Spring Summer Wardrobe

This year I plan to mostly make things for my wardrobe. But I treated myself for my birthday as I got two John Lewis vouchers.
 I used them to get three stripy tops; one black/white, one blue/white and one multicoloured.
Stripy things always remind of being on the beach or by the sea and when I was a kid in the 70s and 80s when stripes were very much a thing.
I must admit I am stocking up on these a bit as not much shopping may be had for a bit.
I also ordered a load of fabric. So far I have made a black work skirt (probably not needed for a bit) and plan a green stretch comfy skirt and a pair of pyjama shorts patterned with cartoon owls.
Let’s all look forward to things being better in the summer and we can all be out and about maybe in stripy tshirts!

Weird Furniture

Inspired by our viewing of a jumbo dvd set of The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes...weird victorian furniture. This one is my dressing table. Rivals features many bad taste victorian interiors which I secretly love, full of fringed drapery, overstuffed upholstery, giant ferns, lace, heavily carved furniture and ornate light fittings. It’s set in about 1890, a period when women’s costume also resembled a heavily draped, fringed and tasselled window treatment. Upholstery tassels and such like are actually known as passementerie, and no, I don’t know how you pronounce it.

Fruit and Veg

So glad we have our garden at the moment! In a fit of enthusiasm I ordered some veg seeds as above. I put some broad beans in the border today and planted a squash and courgette in wee pots on the windowsill. Also in wee pots, although I forgot to label them are chillis, red pepper and cress. 

Already in the garden we have an old apple tree, rhubarb, strawberries and black and white currant.

If only the huge and hungry wood pigeons will leave them alone! Will report on progress! 

Pictorial Map

I did a pictorial map showing places I go in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. All the places I work are in the west and places I go for fun in the east. Notice omnipresent seagulls.

Spring Wardrobe Clearout

Hello Spring! Officially March is the beginning of Spring but to be honest in Aberdeen it’s more like Spring starts in May. However starting positively...
I am starting my regular wardrobe clearout. This time focussing on things I feel negative about for some reason:

Grey cardigan with grease stain
Sneakers which rub my heels
Tweed pencil skirt, frumpy
Logo tshirt which immediately shrunk in wash
Things I avoid wearing for some reason
Uncomfortable things

However I am trying to dress sustainably so another season of:
Making my own clothes
Buying second hand and vintage
Fixing and tweaking existing clothes
Getting more wear out of oddball items
Finding new outfit combos

Things to avoid:
Viscose, impossible to wash successfully
Acrylic jumpers, very itchy
Cheap tshirts which shrink or warp
Cheap tights which creep and bobble
Trendy items which are poor quality or fit

Keys in Series

Another set of objects in series. These are from a jar of interesting keys collected by my friend Georgina at Braemar Castle. Look closer, small things are more varied than you might think! 

Cluny Castle

Once a month I go to a meeting where I am part of a group trying to restore a mausoleum. The Fraser Mausoleum is in Cluny Churchyard. To get there, I drive past this fantastic gateway to Cluny Castle. 

Primulas

Mobile phones take beautiful photos these days! These primulas in the front garden are surviving, the freezing weather seems to have curbed the flower eating slugs.