Craft Sunday...

...home alone - well, with Mushroom (child) and Jasper & Sugar (mini schnauzers) which means full on entertainment! Wet walks (think torrential), play dough and favourite t-shirt painting. 

Which means that I'm able to leave Mushroom to his painting and I can have a wee craft play myself.

So today - Old black jeans now with painted legs think Avelon - thanks builders for the left over paint...

..and checked shirt (mens - from charity shop) with the bottom bleached out.

So which one shall I try out tomorrow...

The Big Clear Out...

37 bin bags of clothes and 5 bags of shoes later Mushroom believes he has his own adventure park and I can now sit down - job done!

So the only thing we had to do now, was wait for the fabulous owner of Strut to come and take it all away! Where he will sort through what's good enough to sell (and his customers would like) and what is not for him but to give back to the charity shops.

Part 1. of clear out done. Now to clear up the chaos I made whilst debating - keep or clear out...

Part 2. tidy up.

Part 3. anything I find from now on that doesn't fit or work will immediately go into a 'give to friends / charity / sell' bag.

Part 4. breath...

Posted with Blogsy

New Season Start...

 

I'm not one for getting too excited about the post but at the start of a new season as the mail order and 'buy me, buy me' catalogues arrive I gain a lust for out with the old and in with the new. A renewed excitement for my wardrobe.

So this season before opening the magazines I have decided to have a harsh cull (and as it turns out much needed!). I invited a friend (print designer) over to see if there might be anything of use. Shortly after arriving she asked 'when did you last do this?' As I was thinking when it was, I asked if I should throw a top out or whether it was worth keeping... The reply was 'rather dated - throw'.

Previously I would throw out, bag and go back through but this comment stung (I know there was no malice intended - good friends can and should be able to be honest) but this time I have thown and baged - and - I feel great!

Now all I have to do is drop it all round the charity shop and open those new magazines - oh! And make a quick cuppa!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Buying Time...

As summer holidays go this is looking like it could be great! Perfect weather, perfect (dare I say it) child (give or take a certain amount of tolerance) and a combined love of charity shops (Mushroom & I). Namely the RSPCA in Stoke Newington as it has a vintage coin machine  - every time you 'feed' a cat a coin (I'm collecting 2 pence coins...) it chimes (buys me time!)...

Pantsuit - Factory Outlet (Mare St), 

Belly Dancers Belt (shorten to make it a waist belt) - RSPCA (Clapton)

Snip Snip & Cocktails...

I love vintage clothing, I collect vintage clothing and its not often that I chop or change it... However as much as I loved this dress I wasn't going to wear it full length.

I'm off out this evening to The Hoxton Pony for a tea party (aka cocktails served prohibition style) with a girlfriend - catch up, cocktails and a combined love of vintage clothing - perfect sunny Friday evening and hence I need something fab, fun and cool...

...there fore the dress got the chop. As is life everyone will have an opinion but I'm happy! The dress is now wearable (for me) and perfect for this evening - tea cups at the ready!

Vintage Silk Dress - The Shop (Cheshire St)

Quick Change (into) Ben & Holly...

The plan...
Was silk kaftan (new charity shop purchase, washed and ready to wear), liquorice & fresh mint tea plus a new and ready to read copy of Vogue.
Reality was Ben & Holly at the Hackney Empire...

Holly... Vintage 70s Dress - The Shop (Cheshire St), Sneakers - Superga

Ben... Mushroom Tee - ELS (aka homemade), Shorts - M&S, Mis-matched Crocs - As normal! 

All about Animals... (& Tees)...

In the Sunday sunshine we had our weekly puppy training lesson. Where as an animal loving family we clearly had animals on our minds (and t-shirts!!)...

Dog T-shirt - Zara, Shorts - Sara Berman (The Outnet), Sneakers - Superga, Sunglasses - Mui Mui

Gray Zebra T-shirt - C/O ELS (aka Mushroom and I)

Mushroom Micky Mouse T-shirt - Asda, Shorts - M&S, Miss-matching Crocs - Crocs

Getting Creative...

When I bored (correction), when I squeeze in a second for myself I like to make / play / experiment / create with fabric / clothing / textiles - must be something to with my (old) degree in Fashion (print & textiles) or just the need to have a creative sense of freedom (a reminder of being me!).
So finally after quite a few enquires I have added a wee link (or check out To Shop...) to some Tees...

The need for Shade(s)...

As Saturday approaches (another Pink Piggy Party - this time a picnic), the onslaught of kids (and parents) again terrifies me and so hence the sunglasses... Early starts (organising), disasters (baking) and enjoyment (making the piggy tees for the goody (going home) bags has resulted and the need for the sunglasses (bags of tiredness!)...

Dress - ASOS, Belt - RSPCA Charity Shop, Shoes - Church Charity Shop, Sunglasses - Mui Mui

Mushroom Tee - Pocketees, Shorts - Primark

Cornish Charity Shopping...

There are two things I love about holidays (apart from spending time with family, reading and heading back to London) - charity-shop shopping and soft water...

My hair goes from feeling brittle and snappy (or is that just my mood...) to soft, light and bouncy (think retro Timotei advert).

And then there are the charity shops! I love searching (nosey), exploring (finding the unexpected), the thrill of 'the find'!
So far we have been here one day and I have managed to find 2 out of the 3 local charity shops - the third was closed (plus why to rush and spoil the fun!) and I have found...

a set of clown coat pegs,

 two small 1960's bags,

 a rather fun necklace 

- the grand total of which has cost - £5.50! 

Another thing I love about (briefly) leaving London - the cost (low cost!).

Just playing around...

I couldn't resist the bangles - charity shop special!
I love the all together! (but really - between repetitive strain due to the weight or accidentally bopping Mushroom on the head due to my clumsiness - I'm going to struggle wearing them).
So I came up with a new idea...

DIY Jewellery Stand...

As is known I trawl charity shops. Often unearthing some gems - literally! Also I love the idea of dressing up (although to be fair the days I do are getting fewer and further apart - note to self, rectify this!) so it is with pleasure I share my idea of how to display earrings.

All you need are - 

Wooden photo frame.

Staple gun.

Steel mesh (that overs the back of the photo frame with enough over lap to staple to the wood. 

Tacks.

Picture wire.

And last but by no means least - Earrings...

N.b These make great gifts! 

Recycled Wedding Dress...

Sometimes I like to make stuff - simple as that. However with time restraints (and a lack of concentration) I like a simple fix (sad but honest).

So, as I grabbed my 30 second fix in the local charity shop I spied the above wedding dress and it struck me as a pretty dress. - rather in need of wearing (but not even I could or would pull the wedding dress look off, without looking even more odder than perhaps I normally do). So for a fiver I bought the said dress and with the simple aid of a pair of kitchen scissors I cut the sleeves out. Then I attacked the bottom frill, after which I lay the dress on the floor, roughly marked how short the lining should be and hey presto - snip, snip, done...