Madame Guillotine

What a beautiful summer we are having in the UK :)

Usually when we are promised a rare sunny weekend a mad supermarket stampede ensues, with people panic buying disposable BBQ's, stripey straws, citronella candles, burger relish, coleslaw and slabs of animal carcass to marinade and grill. We've done the BBQing now, it's out of our systems and not once did we have to escape indoors or cower underneath a gazebo cause the clouds decided to start chucking cats and dogs at us. At the moment we are living like jammy Aussies who can throw a shrimp on the barbie whenever we see fit and it's blooming great!

If the BBC weather website is anything to go by we are set for a few more days of cloudless skies and soaring temperatures before a little bit of rain is forecast.

Yesterday I told you of how parts of the park has been transformed into an arid steppe scattered with skimpy bikini & speedo clad bodies. It has also recently become our dining-room. Mark and I decided that for the duration of this glorious heatwave we'll be having our dinners on a blanket in the park.

So when Mark comes home from work in the afternoon, I stand ready with a cool bag full of goodies to go.

As we were walking up to the park yesterday we spotted something rather random...

A guillotine...maybe en route to Parliament Square, who knows?!

Needless to say it was padlocked and a girl was sitting nearby minding it. I didn't think to ask why it was there but quite often the park is used as a filming location. The girl didn't mind me posing in front of Madame Guillotine, I'm sure I wasn't the first person to do it.

Whenever I wear this skirt I feel an uncontrollable twirl need...

Tie-dye ruffle hem Hippie skirt (charity shop),  Handmade crochet top (a gift from my beloved mother), Frocktasia necklace, soapstone heart & macrame earrings, 80s sunnies (eBay), Havaianas flip-flops (gift from a Brazilian friend).

Larking about in the park with a gory guillotine in the background...
just one of life's little pleasures ;)

Speaking of little pleasures, both Mark and I are really enjoying being able to have our dinner in the park.

Yesterday I made pasta salad that we topped with a bit of grated cheddar cheese. I bought cheese topped rolls, cranberry juice and pretzels from Lidl. I also made a spicy chutney chickpea dip to go with it.

I refuse to by hummus at the supermarket cause a lot of the time shop bought ones are too bland for my taste buds. Making your own is so cheap and easy anyway.

If you want to give it a go...

*Whole can of chickpeas in brine, rinse well cause they smell a bit like cat food straight out of the can.

*Spoonful of tahini paste or more depending on your own preference.

*Some olive oil, salt and pepper.

*Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice.

*A few cloves of garlic.

Before blending I often jazz it up with some more spices (I love paprika powder) and a spoonful of chutney, pesto, vegetarian tapenade or something else that is yummy.

I use my trusty hand-blender to mix it all into a smooth creamy paste and if it's too thick I add a little bit of tap water to get the consistency that I desire.

Easy peasy lemon squeesy with a whole lot of yummy rolled in :)

I made this GIF image after another wonderful day in the park last summer...

 I'll love you and leave you with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, enjoy :)

Take care,

Jennie

xXx

Frocktasia's Mohairy Midsummer

It's been a while since my last installment, just haven't had the time nor the inclination lately :(

However I thought that as it's midsummer already, I'd better do at least one posting before June ends :)

So far summer has been a a story of starts and stops, just when you think you can push the tights & jumpers to the back of the wardrobe temperatures take a nose dive and I'm back sporting my trusty grey beanie.

We have had a few cracking days though so I guess I shouldn't complain too much...this is England after all!

We had planned to get out of London this weekend, pitch our new tent somewhere on the coast and just sit on a beach and chill-out but we decided against it as the weather forecast pretty much spelled rain in bold capital letters for most of the country.

We did go for a wee walk along an urban nature trail to forage some elderflowers and snap some pics instead.

I brought with me a few of my current wardrobe faves and a couple of bits that I have made/revamped recently... 

I love this quirky 80s mohair jumper that I bought on eBay a few years ago.

It's super comfy and it goes really well with my bright orange revamped cut-offs...

These denim cut-offs were made from a pair of hubby's old jeans.

I tie-dyed them with Dylon and embellished them with faux-gems salvaged from a top that I got from the car boot sale.

The kick-ass Steve Madden boots were also a car boot sale buy from a few years ago.

Whilst on the subject of  fabulous car booty buys...

I bagged this frigging awesome camo jacket from the car boot sale a while back.

I absolutely love camo jackets and I love Bob Marley so for me this jacket is DA BOMB!

I bought this refashioned desert camo jacket from a shop in Camden a few years back.

It's fabulously fitted :)

The vintage Moschino belt was a second hand market find, the 80s aviator sunnies where dead-stock off eBay and the funky handmade African earrings were a pressie from my folks.

I made the headdress from a bunch of  deconstructed chiffon scrunchies fashioned into cabbage rose shapes and mounted on a wide padded Alice band...

My trusty grey knitted beanie...

...that I'm rocking a helluva lot more than I should be doing considering it's late June!

Never mind, there is still time for summer to sort itself out and when it does I'll be on the first coast bound train out of here, armed with my tent and sleeping bag, I can't wait ;)

Hope you are all having a wonderful Midsummer weekend.

Lot's of love,

Jennie

xXx