Sewing is sexy...at least that's what I tell myself

I'm not entirely sure what prompted me to start sewing again. It certainly wasn't my GCSE Textiles course, in which I managed to somehow scrap a pass, but at a push. I expect it's more to do with the fact that I love clothes and I love making things and ultimately I love to be a bit different. I am that person who scours vintage markets and charity shops and buys a dress that most normal people wouldn't be seen dead in. But I don't care; I don't care that people call me quirky and kookie (a compliment surely, I mean who wants to be normal?)

Plus, sewing is just another thing for me to learn and add to my ever growing list of hobbies and with this in mind I signed up for another evening sewing class with the lovely ladies at Ditsy Doodles in Cirencester. They helped me to decipher the, quite frankly, Phd level dress making instructions and set me on my way to making my first ever piece of clothing.

And here is the dress style that I have chosen. I  am going to attempt the one with the little peter pan collar and buttons.

And rather than opt for the garish, neon like, like the models above, I have chosen this beautiful brown and mustard tartan, with a mustard collar and matching buttons. 

I'll update with my progress shortly and hopefully I'll have a fab 1960s dress hanging in my wardrobe before the week is out. 

VV x

Take a step inside a good book

I've always loved reading; films and TV are not really my thing, I get bored and restless. But reading is different, you can travel off to a new land, off on someone else's story and get lost. 

Reading has been proven to lower stress levels and it only takes a mere six minutes for your stress levels to reduce. Furthermore, reading is said to have a more stress-reducing impact than listening to music or going for a walk. Dr Lewis, from the University of Sussex ,claims that: "[reading] is more than merely a distraction but an active engaging of the imagination as the words on the printed page stimulate your creativity and cause you to enter what is essentially an altered state of consciousness."

My reading fluctuates. Sometimes I read a lot and then there are months that pass and I have barely opened a book (of course I read a lot for work but I don't really count that!). My friend recently recommended The Hunger Games Trilogy , I can remember thinking 'nah, I don't really want to go along with the hype' but the next day I picked it up in the local bookshop and needless to say I was hooked. Completely. And I devoured all three books in under two weeks. 

Spending this time submerged in Katniss's world was a release, I didn't need to think about anything except what was going to happen when I opened the cover and stepped into her life. As Dr Lewis says, it's not about forgetting and distracting yourself, for me it's about giving yourself, and your mind, a break. 

Here are two more recent purchases. The Divergent Trilogy is also gripping and I would thoroughly recommended giving it a go...I have, as you can see, been spending quite a bit of time lingering in the Young Adult/Teenage Fiction section of the bookshop recently!

One of my favourite ways to unwind and cheer myself up is to treat myself to a frothy, creamy coffee and to settle down and read the newspaper. Research shows that it's not just reading books that reduces stress levels but reading anything will achieve the same effect.   

And here is a lovely quote that I thought I'd share with you. It's one of many that are painted on the walls of my local coffee shop, 'A room without books...is like a body without a soul.' 

I'd love to hear about your favourite reads. 

Happy relaxing x

Retro dresser: Upcycle project #8

A while ago I posted a picture of a retro dresser that I purchased from a local house clearance for £23. Here's what it looked like when I collected it. 

And here is what it looks like now: 

I painted it in Annie Sloan Paris Grey and waxed with the wax from her range. As you can see I replaced the knobs with some mix-match glass ones, which give it a more glamorous feel. The metal legs were sprayed with cream paint. 

This is most certainly one of my favourite upcycled projects so far. These types of dressers are always available on Ebay or similar sites and usually for a good price...clearly these people have no imagination! 

VV x

Beautiful prints

Stroud Farmer's Market is simply fantastic. If you are ever in the Cotswolds on a Saturday I urge you to take the time to visit this lovely bohemian town. And don't just take my word for it. This year, for the second year running, it was awarded the BEST farmer's market in the UK. 

Last week I stumbled across a tiny stall packed with these beautiful prints. They are all original and hand printed by the chap that runs the stall. And at £2.50 each I just couldn't say no! I particularly love that the paper cutting isn't symmetrical  and the ink is missing in places; these details add to their charm I think.  

I love this Laurie Lee print, who lived in, and wrote about, Stroud.

The words of this print are so cute and the bicycle just adds that little something. 

And of course, the badgers who have been culled across Gloucestershire. This is for them. 

Rustic, original, meaningful vintage printing....what a wonderful combination.

VV x

My latest vintage purchases

Firstly, apologies for not posting for a while. I have been recovering from an operation but all is good now and I am still keeping up with my thrifting and bargain hunting.

Here are some of my latest goodies for you to enjoy!

Remember the floods at the beginning of this year? Last month I was caught in one of the many torrential downpours while on my way to meet with some work colleagues. I was soaked and I happened to be passing Dorothy Perkins. I found this striped 1960s style dress in there for £10 and it looks great dressed up with wedge boots and black tights or dressed down with flat knee high boots.

I found this treasure in a brilliant vintage shop in Stroud Gloucestershire, called Duffle Vintage Outfitters. It's packed full of retro furniture and at the back of the (recently expanded) shop you can find rails crammed with original and quirky numbers like this one. I was looking for something a bit different for a winter wedding and this was ideal. The photo does not do it justice and you can not see the cute buttons which run all the way down the back of the dress. I wore this with thick black tights, high black wedges and a birdcage headpiece.

Cirencester has some of the best charity shops. A few can be a little pricey but with at least eight charity shops you can afford to shop around a bit. This is one of my latest purchases bought for the princely sum of £4 and with the tags still in. I have been wearing it to work (on the more warmer days of this year so far) with thick blue tights and blue Mary-Jane shoes. 

I just love this jumper that I picked up recently from the Cancer Research Charity shop. It's perfect for the chilly spring days and it's also lovely and soft. For £3 you can't really complain! I wore it this week with a short denim skirt, brown belt and blue Converse high-tops. 

And to prove that it's not all about the clothes, let me introduce you to my new mantlepiece clock. Close-up this has a shabby-chic finish and looks just right in my lounge. This set me back £9.60 (in the sale with 20% off) from Cargo.

I look forward to updating you soon with more of my finds,

VV x

Spring is on its way?

I am very lucky to live in, what I consider to be, one of the most beautiful places in the UK. Our house looks out onto field upon field upon field and we have very few neighbours. Although, if we are honest with ourselves, one of our main reasons for living here is because our beloved pussycat can roam in relative safety and we have plenty of space for our rabbits and guinea pigs!

 

Last week I spent as many days as I could out walking and getting some much needed fresh air. From indoors the sky looked ominous and didn't seem to hold much promise however I doned my wellies, waterproof jacket and walking rucksack and set off through the puddles.

My walk took me across fields and onto a deserted country lane and I ended up at the quaint little pub in the next village. Of course, I had to treat myself to a pub lunch and a coffee before setting off on my return journey. By the time I emerged from the pub the sky had brightened and the sun had made a welcome appearance.

I don't think I can feel happier than when I am breathing in the fresh air, feeling the sun on my skin and taking in the spectacular views around me. As I walked I spotted, what I assume to be, a family of five deer in a field adjacent to the road. I stopped to watch them as they sat happily exposed in the middle of the land, their antlers proudly revealing their positions. And what magnificent animals they are. They spotted me but did not move however I knew that at all times I was being watched in case I posed a threat. As I stood watching them a car past me and I felt sad that the occupants of the car had missed this occasion due to their hurry to be elsewhere. Someone once said to me that slow travel is the best way to travel and, in this case, I could not agree with them more. We miss so much as we rush through our lives and it is important to slow the pace and drink in the small wonders that occur everyday without us even noticing.

 

 

 

Towards the end of my walk I spotted these delicate snowdrops, the first of the spring, growing in the churchyard across from our house. They can not fail to remind us of the optimism the springtime brings. Aren't they just beautiful?

So, if the gloom of Winter is getting you down don't judge the day from the confines of your house. Get out there. Feel the chill on your skin. Wrap up warm. Breath in spring and marvel in the natural world around you.


VVx

Remember these...?

I had a wonderful childhood. Even now in my 30s I love nothing more than sitting with my family and playing a good old fashioned board game. Many weekends have been whiled away fitting tiny puzzle pieces together with the help of my sister and our most recent game, aka a battle,was the excellent Ludo, which we used to play at our grandparents when we were little.

How many of these do you remember enjoying?

I'm sure they don't make games as intricate as Mouse Trap anymore?

 

I used to love this game. This bed would vibrate and the bugs jumped up and down and then, with your tweezers each player had to pick up as many bugs as possible. Fabulous.

 

It was so hard to get the little rings on the sticks!

 

And this is our beloved Ludo, complete with the popper dice in the middle. Playing with my sister, who is very ruthless is hilarious!

 

This was something I would play with my school friends when we were young teenagers. I am sure I believed that the boys on the end of the phone existed!

 

 

And this was, possibly, the last game we bought as a family, which was very complicated at the time, compared to Ludo anything was complicated!

VV x