Llana

Llana July 22, 2018

Casual

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What I wore:

Sunglasses, Steve Madden from TK Maxx.

Top from Stradivarius.

Shorts are an old pair of Levi's from Ebay.

Birkenstocks, here.

Sunday evening, the worst time of any weekend when you realise you have to go back to work in the morning.. Sorry, let me try to be positive! I've started jotting a few thing's down before bed on a Sunday to help me have a successful week. My list includes jobs that I'd like to have completed by the end of the week, my fitness goals which are to complete at least two 4km runs in the countryside. I went out on Saturday morning with Meg and I can't believe how well I managed and how much I loved it so I'm going to try and get back in to that again. I've also decided that this week I'm going to try being veggie starting tomorrow so I have a few ideas for meals noted down so that I don't forget or give up! I'm looking forward to it actually, it will be good to have a bit of a meat detox! If you have any ideas to share with me then please do 🙂 Now, time for bed, a bowl of cereal and Power, my idea of a perfect Sunday evening if you ask me! Love, L.

Llana July 17, 2018

Santorini On Film – Making Memories That Will Last a Lifetime

How hard is it to introduce you to a post? I've decided that I hate saying 'Hey guys', it's so not me and a little goofy 😉 So, today I picked up my film photographs from Boots, which I've been so excited to collect for almost a week now. I'm sure we took a few selfies of the two of us but they aren't here which is strange and very disappointing as those were the ones I was looking forward to seeing the most.. Maybe we didn't or maybe we just thought there were some films left, hmm interesting. Anyway, I decided to purchase a little Kodak with my Boots points before our hols as it's something my Mum and Dad used to do when we were kids and I adore looking through our childhood photographs, even if the quality isn't great. It's really exciting not knowing what the photographs are going to turn out like and you totally forget about what moments you captured so I've been reliving our week in Santorini all over again this afternoon. This is the last of my holiday photos so you'll be happy to know that I will no longer be bombarding you with turquoise waters, white building's and quad bike pics, until next time, whenever that may be! These are going to go in to my first photo album that I'm going to keep as up to date as possible. Hope you've enjoyed the holiday spam, speak again soon, love L.

Llana July 13, 2018

Where I Long To Be and Why I’m Not Ready To Settle Down

via GIPHY

The tallest piece of rock I have ever jumped off in my life and it's for sure that I will never be doing anything that high again.

I'm 23 and Josh is 27, we bought our first property last year where we currently live with my Gran and we had hoped to be looking at buying our own place in the very near future. However, since I returned from Santorini I've had butterflies in my stomach. Not because I want to return to the beautiful idyllic island but because I realised how much there is out there that I want to see for myself. I'm not sure I want to settle down right now and this is a conversation we keep going over and over, back and forth. I get it, he wants a sense of security, our own space, somewhere that's ours but with that comes a hell of a lot of responsibility, bills, cut backs, less of a social life and I guess some would call it 'the real world'. I have endless conversations with people at work and they tell me just to go travelling but of course you need money for that and if we ever returned (not that I'd plan on it), we'd be in the same position we are in now so would it really be worthwhile going? The idea of travelling and buying a house plays on my mind constantly. One day I can't wait to have my own space, an actual wardrobe, my very own pet dog, cooking dinner for friends etc. etc. and then the next day all I can think about is driving around on a motorbike with salty hair, eating street food, stroking stray dogs, not worrying about what time you have to get up for work because you need money so desperately to have a life but just having enough money to get by and live. I feel as though there is SO much pressure on us "kids" to settle down, get married, start a family, have a proper job and know what you want in life. The world has changed in so many ways, everything is so much more accessible and you could argue that's a bad thing but it makes that traditional mind set of settling down so hard to just accept. I'm sick of having to work to earn just enough to cover a roof over my head, to only go away and see the world once or twice a year. Why this is the norm I have no idea! Life isn't about making as much money as you can and coming home to watch Emmerdale. It's about so much more and I'm so ready to pack my bags and leave this way of life behind - just need enough money first, lol. The only thing that scares me about ever emigrating would be that I could never afford to return home to see my Gran. Sorry for the rant but I've had it playing on my mind for f*cking ages and I'd really appreciate your views on this situation or any interesting stories, regrets, bad/good decisions.... Lots of love, L.

Llana July 9, 2018

My Summer Holiday Suitcase Staples

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What I wore..

Top from Pretty Little Thing, here.

Trousers from Marks and Spencer, here.

Bag from ASOS, here.

What I wore:

Bralet from Marks and Spencer, here.

Trousers from Zara, here. (They're in the sale!)

Sandals are old from Public Desire.

Fishnet bag from ASOS, here.

Ever notice that the majority of stuff you actually pack for your holidays goes unused and sits in the bottom of your suitcase until you come back home and hang it back up in your wardrobe? Yeh, me too. For our last trip away I tried to pack smart, I planned my outfits weeks in advanced and tried them on several times to double check I was actually going to wear them (and fit in to them). However, there were a small handful of items that went unnoticed and a lot that I couldn't have survived without, especially in a super hot climate.

Let's begin with the obvious suitcase staple that is my go-to for almost any occasion, a good pair of high wasted, wide leg trousers. Did you guess that one?

It's no secret that I love a pair of palazzo pants, especially in the Spring/Summer months but more so when it comes to a summer holiday! I currently own 4 pairs that I adore and I am on the hunt already for our next vacation because I know I will get the wear out of them. They're the perfect item to dress down during the day with a bikini top as long as the material is lightweight enough to keep you cool and they're also great for dressing up in the evening with a cute little bralet or cami top. High wasted and loose fitting also means you can be bloated and not worry about anyone noticing 😉

What I wore:

Top from Stradivarius, here (and it's in the sale!)

Trousers from Zara

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I struggled to find a beach cover up I really wanted. I was on the hunt for a black and white polka dot midi wrap dress (very specific I know) but I never found one so I opted for this little playsuit from Missguided. It was super lightweight and perfect for throwing over my bikini instead of putting my denim shorts back on which is a nightmare when your bikini bottoms are still damp. There's nothing worse than damp denim rubbing the inside of your legs!

What I wore:

Bikini set from ASOS, here.

Beach coverup from ASOS by Missguided, here.

Sandals old from Public Desire.

Bag handmade in Sighisoara, Romania.

Denim shorts and a pair of Birkenstocks.

Every holiday I have been on I have always packed my trusty Levi denim shorts and my Birkenstocks (only recently with those but I'd never go on holiday without a pair now). I spent most of our days dossing around in this combination as I didn't mind them getting mucky plus the more I wore my denim shorts, the comfier they got! If you don't own a pair of Birkenstocks then you most definitely need to invest and although they're a little more expensive than the bog standard sandal, they're SO worth it for comfort 🙂

What I wore:

Dress from ASOS last summer

Sunglasses from Zara

Cute little summer dresses for days when you want to feel a little bit girly and more put together than just a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I got this one last summer from ASOS and I still love it as much as I did when I bought it. It's such a flattering shape, I wish more dresses were this style! And of course a dress you can wear dressed down or dressed up on an evening. We don't often get too tarted up when we are away unless it's something super special so it's always good to have one outfit you can feel a million dollars in, right? I always pack a pair of heels too, always these pink ones because they're the only ones I own and the only ones I can actually walk in haha!

What I wore:

White bodysuit, here.

Black bodysuit, here.

I love myself a good bodysuit, especially one that is thick enough you don't have to wear anything over your nips. I find that two good basic body suits like this black and white one work well with pretty much anything but I'm after a lacey one for my next vacay to go with a dressier pair of palazzo panties 🙂 ps: Josh plaited my hair this day, I never knew he was capable haha!

I tried super hard this holiday to capture my outfits during our week long stay in Santorini because I wanted to share with you all the pieces that I love and give you more of an insight into my style and what I really love to wear which is hard when I'm back here at home as I don't often get to wear much other than my work uniform or gym clothes. I have spent the past 10 days bra free and I can't tell you how good that has felt - bloody amazing! I envied having to put it on this morning for work, I really did. Even having to wear proper shoes, with my feet sweltering in socks instead of being out in the open.. ok too much info. So to cure the holiday blues, we're planning our next trip to Thailand to visit my family and to complete an open water diving course in Koh Tao which I have wanted to do for so long! I want to do and see lots of new things that I haven't before so if you have any suggestions please leave them below or send me a message because I'm interested in all sorts. Hope you enjoyed this post, speak soon, L.

Llana July 8, 2018

Santorini | Why It Should Be On Everyone’s Bucket List

Location: Ammoudi Bay, Santorini

Swimming costume from ASOS by Missguided, here. (Perfect for tucking your tummy into if you've eaten too much)

Did I mention that Ammoudi Bay was my favourite place on the island? This was our 'spot', the place we loved and returned to even if it was a long ride away from our base in Kamari. On our first trip we ventured down from Oia, walking very steadily down some very steep steps, avoiding donkey poo but coming across some of the most stunning views and cafe's. After spending the entire afternoon at Ammoudi Bay, the climb back up outfaced us and a Canadian couple convinced us to take a donkey each to the top with them - so we did. It was €6 each and although a little scary I loved it. The day after, we found there was parking closer by which we took full advantage of because it would mean no leg burn on the way down and no donkey ride back up to the top. However, I fully recommend the walk and the donkey ride just once for the experience!

Location: Unknown but it was along the North East coast on route to Oia.

Renting a quad bike for three days during our time in Santorini was the best thing we did, even if it was a little pricey. We paid €90 for the three days and filled the tank up with petrol for €25, which we thought was rather steep. We explored the whole island, visiting Red Beach on the first day, Thira for lunch and then Ammoudi and Oia on the second and third day. Just remember to stay topped up with sun cream as you don't feel the heat so much driving around on them!

Location: Oia, Santorini (Pronounced ee-ya not oi-ya)

I heard SO many people pronouncing Oia as oi-ya and I'm not going to lie, it really annoyed me haha! Anyway, besides from the pronunciation, Oia was beautiful. It was more than I imagined it would be, the white washed buildings, the marble floors and THAT view. It was breathtaking but far too many people for my liking, it was merely impossible to enjoy it as there were photoshoots going on everywhere.

Location: Santos Winery, Santorini

We had two recommendations on where to watch the sunset. One being Oia and the other Santos Wines. As we had visited Oia earlier in the week, we only imagined how busy and crazy it was going to get for sunset so we booked a table for 7:30 at the winery. The menu is a little weird so if you don't like wine then I don't recommend this place for you. We opted for the set menu for two which included 5 wines to compliment each dish, starting with salad, then some kind of octopus mousse dish, pork and then dessert. It was pricey but SO worth it for that sunset. Honestly, I've never seen a sunset so beautiful before.

Location: Kamari beach, Santorini

We spent our last day chilling on Kamari beach, a short 5 minute walk from our hotel. I much prefer the sea to a swimming pool and found the sea to be warmer! However, you will need some sort of footwear as it's very stoney and the sea bed is rugged which makes it difficult to get in and out with the waves hitting you. Most shops sell them there for around €9-€12 but you might find it cheaper buying them at home before you go.

Location: Somewhere in Oia on the way down to Ammoudi Bay.

The main thing about Santorini was that there was a bloody fantastic view around every corner. You really don't need to go and spend a lot of money at Santos Wines or an expensive cafe in Oia. You can drive and park up somewhere, take some water and something to nibble on and just take it all in. I can never sit still when I'm on holiday as I always like to be doing or seeing something, otherwise I feel like I haven't made the most of my time there but it's so important just to take it all in, relax and just enjoy where you are with who you're with. I can't wait for the next destination!

Llana June 25, 2018

Love Happy

If you're wondering where the title came from, it's from The Carter's new album and is my favourite song of theirs FYI. If you didn't know Beyonce is my favourite artist so I didn't hesitate to buy the album when it came out on iTunes because she will never disappoint me! Can we all just take a moment to appreciate this British summer time? Wow, I've never known it so good! Little bit gutted that it's going to be nice whilst we're away because there's nothing more uplifting than seeing rain at home whilst you're lying on a beach, sipping a cocktail.. haha, I'm cruel, I know! I really hope I haven't jinxed it now. Yesterday we celebrated Marie's 81st birthday in her garden, with plenty of G&T of course.. (one too many might I add). I ended up playing rounders with a group of people I had never met before who most likely saw a little too much of my lady bumps bouncing around *note to self, next time there is a family gathering, wear a god damn bra!* Tomorrow I have my first ever Brazilian wax booked in which I'm super nervous about so I'll update you all about that experience when I've recovered 😉 I probably won't post now until we're away in Greece, so I guess I'll catch you in the Mediterranean! Love, L.

Llana June 19, 2018

Packing For My Jolly Holiday’s and Outfit Building

I had told myself last night that I would wake up early and get out for a run in the countryside to kick start my day. Josh spotted a red deer in the woods the other morning which geared me up for it but it never happened. Instead I went to the gym and then made myself a bloody delicious plate of eggs Benedict. Not that you need to know that but my poached eggs are pretty awesome and I consider it quite a shame that I never got a photo for you guys 😉 The rest of the day was spent making chilli con carne and putting together a plant pot for my Dad for father's day (Dad, if you're reading this, you now have a new addition to your garden courtesy of moi, your absolutely fabulous daughter). You're probably wondering where I'm going with this post.. To be honest, I'm not quite sure myself. I wanted to show off a few of my favourite outfits I've been trying on for our holiday next week. You'll probably spot those leaf print trousers which I adore and yes I will be taking them with me again for the millionth time but I do have a new top to go with them. Also treated myself to a couple pairs of palazzo pants and I think my favourite item I have bought this year has to be the white striped ones, even though they're a tad long so I might ask my mum to take them up. I also have a slight obsession with polka dots and had to refrain myself from buying a skirt, t-shirt and bag - not that my bank balance can afford it but they're all saved in my basket for future reference. So I have 14 outfits planned for our trip but I still feel as though it's not enough... I'm going to be Pinning some inspo over on my Pinterest tonight to get me inspired. Love, L.

Llana June 17, 2018

The Perfect Two Piece

What I wore..

Dress from Zara, here

Trousers from Zara, here

This weekend my dear friend and colleague, Becky got married to her now husband Ryan. It was so magical, she looked incredible and the dress was beautiful. The venue was stunning and the hog roast towards the end of the evening was perfect, especially with a G&T in hand 😉

So, when you have the wedding of the year to attend to, you got to get a new frock right? Okay, let me rephrase that because it's not very often that you will find me in a frock. In fact, I think it's become quite apparent to myself and possibly you guys that I'm a sucker for a pair of palazzo pants, so when I spotted these with the matching dress I just had to have them! I had actually bought these for our trip to Santorini which I have just started packing for this evening and suddenly realised that my wardrobe is pretty much non existent when it comes to 'summer holidays clothes'. I'm sure Josh will disagree so you're going to see a lot of recycled outfits during my trip away as I am skint - as per. However, I do have a few new pieces I'll be wearing too which I will share here with you guys during our time away. I'm so disappointed I never got a proper picture of my outfit because I loved it but we were in such a hurry and when we got there I didn't think to take any pictures which is why there are only these few. Speak again soon, L.

Llana June 17, 2018

Father’s Day

A photo of me and my Dad I have never seen before until this morning when my Mum sent me it. I can't believe I was ever that small and vulnerable. Isn't it crazy how you can come in to the world and have to rely on someone else to keep you safe. I love my parent's so much and am so grateful for the experiences they have given me. Happy Father's Day, Dad. Love, L.

Llana June 12, 2018

Bob Graham Second Leg

Dan, Meg and Josh on our first break in the sunshine.

The first peak we reached, 1 out of 13.

The rain closing in on us.

Helvellyn summit, always brings back the best memories. This was where Josh and took me on my first 'proper' walk on the 1st June, 2014. 4 whole years ago - almost to the day but not quite.

Finally back out on the hills! What started off as a beautiful, warm day ended up turning into the most horrendous weather, with cold rain lashing down for almost an hour half way in to our hike. It really did suck! I was thankful Josh made me pack my waterproof and I had a fleece with me to stay warm because the rain was so cold, Josh's hands went white because of poor circulation 🙁 So for those of you who don't know what the hell a Bob Graham round is, it features 5 different legs and is a running route for those who are very keen runners. It can take 24 hours plus and much much longer if you're not a runner or haven't trained. We did the second leg which wasn't even the hardest part and consisted of 13 peaks in 20km. We didn't even complete it fully as Meg's leg was very sore from a fall the day before and to be quite honest I could not be arsed after having walked in a thunderstorm with soggy feet! We did manage most of it and only cut out 3km which would've taken us up Farifield Horseshoe and back down the way we came so I guess we completed it pretty much 😉 I'm not sure I want to give it another go, it was very tough going and was up-hill for most of the way, it wasn't pleasant, especially in the muggy weather. I much prefer to walk in the Winter, your water stays cold, you can wrap up warm and the views are much clearer on a sunny day. Plus, you don't get a snotty nose and itchy eyes from hay fever either! For those interested in a bit of hiking and would like to see the route we did I'll share the link here. Now, time for dinner, a cuppa tea and I might catch up with Love Island as I've not bothered with it for a week. Not sure I'm into it this time around... We'll see. Love, L. x

Llana June 9, 2018

Catch-Up

Hey, hey, hey loves! How're you doing? It's been a very long time since I posted but it's felt good to have some time not worrying myself about updating you with pointless pictures, haha! But I have missed it and I guess I haven't been up to anything too exciting over the past week or two. Do you remember I did some photos a short while ago for Sophie for her final collection at London College of Fashion? Here are some of the pics we got back! Becky was our photographer and you can find her work here, she was absolutely incredible and I surprisingly felt so at ease but I'm only sharing the pictures I think I look okay in as I'm very fussy 😉 but there are some amazing shots in there! We were shooting Sophie's final ever collection and I felt honoured that she had asked me to help out. We both studied Art and Design at Kendal but she was a year ahead of me and went on to go and do some totally wonderful things, woo go Soph! If you're interested in her project then you can see more photos here.

Since our trip to Glasgow a couple of weeks ago (which feels like forever ago), all I've done is work, gym, eat and sleep. I'm quite enjoying getting out the house a little more now that the weather is warmer and the nights are lighter, it's total bliss living here when it's warm! I've also started putting together my outfits ready for Santorini in three weeks time and I have bought a few new pieces for our trip which I will maybe share with you before we go because I absolutely love some of the item's I've got. I went to my friend's wedding last weekend, the first school friend to get married! I can't believe it, since when did we grow up? Anyway, I have to run as I'm helping my Mum cook tonight and I need to wake myself up this hay fever is making me sooooo drowsy. Speak again soon, love L.

Llana May 29, 2018

Photo Diary From Glasgow

Friday

We arrived in to Glasgow fairly late on on Friday evening to a stunning 2 bedroom flat in Shawlands. It was sat right next to Queen's Park, the perfect place for a picnic and a stroll or a run in the morning but that never happened 😉 It had high ceilings, creaky wooden floors and it was just spotlessly clean. If you're interested in staying, here is this link to Lynn's flat!

We hadn't done any researching before our trip so we had a quick google when we arrived for somewhere to go. We decided to head to the West End, Ashton Lane which was a fair taxi drive from where we were staying but so worth it! It was bustling and we even ended up finding a ping pong bar and having a few games against each other which was so much fun, we definitely need one of those here at home - I'm pretty good, if I do say so myself 😉

Saturday

I woke up early as always and sat with a brew in front of the tele before every body else woke up. Those are my favourite mornings, when you can get thing's done whilst everyone else is still sleeping. I also got to watch a little bit of the Emmerdale omnibus so that was a plus, haha! We made breakfast in the cosy kitchen and I was just so thankful I had picked a great Air BnB! It was perfect and I'm so excited to return again in the Winter months and visit the Christmas markets.

Later that day we ventured in to the city and visited the botanical gardens. Surprisingly they were free and so beautiful, if you like that sort of thing. Josh wasn't overly impressed but I guess I have to put up with football most of the year so... who's the real loser? Me! 🙁 For lunch, a friend suggested trying 'bread meats bread' and I finally got to try Poutine for the first time! This is like cheese, chips and gravy on a whole other level. I always thought that it was a Northern thing but it's actually a dish that originated in Canada!

Then of course no meal is complete without pudding so a short walk up the road to 'Loop and Scoop' for gelato and churros! I went for the filled churro's and got one of each flavour but I wished I had just stuck to Nutella because the other flavours weren't to my liking...