Amy Rowley Lifestyle - Picnic Party Inspiration

I think it's safe to say that this week the weather is finally starting to show the start of summer and with the Bank Holiday on the horizon, what better way to kick start the weekend than with the perfect picnic party. There are so many cute, creative and pretty picnic accessories in the shops at the moment, so I thought i would put together a little picnic inspiration post to kick start your summer plans.

Retro Party Light - Some may think twinkly sparkly lights may be a bit much, but me? I love it! The more decorative and fun you can be with a picnic, the better, I say. This party light is the best way to go one step further. If you're celebrating your birthday in the summer months, use a picnic party as the perfect way to celebrate. Remember don't forget the prosecco. 

Pineapple baskets - The perfect storage for crisps, cutlery, napkins or even a basket of fruit if you're on a health kick. If you have to use baskets to display your food, pineapple shaped baskets are the only option, surely?

Watermelon Pinata - How cute is this pinata?! Spice your picnic up with a bit of fun by having some games to play. This watermelon shaped pinata is the ideal game to add to your list. Fill it with your favourite sweets and once everybody has had a few to drink, this will become even more interesting.

Cactus Shot Glasses - Let's get the party started with shots in the coolest cactus shot glasses. A cute alternative, from the normal shot glass.  Paperchase are killing it with the summer accessories at the moment, perfect for picnics, beach trips and holidays so I would check their selection out.

Pineapple Tumbler - Your going to need plastic tumblers for a picnic, so why not have these pineapple themed glasses. 

Picnic Napkins - Perfect for all those pesky crumbs and if you have to supply napkins, why not do it in style? Monki have a great range of napkins and cute pinic accessories, so their website is definitely worth a little nosey. 

Cactus Ice Tray - For those hot summer afternoons you're going to need endless amounts of ice for your Pimms and soft drinks. This cactus ice tray is a cute solution to a picnic essential.

Pineapple Fairy Lights - For when the sun starts to fade but you want your party to go into the evening, these fairy lights are perfect. A cute touch and very instagrammable too! 

Picnic Blanket -  What picnic is complete without a gorgeous printed blanket. Plus once the weather starts to cool down you can use it to get warm. 

Picnic Basket - For the ultimate picnic planner, this basket screams typical English summer. If you plan on throwing a couple of picnics throughout the summer, this basket is for you. 

Flamingo Bunting - One last cute touch is pretty bunting. This flamingo design is super summery and a simple decoration that just makes everything look great in photos.

So there you have a list of the cutest picnic 'essentials' ready for the summer party season. What do you think? Has this made you want to plan a picnic party for you and your friends?

I hope you've enjoyed this little blog post, something slightly different, but adorable all the same. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x

Amy Rowley Style - Fenwick Colchester, Meet The Designers Event

I was very happy to see a message in my inbox inviting me to a Meet The Designers event at Fenwick Colchester. Having been part of the accessories team for just over a year myself, it felt fantastic to be going back into the store as a blogger and having the chance to write exciting things about all of my favourite brands. Already a big jewellery junkie I know a lot of the brands in Fenwick Colchester inside out. They have a beautiful selection of designers showcasing some incredible pieces, there truly is something for everybody. 

So, on Saturday I head over to Fenwick to see what they had going on in store. I was lucky enough to see some of the brands in action and new ones too, perfect for someone like me who is always on the hunt for something different. 

First things first we kicked off the trip with a glass of bubbly (of course) and a talk with one of my favourite Fenwick ladies, Laura, the jewellery buyer. Laura does a fantastic job along with Julie another Accessories buyer, to find the latest brands, designs and fashion trends, so that they can inject it into the store. Since the refurbishment which was finished late last year, Fenwick Colchester has been the talk of the town and I can see why. They have tried to make it more trend based, so when you walk in it's almost as if you were in a flagship London store. 

After catching up I went round to see some of the displays that were going on in the department. A lovely lady from the wonderful Alex Monroe ( a firm favourite of mine) was displaying some of the intricate techniques they use on the handcrafted jewellery. All of Alex Monroe's collection holds incredible detail and is made here in the UK. Without a doubt he is most famous for the Bee necklace, but more recently they worked on a Beauty and The Beast collection which was simply stunning. 

 * Alex's sketchbooks showcasing the original designs for his jewellery pieces *

I then spoke to Georgiana from the jewellery brand Georgiana Scott, about their wonderful hoop station. Now, I never used to be a lover of hoops but late last year I got the urge tot try them and i've never felt so sassy. They have a wonderful range of hoops, Sterling silver, gold or rose gold plated. Perfect if you want a nice pair but don't want to pay the earth for them as their starting point is great value. 

I then spoke to another lovely lady who worked for Lisa Angel, this is a relatively new brand for Fenwick Colchester and the perfect brand if you're looking for a gift. They have a range of engravable necklaces, bracelets and key-rings, all around the £20 mark! They are silver or gold plated so a good quality piece too.

 I was lucky enough to receive a rose gold bar necklace, which the lady kindly engraved my name into! Fenwick also offer a complimentary engraving service on lots of products not just the Lisa Angel range. Perfect for a birthday/Christmas present or even something just that little bit more sentimental, after all personalized products are so on trend at the moment.

Last but not least I was lucky enough to meet Rosie Fortescue, who has recently launched her collection in the Fenwick store. She was lovely and just as beautiful as she is in pictures. I spoke to her about her range and she explained that her jewellery was an extension of all her favourite pieces and designs. We talked about her passion to inject colour and brightly coloured stones into her collection. The range itself, is beautiful with a mixture of designs ranging from more delicate pieces to the bolder earrings and even the incredibly cool hand cuff. 

Kindly, I was gifted a piece from the range. I chose a delicate choker or shorter chained rose gold necklace with pink stones. It works as the perfect layering piece or well on its own with a low neckline to compliment it's design. You will see this styled very soon on the blog and over on my Instagram (@amyrowleyy).

I had a lovely afternoon at the Fenwick Colchester store and will definitely be popping in for my jewellery updates soon. Alongside the incredible jewellery brands that I've already mentioned, they stock Chlobo, Links of London, Olivia Burton and Astley Clarke, to name a few. 

If you would like to pop in and check out their current stock, they are running an exclusive event on today and they are open till 9pm. Receive 20% off most brands across the store and treat yourself. (terms and conditions apply) 

A big thank you to Fenwick for inviting me along, I hope you enjoyed this post, I definitely enjoyed writing it! 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Amy Rowley Food - The Island Stories Experience

On Thursday I was lucky enough to attend the Island Stories foodie event in Chelmsford. The event was held at Barista in Chelmsford and I was joined by a range of lovely bloggers, some of them I have been wanting to meet for a while.

Island Stories are a catering company, ideal for private dining events of 6-8 people, to much larger do's such as weddings or corporate events. The two owners, Ikram and Devon are from two far flung countries who have combined their cultures to create an incredible menu mixing Caribbean and Ceylon flavours. Although this is their specialty, Devon, also head chef for Island Stories is able to create all kinds of cuisines and dishes! It's safe to say he is a very talented man! 

The Food

We were spoilt for choice with dish after dish of incredible food! First things first we kicked off the menu by tucking into scrummy canapes! My favourite had to be the breaded tuna with chilli and coriander jam. It seemed to be the most popular choice and I can tell you now their was a firm reason to this...It was incredible. Among their canapes we also had the choice of beetroot cured salmon with dill creme fraiche, and quinoa and coriander bites.

After this scummy display we were treated to some juicy mini burgers, which were a lot more filling then they looked! Followed by a gorgeous selection of bowl foods. The favourites had to be the wild sea-bass with artichoke, preserved lemon, asparagus and fresh peas, as well as the incredible beef fillet with shitake caramel and horseradish mash; simply sublime. 

For dessert there were two options, either lemongrass panna cotta with strawberry sorbet or chocolate delice topped with passion fruit gel. The perfect combination of sweetness to the rich chocolate dessert.

It's safe to say everyone could hardly move once they had finished the entirety of  the dishes, consuming as many flavours in one setting as they possibly could.

The Outfit

For my overall outfit I wanted to go for something a little bit more formal. I have been after a pair of tailored trousers for a while so when I spotted these on the ASOS website I knew I had to have them! They go with so many things casual or smart and they fit like a dream! 

For the top half of the outfit I chose to go with this lovely lace satin camisole from H&M. It is so cute and I am in love with the lace detail. I don't normally wear black and navy together, but I think the combination actually looked really nice. 

For shoes I went with my trusty nude pointy courts and I think they just complimented the look in the right way. These are a must have in any wardrobe because they go with everything and are timeless piece. 

I kept my jewellery pretty understated for me, simply wearing a collection of  silver bracelets from Pandora and Chlobo, alongside my watch from Amsterdam that was a right little bargain at 20 Euro and my hamsa hand necklace from Accessorize.

* Outfit *
Trousers - ASOS
Cami - H&M
Shoes - Topshop (sold out)


After trying the Island Stories food and finally meeting some friendly faces from the blogging world it was safe to say I was ready for bed. 

If you are looking for a catering company for either your wedding, special event or even a birthday do, then I can highly recommend the Island Stories services. They cover Essex, London and surrounding areas. Not only will you be blown away by their beautiful food but their great personalities too. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x