Today I ran the Belfast Marathon!!!!

It took me 5 and a half hours and the last six miles were the most mentally challenging thing I have ever done, however the feeling of achievement and exhilaration when I crossed that finish line was one of the most emotionally satisfying moments of my life. I DID IT!!

I am so proud of me and I am SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS for cheering me on via tweets and Facebook, not to mention sponsoring my chosen charity so generously. We’ve raised almost £600 inc Gift Aid for AddictionNI guys. That is SERIOUSLY COOL!! Thank you SO MUCH!! (If you would still like to donate you can do so here)

((BUG HUGS))

Arlene xo

… my new Miss Sixty Druce Jacket

I ordered this from a German site called Trendboxx and I was super impressed with their customer service. Tracked shipping took just TWO DAYS from Germany to Northern Ireland and was approx £10. Well happy with that!

New clothing is a welcome distraction, as is my new job (it’s going well thanks) as unfortunately my brother is in hospital at the moment and emotions are topsy turvy to say the least. I just want him to be well. So if you’re religious I’d appreciate if you could direct some prayer his way, if not positive thoughts are very welcome too

It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver – Mahatma Gandhi

I have been plagued with cold sores, particularly in the last 3 years and although I realise that people have “real” health problems they have really got me down. They make me feel unclean, scabby and highly self conscious.

A cold night in late December my desperation to find a cure reached new depths of crazy. After a plea on Twitter for help the lovely Liz informed me of light gadgets that supposedly worked wonders. Off I trotted to my local Gordons Chemist to enquire. They had just one, called LipZor and the sales lady was less than enthusiastic. The fact that she knew not a single person who had tried it AND the fact it cost the guts of £30 should have sent me running, but desperation does funny things and so out came my wallet (and at the time I thought my wit as well)…

I don’t know the technical ins and outs but basically it emits a therapeutic light (unseen to the human eye) which stimulates the natural immune response and cuts the healing time, in some cases preventing the blister developing altogether.

How to:

• Press the button which will beep and place over the “tingly” or currently affected area
• Hold it there until it beeps again signalling the end of the 3 minute light cycle

Simples

As I said at the beginning I bought this as a last ditch DESPERATE attempt to improve my recovery time during outbreaks and it has EXCELLED my expectations and then some. Since New Year I have had no blisters, not one. Even typing that sentence is kinda scary, I feel like I’m tempting fate but it’s true and it makes my heart dance.

I still get the tingle, and when I do I use my LipZor. I use it a few times a day during the tingly phase which lasts about 48 hours and although the area feels incredibly itchy and the little bump becomes visible (see pic above) it has yet to develop into a full blister and is easily covered with make-up. I should probably add that I haven’t used ANY cold sore creams in the past four months. I like to imagine the Zovirax Sales Team holding emergency board meetings to discuss my whereabouts and how to cope with the huge slump in profits

I honestly hope that this is it, I believe I’ve cracked it and I wanted to share. If you’re feeling like I was four months ago I know you’ll be willing to try just about anything.

Fingers crossed it works for you too if you do decide to buy and a MASSIVE MASSIVE THANK YOU TO LIZ. LOVE YA BIRD!! xxx

I have finally found my “Marant” style trainers. Say hello to the ASH Coolbis Wedge Trainer. It took me three attempts to find some I was happy with.

First I bought the black River Island versions here (the black is now sold out) which just did nothing for me at all. They are a steal at £40 tho and look fabulous in the navy and cream (my mate Karen rocks them), but the black… well they just looked super cheap on me. Returned.

Then I bought the Topshop Athlete ones here thinking they’d be easier to wear than the true “sneaker” type ones. WRONG. I must have tried them on 10+ times with multiple outfits and they just didn’t look nice with anything. Returned.

So I took a final chance and ordered the ASH Coolbis from Daniel Footwear online and was so impressed with a) their customer service (I made a boo boo during the ordering process and they sorted it asap) b) their delivery speed – I ordered a Wednesday night and they arrived the Friday lunchtime in Northern Ireland  c) the trainers -  ridiculously class. Sooo comfortable, really well made and just uber flattering. I think it’s the big chunky tongue, slims my ankle area where the others didn’t. Friends, we have a WINNER

I wore them today with footless tights, denim shorts from New Look, cobalt blue Zara vest and a cheap grey hoodie. Then we went to the beach, even though it was FREEZING and there wasn’t another sinner in sight.

That’s the great thing about kids tho, or maybe it’s just kids from Northern Ireland….. It can be phishing it down and you can suggest the beach and they’ll squeal with delight like it’s the height of Summer in Spain. They just don’t feel the cold. Hardy wee buggers. It must be all those potatoes.

The older boys did a bit of rockpooling while Noah and I built sandcastles. I need to work on my turrets…

I might not be able to feel my nose in this picture but I’m happy as a clam

Hope you all had a great weekend too xxx

Light Knit Jumper – New Look
Jeans – Oasis Amber
Necklace – Argento Sale (Past Season). Similar one here
Bracelets – H&M (Past Season)
Brown Ankle Boots – M&S (Past Season)

Casual outfit from Friday. It was the last day of the boy’s Easter holidays and so I took them to a local fun park and generally made a fuss of them. The sun shone throughout, smiles never left faces and laughter rang out. It was a precious day ♥

P.S I found my tripod doo dah *beams*

Skin

• Superdrug – Vitamin E SPF 15 Radiance Moisture Cream  – This stuff is dirt cheap at £2.99 (but often to be found on 3 for 2) and my dry skin absolutely loves it. I was a faithful Oilatum Natural Repair girl but this little cream wipes the floor with it. Instantly peps up tired skin and leaves a wonderful dewy glow. Not greasy though. Only downside is that each tube is quite small at 50ml, however at the current price I just buy in bulk. Probably worth noting that I DO NOT rate the night cream in this range at all. Totally different formulation. Completely rubbish.
• Aveeno – Moisturising Creamy Oil – I think I’m heading into the second year of this being my favourite body moisturiser. My skin has definitely become noticeably drier in my thirties (my Mum said this happened to her as well) and so standard moisturiser just doesn’t cut the mustard anymore. I like baby oil and skin oils but they aren’t ideal for everyday use as they can be greasy and stain clothing. This Aveeno product is an excellent hybrid. Dispenses as a cream but applies and moisturises like an oil without the heaviness. When wearing shorts/ a dress minus tights people always ask me how I get my legs looking so shiny and healthy. This product is the answer. Pricey-ish at just over £7 a bottle but it is currently on offer in Boots with 1/3 off. Each bottle is 300ml tho and lasts around 2 months for me.

Hair

• TRESemmé – Restructuring Deep Conditioning Treatment Masque – I LOVE this stuff. Designed to strengthen dry/ brittle hair and to be used as a treatment. I normally slap it on as I get into the bath and it remains on my head from 20 to 40 minutes (depending how good my book is). It leaves hair really revived and shiny. I don’t notice it adding weight but then again I only use it weekly as a treat. Price ranges on this so shop around. I usually get it cheapest in Tesco and sometimes on BOGOF.
• Bed Head – Dumb Blonde Reconstructor – One word AMAZE! – Yes I’m not blonde and perhaps neither are you but don’t let that put you off. There is nothing in this product that makes it an exclusive for the fairer barnet owners. This is simply an intensively moisturising and nourishing conditioner. It is super thick, almost like applying custard but do not be alarmed as it smells amazing and will leave your hair uber soft. I abuse my hair (I think we all know this) and this conditioner keeps it looking fab. I use it every time I wash my hair and it doesn’t leave it greasy at all. Just really easy to run my hands through and healthy looking. Again shop around. I get mine in TK Maxx for £5.99

A new product I want to mention but can’t warrant adding to the “faves” just yet is the Charles Worthington Hair Healer. I bought this with my Boots points about a fortnight ago. It wasn’t recommended to me, simply an impulse buy.

Basically it’s for leave in conditioner for damaged hair (do you see a theme here….) and you apply it to towel dried hair before blow drying to make it all healthy and stuff. This stuff is seriously SERIOUSLY good. It’s an odd consistency. Kinda feels like you’re applying shampoo/hair gel and I half expected it to lather the first time and be really hard to dry, but the opposite is in fact true. It actually aids my blow drying (plus it contains a heat protectant) and leaves my flyaways sleek without being lank/ flat or greasy. It’s a truly amazing product.

That’s it for now, hope this helps someone xo

Jeans - Oasis Sale "Amber" £20

Last few days of the Easter holidays and so I was running about doing all the odd jobs that need doing before I start back to work on Monday. Banking, new car tyres, food shop… all terribly glamorous.

I wanted to be comfortable and warm but I am SICK of winter jumpers atm and so I paired a thin vest top with a faux leather jacket. Real or faux, leather jackets are guaranteed warmth. The jeans are also the ones with stretch in, extremely easy to wear for someone who finds jeans problematic.

I’ve been wearing my hair up this week which has the tendency to make me look a bit drawn but it’s laziness. I’m trying to get away with washing it every three days instead of daily.

Vest Top - Exhibit £6

All I can see in the above picture is armpit, apologies for that. Plus how pale am I? Answer: VERY. I just can’t be assed with fake tan at all this weather.

The vest tee was purchased months ago from Exhibit which are super cheap clothing shops in Northern Ireland. They actually carry a lot of the  Missguided line , so that gives you an idea of the price point and quality. It’s good for passing trends/ basics.

Faux Leather Jacket - Exhibit

I picked up this jacket in the same shop just before Christmas and today was the first time I’ve worn it. Kinda forgot I had it tbh (shameful). I can’t remember how much I paid at the time but I’m thinking around £30 which is pretty pricey for that store but I like the classic shape and it really is a beautiful fit whether left open or zipped. Hugs in all the right places!

Arm Cuff worn as bracelet - Topshop Sale £1

Moshi Monsters Jumper - George @ Asda £10

While I was taking pictures Noah asked me to take one of his outfit too Little fashion blogger in the making?

Hope you’re all well xx

P.S Still missing the doo dah to connect my camera to its tripod. Hence lack of posts. I refuse to buy another one as I just know it’ll turn up the moment I do! Grrr x

I’m kinda struggling to put into words how I feel about my new trainers. They are disgustingly groovy and frankly bordering on distasteful. In other words… I LOVE THEM!

Shiny, limey, turquatic wonders…..

I’ve been wearing (a different pair of) Mizuno Inspire trainers for a few months now and have to say that FOR ME they really are the best runners I’ve ever had.

I started off with a pair of Gel Asics and we didn’t get along at all. Sore sore knees, constantly. Then I got fitted with Brooks Adrenalines (3 pairs) and they were almost perfect despite giving me an intermittent arch blister. I need support but turns out that they were a touch too structured.

After doing lots of reading online and trying on in shops I got a past season pair of Mizuno Wave Inspires. From the day and hour I started wearing them I have had “healthier feet”. Zero blisters, happier knees and just general all round comfort. So when I spotted the Special Osaka Editions on Zalando I just had to have AND having got my first pair of Inspires half price I didn’t feel quite so bad splurging on these ones. See the way I’ve justified it? Yes? Good

Anyways, enough rambling. It’s time to break them in

xo

Childish and yet utterly pretentious stationary. HAD to have.

Thank you Pampered Sparrow for being such an excellent enabler

I purchased all my SMASH goodies here , it’s actually a US site but due to the exchange rate it was just as cheap to order from and at the time they had more stock than the UK. Shipping took approx 2 weeks.

This little video explains it all…

Must dash, cutting, sticking and doodling awaits

xo

That’s how long the red lasted. 1st March – 31st. That’s a pretty short shift, even by my fickle terms….

So where did the red and I come unstuck? Quite literally there, in that it wouldn’t. Stick.

My hair beneath the red was/ is a series of highlights and colour tends to wash up quicker when applied over them. Every colour. BUT red in particular just washes up like crazy. In the past 30 days I can honestly say I’ve spent close to £100 keeping my hair red and as someone who is currently only employed “casually” that is NOT a great hairdo to have.

So I have applied a base brown over the red. Obviously this will also wash up to a certain degree and the red will show through but that’s no bad thing. Either way I can safely say I won’t have to spend any more than £5 on my hair for the next month.

Other things I won’t have to worry about are:

• Accidentally putting something pink on and looking… well… crazy
• Getting caught in the rain and resembling an extra from a scary movie
• Having to don plastic gloves every 3rd day and spend a good portion of my evening applying/ dyeing/ drying. What a yawn
• Ruining every single towel we own
• Strangers touching my hair – what is up with that?!

The thing I will miss

• How bloody cool it looked!!! My “normal” brunette bob just looks so meh in comparison, but what I do appreciate is the instant shine that has returned with the dark hair. Shiny equals Healthy (however much of an illusion that might be)

My husband was just reminding me that since Christmas I have been brunette, blonde, redhead and now brunette again. Perhaps I’ll give my hair a rest for a few months……. *wicked smile*

Current Fave Lippy - Topshop Infared

xoxo

Jacket - TRF @ Zara £59.99, Skull Vest - New Look £9.99

It started with the cray cray hair and now it’s a neon jacket. Natch!

This is really hard to photograph, in a lot of pictures in looks canary yellow but the one above (taken on Sat) probably best captures the actual hue. An in your face green-yellow. This jacket will get you noticed (and probably talked about…). The cut is divine, strong structured shoulders and clean lines. Zipped up it gives an almost corseted effect to the waist. LOVE!

Ring - Forever 21

My eyeshadow here is Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil in Morphine. They’re the fattish ones and I believe it cost around £14. So far I like and the creasing by the end of a few hours out was minimal. Most of all I love the handiness of it, swipe the colour on, use finger to blend. Voila. Lazy eyeshadow looks ftw!

Hair Update – SO MUCH MAINTENANCE. I mean everyone said it would be and it is. If you’re considering all I can do is reiterate that fact

xo

I don’t know about you guys but I for one have never been so relieved to see all the new Spring/ Summer stock coming into the shops. I am completely over Winter and then some.

River Island and New Look have excelled themselves. I was tempted by soooo many others things but tried to be somewhat sensible and this is what I ended up purchasing.

The hammered collars were £7 each which surprised me. Very reasonable and the addition of the leather lacing means they sit a lot nicer on the neck than the solid torque ones.

The Aztec style necklace caught my eye immediately in New Look because it looked very House of Harlow. A steal at £5.99.

The shell disc earrings from George at Asda were £2.50 and the colour looks fab against my new red barnet. They also come in a lovely bright purple or pink.

I was in dire need of some simple studs for everyday wear and I thought these New Look ones were cute and a total bargain at £4.99 for 6 pairs. Again the colours are a nice contrast against my barnet

These are my current favourite earrings, from River Island and they cost £10 *faints*. Seriously though, I personally think that’s pretty pricey for costume danglies but they are AMAZING on and have received numerous compliments already.

Finally I bought this stunning Missoni Snood from the gorgeous Diana’s blog sale. I am actually living in it. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Btw if you have ickle feet (UK 3 ish) I highly recommend checking out the shoes she has for sale. Some seriously foxy footwear.

Anyway, that’s it on the accessory front for now. I have bought quite a few Spring/ Summer bits of clothing including a neon (yes, you did read that right) jacket. So I’ll pop a little post up on those things shortly. That way if you like what you see you have a chance of finding it online/ instore, rather than waiting until I show the things in an OOTD, MONTHS from now when they’re likely all sold out.

Have a good one peeps xo

Take one pair of plain converse style shoes. I got these in the New Look sale for £4

Decorate with studs. You can go for symmetry if you’re anal or throw caution to the wind and fix them randomly.

Your craft project = your choice

et voilà!

So simple. It took me 2 sessions of approximately an hour each (mainly because I’m a bit feeble). You’ll need a blunt knife and a bit of muscle to press down the backs of the studs but other than that just patience and a little spare time.

Now…. what to wear them with….. tbc xo

No need to adjust your settings… yes, I have indeed dyed my hair quite an “unnatural” shade of red.
33 going on 13. I make zero apologies

Leopard Blouse – Primark, Jumper – New Look Sale

I saw this jumper on Lauren from The Only Way Is Essex and had the wants but it was always sold out. Boooo! I was therefore VERY pleased to find it dangling on a sale rail last weekend. It’s a Size 16 but I think it looks dead on, in fact any smaller and I don’t think it’d be quite as slouchy/ cosy looking.

Bodycon Skirt – Forever 21, Boots – Topshop

This bodycon skirt was a recent purchase during a day trip to Dublin. At just over £20 it’s a little more than I’d usually spend on a staple skirt, however it really is top notch in quality. Very taut lycra, not unlike the Hervé Léger material. Uber flattering and gives a gorgeous smooth silhouette ♥

Make-up wise I am mostly to be found sporting my new favourite lilac eyeshadow. It’s from the AVON Purple Haze Quad.

I would really recommend this for people with green/ hazel/ brown eyes. It’s a lovely formulation for not too much money. I got mine on eBay for about £3.50. Bargain! xo

]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2012/03/12/red/feed/ 20 http://dressjunkie.com/2012/02/24/its-all-about-the-ruching/ http://dressjunkie.com/2012/02/24/its-all-about-the-ruching/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:45:53 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=4622

I audibly gasped when I clocked these in my local TK Maxx, for I am a sucker for a good bit of ruching. Just look at those buttery folds of leather *le sigh*

They are by All Saints, a brand that I never quite got until recently. I used to think why?! would anyone want to dress like a zombie cowboy/girl and pay £££ for the privilege.

I’ll be honest I still don’t get most of their dresses/ shirts etc for that very reason but what I do get is their leather appeal. They do leather so well. Like no one else on the high street. So soft, instantly worn in, uber flattering ♥

These little babies ooze sex appeal to me. A flash of toe, a glimpse of heel. I know my man will be a fan.

It’s still slightly too cool to perhaps be wearing these outside yet, but it won’t be long. Another month or so and I have a feeling these will be surgically attached to my feet. In the meantime I need to get my tootsies ready for the public. As is always the case in Winter I tend to neglect everything from the knees down.

So let the foot scrubs, filing and pedicures commence with gusto!

I thought I’d pop in a few pics of today’s outfit while I’m here. No full length I’m afraid as I can’t find the doo daa (technical term) that connects my camera to the tripod.

First tho, make-up. My foundation is Jemma Kidd Light As Air, a recent purchase from here. I opted for shade Light and it’s quite a good match. Slightly too dark (and I mean slightly) but will be perfect once I catch a spot of Spring sun. For reference I wear no 52 in Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum.

I’ve wore it 3 days in a row so far and these are my very early opinions. It’s a little too matt for my liking. It accentuates my dry t-zone. It oxidises throughout the day. Now that all sounds a bit negative. The pro’s. It smells nice, perhaps not important to some but I rate this as important. It applies like a dream, hardly any blending required, so nice and quick and easy. A little goes a long way, in terms of coverage. It lasts all day.

At this stage I wouldn’t repurchase due to the drying aspect but it may fare better as the weather improves and in turn my skin with it. I’ll keep you posted!

Lipstick is Revlon Pink Pout, probably the most drying lipstick I own but I just adore the pinky mauve colour. If anyone knows a more moisturising dupe please leave a comment xo

Lace trim vest – M&S. Technically this is underwear but I thought it went well with my Chanelesque cardigan which is from Miss Selfridge (sale). I was going to accessorise with a single strand of pearls but I have vowed to stop saving my “good” jewellery for special occasions. What if that day never comes?

I will therefore be doing the school run sporting my Vivienne Westwood Bas Relief Pearl and Crystal Choker. Mine is the gold version and originally purchased from Hervia. I’m not sure they sell it anymore though and their site appears to be under maintenance. If you do ever get the chance to own it, grab it. It makes even the most mundane outfit look put together xo

Contain your excitement people. It’s another storage post. I know… I know… I spoil you guys so much

So why all the putting things in their place? Well. Quite simply I am abhorrently messy. Always have been, and almost thirty three years later I think we can safely assume that I always will be.

But being untidy and living in amongst mess makes me feel very blue. It clutters my mind-space as well as my real life space, if that makes sense. Therefore I try my best to make sure everything has a place. Now, once every week or so everything will find it’s way out of it’s place. Think dressing table completely covered in creams and potions, jewellery strewn across the mirror. Bedside table littered with same.

It’s actually quite gutting that I just can’t stay on top of it and put things away as and when I have used/ worn them. I’ve tried. I fail…

So storage is my little saviour. When I do finally take the head staggers and decide to clean up at least everything has somewhere to go. It takes a fraction of the time it used to take me and the end result is a pretty streamlined living space… until the next week. C’est la vie!

The latest thing I have tackled is my costume jewellery stash. You know the one, all the cheapy rings and bangles that have been bought over the years to suit specific outfits for a wedding/ baptism/ funeral (well you gotta look like you made an effort… right?)

This is what I threw out. Quite a sizeable pile. I’d have donated but most of it was going green… so to the bin it went.

The remainder went into this little set of wooden drawers from TK Maxx £16.99

TK Maxx is fantastic for storage, and for something that little bit different.

I loved that this looked like an old doctors surgery filing thingy. Cute as well as functional.

The only other bedroom storage I need now is for my ever increasing sunglasses collection. I liked the idea posted here but I’m not sure I want to lose such a large amount of wall space.

The search continues xo

This is my current set-up when it comes to makeup storage (you can click on any picture to enlarge)

The six drawer unit is from Ikea and costs £24.99. It comes in red, silver and white. Beware though the white is actually cream. It is made from a powdered metal and was extremely easy to assemble. GO THE SWEDES!!

It offers ample space to house all of my cosmetic delights and I have used old beauty boxes to create divisions within. The icing on the cake is the fact that the unit is on castors and can easily be moved to the window should I require more light.

I’m also enjoying having all my makeup in one place again and I’ve even re-discovered some lost loves (I’m looking at YOU NARS Deep Throat and YOU Topshop Bronzer!).

If you’re in the market for an affordable but funky looking solution for your bits and bobs I can highly recommend this xo

I enjoy watching these kind of videos on YouTube and thought I’d have a go myself
Watch it in HD if you can xo

I’ve started this post at least 6 times now. Brain officially fried.

I have so much going on IRL atm so you’ll have to excuse me but I wanted to get the competition results up tonight and also share my new boots with you all.

They’re by a brand called ASH and the style is Tennessee. They are incredibly OTT and for that reason alone I had to have them as soon I clocked them. I purchased them from Spoiled Brat and the service was fab. If you’re a teeny tiny UK size 2 or 3 then hurry as they still have your size!

A bonus is that they are ridiculously comfortable and SO toasty. Downside, they’re quite heavy. I’m gonna have calves like The Rock! (<<YUM)

Check out the detailing, gorgeous mixed metal studding and distressed leather. Ugh! They’re disgustingly beautiful! And I think they’ll just get better and better with age

Oh and my leopard leggings are from Republic. Just £10 and I can really recommend them. Super nice silky fabric.

AND without further ado the winner of the Technic Carnival Nail Polish is

Congratulations Charli! I’ll be in touch shortly to get your postal address. Thanks so much to everyone who entered xo

1. How old are you in five years? 37, almost 38… oh christ :/
2. Who did you spend at least two hours with today? My two sons and my husband Matt. We made pizza and watched Star Wars ♥
3. How tall are you? 5 feet 6.5 inches
4. What is the last movie you saw? Star Wars obviously. Previous to that it was Overboard, a really old romantic comedy with a Randy Newman theme tune. Epic 80′s
5. Who called you last? Matt. I missed the call. I miss a lot of calls
6. Who did you call last? My Mum, asking her to babysit. She said yes #winning
7. What was the last text message you received? My Mum “You rang. Out doing lotto. What’s up?” She has only recently learned to text so this amazed me
8. Do you prefer calling or texting? I prefer to call, but short calls and to the point
9. Are your parents married or divorced? Divorced. About 16 years ago
10. When did you last see your mother? Last week. We walked the dogs together and drank lots of tea
11. What color eyes do you have? Hazel
12. When did you wake up today? 6.45am via alarm. I actually got up out of bed about 7.10…
13. What is your favorite Christmas song? Dominic the Italian Donkey. I wish it wasn’t but it is
14. What is your favorite place? Anywhere near the sea. Must be the Pisces in me
15. What place do you prefer the least? Cork. Ex-boyf. Bad experience
16. Where do you think you will find yourself in ten years? Traveling around Europe with my husband and possibly the teenagers (scary thought)
17. What scared you about the night as a child? The thought that I might not make it over to sleep before my parents started “doing it” next door. They may have divorced but they definitely fancied each other *cringe*
18. What made you really laugh last? Gosh too hard to pinpoint just one thing. I am BIG into laughing
19. How big is your bed? Double with a king size quilt. Matt and I are spooners so a bigger bed is unnecessary
20. Do you have desktop or laptop computer? Both but I use my MacBook Pro 15″ most of the time. It has a faulty hinge as I am VERY hard on my computers
21. Do you sleep with or without clothes on you? Mostly with. I don’t have a preference but I do live in the UK and it’s cold so clothing makes for a more comfortable Zzzzz
22. How many pillows do you have in bed? Four, two each
23. How many provinces have you lived in? Quite a few. I was fairly nomadic as a teen and in my twenties, hopefully settled now
24. Which cities have you lived in? Belfast, London & Reading
25. Do you prefer shoes, socks or bare feet? Socks or tights. Rarely barefoot as I cannot stand cold feet, actually feet turn me quite a bit so it helps if they are covered
26. Are you social? Less so since having children but in general yes
27. What is your favorite ice cream? Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough
28. What is your favorite dessert? Rhubarb Crumble
29. Do you like Chinese food? I do, favourite dish would be honey chilli chicken and noodles
30. Do you like coffee? Only in the past year, and now I’m addicted :S
31. What do you have for breakfast? Lots, full cooked/ egg and soldiers/ weetabix and soya/ yoghurt and fruit
32. Do you sleep on a particular side? Left hand side of the bed and on my back. I snore
33. Can you play poker? Yes and 21′s
34. Do you like to cuddle / snuggle? So much, I am extremely tactile with my husband and children. Which always surprises me as I’m not like that with my parents or friends
35. Are you a dependent person? I am. I like sharing my life with a significant other and although I can and have lived alone I think life is more fun as a pair
36. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you? Jessica Biel. Apparently all the sexy ladies are born then
37. Do you have children? Yes 2 of my own and 2 step-children. I’m extremely blessed
38. Do you know any other languages than English? yes, I can converse in basic French
39. Have you ever driven an ambulance? No but I’ve been driven IN one
40. Do you prefer the ocean or a pool? Definitely the ocean. It’s hypnotic to me
41. What do you spend any money on? Boots, books and too much off eBay
42. Do you have precious jewellery? Lots and one of my new years resolutions is to wear it all more. One life people. NOT a dress rehearsal
43. What are your favorite shows on TV? I love Californication, Masterchef, Biggest Loser, Eastenders. I’m a big telly fan
44. Can you roll your tongue? I can. I can also curl it into a cauliflower shape #talented
45. Who is the funniest person you know? My brother. He has a very dry wicked sense of humour
46. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? Under no circumstances and I am suspicious of adults that do this
47. What is your ringtone? Standard ring ring. I’m always scundered for people with song ringtones
48. Do you still have clothes from when you were little? Personally no, but I think my Mum might have some stuff
49. What are you closest to you right now that is red? My MacBook Cover. It’s by Speck
50. Do you flirt much? Not that I’m aware of. In fact I’d hazard a guess I come across as quite cold & unfriendly until you know me
51. Can you change the oil on the car? No. I have no desire to either. That’s what mechanics are for
52. Have you received speeding ticket ever? Yes and 3 penalty points #badgirl
53. What was the last book you read? I got this – Jennifer Hudson. It made me dislike her. Dare I say that she doesn’t come across as the sharpest tool in the box when reading it…
54. Do you read a newspaper? The Daily Mail. It’s an atrocious rag but I love it
55. Subscribe to a magazine? No. In fact that’s one addiction I have well and truly kicked. I rarely buy magazines anymore
56. Are you dancing in the car? Not right this second but I am a car dancer and I do like to belt out a good show tune while picking up my penalty points…
57. Which radio station did you listen to you last? Radio 1. I remember because it was Fearne Cotton presenting and I like her accent
58. What was the last thing you scribbled down on paper? My signature. Cheque to the taxman. Bastard
59. When were you at church last? A looooong time ago. Actually is was a chapel for a friend’s wedding. They make me uncomfortable
60. Are you happy? In my heart, yes. In my head, not always xo

Inspired by Emma’s post. See her answers here