Happiness is..

Coming home from holiday to a new, half price in the sale,  Chinti and Parker jumper...

www.chintiandparker.com

Stay Golden

H&M isn't usually my first port of call when hunting for a new nail varnish.  Stocking up on pre-holiday waterproofs this morning (we're going on a 'stay-cation' to the Scilly Isles) I came across this sparkly gold vision.  I painted one finger in the queue to pay and loved it so much I had to go back this afternoon to get a bottle.  It's clear varnish with hundreds of tiny different shaped sparkles - as great as it is by itself, it would look pretty special painted on top of a colour too I feel...

Stay Golden Nail Polish

£2.99

Asos A/W 12

I've given up on Summer.  I'm secretly hoping that if we pretend we're over it, it'll come back.  Always the way.  Kind of like the waiting for a bus scenario.

Wardrobe wise, I'm fully into Autumn Winter already.  My newest buy, a wool, red and navy tartan dress almost even had an outing yesterday.  

The photos here are some of the new ASOS A/W collection which I'm loving and getting very excited about.  Especially loving the dungarees and woollen jumpsuit...

images via honestly wtf

Violet's Box

I'm not going to talk about the weather.  But I mean, really?

Life with two cubs who only want to be outside is quite testing at the moment.  The only way through it is to daydream.  Thinking of anywhere and anything other than this.  Today's thoughts are of my 30th. Again.

I've mentioned the 30th before and you probably won't be shocked to know that we are still nowhere near a decision of what to do.  Although one condition, sans doute, is that there is sun.

One thing slightly swaying the decision is the new online dressing up sensation, 'Violet's Box'. If we didn't go away, a full on fancy dress party is definitely top of the list. I love any excuse to dress up. Although as much as I love the idea, I've often got so excited about the thought of it and run out of steam doing the research that when it comes down to it, the outfit's never as good as I've had in mind.  And I end up wearing some hideous, highly flamable, plastic creation, wishing I'd been more creative.

My exciting new find, Violet's box is going to put an end to this.  The new company is full of brilliant, original vintage and fancy dress creations (not a red pvc devil costume in sight) both to buy and for rent.  You can even invite Violet to your party and she'll come, outfits at the ready and dress you herself.

I did Pirates for my 21st - and all the Cub's birthdays so far - it might be time to move on.  I'm quite taken with the corsets and bloomers so thinking Marie Antoinette could be quite a good one?  

Or cowboys and Indians..


  


Or perhaps 'Festival'...
 
www.violetsbox.com 

Here comes the bride

Anyone planning getting married in hurry or having a last minute meltdown over the wedding dress?

Your knights in shining armour -Tophop and Richard Nicoll - are ready and waiting.

Launched today is 'Tie the Knot' their first ever bridal boutique.   A collection of seven dresses - which would also handily not look out of place on a night out on the town.

Just don't tell the bride...

www.topshop.com

Chez Diane

I've never been a massive Diane Von Furstenburg wearer but have always been quite fascinated with Diane herself.  Architectural Digest recently photographed her Manhattan penthouse - which sits  on top of five stories of DVF headquarters.  I love the bright, slightly mad feel she's created.  And am especially jealous of that Arabian Night's style bed.

 

 

Images thanks to Architectural Digest

The Land of Nod

Sleeping has never been the smallest Cub's forte.  From day one he has insisted on my presence beside him every hour or so throughout the night.  It's been taking its toll over the past few weeks; The frequency of exhaustion-led-meltdowns has increased -we're now on about one a week.  And I'm looking about 45.  I even contemplated giving  good old Dr Sebagh a call this morning.  I restrained myself and bought a tub of Waitrose 'Baby Bottom Butter' instead.   It's supposedly miraculous for the wrinkles.

I've tried everything humanly possible to make him sleep.  I've read every bit of Gina Ford, Baby Whisperer and Mumsnet advice a million times over. I've bought black out blinds and white noise machines.  Any hint of a helpful suggestion and I'm all over it.

I've been keeping cranial osteopathy as an emergency last option and yesterday was that day.  We went first thing to Oxford to meet Dr Susan Farwell.  Twenty minutes later and discovering that he had indeed been in need of a little bit of adjustment, we were on our way home again.   Being my last attempt, I hadn't dared think about what I'd do if this didn't work.  Maybe go on a road trip to find Gina Ford in person.  At least I know he'd sleep in the car.

I was awake for most of the night, listening out for him.  But the cries never came.  We were instead woken at 7 15 am by the bigger Cub shouting from the rooftops that he needed a wee. It is a miracle -   the smallest Cub has finally slept for twelve hours straight.  I am terrified that it was a fluke and tomorrow i'll be up again with the larks at five.   But for now I will hope and pray that it was actually down to Dr Susan and not some mean trick of nature...

Feast of the Gods

The last two weeks have been a total blur.  Venice totally threw me off piste.  I've been running around like a mad lady trying to make everything perfect for the small Cub's Christening ever since I got back.  

Lunch, in the end - if I do say so myself - was a sensation.  I feel I can say that as I only made about 2% of it.  The majority was all down to Chaz and our Mums. As usual we made enough for ten times the amount of people that came - I'm still enjoying the leftovers.  Suze's chocolate mousse for a 10am pick me up this morning couldn't have been more perfect.

The Final Menu;

Canapes.

Crudite with guacamole, hummus with honey and taramasalata

honey mustard mini sausages

parma ham and melon

Strips of seared beef with soy and miring sauce

Quails eggs and swanky Daylesford celery salt

...

Rare filet of beef

Poached salmon and hollandaise sauce

Roasted aubergine, feta and sunflower seed salad

Courgette ribbons, roasted peppers and basil salad

Green salad with avocados

Beetroot and seed salad with a maple syrup dressing

Cured hams and salamis

Jersey Royal potaotes - roasted and boiled

Asparagus, toasted pine nut, pea, broad bean and pea leaf salad

...

Suze's chocolate mousse

jewelled fruit salad

Pavolva Sensation christening cake

...