Last Thursday was a big deal for me (work-wise) and I needed to dress for a confidence boost but at the same time not over-dress. I really hope the outfit screamed 'im serious' to others. I think it did because a cab driver asked if I worked for the government!


After the meeting I met up with a friend for coffee, it was really fun to be out of the office for one day! oh yes, since the last hair post I decided to go ombre! You can see a little from these pics but better pictures soon!! I was thinking of getting my fringe back but am enjoying the length at the moment!

River Island mustard dress - classic cut, comfortable and versatile - perfect on its own or with lots of fun accessories

What are your secrets for a confidence boost? I need another one for tomorrow, wish me luck!

xxx

Yet another great wedding!!!

More of these fun photobooth pictures to come, they were so much fun!!!

Ay I am under training of regular updating, so do leave a comment, they keep me motivated!! Well done to everyone at Cosmo award, I had a quick update from twitter! I haven't looked / used twitter for such a long time, I find it a little too time consuming?

Sleep time :) busy day ahead tomorrow!
x x x

my lion mane

I'm finally doing something about this wild overgrown lifeless mane of mine! But I don't know what to do - ideas?! I'm thinking some sort of ombre...well theres this lovely wedding this weekend so I need quite a lot of hair for the up-do I was thinking of doing so maybe just a little trim tomorrow and next week go back to having a fringe & layers? I'd love a crop but not sure if I can go through years of waiting for it to grow back again!!

I dont know, what's the trend now anyway? I'd love to hear what you think! x

My date weekend

Last Friday I came home to a very happy pooch because he knew it was our date weekend!!


After some serious snuggles Saturday morning, we got ourselves prepped and ready for an adventure. Sun was shining but a definite chill in the air. We picked walk #32 from '50 walks in the Cotswold' - it sounded fun, weaving through Stroud Valley. All excited as I parked up the car and ready for our 6 miles walk only to realise the sexy Irish Satnav man took us to the wrong starting point! Patch ears dropped as I ushered him back in the car, luckily the right spot was only 3 minutes drive away phew!


Huge mansions watched on as we marched along disused canal with fallen leaves and a playlist of bird songs.


We met some rather lovely locals...


…who failed to warn us of the steep hill climb ahead of us =/ the gorgeous views did make up for it but it took every bit out of us. I don't know how Patch's little legs managed to cope, bless him!


It didn't take us long to agree that this indeed would be a lovely spot for lunch. We climbed over a stile into a field, made no effort to walk any more than we had to & slumped on the grass gasping for air after that ridiculously steep walk. A Walker's Sensation Thai Sweet Chilli crisps roll later (which I vote the best flavour in a bread roll), there was no time for a quick nap in the field. Dark clouds rolling in and we were only about 2/3 of our way!


We went through a woodland covered in brown leaves which even though was lovely I was too scared to stop for pictures because it was eerie and I felt our lives could be in danger if we stopped. Not long after that we find ourselves with another hill climb. No time to waste I told Patch, rain is coming! After this point, the rain came pouring; we had to hide behind a bush spying - I thought there was a drunk crazy man following us but luckily he had a dog with him, and turned out he was on the phone having an argument hence it seemed like he was shouting to himself =/ oh the joy in our hearts when we saw the black beauty (my car) waiting on the side of the road for our return!!!

The little one settled in and went for a snug and I on the other hand thought ooh must be someone famous stopping the traffic moving!!! (Rihanna maybe, seeing as she was filming in fields recently)


Oh noes, just some cows getting lost. One was feeding off a neighbour's tree, which is illegal in this country of course.

Despite aching muscles for next few days, it was indeed an adventure with my little love, getting lost and only relying on some words written on a piece of paper. This weekend, I have scheduled another date weekend with Patch but this time, perhaps less or no uphill? I worry for his little legs.


What did you do over the weekend and do you have a favourite walk you always do? Have you been to Stroud Valley? I'd love to hear your stories! xx

Amy's wedding

I was really quite nervous seeing Amy from Amy Antoinette again after all these years but the moment I saw her walking down the aisle it was so beautiful it made me cry! It felt like it was only yesterday we lolled around in the summer analysing texts from boys (did he put x or xx, was there any gaps in between of the x's, the way he spells, grammar, punctuations - all very important factors!!), having German oral tests at school, trying to get into pubs & clubs and helping each other crawl back home. I remember when we finally were legal we would look forward to being ID-ed so we can whip our passports out and be like YEAHH in your face! Ah, the days of scamming boys to buy us drinks cos we were poor, drinking vodka lemonade like water, the day when we first discovered straighteners and how we'd spend ages in front of the mirror whipping our hair back and forth admiring our light & airy hair (wow, feels so old!), the days when everyone carried a Nokia 3310 or if you're cool a 8250 (not Amy though she had a brick phone she painted pink with nail varnish lol)

I won't give too much away as I'm sure Amy will no doubt write about her special day when she gets the professional pictures. The ceremony was held in a quaint little church in a charming old village and the marquee reception in a garden. The walk to the marquee was lovely, we went past a gorgeous building and lots of lovely flowers with amazing views.


I wore a purple maxi dress from FCUK and as I knew the wedding would be very shabby chic I plaited my hair for that romantic look. We had a lovely little walk around the grounds, even had a little fun with a ladybird! Ah what's ladybird in Japanese again, im certain it's something very cute-sounding.


The marquee as well as the tables were tastefully decorated, with lots of cute pictures of the bride & groom, pastel colours, bunting, really romantic and just cute. I think Amy has done a lot of the decorations herself, it goes to show you don't need a big lavish wedding to be impressive and that it is fun to see how far your money can stretch and bring out the creativity in you! Their first dance made me tear again, and for the rest of the night almost everyone was up on the dance floor swinging and rocking away to mainly motown and rock and roll! Jon & I had such a great time dancing away!


To be honest I still can't believe that Amy is a wife now but I always knew she'd settle down with someone perfect for her and no one else can be more perfect than Matt. Congratulations once again, ever so happy for you both. Now lets not wait another 5 years before we see each other again x




Have you been to a wedding recently? What did you wear and how was it? I have another wedding coming up in Oct, not sure what to wear to a winter wedding! x

This week

1. How ridiculously adorable is this? Every time I see it it makes me laugh (I secretly want one for my dog lol)it’s the next step from having this:






2. On the subject of man's best friend … with my cousin's gorgeous Doberman Kito. He is huge - when he jumps up he is almost as tall as I am, easily pushes me over and hurts when he steps on my toes! They have a female Doberman called Starr as well which is smaller than Kito but her tail is like a whip! Dobermans usually are associated with being scary & aggressive but Kito & Starr could not be any more obedient, loyal and mellow! They let the kids ride them, very protective of them as well including a 9 months old baby and would make brilliant babysitters lol! It does take a lot of training though. Ah they are so cute.

3. Someone asked me how I got my blog name 'Happy Tin Soldier' - well it came from Father of the Bride 2 when they did the baby workout, watch it here! Do the baby workout, make the baby feel good!!! So where did you get yours??

4. I've always been quite a huge Hello Kitty fan and found out this week Forever 21 will be launching Hello Kitty range on November 18th!!! So cute! I hope they'll stock it in UK branches too. I really like the cardigan, subtle and cute! Love the jumper too, nerdy kitty = kawaii!
 



5. Hasn't this week just been absolutely gorgeous with the weather? Hope it lasts for a little while longer … *clings on to summer like a sloth on a tree I'll share with you all next week some beautiful sunset / sunrise pictures I took.

What will you be doing this weekend to enjoy the last of summer sun? I'll be in London for a hen do, pictures next week! Have a lovely weekend! x

a-z of me

Just stumbled across a cute blog and saw this, thought how fun, you can all know a little bit more about me!

Age: 24
Bed Size: Double
Chore you Hate: Vacuuming - can't stand the smell and takes a lot of effort
Dogs: Yessss! My little Jack Russell Terrier Patch
Essential start of your day: Sunlight!
Favourite Colour: Depends I guess. Wall colour, natural/beige. Furnitures: white/cream! Tends to go for pastel cute colours.
Gold or Silver: mmm a bit of both!
Height: 5' 3
Instruments I (used to) play: Piano, Violin
Job Title: umm not defined. lol.
Kids: One day
Live: Gloucestershire
Motto?: Live life.
Nickname: Cookie, Jaybug, Jaybum, Fooey
Pet Peeve: Ridiculously slow drivers, people who brake at every bend, trucks & tractors before 9am.
Quote from a movie: does a quote from a trailer count? from the new film - 'Seriously, its like you're photoshopped!' lol I want to watch that film! I don't watch a lot of movies and I tend not to remember quotes or lyrics
Right or left handed: Right
Siblings: 2 older brothers
Time you wake up: Well alarm at 6, then 6.30, should wake up at 7 but eventually gets up at 7.30am with 15 minutes to get ready before dashing out the door
Underwear: cute ones
Vegetables you dislike: can't think of any
What makes you run late: SLEEP!! anything for the extra 5 minutes! Im trying to be good so do any of you have any good tips on getting up in the morning?
X-rays you've had done: None
Yummy food you make: Apple cake, lemon drizzle cake, thai green curry ...
Zoo animal: ooh pandas, chimpanzee, monkeys, tigers, lions, giraffes, elephants ... I am an animal lover!!! I also loves whales, and weirdly, mammoths!

Here are a few more:

1. I used to be able to speak 6 languages fluently, unfortunately it's now down to 4 but hopefully I'd be able to pick them up again quite easily when I need to *fingers crossed

2. I love gardening. Please don't unfriend me!! Seeing things grow and eating fresh with 0.1 food miles makes me happy! I am a bit of a granny, cooking programmes are at the top of my favourites list.

3. Im obsessed with hearts! I have a lot of them too - jewellery, luggage labels, soft furnishings, kitchen wares…check back later for more detailed posts about all the hearts I have!

4. Travelling is a big part of my life. I don't mean spending money on booze and then recovering the next day on the beach sun-baking (although nothing wrong with it if its your thing). Travelling for me is really getting to know the people, culture & customs, history, food, language etc. It's about leaving the maps behind, little or no planning and just getting lost in backstreets & little lanes. If it was up to me, I'd spend a couple of months (or years lol) in each place! I have been very lucky to have lived in Japan & Malaysia and spent some time in NZ and OZ as well as mini breaks to various other places. Keep checking my Travel Log for more travel posts!

5. I'm quite a content person - if things aren't going my way you will rarely find me complaining because I tend to just embrace how things decide to turn out. I believe there's always a reason as to why things are the way they are. Life is short so if it's raining, grab your wellies and go jump in the puddles!

6. Umm… I have a dog, his name is Patch and he is one of the most most most important things in my life ever!!! He is a little Jack Russell Terrier, bit grumpy, small dog syndrome, biiiig softie inside that loves nothing more than cuddles, kisses, blankets and being cosy! When I was packing for Japan, I turned around and found him getting warm & cosy in my pile of clothes in the luggage lol :p I wished I could have packed him along with me!

7. umm...I'm a crazy sentimental! I keep every little thing like little notes, old tickets, letters, clothes that no longer fit…I find it hard to throw things away!


I'd love to know more about you too so tell me fun facts about yourself & link by commenting! Hope you're all enjoying the last of this glorious weather, on my next post I'll talk about a wedding of an old friend's I went to recently, I'm sure you're all familiar with Amy from Amy Antoinette!

x

Let's talk feet

Feet treats with garra fish have recently became the hype and are popping up all over the place in spas, beauty salons even in some shopping centre so I thought I'd write about my encounter with these nibblers whilst travelling in Malaysia. Dr. Fish has been around in Asia for quite a few years now, even longer in Turkey where it is used to treat skin disease and let these fishes nibble your whole body whilst lying down (apparently!)

A lot of places in England I've seen have these munchers in a little fish tank where you submerge your feet in them. Im not entirely sure of the procedures here and whether if you have to sterilise your feet first etc but the one we went to was rather posh in a big mall called Mid Valley in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The place was tastefully decorated throughout with wooden platforms, calming blue lights , magazines as well as a fun glass viewing area for shoppers to have a look. How odd, looking at someone's feet whilst shopping. mmm

First we had to sterilise our feet / lower legs before proceeding to greet these hungry creatures. There were 3 different types - small, medium and you guessed it, large. We started with the small and sure enough they crowd around your feet the second you plunge your feet in the water. Cue lots of squealing (like a piggy). It took me a while to build up the courage, but eventually, my feet went in. Now growing up with 2 brothers means I'm not particularly ticklish but these tiny little nibs here and there certainly took over any sense of immunity I've built up over the years. Even Jon found it difficult to not wriggle around. We then tried the medium fish which I found a tad scary as they are remarkably bigger in size than the cute little ones. I didn't stay for long because you certainly can feel their nibble and me no likey that even though it is a lot less ticklish! Needless to say, I took one look at the larger fishies and thought no you are an ACTUAL fish, go find some food yourself and off I went, back to the hungry little ones.

Here's the video:




My mum & Jon actually preferred the medium ones as they were less ticklish & more relaxing apparently. I couldn't bear the thought of actual animals feeding off me (fear of being someone/something else's food) so I stuck with the smaller ones. After all the commotion, I had fun just sat there reading a magazine drifting off to an afternoon nap …. 30 minutes session was more than enough as we washed our feet again & continued our shopping with softer legs in search for some fish food ourselves!

Personally, I don’t know if I felt any difference but the experience was definitely fun (see the video below). I'm also not entirely sure if it is that hygienic but I would say sterilising must help. The best part of this experience was the price! It worked out to be like I don’t know £5 for 3 of us, 30 minutes each in a luxurious place! Pretty amazing considering prices here are like £25 for 20 minutes in a basic tank! Funny story actually, it was mother's day then & they ran a promotion of buy 1 and your parents go free so I had to pretend Jon was my stepdad. My mum & Jon just stood there lost for words! Oh how I wish I took a picture of the receptionist's face. We are a funny bunch...We'd do anything for a spot of freebies we would.

Have you ever tried fish pedicures? What did you think of it? Do you think it helps, or do you have a feet phobia? I'd love to hear from you.

Jay x

One syllable

Is that how you spell syllable? I'm in my robe & being way too lazy to check!

I had a really fun weekend, first camping (more later) and then driving for the first time to London (ok it was Kingston which is outside of London but still very near London lol) it was scary but with my trusted satnav in a sexy Irish voice, Im proud to say I made it there & back.

A spontaneous drive to London for a very fun occasion! A little meet up with the Posh&Becks of the blogosphere --- Tim & fourfeetnine Audrey! I had no idea but apparently this is the first meet up Audrey has ever done! I hope they had fun because Jon & I definitely did, we were in constant stitches of laughter!

 
There's Audrey, me & Jon with Jon looking very out of place and a pic of Tim & Jon.

We missed each other when Jon & I were travelling in Malaysia, but so glad we got to meet up eventually. As expected, the pair are absolutely gorgeous & just lovely!! Turns out Audrey used to read my blog back in the days when blogging was not cool (yet) and her host sister in Japan goes to the university in Kyoto that I went for a summer program! funny how the World works hey.

So here are a couple fun things about Audrey & Tim, which I'm sure you'd already know if you read their blogs! Audrey can't actually drink tea or coffee or I'd have definitely enjoyed filming her bouncing down London town like a little kangaroo! Um she can clap her hands above her head (very fun random fact). She loves museums & learning about history, especially torture chambers & how people used to be tortured. Tim, should you be worried? lol. As for Tim, is there anywhere he hasn't been? He is one well-travelled soul - I would have loved to have sat for hours just listening to his travel stories! Oh Audrey does.not.do.outdoors but im hoping to sparkle the fairy magic and sway her around with lots of outdoorsy stuff to be written here! oh oh oh and she is ACTUALLY 4 ft 9! I wanted to squish her. like bubble wrap.

We had really interesting chats about cultural differences, Japan (we both spent a year there), travels, history, blogs...I love it as it's not very often you meet someone for the first time and feel like you could have spent hours just blabbering on! There was so much to talk about, hopefully we'll have more time to dig into a good old natter next time! If I could sum Audrey up in 3 words, it'd be intelligent, lovely & down to earth. For Tim, Funny, good sense of humour & an irrational shopper. ha ha yes I like this on me, I will have three of them. lol.

They also told us that in Malaysia alone there's like over I dont know, a hundred thousand blogs? So if you've hopped over from Audrey's or Tim's blog, or anywhere else in the World, drop a comment or tweet, I'd love to read your blog as I realise how little I know about the blogging World and how few blogs I actually follow! Or perhaps you can tell me your favourite bloggers? If you think oh this blog is sad & empty, it really is hey, but all will change in due time. promise. promise. promise. It's in the middle of um a little construction period.

aaand finally, anyone know how old buildings in Oxford Circus are? Pre or Post war? oh and titled so because, it was one day with jon, jay, tim and aud. One syllable :)


p/s updated this new burogu (blog) with some posts from old burogu will shift & move around more this week :) x

New puppy??

After hearing that 2011 has the most abandoned/stray/unwanted dogs in 11 years on the radio, I was on various rescue center websites seeing if there's anything that would tickle our fancy and I FELL IN LOVE instantly when i saw this little guy:



He's only 1, a little terrier called Paddy! along with Patch, I thought they would make a cute pair! We took Patch in when he was 9 months old & unwanted, and he's turned out to be the cutest little thing ever. That was 7 years ago! We'd love him to have a little friend to be with so today we went to the rescue center to see Paddy...I was SO excited!

Paddy was naturally an excitable dog, Patch had to snap at him a couple times to tell him to behave! The lady said at the end she can tell Paddy would benefit from being with Patch as Patch would tell him to behave & teach him all he needs to know to be a good boy! I would have reserved him straight away, but I still have to get through my mum & dad .... *fingers crossed!

If you're looking to have a new pet, have you thought of rescuing one? They are often misunderstood as being wild and naughty, but that really isn't the case! They are just nervous, and takes some time to settle in! Try looking at rescue centers, you might be surprised at what you will find! You'll also be helping these poor animals have a better home!

Have a lovely weekend x

Damn you autocorrect

I want to share with you this page that made me LAUGH so so so much.
Maybe you've all already seen it and im just a late bloomer in finding it!


Which one is your favourite?

x

Oh

Ohmygoodness I didn't realise I'd be featured as a guest blogger here - all you lovely readers that came through here from Amy's site - Hellooo *waves I honestly didn't think it'd be posted as once I sent Amy the post I re-read it and thought oh it's rubbish & had asked Amy to not post it and to delete it! But thanks Amy, you've given me the motivation to get going!

I'm very sorry this page is a little sorry & lonely & messy & rubbish, I haven't had much time to start on it! Like the picture above, my life is a little in knots and tangles at the moment but now I am definitely motivated to make a start since being featured on Amy's blog! So definitely bear with me, all will be up & coming :)

You might know me from a previous blog I had started, if you do, this is my new one, so click follow on google friends! And if you're new here, Hello it'd be great if you would click follow I promise some great and fun posts coming up including a little Nip & Fab giveaway, some of the many weddings I've been to lately including Amy Antoinette's as well as LOTS and LOTS of travels posts seeing as I've just come back from a 6 months travel!

I am kicking my butt right now and going straight into blog-fixing.

See you all sooon
Jay xoxo

p/s I've recently started using Twitter, but I really have no idea what you do on Twitter lol. Here is me x