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.

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 :)

Day two vintage fashion fair

Hi everyone :) Thought it was about time I shared what I found during round two at the vintage fashion fair. As well as the dress in my previous post, I got these floral clip-on earrings from the same stall that the little umbrella brooch came from. I haven't worn them yet but they look really cute and colourful sitting on my shelf with my other jewellery.

The next couple items are a bit sentimental because I bought them with some money my Grandad gave me before he passed away and that I'd been saving for something special. My Grandad was a smoker his whole life and while I know this is a terrible habit, it's something I'll always remember about him so I bought this Glomesh cigarette lighter as a little keepsake.

He used to play footy when he was younger so I bought a tiny football boot charm that I'm going to polish up and attach to my Mum's old charm bracelet that she gave to me. I think it will be nice to carry around something that reminds me of Grandad and I'm going to try and wear it more often. The last thing I bought was a pair of beautiful old marcasite and pearl clam shell earrings. I thought they looked like something that would have been around during Grandad's era and that they would just be something special to keep and remind me of him.

So that concludes my purchases at the vintage fair. I had so much fun rummaging around at all the stalls and couldn't think of a better place to spend my birthday money or to pick up a few special treasures.

Hope you all have a lovely week :) I'm going to spend a couple days relaxing since I submitted the literature review for my thesis on Monday and had a presentation today.

Cameo love

Cameos are another item I always try and keep an eye out for in op shops. Not just any cameo will do though, they can't be too lightweight or plastic looking and they have to be relatively nice looking (some can be a wea bit challenged in that area!). This is another of my Mum's little collections that I borrow from time to time.

I love these necklaces. Originally they were just pendants that we found chains for. My favourite is the one on the right. I found the stand in an op shop too; it's a cute little mini hat stand that I use to hang dainty necklaces on.

You may have seen these already from the brooch collection, although the blue cameo is a new addition. I think they look so nice with the filigree borders.

Lastly are these little cameo earrings. This is the best photo I could get on my point-and-shoot but you get the idea. It would be great to find a little cameo ring next :)

Last post for the year

Hello everyone, thought I'd squeeze in one last post before the end of the year in an effort to redeem myself (since I update so regularly, d'oh!). I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have recovered from any food-induced comas and bonbon related injuries. This year I once again received some lovely thrifty gifts of the glomesh variety to add to my collection including a silver handbag, cream wallet and matching coin purse. I also got a small gold handbag and a diamond shaped shell ring. If you received any thrifty gifts this season please share!

It's hard to believe that another Christmas has passed and the year is just about over. I think 2011 is going to be a really good, but busy, year for me. I got accepted into honours for my program at uni which I'm both excited and nervous about. Hopefully I won't crack under the pressure! I'll have a few friends beside me though which makes me feel better. My 21st is next year as well so I'm looking forward to celebrating that milestone. I really want to get stuck into some sewing while I still have time at the beginning of the year so will see how I go with that.

I've started a big clear out of my wardrobe and all my things in preparation for the new year and will do a post about that when I'm done; always love a good before and after. I've been thinking a lot about my 'style' so this may involve a few outfit posts (but only maybe!). I was also thinking of doing a small blog sale, but I'm not sure how many people would be interested? It would mainly be dresses I've bought from etsy/op shops that I never really got around to wearing.

Anyway, enough babble from me. I hope you all have a happy and safe New Year; see you around the corner in 2011!

Three little earrings all in a row

I took about fifty million photos of these earrings trying to get a decent shot and of course in the end the one I took first turned out the best. Oh well at least I got out in the sunshine for a bit. The little bells in the middle are the Avon earrings I mentioned in my previous post. I found these in a junky box full of bits and pieces of jewelery (You know, like those metallic pom pom earrings people wear around Christmas and those thin rubber bracelets that were cool in the 90s. Well I thought they were cool. Especially if you wore two linked together). I asked the op shop lady how much they were and she said that they have a minimum of 50c for items to which I casually replied "oh ok" and handed over my coin.

The flowers I found for a couple dollars at my favourite op shop and the Pharaohs were $5 from the Salvos which was probably a bit much but I thought they were interesting =)

Pin me!

I've been meaning to do a post on my Mum's brooch collection for a while now. Most of these are op shop finds but a few Mum already had in her collection before it officially became a 'collection' (if that makes any sense at all haha). I can't really remember what sparked the beginning of Mum's brooch collection. We always keep an eye out for interesting jewellery at op shops and I think it just grew from there, as collections do.

I found this guitar brooch in an op shop on Chapel Street in Melbourne and thought Mum would love it. The back is stamped with 'BROOKS' but I haven't been able to find much info on it's significance. I thought the design was really unique and love the gold wire strings and pearl on the base.

Mum found this one in our favourite op shop. The gems are such a beautiful blue colour and so sparkly. I can't remember the exact price but it was under $4 which is amazing because once we got home we inspected the back and it's stamped with '9CT' - 9 karat gold! It has one of those fancy little chains to make sure it doesn't fall off. The gems could be real, who knows?

This last one is one of Mum's most recent acquisitions and a definite favourite. I was looking on Etsy for vintage Avon brooches and came across this artiste's palette for $15 plus postage. I decided to try my luck on ebay first and see if anyone was selling any on there and found someone in Adelaide who had it listed for 99c. Thought I might as well try my luck so placed a bid, and after a few days when the listing ended no one else had bid! It turns out the seller actually lives in the same area as me so she dropped it in our letterbox free of charge; how lovely is that! It also came in its original 1970s box with a pair of stud earrings that match the red stone on the brooch.

So there's Mum's brooch collection. Most of the jewllery in the op shops lately seems to be from Diva and the likes so we haven't bought any for awhile. We always keep our eyes peeled though. Is there anything you like to collect or look out for when you go op shopping? I've started collecting Frankie magazines but don't have much luck finding them in the op shops. Always keep my eyes peeled for Avon jewellery and Glomesh of course =)

Christmas loot part two

Continuing on with the op shop-related Christmas pressies, I also received this gorgeous cream coloured clutch. Just the right size to fit all my crap essentials in when I go out. The inside is all cushy and satiny:

This next one wasn't op-shopped but was given to me by my Aunty. It's a glomesh coin purse that belonged to my Dad's mum so it was a really thoughtful and sentimental present. I love glomesh and don't have anything like this in my collection.

My Aunty also bought me a ticket to another op shop tour which is in a few weeks time, can't wait! I'm going with my cousin :) Hello Linda if you're reading! This time we will definitely be nabbing a seat near the front of the bus and not be moving to the back for some lady with 'car sickness' - yeah right! You can read about the tour me and mum went on here.

This last present wasn't op-shopped as such but was still recycled in a sense. It's a Mickey Mouse watch I used to wear when I was little. Thought we had given it away but Mum found it and got a new battery put in yipee :) Was my favourite present.

So that concludes my loot of nifty thrifty Christmas pressies. Of course like anyone I enjoy new things from time to time but I love op shopping and appreciated the thought that went into these pressies :) I can safely say none will be returning to the op shop anytime soon haha.

Christmas loot part one

With the Christmas decorations packed away the new year is well and truly underway so I thought it was about time I got my butt into gear with my blog. I've been taking lots of photos today and have a few post ideas stored up my sleeve so can't wait to publish those, although I may stick to scheduling one post to be published every couple days so it *appears* that I'm updating somewhat regularly- I hope that's not cheating!

This post features some of the op-shop related gifts I received for Christmas. Some people would probably balk at the idea of receiving op-shopped presents- after all presents should be shiny and new and wrapped in plastic packaging right? Not the way I look at it. I think a lot of thought goes in to buying someone a present from an op shop. Firstly, you have to have an idea of the person's tastes including the kinds of things they like or maybe collect. Secondly, it is likely you will have to invest a chunk of your time searching different op shops to find the right gift. Thirdly, you are essentially rescuing and finding a new use for something that would have been destined for landfill - recycling makes me happy! I've mentioned before that most op shops are charity-based, so your purchase from an op shop also helps in some small way to brighten another person's Christmas. On that subject, this year I bought a couple presents from Oxfam Unwrapped which is a great alternative to buying someone a box of chocolates or something they may not even use. Anywho, enough of the chitchat, on with the loot!

I got these cute Pierrot pieces which match the trinket box in this post. I have all three set up on my shelf displaying my jewelery, although I haven't figured out what to put in the heart shape vase yet besides maybe a pretty fake flower of something. Any ideas?

Here's a closeup of the jewellery. I absolutely love the pearl bracelet; it's an Avon one and the detailing is so pretty. The pearls aren't actually attached but are kind of wrapped in wire so they don't fall out. The ring is also an Avon one and fits my finger perfectly. The stone reminds me of an aquamarine which is my birthstone :) So nice and shiny. I'm getting a bit of a collection of Avon jewellery so it's something I keep my eye out for. I like enamel jewellery too and the earrings are really cute. Lastly is the opal necklace. It's not stamped so not sure if it's real or not but I love the colour and swear it changes every time I look at it.

Hmm this is turning into a gigantor post so I might split it into two parts. To be continued...

The jewel of the sea

This is the necklace I mentioned in the previous post that I found at Gilles Street Markets for $12. I bought it off of a lady who was selling hundreds of gorgeous vintage brooches; Mum would have been in heaven! The brooches cost upwards of $25 each but would be nice for a special gift. I really love cloisonne jewellery and was so happy to find these little rose stud earrings for a few dollars at an op shop. I love the colours of the enamel of both these pieces and how the designs are outlined in gold.

I found this cute hat brooch for $3 at the Salvos :) I remember seeing a beautiful gold hat brooch at the Gilles Street Markets ages ago (from the brooch lady I mentioned above) but there was a mix up with the price so I didn't end up buying it and have regretted it ever since. Snapped this one up as soon as I saw it. The pearl necklace I found just the other day for $5 from Goodwill. It looks so dainty and pretty. The chain is plated and I think there's a stamp on the inside of the gold ring but it's so tiny I can't even read it with a magnifying glass.

It's hard to see how shiny and sparkly this bracelet is in the photo. Each alternating link has a row of little diamantes. I think it was originally a gold colour but it polished up to a nice silver.

Lastly is this ceramic trinket box I found for $3. I did find some info about the design but can't remember how I found it now. I think the boy is some kind of Parisian clown. For now it's housing all my stud earrings

Shiny things

Here's some more jewellery that Mum and I have found recently. It was a bit overcast in Adelaide when I took the pics so had trouble finding good lighting.

Mum found the brooch for $2 - I did a bit of research and found out that the design is a Victorian-style, Limoges painting depicting a man singing to a woman. Limoges is a city in France, known for its medieval enamels and 19th century porcelain (thankyou Wikipedia). I don't think it's a genuine Limoges brooch as it's not stamped on the back, but is pretty nonetheless :)

The twisted hoop earrings were also spotted by Mum and cost $3. They're not stamped with anything but I suspect they're sterling silver as they feel quite solid. The bow necklace cost $3, and is stamped with "Tiffany" on the back, so could be a knock-off Tiffany & Co piece. I think I might wear this with the dress I found on the op shop tour :) The pearl bracelet cost $1 and is quite heavy, and also magnetic! I found out that magnetic 'pearls' are made by bonding remaining powder from polishing natural pearls onto magnetic beads, so that could be the case with this bracelet.

Last but not least, the ring... I examined this in the car after buying it, and found that it was stamped 925. In other words, nine karat gold! Most amazingly of all, it cost *drumroll* $2.50! It's a little loose fitting but I love it, especially since it was such a good find. Here's a close up of the brooch and ring for your viewing pleasure.

Tour de op shop

Mum and I had a great time on the op shop tour :) A bus took forty-five of us around to nine op shops in four hours. With a bus full of eager op shoppers (all ladies besides the driver, Bruce) Mum and I had to hone our bargain-hunting skills and put our elbows up. Our tour guide, Joanne, told us no one had ever gone home from an op shop tour without buying anything and we couldn't break the record now. Doesn't she know op shoppers don't operate well under pressure?! At the first three op shops ladies were buying bag fulls of clothing and other items, but neither Mum or I had found anything! I feared we had lost our op shopping mojo but Mum assured me not to despair...

I think it was in about our third stop where I found a gorgeous dress at the Unley Salvos. It's made of a silvery, sparkly kind of chiffon material and has a satin bow which ties around the back. I was surprised that the brand was Valley Girl because it's actually quite good quality and the last few times I've visited the shop I haven't felt very inspired by the clothing. It cost $13 and I almost didn't buy it because I'm used to the ridiculously cheap clothing at our local op shops. Mum (bascially) told me not to be so stingy and that was the end of that. I'm going to wear this to my cousin's wedding in October :) Sorry about the glaring light. Try not to look directly at it or it might temporarily blind you.

Our second to last stop was a Vinnies store which was our favourite op shop on the tour. Mum and I would have liked more time to look around, but we were on a tight schedule and it was kind of crowded. They were busy before we got there so an extra forty-five bargain hungry ladies didn't really help the claustrophobia factor. Mum ended up finding two necklaces - a silver Avon rose necklace for $4 which was for me, and a gold necklace, which we think has little bits of opal in it, for $2. I wasn't too sure about this one so Mum kept it for herself. I also got a little blue leaf-shaped dish for $1 that says "Fine China Made in Japan" on the back.

Even though some ladies were buying bag fulls of stuff, we didn't want to buy things just for the sake of it or come home with a whole lot of junk which is what I think some people did. Overall we had a really good time on the tour; it was good getting to visit op shops in areas we wouldn't normally get to, although because we had such a tight schedule we didn't get time to have a really good rummage. Some of the op shops were quite expensive; I have a thing for glomesh bags and they wanted $20 - $25 for the ones we saw! Made us appreciate the cheapness of our local op shops :)

Lady in red

I found (well technically Mum found) this gorgeously floaty batwing style Sportsgirl top a couple weeks ago at Mum and I's favourite Save The Children op shop. I don't usually shop at Sportsgirl as I find it to be a bit (a lot) expensive for a chainstore, so was very very very happy to pick this up at half price for a mere $1.75!

After a quick stop at another nearby op shop I picked up these earrings for $2 in total. The little old lady at the op shop informed me she had some similar ones at home and that $2 was a bargain because they're Avon earrings :) The earrings on the right matched the Sportsgirl top I'd picked up perfectly, so I wore both out to a housewarming party that night :)

Bejewelled

In my op shop travels I've found some really unique pieces of jewellery. One of my favourite necklaces is the wooden one on the left with the leather cord, which set me back 50c. The turquoise ring is another one of my favourites - it has writing on the inside of the band which says it's sterling silver and cost $4.50. Lucky I have small fingers because a few ladies tried it on before me but it didn't fit them. It was meant to be :) The ring next to that is a thin silver band woven into an infinity symbol or sideways 8 and cost $4. The dish came from an op shop too; I bought it to keep a few rings and things on.

After a bit of research (ie. Google) I found out that the hot air balloon brooch ($1) comes from the Red Hat Society who are a network of women 'approaching 50' who gather at conventions and events wearing red hats and purple outfits. I'm a little far away from turning 50, but I think the brooch is cute anyway :)