2012 Best Buys

Happy New Year one and all!

Hoping everyone had a wonderful Xmas and New Year this year.  Mine was relaxing and full of Family Fun & Frolics.

2012 has been a good year for me, seeing the birth of my niece, my Sis turned 40, had a great year at work, and seen lots of my wonderful family.  It has not all been plain sailing as one of my Bro-in-Law's has not got to the bottom of his arrhythmia heart defect - see previous post - resulting in 2 shocks a few days ago, rendering him hospitalised, but let's hope he stabilises in 2013.

Anyway, as it is now 2013, I thought I would share some of my best purchases in 2012.

1st up, I think it has to be the YSL Tributes, that I bought when I went for a cocktail in HNs in Manchester.  That was one expensive cocktail!

See previous post for the full low down, but suffice to say, it was all Stylisa's fault!

I think the next fabulous purchase had to be my retina screen iPad.  Previously called the iPad 3 before it was renamed after the introduction of the lightening connector.

I did not need an iPad. I now wouldn't be without it!  I also had to buy the pink Marc Jacobs cover which is padded (from HN's Manchester), so absolutely great! The iPad is great for quick and easy to access the internet, email etc.  However, I don't use it for blogging as the app is not great.

A classic dress is next.  I love this Phase Eight Penelope dress.  I love monochrome anyway, and this 60s shift dress style really suits my shape.  It was also reduced, so it would have been rude not to purchase!

Next up is my Michael Kors bag.  I needed a lighter coloured classic bag, so when I spotted this in the US, it was a no brainer.  Especially as it was more than £100 cheaper in the US than over here.  I also got amazing service in Nordstrom as I had a credit card nightmare.  The CC company thought there were fraudulent purchases going on - little did they know it was just me shopping!  You'd have thought they would know by now, right?!

I absolutely love this tote and get loads of comments each time I wear it.  Very versatile too with the shoulder strap.

Next up is my iPhone 5.  Despite needing to leave T-Mobile and taking my custom to O2, and having a customer service nightmare, I absolutely love my iPhone 5 and can often be found surgically attached to it.

I had the 3GS before, so this in comparison is on another level totally. It is super fast, and as I got the 64GB one, I have all my beloved photos stored on it - all 11,000!

Whilst the next item isn't technically MY purchase, it is a purchase for me!  So I need to include it as it was the 1st purchase  from my Niece.  I was a very surprised Aunty when she gave me this on my birthday this year!  What impeccable taste she has!  She was just 4 months then - she clearly has Aunty's shopping gene!

This was bought from local Sheffield boutique Lizziz on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield who stocks lots of Missoni and Anya Hindmarch accessories as well as By Malene Birger, Halston Heritage and more.  I love this scarf as it is shiny, with lurex, I love the magenta colouring, and it is from my niece - so pretty much perfect.

And finally, my final purchase of 2012, relatively speaking, not including Xmas and bits and bobs are my By Malene Birger black Demetra boots.  I bought them from the lovely Jo at BlackWhiteDenim (@BlackWhiteDenim) when we headed over there for a tweet up end-November.  I met up with Selina (mrs_monkeycat), Penny (@PJC16 who came over from New Zealand) as well as Jo herself (@JoBWDenim) and Fashion Boy (JordanJMcDowell) and the lovely Pippa from Rumpus Resort (@P_RumpusResort).

By Malene Birger Demetra Boots. Buy from BWD here

Jo's customer service is 2nd to none, making me feel as if passing over my hard earned cash was almost a favour to me!  This is the type of customer service that everyone should adopt.

These boots are super sexy yet very comfy and have pretty much lived in them the last month!

So I shall leave you with my happy smiley beauty and wish you all a fabulous fun-filled 2013.

With lots of love
Kate 
xxxx

Fabrice Muamba

All the news of poor Fabrice collapsing on the football pitch yesterday resonates very deeply with me.

2 years ago mid February I received 40+ missed calls from my older sister. I eventually picked up at 0345. She was calling to tell me her (32 yo) husband had had a cardiac arrest and was fighting for his life in hospital. My dad came down to tell me also. So I threw a suitcase together and started the hour's journey north to go and look after my nephew.

It was an agonising week of him being in intensive care. The doctors told us to prepare for him never waking up and also if he did, there'd be a strong possibility of brain damage. My sister kept a vigil at his bedside morning, noon and night. I did visit the hospital but admittedly was not very brave and lasted 20 seconds in the intensive care unit.

Thankfully he did wake up but was clearly very poorly. He had no idea where he was and whilst talking gibberish he remained his polite and articulate self.

As for the cause? This is the £6m question. The cardiac arrest was not a heart attack. It was nothing to do with blocked arteries or an unhealthy lifestyle. Nothing hereditary either. The consultants think that it was a condition he'd had all his life & just happened during that fateful night in February.

The reason he made a recovery was down to the 20 minutes of CPR my sister carried out on him until the ambulance arrived.

She saved his life.

This whole episode isn't over. He has a pacemaker fitted, they never really got to the bottom of the causes let alone the full solution, so my sister and her husband live with this every day. He's now just 34.

A few things to note here:
*Everyone should do First Aid
*The NHS are pretty amazing
*Live every day as if it's your last
*Give love and thanks to those that mean the most to you

All my thoughts are with Fabrice's family, as it is a truly agonising time.

Much love 💗
Kate x