The writing of a girl who likes heavy metal and dolls houses, making things and charity shopping

Saturday 19 February 2011

Odd socks and shopping

Good morning world!

My sense of style has reached new lows over the past few years. My 'work' wardrobe (consisting of garments that care not if they get covered in paint/ sick/ snot) and my out of work wardrobe have collided, resulting in a tatty, uninspiring mishmash of urghhhhhness.

I must face facts and go shopping!

I will come back with a decent, sturdy pair of shoes and perhaps some trainers. It matters not that my socks are odd and holey, I will succeed!

I will return victorious, with flattering jeans and trousers not made of denim. I will make sure that I put some effort into selecting clothes I like, not just buying them cos they'll do. Wish me luck, this is no mean feet.

Wednesday 9 February 2011

Trinkets and stories

Before meeting yours truely my boyfriend, Mr Squire, had never been to a car boot. He had never set foot in a charity shop. Obviously, he had never lived.

These days, apart from the occasional moan if I linger too long in Oxfam, and the protests that his house resembles a jumble sale, he is happy to join in in my quest for jewels.

Look what he found for me at the weekend! I keep imagining this on the dressing table of some tragically beautiful, tortured heroine back in the 1930s, wistfully looking into her mirror wondering if that particular shade of red lipstick made her look like a hooker.

Not great picture quality, as ever it was taken on my phone. Can you make out the lady in the photo? That's my Great Grandmother, Kate Frain, more than likely taken in America where she went to find work in Boston during potato famine. I've been told that my Great-Grandad, Mike Jack, wrote to her there for years, she never once replied but upon coming home to Ireland she married him and they were very happy together. 

Monday 7 February 2011

Skip Bin

A while ago I wrote that I was blissfully happy after hauling something I needed out of a skip. It might not be the most exciting of items, but the article in question was a bin. Yes, before this momentous occasion I had no option but to widely throw rubbish around my room, how I needed a bin. Happily I rescued a lonely, unwanted bin that had been turfed out of it's previous residence as the bank it once called home was closed down and cruelly had it's insides ripped out.


I have to say I live in quite a well to do area, I'm hedging my bets that there are not that many locals who are willing to climb into a dirty skip to retrieve something. Luckily they have me in their midst. This was the first time I have found skip treasure. I'll admit to feeling a little self conscious as the skip was in the middle of the village by a busy main road. I did get a funny look when I asked the removal men if I could take it (always good to ask first!) Walking around tesco with a dirty bin that very much looked as though it had been pulled out a skip, is also best avoided.


Here is said bin, after having a good wash and being bashed back into shape
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I think you'll agree that skip-bin was rather boring, I decided to go crazy with the decoupage and it ended up like this:

I was little scared by the finished product, fearing it to be somewhat "gaudy." But, in my bedroom, with the other colourful components I think it looks ok.



P.S. the paper bags in the bin will be recycled, they are purely props to demonstrate skip-bins fine capabilities.

Sunday 6 February 2011

Rhannips Housewarming!

After the vintage fair on Saturday, we went to Rhiannon's for her house warming soiree.  Her house is a cavern crammed full of delights. To appreciate the full wonder, I think it is important to share some insight into the unique world of the mighty Rhannip. 

 She doth collect snow globes, this is just a mere selection.

 The house is decorated with sharks, pinups and...

This, a picture of a cat in a weird wig.

So, if you want to know how many teeth a great white has, have a burning desire to watch back to back films of big animals attacking people and other such murderous themes, or you just HAVE TO shake a snow globe, Rhiannon's your girl. 

Happy New Home my sweet, I love it!

Lately...

I have been very busy and very tired. Not been blogging much, partly because I have to use borrowed laptops and partly because I just haven't got around to it. Lots of 'imaginary blogging' not much actual blogging. I'm doing lots of extra hours at work, several changes now mean I am the only carer at the moment. I try and do all the extra hours I can when they're available as I can't guarantee they'll be there later, but it feels as though I have been doing an awful lot. Aside from working here are some things I've done-

Watching Black Swan with my mum. Quite surprised to find that this is not exactly the type of film I would usually watch with ones mother. Also quite surprised it's only a 15, and relieved we did not come to watch it for my mums birthday in a couple of weeks, we both thought it was abit rubbish. However, I very much enjoyed the ballet that was in it, and would like to see a real production.

Vintage fair! It was a success! I'll be doing the next one on the 5th March. Thanks to Jess and Andy for keeping me company and drinking vodka whilst we worked! Don't have many pictures, I am very bad at taking photos, or indeed having my photo taken. These are a couple I took on my phone. 


Having my hair cut. Bit the bullet and had about 5 inches chopped off the length and a fringe cut in. It's much healthier and will hopefully be easier to manage. It will also mean I'll fighting with it every morning to get the fringe to behave.

I was meant to get a laptop today, but I just don't know what to get, so I didn't get one at all. I will rectify this soon.

Andy has just made tea- grilled halloumi with cous cous, yum yum yum. I'm going to eat it all now.

Thursday 3 February 2011

Vintage Fair @ The White Horse, Leamington Spa, Saturday 5th Feburary

I am very excited/nervous to be doing my very first vintage fair this Saturday! I'm gathering together my goods inbetween working shifts, hopefull that everything will be ok in the end. I predict it will be a great success! Or a total disaster.... no middle ground here. These are a couple of pictures I took before rushing off to work.I'm torn between wanting everything to sell and wanting to keep it all...

Also, have decided it's about time I bought a laptop of my own! This is very exciting, I've never had my own laptop or computer before! So, weekend will be vintage fair, house warming at Rhiannons followed by pub, then laptop hunting. There have been several sightings in Currys and PC World, so we should be able to snare one.