Summer, picnics and ginger beer, leapfrog and hopscotch...

Ah the long days of summer, picnics and ginger beer, leapfrog and hopscotch...

Ok, so here in the UK summer so far has been pants! This was a rare sunny evening at Granny's where shunning the TV they went outside and played :) 

Summer went on forever when I was a kid, hopscotch drawn on the road in the turning circle was my game of choice, if I wasn't off den building with my brother (pretending to be swallows and amazons or the famous 5!)  What were your favourite childhood summer games / memories?

All this rain has meant I've had plenty of time inside sewing, you can check out my creations at  here or here

Lil Vintage Makes is  also on Facebook and Twitter too

I'd be ever so chuffed if you could join me!!!

A delivery from 1973.......

 

At the weekend, my mother brought out a box for me

Quite unassuming, vintage cosmetics maybe? Mum was an Avon Rep in the seventies. Nope! Turning the box I spied the handwritten label quickly!!

Oh how I smiled!! Opening it was like jumping back into my childhood!! Lovely handrolled (yes mum is a perfectionist!!)lengths of the most fabulous braids mum had used throughout the 70s and 80s when she sewed our clothes :)

A selection of the goodies inside.....

Sometrimes its good to have a mum who's a bit of a hoarder ;)

Today I'll be sorting my own sewing stash so I can add these to my own collection. I have a feeling mine will pale in comparison!!

Now just because Sounds of the 70s last night reminded me of my parents love for the Carpenters, heres a song to brighten your day...

A weekend in Devon...Typewriters, Tablecloths and Regrets....

At the weekend, before the rainstorm that nearly blew our caravan away, we went to Devon. We wandered around antique centres and thrift stores and I found two lovely retro typewriters. Both complete with their hard cases and in fully working order, I couldn't decide between the two. 'Why do you need a typewriter?' Hubby asked. I was unable to offer an answer past, because I want one, so I didn't offer a reply. Our house if full to bursting of things I couldn't say no to, just because. So, I set myself a limit (noot having a clue how much typewriters were worth) and asked the shop keeper how much they were....
They were £5 above my self imposed limit and as I couldn't decide between the two, we told her we'd think about it and be back later.

We crossed the road and visited a church sale where I happened on a bag of assorted embroidered tablecloths, stupidly cheap. But because I couldn't think of an immediate use for them I passed them over.... We decided to escape the cold in a cafes and more shops...

We continued back through the high street  and returned to our caravan. The next day I sat down with a coffee flicking through my new Mollie Makes and  was filled with inspiration as too what I could have done with those tablecloths.

The next day, back home, I browsed EBay for typewriters, turned out they were a bargain at the shop.
 ' I wish I 'd bought that typewriter' I whispered over to Hubby.   'I know, I was thinking that earlier'
he replied.

So what advice can I pass on?

If you spot something away from home , by all means give yourself some thinking time but don't forget to go back to the shop. Set an alarm on your phone for 10 minutes then ask yourself again. "Do I like that item enough to buy it? Will I seriously regret it if I don't." 
Assuming you have internet on that phone, do a quick search for comparible items and prices no use in paying over the odds, or equally missing a bargain.
And despite all this DO remember how much space you have at home!

What will be vintage?

Its no secret at all that my favourite vintage period is the 1940s and 50s and that our children join us on our 1940s reenactment adventures, infact it seems one of the most favourite vintage periods for people of my generation!

I often wonder if, my children will continue with this love of this period or as they grow if they (along with another generation) will embrace a new vintage period.

Putting aside other factors the 1940s / 50s is a period when alot of our parents were born and grew up.

So, how much of that has influenced our enthusiasm for the period? Our parents nostalgia influencing our subconcious, rose tinted stories of  'the best days of their lives' increasing our love for the period.

There is alot being asked these days about when is vintage? how old does something have to be vintage? Well, experts will quote anything over 25 years can called Vintage which takes us to the 1980s.  Fastforward 25 years till my daughter is the about the age as I am now and the 70s and 80s will be 50/60 years ago.  not too far away from my 60/70 years since the 1940s and50s!

70s without the fancydress!!

Although we wouldn't rush to dress from the period -(the above piccy might change that!!)
hubby and I definitely embrace the nostalgia of the 70s. Often buying original childhood games for the kids and rewatch our GoodLife DVDs with them!!

And there'll always be a babycham or snowball offered to visitors on xmas day, before dinner....

So will they jump into the 70s and 80s (the decades I was born and grew up) with as much enthusiasm as I have for the 40s and 50s or will those post war years always remain the desired vintage period?

New Skirts And Skate Parks....

Forgive me, again, for the lack of posts. Its the Easter hols and family life has taken over a bit! Easter break also meant the last of my sewing lessons. I finished my skirt in time -and begun a new dress - but since the holidays began I haven't had time to pull out the machine at all :-(

I must of had a subconcious Thursday (sewing lesson night) pull though because yesterday afternoon, I bought this fabric and knocked up something with little miss. Nothing vintage, just a self drafted skirt in a Retro pattern! We sewed it together - fun challenge! 

It only took an hour or so from measuring to wearing - most of that threading the elastic and breaking the bodkin in an all to narrow channel! Little miss was rather impressed I'm pleased to say, but did turn round at the end and ask....'but mummy why did YOUR SKIRT take so long to sew?' 

Today she wore it when we headed back to her new found hobby of skateboarding! 

Of course her second favourite pastime is modelling!!

Son swapped between bike and board all day. They're still beginners but they've got alot more confidence in the past few days!!

Sunny Sundays and Lazy Bike Rides

 

 Today was supposed to be the day the good weather ended. Don't you just love it when they get it wrong? A little cooler, hence the cardi but still glorious sunshine!! Son and I went out for a bike ride to the local shops and park...

 

Todays outfit totally inspired by Miss Audrey Hepburn!!!

(Photos by my very  lovely son!!)

Then we went home for afternoon tea and cake, enjoying our extra day of good weather!