#6 Life as we know it

This week I have been...

• Wearing white lace - this Topshop dress I found in the sales - with Models Own "Champagne" nails and a Forever 21 statement ring

• Eating salmon and prawns from cute little shells

• Treating my sis to cake - yes, this is really a cupcake!

• Back to my favourite cafe for chorizo hash browns on my day off

• Out for the most delicious surf 'n' turf

• Having some lovely - and cider filled - nights out

• Bacon cures everything the morning after

• Today I have been out in the garden in the sun building furniture - a table, two chairs, and a sofa to be exact. Although I can be quite the girly girl at times, I also like to get my hands dirty and make things!

• Tonight we're staying in with cans of Stella Artois cidre and watching episode after episode of Breaking Bad - sounds perfect! :)

What have you been up to lately?

Sales: a summary

The January sales. What did you make of them? I’ve spotted some pretty sweet buys on all your blogs :) Did anyone else feel that they were a bit a shambles this year? The savings weren’t even that great. £5 off a skirt? Oh why thank you. How very generous of you. And I recognised so much old stock. Last year’s rejects no doubt.

I dedicated one day to get my sales fix. The day was executed with military precision. Up at silly o’clock, there at silly o’clock and done late morning before all the crowds and craziness. Here’s a summary of my January purchases:

Primark:

Still in possession of many Primark vouchers (incentive for doing a Primark survey), I couldn’t resist this bed throw - a total steal at £3!

Plus a couple of pairs of wellie socks – a nudge to book up for a festival this year!

They’re perfect for lining boots in this cold snap we’re having at the moment.

River Island:

I bought this River Island skirt and it’s a few sizes too big. Like on a drastic scale. Why do we do this to ourselves? Crazy low prices can inspire such madness sometimes! 

But it was only £5 and I can easily sew it in.

Topshop:

This Topshop coat and boots had to be returned. LOVED the wedges but they were pointed and far too narrow. Think they would’ve crippled me. The coat had really annoying hook and eye fastenings and was way too much hassle to deal with. I did however keep a black mini skirt which I can’t find *rubbish blogger* It’s a size smaller than I usually take (oh the joys of sale stock…) but it fits like a glove. It’s so refreshing to be able to wear a non-flippy skirt that doesn’t everyone give everyone an eyeful when it’s windy out!

French Connection:

Originally £180, I paid next to nothing for these in the sale thanks to a generous reduction and a French Connection voucher I already had. I do like Chelsea boots but was after something a little bit different to the ones you see on everyone. I love the strap detailing – an added quirk that satisfies the rock chick in me. If you like them, they’re still selling them on ASOS.com - but for £126. Silly.

Yankee:

As much as I love Yankee candles, I can’t justify spending that much on candles. I jumped at the chance to buy their mango and peach scented candles for £3.22 

And I was lusting after this gift set before Christmas - but I was never going to spend £20 for a pack of sampler sizes:

I was ecstatic to find them reduced down to half price in the sale. Christmas cookie, Mountain pine… I’m all set for Christmas next year. WIN.

Boots:

I don’t really go to Boots for jewellery but I couldn’t resist this ring. I love the design so much. I think this is the sort of ring I’d choose out if I ever got married / engaged. Except with nicer stones instead of these cheapo ones that keep falling off!

I also feel the need to share the late Christmas presents I received from friends:

Very cute mug and hot chocolate set

Another mug which sums me up well

Check out my friend’s awesome knitting skills! 

Such a cute and alternative way to decorate a gift!

Last but not least... this cookery book which I 

have been experimenting with this weekend:

Raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes.

They just melt in your mouth. NOM.

Birthday summary

Birthdays at my age are weird. I never know whether to celebrate or not any more.

"Hooray, X years ago I emerged from lady parts."

I sure as heck wasn’t in a manger surrounded by livestock. Nor was I immediately presented with frankincense, gold and myrrh. I did however receive a gigantic teddy bear. Apart from traumatic “lady bits”, it was apparently one of the first things I saw.

Birthdays nowadays don’t seem like such a big deal. Especially when like me, your birthday always falls on a really stupid / inconvenient day. Last year, mine was on a Tuesday or Wednesday (I forget…). I arranged a night out and not many came because it was a week day and there was uni / work / exams the next day. 

I wanted to be excited this year. But my birthday was on a Thursday. There was no point organising something for that very evening – it would've been social suicide.

This year I wanted to get out of my rut and be excited for birthdays again. Thanks to the Bank Holiday, I managed to start celebrations early. Here’s my birthday week in pictures:

Sushi lunch with the girls

I originally planned to get and nail art done with the girls too but there weren’t enough appointments available for all of us :( We did however go out Friday night and had a BBQ on Sunday which were both really fun 

Getting cupcakes “to go” and eating them in the park.

Lots of birthday “treats” to share around at work!

Indian takeaway on the actual day

Day trip in search of adventures! The highlight was hiring a boat

Yep, that's me driving! Wearing ASOS cardigan first mentioned here

Yes, a little extreme to go from I'm-not-bothered-about-birthdays to partying almost every night and going out most days… Maybe I milked this birthday a tad? But hey, why not? It’s only your birthday once a year!