Jam Jar Lights - Lighting the way....

I was so excited to drive past Jam Jar Lights  on Sunday as I recognised it as having fitted out one of our local coffee shops with the coolest lights. Today I had an opportunity to go in and to chat to Kate, one of the founders of Jam Jar.

The idea for Jam Jar arose after she and a friend had been travelling. On returning to Birmingham they weren't terribly excited about stepping back into the real world and so started renovating their flat instead. Unable to find lighting that they liked, they started to experiment with different ideas until one night Kate turned a Jam Jar into a light and Jam Jar lights was born.

Customers can design their own lights, selecting the individual components, all of which are made in Birmingham. 

 These are the individual Jam Jar lights...

And here's a selection that have been clustered together, all with differing coloured cables...

Loving the fairground lights that can be powder coated in any colour. Surprise surprise, I love this pink one and how lucky are we to have a girl with a name beginning with "M"?! 

The wall of cables is a work of art in its own right. 

And with all things copper being such a huge trend, who fancies one of these lights?!

This is Jam Jar's take on a chandelier...

And these are examples of the different lighting systems that have been created with piping

Kate said that she fancied trying different colours on the metal work, hence the gold and rose gold below. 

And finally, this is the shop fit. The corrugated iron came from Kate's cousin's back garden and had to be scrubbed to remove what the birds had left behind on it.  And Kate and her partner went skip surfing for the wood. All of which is so in keeping with the feel of the brand.

This is my favourite - I love this combination.

 Having spent a little time looking a lighting recently, it is all quite "samey" but this is totally different. Jam Jar have even made a light from an old water tank, so if you're thinking of ripping anything out, it could be possible to upcycle it into a really fab piece of lighting.

And this letter "F" is for my lovely Flossie who is away from home this week and I miss her :( (but she is having fun) :) x

Some "Me & Em" gems...

Like Hush and Baukjen, Me & Em is one of those brands with a simple aesthetic that appeals to so many right now. All of these brands have several gems each season, which can form the backbone of a wardrobe for now and for seasons to come.  Sometimes its the styling that attracts me, sometimes the potential longevity of an item and sometimes it's just an "Oooh, that's a lovely item" moment - but then more often than not I'll try and find those pieces at somewhere like Zara or Topshop instead.


I know that there have been a million blog posts about Breton tops over the years but this particular Breton top (£35) falls into my gem category because of its slight ruching at the sides. Style wise it allows it to be worn either longer or shorter and the ruching is so flattering over those various wobbly bits that we may want to disguise. As soon as a brand adds ruching in the right place, a top becomes a whole lot more accessible to a whole lot more people. Over the years I've loved the Jigsaw Breton tops but the colours aren't quite right this year - so I will be trying this one instead (if it's in stock).

The same goes for this Perfect crew neck T (£35). There's also a V-neck style and both have ruching, so for anyone on the hunt for a great T-shirt that has a little length and a little ruching, this could be just the right one. At £35 I think that it's a lot for a T-shirt but arguably it's better to have one fabulous one at £35 than three or four mediocre ones at £10 each. But of course you don't need me to tell you that. And the logic only applies if you would actually be likely to buy 3 or 4 T-shirts at £10 each in the first place.

And who doesn't love a Slouchy jogger (£58.00)? OK, so not everyone but they are so useful, just for those times when it's not a good idea to head out of the house in one's scruffy old Topshop baggy bum joggers (not that I own a pair of those of course. Or even two) but equally when one doesn't want to wear one's skinny jeans either. eg When you've had a big meal and you have to take the kids somewhere but rather than just dropping them at the door, you have to go in and chat too. Then the Topshop baggy bum joggers suddenly don't seem such a good idea. Reversing out of a room always looks a bit odd.

And there is something very appealing about the side stripe trouser (£128). I love a wide trouser with a trainer and there is something very lovely about a pair of really well made, well fitting trousers in a great fabric. I haven't tried these so I can't say whether these tick those boxes or not but they look to me like they might (and should).

Here I've linked to all the pieces with stripes which include a couple of different styles of Breton top and also a few different styles of side striped trousers - for those who may be interested in investigating further.


There's currently a Me & Em 20% discount plus free second class postage with the code GET20 which I hope you will find useful :)

A Quick OOTD - The Jigsaw Coat in Action

Outfit: Coat Jigsaw, Boots and bag Whistles, Jumper Zara, Jeans Gap, Gloves H&M

Some things are just meant to be worn so this morning, off came the tissue paper from my new Jigsaw coat and on it went for the school run. Give me anything soft and navy and I'm there; whether it's a onesie, a pair of socks or a coat.  

Photo bombed I was! Photo bombed by a cat. "Sorry" said my eight year old photographer. "You're not really in the last photos, I was taking a photo of the cat instead." Fair play. No doubt the cat was much more interesting to her. I get that.

Have a super weekend everyone! x

Navy, navy, navy - 3 navy coats from Jigsaw

The plan wasn't necessarily to come out of Jigsaw with a navy coat when I went to spend the vouchers that I had been given but I quickly realised that there were three that I liked. And then I thought to myself that if I liked them, then you might too.

Now I realise that a Jigsaw coat is not an everyday purchase and whilst it's fine to say "Oh, it will last for years and it's an investment" if it's not do-able then it's not do-able. On the other hand, one of these may just be what you've been looking for or they could provide inspiration for an upcoming shopping trip. So let's kick off. First of all I'm wearing the collarless column coat £229

I have to say that this coat felt absolutely beautiful on. The fit is gorgeous and very flattering plus it's made from 100% cotton which could work fantastically well for those who prefer natural fibres. It's just one of those coats that instantly makes you stand up smart.

The only issue for me was how much wear I might get out of it.  If I worked in an office I would be there like a shot and although it would look great with jeans I just felt that I might not reach for it too easily when dashing out of the door on the school run. As to sizing, I first started off with an 8 which was fine but the 10 had just that little bit more room.

Next I tried the raw edge jersey coat (£229). I'm not quite sure why it's called a jersey coat. The composition is 73% wool and and 27% polyamide so it's not a reference to the fabric. Maybe the styling? I don't know but anyway this was the softest coat that I'd tried on in a long time.

This coat is an absolute beauty - perfect for this time of year with enough room to fit a leather jacket underneath and not at all restrictive.

The sizing of this coat is quite generous and I'm wearing an XS. One of the reviews comments that it is expensive for what it is and I do understand that it's not lined and despite being wool it isn't a very heavy weight coat but it is beautifully soft and it falls well. So that's all to go in the melting pot! 

The final jacket doesn't seem to be online. It's a great piece - a little edgier being a bomber style at the back (particularly with the ribbing at the waistband) but with a straighter jacket front minus the ribbing at the waist.

The fit of this one isn't great on me as it's a size 10 and also as it's shorter, I tend to feel a little more exposed. But I really liked it nonetheless and if I could have had two this would have made it home with me.

So that's my little Jigsaw coat round up but there were plenty more that I loved, from this cream belted cocoon coat (£249) to the double faced jacket (£249) and this long sleeveless jacket (£179).

Thank you so much to everyone who has entered the M&S competition which I published yesterday. Although you may not have heard back from me, all of your entries have been received and you will be entered into the "hat".  Do keep the entries coming and tell your friends - or not perhaps. I'll let you deal with that particular moral dilemma!

A brilliant competition with M&S - the chance to win a makeover day for you and a friend with lunch, styling, beauty and a gift card each!

We all love M&S pants and they can work miracles so if I buy them, do I get the bottom as well? 

On November 4th last year, fashion icon Twiggy opened one of the largest Marks and Spencer stores in the UK. It is in Longbridge, just outside of Birmingham (yippeee!) and to celebrate the store opening, M&S have asked me to host a competition for a reader, and a friend, to win a make-over day which will include....

Don't you just love a bit of M&S Best of British?

• Lunch at the M&S cafe or deli bar,
• A personal stylist shopping experience with the Women's Wear Team (I hope to come along too if that's OK!)
• Make-up with the beauty team;
• Brow or nails at the nail bar;
• A £100 gift card for each of you and your friend to spend in store.

I always get so excited by seeing what Limited has to offer. There are so many gems in there!

And such a gorgeous silhouette from Autograph

One of the things that I really wanted to share with you about the new Longbridge store is that it will carry the new "Archive by Alexa" fashion collection which has been curated and handpicked by Alexa (Cheung) and the M&S design team. 

Really it deserves a post of its own but briefly, using the Marks & Spencer Archive in Leeds, Alexa and the M&S team have brought archive pieces back to life for 2016. 

The introduction of both modern fabrics, and a modern colour palette, has resulted in a contemporary womenswear collection but which still references M&S' heritage - which won't be surprising to those familiar with Alexa Cheung's particular style. 

The 31 piece collection will be in store in April 2016 and I can't wait to see it.   Also, this is the first of the "M&S &" series, which is "a sequence of unique, exclusive collections in collaboration with some of today's most exciting designers, brands & fashion icons." Any ideas as to who might be next?!

The Competition Rules:

I was so excited to be asked to host this competition for M&S and as I'm able to decide the rules, I've decided to keep it simple and select the winner at random. Previously I've asked people to write in to explain why they are deserving of the prize but then....(cue long sentence coming up...) everyone has been deserving and I've had to make an election as to who is more deserving than someone else, which makes makes me sad because I feel mean for not giving the prize to everyone and then I lay awake concerned that people will be upset and then that has horrible consequences for being tired the next day. So, let's just keep it simple shall we?

So this is how we'll play it...

• I will select one winner at random after the closing date, which will be mid-night on Thursday 24th March. I will contact the winner on Friday 25th March. Hopefully that will make a nice Easter surprise for someone;
• The winner and their friend will receive an M&S makeover and lunch at M&S Longbridge, and each person will receive a £100 gift card to spend;
• The prize is not transferable and there are no whole/part cash alternatives;
• The Gift Card will be presented on the day of the makeover.

So how does that all sound? If you email me (mail@bethgoodrham.com) to let me know that you would like your name to go into the metaphorical hat, that would be fantastic!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!

Notes about the store:

• The 150 000 sq ft store offers customers a wide range of products and services and is home to a large Womenswear department, as well as Menswear and Beauty;
• The store has the Midlands' first M&S Brow and Nail Bar and Baby World;
• It also includes a Homeware Department, a 245 seat M&S Cafe and a Food hall which will feature a Deli and Pasta Bar and an in-store Bakery.

For anyone who would like to connect with Marks & Spencer on social media, you can follow them on twitter here and on facebook here.

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Jumper Dresses - Why don't we go there?

M&S jumper dress, Reiss leather jacket, Zara sleeveless coat, Whistles gloves and boots, Marc Jacobs bag

From the various emails that I've had, I know that lots of you are toying with the idea of a jumper dress but aren't sure whether to take the plunge or not.  It may be slightly late for this winter but fear not they will be around next year, so I thought that I would share my thoughts.

Being a creature who feels the cold, unsurprisingly I really like jumper dresses. Warm and comfortable, they tick my boxes.  So what are the pitfalls and how do you go about styling them?

Firstly, I think that people are put off jumper dresses by the thought of having to wash them each time they're worn and wondering how they will fare on a long term basis. The solution? Lightweight layers underneath mean that the dress won't be next to your skin, so it won't need to be washed each time that it's worn (or ever, potentially!)

Secondly, not all styles are particularly forgiving, especially the fitted/ribbed styles, so make sure that you check from all angles before buying one. I like wearing mine layered with this sleeveless coat as it just gives me a little tum coverage. And in all likelihood when I get home I would take the dress off anyway, so preferring it styled in this way really isn't an issue.

Thirdly they can make you feel a bit "square" and bulky. I know, I'm really not selling them! It's more with the one that I'm wearing above than the navy Jigsaw one that I have (below) so again, the sleeveless coat, or a jacket, breaks the body up leaving just a narrow column on show, which is a great styling trick for narrowing a wider torso.

Jigsaw jumper dress, Karen Millen leggings, Adidas trainers, Whistles bag and gloves

This navy jumper dress from Jigsaw however is much easier to wear. Due to the fact that it is a looser fit and that it's darker, it is easier to throw on and go, rather than having to work a little harder at styling it.  The fact that it's shorter too means that coat lengths aren't so much of an issue.

But when it's a cold day as it was on Monday, only the grey ribbed one will do. It's probably the nearest thing that I have to a onesie in terms of warmth and comfort, so you can count me in big style. It was only through working with M&S on a blog post that I decided to try one in the first place but I'm so glad that I did.

What's your experience of jumper dresses - yes or no to the jumper dress? And if you haven't been there before, are you tempted? Hope that you're all having a lovely week. x

Kathy's FitBit weight loss story...

After I wrote my first post about the FitBit, Kathy got in touch to let me know how she had managed to lose weight using her FitBit. I was intrigued to find out more, so this is her story, which I am so happy to share because it's realistic, with a healthy approach and fantastic results. I haven't edited what Kathy sent to me because all of it is important, providing a great account of how she achieved her goals, both physically and psychologically.

Kathy prior to starting her FitBit journey

Last winter (October 2014 to Feb 2015) I was poorly with a series of minor illnesses one after another.  I didn't go to the gym and ate too much. I felt run down, fat and out of condition. By the beginning of March I was starting to feel better and keen to get back to the gym. (I've always exercised, even when I haven’t been careful about my weight.)

My Heart Rate Monitor watch was old and not very reliable so to help motivate me I bought a FitBit. I chose the Charge HR model and as our bathroom scales were also old and needing replacement I also bought the FitBit Aria scales. They sync together and your weight is logged automatically. No cheating possible!

I’ve always gained weight easily and the FitBit confirmed what I suspected; that I don’t burn many calories. On a typical day, with little exercise, I am lucky to burn more than 1900 calories.

At first, I focussed on exercise at the gym, and after a month or so decided to start running outside again. The first few times were hard, I had to make myself stay out for 30 minutes! I was going to the gym 2 or 3 times a week doing cardio and some weights, plus an outdoor run once a week. But the FitBit encouraged me, and each week I was running further, faster and for longer. Instead of catching the bus halfway to work, I walked the whole way, and added in as many steps as I could each day. I realised today that I had been spending about £25 a month on bus fares to work. Not a huge amount but in the 10 months I've had the FitBit and been walking to work I've saved £250 – which more than covers the cost of the scales and the Fitbit itself!

By the middle of June I was feeling a lot better and decided it was time to get my weight under control. We had a holiday booked for the end of September so I worked back 100 days until we went, and started dieting from then, using the food logging feature of the FitBit. I set myself a target to lose 2 stone by the time we went on holiday. I managed this with a few days to spare and was really pleased. However I was concerned about putting a lot of it back on it during the two-week all-inclusive holiday, as I would usually do. 

I hoped that I would be able to do less damage this time by making sure I got my step count in each day and swimming as much as possible. I didn't want to put on more than 3lbs. The first day at the resort it rained so I thought I might as well check out the hotel gym. In hindsight, I think that was a good thing for me, as it put me in the right mind-set; yes, I was on holiday, but I could still keep up with the exercise and gym routine. So, from the first day I either went to the gym, doing a circuit-based routine, or I ran outside in the morning, before it got too hot. I really enjoyed this and each day did a different route in and around the resort. I saw much more of it than I otherwise would have, had I just been at the pool or on the deck!

I also decided not to eat and drink whatever I wanted. I avoided the pastries at breakfast and the dishes of Turkish delight. However I ate 3 good meals every day, including a small dessert with the evening meal, and had wine and a couple of G&Ts so I didn't feel at all deprived. I didn't log the calories but made sure I kept up my step count and active minutes each day. For the first time ever I didn't put on any weight on holiday. For me this was a major accomplishment and a psychological breakthrough. I could do it.

When we got back I continued as I had before the holiday and lost a few more pounds so adjusted my target down by 4lbs.  The next hurdles approaching were my birthday which meant a few days in London followed three weeks later by Christmas. The time in London was lovely. I couldn't do my usual exercise, but we did walk a lot. My poor husband! We ate out and I had quite a lot of champagne and cocktails. But again, no weight gained.

With Christmas approaching I lost a couple more pounds, to give me some ‘spare’ as I would surely gain over Christmas, and we would be away for some of the time, so I would miss out on gym and run sessions. So on Christmas Eve I was 2 stone 9lbs lighter than when I got the FitBit back in March. I did put on 3lbs over Christmas/New Year but, I have lost 2lbs of that already and should lose the last pound this week. I have dropped my target down again by 3lbs, and that is now where I am sticking. I feel this is a realistic weight that I can maintain. My aim is to end 2016 the same weight as I started it. I've never managed that before. I've been a typical yo-yo dieter for years, but this time I am determined to break out of that cycle. I firmly believe the FitBit has made the difference; I love the features and the detail it gives you.  

I am motivated by the numbers, and seeing what I am doing. It has become second nature to me and I wouldn’t be without it.

I am the lightest weight I have been in years, and have had to get boxes of smaller clothes out of the loft. Of course, I've also bought quite a lot of new things as well! It was lovely choosing the smaller sizes in the January sales! I am also the fittest I've been in years and I feel great! I'm 51 and can easily hold my own against women much younger than me.

This photo was taken in September 2015, when Kathy had lost nearly 2 stones

So, for 2016 I want to maintain my current weigh and fitness levels. I am still going to count calories for a while, but I am gradually going to increase the daily amount, whilst eating fewer calorie-counted ready meals, or low-fat versions of everyday foodstuffs.  The FitBit makes it easier to do this, and keep on track. Fingers crossed I can do it!

Kathy having lost nearly 3 stones in total. "I am now the sort of person who takes their gear and goes for a quick 5k run before breakfast on a weekend away (I did it every day on holiday too!)"

Kathy has also explained to me how she used the FitBit to log the food that she ate so as to count the calories accurately, so if anyone would like me to share that also, I would be very happy to do so in another post. 

That was the week that was - a little bit of house, a little bit of fashion and a competition coming your way soon!

Going for a bit of a biker look in this Reiss jacket that I've had for about 6 years but which fits so well, an H&M skirt, Boden roll neck and Whistles gloves and biker boots. 

Hello my lovelies, how are you all? I hope that you've had a lovely Mother's Day. I know that for some it can be a little bit of a sad and emotional day so I'm thinking of you all and sending you lots of love. I started off my day by running with a friend (lovely) dropping in on another friend (lovely - for me at least!) and then coming home to....dye the grey out of my hair. Ho hum! 

The rest of the day was fabulous though with lunch out, a wander around John Lewis, a home made chocolate cake with chunks of toblerone in it and crushed maltesers on top (yum) and some lovely pressies. My treat to myself is to check in with you all to say hello and to give you a little update - for there's a lot going on! 

Just prior to the work starting

As you may have gathered, we are having some work done to the house. It's a 14 week build project which was due to start last Monday, however we weren't really sure until three days beforehand whether it would start or not.  So, at the 11th hour we had to arrange for the downstairs of the house to be cleared and the furniture sent to storage. Last weekend was fun.

 Getting ready for the builders - I knew that the gin would come in handy.

The night before the work was due to start, we had fireworks to mark the occasion and to say goodbye to the house as we knew it. 

It didn't take long for the builders to get cracking.

Monday morning carnage.

Despite being a family of five, our house is "usually" fairly relaxed and calm but last Monday morning I had about 12 men in the house; the builders started ripping down the conservatory, there were skips arriving, the electrician was making the house safe, the plumber was moving and re-plumbing the washing machine, the alarm chap was dis-connecting certain sensors, the carpenter was building false walls and me? I stood paralysed behind the kitchen island, took a couple of photos and ate a WHOLE LOAD of chocolate. As for Mr SG?

He went to work leaving his sour dough to rise amongst the chaos. As you do. 

No more conservatory! It leaked and there's nothing that Mr SG hates more than a leak. They drive him round the bend.

Two days later, the conservatory was down. It's fair to say that the house is looking a pretty ugly place right now but hopefully in three weeks or so the new build will be up with the roof on and then it should start to look a whole look better. In the meantime I'm frantically making mood boards for the new utility room, study area, dining area and living area. For so long it didn't really seem that anything was happening and then all of a sudden we're meant to have chosen everything. Help! And sadly now that the living room is empty it's clear that the carpet is in need of an update so that room might just need a bit of attention. Such a shame.

Whilst in John Lewis today I seemed to lose a couple of the children.

Jigsaw trousers, Topshop jumper, Zara cardi, Accessorize scarf, Whistles boots.

This photo was taken at the end of the week - I'm just about still standing (unlike the conservatory). But with working, trying to sort the house, training for the marathon (we're up to 24 miles now so quite happy about that) and so on I'm not getting the time to blog as often as I would like. And I miss you all!

However I've got some great posts lined up - an exclusive competition with M&S to win a gift card of £100 for you and a friend, a new jewellery brand to introduce you to and an inspiring story from a reader who used her FitBit to help her to lose 3 stones.

Have a lovely week everyone and I hope to be back soon. x