Thursday 31 July 2014

An abundant Floral Fiesta

Ahhhhhhh, alliteration, amazing!

Right, it's out of my system now - Good afternoon/morning/evening! I hope you are all blooming wonderful!

We have been having a creative week with lie-ins!, relaxing and necessary
I also made a winter petticoat from an old 't' shirt and a dress I had previously cocked up - necessary stuff! wardrobe malfunctions happen (Vix and a strapless dress) me with pouffey skirts and a vague gust - it doesn't take much, and after last winters very windy day when I walked home on a very windy day with my skirt stuck to my face, I decided to invest in some under garment modesty (and by invest, I mean make)


This will be perfect under my pouffe


Ms Hand Crank Sewing Machine doesn't like jersey
this is the equivalent of a sewing tantrum



I'm joining in with Anne - 52 Pick me up - Orchid
I do like the pick me up's inspiration
I would never have thought of adding more flowers, but I did and I like it

I made the headband for Little Miss


Who knows? and why?




4 Brooches
on my brooch scale of happy, this means I am ecstatic



Missy very happy with felt, Ms Hand Crank and a glue gun
who wouldn't be?




Little Miss-ette's loom band and hama bead creations
I have created an organised child



This evening I am joining a Gym

Liverpool introduced a great initiative for all under 17's to have a free gym membership
and it costs £1 each time they go (and free swimming whenever)
we do stay with them (this is not sponsored btw just sharing)

We asked about a family membership which turned out to be very reasonable
so we all will be going the Gym......................................
the last time I went to the Gym was 1992 where I confused toning with weights with weight training
I was stacked hahahahaha!
I'm borrowing Sassy B's trainers and am already not wanting to wear 'gym wear'
 I have an aversion to the stuff - I worked in a sports shop for 5 years (loved it) but had to wear a shell suit/sportswear as my uniform.....shell suit.......yes, I was a lot smaller but no, never again....ever

I haven't a clue what to wear
but I am aiming for 'a gentle ramble' on the running machine
and a scenic pleasant row on the rowing machine combined with some minor and delicate work on my inner thighs, shouldn't be too bad at all *fingers crossed*

and Thank you for your gorgeous comments on my last post too!
see you soon!!
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Saturday 26 July 2014

Is it a heatwave?

It's been hot!
I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!
Tomorrow we have a fancy market to go to, then off to watch a free Big Band playing in Sefton Park and then the kids will go the gym...........
it's all rather marvellous

A fur coat in hot summer weather sucks for Cookie




my home made dress



Table sale haul
1 enamel roaster
2 bowls (I have a thing for bowls)
5 glass dessert glasses
1 top
2 scarves
all for £8.00




My recent 'sleeve removed' dress
and my new favourite chazzed bag
which I got the other day 
is it me or have the prices in the Charity shops sky rocketed?
I have seen shoes for £29.99, the red bag was £4.99 and other disproportionately priced garments and objects,
or am I just being tight?
probably



Enamel bowl put to use immediately
after washing it, of course
marshmallow fluff pancakes,
 the addition of blueberries makes it instantly healthy




One for the Ladies 
(to be said in the voice of a 1970's male host wearing a  plum coloured  lush velvet suit and a beautiful frilled shirt, hair will be a side part, his facial hair will be magnificent)
yes I objectify my own husband
(he has been hosed down, his preferred method of cooling down)




I'm turfing everyone outside to eat
my wallpaper table creates a most fancy dining area
we are having a quiz night tonight on it
just us,




This is old
and perfect for the heat




 soaking scarves


I leave you with 
The Ever Magnificent Tom Jones
Sloop John B
I see nothing wrong here, nothing!
I like this........ a lot!



See you soon 

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Wednesday 23 July 2014

I'm Free!

Mr Humphries always said it with such flair.




Firstly, a big THANK-YOU for all of your kind words and support over my last post.  I have resigned,  I'm gone Baby! I will miss my most awesome work colleagues, they really are brilliant  we shared so many great times, I have cried with laughter with them, we always had a lot of fun,and I will also get to see my awesome work partner-in-crime again as we will be going vintage shopping together, epic stuff!

After my initial wobble over the whole thing, I realised something, I'm going to have time, actual time on my hands and then I got very, very excited (although I did mistake it for too much caffeine)

There are short courses at University for me to pursue my love of Art....University! Moi! I have always liked the idea of going to Uni, nice stationary, a clean excercise book and a sturdy scarf  however the important hard work bit is something I'd rather pass on.
I am going to learn to drive.......again, I'm not a fan really, I can't turn right very well or reverse round a corner and if you ask me to parallel park I may faint.....but, if I pass! Oh, the possibilities!  hopefully I will not get my first examiner who screeched a lot during my test, I'm not kidding eg 'you're driving to close to that car' screech etc, I felt like opening the door and booting her out, I wasn't that bad......surely, ha!


Ken Dodd and his Diddymen
he lives near us, I met him in the butchers once when I was little
he was lovely


chazzed cloche
it doesn't quite fit
I'm embracing Diddymen Chic to the MAX!




Things I have worn







I am pathetically whiney over eating fruit
I just can't bear sourness of any sort
apart from a whiskey sour
hmmmmm.............I don't like healthy sour things




No knock knees pose
(I do have knock knees, I had some magnificent built up shoes when I was very little, aww) 
I am linking with Anne 52 Pick me up - Disco Diva
it's the nearest thing to groovy I own









Also today is our last Primary school run ever
I have been doing this for almost 17 years
Little Miss-ette is off to High School in September
New starts all round!

I hope you are all well,
I know you are all magnificent!

see you soon
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Tuesday 15 July 2014

Ch....ch.....ch......changes


Mr F ended up being offered 3 jobs, he went for 4, so he was pretty chuffed when he got the job he really, really wanted, Hurrah's all round!
It's going to be pretty intense, he will work away from home 2 days a week and we expect it will demand a lot of his time.  It will start in September.
My new job will be at home, I am resigning today.
I have absolutely no doubt it will be hard.  Mr F and I are a team and have been very good at not burning the house down, feeding everyone almost on time and remembering important stuff mostly last minute, we share a lot of household responsibilities, but I am now promoted to full time housewife......scared? yes, to be honest I'm bricking it.  I had a few trial runs of organised domestic stuff the other day, I got bored and played on the hand crank sewing machine instead. I am going to have to get used to not earning my own money, not having an occupation yet always being in work.  I do realise however I am in a very, very fortunate position.  All I need is a routine........and wine probably.



 cheeky pigeons who come to eat the rabbits food, they come every day


I may be addicted


possibly one of my best seams ever



Missy is having a day out with the school
as she is now 13 she has started to wear moody eye make-up
(she made the felt cover using the glue gun)




 I am currently full of spots and wanted  to play with the make-up
and then I remembered I really don't like eye-shadow on me


I  love this dress
she has a few holes 
so this is my solution



I'm faffing and posing



Whiskers started cleaning



Whiskers was cleaning himself, for his dignity I had to censor
he can be very thorough


I am linking in with Anne
52 pick me up; Fairytale

appropriate really

I hope you are all wonderful, enjoying the weather where you are and being flaming fabulous, and thank you for your most lovely comments on my last post
*flutters eyelashes and does big happy smile*

till next time lovelies

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Thursday 10 July 2014

Sharpen your mind, sharpen your Bob

My brain has been fuzzy, it is sometimes.  So I cut my hair, sharp.  I believe in the power of hair.  I have also started eating healthier, it's common sense really.  I don't believe in diets, but I do believe in knowing your body, mine reacts like a puffer fish to certain foods, so I figured I will eat less of them, it's hardly rocket science, I feel better and more importantly for me, less bloated.

With all of my fiddling around with my clothes, taking off belt loops (I don't like them either, my waist is not where you say it is) I feel like I am fine tuning my preferences with dressing, if I don't like something, I change it, it's quite liberating.  I adore the 1920's, I always have and I also adore the 1950's.  The luxury of excess fabric, texture and statement pieces - a kick ass kimono, a sharp bob, cloche hats, capes and full, full skirts call me, sartorially, it's where I feel at home.  I see my body as a frame and I can adorn it how I wish. I don't give a toss about appearing larger either it's not my goal with how I dress.  In the past I spent time attempting to appear smaller, thinner, more acceptable.  Of course, it was all utter bollocks, stripping a person of their creative choices produces blandness and misery. Not a good look at all.


Louise Brooks
she makes me swoon



and that moment when it all clicks into place



what I wore to Little Miss-Ette's year 6 school play yesterday
she surprised me with her performance, her confidence and performance on stage was outrageous (we so proud)
the play was called 'War'
the scene were the deserters were executed was brutal and disturbing
*open mouthed shock all around*
but war is brutal
they touched on nostalgia and the truth of war with alarming accuracy, tenderness, empathy and humour
these children are 11
they all quite rightly received a standing ovation



Ever since Delia Smith pronounced houmous - hoo moose on tv
we have stuck to it religiously
so easy to make and I always make it with too much garlic (I love garlic forever)


The New Addition

Ms Jones is a pain in the ass sewing machine
My Mother-in-Law gave me hers yesterday
a hand cranking piece of art, she purrs
now I just have to clean her and figure out how to thread her



this dress is indecent and very see through


My COLLAR has even been hacked
I prefer it like this now





My adventures with clothing continue
I know I don't look radically different
but I feel it
and I'm excited about where we will go with it

and I hope you are all blooming marvellous
you really are wonderful
and rock my world in a fabulous way,
now, let's all have some fun!!!

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Monday 7 July 2014

The Liver Birds


The Liver Birds are two large bronze metal birds.  They stand on top of the Liver Buildings near the docks, of course there are no such birds however I always understood if they are ever destroyed Liverpool will cease to exist.........................heavy stuff.

Non-heavy stuff has been happening though.

Sunday, I received a text from Mr F - 'the hoover (vacuum) is crap, I have been trying to hoover upstairs for an hour and it has picked up nothing....moan.....grrrr....harumph.......we need a new hoover'
my reply 'is this foreplay?'

I don't think I can ever fully explain the joy of having a hoover that works.............ever.  I will say I had a very nice post-hoover cigarette and feel wonderful right now.


This Liver Bird is a little one


Just enough ice for gin and tonics


the glue gun surpassed my expectations


My Wedding Vow Renewal dress





Celebratory Meal

Sassy B gained a first and a 2:1 on her first end of year Uni exams (she was 4 marks away from a first, she wanted me to add that, also she worked very hard too and works part time whilst maintaining ultimate sass, I would also like to add we are very proud of her)
Missy has earned several rewards from school for being intelligent and generally fab
Little Miss-ette worked flat out for her SATS  (results pending) and is performing in the school play
Mr F has got a new job
I wear red lipstick and manage to keep it in the lines..... sometimes





I have been hacking/improving my dresses
I adore this one but it was that bit too small and I didn't like the collar
so I let out the darts, unpicked the ruddy awful collar and re-sown it, whilst Ms Jones the sewing machine complained and threw several strops (she is such a pain in the ass to use)



New chazzed brooch


Love this dress, hated the 'sleeves'
they were little flimsy, stupid cap sleeves that added nothing and ruined the line when wearing a cardigan
so I unpicked them, tossed them to one side and re-sowed


Sassy B is off to Aya Napa tomorrow
I'm helping to pack - this is her contribution 
Rollers,  important......very, very important

I am suspiciously eyeing up what has to go in the suitcase right now
................please wish me luck and the precision skills of a ninja



I hope you are all wonderful!
I will catch up as soon as I have ironed and packed my daughter's case

I may (ha! will) need a stiff drink

thank you for all of your divine comments on my last post too!!

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