Last of the birthday blog posts... my birthday cards!

I love birthdays, Doesn't everyone? One of my favourite things about my birthday is receiving cards from my friends and family. Coincidentally, I also love sending cards to other people. They might not cost much or take much time to buy, write and send, but cards are a really thoughtful way of showing someone that you're thinking of them and wishing them well.

The cards I receive always have a very definite set of themes... pink, flowers, cakes and fluffy things! I had some beautiful cards from family members this year which I've pictured below - I even had a pretty birthday card from the in-laws' pets. I also love receiving 'Auntie' birthday cards from my nephews, particularly as my oldest nephew is now able to write the card himself. I think you'll agree that the themes I've mentioned above all feature strongly in this particular set of cards...

My birthday cards from work colleagues were an interesting mixture of humorous, floral and Disney-themed! One of my colleagues is well aware of my feelings towards the monarchy so the Kate and Wills card was an ironic choice, in case you were wondering. The card on the bottom left was thoughtfully arranged by Sue and signed by any colleagues who hadn't sent me a separate birthday card, and I loved my personalised Minnie card from Claire. All in all, a great birthday card haul from my colleagues.

I also had some lovely cards from various friends... as you can see, the standard themes continue! I had a couple of Welsh cards from this group of people, and I also received a brilliant personalised card from Liz which was full of hilarious memories from years gone by. I loved the thought that went into the messages inside this particular group of cards and I felt very privileged to have such generous friends with excellent card-buying/writing (and personalising) skills. 

My 30th birthday lasted longer than I could ever have imagined and I'm sure it's an occasion I'll remember for a very long time. Thank you to everyone who took the time to buy a gift, send a card or message me on the day itself - it means a lot. 

I'm now off to return the favour by writing my next set of cards for upcoming events/birthdays! 

Outfit of the Day... floral pastels!

I'm currently a bit obsessed with pastels and floral patterns. Last Saturday's outfit was a colour coordinated combination of both these lovely elements so I thought I'd share it on my blog.

Cardigan - Amazon

Vest top - H&M

Skirt - New Look

Shoes - New Look 

I bought this skirt from New Look last summer with my birthday money. I still think it looks a bit old fashioned and I was undecided on it for ages, but I think it does look pretty with pastel vests and shoes. However, I do sometimes worry that the pattern looks like one found on an old lady's curtains. It does go nicely with the outfit above though, I must admit.

Everyone loves a good old £3.99 basic vest top from H&M. The vest tops from H&M are the only ones which fit me properly... I hate it when vest tops are too baggy around the stomach area! It was quite cold on Saturday so I decided to wear my white cardigan over the vest top. This little cardigan is so versatile. It goes with lots of different outfits and it's a handy layer to put on when it's a bit chilly.

Last but not least, I love my new mint shoes from New Look! They only sold the 'wide fit' variety in this particular shade so they're slightly too big, but they're still very comfortable and passed the test of walking around Cardiff for hours. I absolutely love the colour and they'll be perfect for the warmer months.

Do you love pastels and/or floral patterns? Let me know!