Vintage Rocks

Hello!
My lovely chum Kitty gave me some vouchers for Vintage Rocks Hair Parlour as birthday treat. I've been trying to grow my hair, not really sure why because I always prefer it when it's short, anyway I just got fed up and asked the hairdresser to cut it all off again into a pixie cut. I'm so happy with it again! In a couple of weeks a friend and I are running in The Race for Life so for charity (Sorry Dad!!) I've dyed my hair bright pink! I got all sorts of comments today about the colour of my hair, mostly "you're too late for the Giro" "Aren't you a bit too old for pink hair?" The big lad's first impression was one of horror, then he came around and actually quite likes it, it's all for a good cause and nothing a brown hair dye won't sort out in a couple of weeks time!

Vintage rocks is such a cute little parlour! I love the decor, cats and skulls everywhere! The girls are all lovely too! I'll get some pictures taken of the new hair, see what you think? I coloured my hair myself so no reflection on Vintage Rocks!! I always miss bits!

Hope you're having a great week so far xxxx

Let's go outside

Hello!
I'm enjoying spending more time in the garden. The grass has been well fertilised by the chickens during the winter and is looking greener than ever, the big tree in the neighbours garden is blossoming, the strawberries are growing and after a warmer winter will hopefully be sweeter too this year and the rocket patch after a bad year last year has all of a sudden come to life, we've enough rocket for the whole street! It's nice to be able to go the garden for fresh salad during the summer months. I remembered a pile of old floor boards in our attic, the big lad fetched them for me, I sawed them to size, used four corner posts and screwed the whole lot together for a new salad bed. The floorboards work well because they click together. I've planted spinach, lettuce and coriander. I love getting my hands dirty and watching for the first signs of life in the patch. Here's the latest edition....

During the dig I found a marble

I put Bob to work

That was a couple of weeks ago, there are now lots of little leaves growing and other exciting things happening in the garden too, I'll share some pictures during the week.

In other blog news! My friend Alison and her friend Sue have just started their new blog check it out HERE!!

Have you been up to anything exciting in the garden?
Have a lovely weekend xxxx

Can you help?

Hello!

I'm trying to help my sister Kathryn aka Bob raise funds for a charity visit she and a group of people are making to India in June. During the visit the group will spend time in the slums and in orphanages, painting murals and playing with the children. I thought I could have some sort of giveaway on my blog and Instagram were by if you donate you are entered in to win a prize. You can donate whatever you can via PayPal (my email address is lindagazzaboyle@hotmail.co.uk) and I will put the names into a hat and pick ten winners on the 11th of June. Bob is also abseiling down the side of the Europa on Sunday! Eekkk! I'll stick to blog giveaways!

Please feel free to share this on your blog too! Xxxxx

Hope you're all having a great week

Kitchen Makeover Update

Hello!
I'm very pleased to say the smashed vintage plates mosiac in the kitchen is FINISHED!!!! I ruined the tiles ages ago by painting them, the paint started to chip off and it looked a bit crap and dark. The tiles under the windowsill were given the mosiac makeover first and it was quick to cover such a small area. The tiles on the other side were a different story, I started it ages ago and totally lost momentum with it. It sat unfinished for months until I finally crawled out of my I can't be arsed phase, the big lad and I joined forces and got the project finished. I'm really happy with how it looks! The kitchen makeover continues......

My little sunflower seedlings, a birthday present from my sister are sprouting up!

Have a great week everyone xxx

Belfast Welcomes the Giro D'Italia

Hello!
This weekend sees the Giro D'Italia sweep through Northern Ireland. The race starts in Belfast and to welcome everyone taking part the city has gone pink crazy!

These have bloomed! Perfect timing!

Oxfam vintage on Botanic Avenue

A friendly Italian who didn't mind me snapping his jacket

Pink bikes are everywhere, these ones outside Filthy Mc Nasty's pub on the Dublin Road

Our pink buses, always pink not just for the Giro

The famous red benches at The Duke of York pub are now a pretty pink

Bumping into a pretty pink haired girl! Very Jem!

North Street graffiti

I called in to see my sisters where they work and to have my costume fitted for Saturdays performance, I'm Prince Charming in the Lisburn Lord Major's parade! They already had a Cinderella, raging!! Rummaging through the rails of the costume department I spied this fab vintage pink dress, teamed it with the perfect pink curly wig and Tah Dah I am Gina D'Italia! 
Have a great weekend everyone!xxx

It never rains but it pours

Hello!
You know the old story....I only went out for milk (how many times have I started a blog with this line!) It's just that the shop selling milk happens to be slap bang in the middle of a street full of charity shops, trying hard to remember Stelios's walk on advice, I'm weak and head in just for a wee look. You know the saying wait all day for a bus and then three come at once, well that's kinda what happened except it was umbrellas. I'm forever getting completely soaked, so when I spied three vintage designer umbrellas in the corner I snapped them up, they were a bargain too £3.50 each. My only saving grace is that these are an extremely useful buy and they feel really sturdy, ok so they don't fit in your handbag but when it's not raining they double up as a walking stick for me(I'm 5ft 1) I tested the pretty red one of Monday and as my sisters new pink brollie blew inside out mine stayed strong,  they don't make brollies like they used to. 

All that said, I really hope it doesn't rain!

Have a great week everyone!! xx

The big lads birthday surprise

Hello!

I turned 34 last Tuesday. The big lad had said he had outdone himself this time on the present front and I thought things couldn't get any better after the sandwich ring at Christmas well I was wrong. What does someone get the girl who has everything and wants nothing? So... I love Channel Four's programme Hoarders and the psycotherapist Stelios Kiosses who helps people realise their hoarding ways and enables them to transform their lives for the better. If you have read this blog from time to time you'll know about my collections, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed at how much I have, I bought a lot last year, feeling unhappy in my old job was a great contributor to how much I was buying I realise that now. Now I'll ask myself do I really need this? Can I afford this? Joy is in people not in things! Don't get me wrong I still love nothing more than a mooch in the charity shops but I don't feel the need to "rescue" every bit of vintage I see. Anyhow.....to cut a long story short, the big lad emailed Stelios and he sent a signed picture to wish me happy birthday!!! Eeeekkkk!! Literally the best present ever! Thank you to Stelios for helping the hoarders of the world and for sending the picture and thanks to the big lad! How will you out do this one? 

Here's a little picture of me age four, pictured with my older sisters Barbie collection, I could never keep my eyes open in photos!

And thirty years later age 34, eh almost still have the same hair do!

Here's to being 34!

Have a great weekend everyone xxxx