Category: style

Things I should be doing …

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There are a hundred and one things I should be doing. I have the time just not the inclination. 

Procrastination appears to be my best friend. That and cake.

It’s Mums funeral on Thursday and I need something to wear? I also need to get my hair cut and coloured and sort my skin out. Everything’s kinda got neglected as mums health deteriorated . I have an inch of grey at my roots , frazzled ends and stressed out spotty skin.

Don’t I just sound delightful.

I ordered a dress from Marks & Spencer’s last week. It’s nothing special. I thought it was black. It’s arrived and it’s actually navy.

We have since discussed and changed the dress code to colourful? [Mum was such a colourful charactor.]

The dress is still sat in the plastic bag waiting for me to try it on. I’m putting that off too. I’m not entirely sure it’s suitable anymore . I’m not sure navy has ever been classed colourful?

I’m dreading the funeral or rather ‘celebration of life‘ ceremony as we’ve renamed it. This is reflected in my total disinterest in sorting myself out. I don’t want to say goodbye as it’s all very final.

I also realise that until I say goodbye it will be hard to move on …

So with that in mind here’s said dress.

It ticks all the right boxes;  not too short, no cleavage on show and it covers my bingo wings!

Marks & Spencer’s Polka Dot Dress – £35.00

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The Fab 40’s – DIY …

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The Fab 40s are a group of over-40 seriously stylish ladies from all over the globe. Each month they pick a theme; create an outfit based on their interpretation [of said theme] and then share the results with us all over on their blogs.

What I love about all these ladies is they like to experiment ; they are not carbon-copies. Something I personally admire and try to aspire too myself. Who wants to look like everybody else?

Take inspiration but always make it your own. 

They take it in turns to pick a guest blogger to take part each month … and [drumroll] guess whose been asked to join in this time?!

Yep …only yours truly… little old me ! Ekkk excited much.

I was chosen by Diane the style blogger behind Fashion on the 4th Floor who I have been following for a while now. I adore her and her style. She always owns the look, has the biggest, infectious smile and is quite simply #fierce and very friendly.

I was both honoured and very, very surprised to be invited. So thankyou with all my heart you’ve made a lady from Yorkshire very happy indeed.

The Theme:

So I’ve got to admit I was a bit  like ‘oh oh this will be a disaster‘ when I initially heard that this months theme was DIY. Not for any other reason than I’m rubbish at anything remotely to do with ‘do it yourself!’

Like cooking … I’m rubbish / hampered /a disaster ! I am, as my mums says, cack – handed.

I’m from Yorkshire; we use funny terms of phrase around here . Let me explain.

Cack handed – an awkward or inept way of doing something; originally meaning left handed, stemming from cultures that use their right hand to eat and their left hand to wipe their behind.

“That shelf you put up looks a bit cack handed”

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Introducing … Izabel London

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“I fell for her in summer, my lovely summer girl,

From summer she is made, my lovely summer girl,

I’d love to spend a winter with my lovely summer girl,

But I’m never warm enough for my lovely summer girl,

It’s summer when she smiles, I’m laughing like a child,

It’s the summer of our lives; we’ll contain it for a while

She holds the heat, the breeze of summer in the circle of her hand…

I’d be happy with this summer if it’s all we ever had.” Maggie Stiefvater

* * * * * * * * 

Hasn’t it been a glorious week… and about blooming time I hear you all cry! I love it when the sun makes an appearance, it generally makes for a happier place.

Rather than grunt as people walk past you, they actually smile. Big toothy, happy with the world  smiles.

To be able to leave the house without your jacket on and feel the warmth on your skin rather than wetness and the cold is fabulous. Hello Vitamin D !!

To sit in the garden and have breakfast alfresco is maybe one of my favourite things to do.

Coffee alfresco

Cocktails alfresco … you get my drift!

The little things.

* * * * * * * * Continue reading →

Walking back to happiness featuring Transitions Optical Style Colours …

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Story of my life…

I receive a couple of pairs of glasses to trail featuring the new Transitions Optical lenses from the new Style Colours collection  and the sun decides that in my corner of the world – Sheffield – it’s going to go into hiding… for the foreseeable future!

Speaking of Sheffield it’s made me smile today,  or rather its people have. I can only speak from a Sheffielders point of view because that’s where I am, but ‘by heck’ we are a mighty friendly  [ if slightly odd at times] bunch.

I encounter all sorts of people as I walk around Damflask with our Mollie. Somebody really needs to record a sit-com.

All walks of life, all shapes and all sizes. Today we were greeted by either a big toothy smile , a nod of the head, a cheery ‘Morning‘ or a pat on the back; Mollie’s back … not mine obviously!

I’m not sure if my senses become heightened as I stroll around and take in the beauty that surrounds me, or whether I appreciate life a little more having seen what mums going through? Either way the birds seemingly sing louder up in the trees, I’m entranced by the way the water dances as the light hits it?

A group of old ladies walked past us earlier. They smelt like my late Grandma Betty – ‘Palma violet  mixed with Yardley’ , you know that lovely old lady smell. It smelt comforting, familiar, it took me aback and brought a tear to my eyes.

I miss my Grandma … Continue reading →

Introducing Smartbond at Regis Hairstylist … #frazzledtofabulous

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Does anybody else get nervous about going to the hairdressers , especially when it’s a new salon … for the first time?

It might sound extremely silly but I do and it’s down to a combination of things.

A bodged up colour and a terrible cut in the past. Several terrible cuts in fact [mainly involving my pesky carflick … it’s caused some trouble in its day!] and one horrendous colour. Boy that colour was bad! I’d have given Jimmy Cranky a run for his money.

Saying that when I got the opportunity to attend Regis Hairstylists at Meadowhall to trail the new Smartbond treatment earlier this week I didn’t have to think twice.

While I get nervous I also love, love, love a good pamper. Tell me somebody who doesn’t? A trip to the salon is relaxing; a good excuse to do absolutely nothing for an hour or so.

Zonk out – turn your brain off, sit back, drink copious amounts of coffee and read magazines to your hearts content while your stylist works their magic. Continue reading →

Cleverly Wrapped…

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When the guys from Cleverly Wrapped got in touch to see whether I’d like to choose something from their website to style I almost snapped their hands off.

Regular readers of the blog will know I adore a cheeky little neck scarf.

So that’s how Tracey met ‘Jungle Silk Scarf’ it’s everything I look for in a scarf. A bright, colourful little square of silk beauty.

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Friday Favourites … 

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Hello …

I hope you’ve all been enjoying the last couple of days of sunshine, it’s been glorious hasn’t it? Saying that its currently raining here.

Summer lasted all of 3 days!

 I jest … hopefully it will visit us again soon.

I’m sure I’m due another favourites post though I can’t seem to get these out in any particular schedule. My current mind set is ‘all over’ something I’m hoping will work itself out when mums out of hospital and back at home with us.

So here are the things that I’ve been enjoying / have made me smile recently.

A few of these items are newbies and a few I’ve been using for years but thought they deserved a mention.

First up …

ALL IN ALL – Temple Spa £20.00 – 300 ml

As you may ,or may not be aware, I used to be a Temple Spa Consultant. Despite loving the majority of the products I was rubbish at hosting parties. 

Basically I used to have panic attacks and talk about 100 miles an hour. Public speaking terrifies me and people were mostly confused. 

I tried but for my own sanity I gave it up as a bad job but continued purchasing some of the goodies.

All in All is one of the products I fell in love with and still use religiously.

It’s a multipurpose balm that can be used on your hair, body and face.

I use it to souly moisturise my body but it can be used as a face balm and a hair conditioner.

It contains essential oils and botanicals – lemon, nutmeg, coriander and guaiacum. It has the most delicious smell which I love slathering all over and which more importantly lingers on your skin. If you catch me sniffing my arm … that’s why! 

Most definitely my favourite body moisturiser. EVER.

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Vionic Leopard Feet … getting feet summer ready

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It’s that time of year when I reluctantly have to shave my legs. It’s not that I enjoy being compared to a hairy mammoth . I honestly just can’t be arsed.

It’s a faff too far.

Talking of faffing. I will then have to  false tan myself. Some people like to embrace their paleness . Me … well I like to look like a sultana!

False tanning usually results in stripey legs and bright orange palms!

Everywhere else applies like a dream but when it comes to my legs it’s a totally diferent ball-game. If I was a cafe I’d be called ‘Streaky patchy central’

No matter how much I wash my hands my palms always remain a slight tinge of orange.

I need to invest in some tanning gloves and moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

Something I do enjoy [ good faffing let’s say] is preparing my feet … making them look all pretty for the forth-coming  ‘sandal days’ the anticipation of the beach , of BBQ’ S and fun in the sun.

I love bright toe nails, tanned legs and feet adorned in beautiful sandals.

In an ideal world I’d surround my bath tub with candles and light them to create ambiance. I’d then jump in making sure there were lots and lots of bubbles.  Continue reading →