Gin ... for Tea?

My discovery of Gin started about a year ago.  I used to really hate gin but decided that I wanted a less calorific drink as I do like my wine and surprisingly I also love real ale.  If asked two years ago what I thought gin tasted like I would have said "like death".  So what is so different now?  I'm not really sure some say these things come with age.  Every now and then I get these little things into my head that I think I should like but don't so this coupled with my decision to find a less waist widening tipple drew me to the light.

Then I discovered Hendricks Gin, it all happened in one of our local pubs (I'd say that I remember the night well but that would suggest that the alcohol wasn't flowing) having decided to drink gin the only gin on offer was Hendricks. There it arrived in a nice tall glass with .. what is that? ... yes cucumber .. and too my surprise I have to say it worked fantastically.

Now unfortunately I seemed to have come to love one of the more expensive brands and so the Hendricks is usually for those slightly more special occasion... ( not that I need and excuse!)

So why have I decided to blog about it? Well its all down to a trip to the supermarket where I got far too excited when I found out that Hendricks have a new promotion where it come in a very Monty Pythonesk box and ... of all things .. a very cute little tea cup! So there I was box in hand and my Husband being the bad influence on me that he is convinced me to buy two.  It would be so rude to have friends over and not be able to share the experience of drinking gin in such a civilized fashion.  So now I am the proud owner of not just one but two .. :)

Shoe's I just can't resist!

Okay, so I've not been on here for a while and I guess I should explain.  I've been ridiculousness busy visiting friends and god forbid working! well something has to pay for all my obsessions.

So how goes the dress? Its nearly finished and all I've got to do is hem it and as its now into exam season and all my time is spent trying to get 260 papers marked it doesn't look like it will happen until that's all out of the way....

But today I took some time out and did a little retail therapy and indulged in my growing shoe fetish.  I really do like shoes and the fancier the better, but I have to say I don't have many in my collection that I could describe as being vintage in style until that is today.  After reading through this months issue of Vintage Life magazine I realised just how big a gap that was.  So today I was fortunate as House of Fraiser had a fab shoe sale and I came across these fab shoes at a ridiculousness cheap price.  I can't wait to where them tomorrow to a christening.

Now I really should go and do some work ..... sigh

Ambitious First Project?

Well my sewing course went really well.  I've followed patterns before but many years ago and it was good to have someone on hand to just say .. yes your doing it right .. so it was a real confidence boost.

I'm so glad that I settled on a cheap fabric as I'm not sure that I would have had quite the confidence to set my scissors on more expensive fabric so a quick visit to my local Boyes gave me this fabric.

Not quite sure if I choose the right pattern for the weekend as it had so many pieces! By the end of Saturday I'd managed to cut out the 20 odd pieces of the pattern and just started to put the bodice together.  I'm now understanding just where those 5 metres of fabric I'd bought was needed! By the end of the day my finger tips were sore from all the pins and my hand was a little red from using my scissors so much.  But I did come away having felt like I was at least getting somewhere.

Unfortunately there was no rest for the wicked as when I got back to my friends house (who had generously allowed me to stay the weekend) I was told we we're all off out again in just half and hours time.

So after a very late night it was time to get up early again on the Sunday and I just got there as the clock hit 10 am.  I could tell I was tired today as there was need at times to unpick an re-attach pieces but the copious mugs of coffee provided by Dawn was much needed.  Before I knew what had hit me it was lunchtime and then just as equally quickly it was the end of the day.  Unfortunatly there wasn't quite enough time for me to finish my ambitious project and still have the arms to attach the buttons & button holes to do and the hem to take up but I'm well pleased with my first effort.  So how have I done so far? Sorry about the rubbish picture my other camera's battery was flat .. but I promise to get better pictures on when I've completely finished it.

I really do have to say a huge thank you to Dawn over at Dimples Workshops in Warrington who I have to say was fab and as an enthusiastic and positive teacher has really boosted my confidence and given me some invaluable tips.  I so want to go back and do her corsetry course when I have a free weekend.

Fussy Fabrics

I never thought that finding the fabric for my course next weekend would be so stressful!  I don't have a decent fabric shop close by so most of my time this week has been spent on the internet trawling fabric websites for inspirtaion. I found Sharons Antquies particulatly helpful (although American) as it has lots of fabrics organised by decade and allowed me to get a feeling for the types of print.

I'd already decided that I wanted a fairly lightweight fabric as this dress would be for summer and I also wanted a summery colour with a floral print.  I love the vintage fabrics from Donna Flower but I'm too chicken just now aboutt messing up on my first project so figure that a cheap fabric would be best until I get a little more confident in what I'm doing.

Now such is the way on the internet I then also came across this gorgous paisley print fabric at The Vintage Fabric Market it got me hunting all over again.

So not only do I need to decide on a print but also the type of fabric.  This is not good for someone that hates making decisions.  I've just not quite seen that fabric that says "buy me" maybe I never will or at least I wont while I have to rely on the internet.  I'm abit of a fondler and like to touch clothing and fabrics before I buy them but I guess I'm just going to have to get over this if I want to get a half decent print.

I think for now I'll have to settle for what ever I can find locally that is cheap at least then I won't feel guility if I mess this project up next weekend ...

Sewing Spectacular ...

I've been so busy this week that I've rarely had time to myself what with work, scouts and visiting friends so my grand ideas of vintage fashion have been on the back burner a little. However that's not totally stopped me spending those pennies.

I'm a rather awkward shape at only 5'1" with a 30" waist and 40" bust I'm discovering that its nire on impossible to find vintage clothing with dimensions even close to this.  So I've decided to dust off my dress making skills.  So far I've only really used my sewing machine to make the inevitable adjustments to clothing I've bought off the peg.  I'll happily unpick a bust line to take it out and also take in the waist but this does rely on seam allowances being generous which isn't always the case.  So over the last few weeks I've been hunting for vintage clothing patterns and have just enrolled on a dress making course to remind myself just how to follow a pattern. I think the last pattern I followed was for my graduation ball gown back in 1999 .. omg that feels a long time ago!

For the dress making course I've decided to take this pattern with me as it’s got quite a vintage feel to it.  Now all I've got to do is decide on the fabric which is proving to be more of a challenge as I have no decent fabric shops close by.  I'm really excited about going and can't wait to get the creative juices going.  I'm always so frustrated by the shape of available dresses in shops and have always been on that hunt for the dress that fits like a glove but a lass I always go away with a sense of disappointment or the knowledge that I'm going to have to spend 2 hours adjusting a £60 dress.

So watch this space for all my attempts be them a success or a complete failure!

Its a Wonderful Life ..

My love of vintage (especially the 1940's) started along time ago .. so long ago that I can't even remember what started it all off. However I've never quite gotten the confidence to actually embrace vintage fashion. Then this Christmas I had the opportunity to go and see Its a Wonderful Life on the big screen which re-ignited my interests and I started occasionally looking on websites and looking over pictures. Later, Land Girls started on the BBC and yet again I thought "I could pull that off" they all look so glamorous despite the era in which they had to live.

So I've decided to document my findings, experiments and musings. I've already found so much inspiration over the last month and am looking forward to seeing just what I can do.