Frolics in the snow and my new sassy coat...

It has been snow, snow....SNOW in Newcastle for the last few days. Luckily it hasn't really affected me too much, apart from a few pairs of soggy socks and frizzy 'weather' hair. 

I spent Sunday afternoon in my back garden making a snowfriend (I accidently typed this instead of snowman...I think I've lost the plot!) with Michael. When we were done we went to Heaton Perk (which is a really sweet little cafe about 5 minutes from my flat) for tea, cake and warmth. It was really lovely to do something that was really fun and that didn't cost a fortune.

 

 I wore a new coat that I bought from Urban Outfitters. It was a whimsical purchase when I saw that it was in my size and reduced from £185 to £40. I'm currently doing a post on my New Years resolutions/aims for 2013 so you will soon find out how BAD of me this was.Although... I have been looking for a smart coat yet practical coat for a long while. Most of the ones I found were way out of my budget and would never leave the Elephant Graveyard that is my ASOS 'saved' list! 

 Sometimes it's worth taking a little risk. It's not like I couldnt return it? I did leave the tags on for several days whilst I pondered whether or not to keep it. It was quite the ceremony when I finally decided to cut the tag off and snap the stitching that fastened the pockets together. I do love it a lot. I feel like a proper smart little 'lady' when wearing it.

Paris and Christmas

I thought I'd share some of my pictures that I took over Christmas and on my jaunt to Paris. Paris was the most wonderful thing I have ever done. I really romanticised being there at Christmas and being on my own, just wandering around and discovering beautiful things and it really lived up to my expectations.  A few of the highlights were:

• A man dressed in a suit and bowler hat who was juggling to entertain cars as they waited at the red light in Bastille.
• Seeing Les Enfants Du Paradis (apparently the French Gone With The Wind) entirely in French in a tiny independent cinema. Everyone stood up and clapped at the end and I sat next to a little old lady who had smuggled biscuits into the cinema in her bag.
• Hot chocolate and the view of Paris from Sacre Coeur
• The no-nonsense attitude of the Parisians
• The Dali exhibition in Montmartre
• The street art in Montmartre
• Just Montmartre in general!

I stayed in a hostel for the first time and although I found it hard to sleep on the first night I ended up really enjoying talking to people from allover the world. Although, I did get a bit sad every time one of my roomies moved on. I think there is a part of me that has a real issue with 'change'. I think this will  be something I work on in the future...I need to stop getting so attached to people, places and things and be more daring. Now enough chatter and more lovely pictures...

Stocking fillers. I love the combination of plain brown parcel paper and bright ribbons. So cute!

Red wine spritzer on Christmas Eve

Paris street art

The restaurant in Musee d'Orsay. I didn't know that if you were under 26 you got into museums and art galleries for free in Paris. Considering I saved around 15 euros in admission fees I decided to still put my money into the gallery and bought my lunch there. It was the greatest meal I ever had. I had mushroom 'cappuccino' soup and the waiter recommended a red wine to me. I've always want someone to recommend a wine and it did not disappoint. I only drink red wine, but I usually get the 'shudder' after my first sip. I didn't with this...it was perfect. The highlight by far though was the dessert...

The best blueberry pie EVER.

Inside Musee d'Orsay

Carousel under the Eiffel Tower. I had a hot wine and talked in (very bad) French with a little old man who was taking an afternoon stoll. He couldn't believe I was in Paris alone...and unmarried!

The metro stations were beautiful. On my first trip from the coach station to the hostel there was a man singing La Bamba on the train. Each station was similar to the others, yet unique in one way or another. I loved the tiling and I almost wept at a man playing violin on one of the platforms.

Flea market treasures. An antique pierrot clown doll and a brooch.

Sitting on a bench watching the world go by in Montmartre

Inside Les Deux Moulins.

Cracking Creme Brulee...probably the most touristy thing I did.

Outside. This was my last night in Paris. So sad  that I'm not there :(

Those of you who are  familiar with South Park will recognise Clyde Frog. A handmade gift from my boyfriend. He was hidden inside a whistling kettle that was the other half of my present. So proud of him being so crafty and thoughtful. Homemade presents are the greatest.

Sweet treats

Christmas day at my Mams house. I've had this stocking for as along as I can remember.

Giant Babybel!

Party Outfit

Every single year I get myself into a right tizzy and have a last minute panic that I NEED a new dress for my work Christmas party. And every year I'll rush around desperately looking for something and end up spending £50+ on a dress that:

a) I don't like all that much
b) I will never wear again
c) I most definitely can't afford

So, this year I'm very pleased to say that I spent a mere £4 on my Christmas party outfit.

The houndstooth pencil skirt was bought at a jumble sale that I went to at The Cumberland Arms a few weeks ago. The skirt was part of a Chanel type suit that a lady was selling for £5. My friend was in love with the jacket, myself the skirt and so we struck a pretty sweet deal. 

As soon as I bought it, I knew exactly how I wanted to wear it. I tried to channel Marion Cotillard in the photo above.  I didn't manage to find a peach/orange coloured tube top, so settled for one that I found on a sale rail in H&M for £2.


I did buy some lovely red shows in the Urban Outfitters sale (£10- GASP), but sadly they didn't arrive in time. I just know I'm going to wear them to death though.

£10. Unbelievable.

Christmas Wrapping Paper

Someone gave me presents wrapped in brown parcel paper last year and I loved it! So, naturally I had to steal the idea. I've been thinking about ways to spruce it up a bit and have bought a lot of gingham and tartan ribbon in festive colours. I wanted to do something with the paper itself though. I thought about doing potato printing, but got home one night with an appetite (gettit?) for crafting, and no potatoes...so...this is what happened:

I think I get the most satisfaction from doing crafty things with bit and pieces that I already have lying around the house. The knowledge that I'm getting more than one use out of something stirs my thrifty soul and leaves me very content indeed. I had some acrylic paints left from candle holders that I made a couple of months back and some cheap sponges (that I planned on putting in a gap in my bedroom window...before I decided that it was a stupid idea) so I decided to make a stencil and make my own printed paper.

It was messy, but a lot of fun. In hindsight I should have made the stencil smaller, so that I  could have more trees printed on the paper, but I'm still quite pleased how it turned out. Plus, they say it's the thought that counts!

Health Kick

A friend of mine started a personal training course recently and I'd be badgering him to give me some tips to lose a little weight. I'm currently a size 10-12, but at 5'2 I still feel like I'd like to lose just a little weight and tone up.

I do eat well generally, but when it comes to carbs and sweets I am insatiable so it didn't come as a surprise when my pal told me that I was eating carbs for almost every meal and it really wasn't doing me any favours. He suggested some foods that I should try and encouraged me to keep going to boot camp to burn calories and build muscle, as apparently, more muscle means burning more calories?

So for the last 2 weeks I've really cut down on the carbs, but I havent ruled them out entirely. I've been eating a lot of nuts, sweet potato, eggs, cottage cheese and fruit and vegetables. Every few days I've had something with carbohydrate in, but I've tried to reduce the portion size. The first few days were awful and I felt really sluggish, tired and grumpy, but after my body adjusted I now feel less bloated and I definately feel more spitely. I've tried (and not really succeeded) with replacing tea and coffee with water and fruit tea and I've also braved the cold weather and walked into work instead of catching the bus.

Will (my personal trainer friend) said that I should have 1 day a week where I eat what I like, within reason of course, and this is the one thing that I have stuck too! When I was in Sainsburys  I saw that Vice Versas were back! Remember those? They are sort of like Minstrels but inside the brown shells there is white chocolate...and well...vice versa! Those were a little treat. Amazing!

Although I haven't lost a lot of weight I feel a lot better, I'm healthier and I've finally 'cracked' (getit?) how to make an omelette...although...I took a photograph of this failed attempt...I was so scared I was going to give myself food poisoning that I left it in the pan for far too long, eep!

Christmas Bunting

IT IS DONE. After many hours spent cutting out 100+ triangles, sewing them back to back whilst drinking wine and listening to Buffalo Stance I completed my first craft commission!

12m of Christmas themed bunting will don my place of work as of tomorrow and I will ensure that the money earned will be well spent when I go to Paris next month.

Usually I use my pinking shears when making bunting for myself, and as I always just hang it on the wall or across a mirror, I leave it single sided. However, for this I realised that I should do it double sided in case the folks at work wanted to use it more creatively. Lots of work! Lots of hunching over a sewing machine, lots of huffing and puffing when I realised I hadn't sewn it properly and have left a little hole in one of the sides! I'm really pleased though and at least I got to bond with my little red sewing machine, who had been rather neglected these past couple of months.

I even had a few bits left to make a couple of metres for my living room. I love it! I can't wait to get a Christmas tree, decorate it with handmade decorations, acorns and ribbon... I even plan to make 'mini-bunting' to use instead of tinsel.

Whoops...

...I haven't updated in a really long time. I've been using the past few weeks to catch up with friends who I felt that I'd neglected a little recently. I caught up with Gemma and we went to the Quayside market and some of the pubs around and about. The Crown Posada was the first was the most beautiful pub I'd ever seen (pics below) as well as being the oldest pub in Newcastle.We then went to the Bridge Hotel and snacked on wasabi nuts, crisps and salt and vinegar peanuts (which were amazing) before head  to Tilleys for fruity cider.

I also spent this weekend just gone in Leeds. I saw that Haim were playing Constellations Festival about a month ago and bought a ticket immediately. I caught the Megabus down there and wandered around the Christmas markets and Leeds Art Gallery before heading up the the Brudenell Social Club for the bands starting at 3pm. I couldn't  believe how lovely this little social club, which was tucked away in a bit of a rough student area was...and gin and tonic was only £2.15! Anyway, Haim were amazing and after 10 gins I found myself, strangely, still completely sober. I hardly slept the night before and had an early start, which I'm guessing is the reason for that. Plus, I had 'the fear' about being refused entry on the Megabus if I was all squiffy eyed and smelt of boozing.

Here are some pictures of my activities of late...(Sorry if this is a bit picture heavy).

Vampire Bunny, one of the oddities of Newcastle

The Crown Posada

And again...

And again!

Lovely view that I'd never seen, even though I've lived here for 7 years!

Me and my baby brother. I bought the houndstooth shorts from Topshop and the first time I wore them (this night) they ripped. Very sad as I loved them a lot!

A surprise on my bathroom floor after my Halloween night out plans fell through.

Inside Leeds indoor markets.

A cup of coffee and a book to try and perk me up after a long bus journey.

Christmas Markets

Incredible.

This Carousel was whizzing around so quickly. It reminded me of Catcher in the Rye. I really wanted to have a go on it, but I think an adult on their own would have looked creepy. The only downside to not having a travel buddy!

'Splitting' a sundae

Halloween night at Centre for Life

Free popcorn!

Make up done by a theatrical make up artist, and all for free!

Would have been slightly creepier if I wasn't endorsing Topshop.com with my bag!

A stroll along the Quayside followed by a cup of tea in the bike cafe. I long for Summer again so I can zoom along the riverside and stop here to refuel on cake!