New role, new aspirations and material girl me :-D

I'll be honest with myself here I HAVEN'T BEEN HAPPY FOR A LONG TIME-true no one is happy all the time, but for most of the last decade I would say I have't experienced many happy moments.

I have cheered up emotionally although it doesn't physically show yet as I have a new role!! One which matches my knowledge and studies and I am sure I can succeed.

To polish myself up I'm going to be materialistic and hope to buy some (patent shiny) heels and a bag (messenger bag with edging) from Zara:

Sunny days

http://www.lyst.com/track/product/3726019/?ctx=175903&lyst_source=175903&lyst_medium=product&lyst_campaign=link

Happy Sunday :-D

Hungry? This salad is quick to make and simply delicious- pick the best tomatoes!

Tomatoes
Mozarella cheese
Basil
Pepper
Good quality olive oil for a drizzle
some salt if you fancy it

Saturday 00.06 UK time......Inspiration Coggles mail

http://cogglesmail.com/w/m/1z1,onh6

Friday feeling- pink mood- I'm feeling happier :)

Girl crush - Paula Goldstein

Me of all people...I never thought I would ever have a girlcrush...yes life can be unpredictable...well I'm glad my girlcrush isn't stellar (yet) or in hollywood....I can relax now I haven't changed into some obsessive teenager with a scrapbook or anything like that....

Paula Goldstein is the Creative Director for Purple.fr at Purple Magazine.

I think this lady will go far, she is a great and creative communicator and she is down to earth as in not up herself. She is very pretty too...some girls are just lucky....but I'm sure she works hard too.

Elegance

I want to be as elegant as this woman....
Image credits- Garance Dore.

Little my

My baby sister who had her last day of sixth form yesterday is like Little My! :-D

From Wikipedia:
Little My (Swedish: Lilla My - literally: "little mu") is a character in the Moomin series of books by Tove Jansson. She first appears in the fourth book, The Exploits of Moominpappa (1950). She is a small, determined and fiercely independent Mymble. When she wants something done, she does it straight away. She is very aggressive, mischievous to a fault and totally disrespectful, but can be a good friend when she wants to

hard week but the sun is out......

I look like s**t, my face is crumbling away, I have dark eyebags and feel really down, you don't want to know why as it will either bore you to death (if you are purely the practical minded type) or depress you (if you are generally sweet or caring or empathetic-note these traits can be mutually exclusive) - neither of which I wish to impose on my readers on a Friday!  So I am feeling a little better that the sun is out and will be this weekend.  Also it's always good to view some eye candy clothing and shoes on the internet for inspiration and for memories.........



http://www.lyst.com/clothing/zimmermann-devoted-floral-print-cotton-voile-shirt/?lyst_source=175903&lyst_medium=product&lyst_campaign=link

I will be pottering about in the garden and dreaming of flowers and planting a few even. This shirt is beautiful and elegant, if you know me you know I love flowers and floral things.


http://www.lyst.com/clothing/stella-mccartney-print-top-blue-1/?lyst_source=175903&lyst_medium=product&lyst_campaign=link

If I could wear this top once (well it is Stella McCartney and around £234) I would wear it on a beach holiday :)  It has the perfect mix of pretty and casual and nautical.


http://www.lyst.com/shoes/max-mara-cadice-peeptoe-shoes-black/?lyst_source=175903&lyst_medium=product&lyst_campaign=link

As for shoes these are a perfect versatile pair by Max Mara, think smart casual and can be worn anywhere...except maybe the beach...

Wimbledon book club- a very brief review

Right! I have to get this off my chest as I'm still angry and upset about this.

I joined this bookclub as its not miles away from my workplace and sounded like a great club to discover and discuss books.

I joined a few years ago but only recently participated in a discussion and meet up.  Due to life and its unpredictability and its stresses I was unable to make it for the last two sessions, which I had booked and paid for (£2.50 per session and £2.50 club joining fee ( joining fee is a one off)).

The club organizer is very strict about attendance- two strikes within 48 hours of the club meeting and you are out! And banned from rejoining!!

Well I cancelled the last one before the 48 hours and was struck off. I contacted the organiser and I was shocked and offended by his email to me.....

Basically he said that I only appear to go for famous reading books and even then bail myself out of the sessions!!  Excuse me.....

1) Two of the books I was interested in were not FAMOUS to me- they only came to my attention through the book club. I selected them as I wanted to broaden my reading horizon.
2) I had cancelled before the 48 hours as stated by the club policy
3) If such books are considered FAMOUS then why bother putting them forward for the club to read????? Is the club some kind of cult on "oh we only read unique intellectual books, la di da di da?
4) Don't you dare make assumptions about me based on some books I signed up for and yeah I bailed myself out- how dare he phrase it like that- I had other life matters to deal with!!!

Seriously I enjoyed the book discussion I went to and was looking forward to meeting up again to discuss more books.  and I was shocked by the tone and nature of his email sent to me. Clearly he takes no prisoners...

Anyway I had to get this off my chest as its bad to keep anger locked up inside oneself.

Naples

I hope to visit Naples this Autumn.  I would wear a dress like this and then explore Naples and the Amalfi coast.  Apparently pizza was invented in Naples!

http://www.lyst.com/clothing/sonia-rykiel-orange-two-tone-silk-crepe-dress/?utm_source=175903&utm_medium=product&utm_campaign=link

Stress and light relief

I sat my last exam on Monday 30th April after a stressful year and a half of  2 x evening classes a week in central London.

  These two exams were particularly stressful for me as a) I was disilusioned after my first set of results (I worked so hard but didn't get flying colours) and b) the subject and classes themeselves had made me tired. I still feel tired I realy hope my energy levels pick up in the next few days as it has been a week now since I sat that last exam (fingers crossed!!).

I look forward to weeks and the next few months of reading some good stories (penguin great loves), Russian Lit, going on a art walk , painting, visiting Columbia flower market, going to a beach and enjoying some fresh air and spring sunshine when the sun presents itself.

Spring feeling not outside :( but yes embodied in a dress!

Here in Surrey, UK we have had such grey skies, rainy days and even cold weather!   I hope we will have some beautiful flowers this summer as a result of the abundant rain to make up for this!

Mary Katrantzou
Balalaika Dress
 http://www.lyst.com/clothing/mary-katrantzou-balalaika-dress-multicolour/?utm_source=175903&utm_medium=product&utm_campaign=link

The balalaika is a stringed musical instrument popular in Russia, with a characteristic triangular body and three strings. I remember as a young girl listening to the Balalaika via Microsoft Encarta world music interaction page- Ah Microsoft Encarta, I loved you! Those days of reading, listening and watching through the screen was pure magic.

There is an good article in Tank magazine supplement (Spring 2012) about Mary Katrantzou, it was interesting to learn that while she creates a lot of patterned fashion designs she herself likes wearing black.  She creates lovely patterned dresses and this one reminds me of spring- the spring we should be having in the UK with lots of blooms and lilac-clear evening skies, warm enough to walk around outside without a jacket!! 

Dream Dress- Balenciaga belted dress

http://www.lyst.com/clothing/balenciaga-belted-dress-sky/?utm_source=175903&utm_medium=product&utm_campaign=link

I'm dreaming of this summery, elegant, simple dress. This blue is like a clear summer sky and classy too....I would wear this dress and read some Russian literature like Chekhov's plays and watch a French film.....

Loud and fabulous- photo by Garance Dore

Read more here http://www.garancedore.fr/en/2012/05/02/i-prefer-fun-jewelry/  This reminds me of Frida Kahlo