Pretty Confused

My Week In Photos

2013-05-19T11:00:00.000+01:00

It has been another odd and busy week round here, I've definitely noticed my productivity peaks and troughs depending on how the weather is to. Sunny days have involved lots of walking, visiting friends, taking photos and then coming back home and collapsing on the sofa to read some blog posts and work on my new layout (which I'm really happy with apart from the fact my png header had a black background, which took me days to fix). Rainy days have been the complete opposite. Miserable and quick walks with the dogs first thing at night and then again in the evening, hiding out in the flat torturing my flatmates with episodes of Ally McBeal and a complete lack of inspiration or motivation.

Luckily there seem to be more a few more good days than bad.. We've upped our walks to about 2 hours a day which is great for the dogs and for us, which is also helping with my mood and I managed a little bit of thrifting last weekend so I'm looking forward to some warm trips out to take outfit photos.

Tonight I'm off to support a friend (and act as unofficial photographer) while she shaves her head to help raise funds for a project in Mongolia. I'm feeling so nervous on her behalf, although I've got to admit I think it is the kind of thing she would do on a whim anyway. Hopefully it'll be a good night though, any excuse to get together and go to the pub!

Monday Link List: 045

2013-05-13T15:26:00.002+01:00

I love this debonair fox from Monster Riot - look at that moustache!

I love this reading nook, I wish I was curled up in there writing this post!

I love how simple this outfit is, and the button detail on the back of the dress is just beautiful, from October Rebel

More cute prints! I absolutely love the detail in here, from the lettering to the octopuses (octopi? octopodes?) and the tea and coffee cups.

I love how Kaylah used more Autumn-y colours to put together this Spring outfit, and I love the chevron belt.

I've been getting back into The New Girl again after taking a much needed Zooey Deschanel break over Winter - I'm still kind of crazy about this quote though,.

Midge is rocking her new glasses and I'm kind of crazy about this photo. I think if I tried something like this I would end up with gum all over my face.

How To Illustrate In Ten Steps: I have so much admiration for people who are naturally artistic, probably because I find it so difficult. I could never create something as beautiful as Kelly, but this tutorial certainly makes me want to try!

Ten Ways To Spread Blog Love: Part of my plan for being a better blogger this year involved trying to comment on every blog I read once a week, and this has failed miserably. I'm going to recommit myself to spreading some of the love I feel from each of you when you comment back over the next few weeks.

Inspired By - Laura Petrie In Colour: Have you seen this post from Mandi? Even if you don't like Laura Petrie's style the work she put into colouring these outfits is incredible! Or maybe I just like it because it is a grown-up version of colouring books...

Some Thoughts On The Bangladesh Factory Disaster: Franca frequently posts about things that I just don't have the words for and she did it again with this piece. I've been trying to avoid fast fashion this year anyway but the incident in Bangladesh really hit home for me. I walked through Primark a few days ago and just couldn't bring myself to look at anything. The things is, I have bought from Primark/would in the future, but at the moment the thought makes me queasy. Ditto most other high street brands. If even Bonmarche (apparently the most ethical of the high street clothing shops) had workers in that factory I'm kind of at a loss as to where I can feel comfortable shopping.

Thrifting Top Ten - What To Know: I suppose thrifting is the solution to my quandary above, I think I might annoy some other shoppers pillaging their discard piles outside the fitting room though.

24 Perfect Tattoos Inspired By Books: I'm absolutely in love with these tattoos, especially the HP ones!

Petition To Stop The Government Reclassifying Crafts As Non-Creative: If you are a UK resident please consider signing this petition. The Government wants to reclassify professional crafters as manufacturers not artists and basically it sucks. Read more here and here.

What I Wore: Here Comes The Sun

2013-05-08T11:59:00.000+01:00

These photos are actually from a couple of weeks ago, back when Spring was just starting. I can't believe the difference a few weeks can make. It's actually quite bizarre, yesterday it was warm enough to walk around without bare arms, but there still aren't leaves on the trees. It makes our walks in the part slightly surreal. I've been really enjoying getting some sun though, you never know, it could rain for the whole of June, July and August.

We've had a mad but wonderful week with a zombie birthday party over the weekend and one of my favourite kiddos ever up visiting for the week. I'm definitely going to use it as an excuse to act like a kid, maybe try and sneak her away to the zoo and spoil her with toys. I'm a sucker for a cute face. Besides, what could be better than having an excuse to have a water fight in the sun? I'm definitely not ready for my own sprogs yet, but I do enjoy being around them for small amounts of time.

Can you guys see that dog hair on my feet? I know pointing it out probably isn't the best idea but I'm just in absolute shock and how much hair can come off Mania! She got really fluffy a few weeks ago and then suddenly lost it all. She looks about half the size now! I'm not usually bothered by the fact the dogs shed all the time, but it's almost embarrassing to go out. I've tried tape and lint removers but nothing seems to work. Any advice from any fellow pet owners out there? I know it won't last much longer, but man am I getting sick of looking like a crazy hair covered lady.

One of the big things I am looking forward to with the weather getting better is pulling out some Summer items. Especially some of the stuff I won last year. I got this scarf (that I'm using as a band for my hat) in a competition from the girls at Oh So Lovely, it's from Swan Song Vintage and I absolutely adore the subtle pale green and blue pattern. I've also got a pair of sunglasses from Wilde Asher that I can't wait to wear out, they are from the same competition - back in my brief lucky phase.

Well this post has been all over the place, well done if you managed to get through it with whiplash. Hope you are all having a great week!

Outfit Details Dress: Primark // Cardigan, Shoes, Hat: Second Hand // Vintage Scarf (around hat): Swansong Vintage

Monday Link List: 044

2013-05-06T16:23:00.003+01:00

If you haven't seen Mary and Max yet go watch it now, if you have then you'll understand why I just had to share this.

This DIY brush holder is absolutely lovely, perfect for the artistic person if your life. I might make my own set for my make-up brushes.

These paper flowers are absolutely beautiful, and come with a free printable template.

I'm meant to be telling you about Allison's awesome frayed edge quilt tutorial, but I'm totally distracted by how cute her cat is instead, oops.

This sewing tutorial from Alex is so simple but looks amazing! I might have to steal a couple of LF's t-shirts so I can try it out

This fox by Anne Siems is beautiful!

I'm absolutely in love with this illustration by Michelle of Creature Type, what is it about Spring and floral headbands?

Luckily I can try making my own with this tutorial from Ally - isn't it gorgeous?

I know I shouldn't, because it would mean bleach again, but I really want red hair again. This ombre effect is stunning.

I love this photo, taken in Portugal. We're planning a trip for later this year and I cannot wait!

Grow up with a kids' heart!

Owning a Puppy on a Budget: Dogs are expensive, hairy and slobbery, but they are also amazing. I love Mrs Thrifty's advice on having a puppy on a budget, a must read if you are thinking of adding a little one to the family.

How To Successfully Pitch To Small Businesses: The whole blogger/advertiser dynamic baffles me at the best of times, and I always thought asking outright for free items was a bit brazen anyway, but if you are interested in approaching a small business (or any business) take these tips to heart!

How To Avoid Your Creations Looking Handmade: I've finally started doing more than playing on my sewing machine, but I'm still too embarrassed to share anything with you guys because it looks seriously ratty. Maybe some of these tips will help.

15 Ways To Get Past An Awkward Moment: I'm easily amused, and naturally awkward, so I found this pretty funny.

What Shakespeare, Marie Antoinette & Other Historical Figures Would Look Like Today: I love these updated portraits of historical figures - especially the one of Elizabeth I.

All About Disclosing Sponsored Posts: I'm not in the US so the same laws don't apply to me, but isn't it just good manners to disclose if you are getting paid for a post and I had no idea that some search engines will penalize websites that don't disclose their affiliate links.

Business Cards & Brooches: I seem to have a lot of serious blogging posts this week, but Danielle's business cards and brooches and absolutely adorable! They suit her so well!

It's Ann: If you've been watching The Great British Sewing Bee you'll love this interview with Ann, and if you've not it's worth it just to hear some advice from someone with 75 years sewing experience!

My Week In Photos

2013-05-05T13:56:00.001+01:00

So, I think we all know my 365 kind of tapered off. I know, I totally suck. I really enjoyed sharing photos of my week with you all though, so I think I am going to continue it in that sense. I always end up with a bunch of photos that don't fit in anywhere else anyway. This week has been completely mad, I'm seriously exhausted, and not just because I was out late last night. It's been lots of fun, but I've been a bit emotional all week. I was hoping to try and catch up on stuff this weekend but there has just been so much going on, including an amazing zombie birthday party for 2 of my friends - so much fun! Today's plan includes lots of loads of washing, catching up on emails - I haven't even checked them in 48 hours now - and getting some posts sorted out for this week. Hope you are all having a great weekend!

What I've Done: April 2013

2013-05-01T14:50:00.000+01:00

Highlights

A day at the beach. Scallywag and I went out to East Lothian and spent an afternoon playing in the sea, running through the forest and I had a good chat with some of my favourite people in the world.
A surprise visit from friends. Two of my university friends came up last weekend and we had a lovely time sitting in the sun and catching up.
A friend coming home. Wow, I just realised how many people I don't usually see I've spent time with this month. Another one of my close friends, who I've known since I was 15, moved back to Edinburgh after going being away learning circus skills for 3 months. I'm so excited about getting to spend more time with him again!
Teaching Mania to play fetch. I never thought we would manage this, and it made playing with Scally really difficult, but Mania finally seems to understand she is meant to bring balls back. It makes our run in the morning so much more fun.
Trying out new blogging subjects. I'm so used to sharing my photos on here and using that to influece what I write. Not being able to get any photos, other than from my iPhone, is definitely pushing me to try writing about different things. It's challenging, but fun.
Evenings round the fire. We're spent a couple of Saturday nights recently drinking beer and sittng round our friends' fire pit, I'm hoping it'll become a regular Summer Saturday night routine.
OhLife! Kaelah mentioned this site in one of her TILT posts recently and I have really enjoyed getting their emails and writing about my day. Admittedly I haven't done it as often as I would like, but usually I just completely forget about personal diaries. Getting my email each evening means that I have that reminder, but don't feel pressured to write if I don't have time.

Lowlights

Watching Star Trek, yes, it's still going on and all the BBC documentaries we can find. I've tried to spend some time reading this month and managed to finish Dead Pets; Eat Them, Stuff Them, Love Them along with The Road by Cormac McCarthy and A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I'm thinking of going back and reading some of my favourite Margaret Atwood books this month, maybe Alias Grace, but I'm pretty undecided. A lot less early mornings - I do love having time to sit in bed and read for half an hour and take the dogs for a proper run in the morning.

New (To Me) Blogs

I am the most indecisive person when it comes to how to format these posts. I really miss telling you guys a little bit about my favourite blogs I discover each month though, . There are quite a few this month, in fact I think I wrote about all the new blogs I found, but I just couldn't not share them all! Let's see how many times I can use the words fantastic, beautiful, amazing and lovely or talk about cute style and photography. I think I might need a thesaurus.

- We Shall Fly - // Thoughts & inspiration musings from Richelle

A Bevy Of // Funky fashion and feminism all in one awesome blog

Acute Designs // Tasty recipes, lovely lifestyle photos and some beautiful jewellery/hair accessories

After Nine To Five // Small business advice and lifestyle bits and bobs from Ashley.

Alive Always // I'm absolutely crazy about Bivi's adorable style and amazing blog design, adorable!

Always Rooney // Ok, yes, I'm a sucker for a pretty girl with pretty photos & I love Courtney's commitment to handmade items

Alaskan Weredork // Katie's blog makes me want to move out to wild Alaska and frolic in my best dress in the snow

Deer Circus // Cute couple, cute pups and awesome lifestyle photos

Drawing Dreaming // I love Ester's sweet style and vibrant photos

Fjeldborg // Sometimes I see a blog where I wish I could just step into it's world, Fjeldborg is one of those blogs

Holly Dolly // Holly's blog had had me desperately waiting for warm weather, I love her summery style and her hair always looks amazing

Kittenhood // Sweet style, cats and one cute pixie cut

Lala Faux Bois // I love Lisa's weekly wear's posts, her colourful style is so cheerful and I love the new music she has introduced me to.

Little Red Bowtalk // I wish I could emulate Marlyn's style, her style is quirky but beautiful and she always looks so well put together!

Manzanita // Another blog I wish I could just walk in to, her latest DIY is so easy but so adorable - I want to make brush holders for everyone I know.

Marzipan // I actually found Marzipan through the forum that shall not be named, but I'm totally in love with Preziosa's colour coordinated style and beautiful photos of Italy.

October Rebel // I've already linked to a DIY on October Rebel this month but I had to share again, I love this woman's style - vintage but never dated.

Paper Hearts // Leticia understands definitely understands that sometimes all you want is some pretty pictures, and she definitely delivers.

Pointless Pretty Things // Exactly what it says on the tin, Rachel's blog is just filled to the brim with beautiful art, DIYs and photography

Smile And Wave // I'm totally behind finding this Rachel's blog, but I've loved going through her archives, so inspiring!

Some Girl - A Diary // Beautiful photography and so much inspiring artwork from one of my new button swap buddies.

Stranger In Sweden // I love Patricia's raw honesty, inspiring outlook on life and hearing about her adventures in Sweden.

Swing The Day Away // Adorable style and amazing photography, I wish my outfit photos looked as beautiful as Sara's.

The Cinnamon Slipper // I've already raved about Rebecca's sailor inspired outfit, but if you haven't already you should definitely check out her blog. It is absolutely beautiful.

The Fiercest Lillputian // Another blogger I have already mentioned this week, Emma's style has changed over the last few years but it is still amazing.

The Joyful Fox // I'm running out of words, but I cannot emphasis enough how much I love Laura's style. Another lady who has become a regular person to check out when I'm lacking outfit inspiration. Her outfits are always amazing.

Looking Forward To

Long sunny days. Summer dresses. Sunglasses. Warm evenings. Time with friends. A possible trip up to Dundee. Making plans for the rest of the year. Bare legs. Ice lollies. Working on a more Spring-y blog design.

On a sad and happy note, May 13th marks a year since I said goodbye to my lovely Bertie - I can't believe it has been so long already, probably because I still think of his fluffy little face most days. It also marks a year since I started blogging again, which is a much happier anniversary to celebrate. Is it weird if I bake my blog a cake?

Monday Link List: 043

2013-04-29T11:00:00.000+01:00

These collars are so beautiful, pity I can't find a sourse for them. I want to see the girl with this style :)

I love this nautical inspired outfit by Rebecca, I just discovered her blog over the weekend and I love her adorable outfits and dreamy photos.

This kind of explains why I blog, I've no expectations of my writing or my photographs changing the world, but if I am part of convincing one person to try out something new, or share their own writing or photography I'm happy.

An oldie but a goodie from the archives of The Fiercest Lilliputian.

Pinned It, Tried It, Love It is an awesome idea for a series of posts, I love this heart jean DIY, so cute!

I've been thinking about trying out Project Life for a while now, and knowing you can get 250+ of these filler cards for free online is making it even more tempting.

I love everything about this, from Lisa Congdon's 365 Days of Handlettering.

Living Well - Get Some Sleep: Savannah talks about putting emphasis on getting a good nights sleep. In the past few years I've definitely noticed I don't manage as well as I once did without sleep, but it's led to the tendency to over sleep when I have the chance. I love this advice for getting into a regular sleeping pattern.

Woman Photoshops Herself & Her Cell Phone Camera Into Historical Photos: Photographer and retoucher Flora Borsi creates the most amazing images of her at important events, I love the first one, so fun!

Seven Confidence Tips For Any Age & Any Size: Katie is one of my absolute favourite bloggers, she is such a sweetheart and her post about gaining self confidence gives some genuinely helpful pointers on becoming happier in your own skin. I want to print them out and put them on my wall so I remember them every day.

Little Girl Throws A Tantrum Because She Can't Have A Unicorn: I totally feel for the wee girl in this video, I'm still pretty devastated that I can't have a real life unicorn.

Animals Photoshopped To Create Hilarious New Species: An oldie but a goodie, I still absolutely love these photoshopped animals. Some of them are kind of cute, but the Shorse is definitely my favourite, fascinating and terrifying.

How I Became A Jewellry Designer: Moorea shares her story of becoming a designer, from college to creation of her own brand and her plans for the future.

Non-Feminists 'More Hostile' Towards Men Than Feminists: It's a bit old, and I'm not convinced about the legitamacy of their control group, but I still found this article really interested - particularly because I have been doing a lot of reading about Men's Rights Activists lately.

My Life Through Instagram

2013-04-27T15:11:00.001+01:00

It feels like a while since I shared my own photos here. and although I always promised myself I wouldn't be one of those bloggers who shares their Instagram photos in every way possible. Turns out I am. Not having access to the photos on my DSLR is making me desperate. Hopefully there are at least a couple of you who haven't seen these all before.

We've had a quite nice mix of blue skies and April showers over the past week, although we did get a little bit of hail yesterday. Scottish weather likes to change it up. It's so nice to be able to sit outside again though, I feel like everyone has been hiding inside all Winter and suddenly the city seems full of people again. It's nice but I think the dogs miss having the park to themselves. We're having to keep a close eye on them around everyone's bbqs.

We've got people staying for the weekend, so we're trying to take advantage of the good weather while we can. It's lovely to have a full flat, although it is a bit manic. Have you guys got any big plans for the weekend?

My Favourite Independent Edinburgh Haunts

2013-04-25T14:58:00.001+01:00

I'm still completely unable to get any photos of my camera - which for a personal style blogger is causing some considerable problems. There is a plus side though, I'm having to dig deep and come up with some posts that are outside my comfort zone. I frequently talk about how much I love my city, but I've never really shared my favourite spots, there are so many it's proved quite difficult to cut them down but here's my list of essential places to visit in the city.

Dead Head Comics

Okay, I'm not sure how many of you are comic fans, but popping into Dead Head might change your mind. Featuring Scottish and International artists It can be a bit overwhelming walking in, but it won't take you long to get stuck in and find your new obsession.

Mr Wood's Fossils

I can't help but stop and gaze into Mr Wood's shop each time I walk by. Even if you aren't interested in fossils they are still amazingly beautiful, I've always promised myself I will buy one but at the moment I still just enjoying looking at them all.

Hannah Zakari

Filled to the brim with beautiful things, this shop on Candle Maker Row is a must see if you are in the city. Selling jewellry, bags, art and homewares from a variety of designers there is definitely something for everyone. I'm absolutely obsessed with their collection of brooches!

Sandy Bells

A large selection of whiskey and live traditional music every day of the week makes Sandy Bells one of my must see venues for visitors, but it's great if you are a resident as well. Located on Forrest Road, it's even dog friendly - your furry pal can get his own bowl of water and a couple of biscuits if my two haven't been in there first and eaten them all. It can get pretty busy at night but if you want a quiet spot to have a dram during the day it is the place ot be.

The Chocolate Tree

You can tell I have a sweet tooth can't you? I just can't say no to artisan chocolate though, and The Chocolate Tree has the most amazing selection of organic, diabetic and bean to bar chocolates. Ali and Friederike make real efforts to ensure all their products are ethically sourced and were one of the first British companies to work directly with cacao farmers. Pop in and grab a bar or have a seat in their cafe and enjoy a hot chocolate on a rainy Edinburgh day.

Doodles Ceramic Workshop

Pick your item, paint it then come back in a few days when the lovely people at Doodles have fired it. Perfect for kids or adults, you can even sit outside on sunny days. Your studio fee includes your item, paints, apron, juice or tea and firing and they also cater to groups.

Godiva Boutique

Although most of my clothes are second hand Godiva is my go to place for when I need something fancy right now. There stock is a mix of independent designers, vintage or you can get a made to measure dress by their in-house designer, and the shop is a pleasure to be in. I absolutely love the refreshing change from Edinburgh's mass of high street stores.

The New Leaf Co-op

Located on Argyle Place The New Leaf is owned and operated by the workers, who take a living wage and then funnel profits back into the shop and other co-operatives in the city. They have an amazing selection of organic, locally sourced and fairtrade products and not only do they have an amazing tea selections (and cheaper that at any of the local supermarkets) but you can also make your own peanut butter! Yum!

Canderson's Sweet Shop

Who doesn't love a shop stuffed to the brim with sweets? If you're like me and have a bit of a sweet tooth you should definitely check out Canderson's on Leith Walk. They have an amazing selection, including my favourite - Flying Saucers.

Materialize

Enjoy a cup of tea and take part in a sewing workshop, or just go in and use the machines. Materialize is a lovely wee studio based on Lady Lawson Street and provides a beautiful wee spot to get your creativity on or learn a new skill.

Bohemia

A beautiful curated collection of homewares, clothing, toys and gifts Bohemia tempts me constantly. They are a little bit out of my price range but the shop is a bloggers dream with adorable satchels, pretty dresses and, currently, the most lovely collection of foxy pillows I have ever seen.

The Forest Cafe

Until a few years ago based on Forrest Road, the Forest Cafe moved into it's new location on Lauriston Place last year to bring back it's own brand of inspiring art, tasty veggie treats and fun events. A haven for any arty or hippy types in Edinburgh it's become an insitution in it's own right and is a centre for social enterprise and activism in the city.,

Well, there you have it. Honestly I could have included so many other places, I keep thinking of them as I try and finish of my post. And of course if any of you are ever visiting Edinburgh get in touch! I'm happy to give people advice about places to visit!

Monday Link List: 042

2013-04-22T14:00:00.000+01:00

I love this print from Fab, I mean, tea and Alice in Wonderland - it's obviously meant for me!

I'm really looking forward to doing fancy things with my hair this Summer - I use it as a scarf when it is cold. This tutorial from ABM is inspiring me to try out some new things.

This week's mantra.

This fake book cover by Kali Ciesemier is beautiful!

These paper butterflies are beautiful.

This photograph is beautiful, Spring and flowers just go together in my mind.

Journey To Publication Part 4 - Moving On: Meg talks about the frustrations of waiting to hear back from publishers and starting to write again.

Honest To Blog: Lucy posts about her battle with anxiety, which echoes my own. I'm always amazed and inspired by the strength and honesty of other bloggers - especially when it comes to deeply personal issue

Dove's Real Beauty Campaign has been doing the rounds all week, my first opinions of it were great - who doesn't love a company taking an interest in increasing self esteem in woman, but I've got to admit I kind of agree with the post by Little Drops about why it makes her so uncomfortable.

Learn The Basics of Photoshop - The Complete Guide: An amazing collection of Photoshop tutorials for all sorts of purposes.

25 by 26: I love reading people's goals and dreams, both long and short term, and Kaelah's list this year is fantastic and inspires me to get on with some of my goals for this year.

The Pansy Project: Paul Fleet plants pansy's at the site of homophobic attacks, or as close as possible then photographs them and shares them on his website - such a beautiful way to mark something so sad.

In All Honesty: Becky does what I wish I had the guts to do, and gives us an actually look into her life (messy closet and all).

8 Fairy Tales & Their Not So Happy Endings: Because who doesn't love a gory fairy tale?

10 Things I Do Instead Of Writing Blog Posts

2013-04-18T13:25:00.000+01:00

We all have those times when we sit down to write a blog post and get distracted. In fact it happens to me much more than I would like - a lot of bloggers seem describe themselves as type A personalities, but that definitely isn't me. It takes a lot of organisation, berating myself and 'rewards' for me to keep blogging. Not that I don't absolutely love it - because I do - but when real life gets in the way I would much rather spend my evenings spending time with LFand the dogs. I'm very rarely organised enough to have posts scheduled more than a day in advance.

So here is a short list of some of the many things that distract me when I sit down to write a post.

1. Get lost in new blogs: We've all had that moment, we just need a little inspiration, or you get a particularly sweet comment and then spend an hour trawling through someone's archives. Finding a new blog you love is one of my favourite things about this community - I'm constantly inspired and amazed by all the amazing people in our little community. But damn can it be distracting when you are trying to get something done.

2. Spend half an hour deciding what to watch on Netflix while I write: I love background noise, I'm one of those people who just cannot survive without some music or the tv going in the background. The problem is I never think to choose what I want to watch/listen to until I sit down, and then of course the first thing is never quite right, or LF doesn't like it, and then we spend another half hour deciding, again, what we want to watch.

3. Checking Bloglovin' for new posts: it'll only take a minute, and I don't want to write a post that is the same as one someone else just wrote (in fact I'm tempted to check right now) and then of course something catches your eye, and then it's rude not to comment and then you see an awesome comment someone else left and then you are back at number 1.

4. Checking the news: and then getting caught up in whatever the latest story is.

5. Thinking about when I last took the dogs out: do they need a run? Do they look like they need to do their business? Should I take advantage of the brief moment between the rain while I can? Will they last till this evening? Where could I take them? Could I take outfit photos at the same time?

6. Decide to 'network' for a while, try to come up with witty remarks to make on Twitter: fail miserably, instead update people on what tea I am drinking.

7. Actually take the dogs out: realise that I live in Scotland and this sunlight isn't going to last, take the dogs for a run. Naturally it starts raining as soon as I leave the house, go back in for wellies, spend half an hour letting the dogs run in the rain, fail to take outfit photos, have to bath them both when we get some.

8. Check emails: spend half an hour deleting spam

9. Press Stumble by accident, get distracted looking at cute dog and cat gifs: wonder if I could convince Scallywag to to be cute on camera, keep pressing Stumble until midnight.

10. Think about unrelated thing: should I make tea? Should I make coffee? What should I wear tomorrow? What should I have for dinner? Am I hungry? Do I need to go to the shops? What would I do if one of the dogs ate a bumblebee? Have we got milk? Did I pay that bill? Have I got time to put a wash on? What book should I read next? Do I have time for a bath tonight? Did I remember to write today's blog post?

So what distracts you guys from blogging? Or am I the only one with the concentration span of a goldfish?

Emma Deer's 27th Birthday Bash

2013-04-16T11:00:00.000+01:00

I'm so excited to be taking part in my first group giveaway to celebrate Em's 27th birthday this month. I've absolutely loved Em's blog for quite a while and she's an amazing lady so I am really pleased to be part of her birthday celebrations.

All you have to do to enter is pop on over to Em's blog, leave a comment and then there are literally hundreds of ways you can get additional entries. There are so many amazing prizes, and they will all be going to one person so good luck! Maybe you'll even find your new favourite blog in the process.

The giveaway is open until April 23rd.

C/O Emma Deer // Grits and Moxie // Gypsybeee // Emphatically Elle // Ramsay Grace

C/O My Dearest Friend // East 80 // Young Mommy Memoirs

C/O Hopeless Notebook // Three Inch Stitch // Live Well and Breathe

C/O The Wandering Deer // Dear Sweetlings // Acute Designs

C/O Okay, Allison! // Ilaria Ruggeri // The Pepper and her Pups

C/O The Laughing Medusa // Bamboo Blossom // The Cottage Diaries

C/O Arrow in the Eye // Oh So Pretty // Pony Chops

C/O Lulu's Wonderland // Pretty Confused // Chane

C/O Zakka // Anchors & Honey

a Rafflecopter giveaway

... and remember, you can tweet once a day for more entries! :]

Monday Link List: 041

2013-04-15T17:05:00.002+01:00

I miss the IT Crowd. # Love this map of Hogwarts by Gamma Ray Burst This umbrella 3D Mobile is absolutely adorable, I want one above my bed These terranium instructions from Wit & Whistle is adorable Yes, also can someone make me that hat?
This Moss Faerie House is absolutely beautiful, by Sally Smith of NY
Vintage Makeover Series: Ally started a new series on altering vintage dresses - I love her wardrobe so I'm excited to learn some of her tips and tricks.

I Adopted A Dog In Its Final Hours On Death Row: I wish I could adopt all the dogs, so this story really touched me. We've been looking into fostering dogs (like Adrian did recently) but can't do it until we own our own home :(

I Travel Full Time - With My Dog: From Sarah's true life series, we've always planned on travelling with the dogs (LF really wants to live in France again before we think about starting a family so I can learn the language) and while we knew it was possible with the pups, this article made me feel so much more confident about it.

Giant Peg Board Cross Stitch Wall Art: I'm always blown away by Allison's crafts and this one is no exception (plus I have a soft spot for anything cross stitch) I absolutely love the way the colours look on the black pegboard.

Before & After - Locks of Love: Erin donated some of her (gorgeous) red hair to Locks of Love, an awesome charity who make wigs for children with permanent hair loss. I love her new bob.

Turning A Too Short Dress Into A Blouse: I've got so many slightly too short dresses, this is such an easy fix to turn some of them into blouses.

Doing A Couch To 5K: Sarah talks about her first couple of weeks doing the Couch to 5K programme and her plans to run to support her cousin on Mother's Day.

Tips For Travelling Solo: I've actually never travelled alone, I generally travel to visit friends so I had never really thought about it until reading this guest post from RiKenna but suddenly it sounds incredibly tempting.

In other news, I'm taking part in Emma Deer's amazing Birthday Giveaway, you'll be able to enter with me tomorrow (I thought two posts in one day might be a bit much) but if you can't wait till then go to Em's blog and enter now!

Spring Inspiration

2013-04-11T23:18:00.001+01:00

It's taken a while, but as I've mentioned, Spring has finally hit Edinburgh. I've had my first trip to the beer garden, we sat in the park over the weekend and played with the dogs and we've even started planning camping trips to the beach. It's also time for Spring cleaning (just in time for Mania to start shedding like crazy) and slowing switching to my Summer wardrobe. It's busy but it is also lots of fun.

Spring is the season that stumps me most when it comes to clothes, it's still too cold for my floral dresses, but too bright and pretty to be wearing my dark Winter wardrobe. I'm determined to take the plunge soon though, and this is some of my inspiration for this Summer (guess what? It's mainly floral)

1 // 2 // 3

4
*Top photo has no source - so let me know if it is yours!

Monday Link List: 040

2013-04-08T10:00:00.000+01:00

This picture makes me ridiculously happy

Katie's outfit is making me yearn for some warm weather, she looks absolutely amazing.

And so it Kaelah's! I'm would literally steal this dress off her, so it's a good thing we live in different continents.

These painted owls are so cute, and such a nice easy DIY as well.

Heart frienship bracelets - how did I not know how to do this until now?

I'm dreaming about coloured hair again, and this mint colour is fantastic.

This Red Riding Hood print is so striking.

This is where I want to spend my Summer, I could just wander the mountains with LF and the dogs perfectly happily for months

Add An Icon To Blog Post Titles With CSS: I've been wondering about how to do this for a while, more specifically with images behind your post title. So glad I finally found out!

Thoungs About Friendship & Employment: As bloggers we spend a lot of time thinking about what we say online, but do you consider how your personal FB could effect your employment?

The Colour Clock: Time as it's hexadecimal colour value, such a cool idea!

How To Write A Novel Using The Snowflake Method: Going back to my usual schedule has made me feel like I have so much extra time - I'd love to fill it with a new project like getting back into writing fiction.

Take A Photo (Video): I absolutely love this photography project, I would love to try this out in Edinburgh over the festival.

The Human Jukebox (Video): This is some of the most inventive busking I've seen.

What I've Done: March

2013-04-07T12:54:00.000+01:00

Highlights

Being busy. March has been the busiest month for me in quite a while, trying to juggle a much bigger workload (albeit temporarily) with everything else has really taken it out of me. By the time I was settled at home each evening I just didn't have the energy for anything. On the plus side now that it is all over I'm still getting up super early, for me, and fitting so much more into my day.
Spring Take One. Back at the start of March we had a couple of absolutely lovely days, sunshine, blue skies and the flowers even started to peak out. It didn't last but it was lovely.
Rediscovering StumbleUpon. It's been pretty awful for my creativity.
Meeting Scallywags Mum. This was so exciting for me, Ermintrude is such an awesome dog and the way Scallywag reacted to her was just incredible. I never knew dogs recognized their mothers before.
Mother's Day. I love my Mum more than anyone in the world, honestly, she rocks and I loved any time I get to hang out with her.

Lowlights
Introducing a friend to the X-Files - I love it. Buying lots of books (although I haven't got round to much reading yet). Junk food, neither of us have been very good at cooking lately so there have been lots of pizzas. Playing the Sims 2. Long weekend walks with the dogs. Family dinners. Early bedtimes. Baths. Smooties.

Looking Forward To
A little bit more spare time. US Netflix (we just got it - so much Star Trek). Getting some reading done - I've just started 'Dead Pets: Eat Them, Stuff Them, Love Them' by Sam Leith. Sunshine. Beer gardens. Evening walks. Jackets not coats. More blogging and blog reading. Taking my own outfit photos again. Cutting back on my caffeine consumption (I've been running on coffee lately and it is not good). Pulling out my Summer wardrobe.

Snapshots: Silly Self Portrait Practice

2013-04-05T11:00:00.000+01:00

I have a confession for you guys, for the past few months I haven't taken any of my outfit photos - my long suffering boyfriend LF has been doing them for me. I'm so lucky to have a partner who not only actively supports my blog, but also contributes, reminding me to save posts that we talk about for my Monday Link List, encouraging me when I am thinking about posting something more personal and putting up with my pulling my camera out my bag at odd moments and demanding he photograph me. Basically, he rocks.

On the other hand though, I kind of miss taking my own photos. I learnt so much about photography in my first year of blogging, starting off with a (pretty crappy) compact, to borrowing a friend's Olmypus e500 (thank you Gordon) and finally getting my own lovely Canon. I used to love taking half an hour out of my day to pop behind the house and set up my tripod, then frolic, fiddling with the settings until I had something I was happy with.

I'm determined over the next couple of months to return to my routes and get used to taking my own photos again. There are a couple of problems with this though, firstly it has been forever since I've done any self portraits and I am abysmally out of practice. Secondly, I've not found anywhere close I feel 100% comfortable taking photos on my own. We live in a lovely area but it is pretty busy, finding somewhere quiet enough that I won't be interupted mid photo is proving difficult. It's these times that I really wish we had a backgarden. I'm going to go for an explore this weekend and see if anywhere jumps out at me.

Until then I'm trying to get some practice in the house. We don't have the best light, or the nicest walls, so I ended up taking these ones in the bathroom. The light in there is lovely and at least the walls are white. I can't use it for outfit posts, there just isn't enough space but it works well for self portraits - I don't think you guys really want to see my bath or toilet. I had some fun fiddling with settings and making funny faces for a little while earlier this week and I am feeling way more confident about going out on my own soon. Any advice on taking your own outfit photos outside for a nervous nelly like me?

What I Wore: Forest Green & Awkward Poses

2013-04-03T13:38:00.000+01:00

Birthdays always makes me feel old. They are a little reminder that time is slipping away from us faster than we think, that the people we love are aging faster than we wish they would and that the world doesn't slow down for anyone. Today my younger brother turns 23 and I find it absolutely crazy. I was only 2 when he was born, hardly old enough to know what was going on but I vaguely remember wondering where my mum was, the fact my great aunt hadn't brushed my hair in the 3 days she was looking after me. I remember my Dad coming to pick me up and introduce to me the little bugger who would wiggle his way into my heart further than any one else in this world.

I'm actually meant to be visiting him at the moment, but in typical student style he is still curled up in bed so instead I'm sitting at his kitchen table catching up on this post, waiting for to drag himself out of bed so I can embarass him with cuddles and pinching his cheeks. Fingers crossed he will manage to get up before his friends arrive - he is not getting out of my fussing even if I have to do it in front of all his friends Does that make me a bad sister?

I actually only bought this dress a few days ago. It's from one of my favourite local charity shops and I was so excited by it I insisted on going and doing photos as soon as I put it on. It doesn't have any labels, so I have no idea where it is from, but the material is lovely and I'm excited about finding a nice event to wear it out to. I went as simple as it gets styling it this time, black cardigan, black tights and one of my favourite pairs of brogues (if only I could figure out where the laces are).

It's not a particularly Spring-y dress, but then we haven't had much Spring weather around here yet. I think you can actually see my thermal vest peaking out of my neckline, and I've still got my thermal tights on. I think I'm going to risk going out without my extra layers of protection this week, although knowing my luck it'll start snowing again. It's funny how, as bloggers, we seem to get overly excited about the changing seasons, it's just a pity Winter in Scotland seems to last twice as long as Summer. I can't wait to pull out my floral dresses and retire my big thick coats until Autumn.

Monday Link List: 039

2013-04-01T16:15:00.000+01:00

I'm pretty sure I have shared some of Laura McKellar's art with you before but I'm just crazy about this embroidery. I can't wait for Spring to finally reach Scotland.

I absolutely love this card set from Rifle Paper Co, such lovely colours.

Gillian shared some of her favourite haunts in Edinburgh

This free Easter printable from Kelli Murray would be adorable all year round.

Medieval Knight Found In City Car Park: You might not know this but I actually went to university to study archaeology, for a whole bunch of reasons I didn't finish but I still absolutely love the subject so I was super excited when I read about a knight being found underneath the car park of Edinburgh University's old Archaeology Department.

Little Thoughts: Amanda talks about the negative side of living in a small town. We've been talking on and off about moving out of the city for a while and I've got to admit I'm a little bit nervous about meeting new people if we do.

Photo Tip - White Balance & ISO: I've not taken as many photos as I would like lately so I'm making an effort to learn a little more at the moment while I have time. Katherine's tutorials are always nice and easy to understand (even for me).

Relishing Freedom: Nicole talks about the relief of being dog free after some puppy sitting. I absolutely love our dogs but I've got to admit those very rare days when we don't have them are a bit of a treat - although I just spend my time worrying about them instead.

Six Things I Did Instead Of Blogging: Jenna talks about learning new skills and keeping busy.

Staying Motivated To Blog: Elizabeth has a habit of talking about what I'm thinking about - and I swear it wasn't my question. Reading this post on Friday really gave me the motivation to dedicate a chunk of my weekend to catching up around here.

Jeez, it's been a crazy few weeks for bloggers. I'm sure everyone has heard the Google Reader is shutting down as of July 1st, but so is HelloCotton. In addition to that Better Blogger Network has also had a change of ownership, madness all round.

Snapshots: Life Lately

2013-03-30T14:02:00.002Z

Hello citizens of the internet, it's been a while. Real life has been a bit crazy round here the past few weeks, but it's been fun. The weather hasn't really been helping either. Each time I thought about taking some outfit photos it was raining, snowing, hailing or ridiculously windy. Ah well. I've got the long weekend off and my schedule is a bit more manageable for the next few weeks. I'm looking forward to getting a couple of posts written and finally catching up on my emails (I'm so sorry if you are waiting to hear from me!)

I took these photos on a wander with the dogs yesterday - they've been so bored with both of us working full time. Mania has gone on a bit of chewing rampage and destroyed at least 2 pairs of my shoes. We've been making an effort to make it up to them at the weekends and give them a chance to run. We didn't go far from home yesterday but at least they burnt off some of their excess energy.

You might have already seen these photos on my Instagram, but I've really only been taking iPhone photos lately so I thought I would share them again. 1. Sitting in the park with the dogs - it started snowing just after I took this. 2. After a job interview, I didn't get it but it was a nice wee boost to my confidence even to get the interview. 3. A very snowy walk to work. 4. A very sunny walk home that same day, I wish I had taken a picture of the grass too - all of the snow had disappeared by the time I was walking home.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and happy Easter if you celebrate it (I'm definitely looking forward to opening chocolate eggs tomorrow).

Snapshots: Family Reunion

2013-03-17T16:00:00.000Z

This week we have, unintentionally, bumped into quite a lot of doggy family members. I think it is really amazing that our two pups are related (Scallywag is Mania's aunt, just in case you didn't know) and is probably one of the reasons they get on so well together. Adding Scally's mother and Mania's brother to the mix for a couple of walks lately has just made it so much more fun for them, and gives me the chance to introduce you all to the pack.

Ermintrude is Scallywag's mum and Mania's grandmother. She's a lab/mastiff mix and is actually curled up on the couch next to us right now (we're babysitting her for the evening).

You guys already know Scallywag, she's been so excited to have her mum around. I've never seen her that excited or that submissive with any other dog. She definitely knows who Ermintrude is! Scally is going to be three later this year and she's a mix of lab/mastiff/staffy/lurcher.

Mania loves every other dog she meets, but she's definitely enjoyed having some big friends around to play with. She's about one and a half now. Her father is one of Scallywag's litter and her mother is a Siberian Husky (where she gets her different coloured eyes).

And finally Scrap, he's from Mania's litter so he's still pretty young and exciteable, but he's absolutely gorgeous and seems to adore all the ladies in his family.

Eventually I hope you get photos of the entire family, we were living with Scallywag's father and his owner for a few months last year. Then I can make some sort of dog family album!

What I Wore: Leftover Snow

2013-03-13T21:08:00.000Z

I'm sure you all know that I feel pretty strongly about snow, in fact I am usually pretty crazy about it (the dogs' reactions are always fantastically funny). Snow in March though, that I am not so sure about. This unexpected flurry started on Sunday but has already close to disappeared. I'm kind of relieved, I was really happy to see the first Spring flowers at the end of February, I'm slightly worried they will have died with the cold temperatures. I have got a couple of daffodils on our kitchen table at the moment. Did you know that daffodils can actually survive the frost? Hopefully in a couple of weeks there will be a flurry of yellow in gardens around the city.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that me and Le French are both going through some changes at work, he's actually starting a new job tomorrow and for the past week and a half I have been working from the office. An entirely new experience for me. It's only temporary, but it is causing me all sorts of outfit conundrums. I just don't have enough office appropriate dresses. To fix that problem I did a quick trip to Primark last Thursday and bought a couple of dresses that were on sale.

This one was £10 and I'm absolutely crazy about it. The material is lovely and thick and it has the most lovely royal blue lining. I probably won't be able to wear it for too much longer this year, but I'm sure I will still love it this Autumn. I switched my coat for a black cardigan and snow boots for some black pumps when I got in there, but I definitely felt very grown-up (isn't it ridiculous for a 25 year old to say that - but, as I said, office work is kind of new to me). Anyway, I'm off to curl up with my lovely man and watch a film. We're planning on getting an early night so we are both fresh and sparkly tomorrow morning. Hope you are all well!

Monday Link List: 038

2013-03-11T11:00:00.000Z

This illustration by NanLawson is absolutely beautiful.

I've been drinking loads of coffee lately to cope with my new early mornings, this print is just perfect for me.

Even more coffee (can you see a theme?) this photo really made me smile.
Have you guys checked out Erin's new Etsy shop. This necklace is absolutely gorgeous!
This fox art is absolutely stunning. I think they are one of my favourite animals.
This has been me every evening for over a week, I know I have things I am meant to do, but I spend my time doing the least important task possible.

Past Spring Favourites: Tieka shares some outfit inspiration for the new season. I'm getting so excited about pulling out all my florals again.

Guide To Walking Edinburgh: Smidge shares some of her favourite walks in Edinburgh, I cannot wait to the sun to come out again so I can spend a little bit more time outside.

Blog Pals Snail Mail Sign Up: They seem to be popping up every where but here's another blogger penpal group for anyone who is interested.

What I've Learnt in One Year of Blogging: Allison talks about what she has learnt in her first year of blogging and how it has affected her.

Life as a Small Business Owner: Melissa shares her kind of incredible story as a small business owner and in part two talks about juggling multiple ventures and knowing when to let go.

10 Good Things Right Now: Katie and Reuben talk about some things that are making them happy, I love that first photo!

Thoughts on Being "Too" Connected: While worrying about her apparently broken phone Maria muses on how social media can take over our lives.

Month In Review

2013-03-09T14:32:00.001Z

Highlights:

Multiple museum trips. I love the variety of museums in Edinburgh, but rarely get the chance to visit them. Getting to go to the National Museum of Scotland twice in one month was a nice treat.
Flowers. Both on my table and popping up in the various green spots around the city I am so excited to see some colour again, and a little bit of sunshine as well.
Valentines Day. Even though we didn't do anything specifically Valentine-y the last month has been lovely, lots of couple time.
Snow Days. Dogs in snow, what else can I say?
The quiet before the storm. March is looking to be one crazy month round here, I definitely made the right choice having a relaxed month before hand.

Lowlights:

Trying to finish my embroidery in time for Mother's Day on Sunday. Watching ER. Getting ready for a very busy March. Unexpected visits from friends. The thrift gods smiling on me. Second hand dress patterns. Re-watching Mary and Max (one of my favourite films ever!). Installing The Sims 2 on my laptop and creating all my favourite deceased characters. The dulcet tones of David Attenborough teaching me about animals.

New (To Me) Blogs:

Adventures of an Anglophile // Antlers & Roses // Blue Paper Lanterns // Edinburgh Etiquette // Elisabeth M. Stone // Grits and Moxie // Gypsy in Jasper // Haley Here // HoneyBunny in Wonderland // House of Humble // Kalanag // Kelli Murray // Koi Story // Little Tin Soldier // Love from Lou Lou // My Dear Watson // My Dearest Friend // Now That's Pretty // Our City Lights // Peasoup // Pencil Stitches // Pretty Lovely // Ruby Red Slippers // Southern (California) Belle // The Busy Bee // The Heart Beats Faster // The Persephone Complex // Wardrobe Oxygen

Looking Forward To:

A very busy month (although one week in I'm also kind of terrified). Spring and everything that comes with it. Finally watching the final Twilight film. A job interview. Sunlight in the evening again. New opportunities. Meeting some new people. Mother's Day. Getting organised (you've probably noticed my lack of posts recently, I'm not going to apologise, real life has to come first sometimes but I really miss that feeling of satisfaction when I manage to post consistently).

Monday Link List: 037

2013-03-04T11:00:00.000Z

I love the Spring colours in this print by Unravel Design

This cat pillow from Kitten Rain is just amazing, so cute!
This shark tea infuser is possibly one of the best things I have ever seen, if I had a larger collection of loose tea I wouldn't be able to resist it!
Lauren's Log Lady outfit is absolutely amazing - doesn't she just look perfect?
Such a beautiful illustration, by Elena Mir

9 Tips For Beginner Bloggers: Great advice for people who are thinking about or have just started a blog. I love the focus she puts on being part of the blogging community.

Thoughts On Going Full Time Freelance: Lots of us bloggers wish we could quit our day jobs in order to blog full time or pursue our creative endeavours - Maiedae talks about the reality of being full self employed and how she prepared for the change.

Social Media Do's & Don'ts: Not any ground breaking stuff but I find social media quite scary (am I sharing too much? Not enough?) but as bloggers we spend so much time trying to cultivate our online voice it is important to remember how that translates across social media.

Posing Dogs For Photos: Sometimes my dogs love taking photos, at other times they are too excited to stay still, it's just their nature, but Katherine's tips do make it just a little bit easier if you want some still shots.

GOTCHA!: One of my favourite little families celebrated their first year of being together, such a cute post!

Freelance Ain't Free: Mandi talks about how her various freelance endeavours are taking over her life.

When Looking For A Dog: Part 2 of Kristina's series about dog ownership, this time she talks about different sizes of dogs and working out what size of dog you and your family can handle.

On Being a 17 Year Old Anti-Feminist: Olivia talks about feminism being a dirty word and how her views have changed since being a teenager.

Me, Myself & I: Megan talks about taking your own outfit photos and shows off some of her favourite (hilariously named) poses.

It Happened To Me - I Sold My Soul For A Haircut: Allie talks about the temptation of free stuff and trying to keep your integrity.