My favourite jewellery!

For today's post, I thought I'd show you a couple of my favourite jewellery pieces! I don't tend to wear many accessories (usually because I just forget to put them on!) but I do have my collection of favourites...

This is my most worn necklace. I got it about six years ago at a zoo in South Africa - coincidentally, the shop I was buying it from was right opposite the elephant 'pen'! I love elephants/ellay-phants so much :) 

I love this little charm - the arms and legs move around and I find myself constantly flicking them whenever I wear it! :) I got it at a Christmas fair in central London about two years ago.

This is an assortment of my favourite string bracelets. The blue one is from a tiny shop in Mauritius that I bought this summer, the one at the top with the little key charm attached is from a stall in Camden Town, and the ying-yang-sign one in the right-hand corner is also from Camden.

This necklace is just adorable! As you can see, it's a little bubble-shaped glass jar of 'sweets'. I saw it in a cute trinket shop in France. The chain is quite long as well which I prefer (short chains can really irritate my neck!) 

I rarely wear rings as I don't think they really look right on my hands, but this bow one is so cute and subtle! I really like the charcoal, metallic colour as well, it goes really well with the sort of clothes I wear. I think I got it in a sale at Boots a year or so ago.

There's a slightly strange story behind the accumulation of this charm. I was on holiday with my family in America (I think) when I was quite young and we were visiting a big play-park for kids. There was a game 'stall' that involved digging through a sandpit, looking for the charms and trinkets that were buried in it and I happened to dig up this fish! I attached a really long, silver chain to it.  

I don't wear earrings very often, but this is probably my favourite pair at the moment - a cute set of gold dolphins. I used to have a pair of tiny horseshoes that I wore all the time and loved to death, but I lost one of them in the shower (hate when that happens!)

*all photos taken by me*

So as you can see, I tend to go for subtle, 'conservative' pieces rather than ones that make a statement, but I'm gradually pushing myself into buying more bold and unique bits of jewellery to add more colour or interest to my outfits! 

Lots and lot of love,

Ellay xxx

New Year's Day mini haul!

On New Year's Day, I went with my lovely mother to Oxford Street and we spent a couple of hours trailing around the shops and lusting over all the gorgeous designer clothes and jewellery in Selfridges. I thought I'd share with you what I bought! 

excuse the crappy photo (straighteners are not pictured)

• Jose Eber straighteners - £120 down from £180

Me and my mother already own a pair of Jose Eber straighteners and absolutely love them, so after a great demonstration from one of the saleswomen there, my mum decided to treat us both to another pair. These ones work on both wet and dry hair which means you don't have to waste time drying you hair before you straighten it! 

• Primark coat - £20

A fairly heavy, boxy, grainy black-and-blue coat, perfect for the cold winter weather. It's quite long as well, which I love. I've already had so many compliments on it!

• Primark pink bow-bag - £8

So cute and girly, also quite a vintage-y feel to it. 

• Forever 21 Elmo crop sweater - £8.99 in the sale

I love Elmo and crop tops, so when I saw this jumper I had to have it! A really good price as well. 

• Longchamp large black holdall - £72

I've been desperate for this bag for over a year. I've constantly been looking in shops for it and building up the courage to splash the £72, but I finally did and I'm so happy. I'll probably use it both as a school bag and weekend holdall. 

Lots of love, 

Ellay xxx 

Reflecting on 2012

Every new years eve, for five years, I have made a New Years Resolution list (I love lists, if you haven't already guessed from my previous posts). It's funny looking back on the lists I made when I was much younger which mainly consisted of 'be nicer to your brother', 'don't be so weird', 'work hard', and 'exercise more'.

I've made my list already for 2013, and also included a list of things that I would love to have achieved by the end of the year (which I will include in another post soon!).

I thought I would spice it up a bit and dedicate this post to the things I have achieved this year, and reflect on what I have done and what has made me happy...

(This may be of no interest to you, but I hope it at least inspires you to reflect on your own 2012 and be proud of yourself for what you have achieved!)

1. I concluded what I wanted to do with my life after sixth form, what course I would like to take at university and which universitie I would like to apply for.
2. I chose my A-Levels and am relatively happy which my decisions. 
3. I have improved a lot of my friendships with people, however also drifted away from some as well
4. I turned 16
5. I saw The Wanted, Lawson, BigKids and The Suburbians (whom I got a signiature and kiss on the cheek from!) in concert (separatly)
6. I did my GCSEs and achieved decent results!
7. I got an A* in my GCSE art!
8. I went on holiday with a large group of friends to a friend's country house in Lancaster for her birthday
9. I did work experience with one of the nicest people I've ever met at a place that I would love to work at when I'm older
10. I realised I'm capable of liking a guy that's not a complete douchebag
11. I went to the London 2012 Olympics
12. I lost weight (...and then gained it on again this month, but at least I now know I'm capable of losing it if I want to! :P)
13. I went to Mauritius and Norfolk with my family
14. I went to Brijuni (a tiny island off Croatia, absolutely beautiful!)
15. I broke my record for shopping with two of my friends - 9 hours non-stop :) (not really an achievement to many, but it is to me, haha)
16. I tried lots of new foods
17. I've achieved A's in the bits of biology coursework I have already done
18. I finally finished the massive notebook that I've been using at my diary for the past 3 years and started a new one

I admit this year hasn't exactly been extremely eventful, I haven't done anything that major or done many good deeds, but it was generally a very good year and an extreme improvement on last year. 

How was your year and what have been some of your best achievements?

Lots of love, 

Ellay xxx 

P.S I can't wait until NYE!

                            

*photos taken by me*