Cheese Burgers by the Sea!

As those who may read my blog may know I recently moved from my beloved Deal to Swansea to be with my Mama!  I can't pretend this has been easy and I have been terribly homesick for my home town, friends and all the other stuff, especially Chilli Sauce from the kebab shop, it just ain't the same here.

So when the cheese fest that is Fake That (think singing plumbers) I usually go to with my friends came up, me and the Hub had to go.  At first we looked for a cheap B n B but when we couldn't find one we rented a cute cottage as our base.

I cannot rate The Mermaids Folly highly enough, very homely with touches of its owners Clive and Stephen throughout the place, comfy beds, cool pictures, but perhaps a bit too much to break!

Rumpled by me but so comfy

The Hub is very proud of the kitchen!

I fell in love with these pictures, printed on dictionary pages

So apart from hanging out in the cottage we spent time with our friends talking and catching up, going out for lunches at delicious spots such as The Greedy Cow in Margate, if you ever get to Margate do check it out it is in the Old Town (avoid any other part really) and serves amazing burgers and brownies.  The Burgers are homemade and juicy without being greasy, served with cheeses such as brie and Stilton, and topped with meats such as salt beef which is thin and crispy, Bacon or black pudding.  I had a salt beef and stilton, The Hub Stilton and Bacon and Jen had a Brie Burger.  There is also toppings such as a Gherkin, Beetroot and pickle I'm fussy so don't have these but Jen and the Hub assured me they were delish!  The Brownies on that day were Ginger, Raisin and Original, sadly my beloved peanut butter or Salted Caramel were not on, so I got a traditional for at home which was rich and fudgy.

Yummo Burger at The Greedy Cow.

Apart from eating we partied, drank too much and there were props involved and all in all we had a fab time!!!

Drinks taste better with Cocktail Umbrellas - Fact!

My Lovely friend Jen!

In case your mildly curious about the outfit I am wearing:

The dress is Vampire Bunnies

Pink Cardie is Very Old Primark

Pink Feathers - Poundland

I think if you like traditional seasides, quirky shops, a arty vibe and pretty buildings you could do worse than visit my home town of Deal.  Any way here's a few pics unfortunately none of the beach due to the weather and a terrible hangover!

View towards the high street

Middle Street Fish and Chips - The best chippie ever

A Controversial Cut

So the blogging world has been very excited about the cut from Evans for a while, I remember seeing some of it on  a while ago on a preview on the fabulous Bethany's blog  http://archedeyebrow.com/and thinking "hmmm not bad!"  However, the reaction has been full of other plus size ladies who are extremely concerned that it might not be flattering, In the words of one: "I'm genuinely concerned for women who don't know how to show off their figure and might end up buying things that don't suit them."

Now I have a few problems with this as fashion is meant to be fun isn't it?  What suits is subjective whilst my Hub may have thought I looked Smokin' in that Bettie Page dress, my dear old Mum thought it wasn't flattering, I didn't buy it and I regret that! and whilst no one wants to look a big old mess, why does it have to be flattering!  Sometimes clothes from Top Shop on their website might not be flattering but never do I hear as much trilling and concern of "oooohhhhhhh it might not be flattering."

So my thoughts on The Cut, it is certainly bold with cool prints and at first look I thought: "Oh it might not be for me!"  and my initial fave was the abstract cardie, probably the safest piece.

However, then I started to think the knitted skirt could be very cool with a wide belt and a T of some kind.

I think the Jumpsuit is really edgy, with a funky print and a body con look, it is definitely brave!  Maybe a bit brave for me, but I applaud Evans for giving the Plus size woman options, beyond a safe tunic!  Or a skater dress (I'm not dissing the Skater Dress, I love them and would do a lot for The Pink Clove Tartan one, if anyone has one they don't want??????)

And finally my favourite, although at first I thought oh a tunic in a very loud print, I now realise this is a really lovely fashion forward body con number with a slight A line and some nice detailing.  Although I must say the pic of it alone doesn't do it justice, and for those nay sayers who say: "Oh but she's a model of course it looks good on her" I have seen pics on people on the web and it also looks great on them.

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So my verdict for those who care at nothing coming in at over £50.00 this is an affordable, fun, funky and fashionable range and if I can make some money on E bay that yellow dress is coming home with me soon!

A Blast at Plus London 2013

So I attended my first Plus London organised by some lovely plus size bloggers, before I went I had so many plans that I would take hundreds of pics and create a fabulous blog with tons of pics to match on these days.  However, in true Twee style that plan went a little bandy from the start.

I was supposed to meet a lovely lady called Sam from Bristol on the train and I duly trotted to Swansea train station in plenty of time sat on the train at at 07:28 a train pulled out just not mine, as you might have guessed (especially those who know me I was sat on the wrong train)  texts and the like were sent to Sam, and I did a desperate dash to Bristol Parkway Station (thanks Mum) but I arrived as Sam's train pulled out!  We did finally meet at Paddington, Sam kindly waited for me and I arrived half an hour late.

Sam and me having met

We then headed to Hoxton Arches where the event was being held.  I have to admit I felt a little intimidated by the fabulous, glamourous and downright sexy bloggers who I follow and styles I admire.  I looked at the stalls buying an amazing "Your the one for me Fatty" necklace from the very talented and lovely Charlotte at Blackheart Creatives, admired clothes on the stalls and discovered from my choices at the Simply Be stall that I still have not got over my fascination with Alexis Carrington Colby from Dynasty as my choices veered towards 80's stylee with sequins and a silver biker jacket on my lust list.

I had a fab fitting from Curvy Kate and the bra I tried on will be on my list of things to buy.  Listened to a talk and q and a from Blackheart creatives and Twisted Siren about their brands.  Had a photoshoot with amazing Blast that was much more self conscious than those taken after dark.  Then a my make up done by lovely Betty Pamper, there is a nice pic on her website.

Add caption

After chatting with several wonderful women and finally meeting up with the very sweet Mookie, we headed to our accommodation, ate, had a few drinks, visited a old school friend in the Hoxton area before heading back to After Dark.

At after dark Lauren greeted me with a chub rub shot which helped me get in the mood and with the cool and talented DOMO DJ ing I had a fab night of dancing and meeting lots of great people.  I loved my shoot with Blast after dark, and the night flew after a cheeky kebab  we headed back.

In the morning nursing a bit of a sorry head we headed over to a quiet venue, I chatted with the lovely Rachel from Red Bows and her partner ate cake, but due to a unforeseen footie derby between Swansea and Cardiff headed back earlier than I would have liked.

Thanks to the organisers for the event it left me feeling empowered as a plus size woman who at times struggles and thinks sod it, I should diet, I'm not health or sexy, as seeing all those gorgeous plus size women  doing their thing reminded me that actually we look pretty damn HAWT!

There were so few pics taken by me after my incessant nagging of my husband to find the camera that I have relied on my Blast pics who frankly did it 100 times better than I could have.

Catch Up!

Sorry all for the radio silence!  But I moved in July to Swansea to be with my Mum following my Dad dying last year.

What can I say it has been strange, alien, different and I am more of a southerner than I ever thought I was and I have been more homesick than I thought would ever be possible.  Especially as I was architect of this new venture.

So I have been feeling a bit Meh and poor me!  A bit like in Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton film not the book) where the mad hatter says: "You used to be much more, muchier!"

Anyway now I am feeling a bit more like myself, I will start blogging again (I intend to find my blasted camera this evening, so you can have pics as well as words)  I have some fun things planned reviews of my favourite brands for bigger girls, a adventure to Plus London, Yorkfest with my good friends and some beauty reviews from my recent hauls.

Ta ta for now type again soon.

Viva Las Vegas or Vicky's adventures in Wonderland.

Me and The Hub at The Vegas sign in my Bettie
Page Dress from The Forum Shops.

I may have mentioned Vegas is my happy place.  I had always been slightly obsessed with the idea of a Vegas and the idea of Americana Kitsch, the rat pack and sin in the desert.  So 10 years ago the Hub and I sealed the deal, there in Las Vegas on our first visit, and what can I say the lady sunk her claws in us deeply and for the next 2 years we went back religiously until houses and life got in the way.

Then this year we finally got the chance to return, sure the lady had changed swapping the kitsch theming of the 90's with a glossy Kadashian Luxe style Vegas, full of swanky new hotels like the Cosmopolitan (pictures to follow) but I still love it!

So I thought I would post a sort of photo Blog of my hol in Vegas!

My beautiful Hotel Room - In the Flamingo Las Vegas (God I  loved that  shower)

The Hotel gardens Complete with Flamingoes

Of course despite the Flamingo being very nice, it was necessary to leave the hotel.  Although The Strip is magnificent and breathtaking and generally pretty awesome.  I really loved Fremont Street, on Friday nights they have bands down there playing on Fridays and Saturdays at The Fremont Street Experience which is a giant canopy over the street with an LED light show on it, (the band playing the night we were there were the Scissor Sisters meets the B52's and playing 80's covers) and further up is an area called Fremont Street East crammed full of cool bars like The Beauty Bar which is done out like a beauty parlor circa the 50's and Insert Coins which has hundreds of retro arcade games.

The 4 Queens Casino

The Fremont Street Experience

The Canopy plays the Queen show

Because even the tequilas are bigger

One of the colourful characters I met on my travels

As well as hanging out on Fremont Street, The Hub and I got tattoos at Club Tattoo (co-owned by a bloke from Linkin Park) My Hub's was done by the lovely and talented Ben Stanton and mine was done by the equally lovely and talented Joe Hart.  The Hub had a Hello Kitty and me a cocktail glass (well it is Vegas)  If you go to Vegas and want a tattoo I think this is quite a good place, it is in The Miracle Mile Shops.

So I have probably bored you enough for one post, but I will follow with some pictures of inside the hotels, The Strip, Food and cocktails, people dressed up and me posing shamelessly with them and the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.

But here is a pic of The Strip to leave you with:

Bright lights city

Kiss Nail Dress - A review

I love pretty nails, but I must confess I am pretty bloody hopeless at doing them.  So for special occasions I usually end up at the local beauty salon or begging a friend to do my nails or for hols getting Shellac if there is any chance of the pretty nails lasting the week.

Whilst on holiday in Vegas every Mall I went in had little stalls selling nail art stencils or what I am trying today nail wraps.  I didn't buy these in the mall but in Walgreen's (that place may be my spiritual nirvana more beauty bits than you can imagine and alcohol and snacks - I LOVE it!) Whilst in there I bought these by a brand called Kiss (not sure if you can get these here or not) and a Sally Hansen tatoo design set.

As seen in the box (Sorry Luddite me couldn't rotate the picture)

My super work station

So this afternoon in my highly jet lagged state I decided I would set to work.  It sounded simple right I stick them to my nail, fold them under and file the excess off - No probs even for a novice like me.  With one nail done and 2 wraps already destroyed I called for help from my beloved as the suckers curl up before I had chance to get them on my nail and once stuck to each other are tricky to get apart again, so between us we managed to stick the rest to my nails and they turned out ok, I think!

Finished result (sorry not the best picture)

So Here's the good.
Once they are on they are simple and it is easy to file the excess off.
It allows pretty fancy nails in a fraction of the time nail art would and I can imagine if you can do nail art it would be a mere stroll in the park,

The bad -
They don't fit and seem to be made for people with giant nails - to get them to fit we had to cut them down.
They curl up quickly and then seem impossible to try apart, which meant a few got wrecked before I had a hand from my beautiful helper.

Ultimately would I use them again, yes probably if I had someone to help.  However, I was a little disappointed with their staying power and found the ends did wear off a bit after a couple of days and that any bits that were slightly on the skin did start to come up, so I think it would have to be for a special occassion.

OOTD - A Vegas outfit

I am just back from Vegas, not very stylish at the moment in my Dangermouse sweatshirt and jeans that are a bit tighter than when I left.
One good thing about being on holiday is I can indulge my love of dresses as working with kids I don't get to wear my pretty print dresses as much as I would like.
I haven't got a full length picture but this is of me in my favourite Limb dress

I gave teamed it with a H by Henry Holland Denim Jacket (although it was generally roasting there were a couple of colder days) and a pair of black patent ballet flats from Next which you can't see.
My jewelry is a necklace from the Hairy Growler an amazing jeweler who makes jewelry out of old coins and a pair of earrings bought for a quid in the Dotty P sale.
I will post some more info and pics on my Vegas trip soon.

Fishing Girls Dress - Vanity Project by Limb

Denim Jacket - H by Henry Holland at Debenhams

Ballet Flats - Next

Sunglasses - A stall in Vegas

Earrings - Dotty P

Necklace - The Hairy Growler