Monday 5 November 2012

When in Venice....and thriftiness reaps its own rewards



Tra la la off to Venice we go - suitably adorned with a Venetian bag and purse - made from a 20p scarf that had a hole in it -  not a bad bit of recycling I thought.


Here is the bag - I fancied a Gucci/Versace  type of bag....maybe.......not quite..



This is a heavy vintage button and as I was sewing it on I knew that it was not the right choice for lightweight fabric.  Carry On Regardless...


A bit of cutting and pasting for the reverse but left enough for a  purse (hey that rhymes)


Again a bit of cutting and pasting to get all the pieces to fit together - looks a bit of mess here


I will not be singing 'One Cornetto'... maybe I will...oh the shame I will bring on the children...

I realised that I did not have much in the way of purple fabric for the lining but as luck would have it my eldest sister had given me a stash of samples that were for Burberry (ooo la la ) - so I think that this must have been intended for their shirts!  Who knew

Anyway I had a different bag when I entered the plane....during the flight I nipped to the 'small room'.  Once in continental airspace I emerged a la Mr Benn sporting my Venezia bag.  There was a slight drop in cabin pressure when the entire passenger list inhaled and gasped!!! I spied some nudging -  'Arthur...ARTHUR...I am sure that women went in there with a different bag'.  I smiled demurely as I did not wish to appear toooo big headed.  I nodded sagely when Arthur double checked if I had indeed changed my bag....'Yes, Arthur....I do that sometimes!'. How we laughed.



There was more of a 'to do' in Venezia itself.    I should preface this with the story of how the children were suitably impressed by my linguistic skills...I woke up on Monday finding myself fluent in Italian...read on reader....  Of course already being fluent in a language rich in Latinate roots is a bonus and when you realise that all is needed is to add any vowel  to the end of alternate words - hey presto (see what I did there) you are speaking Italiano!  As you will discover this came in very handy in Piazza San Marco! 

 I entered the Square wearing Venezia bag....soon a small crowed gathered (you can just make out the crowd gathering in the photographi below).  In truth this was a group of turisti who I can only assume thought I was selling rip off Gucci!!  There was a great deal of pointing and exclaiming 'How mucho?' (this may not be a direct transcription).  Initially I laughed as I realised it was a mistake easily made...especially as I looked soooo stylishly Italian in my SHOES (some of you may recall the significance of this comment!). 'No-o, no-o', I exclaimed 'This is  turista tatto' (again I may be getting my Italian a little mixed up here - by the afternoon I rapidly found out that I was not quite as fluent as I thought I had been in the morning).  The crowd changed rapido...no more smiles....a bit of fist shaking...and rippoffo, disgustingo'.  I pleaded for them to come back but my cries of 'Ordero Catho Kidstoni' fell upon deaf ears....




Ho ho 




We had a delicious time in Venice - how could we not!  I have not been there for several decades and it was as magical as I remembered.  I will indulge a few photos as I do not usually post photographs of things outside of our home!


I stumbled upon a Venetian Charity Shop - imagine!  Many, many years ago my sister and I carefully removed an image of a stupendous Fortuny dress from a magazine and pasted it into our scrapbook - I fancied one might turn up in a Venetian charity shop..sadly not.  Sad also that few Fortuny fabrics/dresses were to be seen in the Fortuny Museum....the only minus for me.



"Just one Cornetto..."

PS - I fancied that I glimpsed The Hattatts floating by.... 

PPS - Thank you for kindly comments on 'Chair post' - I will reply and catch up on othero bloggos when I have caught up with the washingo!


43 comments:

  1. oh stupendo! what a fabulous, gorgeous post...your bag was magnifico and super-stylish! i adore venice and it was so lovely to think of it this morning back at my desk after happy half term holidays.....thank you for the memories x

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    1. Hey - you too are fluent in Italiano! Many thanks for your kind words
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  2. Glorioso Photo! I dream of going to Venice - thank you for posting these lovely pictures.
    I learn my Italian from watching Montelbano on Saturday nights. But sadly that means my vocabulary is mostly relating to food, dead bodies and obscenities!

    benedizioni xx

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    1. Oh Angela - this made me roar with laughter - I can imagine that certain TV programmes end up colouring our language!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  3. Wow, Venice! Lucky you! I don't imagine charity shops in Venice, love your little bag! :)

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    1. Just the one charity shop I think Ada - I must be drawn to them unconsciously as I too never thought that they would be one in Venice!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  4. How fantastic, lucky, lucky Girl! You have made me laugh muchly, as usual! Love the bag and not surprised at all that all the stylish Italians wanted one.

    Happy Monday!

    Claire xx

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    1. The Italians are indeed very stylisho Claire - in truth I felt very frumpish..
      Have a wonderful week
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  5. Oh Jenny, you have me in stitches, no pun intended! I love your bags and wonderful photos of Venice.

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    1. I will have to come round and sew you up Gill! Ha ha
      Many thanks
      Jenny

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  6. I love your bag ... and your post had me chuckling out loud in the office (when I should be working ... sshhh!). The last time I went to Venice I was 9 years old and fell madly in love with a macho gondolier. Keep hinting to the Mr that I'd love to go again ... M x

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    1. I am well imagine your macho gondolier - I saw one or two out on the water! In fact everyone male looked extra macho. As I kept saying to the children - there is nowhere quite like Venezia!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  7. Hello Jenny:
    Alas, how we could be so foolish as to mistime our visit - we are not again in Venice until the end of next week. For had we had the good fortune to meet, then we should have hoped to persuade you to give us a crash course in Italiano. Your fluency belies belief - we are mucho impressedo [how is that for a start?] - and if we could too have been armed with 'The Bag', perhaps a swap on alternate days, we too could have acquired that non touristo look which you so elegantly sporto in the Piazza San Marco. As it is we shall mooch around, unnoticed, looking exactly like the British abroad although a little chilly for the socks and sandals.

    And by the wayo, have the floodo waters recededo?!!

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    1. Double dratto! I am enviousi to hear of your forthcoming trip though I am sure you will fare well considering your fluency in locali lingo (though in places you are sounding a trifle Spanisho!!!!!). Fortunately our hotel supplied wellies and it all added to the funnos of the experienci
      Best wisho
      Jenny

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  8. What a lovely bag! Sounds like you had a marvellouso time in Vinezia, Mrs RV x

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    1. Thank you indeedy Mrs RV - it is a most splendido place
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  9. Oh What Fun! Will you be at the next Bazaar Jenny? Tea and cakes have thankfully been restored!! Cass x

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    1. Many thanks for the update Cass - I am hoping to attend though we have recently had some sad news so not 100% certain at the moment
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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    2. Sorry to hear that Jenny... hugs to you all...

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  10. great post and bag!! Heather x

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  11. Ho ho indeedissimo - that was laugh out loud funny. :)

    Love your bag - clever you. And enjoyed the photos of Venice...I'd love to visit there..maybe one day. Big dream of mine to see Italy.

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    1. Thank you kindly wendz - along with Florence it is one of those unique places in the world though sadly Macdonalds has crept in since I was last there but I only saw the signs for it!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  12. Love this post Jenny ... I had a proper giggle ... so jealous of your lovely Venice trip ... I have been once and dream of going again ... one day, one day ... Bee xx

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    1. Oh Jenny you did make me smile this morning,Thankyou!
      Love Venice and the bag,XxXx

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    2. It ever it is possible do go Bee - it is the most wonderful place and lots to see and do. Nowhere quite like Venezia...
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  14. Oops back again armed with those hubbie specs!
    Great post Jenny for a dreary Tuesday morning...
    I have never been to Venice,so I was intrigued to have a visual trip with you.
    Super stylish bag, and I love your coat too.
    Thanks for the chuckle as always.
    Love Maria x

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    1. Thank you kindly Maria (sort of glad to read that you have the same spec issue as myself!!). Coat was reduced on ebay because lacking part of the belt - you cannot see in the photo but I fashioned a 'new' one out of vintage embroideries!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  15. Love your Venice bag and purse Jenny, clever you, they are so gorgeous.
    Venice is a wonderful place to wander round - super pictures :)
    x

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    1. Aww thank you kindly Barbara
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  16. What a wonderful time you must have had and the perfect setting for your bag. I am wondering which came first: the bag or planning the trip venue to suit the bag? Either way, both were obviously fantastico. Philippa xx

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    1. Good question Philippa - in fact we had planned to go over two years ago and then my nephew announced his wedding in Ireland - we ended up not going to that either because of the Icelandic ash cloud!!! So this has been a long time coming and only made the bag the week before!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  17. Love the bag, love Venice. How I wish I was there right now!
    June

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    1. Me too June! The weather is lovely and not too hot
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  18. Ciao Jenny, Thank you so much for making me smile and sharing your Italian and photographs of Venice. It is such a wonderful city and your bag looks magnificio in such a wonderful setting.
    Sarah x

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    1. Ciao bella! Bag is a bit redundant in Southsea!! Oh dear
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  19. Lovely photos, Venice looks beautiful, very nice light in those photos.
    Hen x

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    1. Many thanks Hen - the light was wonderful and you can see why so many artists go there
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  20. Oh Venice, how wonderful. a place I haave always wanted to go to but it has never quite happened...You are so clever with the bag- tres chic Oops no, wrong language! Jane xx

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    1. French or Italian they all sound lovely to me! You could love the old bookshops Jane and travelling down the canals at night you could peep into some wonderful rooms filled to the brim with leather bound volumes.
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  21. You lucky girl!
    I absolutely love venice. I worked there as a teenager and Mr Betty and I went back last year...it makes me cry.
    When you walk from St Marks square and are faced with the Grand canal, oh my, it takes my breath away.
    My dad was an artist and he painted many pictures of Venice, I will put one on my blog, just for you. x

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  22. I love that you found a charity shop in Venice. My husband thinks its hilarious that I manage to find one no matter where we go! But 2nd hand stuff in other countries is so different from ours, you can pick up some fabulous treasures.

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