My editing style has really changed a lot in the last few months so I developed a new preset pack! The Dark Cottagecore Preset Pack is now available in my shop; seven unique presets all with rich, dark tones inspired by dark naturalism and perfect for autumn photographs. I've been using this pack exclusively to edit my photographs for several weeks now and I'll demonstrate a few of them below so you can get a clearer look at the pack. Where my classic Cottagecore Pack for spring is very light and bright, giving all your photographs a soft and glow-y finish, this pack is shadowy and rich; like the difference of the blossom in the brambles of spring to the ripe fruit of autumn. Preset packs are my favorite to develop because I always include a mix of presets to suit different situations, while all the presets are tied together by one theme and feel cohesive. Shop the pack by clicking here! Heather Preset: I'm always inspired by the seasons and the shifting landscape. One of the first signs that autumn is on the horizon is the heather beginning to bloom in vibrant shades of purple. The Heather preset is inspired by those rich, floral colors; rosy and deep it's a perfect preset for adding a blush tone to photographs. Rowan Berry Preset: I always try to develop packs that work in a variety of settings while having a unifying feeling so when you use them your feed still feels cohesive. While the Heather preset is slightly cooler toned and perfect for enhancing purples or getting cooler greens, the Rowan Berry preset is on the other end of the spectrum--much more warm toned which is perfect is you like slightly sepia photographs or you need to warm up late evening pictures shot in blue light. Rosehips Preset: Autumn is such a pretty season and while the changing leaves are one of my favorite features, there's still a lot of green tones as well. So often presets and filters that are aimed at enhancing autumnal colors really destroy greens, which as someone who loves photographing nature I find so frustrating. I always want to highlight the beauty of nature, so presets that are kind to greens and help bring out the true colors of nature are my favorite.Blackberry Preset: While I don't like to say one preset in my pack is my favorite, usually one preset will emerge as the most-used and for the Dark Cottagecore Pack it's definitely my Blackberry Preset. It's sort of the "goldilocks" of presets; not too warm, not too cold and very dark to give all my photographs a deep, rich finish.

Dark Skies is part of a unique series where another book Dark Shores can also be the first book in the series; basically both books take place simultaneously with slightly overlapping characters so you can choose which you start with. I started with Dark Shores and was so invested in that story and those characters I was reluctant to read Dark Skies because I didn’t think I could become as invested in this story—I just wanted to get to the next book to see where the characters in Dark Shores ended up and skip Dark Skies entirely. Boy am I glad that I didn’t do that! Dark Skies is so good! Easily one of my favorite reads so far this year; Danielle L Jensen is quickly climbing into my favorite author list as her storylines are refreshing and her writing is sharp as well--good world building, nice attention to detail without being overwrought, avoids cliche phrases, etc. Quick synopsis: Dark Skies/Dark Shores takes place in a fictional world which is partly inspired by the Roman Empire. Lydia is the adopted daughter of a Celendor senator and scholar who stumbles into danger and the plots of a powerful man and ends up fleeing to an unfamiliar land. Killian is Marked by the God of War, but when his gifts fail him he finds himself pledging to protect his kingdom’s final hope: the Crown Princess. Lydia and Killian are an unlikely pairing that strike a bargain to help one another and maybe save those they care about as well. What I really enjoyed about this book is Lydia's progression and growth. She starts the novel as a sheltered and bookish girl who falls into a world she knows nothing about. Rather than her personality and talents changing overnight, Jensen gives her a realistic progression as she learns to adapt to her new surroundings, but isn't a new person overnight. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Lydia tries to learn fighting techniques from a book--such a hilarious and yet realistic attempt from a bookish character. I saw a few reviews that complained she was weak, but Lydia has one of the most realistic character developments I’ve ever read—it’s unrealistic that she’ll be a convincing fighter in a few short days and her attempts to learn how to use a sword and bow are amusing and relatable. I also love the other main character in this book, Killian, and he’s officially my new favorite book crush because he’s so adorably awkward. If you enjoy a solid fantasy story definitely check this series and author out.

Summer is slowly drawing to a close as the fields grow golden and the orchards fill with fruit. With the waning season my spring/summer capsule collection with Nour & the Merchant is also coming to an end--this collection (including the dress I'm wearing today) will be retired at the end of August. Which means if you want anything from the spring/summer collection you need to place your order before September. It is bittersweet saying goodbye to this collection; it was a dream to design and it has felt truly magical to be able to wear these pieces through the summer. I now have so many lovely memories in pieces I designed and I know these will be staples for me for many years to come. But while this collection is disappearing, we do have another capsule collection planned for autumn, so I'm also excited to share the new designs we've been working on--more cottagecore, whimsical clothes made ethically in Italy and designed for every day wear. If you loved this collection I think you'll also enjoy the new designs we have in the works. The Thimbleweed dress is one of my favorite designs from the spring collection because it is such a versatile piece; it's the dress I see myself wearing the most day to day to go about my life. I wanted this dress to feel special enough to be worn simply without adornment, hence the ruffle sleeves, scoop neck, and voluminous skirt, but also simple enough to be styled with a variety of accessories like the corset I'm wearing today. It layers beautifully with corsets and waistcoats, belts, aprons and other accessories. Additionally there are many customization options with this style; you can choose from a variety of linen colors and embroidery, or get it without embroidery--plus in addition to the standard sizes on Nour & the Merchant you have it made in a custom size to your measurements. Heading into autumn I'm drawn to the olive linen and navy versions, but Cristina convinced me to try this sandy shade--a color I would never normally pick for myself--and surprisingly I love it! It's such a wonderful, warm neutral that can be styled so many ways and I've already worn it countless times over the last few weeks.   If you love anything from my spring capsule collection with Nour and the Merchant, do purchase it this month as the listings will be gone entirely in September and their atelier won't be able to support custom or one-off purchases. It's the beauty of working with a small, slow fashion atelier; every dress is made ethically by their team in Italy when you place your order. As it is a small team and each dress requires a certain amount of fabric, type of fabric, etc, they can only offer a small selection of styles at a time. So, as Cristina shares a handful of new styles for autumn and winter, the spring and summer ones will be retired. Thank you for all your support with this collection and I hope if you love a piece you've had a chance to snag one! Oh and don't forget that you can order a dress and pay in installments with no interest or extra charges if you write Cristina directly!

I got my first pair of Vivaia Collection flats several months ago in the spring and they were so comfortable and wonderful I was excited when they got in touch about hosting a giveaway. If you didn't see my previous posts about Vivaia Collection let me tell you a little about the brand. Vivaia makes comfortable eco-friendly shoes. The shoes aren't just produced in a more environmentally friendly way than other brands, they're literally made out of recycled materials. They turn plastic bottles into breathable threads and even their packaging is made from recycled cardboard--and free worldwide shipping too! It's really wonderful to find a brand with such a strong ethos that also produces really chic shoes that fit my aesthetic as well. I basically live in ballet flats so these shoes are exactly my style! It's been really wonderful to discover this brand as I've been trying to build a more ethical wardrobe in the last few years and one area that was lacking was footwear; I know a lot of more sustainable fashion clothing brands but I haven't discovered as many accessories or shoe brands. I'm interested in trying out some of Vivaia's sneakers this autumn, but with the warm weather lingering a bit longer I've been living in the Odette flat (which comes in more colors) and the Elvira style too! Here's two recent outfits I wore with my Vivaia ballet flats--and don't forget to visit my Instagram today for a giveaway! You can also use my code ACH for 15% off in their shop.  I love cream colored flats because they go with everything, but as I tend to spend a lot of time on dirt paths I usually choose to wear darker flats so they won't show the dirt as much. I'm not as afraid of that with my Odette flats however because they're actually machine washable! Solomon stepped on my foot when I was walking him in these shoes and left a big muddy paw print, but it cleaned off so easily and you'd never know by looking at them they had been muddy earlier! I'm also always so pleasantly surprised by how soft these flats feel; it's crazy to think they're made from recycled plastic because they feel softer than almost every other ballet flat I own. It's still summer, but I have been starting to feel a few fall vibes lately and that has me pulling for slightly richer and warmer colors like this mustard yellow. It's always one of my favorite colors to wear, although I do feel a bit funny when I walk up to my matching front door in a very yellow outfit! Funnily enough the door was yellow when we moved in! I didn't pick that door color but I do like the burst of sunshine it brings to the gatehouse. I'll definitely be tempted to have another yellow door in future homes.  Our nasturtium flowers always reach their peak towards the end of July. We love the way the nasturtium covers the whole garden and the size of some of the leaves; they're so pretty when they collect water droplets on rainy days as well. Nasturtium is also an edible flower. We don't eat much of it because we like the way our garden looks, but I always harvest a tiny bit each year for a flower crown featuring all the different flower colors. The meadows are very green right now but interspersed here and there with flashes of pink--tiny clovers, wild loosestrife, and towering willowherb being visited by large cabbage white butterflies. Summer is nearing its end, in fact according to the Celtic calendar summer ended this weekend and autumn began. There are areas that look like autumn, places where harvesting has begun, but in the meadows and wild fields it still feels like summer is hanging on a bit longer. I'm eager to start wearing more of my autumn clothes and colors because I am craving richer tones, but it's still nice to have the option of throwing on a simple dress and walking out the door. It's warm enough I don't need to think too much about layers (although in Ireland it is always advisable to have a cardigan or jacket nearby), but cool enough that you won't overheat on a walk. Our summer is always more mild than other regions, I remember when I lived in the States how hot it would be all through September.

A recent work trip took us to County Cork where we stumbled across this gem of a manor house you can stay in! Thomas really is an expert at finding romantic, quirky getaway locations and Glenville Park was a rustic dream. I didn't get any pictures in the sprawling garden, but I did take a few pictures in our beautiful toile wallpapered room and the manor house's cozy library filled with vintage books. This manor house is listed in airbnb and it's super affordable if you're looking for a romantic, laidback getaway in the region. It's a perfect spot to explore around Cork which is a really beautiful region full of castles, formal gardens, epic hikes, etc. We haven't been able to travel around Ireland much in the last couple of years due to restrictions so I'm hoping we can book another trip to stay in this lovely manor house again soon. I brought my favorite summer dress on this trip: the Thimbleweed I designed with Nour & the Merchant. This is the last month you can shop my limited capsule collection! I'll be sad to see these pieces go, but I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to design them with Cristina. The Thimbleweed specifically was born of my love for long linen dresses but my desire for a flattering silhouette that I never saw in the stores. I feel like linen dresses are often cut very loose or if they're more fitted they feature buttons...I have a love/hate relationship with button-up dresses. I love them, but I also dislike how they gap if the fit isn't perfect and they all feature very high necklines. I wanted a linen dress that was fitted on top, a full skirt, and a scoop neck (plus puff sleeves!) and Cristina did a wonderful job making this piece come to life. As we worked on it more we added more personal details; the ruffle about the sleeves the echo the sepals of a flower, the optional embroidery with different animals and plants, etc. And we expanded the option from one white linen fabric to a huge array of colors, even some darker tones appropriate for autumn. It's honestly such a dream dress for any linen lover who also wants something romantic with a more open neckline and in their favorite color. P.S. There are only four sizes available of this dress listed on Nour & the Merchant, but for a small fee Cristina also offers custom sizing and you can make a number of custom changes if you want as well--like a shorter or longer skirt! So this, and the rest of my collection, can be made in any size you need. Every dress is made when you place your order at her atelier in Italy using sustainable materials from a team earning a living wage too.    One of my favorite rooms in Glenville Park was the library. Towering wooden shelves full of leatherbound tomes and some real vintage gems. There were cozy seats for lounging in and even a less cottagecore-y pingpong table in the adjoining room! This settee was so comfortable; it was like sinking into a warm hug at the end of the day and we loved the views from the window. All of the toile wallpaper pictures were taken in the room we stayed in and I'd recommend asking for that room specifically because it was delightful. One of the things I love about staying in manor houses like this one is all the quirky architectural details. They don't make houses with this many interesting features anymore and when a house is this old as well it has a collection of antique bits and bobs stored in little corners that are fun to discover. It's an old house so that comes with quirks--a dramatic entryway, enormous windows, but also spotty wifi, creaky stairs, the occasional stubborn lock! Personally we love staying in a place with charm and soul, so we would book this house again in a heartbeat. The host was also very friendly and gave us so much free range to explore the house and grounds. When we were out walking in the garden we didn't see another soul so it truly felt as if we were lords of the manor for a few evenings!