a size 7 stamp of approval! thanks!

Arabella heard me stomping around the other day, so she came out of her daytime nap spot behind the curtains to see what the kerfuffle was all about ...

... actually there was no stomping as my home is 'shoe free' and all out-wear stays at the front door. What with rabbits inside I leave the outside dirt out and away from their tiny paws, but I did make lots of happy noises as I showed Arabella my new pair of boots! (laid out on some paper)

I spotted these unusual strange type faux fur eskimo style boots a couple of weeks ago when I was down visiting my grandmother in North Berwick in the small local shoe shop Masons.

Ofcourse they are just my style! lucky for me! and the shop ordered me in a size 7, as the pair they had was a tight and un-walkable 6.5

60 quid and one week later my shoes arrive and the slipper fits!

and I'm rather liking that year on the label too, very Soviet-military-look ...

So now I have replacements for my 5 year old boots that will not last this winter for sure!

Last winter we had masses of snow and ice and my socks were wet thru every day.

Ofcourse I won't be throwing them away, they will do for sun days and dry autumn leaf walks!

but those big holes down below and the very worn soles attest to my ethics of never wasting the things I own and making sure I get full use out of them (plus they need a few stitches put in the uppers too)

Last winter I got these boots as my stepping out shoes but I've only worn them a couple of times. They came from some mans shop in the cool dudes section, but they are rather a bit on the poncy side for me. I like my boots to be rugged and practical. They just lack a certain something and I'm not too keen on the slim-line toe cap and thin soles.

Infact if I may interject, what's all this with the zip and laces thingy??

This pair and my new '67 pair have both, and both bits are functional!

I suppose if I wanted to overstay my welcome I could do my laces up then slowly zip up the boots perhaps? Or if a quick get-away was needed I could merely zip and go? Is this all about having your cake and eating it?

A few weeks ago I was walking in the rain up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and saw these tasty looking brogues in a shop window! So I went in to try them on, ofcourse it was a dudes shop, Solo menswear, - I only ever wear dude boots! apart from my new '67s

and ahem! £115 later and a size 8 meant there was no sale that day! but the chap would be getting them in my size the next week!

I just love them! they aren't as 'bright' as this picture, thankfully, and now they are on my xmas list.

and the same maker, Paolo Vandini, had these boots on their website. I like those cuffs and the laces tied around the top remind me of how I used to tie my Army boots. aah, nostalgia!

(and, er, is that a zip-let I see??!)

'Goodness me! all that fuss over a pair of boots! - if you had just cleaned your old pair every day and attended to their every day needs then you will have had no holes in the soles, nor stitches missing from the leather, but no, neglect shortened their life from 15years to 5! tut tut! ....' murmurs Arabella as she attends to her 'fur boots' ....

When I walk down to the local post office (in my boots) with my etsy orders I like to put a nice stamp or two on the package.

I usually shop online at Royal Mail and buy the ones that catch my eye. After all, snail mail is still terribly exciting!

These bird ones are really nice! I really like the Grebe and the Moorhen. Plus they come in a pretty little sleeve with details about their eggs. It is the 3rd issue in a series of 4 and I am just waiting on the 4th issue to drop thru the letterbox! ... any day now ....

ofcourse I had to buy some of the future King and Queen (?!), let's not hold our breath eh?

and all those pretty crowns and jewel things too.

and my current favourite is last years issue to commemorate the Battle of Britain! with squadron after squadron of Supermarine Spitfires!

Love these stamps! the spitfires are interspersed with facts about the battle and other images.

These brave planes have taken my hares all over the world this past year.

From America to Australia to ....

and I wanted to say a very special Thank You to Penny in Australia from etsy shop Little Brown Sparrow.

I bought this incredibly beautiful sea storm image from her to send as a thank you to a very special friend. (my friend was very impressed:)

and whilst I had my eye on the sea storm I was captivated by Penny's blog Sparrow Salvage and her very readable style and her great sense of humour. Plus she is a Conan fan just like me, and anyone who reads Robert E Howard has great taste!

Penny wrote an article all about marketing on etsy and how to use tags and titles!

Now that is an area I 'suck at' (to put in mildly) big time! I am so useless at marketing and totally clueless about the whole process, but Penny wrote such a fantastic article explaining very clearly what needed to be done and I learnt ALOT!!

So, giving thanks where thanks is due - a small custom-made-for-Penny-only ornament hare will shortly be carried by Supermarine Spitfire to Australia (it's just a bit too far to travel by boot!)

and ofcourse if you have your eye on that beautiful sea storm photo, then find it Here, and find Penny's other etsy shop here - Sparrow Salvage, her work is unique and beautiful and I can see the Cimmerian touch in quite a few pieces!

thank you Penny :)

'right! yadda yadda ... nuff said! and I ain't lickin' no stamps for you missus!' (just think of all that glue on my whiskers! sheesh!)