When we are married we will have sausages for tea

Having had little luck in the charity shops last month, I seem to be doing better now; I found all sorts of goodies at the vintage and craft fair at the weekend.

My 1960s DL Barron maxi dress with the revamped neckline (no more annoying turtleneck, hurray!) gained some positive feedback as I browsed the stalls at St. Mary's.

 

 

 

Bit dull of me to wear it with the same tie cardigan and boots, I know, but I do like it, and I am so much happier with the look of the neckline.

 

 

 

Is it sad that I sewed the label back in? Probably, but I do love a vintage label!

So what did I find at the fair?

Groovy 1960s fabric which may become my first self-sewn skirt. My lovely friend Kylie sent me this link to a tutorial which looks idiot-proof, she has made a gorgeous skirt as proof that it can be done, so I am going to try it too. Anyone other novice sewists fancy joining us? (Tania - I'm looking at YOU!)

There's Charlie photobombing the SylvaC canoe-like planter, now filled with basil and cacti on my kitchen windowsill.

The 1960s Debroyal maxi skirt (bottom left) has the most fabulous splashy floral print; the 1950s petticoat doesn't look much hung up but it is a delicate pink'n'black ballerina-esque delight; and the 1970s stripey blue knit top was in a £1 rummage case, so it seemed rude not to buy it!

In fact, all these items were cheap, many sellers had bargain/sale rails and suitcases, which always attracts people like me who love a rummage and a good deal!

This was probably my best buy - a 1960-70s black suede jerkin, which fits as though it was made for me.

Sorry about the shitty indoor photos.

When I was taking my outside pics on Saturday, I managed to break my tripod (I am so clumsy...) so I have no way of taking photos other than inside with the camera balanced on the ironing board... like I used to, BT (Before Tripod).

A new one has been ordered, I can't imagine blogging without one now. 

How times change.

Dress, faux fur coat, bangles and hat - charity shopped

Leggings - jumble sale

Suede jerkin - vintage fair

Boots - retail (sale)

Gloves - retail (sale)

Black t-shirt - retail (ancient)

 

 

I know my friend Clare will appreciate these finds, as she collects vintage postcards.

 

 

 

I was drawn to the photo of the delightful Miss Nina Sevening because my Littlest Love is called Nina, and she is seven years old.

 

On the back it says When you know your not forgotten by the girl you cant forget.

I struggled to make out the handwriting on the other postcard (the painting is An Open Book by Albert Moore) but I think it says something like Your too sweet [something I can't make out] come and kiss me, Aggie.

And on the reverse;

When we are married we will have sausages for tea, Your divoted Aggie.

 

While the spelling and lack of apostrophes may not be perfect, you can't beat the blend of romance, sauciness, and practical menu planning.

If anyone is better at making out the writing than me and I have read it wrong, please enlighten me!

 

 

 

Finally - here is Seldom Seen, who is a bit under the weather, having a wee Nana nap with his best feline pal, Minnie.

I'm jealous - I want to kip on the sofa too!

But since that's not likely to happen, I'll pop over and join Patti and her bevvy of beauties instead at the regular Visible Monday party!

Lots of lovely blog posts to catch up on after tea, I'm looking forward to seeing what you've all been up to over the weekend!

     xxxx

Taking a short cut

I have cracked on with some sewing this week.

Nothing major - nothing made entirely from scratch, all by me - not yet.

That will come.

No, this week has been about mending and altering.

I bought this fabulously jazzy 1970s skirt from Ebay ages ago. It was a maxi, and I loved the look of it,  but unfortunately discovered, on the first and only time I wore it, that the bottom was so narrow I couldn't walk in it.

Well, I couldn't stride - I could walk, but only if I took tiny, dainty steps like a Geisha, which is no good to me when we are late for school and there are hills to be stomped up at great speed, children carried along in my slipstream

So I chopped off the bottom (having failed to take a photo of it at its original length, sorry) and then it languished in my mending pile for months.

You can probably see that I was a lazy sew-and-sew and having hemmed the pale grey lining, I didn't bother changing the thread on the machine to whizz round the skirt hem.

And it shows.

Oh well. I am treating it as a design feature.

 

Despite my rather slapdash approach, the skirt is now wearable (and walkable-in) so I wore it 2 days running.

Today:

1970s skirt and boots - Ebay

Black long sleeved top - retail, very very old

Belt, cardigan, tights, brooch and bangles - charity shopped

Pendant - car boot

 

 

 

Yesterday:

1980s pussy bow blouse - gift from dearest Tamera

Belt and bangles - charity shopped

Boots - community fair

Tights - retail

1960s Weymouth vinyl bag - Ebay

 

My charity shop luck may still be in the doldrums, but I am doing better on Ebay - this beauty of a 1960s vinyl shopper cost 99p!

 

I have taken this 1960s floral dress in and up (above left, looking odd with the orange tights and ankle boots, but I couldn't be bothered changing for the purposes of the photo! It was a gift last year from lovely Liz); I removed the turtle neck from the groovy print maxi (above right); as well establishing my soon-to-be-patented Highly Visible Hemming (HVH) technique on the skirt, and mending various rips and fallen hems.

I've been busy!

 

 

Next project - making a skirt. 

I am a bit scared I will cock it up and waste my fabric, but I have to start somewhere, right?

I'm about to catch up on your fabulous blogs, and I think a self-congratulatory glass or two of wine may be in order later this evening.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

xxx

Charm, personality and social poise

High levels of charm, personality and social poise are definitely evident among my favourite blogging friends.

 

 

 

I'd like to claim a little for myself, but I'm not sure I have much charm... Sarcasm, profanity and flippancy in abundance, but I don't think I would have graduated with flying colours from charm school.

And I can be a little socially anxious too.

 

Personality - yep, got one of those.

 

Thankfully, bloggers are a kind and forgiving bunch, and in addition very generous.

Parcels of Joy arrived this week - in triplicate!

Makeover Queen and Supermodel Tamera sent a fabulous 1970s dress and a pussy bow blouse, my very own Frida Kahlo pendant, a 1980s belt, owl bookmark and pen holder (Littlest has her eye on these) and gorgeous handmade cards.

Lovely Kelly, La Reine de la Bumplet and the knitted dress, is a woman after my own heart - she loves a 1970s leather bag, and so do I!

 

This plum suede bag is beautiful, and won't it go well with the dress from Tamera?

I love serendipitous coincidences!

 

 

And gorgeous Rock Chick Fiona, collected together all sorts of goodies for me and the kids.

 

 

 

Handmade hair accessories for the girls, chocolate for Seldom Seen.

 

Hmmm... will it reach the boy? He is at school all day, and he doesn't know it's meant for him... 

 

Might share. Might steal. Who knows?

 

The embroidered hankies in their original box, wooden salt scoop and notebook are for me, as is the fabulous handmade card.

 

 

 

But of course she did, darling!

Clementine is currently working on her follow up to the highly successful Bake. Dust. Fellate. (provisionally entitled Awaken the Slut Within) but a busy schedule is no excuse to let domestic or sartorial standards slip.

 

 

Me? 

 

Well, I'm not hoovering. 

 

And it's too chilly for cavorting in my frillies.

 

Look at the snow!

 

 

 

But I am always prepared to flash my tights, especially when they are leopard print!

Velour dress, boots and leopard print trilby - Ebay

Suede jerkin - gift from lovely Lucy (currently struggling with internet problems - miss you, Luce!)

Fur collar - gift from awesome Kangeroo Whisperer Sarah

Bangles - charity shopped

Tights - gift from my darling sister

I'm fashionably late for linking up with Patti and the Ladies of Charm, Personality and Social Poise over at Visible Monday, but I hate to miss out so I'm going anyway!

Thank you to all my blogging friends - your presents are delightful, your presence in my life even more so.

   xxxxx

And with you in your cold grave, I cannot sleep warm

What do you do on a Friday afternoon, when friends are busy, the housework doesn't appeal, and the sun is shining?

You go to a Victorian cemetery, of course.

Sheffield's General Cemetery was opened in 1836, the year before Queen Victoria's coronation.

This is the Gatehouse.

The wider paving stones either side of the cobbles are for the carriage wheels.

Don't want to jolt the coffin, or the mourners ...

This beautiful lady nestles among the wet leaves, one of the gravestones which have been laid flat to form a path.

I have photos I took of her 25 years ago.

I know I am not alone in loving a graveyard, and this one is really special.

Overgrown, derelict, graffitied, vandalised, wonderful.

This is my first experiment with taking photos of myself using the tripod in a public place. 

It was very quiet, only the occasional passerby or dog walker, so I felt OK, not too conspicuous.

The brambles and mud played havoc with my skirt. 

Like many a lady before me, no doubt, I had to raise my skirt and pick my way through the obstacles.

Steps up to the Egyptian-style Non Conformist Chapel.

This cemetery was the first in England to be built in the Egyptian style, popular at the time.

Boarded up, spray-painted, the Chapel apparently has vaults and catacombs with a sunken driveway underneath.

1970s Co-op maxi skirt - vintage fair

Velvet jacket, leather bag and sequin beret - charity shoppped

Boots - Ebay

Scarf - flea market

Brooch - car boot 

Leather gloves - gift

 

There are so many details to catch your eye and make you want to linger.

I did linger. I love graveyards.

Relative of Joe or Jarvis?

Mark Firth, steel manufacturer. 

Shades of Ozymandias...

A man walking past as I took pictures of this statue remarked that she must be the most photgraphed lady in Sheffield. 

She is so beautiful, I can believe it.

Apart from me, of course...

The church is sadly in disrepair and boarded up.

The cemetery's Trust has a website, which says that although burial of the dead was clearly a priority,

it also wanted to be a sanctuary for the living.

A place for the living to meet, walk and talk, with sweeping vistas and inspiring architecture.

There are so many interesting gravestones to read, but this one caught my eye.

Poor Lydia and James, they lost 2 little boys, Theon and Sydney, at age 5 and 6, then their wonderfully named daughter Kate Juno at 22.

Death was a constant companion.

As I was walking around the cemetery, I had this song on my internal jukebox. 

Kate Rusby is a South Yorkshire lass, from Penistone. I have seen her play live, and she is gorgeous, very talented, and a delightful woman.

This Youtube clip uses images from the BBC production of Tess of the d'Urbervilles.

Some doom-laden Hardy seems perfectly in tune with a post about a Victorian cemetery!

Have a fabulous weekend, my friends!

  xxxx