The Sunday Seven

Seven things making me smile this week.

1. Creme Eggs
It is stupidly early for Easter stuff to be appearing in shops. I know this. But I don’t care when it means that I can buy Creme Eggs again.

2. Working headphones
My old pair did that irritating thing where one headphone stops working. I think they’d one too many soakings in the Aberystwyth rain! My new ones have been delivered and I am greatly enjoying having a soundtrack for my wanderings.

3. Sue Sylvester

Glee is back, which makes me happy in itself, but it really is all about Sue and her amazing insults, isn’t it?

4. New Slippers
The soles came off my old ones. Now, it’s January. I still need slippers. But all the shops have stopped stocking them. WHY does the Spring/Summer stuff come in when it’s too cold to wear it? I don’t want sandals, I want slippers, damn it! I ended up buying some on Ebay. I love them. They’re beautiful and SO WARM.

5. Goldfish Funerals
One of the lads I work with spent his day grieving his goldfish who died last night. We whiled away several hours planning a tasteful funeral and wondering if Pets at Home stock mourning veils for occasions such as these.

6. Inappropriate Jokes
The ice machine at work broke today. One of the managers came in to fix it and calmly announced, “I’ve come to fix…” dramatic pause with suggestive eyebrows, “the plumbing.”

7. The return of MrKiss
His exams are over now, and I am very much loving having his company again.

Outfit Post: Boots and Brushes

My new make-up brushes arrived today. I went for eco-tools after hearing good things about them (because quality for cheaps), and bought powder, blush and eye-shadow brushes.
The brushes are really nice, with good sturdy handles that don’t feel like they’re going to fall off like cheap brushes do. And the actual bristle bit (is there a proper word for that?) is insanely soft. The powder brush in particular feels lush.
I’m not sure how much difference they’ve made. I used them to put my face on this morning, and I think they’re great for a light, day-time look. I seem to have less make-up on than I do using my old brushes. Which I like. I like the natural look for day. I’m not sure the eye-shadow is strong enough for my liking using these brushes, but I think once I’ve got used to them and how much I need to load the brush up, we’re going to get on like a house on fire. All in all, I’m pleased.

Here’s what I wore today. I am wearing jeans by Dorothy Perkins (I love their jeans), t-shirt with necklace detail from Cafe Society, a Hollister cardigan with the world’s longest sleeves (the cuffs are rolled up in this shot) and little brown ankle boots from H&M. It’s the first time I've worn the boots, although they’ve been sitting under the bed for ages. I wasn’t sure how to wear them. I think I’ll be wearing them more often, although it was perhaps a mistake to wear them for the first time to walk up the hill to campus. Up was fine, down on the way back was an interesting experience.

I’ve just got my time-table for this semester finalised and it is even more stupid than usual. I’m now down to two hours of contact time a week. I have one seminar on a Thursday, and that’s it. I will have three or four spread out throughout the term, but really?? I’m in my final year. Surely I should have more to do than this. I don’t a six day weekend to work on my writing project. What exactly is it that my uni fees are paying for?
On the up-side, this does mean I can cram in loads of driving lessons now so I won’t fail at the end of February, and then hopefully pick up some more day-time shifts at Wetherspoons to earn some more moolah.

In other news, it’s still builder city here, and we’re getting rather tired of it. I don’t much care for being woken up in the morning by builders at the window, listening to Chris Moyles very loudly. Plus, I suspect they’ve bashed my window somehow, as it now seems to be letting in water, which it never has done before. I’m hoping it’s just condensation puddles, but I’ll just have to wait and see if it does it again.

WLTM…

Do you ever get cravings for a particular piece of clothing or an accessory? You think to yourself, “Hmmm, I could do with a new pair of black boots,” and then an idea forms in your mind of exactly what you want. You look at hundreds of pairs of black boots, but somehow none quite fit that perfect image you’ve created and you leave disappointed.
I’m the queen of this. I’ve been longing for a pair of Caterpillar’s Anna boots for the longest time, but they’re always so expensive.
 

I’ve seen plenty of cheaper knock-offs, but they’re never quite right. They’re not the right colour (I want the Annas in the colour Caterpillar call ‘fern’). The fur feels cheap. The buckle isn’t right.
Basically, I will probably never find a compromise, because the perfect boot is the Anna. One day I’ll cave and buy the expensive ones. One day they will be mine.

Lately, I’ve been longing for some nude court shoes. I’m not sure why I have this sudden need for them. I saw a girl wearing them in Wetherspoons, just with simple indigo skinnies, and they looked so subtle and classy. If you wear them with nude tights or bare legs, they make your legs look longer (a definite bonus for shorties like me). I love simple, classic looking ones, but they must have a decent heel. They must have an ankle strap, or my narrow feet will step straight out of them (this is true of all heels. I need a buckle fastening, or I can’t keep them on). Can I find such a shoe? No.

I’m also after a new handbag, as the handle and lining of mine are coming detached from the bag! It must be brown. It can’t be cheap looking. It must be a shoulder bag. It must have a zip fastening (I hate bags without, they don’t feel secure to me). It must have inside pockets for my phone, keys and rail-card. It must be roomy to accommodate all the stuff I drag around with me on a daily basis, but not stupidly huge. As yet, I haven’t seen anything remotely close to what I want.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this.

The Sunday Seven

Seven things making me smile this week.

1. Mr Darcy
Well…not exactly, but earlier today, I read this blog post from the wonderful Penny Dreadful Vintage, and it very definitely put a smile on my face. A real-life Mr Darcy *dreamy sigh*.

2. The prospect of days off
I’ve been locked in Wetherspoons a lot this week, and finished off yesterday with an eleven hour shift. Cabin fever? Why yes.

Anyway, my point here is that I have the lovely thought of four whole days off in a row next week. I can’t wait. I’ll most likely have them mostly to myself, as MrKiss is taking exams next week. I plan to have a bit of a wardrobe purge, and general clear-out of the ridiculous amounts of junk I do not need I seem to be so skilled at accumulating.

3. New things
An ASOS parcel arrived yesterday with some lovely new tops I’d bought in their sale. I’m very pleased. I’ve never bought from ASOS before, and I’m delighted by the quality of both tops. I’m sure they’ll be appearing soon when I’ve worked out what to wear them with.

4. Poirot
I’m about to start a module on Detective and Crime Fiction, and the first Poirot story, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, is on my reading list. I’ve never read any Poirot before, although of course I knew the character and some of the stories from the television adaptions. There’s something quite adorable about Poirot and his little eccentricities, and I think that comes across so well in this book.

5. Not having exams
Best of luck to those poor souls taking them at the moment, but it is wonderful being spared that horror. Exams do NOT suit me.

6. Plans to look forward to
Nommy curry made by MrKiss for the end of exams. Birthday night out for some friends. A night out with the American Footballers and Cheerleaders (hopefully). My dad coming for a weekend in February. Valentines Day outing. Vague plans for road trips once my driving test is passed and I am a car owner. Having nice things planned is so…nice!

7. Bargain boots

These beauties came into my life today quite by mistake. I was in search of a birthday present (which I didn’t find), but came across these. I owned a similar cheapo black pair which fell apart, and were replaced with another cheapo black pair, which are shorter and with a shearling cuffed top. I love them, but they weren’t quite what I wanted, and I wanted something I could wear in milder weather. And here we are! Perfect. I’m not sure of the brand, but they came from Polly, a fantastic local shop. I can’t remember their original price, but certainly out of my usual budget, so I was delighted to find them for £14.99. I have a feeling me and these boots will have a long, happy life together.

I Don’t Want Your Freedom

Is it the weekend yet? No? Oh.
Well, at least I’m getting paid tomorrow. No exams means extra shifts in the salt mines Wetherspoons for me. Tiring, but I’ll be very pleased to have the extra cash. Especially with my sudden spurt of spending.

I’ve treated myself to some sales goodies, and a new set of make-up brushes, as mine were getting a bit dingy. I’ve only ever owned really cheap, own-brand type ones, but kept reading that it is worth spending a little to get some decent brushes. I can understand that, and as I’ll use them most days, their cost-per-use will be barely anything. I’ll be interested to see if they do make any difference to the way my make-up looks.

I’ve also started up my driving lessons again. I haven’t driven since the summer, so I was pretty nervous, but it was fine. I remembered far more than I thought I would, which was reassuring, and my new instructor is very nice. I just booked my test for the end of next month. Scared much? I can’t wait to get passed though, and to GET MY CAR! I’ve had the money for it sitting in my savings for ages, so it’s about time. Lessons are so expensive though! If I hadn’t my first block as a birthday present from my mum, there’s no way I could afford to pay for it myself.

Spoons has been funny today; I think cabin fever was setting in in the kitchen. I kept walking in to find the kitchen staff wildly dancing to the radio. One insisted that the gantries were moving in closer to the back walls. And at one point, as I was walking across the pub and heard one of the girls giving it her all singing along to ‘Freedom’ by Wham.
Some days, Wetherspoons can be hell on earth, but mostly the lovely, bonkers people I work with make it all worthwhile.

As I have nothing of any real use or interest to say, other than what I’ve been up to, here is some Wham. All together now: “I don’t want your FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDOM!”

Funny Valentine

Funny Valentine by caramellattekiss featuring a box clutch

It's a way away yet, but I'm female, so I'm already contemplating outfits for Valentines Day. Here's some dream looks for when I've won the lottery.

Ramblings

I was intending to be in bed early tonight, but is now 2am. So I’m embracing the wakefulness and blogging.

I’ve had a highly unproductive day, spent mostly doing little silly things, and wishing I was spending some time with MrKiss instead. He’s had uni deadlines, so he’s disappeared into his essay den. I will have him back tomorrow, and shall be very pleased to do so.
Much to my surprise, I’ve become quite the overly attached girlfriend. I do NOT like getting into a bed without my boyfriend in it these days, whereas I used to rather enjoy the extra space and no-one dragging the duvet onto the floor.

This morning, he decided for reasons best known to himself to wake me up by stroking my nose. He did make up for it by bringing me some toast in bed though, although promptly compensated for being nice to me by mocking the noises I make in my sleep. Nice.

Building continues in the house, but it looks like the builders will be out of hair soon, which will be nice. They do start early!
My housemates are all back now. I’d got quite used to being here on my own, and am being a terrible housemate tonight, as I keep forgetting they’re all here and letting my door slam, and leaving stuff all over the kitchen. Oops. It’s nice to have some company other than the builders though!

I have achieved something today. Actually, two things, if you count laundry (and I do, as it now means there aren’t marmitey fingerprints on my duvet anymore after allowing MrKiss to eat Twiglets in bed with a film).
I had another go with the matte top-coat, and got along with it much better this time. This is Topshop Parma Violet (001), with the Rimmel Matte Finish on top. I’m very pleased. It looks lovely over the soft lilac. I’ll be trying it over my other pastel shades, I think. I have a few of the Topshop nail varnishes, but am undecided about them. The colours are gorgeous, but they seem very thin. I like a good coverage, and a solid colour, and I find I need three or four coats of the Topshop varnishes to get a finish I like. Once I’ve got that, they look lovely, but after a day or two, rather than chipping, the polish peels off in one big sheet. Very strange. Has anyone else found this with these?

I like having painted nails. I used to be religious about it, but got a bit lazy lately. Now though, I’m back to wanting to paint my nails all the time. I think it’s because I often can’t. I used to have lovely, long nails, which I miss, but I must have short nails for work, and I’m not allowed to wear polish either. This now means that when I have a few days off in a row, I leap at the chance to get some colour on my nails without having to take it off almost straight away to go back in the pub!

Spot Surprise

You know how they are certain outfits or items if clothing that become your go to pieces when you aren’t sure what to wear, or you need a little confidence boost? I think this dress is going to be one of those. It’s Motel Rocks’ Freya dress, which I bought online in the sale (for a bargainous £17). I’ve worn it twice now. The first time, with grey tights and brogues, was to the pub with MrKiss and his friends. His judgement? “I like the dress. It’s spotty.” Quite.
Last night I wore it with black tights, my black brogue style New Look heels, and for a splash of colour I painted my nails with Rimmel Hot Shot (270), which you can just about see here. Compliments ahoy! I was told by several different people how great the dress is, which is always a nice little ego massage. Hello new go-to dress.

We had a surprise party for the 21st of a friend of MrKiss. Once she’d finished screaming in shock, she was very pleased.
However, I have had next to no sleep, have quite the headache, and have to be at Wetherspoons for a 9 hour shift (if not longer) in a couple of hours. Not a prospect I am looking forward to. My ray of hope is that the students will either not be back, or will be revising, so the pub won’t be too busy. Wish me luck!

The Sunday Seven

Seven things making me smile this week.

1. Being back in Aberystwyth
It’s lovely to be back, despite mice and builders and the limited numbers of other people here. I’m enjoying being here and just relaxing a bit before term-time starts, bringing with it horrid deadlines and stress.
At the moment, being in Aber means lounging about in my dressing gown half the day, spending the evenings watching films with MrKiss and generally not doing much of anything. Bliss.

2. Sharpe’s Electric Guitars
MrKiss loves Sharpe (and Sean Bean), perhaps a little too much. I found the boxset at a mental discount and so he had them for Christmas. I’ve never seen any of them before, so naturally, MrKiss has decided to remedy this.
I’ve only seen the first one (Sharpe’s Rifles?) so far, and it’s alright, but what I have fallen in love with is the entirely bizarre bursts of electric guitar. Most of the score fits with the time Sharpe is set in, with the right sort of instruments, but for dramatic moments, we get treated to some guitar power chords, like an 80s cop show. I love it. Hilarious.

3. New Year’s Eve

Alright, so technically this wasn’t this week, but I have missed a Sunday Seven, so I’m including it. Nyah.
I meant to take an outfit picture, but forgot, so you’ll have to make do with this unflattering shot of me I cropped from a group shot taken by someone else. Guest starring MrKiss’s elbow.
Here, I am wearing gold jeans from Miss Selfridge, a black H&M vest top and a black leather jacket (lovely in person, photographed horrible here for some reason) from H&M, and a silver pine-cone necklace by Pilgrim, courtesy of MrKiss.

New Ye
ar was fairly chilled actually. One of MrKiss’s flatmates has her birthday on New Year’s Eve, so we celebrated her 21st in their flat with awful punch, before heading out to a club to ring in the New Year. Lots of fun all round, I think.

4. Student Loan
It’s here! Money!

5. Mental Musers
Muse fans are known for being properly bonkers. I love us for it. The NME Awards are taking nominations at the moment, so we’re all busily nominating our favourite guys for everything possible. Best British Band, Best Live Act, Best Track, Best Website, Best Band Blog/Twitter. We nominate them individually for Hero of the Year, Best Dressed, Worst Dressed…and most importantly, we vote like crazy people on the hottest male poll.
The system is a series of photos of celebs who you rate from one to ten. Every year, someone will post the direct links for Matt Bellamy and Dom Howard and we go into a frenzy of repeat voting. No one knows how to rig a poll like Musers. Despite being divided into Team Matt and Team Dom.

For the record…Team Matt.

6. This:

I have no idea who made this originally, but it cropped up on my facebook and I was highly amused, so I’m sharing. So very true.

7. Green Wing

40d will be the downfall of my degree.

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

I hope. The festive season plays havoc with routine. However, regular blogging will now resume!

Since my last post, I have learnt that is very nice to have someone lovely to kiss at midnight on New Years Eve, my house has been over-taken by builders, I found a mouse in the kitchen (thankfully, it seems to be a lone mouse), I have spent unhealthy amounts of time playing The Sims 3 and finally got round to having a nice, tidy bedroom instead of somewhere that looks like some kind of animal burrow. Hooray!

Of course, in the spirit of the New Year, I’ve been speculating on the past year, and pondering on the next one.
Parts of 2010 were entirely awful, and I’ve had my fair share of dramatics I think. However, I finished up the year a very happy girl, which I hope will carry on well into 2011. I’d like a slightly calmer year I think, also as I graduate this year, I doubt that’ll happen.

I’m steadfastedly shutting out any real plans for this year (that’ll start soon, don’t worry), and have instead decided on a bit of a life organisational type plan. The tidy bedroom was a good start, and I’ve been very good the last few days about eating better than I normally do. Sadly my wine consumption has gone up. I blame the fact that as most people aren’t back from Christmas break yet, MrKiss and I spend lots of evenings staying in with a meal, a film and a bottle of wine. C’est la vie.
I’m hoping to keep up the good eating (everything in moderation, no diets here, just health!), and have been drinking pints of water like a mad person, as I’m usually useless at keeping myself properly hydrated.

Fingers crossed for making good habits in 2011!