Travel in style (and light) with Muji

Gone are the days when air travel was an enjoyable experience. With the advent of low-cost airlines and extra charges for checking in at the airport or checking in luggage, I am coming around to the idea that where possible I will only travel with carry-on luggage. I recently bought a lovely Samsonite wheeled case which meets the size requirements for cabin baggage and is also light enough that it doesn't take up half of the weight allowance while empty. I have used tote bags as carry-ons in the past, but if I do want to use the full 10kg weight allowance some airlines grant, a wheeled case is the only way to travel.

Once you have the right bag, the key to packing light is organisation, which is where the wonderful Muji comes in. A Japanese chain of lifestyle stores, Muji stocks a treasure trove of stationery, kitchen, household and travel goods.

Try the following to organise your clothing: nylon shoe cases for packing extra shoes, mesh garment bags are perfect for separating clothing and soft mesh laundry cases mean an end to packing your laundry in plastic shopping bags for the return journey.

Toiletries is where it can get complicated these days, with the ban on liquids or gels exceeding 100ml. Luckily Muji have a wide array of fliptop bottles, spray bottles, tubes and jars in a variety of sizes under 100ml - you merely need to fill them with your shampoo, shower gel and moisturiser, pack them in a ziplock bag or clear pouch and you're ready to go!

Happy travelling this summer!

So, Lyndar tagged me a while back and I promptly forgot all about it, due to my lack of update-iness on the blog... oops!

Anyhow, I'm cheating slightly and going to describe six pretty, shiny and maybe even sparkly things that I'm loving right now, seeing as my little corner of the web-world is devoted more to things than to me.

* The sun, she is shining and my APC sunglasses have finally come out to play!

* Pretty, shiny and sparkly, my lips are adorned with MAC Euristocrats lipsticks in Milan Mode, London Life and Rue d'Bois these days

* It took me an age to get around to dropping them off to have rubber soles put on, but today I'll be picking up my cherry patent Pretty Ballerinas from the cobbler and I'll finally be able to wear them out this weekend!

* I recently added to my Pilgrim Charms collection with a heart-shaped locket, an antique key and a cute little duck - now my eye is on the multi-coloured hot-air balloon...

* Has the emergence of the sun prompted you to think about trips to the beach? If it has, you might want to hot-foot it to Brown Thomas or BT2, where they are selling this bright and cheery beach bag, designed exclusively for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer by none other than Diane Furstenburg. Priced at €45, all proceeds go to the Irish Cancer Society's Action Breast Cancer, so your money will be going to a good cause - surely a great excuse for another new bag, no?



* And finally, I'm not sure where it fits into the pretty, shiny or sparkly categories, but Isabel Allende has a new book out, The Sum of Our Days and it is a very enjoyable read. Following on from her memoir Paula, she writes about family life after the tragic death of her daughter. This is a moving and entertaining read and I'd recommend it whether or not you already know the author and her work.

Pretty Ballerinas Cherry Patent Rosario

It was a difficult decision to make, but I finally settled on the cherry patent Rosario from Pretty Ballerinas. The colour is so pretty and will be perfect for Summer. I ordered these at the weekend, so I'm dying for the pretty pink shoebox to be delivered!

Pretty Ballerinas can be ordered online and are also available from Arnotts and Seagreen in Ireland.

Camper Spring-Summer 08

I wandered into Camper yesterday and fell in love with half of their Spring Summer collection on the spot. But these shiny red ballet flats have stuck in my mind and I suspect I'll be going back to try them on soon. Pretty and practical shoes are my downfall, and with their glossy finish, rounded toe and practical rubber sole, these hit the mark on all counts.

Check out the Camper website to see more of their fun Spring-Summer collection.

Chanel ... or Pilgrim?

These Chanel Camellia rings surely tick all the boxes for inclusion in Pretty Shiny Sparkly - the glossy finish (complete with famous interlocking 'C's) on the Chanel signature Camellia flower certainly grabbed my attention when I saw them in Harper's Bazaar today.

However, if (like me) a Chanel purchase is not something you'd make on the spur of the moment, how about these Pilgrim rings instead? Almost as pretty and a fraction of the price, Pilgrim jewellery is available in Ireland from their shop in the Dundrum Town Centre in Dublin and from branches of Avoca and Kilkenny.

Pretty Ballerinas Summer 2008

It may still look like winter outside, but March is only around the corner and thoughts of new Spring/Summer fashion are on my mind. Perfect timing, then, for the launch of the Pretty Ballerinas Summer 2008 collection! The collection includes a rainbow of bright, summery colours and various finishes, from shiny patent to edgy snake-print, with prices ranging from 99 Euros for this stripy fabric finish pair to 169 Euros for this white patent pair with silver buckle.

I have my eye on the super-summery yellow patent pair above, but am hard-pressed to choose between those and the turquoise and green colours in the same style. Maybe I'll just order all three and take advantage of the refunded postage costs for customers who order three pairs or more before the end of the month...

Pretty Ballerinas shoes can be ordered through their website and are also available from Arnotts in Dublin.

More pretty sights from Powerscourt

While I wait for inspiration to strike on what to write about next, I thought I'd go back to my Powerscourt photos. These pretty gates lead into the walled gardens, which date back to the 1700s:



I love the elaborate vine detail and gold-painted leaves:



The garden wasn't in full bloom when I visited, so I am looking forward to returning to see the roses later in the year.