Revenge Friday: Winter survival guide, causing trouble at a book club and nail care

Hello darlings

I have been so fatigued the past few weeks but I am back with a blogpost. I thought I would share some winter tips (a survival guide sounds sort of dramatic) just some things I do to make winter easier. Obviously I know winter doesn't start till December but I don't really acknowledge Autumn. 

This whole self-improvement thing is hard.... I booked a ticket to attend a book club however, I got uninvited (I forgot to fill in a form) and refused a refund on my ticket. So, now I just have this bloody book in my boudoir taunting me and I haven't read it because I am so annoyed I can't look at it. 

Winter Survival Guide

Fill your diary: Fill your diary with a few nice things (try not to get uninvited and refused a refund lol) because sometimes it is hard to feel motivated to leave the house this time of year. Book like an event, talk, cinema, a restaurant, something like that. I have been doing a few things the past few weeks.

Also if you are going into central London have a plan and book somewhere to eat because I went with my partner into town on Saturday for dinner and it was horribly busy- there was nowhere to eat. I am not making that mistake again this year.

Dress snugly: I want to treat myself to like a really nice winter coat- not sure the style I want yet. I was thinking about going to a sample sale in the hopes of picking up something slightly discounted. 

Winter woollies: I recently went to my grandmas house and she was trying to get rid of loads of vintage jumpers that my mum had made. I picked out two which I need your opinion on because I am really not trying to look like... a history teacher. 

So the first is an asymmetrical collar cardigan which I actually really like and its really soft (100% wool but I am not sure what type of wool) but I was thinking maybe to elevate it that I swap out the buttons for something a little more glamour. 

Then I also got this pretty fabulous wool shawl neck jumper. I normally don't like this style of neckline but actually I think the jumper looks really cute on.

Start your 2025 goals: I probably say this every year but now is a good time to set goals for the new year. I have set a list of ten goals (I need 10- my life calls for drastic change) and there is one I am working on at the moment just to ensure a better chance of me completing it by 2025. I feel like you have to really consider your goals, so set them now and get to work!

'Spring' cleaning: I feel like I have a few things on my to-do list which I want to do now its Autumn

such as:

• Taking some things to the dry-cleaners (coats ect)
• Having a clear out before Christmas
• Wash bedding
• Putting away my summer clothes
• De-mould my handbags (my handbags keep on going mouldy lol)

So I would say write a big to-do list and try and tackle it one weekend.

Do the fun Christmassy bits early: I don't necessarily mean like buying present and preparation, although I do believe in buying Christmas presents in like November. Last year I was doing last minute shopping and I kept on setting off the security alarm in every shop (couldn't work out at all what was causing it) and... it was like my final straw. But doing nice Christmassy things like family and friend dinners, Christmas film night, ice skating, craft, baking ect. Anything Christmassy you want to do but maybe won't get around to come December. 

Nail Care

So I have decided to establish a nail care routine. So my nail situation is that my nails grow very quickly however they break easily; slight cracks appear on the side of the nail, they get caught in textiles and my hair, they chip and they just seem to all break off at once. I have no qualms over the look of my nails, they aren't like an ugly shape.

I am not someone that paints my nails particularly often so I never really bothered with nail care but I realised that is not right and nail care can be just as rewarding and important even if you aren't someone that paints your nails. So, I reached the end of my tether about my nails breaking so easily and I decided to do some research into nail care.

So here are some things I am starting to do:

• So all the forums were saying to use a glass nail file and so my mum gave me one that she doesn't use.
• Leading on from that one of the things I learnt was that the shape of your nail impacts how likely they are to break and square was the most susceptible to breakages. So far, since filing the sides curved, I am seeing a slight reduction in the sides getting cracks. 
• I have also purchased a nail oil which I am advised to use frequently. If I get on well with this I think I am going to consider doing a DIY nail oil (there are loads of instructions online) which is apparently better and actually works out more cost effective. I just brought one from a health food shop.
• I decided to omit like any nail strengthening polishes from my routine because I read that actually some of them can lead to increased breakages and since I wouldn't describe my nails as being weak I don't want to risk it.

I know to a lot of you this is probably no new information but actually I have found it so helpful reading the articles. It is really nice to know that there are some quite simple things to do to look after your nails. It is such an simple glow up thing to start doing. 

Revenge Friday

So I decided to go to Dulwich to have a look around the boutiques. I just brought the odd thing. It was such a hassle getting there; I spent more time traveling there and back than time I actually spent there. Anyway I had a nice time out and when I got home I did some craft which was nice. Yeah I just had a relaxing day tbh.

Okay I will chat again with you next week- I swear I will this time. Have a lovely week!

Love

Happy hippo xx

Revenge Friday: Portobello Road Day Out

Hello darlings,

I hope you are having a lovely week and enjoying Halloween festivities.

Day Out in Notting Hill

My sister has graced us with her presence and she is back from France for a few days so, of course we had to have a daytrip to Notting Hill. We did our usual browse in Ladbroke Grove, have lunch and then walk up Portobello High Street. The clothing market wasn't on because we went on a Thursday although tbh I was not that fussed as last time I went, I could hardly afford anything anyway.

My sister and I have both had our eyes on an Indian block print quilted jackets and loads of shops are selling them now (definitely at least 4 shops) on Portobello Road. My sister and I both purchased one. Funnily enough we both ended up picking up a jacket in the same base pattern... a huge selection and we end up picking almost identical jackets. I really like it and I think come spring I will be wearing this lots- I think these jackets look good in a basic, running errands outfit.

We looked in a few vintage shops and charity shops. I purchased this gorgeous Free People dress in one of the charity shops and I am soo pleased with it; I feel like this would look stunning at a summery wedding. 

We also purchased a pumpkin candle from a market stand for our mum because she loves Halloween decs- the candle actually smells really nice.

Then we walked to High Street Ken and stopped for a coffee and slice of cake. We popped in a few shops and then we made our way home.

Revenge Friday

I was in central London during the day for a meeting and then afterwards I just had a browse of a few department stores- it was raining so I wanted to be indoors. Then I met up with my parents for dinner because they were going to a play. Then they discovered they actually had a spare ticket so I ended up going as well. It was really good; it was a comedy called Juno and the Paycock. So yeah, I had a good day.

Okay I will chat next Friday (I will try to actually post on a Friday for once).

Love,

Happy Hippo x

Sewing 3/4 New Makes and Fabric Sort out

 Hello darlings x

This is the third quarter of the year sewing blogpost unfortunately 2/4 never materialised. Well I just never got round to posting it and now this one is being posted late as well. 

What I have been sewing

I made some pyjamas for my partner which were meant to be a gift for Valentines Day and then they ended up taking me ages because my sewing machine broke... then the iron also broke.

There are variations on what pockets you could choose: a top breast pocket; four pockets; two bottom pockets and a breast pocket; or two bottom pockets. I went for four pockets because I think it gave it a more vintage look. There was also piping around the collar which I made myself using a zipper foot. The waistband was drawstring and elastic.

I used this really helpful video to learn how to do the pattern matching on the centre and on the pockets (something I had never done before)- it's so easy to follow and amazingly it worked.

I brought the fabric online. The fabric is a William Morris design. I have a lot of this fabric left over and I am not really sure what to do with it because there is probably enough for like another garment but... idk I just see this fabric as more masculine and I wouldn't wear it. I have a metre and several large scraps... I am going to have a think.

The sewing pattern I used was McCall's M8262.

I hope my partner liked them. 

Fabric Sorting

One of my goals this year was to clear out my fabric stash so it fits into a box and I have actually managed it. I sorted through most of my fabric. I had two boxes and a bag and I have managed to reduce it to a box and a bag of scraps. Some of the scraps I started cutting up into patchwork squares and hexagons- it was sort of just a relaxing task to do in front of the TV.

For larger pieces of scraps I think it would be a good idea to make a pair of the pyjama/boxer shorts (you know the ones all the scandi girls are wearing?). There isn't a huge amount of these fabrics however I think I could probably manage it.

These are the larger scraps.

Hawaiian Camisole

I made this camisole from this really cute Hawaiian style fabric I bought last year. I whipped it up a couple of days ago. It has a facing, darts and a slightly sweetheart neckline. I think it will look really cute with a pair of shorts in the summer. I have leftover fabric from this and I was thinking of making a bucket hat to match- idk tell me if that is a vibe or not.

I do need to hem it but that shouldn't take too long.

You can see the neckline slightly better in this photo.

Okay chat in December or so. Leave me a comment if there are any projects you would recommend for fabric scraps and small pieces. 

Love

Happy Hippo x

Revenge Friday: Job Searching, Autumnal Vibes and Frazzled English Woman Walk

Hello darlings,

Hope you are having a good weekend. Sorry I didn't post last week... I just had nothing to say tbh. 

I thought this week I would share how I track my job applications using a table because there are a few people I know who are currently looking for jobs and it is quite hard to keep track on what you have applied for and the ones you want to apply for- I think this table helps. 

I am also going to share with you like my autumnal faves and things I have been watching.

Using Excel to keep a record of Job Applications + Job searching motivation

So for my job applications I will always keep track of them on a document. I will also add to the table any positions I want to apply for but maybe don't have the time to complete the job application there and then. 

I made a quick example of a table- these aren't actually jobs I am applying to and they are made up companies obvs. You could modify it however best to suit you, you can add another column for location or maybe the name of the hiring manager. Whatever is most helpful to you.

I will defo do another blogpost in the future about applying for jobs ect. Some tips I would say to stay motivated is like have a manifestation board nearby and also have a little reward in the back of your head for when you get a new job, like... a celebratory dinner with your partner or maybe like a new pair of ballet flats. 

Autumnal faves +things I have been watching

New bag: My Longchamp tote bag held up for like 7+ years until recently when I was on hols the zip broke in every single way a zip can break and plus I had been losing things out of the holes in the corners for the past few months. I originally came to own it because I found it outside a house... sort of a random story. Anyway it is a really great bag and I wanted to replace it- it is the same colour and size (large). My mum picked it up for me in France a few days ago where they are slightly cheaper.

Alma's Not Normal: This is a comedy on BBC and the series begins with Alma breaking up with her bf and she then goes to look for a job. The writer also is the main character in it and it has auto-biographical elements and it is slightly dark but it is really sweet. Alma is really gorgeous and likable. It is sort of a comfort show. I am so bad at describing it- watch it; it is good.

Twin Peaks: I have loved watching this. I am nearing towards the end of series 2 but I starting to pace myself; I don't want to watch it too quickly. It is very autumnal perfect for Halloween vibes.

All of Us Strangers: I watched this on a flight recently and it is really fabulous. It is about a writer who starts a relationship with a man who lives in his block of flats and at the same time he starts to visit his childhood home where his parents, who died when he was a child, are there as ghosts. They aren't like scary ghosts, like he just talks to them as if they were alive. The film is great and it stays with you. I don't really love supernatural elements but this is just executed so well. This is actually perfect for the Halloween season if you don't love spooky films.

Autumnal beauty products: I purchased this lip and cheek tint a few days ago. I already own a bright pink version but I see that as a more summery lip colour so I wanted to get one for Autumn and Winter. I have been loving wearing this and I have actually been getting complements. I love a lip and cheek product like this because it is just so easy to use.

It is also the time of year I get my poisons out. Dior hypnotic poison and poison girl are my autumnal scents and they are an acquired taste- my partner might not be thrilled that the poisons have made a return. I love how these make me feel: sexy and dangerous.

Lapsang Souchong: Another scent that fills my house at this time of year is lapsang souchong tea. I feel like everyone will remember their first cup of lapsang souchong because it is quite a unique taste. It has a beautiful and relaxing smokiness. This is perfectly autumnal because I can just sort of imagine some witches drinking this.

Definitely give it a try- you can get a box of bags in Waitrose for under £2.

Revenge Friday

I am actually really quite troubled by the death of Liam Payne and I just needed to leave the house to try to clear my head. I went for a walk around Blackheath and I did an architecture walk- my parents had a handout from a guided walk they went to, so I followed that. It was a guided walk of span houses... I was not in the right headspace tbh.

Afterwards, I grabbed some food from a bakery to eat on the heath. I walked around the common and the village- they have some really quaint bookshops and caffs.

I am defo due another trip to Greenwich so I look forward to being back in that neck of the woods soonish.

Love,

Happy hippo x

Japan Haul (with prices)

 Hello darlings,

So I thought I would show you what I purchased in Japan because it is a really fabulous place to shop and I did buy a few things (although I was quite restrained). There were a lot of things I had on my shopping list that I didn't get around to purchasing but mostly I am pleased. I will include prices if I can find them in case you are curious.

Fabric and Stationary

I was really excited for the fabric shopping in Japan because I have in the past brought fabric made and designed in JPN- they are lovely quality and really unique designs however slightly expensive to buy in the UK. I stumbled upon a fabric shop in Kyoto on the main drag and I brought some fabric. I brought just under 3 metres of a pink peacock print cotton fabric which is going to become pyjamas either for myself or as a Christmas gift for my sister. Just over half a metre of a vintage style floral cotton fabric and half a metre of a (chiffon? voile?) lilac check cotton. These came to £10.41 which I think is good value. My sister wanted me to buy her the chiffon to make her a top and I am really excited for the challenge.

I brought some Hello Kitty notelets and I love the aesthetic of these. I love hello kitty but I prefer a more vintage Hello Kitty aesthetic (think primary colours) rather than really pink and girly. I brought these from Itoya (£1.74).

Also while I was in Japan my family and I fell in love with the character Mofusand which are cats that dress up as different food and animals- really cute. Anyway I picked up some mofusand birthday pop up cards...

I brought these shrine gate notelets which come with envelopes (£2). These are so cute. 

Fashion and accessories

I brought this vintage FENDI clip (tbh I think it is real) for around £2 in a second hand shop. I think it is really chic but if I don't get on with it I have a friend who might like it.

I brought a Hello Kitty Claw clip because (bit of a long story) I had a tourist card which I had put some money on to and on the last night I realised I had like £30 on it and I had to spend it in a 24 hour pharmacy, anyway I brought this kitty claw clip (along with lots of other bits and bobs) and I love the colour. I look forward to wearing it.

I saw these floral Sambas in a few shops; I liked them but what sold me was the way they had been displayed in the adidas shop with ribbons for laces. So I purchased the ribbon first (they didn't have my size in the trainers) which came to £12 (I am such a mug). Then eventually I managed to find a shop with the trainers in my size and these came to £74 taxfree. I am so pleased with these; I think they are so cute. I will take a photo when I have laced them. 

I seem to always buy underwear when I am on holiday; I just don't feel that inspired by underwear shops in the UK. Anyway they had some adorable underwear shops in Japan and I stumbled on this shop that was selling cute floral underwear, so I brought two knickers and a bra. These were tax free and came to £33.92. I am so pleased with these. I was actually so restrained. 

I picked up this cute Hello Kitty comb from a sanrio shop (£3) which I am going to keep in my handbag. 

Random and Gifts

They are obsessed with flannels in Japan (everywhere sold flannels), I brought a owl flannel for myself, a bunny flannel for my friend (£4 each) and then I brought a bear flannel (I think it was £7) for my partner. 

I brought myself a tin of matcha and a whisk (£20.66) for myself and then I also brought more matcha as gift for my friend and partner (£13.05). I wasn't really sure what I was buying so I hope I have selected well. 

I brought some Mofusand chopsticks for my friend which have mofusand as a cherry.

I went on the Hello Kitty bullet train and there was a gift whop and I might have gone a bit crazy. I brought a drawstring bag, keyring and stickers. 

I got a Mofusands Melon soda float keyring from a gashapon.

I also brought some Beats fit pro in lilac and these were a spontaneous purchase because my family were looking at ear phones and I just realised the prices were really good. They were tax free and came to £113.22. I went for these because my sister owns a pair and said they don't fall out your ears like the airpods- she had purchased these last year for over £200. So yeah I am pleased with these.

The ones that got away :(

I have had my eyes on an LV papillon for a few years now and I really like that it has that classic Louis Vuitton look but isn't in a style that is really popular. Anyway second hand handbag prices are pretty good in Japan and it is worth checking out. I tried on six of these bloody bags and all fairly priced... but I just didn't bite. I was never in the right headspace, always tired, hungry or nervous. Anyway I really regret not getting one but...I have fallen in love with that bag even more and I will be keeping my eye out in the UK.

I fancied getting some onitsuka tigers but they are having a bit of a moment and the shops were so busy I couldn't think straight. I also find with onitsuka tigers that it is a very fine line between being cool and being reallly dorky; I would fall into the dorky category. They were a great price though.

Okay I will chat with you on Friday!

Love,

Happy Hippo x

Revenge Friday- I am back and tips for making a holiday scrapbook

 Hello Darlings,

I hope you have been doing well. I have been away on holiday traveling in Japan for the past two or three weeks. So my sister and I while we were away were loving making a scrapbook and so I thought this week I would share some tips on how to create a holiday scrapbook. 

Tips for making a holiday scrapbook (with Japan specific tips)

• I think the first step of making a holiday scrapbook is to decide whether you want to include printed photos in it. My sister and I decided not to because we wanted to work on ours on the go. If you decide not to include photos you can always put a wallet or pocket in it to keep photos in it.
• Do your scrapbook while on holiday using a smaller notebook- we used a pocket size notebook.
• I would recommend using double sided cellotape or glue tape instead of glue as it just created a neater appearance- so the things you stick down do not become rippled or start lifting at the corners.
• If you get sort of perfectionist or intimidated I would recommend to start by sticking everything in and you can add titles and decoration later.
• Stickers are so cute for adding decoration and they don't have to be childish either you can get some really pretty ones. I would say to avoid 3d decoration, like I personally would avoid sticky gems, puffy stickers and basically anything else that isn't flat; it just makes it difficult to write in it.
• I would collect the little tickets, leaflets, tokens ect in a little wallet as I was traveling. I was using a Hello Kitty Shinkansen drawstring bag. But yeah just make sure to have like a designated wallet or poly pocket to keep your pieces in.

Japan specific tips:

So if you are visiting Japan you can collect Eki stamps which are decorative stamps found in train stations. Then you can also sometimes find stamps at tourist attractions, museums, some temples, tourist information ect. For the first five days of the holiday we didn't collect any of the stamps but once we had found our first one we sort of understood what we were looking out for. 

My sister and I are not purists so our little books have a mixture of stamps, tickets, paper and stickers ect stuck in, however you can just collect the stamps. For the notebook the best size to get would be a passport size notebook. 

You can get gorgeous stickers in Japan which are Japan themed- we got pretty cranes, sushi and fans. They sell these in shops such as LOFT, Hands and Itoya.

Revenge Friday

I didn't get up to much as I was sort of recovering from the flight; I was unpacking my bag and having a look at the things I purchased while I was away (I think I will post a haul mid next week). I went for lunch with my sister before she took a flight. Other than that I was just resting from the flight and my PMS.

At the weekend I went to the V&A to the exhibition Fragile Beauty: photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection. It is an amazing collection of photographs from a broad range of subjects. I really recommend visiting- it is fabulous.

Okay I will chat with you on Friday!

Love,

Happy hippo x

Revenge Friday- Crystal Palace, Uniqlo haul, life

 Hello darlings, 

I hope you had a good weekend. Also, who else wasted last Saturday Morning in that fucking Ticketmaster queue? At 12:15 I made the executive decision to cut my loses because I knew even if I did access it I would have been totally priced out by that point. I wasn't even in the actual queue, I was just in the queue to access the website.

I did manage to salvage my Saturday: I went to Sloane Square to the Saatchi Gallery to see a fashion photography exhibition Beyond Fashion. There is a really great food market on Duke of York Square and there are loads of options and if it is good weather you can have a picnic on the square; that is what I did and I went for Moroccan cuisine.

 On Sunday I met up with my partner and we went to the British Museum- I hadn't been in years. We had a walk around the museum which was fun and actually it was good going with someone who is into history . 

After we went to an arcade called Novelty Automation which was like a 6 minute walk away. The arcade machines are sort of very quirky and satirical; there was one which recreated working in an Amazon warehouse, one which you practice money laundering, another where you fight to keep the house in a divorce and yeah some really funny games. Most of the machines were created by Tim Hunkin who is a cartoonist and engineer. We purchased 10 token for £9 and the machines take 1-2 tokens. I would definitely recommend visiting if you are in the area. It was really good fun.

Revenge Friday

I planned to go to Battersea Power Station on Friday but for some reason I could just not bring myself to go... it just does not seem my vibe at all. So instead I just had a lowkey day.

I decided on a trip to Crystal Palace. I am planning a bedroom makeover and I have decided to replace the  furniture so I had a look around a few second hand furniture shops there.

Crystal Palace Antiques has four floors of mostly mid-century furniture. I have been wanting a mid-century dresser and they had quite a few in the shop but... I have to be realistic with myself: my clothes are not all going to fit in a 1960's dresser. People didn't really own as many clothes back then and so the dressers are quite small. Nothing else peaked my interest.

So hunched haha.

I did quite like these mirrors which they had two in the shop and I love how elegant and minimalist they look. Although I think before I start buying accessories, changing the furniture is a priority.

For lunch we went to Spinach which is a new brunch place on the triangle. It was really good. 

They have several really good health food shops and refill shops on the triangle. We got some empty soap bottles refilled in La Amazonas. We went in a few boutiques.

Then I just went home to relax and do a bit of work on my laptop. I say this all the time but my period was really getting to me.

Uniqlo Haul

I was in Oxford with my partner a few days ago and I went to Uniqlo which is a shop I used to shop at a lot but in the last few years I hardly ever go in tbh. When I was younger I used to get really sucked in by their sanrio (I love hello kitty) and other cartoon character collections.

Anyway, I popped in and I was really pleasantly surprised. I picked up this white turtle neck jumper and I think the shape and fit is really chic; it is 100% wool so hopefully it holds up okay (sometimes knitwear from fast fashion brands can be really questionable quality). This will be perfect for work though with some smart trousers.

Then I also purchased some flared leggings which again I like the shape of these- I find some brands have a really exaggerated flare.

I feel very huggable in this outfit.

Okay so I am not going to post until October because I am going away for a month but I have loads of blogposts planned for when I come back. Stay fabulous!

Love,

Happy hippo x