Make do and mend

What's this? No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Yes, this is a very belated blog post! My poor little blog has been a bit neglected of late with a couple exciting things going on. Not to fear; hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things soon.

I'm not sure if any of your read *bespoke* zine, but if you do you may have noticed a familiar little tidbit on page 37 of the current issue. If you don't, I'd encourage you to grab yourself a copy! *bespoke* is an Australian Zine filled with stories, features and tutorials on craft, vintage, art, photography and all things creatively inspired. How cute is the cover illustration by Rachael Smith of Penelope and Pip?

Now on to the exciting bit! I was really thrilled to have my Gran's handkerchief trophy from this post included as a cherish feature, along with a short sentimental spiel. So lovely to see something from my blog in print. Thankyou so much to the editor, Jess, for the feature! I bought a spare copy to give to my Gran :) You might also have noticed in the first photo that I found a nice glass dome to display the miniature books I'd collected. No sooner than a week after expressing my woes at not being able to find an affordable dome, one popped up at my local op shop for $1. It came with a heavy stone base which I think was used to display some kind of plant. Now's it living a second life as a perfectly sized display dome :)

And NOW, onto the Extra Exciting News. My partner and I moved into our first home together just over 2 months ago. We've been busy settling in and everything is finally starting to look nice and homey :) I'll give you a little photo tour once I've decorated a bit more. In the meantime, I finally have a room to set up my sewing machine and other bits and bobs so I thought I'd give you a little sneak peak!

This is a stack of old Reader's Digest books. I love the colourful patterned covers. I'm sure there's lots of crafty things you could do with these, will have to put my thinking cap on!

I've wanting to frame a couple posters from my Frankie magaziness for a while. I went to a picture framer's and they quoted $80 to frame one poster because they're an irregular size :| Then joy of joys I found these plain frames at Target for $9 (half price). I just trimmed a little bit off the poster and voila :)

Have you found any second hand treasures lately? I feel a bit out of the blogging loop so would love to know what you've all been up to! Any tips for a first time mover-out-of-home?

Minature books of wisdom

Hello everyone, just a quick post to check in and let you know what I've been up to. I hope you all had a nice break over Easter :) Instead of gorging myself on hot crossed buns and chocolate eggs, I booked in to have my wisdom teeth out so I wouldn't have to take as much time off work. It was my first time in hospital and I have to say the anxiety leading up to the operation was a lot worse than the recovery. So good being able to eat crunchy food again!

I had my graduation back in March. I've been finished uni for awhile now but it was good to officially finalise everything. The ceremony looked like something out of Harry Potter with all the staff sitting on stage in their different coloured velvet robes. I kept expecting Dumbledore to pop up...

The picture above is of some mini vintage books I've collected over the past few weeks. I saw this really great decorating idea in Country Style magazine of a glass dome with small books stacked underneath which is what I've got in mind for these. I'm having trouble finding a tall glass dome though; any suggestions? I found the mini cork top bottle in an op shop as well. I thought it looked so cute with the brightly coloured dried flowers inside :) I would love to get more of these and fill them with different things. Have you seen any inspiring home decor ideas lately?

Fine day for a fair

Today mum and I headed off to the biannual vintage fashion fair held at the Burnside Ballroom. This was about the fourth time we'd attended, so I think that officially makes us regulars ;) We definitely have our plan of attack down pat, which basically involves spending the first hour and a half browsing through all the stalls, heading back to the car for a pre-packed esky lunch, then going back in for round two.

I bought this beautiful full skirt made of a shiny crepe material with black velvet roses. The colour is a bit hard to describe but it's like a lovely mix of purple and brown, almost a dark taupe. The stall owner runs a consignment store and she was telling me that the lady who brought this into the shop wore it in the 1950s. There were some other clothes which came from the same lady including a mustard coloured linen dress with buttons all the way down the front and a tie at the waist that fastened with a buckle. I think clothes like this are made even more special by the fact that they were worn and loved by someone so many decades ago and are given a second life all these years later. That they have survived in such good condition is amazing.

I thought this penguin brooch was too cute. It's as if they're all holding hands and about to go for a penguin family waddle.

I found this little squirrel sitting amongst a table of bags, purses and other bits and pieces. After bringing him home I realised his ear had been re-glued at one stage. He's now sitting happily amongst my other woodland critters despite his wounded state :) My last purchase was a pair of sterling silver marcasite earrings. I love marcasite jewellery and these are a perfectly dainty shape.

The fair is heading to Brisbane next in a couple of weeks, so make sure to get your skates on :) Did you have any thrifty adventures over the weekend? Check out lots of other flea market finds and share your own over at Her Library Adventures.

Glomesh Monday #4

Today is the final edition of Glomesh Monday. I hope you've enjoyed taking a peep into my (continually expanding) collection :) For this last roundup I have four more bags to share, including my most unusual Glomesh find.

I found this white bag brand new in its box for $5 at my local op shop. I think it looks rather ladylike with its 'vintage' shape and white and gold enamel clasp.

Next we have a black bag in a similar style to the one above, but with larger mesh pieces. I think I prefer the style of bags made of smaller mesh but it's nice to have a bit of variety.

I'd never come across a square Glomesh satchel until I found this cream one in an op shop for $4. It's one of the most unique pieces in my collection but I do have one that's even more unusual...

...which is this light brown mesh-suede hybrid ($2). Unlike all of my other Glomesh bags which are completely covered in mesh with a satin or cotton lining, the front and back halves of this bag are joined by a suede-like material. It has an unusual yellow and gold enamel clasp and the strap alternates between a thin and thick chain. I'd be interested to know when this style of bag was produced so if you have any insight do let me know :)

So that concludes my Glomesh collection. I'm fairly picky with what goes into my collection now (running out of space in my drawer!) but I'd like to find a maroon bag and I always love finding Glomesh accessories - a lipstick case is next on my list. The Burnside vintage fair is on again next weekend so I might pick up a couple things there :) In the meantime I'm eagerly awaiting the relaunch!

If you missed my previous Glomesh posts, you can find them here 1, 2, 3. What is your favourite or most unusual Glomesh find?

Glomesh Monday #3

I'm a week behind in my Glomesh Monday roundups but not to worry. Today I'm sharing my collection of medium clutches and sling bags. I have a bit of a soft spot for sling bags. I think it's because they're so easy to just wear across your body, leaving your hands free to do some serious op shop rummaging. Anywho, enough chit chat and onto the pictures...

I'm not too sure where I found these cream bags but both are fairly similar. The first one has a diagonal flap and is a little sturdier than the second, which is more slinky and closes horizontally.

This navy clutch is my favourite Glomesh bag and the one that gets the most use. I found it when I first started collecting Glomesh at a Salvos op shop for about $5.

I bought this grey sling bag still in it's box at the Burnside vintage fair for $15. I was really excited because I'd never found one in this colour before and I love the gold tassel! The black one was found at my favourite rummage-y op shop for about $5. I seem to have a lot of luck finding different Glomesh goodies at that shop so no wonder I always go back! I love the small gold G on both of these bags.

We're almost at the end of my Glomesh collection now, with just the larger bags left to share. A couple of them are a little unusual though so keep your eyes peeled for the final roundup next week :)

Garage Sailing

When I was little I loved going to garage sales on the weekends and seeing what treasures I could find. We used to hold a garage sale about once every year or so with our neighbours which was a lot of fun. I'd get really excited about setting up my own table and selling my books and toys for 20c to $1 each. Some of the smaller bits and pieces I would wrap up and put in a lucky dip box. And of course I loved counting up all my loose coins and seeing how much I had made at the end of the day :)

Since the emergence of op shops, we haven't really been to many garage sales. When we do, they all seem to be selling either kid's or baby stuff and can be a little disappointing in comparison to what you can find in op shops now. Every now and then though we do strike a good one, like today (while on the way to the op shop haha). The owner was moving house and had held another four garage sales prior to this one. I really wish we had known earlier because he was a vintage collector and it was like garage sale gold! I can only imagine the great furniture and other items we could have picked up, but we were still lucky enough to come away with a few things :)

The first thing we spied was this sweet floral hat. There were a couple others but I really liked the colour and arrangement of the flowers and netting on this one. I would love to find an old hat stand to hang this and some colourful coats on. I also found this old story book with cute fairyland creatures on the front. It reminds me of the Shirley Barber books I used to read when I was little.

There were lots of little knickknacks to rummage through and we came up with some old keys, a small black and gold bag, an Avon cream perfume jar and atomiser, and an old set of paints from the 1950s. The owner gave us the wooden tray to hold everything in while we looked around and he ended up throwing it in for nothing which was nice.

I ummed and ahhed about this old biscuit tin but decided to take it in the end to use for keeping in the laundry to store clothes pegs (plus everything was cheap as chips but I shall get to that soon). I wish biscuits still came in cute tins like this :)

And of course, how could I resist these colourful drinking glasses? They'll go nicely with my growing collection (here and here).

Finally, my favourite find was this nifty wooden deer which is actually a salt and pepper shaker! The pepper goes in the head which comes apart from the neck (a little morbid perhaps!), and the salt goes in the body.

The best part is that all of these finds came to a grand total of $8. The owner mentioned that he may have another sale before moving at the end of the month, so we might pop back another weekend. Whatever he doesn't sell is going in a big skip out the front, which is a bit sad because there were lots of lovely old children's books, bags and kitchen knickknacks still left.

Have you been to any good garage sales lately, or maybe held your own? I would love to hear your stories :)

Terrific Turquoise

I love turquoise and have found a few items of this lovely colour in my op shop travels. Does anyone else find they go through 'colour cycles' and gravitate towards items of a particular colour? I also have a penchant for mustard and raspberry so no doubt they'll be popping up in future posts :)

I found this breakfast cookbook from 1977 for $1 filled with recipes for muffins, eggs, jam and everything else you could think to serve for breakfast... and some you perhaps wouldn't think to serve like battered sardines and bacon bananas :\

This little comb and pouch set was 50c. Not much more to say about this one. Good for combing?

I found this beaded necklace for $5. I don't usually go for chunky necklaces but I like that this one has a thin chain with the beads then attached so it sits nicely around my neck.

And finally, my favourite item which is a small painting of a girl and boy washing a little dog :)

It's 39 degrees in Adelaide today so I'm surprised I didn't melt into a puddle while taking these photos! I know it's going to be hot interstate too, so I hope you keep cool wherever you are and have a nice relaxing weekend :)

Glomesh Monday #2

Happy Monday everyone :) Today in part 2 of my Glomesh series I'm sharing my collection of small clutches and handbags.

The first cream clutch was a bargain from my favourite op shop at only 75c. I didn't realise Glomesh bags were made that small until I found this but I love it's cute size. The second white clutch is my most recent find, also from the same op shop at a similarly thrifty price of $2.50 (I'm sensing a theme here). This one still feels fairly rigid, is completely unmarked inside and includes the original pocket mirror. I can't quite remember where I got the third one from but it's a similar size to the other clutches with a small metallic strap.

These are the only two gold and silver bags I have in my collection :) The gold one was picked up from the op shop my mum volunteers at, and the silver was from one of our regular op shop stops, both about $12 each. I love the slinky metallic finish on these bags, but most of all I love the shape. I think some Glomesh bags, like the clutches above, have a universal shape that translates well into 'modern' fashions, but the shape and style of the gold and silver ones below give them a distinctive olden-day feel.

What Glomesh items have you discovered in your travels lately?

Glomesh Monday #1

Since my very first Glomesh round-up back in 2009, my collection has both been streamlined and expanded (but mostly expanded). To be welcomed into my beloved collection, Glomesh items must now only be the Genuine Article - this means no more faux mesh! If I find any Gold Crest, Oroton or Park Lane items I particularly like, they go in a separate collection ;) Items must be in good condition with the Glomesh tag inside and no missing mesh.

Kick starting my series of Glomesh posts are the small accessories I've collected. First up is my collection of purses, including the large rectangular one which I'm currently using. This was given to me by my Gran a couple years ago for my birthday, still brand new in its box. The purse at the top is my Mum's, which was given to her for Christmas in 1977, also from my Gran. There's a lucky horseshoe charm sewn on the inside engraved with her name and the date :) The other two cream purses were lucky op shops finds that I managed to pick up for a few dollars each.

Next are two small coin purses. I found the silver one for about $6 at mum and I's favourite rummage-y op shop, and the cream one was given to me as a Christmas pressie also via op shop :)

I picked up this sunglasses case at the first Burnside vintage fair I went to for $18, and this key wallet for $1 from an op shop. I have a smaller key wallet that I keep in my bag but I'm not sure what brand it is. I love that it keeps all my keys together so they don't jingle around in my bag :)

Concluding my collection of small accessories is this cream cigarette case and gold lighter, both found during a trip to the Burnside vintage fair for $15 and $18 respectively. I'm not using the case at the moment but I think it would be handy to keep something like a packet of tissues, chewing gum and band aids in :) I bought the lighter as a memento of my Grandad and it sits on a shelf of my desk where I see it everyday.

Do you have any Glomesh accessories that you use day-to-day or do you save them for special occasions?

Exciting news for lovers of Glomesh...

I've come across a wea bit of exciting news about the much loved Glomesh brand. But first, a short history lesson...

Alice & Louis Kennedy via

According to the official facebook page, Glomesh was founded in 1958 by Louis and Alice Kennedy, Hungarian immigrants who migrated from Israel to Australia with their two children in 1957. The Glomesh factory was first established under the company, Camel, in Sydney's Bondi Junction and shortly moved to St Peters where the distinctive metal mesh was produced in golds, silvers and jewel tones including maroon and navy. Glomesh is perhaps best known as a vintage label available only through op shops and other secondhand means... until now (this is the exciting part!).

In Winter 2012, Glomesh is being re-launched under the guidance of Louis and Alice Kennedy's grandson, Daniel Goldberg. Although it's all very hush hush at this stage, the word from Daniel is that 'the collection will encapsulate the same glamour and romance that it did back in the day...'

1968 store opening via

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, it will come as no surprise that I'm really excited for this collection! In celebration of the re-launch, every Monday for the next four weeks I'll be posting snippets of my current Glomesh collection. Make sure you check back tomorrow for the first edition of Glomesh Monday :) You are most welcome to get involved by sharing your own Glomesh finds :)

Saturday scavenging

While running some errands with mum today, we popped into a couple op shops for a bit of a scavenge. It's good when you haven't been to a particular shop for awhile and can have a good rummage :) Here are the results...

Our first stop turned up this pile of goodies including an old book called 'Successful Dressmaking' by Ellen and Marietta Resek for $2. It was published right here in Adelaide, most probably sometime during the 50s by the looks of it. The previous owner has written notes in the back so they must have found it useful :) We also found a little book of Regency Greetings 'Fantasy Postals' for 50c. I love the colour of these cute kitten postcards. Our last treasure here was a vintage Avon 'Fluff Puff' brand new in its box for $2. The back of the box describes this as a 'Practical Luxury'. You use it by removing the cap on the puff, filling it with talc and then "fluff lightly and smooth evenly over the skin".

At our second stop I found two drinking glasses for 50c each that will go nicely with these ones that I found last year. I actually found another one of those retro glasses in the same shop a few weeks ago so now I have seven plus these new additions :)

Our last find was this small table-topped magazine rack for $1.50 (steal!). It kind of makes me want to start drinking tea so I can pluck a magazine from the rack and rest my teacup on top! If you have any tea recommendations I would love to hear them :)

PS. I've added an RSS link to my sidebar. I'd be interested to know what everyone uses to subscribe to the blogs they read - do you use a feed reader, blog reader like Bloglovin' or Google reader, or just bookmark the ones you like to read?

Praise for the cook

I bought this old recipe book from Etsy a while ago and it arrived in my letterbox the other day. It's by Crisco, an old brand of solid vegetable shortening, and is called Praise for the Cook. Inside this little book there are lots of recipes for appetisers, main courses, savory sauces, cookies, pastries and desserts. There is even a section titled 'cookery for men' containing manly recipes for barbequing and camping like 'hush puppies' and 'fancy franks' (because of course men need their own gender-specific recipes haha). What I REALLY love about this little book though are the illustrations! They are just too sweet for words so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Swimming in the 1920s

When I hear the word 'trophy' I usually think of tacky gold figurines or the wooden plaques I used to receive for participation in netball as a youngin'. This one is a little different though as it's a vintage swimming trophy that was awarded to my Great Gran during a carnival in the 1920s. Instead of a miniature metallic-clad figure standing upon a podium, she received this box of six embroidered handkerchiefs made in Switzerland. The embroidery is so colourful and delicate and the hankies have not faded at all over all these years.

Inside the box there were some old newspaper articles about her swimming and tennis achievements, including this photo taken at Glenelg which made the front page of the local newspaper in 1925. My Great Gran is the lady in the middle :) I think it's safe to say I didn't inherit any of her sporting abilities (hence the participation trophies for netball haha). There was also a tiny cutout from the paper on the day she was born - her birthday would have been yesterday!

I also wanted to welcome new readers that have stumbled across my wea blog. Please feel welcome to share any of your favorite thrifty finds or just say hello. I love hearing from people who read my blog so don't be shy :) Tomorrow is the first day of my new job. I'm a little bit nervous (no longer a student!) but hopefully everything will go smoothly :)