Breaking the habit & learning to let go

A stop and start spring has taken a big leap into summer over the past few days and I'm keeping my fingers crossed this is a wee taster of what's to come.

It's been two years since I last wore this funky 70s frock & I'm just sitting here wondering why that is?! I love the amazing trippy print and the gorgeous colours. Here's the last time it had a proper outing...

It was my pressie to myself when I quit working at The Lamb and Flag when it was taken over by Fullers. They did offer me a job under the new management but with reduced pay, less perks and an enforced dress-code, I told them where to stick it.

The fabric to the top part of the frock is a little bit on the sheer side, hence me teaming it with my trusty waistcoats in both the get-ups. 

The waistcoat I'm wearing today is a traditional Austrian one that I snapped up from a charity shop several years ago, it's got a great fitted shape, the embroidery is stunning and even the buttons are brilliant.

I think that frocks and waistcoats were made for each other.

My suede waistcoat (that I wear all the blooming time) was bought from a vintage seller friend of mine.

 After I quit the pub two years ago, I undertook one almighty life laundry but I realize now that it wasn't severe enough. 

 We've still got too much stuff hanging about, so it is time for 'Life Laundry 2' and this time I mean business. No more hanging onto things that I know I'll never use, wear or look at again...be gone clutter, be gone!

So it would be lovely if the sun could stick around for a while so that I can use the balcony for sorting stuff out. I attacked a few boxes earlier that had been gathering dust under the daybed for past two years since I last went through them and that yielded a bin bag full of stuff and it also resulted in me getting sunburn on my shoulders and knees, I won't forget the factor 50 tomorrow ;)

I'll leave you with a few pics that I snapped in the park earlier of the growing goslings, look how their flight feathers are starting to peek through the fluffy down :)

So gorgeous!

To play us out here's Linkin Park, enjoy :)

Hope you are all doing grand peeps.

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Happy Happy Happy

 My love for a Russian scarf print is well catered for in the fabulous frock that I'm wearing today. I bought it last year from a car boot sale and it was going cheap cause the elastic around the neckline was completely knackered. No bother for the likes of me, I've got elastic coming out of my ears. I also have an Everest like mending pile so it took me quite some time to actually get around to fixing it. Over the past few days I have made a brave attack on said pile and am happy to announce that it does no longer rivals The Shard.

 The frock is labelled Tootique and I think it's probably from the 70s.

 Check out the voluminous sleeves and the newly elasticated neckline ;)

70s scarf print frock, 70s jacket, 80s boots, soap stone & macrame earrings and handmade Turkish necklace.

The Egyptian geese appeared with their brood yesterday, they are so adorable. I just wish I could scoop them all up and keep them safe from crows and herons that like nothing better than to snack on a these little fellows. The parents do their level best to keep predators away but crows are persistent and cunning.

I'd better hit the hay as it's getting rather late and I've got a big day tomorrow...

The Dandy Lion Market will be celebrating its second anniversary today and it's going to be blooming grand. I'll be there with a rail full of fabulous & fun  frockery.

Here's Stevie to sing a happy ditty to make us all smile, enjoy :)

...and just because I love you all and want you to be extra happy this weekend here's another happy tune for your listening pleasure...

I wish you all a brilliant weekend :)

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Bring It On Home

I bought the frock that I am wearing today from Myrorna in Orebro a couple of years ago when I was visiting my folks in Sweden. The rose print reminded me of a huge Russian shawl that my mum had in the late 70s and that I used to pinch to play dress-up with. The maker of the frock is unknown but there is a label that reads 'Made in England' so I guess you could say that I brought it back home in more ways than one.

70s gypsy dress, 80s boots, 90s Moschino denim jacket, tights & necklace all second hand.

This Saturday Frocktasia will be peddling vintage and retro threads at The Dandy Lion Market again. This will be my forth time but the market itself will be celebrating its second birthday, hipp hipp huzzah!

If you haven't been yet then this will truly be a brilliant month to visit as Leslie's got a few surprises in store as well as another wicked line-up of fabulous sellers, you can check out the trader features on the FB page if you so wish.

Here's a sneak peek of  the cracking clobber Frocktasia will be bringing along on the day...

I will be bringing a few more bits but as Mark is working the weekend I've really made an effort not to overload as I'll be carting the stuff myself on Saturday morning. My small selection of menswear will be coming along too. Guys shirts with loud prints seem to be a winner at The Dandy.

What happened to the glorious weather, eh!

Can we have it back please?

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Easy does it

Yesterday Frocktasia did yet another Can't Buy Me Love jumble at The Boogaloo. 

I brought a bargain rail  this time around and sold quite a few garments despite it being a little bit of a quiet one. Items priced at a fiver or less seems to be a successful formula at this particular venue, it is billed as a jumble after all. I also tried out a few random items that I haven't brought before, bundles of vintage & retro fabric, a few issues of 'Vanity Fair' from the early 90s and packets of vintage stockings. I was surprised that no one snapped up the two psychedelic print sundresses, maybe it was because there was a bit of a glut of funky clothing?!

I had a vision in my head of a funky chick rocking these teamed with a floppy hat and wellies at a festival this summer. I guess there's still time for them to be snapped up :)

I'm getting so much better at prepping for my markets now. It hardly takes any time at all for us to set up the pitch and at the end of the day we are usually packed up and ready to roll out of the venue in less than twenty minutes. I always do all the laborious stuff at home such as pricing and sticking stuff on hangers. So when we get to the venue it is just a case of quickly unpacking everything & hanging it straight onto the rail. I even prepare my display table at home so that I know exactly what I'm doing on the day and don't have to faff about & worry about presentation.

I had a couple of fabulous visitors yesterday :)

Lovely Jo from Joyatri's Adventures in Vintage popped in for a little browse and a chat. She lives in the US but intermittently comes over to stay here with her English boyfriend. When in the US she runs her Joyatri shop on etsy where she sells vintage items, clothing and crafting materials. If they were giving out prizes for best dressed CBML customer of the day then Jo would win hands down, just look at that fabulous feast-for-the-eyes maxi frock she was wearing...

My lovely Leslie and Aiden also popped by and stayed for the rest of the afternoon, we had beers and chatted about films. I said "don't ever ask me to be in your pub quiz team cause I know nothing about films" to which Aiden responded "great then you can be the bar runner"...every cloud has a silver lining, eh ;) 

Aiden then very kindly gave us a lift home and collected a barrow full of brownie points yet again, he's a gem of a man so he is. Leslie stayed for a spot of din-dins, vino and a two hour long Led Zeppelin concert on YouTube before heading back home.

Today the sun shone on our poor pasty white bodies and there was much rejoicing :)

 We went to the park, lazed about on a blanket and drank 2.8% Carling Zest.
I really love how there seems to be a lot more choice in the low-alcohol range now, gone are the days of "Kaliber or Cola?".

Tomorrow I'll be starting the preparations for next Saturday's Dandy :)

Right now I'm going for a late evening soak before jumping into bed after what has been an indulgently lazy day, blooming marvelous!

Hope you have all been taking it easy this weekend and feel ready to face the week ahead.

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Peekaboo spring & Wig Wednesday

I bought the vintage-inspired frock that I am wearing today from a car boot sale, it's labelled Monsoon Fusion.

I've never bought anything new from Monsoon, come to think of it I can't even remember ever going into one of their shops. That's not to say I don't like the look of their clothes cause I do, it's just that their prices have always been a little bit prohibitive for the likes of me. Thank goodness for second hand :)

The Monsoon signature style is very folk-inspired often with embroidery and embellishment, what's not to love?!

Labelled UK18 it's way too big for me in the chest region but when teamed with my trusty suede waistcoat, no problem :)

Spring is still playing peekaboo hence the tights and boots. I was actually regretting not putting on a jacket, it was a wee bit chilly today....bonkers!

The Rhododendron is now in full bloom, I'll give it one more week before moving on to another backdrop. It is very beautiful, the flower clusters are reminiscent of those fabulous vintage petal swimming caps.

I bought a "new" pair of sunnies from the car boot sale yesterday, check these bad boys out...

They are from last years MauStein x Asos colab collection. Sunnies in this collection retailed from £45 to £70 a pair, I paid 50p for mine.

Whilst on the subject of collaborations...

When I met Sam, the founder and amazing driving force behind Tangled Wigs at the last Dandy Lion Market, she asked me if I'd be interested in taking part in an event that she was planning for Wig Wednesday on behalf on CLIC sargent cancer charity.

Charity fundraiser, wigs, frocks, hair- and make-up professionals, music, cocktails and the dolly box...of course I want to take part, I mean who wouldn't?!

You can get in on the action too by popping down to Barrio East, 141-143 Shoreditch High Street tomorrow Wednesday the 22nd May from 5.30pm until 11pm. You will be able to raid my awesome Barbie themed rail, try on a wig and have it professionally styled, there's even a professional make-up artist there to make you look even more beautiful than you already are. After all the primping and preening you also get to step into the dolly box to get some photographic evidence of your fabulousness...

I know it's Wednesday and apparently we shouldn't have fun on a school night but rip up the rule book for once and come down and grab a cocktail or five, this is going to be a hoot and a half and what more it is for a darn good cause :)

Huzzah for Wig Wednesday!

Hope you are all doing great peeps :)

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Love is stronger than death

After we returned from Scotland a few weeks back we resumed our daily jaunts up to the park. Sadly the condition of Lilo the goose (the angel-winged bird that we had been feeding throughout the winter months) had deteriorated drastically during our week away. Needless to say I logged another query with the RSPCA and also contacted a local wildlife rescue center for advice. They told me that if I could bring Lilo in they would get their vet to treat her and then re-home her with a wildfowl sanctuary. I spent a sleepless night going over in my head how I would borrow my neighbours pet carrier, catch Lilo, jump in a taxi and whisk her off to the wildlife rescue center. However it wasn't to be, we made several trips up to the park loaded with seeds, water, blanket and a pet carrier but we never saw little Lilo again.

I don't like to think that she's gone from this world, she was a tough cookie and despite her handicap she survived a particularly grueling winter. I hope that someone else contacted RSPCA and got them to act on the query, or that somebody did what I was planning to do and took her to a vet or a rescue center.  Mark & I were by no means the only people that looked out for her, she had stolen many hearts in the park, so maybe one of those other people came to her rescue. It's a hopeful thought that makes me happy and one that I think is worth clinging onto.

I just have to sing the praises of a dude on youtube called Scott Coddington, he catches geese by hand and removes fishing line that has been tangled around their legs or captures injured geese to take to the vet. He's amazing. Here are two of his youtube clips...

What an absolute gem of a man, he deserves a medal for his kindness.

Despite Lilo not being there anymore we still make our jaunts to the park.

It may sound all hippy-dippy but our little daily park stroll and wildfowl interaction restores my inner peace.

Speaking of hippy, how do you like my hand knitted poncho?!

No, I didn't knit it myself, I'm absolutely useless with knitting or crochet needles. It was bought from a charity shop a few years ago and it has a rather sweet label that reads "From fleece to finish by Norma McCall". The yarn that Norma used/made is absolutely amazing, the colours are like a rainbow of mottled pastels.

I've actually nicked a dress off the Frocktasia rail today, isn't she a beauty?!

It's an Afghan frock that has been shortened. Most of these dresses reach well below the knees but I think this is a far better length for let say a muddy summer festival, would look swell with the quintessential wellies too. This frock will be back on the rail for my next market.

Hand-knitted poncho, Afghan dress, layered tights, 70s boots, Balinese earrings that were a gift from gorgeous Vix

This is my friend Mr Grey...

We hit it off straight away when I told him that I'm not a fan of North Face. He is so incredibly gentle when he eats the seed out of my hand and he even lets me stroke his chest from time to time.

Mr & Mrs Grey only have one little gosling...

A week ago there was a pair of Canada geese with ten goslings but apparently this breed of geese are well known for forming gosling creches. From what I've seen the average gosling number to a pair is around three. These three get a daily dose of healthy seed from us, with any luck it will prevent them from getting angel wing in the future.

The ferocious winds that have been battering London over the past few days have finally abated but it looks as if the blanket cloud cover is here to stay for a wee while longer.
The sun will find a way to break through eventually and when it does I shall be ready with my picnic basket and barefeet...there's a patch of grass underneath a blossoming lilac tree in the park with my name written all over it ;)
Here is 'The The' to sing us out with their beautiful song 'Love Is Stronger Than Death', enjoy :)

Happy Friday beautiful people...
May the sun shine on your path and happiness fill your heart.
Loads of love,
Jennie
xXx