My new and old necklaces..

Just wanted to share with you a couple of new and old necklaces that have come into my possession of late!

First up is this gorgeous red, semi precious stone necklace that I won in The People Shop raffle.

I hardly ever win when I enter raffles and so not only was I delighted to score a prize, I was over the moon that it was red too!

The People Shop say they are Officially Birmingham's Nicest Shop. Quite a claim, but (and not just because I wont this necklace!), I agree. I've met Alison and Christian who own the shop, and not only is it a treasure trove of gorgeous items such as clothing, accessories and gifts, they really will give you such a warm welcome you won't want to leave!

My other necklace is a bit of a strange one!

I'm never going to get the chance to actually wear this necklace.

I saw that Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery were running an Adopt An Object scheme. Curiosity got the better of me and I went to have a browse around the items online.

This necklace immediately grabbed my attention. It is a late 19th century/early 20th century currency necklace from the Pacific island of Kiribati. It's made out of plates of pearl shell. I started to imagine how many people used to own the necklace, how it was used for bartering, what type of things were bought with the necklace. I bet it has quite an interesting story!

Why adopt an object.

As BMAG says on their website:

"Adopt an Object and help care for your favourite collections at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery. By making a donation and adopting an object, you will help us care for our collection, preserve local and national heritage, and inspire thousands of people every year. Whether your passion is for Pre-Raphaelite art or ancient civilisations, we hope you will get involved and Adopt an Object for yourself or as a unique gift for your friends and family."

When you adopt an item you receive a lovely pack containing a Certificate of Adoption, a fact sheet about the item and a fridge magnet!

Both quite different necklaces with very different stories behind them and I shall treasure them both equally :)



Weekly Weight Loss Report - Week 4 - 1lb gain

So, weigh in day today show a 1lb gain. I'm not surprised and was kind of expecting that.

As you can see from the chart below, over the last 6 months, there have been weight gains along the way. The important thing to remember is that overall, my weight loss is going in the right direction.

This weeks weight loss - 1lb GAIN
Total Weight loss - 36.4lbs (2 stone 8.4lbs)





Compared to week 3, when I had somewhat lost my my appetite, it returned in full this week! I was ravenous. Hello appetite - you are back!

Here are some thoughts about this weeks weight gain. And it's only a lb so I'm doing going to make a big song and dance about it.

• I noticed a huge increase in my appetite after my longest run of 5 miles last Sunday. I spent a load of energy and my body wanted it back and I know I have eaten a bit more, not a lot, but a bit more than usual.


• Since my last weigh in, last Saturday, I have run 7.5 miles and took a hula hooping class (will blog about that tomorrow), so I'm still being active and enjoying that.


• I've had gains before, and overcome them. It'll happen again no doubt, and that's OK. I'm looking at the bigger (excuse the pun) picture and how well I have done so far.


• It's a novelty listening to my body and what it's asking for. Noticing when I am really hungry or not. There are times when I know I have eaten enough, so sometimes I am just craving something and luckily most of the time, I crave healthier food. My taste buds are changing.


• I am getting more nutrient aware, and aiming for balance in my diet, whereas for a couple of years, pre weight loss, I didn't think very much about that.
• My goal is to lose 5lbs per month and I have lost 6lbs this month

So, it's not just the changes I see on the scales, there are other changes in play now. I am (a lot!) more active, I'm making healthier choices (but I'm not an angel!), I'm listening to my body more, and a little weight gain is not a set back!

Onto more girlie things! I treated myself to some new make up. My make up draw is groaning at the moment, and if I were to look at this sensibly, I don't need any more make up. BUT! I love it! And I particularly like Urban Decay's range, especially their eye shadows.

When I got to the Urban Decay counter in Debenhams, I asked the make up girl to 'do my eyes'. I told her to go for it, and make it glam. It was about 11am and not really a day time look, but hey, why not?

I bought Urban Decay's Black Palette. I've played about with it a bit, and I can't say it's my favourite shadow palette. I know it's called the Black Palette, but the colours aren't that vibrant! A little disappointing, but I will use it when the occasion arises.



And I found this gorgeous earring and necklace set with 70% off! Making it £6 instead of £21.




I'm going to a party tonight and I can't wait to wear it for the first time! Sometimes it's the small pretty things that make me happy :D

In preparation for the party tonight, I've changed a habit of a life time and painted my nails silver instead of red! And......I'll be wearing a GREEN dress, which is a big change from my usual red/black combo!



Tomorrow I'll blog about some new running experiences and the introduction of interval training :)