All jewellery charity shop except earrings from e bay. |
Hello lovelies!
Well, I have been a busy bee for the past couple of weeks, but first I must show you just a few of the wonderful things I saw on our visit to the V&A museum.
I have to go back as there was so much more to see.
The photos of the jewellery didn't come out very well but this is one of the better ones. It features coral and turquoise jewellery from the 1920s. How amazing is that coral tiara? The coral daisy type items are two hair pins and a brooch/pin. Some of the jewellery was breathtaking.
Moving on...
A retable (altarpiece) by Raphael about 1410.
I managed to visit the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art:
Istanbul circa 1731.
I didn't think to photograph the information panels so I can't remember from where and which eras these beautiful dishes came from.
Now to the clothes:
Alexander McQueen - 1990s
Early 1900s
The coat is by Liberty of London 1905 -1910. The yellow mantle by Paul Poiret 1913.
1925 - shoes by Lilley and Skinner! Remember them?
Utility clothing 1940s
1960s - Pyjama suit by Emilio Pucci about 1968. The orange dress is by Courreges. I used the chequered outfit as inspiration for an outfit. See below.
1950s. Embroidered dress by Norman Hartnell.
This last item was both unusual and very clever. A patchwork embroidered wall hanging made in 1820 out of overcoats and military uniforms.
I don't find clothes from the 19th century and earlier centuries as interesting as the clothes from 1900 onwards and this is reflected in the lack of photos from those eras. Sorry! There were quite a few displays of them though and if you like fashion, style and clothes then the V&A is for you! I wish they had even more clothes on display...
After all that beauty and glamour you'll have to make do with me now!
This is the sweater dress I bought for 99p in Barnardo's in Ampthill. Cardigan also charity shopped, by M&S. Headscarf; charity shopped. The one around my neck can double up as a sarong and was brought back from Jamaica by OH for me quite a few years ago.
This is the sweater dress I bought for 99p in Barnardo's in Ampthill. Cardigan also charity shopped, by M&S. Headscarf; charity shopped. The one around my neck can double up as a sarong and was brought back from Jamaica by OH for me quite a few years ago.
Navy leggings; M&S 1.00 rail and blue boots; 1.99 both Red Cross.
This outfit below, is the one I wore last Sunday when I went out to Sunday lunch with OH and two of my lovely brothers. Julian was getting over the horrible bug that's affected very many people here and stayed at home.
The outfit was inspired by one of the outfits seen at the V&A; unfortunately I didn't have a chequered brooch to match so made do with my 50p zip brooch instead! Just seen in the head and shoulders photo below. Everything I'm wearing is charity shopped except the black top and the boots which are from Sainsbury's.
Skirt 1.00 from 3:16 charity shop; cardigan charity shopped is by F&F (Tesco). The black top is one of two I bought in the La Redoute sale about three years ago.
I lost one of these earrings later on in the day. I'm always losing earrings and it's my own fault because I'm often too lazy to put the backs in. You'd think I'd learn by now wouldn't you? I have a bag of single earrings that are missing a mate. I live in hope the mate will turn up one day. Strangely enough I lost a silver and coral earring about a fortnight ago and this week OH found in his car! A few years back i lost a copper steel pan earring OH brought me back from Jamaica at the same time as the scarf (see above). About a month later I found it in the gutter (slightly flattened) near to where I often park my car! So you can see why I keep the odd ones just in case....
Outerwear
Scarf charity shopped; jacket (Fenn Wright Mason) charity shopped in the RSPCA in Newport Pagnell; 5.00.
On Wednesday afternoon, having led my 7 mile walk for the Ramblers, I went to meet my ex colleague for a coffee in a cafe in the village where she lives. It was lovely to catch up; I haven't seen her for 18 years!
I gave my charity shopped Boden velvet coat an outing. I thought it went well with my Primark sweater dress bought with a Christmas voucher. The navy ankle boots were bought online retail. Scarves charity shopped.
All jewellery charity shopped.
Dress charity shopped in Donegal for 3 euros. Crochet cardigan 99p rail last year at Barnardo's. Leggings; Sainsbury's retail. Scarf charity shopped. Boots; present from daughter. You can see the newly opened chimney breast in this photo. The plaster was still very wet. When the guys took out the bricks and rubble they found this fragment of one of the original Edwardian tiles; part of the original hearth. Isn't it beautiful?
I spent a lot of the last week cleaning up and waiting in for workmen to arrive but I found time to get to the hairdressers and one day to do some errands in town. I paid a quick visit to the Mercy in Action charity shop. I bought this no label tunic in there for 3.00 and a cotton jacket for summer for 2.00. The leggings are M&S; charity shopped and I'm wearing a Primarni blue stretchy top underneath the tunic as it is very low cut! Navy boots as before.
I didn't get much reading done either last week, but I have got on really well with grandson's blanket. I have now sewn all the squares together in strips and have started to sew the strips together. Next thing will be the border and then the awful chore of sewing millions of ends in; hey ho. My next project will be a throw for my bed in shades of violet and lavender.
All jewellery charity shopped. I forgot to put bangles or rings on!
This week has been very cold but from Monday evening we had the warmth of the new stove to look forward to. A new routine has been established; OH comes in from work and lights the stove; with me having done all the necessary cleaning out of the stove and filling up of coal buckets etc during the day. It is such a pleasure to have the stove and as we won't have the TV connected up in that room until the 7th March it's also been very peaceful...
On Tuesday I volunteered as usual at the Food bank and the library.
On Wednesday I went for a rummage in the afternoon. I'm sorry I didn't go walking as it turned out to be a lovely day; very cold but bright and sunny with a clear blue sky. I decided to go to Newport Pagnell and Olney instead. I was looking for a basket to put kindling in and I found one in Age UK in Olney. In Newport Pagnell my favourite charity shop was closed for refurbishment so there were only three to look in. I bought a brooch for 2.00 in Age UK Newport Pagnell; a necklace and purple bangle for 50p each and a turquoise checked shirt 2.00 from the sale rail in Willen Hospice.
This will be my new setting for photos - my living room.
Everything charity shopped except the boots from Sainsburys. Skirt; M&S, top; can't remember, cardigan bought in Donegal charity shop.
All jewellery charity shopped including the necklace which was a present from OH.
On Thursday new windows in the kitchen and bathroom were fitted and a new back door. Hopefully we'll feel the benefit of them soon. I noticed the difference in the bathroom on Friday morning; it wasn't freezing cold first thing in the morning!
Oh dear: I am such a mucky cow. I've got soup on my tunic. Of course youngest grandson, who was photographer for the day didn't tell me. Yellow tunic; Sainsbury's retail. Floral leggings; retail sale. Boots; online retail. Blue top under tunic charity shopped; 1.00 rail, Jaeger jacket 99p rail; Barnardo's in Great Denham. Scarf charity shopped. All jewellery charity shopped.
This weekend I'm off to see my son on Saturday and hope to get a bit of walking in on Sunday. I haven't been walking at all this week and I've missed it. I am really fed up with the damp and cold and the frequent gloom; I can't wait for some proper sunshine! What about you - what are you up to?
Until next time...
Oh dear, my thermal vest is showing... |
All jewellery charity shopped.
Dress charity shopped in Donegal for 3 euros. Crochet cardigan 99p rail last year at Barnardo's. Leggings; Sainsbury's retail. Scarf charity shopped. Boots; present from daughter. You can see the newly opened chimney breast in this photo. The plaster was still very wet. When the guys took out the bricks and rubble they found this fragment of one of the original Edwardian tiles; part of the original hearth. Isn't it beautiful?
The chimney sweep came last Thursday and there was no mess at all! Once the plaster has fully dried out we need to repaint the chimney breast. By last weekend the hearth was laid in the fireplace; we had bought coal, logs and kindling; plus a coal bucket and companion set. We were ready for the burner to be installed on the Monday. On Sunday we moved the furniture out of one room into the other. It was exhausting.The dining room was now back to where it should be - beside the kitchen, and the living room was reinstated to its original place.
On Thursday I also got two (!) parking tickets. This year is the first year the council are not sending us out reminders to renew our resident parking permit. When I went to my car Thursday lunchtime to go and do the food shopping there was a parking ticket on it. My resident parking permit had run out the day before - the last day of January! When I parked up again and unpacked my shopping I went back to the car with a temporary parking permit from my book of visitors permits; I'd been given another parking ticket! I've contested both of them. I'll let you know the outcome.
On Thursday I also got two (!) parking tickets. This year is the first year the council are not sending us out reminders to renew our resident parking permit. When I went to my car Thursday lunchtime to go and do the food shopping there was a parking ticket on it. My resident parking permit had run out the day before - the last day of January! When I parked up again and unpacked my shopping I went back to the car with a temporary parking permit from my book of visitors permits; I'd been given another parking ticket! I've contested both of them. I'll let you know the outcome.
I spent a lot of the last week cleaning up and waiting in for workmen to arrive but I found time to get to the hairdressers and one day to do some errands in town. I paid a quick visit to the Mercy in Action charity shop. I bought this no label tunic in there for 3.00 and a cotton jacket for summer for 2.00. The leggings are M&S; charity shopped and I'm wearing a Primarni blue stretchy top underneath the tunic as it is very low cut! Navy boots as before.
I didn't get much reading done either last week, but I have got on really well with grandson's blanket. I have now sewn all the squares together in strips and have started to sew the strips together. Next thing will be the border and then the awful chore of sewing millions of ends in; hey ho. My next project will be a throw for my bed in shades of violet and lavender.
This week has been very cold but from Monday evening we had the warmth of the new stove to look forward to. A new routine has been established; OH comes in from work and lights the stove; with me having done all the necessary cleaning out of the stove and filling up of coal buckets etc during the day. It is such a pleasure to have the stove and as we won't have the TV connected up in that room until the 7th March it's also been very peaceful...
On Tuesday I volunteered as usual at the Food bank and the library.
On Wednesday I went for a rummage in the afternoon. I'm sorry I didn't go walking as it turned out to be a lovely day; very cold but bright and sunny with a clear blue sky. I decided to go to Newport Pagnell and Olney instead. I was looking for a basket to put kindling in and I found one in Age UK in Olney. In Newport Pagnell my favourite charity shop was closed for refurbishment so there were only three to look in. I bought a brooch for 2.00 in Age UK Newport Pagnell; a necklace and purple bangle for 50p each and a turquoise checked shirt 2.00 from the sale rail in Willen Hospice.
This will be my new setting for photos - my living room.
Everything charity shopped except the boots from Sainsburys. Skirt; M&S, top; can't remember, cardigan bought in Donegal charity shop.
All jewellery charity shopped including the necklace which was a present from OH.
On Thursday new windows in the kitchen and bathroom were fitted and a new back door. Hopefully we'll feel the benefit of them soon. I noticed the difference in the bathroom on Friday morning; it wasn't freezing cold first thing in the morning!
This weekend I'm off to see my son on Saturday and hope to get a bit of walking in on Sunday. I haven't been walking at all this week and I've missed it. I am really fed up with the damp and cold and the frequent gloom; I can't wait for some proper sunshine! What about you - what are you up to?
Until next time...