Hello again!
I wore this last Saturday to go and meet my son.
All jewellery charity shopped.
Everything charity shopped except the kimono - present from my daughter. Black Mc & Co brocade trousers; can't remember; same for the yellow top; boots, New Look; Willen Hospice in Newport Pagnell, 6.00.
I finally got out for a walk on Sunday in the morning. I did 5 miles along the by pass to the village of Biddenham and on my way back I spied this Muntjac deer (no, it's not a dog). The amazing thing was that on the other side of the fence you can just see in the foreground of the photo; is a grass verge, then pavement and then the busy two lane by pass. I guess there was only about fifty yards between the deer and the road.
The walk on Sunday kick started my walking mojo. On Monday I took middle grandson out for a bike ride. We walked to Bromham; a village I lived in for ten years where I took the grandson to see our old house. That was a 6.5 mile walk. It was half term that week. No school runs to do!
All jewellery charity shopped.
Gosh, I am so shiny in this photo I look plastic! I was hot and flushed as well. I know my highlighter can make me look shiny but I have matte cream eye shadow on and it looks shiny, too!
Everything charity shopped except the shoes online retail - I'm really into black and white at the moment... trousers and shirt by F&F (Tesco) shirt from Red Cross 1.00 rail; I can't remember where the trousers came from and I only bought them recently. The tunic is from a Donegal charity shop and was 3 euros.
On Tuesday, I recce'd a walk around Bedford Town which I'm going to call 'Bedford Town Blue Plaque Walk'. On my walks I've discovered 10 blue plaques and 1 brown, all to people who were born or lived in Bedford and achieved 'great' things. Here's just 3 of the blue plaques to give you an idea...
And here's the only non blue plaque:
That was 6 miles walked!
Bedford is the home of John Bunyan who wrote 'Pilgrim's Progress; although he was born in the village of Elstow which is on the far outskirts of the town. I'm debating whether to start the walk from Elstow where there is a blue plaque on John Bunyan's birthplace; but that would add 2 further miles to the walk. Decisions, decisions....
In the afternoon I went to Hitchin with my daughter as it has quite a few independent shops and she was looking for inspiration for her spare bedroom, whilst I had a rummage. I bought a top for 99p and that was it after visiting 9 charity shops! I do not need more clothes so I looked at other things. Only one or two things caught my eye clothes wise and I desisted! I felt very smug...
 |
| Not looking so shiny here but then I wasn't standing beside a hot fire! |
All jewellery charity shopped. Necklace; 1.50 3:16 Charity shop; pink earrings bought in a Barnsley charity shop.
On Wednesday it was extremely cold and windy so I stayed home and got on with eldest grandson's blanket. I finished it on Wednesday evening! Here it is - not pressed and no ends sewn in as yet.
I also went to see my friend, Ann, in the afternoon and we had a good catch up.
I
It was a mistake to wear a dress and tights; it was most definitely trousers and boots weather. Everything charity shopped except the grey velvet brogues; Primark sale £5.00. Top; Country Casuals, 99p rail in the RSPCA in Hitchin; grey cardigan, Red Cross; 99p rail; pink tights 1.00, Red Cross; grey dress, can't remember.
I took middle grandson for another bike ride on Thursday - 4.5 miles and did the food shopping. This was OOTD for last Thursday. Everything charity shopped except the boots; on;line retail. The coatigan was warm and cosy; bought from the Red Cross in the closing down sale for 5.00; it's by Susan Bristol and the previous owner had sewed press studs in between the buttons so it didn't gape. Thank you! Underneath I 'm wearing a Next patterned top (can't remember) and Next jeans (can't remember); scarf charity shopped at Red Cross, too. I do miss that shop!
Earrings present from OH; all other jewellery charity shopped.
On Friday i walked with the group and we did a bus walk from Bromham to Cranfield; 7 miles, it was muddy, muddy, muddy! Walking with heavy, clay like mud stuck to your boots is like walking with a couple of bricks on your feet and very tiring. The mud is the only downside to walking in the country side.
When I went to see my friend Ann in the week; she had cut and hemmed this long coat for me. I bought it in the Cat's Protection League for 6.99 some weeks back. It has an Eastern European label and is too small on top so I can only wear it open. The bottom half is open anyway; luckily it wasn't too cold on Saturday so I wore it for the first time. Everything charity shopped except the boots; online retail. Skirt by East; Red Cross 1.99; top by Tu 99p rail; scarves both from the Red Cross shop too; 1.00 each. I'm always on the lookout for the type of crinkly, stretchy scarf I'm wearing on my head as they don't slip like the head squares do. Many of my other scarves are too long or have fringing on them but these are perfect. So far, I have this scarf in four colours...
OH and I went to Emmaeus on Saturday which is a charity for people who are homeless; as well as all the second hand goods for sale which includes up cycled furniture, there is accommodation on the site. It also has a very nice cafe. I was looking for another basket to put my bangles in and some curtains for the dining room. I got lucky on both counts.
The top of the coat can be worn as a jacket by unzipping the bottom half. It's a swooshy coat which I like.
All jewellery charity shopped.
The finished blanket, pressed and ends sewn in. I was so glad to see the back of it. I could get back into my reading...
I've had a much quieter week this week. Monday and Tuesday were busy with all the usual things including painting the chimney breast in the living room now the plaster has dried. I didn't go walking on Wednesday as I wanted a quiet day at home to get stuff done and the Ramblers walk was quite far away. I went out in the evening for a birthday meal with my ex- colleague Yvonne and four of her friends. A very merry evening ensued and it was lovely to meet up with Yvonne again.
On Thursday I did the shopping and chilled out. Chill being the operative word as it was a freezing cold day and I didn't fancy a walk. I've agreed to lead two more walks for the Ramblers; a bus walk in May which will be the 'Bedford Blue Plaque' walk (see I did make a decision! I still have to recce the bus part) and another of my cross country walks in June.
Talking of walking reminds that when I led my walk a couple of weeks back I passed this thatched roof house which I've walked past dozens of time and spotted these two straw pheasants on their roof. I think they must be recent additions because I've never noticed them before and that section of the roof looked very fresh...
This was Thursday's OOTD.
Everything charity shopped except velvet brogues; Primark sale 5.00. The cardigan was bought in a charity shop in Golders Green last year for 1.99, when I went to London on my birthday. I think the Next top was from a 99p/1.00 rail somewhere and I just can't remember where I got the F&F trousers from.
All jewellery charity shopped. I'm red in the face because I 'd just finished baking in the kitchen....that's another one of the 'stretchy' scarves I like for my hair.
This is for Fiona of 'Made in a Muddle' - she recently did a post here where she reviewed some cosmetics and mentioned she had discovered the reasonably priced 'Revolution' brand in Superdrug. I'm wearing a Revolution lipstick (I bought mine in a chemist in Donegal - they don't have Superdrug) in this photo, which I applied in the morning and I'd eaten my dinner by the time this photo was taken. Excellent lipstick staying power!
I've got a busy (and cold) weekend ahead. On Saturday we are off to London to visit OH's mum and will probably have a rummage whilst we're there and on Sunday I'm off meet up with my son. We should be going to my daughter's for dinner on Sunday as well, so at least I won't have to worry about cooking!
In the meantime I'll leave you with the thought that it's going to get even colder next week so to warm you up here are the last of the photos I took on our trip to the V&A museum...
As I was approaching this display I knew it was Biba! It was my favourite shop when I started my first job working just off Kensington High Street in 1969; where Biba had relocated to new grand premises. I was in there every other day ogling the clothes, trying on the lipsticks and perfumes and generally soaking in the atmosphere. The dresses are from 1970 and the shoes are by Emma of London about 1972 - 1973.
Evening coat 1924 - 1926, English. Evening dress by Callot Soeurs, Paris 1922 -1925
Shoes; 1965 Roger Vivier - Bag; Christian Dior 1960s
Shoes 2012 - Meadham Kirchoff
No info for this bag but isn't it gorgeous?
Miniature evening dress by Gres 1950.
I was fascinated by these two examples standing about two and a half feet tall. I'm guessing they are similar to the miniature pieces of furniture made by carpenters and joiners before embarking on the life sized version.
Miniature day dress by Jacques Fath 1950 made in silk tussah.
The names of the materials used to make clothes also fascinates me; many have now gone out of use, sadly.
This cotton skirt suit was made in Guyana in 1951 for Beryl Gilroy. She soon after moved to London to finish her teaching studies and became one of the first Black head teachers in London. She later became a successful writer.
John Galiano - 1984
Dress on the left - Giles Deacon 2014
Dress on the right - Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga 2004
Bag - French about 1920.
Hope you all have a great weekend and for those of you in the UK - wrap up well!
I took middle grandson for another bike ride on Thursday - 4.5 miles and did the food shopping. This was OOTD for last Thursday. Everything charity shopped except the boots; on;line retail. The coatigan was warm and cosy; bought from the Red Cross in the closing down sale for 5.00; it's by Susan Bristol and the previous owner had sewed press studs in between the buttons so it didn't gape. Thank you! Underneath I 'm wearing a Next patterned top (can't remember) and Next jeans (can't remember); scarf charity shopped at Red Cross, too. I do miss that shop!
Earrings present from OH; all other jewellery charity shopped.
On Friday i walked with the group and we did a bus walk from Bromham to Cranfield; 7 miles, it was muddy, muddy, muddy! Walking with heavy, clay like mud stuck to your boots is like walking with a couple of bricks on your feet and very tiring. The mud is the only downside to walking in the country side.
 |
| All jewellery charity shopped. |
OH and I went to Emmaeus on Saturday which is a charity for people who are homeless; as well as all the second hand goods for sale which includes up cycled furniture, there is accommodation on the site. It also has a very nice cafe. I was looking for another basket to put my bangles in and some curtains for the dining room. I got lucky on both counts.
The top of the coat can be worn as a jacket by unzipping the bottom half. It's a swooshy coat which I like.
All jewellery charity shopped.
The finished blanket, pressed and ends sewn in. I was so glad to see the back of it. I could get back into my reading...
I've had a much quieter week this week. Monday and Tuesday were busy with all the usual things including painting the chimney breast in the living room now the plaster has dried. I didn't go walking on Wednesday as I wanted a quiet day at home to get stuff done and the Ramblers walk was quite far away. I went out in the evening for a birthday meal with my ex- colleague Yvonne and four of her friends. A very merry evening ensued and it was lovely to meet up with Yvonne again.
On Thursday I did the shopping and chilled out. Chill being the operative word as it was a freezing cold day and I didn't fancy a walk. I've agreed to lead two more walks for the Ramblers; a bus walk in May which will be the 'Bedford Blue Plaque' walk (see I did make a decision! I still have to recce the bus part) and another of my cross country walks in June.
Talking of walking reminds that when I led my walk a couple of weeks back I passed this thatched roof house which I've walked past dozens of time and spotted these two straw pheasants on their roof. I think they must be recent additions because I've never noticed them before and that section of the roof looked very fresh...
This was Thursday's OOTD.
Everything charity shopped except velvet brogues; Primark sale 5.00. The cardigan was bought in a charity shop in Golders Green last year for 1.99, when I went to London on my birthday. I think the Next top was from a 99p/1.00 rail somewhere and I just can't remember where I got the F&F trousers from.
This is for Fiona of 'Made in a Muddle' - she recently did a post here where she reviewed some cosmetics and mentioned she had discovered the reasonably priced 'Revolution' brand in Superdrug. I'm wearing a Revolution lipstick (I bought mine in a chemist in Donegal - they don't have Superdrug) in this photo, which I applied in the morning and I'd eaten my dinner by the time this photo was taken. Excellent lipstick staying power!
I've got a busy (and cold) weekend ahead. On Saturday we are off to London to visit OH's mum and will probably have a rummage whilst we're there and on Sunday I'm off meet up with my son. We should be going to my daughter's for dinner on Sunday as well, so at least I won't have to worry about cooking!
In the meantime I'll leave you with the thought that it's going to get even colder next week so to warm you up here are the last of the photos I took on our trip to the V&A museum...
As I was approaching this display I knew it was Biba! It was my favourite shop when I started my first job working just off Kensington High Street in 1969; where Biba had relocated to new grand premises. I was in there every other day ogling the clothes, trying on the lipsticks and perfumes and generally soaking in the atmosphere. The dresses are from 1970 and the shoes are by Emma of London about 1972 - 1973.
Evening coat 1924 - 1926, English. Evening dress by Callot Soeurs, Paris 1922 -1925
Shoes; 1965 Roger Vivier - Bag; Christian Dior 1960s
Shoes 2012 - Meadham Kirchoff
No info for this bag but isn't it gorgeous?
Miniature evening dress by Gres 1950.
I was fascinated by these two examples standing about two and a half feet tall. I'm guessing they are similar to the miniature pieces of furniture made by carpenters and joiners before embarking on the life sized version.
Miniature day dress by Jacques Fath 1950 made in silk tussah.
The names of the materials used to make clothes also fascinates me; many have now gone out of use, sadly.
This cotton skirt suit was made in Guyana in 1951 for Beryl Gilroy. She soon after moved to London to finish her teaching studies and became one of the first Black head teachers in London. She later became a successful writer.
John Galiano - 1984
Dress on the left - Giles Deacon 2014
Dress on the right - Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga 2004
Bag - French about 1920.
Hope you all have a great weekend and for those of you in the UK - wrap up well!
My you do get out and walk! I'm really looking forward to spring so I can get back to my daily walks. Both myself and the pug miss them.
ReplyDeleteThose clothes from the V&A museum were stunning. That is so interesting about the miniature versions.
Brilliant job on the blanket! What a ton of work that must have been.
I hope it warms up for you soon.
Suzanne
Suzanne, it's got even colder....
DeleteI read about the cold weather you are having-good excuse to stay in by the fire. The blue (and brown) plaque walk sounds interesting. Bunyan was such an important figure in Colonial America that even when printed books were very expensive, families would have a copy of The Pilgrim's Progress, and a Bible, of course. Sometimes you see it listed in the estate paperwork after someone died as it would have been considered valuable property. Anyway, it sounds like an interesting walk.
ReplyDeleteThat blanket is beautiful! I'm sure it will be cherished.
Oh yes, I have been enjoying the fire!
DeleteI know John Bunyan was/is known throughout the Christian world but I didn't realise how important he was in Colonial America. Everyday's a school day!
That 'Blue Plaque Walk' looks amazing, I would enjoy it!, mwhaha. And you look fab in your black&white ensemble, so elegant!. I'm in love with your red coatigan, such a fab piece (glad it's also warm!) and your blue coat is also lovely and very cool!. Lovely scarves, lovely bijouterie (as usual)!
ReplyDeleteLove all those V&A photos, so many awesome details to enjoy!. Thanks for sharing!
besos
You look so bright and lovely. Great finds. I do like you in the yellow. And, Bedford. Both my parents grew up in Bedford, went to school there, and courted there. Did you know that it was 'the' town for people to retire to from India. Partly because of that connection my dad went on to become an officer in the Indian Army. We visited both grandparents many times so, for a long time, I felt Bedford was my second home. I expect it's changed a lot. You take really great photos, btw. Loving the pics from the V&A. Have a good week but wrap for those walks!
ReplyDeleteThank you Penny, you are very kind.
DeleteI had only recently found out about the connection with Bedford and retired ex India personnel; I either read it in a book or saw it in the local museum. I've been in the areas for 37 years and yes it has changed a lot! You'll have to come and see one day...
I'm dying over the Biba dress and the platforms. Wow!
ReplyDeleteLoving the Eastern European coat on you, it's so dramatic and fabulous. The red hippy cardi and the first tunic are fantastic peices, too.
That blanket is so striking, you are clever. I bet the grandson loves it - especially if the temperatures are going to plummet as much as they keep telling they will.
That deer is gorgeous and who knew there were so many blue and brown plaques in the Bedford area. The polar explorer one is particularly poignant, I always get a bit emotional when I see plaques commemorating that incredible sad expedition.
Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm. xxx
Grandson does like his blanket, thank you, Vix.
DeleteWould you believe i discovered yet another plaque in Bedford yesterday?
Have a great week and stay warm too!
xxxx
I'm in love with that coatigan (as you called it). Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteHello Sandy and thank you,
DeleteLovely to meet you. I've been to your blog and had a good read....
Thanks for the mention Vronni, you look great in red lippy. I have phases with lipsticks, currently nude/pale pinks.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous coatigan, it looks wonderful on you.
Well done for completing grandson's blanket, sewing squares together is not my favourite task, you've done it beautifully though and I'm sure he was thrilled with it. I'm thinking of starting one for my niece who's off to uni later this year, had better get cracking.
Those pink V&A shoes look impossible dainty, no good for today's trotters I'll bet.
Have a lovely weekend. xxx
You bet today's trotters wouldn't fit in those shoes! Impossibly narrow!
DeleteHave you had any attempts at the 'join as you go' method of joining squares? I've used what's called a flat braid join on one blanket; it was quite successful but there are several other ways as well. Next time I make a granny square blanket I'm going to have a go at it.
xxx
Your grandson must be thrilled with his blanket, which is gorgeous. I'm loving the coatigan (which is a new word for me), and how wonderful that its former owner added press studs. It's a fiddly task, but often necessary. My favourite outfit is the one with the swooshy coat! It's fabulous and it looks so great on you! You packed in quite a lot of walking too. I almost love winter walks the best, but not if it's raining obviously. I'm drooling over the Biba dresses (I wish I'd been able to visit that shop), and the blue velvet handbag is divine! Have a lovely weekend, Vronni! xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ann. Grandson is very pleased with his blanket. Unfortunately I didn't do any walking at all last week - too cold and wet. II'm aiming to do some this week as long as we don't have snow....
DeleteHave a lovely week
xxx
My favourites have got to be your two gorgeous coats. And I love that you're showing us your new stove, it makes a lovely backdrop.
ReplyDeleteOh how lucky you were to get to mooch around Biba, I would love to have done that. Were her clothes expensive back then?
You should have heeded your warning to us and kept your knees warm in London! Hope you're snuggled up this week with all this snow going on. Hugs, x.
Yes, Biba clothes were expensive. I had to save up for weeks to buy anything.
ReplyDeleteI remember buying geometric print culottes in brown and cream, a brown bell sleeved satin top and a brown cloche hat all from Biba; I wore the outfit with brown lace up granny shoes (brogues with a heel). I think I also bought another couple of tops. The makeup, especially the lipsticks, were more in my price range!
xxx
I love that coatigan Vronni - the colours are fab on you. And I have to say well done that you're back on track with your walking again. I'm sure you'll be feeling better for getting back into that routine. Thanks for the lipstick info. I have such a job keeping lipstick on any length of time and also I hate to think I'm just "eating" all those chemicals. I'll keep an eye out for that brand when I'm on the mainland this month. And finally, thanks for sharing all those lovely V&A shots. I too, was a huge Biba fan, but didn't buy a lot as I couldn't afford it. Those dinky little one are cute aren't they?
ReplyDeleteKeep warm!
Anna x
I'm loving that long swooshy blue coat - what a magnificent piece! What fun pics from the V&A - so many swoon-worthy items!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know the horrible weather hasn't stopped you walking. And I know the relief of getting a large craft project done. That is a fab blanket.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to hear more about your visits to Biba. Did you own many of their pieces?
Good post. Thanks for sharing this post with us. Many oldsters square measure trying to find activities and crafts their kids will get pleasure from. Ideally the craft wouldn't be busy work that merely is a time filler, whale tail bracelet These square measure constant skills required in handwriting, typing, and driving a automotive.
ReplyDelete