Lilac.

I want lilac hair so bad.

My hair is just too dark to lighten to this extent.

Life isn't fair.

Festival Internacional de Benicàssim 2012

For the second year running I recently attended the Spanish festival FIB held in the town of Benicassim just outside of Valencia. Although the music was much better in 2011 as the Strokes headlined I enjoyed the festival much better this year. This could be largely down to knowing what to expect, many reviewers have likened FIB to an endurance test due the amount of walking involved and camping in the smoldering heat. There were certain points when I wondered if I was at boot camp or on holiday.

Despite this I would strongly recommend anyone with a love of festivals, a tolerance of heat and little need for sleep to make a trip to FIB next year. 

It really is the ideal way to attend a festival and go on a beach holiday at the same time.

The above picture is myself watching the Maccabees at FIB.

A few of my friends cheerlead for Trent Tigers at Nottingham Trent University and decided it would be fun to lift my up onto their hands.

I can safely say I had the best view out of the thousands of people in the crowd and have since seen this photo on several websites.

I'm going to count this as my 15 minutes of fame.

Mermaids and fish tails and bubbles.

My housemate studies fashion design at Nottingham Trent University and her final project for year 2 was inspired by mermaids. These are the final results I was asked (forced to) model for her.

She mainly used sheer fabric in pastel pinks and blues with the jacket in the bottom right picture being made out of baby blue leather.

I can safely say I won't be giving up my day job and becoming a model but it was fun none the less.

Ombre

I have recently become slightly obsessed with dip dying.

Me and my housemates gave it a go ourselves last week and I was really pleased with the results (bottom left)

I have had to control myself from dip dying my whole wardrobe as it's a fashion that I predict will last no longer than the summer.

Despite this, I cannot wait until my coursework and exams are over so I can have a go at creating the above jumper and skirt.

My dip dying obsession doesn't just belong to clothes however, the bottom right photo is myself (right) and my housemate who both have dip dyed hair.

While she dipped the ends of her hair to dye them, I simply couldn't afford to get my roots done any longer so it is quite handy that ombre hair is currently in trend... 

Dip dying is a fantastic way of introducing colour into a wedding.

While I don't think I would ever be brave enough to wear a dip dyed wedding dress, Gwen Stefani looked amazing in hers.

I love the subtle introduction of colour in the above napkins and the ombre petals down the aisle really make  the white theme more exciting.

Another way of introducing ombre colour into a wedding is with the bridesmaids dresses.

I have always liked when bridesmaids wear different dresses as every body is a different shape and it is difficult to find one dress that suits everyone. Having each bridesmaid wearing a different shade of one colour could be really effective.

"You should be kissed often, and by someone who knows how."

The bottom photo has to be one of my all time favourites. 

Taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt on V-J Day in Times Square NY 1945.

You cannot deny passion like this.

A real hero.

Got it on repeat.

Tumblers

While I was home in Birmingham over Easter I went charity shopping with my mom and came across these beautiful tumblers and jug. I couldn't resist buying them even though I don't really have a time to use them at the moment.

Hopefully if we get a summer in England this year I can make some delicious pink lemonade...

Bloomin Bunting

The weather in England today has been glorious with highs of 22 degrees, great day to return to my hometown of Birmingham.

I took this opportunity to hang up some bunting I pinched from work to see how long it was.

I had noticed this bunting untouched for a few weeks so my manager said I could have it as someone left it behind from a party.

The red, white and blue colours will be perfect for the upcoming Queens Jubilee and I am hoping to have a street party where I live in Nottingham.

I strongly believe bunting is an important part of any celebration.

Happy Mothers Day

As I am a poor student when it comes to birthdays and other such occasions I am always thinking of ideas for gifts I can make myself.

A couple of weeks ago I made a trip to Hobbycraft with my housemate and purchased a porcelain pen for a couple quid.

I was desperate to try it out so went on a hunt around Nottingham's charity shops looking for vintage plates.

I couldn't quite believe I found these four beauties in one day alone.

In total they cost around £9 which in my opinion is a bargain and the proceeds have gone to charity so I can hardly complain!

I chose to leave the two larger plates as they were and just drew on the smaller ones using stencils I traced myself off the internet... I was very pleased with the outcome and so was my mamma who received them as her Mothers day gift.

I should point out that my surname is McNally which is why I chose the 'Mc' design. 

Oh Audrey.

 "I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

Audrey Hepburn 

 Today I have had the sudden urge to cut myself some Audrey bangs. I have managed to fight this urge so far... not sure how long it will last.

She is by far one of the most beautiful women to ever walk this earth.

I've never been a fan of short wedding dresses but this one has changed my opinion completely.

But your soul you must keep totally free.

In these bodies we will live,

in these bodies we will die

Where you invest your love,

you invest your life.

Mumford & Sons - Awake my soul

Magical photo idea done with sparklers and a slow shutter speed.

Reminds me of Cinderella.

Fireflies.

Taken at the Taiwanese (top) and Thai (bottom) floating lantern festivals.

I have a serious desire to visit both of these countries.

Not only this but I can't think of a more perfect way to complete a wedding.

Completely magical.

Love is Lace.

"I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky, and I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin."

Coco Chanel, 1939

You only live once.