sewing project complete and alice in wonderland

I have been up to way too much this week, it's been completely mad (hence lack of blog update!). I've been working, thrifting, sewing, studying, socialising, baking and drinking way too many iced lattes! Pretty exhausted, but I've finally had a much more chilled day today and therefore have been able to write this post finally!

At the beginning of the week I managed to finish the sewing project that I've been talking about in the past week. I'm so pleased with them :)

They are high-waisted and floral, two things I am loving at the moment. I was a bit naughty though and I have been wearing them even though I haven't properly finished off the seams (lucky I didn't have an embarrassing split whilst wearing them eh?). They're are by no means perfectly made but I did my best and now I want to make more in lots of different colours.

I've already started thinking about my next project; a playsuit in this fabric which I got today...

It's been so hot in London at the moment. I don't think England is equipped to deal with this hot weather! Still it's nice that we Brits can wear all these lovely summer clothes so should make the most of it whilst it lasts.

Other than sewing projects I've been acquiring a few more pieces for the store. I also went to the BFI's Mediatheque on Southbank today. I love the BFI. I was actually there to do research for my dissertation which is on Nursing Uniforms during the Second World War. I had no luck there, but found some really great silent film features. Particularly this darling one of Alice in Wonderland....

Apparently it is the first ever film version of Alice and was made 1903. I love the costumes, think it would be really interesting to see the different versions of Alice's dress through the film adaptations...maybe that should be my next sewing project, think I'm becoming obsessed with sewing now!

Night xxx 

70s romanticism

I'm sat in my room painting my nails (a gorgeous pastel pink) and intermittently listening to the new Kate Nash album and Karen Elson. Not a bad evening.

I thought I'd share my recent finds/ buys from the weekend. First off are my newly acquired Shelly's of London 70s wooden sandals...

This is following my recent post about clogs, still want some more wedge-like ones, but for my now I am content with these.

My other 70s piece that I would like to share is this 70s maxi that my Mum picked up for me in Chichester on a visit. I got it when I went back to my home this weekend, it's quite fantastical....

It really reminded me of the lovely pieces that Ossie Clark and Bill Gibb were creating back in the late 60s and 70s. 

Ossie Clark collage

Reams of glorious florals, beautiful summer days lounging seductively in an array of floating fabrics. Sounds like bliss. This might be another piece I will be putting in my Ebay store/ market stall that I have in the ethers of my mind at the moment. We'll have to see, it's pretty dreamy.

Altogether, my trip home was lovely. We had blue skies and yellow sunshine everyday. Which is rather fantastic for the British countryside. My Mum and I scavenged car boot sales and charity shops for more vintage finds for my shop-to-be. After, we all (my older brother included) enjoyed ice creams in the garden. It was lovely. I was really sad to be going back to London though. I love London, but my holiday weekend went much too fast and I'm looking forward to our proper family holiday in the coming weeks where we can all relax some more, and perhaps even go on some more vintage-scavenging adventures.

My additional  buy this weekend was July's British Vogue...

I have been a loyal Vogue reader for the past couple of years, ensuring that I don't miss a single issue. I'm rather regretting this now. In the past 6 months, I really don't know how impressed I have been with Vogue. I still enjoy the pretty pictures and the odd feature, but somehow I'm feeling less drawn to the concepts and perhaps even the fashion direction the magazine has taken. It could be that my own tastes are evolving and not the magazine. For now though I am still as loyal as ever and shall persist with Vogue but perhaps broaden my horizons and take a new magazine under my wing also.

xxx

next stages of sewing project and the stellar boutique

Last night I finally got around to cutting my pieces of fabric for my shorts. That's as far as I got because I then realise I needed interfacing (?) It might seem quite apparent to regular home dressmakers but I am clearly still learning as I hadn't a clue what the stuff was. Still, interfacing has now been researched and successfully ordered.

So this is the story thus far...

I was checking one of my favourite sites this morning (Queens of Vintage) when I came across a really inspiring interview with a newly turned online vintage seller called Stella McClure. I love the fact that she came from selling vintage at market stalls such as Portobello and Greenwich and has now turned her business online.

Naturally I checked out her new shop The Stellar Boutique. To start, it's a really well presented site, very eye-catching for a first-time buyer. Stella provides a wide selection of vintage, divided up nicely into eras which I thought made the products very accessible.

Interestingly enough though, it wasn't the vintage that caught my eye this time, instead it was these pretties...

They are so cute. I'm not a big one for jewellery, but I'll often opt for a long quirky pendant and these fit the bill perfectly. They are buy Lei Rose and the teacup is £12 and the teapot is £15. Think the teacup is the most charming though.

Well I better get on with my day now, I'm going back to my hometown tonight. I can't wait. I love London but sometimes you just need to breathe in a bit of the countryside!

ttfn

xxx 

1930s glory

Lately, I've been really fascinated by the 1930s/ 1940s. There's something very British about tea dresses and lovely floral prints that I love. Perhaps it's because my research project is based around the 30s and 40s that I'be become somewhat obsessed by this period, or perhaps its a wonderful film I've recently seen called Cracks.

 It's a really great film starring Eva Green, Imogen Poots and Juno Temple. I love so many things that Juno Temple is in (Atonement for one!). But the actress that really caught me in this is Eva Green. There is something really eerie about her in this film, turning it into the kind of film where you have watch something else after it so you don't feel so weirded out anymore!

(ignore the trainers!)

The costumes were also just amazing, full of lovely floral prints, head scraves, sailor trousers, completely magical. These pics really aren't great and don't do the film (or its costumes the justice it deserves!) 

This last one was one of my favourite outfits, it's so androgynous but Green really manages to pull it off, it really makes me want a Baker Boy cap. However, I think this would be a bad idea as the result would probably be more akin to Oliver Twist than androgynous chic!

I hope to be posting pictures of my progress with the shorts very soon. I also can't wait to share a recent shoe purchase via ebay, hope they get delivered soon!

xxx

sewing project, fabric and wish list

So I've finally decided what I shall be making on my next sewing project...high waisted shorts. I'm pretty excited about this project and I even managed to pick up some pretty fabric today for a bargain price...

And here's a swatch of the fabric. I like to think it's kind of Liberty-esque...

I can't wait to get started. 

And here's something for the wish list...CLOGS. I would really like some like these...

Top: ASOS Swedish Hasbeens 830 Braided Sandal in black and Nature £95

Bottom: Topshop OPAL Patent Low Wood Sandals orange and yellow £55

I really like the fact that none of these are too high, my feet aren't designed for such heights.

Well I'm off to start cutting out my sewing pattern, 

speak soon

xxx

Sally Scott S/S10

Oh, I also have to add this video, which I feel is a really great way of showing the spirit of their new collection...

xxx

Nadinoo and new background...

Hi all, so I've got a new inspiration to share with you. I also have a new background I'm trialling...hmm, I'm not so sure, sometimes I quite like to keep things a tad simple. Its probs going to change again sometime soon!

More importantly, my new inspiration! I've reading up on Sally Jane Vintage I find myself constantly backtracking through the older posts because it's a pretty good read! I've come across a homegrown London based designer that goes by the name of Nadinoo. Her pieces are absolutely gorgeous! If I could afford it, this is potentially what I would wear everyday...

Fleur's Button Short £95

Fleur's Petal Dress £130

Pixie's Silk Petal Bouse £145

(although I really love the shorts too!)

This one has no label, however I think it's lovely.

These pieces are all part of Nadinoo's S/S10 Collection. You'll notice how she's labelled each piece with the names Pixie, Fleur (and Lula, which didn't make the cut here!) which I think is adorable. By the looks of things I'm a Fleur girl. Nadinoo also uses a large selection of Liberty print fabrics from Liberty of London, which makes me lust after them even more. 

On a further note, I've got plans for my own sewing projects that I hope to be starting in the next few months. I just ordered two Woman's Weekly sewing patterns from ebay. I hope that shorts, rompers and jumpsuits will be entering my wardrobe very shortly!

ttfn darlings

xxx

New dress and cookies...yum

So I have a rather delicious update today. Firstly, I got a new dress for the vintage stall I'm setting up this year. I can't wait! I thought I'd post the dress here, sadly its much to big for me (but perhaps that's a good thing, can't go keeping all the merchandise!)

The second half of this delicious update concerns COOKIES! Thi morning I made some lovely oat and raisin cookies, yummy. Here's some snaps...

heart cookie...

and the recipe... 

have a fabulous day 

xxx

Greenwich Market

So last weekend me and the boyfriend headed to Greenwich Market. Here's a pic update of what we saw...(taken by the lovely boyf himself, you can check his flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/richspalding/)

these last two were from a stall called Mrs Boyd, such a cute stall full of vintage revival pieces...

I picked up these cute vintage button earrings, so sweet.

xxx