Family day out: Nene Valley Railway

Hello there! Have you all had a good weekend? What did you get up to? For us it was spent as a family just relaxing at home, watching 'Brave' at the cinema, and going on a lovely train ride on Sunday. For those of you who are familiar with 'Thomas the Tank Engine',  you might be aware that the real life engine resides at Wansford station near Peterborough. We hopped along with the kidlets yesterday to see him, and to experience the charm of steam engine train rides in the country!

Our day in pictures...

 

 

 



 

Trusty Thomas, ready to pull us on the first leg of our journey to Yarwell station.

 

 

 

Passengers at the ready...

 

 

 

 

We loved the old interior of the carriages...

 

 

I found a cheeky monkey on board...

 

 

 

Once Thomas had done his duty, the big steam engine was hooked up to chug us away on the rest of our journey!

 

 

 

From cheeky monkey to stowaway in a suitcase?

 

 

 

On our travels today, I saw this lovely old typewriter...♥♥♥

 

The Nene Valley Railway offered a lovely, easy-going family day out, one we all enjoyed! If you're ever in the area, it is well worth a visit. Pack a picnic and jump off at Ferry Meadows station for a quiet lunch in the vast grounds of this leisure park.

 

Now, I'd love to hear what you've been up to this weekend! May you have a happy, joyous, productive week!

 

Blessings, Tania ♥

 

 













 



A nod to vintage, the High Street way!

So, I have done a lot of blogging about our home, thrifting and sewing, but not so much about my passion for vintage inspired fashion. I think this is largely due to the fact that I'm still experimenting with my own style, and how I incorporate influences from the past into my own wardrobe. However, today I'd like to share a little outfit post with you, and a new up do that I tried for the first time on my own hair!

Although I am slowly building up a true vintage wardrobe by acquiring items as and when I need them, I'm always on the lookout for high street reproductions or vintage inspired items that would fit in well with my love of the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. The shops are full of lovely impostors giving a nod to these era's, mimicking the past in cut, fabric, patterns and styles. I found a pair of high waisted pallazzo trousers not so long ago, which reminded me of the wide-legged cuffed trousers, worn by ladies in the 1930's and 1940's who were fond of avant-garde fashions, ladies like the lovely Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich.

 

And this is me...

 

 

 

 

Pallazzo trousers were high fashion in the late 1960's and 1970's, with a more prominent flare at the bottom. I think I prefer mine in keeping with earlier styles though! Now, I am very average in height at 1.61m tall (or short as the case may be!), and I'm no size 6, so I have got to be very careful how I wear wide-legged trousers...only with heels to elongate my legs, and make me look a little slimmer! So, needless to say, I don't wear these very often, but I do love them! I have teamed them up with a blouse, also from a High Street store, which has such lovely detail, reminiscent of earlier styles. It has a peplum cut, with ties to the back to pull in at the waist. The sleeves are quite extravagant with layers to create a puff-sleeved look.

 

 

Peplum designs evolving...

Here are typical examples of earlier peplum designs. I love the silhouette that it creates. Very feminine!

 



 

 

 

That's the outfit. Now for the hair. I do love nothing more than the feminine hairstyles of the 1940's and the 1950's. When I want to make an effort with my own hair, I always tend to pin curl it, then style it in a down style. I've been wanting to try a new up do for some time now, especially since purchasing a lovely orchid flower adornment recently! So, I set to work with hot rollers, LOTS of bobby pins and copious amounts of hairspray...sorry mother earth, I'll keep this to a minimum as best I can next time!

 

The front...

 

 



 

 The back...

 

 

The side...

 

 

 

 

I have to admit that it turned out a little different to what I had in mind! I started off thinking sleek 'victory rolls' and 1940's, but ended up with something a little more romantic and 'messy'! But, I like it still, and I think it's wearable. Flower adornments were very popular in earlier decades, and orchids are definitely some of my favourites. Do you ever sport some fauna/flora in your hair?

 

As you can tell, I have taken elements from different decades to put together an outfit that speaks to me. That's what I love about this journey in exploring vintage styles...I can be creative in choosing what I like, old or new, authentically vintage or reproduction. I am not a purist! At least not yet...

 

I hope you have enjoyed my first 'proper' outfit post. I look forward to playing dress-up a little more, and sharing the successes and failures with you! Hopefully more of the first!

 

Have an extraordinarily happy weekend!

Tania ♥♥♥



Home Tour Part 2: Wash Day...

Hello my lovelies! Welcome to the mad house! Yes, while the children are on holiday it is a little crazy around here...mind you, it always is! But, I have managed to play house, indulge in a little homemaking, and we are all set for part 2 in our Home Tour. Today it is the turn of the smallest room in our house, the laundry room. Although it is tiny, I have again snapped away, and have quite a bit to share! The challenge with this room has always been to keep it tidy and organised, as there is always a neverending pile of washing to be done, as you can imagine in a household with three children! Now, this little room has also lacked personality, as I've never made an effort to dress it up a little. It was bland and messy, but hopefully now that I've dolled it up it will encourage me to keep on top of the laundry! So, here we go. Come on in...

Getting organised...

The first thing that I needed to think about, was storage. Pretty storage of course! Like any laundry room, ours is full of bottles of cleaning liquids, detergents, soap, dust cloths, polish, brushes etc. I made a list of possible storage solutions, and gathered and re-cycled what I had around the house to serve this purpose.

Re-purposed Jars, Tins, Bottles, and Boxes...
I had this large glass jar to store cookies in, but as I have quite a selection of cake tins, I thought this would come in more handy as a laundry detergent jar. I love clear glass jars! The 1930's wooden scoop was a little purchase from the Ramsey 1940's weekend.

This lavender bottle from Lille in France, we have used for many years at the breakfast table for orange juice. Now it stores fabric conditioner! The old sand bucket and Kilner jar now houses my pegs.

 One can never have enough pretty jars and bottles! The tiny jam jar is now used for essential oil, and the re-cycled peanut jar is ready for storing clothes labels for school uniform.

Dressed up jars are sitting prettily on the shelf...

More jars for storing bits and bobs, such as picture hooks and curtain hooks...all neatly organised!

Storage for shoe polish...a pretty tin perhaps?

An old colander to hold dust cloths?

Old glass jelly mould turned soap dish...



I have a pine shelf which I thrifted from a charity shop quite some time ago, but I never knew where to put it. It was a bargain at the time, with no real purpose. Well, I've managed to get rid of the ugly orange pine that it was by painting it white, and distressing it. It now sits on the wall in the laundry, holding pretties that I have collected.

The fork and spoon that I have added as decoration belongs to hubby. He had these as a child. I thought that they looked nicer on here than tucked away in a box in the loft! 

A few pretties...
A pretty collected silver spoon...

Old jelly mould and tiny cup and saucer...

Vintage hankies...

Window treatment...
The window looked a little sad and forlorn, and needed a little something. In my opinion, if anything needs 'a little something', one can never go wrong with lace, lace, and more lace! I had a little lace table cloth which happened to be the exact width of the window. So, I chopped it in half, hemmed it and voila...a feminine touch and more privacy! There is nothing more pleasing to the eye than sunlight peeking through a lace curtain!

I also tried my hand at starching a lace doily and turning it into a bowl. I was quite pleased with the result!

A few rustic touches here and there...
A vintage washboard...
I have always wanted a vintage washboard for the laundry room, so I was a woman on a mission when I attended the 1940's event this past weekend! And I was not disappointed. I found this on one of the stalls, and was tickled pink!

I used to work at Harrods in the Toy Department. One day, whilst browsing in the store during my lunch break, I spotted this quirky door knob hanger in one of the displays. After a little discussion with the department manager, I managed to convince him to sell it to me! We had to decide on a price, as the item wasn't meant for sale. In the end, I think I got it for a song! Well, it is a very practical item for the laundry room, as there is always something that needs to be hung up out of the way!

The plate above is one that I altered by adding transfers and buttons.

Before...



After...

And finally, no room is complete without a little art...not even the laundry room...
I printed off some vintage images, which I then glued onto chip board that I cut to size. (I do love playing with the power tools...the jigsaw especially!) I distressed the images a little for an older look, and popped them up on the wall. Some are a little cheeky...

And so, another room is organised...for now...

Let's just hope I can stay on top of the washing now. After all, this little plaque that hangs in the laundry is so near the truth, I hope that I can steer away from it and that service will improve! I need to nurture a love for ironing...

Thank you for visiting and staying a little while. I hope your home is a happy one wherever you are!

Blessings, Tania ♥♥♥

Stepping back in time to the 1940's!

Every year in August, people travel from near and far to Ramsey in Cambridgeshire, and for one weekend they all step back in time to the 1940's.  Some bring their caravans and stay for the weekend, whilst others like us dip in and out of it, participating in all that's on offer. We visited for the day yesterday, and I can honestly say that it was one of the best days we've ever had!

'The Camp' is transformed into a vintage lovers paradise, with some of the finest vintage cars on display. For those who love to wear clothes from the 1930's through to 1950's, the selection to shop from is vast! I was considering buying a wheelbarrow, just to lift my jaw from the floor and wheel it around, as I was absolutely agog at the array of vintage loveliness that met the eye! Of course wartime Britain is the main theme that runs throughout, so the military displays do not disappoint.  Re-enactments by finely-dressed participants are all part of the fun. There was music, oh, fine music, and dancing, fashion shows, a Crufts dog show (1940's style of course!), and even the sky lent us it's best with flights from wartime planes such as a Hurricane and Spitfire. Of course I snapped away like an over-excited tourist, and I'd love to show you some of the scenes we enjoyed. I warn you...this is a picture heavy post!


Fabulous 1940's Style...

1940's Red Cross Style...



Hubby and I eagerly await the Allied Assortment Fashion Show...

Period Vehicle Displays...

Loved the red fire engine...

I neeeeeed this car!



And something for Hubby...1973 Mustang

Landgirl Style...

Re-enactment and Living History...



1940's Garden...

Vintage Cycle Display...

Hands-on learning...

Oops...I think someone's sat down on stinging nettles...!

Music, sweet music...

The Happy Jazz Quartet...

And of course, shopping heaven!

I have really just shared snippets from our day. There was so much to see, I couldn't possibly include everything! If you are ever able to attend, I can highly recommend it! It's a fabulously, well organised event, with something for everyone. There were fun fair rides for the children, lovely food, tank rides, cinema with films from the era, and so much more. I hope you enjoyed taking this little trip into history with me!

Blessings, Tania ♥♥♥