AVIDly purchasing lavender, orange, yellow and pink for spring is a WISE thing.

[FritziGreenEyes]

Sorry for poor thread title but I am hopeless at rhyming at the best of times...
Unbelievable how quickly we filled the last thread!

Had one hour on Friday before the meeting started and used my time very efficiently and bought these. They are not quite as high as the 50/50s but suit me better. Was hugging the shopping bag close to me on the train back home yesterday .

ollie Such a shame that your DH isn't going to go with the job offer over here. Oh, the fun we could have!

hopefully Having you on this thread is great and I enjoy reading your posts a lot. I hope your mother doesn't find any more tidying tasks for you today. You look fab in your wedding pictures.

annie Hope you got all your work done last night and have the chance to get some rest today.

red We have our hob on our kitchen island too. We couldn't decide on backsplash for ages. Haven't had one for ages and it is absolutely fine. I do most food preparation stuff on the island anyway.

Have lovely Sundays everyone!

emo Could this leather jacket be good for you?

See, I would keep the camel cardigan Hopefully, precisely because you would get loads of wear out of it....a classic, beautiful, good colour....hmmm?

Love the Stella coat for DD Verity.

And Bloss, poor deluded DH - does he not realise that comments like that just make you want the Balenciaga more? Enough bags already?...

MrsCB fab news about test results.

Hi Pickled great to see you. . Hope work is going well.

Anniemac love the Birger blouse and agree it is a great price.

Don't feel bad, it can be slightly addictive. But mostly you were so good at end of last year, if you spread it over the three months it's not bad at all.

I'd help with feelings of guilt if I posted Stella M splurge but pointless as a gift!

I can't remember everything unless I check but this is what I think I bought this month...

Marant shoes £150 something instead of £545
Current/Elliot £55 instead of £160
Rose pink Acne chinos £60 instead of £180ish
Mandarin Tshirt £27 instead of £70
M by MJ shearling coat £336 instead of over £1k

That's just January, so stuff in the preview sales before not counted.

I seem to be all about the savings!

Well until I start on new SS stuff. But has to be good to buy at beginning of season.

Hush pjs x 2 £40 instead of £80

I'll try not to think of stuff and add it (difficult)

Morning all, am feeling a little heavy-headed after drinks with a couple of new friends last night. Was nice though.

Am also feeling a bit fed up about Friday's interview - they sent all the info out and it transpires the tutoring would be from 3.15-4.15 each day (contrary to the advert), which is bang in the middle of pre-school pick-up for DS and there is no way I can find childcare for DD for an hour a day. Is a pain as would have been perfect for me, but with no childcare solutions is a complete no.

My January shopping list:
£100 ish on bits for the DC for SS from Boden and H&M (incl some navy shorts for me and the Johnnie B dress)
£32 on Warehouse leopard skinnies
£70 on Whistles white tee and garish top (which I've now decided to return).
£15 top-up to voucher on Laura Mercier face wash and eyebrow pencil

Not too bad at all really. We're ripping out our (deeply hideous DIY in the 70s) cupboards in half-term and having new ones fitted so am going to have a serious clear-out and rid myself of things I just no longer wear.

Weekend away sounds ideal Icey. Did your flooring go down ok? We have to wait till March for ours and the concrete floor is really no fun.

Ollie how did you get on with the dress?

Amber I think we have very similar colouring and I think lilac really suits me if that helps at all.

mrscb Hope you are ok?

red That is so annoying about the job. They should have said what they wanted before.

annie Hope everything goes well with your important meeting and DDs will have a lovely afternoon with their dad .

hopefully Leather biker for you?

Annie, that's a bummer, I would babysit if I were nearby. I like the trousers.

Reine, belated happy birthday! I tried to post on you Facebook wall on my phone the other night so say have a great birthday but it wouldn't work.

Amber, is the navy Barbour waxed cotton or polyamide? I am looking for navy waxed cotton. I think you did excellent shopping. One pair of J Brands alone is normally the price you paid for four. See, extremely wise.

Hopefully, agree with Dauphin that the camel cardigan is worth keeping.

I like leather jackets but blazers or this kind.

I returned quite a lot so not too bad (for me):
£44 Pure collection silk shirt
£51 C/E jeans
£70 Vince cardigan
None of it went on the credit card so DH is happy. Also will make about £350 on ebay this week.

Can't remember how much the black uggs are but they haven't charged my card yet.
I also spent £300 on DD1 on summer clothes as I like Mini Boden for her and they have 20% off.

MrBloss, tsk tsk, you can never have too many bags! That red Balenciaga is gorgeous. I will see how generous my dad is feeling next month. I think I need a recce to Matches soon.

Red, that is a pain about the job.

Red that's such a pain. Assume there's no possibility of the tutoring taking place at a more useful time? Could you suggest it?

Hurrah, have arranged night away without the DSs to visit my closest friend in a couple of weeks so we can attempt to figure out our different career conundrums. Am so pleased, as she's a great sounding board for ideas and helping me see the sensible way forward - i'm torn between a couple of options at the moment. Hopefully I can be useful for her too - she is trying to work out how they can afford to have children, basically.

Annie it is the law of childcare that sick days never coincide with quiet work days so you can enjoy.

Dauphin I am tempted, but frankly I'm always going to be able to find a relaxed neutral cashmere cardigan at that kind of price, so I'm going to be v Wise and focus on my immediate wardrobe needs (like a coat). Am keeping fingers crossed that it pops up in a clearance sale for a bit less at some point though!

Amber I am actually going to order the VWA right now if DS2 stays asleep long enough. Was waiting until I had posted back all my current returns before adding any more - have to discipline myself in some way! Got a discount voucher when I bought my boots yesterday, so might be able to find some cheap-ish shoes to wear with it if it's a keeper.

Fleecy enjoy your new found me-time!

Really need to get back on the diet bandwagon - have been scoffing too many biscuits and weight loss has totally halted, despite Shredding. Time to start making healthier meals and snacks. Have just take a head and shoulders shot of myself for an application form and was pleased to see I actually have cheekbones again though

Annie I am nearby. I can help you if you like. Ds1 is at a friend's house tonight, pm me.

Ooh fritzi thanks for link - will see if they have it in RL in town later on.

Carciofi you and Dauphin are weakening my resolve. May need to try it on one more time.

I think you should, Hopefully!

I like the Roxy/biker jackets on other people, just not on me, btw.

I spent £200 on DD1, not quite as bad as I first thought.

carciofi I think the leather jacket from your link would be perfect for you!

I have spent nothing on the DSs this month, although DH did bring back some sweet clothes from Germany. DS2 is still sporting the way-too-big coat handed down by NYE's DS last year - was planning on buying one that fits, but he's been in the too big one for so long now that it almost fits!

Am going to try to photograph my next batch of eBay stuff this afternoon and get it listed, am getting alarmed about the amount of stuff I still want to buy! At least I am benefiting from buying decent brand clothes a while back, so those that I'm not wearing should go for a few quid on eBay. Dressmakers dummy also makes for more appealing photos.

I'm so bad at eBay. I gave up after VW debacle. People saying they would buy it now after listing had finished, then they didn't.

Should really give it another try.

I got some good stuff in Elias&Grace sale for dc.

Fritzi, I would like it! But don't want to spend that much on something I'd have to return to the US. I will look out for it in the next sale or promotion. I am tempted to ask my cousin to go try it on for me as she is the same height and size but she is a busy New York lawyer and may not be impressed at my request!

Having fun here to annie with poorly DC- various minor things going around the family for the past week. Juggling childcare is so stressful!

DD1 was off two days end of last week (we did one day each). Now DS unwell, off today and probably will be tomorrow.
I just had to take DS and DD2 to my hospital appointment with Gastroenterologist- not ideal but they were good. Took all three to my 20/40 scan yesterday (fortunately DH managed to come too). All looks fine thank goodness.
I am lucky in that my DC are generally healthier than average but it is tough when they aren't!

red- do you think there could be any room for negotiation on the timings? It isn't going to be v convenient for anyone is it, doing 1 hour at school pick up time 5 days per week! Could you suggest a couple of hours twice a week? Will the child came to your house or will you have to go to theirs because that could make a difference too.

Fantastic lists everyone!
Many thanks for feedback on the Oushka bags- the price is definitely making me edge towards the Byron.

A couple of links:
I thought this Hobbs blouse was pretty and like the print. Perhaps NYE or someone can come along and tell me whether it is good for Autumns :)
I am also liking this necklace.

What do you all think?

Red that is such a pain about the job, it seemed perfect for you. Something else will come along.

Annie and Looby sympathies re sickness and childcare. I would desperately love to work part time, but the constraints of childcare make it impossible. Dd and ds2 were sick last week, ds1 this week

Carciofi that jacket is delish, and I'm a non-leather jacket wearer too. I bought one from Comptoir for my 40th as I thought every wardrobe need a leather jacket but I've barely worn it. Emo I have seen lovely chanel-style quilted ones recently, I'll link when I remember where!

Got an email from Me&Em this morning extolling the virtues of this dress. I'm tempted to try in in navy.

Reine belated Happy Birthday I'd love to see your gorgeous photos!

Very cold here today, but the sun is shining which is wonderful as the last few days have been so dark and dreary. Long may it last!

looby The necklace is gorgeous! Think the colours of the blouse would be fine for autumns but better check with our resident expert .

carciofi I almost emailed one of DH's female colleagues in London and ask her to get the Chanel nail polishes for me as I thought they would not be sold over here. Maybe she would have appreciated the excuse to get out of the office, but I didn't want to risk a reaction as I don't know her that well really.

verity "Arm narrowing", "bum tucking", "waist enhancing", "tummy disguising", "leg lengthening". Is there anything this dress cannot do? Please order and report back if it really can perform miracles (not that you need it obviously!)

Oh I love the cat print Looby, very cool ATM with all Victoria Beckhams cat print dresses.

I was examining them (VBs dresses) closely in last weeks Grazia, they would be a sinch to copy emulate! Hopefully my mum is a genius with the sewing machine, but there is just nowhere to buy fabric in Dublin. Have you any online favourites for fabric buying?

looby that blouse isn't perfect for an autumn, but as long as it's not a really cool blue it should be ok - it looks ever so slightly greened in the picture, which would bring it more in line with an autumn palette. That necklace is gorgeous!