Monday 23.03.

What a lovely weekend I had - it was so nice to catch up with family and friends over a few glasses of wine on Saturday night, but still be up and about early on Sunday morning.

The Mother's Day lunch went very well (I made 2 dishes that I had never tried before and they were both fab). The Caramel banana Blondies were a huge hit - they were so easy to make - I will be making them again soon!

After food shopping, preparing lunch and washing the floors we even managed to squeeze in a little trip to the park to feed the ducks and stop in at our favorite coffee shop (it is becoming a bit of a Sunday ritual).

I love the way that these trousers hang, I think they flatter my legs! The trousers have quite masculine detailing so I think that this frilly chiffon blouse works really well - I only wish it was a bit warmer as this is really not an outfit for a cold and windy day!

Today's outfit is:

Checked trousers - Vila

Cami - Primark

Frilly blouse - Forever 21

Black patent t-bar wedges - Barratts

Necklace - Ann Taylor Loft

Saturday 21.03.

It is a lovely Spring Saturday and I have (so far fingers crossed it continues) had a nice busy morning.

The trousers and blouse that I have on came into stock a few weeks ago and so far lots of people have commented on them but no sales as yet. As it was another bright day I though I would wear them and do a bit of advertising/modeling! I am glad to say that I have sold 2 of the blouses so far!

We have a lovely weekend planned and I am very much looking forward to getting home and getting on with it! My sister is having a get together this evening which will be fun and tomorrow we are having my bf's parents round for lunch as it is Mothers Day.

Today's Outfit is:

Beige & cream pinstripe trouser - Vila

White blouse - Vila

Tan wedges - Dune

Necklace - Guess

Friday 20.03.

Yay for Friday!
This week has not been great for me! I know that I should not be complaining as the FABULOUS Spring-like weather is still with us but I just can not help it!

Last night I arrived home to a package that I have been waiting on and I was very excited that finally it was here. It was the seeds that I need to have a go at growing some vegetables. A few weeks ago we bought a mini greenhouse and decided to try and grow some of the things that we eat!
So this weekend I am going to be getting started on planting the following:

Cherry Tomatoes
Gem Lettuce
Rocket
Courgette (Zucchini)
Carrot
Leek

I am very excited as we have almost been in our house 2 years and this is the first year that we are putting real effort into the beautiful garden that we have. I really hope that I manage to get a few things that we can eat!

It is my mums birthday today, so after work I am heading to see her and give her the gift that I have for her. My parents are off to Orlando tomorrow for a week so it will also be a chance to say goodbye and give my mum the list of things that I would like her to bring home!!

Today's outfit is:

Block colour dress - SkunkFunk
Teal tights - Primark
Black shoe boots - Armani Exchange
Necklaces - H&M

Discount Code!

For those of you that like the manicured look and LOVE a bargain - get over to www.eyeslipsface.co.uk as this weekend they have reduced their nail polishes to only £1!

Thursday 19.03.

Thank goodness it is Thursday! I am still not sure what is up - but I really do not feel like myself at all this week! I really just want to get to Saturday night lock up and go home and sleep until I feel normal again!

It was such a beautiful evening yesterday that my bf and I went out a lovely walk along the beach to watch the sunset before dinner - it was just beautiful and so uplifting to finally see that lighter nights and better weather is coming!

I have taken a layer out of my outfit today and it feels so good! No camisole on today - it is a start! Bare legs before I know it! I also have not had the heating on in the shop since mid morning!

Today's outfit is:

Plum tunic - Papaya
Black Leggings - Forever 21
Black cardigan - Vila
Necklace - Forever 21
Shoes - Forever 21

GIVEAWAY WINNER!!!

And the winner is.........

Chic Mamma

!!CONGRATULATIONS!!

Send me an email (thingsaboutiqueownersees@yahoo.co.uk) containing your address and I will get this off to you!

Wednesday 18.03.

I decided to break out the colour to try and lift my mood - I have been feeling a bit down this week and I am not sure why!
This skirt never fails to make me feel good and chirpy - and with another fabulous spring day I am feeling slightly better!

Today's outfit is:

Pattern skirt - French Connection
Teal cami - H&M
Coral sweater - BlendShe
Teal tights - Primark
Coral ballet flats - Topshop
Necklace and earrings - Forever 21
Charm Bracelet - Thomas Sabo

A bit of Spring!

I am starting to get Spring Fever!

It started for real at the weekend when the weather turned very nice, sunny and mild and the bf and I were able to get outside and get some work done in the garden!
In the last few days since we cleared away all of the dead leaves that winter left behind all of the Spring flowers have really started to come through.

In the back garden and in the pots at the front door the Daffodils are in full bloom and they are just so bright and cheery. I love Daffodils they are one of my favorite flowers for the simple reason that I can not help but smile when I see them!

So because of that I decided to buy some cut Daffodils for the shop - to inject some Spring cheer!
Don't they just look beautiful??

Tuesday 17.03.

I am feeling very blah about my wardrobe this week. I was so tempted to just pull on a pair of jeans this morning but just managed to resist.
I think the problem is that I am sick fed up wearing winter clothes - I want to be wearing nice spring styles with bare legs and nice light cardigans!
I really hope that I can drag myself out of this asap - as it is just not good for business!!

On a plus note, it is a lovely spring day here today (we seem to be getting nice and not so nice day about which does not help things) and I am very pleased to announce that I do not have the heating cranked right up to max - this is progress!

Today's outfit is:

Grey leggings - Vila
Grey cami - American Eagle
Grey & cream jumper dress - American Eagle
Cream boots - River Island
Necklace - Guess

Giveaway Reminder!!

I am going to draw the brooch giveaway at some point tomorrow afternoon!

So, if you want to be in with a chance of making it yours and you have not left a comment yet - leave me a comment today!

Good luck!

Monday 16.03.

Forgive me for this super casual outfit! I am not feeling the best (I have not been for a few days now) and I am only in work for the morning. I lots of errands to do when I finish and really if I am honest I just could not be bothered to think about what I was going to wear today.

I aim to have my errands done as quickly as possible so that I can get home get some cleaning out of the way and them cook up some meals for the coming week. I do hope at some point during the weekend to relax with my book and one of the muffins that I baked yesterday!

Yesterday was a beautiful day here - it was SPRING!! We got up early got the food shopping done quickly, had breakfast together, went and met family for coffee and catch up. The bf and I then went to feed the ducks (with our stale bread) and this was all before 1pm! After lunch we spent a fantastic few hours out getting out garden ready for all of the things that we have planned! I love days like that!

Today's outfit is:

Black skinny jeans - Primark
Grey bow detail knit - Vila
Black patent ballet flats - Old Navy

Friday 13.03

I am dressed very casually today as I could not drag myself out of bed this morning. The bf and I watched some of the Comic Relief programmes last night and I ended up staying up later that I should (I am not good on little sleep).

On the whole we do not have much planned for the weekend - which should be great! I am hoping to make a start on preparing the garden for summer. But we are out a friends for dinner this evening. It is a very casual affair so I will not even be changing.

Today's outfit is:

Plum tunic - BlendShe
Cami (not seen) - Topshop
Black leggings - Vila
Black Cardy boots - Ugg

Thursday 12.03

I have decided that I am going home tonight to take this dress off, wash it and get it listed on eBay - it is just not working for me. I think it is just too short for me.

My bf is home today (he has been away working again) so we are just have a nice chilled out night. I have dinner pretty much prepared (that way I am not stuck in the kitchen too much) and I think we will go out a walk and pick up a bottle of wine to take with us to our friends house tomorrow evening.

Today's outfit is:

Grey & plum mini dress - Mina UK
Purple tights - SkunkFunk
Purple shoes - Forever 21

Wenesday 11.03.

At the weekend I decided to have a clear out of my underwear and PJ drawers - 5 drawers in total (and quite a task). I was fed up with having to stuff and squeeze things in! So I pulled all of the drawers out of their chests and put them all on top of the bed and got to work.

I decided to sort the underwear into matching sets, matching cotton basics, perfect socks (ie no miss matched pairs - under boots I do not care - or holes) tights that are of a good fit and that are perfect.

Well I filled a kitchen bin bag with miss matched underwear, single socks and uncomfortable tights.

I then got to work on the PJ's - I have a LOT of them. When I get home at night I change out of my daily outfit and into PJ's, if we go out I get dressed again. I love them I love to get new pairs as gifts, I love to treat myself to new ones for no reason and I like a new pair for going on holiday etc. However, I tend to wear my 4 favorite pairs over and over (wash, dry, wear). I also have my all time favorite pair that are honestly about 8 years old (my mum has given the shorts new elastic at the waist twice, the top has holes in the underarm etc) they are my sick PJ's!!!

Well they went in the bin bag too!! Along with the ones that are just not comfy to sleep in, the ones that I can not hang out the washing or take the bin out in (too short, too see through etc).

It was great - I now know that everything that I kept is not falling apart, uncomfortable or just not me. I can also open and close my drawers with ease and without stuff springing out at me! I also found things buried way in the depths of drawers that I had forgotten all about!!

So the point of the story just told - today's tights!!! Totally forgot they existed!

Today's outfit is (created round the tights):

Black jersey dress - Vila

Black cropped cardigan - Primark

Black cami (not seen) - Primark

Pink footless tights - Primark (I think)

Scarf worn as belt (sorry Kimberly for ripping off your idea AGAIN) - Vila

Shoes - Nine West

Necklace and earrings - Made by Me

!!!!!! GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

GIVEAWAY

BEAUTIFUL VINTAGE LOOK BROOCH

This brooch was part of a lovely LBD that I had on sale just after Christmas (the dress had a cute little belt that was secured with this brooch). I found this brooch lying under the chair in the fitting room and all of the dresses had been sold.

I have been holding onto the brooch for weeks looking for something to add it to - but brooches are just so not me. I have tried to pin it to hats, coats, cardigans and I just do not like the look!

So ladies if yo want it to add to your accessory collection leave me a comment and I will enter all of your names into Random.org next Wednesday (18th March) and draw a winner! I will post this item anywhere!

Tuesday 10.03.

What a difference a nice bright and dry day makes?!
I am much more positive today and there have been lots of people in the shop - some just browsing and others buying! Fingers crossed this is a sign that the nicer weather is just around the corner, this winter has been going on forever - I am so over it!

I started my outfit today with the boots (I realised that I had not worn them for a while) and then worked the rest around them. It then turned out that I have not worn black with this cardigan/dress for a while - and it then all came together nicely!

Today's outfit is:

Plum cardigan/dress - Vila
Black cami - Primark
Black tights - Tesco
Plum necklace - Primark
Ring - Charlotte Russe
Boots - Topshop
Earrings - Forever 21 via the amazing Kimberly (I love them and you are the best!! <3)

Monday 09.03.

Another week here already!

It was a very wet and wild weekend here, so I decided to keep things casual for today as the walk to and from work will be a bit of a battle.

The weather made for a quiet Saturday and even quieter day so far today - I really hope that Spring shows itself around here soon.

I have so many nice lightweight styles in stock in lovely pale Spring shades and people at the moment are still thinking about their winter woollies!

Today's outfit is:

Jeans - Vila

Cami - Primark

Check shirt - Hollister

Red silk scarf worn as head band - Echo (vintage from eBay)

Red ballet flats - Tod's

Silver jewellery - Tiffany

Saturday 07.03.

I am so ready for Spring to make an appearance - I have had enough of cold dark days!

I thought that I would wear a nice light outfit today and not reach for my go to long sleeved t-shirts. I am glad that I did as I feel like I am dressing a bit more for Spring (but I have kept up my layers and my trusty scarf).

My bf has been working away again this week and I have no plans for this evening - so I am going to head home change into my yoga pants and an old t-shirt and get stuck into the house hold chores.

At the moment I am aiming to keep going until it is done and that will keep Sunday as a "free" day! But I will have to see how it all goes!

Today's outfit is:

Jeans - French Connection

Cardigan - French Connection

Cami - Hollister

Scarf - Forever 21

Brown boots - Aldo

Necklace - Forever 21

Charm bracelet - Thomas Sabo

Confessions of a Shopaholic......

I had to write a bit about the movie as I was so pleasantly surprised!!

I went with pretty low hopes as I enjoyed the books so much - I read them as they came out and I have re-read all of them (they are the ultimate beach read for me). I had even lower hope of what Isla Fisher was going to do with the role!

Isla I take it all back - you were just fabulous, not to mention hilariously funny. I loved how "out there" Becky's style was.
I want a pair of orange leather gloves for next winter and I am on the eBay hunt already. I also have to mention the bridesmaid dress!! It was so UGLY that it was just fabulous!

I went to the movie with my friend who is getting married 7 weeks today (in the Bahamas) and I joked that I wanted multi-coloured tulle for under my dress!

If you have not seen the movie go out and see it - even just for the comedy factor or the designer label spotting!

Another reason to not do the dishes.....

In our house (9 times out of 10) I make dinner and my bf does the dishes. On Wednesday night he was working late and I was seeing to myself, so I was clearing up the kitchen and washing my own dishes.

I was washing a mug that I had, had a cup of tea in and it broke as I was washing it!!!
I ended up with a pretty nasty cut in a really bad area of the finger.

It is right at the knuckle on my index finger and it bled for such a long time. The bleeding has stopped now but it is still a bit sore and puffy!

Excuse the adhesive marks from the dressing - it is too sore to scrub at the moment!

Friday 06.03.

I am heading to see "Confessions of a Shopaholic" with my friend tonight and I am really not sure if I am excited or not. I have read all of the books and loved them. I have been advised to just pretend that it is a stand alone movie and not try to link it to the book too much!
Also I just DON'T like Isla Fisher - I didn't like her back when she played Shannon in "Home and Away" and I still don't now!

I did not mean to wear similar outfits 2 days in a row - it has just kind of happened! I love wearing this tunic as it feels nice and bright and I can wear it with lots of brown tones!

Today's outfit is:

Mustard printed tunic - Mina UK
Brown leggings - Oasis
Brown cardigan - Forever 21
Brown boots - Faith

Thursday 05.03.

So, we still have the snow - well it froze over night so we have piles of ice everywhere. It was an interesting walk to work this morning!! The sun has come out in the last hour or so, fingers crossed it starts to melt a bit by the time I am heading home!

As it is another cold one I went for layers today - and layers I have - lots of them! But it is a trick that does keep the chill out!

Today's outfit is:

Block colour jersey dress - Forever 21
Cami (not seen) - Topshop
Brown leggings - Forever 21
Brown cardigan - Forever 21
Grey knee high socks - eBay
Brown boots - Faith

So.....??

Was it me, two days ago, that said "Yay for March?" Hhmm, I think it was - well I take it back!! What is with the snow being back?? Now I love the snow as much as the next person at Christmas, or when I have no where to go, but when I have to walk to work and then rely on customers to be out and about and want to walk into my little shop?? Not so much!!

Ah, but even the snow making my day quiet and uneventful can not keep me down as I am just so excited!!!
Last night the bf and I finally got booked up to go to our very good friends wedding......... in the BAHAMAS!!!!!

Oh yes Paradise Island here I come!!!

In roughly 6 weeks time, so let the diet and serious beauty regime begin!!

Wednesday 04.03.

I thought that today I would get on the "pattern mixing" band wagon and while I was at it I though I would mess about a bit and see what fun stuff I could do with my pictures (bare with me I am technically challenged).

Well the collage thing that I created I like but it has come out too small - but I am going to have another go tomorrow.

As for the pattern mixing - I have to say that I am LOVING my unusual combination. I like this dress, cardigan tights combo the last time that I wore it, but today thought that a nice pop of pattern and colour would brighten a miserable snowy day!

Yesterday was great fun - I have picked out some FAB pieces for A/W 2009 and got some great insider tips about selling and displaying from the agents.

My bf and I did go for dinner we went to a bar that specialises in beers of the world - it has a great atmosphere (it is underground) and they do the most amazing stone baked pizzas and also have great deals on wine pizza combos!! Just my kind of place!

Today's outfit is:

Denim mini dress - Vila

Cami (not seen) - Primark

Leopard print cardigan - Forever 21

Scarf (used as belt) - Vila

Brown tights - Primark

Leopard print ballet flats - Primark

Tuesday 03.03.

This dress came into stock on Friday and I knew that I had to have one. I am LOVING the bright block colour! It is also such a fun and quirky shape.
I am not too sure about the teal tights and the black boots, so I have asked my bf to bring me a pair of black tights when he comes to get me. I think that the black will work a little better as I have my black mac on and my big black handbag!

I am heading off shortly to the last of my buying appointments. My bf is coming along with me and afterwards we are going to have some dinner and a few drinks in Glasgow before getting a late train home. I am looking forward to it - we have not had a night out just the 2 of us for a while!

Today's outfit is:

Block colour jersey dress - SkunkFunk
Teal tights - Primark
Black shoe boots - Armani Exchange
Necklaces - H&M

Review - E.L.F. Eye Shadow Brush

Specially sheered brush tip absorbs the perfect amount of eye shadow and provides long lasting color saturation. The comfort curved brush contours the eye with natural gliding strokes for easy and accurate eye shadow application.
All e.l.f. professional makeup brushes have been designed and tested by professional makeup artist Scott Vincent Borba. Each brush has been ergonomically designed to fit perfectly into your hand and facilitate a flawless finish with every application.

That is what E.L.F. have to say about their eye shadow brush. I have to say that for £1.50 this is the best value eye shadow brush that you are going to find!
It is rally full and beautifully soft. In the past I have used cosmetic brushes from little stocking filler sets that have felt rough and scratchy when applying eye shadow.

With the E.L.F. eye shadow brush being full of lots of lovely soft bristles you get a great coverage of product without any dragging or scratching of the eye lid.
Before getting this product I had been using my finger for application most mornings and I have to say that after a day at work my eye make up now looks as it did just after I put it on - I am sure that this is down to the application.

I would honestly order more brushes from the range that E.L.F. have on offer and I would gladly recommend the products to a friend. I have to say that the service that I received from E.L.F. is the best that I have EVER had from an online retailer!

Monday 02.03.

Yay for March!! Roll on some Spring like weather!!

I had a lovely (but way too quick) weekend with the "hen party" on Saturday and then a family meal at my parents house on Sunday. It was really nice, but so busy and tiring - I had to drag myself out of bed this morning.
I have quite a busy week ahead of me too - I have a few more appointments with suppliers this week and then the buying season should pretty much be over!

I have decided that from now on (where possible) if I am wearing jeans to work I have to try to wear a smart top with them. My black jeans are needing washed (I hate jeans after they have been washed) so I decided to get one more wear out of them before I do some laundry later!
I am ashamed to say that I found this top at the very bottom of the ironing bundle the other night - I had totally forgotten all about it! It is like having a new top on today! I also want to point out my new shoes. I got them when I was out with my sisters the other week, I did not need them but at £3.71 I really could not resist them! Glad I bought them as they look so cute on!

Today's outfit is:

Black skinny jeans - Primark
Black vest (not seen) - Tesco
Cream and black top - Topshop
Necklace - Ann Taylor Loft
Cream and black (Chanel Style) ballet flats - Primark