Love letters...

Today I've been to my old favourite shop… Matalan.

My bargain of the day wasn't my blue dress (airport chic contender, see below) (ebay £6).
It wasn't even my cardigan (ebay £2).

It wasn't even these cute peeptoe white wedges with a bow (matalan £6):


It was though, these dangly earrings (matalan 75p!):


I love matalan. I've penned a little note to tell them how much:

Dear Matalan,

I heart you massively. I love you more than I loved that elderly man who walked into the cinema on Sunday to watch 'The Proposal', wearing his jumper tied around his waist, but the wrong way round so it looked like an apron (I didn't know that was still an acceptable fashion?).

I know some of my friends and family don't agree with you. They don't understand you Matalan. They take one look at the crumply, jumble sale type outer, but they don't take the time to delve into you and find out what you're all about.

I've neglected you for a week I know. But I drove past you on my way back from the airport and blew you a kiss, you were never far from my thoughts I promise.

I'm back now, and we can start up where we left off, I'll visit you at least 3 times a week, how does that sound?.

And thank you for your surprise 75% off sale today. You always know how to put a smile on my face.

Yours always
Shopaholic
xxx

So what do you think? A teeny weeny bit creepy and weird? Uh huh, I know.

Cheryl Cole's got new hair then…

I dunno, I leave the country for a week or so and everything goes mental.

First, Sainsburys, my large local grocery store uses my week away to completely change the entire store around. It took me over an hour to locate and buy 4 items at the weekend. Whilst I am grateful they chose to do it whilst I was away, (they were probably thinking it would be a nice surprise for me) I just wish they had given me a bit of notice, it was a shock to say the least.

And secondly, and more majorly, Cheryl Cole goes and changes her hair colour! Here she is with her new hair:


For those of you who are not familiar with Mrs Cole, she is currently one of the UK's most famous, most photographed and most loved ladies. She is part of a girl group 'Girls Aloud' and also Simon Cowells right hand woman on X-Factor. She's also married to one of the UK's most hated men, Ashley Cole who plays football for Chelsea. The fool cheated on her, but in true Footballers Wives fashion, she took him back.

I don't mind admitting that like many women I know, I do have a bit of a girl crush on old Chezza. Here she was with her previous hair:


So which do you prefer? new reddish/purple hair, or old gorgeousness hair.

Even though Cheryl can probably carry off any colour or style, I'm not so taken with the new tresses, it's gonna take a while to grow on me. Although I hear that colour hair dye is flying off the shelves already.

Also, I'm interested to know, if you live outside of the UK, have you ever heard of Cheryl Cole?.

Yoo hoo! I'm back…

Well, the holiday I have been waiting a year for has been and gone, it was glorious. Glorious sunshine, glorious sangria and glorious sunburn.


Oh, and I bagged myself a cowboy. (Ok, so really he is my other half, but he probably will shoot me for posting a pic of him).


So in the interest of fair play, I too became a cowboy (yes, it was one of THOSE types of holiday).

I know quite a few of you will still be waiting to go on your holidays… so from experience, I bring you my 10 commandments of holidaying:

1. Thou shalt attend the gym thou joined six months ago with a view to getting that perfect bikini body. Going to the gym to sit in the bar drinking coffee and eating croissants, or 'watching' the family in the outdoor gym pool whilst sunning oneself on a lounger does not count.

2. Thou shalt 'defuzz' more efficiently prior to boarding any flight, at any time.

3. Thou shalt not try 'HARDCORE' sunbathing more than once. It can only end in tears.

4. Thou shalt not sunbathe all week in the same style bikini, it renders the sexy, strapless dresses reserved for the last few nights totally useless and a waste of valuable packing space in the suitcase.

5. Thou shalt moisturise and exfoliate religiously to avoid coming home with peely, patchy skin, making the 'show off the tan to friends' totally non applicable.

6. Thou shalt not down copious amounts of double vodkas and redbull in the local karaoke/drag bar until 4am, thus fooling oneself into believing she is Mariah Carey, when everyone else knows she is Mariah Scarey.

7. Thou shalt not depress oneself looking at all the thinner, younger and more attractive bodies on show all holiday. As I learnt today, this is the only reason boyfriends' wear sunglasses throughout an entire holiday.

8. Thou shalt not waste one entire day and evening of the holiday with a hangover from hell after downing copious amounts of double vodkas and redbull in the local karaoke/drag bar the night before.

9. Thou shalt not fall asleep on the 4 hour flight home next to a stranger. When you awake unexpectedly to find your dribbling face an inch or so away from aforementioned stranger, it makes for an awkward end to the flight.

10. Thou shalt not weigh oneself on day of return from said holiday, please allow at least 4 weeks prior to going anywhere near the scales. And that is an actual law.

And the WINNER is…

A massive thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the sweetie giveaway.

I was amazed at the response... didn't anyone ever tell you not to take sweets from strangers? Tee hee. Well the winner has been drawn, rather technically...


Out of a hat, by an independent adjudicator (aka my daughter Daisy).

AND THE WINNER IS...


Congratulations to Emily, who won the great big sweetie giveaway!

Please email me your address asap Emily so I can post out your prize!

Thank you again for all the entries, I shall have more giveaways coming soon, so check back now and again.

In the meantime, I shall be laying low for a while, off on my holiday in a few days, so I haven't gone away for long, just for a bit! I have done some huge sale shopping so look forward to sharing those bits with you when I return.

Ta ta for now x

From the mailbag...

I love receiving mail, and where I can I will try to help, here is a recent plea for help...

Dear Ms Shopaholic,

I read with interest, your post below about how you cunningly customised a hat. I just wanted to ask, how on earth did you do this?

From hatloverbutnotacustomiser


Dear hatloverbutnotacustomiser,

I know, I am pretty a-maz-ing, but it really is easier than it looks.

I love DIY blogs about how to make your own clothes or customise them, but truth is, I can't sew. I can't even thread a needle, so I'm all for the really major simple ones.

I recently read a post that explained how to make a ra ra skirt from scratch, whilst doing a handstand AND making your husband Spinach and Lamb Risotto (that sounds gross).

So, here goes, how to customise a hat:

Take 1 hat… and a scarf...


Tie the scarf around the base of the hat:


And ta da… done. (I know, unreal).

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

I do hope this has helped you ms hat person... you no longer need to make do, customise at your will. x

Love Ms Shopaholic

Ok, I'll admit, this is a rubbish customise, has anyone got any tips for a real simple customise that doesn't involve a sewing machine or any brain cells?

ps. don't forget! the great sweetie giveaway ends at 9pm GMT Monday so get your entries in! I'm excited.

Airport chic… you decide…

Today I am getting a little over excited, so much so, I nearly peed my pants.

You see very soon, I will be jetting off on my holidays! yipeeeeee, sun, sea and sand in um... windy Lanzarote.

My mind is starting to wander to the packing. Eugh. I hate packing. I can't pack too early as I tend to get a bit OCD'ish about it and I'll unpack and pack so many times just to check I really did include enough pairs of knickers, even though I know full well I have.

Anyhow, I need your help pretty please, cos you are all so brilliant and know stuff, what should I wear to the airport? Option A or option B (click to enlarge the image). I will wear the most voted for outfit. (I'll even take a picture of me in it, running on the luggage belt - actually no I won't, it is soooooo annoying when that breaks down, I think I'd be booed when I board the plane and boy do I hate being booed boarding planes).

Both options would have a denim jacket accompaniment. Well, it will be like 2° in the UK when we leave and 38° in Lanzarote when we land.

*Or feel free to show me an Option C, and I'll see if I can match it from my wardrobe.

Just Hangin'...

Today I bought a new hat from New Look. A straw trilby.

It will soon be full on festival time here in the UK. And my MUST HAVE for any festival… is a hat. I usually take a couple, because after just 1 day of camping, believe me, I need a hat to cover my bad hair.

This one came with a cute white and blue ribbon around it, but I have cunningly customised it which I guess I can do with any outfit, just by tieing it with a complimentary scarf. Sorted.

Hats are are not only brilliant for bad hair days, but they are also good for bad face days. I went for dinner in Sainsburys Cafe the other evening (I know, classy), then strutted around Sainsburys doing a small grocery shop complete with a 'tomato ketchup moustache*'.

Not one single person mentioned it (including my own two children), and I must have spoken to several people and smiled politely at several more. I'd like to think I'd have mentioned it, even if just discreetly.

Motto for the day: "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle..."

Would you tell a stranger if they had a tomato kepchup moustache?

Total spent today: £7

*Tomato Ketchup Moustaches are not a fashion accessory. Please do not get them confused with comedy fake moustaches which are occasionally very funny indeed.

What a 'Sweet' giveaway...

Today it is time for my first giveaway!

I have a very sweet tooth, and I particularly like sweeties. The sort I used to buy when I was knee high to a grasshopper – retro sweets. It has cost me a fortune in dentistry, but I think it's well worth it!

So for my very first giveaway, I'm giving you all the chance to win this Sweet Experience! And a few visits to the dentist to look forward to. With the Summer Holidays in full swing, maybe you'd like to give them to your kidrens, or keep them all for yourself, piggy pants!

Here go the rules:
1. For one entry, please comment on this post.
2. For a second entry, please become a member.
3. For a third entry, post a link on your blog and let me know about it in the comments.
4. For a fourth entry, …there is no fourth entry, three will do greedypants!
5. Anonymous entries cannot be accepted. Sorry 'bout that, but the nature of anonymity means that I won't know who on earth you are.
5. I will post overseas but exact contents of the sweet basket may change slightly due to weight restrictions.
6. The winner will be picked randomly (out of a hat literally) on Monday 27th July at 9pm UK time and announced on Monday 27th July. Posting of prize will happen approx one week after that date.
7. If you are super lucky and blimmin' well win, I will need you to email me within 7 days of winning with your postal address, otherwise, the next picked runner up will win the goodies. If it all goes horribly wrong, I shall just eat them. Nuff said.

English Eccentric…

Today I bought a polka dot jacket from H&M in their mega SALE.

I felt a little bit eccentric* today. Happy eccentric. So I put on a polka dot jacket and more polka dot in my scarf, a tiny bit mental, but happy mental. Nothing particularly matched today but sometimes I like days like that.

I still feel slightly unwell, but am getting on with it. Everyone in the world seems to think I have Swine Flu. I know I don't as I'm certainly not bedridden, but my nose did go a peculiar colour this evening for no apparent reason (is that a symptom?).

I hate taking my picture, I cannot relax. I wish I were a child again, they are always so totally relaxed in front of a camera. Here is my 2 year old Joseph. He wanted 'his turn'. Cute.


Total spent today: £10 (jacket from H&M)

*The eccentric's habits are incomprehensible not because they are illogical or the result of madness, but because they stem from a mind so original that it cannot be conformed to societal norms. Or they are simply just eccentric.

The morning after the night before...

Today I bought a grey tshirt with a print of a zebra wearing a $ sign necklace. Chavtastic chic from H&M.

I've been wearing leggings again recently, especially on lazy, chillin days like today.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with leggings. I wore them to death whilst pregnant, so much so that I set light to them in a burning ritual shortly after giving birth. I remember thinking 'thank god, no more leggings' – but then low and behold they are everywhere again, and I've found a new type of love for them.

Today, I could really only manage leggings and a tshirt. It is after all, the morning after the night before. Last night I went to Newmarket Races with 3 girly friends, we did a bit of betting on the horses and then watched The Pussycat Dolls, intermingled with several drinks and pretending that we were The Pussycat Dolls (one can dream!) and several more drinks.

The Pussycat Dolls* were great, The lead singer Nicole (I can call her that now, I've seen her in real life, we're as good as best buddies now) is pretty amazing... she looks fabulous and can sing and strut her stuff like no one else I know.

I'd gone dressed in posh party frock and high heels. Totally unsuitable. It rained non-stop and was all outdoors on grass. My heels were sunk so far into the ground, I gave up moving around and stayed in one position like a weeble. At least there was no chance of falling over, I was fixed to the ground. I did sneak in my flats to change into when it was time for some dancing later.

This morning, I had a headache.

Total spent today: £5

*The Pussycat Dolls started life as a Burlesque troupe. Nicole loves Formula 1 British boy Lewis Hamilton. Nicole and Lewis sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. They are boyfriend/girlfriend.