ASOS Marketplace

WHAT THE...??

ASOS and ASOS Marketplace are just life and I've been a premier customer for years so I was overwhelmed when they found our brand online and asked if we wanted a trial run to see how our brand markets. A proper pee in my pants moment!

When we started GDL I never dreamed that this would happen in such a short space of time. 

People ask how does it work? Well its completely UNISEX so they aren't mens clothes on women and vice versa. We source unisex wholesale items, we brand them and market them to the audience we know and love. 

My faves are the PINK luxe cap. It's a beaut and suits both genders perfectly. 

and the acid wash logo tee below It's so chic, I would wear it with a denim skirt and pumps or high waisted jeans and a black leather jacket. It feels so soft. We source responsibly, organic cotton, fair wear. I'm proud to say we aren't about making profit but making a difference! Making clothes GENDER FREE, giving fair money for quality products and sharing a love of fashion all at the same time.

If you'd like to follow the links below to our website, ASOS boutique and our other social medias please don't forget to like, follow and share to spread the love! Thank you so much.

HUGS,

LAURA-AMIE xx

This Summer

Ok, Sorry for Lack of posts. 

June and July were mental months for me.

I got engaged in the algarve, my baby sister got married,

GDL clothing has launched on ASOS Marketplace and 

I am still playing catch up.

THE ENGAGEMENT

I will look back on this in years to come and be so glad I take so many pictures and talk about my life and document it so I can enjoy the memories when they aren't as vivid in my mind anymore. We stayed in the most gorgeous villa in the Algarve, with private pool, stunning gardens and balcony view of the Alvor Mountains it was breath taking.  It really was the best holiday. 

Three days in we went for a meal at a restaurant named ATRIUM 53 which was the name of the University in Cardiff where Lucy, my fiancée and I met. (It's so weird calling her that.) We had a lovely meal and drinks then walked down onto the beach. As the sun was setting on the beautiful beach she asked me to Marry her. Instead of saying "yes" like a normal person would. I replied with "i'm going to be sick" I was so overwhelmed. We laughed it off later! oops.

This is the beach in the day! SO beautiful. Nobody was around, it was just us. Bliss!

And of course not forgetting the RING....

It was the ring of dreams. I had seen a few similar on Pintrest and pinned them to my board months and months before. I loved the idea of an oval diamond and a skinny band (due to my child sized hands!) she couldn't find anything remotely similar on the high street jewellers so she ended up designing it with a family jewellers in York who made the perfect ring to suit her budget. (of which I still don't know) I am over the moon. It's perfect and I am so proud to wear it. It sparkles all day and just makes me smile. Such cheesy engagement bliss. Sorry for those who aren't feeling the cheese vibes.

Hugs,

Laura-Amie xx

Instagram made me buy it

I am a self confessed Instagram addict. Since joining around 3 years ago I've gained so many wonderful followers (thank you) and I follow so many beautiful inspiring profiles and blogs now that cheer me up every day. However, let's not deny that following those home accounts, beauty bloggers and YouTube tutorials make us spend like crazy! It's literally a case of "Instagram made me buy it"

it started off gentle with a nice Emma Bridgewater mug from TKMaxx half price and then it escalated to those pink boxes getting bigger and bigger and more frequent and then before you know it, you're obsessed. 

Those bloody ALDI candles

Anyone else with me on this? The latest craze for me which made me step back and take a long hard look at my life was when I was franticly searching the isles in ALDI for these badboys:

These candles sent me into a frenzy and when I couldn't get them instore and they were always sold out online I felt as though I was missing out. The smelt lovely for £3.99 but the hysteria was ridiculous! I have the giggles just thinking about sat ordering 4 candles because they finally came in stock but ALDI would only let you purchase 1 of each scent. Come on... we're crazy! 

Aswell as home accessories think about that MUST have make up that YouTube make up artist recommended and when she sale at Emma Bridgewater hits all hell breaks loose on the Facebook members page with people actually arguing over plates and teapots.The scenarios pan out like this.. Sue and Carol have un-friended each other because Sue said her sponging was wonky and she is demanding CS get back to her with a replacement. Carol is disgusted because so much time and effort went into making that piece of pottery she feels Sue needs to be more grateful with her purchase. Can we take a moment to appreciate how funny this is? We've all seen it. 

Disclaimer* Sue and Carol are fictional characters I swear (insert  a string of laughing emoji's)

We all know I will be following the latest Instagram must haves - damn you IG. Love you really.

Hugs,

Laura-Amie xx

Those Little Touches

Home accessories are the perfect touch for any room. A pretty clock, a lamp, vase or jug and candle sticks can completely change a shelf or windowsill. As everyone who follows me on Instagram now knows I love Laura Ashley and Emma Bridgewater so they are featured in almost every room, however there are so many purse pleasing home stores to check out for pretty house buys. My faves are:

These three places have the most gorgeous home items and I shop there regularly. Not forgetting vintage shops, charity shops, Antique fairs and small local businesses. Also, family and friends who are downsizing or moving home usually have boxes of stuff they no longer want. Ask for a rummage, one persons trash is another persons treasure, right?

This gorgeous frame was from a sort out at Lucy's grandparents house. It now has pride of place in the lounge and it's none other than Laura Ashley. I am in love with it. It's always worth checking out charity shops for art work because the price difference is insane. 

Colours and Patterns

The minute I put a colour on a wall or buy a bold wallpaper I hate it within a week. I've started opting for whites, creams and silvers in all my decorating and then adding pops off colour in vases, picture frames, cushions and throws. That was I can mix and match with the seasons and I don't get bored of a room. For me, if I choose a wallpaper it's usually a white base with a silver or pearl pattern. I guess I just don't like colour commitment. (that made me laugh as I typed it - I am ridiculous)

Accessories 

My favourite items to purchase at the moment has to be lamps and candles. If my wax melts and candle stash run too low I can feel my pulse speed up. Having two cats and chihuahua's in the house I am very conscious about it being clean and tidy always and smelling fresh. There's nothing worse than the smell of dog in a house. (sorry fellow animal lovers) I would fill my house with rescued animals If I could but the smell of them isn't exactly delightful. The  pet beds and blankets are washed weekly and I love a nice dog perfume every now and again to get those pooches smelling wonderful! 

Thanks for reading, I am enjoying a Sunday blog as of late. Let's hope I stick to it this time. 

Hugs,

Laura-Amie xx

Before and After Home Pictures

I absolutely love a before and after picture of a home transformation. We've only been in the house a little under 6 months. We started with the livingroom / dining room as it needed a complete overhaul including flooring, lighting etc. We then moved onto the garden, office and the bedroom. 

THE LIVING ROOM / DINING ROOM

It seems to look bigger with our furniture in it. I think it's all the light colours and textures. 

THE LOUNGE 

The lounge / open plan kitchen area was already gorgeous, just needed some new furniture. It will eventually need a lick of paint.

THE GARDEN

The previous owners were amazing gardeners and the whole garden is bliss. The only thing we did was paint the shed, the wall, steps and added some furniture to freshen it up.

THE BEDROOM

A fresh white wallpaper on the feature wall and pale apple green walls. I don't like colour on walls as the minute I paint it I want to change it. But opting for a pale shade means I can chop and change the accessories, bedding etc.

Will keep you updated as changes are made. :-)

Hugs,

Laura-Amie xx

New Home

It's been a long time since I last blogged about anything - I lost all interest in truth. 

I continued to post on Instagram though and in the mean time we've bought a beautiful new cottage. So what better way to kick start my blog than with some Before Pictures. 

NOBODY PREPARES YOU 

Seriously though, you think about the overall cost of just purchasing house thats expensive enough with all the fee's etc. We knew there would be changes to be made but we didn't budget for what was to come.  Once you get the keys, all the stress and worries melt away. Although, they did for two nights! When we got in the second bedroom was soaked, the walls were dripping with water. Turns out the beautiful chimney was leaking but was in a state of disrepair. That had to be knocked down and tiled over to avoid any further damage. The blistering plaster and walls had to dry out (this has taken 6 months) Then we had a leaking roof vent, a potential slow leak in a pipe in the ceilings. More cost to check them out and fix. 

OLD HOUSE PROBLEMS

We had mysterious water marks all over the walls but THANK THE LORD these turned out to be condensation. Old stone houses need to breathe! And since the previous owners hadn't lived there for months it hadn't had a chance to do so. Along with condensation comes mildew. I spent 6 weeks worrying over the awful black marks appearing everywhere. I found some amazing techniques on getting rid of these (which I will share in a different post). Once I tackled them and understood the importance of opening the windows and doors as much as possible when the heating is on in the thick of winter -things got better. No more leaking and I learned to manage condensation! (a de-humidifier in the winter is a saviour - we bought one on sale from Amazon around £30 and it worked a treat) Since keeping the house aired, it has been much better - hoorah!

COTTAGE TLC

The weather was brutal when we moved in, lashing with rain, high winds knocking tree's down and pickings of snow and frost. We looked into stopping any penetrating damp and the best solution to protecting the old stone in the front was STORM DRY paste. This will go on, seep into the stone and stop any rain penetrating the stone. If you can buy it and do it yourself, it'll save you around £1,000. 

We also had the back of the house (that is already rendered) painted with weather shield in Country Stone and the sills and garage door painted Willow Green. I love the combination so much.

Since the weather has dried up and we've had little bits and pieces patched up and sorted we've had no problems (touch wood). Everything has dried up nicely and we're hoping to be sorted for winter!

Just remember to keep window's open where possible to allow the stone to breathe and tackle any condensation marks with some JEYES mould and mildew cleaner so it doesn't get out of hand in those wet and cold winter months!

HINDSIGHT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING

I wish I hadn't spent 4 months of worrying over things that I couldn't change overnight. Settling into a house can takes weeks and months and I feel like 6 months later I know the house now and it feels like home. Damp, condensation, leaking roofs and everything in between can't be helped, so just need to be fixed and learnt from. On a positive note - things are now looking wonderful in our cottage and I can't wait to spend the next how ever many years, bringing it back to its former glory with sash windows and a wooden cottage door. #housegoals

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES, WILL BLOG SOME "BEFORE AND AFTER"

 AS THEY ARE MY FAVOURITES.

Thanks for reading,

Hugs,

Laura-Amie xx

My hair is straight but I'm not.

My coming out story.

I'd like to share my story with you guys because people have always been bewildered when I tell them I'm gay and I get various comments like "You're too pretty to be a lesbian" with a string of personal questions related to my sexuality. How weird would it be if you brought up your boyfriend in a conversation casually like "me and my boyfriend live together" and I responded. "Boyfriend? oh wow you have a boyfriend? How did that happen? Did you always know you liked boys? How do you have sex?" 

Well, this has been my life for the last 11 years. Long winded conversations in groups of people. work colleagues, with new friends, new people I meet about my life and the way I live it. SO, here's my story.

How Did I know?

I didn't wake up one morning and decided "Fuck it, I'm going to be a complete rebel and label myself a lesbian" When I was in my teens, being with boys made me feel uncomfortable. I dated a few boys but there was no chemistry. I went along with it because thats what everyone else was doing. Kissing boys, losing their virginity, growing up. I hated sex with my boyfriend. It was horrible. I avoided it at all costs. I didn't know I liked girls, I just knew I didnt want to ever have sex with a man again! 

First experience.

I met my first ever girlfriend and we were friends to begin with. She told me she was a lesbian and the moment she told me I had butterflies in my stomach. I don't know why. I felt warm and fuzzy. We grew close and I had my first kiss. I felt those firework straight away. That giddy-school-girl feeling was happening. When we had sex I just knew what to do. It worked. I felt right. Never ever have I felt wrong about my sexuality. Thats how I knew. 

We didn't last long because I was too scared to come out to all my  friends and family. 

Girlfriend number 2 came along not long later and that's when I fell completely in love. I knew she would be the one I told everyone about. My life changed and it would never be the same again. 

Telling my friends.

I knew it had to be done. In science class year 11 I plucked up the courage to tell my friend Zara I had a girlfriend and her response was "About time you told me. I've known you liked girls for ages" I was dumbfounded. I asked her how she knew. She told me "the way you spoke about her" and how I disliked boys so much. haha! This wasn't going to be as hard as I thought. So the next opportunity I got was at break in school. I remember it like it was yesterday. My two best friends Leanna and Kayleigh and I were stood in the school hall and I legs shaking I said "girls I have something I need to tell you" Both of them looked at me as If I had some juicy gossip. I started to feel sick, throat dried up and I somehow managed to say "I'm a lesbian and I've got a girlfriend" You couldnt write what heppend next...

as soon as I said those words the school bell rang and Leanna said "Oh well, we got maths now" 

and both girls walked off leaving me stood there like a fucking idiot! 

(Im laughing as I write - bloody bitches) I was in a seperate maths class so I spent the next hour in complete torture wondering if they were still going to be my friends. When we went for lunch the questions came. After I answered them their response was "we don't care" 

As the news spread across the school, most people were bewildered. Nobody had "come out as a lesbian" in our year group and most people called me "brave" the fact that I was a lesbian was accepted straight away. I was lucky to be surrounded by awesome people. Don't get me wrong there were a few idiots who spat "lesbian" as they walked past but I was confident enough to stick my middle finger up at them. I didn't care what random people thought of me. My friends still loved me for me. Fuck them. :)

Telling my family.

I lived with my godmother at the time and after a very drunk 16th birthday party news had got back to her and I get a phonecall from her at work (whilst all of my friends were at my house still hungover)

My phone rang I answered it and Trudy asks me subtle as a GUN "Laura, are you a lesbian?" I just remember going pale and sayin "NO. course not" she said we'd discuss it when she got home. I scrubbed the house and sat on the top of the stairs when I knew she was coming up the path. She walked in asked me something about food. I walked down the stairs, burst into tears and said "I am a lesbian. Simone is my girlfriend" She hugged me and said "You'll always be the same Laura to us. It doesn't matter." then she followed that with "i've already told everyone in the family" I couldnt believe how lovely everyone was.

I was too scared to tell my mother and father so I told them via text. 

When I visited my mother the next day she made me a cuppa and said "so you're a queer?" I nearly died. "No mam, I'm gay. I'm not queer." her reply to that was "So, can I meet your friend?" meaning my girlfriend. I told her of course and she never made an issue of it.

it took me 4 years to tell my dad and when I did he and his wife said "Laura we already knew" and he kissed me and told me I was still "his prize" 

Everyone in the family treat me exactly the same but my sister Emma did once asks me deadly serious at a wedding "So, whats prosecco? Is that a lesbian drink?"

I nearly choked. Through hysterics I replied "No Em, it's just a nice sparkling wine." 

I love my family so much.

"Have you got a boyfriend?" 

Luckily I'm really confident and I think the fact that I'm extreemly feminine and look feminine when I get asked if I have a boyfriend or a partner when I reply with "yes shes a woman" for the first few years people would say "you're too pretty" "but you dont look like a lesbian" What does a lesbian look like? They are just women of all styles and shapes and sizes who fancy other women. Also, for the record, just because you're a woman, don't assume lesbians will fancy you. We don't. We are not going to hit on you, don't flatter youself. 

However,

People are usually cool with it, Or like my colleague Sian they go beetroot red. (haha sorry sian) 

In the past people have asked me a string of ridiculous and personal questions PLEASE STOP. I don't want to give my lifestory. Let's stop labelling eachother. 

Love is Love. Love is Genderless. Society is more open minded and accepting than they were 10 years ago. It was daunting at the time to come out as who I was but now we are moving forward. It's nice to see the world shaping into a place where equality lives. 

So without making my story a trilogy I just want to finish with this...

Thank you for those who stood by me in school. You gave me confidence in myself and made me feel loved and accepted. 

Thank you to the very few idiots who used "lesbian" as an insult. Corrcet, I am a lesbian.

 The word doesnt hurt, sorry. #sorrynotsorry

If I shouted "Straight" at you, you'd think I was an idiot. 

Well thats what I though of you. 

I am so lucky to be surrounded by amazing people. You guys rock my world. 

If you got this far, Thanks for reading my story.

Hugs

Laura xx