Tuesday

31st July 2012

Bow: Accessorize
Top: Primark
Skirt: Topshop

A super-duper quick post today as I'm just off out the door for the Harry Potter Studio Tour. This is the foundation of my Slytherin uniform. Yes, I'm dressing up. I thought it might be a little extreme to don the tie and wand on the train so they are tucked away safely in my bag.

I'm a loser, I know!

Monday

30th July 2012

Dress: Topshop
Cardigan: Collectif

Today, as much as it looks like black, I am rocking the red and blue. Well, navy and blue. I've been looking after my little brother all day, watching the Olympics and teaching him the ukulele.

I'm very excited because I'm hopefully heading off to the Harry Potter Studio Tour tomorrow. Plans are all a bit up in the air so it's not absolutely certain yet but I have my fingers crossed!

Saturday

28th July 2012


Top: Primark
Skirt: Peacocks

Today's outfit was inspired by the Dior Addict advert that I mentioned in this week's FF. Ok, so I'm not Daphne Groeneveld (yet!) but my outfit is pretty similar. That will do me!



I even pulled out my cat's eye sunglasses when I left the house. Can I be the face of Dior Addict now please, Mr Simons?

FF V




This top is just too perfect. It's in my size and the price is great. I love, love, love it!

I'm not one for sports. Especially not football. However, being a teacher and all, I'm a sucker for happy kids. I'm not ashamed to admit that this Adidas video made me cry a little when the little boy meets his hero.



Another video today. This advert has been surrounding me all summer. Since I'm trying to retain some sense of a normaldaily routine, I'm waking up at 7:30am but, with nothing to do all morning, I'm watching copious amounts of TV. This advert is always on. This one and the Total greek yoghurt one. Don't Google it. Seriously. Don't.

I absolutely love it. I love the styling, I love the soundtrack and I love the playfulness. It's just so much fun and so freaking adorable! Just look how cute Daphe Groenveld is!


Seriously, look how lovely this is!



To finish off, I want to tell you about this awesome tutorial on Predictions for the Past. It shows you how to turn a shirt into a skirt. What a fantastic idea! I always see great men's shirts in charity shops which have a great print but wouldn't fit me at all. This is the perfect way to use them!

Friday

27th July 2012


Top: Primark
Skirt: H&M

Just a quick one today because I'm expecting my best friend to knock at the door at any moment. She's up from Brighton for a bit. As we both work in schools and we live so far away, we can only see each other in the holidays. I'm super duper excited since it's been 4 months since I last saw her. I'm not sure what we're going to do though. I don't live in the most exciting of towns!

Ignore the wonky beehive. It turns out that watching Jeremy Kyle whilst doing hair is a bad idea. All the excitement about whether they were telling the truth and who the dad is results in a lapse of concentration!

I experimented with some pink lipstick today. What do you think?

Thursday

26th July 2012


Hair bow: Accessorize
Top: Peacocks
Skirt: H&M

I think I've worn Peacocks clothes for the past 4 days. I didn't realise I owned so much from there! It's an under appreciated gem of the high street, I tell you!

So today is Thursday and that means it's Proud of my Size Link Up Day! I absolutely love the way this outfit shapes my size 16 figure. It makes me feel all sassy! I might have danced on the bed a little as I took these photos!

5 Things Thursday: Books That Shaped Me

This post was inspired by an item in Elle Uk: 7 books that shaped me. I have always been a real bookworm. My grandma, a retired headteacher, taught me to read before I started school and I haven't stopped since! As a child, I was very introverted and I found solace in reading. Books have played a huge part in shaping who I have become.

1. The Harry Potter Series

Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?

I suppose I should start with the obvious. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. My best friend and I bonded over our mutual love of Harry Potter and it has become the foundation of our friendship. I'm planning to marry at Wizarding World of Harry Potter next year. I fully admit that they are not the most well-written pieces of children's literature ever. I have no delusions of their credibility. But they were a huge part of my childhood and I have had some amazing experiences that would not have happened if it weren't for these books.

2. High Windows- Philip Larkin

Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as quickly as you can,
And don't have any kids yourself.

I was introduced to this poetry anthology when I did my English Literature A-level. As a 16 year old, I was especially cynical and sneering of the world. I found solace in the 30-year-old poetic musings that had been written by a since-deceased middle-class librarian in his early 50s. The first poem we were introduced to was This be the Verse. It resonated with me in a way nothing had before and it has still stuck with me today, even if my viewpoint has warmed with age.

3. Plays- Philip Ridley

For me, there's something beautiful and peaceful in the inhuman, humanless devastation.

When we were 18, my best friend studied drama at university. She was studying the plays of Philip Ridley and thought I would appreciate his twisted surrealism so lent me her copy. I read the plays once and never really thought of them again. What stuck with me was his poetic introduction. A good 60 pages, it's more a short story than an introduction. Semi- (or perhaps fully-) autobiographical, it is sick, twisted and utterly disturbing. As a rather troubled 18 year old, I found it comforting to know that I was not alone. There were other people whose minds worked in the way mine did. In fact, people whose minds were even more twisted than my own. I still enjoy reading it and revelling in the insanity.

4. Of Mice and Men- John Steinbeck

'Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you'

Another book that I was introduced to through an academic pathway. I'm sure a few people reading this would also have studied Of Mice and Men for their English Literature GCSE. I was struck by the raw emotion. The intense love that George and Lenny have for each other, the utter devotion that Lenny shows and the ultimate destruction of his innocence. For such a short book, it is so complex and multi-layered. I can't even tell you how many times I have read it but it makes me cry every time without fail. Oh and if anybody else watches Being Human (the UK one), did you notice the glaring parallel with the ultimate fates of George (even the name is the same!) and Mitchell?

5. Peepo!- Allan and Janet Ahlberg

Here's a little bab,
One, two, three.
Standing in his cot.
What does he see?

I have no image of this book as I don't own it myself.

As I have already mentioned, my Grandma taught me to read at the age of 3. This was the book she used and I can still remember the delight in recognising a word on sight. I fully intend to use this book to teach my own children- and maybe even grandchildren- to read.

So there we have the five books that have made me who I am today. What books would you choose for your own list?

Wednesday

A-Z of Becky: E

E is for England


This would be United Kingdom if I didn't already have a U planned (Yeah, I bet it took you all of two seconds to guess what it is!).

I am the most patriotic person I know. I always feel the need to specify that I am not a Nationalist. I do not support the BNP in any way but, unfortunately, people tend to think you must do if you are openly patriotic. In fact, I think one of the best things about this country is the vibrant multiculturalism.

Anyway, so much of my identity revolves around the fact that I am English. I am insanely proud of it and I will defend England until my dying day. Nothing makes me swell with pride more than a rousing verse of God Save the Queen with thousands of people singing along (Yes, I totally cried during the Diamond Jubilee!).

In fact, when I went to Madrid, I took a massive Union Jack just so people would know we were British. How attractive (and pasty) do I look here?

25th July 2012

Bow: Accessorize
Sunglasses: Vogue
T shirt: Peacocks
Skirt: Peacocks

Yep, I'm having a red day today. Red is my absolute favourite colour to wear. It makes me feel fantastic. I'm pretty sure I could never feel miserable if I was wearing red.

I decided to have a bit of a play around today and dig out my MAC lipstick. Back in 2010, I used to wear red lipstick everyday. Once I'd put it on, I thought I'd go the whole hog so I got beehived on up. Sometimes it's so much fun to completely dress up like this. Maybe I'll do it for the whole summer.

I only popped down to Boots for some cotton buds but it felt really great to make an effort.

Yep, red makes me happy!

Tutorial Tuesday: How to make a pom pom


I love making pom poms. When I was a kid, my grandad taught me and I remember spending hours on them. It's so therapeutic, so easy and you don't even need to think about it so you can make them whilst watching the TV!

They're also so versatile. You can make jewellery, garlands, little fuzzy animals.You can make them multicoloured, you can have half of one colour and half of another. In fact, since I'm not one for flowers, I'm planning to hold a pom pom bouquet when I get married!

You will need:
  • Card. Any card will do. It's best to use food packaging or something that you're going to throw out.
  • Wool. Tip: the thicker the wool, the less time your pom pom will take!
  • Scissors. Preferably not kitchen scissors like me! I've lost my decent ones.
  • Pen or pencil.

1. Cut two rings out of the card. Don't worry about them being perfect because that won't matter later.

2. Place the rings together and tie one end of the wool to them. Cut a length of wool (longer is better, but beware of getting tangled up if it's too long) and start winding the wool around the ring, pulling it up through the middle.


4. Don't worry about getting it perfect. Just keep winding and winding, all the way around and then back over. Do this until the hole has closed up so much that you can't poke anymore wool through. You should be left with a big woolly doughnut.



5. With your scissors, snip the wool at the edges. You want to cut all around so that no wool is left wrapped around the card rings.


6. When you're finished, it should look a little like this. Carefully wiggle the card rings apart and tie a new length of wool around the middle, between them. Secure it really tightly. I always put several knots in to make sure.

7. Carefully cut the card rings free. Be careful not to pull out any of the wool.


8. Use the leftover wool from the middle to hold up your pom pom. Give it a little fluffing out and trim any bits that stick out.



Et voilá! Your pom pom is complete! What would you do with it?

Tuesday

24th July 2012

Earrings: Vintage
Top: Peacocks
Skirt: Vintage

Today I am having a blue day. By which I mean, I'm wearing blue. I'm not feeling blue. I feel pretty good because my best friend might be coming to visit tomorrow. Woohoo!

Monday

Charity Shop Finds

There's not much better than rifling through the stacks at a charity shop. I managed to leave the house at 9am this morning so I was the first person to get to the shops. It was a lovely warm, sunny day. The shops were really quiet and it was incredible to just take my time without being jostled around by other shoppers.

These are the goodies I picked up: A John Galliano and a Beatles book, some vintage charms, a Laura Ashley leopard print cardigan and some wool for an upcoming tutorial.

There were loads of these charms with different themes. I picked up the sewing and Christmas themed ones though I wish I had got the school-themed ones too. Hopefully they'll be there next week.

I think my favourite part of charity shopping isn't so much the stuff you buy as much as the amazing stuff you see that you don't actually want to buy.


I never had a Spice Girl doll as a kid, which is odd as I loved the Spice Girls. Below them, you can see a glimpse of the Harry Potter audiotapes.

I love pigs so I thought these mugs were super cute. I don't drink hot drinks though, so I have no need for mugs.

A whole bunch of vintage zips. I know where to go when I start sewing again!

I have no idea what this is but I like it a lot! Just look at the awesome print!

23rd July 2012

Sunglasses: Ebay
Dress: Vintage

In Elle magazine, I read an article about Fred Butler's style. I hadn't heard of her before so, if you're as oblivious as I was, she is a designer who designed Lady Gaga's Telephone hat. Anyway, in this article, she explained that she wakes up feeling a certain colour and then will dress head-to-toe in that colour. It sounded like a fun concept (although, when I Googled her, I couldn't find any images of her wearing one colour alone) so I thought I would try it out.

When I was younger, I allocated colours to different days of the week and designed little outfits for Fluffy to wear every day. Monday was yellow, Tuesday was blue, Wednesday was red and so on. Today I unlocked that craziness and decided to dress entirely in pink.

Shoes: Peacocks
Bag: Ebay

Well, almost. I chickened out a little when I put the pink sunglasses on. I thought it was a little too Barbie princess so I broke it up with these white ones instead. Even my plug was pink, although I couldn't get a good photo of it on my own.

It was a fun little challenge. I think I'll do it for the rest of the week too.


Sunday

22nd July 2012

Dress: New Look

What a beautiful weekend for the start of summer! I have got absolutely nothing planned today but tomorrow I'm hoping to nip down the charity shops and then visit my grandma. I hope the weather holds out!

As anyone who follows me on Twitter will know, I spent two hours straightening my hair last night. As my hairdresser said, I don't have particularly thick hair, there is just a lot of it. I'm hoping that I can just keep topping this up for as long as possible. I don't want to spend another two hours straightening it from scratch again in the near future!

I have no jumping photos today because the inevitable happened and I snapped one of the slats before I got a good photo. Whoops! In case you're wondering, this is the face of somebody who has just heard a massive crack on impact with the mattress:


Friday

20th July 2012


Today I'm cheating a bit. This is actually what I wore yesterday for the last day of term. Afterwards, I went for drinks with some of my friends/colleagues and, by the time I got home, there was no good light to take photos. Since I have been making the most of my first day off, I've been in my skeleton PJs all day so I feel justified in posting these today.

I love this dress. The fit is absolutely perfect and I always feel great in it. This makes it the perfect dress to add to Rachele's Proud of My Size Link Up (Is it that time of the week already?). In fact, I feel so great in it that I was super bouncy jumping on the bed today in all my size 16 bounciness.


I'm really getting into this jumping on the bed thing. I'm getting a much wider selection of photos to choose from. It's also a whole lot of fun! Expect a lot more of these.

My last day was great. I have such a great class and it's a shame that they have to move up. I got a few gifts which were lovely but it was these flowers that really meant a lot to me.


I've been collecting empty jars for ages and Rich is always nagging me to throw them out. I'm glad I finally found a use for them!

Wednesday

A-Z of Becky: D

D is for Dinosaurs

My best friend calls me T-Bex. I have tiny little arms like a T Rex. I can only reach my knees when I try to touch my toes and cardigans are always far too long for me so the sleeves just dangle down past my hands (though I always have warm fingers in winter because of this!).

Yes, that is me being a T-Rex.

Dinosaurs are just awesome. They're such a cute, fun theme to work with. In fact, next year we are doing a whole termly topic on dinosaurs at work. I pushed and pushed for it and I've agreed to lead the unit. I'm so excited about it! We're going to make dinosaur art, go on dinosaur hunts (complete with bones buried in the playground), visit the Natural History museum... Basically, it's going to be the most fun ever! I seriously have the best job in the world!

18th July 2012

Body: Primark
Dress: Topshop

This is my it's-6am-it's-cloudy-it's-raining-and-I-really-can't-be-bothered outfit. I do like this body a lot though. Not only is it really handy because it stops my slightly-too-small tights falling down but it has this cute scoop back which makes me feel like a ballerina.

And just because it's a whole lot of fun:


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