Good News! Finally Somewhere to Build a Nest!

Wohoo! Good news! After six months of accommodation turmoil (and about six years of saving a deposit!) we have exchanged on our little house! I'm so relieved! Finally somewhere to build a little nest all of our own!

As for nest building this brings me to my new hobby. Which I've promised myself I'm not going to get carried away with and go hobby obsessed! So for now its more of a project than a hobby! My mum has taught me to knit, eek! Now I have friends who can knit fantastic things, things that are actually designed to fit the human body! As for me I've never been able to knit, I can bake and sew but knitting has always been like trying to eat soup with a fork! (as a far as nemeses go I think I got off quite lightly, knitting)

Still, inspired by re-runs of 'Kirstys Homemade Home' I have picked up the knitting needles and am knitting us a blanket!

See...

OK so I should probably come clean and say the white ones not mine! When I say I am knitting a blanket I am performing some rudimentary knitting and roping my mum into doing me some beautiful patterned squares.

Here's another one of her gorgeous stitches (Rice Stitch)

Pretty Cool eh? I'll keep you updated as to how my blanket is going! I haver a feeling it may not be ready for this winter!

I will post some pics of the new house when we get in. Hopefully we will be getting the keys next week. After that it's just the small matter of finding a job to pay for things!

A current OOTD!

Still here! and life is still very up in the air, I can't wait to write a post with some good news in it, alas for now I will have to settle with showing you a good dress instead! Although I must add that the light at the end of the tunnel is getting ever closer and we remain cautiously optimistic! 

It's not often that I show you something that is still available to purchase! (usually too slow with OOTD's) I bought this dress from New Look recently (with a gift voucher- still being careful with cash - given the current ubiquitous sales that's not easy- grr!). 

The earings are from Accessorise and were one of my few sale purchases, I think they were £1.60 but they look much more expensive than that -well I think so!

Dress @ New Look

Jeggings @ Evans

Cardi @ New Look

Earrings @ Accessorise

Anyhow this dress is great, the bust line is very flattering and the fabric is very floaty and feminine. The rose print is really pretty (although it confused a bee/wasp yesterday who crawled inside it and stung me on my back - my first sting ever beelieve(lol!) it or not!) The slip inside is independent of the dress (but has connecting poppers) and has adjustable straps, although the fabric is very synthetic I don't have a particular aversion to it but I know some folk do. Back to the print; the pink, red and peach tones in the roses act as a good bridge between black and brown, hence the brown bag (I say hence the brown bag, at the moment it's my only bag not in storage!).

Here's me doing a bit of a mermaid pose! 

 The location for this 'shoot' is Hornsea, a small sea side resort on the beautiful East Yorkshire coast. We have some fantastic beaches in Yorkshire, sadly the East coast is eroding very quickly in places, Hornsea being one of them. The huge rocks at the top of the beach have been put there in an effort to slow the loss of land, I hope they work. My photographer was my mum who it turns out is pretty good behind the camera!

Lastly our main reason for going to the seaside are these little guys:

They are called Florence and Bobby (left to right) they are papillion crossed with Shitzu and they are just gorgeous! They both love running around on the beach but neither of them will go in the water!

Lastly apologies If I'm not responding to comments very well at the moment, things are busy and my internet access is patchy, I do appreciate comments and want to say a big thank you for such positive and lovely comments. As soon as life settles down I will be a much better blogger!

Bring Back the 50's!

Hey folks, first of all thanks for the lovely comments and support in the last post, it really is appreciated I love reading your comments! 

Things are ticking along here and despite everything being a bit up in the air we are surviving! The thing is we are trying to buy a house at the moment, and due to a ridiculous set of circumstances we are currently homeless! Bleigh! Putting outfits together is pretty tricky at the moment, as we are living between Yorkshire Sussex and the boots of our cars, sleeping in B&B's Parents houses and the generosity of friends with sofa beds and spare rooms! Every time I want a necklace or pair of shoes I realise they are 350 miles away in a different county!

Still here is a dress I bought back in April, It is from Evans and is totally awesome! (six months ago I didn't think I'd be saying that!) Alas I can't find it on-line any more but there are similar styles out there on line at Evans and style369(which I still think of as Evans!), its a prom dress with a very classy neckline and gathered waist and tie at the back. This is a size 26 though! -I'm not a size 26, I am a size 20-22 in Evans Jeans- hence I am still reluctant to buy on line. I might add that its a perfect fit though, no alterations safety pins or breathing in required! The fabric is light and the skirt is very full, It's perfect for us 50's wannabes! (The other half and I are into Mad Men at the moment!)

Dress @ Evans

Bag @ M&S

Shoes @ Tesco - £10 and bought yesterday, so if you're quick you might pick some up!

Belt @ Next

Cardi @ New Look (currently in the shops too)

here are some more pics (sorry not good quality on a slow broadband connection)

I hope you lovelies are all getting on OK. I was very sorry to miss BBB, alas with being homeless at the moment getting there was difficult, I came tantalisingly close as I drove through Sussex last Saturday, but not close enough! It looked like fun!

I will try and check in again soon, I have a Ruby Rocks dress to show you, although It's not quite how I thought It would be (the sleeves are a different sort of a cut than I was expecting and I can't work out if they're meant to be like that or the sizing is odd!) Has anyone else ordered the Ruby Rocks Hawaiian print black floral dress what do you think?

Anyway I had better go now I have lots to do! Keep well everyone.

The Magic Dress!

Ah it's been such a long time again! I am still surviving... only just mind you! Life has been a bit on the crappy side lately(as has my internet connection!) in fact things have been stressful and bleigh since plus London :-( ...and that's a long time to be in life limbo. Anyway there is now a little light at the end of the tunnel but before that we are about to enter a month or so of hell! I need you lovely people to keep your fingers, toes and everything crossed for me!

Before I launch into content I have to apologise I can't go to Big Beach Bums :-( I was looking forward to going to Brighton too but life has thrown up some major accommodation issues lately and it's just too tricky :-(

Anyway onto the content I promised, this is a Wendy fashion blog afterall!

I will start with the headliner of the magic dress...

I am so so proud of this outfit! I bought this dress (if you're quick they still have size 22- which is what i'm wearing incidentally) in Monsoon and although it was expensive but it was such a smart buy, here it's dressed down for daytime but it could be so easily dressed up for evening wear (with a red or bright coral or even pink!) which I intend to do very soon!

It's Magic isn't it? I think it's some sort of chevron based optical illusion that shrinks my waist! Here are some more pics:

The Shoes are from New look and they are fantastic to wear but so cheapass that they are pretty much ruined (and I bought them three/four weeks ago grr!) The photo 'shoot'(lol!) was in the grounds of Bleinheim palace, at the moment we live close by (alas not for very long at all!)  

Dress -Selina @ Monsoon sz22

Cardigan @ New Look size 22

Belt @ H&M

Shoes @ New Look

Bag @ M&S

On to other things, I have bought a few bits and bobs lately, because its sort of summer I bought a couple of summer hats:

Summer hats M&S

Top in lower picture Monsoon

I bought this top from Evans: (although this is a size 26! the lady in the shop said that other people have complained that it comes up small and it does!) This is not a great Picture but hey ho never mind!

Top @ Evans

Jeans @ Evans

Shoes @ Rocket Dog

Belt @ Evans

Bag @ M&S

The last outfit I have to show you is from my 30th(urgh! 30) birthday weekend in Brighton, Here I'm doing a Brighton wordsearch on the window of a bookshop! This top is from TK Maxx (alas good things are hard to come by there! But I go in occasionally for a rumage!) I think its a bit 50's in its crazy fruit print! The Jeans are from Evans, they are flares and I am realy impressed with them, they have a little stretch but are not baggy, Sadly I don't have a better photo of them. I am wearing a 22 here.  

Top @ TK maxx

Jeans @ Evans

Shoes @ New Look

Bag @ M&S

Once again I'm sorry for the blog blackout, I shall be back soon hopefully to show you my new Ruby Rocks Purchase! Eek hope I like it and it fits! (again fingers crossed!) I bought on of the new dresses from style 369 I'll let you ponder on which one! I hope you are all happy in life and the world is treating you well, if not I know how you feel and there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Long Time No Post

Things have been busy here for a couple of months and not in a good way. I left my job through redundancy two weeks ago plus we are moving out of our cute little house in Sussex to lodgings in Oxford and everything we own is going into storage/the tip :-( I have been feeling fairly low about things (although I have fantastically supportive friends and family which I am so grateful)

Anyway I'm pleased to report that after two weeks of being unemployed I have a new Job. It's only a temporary contract, but It's 4 days a week and pays enough to keep me happy! Yey!

So to celebrate here's an OOTD centred around my new bag! I saw it in Next and couldn't resist it!

Bag @ Next

Shoes @ Next

Jeans @ Evans

Navy Top @ ASOS 

Cardi @ Peacocks

Jacket @ Tesco (normal range sz 22 but bought last year)

This bag is just lovely (spot on for spring/summer) I am not a peach kind of a gal so I have chosen to embrace  red, blue and navy this spring. (which I already have a lot of in my wardrobe) I guess it's the nautical theme with a little twist. (coincidentally the five take challenge this week is nautical (I love following five take!)).

The camisole is from ASOS its a great colour but the fabric is one of those that stretches on wearing so it starts off clingy and ends up baggy! I might be on the lookout for an alternative navy top.

I hope you are all well and enjoying the onset of spring. I think Spring has to be my favourite season, blue, yellow and purple spring flowers make me very happy indeed!

Sewing Machine Alert! - Ruby Rocks

First of all hello to all you lovely followers both the ones who have been with me a while and the new ones too! I hope you are all well and enjoying the slightly longer days and promise of spring here in the UK.

I have been wanting to do this post for a while, alas things here have been very busy. 

Anyhow before I get to the point I just have to talk about plus London again. I really enjoyed reading everybody's takes on the day, It truly was a great evening - as my life's a bit up in the air at the moment it was great to just forget it all for the night and meet some truly nice ladies. The 'official' photos are fabulous, the second floor studio did a super job and although I'm no model It was great to have a bit of a play! Would love to don some 50's glamour and have another go! I would love to be sultry and sexy but doubt I could turn my perma-grin into blue steel!

Anyhow on to my post. I bought a Ruby Rocks dress from Evans a while back (don't panic I haven't been cutting up the feather one... that's perfect the way it is!), It's the ditzy print one I love the pattern but alas the cut was all wrong on me, the high neckline does nothing for my assets! and didn't sit right it lost shape a bit  (or maybe I'm just a tart and need a low cut!)

So I decided to get out the sewing machine and some bias binding and do a bit of DIY! As for fashion It might not be quite as edgy (sadly I lost a tiny bit of the shoulder detail) but I'm happy with the result, I think it suits me a little better, or at least I feel more comfortable and a tad less bulky on top!

These photos are not great, I look tired largely because I am at the moment! (although they were taken a couple of weeks apart - so its 'perma' tired)

I guess the last thing is apologies to Ruby, It's not that I don't love you,  it's just high necklines don't love me! I'm usually too lazy to get the sewing machine out but this print made me!

Anyhow I have been wanting to get out there and comment on lots of blogs about plus London and otherwise but haven't quite managed it! I will be out and about commenting away soon, its not that I'm a meanie, just a bit tired at present! 

Hope you are all well! 

Plus London!

Wow! I had such a great time at Plus London last night. First of all many thanks to our lovely organisers: Lauren, Kat, Sophie, Stephanie and Valerie, as well as the sponsors for giving us a sneak peak at some of their beautiful clothes. 

It was great to see so many lovely ladies looking amazing! (I felt so under dressed!) Anyhow without further a do lets push on to the photos:

The best way to kick off any fabulous event, with tea and cakes of course!

I met Amanda in the primrose bakery nestled in between the strand and Covent Garden I had the most lovely delicate green tea and a lemon cupcake...

Then onwards to the Strand Gallery for schmoozing over pretty clothes, including a tiny sneak peak at H&M Inclusive, I'm very interested to see this collection in the shops and hoping patience will be rewarded!

Just a few of my favourites...

  

This Jacket is Torrid (its a size 2, I refer you to my blog title for my measurements for fit comparisons and all) 

It was quite possibly made to go with my outfit last night! I could not be any more in love with this jacket!

This top is also Torrid and is a size 2 also, It's an odd cut, sort of on the bias on a diagonal under the bust line the frills are just super... finally a chiffon that likes me! (look arms out and everything!)

Oh on to Anna Scholtz... and wow! I would never have tried this dress on in a million years - but thanks to Beth and a swap in the changing room (aka ladies loo!) I did! I don't normally go for anything pencilesque due to the tummy but It looks blinding in this photograph! (note to self to be more adventurous)

(I think it was a size 18 or 20, I did have champagne brain by this point!)

I was desperate to try this baby on but these were going back to ASOS so it was strictly try on with your eyes only! alas this snap does not do it justice! ASOS Curve is getting a lot of love from the plus community and it's not hard to see why! (they are stocking as lot of peach and orange tones at the moment which do nothing for me :-( but there are many more colourful gems too :-)

OK now onwards to the the lovely bloggers,  all looking radiant of course! 

I shamelessley redirect you to here for blog links!

I love this photo, so much so that I'm enlarging it and screwing up the layout of my blog! (ha! and the crazy perfectionist in me doesn't even mind!) I think we all look so happy (who wouldn't sporting such amazing clothes!) I loved the grey wrap dress so soooo much (in fact I sneaked off to the pop up studio to get a professional photo done - fingers crossed it looks good!)

By 10 o'clock I didn't want to go home :-( but looking at the vast quantities of empty champers bottles:

I think going home was the best course of action!