My 10 Daily Essentials

We all have our favourite products. Those daily indulgences that we enjoy for no other reason than they make us feel good. Those little rituals each of us have which make us who we are.
Well here are some of mine . . .

1. Palmers Cocoa Butter

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What can I say about this product? It's an oldie but a goodie.
I adore the smell (Creamy Chocolate . . . who could resist?) It's a thick, rich product that is deeply moisturising plus it's good value for money. But seriously, the smell it what does it for me. Delish !

2. Denman Brush

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First patented in 1938, The Denman is the tool of choice, especially for brushing-out vintage sets.
And how could I have resisted this Strawberry one ? ! It even smells of strawberries !


3. Under Eye Concealer

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I've been blessed with both a wide bridge to my nose and dark circles so an under eye concealer is a daily must. My favourite is actually Skin Flash by Dior but as I've been on a bit of a cut back, saving for some home improvements, Rimmel's Match Perfection is a great alternative. With light reflecting particles it brightens the skin yet is still light weight enough not to crease or accentuate any fine lines.

4. Nude Nails

I adore nail varnish, in my previous life I owned my own nail salon and miss having vampy glam nails, but at work nail varnish is a huge "No No !"
So I stick to a very subtle nude, my favourite being NYC Carried Away. Its super cheap and lasts on natural nails for at least 4 to 5 days which for the price is pretty incredible.

5. Red Lips

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My daily favourite is Revlons Lip Stain in Flame. Its a bright red and being a stain lasts for hours with very few touch ups and very little bleeding. I also love Boots Natural Collection's Crimson for an easy to wear day-to-day red.

6. Hand Cream

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With excessive hand washing at work my hands take a lot of abuse. I found this quite hard to narrow down as I use anything to hand (excuse the pun). If I had to pick one then my favourite would be the Neutrogena. It really does pack a punch. Although Soap & Glory's Hand Food is a very close second.

7. Eye Liner

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I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect eyeliner. I've tried Kohls , waterproof and regular, I've tried gels, cream and pencils but my favourite remains Revlons ColorStay liquid liner. I don't like the felt tip applicator and use a sable art brush to apply my line, but the product goes on smooth and even and lasts me a full 13 hour shift.

8. False Tan

 

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I have pale but Olive toned skin and Famous Dave's works perfect for me. It goes on quite green, which is a bit of a shocker, but does not streak, does not smell, is easy to apply and lasts well.

I confess I don't use it everyday and if I'm in a hurry another product I adore is the Silk Stockings bar from Lush.

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Its a makeup bar so doesn't last, but for a quick fix up or boost to the skin (especially if, like me, your legs never see the light of day) its great. It has a slight shimmer and smells . . . well . . . Lush.

9. Aloe Vera Gel

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This is my all time go to product. I use it on my face (great for pimples), my hair (very softening), use it on sun burn, dryness, scars, rashes...you name it Aloe Vera delivers.

10. Vitamins

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Now I know there is controversy over vitamin supplements. I agree, the best way to get what your body needs it through whole foods, however, I also believe that edging ones bets with supplements is useful. I take a plethora of vitamins from Multivitimin, B Complex, Zinc to Omega Oils & Evening Primrose. They work for me and I would encourage anyone to take at least a Multivitamin and Omega Oils on a daily basis.

So there you have it, a few of my favourite things.
What do you use most days that makes you, you?

much love
Sweet FA xx

A Girl Can Dream

I have a dream. A dream of blue skies and even bluer seas. Of small colourful boats off a long white harbour. Of long, warm, sunny days followed by quiet, cool, sensual nights...

I dream of Greece. A place of beauty and history. The birthplace of society and the place me and the Mr will be going next May (fingers crossed)!!!

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Lovelies, I can't begin to tell you how both excited and anxious I am in equal measure. It has been a long (very long) time since I've been abroad and with work and home commitments, I thought it would remain a distant dream.

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I'm very much in the planning stage. I'm narrowing down destination choices (the little island of Paxos is currently number one) and looking for accommodation that will satisfy my need to people watch and the Mr's need for solitude (he's not a social butterfly like me)

I'm also inspired to finally make use of all the vintage patterns I've picked up on my travels and I'm planning a holiday wardrobe fit for any budding vintage geek!

But where to start?!

Well, I plan on starting simple...

I definitely need a bikini and just loved this PDF pattern from Mrs Depew

 

 

I've also just received this wiggle dress pattern in the post and fell in love with some fun Flamingo fabric which I thought would be perfect! (if not a little OTT)

 

 

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 But my first project will be this sleeveless blouse. Isn't it perfect?!

I've chosen a cream polka dot cotton and a super lightweight muslin for the lining. I adore both polka and cotton, it's easy to work with and pretty cheap and always feels good against the skin . I'm still going to make a 'mock-up', as I'm sure the pattern is too small for me and good tailoring is key to a vintage inspired look after all.

So, what do you think?

Much love
Sweet FA x

Pattern Drafting

Sewing has been a skill I've been working on since I was pretty young. My grandmother first taught me to sew pillow cases and aprons on her old Singer (which I still have and use from time to time) and my mother taught me how to read paper patterns and sew more complex items including clothes for my Cabbage Patch Kid and eventually myself.

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I'm a home sew-er through and through, I've no formal training, just a lot of trail and even more error under my belt.
I love the process of making clothes for myself and the sweet satisfaction of being able to say

"Oh, this? I made it myself"

Don't forget, the majority of people do not sew, it's a dying skill and one that us home sew-ers should be very proud of.

 

So what is Pattern Drafting?

There is plenty of info out there but, put quite simply, Pattern Drafting is a way of copying your pattern pieces to keep your original pattern intact and to make adjustments to the pattern prior to cutting out fabrics.  www.touchedemode.blogspot.co.uk has a great little run through with good clear pictures follow this link

I personally use baking paper or greaseproof paper from any supermarket. Its much cheaper than tracing paper and readily available, although you'll need to tape multiple sheets together for larger pattern pieces. I'm also old-school and use scissors rather than a rotary cutter although I may venture down that road one day.

If you've never considered pattern drafting then I urge you to give it a try. The time you spend on it may seem wasteful but I assure you, once you've drafted the pattern to your requirements it can be used time and time again and your original pattern remains untouched.

much love
Sweet FA x

Sweet Fanny Ann

Well hello lovelies,

As this is the first post of this here blog, I thought I'd use it as an opportunity to introduce myself and what I hope to achieve by writing here.

My name is Fanny Ann Tut (Ok, its not my actual name, but a nick-name my dad gave me and has used fairly consistently for the past 20+ years)

I'm quite a simple North Yorkshire lass with an ever growing love of times gone by.

I grew up in an old Victorian house with my mother and grandmother (brothers too but who wants to talk about boys. ICK!) and spent many an hour watching these two women primp, preen and create the world around them in such ways I was constantly in awe.

In my 'real life' I work as a nurse in a very large and very busy hospital and although I love my job (most days) there is not one element about it that is even remotely glamourous.

So here I am, trying to carve my own little haven of old-school charm. A place to document my sewing endeavours, puttery adventures and odds-and-ends that 'float my boat' so to speak, all to help maintain my sanity and express my inner vintage geek.

So please, grab a brew, sit back and enjoy

much love
Sweet FA x