Freshly Baked Cookies

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Freshly baked cookies can warm anyones stomach and heart. I am not much of a baker, especially after my GSCE'S, from trying to perfect a perfect Victoria sponge but no one can deny freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. 

This week as been a little chaotic to say the least. I came home from uni unexpectedly due to my mum being taken ill over the weekend. Living a million miles away proved very difficult and I couldn't stand being so far away knowing she was so ill so I jumped on a train home. 

If theres ever a time to bake cookies its definitely now. I think sometimes we take loved ones for granted. We sometimes forget or don't see how much they mean to us, how much they do for us and it takes something like this, especially when your away, to realise how much they mean to us and the thought of something going wrong or bad happening. 

I've never taken my mum for granted. She's always been my best friend and the person I trust the most. I've always been around when things have happened in the past so when something so unexpectedly happened it was a shock to me and makes you think everything and anything. 

Thankfully doctors have found what is wrong and she is very slowly getting better. I took the day off today running around to complete my university work that I have been neglecting. I decided the only thing needed to help my day was the smell of freshly baked cookies and eating most of them (thats right) with as many cups of tea I can take (which I did). 

Plain Jayne x

Winter Boots

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Winter boots are something I am guilty for wearing all year around. I am always on the hunter for a good pair that I love. I needed a new pair recently as mine were looking very battered and bruised. 

I also thought it was about time I got a more flat pair as I felt a little silly running to lectures wearing heeled boots when everyone else is wearing trainers or flats. 

I was in Primark, of all the places, the other day picking up some new tights (with didn't have holes in) and decided to go have a quick look in the shoe department. Shoes are something in primark that If I find the right fit and pair, I love and these little boots were no exception. 

They remind me of a similar pair I was going to buy a couple of weeks ago from urban outfitters apart from these were only £13? yup, don't mind if I do! 

A chunky chelsea boot are always on my radar and these are also faux suede which are just perfect. Well done Primark! 

Hope you enjoyed

Plain Jayne x

Exploring Pintrest

When it comes to social medias am pretty useless. I only recently got Instagram (Which I am now addicted to) and apart from Facebook and tumblr (am working on it) thats where my lines drawn. I've never really understand or liked the concept of twitter and I've never considered getting Pinterest. That was until I walked into a lecture a couple of weeks ago and that was all it was about.

So it was time to create my Pinterest. At the time I wasn't to thrilled about the idea of having Pinterest. I think I'd just never fully understood it. The concept and what to actually do on it. As part of my course though we had to develop our own Pinterest as it can be one of the first parts of creating a professional profile. woo?

I think that the lecture was about two weeks ago and I am now 100% addicted. Why I never wanted to scroll through millions of amazing editorials, photography, fashion and beauty before, I will never know. In a way it is like tumblr but I like you can pin and create amazing personal boards and have them all displayed in one place. Although I do love tumblr I find the pictures on Pinterest aren't as hipster and more creative.

I also find it a better way to explore different fashion and different cultures. Plus you can explore different trends, past trends and maybe even trend forecasting.

Have you got Pinterest?
Plain Jayne x

A take on a classic

I haven't done a post involving fashion or a outfit for what feels like forever, so I thought it was about I did one.

The other day after a successful job interview I read my emails to find toyshop had a sale. Immediately my eyes lit up and I ran. Literally.

 I've been pretty good lately at buying clothing from other stores that aren't toyshop. If you read my blog when I first started you will have seen that everything I wore or talked about was all and everything topshop. Now as you will see in upcoming blogposts I am a changed women but I do also love the occasional spend in there. Especially when theres a sale, of course.

To be honest I wasn't that impressed but I did find the most adorable shoes which just couldn't not come home with me. They remind me of a take on the doc martins 1461 classic matte flat shoes but were only £25. mmmmm yes please?!

Doc martins are on my christmas list but for now these are a perfect dupe and I am in love. I said to one of my flat mates when I bought them I might not wear them that much but now I have them, they haven't left my feet and makes me even more exited to get my first pair of docs. 

Hope you enjoyed
Plain Jayne x

And relax..

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Recently i've heard a lot of people talking about adult colouring books. A colouring book is normally meant for a child of course but now colouring is seen as a very theraputic and relaxing thing to do for a adult. Now when you go into stores and book shops you can always see and find one from many different authors.

When I was home for the weekend I took a trip to asda because I don't have one near where I live anymore and it can be a lot cheaper sometimes. I went into the book section to see if there was any nice cook books but came across the Johanna Basford 'Enchanted Forest' book and it was only £6, which is the cheapest i've seen it in any store as there normally retailed for about £10, so I grab it while I had the chance. 

I've seen many books that are meant to help with the relief of stress and anxiety as they are so relaxing and I have to say after having this book, I totally agree. I love just sitting on a night colouring in, especially if am not feeling my best, as it just makes me so chilled and relaxed. I have felt the benefit and now totally understand the hype around what i thought was a joke of a 'adult colouring book'.

I would recommend these to anyone who is feeling stressed, anxious, a little run down and just need to relax (It also makes you quite sleepy as well which is a bonus). I will probably just be sitting in my own little world colouring alway like a child again. 

Have you got bought into the trend of these adult colouring books?

Plain Jayne x

Weekend at home

This weekend I decided to come home for the weekend. A few of my flatmates were going home and others had friends and family coming up so I decided to come home for the first time (Although its only been two weeks).

I was pretty nervous about going home. How different would it feel. Would I love it being back, would it maybe make me not want to come back or even then, hating it back in cumbria. I have to say its been a bit of both. I still love my home but its made me love university even more and where I live. 

When I was at home I kept on referring to nottingham as my home rather then Cumbria (which I did get some funny looks for I won't lie) 

I've always known cumbria wasn't the most exiting of places but once you experience that new exiting city I swear it becomes even worse. I loved seeing my friends and family of course but the place did nothing for me anymore. 

When I say I am from cumbria people always say 'awww you must love it there, so much to do' but my answer is normally more not really. If your a person who loves adventure then yeah sure but for me I love different cultures, fashion, beauty and a city life style, which you just don't get in a place like cumbria. Not at my age anyways.

I am now back in the city Nottingham. Back into my lectures (Today we were working on Pinterest and creating professional boards, how cool!)

Hope you enjoyed
Plain Jayne x

Adjusting

Adjusting to university life is a something else that you'll have never experience before and never again. Moving out and away from your home. Moving to totally new city. New places to explore. New People and new friends. Missing home but moving on to.

(Instagram) 

I thought I'd find moving away from my little home town really hard. I'd never been to the city before (ooppss). Never done anything to do with fashion apart from my blog. I have 'adjusted' though and its safe to say I love it.

It is something very new for me and very different but I love it. I mean what girl wouldn't love having ever shop and amazing food places on her doorstop, including amazing vintage shops, great flatmates and and a perfect city just waiting to be explored. ohh and obviously a great course to go along side it, one of my first lectures was all about Pinterest (yes please). 

I won't lie I have been a little home sick at times. Missing my friends and family back home but if you keep in contact with them all the time its not so bad and Nottingham is now becoming my very loved home. 

Are you are university? 

Plain Jayne x 

Pre arrival activity FCP.

So as some of you many know I recently moved to university. Left my little home in Cumbria and moved my life away to Nottingham to start as a fashion communication and promotion student.

Before moving to university and starting my course we were asked to do a prearrival activity. As you can imagine, I was terrified and didn't know what the hell I was doing. I have to admit I did put off doing it but once I got my head around it and I went to my first FCP lecture I realised that it was all just your own interpretations on the topics and it was nothing to worry about. 

Our task was; 

To identify examples of what you feel are some of the best fashion communication and promotion at the moment or that has been. 

Find three examples of -

Digital examples - Blogs, Websites, twitter feeds, online marketing.

Printed examples - Magazines, brochures, look books and flyers. 

Retail examples - shop windows, visual merchandising, shop interior. 

My examples: 

Digital examples; 

Wonderful you, Beautycrush; Asos instagram

Retail examples:

Kate spade; H&m; Topshop 

Printed examples: 

Vogue, Look, Asos magazine

These were my examples and what I came up with. Everyone in the class interpreted the task differently. Some people just brought images and explained them, Some placed them on there blogs, some on paper written, others on the computer. There was no right or wrong answer and I loved seeing what other people had created and came up with. 

Hope you enjoyed 

Plain Jayne x