“It may be the cock that crows, but it is the hen that lays the eggs.” - Margaret Thatcher

In honour of the impending Hen and Stag parties for S & C I would like to share my favourite hen and stag themed etsy items with you.

Chick  n' Hen Belt Buckle

from Steel Toe Studios

Stag Pendant 

from Little Devil Designs

Custom Domestic Trophy

from Rachel Denny

Tiny Silver Chicken Necklace

from Lulu Bug Jewelry

Stag Necklace

from iLCK

Ticky Hen Cosmetic Purse
from Majkatree

Vintage Leather Purse 

from Brightwall

Little Chicken Necklace

from MarMar

Things I Love Thursday

Hugs - I feel that no explanation is needed here.

Juicy - Crisp rosy apples are keeping me happy right now. Braeburn, Pink Lady and Honey Crisp are especially fantastic tasting. Follow Galas advice and try apple slices with almond butter, or better yet... cashew butter. Yum.

Party Time - This Friday I'm finally going to cut the tags off that dress I bought from ASOS and wear it out on the town. We're having a birthday dinner for Laura followed by plenty of drinks and dancing. All girls have been warned that getting their legs out is mandatory for the night and the guys are not allowed to partake if they are scruffy looking.

Honourable Mentions - pretty, printed travel mugs, THIS list of things that money can't buy, the look on the faces of the boys working in the sweet shop when I asked for sweets that taste like a girl (I was looking for the 'sugar and spice and all things nice' kind of sweets, I really don't want to know what they were thinking), mini cream eggs, retro games tables in the pub 

I Have No Ideas For A Title

Here is a sample of some of the costumes that were at our Halloween Party. No one came to the party without a costume of some sort. What a great night!

Fright Night Tonight

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Party time tonight - photos will be up tomorrow

We Have A Winner

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As much as I loved the Betty Boop idea I just couldn't find a suitable dress to base the costume around. Who knew how hard it would be to find a red satin slip dress! Oh well!

So myself and Raymy put our heads together and decided to see if we could make a ringmistress costume. I can't wait until I start putting it together, yesterday I headed into town and got a vest top, which is going to be customised with gold buttons and chains, a red shirt which is going to be transformed into a cropped jacket with fringed shoulder boards and a beautiful minature top hat. I already have some suitable boots and a skirt that I can customise. All I need now is the red lipstick and some eyeliner, oh and a whip, and I'm complete...

and a lot of make and do time too!

I can't wait to show you the finished outfit, wish me luck on my maiden make and do session.

Halloween Help

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Hey everyone - I need a little help and advice.

The gals and guy in my house want to throw a halloween party, our budget is limited but we want to do something really great looking. Have you any ideas?

We'll be confining the party to just the downstairs of the house and out onto the patio. We're borrowing a gorgeous gazebo for outside in case it rains and we have lots of white fairy lights that we can use.

The other 'problem' I have is that I have no idea what to dress up as! I want to look... well... hot but not slutty, and a lot of costumes look kinda slutty. I also have the added problem that I'm shooting at a Halloween archery shoot a few days later and my costume has to be suitable for that too. Please please don't suggest anything archery related, most archery people shun the Robin Hood thing very much.

As a curvy, very curvy, girl with black curls I know that there are a lot of other options out there for me but I'm just not too sure.

Please Please Help!

Doogle Day

Oh what a great weekend!
Doogle's 21st was such a fun fun fun party. You would never think that twenty-something year olds could get that excited about balloons and bunting. The house and garden looked so good, all lit up and COVERED in bunting and fairy lights.

And there was a BOUNCY CASTLE! A huge adult sized bouncy castle, and inflatable sumo suits and an inflatable jousting challenge. It was like you got a children's birthday party wish-list and gave it to a bunch of over-excited adults. I have never had such fits of hysterical giggling before and my sides are still aching from all the laughing.

The birthday girl herself got up on the jousting challenge, and didn't even get to win. We felt a little sorry for her so I borrowed her camera and filled it with people pulling stupid faces to cheer her up. The rest of the night was spent curled up outside around the fire pit wrapped in blankets and talking into the wee hours.

But the highlight of the night was seeing Daddy Doogle in a sumo suit and watching Mammy Doogle bop away to the music with her glow-in-the-dark bracelets and glo-sticks.

The Doogle family was nice enough to let us, all 14 of us, take over their lovely sitting room and curl up and sleep until the smell of frying rashers and sausages woke us up the following morning.

And then we re-inflated the bouncy castle and bounced all over again!

Fill Me With Your Wisdom

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Good day to you all.

I had to duck into town this morning and find myself a double air mattress.

Because... Friday is PICNIC DAY! Roll on Eleccie Piccie! I can't wait, I've never camped before, I've never even been in a tent, I've never been to a festival before. I know - it's so sad that I'm 26 and have never been to a festival. I have no idea how to put up a tent, and Mr T won't be arriving until Friday evening so I am forced to bribe some friends to do it for me. I will claim naive girliness and get the big strong menfolk to do all the work. It will be a step backwards for feminism but a giant leap forward for 'Magatha-campinism'.

I have the baby wipes bought, a pair of pretty wellies and a rain jacket. I will remember to bring enough money and spare camera batteries. I promise to bring back lots of photos and hopefully no swine flu.

Please please please fill me with your festival wisdom before I go.

And if anyone else is going let me know and we'll meet up for a beer and a photo op!

Annual Pig on a Spit Party

Yesterday was spent over at a friends house for his - hopefully annual - pig roast!

So far they have done it 3 times, lots of food, lots of music, kegs of Guinness and a pig on a spit, but yesterday was the first time I was able to attend. A pig on a spit is one hell of a centerpiece and a conversation starter let me tell you that.

The whole set-up was fantastic, a tandoori bbq and salad plate early in the evening, roast pork and baked potatoes at about 11 o clock. The pig takes about 9 hours to cook. Fridge full of desserts. One of the guys even brought home-made mint chocolate mousse, it was amazing. About 60 people were there, they had put up a marquee in case the weather got bad but the day, and night, held perfectly.

Weekend Plans

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Hi everyone,
I hope you all have a great weekend. I will be heading away to Galway this evening to Mr T.

Friday night will hopefully spent soaking up all the atmosphere of the Departure Weekend of the Volvo Ocean Race. I've heard that The Stunning will be on the main stage.

Saturday morning will find us back in the city to see off the competitors as they leave the City of the Tribes, followed by J&S's engagement party.

Sunday will be a wonderful lazy day of tea and dozy chats, maybe a visit to the beach before heading back to Limerick for yet another week of work.

What are you doing this weekend? Anything fun?

Birthday Barbie

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Today is Fredrick's birthday barbeque.

It has become a tradition in Limerick to have some sort of a barbeque on this day, but Fredrick is moving away to Dublin for his postgrad soon and we will have no more. But we wish him well and will have a mighty knees up to celebrate this evening. We only wish that his girlie, Sarah, was down here and not stuck in Dublin studying for her exams.

Best of luck Fredrick!

and Happy Birthday!

Things I Love Thursday

image courtesy of madebygirl.com

White Furniture - I am completely in love with the sofa that Jennifer Ramos reupholstered over at madebygirl.

Galway - I get to go visit Mr T for the weekend. I hope to spend it walking along the strand in Salthill, sharing a piece of cake in a nook in Sonny's and curling up in bed with a good dvd.

Noodles - Steaming hot, slightly spicy, completely delicious.

Going To The Ball - A big dress, pretty shoes, lots and lots of black and white photos and a great night.

What loves fill you today?