I should clarify, I’m channeling more 70′s chic, less Harry Potter. And I’m steering well clear of mirrored a la John Lennon.

The trend seems to be popping up everywhere, but here are a few pairs I’ve added to my mental lust list, hopefully catering for just about any budget.

From left to right (top row first):

90′s round sunglasses, £16, Topshop
Khaki Large Cat Eye Sunglasses, £16, Urban Outfitters (Not strictly round, but couldn’t resist sneaking them in)
ILLESTEVA Leonard 2 round-frame acetate sunglasses, £200, net-a-porter.com

ASOS Metal Top Keyhole Round Sunglasses, £12, asos.com
Square corner round sunglasses, £16, Topshop
Something Else Classic Frame Sunglasses in Petal, £160, Urban Outfitters

Just to set the scene, I juiced so hard I broke the juicer. No joke. It wasn’t mine. Meaning this juicing experiment cost me rather more than merely my sanity.

My preparatory week (read about it here) was fairly successful – of course I had the odd slice of cake and glass of wine, but I lost a few pounds and felt less bloated and generally had a wee spring in my step. I can tell you now, do not attempt the juice diet without doing that elimination week first – I think it would be nearly impossible to go from eating cakes and burgers and ice-creams and chocolates and EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD ABOUT LIFE to doing a juice cleanse. It was a helpful stepping stone and made things slightly more bearable.

Now, if you’re wanting to try this at home  the idea is that you eat nothing and instead drink 5 juices a day (for 5 days) in the order as follows:

Greens 1 – kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, apple, lemon, ginger

Greens 2 – spinach, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemongrass, lemon

Roots 1 – beetroot, carrot, kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, lemon

Greens 3 – spinach, romaine lettuce, fennel, orange, pineapple, lemon

Roots 2 – carrot, apple, ginger, lemon

This is absolutely not what I did.

By the time I got to Roots 1 (it tastes like SOIL JUICE) on day 1, I was just about ready to hurl. Also, I had old friends over for dinner one night and was not willing to watch them eat whilst I drank what looks like witch slop. That would just be wierd. And rude. SO instead, I juiced three times in the day and then had a homemade vegetable soup (recipe HERE) for one of my meals. I have to confess that I found the ‘greens’ much more paletable than the ‘roots’ and, after doing each one properly the first time, doctored the recipes to try and make them taste nicer! I am such a cop out.

I did three full days like that and I have to admit, I felt trimmer, brighter and my gut felt good. The rest of the week, I just went back to the elimination diet (that I did in the preparatory week) to finish off. By the end of the 2 weeks (whilst also toiling over the ‘shred’, read more HERE) I had lost the 7lbs I hoped to. Who knows if they’ll stay off for more than five minutes, especially since I’ve got my eye on an unbelievable blueberry victoria sponge recipe, but for now, they are OFF. High five.

Now I can resume being a normal (well my normal) human being and leave behind the ‘crazy diet lady’ facade I have adopted of late. It didn’t suit me.

Thank you.

Today it is HOT. I mean, it’s probably about 18 degrees but that is MAJOR news in Glasvegas, so I am hitting the park. Hard. And I’ll most likely eat a large ice-cream. Don’t tell my diet.

This week, we might dare start pretending it’s summer PROPERLY. We might start looking at super-chic holiday outfits. We might. But I’ll also certainly update you on my shameful attempt at the juice diet and share some exciting news in House. And there might be some other things too if the sunshine isn’t too distracting.

At this point the thought of leaving the house without a coat is just too thrilling beyond words.

Love,

Mabel X

I have to say everyone has been extremely friendly and welcoming, despite the fact it’s pretty clear I don’t have a clue what I’m doing!

I’m always on the look out for beautiful homes, workspaces and kids rooms to tour so please get in touch if you are interested or know anyone else who might be. I’ve visited a few lovely homes of local artists and designers recently so I’ll be sure to let you know when they go live!

NB I would also like to clarify that my home had never been as tidy as it was in those photographs and hasn’t been since. It’s a good day if you can see the carpet.

Just thought I’d give you a quick update on said fitness regimen …

1. This first week has seen me jumping up and down in my knickers in front of the TV using tinned goods as ‘hand-weights’ and attempting manouvers such as the ‘butt kick’.

2. It has seen me lying face-down on the carpet attempting to do a press up.

3. It has seen me endure motivational pick-me-ups such as, “That pain you’re feeling right now? That’s just FEAR leaving the body.” Thanks for the encouragement, Gillian.

4. It has seen me walk the streets like John Wayne following 75 too many squats, and find stairs nearly impossible.

5. It has seen me lose 4lbs in weight and an inch off my waist and hips (silver linings and all that).

And all that was only ‘workout 1′ – there are two harder stages to come. If I lose the ability to walk altogether, I going to give that Gillian a piece of my mind. Yeah, that’s right, I hope you’re well scared Gillian.

If you’re looking for some inspiration for a summer wedding, a day at the races or a special evening do, perhaps this bevvy of beauties can help you out…

At the start, I was like, ‘aw, look she’s managed to get all the way over there!’, now, it’s a lot more like, ‘Aaargh… put down that sharp and lethal implement … stop eating the soil out of that plant pot … get down off that tall ledge’ – the novelty has worn off. It’s all go. She’s nine and  a half months old and she’s not messing around. (Actually, she’s totally messing around, that’s a perfectly accurate description of what she’s doing.)

The other day, I turned my back for a matter of moments to make breakfast and returned to find her tucking into a large piece of coal from the fireplace. She was black from top to toe, drooling black dribbles and grinning from ear to ear. She also enjoys licking her reflection… in the bin. That’s right, just lapping away. It’s all about building up their immune systems, right? I’m sure that was the line my mother always spun.

I’m afraid to say she’s taken a few tumbles too. She’s pretty hard, like. She’ll brush it off and power on, but it’s a bit of a new concept finding bruises on your precious little baby when you bath her at night. After keeping her bundled up, protected from the world and all it’s hazards, she’s now becoming her own little liability. I fear she’s just as much a clutz as her mother. It’s inevitable that her legs will be plagued by cuts and bruises for the next 30 years.

It would be easier if she could understand what I’m harping on about half the time. Maybe she does? Maybe Baby M is sitting there, chomping on a scented candle, pondering how much longer she’ll be able to get away with pretending she can’t hear/comprehend my bleating from the other side of the room. What a fickle bobby.

Anyway, it’s clear that some changes are going to have to be made before she ingests a litre of bleach, electrocutes herself, takes a header down the stairs or attempts to eat the coal from the fire when it’s actually blazing. I don’t know where the time has gone and I’m finding it hard to accept we’re at this point, but  I guess this is what people mean when they say, ‘they grow up so fast’. It’s a total treadmill. We seem to be flitting from one hair-raising stage of life to the next – as per, flying by the seat of our pants.

If anyone has found any useful baby-proofing gadgets, I’d love your advice! I don’t have a clue where to start. Or stop for that matter. It seems like the only safe place for her would be a padded cell. And I’m not sure that’s appropriate/legal.

It has also been particularly unlucky that most of the past weekend has revolved around food. Actually, it’s been pretty wonderful, but remaining restrained whilst out for dinner has never been my forte (hence, wibbly bottom). Naturally, I made a half-hearted attempt at making carb-free choices off the menu whilst picking pasta and ice-cream off the plates on either side of me. And it would have been absolutely RUDE to not eat any birthday cake. I am trying my best. It might not sound that great, but really that is my best.

I also came extremely close to the postman seeing me doing jumping jacks in my bra and knickers (non-matching to make things worse) in the front room whilst clutching a can of chickpeas and a jar of peanut butter for hand-weights. The less said about that, the better. All blame attributed to Gillian Michaels and her bloody 30 Day Shred.

In other, more cultured and less pathetic, news – I am reading The Great Gatsby. I know, I know, I’m horribly ashamed that I haven’t read it before now but I’m doing all I can to rectify the situation before we go and see it at the flicks this weekend. I cannot wait. Got to love a glitsy flapper. And I’ll be able to join that possy of annoying, smug divs who simply have to say, ‘yes, it was good, but the book is much better’. I am NEVER in that gang. I shall RELISH it. If I get beyond the first chapter.

This week, I’ll be boring you with my attempt at juicing, reporting my progress on The Shred, bringing you more hair-rasising parenting tales in Raising Mabel and cooing over the best dressed at the BAFTA Television Awards.

There is SNOW forecast in Scotland this week. Might put shopping for summer dresses on hold. Again. CHIN UP.

Love,

Mabel X

Under the advise of a friend whose a regular on the juicing circuit, this week I have cut the following out of my diet: gluten, red meat, dairy products and caffeine.

Needless to say, it has been pretty hellish.

It turns out, getting through the day with a nine-month-old baby on the go without a cuppa and a chocolate biscuit in the afternoon is almost impossible. But I’ve given it my best, and I’ve (unbelievably) just about stuck to it. I’m also 4 days in and have dropped 4lbs so that’s encouraging!

If you’re wondering what on earth there is to eat that doesn’t contain gluten (I don’t think I’d ever before had a gluten-free day, let alone week), try a grilled chicken salad, hummus and oatcakes, grilled fish with steamed vegetables or a vegetable stir fry. I have also made a HUGE vat of my favourite squash and apple soup (recipe HERE) and that, along with a permanent supply of fruit to snack on, is keeping me going nicely.

Navigating a couple of meals out this weekend may be more of a challenge, but I’ve got the bit between my teeth now so I’m really going to try and stay on track. I have to admit, at this stage I’m slightly concerned as to how on earth I’m going to survive the juice cleanse next week, but I’ll see how I go – if I feel like I’m going to pass out half way through toddlers, I’m having a biscuit. End of.

I’m also doing my best to attack the 30 Day Shred (read more HERE) which is involving lots of sweaty star-jumps in my knickers in front of the tele. Harrowing.

P.S If you’re a new reader to Mabel’s Log, I’d like to clarify that this ‘healthy eating and getting in shape’ shinanigan is horribly out of character and is likely to be short-lived. I’m temporarily addressing my muffin-tops but will no doubt be back to muffin recipes before long.

The perfect solution?

THIS is the solution. Flatforms. Perfect and pretty, and able to cope with a, albeit shallow, puddle. They are, in essence, the Glasgow summer sandal. All it takes is a wedge. A harmless little wedge. Not only useful for puddle dodging, but the added bonus of an extra inch or two in height. Can’t say fairer than that!

From left to right (top row first):

Hanna Flatform Sandals, Topshop, £32
Vacuum Flatform Sandals, Asos, £28
Buckled Low Flatforms, River Island, £55

Wedge Sandals, Cos, £89
Glaze Flatform Sandals, Dune, £69
Ozzy Daria Leather Flatform Wedges, Urban Outfitters, £45

Wills 2-Part Flatform Sandals, Topshop, £35
Deena & Ozzy Esta Black Double Strap Flatforms, Urban Outfitters, £32
Leather Sandals, And Other Stories, £55