I want that skirt pt2

3jan08, originally uploaded by sunshine loves you.

There are some wonderful skirts to inspire on this site this one is my favourite.

This site is really brilliant too, no photo unless I print screen. But to post a photo seems wrong given the lack of options to link the site, so I shall respect her privacy and promise you its worth a look.

I keep seeing references to Target, which I think must be similar to H&M, mum and my sister are currently in New York, I am sort of quite jealous, OK, really really jealous. Before I started blogging I had no desire to visit mainland America ( this excludes the wonderful Hawaii of course) but the more I see, the more I am tempted, I am however always put off by the thought of getting through immigration, having had a very very heated discussion whilst going in to Canada. But maybe one day...

I want that skirt

Well I spoke far too soon, I was out bid on a lovely skirt last night and paid too much for the one above, but still cheaper than the shops, I realise it duplicates the one I bought earlier but such is the perverse nature of my personality. I am now after some combat style skirts and maybe some patterned ones.
Whilst I was writing the previous post it did occur to me that as someone who has a degree in Fashion and Textiles I should actually get down the sewing machine, and rustle a couple of skirts up from scratch. After I left college I cut and sewed skirts for my entire family, during one of my marathon clear outs at Lucy’s I found a couple. I could knock up 5 a day such was the speed I could sew at. Where has that skill gone? I think some of it is lack of space and lack of peace. I need a large clean quiet area to pattern cut and absolute quiet. No interruptions. Just not really on the agenda unless I take the machine down to the new school.
I have also been very inspired by some of the pictures on Wardrobe mix once the seed is sown (sorry couldn't resist) I may get going after Easter.

Last nights dinner

I would love to sit and type that food is the glue that binds this family together. Sadly nothing could be further from the truth, the nearest we get to successful family eating is either a) eating out or b) my mother stuck in the kitchen for two hours conjuring up a roast dinner. Last night was absolutely typical of dinner time or rather lack of dinner time. I rush home from work and leave the house at 5 o/c to take Leyla swimming.
The Au pair has cooked Leyla chicken and chips which she has eaten, there is plenty of chicken left over. I go and say hello to Kitty who announces that she is "starving". I ask her what she would like, she does not know, so in a hurry I leave and the phone her up to say she could warm up the rice in the fridge and eat it with some of the fried chicken. No, this is not what she wants even though she is "starving", so I try again, what she would like to eat? Finally she decides on macaroni cheese, which as she knows has to be made from scratch from a roux. So I explain she will have to wait and I will cook it when I get back from swimming, knowing her mood will grow sourer by the minute.
So I get back, cook the sauce which is a basic roux with half milk half chicken stock and lots of cheese. To save time I serve it with spaghetti, job done. Leyla has some as well. To make it more interesting for me I dilute the sauce and add smoked haddock and peas, just as I serve up Daisy appears “mmm that smell good I’m starving”. I enquire as to why she had not eaten, but it transpires she did, she had a portion of chicken and chips but she is still “really hungry”. I give her my food. There is still some sauce left. So I once again de skin and thaw some smoked haddock and add some peas and cook some more spaghetti. Finally I sit down to eat,. I am over half way through the dish when in walks Leyla. “mmm that smell good” she proceeds to polish off the rest. Emin come in turns his nose up at what’s left so I pop it in the fridge for the girls for their tea the next day.
When I come back from the gym the next day, all 3 girls say they are starving, I ask why they did not eat the pasta. Emin had eaten the lot.
And that ladies and gentleman is just one day in my life of trying to feed 3 bottomless pits that are my children.

Where have all the skirts gone?

Whilst I was gallery hopping a few weeks ago, I did have some extra time to shop, apart from budget constraints I was also hamstrung by Leyla and less so, mother. Windows of opportunity were therefore slim so we headed off to the new H&M then COS then GAP. H&M was really good right up until I tried to fit into anything, their sizes have shrunk so much, whilst I am bigger, I am not that much bigger, and eventually settled for two lovely cotton skirts, double breasted style. I could have bought more but none were left in my size. They had some lovely patterned skirts but like a lot of shops they were very short. COS had a few more size Ls than normal so I bought a beautiful navy silk/cotton mix cardie, their size L is generous and the fabric is lovely so they hang beautifully. Once again the skirts were too short, or hung like cardboard. Gap nothing fitted, so nice cheap day out there. I was able with the assistance of my sister to see more the next day but only found a lovely linen knitted top for the summer. To say I was disappointed is an understatement, having been promised wonderful, full, flowery patterned skirts on the catwalk, the shops have nothing but plain and mostly very short or very, very long, neither a good look unless you are 5 feet 10 and a size 10 and very, very young. A drastic reduction of storage space has meant a rejigging of my clothes. I currently have hanging stuff in Leyla's room, old rolled stuff in Daisy's room and what I need to wear in my room, so I am pared to the bone until I can shop for more storage. Getting out all my clothes was good, I could see that winter trousers are minimal primarily because they are so dull to buy and rarely fit (summer is a different story) I have lots of knitwear but live in this years cashmere, but it's skirts that have been a success story, I suspect the waistbands are more forgiving, although the new ankle boots have been a roaring success mixed with my cable knit tights. The point of this post? Well the lack of choice in the shops has driven me back into the arms of EBay. I haven’t even logged on since last August, but have already bought a wonderful denim skirt and a floaty light black one and there are more in the pipe line. I ruthlessly select, watch, think, then set a budget and walk, until the bidding is over. A few years ago I rarely won, but something has changed and clothes seem to be going for very little at the moment. I suspect the dealers have pissed off everyone so much, most of the original amateur market has gone to Primark or have discovered that its cheaper to buy direct from the original source. So I am now waiting for my lovely skirts, fingers crossed they fit, so by default almost my shopping habits have changed, and I am buying less and trying to make sure what I do buy, fills a gap not just a whim. But what ever happened to the beautiful skirts that floated down the catwalk?

Alison Watt

Beautiful paintings from Alison Watt will soon be on show at the National Gallery from March 12th. The sheer scale of her paintings are quite breath taking the patience required to produce such work must be immense.

Klimt

Klimt is coming to England, Liverpool Tate to be precise. I love Klimt so may have to brave the frozen tundra of the north before the end of the year.

Happy Mothers Day

I came home last Friday to find this next to the bed, from Leyla, Kitty made me a card, Daisy nothing! when I had the audacity to point this out she told me to " keep this weeks pocket money!!" Oh lucky lucky me.

They had a fantastic day being bridesmaids, the bitter pill of a hand me down dress was softened by lots of pretty accessories and a gift of an engraved compact. Its their Dad's wedding next!