A bushy-tailed DIY job

There’s no two ways about it: if I had a garden I would also have a dog. Or a cat. Or at least I'd adopt a local hedgehog as my own. In fact, if my flat was a smidgen bigger I would take one of the cats from Battersea who aren’t allowed to put a paw outdoors (I read their traumatic stories on the website). Sometimes I find it hard not to think about how much I want a cat or dog. During these times I need to remind myself that there’s always something you can do to incorporate more animals into your home life. This is a story about one of those occasions.

I’m not Donald Trump (incidentally, if I was I would spend a large wadge of cash setting up luxury rehabilitation centres for neglected pets). When I was furnishing my flat, the budget dictated that I bought from Ikea and cried with frustration trying to decipher the instructions. Now that it’s built, I like my furniture very much. But recently I’ve been feeling a tad bored with it. So I took myself to Anthropologie and invested in a little something to bring the magic back into my bedroom (not in a sleazy way). Then I rolled up my sleeves and did some serious DIY.

Behold the incredible and inspiring results!

What’s that on my beside cabinet?

Oh, it’s a squirrel! And he’s the handle to the drawer. How quaint!

Excuse me while I bask in the glory of my own DIY expertise, but isn’t it amazing what you can achieve? Now I’d like to experiment with other pieces of furniture – and other species. Although I have to stress how symbolically relevant squirrels are. I mean, they squirrel things away, right? That’s what they’re known for. That’s their thing. Likewise, this little urchin is keeping my valuables safe. And you know what? I might not have a companion in a dog or a cat, but it's good to know this bushy-tailed buddy is there.

Paws in the air for Dorothy Perkins

Let’s face it, Dorothy Perkins is hardly a fashion destination. Maybe it’s the dullsville black and white branding. Maybe it’s the kind of tacky look to the stores themselves. Maybe it’s the name. I mean, who is Dorothy Perkins? The title hardly conjures up images of aspirational career women, nor kooky hipsters. In my head, she’s a little bit frumpy and irritatingly optimistic.

But forgive the attack, because she’s also my new BFF.

I’ve been stuck on my sofa ill for most of this week and unable to visit shops. Sad face. So I found myself googling instead. And I googled up the most fabulous flamingo dress when image searching for, well, flamingo dresses.

Where could it be from? Mango? Zara? Coast? I clicked through while dreaming of just the right shoes and readjusting this month’s budgets in my head to make room for the purchase.

What do you know, it’s from Dorothy Perkins. At £39.50 it’s not exactly a drop in the ocean, but it doesn’t break the Hello Kitty piggy bank either. 

In the same week, pony pal Niki Rooney alerted me to these little, swishy-tailed beauties. Also, courtesy of Dorothy Perkins.

In fact, browsing the website was much like taking a trip to the fashion zoo. Cats and birds and more ponies than a girl could ask for.

Maybe I had Dorothy all wrong? Clearly, she’s had a makeover and is ready to party. What’s more, the theme is awesomeness and animals. 

Corrrrr for corgis

Any celebration that brings about a holiday from work AND a festival of corgis is OK in my book. So yayyyy for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. I’m not the most patriotic of people. It’s not that I don’t like being British: it’s just that I really wish I was Japanese. But while I’m not one to drape myself in Union Jacks (at least I haven’t been since a particular frat party ten years ago), I’m just beside myself about the explosion of corgi fashions the British high street is displaying in the name of her maj.

I’m not entirely clear on the story with corgis. Have they always been in the Royal Family? Is it just the Queen herself who’s a fan? How many does she actually have? And why did we not see head nor furry tail of one at the Royal Wedding last year?

But enough with the questions, let’s talk facts.

Fact. Topshop has proved itself to be the ultimate British fashion institution with its majestic range of corgi-themed treats.

Socks.

AND a brooch.

AND a shopper.

Fact. River Island has surpassed itself with a window display that portrays corgis to be both fashionable and fashion-conscious.

Another British institution, sadly, let itself down badly. While I’m in favour of the Colin Caterpillar cakes wearing crowns, the rest of Marks and Spencer appears to have vomited Jubilee-inspired crap. Corgis were not heavily focused on, except in homeware. But look – just look – what they did to them!

 Poor pup looks like he’s on some kind of witness protection programme.

 Fact. Corgis are beautiful in their natural form. Let’s never forget that.