Monday 15 June 2015

Turned out nice again

Sunday was forecast to be raining all day. I was secretly pleased because it would mean I could shirk my gardening duties. My working week now ends at 8.30pm on a Saturday, so more than ever I want the day of rest to be exactly that.

However it turned out bright and beautiful.

So after skulking in bed until mid-morning, I was ousted. I need help, he said.
Once I dragged my reluctant carcass out there, I decided to do some tidying. Sort the paths out, pick up all the endless debris from next door's Weeping Willow, do some weeding and put the pots full of seedlings all in their rightful place rather than where I can trip over them when I'm hanging out the washing.

Oh, but then it started raining. Damn. *big wink*
So, after doing a bit of deadheading of flowers for vases, I skipped inside and took up my needle.

First job: make a cushion and a curtain for the porch from some really pretty 1950s barkcloth I scored for top dollar on ebay.

Now, we all know the laws of the universe; of course there wasn't enough fabric, there never is.

So what do we do?

That's right. Jiggery pokery. That's why the curtain has pink trim top and bottom. By Jove, I think it works.
That curtain is the final touch for our newly decorated porch. Those stained glass windows are one of the few remaining original features, and I love them.
Second up, make a curtain for this little baby blue meat safe. There's the cushion from the barkcloth on the gold chair.
Then there was job number three. I found this gold brocade cocktail chair for £4 a few years ago, at the carbooty, but the grubby seat always bothered me. So last year, after months of sniffing around, I managed to find a piece of fabric on ebay which was a near perfect match, and recovered the seat pad. 
That's a dress I got from Second to None. When I wear it, he always asks me if I've lost my sheep. (Little Bo Peep)

Not easy. Jiggery pokery.

(I feel like I'm writing this blog post in the voice of Micky Flannigan).

Anyway, yesterday I decided to change the pompoms. Those pink ones were looking a bit faded and they didn't go all the way round, so I replaced them with some red trim. Looks very plush now!























So that's it, the house is styled to within an inch of its life tidy, which is good because I wanted to make a positive first impression on her. She only arrived this morning. She's Tehura by our Walter (Walter Lambert). 

Isn't she a beauty?

How about you, anything to report from this weekend?



Monday 8 June 2015

Mini-me, mamma style

Who doesn't love flicking through the family photo album? Laughing at haircuts, reminiscing and taking the mickey out of siblings.

That's one of life's great pleasures, isn't it?

I also love to look at the clothes. One of my style heroes is my mum, who as far as I'm concerned was a fox. She loved clothes and absolutely adored shopping for them. When we came home to the UK on leave, she would shop up a storm, and when we lived in Paris, she had a walk in wardrobe, which she filled. She would have bags to match each outfit and when she found shoes she liked, she'd buy several pairs in different colours.
1968/9, my mum sporting an amazing updo and green shades in the fab trouser suit, which inspired me to copy. The little bruiser in front of her with the pink cheeks and tragic haircut is me


Anyway, there are quite a few outfits from the old days which I covet pretty hard, one of which was a trouser suit belonging to my mum. Orange with stripes, worn with green shades. She was one cool cat. 

So when I spied a pair of orange curtains in the chazza for £2.99, I knew I wanted to play Cool Cat Copycat. Mini-Me Snap.

There she is with the hairdo again



So, I finally got around to doing some sewing. It's a version of this 1969 Simplicity pattern. 

I find you always have to keep your wits about you. There's never enough fabric and the pattern doesn't ever fit properly, but if you keep your calm and persevere, with a bit of jiggery pokery, it usually works out in the end.
That's the braid I bought on our day out to Burton, from Vix's mate

I think I'll get a lot of wear out of this trouser suit. In fact, I'd like one in every colour. My mum would be proud of me!