Wednesday, 10 October 2012

You always loved this time of year




After all the excitement of that fabulous flurry of tulle posts, I am in autumnal mode today.
 

 



I haven't worn this great skirt before. It was sent in a parcel of delight by the wonderful Helga a while back.
I love the colours.







And just for Dawn of Suitcase Vignettes (check her out if you don't know her, she's gorgeous!)
I am wearing a pussy bow blouse. Dawn thinks that name is hilarious! 



I do feel vaguely Mrs Slocombe-esque today.




Yeah yeah, we know all about your petticoat, put it away now...





1980s MaxMara jacket, 1970s St. Michael pussy bow blouse, belt, brooch, bracelets, hat and petticoat - charity shops
1970s homemade skirt - gift from Helga
1980s boots - Second to None, Walsall
Carpet bag - flea market



And speaking of pussies, in bow form or otherwise, one of mine has done a bad thing. 
A very bad thing.

Which one?




That one sneaking into shot on the right.


The other day, I heard a loud squeaking noise.

 Charlie was outside the back door with a guinea pig in his mouth.

 A loudly squealing guinea pig.






It wasn't a cute scene like this..




...or this.


Charlie is a Natural Born Killer. And he eats his prey.





Cute with a toy. Not so much with someone else's squealing pet clasped in the jaws of death.


My neighbour and I managed to corner him, but it was only when we each wedged a finger between his jaws to prize them open that Charlie was forced to drop the guinea pig and we could rescue it.

You will be relieved to know the guinea pig survived. A neighbour across the road keeps them outside on her front lawn, and they had escaped from the cage. Charlie was just doing his opportunist predatory thing, but I would rather he didn't sour neighbourly relations by killing beloved pets...





Thought I'd paint my nails red in honour of Tennyson's wonderful phrase Nature, red in tooth and claw

And in relief at a narrow escape on this occasion.


If we could have a little less of the In Memoriam for rodents, thank you, Charlie.






If it's not the kids, it's my pets behaving badly.


When is it my turn?

xxx




40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't decide which I like more - the skirt or the boots!

What gorgeous colours :) Glad you managed to rescue the guinea pig, but as you say - your kitty's only doing what nature intended ;)

thorne garnet said...

What a wonderful color combo you've got going on. In love with the pin.

Sarah Jane said...

Ooh delightful. As much as I love pastels and primary colours, I do love a few Autumnal shades at this time of year. That skirt is amazing. You can tell it's belonged to Helga by the style but it looks fab on you. I love the way the print clashes with the print of the bag. I am rather partial to a pussy myself (bow that is).

And kudos for invoking the great Alfred Lord. I've loved him since I was 14. I love to read Victorian era authors at this time of year xxx

Amber of Butane Anvil said...

Curtise, you are like a beautiful painting - amazing combination of colours, prints, shapes (super belt!), and accessories. Fantastic collage too!

The valiant guinea pig misadventure at the jaws of Bad, Bad Kitty reminds me of this article I think you will enjoy:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/cats_actually_kill

Anonymous said...

Pussy Fabulous! The bow I mean!! I love the rich autumn colours with your grey coat and those boots are a gorgeous colour..think I might have to scope some out xx

Anonymous said...

You can come to my house and we can behave VERY badly together. I know that would happen for a fact, cause you is my twin!
This is a classic look on you Curtise, I'm sporting the fall colors and pumpkin tights today. (post later) We'd be knock outs together if we could spend a day out and about.;)

So happy to hear your little furry pig is going to be okay. Now I bet that cat can't be trusted anymore in that situation again. The photos look sweet but I know what the cats were saying to themselves in their own language. Yikes!

Fiona said...

Naughty Charlie! But you can't blame him if the neighbours guinea pigs were at large and looking very tasty. SUPERB collage, love love love your ring and brooch and very feminine red Tennyson talons.
Don't think there's much to choose between Justin and Gary do you ?
xxxxxx

Connie said...

Oh Pussy Cats! Bows, furry and otherwise! Always keeping us jumping! You look lovely and autumnal. Thanks always for the sweet comments. An ironing board...hmmmm...so THAT'S what it's for...a tripod!
Hug! Connie*

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa said...

You look bloomin' gorgeous! I love the mustard hat, skirt and jacket together.

Poor little guinea pig! I have a rabbit and two cats, and rather than trying to eat him they both run away terrified! xo.

Kaffesoester said...

What a beautiful outfit! Why don't you have a job as someone's stylist?

The colours are gorgeous, the prints mix perfectly and and all the lovely accessories, including the nails are a work of art! And you even know how to handle a naughty cat!

Dare I ask how large your closet is? You seem to be able to come up with "new" items for every post!

The Goodwill Fangirl said...

Well, you do have the right boots on for behaving badly. As we say in th' South, Da-YUM Gurl! Love 'em, and everything actually. I'm hoping The Costume Technician still has the lovely tulle skirt she made years ago, so I can do tulle and tea, too :)

Oh, your post brought on PTCD. You know, Post Traumatic Cat Disorder. My beloved guinea pig Guinivere was killed by a kitty when I was in junior high. We were out in the yard, my mum asked me to answer the phone in the house, an older guest agreed to watch Guinny - but what he did is watch a barn cat kill Guinny. So glad you saved your neighbor's - you are my hero, Curtise!

Ivy Black said...

Gorgeous. That skirt is a knockout. I love the autumn.
Blimey, well done with the rescue. My cat is to lazy to catch anything. She's more of a cat girl than a rodent attacker though she has brought hem into the house alive so they do a runner in the kitchen!!
xxxx

Fran said...

Love that skit but really love those boots and that belt. Yes, pets. Love em but they can be a..difficulty. Good that he wanted to give you a littl gift before he decided to behead it.

Lynn Hasty said...

Ahhhh, what a beautiful thing you are in your autumnal attire! I do love the colors! I'm in the mood for fall too! Sorry to hear about the guinea pig, but you know...? Cats? And other creatures? We know what happens.

xoxo
Lynn

Anonymous said...

You look lovely!
And I'm glad the guinea pig survived.

Dawn said...

Curtise, I have a collection of purses like yours but none as beautiful as that one. I pulled one out today but it didn't match and now that I see yours, I could have used it. I ended up not using a purse because of the goose poo. I am a pussy lover and I know that you are too. I have been banned at work from using the P word. Whatever! I still say it. I love cats I told them. Thanks for the mention and the comliment Curtise, I truly enjoy your posts and your way with words. dawn suitcase vignettes xo

Lakota [Faith Hope and Charity Shopping] said...

Phew, thank goodness you were there as the guinea-pig angel of mercy!

I have a feeling my mum may have had those very boots in the 80s, and I borrowed them for a secondary school play. Now I want them back again! I do have some in the same colour, but mine lace up.

PUSSY BOW RIOT!
x

Faith Hope and Charity Christmas Swap - Sign up now open!

Jean at www.drossintogold.com said...

I don't think I'd ever remove those boots from my feet, I love them so much. They are perfect with your skirt and belt (tres sexy!!). Lovely outfit.

Your kitty was merely doing it's job. Good thing you were able to rescue the little critter, though. Neighbors tend to not understand.

As for misbehaving? It might be overrated. It all depends on the result of the action, I suppose. Maybe you can decide what you'd gain from "misbehaving" and get it anyway!! Good luck. :-)

silvergirl said...

all i can focus on are those boots
in love!!
brett

Melanie said...

That skirt looks like a far-out painting so you just know I'm gonna love it!! You are an artist on your way to the grotto and when you get there you will go mad with inspiration. I love these colours. Happy to hear of the successful rescue. What a fright!! At least your cat didn't put the poor thing in a pot of water in the kitchen.

CityScape Skybaby said...

I love that hat Curtise, I hope you don't mind if I start the look out for a mustard coloured one. I have a red one I'm very fond of in winter but that mustard colour is stealing my heart.
I must admit your story did make me laugh though I'm very glad there was a happy outcome. That could have been very bad for neighbourly relations indeed. Our Sasha was a great predator when she was younger, leaving dead mice and birds all over the house and garden which was horrible, but at least she left the neighbour's pets alone!
The lady next door to us feeds the birds and adores them but luckily Sasha had calmed down a lot by the time she moved in, but there's lots of young cats around ready to take up her mantle.
I'm with you on the pets and kids, when is it going to be our turn, lol. xx

bonsaimum said...

Oooooh that hat again, and those red boots, excuse me while I drool.
I know how you felt about your cat and the guinea pig. Years ago my cat,now passed away,helped himself to my neighbours bird. It turned out that it wasn't even her bird - she was minding it for another neighbour of ours!! The neighbor who did own the bird took the news of its demise very well. Whew!

Pull Your Socks Up! said...

It's your turn to behave badly. Very, very badly. Hmmmmm ... I actually don't think I know what that means to me in my life anymore. I know other people get up to naughty things, but bad behaviour? To me, being naughty is lying in on the weekend, pretending to be asleep so the kids have to get their own brekkie. oooh errrr!!!!! I do love to show off my vintage scanties too, which clearly you do too. Disgraceful! Nice! How I adore your skirt from Helgita and oh those boots and the BAAAAAAAAAAAAAG!!!! My brother-in-law flew over from Auckland last night, with a beautiful 50s tapestry handbag from my darling sister. Very emotional. Then she tells me this morning that her car alarm was on all night and she didn't hear it until 5.30am. Yes, good neighbourly relations are useful - car alarms and savaged guinea pigs do not a good neighbour make;). I'm so glad you managed to save the poor little blighter. You're a hero so, yes, you deserve to behave badly now! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Kitty said...

Darling it's always your turn, that's one of the small joys of being a grown-up. Come on, show us the naughty girl!

Anonymous said...

I always love everything you wear: that skirt is an artwork and the pussy (again) bow blouse too!The colours are very inspirational, every hat in the world seems perfect on you and your taste for beautiful jewels complete your lovely outfit!
After I read your old post about the Chazzing mojo I felt more confident and today I find a lot of things,I'll post them soon,and I really want to thank you!!
Love!!!

Tamera's Craft Palace said...

LOVE the outfit!! Perfectly Pussybowed Autumnal Pizzaz!!
{{{hugs}}}

Tamera the Menopausel Supermodel

(I'm posting from an old blogger account as my Wordpress is having issues)

Vix said...

You are definitely making the Pussy bow your own! I love them on you, you've got such a cheeky smile so they never look prim or Thatcher-like on you, either. That skirt is a beauty and the mustard hat reminds me that I need to dig mine out, it's my fave.
cats are so evil, Stephen actually dropped a dead bird on me in bed a couple of weeks ago, he's too much of a wuss to kill anything himself, just nicks them off the other cats and runs away with them.
Your turn is the 1st November!!! Love and kisses! xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Miss Simmonds Says said...

oh poor pig! glad he was ok, they're just so fat and squealing and useless I'm sure they're extremely tempting to pick up, similar thing happened to one of my guinea pigs, except it was a husky not a cat :(

Anyway - back to you, I nearly exploded when I saw the first outfit! I love it!! You look stunning. Everything is wonderful. The blouse, the jacket, the boots, like a sexier version of Audrey from To The Manor Born. The nails are gorgeous. You certainly don't look prim!

Miss Simmonds Says said...

ps: forever autumn is the most depressing song ever

Diane said...

Oh my gorgeous burgundy boots!! I had those in 1981 from Castle Market! I have a photo of me in them somewhere on my blog. I loved them so much and have been looking this year for a pair. Burgundy goes with everything! xxxx

Rachel said...

What a lovely well-written post, it has given me a boost from my sickbed (just a bit under the weather). This outfit is superb, the colour-mixing is bang on -and phew! Is all I can say for the guinea pig, what a lucky escape.

Rachel said...

P.s I must investigate the shop in Walsall where your boots are ftom when I am next nearby...

Krista said...

Never put away the petticoat:) Your pussy bow blouse and swirly whirly skirt from Helga have as much attitude as you my dear. Paired with those killer boots and red nails you are beautiful! Have I told you how much you make me laugh? I love how you can say so much and use very few words, you really make them all count.

The story of killer Charlie and the guinea pig encounter nearly caused me to wet my pants and bite my nails! Thank goodness that one was saved. I recently heard that for every one kill your cats make that you know about the there are 3 you don't and that could just be in a week! And we let them sleep with us at night! :)

I love all your bits in that nice collage, the brooch especially! Behave badly when you see Vix next time, she's always up for a lil trouble. I wish I could be there.
Lotsoflove
~
Krista

Helga said...

I'm all YAY! about your splendid Slocombe-esque outfit and O NO! over Charlie's disgraceful episode!!!
LOVE this outfit,and am so pleased the skirt fits and looks so gooood!
I suspect we'll be seeing that beret a bit,it rocks!
O,Charlie!! It's terrible, it IS their instinct, and they can't really be blamed for that,but o,DEAR the poor piguinea!!! (my name for them)Thank goodness it survived!
love madlyXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mrs. D said...

Naughty naughty Charlie! My cat Biryiani once brought in a baby sparrow, it survived but was scared beyond belief!
Glad your story had a happy ending.

Red boots, hmmm I'm drooling all over them!

Nikki @ Penelope Cat Vintage said...

Oh nooo! What a naughty puddy. I'm so glad the Guinea Pig escaped. I dread the day ours kill something, we think they terrorise the neighbourhood as it is.

Love the skirt - such fab colours and the whole outfit is gorgeous.

Nikki x

joyatri said...

I'm catching up on my blog reading and see that I must have been channeling you today when I spent 3 hours trying on clothes for my impending trip to the UK. I've packed a pussy bow blouse, boots, carpet bag, beret, and autumnal colored jackets and dresses. And here you are wearing the very same. If only I could pull off a waist-cinching belt like you but alas I am a poster child for the waist-less.
Bad cat! But bad neighbor for allowing guinea pigs to roam freely. Glad he's ok and your neighborly relations haven't been jeopardized.

Monica - Colour makes people said...

Oh, still in shock of reading about guinea pig near death experience :) Im glad you came to the rescue. :) I love your autumnal outfit.:)

karensomethingorother said...

ack! Horror story! Damn...we love our kitties, but this--given the chance--is what they do! I'm glad the pet was alright.

In other news, that skirt is mouthwateringly good. Yes, I made that all one word. It looks like a fabulous PAINTING!!! Good colours and pussy bows! Hooray!

Forest City Fashionista said...

I loved the description and accompanying photos for the Charlie vs. Guinea pig story! So glad the guinea pig survived, but you can't blame Charlie for being true to his nature, now can you? Those boots are such a deliciously rich colour.