Blanket skirt and another hat! (Let them stop eating hats- they're pigging out number 29!)

Bonjour mes amies!  How goeth it?  Well I hope!  Thanks for your kind comments on my furry outfit!  I'm glad you love it also!

 Today was another CHILLY day so I decided to wear a blanket to school! Well- one that appeared to have been made into a skirt. I bought this from a decidedly-dodgy looking vintage seller (he looked very nice but you know...) at Spitalfields market some months ago for half a tanner and it was almost the one that got away! I decided that I had too many clothes and gave it as part of a mass bag of clothes to my sister. I then thought better and asked for it back! Not sure what era it is but it's toasty warm. Twinned with grey cabled tights, Peacocks Peter Pan Polka dot collar dress tucked in, old belt, cameo and the shoes that make my feet look small (AGREE WITH ME OR ELSE!!!!! ;- ) )

When I put this together last night to wear, I thought of one of my favourite bloggers- Tuppeny-Happeny who wears great skirts of this sort of shape and all the lovely skirts I see on Penny Dreadful's weekly vintage links- oh what a lovely weekly post that is!  The beautiful and sublime!

 Mind you, I got completely soaked on the way home from school? Drowned rat? 

 And a new hat which I bought on Sunday whilst waiting for a bus as the wind was attacking me and I'd foolishly come out without one!  Just a Primarni staple but I'm already rather fond of it!

I don't usually talk about school things on here but can I just say how irritating I find things sometimes.  I try my hardest to meet the musical needs of our children (indeed any needs that I can) so when some parents said they really wanted their KS1 child to sing in a choir, despite being overstretched as it is (I do KS2 choir, orchestra, recorder club, drumming club as it is outside of normal classtime in addition to leading 2 assemblies), I organised a special KS1 choir this term, in response to this and said children were invited along.  And then today I hear that one of the parents complained that her child had not finished their lunch because of coming to choir! Which do you want?   I cannot make your child eat their lunch- that is their responsibility- I am not their eating overseer, I just tried to do a nice thing for your child by giving them a chance to do something they want to and you wanted them to! I didn't get to eat my lunch and rarely do, but do I complain about it? Grrr! 

Tell me your woes and joys and share your day!

Furry days!

I'm really having fun taking part in the Two Birds inspiration Monday!  It makes me think creatively about combining clothes I haven't worn together!  Today is no exception.  Up here is Jessica Alba rocking a cute chilled look incorporating several of my favourite things- furry materials, big scarves, flarey-legged jeans, blue and smiles!  Hop over there to see how everyone else styled it!

And here is my take on it (urgh, indoor photos! No lunchbreak for moi!)

I'm wearing my dainty Rejkavik camel loafers again, White-stuff cords, M&S Per Una floral applicait/appliche/applicet (I really can't spell that word!), miscellaneoud cream and gold pashmina, and furry shrug from local shop, Kush

I've had this lovely furry shrug for 2 years now and I've literally worn it twice- I'm never sure where to wear it, as it's quite warm, so I thought inside wasn't suitable but I loved wearing it to school today (as did all the people who kept stroking me!)- I felt warm and loved all day and it meant when I ran around into the playground to fetch classes (without managing to grab my coat as usual), I wasn't cold for once!

So- too OTT for school?  I felt maybe a little so, but it was worth it for the comfort and actually wearing this thing!  I'm off to check everyone else's takes on this...

How are you today?  Thanks again, for recent loveliness in visits!

In which I pretend I am a fashion blogger and pose with my hand on hip!

(But as usual the cheesy grin gives it away!!!!!!  No, I shall never do mean and moody or pouty or I'll look like a salmon! I don't do fashion- I just like clothes!)

Ahgrh, am so tired!  I went to bed at 2am, was woken by CBC arriving at 3.30am, was then woken by CBC's alarm at 6.15am!!!! Sleeeeeeeep!   I had a lovely time out last night though with 2 dear friends who I don't nearly spend enough time with.
For want of something original to write, I decided to take photos of my totally comfy outfit worn for school on Wednesday, to model new/old blouse bought the previous weekend.  First day back after the lurgy, I feel much better so thank you for your kind well wishes and prayers! (as you can tell, I started writing this post 2 days ago, but got distracted!)  My day was fairly easy so I was eased in mercifully.

 Excuse the pale face of post-ill!  Here we have that thrifted Topshop blouse in candycane shades with Boden thrifted Tweed trousers plus Zara green (current) old man cardie.  And these shoes which I must point out make my SPADE-like feet look positively dainty!  I bought them on a 2-day trip to Rekjavik 11 years old and they never fail to make me actually think my feet stand a chance of looking feminine!


And I leave you with a picture of the afternoon sun in Stock, Essex over the green. Ah... fresh air...

How are you my lovelies? And that includes everyone!  Don't be shy!

That hat was made for you! Let them eat hats giveaway!

The 23rd November has apparently been and gone- at least, I discovered it was so when I wrote the date on the board this morning! Chaos in my classrom reigned as my kids carried out an investigation into 'What variables affect the brightness of a lightbulb?'  (the length of wire, number of bulbs and batteries according to their results!)

Anyway, so here is the prize....

 I put all the names on slips of paper into my new blue glass.that I bought in a charity shop last week (thrifted is what you mostly call it!)...

 Gave them a stir.....

 And picked one out....

And so the winner is Ceilia at Monday receptionist!    So please can you leave me your e-mail address in the comments box and I will e-mail you to get your address in order to send the hat to you!

**If I don't receive a message after 2 weeks, then I will redraw it!**

I enjoyed finding out about your favourite books!  The only one I'd heard of is Char's I think so that was a revelation!
I'm off out for dinner and choir practice before that!  Ciao bella!

Beauty of the day

Dappled gold  paints swathes of hues across my face
from an Eastern lilting sky
And bunches of humorously-curved leaves
Hang like bunches of toasted bananas
From hardy, proud branches.

A glow of heat resonates in my well heart.

Love Kezzie x

Remixed patterns

Have you entered my giveaway? 2 days to go!  Enter here. 

If there is one thing I am gaining from taking part in inspiration Mondays, posting outfits and reading Sophie's 30 x 30 remixes, is finding new ways of combining clothes.  I bought this skirt last Saturday and posted it- worn with a demure pussybow blouse and mink coloured heeled boots. So I tried to find a new combo for school on Wednesday and this is what I came up with.  I'm really not sure about these grey polka dot tights- don't know it seems a bit incongruous wearing grey tights but otherwise I was quite pleased- I've never worn this navy polo neck with anything other than under the M&S striped dress it came with, so wearing with with the tank was a pleasing find.  

Oh dear, more shots with miscellaneous items left on the floor!Can anyone recommend a good program (free) for editing your photos on a PC.  In the past I've tried to use paint with is pure evil! 

 I'm not sure these purple boots match- hmmm, that seems a good reason for buying some navy blue boots...

Hope you are well!

Heartfelt and humbling. And Jane Austen

Thank you for your concerns and sweet comments- I'm still not feeling great- continual heartburn, stomach ache, nausea and trapped wind  that comes in waves but I feel better with the kind concern of all of you!

 I've had this post half written for ages, but I thought I'd finish it off.
50. Don Richardson Lords of the Earth:

Surprisingly, I haven't read that many books about missionaries in other countries, only home evangelists but before you think, yuck, missionary books, this is an EXTRAORDINARY book- biographically, it tells of how the Yali, cannibals, living a life of fear of death came to know Jesus. The story tells of how missionary Stan Dale and others brought the gospel to Irian Jaya (the Indonesian part of Papua New Guinea). The story begins with heart-wrenching accounts of how a child and members of a family were slaughtered because they dared to accidently tread in a sacred area. Women of the Yali were hated and suicide rates were very high. The whole of these tribes in the Snow Mountains lived a hard existance. The account moves to the early life of Stan Dale in Australia. A boy of diminutive height, bullied at school and by his father, he found faith in God through the chance hearing of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If.". The account tells of the trials and tribulations of sharing the gospel in such a culture. When I think of how much the missionaries went through, down to giving their life for the gospel, it makes me ashamed of my petty little grievances that I face in my life, when others surrender their all for the sake of the Good News.

51. Pamela Aidan Duty and Desire: The Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman trilogy, part 2

Witch craft in Jane Austen's story? NEVER!   But I kid you not!  In a bid to escape his feelings for Miss Elizabeth Bennett, Darcy decides to attend an old university fellow's house party.  However, strange things are afoot there- there seems to be some sinister, inexplicable events going on that hint at witchcraft.  Darcy is seeking a wife but as he finds himself drawn towards a Lady, it is only his feelings for Elizabeth that save him from utter devastation!

This book was utterly captivating and full of great suspense!

52. These three remain - Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman trilogy

Reeling from the events from the previous book, Darcy finds himself, just as he has decided to forget Elizabeth, thrown back into her path at Rosings where he proposes.  This book is really interesting as it helps to gain an idea of how Darcy changes into the person that Elizabeth meets at Pemberley and shows how he managed to find that scoundrel Wickham!  I found myself willing Darcy to gain Elizabeth's hand.  This book was lovely and I thoroughly recommend it!

Would you read any of these books? 

Oh and my giveaway closes in 2 days so go and get commenting if you haven't already in order to win! Go here to enter!

Dotty about you!

Hello from the depths of feeling ill misery!  I'm not quite sure what's wrong with me but I've got rotten bunged-upness, headaches, Pains in my lower back, aching tummy, feeling queasy, sore muscles and feeling generally exhausted. It just makes me think about how wonderful it is to be well!  Woe is me!

Anyway, yesterday, we had a fund-raiser at school for Children in need where we had to come in wearing spots or dots.  Everyone made a great effort I must say- there must have been a real run on spot stickers in Tescos and in all the clothes shops.   I saw this as an opportunity to wear some of my favourite clothes plus a little creativity.  I wore a red spotty scarf around my hair plus a thrifted red-spotty cardie, with Cath Kidston long-sleeved spot top underneath for warmth and on top, a blue vintage dress with red and white spots on it (plus net petticoat)

 On Wednesday, I was pondering about accessories- I wanted to be a little creative so I decided to make a necklace and earrings to go with the outfit.

All I needed to make this necklace was a star-shaped punch, a larger star-shaped cookie cutter, red and blue funkyfoam, Pebeo 3D pearlescent touch paint, and some red thread.

 The earrings proved a little more problematic until I remember I had a pair of red-heart shaped earrings that I could use to attach the stars to.

 My head was really taken with the pattern of the dress.  I quite-liked it too.

 Alas, I could not find my red-spotty ballet-pumps so I wore these red ribboned slingbacks instead.

Granny-stylie wearing of long-sleeved top underneath!

All in all, I was pleased with my effort- it's such fun getting dressed up for a specific purpose!

How are you today?

Just call me Lara! (Let them eat hats 28)

As I walk to school (20mins), I have to layer up! Not feeling well, I decked myself in furry things.  And I wore this hat.  Sufficed to say, everyone keeps calling me Lara and saying that I was a star in Doctor Schivago! And everyone keeps grabbbing the hat and trying it on!Haven't had time to charge phone batteries yet so here is an old shot! I am wearing about a million jumpers under the poncho and a big goose body-warmer! This is a boxing day 2010 snap, taken when we walked to Lambley viaduct in Northumberland (can you detect the old railway tracks under the snow?). The poncho was a kind, kind Christmas pressie from CBC as I could not wear a normal coat due to broken wrist plastered thickly (ice casualty). I adore this hat- it's sooo silly! I bought it on Christmas eve or there abouts in Corbridge from a shop called Joyce Anderson after I saw the shop owner walk past me in a green version of it. I asked her where it was from and hey presto, 5 minutes later, I too had a sheepskin hat! That was good advertising on her part! It's very warm! (CBC wears my ear muffs!).

I remember the day fondly now. It was glorious to be out and about, surrounded by nature, calm, quiet, tranquil, surrounded by dear family (CBC's but I count them as mine). I felt so happy with the wind upon my cheeks, walking wrapped warmly in layers, warm sheepskin boots, having fun, glorious skies, clouds soaring above. What is Christmas without enjoying the delights of the outdoors!? All my most lovely days or occasions at Christmas or New year have involved being in the great outdoors, all the more so last year because I'd had to stay in and be so careful with 1 broken and 1 sprained wrist so being out was wonderful!

The grim Ripa impression!

(Not referring to her, rather my impression of her!) 

Hello on this freezing and lugubrious Monday!  Thanks again for your recent visits!  I've enjoyed reading your kind and thoughtful comments! Once again, I decided to give Inspiration Monday at the Two birds a go! Up this week was Kelly Ripa, who looks really pretty and lovely but can someone enlighten me as to who she is and what she does?

 I thought this was quite a nice look to try as it could easily be adapted for work.  I dug out my black suit jacket from Oasis with blue pin-stripes which I have had since I was 17 and have worn for every interview I've ever been to since Uni apps and not much else!  So that's 13 years of neglect then!  It was nice to find a reason to get it out, poor neglected item.   It felt very strange wearing this for work all day as I always wear a cardigan, not a jacket (I take them off at the door). 

 Teamed with pashmina and thrifted trousers from years ago, Dotty P top from the summer sales and my trusty brogues- no high heels for me when doing dance and music with year 1.

 

Speaking of which. Trying to teach a ceildh-style routine to 5 year olds on your own? Not a good idea! There are some things that just REQUIRE help!


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So how did I do?  I might try to wear my Corduroy jackets for work more after trying this!
 
Go to the link above to see how everyone else styled it! 

Oh and I am having a hat giveaway with the chance of a second prize also!  Enter enter enter here!!!

Who will buy this wonderful morning?

Good Evening! Hello to friends old and new!  It's lovely that you've popped round for tea!   Wasn't it a gorgeous day! 

  I figured that I always enjoy drooling over other people's thrifted purchases that I would share some that I was pleased with from yesterday!

Here's what I wore to church today.  The blouse and and skirt are Topshop via St Francis Hospice. The velvet jacket Gap via Fara (fortunate I found this since my dear Mum appropriated my Camden velvet jacket for herself!) .    Clarks original desert boots (Schuh)  and fake fur handbag (Kush)

 I adore this silk blouse which is soo soft and comfy, purchased yesterday as was this skirt. I've been looking for a lovely blouse like this in charity shops for a while, so I was so pleased to find one in my size!

 The bow is already tied for you which is a mercy since I can't tie bows properly.  Have I ever shared that?  I cannot tie bows in the proper way- I can only do Bunny-ears bow.  (Like Sophie, I don't pluck my eyebrows.  I don't care if they look horrid! I do however wish I wouldn't squash my chin in that way)

 I quite like the quirky fabric on this skirt

 And I finally wore my mink-coloured Clarks originals desert boots which I bought at the same time as my ICs from Schuh- very pleased- they are so comfy!

 I felt the floaty floral nature of the blouse needed a white flower in my hair.  Purchased for around 20p in a Balinese street market.

 Here are the boots up close.  Oh dear, how is it that there is always so much miscellaneous junk in my photos!  Must tidy, must tidy!

 And here are my other St Francis finds from yesterday- 6 lovely old blue glasses which can be used to drink out of and for lovely desserts!  Rather pleased with them for 50p each. (More miscellaneous junk in the background- eeek!) 

 And another Topshop blouse which will be lovely for layering under dresses! Again, I wanted a lovely natural fabric blouse of this kind!

Have you found any thrifting delights recently?

10 reasons to be thankful

WOMOTM I hope you don't mind me using your photo?

Christmas Day, early 2010.

1. For those who have died that we are free, that we are not oppressed and we need not fear. Thank you for their lives and sacrifice.

2.  For the joy of the weekend.

3.  For a good day with a colleague with whom I've had some difficulties recently.

4.  For the beauty of songs and inspiration.

5.  For the love of my family and that they are safe.

6.  For the beauty of nature that touches my heart in its amazing simplicity and complexity.

7.  For warm, soft slippers.

8.  For not having too much marking this weekend.

9.  For those who welcomed me to their midst as a sister and love me for who I am.

10.  For the gift of words- how you, I and others can share one or two simple words and help, comfort, console and encourage.  I thank you.

What are you thankful for?

Crafting Kezzie- I fear I have too many cards!

Oh dear, once again, I descend into card making when on holiday, not necessarily with anyone specific in mind (with one or two exceptions!) As usual there are recycled bits which like a proud thrifter, I shall notify you of! Do let me know what you think- feedback is always great! I quite like simple flower cards like this. The gold card comes from a Christmas cracker I deemed too pretty to chuck!

I was very pleased with this one. The daisy is made of some scrap white card, the leafy card is a Tescos veg pot outer packaging and the blue bits are a Waitrose
ready meal, oh and the green flowers are a Clipper tea-bag box!

I found my old flower-press lurking in a cupboard. Most of what was inside was smelly and 'orrid but these Autumn leaves were pretty. I'm not quite finished with this- I may give it silver piping round the edges. My first use of dried matter!

These forget-me-nots were also in the press. Again, this isn't quite right, but here it is thus far. More recycled white card (I think it has cartoon images of Jesus being baptised on the back!)

The third flower press entry is my preferred one- this one does seem finished and so simply. But the wretched flowers were a right pain to attach without destroying them!

WOMOTM's birthday card- except for the gold outline sticker, the whole thing is recycled. The red card left from the rubble from an Academy family day, the green from a Clipper teabag box, the corrugated from a package of djembes from school!

This one was an adaptation from a Craft -mag (Papercraft inspirations- my favourite craft mag) The corrugated cardboard and the string were recycled.

Here you can compare my version with their original!

Here's ANOTHER floral one!

More Waitrose box and a the pink card was cut from a tag from a bag!

All of this was scrap! Yes, that s was intended!

This was a right pain to make but I persevered! The green, white and dark pink was recycled!

Ah the bane of crafters everywhere- the MAN card! Tools, golf, football, our avenues seem limited! Here I reuse old envelope, clipper teabag box, Ikea rulers, Djembe packaging, clothing tag...

All components of the lolly were reused. I plan this as a man card! It gets desperate thinking of ways to craft for men!

All the pink was recycled from an old card that someone gave me- I just cut shapes out from it! Rather pleased with this one which shall be for my Stepmother's birthday in January (oooh,hark at me, so organised but I ALWAYS send her card weeks late so I am determined not to be so shoddy this year!)

SO.... any inspiration, disdain, advice, come on ladies (and gents) don't be shy!!!

Little reminder of the hat giveaway I am having!  At the moment you have a in 13 chance of winning so the odds are pretty good!  Win a lovely ASOS hat, perfect for the winter- follow the link on the side to the post, tippety-tap and Bob's your uncle!