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

London Road

I love my adopted city of Sheffield. Apart from a brief sojourn across the Pennines in Manchester, I have lived here for 32 years. It's home. 

It's easy enough to show you Sheffield's best sides (it has many) - the city centre, the fine Georgian and Victorian architecture, the parks and public spaces, the trees.

One of my favourite roads in Sheffield isn't remotely glamorous, but it represents something real and true about this city; its history, multicultural nature, grit, diversity and ever-changing character.

It's a 15 minute walk into town from our house, along London Road.

You coming?

These are the sights of our road.

Green space, terraced houses with added ducks, the remaining arch of a Victorian tram shed (1878), and a view of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in the distance. 

That bloody streetlight is right outside our house and it's on day and night. Yes, we've reported it (repeatedly) to the council. No, they've not been to fix it.

Our local Indian restaurant, just at the end of the street. We're on London Road now!

The White Lion still has its original Victorian tiles and stained glass.

This oddly-painted building used to be the local train station, closed in 1968.

The River Sheaf at Heeley Bridge. 

We did this walk twice; once on Friday, when torrential downpours curtailed our fun, then we retraced out steps on Saturday while the sun shone. The photo on the left is from Friday, and you can see the moorhen's nest in the middle of the river. By the next day, it had been submerged.

Hopefully the breeding season is over and there were no eggs or babies in the nest. I presume they built it in the middle of the river to escape attacks from urban foxes.

This old bank is now an antiques centre.

Those Victorians built a lot of schools; this one is dated 1874.

Highfield Library was built in 1876, and is a Grade II listed building.

Various beliefs are catered for...

as are many tastes in food; Mexican, Indian, Japanese, Turkish, Italian, Chinese, Polish, Vietnamese, Greek and Thai. 

That's without the chippies, kebab, falafel and jacket potato shops. 

When Lloyd Cole played in Sheffield earlier this year, he mentioned on Facebook that he was wandering along London Road looking for somewhere to eat. I recommended the Hong Kong Wok, our favourite Chinese restaurant, and that's where he went. 

I think that means we are Best Friends now, don't you?

Ozmen's; Best Supermarket Ever.

We stepped off London Road for a pit stop at the Harland Cafe, another favourite.

Eton Mess cake and raspberry lemonade for Nina, Sticky Toffee Cake and a cappuccino for me. Mmm.

You can have your hair cut, but you'll have to get your Pukka Pie elsewhere today.

Cool street art.

This building was opened in 1914 as the Lansdowne Picture Palace. 

From the 1950s until fairly recently, it was a nightclub. Its changing name reflects the history of clubbing - the Locarno Ballroom, Tiffany's, Vicars, the Palais, the Music Factory, and Bed (when all those lovely tiles were painted black). 

I may have shaken a tail feather in there once or twice...

Only the facade and decorative turret now remain of the original building.

Chimneys on the Baan Thai restaurant. Another listed Victorian building, built 1894.

And this is the end of the road. 

That red brick building is called Moorfoot, and was opened in 1981, the year before I came to live in Sheffield. It is owned by the  Council now, and Simon has an office in there somewhere. 

The huge City Gate building is new, as is the Premier Inn hotel next to it. Sheffield city centre is a constantly changing landscape.

From here, you head onto The Moor, a pedestrianised shopping area which includes the new indoor market.

You are now in town. Which is what everyone calls the city centre. 

Does that happen where you live?

Sheltering from Friday's downpour!

And this is what I wore. 

Some neon 1960s psychedelia, just in case Nina needed to spot me in the crowd of Sheffield United supporters who flooded out of Bramhall Lane onto London Road as we were walking to town on Saturday.

(First game of the season. They lost.)

And bright enough to be truly visible, so I'll  joining Patti and co for Visible Monday as usual.

 

1960s Davisella maxi dress - Ebay

Sunglasses and bangles - charity shopped/gift

Necklace - gift from Leisa

Tapestry bag - gift

Ancient black cropped cardigan and sandals - retail (sale)

So there you have it, the joys of a walk into town along London Road.

It may not be pretty, but it's lively and interesting and varied, and I love it.

It's good to be happy where you are.

xxx

I thread up my needle and then...

...gonna sew my soul back together again.

Well, I can't say my soul requires any mending, but I do have a big pile of clothes in need of attention.

 

 

 

 

And since the skies changed from blue to grey this week, I took advantage of a break in the sunshine to tackle some mending and amending.

 

First up;

 

 

this 1970s homemade dress and a 1960s knit top.

I did try to fix the dress by replacing the spent elastic at the top and the waist, but the shape was unflattering and I don't like spaghetti straps, so it became a skirt instead. 

 

It has an elasticated waist, but I added darts front and back to stop Pouffy Arse/Belly Syndrome, and made the A line shape a little narrower. I love the faux patchwork print, it was too good to remain unworn.

The top was virtually as wide as it was long, so I reduced the boxiness by taking in the sides and trimming off the excess.

 

Et voila!

Next;

 

I have been intending to shorten this 1970s nautical print skirt since I bought (in Brick Lane, London, about 3 years ago. I know - for heaven's sake!) It only took a few minutes to sort it out.

 

 

 

 

This little striped top is modern, but has a 1970s vibe going on; it must be the elasticated ruching which reminds me so much of my childhood. It had a Knockers Ahoy effect too, which can't be a bad thing, and it goes with everything. 

50p well spent.

 

Left-right clockwise;

 

1960-70s maxi - a fallen-down hem fixed.

1960s shift dress - I let down the large hem to make the length more comfortable for me.

Austin Reed silk dress - the lining was annoyingly long and showed underneath the dress; now taken up and invisible.

1970s dress - buttons replaced and hem fixed.

 

Darling Helga sent me this 1970s maxi dress ages ago, and I could do with her magnificent boobage to fill the bodice out properly. 

As it is, I took it in so it fits more snugly.

 

And Clare (Miss Simmonds) gave me this silk-blend Monsoon cheongsam about a million years ago, but it was too big.

Nothing deeper darts couldn't fix; it's now a much better fit.

And there are my delicious 1970s platform shoes, which actually aren't as hard to walk in as I thought. I might not be able to dance till dawn in them, but I could definitely do a night out. Another well-spent £1.49!

 

I had completely forgotten I had the gold Charles Jourdan espadrilles.

Shameful. 

Another charity shop find, of course (£2.99), and getting some wear now I have rediscovered them. 

 

So that's been productive, and I'm feeling inspired to continue. There are more unworn treasures waiting to be altered to fit.

I'm currently puzzling over taking in the bodice, and replacing but shortening the sleeves of a 1970s maxi dress; and I'm wondering whether I can add panels down the side of a wiggle dress to make it bigger.

It's taxing my brain and my skills, but I am really enjoying the challenge!

 

What about you? Any making, mending or refashioning going on at your house?

 

xxxx

Hand in hand through their parklife

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