Autumnal Clumber Park Adventures.

So I'm back! After a long, old hiatus I have decided to start blogging again, a rest is as good as a change after all. Life has been busy and has bought me many wonderful experiences and challenges, it just meant that some aspects of my life had to be put on hold for a while. It has been an amazing summer and I will be updating you on some of the adventures I have had over the next few weeks. 

For most of the morning I lay in bed reading, listening to the rain patter on the window, so I was really happy when the weather broke and we could hit the road. Doris, Ed and I headed over to Clumber Park for a walk and a picnic, it was lovely being out in the fresh, autumnal air. We visited the walled garden first and were amazed to see the renovation work that had been carried out on the glasshouse. It looks absolutely beautiful, all clean, pristine and white. I'm excited to see what the gardeners have planned for it next year. 

After we finished looking around the walled garden and glasshouse we headed back to Doris to rustle up a spot of lunch, then we went for a walk around the lake. I love exploring woodland this time of year, everything is awash with ochre and amber hues. The light had started to gloam by the time we got back to Doris and Ed and I were ready to say goodbye to Clumber and head back home. 

Hope you have had a beautiful Autumn weekend <3

Much Love,

Kirst xox

Summer Adventures & Life Plans.

You may have noticed that I have been pretty quiet over the last couple of months. I just realised how busy my life was with everything I was juggling and decided to just chill out a bit and take the time to ponder on where my life was heading and where I want to wanted to be. I have some wonderful new clarity on the future and have set some goals to work towards.  

All my life pondering aside it has been a really fab summer full of BBQs, VWs, camping, picnics and sunshine. You may also notice that Doris (our VW campervan) has a sister now, I will introduce you to her properly soon. I have some big plans for her over the winter which I am super excited about!

Hope you have had a wicked summer. I will be posting more regularly again from now so watch this space...

Much Love

xkx

Post Camping Blues.

I am missing camping sooo much! It was a perfect weekend and one of my favourite things was going to sleep staring at the stars out of the back window, life doesn't really get much better than that for me. I am still impressed with how cosy Doris is inside, when the bed is made up in the back it is my version of heaven! 

Hope you had a lovely bank holiday weekend and managed to soak up a bit of that much needed sun. We have another camping trip planned in a couple of weeks and I am super excited <3

Much Love
xkx

Spontaneous Date Night.

So you may have noticed that I didn't post yesterday, well Ed and I kinda, accidentally had a date night. I love it when nights like this happen, we went into town shopping for some last bits for camping in Doris, then went for a beer at Brewdog which turned into two because they have Dead Pony Club on tap as well as this awesome guest draft called Atlantic Drift. Then we decided to have a cheeky Nandos, I always have extra extra sauce because I am a bit of a spice fiend and I enjoy watching Ed struggle trying to match me with the hot sauce. Then we trundled home and chilled out. Was a super perfect evening <3

Hope you have some super cool plans looming for the Bank Holiday Weekend!

xkx

Doris' Maiden Voyage!

Ed and I set off on our maiden voyage in Doris on Friday, we were a little bit nervous as this was the first big trip we had ever done in her. Ed has worked so hard on Doris since we got her in January, she was in really good condition for a 30 year old van but there were plenty of niggles that needed ironing out. We couldn't have wished for a more perfect weekend, the weather was absolutely stunning and Doris was super comfortable, it has definitely given us wanderlust. 

We went to Wells-next-the-Sea, it is a popular sea side resort on the East coast of the UK. Wells is one of my favourite places in the whole world, for me it has everything a sea side resort could have to offer, beautiful beaches, a quaint harbour, places to go crabbing and amazing local food shops. We found a little Deli in the town called Wells Deli, I had a Laksa there, it was one of the best I have ever had AND it was only £4.25! We did a lot of cooking in Doris because the local produce in Norfolk is second to non in my opinion. The local butchers even cured their own bacon... treacle bacon! I discovered there are few things better in life than fried, treacle bacon in gluten free granary bread. 

Saturday night was pretty epic, we found this boat called The Albatros which has been converted to a bar and has live music over the weekend. This was probably the coolest venue I have ever been to, it has a well worn, comfortable, shabby chic style to it with real ale! It has even made it into the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. The live music was a mixture of blues and americana and this little venue rocks when the guitars start up. I think this will be a regular haunt for Ed and I when we are camping in Wells. 

What a great weekend, 220 miles under our belts and many more to go, I'm missing camping already.

Hope you have had a lovely weekend <3 

xkx

Doris' Get Ready for Camping List.

Ed and I are hoping to be able to take Doris (our T25 VW campervan) out for our first camping trip together very soon. I am so excited, I just can't wait to go to the seaside in her  read books, have adventures and relax. As I love lists so much I decided to scribble one up to get Ed and I focussed on some of the things we will have to aquire before the first camping trip. We really don't need that much as we have been collecting treasure for her even before we bought her.

So far we have a collection of vintage and new melamine plates and cups. I refused to drink any hot liquid out of the old melamine because I was scared of weird chemicals zapping into my drink (I'm not sure this fear is founded on real fact or not). So I bought Ed the tin VW mug ages ago and Ed bought me my tin camping mug today! It was in the sale at Paperchase and I thought it was super cute. I bought three cushion covers from a charity shop absolutely ages ago and I just never found a proper use for them so I have decided I am going to throw them in the wash and get them customised so they can live in Doris. Its one of my beliefs that you can never have too many cushions (Ed doesn't like them too much though hehe). 

Have you got any trips you are itching to start?

xkx

Style *hearts* Sunday - Tweedy Owls.

It was the first sunny day of spring today *yey*, Ed and I had adventures planned so I threw together this outfit quick, to go and fill the day with frolics. It is getting soooo close to us being able to go camping in Doris, we just need to get a few more bits of equipment and she will be ready to rock. 

Dress - The Rainbows End.
Jacket - Vintage Vixen Newark.
Boots - Dr Martens Grace Boot.

I love this dress so much, the print is funky and because it is a light knit it bridges that 'it's too chilly for a dress gap'. The cowl neck on this dress is minimal but I think it is sympathetic with the simple tailoring of the dress. This tweed jacket is going to be one of my spring staples, it is so cute and the shoulder pads make me feel like a late 80s business woman. The boots were a Christmas present from Ed and I totally adore them, I like to wear these with dresses because I think the shiny, patent leather and ribbon softens the 'kick ass boot' look. 

Hope you have had a great weekend <3

Kirst x    

P.S Do you see Doris' boyfriend just over the fence in the last picture?

Campervan Melamine Loveliness.

Ed and I are looking to buy a VW T25 campervan, hopefully before next summer! We are very excited about all the adventures that we can have in one. We have decided it will probably be called Doris, but I did see one with a moustache which I loved and would have definitely called that one Poirot. When Ed's birthday came around the other week I decided to buy him/us some cute melamine that can live in the camper when we get it.  

These first two sets are by Kath Kidston and I have to admit that they were in the kids section, so they are probably for clumsy toddlers. But I thought they would look adorable in a camper with a chintzy interior. 

I found this this random harlequin set of melamine in a gorgeous vintage shop in Whitby. I got 3 yellow plates, 1 orange plate and an orange cup for around £10. Then the kind lady gave us an extra mug and the two coasters for free, I think, because she thought Ed was cute and the fact that I had my Diana F+ camera with me and she really wanted one. 

So this is our lovely dining set ready to go campervanning with up in the summer! It makes me so excited to look at this set of melamine and imagine the fun these items will share with us next year. Just need to keep an eye out for cutlery and other quaint little bits and bobs now.