I can't get no sleep

Honestly, at the moment, I feel like I should easily be as grumpy as my face to the left suggests I am (I've deliberately made the picture that small because I do look super ropey. In case you don't know or can't tell, I don't have a fancy camera and I almost always use the first picture I take so these images are always just pot luck! Yes, alright, I've been known to ai rbrush off a spot here and there). I've been sleeping (or not) so badly this week that it's ridiculous, and the last coupla weeks I've been fighting off impending colds and beastly mouth ulcers but for some reason I'm still feeling pretty perky! Yay me! If only I could bottle that feeling and have a wee swally any time I felt blue or couldn't be arsed with the gym.

Perhaps it's just that this week is good so far. I've done a zumba class and a swim, work is BUSY and engaging, I'm getting in some family and friend catch up AND my hair's not standing up on end anymore - thank the baby jebus! Plus, I'm going to treat myself to these summery little shoes from Schuh today. They're from a brand called Mel which, if you haven't heard of it, is a diffusion from Melissa who do the Vivienne Westwood rubber shoes and so on. The difference is that Mel are much cheaper!

Oh, they just make me think of summer! I can't wait for summer although, let me tell you, my feet are in dire need of some home pedicure action before they get themselves out in shoes like these! Too much information?

Anyway, back to things current, the shoes I'm actually wearing are pair # 50! 50! That's half way to 100! Although I do need to do a collection recount and see how many pairs I have now...

This particular pair are from Topshop but were actually a cheeky bargain off eBay - bonza! I have them in cream too (which I paid the Toppers price for) but the sole's beginning to crack and I loved them so much I couldn't resist picking them up again in gold! I'm such a sucker for a t-bar (so 'come dancing') and the immense ruffles on these made them all the more appealing. Add a platform, some metallic gold and a chunky heel and you've well and truly won me over!

Shoe layout craziness! I'm not at home and have very limited editing abilities right now so forgive the oddness.

Betsy

Today was a sad sort of a day. My friend's mum died recently and today was her funeral. So, while there are outfit pictures here, I'd actually like not to say any more and to simply dedicate this post to Betsy and her family. I didn't know her all that well but I know from my friend and could tell by the overwhelming turn out today that she was, and continues to be, a dearly loved lady. Here's to you Betsy, may you find yourself in a happy place.

Shoes: Irregular Choice @ Schuh, Dress and Jacket H&M

New shoes!

It's official people: I have a new favourite shoe. Well, I don't have it yet but, come mid February it's SO happening. Let me explain. 

I work with shoes (no, I don't get free shoes and yes that is the question I'm asked most often about my job). And, on the system at work, a wee while back, I clocked this little number. "Cute enough", I thought. The quilting effect is sweet, they have a platform and there's something interesting going on between the heel and waist and something's DEFINITELY happening up back. However, I didn't give them much more thought and carried on window shopping working

However, this week saw our bi-annual staff range preview and that's when I first laid eyes on the shoes, the Irregular Choice 'Sweety Bird Back Flower', in real life.The things is, for me, less isn't always more. Whether it's "should I wear another ring?", "should I wear florals, polka dots and leopard print at the same time?" or "should I leave some Haagen Dazs for another day?", some times too much just isn't enough. Which is why, when I clocked the full glory and eye popping colour and pattern of the back flower, which juxtaposes beautifully with the otherwise fairly plain styling, my heart was WON. I can't WAIT for it to be mine!

 

 ps - if you're so inclined, my insider info is telling you the black version arrived in the building this morning and will be on site, probably early in the week! Eek! 90 quid. Get saving.

Godzilla? King Kong?

Forgive me for being SO not down with comic book cartoon-y stuff and the subsequent films that arise from said stuff. However, Mr Scribbler described this as either my King Kong or Godzilla outfit (I can't remember which) on account of the Japanese sun type shoes:

shoes: Schuh

and the NYC necklace:

Necklace: Accessorize

I'm thinking King Kong maybe - I have visions of the giant ape hanging off the Statue of Liberty. Actually, when I clocked my thighs in these jeans I thought of King Kong! Oh the curse of the pear shape. I can rest happy-ish knowing that pears are amongst the healthiest of the shapes with our fat being stored around our arses and thighs and away from our hearts. Yay for pears! However, healthy shape or no healthy shape, I can glean no comfort in light of those saddle bags. Dobbin's sacks, along with the New-ish year can only mean one thing. Yes ladies, it's time to get in shape. Don't I look impressed at the thought?

 

My 'plan' if you can call it that, is to genuinely to make the effort to eat more healthily and to do more exercise. Eating more healthily will include:

Making the effort to get as close to my 5 a day as possible.

Cutting down sugary snacks and sweets

Not mindlessly eating in the evening

Watching and cutting down on portion sizes.

Not eating shitloads of dinner in the evening if I get in late.

NO diet. NO. Why? Because they work for a while then I get fed up and pile the weight back on.This is about re-training my brain to think differently.

And, as for the exercise, I'm aiming for at least 3 zumba classes a week plus a session or two of swimming. I'm signing up for a sponsored 51 mile cycle ride in September too so, as the weather improves, I'll be hopping on my bike too!

Anyone got any tips for success?

ps - the shoes are shoes #48 from Schuh!

Sew what?

Hello all! I've been doing a wee bit of re-jigging things in the house, which you may be aware of if you've seen my shiny new old drawers and my, now, super tidy shoe closet. Bringing in the drawers was intended to save some space in the bedroom where our dressing table took up loads of room but offered very little storage. Plus, no-one ever actually sat at it, so the sitting space beneath it was where I ended up dumping all my crap totally redundant.

The plan was to Gumtree the dressing table but today, alacazam, inspiration struck! I realised that the dressing table could be ideal for sewing on! So through it went to our spare room, taking the space of an ugly TV table with a whole load of internet type boxes and wires on it (that can go on Gumtree. It's actually not that ugly just a bit 'Ikea' and no longer needed). And here it is!

Yup, the unattractive internet boxes are still in evidence but they're at least reasonably discreetly tucked away now which, by proxy, makes the spare room a lot nicer! (It was just a bit of a mish mash of crap before) All the guff associated with the cables is hidden away in the drawers. And look - my sewing machine (being shy under it's cover) is just begging to be used! The thing is, I actually find dress making very therapeutic, I just never find/make time for it. I plan to change this. Here's what else is knocking about:

My adorable sewing box that my lovely mum got me a few years ago...

Here are the goodies on the top tray. Thread, scissors, needles, tape measure, quick unpick (whoever invented this is a genius!) and plenty of buttons, trims and hooks 'n' eyes!

And underneath the tray lies yet more trims and trinkets, an abundance of gorgeous ribbon (I went through a phase of obsessive ribbon buying), pins, more thread, a cute Cath Kidston needle holder (another gift) and goodness knows what else!

This is the contents of my favourite drawer in the dressing table. It's one of those 'secret' drawers that might just be a strip of wood, so it's nigh on no depth to it, but it's perfect for storing dress making patterns and MORE buttons!

Here is the fabric that makes up the future dresses in my wardrobe! I have a cute dress pattern which I made a sweet purple dress out of but it needs a fuller skirt. I struggle to get the shapes right sans pattern (I think I need a freestyle dressmaking class!) so I need to get a pattern for a full circle skirt and I can then work that in with the top of the dress pattern - simple! There's more fabric underneath, including some gorgeous florals that it would be rude not to utilise this summer. Plus, using this fabric really helps with my 'money diet' (saving, saving, saving for holidays) as the only extras I might need to buy are lining and zips. Pah, who needs the high street!?

Half done projects! The mess of gold was an attempt at a dress that didn't go entirely right. However, I was working with flimsy dance fabric which didn't help. I think, if I can extend the shoulder it might work. All I want is to wear a dress that looks like gold tinfoil! It's important to have a dream peeps! Plus, there's at least one thing in there that's totally gonna work out - I just need to finish it.

So here's to getting sewing again! Wish me luck.

Er, you'd think I was cold or something.

Because I look like SATC 3 - Beatches visit the Arctic. I'm almost certain, in that one, Carrie has some kind of misunderstanding and falls out with Big. Maybe Jack Berger reappears. Samantha will most likely shag someone, and Miranda and Charlotte will have some interesting issues go down but they will ultimately be played down in favour of Carrie's self indulgent and ridiculous antics. To clarify, I love Sex and the City (seriously, all I want in life is time to breakfast with my girlfriends before swanning off to my awesome, late starting and short houred job) but what was film 2 all about? Why did they have to go to Abu Dhabi? Why did Stanford and Anthony get together? What the b'jesus was Carrie's issue with Big? And as if Aiden would just happen to be in that souk. It was just odd. Anyway, in SATC 3, I'll be some kind of odd extra that's followed them over from New York in my purdy dress and high heels but then, realising the chilling temperatures of the Arctic (and without the need for full on protection, given the likely ridiculousness of the plot), I bung on an aviator and skin a nearby bear for a hat. My hat is faux fur BTW.

Hat: Primark, Aviator: H&M, Dress: Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair, Shoes: Irregular Choice @ Schuh

The shoes are shoes # 47 (so close to 50!). They're Irregular Choice I got at Schuh a few years ago. For anyone new (Hello guys! Thanks ever so much for checking out my wee blog. I'm totally flattered 'n' that. We should go for a scone and have a chat) who isn't aware of my shoe wearing challenge (ha! As if wearing shoes is a challenge!), I am wearing all of my shoes over the course of a year (I have until the end of August). Any I don't manage to wear I have to sell or donate to charity. It should be doable but there are in the region of a hundred pairs and December was a total write off as I pretty much only wore my big stompy Docs on account of the snow! Darn snow! Anyway, ladies and dude (I think I have one man follower out there. Much love to ya!), feast your eyes...

Suck my toe y'all...

Now, I don't know about you lot but I can get my big toe in my mouth. I know - you're probably thinking that my physique somewhat implies this might be a physical impossibility, but I can actually get any given one of my toes in there. I can also get my little toe up my nose. Don't ask, ok. I could get others in there but my nostrils are normal sized so there isn't room. Anyway, in spite of this fact, I ain't no Fergie and you're unlikely to see my proffering my toes to all and sundry to take a go on. However, last week, I decided to open my mind and my socks and offer up my tootsies to the little Garra Rufa fish out at the Gyle in Edinburgh. For anyone who hasn't come across the fishy pedicure, here's the chat. Actually, here are some fish eating my feet:

Now here's the chat:

"Originally from the hot springs and river basins of the Middle East Garra Rufa have been used for centuries to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema and their exfoliating abilities are now widely used. They require water temperatures of around 35c so your feet are sure to stay warm. Plus they secrete Diathanol, which is said to encourage skin regeneration. XFeet are on a mission to turn the UK into a nation full of fit feet. Based at the Gyle Shopping Centre they are home to thousands of exotic pedicurists, waiting to gently rejuvenate your feet."

Now, some of this is crap. The gist is that the little fish eat dead skin off your feet. Mmm! However, 35c my ass - my feet were so cold, when I was done, they'd gone purple. Plus, after I had started having my feet munched, the "therapist" (AKA bored girl manning the stand), gave me a health questionnaire asking if I had any nasty foot diseases. Hmm - surely you'd want to know that before you set your fish on me or, indeed, before I stick my feet in your water...

I must admit, it is kind of weird seeing all the little fish around my feet! The feeling of them nibbling away was kind of strange. If you have tickly feet, I wouldn't recommend the treatment! The only way I can describe it is like tiny jabby kisses all over your feet. If you do go for it and you're ticklish, don't spread your toes because when they get up in there it really does tickle! Like a bitch. However, otherwise, I found it quite pleasant! The good news is, at the end, my feet did feel smoother and there was definitely skin gone that had been there before. And, it's over a week since I had it done and I haven't developed any rank skin conditions so it seems nobody with anything nasty dipped their feet before me -phew!