I have too many shoes

An article  in the Daily Mail reports on the findings of a study where its been established that the average woman in her lifetime spends more than £16,000 on shoes - flip flops, boots, heels, etc - in her lifetime.  The study, by  Gocompare  questioned 3,000 women on their shoe habits.  From the results, its worked about that from the age of 14 over the course of their lifetime women will buy around 469 pairs of shoes. Its made me think that if I resisted the temptation, over the course of my life, to buy shoes and save the money, that by the time I hit 70 I would finally be able to afford that Yellow Volkswagen Beetle that I've been coveting for such a long time.  But then, were would the fun be in that, I'd had wouldn't have enjoyed the memories that my shoes have carried me to! I do wonder though, where the survey took place . . . Thing is, the survey says that the average woman has at any point in time got around 19 pairs of sh...

In the current climate of recession, public spending cuts, is this news just a little too much? The world's most expensive shoe has just been announced.  The Eternal Diamond Stiletto will set you back around £100,000, is made of gold, with over 2,000 diamonds and comes with a 1,000 year guarantee.  Apparently a number of A-listers are already interested in possibly making a purchase. While I applaud the design and achievement of creating a beautiful shoe out of gold and diamonds, wouldn't it be nice if potential buyers considered what more philanthropic endeavours they could fund with that money.  Perhaps funding treatment for cancer that isn't readily available on the NHS,  supporting people who are already struggling in our financially-restricted times or  sponsoring university places for our younger generation.  I know what my choice would be if I had that kind of money, what would yours be?

I'm combining my two favourite topics today - shoes and films.  One of my favourite films is In Her Shoes starring Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz as two sisters Rose and Maggie.  Its been out for a few years now but its one of those films that doesn't seem to date. The basic story is that throughout life Rose has been the dependable sister providing the mother-role they never had (due to the death of their mother at an early age) whilst Maggie has been the wild child. It takes them being apart to realise how mcuh they need  each other.  They both take a journey that changes them both as people while meeting the grandmother they never knew they had, Ella played by the great actress Shirley Maclaine. Of course, there's an ongoing theme about shoes throughout the films but please don't think its standard chick-flick fluff.  This is a strong, positive film about family, sisters and overcoming your past to look to your future.  If you h...

I've had a bit of a hectic week so I've not been able to do any posts this week so I'd thought I'd draft a little space filler.  My dog Jasper, the Jack Russell, now has a healthy respect for shoes and  helps me keep an eye on my emails! Its amazing what you can train a dog to do with the promise of doggy treats! I also popped to my local Vue cinema last night with my friend Jo to finally watch SATC 2. The verdict - whilst I still prefer the first film, SATC 2 was exactly as expected a mix of laughs, beautiful outfits, fabulous shoes and gorgeous men. It was pure escapism and I actually lusted after the home furnishings rather than the shoes this time!  Although if I had Miranda Hobb's wardrobe then I would definitely be a happy lady! 

House of Harlow Pearl Open Toe Pumps I love the Internet, its like window-shopping without dealing with queues, dodgy weather and resisting the temptation to walk away from my favourites shops with purchases gripped in my hands. As I love creating lists, its great to way to just find things that I can add to my wish list.   I spotted these shoes (pictured above) from the H ouse of Harlow range ( created by Nicole Richie). These shoes are definitely top of the list, unfortunately at $225 they are way out of my budget. I love the design with the chunkier heel and peep toe.  While I can't buy them, it did make me think about a pair of shoes in my wardrobe that I got a couple of years ago from Matalan .  A similar style, the reason I bought them was that they reminded me of shoes from the 1940s and I love the contrasting details of suede and snakeskin on the heels.  The only problem with the shoes, is the fact that I haven't been...

I'm enjoying the beautiful weekend we are having, I've done some chores, my dining has be restored to a place to eat rather than storage for radiators, and the dogs have enjoyed numerous walks on the beach.  Now I'm just relaxing with a cup of tea and a cupcake from the batch I made earlier for my nephew's birthday. My mission is to achieve my New Year's resolution To Be a Domestic Goddess is being realised! I wasn't totally happy with the recipe that I followed but the results were okay.  I know practice makes perfect so I'll consult my cookery books for better recipes and keep you posted on results.

When I was getting married, I did what any bride-to-be would do, raided magazines for ideas and started drafting a big wish list. I'd noticed that a lot of brides had gone for a vintage feel with bouquets made of brooches rather than opting for fresh flowers. This was definitely what I wanted as part of my outfit. When I researched them, the price was just too high for my budget. I mentioned the bouquets to my friend Sylvia who is really creative and to be honest can make something special out of very little. She was up for the challenge, so Project Bouquet commenced! I love vintage brooches, so raided my collection to find suitable pieces. A key part of the bouquet was a butterfly brooch that my mum bought her mum with her first pay packet. I love that a bit of family history would be with me on my wedding day while a lot of my family couldn't be with me. In the style of thrift, we spent a great day at charity shops in Preston finding pearl necklaces and diamante bracelets th...

I was feeling a bit melancholy today, the year has passed so quickly yet so much has happened. You sometimes forget or put to the back of your mind significant or painful memories. I'm not sure what triggered the memory or why even I had put it to the back of my mind. This time last year, one of my siblings was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cervical cancer. It was a few weeks until an operation was to be done to see what treatments could be undertaken and life where possible, was continuing normally for the children. There was one night, when we were preparing presents for one of the children when she cried and said 'I don't even know if I will be here this time next year.' What could I have said to console her, I felt helpless. It had been less than two years since my father died, yet cancer was the unwelcome visitor to our family again. Luckily for us, and I know this doesn't happen to everyone, the doctor was able to stop the cancer with an operatio...

What would early woman say! In the same week, the worlds oldest shoe has been found   a new college course teaching women to walk in high heels has been in the press .   The shoe, a British size four, has been dated at around 5,500 years old and has been perfectly preserved under sheep dung! Made of cowhide and with lace detailing, they don't know if it was a man's or woman's, but I'm sure it was a woman's with all that attention to detail!  It crazy to think how we've evolved since then, that to get ahead in business we need to be trained how to walk in high heels.  So much for progress, that the way you walk rather than the work you do will make you successful.  The course has been designed to teach women skills to succeed in business, it is called Sexy Heels In The City and involves tutoring women in the art of wearing high heels. It doesn't take a six week course to learn how to walk in high heels, it jus...

Finally our hallway renovations are near completion, it might not look like much but just a few months ago we had a leaking, drab and dark hallway. Now its been replastered , new electrics installed, the woodwork been replaced and new hardwood flooring has been put in place. We've kept the colour scheme neutral to keep the space light and airy.  The new spotlights we've had installed on both floors have given it that 'Grand Designs' feel.  Its like we've had an extension added onto the hallway with the sense of space and light we now have.  To get our house (a 1930's 3-bed semi) to this standard has been really hard work, stressful and such a long time ,so its lovely to finally see such an achievement. With thrift in mind, rather than splash out on new accessories for the hallway I'm going to search through my attic for stored away vintage finds to complement it.  I've been searching for the perfect spot for an antique chrome and pale blue clock and ...

Well, it was back to work this morning and I don't know if it was the overcast sky or just that Monday morning feeling but I felt really fed up on the way into work. However a little homemade present from my friend Sylvia was waiting for me at my desk to brighten up my day.  A bright gorgeous pink corsage with a piece from my brooch collection that I don't use that often.  Sylvia is due to retire soon and I'll miss sharing our desks and morning brews. While she is planning to have afternoon teas with the ladies and a trip to New York, Sylvia is also planning her own business, making pretty things like this and my vintage wedding bouquet (check out my earlier post). I'll keep you posted on her soon to be set up website.  I''m off to plan my outfit to showcase my corsage as I'm feeling in the pink!

We are officially on the countdown to the World Cup; the flags are being raised, England T-shirts are being bought and advertising has been kick-started.  As per usual, its time to dust out the official world cup songs, so here is my favourite from the nineties.  I'm actually looking forward to this, there's a buzz in the air and match-viewing parties being planned.  Plus the fabulous Miss Alicia Keys is opening the games with no doubt, another fantastic performance. Which time will you be supporting?

I'm back at work and busy developing new social media products with my colleagues to raise awareness of our services. I work for the MOD on a Communications Team, our Agency provides services to the Armed Forces and veterans communities.  Whilst I use social media such as blogger and Facebook for personal use, I need to use these platforms differently to highlight our key messages.  Its definitely keeping me on my toes!  It's estimated there are around 4.8million veterans in the UK and with our Armed Forces, its a large customer audience that we need to reach and I'm looking forward to the new challenges this presents. PS I'm working on a new post. Does your husband or boyfriend ever comment on the number of shoes you have? Perhaps its time to take a look at how many trainers or shoes he has in his collection!  I've been secretly counting up the number of trainers in my husband's collection and believe me, he is giving me a run for the money.  Post to fo...