How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

Outfit:
Black long tweed coat: Next
Black t-shirt: Primark
Black super soft skinny jeans: Primark
Red woolly scarf: New Look
Red studded ankle boots: New Look
Red lipstick: Mistress c/o Clothing at Tesco

Snow?! In March?! What is the world coming too? I am not happy about this at all. Quite a simple outfit really to try and combat the cold weather. I thought i'd brighten up a all black outfit with red accents and I really like the way it's turned out. It's nothing groundbreaking but perfect for lounging about doing odd bits and bobs. These boots were an absolute bargain in the January sales at only £15 and have fast became my favourite boots. I really should invest in more ankle boots if this a sign of winter to come. Anything else think winter has lasted forever this year?

I'm off out to a jumble sale this afternoon to try and score some goodies. Despite being beaten up by the local grannies I actually perfer them to bootsales. Everything is so cheap and they are full of vintage bric and brac as it tends to be the older generantion donating. Fingers crossed all the dealers don't nab the best things! I also managed to lose 2lbs at Weightwatchers this week which has made me estatic! I've now lost 5lbs in three week taking my weight loss down to a stone. It has taken me well over a year but losing weight can get boring extremely quickly if you have a social life. In my eyes life's too short to be couning calories all day every day - sometimes that burger is just too good to turn down.

I'm also on Bloglovin just in case you wanted to follow after all this hoo-ha about Google Reader!

What have you got planned for the weekend?

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Bills - A restaurant review

A good few weeks ago now I took my mum along to Singin' In The Rain - amazing show! - and out for dinner as a very late Christmas present. After visiting Bills in Covent Graden with Hannah on my birthday night, I knew it would be right up my mums street. Full of traditional English food, it's the perfect place to fill up your rumbling tummies. The portions are a fair size which is always a plus - nothing like going out for a nice meal and having to visit Macdonalds on the way home because you're still hungry. Hope it's not only me that does that sometimes! With every set of table and chairs different and cute little tealights smothering the tables, it feels like you're in someone's house. It's lovely and cosy with friendly staff. Our waiter suggested the doughnuts in the top picture and let me tell you, they went down a treat! If something really does tickle your fancy, there's always the possibility of taking it home with you as everything you sample can be brought. Cool huh?

Have you ever been to Bills?

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You can't feel anything that your heart don't want to feel

Outfit:
Camo jacket - Topshop
Grey oversize t-shirt - Asos
Demin boyfriend fit jeans - New Look
White plimsols - Vans

This isn't the most flattering outfit I've ever worn but it's certainly one of the most comfortable ones. I brought these jeans after reading far too many American blogs. They seem to look so effortless wearing just jeans and a t-shirt with heels. I don't think i'm quite pulling it off but might try them out again with a snazzier t-shirt and a pair of heeled sandals. Just a shame we've not got the weather for it yet!

I wore this over the weekend for a lovely day of father daughter bonding while my mother abandoned us. My dad and I took a trip to the local greasy spoon for some much needed fuel before heading out for a little road trip to an antiques place. There was rows and rows of tiny little shacks and barns filled to the brim with nick naks. My idea of heaven! It was fun to find stuff i've already got at home to see how much it was worth. Nothings more satisfying than seeing something you paid pennies for at a bootsale selling for £25. I'm getting quite a good eye it seems. With it being so close to payday I didn't buy a single thing, but I now know what to keep my beady eye out for!

How did you spend your weekend?

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New Look High Summer '13

A few weeks ago I was very kindly invited along to the New Look summer press day to have a sneaky peak at some pretty clothes. Boy do I want summer to hurry now! I was very pleased to see midi dresses were plentiful. I especially loved the aztec patterned one pictured here. Body con seems to be popular which means maybe I should invest in a better pair of spanx eh? Lots of neon acceessories also made an appearance - I think I can make room for a snazzy bag in my collection. Nothing like bright colours to feel like summer has arrived! I'm going to keep my beady eye out for the beautiful orange necklace. It'll look perfect against a white tee and boyfriend jeans. Statement necklaces always seem to make an outfit in my opinion. More pictures can be seen on my facebook page. You'll be in for a treat!

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Feburary Empties

Another month gone and another month of empties to report! Better late than never. How quick is this year going? Far too quick for my liking!

001. Boots Extract Cocoa Butter
I recieved this in a set for Christmas off my sister-in-law. She came up trumps as coconut is my favourite scent when it comes to skincare products. This was just the right thickness of products - I don't like mine too runny. It smells gorgeous and left my skin feeling nice and soft. It's just a shame I only got three uses out of it - I like to lather product on!

002. Dove Go Fresh Nourishing Body Wash in Plum and Sakura Blossom Scent
Yet another Christmas present from two years ago. Sense a theme? My family know i'm a sucker for lotions and potions. This had an absolutely gorgeous smell and had a fierce lather once it got going. I did find you had to put quite a big blob to make it last your whole body but maybe there's just a lot of me! I have long legs!

003. Loreal Elvive Full Restore Repairing Shampoo
I must admit i'm rather shoddy with taking care of my hair. I tend to use whatever my mum has picked up in her weekly shop. But i'd noticed that my hair had became rather lank and lifeless so thought i'd better do something pronto. I found this did the trick quite nicely and i'm already on my second bottle. It gave it such a shine and is pretty cheap too. I probably won't buy it again as i've heard you should change your shampoo every so often? But i'd would reconmend it!

004. No7 Completely Quenched Moisturising Body Lotion
This was another gift for Christmas and came in a brilliant hamper of no7 products. It lasted a whole month which was pretty special I thought. A little went quite a long way. I more or less used it every mourning. The only downside was it seemed to make my stretchmarks flare up again but this could just be down to the fact that I hadn't used coco butter for a few months. It has a great fresh smell and helps keep your dry patches on your elbows under control.

005. Nivea Daily Essentials Ricvh Regenerating Night Cream

006: Ghost - I have no idea what this name is as i've chucked it!
It may look like i've used a lot of perfume this month but these were halfway between getting empty. This is a pleasant scent and it's great as a daytime smell but it's not something I'd buy again as i's rather spend my money on Marc Jacobs Daisy.

007: DKNY Be Delicious
Another perfume bites the dust! I find this scent quite strong and lasts quite a long time without having to reapply. It's also a smell that catches peoples attention - quite a novelty to be told you smell a bit lush i'm sure you'll all agree! I'm already working my way through a second bottle and it's brilliant for an everyday scent as it's not too expensive.

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A night at the movies

If you're anything like me, come the second week of payday you're as poor as a pauper and have to stay in and stare at the four walls for the remaining of the month. So when Blinkbox got in touch with me and asked if I was interested in reviewing some films, I jumped at the chance. To watch movies online is a great way to save some money. Even better if you can invite a bunch of friends round and spilt the cost! Along with some cinema worthy snacks - pizza and chips and dip for me - it can make staying in on a friday night a lot more exciting.

After have a long look online - there were hundreds to choose from - we finally settled on The Watch. We'd missed it at the cinema and after all who doesn't love Ben Stiller? It couldn't have been simpler to use and before long we were snuggled under the covers with belly laughs. Perfect friday night in. Who says you need to spend a bucket load of cash to have a good time?

Have you tried Blinkbox yet?

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Easy Peasy Weightwatchers pizza recipe

My all time favourite food is pizza. I can happily eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sadly it's not very weightwatcher's friendly. This is a great alternative and you can have whatever topping you like. I much prefer to load up on vegetables - Butternut Squash is my new favourite ingredient.




What you'll need:
1 pack of Weightwatchers tortillas depending on how many people you're feeding.
Allsorted vegetables - I used butternut squash, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes.
30 grams of grated mozzarella
1 tablespoon of tomato puree

One pizza is 7 propoints.

 

001: Throw all the  chopped vegetables into a roasted tray. You can add some fry light if you want but in my experience the juice from the tomatoes is more than enough. Roast them for aroun 15-20 minutes.
























002: While the vegetables are roasting, measure out a tablespoon of tomato puree. Spead it around the tortilla to the edges.

 

003: Spread the vegetables in which ever order you prefer.

 

004: Sprinkle the cheese on and stick in the oven at 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on it as it may take shorter because the oven's already been on for the roasted vegetables!





























Ta-da! Serve with a side of salad to make for a more filling dinner. I just have it on it's own for lunch.  It's much more exciting than a boring sandwich. Let me know what combos you try!



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Hanging on the telephone

Outfit:
Black sheer blouse with heart cut outs: Primark
Black skinny brocade trousers: Primark
Black and white tweed coat: Next
Black and white spotted pony skin loafers: Next
Black cameo brooch: Bootsale
Statement large gold flower earrings: Topshop
Kate Spade eyelash iphone cover: c/o Three Mobile
Pink pout: Topshop All About Me - Dream Team birthday present :)

When the lovely people in charge of the PR at Three mobile asked me I wanted to review a case for my iPhone, I jumped at the chance. I am quite literally one of the clumiest people around so a case is on the agenda if I want to keep my phone intact. I picked this one as I thought it was a little fun and as we use our phones everyday we might as well make a statement eh? Lots of people seem to coomment on this one. It feels so solid which is very handy if you drop your phone after a few too many glasses of wine. Moi? Never!

This is my favourite outfit at the minute. Probably because I brought these trousers last year and can now fit in them. Thank you Weightwatchers! It's pretty simple but I think the shoes kinda make it. I like shoes that are a little different - who wants to wear black pumps all the time?!

I'd like to say a massive thank you to Lauren for sending me this - it arrived the very next day and I was extremely impressed.

Do you like to switch up your phone cases too?

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Thrifty Finds #5

The charity shop gods have been my friend recently. I've been finding lots of lovely junk!

001. I absolutely love glass jelly moulds. Admittedly I don't really like jelly that much but they look pretty snazzy on display. The words of a true hoarder right?! This one was only a £1 and was calling my name.























002. This was the find I was most excited about! I dream of finding the perfect dressing table set. Alas there was only the mirror available but the pattern is so pretty. It's a great size and looks beautiful on my shelf!

003. A little treasure my mum picked up for me. She started to turn in me, unable to walk away from a charity shop if she sees on on her travels. I don't think this is vintage but it'll be a lovely addition should I ever entertain guests around breakfast time.



004. This cute sugar bowl and milk jug set caught the eye of my mother and she brought it home for me. It's going in the wedding collection if I ever should get married. I'd love to have afternoon tea instead of a three course meal and am also keeping my beady eye out for teacups and saucers.


005: I'm addicted to finding these little men now - it's the first thing I look out for when i'm hunting around charity shops. I think he's by far the cutest one I own. He was a little expensive at £4 but I think he was worth splashing out for. The red cabbage fellow is next on my list!  I can't wait for the bootsales to start up again.


Have you had any luck in the charity shops recently?

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Eating out on Weightwatchers

If you're anything like me eating out will be the highlight of your week. If I had the money - and didn't mind getting to 30 stone - i'd eat out every night. Many people dread being asked out for dinner as they feel it's hard to be in control of their food if in a restaurant. Don't fear as you'll still be able to enjoy a meal with friends if you're on weightwatchers by following a few simple tips.


001. Stick to diet soft drinks. Wine might be a perfect choice to drink alongside any meal but it's not very kind to your head the next day. I always have diet coke if i'm out for dinner during the week as it still feels like you're treating yourself and it's only 0 propoints. You might as well use the propoints you'll waste on wine to feed your hungry belly in my opinion.

002. Never go out for dinner absolutely starving if you can help it. This will cause  you to over order. Half the time you won't actually need all the food you order but if you're anything like me  you'll eat EVERYTHING. I  hate wasting food when i'm out for dinner - someone say squeaky bum - so i'll scoff everything down until I feel sick. Not the best thing if you're trying to lose weight.

003. This book can be a god send. While it doesn't have every single food establishment listed it gives it a good shot. Have a little flick through it and plan what you're going to eat so you can leave enough points to cover it. Nothing worse than coming home and realising you've eaten a 28 propoint dinner by accident....


004. Use your common sense when ordering. Tomato based sauces tend to be so much better than creamy ones. Cheese although it likes to lure you in is actually the devil when it comes to weight loss. If you desperately want a dessert, why not ask your dining partner if they want to go halves.

005. Finally get your backside moving. Build up your activity points the day before your meal so you can order a starter without feeling guilty. Sometimes life's too short to not throw caution to the wind.

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If you go down into the woods today

Outfit:
Faux fur leopard print coat: Next
Khaki skinny jeans: Primark
Sheer black blouse with a leather collar: New look
Black vest top: Primark
Purple wellies: Hunter
Gold chain crossover bag: Zara

The boys decided they could strike a better pose than me! I think I was and truly overshadowed. My boyfriend in particular has a pout down to a tee. London Fashion Week is his calling!

As part of my new walking plan i've decided to take advantage of the surrounding scenery and take a trip to the forest. I roped in two of my friends who live within 10 minutes of the forest. Despite being muddy and miss-judging how deep certain piles of leaves were, it was a lovely day out. I think once the weather warms up we'll start with the hardcore stuff and bring out the bikes. I'm going to try and make a regular weekend occurence. After all this weight won't shift itself for my holiday in May!

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New Look Fashion Week

On Friday I was very kindly invited along to recharge my batteries at the New Look refueling lounge when the hustle and bustle of Somerset House got too much. I put on a faithful dress and trotted along to the Waldrof with Sarah. To be honest we would have been more than happy to stay there ALL DAY. Delicious nibbles were on display - I can confirm the brownies were very tasty indeed - along with bubble tea. I'm still not quite sure what to think of Bubble Tea. I'm not sure if I like it or not! I managed to get my hair lovingly curled with a hint of purple sprayed on the ends. I liked it so much i'm thinking of trying it out myself with a wash out dye. It was sutble yet made a statement. We may have hogged the photobooth and both struck our best model poses. Kate Moss eat your heart out!

You can find some more pictures on my facebook page :)

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London Fashion Week

Outfit:
Aztec body con midi dress: Primark
Long sleeved cardigan: Primark
Black tights: Primark
Heeled shoe boots: Primark
Bling statement necklace: Primark

Well looks like I was channelling Primark at London Fashion Week this season! I wasn't really planning on popping down but I recieved an invite to head to the New Look refuelling room on the Strand - more on this later - and thought i'd pop to Somerset House with Hannah. I obviously had to have my picture snapped! If you look very closely you be able to see tinges of purple at the ends of my hair supplied by the very generous New Look lounge. I felt like I should have been in an advert with the amazing bounce.

I had an absolute blast at New look and got to spend time with the ever so lovely Sarah and Hannah. I bumped into the gorgeous Elodie at Somerset House which was perfect as we managed to persuade her to come out for my birthday that night. Hannah and I popped along to Bills for a bit of dinner and a cheeky bottle of wine. This set up our evening very nicely indeed. Lily and Elodie joined us at a pub in Covent Garden and the night got very jolly from then on. I had an amazing night dancing to all my favourite indie tunes at the Borderline and finally stumbled into bed at 5am. Perfect birthday night out!

Are you planning a trip to Somerset House?

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