Portmeirion for Sanderson

'Fifi' is a fabulous new vintage inspired tea-time collection from Portmeirion, produced in partnership with Sanderson and their original 1950's wallpaper print.

We all fell in love with Sanderson's 50s collection when it was released last year.  I have my eye on a couple of prints for some curtians and cushions for my lounge.

I cant help by being reminded of Midwinter style craft fashion shape when i look at this new collection.  Personaly give me vintage Midwinter any day!

 

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Vintage Fair Spring 2012

Today i went to the Vintage Fair in Nottingham.  It was held in the Albert Hall.  A good venue, nice and bright and lots of space, with beautiful original features.

Here is my outfit for the day,


Dress vintage st Michaels
Shoes, cant remember
Bag, vintage Etsy
Bakelite and celluloid, various places
Lucite confetti necklace and earring set, vintage Etsy
Head Scarf, vintage Celia's Nottingham
Flower, H&M
Lippy, Rockalily Mermaid
Sunnies, Raybans

This is what i bought, but it was too small on the bust :( will sell it on Etsy at some point

the Mr bought this

he wanted this but didnt get it

After the fair we walked around town.  I nipped into the god awful Primark to get a new pair of pjs.  I hate that shop, but i m on a tight budget.  Whilst in the queue, a pair of twelve year olds and their mother were pointing and laughing at me.  Like i was some sort of feeling less freak!  They were only about two feet away, practically right in my face.  What gives people the right to behave this way towards others?  Why did this mother think it was ok that her children did this?  Why did a grown woman think this kind of behaviour was acceptable in polite society?

Being heavily tattooed and dressed in a alternative way since my early teens.  I am used to being stared at, it doesnt bother me.  But to laughed at right in my face like that, really up set me.  I asked my twitter followers how they deal with negativity on how they dress.

@TheSherBear ignore. I've had it my whole entire life. Ignoring doesn't stop it, but it certainly doesn't encourage.

@themissnextdooor I ignore them, but if I'm in a bad mood I'll let them know. "You couldn't stare a bit more could you?" or "What's so funny?"

@thecent_kitty  If i find girls sniggering at me i turn away (And it is always girls) I presume it's because i'm comfy living a differnt life.  I also would never want to look or act like those mocking me. I don't want their approval, & the very fact that my appearance

@_PrintedPage  I only had it once, a very young couple laughed in my face, I couldn't hold back & gave them a gob full!

@quin_h_murray  I smile at them and thank god that I'm not boring and stupid like they are!

@Esyrii ignore it because I know I'm beautiful INSIDE as well as out, they are obv ugly inside to behave like that!!

@ScarlettDaggers I always confront them, politely but publicly. Question the example they're setting their children that should shut them up!

@Rocknrollcliche head up high, throw out ' fuck you I am way more confident and fit' vibes and chuck in some death stares till they look away!

@DollyCool This happens to me a lot too...They are silly little girls with thick parents who will be plain Jane's forever...... ignore!!!Oh, and they usually get a filthy look as well - just for good measure!

@zombiebunnyink  I do the same no point wasting my breath and I dont listen to idiots let them stay with their herd. #nyah

@exquisitebones  I get stares and glares and laughs from dumpy women in dirty pajamas at the grocery store here. Forgive me for wearing a dress

@alicemartha That is terrible,how you dress is totally personal and you shouldn't have to worry what other people think.

@pinkgal2345 when ive been laughed at for the way I dress I normally smile and offer some red lipstick or say oh are my seams not straight?

Have you ever experience negativity towards how you dress? 

How do you deal with it?

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Mr's New Tattoo

Stewart Robson, Frith Street Tattoo

Yesterday Mr BooBoo Kitty got two new tattoos.  He got them at Frith Street Tattoo studio by Stewart Robson.   They are for his mum and dad.  A thistle for his Scottish mum and an English rose for his dad. We both have had allot of work done at Frith Street, Stewart has done both his sleeves, Stefano has done two pieces on the back of his legs and i have had a sleeve done by Valerie Vargas.  Below are the pieces on the backs of his calf's.  They are for our two cats, Ronnie and Reggie, who we bought whilst we lived in Hackney East London.  The were named after the famous Kray Twins.  The other pieces, again has reference to the Krays, the Blind Beggar.  Which was the name of the pub  that Reggie Kray murdered George Cornell.  It also pays homage to our three years we spent living in London. 

Stefano C. Frith Steet

I will do a blog post on my sleeve at some point, it really is a work of art and i feel very happy and lucky that its mine :)

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The Prom Dress Collection

I posted a quick blog post earlier last week on my entry on Enterprise Nation and Fund101.  I thought I would share with you a bit more about the scheme and how I plan to spend my £500, if I reach the golden number of 500 votes.

It is sponsored by Paypal.  Every month Paypal donate £5000 to Enterprise Nation for Fund 101.  So if you are a small British Business owner, I strongly suggest you put your bid in.  You can apply for as little as £25 or £500 which is the maximum amount.  I thought I would aim high and apply for £500.  The application process is tough and every month they get swamped by thousands of applicants.  But be patient, if you are not successful one month, try the next.

I plan to use the money to design and make a high end evening wear collection.  I have designed and made allot of wedding dresses and prom dresses for commission customers last year, a few examples of which can be see on my facebook page.  It is an aspect of sewing I really love.  I really want to push my business more towards bespoke, one of, couture style dresses.  Although I love making day dresses in brightly coloured fabric, I do think the market is saturated with small business using Alexander Henry and Michael Miller fabric.  I love the fabric and I want stop using it altogether, will just be putting more emphasise on evening wear.

I have been using Pinterest allot recently.  It’s great to keep track of inspiration and where they come from.  One board in particular I have enjoyed working on has been the Prom Dress board.  Here are some of my favourite finds.

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I do not want to copy these beautiful designs directly.  I plan on sketching my little heart out and experimenting with ideas.  I plan on making about 6 dresses in total.  All various lengths, styles and colours.  But I also want them to work in collection or a family.  I want to use these six designs as examples, in which I can show my customers in face to face meetings.  They can feel and even try on the dresses.  I can then either make them that dress to their measurements.  Or I can design and make them something bespoke. 

I will then organise a beautiful photoshoot for these dresses.  My girls, Flashes and Lashes are doing the shoot.  I have worked with them allot I the past.  I have quite a lot to think about for the shoot, location models and accessories.  I want to use as much local and small business talent as I can in this shoot.  I will most probably use Pinterest to start mood boards for ideas for the location,, models, makeup, accessories and styling ideas.

With the images I get back from the shoot.  I will use in new marketing material.  New flyers, new blog posts and also on my website.

£500 won’t cover the entire cost of what I have planned for this project but will certainly help.  All I ask from you is a little vote.  Please clickon the link below.

VOTE HERE

Click the purple box ‘sign up’ just below my picture, enter your details, now you are logged in.  Please vote, the icon to vote is a big star burst under my picture.  Don’t worry you wont get spammed with emails from them.  By voting you will receive two emails.  One confirming your log in details and another asking if you want t join their mailing list.  If you don’t want to receive any more emails, just ignore and delete the two emails.

Thanks again guys, I hope you are just as excited about my little project as I am.  I will be recording my progress and ideas on this blog, facebook, twitter and Pinterest.  So if you are on any of these sites do stop by and follow/like me!

(and if you do follow me on twitter and facebook, i would like to take this opportunity to appologise for spamming you with please vote for me tweets and posts!) 

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Working from Home - wardrobe!

So in just over two weeks will be d-day!  I leave the comforts, security and all the tea i can drink of my day job and join the club of the self-employed!  Interviews are being held for my replacement, writing my handover documents.  Its all becoming very real.

When every girl gets a new job, one of the first things we think is.  What am i going to wear?  Working from home is no different.  For years i have had to conform, cover my tattoos and dress more conservatoiry.  Now i can finally be me, be me all the time not just at weekends.  But it needs to be comfortable.  I plan on spending most of my time sewing.  So i need to be able to move easily.

I currently sew in my jammies at the weekend.  They are so comfy.  But i don't want to live in my jammies or spend my days in  scruff's.  Of course there will be days when my duvet will be my office!  i will do another blog post on lounge and nightwear.  But in the mean time, do check out Betty Blue's Loungerie.

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I started a board on Pinterest  I love Pinterest.  its a great way to organise thoughts and ideas.  Good way to plan blog posts as each image has its source automatically stored.

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 I don't normally dress casual.  I currently spend all of my week in boring office wear.  Then at the weekend i really go to town in my vintage style, i always wear a dress, stockings, matching bag and shoes.  I really do need some help on how to develop my casual style!

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I think it was Betty Draper who started my love for plaid cigarette pants.  Peddle pushers and capri pants have always been a classic any rockabilly gals wardrobe.  I have had a few pairs before from the high street and a certain rockabilly brand that i shall not mention.  The versions from the high street were just not the right style at all and the other rockabilly brands, although they advertise them as high waisted, they weren't.  i like high waisted garments to sit on my waist, not float around somewhere below the waist and above the hip, causing them to fall down!!

-solution, make my own!  I have a vintage pattern.  But have made them before, the fit wasn't right.  I need to re-draft the patten.

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Separates are versatile and easy to wear.  I wear allot of cardies already at work, i have to cover my tattoos.  I will utilise my current collection and mix and match them with other casual separates in my wardrobe.  Cute little sleeveless shirts are another addition i would like to make to add to my wardrobe.  they are so cute and will go with a wide range of bottoms.  I have a pattern from a shirt dress that i am making, i will use this to draft my own pattern for a shirt. And Yes i will finish the shirt dress at some point, as it would be perfect for Spring that is just around the corner.

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I love full skirts.  They are comfy and easy to wear, i already have a few in my collection.  I will be making use of them allot more.  I have just ordered double quanity of some tulip fabric that i used to make a custom order for last year. I just loved the fabric and it has been on my mind ever since.  So when another customer wanted a full circle tulip skirt, i ordered double to make me one!

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www.boobookittycouture.com

Do you work from home?  

What do you wear?  

Or what do you wear when you are crafting or sewing?

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Enterprise Nation - Fund 101

I have applied for a grant of £500 through Enterprise Nation.  In order to win this money I need your vote!  Please can you take a few moments of your time to read how I will spend the money to improve my business and how to vote.

Vote Here!

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Las Senoritas Skirt, Three Ways

I love reading blogs, i spend allot of time reading blog by talented beautiful woman (and some men) from all over the world.  I find them extremely inspiring and informative.  In fact its where i get most of my latest vintage/ craft news from, to me its like reading a news paper or magazine packed full of topics i am interested in.

The first blog i started reading was the The Freelancers Fashion Blog.  I stumbled upon it by googeling 'Rockabilly Dresses'  the moment i found it i was hooked, i read the whole thing front to back.  The fabulous Ulrika has the most wonderful style.  Her outfit posts are to die for.  When she contacted me last year about getting a skirt made i jumped at the chance and eagerly waited for her to include the skirt in an out fit post.  To date she has featured the skirt on three different out fit posts.  I thought i would share them with you, as i just love how she has styled it in such imaginative ways.

Read full blog post here

Read full blog post here

Read full blog post here

Read full blog post here

Read full blog post here

All photos are kindly lent to me by Ulrika from the Freelancers Blog, please do not use these photos without contacting her first, thank you.

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Snow day / Sew Day

This weekend saw the UK covered in a blanket of the white stuff.  After an unusualy mild winter, i thought we had got a away with it.  But UK was hit by the big freeze.  After a quick walk with Maybellene (its her 2nd birthday today) i spent most of the weekend sewing.  I made a couple of tops for a loyal customer.  Then some head scarfs for my Etsy shop.

I do custom orders, so get in touch if you fancy a handmade dress, made to your measurements.  The below designs, i have just added them to my etsy shop.

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Frankii Wilde by Flashes and Lashes

I've just posted these stunning photos of Frankii Wilde by Flashes and Lashes on facebook, for those of you not quite as addicted to social media as i am, for your viewing pleasure....

If you too want a pin up girl make over so you can look just like Frankii.  The ever so talented Nottingham pin up make over duo, Flahses and Lashes have just announced a new date for their open day.  This will be held in their city centre studio on Friday 9th.  They have four slots available (think some already have been filled) starting at 5.30pm.  So you can finish work, nip over to their studio, get your hair and make up done.  A make over to make you feel like a million dollars. Get your photo taken, then hit the town!  Prices starting from as little as £75!  If you cant make the friday, they will be available for shoote Saturday and Sunday too!  Email them quick to book your slot, flasheslashes@gmail.com or see their facebook event page for more details, here. 

Here are a few piccys of the girls for their last photos.  Although they may look like professional models i can assure you they are not (although they should be;))  Some of the ladies had a dress made by me especially for the shoot.  Get in touch :) info@boobookittycouture.com

The beautiful Micaela dress by BooBoo Kitty Couture

Charlotte, skirt by BooBoo Kitty Couture

Lizzie

Beth

Red headed vixen thats Kel, dress by BooBoo Kitty Couture

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