A flash of Feminella

I'm not quite sure why, but I feel as though I am chasing my tail at the moment, and I don't like it.

I especially disapprove of having insufficient time for blogging!

Our school Christmas fair appears to have sucked the life out of me, but it's done now. Successfully, I think, but without a single photo taken... Oh well, you weren't bothered about seeing the tombola and a shedload of craft stalls, were you?

My fabulous 1970s Feminella coat, on the other hand, is a Must See.

 If it looks pink, it's a trick of your screen; the coat is a tiny red and white houndstooth, and I always feel happy when I wear it. It tends to garner compliments, so it's good for the ego.

Peacock pendant - vintage street market

Most bangles - charity shopped

Narrow gold bangle and beret - gifts from Tania

  

Austin Reed silk dress and cardigan - charity shopped

Ankle boots - Ebay

A quick scout round the local charity shops today resulted in a few purchases. 

This Indian-made silk beaded top is exquisite - and very heavy. Just £4.

I'm slightly concerned about the peachiness of the 1970s St Michael pussy bow blouse, but I have to say the colour suits me far better than white or cream.

The 1960-70s Danish stainless steel party dish is still in its original polythene bag.

And look! My favourite find, a Tufty board game.

Only Brits of a certain age will remember Tufty the road safety squirrel. He was first introduced in 1953 as a vehicle to teach young children about safety issues.

I'm sure I remember being given a handkerchief featuring Tufty and his friends when I was attending a pre-school playgroup in 1967-8.

(Can you imagine giving a child a hankie now? They wouldn't know what it was.)

Who's that sniggering?

Helga!

This game was produced in 1973, as were the animated public education films in which Tufty and the gang featured, voiced by Bernard Cribbins.

                                                                              

   

             Harry Hare and Willy Weasel are clearly the bad boys from the council estate.

I'm late, but I am sheepishly popping my head round the door over at Patti's for Visible Monday, and Judith's for Hat Attack, and apologising profusely for my poor time-keeping.

Must Do Better.

Nothing says sorry I'm late like a quick flash and a cheesy grin.

I'm on a mission to catch up with you all now - what's the gossip?

xxx

  

One day like this a year would see me right

When I finally levered myself out of bed this morning and threw those curtains wide, it certainly was a beautiful day.

Stunningly blue skies, mild and bright and lovely. In mid-January? I'll take that.

Drinking in the morning sun
Blinking in the morning sun
Shaking off a heavy one


Very apt, since last night we were at our friends Diana and Jim's for a winter barbeque party, and as always, I was the last to leave...

One photo; that's all I took. The company and the chat and the wine made a poor blogger of me, but were conducive to an excellent night!

Still, I got up to take the kids swimming, and as we walked home, we spotted eight ducks on our local stretch of the River Sheaf. Four pairs, which we are hoping will produce some ducklings later in the Spring. Maybe the sunshine fooled them into thinking it was already time to get courting, and that's why they were all so perky.

A good day to wear my favourite 1970s Feminella coat, a gorgeous red-and-white checked confection in lightweight wool, complete with its original vinyl belt and the glorious piping detail. I always feel smart and sassy in it, even if I'm bleary-eyed from the night before.

1970s Feminella wool coat, cardigan and bangles - charity shopped
1970s dress and boots - Ebay
Tights and necklace - gifts

My tabby beauties, Jess and Willow.

I am a bit downhearted, having failed to be offered an interview for the job I applied for. A handful of hours, at minimum wage, and I didn't even get a look in, that's really worrying. Not to mention humiliating.

Oh anyway;
it's looking like a beautiful day...

Someone asked in a recent blog post which song we never get tired of hearing. (Please tell me in the comments if it was your post and I will personally apologise for my dreadful memory.)

[Edit:
it was Rachel, and she was kind enough to give me a Sunshine Award too. So thanks for that, Rachel, and what synchronicity that the name of the award links so well with this post, all by pure chance!]

I have many, many songs which fall into this category, and this is one of them. Uplifting, epic and anthemic, swooningly beautiful, yet typically Mancunian in its vocabulary and downplaying of emotion. Perfection.

And now I need to take my chamois-creased face off to bed!

 xxxx

I'm making it!

So the kids have a week's half term holiday coming up.

 

We have no great plans, but oh it will be good to take it easy in the mornings and stay in our pyjamas if we feel like it.

I am emphatically NOT a morning person.

I am a dress person.

And a coat person.

See?

 

This dress (1970s, I think) was another 99p bargain from Ebay, and it is a slightly bizarre creation.

It has been altered - the white front panel, the eyelets and the white lace-up tie have been added at some stage of its life.

 

 

 

Obviously a previous fine-bosomed owner had the ingenious idea, and the skills to execute her plan, for which I am grateful - I wouldn't fit in the dress either without this adaptation!

Polka dots and a ric rac print - what's not to love?

 

I make no apologies for the reappearance of Lady Feminella and the sequin beret - both are favourites, and perfect for a sunny, almost-Spring day.

As promised, I am revealing my sewing projects, but don't expect miracles - I haven't made anything to wear in 30 years, so my skills are decidedly rusty...

 

 

 

Ta-Dah!

(If Lakota does her Ta-Dah! link up this week, I'll be there.)

The skirt is made from the fabric I bought at St Mary's vintage and craft fair last weekend, using this tutorial.

The tutorial is quite straightforward and I had no problems making the skirt.

However, it looks much straighter and less A line on me than on the model, presumably because I have bigger hips. I deliberately made it a slightly longer length, and followed the instructions about measurements, but the pleat at the front is pushed out when I wear it, again because of my hips, and the elasticated back looks slightly pouffy around the bum...

I think these are all issues of my shape vs. the shape of the skirt - I could have made the front pleat a little bigger, and in fact there is a further tutorial suggesting adaptations for a curvier shape.

 

 

Don't know what I'm looking so miserable about,* I made a bag too!

I followed these instructions to make a reversible tote bag, using fabric from a 1970s smock dress which made me look 7 months pregnant and hence was never worn, and a 1950s remnant I picked up in a charity shop. 

The straps were the contrasting ties from the dress.

 

 

 

 

I'm quite pleased with myself, and I daresay the kids will have to fend for themselves over half term as I run up bags and fiddle with skirt measurements or even attempt making something from a proper paper pattern.

And don't laugh, all you real dressmakers out there,  because you'll be getting a tote bag for Christmas this year, whether you want one or not!

*I'm a bit miserable because I think my camera is on the blink, it keeps turning itself off despite having new batteries... Having just bought a new tripod, I fear I may now have to repair if possible/replace if not the camera... Oh crap.

Never mind.

 

If my sewing skills continue to develop, I can whip up a new camera out of lurex and ric rac.

I'll be joining Patti and all her Visible friends as usual on Monday, see you there!

       xxxxxx

Feminella on Friday

My fantastically-named new-to-me 1970s Feminella coat has had an outing, and was declared fabulous by all who saw her.

She's a keeper!

 

 

It was so cold yesterday, even I lost the will to browse around Chesterfield flea market, and resorted to a therapeutic cappuccino in Cafe Nero to get warm.

 

 

 

 

 

Wrinkly frock!

 

A pearl button popped off this cardigan last time I wore it, which I thankfully caught and put somewhere safe, ready to sew back on.

Do I remember where I put it?

I do not. 

 

 

 

 

Lady Fanny needs servants to keep track of lost buttons on her behalf.

 

 

The fur collar which darling Vix made me was just the thing to warm up my neck without overwhelming the smart lines of the coat.

Littlest got hold of the sunglasses, hence the smudgy lenses...

 

Can't be too mad with her though, she is an angel, after all. 

 

 

 

Kylie, who is a bit of an angel too, sent her these gorgeous owl Christmas decorations. That child does very well from my blogging, lucky little bugger.

 

We were mystified when Littlest informed us that Baby Jesus had older brothers or sisters. "He's the youngest of four children", she stated, in a most authoritative manner.

 

It transpired she was learning to sing Mary's Boy Child for her Christmas concert, and had misheard the words, thinking they were Mary's fourth child...

 

 Still, I can't really complain about Littlest receiving gifts - Max, fellow South Yorkshire girl now relocated to New Zealand, has sent me my very own hand-printed personalised tea towel and a handmade Christmas cracker.

Both will be utilised on Christmas day, thank you so much, Max!

 

 

 

 

Those who missed my post about the Terrible Incident of the Killer Cat and the Guinea Pig can catch up here.

Charlie is certainly no angel.

 

1970s Feminella wool coat, Inwear dress, sequined beret, sunglasses, brooch and bangles- charity shopped

Boots - Ebay

1960s bag - flea market

Cashmere cardigan - jumble sale

Tights and flower - retail

Fur collar - gift from Vix

Gloves - ancient, gift

Hope all my Northern hemisphere gals are keeping warm and dry-ish.

For those Down Under - enjoy the sunshine!

Have a great weekend!

 xxx