytale - be sure to check out the Instagram hashtag for a sneak peek into all the pretty! After catching up on orders on Monday, we set off for a couple of days at Photography Farm - for a day to play models and a day of relaxation. Utter bliss. Here are the things I've been loving this week;

• I just love a wedding! All the happiness and joy in the air is certainly contagious.
• Not to mention, the wedding breakfast, especially a Cornish wedding breakfast - crab and lobster and crayfish, oh my!
• Sleeping in multiple comfy beds. Downside - now I'm home I need a new mattress.
• Suzy started a new blog series inspired by our very own It's Business Baby - so humbling! Be sure to check out her post on the long hours of the self employed
• Chilling out in a jacuzzi, sleeping under the same roof Freddie Mercury once did, being cooked for and wine, all of the wine - Photography Farm is magical
• Shooting new additions to the Rock n Roll Bride collection - check out a sneak peek on Instagram
• Picking up the best skirt ever - £25. Sizing down - priceless.
• Friday night gossips and a very regular weekend off; sometimes it's nice to be 'normal' for once.
• Surprise post - good to know whenever anyone sees anything with a unicorn on, they think of me! It's lovely to be thought of once in a while - definitely something I'm going to embrace myself.

 

Sunday Kind of Love - 15/09

'Shauna Niequist' by Rocketrictic via Pinterest

This week it was Gareth's birthday! Queue the poor boy being forced into a pair of bunny ears for photo ops, getting control over the office TV for the day (Top Gear, if you we're wondering) and indulging in fish and chips by the sea. Weather permitting, I treated him to a paddle boarding lesson for the two of us today as a birthday treat - that should prove fully hilarious! This week I've been loving;

• Having the confidence to be assertive and learn that saying 'game over' isn't failing or admitting defeat - it's incredibly powerful to know when something is no longer of your interest.
• Feeling confident behind the wheel - I'm still in car-park mode, but by gum why did I put off driving for so long?!
• Saying 'thankyou!' outloud every time a new order pops up on my phone. I was chatting to Gala last week about how sweet and humbling the Paypal app sounds every time you know it's someone placing an order with you, and she told me she mentally thanks every customer by name when she gets the notification through, and it's something I've applied this week and it feels just lovely!
• Friday 13th movie night - Mama was utterly, goosebump-making, trashily terrifying. Just what the doctor ordered!
• Getting some creative juice flowing! The autumn drop at Crown and Glory should be up next week, exciting!
• Being interviewed by The Blogcademy headmistresses - you can read about my journey this year, here.
• Homemade chicken soup cures all ills.

 

Sunday Kind of Love 08/09

What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid? by Anne Garrison Studio via Etsy

This week I've had the pleasure of assisting at The Blogcademy. If you've seen this post you'll know that I attended the event in January as a Blogcadette and it was definitely the best business money be ever spent. Getting the opportunity to attend again, and be a teeny tiny part of it has been a huge honour and I've had so much fun! There's something so inspiring about just being in the same room as a bunch of like-minded gals; hanging out with 'my people' is about to get me out of a funk!

This week I've been grateful for;

• Inspiring quotes - "You're the average if the 5 people you spend the most time with, so make sure they're ace"
• Embankment at night is just my favourite place on earth.
• Being able to hang out with amazing babes, wear sparkly ears and call it work; truly blessed!
• Meeting the wonderful LouLou Androlia and fangirling 'cause she used to run an amazing accessories and lingerie store called Lou Lou Loves You that I just loved!
• Itsu, please come to Cornwall, I'll be your biggest customer.
• This cat on a mop vine has made my laugh so so much.
• Gala Darling's Radical Self Love Letters ends for me today and I'm so sad! It's been the best $20 I've spent this month. So much good info to apply to my every day life,

 

 

Sunday Kind of Love 01/09

This week I've really enjoyed a slower change of pace to my days. Jumping back into the gym, taking a walk, getting a hair cut, treating myself to a manicure - all very normal stuff. I think that whilst its' important to grasp every opportunity we can with both hands, inherently we are creatures of habit and sometimes it's nice to feel a bit cosy... But only for a little while. This week, I've been grateful for;

• Being able to take an impromptu afternoon off on Tuesday to fill the fridge and watch films with G.
• Catching up with a friend - it's been a solitary few weeks!
• Feeling great after Bodycombat and spin classes after a few weeks off - not as hard as I thought it might be.
• Working on the last of the seasons' bridal orders, including this beautiful berry colour combo
• Managing to lie in until 9am....a rare treat!
• Redken Extreme Strength Mask - goodbye, wire wool hair, hello shiny bonce! I'm a little embarrassed to say I actually found a dreadlock at the base of my neck this week - must remember to use this more!
• The wonder that is AirBnB - we're all sorted in a cosy Shoreditch flat for next week, so exciting!
• Finding solutions to problems, and then just letting them go - not everything can be perfect all of the time!
• Getting the chance to have a good old clear out. The amount I've pulled from my wardrobe this weekend is downright embarrasing. Promising to spend smarter, from now on.