Kawaii box goodies!

So over the last 6 months, there have been quite a few issues with deliveries of the Hello Kitty and friends Lootcrate. The thing which annoyed me the most was that they were constantly taking my money still, but informing me that there were delivery issues. At one point they had taken 3 payments (£39 a crate) from my account and I had nothing to show for it. So as you can guess, I wasn’t too happy about it.

So with that in mind, I thought I would try some alternative subscription plans, and Kawaii Box was one of them. I had seen their adverts quite often on social media about them and thought that now was a good time to try them out.

Kawaii Box is a monthly subscription plan and is sent straight from Japan, with cute and colourful little bits and bobs to enjoy. As a lover of all things Kawaii, I thought this would be perfect for me. Their subscription plan comes in different pricing points, getting cheaper the longer you sign up for and paying upfront. As I was unsure if the box would be for me, I just opted for the one-month recurring plan option at $24.90 with free delivery.

The box took a little less than a month to come. As I was use to the Lootcrate boxes, this was a lot smaller. Sadly it had been bashed up quite a bit in delivery, but everything inside was fine.

The boxes have a monthly theme, and this month was Kawaii birthday party from home. Inside the box you had a really cute mixture of items:

• Kawaii dreams handbag – pretty small, more for a child than a grown adult woman hahaha!
• Amuse character egg-shaped hairbrush – like a tangleteeze hairbrush.
• Neon Candy highlighter – in the shape of a sweetie, this is very cute and useful!
• Sweet bow hair tie set – YES there was something with a cat on it!
• Butterfly blossom pen – very cute and useful.
• Little fairy tale 2 in 1 sharpener and eraser – another useful item for my colouring in.
• Sakura Washi tape set – never can have enough cute tape for gifts and cards.
• Chocoball brisk white soda – These are a Japanese candy which tastes of chocolate and soda!

Above all, I think the box is really cute, there is stuff in there I would definitely use and love the little handbag. It is probably too small for a day to day bag, but it is a great size for snacks and cute bits.

I can’t wait to see what my next box will be like, and also what my next subscription box I am trialling will be like too, I will, of course, keep you posted on how I get on and what I think.

Much love to all my kitties, and keep safe xxx

I recently came back from a short break to the pretty city of Prague, and I couldn’t believe my luck, when I looked on my Instagram, that one of my hands-down favourite Insta kitties Apollo would be in Prague at the same time as me! I couldn’t believe the chances, and after not getting to Tokyo for Hello Kitty’s 45th birthday due to my gallstones, this would make up for it!

I hoped and prayed that lil Apollo’s mummy would do a meet and greet, and she did!

So after a quick trip to Prague Zoo, we got back into the old town to finally meet the fluffy prince of British Shorthair cats.

After hunting down the exact spot our wait for Apollo was over and we finally got to see him in real life.

Apollo arriving in pure Apollo-style, and in his signature unicorn!

Apollo was as cute and cuddly in real life as on Instagram, and nothing prepared me for the excitement of hearing him cry for shriiiiiiimps!!!!!

The Crazy Cat Couple dressed in appropriate style to meet Apollo.

Being a couple that both adore cats, this was a really special moment. I never thought I would ever meet Apollo, being that he lives in the USA. To have the chance to hold him and get some pictures with the little fluffy baby, was a very special moment.

I would also like to say, that Apollo was very well cared for and his mummy and daddy really love him! Apollo was a pure joy to meet, and really what I needed. I can honestly say meeting him, made up for missing Hello Kitty 45th Birthday in Tokyo! Oh and also I will say he was the nicest celebrity I have ever met, and I have met a few hahaha.

Selfie time with the fluffy Instagram prince!

Remember to click on the links to TewsdayKitty and Apollo’s Instagram for more pictures and Fun!

Drinking beer and wearing my favourite Ottolangs earrings and my beautiful new JBLoveCraft Dolly Parton t shirt

So if you haven’t guessed by now, my two favourite things in the world are cats and rainbows, and it is always my mission to find items with them on.

Recently I have managed to find some great buys, and I’m going to share with you where you too can enjoy the cat and rainbow life

Firstly if you like beer (or even if you don’t, just get this for your collection!) I found some great cans with cats on at a stall in my local market in Norwich! Sir Toby’s beers is not only a great place to pick up some fine cat inspired beer cans, but also a great spot to chill, drink and watch the world go by.

Now to rainbow land, and we are keeping it local still. In the picture above I am wearing my favourite earrings of all time by the very talented Ottolangs if you like rainbows, hearts and sparkles this is the shop for you!

Also on the sparkle front, is another very talented local artist who introduced me to my new mantra… “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!” Dolly Parton spoke straight to my heart on this one, and I’m so thankful JBLoveCraft showed me this. I am so glad she made this quote into t shirts, she also does tote bags too! That’s not all, she makes loads of other beautiful and cute items, go check her out!

What fun Cat and Rainbow items have you found lately? I’d love to know, why not drop me a message or follow me on instagram @TewsdayKitty

In my beautiful Collectif shirt from Lady B Love.

As some of you may know, I come from Norwich, and I love my hometown!

The great thing about Norwich, bar the beauty, history and amazing people, is our love for independent shops. From quirky gift and clothing stores to the brilliant and innovative coffee and food scene.

One of my all time favourite shops for clothing is Lady B Loves which sells some of the best vintage inspired brands, and is in the stunning setting of the Royal Arcade. Also they stock their own chub rub shorties! Go check them out, as they are a summer lifesaver for us curvy girls! This is also where I got my favourite Collectif rainbow skirt from .

Quirky handmade jewellery and cute plants from Littlesmiths Norfolk.

We also have some of the most amazing independent stores celebrating the handmade talents from not just our hometown, but all around our country. Littlesmiths which is situated in Norwich and Fakenham, introduces you to some beautiful and individual items, and I fell in love with these Peony Vintage earrings and also purchased a little plant for my husband.

Kofra on Onley Street is a great little stop off point, on a walk into the city.

Coffee shops, oh we have so many independents for you to try! Strangers Coffee (which has a rostery too!), Kofra, Fika, and Unknown coffee are just a few and are all experts in their craft.

If you prefer tea, then Biddy’s tea Room (which I’m pictured swinging from their pole on my opening picture) has a wide variety of different teas, oh and their cakes and saviours are amazing too!

Cupcake and Co made my husband a special birthday cake of our beloved cat Lester (this was after we lit the cake, so unikitty has a bit of a burnt horn!)

To end on a sweet note, we also have some fabulous and talented bakers in Norwich. One lady I have loved for many years is Cupcake and Co on Upper At Giles. From her cute cupcakes to her spectacular cakes, this lady makes everything delicious. Also she has so scrummy vegan options too!

Also another talent to watch out is the beautiful Maggie. From authentic delicious Danish pastries, to ridiculously good Rye bread. You can get her goodies from Rainbow whole foods just of Guildhall, and lots of good cafes around Norwich too. Check out her website for where she will be!

These are just a few little place I know and love. What is your favourite in Norwich or your hometown? Let me what where I should visit and try!

I have a love of rainbow, pastel and sparkles, as I think you can guess from my pictures and Instagram. Though I have found the older I get, I really don’t know where I fit in, or should I even worry about fitting in?!

Anxiety has always gnawed at my life since I can remember, and as much as I know, you shouldn’t care about what other people think, even at 35 I do!

If I’m not worrying about what people think or if they like me, I’m worrying about loved ones or myself. Sometimes my brain is just a fairground of anxiety!

This is where the wonderful creatures of cats come in. Did you know that cats can reduce stress? Just 15 to 30 minutes a day with your lil fur baby can calm and help with your mood and wellbeing!

My beautiful baby Lester, sadly died this February (two days before my mum’s anniversary of her passing) and my heart was broken. We still haven’t got a new fur baby, but I know I can’t wait for my new kitty buddy to love and both help each other out.

My baby Lester.

I feel that need to just cuddle up with a cat, and tell them my problems. (I know they can’t answer back) I know the day we finally get our new lil baby I will feel a lot more calmer and happier.

On a side note, shout out to the beautiful human Sugar and Sloth, for her amazing work on fighting the stigma of mental illness with beautiful bins, bags and t-shirts and much more. I love her Narhwal rainbow anxiety pin! It sums me up to a T.

And a final note, always live a rainbow life even in the gloom, remember you are amazing and loved, let’s also remember to take care of each other. It can sometimes be the one who is the life and soul of the party, who is hiding the hurt

Being a Crazy Cat Lady who loves her fashion has never been better! There are so many handmade and fashion brands out there, Including Frilly Pops (pictured), who are embracing the love of cats and Hello Kitty!

Well hello, 2019, and what a great time to embrace your Crazy Cat Person to full potential. I have never really hidden my love of felines and right now, the fashion world is helping me build on my purrrsonal style even more.

One of my favourite brands for jewellery and of course their quirky shoes is Irregular Choice. If I am short on anything quirky and cute, I know I can rely on this brilliant British brand. My most recent purchase from them comes in the form of the Lucky Cat Earrings.  These were a steal at £10, and the majority of their jewellery is around this price point, so compared to their shoes which as beautiful as they are, can be around £100, this is a great entry level price point into the brand.

Also, you can always rely on Etsy and your local makers market to fill your love of kittehs. One of my favourite local cat loving ladies is Miss Ella, whos love of cats can be found in jewellery, art and even city murals in my home town of Norwich!

The two handmade brooches I’m wearing in the picture above are what I have collected and been given over the years. There are so many amazingly creative people out there embracing their love of cats. My other favourites being Sugar and Sloth and for cute pompom cats, it must be Frilly Pop Shop.

So what are you waiting for, crazy cat gang?! Get out there and embrace your Crazy Cat styles!

So if you have been hiding under a rock the past year (or dare I say it, not a Hello Kitty fan) you may of missed some of the amazing Hello Kitty collabs!

Really we need to go back to just before the end of 2017 when it kicked off. This was of course ASOS’s first collection with the purrfect Miss Kitty herself!

The first array was more geared to Christmas and party wear, the prices ranging from £5 to £95. There was some amazing buys, but the downside to me was the amount of Dabbing Hello Kitty’s. I do not buy into this fad, thank you! Though I did purchase some of the jewellery and handbags. The hoop earrings were my all time favourite, and the most amazing handbags, I purchased both the white fluffy crossover and the very similar Charlotte Olympia Olympia style black backpack.

We then of course had the the big hype of PumaXHelloKitty which celebrated the more classic OG style. Red and white, classic and clean! This connection was HOT, and sold out pretty quickly. To be honest I didn’t even think I’d get a pair in the UK, but thankfully Schuh had my back and I got my precious pair! Now these were expensive to me £80 for a pair of trainers is not a lot to some people, but to me they were A LOT! Though they were worth every penny for the cuteness factor!

When Summer came it was time for ASOS to bring a new selection of goodies. This had 90s vibes and quirky girly feels. I found the collection a little bit too young for me, but the bow heels and ankle socks were my prize wear of the summer. The shoes in particular stole the show at a summer party!

Now the latest and most hyped so far has to go to ConverseXHelloKitty. This range had a huge selection of colours and styles, even including clothes. This one, I had to be held back on a bit! 3 pairs of shoes and a t shirt later, I was one happy Kitty!

The collection was so popular, styles sold out in a day and I had to wait a while to get them via Converse. Though when they came, they were stunning, so beautiful in fact I still haven’t dared wear them yet!

There have also been some extremely high end collections what have happened with the likes of Furla, Pinko and Chinti and Parker, which I have loved, but are way out of my price range!

What is next for the Hello Kitty collabs?! I would like to see more UK brands bring back the Kitty Queen, especially clothing in plus size. We miss out on lots of cool brands in the UK like Loungefly, who do some amazing Hello Kitty accessories, but don’t stock in the UK. Sanrio themselves do not have a UK site. So hopefully 2019 we may finally get all the Hello Kitty we love and deserve!

I am sure any true Hello Kitty fan out there is aware of these awesome little Loot Crates. I know I have been going crazy for them for over a year, but the price always puts me off slightly. At £39 it’s a high price for a gamble on what will be inside .

I purchased my first box due a coupon with 20% off, and as I had some birthday money I thought I’d treat myself. Being that I’m in England, this took a long time to come!

my first box was the Tasty collection, I love food so I was looking forward to what would be coming! There was a mixture of cute and colourful items including:

• A burger apron
• Gudetama bento box
• A very cute Hello Kitty hot dog plushie
• Sanrio coasters
• Gudetama charm
• Sanrio Lunchbox

To be honest, there was only a few things out of the box I really liked, or would use. So I did think I would cancel… The only problem was, I forgot to! So then another one came to my house, and I’m so thankful it did, as this one was perfect

Sweet Dreams was cute as a button. It ticked all the boxes! Pastel colours, more Hello Kitty and items I would use!

In the Sweet Dreams box you got:

• A very cute pastel t shirt
• A hello kitty squishy keyring (seen on the picture)
• Sanrio blanket
• Sanrio eye mask
• Sanrio stacking dolls
• Little twin stars charm

To conclude, I am carrying on with the Loot crates. They come only 4 times a year, and at the moment I am really enjoying them.

What do you guys think? Have you had the the Hello Kitty Loot Crate, or any other suprise box? Let me know what you think, or if there is any other cute boxes I should get.

London, beautiful London. I always knew you wouldn’t let me down, and this month you have given me the Joy of the Tombo x Hello Kitty collaboration at their Fitzrovia location. All the Japanese treats a Hello Kitty fan could desire, and what purrrfect timing being it’s my birthday month!

So, with my faithful and kind husband beside me we ventured to the big smoke for some Hello Kitty fun.

The great thing about Tombo Fitzrovia is it isn’t hard to find. Just get off the tube at Tottenham Court Road and head up past the Dominion theatre and you will find it a few streets up on your left.

So excited to be there!

Tombo itself is quite a small Japanese café with nice clean décor. We were greeted with traditional styled pictures of Hello Kitty in many Japanese poses and locations, my excitement was a little bit more intense than the rest of the customers, I even dressed up in my favourite HK items!

The staff were friendly and directed us to a table, we got there about 11.45am which was the perfect time, as by the time we left the place it was getting full, and I didn’t want to chance missing the HK goodies!

Let’s get to to the food and drink:

So, the menu has a section dedicated to Hello Kitty inspired dishes including, Hello Kitty curry rice (a Hello Kitty katsu curry inspiration) and a Hello Kitty poké. There is also a selection of matcha inspired drinks and a nice selection of HK desserts to choose from.

Today was a day of firsts, I have never tried poké what Tombo is famous for, or the wide range of matcha products. I have only ever had matcha in a green tea. This place you get Matcha in EVERYTHING!

I chose a Hello Kitty matcha frappuccino, the green concoction came topped with whipped cream, strawberry sauce, and grated pink chocolate. I was hoping for a Hello Kitty popped on the side of the cream like I saw on pictures of the sundae so I was a little disappointed, but it still tasted and looked good. Being that I have never had any kind of tea frappe it was an interesting taste. I feel it is a drink I could get use to the more I had it. My husband had the yuza kukicha citrus green tea, which was beautiful and fresh tasting, so much so I brought the Hello Kitty special edition pouch.

As you can see I am all decked out in Hello Kitty for this!

We chose a Hello Kitty curry rice and Hello Kitty salmon Poké. (Bonus on purchasing the Poké is you get a mini soy sauce Hello Kitty bottle to take away with you!) I have never had Poké before, so I chose to opt for this, also by doing this we both got to try a bit of each other’s.

As you can see from the pictures, the food was beautifully decorated, to the point I didn’t want to destroy her beautiful face. Poké is a really refreshing light Japanese style salad, and the HK special even had tiny HK’s out of carrot and beetroot dotted about the bowl. The curry was just as pretty with her little face poking out of a bowl of delicious katsu curry and like my poké it had little HK carrots and beetroot shapes around the bowl. The katsu curry had a nice taste, one of the best I have tried in a long time.

For dessert, I had a little Hello Kitty cupcake, once again like the Frappa this was also lacking Hello Kitty items on it. All it needed was a little icing Hello Kitty to set it off and make it a bit more special.

Overall, I really enjoyed Tombo, I would have never known about this place if it wasn’t for the Hello Kitty pop up. Would I go again without the Hello Kitty pop up? Yes! It has a nice feel and the food is fresh. The Matcha Frappuccino wasn’t really my thing, but I could easily enjoy a pot of the lovely Yuza Kukichia, and I can really see why Poké is making such a craze in London. Healthy, fresh, and delicious!

If you are a crazy Hello Kitty fan, and want to try out Tombo x Hello Kitty, it is still on till 8^th October!

Tombe poke & Matcha bar

4 Windmill Street

W1T 2HZ

Even in a Snapchat filter I like me.

The major mile stone must be the fact that I don’t hate the way I look in the mirror. Spending probably a good 20 years scrutinising my weight and looks, I finally have come to terms and acceptance of this. Of course, I would like to weigh less and remove those bloody bags under my eyes, but most of all I can look in the mirror and go, “You know what you don’t look half bad?”.

Though it does offer up the question, are we allowed to like ourselves, even love without coming across arrogant and smug? It isn’t a particularly British characteristic, but why shouldn’t we feel happy to stand up and say that we feel beautiful the way we are and happy with our lives.

I was discussing with a friend of mine how my mindset changed through my late 20’s to now (which you can see from older posts.). Before hitting 30 I gave it my all to get as much weight off as possible, hiring personal trainers and doing strict diets. It was all about getting as low as possible. I wanted to be in that mid heathy BMI and I knew the time was ticking. The 9 and half stone target never got reached, but I lost nearly 2 stone and felt miles better about myself. I look back on the pictures in Las Vegas for my 30^th and I don’t look half bad.

This of course as discussed with my friend happened due to slow changes. I found dieting harder, but I was enjoying life more. I started to like the gym for the exercise instead of a gruelling regime to lose copious amounts of weight before a set date. I now go to the gym, do my work out which I like and just have fun with it. Also, as much as I know I need to lose weight for health and longevity, I just really like my curves. I have given up on beating myself up on trying to get into Topshop’s tiny 16 and just enjoy shopping elsewhere. There are so much more fun and interesting options to find and explore, the internet has opened a wide world of options to all shapes and sizes. Asos caters for everyone and so does Missguided too. Why not try a spot of vintage? It can be hard to find in larger sizes, and sometimes what looks a bit scary on a hanger can look amazing with the right accessories. The Stylist and the Collector can show you just that.

The truth is, I have found my groove let’s say. The way I have done this has been gradual and there are a few steps I have found.

• Getting a good haircut and colour – ban the boxes and just dig deep and pay the extra for a good cut and colour. The older we get the more care we need to take not just to our face and body, but our hair too (covering those pesky greys). I have now had the same style for over 3 years, it is now a signature look for me. People now expect me to rock my short fringe which I love, especially with a pair of funky sunglasses.
• Also, use a good shampoo and conditioner. If you are paying all this money for a good quality cut and colour, treat it right! Get rid of the high street and pay a bit more for deluxe shampoo and conditioners. Tigi Bedhead can be found in TK Maxx and and Justmylook does a brilliant price on the tween packs with free delivery!
• Don’t give a hoot about what you want to wear. Half the time I feel like I am dressing like a five-year-old, and I really don’t care. I have to stop myself sometimes buying something, just because it’s “cool” and it’s not me. I am a 33-year-old woman I don’t have to be reformed into some category which I should be in. I am old enough to not care and wear what the hell I want! Yes, that does mean a pastel leather mini skirt and a Pusheen t shirt.

Always rock Pusheen!

• Go to the gym, Boogy bounce, spin or hot as hell bikram yoga, but do it because you like it, not because you feel you must.
• Most of all enjoy who you are and what you have to offer. Go out there and be fabulous because I am finding the 30s life just that.