I bet you were wondering if I was going to do this trend didn't you? Well here we are. That's the top. That's my shoulder :)

Now I love the look of these and always have but I have a niggle about being too old to get away with this look. Then I read Beth's comment on them and she said exactly what I must have been feeling about "a 19 year old's top next to the face of a 44 year old face" except mine is even older.  Arrghghg. But it didn't stop me trying. So I bought this one from River Island a few weeks back.

So what do I think? I thought it was great when I tried it on in store but at home, that feeling that I'm trying to look like a nubile young thing is still there. Besides it's got an elasticated waist which wants to ping up and show my food baby.

So it's gone back. And I ordered this one instead from New Look which doesn't have an elasticated waist.

Which isn't too bad but I'm not quite feeling it (look at the body language). I raised my arms and up the shirred neckline popped on to my shoulders! And there I left it as I thought, it looks okay actually and I can wear a normal bra with this too then. And I feel less Lolita in it.



It might feel a bit of a cop out then sort of trying the look but not quite working it but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do and another thing - be honest, those of you who have these off the shoulder tops. How annoying are they really when they ping up and back on to your shoulders?

Really annoying right?

• Remember to snip the label out of the back as it might gape a little bit (but not much) as it's actually designed as an off the shoulder top.

I fell in love with a bag I saw on Alex's (The Frugality) Instagram feed. It was a jute bag from The Jacksons. You know me - I love a good tote bag. I'm not particularly in to all the designer bags - I just like what I like. And I liked these jute bags from The Jacksons. When I looked online, I found there was a whole family of them. And then when push came to shove ... I couldn't choose a favourite. Drat!

By chance, I found the one and it just happened to be stocked at Libertys. And lucky me, it went in the sale. Unlucky me, I was told two weeks after I had ordered and numerous phone calls ... that it was sold out and not available. As you can imagine - one very unhappy and cross lady here. And then lucky me spotted an Instagram competition to win one of these lovely bags. Unlucky me, I didn't win it :(

But I kept looking to see who else was stocking the bags and then lucky me spotted them on Monshowroom ... in the sale. Jute Bag Gods - I thank you!

I decided on the navy Amour one as I figured navy was a good bet going in to the summer months. I  also settled on the smaller size which I thought suited me more and so far, I've carried it every day since it's arrived. 

I have to say it's Love. Or should that be Amour!

------------------------------

Last Note :


* They have a good selection online at The Jacksons but it's worth ringing up to ask what they also have on the shop floor if you've seen one you like and you can't find it online. They can take a photo of their shop floor stock and email it to you - really good customer service (I know, because I rang up)

* Monshowroom have a small range of the bags with a few which are currently in the sale. Go go go!

* There's not much in it between the large and the small. From what I can gather the large is just a little taller/deeper (not wider)

*I also love this one!

So, this is my old Miss Selfridge dress from a few years back. I actually wore it on the blog in 2012 and I don't think I've worn it since. That's not good is it? Every now and then, I drag it out of the wardrobe, try it on and then put it away again. I did nearly wear it last year but the Grumps thought I looked a little overdressed for KFC. When I put it on to take the picture, my eldest son looked at me kind of strange.


Me : What's the matter?

Ben : Nothing.

Me : Why are you looking at me like that?

Ben : Why are you dressed like that?

Me: Don't you like it?

Ben : It's okay

Me : I might wear it on the school run.

Ben : No.

Me : You said it was okay.

Ben : But don't wear it in the playground.

Me : Why?

Ben : You look kind of weird.

Me : You said it was okay.

Ben : Just don't wear it in the playground. I like it when you look normal. Sort of scruffy.

Me : Oh!

• When I do colour, I do colour.

• Just think. In years to come, Ben is going to remember his mum fondly as a scruffy moo in a grey jumper and jeans.

• Fashion people even have cool steps.

I saw this skirt in H&M a few weeks back and I loved the shape of it and the fabric. It's a cotton linen mix, has pockets and is the most wonderful bright summer blue. It reminded me of the kind of skirt which you would find in Toast but five times cheaper. I bought it :o)

And then whilst browsing the Mango site the other day, this little blouse which I've had my eye on for some time finally went in the sale. I bought that too :o)




The top is a lovely over dyed blue cotton with nice cutwork details. If you're brave or brazen, just a good bra underneath will suffice but if not and you're modest and nesh - a little cami/vest top would do just nicely. Besides which, if you raise your arms up, your belly will be saying "hello world".

I thought it might be fun to try the top with the blue skirt for a real true blue look. It might work wonderfully, then again, it might not, either way, I lose nothing as they are good standalone items - the top would be fab with a pair of white denim shorts to offset the blue, the skirt actually looks lovely with a pale blue shirt tucked in. But it doesn't hurt to experiment a little. So I did and together I think it has a whiff of Anthropologie about it.

So, it's not one of my usual looks - it's quite girly for me but sometimes you have to experiment a little. 

Last Note :

• I'm normally a size 10 but sized up to a 12 in the skirt as the waistband felt a little snug #whoateallthepies

• The skirt keeps selling out online but they seem to restock. There seemed to be plenty in store though which is where I found mine.

• The blouse is a size 10 / medium in Mango sizing and fits me comfortably and true to size. 

• I have to say when the top arrived along with two other tops, it looked like the most least likely thing I would be keeping. It looked rather huge and shapeless - don't give up at that point. Pop it on, arrange a little, sort out the neckline and it should all fall in to place lovely. The other two tops which I had high hopes for - I'm returning.

It's nearly the end of term. Four more days to go and I am prepared, yes I am! I am prepared for the teachers end of year's pressies. Last year, I did this. This year, I'm doing flowers again but differently. 

The other week, I bought a Mason jar. Mason jars are basically preserving jars which come with a screw lid which is made up of two parts, an outer rim and an inner disc. I removed the inner disc and left the screw rim on. I stuck some peonies in and then sat back with a cup of Earl Grey to admire my handiwork.

Hocus, pocus, abracadabra. Teacher's thank you presents sorted!

You don't really need instructions for this - you just need to make sure your flowers sit nicely as an arrangement in the jar. You need to be able to tie a bow and attach a tag. That's it.

I thought I'd do a trial run and post this earlish just incase anyone needs any ideas for teacher thank you presents this year but they also make lovely presents to take to dinner parties for the hostess. The chalkboard tags are very pretty but I'm sticking with some white ones so George can write on the front of his tags.

• Don't forget to give the inner disc lid when you give the jar so whoever is receiving the flowers can make full use of the jar when the flowers are long gone.

• My jars were from Home Bargains and prices start at 69p for the smaller jars. The larger jar which is holding the peonies is still only 99p. Bargain indeed.

• Don't overfill the jars with water - you have to transport them!

• My favourite downloadable tags are here for the white Thank You tags, here for the chalkboard style ones and here for some pretty Orla Kiely'esque ones.

• I sold a batch of these at last weeks cricket gala to raise funds for the cricket club which is when I was asked to make one for a lady who wanted a dinner party gift. Hence the dinner party gift idea!

I said it last year and I stick by my word - in the warm weather, I prefer a shirt to a tee shirt. And it seems that the proof is in the wearing. Just lately, I have donned the following :

Light Blue Cotton Shirt.

This is a light thin cotton shirt so perfect for hot and sticky days. It's a looser fit and the sleeves give you a little extra protection from the hot sun so it's cooler than wearing a vest top actually.  I picked mine up last year but they seem to have a very similar version this year minus the sleeve tabs which I had to unpick from mine. Teamed with a pair of denim shorts - I feel it has a clean fresh vibe to it. 

Last year, I bought a basket in the Toast sale. Do you remember it here?

I liked it a lot despite it not being the most practical of shapes and proceeded to use it for part of the summer lugging it to various cricket matches and on days out. And then one day, I heard a "twang" and I felt something give. That was the first handle. Ten minutes later "twang". You guessed it. The second handle broke :o(

I didn't bin it. That would have been too easy. Instead I fixed it.

This is the 2015 version. 

See those gorgeous new (slightly weathered looking) leather handles? I'm rather delighted with them. I ordered myself some leather straps from Ebay and took them to the cobblers and asked if they would be so kind as to attach them for me. And they did!