Lifestyle

Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair

Last weekend was so refreshing. With day upon day of studying I was needing a difference in environment and activities so I headed to Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair with my friend. When I first came to the University of Lincoln this was the first event I went to in the sunlight. Fresher’s fortnight caused an abundance of Fresher’s flu in my year group so we were pretty lazy the first month of our new found independence. I was so impressed with the event that my friend Katie and I went every chance we got. The fair provides a large assortment of clothes, accessories, and homewares and I always find the most amazing items. One of the best parts of the fair is that it travels, stoping at various locations making it easier for everyone to experience it. The fair is set up with loads of stalls for each vintage trader to show off their beautiful products and there is even an area where you can enjoy an English tea with cakes in dainty teacups and saucers. I always manage to spend quite a lot money there and last Saturday was no different.

I got an amazingly blue coloured lace dress with pearl buttons, a bag, Parisian scarf, and a cute summer skirt. Make sure you check the website to see when Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair is in your neighbourhood!

I forgot my camera on that day so all photos are courtesy of Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair.

Create, Events

Festival Hair Accessories

With summer nearly in full bloom the festivals won’t be far behind and that means amazing festival attire. I love flicking through the photos of Coachella and seeing all the flowers, patterns, colour, and boho chic styles. Hopefully the sunshine will come back out in England soon.

I found some great tutorials on the Lauren Conrad website that show you how to create your own hair accessories. It’s very easy and cheap to do so anyone can get involved. Let me know how your flower crown/head pieces, feather barrettes, and milkmaid braids turn out.

Events, Lifestyle

Goodbye London

As I announced in one of my previous posts I’m going to be leaving the UK for a new adventure in Denver, Colorado. My sister, Kirsten, lives in London and it’s by far one of my favourite places in the world. There is so much culture, history, beautiful buildings, and so much to see and do, I’m definitely a city girl. I have quite a few friends who now live in London as well so decided to visit them and the amazing city one last time before I depart to the States.

We were so lucky with the weather, I’m predicting that summer is only just around the corner. After travelling around for the day I hit restaurant hot spot MEATliquor. After stuffing our faces with burgers, chilli fries, and southern slaw it was to The Living Room for some drinks and a catch up.

Create

DIY Book Clutch

I’ve been seeing numerous celebrities with these clutches that are inspired by books, mainly made by Olympia Le-Tan. Some are decorated using material like felt and others are actually crafted straight from the books themselves. I decided to venture into creating my own Book Clutch. I went to my local Oxfam , who have a huge array of all different types of books. I wanted one that was a bit older so you get those great hardcovers. I finally found one that I loved and it was decorated with green and gold flowers. The title was the best part, ‘Tales of Daring and Danger’. So go ahead and follow these steps to create your own book clutch like mine.

Remember to pick a book that has a hard cover and is in pretty good condition. As for sizing, it really depends on how big you want it. About a 1/4 of an inch will be taken up inside by the pages which will be acting as the sides of the clutch.

Using an old paint brush and translucent glue begin to glue the pages together. Make sure to do this really well as this is an important base.

Then grab a heavy book, I put my corporate finance book to good use, and allow the glue to dry. I also put a piece of cardboard between the front cover and the rest of the pages so that they didn’t stick to each other. Once this was dry I added some glue to the back of the book to ensure the back was stuck together, and I also added a purple ribbon.

With a ruler measure a 1/4 of an inch in from the edge of the pages and mark a line in pencil. Then you will need to grab your utility knife. I bought one for quite cheap from a store that had a Home DIY department. Start cutting along the lines. I could usually cut about 4 pages each time, so be patient. After cutting out all the pages grab your paint brush and glue then begin gluing the pages within the square. I added some fabric to make it look more clutch like but it’s up to you. Then glue some more ribbon to the front cover so that you can tie the clutch closed.

And the finished product should look a little something like this. I will try and get a picture of me going out with the clutch. I love it!!!

Events, Lifestyle

NCF! Comedy Night in Nottingham

My good friend Joanna, aka Anna, and I decided that we needed a night out but with exams and assignment hand-ins looming closer we shunned the idea of a boozy night clubbing. We received a flyer about the NCF! Comedy Night in Nottingham and we were instantly sold on the idea! We are advent lovers of comedy shows and are always up for seeing new acts.

After an hour long drive and numerous karaoke songs later, we arrived at the Canalhouse in Nottingham. Full of excitement to be out of the house, we walked straight to the bar to order a bottle of wine and begin our evening of laughter. The Canalhouse is a great spot with an actual canal running through the middle it. It’s bursting with quirky characteristics that give it a homey feeling.

NCF Comedy first started back in 2009 at the Nottingham Comedy Festival and has been having successful festivals of their own ever since. Now they’re travelling to various venues to show off their comedic flair with their Comedy Nights, so make sure to check out their upcoming dates so you don’t miss out.

After some much needed catching up with Anna, we took our seats on the upper deck of the establishment and the acts began. They were all so good!! This event gets a MASSIVE thumbs up and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a chilled night out with friends. There was a mixture of experienced comics and some fresh faces testing their talent. Even complete amateurs are able to book a slot on the night and try out their best jokes. The best thing is that it was only £1!!! An amazing deal for students as well as anyone looking for a night out.

The organisers of NCF Comedy Nights made sure everyone was having an amazing night. The atmosphere was definitely infectious, I don’t think I saw one person without a smile.

All the acts were good but these guys were hands down our favourite! They’re called The Long Intros and incorporate masses of humour into a catchy melody that had Anna and I singing along in no time. Their ability to transfer awkward youth experiences into an upbeat acoustic number had me in stitches for their entire act.

Now all we need to know NCF Comedy is when are you coming to Lincoln?

FYI, Lifestyle

Saddling up for Denver!

I’m so excited to announce that I will be up and moving sticks to Denver, Colorado to carry out an internship at Nordstrom. I couldn’t be more excited to explore more state side!

I have been living in England now for nearly 7 years and have loved every minute but I’m definitely ready for a major change. With the end of university in sight this is the perfect time for a new adventure. Within the local area I can go rafting, watch the Denver Broncos, hike the Rocky Mountains, go horseback riding, and the nightlife is pretty amazing. Of course I will still be blogging every step of the way but the sewing machine will have to go to a caring home so my DIY posts will have to be more creative.

I’ve been watching every tourist YouTube video and trying to find out all there is to know about Nordstrom and Denver, it looks beautiful. Although I still have to find some accommodation which is proving to be tricky.

Lifestyle

Coffee Aroma

IT….IS…SO….COLD!!! Brrrrrrrr!

All I want to do recently is curl up in my duvet and watch Disney movies, but with university exams looming closer and a move to Denver, Colorado edging into the horizon I need to keep motivated.

So I decided to meet my friend Lorna on Princess Street and we headed off for a little shop as well as a chat session at one of the best coffee houses in the Midlands, Coffee Aroma.

Located on the Lincoln high street, Coffee Aroma has the best atmosphere. It’s a home-y feeling mixed with the relaxed coolness of a friend’s hangout sanctuary. It’s full of books, boardgames, newspapers, and CAKES, making it perfect to suit everyone’s tastes. They’re prized on their variety of different coffees and fresh leaf teas which are all organically sourced. Not a fan of hot drinks, no problem the coffee shop also has a wide variety of beers.

Lorna caught me enjoying a lovely green tea. The chalkboard in the next picture shows where the coffee that they’re using is sourced from. Pretty cool huh! If you’re like me and drained from days staring at the endless books in the University of Lincoln library then take a break and head over to Coffee Aroma for a much needed pick me up!

Some pictures were from the Coffee Aroma website.

Create, DIY

DIY Side Split Mini Skirt

This project is easy and will only take you around an hour tops, as long as you don’t cut the slit too far up or in the wrong place.

Once you find some material that you love, I decided upon this lovely white with perforated flowers, grab a mini skirt that you already own out of your drawers. Double up the material so that you cut the same skirt shape twice and place the mini skirt on top of the material.

Cut around the skirt carefully following the shape but remember to allow an extra inch for the zipper and stitching.

Now start stitching! You have to hem the top and bottom of the skirt panels separately before sewing them together. After attaching the zipper, put the skirt on and decide as to where you want to put the split and how high. I’ve been going to the gym regularly so was feeling daring Only make a small cut so that you know where to cut once you take the skirt off and make a marking as to how high. Once you do this then continue cutting following the markings. Then sew up the edges and voila!!! Your own side split skirt just like the designer ones!

Create

DIY Butterfly Twist Back T-shirt

I think I’m so looking forward to summer that all I can think about doing is making these breezy summer shirts. So here’s a sexy butterfly or twisted back t-shirt.

My mother went into her local haberdashery store, Millie Moon, and found these cute pins which I love! The store also offers sewing classes which are fantastic

Sorry about the awful lighting, my camera is not doing well at the minute, I think it might be time for an upgrade. These are the supplies you’ll need; a non-sleeved t-shirt, scissors, pins, a hem picker (not sure if that’s the official name for one of those) which may come useful if you have any tricky seams, and a sewing machine or you can stitch by hand but it may take a while.

Turn the shirt inside out and make sure the back side is facing up. Cut along the seam all the way up to the arm pit. Then cut along the shoulder seam as well.

This is how your shirt should look after the last step.

Stretch out the fabric a little and then grab each end and twist twice. Make sure the shirt matches up to its original position. Now go ahead and pin the material together.

Here’s a closer look at the twist which creates the butterfly back look. Now all you have to do is jump on that sewing machine and stitch the seams back to their original position.

Here’s another grainy photo and paired with a cheesy grin, I’ll keep working on the photo poses haha

Enjoy making the Butterfly Twist Back T-shirt!!!

Create

DIY Braided Racerback Shirt

This is a great project for getting ready for the summer months, it’s perfect with a bandeau, bikini, colourful bra, or, if you’re brave enough, free boob.

What you’ll need:

Scissors

Safety pins

Needle

Thread

Racerback or old shirt (I found this one at Primark and loved the colour and print, perfect for summer)

Firstly, lay your shirt out flat on your bed, desk, or any other flat surface. Then flip it over so the back is facing you. Then begin cutting an inch away from the top of the shirt, try to give it a little bit of a curve, or semi-circle.

Create larger holes in the arms. This allows space for the shirt to gather without tugging too much on the front of the fabric.

Stretch the back of the shirt, where you will be braiding. This gives more ‘give’ to the shirt, making a better braid.

Cut the back fabric into three sections ready for braiding. Then go ahead and start to braid it as loose or tight as you want. If you’re not sure how to braid or need a little reminder have a look at this video.

When you’re finished it should look something like this. Tie a knot at the end the braid to prevent constant unravelling (this can get so annoying). Using a safety pin, pin the knot on top of the fabric so that the racerback is now put back together.

Thread your needle and cotton and begin to sew the knot to the fabric. Finally, to make it look more professional grab some material, maybe use some that you cut off earlier or grab a different colour altogether for a unique look. I used the label that came with the shirt because it’s the same design as the front of the shirt. Wrap the strip of fabric around the knot and racerback straps, creating a v-shape, and put in a few stitches.

amor without couture

a lifestyle blog

Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair

Festival Hair Accessories

Goodbye London

DIY Book Clutch

NCF! Comedy Night in Nottingham

Saddling up for Denver!

Coffee Aroma

DIY Side Split Mini Skirt

DIY Butterfly Twist Back T-shirt

DIY Braided Racerback Shirt

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