Wednesday 27 September 2017

Lost in a magical wonderland

Last week we were treated to some long overdue gorgeous late Summer weather, chilly in the mornings but warming up towards midday, and with lots of life affirming sunshine.

In spite of all that, I was having an off-week, feeling generally blah and slightly out of kilter.

Experience has learned me that the best thing to do is not to resist the feeling, while not giving in to the spiral of negativity at the same time, to treat myself kindly, and to wait for it to pass.

A daily dose of colour does wonders for the soul, so I dressed in my most colourful attire, like this cobalt blue long-sleeved dress, its print a full blown flower garden providing a veritable explosion of colour. There are Chinese pagodas as well, which normally aren't my thing, but they rather pale into insignificance here.



The bright green buttons prompted my choice of accessories: a green vinyl belt and string of beads.

My bright pink cardigan picked up the pinks in the dress, and I added a purple daisy brooch for good measure.

Being out and about is another way of trying to abate the feeling of unease, so on Saturday we decided to combine our usual charity shopping trip with a walk in the park.



It was looking particularly lovely out there, with Autumn's bright colours slowly emerging and a scattering of dainty pale pink Cyclamen under the trees.

More colour was provided by a couple of lingering flowers, the abundance of rosehips and the outlandish berry spikes of phytolacca (pokeberry), while pillows of fluffy seed heads provided textural interest.



The weather was mild enough for short sleeves - double ones in this case!
This frock was shouting the loudest when I was standing in front of my wardrobe deciding what to wear. I picked it up at Blender Vintage Shop - sadly no longer trading - last year.

It's got everything I love: a lovely bottle green colour sprinkled with flowers (tulips, I know, not really the season for them!) and contrasting red rick rack at the hem and sleeves.



The double, rick-racked butterfly sleeves almost deserve a post of their own!

The brooch is 1950s, and my necklace, a multi-layered string of tiny red flowers, is vintage as well and found at a flea market. Although the dress has a self-fabric belt, I preferred to contrast it with a red vinyl one with an interesting buckle.



It was too chilly to leave the house without any cover up, so I wore a yellow cardie, to which I pinned a brooch featuring a row of tiny Russian matryoshka dolls, a flea market find.

I also wore my beloved jeans jacket, which I soon discarded, with a felted flower brooch bought in Narberth, Pembrokeshire while on holiday a couple of years back.




Short yellow boots and one of my tapestry handbags completed my outfit.



I'd bought a cheap fish-eye lens for my phone's camera during the week, and we had a lot of fun experimenting, creating some magical, Alice in Wonderland effects.



We hit the local charity shop before we went to the park, and one of the first things that caught my eye was this bag which, at the silly price of € 2, I simply couldn't leave behind.


As soon as Jos laid eyes on it, though, he claimed it as his own ...

He is clearly getting more and more adventurous in his attire, and he's actually not looking too bad for a man who's celebrating a milestone birthday today!



It's a good thing I found another bag, then. Look at the colours of this gorgeous raffia one, which is lined in red fabric and closes with a drawstring.


It somehow makes me think of those 1970s raffia trivets, still very much in use at Dove Cottage!



Other finds were two more cardigans. Three actually, as they had a buy two, get one free sale on. You'll get to see the third cardie in one of my next posts.



Then there's this new to me yellow cotton polo neck.

Several of you advised to wear my recently bought halterneck frock with a polo neck underneath and, as I know a good idea when I see one, I went in search of some cotton polo necks I was sure I had.

Had is the correct word, though, as I couldn't find them anywhere. I might have given them to charity but there's still a chance they will turn up, shoved at the back of a drawer.


I just knew the charity shops would come up trumps again, and I am very pleased with the result, so thanks for the tip, girls!



41 comments:

  1. color therapy!!
    it even works from far for me here! all your gorgeous looks cheer me up a lot - right what i needed.
    i hope you feel better by now <3 <3 <3
    happy birthday wishes to the chic and handsome jos!!
    both bags are fab in their own way and great cardi bounty!
    hugest hugs! xxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Still feeling a bit down in the dumps, but thanks to some ongoing colourn therapy, it's slowly starting to get better. Reading all the lovely comments is a great help too! Hugest hugs right back! xxx

      Delete
  2. Happy birthday to Jos! Wow what a wonderfull bag. It's a Tina piece you know!? :))
    Colour is the best therapy and you do it always sooo well! I love your collages with your amazing colourfull dresses and accessoiries. Cute litte matrioschkas, I have a necklace with matrioschkas :)
    Ann your posts make me happy :)
    Good night, huge hug, Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right, that bag IS a Tina piece! I'd love to see the other accessories you'd wear with it ... I'm so glad my posts make you happy, Tina! xxx

      Delete
  3. Happy Birthday, Jos!

    I'm glad the poloneck trick worked for you-it really does stretch your wardrobe between seasons.

    Colour therapy does help, and who can say no to a walk in such a beautiful place? I've been in a poor mood as well, though I know so many lovely people that they do a great job lifting me out of it. I hope it passes soon and you're back to feeling yourself. I know I'm not alone in feeling your posts bring joy to readers around thew world.

    Best,
    Goody

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Goody! Colour therapy, a good long walk and friends are better than any "happy pills". And blogging, which makes me look at things in perspective! xxx

      Delete
  4. Happy Birthday Jos...of course he looks ok, I didn't label him Mr. Suave for nothing. So glad you found a polo neck to team with your halter maxi, it's so annoying when you discover that you've got rid of stuff, only to find that you need it back again. You look great in yellow Ann. Xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Fiona, and thanks from Mr. S. too! I never thought of yellow as one of my colours ... Oh, and now I've bought the poloneck, I'll stumble upon the other soon, I'm sure. xxx

      Delete
  5. Happy Birthday Jos...of course he looks ok, I didn't label him Mr. Suave for nothing. So glad you found a polo neck to team with your halter maxi, it's so annoying when you discover that you've got rid of stuff, only to find that you need it back again. You look great in yellow Ann. Xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Awesome my dear 
    I invite you to visit my blog
    Have a good day <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, I'll pop over and visit your blog! xxx

      Delete
  7. Being kind to ourselves is so important when not feeling great, and nature does wonders too I agree. I like your burst of colour with that fab blue dress, and the sleeves on the green one are indeed fabulous! My Dad has a veritable carpet of cyclamen in his garden right now. X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I'm continuing with the colour therapy, and I'm hoping there'll be some more gorgeous Autumn days, allowing me to go for long nature walks. xxx

      Delete
  8. Happy birthday to Jos, I hope you both had a good day.
    Bright colours can really lift the spirits and I love your 'happy'clothes, both outfits are great.
    The bags are both brilliant finds, I love them!
    Hope you are feeling better. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sally. We had a great day out on Jos's birthday. I'll be blogging about it soon! xxx

      Delete
  9. Well, happy birthday to Jos!

    I absolutely love your dresses they are so pretty and colourful and you look lovely in them. I hope they made you feel more like your self. The accessories are wonderful!

    I love this time of year because of the amazing colours in the trees. I loved your pictures of your park.

    You got some great bargains; I love the raffia bag and the cardigans are ace. Lucky Jos claiming the bag.

    The halter neck dress looks fab with a polo neck under neath. You could also wear a cardigan over it...

    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Veronica! Being out and about on a gorgeous Autumn day usually does the trick in cheering me up as well. xxx

      Delete
  10. Happy Birthday to Jos! The birthday boy is looking very dapper, as always.
    I hate those kind of weeks, I'm glad you combated the being a bit off with some fabulous colour. Definitely the best therapy around.
    We were right - that maxi looks absolutely fantastic with the polo neck underneath it and both midi dresses are an absolute delight. The cardis were a fantastic deal, practical without being sensible or boring.
    The raffia bag is gorgeous as is the bag Jos snaffled! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I knew you were right the minute you and Goody mentioned the poloneck, and it was serendipity that I found one in the right colour in the very first chazza I went into. xxx

      Delete
  11. What I love most about your blog is there's always SO MUCH COLOR!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy (belated) birthday to Jos. His new bag suits him. And your cardigan finds are super.

    I hope the Blahs are starting to lift - you're right, there's no fighting them, it's best just to be kind to yourself and wait for them to blow over.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mim! Although the Blahs have not completely gone, they are definitely on their way out ... xxx

      Delete
  13. ah yes, that feeling of feeling off kilter, I know it well. It normally strikes in November for me. Being kind to yourself is absolute;y the best thing to do., that and getting outside into nature.
    Your park looks beautiful.
    The polo under a your halterneck looks fab!
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The feeling usually comes a bit later for me as well. But it will pass ... xxx

      Delete
  14. I love how vibrant your wardrobe is Ann. And Jos's Radio bag is so cool! Happy Birthday to Jos xx
    www.vanityandmestyle.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm sorry you've been feeling off Ann, I hope you feel better soon. And happy belated birthday to Jos!

    I absolutely love the sleeves on your green dress, rick rack makes everything better! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Melanie. Colour therapy and rick rack therapy will do the trick, I guess. xxx

      Delete
  16. Not sure what I love most, the tulip dress or the radio bag!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm very sorry you have been feeling off, that's an annoying and disconcerting thing to happen.
    I really love your trivets, they are super! The bags are brilliant, esp the radio! Happy birthday to the handsome Jos!x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Kezzie, it will pass. We had those trivets when I was growing up, so I just had to buy them when I saw them at a flea market! xxx

      Delete
  18. I adore both of these dresses! You created such stunning outfits with them, love all the details and contrasting colors! I am really taken with the first bag, no wonder Jos claimed it! The raffia bag is very sweet and much more feminine though, which suits you to a T! :)

    What a splendid idea to fight blues with colors and nature walks - can't imagine what could cure better!

    Lots of love!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, thank you Natalia. Colours and nature walks are indeed the best of cures for the blues. The raffia bag indeed is very much my thing. Jos can have the other one ;-) xxx

      Delete
  19. Sorry you have been feeling off kilter, Ann, but I am sure you will feel better now with all that colour! Happy Birthday to Jos! That radio bag is such fun, it's no wonder he commandeered it! XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Linda! It being his birthday, surely I couldn't refuse him the bag! xxx

      Delete
  20. I totally agree on your attitude, I'm also used 'to treat myself kindly, and to wait for it to pass' when I feel that blah thing growing on me.
    And I love love love all your colorful dresses and fabulously creative outfits, such nice color combos!. The cobalt blue dress is my favorite, pagodas and all!. I like every accessory you wear! Gorgeous!
    And I'm loving your green dress too, and the lovely layering you did, with all the fabulous accessorizing!, brooches galore!
    As a huge fan of turtlenecks under dresses, I totally love how cool your dress looks with that yellow piece under it. Totally cool! and comfy too!
    besos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Monica, you are so sweet. Treating yourself kindly and wearing colour is surely the best therapy there is. And having blogging friends like you! Besos xxx

      Delete