Been super busy already today! Painting and decoupaging! Just stopped for a cuppa then have about a million billion thins to do later including an interview and more selling! I am trying to come to terms with how much someone has hurt me and I am struggling to put it behind me at the moment. It occupies my thoughts far too much and can distract me from all the lovely things in my life. I don't know what I had done to deserve being treated so appallingly but it must have been something pretty damn awful. Time does heal but I am compelled to put it all in a box to deal with at a better time, but is avoiding the pain only going to amplify later x

I'm so happy I could burst or dance for joy or sing out of my bedroom window! X

Hot showers save the soul! Well this time last week my best friend was getting married. It feels like so long ago now, all the preparations and anticipation, it is so strange. I knew as soon as the wedding was over it would be time to think about Christmas but I really don't want to get caught up in the materialistic nature of the festive season. It is a magical time of year and the concentration should be family, friends, all loved ones and especially the children in our lives, they are what truly makes Christmas into a happy and joyous time. It's also a solemn time to reflect on the happenings of that year, but living in the past has never made anyone truly happy, if you can let yourself be at peace then surely that should be present enough? I hope that the close of the year will be happy, memorable and full of love. That should be the same fr everyone regardless of feuds, ended friendships or relationships, all that crap needs to be left to one side and we should all just take a moment to think about what and who makes us really happy and give that the time and care it deserves. I know this is all a bit deep for a Saturday afternoon but recent events have changed my perspective on how I want to live my life, be treated and treat others. What a difference a day makes, I knew a change was coming and it is just not what I was expecting but I'm happy and grateful for it x

Answers on a postcard please xg

Goodness it's been a while

Well the wedding of the year is nearly upon us and the preparations are well and truly under way. I'm currently at the bride to be's house baking pastry cases! To say the last few weeks have been crazy busy would be an understatement but as soon as things have calmed down and the normal pace of life returns some huge changes are afoot, tis too soon to reveal all but there are going to be a few surprises.xx

Well hello there...

Been a busy week or so... I now have two jobs! On top of that the market is doing fine and dandy and I am moving forward with lots of my projects. Life not been so good on the whole health side, had a full blown epileptic fit on Sunday. So from now on I'm going to have to keep life as stress free as possible, cut out the dead wood thats always weighed me down and hurt me and move forward.
The wedding is 4 weeks tomorrow and all the preparations seem to be in place thank fully, there is bound to be a few last minute bits and pieces but that is to be expected. I keep trying my bridesmaid dress on everyday to make sure it still fits ha ha! Well I will have lots more to tell you next week xx

Well I didn't think today was ever going to come. Its my last day at The Big Geen Bag... thank bloomin' goodness. I worked here yesterday and then was straight to the pub, no stopping for food, I'm so tired today, but I have a few good things to look forward to now and Minnie and me are still planning our great escape, she should be tunnelling in the basement at home as I type this. I don't know, it just seems like I'm quite on my own at the moment. Everyone is too busy to notice that I might not be feeling that good. I got my appointment through for the neurologist and thats upset me because it isn't until the 15th October. I imagine I will be going on my own because that's the easiest way to deal with things. The people I have around me tend to be more practical and matter of fact about things but I am more emotional so I don't manage to hide my fear so well. I suppose it's a good thing that my support network are like that but I kind of just want someone to talk to that will get upset about me not being very well, strange I know but it's almost like I need to see a visual representation of how I'm actually feeling about the situation.

Just 2 days left.... really tired, been working shop and pub and then throw a loads of housework and other commitments on top of that and you get a worn out Lucy! I'm looking forward to Wednesday morning... a nice long run followed by peace and quiet! AMAZING! I've got another interview a week on Friday for a new Charity shop in Matlock, I kind of like the idea of working in Matlock a few days a week, nice change of scenery. Its the birthday a week tomorrow, I hate getting older, it's tricky business indeed x

What a beautiful day...

I have to say that today is one of those days that reminds me why I bother to get up in the morning. The air is crisp and cool but the Sun is working hard to make everything glimmer. I had a lovely day yesterday, a slight lie in followed by tea and toast in bed with my book. Then I sprung into action and recovered the dining room chairs, made some blackboards, prepared dinner for us and some others, did some houssework then went out for a lovely afternoon with Monkey and Ray. I got some charity shop bargains, things for me and things for the business. Then when I got home I made another attempt at choux pastry, failed, tried again and it worked! Top the day off with a couple of episodes of My So Called Life and a hot bath... Perfect x

So much rain..... the weather really is dreadful at the moment, it makes everything seem less shiney and fun.
I have been lucky with charity shop finds this week and the projects are getting bigger. I have been asked to become a trustee of a new charity in Sheffield and help develop their charity shop. It sounds like and interesting opportunity and its always good to have another notch on the CV. I bought some beautifully presented sheet music today that I'm going to frame, a pretty pink wade jug, pink glass bowl that I've just discovered is worth between £55-£70, a lovely wade toast rack in wade green (those in the know will understand my colour referencing). I have also invested in some blackboard paint for a little idea I've had for the kitchen. There have been other purchases but I have to do some work now ha ha xx

I'm so tired of being lied to all the time...x

Choux or not to Choux?

I  am nervous about my first attempt at choux pastry this evening.... I am not a baker, I prefer to cook. I don't really follow recipes so this makes baking awkward for me... I have been told that I make a beautiful lavender cake and magnificient ginger cake but these are cakes that I enjoy making. But tonight I am venturing into unchartered pastry territory. I  do enjoy making pastry dishes, especially quiche, and I love french cooking techniques and recipes so I will be following my current favourite cookery books recipe 'The Little Paris Kitchen'. Of course when Minnie the Cat and I run away to Paris we will be trained in french cookery, but for now I will improvise with the books I have at my disposal x

Sleepy

What a weekend... First shift at the pub on Friday night, I was really nervous but I'm working with good friends and it really is like riding a bike, you don't forget. Then I was at work on Saturday, at a spa party Saturday evening, car boot Sunday followed by afternoon tea/baby shower, back at pub Sunday evening, all over the place yesterday then pub last nigh, work again this morning..... I am worn out! Got some amazing bargains from the car boot, some lovely kitchenalia which apparently I have to sell but actually I want to keep it! Also got lots of vintage porn, again I am meant to sell it but I want to keep it. Only one more week at the shop and then I am free xx

I shouldn't have posted that earlier, I just don't understand why people behave in a certain way sometimes. I am constantly finding myself disheartened by the actions of others but I should collect my thoughts, keep my own counsel and maintain my cool. You earn people's respect, you cannot demand.

I just have no idea why I even bother anymore... I am so tired of all this!

and there's more....

* Old battered suitcases, especially if they are covered in stickers
* Art Deco
* Having my fringe cut... but not the rest of my hair
* Biting
* Earl Grey
* Foxes
* Stealing traffic cones and signs (childish, I know)
* Window displays
* Calzone
* Florence
* I cannot emphasise this enough.... Minnie Le Chat
* Those tights that look like they are actually stockings
* Rain at night, especially if the bedroom window is open
* Deliveries

Continued...

This is an extension of the things I like list...

* Seeing street lights turn on and off... especially off in the morning
* Waking up just before my alarm
* Planning running away with my cat
* Taking my photo to make sure I look ok
* Making lists
* Reading cook books
* Preparing dinner the night before so I know it's all sorted before I get home from work
* Cleaning bathrooms
* Reading magazines in shops/newsagents
* It being quiet... and then putting my music on loud
* Bed and Sleep
*A surprise text.... a nice one that is
* Unexpected compliments
* Again and again I mention this but here we go again... brushing my teeth
* Proper writing sets
* Long journeys on my own (ha ha or with my cat)
* Not having to pretend to people
* Tea Dresses
* Staple guns/stanley knives/glue/string
* Phonecalls
* Biographies
* Autumn
* My So Called Life (the tv series)
* Looking forward to things
* Taking care of people
* Leaves
* Saturday and Sunday Papers
* The Car Boot and Flea Market
* My hunter wellies
* Filling in forms
* Tax rebates

... more to come x

A Museum... about Lipstick!!!

http://www.visitberlin.de/en/spot/lippenstift-museum-lipstick-museum-rene-koch

Possibly the best museum ever! x

For Minnie

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Foreigntravel/BeforeYouTravel/DG_4000019

Less than two weeks to go... On my first day of freedom I am going to stay in bed all day reading. At the moment I'm reading Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman. Its basically a journey of landmarks, specifically landmarks of where famous musicians died... I've only just started the books and he has covered Nancy Spungen and the Chelsea Hotel so far. I like his style of writing but I haven't read anything I didn't already know yet so it isn't as enlightening as a couple of books I've read on the subject. I will let you know whether its worth reading when I get half way though.

I have a crazily hectic week this week and appear to be working everyday... I have riverted back to my bar maid roots and have a couple of shifts a week at The Tramway Tavern to keep some constant money coming in from my side but I'm hoping the business will keep me afloat financially. The wedding of the year is looming and the preparations for that keep me occupied but my mind does constantly wander to dreams and ambitions, I am not as grounded as I had become but looking forward to the future in a way I hadn't anticipated a month or so ago. Unfortunately Minnie and the kittens appear to think my office/workspace is their bedroom so when I even venture in I am sidetracked by their cuteness, damn them! But in two weeks time they will need to disband and find another space to occupy in the house because I will not be distracted x

Paris

I don't care what anyone says, Minnie and I are running away to Paris! x

Yippppppeeeeeeeeeeeeee x

BEST NEWS EVER! x

Rant....

Badly dressed people should not be permitted to use public transport! Fact!  At least 5 days a weeks I am forced to endure a sea of fake Barbour coats teamed with an ocean of fake designer bags! People wearing cheap, nasty synthetic fabrics in even cheaper shades of the colour spectrum. Badly fitting, unflattering and uncoordinated 'outfits'. They may think they have thrown something on and it looks ok enough for wherever their day may be taking them but.... it is unacceptable! Do you know something bus people... get up earlier, brush your hair, maybe get a bra that actually fits you better still by some underwear that doesn't slice you bum in half, then maybe that uncomfortable grimace you have on your face will vanish. Also are you young girls descendents of the oompa lumpa's? No, well then maybe take the fake tan down a shade or two. Every day I keep all this inside when actually I feel like screaming at them all! But amoung all this is one shining beacon of hope for the day. Handsome Suit Man! The second part of my bus journey allows me the guilty pleasure of passing by this well dressed and immaculately groomed gentleman. Always in a sharp, well cut suit, excellent footwear, the whole package. He has a lovely neck tattoo and well he is just dreamy. If it wasn't for him I would probably have caused a terrible bus crash by now. I am not claiming to be the don of fashion or the best dressed person, I make fashion mistakes just like everyone else, but I admit them and make a change... Yes sometimes I may dress controversially. I recently got threatened with a disciplinary at work for wearing my black topshop hotpants all the time, possibly too bold a choice for a charity shop but I  will carry on wearing them till they are all worn out (ha ha I have 2 pairs). So morning bus crew when my eyes are closed during our journey it isn't because I catching 40 winks before work... It's because you offend my eyes!

Oddness

I feel like I'm becoming myself again, after a good few of years not being. It is hard to always stay true to yourself but I am finally being the person I like. A bad marriage caused what I thought was irrecoverable damage but it seems that time is the greatest healer. I am not without fault, as others are usually quick to remind me, but giving myself such a hard time for the mistakes I've made in the past is not going to change anything. When you know what you want in life you should always grab it and make the most of it. Too many people surround themselves with regrets and empty wishes, I don't want to be like that, I want to seize opportunities and adventures. Surely making the most out of life is what it is all about. I don't know, it just seems that I am wasting time even writing on here when actually I should be doing something far more interesting (truth be told I am stuck at work with nothing to do so writing on here is actually a better use of time than staring blankly into space). I have plans, exciting plans, I am just getting very impatient.x

Just had a vintage hockey stick donated.... amazing, I'm going to use it as a prop for a little photo project I've set myself for the autumn! x

Just 3 weeks...

Yippee, just 3 weeks to go, to be fair that job hasn't been terrible and I have benefited a lot from it but goodness at times it has been so boring. I like working with people and enjoy the interaction, unfortunately that hasn't always been the case whilst being here. On to pastures new, I've got an interview on Friday then another interview next week, also lined up some work so I know I will be bringing in money every week, the market will be my staple though. Thanks to some friendly advice I am going to be able to do my soap project now and found some good patterns for other bits and pieces yesterday. I've been offered some dressmaking work but I'm a bit nervous I've under quoted pricewise so may need to have another look at it. I can't wait for my birthday sewing machine, I saw it on the back of Making magazine and it was love at first sight, the first thing I have to do is make wedding bunting! Had a superace time on Saturday night... we went to a gig then after realising we were broke and had no food at home we went to a free club and danced our socks off... unfortunately we had to leave because a girl spilt her drink down the back of my disco pants (yes, they were finally worn in their meant for environment) and I had to be dragged off before I punched her! x

Just got chatting with a lovely lady in the shop. She is 83 and she was born and bred in Sheffield but moved to Australia with her husband of 63 years and 7 children 40 years ago. Her husband died of cancer 3 months ago and her children urged her to come back to Sheffield to visit family and friends. Her accent hadn't gone at all and she was so full of life, she chatted about all the places she had visited since being here and how different everything was, She had only been back once since moving, in 1996, and said how much the area had changed since then. She was very positive about Sheffield said she loved the shops, restaurants and people, said the variety that was on offer in this Country is so much more vast than in Australia. She told me that she missed her husband every day but that he would have been thrilled she had had the adventure she's just had. She was in the shop looking for a dress to wear to the casino tonight, she said she was going to stay up all night then go to Cleethorpes tomorrow to spend all her winnings on candy floss and slot machines! She has certainly left me hoping I am full of so much life, love and vigour at 83. She had had to buy 4 new suitcases since being in Sheffield to accomodate all the new clothes she had bought, that certainly would be a predicament I would find myself in at that age x

Soap

I've decided to make my own soaps, I am going to inlist the help of others but for now I have a plan and I've ordered a book on how to do it and a couple of different soap molds. What I really want is a french soap mold or a french soap stamp, I am going to try and see what patterns or wording works then see what I can fashion myself. I have an abundance of  french lavender in my garden and I have lots of plans for it but making french lavender soap sounds superace, messy and fun! The end result is to make them to wrap in vintage fabrics and papers then sell at tea parties and on the market! x

Morning

Well it was a lovely day to be on the market yesterday, made some money but spent it on Zoe, whoops! It was supeace to have a day of fresh air and sunshine, when you are couped up in a stuffy shop most days you forget what the outside world actually looks like. Was a bit uninspiring to walk back into work again today, especially as I have no volunteers in with me, all on my lonesome today. This inevitably means I will spend the day looking at vintage things on the internet ha ha, a good use of my time! x

Moving

The awful thing about moving is not being able to locate things when you are in your new house!
I bought a globe shot glass holder with the original shot glasses in a few months ago on a lovely shopping trip, probably one of the best I've had this year and now I can't find it. I am super sad about it. I am sure that there are probably other things that have gone astray in the move but this was one of my favourite things... boo hoo! Have had a very unproductive day today, unless you count daydreaming as productive. One lovely thing that has happened today is that my bridesmaid dress has speedily arrived. I love it, I am going to wear it to do the housework after the wedding as it is the most glamorous dress I have ever owned, this is really saying something as I have owned about a million dresses! It is not conventionally bridesmaid dressy but the bride approves so why ever not! x

Glamping

I am soooooo desperate to go camping, haven't been camping properly for years! A friend showed me this site ( http://www.theglampervanhirecompany.com) and although the thought of luxury camping is delightful I love the back to basics style more. I like the fact you get covered in dirt, sleep in a tent in close proximity, no outside wordly influences... very very appealing! I'm not advocating this has a constant lifestyle choice, I'm merely suggesting then when life gets too much, taking everything else out of the equation really helps. When you strip your life down and survey what is left you can really see yourself. People surround themselves with objects (I am a terror for this) and sometimes the meaning we attribute to these 'things' becomes more real than ourselves. We let the objects speak for us and take over our personalities. When that happens the worrying thing is that we might not like whats left when the objects are gone. I worry a great deal that I'm not 'good enough' that I don't meet peoples expectations, not pretty enough... the list goes on, but I sometimes spend too much time caring about what other people think of me rather than what I truly think of myself. I know I can't change this inbuilt flaw ovenight but I really want to work on it x

Deep Sleep

Do you ever have that sort of sleep where even when you wake up you still feel like you are sleeping? Unfotunately that is me this morning. I am tying to give up coffee completely but this morning I could really do with a caffeine injection to wake me up. My bike basket arrived last week and Monkey bought the necessary tools to adjust my handle bars and seat so I may try to get that done tonight if the weather is still good when I get home. Ordered the right materials for doing my shelves so I am going to make a start on that Thursday when I get home from doing the market. I haven't done many stalls over the summer because of work but I am ready to throw myself back into it with full force. I'm having a good stock clear out this week so there will be plenty of bargains to be had! The thing that appears to be making me a far more productive person is not having television tuned in. I have realised how much of my life I have wasted watching tv... I have been slack with reading, talking and doing! We have a house rule where we sit round the table for dinner and talk, its lovely, we all get to talk about our days, unfortunately the subject seems to always get diveted to porn, sex toys and other such topics... but it is good that we all have a laugh regardless of what we talk about. Zoe applied for college yesterday which is such a relief, I had no idea what I would do if she didn't as it is sometimes hard to motivate her. But she has done it on her own and I'm really proud of her. Saz phoned me yesterday and said she saw Jack and Zoe in town and they were both job hunting, unfortunately Saz took it upon herself to dissuade them from employment, AWKWARD! I suppose I should go and clean the shop now before another long day of boredom, roll on September 3rd! Peace Out x

I finish work 4 weeks today, have already worked 2 weeks notice, they are taking the piss really but the money will be handy at the end of it all! I can't wait to finish, going to sleep for three days then take myself off to London for a V&A trip to see the ballgown exhibition hopefully, will also try to coax best friend into coming! I can't wait for birthday tattoo times, the tattoo I'm having is a fox, face on within a black cameo style frame with red roses in the foxes background. I love the design and it has quite a bit of meaning to me. Unfortunately Ray and Saz are both abroad (one in Paris one in Rome) during the birthday festivities but I have a few little things planned including cooking a great Greek feast for my lovely friends. x

The Office!

Well we chose what could have been the warmest day of the year to tidy and sort the office/workspace! Paula Jane Victoria Richardson was a superstar and went above and beyond the call of duty. We got most of the clothes hung and sorted and the lovely Ms Richardson motivated us into moving all the furniture into a much better working environment. My muscles are all achey today which is a sure sign of a hard days work. Got some lovely bits and pieces fom the car boot yesterday, a Sadler teapot that is fashioned into a edwardian bandstand, some vintage yellow handle cutlery, a silver tea set, a chair that I'm going to recover the seat of tonight, an ottomon that's now full of linens (thanks again to Paula) and a wedgewood cup and saucer!

Taking the bull by it's horns, so to speak!

I have started my proposal for the MA in Antiques, it is quite nerve wracking because I am eally putting my money where my mouth is career wise but if I'm going to do it then I have to put the leg work in. The application pack for a career and professional development loan is in the post and I have all the course id numbers ready to get it all filled in but I am crap at motivating myself to fill forms in so I am going to get everyone to encourage me to get it filled in. I can identify vintage clothing blindfolded at 50 paces but when it comes to antiques I need more education, at the moment my knowledge is enough to help me grab some bargains but if I want to sell professionally of pofitably then I need that knowledge first hand. The MA in Antiques studies lots of periods but the one I am most excited about is the Art Deco module because so much of the lifestyle of that era is represented in the antiquties and buildings. I am excited about the future now more than ever, I am making sacrifices I've never had the strength to make before. I don't know where my determination has come from but I think a great deal of it is from letting go of the negative influences I have been weighed down with for so long. Here's hoping I can keep the momentum going x

Banana Republic

Good Morning....

Well it has happened, I have finally got the perfect pair of jeans. They were purchased from a charity shop a few months ago, Banana Republic Size 10, straight legged, classic dark denim blue, turned up. I put them on this morning and they fit like a dream, hug the bum and no muffin top. Most women who read my blog will understand the curse of trying to find the perfect pair of jeans, it's just sad that I have had nearly 34 years without them. Today I have teamed them with a blue brushed silk sleeveless shirt, vintage pendleton navajo cardigan and timberland loafers.

Self Realisation

Yesterday I finallt came to terms with the fact that I do not want a corporate like career.... I had the chance to be the deputy manager of the shiney new Debenhams in Chesterfield and I turned it down. I don't want work to rule my life anymore, I had stopped enjoying myself for a while and now I am being myself again and it just always makes me so much more happy than having the money that goes with a corporate job. A great deal of my career has been working for lovely indepedant companies that have inspired me to work for myself so in a huge leap of faith I have decided to properly invest in my talents and passions. I am going for lots of jobs that won't be too time consuming and draining and then the rest of my work life will be creative and all about vintage. I do need some help with some areas that I'm going to test the waters in because I can be a bit clumsy and messy at times but when it comes to the sewing I'm all fine and dandy. So that's the positive part over and done with...

I have a guilty admission, I don't completely hate Cath Kidston. I have, in the past made a big song and dance about it but that was because I was being petty and bitchy. People are allowed to like whatever they like and I am a fool for behaving in a derogatry manner. But no more... I wish the people I have belittled (out of spite not good cause) the best of luck in their ventures and may it bring them the happiness I hope it also brings me.

After yet another one of my apologies I would like to draw my avid readers to this lovely little number....

http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/p-18571-cath-kidston-edwardian-ditsy-tea-dress.aspx?referrer=category

I believe I may need it in a 10 or possible 12, for all those people who may be looking for ideas for my birthday (oh so very soon) xx

Not getting a job because you have too much experience but then being asked to have an interview for a more senior position is weird and unsettling. I had hoped for this job and now I am all of a quandry because I really want to concentrate on my own business and this was the ideal opportunity to do that. I really don't know what to do x

I HATE WAITING.... FACT! x

Sorry...

I was really grumpy yesterday, I love the company of others so I shouldn't have been whingeing about having time on my own.... Bad Lulu!

After Sandra and Ernie came round and did some elflike wok on the living room the house felt like it was stating to come together.... until I walked into my office/workroom and found that it was utter bedlam... Then I found a oe stood next to me and she said 'This room is totally your responsibility' then she ran off giggling before I had the chance to throw a wooden coat hanger at her!

It is literally going to take foever to sort! I have too much, I am a super hoarder! Monks is going to help me decoupage the work table with some old papers and maps I unearthed a few weeks ago and then the next job is to cover my horrid ikea pine book shelves with the dolls house wallpaper I got from the car boot last week. I don't really know what sort of tape I need to cover them so if anyone has any suggestions please comment below. Also I want to make some more lace collars but I can't find a way of stopping them from fraying. I suppose edging it with velvet ribbon might work but there may be a more cost effective way of doing it... again comments welcome. I am also looking for some mother of pearl vintage buttons if anyone knows where I can get them on mass? Thanks everyone, my brain is a bit muddled at the moment x

The Twisted Muse: A Brooch Tutorial

The Twisted Muse: A Brooch Tutorial: Who doesn't just love a fantastic brooch to pin onto a coat, blouse, or even a stylish hat?  I know I do and my daughters definitely do t...

WTF

Life is too stressful, new house, leaving job, unpacking, everyday life... It just all gets too much sometimes. Unfortunately I am a make do type of person and when things are tough I always decide to pile the pressure on. I can't remember the last time I was on my own. When I say 'alone' I mean quality time, not having a bath or getting the bus... I mean spending a day in my own company. I know a lot of people who feel like this and also a lot of people who find it hard to be alone... not me, I love it... oh the things I could do with a day to myself, pluck my eyebrows, read, colour block my wardrobe, go somewhere and be anonymous. My next rant is this... I spend all day nearly everyday hearing my name and I'm sick of it. I want a day where I don't hear it! x

Monday already....

I have acquired a new hobby! Working on my bike. The week before last I picked up a lovely vintage raleigh sapphire from Ashgate Hospice Charity Shop... For just £15, super bargain times.
BF has taken the piss a bit because I said that I was going to spend some time working on my bike this week and weekend and he wanted to know what work I was going to be doing and whether it would require any power tools or heavy equipment, suffice to say his cheekiness was met with short shrift! What I am actually going to do is raise the seat, attach my basket, when it arrives from etsy this week, put my plastic daisies round the basket, clean the bike, polish it, use that special bike de-ruster stuff and maybe look at getting some new handlebars.... If this is not working on my bike then I don't know what is! Had a good ride on it yesterday though and riding round to best friends tonight to cook her dinner because she is laid up with a bad ankle... x

So....

Tomorrow is nearly upon us, a stressful day for lots of us unfortunately. Had a bit of a breakthrough with Zoe last night, she has all this anger and love bottled up inside and she finds it hard to express it or let go if it, it's so tightly internalized that it takes so much work to actually get to the root of it. We talked properly about how she is feeling about tomorrow, the problem is that so much emphasis has been placed on the actual day but she is feeling this grief all the time, it weighs so heavy on her that it has clouded her confidence  and self worth. I tried to tell her how proud her Great Nan would be of her and that she would love the young woman she is becomming but I worry that she just doesn't believe me. Luckily she has lots and lots and lots of family and friends that love her and in turn she loves back. She has had a really hard time for the last goodness knows how many years, it's taken her a long time to find out who she really is and she is starting to really get there now, which is testament to her strong character because I'm nearly 34 and I have no idea who I am, what I want or even whether I am worth enough to get up in the morning!

She is warm, kind, loving, funny and a delight to live with, I just wish she would realise all this.

My day is stressful tomorrow because I have my trial at Debenhams and I am going to be working solidly on a comprehensive merchandising plan... I am nervous with all the ussual self doubts someone has when they are trying their hand at something they are passionate about. The old demons get into your head and make you question your talent, self worth and all the ussual suspects arise. I am on my own tonight too as BF is currently travelling down south to his gigs and Zoe is having some time with her lovely boyfriend. I will get my head into my portfoli and make sure all the t's are crossed and i's dotted, then an early night x

The Husband....

Goodness I do worry about him. Regardless of the fact that we aren't together anymore we have managed to stay friends and support each other when there have been ups and downs. It hasn't always been easy but we made a vow to each other and although the marriage didn't work out we managed to get a pretty good friendship out of it. He is a good man, you may not have always heard me say this because we did have some terrible, terrible times and being in an abusive relationship has scarred me but I have been looking into having some counselling to help me come to terms with that abuse. We bought out the worst in each other... it's that simple, alcohol was the main problem, alcohol and a clask of two strong ego's. Since splitting up neither of us has had a wonderful time of it and James is coming out of a horrible relationship right now and I am trying to support him as much as possible but I have to bite my tongue because he isn't at the stage where I can say 'Actually James, Louise is a nasty, lazy, dole scrounging, drugged up, abusive, cruel and manipulative slag'.... Awkward... So for now I will console and advise but if I ever see the skanky little whore bag I will slap her so hard she will wish she was still whoring herself out for coke!

Whoop Whoop

Confirmed with Vintage Life Magazine this morning that New House will be photographed for a feature on Vintage Homeware Collecting! The hoarding is finally paying off!

http://www.vintagelifemagazine.com/

Here is the link for the magazine if people aren't already familiar with it, it's pricey to buy but free to look at online...

My avid readers will know that I am somewhat of a coloured glass collector. I collect mainly reds and greens (pale through to dark). I also collect 1960's shot glasses and patterned glasses from that era, 1950's champagne glasses and well all the glasses I can find. My latest obsessions is shallow wine glasses with coloured stems, so pretty!

It all started with some dark red port glasses, last used as a table decoration with tea lights last Christmas. In the interview my obsession with glass is naturally going to be the main topic of discussion, plus I am to pull out 5 of my most treasured pieces. As my usual decade of choice is the 60's I am going to do it all Mad Men style and make some martini's for my guests x

Nervous

I'm so nervous about Friday, I have put in all the work but I am a quaking mess! Looking forward to having some time in Meadowhall with Best Friend after training times though. We are off to get my Matron of Honour Dress... It is a less than conventional choice but would you expect anything less, ideally I would have found something vintage but there hasn't been time to source the right thing and I am losing more weight by the day so don't want to have to bother with altering something that would be tricky to alter back so I am going off the peg courtesy of Coast... Opting for the long, black, tight dress of course! Got some lovely shoes for the wedding from Office yesterday, really beautiful detailing on the heel.
Today I've summered it up with a long, vintage Laura Ashley dress in a pale blue with white flower, along with my AA black belt (found at the weekend by BF) and black ballet pumps! Hopefully a swelter free outifit, it's bloomin' warm in this shop. Excited about birthday times as we are having a little trip away the weekend before my birthday and then I'm booked in fo tattoo times on actual birthday day... Then it's young Ms Richardson's birthday (most important day of the year) then the BF's birthday and then Best Friend's wedding... super busy times, plus new job.... AAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhh too busy x

What in the earth possessed me to move house and change job at the same time... Crazy as a cuckoo! Then we realise we don't have a proper freezer.... This doesn't bother me but I have a 16 and 17 year old to feed and I never realised how handy it was to throw a load of easy to cook things into a freezer so they can help themselves when I'm not there or cooking something with the, apparently demonic, pesto in it! How is it possible to hate pesto, pesto is ace! I may try slipping pesto into every meal I make until they all get accustomed to it's wonderful ways!

I suffered another seizure yesterday, luckily BF was there but it was so surreal. I was unconscious for about 2 mins, and fell to the ground (nice and public, Sheffield Road). We couldn't explain what had triggered this one but I didn't fit this time so not as bad as before. It's frightening when you feel like you can't control what is happening to you, it certainly makes me regret not treating my body better over the years. I am booked in for an MRA and ECG in August, it will be a relief to know what is actually going on x

Informative and quick to read

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/study-guide-art-deco/

Enter this everyone...

http://www.vam.ac.uk/users/competition/win-weekend-british-glamour/

Trip to the Nations Great Capital Soon...

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/ballgowns/

Looks like an amazing exhibition, if only it was socially acceptable to wear a ballgown everyday x

Madness

Listen...

I don't want to fight with you, this is boring. A mistake was made, I'm sorry, but there is no point to all this anymore. Yes you hate me, I don't care. Be happy in your life and enjoy it and I will do the same with mine, surely that makes the most sense. Why don't we act like adults instead of making nasty digs at each other. We both got hurt by a situation that was primarily my fault but please lets just move on from it, I know it's hard and I'm not saying lets be best friends and platt each others hair but the resentment and bitterness on both our sides is futile. I am sorry to you for what happened, I will always be sorry to you for it. I have given Zoe a home and I take good care of her, surely that makes me less of The Devil in your eyes. It's not easy to forget or forgive, I don't expect you to do either but I am apologising. I am still part of Sandra and Paula's lives and it is harder for them when we behave like this towards each other, it puts a strain on everything. Paula is my best friend so I'm not going anywhere, lets at least be civil to each other, please x

Long day

I have done so much work today, tis madness, why is it that the minute I have handed in my notice I suddenly have a new found vigour for the damn place? I can only declare myself to be a strange creature and have done with it. I keep having all these merchandising ideas and my head is all of a flutter with inspiration. I can honestly say that my creative side is fully restored and I am ready to set myself to any challenge I can get hold of. Me and Best Friend are going to get down to some serious planning and making. We are under no illusion, we know we will not be making our millions but money isn't important to me, happiness is and this is what makes me happy. Last year I left a job I loved, I don't regret leaving because I don't believe in regrets, I did the right thing at the time. I miss the people and the place and it trained me in something I have been passionate about for years. Now I am ready to embark on something similar x

Update on House Move 2012!

Well BF and Jay are doing a splendid job so far today, really don't know how I would have done it if we had left it till next weekend when BF has his two big gigs in London. Would have been lovely to go and see him and the band but I have my training on Friday afternoon and then spending some time with both the lovely Ms Richardson's. It's a very difficult time for them and also some other people who are very dear to me. I just want them to know that I will be thinking of them and hope that they find some peace in the fact that those they have lost would be very proud of them and that the love they had is still there x

Fleetwood Mac

When I was 7 years old I managed to covince my friends and myself that I had, in fact, written most of the Fleetwood Mac songs. At this time my musical education had gone from Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac through to the reign of Stevie Nicks (In my eyes the woman is now a Goddess). Myself and my sisters were blessed in the fact that both of our parents had a love of music and this was bordering on the edge of obsession by our father. Each of us has a band or even song that directly attaches us to our father for that I cannot fault him. They taught us to appreciate it what we heard and to listen to things carefully in order to gain the most from it. I am so excited to hear that Fleetwood Mac are reforming and touring next year. My last terrible, heart wrenching break up lead me to submerge myself into the album Rumours and actually a great deal of the Mac back catalogue! Sometimes I think that music is my worst enemy because it evokes memories and emotions I would rather hide from, but I suppose I am lucky that I feel something, not everyone has that.

Moving house...

Well it is nearly all done.... BF has done a marvellous job, super proud of his hard work. We have got the vintage funiture for my office and the workspace is all sorted for starting our creations. Best Friend and I are going into business together hosting vintage tea parties and renting out all our lovely homeware so we are putting together all our marketig strategies too, watch this space for your invite to the launch!
My adopted daughter Zoe is turning 18 in September, a week after I turn 21 (I wish) lots of thought has gone into birthday festivities and presents, should be a lovely occasion thoroughly celebrated in style!
Interview went amazingly yesterday, have my trial next Friday afternoon, soooooo nervous, have been working tirelessly on my portfolio and it is really coming together now but there is still far too much to put in, didn't realise how much bloomin' work I had done. The job is head visual merchandiser at the new Debenhams in Chesterfield. It is the best job opportunity I have ever had and it would be such an exciting career leap. I have done a lot of visual merchandising work before but to have the creative control of such a prestigious department store would be recognition of all the hard work I had put into my career. I know I have chosen to have love, adventures and a career rather than a family but I don't regret a single moment! x

Awkward Moment

I have just felt that surge of butterflies you only get when something truly life changing is about to happen. I have had a few jobs that have really inspired me and driven me to work hard and help forge a career for myself. My current position hasn't allowed me this luxury unfortunately..... BUT... Today I had an interview for one of my "Top Ten Dream Jobs" and I was selected for a second interview within 5 minutes of leaving the interview room. I wasn't as nervous as I would usually be, I just took it in my stride and spoke about the things in life that inspire me, designers, artists, music, books, films... how many interviews does a person get like that? Well the next part of the selection process is 10am Thursday morning so fingers crossed x

Some crazy fool!

This morning I was informed via email that someone had tried to hack my blogger account, weird x

The weirdest thing...

I haven't had any alcohol since the 29th May... People find this very strange indeed but now it feels normal not to drink. People automatically assume that the reason I'm not drinking is because I'm pregnant. I have really stopped because I wanted to and wanted to prove to myself that I didn't need to drink. I am going to start having the odd social drink in the next few months but at the moment I just don't need it in my life.

Absent

Sorry for being so unbloggy! We get the keys for our new house on Sunday and apparently this is meant to spur me into packing. Actually I have no intention of doing any packing. Instead I will firmly place myself in the integral role of Director of Operations. Surrogate teenage child (STC) and her boyfriend (STCBF) have decided to adopt the minimal approach to packing and either throw all STC's worldly belongings away, sell them or put them on the landing in the perfect spot for causing a fall down the stairs. As Director of Operations I attempted to explain that the main reasons for moving included more space, negating the necessity to minimalise! Other reasons include the fact I've got black hair dye on everything and moving house is the only way anyone is going to get me to sort out all my vintage stock. I delay this terrifying task mainly because everything is in the cupboard under the stairs, a dark dark place. An unforgiving treasure trove of madness! The surge of space at the new house is meant to rejuvenate and give me an open workroom and office fo all my future projects. The Vinatge Tea Party is back with an almighty autumnal bang but also working on some exciting plans I had long forgotten but now feel inspired to continue. Uncovering an unlikely inspiration yesterday gave me plan for the perfect Christmas gift for my quaint english living friends, gone are the shackles of the evil, overpriced and often easily replicated Kidston! We are reclaiming old and dusty as our own. Enough of all that for now....

So in charge of the physical act of packing is BF, a stalwart in my life and the person who keeps me grounded. Of course when faced with the task of packing his immediate reaction has been fear of what should happen to my glass collection in the removal process, so this has now been made removal priority. I am concerned that he is looking forward to seeing it leave current house and is in fact hoping it somehow gets lost in transit between Shirland Street and Albion Road. AWKWARD! Well if that should happen then I will merely have to take my rage out on Bass Guitar, Double Bass and The Kittens!

Another key element of moving house is a discussion on the purchasing of a new bed, something that is taking a great deal of research as I want vintage french and BF wants goodness knows what!

For now I will continue my trawl of ebay...
x

Nervous....

I'm getting so nervous about my interview. The job would be an amazing opportunity and it will give me such a chance to explore creativity within fashion. I love merchandising and the scope within such an established company makes me feel sick with anticipation.  I think I deserve a bit of good luck after how awful 2012 has been so far. I will also be able to carry on doing my stall and working towards all my other plans whilst doing the job so it will be thumbs up all round if I get it. Now I have my vintage Chanel bag as a good luck too x

Not very well

I'm writing this whilst waiting to be collected from work because I collapsed... Had to do something to distract myself fom the worry.I've not been eating much and have been stressed so think that's what may have caused it but going to the doctor's just in case because I also haven't had my cancer cell check up for a while so need to be more cautious about that. I really don't feel like I'm myself at the moment and I am really really struggling to get up and about. The bf is being kind and caring but I am super scared that there is more going on than I have been thinking x

It is so strange that the weather is so autumnal this week. It makes me feel like it's nearly my birthday! Awkward! I am not looking forward to turning 34 at all, tres vile. Apparently I look somewhere between 23 and 27 but I'm not convinced, if I have managed to maintain the illusion of youth I am sure that the picture in my attic is looking awful right now. I am re-reading 'On the Road' trying to re-establish some beat mentality in my mind. I have deliberately lead my life as carefree and devoid of responsibility as possible but the last year has seen a change. I don't know, you go through life and pick up people along the way, some stay some go but I suppose the important thing is to maintain a sense of character and will. This time last week I fully intended to withdraw my life savings and run far far far far far away (Barcelona, Paris, Florence, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, New York... the list goes on...) and see if I could clear my head of the past. Today, reading, I realised that my past will define me and whatever I decide to do in the future and actually I don't mind that anymore, a person's past is there's to keep and I like having those memories safely locked away. I am not a great one for platitudes, I truly believe that people use them when they can't find the words to express themselves, or maybe as a tool to hurt someone in a passive aggressive manner... From this day forward I will say exactly what I mean, when I mean and to whom I mean it! x

Hey there

What a couple of weeks, I am ok though, ha ha given up drinking (possibly for good, maybe just for a while), I've lost over a stone and gained some insight and clarity. I have been pushed and pulled and messed around and do you know something I have come out of it knowing exactly what I want and what I'm willing to do to get it. I need some piece of mind and I feel like I've grown up in the last few days. I'm not a silly little girl and I don't need saving or looking after, I want love and I want to live my life without constaint or obligation. So I am toughening up, laying my cards on the table and doing exactly what I want to do fom now on.... x

Advantage In Vintage: It's pre 1940s week for Advantage In Vintage

Advantage In Vintage: It's pre 1940s week for Advantage In Vintage: So, As I've mentioned on here before I am currently saving up for my really rather expensive masters course at RCA (History of design if you...

80's Prom Dress

Today I have gone for a rara skirted navy and white polka dot prom dress... some may think this to be a controversial choice because I merely manage a charity shop but it's one of my wardrobe staples! I've dressed it down with my snakeskin cream flats and my new fox necklace! Simple 1950's longline bra in a coffee beige and matching knickers, it's one of my favourite outfits now! If I'm dressing it up I team it with a black or cream tulle skirt, red lips, a skinny black belt, black hold ups and some heels! x

Bringing Back the 90's....

Yesterday I tried to bring back the 90's by donning a long floral dress and my chery red dm's... I listened to The Pixies, The Replacements, Pearl Jam, Singles soundtrack and the Reality Bites soundtrack!

Summer appears to be here!

It was so lovely getting ready for work this morning and not having to worry about having to keep wrapped up or dry! I've opted for a long navy, silk, pleated skirt, a cream camisole and my cream and snakeskin flats.
x

Colours

Colours by thevintagecause featuring a shell jacket

Closet open back dress
£15 - fashionunion.com

Gestuz shell jacket
£55 - flannelsfashion.com

Christian Louboutin shoes
$1,095 - christianlouboutin.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors michael kors handbag
$498 - cusp.com

The Beehive Bakery: The Origins of Northern Soul

The Beehive Bakery: The Origins of Northern Soul: Would be interested to hear anyones thoughts.... The phenomenon known today as 'Northern Soul' was originally a mixture of many things. It...

August 1940s Weekend | Crich Tramway Village

August 1940s Weekend | Crich Tramway Village

Rock and Roll Weekend | Crich Tramway Village

Rock and Roll Weekend | Crich Tramway Village

Advantage In Vintage: Adding yet more Horrockses to the collection!

Advantage In Vintage: Adding yet more Horrockses to the collection!: Many people know that I have a huge obsession with the brand Horrockses and in the past month or so I have added another 5 to the ever exp...

Zoe

I am filled with pride at the moment for this little lady. She started living with me in January and truth be told I wasn't sure whether it would work or not but I think we both knew that there was no harm in trying. I have known Zoe for about 10 years and unfortunately those 10 years haven't been the best she could have had. She has lots of battle scars and doubts about herself that I sometimes think run so deep she might let them anchor her and stop her from moving on. Everyday I spend even slightly in her company I see what a wonderful person she is, She sparkles, literally glows. Eve Arnold once commented that when she photographed Marilyn Monroe she would appear to have this glow about her, her pale skin and downy hair were predominately the cause of this but there was also a deeper magic that no matter how much the world around her would tarnish the spirit the magic would fight through. Zoe has this same glow. I catch her on odd occasions where the armour is down and she shares her fears and in those moments you can see all her ghosts. It is a strange situation to find yourself all of a sudden with a teenager, but she is more adultlike than I would have ever anticipated. I know she worries about her future and whether she can achieve the goals she has and I try to reassure her but in uncertain times for everyone it is hard to convince a 17 year old that the world is her oyster. She has started her training for work today and she was nervous but a year ago she would have found a way of getting out of going but this morning she was up at the crack of dawn getting ready. I hope she know's deep down how much everyone loves her and worries about her.

Saw this and thought of you x

To catch a husband is an art; to hold him is a job.
Simone de Beauvoir

Today

Someone said something to me today that I really never expected them to say. It threw me straight away, took my breath away and made eveything seem different. I don't know why it shocked me so much but I have to say it has truly surprised the skin off me. Sometimes you think you have the measure of a man and then they say something that makes everything go topsy turvy, your head goes dizzy and you lose all power of rational thought. The blood rushes fom your head to your heart and you forget yourself for that moment. The certain thing said would have seemed very insignificant to anyone else but not to me.

Preaching to the Converted

Glorifying the ’50s Housewife & The Rise of Cath Kidston

By Cate Sevilla

Whether or not Cath Kidston’s florals and polka dots make you want to vom or squee with joy, there’s no denying Kidston’s success in the recession, and as a business woman in general.
The Guardian have a lovely little feature on Kidston, describing how after being diagnosed with Breast Cancer, Kidston quit the interior design business and started up what we know now as Cath Kidston Inc.
Her rose bud ironing boards and baby blue tea cosies have seen her sales increase from last year's £19.2m to £31.3m, and while entire chains like Woolworths are closing down, Kidston is still opening stores.
So what is Kidston doing right, that everyone else is doing wrong?
Apparently it’s a combination of nostalgia and the fact that since millions of people can’t exactly sell their homes, they’re trying to make the best of their domains. And what better way to do that than throw up some polka dot bunting and dress yourself in a floral house coat, I mean frock.
But mixed in with the nostalgia and the reality of being stuck in your too small flat that just won’t sell...there’s something else.
Zoe Wood explains that Kidston’s popularity also stems from the fad of women embracing the image of the '50s housewife:

“...celebrating baking, afternoon tea and knitting, have become addictive for a generation of women whose busy working and home lives have led them to idealise rather than practise domesticity. “

Between all of us at BitchBuzz, we’re obviously not adverse to baking, knitting and do tend to love us some Kidston . However, you have to wonder where all this came from. Why are women loving this stuff again? Or did it ever go away?
I suppose a lot of it is just liking what you want to like.
We’re not afraid of liking things that aren’t “feminist enough”. In some cases,  a lot of strong, independent women loving corsets and all things domestic is a raised middle finger in the direction of the 2nd wavers.
“See? I can be a feminist and bake a casserole for my boyfriend at the same time!”
But with all those "vintage” dresses, £10 pearls, love of cupcakes and tea and the illusion that we all only care about nomming on baked goods and looking retro-tastic and pretty...it get’s pretty confusing.
Is it silly and frivolous or ironic? Is it genuine or just a simple passing fad?
Even I’m confused by it.
While I do drool over a lot of bits and bobs I see in Cath Kidston’s shops – I suppose the way I feel about Kidston is similar to the way I feel about fairy cakes and girly cocktails.
Individually, I like it. Different pieces, whether it be a Kidston polka dot wallet or 1920s tea party in Covent Garden, it’s fun. But when I look at Kidston’s collections as a whole, my eyes bleed a little. Just as this subsequent movement of faux nostalgic “let’s bake and drink tea and go vintage shopping and then bake some more” makes my brain haemorrhage.
When it’s all mashed together, it just doesn’t seem authentic and/or tolerable.
I’m not saying that people who like to knit or crochet and bake and enjoy their afternoon tea in a  Kidston tea cup aren’t genuine.
 What I am saying, is that mixed all together, it’s a bit overkill, isn’t it?
Everything in moderation...
Just as Albert Wolsky advised that when it comes to '50s fashion that: “One should not overdo it.  It's very easy to slide into total costume." The same should be said of our apparent love of florals, nostalgia, and glorification of the ‘50s housewife.
I suppose I’m just more of Coco’s “simple elegance” school of thought. I believe that too much of a good thing makes you sick. I like to save my Vivienne of Holloway dress for special occasions and my cupcake baking for when I’m going to a dinner party.
Otherwise, I’d just feel like a try-too-hard Stepford Wife, high on icing sugar, and low on noughties realism.

POSTED IN: LIFE

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:24 (GMT+00

Read more: http://life.bitchbuzz.com/glorifying-the-50-housewife-the-rise-of-cath.html#ixzz1sgLaL5vH

Goosebumps

Goose bumps on a person's body

Goose bumps, also called goose flesh, goose pimples, chill bumps, chicken skin, funky spots, Dasler Bumps, chicken bumps, people bumps, or the medical term cutis anserina, are the bumps on a person's skin at the base of body hairs which may involuntarily develop when a person is cold or experiences strong emotions such as fear, nostalgia, pleasure, awe, admiration and sexual arousal.^[1]

I get a kick out of you...

When you have a shop you inevitably get regular customers... Now this can be annoying but also it can be comforting. When you manage a charity shop you get a very ecclectic range of customers. This week I've had some very strage experiences that have really affected me. On Tuesday it was my first day back at work after a lovely little break from work and I was feeling fragile... So I put my Ella Fitgerald cd on and submerged myself into a large black coffee and my misery (standard Tuesday). Then this lovely lady comes in for a browse and to escape the horrid rain that was soaking everyone in Sheffield. She started lightly humming along to the music and then came over to the counter and proceeded to tell me about her husband passing away late last year after 52 years of marriage. Ella Fitgerald was his favourite singer and she said it gave her so much comfort to hear it now. She said initially the memories attached to it hurt too much but now she could hear him telling her to enjoy the music and think of him. I made us both a cup of tea because we were both on the verge of tears and then settled down and just had a natter. When she left all I could think about was how much she had treasured those 52 years and she said they had both been married before and they said there life started all over again when they found each other. It was all too romantic and full of love and hope that I couldn't not share it x

Race for Life

Well I'm all entered for the Race for Life on the 17th June. I'm doing the 5k but wish there was a 10k so I could really push myself. I am starting training propely next week. I will am going to carry on running 3 times a week for the first 2 weeks then up it to 4. I need to start accurately measuring my distance but I nomally do 3 miles when I'm limited to how much time I have. As from next Monday I am going to stop drinking during the week (except for special circumstances, which incidentally, doesn't include a bad day at work. 2 days a week I am going to run before work and 2 days I will run after. I'm also going to get my once a week swim in somewhere fom then. I love swimming so much and just want to get back into the routine of going, have a lovely vintage swimsuit to wear that is actually far more practical than any modern bathing suit I've ever seen. All of this, along with work and my lovely market stall will keep me super busy and distracted from all affairs of the heart and hard times in the life of me! Excellent news I'm sure you will agree. My reason's for running are the normal run of the mill but important to me, reasons. Out of respect and love for my grandparents and also because of my cancer scare. I will post the link for sponsorship so please sponsor me if you can xx

Tracey Thorn

The best place to be in love is in a movie

Romance.... the lost art x

Onwards and upwards

I must take charge of things and make better, well thought out choices. At the moment my head is all over the place and I may not be thinking my decisions through carefully enough. I act impulsively and sometimes running away from things seem the best course of action but life never really alters as dramatically as I expect it too. People let you down (fact) and hurt you (superfact) and often it feels that escaping them and all that surrounds you will give you the best protection. Maybe it does in the short term but long term those deep seated feelings, problems and issues will still be there. Traditionally I run to the hills the minute things don't go the way I want or expect them to. I feel like doing that right now, this very minute but I have anchors that are stopping me. This is the first time in my life that I have stopped and considered my actions, considered the impact of me running away on others. I would love a crystal ball so I would know if the promises made to me were true, if things really are going to get better!

Well hello there

Good Morning! I've been a bit busy recently so not been able to get on here as much. Market times have been really good recently, the good weather helps, plus an influx of wonderful linens and vintgae fabrics has given The Vintage Cause a good boost in sales. The regular pitch helps of course, a godsend! I'm super looking foward to my break away next weekend, the thrill of not having to get up at 6:20 6 mornings a week is the most wonderful part.

So i've been doing some research into the vintage underwear recently. When explaining to customers why I never get larger sized clothes in I have to explain that this is partly due to the change in womens shapes over the years, waists aren't always as nipped in as they used to be. The biggest impact though is the underwear we where. I try to wear vintage bra's or vintage inspired underwear as much as possible because it gives a smoother shape under garments and is more flattering to my squidgy body. It isn't always easy to find the right cup size though, D or DD, but there are some wonderful vintage inspired ranges that cater for bigger boobs, What Katie Did, Stockings and Romance to name a couple.

Here are some pics of my fave things!