When I crack that whip...

Circus Boutique.

I'm now referring to this top as my ultimate upper east side vintage socialite meets ringmaster garment.  Whilst the word 'ultimate' somewhat suggests to you that I have a whole range of socio/master garments I can assure you this is not the case, but, if I did, this one would top them all. 

It's dazzling. Not just literally it it's embellished appearance, but in the way it almost seem's other worldy. A diamond amognst the rough. In a land dominated by high street and high street replicas it feels like a little touch of special. A little touch of class.

And I could do with that.

Magic

Wise words from a wise man.

When we're young there is magic in everything. There are fairies, hiding, in the grass down the garden. Dolls can speak and toys can see, hear and understand. Imagination is a key companion and the stories inside a mind can save us. A secret world beckons inside every lucisiously flowering garden and between the sunshine and the shadows anything is possible.  Tooth fairies and Christmas elves watch over us, noting down our good behaviour and rewarding when they see fit. Magic lingers like an ever present coat, warm, toasty, like slipping under a blanket and drifting off to dream.

Then we grow up.

And nothing seems to have the same sparkle. 

Sense and logic and cynicism take over. We become bitter, we bitch, we bite. We doubt each other and most of all ourselves because how, how can those dreams we once had ever come to fruition? Not in a world where money not magic talks. Where our job becomes our focus. Our work, not, our imagination. When the daily grind and the slog to get out of bed at 7am replace the leaping excitement of endless summer holidays and magic beneath the apple tree.

When we loose our sparkle.

When we loose our way.

But it's still all around us. And maybe, just maybe, if we can believe again we'll get to sparkle again.

Tuesday Truth

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.


He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter – like your job, your house, your car.
The sand is everything else. The small stuff.”
“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.
Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

A little something I read today. 

What the water gave us

I find something utterly tranquillising about water.

Staring into the depths of a pond, feature or chasing a raindrop down a windowpane can amuse me for hours. I have an altogether too clouded mind and ironic, as it is, that something that derives from clouds can be so soothing, it's true. Where there's water there is peace.

After all, if there wasn't water there wouldn't be anything.

Now I just need a coin to throw and a wish to make.

Circus Boutique

All listings found here.

Stumbling across a new favourite place to shop is always a lovely occurrence. The other day thanks to a beauty of a re-tweet I learnt about the launch of a new indie boutique. Clicking over I was greeted by an absolute feast of beautiful clothes laid out before me, calling my name. I caved, quickly and promptly ordered a lovely piece which is currently on its way to me. The rest, above, I've confined to a wish-list for now. Until the funds allow me to stage somewhat of an assault and claim half the shop as my own. 

Circus boutique - the most beautiful boutique I've seen for a while.

Oh, and Bianca - who runs it - is an absolute love, helpful to the max and committed to bringing us a whole range of gorgeousness all day long. 

Heaven.

Quiet Corners

This week has been absolutely manic.

Fulltime work has so far been a mix of daunting, incredible and exciting.

I'm officially a 'Miss' again and despite hearing it over 2000000 times in the last two days - I love it.

However, times like this call for quiet corners and moment to sit back and breathe.

This little section is one such area of my room. 

Hey, if you just saw this you might even think the rest is tidy?!

Lighten Up

Tools :

Foundation - Dainty Doll by Nicola Roberts in '002' 

Blush - MUA 'Shade two'

Lips - Topshop 'Ooh La La'

Eyeliner - Barry M 'wink' 

Mascara - Rimmel London 'Volume flash'

Oh wow. This is unusual. A look that doesn't involve blood red lips and chalk white cheeks!

Sometimes (very rarely) I like to bring a little colour into my life and cheeks and play around with a little bit of blusher. Topped off ironically by good old TOPshop and 'ooh la la' - an absolute favourite lipsick of mine. So vibrant and fun and equally gorgeous on olive skin as well as fair.

Today I've said goodbye to one of the best <3 and am saying goodbye (slowly) to the last day of the holidays. I'm going back to work tomorrow. Big girl style. 

I'd much rather stay home and blog and play with the cat.

Hold me while I cry? 

Quote Unquote 1

"Butterflies are god's proof that there is a second chance in life."

Something to remember. To cling to on those dark days. Just when the caterpillar thought it was all over...

Trinkets

I have a little tooth in here

Which I barely lost today

And I will not even shed a tear

If you will kindly come my way!

When I was three years old I stayed overnight at my grandparents house one Friday night. My mum had recently had my baby sister and in order to give her and my dad a break my grandparents 'borrowed' me as they regularly did throughout my childhood. After feasting on a treat of fish and chips   my grandma gave me a bath and so, as legend goes, left me curled up on the sofa chatting to my granddad whilst wrapped in a huge fluffy towel. 

No more than five minutes later she returned to find me screaming my head off, blood everywhere and an entirely boggled granddad panicking over what I'd done. Once the dust (and blood) had settled it became apparent that I'd somehow managed to pull my very own tooth out whilst chewing on the corner of the towel. 

My grandma has never forgotten or quite gotten over the drama of that night (I think I scarred her for life!) and thanks to this gorgeous trinket box above neither have I. They brought it me for my next birthday I believe, so that I could collect any teeth that happened to be lost in less dramatic circumstances and set them ready for the arrival of the tooth fairy.

Trinkets always divide people ; some labelling them as meaningless tat that should be thrown away and hidden out of site in spotless homes, others (myself included) unable to fathom a home without them. This little box has moved around with me a lot but will always have a little place and space in my home. 

Do any of you have any little trinkets that mean the world to you even if others would merely wrinkle their noses at the sight of them?