The hard sell

Check out this baby! Baby hoodie that is. And it's for sale!

Size 2ish (could fit a 1 year old with sleeves rolled up, could fit a little 3 year old), made with gen-u-ine 80s fabric on the inside, new cotton on the outside. The buttons are probably from the 70s - doesn't matter when they were made though because they are HOT.

Email me for the price. You know you want it.

Birthday season

Everyone we know is turning 2 - ok, not everyone - and that means lots of gifts.

This year I am trying to make or thrift all of my clothes (except knickers because EEEEEEWWWWWWW), and I figure why not gifts as well. (I could take this opportunity to bleat on about how I am saving the planet by doing this but actually we're as poor as church mice and we enjoy spending the money we have on frivilous things like food).


On Sunday, Remy's darling friend Poppy had a party so I whipped up a little skirt for her. It's just two long rectangles of material bashed together with some elastic at the top but man if it didn't look cute. The denim is an op shop find and the apples are from my stash.



I also whipped up this skirt using the same method but it's about twice the size I thought it would be. Luckily I know a cute wee thing who will fit it.

Dear John...

What a fabulous response I got to my desperate plea for letter buddies. And I'm so pleased that there are people who love and adore snail mail as much as I do. Unless it's bills, and then I'm not such a big fan.

Did I mention that our power bill was $300 this month. Ouch. And that's with us barely being here.

Speaking of letter writing, and not being able to help myself when it comes to thrifting, I thought I'd show y'all a little beauty I picked up a couple of months ago:

Da da! It's a ... um ... I don't know what the word is for it so I am going to call it my writing folder.

It has all sorts of pockets and compartments for me to store my letter writing paraphernalia:

It's circa 1984 as you can see by the helpful calendar:

I also have a thrifted letter holder:

I love this and I suspect it was handmade because inscribed on the back with a wood iron is "Dearest Mummy, love David and Margaret 1954".

Lovely.

A suitable craft project for an invalid.

Upcycling an old Karen Walker tshirt into a cushion cover, also making use of that denim you got as a bargain from the op shop.

1. Cut out the denim roughly the size of the cushion. Cut the tee however you like. Take everything to your mother to have her cut it all again, but this time more cushion-shaped and with straight edges.

2. Ask your dad for a hammer. Navigate around the massive gaping drain he has recently dug in the back yard to fetch the hammer from the shed. Thank god you didn't fall in the drain and dirty your last pair of clean(ish) pajamas.

3. Count the number of snap button thingies you have. Divide this number by the number of sides of the cushion. Curse your expensive-yet-clearly-inadequate girls' school education and work it out on a calculator.

4. Sit the piece of tshirt on top of the denim and make wild stabs at where the snap button thingies should go. Snip the fabric, grab the hammer, and damage the tiles around your parents' fireplace by hammering in the first button. Quickly scan imagination and come up with story about a small earthquake. That happened while they were overseas. Before they had the tiles installed around the fire. Oh shit.

5. Take everything outside very quickly while your mother is putting the chickens away in the coop for the evening, and before she can see what you have done. Preferably move everything in front of your toddler who immediately wants to help because hammering stuff is What He Lives For.

6. Negotiate hammering in the 600 other bloody snap button thingies with a 23 month old maniac holding the hammer. Kiss the ground when you get to the end and have lived. Turn to your child and check that he has also lived. Congratulate yourself on avoiding an awkward conversation with his father.

7. Take a break to watch game shows on telly.

8. Muster enthusiasm to finish project. Tell yourself that you'll whip up the rest of the cushion after the child goes to bed.

9. Feign extreme pain/breakdown/minor amputation/mental retardation in effort to convince your mother to finish project for you. Suddenly remember that this technique has not worked on her in 31 years when she is starts to ridicule you.

10. Take all parts of the unfinished project home with you and swear that you will finish it. Soon. Consider taking cunning photo of the front of the cushion to make it look like it is finished so that you can blog about it. Fail spectacularly and blog about it anyway.

The one where there are photos of me trying to smile with my eyes.

Here are the thrifting photos! And not too late either. It's a freaking miracle I got my crap together enough to do this before Christmas.

Let's start with the scarves (and please excuse the lack of ironing; it's really not a strong point of mine):





And the jumper:

(Yes, a self-portrait in the bedroom mirror. I had no idea these things were so hard to do. I promise I will no longer judge the people wh take self-portraits for their Facebook profiles. And here I have to digress and skite that this is a hand knitted jumper, in some yummy warm mystery wool, and it cost $2.00. Yes folks, TWO BUCKS. What a find. I think it was knitted in one piece, and then it does up at the sides with three buttons.).

A silk shirt by Peirre Cardin but made in New Zealand? I'd love to know more about this.

I had a splurge when I was in Dunedin this week - A MAC lipstick called Russian Red. Fun!

And, to finish, my favourite Agatha Christie yet - "The Moving Finger". That's an outstanding title. Out-bloody-standing.

Treasure hunting

It's been a great week thrifty treasures wise. (But no photos just yet I'm afraid; I've left it too late tonight but maybe in the next few days).

I struck scarf heaven at the St. Vincent de Paul's. Some woman must have been having a jolly good clean out*, and that woman had jolly good taste.

I also got the cutest, hand knitted jumper. Definately photos of that to follow because I just know you'll be impressed by it.

And I picked up a couple of Agatha Christie's in a sweet wee shop in Dunedin. We had to drive through snow to get to Dunedin (note to self - check the weather forecast first next time), so I'm extra pleased I got them.

And that's all folks! I really have have have to go to bed.

*I refuse to believe that she died. A woman with scarves like her scarves should be immortal.

Mmmmm, books

 

I love and adore Agatha Christie books. And I love and adore Slightly Foxed, a wonderful secondhand book store in the Victorian Precinct (what was once known as the Old Part of Town).

I've found some wonderful AC treasures there of late... but it's never enough. I can never find enough time to clean the fridge, but I can finish one of these books in a matter hours once I've started reading.

Any chance you, my dear reader, would be willing to swap some Agatha Christie's for, perhaps, some vintage aprons? Or vintage scarves? Or maybe you'd like me to keep a look out for a certain little retro something for your collection?

Who is that precious baby?

 

We have a scanner! It has improved my life by at least 7%. When I learn how to use it properly, I expect it will change my life entirely.

As you may have guessed, the photos are of me, and are circa 1979.

Prepare yourselves for a re-visiting of my childhood*.

 

*Don't panic, I promise I won't do that. Even I can draw the line at that.

Warning: Dismemberment may offend more sensitive readers

 

I'm taking total advantage of my grandparents this week while they visit. Grandad has been on gardening duties (photos to follow because the work he has done has to be seen to be believed - this man doesn't just have green fingers; he has MAGIC fingers), and Nana has been on sewing detail.

Aaaaaaages ago, I picked up two lots of pure wool fabric from one of the local op shops but, true to form, had no idea what I was going to do with them. Then I found a cute, cute, cute patten for a toy rabbit. Never having made a toy, I was pleased when I got most of the way through two of them by myself, but I stumbled when it came to stuffing them and putting them together.

Nana is a wizz at this sort of thing so, hopefully, these poor little dismembered rabbits will be whole rabbits in no time at all.

 

Blue roses and the 1940s

Even if I do say so myself, this dress totally ROCKS.

The design is based on a vintage pattern given to me by my grandmother, that I think is from the 1940s. The pattern that is, not my grandma.

It's made to fit a baby somewhere between 6 months and 12 months. The dress is entirely lined, so no precious baby skin will come into contact with nasty old seams. The blue roses are from a blouse my Aunty Karen cut out sometime ago and never got around to finishing, and the rest of the fabrics are new pure cottons (including the lining which is lawn, sweet sweet lawn).

 

 

It's in The Frog Prince right now and retails for $120.

The woman has a problem

At this blog, I do my very best to appear in control, sane, normal if you like.

But the horrible truth is about to raise its ugly head; you see, I'm a woman obsessed. Totally and utterly obsessed.

I can't help it, everywhere I go I see them, I want them. I dream of finding piles of them in op shops. I'm especially obsessed by hunting vintage glass ones.

Oh buttons, how can I resist your siren song when some of you look like this:

Material mania

Timaru is about 80kms north of Oamaru but I think it's a funny old place; there are more people there than in Oamaru, but it seems to lack soul. Having said that, it has a bumper crop of op shops (thrift stores).

The Red Cross Store has to be the cleanest and best organised op shop I've ever seen. The patterns are in labeled folders, the material is laundered, measured and priced. While it means that you're unlikely to find any treasures hidden in the bottom of boxes, it does mean that the shop smells nice and there is no ambiguity when it comes to paying. I picked up these two pieces of fabric for $2.50 each. A good price seeing as the material is new and there is a couple of metres of each.


I'll use the hearts material for little petticoats under girls' dresses. I'm not sure what to do with the other; it doesn't seem right for kids' clothes but I also don't think I'll make myself anything out of it. I guess that means it's destined for my stash...

I picked up this fabric at one of the antique stores:

I'm planning on using this in girls' frocks as well. I'll use a shocking pink bias around the arms, neck and hem to set off the navy, plus, as far as I can tell, girls around here only wear pink.

I popped into St Vincents as well. I was in two minds about going there because it was out of my way, but I am so glad I did. I hit the motherlode of genuine vintage fabric. Tadaa!



Jealous? I would be if I wasn't me! I couldn't believe my luck. It's actually made up into two curtains but the fabric is a good quality cotton. I'm kind of planning to make little tunics and circle skirts, but we'll have to see. I love it so much, and I know I'll never find anything like it again; the only sensible thing to do is to have it buried with me.

Thrifty Tuesday

I've been hot on the thrifty trail of late. This place is vintage heaven. I'm thinking about picking up a few things for sale but, uh, who knows. I'm having such fun indulging myself in frou frou clothes and tea cups that I think I'd have trouble switching on my commercial eye. Having said that, I'm thinking of putting a couple of the things I've pictured here on Trademe.

And here's some of what I've picked up recently:

A little 1950s purse. I'm not too worried about the missing chain, I could pick one up pretty easily. The beauty of this purse is that it is definitely 1950s and it's not often that I can be absolutely confident of the age of an item.


A Spode plate. I love it, love it, LOVE IT!


This is a funny wee plate that has a Golden Bay address on the back. It's lovely and crinkled; it reminds me of fabric.


I took a punt on Jules liking this fan, and it turns out that he doesn't. I thought it might look great up on the wall but he thinks it would look better if it wasn't in our house at all... so, it might go on Trademe or possibly be taken back to the op shop I bought it from.


This fabric originally made a curtain but I removed the tape at the top and the backing. It's in amazing condition - the colour is so bright - though it does have a little fading down one side. Not a big deal though because there is about 3 metres of the stuff. I think this is also destined for Trademe - it's not really my style and I don't have plan for it.

30 is a bunch of roses

 

I got back to Wellington on my birthday. My 30th to be exact. Yesterday I was filling out a survey and, at the end, they asked me to tick the age bracket I belonged to. Sweet jesus it took some effort to tear myself away from 25-29 and into 30-34.

I also had a most alarming dream about needing botox because, like the doctor in the dream explained, that's what I have to do now I'm 30. Blerdy botox won't be visiting these shores anytime soon.

My darling, darling boy Jules invited friends around for a spot of afternoon tea and bubbles and it was dandy. I was in bed by 8.30. Obviously all the excitement was just a bit too much.

Remy and my holiday down south was good fun once again. There was lots of sleeping and eating and a little thrifting. I picked up an amazing Liberty print shirt dress with a gored skirt and a self-fabric belt. I also scored myself a wee something that still makes my heart race when I see it - a full-length, dark chocolate coloured leather jacket, circa 1940 in mint condition for $10. Yep, 10 bucks. As you'd expect of the 40s, it has the most wonderful shaping at the waist, and lovely panels at the back that make the whole jacket fit perfectly. Ahhhh, so good.

Parenthetically, I'm watching The Way We Were (you know, Barbara Striesand and Robert Redford, oh and that song "MEMORIES, lalaLAlalalalala, something something something, of the way we were") and while the story so far isn't grabbing me, those frocks are. So pretty.

In no time at all we'll be living in South Canterbury. The list of things I have to do and the people I want to see before we go is so long that my nerves are getting jangled. I'm not quite sure why, but I find it too hard to write about the move. Maybe I'll just stay quiet about it for a while, just until I'm more comfortable writing about it.