may, 17th - new threads....

day 830:

more patent leather mary janes for Limi in navy blue this time {see day 779 for her nude pair}....they're so soft and beautifully made in France.

plus a new swimming costume bought on sale. both from Rachel Riley.

styling of new clothes, by Limi

jan, 25th - shoeboxes....

day 693:

found these fantastic, original soda trays at The Old Cinema in Chiswick {see day 188}. they make ideal shoeboxes for Limi and fit perfectly under her cot.

p.s. Limi's sweet dress is from my sister and by Stella McCartney Kids

nov, 28th - toes....

day 635:

toes are a big thing in our house these days......we say morning to toes, we say goodnight to toes, we draw faces on them, wriggle them, hide them in socks and Limi is always quick to request that we take off our shoes when we get home so that our toes are free.....

or maybe it's just her ploy so that she can walk around in our shoes.

nov, 23rd - shiny shoes....

day 631:

it must be the hint of sparkle that keeps creeping in, now that Christmas is almost here, that made me do it. i bought these shoes for Limi. i think that they're just crying out for taps to be added {see day 503}.

i think that they've started a new tradition.....a pair Christmas shoes every December...sparkles optional but festive spirit, a must. now to find my pair.

oct, 24th - new shoes....

day 601:

wow. keeping a child's wardrobe stocked with seasonal clothes that fit is more tricky than i imagined. Limi can still sometimes be seen squeezed into nine to twelve month leggings (well crop-leggings) and three quarter sleeved tops. that is until Jae does a big purge and another bag gets packed up and put away.....then suddenly the drawers are empty again.....

and good shoes are the hardest things to find....this sweet pair (in my vetoed pink.....but hey a dusty, dirty pink is not too bad...right?) are from Zara (the girls' section this time)....these sparkly numbers may be a stretch too far....although i so want to......they remind me of my dancing youth and being up on stage covered in glitter and sequins from head to toe.

jul, 10th - weekend....

day 514:

stills from our countryside visit....gen and james have the most inspiring garden {see day 394 and day 420}.....even though it was a fleeting drop-in this time, we always fit in a bit of a wander......there are hidden corners and ramshackle buildings that encourage you explore......

seasonal changes to discover......

people to sit down on the grass with and catch-up......

new gumboots to try out.... 

and energy to burn up before the long drive home.

it's a garden that encourages you to look closely....and if you do.....you'll definitely be rewarded.

hope that you had a lovely weekend. x

ps. the gumboots are from aigle. i could buy half their range for Limi and i love the extra length that will allow for maximum puddle-stomping.

feb, 9th - mary had a pair of little lambs......

day 368:

a stylish friend sent me a link to these delicious woollen numbers......i love their Victorian feel. made from recycled jumpers and leather..... you can buy them via woolybaby on Etsy.

Josie Marsh the creator of woolybaby is passionate about her shoes (doesn't that always shine through in the product) ....and she has posted a couple of sweet anecdotes around her shop....like this one:

"When I was in first grade, I took a pet lamb to school. Yes, really! It went under the table and peed and that’s about all I remember about it. On our small farm we had several sheep that we used for meat and my mom washed, carded, spun, and knit with the wool. Maybe taking that lamb to school was the beginning of my love of wool : )"

seriously, how can you resist.

they even come in adult sizes.....i may be tempted to replace my much-loved-chocolate uggs soon......

pics: Josie Marsh

jan, 23rd - first steps....

day 344:

there may have been a couple here and there over the last few weeks that we missed.....but this weekend....Limi took her first real steps.

this baby is upright and on the move....

nov, 19th - life after baby.....

day 280:

we did something spontaneous last night. i last remember doing something spontaneous back in 2009.

to be honest this was as spontaneous as you can be when you have to call a baby-sitter 8 hours in advance and plan the bedtime routine with military precision so that you've factored in your 10 minute prep time.

this was also the first time that we've used a baby-sitter that we've never met....(a good friend uses her all the time) and to be honest i was somehow more concerned that she wouldn't like us rather than the other way around.....i even did some cleaning (and worried about the lack of biscuits) in case we didn't make a good impression on the baby-sitter.

the reason we were 8-hours-in-advance-spontaneous?

a friend got some amazingly, fantastic news yesterday morning and so we headed out to celebrate.

oh! and i also got to wear impractical shoes. i have such a wonderful selection of impractical shoes...... that have been gathering dust since 2009 (i call these my wonder-woman- super-hero shoes!)

welcome back spontaneity and impractical shoes....i've missed you guys!

ps. the pre-dinner cocktails were found at a new (well new to us), jazzy bar in Nottinghill, called Montgomery Place.

nov, 15th - trumpette socks.....

day 276:

these are definitely fantastic socks....amazing quality. 

i know that i'm a bit late to the party on Trumpette (and not fashionably late...more like the lights have been switched on, the helium balloons are wilting and the dj is packing up) but they are definitely worth a buy.

my only small complaint is that i wish that they would bring out a range that were less bright and more of the sludgy colours....but still....great socks!

aug, 25th - click three times.....

day 194:

my sister sent these shoes for limi......they are definitely ones to wrap up in tissue (once her feet have outgrown them) and keep for her.... 

there's a bit of a theme....for my wedding, my sister had these spectacular numbers custom made for me....

i needed wedges, to negotiate the farm roads

and undulating lawns....

sadly, these have been soundly danced-out and unless we send them to the shoe-clinic (hmmmm, maybe an idea!) they are currently in no state to wrap in tissue and keep for her one day....