Friday 24 July 2015

Hair today

I think this is the first time in about 30 years where I don't actually know what colour I want my hair to be!  It's been every shade going since my early teens but recently I've reached a slump where I'm not content with what colour it is, nor can I decide what I actually want.  In the past five years alone, it's been red, brown and blonde and now I fancy a change.

Actually what I want to do is to grow the colour out and just embrace the grey strands that are already coming through.  My hairdresser is not so keen on this, says it will age me, which may be true, but I really want this to happen - just to see.


My hair is currently like this, so I am thinking to chop off some of the bottom so that there is less colour on it, and then to proceed with the growing out colour process.  I love going to the hairdresser and having my hair done, but it grows rather quickly which makes any colour time-consuming, frequent and costly.  Lauren over at http://howbourgeois.blogspot.co.uk/ has just spent the past few years going through this non colouring process - she has lots of white in her hair which makes her look spectacular with her grey, in my opinion, and I don't think mine will look like this in any way shape or form, but I want to go ahead with it.  (I think I just made a joke there)!

Hair options
Anyone else going this way, or are you still reaching out for those lotions and potions?!

G x

Monday 20 July 2015

Forgotten ways for modern days

Forgotten Ways for Modern Days: Kitchen Cures and Household Lore for a Natural Home and Garden by Rachelle Blondel
Published by Kyle Books
4th June 2015
Hardback Edition
 
 
Forgotten Ways for Modern Days draws on the wisdom of the homemakers, gardeners, crafters and kitchen alchemists of the past who kept homes clean, gardens in order and hands busy using natural products and items found close to hand, either around the house or in the garden. Ingredients from kitchen cupboards, picked from the veg patch or foraged from hedgerows were used to clean clothes, cure a chesty cough and freshen the skin, whilst scraps of fabric were recycled in endless useful ways. With sections on Cleaning, Laundry, The Kitchen, In the Garden, Natural Health, and Beauty, Forgotten Ways for Modern Days brings this knowledge up to date and shares with the reader clever tips that make as much sense today, such as how to brighten your whites by putting eggshells in your wash. as well as an array of handy projects, including how to make Re-usable Beeswax Food Wrap, a Honey and Lemon Throat Soother and a Bits and Bobs Eiderdown.
 
Rachelle's book came out last month and I had to treat myself to a copy pretty much immediately.  I have to say I jolly well love it too.  It also has an introduction by crafty blogger pal Tif Fussell, aka Dottie Angel.
 
 
You may also have spotted Rachelle in this weekend's edition of You magazine.  I wish I had known and then I'd have bought a copy too.
 
 
This is more than just a craft book, though it does have things to make of a crafty nature inside it, but a whole new way of living.  There are concoctions and recipes inside for all mater of goodies - a beeswax for bringing your wooden items back to new, reed diffusers, kindling wraps, dandelion syrup and an almond and rosewater cleansing cream are just some of the wonderful contents contained within its beautiful pages - and the packaging and layout of the book are really nice too.
 
on my to make list
 This is a lovely book about getting back to basics, making time to produce your own things rather than buying chemically filled products and having a simpler way of living.  I can't argue with her, it's a life I want to live too.
 
G x

Monday 13 July 2015

Hope and Elvis

I went to two Hope and Elvis workshops in June and haven't blogged about either of them which is very lapse of me.  So, as I've got this week off work and it's raining outside, I'll fill you in briefly now.


The first workshop was to meet and sew with the wonderful Jessie Chorley.  We were making journals that day and it was a wonderful day of fun and laughter. 

Jessie's beautiful work


As usual I ended up on the naughty table with Tracy and Louise but we had the best time ever - and I think that secretly everyone else wanted to be on our table too!  Jessie was wonderful and I'm heading on over to London next month for her grand opening and book launch where I'm hoping to catch up with the lovely Chrissie of Chrissie Crafts too!

Mine is the red New Beginnings book


The second workshop was with Leah Halliday to make apron dresses.  It was a challenging day and there was a lot of concentrating to do but my dress is almost complete - I've just got to hem it and handstitch the inside and then it is complete.  I'm happy with how it turned out but I don't know if I'll remember how to make another one on my own though!

Beavering away in my red apron dress
I don't have many pics to show though as I forgot my phone charger and my phone had to remain off - these are photos from Hope and Elvis!


My next workshop is in November but not up north this time.  I'm off to Unit Twelve in Staffordshire with Lottie to make paper lampshades with Jennifer Collier - on my birthday no less.


Jennifer has agreed to provide cake - excited much!

G x