Overwhelming frustrations because of the weather?!?!?!

This weekend is turning into a glorious first spring weekend out lovely little UK is experiencing of the whole year, and all I want to do is cry!

I love spring cleaning but my house is in a state of complete upheaval! 

Firstly, I decided I wanted to paint my house, so I got my wonderful mother and step father over to help me paint my mammoth living room with its glorious double height cielings and open landing which I utterly adore but turns out you need some very long ladders and nerves of steel to paint that high up (cue said wonderful step dad!). 

Then we had ALL this lovely rain we've all experienced and my house decided it was thirsty and every weak spot that it had was affected, the rain fall was so much so that a normal build house could physically not withstand the volume of rain we were having. Considering this though, we are lucky and still have a home when so many people were rendered homeless after the rain we had! 

Then I discovered mouldy spores on the inside of my wardrobe, where all my clothes are! Luckily all my vintage gems were untouched and yanked out in enough time, I think I've probably lost one white pair of jeans but I'm not emotionally attached to them so they can be easily replaced. But I need to do something with the inside of the wardrobe before I can put my clothes back in and they all need rewashing before too so my mum has promised to come over to help me paint mould stop paint on the inside of the wardrobe and has even offered to wash all my clothes again for me so I don't have to lug it all to a launderette myself. 

The same also needs doing downstairs in the nursery but until my living room is finished, I can't move my things from the living room, out of the nursery to be able to get into the wardrobe to paint it. 

Not only all of that but I also now need to baby proof my home so selling a lot of my excess lovely pieces is now necessary. I want less clutter so it takes me a lot less time to dust everything when I will also have a baby to care for. 

Today is a perfect day to do all of that and nothing can be done until next weekend now...... Apart from maybe a dump run with things I know I don't want and I know I won't sell.....

Now to wake the Mr up.............

Second Trimester Niggles

I don't really know why everyone says that the second trimester is 'plain sailing'? 

In comparison to the first trimester sickness and the third trimester indigestion and heartburn I can kind of see why it is the lesser of all three evils BUT I kid you not when I say the second trimester brings with it it's own trials and tribulations! 

I am no longer throwing up multiple times a day but I am suffering with relatively severe SPD, chronic daily headaches, exhaustion and a new one for this week again......crying!!!!!!!! 

I feel like a bag of nerves! 

I come into work to 'discover' my chair has left me for for a slimmer owner, and my cool and collected reaction was to slam my bag on my desk and hurl my coat under my desk. Then I turn round, grab the spare behind me and crack on with my day feeling very aware of my mild over reaction. 

I have felt so confused at work that I am second guessing myself and when proof reading and checking work I am making sure that I'm not being over zealous or too flippant. 

The stress of the simplest of things like adding a new printer is just beyond me and has me flying out of the office in an over emotional blubbering state. 

I don't know what's happened to me! I was so calm, blissfully happy and relaxed and now I am tearful, scared to say or do the wrong thing, or even stick up for myself! I want me back from 2 weeks ago. I can't deal with people as a general thing, I have a short list of my lovelies that have a mutual understanding of my sensitivities and know exactly how to cheer me up or keep me on at least a level playing field, and for those I am eternal grateful for. 

The best thing about the second trimester is when you start to feel your precious bundle wriggling and squirming around inside you! For first pregnancies that is unfortunately a few weeks after consecutive pregnancies BUT every wriggle, every kick, every delicious tumble is what reminds me that I am an incredibly strong person! 

I have done all this before, and please don't tell me it will all be worth it in the end, that's what they said last time and I never got to bring my Penelope home, never got to change her bum, feed her, dress her in the prettiest dresses. But I have waited and fallen again and been blessed with my ray of sunshine from my beautiful angel as a Christmas gift! And I am doing all of this all over again! I have to feel the gentle kicks of my second daughter knowing she will never meet her big sister! 

This is my pregnancy and I will be putting myself and my little girl first, over and above everything else in life. 

My rules. My Princess. ❤️ 

My clothing dilemma

Now, everyone that knows me well, knows I have a very healthy shopping habit. 

My 4 door wardrobe is so full up the doors barely close and I have other units full of clothes besides. 

I'm almost 15 weeks pregnant and already have quite a noticeable bump but I want a new dress! I'm feeling fed up so feel like I NEED a new dress, I'm sure others understand where I'm coming from? 

And I really want a lindybop retro style dress, I have a couple of their swing dresses already and utterly adore them but this time, I have spied a lovely land girl style tea dress which I think would be the right style to skim over a growing bump? If like something non maternity but light material for the slightly warmer weather that I am sure will creep up on us any day now. 

I'm sick of wearing jeans every day. I'm in a massive rut with my clothes. Who wants to wear a dress in this weather? No one. But when there is sunny days breaking through rainy nights, you can't help but to feel slightly positive about the arrival of spring, can you? 

I feel old but like I have witnessed a true revelation....

Airbrushing. 

On my phone. 

It means that you can be utterly vain and present yourself as the person you wished you could be. 

Only problem is, I need this to be more of a reality. I'm getting married later this year! 

I suffer with awful acne, have done since I was 13 and now I'm almost 28! I used to be on medication to 'try' and control it but as a pregnant woman, the risk of the harsh acne treatments is not worth the risk to the baby. 

So, aswell as inevitably getting fat and gross, I have very painful SPD so any kind of managing the house for my hard working other half is difficult, and I have this acne to try and get over too! 

Time after baby will be washing my face at least as showering daily might be difficult and throwing on some jeans and the baby in the sling and the dog on his lead and going for lovely brisk walks in the shade together. I'll have 5 months to fix my face and make sure I'm conditioned enough to get in the beautiful wedding dress I have chosen. 

I hope you'll all be there to support me in my journey and offer some fab tips for me to test out. 

Love Fi xxx

https://m.facebook.com/PenelopesVintageWorld?id=567034523335932&refsrc=https://www.facebook.com/PenelopesVintageWorld

My lovely airbrushed photo...........

A new direction

This is quite a tough post to write as I'm not sure how I should be writing it. 

I'll give you the bare bones first. 

I've found a potential gap in the vintage market which I am terribly excited about. It's main market will be pregnant ladies. Funny enough I myself am pregnant. I just started my second trimester today so I am 14 weeks only. It's a fabulous exciting time for me and my partner and a perfect time to launch this type of business as I will have my maternity leave to spend on building it. 

My main fear is not that it will fail but that my body will fail me again. I've been through pregnancy before, all the way up to 36+4 weeks, only to be told that my little Penelope was no longer with us. What if it happens again to me, as I am now fully aware that it can happen to me at any stage but also it might not happen and everything could be fine. 

My fear as far as this topic is concerned is what if something terrible happens and I must continue my work with other lovely pregnant women? What then? 

I think my decision must be to forge on with my plans but to remain focused 100% on my baby and making sure he or she is healthy and has the best chance. 

So watch this space, I have something terribly exciting for all you mothers to be and those planning to conceive. Trust me. You won't want to miss this. 

All my love, Fi xxx

My Dirty Little Secret

I can't deny it. I have a problem. 

I don't think there is any cure for it. 

I don't think there is any counselling that can be offered for it. 

I'm so desperately, utterly in love with everything vintage. 

My life is consumed by it.

My TV viewing is based around all things vintage. I'm utterly immersed in Downton Abbey, Broadwalk Empire, Breathless and Masters of Sex! 

This is not a good thing for my addiction. 

I'm obsessed with the curtains in Dr William Masters' office in Masters of Sex. Which set me off on an online hunt for similar items (to which I have still yet to find and am close to trawling fabric shops to make my own). 

I adore the beautiful looped ribbon that secured baby Abigail's bonnet in Season 2 of Broadwalk Empire (of which I have successfully found and an order is on it's way to me!) I'm attempting hair styles from the beautiful actresses by studying and following YouTube videos. I am planning on finding or making Crochet curtains like those found in small Boarding Rooms. 

I'm in love with the etiquette of Downton Abbey and how the characters communicate with each other. I love the outfits from the twenties (even though I can't wear drop waist dresses :( ). 

And Breathless, what can I say? The outfits are that that I love (and can pull off more successfully than any other era) there is that cross between the iconic 50s and the incredible 60s. Set in 1961 the slightly older ladies are wearing full skirted dresses with perfectly curled and coiffed hair paired with coordinating hats and gloves and Kelly handbags and the slightly younger ladies are wearing outfits more recognisable of the 60s with patterned pedal pushers, fitted high neck sweaters and mini beehives. I am obsessed with Mrs Powell's full skirted dressing gown, even totally loving their housekeepers house coat. Especially as I have just purchased one myself! 

Watching 'vintage' TV just makes me want to shop more, and herein lies the problem. With Christmas looming, now is not the time to extend my wish list, especially as they are the type of things that aren't easily found. Research is needed, hours of time are required, scouring the internet. And then, most of the time, it is a one off item, a serious vintage find, and it either needs instant purchasing or completely ignoring that I have just found another piece that I 'simply must own!' 

I'm sure I can have a break for a couple if weeks. You see, I have just had 2 fabulous 1970's dresses arrive in the post!!!! Both are utterly fabulous but one is in need of repairs. Luckily I'm sufficiently handy with a needle and thread.

Please leave a comment and let me know what feeds your vintage obsessions. 

Until next time. Thank you for listening to my vintage ramblings my darlings. 

Lots of love

Fifi xxx

Desperation Sets In....!

After 10 months of trying for a baby I am so close to experiencing another period. 

What shall I try now? 

Acupuncture? 

Diet? 

Plotting dates? 

Charting my temperatures? 

Pretending were not trying? 

Chinese medicine?

Regular sex? Every 2-3 days? 

What tips can you offer myself and other ladies in my situation? And if you are a lovely lady trying to conceive, please say hi too! 

I have tried some old wives tales and a couple of hints from friends but I am so forgetful I need something that doesn't solely rely on my own memory to do. 

So I am imminently starting a brand new cycle. Day1 will be tomorrow I imagine by what I am feeling. 

Please come back for more on my fertility journey and more vintage based articles. I have a whole lovely list of things I want to cover, including some results on research of what fertility treatment and management was like in the 50s when fertility medicine was really taking off! You never know, we might learn something. 

I also have some new purchases I am awaiting. Check back for piccies! 

Night night my beauties, until tomorrow. 

Fifi xxx