In which deer and galaxies collide

Yesterday I had a lovely day out with a friend, trampsing through Richmond Park and then eating ridiculous amounts of cake, the two things providing perfect counters for each other. We got to see the deer and also a fox and a woodpecker. Not a bad bit of countryside for London. I do get such cravings for a rural location after having living by the sea and near the Yorkshire moors. It is so refreshing to be somewhere without tower blocks and housing estates in sight.

The photo may look excessively bright and I won't deny that they were taken with a filter applied, but in truth this was because the normal camera settings wouldn't capture the colours properly. It was as though my regular camera was applying a 'dull' filter to my outfit because it couldn't accept how excessively bright it all was. My jacket really is that yellow!

After my last post on my love of pocket watch necklaces, this is the second one I was referring to. I have one gold and one silver to co-ordinate either way. :)

We saw lots of deer, both fallow and red dear we believe. There was a group of does and a group of stags. Sadly the stags with the impressive antlers were too far away to get a good photograph but I was content to see them purely with my eyes. What was fascinating was the way the deer blend into the bracken like ghostly waifs.

This is what I look like on the 'dull' photo. I swear it was much brighter in the air and on me than this appears but the weird twisted trees were impressive anyway.

Little mugs of hot chocolate at the tea house we went to!

We went to this beautiful tea-rooms/cafe type place. We are inside a greenhouse with fairy lights and flowers everywhere. There were several other greenhouses around with different types of tables and chairs laid out inside.

Outfit details
Jacket: H&M
Skirt: Dorothy Perkins
Shirt: Matalan
Galaxy Print Tights: Camden Market
Pocket watch: Present from my dad
Shoes: Docs I have had forever
Pink gloves: Charity shop

In which time is beautiful

 In my last post I was wearing a pocket watch necklace, and this is the pair-post to share a little bit of the story behind it. I didn't draw too much attention to it last week, but it is in fact one of my most worn and beloved of pieces. I even took it to the Antiques Roadshow! This is because it is a genuine Victorian pocket watch transformed into a necklace for every day wear.
I want to say something like 'my parents are really into antiques' but that makes them sound all official and posh. It's more a love of not getting rid of things has passed on in my family. Meaning that no one thought to remove a collection of slide rules, copies of the Odyssey or pocket watches. So we have a lot of family heirlooms. One of which is this ladies pocket watch.
I can't even say that it was ceremoniously passed on to me. The manner in which it came to my possession was typical of my family. I was building up a steam punk femme-Indiana Jones outfit for a party. It needed a pocket watch and Dad produced this one. Not a modern one or the least loved of the collection, he just chose that moment to say 'have this'.

It is from the 1890s, a ladies watch, still working, still has it's original box and original key. Both the back and the front clock face open up and it has such beautiful patterns on the back and inside. Sadly Dad doesn't know who it belonged to. He just knows that his father collected pocket watches so we are not sure if it originally came from the family or not, but I hope so. I absolutely love it to bits. And then just at Christmas Dad gave me another one! So now maybe I am developing my own version of my grandfather's collection after all.

 The guy from the Antiques Roadshow liked both the pieces we showed him and most of all loved that they were used all the time rather than just kept away like so many other antiques he must see.

I really enjoyed photographing and sharing my pocket watch. If this was interesting to you I have a bunch of other family antiques that I could share with you? I hinted at least one other from my trip to the tv set.

In which my skirt is like a cape

 I have been wearing the asymmetrical skirt in these photos to death over the last few weeks. I have become very vain with it because I utterly adore the way it swooooshes out behind me like a cape. I feel like a superhero. It has completely reimagined my style. Well not exactly re-imagined, more brought me back to my roots. I used to be very 'grunge-y' as a kid. I was all about the baggy trousers, the barbed wire bracelets and the hoodys. About as unfeminine as it gets in some ways. However this last week I have been wearing lots of black again (where usually I am very colourful) and mixing black with dark colours, like dark red or dark green and then wearing my black felt hat or my pink bowler. It's like my teenage self, but with nicer clothes. Heh.

I wanted to blog more this week but my computer is having problems with Blogger. The image upload function not only fails to work but crashes and freezes everything. It has been driving me mad. I am having to use the boy's laptop which is unfamiliar and it's just plain irritating.

Anyhow it has been a pretty good week other than the computer issues. In the UK we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday so Andy and I did the works. Bananas, chocolate sauce, blueberries, lemon and sugar, everything you should have on stacks of pancakes. I also got to see a friend I haven't seen properly in years. We are renewing our friendship after a chance meeting and I am so glad we are. It's weird when you haven't spoken to someone for ages and then it feels like nothing has changed once you get back together. Then today we (that's the boy and I not the friend and I) did some big grown-up things like opening a joint bank account and buying some new Magic the Gathering cards and Lego figures. I think the guy at the toy stall in the market is starting to know who we are!

I have also been living in this headband since I bought it. I couldn't believe it wasn't on the blog yet. I got this from the toddler section at John Lewis. Genuinely marked for 3 year olds. But it has buttons, spots and pictures on pencils! And it goes with my new red hair! Everything I love!

My antique pocket watch necklace. One of my favourite items of jewellery, more on it later.

Outfit details
Velvet top: charity shop
Skirt: New Look
Shoes: Local shop
Bangles: Mixture
Headband: John Lewis
Pocket watch Necklace: Family heirloom

In which I have a new-but-not hat and an award

I apologise for the graininess of these photographs. I am not really sure what happened, but I didn't want to waste them. It seems like we got the focus all wrong. But hopefully the hat is alright. I have had this hat for years but I used to think it made me look like was going to a funeral in it and so only ever wore it to a costume party. However the hat is another part of my new year's resolution to use more of my wardrobe. It also looks quite good with a grungy look, smartening up torn band t-shirts with a nice hat. I hope to be wearing it a lot more from now on. I am really enjoying finding ways to wear clothes I had pushed aside.

So I got a blogger award. And it's the first time I've had one so I'm happy and want to do all of the things!

Instructions are to

• Nominate some other new bloggers
• Let them know you have nominated them
• Share 7 random facts about yourself
• Thank the blogger who has nominated you
• Add the Versatile Blogger Award to your post

Other bloggers that I'm nominating:
These are all great blogs that deserve some love. Please go check them out!

• Art, Clothes and Contemplations
• This is not the Six Word Novel.
• A Closet of Chaos
• Fashionicide
• The Taxonomy of my wardrobe

7 Random Facts About Me:

1. I believe in honour. I get a lot of this from ji'toh which is the code of honour followed by the Aiel people in the Wheel of Time books. I read them at a formative time in my life and the code of those people is stuck. There is a focus on shame and honour there and somehow this has absorbed into my brain and people actually hear me say 'It wouldn't be honourable.' I hate shame above most things. And my stubborn pride gets me into trouble. However, I am not like the Aiel people in having the ability to run through deserts or fight with a spear.

2. On my first date with my fiance we did the mentos and coke thing.

 

3. I collect comics. I am currently really into Fables, Saga and Fairest.

4. I  have synesthesia with words and colours

5. I am ambidextrous. I do things with whichever hand I decide first. New things, like tennis or ironing come along I have to try it with both hands for ages. It makes using the Wii really difficult cause in new games I suck until I have figured out which way I do it. I write with my left hand though. 

6. I am really good at Tetris

7. I really love to cook. Love experimenting and making delicious recipes and the satisfaction of feeding people and seeing them love it. Though sometimes I hate how stereotypically feminine that enjoyment is. Not like loving clothes or anything... uh. 

In which I give updates on politics and fighting small monsters

Edited to add some clarification after some over-enthusiasm.
I am going to do a blog post about Lego today. However I want to share some really good news first. British parliament just voted to pass the Marriage Bill! Gay marriage is now allowed in the UK, both for religious and civil ceremonies - well it is if the Lords vote to agree as well. There are some other steps involved but I am really proud of Parliament right now. Oh there is a lot of bigotry and there were speeches out of the 1700s in the debate but -they passed it 400 to 175.

I wrote to my MP about this issue and sadly she voted against it. She responded to my letter, but not to my call to be part of history, to do something greater than tackle the recession. To be honest, she ignored most of what I said, but that's the sadness of living in a Conservative area. I have been caught up in the debates and discussions for the last week, and the last years. I felt sure it would pass but it is so overwhelmingly relieving that it has.

I think that it is a great step for equal rights in our country and I hope will be a step towards a future without homophobic bullying and a belief in love regardless of gender. The BBC article on the story is here if you would like to read more.

I am saying this because it makes me incredibly happy. I am not looking to have a debate about it because if you don't believe gay people can love each other, there's no discussion we can have. I have done that far too many times and I am tired of it. It will only make me upset and I've heard all the counter arguments before. They come from a place of prejudice. I don't believe equal rights is something that should be some kind of 'friendly debate'. It should be a given and I am looking forward to a future in which it is. Enough said.

Not to trivialise the moment I would like this blog post to have the dual purpose of celebrating a democratic historical moment... and sharing some cool pictures of Lego.

I have bought a lot of Lego in the last month and I have been having so much fun making new people and stories with it. I particularly collect monster sets. Lego have an official Monster Fighters series, but whilst I would utterly love the Scientist and his Monster set (*pines*) I don't have the budget for it. I do have enough figures that I can make my own monster fighters. The Lego series has a steampunk feel where each set comes with a vehicle and a monster. I have tried to recreate their style in my figures. I pre-viewed this a little before but I would love to share some of the characters we have.  Andy and I spent a whole night making these guys and whole character back stories to them as well! I don't actually have good photos of them all I realise so there will inevitably be more Lego shoots!

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is meeting with the Invisible Man. They are up to nefarious plots. But look! Belinda and Esther are driving up behind to capture them! My invisible man head is actually made from a 'lamp'.

My little trio of brain-eaters! I love that I can make the zombie guy hold a head. Heehee.

I got a Christmas set and decided that it would be another one of my Monster Fighter vehicles.

My Monster Fighter crew. Yes, they all have transport. They are all women and they are all awesome! Left to right: Lucy (and nameless driver), Sophita, Tony, Anya, Belinda, Esther, (There is also Sado on the team, but here he didn't have a vehicle).

My most recent addition, Cyclops! He looks in a bit of a huff.

Genius bit of design from Lego. If you take his head off, he has a smiley face underneath. He even has 2 different eyes on different sides!

Then I went to a Lego store at the weekend and they had an option to build your own guys out of mixed parts. These next three are all of my own design.

We are calling this one 'Tarantino Girl'. This should be for obvious reasons.

This guy is a little weird, but I really wanted that jacket and a beard is just useful. He could be my Monster Fighters lookout guy.

This guy is a little bit of a Bond villain, a little bit Clockwork Orange.

Finally, we have Roller Derby Girl. She is not with the others, but how kick-ass is she? I love roller derby. A sport populated by bright hair and tattooed women? My weakness. I have such crushes on roller derby girls.

I do hope you like my pictures of Lego. One day I need to do some shots of how they are set up around the home. They are dotted around bookshelves, windowsills etc. I love it!

In which I have made a sparkly peter pan collar

 I put this outfit together pretty much entirely inspired by the below photo of Vicki of The Magpie Girl. I love the matching colours and the pockets and pretty much everything about it! I remembered that I actually had a pinafore dress (or two) but I had started to think I look too childish in them and shoved them to the back of the closet. However now I am just embracing the childish look and going all out girly.

This outfit is made up of handmade and thrifted items. The top and dress are both from charity shops. My mum made the hair bow and I made my peter pan collar on Friday evening. It's made from a lovely sparkly black felt - and I have more of the same in a snowy white felt and black with big silver stars on it! I think it would go pretty well with my galaxy dress next time I wear it. I learnt how to make it from a tutorial on Runwaydiy.com and it is really easy to follow. However I need some fashion advice before going further and make many more.. I wore this all day but it kept getting bunched up or moved to the side. It would not stay in place at all! I know other people must have detachable collars - I see them in blogs and in the shops. So what do you do to keep a collar in place? Should I weight it somehow? Advice would be really appreciated.

The sun was right in my eyes so there are just a bazillion pictures of me squinting. Sorry guys!

Outfit inspiration from The Magpie Girl

I am so pleased with my handmade collar and the pink bows going on from the back!

Sparkles and buttons cannot be beaten. Really pleased with how simple and easy it was to do. If I can fix the movement problem I shall make several.

This is the walled cathedral garden that makes me think of the Secret Garden. We had picnics here last summer, but now it is rather dead looking. Usually this is all flowers.

There is a lovely jewellery shop I go to everytime I go to Edinburgh and all my bangles are from there. Although they are not always on this blog I usually wear a couple of bangles a day. I have so many I have a whole collection at my parents house and another pile at mine! These were 2 more I got last weekend. Plus turquoise nails!

I can't resist sharing photos from my visit to my parents. I got up early to go to Edinburgh in the morning and this was the sunrise view from their house. I do miss hills and dales when I am back in London.

And just to go with the snow, this is my Lego Invisible Man I made the other morning. I have so much Lego to share at the moment there is going to be a big Lego post later!

In which there are marrying montages

The last week has been a time of wedding preparations, lists and staring at each other going 'what have we let ourselves in for?' Not marrying each other: there's no stress about that. We are more in love every day. But deciding to hand make signs and flowers and name places and centrepieces. There are 5 months to go and all these weird things and questions crop up ("So your friends are going to dress you in the morning? Put your boxers on for you, right?" / "Why would I tell my friends what shoes to wear"/ "Do we eat breakfast together or apart?" "Do portaloos need a generator?") I just hope we can get everything sorted in time! Who would have thought there was so much involved? I am definitely looking forward to our honeymoon.

 With all that going on, (and sadly no new outfit photos to share) I thought I would share a little of how our wedding is looking and a little of our where some of it came from.

Inspiration

All images on my Pinterest. 

1. Teal wedding shoes from a wedding that has so many little bits I love. Beautiful photos and just inspiring.
2. Lego cakes. These are definitely happening
3. 50s Wedding dress style, from fiftieswedding.com but the dress has now gone.
4. We're going for 'bridesmaids all in turquoise and mismatched'. Not actually originally inspired by this photo, but I found this one to show my bridesmaids that mismatched could definitely work.
5. Kudasama flowers made of old maps
6. The flower door entrance is really the aesthetic of dreams. No time for any of that, but it's an inspiration point.
7. Thank you made out of Scrabble, a game Andy and I used to play every week, from this awesome Rockabilly wedding.
8. Massive Lego centrepieces on OffBeat Bride, the site that taught me you can think outside any box.
9. Oh, it's another wedding from OffBeat Bride! This whole site is such an inspiration and sunny outdoor weddings is where it's at. (*everything crossed that we can do this in Britain*).

Our Wedding 

1. Our wedding invitation. There's a board games theme going on so we tried to make it look like an instruction booklet. I did a post on how I made them on Gimp.
2. Wedding bouquet. I did a whole post on this so you know all about it.
3.The wedding planning book. All the lists are in here. To do lists, guest lists, music lists...
4. My wedding dress. Sort of. Well it is this style, but it is being custom made. It won't be this pattern or colour. I only got one photo in the changing room, but trust me it is lovely. And from a 50s boutique after all.
5. Lego cake, attempt number 1. Those little nodules on the top have cake in them too.
6. Yes it's another picture of the bouquet. Alright? I'm just soo proud of it!
7. This is the actual door we will be walking through to our wedding. I think it is just as nice as a flower cover door...
8. I am photoshopping it up for Scrabble name places. Actual tiles are to expensive, but images of tiles work just as well. That one is a long job.
9. That's the Methodist Worship book with our service in it, the flyers for the dress shop, the invitations and behind it a page of wedding planning from the book.
10. This was attempt number 2 of Lego cake. There has actually been an attempt number three but my Dad took the pictures and hasn't sent them to me yet.
11. Potential cake toppers. It's even made to look a bit like our ruined abbey in the background. I need to find the right hair for me though.

And that is that. I promise no more wedding things for a while now!