FRocktober Days 19 to 21 - Rummage and BBQs



Oh no! She's gone native!

Day 19 - Can you tell things are starting to go a bit silly? It's 'casual Friday' at work and what better excuse to climb about in the foliage?

Today it was the knotty dress again and a huge pomp, very Elvis inspired.  I also wore huge cat's eyeliner to complete the 50's inspired ensemble.  I also brought out my terribly precious limited edition Transparenze Anthea stockings.  These are no longer availiable and on the day they ladder I will cry.



See? Devine.



They have the most beautiful detailing at the top and bottom of the 'seam' and a ruffled welt.  These are stockings that make me happy.  So I flounced around all day in embellished ruffle heaven despite the fact that I popped a suspender every twenty minutes.





Loungeroom post rummage.

Day 20 -

Today was the day for a Rummage!  If you've never had a rummage I highly recommend them.  What you do is this; someone volunteers their longeroom, everyone brings over all the clothes they don't want/wear or fit anymore, you tip them in a big pile and everyone rifles through it picking out what they like and playing dress ups.  When you're all done everything left over goes to a charity of your choice.



Em and Frank.

First order of business this morning was to vote!  So I primped and preened then walked Little Miss Em down to the local school to vote.  I ran into one of MOH's work colleagues who volunteered to mind the little girl while I exercised my democratic responsibility.

After that we detour past the shops for milk and tea (the staples of life) then it was home to clean the house before my guest arrived.  Em helped by disembowelling frank and spreading little balls of fluff throughout the loungeroom.



Quick! Call the SES!
She'll be crushed!

 Once everyone arrived and the rummage commenced my cleaned loungeroom looked like this:

Yes that is a person beneath the pile of clothes; she took the injunction to 'dive right in' somewhat literally.  Much fun was had by all, a quick and very inexpensive wardrobe refresh! I even snagged a 40's style wrap dress to include in my frocktober efforts!



Slightly dishevelled post rummage...



Then the day was over, I spent a significant ammount of time folding what remained (there's my OCD rearing it's head) and putting it in pilgrim bags for it's trip to charity.  But the story of this rummage does not end here!  A few girls missed out so we'll be doing it again, I'll hold on to what remains and we'll rummage again with some new editions.



Ah couch... how I love thee...



 I conked on the couch breifly post rummage, after pulling dresses on and off my victory rolls were somewhat the worse for wear. So they came out to be rplaced by a braid while I finished cleaning up.

Today's ensemble was my Bettie Page captain dress from the darling shoppy. It's comfy for walking and cleaning in.

Cooking up a storm.

 Day 21 - Today was a busy day!  It started early with laundry and a final clean from yesterday's rummage.  Then we took Little Miss Em to visit MOH's mother who was feeling unwell.  Nothing like puppy lickings to cheer someone up.

Todays' ensemble was my polks dot frock and collectif cardigan (from the shoppy) no stockings today is was far to warm.  I wore a rockabilly syle pompadour with a high ponytail for a look that's a bit younger than the 40's I'm rocking so frequently this month.

After that is was off to a friend's post voting BBQ, not to celebrate or commiserate just yet the legislative assembly is still hung; looks like we'll have another coalition.



Rockabilly hair and make-up



I ate very quickly at the BBQ because then it was off to Holder shops for KOTY rehearsals.  I took some of the more burlesque-y pieces to rehearsals for the girls to look at and came home with significantly less.

Then it was time to race of to shops and home as my parents were coming over to dinner before they head off to South America for a month.  Tough life for some.

Days 5 to 9 - Part 1: Lazy days and rain...



Shocking behaviour! I am
deeply apologetic.

Well, I think today's blog entry should start with an apology!  I haven't posted for five whole days, it's been a busy few days recently.  This will be a very picture heavy entry and for that I apologise in advance!



Nice day for a swim?

Day 5 - Was a beautiful day, the sun was out the lake was sparkling and Canberra was doing it's utmost to convince us that it really truly is spring.  So I thought I would wear a new acquisition of mine covered in spots!  You may recognise this frock from Day 1.  This time I paired it with my burgundy collectif cardigan (a wonderful pick me up cardigan with it little star bursts and cocktail shakers, it hard to have a bad day in it, I got it from the Darling shoppy!)  

Isn't it lovely?


No great accesories to note today except one, my beloved - delightful man that he is - gifted me with a four-leaf clover as we were stepping into our chariot this morning. I was so tickled by his gesture that I wore it as a buttoniere all day!

 Lunchtime and it was time to try the bacon turnover I baked at ridiculous o'clock the night before...



You don't look as tasy as
you should....



So after delicately unwrapping them I prepared to have my first taste...  The verdict, not bad, certainly a winnder over sandwiches but then again I hate bread so for me anything is a winner over sandwiches.  The gluten-free lard pastry; not such a hit... it was hard and chewy - it squeaked when chewed! - next time I'll try and find GF puff pasty and I thinkthey'd be much nicer but if you were making doo they'd have been a welcome change.

Potato salad in pastry..

The filling is reminiscent of potato salad sans mayonnaisse, the potato takes on the bacon flavour quite nicely though.

Day 6 - Saturday was a lazy day, which doesn't mena much in our household, a trip to the dog park for our beloved pooch (in the rain as it turned out) and lots of house work.



Sorry for the out of focus...it really was too
bright for photos

Today was my first skirt and shirt combo.  You can't see the detail but it's a peter pan collar and a shirt pretending to be broderie anglais! I'll take a detail shot next time I wear it.  The skirt if a boring black skirt I converted to a pencil skirt (sewing machines are handy things!).

After the trip to the dog park and much housework I attempted another recipe from 'We'll Eat Again' This time I attempted 'Potato Pancakes" at my beloved's request.



Getting prepped
NB: HAND WASHED Potatos



Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:

400g unpeeled mashed potatos

250g sausage mince

         parsley and mint

dried herbs

Lard for frying (I used butter it was what I had)

The making part:

Mix ingredients together throughly and fry in LOTS of fat until brown and crispy, this is an excellent dish for any whose favourite food group is Burnt Crunchy Bits*. 

As tempting as it was to eact the pancakes by themselves the voice of my mother in my head was insisting on vegetables so we had... dun da dun dun DAAAAAAAAA

CABBAGE! with leek and apple (not a rasher of bacon in sight though my love was vaguely trepidatious about  apple and cabbage).



Eat your GREENS!



So I fried up the potato and sauted the greens in a little vegetable water. My hob was an inspiring palette of greeny-brown and just plain brown.



You could paint with those colours.



 So after attempting to make some delicious pancakes and using some choice words when they continued to disintegrate (even after the ration busting addition of an egg).  I finished with a delicious looking meal of apple-cabbge and what I havwe dubbed Savoury Eton Mess (it sounds better than 'stupid failed mess of potato')



Surprisingly tasty, most becasue of the giant knob of
butter it's fried in I'd wager



Finally I'll finish with a photo of my little girl, struggling and in need of a haircut. 

Can you tell she loves
a cuddle?

*I must attribute this to the wonderful Terry Pratchett, it is one of my favourite turns of phrase from him, he whoever stole it from Ms Gytha Ogg of Lancre. 

Frocktober Day 4 - The Beige Shoe Society



Lunchtime shenanigans by the lake

 Today it was the 40's again ( love the silhouette of 40's hair and it's so easy to do, none of the setting and brushing out of 50's styles) and due to uncooperative hair this morning it was time to break out the snood!  I mentioned before that I make my own snoods from a fabulous 40's pattern the 'Perky Snood' this turns out a much more traditional silhouette than the modern snoods you buy today and won't hang loose if you only have fine or short hair.



You can see the library!

 Some fellow Frockettes and I (see one of their blogs here) stopped by the lake for some photographic evidence!  Shenanigans ensued.  I apologise but who can see a great pole labelled 'Lake' and not want to pose on it?



The Beige Shoe Society!

My fellow frockettes and I also noticed that we were all wearing shoes in differing shade of beige from my light bone to a burnished snakeskin stylishly sported by Aligator. I felt it noteworthy so it was photogaphed for posterity (as opposed to posterior).

Details in the outfit today are limited, as previously mention my hair was being uncooperative so it was in faux victory rolls and a snood (if you want to know what 'faux' victory rolls are check out this YouTube tutorial).  I wore my poppy again to complement my wonderful 40's dance dress from 'Unique Vintage'.  I love the puffed sholders and super square silhouette!



Thanks Mum!

Jewellery today is from my mother! A vintage piece of costume jewellery in man-made pearls and rhinestones, this piece is so pretty and feminine and adds a beautiful vintage touch to any outfit.

I also wore my new shoes (replacements for the ones that died on day 2). Betts bone pumps in patent leather, it was so difficult to find a pair with a round toe! Pointy witch toes not such a vintage look... However I found these and I love the little 'v' detailing, such a nice touch. 



caught on camera in... TROUSERS! Shocking!

When I got home this evening (I went to a pole dance class of all things!) I was tired and copped out in  apair of 50's capris and a cardi, shocking I know. So too make up for it (and also because I negelected to make my beloved dinner and he had to eat frozen Tikka Masala) I decided to make bacon turnovers for tomorrow's lunch.

Bacon Turnovers!

This is another recipe from 'We'll Eat Again'.  Recommended by the ministry of food for those people who were heartilly fed-up with sandwiches but still needed and easily portable lunch.  Vaguely reminiscent of a cornish pasty.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Pastry:



More spuds, Bloss's favourite.

 300(ish)g self-raising flour (I used GF)

70(ish)g cooking fat (I had left over beef dripping, mmm tasty)

Water

Filling:

100(ish)g fat bacon rashers

Spring onoions (not being Welsh, I had no leeks)

200(ish)g chopped diced potatoes

2 tbsp chopped parsley.



The Ministry of Food Says:
"Don't forget your greens,
they provide vital vitamins and

minerals for strength!"

Mmmmm delicious dripping...

Make Turnovers:

 Rub fat into flour and add water to bind, knead resulting pastry and set aside.

Mix your filling ingredients together.

Roll out pastry and cut out rounds, the recipe says four I made six smaller pasties so they would last longer... possibly. 



Cooking away, yes, still in
TROUSERS



Mmmm, delicous filling, reminiscent
of potato salad sans Mayo...

Elegantly place your filling in your pastry round folding them in half and sealing them, thus creating the much coveted 'turnover' shape.  Bake in a moderate over for 25(ish) minutes.

Take for lunch tomorrow or eat for supper with a fortifying cup of tea (or glass of gin).





Well... they look totally worth the effort, tomorrow I shall
eat them and find out...



Frocktober Day 2, cooking WWII style!

 

Instagram, how I love your filters!

 Well, day 2 was an adventure, my first day back at work in my vintage stylings and even though I had forewarned my colleagues my new look was greeted with much surprise!

You can see the detail in my hair in this photo but it nicely highlights my new red lipstick!  IT's beautiful 'Vesuvio' ultra matte by NARS (and it's gluten-free!)

 Today's ensemble was 40's inspired and after a minor wardrobe malfunction (the shank broke in one of my shoes!) it was all sorted!

 

Heading out to buy supplies!

Today I am wearing the Joelene dress by Heartbreaker, a lovley 40's cotton day dress with a fabulous pattern that is easy to dress up or down.

I've decided to call this hair style 'Proud Mary', it is essentially three victory rolls (I'm defining victory rolls as 'a large hollow standing up roll' as per 'Vintage Hairstyling' Buy it love it!) on top oof my head with the remainder of my hair pinned into a snood.  I make my own for an original 40's pattern so I have quite a number expect to see more of them throughout the month.


Rollin' rollin' rollin



 I pinned a coral coloured flower behing one of the less pefect rolls to disguise it's imperfections.

Of course I wore proper nylons!  An absolute luxury in the 40's but I am not painting my legs with gravy browning as much as my dog would love it!

My glasses are more 50's but I love them so I shall wear them, also seeing is good.

I also accesoried with a little wooden brooch I have been dying to take for an outing!  Isn't it the cutest thing?  The pendant is a mesapotamian rolling seal at 2000+ years old I figured it was well in period! 

Ivy's 40's Dinner Adventure!



Fascinating read!



Tonight's meal was from this cookbook generously provided by my friend and fellow foodaphile Christopher.



I decided to make baked fishcakes. I've metricised (new word!) the measurements for you!

Ingredients:

100g Salt Cod

400g Potato (mashed, NO MILK)

2 large Carrots (mashed)

1 tsp sweet herbs (I used dill and oregano, it was in the cupboard)

1 dessertspoon wostershire sauce (I used soy and oyster for GF alternatives)

Breadcrumbs (mine were GF)



This is the ration for FOUR people



Salt cod was plentiful and reasonably cheap in britain during the war and I love it even now so I was quite happy to experiment with it until I saw this.  It's not until you look at it that you realise how small the rationed portions were.  Tonight we cooked 1 1/2 meat&fish rations for a family of four. 100g of salt cod and 4 rashes of bacon...

So you boil the fish to cook it making the water a delightful yellow colour in the process.  Then you take it and mix it into the mashed carrot and potato with the herbs and sauce and you get the very appetising looking saucepan of stuff below.

 

Potato and carrot mash, appetising...

This you then roll into balls, roll in breadcrumbs and bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes.



Bacon and cabbage, mmm... (surprisingly tasty)

 

Tasty and delicious fishcakes for all!

It needed a sidedish so I went with an old classic, Cabbage and Bacon! (This was to convince My Better Half (MBH) to eat said cabbage)

So after this adventure our final meal for the evening looked like this:

Tasy 40's dinner... looks small dunnit?

Fishcakes and cabbage anyone?

Next time I think I'll try Corned Beef rissoles...  now to convince MBH...

See you all tomorrow, keep (f)rocking!

Love and Sparkles,

Ivy!