Glen of Weeping & winds

As mentioned in the previous post Mark and I headed up to Glen Coe for a wee photo session while we were up in The Highlands.

I had hoped to use the same spectacular backdrop as we did last September but gale force winds howling through the glen made it quite impossible, my skirt filled up like a tall ship sail and my wig was threatening to make like a bat out of hell down the hillside.

So we drove a little further down the glen to the car park at a view point so that I could get changed in the boot of the car without risking going arse over tit in the soggy heather whilst lacing up my granny boots.

Needless to say the people that were there had their eyes out on stalks when I stripped down to my scanties to frock up, not the kind of thing they'd expected to see in a tranquil Scottish glen I bet but rather than driving off in a indignant huff to report me for indecent exposure the cheeky wee sausages started taking photos of us taking photos instead.

The first frock we shoot was a present from my sister Jessica a few years ago. It's labelled QUAD and is from the late 60s or early 70s. I love everything about this frock, its alluring bust enhancing cut, the virginal white lace sleeve trim and the deep blood red velvet. Wearing it makes me feel as if I should be in a classic Hammer Horror movie being seduced by Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing.

The wreath that I'm wearing is one that I made from some magician's rope and a bunch of lace off-cuts that I bagged at a car boot sale a few years ago.

It was a saving grace on the day cause it stopped the wig from flying off.

The evening before we took these pics I somewhat overindulged on my all time favourite ale FRAOCH made with heather and bog myrtle. It is the best tasting ale ever but unfortunately it gives me a rancid hangover, och!

Anyroad it's not about my face, it's all about the frock, behold her splendor ;)

We only managed to shoot another frock in the glen and then we did another little session by the shore of Loch Leven but I've decided to split the sessions into three posts rather than one epic one.

Hope your week has got off to a fabulous start. I'm slowly getting round to catching up with you all and I apologise profusely if I haven't made it round to yours yet. I was a bit scuppered today after having to perform emergency surgery on my cactus that I've had for years, damn you root rot or perhaps more to the point damn me overzealous waterer of plants. Hopefully it will be fine, fingers crossed.

I'll leave you with a hauntingly beautiful Dougie Maclean song covered by Deanta, enjoy :)

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

From Ballachulish to The Boogaloo

When we left London a week ago the sun was blazing and there was not a cloud in the sky as far as the eye could see.

I had hoped that the glorious weather would travel with us up to Scotland but alas that was not to be, pants!

The further north the bus took us the darker the skies turned and we quite literally drove into a whole heap of bad weather.

It would have been nice to have a week of sunshine and blue skies but I'm not one to let a bit of dreich weather spoil my fun.

We stopped off in Greenock with my brother-in-law for a night before continuing the journey up to Ballachulish in The Highlands.

When we visited last September, I brought all my shapeshifter ponchos and we staged a little photo session in the glen and I had hoped to do the same thing this time. My suitcase was full of frocks and photo session paraphernalia and every day I was up with the lark monitoring the weather forecast hoping that there would be a wee break in the thick blanket of cloud. We did get a few pictures done but the conditions were not ideal to say the least but I'll blog about that tomorrow.

As per usual I took loads of pics all week and I thought I'd share some of them with you...

It's grim up north! Not really but it was rather dreich it has to be said.

The River Laroch and the Loch Leven shore. 

Swan in Loch Leven & the St Munda burial island.

The River Laroch in Ballachulish, Scottish heather in mums garden and a cool as a cucumber sheep in Glen Nevis.

Glen Nevis and Scots pine tree.

There was still some snow on the hills. Despite it looking like it never stops raining in the Highlands it has in fact been "unseasonably dry" and at the beginning of this month there was even a wildfire outbreak. 

Little chirpy bird in Glen Nevis and big chirpy bird at the Lochan Trail in Glencoe.

I was delighted to catch a bunch of Kyloe cows having their breakfast in Glen Nevis. Later on that day we went to Glen Coe to attempt a photo session, we ended up having bemused tourists taking pictures of us taking pictures, och! In the evening we met up with my father-in-law at The Laroch Bar for a few bevvies :)

On Thursday it was my mother-in-laws 70th birthday :)

It did clear up for a few hours in the early evening so we zipped down to the lochside to take a few more pics. Then mums friends came around for a little 70th birthday get-together at the house. Loads of  cake, wine and laughter :)

The morning after mums birthday we left Ballachulish at eight, stopped in Glasgow for a quick pub brunch before hopping on the bus back down to London.

We arrived in London at half ten in the evening and I had my market the following day.

Thankfully I had prepared everything before we left so it was just a case of packing everything up in the morning. I was a wee bit zombified on Saturday but Mark helped me to The Boogaloo and stayed around until I was all set up. Who would have guessed that sitting on your arse for twelve hours could be so physically & mentally exhausting?! 

Despite being a bit of a hazy-daisy I did have a very good day, chatted to some lovely folk & made some people happy with my vintage threads and that's what it's all about after all ;)

Here are some pics from yesterday's Can't Buy Me Love market....

What I wore:

Indian frock, tulle tutu, shaggy cardi with flower brooch, tights, 80s boots, Frocktasia earrings, Tibetan prayer bangle and my trusty market peddlers bumbag ;)

So there you go that was my "dropping off the blog radar" week.

I'm totally behind in my blog reading but as I have already picked out most my stock for next Saturday's Dandy Lion Market I should have a few hours to spare tomorrow to indulge in a little bit of catching up, looking forward to it, I've missed you's!

I'll leave you with one of my favourite Scottish bands, enjoy :)

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Back from Caledonia

Hey peeps,

hope you are all doing well?!

I dropped off the radar for a while to visit Scotland again.

It was my mother-in-laws 70th birthday on Thursday, so we decided to go up and spend a week with her.

We just got back last night and today I did the Can't Buy Me Love market at The Boogaloo but I'll blog about Scotland and the market tomorrow.

***

I meant to post this blog before I went to Scotland but never quite managed to get around to it, better late than never ;)

A week and a half ago I had a photo session with an amazing London based singer-songwriter called Faith Taylor. I approached Faith a while back after falling in love with her voice at a gig and asked her if she'd be interested in taking part in a little vintage clothing inspired photo session at my house. We were messaging each other on Facebook prior to the session to establish what sort of theme would best suit her personality and music style. Faith is a self-declared tomboy so we went with an androgynous style.

Look 1

 Vintage 70s blazer, 70s shirt and 70s bow-tie combo

Look 2 

Vintage 50s felt hat and 70s ethnic embroidered waistcoat

Look 3

German military shirt teamed a cowboy style scarf

I really enjoyed doing this little session and I'm planning to do more of them next month.

Faith was a real joy to work with and I'll be sure to keep an eye on her future gig listings.

Before we went to Scotland I met up with Leslie and we went to take in the Lichtenstein -A Retrospective exhibition at the Tate Modern, which was absolutely fab!

Vintage 50s trousers, 70s Liberty print suspenders, 70s lurex blouse, sleeveless knitted jumper, Handmade African necklace, Frocktasia earrings, handmade tote bag made by Leslie, Lowepro camera bag & DMs 

I'll post about Scotland & my market adventures tomorrow but right now I'm going to crash and burn, I'm bushed...cheerio my dear pals ;)

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

The Cat Got My Tongue

I'm a woman of very few words today, there's a lot going on inside my head but I can't make sense of it!

Hope you are all OK?!

 

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

MADE IN SWEDEN

I feel very lucky to live within striking distance of a park. As someone who grew up near nature, living in a city can sometimes feel very stifling. The park is like a sparkling emerald in a sackful of builders rubble and when I go there I can at least pretend that I am far away from the urban jungle.

I bought the frock that I'm wearing today a few years ago from a charity shop in Holloway.

Needless to say I was immediately drawn to its zesty colour and quirky print but after also seeing that it was 'MADE IN SWEDEN' (just like me) I knew that we belonged together.

I wonder how it ended up in England?

The pose in the next pic made me think of Desiree, she always pulls off the best poses. 

If there was a prize for wicked posing, she'd win it every time!

My beloved on his trusty two-wheeled steed...

I love our daily jaunts to the park :)

Soon the ground will have dried off and we'll be able to lay on the grass and watch the clouds drift by, I can't wait!

 Here's a wee happy tune for you to tap your foot to, enjoy ;)

Hope your week has got off to a great start?!

Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx

Shiny Happy People

The sun finally decided to make an appearance in the afternoon and a mass exodus ensued here in our neck of the woods. Houses were emptying at a rate of knots and people were pouring into the park. Sun starved North Londoners are grabbing even the minutest opportunity to bask in the sun. Every single bench was occupied with impromptu picnickers and the boating lake, playground, skate park, tennis- & basket ball courts were all a hive of activity. There were so many people feeding the birds that even the pigeons had had enough. I think it is safe to say "DING DONG! THE WINTER IS DEAD!"...good riddance!

I bought the frock that I am wearing today from the same charity shop that the green maxi from Thurdays post came from and I've had it for just as long.

Once when I wore it, two Swedish ladies started slagging it off to each other after spotting me wearing it on a bus, thinking that it was safe to do so cause they were in London and I wouldn't understand what they were saying. As they were getting off the bus I beamed a smile at them and said 'ha en trevlig dag' which means 'have a nice day'. I wish I'd had a camera cause their faces were priceless.

Today there were no people slagging my frock off though, instead it got a few lovely compliments :)

The guy at the local Afro-Caribbean cosmetics center where I buy my liquid eyeliner & henna even asked me where I had bought the dress saying that his wife would love it.

For me a life without wearing frocks like this one would be a very dull one indeed.

Give me psychedelic prints, a rainbow of colours and one-off vintage pieces and I am a very happy woman.

Speaking of  a rainbow of colours, check out the visual delight I am treated to on a daily basis...

The wig emporium two doors down has expanded yet again, they keep on going from strength to strength, wigs are very much in demand seemingly. This is the one that I've got my eye on...

 WARNING: Posh pinkie in the reflection, who needs a Royal Doulton teacup when one has a camera ;)

Hope you've all had a cracker of a weekend with some sunshine to make you smile..

Thanks a million for all your lovely comments, I'm so sorry if I haven't been around to visit your blog or left a comment in ages, I hang my head in shame. I promise I'll try my best to get around to visit you all before next week is over, you lovely peeps ROCK!
Loads of love,

Jennie

xXx