Showing posts with label LK Bennett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LK Bennett. Show all posts

Sunday, 10 July 2011

Favourite shoes and a culinary disaster

Another busy week and jam-packed weekend.  I can't believe how quickly the summer is whizzing by.  I am loving this feeling of being smack bang in the middle of summer, even though it has rained a bit this week.  I am spending as much time as possible outside;  breakfast and tea breaks are spent in the garden and the dog's walks have become longer.

The cleaners have been for the first time this week.  Whilst it was a bit odd to sit and type as they dashed around with hoovers and stood on windowsills (I kept feeling as though I ought to help), it has been so nice to sit down in the evenings and know that there is nothing for us to do.  Well, OK, the ironing pile in the spare room may have reached mountainous proportions but no-one irons stuff these days, right?

So we had J this weekend and it's been kind of fun.  We had vouchers for Pizza Express on Friday night (50% off all main meals - hurrah for having a husband with a voucher fetish) - have you tried the melanzane parmigiana?  OMG it's delish.  That and a glass of pink wine started my weekend off very nicely.  On Saturday we chilled out at home.  I made a lasagna from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food cookbook.  It took me three [effing] hours to make from start to finish.  I so badly wish I'd taken photos of it because it looked beautiful all golden and bubbly in its big pan, with the big sliced tomatoes and freshly picked basil leaves.  Served up on the plate, though, it could quite easily have passed for a plate of vomit.  It was ridiculously watery (probably because I got over-excited with the food mixer and accidentally pureed the celery and onion that was only meant to be finely chopped).  The cheesy sauce mixed in with the tomato sauce giving the whole thing a kind of pale pink hue and the cubed carrots just added to the overall 'vom' effect.  We still ate it, it tasted quite good, but we all seemed to take it in turns snorting with laughter as we ate.  Good job I'm not sensitive about my inability to cook.

Happily we went out for lunch today and put away huge piles of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.  I took the opportunity to wear a favourite pair of heels and thought I'd show you:

I don't know what those two little lines on my right leg are... do you see them?  Just on the front of my ankle?  I hope they aren't veins.  Do you get varicose veins on the front of your ankles?  I don't notice the front of my ankles generally because I don't pay attention to them but now I'm obsessing slightly (I'm really far too vain (vein, ha!) to take such close up photos of myself, I should know this)... anyway... you can't see the veins (or whatever they are) in this pic:

Love the platform.  Love the heel.  Love the snakeskin effect leather. ( I like a snake effect shoe.  I have these, a pair of court shoes which I shared here, a pair of flat strappy sandals and a pair of flat pointy ballet pumps.)  Also love that they strap firmly onto my feet and feel sturdy-ish (I am useless at walking in heels so not sure why I own so many pairs).

I wore them with a khaki linen jumpsuit that I picked up in Next a little while ago:


I am not sure how I feel about jumpsuits.  I know that they are a bit 80s but I was too young to wear them then, favouring Snoopy sloppy joe sweaters and bleached denim instead.  I like that it's an easy decision of what to wear in the morning and the elasticated waist makes it a good choice for a slap-up lunch date.  But I did feel kind of 'LOOK AT ME!' and I certainly don't like having to strip right off just to go for a wee.  Still, it was cool and comfortable and I like to give these things a whirl. Not sure I'll wear it again.

Off now to catch up on some blog reading before bed.  Have a happy week my lovely blog chums.

Nicki 

x

Sunday, 15 May 2011

♥ing Red

Just lately I have had a thing for the colour red.  I treated myself to a Union Jack mug at the weekend and a new red whisk.  I love red and navy together but red with pale pink makes my heart race.... It's the simple things!



We've had a full-on weekend and I'm shattered.  I have a step-son and we fetch him for the weekend every fortnight.  He adores his dad and seems to like me by association - we get on like a house on fire.  He rules but, OMG, I'm exhausted when he leaves! This weekend I have taken part in two sock fights, listened to a long [enthusiastic and complicated] lecture about Marvel versus DC, watched a gory film about aliens and planned [in minute detail] the party for his 13th birthday that he has chosen to have at our house next month.  (I might need to cling film the house for that particular event.) 

If my step-son had his way, we would stay home all weekend and watch movies, play video games and generally just hang out.  I get cabin fever if I stay indoors for too long (I think because I often work from home) so I dragged the boys to a pretty town near us for a pub lunch on Saturday.

My love for the colour red is slowly finding its way into my wardrobe.  On Saturday I dug out an old red mac that I've had for ages.  Belted tightly with the sleeves rolled up I thought it looked quite fresh.  I like rediscovering old favourites.
Mac - John Lewis, Sweater - Joules, Handbag - Mulberry,
Denim Leggings - M&S, Shoes - Next
Today we went to my Mother-in-Law's for lunch and I fancied wearing my new red jeans, not least because they are stretchy and can easily accommodate a greedy girl's expanding tummy. 
Denim Jacket - Mango, Top - Primark,  Necklace - M&S,
Jeans - Next, Shoes - LK Bennett
I wore my platform peep-toes for a bit of Sunday afternoon glamour.

The thing that always makes me laugh about children is how brutally honest they are.  Or maybe that's just my step-son.  I quite often get an 'oooh, fancy' (in a silly voice) if I've made even the slightest effort.  He has also requested, several times, that I do not wear my jogging bottoms when he has his birthday party because they are [his words] chavvy.  (So not fair.  They are skinny leg joggers and, I think, quite cool.) 

Memorably, he once told me I looked like 'one of those sophisticated mums'.  Not sure what that meant, I was wearing a pair of over-the-knee boots at the time.  Today, rather alarmingly, upon seeing me dressed and ready to go he declared chirpily: 'well, hello teen!'.  I'm 34, that's not good.  
Nicki

x

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

Bad Hair Day, Good Bag Day


Dress and Jacket - M&S, Belt - Reiss, Sheer Tights - John Lewis, 
Snakeskin Courts - LK Bennett, Handbag - Mulberry
Despite getting up at the crack of sparrows this morning I still didn't have time to wash my hair (as evidenced by extraordinarily straggly ponytail).  I really should get up earlier - I know it's attention to the detail such as washed and blow-dried hair, polished nails and curled eyelashes that make all the difference to your appearance but I err on the side of grunge most of the time.

It mattered not a jot today though, I was wearing my favourite work shoes and carrying a new handbag.  All was right in my world! 

Nicki
x