What Success feels like - and a dress

Thank you so much to those that commented and sent their support after last weeks post. I really appreciated the feedback. I think it is good to say "things are difficult for me right now" so that other people also realise that life is not a Coke ad for anyone, even people in bloggerspace. 

Mr Heyday and I are really self sufficient emotionally, having been through a lot together. This recent house buying mission and dealing with our lousy solicitor really did me in though. When the person who is supposed to be helping you doesn't return calls or emails, and doesn't do the paperwork she needs to do in a timely fashion and then lies about it, blaming everyone from the agent to the vendors, their solicitors, the vendors vendors, our lenders, even her email system ("Really, down for SEVEN days? You don't say! What decade is it again?"). The saga was ridiculous and we were powerless - sort of like an abusive relationship, once you realise, you've already waded into the deep end and your swim wings are a long way away.

The agent kinda gave up at one stage and developed a special laugh instead - poor guy. Shall I name and shame her once it is all done? I'm very tempted. We will definitely be talking to the ombudsman and leaving some truthful reviews online to save anyone else the stress we have gone through.

Anyway, on Friday, we finally had a break-through and exchanged on the house. This felt like passing the finish line of a marathon. I was so thrilled, pleased and excited I could hardly talk straight! We took some champagne to dancing to celebrate with and we I got a bit tipsy and quickly became a menace on the dance floor. A menace that just didn't care anymore... "Hi, would you like to dance? Only, I might be hard to steer right now".  Hats off to the brave leads that just laughed and carried on.

Valentines dress made from an Anne Adams pattern

I wore a dress that I made last year for Valentines and then didn't wear, so it is the sewing version of "one I made earlier". It is entirely made from The Stash so didn't cost anything* either. 

I omitted the back tie, because they always seem little girly for someone with boobs as big as mine, and they hide the curve of the lower back.

LOVE the old envelopes that patterns were sent in, but the lack of a date on the stamp is infuriating

I made the pockets bigger because they were a silly kind of small but kept their original shape, since it is, you know, vintage and one wants to be authentic. But I wish I had changed that too, as they are hearts gone wrong and for no good reason except for someone made them that way 70 years ago. 

Easy up do

I was very happy with it, although found at the end of the night that my petticoat had inched its way up and was wrapped around my hips. I must have looked all kinds of odd.

a close up of the print aka my bottom. That is what happens when Hubby is a bit bored and waiting to take pictures. I nearly didn't include it, but hey, you might as well know what mischief I put up with

All up, it has been a good week and by the end of today we will have the KEYS TO OUR OWN HOUSE! 

Moving tips and ideas all welcome!

Shona x

*except it's initial cost plus storage for 3..4... maybe 8 years

Bling Bits and Dancing

Last Thursday Mr Wolf and I went with a bunch of dancing friends to the International Ballroom Dance Championships at the historic Royal Albert Hall. It was the 59th (!) year it was held there.

First up - what does one wear? It is absolutely impossible to arrive overdressed at such an event, unless you happen to have a barrel of swarzkofski crystals and oystrich feathers you can dunk yourself into. A lot of people come straight from work, so the audience is just in "whatever". But me, well, I am, (as you might be aware) never KNOWINGLY under-dressed. To bridge the comfort + dressy gap I decided to glam up one of my Mary dresses with a couple of bling bits (bought in the States, not vintage). They are just brooches, and in a flash of inspiration I picked up two, not just one, to act as dress clips.

The effect was really very good, considering three ladies stopped me to ask where I got my outfit! Now, I know the dress is my design and all, but really, the effect of two cheap modern pins would work the same on any plain dress. Perfect for desk-to-date days and light weight holiday packing too.

The event, which was compared by a friend of mine (name dropper me!) Karen Hardy of Strictly Come Dancing fame was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. And that was just the outfits! Of course, they are not vintage - but "vintage" includes being obsessed with a darn good dress. Which I am.

Of course I took about a gazillion photos, and here are just a few. (sorry, some are a bit fuzzy, they moved a bit fast for my camera at a distance in the dark)

Weee!...Cinderella moment

Stunning colours in the heats

This lady was one of my faves of the latin finals, probably mostly because of her Marilyn-esque hair

This Danish couple won the Professional Ballroom division. And she got my vote for best dressed too.

If you have a young daughter I bet she would LOVE this type of event. Maybe not this particular one as it is long and runs late, although there was one tweeny in our row who was completely transfixed.

The men though, well, as nice as they are, I do prefer mine a bit rougher and hairier. Just as well huh?

Rocket Girl

Hello all you lovelies out there
Last weekend we were trading at the Hemsby Rock and Roll Weekender  and I just gotta say - weekenders tire me out! Oh man, I always start the week like death warmed up!  It might be the 3 days standing and talking, it might be the early dash to the Hemsby car boot on the Sunday, or it might just be that this is the last in a long run of events/trips/outings and it has taken a toll.

Fellow stallholders, Rocket Originals were there as always, and I treated myself to a couple of their jumpers for my early autumn wardrobe.  This is the first one to show you - The lovely Red with Ivory jumper.  Now, being a big busted girl (and "big" is a, ah-hem... polite understatement) you would think that a high neck sweater would make me look even more dumpy/frumpy and made of 95% boobage. But I have discovered that as long as it isn't chocker-high neck, and if the colour on the shoulders is lighter than the rest of the body, it actually does me some favours! I happen to be very narrow in the shoulders, so much so that I have learnt  never to buy shoulder bags with two straps as I can never keep the second strap on.  So the shoulder widening illusion created by the lighter colour, combined with the darker colour over the boobs balances me out.
The skirt I am wearing is the one from Heyday's Wartime suit.  I have found it invaluable in this warm but autumn weather - so easy to wear, doesn't crease, comfy, and, you know.. slims and skims the lumpy bits. I imagine it will be just as useful in springtime with or without the jacket.



So, back to telling you about Rocket Originals...I also  picked up a bit of HOT shoe news for you, Rocket are about to bring out their "Nancy" sandal (above) in a lovely dark green. Ohhhh! - can't wait! This shoe has got to be their comfiest yet and as I completely thrashed my white pair this summer, I have also picked up the red pair too as you can see. Already having two colours of the same shoe won't stop me as being a red head I have lots of outfits that will go with green shoes. Indeed, florals always seem to go well with green - Mother Nature being the queen goddess of design and all that!


Back soon with more vintage adventures,
Shona