You know I love a good tote bag don't you? I have a stash of them. Well I've added a new one to my collection from Village England. One of their newsletters popped in to my email box and what caught my eye was the tote bag on the front. Like a moth to a flame. I clicked through to read that Jules (founder of Village England) has done her own charity collaboration with ABC-Nepal who rehabilitate female victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation. The ladies have been provided with a sewing machine and the raw materials to make the tote bags and they get 100% of the proceeds. Not a percentage but 100% - that's brilliant! After reading that, I clicked on the purchase button.


I love that each lady gets to put their name to the bag they made. They've sold out of the first batch but more coming in from 4th December!

Find more information about the work and charity here.

Friday Five (1 of 5) Bambi

What do you think? I think this could be my Christmas sweatshirt 2017! I sometimes think let's stop being such a style bore and get a garish acrylic number but hey I can't quite bring myself to do it. But a grey cotton sweatshirt with Bambi and some snow - yeah, now we're talking.  I ordered this the other day at full price and now I have to re-order it as there's 20% off and that's not to be sniffed at.

Friday Five (2 of 5) Not Your Average Girl

Well I thought I was pretty average bar the whole being a little bit vertically challenged but I've always been able to buy stuff off the high street and online with relatively little problem (or I'd got my head around what I needn't bother with) and I was just Mrs Average with average sized boobs - 34B. Well my brain just got blown when I went to the Wacoal Press Day with my buddy Michelle and I got myself measured. By measured, I mean the bra fitting lady looked me up and down (no tape measures involved) and at my badly fitting bra and said "What size do you think you are? And I said "34B" She replied "That's the most popular size people ARE NOT".  Me told.

Turns out I have a really small rack. Or should that be a really small back. She put me in a 30D which is actually life changing in my eyes because 30 sounds tiny and D sounds huge and the two together? Well I'm finding it quite hard to comprehend this new size and am now thinking that pickings out there are slim and I totally need to restart my lingerie drawer again. Gah! But yep, if you have time, go get your boobs measured - even out of curiosity if nothing else. It's a whole new boob game and quite interesting.

Friday Five (3 of 5) Hygge

Bombarded by all the Black Friday discount emails? I was - I mean I should be delighted by the 20% off here and there but I think I was more overwhelmed than anything and shut down instead. And then I got my sensible head on and thought about what I wanted. And what I wanted was a cardi. I have one grey Uniqlo cashmere cardigan which has stood the test of time and that's a lighter piece but I have no really nice chunky cardigans which are fit to see the light of day. So I've ordered myself a Christmas present from the hubs. It came today and it's lovely. The size small is perfect and doesn't overwhelm but still is roomy and slouchy. I'll be delighted to open that on Christmas morning.

Friday (4 of 5) The Style Inheritance

I love this little IG account called The Style Inheritance which belongs to a mother (Rosie in London) and daughter (Sophie in Sydney) who converse with each other over IG about their outfits. It's like a little film just waiting to happen. It's such a lovely account and I love how both ladies can wear the same things and do it so stylishly but age appropriately.  Go have a look.

Friday Five (5 of 5) Should Have Gone to Specsavers

Wandering around the Aldi Aisles of Joy as usual, I happened amongst some more mince pie offerings. The last ones I bought turned out to be cognac steeped which I hadn't really spotted after I fed a load to the youngest who pronounced them really good. This time I spotted some little dinky sized ones which said spiced caramel on them. Turns out they're not really mince pies at all but have a little caramel middle with a little bit of cinnamon and are infact really yummy (eaten six so far). I really should get my eyes tested.

By the way, I don't actually like mince pies that much. I buy them for the little one. Honest.


Happy Black Friday weekend everyone!

Well aren't I late to the party? How late? Very late. Almost over to be honest. But I turned up at least to the Check Coat party. I saw all the checks filtering in from August onwards but none were quite right for me. You know how the story goes, wrong style, wrong check, wrong proportions, wrong price, wrong something or other so I bided my time and eventually it turned up in ..... Matalan. 

Doesn't look too shoddy does it? And the check alignment isn't bad either, better than most High St offerings and it's got a little weight to it too. 

I would say I'm normally a size 10 in most things but I went with an 8 here as it looks better on a petite but it still fits ok and I can still pop a hoody or sweatshirt underneath (just). If you're taller, you could probably go with your normal sizing - there isn't much in it (I ordered the 10 as well just to check) but I looked better in the neater proportions of the 8. The sleeves are an inch or so too long and are currently tucked under - I just need to get the sewing box out and get on it. I don't like tucking sleeves under but I hate wearing overlong sleeves on certain types of coats more. It's just the way I am.

Anyway, that's my little high street find. Hope you like it.

The above is based on similar items I already have in the wardrobe and some things I'm investigating.

A black crew neck is just such a good basic - mine is a cashmere one from H&M from a couple of years back. Still going strong. I just give it a quick shave each autumn before I start putting it through it's paces again. Expensive or cheap - all cashmere pills to some degree.

I've been looking at some more Stans. I have two pairs. A really old knackered pair which is great for gardening and odd job stuff outside and some cork soled ones which I love which I'm becoming more and more dependent on and I don't want to over wear. I've just spotted the ones with a burgundy trim now and I can't decide between the regular lace up ones shown above or the velcro strap ones which are what my heart truly desires but only one place does them here and has ramped up the price. Grrrr. 

Socks - for mornings when it's getting colder and you need something to take the edge off. Yes I succumbed to the H&M Erdem hype and bagged myself the socks. I do rather like them though and they do add a little something to your ankles.

The Arket burnt orange jumper? I saw this online and finally got to check it out yesterday in store. Yup - still love it. But I didn't buy then. Why? Because I like the safety net of an online return. Got to cover yourself. Got to cover yourself.

* gifted item

Crikey, Friday has come round really fast and I thought I had a few hours more to put this together but I've been out and about all day (half term and kids to entertain) and now we're off out shortly so I thought I'd try and see what I can pull together quickly for you. 

Friday Five (1 of 5) New Shoes

Right, I can honestly say I would have done stupidly ridiculously bad on the #nospendoctober challenge if I had taken part in it as I bought let me see - three or was it four pair of shoes? But it's not all bad because I have worn them and they give me joy and that's what it's about isn't it? And they didn't cost me the earth, especially my two pairs of ballet pumps (the leather gold ones which I mentioned here previously for £11 and then I picked up a cute little velvet pair in H&M for £3 (seen here) which are amongst my favourite things currently. And I just took delivery of those ASOS Lea strappy ones up there too. I have a witchy version of these in leather from Office from a couple of years back but they are very witchy. These are less so with the rounded front and I like the chunkier straps - they remind me a little of the Vivienne Westwood Roman shoes which I covet wholeheartedly but never seem to manage to save up for. Well I can scratch that itch here and now with these. 

Crikey, I've been up ladders decorating and doing all manner of housey things and I was going to make the dinner when I thought, the hubs can do it for a change. He's not made anything for a while and I can crack on and get my decorating done. Hmmm. Not long after he started, there was a "Suuuuueee! I need a little help here" and I thought "Streuth!" but duly trotted down to find him holding his hand aloft with kitchen roll wrapped round his thumb and looking rather faint. "I've cut myself ... badly". The things some people do to get out of cooking! Anyway, he had taken a chunk out of his thumb and after he was dispatched to the sofa looking rather faint, I made the dinner. He went to the Minor Injuries unit the other day and came back with a rather badly bandaged thumb and a few big plasters. Now a few years back, my eldest son was a bit gung-ho with the safety scissors at nursery and whipped the top of his thumb off. At the Minor Injuries unit, the nice nurse there taught me how to cut the plasters to fit neatly on top of a thumb because as you know, they are rather awkward to apply neatly. If you want to know how ... watch this video. All I can say is, I've spent the rest of the day going "Boom!" to the hubs and sticking my thumb up at him!

Well it's 15% off currently at H&M if you're an H&M Club member and whilst in store this week, I picked up this floral pleated skirt. It has a pleated top mesh layer and doesn't crease - I hate it when you wear a pleated skirt and the pleats at the back do their own thing and iron themselves out when you sit down. This one doesn't. However ... I had already ordered a polkadot jacquard one from the site (before the 15% offer came on) and in a size 10. It arrived yesterday and I love it but I'm worried that I can't eat in it as it's quite a neat fit which I can just about get away with but my sensible head tells me to check out the size up too. So I have now ordered a 10 and 12 with the discount and we shall see. I love the frills at the front. Ole!

I've been wanting to go over to the dark side for some time - well since 2015 which is when this picture was taken and I wanted to paint a room in Farrow & Ball's Stiffkey Blue. The hubs finally let me loose in his study and I painted it. I hate it. I didn't sleep because of it. I need to go back to the light side - I just don't do dark rooms. I'll repaint when he's next away. Don't tell him. 

Yup, my little brush with the rubber bristles finally gave up the last of its bristles and I had to buy a new one. I could have picked up a lovely looking wooden one with natural bristles and which was aesthetically pleasing to the eye but instead, I picked up this grey and orange number from Amazon and I love it. I find the rubber bristles grab bits off the floor a lot better. So that was me picking function over form for once. I'm getting old. And yes, I'm taking the mick with my flatlay of my new dustpan and brush.

This was going to be a quick OOTD post the other day but I never got round to sharing it. In fact this was from a few days ago when I still looked relatively sane and was not in my decorating clobber and I didn't have white emulsioned hair - I've been painting a ceiling and sometimes you forget when to stop going up that ladder until you bang your head on that freshly emulsioned patch that you've just done. Brings a new meaning to white hair.

Anyway, I mentioned briefly a few posts ago that I was in the mood for scarves again this year and this leopard one from Black.Co.Uk is my latest addition. This is the only leopard scarf I own - I know it's a staple in a lot of ladies wardrobes but I just never got there till now and I have to say I rather like it. I'm funny with scarves - I've been a lot more picky over the last few years as I've been culling them like a mad woman (they fell out of favour big time) so whenever I did buy one, it was thoroughly tested for it's tie-ability or it's waft-ability. Some were too chunky and some too short, some mummified me and some only had the pattern printed on one side - they were all left behind. I have to say, this one is very soft (silk and merino wool content) and extremely easy to tie (once, twice or thrice round the neck is fine) but it still has a nice slight weight to it. This one makes the cut. 

And I don't know about you but are scarves making a bit of a comeback this year or am I imagining it? Hmmmm.

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A couple of other scarves caught my eye on the Black.Co.Uk website and these are actually from the mens section - I quite often browse the mens accessories departments for scarves and hats as (1) I have a big head and (2) the patterns are not so frou frou.

You know how at the beginning of the year, I was all over the Lingua Franca jumpers till I made my own here? Well then I moved on to the Hades jumpers. After seeing Julia from Stylonylon wearing her Unrequited Love one, I decided to make my own. Well there is no way I can embroider like that but I know a man who can!

So I mocked up my design .....

And took it to the embroidery man along with my Woolovers merino cashmere jumper which I'd ordered for the purpose. I showed him the picture and although he only had two script fonts, luckily one of them was suitable. And then he told me to go and disappear for half an hour which I duly did in to the nearest H&M as it was just opposite. I'm going to be honest, I was pooping my pants incase this turned out bad but as it was, it turned out brilliant. Cue big beaming smiley face when I saw it. 

And it cost me £10 for the embroidery. WELL WORTH IT.

So do you like? I'm chuffed.



But if you don't have the time or inclination or know a man who can embroider, here's a few of the nicest ones around - from the expensive to the affordable Sugarhill Boutique ones.

I'm rather liking the Ille de Cocos one - do you think I could make that???

• I used Kustom Stitch for my embroidery. If you want a font which they don't have on site, they will need to create a new plate to do the embroidery and that will cost you a lot. I'd go with what they have if I were you! 

I ordered a top from Sezane a couple of years ago and sold it on as I had to admit it was a little neat on me. I haven't ordered anything since till now. My Leopold jumper arrived this week and this was one of those makes you squeal type purchases when you open the box. I'm in love. I'm in big love. I'm not returning this.

Following on from last week and the above purchase, as you may or not have guessed, I'm on a jumper bender at the moment. They've been flying in and out of SoSo Towers like I don't know. Just as I think I'm committing to one, something else comes along and another gets returned to make way for the latest in favour item. Anyway, I had to try this one on that I spotted as I sped through Sainsburys. I just loved the colours on the yoke - it's a great jumper for dressing up and down. Perfect for country walks with jeans tucked in to a pair of wellies or boots. Sassy with a leather mini and opaques. And dress up with a pair of straight cut jeans and a pair of heels and a natty clutch - a bit like I how I styled a few years back below.

I'm thinking of getting this book. Is it any good? Do I need this book? Anyone got it? I think I sort of know my style and what I like but I do like to read other people's thoughts on being at one with yourself and what works for you. I hear there's a chapter on flat shoes - I think that will be a good one.

Anyone spotted this in Primark yet? Yes it's Primark! Is pink your thing? Pink can be my thing but not this shade of pink as I found when I tried it on. I have to say, it was pretty pukey on me but I know on the right person, this is going to be stunning. If you find it, if you buy it, if you look amazing in it, tag me and let me know eh? I'll live vicariously through your pink hued dress dreams.

Don't forget to get rid of your old pound coins before Sunday as that's the official date for when they will no longer be accepted. I went round the house today and rounded up 30 of the little beggars after a quick turf of every drawer and handbag and coat pocket. That's a new purchase right there! Actually it went on this skirt as I had to spend the coins right? Anyway, if I recall correctly from the morning news at the beginning of the week, I think Poundland will still be taking in the old coins till the end of the month. Last chance.

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I thought I'd wear a skirt today as the sun was shining in the lovely blue sky when I looked out of my window. And then I went out on the school run and I thought "Pfft - fooled again! It's blumming freezing!" But I did it and then changed back in to my joggy bots pretty pronto.

Just throwing up a few looks there around how to style the tube skirts for casual wear. I've got my eye on those pink Nike Internationalist trainers because it's another year down the line and I'm still hankering after pink trainers. I should really just get on with it. And for anyone who likes the OTT glamour of some of the Gucci sneakers out there, ASH do a slightly more modestly priced version which could give them a run for their money.

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Friday Five (1 of 5) The Colour Purple

I've not been in & Other Stories for a while and the one in Leeds isn't huge actually, it carries a lot less stock than say the Manchester one which I visited earlier this year. And I shouldn't complain because at least we do actually have one in Leeds now but all the things you see on line? Can't find them. But I did find this black and purple leopard jumper which I was strangely taken with. It's a little bit punk isn't it and I am so not punky at all. Actually I don't think punky is a real word - the spellchecker is having a fight with me over it. Now I've bought it in the medium because I was thinking it might be nice a little slouchy but having looked online, the models wear it a bit neater. So now I might have to go back and swap it. Pfft.

Friday Five (2 of 5) Nanna

I'm such a nanna. As in Gra-nanna. And I prefer to have a little bit of cushioning in my shoes these days since I started with some heel pain which I mentioned some time back. It's almost gone now - something to do with me doing a lot less walking and I can manage my ballet flats again but I'm still a bit wary of exacerbating anything, so I found myself looking for things to cushion the impact of when my heels hit the floor. And I found these little cushion wedges in the pound shop. I just pop them in and they just take the edge off a little when I'm pounding pavements. I have fleecy insoles in some shoes and these wedges in others. Just so you know, you are highly unlikely to find them in my flat lays in general as they're not that aesthetically pleasing to the eye. But because we're friends, I thought I'd share. Just this time.

Friday Five (3 of 5) Jigsaw Outlet

1. Phoebe Pyjama Set

2. Cecile Studded Pointed Flat

3. Japanese Denim Shopper

4. Camille Pointed Flat

5. Made Two Tone Necklace

6. Sculpted Jumper

7. Heather Wool Felt Fedora

8. Loop Double Bucklet Belt

Jigsaw is a little on the pricey side for my budget at full price but when the sales happen, you can nab a bargain or eight.

The pyjamas - these are £19! £19 I repeat. In a lovely soft grey melange yarn. Your winter nights just got that much cosier. And if you're not a pj girl - well think ahead to Christmas - present for anyone? I had to throw in that navy jumper too - a big cosy navy jumper just waiting to give you a big hug. It comes in at less than Topshop prices now that it's in the sale. And the belt - all those midi dresses which need a little definition around the middle - now isn't that a nice belt to do the job. You're welcome.

Friday Five (4 of 5) Sweatshirt 

I love a sweatshirt as you know but did you know I don't have a pink one. Do I need a pink one? Do I need that one up there? For the weekend? Mulling it over. Mulling it over. I don't really need one do I? But I don't have a pink one. Mulling, mulling, mulling. 

Friday Five (5 of 5) Mid Life Crisis

I bought some make up today. It's the first eyeliner I've bought in two years. Azure plum. I blame it on buying that purple leopard jumper.