Who Do You Think You Are?

With the new series on TV I was inspired to get back and update my family history page.

Please take a look here.

Or simply click on Family History page link at the top of my blog.

I have added information regarding marriage.

Here's a few images of past weddings:

Left: Original photo of what we have deduced as my great great uncles wedding c.1921. I'll be coming back to this in a later post on 'mystery weddings' ...some mysteries over this one!
Fred Schulze - m - Marie Rieziska

 Right: My grandparents wedding copy photo.
1938 John Lovelcok - m - Florence Johnson

 Left: My great grandparents original wedding photo 1904
Henry Edward Smith - m - Emma Schulze

Right: Original photo. We had no notes as to who this was, but from deducations and little help we now believe these are my great great grandparents and this is an engagement photo, taken in Germany.

Bruno Schulze and Marie Justine Siebe c.1878




One thing I love about all these photos is looking at the fashions, the different styles over the years and any cultural influences/differences. It's also fun trying to see family resemblances or traits!

Vintage Delights

I visited, for the first time, the Custard Factory in Birmingham last week and went to a fabulous vintage fair, a mixture of clothes, accessories and hand made items for sale (plus some lovely tea and cakes!)

This was the first of these sort of fairs I have been to, was great to see so much variety and so many well kept vintage items surviving.

Although I was on a budget, I did manage to treat myself to a few bits, including this fab vintage dress, date approx 50s.


 I have always liked this style of dress, more so the ones with the petticoats underneath that really give the dress a flare (sadly too much £ for me), but this was spotted by my sister and turned out to be a great buy, already worn once and now eagerly awaiting some sunshine for its second wear!


Other items I found were little accessories that can really make an outfit vintage, without having to go all the way with the whole outfit. One accessory that is popular at the moment are scarves. I found this lovely red flower one, it can be worn in so many ways.

 Round the neck, over the shoulders, as a headband, round a bun, you could even attach it to a bag or, if long enough, use as a belt! Very versatile and in expensive!!!  

Another great item to accessorise yourself is jewellery. Now I make a lot of my jewellery, but also love buying bits and even better when it's handmade (support other crafters) and I picked up this chunky white bead necklace. This has a very 60's feel to it, whilst not original, it was handmade and whilst not my usual jewellery style I have worn this and think it does just give your outfit a little edge of something different.

I am a keen bargain hunter and think if you have a good eye you can really get some great stuff at these fairs, but don't forget to keep your eye out in charity shops, car boots and antique fairs, I've collected a few items here and there and made a few unique accessories by up-cycling old items. I made some lovely vintage button earrings and I'm keeping an eye out for more items like buttons which perhaps don't suit our day to day clothes now, but can be creatively used to make something unusual and fun!

So here's to all the future discoveries. Let me know what you've found, or any vintage style tips you have! Love to hear comments.

The Vintage Appeal

One of the fashions that does not seem to die out, is the vintage style, whether it be clothes, jewellery or home styling there is always a demand for a vintage look.

I myself find looking back at old fashions fun, you get a chance to imagine left back when and to see the development of personal/home styling through the ages. I do enjoy rummaging around at antique fairs and buying things to re-style the home, and more so, bits that I can re-use to create beautiful crafts- mostly vintage jewellery, of which I continue to build on.

I have recently listed some vintage bits on folksy- including these simple, but elegant earrings:

http://www.folksy.com/items/2371397-Vintage-Style-Glass-Pearl-Earrings?shop=yes

I am also currently loving the new series of Downton Abbey- as great as the story and acting is, I can’t help looking at the wonderful costumes and accessories they wear.

The other great thing about looking back at fashion, you seem to notice more so the dodgy fashions that sneaked through into many people’s wardrobes…even I have a few faux pars -  you live and learn!