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I have been enjoying a wonderfully lazy Sunday; finding lots of lovely new blogs to follow, catching up on the lastest magazines, listening to Mumford & Sons, and cooking a yummy dinner for my family.

I made involtini from Nigella Lawson's 'Feast', another of her amazing cookery books - I often read them in bed like novels!

In the words of the wonderful Nigella; '"Involtini" just indicates that something is wrapped - turned - around something else. I always use aubergines as the casing rather than, say, courgettes, partly because you can get more in, and partly because I think it's the best possible use of an aubergine.'

Despite not being much of a cook, the aubergines turned out beautifully. They were stuffed with a delicious cheese based mixture (feta, mozzarella and parmesan - this is definitely NOT a recipe for anyone with a dairy intolerance!), covered in tomataoes and more cheese and baked in the oven. Heaven.

I also enjoyed flicking through the Spring/Summer 2011 edition of Company High-Street Edit. The magazine looks amazing. It's full of fashion spreads that have the visual style of Vogue couture but featuring clothes from the high street. There is something about the matte pages that make the whole publication seem very expensive, too.

I loved the minimalist feel to the 'Cut me some slack' style shoot; the city shorts and sharp blazers were given a contemporary twist by being juxtaposed with cotton tees and string vests.

In contrast, I was also inspired by the inspirational key pieces feature in this month's Elle magazine which was a riot of floral prints and denim - my usual summer wardrobe. I loved the silk dress by Paul & Joe, but will be seeking a high street alternative unless I happen to stumble across £960 any time soon!

My freelance writing for the home interiors website is still going really well, I absolutely love writing and it would be the icing on the cake if I could find somewhere that would pay me to do it! I'm really grateful for the opportunity at the moment though, as it's a really great website to be involved with.

One of the perks of writing, in any capacity, is being able to nab a free ticket or press pass every now and then. I was lucky enough to get hold of a press ticket for this month's Country Living Spring Fair, and a complimentary one for my mum! We usually go along to their Christmas Fair to browse all the lovely craft stalls and eat as many free foodie samples as we can manage, so I'm really excited to go along to this on the 23rd. I'm planning on doing a post about it, if the exhibitor's don't mind me snapping a few pics of their products!

pancakes and eBay

Happy pancake day everyone!

I'm off to The Diner in Camden later to scoff some delicious American style ones, washed down with a huge milkshake! For those of you who havn't visited the joint before, or any of the four other branches dotted around London, I can't recommend the it enough! Okay, it might be slightly pricey but the 1950's style diner decor is spot on; and the chilli cheese fries are heavenly.

Since I am nearly on the last dregs of my wages from Topshop, I have taken to eBaying my unwanted clothes in the hope of making a little extra cash! You can find the items I have up for sale at the moment here;  http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/yllek96. There is only a day or so left on most of them so get bidding if you're interested! I will be putting up a few more bits and pieces later this week though.

What does everyone think of eBay in general? Is it the best place to sell/find second hand clothes? I've got me eye on a lovely polka dot skirt that someone is selling on there at the moment. I am begining to worry that any money I make will be going straight back out of my Paypal account!

I should be starting a part-time job at the end of the month, as a way of making a bit of money whilst continuing to build up my portfolio with my freelance writing. Whilst in New Look yesterday, a shop that I often avoid due to the poor quality of lots of their items, I spotted some beautiful blouses and shirts that I can't wait to pick up with my first pay check! There are lots of gorgeous shirts on the high street at the moment, and I purchased a fair few during my last weeks at Topshop, but New Look seems to be slightly ahead of competition with their reasonable prices.



Frill Peter Pan Blouse, £21.99.



Tie Peter Pan Blouse, £15.99.

Chiffon Waist Tie Blouse, £19.99.

I have particularly fallen in love with the chiffon waist tie blouse, that I think would be perfect for the summer teamed with some high waisted denim shorts and some floral print wedges. The sunny weather today has definitely got me planning ahead for all the beautiful outfits that warm weather allows for!

unplanned leave

Hi everyone!

Huge apologies for my unexplained absence; the past month has flown by so quickly that I didn't realise so much time had passed. I promise to everything more fully in a more detailed post over the weekend but just as a quick update...

Since my last entry I have left my job in retail to finally pursue my dream of a career in journalism. It's a huge risk, and everything I'm writing for so far is completely unpaid, which means that once the remainder of my last pay check has gone I will be on a complete shopping ban! (Although, I might make an exception for charity shop bargains?!). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that being penniless will pay off eventually, as having some time at home to freelance means that I will finally be able to start building up a respectable portfolio.

I have also been decorating my bedroom which has meant that my laptop and all my belongings are scattered all over the house, and I have had no space to sit down and type a cohesive and interesting entry! The last coat of paint went on this evening, however, which means I should have my room back in the next couple of days to really concentrate on some quality blogging!

I spotted a couple of lovely pieces in River Island recently;

Grey print peter pan collar smock top; £26.99

Cream belted lace skirt; £24.99

This photograph of the top, from the River Island website, doesn't really do it justice! In reality, the three little buttons are sparkly and bright and the ditsy print has a real vintage feel. The mid length of the skirt is really on trend, and would be perfect for making the transition from winter to spring; this piece would look equally good with thick tights and chunky boots as with bare legs and leather loafers in the warmer months. The heavy lining also gives the skirt a nice weight, making it both practical and luxurious.

forward thinking

I managed to survive my first week back at work, after a lovely break at the start of the new year, and I've actually had a pretty positive few days! Somebody from You magazine (a supplement that comes free in the Daily Mail on weekends) got in touch with me to offer me some work experience later in the year which I'm really excited about; as a weekly publication it will be great to see how a magazine is produced from start to finish. I also have an interview on Monday for an internship at an events website based in Islington. I will fill you in on the details next week, as I don't want to jinx it! I have already had to submit a music review and some examples of my writing, so I'm hoping its just a case of whether they like me or not on the day! Fingers crossed.

My number one piece of good news, though, has to be the purchase of these BEAUTIFUL shoes!

I snapped these up in the Topshop sale for a bargainous £10, reduced from an original price of £70!!I have to admit that I am definitely not a natural in high heels, but these have a really chunky block heel which should help keep me upright! The suede finish and gold trim gives them a slightly retro look too, while the scalloped front means they will look great with thick opaque tights in the cold weather.

A quick heads up for anyone interested in fashion journalism, although I'm sure those of you with your finger on the fashion pulse will already be aware of this; ELLE.com have launched a competition looking for a fashion intern to join their team for six months! It sounds like a great opportunity, and I'm planning to spend the rest of the weekend working on my entry. You can find all the details on the website here; http://intern.elleuk.com/.

blog of the month

Hi everyone!

I've been nominated for Blog of the Month on the British Style Bloggers website! I would really appreciate your votes, as I'm up against thirteen other fantastic fashion writers.

Click here to vote and to check out the other nominees! http://www.britishstylebloggers.org.uk/Blog-Month-Poll-13---Jan-2011-13178143

Thankyou!

x

late sunday evening

I've been at home all day today, enjoying a wonderfully lazy Sunday with the family. My mum cooked a lovely shepherds pie and apple crumble for lunch, (comfort food at its best!), and I've spent the rest of the afternoon listening to Sigur Ros in my bedroom and flicking through the February issues of Elle and Vogue magazines.

I love the 'Take The Plunge' fashion feature in Elle, which showcases a beautiful collection of long length skirts; the popularity of the longer hemline looks set to rise this season with the flowing maxi skirt sure to be a staple for Spring/Summer 2011.

(Apologies for the picture quality; I took a quick snap with my digital as I couldn't find the spread anywhere on the ELLEuk website. Original photographs by David Vasiljevic).

The pleated detail on both of these skirts is gorgeous; I am particularly in love with the bold green maxi by Michael Kors. I am, however, always slightly wary of anything in a maxi length as I've always associated it with a more mature image. The simplicity of these skirts suggests, to me anyway, sophistication; a concept which doesn't sit comfortably with my mix and match style of dressing!

I found this Kors inspired skirt on Topshop.com, and think it would make a perfect compromise! It still features the on-trend pleated finish, but in a much more wearable midi length; and with a £38 price tag. I'm planning to snap this up tomorrow on a trip to Oxford Street. I'm also hoping to track down a specialist photography shop where I can get the film processed from my Diana Mini camera, and admire toy cameras.

so this is the new year

Happy 2011 everybody!

Okay, it is eight days into January already but it's better late than never! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year.

I've had a few days off work so I've been writing and e-mailing all the magazines I can think of in an attempt to secure an internship somewhere! I am desperate to get some work experience in an editorial department, so if anyone has any ideas of how to do so then please let me know! I've got my fingers crossed that there will be at least once nice editor out there who is willing to do me a favour!

Anyway, on a more fashion related note, I have just returned home after a lovely shopping trip with my mum and sister where I purchased a few bits in the sale. I am definitely not one to turn down a bargain! I bought a lovely leopard print skirt from River Island which was reduced to £10. I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of River Island in general as I dislike the way the plaster their name all over the garments and add unnecessary sequins and jewels to everything; but the pleated detail of this skirt, and the way it sits just on the knee, gives it a slightly vintage look which I love! I also picked up a beautiful faux fur collar and velvet lined snood in Claire's Accessories, thanks to the advice of my ten year old sister! The collar was a bargain at £8, and is identical to one I had my eye on in Topshop before Christmas!

I also treated myself to a couple of cosmetics; the new Max Factor lip tint pen which looks and works exactly like a felt tip, and a gorgeous Yves Saint Laurent lipstick in a bright coral colour.

Over the past few months I have become obsessed with rings; the bigger, the better! I was delighted to snap up two beauties in the Accessorize sale for 70% off! One is a gold cat's head covered in diamantes and with sparkly green gems for eyes, and the other is a jade green stone set in a chunky burnished gold ring with feather detail.

(You can see a couple of my other recent additions in this photograph! The gold owl in specs was a Christmas present from my boyfriend, and the bird with green eyes was from Freedom @ Topshop).

In other news, I have finally joined the world of Twitter! There should be a link to my account on the right side of the page. My username is mica_57. I currently have no idea how to use it, but in my bid to break into journalism I decided that I should really stay up to date with modern forms of communication! Having said that, I am currently on a facebook detox for the month. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with technology; I dislike the self promotional aspect of social networking, whilst somewhat enjoying the self reflexive side of it. Hypocritical, I know. I havn't suffered from any terrible withdrawal symptoms yet, but I shall let you know more as the month continues!