Ask Away

Happy Tuesday. I hope everyone's week is getting off to a great start?!
Mine,
not so much. I've been battling with a cold, and one of my elderly guinea pigs looks to be on his way out :(
He's still alive right now, and we've spoken to various people and decided the best course of action is to let him go in peace, with his brother near him. He's not in pain and isn't ill...just old age catching up with him. Currently the brothers are snuggled in the corner of their hutch, and I've been hand feeding and offering water.

Anyway,
outfit today is more of a comfort thing than anything else. It's really sunny out, but not all that warm, and between being sick, and sad I wanted something totally easy to wear.






Also, having seen a lot of lovely bloggers doing these lately, and having not done one since I had to change over to this blog,
this is a chance to
ASK ME ANYTHING
comment with your burning questions, and I shall answer them later in the week.

Much love
xoxox

Strictly Week Two Clips

Hey loves, just wanted to share these clips from Strictly Come Dancing week two (drool over the dresses if nothing else!)


















For more coverage and information visit the official website www.bbc.co.uk/strictlycomedancing

Comments closed for this post,
there will be an outfit post (I hope) later on today!

last night

I survived the hen night last night, woo-hoo.
It was a lot of fun, despite not being able to drink. I was a bit lame though at left at 11, just as the others were hitting the bars. I'm not a fan of clubs and bars, well, I am, but not when I'm the only one staying sober. By that point I was being attacked in all directions by negative body image and feeling tres insecure, so in a way I was glad to escape and get home and sleep.

I didn't get very good photos of my outfit,
the dress actually has more detail at the back than the front, in the form of a zipper and a tie back. I also wore a black tuxedo jacket, but failed to snap a photo. I'm sure photos from other people will start surfacing before long though, I totally forgot my camera was in my bag and didn't take any.





I love this dress, it's New Look limited edition and I almost bought it a while back, though I'm glad I didn't as this was given to me for free by a friend!
It did give me no end of hassle though as I hate where it falls on my thighs and feels it makes me legs look, well, chunky.

C'est la vie. I ignored those thoughts for the most part and concentrated on having a wicked time, which I did
(especially as I was out with relative strangers, the hen do was for a colleague of my Mum's, but I've been adopted in to their social group it would seem...the people are so lovely and so hilarious)



My makeup looked more dramatic in real life. Though I can never get super bold, bright eyeshadow like other people seem to be able to. Any hints and tips?

Oh,
and I arrived home from work/seeing my grandparents yesterday to find a package from an awesome friend in the USA who saw these tights and "just had to get them" for me.



I was looking through my tights drawer yesterday (yes, I have an entire drawer!) I have over 20 pairs that I regularly wear, though 1/4 of those are black/nude and 8 un-opened packs! Addict, much?

My only other recent aquisition is a penis shaped straw, sneakily stolen from the hen do...
no-one needs a picture of that though, do they?!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!


*edited to add this*


Please, take a visit to Valentine's blog and read, consider, and pray for all those affected.

Outfit+Some Jewellery

TGIF?!
I'm not so sure that applies to me, as my weekend promises to be more hectic than my week has been.
Work tomorrow, followed by a hen night and then lots of chores that I've been putting off in favour of doing sod all since last weekend!

Outfit today is a bit of a colour clash, the skirt was a gift from a friend and I was dying to wear it, but I'm not sure how versatile it is, and therefore, if I should keep it?!





I welcome any and all suggestions on what to do with it! It doesn't help that it's a little bit big, and doesn't sit as it should.

I'm also, for the first time in ages, posting up some new jewellery for sale. I've kind of fallen off the wagon of making things but need funds for Christmas. I was hoping to have my next batch of charms here by now, but they seem to be held up somewhere in the postal system!

Prices include shipping, and I mail to anywhere.
Please e-mail me at laurabudd1@hotmail.co.uk if you have any questions, or if you wish to buy.
Paypal/trades only, please =)



Heavy Silver Egg pendant on silver plated chain, opens up to reveal a baby bird.
£6.50 UK/£7.50 overseas



Clock, with mouse on the side. The mouse slides up and down the clock.
£6.50 UK/£7.50 overseas



Charm bracelet. Each charm opens up to reveal a hidden secret character or scene. Please e-mail me for details on each. A weighty bracelet, made with fairly expensive charms, hence the price
£17 UK/£19 overseas
but would make a fab present for someone!
Also, buy the bracelet and get either necklace for free.


Much love, and Happy Weekend xoxox

Natasha Bailie Vintage

Welcome to a dull and dreary Wednesday folks,
I'll kick of this post with an outfit then move on to the exciting stuff ;)





Now, I know a lot of you love vintage (as do I) so I wanted to share with you a fantastic vintage shop I came accross whilst procrasinating from doing what I should have been doing! I got in touch with the lovely owner Natasha Bailie to find out a bit more for us all as well.

http://www.natashabailie.com only started selling online last year and is already about to be featured in Novembers issue of Vogue showcasing her gorgeous vintage wedding dresses (which are selling out faster than she can source and stock them!)

"I like to bring my personality to my shop online as I used to love working in retail and chatting to customers. I wanted that same satisfaction selling gorgeous clothes from yesteryear online. I have my online chat button so my customers can ask me questions and have a chin wag if I am online too...which is most of the time. I chat about loads of things on my blog, vintage fashion, dresses, vintage furniture and generally just things i like or I have seen. I think it is really important for people to know who you are. I love meeting and chatting to customers and I love that they feel they can and that I am so contactable"

All the clothes featured on the website are hand sourced and quality assured. The website has a dedicated area for Vintage trends, a "Get the Look" section, A-Z of vintage and more.

My personal favourites up on the website at the moment are



This vintage style skirt (handmade)



Stunning pink dress, perfect with black tights, a belt and some boots



FAUX fur coat



Vintage boots (that just so happen to be my size if anyone is feeling generous!)

With worldwide shipping, great prices and a fantastic returns policy
(not to mention that Natasha is so enthusiastic and happy to help) go treat yourself now! This is honestly once of the nicest vintage online stores I have come accross and I'm saving up to treat myself to a dress or a bag...or shoes?! I don't know. Something nice anyway!

Strictly Week One

And here is a 60 second re-cap of what went on this week



My weekend was complete with Strictly and X-factor. I love how good Autumn/Winter TV is, it almost makes up for the shorter days and colder weather.

I have some clips from the show that I can share with you,
but don't want to bombard, so please take a vote

YES or NO in the comments and later today I'll edit this post accordingly.


For more information on Strictly and this year's contestants, visit the official site
www.bbc.co.uk/strictlycomedancing


I hope everyone is having a good Tuesday?
I've just got back from blood tests, just as the rain started. Good timing or what?!

Black and Blue

Happy Monday all,
the start of another week. It's looking very autumnal in my garden, leaves strewn everywhere, beautiful but at the same time a little depressing. I must try and get some photos this week.

Todays outfit kind of breaks some rules, I remember being told when I was younger not to wear black and blue together,
but I've become rather fond of the contrast and so, with a lack of options of this inbetween weather, I chucked this on





[please note Flash, who has been stalking me all morning]

The lights have wet look leopard print detail and are very strange to walk around in, as they make a wierd noise against laminate flooring.



Anyone have any exciting plans for the week? I have a quiet one ahead with only blood tests and the dentist booked in so far...

And London Fashion Week is, in my opinion, far surpassing NY. I am head over heels with Matthew Williamson especially.

Friday Outfit

This denim shirt is the last of my purchases from last week. It's from New Look (see, I'm obsessed with that shop!) and was £20 (I had a 20% off voucher, should have been £25)

Hopefully a semi lazy weekend ahead, I'm so tired. I may not do much with my life right now, but lack of sleep is driving me insane.

Strictly tonight <3
X-factor tomorrow
(work comes first though, I loathe my 8:30am start time)

What are your plans?

xoxox

Only one day to go!

Strictly will be back
...there goes my weekend!

xoxox

Wednesday

Halfway through another week already? Where does time go? Oh I make myself sound so old...22 going on 82.

No shopping for me this week, which is probably a good thing given my lack of funds after last week.

Monday I had a slouching round the house day outfit wise, featuring my AA t-shirt dress and my new boyfriend cardigan from Primark. Is it wrong I'm considering buying another of these? It's just so comfortable!





I'm not toooo sure whats going on with the lighting in the pictures, haha, my camera does tend to hate me at times.

I also wanted to share my new boots, I ordered them at the start of last week but they only arrived yesterday



From La Redoute. They actually look nicer in person (which I was glad to see) and are replacing my old (well, last years) black boots that have literally been worn to death.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic week,
please tell me I'm not the only one who is so far underwhelmed with the S/S 10 collections?!

New Look + Idol = heaven

As regular readers of my blog you guys must know by now how much I love New Look. I shop there pretty much all the time, and have done for years. I've become increasingly impressed with the value and quality of the clothes and even when I vow I'll go somewhere else for a new outfit, or pair of shoes 75% of the time (at least) I end up with a New Look bag in hand.

So, when I got the Press Release for the new range, Idol, I was beyond excited.

"This premium brand is fresh and dynamic bringing a vibrant vintage rock vibe to a select number of stores internationally. Aimed at the style savvy shopper,
the girl who wants to rock the trends of the moment in her own unique way.
Packed with must–haves: sequin boyfriend blazers, funky jumpsuits, denim
and effortlessly cool, printed tees and dresses. Also featured is Idol footwear, gladiator style stilettos, spike heel peep toe and chain adorned ankle boots.
The directional accessories continue with chunky necklaces, statement cuffs and much–loved bags.
“Idol is for the girl who wants to own her look rather than dress like everyone else”, say Shoreditch-based designer Donovan Pascal who along with his partner marketeer Mark Herman have spent many years as key figures in the fashion world evolving a signature style for many of the coolest labels around this earning them a host of A–list fans.
Inspired by ‘80s rock icons such as Debbie Harry, the 32 garments and 36 accessories of the first collection are woven together by a series of intricate details – with the signature ‘Idol print’ running through dresses, jackets and
bag linings. Beautifully–made, every piece of the Idol collection comes with
a hand-crafted, customised feel that encourages women to wear it in their own, individual way. Idol will drop six collections a year with the second collection hitting stores in November".



Enjoy,
I'll keep you posted on more updates!

New Dress

chosen by and paid for by my Grandad, bless his heart.
I think he loved the new Primark almost as much as I do!

As well as the dress I got a new grey boyfriend cardi and a denim shirt, which will be featured on the blog soon.

I am extremely lucky to have such a loving and supportive and very generous family as well as some of the most incredible friends.

Well,
I don't have much to say for myself today, it's been a quiet weekend with lots of reading and sleeping (and of course x-factor!)

xoxox

Adventures

In complete contrast to my crappy week last week, this one has been quite wonderful.
I've spent a lot of time with my Mum, as Dad has been away and things have been very relaxed in our house (that's not to say I haven't missed Dad, he's home tonight and I can't wait to see him!) but it's lovely to do things at our pace.





I've pretty much lived in jeans this week, complete relaxation wear. And for once it was because I wanted to and not because I didn't feel like wearing anything else. This outfit is from Tuesday and includes an awesome vintage blazer/bolero stolen from Mum. You can't see so well in the picture but it's velvet, midnight blue with metallic details. I adore it.

I got to spend a good amount of time with Trudi on Monday and Tuesday which was lovely,
and yesterday Mum and I had a good old girly day that (of course) involved shopping! I took her to the new Primark where she got some bits for the house and I got some leggings that aren't really leggings..if that makes sense?! They are thick black and ribbed with knee detail and I think I'll get away with them as trousers.

Mum treated us to lunch at Pret (chicken and avocado, yum!) and then bought us both a new bag from Next (she is awful for spoiling me)



Her bag is amazing but I don't have a photo, I'll try and get one as it's certainly blog worthy!
We kind of out did ourselves with the amount we bought actually, and could barely carry it back to the car! Most of my shopping was presents for others though ;)



Awful picture of todays outfit, but to be fair it was 8am and I was rushing to get to the dentist!

My check up was fine...mostly, a few minor things but not bad considering I've not had one for over three years (awful awful oops!)
Stumbled accross an amazing health food shop in the same town as our Dentist surgery and bought some treats then we along to another nearby town where we had coffee in very chic cafe and noseyed around the little trinket shops there.

I treated myself to this ring



which I am oh so in love with
and then we did boring food shopping before heading home so Mum could go to work.

Anyway,
more adventures tomorrow as I'm going shopping for A/W clothes with my Grandad, bless him.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic week
sorry if this post is long/boring/non-sensical!

Strictly Trailer

Don't pretend your not excited!




My only problem...
do I watch Strictly or X-factor on Saturday
(and record the other for Sunday, of course)

Blazer of glory.

Happy Sunday all, I hope your having a fantastic weekend!
I am, now, yesterday was a bit hellish with work but it improved vastly once that was out the way ;)

Leah of What Indie Nights tagged me, so here are my answers:

10 Random Things about Me

1. I am both stubborn and a total perfectionist, this works to my advantage when it comes to things like college but not so much when it comes to anything else.
2. I flit between various food obsessions- last month it was tofu and popcorn, this month it is raw carrots and jelly (not together, I hasten to add)
3. I cannot sit down and watch a whole movie in one go. Well, rarely. Taking me to the cinema always results in me behaving like a child; fidgeting and wriggling with endless toilet trips.
4. I am really incredibly self consience. Starting a blog was a huge thing for me, but the comments I recieve and the process of posting my outfits has helped me so much with how I view myself (so, thank you!)
5. I make obsessive lists. Then lose them
6. I love crafts, all crafts. The only one I've stuck at for any length of time has been making jewellery though.
7. I find it highly amusing to plonk Flash on the scales! Haha, he's gone from 7lbs when he was sick back in April, to 12lbs today (he was 21lbs when we got him due to his previous owners feeding him too much human food)
8. I prefer shopping alone, I am very indecisive and like to take my time trying things on and getting a feel for materials before buying. I also love random conversation with shop assistants and I think some of the Bristol ones are now convinced I am insane.
9. Life is better when covered in glitter. Always.
10. Buy me a packet of sweets and I'll be your friend for life.


After much consideration, I have no idea who to tag (suprised, much?)
so as usual...go ahead and tag yourselves!

Outfit today involves my new blazer. It was meant to be, when I went back yesterday there was one left in my size and it was carefully hidden waiting for me to find it.

I've gone from Blue to Grey with my outfits this weekend.





Blazer: New Look
Dress: H&M a few years ago...another of my £3 dresses
Tights: yet another pair of my black thermals!

xoxox

Moody Blues

This week I've worn a lot of blue, which could be reflective on my mood perhaps, as it's distinctly...rubbish.
Change in seasons I reckon, our house is so cold we've been having the heating on for an hour or so just to keep the chill off.

Outfit one (yesterday)





New Look dress that cost me £3 in the sale, thermal tights, gifted bag. Not pictured..the layers of cardigans that were promptly added ;)

Outfit two (today)





New Look shirt and shorts, another (clean!) pair of thermal tights, primark belt.

Weekend Wishlist:

Any and all of the latest MAC collections

This blazer which I plan on treating myself to tomorrow after work as a pick me up.

Some of these adorable mugs from Rustic Angels


What's on your wishlist?

xoxox

More Jewellery.

Hey Loves,
here are a couple of new bits of jewellery that I have for sale. I'm waiting for some new supplies, but expect even more soon!
As usual, I'll ship to anywhere and prices stated are inclusive of this.
I accept paypal,
or will happily trade.
Please get in touch at laurabudd1@hotmail.co.uk to buy, or for more information.



Gold and suede chain bracelet, this fits a small wrist, however I can make it larger if you specify a length.
£4.50 UK/£5.50 overseas





Lamp charm on silver chain. The lamp flips open to show a genie...so awesome.
£8 UK/£9 overseas


Also, reposting and reducing the gift box I posted last week



This flips open to reveal a crystal bead held in by a magnet so it won't fall out.
£6.50 UK/£7.50 overseas.

Comments closed,
please e-mail me.

September

Time to say goodbye to the Summer that never was
(except that brief heatwave in June/July)
What a wash out eh? Not that I'm suprised by anything anymore, you get used to it after a while.

Kicking off a new month with an award passed on to my by the lovely Susan



This is my first award at this blogging home and I am very honoured. I also can't narrow down the blogs I love..so please, consider yourself awarded <3

She also passed along a tag that I'm tagging anyone and everyone to do...knock yourselves out!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6am...yuck! I hate being an early riser!
2.How do you like you like your steak? I'm not a fan, but if I have it, it has to be practically burnt to a crisp.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? I don't go to the cinema often and well, I honestly can't remember.
4. What is your favorite TV show? I don't watch a lot of TV but x-factor and Strictly get my vote.
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Somewhere that gets proper summers, yes!
6. What did you have for breakfast? Huge mug of coffee and some greek yoghurt.
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Ohh, tough one, Japanese I think.
8. What foods do you dislike? Prawns. Hands down.
9. Favorite place to eat? Cafe 119, a little local cafe in my village.
10. Favorite dressing? Ketchup (yes, really)
11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? I don't drive.
12. What are your favourite clothes? Most of my dresses and tights.
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Paris, cliche I know.
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? that depends entirely on the day.
15. Where would you want to retire? I'd head down to Devon to a cottage by the sea.
16. Favorite time of day? Evening.
17. Where were you born? Bristol.
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Gymnastics.
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? n/a
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? whoever reads this and has too much time on their hands ;)
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Everyones, I'm nosy.
22. Bird watcher? In a fashion.
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? I'm an all day person apparently.
24. Do you have any pets? 1 cat (Flash) and 2 guinea pigs (Harry and Ron)
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Nope! I'm living the quiet life right now.
26. What did you want to be when you were little? A vet.
27. What is your best childhood memory? Holidays by the sea with my entire family.
28. Are you a cat or dog person? Cats, but I love dogs too.
29. Are you married? No.
30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes!
31. Been in a car accident? minor.
32 Any pet peeves? So many...please don't get me started.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? I don't much care for pizza of any kind.
34. Favorite Flower? Daisy.
35. Favorite ice cream? Mr Whippy, with a flake and syrup.
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? None, though I get odd cravings for Happy Meals.
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? 4...so far.
38. From whom did you get your last email? My Grandad!
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Just one?! That's not fair haha. All the usual suspects.
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Nope, not recently.
41. Like your job? Yes, hard to believe anyone could like being a checkout girl, but it serves its purpose.
42. Broccoli? YUM! I've been craving it all day.
43. What was your favorite vacation? I went to visit a friend last year...
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Um..I'm not sure, it was probably a family meal.
45. What are you listening to right now? The rain.
46. What is your favorite color? Pink.
47. How many tattoos do you have? Three...a gecko, a butterfly and a symbol of some kind, I can't remember its origin, only its meaning.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? Everyone.
49. What time did you finish this quiz? 14:30.
50. Coffee drinker? Yes, in a big way!

And finally,
the first outfit of the month...wore this to a doctors appointment and flashed my underwear far too many times thanks to the windy weather
(at least I avoided the rain!)





xoxox