26 July 2011

My Room.

Hey everyone,

I've seen posts like this popping up here and then, so thought you may like to see some pictures of my room.

Just like sneaking a peek inside somebody's fridge (What? You all do it!), bedrooms can tell a lot about somebody.

I like to think mine says 'a princess's messy chamber with an abundance of geekery and organised chaos.'

Hmmm.
Maybe it's just a big pink mess.
My dad still sometimes calls me Stig.

Anyhoo:


The chair came from my great Auntie's house when she moved. It was originally an ugly browny-pink, so I painted it neon green and added cheap and colourful cushions.

The penguin is called PomPom and the hot water bottle was a Christmas present from Hattie.



Enter, please.
Keyring of my favourite band and the Plumbob came with my pre-ordered copy of The Sims 3 - it's really a USB!


My mantra.


My friends thought I was going cuckoo when I told them I installed shelves just to house my nail polish collection. I got these from the kids section of Next.
Hello Kitty was a present.


AAAAARGH, ZOMBIE!
Oooohhh, macarons!


I bought these kitteh hooks for super-cheap at an outlet shop, and it's where I hang all my necklaces.


My favourite necklace.


The Vines guard my bags. The hatstand also came from my Auntie's house.
Spot my vintage bowler hat I bought when I was obsessed with A Clockwork Orange...


My favourite clutch bags. The leopard print bag holds my non-essential makeup.
The boxes have my favourite shoes inside, and can you spot the latest GlossyBox...?


Bunny and Betsy!


I NEED MOAR DRESSES.


Love love love these guys.


My inner goth loves my black chandelier.


Books, DVDs and music.
(The bear was a 16th birthday present from my friends - they named him Craig Molko after my two favourite frontmen.)

Care to take a closer look...?


My middle shelf is full of knick-knacks - mostly gifts from over the years.

The babushka and sequinned pig are from Italian Catholic Mother.
The cupcake art was made by my friend Amber.
Daniel gave me the framed photo of us out clubbing for my 21st birthday.
The picture of Cliff Richard in the 1960s was from my last boyfriend.


I collect snowgloves from major cities I've visited.

I must confess though - I didn't buy the NYC one myself.
The one I did buy broke when I moved to my student house, so my dad was very kind and got a work colleague to buy another one for me when she went on holiday!


Walle-E stands champion over my arty coffee table books.


The mini came from a shop in York.
The postcard was from Claire for my 22nd birthday this May.


I'm off work today, so moved some furniture around and gave the place a bit of a clean.
This was not taken too kindly by Brie, who was most displeased at being woken from her nap:


"GTFOOOOOO!!!"

So does your bedroom say about you?
Are you a minimalist, or are you like me and like to have lots and lots of junk on any available surface?

If you'd like to do a post about it (or you've already done one) PLEASE send me the link - I love being nosy!


Muchos love,
MessyCarla.

21 July 2011

Belt, Bag and Brogues.

Hey everyone,

Check me out back to blogging on a semi-regular basis!

I'm currently obsessed with tan leather.
When I was in London I had to tear myself away from a pile of delicious vintage satchels knowing that I already have a mini one, plus a larger out I bought from Claire last year (that sadly I don't wear as much as I should!).

Then there's my love for brogues.
I had a pair I got for a tenner or so from New Look lurking in my wardrobe for about six months before I started wearing them properly.
Now I'm all about the granny shoe-love!

I wore this when I was going for a pub lunch date with my bestie, Sam:

(FYI: Me and Sam seem to be together all the time lately, but she's leaving to work in London for a few months in two weeks! Bawww!)


DRESS: Dorothy Perkins (RISE).
BELT: Dorothy Perkins.
NECKLACE: Present from Daniel (from Topshop).
BAG: Primark.
BRACELETS: Dorothy Perkins.
SHOES: New Look.
POINT OF FASHION: Tan belt, tan bag, tan brogues.


And nowwwww what I've also been up to this week:










1: I couldn't sleep one night due to feeling stressed, so I went downstairs around midnight and make a delicious banana loaf cake then left this note for my parents to find in the morning.
It turned out lovely, but next time I'll use a lot less sugar than the recipe suggests as it was very sweet.


2: This Saturday was Pride in Newcastle. Unfortunately this year I missed the parade due to work, and in the end we didn't even make it to Leazes Park for the festival due to the crazy rain.

We ended up meeting Daniel and going around the scene, which was packed and had an amazing atomosphere - people even started dancing around 5pm!
I loved my outfit, and wish I'd got to take a proper picture - but I'm sure I'll wear it again soon.


3:
On my day off I went to the pictures with my friends to see the last Harry Potter film. Having been disappointed with the last one, I really enjoyed the final installment (big groan around the cinema when the epilogue began, haha!).

It makes me sad though seeing my stub from Philosopher's Stone and Deathly Hallows Part 2 together though - especially as the first is waaay back in 2001, and I'm in on a child's ticket.
Do I really have to grow up now?


4: It's been over a year since me and my sister went to New York, so I treat us to some peanut butter and pretzel M&Ms which we practically lived on during our trip. I also found myself adding some of my favourite American snacks to my basket (Goldfish crackers and Combos GET IN MAH BELLEH) as well as some newbies. NOM.


Finally, just a heads up that I've created a new Facebook page as my last one was annoying me. Feel free to 'LIKE' it and get updates straight to your news feed!

Oh, and lest I forget - I'll leave you with this lovely little picture from my house after the pub.
As I was running upstairs to grab my camera, I waved to Sam from my window, then started singing like Giselle in Enchanted.

Too much fizzy pop during the day probably.
Proper Geordies, us like.

*Troll voice*
Truuuuuue loooooove's kiiiiiiiss...


Muchos love,
MessyCarla.

14 July 2011

Where Burlesque Meets Broadway.

Hey everyone,

Last week, me and Daniel had a night out at one of our favourite venues in Newcastle (or anywhere!): Boulevard.

Boulevard is a fabulous cabaret bar nestled in the city's 'pink triangle.'

Forget cheesy drag queens you know from 1970s working mens clubs - instead, think Vegas-style costumes, West End caliber dancers, and an award winning cheographer.
Not to mention tabled seating with waiting service throughout the night.

The leading 'lady' Miss Betty Legs Diamond has even performed for the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance.
Impressive, non?
(She's also appeared as her less sequinned self in an episode of Come Dine With Me!)

The best thing about a night in the pink triangle, is you can pretty much wear whatever you want without fear of judgement - there will ALWAYS be somebody more overdressed than you.

For example, a few months ago we were at the Bank bar and there was an impeccibly dressed gentleman in a sharp suit.
However when I peered under his table, he was wearing fishnet stocking and red stilletos.

If he has the courage to express himself, surely I can step away from my current comfort clothes of floral empire line dresses...?



TOP: River Island.
SKIRT: New Look.
JACKET: New Look.
BAG: Topshop, via Lillian's blog sale.
SHADES: Marc Jacobs.
BELT: Dorothy Perkins.
NECKLACE: Lipsy.
HAIRBAND: Primark.
SHOES: Office.
POINT OF FASHION: Kind of 1980s.


It was as to be expected a wonderful night out.
The entire place was packed due to Pure Leisure (who own the majority of Newcastle's gay pubs, bars and clubs) staff night out, so the atomosphere was great!

The DJ and compare - the divine Miss Rory - spotted me and Daniel in the audience and we had a bit of banter.
She is witty and sharp, but never cruel to anyone.

(Except to the cast of Geordie Shore who were also in house. She asked one of the girls to get off her phone as "it's just someone calling you a slag on Twitter!")

Anyway, she said about me: "Carla is the only person I know who accessorises her bag to match her hair!"
Haha, how true!


"Please pick up one of our heavily photoshopped flyers!" - Miss Rory.


The summer show for Boulevard is currently in full swing.
Tickets start from just £7 (standing) and are available by calling the box office or online.
I also suggest that you keep an eye out on Groupon who frequently sell discounted seating tickets.


I won't give too much away about the actual show contents, as I'd hate to spoil the surprise for any locals wanting to go.
But what I will say is that it's a fabulously different night out in toon!

I will however leave you with this teaser video:



Muchos love,
MessyCarla.

10 July 2011

Shopping In London.

Hey everyone,

It just occured to me today that I never actually posted any of my pictures from when I went to London with my friend, Sam!


Sam and her cousin, John who was kind enough to put us up!


I've visited London quite a lot within the past few years, as I've been lucky enough to go to some lovely events and meet fabulous bloggers.
However, having to zip to the capital and back (over three hours each way) within 24 hours leaves little time to smell the roses.

Or more to the point, go shopping. Of course.

So this is what I picked up whilst visiting my favourite city in the world:




1: Betsy Johnson earrings.

2: Dinosaur mug from the Natural History Museum.

3: Flamingo also from the Natural History Museum. I have named him 'Ken,' after Kensington. I think my unicorn, Brian fancies him...

4: Marc Jacobs shades. NEW FAVOURITE THING EVER.

5: Macarons from Laduree.

6: Dress from a shop in Notting Hill.

7: Vivienne Westwood orb necklace. I'm still looking around for somewhere that will fix my earrings (apparently nowhere will touch stainless steel...?) and I needed my fix from wor Viv!


And some more pictures from our adventures...






The trip turned out to bring good luck to Sam, who found out two weeks after she's successfully got a job on one of the biggest reality TV shows in the country as a logger, and will be living in London until November!

Although I am of course so proud of them, it's rather scary though having my three best friends move away mere weeks within each other.

Sam is going to London, Daniel is living in Nantes for a year (he'll be teaching English in a French secondary school) and Hattie has already moved to Leamington Spa (she works as a camera operator on a shopping channel).

It does however mean I can have nice cheap trips away, whether my friends like it or not - muahahahaha!


Muchos love,
MessyCarla.

8 July 2011

Cake, Mint and Brie.

Hey everyone,

I hope you're all good in your hoods.

Everyone enjoying the sales?

If I'm completely honest, the idea of sale shopping gives me a bit of a headache.
Trailing through racks of slightly off-season stuff that's often pulled out of shape by somebody frantically trying to force it over their head, to save standing in the maaaaaooosive queue for the changing rooms which is more than likely wrapped around the entire store like a snake.

However, I was in the mood for treasure hunting, and the lovelies at SoFeminine.co.uk set me a challenge of finding the best sale bargains - and I've tried my very best!

River Island has always been BY FAR my favourite shop when it comes to sales.
Their prices are fantastic - often everything is around half price, instead of lopping a few quid off and attempting to masquerade around as a 'sale!'

It helps that they section everything - sale tops, sale skirts, sale dresses, sale bags and sale accessories are put together (sometimes by size if you're lucky!) so you don't have to go rooting around big piles of stuff.

Many a time I have picked up an item and not sure if it's a skirt or a top. I NEED GUIDANCE AS I AM A BAD FASHUN BLOGGER DON'T YOU KNOW! Hehe.

One of my favourite things I bought in the River Island sale was this pretty mint green dress for only £15!
The top does keep coming undone slightly which is rather indecent, so I'm for the moment wearing the top buttons undone, and a vest top underneath.

DRESS: River Island.
CARDIGAN: Forever 21.
VEST: Dorothy Perkins.
NECKLACE: Vintage.
BELT: Dorothy Perkins.
BAG: River Island.
SHOES: Primark.
POINT OF FASHION: Mint and cream.


Annnnnnnnyway, I ended up walking away with about £100 worth of stuff.
It isn't all photographed yet as my sister has taken my camera to London with her, for her Photography A-Level work (also the reason why the above picture is not as nice quality as usual).
But I promise to do a post all about my bargains soon.

I haven't worn pastels a lot this year, as I think I tired myself of them slightly last year.
But I was flicking through one of my favourite blogs the other day - French For Cupcake - and was inspired by this post of a fantastic pastel coloured cake, which inspired me to team this with my beige cardigan.

So yes, I indeed felt like a big cake.
Mmmmm, cake.


(Picture shamlessly schtolen from Claire's blog!)


In other news, if you follow me on Twitter you'll know that there is a new member of the family.
Yes, at twenty-two years old I have bought my very first pet.
She's a six-week-old Syrian hamster, and I've named her Brie.

I was originally going to buy two gerbils, and call them Brie and Bacon (my favourite sandwich).
But Italian Catholic Mother instantly vitoed TWO rodents, so I went for a hamster, who like to live alone.
*hums Independent Woman*

She's such a clever little thing.
Quite the acrobat too - she loves climbing along the wire railings of her cage like a monkey. D'awwwww!


Anyhoo, that's all for now.
Stay tuned though, as I've got my second - and probably third - parts coming up with all my lovely sale bargains.


Muchos love,
MessyCarla.