{Ness Lovelies} Sadie bag and Ness discount!

This is the last Ness 'Bag of the Week' post.  It's been loads of fun to review their bags and a big thank you again to the folks at Ness for letting me borrow some samples to play with in these posts! Today, I'm delighted to review the 'Sadie' bag in the Tourmaline tartan (a nice mix of green and blue).

I'm wearing my blue 1967 me-made mod dress.  It's just the right colour of blue to match the beautiful tartan!

Here's a close-up of the bag.  I just love the purple accents and the Ness tag!  It's a great size bag with two separate sides with a button closure.  It also comes in the lovely burgundy and pink tartan called 'Almandine' (the same tartan used in the Laya bag I reviewed)

We had some left-over sparklers from Bonfire Night and considering that it gets dark just before 4pm--they are perfect for adding a nice glow to the evening!

I just wanted to let you all know that Ness is currently offering a 15% off discount on all items (of orders £50 or more) on their website!  Enter code XM4S at check-out!  They are also offering a 'Mix and Match' offer if you buy any combination of bag and wallet to get an additional 10% off (on top of the 15%).  If you've been thinking about getting any Ness presents (for others or for yourself) for the holidays, now's the best time with so many good deals!

{Ness Lovelies} The Alex bag & the Pendrell blouse

I've been wearing my Pendrell teal silk blouse a lot!  One of my favourite colours to wear it with is purple and when I saw the Ness 'Alex' bag, I knew it was a match made in heaven.

The trousers are also from Ness but many moons ago.  They are 100% wool and I just love the heathered purple colour.  I think this would be a great colour for some high waisted trousers too!

It's still absolutely beautiful in Scotland.  Though the leaves are rapidly dropping at this point and I think it's only a couple of weeks now until they are completely bare!  We are still getting lovely sunny days which makes up for it!

I think this is my favourite bag so far that I've reviewed.  Maybe it's because it's in the new 'Crush' tartan, which I adore.  Maybe it's because it is just the right size.  Or maybe it's because of the classy shape.  All I can say is that I really love it!  In fact, I'll be taking advantage of the promotional offer this week--not for myself--but for a certain friend who may be having a birthday this weekend.  But I'm not telling if she's getting this one or the lovely red version.

There's only two bags left in the series!  Which Ness bag has been your favourite so far?  The Krystal, Andrea, Laya or this one-- the Alex bag?

{Ness Lovelies} Bag End

Let me introduce you to Laya--she's a doll.  What a beautiful pink satchel (she also comes in a lovely green tweed)! She's the Ness 'Bag of the Week' (1/2 price!!).  Laya and I went to the park this week...

I just can't get over how beautiful the trees are at this time of the year.  It's quite majestic.

Laya brought a few of my favourite friends to the park!  Do you recognise that cover?

Not sure if I ever mentioned that David and I are HUGE fans of Tolkien.  My beloved copy of the Hobbit has a poem that David wrote for me in 2003 in Elvish!!!

May 2003

This book is a gift to thee, fair Snowgoose.  A star shone on the hour of our first meeting. 

~David

I just love the illustrations in this edition of the Hobbit.  The Misty Mountains looking West from the Eyrie towards Goblin Gate.

I hope you're enjoying these Ness 'Bag of the Week' posts as much as I am! A big thank you to the team at Ness for letting me play at styling some of their sample bags (and for having such great promotions)!!

Sweater: thrifted

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: thrifted

Handbag: Ness

 What about you?  If you could fill this bag with your favourite books, what would they be?

{Ness Lovelies} 1940's Inspired

I'd thought I would revisit two of my staple me-made items this week!  The blouse is the very first garment I made as part of the Sew Weekly challenge!  Actually, come to think of it--another iteration of this blouse was also the very first sewing garment I ever made!  The skirt is from a 1940 McCall pattern and I absolutely love the lines.

I paired the outfit with Ness's Bag of the Week: the Andrea bag (on sale this week).  This handbag is definitely 1940's inspired and also comes in a tartan of Autumn colours called 'Russet'.  I just love the size and the classic look of the handbag.  Of course, the red strap is such a nice touch!  Last month I picked up several belts from an estate sale when I met up with Solanah from Vixen Vintage and this red one is one of my favourites and matches the handbag strap perfectly!

This pagoda was set up as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and it's still at the Fringe headquarters, called The Hub.  Visitors to The Hub during the Festival were given their own wishing ribbon to hang from the Pagoda, which was designed by Edinburgh artist, Rachel George.  Also during the festival an exhibition of work by local school pupils inspired by eastern art and traditions accompanied the pagoda.

I just love how all the ribbons float in the wind.  I hope all the wishes have come true!

The Hub is in an old church--they've converted it into a really neat gathering space with a cafe.

The Hub also happens to be right across from the main Ness store on the Royal Mile!  I went in to see the new Henriette shoes in person.  ack.  Love them!!!  I'm definitely saving up for a pair of the teal ones!

Blouse: Made by me from a 1943 pattern

Skirt: Made by me from a 1940 pattern

Belt: Thrifted

Shoes: Ration Fashions on Etsy

Handbag: Ness

{Ness Lovelies} Introducing the new Ness bag of the week!

I'm very excited to announce that Ness is doing a series of promotions where they feature a 'Bag of the Week'.  Each week, there will be a fabulous bag from their new Autumn/Winter line at a huge discount!  If there's one thing I love just as much as shoes--it's handbags!!

For one day only, this 'Krystal' handbag is over 50% off! woot, woot!  It's a fabulous, substantial bag for those of us who, ahem, carry a bit with us but don't want to look like we do! lol.  There's tons of space in this handbag and you can't go wrong with red AND tartan!!

David and I went for a stroll in the Prince's Street Gardens today!  It was the perfect day to wear my me-made 1940's red hooded dress.

It was such a lovely Autumn day.  The leaves are all changing colour and their is a crispness in the air!

Dress - handmade by me

Wellies - Ness

Handbag - Ness

{Ness Lovelies} Introducing the new Ness shoes!! I am in love.

I've been waiting....waiting for the new line of Ness shoes to come out!  Let me tell you, they do not disappoint!  I am SUPER excited for these lovelies:

'Henriette' Ness shoes in Crush colourway.  

I think I am in love with these tweed shoes! They are so fabulous.  I absolutely adore the scalloped border and the classic Mary Jane look.  I'm definitely going to be picking up a pair of these in 'Crush ' and maybe even another pair in the lovely 'Northern Lights' pattern!

 'Henriette' Ness shoes in Northern Lights.  

You can see the lovely scallop detail in the photo above!  I really love this colour combination as well!

  'Melly' Ness Wellies

The 'Melly' wellies are printed wellies with an adaptation of the classic Crush tartan pattern. I really love the green trim on these!

I have a pair of 'Georgie' Wellies that I got two years ago and I wear them all the time! Especially now when it's starting to get cold.  I find it really good for Scottish weather where we have days that shift in weather a lot.  Rain. Check. Intermittent sun. check. Cold weather. check. Periods of 'super' wind. check. Awesome Wellies able to handle it all. check.

 'Georgie' Ness Wellies 

 The new 'Georgie' wellies are fabulous!  I am really excited about the introduction of Wellie socks including the 'Izzy' socks which are stripey and fun and the matching 'Judy' cable knit knee-high socks in teal and red!  

Which is your favourite? 

Tartan week AND A NESS GIVEAWAY!!

Welcome to Tartan Week at My Happy Sewing Place!  In celebration of the 'mad for plaid' theme over at the Sew Weekly and the launch of the new Ness autumn/winter line (which is FABULOUS), I'm hosting a giveaway for £40 to spend in the Ness online store!!

Before we get to the details of the giveaway, I thought I would share with you my absolute favourites from the new line and how they might fit into my existing wardrobe (the new line is called Nessadoon: A wonderful highland romance-- I love it!)

I may have audibly giggled with delight when I saw the pencil skirts (called 'Alicia') in each of the three glorious plaids of the new season.  The tartan above is called 'Crush' and I love it in the pencil skirt (which has a cut little bow across the front and a box pleat in the back).  Notice that the bow is in teal?  I think it would go perfectly with my teal Pendrell blouse!  Also new this season are the adorable 'Beth' handbags!  I absolutely LOVE them! It's like Ness read my mind....Teal....and PURPLE...and BOWS....and PENCIL skirts....

My other favourite tartan this season from Ness is called 'Northern Lights' and it is a great mix of reds and browns with a hint of mauve and pink.  I am really loving this in their classic 'Dotty' jacket (I have this same jacket in a tartan from a couple of years ago and I wear it all the time!)  I also love the smaller wallets/purses that have the little bow at the front (called the 'Blush' purse--I *ahem* also have one of these in another tartan and I use it everyday!).  I think this jacket and purse could help my 39 steps sleeveless dress transition from summer to autumn/winter!

Another potential outfit involves a beautiful teal jumper/sweater called 'Callie'.  It's perfect for layering and transitioning from cooler to colder weather as it has cute little cap sleeves.  I would pair this with my white DuBarry blouse and my 'Mrs Peacock' pencil skirt!!

Another thing I love about Ness is their fair isle knitwear!  I have the perfect idea for taking my 'Raspberry Sorbet' dress into autumn:

It involves adding a 40's inspired fair isle sweater vest (called 'Dora') with matching gloves and hat!  Love, love, love these colours together!

Which combo do you like best for me?
 
The GIVEAWAY:
 
I'm hosting a giveaway for £40 for you to use in the Ness online store!  You can pick your favourite items that match your own wardrobe!  You can shop from their new autumn/winter line or for those that going into the spring and summer seasons--they still have some lovelies from the summer line on clearance!

Here's how it works:

• This giveaway is open to everyone!
• To enter, just go to the Ness website and check out what they have and then leave a comment on this post with the name of your favourite Ness item(s).
• You can post about this giveaway on 1. your blog, 2. twitter or 3. facebook for an additional entry for each method (so you can have a total of up to four entries...be sure to leave a comment and let me know if you've done any of these extra things).

The giveaway closes at midnight (UK time) next Tuesday (the 6th of September)!  I'll announce the winner on following Wednesday!

Good luck!!

{Ness Lovelies} Shoes, glorious shoes!

Just a quick heads up that I've noticed that Ness has added their shoes to the summer clearance sale....

Oh, how I love those shoes!

These are the ballet flats in Raspberry Sorbet tartan (my favourite).

They also have the ballet flats in this great blue tartan:

They've also added their wedges to the sale.  These are very similar to the pink ones I own except that the bow is on the side.  LOVE them!

Oh! And they just added these super cute handbags (complete with tartan pins):

I think this summer clearance is in anticipation of their new autumn/winter line!  oooohhhh so excited! It should be released this month and I'm checking their website almost every day to see the new tartans!!!  :)

{Ness Lovelies} The Perfect Outfit for the Fringe

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival has begun!  I was delighted to hear that the Fringe Festival was started in 1947.  I decided to wear one of my favourite Ness outfits inspired by the same time period in honour of the Fringe!!

 So how did it all begin?  According to the Fringe website:

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world and takes place every August for three weeks in Scotland’s capital city. Our story dates back to 1947, when eight theatre groups turned up uninvited to perform at the (then newly formed) Edinburgh International Festival, an initiative created to celebrate and enrich European cultural life in the wake of the Second World War. Not being part of the official programme of the International festival didn’t stop these performers – they just went ahead and staged their shows anyway. Year on year more and more performers followed their example and in 1959 the Festival Fringe Society was created in response to the success of this growing trend.

The Society formalised the existence of this collective of performances, provided information to artists, published the Fringe programme and created a central box office. Its constitution was written in line with the ethos that brought these theatre companies to Edinburgh back in 1947: that the Society was to take no part in vetting the festival’s programme. To this day that policy remains at the core of our festival and we’re proud to include in our programme anyone with a story to tell and a venue willing to host them.

And let me tell you the programme is fantastic! I look forward to starting a new blog series this month called 'Report from the Fringe' and sharing our experiences.  Plus, the great thing is that a lot of the shows are free!

I'm wearing a Ness peasant blouse and a matching Ness skirt.  The peasant blouse reminds me of the blouses from the late 1940's.  I absolutely love it!  The best part is the fabric.  Close-up you can see it has cute little red tulips and the Ness logo.  This is a photo of the bottom of the skirt (called 'Cassidy') which I adore.  Such great details.

The two Ness stores in Edinburgh are right at the heart of the Fringe this month as they are both located on the Royal Mile! But the best thing is that Ness is currently having a sale! I had to share with you all that Ness is offering an additional 20% off all online orders (but hurry...it ends Tuesday!) 

Wooohooo! More Ness lovelies!  Watch this space for more Fringe fun over the coming weeks!