Walking with Jack Frost by my side.

I need to give a HUGE shout out and heart felt THANK YOU's  to all my new followers! I seem to have tripled my following number since last week! It's such a nice feeling and I really do appreciate each and every new follower and comment that spring up on Brag Doll. So, Thank You! Thank you for having faith in me and this space, and liking what you see enough to stay a while and maybe return for a few more helpings. I make you the promise, my new, and dedicated followers, that I will try to post more often, become less 'wordy' in my posts and keep Brag Doll evolving and up to date. As I've said before, if you have any advice or experience, tips or just general thoughts on how I can improve or grow, then please do drop me a line, either on here, twitter, or by email. I really appreciate each one.

The reason why I've suddenly grown is due to signing up for the Independent Fashion Bloggers site. I stumbled across it the other day via another blog and decided to try for membership. I got it and was quickly inundated with many, many welcoming emails showing support and tips on how to best get to grips with the website. I've found so many new friendly contacts, from all around the world! It really has cheered me up and pulled me out of the funk that I've been in since Christmas. I'm filled with such excitement at being involved in such an established community.

So this weekend we finally had some really, really cold weather. It was white with frost and ice with stunning blue skies. We put on our warmest clothes and headed out for a wander round the frozen town and scout out some new eateries for our visitors at the end of the month. We walked the scenic route into town, via Regent Road - if you know it. I love that way into town from our flat, it gives you a wonderful view of Arthur's seat, the parliament and the Old Town. It was strangely busy, loads of people with the same idea as us I guess. We stopped to take some poses just before the road drops back down to Princes Street. There's a fantastic view where these were taken, but it's difficult to make out because the sun was so low. I really want a decent camera, I look at other blogs and really love the look of their photos, and mine look so amateur in comparison. But my plan is to save up every month when I've got a regular income again. Bring it on.

I was so excited that it was so cold. I finally got to wear my sheepskin coat for the first time this year. I wore it LOADS last year in the snowy winter, it was so cold for months and it was the only thing that would keep out the chill. I love it, it's just so comfortable to be in and so incredibly warm. It's another one of my Mums old coats,  love inheriting her castoffs that she no longer wears or fits into. It's great. I don't agree with fur on clothes, not new ones, but vintage items, that have had a previous owner and were created before they became mine, I feel like it would be a waste for it to be binned or never worn.

Anyway, it's crazy warm! So warm in fact that I wished I hadn't put it on until we'd got to the top of the hill. It's so heavy too! But super for the extreme low temperatures.

Ok... so I'm wearing a Christmas jumper... and it's January now.... but I bought it and hadn't worn it yet, and it's still kinda a winter jumper, not just a Christmas one... so I just went along with it anyway... and got some seriously funny looks. Which I quite like - it gives people something to talk about when they get home and reflect on the day :-) I am looking forward to digging it out again next Christmas. I didn't quite get this one into the Chictopia Ugly Sweater contest..... next year.

I got the black satchel from Primark last week. I got a similar one from Accessorize's sale, but I'd like to keep that one good, for work (once I get some) and the job interviews that I've had and have coming up. It's a lovely dark red colour and is a perfect fit for the usual interview things, but not much else. So when I saw this black one in Primark for super cheap, and bigger than my other one, I thought Yes Please! But, it's not actually as good as I was anticipating. The catch just doesn't shut unless you do some sort of weird leaning, dancing, pushing manoeuvring... or get someone else to help :-P But I'm going to persevere and hopefully it'll become slacker and more co-operative.  

I'm also sporting my usual 'heilan coo' ear muffs, wrangler boots and thick jeans.... what you cant tell... is that I've got about 4 layers under my jumper... and thick thermals under my jeans (hense no skirt and tights), it was that cold! Look at my freezing red face too.... how flattering! I'm really looking forward to warmer days so that we can explore wider afield and not be shrouded in dark just at the beginning of the afternoon. Spring... please come and visit soon! I miss you!!

Our day was short, productive, but lovely! A wee jaunt into town enjoying the still, frosty, winter day! Cold, but intensely beautiful! The atmosphere had a wonderful shimmer and white sheen to it all as the air froze. All the greenery places were covered in ground frost (or hoar frost, tee hee hee). Really beautiful, and could so easily go unnoticed by many.

We walked back via a nice chain restaurant where we enjoyed a 'free' meal courtesy of Stu's Mum who wrote a wee letter to the chain about a previous meal we'd had before Christmas that just wasn't up to scratch at all! It was really quite awful what they put in-front of us and expected us to pay full price for! We said nothing at the time, just ate, paid and left. But we got a pair of £10 vouchers through the door last week with a lovely letter from the company and Stu's Mum. Such a nice surprise. So we had a nice Sunday dinner on them. Woo!

So that was our weekend recently really, nothing much happening, just waiting for the warmer, brighter days, and the daily routine of applying for jobs, being rejected from jobs, being taunted with interviews and the potential of jobs, then the rejection. It has to end soon.... right? I've lost count the number I've applied for. Thank goodness for Brag Doll, the distraction and other purpose that it gives my days! And all my lovely new readers and followers :-) The next few weekends should be good, a visitor next Friday, and then friends visiting for a joint birthday. Bring it on :-)

New Year - Old Memories.

Just a quick, random, photo filled post. Apologies for the grainy photos - took them while it was quite dark in the room.


We we're putting away the Christmas decorations today, a sad event in itself since that means it's over for another year, but we came across a wee festive looking box that immediately filled me with wonderful, happy nostalgia. I'm not sure how we missed this box putting the tree up, but I'm so glad I found it again this side of Christmas. It's a very dear item to me, even if it's a worse for wear.

 And inside this mysterious Christmassy looking box is something that fills me with wonderful childhood memories - oh and the box is filled with these lovely wee guys.

Beautifully hand carved, wooden, vintage/retro tree decorations. Delicately painted and glued together with wee wings, musical instruments, presents and ski poles.

I've no idea where they are from, or how long we've had them, but they've been in my family for as long as I remember. I associate them with the smell of real pine trees we used to cut down from the forest behind us (that's right, I'm a country bumpkin, you'll see more of Foyers later on here) and with the chocolate baubles you used to get - does anyone else remember them? It used to be my job to decorate the tree (I think it probably got 'amended' by my parents afterwards) and these were always my pride and joy. Think I used to take them off and play with them too - maybe explains why only a handful are still intact. But they are still beautiful!

They really are delicate wee things - varying between a couple of centimetres to about an inch/inch and a half. A lot of them are wee Angels in various poses - like the 3 above. I remember their wings really clearly, I also remember them snapping off :'( but the majority of them still have the original tree loops so I'm tempted to put them on our tree next year - a vintage inspired tree :-)

There's around 4 wee gnomes/elves with pointy felt hats like the one in the third picture, but since they're spheres they don't really stand up. Very cute wee beardless things though. The four bells are beautifully painted - two pairs with opposite colours. Could maybe do with a wee touch up to their paint. I love the wee guys on sledges - they look like they're having fun. Both of those Angels still have their wings. I think the presents used to have wee bows on them too. I'd love to make a wee wintery scene to put them all in actually, like something you'd find in the fancy shop windows. Maybe next year.

A wonderful choir scene with soldiers and Angels singing. I think they all had something in their hands - now it's only a few. The drummers definitely had beaters and I think the furthest right Angel had cymbals but now she's only got one arm - how sad. I asked Mum tonight where they came from but she doesn't remember. I'll need to show them to her next time she's down. But I'm so glad I found them. They bring back such vivid childhood memories of a much simpler time, a time where I still had Christmas at home. As much as I love hosting, I do miss waking up to my wonderful Foyers view - simply stunning in winter, and summer, and well.... always. Think I'll need a trip home soon after reliving all these childhood memories.


The box says there are 20 of them inside, there are 25 here... so obviously there were multiple boxes with different characters - I only remember this one box, so they must be from before my time. Wow! 


They're very precious to me, if I didn't realise before, I sure do now. I'm going to keep them very safe from now on - somewhere that I'll remember where they are for next year.

One last picture before I head to bed. Lovely wee crocheted hanging decorations that were in the same box. I remember these well too. Not sure if Mum made them or they came from somewhere else - I'll need to show them to my parents and hope they remember. I love the face of Santa. So unusual. The heart is really delicate too. Lovely.


Do you have any old decorations that trigger any childhood memories? Or any other item that might do the same? I love it when that happens. Guess it shows I had a happy and full childhood.


Do you recognise any of these? Or know where they might have come from/rough age? I'd be fascinated to find out.


For now - night night, I'm off to put these lovely things somewhere safe until next year.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Yay! Christmas! Santa on a polar bear! YEAH!

Just a short, heavily photo-filled, post to share my excitement for CHRISTMAS! EEEEEE!!! Not long now! I really am so very festive this year, more so than usual. I can't help but think it's because I've got an advent calendar again this year. I didn't have one last year so nothing to visibly move the days forward. Although I did have a major Christmas binge in my classroom last year, so I was excited during work, and then maybe the excitement had run out of my system by the time I got home - like most of my energy did, life of teaching 6 year olds. We did have our major snow week too last year.... ok.... maybe I was equally as excited as this year. (I might actually put up some snow pics from last year since we've still not had any snow!) But I love it! I'm filled with ripples of excited anticipation for the big day! And I know the anticipation is almost always better than the real thing, so I'm enjoying it lots while I have it. Yay! 

Saw this in a shop window. Not Christmassy, but I love it,
it's just such a Scottish take on an English craze! I'd love something of this - necklace maybe?

It's also really nice to walk around the town, look at wonderful Christmas window displays, and see all the street decorations varying with each street. The shops really do go all out on their displays. They just add to my excitement - I'm like a little kid and I really hope it never changes.

Empty Princes Street for a change.
Crisp clear day! Cold! Beautiful!

So this post is really just to share my excitement with the rest of the internet world. A few photos to mark my travels over this month and the lead up to the most celebrated two events of the year - Christmas and Hogmanay! Woo. Can't wait for both. I can't believe there's only a week to go till Christmas Eve. Wow! And only 6 days till Stu and I celebrate Fakemass. So technically I get 2 Christmas'.

This weekend was the last real time to go shopping and my gosh were there a LOT of people out! Was a good day though. Stu's lovely Mum came through to go gift hunting for me (how lucky am i?!) and then she and I went hunting for a few more things for Stu. Easy peasy! Then we stayed in town and wandered round with a couple of other friends through from Dundee. I'm really enjoying going into town and enjoying Edinburgh at this time of year and not having to hop back on a train to head back to Dundee. I live here now :-D sometimes I need reminding of that.

Same day, hours later - almost same place.

Another reason I'm so festive this year, I think, is being able to stay at home and watch all the Christmassy films that are on TV during the day - one of the benefits of being jobless just now. Every cloud eh?

I really get a feel for the seasons by the weather. Do you ever get that? You're out and about on a day and suddenly you think - hmm it's cold and dry and crisp, feels like today should be Halloween? It happens most around the Autumn/Winter time, probably because so many things happen during this time. I may be the only one that feels this - I hope I'm not alone. 

But recently, looking out my window to Arthur's Seat, and walking through the park into town, I really do get the feeling that its Christmas, or very close to. Ah its a good time! I'm glad I've got such a positive outlook on things just now, it would be so easy to let the negativity get the best of me. And I really hope Hogmanay is good on the 31st, so many years have just been meh when they had so much promise, but hopefully living here now will be much better. Bring it on!

The Red Bus - selling Pizza and a Pint. Not bad!
Snapped with Santa's sleigh coming past, with Stu and Ewan enjoying mulled cider. 

Some shops really do put a lot of effort into their displays! Especially the high end shops like the two here. They are both jewellery shops, with very very expensive beautiful items. I really love the wee snow-y scene with the park bench. Such a simple idea but executed so brilliantly. The wee LCD screen actually had a film playing snow falling. Really did make a wonderful display. Even the wee post box. They had 4 of these wee things, I'd love one, just to sit and watch. And the image next to it, my word! They had watches costing 50K+! 

Incredible! But they were Rolex. They had a lovely wee snow-y scene too, and had a wee toy train on a circular track, pulling trailers of rings and earrings. I took Stu back to see it later but they'd cleared the display of everything valuable, just had price tags and empty stands, and a dead track. So sad compared to earlier - but I did manage to snap Santa's sleigh!

And some pubs just go all out! Like the Dome on George Street. It's legendary at Christmas so I had to pop in and have a look. I've driven passed it loads and always marvelled at the huge wreath covered columns outside and wondered what it was like elsewhere. It was wonderful! Like stepping into a M&S advert! It even smelt of Christmas! My photos don't do it justice, but my emotions thinking back do!

The columns outside.

There was even a red carpet to walk up and get in. And a waiting list, it was THAT busy! But worth the wait to get inside, to the Christmas scented warmth.

Main bar, with stunning door decorations.

You can see the centre-piece Christmas tree in the centre of the main bar. They had loads of other ones, smaller but equally as beautiful, on each of the stairways.  They apparently have had an upside down tree hanging over the bar before. I'd love to have seen that.

Door to foyer and red carpet.

The place is huge. I'd love to go back sometime that it's not packed! They have a huge outside area too, with a huge tree, all lit up, with bows and presents and everything. It was like a Christmas dream! Definitely worth braving the cold to see.

Five days of Festive Frolics - Part 3.

Day 5: Touristy Edinburgh Continues.

FREEEEEEEDOM! Not much worry of it melting in this weather.

So, after our busy Saturday day and evening, and a long deep mildly drunk sleep, we headed back out to embrace a less windy, cloudlessly beautiful but cold, Sunday! The last day of the Brighton Boys staying. We had a lovely brunch/lunch at a famous pub on the Mile called The World's End. Again, I highly recommend a visit if you get the chance. Friendly staff, lovely food at reasonable prices, all in a snug pub like atmosphere, looking out onto tourists walking by. Very good! 


Post lunch walks led to a second and more successful visit to the Castle. Yay, we got in! There were incredible ice sculptures outside on the ramparts, and found the guy above, backlit by a low sun, and wonderful picturesque views of a crisp winter city-scape.

It was still so busy, even for the middle of winter! Just goes to show that Edinburgh really is an all year round city that tourists love - especially ones from further afield.

View from the Castle walls of the City Skyline, facing North. Really high up, you can see the Kingdom of Fife over the water.

The boys posing in front of the epic view. I think this one makes Adam look a bit like a puppet. Either that or Bruno is trying to grab his neck and throw him over the side. It makes me smile either way. It kind of sums Adam up - silly poses and always chirpy. He's good for cheering you up when you're down.

 A few compulsory cannon shots before heading further into the Castle. It was very, very cold to sit on, and surprisingly difficult to get up on to. Wearing my trusty duffel coat again and Wrangler boots. Different layers underneath though. We were asked to do a group photo of the 4 of us shortly after this, but the Castle Photographer. It was going to be really good, and I wanted to splash out and buy a copy as a memento of the wonderful weekend, but when we went to look and buy at the end of the day, it had got lost in the system somewhere. Totally gutted. The photographer was lovely though, and she really loved my jumper. Her gran was knitting one for her for Christmas, of a dinosaur! AMAZING!

Low sun hitting more of the Castle walls, the Foog's Gate apparently. So low, even though it was barely passed midday.

One of the many huge cannons pointing out from the castle. They were busy setting up fireworks close to these cannons, so I wonder if that's where they set them off for New Year. I always thought it was on the side of the hill (volcano) that the Castle was built on. Learn something new...

 Looking through the cannon holes into the Esplanade below. During the summer they deck the whole thing out in rows of chairs, a bit like football stands, for the military tattoo that runs. It's on my 'to-do' list so one of these years I'll get to it. Tickets sell out years in advance though. Look at the tiny people below. That's where we took the photos the day before, and where the ice sculptures are.

Time for a few outfit poses outside the Military History Museum.  It was really clear and really cold that day so I opted for the 'many layers' look, with the snowmen on top. I love this Primark snowman jumper. I received so many strange looks from spect, but I really like it. It makes me feel so festive wearing it. And totally hides the fact that I've got about 5 layers underneath. My face has the rosy glow of the cold again. I seem to specialise in that this year. But I was really cosy.

Can't really see it, but I've got on my lovely Penny Farthing necklace that I got from Hannah Make's Things earlier in the year. She has some really lovely things, and very good prices. I've bought quite a lot from her. I'll show more of her things, and my things later on.

The rediculously long queue to see the crown jewels.
I'd like to say we didn't join it, but we did.

More walking around the castle and in and out the amazing buildings, to the Royal Palace where the Crown Jewels are kept, along with our precious Stone of Destiny. The queue was so long, and slow moving, but the lead up to the jewels was really interesting and all about our history and importance of the Stone of Destiny - things every Scot should know. The building behind the queue is the memorial for all the soldiers lost in various wars. It was really quite emotional in there. People had come to pay respects to the dead, family, friends all lost whilst fighting for their country. There were walls and plaques dedicated to every war fought, regardless of length or size, with lists of soldier's names that people could pay respect to. So many wars that I had never heard of. It got quite busy, and quite noisy, and suddenly the guard shouted for quiet and told people to either show respect or get out and that it wasn't part of the Castle Museum, it was a genuine place of mourning that people paid to get into pay respects. I was really moved by the guard saying that. I dare say it was his job, but it must have taken a lot of courage to speak up like that and call for silence - reminded me of being in class and doing the same when my children got too loud.

Low winter sun reflections.

Onwards and further into the Castle Ramparts, into the Great Hall. Incredible wood lined walls, decorated with coats of arms and swords - took me a while to realise just what they were, but it was very impressive. But the thing that moved me the most was the perfect timing of us being in the room - look how the light hits the stained glass and bounces it off the wall. It's so beautiful! And we could so easily have missed it, or just not noticed it. Would have been nice to get there a little earlier to see all 6 panels shown instead of the 3. But still, beautiful!

Last few outfit poses before heading back down and for something to warm us up! I really do love this jumper, it's just so over the top! I may need to locate some additional 'Ugly Christmas' jumpers. Love them! And it really does hide the layers, just makes me look a little more chubby than I really am. Adam is singing the 'song of the weekend' - Glee sing 'Alone' - he really does know how make you laugh! Was such fun walking around the city singing it (well, the few words we knew) so loud... we have no shame when we are together... alcohol just enhances this! Yay!

Last photo of the city view - higher than the previous panorama photo. Really makes you realise how high the castle is. Spot Bruno and Adam at the bottom, ready to leave for somewhere warm - poor wee English boys, they just don't understand cold till they visit, and their wardrobe just isn't suitable! But it does give a good reason to drink excessive amounts of hot chocolate.

Ridiculously large flaming cocktail -
very gin filled, very strong! 

So on to dinner, and cocktails at The Villager on George iv bridge. First time in there and it was very good. We only sat down to get a first drink, then realised we were hungry, moved to a proper table and didn't leave for hours after! I can recommend the Penne Pasta with Pesto and Pinenuts (lots of P's). Check out their toilets if you go too, not really one to talk about such things, but they were very comfortable and decorated really nicely - and were playing radio plays over speakers, I wanted to linger just to hear more. There were big chairs and mirrors so obviously people tend to do so - I'll take a picture of just how amazing a loo it is next time.


Cocktails are very nice too - and they certainly don't skimp on the booze content. It was nice to be in the warmth again, and have a little healthier complexion. 


And so the wonderful weekend came to an end. But it was busy and very fun filled. Here's to the rest of December being just as busy! Off to Glasgow again this weekend to see my lovely Sarah again! I'm being banished from the City so Stu can buy my presents without the risk of me seeing where they are from - romantic - he's even paying for my train ticket. Yay!