Jubilishous ...

Okay so not anything really to do with my forays into vintage fashion but hay! Yes I'm starting to get into the mood for the Jubilee which started with me volunteering on the committee in our village. So yesterday I spent a good few hours making bunting! I don't know what it is about bunting but I love it! Just why is bunting so fab?

All the triangles have been cut and stitched along two sides

A nice neat pile of turned and pressed triangles

Now the stitching to the bias binding

and 3 hours later! .... 11m of bunting....

Wedding Up do

Yesterday afternoon I was a little at a loss of what to do with myself so decided to recreate my up do from my cousins wedding.

Firstly I curled my hair with these Babyliss HotSticks.  I picked these up form eBay for the 'pricey' sum of £15. I love the little book that came with as its so representative of 80s hair, it just reminded me of leg warmers and florescent colours. I've tried pin curls but still haven't got to grips with that so these are a quick alternative. Here's me patiently waiting for them to cool ....

....and then the resultant mop when I took them out.

I then rolled the back to one side using a hair rat. Styled the front middle section into a large roll and took sections from the side and formed two small pin curls on the side and top. Finally I added this gorgeous flower that I got from Belle Blossoms. Excuse all the flyaways .. as I didn't completely tame them as all I was aiming to do was recreate it.

Wedding Daze

On April 28th I had the pleasure of going to my cousins wedding. I love weddings something about the anticipation of the dress, good food and spending time with family and friends that's a winning combination. As a result my outfit planning started in earnest. I had initially great plans on making my own dress from this pattern.

But then I can across this Bernie Dexter dress from Miss Bamboo I instantly fell in love with the green material and didn't even hesitate to click the buy button. I paid no thought of would it fit. Buying dress is pretty much a nightmare for me which I've mentioned previously so I knew that I'd end up spending time making alterations to it.

I was so excited when it arrived and the fabric as just as fantastic in real life. But then the work really began. I finally made really good use of Daisy and set to work. Firstly I set her to my dimensions but using a fab hint from Gertie who's blog I have been following for a while. Shes got a great online course to make a bombshell dress which is next on my list of todo's. Anyway, her hint was to find a bra that I know fits well, pad it out and to use it on your tailors dummy. This caused many giggles in our house from my husband.


Hours later I'd taken the waist in by two inchs, moved the waist line up by half an inch. Altered the line of the bust slightly, and taken an inch off the length. I was sooo happy with my results but then I just wasn't quite happy with the arms so then changed them into short sleeves rather than 3/4.

Next it was the shoes, I'd decided that a red pair would be a fab contrast to the green and I love Irregular Choice shoes they are so quirky! and eventually settled on these.

So how did the outfit all fit together? Well here you go. I was so happy with the result.

And me striking a pose.

I didn't know quite what to do with my hands so my other cousin ran to my rescue to provide me with a prop.

I got so many compliments throughout the day I was slightly taken aback. From lady's in the loo's commenting on my hair to random men on the dance floor telling me my dress and shoes were generating lots of positive talk. I really did end the evening on a high. The bride was amazing as was the groom and the best mens speech was a hoot.

Completely forgot to get any pictures of my hair but I'm sure I'll be doing it like this again so will tell you all about that later.

Faux Bangs

Now I've been playing around with my hair trying out lots of vintage styles and I thought it was about time that I started showing everyone both my successes and disasters. My numerous attempts at pin curls have been mixed and I still haven't found the right technique to fit my hair type and that's defiantly going to be a post for another time.

But I have been having some success at faux bangs. I found this style is much easier to do when my hair hasn't been washed for a day which works well for me as I do try not to wash it every day to go some way towards preserving the colour. It works great when I just want to get it up and out of the way and now with practice only takes me around 10 mins to do which is another bonus!

And I have also had an award passed to me by The Glass Lantern and I wish her all the best with her store do go check it out! Now all I've got to do is think who I'm going to pass it on to as she's already pinched one lucky Blog that I would have chosen.. tehe

Handy Handbag

Well I seem to be keeping my promise at least of a post a week and in fact I've also started another blog called  Infectious Smile which also keeps me out of mischief at least once a day.


Now just before Christmas I decided that I wanted a hand bag that was more in keeping with my new obsession so my trusty Radley bag was going to get relegated to work only affair. Thinking about it a little more I'm not so sure how much I liked it when I first saw it.  In fact I think I bought it as it was the one that I just liked more than any of the others on show. Over the last few months I've come to realise that vintage fashion is actually what I've been looking for all along but didn't really know where to look. And its the looking that I've found so much of a challenge.  There seems to be a real lack of vintage shops anywhere close to where I live and as much as I embrace shopping online I much prefer to fondle things prior to parting with my cash.


Then I came across this bag on eBay.  I'd been watching it for a few weeks and then I suddenly came to the conclusion that in actual fact this bag was half the price of anything I'd ever looked at in a regular shop and therefore what did I have to lose?

When the parcel arrived I wasn't disappointed and I love it. I love the little claps along the top edge and the handle is just long enough for me to carry it over my shoulder and to top it all off my Kindle fits in just nicely.  I've had so many compliments from people about it which just adds even more to my love of it.

New addition to the family

I so excited! My birthday pressie arrived in the post today ..ekk ... I know its not my birthday till next week but seeing as I knew exactly what it was going to be as I was the one who actually ordered it on the internet I allowed myself to open it right up.

The new addition is actually a tailors dummy that I've been umming about buying for about the last 6 months.  So unfortunately my husbands duties as pin boy have been relegated to the past. No longer to I have to rely on his not so nibble fingers to make sure that the bust is just right or even the waist. And I love it! I decided to go for one that had a nice wooden base as its likely to be stood in the corner of a bedroom or even our open plan lounge so I wanted something that looked the part and I'm glad to say it does.

My only problem? what ever to name her? I'm thinking Daisy.

What ever happened to ...

Well me really! ... My voyage is still on going and I've done so much in the last sixth months that I've negelated this little 'ol Blogg. I've found several vintage styled new pieces and have even bought my first actual vintage dress as well as that I've been experimenting with my hair.  So I've set myself a challenge.  A post a week just showing everyone just how my journey is going ...

So where to start... well my second project was to make a dress for my friends wedding in Poland and a really wanted something with a summary feel as it was likely to be hot. I love shirt dresses and therefore settled on this Vogue pattern V8613.

Now to find a fabric which as usual is no easy thing to do where I live then I came across this gorgeous fabric form Croft Mill and just fell in love with it. The oranges and the blues just work so well together and the viscose material itself is just perfect for hot and humid days. In fact I loved it so much that I bought way more than I needed to make the dress and should have enough left over to make a nice summer shirt.

The pattern itself was easy to follow and it only became a problem when I had to adjust the pattern for my bust.  This took me several attempts and pattern amendments are defiantly something I need to learn as it took a long process of trial and error.  It was also my first attempt at putting in an invisible zip which I was somewhat successfully at and at least its a side zip so can't quite so easily be seen.

And here's the result. I'm reasonably happy with it and its taught me a lot I had some really nice comments on the day. and I found these perfect bright blue shoes to go with it which were a bargain find.  As you can see I opted not to make the sash belt but instead used a skinny leather one I found in a local shop.

Gin ... for Tea?

My discovery of Gin started about a year ago.  I used to really hate gin but decided that I wanted a less calorific drink as I do like my wine and surprisingly I also love real ale.  If asked two years ago what I thought gin tasted like I would have said "like death".  So what is so different now?  I'm not really sure some say these things come with age.  Every now and then I get these little things into my head that I think I should like but don't so this coupled with my decision to find a less waist widening tipple drew me to the light.

Then I discovered Hendricks Gin, it all happened in one of our local pubs (I'd say that I remember the night well but that would suggest that the alcohol wasn't flowing) having decided to drink gin the only gin on offer was Hendricks. There it arrived in a nice tall glass with .. what is that? ... yes cucumber .. and too my surprise I have to say it worked fantastically.

Now unfortunately I seemed to have come to love one of the more expensive brands and so the Hendricks is usually for those slightly more special occasion... ( not that I need and excuse!)

So why have I decided to blog about it? Well its all down to a trip to the supermarket where I got far too excited when I found out that Hendricks have a new promotion where it come in a very Monty Pythonesk box and ... of all things .. a very cute little tea cup! So there I was box in hand and my Husband being the bad influence on me that he is convinced me to buy two.  It would be so rude to have friends over and not be able to share the experience of drinking gin in such a civilized fashion.  So now I am the proud owner of not just one but two .. :)

Shoe's I just can't resist!

Okay, so I've not been on here for a while and I guess I should explain.  I've been ridiculousness busy visiting friends and god forbid working! well something has to pay for all my obsessions.

So how goes the dress? Its nearly finished and all I've got to do is hem it and as its now into exam season and all my time is spent trying to get 260 papers marked it doesn't look like it will happen until that's all out of the way....

But today I took some time out and did a little retail therapy and indulged in my growing shoe fetish.  I really do like shoes and the fancier the better, but I have to say I don't have many in my collection that I could describe as being vintage in style until that is today.  After reading through this months issue of Vintage Life magazine I realised just how big a gap that was.  So today I was fortunate as House of Fraiser had a fab shoe sale and I came across these fab shoes at a ridiculousness cheap price.  I can't wait to where them tomorrow to a christening.

Now I really should go and do some work ..... sigh

Ambitious First Project?

Well my sewing course went really well.  I've followed patterns before but many years ago and it was good to have someone on hand to just say .. yes your doing it right .. so it was a real confidence boost.

I'm so glad that I settled on a cheap fabric as I'm not sure that I would have had quite the confidence to set my scissors on more expensive fabric so a quick visit to my local Boyes gave me this fabric.

Not quite sure if I choose the right pattern for the weekend as it had so many pieces! By the end of Saturday I'd managed to cut out the 20 odd pieces of the pattern and just started to put the bodice together.  I'm now understanding just where those 5 metres of fabric I'd bought was needed! By the end of the day my finger tips were sore from all the pins and my hand was a little red from using my scissors so much.  But I did come away having felt like I was at least getting somewhere.

Unfortunately there was no rest for the wicked as when I got back to my friends house (who had generously allowed me to stay the weekend) I was told we we're all off out again in just half and hours time.

So after a very late night it was time to get up early again on the Sunday and I just got there as the clock hit 10 am.  I could tell I was tired today as there was need at times to unpick an re-attach pieces but the copious mugs of coffee provided by Dawn was much needed.  Before I knew what had hit me it was lunchtime and then just as equally quickly it was the end of the day.  Unfortunatly there wasn't quite enough time for me to finish my ambitious project and still have the arms to attach the buttons & button holes to do and the hem to take up but I'm well pleased with my first effort.  So how have I done so far? Sorry about the rubbish picture my other camera's battery was flat .. but I promise to get better pictures on when I've completely finished it.

I really do have to say a huge thank you to Dawn over at Dimples Workshops in Warrington who I have to say was fab and as an enthusiastic and positive teacher has really boosted my confidence and given me some invaluable tips.  I so want to go back and do her corsetry course when I have a free weekend.

Fussy Fabrics

I never thought that finding the fabric for my course next weekend would be so stressful!  I don't have a decent fabric shop close by so most of my time this week has been spent on the internet trawling fabric websites for inspirtaion. I found Sharons Antquies particulatly helpful (although American) as it has lots of fabrics organised by decade and allowed me to get a feeling for the types of print.

I'd already decided that I wanted a fairly lightweight fabric as this dress would be for summer and I also wanted a summery colour with a floral print.  I love the vintage fabrics from Donna Flower but I'm too chicken just now aboutt messing up on my first project so figure that a cheap fabric would be best until I get a little more confident in what I'm doing.

Now such is the way on the internet I then also came across this gorgous paisley print fabric at The Vintage Fabric Market it got me hunting all over again.

So not only do I need to decide on a print but also the type of fabric.  This is not good for someone that hates making decisions.  I've just not quite seen that fabric that says "buy me" maybe I never will or at least I wont while I have to rely on the internet.  I'm abit of a fondler and like to touch clothing and fabrics before I buy them but I guess I'm just going to have to get over this if I want to get a half decent print.

I think for now I'll have to settle for what ever I can find locally that is cheap at least then I won't feel guility if I mess this project up next weekend ...

Sewing Spectacular ...

I've been so busy this week that I've rarely had time to myself what with work, scouts and visiting friends so my grand ideas of vintage fashion have been on the back burner a little. However that's not totally stopped me spending those pennies.

I'm a rather awkward shape at only 5'1" with a 30" waist and 40" bust I'm discovering that its nire on impossible to find vintage clothing with dimensions even close to this.  So I've decided to dust off my dress making skills.  So far I've only really used my sewing machine to make the inevitable adjustments to clothing I've bought off the peg.  I'll happily unpick a bust line to take it out and also take in the waist but this does rely on seam allowances being generous which isn't always the case.  So over the last few weeks I've been hunting for vintage clothing patterns and have just enrolled on a dress making course to remind myself just how to follow a pattern. I think the last pattern I followed was for my graduation ball gown back in 1999 .. omg that feels a long time ago!

For the dress making course I've decided to take this pattern with me as it’s got quite a vintage feel to it.  Now all I've got to do is decide on the fabric which is proving to be more of a challenge as I have no decent fabric shops close by.  I'm really excited about going and can't wait to get the creative juices going.  I'm always so frustrated by the shape of available dresses in shops and have always been on that hunt for the dress that fits like a glove but a lass I always go away with a sense of disappointment or the knowledge that I'm going to have to spend 2 hours adjusting a £60 dress.

So watch this space for all my attempts be them a success or a complete failure!

Its a Wonderful Life ..

My love of vintage (especially the 1940's) started along time ago .. so long ago that I can't even remember what started it all off. However I've never quite gotten the confidence to actually embrace vintage fashion. Then this Christmas I had the opportunity to go and see Its a Wonderful Life on the big screen which re-ignited my interests and I started occasionally looking on websites and looking over pictures. Later, Land Girls started on the BBC and yet again I thought "I could pull that off" they all look so glamorous despite the era in which they had to live.

So I've decided to document my findings, experiments and musings. I've already found so much inspiration over the last month and am looking forward to seeing just what I can do.