Need an injection of color into your life? Here’s some inspiration from some fantastic Etsy sellers.
Loving this bright backpack. It’d be great for short trips away or simply for carrying all these necessities to the park for a picnic with friends.
Going on holiday or just want to look stylish while catching some rays at home? This bikini is so on trend with the mint green bows.
Scarves don’t need to be relegated to the back of the wardrobe this summer. The lighter varieties make great beach cover ups or can be used to keep the chill off when the sun goes down.
This long, flowing chiffon skirt is perfect for all sorts of occasions from a night out on the town to lazy weekend walks along the beach.Finally, this little shift dress could be worn in so many different ways. It would look stunning with simple makeup and flip flops or you could dress it up with a statement necklace, bright lips and killer heels.
Not everyone enjoys an alcoholic drink and these drinks are so much more refreshing than anything you can buy off the shelf.
Strawberry fizz
This is really simple, all you need to do is fill a jug with strawberries cut in half then pour over sparkling water. Leave to chill for 30 minutes before serving. The drink will absorb some of the color and flavor of the strawberries leaving you with a very refreshing, sparkling pink drink.
Non-alcoholic sangria
1 apple
1 orange
1 lemon
Juice of one orange
1 cup grape juice
Pinch of cinnamon
3 cups sparkling water
Mix everything together except the sparkling water. Leave it to cool for at least an hour (up to 12 hours). When you’re ready to serve, pour in the sparkling water then pour into your glasses.
Homemade lemonade
100g fruit sugar
4 lemons, preferably Sicilian, juice only
ice
about 1 litre sparkling mineral water
Put the sugar and lemon juice in a jug. Add some ice and top up with the mineral water. Stir to combine. It’s that simple to make delicious homemade lemonade.
The internet is full of amazing stores but it’s often difficult to find out about them unless you spend hours trawling the net for beautiful things (like I do). Here are some amazing online shops you may not have heard of. Anything to add? Let us know in the comments.
Golden Unicorn Skate Emporium
This little skate shop sells some of the most beautiful skates I’ve ever seen. Not to mention all the cool leggings and roller-derby-themed t-shirts. The store is based in the UK but they will ship to the USA! www.goldenunicorn.co.uk
Pin Pin Finds
Here you’ll find some of the most spectacular necklaces and brooches. The huge moths are bound to turn heads but if you want something a little more simple, why not go for a cute porcelain necklace. pinpinfinds.storenvy.com
Lady V London
Vintage-style dresses can be expensive but this is the first online shop I’ve found where you can pick up something amazing for around £30-£60/$50-$80. The full skirt swing dresses really stand out to me and there are some amazing prints on offer too. www.ladyvlondon.com
Activate Apparel
This is my go-to place for geeky fitness gear. I have a number if these tops and they always get commented on. I am, indeed, training to be in the Hunger Games. www.activateapparel.com
Kismet Yoga Style
If you’re looking for beautiful, simple yoga gear then this is the place for you. They have both men and women’s clothing. www.kismet-yogastyle.com
Made with Molecules
These silver necklaces are made in the shape of different elements, chemicals and hormones. The molecular structure looks so pretty when put onto a necklace or earrings like this. These make really thoughtful gifts. www.madewithmolecules.com
This lovely, earthy Aztec outfit is full of natural tones but with a lovely bright splash of color from these gorgeous Aztec shorts. A great outfit to take to the beach, maybe gather around a fire with friends in the evening or a walk in the woods to truly match your outfit with your surroundings.
I love the use of wood and stone making you feel truly connected with nature but, of course, stylish too.
I also love to use lots of bracelets and mix and match various necklaces. Don’t be afraid to pile on the accessories from time to time! You’ve got a real natural base when it comes to this outfit, so lots of accessories will help you create a nice impact without it being to messy.
Aztec shorts don’t have to mean tribal, they can make any outfit pop. Take these lovely neutral blue-toned denim Aztec shorts, for example. They look great with band t-shirts and I think patterns and prints can look great together.
This would be a great outfit to go have a drink with your friends on a hot summer’s day, maybe a movie in the evening to get some shade and just a generally fun outfit! Band t-shirts can also be very versatile. You can make them into a crop top, cut them into a vest, make a cool off the shoulder t-shirt and much more! Get those scissors out and don’t be afraid to start cutting, you could also cut the bottom of the shorts to make a cool frayed effect!
I think summer brings to mind lots of color! It’s a fun time of the year and with this outfit, you can’t help but smile and want to have fun in it! Great outfit for doing anything in, day or night!
The base of this outfit is very neutral with a lovely black cropped top and colorful Aztec shorts but not to crazy to make the rest of the outfit messy. Instead, this means you can add lots of colorful accessories and really make your outfit stand out I love this gold necklace against the black top, I always think gold and black work well and then the blues and, green and reds really help bring the shorts together with this stunning outfit.
If all those accessories are just to much but you want to keep it bright, why not try these lovely colorful Aztec shorts!
Another outfit that is great for any occasion this summer. The black make this super cute gold animal necklace pop. Pair with neutral sandals and perhaps a simple headband or, if you fancy adding a bit more colour, try an Aztec headband to match those shorts or pick a color from the shorts to tie in.
This bracelet is also great! Very simple and elegant but it’s got that lovely splash of colour to match those Aztec shorts. Simple, yet highly effective and super stylish!
Ladies and gentlemen, today we have our first ever guest post! A piece on DIY jewelry making from Cafe Craftea.
Hello all! This is Vanessa from Cafe Craftea and I’ll be sharing with you today some of the tools I use when making/customizing jewelry! Making jewelry is one of my favorite DIY projects because of all the endless ways you can customize it to your style. I like to make my own versions of pieces that I see around the web but are way out of my budget…so I make it my own via DIY!
1. A set of jewelry pliers
The three main types of jewelry pliers that I personally use the most are the round nose, flat nose, and wire cutters. Round nose pliers can be used for working with wire and also used generally with jump rings and chain, along with flat nose pliers. Wire cutters are especially handy for trimming chain lengths and wire. You can find these at a local craft store or Walmart!
2. Wire
I like to have on hand several different gauges of wire, depending on what sorts of chain I’m using. Bear in mind the lower the number gauge, the thicker your wire will be. For example, my wire on the left is 22-gauge whereas the two rolls on the right are 28-gauge. The wire I typically work with is the inexpensive, aluminum-filled kind but you can definitely find gold or silver-filled wire if you wish. You can find all sorts of colored wire at the hardware store or craft store!
Some of my projects that feature wire techniques are:
Since most of my jewelry is made of metal, I find that you need a heavy-duty glue to hold things together, like for example gluing items into an earring post blank. This stuff is super sticky and does have fumes, so be sure to work in a well-ventilated area. You can find this at hardware and craft stores.
4. Chain
It’s almost ridiculous how huge my chain hoard is… I’ve got a ton of chain salvaged from old necklaces and other projects. If you’re just starting out, I’d suggest getting a good balance of thick and thin, gold and silver chain.
Again, I’m almost ashamed of how many beads and charms I’ve hoarded…and this is just my smallest box! These can be used in with wire and chain to make necklaces and rings!
6. Jewelry findings
These are some of the findings (or jewelry parts) that I use most often. Jump rings are used to connect charms or chains together. There are also some fishhook earring wires and earring post blanks, along with head and eye pins for attaching beads. I’ve also got some lobster clasps and connectors that secure a finished necklace or bracelet together.
I’ve got a ton of old jewelry lying around just ready for me to take apart and make into something new! Be creative by reusing old jewelry and searching your local hardware store for unique finds!
Finally, this little shift dress could be worn in so many different ways. It would look stunning with simple makeup and flip flops or you could dress it up with a statement necklace, bright lips and killer heels.
