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Friday 22 June 2012

I just can't resist a Bargain!

I do love going to vintage shops. However it's not always possible to get to where they all are, so instead I love to do a bit of vintage shopping on eBay. It's one of those wonderful places where you can get everything you want to the touchable button. I love nothing more than sitting down with a nice cup of tea and looking at all the vintage gems that people have put on the sale there. With all things you have to be extremely careful that you don't get stung with online shopping as you can't see the product before you buy it. You do have to put your faith in the seller and that they describe the item, faults and all, correctly but as long as your careful you can find some gems.

These are a few things i found recently that i thought i would share with you all!

Firstly i picked up this Twilfit foundation garment in it's original box.

I bought it to go under the dress i bought at the Manchester Vintage Fair as it has a very slim waist and it needs a good foundation garment to keep me looking smooth. Unfortunately after getting this i found that it is too big for me so i am yet to decide whether to keep it.

I picked up this delightful Royal Alderley porcelain brooch and earring set in it's original box. The backs of these earrings have already been changed from clip on to normal earrings backs, which is handy as it saves me a job!

And last but certainly not least this gorgeous 70's skirt pattern. I have been looking at the Colette patterns for a while but i haven't been able to get my hands on any yet but this skirt looks similar to their Ginger skirt plus it was a massive bargain so i just couldn't resist!



I would love to hear about your great finds, leave a comment and tell me about them, I'm really nosey haha!

Hugs and Kisses
Ana
xxx




Friday 15 June 2012

Mitts to be Smitten with!


Nothing says vintage glamour more than red lips and red nail polish. I do try my hardest to maintain manicured mitts however life sometimes takes over and you have to revert to au naturale. But when i do get those rare moments to pamper myself i love nothing more than to give myself a manicure.

You will need:



Step One:
Make sure your hands are clean and nail polish free. Cut your nails to a little bit longer than the desired final length and file them to whatever shape you like. I prefer to have short, rounded nails.

Step Two:
Now its time for a soaking! Pop your hands into a bowl of warm, soapy water for about 5 minutes or until your cuticles are soft and your fingers are pruney!


Step Three:
If you need it put a little bit of cuticle remover on your cuticle. If not just go ahead and push those babies remember sure to be gentle and careful not to hurt yourself. Make sure that you get all the cuticle off your nail as this will help in making your nail polish last longer.

Step Four:
Now i do a Brazilian manicure and this involves removing the cuticle completely. Most European manicurists don't do this, they trim the excess cuticle and do not remove it all. I am not an expert by any means and i do this for fun so its your choice, do this step your way and however you feel comfortable.


After working with the cuticle make sure to hydrate it with a little hand cream. Pop on a base coat if you wish and wait for that to dry.

Step Five:
Now comes the polish!!! My favourite is one that my auntie sent over for me from Brazil but there are countless reds you can get in Boots that are fab. I prefer a bright red to make sure it pops and stands out.

Paint away ladies making sure you don't miss any spots.
Take a orange stick and run it along the sides and base of the nail to take away some of the excess polish but don't worry if there is a little bit left we will get that at the end.
As you can see i take no prisoners and just go for it. Looks like a four year old has got hold of the nail polish but fear not it will look lovely when finished!

Step Six:
Wait for that coat to dry and add a second if necessary.
Now dip the end of the orange stick in the nail polish remover and grab a little cotton wool ball. Roll the pointed end of the stick in the cotton ball so it sticks to it and makes what looks like a pointed cotton bud like the picture.


Now dip again in the nail polish remover and touch up the sides to get the remaining excess polish off there.


Add a top coat  and wait for your nails to DRY!!! This is always the hardest part for me as i always for get and go to do something and smudge all that hard work. Take the time to let them dry and your manicure will last.
A little pampering, a little fun and Bob's your uncle, a professional looking manicure at home!



Don't forget to mix it up. Other colours such as pinks and corals were also popular in the 50s so try something new.

Pamper those mitts and let me know how it goes!

Hugs and Kisses
Ana
xxx 






Monday 11 June 2012

Pie in the Sky - Hairy Bikers


As much as i try to be a 50's domestic goddess the one thing that forever fails me is baking. I have strived to master this art but after several soggy cakes and inedible biscuits i either resorted to out of a packet solutions or shamefully bought cakes. This was until recently...

I began visiting relatives armed with a notebook and pen and writing down all the recipes that have been tried and tested and or are old favourites i now am well on the way to having a cookbook that is full of recipes i cant wait to try! This has given me the necessary gusto to attempt to be able to bake wonderful and delicious things that i know my better half will be excited to try.

With this in mind i decided to try to make a pie. He chose the recipe out of one of the books at his mums house which just happened to be by one (in fact two) of my fave chiefs, The Hairy Bikers!


These two lovelies always seem to make good, simple, hearty food and that my dears is just the ticket in my house!


Needless to say i did create a culinary masterpiece! Check it out a freshly made, locally sourced, chicken, ham and leek pie!


As you may well be able to tell i am extremely pleased with myself. This recipe was easy to understand and follow and turned out a tasty treat!


If your out and about and in the mood for picking up a new cookbook, i would recommend this book as there are so many yummy recipes in there i simply cant wait to get stuck into cooking up a storm!

Hugs and Kisses
Ana
xxx


Saturday 9 June 2012

My Inspiration - Audrey Hepburn


For a long time i have been an admirer of this beautiful lady. Forever stylish and wonderfully poised she bought elegance and grace to the silver screen and enriched the life of others in so many ways.

My love affair started with My fair Lady.

 

It remains a firm favourite of mine and i must make the confession that i do know all the words, to every song and whenever watching it i do sing along! But hey I'm not ashamed to admit it!

 Roman Holiday is another one of my favourites.


The stories in these films often take you into a world that you wouldn't normally see. She brings a great humility to her roles and really makes you fall in love with the characters and their stories.

Last but not least no blogpost on our dear friend Audrey would be complete without mentioning what may be seen as her most iconic film, Breakfast at Tiffany's.

 
Her grace in this film can only be helped by her training in ballet as a young girl and the way she holds herself makes any girl jealous.

For me she helped me fall in love with vintage cinema and encompasses everything that a woman should aspire to be.

One of the best quotes of hers is this:
"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

Through her experiences in the war she was a great supporter of UNICEF and worked tirelessly in her later years as an ambassador for the charity.


As you can undoubtedly tell I really do admire everything about this wonderful woman and i hope i can incorporate a little bit of Audrey in my life. 

Friday 1 June 2012

A little bit of history repeating

Highstreet fashion most certainly repeats itself; it can take many years for things to re-surface and it may not be for the best at times but inevitably it does. However, sometimes we vintage ladies will look in a shop window and find a little something with a 50's flared skirt or a nice ditsy tea dress that could have been worn by a 40's housewife and Those little finds are crucial for my wardrobe. Unfortunately, as much as it would be lovely to have a completely vintage wardrobe i don't so those staples i can find on the highstreet can provide a great alternative to a true vintage garment. Plus lets face it ladies, it is quick and easy to wash and take care of a garment made of modern fabric than a vintage one.

I was shopping with a friend in town today and boy did i spot some fab items on the highstreet! I was surprised at the amount of things that i would have gladly spend my hard earned cash on.

Here are just a few of the items i spotted today:

Dorothy Perkins


Lilac spot midi dress Mint pussybow blouse 


  Tan cotton belted pencil skirt  Mint/Ivory collared shell top 

New Look

   

 River Island

     

Marks and Spencer

Per Una Cap Sleeve Two Tone Spotted Dress    Limited Collection Pure Cotton Lips Print Blouse     Limited Collection Pure Cotton Knitted Top 

 

A few surprises there i know! The kelly Brook collection for New Look is absolutely fabulous and Marks and Spencer, who knew it could still produce a few gems!

Some of these items may not be to everyones taste and they will may modern, but they are styled that way. Keep an open mind and your vintage hat on and there can be some great finds on the highstreet just waiting for you to put your vintage stamp on.

Good luck finding your vintage inspired items, i would love to hear what you have found.

Hugs and Kisses
Ana
 xxx