She wore a raspberry beret

 ...the kind you find in a secondhand store.

And I did indeed find this slightly knackered old angora beret in a charity shop. 

50p? Oh, go on then.

Don't let the sunshine fool you - these October mornings are chilly.

1960s Arnel dress - Second to None (bought on a bloggers' day out to Walsall in 2013)

Denim jacket, tights, beret, bag, necklace and bangles - charity shopped

Boots - retail

How funny, I always assumed this dress was homemade, but I have just found a label lurking under the armpit. It's one of my favourite long sleeved frocks for cooler weather.

Now; look what lovely Yvonne sent in the post, as part of her All Hallows Read spooky book giveaway.

How kind of you to send a few extra goodies too; thanks, Yvonne!

It's been a bits'n'bobs sort of week. Featuring some jewellery, which is always good.

I'm sticking to my Spend Wisely pledge; during my perusal of the charity shops this week, I spent little, but found two vintage necklaces, a modern-but-cool ring, and a brooch which caught my eye because of the iridescent peacock blue background. Only £1 a piece.

I was curious about the brooch, because the fastening is quite unusual, and I could see there was something stamped on the back; without a magnifying glass, I couldn't make out what it said until I got it home.

Turns out it says Made in England, a patent number, and the setting is sterling silver. A bit of research revealed that this is an Art Deco butterfly wing brooch, made by Shipton and Co of Birmingham, awarded the patent for this kind of design in 1923. (The firm is still in business today.)

The Morpho butterfly wings were imported from South America; brooches, rings, pendants and compacts were produced with the wings providing the distinctive colour for the background, while a reverse painted image on glass was attached to the front. The best examples are set in silver. There are all sorts of designs, often tropical scenes, but also crinoline ladies, birds, flowers and fairies. 

I didn't know any of this until today; I just liked the colour and sheen! But I love learning about design, and I'm happy to have found a little piece of silver Deco jewellery for a quid.

 What else has been happening? 

I did my first full day at St Luke's, which was great. It's curiously satisfying to see items I selected from the stock room to fill the rails being snapped up immediately, and things which have only just been donated selling on the same day.

I managed to ring up a £1 sale on the till as £100, but we'll gloss over that... The manager laughed and said not to worry when I 'fessed up. Oops - Must Do Better, and concentrate.

And I've been to see my lovely hairdresser today, and talked her into a photo;

Kirsty, at Hair at St Paul's.

 Where the chat and the laughs are as good as the cut and colour.

Half term next week, and the kids are off to stay with my sis and her man for a long weekend before I go up to the north east to join them.

And while they're away? Well, the grown-up mice might play!

Have a great weekend, everyone.

xxxx

I met some gin-soaked bar room queens in Walsall

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when vintage-loving bloggers meet up, there is much chatting, laughing and shopping.

And yesterday was no exception.

 

Walsall's vintage Aladdin's cave, Second to None, full to bursting with amazing stock at great prices, and a lot of happy shoppers.

Serious rummaging went on, fuelled by cans of gin and tonic and vodka and orange, thoughtfully supplied by Hostess with the Mostest, Vix.

There's Tania and her friend Vanessa with Vix, Em and Annie in the top pic, and Gisela checking out the handbags.

Trying on and posing for photos is all part of the fun.

 Vix is a supermodel, of course, whether she's wearing a 1970s pimp-tastic vinyl and faux fur maxi coat, a Dollyrockers frock, or a 1960s suede jerkin over a bikini. 

And look at the amazing print on the dress Em is wearing.

Tania tried a 1960s floral housecoat and an early 1980s C&A jumpsuit (anyone else thinking Anneka Rice in Treasure Hunt?)

Emma rocked the faux fur and a 1970s shirt with a fantastic print.

Annie was taken with the late 1960s/early 70s Indian cotton maxi with the fantastic sleeves, and Fiona also went the hippy route with a beautiful Indian block printed wraparound skirt.

What did they buy? Hmm, you'll have to wait till the lovely ladies do their own posts and show you!

Lunch in a Wetherspoons pub is de rigeur - cheap, cheerful, and boozy. One of Walsall's Wetherspoons is in St Matthew's Hall, built in 1830 as a library. Isn't it a beautiful building?

Bloggers hit the streets!

That's Em in the beautiful green coat; Fi wearing a fantastic tartan maxi skirt, and Gisela in a fab frock and denim jacket. Tan is rocking her curtain couture dress, Vanessa's jeans show off her amazing legs, Lyndsey is working the vintage dress and Converse combo brilliantly, and Vix is doing some excellent pattern mixing. 

Don't they look great?

Walsall's stunning Victorian shopping arcade. 

The trimmings stall on the market got a lot of love.

Look at Tan's little face - ooooh! Fi and Em have matching buns. I refer to their hair, not their bottoms. 

The boxes of braids, pom poms and sequins could be a visual metaphor my blogging friends - colourful, fun, sparkling and beautiful. Cheap, too.

Vix reliving her past - teenagers arranged to meet their dates at Walsall's famous 1970s concrete hippo!

Gray's Herbal Tablets - the working man's friend for cold nights and mornings. 

Anyone need any hair? Vix asked, as she took us for a browse in the Asian beauty shop.

So after a final drink, we went our separate ways after another excellent day out.  Thank you, darlings, for your wonderful company.

And what did I buy?

This delectable 1970s cape-sleeved maxi...

 

but titter ye not, it's by Frederick Howard, not Frankie. 

And this 1960s beauty, for when I come over all Regency lady.

Surprising, I know, but I do occasionally have an Elizabeth Bennet moment. It's happened before, you can read about it here if you like.

1960s David Butler maxi dress - Second to None

1970s wool hat - flea market

Bangles, necklace and shoes - charity shopped

I can't recommend meeting up with fellow bloggers highly enough - it's a joy.

And if you can't do it in person, then a virtual get together over at Patti's Visible Monday is the next best thing - see you there! 

 xxx

Lost and found

Oops, sorry about that - I didn't intend to go awol for a week, but the computer slowed to a standstill and has only just been fixed.

And truthfully, I was pretty downhearted about the loss of Minnie.

But as luck would have it, after an absence of 10 days, a neighbour called round yesterday saying he thought she was hiding in his house. And when we rattled the box of cat biscuits and called her, she came running down his stairs, a bit thinner but apparently none the worse for her unscheduled stay with him. 

 

The neighbour has been having work done on his house, and she must have sneaked in when the workmen weren't looking, and decided to camp out. Bizarre.

Thanks to everyone who expressed their concern and encouraged me to stay optimistic. It's not a trait I possess in abundance, but on this occasion, I am very relieved that my usual doom-laden predictions proved false.

 

Three samey outfits from last week, and three samey poses. So predictable.

 

1970s Lerose maxi dress - Ebay

Jacket, cardigan, shoes, bangles and pendant - charity shopped

1960s carpet bag - gift

 

1970s handmade lurex dress - flea market

Tights and bangles - charity shopped

Boots - retail

 

 

 

1970s blouse - Ebay

1970s skirt (made by me from a 1970s dress)

Tan leather bag and belt, jacket and bangles - charity shopped

 

 

Don't worry, I appreciate it's hard to comment on multiple outfits, so please don't feel under any obligation. I kept taking photos even though I couldn't upload them to the computer, and now I feel I should use them. It's my thrifty nature to make use of what I've got.

 

 

 

It's been a wet old week, and I've felt rather like a soggy rag myself, until today.

Yes, today I am in good spirits, and have done my first shift at the local hospice charity shop. I really enjoyed myself, everyone was very friendly, and I am slightly regretting my offer to work in the new shop due to open soon in the city centre. I think I may want to stay where I am, but we shall see. 

 

Look - it's like a scene from Fame.

Last Saturday, we went to a party to celebrate my friend Alison's 50th birthday. She hired the Lantern, a beautiful little theatre in the nearby leafy suburb of Nether Edge, and various friends performed on the stage. 

 

Here are Claudia (standing, left) and Nina (sitting, right) and friends about to dance to Bad by Michael Jackson (choreographed by Claudia). They opened the show.

 

 

 

I wish I'd had the balls to get up and sing, but alas, I only do that under the influence of an excess of wine when there's karaoke on offer.

Would you join me? What shall we sing?

 

So here's to fresh starts and happy endings, finding what we've lost, and belting out River Deep, Mountain High after one glass of prosecco too many. 

 

You know you want to!

xxxx

On books, business, and a broken heart

An unplugged weekend was good, although I subsequently had a lot of catching up to do; all your blog posts, plus Strictly, X Factor and Downton, phew! 

But I'm up to date now, and it was great to spend lots of time with my nose in a book instead of being in front of a screen (although truthfully I find pleasure in both activities.)

Books are wonderful things, I am steadfastly a paper-based reader, and our house is overflowing with them. I understand the appeal (and space-saving virtues) of a Kindle, but nothing beats the tactile experience of a book. 

You can't write an inscription on a Kindle, can you? 

 I rarely buy my books new or full price; this little selection were either bought from charity shops (St Vincent's sell paperbacks for 50p each, Barnardo's have an offer of four for £1.49), and a couple were picked up for free from a box left outside a house on the way to school. 

In the light of my ongoing wardrobe review, this dress has presented me with a dilemma.

Angela Holmes' designs for her Droopy and Browns label, launched in 1971, are increasingly sought after and command high prices on Ebay. I found this dress in a charity shop (of course); although it represents something of a departure from Holmes' typically flamboyant and feminine styles in colourful printed cotton or velvet, I don't doubt it would sell well if I put it on Ebay.

I don't wear it often, yet whenever I do, I fall in love with it all over again; with its sheer, floaty, angel sleeve-y disco-tastic goodness. With its pockets. With its matching tie belt, still in place.

So just this once, I'll let my heart rule my business head. 

I'm keeping it!

 

1970s Droopy and Browns dress, velvet jacket, bangles and ankle boots - charity shopped

Necklace - vintage market

Brooch - car boot

Tights - retail (sale)

This 1970s lurex knit dress didn't make the cut; it's nice enough on me, but not fantastic, so off to Ebay she goes. 

The tan leather bucket bag, however, is staying. For now, at least.

We're in a bit of a state of anxiety here at the moment; our Minnie is missing, we haven't seen her for over 48 hours. The neighbours haven't spotted her either.

We're all hoping like mad that she reappears safe and sound, and I'll do a leaflet drop along the road tomorrow asking everyone to check their outbuildings, but I have a very bad feeling... She's never, ever strayed far before. 

We miss her very much.

xxxx

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