Late mornings and lazy days, picnics and parks, sunshine and blue skies, with no particular place to go, no deadlines, no schedule.
I could get used to this.
The kids and I went to Endcliffe Park last week.
You're never too old for an enthusiastic game of Pooh Sticks.
We watched a pair of rats pottering about on the edge of the playground; no one else spotted them, but I imagine the park is something of a rat paradise. Plenty of woodland and undergrowth for cover, water, and kids dropping sandwiches and ice creams all over the place, fine pickings for these resourceful little critters.
(Em, on the fruit/rodent scale, I'd say they were the size of very large bananas.)
The 1971 children's book Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, one of my all-time favourites, has engendered a love and admiration for rats in our family.
This does not extend as far as Chief Rat Catcher Charlie.
Her Majesty remains unamused, probably because she has been made to hang around with the working folk.
Claudia and I went into town together on Saturday.
Don't ask - I have no idea why I was pulling that face, but it's fairly typical of what I look like In Real Life.
It's a wonder anyone is prepared to be seen out with me really...
This little patch of meadow is in the centre of Sheffield; just lovely.
We admired the vintage dresses in Mooch, and perused the charity shops.
Claudia has had a massive growth spurt recently (as you can see from the photo above, she's only half a head shorter than me now) and I am having to replace most of her clothes. On this occasion, we only found a skirt for school, and most of the things I held up to show her triggered a WTF? face. It's slow progress.
I found this skirt for me - I was drawn to the 1970s styling. It's Whistles, and cost me £3.99.
A quick browse of their website reveals full price skirts retail at well over £100. That makes me feel smug!
Me;
1950s Marie Moore brocade jacket - Second to None, Walsall
Floral palazzos, camisole, belt, necklace, bangles and sunglasses - charity shopped
Carpet bag - gift
Micromosaic brooch - vintage charity sale
Sandals - retail (sale)
Claudia;
Shirt, shorts and Converse - charity shopped (the Converse were from the £1.49 charity shop - Best Bargain Ever!)
Vest - hand-me-down
Haircut - by me
I'll be taking my floaty floral trousers along to Sacramento's Share-in-Style link-up.
I'm hoping to crack on with a bit of sewing this week, and enjoy some more of this.
Hope your weekend involved blue skies and whatever make you happy!
xxxx
44 comments:
the floral pants are a stunner!
HIPPY AT HEART ///
That green jacket looks AMAZING against your very amazing red hair. Beautiful pics!
http://www.highlandfashionista.com
so nice to have a bit of girl time but... SHE LETS YOU CUT HER HAIR?!?! You're well ahead of the game there even if she does pull faces at your styling suggestions - have you seen the price of women's haircuts???? *grumpy old lady face* xxx
School holidays are great. I used to dread them when I was working but love them now.
Charlie has the right idea about the rats.
It is so strange when children grow to the point where they are comparing their height to yours. Seems so impossible that the little baby you carried in the crook of your arm is now standing eye to eye. That's a lovely photo of Claudia and you-one to print for the photobook.
Shopping with a teen is different, isn't it?
I love the way you spend a school holiday - it makes me smile all over to see you and your darling kids having fun. I have a fondness for (certain) rats too - we always see them at a pier in NYC and I admire their scrappiness. My kitties do not love them so much either.
Great score on the new skirt, and I love your floral trousers. xox
I remember seeing Mrs Frisby at the cinema when I was a kid and being absolutely TERRIFIED by the scene with the cat -- but I loved the book. I still have it, actually, must be due for a reread...
Park rats are usually OK -- they tend to keep to themselves and keep clean (I see them washing themselves in the ponds here!)
And gawd I envy you your cheap chazzas. Never get them that cheap in London.
You look in all your dresses just great !!
You look amazing in your lovely trousers.I thought that they were a maxi skirt at first. Very nice outfits on both you young ladies. I have the same problem with Lucy. I bought her a two lovely 70's velvet jackets (£1.85 each) and she won't wear them but she does let me cut her hair after the Tony & Guy expensive balls-ups on both our hairs. I just got to dip dye it too. Looking forward to seeing your amazing sewing. I have been doing some too. Bliss....... xxxx
Love your little green jacket … it's just my cup of tea.
My word … hasn't Claudia grown up all of a sudden … she's looking quite the young lady now. If there's one thing I know about teenagers … it's that they're never happy with the clothes their mother's pick out for them … so good luck … it's only going to get worse ;0)
xx
You and Claudia look so cute together. My girl would die if she found some Converse shoes at the thrift! She had to get hers from Grandma. And she is nearly the same height as me, but then I'm only 5ft 2in. so I'm sure she will taller than me eventually! :)
I'm laughing that Em has a fruit to rodent scale. I'm also totally creeped out by rats, but the lush green landscape I feel at home in. The shot of the kids leaning over the bridge is so sweet.
Claudia is certainly getting tall, oh my just like her mom! I remember who awful I was to shop with as a teen. I hadn't everything my mom liked. I wish we all the luck in the world there, but it actually seems ok.
I think your pants make me wanna dance:). You look fresh and like you have no fucks to give. I could kiss you!
Here's to squeezing as much out of summer as our laziness allows.
Love you!
Xxxxxxxxooooo
love how you pair 50´s with 70´s!!!
and mixing materials - brocade, lace, carpeting, floral print..... and always your great silver jewelry!
such mosaic brooches i saw in antique stores in venice - veeery expensive!
claudia comes to an age to go shopping alone - and making all mistakes we made in this young age by herself :-) and learn...
wish you a great august!
xxxxxx
You're an utter gem in these gorgeous jewel tones - I adore the texture and cut of the jacket, and of course, those amazing giant pants smite me to smithereens with their fabulousness. Really a mess over here. I love your IRL face as much as and more than your bloggy one, and it sounds like you and Claudia are doing marvellously well, even including those very dear WTF? faces! Wishing her more successful clothes-hunting! xoxo
Love the floaty pants! Love your nails, too - I have a weakness for purply sparkles.
Your daughter is stunning and rocks her Converse sneakers.
Rats are cute as long as they're in the park.
Aaahhh, these are my type of trousers!!! Big trousers are cool!
Great that Claudia has also got some bargains from the CS too! Oooh, loving that skirt! The meadow in Sheffield looks beautioful! I must visit there- I've never been there except in a fictional blog post!x
Looking gorgeous! I'd forgotten that incredible Second To None jacket, it looks wonderful with those pants.
Claudia has shot up, she's going to be as willowy and fab as you are, lucky thing.
I do love a rat or any rodent really (unless its in the house). Cats are little buggers though, Jon had to rescue a teeny field mouse from Stephen Squirrel's jaws on Thursday, I think the poor bugger was okay.
You ought to work for Sheffield tourist board, you always capture something new and fabulous.
Love that Whistles skirt, bet you could use that as a pattern and make some more.
Love you! xxxxx
Looking gorgeous! I'd forgotten that incredible Second To None jacket, it looks wonderful with those pants.
Claudia has shot up, she's going to be as willowy and fab as you are, lucky thing.
I do love a rat or any rodent really (unless its in the house). Cats are little buggers though, Jon had to rescue a teeny field mouse from Stephen Squirrel's jaws on Thursday, I think the poor bugger was okay.
You ought to work for Sheffield tourist board, you always capture something new and fabulous.
Love that Whistles skirt, bet you could use that as a pattern and make some more.
Love you! xxxxx
Unscheduled time is the best part of summer break. It's so important to have time to reconnect with the offspring. I also hear you on the back to school shopping. My guy is beyond picky. Good luck! Love the outfit. The micro mosaic is so sweet!
Great photos, especially the one of you and your eldest, lovely shot! I adore rats, and have had plenty of pet ones, fab little creatures they are. The green jacket is beautiful, suits you so well, and makes for a great outfit with those groovy trousers!
Those are pants! Love them! I am also in serious love with that gorgeous suit jacket.
Claudia has grown! what happened? I blame all of this sunshine and relaxed living! (I threaten to put a brick on their head when they have a growth spurt haha!) mine do the rolling eye thing when I pick anything out, I haven't a clue anymore with them, you do a great job on her hair too! you got a great skirt and a great bargain £3.99? yep! that'll do nicely! I won't have the banana sized rats though haha - you are completely fabulous btw, I adore your outfit, the jacket is especially beautiful and I love the pic of Claudia and you too x x x
....when mine have a growth spurt!! x x x
Yes to the park-rambling life! What a pretty place. I'm very taken with neo-classical public sculpture ... for the same reason I like to paint and draw the figure. Keep the photos coming, 'cause you show me things I'll probably never get to see otherwise!
That's a great combination, especially in these colors. Great skirt, fabulous and really excellently fitting jacket ... and such a cheeky little cami under! Love it completely! Just right for lunch our with Ms. Claudia!
I'm a rat and mouse fancier as well ... I wish I could be kinder to the ones that yearn to get into the restaurant, and try they do, as all of the Arkansas countryside is rat-paradise. We mostly see delicate little field mice, so sad to have to deal with them harshly.
My fondness for them is one of the reasons I gave up my snakes ... ewww.
Off now to try to think of happier things!
I was amazed when I saw Claudia! WOW! I know they grow so fast, mine is almost as tall as I am (and I am 5'6, and she is only 11!). We don't shop together for quite a while now. She is sooo independent! I love that quality - so I admire her for that. I let her browse on her own and then let her pick a certain amount of items, well, there are always a couple of extras that just sneak in. :)))
You look truly GORGEOUS! This is probably my favorite outfit of yours, and it's hard to pick - they all are divine. I love how rich, elegant, colorful and fun looking it is all at once. Wonderful with your skin tone and hair! And your body is just stunningly beautiful! And after three kids too - it just blows my mind. How you do it? Tell us your secrets! (But please don't say you are on a strict diet! :)))
Lovely park. We have a few rodent stories from our beach house days too. :) Nope, I am not a fan, though they look cute in books and pet shops! :)
Love xxxx
Just a quick one Curtise because I had to let you know that Mrs Frisby and the rats of Nimh was one of my absolute favourite's too! I still have my very tatty Puffin (from memory I think it's a Puffin...)I must dig it out and read it again.
(Annabel and Adelaide have both read it and loved it too. have your kids read it?)
xxx
what a little cutie
the park looks lovely and i love the creek or whatever that body of water is called.
Brett
OMG, as soon as I saw Claudia I thought she'd become ever so grown up, not just heightwise! Or is that all it takes to make someone look older?! No idea! She's bloody GORGEOUS! A real chip off the old block, darl.
Now, "no particular place to go, no deadlines, no schedule"....that's just my idea of heaven! Why can we not avoid these things in this modern world?! Dammit!
Such a lovely print to those palazzo pants, and so perfect with that darling little jacket.............actually, your palazzos look velvety-are they? SO delightfully Riviera......rawr!
Our Peepers is a Champion Rat Catcher. I just wish she wouldn't roll about with them under the bed.Ugh.
Loving YOU! XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lovely pics!! I love the green jacket with the floral palazzos. More than anything, I love seeing you enjoy time with your family!! Beautiful.
I am loving that green jacket with this combo....just gorgeous! How lovely is that flowery meadow...I can't say that's a word I ever hear here in Australia. Love the pics of you & Miss C. Xx
Ah Summer, I remember it well! How love to spend time in a park playing Pooh sticks with your kids. It's lovely when the romantic vision comes off! I have many that seem somehow sabotaged by the actual kids :-)
We had an encounter with bush rats in our holiday camp last month, shudder! Not nice on the beds when we are in them!
I am loving your palazzo pants. They must be great wafting material.
XO JJ
I am in love with your mosaic brooch, beautiful!!! I want a patch of meadow in my garden, that is stunning. I threw a packet of wild flower seeds in the garden once thinking some may grow, the entire lot took so I kind of had a meadow under some windows for a while. Not as pretty as the one you showed. Gorgeous daughter!
fabulous pants, such a pretty shape and I'm sure they're swooshing when you walk!!, and your jacket is really a magnificent piece, love its textured fabric and pretty color!, you're Gorgeous with a capital G!!
and you always show us some beautiful places of your neck of the woods, delightful!!
your cutie is growing really fast, I think she's going to raid your wardrobe very soon!! mwahaha
besos
That jacket is a real stunner on you, Curtise! I love it when I find expensive quality pieces for next-to-nothing. I definitely feel smug too. :) Glad you're all enjoying the break. Here's to blue skies and warm weather! Xoxo
Two lovely ladies with their bobs :)
I do love a good bargain and you've snapped up quite a few. i especially like your jacket and brooch.
It's raining here today, but we've had some gorgeous weather lately xx
This post is like eating expensive chocolate --- one happy smile follows another! Your brocade jacket is a treasure, your mosaic pin is a marvel, your daughter is flapping her butterfly wings in great style, and your park is so civilised even the rats are presentable!
*What, exactly, is Em's fruit/rat scale?
Hello Curtise,
After many years at the chalk face, we can still appreciate the lazy days of summer holidays when, even with the best of intentions, far less is achieved than usual. And, what bliss it is to spend days walking through parks and playing Pooh Sticks....Paradise must be made of this!
Claudia looks to be very much a young woman with her own style and ideas. Quite like her mother, we think! How lovely to spend time together and quite clearly enjoying each other's company. That is so special.
I cannot believe how grown up your daughter is, ahhhhhhhhhhhh and she is just like her mama, fantastic.
You always pick the best clothes.
Thank you sooooooooooooooo much for joining and sharing your style with us.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx
Oh rats, how did I miss this post? Wink. I know, get me a spot presenting children's TV. Claudia? When did that happen? I bet she's taller than Vix and I now?! I give it a year before you are sharing clothes. Your clothes. I want your routine this summer, I don't seem to want to work at all. You've inspired me with those palazzo pants, they look so great, I'm going to copy you, you supermodel, you. Xxxxxx
So many beautiful things! I love the gardens and you both look wonderful. Also THAT skirt is amazing and you have every right to feel smug, the original price is INSANE!
I just love your floral pants and the lines of the whole outfit are really great! I like knowing that your face moves and that smirks and smiles are part of your repertoire. I would happily be seen out with you. Cute skirt you found and perfect for showing off your great legs! My sewing projects are going along at a much slower pace than yours probably are since I keep discovering I don't have the right colour thread. There is only one shop for buying sewing supplies and it's a bit out of the way so I had better get organised with a proper list and go.
Looking forward to seeing the results of the sewing!
xoxo
Such a cute skirt you found for yourself. You know, I miss those days school shopping with kids in tow. My only one left home now is not interested in clothes at all and at 16 doesn't want to be seen in public with me either. But he is such a sweet kid. He is 6'2 now! Thank god Levi denims run consistently so I just buy those and bring them home.
Precious times with your little ones. They'll be in high school soon!!
Oh, and I LOVE the green jacket!!
Dear god! The appearance of another one of my favourites, the 50s green jacket ... my heart skips a beat every single time. Charlie and our Lily would have plenty to natter over when it comes to rats. For such a tiny puss, Lily is Queen Rat Catcher and every time she drags one into the house I have to remind myself that it's one less of the little bastards snooping around our garage. Claudia certainly is tall and looking so lovely, clearly enjoying the summer break as much as Mama is. I hear you with the clothes shopping, luckily like you, we get a lot of very lovely hand-me-downs which she loves diving into. I'm making the most of the savings while I can. Damn those palazzo pants!!! Happy, happy summer days to you and your lovelies :) xoxoxooxoxox
Fab outfit! I do love looking up things to see what their worth, smug as I may be, it helps justify my purchase!
And does old Vic ever look happy? We have a statue of her outside the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney which is a shopping arcade and she looks so terribly grumpy every ones calls her The Dog. Nasty, I know!
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