The Bootcuts are Back!

Well I'm jumping the gun here as I don't even have proper photos of me wearing them yet but yes, after a break of about 4 years, I've got a pair of boot cut jeans back in the wardrobe.
It all started on a trip to Magherafelt yesterday....which was prompted by the last days of the Sarah Jane Boutique sale......

....and assisted by the son being at an athletics event in Antrim (half way between home and Magherafelt!) So the twins and I headed off in the car first thing and after a coffee with my choir friend, Hilary, we nipped into SJ Boutique for a look and a bit of a try on. First up, some Pieszak slim fit jeans - great length but a bit too much like the ones I already have...sorry the pic is overexposed....was hard to show the denim otherwise!

Next up, some grey jeans - also Pieszak...SJ has a HUGE range of this Danish denim brand. I liked the colour here but the rise was a bit low on this style for me.

Then just as I was about to give up on the jeans situation, I tried these size 8 Pieszak boot cuts on the off-chance. The thing with Pieszak is that they're usually really stretchy and come up a bit big so I was able to squeeze into them. The main reason I fell for them though is the fit. They're skinny right down to below my knees before kicking out subtly (not a bell bottom in sight). So with a heel they look amazing and make me look like I've got a 36 inch inside leg, instead of my usual 30/31.

I got a couple of quick shots this morning before we headed off for the day. I popped on my wedges for these pictures but I think I'll prefer them with a boot. Hopefully this gives you a bit of an idea of the shape and leg-lengthening effect...I'm about 5'11" in these wedges.

They aren't going to be everyday jeans as they need such a high heel and I will confess that it's going to take me a while to get used to this look again but they're a nice way to get wear out of some heeled boots and shoes that I've not worn for a while. Watch this space...maybe I'll not wear them as much as I think but I feel like they're the 'something a bit different' that my AW16 wardrobe needs.

Before I left SJ Boutique, I tried on these culottes which I was also tempted by - these are not my shoes btw...just wanted to see what they'd look like with a heel.

They're a beautiful fit and a bit different with a split effect up the front. In a toss up between them and the jeans though, I opted for the more casual option as I know I'll wear the jeans more. Shopping regret has kicked in now I look at these photos again but I need to be strong. (but thinking of how great they'll look with a biker or denim jacket and my brogues or superstars. ::slaps self::)
The cream top I tried on with everything came home too. I need more 'neat on top' tops for wearing with my boot cuts to keep the proportions right. Boot cut jeans = neater top. Skinny jeans = looser top. As if I needed more reasons to shop!

Finishing with a couple of the new stock of dresses at SJ. This orange one is just FAB in real life - the phone couldn't cope with the colour. Check out the ruffles:

and this one I would snap up immediately if I had an occasion to wear it to. Gorgeous colours and a great price too:

On my race back to the car (as by now, I was going to miss my son's races if I didn't get a move on), I called in really quickly to Spoilt Belle Boutique around the corner.

The SBB in Magherafelt is bigger than the Coleraine store - in fact, there are 2 shops in the town - one with shoes/bags...

and the other has clothing. Great scoot around both & lots added to the wish list...

Most especially this navy Tommy Hilfiger coat which is cut so beautifully - just such a gorgeous classic piece. 

The sale is still on here too - lots of great occasion wear at fab prices:

Gutted to not have time to call into Dice again...or Sportique, both stores I love to call to when I'm up in the town. As a guide, if you're visiting Magherafelt, it does only take 35/40 minutes from Belfast but you need to leave yourself more than an hour to look around. School girl error. But my proud mummy moment was waiting for me in Antrim. I now know how Mrs Bolt feels this week :)

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Ax
Disclaimer - I'm not sponsored by Magherafelt Chamber of Commerce or by any of the local boutiques :) I promise to visit other local towns in the coming months and spread the blog love all over....just let me clear the overdraft first!

Days Out - Seaforde Butterfly Farm

For the last 2 weeks of the summer holidays, I've not enrolled the kids into any activities. They've been doing bible clubs and sports camps on the few weeks that I needed to work but I've set aside this week and next for just days out and time together....in an effort to bore them with my company so they can't wait to go back to school!

We all love each other really...

So today we went to the Seaforde Butterfly Farm & Gardens which we've driven past hundreds of times and always wondered about visiting. It's a bit expensive for NI - it would have worked out at about £30 for all 5 of us to go and I wasn't sure if my son would really appreciate it or indeed if I would (wrong on both counts)

In the end, it was just myself and the 3 kids who went so it was £24 for access to both the butterfly house and the gardens. I'm not sure if it's worth it to just do one or the other - you would really need both to make a day out of it. We arrived just after it opened at 10am and there were only a couple of cars in the carpark so we had the place to ourselves.
This was what greeted us when we entered the hot and humid butterfly room....stunning!

and really from then on, it was a continuous stream of 'ooh-ing' and 'ahh-ing' and WOW from all 4 of us as the most exotic and colourful butterflies flew around us and landed on our heads and shoulders and even in my son's case, right on his glasses!

After about half an hour, we moved to the second tropical room which contains turtles that live around a lovely indoor pond full of colourful carp and goldfish.

There were also a few parrots and some smaller birds. The kids had so much fun talking to the parrots - they were really sociable.

Then the kids found a smaller room which had a couple of tarantulas, giant snails, a scorpion etc...oh and a big python too! I wasn't so keen to hang around here...

My idea of HELL in a glass case

We spent over an hour moving between the three rooms - the kids kept wanting to go back into the butterfly room and I was happy to oblige. There were benches and places to sit and once you got used to the tropical temperature, it was quite pleasant...

Trousers - Hush (past season)
Sandles - Next (via eBay)
Navy T-Shirt - Gap
Denim Jacket - Vero Moda
Backpack - Mipac ℅ Menarys (has been a GODSEND this summer - thank you Menarys!)
Then it was out to the gardens for a walk around the maze, which kept the kids entertained for ages. We enjoyed our picnic down near the pond in the pheasantry - which sadly had no pheasants that we could see. But it was all in the most gorgeous surroundings with the walled garden reminding me of The Secret Garden - with its big wooden doors and tunnels.

After heading up the spiral staircase to the top of the small tower and getting a 360 degree view of the whole place....

....we went back into the butterfly room for another hour. The kids just never tired of spotting the butterflies and having them land on their heads.

On the way home, I got the kids to rate the trip and the 12 year old said it was one of the best days of his life...now that's something for a 'too cool for school' tween boy to say! Naturally, the girls just adored it and wanted to go back again the next day. All 3 agreed, it was a 'core memory' (that's for those of you who've watched Inside Out)

I have been asked so many times since I posted about this on social media - 'is it worth a visit?' Hence this blog post - I wasn't planning to write about it - it's a bit off-piste for me but it's a good way to answer everyone's questions in one go.

I do think it's worth visiting. It's old fashioned....I would say it's the same as it was 10 years ago and I wasn't wowed by the shop and the ticket desk on arrival. But the playground and picnic area at the front are new and lovely and surrounded by opportunistic peacocks - which were completely unfazed by toddlers chasing them around the place!

The business person in me thinks what potential it has but the reality is that it's a part of an estate where a family lives and it's only open during the summer months. They clearly don't want it to be a major tourist spot as it couldn't cope with huge crowds. There's a quaintness about it that I loved and you could tell that the butterflies and gardens are a passion for everyone involved. It was like a step back in time and as the day went on, I realised I loved how it hasn't been modernised or computerised...it was a proper old school day out and it did my heart good to see how the kids who were there (not just mine) were blown away and properly wowed by nature.

So do visit...it's not somewhere you'll go to regularly - I reckon we'll go again next summer but it's probably a 'once a year' kind of trip. Try to go on a weekday, early on so you get the place to yourself. Bring a picnic and a full battery on your phone. And make sure your storage has plenty of room for the photos. And enjoy!

Ax
Note - there is a coffee shop but we didn't go into it. I'm sorry I didn't as I can't report back on what it's like but perhaps if you're reading this and you've been, you could leave a comment. Thank you! 
Full details on opening hours and prices on this link: www.seafordegardens.com 

Spoilt Belle Sales Haul

This is so late in the writing and features mostly sale stock - huge apologies about that but I know everyone loves a shopping try-on and I really wanted to share Spoilt Belle Boutique with you - it's a great local NI boutique but it sells online and over the phone so distance is no obstacle if you want to shop here....my kinda retail outlet!

My try-on was all done in their new Coleraine store - only opened a couple of months ago:

There has been a Spoit Belle Boutique in Magherafelt for years but I didn't have time to call in the last time I was up there so when we were on the north coast on holidays, I took a morning to go see what the Coleraine store is like....and I wasn't disappointed. There was so much to try on and so many bargains to be had. Starting with this jewelled top which was so Ted Baker-esque...with the most gorgeous print and green jewel embellishment.

I've had a look online at the SBB website and it's still in stock online on this link, though only in a size 8. . I'm wearing the size 10. Wish I bought it but I have been so bad this past month and needed to stick to the budget.

Next up, this cut-away top was right up my street - I love the style and the day to night print but it was a size 12/14 so was too big on top and dangerously revealing side-on...such a shame!

This Darling blouse has the most gorgeous flower appliqué detail - simply stunning and a perfect piece for Autumn/Winter. Again, some regrets about not buying it...

Another lovely top here in a chambray/light denim fabric with gorgeous on-trend frill detail. Can you see how I struggled to pick between it all...when I look at this top now, I'm wishing I bought it too!!!! From memory, it was down to about £27.

These next two tops were so simple and great wardrobe staples. Sadly both size L and too gapey under my arms...just as well really.

While I was trying on all this, my daughter was upstairs in the shoe room, completely mesmerised by the footwear. She didn't lick that off the ground...

Practical as ever, I went straight for the sparkly ones....

But then copped myself on....even I have to admit I'm well covered when it comes to sparkly going-outs shoes and so we reluctantly left the sale footwear behind but I did lust over these Guess shoes that had just arrived as part of the AW stock. I keep seeing SBB styling them with outfits on Instagram...my resistance is crumbling!

I also loved these layered tops - according to a recent snapchat, the green one is almost totally sold out already!

Incidentally, the Coleraine store has had a bit of an update since I was in with some new fittings and and both stores are now full of AW16 stock. I know all this as I'm avidly following them on snapchat and loving the look behind the scenes as well as the snaps of new stock being modelled by the team in both shops.

So what did my meagre budget extend to? I managed to get two really practical AW items in the sale - this camel coat/gilet....is there such thing as a cilet? Other than that cleaning stuff?! Anyway, you get the gist...it's something between a coat and a sleeveless gilet and I just adore the colour. I think it's going to look great over long sleeved knits/polo necks. Can't wait to wear it!

I also bought the jeans I am wearing in all the photos - you've probably seen them lots already. I do like good denim and always try to pick up a pair in the sales. These are by Guess and are called Jeggings but they actually are more like jeans. Both items came to a total of about £65...I didn't look as I keyed the PIN number in....ignorance is bliss.

Everything else was left behind....with much regret! But I'm already making a must-have list of the new stock coming in so perhaps it was all for the best.

If you're in either town, do pop in for a look...and even if you're not, you can check out their social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat and buy anything you like over the phone and the girls will post it out to you. Good old local customer service - you can't beat it.

Ax

Disclaimer - this is not a sponsored post and I bought the items myself!