My Tsum Tsum Collection

Earlier this year, I started collecting Disney Tsum Tsums, the cute little Kawaii-style soft toys that have become the Beanie Babies of today. 

I have a handsome little collection of eighteen so far, which isn't a lot compared to other collectors, but I thought it would be fun to show you what I've collected so far anyway.

From top, left to right:

Elliot // Absolem caterpillar // Absolem butterfly // Tweedle Dum // Tweedle Dee.

Cogsworth // Beast // Queen of Hearts // March Hare // Mad Hatter // Dormouse.

Baloo // Kaa // Pascal // Alice (series two) // Alice (series one) // The White Rabbit // The Cheshire Cat.

The majority of my collection is made up of Alice in Wonderland characters. It's my favourite Disney film, and one I've been ever so slightly obsessed with it since I was really young, so when the Alice in Wonderland Tsum Tsums came out, I had to have them. 

I missed the first collection, which I think came out last year, but I managed to find Alice, The White Rabbit, and The Cheshire Cat at Clintons at the beginning of the year, and that is when my collection began. After that, I started collecting the second series when it came out in the Spring, but as it sold out within minutes, I built up the collection slowly through eBay, presents from Disney World, and reappearances on the Disney Store website this Summer. The designs were all so perfect that I just couldn't resist them, especially the Tweedles and Absolem the caterpillar and butterfly. Once I track down The White Rabbit, and The Cheshire Cat, I'll have the full collection!

Over the Summer, I also added Baloo, Kaa, Pascal, Cogsworth, The Beast, and Elliot the dragon to my little collection. Baloo and Kaa were supposed to be presents for my little sister's birthday, but she bought them not long after I did, so I just kept them for myself.

If I had to choose favourites, I would have to go with Elliot the dragon, and Absolem the butterfly. They're the most adorable soft toys ever! Elliot has the cutest little pink Mohawk, and even has noughts and crosses on his stomach, and Absolem, well he knows how to rock a pair of butterfly wings while maintaining an air of indifference. 

I've become really fond of Tsum Tsums this year, and I know my collection will just keep on growing. I have a feeling this won't be the last you'll hear about them from me!

Do you have a Tsum Tsum collection?

Colourful Collage: Purple

I'm sorry that it's been so quiet on the blog this past week. I've had a painful, misshapen-claw for a hand since I tried to write two paragraphs on a medical form last Tuesday, and I've been struggling to use my hands to write and type ever since. It's left me with horrendous pain in every bone and muscle in my hands, which has been more painful than the time I broke my wrist, and it's only just beginning to ease now, a week later. My hands are still really sore, but they're less stiff now, so I'm beginning to type again, albeit ridiculously slowly. I'm sure they'll be back to normal in a few days, and once they are, I'll do my best to catch up with comments and emails as soon as I can.

I've had issues with my hands painfully cramping up during some tasks for years, but this is definitely the worst case yet, and the more it happens, the more sure I am that some kind of arthritis is to blame. It does run in both sides of my family. I'm going to bring it up with the rheumatologist again soon, as it's getting worse and happening more frequently, and that's beginning to worry me a little. I'm doing absolutely fine, so don't worry... I'm just stupidly worrying about what state I'll be in when I'm a crotchety old lady if I can't even hand write two paragraphs in capital letters at thirty. Old age is going to be funnn! Haha! 

Anyway, now I've bored you to tears, let's move on to the proper blog post...

It's been so long since I last put together a colour-themed flatlay, and I have to say, I've missed making them. Now I've finally got myself some large sheets of blank card to give my photos clean, uncluttered backgrounds, I'm eager to continue with the series, so here we are. The last collage I blogged was navy blue themed, so I'm continuing on the flatlay rainbow with some of my purple-coloured possessions today. These are all little things I had lying around in my bedroom.

1. My battered old copy of Stephen King's 'Pet Sematary'.

2. A bottle of The Body Shop's Frosted Plum shower gel.

3. A bar of The Body Shop's Frosted Plum soap.

4. A frog queen Christmas decoration from The Christmas Boutique.

5. A dark purple beaded necklace. I've no idea who by. I think my Mum gave it to me years ago.

6. A bobbin of metallic purple curling ribbon from Paperchase.

7. A shiny snowflake Christmas decoration, also from Paperchase.

8. Richard Laymon's 'Dreadful Tales'.

9. A tin of Moomin notecards.

10. Lilac Kiko nail lacquer, shade 338.

11. Lavender Kiko nail lacquer, shade 332.

12. Lush Emotional Brilliance liquid eyeliner 'Feeling Secure'. It's dried up, so I need to repurchase.

13. A little book of Moomin sticky notes.

14. A pair of old dark-purple button-like studs from Accessorize.

15. A pair of purple rose earrings, I think came in a set from Accessorize.

16. An awesome lilac macaron ring from And Mary a few years ago.

17. A faded glittery, sequined eyeshadow brush from the late Be Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful. 

18. Plus a blusher brush in the same design. They're at least 7-8 years old but I still love them!

19. A cheap candle lighter.

20. Trio of Bourjois Paris Smokey Eyes eyeshadows in 'Violet Romantic'.

21. A roll of lavender geometric washi tape from Paperchase.

22. An awesome My Little Pony Brooch made by the lovely Rachel from Old Lady At Heart.

23. Four Inglot eyeshadows in a four pan palette.

24. A bold beaded bracelet that came as part of a set from Dorothy Perkins.

25. A small metallic star Christmas decoration from Paperchase.

26. A wooden ring, I think I bought from Camden Lock Market many moons ago. 

27. A roll of stripy lilac washi tape from Sainsburys.

28. A DVD of Friends series 10, episodes 5-8.

29. My old little Canon point and shoot camera.

30. A fabric hair tie from Accessorize.

31. Three mini Crayola colouring pencils.

32. Barry M nail paint, shade 161 'Vivid Purple'.

33. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polish, shade 'Bewitched'.

Do you own many purple things?

Other Colourful Collage Posts

Red

Orange

Yellow

Light Green

Dark Green

Light Blue

Cobalt Blue

Navy Blue

My Quirky Brooch Collection

It's been a couple of years since I last shared a peek at my brooch collection, and since it's grown a little since then, I thought it was time I gave you guys another look.

I have just over thirty brooches and pins to my name, so I don't have a huge collection yet, but I love every piece I've collected so far just the same. I own mostly brightly-coloured novelty resin, acrylic, and wooden brooches, but I also have a handful that are made of metal - although I don't tend to wear them as often as the others. I get far more joy out of wearing something fun and colourful than I ever do from wearing something silver or gold. I'm weird like that.

I probably wear brooches more than any other type of jewellery, which is something I never thought I'd say. A decade ago, hell, even seven or eight years ago, I used to think brooches were only for crotchety old ladies, and I was adamant I'd never be caught dead wearing one. No hideous jewellery, for me, thanks. Then, as my tastes changed and I started to find my style, I began finding awesome kitsch jewellery at places like Camden Lock Market and Covent Garden, and I quickly began to love them. I no longer own most of the pieces of jewellery I bought back then, since I bought them during a time when I was far too frivolous, shopped a lot, and quickly got bored of my fashion purchases, but that's how my collection started. Now I wear a brooch with almost every outfit, and I like to think they add a fun touch to whatever I'm wearing. Plus they help to keep cardis in place over dresses and tops, and I can still wear them when my skin is too sore or hot to bear a piece of jewellery against it, (which is most of the time these days, thanks to pain and inflammation) and that's always a bonus. They're just so easy to wear.

Almost half of my collection came from Cath Kidston, including the seven colourful resin brooches , the wooden blue tit, and all of the metal wildlife pins. They make the best affordable brooches (usually around £6 each), but sadly only bring two or three out a season. I think they'd make a killing if they branched out and offered at least a dozen or two at a time, I know I'd buy them.

The deer, panda, bespectacled French bulldog, multi-coloured bird, and the green and white bird all came from a little local art shop in Cheltenham (artist unknown), and they're some of my favourite pieces of jewellery. I'm itching to go back for another visit to see if there are any new designs to find.

I won the My Little Pony, Hello Kitty, and Sylvanian bunny from Rachel's giveaway a few years ago, and the little pink bird from one ran by Char a year or two ago. The wooden swallow brooch is by Sass and Belle, and the pink cameo Flower (from Bambi) one was an Etsy find.

The three bejewelled metal brooches are all vintage pieces I picked up from a vintage stall at Camden Lock Market years ago, the grey owl was a gift from my Mum, the gold/bronze coloured owl was from Topshop or Accessorize a gazillion years ago, and the little gold lizard belonged to my Nan.

My collection is growing all the time, and I have a list of brooches as long as my arm that I'd love to add to it- mostly from Sugar and Vice, and Erstwilder. If I was rich, I'd buy so many of them. At the top of my wish list is this axolotl brooch from Sugar and Vice, which I'm hoping to treat myself to really soon, and Cath Kidston has the cutest little bee brooch I know I'll pick up next time I'm in town.

And that's my little brooch collection.

Do you collect cute and quirky brooches, or any other style of jewellery? Do you have a collection to put mine to shame?

Love Hearts and Scarlet Kisses

On Valentine's Day, I decided to gather up all of the love, heart, and lip shaped belongings I could find, and turned them in to one big visual collage. I had hoped to do this in time for a Valentine's Day post, but life got in the way, so I only managed to share a photo on Instagram before the day was through.

Still, I was really pleased with how my little display came together and how my photos turned out, so I'm blogging about them anyway. It seemed stupid to let the photos and two hours work go to waste just because Valentine's Day has been and gone for another year. Love hearts and red lips are for life, not just for V-Day! 

I'm ever so slightly addicted to all things kitsch and novelty, so I own heaps of hearts and lip print / shaped stuff, and enjoy using many of them on a regular basis. I didn't realise quite how much I had until I brought it all together- and this is only the stuff I had lying around in my bedroom! I know I have more dotted around, including some heart-shaped kitchenware, and a couple of heart-motif jumpers, but I stuck with this lot because I had more than enough to complete my photos.

There are 37 different things included in these photos, and 54 pieces in total, There's a mix of clothes, bags, cases, jewellery, hair accessories, stationery, make up, a bowl, a tea light holder, and even a string of heart-shaped fairy lights. Unfortunately, almost everything is old and no longer available to buy, but I've made a list of everything in these photos below, and linked back to the ones that are.

1. A navy heart and polka dot print dress from Dorothy Perkins.

2. My lovely sky-blue, lip-print Hepburn swing dress from Lady Vintage.

3. A string of red polka dot heart fairy lights from Aldi. I bought them recently for just £2.99!!

4. A large heart print travel case from Cath Kidston.

5. A navy and red lip print dress from F&F at Tesco.

6. A white tea light holder with a heart cut out.

7. A red resin rose bracelet from Cath Kidston.

8. A set of cream hair grips with red hearts from Accessorize.

9. A quilted black heart-shaped cross-body bag from Topshop. (Similar in pink).

10. An old Paperchase postcard featuring two penguins with a love heart above their heads.

11. A Project Life card that says 'love you'.

12. Two black heart hair clips from God knows where. I've had them for years.

13. A white heart-shaped bowl from Morrisons.

14. Two Project Life cards.

15. Barry M Bright Red nail polish. (My favourite nail polish ever!)

16. Two red rose hair clips from Cath Kidston.

17. Lush Emotional Brilliance Lip Stick in Decisive.

18. A gingham bow hair clips with a red heart in the centre.

19. A red heart ring from ASOS.

20. A pink friendship bracelet made up of hearts.

21. A red lip-shaped clutch bag with vampire teeth from ASOS, which is literally the best bag ever!

22. A red flower ring from Evans, with heart shaped petals.

23. Two Accessorize heart hair grips.

24. A red Bourjois Color Boost lip crayon in Red Island.

25. The most adorable penguin necklace from Punky Pins.

26. A jewellery wrap with mother-of-pearl hearts on the front that I've had for about a decade.

27. A heart print travel wallet from Cath Kidston.

28. A heart-print barrel bag from Zatchels.

29. Cath Kidston heart print make up bag.

30. A pink notebook from Paperchase with a romantic Parisian design on the cover.

31. My favourite black heart-print dress from Alice & You.

32. A red polka dot hair clip from Cath Kidston. (I think it was from the kids range).

33. A red resin rose brooch from Cath Kidston.

34. Another red heart print travel case from, you've guessed it, Cath Kidston!

35. A sheet of blue heart-print paper.

36, A notebook from Sainsbury's with a red heart-print cover saying 'notes and nice things'.

37. And finally, a navy and red heart-print fit and flare pinafore dress from Dorothy Perkins.

And that's everything you can see in these photos.

I really enjoyed putting this post together from start to finish, so I might just have to do more posts like this from time to time. What do you think? Yay or nay?

Are you a fan of heart and lip-shaped things? Do you have a collection to rival mine?

My Christmas Novelty Bags

Merry Christmas everyone! 

How was your Christmas? I had a lovely, albeit very quiet, Christmas at home with my family. I got spoiled rotten, ate lots of delicious food, spent some quality time with my family, got cuddles from the Mia dog, and dressed up really festively in a fabulous new dress! I couldn't ask for more than that!

I feel absolutely shattered today, though, and can barely move, so I've spent my Boxing Day in bed watching festive TV, napping, eating a few Christmas chocolates, and going through photos I've taken over the last few days. It's a hard life! I'll be blogging more about my Christmas in the next couple of days, once I've edited my photos, but in the meantime, I thought you might like to see my little collection of Christmas novelty bags before I pack them away for another year.

I currently have four Christmas bags in my collection, which were all purchased in the last thirteen months. Three of them are novelties, and the fourth features a festive print.

The Christmas pudding bag came from TU at Sainsburys last Christmas, and if I'm remembering correctly, it was only about £12- and an absolute bargain. It's a cross-body bag, so I it's the perfect bag to use for Christmas shopping and running errands to leave my hands free for all those shopping bags. Plus, most importantly, it  makes my festive outfits look pretty damn awesome!

Last year, I also bought the red and silver bauble clutch, which was from New Look for less than £13. At the time I'd never seen a novelty bag quite like it, and I still think the design is really fun and eye-catching. It's definitely a conversation starter, that's for sure! It's also surprisingly roomy for a clutch bag, and fits everything I might need for a night out. (Not that I get to have many of those these days!)

The snowman bauble was also from New Look's Christmas collection in 2014, but I didn't buy it until earlier this year. I think I bought it on sale from ASOS for about £5! I just couldn't resist it. I haven't actually had a chance to use it yet, but it will definitely add a touch of whimsy to my Christmas outfits when I do. I mean, c'mon- it's a snowman faced bauble bag! How awesome?!

And last but not least, is my Cath Kidston Christmas book bag, which I picked up on sale earlier in the year for just £7- a bargain considering it was about £18 full price. I put it away to use this Christmas, and I've used it quite a few times already, even if it's just been for boring stuff like going to the supermarket, post office, and popping over to my sister's. 

I didn't buy any new Christmas novelty bags this Christmas, even though I had my eye on several, but if there are any left on sale at the end of the month, I may have to pick up one or two from Skinnydip to put away for next year.

Do you own any novelty Christmas bags? Have you bought any new ones this year?

You might also like:

My novelty bag collection 2015

My Matalan fruity novelty bags

My New Look novelty bags

My Summer Travel Essentials

Now we're swiftly coming up to our peak Summer holiday season, I thought it would be fun if I shared my summer travel essentials with you; the things that I pack in my hand luggage to help me get through the journey without breaking a sweat or dying of boredom. 

Though, I'm not sure if I'm just teasing myself with this post because I've not had a holiday in four years, and won't be getting away this Summer! 

So, these are the things I carry on me when I travel...

1. A pair of comfortable shoes that can be easily slipped on or off. Helpful at security, and for keeping your feet cool.

2. A hair scarf or hair turban to disguise unwashed, greasy, sweaty hair.

3. A light scarf, because it can be used in lots of different ways. It can keep you warm, be used as a pillow, be turned in to a sarong, used as a hair scarf, used as a cover up from prying eyes, hung over a window as a make shift blind, and even be fashioned in to a sling or bandage if you injure yourself during your journey.

4. Hand sanitiser because public transport, passing through bus / train stations, and using service stations can all be disgusting.

5. A little can of deodorant for freshening up when things get a bit sweaty.

6. A can of dry shampoo for perking up unwashed hair. I swear by Batiste.

7. At least one bottle of water for staying hydrated in the heat. It's important to drink plenty of water during a long-haul flight, too, although remember you can't carry a big bottle of water on you until you've gone through security.

8. Sunglasses to protect our eyes from that big orange ball of fire, obvs.

9. A fully charged Kindle loaded with books is one of my most loved travel companions. I love to read when I travel because it helps the journey pass so much faster. A Kindle (or other e reader tablet) obviously takes up much less space than a bunch of paperbacks, and helps to keep the weight of your bag down, too. 

10. I never travel without a bottle of Magicool during the Summer months. It's a cooling spray that can be used on people, pets, and even sprayed on to surfaces, and it's a God send when the heat gets too much to bare. I don't cope well with the heat, but this spray helps to make it more bearable. I couldn't live without it during the Summer.

11. A battery-powered pocket fan for keeping cool in stuffy, hot vehicles. I bought mine in Superdrug.

12. My iPod (and earphones) loaded with my favourite tunes and a Summer playlist or two.

13. My passport, if I'm leaving the country.

14. A few hair ties or bobbles for keeping my hair off my neck.

15. A pack of Paul & Joe blotting papers for keeping a shiny face at bay.

16. A travel wallet to keep my tickets, currency, cards, and other travel info all in one place.

17. It goes without saying that a bottle of sun tan lotion is absolutely essential. I usually carry a big bottle of factor 50+ Nivea sun lotion with me (I'm super pale and freckled), but my pocket-sized factor 30 looked better in the photo. Plus it's a handy size for keeping in my bag.

18. I don't travel without a notebook and pen. I like to document my travels, and I also find travelling inspires me to write fiction.

19. I like to pack a little emergency kit containing paracetamol, ibuprofen, imodium, plasters, antiseptic wipes, a bandage or two, savlon, etc, just in case. Chances are you won't need it, but it's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!

20. When I'm travelling by plane, I always carry a little pot of moisturiser on me. Recycled air really dries out the skin.

21. I can't go anywhere without a compact camera and a couple of spare batteries and memory cards. I love to take photos everywhere I go. 

22. A tube of hand cream for giving those hands a little TLC after carrying heavy bags.

23. And finally, a tub of lip balm because the heat and dehydration can really dry those lips out.

I also usually carry snacks, a magazine or two, some cash, my purse, a phrase book if I don't speak the language of the country I'm travelling to, my phone, and maybe a little make up.

As for the bag... on most of my travels, I carry my Cath Kidston messenger bag as hand luggage because it's like a Mary Poppins bag; I can fit everything but the kitchen sink in it. It has the added bonus of being really comfortable, even when it's heavy, because of that thick, wide strap.

If I'm travelling by plane, I use my Accessorize weekend bag and just pop my handbag inside during the flight. It's the exact max size for most airlines and it gives you a surprising amount of room to work with. If I'm just going away for a few days, I can fit all I need in it and don't need to pay to bring a suitcase! It also comes in handy on the way home from a holiday because it gives me more room for souvenirs, and saves me if my suitcase won't shut or is over the weight limit.

And those are my summer travel essentials. What are yours?

My Huge Cath Kidston Collection 2015

Hello, my name is Louise, and I have a Cath Kidston addiction. 

I'll just wait while you let that shock revelation sink in. It's not like I've blogged about their products much over the years or anything... ahem. Who am I kidding? 

I fully admit that I'm a little obsessed with Cath Kidston. I probably own enough of their stuff to star on an episode of hoarders. I just can't resist their fun, quirky prints and retro designs, and the quality just keeps me going back for more. It's why I've unintentionally built up quite a large collection over the years. I own all sorts of Cath K goodies from luggage to jewellery, homeware to stationery, and everything in between.

It's been a couple of years since I last shared my collection, so today I'm going to do an update and give you a peek at it all. It's going to be a bit of a long one, so put your feet up and get comfortable! This might take a while.

I told you I had a big collection! The scary thing is, the photo above only shows about half of it...  I couldn't fit it all in one photo!

I'm sorry I haven't got more photos of everything displayed together. None of them came out very well, which is frustrating as it took me three hours to set it all up, and I did it all twice! No amount of editing salvaged them, and I haven't got the energy to try a third time, so I'm making do with the photo above. You'll get a closer look at everything as the post goes on, anyway.

So, let's start with some of my very first Cath K purchases, the red star print purses and gadget cases. I bought them all on sale about six or seven years ago, and I was so impressed with them that I was instantly hooked on the brand. I fell in love with the quality as well as the designs, and I can say without a doubt that these purses were where my love of CK began. I've used them all regularly since I bought them, and it shows just how well-made and hard-wearing their products really are. It's part of the reason why I keep on going back for more.

I only recently added the rainbow needle case to the collection. It was quite pricey for a little bit of felt and a few needles, but it was too cute to resist. Plus, I really did need somewhere to store my extra sewing needles. Honest! One thing I didn't need and don't quite know why I have it, is the lanyard strap. I've never needed ID for work, but I'm sure one day it'll come in handy. Maybe.

My current favourites are my heart print pieces, which I blogged about a couple of months ago (here). They're some of the few pieces I didn't buy on sale. I loved the print so much I just couldn't wait 'til sale time... although, most of them are finally on sale now.

In the multi-coloured star print I have a laptop case, a pencil case, and a glasses case. They're all around four or five years old, and I bought them on sale because I thought the print was really fun. The polka dot key fob was another of my very first purchases, and the floral case is home to my Kindle. I think the print is Kingswood Rose, but I'm not 100% certain.

I own a random assortment of travel accessories which always keep me organised when I'm on my travels. As you can see, I like to mix and match. I have a navy polka dot travel wallet (for keeping tickets, currency, cards, and passports together); a strawberry print passport cover; a luggage tag; and a ticket holder (which is handy for train and tube tickets). I also have a floral cover on my old Blackberry, and a green polka dot purse.

The rabbit and mushroom print wash bag, and make up case are a year or two old, and came in a set. I couldn't resist them because I love bunnies and toadstools; always have, always will. I've realised they're a little too small for my needs, but I'm sure I'll find a new purpose for them soon.

I adore Cath K's quirky jewellery, and I'm building up a nice little collection of their brooches and bracelets. I particularly love their resin accessories, but I have several metal and wooden pieces, too. The four resin brooches are definitely my favourites. The tulip brooch and red rose bracelet are still available, and are on sale, too!

I have quite a few Cath K hair accessories, too, and I'm sure I've got more knocking about somewhere. I've no idea where my hair grips disappear to! It's one of life's greatest unsolved mysteries. I unashamedly buy hair accessories from the kids range, as well as the adults (like the strawberry clips), because they often have such cute designs. Why should kids have all the fun?

One of my favourite ever buys was the pretty strawberry suitcase. It was actually marketed as a children's suitcase, but when I found it on sale for just £15 I knew I had to have it for storage. It looks really pretty in my bedroom, too.

The two big white, and little pink star-print boxes were my very first CK buys. They were part of a Penny Kennedy gift box range, which I claimed before they'd even hit the shop floor when I worked in interiors. Money well spent. I originally had four of the big ones, but I used two as caskets for my guinea pigs a few years back. The other three are stationery boxes, which I bought in a set on sale last year, and will be using as gift boxes at some point.

One of my biggest weaknesses is pretty stationery, and Cath Kidston always have beautiful pieces to choose from. I've gone through quite a lot of it since the noughties. At the moment, I have eight pink and green Provence Rose folders which I mainly use to organise my hospital, physio, and other medical paperwork. I also use a few for craft paper. I have a couple of pretty floral notebooks, an old diary from 2012, a set of notecards, a sheet of stickers, a writing set, and a floral scrapbook, which I've had for years, but still haven't used. I really need to find a use for it.

I always look forward to Cath K's Christmas collections, although, I tend to buy most of it on sale. The only items I bought full price in the photo above are the tea light holders, which are from Christmas 2013. I couldn't resist them.

Last September, I bought a basket full of the wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, and gift tags in their Bicester Village outlet store for next to nothing, and I've still got plenty left to see me through this Christmas. I did the same the year before, and I still have a few cards and gift tags left. I love using good quality products without the price tag that would normally go with them! I keep organised at Christmas with my Christmas organiser, and I picked up a Xmas Notes notepad last year, which I've been using for writing present shopping lists, and to plan xmas blog posts. I also have a Christmas coffee mug (seen in this post), and a set of Christmas plates stored away in the kitchen somewhere, but I couldn't be bothered to dig them out.

Helpful tip: If you want to get their Christmas things on sale, check their outlet shops after Christmas and around September time.

There are also a few bags in my collection, but only a few because most of them aren't really my style.

I have the most amazing teal polka dot suitcase (post here) , that I snagged on sale for just £40 a few years ago. I think it was originally around £90! It's a beauty, and I can easily fit a week's worth of stuff in it, which is a bonus. I use the red polka dot messenger bag (post here) for travelling, day-trips, and hospital appointments because it's so roomy, and comfortable to carry, even when it's heavy. I also have the same bag in a denim-blue, but I couldn't find it to photograph. (See it in an old post here). My Christmas book bag was bought on sale a couple of months ago for about £7, and I can't wait to use it this December for shopping and carrying presents in. And last, but not least, is my floral laundry bag, which is another oldie. I don't use it for laundry, but for storing some of my scarves in.

And finally, a few pieces I bought on sale this past week, which I've wanted for months. I picked up the small heart print travel case, and sandwich plate last week, and yesterday, I treated myself to the duck brooch and rainbow pin cushion which are both so damn cute! 

And that's my Cath Kidston collection!

Not pictured are my blue polka dot messenger bag, star print apron, Christmas plates and Christmas coffee mug. but here are a few stock photos of them.

Woah, I have a lot of Cath Kidston stuff! And, I have a feeling my collection won't stop growing just yet.

Should I be worried?!

Nah. I know I'd own much more if I had my own home. I'd love to have a kitchen full of their gorgeous kitchenware, which I know will happen one day. Sadly, it doesn't really go with my Mum's Port Merion stuff, or I'd phase some of it in now! I basically love all kinds of Cath K products-fashion, luggage, homeware, stationery, crafty things, fabric, even their kids range. I can't resist buying things from the kids range for my best friend's little boy; I've already got him some of the thieves, London buses, and taxi stationery for Christmas.

The vast majority of my collection was bought on sale or through outlet shops. If you want to snag a bargain, I'd recommend checking out their outlet stores at Bicester Village in Oxfordshire, and Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth. Those shops are fantastic. I'm sure there are others up and down the UK, too. They also throw pretty decent sales throughout the year with some great discounts, so it's always worth keeping an eye on their website. There's actually a sale on right now!

If you've made it to the end, thanks for sticking with me, and putting up with my ramblings!

Do you have a Cath Kidston collection to rival mine?