Strictly...

Sometimes it's the little things that make me sad.

A Little Soft And Squidgy

So... they're bringing out a third Ghostbusters movie soon. I heard that on the radio today while everyone was giving out that Bill Murray wasn't really interested in coming back to the franchise.

But as soon as I heard the word 'Ghostbusters' I had only one thing on my mind for the rest of the day...

Marshmallows... soft, sugary, squidgy marshmallows. All sweet and delicious and way too easy to eat. Staypuff marshmallow man, you have a lot to answer for.

Do any movies instantly remind you of food? Like 'Marie Antoinette' and cream cakes, 'Chocolat' and rich handmade truffles, '28 days later' and tinned peaches...

Guilty Pleasures

I was watching re-runs of Sex and the City a few nights ago and it was the episode where Aidan had moved into Carries apartment. Carrie was at the coffee shop with the girls complaining that now she couldn't indulge in the little things that she loved that she would never let anyone else see her doing... like eating buttered crackers while standing in the kitchen.

When it comes to guilty pleasures mine are a little more embarrassing than that.

• Walking around the house in short shorts and knee high socks thinking that I am the queen of the roller derby (I don't skate by the way).

• Asking my housemate to not throw out the dusty, crushed cereal at the bottom of their cereal bag and saving them all up until I have a bowl full of cereal mush.

• Eating the most comforting of all meals when I'm all sad and lonely - tinned spaghetti hoops and a jar of drained baby carrots, all heated together and eaten from a bowl with a spoon.

• Getting into the car and cranking up the stereo to sing along with Taylor Momsen and Ke$hia, complete with disdainful stares and glares at all the cars around me.

• Refusing to put on a pair of pyjamas in winter time but still complaining of being too cold to sleep until I put on a hoodie and pair of socks.

• Putting on completely over the top eye makeup and getting straight into the shower and washing it off.  

What are some of your guilty pleasures? Don't leave me hanging all alone out on this limb of honesty...

Pretty Boy Friday-ish

Hi there Jensen Ackles... how are you today?

Pretty Girl Friday-ish

Kaley Cuoco - otherwise known as Penny from The Big Bang Theory is our sweet but sassy girl for this week.

I had this photo at the top of the page but it was pointed out to me that this isn't Kaley. My apologies for any confusion, and thanks for the heads up Emma

A Little Bit Of Filler

I'm running a little behind today so here is a little pretty 'couple' Friday to keep you entertained until this evening. The usual pretty series will resume later on.

Things I Love Thursday

Thesis Tea Time - Since I'm at the write up stage of my thesis I am pretty much chained to my laptop and desk, and good, creative academic writing really can't happen without a full cup of coffee beside me. The only way to keep a constant supply ready is to make my coffee in a travel mug. Otherwise it just gets freezing cold by the time I remember to drink it. Doesn't stop me lusting after some new coffee and tea mugs though. I went trawling over at Etsy earlier and fell in love with this, this and this.

Fork Fancy - On my last day of house sitting this week (I've been minding S&C's house while they were on honeymoon) I decided that a treat of coffee and cake was in order to commemorate the last day in Cashel. Away I went to the local cafe and bakery. Bought my coffee and slice of hazlenut tart and sat down beside the window with Raymy to people watch for a little while, and as I enjoyed my slice of tart I realised that it wouldn't have tasted as good if I ate it with a spoon. Some things just taste better when eaten with a fork... cheesecake, cupcakes, ice cream, pie, all better from a fork. Do you think so too?

Mix It Up - I was watching No Strings Attached one evening this week and I nearly died laughing when Ashton Kutchers character gave Emma a period mix CD as a gift. Featuring songs like 'Sunday bloody Sunday', 'I've got the world on a string', 'bleeding love', 'red, red wine'... you get the gist here. So I started thinking about mix CDs... and how much meaning we put into them when they are being created. Have you ever made a mix tape or CD? Who for? Why?
 
Honourable Mentions - fresh, new raspberry coloured notebooks, apple bonbons, nude nail polish, oversized aprons while working in the kitchen, roast chicken dinners, hot chocolate on a stick, otter pops, friends who pop over for a visit with chocolate and magazines under their arm, this skirt from River Island, coke from a can - not a bottle, Cirque du Soleil souvenirs, daydreams of visiting all of the major American cities, penguin skittles

Wednesday Wishes

This week I really, really want...

...to make some home made ice pops.

I've found tons of recipes here, here and here but can you recommend any favourite flavours? 

Mischa Want

Spotted today, and am currently lusting for, the Mischa Barton Georgie tote, 

but only in green or stone.

Have You Ever...?

Learned a hard lesson...Part 1.

Some things just stick with you. Comments, thoughts or memories that just never leave your head. I have several of these rolling around my mind constantly but I'm going to tell you about one of them today.

I graduated as a product designer but in order for me to get a place in the course I needed to have a portfolio so I started off doing a PLC in portfolio design. Well really I started off doing applied chemistry in Cork after my Leaving Cert but after the cert stage I decided that science wasn't for me. That is a much longer story to tell and isn't for today. Which led me back to design.

At this stage my secondary school art teacher was running the local portfolio course so I contacted her and got a place on the course. I enjoyed the course, I loved that I already knew my lecturer and I didn't really love the fact that the rest of the class had an average age of 18 and I was already 21. I was worldly, I had lived away from home, I had been to college, I had a car, I had stories that could rival, and beat, anyone on the course. I was cocky. And arrogant And more than a little obnoxious. I thought I was great.

 

About half way through the course we were told that we had a project which was to be based on the local museum display, we were to put on a fashion show which was to be inspired by a section of the permanent exhibition. My section was Stone and Ironage Tools. Not a bad section. And I set to work, sketching the exhibition, detailing the tools, putting together inspiration boards for my 'Collar and Cuffs' theme. I was so proud of my work, so sure of it, so I took it to our lecturer to receive my praise. 

She glanced quickly at my work as she was already working with another student and she screamed when she saw it. Actually recoiled in horror from my pages and yelled at me to 'take that Brain Vomit as far away from me as you can'. I was crushed, devastated, and in shock. The entire class had heard and watched my rebuff. My fall from self given grace. I think I even ran to the bathroom and cried at the time. But she was right. Completely and utterly correct. It was sloppy work. I had taken all my thoughts and threw them down onto a page with no consideration of form or presentation. Her description was 100% accurate, I had spewed my thoughts out and expected everyone to be thankful for my work.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. Humility. I learned that no one was going to reward me for just being there and producing any old thing. I learned that design wasn't just about regurgitation of ideas. I learned a swift and powerful lesson on presentation and effective communication of ideas. 

And to this day I still thank that lecturer for what she taught me. Her method may have been cruel but it was one of the most effective methods I have ever encountered.

What thoughts have stuck with you? How have they affected your life?

Part 2 to follow... 

Maxi-licious

Don't you love how since the coming of Beyonce you can just add 'licious' to the end of any word?

Today I'm loving, and rocking, the maxi dress. Mine is grey and pink striped, picked up for a fiver in the sales - thank you Penny's, a grey boyfriend cardi over it with a button or two done and a slim grey fabric belt to pull it all in, since the dress is actually two sizes too big - thank you Penny's. Finishing off my look for today is a pair of grey wedges and a bright turquoise clutch to add a little colour. 

What are you wearing today?

A Little Self Love

Get your head out of the gutter... Here's a few images from my Pinterest 'Self Love' board - a collection of images of all the things that I specifically love.

Belief. Delicate Jewellery. Initials. The Beach. Intimacy and Hugs. Pretty Nails. Fabulous Lingerie. How I See Me.

Hey There Stupid

Have you ever had one of those days where you're doing something really stupid and you know it, but you can't really help yourself? 

That's me, today, stupid.

Pretty Boy Friday

Michael Fassbender rounds out this weeks posts as out PBF.

Pretty Girl Friday

Billie Piper has been nominated as the week's Pretty Girl. Fabulous, flirty and fun.