Rose Tinted

Chaz has always put up with our homes being very pretty and flowery.  So doing up this house, I made a real effort to make it as non-girly as possible.  The whole place is painted various tones of blue and grey and I'm now suddenly wishing it wasn't.  I am desperately craving pink.  I'm having an adverse reaction to being surrounded by all things male.  I've had enough of lorries, cars, weapons and mess.  I want to sit in  clean, pretty, airy light rooms and look at beautiful, whimsical things that could belong to fairies.  Im exaggerating - but you get the picture.

Part of this new pink movement is my obsession with pink lustreware china.  Until last week I didn't know it's name meaning my hunting was restricted.  Now I know what it's called, there's no stopping me. In fact I've discovered there are thousands of other lustreware loonies out there too permanently on the search for a shiny pink, new hit...

my latest ebay arrivals

Praise be Shellac

I know they've been around for years  but I had Shellac done on my nails for the first time last week.  If you're not aware of this Shellac magic - in a nutshell - it's nail varnish that is painted on in the normal way, set with UV light, dries instantly and then lasts for a minimum of two weeks, maybe three.

I've always been slightly sceptical about it.  They've always reminded me of acrylic nails which aren't really my cup of tea. 

 A normal manicure lasts about an hour on me - I've often smudged them getting my credit card out of my bag before I've even left the salon.  So last friday before the wedding I ventured into downtown Witney for a spot of Shellac.

I was fully prepared to be disappointed and didn't for one minute, think that they would actually live up to their hype.   I've given them a proper run for their money  - endless washing up, gardening, a lot of drumming them on the table, swimming - and a week on they are still super shiny and chip free.  They are nothing short of a sensation. Still feeling rather fragile after the weekend, it's such a joy to look down to sparkly red nails rather than hideous, chipped varnish.  They say there's no bad long term effects but for now,  they're so swanky, I couldn't care less.

My nails a week on...

Shoe of the Gods

I used to have a real problem with shoes.  

A problem in the way that I couldn't stop buying them.  When we moved to France it slowed down a bit.  We were living in the middle of the countryside and opportunities to wear anything other than a flip flop were minimal.

Then I was the size of a house - twice - and a heel wasn't really an option.  

Now however, there's nothing standing in my way and the obsession is back with a vengeance.

All I've been able to think about for the past few days are Louis Vuitton's bow beauty pumps.  

They are about four seasons old now so practically vintage.  They are also practically impossible to track down.  On a positive note, working out how I'm going to get my hands on them is keeping me distracted  while rocking the smallest Cub to sleep hour after hour after hour.

On a not so positive note, how on earth am I going to get them?  I am like a woman possessed. I need help - that preferably comes in the shape of the red velvet ones... 

Tulip Fever

Heavenly Friday Parrot tulips...

Wedding Get Up

Why is it so hard to find a good wedding outfit?  

I am now on my third attempt and still no nearer finding a goodie.  

The first attempt, we'll pretend never happened.  

The second one,  should have been a very pretty green, floaty,  floral number from 'Borne'.  On, however, I could have been one of Shrek's distant relatives. 

My latest attempt, a Roland Mouret, Ebay sensation is good but ridiculously short - Raise my arms even a millimetre and you can read what's written on my knickers.  So not ideal for a nice Roman Catholic church service.

It's tricky trying to get the right balance.  Not too saucy - hard when it's a day to night affair - and not too like a frumpy old school marm from Dullsville. I did find the one a few months ago. A Nina Ricci, red, silk vision. It ticked all the boxes. Bar one.  For the same price I could have probably picked up the drinks tab for the whole wedding. I didn't think Chaz would've  been too thrilled to hear I re-mortgaged the house for the sake of a frock either.  

So unless we win Friday's lottery, I've got five days and counting to find something to wear.  I am going to the dinosaur museum with cubs this afternoon, you never know, desperate times, desperate measures....

Floral floaty by Borne

Roland Mouret Zonda Dress

The Nina Ricci dream

The Art Of Handmade Living

I'm feeling quite over excited today - I've just seen the final front cover of my book - which is coming out in precisely

three months and three days.  Not that i'm counting or anything...  I never thought this day would actually come.  It's been about two years in the making and I thought I'd share some of the pictures from the shoots to give you more of an idea what the book's about.

The front cover 

Mama, Queen of Wreaths

Summer wreath

Me hunting for trims for the paniers

Straw baskets

Clare and Amy in action

Organised mess on the first Welsh shoot

Working out the layout of the magnet pages

My faves - Nautical napkin rings

 

Planning the wreath ingredients shots

Pretty pegs

Cushions in the green house

Final day of the shoot in Oxfordshire

The final shot of the book!

www.cicobooks.com

Easter Visions

Our Easter Table.  

A little late but too pretty not to share.