Another year almost over, Another year older!

Yes it's that time of year, we're saying goodbye to 2011 and that means I've become a year older. That's right I've come to the ripe old age of 22, positively ancient some might say, it is quite scary that I'm eight years away from 30 already, I know I will get moaned at for saying that but I'm scared a little at how close it'll soon be here if this year has already been and gone. I'll soon have to be figuring out where I want to go in life (only a few more months to decide on that one!) Hopefully I'll end up with a fantastic top end job by the time I'm 23 (only 364 days to find it!) and will live happily ever after...ahem.

So it was my birthday yesterday and it was a very quiet  one for a change, but this year I quite liked it. I got up at what seemed like the crack of dawn and trundled on down to the hairdressers to get my hair all snipped off, now I know this is a bit trampy for a lady such as  myself but I hadn't had my hair cut in a good six months and frankly it had gone a bit like rat's tails so it all had to come off and I decided a little change was in order. I originally wanted to dye my hair but after so long of not dying it, I was a little too scared so I gave up on that idea and decided to bring the Bettie Page bangs back!

A bad quality shot taken on my phone, as you can tell I'm still not convinced by the bangs but I'm going to try it out for a little while and try to handle the high maintenance of doing it all again... I give it until new years!  It was a bit strange having my hair straightened too as I don't tend to do that with my hair anymore, but I thought I'd have a change! 

When I got home I found that my lovely mum had bought me my birthday cake, yes at the age of 22 I still insist on having a birthday cake, I have the sweetest tooth known to mankind so any chance to have some cake I will! And here in all its glory it is...

I'm a big kid at heart, I adore beauty and the beast, it's my all time favourite Disney film and I had seen this cake before so when I saw it waiting for me, I was so happy! It tastes delicious too!
 

I got some lovely presents, I'd already had most of my birthday present from my parents at the clothes show  a couple of weeks back but I did get the inbetweeners DVD and some lovely Pj's!  If you remember, I wrote a post a few months back bags discussing my Enid Collins bags that I had started to collect, I only had 3 at the time, it's grown since then to a whole seven! With my lovely lady Laura buying me a truly stunning one for my birthday! 

I apologise for the bad quality image, once again off my phone, but how beautiful is this bag?! I came so close to buying it recently, I adore it so much and cannot wait to take it out with me at Christmas.

Another lovely present was from my brother and sister-in law, a poster of one of my all time favourite musicals, Gentlemen prefer Blonde's.

How wonderful is this?? I just need to find somewhere to put it now, it will surely go up on the wall when I have my retro inspired house!

During my day I went to lunch with some friends and then to the Marina theatre in Lowestoft with my mumma to see Jack and the Beanstalk, the local pantomime, I hadn't been to the panto in so long and I have to say I enjoyed it, and felt like a child again! It was fun and laughter and I'd love to go again next year! 

Overall I had a lovely birthday, makes a change for a boozed up one that I usually spend in my local pub, I'm saving that for Christmas eve!  I hope you all have a super Christmas whatever and get everything you ask for!
Until Next Time

Toodle Pip

xxx

A little collectors item

I've always wanted to collect something but nothings really ever took my fancy, I mean I'm a girl so I generally collect shoes and many types of clothing, mostly vintage, so I guess I am a bit of a vintage collector however when I was in Southwold during the summer I found a bag in a little antique shop hidden away, Southwold is such a cute little town, only five minutes up the road from my home town and I never think to go there, bizarre!
This bag caught my eye straight away, it was beautiful covered in little gems and crystals, I'd seen so many on EBay and Etsy but never thought to buy one, so as soon as I saw this I thought I'm having that without even looking at the price, to be honest now looking back on it I did buy spontaneously because I could of got the same back for better condition and cheaper on the Internet but live and learn!

These bags are by the designer Enid Collins or usually inspired by her, the company Collins of Texas started in 1959 and carried on until Enid Collins sold the company during the 1970s, there were two types of bags, the wooden box bag or the canvas bag. The company also sold diy bag kits so a lot of the ones you can buy off the Internet are actually imitations, which to be honest I think I have but I still love them nevertheless!

Collins bags are somewhat the collectors item now and as I have fell head over heels for them I've decided to collect them (with my father constantly going you don't need anymore bags!!) .

If you are wanting to collect them the ones obviously that are worth more are the ones with the jewels still intact, unlike my first one which hardly have any jewels on!

This is the one I purchased in Southwold, pretty even though a bit jewel-less!

Other collectibles ones are ones with the signature on, these can go for over £70 if you are lucky to find one!

This is the type of label to look for, On the Canvas bucket bags the signature is usually scribbled on with the design that is carefully hand painted on!

 So hunt out bargains on eBay, in shops such as Beyond Retro and other vintage shops, because luckily these types of shops don't usually realise how much they are worth because they only see it as "vintage" and don't know anything about labels! 

I bought this little darling at Beyond Retro for £30 and only has one gem missing!! I didn't even look at the price when I picked it up, I just knew I had to have it!  

I've noticed that even though I'm a fifties girl at heart I'm glancing towards more vintage sixties bags, what does it matter though if you think its pretty?

This is my little collection! The one nearest to the left is one I got off Etsy, I think it is a diy one because I found another lovely lady that had it and it is one of the cheapest to buy off the Internet,so I generally use this and my Southwold buy as everyday bags, as they are fairly large so I can fit all my rubbish in it!

I only have three but I have another coming on the way which looks something like this...

And it is an actual Collins bag too! I love the tan leather finishing, it stands out so much more than my other three! I'm happy that I now have something to collect, the only thing is finding somewhere to put them all! I have two wardrobes and both are chocker block with bags! A steady investment for the future I think!

How adorable is this advert!? If only she knew how much her bags would go for today!!

                                                                     Until Next Time

Toodle Pip

xxx