What Is In My Bag?

The two things I always carry with me are my moleskines. The red is my journal full of my novel ideas, stories and poems and the black is my diary. If someone wants to make plans with me, it has to be written in the diary. If it isn't then I will definitely forget!  

Trust me, if you don't have a wallet this size then I don't know what you are doing with your life or time!? This carries everything I need and doubles up as a clutch for nights and dinners out. It started life as a Cambodian Rice Bag and will live out its remaining days with me in its beautiful clutch form. 

Glasses and No.7 Lip and Eye Sun Protection; major necessities! I don't need my glasses all the time, they're really just for concentrating but due to me wearing them at work as I'm staring at a computer all day, I keep them in my bag as I'm a bit absent minded and leave things about in random places. The No.7 protection has worked wonders for this fantastic Summer we're experiencing here in England!

I've recently had to attach a bell keyring to my keys as I'm forever losing them at the bottom of my bag. I like to have lots of keyrings and I feel all of these sum up my personality quite well...particularly the elephant. 

Sanitary Towels in case of emergency obviously! Over the last few months works has been an extremely stressful place and due to being very run down, I came down with a pretty stonking chest infection. I had to work through this illness as we couldn't afford to lose anyone from work so I started taking Redoxon. I don't take it as much anymore but when I'm feeling a bit pooey, I mix up a glass at work. The Polo's and Orbit are just to make sure my breath stays fresh all day long!

The things in my bag make me look very sensible but I can assure you I'm really not! I'm currently carrying Ibuprofen around as I've been experiencing wisdom tooth pain, the facial wash is something from Glossybox that I just shoved in my bag in case I needed it and the hayfever tablets are daily use due to my allergies!

Sunnies from New Look to shield from the blazing fireball in the sky! The little chinese purse on the far left is full of hair grips as due to the phenomenal size of my hair, I'm unable to put it up without shoving a million grips in it to keep it in place. My iPod goes everywhere with me, the E45 cream is for my eczema and my phone (with the incredible cover) is of course, always with me...apart from when I forget it. Also, I often put it on airplane mode so people don't bother me. Basically, I shouldn't have a phone!

A random ring that is just a little bit tight and a pocket mirror!

My sunnies and glasses with the current book; Citadel by Kate Mosse. 

My satchel is from Barcelona and was €20. We were walking back from the Gothic Quarter and this little beauty caught my eye and that was it!

So do you carry similar things to me? What necessities do you always need with you?

Messing About With The New Camera

So I got a new camera, a Canon 600D to be exact, and it is beautiful!! I love it - I now have to teach myself how to use it of course! I thought I would mess around with a few test shots and give you the sneakiest of looks of my new room. Very very limited looks though!

Jumping Jellybeans

I'm not sure what you guys got up to last night but I can show you a few snaps of our adventures! The plan was for Mim and I to stay in and watch The X-Factor however my friend Holly threw an impromptu BBQ and we re-discovered Holly's trampoline. Here are just a few photographs from our acrobatic accolade!

And currently...

Barcelona, You Have My Heart

I spent the last few days in Barcelona with two of my girls from university and it was amazing! The weather was incredible and the spanish are the friendliest people ever. I thought I would share a few photographs of my experience with you particularly to fill the waiting gap until I show you the incredible transformation my room has made!! Eek progress is being made!

I also snapped up the below bag from Barcelona. I love the Cambridge Satchel but could never quite bring myself to spend such a large amount of money however on Friday, we were wondering back along Las Ramblas and I caught these for just €20! The girls got excited too, Sarah got one in pink and Emma found a gorgeous black pleated totey one. VERY HAPPY WITH MY PURCHASE!

Have you been anywhere recently? What did you get up to? Did you make any to die for purchases? 

x

I'm Still Here!!

I promise!! I'm still here :) Things have been crazy this last month...months. Work has been mad, homelife has been mad, everything! I currently have a week off and am loving it and clearing my monstrosity of a room and then re-decorating it. I can't wait to show you everything I have done. I've still been checking all your blogs etc. I've got a very small room so if anyone has any great suggestions of how to make use of space let me know. Equally, I'm looking at a sort of moroccan-exotic-christmas theme so go again, very eager for ideas and suggestions!

Love you all x

Love & Marriage

Yesterday was my colleague Fran's wedding and it was incredible. Absolutely ridiculous fun! It was also a chance for me to wear my flower headband. Most of my photographs consist of ridiculous selfies done by Fran, Richard (another colleague) and I! Here are some of my favourite shots :)

Sand Between My Toes, Freckles On My Nose

So I went into work today to be greeting by the above amount of emails in one of my inboxes! I haven't even been on holiday in fact I'm going on Wednesday! Anyway, I worked from 9-12 and had my day completely turned around by doing this....

Perfect bank holiday :) What did you guys get up to? Did you hit the beach? Was it warm where you were? Perhaps you're not British so didn't get the bank holiday - did you have a fun-filled day anyway?

The New Me

First of all let me apologise, I have been so absent on the blogging side of things recently and I know I said I was going to improve but let's be honest, clearly, I haven't. Life has just been incredibly tough recently. I feel a bit like I'm stuck in a rut, I love my job but it is very very very stressful at the moment and I'm trying to get through that; as much as I do love my job, I'd like to move out of my parents house and away from my hometown (ideally London.) I'm sure most of you who have gone away to university and then found themselves back with the 'rents feel me. Equally, I'm single. I hate to be one of those girls that mope but I am actually the only person in my friendship group at home that is and though I consider myself very independent and generally quite self-reliant, it can get my goat sometimes. Now, I know, mope mope mope, woe is me, poor Clare, moaning how her job is so tough and she wants to leave a perfectly nice house when so many people don't have a job or homes but everyone needs those ungrateful selfish moments sometimes and this little post is my rant. Tomorrow, I'll wake up, look at myself in the mirror and tell myself to shut up. I'm going to try and get back into my blogging as it makes me feel a lot better and is a good relief. Also, I'm going to make some changes in my life, I'm going to take better care of myself. Make sure I eat healthier, stick to my programme at the gym, get myself all ready for the 10K run in July and lose weight. I want to feel better about my appearance and I think my weight plays into how I feel about how I look a lot. I want to spend more time on my skin, find more raw and natural materials to use on it. Thirdly, I just want to better myself, get more in touch with who I am, spiritually, emotionally etc. Maybe look into some part-time courses. I don't know. Also, I need to pick up on my writing, actually finish my novel and stop sitting there staring at it, coming up with ideas and then not writing them down. I've sort of gone off into a tangent but basically I'm sorry, I'm back, I'm a new person, I love you and let's get this blogging show on the road.

P.S. If you're feeling the same as me, play the below song...it feeds the wanting part of your soul.

Haul O'Heeey

This is actually a Glossybox recommendation. I'm trying to be very good to my skin right now and was really impressed with this as a make-up remover in the sample size, so much so that I was willing to spend the £20 on the full size. I can't recommend a better product to add to your nightly routine. 

I've been using Revlon Photo Ready Primer and loved it however I was enticed by the fact this was clear. I'm excited to use it so I'll make sure to keep you updated.

I went to a village fair yesterday and they had a lot of flower garlands headband for sale. I've got a few weddings coming up and not quite sure how I feel about a hat/fascinator so thought this could be quite a good alternative. Of course, I've got to find a dress to match the headband first! 

This is what I'm watching and reading right now. Sort of. The English Patient is my favourite everything. The novel by Michael Ondaatje completely changed my life, I know that sounds ridiculous and cliche but I've always wanted to be a writer and after reading Ondaatje, it made me realise I could write in whichever style I wanted, my copy is my favourite thing in the world and I don't know what I'd do without it. Though the film is different, I adore it almost as much particularly for Kristin Scott Thomas. Anyway, getting to the point, I lost my DVD and saw this for sale and am happy to replace it. Casablanca is everything. I just finished Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden and really enjoyed it so thought I'd try this one too. Rose Tremain's Music and Silence is our next book club book, I haven't started it yet but looking forward to it. Pillars of The Earth is an incredible book and I loved the adaptation of it (and Eddie Redmayne is in it!!), currently watching this with my friend who also loves the book and wanted to watch it too. It's also based on places where I live so it has a sentimental value to it too. 

As said, I'm trying to look after my skin at the moment so have been doing a lot of make-up free days at work. The sun is out and I'm ready to get a few more freckles and though I burn under SPF 50 hopefully I'll catch a bit of a glow!

I'm Still Here Loves

As said in my last post, life is CRAZY right now. Tonight I'm taking a bit of time for me and myself. I am here, I still love you dearly, I'm still blogging!!! Just being slow about it!!!

Another London Trip. Ache To Be There.

And...meet the kitties :)

Apologies for the lack of posting and replying to comments recently. I've just taken a promotion at work which is exciting but at the same time incredibly busy. This weekend though I will be back on it like a car bonnet!! I am still here, I promise!!!