Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Dressember Tips

My old buddy Laura (we went though our degrees together - but she was far brainier than moi :)) works in a lovely clothes shop in London and tweeted lots of tips recently - I have simply compiled them here for the benefit of all dressember members (more about that on another post)

To help the #dressember movement along and in honour of 21 years selling frocks at www.katharinebird.co.uk, I'd like to impart some tips.

#dressember is about wearing dresses in December. Great idea. 1st thing 2 remember. Dresses r the hardest thing to fit. Both length & width

#dressember If a dress doesn't fit, blame the dress, not yourself. I fitted made to measure dresses 4 years. Learnt that we're all different

#dressember Having a short waist or narrow shoulders is NORMAL. Trying to buy a dress to fit from maybe 4 sizes if you're lucky is bonkers

#dressember Learn what suits you but don't discount all other shapes. Just find a good alteration service!

#dressember Prints are more flattering than plain. Small prints more than large. But if you fall in love with bold lillies etc, go for it

#dressember Everyone always asks for colour in Winter but always ends up buying BLACK! It's more flattering of course but remember underwear

#dressember Our parents and grandparents wore 'foundation' underwear for a reason. Smooth lines are more important than sucky in pants.

#dressember If u can't break away from the LBD, brighten it up with colourful jewellery or maybe a scarf. Or be brave & wear coloured tights

#dressember While we're on the subject of tights, Winter is great for dresses because we can all wear 'opaques'. Try to get high waisted.

#dressember Opaques means showing more leg than most of us would dare to in Summer. Best with high boots of course. Heels or flats

#dressember Finding high boots is a nightmare. www.duo.co.uk do all widths but are a bit pricey. Clarks have some great wide boots this year

#dressember If you have skinny legs, I don't have another suggestion but at least the thick socks look is in this year.

#dressember Yes you can show your knees. From experience most women think their legs are at least 10 times uglier than they are.

#dressember I have no idea where this ugly leg thing comes from - just like I despair over arm fixations. Whatever you think, you are wrong!

#dressember Also don't worry too much about sleeveless dresses in Winter. Put a cardi over or a long sleeved vest under.

#dressember If you go for the l/s vest, try to find a long one so you don't have fabric crinkling up round your waist.

#dressember If you like a dress but you think it's a bit shapeless, you can do wonders with belts. Thin ones round hips, thick under bust

#dressember Maxis are still around this Winter but only ever wear them with short cardis/jackets or you'll look like a sack!

#dressember OK, shapes. It's true V necks suit a bigger bust but you can also create a V with a nice, long necklace tied in a knot.

#dressember Everyone wants to show off their 'tiny' waists if they have them but don't nip in too tight if things go out again too much!

#dressember A gather on the front of a dress you wear doesn't mean you're pregnant. It just means the dress is comfortable!

#dressember Ruching is VERY flattering. Ruching is horizontal gathers. Looks rubbish off but fantastic on the body.

#dressember I love bias cut. Trinny & Susanna are wrong. But if u find something u like, make sure it is cut generously, with lots of fabric

#dressember Also, bias cut dresses also look super long without a body in them. Don't judge a dress by it's hanger appeal. Put it on.

#dressember In fact if a bias cut dress looks extra long, that's probably a good sign that the manufacturers haven't skimped on the fabric

#dressember I work in a lovely dress shop that has expensive and cheap dresses. Libelula is a great label. But so is InWear.

#dressember And the place I love for really pretty fabrics and great shapes at an affordable price.... Wallis. Good size range too!

#dressember If anyone's read this splurge and has a question, feel free. Otherwise, check the details at www.katharinebird.co.uk & call me!

#dressember I work Sat - Tues but the lovely Tina is also great. She's a totally different shape to me so our own experience is extensive!

#dressember When buying dresses (any clothes really), be aware of the dressing rooms particularly mirrors and lighting.

#dressember Seriously, why should we have to look at ourselves in something that approximates those mirrors that help you see round corners?

#dressember And a harsh white overhead bulb might be good for Dracula but not good enough for us. Remember good lighting is your friend.

#dressember & when u look in a nice flattering mirror, use a hand mirror 2 look at your rear. Twisting only makes shoulders narrow & bum big

#dressember Your shoulders are very important. They balance nearly every figure shape & are more important than your bum. Give them a chance!

body con dresses? #dressember Aren't we all body conscious enough already? Wudn't say no to a Herve Leger tho. Original and best.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Absolute genius advert

It is easy to forget how great UK agencies are at making adverts - but this is genius!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Baby Loss Awareness Day


IMG_1814, originally uploaded by Sajona.

An opportunity to light candles in memory of angel babies everywhere. I am particularly thinking of Florence and Lauren who were both born awake but left their families far too soon xxx

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

No need for any other comment today

  1. Mario Gomez, 63, who was thinking of retiring in November, has now emerged from the mine. Emerging from the cage, he stuck two thumbs in the air and held up a Chilean flag.
  2. Mr Gomez, the oldest man in the mine, falls to his knees in prayer.
"I have come back to life," he says, quietly.

(from the BBC news website)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Angel of the North


IMG_0926, originally uploaded by Sajona.

Back in August we took a trip OOOOp North to see our friend in Northumberland - and took a little detour off the A1 to see the Angel close up. I was a little disappointed to be honest, as it was smaller than I expected - but it does make for some good photo- ops. I am still amazed at how good the iphone is at taking pictures - all it needs is a flash and a zoom and I'd be able to use it all the time.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Conclusion

well my waistline is not going to thank me for the amount of baking I did last week - but at least the baking cupboard is looking far more organised, I’ve discovered that Tia Maria doesn’t go off (as I have a nearly full bottle) and the veg box is now empty :))

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Day 3 - a day off!

Really long day driving down to nan's flat in Eastbourne and back in pouring rain - all furniture and contents packed, vast amounts taken to the recycling centre and then back home - exhausted! I did manage to cook up some chicken last night for my hubby to feed as sandwiches to the kids for tea, and I had enough to do an 'everything but the kitchen sink' risotto when I got home - and of course there will be no waste as the chicken carcass will be made into stock tomorrow :)

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Day 2


IMG_0996, originally uploaded by Sajona.

Bought a long handled fruit tree picker today - it makes picking our Bramley Apple tree so much fun! It has a gravel path underneath it so any windfalls are unusable (unless you spend ages picking all the grit out!) - so large basket full picked this afternoon.
I've gone through my recipe books and the Popina cookbook has lots of savoury muffins recipes - so made Spinach,Garlic and Nutmeg ones and then Feta and Tomato..yum! They've gone in the freezer. Had 'use it up omelette' at lunchtime which used all the boiled new potatoes lurking in the fridge from Sunday and remembered to freeze the cooked beetroot before it went off! All my peelings are in the compost bin - and cooked food scraps are collected by the council anyway - so nothing really gets binned here.

Monday, September 06, 2010

IMG_1753


IMG_1753, originally uploaded by Sajona.

IMG_1752


IMG_1752, originally uploaded by Sajona.

Zero Waste Week


IMG_1750, originally uploaded by Sajona.

As you can see by the button on the right it is 'Zero Waste Week'. I've signed up as I really need to declutter the baking cupboard! Some of it's shameful contents are pictured here! I have actually listed everything in there and am attempting to buy as little food as possible this week and use up as much in the larder/fridge and freezer as I can,
So far I've made 4 cakes and frozen all the runner and french beans lurking in the fridge. I even whizzed up the end crusts of bread from the bread bin and froze them too.
So that is day one - more reporting tomorrow!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Harpenden sings Gospel

I've spent all weeks with the lovely folks from Luton Gospel Choir, learning 4 songs along with 30 or so others from local churches. We have had great fun and it is so good to realise that my voice really does work and the years of being rejected for not being able to sight-read are behind me..the gospel songs are learnt by ear! Complete bliss!!
We had a concert tonight and it all went brilliantly - here is the first song we did. Hoping to join them again in the near future.


Thursday, August 05, 2010

Ravelry Party at Knit Nation


Ravelry Party, Knit Nation, originally uploaded by Sajona.

Last Saturday I went along to the Ravelry party hosted by Jess and Casey of Ravelry, at the Knit Nation event at Imperial College in London - loved meeting some names I've known online for years and newer ones I'm looking forward to getting to know. Enjoyed seeing everyone's stash purchases - lots of yummy Wollmeise, cashmere, lace and sock yarn in pretty hand dyed colours. If I didn't already have a heaving cupboard of lovely yarn I'd feel pretty jealous :)
Busy weekend altogether as I dropped the biggest sajonette in Stevenage so he could attend Sonisphere (Iron Maiden, Iggy Pop, Pendulum...nice) .

Monday, June 28, 2010

Sorry I've been awol


IMG_1412, originally uploaded by Sajona.

Real life has taken over Chez Sajona - largest sajona-ette has been doing GCSEs, smallest has a hectic social life and mummy is left being taxi.
The poor garden has been much neglected as we are waiting for our landscape designer/builder to come up with a final quote and design for us - and therefore the flower beds have (literally) gone to seed as I know they will all be dug up in the autumn. There are lots of temporary pots filled with dug up perennials and shrubs that I want to save, along with a makeshift vegetable patch and even the strawberries have a new potted home rather than the flower beds they are used to.
A few little gems are surviving - the perennial sweet pea has sprouted up everywhere (it seeds like mad) and an english rose is currently blossoming in an old recycling bin! I rather like the combination of the various clematis and roses growing up against the fence - grey/purple and pink aways works in the garden.

IMG_1409


IMG_1409, originally uploaded by Sajona.

IMG_1408


IMG_1408, originally uploaded by Sajona.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

The March UFO Pile


IMG_1242, originally uploaded by Sajona.

With a bunch of sewing/crafting friends I'm working through the stash pile this month and making up lots of sadly forgotten items.
I started this last summer, and it has stayed in a pile on my bedroom floor since then - and as I keep tripping over it when I close the blinds it had to be the first to get done!
It is a Sublime Yarn pattern - called 'Little Red Smock' and is made in Twilley's Freedom Sincere Cotton DK - Organic cotton. Really splitty to knit - there are various loose threads that had to woven in :( The fronts are the same length by the way - it is just the photo suggesting otherwise!

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Still need to fight!

It was announced that the BBC is planning to close 6music (along with others) - there is still time to email the trust and make a protest!:
trust.enquiries@bbc.co.uk


Monday, March 01, 2010

Save 6Music

I am so annoyed that there is a possibility that the BBC may close this Radio station down - it is a treasure that would be very sadly missed.

As the BBC log all complaints, and they are treated quite seriously, I sent them the following:
I would like to add to the many who are complaining about the potential closure of 6Music - I love the station for it's diverse music and use of all your archived Radio sessions - especially all the John Peel sessions that I knew and loved. There are thousands of us who are over 35 and still love and adore REAL music - not Radio 1 RnB pap or Radio 2 1960s bias (which is fine for our parents but doesn't reach us) - we grew up with punk/heavy metal etc etc - we aren't ready to throw in the towel and listen to Phil Collins yet!
PLEASE leave 6Music alone!!!!
-----------------------

You can join the facebook campaign here:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=278123313911

Sunday, January 24, 2010

and here are the inchies...


IMG_1144, originally uploaded by Sajona.

rather pleased with these - although they are a right fiddle to do! I doodled over the fabric on the machine first - then marked out suitable 1" squares and straight stitched round and cut them out. I used fusible fleece on the back for stability.

The last scrap


IMG_1148, originally uploaded by Sajona.

The final piece of Jeanette's fabric - I was making inchies with the scrap I had left and this odd shaped piece was that was left - so I did a bit of machine doodling and sent it back to Jeanette :)

Friday, January 15, 2010

Knitters unite to help Haiti

Just wanted to give a mention of the Yarnharlot's call for donations for Medicins sans Frontier - it shows what humble knitters can do when we get together to help!:
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2010/01/13/the_knitsignal.html