thrifty finds

I have been having a few health issues (dizzy spells and jumpy heart) so to take my mind off my doctors results I am expecting back tomorrow, Ben took me to Savers! He knows I love that place.

I have been a long admirer of James' style (of Bleubird Vintage) for ages now and she posted this outfit on her blog and I loved it. It's simple but so sweet and I love her shoes.

When I go treasure hunting I never really go with anything to find in mind. I have discovered that if I am after something I won't find it. For me it's best to just see what the shop holds for the day.

So today I am browsing the shoe shelves and I find these! The most lovely pair of oxfords, in cream and navy blue in fantastic condition and from Italy!

I also found a navy pencil skirt and will wear these lovely shoes with the skirt, a cream jumper (sweater) I have and this vintage scarf I found that's long enough to tie in a pussy bow.

Lovely shoes. I am overjoyed to find them!

I also found this lovely hand painted velvet belt. It was $3 and is so beautiful.

Another vintage dress for $5,

and a granny cardi for $4.

Thank you for taking me treasure hunting love. You are definitely my best find.

old napkins

Gosh Dottie Angel has magic stitchy fingers. I am forever mesmerized by her beautiful garlands, trinkets, thriftiness and handmade stitched treasures.

I popped over to find a curtain that she had sewn together and I thought it was so lovely that I would try to make my own. The curtain I had hanging previously I never really took too. I would stare at it from the couch....but not in a good way.

My friend Kelly sent me a box of old linen napkins from her Grandma. Kelly didn't want them and I gladly jumped at the chance to take the box off her hands. Wow! What a gold mine. Beautiful old napkins all embroidered. Some large. Some small. Some stained with age. A treasure trove of good stuff!

I lay out all the napkins on the floor and overlapped them depending on what I wanted shown. I made sure it looked appealing from both sides as you can see the curtain from the deck. I also wanted to use the stained napkins for that old worn look and I used black thread to sew the napkins together as I wanted the thread to stand out and make it look sort of old Italian looking. Back in the day they used dark thread to sew material together so you could admire the stitching. Although that was sewn by hand and I cheated and used my trusty machine.

I also wanted some bird lace I added to the curtain to flap around so I left it unstitched on 3 sides.

The verdict - I love it.

I added this little curtain to Project Restyle. A new craft group set up by Elsie and Rachel. It's for before and after restyled vintage projects - giving new life to old or unwanted trash that you turn into treasure.

Thank you Tif (Dottie Angel) for your never ending imagination and clever fingers!

new old treasure

In Perth I got to visit lots of second hand stores. The country has great stuff and shops were bursting at the seems. The stock was also quite different to to what I can find in the city.

If you are a reader from Perth, there were lots of stores in Northam and a huge store in Bindoon. My favourite store was behind the newsagent in Toodyay. All the proceeds go to the Royal Flying Doctors.

There were also 3 mega-huge stores in Belmont - Good Sammy's, Vinnies and Salvos.

I found this beautiful material (that I made into a cushion yesterday) from Northam. It was 50 cents and it's thick and strong and so lovely.
These cute vintage coasters from Japan (label was still on the back) were also from Northam and cost 50 cents.

I found this lovely jug which reminds me of Julia cooking in France from the Emporium in Toodyay. I visited the shop a couple of times because it's so awesome!

This cute scarf was 50 cents. If you don't like wearing them on your neck, they look lovely tied on your handbag.

I love this pendant. It was $4.50.

This little brooch with pressed flowers jumped out at me. It was $1.

I found this lovely skirt at Vinnies in Toodyay and it was $5. I wear it as a dress with a belt and a cardi. In Winter I can wear it with boots and tights. It's a beautiful emerald green colour.

This top is not vintage but I couldn't go past the beading or the flowers. It will look lovely with jeans and a granny cardi to jazz the look up a bit.

I purchased this dress on Etsy while I was away. Thanks to mobile phones with internet coverage! I love the bright colours and I will wear it exactly like this. With black tights and a wide belt.

This dress is from Melinda Milkshake.

This dress was on the mannequin in Toodyay at my favourite store and I took it off. Then I could hear the lady in the shop, "Bob love, do we have another outfit for the poor old naked lass?" hehe.

This cobalt blue dress with black and gold could not be left behind. I have worn it twice already and it's a great day dress!

Erin, my magical dress lady from Peachy Pipes sent this dress to me while I was away. The best thing to see in the pile of mail when we came home. It's a vintage Mexican dress and it's wonderful!

Tent dresses are the best thing since sliced bread. They sit perfectly, you don't have to mess about with buttons, you can wear them loose or belted. This vintage dress was $5 and it's in perfect condition.

This lovely dress is going to be worn with leggings and a belt and cardi. Or if all that fails I can wear it to bed.

Two pairs of Mary Jane's - still lots of wear left and both pairs came to $4.50.

And pin-up girl wedges for $5.

Lots of lovely things. If you have a good long look.

perf

Perth (or Perf as Audrey calls it) is on the other side of Australia. The western side.

It is where we were all born, where our family all live, it holds a bazillion memories......it's also extremely hot.

I do not hide the fact that I loathe the heat. Make-up to me is supposed to be on my face, not running down into my shoes. When I do my hair it is supposed to sit flat, not be so wild with humidity that I have to walk through doors sideways. When I walk from the back door to the front door I am supposed to arrive looking like I have not just run a biathlon.

Good grief the weather!

So why we decided to make the trip back to Perth in the middle of Summer is a decision that must have been made on a cold day in Melbourne. Also Christmas had something to do with it. "Let's go back and have a holiday at Christmas in the middle of Summer!"

We went for 3 weeks and a day and as much as we love our family, it's not exactly a holiday. Visiting family and moving from one home to the next is not a holiday. For one, as much as you love seeing everyone, it's not your home. You are out of your comfort zone and move about like a thief stealing jewellery. You tread the boards lightly. You put cups on coasters. You shower like at any moment someone is going to bust the door down. You can't even go to the toilet like you do in your own home. Plus, it's been years since Ben and I left home. You just get used to doing things your own way.

Not that anyone wasn't accommodating and lovely, it's just the way it is. I am sure everyone was keen to see our backs retreat too.

The highlights of our trip -

New Years Eve. We had a fantastic night that went into early morning. We danced and sang and kicked our legs up. I think I flashed my knickers.

The Beach. We went to the Beach at Mum's house every morning and it was wonderful. The wind was blowing the right way the entire stay which meant no seaweed. We collected shells and floated in the water.

Home. Sometimes you need to be away from something to realise how much you love it. We missed our home everyday. Our cats. Seeing our purple house from the street as you drive up. The dirt road. Our garden. The green trees. Home. There is nothing like it.

The Lowlights -

Leaving your family and realising you forgot to tell them something.

The changes. The image of a holiday you have in your mind never really works out the same in real life. I worked so hard to be different this year. To look different and to be more confident.
When I went back to Perth, I just felt like the same shy, tubby person. I just don't understand it - at home I tell great jokes and I snort and feel great and I look in my mirror and think "well that will do..." but it all left the building when I arrived in Perth. I just felt awkward and that I was disappointing everyone.

Time. I wanted to see so many more people, but time ran out.

Audrey and Elton at Elton's 5th birthday party. They had a wonderful time.

Admiring the view from our hotel in Melbourne. We had dinner in the city and saw the big Christmas tree.

Waking up early the day of our flight and watching hot air balloons drift over the city.

If you ever wanted to know what it looks if the ocean was drained of water, then this is the place for you. The Pinnacles in Cervantes. My Mum lives here.

Mum's flowers.

Long shadows.

The old mill in Toodyay.

We found some lawn to rest on at the mill under a tree. It was lovely.

My darling family.

Our last day eating ice-cream at Hillary's. It was lovely there.

Thank you to Mum and John (Granny and Papa), Dad and Janine, Tom and Sam (Grandad and Nanny J) and Mick and Les (Grandma and Pa) for letting us stay with you. We had a lovely visit.

xxx

home, home on the range....

We are home. Home from our family visit in Perth.

With the trip, catching up, getting back into the routine and the terrible sadness from the Queensland Floods, I am bone tired.

A trip roundup is on the way, but here is some new music from a great Melbourne band - Gypsy and The Cat. If you like MGMT - French disco, electronic inspired music, you will like this band.

No matter how sad or tired you feel....music always gets you through.