Writing is hard work

I´m fighting through National Novel Writing Month word by word... Right now it feels like there is an ocean between me and that 50 000 word mark - but I hope to get there nevertheless.

One thing I´m learning though, is that the more you write, the more you DO write.

Sounds funny, doesnt it?

But it´s simply this: When you sit down and start to write, you somehow cross an invisible border at some point and you keep going...
I´ve read that writing 100 words is a good way to stop yourself from procastinating on those days when you really want to just quit. Because if you do write 100 words, the chances are you will keep going.

Much like the advice I´ve also read on exercise - go for 20 mins, and chances are if you spent 20 mins exercising you will keep it up for another 20.

Well, I know the 100-words-advice works, as for the 20 mins on the exercisemachines I´m still hesitant...

NaNoWriMo!

I´m working hard on my novel during November. As you know I´m one of those who will keep stalling everything until the day I actually do die. Just like the Swedish writer Fritiof Nilsson Piraten who actually had that inscribed on his tombstone.
So it actually helps me to have a deadline, a must, a competition if only with myself...
So I´m doing NaNoWriMo.
I´m a noob (as my son would say) and I keep spending too much time on forums etc instead of actually writing.
But I have learned to bring my USB-stick to work, so every lunchhour I write for 30 mins, and so far it´s been the most productive writing-time ever!

Guilty Pleasures

What are your guilty pleasures?
I started thinking about this today when I got myself a new book Dawn French "A Tiny Bit Marvellous", and she quoted "Bridges over Madison County" as her guilty pleasure.

When it comes to books I have to admit I have one: Lilly Feisty.
She writes erotic romance, and she does it sooooo well I had to be her fan on Facebook. I wouldn´t recommend one of her books to my Mom however, if you get my point...

Food is always a guilty pleasure in my life. And ice-cream. And basically anything sweet and or licoricish....

Oooo...and long baths in a bathroom lit by candles.

Nah. I´m not even feeling guilty about that one.

Whats your guilty pleasure?

I can´t really think of anything to say

BUT...since I am getting more visitors recently I don´t want to disappoint you all (all 3 of you that is!).

Whatcha think? I don´t think I have shown you these before.

I always find it a bit hard to think of new vintage inspired hairdo´s. Usually I end up with an ordinary ponytail, or sometimes with a roll in front and the rest in a tail. It usually works for a day dress, but it would be more fun to be able to do REAL hairdo´s.

Next week is my appointment with my hairdresser, and I´m wondering what to do. I´m ready for a change. Here is some inspiration for all of us.

Maybe I should just let my hair grow a bit longer again:)

National Novel Writing Month

For those of you who have never heard of this concept, here is a link:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

I have to admit, I had never heard of it either until I joined the Chick Lit Writers RWA and was told about it. The concept is basically that you write a novel, or 50 000 words, in one month. And if you do that you are a WINNER!!

Since 50 000 words is about what I have left on my novel to finish it (give or take 10 000), its a very handy excuse to join. Because as you may have realised I´m a deadline-person, and what better deadline can I find?

The novel writing is arranged all over the world, and I found a group in Stockholm, which means that on Monday evening I will be joining a group of other (well...) 20-25 year olds and have a kick-off!

On the other hand they are all writing urban fantasy, so my deeply romantic chick-lit story will probably be frowned upon. BUT- I HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED:) So my self-confidence is not totally demolished.

For now I´m warming up - writing 100-500 words a night and trying to plan the story. That way I will just have to fill in the words come Nov 1st.

Joining me?

Odds and ends

Trying to remember the last days of summer when me and Mr Romance was in the south of Sweden for a nice weekend.

Summerdress, looking a bit fat - but its one long year before I can wear it again, so...?

And finally:

Cuddly Cat:))

Vintage

As you know by now I´m a huge fan of vintage fashion, and retro fashion. The last simply because I´m a big girl, and the most fab vintagedresses comes in really REALLY small sizes. Sometimes I wonder why that is, because if my cookbook from 1947 is anything to go by, the average woman ate a lot more than we do normally today. But ofcourse they worked harder too, I guess...

Anyways...being a fan I have travelled the wild wide webb and found some really good sites, that I want to share with you. And maybe, just maybe, you´ll get back with some others?

http://fortieswardrobe.blogspot.com/

I just love this one, because it is all about wardrobeplanning, and as you know, that is my favourite sport in the world:) . The blogger is Swedish and I would just love to meet her, bet we could have som fun discussions!

http://www.retrochick.co.uk/

Here is another one. Fun and interesting, and I´m pretty envious about all these vintage-themed festivals and stuff they have in England. Time for a trip o London soon?

 http://missmatildadreams.blogspot.com

Miss Matilda makes clothes and has a great little store selling vintage reproduction clothes. But this is her blog, and fun to read:)

And finally, if you speak Swedish...please take a look at my blog here:

http://www.hemmetsjournal.se/Skrivarmorsa/blogg

Just gonna be there until Dec 31, so hurry over and have a peak:)

A Sunday treat

A little something to get you, dear readers, through a boring Sunday. Gerard Butler is actually doing a movie about surfers right now, hence the dress and those godawful flipflops. Everything else about guy is more or less perfect thoough so I decided to put this pic up here for your enjoyment.

I have a few pics of him above my computer these days. As part of my writing process I need to picture my hero and heroine and Gerard is my heroine.

Nah, just kidding....he is the perfect hero. And Christina Hendricks would be my heroine (with slightly smaller boobs, a dancer would be handicapped with those girls). So to make my dear BF happy, here she is...

Enjoy darlings!

Ms PotatoeHead

...thats me right now.
I had to travel to Umeå back and forth today. For those of you who are not familiar with Swedish geography, Umeå is a small beautiful university town in the middle of nowhere in the northern parts of this country.
I packed my camera because I was planning to take some pics and show you, but I just didn´t see much. A taxi from the airport to the meeting-place and then a taxi back to the airport a few hours later. Not much to write home (or blog) about at all...

You may also wanna know that its gonna be the Culture Capital of Europe in 2014, and that the local council sponsors the biggest short story competition in Sweden every year, with a smashing first prize of 10 000 dollars for best short story...I havent had anything entered though, not yet....

I was gonna give you a touristypic at least, but since I´ve got a frightful cold and my head feels like mushy peas looks, I´m not. You are just gonna have to look it up yourselves!

Sunday sunny Sunday

The best Sundays are when my BF is here and we can wake up, stay in bed and chat with coffeecups (I really prefer when he gets up and make it, if I have to be honest. Putting my feet on the cold floor sort of dampens my enthusiasm) and then, after having long and leisurely conversations we get up and go for a long, brisk walk.
Like today.
BF is a sucker for long walks, me not so much. But I need the exercise and it is the best for my poor knees who can´t handle jogging anymore.

This is just another of those magnificent days, that this autumn seem to bring us this year. We walked along the waterline, and it was just great!

Tonight we will try the local pub-quiz. Wish me luck!

New dress and Big Boobs

This is one of my new dresses from Trashy Diva, medelled by Moi.

Anyone who knows me rather well will now exclaim "OMG"

No, not because of the dress. But the fact that my boobies are good two sizes bigger in this pic:) and NO, I did not have plastic surgery. I bought a bra from Victoria´s Secret two years ago that I decided to wear with this dress, because it was a teeny weeny bit too big in the top-area.

So I go to work, and NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON reacts to my huge top shelf...So much for spending money on a bra,  I will never enhance my girls with surgery. What good would it be if noone notices my 5000 dollar procedure?

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

Do you know Stephanie Plum, lethal bounty-hunter and torn between two lovers?
Steffi is the heroine of a long row of books by best-selling author Janet Evanovich. I think they are 18 by now, and the all have a number in the title. There are also 4-5 Plum-books beside the number-ones...so if you like Stephanie Plum you can have a long hot autumn:)

To be honest I loved the first five books, and then I read another five because once you start on a series you HAVE to find out what happens...but the last five I haven´t been bothered. And I guess Ms Evanovich is starting to feel the same...

So enter the new heroine Lizzie Tucker, cupcake-chef extra ordinaire (in more ways than one) and the hot superhero Diesel...and a new series built on the idea of Seven Deadly Sins.

If you don´t know your sins by heart I can reveal without spoiler-alert that this book is all about Gluttony.

And its fun, well-written and a great read for a boring autumn weekend. Simply Janet Evanovich when she is at her best! I can´t wait to read what she is gonna do when she writes about Envy...

You can find the book here
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Cn%3A283155%2Ck%3Ajanet+evanovich+wicked+appetite+series&keywords=janet+evanovich+wicked+appetite+series&ie=UTF8&qid=1317746531&ajr=0

(And to be honest: I´m surprised she only got a 3 star-review average. There must be hordes of Stephanie Plum-fans out there)

And for Swedish fans try:

http://www.adlibris.com/se/searchresult.aspx?search=quickfirstpage&quickvalue=Janet+Evanovich+Wicked+Appetite&title=Janet+Evanovich+Wicked+Appetite&fromproduct=False

Procastination

Procastination is a term in psychology which refers to the way a mind can sometimes decide to do everything low-prioritized instead of the high-prioritized - delaying getting your important stuff done primarily:)

Well, that´s what I´m doing right now as I have Writing A Novel as my priority number 1 and Getting my Ass over to the Gym as number 2. I seriously doubt I will get any of those done at all today, but the time of miracles may be here...

The Novel is on the verge of getting a life of it´s own. I guess it´s that process a lot of writers really look forward to, and rightly so. I do in a way, but it also scares me a bit, as there are parts I really don´t want to explore - even if I know it is necessary. Maybe I should just simply try and write those bits first and get it over with? Or maybe I should chuck the whole damn Novel out and start something new and more cheerful? Well, that is how the mind of a writer can work on a Sunday as she tries to avoid Getting her Ass over to the Gym...

So to cheer myself up I have been.....

browsing the Internet for new dresses!!!!

And look what I found!

Pretty isn´t it?

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2010RTW-MARCHESA/#slide=7

and totally out of my league. But if I ever loose 20 pounds and earn 2 million dollars on a bookdeal - who knows?

Have a great Sunday!

Summer or fall?

Right now we have a heatwave over Scandinavia. That is remarkable or maybe scary, depending on if you believe in global warming or not. I do. But for now I prefer to enjoy the warm weather and not think too much about what it could imply...

I woke up this morning and was FAT, which should not come as atotal surprise, I know. But I just haven´t calculated my BMI for a while...so I decided it was the TIME to do something about it (not for the first time in history though, we´ll see how it goes) and went for a walk with music in my ears. I also took some pics of a lovely Stockholm, basking in the sun but with autumn colours. Enjoy!

Some Friday evening blues

I´m back on my feet and have spent this day away from work reading through my own little manuscript. Its a First Draft, and although a lot is rubbish some is actually good, too:) So this weekend will be spent revising and writing, now that I´m no longer sick.

Still I have some Friday evening blues - wondering if this is really what it´s all about...you know?
And so I play the perfect song for these occasions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BjhJLhSbYg&feature=related

That is a great song by a great artist. Enjoy!

Give me a reason to crawl out of the bed!

I´ve been sick an home from work a few days, but finally I´m getting back on track. Still at home, but able to do something besides feeling sorry for myself. I still need a bit of motivation to crawl out of bed though...

So what do I need for motivation?
Well, surfing the Internet is always good. For instance have I been planning which cottage in Suffolk or Sussex or Cornwall I want to retire to, when its my time to shine (that is when son has gone to Uni and I can start living). I have found several useful sights but damn, it´s expensive! I will most certainly have to sell a few books before then  (you know, those books that write themselves while I´m surfing the Internet)....and I have to decide which part of the UK I like the best. Any ideas out there?

And ofcourse I surf for inspiration for my never-ending quest for a perfect wardrobe.

And I keep finding interesting blogs. Sometimes you do find yourself trapped reading something you would never have imagined - like the blog of a young guy who has recently moved to London and trying to find work and lodgings...nothing spectacular, but well written and straight out of reality. I love the Internet!!!

She who searches shall find

I´m sick right now, but in between bouts of sickness I got out of bed and searched the Internet and found this great blog for those of us who are inclined to some writing of our own

http://www.aliventures.com/8-writing-secrets

I have ofcourse signed up for the newsletter...

And a pic for me and everyone else who needs encouragement in life right now:

This is the pier in Helsingborg and doesn´t it remind you that summer is not that far away? And even if it is actually, then how great wouldn´t it be to lay on one of those sunbeds and look out over the sea to Helsingör (where the beer is cheap and the chocolate is free:))

Autumn is the time for new-ness!

September is the month when you want things to happen - new things! New Job (haven´t done that one yet), New wardrobe (doing my best) and New project (thinking about it). Others that should be included would be New Body and New Hairdo and New Book. Those are still in processing.

I really shouldn´t, but I have. Been doing some serious shopping.

http://www.trashydiva.com/shop/Ashley-Dress-p1492.html

This is the first of my three new dresses. It is already a huge favourite. Trashy Diva-dresses always makes me feel like a princess....just can´t get enough!

Got my dresses!

So here I was whining and complaining - and then this morning my dresses arrived!
I felt a bit sorry for the express delivery guy, because it was 07:15 and I was barely awake...and threw my WKD robe on top my nightt-shirt and opened the door and glared at him (I just didn´t see that much without glasses either) and he just grinned and said:
"I thought I heard some noise"

The dresses were absolutely beautiful, and I was happy and singing all day! Don´t tell me retail therapy doesnt work!!

Continuing buying online thread

I have a particular fondness for old time glamour - the 50´s in particurlarly. So I have to go online to get my fashion fix satisfied...Yes, admittedly there are a few stores selling retro glamour in Stockholm, but they are pretty expensive to be honest, and buying online is a way to cut costs and at the same time be a little less worried that you will meet someone else in that same expensive dress...

My number one advice is MEASURE!!!
Any company selling on-line with an ambition to be taken serious has a sizechart. In that sizechart you find the measurements, and when you take them - BE HONEST! If your boobies are 33 inches a size 8 dress won´t fit. It just won´t. End of story.
But remember too, that if the seller says there´s a lot of stretch in the garment it probably is. I prefer to go for stretchy stuff or dresses with circleskirts as I am a very curvy girl with a slim waist and a huge bum. Regular standardsizes won´t fit unless they are stretchy or hiding...

Pay by secure payment, which all serious companies offer these days. If they don´t its probably a good idea to stay away. Especially if a credit card is included in the transactions. I prefer Paypal, but thats a matter of choice.
Saying that I have to admit that the two times I have had fraud on my card it has been in connection with hotels both times. And how are you supposed to stop that, I wonder?

Don´t be afraid to return stuff if it doesnt fit. Serious companies accept returns within 10 days from the day you received the garment. I have to admit I have rarely sent something back, even when I wasn´t 100 % sure, but then I usually have a hard time to make up my mind....

Think twice.
Its so easy to be seduced by something on the Internet. It looks great on that skinny 6 feet tall model with the shiny blond curls and huge breasts. But if you are 5 ft 4 and curvy and a redhead, maybe you shuld have second thoughts? Things rarely sell out in a flash, so sleep on it before you order.

Actually I read somewhere that the debts of women are increasing quickly, because we are prone to internet-shopping. So sleep on it for two nights at least!
 

Buying dresses online

It does have drawbacks waiting for a dress that you have bought on-line....WAITING!
I ordered two dresses from a reputable English site on Sept2, and have still not received them. So I wrote a mail asking for info...no answer. Okey, so this should worry me? Nope, because I´ve checked on Facebook and they are still in business, probably selling at the Goodwood Revival, and so I have to keep waiting....

But the instant gratification that you want from shopping isn´t there, of course. Having that instant buzz when you try something on and it´s just perfect, you pay for it, and walk out with the bag...and just for a few minutes life is just SPLENDID! Well...you don´t get that from shopping on-line.

On the other hand...shopping becomes more of an oyster-hunting trip:) Sometimes the oyesters are bad and have to thrown away, sometimes you end up with something really, really good!

While waiting for my dresses, I just might share some tips that I have picked up through my nerve-wrecking experiences on the Internet...

See you later!

Summer in the city!

I´ve been away for a few weeks...and during that time I visited New York and Washington. I thought I´d share some pics with you, and memories and even some good tips.

Talking about tips, I find the American tipping system totally ridiculous. Give people a good salary instead! And this time I noticed a lot of places actually included the tip, AND still expected to have gratuity....

The dollar may be cheap for a Swede, but it turned out to be a really expensive holiday anyway due to the cost of all those restaurantvisits...

We had a great time though, me and my teenager, who told me he wanted to go back to New York and live. Who wouldn´t? At least for a bit:)

By request

So I´m gonna give you today´s outfit, simply because I get requests from my followers who obviously take delight in watching the fat lady swing:)...to be honest it occurred to me last night after a very fruitful writing-day that it´s a really un-smart thing to show loads of awful pic´s of oneself on the internet...in case one should one day actually become a writer who gets noticed! Just imagine when some unfortunate soul googles my name, and up comes...NOT the romantic writer they imagined but a crazy woman with red eyes and some very strange clothes!
Well...I started it so I can´t blame anyone but myself and here it comes. All high street today!

Dress and belt and leggings are all H&M and necklace is from Dublin, handmade by a great girl named Sarah Lee. Have to say it didn´t look too bad on photo!

Will do better!

Another day without a dress pic, but if it´s any consolation, I looked just dreadful:)) I was meeting a client so I had to put on something decent and conservative and came up with a 3-year old pink spotted dress from Banana Republic. Don´t get me wrong - the dress is absolutely pretty - just totally wrong on me! And I´m sure you have those dresses hanging around your closet as well? But I can´t get rid of it, because it´s still pretty, and somehow I hope one day it WILL be perfect....

Anyway...going to see my client I had to travel by train through the very outbacks of Sweden. It´s like true Stieg Larsson-country, if you know what I mean. Downridden factories, burned out buildings and loads of people in trainers and training clothes obviously with nothing important on their mind apart from walking the dog on a Friday morning. All young boys seem to be wearing black caps and most women wear men´s t-shirts and people qeue endlessly at Sandy´s because the one girl behind the counter is chatting to a friend, and they don´t even get pissed off!...Its like an alien planet out there! Most people are sweet and nice and talk in a language I understand, but still not...and after 9 hours I return home and feel like I´ve been in another world even though it was just Ludvika...

I left the Countryside 35 years ago and I never want to go back, but sometimes, just sometimes, I cant help wondering if they´ve got something I don´t.

And I also get so inspired by little scenes from reality - like what are three teenage Philippine girls doing playing Las Vegas Black Jack in Borlänge?
So this weekend will be the start of a new book project, me thinks. Wish me luck!!

So...there was no pic yesterday. Son and I combusted and the result was....NOTHING!!!
But in todays beautiful weather we managed to stay friends and get a nice pic on the balcony. Cherrydress from Daisy Dapper (brand:Heartbraker) and the cardi is Swedish brand Twist&Tango.

Monday once again

Lovely weather and so I got to pick a summer dress and an old favourite. It´s actually a Stop Staring-dress, but specially produced in this material för Pompom Parlour, a Stockholm-based shop and a particular fave of mine. Basically becaise they have one of the best salespersons in the world, Mistress Maria. She always makes me feel beautiful and special, and so I rarely leave the place empty-handed!

The cardi is a genuine vintage-find from Beyond Retro.

Friday a lttle late

I know its Monday and I didn´t give you a pic Friday, but *grovel, grovel* - here I am now!

Interesting view, right?


The dress is Mrs Murphy and can be found at Daisy Dapper.

Day 4 Some colour at last!

Dress by Pinup Couture

http://www.pinupgirlclothing.com/pinup-birdie-peacock.html

Day 3: A little bit of Spring

Weather is still awful -cold, rainy and not a bit springish. But today I decided to put a little spring in my look, by adding a floral pattern. The skirt is Oasis and the blouse http://www.vivienofholloway.com/

Day 2: Warm and cosy

So today spring had a setback and it was actually snowing again! Just for a little while, and it just came down and went away - but it was cold and my darling winter coat got out of it´s hidingplace again. I promised you all autumn that I would show you a pic, so here it comes:

Iy´s real vintage ofcourse, and I bought it at the Vintage Fair in October. I´m really sad I missed the Fair in April, because I do NEED a spring coat!! But I´m happy this one seems to last until next winter as well:)

Ofcourse I didnt just wear a coat (that would´ve been really interesting!) so here comes my outfit for today:

The clothes are all high street-stuff so I was inspired to do something fun with the pic. Turned out sort of artistic I think:) Sweater/cardi is from Indiska, skirt is Zara and camisole is H&M. 

Day one: Lady in Black

So here comes my first dress, my fave Trashy Diva...the shoes are Clark´s and so comfy!

1st of May and a new project!

During the month of May I will put up a new outfit every day of the week! Except weekends....(unless I feel narcissistic ofcourse).

This is my simple, humble..*cough*...way of staying on the wagon. The shopping-wagon that is.Nothing is gonna be bought this month, and to prove to myself I don´t REALLY need to shop, I´m gonna put on a new outfit every day!

Ofcourse seeing myself on pics will probably give me an incentive to 1) loose weight 2) buy some candy to comfort myself and 3) rush out and buy something in the right size... But lets see, shall we?

So until tomorrow - have a great Sunday evening and be careful out there!!

New Dress!

I told you about Mrs Murphy´s dresses the other week, and I was excited when I heard a few copies was on sale in the shop Daisy Dapper, who sells these dresses exclusively. Apparently the seamstress has not been able to get them ready on time, so the shop just have a few dresses so far, and not all sizes.

But even though the leopardprint one was my favourite, it was not the dress that left the store in a brown paper bag...instead it was the bluishgreen one with a sweatheart-neckline and a lovely buttondetail. I just can´t wear the brownish-yellow leopardpattern, because the colouring is all wrong! I do love it though, and will keep on buying leopardprint bags and accessories...can´t help myself!

Apart from some retailtherapy, my Easter has been contemplating the computerscreen and rewriting and editing. As my latest contribution to the literary world hit the shelves this week, I realise it´s time to get going again! I have a plan worked out, so just wait and lets see what happens:)

Happy Easter, whoever you are out there!

An item on new brands

Recently I have been obsessing about my wardrobe. Could be because I have my very first walk-in-closet, or that I don´t actually have any money to spend, due to my new very high rent or maybe simply because it´s SPRING - a time of year when atleast I always wants new things!
So - I´ve been checking out my regular haunts and shops and have come across a few new brands.

http://www.emmydesign.se/sv/

is a Swedish brand from Gothenburg and accordning to their website they aim to make feminine, flirty and fun clothes. The girl on the pics is obviously the designer herself, which explains a bit. Because I have to be honest - the clothes are lovely but not the best for a curvy girl. I have tried on a few pieces now, and the crisp cotton and the detailing is lovely but doesn´t hide much, nor stretch and the sweetheart neckline does not give a proper bra a decent chance...But if you´re not a curvy girl - try them out. Reasonably priced and as I said, great detailing.

Dangerous Dresses by Mrs Murphy http://www.mrsmurphy.se/collection2.aspx?m=81

is something I´m really looking forward to, though! They will be sold at Daisy Dapper http://daisydapper.com/ but at the preview in the shop the dresses were all in small sizes, so if that doesnt change, I´m gonna be miserable. On the other hand they probably gonna cost a bundle, so maybe I´ll be saved from my own ruin:)!

Waiting for the perfect dress I did check into my fave-shop online and made a wish-list....

I´m back!

Well, more or less:) I´m letting you know I´m still alive and kicking anyway!