I have too many shoes

And so another year ends, it's just a few hours until we say goodbye to 2012. I wish you all a happy New Year and see you in 2013! photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/st3f4n/4231173553/">Stéfan</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>

Perfect for the holiday wardrobe   So it's just two days until 2013, the wind and rain is relentless in Blackpool and I am sat in my pajamas in bed thinking about the summer!  Unfortunately, there are limited opportunities to buy decent plus size fashion in Blackpool so I haven't really missed venturing outside to join other shoppers in the thirst for a bargain. But, its the perfect weather to research online possibilities while enjoying a baileys on ice.  And it's great to discover new sites for plus size fashion like Millers which offers some fab bargains to ladies in Australia and New Zealand. Next year, I definitely need to invest in a maxi dress and the site has a number of options to choose from to build up that capsule wardrobe; whether its a day time outfit you're looking for or something for the evening.   The prices are reasonable too, saving those much needed pennies to put towards your holiday fund.  Happy shopping ladies!

Despite the fact it was Christmas, Harvey could not shake off his mood Hope you are all having a fabulous Christmas! Despite the horrendous weather, we are managing to have a chilled out Christmas. Jasper eventually let go of his ball to eat Christmas dinner I got a Samsung camera with wifi as a present and I am slowly getting to grips with it and discovering the special effects it has.  This should, hopefully, improve the quality of my blog pictures (fingers crossed). Here's some of my first pictures. practising close-ups a special effect courtesy of Samsung

On the eve of New Years Eve, it only seems right to nominate a shoe that you should be wearing to welcome in the New Year. Available in the online sale at Selfridges, the Rachel Zoe Peggy snakeskin sandals are the perfect accessory for a party, just add a little black dress and ensure you have in your hand classic cocktail to ring the New Year in.

Based on what my nephews and niece got for Christmas, the cool kids are wearing Converse, Vans and Nike Blazers.

Have a fabulous Christmas. Sending you seasons greetings wherever you are and what ever you're doing, whether its indulging in the online sales or enjoying champers and mince pies. photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mukumbura/4180968389/">Mukumbura</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>

I'm sure you all have some lovely Christmas parties to go to.  So to make sure you sparkle at them, I've the last six shoes of Christmas for you.  Here's hoping that the sales are good for you. xx Already reduced and sparkly too! Shine bright like a diamond It would be Christmas every day if I had these Nicholas Kirkwood heels Dots, sequins, price reduced ...what more do you need? cute Oooooohhhhh!!!

Forget the twelve days of Christmas and focus on that last minute shopping for the Festive period.  Instead of 'a partridge in a pear tree ' I want sparkle and sequins!  So here are the first six pairs of Christmas Shoes for your consideration. All that glitters should be gold Don't just have bows on your Christmas Tree The right way to be blue this Christmas Dear Father Christmas, I would like these shoes for Christmas Charlotte Olympia - need I say more? Miu Miu - the essential accessory for a modern-day Dorothy

It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas! Who could resist the gorgeous shoes - Kiss Me Dolly - from Charlotte Olympia ?  Forget shoe of the week, these are the shoes of the season! I can just picture myself in these, sipping an eggnog while opening my Christmas presents so please Santa add these to my present list!xx

I'm a city-break person.  I rarely have beach holidays and the nearest I usually get to a stretch of water abroad is crossing over a historic bridge. So, my recent trip to Benidorm highlighted my lack of preparation or wardrobe for a warmer climate.  My friends and family have built up their personal collections of holiday clothes from shorts, bikinis to dresses that they can dig out, year after year, ready for the summer months.   While my 'summer collection' of clothes is limited to a pair of shorts and a couple of t-shirts . . .  I really need to develop a great capsule wardrobe for fun in the sun.  If you're looking for some great holiday wardrobe options then take a look at city chic , their range of Plus Size Dresses can take you from strolling through local markets to sipping cocktails in a cool bar. These dresses would definitely be finding their way into my case. The perfect dress for day or night just add flats or heels A mojito w...

Now I'm a really disorganised shopper.  I'm great at creating lists . . . but keeping track on things I like, not so good. When remembering where I saw a fabulous pair of shoes or the perfect clutch bag, I fail miserably. So, that's where's www.mystockstalker.com provides a solution to my retail problems. Its a great service that allows you to register a free account with MyStockStalker , you can then select products from a number of major online retailers - Aldo, ASOS, New Look, Amazon, to name a few - and you receive an email when that item has dropped in price. There's also a great feature which allows you to specify a price at which you would like to be emailed, perfect when you are working with a limited budget.  So, if you've seen a pair of amazing shoes at Aldo which are priced at £70 but your budget is £40,  add the item to your stock stalker and include details of the price drop you'd be looking for.  If the item drops to that price then yo...

Deacon Blue at the Liverpool Echo Arena October 2012 My trusty little Fuji camera has died a death, so on very rare occasions I can manage to get it turned on  to upload photos that I've taken over the past few months.  It's a bit disappointing as I have just started to try and improve the quality of my photos. Don't worry Father Christmas has received my letter requesting a new camera and is working with Amazon to deliver by the big day - there are only 17 days to go! This post is mainly pictorial and is from a visit to Liverpool to watch Deacon Blue on their 25th Anniversary Tour.  It's a bit scary to think about the passage of time when I first saw Deacon Blue at Blackpool Wintergardens over two decades ago! Luckily no shoes were destroyed at the concert unlike the last time I went to the Echo Arena. One of the various sculptures highlighting Liverpool's heritage, particularly its contribution to music. View from our Premier Inn Room, waking...

I couldn't rotate my image! I didn't have the budget for some Hunter wellies this year, so I've bought these from Very to keep me (hopefully) water and snow proof this year.  I think the animal print is fab, it's just a pity the other animals I accessorised them with weren't so great! On my first outing out in them, I decided to take my 'dastardly muttleys' - Harvey and Jasper - for a walk on Blackpool beach.  But I might as well have worn a referee's shirt and had a whistle rather than a pair of wellies.  Less than ten minutes after setting foot on the sand, the dogs decided to do their version of Fight Club and have an almighty fight over a pebble. . . a blooming pebble!  Forget wellingtons, I'll be taking a red card when I'm dog walking next Harvey, one of the two 'grumpy old men' Jasper, 'grumpy man' number two   photo credit: Ingy The Wingy via photopin cc

It had to be Jimmy Choo this week. I have Jimmy on my mind as tomorrow it would have been my dad's - Jimmy Valentine -  65th birthday. While the Taffy 'choos' may not have been my dad's style (he wore flip flops at the first sign of sun, converse boots and cherry red doc martins) I'm sure he'd approve of this. x

I needed some new work shoes, so spotting these bargains from Deichmann was perfect timing.  Classic black, chunky heels and a little bit of platform to give me that much needed height.  They are surprising comfortable but not suitable to run in, which I attempted when late for an appointment.  I certainly wouldn't be winning any gold medals in the Office Olympics but the Ministry of Funny Walks would definitely give me a job!

Are these boots made for walking? I bought these boots months ago so I could be ready for the colder seasons. They are from Very , purchased when they offered discounts off their new range. Ideally I was searching for a pair of sensible, practical pair of  black ankle boots that would last me through autumn and winter . . . what I bought instead was some seriously high nude shoe boots with a knitted cuff and buckles.   Practicality be damned, these boots called out to me during an extensive online search and my attention was continually drawn back to them, I just hope it doesn't snow when I finally wear them.

This week's shoe is from Matalan .  At £12, these bright neon shoes ensure you can still get your fashion fix on a budget.

Its time to start planning your Christmas party outfits. So, for the next few weeks I'll be researching the glitziest, and brightest shoes that you could be wearing this Christmas.  These Malice wedges from Lollipop could be the right shoes to start a disco inferno at your Christmas Do.

I love a bit of eccentricity, us brits are renowned for it, putting together the quirky with the classic. These Ruby Rocks shoes [I love that name!] shoes have English eccentric written all over them.

It wouldn't time for the Christmas countdown without the quintessential John Lewis Christmas advert.  Simple, understated and beautiful. I'm already dreaming of a White Christmas.

I am off to Benidorm in a couple of weeks, perfect for enjoying a bit of winter sun before December arrives and the Christmas shopping panic begins.  Now I've been told that I should be practical when it comes to the 'Dorm'. That means pack the flats not any fabulous heels.  I'm not sure if I can handle five nights away with no stilettos in my grasp, I just don't do 'flat'. So its either find a pair of heavy-duty, hard-wearing heels that can survive the trip or buy a cheap pair that will just about last the holiday but won't break my heart or my bank. Decisions, decisions . . .   I need to start packing! photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/edomingo/2162924557/">edomingo</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>

It's freezing in Blackpool today, I'm sat in my pyjamas, with the central heating on, researching shoes. So I should be looking for something practical, warm and water resistant for this week's shoe, right? Well I'm feeling like one of those birds who's planning to migrate somewhere sunny.  Rather than finding fellow birds and practising an arrow formation to fly due South (or should that be west?).  My migration plan would be to pack, book and fly off in a metal 'bird' somewhere exotic.  And these Jimmy Choos would be migrating with me!

 I love a bit of oxblood I do! It's a great rich colour for autumn. This Camilla Skovgaard platform pumps would definitely warm up my winter wardrobe.

The Carrie Diaries is Candace Bushnell's prequel to Sex in the City.  Its all about Carrie Bradshaw in her senior year in the 1980's. Its got the fashion and Carrie, but it won't have Miranda, Samantha or Charlotte. Well not at least till Carrie gets to college then New York and that's only if this pilot is successful enough to launch a series that will take Carrie and Co into the nineties.  AnnaSophia Robb stars as the teen Carrie and based on the trailer the series has got the Carrie voiceovers and the lead actress has that distinctive hair and possible a wardrobe to die for. Its based on the book not the SATC series,produced by CW ,  it won't have nudity or swearing so its going to be very different from the SATC series and films.  It looks like its been developed for a younger audience rather than SATC devotees, so it would be interesting to see how successful the pilot and subsequent series will be.  If we've following the journey of Carrie and Big fro...

My shoe of the week comes with a video clip this week. I love these Metallic Mary Janes from T.K maxx I love this style of shoe just as much as Carrie Bradshaw when she discovers a pair of  Mary Janes in the Vogue closet.