Swoon

Whilst shuffling through Etsy and Ebay this morning, these gorgeous visions appeared...

Sigh! I can't stretch to affording either, but one can dream!

Have a great day

G x

What was your vintage first?

I've been flitting though some other extremely wonderful vintage blogs, and my word there are some stylish ladies out there of all ages!

This has lead me to these questions....

"When did you first become interested in vintage?
"What era did you pick and has it changed?"
"What was your first vintage buy?"

It's probably been asked before, but I haven't heard, so please do tell!

My first vintage obsession was at about 11, I loved unusual hair do's, and copied 1920s headphones and also donned Heidi braids. This soon stopped as I was teased a lot... In the early 1990s when it was stylish to own a shell suit and velcro strapped "Hi Tech"  trainers I was doomed! (I do wish my hair was still long enough to wear them now though... sighs!)

A stylish way to listen to your I Pod

The next love affair was at about 13 with the Regency era (BBC Pride and Predjudice ala Colin Firth was to blame) I asked to be taken anywhere with a regency theme, and was lucky to have parents who happily chauffered me to all sorts of houses and museums. Also, Mum gave me one of her old 1970s ditsy print empire line frocks to dress up in. But, alas, I did not have ample enough a bosom for the bodice... so used apples to fill up the void... and was mortified when Mum found me shoving a pair of golden delicious down my top!

CORE!

Since then my tastes have spun forward a good few years and rested on loving the late '30s, everything about the pre to early war era fascinates me... the history, clothes, music, literature, architecture, films... all of it I love, and it's great trying to style myself to try to capture that period look.

The delicious Ms Myrna Loy... my style icon

So... how about you?

G x

New Goodwood snaps vintaged up

I swear it's not vanity... these arrived from the folks in law today and Chris has been tampering with them... I liked how he made them look all old.

 

It's a nifty little programme he's got on his computer that does it. If any one reading this has any snaps they'd like vintaging do let me know :)

G x

Pear, chocolate and almond pudding cake

Here's a little experiment I created, and pulled off (Although the flash on my camera doesn' make the cake look too good!)
It was meant to be an upside down pear, chocolate and almond cake, however, the mixture bakes to a puddingy texture.. hence "pudding cake"

INGREDIENTS

* 200g Self Raising Flour

* 100-200g Ground almonds (I like mine extra almondy so add 200g, but ground almonds are a bit pricey
   so you can just go for 100g)

* 150g Caster sugar

* 1 tsp Baking Powder

* 2 eggs

* 85g/3oz Dairy free butter
   (I use Vitalite or "Pure" normal butter's good too)

* 150g/5oz Dark chocolate
  (the higher cocoa content the better)

* 100ml Oat Milk
   (But all Milk and milk substitutes are OK... I like oat milk as it's creamy and sweet)

* 100 ml Plain sheep's/goat's/soya yogurt
   (This is optional it adds richer moister texture. If you decide not to use it just use 100ml extra milk)

* Pinch of salt

* Enough pears (peeled, halved and cored) to line the base of a cake tin) I used tinned pears in juice
  (make sure they're strained well, else they make your mixture to sticky). Ripe fresh pears are good too!)

METHOD

* Preheat your oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas Mark 6 . Then measure your ingredients.

* Grease a cake tin and line with one layer of pears.

* Sift the flour into a bowl, add sugar, baking powder, salt and ground almonds.

* Melt butter and chocolate (separately) allow chocolate to cool a little

* Crack eggs into a cup and beat.

* In a separate bowl to flour mixture combine all of your "wet" ingredients, milk, yogurt, egg, butter and  
  chocolate. It may curdle a little just keep beating to remove the worst of it!

* Add wet ingredients to flour mixture. Be sure to fold in as gently but as quickly as possible, till all  
   ingredients are combined. DO NOT BEAT THE MIXTURE! The trick to this cake is to mix for as little  
   time as possible!

* Pour mixture into tin, pop into oven and leave for 45 mins (I checked mine at 20 minute intervals, picking 
   with a skewer to check if done... remove if skewer comes away clean.)

* Remove from oven, leave to cool in tin on a rack. Once cool. Run a knife around edges, place a plate on the top of tin, flip over and tin should slide away.

* Et Voila... Pear, chocolate and almond pudding cake!

It is really nice with coffee. I also reckon it would be great drizzled with thick cream or creme fraiche (for dairy eaters) I also think if you pin pricked it and drizzled with port it would be lush!

Please do let me know if you try this out, and what you think :D

G x

Weighing up Art Deco

Since beginning to bake I have been using a rickety pair of old plastic scales (from my local Red Cross charity shop at £2). They served a purpose but were a bit temperamental, and let's face it... if one has scales, one simply must have stylish scales. So I looked and I found these...

Art deco green scales!

Bought from a lovely couple whose 1930s bungalow is floor to ceiling deco decor. I drooled with envy at their abode, it was simply stunning. One day... one day, my little kitchenette apartment will look as good as their bungalow... tomorrow the Deco DIY begins, in the form of sanding my bedroom floorboards and putting up shelves (OK, it's hardly painting my walls eau de nil... but it's a start!)

P.S

New post coming up "How to make Pear chocolate and almond pudding cake"

(with or without deco green scales)

watch this space!

Red Lipstick

I had a bit of a shopping spree at The Goodwood Revival (with money I don't have). So thought I'd show off my purchases here, and let you know if they're a good buy.

First off... RED LIPSTICK!

I have spent a good long while hunting down a decent matte red lipstick that suits my skin tone and doesn't dry out my vampish pout! I've never been sure what shade to choose, and was excited to learn there's a rule, here is what a lovely make up artist told me (All you red lipped aficionados out there probably already know this, but just in case you don't)...

All Skin Tones: True primary red – like a classic London Bus colour. Some argue that true reds still work best on pale skins.

Cool Skin Tones

(Pink undertones, if you sunburn easily this is probably you... and is definitely me):

Blue tones of Red, Plum tones. Pink tones of red, Berry Reds, Blackberry Reds, Brick Reds.

Warm Skin Tones

(Yellow undertones, you most probably tan well too... lucky things):

Orangey reds, Warm reds, Tomato reds, Brown based reds, Golden reds, Tawny reds.

Also... Blue toned reds will have a whitening effect on teeth... bonus!

So, I have been hunting for a matte red lipstick with a blue hue... In spite of asking depart store assistants for this it seemed I was either proffered a matte coralish toned lipstick (which simply doesn't suit my skin tone dahhling!) or worse, purple lipstick (I felt like sarcastically muttering "no dear, that is purple... not red with a blue hue!")

Mac Ruby Woo was the last one I tried. It's a gorgeous shade, has a lovely smell... but...  for me it was a wee bit dry and not at all the right tone of red as it's a little on the orange side. I must say though, in spite of the dryness, it is a good buy and lasts a long time. So if your skin suits an orangier shade it's £12.50 a tube and worth a little treat.

Besame Red I discovered at Goodwood, whilst shuffling through the scanties at "What Katy Did". Is there anything I can say that's negative about this little tube of wonder? Not really... if I'm being over critical, the fact that it is a dinky little tube and costs £13 is a shame. But it's definitely worth a treat. It's matte but not drying, the texture is smooth and glides on perfectly, the smell is gorgeous, they also use denser colors and contain powerful pigments that make wear time last longer, all the ingredients are natural and the packaging is based on the designers Grandmother's original 1940s lipstick tubes. All in all I am delighted with this lipstick and now have my eye on some of the other Besame products! Pass me my piggy bank... and a hammer!

G x

Goodwood Day 2

Day 2 was even more ripping, I had saved my fave dress (Ebay, late 1930s) for the occasion. I also donned my little black velvet bolero (which is 1980s but passes as 30s/40s) my hat was the same as the day before, except I re trimmed it with black and white ribbons, then wore it tilted differently... it does look the same to me, but maybe I pulled it off? I was also lent a fur, which was very warm when there was a nippy spell, but I still ain't sure about furs really. I think it suited what I was wearing that day though, but I can't see myself buying one.

Chris was playing in the Officers Mess (he was also refusing to be photoed as he hates his candy stripe blazer band uniform). So I hadn't managed to see him as it was strictly pass only, but I managed to have a brief peek as I helped the band get all thier kit in... wow! It was rather well decked out, there was a war room at the entrance, with folk in uniform planning battles out on a map. One Chap looked rather spiffing in some tortoiseshell round specs, but he wouldn't let me snap him... boo!

Here are the pics, I apologise in advance, I went into pose alert on day 2, so there are a few of me.

The Officer's Mess, I heard it cost a pretty penny to be let in here officially!

I simply had to pose, art deco door and well trimmed topiary = style

Me and a Car... DRIVER!

me, looking snooty, in an armchair in a field with complementary whisky... what more can a girl want?

COME ON NUMBER 8!

And the award for the best dressed goes to... How sweet is she? She even had her own vintage transport in the form of a '40s pram!

Roll on Goodwood 2011... I cannot wait till next year!

Goodwood Revival Day 1

Until this year I have been a Goodwood virgin, but golly do I want to return! So many lovely frocks, great atmosphere and lots of interesting and funny things to come across. One of my favourites was upholstered arm chairs to recline in and sip complementary whisky whilst listening to trad jazz, oh.. and the swing dance area... my feet did hurt!
I went as Chris was playing in one of the bands, along with his dad. So his Mum and I went along to listen to them and have fun... topping!
Day one I wore the first ever vintage item I purchased... my beloved 1940's bottle green suit, and a '40s tilt hat, with velvet green ribbons (trimmed by moi! To save cash I made did and mended and re trimmed it on day 2!) I also donned my rather comfy late '30s shoes

(L-R) Me, Chris' Ma and her mate Felicty... decked and chaired up!

Day 1 Garb... and a aeroplane, one has to arrive in style doesn't one!

Earls Court Motor Show... I love this building, reminds me of the Ferrari garage on the A30 near Egham in Surrey.

Harry Strutter's Jazz Band

The Lovely Cha Ladies shaking thier thang!

Amberley Museum

I've had a rather splendid couple of weekends... so I shall start you off at the beginning and end at the end (being the marvellous Goodwood Revival... post coming up!)

So... Two weekends ago on a Sunny Sunday 'im indoors and I went to Amberley Museum... if you love vintage stuff you have to go, it's the size of a little village, full of old buses (Chris is a bit of a classic bus fetishist, I like old buses and trains, he lurves them!) there's little steam train, and a room full of old radios (which made me a bit over excited, I have always wanted a sunburst '40s mahogany wireless). This place is truly special, and as Sussex is a gorgeous county even the drive down from Londinium was wonderful. Here are some snaps for you to peruse at leisure...

A view of all the luverly old buses they have, many of which we got to have a drive on... I tell you, vintage bus seats are soo much more comfy!

My Chas outside with all the old timetables

Practising my acting skills pretending to wait for a bus, I love the colours in this shot

Skirt Ebay, cardi H&M, blouse vintage '30s from Ebay, shoes Office, belt Mum's from the '70s.

Fed up expression models own!

This doesn't show the whole building, but it was a 1930s roadside caf, complete with eyebrow window... why can't all Little Chef's look like this?

Oh my!

Tally Ho and here we go!

I feel under no pressure at all now that the gorgeous Jeni has vamped me up on her blog (EEK! Both the Vintage Baroness and Yesterday Girl have been ever so flattering like... she says flicking her hair in a vain fluttery way!)
Please don't feel ever so slightly disappointed when you enter my cyber boudoir and discover... well, not a lot really, have been super busy, but now the calm is reappearing I can start to get my blog on. There's a new entry coming up soon, just as soon as I can get my piccies ont' tinterweb! In fact, I may grace the tea shop au cyber this fair luncheon time :)

TTFN

G x

New proud owner of an art deco settee

Since living in "The Grange" and being surrounded by all its art deco splendour, I have desired a proper deco sofa, and a comfy sofa too! the one I have been lent is utterly lumpy, and his Lordship and I can't snuggle down onto it... which it rotten when watching a good film!

So, one day, whilst scouring Ebay, I found this...

And I won it too... for a song! Ok it's a bit dirty, but, once cleaned, this baby will be amazing!! The pattern is a really wonderful deco style on moquette fabric... utterly marvellous. What makes it even better is that it comes with 2 arm chairs! (one looks a bit bedraggled, but nay matter, I only have room for one, and will try to flog the other to an upholsterer)

HOORAY!!!!
G x