sales

I, like many, cannot turn down a good bargain, so unsurprisingly and despite being somewhat under the weather, a post-Christmas trip to the sales was in order after the long annual feeding-frenzy of Christmas Day. I purchased in River Island a black and grey wool tunic, a black sheer pussy bow blouse, denim skinny jeans and a big woolly jumper from the men's section, an top in a|wear and a top in Next that I think I may return because I'm not entirely sure about it. I am waiting to until I'll be back in Galway before I do any more sales shopping. I desperately want to hit up Topshop particularly the jewellery section.

Also the newest addition to my collection of electronic gizmos is a Canon Powershot SX130. I had intended on getting an SLR but considering I'm not the most technically minded of people, I thought that I should probably start small. Going from a quite basic Fujifilm Finepix Z30 straight to a snazzy grown-up camera would have been too much of a leap for me.

So now dear readers - of whom I'm sure are numerous in number - prepare yourselves for a higher standard of photographs accompanying the same bog-standard quality of content. 

Cheers for reading,

Jane

gifting

Here is just a quick post about some presents that a few other people received this Christmas. 

First up this beautiful snow globe. 

My friend Caitlin got this beautiful Nightmare Before Christmas snow globe from her mum for Christmas. I have been trying to find some more information about it online but unfortunately I cannot. It is beautiful is it not?

After going to see Hugo which I strongly recommend by the way, Caitlin and I went to see her sister in her new apartment. While there I spotted this. 

Now I am not a fan of One Direction so I was not even aware of the fact that there were dolls of them floating about but when I saw it, I had to take a picture. Imagine all the hoards of screaming pre-pubescent girls whose barbies can now send their barbies on dates with boys who have just recently emerged from the side of puberty.

My uncle, of whom I am now quite jealous, treated himself to an iPad and although I previously had no desire to get one, I now sort of do. I have absolutely no use for one but after spending a while fiddling around with one, I can't help looking upon any iPad with a hint of envy.

I hope that you all got what you wanted this Christmas and that you all gave some good gifts too.

Cheers for reading,

Jane

family affair

Some Christmas pictures.

- dining room -

- Oh Christmas tree* -

- sitting room* -

- camera shy Baby MJ -

- Baby Mike, his mummy Harriet and Pip the pony who is the newest addition to the Quigley equine family -


Hope ye all had a good Christmas,

Jane

* my shoddy attempt at using Panorama mode on my mum's camera.

the most wonderful time of the year...

It has got to that time in the evening (aka 0.15 am) when turkey sandwiches are being consumed and enormous volumes of tea are being drunk so I have decided to make a little post about my Christmas job or rather pre-Christmas job.
Last year I landed the most fantastic job as Santa's Assistant out at Santa's Castle outside Galway city. This year the very kind people of Footfall (who run the whole event) invited me back to relive the whole experience. Even though at times it could be stressful, it probably is the best job I have ever had in terms of fun and being rewarded through hundreds of kids with super smiley faces.
Dunsandle Castle - where the event is held - is a really beautiful place and although it unfortunately didn't snow this year, it was still pretty magical.
Here are some shoddy photographs that I took of the outside of the castle with my phone on the last day of work (the 23rd).

There are some proper photos on the Santa's Castle website. You can see me standing beside Santa in the great hall shots.

Plus, as a special treat you can see the difference between the 2010 hair and 2011 hair. Some photos (last year's ones) show me sporting long brown hair while more recent ones show short blonde hair poking out from underneath my fantastic foot tall hat.

Cheers for reading and I hope you've had a great Christmas day,

Jane 

boys noise

So about two months ago my little brother, who is fifteen, asked me "how do you start a trend?" He has taken a bit of an interest in fashion in the past year and the little shit is tall and slim and can wearing horizontal stripes! Now that Christmas is fast approaching I have been doing some browsing online for clothes that I think would suit him (not that I actually have the money to buy him anything at the moment) but for Christmas I want to get him something nice.

Here are some of my personal favourites.

topman grey cotton trousers

asos striped crew neck jumper

topman elbow patch jumper (front) 

(back)

"that's what she said" junk food t-shirt 

For his birthday back in July I got him a navy Junk Food t-shirt with a faded Mickey Mouse head on it. I found it in TK Maxx for a nice little price so I may have a look in there again some time soon to see if I can find another one for him. If not I will mooch around Topman because they have some really nice stuff on the website. If anyone has any suggestions I am very open to them.

Cheers for reading,

Jane

wishlist

(clockwise from left)

- Topshop printed fox sweater -

- Topshop Lips in Mischief -

- MAC 'Shirley and Nicole' nail laquer - 

- Marc by Marc Jacobs small satchel -

- Men's Cartier Montre Tank -

- Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum -

- River Island green blazer -

what i'll be wearing this winter...

- river island black blazer -

- black mid-height uggs -

- topshop wing earrings -

- mac pro longwear concealer -

- river island men's navajo ring -

- asos men's howling wolf ring -

- bourjois paris volume glamour ultra-care mascara -

I'm not much of a ring person but I do like wearing really big outlandish ones every now and again like the hippo one as pictured in this post. (I also have enormous man hands hence the men's selection rings)

I have been searching for a nice little black blazer for a while and this little pretty from River Island is now hanging in my wardrobe waiting for its debut at my nephew's christening next weekend. 

I discovered this concealor back in September and I do not know how I survived adolescence without it. Hands down the best edition to my make up bag. I am, always have been and will probably always be a serious mascara fiend. I picked up this Bourjois Paris one in the university pharmacy a while ago and it is really growing on me. I normally go for a comb-like plastic brush - such as that of Maybeline's Define-A-Lash - but this one has a a nice feathery little brush that isn't two thick and holds just the right amount at a time so there are no clumps. Perfect for lovely little fluttering eyelashes. 

I have also pulled my Uggs out of their estival (word of the day, meaning relating to summer) hibernation. And they are just as snug as they were when I got them.

The earrings, I do not believe need any explaining. They are simply gorgeous!

Cheers for reading,

Jane

winter wonders

I really want to invest in another faux fur coat for the winter. I love fur coats and last year I bought a leopard print (also adore leopard print) coat from Next. Last night was the first night in ages that I wore it, purely because I thought it was going to be freezing but then it actually turned out to be a pretty warm night. When I went to retrieve it from the coat-check I couldn't find my ticket but the girl just whipped it out saying that she remembered me because if I didn't come back for it, she was going to take it home for herself. I was so chuffed that I gave her a five euro tip (!) I have never ever tipped anybody in a nightclub before. She must have thought that I was an absolute nut. Hopefully she'll remember me again next time I'm in K.

So this is the coat on which I currently have my eye...

image via asos.com

image via asos.com

Pretty, isn't it? 

I'll see how I feel closer to Christmas and if I am still in love maybe I'll treat myself.