Saturday

30th June 2012


Cardigan: New Look
Dress: Vintage
Shoes: Primark

It's the last day of my Union Jack Challenge. I have enjoyed it and I've surprised myself by actually completing it. I've learned a lot from it, particularly how to mix and match pieces so that I don't repeat the same outfit and I've got into the habit of taking a photo everyday. That said, I am relieved it's over. I was beginning to run out of options!

It's odd to see me in glasses again after a month. It's even stranger experiencing restricted vision after a whole month of it being perfect. I thought I'd give my eyes a bit of a rest seeing as they've only been contact-free for a total of 12 hours in the past 2 months!


I love this dress. I bought it in Brighton over Easter. With its midi length, you might well think it is a pretty safe choice for a breezy day. I thought so too. It turns out I was wrong. This is the blowiest dress I have ever owned. A lot of people have seen my pants today!

However, it is a lot of fun to swirl around in as you can see:
Also, because of the Hawaiian print, it is the perfect accompaniment to my ukulele.
Yes, I'm hugging my ukulele. I blooming love that thing!

I popped down to the charity shops today. It was largely fruitless but still a lot of fun to rummage around.

Rich ended up buying this guitar. It used to belong to Matthew Baigent in 4R, according to the name label on the back.

Look at all these amazing vintage Ladybird books!

Was anyone else as obsessed with Goosebumps books as I was in the mid 90s?

I ended up buying two things. A pale blue 60s jumper that I will wear tomorrow to show you and this awesome 1974 Ladybird book:

I absolutely love dinosaurs and the T-Rex is my favourite.

This is my second vintage Ladybird book. I also have a 1960s London one. I think I'll get a box frame for them to decorate the living room.


Friday

29th June 2012

Cardigan: Collectif
Vest: Peacocks
Skirt: Cath Kidston
Shoes: QS

Friday! Woohoo! I had a very nice start to my weekend as I waited at the train station on my way home. A man approached me, indicated to his wife and said "She has been admiring your cardigan for ages. Where did you get it from?" The poor woman was mortified that he had approached me but it certainly brightened up my evening!


There is nothing better than receiving a compliment from a stranger!


Thursday

28th June 2012


Sunglasses: Vogue
Dress: Topshop
Tennis shoes: New Look

Thursday is my favourite day of the blogging week. Why? Because it's Rachele's Proud of my Size Link Up Day! I've found so many great bloggers to follow through it and I've had a whole host of amazing new readers too. It's just a huge celebration of everyone's amazingness. Seriously, go and join the party!

Anyway, I've felt like a tennis player all day today with my white dress and pumps. I'm having horrible problems with cramp in my legs and feet so I've swapped my ballerinas for something more supportive.

Today was the surprise of the summer. I left the house with a jumper on and brandishing an umbrella due to the drizzly, chilly morning. By lunchtime, I was pretty much dying because of the heat.

I also completely forgot that we were using clay today and decided to wear all white. Yeah, great idea Becky! Luckily, I just about managed to squeeze into a 9-year-old sized apron. Tomorrow we're painting (with black paint, no less!) so I must plan more carefully!



Wednesday

A-Z of Becky: A

Devon Elizabeth posted a very sweet concept on her blog: An A-Z of herself. It's such a sweet idea, in fact, that I am adapting it to use on my own blog. Let's get to know me a little better!

A is for Alan Rickman


I love, love, love Alan Rickman. He is more or less my only celebrity crush. Is that wrong? He's a pensioner. He probably has a bus pass. Yet he is so incredibly sexy. How can anyone who qualifies for a winter fuel allowance be this hot?

Oh my, that voice...

In fact, such is the power of Alan Rickman that my (straight) brother also has a crush on him. We love nothing more than a good gossip about Alan. My brother is my main source of Rickman news.
I totally mean my 23-year old brother, not the 12 year old I always talk about!

My friends all think I am a total weirdo. Please tell me I'm not alone in this. I'm not, am I?

Tuesday

26th June 2012

Sunglasses: Vogue
Cardigan: Vintage
Dress: Vintage
Shoes: Primark

Today I fished out one of the dresses that are still packed away from when we moved, yet to find a home. I really need a new wardrobe. Or a clothes rail, maybe. I should get onto that pronto.

Everyone I saw told me that I looked very summery which is odd as I associate brighter colours with summer.

I ended up wearing my sunglasses on my head like this all day. I wore them out on the playground for duty, then pushed them onto my head when I entered the classroom and completely forgot about them until later when a kid said "I like your glasses like that because they show off your ears" (One of the strangest compliments I've received!). I must have looked like a right idiot all day.

Monday

25th June 2012

Cardigan: Collectif
Vest: Peacocks
Skirt: Cath Kidston
Shoes: QS

Today was Sports Day. It is incredible how exhausting it was. I feel like I have taken part in it two times over. Still, it was lovely weather for it and we all really enjoyed ourselves.

I really must stop wearing the same clothes. Tomorrow I'll put something different on, I promise.

Sunday

24th June 2012

I have had the most amazing weekend. It has been lovely to just chill out after the busiest, most stress-filled, panic-laden week ever. I have done absolutely nothing that has involved me leaving the house. In fact, pretty much all I've done (apart from the obligatory planning) is catch up on reading some blogs and learn to play my ukulele.

Sunglasses: Primark
Cardigan: Bay
Skirt: Cath Kidston

I don't think I can put across to you how obsessed I am with this ukulele. I've spent hours, and hours, and hours on it. I can play Johnny Cash Hurt off by heart which I'm pretty impressed with. Yes, it's the easiest song in the world to play since it is slow and consists of no more than 4 chords but still...

I promise I am actually playing here, even though it looks like I'm not.

I cannot wait until the summer holidays when I can just practise all day long. I'm sure my neighbours will be very impressed...

Saturday

Tutorial: How to post large photos on Blogger

When I started my blog, I did the classic "add images from computer" thing. As everyone who uses Blogger will know, the large size is actually freaking tiny. I looked at all these blogs with lovely huge images and wondered how they did it. So I set about teaching myself.

Now I've seen quite a few people asking how to do this so I thought I would post a little tutorial. Teaching is my life, after all, so I should be able to make this pretty easy to follow.

Right, first things first, you need to check the width of your margins. On the Blogger Dashboard, go to design> template designer> adjust widths. As you can see, my entire blog is 1200px wide. This includes the 220px left sidebar and 190px right sidebar. If I take away my sidebars from the entire blog (1200- 220- 190), I am left with 790. This means that the main column of my blog, the middle part where I'll put my photos, is 790px.


Now I am going to go to Photoshop (you can use any editing software) and resize my image. I know that I have 790px to work with so I am going to make my photo slightly smaller at 780px.


Ok, now that I have saved the smaller version of my image, I head over to Photobucket (again, you can use whichever platform you prefer) and upload my image as usual. Then I want to copy the "direct link" code.


Back in Blogger, on my posting page, I click the usual image button (the one above the text box with a little landscape on, in case you're a complete beginner to blogging) and paste my direct link into the "add an image from the web" box. Click upload and hey presto! Big photo!

What's in my bag: Weekend Edition

I like to carry light. In fact, I rarely carry a bag at the weekends. I just give Rich my card (and usually forget he has it) and pop my phone in a pocket. When I do carry a bag, however, this is pretty much all that is in it.

1. This bag is vintage 80s. I love it and it is very, very well worn these days.

2. I bought this purse from Accessorize a few months ago. I keep in it my billions of cards, change and a little plastic bag to put my piercings when I'm at work.

3. My house key. I used to have loads of keyrings but they kept getting caught on things and they took up loads of space. I slimlined it to just these two: Pudsey the bear and a little Olympics-themed Cath Kidston one that I bought to get free postage on a skirt.

4. My iPod. A total necessity for me. Right now, it's usually my Taking Back Sunday & Brand New playlist that I listen to.

5. The other necessity- my phone. A little HTC Desire. It's nice and small so it fits my tiny hands well.

What do you keep in your bag?

Friday

21st June 2012

Cardigan: Collectif
Top: Primark
Skirt: Cath Kidston
Brogues: Primark

Ok, so I cheated a little bit today. I was so, so tired when I woke up and it was a gloomy day so I just reached for the black. I supplemented it with red, white and blue so that's ok.

Thursday

20th June 2012


Jumper: Topshop
Dress: River Island
Shoes: Primark

This is how a teacher looks at the end of the first day of an inspection: Absolutely knackered! I wanted to take a photo of my outfit from today but, seeing as that was the end of the second day of an inspection, I was so tired that I couldn't get off the sofa once I sat on it.

Still, it's all done now and it's Friday tomorrow. I can enjoy the rest of term without the worry of inspectors darkening the classroom door!

I am once again taking part in Rachele's I am proud of my size link up project. This is the third week and I absolutely love it. It's so inspiring to see women of EVERY size (not just larger sizes) who are happy in their own skin and I've met some awesome new people. I was actually picked as one of Rachele's favourites from the first two weeks. Wow!

As I mentioned last week (and the one before that!), I average out at about a size 16. I am the classic case of acting your dress size!

Tuesday

19th June 2012

Cardigan: Collectif
Dress: Topshop
Shoes: Primark

Tomorrow is the most dreaded day in any teacher's career. If you're a UK-based teacher, you will know what I mean!

So pardon the very brief post but I need to get back to my mound of work!

Monday

18th June 2012

Cardigan: Vintage
Dress: Dorothy Perkins
Shoes: New Look

My fingers are still red and numb from playing so much ukulele yesterday. Still, I can nearly play Happy Birthday. Rock & roll or what!


Sunday

16th June 2012

Cardigan: Vintage
Dress: Topshop
Shoes: QS

Yesterday was my friend's partner's birthday so we went to the pub. I wore my brand new Topshop dress. It's perfect! Look at the adorable little strawberries!

Today I am mostly learning to play my ukelele. I got it for my birthday after weeks of pestering Rich. It's pink and I've named it Percy. I rock a C chord, although my poor finger is not happy!

Friday

15th June 2012


Hat: Accessorize
Cardigan: Collectif
Dress: River Island
Shoes: Primark

Today at work we had a Jubilee day. The concept was for everyone to break away from school uniform and wear red, white and blue. As you all know, I love a challenge and this happens to be my Union Jack month so it was a breeze choosing an outfit. My brand new River Island dress had arrived (finally... talk about slow delivery!) and that just made it even easier!

Rachele's feature- I'm Proud of My Size- was awesome last week. It's a weekly feature and she has put the second week's post up. I'll probably link every week. Is that allowed? I don't know but hey, it just reinforces the message. I'm super proud of my size, I guess!

In case you were wondering, I'm a UK size 16 (or so).

Thursday

14th June 2012

The rain is back. I am not a happy bunny. Especially as it was such a beautiful morning that I left without an umbrella or a coat. My journey home was not fun! Still, one more alarm until the weekend!

Cardigan: Primark
Top: Primark
Skirt: Primark
Shoes: Primark

Well, this is a thoroughly Primark outfit!

Wednesday

13th June 2012: My Birthday!

Today is my birthday! Yay! I'm 24 and I feel really freaking old!

Cardigan: Vintage
T shirt: Peacocks
Skirt: Cath Kidston
Shoes: New Look


One of the girls in my class bought me these lovely earrings. She said that she chose red because she knows it's my favourite colour. So sweet!

My teaching assistant made me this brooch herself. Isn't it just the most adorable thing ever? I absolutely love it!

Then my mum and brother came around this evening for a birthday tea. It was lovely!

Oh, and I got a pink ukulele!

Tuesday

12th June 2012

Hat: Accessorize
Cardigan: Vintage
Dress: Dorothy Perkins
Shoes: QS

This is my mushroom hat. It makes me look like a red woollen mushroom head but I love it. It is so comfy and warm. Loveliest hat ever! I should really get a few of these in different colours.

Monday

11th June 2012

Back to work today! It is absolutely pouring with rain. June is not meant to be rainy! This will be the second year running with a rainy birthday. I'm not used to it!

These photos are both green tinged. It's 10:24pm and I am shattered so they will just have to do. It's for artistic effect!

I look like a little munckin in my rain gear!

Umbrella: Boots
Coat: Primark
Bag: New Look
Wellies: Ebay


Cardigan: Vintage
Top: Peacocks
Skirt: Cath Kidston
Shoes: Primark

Sunday

10th June 2012

Is it really Sunday night already? This half term has gone so quickly! Still, it's my birthday on Wednesday so that's getting me through the Sunday evening blues!

This is what I have spent the entirety of my Sunday doing:

Sitting in front of the computer in my fluffy Primark PJ bottoms and a Primark menswear sweatshirt, drinking Diet Pepsi.

Those cheeky little critters are the bottom are Fluffy and George. Aren't they cuties?

Tutorial: How to create a button for your blog

Okie dokes, so I have been sprucing up my blog this afternoon (Do you like my new look?) and I wanted to replace the old buttons that were in my sidebar to something that fitted my blog more smoothly. I couldn't find anything suitable so I decided to make my own. However, I had no idea how to do that.

I did what any self-respecting blogger would do and Googled it. All I found was a lot of information on how to design a button. Well, that didn't help me one bit. I could already do that. I have a graphic design A-level, don't you know!

So I took it upon myself to learn how to do it. It didn't take very long at all and it is super easy! So I thought I would share my new-found knowledge in case there was anybody out there who, like me, was a little bit clueless.

This tutorial is for Blogger. I have absolutely no idea how other platforms work so I'm afraid I'm none the wiser there.


1. Ok, so first things first: Design your button. You can do this is in Photoshop, Gimp, Pixlr, even MS Paint if that's what takes your fancy. Whatever you use, make sure it looks awesome. Oh and check your pixels. You need to make sure your button will fit inside your sidebar (or wherever you're putting it).
You can see how wide your sidebars are here: Design> Template Designer> Adjust widths.
All done and looking awesome? Right, save it as a jpg.


2. Now pop over to Photobucket, Flickr or whichever image-sharing platform you prefer and upload it. See that little arrow pointing to "Direct Link"? Remember where that is, we're going to use it later. Lock it in your brain. Click, click.


3. Right, open up your Blogger design tab. Click that "Add a Gadget" button and add an HTML box. Now, this is the HTML bit so listen closely. Inside that box, you want to type what I have up there.

Where it says "http://twitter.com...", you want to type in the URL for the page your button is going to link to. Leave the speech marks in. They're important. I don't know why, but they are. Where it says "http://www.il208...", you want to type the "Direct Link" that you locked in your brain earlier.

4. Ok, hit that save button!
Now go and check your blog. Woohoo! You made a button from scratch. Go you!

Saturday

9th June 2012


Sunglasses: Vogue
Jumper: Topshop
Dress: Zara
Shoes: Primark

Anybody who follows me on Twitter will have read my inane will-I-won't-I chronicles about visiting the charity shops in the ferocious wind. Well, eventually I decided to do so (having done nothing but sit at home and write reports for almost 48 hours had given me cabin fever!) and braved the weather.

So, off I trotted, in the storming wind and the spitty beginnings of drizzle. Only to find that just two of the five charity shops were actually open. Nevertheless, I found a lovely little red and white throw in one for a bargain £4.99. I decided to snap a photo, show Rich and sleep on it before buying it.

This morning, I woke up and I still wanted this throw. So we headed to the shops.

Now, I live on the outskirts of a large town in what was once, many years ago, a little village. As the town has expanded, the village has merged with it but it still retains the quaint little high street. Not much has changed since the 1950s, I'm sure. There's a butcher, a baker, a post office... (Oh, come on! You didn't think there would actually be a candlestick maker?). Yet, as the main town centre is maybe a 5 minute drive away, nobody really visits this little high street. In fact, we moved in to our house in December and yesterday was the first time I'd been there since.

Let me tell you, I have been missing out! Definite highlight was a charity shop that, from the outside, looks like all the others, if a little more ramshackle and cluttered. Yet when you enter it, you find that it just goes on and on and on. Seriously, this place is huge! It's like a blooming tardis.

Unfortunately, I came away from there empty handed (only because a grubby little student snatched a psychedelic 1960s bed jacket right out from under my nose!) but I will be there every week from now on. I think I might live in there over summer.

Look at this little fella. Isn't he just adorable! He had a little tag that said "Working. Needs batteries". I'm not entirely sure what he does (maybe he neighs when you press his ear or something?) but I am certain that I really, really want him. Unfortunately, we have no little relatives or friends to justify buying him for.

This is so tacky. I was drawn straight to it. I can't decide if it reminds me more of Geri Halliwell or Jessica Rabbit. It's a size 10 and tiny. Yet I bought it. I could not walk away without it. It will look amazing on Doris, my decorative dressmaker's dummy.

I was pretty tempted to get this little sealion backpack too. Look, he has little whiskers and everything!

Friday

8th June 2012

Cardigan: New Look
Vest: Peacocks
Skirt: Vintage
Bag: Vintage
Shoes: Primark

One of my favourite bloggers, Rachele at The Nearsighted Owl, has put up an amazing size-acceptance post. The premise is that everybody should be proud of their size and shout it out from the rooftops. She is asking people to link a head-to-toe photo and declare their size to the world.

I actually found it hard to pin down my size. Right now I am wearing a size 12 cardigan, a size 14 vest and the skirt, being vintage, doesn't have a size. Then I wear a size 16 in non-stretch tops and trousers, unless they are skinny jeans in which case I have to upsize to an 18. I've just evened it out to a 16, though I'm not sure if that's entirely accurate. Who knows anything in these times of vanity sizing?

I've decorated with a super-tacky starburst shape that makes me feel like I should be sitting on the shelves of Iceland. If it's good enough for Kerry Katona... Actually, let's not finish that sentence!

It would be great to get some more blogging lovelies on board. Head over to The Nearsighted Owl, bash up your link and let's celebrate our awesomeness. Woooh!

Wednesday

6th June 2012

Last week was my Grandma's birthday, and next week is mine, so this evening she took the family out for a joint birthday meal. It was the perfect opportunity to wear my new Cath Kidston skirt. Look at the little guards! Aren't they just adorable?

Clip on earrings: Vintage
Necklace: Vintage
T shirt: Peacocks
Skirt: Cath Kidston
Shoes: QS

It took me about 3 months to finally buy this skirt. It was always out of stock, then when I finally got hold of it, they cancelled my order for no reason and then, of course, it had sold out when I tried to repurchase it. Yet, finally, I got hold of it! I adore it!

On Lookbook, Tok suggested I wear more accessories so I took her advice on board and gave it a go. I'm not very good at accessorising but I think I did a pretty good job here. Maybe I'll try it out more often.


Tuesday

Slam Dunk Da Funk

Now that the excitement of the Diamond Jubilee is over, I can post about an event I never got around to.

Funeral for a Friend top: www.funeralforafriend.com
Jeans: New Look
Shoes: Primark


I popped over to the Slam Dunk Festival a couple of weeks ago. The line up was great with two of my favourite bands set to play- Taking Back Sunday and Funeral for a Friend. I actually managed to meet both bands which was pretty cool.

I also got to see Every Time I Die play for the first time since 2005. When I last saw them, I'd heard of them but didn't know any of their music. On the back of their set, I bought Gutter Phenomenon and fell in love. It was amazing to be able to see them and actually know their music. They were incredible- highlight of the day- and we're planning to see them again in October.

It was a good day. Shambolically organised so I'm not entirely sure if I'd recommend it but there was good music, good friends and good times.

Monday

Diamond Jubilee Street Party

My second Jubilee-themed post of the day. Yeah, I really go the whole hog with things like this!

Here is a brief chronicle of my day. Don't worry, I've managed to cut my 300 photos down to just 10!

Umbrella: Boots
Cardigan: Primark
T shirt: Peacocks
Skirt: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Sunglasses (they appear later): Vogue
Shoes: QS

Me and my little brother braving the Great British weather. That's my house- we got the flag from Primark and my mum bought the bunting when she saw me on Facebook expressing my disappointment at not being able to find any. Ok, it's England instead of UK but it's better than nothing.

My bro has the most amazing Jim Carrey-esque rubber face. He needs to go into acting or comedy or something. It would be a shame to waste this talent!

Yummy blue candyfloss!

That horrible bearded Wolverine (of Wolfadine, as my mum thought it was!) thing in the back is my other brother. The beard has popped up since we last saw him in December and we are now ashamed to be seen with him!

Then the sun came out and Jamie was complaining that he had no sunglasses. I soon fixed that for him! In fact, I think the beard almost works with the women's Primark sunglasses. Seriously, I do.

Me and my mummy!

Elvis/ Myles rocking the Primark sunnies.

Rocking the jumping photo!

Then this complete stranger walked past and wanted to join in. We were more than happy to include him in the fun and games! Judging by his expression, he certainly enjoyed himself!


Slush puppies!

Yep, it was an amazing day. So much fun and at points, we laughed until we were crying and we could barely breathe. It's always nice to have family all together like this.

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