A Fresh Start

A FRESH START;

OFFICE SPACE

_______(advice needed!)_______

GDL HQ

IM FLIPPING EXCITED!!! I HAVE AN OFFICE. 
We have launched people. GDL HAVE AN OFFICE. 
It's so perfect, but MESSY. The person I share a space with is damn messy. No names but she is! 
As lots of my followers may now know, My partner Lucy and I have set up our own GENDERLESS CLOTHING label and started a TEVOLUTION. (A T-shirt revolution that promotes gender equality) If you want to read a bit more about that then you can read my earlier post on 'What is Genderless fashion?'

SO, new venture, new space right? We've got this gorgeous little office space that is a total blank canvas and I'm unsure of what to do with it. I cannot work in a messy / bland space so I've started to jazz it up already. I've given anyone who enters a lift of chores, new tea towels for the kitchen, polish and room sprays at the ready. 
We will probably be evicted soon, but for now, I'm BUZZING WITH EXCITEMENT!
We're lucky the office came with a gorgeous white glass desk so it felt instantly chic! apparently a steal at IKEA for 86.00. The Macbook obviously stands out and looks beautiful on the desk but I had to Start to giving it the #lauralucyhome vibe. 

As you can see by the pictures I've added a beautiful vase and bunch of flowers 

(fresh flowers are always best though!) 

Some pretty patterned note pads and pens laying around for a feminine touch and will be putting the pictures of Phoebe and Perry (my chihuahuas) in the frames.

I'm needing inspiration for the walls / mood boards.

 Will keep an update in a future blog about how I get on. 

Any suggestions please leave in the comments below.

I guess this Blog is a bit of rambling, a bit of asking for help 

and a bit of excitement in one. 

hugs,

Laura x

Dior Addicts

DIOR FOREVER SS16

FRIDAY NIGHT WELL SPENT

Dior cosmetics at CARDIFF DEBENHAMS held a bloggers event for Make up Bloggers in South Wales last night and I was put on the guest list last minute thanks to the gorgeous Abigail Lewis-Savage! Hurrah! And although brief, It was wonderful. Who doesn't love champagne & make up?

A champagne reception and a warm welcome from the gorgeous Dior make up artist ANTHONY and team, we were given these cute Dior wrist ribbons that really set the mood for the evening. They instantly made it feel exclusive and the bubbles -- well, you can't do Dior without Moet. Darling!

DIOR FOREVER SS16

The Products. Brows & Skin,

Ant gave a tutorial of the new products on his beautiful model and the products gave her a natural spring/summer look. Topped of with pretty coral pink lips. When asked what products we'd like to try I wasn't shy in saying "all of them" but opted myself for the brows. I'm always looking to perfect my brows. He recommended the DIORSHOW BROW STYLER in a universal shade 001 universal brown. They shaped my eyebrows beautifully and the crayon is nice and thin so you can draw in the hairs as heavy or as light at you choose and will make shaping easier! I asked if I needed to go lighter on my brows and he said my brows are perfect for my colouring. Brows on fleek! Coming from a guy with the most amazing eyebrows in the whole of Cardiff - I wasn't going to argue. 

Next Abi wanted to try their new DIORSKIN FOREVER foundation but always struggles to get a match on her pale skin. Being a benefit cosmetics lover she didn't think she could ever be persuaded but Ant managed to match her up beautifully with the shade 010 IVORY. Her skin looked flawless and she felt amazed with the product! 

The goodie bags were OK -- (they were free most people wouldn't complain!) But being Dior I really did think they would have pulled it out of the bag and wowed us. 

we had a mini sample of perfume and face cream that  am yet to use!

However the goodie bag packaging was gorgeous and I was glad to have attended the event. 

My purchases for the evening were 

The DIORSKIN FOREVER FOUNDATION

DIORSHOW BROW STYLER 

and a gorgeous free DIOR MAKE UP BAG in hot pink from the SS16 range.

Overall, a gorgeous evening with wonderful company and we even managed to speak with ANT about modelling some of GDL clothing SS16 line and maybe an interview with the fashionista himself! Watch this space! 

HUGS,

A perfect gift

                 

  I treated myself to the beautiful keyring made by the wonderful Louise and her best friend Rosie. (She's her beautiful dog) and I couldn't be happier! 

It's so dainty and pretty it looks gorgeous in my keys.

I've decided it's the most perfect gift so friends and family done be surprised if you all get some of these. 

Head over to her Instagram page 

@thejanuaryrose 

Or her Website www.thejanuaryrose.co.uk 

And share the love.

GDL Fashion

         

        www.genderless-clothing.com 

What on earth is GENDERLESS clothing? 

It's a revolutionary idea that people DON'T need to shop by section (men/women) but can walk into a store and choose ANYTHING they want and not fit a stereotype. You wear it how you want because it's totally gender neutral. It's a tshirt revolution guys! 

We're calling it a Tevolution. #tevolution 

If you're fashion forward, sporty, androgynous, girly, gay, straight, transgender, gender fluid, black, white, tattoo'd, pale and "not into fashion" or just simply... YOU... No label, just fancy a new tshirt? Whatever. It's for everyone. The company and the ideals are the future and im so excited to be a part of it.  AHHHH! I could squeeze something. 

Who are SQUAD GDL? 

•Meet the Team• 

    Company and Brand Creator Lucy

 Marketing Director (bossy bitch) me!                   •Hello!!! 

Our photographer Abigale Lewis Photography at Green Pig Studios 

          The Official GDL Models 

        Cutest couple ever Jay & Amy

    Steph who's look is perfect for GDL

   And Cardiff Blues Rugby Player Tom

We are passionate about this brand and 2016 is going to be so exciting! 

Get your hands on our AW15 range now at the website. And watch this space ✨

Upcycling furniture - How do I do it?

Whats "up-cycle"? 

Everyone's talking about it, hash-tagging it, doing it but, What is it?

 It's the art of taking something used and re-freshing it, turning the "old" into something "new". 

OK, but where to start?

My upcycle was a table my mother gave to me when I moved into my house. It's always been used a side table and as nice as it was it never went with any of my white furniture. 

I decided I would paint it to match.

Done my research and found there are some great paints out there and wax to make your furniture amazing such as "Annie Sloan" and "Farrow and Ball" but honestly, I wanted to something cheap and cheerful and we used white dulux paint we had used for the ceiling last year! 

We used a sandblock to sand down any chipped or uneven edges (pack of 6 sandblocks at "what!" for £1) and then painted the legs with white paint. It only took one coat of paint! 

(Professionals would then wax it to protect it and give it a shine) I haven't waxed mine as of yet but will do in the future! 

This is the result of 45minutes spare time.

Ta-da! You can do it too! get in the shed and find some left over paint and have a go! 

If you don't want to ruin your furniture then there are an array of shops that will do it for you (for a fee of course!)

Some I recommend are:

Heavenly Comforts Aberdare. 

(She also runs Annie Sloan workshops if you would like to learn the proper techniques.) 

Her Link here:

https://www.facebook.com/HeavenlyComforts?fref=ts

Lynda Brogan's Shabby and Chic Furniture of Merthyr 

Her Link here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shabby-and-Chic-Furniture-of-Merthyr-Valley/358091494263652?fref=ts

From Shitty to Pretty Furniture (Brecon)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/From-shitty-to-pretty-furniture/304736056365681?fref=ts

Paper Tape 10 seconds makeover

Paper tape is my new best friend! 

You can choose any many different designs, colours, patterns and up cycle anything...Furniture, lampshades, frames, vases. All for as little as £2.99!

I chose a Cath Kidston-esque floral tape and decided to desecrate my welsh dresser. I didn't even use half of my tape which means lots left over for more creativity.

I just simply run the tape along the edge of my shelf and cut to fit.

TA-DA!! Shabby chic shelves in 10seconds. 

Enjoy xx

DIY Material Hearts

DIY Shabby Chic!

I absolutely adore the stuffed material hanging hearts I see in the shops! They range from £1.99 to £6.00 in various shapes, sizes and colours. 

BUT they are SO easy to make at home with pieces of material you already have or buy some nice floral ones from ebay, material stores, Ikea, fabric world Treforest (for south wales readers).

I chose a Ditsy white and pink spring floral fabric for mine.

All you need is...

Fabric 

Fabric scissors 

piece of chalk

cotton

sewing needle 

some ribbon

microfiber stuffing 

30minutes spare time.

(you can get all these really cheap look on ebay or craft shops!)

Step 1.

Draw around a heart shape with the chalk and cut it out. Make two.

Step. 2

place your hearts together (inside out) and sew your hanging 

ribbon to the top of your hearts! leave a small gap for your ribbon

 so you can pull it out when you turn it inside out.

Then, start to sew them together.

step 3.

Sew to almost half way down each side then secure with triple stitch. 

Then cut off the cotton and gently turn your heart inside out.

step 4.

gently pull your ribbon at the top through the small gap! 

If its small enough it shouldn't need stitching back together.

 You should be left with a flap at the end of your heart. Like this.

step 5.

Get enough microfiber stuffing to fill your heart and gently stuff it until your happy with the shape, size.

you can make it as thin or as full as you want.

Then sew up the end of your heart. 

step 6.

This is how it will (hopefully) turn out! You can choose to 

embellish it with ribbon, 

button, sequins, fabric shapes. I left mine plain. (as seen)

step 7.

Find somewhere pretty to hang it.

On a draw knob, door handle, chair, bedpost etc to make the house 

pretty and give a shabby chic vibe.

You could even cut extra long length of ribbon and then use it as a bookmark. the heart hanging out of your book will make it look pretty wherever you put it down.

Simple.

Enjoy, Happy stitching. 

Feel free to comment or post your versions below!

Laura x