Time out and about

Working full-time is certainly having an effect; the house is even more chaotic than usual, I've given up ironing, meals are variable in terms of timing and quality, and my social life has taken a nose dive.

But... by miraculous chance, Vix, Tania and I were all available on Thursday, we chose a destination we could all get to by train in about an hour, and off we went to Leicester.

There was no chance of losing these two; I just had to scan the streets for a fuck-off huge fur hat and some neon pink legs!

I'm ashamed to admit that I have never been to Leicester before, though I've travelled through the city hundreds of times on trains heading south.

There were interesting buildings and architectural details wherever we looked. 

We visited Richard III's tomb in the cathedral; there he is, shaking his tambourine, or triumphantly grasping the crown, take your pick.

 

 

 

 

 

The area around the cathedral was particularly peaceful and rather smart.

Of course there was shopping. The city centre has plenty of charity shops, and we spent ages in the wonderful DollyMix vintage shop.

There were lovely ladies all over the place, in addition to some spectacular clothes at reasonable prices. 

See? Lovely ladies!

Lunch is always in a Wetherspoons; this time, the rather grand venue was the old Corn Exchange building. 

Even if we didn't find anything to buy, we wouldn't go away empty-handed.

My gifts were a 1970s spotty dress and sewing pattern from Tania, and a sexy red 1960s slip, parrot earrings (to go with my parrot print frock) and Dr Martens sandals from Vix. As always, those girls get it absolutely right.

I found this 1970s cotton velvet jacket in the bargain basket in DollyMix - mine for a fiver.

And this 1970s dress was from Pink Pigeon vintage, just £10.

 

 

The print makes me ridiculously happy.

After losing a multifocal contact lens, I'm back to wearing my single vision lenses and reading glasses for close-up. One of the perils of full-time work is having problems making appointments with the optician...

I'll be joining Patti and co for Visible Monday, and catching up with your blogs soon, I promise.

 

However busy life becomes, I'll always make time for friends. 

 

xxx

Hardly Hawaii

It's been a funny old day; overcast yet warm and humid, with occasional outbursts of both sun and showers.

It's also been my last day as a volunteer; the next time I'm in the shop, I'll be an employee.

Although the weather was only very vaguely tropical, I thought a Hawaiian dress was appropriate. 

Originally, this was a maxi. It's unusual for me to shorten a full length frock, and I don't quite know why this one didn't feel right as a maxi. It's made from a substantial cotton fabric, so maybe it felt a little stiff and voluminous. Whatever the reason, it has been languishing unworn for ages in my should it stay or should it go now pile, so I finally made the decision to go for the chop.

I shortened the sleeves while I was at it, and I'm pleased with the makeover, I'll actually get some wear out of it now. That splashy floral print is too good to leave unseen.

  I have a backlog of vintage finds to list on Ebay. Somewhat belatedly, I've realised I am about to have a lot less time, so I'd better crack on with some selling.

1960s Mod dress

1970s floral/lace midi dress

1970s Trina Lewis white maxi dress

Lindy Bop dress, BNWT

1980s-does-50s red prom dress

1970s-does-30s black lace dress (showing the back view because it's so sexy)

American-made square dance red ruffled petticoat

1960s brown/lace maxi dress

1970s kimono-sleeved floral midi dress

Who says there's no vintage in charity shops these days?
(Yeah, I know Lindy Bop is repro but someone will like it, I'm sure.)

 Leather bags from the 1950-60s, including an Essell and Waldybag.

The above items are either currently or intended for sale, but the next batch are mine, all mine!

1960s Jaeger red wool coat

1960s black/lurex dress (requiring some work to repair)

1960s C&A striped jacket

Hawaiian parrot print cotton dress

Sheffield-made Viners cutlery 

1960s large June Rose Pyrex bowl

This beauty isn't going anywhere either;

 a gorgeous 1950s tapestry bag, accompanied by the fabric showing underneath and a handmade lavender-filled heart, all of which were gifts out of the blue from the lovely and talented Emma (who blogs at Painted Style). I'm thrilled! It's no secret that I love a vintage tapestry bag..

1960s Hawaiian dress - flea market

Chain belt, flower, bangles and necklace - charity shopped

Sandals - retail (sale) 

And to finish, some (blurry) photos from our family night out last Saturday. 

We went to the 60th birthday party of our friend and neighbour, Gustavo.

Thirteen years ago, we had just moved to the area and were looking for childcare for Claudia to enable me to return to work. Purely by chance, we stumbled across Norma, Gustavo's wife, who works as a childminder, and there began a fantastic relationship. We never had a moment's concern about childcare, and both Norma and Gus were incredibly kind and supportive when Nina was born and ended up in Intensive Care. They had Claudia and Owen to stay, and generally made a stressful time rather easier to bear.

They are originally from Chile, but came to Britain in the mid-Seventies. Gustavo was active in left-wing politics and fled to escape persecution and imprisonment (and probably torture) under the Pinochet regime. They left everything behind and came here with nothing but each other. He and Norma built a life from scratch, they have three great (grown-up) kids, and Gustavo remains as passionate as ever about education, inclusion and justice. Oh and he's a fabulous cook, musician and dancer too.

It occurred to me, as he was telling us of his continuing involvement in a campaign to secure compensation for victims of torture, that those who spout alarmist, hate-filled propaganda about the evils of immigration could learn a lot about generosity of spirit, hospitality and courage from this couple. 

I'm very proud to know them. And the party was brilliant!

xxxx

The flowers that bloom in the Spring

I'm not quite sure where that week went but it's flown by, and here we are at the weekend again. Yippee!

This is what I wore on Wednesday; a customer in the charity shop admired my dress, and told me I was very on trend with my florals. She'd clearly read the same Observer fashion article as me, so we had a bit of a laugh about that. 

 

 

 

I must say I like my dress far more than the pieces selected to accompany the article (above) and at 99p from Ebay, it was a great deal cheaper. 

(Incidentally, that blue top on the right, the polo shirt with the hardly-floral-at-all print? Topshop, £85. Can you believe it?)

 

 

1970s maxi dress - Ebay

1960s jacket, shoes, belt and bangles - charity shopped

1960s carpet bag and necklace - gifts

1960s brooch - The Queen's Drawers

 

 

No one puts on a big blobby rose pattern before striding into a boardroom and closing a billion dollar deal, writes Alice Fisher. 

 

She might be right (although there are a whole load of assumptions begging to be questioned in that sentence) but since boardrooms and high-flying deals aren't really my thing, I'll happily continue to wear my beloved floral prints. 

As it happens, the world of employment, if not exactly the boardroom, is beckoning; I've applied for a job as a charity shop deputy manager. I'll keep you posted.

What else is new?

Well, this dress is - new-to-me anyway. It has glittery gold lurex stripes, huge sleeves, and I love it. 

Thanks, Em, what a great gift!

1970s Dumarsel maxi dress - gift from Emma

Hat, necklace and bangles - charity shopped

1960s beaded bag - car boot

Ankle boots - community fair

 

 

This little Wade cutie was too sweet to leave in the 50p basket in a charity shop. 

He's Scamp, from Disney's Lady and the Tramp (1956).

 

 

I found a vintage sheet for a couple of quid which would make a lovely dress. If I ever get round to doing some sewing...

There are forget-me-nots all over my garden...

and tulips...

and cats.

Just how I like it.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

xxx

Practically perfect

A busy week has come and gone.

I can tick off another solid week of Ebay sales, parents' evenings for two out of three kids, a night out with friends in the pub, and my yearly blood tests (the fasting kind - never does a cup of tea taste as good as the one I can finally enjoy after those bloods are safely in the vacutainers.)

Oh, and an interview to be a volunteer in a charity shop, but I'll tell you about that when I start. 

Looking blue, but not feeling it at all.

I was having a small tidy up around the house (a rare occurrence), and chuckling to myself at the state of my very disordered and not-at-all blogworthy home, in comparison with the oh-so-stylish and beautifully presented houses of many bloggers I know. 

I don't really have the art of display; my treasured objects are just slung on shelves, gathering dust as often as not, and the rest of the family don't even notice them.

But shall I show you a few of the bits and bobs around the place?

That's my old teddy bear giving you the side-eye. She (yes, she) is called Sally, she's about the same age as me, and she and the cat collection, the OBDs, and Mary Poppins and her giant bottle all jostle for space on the crammed bookshelves. 

Em gave me the tall and elegant blue cat on the right; my mate Jo gave me Mary Poppins, because she says Mary reminds her of me. Practically perfect in every way, obviously. Or maybe it's because the Mary of  P. L. Travers' books is rather strict and waspish... 

(I think Mary keeps her rum punch in that bottle.)

This 1950s piggy bank has somehow ended up with me; I used it as a child, but it's older than me, it must have belonged to my eldest sister originally.

It has no opening underneath, so to retrieve your pennies, you either have to break it, or hold it upside down, insert a knife in the slit on the top and jiggle it about in the hopes that a coin or two will fall out. 

Does anyone else remember doing that as a kid?

Another childhood treasure - look, you can see I wrote my name on it (Curtis - no "e").

It was a gift from my aunt and uncle, and the wooden box and cubes have a very particular smell; just opening it up transports me back in time to the 1960s. Olfactory memories are the most powerful and evocative, I find.

I adored those illustrations as a child, and still do.

Beate, they make me think of you and your gorgeous home.

 

That's my Uncle Robin and Auntie Leni on the left, who gave me the Goldilocks picture cubes. Leni (Helen) was German, I wonder if that's why she was drawn to those pictures? My uncle called her Lenchen, she was very stylish. 

There's my Grandma and Grandad on the right, and my cousin Charles, middle sister Sabena, and me.

It was 1966, and we were at a cousin's wedding. 

 

Same year - me (aged 2), Sabena (6) and Belinda (11). Sab's flashing her boobs, and Belinda's unimpressed. And there's my dad lurking in the background. Families, eh...

Although I don't really think of myself as a collector (hmm, a wardrobe bursting with vintage dresses might tell a different story), perhaps this shelf of pomanders is starting to resemble a collection!

Fiona kindly gave me the one shaped like a birdcage after I admired it on her blog, and Claudia gave me the small pink one in the middle.

Jacket, t-shirt, sandals, belt, sunglasses and bangles - charity shopped

1970s Debroyal maxi skirt - vintage fair

Miracle pendant - car boot

This weekend will be a quiet one, I think, although we are out for tea tonight as a Friday treat.

And the sun is still shining, we're having a beautiful autumn, so like Baby Bear's porridge, chair and bed, everything feels just right!

Have a great weekend, folks.

Linking to Patti's Visible Monday gathering as usual. 

xxxx

I was into yin and yang and Hatha yoga, ginseng and caraway seeds, and being a non-smoker

So far, I'm liking this week, despite the madly unpredictable weather, sewing conundrums, a dodgy haircut, and a cat who chose to be sick on the kitchen work surface.

 Delightful.

But I am rising above such tribulations, because these have arrived;

and I am just as excited as can be.

  

 
I am practicing my interpretive dance as we speak, inspired by Pamela Stephenson and Noel Fielding, and of course, La Bush herself.

                 

   

 In other news, look what Goody sent all the way from Omaha, Nebraska.

Tattoo tights!

And Dr Pepper sweets for the kids. She wasn't convinced they'd go down well, but they did.

Owen's just hamming it up for the camera, honest.

Look at his hair; it needed a cut, but he'd been growing it so his pesky double crown didn't create a sticky-up tuft. Off we went to the barber's, where I asked him to keep the length, but thin it out, and tidy it up a bit.

Which isn't quite how it panned out...

Any passing resemblance to Paul Weller, circa 1979, is entirely accidental.

Or indeed Paul Weller, 2014.

Oh well, I'll just get the boy a suit and he can embrace his inner Mod.

I've got a refashioning dilemma; perhaps you can help?

I needed to take in the bodice of this gorgeous 1960-70s maxi dress, and decided I would do it properly and remove the sleeves first. Then I thought I would shorten them. Then I wondered about leaving the dress sleeveless. 

What do you think? Sleeve (elbow length? shorter?) or no sleeve?

Love these shoes!

Desigual t-shirt, 1970s platforms, belt, necklace and bangles - charity shopped

Patchwork maxi skirt - gift from Emma Kate

The tote bag was a handmade gift from my friend Sue's delightful teenage daughter.

She was keen to start sewing, so I guided her through making a skirt from a vintage pattern, and then showed her how to make a reversible tote bag. I know - the notion that I can teach anyone about sewing is a bit of a joke, but skill is relative, isn't it? She used some of my vintage fabric to make a bag for herself, but then made this one for me with fabric from her mum's stash.

Isn't that lovely? She's done a great job too. 

Charlie is quite le chat sportif. 

Anyone for Swingball or scootering?

  

Wills was watching from a safe height; her expression of infinite disdain speaks volumes.

Look at this wonderful mural, on an end terrace house just near our corner shop.

I think it's beautiful.

Great tits.

Oh stop sniggering at the back. 

Smug face? 

Might be.

I'm going to see Kate Bush!

xxxx