Off with the collar and cuffs

Hello!
This was the post I had lined up before one cycle trip, a coffee and a cat took precedence, hey sometimes life gets in the way of blogging!
One day a while ago I got an email from a blog friend Mel she was in Belfast for the day and had a surprise parcel for me. I arrived home to find a parcel on the doorstep inside the brightest yellow 1970's dress and a note from Mel saying that she thought this dress was made for me! Mel was right I love this dress, the shape and colour are perfect and I love the checked fabric detail however I had issues with the collar. Maybe it's because I have short hair but the collars did not look right on me. So after altering the dress to fit my size I decided to remove the collar and cuffs, and I love it even more now and feel much more comfortable wearing it! Thank you so much Mel for this gorgeous dress! It will be loved and worn forever more and that's the joy of vintage!

On the subject of vintage fashion, Channel 4's programme This Old Thing hosted by Dawn O'Porter, all you vintage fashion lovers are you watching? Dawn's wardrobe for the show is divine I can't argue with that but  I would have liked to see some real life vintage wearing people like Vix or Curtise grace the screens, maybe next time channel 4 you'll feature vintage lovers not haters.

Have a great week everyone xxxx

What Martha Wore

Hello!
A quick break from the glorious sunshine to show you some cute photos of Martha in two of the new dresses I made for her. Photos are by Martha's mummy, my photographer friend Kat. I forgot how tiny Martha is! The dresses are a little big for her but I think she wears them well! She's TOO cute! Check out those freckles

 Check out the rest of the pictures Kat took here

Have a great week everyone xxxx

Martha's Vintage Summer Collection

Hello!
It's been a while since I made any dresses for my friend's little girl Martha. When Kat couldn't find anything in the shops that she liked she asked if I could make some dresses from my vintage fabric hoard that Martha could wear on her holidays. I had a rummage and found five fabrics that I couldn't wait to sew up, I adjusted my pattern by drawing out a larger version. My first attempt at putting in a zip didn't go so well, it's been too long but by dress number five I'd got the knack. Two duvet covers, two tablecloths and a bedspread have become Martha's vintage summer collection! Every spare minute this week has been spent sewing, I can't wait to see Miss Martha wearing her new summer gear!

My favourite has to be the yellow one, the fabric came from a bedspread, I've used it here for a giant lampshade makeover and here for a cushion, I LOVE the colours and pattern of this fabric.
I just discovered another local blogger Grace from Sew and So Forth, check out her blog here
Next on the sewing agenda are some new cushions for Bob's house. Bob has been in hospital for a week after an accident, she spilt a teapot full of water over her legs. Poor Bob! I can't wait until she is better.

Hope you're all having a great week?
Any sewing projects on he go? xxxxx

Hearts and Flowers

Hello!
Back to porridge today after a lovely St Patrick's weekend, it was nice to be off for three days and to get out for a big walk in the forest, enjoy the first picnic of the year and spend fun afternoon thrifting with the big lad in the charity shops of Ballymena.
I bought this dress from the Hope Charity shop in  Lurgan on a recent day out with my mum and dad. The dress was a few sizes to big, I tried it on in the freezing cold changing room anyway because I loved the floral pattern, I thought it would be a simple enough job to alter this dress. I roped sister bob into pinning the dress then I sewed up the sides and took the hem up by a few inches.

Boiiinng!

Have a great week everyone xxx

As the light faded

Hello!
It's my first week in my new job and I'm starting to get used to the early starts and new routine. It's a big change for me and being the new girl for the first time in twelve years is strange but I like it! My new years mantra at the start of this year was to embrace change, the change has finally happened and I'm embracing it with a massive bear hug!
On the way to the wedding reception last Wednesday we stopped for a quick photo as the light was fading....

Bob in black

And me looking like I need a wee

 Apparently Fridays are the busiest in my new work so I figure if I can make it through Friday then I should be ok, wish me luck!
Ps, check out the point on my dads winkle pickers! you could put your eye out with thon boots! I wonder where I get my style from ; )

Hope you're all having a great week xx

Lolas Vintage Rag and Bone

Hello!
Every Sunday from 11 til 3 the girls from Lola's Vintage are setting up shop in Made in Belfast (the one near City Hall) If you ever wanted a vintage Christmas jumper, you'll definitely find one here, loads of skirts and fab jackets too. Lola's Vintage also hold a brilliant kilo sale, wether you're a student on a tight budget or just prefer a more ethical approach to fashion you'll love this, it's a bit like a treasure hunt with a nail biting weigh in at the end. The next kilo sale is Saturday the 7th December in the Black Box, if you haven't been before I recommend you get there early! Here's what to expect...
-The black box filled with rails and rails of vintage clothes
-Scales instead of a price tag
-1kg for £20 (average is 3-5 items!)
-DJ and drinks thrown into the mix

Coats, boots and a bag OH MY!

Hello!
My sisters and I did all the charity shops in Portadown when were down at Country comes to town last weekend, and as luck would have it I found not one but three amazing coats, a pair of boots and a new brown bag ! All delighted with my purchases, we headed to the park for a little photo shoot....

Sister Bob, roped into being photographer

Chocolate brown Dorene velvet jacket from Save the Children

Woolea sheepskin jacket from Oxfam, I nabbed it off the mannequin and left her nude

Miss Dannimac rain mac from Save the Children, bargain of the day ONLY five of my hard earned pounds

Mink Bally boots from War on Want (Belfast)

Brown bag Cancer Research

 After this little shopping spree, I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic........nuff said

Hope you're all having a great week!