Day 19 | Sunday Brunch

Hello!

We've spent a lovely afternoon at the wonderful Duchess of Totterdown cafe with two Bristol pals - the Glorious Listers. Scoffing Full English breakfasts and talking about nothing very much - we whiled away hours and hours in the most hospitable little eatery I've ever had the pleasure of dining in.

I knew I was going to like it - on spotting a fellow Bobbler - turns out she was the cook! So worried was Cookie that she'd over done our food - that we were treated to a round of her newest invention. Soda bread with apple and coriander - with butter - fresh from the oven.

In fact our food was perfectly cooked - but we scoffed down the delicious soda bread and all agreed that it would be perfect with a chunk of sharp cheddar and a cup of tea. We hung about so long - we scored a huge serving of Duchess Mess with four spoons! All in all a perfect way to spend a sunny/rainy Sunday.

Back home and I had a yen to bake chickpea brownies. I spotted the recipe a while ago - and someone else mentioned them - so I thought I'd give it a bash. Trouble is - my record with brownies is appauling and I don't have exactly the right ingredients. So I went right off plan. And I mean RIGHT OFF plan... Mistakenly added too much salt, then realised I didn't have any chocolate - so added 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder - doubled the coconut oil and the sugar and added another whole egg for good measure.

Then I went mad and added a cup of strong coffee - to make a more battery consistency - oh and some ground flax and pumpkin seed. Well in for a penny...

The raw mixture tasted lovely - but I've just taken it out of the oven to cool and a) It hasn't risen. b) It's stuck firm to the baking parchement. (If I'm honest I don't know which way round your supposed to put it, I may have put it in upside down) and c) The little bit I've just tasted - is - well - ODD...

So I've baked a whole tray of flat, odd tasting brownies made with chickpeas - this will be a bit of a tough sell! I'm thinking of sandwiching two together with jam. I think I may have to call them 'Flatties'...

I had threatened my friend that I was going to turn up with the dress worn on my head - but in fact I felt more like a ladylike outfit today - I even put on some make-up.

The Dress: Worn conventionally.

The Rest: Grey, soft Tee as before, grey marl, thermal tights - with proper bum shaping. Very comfy. Yellow 3/4 sleeve cardigan. Yellow & black silk scarf - present from a friend. Acid green knuckle duster Brilliant short, blue, jacket, Michael Kors, Kath Kidston bag.

The Shoes: Blue Dr Marten Boots

The Eyewear:  Green Sunnies - Gianfranco Ferre (fancy!)

The Doo: Pobble's Bobbles - The purple has pretty much washed out by now. It has made my hair very knotty and dry. So I'm not sure I can have it done every time - shame - I've loved it!

Day 15 | Caped Crusader

Hello!

I've had to accept that the weatherperson  iPodge read or heard was fibbing when he/she promised 10 days of sunshine - or it was in fact a voice in his head. There have been a few late night programming - you can't always rely on him to stay sane when he's lost in code.

It's flipping flippety leave your flip-flops in the cupboard cold today. So I thought I might have a go at styling a cape. I can't say it was 100% successful. I wanted to create some structure using the bodice. there is a tiny little frill around the empire line - that I figured might stand up if I folded the bodice in on itself and popped the whole thing over my head.

We- ell... what do you think? I like the overal 'feel' of the outfit - I was hoping for a chic 60s - frenchy look - then I remembered my very, very old - and much loved RED or Dead shoes. So the whole thing took a turn for the silly. Frankly there's no getting away from the fact that I'm wearing my dress around my neck!



Still red lippy is always a joy and my hair is in a lazy chignon - after watching Hair last night on TV - I gave it a red hot go. I'm not convinced by Hair as a program, but I was a bit brain-dead last night so I slid into it after the marvelous Great British Sewing Bee. Which I totally heart.

I'd be fibbing if I told you I'll be wearing this all day - but while I'm indoors it works perfectly well - and it's toasty too! I will pop the dress on properly when I go shopping after lunch.



The Dress | Worn as a cape - or more accurately a weird poncho!

The Rest | Gap 3/4 cream trews. Charridy Shop buy. M&S thermal vest with lace under a brilliant black jumper bought years ago in Sussan - which is an Antipodean brand. Betty's ring.

The Shoes | Red or Dead Vintage

The Eyewear | Boots own - black and white.

The Do | Backcombed the crown (badly) and smoothed the lot into a twist, secured it with a massive black plastic claw. So it looks great from one side and a smidge chavvy from the other!

Overall Mark | I'm going for a cheerful 5/10 - If I do this when I'm 70 - I think my friends and family might think I have Alzheimers.

Day 14 | Librarian Chic

Good Morning All,

I've got a skypey doo-dah booked with Orrstraliar this morning  - so this will be a blogentry of two parts.

Part the First:

Here's me rocking the librarian cardie look. It's a delicious, soft, heather colour and there's pockets! I love a pocket.

I convinced iPodge that we could turn off the heating - in anticipation of a full on Sproinging of Spring. It has not happened and this morning I'm feeling a bit chilly - but I daren't admit this. So I have cunningly popped a vest on under my dress and layered it over my trusty 3/4 trews and two scarves. He'll never know! If you don't tell...

I've included a snap of Betty's ring - for the glorious Peta - who is the callee - I'm making that a word... of today's Skype. Amazing to be able to speak with my friends and family all around the globe. Skype is perhaps one of my favourite innovations of the last decade (or has it been longer?).

Betty gave me this ring for one of my big Birthdays - I can't remember if it was 30th or 40th - surely I've had it for a very long, long time! The stone is a Cairngorm - found near her Scottish home in the Highlands. Her unbelievably talented husband designed the setting and had it made for her - and although I never met him - I am sure I would've loved him just as much as I adore her.

Peta with clog and poncho!

Peta is still offline - so we might squeeze this in before we settle in for a cuppah and a yarn. It's been a while. There'll be much to share of kids and life and plans and art and makey doings. She is one of my heroines this girl. A fine beauty, a talented artist and a Ranger! How cool is that...?

Not any old Ranger - an Australian Bush Ranger - this girl is one of the few women in Aus who are trained and fearless enough to hang under the recon-copter - flying over bush fires. Directing ops on the ground. Making sure the firefighters stay safe & don't get hemmed in.

She's the toughest, cutest, sanest chick I know - and and and - she's bloody gorgeous too!

Here's to Peta and Rangers and Firefighters everywhere - we Librarians salute you x

The Dress: Worn over a vest - nanna style!

The Rest: Heather cardi with pockets. Cream, 3/4 trews - Gap. Purple Silk scarf - as before, multi coloured Ikat style scarf - picked up on travels. Betty's ring, purple knuckle duster.

The Shoes: Bruno Magli, purple flats. Scored for a song in TKMAXX

The Eyewear: purple, Prada.

The Doo: soft waves. courtesy of Poble's Bobbles, Percy & Reed - Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm and plaits overnight. Most of the hair chalk has now washed out. I think the rest will fade more gently.

Day 13 | Ungovernable!

Hello!

We are battling to stay focused while our sparks drills seven bits out of the kitchen walls. After over a year of living with just 3 operational sockets - I finally got around to finding a new electrician to sort out the half done job of our previous guy.

He did a perfectly adequate job - but he left a lot of things un-done, with no real explanation. Frazzled and a bit intimidated by the whole magical-electrical thingumy - I paid up and sent him off to his ski-ing holiday! So today is the day it all gets sorted. Fully chased in wiring, conveniently placed, working sockets and a light over the dining room table! Hooray...

Our new electrician is a lovely, gentle, herbal tea drinking soul - who has listened. We are here all day so we can keep an eye on the progress and make decisions as we go along. Which means the job will be done properly this time - but it does make for a noisy working environment and yet another impromptu lunch in a cafe! I KNOW - I lead the life of Riley's luckier sister!

It's chillier today - so I've popped my little black wonder dress on inside out and layered it up with a tshirt half nicked/half gifted to me by an Aussie Pal. If I remember correctly it was part of an Arts project done by the uncompromising and fierce Anj - who gave it to the awesome and truly ungovernable Megan - who gave it to me... It remains one of my faves - the lettering is crazed and the colour is a bled out black - but we all need a bit of lovin' when we're old and tatty ay?

To dial up the ante on the whole ungovernable thing - I've added high fashion tights and a pair of engineered shoe/boots from United Nude. These babies were designed by an architect and they are the most comfortable cuties in my shoedrobe. It's a word! You can't say it's not...

The Dress | Worn inside out with an unzipped gap at the top. Without iPodge to help dress me I am flumoxed with this sticky zip.


The Rest | Ungovernable Slogan Tshirt - gift. Tights I think these are Alexander McQueen - bought in a Harvey Nicks sale a few years ago, eyewateringly exxy even with 70% off! Still cool as icecubes huh? Pink plastic rings, Tiffany bracelet, grey school cardigan - Gap (charity shop buy years ago).


The Shoes | United Nude Fold Mid - Bright Mix (bought in New York - present from iPodge - he's a keeper!)


The Eyewear | Charity shop £3.00! Pilgrim - Danish Design @£45 - £90 new. Hello Bargain Cuties!

The Do | Poble's Bobbles - most of the hair chalk has already washed away. So the two weeks advertised is pushing it! I'd say I've got two more washes before all trace has gone. Which means you either do it yourself or have it done at the hairdressers when you've got something fancy on. Or you can use ordinary chalk to colour it for one wash - or if you really like the effect - use a semi permanent dye.

It was a lovely experiment. I like it a lot - so I'm contemplating getting a semi-on... Oh no I di'nt!

Oh yes I blinking did!

Day 11 | C'est Violette!

Hello!

Late entry for today's little ensemble. It's changed a couple of times today. For brunch I headed out with the dark green, suede, Red or Dead booties, purple silk scarf and a beautiful Missoni cardigan which will feature again soon.

One delicious Bubble and Squeak with smoked bacon and a perfectly poached egg later - and an hour or so in the sunny window - and I was panting on the way home! So a quick chimmy changeo was called for and I headed out to my hair appt minus cardi, and plus my trusty flats. There was some yomping to be done to get there on time!

So here we are then - back home after a 3 hour trip to the wonderful Charlie. I arrived feeling a bit frumpy and forlorn and we discussed tactics. I am growing out the blonde - which is a bit operation and in the meantime I'm blending in the grey - going for a greige vibe with the end game of a chic, grey fox do. Embracing my grey and rocking it into my mid 50s.

Well that's the plan - the reality has been a little less exciting. My hair hasn't gone a wonderful steely grey all over - far from it - and the amount of colour still in it - means that it looks like the pelt of an ageing rat! Not the look I was aiming for.

Help is most definitely at hand - Miss Charlie is one of the best colourists I've ever come across and let me tell you - I've been to many, many in my years as a signed up member of Hair Whores Anon. She's dumped a tint on my hair that is used on brassy blondes to tone down the yellow and give it an ashy look. I don't have this issue - so what it has done is allowed the grey to shine and added a sort of purple haze!

While we were chatting I mentioned the hair chalks in the window and how much I love one of the hairdressers' faded out purple/blueypurple hair and before we could yell 'Squeeee'... we decided to have a blinking go! Result... In fact a very chic grey/purple tint - bumped up with some serious purple cred through the front and there's loads in the back underneath - so when Poble's Bobbles are in place - you'll see purple through the back!

I'm really happy - and I feel transformed from middle aged frump-o-rama into a cool - chic older woman with a bit of edge a bit of Grrrrrrr!

So here are the details:

The Dress: Worn as it was designed to be worn.

The Rest: Super soft, slate grey tee shirt - Whistles. Brown starburst tights - no idea, had 'em years. Wonderful dark, sagey green leather and fabric bomber jacket. Charity Shop find! (I KNOW - right?!)

The Shoes: Clarks, punched brogues - I want these in every colour before the trend dies and I can't get the so easily. I think punched brogues may be my 'shoe-thing'. I just can't do stab heels for more than a couple of hours these days... Sigh!

The Eyewear: Charity Shop - emergency buy. £2.00.

The Do: Charlie at AKA Bristol - L'Oreal deep conditioning treatment, purple hair chalk. We're talking blow-dry, hot irons, and PRODUCT! Every 4 - 6 weeks without fail. I wear my hair every day - and if it looks good - I feel good! So there...

Day 8 | Stellavation!

Good Morning. I am on stilts today! I've no idea who's reading this little bloggette. I'm thinking some of my pals from other blogs might drive by and you never know - if it gets shared there may be the odd stray. I always advise bullish self confidence to others when discussing their blog 'voice' No-one enjoys a needy blogger hey?

So back to the plot. Today I am wearing my absolute favorite boots. A pair of brown, neoprene, thigh-high Stella McCartney's with cigarette heels. Achingly cool - amazingly comfortable and they make me feel about 6ft tall! What is not to love?

I was egged on to buy these by my dear pal and Ultimate Shoe Queen KP - this woman is serious. She has an entire room in her house fully shoe wardrobed out - and her collection is beyond fabulous. We're talking Gina, Terry De Havilland, Dolce & Gabbana on and on it goes - then there's the Hermes bag - bought with money left to her by her granny - because it's what she would've wanted.

This chick has serious style - not the guttersnip, silly nonsense I'm parading about in this blog. I mean serious chops. At 16 she made her own corset. Without the first clue about boning - she made her own by sewing strips of material together until she got the right stiffness. Genius! 

She is my style heroine. I'd give you a snapshot - but I don't have one - and she'd murder me - and I mean proper, East End Gangster style sorting... You don't mess with KP.

So without further ado or adon't - (not sure that worked as well as it did in my head...) Here are the details for today!

The Dress | Inside out and if I'm honest not fully zipped up then tucked into my knickers (what?) - I can't manage the fiddly zip without iPodge's help and he was up early and out of the door. I shall spend most of today in a state of semi deshabiller and not in a sexy, french way. In a scatty Luli way...

The Rest | Brown fine knit cardi knotted at the bust, FWM. Cute swing back jacket with short sleeves and a hood, funnel neck. Therapy. Beautiful handfelted scarf - bought in Sydney Markets. Selection of wooden bangles - bought in charridy shops. I pick them up whenever I see them. Betty's ring. (my constant companion). Selection of plastic fantastic, knuckle dusters. I might wear the mulit-coloured plaid as a shawl - it's a bit chilly round the Urals x

The Shoes | Stella McCartney, as previously described. But can we just take a moment people... leave a comment about just how much you love these boots... They deserve your love!

The Eyewear | Gucci

*a note about glasses. I don't get you one pair until they fall off types. Whassatabout. Man I was secretly so delighted when my optician finally told me that I had enough of a change to warrant wearing specs. I went mad! I keep the ones that are from the previous prescription and insist on wearing them - not for working or reading - obvs. But then I have special glasses for doing all that.

No it's essential to have the right pair of specs for your outfit. No?

The Do | Poble's Bobbles with feather adornments. For Bestie Kim - who rocks a hair accessory like no other x x

Day 4 | Breaking Amish

Inside Out For International Women's Day

Sliding in at supper-time with today's pics and a super quick run down of my first weekend outfit. I had intended to do something really dramatic - but I woke up tired and grumpy so I went for easy and simple. Luli does Amish. Well if we ignore the zip - and the buttons and the fancy undies!

I didn't get a detail of the shoes with today's tights - I was in a rush, and now I'm deconstructed after a day in the garden fixing up the shed roof! (I've swopped the cardigan for a comfy house cardy and my shoes for my duvet slippers - which will feature in an 'at home ensemble' - somewhen.

I really, really did wear my dress while slapping bitumen on the shed roof - I tucked it into my knickers and put an old fleece on over it and NO there isn't a picture. The poor neighbour was beside himself with trying not to stare at my knees!

I do have a pic of the shoes - taken a while back, with purple tights. This will have to do...

I plan to learn to use photoshop during this project - so I'm hoping the photographs get a bit better and I can develop a 'style' for the blog. I will also start to use iPodge's better camera. It isn't super, uber fancy - I'd have to borrow the teenager's kit if I want to get totally professionale - and that is never going to happen.

I was dead pleased with this little outfit. I realise now - that you can't actually see much of it - but you get the idea. It's a good job I filled up on a huge brunch because I am woman without clue - as far as supper goes - I'm hoping iPodge will let me get away with a rock cake and some chocolate.

So the details:

Dress worn inside out - I meant to unpick the label - but I didn't get around to it. Bite me... Lovely white and blue cotton striped button up shirt with smock/pin tuck detail - gathered under the bust. Charity shop find. Ballet wrap cardigan also from a charity shop. Brilliant brown/grey/black needle stripe tights. Betty's ring. Pale tan, punched brogues from Clarkes with a tan handbag, scored a few years ago from a charity shop. Beautiful cutwork heart necklace - a gift from iPodge, bought in Milan. (Swank - swank...) You can't see it!

Hair: Poble's Bobbles
Eyewear: Gucci