Some Of My Favourite Pictures of 2011

I would love to share with you all some of my most favourite photos and moments from 2011.
Since I only started this blog a very short while ago you have sadly missed out on a whole exciting year and a half of my life. So here is a collection of photos that I took during 2011 (any maybe a few from 2012 if I find any nice ones). Enjoy :)

These Photo's were taken in June last year, when we had amazing weather almost everyday (a distant memory now) and so me, Alexandra (right) and Bethan (below) all trundled off to the park. I also made a short film that day which I will share with you all soon I promise.

This has to be one my favourite photos from that day, I think it has something to do with her looking off into the distance and the expression on her face I don't know.

 

This is me and Bethan at Alnwick castle in September 2011, I'm not too sure what Bethan is doing with her face but she looks like she's about ready to bite someones neck!

The nicer version, Where Bethan looks slightly less evil.

Bethan once again looking stunning... she's in a lot of these pictures isn't she? Hmm

Taken In August of last year this set of photos has to be my most loved from 2011.

In this picture is Sara Lou, Liz Jobes, me and Jessie Grace.

I look bald on top here but honest I'm not. I remember this day so well because the sky was an incredible blue colour and it was also one of the last days I got to spend with my best friend Liz Jobes before she sadly died a few months later.

Liz Jobes... wasn't she stunning?

Me and Jessie Grace slurping a refreshing glass of lemonade and and ice In November 2011.

I took this photo at Close house in July. I love the look of a field full of rape seed... odd I know.

Obviously I was being very vain when I took this photo but you have to admit my hair looks pretty right? Right ;)

And last of all this picture which was actually taken this year but I ran out of nice ones from last year.  It was at my uncles funeral in May.

Well I hope you have enjoyed my snaps :)

Laura Lou x

Just A Lil' Something

This is a short film I made last year when summer still existed in England starring my sister Bethan and obviously my camera skills ;)

Enjoy,

Laura Lou x

My Little Treasures

We took a little break from cleaning today (it's not a short process) so I had a little free time and decided to use it by writing about all the old things I own... not everyone's idea of a good time but I enjoyed it.

It's not the biggest collection in the world but these are my little treasures and I must say, I do quite love them and I hope you do too, enjoy.


This is a collection of Indian Rupees and British coins I found in my Uncle Normans room after he died, as bad as it sounds... I just had to have them!
They all date from  about 1880(I think?) to 1966. And yes that is my red gingham shirt they are displayed on hehe.

This is one of my favourites as I love queen Victoria

 

 

King George v looking very royal indeed

I think this is some sort of compass box? I really have no idea, it is another from Uncle Normans room I think it's from around 1940 but don't quote me on that!

These beauties are two vintage ink wells that my mother bought me for my 21st birthday, one from 1800 (the silver one) and the glass one was made around 1950ish. the pin is another from Uncle Norman but again I have no idea where he got it :)

I have over 20 antique books but I've pulled out a few of my most loved to show you. this is a little book called Ora's Giant the author is Isabella Blackwood and the book is dated around 1918.
If I recall correctly I picked this little beauty up for about £1.50.

I love finding little messages in books like this.

    

This is Shakespeare's A Comedy Of Errors. I found it in an Oxfam book store in Glasgow back in May, it was a bargain at only £3.

I hope these frayed pages mean it was well read, as it should have been.

 This book is called When Life Is Young by Silas. K. Hocking. It is one of my antique books that I have actually read it is such a sweet and uncomplicated story of love, very endearing.
 I found it in my families hotel and 'borrowed' it but it seems to have made a home for itself on my shelf so there it shall stay.  It is dated 1909.

I would be very pleased if I was awarded this as a prize I must say.

I bought this brooch from a car boot sale last year, i don't think it's any older than 1950 but it's pretty isn't it?

This is another of Uncle Normans finds so again, no clue of the date...sorry :)

Same goes for this one, the one thing they all have in common is they have German writing on them and this one has 'Hanover' written on the back and I think they are military orientated.

 Well I hope you all like my old junk,

Laura Lou x

MCNY Collections Portal

One of my good friends sent this link my way.
http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MNYMN3_4_VForm

It's an exhibition of vintage dresses from 1860 to 1927 and they are stunning! I am particularly enamour of the 1918-19 YWCA Overseas Uniform (I think it would look uber cute with pin curls and red lips... wrong era I know!)
Sorry for, what is possibly, the shortest blog entry ever but there is still an awful lot of  cleaning up to do after the fire. Anyway enjoy the exhibit,
Laura Lou x

Hair from back...way back

Big Old Hair

As much as I adore and wear the styles from the 40s and the 50s I've always had an avid interest Victorian women's beauty and style, particularly their hair. 

Ever since I was old enough to really take an interest in History I have pretty much been infatuated with anything remotely related to the Victorian period from the quality of living (rich and poor people's), theatre, novels and of course the fashion. But  I have only just recently been researching Victorian beauty and hair and I have become quite interested in the 'Gibson Girl' style.

A drawing of a typical 'Gibson Girl' hairdo

 

The Gibson Girl first appeared in the 1890's in a humour magazine called "Life." Drawn by illustrator CharlesDana Gibson, she was his ideal woman with her tiny waist, lofty pompadour hair, and aloof beauty.

The 'Gibson Girl' appeared in  many more magazines of that time and quickly became a style sought after by women everywhere, and it's no wonder why.

In my opinion, although it is a style the requires the woman to have  'a tiny waist, aloof beauty and pompadour hair' it looks so natural, so effortless. It's as though they woke up and absently pinned their hair up and it just happened to look that wonderful even though it probably took them hours to perfect they style each day.

I suppose in many ways it is like women of today who spend hours in the mirror applying all sorts of beauty products to get that 'natural beauty' look. 

All I can say is, If I'd of been around in the late 1800s I would have been a Gibson Girl, just maybe not as good as these ones though.

Laura Lou x

PS. While researching all this I found two really interesting articles that I think you should all take a look at. The first one is just a small piece about tattooed women in Victorian times and the second is all about Beauty products and hair. Like I said they're really interesting :)

http://www.canonballblog.com/?p=1797

http://www.hairarchives.com/private/victorian1new.htm

Obsessed with...

The Ronettes!

I have always loved music from the 1960s ever since I was around 9 years old. My first CD was a compilation call 'Super Sixties' and I listened to it non stop for about six months... I'm sure I drove my mother crazy with it.
Amongst some of my favourite groups from the sixties are The Small Faces, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Searchers, The Hollies and my most favourite... The Monkees! I also loved people like Dusty Springfield, Bobby Vee and Marty Wilde but I had never heard of the Ronettes... until now.
The are probably remembered as the "girl group" of the early '60s. They achieved their biggest success under producer Phil Spector. In towering black beehive hairdos and dark eye makeup, the Ronettes were a classic mid-sixties girl group with a sultry twist; vulnerable but tough, sexy but. sweet.
And I can't get enough of them! For the last few weeks all I listened to is The Ronettes, I just love their sound. It's like bubble gum pop but at the same time still pretty mature and adult.
Their biggest hit, as everyone will know, is Be My Baby but they had so many other great songs like This Is What I Get For Loving You and Paradise but my all time favourite song by The Ronettes is... I Want A Boy.
It is such a cute catchy little song and I want to share it with you all. So here it is... The Ronettes singing I Want A Boy.

Hope you all Enjoyed it as much as I did,
Laura Lou x

1960s Garden Gingham

So I thought I'd model my vintage 1960s red gingham shirt that I got (for a bargin price of £4 off Ebay) because I love it so much. Plus it kind of relates to my 'Vintage On A Budget' post from a fe days ago.
So here it is! My much loved red gingham shirt...enjoy.

 

Shirt- Ebay, Jeans- primark £9, Ballet pumps- primark £4, Sunglasses- primark 50p! and the vest top is one I found in my drawer from a million years ago.

 Excuse my being vain, I can't help it.

Here's a little close up so you can see the shirt a bit more clear. You'd never guess I took the picture myself ;)

 

And here are the glasses, such a bargin at 50p I do say.

Laura Lou x

A Rare Sunny Day

So today the sun decided to show its face which was just lovely as me, my two sisters and my best friend got to go on a little jaunt to the park where we relaxed and acted like children for a few hours.

 

I tried to be all arty farty and take some edgy photos... this is the only good one but I think it's rather interesting.

 

The Contents of my bag...I don't know

 

Me being pelted with grass, not sure why I'm making that face though.

 

Me being pelted with more grass and seemingly enjoying it.

 

Bethan looking effortlessly beautiful as usual

 

Bethan and Hannah playing handstand elastic band while Charlotte stands in the way

 Bethan doing a pretty impressive headstand!

And thats what I did with my afternoon while I nursed my hangover.

Now I'm off to watch Brigadoon (I love a bit of gene Kelly),

Laura Lou x

Vintage On A Budget

I often spend hours upon hours on the internet gzing longingly at dresses and outfits that I can not afford, getting myself depressed that I will never own a Vivienn Of Holloway or a pair of Swedish Hasbeens.
But then I became addicted to Ebay!
It really is amazing what you can get on there for such low prices. I recently bought a vintage red dress from the 70s, a green 70s shirt, a Trina Lewis of London 1960s dress and a cute little 80s number all for 99p each (amongst many many others).
Over the last year I have built up my wardrobe filling it with swing dresses, tea dresses, circcle skirts and vintage items all of which have cost me £35 or under.
Heres just a few of them (ignore the vanity and the mess please)

Dress- 99p from Ebay! Scarf/belt £2 from primark, socks £2.99 from Ebay :)

Dress- 99p from Ebay! (excuse the messy house)

Dress- 99p off ebay! and the hat was a bargin at only £2 from primark

These days you can pick up a cute pair of capree pants for £9, a little gingham gypsy top for £6 and a flower for your hair for £2 just off the highstreet and BAM! You've got yourself the cutest little 1950s day outfit. There is no need to spend excesive amounts of money of what you can get for cheap, don't get me wrong if I had the money too  I would but sadly I have to limit my spending otherwise I'd be living on the streets with only my dresses to keep me warm.
Now, if you'll excuse me I have to go and clean up the mess that the fire kindly left last night,
Laura Lou x