Days 5 to 9 - Part 2: Burning the candle at both ends...

Selfies in the dance studio mirror



Day 7 - Today was when things got busy! Firstly, DAYLIGHT SAVINGS, blergh.  So I had rehearsals for an upcoming show booked in from 10-1:30 and thought I had plenty of time until my rehearal partner rocked up early and informed me she was late as we lost an hour overnight!  So it was victory rolls and 40's make-up as fast as I could and a comfy dress for dancing in!

Well we rehearsed like mad for a solid two hours, the routine was coming together nicely and then it was time to head to rehearsals for another show so off we went!  It was lovely to rehease with the burly girls although my elasticised strocking kept falling down and frock is not an advisable outfit for floorwork!

Waiting, ever so elegantly,
for the bus...

 After rehearsal I caught a bus to Cooleman Court (my beloved was trapped behind and pile-up on the parkway).  Then it was home to spend some time with the fur baby, a qucik change and a trip to the dog park (stockings do not stand up to my little girls claws) where I wound up covered in mud and kelpie drool... delightful.



The last magnolia of the season,
my front garden is beautiful at the moment.

Day 8 -  A day of errands, running low on my trusty Cedel we needed to make a trip to the shops for neccesities like toothbrushes and food. I also needed to buy costumes for the show coming up on Wednesday night!



Oh how I love thee!



I stopped in the garden for a selfie on the way out and managed to capture the last magnolia on our tree (said tree is nearly 10 feet high).  Today was the first Frocktober appearance of my Rock Steady Cardigan - another Darling purchase :-) - with it's goegeous fluffy collar!  My Guggenheim earrings and late 50's frock with wonderful 'gizmo' print.

After a day of running around and to fortify myself before headingt o my mother's house for a spot of clearing out - my junk is now mostly contained within the walls of my own house - we stopped by Frank 'n' Beanz for lunch.  They have many tasty GF options which makes me happy!  They also had this:

Oh the delciousness!

FC Grubb's Traditional Cream Soda! It was brown, NOT red, and it was delicious, creaminga nd beautiful they also have chocolate and lime soda which I will have to try at another time.

Then it was time to head off to the theatre for tech rehearsal!

Note: I completely forgot to buy hairspray!

Day 9 - I completly forgot to take photographs until unholy o'clock when I finally got home from dress rehearsal.  Please remember that I FORGOT to buy hairspray so I was relying solely on the power or positive thin king (and bobbie pins) to hold up my victory rolls.



Post rehearsal hair... a faux roll and hastilly pinned snood



I was working outside on a kids activity to day and received what has to be the most unusual compliment I have ever recieved.  While making clay animals I was informed, politely and sincerely that I 'looked kind of like animal too'.  I suppose victory rolls might look like ears to a child of seven.

Today's ensemble was a Collectif pencil skirt with anchor detail (A Darling purchase, again, well I work at the shop to get first dibs on new stock!), a black and whte striped top and the furry Rock Steady cardigan.  While working I had a uniform shirt over it all.



Isn't it cute?



I wore my antique locket and guggenheim earring again, mostly because I love them.

When I made it home from work and rehearsal I sat on the floor to play with my little girl who repayed me by biting my hand... repeatedly.

Action shot!



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 3 - The Great Canberra Omnibus



Can you tell I have a dog?



Look I did the back!

Today was the 40's again but I actually did the back of my hair rather than cheating with a snood.  After pining my victory rolls in the front; I rolled the back of it up into a barrel in four sections to complete the 40's silhouette I was aiming for!  It could have been neater but for some reason doing the back of one's head proved to be quite challenging!

Given the salior style dress (my first genuine retro purchase and a frock I adore!) I though that a poppy for remembrance was an appropriate flower for the day.  So with a swipe of regimental red lipstick (Yes there were uniform lipsticks in the 40's and they were RED!) I was ready for whatever the day threw at me.


An antique? That's well
vintage that is.



 I accesorised today with my fravourite piece of jewellery. My grandmother's locket.  This piece is an antique and I don't care I wear it anyway.  My grandmother had a photograph of her great-grandmother wearing it as a little girl!  It has come down the female line to me and I am incredibly grateful to have it.  Last time I wore it to a vintage fair someone tried to buy it of me and I nearly bit their fingers.  (At the same fair I bought a wonderful 40's hat that goes with this frock, I will wear it later in the month! Hats and victory rolls = not always compatible)



It's subtle...
No one will notice
... right?


It was good that I felt prepared for anything to because at lunh time a disaster struck!  While crouching to take a photograph for colleague also frocking it for the cause my black nylons laddred from toe to welt! I had a quiz to host! I couldn't cope with the giant ladder so there was post work rush to Myer to pick up an emergency pair of 'Vintage Mesh' stockings by Leona Edmiston.  After wearing nylons, elasticated stockings are horridly uncomfortable and they FALL DOWN nylons all the way particularly if you're a tall girl like me! (Sorry Leona I have new love now...xxx)

So next it;s off to quiz, unlike my colleagues my quiz regulars have seen me do Frocktober before so no great surprises there.  Quite a few comments; "You look like my mother/grandmother at your age", "Very glamourous","Very Imelda May" (<-I liked that one) etc.



I also realised I forget to add the why!
Raising money for the OCRF!



Last year I had many enquiries from my quiz contestants about what I was doing, why, where they could see more and how they could donate so I made up these little cards to give out to save me writing it down repeatedly.  Hopefully it directs a few people to our efforts!  If it has comment! We'd love to hear from you!

Quiz went swimmingly, everyone had a lovely time as usual and the jackpot was finally won, by three teams! 



Travelling in style.

 Then it when it was time to head home.  I remained true to my comitment to rationing of all things; food, money and fuel!  I travelled in inimitable style aboard the Great Canberra Omnibus (nothing to do with not having a licence I swear!)

Keep frocking!

Love and Sparkles, Ivy x

Here is a picture of the fairy light tree,
for no other reason than fairy lights make me happy

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!





Frocktober!

This month I am joining Team Darling's Frocktober effort, if you weren't already aware I'm one of Darla and Bloss's pretty Flamingos at the Darling's pretty pink shoppy in Gold Creek.

You can donate at our everyday hero page here.

Frocktober and I are not total strangers, I took part last year in retro hair and make-up and I will be doing so again this year!  I will also be attempting some war era recipes (with some substitutions; as a Coeliac gluten containing wheat flour is a big no-no). Courtesy and delightful cookbook "We'll eat again" provided by my delightful friend and fellow foodaphile Christopher.

Of course I started Frocktober yesterday with the little ensemble you can see to the left!  A 50's style polka dot frock with big 50's hair and winged eyeliner.

I'll endeavour to post outfits and recipes as often as possible!    I will also be posting to the Team Darling Blog along with the rest on the team so head on over and check it out!