An old favourite and some new shoes.

During a recent wardrobe clear out I discovered a whole host of things I had long forgotten, lurking in the deep dark corners of our wardrobe with all of my old clothes that are oh-so-pretty but 3 dress sizes too big for me.

When I was a bit younger I went shopping like there was no tomorrow so it was fun to uncover the old clothes and accessories (and my once much-loved Missoni scarf collection!)

I found my Alexander McQueen scarf which I spent a pretty penny on about 6 years ago. It's looking a bit more dishevelled these days but I'm glad to have found it and given it an outing last weekend.

The slight break in the rain at the weekend gave me chance to wear my Steve Madden Kimmmie pumps (c/o Sarenza) for the first time. They're a jazzy number with a studded toe cap and even though they're quite a mish-mash of colours I thought they would be a nice addition to my shoe collection. You know me, I love wearing flats!

These photos were taken before Jonathan, Lily, Lola and I drove to Leeds to visit my mum and dad to indulge in a 3 course meal (well, 4 courses if you count the cheese and biscuits afterwards). It was nice to see them, tell them about my new job, talk about the holidays we're going on this year and the holiday we're hopefully all going on next year to Florida.

Unfortunately the rain has come back with an absolute vengeance (anyone else get caught in it today and resemble a drowned rat?) so I think this weekend I'll more than likely be putting my pumps back in the cupboard and digging out my wellies!

Steve Madden pumps (c/o Sarenza)

Pooch pack.

Before the team behind Pooch Pack got in touch with me it wasn't a concept I was familiar with, however I know monthly beauty boxes and food boxes are popular, so why not get the pets involved! They kindly offered to send a box for Lily and Lola to try out and they've been busy eating the treats (it's a hard life!) and testing out the other bits.

I didn't really know what to expect in terms of brands, or whether it would contain toys or food, or a mixture of everything, but I was pleasantly surprised by the items that were included.

From £16.95 with free delivery it's not a cheap way to spoil your pets but after being introduced to some new brands and seeing the quality of the items included in my Pooch Pack, it is definitely something I would sign up to every now and then (but not as an every month ongoing thing).

As you can see Lily was thrilled and raring to go!

So, what did Lily and Lola get?

- A "Bottle Buddy Cow" (by Kyjen). This is a safe way for dogs to crunch on water bottles. The cow teddy has a velcro opening which means you can replace the water bottles once they become flat. Chewing water bottles isn't something Lily and Lola have ever expressed an interest in before but they were intrigued by their new toy and went mad for it initially for about half an hour. Interest has waned slightly as time has gone on but they do have a little play with it every now and then, which is very impressive to say they're normally not one for playing with toys or balls, etc.

- Apple & Cinnamon treats (by Natural Way) which are natural and hypoallergenic dog biscuits. These have been very well received and actually smell pretty good as far as dog biscuits go! I like the fact they contain all natural ingredients so it's not the dog equivalent of giving a child Smarties. I would definitely look into purchasing from this brand again and investigating other products/flavours.

- Fish Cubes (by Natural Way). They're cubes of 100% whitefish skin which are  high in Omega3, low in fat, gluten free and hypoallergenic. Lily and Lola weren't too sure at first. They sniffed their first cubes for quite a while before taking the plunge, probably as they don't normally have "fishy" treats but now they go mad for them. Big thumbs up for these!

- Anco Roots (by Anco). We got the small size Anco Root which is made of 100% untreated natural tree root. It won't splinter and acts as a natural toothbrush for dogs. Unfortunately Lily and Lola have both ignored this but I will keep trying to get them interested. They're very food orientated so don't bother with anything that isn't edible. So for now, this is the most disappointing product in the box. However, if your dog loves to chew and has build-up on their teeth this would be an ideal solution.

- a tub of Wickedly Raw Superfoods powder (by Din Dins) which is a vet approved supplement for a good digestion, bad breath and food intolerances. According to the Din Dins website, it's like giving your dog the equivalent of their 5 a day. This retails at £13.00 on the website and they do products for cats too! I haven't started using this yet but it's something I am really keen to try for Lola who has been having issues with her coat and skin recently. Also, their breath absolutely hums! I'll keep you posted on the effects of this one.

As I said earlier, I was really impressed with the quality of the products and the quality of the brands. I will definitely treat Lily and Lola to a Pooch Pack in the future (maybe for Christmas if they're good) and I would consider one as a gift for a fellow pet owner too.

Pooch Pack can be found on Twitter here and you can read their blog here.

Perfect comfy outfit.

I love being comfortable whilst still feeling a little bit fancy, so the few bits I bought recently are perfect for that!

I ventured into Topshop (somewhere I never usually go) and came out with a flecked slouchy top with a slightly longer back, perfect for wearing over the black leggings I also got in Topshop. The leggings are a thicker material than your run-of-the-mill ones so I'm hoping I'll get plenty of wear out of them. No see through bum here folks!

Anniel ballerina pumps c/o Sarenza

The necklace was a blog sale purchase (along with the necklace you may have seen here) and I love it. I usually forget to wear jewellery so I've been making a conscious effort to wear my two new necklaces. I've even worn them to work to jazz up a plain dress/blazer combo.

If Topshop are still selling these tops I'm tempted to buy another one (or two...) as this one is so comfortable and soft, and great for wearing with leggings or jeans.

I have worn this combo a few times now. Once for an evening in with friends and again when we had a BBQ with friends last weekend and it wasn't quite warm enough to get the arms and legs out (it has to be extremely warm for my legs to see the light of day!)

What is your "go to" comfy outfit? (P.S. Does anyone else hate that expression as much as I do??

A walk in the sun.

Yesterday the four of us went for a stroll around Roche Abbey which is only a short drive away from where we live. Who'd have thought somewhere so peaceful and historical could be nestled away in Rotherham ay?!

The sun made an appearance for a little while so it made a welcome change to be out strolling with the dogs in the warmth, as they love a bit of sunny weather. But when the sun went behind the clouds it did get a trifle chilly.

As we had dogs with us we couldn't get into the main section to have a closer look but having a walk round the outside was really enjoyable and took about 30 minutes or so (with 2 Pugs who want to sniff everything) which is just about as long as they can walk for anyway.

We will definitely go back this year with a picnic in tow, to sit and enjoy the surroundings (and the picnic food of course!)

Top Sarenza picks: pumps.

Being a pump fiend I love browsing the new additions on Sarenza to see if there's anything I'd like to order with one of my ambassador vouchers. There have been loads of nice pumps on there recently so I thought I would share my favourites with you, and let you know which ones made it into my basket.

My very favourite pair that I have come across recently are the Thuja pair by Ted Baker, which must have proved popular as the black pair have sold out but fear not, the Ted Baker website have got them in stock in several different colours. I recently ordered a black pair but sadly my usual size was far too big so they're being returned. That's the only downside to trying out a new brand of shoe (I didn't even realise Ted Baker made shoes!) It can be difficult to know which size to choose.

I love my rubber pumps by Melissa and this pair are pretty similar, but I was sucked in by the bow and the gold detail on the back of the shoe. I think they'd look lovely worn to work with black tights and a smart dress, or with skinny jeans and a slouchy top.

If you want a plain pair of pumps that don't break the bank then the £16 pair below from Eclipse called the Ballerine Gaya are spot on and they come in 4 different colours. I recently got a black pair and they're great. The fit is just right and they're really comfortable. Plus black pumps go with everything which makes getting ready on a morning a doddle!

The Beetlejuice style pair of Dune pumps called the Maddoxs (top row/middle photo below) are fab and fit in nicely with the current monochrome trend. If you like stripy pumps but these are out of your price range you might like the blue or pink Mavin style by Blue Mountain .

Next up is a pretty pair of lace pumps in a neutral colour. I ordered a pair really similar from ASOS a while ago but they were too big for me (note to self: must put them on Ebay!) so when I spotted these I was highly excited. They're by a brand called Molly Bracken and they're the Grain style in beige. Unfortunately the pair I ordered were too big (I'm seeing a running theme here... perhaps my feet have shrunk by a whole size?!) so they're being returned but I'm debating whether to swap them for the size smaller and hope they fit!

I love the Anniel pumps I already own which include the above star design but in a very pale pinky/beige colour, but in this brighter pink they are particularly pretty. This Joana style aren't cheap at £90+ but I can vouch for the quality of them which is excellent. There are a whole host of other sparkly, fancy Anniel shoes to choose from too.

I have included the black t-bar Clarks pair called Frothy Mousse even though they've sold out as a cry for help. I think I have turned into a sensible adult but I think they look so comfortable and sensible for wearing to work, and would no doubt be the usual high quality of Clarks shoes. If you see anything similar do let me know!

Last but not least are a pair of Steve Madden pumps I ordered a couple of months ago called Kimmmie which haven't seen much action thanks to the snowy/slushy weather we were having when I ordered them. Now that things are warming up I hope that they will see some sunshine outside, teamed with skinny jeans (and a top of course. It's not that warm! ;))

If you're not sick of the word pumps by now you're a superstar! Let me know your favourites :)

* not a sponsored post but I am a Sarenza ambassador which means I receive shoes from them on a monthly basis and I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourite with you.

Sweet charity.

Last Saturday was a busy one for little old me. Jonathan and I drove over to Totley to meet up with his sister and husband for some lunch, before heading back to their house for a brew and a catch up. We ate at The Cricket Inn where I was torn between being a pig and being healthy-ish so I tried to find a balance and ordered the caesar salad (veggie friendly dressing with no anchovies) and a side of macaroni cheese.

Mac and cheese is probably my favourite thing to eat, but not something I have very often as Jonathan doesn't like it, but boy am I glad I only got it as a side and not a main. There were a million mustard seeds tucked away inside the creamy, cheesy goodness and they packed a punch! My salad was tasty though, and everyone else enjoyed their food and sampling the local ales.

In the evening I went to a friend's house as she had organised a fundraising evening for Macmillan. We all donated some money in return for doing some cupcake decorating and cocktail making, which Amy had generously bought all the supplies for, not to mention playing board games and having a chin wag. 

I was driving so no cocktails for me, but I had so much fun decorating the homemade cupcakes. I decorated 4 in total, making one with a bit of everything on for Jonathan as he is partial to the odd marshmallow and sweetie! I don't think I did too bad to say I'm usually pretty shocking at anything that involves being artistic and having a steady hand. You can see some of my creations above (1st photo and 4th photo on the plate behind the glass).

Aside from eating good food, seeing friends and family, and eating the cupcakes I brought home we managed to squeeze in some time to relax and watch episodes of our new favourite series (Firefly, why must you only be one series long!)

And would you look at that. It takes me so long to blog about my weekends that it's almost time for the next one. With the chance for three sleep-ins instead of two I'm rather excited.

(Memo to Lily and Lola: please let your mummy have a sleep-in!)