Friday 30 December 2016

A week of maxis...


We had a lovely Christmas. Why wouldn't we? Lots of nice food, drink and presents, but most of all family.
We always have fun at Christmas especially when we play charades after dinner. This year even the youngest grandson joined in - and loved playing it - he wasn't half bad either!


My daughter made a delicious salmon in pastry dish. She usually makes us a Beef Wellington but wanted to do something different this year. We also had turkey and all the trimmings. It was all very good.


Here we all are mid dinner. Some of us have finished; I've only just sat down. Just can't get everything on the table at the same time... OH is missing because he's putting his dinner in the microwave; he likes everything at nuclear temperature! Daughter is taking the photo. All three grandsons and two of my three brothers. My third brother in London was having a bachelor's 'open house' Christmas!

I got such lovely presents. A new Paperwhite kindle, new ankle boots, perfume and a Persephone book from my daughter. New long black boots; two 'Furrowed Middlebrow' books and 2 CDs from OH. Eldest grandson bought me another Persephone book and my brothers gave me money. Didn't I do well?

I drank Sherry, Prosecco, Canadian Club and Ginger Ale and sampled an Amaretto Sour ; courtesy of eldest grandson who mixes a mean cocktail - very moreish...


This is what I wore on Christmas Day. Dress from the Hospice shop in Kempston; waistcoat from Zara also charity shopped. Boots; Christmas present from OH.



All jewellery charity shopped.

Day 1 - Maxi Challenge


This is the skirt I bought in Barnardo's, Great Denham for £1.00.


Cardigan and boots charity shopped.


Green top Primarni; headscarf present from my friend in Cambridge.


All jewellery charity shopped.

By Tuesday I was going stir crazy. I hadn't been out of the house on Christmas Day or Boxing Day; only to drop middle grandson home so I took youngest grandson to Sainsbury's. One of the Great Uncles had given the youngest grandsons a bag of coins; when we changed it up in the coin machine it gave them £15.00 each to spend! Another Christmas present and Christmas is already over. Lucky kids!

Day 2 - Maxi Challenge



 I tried wearing a belt with this maxi.


Everything is charity shopped except the boots which are light brown with metal bits round the toe; a Christmas present from my daughter this year. The skirt is by Country Casuals; t shirt M&S 50p in a Donegal charity shop;  cable pattern cardigan; Red Cross shop probably, but really can't remember. Belt charity shopped about 10 years ago.


Necklace charity shopped in the Oxfam shop; Bedford. The earrings are 99p from e bay.

Day 3 - Maxi Challenge

On Wednesday OH and I went rummaging. I hoped the charity shops would all be open but I guessed some wouldn't reopen until after the New Year.  We went to Hitchin, Hertfordshire, a market town, and also to Ampthill; a small market town in Bedfordshire.

My goodness wasn't it cold! I woke up to frost everywhere and the water in the bird's' bowl had frozen. I feed the birds everyday. I'm even more vigilant during the cold weather months and always leave out drinking water. I really should have worn trousers! The temperature was -05 degrees when we set off for a rummage around the charity shops. It warmed up to 2 degrees and then dropped again by the time we got home. Out of seven charity shops in Hitchin only two were closed.

It's hard to put outerwear over maxi skirts. I'd planned to wear my brown leather jacket but it was too cold. I wish I still  had my brown corduroy maxi coat that I bought in 1970 from Bus Stop. It would have been perfect to wear over this skirt!


Jacket, River Island from Red Cross, £1.99; scarf, Save the Children; £1.00, beret; can't remember where.



I've had this navy jersey type M&S skirt for about 9 or 10 years. I used to have a bottle green one, too, but ruined it by getting it caught in the wheel of my bike when I used to ride my bike to work. I also have a similar black skirt, but from BHS. All were charity shopped.

Top by Canda - an old C & A brand; charity shopped in Save the Children, recently. Wool jacket by Gilbert; from Barnardo's, Great Denham. Boots - DDB (daughter donated boots).


All jewellery charity shopped.


About two weeks ago I bought yet another strand of orange beads for £1.00;  now I like to wear the three strands together!

In Hitchin, I bought 4 pairs of earrings for £3.50 in the Hospice shop and Cancer Research; three balls of wool at 50p each; also in the Hospice shop and an animal print top for £1.50 and a knitted angel boiled egg cosy for 30p - everyone needs a boiled egg cosy, don't you know!  In Age UK, I bought a ring for £1.99. In an antique/curio shop I bought some black beads for £1.50.  Total  spend in Hitchin, £10.29 . In Ampthill; the sale was still on at Barnardo's. In fact, they had reduced quite a lot of the stuff to 49p! I bought two double sized duvet sets with matching pillowcases, each for 49p. One set was brand new - it still had the stiffening product in it that they use in new bed linen. I also bought a pair of orange and black loose trousers for 49p; a pale grey Next top for 99p; a black Next jacket - never worn, 49p; a black and white striped blouse for 99p and a pair of bootcut jeans for 49p. Total spend here £4.45. Then I spent another £1.50 in the RSPCA on two books and a new make up bag. Total day's spend £16.24.


Go on - you know you want one!

Day 4 - Maxi Challenge

On Thursday I finally got out for a walk and did 6.3 miles. I hadn't walked for two weeks and was feeling both lazy and guilty. Once I started walking I was fine and realised how much I'd missed my regular walks. On Friday, there is a nine mile bus walk; I'm up for it but it is an earlyish start, and one of the things I enjoy about the holidays is there is no need to get up early. I'll just have to see how I feel on Friday morning...


This black Next corduroy skirt is about 5 or 6 years old and was charity shopped. The striped blouse by Peepers was bought in Wednesday's rummage at Barnardo's (99p) as was the light grey Next top (99p). Boots, old; Christmas present from my daughter. Middle grandson is on the sofa with his trusty laptop - hence the trailing flex.


All jewellery charity shopped.

I did the usual food shopping on Thursday and the bargain of the day was a £4.00 box of Christmas crackers for 40p in Sainsbury's! They're going up  in the loft ready for next year. Sainsbury's also had lots of packs of Christmas gift tags for 10p a packet, but we still have two large unopened packs of gift tags bought in the sales last year. I also bought  a reduced tin of shortbread biscuits (£1.50) and mince pies (40p) per packet.

Day 5 - Maxi challenge

Friday was such a miserable, cold and foggy day. I didn't go walking but am determined to go on Saturday afternoon as there is a 6.5 mile walk in Houghton Conquest which is about 6 miles outside of Bedford.

What I did do was to go to Bedford and spend my Christmas money. I'd already spent some of it on a fur coat on line. It's not my perfect coat; I am still looking for that one, but I needed a warm short coat. I have a Parka coat but that is a bit too casual sometimes. In Bedford I bought some perfume and soap in TK Maxx - I do love scented soap and prefer to use soap rather than shower gel. I also bought myself a new watch from New Look. Christmas money spent; I returned home to make soup and read one of my Christmas books.


In today's maxi and long cape I felt like a Victorian governess! The pure wool cape is from Ist Avenue bought for £1.99 in the Red Cross shop. Leather gloves charity shopped.


Maxi skirt; part of a cardigan suit charity shopped in Carrick on Shannon, Ireland. I've worn the matching cardigan separately, last seen here. Shirt and cardigan both from Red Cross shop. Boots, Christmas present from OH this year.


All jewellery charity shopped. The earrings were bought on Wednesday in Hitchin in the Cancer Research shop.

I'm glad the week of maxi's is finished; I can't wait to wear a pair of trousers.
So far with these challenges, I have worn a week each of; skirts, cardigans, shirts, dresses, trousers and maxis. I don't have enough maxi dresses to do a week of those so I think I might go for a week of stripes, spots and checks for next week. In fact, I've edited this to say that I'll do a week of patterns next week and the stripes, spots and checks for the week after.

 The challenges keep me thinking of different outfits to create and helps give little worn items a wear. That in turn, helps me assess whether or not, I want to keep it and if I don't means more space in my wardrobe. I have also got rid of several clothing items this week so I'm not feeling too guilty about those I've purchased.

What are you all doing for New Year's Eve? I've got both grandsons New Year's Eve so we'll see the New Year in with them. I'll see you all in 2017!


I'll leave you with a look at all my lovely Christmas book presents...


29 comments:

  1. I can't pick a favourite this week-all the outfits are smashing.Your pairing the yellow and orange beads together is lovely-they look like a set.

    I'm so glad you were able to spend a nice Christmas with family-that really is the best.

    I wish you all the very best for the New Year.

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  2. Nice to see you in maxis for a change Veronica and you look great in a beret. Love the orange beads and your xmas day outfit is stunning...although those sleeves look like they could be hazardous around gravy! Do tell...is OH still in his pyjamas?

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  3. Salmon in pastry -- yumm! The first outfit is outstanding; yellow goes so well with black. Happy New Year.

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  4. I had salmon in pastry for my Christmas dinner too.! I like to see you in Maxi dresses and I loved the beret. I think I have eaten too much this Christmas, so will have to lose weight before I buy any clothes !!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too, Polly!

      I going to try and abstain for buying clothes until end of January when I'm going to visit my best friend in Devon and we'll go rummaging...

      Delete
  5. Gorgeous outfits and your hair and make-up always look so good!
    So you have three single brothers?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jan,

      Yes, three single brothers - one married and divorced, one married twice and divorced twice and one never married...

      Delete
  6. I love your Christmas day outfit but those sleeves would have been straight in my dinner if it was me!

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  7. I adore all your maxis, but that dress with the "wing" sleeves is my favourite. A very happy Christmas and all the best to you for 2017, Veronica!

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  8. The Xmas dress looks every bit as fabulous on as I thought it would!
    Hope you and your fab family have a wonderful 2017. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you and Jon have a wonderful 2017, too, Vix.

      xxx

      Delete
  9. Another lovely comprehensive post Vronni. The winning outfit has to be your Christmas day ensemble - those sleeves are sensational! You have more maxi skirts than I do and they all seem very wearable. Lucky you with all of your presents, you did very well.

    Wishing you a very peaceful and prosperous New Year x
    Anna

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  10. I'm in LOVE with your first outfit! How marvellously eclectic! 1960's groovy!

    I also really like the second outfit featured. You have a great artistic style. I think that is because you shop thrift. It forces one to use their imagination.

    That egg warmer is wonderful! Ha ha!

    Happy New Year!

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  11. Thank you, Suzanne and a Happy New Year to you!

    xx

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  12. My dearest Veronica, Happy New Year. I am sooooooooooooo lucky to have you in my life.
    It was grand to see your family and all those pics f you. I especially love the photographer in the mirror, soooooooooooooooooooooo fantastic and warm and loving.
    With people like you in my life I am a rich woman.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

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  13. That Christmas day ensemble is crackin'! I'm loving those sleeves. I love the grey outfit with the stripes shirt and the 40s style hair arrangements. I also laughed at the Bus Stop reference. Bus Stop was the Mecca of my teen years. I really wish I had photographs of some of my outfits but, alas there are none. I LOVED that place!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funnily enough - the maxi coat was the only thing I bought there. I switched my allegiance to Biba - I worked on Wright's Lane just off Kensington High Street and spent my lunchtimes mooching about in there trying on plum lipstick....

      Delete
  14. Well, you sound like you had the perfect Christmas! All happy and together. Really lovely to see. Salmon in pastry sounds good, bet it was nice and light. You look amazing in your Christmas outfit, so glam. I'm rather partial to your tartan maxi from day 1 and the headscarf look. Really fun to see your clothes experiments. Xxxx

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Tania and a Happy New Year to you and Q!

      xxx

      Delete
  15. What a fabulous week and what a lot of bargains. My favourite has got to be the day three in navy with you coat and hat. Your outfit looks really Edwardian and very, very stylish. Wishing you and yours all the very best for 2017. May it bring you all joy! Xx

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  16. Hello Kellie, thank you and how nice to hear from you.

    Hope 2017 brings you all the very best!

    xx

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  17. It looks like you had a wonderful family Christmas - it's great to see everyone all together.

    It is amazing what turns up in charity shops at this time of year, isn't it?

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  18. it looks like a fabulous xmas time!, glad you enjoyed!
    Lovely xmas outfit too, you look gorgeous in your tunic and vest combo, and those sleeves are magnificent!
    And I love your maxis, I think that my favorite is the first one, because of the mixed prints and that cute headscarf! But I'm really loving every maxi skirt, and all the cute bijouterie. Those orange beads look fabulous!
    besos

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