Autumn Haul | October 2013

Hey guys,

Over the last few weeks I've been fortunate enough to treat myself to a few bargains, and I thought you guys might like to see them.

I like to tip you guys off with awesome finds that I think you'll love as much as I do, so that you have the opportunity to track them down before they're gone for good. Like for instance, today's little haul of awesomeness...

I saw these lovely penguin and snowflake print PJ bottoms in Sainsburys and knew they had to come home with me, because I fell in love with the adorable penguins. I'm trying to rebuild my PJ collection from scratch, too. I often live in my pyjamas for days on end when the pain's extra bad and I don't have the strength to do anything and need to remain as comfortable as possible; so my lack of nightwear was getting ridiculous.  The penguin print is adorable, and so bold and cheerful. I feel very wintry in them, and they'd be perfect to wake up in on Christmas morning.

I think I paid £8 for the bottoms and £5 for the cute frilled vest, which are brilliant prices for such lovely, good quality pyjamas. I'm loving TU at Sainsburys' (very affordable) designs this season.

Last week, River Island launched their end of season sale, and I popped on over for a browse (online) for potential Christmas presents. That soon went out the window! There were some incredibly beautiful bags on sale for next to nothing, so I bought this stunning little green satchel for myself for just £10. It was originally £20! The sides and straps are mock croc, and it's about the size of a hardback novel. It's not too small and not too big, and has enough room for all the essentials. Oh, and how beautiful is that colour? 

The bag is sold out online now, but it also comes in cobalt, pink, light pink, yellow, orange, gold, and leopard print, just not on sale. I'm quite taken with the cobalt blue, myself! Are you listening, Santa?

I also took the opportunity to order this green messenger bag. I ordered it as a potential Christmas present for my Mum, but on arrival I concluded it's probably a bit young for her tastes, so decided to keep it for myself instead. Oh, damn! How ever am I going to cope...?

The bag is so roomy, and will be as useful as Mary Poppins' carpet bag for travelling, trips out, hospital appointments, and shopping. It would be great for schooling and work, too. I love the bright, grass-green colour, and the zip detailing gives it a bit of an edge. It was just £12 on sale, down from £25, and again it's now sold out online, but it's available in other colours full price. Tan, brown, beige, red, cobalt, and black. If it's the green you've set your heart on, I'd definitely recommend checking in your local River Island because you might get lucky and find one!

My favourite purchase of late has to be this beautiful animal print scarf from Next, and I just had to show you it as I know a fair few of you love animal patterns as much as I do!

It's a luxurious chocolate in colour with woodland creatures all over it. Deer, rabbits, squirrels, owls, mice, and raccoons, to be specific! I love the sketched appearance of these adorable critters, and the attention to detail is lovely. The fabric is so soft, warm, and thick, and surprisingly inexpensive at just £10. Needless to say, when I first saw it it stopped me in my tracks and I couldn't leave without it. Sadly it doesn't appear to be available online (yet?), but it's definitely worth looking in store for it as I think it's a new line and it's so incredibly gorgeous.

And of course, I bought myself the gorgeous tartan pinafore dress by Alice & You which I shared in an outfit post last week, which you can see here if you want to. I adore this dress and know I'll be wearing it all winter long. I think many of you would love this dress, too, but unfortunately it's now sold out completely online.

I also treated myself to some hair accessories from Accessorize, while my sister was looking for jewellery for her choir's event. I've never seen houndstooth hair clips before, so I had to have them. They were £4 for a set of 10 and look really study.

I've also been curious about those ribbon hair ties for ages now; are they really better than ordinary hair bobbles? The ties are in beautiful jewel tones, not that you can tell from the above photo which was taken at night in artificial light, but they're bright, bold and pretty. They were £3.90 for a set of 5.

There was also a pair of black bat stud earrings I bought from Sainsburys, but I seem to have lost them somewhere between leaving the car park and getting home. Oops.

What have you been buying lately?

Uniquely You: Following Dreams

Last week I was contacted by Modcloth, the retro and vintage inspired fashion retailer, who invited me to participate in their Uniquely You challenge. Being a big fan of Modcloth and their beautiful designs, I was very flattered by the invitation so of course, I said yes! 

I was challenged to create an outfit on Polyvore around a particular item of clothing from their private label collection, using up to seven other pieces from their extensive collections.

The item of clothing I had to dress was the "Following Dreams" sweater by Bea and Dot, a striped and polka dot number. Polka dots! Prints! Two staple ingredients of my personal style! It was fair to say I was in my element and had so much fun putting this outfit together.

Following Dreams by frecklesanddots featuring red shoes

I stuck to a simple, classic colour scheme with navy, white, and red pieces, but decided to have some fun and show a little personality by mixing patterns, and adding in some quirky accessories. That's basically my day to day style and this outfit in a nut shell! I love colour, pattern-clashing, and unusual accessories!

The sweater alone is lovely and would look classic with a great pair of jeans, but worn with the beautiful Resounding Thrill polka dot skirt, the unusual Afternoon Tea charm necklace (very Alice in Wonderland!), and the rest of these lovely accessories, it's transformed in to a head-turning outfit! Something to set you apart from the crowd, without being too out there. It may not be to everyone's taste, but this is how I'd wear the Following Dreams sweater. And did I mention it caters to sizes from an XS up to a 4X? Fantastic!

So that was my Uniquely You entry. The winning entry at the end of the week gets the honour of being displayed on Modcloth's Polyvore page! Wish me luck!

Wednesday Wish List

Hey guys,

I've got my favourite picks of the week to share with you today, in another Wednesday Wish List!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 19 // 20 // 21 // 22

I never really know what to say when I put these wish list posts together and I feel like I just say the same recycled words every week. 'This is amazing', 'this is lovely', 'this is so cute', 'this is so pretty', 'the colour is stunning!', 'that print is amazing!'... I feel like a broken record sometimes. I'm sure you guys know what I mean!

So, as my brain doesn't want to function right now, here are lots of lovely, pretty, cute, stunning, amazing, and / or awesome things in an array of colours and patterns I have my eye on at the moment which I think and hope you'll like, too. I wish Santa would come early and bring me one of each! Well, I have been extra good this year... *cough*... yeah, I'm fooling no one!

The 5000 Question Survey: Questions 101-125

Hi guys,

I've got the next instalment of The 5000 Question Survey for you today. I've now reached questions 101-125. If you want to catch up on the first 100 questions answered, you can catch up on them here, and if you want to give the challenge a go yourself, then you'll find all 5000 questions via this link.


101. What does happiness/joy feel like physically? 

Happiness feels like warmth, weightlessness, and a comforting hug.

102. List five people you love starting with the one you love the absolute most. 

That would be my best friend, Angela, and I guess my family- my two sisters, and my Mum and Dad (even if they do all drive me nuts). I won't put them in a specific order to save getting murdered in my sleep.

103. How many movies have you gone to see this month? 

Zero. I've only made it to the cinema once this year, because I can't sit for very long due to the pain from my back injuries. I'm hoping to make it to the second Hunger Games film when it comes out next month, though. I'm willing to put myself through the pain and discomfort for it. I can't wait to see it!

104. If you could have 3 wishes...but none of them could be for yourself, what would you wish for? 

1. I'd wish for an end to size discrimination, so that all sizes would be treated equally in society and the world of fashion.

2. I'd wish for all pain, illness, and suffering to be removed from the world for good.

3. And I'd wish for financial security and wealth for my family and friends for life.

105. In what ways do you relax and de-stress when you are really tense? 

I've always found that listening to music helps me to de-stress and calms me down when something's annoyed or upset me. There's a song out there for every mood. I also find writing helps, whether I'm emptying my thoughts and feelings on to a piece of paper, a blog post, a social media platform, or whatever. I don't even have to share what I've written, just releasing the thoughts from my head lifts the weight away. 

106. How much money would it take to get you to drive to school naked in the springtime and get out of the car? 

There isn't enough money in the world to make me want to do that!

107. Have you ever killed an animal?

No, I could never intentionally kill an animal. The thought makes me sick to my stomach.

Oh, wait, does hoovering up spiders count? And feeding live mealworms to reptiles?

108. Have you ever lost someone close to you?

I've lost friends as life has progressed and people have moved away or moved on, (a part of life living in an RAF community), but I'm fortunate to have only experienced two deaths in my family up to this point; my Grandad and my Nan. Touch wood that's how it'll stay for a long time.

109. What do you think of cloning? 

I think it's amazing that we're capable of creating a living creature this way, but I'm not so sure it's right to do so. We're not meant to live forever- or we already would, and when our time is up, our time is up. The idea of playing God and cloning a person or a pet to, say, bring them back as a replacement is creepy, and I don't think it's right to clone for medicine, research, or farming, either. (Supposing these reasons were all being carried out).

110. Do you read or watch TV more often? 

I love to read, and prefer it to watching TV, but I probably watch TV more. It's often on for background noise, and as a means of keeping myself occupied.

111. With all this talk of terrorism going around are you willing to sacrifice rights and freedoms for increased safety? 

It all depends on what kind of rights and freedoms we're talking about, but yes, I'd be willing to make a few sacrifices to ensure my safety. I can live with only taking little bottles of shampoo on a plane, and travelling without scissors in my hand luggage. However, I would never let the fear of terrorism stop me from living my life the way I want to. The moment we fear then is the moment they win.

112. What is the punishment you would come up with for Osama Bin Laden if you caught him alive? 

Well, since he's already been found and killed, there isn't much point in this question, but I think he deserved to suffer in the worst way possible for what he was a part of.

113. Have you ever named an individual part of your body? 

No!

114. Have you ever been on the radio or on TV? 

I had a request of mine read out on the radio by Ronan Keating a couple of years ago... does that count? He said my full name, so I think it should!

115. Have you ever won a lottery, or sweepstakes? 

I buy scratch cards every now and then and have had a pound here, and a twenty quid note there... nothing spectacular. I never remember to play the actual Lotto.

116. Have you ever won a contest or competition? 

I've won a few over the last couple of years, and before that I never won anything in my life. I won a meet and greet with Boyzone and a pair of gig tickets to see them play live with my best friend in 2009, which was the best experience ever! I then won a signed Ronan Keating calendar later that year. This year I've won two blog giveaways- (lots of goodies, and a New Look voucher), and a beautiful Zatchels satchel.

117. Do you like to watch The Joy of Painting show with Bob Ross (check out this link if you don't know who he is.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ross_(painter)? 

Never watched it.

118. Do you know what your grandparents and your great grand parents did for a living? 

I don't know an awful lot about this, actually. My paternal grandfather was in the RAF; I don't know if he had another profession before retirement. He's ninety-four, and probably retired before I was even born. My maternal grandfather was a ship builder, but I don't know if he ever did any other kind of work. He died of lung cancer aged sixty-seven* (*I think) when I was just eleven, so I never had the chance to ask him questions like this. I'm not sure if my Nan (paternal grandmother) ever worked, or what my Nana (maternal grandmother) did. I only remember her working in a chip shop when I was little and she was nearing retirement. I don't know anything about my great grandparents at all. I need to start asking questions!

119. Is there anything really interesting in your family history? 

My maternal grandad was once interviewed twice by Police during the Yorkshire Ripper investigation. I'm told that the police went door to door interviewing men in Sunderland, and something about his Mackem accent sparked them to talk to him twice. 

120. Is there anyone you trust completely? 

My best friend. I can tell her anything.

121. Have you ever lost someone without having the chance to say goodbye?

My Grandad. He died of lung cancer in a hospice when I was just eleven, and my parents decided to (understandably) protect my sisters and I from seeing him so unwell in his last few days. I  saw him for the last time at Christmas about two weeks before he passed, though, and we drove the two hundred and fifty miles back again a week later to be with my Nana for his final few days. I was too scared to go to his funeral, but I still miss him terribly.

122. How do you feel about women in politics? 

Just the same as I feel about men in politics. I've never been all that interested in politics as it often just bores me to tears, but women have as much right to be in politics as men do. Gender shouldn't be an issue. It doesn't sway my opinions on a politician- their policies and actions do!

123. Would you rather have an indoor Jacuzzi or an outdoor pool? 

I would love to have an outdoor pool, even if I do live in not-so-sunny England. I've always longed to have my own pool. It would be heavenly in the summer.

124. What things are you interested in that you study or read about on your own? 

Well, there's fashion and beauty, which I read about on a daily basis through blogs, blogging, magazines, and the like. I'm naturally curious when it comes to tragedy, war, and disaster, and am especially inquisitive about the Titanic and the Holocaust. I find survivor's testimonies heart breakingly moving, yet also interesting. I love reading for pleasure, especially horror, thrillers, and post-apocalyptic novels, and I like learning about animals and arts and crafts.

125. Would you consider yourself to be intelligent? 

I'm not sure I'm intelligent, but I'm definitely not stupid. Well, most of the time!

Doe a deer, a female deer... T a letter in tartan...

I am absolutely loving the tartan trend which is everywhere this Autumn, so when I saw this dungaree dress by Alice and You for ASOS, I knew I had to have it. The only problem was when I went back to buy one just a couple of days later, it had completely sold out of every size. I was disappointed to say the least, but I refused to believe that was that, and kept a regular watch over it from my saved list, and sure enough a couple of weeks later, one briefly reappeared in my size, and I snapped it up immediately. It arrived a couple of days ago, and I wasn't disappointed; it was instant love!

This dress is just amazing. That I can't state enough. I'm smitten with every last detail.

The navy, green, and red tartan is beautiful and so wintry. It may look a little like a kilt and school uniform mash up, but I love it just the same. My younger sister asked me if I got it off the set of the Sound of Music... but this is certainly not made from an old curtain! It's made from a thick cotton, which is both light-weight and warm, plus so soft to the touch. It has an elasticated waist and pockets in the skirt (yes, pockets! Pockets are essential!), and adjustable straps which cross over at the back. And as you can see, it's a couple of inches above the knee on me, and I'm roughly about 5'6'', so if you're taller it may be on the short side on you.

The style is so nineties, which I love, and I find that ironic since I would never have worn anything like it back then! I wouldn't have gone near it. I wouldn't wear dresses. I wouldn't wear skirts. I was such a tomboy, and was most commonly found in jeans and a t shirt, or Adidas poppers (and a t-shirt)! Oh, how times have changed! I wish I had embraced fashion at the time, but at least this dress reminds me of life back then, and I can make up for it now.

Before I'd even bought the dress, I was itching to try my woodland print top underneath it. I bought it from ASOS last winter, because I fell in love with the incredible woodland print of deer, foxes, rabbits, and squirrels. It's actually a soft peplum top, but it's a very relaxed fit, and I don't think it looks bulky underneath the skirt. I think it works well with the dress, and I'm happy I've found a new way to wear the top, as it doesn't get worn enough!

I also wore black opaque tights and my burgundy studded Simply Be ankle boots again, and avoided accessories as I think the look was complete without them.

The straps cross over at the back, and are fastened with a button on the inside of the skirt. There are two button holes on each strap, so they can be adjusted if necessary.

I've never posted photos of  myself from the back before. I'm not sure how I feel about this photo. Except I do feel like I should have my hair in milkmaid braids with tankards of frothy beer in my hands... twirling around on a mountainside singing 'high on the hill was a lonely goat herd...' Just me? Alright, then.

Just look at all those lovely little critters! Rabbits, and deer, foxes, and squirrels... isn't it adorable? There's actually a t-shirt with a pretty much identical print by New Look Inspire at the moment. I think it needs to come live with me!

I wore this outfit out to the supermarket, and the skirt rode up a little at the front as I walked. (Not a dress for thin tights if you're uncomfortable showing your thighs!) At first I felt a bit uncomfortable and kept trying to pull it down, but I soon thought 'oh, fuck it!' and just went with it. If people have a problem with my thighs then let them! Of course, nothing happened. I noticed no stares, I got no remarks of abuse...

I would never have had the confidence to wear a dress this short out of the house two years ago. Hell, even six months ago! I'm always surprised when I realise things like this! Blogging and being injured have completely transformed the way I see myself, and the way I think about things. My confidence, in lots of different forms, has risen about a million percent in the last two years, and I have you guys to thank for so much of that! So thank you for all your words of support and encouragement! I'm further along the road to self-acceptance than I ever thought was possible!

Outfit Details

Dress-Alice &You via ASOS // Top-ASOS Curve // Tights-Evans // Boots-Simply Be

Beauty Advent Calendars Christmas 2013

Yes, I said the dreaded C-word. In October. I've tentatively gone there.

Christmas.

Now I know that the mention of the C word before December is generally met with loathing, so no doubt many of you disapprove of a Christmas post so early... but, this topic couldn't wait. Advent calendars.

Long gone are the days when advent calendars were mostly just chocolate filled or illustrated, depicting a nativity scene or the latest cartoon characters. These days advent calendars come in all shapes and forms, including something a little more special for us beauty loving ladies: advent calendars filled with beauty products! Can you imagine waking up to a beauty product a day in the run up to Christmas?! Doesn't that sound too fabulous for words? Yes, you say? Then read on, dear friend. We have much to discuss.

Here's my low-done on this season's beauty advent calendars, starting with the most expensive:

If you want to be a little indulgent this Christmas and like your high-end beauty products, then the Selfridges Christmas Advent Calendar might be exactly what you're looking for. It boasts a selection of mini toiletries from leading brands like Kiehls, Yves Saint Laurent, Georgio Armani, Lancome and more, so it's packed full of luxurious treats to pamper yourself with throughout December. At £84 it's the most expensive beauty advent calendar on the market (that I'm aware of), and though it's obviously not cheap in price, it's also not cheap in quality, and it would make a wonderful treat for yourself or a loved one if you have the pennies to spare.

The set which I am most infatuated with is the Benefit Countdown to Love Advent Calendar. An advent calendar packed full of Benefit goodness. Oh my! I won't lie, when I first heard that Benefit were releasing their own advent calendar, I may have got a tad over excited. Or a lot. Benefit are one of my favourite make up brands, I adore them- but as they're a little pricey I have so many products yet to try. I think this advent calendar, packed full of mini cosmetics and accessories, is a fantastic way of trying out lots of their products without spending a fortune on a full-sized item you're unfamiliar with.

The calendar includes everything shown in the image above, including 21 cosmetics, a bracelet, a necklace, and a barrette for £50, which is reasonable for all those quality products. The calendar is exclusive to Debenhams and Benefit Boutiques in the UK (although it's on the Sephora website here, too), and will only be available in selected stores on the 2nd of November, and online on the 3rd of November. Since the quantity available is very limited, it's sure to sell out fast, so if you're thinking of getting one, go in to Debenhams and have one reserved. I'm seriously considering scrapping the pennies together to treat myself to one, as I would love to wake up to a bit of Benefit every day in the run up to Christmas. I love the look of it, and I think it would be a lovely treat for any Benefit fan or make up aficionado.

Ciaté's Mini Mani Month calendar has to be one of the most coveted beauty advent calendars in the blogging world, and it's not hard to see why. Behind the twenty four windows are twenty-four pots of nail polish to add a little glamour and luxury to your nails in the run up to Christmas, (and in to the New Year). It includes 19 mini paint pots, 2 pots of caviar pearls, 2 pots of sequins, and 1 full sized paint pot in a good selection of colours. It may seem a little pricey at £42, but it's pretty good value considering the price of just one Ciaté paint pot, and it would be perfect for any nail polish fan. This is the second year I've been admiring this set from afar, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to treat myself to it this year. Tempted? You can buy it via Ciaté and ASOS.

Boots have also jumped on the beauty advent calendar bandwagon and have brought out a calendar filled with items from a variety of the brands they stock in store; Soap and Glory, Nails Inc, Juicy Couture, Rimmel and many more. This calendar is the most inexpensive I've seen at just £30, and the product value is actually a whopping £65, so it's incredible value for money! This calendar is the most affordable and one I think will appeal to a wide range of people, and I'm intrigued to know exactly what's behind each window. It's available to buy already on boots.com and you can find it online here.

So those are the four beauty advent calendars on the market this Christmas. Which one do you like the sound of best, and will you be treating yourself to one this year? 

If beauty products aren't really your thing but you still want a grown-up advent calendar, then how about this Yankee Candle Advent Calendar?

Wednesday Wish List

Hi guys,

It's the time of the week when I share my favourite finds of the week with you all, and today I have plenty of lovely clothes and accessories for you to feast your eyes upon.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 19 // 20 // 21

As always, this week's wish list is full of kooky patterns and prints, colour, dresses, and quirky accessories. That rarely changes from week to week, since those things are all defining qualities of my style. Predictable, maybe, but that's just what I love most when it comes to fashion.

My favourite discovery this week is ASOS Curve's new chequered midi skater skirts which come in red and black (3), and cobalt and black (4). The red and black is definitely my favourite, and I would wear it all winter long with everything from knitwear to band tees. I must have it!

I'm absolutely in love with pretty much every piece of jewellery Tatty Devine have in their collections right now, and I want it all. Sadly that dream will go unfulfilled, but it doesn't hurt to dream, does it? Every piece of jewellery on this wish list is a Tatty Devine, and they're all so beautiful. Which is your favourite? I can't choose.

Oh, and Modcloth have some stunning things in right now. I'm quite taken with the beetle print dress "What'll It Beetle?" (1) and the squirrel print dress "Nutty For You" (16).

The 5000 Question Survey: Questions 76-100

Hey guys,

I've got another installement of the 5000 Question Survey for you today, and today I'm sharing questions 76-100. I'm just going to dive right in because there's already so much to read.

76. Do you prefer Disney or Warner Brothers? 

Disney, without a doubt. You can't go wrong with a classic Disney film. I've loved them pretty much all my life.

77. What is the first animal you would run to see if you went to the zoo? 

I'm always eager to go see the tapirs and giraffes.

78. Would you consider yourself to be romantic? 

I think so... not that there's much romance happening around these parts right now. 

79. If the earth stopped rotating would we all fly off? 

Why the hell are you asking me? I'm not a scientist!

80. What is the one thing that you love to do so much that you would make sacrifices to be able to do it? 

Going to gigs and concerts. It's my favourite pasttime above everything else, and I've been known to do whatever I can to be able to go see my favourite bands play live. The sacrifices are always worth it.

81. If you (and everyone) had to lose one right or freedom, but you could pick which one everyone had to lose, what would you pick? 

The right to keep animals as pets. I don't think everybody should automatically have that right. I would change the law so pet owners would have to meet certain criteria and be home-checked before being allowed to keep animals. Perhaps that way there'd be less animal abuse and neglect in the world. I don't understand why some people buy pets, only to get bored with it a week later, starve it. and leave it to die. 

82. If you had to choose would you live on the equator or at the North Pole? 

I would probably choose to live at the equator. It would be lovely to live somewhere tropical where I could swim in the sea and wear dresses without freezing to death! Could I holiday at the North Pole?

83. Would you rather give up listening to music or watching television? 

Watching television. I could never give up listening to music because I love it so much and can't function without it, but TV is mostly a load of crap. I would still be able to watch DVDs, though, right?

84. What do you think makes someone a hero? 

When someone does something selfless to help another person or animal to save them from harm, or come to their aide when they've been harmed, are in distress, or are in desperate need, even if it isn't their job to do so.

85. What cartoon would you like to be a character in? 

Bob's Burgers! I love Tina, Louise, and Gene... I think I'm a mixture of all three of them!

86. Name one thing that turns your stomach: 

The smell of bacon. It makes me feel physically sick.

87. What was the last thing you paid for? 

I bought a Christmas present for my brother-in-law over the weekend.

88. Are you a coupon clipper?

I generally only use coupons I come across that are offering a discount in clothing stores I shop at. I rarely remember to use other coupons for anything else, even when I've got them. So, no!

89. Get anything good in the mail recently? 

The other day I had a book, two cardigans, a Christmas present for my brother in law, and some look books arrive for me on the same day. It felt a little like Christmas.

90. Which would you rather take as a gym class...dancing, sailing, karate, or bowling? 

Bowling would be so much fun! Or sailing! Why weren't these things options when I was at school??

91. In Star Trek people 'beam' back and forth between different places. What this means is they stand in a little tube and their molecules are deconstructed and sent to another tube somewhere else where they are reassembled. Only problem is when the molecules are deconstructed the person is dead. When they are put back together it is only a clone that has all the dead person's memories. So... Is the person who gets beamed the same person on both ends? 

A. Yes, because the molecules made the person who they were, and they were just travelling in a different form between deconstruction and reconstruction. B. Who cares?

92. What insects are you afraid of? 

Spiders, Daddy Long Legs, moths, and anything winged that dive bombs me. I'm not keen on moths because of that reason. 

93. If you could print any phrase on a T-shirt, what would it say? 

I wasn't supposed to put beef in the trifle!

94. What's the most eccentric thing you have ever worn? 

Nothing in particular springs to mind, (I've probably suppressed a few memories!) but I think a lot of people would call my style eccentric at times. I'm almost always clothed in bold colour and random prints, with handbags shaped like animals, and the most random jewellery. My style is a bit different to your average English lady.

95. If you could pick one food that you could eat all you wanted but it would have no effect on how much you weigh, what food would it be? 

That's a toss up between custard, bread, and Chinese food. Just not together.

96. What are your parents interested in? 

My Dad loves to play golf. He enjoys going to auctions and selling his bargain finds on. He loves anything vehicle related and can talk about them for hours (which bores my Mother to tears), and he's always loved music- mostly music he listened to growing up in the fifties and sixties. 

My Mum enjoys cross stitching, which is something I remember her doing pretty much all my life. She loves to read, has lately become addicted to Candy Crush on her iPad (seriously, when did my Mum become so modern?), really loves jewellery-especially earrings and Pandora, and also loves music.

Between the two of them, I grew up on The Beatles, Elvis, Motown, Luther Vandross, The Beach Boys, and so many others from their generation. My Dad loves the classics, but my Mum is often found listening to someone more modern.

97. Have you ever caught an insect and kept it as a pet? 

Not that I can remember. I'm not a fan of insects in the slightest.

Have you ever caught and tamed a wild animal? 

I've cared for a lot of animals in my time, but mostly pets, farm birds, and zoo critters. I can't remember looking after a wild animal for long. I caught a shrew at work, once, when I worked in a pet shop in a department store. It suddenly appeared in the middle of the department, and I think it had been posioned, so I scooped it up, and popped him in an empty hamster tank in the back room. I gave it some food, water, and shelter for a few hours, and then released it out in to a field. Killing it would probably have been kinder, but I couldn't ever kill a living thing on purpose. 

98. What is more helpful to you, wishes or plans? 

Plans. As much as I wish that certain things would (or would not) happen, nothing ever comes from wishing. Plans make things happen; plans make life happen. Plans can give me something to look forward to, and memories to look back on. I'd rather make plans than sit back and have faith in wishes.

99. When do you feel your life energy the strongest?

When I'm at a concert; when I'm swimming in the sea; when I'm on holiday; and during the bad times. When life's a struggle, I find myself determined to put up a fight to get through it.

100. You are spending the night alone in the woods and may bring only 3 items with you. What do you bring?

1. Matches, so I can make a fire for warmth and perhaps cook food over it. 
2. A tent for shelter from the elements.
3. Water, so I don't die of dehydration. Not that that would happen in one night.

I'd fashion a weapon out of a large tree branch just in case I need to fend off the psychopaths.

If you want to give the 5000 Question Survey a go yourself, you can find all the questions on Livejournal here. I hope you guys are enjoying these posts. I'd love to know what you think about them, so please let me know if you like or hate reading them!

Red Velvet and Reindeer

I've been going really stir crazy over the last couple of weeks. I've learnt to deal with being house bound and stuck in bed most of the time, and I accept it- but every now and then I get really frustrated with being cooped up, and would give anything to get out of the house. Anything to be out in the fresh air, just doing normal every day things... things that I used to take for granted. The ~cabin fever~ usually passes after a day or three, but I still miss living my life outside the confines of these four walls. I miss having the freedom to live a normal life; to go wherever and do whatever I want to do; to make plans or act on impulse, and just be me, I guess... but, c'est la vie. One day it will end.

My sister gave me a temporary break from captivity at the end of the week by taking me to Sainsburys for groceries. (Ooh, aah!) Yes, I live such an exciting existance! I did come home with a new jumper, though, so it wasn't all bad. I wore it out in to the garden the next day to get some fresh air, and test out my new boots on the patio.

It may only be mid-October, but yes, I'm wearing a reindeer jumper! I regret nothing. 

I saw the jumper in Sainsburys and I couldn't leave without it. (Mostly because my sister wouldn't have allowed me to). I don't know what it is, but I love fairisle patterns, especially on knitwear. My Mum used to dress me in the things when I was little, and then I spent the next decade or so avoiding them like the plague... it's funny how tastes change, and styles come back in to fashion again. Fairisle prints and Christmas jumpers are everywhere again. Bill Cosby would be proud! 

The jumper is so thickly knitted, and so cosy. It'll be perfect when Winter sets in. It was really chilly (and raining) when I took these photos, but I felt lovely and warm wearing it. The background is cream, and the pattern is in red and navy, with a burgundy reindeer. It was only £20, which is a pretty good price for a lovely, good quality sweater.

I had an urge to try it with my black velvet sparkly skater skirt that I bought from New Look last Winter, and opaque tights, and I really like how all these pieces look together. I'm not hugely comfortable in jeans, but I think the jumper looks cute over a skirt. I think I'll be trying to recreate looks like this through Autumn and Winter.

I was also wearing my new studded ankle boots from Simply Be that I treated myself to a month or so ago. This was the first time I'd worn them out of the house, and although I was a little underwhelmed when I first got them, I'm now loving them more and more each time I look at them. Looking at these photos, I think they look quite nice on. The colour is lovely, and they fit so well. They're wide-fitting boots (I got the EEE as I've got really wide feet), and I don't think I've ever had a pair of boots that fit so well. They're so comfortable, and there's even width to spare! I must get the other colours!

Who says a girl can't sparkle on a dreary drizzly Friday in October??

Close ups of the pattern, and my messy red hair.

The boots are a rich burgundy, and they are studded on the outer sides. Sorry about the crap photos. The zip feature makes it super easy to get them on and off. Always a bonus with wide feet!

I wore my anchor ASOS ring.

And I wore an old Evans ring on my other hand, which is missing a couple of gems and looks unsightly, but I still love it. 

I went for a burgundy nail polish (Barry M's 'Raspberry'), and added a red and black glitter polish to the tops of the nails (Barry M's 'Ruby Glitter'.

Outfit Details

Jumper-TU at Sainsburys // Skirt-New Look Inspire- Tights-Evans // Boots-Simply Be // 

Anchor Ring-ASOS // Black Gem Ring-Evans // Nail Polishes-Barry M

Well, I don't know about you, but I think I've found myself a casual Christmas outfit!