MAISON DE MOGGY | EDINBURGH

I am a self confessed Crazy Cat Lady. I am O B S S E S S E D. No, seriously, I have an addiction to all things Cat.

When I first heard that a Cat Cafe was opening in Edinburgh I knew it would become by 2nd home. Owner, Laura O'Neill opened the cafe back in January 2015 after being inspired from her visits to Japan.

Click here to read more on MDM website - Also note Philippe doesn't have a picture however he is Marcel's twin!

Baby Amelie

All images copyright of Maison De Moggy.

   

I made my first visit on the 21st February 2015, at the Stockbridge Pop-up shop where MDM began. It was honestly the best day of my life.
On that visit,  'Coco' was just the tiniest little kitten and she was kept in a seperate room downstairs where only 2 people at a time could go and see her. Pauline, the giant that she is now, was just a teeny little baby with paws too big for her little body. The bengal twins were very inquisitive, jumping up on the table to try take a bite of my scone (I wasn't vegan then!).
My boyfriend(Adam) and I had booked a one hour slot (this is the norm allocation) but we loved it so much and there were free spaces after us that we stayed an extra hour. The slots are open to around 15 people at a time.

Here are some of the pictures I took that day (on iPhone!) .... You can see how much the cats have grown up since then. (When MDM first opened the cats were aged 4 months - 2 years old)

Alain & Guillaume

I believe Marcel (Sorry MDM it's hard to tell)

Guillaume

Jacques

Pauline

Just like my parents, I would be lying if I said I didn't have a favourite. (FYI - It's me, of course!)

For me I have a huge soft spot for Pauline and Elodie. Pauline, a giant maine coon Polydactyl (That means she has extra toes on her giant paws) is just me in cat form, minus the extra toes of course. Anti social with constant resting bitch face, but the sweetest girl you will ever meet at the same time (I'm sure my boyfriend would agree!)

Elodie is only the second ever Spyhnx I have met. She is just the most adorable little cat, with a wardrobe to match which keeps her cosy. She loves to snuggle up with the other cats by the fire and chase you for your cake. 

I have been back a couple of times since they moved to the new premises in the Grassmarket (The perfect spot IMO). Adam and I attended the 1st birthday celebrations of baby Elodie last year ...... The birthday celebration nights are after hours and they include some hilarious games like 'who can eat their cat food quickest', fear not, the cat food is coco pops! And 'who am I' , MDM edition. Each birthday cat gets their own little cake and everyone sings Happy Birthday to them!

Maison de Moggy also sells tea, coffee, cakes (vegan & gluten free options, all prepared behind the scenes away from the kitties) juice & an abundance of the cutest merch you will ever set your eyes on.

If you are keen to meet these little babes in real life, get yourself to www.maisondemoggy.com and book yourself in. (Walk in slots are rarely available so it is advisable to book in advance, £7 per person per hour, max 6 people per group). I am going back for my next visit on the 10th June with my best friend and our boyfriends... super excited!!

Please check out their Instagram and Facebook pages & add them to snapchat (maisondemoggy) especially if you are not from Edinburgh & cannot visit often. The cats are also always bird watching from the window, so next time you are near the Grassmarket take a stroll past MDM for a glimpse in.

Thanks for reading,

K xox

Shop Now..........Buy Later!

When it comes to money, I am a huge advocate of the phrase "You can't take it with you". 

This has been a 5 week month for me so needless to say I am 'el skinto' until payday, that however, does not mean I can't window shop (If you are now singing 50 cent, we MUST be friends).

...........Imagine clothes had feelings (go with it for a second)..... and they get all excited when they are added to your basket and then when it's finally time to checkout it's like that scene from Toy Story......

LOL! 

Anyway, first stop on our virtual shopping tour is a little website called www.dirtylittlestylebitch.co.uk. 

Beige Espadrille Lace Up Sandals - £27.99

Tan Cork Wedge Heeled Sandals - £29.99

I am a shoe lover, hoarder, obsesser, collector, whatever you want to call it. Shoes to me are like eyes to the face  - really weird and creepy if not present. No but seriously, shoes can totally change an outfit in my opinion. 

My boyfriend and I have a 2 week holiday booked to Mexico in September & so I need to stock up on shoes. These two are perfect in that they are both shades of nude, which means they will go with everything.

I have been after a pair or corked wedges for a while as they are the perfect chameleon holiday shoe, they can be worn casual or smart.

Next stop H&M....

Tropical Print Sarong - £8.99

Striped High Leg Swimsuit - £19.99

Anything with stripes is going straight in my basket! The high rise is great for lengthening your legs, which is perfect for me as I am only 5ft4!

This tropical print sarong is absolutely stunning! The muted colours in the pattern make it pretty without being in your face. B E A U T I F U L! This will go perfectly with that swimsuit!

New Look isn't a shop I used to gravitate towards but I feel like they have upped their game in the last couple of years and are appealing to a wider audience.

Shell Pink Biker Jeans - £24.99

Striped Wide Leg Trousers - £24.99

Lemon Lace Bralet - £14.99

Adding a little colour to my usual black, white & grey wardrobe are these items from New Look. 

Jeans are a staple of my wardrobe..... I am not hugey girly in my outfits, I would probably describe my style as 'Punk Rock Princess' - I love black....... but you will find me with frills & florals and pretty jewellery. Sometimes in trainers, other times in heels. I also have a 'few' tattoos (we can get to that a little later....).  

Pink jeans may seem like a scary thought however these 'shell' coloured biker style jeans couldn't be more ME! I sometimes find it hard to wear jeans in summer as I don't really find white jeans practical and to be honest, they aren't very flattering on me, so these pink ones will be a great add to my summer wardrobe. 

Oh would you look at that..... more stripes!! These trousers give me LIFE! These trousers will be amazing on holiday on the first couple of days when I am still Caspar the Ghost!! I would pair these with a lace bralet (not the yellow one..either black..red..or navy) & a ponytail. I could also travel home in these.... how comfortable would they be on a plane!! Pair them with a plain tee & some converse.... comfort & stlye ... perfect! 

And finally...... the little lemon bralet. I have a couple of bralettes but I don't find them very practical living in Scotland (I wonder why!) however this one will be perfect on holiday with a body con skirt or some high waisted shorts.

                       

Lots of love,
K xo

Current Favourites

As I am relatively new to being Vegan/Cruelty free, I am still learning which companies & parent companies own which brands. At present I do still have products from brands whose parent companies test on animals however I am slowly but surely finding new100% cruelty free & vegan brands to replace these with, which I am loving!!So please forgive me if I post something incorrectly that is not Vegan and/or Cruelty free.

Disclaimer out of the way lets begin.......

Beauty 💆
The Body Shop is a great company - Not only are they completely against testing on animals, they are 100% Vegetarian & a lot of their products are Vegan too, 128 products to be exact as of 03/05. They have run many campaigns, fundraisers, petitions & initiatives including; the 'Ethical Trade Initiative', 'Bio-Bridges' & Enrich not Exploit'. Please check out their website for more info on the work they are doing in the world.

On top of this, I find the staff to be extremely friendly and helpful, advising you on the best products for your needs & always doing their best to save you money where possible. My server today Lucy  advised me if I spent just £1 more I could earn a £5 voucher, hell yes Lucy, I am all for free money!

My first favourite is the 'Tea Tree: Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution' - £13 when purchased individually.

I have combo oily skin. It is dehdrayted but does get oily throughout the day when I wear make up, so I wanted to use the Tea Tree to soak up excess oils, treat blemishes (I am unfortunately not blessed with flawless skin!) & to reduce the chances of future breakouts. This solution is less harsh than pure tea tree & can therefore be used twice a day. It does not sting, unless you have broken skin, and dries in quickly. I cleanse and tone first, then apply the solution & finally my day or night moisturiser.      I have been using this product for almost 2 months and WOW, what a difference it has made!!!
Not only has it reduced the amount of blemishes I get, it has reduced the size of my pores & oil production! I repurchased this today in a set with the stronger 'Tea Tree oil' spot treatment which cost me £16, what a bargain!!
Note: The only tea tree product under their Vegan section is the Daily solution so I need to confirm wether the other items in the range are Vegan or not! Fingers crossed they are!


🌞When it comes to fake tans, I have tried pretty much every single one. My favourite for so long was the 'Bondi Sands' foam in Dark. However, I have recently started using the 'Bondi Sands liquidgold dry oil' tan.
Oh my, nothing compares in my opinion. It dries really quick & doesn't require you to shower it off, although I would recommend showering before wearing light coloured products.
 It develops over 2-3 hours(I tend to keep mines on overnight) into the most natural, gorgeous tan & is streak free. It does have that nasty fake tan smell but because it dries faster than normal it is bearable. When it fades it fades evenly and is extremly easy to rub off. The tan is also infused with Argan oil making it very moisturising.
   I have started toping up my tan every couple of days with the 'Bondi Sands everday liquidgold dry oil', it smells like holiday, you know the smell I mean, coconut paradise! & dries instantly. I find it helps my tan last around 10-14 days before I need to re apply. For everyday, I use the 'everyday gradual tanning milk' to keep my skin from drying out between applications.
In order these cost £14.99, £13.99 & £11.99 from Boots.

 

💅 Like many girls, and boys - I ain't judging, I love having long nails. However, I don't love Acrylics or how bad they are for you! And much to my horror, Shellac is not Vegan either.
For the last 12-18 months I have been using glue on false nails from Primark, they are cruelty free but I am not 100% sure if they are Vegan friendly? More recently I have been using Superdrug 'fashion nails', I buy the stiletto shape but they also come in square. - Superdrug is actually an amazing place to get lots of vegan & cruelty free products and they are extremely cheap! (Did I hear someone say haul??)

These nails come with a good bunch of sizes, I have reasonably little fingers but I reckon these are a good match for most people. They also come with enough doubles to replace the odd nail that falls off and a bottle of glue which lasts 2-3 sets of nails! I find these can last up to 2, maybe 3 weeks before they get a bit too scruffy. They are £2.99 per back & I often get mines on offer 3 for 2. The only downside for me is that the colour range is pretty rubbish - I tend to buy the clear & paint them myself, but for £2.99 can you really complain??


TV 📺
Pretty Little Liars.
Need I say more than those 3 little words?? The final season has just started & I just cannot get enough. I don't know if I am quite ready to find out who "AD" is as that means accepting PLL is finally over!! I have had my suspisions in the past & have on occasions been correct, but honestly I have NO idea who it is going to be this time & that excites me and upsets me in equal measures!

I was lucky enough to get the book set for Christmas from my Mother in Law(Thanks P!!) but didn't want to start reading them until the very end, so I am excited to start those soon. I know the books differ from the series but I quite like that. Let me know your thoughts, are the books better than the show?

Fashion  👗
When I was younger I was quite into fashion & even had a lookbook.nu profile, looking back I wasn't that great at creating outfits but I wore what I liked & felt comfortable so thats all that matters, right?
Not much has changed, I do like to keep up with fashion trends & try to put more effort into outfits but I am mostly all about being comfortable. My current obsession is frills (the inspo behind the blog name) & wide sleeves. I recently went on a trip to Manchester with my boyfriend & we both went a bit mad in Primark & amongst my finds was this beauty.......

 

I am literally obsessed with this jacket. I haven't taken it off since I got it!  I love the frills & sleeves on this, they add a femine touch (Although one of my BOMA's keeps calling me Pete Docherty when I wear it!😒) It is so comfortable, not stiff at all and is roomy in my normal size so I can fit a jumper underneath. I like to pair mines with my faux leather, coated stlye primark jeans (which are only £13!) and a pair of ankle boots or with a comfy jumper dress & vans for a casual daytime look.
I believe it was £18, what a steal!

YouTube Channels 📹
"Hi my name is Keighley & I'm a YouTube addict".... no, but seriously.
I am that person who goes looking for one video & ends up in that YouTube hole, 4 hours later and still hasn't watched the one video they were looking for!
I have a list of favourite YouTubers which I will talk about in a future post but recently I cannot stop watching Shane Dawson. 
That boy is my spirit animal. There is nothing I don't find funny about him, he does not take himself serious and can laugh at his own flaws which I love plus those conspiracy videos??? If you know, you know!

Got to also give a shoutout to Gabriella Lindley! Her vlogs give me life and her cat Nellie is goals😻. I think vlogs are my favourite videos to watch, closely followed by hauls. I don't really know what is so satisfying about watching people go about their daily lives but Gabb knows how to reel me in. She is also insanely pretty with and without make up!

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Please share with me some of your cruelty free, vegan favourites in the comments & I will be sure to check them out.

Until next time..................

Lots of love,
K xox


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