CAPSULE WARDROBE

Love the idea?......or hate it?
I've always quite liked it. Not sure if I could ever empty my wardrobe enough to do the 24 pieces only with just seasonal additions as I think I would get bored wearing the same colours. Though truth to tell like many of you I suspect, I do tend to pick the same old favourites time after time. Especially if I am feeling in a not very confident or 'ugly/old' frame of mind that day.
However I do think this works brilliantly for long weekends away and holidays.
The idea of having less to pack and only needing 2 bags and 2/3 pairs of shoes (depending on the style of break) is one I love.
  I found this very true on my recent trip to Scotland. What I needed was warm comfortable clothes with a few smart casual additions for family meals out.
I decided on an orange/ brown/teal theme based around this pretty scarf.......

one of my TK Maxx bargains and this is what I came up with.......

Travelling by train.....

Orange 3/4 coat a CC bargain about 2 years ago, rust knitted tunic top, Peacocks best but oh so comfortable, straight cut jeans, brown boots, teal  tote bag and 'the scarf'.

Shopping, short walks, relaxing and having a good natter......

 Teal sweater, teal jeans, orange vintage necklace,  then orange sweater, light tan chinos, teal necklace with boots and bag and scarf as before plus teal/tan Mary Jane's

Couple of meals out.....

 Yellow/teal tan tweed jacket, brown dress (recent make) natural/orange small shoulder bag, boots and necklace as before....

Teal dress (M & S outlet bargain £9.99) Teal tights, bag, shoes and necklace as before....

So 2 tops/ sweaters, 3 pairs trousers/jeans, 1coat, 1 cropped jacket, 2 dresses,1 pair boots, 1 pair shoes and 1 large and 1 small handbag. Not forgetting the scarf and a few pieces of jewellery. All of which packed into a medium size holdall together with toilet and makeup bag, underwear and hot brush......

And although I sort of knew what I wanted to wear with what, I had several options for every day with just these few clothes..... Some further ideas......

And I know this may seem a bit crazy to some, but I even make a note of the different combinations I can make, so that if I am suddenly invited out I can decide at a moments notice what looks good with what. (Of course I always try on the pieces together first just to check they actually work). A top that may look stunning with one skirt may look awful with another in a different style!

We are only about 4 weeks away from our next break and I have already been toying with my outfits for that. A combination of sightseeing, walking and eating out. I think I will go for navy, grey and chartreuse/lime this time as I have a pretty good selection of clothes in those colours. If this is something that people like to see I may do a post on that too!

Hope you are all enjoying your Easter break, however you celebrate. We have been doing our favourite thing....enjoying an afternoon and tea with our family....

Speak Soon

TTFN

Jenny xx

PULLING THE WHITE RABBIT OUT OF THE HAT........

Literally..................

Just before I went on my Scotland trip, it was my grandsons birthday and when his mum Mrs Kipperchops said he was going to have a magic party I didn't realise at first that she was being serious. However apparently Master Kipperchops is quite into magic and luckily they had found the perfect entertainer to do the job....meet

BURGER BILL.....the most amazing entertainer and controller of hoards of children I have ever met!

 He really entertained the children for about 2 hours; an hours magic show was followed by their tea, which he even helped serve, and then continued with party games for another half hour or so. No falling out no injured children and not a grizzle among them

Mum is a bit of a whizz when it comes to theming things and when she does something she goes the whole hog. I'm not talking wasting money, which as a young mum of two, running her own business is not an option, I'm talking organising a brilliant do with little cash, loads of ideas and lots of hard work ( and of course roping in willing relatives and grannies who will do anything to help).

So from a little magic bean a huge beanstalk grew.........

Entertainer ....tick (the only extravagance and worth his weight in gold, though for what you get it was not so extravagant)

Food....bought when things were on offer or made by mum, Aunt and granny........

Decorations...sourced as cheap as chips on the Internet or made.....

Party bags....black and white paper bags filled with bargain magic tricks and homemade treats

 Cake...homemade by mum...... and they (mum and dad) even made and painted the giant wand!.....

 And finally a young magicians apprentice couldn't perform his role properly without the right attire...well could he?.....

The cape was made out of red and black sheeting and the 'cards' are embroidered badges which were attached by hand so that they could be removed for the cape to be used for Halloween or as a witches cape at a later date! That was great fun to do!

 And so what was the birthday boys reaction..........

MAGIC !!!

TTFN

                                                                            Jenny xx

A LITTLE BIT OF SPRING SUNSHINE......Please!

I've just returned from a little trip to bonny Scotland to visit my middle sister. It was quite an important visit for me as it was the first time that I had seen her since she had finally been diagnosed as having a severe back problem. In short her discs are collapsing! And I am sure you can understand that having complained of  awful back pain for over 40 years and being rather too often dismissed as 'putting it on' she is a bit peeved ( I'm trying not to swear here so replace peeved with the strongest word you would use) at being told it is now too bad to operate and being offered every mechanical assistance that's going. Shut, Gate, Horse, Bolted springs to mind. But all that said I have to raise my hat to her. No she hasn't suddenly stopped living her life, has not stopped doing as much as she is physically able without assistance, has not confined herself to barracks and is trying to carry on as she has had to for those past 40 years. So my visit was lovely. I was a little reassured by her independence, yes she has given up her car, but is putting her bus pass to good use. We had some lovely walks, a little slower this time but still we walked and enjoyed some good old natters and lots of tea ( and whisky...well it would be rude not to in Scotland...right!) So I am afraid unlike my other travels I have not returned with zillions of beautiful photographs as you couldn't see much in this....

 and the only bright shot I got was from the train on the way home.....

 but even that was surprising as my view went from this....

to this...

..... in the space of a few miles.....what is happening to our weather....

And since I have been home it has been much of the same...rain, then fog then snow and hail and back to rain again....Oh how I long for those first warm spring days, winter seems to have lasted for ever......

But tucked up in my snug sewing room I have been dreaming of lovely sunny days .....if only in my choice of projects. As you will know if you have been here before I love to make little girls party and wedding shoes and so from time to time I search the web to try to find the kind of dresses I see my little shoes paired with.  And that's the problem....I cant!
So what do you do but design and make your own....!......and so here are the first peeks at what I soon hope to offer in my shops........do let me know what you think...I value your opinions.....

The dresses have a full circle skirt and are fully lined. The underskirt has two layers of scalloped organza attached. The hand made organza flowers are attached to the satin sash but could be mounted on brooch fastenings so that can be removed and used separately. So far I have completed this green sample and have a brown spot and red spot version cut out. I intend to make matching shoes and am toying with making dresses to match these.......

I am thinking of offering the new dresses from  12 months to 4 years, but this is all just an idea at the moment.......and my little bit of spring sunshine......

Hope it finds you all soon though I am not holding my breath....

TTFN

Jenny xx