#14

Well I did finish that blue and white polka dot dress. And I wore it on a night out and it actually didn't break while dancing! This blog is severely lacking in photos. Dave took one of my dress on his disposable camera so I have to wait for those to be developed. D'oh.

I am 23 in a months time and I feel very unaccomplished. I have all the time in the world at the moment for crafty things but no money to fritter away on fabrics, wool and ribbon. Having no job and no money and too much time is making me very sad lately and making my brain turn to mushy mush. I really would like to put in some effort into advancing my skills as I feel I'm limiting myself. I also want to learn how to crochet and spend more time baking! I have interview this week so things might pick up. Hopefully.

I'm really obsessed with dark red fabrics at the moment. In particular, dark red velvet. I was on LookBook having a nosey and saw a lady wearing a stunning dark red velvet swishy dress with a white peter pan collar and a black ribbon. It's in the sketchbook as a future project.

#13

It's been far too long. I thought I ought to do a little update because I've been sewing lots and nearly finished a dress I started ages ago! It's a pale blue polka dot dress with a floaty skirt and a sweetheart neckline. I tried it on and it looks too cute for words. Unfortunately, as always, it's a little bit too big so tomorrow I am going to have to alter it around the armholes and the straps. And take the hem up just a smidgen so I can see my nobbly knees. I am no longer afraid of sewing in zips, but I still chickened out of sleeves. Wah. One day I'll learn. I bought a load of cream lace ages ago so I think I will sew it across the waist and tie it into a bow.

I'm trying to think of some vaguely interesting things I've been up to in the past couple of months:

- Dave and I went to Castleton in the Peak District and visited Treak Cliff Cavern which was pretty awesome. It looks like CHEESE inside! It also had a marriage license!

- I tried to make some cookies and they didn't go so well.

- My little brother stayed over in his half term and it was super fun. We mostly went to parks, the cinema and played a LOT of Nintendo64.

- I started volunteering at an advice centre and next week I'm starting an advice skills course.

- I'm looking at houses. To BUY!

I'm too broke to do anything these days. Wah.

I am super excited for tomorrow because I am doing a beasty Sunday roast and baking choco fudge cherry cupcakes for when Dave gets back from his Lake District walking trip. Sooo hungry now

#12

Instead of spending the weekend on a canal boat, I am tucked up on the sofa with a hot water bottle watching Dirty Dancing for the millionth time.

I have to go to hospital in a week and I'm super duper nervous because I hate hospitals. They're so big and busy. Argh. On the flipside though I have an interview for a job I actually want. I kinda need to work on not being a sweaty mess though.

I saw the most curious thing today. I saw a man with the most beautiful face ever with a blubberific body. Weird huh?

#11

I am currently at my parental home where I actually have internet. Hiding under my duvet. The best place to blog, no? The first thing I notice I when I first step off the bus is how windy it is. Seriously, I get blown away into the road!

In true T style, the first bit of cash I got my hands on was spent on make up. [I have an excuse, I have a wedding to attend this weekend and obvs need to look awesome]. I got Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. Which feels AMAZING. But leaves my face looking like I've run a marathon. And also L'Oreal True Match Foundation. Better coverage, but duh it's not a true match and it smells funny. What I REALLY wanted was a nice dusky pink blusher. D'oh.

I am really not looking forward to this wedding. I can't walk in the shoes I bought and I feel ultra uncomfortable in Indian dress. Sigh. It's just one weekend.

#10

It's been a forever. Oops. Haven't touched my sewing machine in absolutely ages. The last time I did I got very frustrated with my blue and white polka dot dress. Zipper problems. As usual.

Moved into the new house and it took me quite some time to unpack. I feel a bit spoilt having a double bed.

Very frustrated as I am currently jobless and super broke and all I can think about is going on a make up spree. Wah! I want some new foundation. And gradual self tanner. And new blusher. New everything.

#9

I'm currently obsessed with PIES! I've gone pie crazy. I've not really had much time for cooking during my exams [they seem to be so time consuming] which makes me sad because I want to make more pies. The first one was an pear and blackcurrant pie. I soaked the fruit in copious amounts of red wine and sugar with a little bit of lemon juice for good measure. And then used the bottle of wine to roll out some shortcrust pastry and laid it out in a lattice over the top. Pretty simple but tasted super with a scoop of caramel ice cream.

Before it went in the oven.

Nomming it down.

Then I made a savoury chicken, bacon and leek pie with puff pastry. Chucked in some white wine, chicken stock and a bit of cream cheese. I think the white wine made it taste a little bit zingy but apart from that it was so so tasty. Puff pastry made me lol though because it looked like a big mushroom cap in the oven. And now that I've had my first taste of making pies, I've got pies on the brain. Apple pie, plum pie, peach pie. I'm going to do a super veg one, I'm thinking butternut squash, sweet potato and goats cheese.

I am super looking forward to moving to a new home, it's about a month away. Then I can do loads of cooking because at the moment I never bother if it's just me I'm making dinner for. Technically I shouldn't be stressed right now as my exams are all finished now [until August..] but I never realised how stressed I seem to be all the time. I'm currently trying to relieve this with some Chet Baker. Going on holiday with my family next week so hopefully I will forget about everything. But I know when I return, it'll be the same!

#8

I forgot all about these blog until a few minutes ago when I read Amy's. Anyways, the dress is finished and I've worn it around a few times. I'm pretty happy with it. Apart from the fact that I cut far too much off the hem and now it barely covers my bum. And work has begun on two more dresses! Except I haven't had much time for them lately as my exams are in two weeks. When I drop out of uni, I can't wait to spend my unemployed dole days making pretty dresses and baking cupcakes.


Very messy room. In my pictures folder, that photo was next to one of me lifting my dress and flashing my undies and I very almost clicked to upload that one. Oops. Started knitting my boyfriend a scarf. Yes, it's summer, but by the time I will have finished it, it shall be winter. I hope he appreciates it cause it's damn expensive wool! But chunky knits are the bomb.

#7

Wooooohoo! Instead of not doing revision, I've been constantly working on my dress and I'm very proud to say I've almost finished it! Sewn the darts and pleated the skirt. I don't have enough fabric for the cap sleeves so it's conveniently going to be sleeveless. All I have to do now is put in the zip [I was going to do it now but then realised I don't have a zipper foot for my sewing machine and not even a needle to sew it in by hand!], interface the neck line and arm holes, and cut a fair bit off the bottom cause it's far too long.

#6

I've been so lazy for the past month, my life has turned into an icky shambles! Progress on the red and white polka dress I started a very long time ago has pretty much stopped. The latest I've got with it is that I've cut out all the pieces and transferred the pattern markings onto the fabric. I did make an elasticated skirt last weekend though. Cream fabric with tiny white polka dots and I stitched a red ribbon hem on the bottom of it. As pretty as it looks, for some reason it's a little too bunchy and big and I really don't have the energy to pick the seam open and take it in. Bah.

Trying to sort my life out is really hard work. I can count on one hand how many times I've been to uni and I'm so far behind I'm drowning in work. I haven't smoked since Saturday which is a positive. Apart from one today which I bummed off a strange boy. Except it doesn't count because 1. I was panicking because I thought my flat was on fire. And 2. Because it was a menthol and menthols are disgusting and pointless. I've also joined a gym and I'm wearing contact lenses. What the hell have I become?! I am now going to make stuffed peppers with couscous and mozzarella. Woohoo.

#5

I've only been 22 for about a week and I've already found more grey hairs than I care for, I don't want to go out anymore, and my bones are extra creaky. WAH.

I had a dream last night that I was wearing a dress that I'd made out of all that extra dark green fabric.


It was a really figure hugging 40s style dress. Sleeves down to the elbows. Little bit puffy on the shoulders. And a super duper sweetheart neckline. I did a litte scrappy sketch when I woke up so I wouldn't forget. I was stood in front of the mirror. And then started beefing to my boyfriend that I looked like a christmas present [a christmas present?!?!?!]


I LOVE PETER PAN COLLARS!

#4

Happy New Year, you're my favourite vice! I am hitting up Sheffield really soon armed with student loan money, christmas money and pre-birthday money and I'm excited and this blog post here reminds why I like it there.

New Years Resolutions? I guess it has to be done. Even though I know I won't keep to them. Does anybody?

Be Glamorous. Everyday.

I just happened to stumble across a blog where the person writing it described how "fashion faux pas" were a trend in 2010...this person then went on to write how suspenders fell under this category, but Henry Holland, our saviour, finally made it acceptable to wear suspenders outside the bedroom with mock suspender tights. Can you detect the sarcasm? I lol'd. 1. Suspenders and stockings [and hold ups, for convenience] are definitely NOT 'slaggy' as insinuated by said writer person. They are, in fact, awesome. 2. Mock suspender tights are shit.
Stockings under this skirt from Topshop:

Plus this ASOS shirt:


And a pair of satin court shoes = super win. All I packed in my suitcase to go home was two pairs of jeans, two check shirts and a couple of tshirts. It's making me ultra frustrated. I do like tshirt and jeans sometimes. But I'm dying to fit myself into a pencil skirt right now. Wah.

Grow my nails

I have been trying this since I was six. A couple of years ago I almost managed it. Until I had a breakdown after a night out in my hometown and then I chewed them all off while I was huddling under my desk. So far I'm on two days.

Get the balance between healthy and chubber just right

Last year, I was super amazing at being healthy. I'd take couscous salad in tubs to eat in the university library. I'd cook from scratch pretty much everyday. The fruitbowl on my desk would constantly go from full to empty over the day. My old flatmates once looked upon me with amazement and utter confusion when I ate a pot noodle and chips when I was severely hungover. Unfortunately, my standards have slipped a lot. I blame my boyfriend. Who is a food monster yet somehow manages to remain skinny. And living with three boys who constantly eat takeaways. I am going to try and persuade them to go to the gym with me. After all, we have no excuse because it's directly beneath our flat.

Don't be so hard on myself

Well, T, just don't.

I miss my robotic sounding 35mm camera. I bet it's dead lonely and cold in my flat. I like the photos that get developed from it, they remind me of the ones my mum would take of me and my brother when were children.