Blend in or stand out?

Does anyone else experience the phenomenon of feeling flat as a pancake after having a really great time?

It often happens to me, I get a horrible shit-that's-over-now come-down, leaving me feeling sad and grouchy, and not a little guilty...

Today's outfit is an attempt to shake myself out of my funk.

It was working too, until I tipped the tray loaded with the kids' lunch onto the kitchen floor. And over my feet.

Orange squash-soaked sandwiches, anyone? 

I took pics of yesterday's outfit, but look...

... my dress and the bark of my cherry tree are the same colour. Talk about camouflaged. No wonder I felt a bit drab.

Today - lunchtime accidents apart - is better.

But will whoever keeps sneaking into my wardrobe and letting my hems down please desist?

Another one! I know what I'll be doing this evening.

The kids had a great time with their auntie and uncle, and we all met up on Monday. Tynemouth, on the North East coast outside Newcastle, is a lovely spot.

Great company, fabulous food and drink, gorgeous beach, even some blue skies - wonderful!

So - it's daft to feel downhearted after a lovely time, isn't it? Kind of spoils the experience, if you let it.

1970s Crimplene maxi skirt - Ebay (£2.20, bargain!)

T-shirt, suede belt, necklaces and bangles - charity shops

Not blending in so much today - that's good!

While everyone knows Morrissey's Everyday is like Sunday is the best British seaside song ever (sorry, I will have NO argument about that) and Squeeze's Pulling mussels from a shell is the funniest, I find myself rather fond of Keane's swoony nostalgic tune.


Enjoy.

xxx

What do bees smell of?

Child-free weekends are a great rarity in this household.

The last one (here) was 9 months ago. When I looked back at the post, I chuckled at the fact I was wearing orange.

What is it about the kids heading off to spend the weekend with their fabulous auntie and uncle that sends me into orange?

There is a LOT of fabric in this 1970s wraparound skirt!

Look, the embroidery matches the skirt. It's almost as though I planned it...

 
 I am just a flower-snapping, PicMonkey collage-making fool!

The other day, Littlest was pretending to make perfumes for me when she asked me an interesting question: What do bees smell of?

Any ideas? Other than bee?

I couldn't get close enough to sniff him, but I heartily approve of his colour scheme.

1970s wrap maxi skirt, orange vest, belt, necklaces and bangles - charity shops

Sandals - Ebay

Embroidered top - street market 

Collage for my dear friend Joni!

Bitchface for gorgeous Krista - I'll be smiling when I meet you, darling!

So while the kids live it up in the North East, the man and I have been out for a coffee, for a drink, for lunch, then for another drink...

Then I had a Nanna nap.

Delicious!

We go up to meet my sister and her man, and the LBs, on Monday. We have FaceTimed with them and they are having a ball without us!

Hope you are all doing delicious things this weekend.

  xxx

Put on your red shoes and dance the blues

This skirt has a tendency to garner some attention.

You don't see many mermaids in landlocked Sheffield.

I wear it a lot, it's one of my absolute favourite items of clothing (last seen here).

It was old stock from a fancy dress shop, a fact which never ceases to delight me!

I didn't notice the hem is falling down at the front, despite wearing the skirt all day.

When the members of the Ladies Purse, my quiz team pals, called for me en route to the pub, they spotted it immediately. Bah!

I am attempting to give two colours a go which I rarely wear and have in my mental doesn't-suit-me file; cream and grey.

I figured if I wore them with some crazy black/gold/silver lurex mermaid scales, I might pull it off.

And I have tried a trusty Vix Trick - a waistcoat!

The Ladies Purse came a creditable second in the quiz.

In and around the serious intellectual rigour,
 the discussion encompassed:

 Potato Day at Saltaire and which potato we would like to be (I chose Desiree, in homage to the Sassy Vamp herself.)

Vajazzling, whether there is a market for a male version (feel free to make up your own name), and whether the technology is available for a vajazzle kit which lights up when your partner hits the spot. Expect to see us any day on Dragons Den with that idea...

The chewy consistency of escargot and whelks, and opinions thereof.

Living on a remote Outer Hebridean island, and its relative merits/problems.

I love my quiz nights - we never win but we do have a laugh!

1970s Atlantic Made in England lurex maxi skirt - Ebay

1970s sheer cream hippy top, waistcoat, shoes, bangles and necklaces - charity shops

Brooch - car boot

Silver cuff - Brick Lane street market

Flower - retail

Blogging is a fascinating pastime, for many reasons.

Not least is the feedback one receives - about clothes, photography, styling, blog layout, comic timing, and writing style.

I have spent all my adult life developing a brand of self-deprecating humour, which serves two purposes. It makes people laugh (I love making people laugh) and if I get the joke about myself in first, it prevents anyone else from saying it. 

If it's an annoying trait, I can only apologise, and say that I will try to rein it in. I think my self-esteem is pretty good these days, but old habits die hard.

Thanks for the feedback, it may not always be easy reading, but it's all good!

         xxx

Stand and Deliver

The kids and I had a great day out with friends at Bolsover Castle yesterday.

 

I know, I look a bit shit, but the castle doesn't disappoint!

 

Nothing like a bright blue sky to act as the perfect backdrop for a bit of English history!

 

The older parts of the castle are ruined, having been damaged by the Parlimentarian forces in the Civil War, and subsequently allowed to fall into disrepair.

 

The English Civil War is one of my favourite periods of British history; the radicalism and passion and daring were astonishing. Yet it seems largely ignored. I wonder why?

This part of the castle (the Little Castle) is intact, with lots of rooms to explore.

 

 

 

Beautiful painted ceilings and decorative panelling.

 

 

 

 

The kids loved all the nudity. And truthfully - so did I!

My dear bessie mate Joanne and I pondered whether our figures were better suited to these 18th century images of big bottoms and sturdy thighs...

Those kick-ass little cherabim really make me smile!

The Venus Fountain.

 

Joanne, being an organised kind of person, had discovered that there were themed kids' activities happening, based around Heroes and Villains.

Now I have to say I didn't expect much, maybe a few half-arsed craft activities with most of the supplies used up, or the odd dressing up box.

But hush my cynical mouth, there was a day-long schedule of interactive sessions with 2 actors, who were completely brilliant, and managed that clever trick of entertaining and involving the kids while amusing the parents. 

 

No mean feat.

 

They loaded and fired muskets.

 

 

 

They were dastardly highwaymen.

 

 

They learned about crime and punishment back in the day.

 

Eldest had been adding unsavoury ingredients to her bread and cakes, so was pinned to a stake by her ear, which was then cut off. Seems fair, if you're going to put rabbit droppings in the "chocolate chip" cookies.

 

 

 

I think I may have a little crush...

 

... on Mr Hottie McHighwayman. 

 

 

Stand and deliver, baby.

 

 

 

 

 

I think we should get back to the architecture, don't you?

 

 

 

 

And the view.

That's better.

 

There was a little bit of dressing up.

 

Let Mama join in, darlings.

 

Too cool for school...

Ooh, big old hips! 

If I was naked, and on a ceiling, around 300 years ago, I'd be considered a goddess.

 

 

We had a fabulous day.

The End.

 xxx

Maybe I ought to practice a little now

I have noted the recent furore surrounding goings-on in the Independent Fashion Bloggers community, but from the safe distance of one who doesn't give too much of a toss about being a "successful" blogger.

To me, my blog has succeeded beyond any expectations I had when it began. It has put me in touch with a range of wonderful women whose intelligence, warmth, generosity, humour and style I admire.

That's good enough for me. 

See? Happy!

In amongst the swathes of commentary and reaction, it's great to see that delicious minx Desiree has been highlighted here as a "non-traditional" style blogger of note. 

Of course she is, we knew that already!

 

Doing what she does best!

One of the comments on the post featuring Desiree included the poem Warning, by Jenny Joseph.

For those unfamiliar, here it is;

 

Warning 

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Jenny Joseph

 

 

 At 48, I guess many young style bloggers would consider me to be an old lady.

 I can understand that. I remember as a young teenager thinking Debbie Harry was old at 32. 

But it certainly didn't stop me appreciating how stunningly gorgeous she was (still is.)

But I'm now thinking I should get some purple-wearing practice in, you know, for when I'm positively ancient. And a good splash of red never goes amiss.

Neither does a flash of one's petticoat!

Dress and sandals - Ebay

Cardigan, red shoes, petticoat, belt, bangles - charity shops

Hair flowers - retail

Pale freckly never-tanned skin - I blame my parents

 

The day started off a little cool, hence the leggings and cardigan, then it rained, then it was hot. 

Such unpredictable weather makes getting dressed very complicated!

Lord, you wouldn't want to get into an online fracas with me, look at my bitch face!

So here are my thoughts, for what they are worth;

Wear what you love, no matter how young/old you are.

Be inspired by others, no matter how young/old they are.

Have a bloody laugh, they're only clothes.

Amen.

 

If it's good enough for a fuchsia, it's good enough for me.

Don't know what I'm looking for there among the pebbles.

My lost youth perhaps?

Nah, I'll take what's left in front of me, thanks!

And just for my friend Joni, who commented on my previous post that she thought the cherry tree might throw me into a spin and kiss me...

... a little tree hugging. We all need one sometimes, right?

Hope you have all had wonderful weekends.

 xxx