We are Avidly snapping up Primarni brogues, whilst Wisely swapping (for charidee!) our unwanted clothes...

[notyummy]

This way ladies....

Shows how perception is all wrong Fritzi! No doubt you are gorgeous anyway!!!

Well done on the job front....!

Fan of Italian names here too...really like Lucia...

Marsha, put us out of our misery...which sleb would you say you looked most like, if you had to choose ?

Oh, and Lisa Armstrong looked dreadful again in the Sat Times supplement....sorry, but she did...a Giambattista dress and Louboutins were quite truly wasted I think......might as well have been an old grey blanket...

Just googled it and Clara is Latin. Chiara is too like the Irish name Ciara, my niece's name. I like Italian boys names but don't think they'd work for a freckly little Irish boy!

apuski sorry you're still having worries, hope it all gets resolved very soon. I have a friend who had similar issues with ds (now nearly one) - lasted until he was on solids. Now all absolutely fine.

Congrats Fritzi - well done you

dolce Glad you liked the lentil dish. If you love coconut cake and are staying off the wheat try this one:

2oog dess coconut
3 med f-r eggs
180g caster
250g peeled & finely grated courgette
1tbsp vanilla extract
120g white rice flour
2tsp baking pow
1/2 tsp bicarb
1/4 tsp salt

2 x18cm x 5cm loose bott tins

preheat to 160. Brush tins with veg oil. Line with parchment , grease again

blitz dess coc in f-p to shred finer

whisk eggs & sugar at least 4 mins. beat in grated cour and van

add coco, flour, baking pow, bicarb & salt. Beat to combine. Pour evenly into the 2 tins and bake in centre oven for 45 mins

sandwich together with rasp jam

ice with icing sugar mixed with coconut milk, will drip and drizzle over sides.

More quick meals for all tonight on Jamie's 30 min meals ... Channel 4 at 5.30pm.

btw fleecy sorry for delay with shorts - last week a bit full on, dh away and lots going on .. in the post this morning. Hope you like.

I love Bruno for a boy - but likewise carciofi, no use for my blond haired babies!

Great news about the job Fritzi!

carciofi I love Clara too. Used to love Stella but it was ruined for me after working with an awful one :(

Have read and enjoyed everyone's tales/links but DS is demanding that I draw butterflies with him so can't catch up properly. However, I am wearing the ASOS dress today and it rocks :) Also won some black patent shoeboots and a black silk Jigsaw vest on ebay, huzzah.

Ooh thank you cake - exciting! I love getting nice things in the post

1.45 at Hix fine with me.

Sophia is my DD's name roma - DH wanted Sofia but as we are both fair-skinned and very un-exotic I thought it best to stick to the 'ph' spelling. Think it's Greek for wisdom which I like. Love verity as well and that's Latin for truth so think they go well together and would deffo consider if I had another DD.

Speaking of which, great to hear the course is going well verity

All this talk of cakes. Am going to have to get the old baking stuff out soon.

Forgot to say congratulations to fritzi

Only just dawned on me, doh, that with my MN name, and my daughters names, Emilia and Florence (I suppose I should have called her Firenze!!!!)in there somewhere...I am very pro-italiano...although we are all blondies here. They (bambinos)are all blue eyed too!

Thanks for the cake recipe, er, Cake...!

funny .. I often Italianacize (??) my dc names .. people often ask whether I am Italian (am dark & olive, so it's not entirely stupid to ask) .. I have to admit hat no, I am just pretentious.

quite an aussie thing to put an "o" on the end of a name so both dh and ds1 get that from me a lot.

Ages since I've posted but still lurking..that recipe is making me drool LTEC..I love coconut cake

wonderful news carciofi..hope you are feeling well and happy.

zembo you mentioned red lipsticks an age ago..I remember your birth photo..mac's ladydanger might work for your colouring.

bunny..you look phenomenal..really neat and really beautiful..re names..I have a thing about marni at the moment.another lover of Italian names here..dd2 has one(and a german middle one in the interests of european harmony!)

MM..you are so vava voom..I'm sure your DP does believe you but is quietly panicking that you can't even go to the park without causing a stir

plum..I Thought I signed up for your blog but me and technology..

apuski..poor you..I find expressing such hard work and naughty mil..not helping!

sorry if I've missed other major developments but DD2 waking an alarming no. of times at the moment..comfort seeking because of teething?don't know which way up I am at the moment..eating far too much sugar to keep myself going so feel enormous too traceyb

little question..have a (v old!) long sleeve lace body(black)will try wearing under 3/4 balloon sleeve high neck pussy bow blouse..any other ideas to style?..or does that just sound silly..was trying to slip in a bit of a/w lace trend without buying new..

ooh nearly forgot..really loved the description of your shorts ensemble fleecy..I always enjoy the descriptions of your outfits(hope that doesn't sound very weird!)

I love Bruno too ABO!

Fritzi Congrats

Dh is often asked if he is Italian, which I know he secretly loves. Makes me laugh.

Dolce sorry about the suspense. If I had to say, then I would draw on the many comments people have made about looking like Gwynnie or Cate Blanchett. I think I just conform to type - tall, slim, blonde, small boobs! But hey fine by me

sorry to hear of your broken nights reine. Hope it all settles down soon.

am having diff visualising the outfit you described, my befuddled brain more than your desc, was up until 2am last night working then at a b'day party this morning so am a big 'huh?'

why is it so hard to find a single breated coat?? and why are so many coats 3/4 sleeved? Ugh. This in red about the best I've found but I object to the prissy collar ...

a bit 'huh?'

and single breasted

I shall book then notyummy.
What to wear. My problem is always that I get up so early to catch the train, that it is freezing, then always hot in shops, tube etc.
Whatever, it'll be jbrands or jeggings. Come on! What else?!! Actually, there is a coat issue with a dress or skirt as I haven't found my knee length coat yet. On the Jbrand front I've just ordered another 2 pairs to check sizing. Mine are falling off. I figure, they cost £160, so if I sell mine, they'll be almost cheap! (deluded, moi?).

rufus, can I recommend this website. This is where I go, and I get Frank. I used to have someone much more expensive, long story. But if you go to the bookings section, you can have a nosy at how much they cost, without committing yourself, and some are really reasonable.

What else? Oh, excited to see a shop assistant in R&B today wearing all black apart from grey boots. I have grey boots from that very shop, from years ago, but have never thought of wearing them with black before. So I will be wearing them now with the new zebra dress.

so what's everyone wearing on this gloriously sunny day?

I'm in diesel dark denim mini, brown Falke tights, brown ankle boots and a very textured kind of um natural? light brown? sweater with elbow-length, slightly flared sleeves (zara)

right boys waking up going to head back out and max the weather! have jolly afternoons all

Hello again everyone!

carciofi- congratulations on your pregnancy. Stella and Clara both v pretty- especially like Clara!

fritz- well done on your new job!

bunny- I'm glad you like the names. Funnily enough, our DD2 came close to being Livia!

reine- lace top under silk blouse could definitely work if lace top is tight! Am on the hunt for a lace top too.

I have ordered a couple of dresses in the asos sale and am contemplating this lace top:

www.asos.com/Mango/Mango-Lace-Trim-Top/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1284974&SearchQuery=lace%20top&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=-1&sort=-1&clr=OffWhite

(I am so sorry but have not got the links sorted!)

Am also thinking of ordering these from JL:
I love the slouchy Mango trousers!
www.johnlewis.com/Basket/Basket.aspx?ARA=Women&CAT=Women's+Knitwear&SCT=Women's+Knitwear&PRT=Women's+Knitwear&PRTID=Women's+Knitwear&Type=LNE&Id=144109&Sku=231025815&Qty=1&JADDDIST=4

I ordered the IO essential pencil skirt the other week but it is much longer than expected and too hard to walk in so will have to go back!

Cake do you like this crombie from Isabella Oliver?

I'm tempted to make up a properly put together outfit to gain some AW cred§...but this morning was a rush so AV top, skinny cords, black bikers. Too hot as well as being boring.

Has anyone found a perfect jumper dress yet? Very keen to get one soon as I know they usually sell out of all the good ones pretty sharpish.

my friend has six-month old twins - they are called Clara Mirabelle and Bruno!

hells, my zebra is knitwear.

Thanks looby and ltec..it's actually just a lace 'body'..(probably from the 80's!)so v fitted..I saw a luxe brand advert showing this look..ralph?chloe? and seemed to work under a blouse so just lace sleeves showing but TBH I am bfing so that wouldn't work for the day to day.

I am v boring today..white shirt+huge leopardskin scarf for discreet bf with sevens and ugg-a-likes(v cosy H and M kids version for 6 quid so won't mind when baby upchucks on them.

forgot to say someone mentioned swapsites way way back..can't remember who,sorry..I have sold and swapped on big wardrobe and was generally ok..am wearing a leopard print pussy bow blouse I received (in return for a dress I never had a occasion to wear)a lot this a/w.

also,well done fritzi

Right have added OWW carciofi and hells

I like the idea of a cuff bracelet and/or cocktail ring. Platforms are black but was also toying with idea of navy suede shoeboots and black opaques for colder outings. I don't have any gold shoes which would be perfect but prob not with my gold bag - too matchy.

Will pop better pics on of me and DD - she really has more of DH's features than mine although personality she is more me.

Thanks for all the good wishes. DH is not here tonight but I might have a glass of Prosecco anyway. Had a great afternoon with DD today. Even found time to sort some drawers of my wardrobe. I definitely have enough rollnecks. Colourwise it is all a bit navy, grey, taupe so need to find some coloured things.

Hope you get some more rest soon reine. Lacebody + shirt combo sounds fine.

Recipe for coconut cake sounds yummy cake. What colour are you after for single-breasted coat?