What are you doing tonight?

Unless you are 18 and have a sequin dress, I think New Years Eve is totally overrated. Oh to be young and have your life to look forward too........
A glass of Baileys about 9pm and tucked up by 10, will do me just fine, The three Daughters are either clubbing or at parties, but whatever you are doing tonight, I wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year and look forward to spending the next year with you xxx

Oh Bollocks!

This online shopping lark has been going too well for far too long, something had to go wrong at some stage didn't it?
Whilst at work today, Daughter 2 took delivery of my Planet order as per my previous post here and I was so excited, until I ripped open the box to find that the gold cardigan wasn't in there but is listed on the delivery note and the sequin dress is too big. I can cope with the dress thing as I am not going out tomorrow night now anyway, although I do love it, but the cardi, oh bollocks, are they going to believe me when I ring them tomorrow to say it wasn't in there? Surely they have stock control and would know.....

I never got the Reiss pumps

I logged on to the Reiss sale the other day, in hope of getting the pumps I had previously posted about, but sadly they didn't have my size. I had a quick browse on Matches website today and they have some gorgeous shoes in the sale, loads of lovely sparkly Louboutins for anyone who has a few hundred quid to spend, but I couldn't help but wish I could replace my yearning for the Reiss pumps with these little beauties by Lanvin, but again, sadly not in my size.....

Was £358 Now £178 Save 50 %

These are a few of my favourite things

The Jimmy Choo boots which have been worn at every available opportunity since I got them on 15th! and lovingly cleaned with a baby wipe before being put back in their box!

The Pucci wellies that I have had for years, bought from net-a-porter after I saw Coleen Rooney wearing them about the time that the Juicy Tracksuits were being worn by all the WAGS.

As they only ever get worn in the snow or torrential rain, they are still in really good condition and although Hunters have been all the rage lately, especially the Jimmy Choo ones, I do actually still like these and wouldn't dream of replacing them. They bring a smile to my face with all the weird looks I get from people who think I am as mad as a hatter! So although these boots do not scream "effortlessly stylish", I do love them as I am a huge fan of Pucci prints and these make me think of the 60's, I can almost see Twiggy in them!

I offered them to Daughter 2, back in the summer when she was going to the Reading Festival, she replied "get lost", so one would assume she does not like them!

And now for the much coveted LV scarf. I bet you can almost hear my sequels of delight when I opened it as you read this! It is a good job this one is no longer Limited Edition like the Blu Nite and the pale pink, otherwise I wouldn't have stood a chance of having one and as I mentioned in a previous post, this one went out of stock on the LV website weeks ago. I still don't think you will see that many of them around, as at £430, it is a crazy price for a scarf unless you are getting one as a gift.

My Christmas and online sales shopping

There was precious little time for Blogging in the lead up to Christmas. It is official, this was my most unorganised Christmas ever! I worked on Tuesday and Wednesday so precious little got done on those two days and Christmas Eve found me at an 8am appointment to get my roots done, which I realised as I emerged from the Salon at almost lunchtime, was totally insane and next year shall try to remember to get my colour done the week before and just pop in for a blow dry and some GHD wavy magic on Christmas Eve!

I tried to do some housework in the afternoon, followed by the last of the present wrapping and spent the evening in front of the telly peeling vegetables, wrapping bacon round sausages, followed by rolling sausagemeat and stuffing into little balls with my floured hands - yes all on the sofa watched by my Mum and MIL who were both staying the night!

On Christmas morning I was woken by OH, completely exhausted and the present opening rituals began with everything neatly in piles for each person which had been orchestrated by Little Man the night before.

OH and MIL left for the hospital rounds, as my FIL is now in his 17th week of hospitalisation and also my husbands Gran was admitted on Monday, they are both in different locations which meant I was left to do everything myself (nothing new there then!).

I decided against wearing the Jigsaw ruffle front jersey dress I had been saving for the occasion as I didn't have an apron and didn't want to end up with fat splashes all over it like I usually do and instead put on a Planet Black Tunic top I had bought a few weeks back, £99 reduced to £24 with black leggings to accommodate the onslaught of eating which would begin shortly after.

By the time Catherine Tate came on I was really sleepy but stupidly thought I would see what was on sale on the Planet website and bought a few things, which I regret already...

£149 to £39. I thought this sequin dress was quite the bargain and I was trying to think about Wardrobe Staples, but Xmas wardrobe staples!





£29 to £14. As I am wearing leggings more than jeans these days, to accommodate an ever expanding waistline, I am in need of longer tunic tops and thought this was a lovely colour to brighten up black and could be layered over a black roll neck when its colder and would like fab over white skinnies in summer.



£69 to £19. I think I bought this gold cardi, because since the cold snap, I have realised that I don't have enough of them and this one can be dressed up or down, will look equally as good over jeans as over a LBD.

Then this morning, whilst everyone was still asleep, I was wondering if Eve Lom would have a sale like they did in the summer when I bought the gift set containing the classic and world famous cleanser, eye gel and moisturiser but they didn't, so thought I would check out Space NK to see if their sale had started and I was most excited to find it had and that it contained some Eve Lom! It was the travel set, cleanser, cloth, moisturiser, Hand cream, TLC cream, and rescue mask reduced from £48.94 to £24.47. Although the sizes won't be very big they will last a little while as the cleanser must have lasted at least 5 months, so on a cost per use basis at £48 per 100ml tub, it is actually good value. When I posted about buying the cleanser for the first time, it seems from the comments you left, that this cult beauty product is actually a bit like Marmite, you either love it or you hate it! but to be honest, I was a tad unsure and it did take me a couple of weeks to get use to the texture and the feel of the product on my skin, so I would advise anyone to persevere. Eve Lom believes that cleansing is the most important part of any beauty regimen and as I can't afford/haven't got the guts to have Botox, I am just having to console myself that as my face begins to look as though someone has drawn Spaghetti Junction on it, that my wrinkles are properly cleansed if nothing else!

Next up, I bought a different cleanser, just as back up. I would normally say that Liz Earle's cleanse and polish would be my second choice of wash off cleanser but at only £13.70 reduced from £27.40, I have invested in a cleansing oil by Nude. I have read about their products in the past, so this will be a great way of giving the brand a try without having to splash out large amounts of cash! I will let you know how I get on with it, once all the Eve Lom has run out but would be grateful if any of you have tried this, please let me know what you think of it.

So there you have it, after todays online beauty buys, cold meat, mash and pickle and an evening on the sofa watching Ant and Dec (which is a load of shit, by the way), I am wondering how anybody would have had the energy to get to London and queue outside Selfridges for a bargain on Boxing Day, I am just too exhausted laying here with a leopard print LV scarf around my neck.....

My Christmas

Three of my favourite bloggers Chic Mama, Wildernesschic and Helene Halme did this on their blogs and I couldn't resist taking part...


What you're supposed to do is to copy this entire post and paste into a new post on your blog. Change all the answers so that they apply to you.This is not a Meme or a Tag. You simply play along if you wish to. Or just read the answers!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper but I do use gift bags for families or for my kids if they have loads of stuff but each gift is wrapped in paper first.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Always real.

3. When do you put up the tree? No set date, I think I have it up for about a week and a half now but as a child we always bought the tree on my birthday the 15th.

4. When do you take the tree down? 12th Night.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes although haven't had one for years!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Tiny Tears which I decided was a boy and called it Dennis.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My friend Teresa, she asks for things like baking trays - Yawn! but if I bought her something I would like she wouldn't appreciate it.

8. Easiest person to buy for? All my Daughters. They love nice things and designer labels.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, never have.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, usually, although have only written and handed out the special cards so far - I am really bad this year, just can't be arsed.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A John Frieda Gift set! Don't people know I use Frederic Fekkai?

12. Favourite Christmas Movie? Miracle on 24th Street, The Family Stone (has SJP in it).

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? As early as possible but have to wait till the Xmas club and High Street vouchers pay out.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, but only because I was bought a pressie when I wasn't expecting one!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? All the homemade things I do, Bread sauce, chipolatas wrapped in bacon and sausagemeat and stuffing balls - it all tastes so much better than shop bought. I used to always make my own pudding according to Delia Smiths recipe but it worked out so expensive and one year I ate a Tesco one and loved it, so couldn't see the point any longer.
16. Lights on the tree? Yes always White.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Don't really have one they get on my nerves.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Er, no. Rudolph and thats it!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. We have a silver and a gold one so depends on what colour decs I choose.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Always Christmas morning. Since splitting with my first husband 15 years ago, we came to an agreement over sharing the girls at Xmas. The ex picks the girls up Xmas Eve and they sleep at his the night, get up and open their pressies with him, so that he gets to share that with them and then he brings them home in their pyjamas and dressing gowns so as they walk in the door, it is just like they have walked downstairs and then I go and wake my husband and little man up and the fun begins!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crowds of shoppers in shops that are too hot if you have a coat on.

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? Pink and green baubles.

24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner? Always Turkey.

25. What do you want to do for Christmas this year? Open an LV box containing that Leopard print scarf I have wanted for so long!

26. Favorite Christmas tradition growing up? Walking up to the Greengrocers to get the tree on my birthday.

27. Favorite tradition now? Smoked Salmon Bagels for breakfast with Bucks Fizz.

28. Favorite Christmas Memory? The year I asked for a Reindeer as my main present. I had made it a home next to the coal bunker and when I ran out on Xmas day to find nothing there, I went mental, truly mental and refused to open anything else.

Don't spoil it

Firstly apologises for the lack of posts and tweets lately. Work and Xmas shopping along with boring present wrapping and all Uni girls washing and ironing, hasn't left me much time for sitting in front of the TV with my laptop and the loss of the lead for my phone to computer, means I need batteries for my camera before I can show you any pictures of the old Pucci wellies (circa 2002) I have been wearing in the snow nor the Jimmy Choo boots I got for my birthday on Monday, so I will console you with this fab picture of Sarah-Jessica Parker dressed in head to toe Chanel s/s 2010 and in true Carrie style, I couldn't help but wonder "does wearing designer clothing a season too soon, spoil it for everyone else?". If you are not an A-Lister but can afford it, you will have to wait for it, so is it really fair that celebrities are flaunting garments a season too soon? I can understand it for the use of film making, as release dates can be a year after completion, so perhaps this is a "Carrie" outfit that we will see, come the "Sex and The City" sequel in May. I am excited already and love those shoes!

Still want to Sparkle at Xmas?

OK, so maybe you didn't want a completely Sequinned dress as per my last post, but as usual today, I was browsing the John Lewis website when I saw this bargain sequin top by Windsmoor reduced from £79 to £29 but it was completely sold out! I sat for a moment whilst I wondered whether Windsmoor have a website, as they are not a brand I would normally consider buying from and therefore don't know much about them, other than that I usually avoid the area of department stores that contain this brand and others similar, as I feel they are for Women far older than me (who am I trying to kid)!

So I found the website and the top was in stock, with the same reduction, so needless to say I have just ordered it. Obviously I shall wear it with jeans and my black Loubs and hope that I don't look too young! Another wardrobe staple that I will be able to pull out year after year - see I am getting there!

Or you could always wear it with a skirt as per the image on the right on the Reiss website homepage - now that does look nice doesn't it? Might need a Fake Bake on my pasty pins though!

Gorgeous Planet sequin dress

I am in love. It is official. I have found a sequin dress which is, in my opinion, perfectly acceptable to be owned and worn by Moi, without Moi looking like "Mutton dressed as Lamb". The Planet sale is now on and this gorgeous dress is reduced from £149 to £99 and I would so buy it for my Xmas Do on Saturday night but fear it won't be delivered in time, after checking out their express delivery details. Sob. Sob. Think I should just stay home and watch Strictly and X Factor!

Too young for me but I love it anyway!

Now you know how I hate these designer/high street collaborations (with the Jimmy Choo exception) but I couldn't help but feel a tinge of the old "green eyed monster" when I stumbled across this picture of Rodarte for Target in the US, which is just about to launch.

Seriously cute, and I am sure it could be styled or worn differently/separately for us forty somethings, I love it! I think I would ditch the gloves, swap the patterned tights for leggings and add some Jimmy Choo flat boots, um me like......

How about some fantastically priced, wallets, purses and bags,covered in bling and lined in leopard print?

Unsure of what to put on your Xmas List? Then tell your OH tonight about the fantastic range by Sara Berman launching at The Outnet tomorrow. Again we see a range that has been especially created for The Outnet, rather than past seasons, reduced price stock. Apparently the collaboration was born out of a chance meeting in Ibiza this summer, between Sara and a buyer for The Outnet, how bloody jet set is that! All the pieces are created from butter soft leathers, have a fair amount of bling on them, just in time for Christmas and have a leopard print lining, what more could a girl want? Prices start at £100, go on treat yourself.

Apologises for picture, I was unable to just copy the bags!

Tis the season to be sparkly

It seems I am not alone in being a "forty something Magpie" who is loving this seasons sequinned attire. I was amazed by the amount of sparkly tops and dresses when we went to Bluewater the other night. My eldest daughter is crazy for sequins and bought a lovely long top which would look great over leggings in River Island for £20 and informs me she has been back there today and bought a sequin dress aswell, but on the whole, from the kind of shops us older ladies might buy from, you are looking at anything from £150 - £250 for a sequin dress!

Dress by See by Chloe at Net-a-Porter £330

I always think that if you are going to spend that much from say, Whistles, Jigsaw or Hobbs you might as well get something by "See by Chloe" as the cost of a designer piece is in a similar price bracket (only problem is the height of the hemline!) so you can imagine my surprise when I finally managed to get on to The Outnet to look at all the new Paul and Joe pieces and to find you can grab yourself a limited edition sequin dress for just £200! Its classic bandeau style will see you through many years worth of Xmas parties and I think this would look great over leggings for us older ladies aswell and will be still be going strong when all the sequins have dropped off my daughters River Island pieces!

Dress by Paul & Joe at The Outnet £200

What are you wearing to your Xmas Party?

Furious with Reiss

Honestly Gals, I have had such a manic week with not a day indoors what with Xmas Shopping and Work, I have been out all day and then went to work for a couple of hours tonight and yesterday I worked all day and went to Bluewater last night! I was petrified of my eldest daughters driving in the torrential downpour we were having at the time and as Bluewater is a good 45 minute drive away, as you can imagine in those conditions, it took much longer as I was hard pushed to let her go over 40 miles an hour, much to her disgust! To top it all, when we came home, we got to our turn off on the Motorway at 10.30pm, only to find it closed and we had to go on to the next Junction, Faversham, which is absolutely miles away and got home at 11pm. I was totally exhausted as you can imagine and remain so, but have to do this post as I need a rant even though I want to go to bed right now!

With plans to pop into Reiss and finally pick up the Pumps I posted about with my Birthday money from my Mum, I quickly logged on to the computer before we left and registered my free £20 giftcard from Elle Magazine. I had taken all your advice onboard, and had decided I was going to plump for the black pair and maybe pick up the "off white" in the Sales. I looked all around the shop and couldn't see them anywhere so hotfooted over to a Sales Assistant. "Excuse me, I have seen these pumps with little gold coloured studs all over them on your Website but I can't seem to find them instore" "No, sorry, they have gone back to Warehouse" "Oh right" I replied, gutted.
Not wanting to waste the giftcard, I picked up a t-shirt for £49 and went to the Cashier, only to be told "sorry madam, you can only use the Giftcard for Shoes and Dresses" "Oh fuck, I mean oh, OK, I won't bother then, thank you" and promptly left with my tail between my legs and wondering whether I had misheard and that the Shoes were now on sale in Warehouse? No thought not.....

How frigging furious was I? Jesus I had been building up to buying them for ages and felt so damn deflated. Why would they send the bloody pumps back to the Warehouse? I guess the only good thing is they should be on the website for the Sales so I think I will hold on to the money and hopefully get them then, at half price with a bit of luck, that will teach em, Wankers, why would they want to lose a Sale?, surely all shops want to shift as much stock at full price as they can before January, why would they remove stock they could possibly sell?