Free to be me

At a time my heart desperately needed to be reminded everything happens for a reason I came across the amazingly gifted Rob Hill.
None of us will ever get it perfect, but that shouldn’t be the goal. We should be strong enough not to let temporary pain put constrictions on the way we express and develop our love. For me it isn’t love if it makes you feel anything short of free, free to express ourselves, free to communicate, free to dream and explore and create… and though we love by choice, we can’t make anyone chose to do right by us. Trying to control shows a lack of trust. Our job is to get people to feel love, even if it’s for a short time. And loved in a way that changes them forever. A way that makes them better… love endures, it’s just our understanding of what it really is that changes. – Rob Hill

Catching sun rays

It’s a feeling I know all too well, sitting wherever the sun rays shine to reenergise and collect my thoughts in the moment. Usually my dog gives me company when I do zone out in the sunshine ( I cuddle him like a hot water bottle till he escapes my hold and runs away) *insert cover face emoji* but this was shot while we were in Rome, after a manic couple of days exploring the magnificent city, we chilled out in our room and on the roof top of our apartment (post on that to come shortly!)
I’m a fan of maxi dresses in the summertime, one of the most fuss free items of clothing I own, teamed it with some festival inspired arm candy by Ottoman Hands and et voila the summer look is complete.
Gurpreet and I are currently in the process of moving into our very first home together so the past couple of weekends have been extremely manic, who knew sofa shopping could be so stressful!? Keep a look out on my Instagram for pictures of the new place : ) I'm hoping to have some interior design posts coming soon!

Outfit - Dress/LauraAshley Necklace/OttomanHands (Different colourway) Rings/OttomanHands Bracelets/OttomanHands,2,3

The Roman Forum

I’ll start this post off topic a little, for those who are in London; wow wee! The sunshine has been so beautiful lately our days are longer, I’m feeling a million times more productive than usual and a lot more motivated to make the most of the summertime.
Gurpreet and I are currently in the process of packing up our belongings by the end of the month to move into our very own apartment. (Currently living with in-laws) I cannot express how excited I am for this! As a result holidays are on hold till we get settled.
No harm in looking back on our adventures from this year though! This next post was one we shot after visiting the Coliseum, we opted out for having a guided tour as the queues for tickets were not as long as everyone made them out to be, instead we purchased the audio guide. I can’t fault it, it explained everything very well and we left feeling a little more knowledgeable in the Roman history department.
One thing we didn’t realise at the time was our ticket for the Coliseum entrance also covered entrance to the Roman Forum, a large area directly opposite the coliseum with ruins, gardens and plenty more artefacts linked to Roman history.
Well worth the visit and beautiful to walk around in for the afternoon.
One pointer I can give you is when visiting Rome I highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes, there is an insane amount of walking to be done!

Outfit – Top/ToryBurch Jeans/MissSelfridges Scarf/Mango Jacket/Mango Necklace/OttomanHands Shoes/LauraAshley Rings/OttomanHands Bracelets/OttomanHands

Tangerine walls

Walking through Rome was a little tricky during peak hours, the streets were packed curb to curb with tourists, street artists and mini souvenir stalls.
Gurpreet and I decided to stroll through the back ally's parallel to the main road into the city. The tangerine walls instantly screamed holiday to me and were a refreshing change from the London buildings which are a neutral stone/ terracota brick colour. I love how the other countries I have visited in Europe are different, with painted walls, cobbled streets and gated/shutter windows they have a laid back style not as intimidating as London.
I kept my clothes colour palette neutral and added pops of colour through my accessories, make up and jewellery.
Pop over to the Laura Ashley blog to see what I had to say about holiday style and little helpful pointers about packing / holiday wardrobes.
I have been a little quiet on the blog this past month, if you follow me on Instagram, you most probably noticed I visited Marrakech for my birthday, it was a short sweet trip non blog related and I had a lovely break. I'm back and fully focused to set this year off with a bang! I love collaborating with brands and other creatives. If you have any ideas please do let me know, you can contact me on suritimestwo@gmail.co.uk
Also one last thing I'd like to share with you all. This morning I woke up and decided to watch a documentary on Netflix called Happy. A beautifully filmed show that helps us find a little perspective in life especially if you feel a little lost. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Outfit - Blouse/LauraAshley Jeans/MissSelfridges Shoes/Mango Scarf/Laura Ashley Bag/Marc Jacobs Necklace/OttomanHands (similar) Bracelets/OttomanHands Rings/OttomanHands Sunglasses/Mango

Laura Ashley x Mitika Suri

I’m super excited to be posting this artwork for you all to see, in my last post I featured a beautiful-embroidered cardigan from the autumn winter 14 range by Laura Ashley.
This evening I am débuting my illustrations for the Laura Ashley blog, I sketched three of my favourite looks from their latest Matinee collection.
Elegance, class and timeless style were my main characteristics to portray. I loved creating these pieces. The Laura Ashley woman most definitely has a sassy sophistication and a beautiful aura, which is also reflected in the clothing.
Hope you like the style, more artwork to come very soon!

Shimmer Season

A little more groomed than my last look, but it is always good to start the year off on a positive note. Its October Mitika, not January – I hear you! But the past weekend was New Years for me. New Year?! Yes you did read that right! Over the weekend I celebrated Diwali and the Hindu New Year, which is essentially the Indian equivalent to Christmas; plenty of food, presents and dressing up!
As you all know I gravitate towards animal prints (here, here and here!) but another one of my loves is sparkle. Sequins, embroidery, glitter, diamonds, and metallic’ s any of the above and I’m sold! I am like a magpie around shiny objects. So when presented with the opportunity to select an item of clothing from Laura Ashley’s autumn winter 2014 range the Matinee collection caught my eye straight away.
Matinee is a mix of beautiful lace designs, elegant embroidery and beading on a jewel tone palette. What I like about separates like this cardigan I picked is their versatility. It jazzes up the simplest of daywear and adds the finishing touches to an evening ensemble. Who said shimmer was only for a night out?
On a creative note, I’m super excited to release a new set of illustrations this week, be sure to check back a little later to see what I’ve been up to!

Outfit - Cardigan-C/OLauraAshley Belt/Charles&Keith Skirt/Primark Scarf/Zara Heels/Zara Earrings/ToryBurch