Celebrating International Friendship Day With Not On The High Street

< Happy International Friendship Day! To celebrate this day of warm fuzzies, we were invited by our friends at Not on The High Street to take part in a #SummerofSurprise gift campaign. We've been blogging together for over 7 years (friends for longer) and we like to think we know each other inside and out. With that in mind, the team allowed us to select a few gifts in secret to send to each other!

I always love receiving gifts from Jade because she's such a thoughtful present giver. I have the tendency to rant about things I like and then forget, but she's always taking a mental note. When my NOTHS parcel of goodies arrived, I was hella excited and ripped open the packing in less than 20 seconds. First up!? An epic Feather Dreamcatcher Necklace by Brave Lotus.

Jumper: Wildfox Gold Label - Jeans: River Island - Necklace: Brave Lotus (c/o)

I've known of Brave Lotus for about a year now, its UK based and basically just the dreamiest boho brand. I'm obsessed with feathers, gems and dreamcatchers, so if I had my own jewellery label, it would look something like this. Founder Gemma believes you should "Wear what makes you feel good, adorn yourself in jewellery that makes you feel happy." A-MEN. I carefully select my jewellery choices each morning depending on my mood or if I need comfort, so in a way, my jewels act as talismans. Well, I didn't even realise NOTHS stocked Brave Lotus so imagine my pure joy when I opened my carefully wrapped present to discover a beautiful necklace! Wow. The detailing on this is so perfect and I adore the mixed metals. I know I'm going to wear it for years to come. J-Bug, I love you.

Large Dove Grey Letterboard: Prudence Loves (c/o) 

My second gift was BIG so I knew it was some type of artwork or photo but when I tore it open I discovered this superb letter board by Prudence Loves! I've wanted to get a letter board for months now but I'd been struggling to find the right one. This version is a little different to other letter boards I've seen because it's felt and not plastic. This gives it much more of a Pinterest vibe and it looks super stylish on my wall. Of course I wasn't sure which quote to pop on it first, so I opted for a classic from La La Land. Dayum, I'm crazy about that film but sidenote, how spot on is this quote? Passion is infectious. Jade selected the large version in dove grey which sits at a perfect 15.5" x 19.5" inches.

This ties in perfectly with the Not on the High Street collaboration with The Luna Cinema! They are treating friends to VIP tickets to a screening of their choice... Can you guess which film I picked? I'm heading later this year and it will be my first time at The Luna Cinema! I can't wait! I'm sure I'll cry more the third time around.

I couldn't be happier with my selection of carefully selected treats. I have the best pretend big sister on the planet.

*Jesy Little Mix voice* My turn! Well what a coinkydink because I have the best pretend baby sis on the planet T! A gift from Tara is always super special because let's face it, the girl has taste for days and knows exactly what I like, sometimes even before I know myself, so when two rather large deliveries from NOTHS arrived I think I literally squealed at the postie. 

I opened the biggest box first and found this amazing Crochet Letters and Ampersand Cushion Set by The Letter Loft, a dad and daughter team from Ledbury who specialise in stylish, homemade letter and word items. They were beautifully individually wrapped in tissue and finished with a flourish of petals, so perfect for direct delivery gifting which is what I usually use NOTHS for. T knows I love a good initial item and that I'm obsessed with anything that has a J on it, but I adore the fact that this little set can represent both me and Tara, and also me and Tim! So thoughtful :) The whole set looks so cute on our armchair and the grey colour T chose ties in with our neutral decor. Thank you T Bug!

The Letter Loft cushion set c/o NOTHS

The next parcel was tall and flat so I was definitely thinking it was a whimsical print of some sort but nothing prepared me for what I found inside. Dig if you will the picture . . . of my all time idol, Prince, drawn as a cat! I literally laughed out loud, he is just the most adorable thing I've ever seen! This Prince Giclee Print Cat In Prince Wig by Jo Clark Design is pretty much my fave thing ever right now, and the purrrrfect gift for me. All of Jo's items are created directly from hand drawn illustrations, they're so quirky and fun! 

Jo Clark Prince Print c/o NOTHS

I love that T has put so much thought into this gift, she knows I miss Prince so much and wanted a stylish nod to him in my home, but I couldn't really find anything that wasn't 'music merch' and that's just not really my style. Also, CATS. I don't think I need to say anymore about that. I just can't stop smiling at this, and that's the sign of a gift well done. Tara, you are a legend.

International Friendship Day is a United Nations day that promotes the role that friendship plays in promoting peace in many cultures through solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation. You don't have to express it through a gift, but maybe take five minutes today to reach out to a friend and let them know how spesh they are to you :)

Huge thanks to Not On The High Street for the opportunity to put big smiles on our faces!

J & T