Thursday 31 May 2012

Fashion Icon or Bag Lady


Charity Shop Clothing for the over 40’s can we get away with it?
This is a question which just recently has started to pray on my mind , the mind of a 40+ who thinks shes 30+.
All these writers of thrifting blogs seem to be late 20's early 30's where l would say they get away with a bit of vintage and charity shop clothing they seem to make it look cool. but what about us ladies of a certain age can we pull it off? Well l am trying not to be drawn to the M&S cardies and going for a more retro vibe(lve got the language).
 l'm trying to match Charity finds with good high street fashion labels where possible and that may be a vintage dress with designer shoes and handbag or a selection of brooches and beads to brighten up a classic outfit.
What do you do? or do you steer away from charity shopping as it carries a stigma?
l do also buy clothing from ebay as l find clothing cheaper than at vintage fairs most of the time so here's my latest purchase to be worn very soon.


But do l look hip or a bit like a bag lady and do l care? Do l look like my mum did first time round or have l made a style of my own? lots of questions but sadly no answers l'm just going to go with the flow until l see small children pointing in the street unable to believe what they are seeing.
 
This is not what l'm trying to achieve l want to be more like this






Wednesday 30 May 2012

Cushion Corner

As promised yesterday here's a few pictures of the next lot of cushions l have managed to make -phew.
  They have both been made using the Cath Kidston Scarfs l embroidered the centre of the one with the flags on and the other l left plain but backed with the Cath Kidston Jubilee Fabric. 








l have also come a decision about relaunching my esty shop so watch out over the next few days for a bit of action.

Tuesday 29 May 2012

Catch up.

It was a busy weekend with both our 25th Wedding Anniversary and DH 50th Birthday Celebrations so have spent the last couple of days just catching up with cleaning, washing and ironing and l managed to spend some time catching up with other peoples blogs. The only trouble is l come away with more ideas on things l can do.
l also seem to have become a bit of a Jubilee Freak and have finished a couple more cushions - Piccys tomorrow and just bought this cross stitch kit to do from here
and then if you too have the Jubilee bug have a look here there are some fab links and makes.

Saturday 26 May 2012

How the Mighty Fall - Hard

Friday was our schools day to celebrate the Queens Jubilee and as part of the celebrations the Deputy Lord Lieutenant was coming to plant the Jubilee tree which all schools had received from the Queen- not personally, one of her minions must have grown it. So much deliberation as too what to wear went on and l decided on a loose tunic and my brand new light weight trousers. Can you see whats coming - well looked fine, everything fitted ,no wardrobe malfunctions - if anything my handbag was a little on the heavy side. Now you may see whats coming , yes l fell over taking the children to school, in the playground first thing in the morning, l went down like a sack of spuds and l jumped up like a startled rabbit and all l wanted to do was cry. l have managed to knock my knee up and am hobbling round and everyone thinks l'm a wimp (just wait till it happens to them)but worse than that my brand new trousers now have scuff marks at both knees. l blame my handbag l must have been badly balanced.

Well it does have plus side being laid up l managed to finished my embroidery from the Cath Kidston craft evening. l have made mine in a cushion using some of the Jubilee fabric l already had. One of the girls l went with also finished hers so l made hers into a cushion as well, we had to finish them otherwise they would still be in the draw until the next Royal event. We both added embellishments to them just to make them a little different. Here's a picture of mine






Thursday 24 May 2012

As Promised

l said l would share some of Sundays carboot finds so here they are - quality rather than quantity
These were all 50p so l couldn't pass them up - a ring tray,2 retro plates and a small shelf

A bit dearer £5.00 but a beautiful bowel better than the picture shows

Then here we have a vintage PYE radio £1.50, a box of retro table mats £1.50 and a vanity case for £3.50

This case is going to be my next project as inspired by teawagon tales and the tutorial here .
l have added a few pictures of cases that have undergone the fabric treatment. Fingers crossed l don't stick myself to the case as normally me and glue end up in a sticky pickle.



Don't you just love them

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Summary of the Night

This Cath Kidston workshop was the best to date- the embroidery was simple enough for beginners and can easily be completed - if l get time (watch this space) Please pop over to Mel At home with MelMel as she has done a fab write up of the event and taken some great pictures of the store. This was my first time of meeting  Mel and l managed to spot the right person this time l normally approach the totally wrong one., Mel was there with her sister and it was lovely to talk to like minded people. l tried to ditch my own friends but l needed a lift home.

Today is another big day 25 years married - l know l don't look old enough - l was a child bride - l wish and l got .....................................

He knows me so well and that's why we have lasted so long, well that and he had money when l met him - this has long gone.
I did get some other presents and flowers but thought you would all be most jealous of the bag.

And now l sussed out adding youtube clips here's our song with the spoken bit(this was very important and had to be included when the song was played








Tuesday 22 May 2012

To Night To Night ....

No not a song from West Side Story but to make you jealous that l'm off with Cath Kidston(not in person) on one of her instore evenings.

In honour of this l thought l would show you my 'Stanley' who recently became a member of our household.
Why the picture is so rubbish l have no idea.
l will post my piccys from tonight asap - only if it turns out.

If this works it is the song 'tonight' from 'Westside Story' - enjoy


Sunday 20 May 2012

Open Gardens

This is the time of year when the NGS comes into full force with people from all walks of life open up their gardens to the public. l love a look round other peoples gardens which can vary from the tiny yard upto acres. Well the nearest one to me open today was one l had seen a number of times so l decided to have a year off this then gave me a free day and DH and l went off Car Booting(this will be another post) and on the way back we spotted a few cars parked and a small sign 'Stop l shouted Open Garden' l can sniff them out where ever we are. l was right it was a private garden open for charity. What makes this garden so much more special is its location - a cottage on its own on a main road surrounded by industrial units!
Once through the gate this is what you saw ........
 This is a small Loch Ness Monster complete with smoke coming from its mouth.

Love the summer house retreat












We even bought some plants and had a cup of tea with cake. This garden was about 3 miles from home and l didn't even know it was there.
I'm sure they will open again so watch out for Sycamore Cottage, Carrington Manchester well worth a visit.

Friday 18 May 2012

He's Mine

You may remember l converted a knitted cowboy well l have managed to find one and here he is.
He arrived today by pony express and cost me a fist full of dollars - that's my attempt a humour, not to be repeated too soon.

Have a good evening

Thursday 17 May 2012

Other Peoples Cast Offs

Where do l start - some people buy shoes, some handbags and some more clothes than they will ever wear me l'm obsessed by other peoples cast offs. I plan my afternoon offs around the location of charity shops, l love a car boots rain or shine and skips outside peoples home keep me going for hours but why?

Why do l love a good rummage looking for that must have item?

Why do l speak to builders and flutter my eyes and hoist my bust for the bit of old tat in the skip or just leaning up outside.

Why do l try and get on first name terms with the men at the tip so if l see something unloved and unwanted they might let me have it.

Why do l get up at some ungodly hour to scour car boots for something l don't need.

What is wrong with me and hoards of other people round the world.

This is how in years to come someone will find me - sat next to an old suitcase crafting (what a way to go)
l would say that this definition of Thrifting describes what l'm about but who knows l may just be having a mid life crisis. And whats your excuse?

Thrifting refers to the act of shopping at a thrift store, flea market, garage sale, or a shop of a charitable organisation, usually with the intent of finding interesting items at a cheap price.
A larger philosophy permeates the act of thrifting which celebrates the recycling of formerly-owned items, finding new use and new love for vintage material goods which had been thrown out, and the thrill of imagining what the former life of the item was like.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Lazy


That was the frame of mind l was in when l bought - yes that's right bought these stunning Cath Kidston Cushions. My craft room is currently being used for a little storage(become a dumping ground) and l cannot get to the sewing machine to finish my own creations so whilst it was another rainy day l stumbled across these and they are now mine.






l'm sure we are all guilty of this, buying when we could be making, but don't you feel guilty. Well l know where l will be the next few days and it wont be looking at my cushions or out in the garden - unless we have a heat wave.

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Give me Sunshine



Most of us have had some terrible weather the last few weeks and l'm desperate to get out and and sort the garden. l'm lucky l have a gardener who comes and does the heavy work but Mellors from Lady Chatterleys he is not. More like Compo from last of the Summer Wine but he is a lovely man until he takes his shirt of in the summer- yuk. Anyway l digress, l managed to get out for a few hours yesterday to move a few plants round and plant some hostas l had bought when the weather was good. l thought l would share this little corner of my garden with you.

Heres to a little sunshine l've put in a picture of how l wish my gardener looked like just to brighten up your day

Monday 14 May 2012

Elvis is alive

No not the King but Elvis Costello. Saturday saw the whole family going to see Elvis Costello at the Manchester Apollo On his Random Tour. Everyone that was there was of a certain age and had a certain look with the men ageing better than the women- me excluded. l hadn't seen so many perms for along time.

His song choices were made by the audience spinning a wheel of fortune- some choices were not so random but we had a great night with us all looking back to our youth and how old we are now.

Saturday 12 May 2012

Blue Moon

Well its a big weekend here at ShabbyChic as we are from the Blue side of Manchester and if if you do or dont follow football you will know how important tomorrow is for us.
So this post is dedicated to the' Best Team in the Land and all the World' as we sing (all clubs sing this)





Normal post will resumed on Monday - l hope.

Come on you Blues