Outfoxed... In More Ways Than One

Here I am in the park & ride of my local train station sporting today's outfit, a rather 'foxy' affair.

Dress and rather phallic looking tote bag both from Asos and both featuring foxes.  I didn't purposely co-ordinate honest.  Just a happy accident

Don't I look sulky?

I feel more and more uncomfortable in front of a camera as time goes on.  I hate looking at myself and hate the fact that I hate looking at myself, you know?

Maybe I'm still recovering from the great hair panic of last week.  

It started out quite innocently; I bleached my roots and gave the rest of my head another going over with the 30 vol

It came up like this.  The perfect shade of yellow to tone to platinum, right?  Just buy a light ash blonde box dye and job's a goodun.  Nope, that would be too simple.  I know, I'll just do like I saw in a Youtube tutorial once and mix a bit of Directions violet hair dye with conditioner and coat my hair in it.  It'll tone out the yellow and I'll be left with a perfect cool platinum shade.  Job done.

Clearly not.  Too much violet hair dye coupled with extremely porous hair = bright purple roots and random lavender patches.  Not a good look.

So instead of waiting for it to wash out I hit Youtube again for a tutorial and discovered 'bleach bathing'.  Don't ask!  I have no photographic evidence of the result of this failed experiment.  I was too busy hyperventilating.  Long story short, the purple turned what I can only describe as a light shade of bile green and the rest of it was completely stripped of any pigment at all.  Whiter than white.  Added to that, the texture of my hair after 3 repeated bleachings was that of wet cotton wool

Moral of this story, learn from my mistakes.  Go easy on the Youtube tutorials and, if in doubt, and I never thought I would say this being a lifelong home hair dyer, go to a salon!

I did, and after several hours of repairing treatments and 2 attempts at toning I ended up like this

Not my ideal shade but at this point I was so grateful I had hair left

I'm trying my best just to enjoy my new colour whilst conditoning the crap out of it at every opportunity.  Only, watching ITV's Cilla has made me think fondly of the colour I was so desperate to change...

Don't you just love this shade of red?  And I adore that bob

Sigh... the grass is always greener.  I really should know better by now

Autumn Wishing in a Welsh Village

Thank you for all the comments about my hair.  I'm quite pleased with it considering I did it myself. I'm looking forward to experimenting around it with my clothes and make up.  Speaking of which, a few of you commented on the sneak peaks of this dress from my last couple of posts. Well, here it is in all it's glory.   It's another vintage Etsy purchase from the States which I paired with a high street denim jacket and my Dr Marten knee boots for comfort and practicality.  These pics were taken last week during a trip to the Welsh village of Llanfyllin.  We stayed in an 18th century converted mill which, at dusk, looked like this 

It was set in it's own sweeping secluded grounds with a stream and a bridge, blackberry bushes and nooks and crannies aplenty.  The weather was extremely changeable but it didn't matter.  

In fact, lying in bed one night with the duvet wrapped around my neck reading on my phone so as not to disturb a sleeping 5 month old, I realised that Autumn seemed to have suddenly arrived out of nowhere and I was more than ready for it.  I'm ready for tights and cardigans.  Ready for more cuddling up and wrapping the baby in his giant rainbow blanket.  Ready for more darkness and fog and seeing my breath in front of me in the morning

Am I the only one?

A faded prima donna

I bought myself a couple of new dresses in the Asos sale the other day 

This was one of them.  I'm such a sucker for a graphic print.  I've been spending money like it's going out of fashion lately.  I know it's because I'm just bored and seeking something to distract me. Shopping I can do from my laptop while rocking the baby to sleep with my foot.  Unlike most hobbies one might explore which require a lot of time and your full attention, two things of which I have precious little to give at the moment.

I did however, find the time to get my rats mane cut the other day.

I also put one of those hair dye removers on it which brought up the red a few shades to a sort of caramelly, strawberry blonde colour.  It's a bit weird and I'm not sure I like it.  Just not sure where to go next.

Anyhoo, did you see Glasto?  Were you there?  If you were, I'm sooo jealous.  I generally consider myself a bit past the whole festival thing but this time around I would have given my eye teeth to be there on Saturday night to see this band.

Instead I was at home, on the sofa jiggling my little chap on my knee and pondering how many ways my life has changed ;)

Man, I forgot how much love I have for Metallica

What were your highlights?

Grasmere with Bettie

This time last week the Mister and I were strolling hand in hand through the charming little village of Grasmere, home of the Wordsworth graves and the 'Dafffodil Garden' which was strangely devoid of daffodils.  I captured some shots through my favourite Hipstalense 'Bettie XL'.  

Could I look anymore awkward here?

Flying Fox Dress - Asos

Leggings - Supermarket (I think)

Sandals - Dorothy Perkins

Jacket - Ebay

Tote - Gift

Its hard to make Grasmere appear any prettier than it actually is but I think the faded sun drenched filter of Bettie always adds a nice touch.   I actually had the wrong film loaded.  I usually go for Ina's 1935 but I had it on Ina's 1969 by accident, which is why some of the pics have the border.  I tried cropping the photos to get rid of it but I couldn't be arsed going through all of them.   I blogged about Grasmere last here.   It was about 18 months ago and life was pretty scary as for the first time I was having to face the mortality of a close family member.  Having thankfully come through that, I now return as the mother of a new life and the whole new set of complications that brings.  Life never seems to get any less complicated.  But, The Lake District is always such a relaxing place to spend time with your thoughts.

xxx

Number 9 Dream

So the mister and I recently marked our ninth wedding anniversary.  I know I know, I look too young right?! So it was off to the Lake District, one of my happy places, for a child free night in a hotel and some beauty chasing.  Here are a few quick snaps

 We visited Hawkshead for a spot of lunch and a walk about.  I love Hawkshead.  It's like a little Tudor rabbit warren.  I've blogged about it before here.  

There was a cafe with the biggest cakes I have ever seen

And the usual touristy Beatrix Potter gubbins

Of course I had ice cream.  I always have ice cream.  

Dress: Asos

Leggings: goodness knows

Shoes: Office

Jacket: Ebay

Scarf: charity shop

Bag:  gift from Ilaria

I know nine is one of those awkward inbetween numbers that doesn't constitute a particular milestone but, I'm firmly of the belief that a happy marriage is a huge achievement in this day and age and something to be celebrated.  I also quite like presents.  It didn't take me long to start missing the kids though.  By the second day I was starting to go cold turkey from that velvet soft skin and baby smell.

Such is life

x

It felt good to be out of the rain

Hello there

Here I am in my back yard amongst the straggly (okay, dead) plants

It's the school holidays and my Little Miss has gone to Shropshire for a couple of days to visit her auntie and uncle.  Today, I was determined to actually get out of my pyjamas and out of the house, so the Mister and I took Master L out for breakfast. 

Cardi - Asos sale

Skirt & necklace - Dotty P's sale

Tights - fancy dress shop

Shoes - Ebay

Brooch - charity shop

About a month ago, just before the birth of my lil guy, I was sent the very bag I am sporting to review by a lady named Jocelyn at Sammydress

I call it my 'horse with no name' bag

On browsing the site I was struck by how many cheap pretty dresses and shoes I would be able to buy if I was a size 8 and had size 4 feet.  Unfortunately my post baby size 16-18 curves and size 7's are a stretch too far but if you are lucky enough to be all petite and doll-like then it might be worth checking out.  I love the bag apart from the fact that the shoulder strap broke the first time I used it, doh!

So how is everyone?

My Little guy is 4 weeks old this week and I could write a whole post on how amazing he is but you know that's not my style, right?!  Me and the Mister are in the 'not quite adjusted to the sleep  depravation' phase.  Your body does strange things during this phase, like shivers uncontrollably even in a centrally heated room.  I know there is a general assumption emanating from certain elements of the media that would have you believe that pregnancy, childbirth and life bringing up young children is a beautiful picturesque roller coaster ride to be celebrated and enjoyed like the healthy breakfast of granola and organic yoghurt, which is consumed each morning as part of a healthy, balanced breast feeding diet, which in turn miraculously makes your mummy tummy disappear and your figure snap back into shape.  Bah!  You know what, it is wonderful, but it is also horrendously emotionally and physically exhausting.  For my part, I am just taking each day as it comes.  Mainly surviving on quick chocolate hits and full sugar coke to keep me going.

Just keeping it real

Having Netflix also helps with the crazy hours

Red Boots & Golden Years

Before I begin I should quickly state that yep, I'm still pregnant.  Due this Saturday but as you know time and dates mean nothing to the littluns.  Just trying to enjoy my last days of relative freedom and sleep.

On Saturday afternoon I went to a vintage 50's tea party in celebration of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.

This is me trying to discreetly pose for some outfit shots with my cloudy lemonade while everyone mingled around with their Pimms punch.  I kept getting collared.

As you can see I didn't go with the 50's theme.  This dress has been seen on the blog before because I have practically lived in it these past few months.  It's about as much effort as I can muster at the moment.  Plus I wanted to wear my new babies which match it perfectly...

These bad boys

I got them for a song on Amazon.  I think it was a pricing error as they were advertised as a size 7D as opposed to a standard size 7, which were about £25 more expensive.  I took a gamble and it paid off.  I handed over my £46 and they arrived at my house the next day, a standard size 7 not a 'D' in sight.  Turns out Dr Martens don't even make a 'D' fitting.  Go figure.

I also lacquered my nails with several layers of turquoise glitter

Dress - Asos Maternity
Boots - Dr Martens
Owl bag - Ebay
Cardi - supermarket
Brooch - charity shop
Typewriter necklace - Etsy

My niece organised the party and it was held in the very pretty house she lives in with her mum and step dad.  She stepped in and organised it within a few weeks after the idea we'd had of a big kick butt rock n roll themed party fell through due to my health issues and inability to organise it.  She did a stellar job.  A relatively small affair with close friends and family.  Everything looked so dainty and charming that I couldn't resist walking around snapping a few pics before everyone got there

I really wanted to play in this outhouse but it was temporarilly home to an old bathroom suite

The weather was glorious, spring was in the air.  The music ranged from The Andrew Sisters to Little Richard with a little bit of The Inkspots thrown in for good measure.  There were sandwiches with no crusts, tea and fairy cakes - perfect.

Gonna try and blog again before I pop but if I disappear for a while you'll know what's happened

xxx