The New Year Outfit

White is something I've never been comfortable wearing, having a misspent youth dressed in black and ripped tights and now the amount of messy cooking I undertake. However this month's Vogue together with the incredible Yoga workshop an by my entirely white clad Yogis I have seen the light.

January through to Spring will have this gorgeous look helping me smile..

1950's Beautiful lace under dress to be worn as an outer dress!

Incredible 50's bolero - angora fluff and a high neck line

Link in the lace with something a little contrasting...

The VW bondage boots

Happy Christmas and New Year!

xxx



Still snowed in and dreaming of summer sun...

Currently:



Dreaming of:





and finally The Cottage!! see my new blog on the other big dream. Now Tilley's Vintage is well and truly underway time to work on the second



www.awomansoffgridindependence.blogspot.com

December 2010: Past, Present and Future.

It is such a cliche but this year has just disappeared. Last week I was struggling to realise what I'd achieved after setting myself such huge goals for the year, but today it has all come together. Here is Tilley's list of achievements over the last 12 months; what is currently occurring and what I hope to bring to my 2011. I do hope this inspires you to take stock of what positives have occurred this year and what you want to achieve in the next!

Last 12 Months

1. A Summer of festivals! Including the amazing Vintage at Goodwood, Beach Break and Hop Farm in Kent.
2. Successfully completed a tax return : )
3. Made Tilley's Vintage a part time venture by reducing my 'day job' !
4. Some glam outfits - notably the Beach Break little black mini flapper dress and lady gaga glasses, red floaty maxi with feathered hat and the beehive hair with 50's velvet evening gown!
5. On a less glamorous note I have learnt what to look out for when buying a second hand van!

Presently

1. Meditating
2. Being a devotional Yogi
3. Completing Business and Life Plans for 2011
4. Healing
5. Watching the snow

2011

1. I shall start saving for the future
2. Tilleys will have a full time owner by May
3. Tilleys will relocate to the Midlands countryside in the little cottage that has been on my mind forever
4. Another summer of festivals and outfits!
5. 3000 views per month on the blog

Thank you for your support and Love this year. I couldn't have done it without you,

Tilley xx

Five Beautiful Christmas Pieces

One of my favourite things about Christmas is decorating the house. Hammering loads of nails into beams and hanging even the simplest things from them - a glass bauble, an apple on a piece of twine or a flower by it's stem; or making a beautiful, simple wreath as big as you dare.

Here are my five insirational pieces this Christmas:

1. Christingle power

2. Hydrangea Wreathes left to dry with liberty print bows

3. Berry 'flower' arrangement

4. An untraditional vintage fabril wreath



5. Some vintage inspired tag. Make your own!



Merry Christmas!

xx

Christmas Wrapping

Today has just gone! Time has slipped from my grasp and here are some of the pretty parcels I have finished..





Love xx

Another of Mother ...

1978

Vintage Family Pics

Home in Shropshire with my family I have been laughing over some old pictures ...

Pops being very much in the 70's

Mum modelling a friend's hair braiding .

I've really got into different hair up do's recently and this picture of mum has really inspired me. I have a beautiful nose chain being made for me at the moment that will be linked to a chain head piece... watch this space - I'll be working on the hair do that will go with it!

Tilley xx



Rabbit Fur washing instructions

Quickie..

Having allowed my well meaning mother to do my washing I have just discovered what to do with a maschine washed bit of rabbit fur. Allow to dry naturally (no radiators or AGAs please) then just give it a brush  out - the fur bounces back!

Have only tried this on a fur lined scarf so can't vouch for whole jackets.

xx

The Christmas Outfit!

A new purchase from Armstrong's Vintage is for me for a change rather than to sell on, and I'm stupidly excited about it.

With inspiration from the December 2010 issue of Vogue and their Star obsession together with the beautiful headpieces at www.niconi.co.uk (I am in love)

I am also getting loads of inspiration from The Sartorialist (as always!) http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com

The hair colour is perfect and will be added into my own over the next 12 months!

Bare legs and winter warmth seem to have been a massive trend.. not sure this winter (and my purple plaster cast) will allow for this!

This classic 50's shape dress is always flattering with gorgeous heels and statement jewellery to bring it all some excitement. Time to get that frock out again I think.

Now. How to make the crutches work with the gold outfit. Suggestions on a postcard please!

Tilley x

Snowed in and typing

I really thought one of the upsides to being snowed in with a broken ankle would me that I could blog all daylong to you lovely people, however other than watching my cat try to climb up the curtains and not be able to do anything about it, there's very little to actually say. Certainly not on the Vintage side of things. Fairs have been cancelled and others have been sold on to some other great Yorkshire based vintage wonders such as the lovely (and terribly beautiful) Rebecca Downes see http://www.rebeccadownes.co.uk/

My wonderful friend Becca came to see me and supplied me with a bagfull of everything an ill person - hospitalised needs: new knickers, pjs, dry shampoo, toothbrush etc and filled me full of joy. She is landlady (I make good friends I know) of the extremely busy and successful Red Lion Pub on Merchantgate in York and will be hosting her first Ale festival this weekend - expect it to be even busier than normal! I was due to be throwing a Vintage Pop up Shop on Sunday afternoon/ evening and still have not found anyone to fill this space.. so if you or anyone you know may be interested it is free and has been heavily advertised. Get in touch with me tilleysvintage@hotmail.co.uk or Bec on 07761704263.

The Red Lion

The room available for Sunday's Vintage Pop up Shop!

Bec and I being serving wench and land lady extraordinaire

Apart from going stir crazy sitting in the same room all day long I am doing loads of great stuff... brought all the Christmas presents from some super sites www.anthropologie.com and http://www.bodieandfou.com/ as well as a stunner from The French House http://www.thefrenchhouse.net/. I've caught up on all my emails, watched a tonne of 4OD - Misfits is awesome, and a currently making Christmas cards to be posted with the royal mail smilers that I designed yesterday : )

Tilley x