What's a girl to do?

Indeed, what is a girl to do on a bad bad hair and make up day?  You know when you just can't be bothered with your appearance for love nor money?

You sweep your greasy hair off your face, pull on your favourite boots and try to distract attention away from your pasty, make-up free face with jewellery and... hair.  It doesn't always work so well.  But it didn't matter.  These pics were taken after a fabulous morning spent with Mr N followed by a charity shop crawl and a lovely lunch

Dress - Two Squirrels Vintage

Boots & satchel - Ebay

Coat, cardi, tights & brooch - high street

Pendant - Groupon

I promised to show some of my Lake District charity shop finds and I'm nothing if not predictable reliable so here you go.  I've been meaning to do a thrifted finds post for ages now as I have found rather a lot of treasures recently, so I've incorporated all my recent finds into one rather epic post and here they are:-

I fell in love with this picture.  It reminded me of the illustrations in one of my favourite fairytale books when I was a kid

 

To be honest, this post has a been a work-in-progress for a couple of months now.  I have found so much stuff that by the time I've gotten around to photographing it, I've bought more.  Then I forget which stuff is new.  I have bought loads more since these pics were taken!

Which leads me to ponder the thorny issue of selling vintage.  Something I've been thinking about for a while now, as I've slowly but surely seen my collection growing around me and gradually taking over my house.  I've been selling stuff on Ebay for years but have never thought of it as a potential second income.

So, what do you reckon:-

Is it worth selling vintage, even for pocket money?

Online or at fairs?

Ebay or Etsy?

Pro's? Cons? Tips?

Any pearls of wisdom you lovely people could dispense in my direction would be much appreciated!

Have a great week

xxx

Exquisite Melancholy

It is currently 3.30 pm here in the UK as I type.  Outside, it is a dark dark shade of grey, and the rain is of biblical proportions.  

In an homage to the bleak and mournful, I thought I would share some like images found around the web recently.

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Most images found via this blog but I hope I have stated the correct original sources

xxx

Orpheus Descending

On Friday, Mr N had booked us tickets to see a production of Orpheus Descending by Tennessee Williams at the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre.

 Apparently one of Williams' lesser known plays, I had never heard of it before.  It didn't matter, I was rapt!

Above images found via Google search

Imogen Stubbs shone as Lady Torrance.  The play was something of a slow burner but it held you effortlessly, from the start.  

Aftermath - a view from my seat

It was devastatingly well observed, funny, witty, and heart wrenchingly tragic.  Everything you'd expect from Tennessee Williams really. 

It sparked much excitable babbling (and later google searching) on my part about the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, the symbolism, the recurring themes of hatred, ignorance, xenophobia, and tragic lovers (oh my!)


Above all, I asked myself how on earth could we have left doing something like this for so long.

The Royal Exchange itself is a very impressive venue.

 All marble pillars and intricate gold leafing

Kind of a theatre within a theatre

A very intimate setting

I didn't get any pictures of what I wore.  Suffice to say, I was quite overdressed for the occasion.  All lace bows and false eyelashes, I stood out like a sore thumb from the too cool for school academic types in their frayed jeans and woollen scarves.

Each to their own I say.

xxx

Up the rebels, and to hell with Burgundy

Apparently a reference to the Hundred Years War between the kingdoms of England and France, but if you're anything like me, you'll recognise the above quote from Carry On Doctor 

When I saw these suedette lace up boots on Ebay I knew I had to have them.  Everyone needs burgundy boots don't they?  I've had loads of comments on them, but most people think they're red.  Either way, I'm good with it.  Anyway, I thought I'd team them with my newish charity shop acquisitions, floral gypsy style dress and longline burgundy cardigan.  I also wore my new favourite lipstick by a well known, affordable British brand fronted by a well known skanky supermodel.  Shade 107 (burgundy of course) in the matte variety.  I rather like it but it could do with being a teensy bit deeper in colour.

Dress & cardigan - charity shop

Tights - high street

Boots - Ebay

Pendant - Groupon deal

Brooch - high street

For all of you who commented on my last post, I send a massive 'mwah'!  Your comments were so reassuring and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  

Onwards and upwards my friends 

xxx

Headspace

Does anyone else ever experience a love/hate relationship with their blog?  My main problem is over thinking.  Do people actually want to read my nonsense?  Should I post less?  How do I keep things superficial and light when crazy stuff is going down?  Should I do serious more?  Should I do outfits more?  What do people respond best to?  Should I do more of that?  What direction do I want this blog to take?  Does anyone other than me actually care?  Flamin nora, I wear myself out!

Ah well.  That's why it's good to escape now and then I suppose.

 These pictures were taken on day 2 of our time out weekend at the Lake District, in a village called Hawkshead.  I can't tell you how much I love this place

We had hot chocolate and home made cake in the quaintest little oak beamed tea shop, and wandered around the warren of alleys and medieval squares in the 17th century village

 

Then we gambolled about in the grounds of the church on the hill and took photos.  The views were fantastic.

Yup, more gravestones

I love how this pic turned out.  It reminded me straightaway of Sherlock Holmes' bad trip in 'The Devils Foot'

I was fascinated with this series growing up.  No wonder I turned out kinda warped! ;)

We met this little chap in someone's back yard on the way back to the car

All in all, the perfect place to not overthink!

xxx