It’s Charity Tuesday once again, and, as readers of this blog know, I love nothing more than a rummage around charity shops. There is nothing like the thrill of finding a bargain and also contributing to a good cause, whilst also helping the planet avoiding more clothing going to landfill. I have a wardrobe full of thrifty buys that I wear over and over again, some of them I paid pennies for, and yet have worn for years. Charity shops are basically filled with unloved and unwanted clothes, there to be found by someone who will love them and want them, and, more importantly, wear them. That someone is often…

Social Media is sometimes brilliant. After writing about the 1940s day at Haden Hill House and having a little moan about the lack of stalls, a lovely lady from Sandwell Council got in touch to tell me that there was going to be a vintage fair at The Manor House in West Bromwich on the 19th May. So yesterday I went along to have a good look around Mabel’s Vintage Fair. The Manor House is one of my favourite places. Now a museum, it was once a pub and the place I first met my husband, so I often attend events there with a sense of nostalgia, glad to see…

It’s vacation season and while most families decide to take an old-fashioned road trip, go camping, hit the beach, or go to their favourite amusement parks for a week-long getaway, perhaps this year you should fly solo. It may seem selfish to make plans to get away from your brood, but if you’re honest with yourself – you deserve it. You do so much for everyone. You’re the chef, housekeeper, nurse, referee, cheerleader, driver, counsellor, playmate, problem-solver, and so much more. As great as it is to be all those things for your children, giving so much of yourself all the time will lead to burnout. That’s why planning  solo…

In the past year we have already seen two stylish Royal weddings, and today there was a third, when the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Lady Gabriella Windsor married Thomas Kingston at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Lady Gabriella is a lesser known royal, but is known for her elegant style, and her beautiful dress by Luisa Beccaria was simply perfect. In white lace, with long sleeves and a train style, she wore it with a six metre veil. It was a dress that was modern in its simplicity, but also had a vintage style recalling the dress worn of Princess Grace of Monaco on her wedding day,…

The Ikon Gallery in Oozells Square, Birmingham, is one of the most beautiful and impressive buildings in the city. Dedicated to modern art, it is always an interesting place to visit, with exhibitions that inspire and make you ask questions. Currently it is home to Here’s The Thing, an exhibition of the work of Hew Locke, and last week I went along to take a look, intrigued by an article in the What’s On magazine that showed a fascinating image of a statue of Queen Victoria. Hew Locke’s work is inspired and often features Guyana, the birthplace of his parents, and where he spent most of his formative years. Boats…