Where My Inspiration Comes From

I was reading another lolita's blog post recently about where they got their inspiration from. It seemed like a really cool idea for a blog post, so I decided to have a go at the topic myself. I struggled with this post to begin with. Personally, I don't really see any one individual lolita as 'inspiration'. That is not to say that I don't find other lolitas inspirational, because I do. I am always saving pictures of accessories and ideas that I think are cool. If I have ever reblogged your photo online (via Tumblr or whatever) then it is because I really liked what I saw! It is just that when I am trying to come up with my own outfit ideas, I usually find my inspiration coming from the strangest of places or completely out of the blue. So I thought I would share specific examples of where my previous outfit ideas have come from.

Anime

I am not as big an anime fan as I once was, but I do still enjoy it. My weakness is any series done by CLAMP, especially Cardcaptor Sakura. I have always liked their art style and the imagery they conjure through their shows. My winged shoes from my Enchanted event outfit were inspired by the Jump Card from Cardcaptor Sakura, which when released would manifest by way of a pair of wings emerging from Sakura's shoes.

Japanese Illustrators

If you have any of the English Gothic Lolita Bibles, then you are probably familiar with the artist above! One of my most controversial outfits came about because of Looks Like a Teaspoon by Nakamura Asumiko. You can just about see a hint of pearly leg in the illustration above. I am also a big admirer of illustrators such as Sakizou. Sadly this particular idea did not translate so well in to real life and my execution could have been a whole lot better (I cringe when I see my full outfit now!). I think this is something to bear in mind. Just because something looks beautiful in a picture, it does not mean that it is going to work for an actual outfit.

British Comedy Characters

No, I am being deadly serious here! My love of my bowler hats stems from Hyacinth Bucket! Keeping up Appearances has always been one of my favourite shows, ever since I was little. But watching the series again since becoming a lolita, I have picked up on certain little details that I missed previously. Hyacinth's personality may be vile, but she sure does love a matching hat! She likes wearing statement jewellery and gloves too. There are also older comedy series which have some interesting fashions from the time. There is an episode of Fawlty Towers where Sybil wears a beautiful chiffon bed jacket which wouldn't look too out of place in Japanese fashion today. But Hyacinth remains my main inspiration. I can binge watch that show for days.

Royal Family and Royal Family Portraits

When attending an event called Regalia, the most natural place to look for inspiration is my country's very own royal family! I especially paid attention to the family portraits, as they tend to include a lot of fancy details which the royal family may not wear usually on a typical royal engagement. It was looking through these sort of pictures which encouraged me to have a go at making my own sash. I decided against the cape though. That was a bit too OTT for me! During the event I even had one of the photographers ask to take my photo in front of a picture because he said I matched it perfectly. I saw that as a huge compliment as I had achieved what I had set out to.

Cafe Workers and Shop Assistants

I have chosen a maid cafe uniform to demonstrate my point here as it seemed like the most obvious example. The maid cafe influence is pretty apparent in my outfit. But other work places can have cute uniforms as well. It is really inspiring seeing shop staff wearing the stock, especially with Japanese fashion brands. Seeing the clothing actually worn as opposed to on a computer screen can make a whole lot of difference. A piece you previously dismissed can suddenly become a lot more appealing when seen on an actual person.

Shop Displays

While we are on the subject of shops, I also happen to be a great admirer of a well thought out shop display. Years ago I made a giant lollipop after getting the idea from a sweet shop which had massive fake sweets displayed in their window. A good window display can entice you in. It is especially a good idea to look at ship displays in touristy places and also around certain holidays where you see a lot of effort put in to having a fancy display. I especially like walking around central London around Christmas time (provided it is not overly crowded!).

Nature

I don't have an example of my own to show here, but I wanted to add a final note about nature. I have had a couple of outfit ideas which I never got around to doing which were heavily inspired by nature. Just going for a walk can be very inspiring. You can get unusual colour combinations in nature which you wouldn't typically consider putting together. Nature also has a way of defying us humans sometimes. If left on its own, you will find all sorts of plants and trees growing wherever it can. It can take on unusual shapes. If you are going for a less polished look, maybe something forest inspired, where better to take inspiration from actual Mother Nature? Also, from owning birds I have learned a lot about their little quirks and movements. Seeing an animal move naturally up close has altered my opinions of a few animal themed lolita prints. It is interesting to see animals in movement rather than just standing around. 

So that list may give you all some clarity on how my mind ticks when I come up with my more crazy outfit ideas! I had a lot of fun doing the picture research for this post. It brought back a lot of memories. I suppose sometimes inspiration can come from just about anywhere. Next time an idea randomly pops in your head, write it down, no matter how crazy it seems. You never know, you may end up using it.

Peaceful Sleeping Toys by Angelic Pretty

Today I am looking at Peaceful Sleeping Toys by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, 3 hair accessories, socks, a bag, a sleeping Lyrical Bunny plush and tote bag for the plush.

First is the OP. The bodice looks a bit loose and baggy, but that could just be the fabric AP have chosen for the dress. The sleeves look a decent length though. I like how they are slightly puffy in shape and the contrast with the more fitted elasticated cuffs. The cuffs are kept nicely simple too, with a thin ribbon bow and some very cute star themed lace. The bodice features a massive yoke which takes up most of the space. Although I like the neat ruffle along the edge of the yoke, I feel it is far too big. I think the large size of the yoke makes it look exaggerated and almost childish. The yoke is topped with a ribbon bow which is a simple, yet well formed shape and a decent size. I like that the ribbon used has a hint of metallic in it and the star charms dangling from the ends of the bow tails. Thankfully, the yoke part is detachable! The bow is as well, but I would consider leaving it on. I think removing the yoke is a massive improvement. When it is removed, there is a simple line of star shaped buttons with a tidy ruffle of lace on either side. I think the collar looks a lot better with the yoke removed as well. It is a really cute shape and neatly lined with star lace. When I first saw the bodice without the yoke it really raised my hopes for this dress. The back offers no shirring, so size flexibility is sadly limited. I think the yoke looks big and bulky from the back view as well, which is another reason why I would remove it. The stock photos show that the skirt has a lot of volume and it can flare outwards plenty. I think there is the potential to create a really lovely shape. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with a smart ruffle with a line of lace layered over the top. This lace is AP logo themed and I was a little surprised that they didn't use the star lace here as well. At least the lace is still of a good quality though.

Next we have the JSK. The bodice looks a little bit wrinkled and baggy in some of the close ups but again, that could be because of the fabric AP have chosen. The overall bodice shape is quite cute. I like the soft neckline shape. My only complaint is that I wish the star lace on the neckline was a bit more tapered where it reaches the arm pits. The straps are a bit on the thin side and I think they look a bit flimsy. I suppose the thinner straps suit the style of the bodice but I would have preferred them to be just a little bit thicker. They are very neatly lined with the star lace on the outsides though. I like how this lace has been gathered slightly, giving it a more interesting shape and look. The bodice is mostly kept plain because of the massive bow on the neckline. This bow is fairly well shaped. I am surprised it isn't drooping more considering the size, although I suspect it has some discrete stitches to hold it in place. The fabric chosen for the bow is pretty and looks of a good quality. I do wonder though why AP have chosen a stripy fabric for this bow. It is not that I don't like it, I am just curious! If I am being honest, I think just placing a massive bow on the bodice is a bit lazy and knowing AP, they could have done a whole lot more with the design. I am not saying I don't like the bow, just that I don't feel this is AP at their full potential. The back is fully shirred which means lots of size flexibility, but also that the shirring is left exposed. The stock photos show that the skirt has a great deal of volume and it flares outwards enough. It should hold a fair bit of petticoat. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed brilliantly. The bottom hem is then finished off with a slightly gathered ruffle and lined neatly with lace.  

Finally, here we have a bit of the print. This series comes in white, pink, grey and dark blue. It is interesting to see the rarely seen grey make a comeback again. It offers a slightly more mature looking option and I am not surprised it seems to be the most popular colour. The other 3 colours do look adorable though! As for the print, I do think it is well drawn. We get to see some of our favourite AP characters throughout the all-over style print. I especially think it is cute how Lyrical Bunny is clinging on to the moon shaped cushion! (off topic, but I would love a moon shaped cushion like the one in the print) The cushion designs are nicely detailed with uses of gingham and fun shapes. The empty space between the mascots is filled in well with simple moons and stars. However, the overall look of the print does remind me of this wallpaper I used to have in my bedroom when I was a kid. It is super cute, but I am not sure I would want to wear it on a dress myself!

So overall I think this series has a bit of potential. I was initially a bit underwhelmed by the dress designs, but after seeing the OP without the yoke part I warmed to it a bit more. The print is adorable, but it is a bit too cutesy for my personal tastes. So this is not a series that I would buy. If you are a fan of any of the AP mascots, then I reckon this would be a good addition to your collection though. My top choice would be the OP in dark blue. I would pick the grey, but it is such an unusual colour that I am not sure I would feel confident co-ordinating it. I have fallen in love with the heart shaped cushion bag from this series though (it sold out in pink long before I had a chance to consider buying it) and as a further suggestion, I think making cushions like the ones in the print could be a fun novelty item for AP to put out!

July 2017 Haul- Pre-Birthday Edition (picture heavy)

I always find the period just before my birthday a bit of a strange time with regards to shopping. As my mum was going away around the time of my birthday she gave me my birthday money a few weeks beforehand. But I had to be very careful what I brought in case anybody had gone ahead and brought things for me! There were a couple of things that cropped up that I knew I was unlikely to get as presents, so I had a bit of a shopping spree. I suppose I just wanted to use my birthday money to treat myself, so that is what I did. The majority of today's haul is Larme influenced, although there are a couple of Baby necklaces in the haul as well.

Firstly, I noticed that New Look was having a sale, so I decided that this would be the perfect time to order a couple of skirts that I had my eye on. I also got myself these really awesome lilac coloured jeans (not pictured, but you may have spotted them in my birthday blog post) in the sale too. I am sort of still trying to figure out what sort of Larme style I would like to wear and I liked the look of this skirt in the stock photo. As it was so cheap, I got 2 colours! They are made of a crepe style fabric, which gives them a very interesting texture. I really like how it feels. The colours of the skirts were exactly what I was expecting and looked similar enough to the photos on the website.

They have these little side strap details which I think help to stop them from looking too plain.

The zip line was done neatly and well concealed. I have to admit I did have a little trouble undoing the zip at first, as it was a bit stiff, but it seems to be getting easier with time.

I am really pleased to see that the skirts are lined. The stitching on the skirt is done neatly. I feel these skirts were definitely worth the price paid.

Here is a worn photo. There is just one slight issue with the skirt- where I have lost weight, my waist measurement is now considerably smaller than my hip measurement. So this means that I had to order the size based on my hips and the waist is a little bit baggy on me. I found the skirt looked better once I had fiddled about with re-positioning it, but you may be able to see in the photo that it is sitting lower than my waistline. I am not too concerned about this, but there is no way for me to wear a belt with the skirt. This is something I am going to have to consider when ordering in the future. Luckily, New Look offers free returns so I am still able to order with confidence.

Next is a BTSSB necklace that was on my wishlist. But before we get on to the necklace, look at how massive the box that Japonica shipped it in was! I am holding the necklace up to the box for a size comparison. It is no wonder Japonica charged me so much for shipping! I find it a bit wasteful, but there wasn't really anything else on auctions or Mercari that I particularly wanted. The awkward thing about having a smaller wishlist is that things can pop up out of nowhere but then it will be ages before you find anything else. So it makes shipping stuff a bit of a pain, because if you combine orders you have no idea how long it will be until the next item comes up.

Anyway, here is the necklace! I have wanted the Chained Berry Memoir necklace ever since the series came out. This is maybe the second time I have seen the necklace appear on the 2nd hand market, so it doesn't seem to be that common. 

I absolutely love the design. The antique silver colour is so lovely. It really suits the CBM print as well. The strawberry charm is so cute. It makes a slight jingle noise as well, which one of my budgies approved of! 

The chain is of a decent length and there is a bit of room to adjust the length as well. What I really like though, is the small Baby logo charm on the chain. I thought that was a really lovely finishing touch.

Next we have another Baby necklace, this time purchased from Closet Child. I had a bit of a dilemma about purchasing this. Those of you who are familiar with my wishlist on Facebook may be aware that I really wanted the Twinkle Constellation and the Stars of Confeito necklace. This necklace is similar, but it is not the same one (I think this one is called Kitty Constellation or something along those lines...). The main differences with this necklace is that there are fewer stars, the edges of the stars are more pointy and there is a big ribbon on it. So I had to decide if I was happy to settle for this necklace, or wait and try to get my wishlist necklace (which very rarely comes up and usually sells quick when it does). As you can see, I went ahead and got this necklace and I was really pleased that I did. The design is really cute in person. In actual fact, I have made getting the Twinkle Constellation necklace a very low priority now, as I am really content with this necklace.

Going by Closet Child's description, I would say the condition of the item was as expected, maybe even slightly better. My only complaint is that the ends of the ribbon are not properly sealed, so there is a slight bit of fraying. That is easy to seal up though. The stars are so cute and they look a whole lot better in person than they do in my photos. I love to multi-coloured beads as well. It looks really pretty when worn. I am so glad I took a chance on it.

In the same Closet Child order I got this Katie badge. It still had the original Katie packaging and price tag. Although the box was a bit battered, I was still pleased that CC included it when they sent it to me. The original price tag was a bit scary though! I love Katie, but I feel their prices can be a bit steep sometimes, so I am always keeping an eye out for good deals on the 2nd hand market.

The badge is absolutely perfect and looks brand new. There are no scratches or damage anywhere. The design is crisp.

The back has a simple pin. There is no glue residue visible anywhere. So I am pleased I was able to add this to my order. I am still reluctant to pay retail price for Katie though!

Next we have an Aliexpress order. It's been ages since I have ordered from there because I wasn't that impressed with the service last time. But I decided to give this shop a go (I think it is called Adomoe? I will try and find the link) as it has some pieces which can work very well for Larme. There are even a few Mon Lily replicas (including this skirt) on there. I don't really wish to promote buying replicas, but as Mon Lily is by DreamV and I have mixed feelings about their quality (especially for the prices they charge for some things) I didn't feel as guilty about buying this replica as I would usually. The skirt I got is very shiny, but you could see that from the stock photos anyway, so I knew what to expect. The materials are a decent quality for the price paid. However, the only issue is that the material creases really easily, as you will see in the worn photos.

The details on the side were executed reasonably well. They could have been better, but they also could have been a lot worse! I like the use of velveteen for the bows. It offers a fun contrast with the shiny main material.

There is a small shirring panel, which is really well hidden underneath a ribbon on the outside. This panel is not overly generous, but it is nice to have it there. I found the sizing guide on the product listing to be pretty accurate.

The stitching is quite neat. I could find no obvious flaws on the skirt.

And here is a worn photo. Do you see what I mean about the creasing? I haven't checked to see if you can iron this skirt, but my guess is you cannot. Creasing aside, I am otherwise impressed. The skirt was comfortable. It hugged my waist well without being too tight.

I think the ribbon topping the shirring emphasises the size of my bottom a bit more than I would like, but overall I am very happy with the skirt! I just need to get those creases out!

Finally, I got these 2 lacy tops from the same Aliexpress store. They have a cute heart cut out detail. I am not that blessed in the bust department, so I have always been a bit wary of the cut-out trend in Larme, but the hearts on these tops are small enough that it isn't really an issue.

The heart cut out was done quite well. The edge is neat and you can easily make out the heart shape. Although the lace quality is a bit questionable, it actually feels surprisingly soft. It is not itchy at all! 

There is a small ribbon loop on the back to make putting on the top a bit easier. I thought that was a nice touch.

The stitching is very neat and once again, I found no obvious flaws or mistakes.

The size guide on the product listing was spot on and I found the right size easily. The top is comfortable and feels nice against the skin. I like how the neck doesn't cling too much and the way the ruffle around the neck looks when worn. As you can see, the heart shape is easy to make out too. I love that it is subtle and sits well above my bust. The only thing I am going to do is cut out the labels inside. Having a see-through top means the labels stick out like a sore thumb.

And so that is my latest haul. I am really pleased with every single thing I got. My larme wardrobe is really starting to shape up now, and I have added some nice accessories for lolita as well. I am really looking forward to extending and experimenting with my style a bit more and these pieces are really going to help me achieve this. Plus I got some absolutely fantastic birthday presents from my friends as well (thank you!!!). I am feeling very spoilt right now, but also very loved. This has been a really positive time in my life and I can genuinely say I am feeling happy. This is mostly due to the wonderful experiences I have had lately, although a little bit of retail therapy can be good from time to time!

Milky Pony Carnival by Angelic Pretty

Today I am looking at Milky Pony Carnival by Angelic Pretty. This series includes 2 dresses, socks and a head bow.

First is the OP. The bodice seems well fitted. I personally feel the bodice shape is a bit dated, but perhaps that will make it more appealing to those who like the 2009 era of sweet. The sleeves are a cute length and suitably puffy. They are finished off neatly with some good quality lace. There is a waist bow, which is a bit big, but I think AP just about gets away with its size. It has a well formed shape and sits nicely on the dress. It looks as though this bow is not detachable though, which would have been a great option to have. The bodice features a dropped scoop neckline with a solid coloured modesty panel going across the chest. This panel is loosely gathered, but otherwise the only real detail to it is the 2 bows (one on the scooped neckline and the other on the chest panel) and the lace lining the neckline. Maybe I have just gotten so used to AP's more modern designs, but something about this bodice design feels a bit plain. I think it is the boring looking panel which is putting me off. At least the lace sits well on the dress. I can take or leave the bows. They at least break up the 'emptiness' of the bodice, but they are very basic in design and the ribbon used is shiny. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt has a fair bit of volume to it and it flares outwards plenty. It should hold plenty of petticoat underneath. The skirt is kept simple in design, so the print is displayed wonderfully. The bottom hem is then finished off neatly with a line of pony themed lace.

Here we have the JSK. The bodice is quite well fitted and the shape is certainly interesting. I know from experience of owning one of these halter neck style dresses from AP that they can get a bit uncomfortable around the neck sometimes, but the straps at least look a decent width and very supportive. There is also a regular set of straps supporting the dress, which are mostly hidden by the halter straps, so if you wanted to tie the halter straps a bit looser then that is a possibility. The halter straps are decorated with neat pleats and a bow in the middle. I am not overly fond of the bow and think it could be a bit smaller. Also, I think this bow could have been shaped better, as it looks a bit flat and lifeless. There is also a waist bow, which is done in the same sort of style as the halter strap bow. I personally feel it looks a bit strange having both bows almost the same size. As mentioned, I think the halter neck bow should be smaller, which could compliment the waist bow more. The bodice features a solid line connecting both bows, which is topped with gold heart shaped buttons. I think the buttons are adorable. They fit in with the card suit theme in the print as well. There are then several lines of lace running up the bodice which are well distributed and sit decently on the dress. The back offers a panel of shirring, which is again topped neatly with a ribbon corset. The stock photos show that the skirt can flares outwards wide and has plenty of volume. There is the potential to create a fantastic sweet shape. The skirt is again kept simple, so the print is displayed beautifully. The bottom hem is then finished off with the pony lace again.

Finally, this is the print. This series comes in pink, mint, lavender and black. These are essentially the Sugary Carnival colours, but cooler and with sax blue being replaced with mint. I always thought Sugary Carnival would look fantastic in a mint version, so I guess this lookalike print sort of fulfills that dream! As for the print, it is essentially a less sugary, slightly more mature looking Sugary Carnival. There are still some stripy marshmallow-like poles and the layout is pretty similar. The big difference here is the inclusion of the lines of card suits breaking up the stripes. I personally think it would have worked better if the card suits were smaller and a bit less prominent. This print just looks far too busy and crowded. I am also a bit peeved that AP included babyish letter blocks in one of the card suits (why!?). This had the potential to be a mature Sugary Carnival. Instead we got a weird SC and Wonder Queen hybrid with added childish elements.

So I think it is safe to say that I will be sticking with Sugary Carnival! It is a shame, as I feel as though this series could have had a lot of potential. Instead it just looks like a re-hashed print which feels a bit try-hard. I wont be buying this series. If it had been more appealing to me, my top choice would be the JSK in mint. Instead I am just mourning what could have been.

Birthday Shenanigans!

I have just about recovered enough to type up what I did for my birthday. It involved a lot of eating, travelling and most importantly, spending time with loved ones. 

A while ago James booked afternoon tea for us in this place called the Vineyard, just outside of Newbury. He booked the day off work especially, which I thought was so sweet. I decided to wear my bird skirt from Le Miroir, as I had recently received it. It has already become one of my favourite pieces! I thought I would struggle with the more dusky shade of pink, but it turns out these shoes I ordered ages ago (which I was hoping would be a more AP- friendly pastel pink) were quite a good match. Maybe past me knew that one day I would require dusky pink shoes! 

I wasn't really sure what else to team this skirt with, so I threw on a floral veil and attached the matching hair clip to it. I added rose themed cuffs to make the floral veil a bit more balanced, although I personally don't feel that flowers look too out of place with the overall outfit theme anyway. 

After an adventurous drive to Newbury, which involved the sat-nav only telling us to take a turning when it was too late to take it, we eventually made it to the Vineyard. I went for a tea with apricot and passionfruit flavours which was absolutely yummy. I am not a big tea drinker, but this tea was pleasant and not overly sweet. James went for one which was meant to taste like Victoria sponge and it did indeed smell of the cake! This was the sweet half of the afternoon tea. Although Wimbledon had finished by the time of my birthday, the Vineyard was still putting on their Wimbledon themed afternoon tea, which is why there is a slight tennis theme to the sweets. We had a surprisingly strong Pimm's cocktail (it was small, but potent), a tennis ball which was made up of vanilla mousse and coated in white chocolate, a macaron tower featuring pistachio with orange cream and blackcurrant macarons, a random chocolate thing with gooey caramel inside and a berry and lemon mousse cake with brownie base.

I saved the best til last with this chocolate sweet! It tasted absolutely amazing, although I have to admit I was starting to feel a bit sick at this point! We were not sure if the flower on top was edible or not. James ate his flower, but after seeing his reaction I decided to not eat mine. I think we were given just the right amount of food. There were plenty of sandwiches and 2 scones with clotted cream and jam as well as the sweets. What I liked about this afternoon tea was the amount of variety and how the sweets were not just your typical bog-standard mass produced cakes which you can get pretty much anywhere.

It was raining slightly so I was unable to get many photos of the venue, but here is a random picture of a pigeon going for a dip in the water feature. We were sat by the window, so we had a good view of the gardens at least.

I wont share absolutely everything I got, but here are a few choice items from my birthday present haul! I didn't get much in the way of J-fashion, but I did get another old issue of Larme from James. After having a flick through, it seems like a good issue. The Swablu socks were discovered by me a while ago when I was looking for presents for our friend Matt, so James got them for me, as well as a pair with Goomy on them. The budgie necklace was a nice surprise. It looks very similar to one of my two birds. They do commissions, so I am going to get my other bird designed as well. If afternoon tea was not enough sweet stuff, I also got given sweets for my foreign snack review album by pretty much everybody. I think I have enough sweet stuff to last me until Christmas now!

The day afterwards we traveled down to Kent to meet up with friends. I finally got to visit the Chaos Cards store, where my friend Matt works! It is basically a Mecca of all things nerdy. There is all the Pokemon TCG stuff my heart desires. I am also trying to learn Netrunner at the moment, so it was fun looking at all the different packs and expansions. I couldn't get over how big the store was. The staff were also really friendly and I ended up chatting to this young boy in the queue whose favourite legendary Pokemon is Darkrai. He was very impressed with my Umbreon GX box purchase!

When we eventually got to Jo's house, there was a pitcher of Pimm's waiting for us (Pimm's is definitely the current alcohol of choice). There was quite a lot of fruit in the first pitcher! James then made a second one which had a lot more Pimm's in it. I have to admit, I did get a little bit squiffy!

We sat in Jo's conservatory with our Pimm's to open presents. I was given a book called Beautiful Chickens from Jo and Chris. There was this whole sequence of photos on my camera which captured my reaction perfectly! I am hiding in this picture because I was laughing so much. To be fair, the chickens in the book are indeed beautiful!

We also had homemade pizzas. This is definitely my favourite way to have pizza! Jo made a beautiful dough base and as they were all individual pizzas, we all got to pick our own toppings. No arguments about whether pineapple is a good or evil pizza topping were had! For the record, I am on the fence about pineapple on pizzas. I think there are better toppings.

After an epic Mario Kart marathon and brownies, we retired to bed. The following day we headed out in to Canterbury for brunch. It was absolutely amazing. I had a vegetarian all-day breakfast but swapped out the baked beans for extra mushrooms. The veggie fritter was incredible. I would quite like to learn to make my own. Although I kind of spoiled the veggie day by going to Macdonalds on the way home. I was desperate for food and Maccy D's is terrible for veggie options! Thankfully, it wasn't raining, so we got to sit outside. It was good to have a proper catch up and despite being next to a road, it was quiet enough that we could all talk easily. I absolutely adore all of the people around this table!

This was my first trip to Canterbury and I was stunned by how beautiful it is. There were lots of potential photoshoot locations I noted for when I next travel down. I will attempt to bring some lolita with me next time! Canterbury reminds me of Oxford, but if I am being honest I prefer Canterbury. It is less crammed with tourists and there is a more eclectic mix of shops. I found an amazing new age shop which was selling lots of witchy stuff and there was also a shop dedicated to retro gaming, which had a Pokemon card swapping station as well. It is so great knowing I have a friend who lives here and is willing to let me crash at theirs. I really want to go back and explore more!

So that was my birthday adventure for the year! I have just about recovered (although I am feeling tired from the step exercise class I did yesterday) and I have a lot of happy memories to treasure from my extended weekend. I am missing everybody already!