Help! red-eye is not pretty

Today I bought a cooling eye mask, and got some eye gel thrown in free!

I have been suffering with a bit of 'red-eye' for the last few days . I'm not sure why, it could be any of the following:

1. Lack of sleep given the balmy evenings we've been having.

2. Air conditioning/fans in the office.

3. Swimming.

4. Simple eye infection.

5. Crying my eyes out knowing that my 4 tickets for the Michael Jackson concert in August are now not going to be used.

6. A spot of hay fever.

Or it could be a combination of all of the above. Either way, I look like I've been burning the candle at both ends and it's not pretty.

In an attempt to restore some sort of normal colour to my eyes, I popped into The Body Shop, Buttermarket, Bury St Edmunds to pick up this attractive eye mask. 

The lovely assistant also gave me a free sample of their Elderflower* cooling eye gel (she must have thought I'd been crying and was trying to cheer me up). The sample was virtually the size of the actual product. Result!. Both are to be kept in the fridge.

I am however scaring my 2 year old son by looking like a giant fly, but he will have to just have nightmares I'm afraid, I need my eyes back! plus it's a good excuse to lie down and do absolutely zilch.

Total spent today: £5.85

*Elderflower is thought to strengthen the mucus membranes of the respiratory tract, increasing resistance to allergens. Drinking elderflower tea in early spring can help reduce symptoms of hay fever later in the year. Well I never.

Fashion After Forty Giveaway!

The lovely Sher at Fashion After Forty has an amazingly generous giveaway at her blog.

It is an international giveaway, so even one of us brits could win! 

If you would like to enter, just visit her site at the link below and follow her instructions:

Fashion After Forty: Fashion After Forty Giveaway!

Feeling hot, hot, hot!

Today I bought a hot pink snakeskin bag.

Like most women, I have a bit of a thing for handbags. Every colour, size and style sits in my wardrobe waiting patiently for an outing. Each day I'm sure I hear them say "pick me, pick me" – but I've never had a hot pink one… until today.

This one was from Matalan. It was cheap and cheerful, but it is the 'Mary Poppins*' sort of size that I favour these days to hold the amazing amount of 'stuff' that comes with having a toddler… and a shopping obsession.

Total spent today: £6

*In the movie, Mary Poppins, when Mary is trying out for Mr. Bank's nanny job, her gloves are white. When they move in to show the tears in her newspaper clipping, her gloves are black... hmmm interesting fact.

Late night ebay

Today, whilst contemplating a new dress purchase (see post below) I still managed to buy another dress!.

I have a bit of a thing for yellow* at the moment, maybe because the sun is shining. Or maybe because I am in love with my yellow shoes… and just want to wear them as much as possible!

This was a late night ebay purchase, but I was pleased with it.

It is late evening in the pic, so I'm a tad dishevelled after a long hot day in the office and two grubby children to take care of.

Total spent today: £1.80 (plus postage)

*Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic colour, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult colour for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.

To buy or not to buy?

Today, I am just contemplating a new dress (it's not in the bag yet!).

I noticed this dress on the New Look website. It's by Boutique Brand 'Pussycat' for New Look.

I popped down to the store this evening to see it was instore or just on t'web, but they were just closing. The look on the assistants face told me I was not welcome at that hour, she was ready to go home.

I'm just not sure if it is totally adorable, or totally ridiculous... what do you think? to buy, or not to buy, that is the question*.

Total spent today: Potentially £24.95?

*"To be, or not to be" is probably one of the most famous Shakespeare quote, from the play Hamlet, 1603 (Shakespeare's actual title is - The tragedie of Hamlet, prince of Denmarke). "To be, or not to be" roughly translates to "Is it better to live or to die?"

Skirts and wind DO NOT MIX!

Today, it was scorchio outside (but also a little windy), shame I had to be indoors working. I bought this beautiful flowery skirt and gave to charity at the same time

I would say this skirt was perfect, had it not been for the wind. It gave me a couple of near 'moments of shame' today – most notably in the pub after work.

Had it not been for my super quick reaction speed, I would have given a table of old gents a quick flash of my buttocks.

So long as both my hands are free in future outings, this is a very happy purchase from Cancer Research UK, Bury St Edmunds.

The little denim jacket was discovered in Barcelona* last year on a short break with my mum.

Total spent today: £3

*The most visited tourist attraction in Barcelona is the FC Barcelona’s stadium, is also the biggest stadium in the world owned by a private club, it sits 100,000 people.

My obsession knows no bounds…

Today, my shopping obsession took a new twist, oh, and I bought these tea and sugar jars.

I bought these two jars today almost by accident, and whilst at work.

I was leaving a meeting with one of my lovely design clients on Barton Retail Park, Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds, when The Factory Shop started calling me.

As it was near enough next door to my client I thought it would be rude not to pop in and support my local community.

I came away with these two jars. Not sure why. You could say a totally random purchase. I don't drink tea and I don't take sugar.

But they are dotty* to go with my dotty collection, which basically sums up my state of mind at the moment!

Total spent today: £8

*While polka dots are ancient, they first became common on clothing in the late nineteenth century in Britain. At the same time polka music was extremely popular and the name was also applied to the pattern, despite no real connection between them.

My shoes are driving me up the wall...

Today, in my quest for the perfect summer shoes (see my wishlist), I bought these brown wedges.

In my desire to wear them, I lopped off the tags a bit too soon. I have a slight problem. I have wide flipper feet and it was quite apparent these were not going to fit properly even when I tried them on in the shop, but for some strange reason I thought they'd be okay.

Now at the end of their first proper outing, I've been in agony half the day and have a walk that resembles Jar Jar Binks* - so perfect summer shoes is not being crossed off my wishlist today.

Sally my sister in law has suggested cutting a very small split at the side where they are hurting, just to loosen them a bit... What do you think – to cut or not to cut?

Their only saving grace is that they were from Mataland and so didn't cost the earth.

Total spent today: £14 :-(

*Jar Jar was voiced by Ahmed Best

Shhhssss please...

Today I bought a wooden sign, in a bid to restore some sort of peace and tranquility to our household

I love random signs around the house, generally I just put them up in a surprise fashion. The thing that makes me chuckle is that my family no longer comment on them, they just seem to accept the subliminal messages as normal.

This one was found in my favourite shop candle and blue in St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds.

My only complaint (and I never complain about candle and blue products) is that it actually isn't working. My house is as manic and noisy* as ever – somehow I think it may take more than a quirky wooden sign to correct that!

Total spent today: £4.95

Weekly total: £68

*Noisy is the name or part of the name of six communes of France

Mellow Yellow

Today I bought this floaty summer dress!

Firstly, sorry about the pic, I look awkward and geeky, I should try to learn to relax more... but it is my first one I will try harder next time.

This gorgeous dress was an unbelievable bargain on Ebay. So much so, I felt a bit bad paying for it on Paypal. I had visions of the poor owner crying into it... "How could someone only offer me 99p for a brand new with tags on dress from a portuguese boutique? boo hoo hoo".

But hey ho, all is fair in love and Ebay... now it is MINE (mwah ha ha ha… evil laugh).

I have probably spoilt it somewhat by layering a cardigan and belt over it, but it's pretty chilly today so can't show it off in it's full glory. It has a string of coloured beads attached around the neckline so a necklace would be a bit OTT.

Total spent today: £0.99 (plus £1.80 P&P)

Reusable bag giveaway!

Emily at Le Quaintrelle has an exciting giveaway...

She has been making reusable bags from plastic bags, and she is giving one away to a lucky reader.

But that's not all! In addition to the bag she is also including some of her favorite "eco-friendly" items:

- A reusable water bottle
- A toothbrush from Preserve made from recycled yogurt cups!
- A jar of Burt's Bees citrus facial scrub

Interested? You can enter by doing one (or all) of the following on her blog here:

- Comment and tell me what you are doing to become more "eco-friendly"
- Take the Ecological Footprint Quiz and comment with your results
- Repost this giveaway on your blog or twitter and comment me the link

That's it! For each one you do, leave her a comment and you'll be entered up to 3 times (each entry must be made in an individual comment). Make sure to include your name and email if you don't have it listed on your blog (or don't have a blog) so she can contact you.

You have until SUNDAY JUNE 21st AT MIDNIGHT to enter!

AND that's not all! For every entry she receives she will donate $1 to the World Wildlife Fund. So no reason not to enter, right?

Under my Umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh...

Today I bought a much needed Umbrella!

Modelled here in the field at the back of our house by my daughter Daisy... (I'm not sure what she is looking at, probably a small mouse, or eek... a snake).

Whilst doing our mini photoshoot in the middle of the field, unexpectedly it did start to rain... and I thought that was just an old wives' tale.

It is very cute and… very dotty (the umbrella is nice too). I've noticed a bit of a theme running in my last couple of posts, dotty things! I seem to have developed some sort of crush on polka dots – bit like Jane at workthatwardrobe she confesses to loving dotty things too!

I got this from the godsend that is Matalan. They are open after work hours... every day... what more can I say?.

Daisy has always called it Mataland, I think the reason for this is that it feels like a small country to her, given how long it takes me to get round it!

Total spent today: £3

A beautiful cup cake box with a surprise!

Today I bought a wooden box with a cup cake design on the front… but there is a surprise.

It holds keys!

Since I was very young, I longed for a key of my own, keys meant you were an adult.

But now I've got to an age where I do have keys of my own, they are the bain of my life!!! Car keys, house keys, shed keys, office keys, spare keys, I have keys coming out of my ears!

So imagine my delight when I saw this little beautie in Candle and Blue in St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds (which incidently is currently one of my favourite shops in Bury and will probably feature somewhat heavily until my addiction fades). I no longer have to spend an hour looking for the pesky car keys which are often eventually found in the most obvious places… like my fridge.

Candle and Blue also do mail order, you can visit their site at www.candleandblue.com

Total spent today: £14

Polka dot pots!

Today I bought these two lovely red and white polka dot pots in a hardware shop in Bury St Edmunds, they were half price at £4 each.

I've no clue what I will use these for as yet, the cost of filling them with soil and plants may make the bargain that they were a bit less of a bargain... but I shall think of something creative!

I felt a little embarrassed that they were so beautifully wrapped and bagged by the nice assistant, given the value of them. But I soon got over it when I realised I had enough wrapping tissue for the next years' worth of birthday presents!

I'm not sure of the name of the shop so can't post a link to it, but it is opposite Mothercare in St John's Street.

Total spent today: £8

Pussycat Dolls tickets at Newmarket Races

Today I purchased 4 tickets to see the Pussycat Dolls at Newmarket Races!

When I saw Pussycat Dolls were on at Newmarket Races in July, I couldn't quite believe it. I've seen several cool bands there before including Status Quo and Shawaddywaddy ;-), so imagine my surprise when someone actually really cool is playing...

I'll be taking my friend Stacey (her bday pressie), my sis in law Sally (possibly her bday pressie too) and her sister Michelle.

Tickets start at £17.50 each in the garden (that's what i bought being a cheapskate!) and can be bought online from www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk/summer/newmarketnights.html but you'll have to be quick, tickets sell out notoriously fast for newmarket nights!

Total spent today: £70 (but not all from my own purse)