{i'm not dead.. yet}

Well, its certainly been a few weeks, or perhaps even months too long  lovelies. After a few too many exciting and time consuming but incredibly fun adventures I'm back at the desk - which unfortunately for me looks very little like this pastel affair. I am, however; wearing a ton of jewellery as per, opting for a similar pale pastel hue on my talons and have a large cup of strong coffee by my side, nursing myself to some kind of caffinated delusion I'm recovering better than I actually am from a crazy weekend on a farm in Somerset, also known as Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts - but more on that later. Sleep first. More sleep. The boy and I haven't made it past 10pm in the last two days..  I am (slowly but surely) back in business, so expect to see a fair bit more from me in the very near future! 

rachelle xo
♥

{take me away : the caribbean islands}

By the time you read this, I'll probably be en-route to our romantic Caribbean break the boy and I have been planning for a little while - the product of what's kept me going through a particularly shit few weeks. I'll be mostly lying under the hot sun all loub-ed up with coconut oil drinking endless mojitos and gin & tonics. See you in a few weeks - and try not to miss me too much, rachelle xo

{the rachelle edit : the first days of spring}

It may have felt like it'd never arrive, but finally I'm dressed in sleeveless clothing and if the sun stays out and the temperature in double figures - I may even take the opportunity to show my ankles tomorrow.. 

So, sitting with my office windows open - pretty floral lingerie on and a swipe of NARS body glow, these pretty little things are what spring afternoons were made for...

{a guide to : feeling under the weather}

Under the weather is an understatement of how I've been feeling as of late. Diagnosed almost a month ago with glandular fever I've had a deadly dose of flu-like symptoms with optional added extras like glands as swollen as Kim Kardashian's pregnancy breasts, a desire to sleep for twenty-three hours per day and the urge to reject most foods beside chocolate croissants - which I've ultimately been living off.

Don't run away just yet, this isn't (another) post-long whinge, but a remedy for shitty, awful and annoyingly "untreatable" viral infections, colds, and general un-wellness.

Basically -all the cure involves is many, many hot baths laced with relaxing and soothing aromatherapy oils or lovely achy-muscle-reviving bath salts. Countless cartons of Innocent Smoothies, I've developed a penchant for the superfood antioxidant one with Acai and the mango & passionfruit container of joy for vitamins and to help soothe a raspy throat. Countless pots of green and herbal tea with fizzy aspirins  day & night nurse, extra strength Nurofen liquid capsules - all chased with honey and lemon throat sweets - and a 'hot toddy' where necessary. If you don't know what the latter is, google it and you'll thank me later. 

A plentiful supply of Kleenex Balsalm is also essential (red noses are only chic for Comic Relief) and that was a whole week ago) and any treats you can score to cheer you up; see my chocolate croissant obsession, piles of glossy magazines, macarons, cupcakes and when your feeling up to it - hours of DVDs and your personal Sky Plus edit followed closely by online shopping.

As much as I tried to fight it - it ultimately does come down to plenty of sleep and total bed rest, a month later I've never felt better than after spending four full days in bed. No work, no emails, not much of anything really. Of course this isn't entirely practical, and I've found it near impossible to take time out from a busy work schedule but the bed rest has been used well and I'm not far from back to my usual self..

{a new month : march}

March is always an amazing month for me, not only is it the real start of spring but the 7th marks the  anniversary of the mine and the boys first date, six months to the date we met! Somehow four years have rolled by since that first magical night at The Killers concert (yes, it really was magical..) and we always try to take a romantic little trip away for the occasion...

Last year we headed to the stunning Paris, and this year - on the sixth - we jet to Barcelona to lose our mutual virginity of the Spanish capital, any things to do/places to eat/things to see/where to drink excreta would be very helpful...

{happy weekend : cream in your coffee}

Happy Saturday beautiful ladies, its been a little while since I've managed to squeeze in a little happy weekend post, things have been so crazy around here with both work and play; more birthdays than I can remember and more friends to catch up with than I have time to call..

Its my lovely little Mam (northern dialect; see 'mother'... sorry I'm not sorry) 's birthday today so we have an exciting weekend ahead, plenty of celebrations and champagne are in order but first - the boy and I have some very exciting things to sort for ourselves...

{the month : have a romantic february}

We've done it - gotten through the unmistakably most miserable month of the year, and now one more month of winter bleakness resumes before we are greeted with the promise of spring and the excitement the rest of the year has to follow...

My favourite part of February is Valentines Day, which I posted a little more about here (and expect to see quite a lot more of where that came from..).

I always feel really positive at the start of January, there have been celebrations to say farewell to 2012 and excitement that 2013 promises and of course - resolutions made. A Rachelle regular - the Lust List - made a popular return and there has been fashion inspiration aplenty...

{currently reading...}

Spending my Sunday morning eating chocolate croissants and drinking umpteen cups of my favourite coffee, watching snow fall through the window (will it ever stop?) while getting a late-month magazine fix, its always a hard time in the week before the new glossies are released and I'm all up-to-date, from the stylish online Lonny magazine.

Now wondering how to persuade the boy that thick monochrome stripes on wood panelling are exactly what the bathroom needs.. Have a lovely Sunday, rachelle xo.

{beautiful details : smokey violet}

Loving the juxtaposition of bright spring bouquets against smoky lavender and charcoal grey marble, of course with some ornate details; chandeliers, gilded mirrors and marble . . .

{the rachelle edit : winter pastels}

Pastel hues are too irresistible to limit to spring and summer months; thick chunky knits and ankle grazing chinos make a refreshing change from typical pale chiffon dresses and of course, allow for year round wear.

I'm obsessed with this stunning Acne cable knit jumper (£100 at My Wardrobe), throw it over a crisp white shirt (Joseph do great basics, this sleeveless shirt is only £59 in the Coggles sale). These Topshop chinos are as warm as they are stylish - I adore the contrast between the peachy coral bottom half and aqua jumper, broken up with the clean white shirt. Accessories should probably be kept to a minimum, but a nude bag will do the trick (or if you're incredibly stylish and have a well stocked Proenza PS1 wardrobe, this coral bag will gain you extra fashion points) and the same goes for shoes - heels of course - a pointed toe nude pump would complete the outfit perfectly, or dress up the look a little with metallic Rebecca Minkoff platforms. 

{two beautiful things : winter whites & cozy nights}

So its January, its minus two outside, and bleaching down with snow. Nothing seems more appealing tonight than to curl up in front of the fire with my current read (The Perks of being a Wallflower, should you care) with only the pooch and a Thai take out for company. May even indulge in a glass of bubbles in a bubble bath, simply because I bloody can - and there has been a bottle calling my name for too long from the fridge. 

Something has to cheer up dull January nights, right? Its either that or I attempt solo sledging... 

{happy weekend : ponytails & unmade beds}

More than a little excited for this weekend; although the pleasantly mild weather I mentioned last week has been predicted to be replaced with an intense 'cold snap' as the weatherman likes to call it - the boy has the weekend off too and we'll be spending the majority of it entwined in duvets and blankets, with perhaps a spot of shopping, lunch, too much wine?

{& a very happy new year}

There is an age-old saying of 'leaving on a high note', 2012 is the epitome of the phrase, things only seem to get better in life as time progresses; the last three hundred and sixty five days have been a happy whirl of love and laughter and romance and travel and simply the most wonderful things I ever could hope for.

The boy & I said goodbye to the year in style; with a stunning hotel, amazing food and definitely too much champagne but best of all - spending the last few moments of the year and the very first few simply wrapped up in each other.