My 2 Totnes cardigans

Remember back in August, I shared a post showing what I bought on my Cornish holiday. This included 2 vintage cardigans from Totnes market.

I've been really enamoured with them and really glad I  bought them- both have already had a lot of use. I have been throwing one on each night when I get home and wearing them over whatever I have been wearing at the weekends.

Since both got worn this weekend, I thought I'd share them.

Outfit 1, worn on Saturday:

The whole outfit, bar my hat is second hand.

The Tam O'Shanter hat is Isle of Skye tartan bought on Kirkwall in the Orkneys in Summer 2016 on my cruise with Mum.

The blue top was Zara (Charity Shop), Indian skirt (CS),  Vegan blue Dr Martens (Insta 2nd hand sale), cardigan (Totnes vintage market stall) and finally the gorgeous black sheepskin (?) gilet/waistcoat (CS)- I'm not sure if the gilet is Toscana sheepskin or it is fake as it is reversible so there's no washing indication but it cost £15 in the charity shop so I'm wondering if it is genuine- it is exquisitely soft and fine and keeps me so warm. I can't tell from the smell- anyone got any ideas how I can tell apart from setting fire to a bit of it to see how it burns???  If it's real, I got an ABSOLUTE bargain- if it's synthetic, I was conned!

Saturday morning I was SO CROSS. I went to bed at around half midnight and was exhausted, having not had as much sleep as I needed this week. What time did I wake up? 5am!!!!! WHY???? I lay awake for hours until I gave up and got up around 7.40am to go downstairs to do the washing up and make tea.   After various bits of tidying and pottering, emptying the compost etc, I went to shower and CBC and I made porridge.   I then carried on with some sorting as well as a bit of reading and then decided to do my Summer/Winter wardrobe changeover. I keep the out of season clothes in 2 enormous (I mean ENORMOUS) suitcases kept in my Spare room wardrobe.  The switchover took a couple of hours and also involved some sorting and culling- managed to cull about 20-25 items- I find this hard- I like the things I own but I also like the new things.  I decided to cull some things that a) I didn't wear so much including a gorgeous Monsoon sequinned circle skirt and clothes which I find I don't enjoy wearing so much e.g. if they are too tight around the armpits, synthetic, make me sweat or I don't like the fabric so much. I have realised in recent years, I am quite hypersensitive to materials and how things fit or feel (Ha, my stepmum could have told me this - she still has nightmares about me and, quote- "That wretched white cardigan!" that I was always trying to get out of!).  However, often, I don't realise what something will feel like or how I will fear, until I've worn it for a day, or a couple of times.

I was still working on this but CBC and I decided to go out and get some lunch. We headed to one of our numerous local garden centres.  This one has a newly expanded restaurant which has been shown as being really popular. We've tried to go before but the queue was epic and the restaurant was full. Luckily, as we were going close to the end of serving, we got a table easily.  I ordered a breaded chicken escalope with garlicky chard and potatoes and CBC a butternut squash risotto.  We ordered hot chocolate and chocolate milkshake respectively. Mine was delicious although the chard wasn't super garlicky and could have been more plentiful (I'm a huge garlic AND chard fan!). CBC's was tasty but smaller than he would liked. Whilst waiting and eating, we played Qwirkle. I bought this game back in July after having bought it for my sister for her birthday and LOVING it.  CBC is always willing to play it which is an absolute bonus as usually, he's not so up for playing so many games with me!  I bought it from Mr Wolf Hexham as it was recommended to me by the WONDERFUL Mrs Wolf who I am very friendly with when I go to visit.  I have subsequently bought it from her repeatedly (SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES not BIG BUSINESSES!) via my Mother In Law when she visits or gifts- it comes in a handy little pouch so it fits in a handbag easily- it has been on every holiday with us subsequently and my Taiwanese friend LOVED it and kept asking to play in on holiday which I adored as I will play a game at any time, any place). 

It was quite a tense game and the final score was

197 a piece! YES, we tied for the first time ever!

We had a quick look round the garden centre- I was tempted by some LARGE Jingle Bell garlands- they clanked like cowbells- but at £28, I decided to forgo it- would have loved them for the music room!  The garden centre is stocking Field and Fare freezer products which are unpackaged so you can bring your own container for them.  We bought some fishcakes and Chicken Kiev, frozen fish.

Back home, I sat down at the piano and FINALLY got started on my Christmas song/carol- well, I got the first chorus lyrics and melody written and the accompaniment worked out, just need to work out the verses- CBC was pitying the neighbours as there was a lot of stopping/starting and repeating the same chord over and over again as I tried things out.  To ensure neighbourly relations are peaceful, I left it there and  continued with the wardrobe changeover c;earup and sorting and later, we had some Thai food whilst watching Outer Banks on Netflix.

This morning, I got out of bed at 8.57....church starts at 9.15am.  I was at church by 9.17am having cycled!  

The service was a really beautiful service and Steph who led the sermon gave such a powerful sermon.

My main two takehomes from this were:  We take each day as it comes.  In the Lord's prayer, we ask for our daily bread, not our weekly bread and we must react to God's placement  of us. Trying not to worry about next week doesn't mean the same as not being prepared for what is coming.  Also, revisiting the past and imagining different outcomes or choices can be a form of self-harm - I needed to hear that as I often end up thinking about what I should have/would have/could have done.

Had lovely chats to friends after the service, including my lovely neighbour Morris who is 97.  I took him round some Lily O'Brien chocolates 2 weeks ago as he was unwell and able to attend church and he was so grateful and said he'd never had chocolates like them before.

I came home and got started on the washing up from last night (yes, I am a slattern..) whilst listening to a lovely Radio 3 programme with Rupert Everett and his Desert Island discs  and then decided to do some sorting through the cupboards and try to get rid of some out of date baking ingredients and try and rationalise the chaotic pantry.  It's a bit better.  Chucked a few things to compost and also packed a few things for school as flour can be used for Playdough and 15 year old mung beans and aduki beans can be used to make shakers.  I then made a pot of tea and crumpets.  Next I rehoovered the floor and then washed the kitchen, utility room and hallways (they really, really needed it) as well as getting on my hands and knees scrubbing stains with sodium bicarb and an old toothbrush. I  folded up clean washing and put it away and then hoovered the living room whilst imprisoned by drying floor and polished the piano and repositioned the house plants.   CBC came home from cycling and thankfully, the floors were almost dry and he was careful (usually, he tells me not to be a drama queen when I freak out when he walks in and makes a mess).  I washed the upstairs bathroom floors and then hoovered the dry floors to pick up the extra bits that were revealed by washing and hoovered the bedroom.

I then went into the garden and pulled out the remaining tomato plants and bean plants, weeded the raised bed, pulled out the canes, raked leaves and put them onto the raised bed to mulch (wish I'd gone to collect more oak leaves from the field behind our house as there weren't enough to cover the bed...I will then put compost on top and then maybe put cardboard on top- if CBC doesn't moan - he has Opinions about things like this looking messy (even if the advice came from an expert) -picked the last pepper. I then came in and ate some brie, chutney and crackers and sang some songs and played piccolo and piano with CBC for some carols and then went to practice my piccolo for my orchestra rehearsal tomorrow (poor neighbours).  A bit more tidying and then finally, the house was looking calm and more ordered. I have found it really hard to function as the house has felt and looked so dirty and messy and I feel soothed by having done all this cleaning and sorting, even if I haven't 'rested so much

Ah, what was I wearing? Well, the OTHER Totnes cardigan of course! You read the post title right?

This is the gorgeous Alpaca Stained glass pattern one.  My bassoon-playing friend, who owns alpacas and is an alpaca wool geek, told me that this jumper probably retailed at around £400 so I got an absolute bargain for my £35 shell out.  The white top underneath was charity-shopped.  My burgundy cashmere shawl was from H&M about 14 years ago and is one of my top winter favourites.  I have always said I prefer Summer and its sartorial choices but actually, I ADORE my winter favourites and look forward to wearing them.

My black trousers are from Seasalt, bought from their EBay outlet in the Summer after my cycling accident ripped my favourite black trousers (Ang, I just haven't sent them yet!!! I just need to get everything to the post office!) - they are super comfortable and thick material. Finally, I wore my Leggero Gortex and leather boots. I bought these in October 2020 and have worn them through thick and thin, 4 winters and they are still going strong. I paid £160 which is the most I have ever paid for a pair of boots/shoes/garment but I think the cost per wear is probably in pence now as I have worn them so much. What will I do when they wear out? (which they show no signs of doing)

It's now Sunday evening and I am finally doing school work (oops,should have done before now)  before we will eat Thai left overs, but I am feeling satisfied with my weekend endeavours.

 

I hope all is well with you.

xx

 

TARDIS Tuesday- Vicki Pallister from The Rescue (an Ang collaboration)

 Greetings friends!

Hope you are well!

For TARDIS Tuesday, I thought I'd make a return visit to Classic Who companion, Vicki Pallister and her debut episode outfit from The Rescue.

I last wore it for its debut blog appearance in November 2022

Let's have a look at it:

https://galacticjourney.org/january-10-1965-a-little-breather-doctor-who-the-rescue/

https://www.doctorwho.tv/characters/vicki

Images borrowed from
The Ultimate Guide to the Fashion of Doctor Who

We've got the mini dress with zigzag neck piping,  sort of grey tights and black knee high boots.

One of these days, I will wear this when I've just had my hair cut!

This dress came from a charity shop and then the wonderful Ang added the gold trim for me back in 2022 after we met (when again???!).  This dress is really warm and really easy to wear- it's loose and cosy. I wore this for a trip out to Chelmsford last weekend.  Grey leggings and my charity-shopped Ugg boots (but waterproof biker ones! Well worth the £25 I paid around 4 years ago.) made for a cosy, easy outfit.

Hope you are well!

xx

TARDIS Tuesday- Sarah Jane Smith

For TARDIS Tuesday this week, I thought I'd pay a visit to one of the Doctor Who Spin-offs, The Sarah Jane Adventures, featuring Elisabeth Sladen as journalist, Sarah Jane Smith.

In this wonderful children's series which ran for 5 series until Lis Sladen died, she had a trademark look of a blouse or collared top worn with a waistcoat, trousers or jeans and knee high boots.  Often, there would be an All Saints jacket too.

I recently started watching it as it came back onto BBC iPlayer...I'd started watching it a couple of years ago but it was taken off in the middle of my viewing it! 

There were a couple of looks I really liked so I thought I'd have a little bit of a search to see if I could recreate one or two of my favourite looks..

https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/lady-jane-grey-stars-in-the-sarah-jane-adventures/

https://sjscloset.livejournal.com/tag/waistcoat

A wonderful Instagrammer and cosplayer called @GretchenSews created her own blog of IDing and documenting all of Sarah Jane's looks and when reading her blog, I realised there was one item which would be brilliant for creating lots of her outfits as it was worn in loads of episodes...her Karen Millen pinstripe waistcoat.  It seemed a item that would be easy to identify due to the backpanels of grey and the lapels. I also thought it would be a great item to have for an easy way to smarten an outfit for school or concerts.  I had a search and saw a few for lots of money but then found one on Vinted in my size for £15.  I also managed to find a top by Joseph for £5 which was pretty similar to her Joseph tops worn in multiple episodes in multiple colours.

Here's my outfit:

I am super pleased with this outfit. It looks really smart but chic and I feel sassy in it!

I started with the aforementioned waistcoat and top (I would love to find her turquoise one) and added my charity-shopped Per Una jeans as well as my eYe Boutique much-beloved, recently mended boots.

If I change the trousers, this would be a great school outfit!

Hope all is well with you.

xx

TARDIS Tuesday- Yaz Khan's outfit in the Tsuranga Condundrum

For TARDIS Tuesday this week, I needed a cosy, comfy outfit for a cold, rainy Saturday! I knew just the one that hasn't had an appearance on here for two years.

Last featured in December 2020,  I am featuring an outfit worn by Yasmin Khan in a series 11 adventure called The Tsuranga Condundrum. It was set mostly on board a space hospital ship. Yaz was dressed for being outside on a salvage planet. The 4 travellers accidentally step on a mine and get severely injured so they are picked up and taken on board a space hospital towards Tsuranga. Unfortunately, the TARDIS has been left behind and a sinister creature which eats all known matter has somehow got on board and is very hungry. It's a silly episode but quite entertaining.

Let's look at the outfit:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06q81wy/p06qls32

https://www.blogtorwho.com/doctor-who-the-tsuranga-conundrum-what-we-learnt-about-the-companions/

It features a navy starry and moon-themed jumper from Maison Scotch, a Barbour (I think) red puffer jacket, blue fitted jeans, Burgundy Brogue chelsea boots from Dune.

Last time I put together this outfit, I wore a purple puffer coat, black trousers and navy trainers together with the same sweatshirt.

What happened this time?

The outfit has changed a bit.

Let's start from the top. I am still wearing the screen accurate Scotch and Soda sweatshirt which is lovely quality and extremely comfortable.

I acquired a burgundy down-filled puffer jacket from Barbour, second hand. It is immensely soft and comfortable. Not 100% screen accurate but gorgeous to wear!

There are not many good photos featuring the outfit clearly in its entirety,but I decided to try to recreate some of them.

You might notice I am actually wearing blue jeans. They are relatively skinny-ish. For me, anyway.

I have real issues with jeans and my shape. The only ones that usually work for me are more wide-legged and high-waisted. The ones I have are indigo.

However, I was in the Baptist charity shop on Saturday morning and I noticed this pair of M&S blue jeans in size 10 that had elasticated sides at the waist. They were skinnier than my usual jeans but not skinny jeans and also slightly thinner, softer material than regular jeans.

For £3, I decided to give them a go and I was really pleasantly surprised. The elastic means they fit my waist. Admittedly, they are a bit too short for for my long legs. However, I really don't care about this. Teenage Kezzie would be howling at me right now- it was the ultimate faux pas to wear jeans that were too short and I always had issues finding them long enough for my legs. Tough, little Kezzie, tough!

I was doing some lovely Christmas crafts involving cardboard on Saturday night and I couldn't resist having a go at recreating whatever this thing is!!!

I had a blanket on my knees in the kitchen and thought I'd just recreate this photo.

You can see my boots peeping out. I obtained the Screen Accurate Pacey boots in Burgundy a while back so these complete the outfit.

It's funny how bright red her coat looks in lots of the photos but how dark in others!

What do you think? Would you wear any parts of this outfit? Too boring for you? 

xx

From the Archives: Star boots upcycle

 This post is from March 2014.   When I was posting my starry outfit the other day, I added the hashtag Stars.  After I posted, I was curious to see what I had under that hashtag and suddenly remembered the time I upcycled a pair of my boots with acrylic paint with stars!  Can't believe I ever got rid of these.  They were so cute!!!

Anyway, I thought I'd share this post as there are a few new friends here nowadays as well as old lovelies! 

Enjoy!

xx

Star boots upcycle

Hello there!

I wanted to share this fun and easy craft project I recently completed which would be ideal for kids and adults.

Several of you admired my Star boots in my Birthday outfit post.  Well, I was really pleased that you did, as these were my recent upcycle project.  I wanted to create something fun which would stand out. I love Irregular Choice shoes for their standout quality!

I have had these black boots for a while and they are rather knackered.  There are a few problems. 1) the heels are worn down at the back and secondly, they are really scuffed.  Since they are just made out of some man-made material, not leather, polish wouldn't make a difference but I am loyal and they have served me well, so I felt like giving them a new lease of life.

This project is fun because I believe it can be undone if you are unhappy with the results.  Acrylic paint washes off with water and a sponge.

You will need:
Old tired, scuffed looking boots or shoes (you could do this with nice new pair but I wouldn't want to risk it at first!), acrylic paint in your choice of colour, suitable paintbrush for acrylics (not too soft, not too thin,), protection for your work surface, Stencil (I made mine using an Xcut star-shaped punch), scrap paper, a pile of socks,

1.  You can see how tired and scuffed these are.  They were also a bit muddy. So first, clean the surface of your shoe to get rid of any lint or dirt- I used a baby-wipe but a small sponge/cloth and water will also do better!

2.  Prepare your template.  With my star punch, I punched several of them into scrap paper and cut a square close around it so it wouldn't accidentally smudge any other drying stars when painting other stars.  I also made quite a few templates because sometimes acrylic paint got onto the bottom of the template and slightly smudged the stars.  Thus, I rotated between them.

3.  Lay down something on your surface.  I just used a carrier bag.

4.  Stuff your boot/shoe with socks/leggings material, something to help it keep its shape.  I discovered the need of this after the painting my first star.

5.  Put a SMALL amount of acrylic paint into a receptacle (a little goes a LONG way).  I used a pasta jar lid for this- doesn't matter if it gets too grubby as it can be recycled and a nice small, but flat surface. I chose to use pearlescent green paint, I'm not sure what the difference will be using matte paint.

6.  Before you begin on the actual shoe, try painting on the sole with your template and paint just to check you like what you're about to do! I tried out my small star template and large star and discovered the small one just looked messy and was harder to make the shape distinct.  You might be better with a slightly larger shape.

7.  Lay your template over a spot and hold down with your fingers (can't be doing with that masking tape milarkey) so it is flat.  Pick up a tiny amount of paint with your brush and paint over the template.   Carefully remove it.

8.  Re-lay a template at a distance of your choice.  Try not to let the sides of the template touch your previous star. (N.B.  It does dry quickly though, so don't worry too much).

9.  Every so often, look at your shoe to check you are positioning the stars evenly. I did all one side first, then had a look at it before laying it on its other side.

10.  Paint your other shoe.  Do the same with the other one. I had to check that my stars were the same distance.  They aren't but it seemed ok!

11.  Admire your new boots!!!

Just a word of warning.  Someone mentioned to me that acrylic paint can be washed off by water, so I avoided wearing mine in the rain so far.  I think they might be ok but just in case...
And if you fancy a change, then you could always clean them and repaint with a new pattern in new colours.


 One of my colleagues said she thought they might look pretty in all different star colours which I might try at some point!

Hope you like it.  One of my parents spotted them at school and when I told her I'd painted them she got all excited and thought that she could do this with some of her kids' scruffy shoes- she said she had a great idea which she'd wait till summer to do!!!  And parents, why not, for fun, let your child paint an old pair of shoes in this way with a template- they might be proud to say they've upcycled their own shoe!!! You could even have a shoe painting party for your child's birthday!!! Everyone could bring an old pair of shoes (or a new pair?!) and paint them with hearts, stars, butterflies, circles (polka dots), letters, you name it- all you need is a punch or template!!!



Linking to the following fab blogs including my Uni friend's fabulous blog!!! Visit the Fairy and the frog for amazing idea for things to do with your children and language links to these activities! Great ideas for nursery teachers too!:

Creative Mondays with Claire Justine

The Fairy and the frog parenting pin

In and out link up party with Cynthia at Feeding Big








You're gonna love it Tuesday

with Kathe with an E!