~Objects of my Affection~

Fabulous Forties

2012-03-19T17:01:00.002Z

I have a particular fondness and interest in the 1940s so I'm always keeping my eyes peeled to add to my stash of books and collectibles from the decade and I've got a couple of new bits to share. I'm also on the look out even more than usual as I'm helping to organise a 40s weekend called VE Memories at The Commandery in Worcester on Bank Holiday 6th and 7th May, with my involvement as part of WAVE (organising/writing a fashion show amongst other things) happening on the 7th. Will post more on that nearer the time.

First up, I was lucky enough to get my mitts on this book: "We Wore What We'd Got" published by Warwickshire Books for Warwickshire Museum's 1989 exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of WWII. It's just a thin book of only 72 pages but it contains a wealth of photos and illustrations looking at women's clothing during the war years. It's full of quotes from and photos of real ladies, who contributed their memories to the exhibition.

A sample from inside:

The quotes in the book about daily life are such a wonderful way of getting a first hand feel for the time. One absolute gem from the 'Work' chapter is this:

"The war years were the start of women wearing headscarves...I can remember having 100 pipe cleaners in my hair, then taking them out one of one and curling them round my finger, I was very proud of my curls!"

After reading this I had to have a go at a pipe cleaner curl! It's a bit trickier to use than a curler but pretty genius all the same!

Click READ MORE below to read the rest of this post and for more photos of my 40s things! --->>>

This book is sadly now a bit hard to get hold of, with the few copies on Amazon over £60, which is pretty crazy as its original RRP is £4.95! I shall be looking after my precious copy then!

These are recent purchases, although the Women's Land Army badge had a brief mention on here before when I first got it. These are original Women's Voluntary Service and as said, Land Army badges. Often worn on the hats as part of the uniform.

We'll be putting together a little Land Army display at The Commandery so I also picked up a reproduction copy of the Land Army Manual:

It covers everything the prospective Land Girl needs to know, from the role of the WLA in the First World War, to how to join, what to expect from training and employment, and of course details of the now iconic uniform:

Last but not least I treated myself to a pair of original 1940s frames from Dead Men's Spex and also had them put in my prescription. I've got three pairs of their 1950s frames but wanted a 40s pair for an overall 40s look and in particularly for the Commandery Event. I really didn't want to look like a member of the Harry Potter fanclub if at all possible, so these oval beauties I spotted are just the ticket!

I like them even more than I thought I would and have just been wearing them as my 'normal' specs!

#bloglove

2012-03-15T22:08:00.001Z

#bloglove is a great idea from blogger Jayne of Jayne's Kitshen. The idea is to counterbalance the negativity that is often prevalent on the internet, with a set of guidelines for showing more #bloglove to others.

Here's a quote from Jayne's #bloglove page:

"Let us support our fellow bloggers, here are a few things that I am going to do to spread #bloglove that I hope you might do as well.
If you read a blog post and enjoy it, leave a comment! It will make the blogger happy and will show support.
If you find a new blog or read a post that you love, why not share it online? This could be via Twitter, Facebook or even on your own blog, this will help that blogger to grow.
If you feel like you want to say something negative, think before you speak, is it worth it? I always say, if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all.
Engage with each other, we are lucky enough to be in a digital world, where we can reachout and connect with people in ways never possible before, if you see a tweet that you have an opinion on, respond! Encourage conversation.
Think of it as a pay it forward or Blog Karma situation, if you do something friendly, helpful or supportive for one blogger, chances are they will return the favour at some point.
Want to spread the love on Twitter? Use the hash tag #bloglove so we can follow your blog finds!"

#Bloglove is especially poignant for me at the moment as Clare and I been attempting to shake off some very uncalled for, negative comments we've had recently about our book. We're up for committing to help to spread a bit of support and positivity, not just because we've been on the end of some negative comments, but because it's the right thing to do! It's easy to hide behind your computer and publicly pick holes in things other people have done, but why do it? Why be unkind with your 'personal opinion'? Let's be supportive and nice to people for a change!

I wouldn't dream of leaving a negative comment for someone, but on the other hand I've been following some lovely blogs for years and have never got round to leaving a comment, or have only left the odd one when I've had the time to do so. So that's something I'm going to take from #bloglove: if I see or read something I like or enjoy, I'll make the time to leave a comment and show some #bloglove support!

Please see the main #bloglove page at its original source on www.jayneskitschen.co.uk

Reasons to be Cheerful...

2012-03-13T23:11:00.001Z

It's very easy to get bogged down with things that really don't matter in the scheme of things, so in the spirit of keeping positive, this is a big reason to be cheerful in our household: the view from our flat. It never fails to cheer you up! I've zoomed in a bit on my camera in this photo so you can see the Starlings in the distance (click the image for a closer look). Every evening we get to see the Starlings' aerobatic display with the majestic Malvern Hills in the background. We're very lucky to live where we do, it might be modest but we love it and I wouldn't swap this view for anything!

Wearable Vintage Fashion Book: Teaser Pics!

2012-03-06T16:08:00.004Z

Last week the first proper copy of Wearable Vintage Fashion arrived! This is the most exciting day, when you finally get to hold a physical copy of what you've worked so hard on for the best part of a year!

This book was such a labour of love for us. It's a deliberately light hearted look at vintage fashion from the perspective of a vintage shop, presented in an accessible, magazine-style. There's over 1000 images of vintage clothing that all had to be sourced, cleaned, steamed, arranged on a mannequin, photographed, edited, written about etc, it's a wonder we ever finished it! But here it is, advanced copies ahead of the final publication date, and it'll be available in book shops at the end of the month.

Here's a sneaky preview of a couple of my favourite pages.

1920s beaded bags:

1920s Look Book Evening Wear:

1940s Daywear outfit and 1940s Daywear Look Book pages:

1960s Evening Wear (love the colours on this page):

Clare and I will shortly be able to reveal details of book launch parties in Worcester and London, and we'll soon be making videos to accompany certain era chapters, so it's all very exciting! More general info about the book on my page HERE, a nice review of the book HERE, pre-order on Amazon Here or The V&A HERE, and visit the publishers Vivays' website HERE.

There's a funny little video of Clare introducing the book HERE!

Flea Finds - March

2012-03-06T00:19:00.002Z

It was The Worcester Flea yesterday and despite the freezing rain there was a good turn out and lots of quality vintage tat to be had!

As usual I didn't come away empty handed. I bought this bargain little vintage, crochet blanket from the Bringsty ladies. I think it goes a treat on the back of the sofa:

Hanging around chums Toadstool Vintage's stall for the day is always dangerous and predictably I picked up a couple of things from them. I couldn't leave behind this framed floral/wildflower vintage needlepoint. I thought it'd go lovely on the wall of tat I'm cultivating in the bedroom, all items from Flea markets etc. I've also got four small, floral, 50s Reader's Digest prints I need to frame that'd fit nicely beneath it.

Last but not least I got this as a freebie! It's a frame tray with a really sweet Crinoline Lady embroidery inside. It had a fair few tide marks of damp and had got newly wet at the water logged Flea, you can make out the runkled damp line along the bottom edge. So I unscrewed the frame and risked a hand wash of the embroidered linen.

Thankfully it came up a treat, and the tide marks washed out. I should have ironed it damp as it's still a bit creased but it's definitely an improvement, although I haven't yet taken an 'after' pic. The embroidery is dated 17/11/40, which sewn into the bottom right corner, and you can just make out the inscription on the edge of the frame on the bottom photo here: 'made by F L Okell, 1940'.

I did think I might take out the embroidery and frame a print or something a bit more modern in the tray, but now (like a right old softy) don't I think I can separate the two!

The Worcester Flea This Sunday!

2012-03-01T09:00:00.000Z

I can't believe it's March already! This means it's nearly time for the first Worcester Flea of 2012, taking place this Sunday 4th March at CrownGate Outdoor Market in the centre of Worcester. Loads of vintage, bric-a-brac, antiques, furniture and this time, handmade crafty items too! Check out the Flea page for photos and a video from last year's Fleas HERE

Vintage Coats, Capes & Jackets

2012-02-27T21:56:00.002Z

I've had a few new items from the all new fancy Second Hand Rose in the last couple of weeks, and on a bit of a theme of vintage outerwear.

This is my new faux-fur-mink-style 60s coat. It's really warm and comfy and it looks nice with jeans to jazz up a casual outfit:

I have a soft spot for capes but find that they're not always practical. This is the most perfect vintage, woollen, cape-coat I've ever seen and is much easier to wear than full cape which can be a bit restrictive in the arms department! It zips up the front and as you can see, it has open 'sleeves' that are attached with a buttoned tab underneath. So you have all the arm maneuverability of a coat, but in a lovely wool cape.

This is my most recent procurement: a 1950s tweed jacket. The cut is unfitted (not cinched in like a 40s jacket) but it's actually really flattering and smart looking, plus very wearable on a daily basis. Looking forward to wearing this one more, now that the weather is a tad warmer!

Pancake Day = Vegan Blueberry & Maple Syrup Pancakes

2012-02-21T11:35:00.001Z

This is the best recipe I've found for vegan pancakes. I've had it for years and can't remember where it originally came from but it works a treat for chunkier Scotch-style pancakes.

Ingredients are:

1 cup of plain flour

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt (I just use a pinch)

1 cup of soya milk

4 tbsp of corn oil (veg/sunflower oil would also work)

1 pack of blueberries (this makes for a lot of blueberries per pancake but that's the way we like it!)

Sieve the dry ingredients and combine the soya milk and oil in a separate jug and whisk until combined and a bit frothy. That's an important bit as it's the best way to combine the oil and ensure an even distribution. You probably should add the blueberries after you've added the milk and oil to the flour, as then you can then give it a good beating to get rid of any big lumps, which is slightly harder to do if like me, you added the blueberries first and you're trying to avoid squishing them!

Once the batter's made it's always better to use asap as it's got baking powder in it, which starts working as soon as the liquid is added. So get your pan nice and hot, add a small amount of oil and ladle in a big dollop of the batter. This is the first one that turned out pretty heavy on the blueberries!

As with normal pancakes, don't turn them until the underside is browned and on this sort, wait until the edges have started to cook and solidify. These aren't really the sort of pancakes you can flip in the traditional style, unless you want the blueberries to fling off in every direction and splatter all over your kitchen!

And here's the finished product, covered in delicious Maple syrup. Yumity!

I haven't experimented with the mix, so it may be possible to make thinner crepe styles and add a filling in afterwards. It might also be possible to successfully make these with gluten free flour, but you'd probably need to add a few more tablespoons of soya milk.

Brighton

2012-02-17T00:03:00.002Z

We spent a couple of days this week in Brighton, our first weekend away/holiday for well over a year (the joys of self employment!). This was the view from our hotel room and we could see the sea hoorah!

Brighton is one of our favourite places to visit. There's so many independent shops to mooch around, lots of vintage and antiques shops (Snooper's Paradise is one of my favourites!) and lots of cafes and restaurants with delicious vegan options for us weirdy vegan types - Food For Friends, Pizza Face, Aloka, Infinity Foods, to name a few!

We're big fans of the pebbley beach and the pier. We couldn't resist playing a few classic arcade games while we were there. Chris won on the Dolphin Derby, I'd won last time we were there!

We did lots of walking during our stay, exploring The Lanes, walking along the sea front and generally having a nice time. I've still never been inside the Pavillion, it's something I'd like to do next time we visit, the outside looks fantastic from every angle. We also stopped by No Walls Gallery, where they sell Chris's prints. It was nice to see so many of his on the walls!

One of our favourite shops is Dave's Comics on Sydney St and we stocked up on comics and graphic novels while we were there. I bought Undertow, a graphic novel set in 60s Coney Island by Ellen Lindner, and The Sigh by Marjane Satrapi, who's one of my favourite authors. Satrapi wrote Persepolis which was made into a film a few years ago and the wonderful Chicken with Plums which I've only just found out has also been made into a film and looks amazing! I enjoyed Undertow with its 60s setting, and The Sigh is as delightfully charming as the rest of Satrapi's work.

Two days running we ate at Rock Ola coffee bar on Tidy Street, a fantastic 50s themed cafe which does a mean vegan breakfast. Here's me at Rock Ola in my new cardigan, a 40s style hand knit from eBay. It originally had really bad, small, 90s metal buttons that I had to immediately switch to some more traditional ones.

All in all it was a great little, well overdue break and we already can't wait to go back at eat more nice food!

The All New Second Hand Rose!

2012-02-15T19:45:00.001Z

The Second Hand Rose relaunch went really well last Friday and the new shop looks a treat!

Lots of photos of the launch night party and more interior pics on the Second Hand Rose Facebook page HERE.

Second Hand Rose Vintage Re-launch Tonight!

2012-02-10T11:11:00.001Z

Tonight Second Hand Rose is finally opening for a preview party for the new shop, ahead of the official opening tomorrow. Anyone fancy coming along from 5pm is most welcome!

Here's me helping to fill the rainbow rails of vintage tees, sweatshirts and knits!

You can tell we hadn't turned the heating on, I'm still wearing coat, gloves and snow boots!

Second Hand Rose has moved!

2012-02-05T15:44:00.002Z

Second Hand Rose Vintage has moved and is about to open a new shop! It's been very exciting helping Clare with the move to the new premises, into a larger unit at no. 10 The Hopmarket. Look how it's coming together!

The new shop opens officially on Saturday 11th February which means it's a busy week for the Second Hand Rose gang!

There will be a special opening night preview at the shop on Friday 10th Feb from 5pm to 6.30pm. For more details and how to get your invite, visit the shop's website HERE!

I did this little tracing doodle of the new shop for the invites:

#ZOMGBloggersBash

2012-02-01T10:49:00.000Z

On Monday 29th January Clare and I headed down to London for the #ZOMGBloggersBash. It was an event to celebrate a new shade of Rockalily Lipstick which is a collaboration with beauty blogger ZoZo of The London Lipgloss. Their limited edition shade is called ZOMG and bloggers from all over were invited to attend and join in the fun.

There was lots to see and do, lipsticks to try, wigs to put on, makeovers to be had, cupcake decorating, to name a few. Most importantly it was an opportunity to meet up and chat to other bloggers and tweeters and put friendly faces to names! Name badges and a genius Blogger's Bingo were real ice breakers and encouraged everyone to starting chatting!

There's a more detailed blog post with lots more of our photos from the night on the Second Hand Rose blog, so I don't want to repeat it all here, but here's a photo of me and Rockalily owner ReeRee Rockette:

All in all it was a really fun night with a lovely, friendly and supportive atmosphere, congrats to the ladies for organising it!

After the #ZOMGBloggersBash we stayed overnight in London and set off on the 2 hour and a bit drive home at 10am the next day. We didn't get very far before we got stuck in horrendous traffic due to a warehouse fire with flurries of snow to taunt us every now and again! We moved about 10 miles in 4 hours! We finally arrived home a somewhat ridiculous 6 hours later feeling a bit sorry for ourselves! While we were stuck in the car I made the most of it took a few snaps of London landmarks. As the passenger in the car it was a bit like going on a sightseeing tour of London, only very, very slowly!

W.E.

2012-01-29T19:32:00.000Z

Last week I went to see W.E. - the film about Wallis Simpson (W.E. is short for Wallis and Edward) directed and co-written by Madonna. I didn't have particularly high expectations as all the reviews have been pretty scathing, but on the most part I was pleasantly surprised.

The chameleonic Andrea Riseborough is wonderful in the role of Wallis, and the attention to detail in the costumes and sets were really impressive. Whatever your thoughts on Wallis Simpson the person, (suspect friend to Nazis etc) you can't deny that she was an icon of chic 30s style.

It wasn't all happy days though, the 90s romance part of the film is what let it down for me and undermined the great performance by Riseborough. It was pretty clunky throughout, for starters the modern day protagonist is the implausibly alliterative Wally Winthrop. My other main criticism was the preposterously furnished, bohemian apartment of the Russian security guard-slash-arty-concert-pianist chap, who must have also been a secret millionaire!

Admittedly I only went to see the film for the 1930s frocks and setting, and on that it definitely did deliver, but I can't help feeling the film missed a trick by not delving further into the intriguing and not wholly likeable character of Wallis Simpson.

In W.E. she is portrayed fairly simply as the put upon heroine, giving up her freedom for the man who loved her. What's far more interesting and only hinted at in the film, is that she didn't want to leave her 2nd husband Ernest Simpson, regretted the affair with the prince and didn't want to divorce, only doing so as the Prince threatened to kill himself if she left him and she didn't want his blood on her hands. There was also the small matter of him being heir to the throne and it seemed that if the King-to-be wanted Mrs Simpson, that was that, and Ernest agreed to step aside. This was all revealed in detail in a fascinating documentary on Channel 4 last year - Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters.

Through Wallis's letters to her husband Ernest, the documentary exposed Mr and Mrs Simpson as materialistic social climbers, and how he was happy for her to have the affair as it afforded him all sorts of social, business and material benefits. Wallis was apparently often short tempered and derisive towards 'David' aka Edward VIII, who came across as a peculiar man-child (Wallis and her husband called him 'Peter Pan') and it was her indifference to him that apparently hooked him in and fueled his unhealthily obsession with her that lasted the rest of his life, following her round like a puppy even in old age.

It would've been so much more interesting for me if the film had delved into these characters more, rather than having the modern romance running parallel but hey-ho! Summing up I'd have to say it's mostly style over substance, but fabulous 30s style which saves the day!

At Second Hand Rose last week we put some W.E. 30s inspired outfits together. You can read that blog post HERE

New Shoes!

2012-01-25T12:06:00.005Z

{original product images and page}

I was on the hunt for a modern, vintage looking shoe, preferably in non-leather with a 40s feel, and happened upon these from Dorothy Perkins. They fitted the bill perfectly, in synthetic suede fabric, with a platform, chunky heel and the heel is covered in the same fabric as the shoe, three key features of 40s footwear. They're a tiny bit loose so I need an insole and I need to practice walking in them a bit if I'm going to wear them to next Mondays #ZOMGBloggersBash!

Pendleton 49er Jackets

2012-01-22T21:32:00.011Z

I'm a big fan of US fashions of the 40s and 50s, and one of my favourite icons of that era is the Pendleton 49er Jacket. Pendleton Woolen Mills from Portland, Oregon started in 1909 and were famed for there blankets and uniforms. In 1949 they began producing women's sports/leisurewear and the 49er jacket was launched. Pendleton still produce a variation on these jackets today. {Click photos for a closer view.}

I've got two vintage Pendleton 49er jackets and they're great for recreating a 40s or 50s casual outfit. They look particularly good when worn with high waisted Jeans such as those from Freddies of Pinewood - I wore that very outfit complete with 40s-style turban on a trip to London, late last year.

Although they were made in 1949 and worn in the 50s, these early jackets still have a very '40s' look, with their wide lapels and sharp, padded shoulders. The classic 49er jacket also has pearlised buttons and two front pockets. You can also make out from the above photo, a pleat that runs parallel to the shoulder seam:

Above is the inside label. On later labels, from 60s onwards it includes the Wool symbol, so if it doesn't have the wool logo you know it'll be an original/early one. A great resource to check labels is the Vintage Fashion Guild. To see their collection of Pendleton Labels, Click Here. It's good to know your labels as it can help you date an item if you're ever unsure of the age. With jackets like these, the lapels are very wide, so much so they could even look 70s to the untrained eye. If you know what to look for on the label too, you know you how to date it correctly and not be caught out.

My grey and red check 49er. You can see here the straight back with two sets of gathers along the top seem:

Another label pic and on the right hand side you can see the thin shoulder pads made from the same material as the jacket:

If you're into 40s and 50s fashion it's definitely worth keeping your eyes peeled for a 49er!

Sewing World Magazine

2012-01-20T23:11:00.005Z

This month's issue of Sewing World features an interview with Clare from Second Hand Rose. There's a photo of us in the shop and a lovely mention of our Wearable Vintage Fashion book!

Make Up Must Haves

2012-01-18T22:40:00.015Z

I'm a recent convert to slightly more expensive makeup. After years of buying cheap and cheerful I've realised it can be a false economy as you compromise on quality and effectiveness. Buying the best you can afford can sometimes work more cost effective in the long run.

Here are a few of my current make up must haves. These aren't all super expensive brands, but are all over £10 and all quality products.

Olay Total Effects Touch of Foundation with 15 spf. I don't always want to look like I'm wearing lots of make up and normal foundation seems to stick like a mask to me. This is the best and lightest tinted moisturiser I've found...

Soap & Glory Kickass Concealer. Just using tinted moisturiser requires an effective concealer to hide any blotches! This is a pretty good one that comes in a nifty compact style case, with transparent 'setting powder'.

This Benefit Bene tint was the first and best item I've bought from Benefit, I mostly use it as cheek stain instead of powder blusher, but it's also a lip stain if you want a hint of colour without wearing a lipstick. Works well with a clear lipgloss over the top.

I love catsye eyeliner, wear it pretty much daily and MAC Fluidline eyeliner is the best one for me for the job. I still occasionally use a pencil, but there's no contest: the gel liner and brush makes for a much smoother, neater job. I'm a total convert to this...

Last but not least, a more recent discovery and mentioned on here before, is Rockalily Lipstick. It's a great lipstick that stays on all day and doesn't dry out your lips. If you buy Rockalily you're also supporting a small, independent company. My favourite shade is Rockette Red.

Coco Chanel: The Legend & The Life

2012-01-16T15:09:00.006Z

I'm more than half way through this excellent Coco Chanel biography by Justine Picardie and I'm throughly enjoying it. Coco Chanel is such a fascinating character: complex and contrary, known to change and embellish stories of her past almost each time she retold them. Picardie sifts through the many tall tales and untruths and has produced an engaging portrait of a very determined yet vulnerable character, who singlehandedly changed the face of 20th Century fashion.

Highly recommended!

The Artist

2012-01-13T17:08:00.003Z

Literally can't wait to see the film The Artist!

Cross my palm with silver...

2012-01-07T14:36:00.010Z

I love vintage fortune telling memorabilia, and added another fortune cup to my small collection at Christmas. I'm not massively superstitious and take that sort of thing with a pinch of salt, but I really like the iconography and illustrations in old fortune telling ephemera.

This is my 1920s pack of fortune cards. It's in great condition for its age, complete with the original instructions. There is sadly one card missing, but it's only the 'luck' card which I don't think is too bad!

I followed the instructions in how to make a quick 'outlook' prediction for myself. According to the instructions you have to cut the pack twice and turn the top cards up. I had the cards study/work, home and proposal. This could be interpreted as if I continue my work from home I'll get a new (work) proposal, which as a freelancer is very good news indeed, so we'll see if that comes true! To do a full 'reading' using all the cards it's quite long winded and takes ages when you have to keep checking the instructions to what it's supposed to mean!

These are my fortune telling cups. The one on the left is the new one, a present from Clare from Second Hand Rose, to add to my collection. It's a Royal Kendal 1985 fortune cup, which goes great with my 1930s fortune cup! I'm now on a mission to find the matching saucers for these cups at flea markets!

Christmas Pressies!

2011-12-27T11:47:00.009Z

Oo I'm such a lucky lady, here's a few of my vintage themed Christmas pressies.

Beautiful, silver marcasite butterfly brooch from the husb:

Not vintage but love this, pigeon wearing a hat illustration on a pill box:

Biography of Coco Chanel, already a chapter in:

Really great book about Marilyn Monroe's wardrobe, lots of great photos and illustrations:

Fab 40s book about home dressmaking and how to fit clothing like a tailor or dressmaker:

These were a lovely surprise, two pieces of bakelite, a utilitarian screw top butter dish, and a Rothman's cigarette box:

All the way from America, this 'Yummy Crochet' kit has a book plus wool and stuffing to make food themed amigurumi crochet characters!

Thank yooooou!

Christmas Eve on the Malvern Hills

2011-12-24T18:30:00.007Z

We can see the Malvern Hills clearly from our flat yet don't go over there as much as we'd like, and haven't actually/physically climbed up the hills for over 7 years! So we declared today, Christmas Eve, the start of a new annual tradition (weather permitting obvs) to tramp up the hills.

View at the top:

We took the wooded route back down to the car..

It was very chilly and muddy!

This is the view of the Malverns from the flat during the Summer. The puny iphone camera doesn't capture how impressive they are in the flesh. Today I think we were walking somewhere in the middle dip, and up the hill on the left a way.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T20:49:00.005Z

Have been soooo busy for the last few weeks (yeah yeah so has has everyone!)

We've been putting the very final finishing touches on the Wearable Vintage Fashion book and are now even more excited to see the finished article in the Spring. In Second Hand Rose Clare & I created a different festive, vintage Advent Outfit for everyday of December. You can see our handiwork on Facebook

Back at the homestead it's the first Christmas in our new flat, and I bought a mini flat-sized white tree.

At the WAVE Rock 'n' Roll Christmas fair last week I bought these super sweet handmade, embroidered crackers from lovely Stallholder Marie. I bought a few for presents and one for myself. You can't beat homemade chrimbo decs:

Have just finished making two dairy and wheat free trifles, which was my final task before the big day. A trifle is a must for me at Christmas so to get to have one as a non-dairy eater is a real treat! I meant to take photos and post the recipe but oops, forgot! As luck would have it, here's one I made earlier (in the year) and in my favourite 50s star patterned glass bowl:

Merry Christmas one and all!

This Friday!

2011-12-14T14:37:00.003Z

This Friday 16th December is ours (WAVE's) 'Rock 'n' Roll Christmas' - a 50s themed Vintage & Craft Fair at The Guildhall on Worcester High Street. It's from 3pm to 8pm, so plenty of time for late night Chrimbo shopping after work!

Really looking forward to it! More details and previews of just some of the stallholders are on the WAVE website at www.worcestervintage.blogspot.com

Now just the small matter of deciding what 50s outfit to wear!

Better Dressmaking & Red Lipstick

2011-12-09T21:58:00.013Z

I picked up this 1940s book 'Better Dressmaking' from eBay for just a few pounds and I'm so chuffed with it! It's full of lots of great, easy to follow advice about home dressmaking (something that's on my list of things to learn properly next year!) as well as some fantastic illustrations.

I love this depiction of a 'sewing room' - what a luxury to have space for one of those! {Click image for a closer look}

As well practical step by step sewing, the book also features advice on what colours/fabrics you should wear depending on your hair colour etc, but I was really surprised to find this page about red lipstick and what colours work with different shades of red. How brilliant! Just shows how style-conscious and polished-looking those 1940s ladies were! {Click image for a closer look}

Talking of lipstick, I've been really getting into red lipstick wearing thanks to the fantastic independent lipstick company Rockalily. I have two of their shades, Rockette Red, a classic bright red and Roulette Red, which is a slightly darker shade. Both have pride of place on my dressing table! Check out the Rockalily website at www.rockalily.com for the full range of colours and what skin types they are suited too, plus there's currently a cheeky limited edition shade on offer! Owner ReeRee Rockette has a great blog too, mixing a daily outfit post with inspirational anecdotes and advice, visit that direct HERE.

I've been so impressed with Rockalily we even recommend it in the new book Wearable Vintage Fashion book as the best way to get a perfect 40s pout!

Singer

2011-12-07T22:29:00.004Z

Latest purchase: a manual, Singer sewing machine from 1939. One of the great things about these beauties is that you can date them thanks to the serial number and the aid of Singer websites such as this one.

I purchased this one from Toadstool Vintage at the Worcester Pop Up Vintage Shop last week.

It's in such lovely condition and came with its manual and all its originals tools and attachments. I need to make some room in the flat and have it out on display, such a lovely thing to have kept out of sight in its box! The detail on Singer's is so lovely, will get some close up pics in the next few days.

Slippers of my dreams!

2011-12-05T13:12:00.004Z

Today is a good day. I've been after a pair of these classic granny pom-pom slippers for so long! This classic design was reproduced for years. EBay came up trumps with this pair by Pirelli, in my size and virtually as new!

We saw a similar pair recently when perusing old copies of the Kays Catalogue at a World of Kays event. You can see similar from 1960 HERE - you can also browse other years and more fantastic items there.

Here's Clare having a gander at a catalogue from an earlier year, can't remember which one, possibly 40s or 50s...

Vintage Standard Lamp

2011-11-29T16:51:00.008Z

I've wanted a standard lamp for ages and was sorted out a treat with this fine figure of a fellow by my chums at Toadstool Vintage. It needed rewiring and a replacement fitting as it still had its original wiring. I rose to the challenge of learning the simple task of rewiring the lamp and have documented the process for anyone interested. I found a few websites that mentioned rewiring, but nowhere that showed this particular, whole process with pictures, so here it all is.

Click on the 'Read More' below if it's of interest! -->

I rewired my vintage standard lamp myself, but if you're ever unsure always consult an electrician! If you've rewired a plug in the past, this is really no harder than that, but if you have no clue then probably best not to go meddling with electricals!

This is the bit I had to replace. I went to a specialist lighting shop, taking the old one with me that just unscrewed from the base. If you take the old one with you, you can double check that the new fitting will fit the screw in fitting on the stand. In this instance it was a standard 10mm fitting, which was handy.

The fitting comes apart in three places:

First thread the new cable through the stand. I went to Maplins where you can buy electrical cable by the metre. I measured the length of cable I needed, measuring the lamp stand and the distance to the plug socket. Sounds obvious, but that's precisely the kind of detail I'd usually forget to do and end up with the cable too short. Make sure your cable and plug match, i.e. 3amp cable, 3amp plug/fuse. Also if you're trimming the wires yourself then make sure you use proper wire cutters and do a neat job.

Put the bottom piece of the fitting on first, screw it into place, bringing the wire up through it.

Here's the piece the wires go into. Look closely at this pic, the little symbol beneath the middle hole is the Earth symbol. That obviously means you have to wire the earth wire there. Earth is the green and yellow striped wire.

It's only the earth wire that has to be wired into a certain place. Once that chap's in, the Live (brown) and Neutral (blue) can go into either side, unlike on a plug when they have designated positions. Here they are all in place.

Once that's placed back into the first bit, its cover screws back on and you're just about ready for the shade. You also need to wire the other end to a plug of course! For a standard lamp you also need the frame part for the shade to balance on, and there's a top screw which comes out, the frame goes on and it screws back in, as you can see if you look closely at this pic. Then the shade balances on the top.
And voila!

London Trip

2011-11-24T23:11:00.004Z

Last week I was a deadline hermit, not leaving the flat and cracking on with final revisions with Clare for the new Vintage book. We're really pleased with how it's looking, and now can't wait to see the finished book!

Here we are the week before when we met with the publishers, Vivays in London. Clare's wearing an amazing Kaffe Fassett cardigan, and I'm in a Pendleton 49er jacket, which is one of my favourite items of clothing at the mo, with a turban to keep the Wintry chill out.

Flea & Fair Purchases

2011-11-08T16:15:00.006Z

Here's a couple of finds from the last two Worcester Fleas and the WAVE vintage Fair.

I love looking out for 1950s annuals and here's a couple of bargains I picked up, plus slightly randomly, a Morris Minor toy car (really want a real one!):

I've wanted a dressing table set for a while and these two pieces were on separate stalls at the Flea on Sunday. I've decided to build up a set from random, matching pieces I find, which makes it more fun! These piece came to the grand total of £1.50:

This little wicker basket/bag is from Toodstool Vintage at the October WAVE Fair. Can't resist Wicker and this one sits on top of my (also wicker) sewing box...

Worcester Flea Tomorrow!

2011-11-05T11:38:00.003Z

It's the final Worcester Flea of 2011 tomorrow, while we take a break for Winter. We'll back in March! Full details here: www.worcestervintage.blogspot.com

Heyday Giveaway!

2011-10-31T20:12:00.003Z

There's a fab giveaway on Shona's In The Heyday blog. It's to win one of her gorgeous Heyday Fleur Daisy Dresses (below) plus some lovely vintage accessories. CLICK HERE for the post itself. I'm entering the comp by blogging about it, so finger's crossed!

WAVE's Vintage & Craft Fair this Saturday

2011-10-25T20:51:00.004+01:00

The Vintage & Craft Fair I organise as part of WAVE is back on Saturday with a Vintage Halloween themed event. I'll be dashing between Second Hand Rose and the Guildhall for this event but will still have time to take in the super duper stalls of vintage, craft and bric-a-brac goodies.

I think I've sorted my Halloween outfit too. I'm not personally a big fan of dressing up in costumes, but I think I've settled on going as a 1950s spooky secretary. That should do!

Pearl

2011-10-23T23:51:00.003+01:00

For the new book, we dug out some of our family photos as examples of everyday fashions worn by our relations over the years. Here's a few pics of my lovely Nan Pearl, sadly no longer with us, that I included in the book. What's also sad is that she always thought of herself as 'plain looking' and but was quite obviously a proper bobby dazzler, as you'll see from the pics.

This is her wedding photo from (I think it was) 1941, with my Grandad Charles. Love her hat and her curls:

Here she is in a great, classic 40s checked suit:

An earlier tinted picture from the 30s in a lovely big collared coat:

New things!

2011-10-18T22:26:00.002+01:00

Ebay has come up trumps for me this week! So chuffed with this early 50s Pendleton Jacket. I've been after one for a while, so great to get an original and it fits a treat:

I also spotted these 40s brooches, including another 'make do and mend' wire one for my collection!

This is my 'new' two piece from Second Hand Rose. I'd been admiring it for a while from afar, not thinking for a second it would be my size, so that was a nice surprise when I finally took it off its hanger. I found a photo in one of my vintage books from 1950, of a very similar two piece. I don't think this particular one is quite as old as that, although it could be (metal zip, plus hook & eye fastening) but regardless, it has a classic look, and the pencil skirt also looks nice worn separately, so it's a great, practical addition to my wardrobe!

Dead Mens Spex

2011-10-15T19:46:00.005+01:00

This is my prized 50s glasses collection, all prescription lenses and frames from the fabulous Dead Mens Spex. The top pair in this picture are my everyday glasses that I've been wearing for quite some time. At least three times a week I get asked where I got them from and scribble Dead Mens Spex on pieces of paper for strangers.

It's a great independent company with a fast turn around on frames, which work out cheaper than 'normal' glasses from an optician, so I'm more than happy to spread the word! Check them out at www.deadmensspex.com

Vintage Reads

2011-10-12T14:20:00.009+01:00

I love a good book and I especially like humourous novels with vintage setting, so here's a few of my faves:

Muriel Spark is one of my favourite authors. The photo shows a collection of her short stories but I especially like A Far Cry From Kensington, Loitering With Intent and Girls of Slender Means, there's also of course, the classic The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Several of her books are set in, before or after WWII.

Aunt Mame by Patrick Dennis, another classic that was made into a film. It's a hilarious account of an orphaned boy brought up by his eccentric Aunt Mame. It was written in 1955.

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford (one of the famous Mitford Sisters) is another book with chuckle-out-loud moments. It tells of growing up in an extended, eccentric, upper class family, first published in 1945.

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote should need no introduction but the original novella is slightly different from the film and set in 1943. The narrator (the Paul Varjak character in the film) remains anonymous in the book and is only referred to by Holly Golightly as her brother's name 'Fred' (as in the film). The ending isn't the same either, no romantic clinches in a rainy alley here!

The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy is set in the 50s and was published in 1958, somewhat over shadowed by Breakfast at Tiffany's which was published the same year. It's a fun read following the Parisian adventures of Sally Jay Gorce, a bit of a wannabe actress who has a habit of getting into scrapes and having affairs with arty types. It's pretty witty and surprisingly modern-sounding in parts.

These are just a few of my favourites and most can be picked up from Amazon's 'new and used' section for just a few quid.

Another China Tea Cup...but this one's special

2011-10-05T20:55:00.005+01:00

I've been looking for this 1930s 'Romany Fortune Telling Tea Cup' for over a year after passing one up at the Malvern Flea (complete with saucer, oo the regret!) Every so often I have a little look on eBay and bingo, this week my luck was in! Even though it's saucerless so not quite complete, I'm super chuffed.

It has a really tattooey feel with all the symbols inside, which I think is why it appealed to me so much: swallows, snakes, anchors, daggers, hearts with arrows through them etc.

I'll keep my eyes peeled for its matching saucer!

Royal Albert

2011-10-04T18:31:00.006+01:00

After purchasing a little side plate for 50p, I've started a collection of Royal Albert 'June Delight' china. I now have some cups, saucers and more plates. Have my eye on the matching milk and sugar bowl on eBay. Also recently bought a vintage tablecloth with a hand-embroidered fuschia design from Second Hand Rose, which also goes a treat.

Love the old fashioned pink and yellow rose design of the china. It reminds me of something my Nan had. She would have loved these:

The Worcester Flea

2011-09-30T18:02:00.001+01:00

It's the next Worcester Flea on Sunday! Even though it means getting up for another day of work I'm really looking forward to it! Lots more vintage furniture, kitchenalia, collectibles, clothing and accessories. Great for a mooch about!

Gullet Quarry, Castlemorton

2011-09-28T21:41:00.002+01:00

We're lucky enough to live a short drive away from the wonderful Gullet Quarry, Castlemorton which is in the Malvern Hills. We seized the day yesterday, with this current spot of fabulously warm weather and headed over there for a picnic. We realised we hadn't been there for over 5 years, which is pretty inexcusable given how close it is. Plus if you time it right you can have the place all to yourself as we did for a while yesterday. At weekends and school holidays it gets pretty busy. Here's a few pics of the scenery:

Mirror Art

2011-09-25T16:06:00.001+01:00

We were so chuffed to have been given one of our friend Greg Dunn's vintage mirrors, sandblasted with his flying house logo. It's got pride of place in the lounge, and the first thing we've put on the walls in there since we moved in.

Below the mirror you can see two of Greg's fantastic flying house creations.

See more of Greg's recent work on his blog www.dunn-roaming.blogspot.com

Books from Hay-on-Wye

2011-09-24T23:39:00.006+01:00

Last week we had a lovely day out to Hay-on-Wye, which is the perfect place to visit if you like second hand books, charity shops and general mooching as I do. We drank tea at Shepards Ice Cream Parlour who handily have soya milk and vegan-friendly flapjacks which were very tasty.

I bought a couple of bits from charity shops but my two big finds were these:

A book about American fashion designer Claire McCardell , a really inspiring read that I'm currently working my way through. It was amazing find at just £12, as I've searched for copies on Amazon and new copies are £80+ and used copies are over £40, so I was super chuffed I spotted this!

My other exciting discovery was this photo album from the 1920s. There's no info at all about who the people are or where they were, but I absolutely love it and had to have it! It looks like the photos were all taken on the same holiday and they must be a fairly well-to-do bunch as their clothes are pretty snazzy and they're driving a large car in some of them (click images for a closer view):

I was able to carefully remove some of the photos from the album and scan them, so I can now include these in the new book as they contain such wonderful examples of fashions of the time. If you click on the image below you'll get a much closer look:

I think I came up trumps in Hay!

New Book Details!

2011-09-16T16:06:00.004+01:00

Vivays Publishing, the publishers of my new book Wearable Vintage Fashion co-authored by Clare from Second Hand Rose have just released details and sample spreads of the book on their facebook page! Check it out HERE and don't forget to 'Like' them while you're there and keep up to date with news of all their fab new titles.

Image (C) Vivays Publishing

Margaret Rutherford

2011-09-07T13:04:00.011+01:00

I've been Sky+ing a few old films to watch for when I'd finished the new book, and the last couple of afternoons I've treated myself to two classic black and white 1960s Miss Marple films, starring the late great Margaret Rutherford. I've always had a soft spot for old lady fashion and Rutherford has to be queen of Granny chic! In the Miss Marple films she sports a very nice collection of tweed suits, capes and wicker bags. Best of all she used to wear her own clothes for these roles!

She's also in one of my all time favourite films, the 1940s classic Blythe Spirit. She stars as the mystically eccentric Madame Arcarti, and here she is wearing yet another cape and pedalling away on a classic bicycle:

As soon as it gets a bit colder I'll look forward to venturing out in my tartan cape and wicker bag, in an ode to unlikely fashion icon Margaret Rutherford.

Vintage Fashion Show This Saturday

2011-09-06T21:13:00.005+01:00

I'm organising a vintage fashion show with Clare from Second Hand Rose this Saturday 10th September starting at 11am. We're taking a trip through the 1920s to 1990s choosing outfits inspired by the pages of the catalogue. It's at The Commandery museum in Sidbury, Worcester and the day is being organised by the World of Kays project, as part of Heritage Open Days. There'll be fun and games for all the family and a fancy dress competition! Full details on the events page here: World of Kays Facebook Event

First Shopper Adventure

2011-08-29T12:02:00.005+01:00

Took my new shopper out for the first time yesterday. I had my suspicions I had jinxed the rest of the Summer when I bought it. This was pretty much proven by the fact it's been raining ever since! As soon as we decided to go out the black clouds gathered and within five minutes of setting off an almighty torrential downpour ensued. Luckily we were close to the canal, so ducked under a bridge to wait it out. About twenty minutes later we braved the drizzle and carried on down to the river and eventually the sun came out.

Have just bought some T-cut to get the last rusty bits off the bike and get it gleaming for its next outing!

Sneak Preview: Playing Dress Up...

2011-08-28T10:50:00.001+01:00

The new book deadline is just a few days away and everythings is almost finished. It's an exciting and somewhat nerve wracking time!

A week ago Clare and I had a hilarious afternoon all in the name of work. An element of the book will be showing you how to recreate iconic looks. To aide this section we agreed to put all vanity and embarrassment aside and dress ourselves up to show how easy it is. The outfits had looked a bit flat on the mannequin, so we wanted to literally bring them to life.

So... exclusively here's two behind the scenes snaps. Firstly here's me applying lipstick to my 20s starlet inspired outfit, the big, anachronistic tattoo was covered up in the final picture!

Here's Clare posing beautifully, wearing a wig from one outfit, and the clothes from another, so this is a real teaser. Anyone who can guess which two famous people the wig/clothes are from wins a lollipop!

All will be revealed in Spring 2012 when the book is published by Vivays

Nancy

2011-08-25T22:12:00.007+01:00

This is currently my favourite lady from the past, Nancy Cunard. Her picture kept cropping up in other books I've been browsing and I had to find out more. She was the heiress to the Cunard shipping company and daughter of the famous, London, high society hostess Emerald Cunard.

Nancy was a cohort of the Bright Young Things of the Twenties and a poet, writer, muse and publisher who was astonishingly ahead of her time. She rejected her upper class upbringing in favour of intellectualism and activism, railing against fascism and racism.

I'm reading her biography by Lois Gordon at the moment, which is very interesting indeed:

Not only is she a fascinating lady, she's also a super stylish one. I love her bangles and her overall style particularly in this photo. It's hard to believe it was taken in 1928. She's so modern looking:

I'd heartily recommend finding out about her fascinating life and times, she ought to be more of a household name.
(Pictures used without permission naturally, thanks to the mighty Google, please don't sue me)

Carnations in Cornishware

2011-08-25T22:09:00.002+01:00

Some lovely friends bought us this Cornishware pot with a plant in as a house warming present. Sadly the plant died but not-so-sadly I can now use it as a vase for my favourite Carnations.

Arnold & The New Bike

2011-08-21T10:30:00.001+01:00

I've been on the look out for a little old bike for a good while now, ever since we knew we were moving to the bottom of a hill from the top of a steep one. Thanks to my chums at Toadstool Vintage I've found just the job, a Vindec 1974 Shopper. My highly technical requirements for a bike were: ladies, vintage with white trimmings and a dynamo light. Bingo! It just needs a spruce up but as you can see from the picture it's raring to go.

At the same time I purchased 'Arnold', a rather fabulous, very large sewing box. Arnold (for that is his name as you'll see from the photo) has lots of room inside, plus a handy drawer and a shelf. He's nice and mobile as he's also on casters. He's seen a bit of action in his time but nothing a nice granny doily won't hide! Click on the pics for a closer look...

Don't Cry Mr Onion...

2011-08-18T15:23:00.005+01:00

..you have a lovely new home! My Spider-senses tingled whilst strolling past the Cancer Research shop today, and lo and behold, there was a crying onion pot for a bargain £1.95! I've always wanted one of these! Also in this pic is a little flamenco barrel of olive and corn forks, which is a special treasure that always used to live on my Grandparents' sideboard.

Mr Onion now lives below the bespectacled-scissor-keeping cat in the kitchen:

I also picked up these highly useful items: a small plate and a big spoon! The spoon will soon have a very special job of serving up a vegan and wheat free trifle I'm planning to make at the end of the month.

A few more recent purchases: a lovely, floral dress from the Worcester Flea, which has a bit of a 40s feel when on, and a classic macrame shopper from Second Hand Rose.

You can't quite see it on the above photo, but there's a camouflaged, deco bird brooch, a recent eBay treasure. Bit of a blurry pic but you get the idea. Wore this outfit plus a matching mustard, crocheted cardigan to work in Second Hand Rose last Saturday!

The Worcester Flea

2011-08-07T22:12:00.010+01:00

Had a fantastic day at the first Worcester Flea, which I'd co-organised as part of WAVE. There was so much lovely stuff there, clothing, jewels, bags, furniture, kitchenalia etc, it was a proper vintage paradise! A few pics below, lots more and a very short video I made on the WAVE facebook page at www.facebook.com/wavevintagefairs. The next one is on Sunday 4th September, can't wait!

Love old bikes, I'm getting one like these very soon, wooo!

I bought the little floral picture that's on the ground, from Toadstool Vintage.

This was a lovely stall with lots of goodies from the folk at Bringsty Vintage Living. They'll be back next time with more super nice vintage homeware...

Coolie And The Gang

2011-08-01T22:33:00.002+01:00

Got this for the book and for myself! Pretty 50s coolie hat...

Chazza Shop Find

2011-07-29T20:35:00.005+01:00

Unsurprisingly I love nothing better than a good old mooch around a charity shop, especially when you come up trumps and spot something really great. I tend not to bother browsing the clothes anymore, gone are the halcyon vintage-bargain-grabbing days of my youth, almost 20 years ago now (good grief!). Instead I make a bee line for the bric-a-brac. It seems like the odds and sods section is where you're now most likely to strike vintage gold, or silver-plate in my case.

Here's my new fabulous cake-type plate. Almost had to knock an old lady out the way to get my mits on it but luckily she didn't hang around too long!

Most exciting of all is that it folds up into a handy gong shape which is helpful when storing ones every growing tat collection:

London Last Week

2011-07-20T22:31:00.005+01:00

Last Thursday we took a trip to London for a meeting with the publishers, and also to take some vintage street fashion photos. Here's Clare scouting for vintage lovers on Brick Lane:

We spotted some of my previous books in a bargain book shop!

And took a quick detour to Fortnum & Mason before catching the train home. It was my first visit to the landmark store, so I took a few pics. Most impressive.

The window displays are quite something:

Coffee & Kays

2011-07-19T10:39:00.004+01:00

I'm attending this event tomorrow with Second Hand Rose: Coffee & Kays. It's a celebration of the historic Kays Catalogue that was based in Worcester up until it closed recently, and the absolute gold mine of vintage fashion images, illustrations and photographs, of fashion through the years from the 1920s to 2000. They are launching a project and website to give people the opportunity to browse their archive images.

For more info about the project, 'like' the World of Kays on Facebook HERE, or follow them on Twitter HERE.

You can also read the full press release on the WAVE blog HERE.

UPDATE! See a few pics from the day on the Second Hand Rose blog HERE.

Broadband Finally!

2011-07-15T23:59:00.003+01:00

We've been in our new flat a month and have only just been able to get the broadband sorted. Most frustrating, but it's back to more regular posts from now on.

We're fast approaching the deadline of the new vintage book so have been working in earnest, gathering lots of lovely vintage clothing together, having it photographed, and writing the text. So it's all systems go.

Here's a couple of recent vintage acquisitions mine from the last few weeks:

My parents live in rural France and regularly go to the vide-greniers (Flea markets) over there, and they very kindly look out for bits and bobs I might like, such as this fab selection of bracelets. They're a mix of enamel, mother of pearl inlay and lucite:

This is an amazing 50s cotton dress I got from Clare at Second Hand Rose. White cotton with black 'Venice' print:

This is a purchase for the book, but I think it's a keeper! It's a 1930s embroidered bag with a bakelite handle. It's sooo nice and the embroidery is in fantastic condition for its age:

Coming Soon: The Worcester Flea!

2011-07-06T20:24:00.004+01:00

Exciting news, as part of WAVE I'm organising a new event - The Worcester Flea - starting Sunday 7th August. More details and Facebook Event HERE!

New Beginings and back to work...

2011-06-20T19:56:00.004+01:00

So we've been in the middle of a moving home for months and months. It was a funny (definitely not funny ha-ha) move with the sale of our old house wrapping up way before the purchase of our new flat, meaning we've spent the last month staying at my parents' house in Birmingham with all our belongings in boxes, waiting patiently to get back to Worcester, get settled and get on with things. That's finally happened and I'm really pleased with the new place, especially the view! Here's our fabulous view across Worcester and out to the Malvern Hills:

Clare from Second Hand Rose bought me this fantastic 70s cake stand as a moving in present! It goes perfectly in the flat which is in a 1970s purpose built block:

There's still some boxes to unpack but it already feels like home so it's back to work for me with the main task in hand being the small matter of producing a new book on everyday vintage fashion. We're still looking for vintage fashion lovers to contribute their pictures. Have a look on the Second Hand Rose blog and see more details of how to get in touch HERE!

Vintage 1940s Brooches

2011-05-28T14:58:00.006+01:00

For the new book I'm working on, I'm going through some of my own collection of vintage clothing and accessories to photograph. Last week I sorted out several brooches to include in the book and thought I'd share a couple of my favorite 40s brooches here.

This is a classic 40s 'make do and mend' brooch, made from a brass curtain ring, covered in electrical wire and finished with a button:

This is a lovely felt, corsage brooch, it's showing its age and is very delicate but is still wearable:

This is an inherited marcasite brooch. I have a fairly large collection of marcasite brooches ranging from art deco to 1950s/1960s pieces. I'm not sure exactly when this brooch dates from but it's at least 60 years old and looks like it could be an art deco, Victorian revival piece. It has marcasite stones with dangling pearls:

Retro Kitchen

2011-05-22T21:52:00.011+01:00

We're in the midst of a slightly complicated house move so are temporarily residing amongst all of our worldly goods, in the house that belonged to my Grandparents. There's a picture of my Nan in the above header image, she's bottom right.

This is the house they lived in all of my life up until they departed, so it's steeped in nostalgia for me. It's a classic 1960s, ex-Council house in Birmingham and my favourite room, the one that's changed the least is the kitchen. It still has its original early 60s sink and units, and I love the (slightly newer but still classic) black and white lino:

There's an unusual yet practical, deep, circular sink, although the taps aren't the originals. I've never seen another sink like this anywhere else. The first wallpaper I can remember in this kitchen was a really 70s, photographic-based design of things like jugs and copper kettles.

I used my favourite 50s 'Ridgeway Homemaker' plates and cups today:

If we were living here permanently I'd love to give the kitchen a full 50s style makeover with a red and white colour scheme. I'd buy one of those original, 50s stand-alone units which would fit in perfectly . There's some great vintage kitchen inspiration on Flickr here.

Highclere Castle

2011-05-19T23:24:00.004+01:00

About this time last month we took Chris's Mum for a Birthday day out to Highclere Castle which is where they film Downtown Abbey. I haven't actually seen any of Downtown Abbey yet myself but plan to catch it at some point.

Highclere Castle was an impressive building inside and out. The exterior was remodeled in 1839 by Sir Charles Barry who also designed the Houses of Parliament, which I found really interesting as you can definitely see the similarities! The gardens and grounds were also lovely especially the 'secret garden', and of course we stopped for the obligatory cup of tea!

Café Society

2011-05-15T23:11:00.006+01:00

I recently picked up Café Society by Thierry Coudert, a book I'd been coveting for sometime, and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. It's an almighty tome, a large coffee table book full of photos of and details about a selection socialites and their lives, those who were the embodiment of café society.

The book is divided into sections that include People, Millionaires and Wealthy Americans, Socialites, Painting, Fashion Editors and Models, to name a few. The pages are punctuated with intriguing scrap book pages from the Baron de Cabrol, who immortalised holidays, parties and masked balls with friends and family, in a collage and painted diary.

Cover, a photo of Barbara Hutton:

Title page, a painting from the scrapbook of Baron de Cabrol:

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor:

Nancy Cunard in 1932, the daughter of famous hostess Lady Cunard. I love this photo and her amazing style. What a classic look:

Princess Natalie Paley in 1931, in one of her husband's, the couturier Lucien Lelong's gowns:

A page from the scrapbook of the Baron de Cabrol:

This isn't just a photographic book, there's a substantial amount of text for each individual and section, as well as the scrapbook pages. I initially felt a pang of disappointment that there weren't even more photos, but once you start to read about these 'Beautiful People' and their privileged, often tragic lives, you won't want to put it down.

Vintage & Craft Fair

2011-05-10T19:40:00.007+01:00

Here's a few pics of last Sunday's Vintage & Craft Fair at Worcester's Guildhall, which I help run as part of WAVE. The day couldn't have gone better, great turn out of visitors and apart from a brief shower early on, the sun came out and it stayed warm and sunny all afternoon.

Loads more photos on the WAVE's Facebook page HERE.

I absolutely love The Guildhall as a venue, so grand and historical. I love all the old paintings of ye olde mayors on the walls:

Vintage Glamour Days were back serving tea and cakes from Audrey the caravan. Their cafe area was so gorgeous with floral table cloths and fresh flowers in vintage teapots on every table.

There was a great bric-a-brac stall from Still Lovely, with all sorts from Ladybird books to vintage kitchenalia.

Here's a couple of purchases I made:

I couldn't resist this small 60s lipstick set from Tessa/Vintage Vanity. It's a set of 5 colours of reds and pinks in a pink, plastic box. Only one of them had been used, obviously the previous owners favourite colour! It still had its original instructions and it looks like it was a brand called 'Woman' by Helen Temple.

Picked up this great piece of 50s fabric from Clare at Second Hand Rose who had brought some amazing fabrics with her that flew off the stall. There's just enough of this to make a couple of cushions for our new flat.

Also picked up this 50s yellow and brown, plaid handbag. It also has a matching headscarf in the same colour inside it, not that I'll be wearing that (it's a small triangle of fabric with brown ribbon to tie under your chin) but it's great to find things complete with their original matching pieces!

And finally I couldn't resist this super cute 'Darcy the Dormouse' ring from The Prettiest Things, who I bought some earrings from last time. Jenny's super affordable, quirky jewellery is always a popular stall. I couldn't get a very good close up pic on my phone so here's a link to the ring in her online shop.

The next WAVE fair isn't until September but there's a big vintage and motor show on in Worcester on Saturday 21st May. Details HERE

WAVE Vintage & Craft Fair this Weekend!

2011-05-05T23:40:00.004+01:00

It's the next WAVE Vintage & Craft fair this weekend! It's at the Guildhall again, on Worcester High St, this Sunday 8th May. There'll be the usual great mix of genuine vintage clothing, accessories and bric-a-brac/kitchenalia (my favourites at the mo!) as well as handmade crafty items with a vintage theme.

More details about the day and previews of just some of the stallholders who'll be at the fair, over on the WAVE blog at www.worcestervintage.blogspot.com

Here's a photo I took last time of the outside of the Guildhall and of Vintage Glamour Days' Audrey the vintage caravan, who'll be joining us again and serving teas and cakes in the forecourt:

We're asking people to dress up in their vintage best on the day just for fun, so there's just time to decide what to wear!

Another wicker bag!

2011-05-03T21:49:00.005+01:00

Another wicker 50s style bag from eBay, for inclusion in the book. It's quite a big one as well! [Update: On further inspection of this bag I'm pretty sure it's actually a 1970s bag, but still love it and is still a great example of a vintage wicker bag!]

On an unrelated note, took this photo of this corker of a Peony the other day in Birmingham. After our move later this week we'll be staying in Birmingham temporarily until we can move into our new flat back in Worcester, so I'll be soaking up all the floral delights while we're there.

Vintage Woven Bags

2011-04-30T19:38:00.004+01:00

We've been busy working on the vintage fashion book, and the fun aspect of that is looking out for and collecting unique, vintage pieces to include.

Here's just two items wicker & straw bags, which will be photographed properly and featured in the book. The first is one of my favourites, a bucket shaped, 50s wicker handbag. Sadly not for keeps as this has been kindly loaned for the 50s section:

Happily this one is mine, a lovely straw basket from the US with a large, embroidered pattern, c1950s. I'm looking forward to using this bag over the Summer.

Will post more pictures as I have them, of some favourite items being included in the new book.

The Commandery

2011-04-26T22:11:00.004+01:00

I had a great time working at The Commandery in Worcester over their Easter 50s weekend. I was in my element helping with the costumes for the fashion show and in the craft room with knitting and felt brooch making.

If you live in or are visiting Worcester, The Commandery really is worth a visit. It's not just a civil war museum as some people think, it's an amazing, historical building, that's fascinating to wander round and at this time of year the gardens are beautiful too. Plus it's free to Worcester residents so if you're local and you've never been there's really no excuse!

A few pics from the 50s weekend here, more on the WAVE Facebook Page.

Pic from the fashion show:

Loll from Toadstool Vintage next to one of the classic cars:

At The Commandery Tomorrow!

2011-04-24T21:35:00.004+01:00

I've been working at Worcester's fabulous Commandery building most of this week in anticipation of the 50s Weekend which started on Saturday. It's such a fantastic building to visit, and tomorrow there'll be classic cars, a fashion show, 50s activities and crafts, cupcakes, tearoom, and a mini vintage fair. Today I was in the craft room knitting a corsage and tomorrow I'll be helping with the vintage fair and fashion show. Click the flyer below for the rest of the info!

Upcoming Vintage Events

2011-04-11T23:24:00.004+01:00

I'm involved in two upcoming vintage events...

The first is on Monday 25th April at The Commandery in Worcester. Worcester Arts & Vintage Events - WAVE - will be having vintage stalls in the Great Hall. It's part of The Commandery's Easter Weekend 50s event which is taking place over the whole weekend from Saturday 23rd to Monday 25th and will include classic cars, 50s fashion shows, music, displays and crafts/activity.

I'm helping put on the 50s fashion show which is also inspired by the history of the building, the fact it was a print works during the 50s. I'll be working at the Commandery most of that weekend and be there with WAVE on the Monday.

Then on Sunday 8th May there's a WAVE fair proper at The Guildhall in Worcester. See the poster below for details and check out the WAVE blog for more details nearer the day.

Birmingham Briefly

2011-04-09T11:25:00.011+01:00

Yesterday we made a quick trip to my hometown of Birmingham to pick up some screen prints Chris had made of some of his lino prints.

While we were at The Custard Factory we were able to catch up with our friend Log at the Studio4 Gallery which has some fantastic, affordable framed prints on offer. The two below particularly caught our eye.

As soon as we move into our new place we will assess the wall space and be back!

Studio4 is also home to The Framers where Log and the gang frame all sorts of work for artists, individuals and galleries etc.

While we were there we had the pleasure to meet artist Stuart Kolakovic whose work we are admirers of, and who is preparing for an upcoming show called Under The Damp Earth at Nobrow in London, starting on 5th May.

He's created a mircosite for the body of work he'll be exhibiting, check it out at www.hermaninclus.co.uk. There's an animated teaser that's up at the mo and I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the work and hope to make it down for the show, which is on until 23rd June.

Hat Pins

2011-03-30T21:24:00.005+01:00

Packing up my little collections of things in anticipation of our forthcoming house move, so before they go in a box here's my mini collection of hat pins. I bought the black one but the rest are inherited and the little glass tortoise pin cushion is from Second Hand Rose.

A couple of things...

2011-03-29T21:44:00.003+01:00

Had a lovely birthday today with a few jobs completed as well as some relaxing and nice food eating. This was one of my birthday pressies, the classic perfume Chanel No. 5. I've always wanted a bottle of this, it smells divine and the packaging is classic too; I'm especially loving all things black and white at the moment:

The latest issue of The Gentlewoman magazine is out. It's biannual tome of fashion, style and culture, celebrating women of substance. The photography is always particularly impressive and this month the cover colour matches my mint-green, vintage, handknitted cardigan almost exactly!

New Book News!

2011-03-22T23:04:00.004Z

Have been super busy lately with various things including preparing to move house and working on this - a new book!

Can now reveal I've just started working on a new book about vintage fashion with Clare from Second Hand Rose here in Worcester, to be published by Vivays Publishing in London.

The book will focus on everyday, affordable, accessible vintage fashion with lots of tips on vintage styling.

We're also looking for contributions from people who wear vintage clothing, so if you have a unique, vintage-inspired look then we'd love to hear from you and your photo may be included in our international vintage style section!

Have a look on the Second Hand Rose website HERE for the rest of the details and how to get in touch!

Recent eBay Purchase...

2011-03-12T22:38:00.003Z

I shouldn't really be buying stuff as moving house soon, but I couldn't resist this 50s/60s curious cat-shaped, vintage scissor holder.

Horrockses Fashions

2011-03-08T21:02:00.004Z

Have been reading this fantastic book, borrowed from the Second Hand Rose library. It's Horrockses Fashions - Off-the-Peg Style in the 40s and 50s by Christine Boydell.

It's the history of Horrockses Fashions, the dressmakers/fashion label whose heyday was during the 40s and 50s. They were an off shoot of a well respected cotton manufacturers and they produced some gorgeous, patterned, cotton dresses.

The book accompanied a recent exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London and is published by V&A publishing, who publish some of my favourite vintage fashion books.

The Horrockses book is a mix of a history of the company and the designs, and is a nice combination of colour photos of some of the dresses as well as archive pictures of adverts and people wearing them. It gets a big thumbs up from me!

Bakelite Belt Buckles

2011-03-06T23:48:00.001Z

I've got quite a large collection of belt buckles that I've inherited. They're mostly Bakelite buckles from the 1930s. I love all the different colours and shapes. I especially like the one that's still on its original card:

Good Taste Magazine

2011-02-24T21:53:00.003Z

At last month's Malvern Flea Market I bought a copy of Good Taste magazine from 1946. It's a precursor to the glossy women's mags as we know them, and a very much of its time with a combination of DIY fashion in the form of knitting and sewing patterns, recipes, beauty, travel features, short stories, serialised novels, home making and advice.

There's a really interesting article written by an English lady who had married an American and was going to live in New York following the war. It looked like she was embarking on a regular column and talked about the anti-American feeling after the war in Britain, and ensured readers that her column would be interesting and promised "faithfully that I will not give you Hollywood pictures, nor try to irritate you by describing luscious meals that I have eaten," as the US wasn't experiencing rationing as the UK was, and she also went on to say, "One thing you must not expect from me is an American point of view. My point of view is English and English it will remain."

An article that had me hooting with laughter was entitled Femininity and the first paragraph states:

"Ever since Mrs. Pankhurst chained herself to the railings of Buckingham Palace in her fight to get women the vote, that delightful and indefinable quality - femininity - has been on the wane. Not that I deplore Mrs. Pankhurst - on the contrary, I admire and respect her courageous action against the bigotry and narrow-mindedness of her time, but I can't help being sorry that some women seem to think that possessing equal rights as men entitles them to shed all those gracious and charming ways of life that made men call us in the old days - the gentler sex."

It goes on to talk about the difficult work women had to do in the factories during the war and says:

"Was it the war that made women trouser-minded? I think slacks have the same effect upon one's morale as bedroom slippers. They are just too easy and comfortable. Stop lolling about in them. Teens; keep them for gardening, cycling and other outdoor jobs. Put on a gay little frock when you've finished work, or a swinging dirndl skirt with a fresh muslin blouse; and tie up your bonny brown hair with a bright ribbon - you'll feel then what you should be - a refreshing piece of femininity - a sight for sore eyes."

I love the phrase 'trouser-minded'. I think even at the time this article would have been deemed 'old fashioned' by younger women and today it's just hilarious!

I'm going to look out for other copies of this magazine at the Flea and on my travels, preferably copies from October '46 onwards as I'd be really interested to read more about 40s New York in particular.

Lacy Dress

2011-02-21T12:31:00.005Z

Clare lent me this fantastic dress for a wedding reception I had to go to this weekend. It's an intricate ribbon lace fabric overlaid onto a pale green satin. I haven't worn a dress for well over ten years not even on my own wedding day, but I think I'm going to start looking out for more like this, early 60s shift style as it's definitely nice to dress up from time to time.

Winter Woollens

2011-02-19T17:20:00.002Z

It's still pretty chilly out there which is a gave me a good excuse to buy this smart winter woollen vintage coat from eBay:

Just before Christmas another vintage woollen purchase was this fully reversible tartan cape, which is super warm:

My favourite side is actually the subtler, darker side:

Tulips

2011-02-16T22:41:00.004Z

I love tulips. I was lucky enough to be given these the other day and they look very nice in this china coffee pot that I bought for a few pence, without a lid, to use as a vase.

Imelda May

2011-02-15T10:02:00.003Z

Last Tuesday we went to see Imelda May at the HMV Institute in Birmingham. The venue had undergone a swish makeover since I'd last been there well over 10 years ago now.

Imelda was great, note perfect in a tartan wiggle dress and killer heels: a really good gig.

Artist Tea Towels

2011-02-11T22:46:00.003Z

My other half Chris Bourke recently had these tea towels made of his lino prints 'Make Tea Not War' and 'Storm in a Teacup'. They're really striking and on really good quality 100% cotton tea towels. If you fancy one/both they can be bought HERE

Welsh Tapestry

2011-02-10T20:29:00.006Z

I love vintage Welsh Tapestry, so many patterns and colours. There's a lovely vibrant green Welsh Tapestry coat in Second Hand Rose at the moment...

This is my own Welsh Tapestry purse, also an SHR purchase...

The WAVE Vintage & Craft Fair

2011-02-07T21:09:00.006Z

So yesterday (Sunday 6th February) was the WAVE Vintage & Craft Fair at The Guildhall on Worcester High Street. After weeks of preparation is was a relief how well it went, how busy it was and that the weather was fairly mild and just a bit on the blustery side. Vintage Glamour Days bought 'Audrey' their gorgeous vintage caravan, pitched outside the Guildhall serving cupcakes to queuing visitors.

This was the Second Hand Rose stall where I lurked for most of the day...

Next to us was Vicky Loves Vintage which was a very pretty stall with a mix of vintage treasures and handmade items...

Sold a few of my tote bags, hand screenprinted with the WAVE logo:

I treated myself to these sweet 'teapot & teacup' earrings from 'The Prettiest Things', whose stall had so many cute tea and cake based jewellery items.

Here's a video that was made on the day by a visitor to the fair:

More photos on the WAVE Facebook page HERE. Next Fair Date: Bank Holiday Monday 25th April at The Commandery, Sidbury, Worcester.

Vintage & Craft Fair February 6th

2011-02-04T17:39:00.000Z

The Vintage & Craft Fair I organise as part of WAVE - Worcester Arts & Vintage Events is taking place this Sunday 6th Feb at The Guildhall on Worcester High Street. Entry is free and there's going to be a great mix of Vintage clothing, accessories and bric-a-brac as well as handmade craft with a vintage twist. A preview of stallholders attending can be found on the WAVE blog at www.worcestervintage.blogspot.com

Malvern Flea

2011-02-03T22:59:00.000Z

The Malvern Flea is a big outdoor (and semi-indoor with the cattle sheds) flea market, held roughly once a month at the Three Counties Show Ground. It's only a short drive from here and we went last Sunday. Despite the bitter cold I enjoyed the mooch and managed to find a few treasures.

My favourite find of the day was this fantastic 50p photo/postcard:

Chris took these atmospheric Hipstamatics of some of the stalls. The strangest item we stumbled upon was the curious and slightly disturbing beaded mask thing. We've no idea what it is or what/who it'd be used by. It came out great in the photo though.

New Old Blog

2011-02-03T22:51:00.000Z

I've decided to resurrect this blog as an outlet for some of my favourite things and some of the bit and pieces I'm working on at the mo, mainly working with Worcester Vintage Boutique Second Hand Rose and organising Vintage & Craft Fairs as WAVE.

I'll keep my other website www.concretetocanvas.co.uk for just book related postings and news, which will be few and far between at the moment, although there is possibly more book work in the pipeline. Details of my other four books with Laurence King Publishing are still on the website and my newest Indie Craft was published October 2010.