Plus Sized Fashion: Collectif Tura Woodland Bloom blouse.

Honestly I'm not a blouse person. I'm more of a smock person. However at 7 quid I thought I'd give this pretty blouse a go. It is chiffon. For some reason I thought it would have an in built slip. It doesn't!

This is me in the Tura. I just went for the 18 as it said it was true to size. It fits ok, but is slightly tight on my (huge, but 8cm less huge than 4 weeks ago) belly. The sleeves are big enough even when fastened with the little button. The bow is a nice feature. 

I had to dig out a vest top because I really do not want my underwear on show to all, but I think I will wear this even though I don't normally display my ar*e as its so big right now.

Those jeans are Tesco F&F btw and they fit really well. I got them in the sale just after christmas and wish I'd bought more.

On the subject of weightloss, I've not had much. I joined the '8 week transformation' at my local gym, the Unit Fitness at the beginning of January. I've been attending 3 training sessions a week like a good girl, eating what they tell me (no bread or pasta <sigh>) and had my 4 week stats (check in) yesterday, at 6.45am, when some folk were just finishing a training session (what the?!)

I've only lost 4.5lb which is kind of sh*t, however I've lost inches off my waist, hips and wrists (eh?!) and a bit off my calves. My thighs are stubbornly refusing to shift anything, but I think I'm losing it just above my knees because they don't seem as porky on the photo above. I could be just imagining it, but that's ok. If I can fit into my Cath Kidston dress again I'll be happy. If I can fit into Collectif size 18 jeans (this photo was 3.5 weeks ago) I'll be ecstatic!!

Plus Sized Fashion: Scarlett and Jo at Evans and a bit of Hell Bunny. Jeans that don't fit from collectif.

Yeah. I've been buying again. first up is this Blue floral button front dress from S&J. I like a bit of S&J. Their clothes are always comfortable and well cut. I really liked the shape of this dress on the Evans website, and it was in the sale for £20. 

I didn't love it so much when I tried it on though sadly. There wasn't enough fullness in the skirt for me (actually thats fair enough, its quite a 40s style and the skirts weren't full) but I prefer more, well, swoosh. I love the yolk detail, but I just felt frumpy. So I returned it. I'm at the point where if something doesn't make me feel grand, I won't keep it.

Then there was this. The printed mesh front dress. I think that I would actually love this in another colourway. I adore fluted sleeves and I like the sweetheart detailing, but I feel this does nothing for me, and in all honestly I don't need more work wear (I wear jeans most days anyway) so I returned this to. Check me out being all strict with myself!

Don't laugh. This is what it looks like when things spectacularly don't fit. I bought these collectif Rebel Kate jeans in my normal collectif size (18) for half price. I think I probably need more like a 24. I am keeping them as a measuring gauge (because I started a Body Transformation course nearly 3 weeks ago - I won't go into that here as its not very exciting and involves the gym and an eating plan) I shall see if the gap has shortened in a few weeks time <snort>

What I did keep. I saw this Hell Bunny harriet dress being worn by someone on facebook a couple of weeks ago and she/it looked lovely. I've seen it advertised a million times and never given it a second glance as it looked pretty ordinary, but all of a sudden... I WANTED IT!

I think its the colour and the bodice fit and the swishy skirt that made it a must have for me. Only found one in the UK on the Rockamilly site, and as fate would have it, whilst I was umming and ahhing about spending the full price on a frock (I normally won't) she posted a 20% discount code. Well, okay then. It came. I loved it immediately.

Its our 11th wedding anniversay today, so I wore it for a meal out with JP on Saturday. It was a fairly bad hair day so I stuck a flower in it and off we went :)

He looks thrilled doesn't he. He hates having his photo taken!

Plus sized fashion - what I bought in the sales

Actually I have been very restrained this year. I have gotten so big as to be uncomfortable, and therefore haven't purchased that much.

I also didn't get this one in the sales but it was so cute and only £12. Hard to tell, but its a festive tunic, with skaters and suchlike. I saw it on a friend and had to have it. The problem with Tu @Sainsburys is the sizing is all over the place. The top I'm wearing today is a 14, however the one in the pic below is a 20 (I probably could have gotten away with an 18 but they didn't have any left)

Collectif penny £12

Seriously. I had to didn't I - for that price? This is an 18. I doubt I'll wear it unless I get some tummy off though, and the neckline is supposed to be crossover but I find that unbearable, so I'd wear it halter style like this.

Lindy Bop Adriei - £23.99

I really love this dress, although its currently too tight on the bust (Lindy Bop also have very random sizing and usually I'd have more issues with the waist rather than the bust as I'm an apple shape - this is an 18) I like the simplicity of this. It has lovely shaping around the bust area and very stretchy fabric. I anticipate 8 weeks of the gym will allow this to fit properly!

Scarlett and Jo Black floral dress (from Evans £22)

This is so pretty. I have to size down in S&J so this is a 16. The sweetheart neckline is a little low for my liking and I'm not that well endowed so there's no cleavage to show off.  However, I love it, I like the longer length. I kept it. 

Scarlett and Jo Black keyhole tunic (from Evans £20)

I really wasn't sure if this is meant to be a top or a dress. I'd never wear this as a dress as I cannot bear getting my legs out, but I might wear it with leggings. I ummed and ahhed about this, then decided to return it. Its nice, but not nice enough.

Scarlett and Jo Black keyhole dress (from Evans £20)

I really didn't consider keeping this. I think because I tried it on after the floral dress and it felt too short. I'm not sure why I'm not keen otherwise, as the bodice is a lovely shape. I think there's something about the colour I just don't agree with. Can't explain that...

I didn't buy these. My youngest bought them for me (ok, he asked daddy to buy them) Gold sparkly with pompoms. What more could a mother want?!!

Bagmaking: Dolled Up Train/Vanity Case in Zebra and Cherries! Plus: frocks, days out, and clearouts!

Its still the summer holidays. I'm still not getting much done, however I can show you my most recent completion.
This is a really lovely pattern, but quite hard work. Its the larger train case from DiedelbugHandmade, and as I was commissioned a very long time ago to make a vanity case for an old friend, I decided this would be the pattern I would use.

The spec was basically zebra, pink and cherries for a teenage girl.
It was supposed to be just a 'box' rather than a 'two piece' but I could not resist making this pattern.
The lid has space for brushes etc, and then the bottom has a clear zipped pocket, then space for larger items like hairdryer/bottles/tongs and so on.

The pattern is very clear, but there is a LOT of cutting out to be done. My machine struggled around the edges where foam interfacing met foam interfacing.

Overall though I can't quite believe it went together so well. You just need to follow it slowly, step by step, and it does come together. 

One day, I will make one for me!

In other news: Noah had his first taster session at the olympic gym. He loved it, but sadly they are only on in the school holidays, for a few sessions, so next time probably October.

I had a wardrobe clearout. 6 bags of clothing gone. This is what my wardrobe looked like after the cull. Too many dresses for the tiny space on the left. 

So I took out that bar on the right and re-arranged. Ta-da!!

We visited Burghley House and the beautiful grounds. This coincided with a family fun day, so the boys got to do activities, followed by the Gardens of Surprise (water gardens)

I bought some dresses. Because its August LOL.

This Hell Bunny is very cute.  Please note - I had just come back from aqua aerobics so Im' not looking my best. Also, our bedroom has since been cleaned :)

This Lindy Bop May dress sadly didn't fit at all. Bodice too long. I'm holding down the sleeves here as otherwise they sit an inch above my shoulders. Also skirt is a bit A-line - I'd prefer more fabric. Too much work to fix. Went back. Love this fabric, although I do own 4.5 metres of it so one day I'll make my own :)

I purchased items in the collectif sale. Two Fairy dresses for our hols, and a Dietrich swing coat. (work toilet shots - nice)

I love Collectif, as their dresses are generally very flattering, although I had to take some little tucks in at the neckline to stop it gaping. I also reduced the bodice  length by 2 inches on the pineapple dress. Haven't got around to doing the atomic flamingo mods yet!

Love this coat. I've been wanting for ages. Well its my birthday this month so, y'know, why not!

I completely changed my mind about what I'm wearing to mother in laws wedding. It will now be this:

Its the atomic flamingo design- but this is Dolores style (the one with cap sleeves which I modified a while back because they were TOO TIGHT) The sourpuss bag is one I won from Audrey Stars Boutique/British Belles. The shrug was ebay. The shoes MohedaToffeln. I have since bought a slim belt which I may or may not wear :)

Other news:

I sold the tent! 

I bought (another) paddling pool! 

The Punto failed its MOT (boo hiss) and the Peugeot required over a grands worth of work (faints) but otherwise - its going well!!

Plus Size Fashion: Collectif Atomic Flamingo Dolores Doll

I knew that I had to have this dress the minute I saw it. Unfortuantely I didn't have the spare cash the minute I saw it, and it had sold out on the Collectif website by the time I had.  Doh!

A googling session later though, and I'd found a small business (Lady Retro) that did have one left in my size. Bingo!

After a small amount of stress later (Royal Mail thought they'd give my parcel a detour and sent it to the Cath Kidston factory instead) I recieved my dress in an amusingly addressed parcel :)

How gorgeous is this print! Its like, the PERFECT SUMMER RETRO PRINT!

Flamingos, fruit, tiki - its like a tropical festival going on!

I have found Collectif dresses to be a good fit on me in the past, and this is no exception. Its just a lovely shape.

The sleeves though. Noooooo.

Can you see what I mean? I am a size 18. I have fat old arms. The elastic was waaaaay too tight. It was actually painful to wear.

However, there was NO WAY ON EARTH this dress was going back. So I did a simple snip and add job. Anyone else with this issue - you're looking at half an hour tops. Just snip away at the sleeve hem - I did it just next to the seam below the arm (where your armpit is) towards the back of the dress. You only need to expose an inch or two. 

Pull out the elastic (which is loose - its not sewn to the sleeves) And place two pins either side of where you're going to cut (so you don't lose the elastic in the sleeve after you've cut it) Now just get another bit of elastic of preferably equal width (mine was a bit thinner) and cut to size. I used a two inch piece. Snip your sleeve elastic and sew the cut piece to each side of it. 

I overlapped by about 1/4" which meant I was adding about 1 1/2" in total to each sleeve.

Close up the sleeve hem - I just backstiched this by hand. Then do a bit of pulling to get the elastic distributed a bit more evenly.

Ta da!!!

In which I try to catch up...(and and make a Glenda Lighthouse bag)

Right then. Last things first. 

Purely because if you're here because you are interested in crafty-type stuff and not mylife-type stuff, then you can check this out and leave!

I cut this out last month, but I didn't have time to finish it until this week, such has life been. I used the lighthouse fabric to match my Ruby lighthouse dress. The pattern is a Swoon (Glenda) I flipping love Swoon patterns. 

I went for a green lining. No idea what the fabric is - I bought it years ago.

I used a twist lock for the first time and I'm rather pleased with the result!

This is the back. I moved the D-Ring tabs to the outside as they are meant to be on the inside but I don't like it. 

Overall, pleased with the result. Will I sell it or will I use it? Hmm....not sure!

In other news: I made it to the front page of the Voodoo Vixen website - along with Helen (left) and Sarah (middle) Its kind of weird - especially as I keep spotting my picture on ebay. I'm not sure if we'll be called back to modelling the next set of dresses. Watch this space!

I did get to go down to London Edge with the others to promote VV - which also meant free tickets for the aftershow party, sponsored by collectif. It was such a fantastic day. I mean, I got to go into London, paid for, wear a lovely dress all day, hand out leaflets and chat to folk, free shots from the Pinup Academy bar, then free booze at the party. I met so many wonderful people.

40th celebrations. 

I had two of these :)

One in August, just before my birthday at Whittlebury Hall and spa, and one last weekend, which was a kind of joint celebration as its Lucys 40th at the beginning of October, but it was also Jess's birthday whilst we were there. We ate. We drank. We spa'd. We reunited. Was a lovely weekend.

Did I say we went to Italy? We went to Italy too :)