... because life's too short to do anything ALL the time . Creativity and positivity are my "hiraeth"

Saturday 16 January 2010

Some people think I'm barking - I prefer to call it "creative"




I don't drink or smoke so, I can't get snobbish about a good bottle of wine or cigar (although I actively encourage a certain amount of snobbery over such things) but I seem to have gotten a bit snobbish over tea and coffee. Well everyone has to have their vice, don't they?
I don't know if this is because of my non-boozing/puffing lifestyle that my taste buds are a little more sensitive but I can't stand cheap coffee or tea. I never used to be this much of a snob about it. The reaction of pleasure on my face was both unhealthy and surprising, even to me, when I discovered an individually wrapped Twinning's Every Day tea bag, stolen from my last stay in a hotel.
I've recently donated 2 bags of coffee (I'm not giving up my jars) because I couldn't bear them and seem to have been through every single brand known to man. I can find only 3 or 4 instant coffees that I can drink, the rest of them taste of bloomin' chicory.I detest chicory.Yuk.
As a result, I have been drinking rather a lot of filter coffee (sometimes, I don't fancy even the ones I can drink) and I have noticed a distinct drop in temperature during the steeping period. I got my crochet hooks out and knocked up a little cafetiere warmer. Well, I figured, if you're going to need something as kitsch as a cafetiere warmer it should be fabulous, and seeing as my tea cosy is the most wonderful thing ever known to man, it had some competition. I found my tea cosy behind my Step Mother's drawers (ooo er) in her kitchen, left there accidentally by the previous (elderly) occupants. It's a crocheted Owl, with space for the spout and handle and he's gorgeous. I'm going to make a crochet toilet roll dolly next. Everyone needs one of them in their life, don't they?
Speaking of snobbery, which I do like to talk about, I must tell you this anecdote:
A good friend was telling me about a very fancy event she goes to every year. She has two very good friends who, for the benefit of the exercise, will be called Emma and Dawn. Emma and Dawn are also good friends, Emma being totally loaded and Emma not so, but trying very hard to create the impression that she is equally as blessed.
Everyone arrived at the event last year and Dawn says to Emma "You look amazing, that dress is fabulous?" then loudly whispers "where did you get it?". Emma replies "ooo yes. very much so! It's from a little known designer called Miss Evie!" Dawn thinks and says "yes, I've heard of her, she's very well thought of, isn't she? I think Victoria Beckham wears some of hers."

2 comments:

  1. Lol...I am partial to charity shop chic and have had some real bargains from Peacocks including a bag full of bras for £1 each last year. My dilemma is whether you confess to a bargain outfit when you are complemented, my other half is of the opinion to keep it to yourself. On more than one occasion after being complemented on my attire and I have said something like"oh thank you the whole outfit cost me less than a tenner" only to receive a dig an the ribs for my honesty.
    I was very proud at Christmas though after I made My full length satin frock with my very own hands. It was the astonished look on the faces of a few trendy young things when they told me how lovely I looked and where did I buy it?
    I have more material lined up :)

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  2. Yeah, charity shop chic is definately the way forward. It's great on so many levels, it's recycling, generating money for charities, preventing landfill, creating opportunities for voluntary work and paid work, saves you a packet, makes you look differently at items and, let's face it, it's far more interesting than shopping shopping. I knew it was time to stop though as last time I went I spent £35, but I came out with a whole M&S and David Emannuel wardrobe!!! Gorgeous stuff that I have worn to death. I do like the old shock response to the "where did you get that beautiful skirt from?" question, so, I'd say, where you'll generate the correct response - fess up to bargains and creativity and shoot the proverbial bird to consumerism :)

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