Little Rascal

TOO MUCH SUGAR...

2012-01-27T22:08:00.005Z

I'm so sleepy... Today was my mother in laws birthday
and we went a bit mad on dessert, had 3 different things,
first Raspberry Roulade (A light chewy meringue filled
with raspberry mousse and raspberry sauce) Carte D'Or
Chocolate Inspiration and Tiramisu. Uhh... Stuffed.

As my mother in law is a typical Jewish picky lady it was
extremely nice that she liked all her presents for once and
that she had a good time.
I made an effort to make the kitchen look nice and clean
and I made some flower arrangement for the table.
I love how it turned out.

Have a nice weekend!

PRODUCTIVE DAY

2012-01-26T23:33:00.005Z

Hi from a tired Rascal!
Ten hour day today, spent the entire day running
errands and re-arrange the shop both downstairs
and upstairs, getting new stuff cleaned and out for
on the shop floor.
Also got paint donated for upstairs new wall, thank
you Wilkinsons! Productive day! :D

As soon as I got home I created a FB page, check
it out here!

This is how it looked today after the re-arranging.
Click on the image for much larger view.

THRIFT-O-RAMA

2012-01-24T12:20:00.014Z

Third day off, well off is not the right word, today is cleaning
and laundry day. Also have a few things I want to list in my
Etsy shop but the light is terrible so I doubt the photos will
come out right.

Miss Tallulah Porkchop said a few days ago: "I don't know
where you find the time to work between all the thrifting."

Well, since I work in a charity shop that specialize in vintage
and retro it does make it pretty easy.
We go to the antique market (that's located about 50 meter
from our shop) one hour before we open so we have time to
scout, both for ourselves and for the shop.
We also get to pull stuff from one of the other branches so I
often find stuff that I want to adopt.

This is what I snagged last Friday at the antique market.

Vintage bra, £1.50.

1950's/1960's knitted lurex top, £1.50.

1960's stainless steel plate, 10 pence.

Big 1960's tray, £2.

1950's/1960's plates, 10 pence each.

1950's glasses, £5.

1950's vase, £1. 1960's thermometer, £1.

MR & MRS RASCAL ON TV

2012-01-22T20:07:00.004Z

Me and my sexy man ended up in the Swedish TV programme
Biltokig (Car Crazy) earlier this week.
It’s from A-Bombers old style weekend last summer, you see
us between 02:04-02:38. :))

IN THE POST TODAY

2012-01-19T19:32:00.003Z

So much for the shoe stop!
I've got too many shoes for my own good that some of
the 90 litre boxes now moved up to the loft and I said
enough. What happens? Well, my lovely man has been
on eBay and bought two pair of lovely mules I had on
my watch list. Bless him. :))

SOME NEW THINGS...

2012-01-19T13:19:00.015Z

Hi there! I'm bed bound today on my day off, worked a bit
too hard yesterday and every muscle in my body is aching.
No worries, I got my laptop and a whole bunch of craft to
fiddle with so I'm set. Need to rest up for the weekend, the
shop is manic on Fridays and Saturdays.

I've got me some new things lately.
It's been a while since I posted about clothing...

Wallet, 50 pence.
From a charity shop. Never used and slim, just what I wanted.

Vintage moc croc clutch, £2.
From a charity shop. Looks way better IRL. Very classy.

Toiletry case, £2.
From Primarks sale. Not that I need another one. :))

Gloves, £2. From Primarks sale.
Flats, 50 pence. From a charity shop. Never used.

Faux fur vest, 50 pence. From a charity shop.
Pinup style top, 50 pence. From a charity shop.

Lurex bolero, 50 pence.
From a charity shop. Actually one piece of lurex clothing that
I didn't have and I just love boleros.

Art deco style capelet, 50 pence.
From a charity shop. It's so stunning on, if I got the energy
I might pose for you. :)

ME, RIGHT NOW

2012-01-17T19:50:00.004Z

Yep, this is me, right now.
This seafoam/aqua green wig arrived today.
I prefer the pink one but a girl's gotta have options.

MORE FINDS!

2012-01-15T10:51:00.012Z

Good morning!
Last night I went to bed around 10 PM and had 12
hours of sleep but I'm still knackered. I even dream
about work, it's quite ridiculous. :))
I got 3 days off now and I'm determined to have 3
days off this time even if there's tons to do.
I'm gonna tidy the house and the loft and concentrate
on crafting and take care of myself, but that's about it.

Friday the 13th was a lucky day indeed.
I found a few bits at the antique market that I've been
after for quite a while and it cost me a song.
Check it out...

Over sized artificial flowers, 75 pence for the lot.
Perfect for making fascinators! I might keep the huge red one for
myself.

Abalone and Lucite dolphin wall plaque, 75 pence.
I've been on a hunt for something like this to hang in our mighty
ugly bathroom.
This one is so pretty and it reminds me of this beautiful set from
Miss Tayva Jewelry.

Hawaiian girl head lamp base, £3.
Artificial flowers, 75 pence for both stems.
I can't remember when and where I saw a Hawaiian girl lamp
but since then it's been on my wish list.
I now have to find the bits I need to turn this into an actual lamp.
The flowers will be turned into hair flowers this week.

1950's/1960's bikini top, 75 pence.
Will be perfect with red shorts or red capri pants.

1950's/1960's plastic tulips with lights, 75 pence.
This is also an item that's been on my wish list for years.

So pretty when lit.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED!

2012-01-12T20:49:00.035Z

I was supposed to have today off, that didn't happen!
We had a huge delivery yesterday and all that needed
to be sorted and cleaned before tomorrow when we
hopefully get more donations from the antique dealer
and his friends. We also get a wall built upstairs in the
future show room so the area around it needed to be
cleared. I'm finally gonna get a workshop in the shop.
I also had to go to a house clearance this evening so in
total I had an 11 hour day with no breaks.

It sure is nice to sit in bed and blog right now, this is
"me time"!

OK, let's change the subject just a little.
I want to show you a few things I managed to snag at
the antique market last Friday...

1950's kangaroo salt and pepper shaker, £2.
This is in mint condition and it was love as first sight!
I think it's so funny how the big kangaroo is slouching, it does
remind me of how English Bull Terriers sit. :))
The S&P shakers are the small ones by the way.

1950's/1960's plastic fruit, £1 for the lot.
I was happy as can be when I found these 3 stems of plastic
fruit, there's no better way to revamp a wicker bag!

Hair flower/brooch, 75 pence.
I hate fraying flowers so this might go on a fascinator to give
it a bit of a vintage shabby chick flare.

Starburst hair clip, 75 pence.
Love this! Looking forward to get my aqua green wig so I can
wear it in style - Atomic style! :D

1960's powder dispenser, 75 pence.
This is so handy! I don't use compact powder and it's not easy to
find a pocket size dispenser that have a separate compartment
for the powder puff. This was a great find!

1960's clutch, free.
I actually got a fascinator in the same color so that's really
neat. Even better, it was free! :)

1950's sewing book, free.
Yes, the antique dealer we get stuff donated from has got an eye
out for cool stuff just for me and he doesn't care about money.
Now that's a great start of the weekend! :D

Early 1960's beauty book, £2.
Oh la la, a book in a box, now that's fancy, just how I like it.
Let's have a look inside...

As you can see it's called The Book of Beauty by Eileen Allen.

Lovely illusions are good, I can do with that!

Oh yeah, I want killer eyebrows like Miss Tayva, maybe this
book can teach me a thing or two...

I could go on all evening posting pages out of this one but
I'm way too tired, maybe I do a post just about this book
in the future.

1950's Panorama Viewer, £1.
I don't care that much about the toy but I looove the box!
So cool!

This is the back of the box, now how neat is that! :D

KITSCH BOOST

2012-01-11T12:46:00.026Z

I got two days off from restoring and revamping.
Well, not really, got a table and a few other bits that need
some fixing so I took them home so I can work in a warm
environment. Also got some research to do.
I really do need a break, we'd been working even on our
days off lately and yesterday were manic to say the least!
I finished restoring six pieces of furniture and I learned the
art of creating a shabby chic distressed look and after we
closed we went to an amazing Edwardian house (built 1906)
to meet this rich man who wanted to donate a lot of stunning
furniture from the 1930's and a ton of books.
On Friday I will post a picture of the most gorgeous vanity
I ever seen! (He gave away two!) I so wish this house were
bigger, I would so keep it for myself if that was the case. :P

Got some new pictures of the shop after we rearranged it.
Check it out here! (Newest pics first.)

Just before Hanukkah I ordered two craft books for myself.
(They arrived last week.)
I needed a kitsch boost and these really did the trick! :)
I got them both for a song (less than £2 each) from Amazon.
Click the links to get a preview of the contents of the books.

The Naughty Secretary Club:
The Working Girl's Guide to Handmade Jewelry

Craftster Guide to Nifty, Thrifty, and Kitschy Crafts:
Fifty Fabulous Projects from the Fifties and Sixties

I also got this tape dispenser for £5.99 on eBay.

HEY DOLLY!

2012-01-06T20:33:00.005Z

Finally fixed shadowboxes for my dolls!
The shadow boxes were on sale at YMCA for 75 pence
each, they are deep, which is exactly what I needed.
The dolls were a true bargain, I got all four of them for
just 5 krona (50 pence) at a flea market in Sweden two
years ago.
The ice cream cones are soap bubble bottles that I got
from Tesco's party section.

The left box is my favorite.
I might add something more with the other one because
I think it looks a bit too dull.

THE NEW ME?

2012-01-05T16:42:00.004Z

No, not permanently but every now and then.
Got this wig last week and I love it!
Now I wonder why I didn't get one earlier.
I must confess, I actually asked my cousin's 14
year old daughter if I'm too old to get a pink wig
before I made the purchase! LOL!

The bone clip is my own creation.

ATOMIC STARBURST

2012-01-05T12:59:00.008Z

Last Friday I did something I really didn’t think I
would do since I'm quite shy and suffer with social
phobia. This might seem dumb to you but for me
it’s is actually an accomplishment.
OK, now to the story, me and my man go to work
a little bit earlier every Friday to have time to scout
around the antique market before we open the shop.
I ended up having a chat with one of the dealers that
I buy from every now and then.
He said he give whatever's left of his stuff at the end
of the day to charity so I batted my lashes and said
that I work in a charity shop and by 2 PM we got a
huge load of stuff!
He said he gladly give us stuff every Friday from now
on since we’re so close to the market and we’re nice.

Let's hope the word get around and some of the other
dealers will do the same. That would be swell.

I bought this little thing from him:

I got this little Pyrex starburst jug for 10 pence.
Goes well with our bigger jug.
The lid had been chewed on by a dog so I removed
it, no biggie, especially not for that price. :D

And these I found in one of the boxes he gave us:

Since there were only 3 of this awesome starburst
cutlery I decided to keep them for myself, we can't
sell odds and it would end up being melt down and
never ever be appreciated.

BEFORE AND AFTER

2012-01-04T19:49:00.007Z

Hi dear readers! Happy new year!
Did you make any new year’s resolutions?
I did, I want and need to be more creative.
I got creative freedom at work and I started the new
year by saving a stunning teak sideboard, it was in an
awful state when it came in with five dark water rings
and a huge white patch on the top, I sanded it with a
very fine sandpaper until the whole top were in the
same tone and then I oiled it twice, it does look brand
new now and I so wish I took before and after pictures.
I did with my second project of the year tho, a kidney
shaped vanity from the 1950's.
The top were quite icky, I must add that in the before
picture I had already painted the top white.
Then I made curtains in a leopard printed satin fabric
and added black satin bias at the bottom hem.
I glued the same fabric on the top and when it dried I
put on the glass top for protection.
I left the drawers natural color because it's up to the
new owner to do whatever they see fit with it.
The white stool is included in the sale.
Quite neat, huh?

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

MY MAN

2012-01-02T11:44:00.001Z

My handsome man back in the mid 1990's.
Quite funny that he looks like a member of NKOTB. :D

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-31T20:33:00.000Z

WITCHES BREW

2011-12-28T22:11:00.012Z

We're having a friend over tonight so I decided to make my
own witches brew. :D
(i.e. I use whatever I got in the cupboards.)
I never throw away cider because you can drink it warm and
it doesn't have to be fizzy, we rarely drink and we had a bottle
that's been waiting in the cupboard for some time.
I put it in a pot and added some whole cloves, three cinnamon
sticks, saffron, fresh grated ginger and some brown sugar and
boiled it for about 10 minutes.
It turned out quite well, they gave me thumbs up, I do think I
should have added a bit more sugar, in Sweden cider is often
sweet and here in England it's not.
Have to remember that for next time...

Sift before drinking.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2011-12-24T11:23:00.015Z

Happy holidays dear readers and friends!

I've been so awfully busy at work that I haven't even
had the time to make our home nice for Hanukkah or
blog about our 5th anniversary and my recent finds.
We got a few days off now so I will be updating you all
what I've been up to, promise.

Now I'm gonna go downstairs, have brunch alone and
then make some Caribbean toffee and then finish tidy
and clean this mess of a house.

Yesterday on our way home I asked my man to stop by our
local Wilkinsons because I wanted a few Hyacinths on the
table for when we're having guests over tomorrow.
(We're gonna eat Swedish X-mas food but all vegetarian and
celebrate Hanukkah with our friends Ruth and Pat.)
I didn't find any but I did end up leaving the store with a red
"Hanukkah bush" for £5. ;))
I have some really nice X-mas ornaments from the 1950's and
1960's that just lay in a box and I wanted to make an effort for
our guests and to get some holiday spirit for once.
Later on my man went to ASDA to buy groceries so I asked
him to pick up some gold glitter but they were all out so he
asked the manager if it was okay to take some of the glitter
from the shop decor and he said it was fine since they were
gonna take it down and bin it later in the evening anyway.
Frugal and environmentally friendly. ;)
It does look like some kind of burning bush with the red and
the gold.
My man said it's his first ever, I myself gave up X-mas 15
years ago but I kind of miss it some times because it does
remind me of my late grandma who I adore.

Have a splendid holiday, see you soon!

STACK-A-RECORDS

2011-12-21T11:41:00.008Z

I got a stack-a-records here, a stack-a-records there,
I got records scattered all over everywhere...

We got a lot of scratched records at work that we can't
sell and I really think there's enough waste at the landfill
so I decided to make something fun out of them for the
shop.

Record cake stand.

And here's a tacky fake mahogany table I revamped by
spraying it black and glue an LP on the top.

I'm working on a few other things right now that I might
show you quite soon.

SPICY

2011-12-17T16:06:00.003Z

Got this vintage basket not so long ago.
It needed spicing up and nothing is spicier than chillies. :)
Found the plastic chillies in a Pakistani shop in East London
and they are sewn onto the bag with fishing line.
Easiest revamp ever.

A LITTLE PEEK

2011-12-16T16:49:00.015Z

Greetings from a very tired Rascal.
We been working 10-12 hour days with hardly any breaks
for 4 days and today we finally opened up the doors to the
public.
Apparently we'd done one heck of a job because no one
that came in to the shop today could believe it's a charity
shop, it looks more like a boutique.
We take that as a huge compliment. :)

Here's a few photos from today.
Let me introduce Vintage & Retro.

Click on the pictures for a much larger view.

FIRST DAY

2011-12-13T20:11:00.009Z

Hi! Done my first work day in the shop today.
We're setting it all up from scratch and it's so much
to do and we open the doors on Friday.
Have worked 10 hours today, only 15 minute break
for lunch. From 0 to 10 hours hard work is a pretty
big difference but I do enjoy being busy.
I've been running around between two shops to get
all vintage bits from one to the other and I've been
buying essentials for this weeks revamping.
I cleaned every single piece of furniture, tomorrow
I will be oiling everything and revamp two vanity-
tables and a bedside table.
I'm really looking forward to the point when it's nice
and tidy and everything is in place so I can show
you all where I now work.

It feels really good to make a difference and also to
do what I'm really good at. I'm excited!

Enough blogging for me, need to finish cleaning the
house and the laundry.

LAST NIGHT

2011-12-12T11:16:00.000Z

Me and my man at Dingwalls last night.

:D

2011-12-11T12:06:00.001Z

I made a smiling banana cake yesterday! :D

STUNNING STOCKING FILLERS

2011-12-07T13:29:00.018Z

I'm a big admirer of Miss Tayva and have been so since
2001 when I first discovered her as a sassy pinup chick.
I'm very lucky to also consider her as one of my friends.
Not only does she have the most wicked classy sense
of style, she's also one awesome jewelry maker!

I'm so excited that she's now making 1950's style lucite
bangles and earrings with glitter confetti. Loooove!
Make sure you tell your husband or boyfriend to stuff
your X-mas stocking full of her yummy jewelry.

Click here to get to her Etsy shop and click here to get
to her Facebook page.

Pictures from Miss Tayva's FB page and Etsy shop.

UNTIL SPRING

2011-12-07T11:28:00.005Z

Malin commented on this basket the other day, she said:
"Your potatoes have a really fancy basket to lay around in."

Indeed they do. :)
(Until spring.)

LATE LAST NIGHT...

2011-12-06T17:12:00.005Z

I do have the best man in the world!
Like I didn't got enough beautiful gifts from him, late
last night he popped the cork on the pink Champagne
and gave me yet another gift, I opened the box, inside
there was a black Coro Pegasus confetti 3 piece set.

MY BIRTHDAY GIFTS

2011-12-05T18:27:00.012Z

Hi from bed!
I've had pizza for lunch, looking forward to the cheese -
cake and Champagne now.

My man really spoilt me rotten today.
Even tho the glitter lucite handbag arrived broken, the
SPA went bust and we're too ill to go to Brighton I must
say it has been a very nice day.

1950's lucite earrings.
I did wish for lucite bling with confetti...

1950's lucite clamper.
I didn't expect him to get me a matching set!

The most stunning shoes ever.
Totally dreamy, I really looking forward to summer now.

And same stunning shoes in another color! :D
Yes, I got the best guy ever!

Huge tea mug.
I've been looking for one for quite a while but never found one I
liked, this one is so cute!

Gold glitter calendar.
Really great for when I start working. :)
Since I'm nuts about gold lurex and lame' this suits my style perfectly.

I also got 100 gram of over priced salty liquorice.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...

2011-12-05T11:56:00.005Z

One year older and not much wiser.

We're both too ill (flu) to go to Brighton today, which
sucks but we said we'll do it another day soon.
Celebrating in bed today with pizza, Champagne and
a whole stack of films. Oh, and cake, of course.

YES!!!

2011-12-03T11:13:00.000Z

He got the job as store manager! :D

SPYING IN ESSEX

2011-12-01T10:31:00.019Z

Hello!
Can't believe winter started today, it's sunny and not
at all cold over here.
Today both my dad and my uncle got one year older,
yes they have the same birthday, big hug to you guys!
Next week is my turn to get older.
The plan is to go to Brighton but both me and my man
has got a cold and it better be gone by then because
I've really been looking forward to go back.

Talking about going places, the day before yesterday
we went on a mission to another branch (that only do
vintage too) in Essex to get an idea how we're gonna
set up the shop, our boss sent us on a paid inspiration
trip. Free lunch too. :D
We were spies for a day checking out prices and such.

And of course I didn't leave empty handed.
Here's some goodies I snagged in the charity shops.

1950's deer, 10 pence.
Yeah, he's a bit scruffy and I don't do X-mas but he was too
cute to leave behind.

1950's book stand, 50 pence.
Just what I needed! I love the shape.

1950's handbag, £3.50.
I got one just like this but in red, this is in mint condition.

Tie, £1.
Gave this to my man so he would look handsome on stage.

Vintage belt, £1.50.
This look so good on! It would look even better if I still had
a 23 inch waist. Working on it.

1950's wicker basket, £2.
My heart skipped a beat when I discovered that the basket
was for sale! I store potatoes in this at the moment since it's
not season for baskets.

1950's Vanity Fair blouse, £5.
I believe this is a PJ top but I tried it on with black high waist
pants and it look great, no one can tell. ;)

Swing jacket, £3.50.
You can't really see that it's black, green and gray.
Looks very smart, quite classy.

PAID IN KIND

2011-11-28T14:00:00.004Z

Hi and hello!
I'm back from busyland.
So much is going on right now even I can't keep up.
(I feel like a douche for not having time to read and
comment in my friends blogs.)
Good news! The new charity shop is happening, last
week we went to see the space and we met the CEO
and a few days later they signed the lease.
Since then I've been running around like crazy pulling
vintage from the other stores in the area and been to
the warehouse to clean furniture for the new shop.
My man is going for his interview later this week and
I hope he get to be the store manager, they would be
silly not to get him the job.
Keep your fingers crossed! :)

As you know I get paid in kind, which works for now.
Here's some of it...

1950's kids mattress.
This was gonna end up in the skip, nothing wrong with it
and it's in good condition, just needed a clean.

Vintage dancing shoes.
I don't think they ever been used.
I've been wanting a pair of real dance shoes for quite a long
time but haven't found any for a price I agreed with.
These need the inner sole glued and new heel tips but that's
far cheaper than buying a new pair.

Cardigan.
Color is just perfect for autumn.

Ouzo glasses.
Won't be used for drinking tho, these are just perfect to put
flower cuttings in.

1950's Betterware crumb brush.
This is such a silly item, really, but I couldn't resist.
She might find a new home eventually.

1960's head phones.
Gave these to my man.

1960's tea strainer.
This one is so stylish it makes my mid century heart skip a beat.

SILLY

2011-11-18T14:53:00.002Z

I feel like such an idiot for blogging about this...
I bought this heart shaped mouse on eBay last week
for £1.76 including shipping and it arrived today and
I love it, it lights up when I use it and it's such a silly
thing, really, but it makes me all bubbly inside.
I'm typing this with a smile.

What silly little thing makes you bubbly?

ARRIVED TODAY

2011-11-17T19:22:00.002Z

Here's a recent eBay purchase that arrived today.
Miss Selfridge heels, £6.50.
It was a nice surprise to discover that they never
been worn and still had the price tag on.
(Original retail price was £35.)

I'M ABOUT TO BURST

2011-11-17T19:19:00.002Z

Hi girls, sorry for the lack of posts, I've been busy.
I'm actually so excited I'm about to burst!
You know I told you that I had a consultant gig lined
up for a world wide charity organization, so earlier in
the week me and my man went to this big warehouse
to pick out pieces that's vintage and worth something.
It was nice to feel important and useful because I see
the potential in all things grubby and I could tell what
should be revamped or just cleaned.
The area manager were so impressed she wanted my
man to apply for a manager job (I don't have his skills)
and she wanted us to be a part of opening up a brand
new carity shop who's gonna specialize in vintage.
If my man get the job I will be his trusted sidekick.
I'm only gonna get paid in store vouchers but my man
will get paid but I hope that it will lead to a paid job in
the near future because I feel that we can really rock
this thing.
We were like the dynamic duo in there and I'm gonna
make sure they simply can't manage without us.

Yesterday we went back to the warehouse to do some
well needed organizing and move all the good vintage
bits to one room and start cleaning them up, you won't
believe how many 1950's vanity tables and 1960's G-
Plan they've got! :D
We did a lot and we're going back next week to finish.
Also, on Monday we're going to the new store to check
out the space and to see what we need to do, the shop
need to be up and running in two weeks.

This prep job is at least a start and I hope that things
will go well, we so need a bit of luck.

KITTY LOVES MAMBO

2011-11-12T15:15:00.003Z

This is so cool!
As you know I had these cats in my blog for quite a
long time now, found a small picture of just the two
cats a hundred years ago but without source.
Today retrogasm on tumblr posted this and I found
out that the illustrators name is Jim Flora.
Thanks retrogasm! :D

I DARED

2011-11-10T19:03:00.005Z

I'm trying to sort my life out right now.
I felt totally low because my so called business is not
going the right way, my handmade items doesn't sell
and it makes me feel like I'm not a really great artist,
it's all a vicious circle.
Today I had enough, my social phobia has got a solid
grip on me and it need to stop.
I can't fix it all at once, baby steps.
Today I actually called my surgery all by myself and
I asked the landlady at a local pub where my man is
gigging next week if I could set up a little stall and sell
rocking X-mas presents and she gave me thumbs up.
I might also have a "job"as a vintage consultant for a
very well known charity.
They have opened a few and will open more shops in
this county and they need my knowledge what to get
into the shops. Don't know yet if I will get paid at first
but it's very nice to be asked.

This my friends is a shawl that I picked up at my old
workplace today for £2. (Click image for larger view.)
I found it a few weeks back but had to have a think
about it and when I went back it was gone but today
it was there again and I got it! :D
I like big shawls, they look quite posh and artsy but
I never dared to get one and I never seen one with
a price tag I liked.
But today I dared, I must have been inspired by my
dear blog friend Ulrika.
I'm totally borrowing her idea to wear it with a belt.
- A lurex belt I might add. ;))
See how awesome it looks on her here and here.

RIGHT NOW...

2011-11-10T14:52:00.005Z

I'm enjoying a cup of Clippers orange and coconut tea.
I added a bit of honey and some fresh grated ginger and
it's the perfect beverage on a cold day like today.
Just saying...

LATEST EBAY

2011-11-09T16:02:00.003Z

Some things I just can't resist, one of them is vintage lurex.
I didn't want to blog about this stunner before it arrived safely
to my house. It seems like everything I blog about beforehand
is getting lost in the mail. Jinxed?
Anyway, it arrived yesterday and it fits beautifully, I do wish I
was all better and had some awesome event to go to.
It's really a goddess dress!

It's a late 1950's dress with lurex details, it cost £11.50.

Click on the image for a larger view.

REVAMPED BAG

2011-11-08T17:13:00.005Z

I bought this last month for 20 pence.
As you might remember it was not in the best
condition, the previous owner had scribbled on
the sides.
Since I always go for Bettie Page when I revamp
stuff (see here, here, here and here) I thought it
was time for a change, and since I'm not much of
a Marilyn Monroe fan (I used to be as a kid tho)
my natural choice was Jayne Mansfield.

I measured, cut and laminated two pictures (the
other side has got the same picture too) and put
the plastic behind the edges so I didn't have to
use any glue, they will stay.
And I can change picture if I ever get tired of J.
Who knows, maybe I'll make a few more pics to
chose from.
I guess you just have to wait and see. :)

FILMISAR

2011-11-07T18:34:00.006Z

Even tho it hasn't been the best of days at least I managed
to do some crafting (finally!!!) and list a few things on Etsy.

I started making these refrigerator magnets back in 2002
when I was working at Årsta Textile & Paper Workshop in
Stockholm.
They had a laminator that I used before I bought my own.
It's not much to it, just laminate them and stick a magnet
on the back. Easy peasy.
These cards are old Swedish trading cards and were very
popular during 1950's-1970's. We call them "Filmisar".
I found these at a flea market last time I visited Sweden.

Just so you know...
My shop will be closed from Dec 1 to Jan 7.
There's a lot of packages that's gone missing (or got stolen)
previous years and it takes ages for some to arrive (= angry
costumers), therefore my shop will be closed.
If you need anything for X-mas, make sure you get it soon!

I WANT TO CRY...

2011-11-07T11:52:00.005Z

I'm so angry I feel nauseous!
My lovely man bought me this 1950's glitter Lucite handbag
in a treasure chest design with a carved handle, RARE!!!
It was gonna be a birthday present but it arrived in 3 pieces.
Two sheets of bubble wrap for overseas shipping, really?!
And no fragile stickers what so ever.
The seller's a dealer, she should have known better!!!
I want to cry...

Does anyone know how to glue vintage Lucite?
If it's possible I can at least use it as a jewelry box, if the
seller doesn't want the bag back that is.
Better than nothing I suppose.

FOR TOMORROW

2011-11-05T15:41:00.003Z

Just baked fat free cakes for the band rehersal tomorrow.
The one in the front is apple & cinnamon and the one in the
back is carrot, fresh ginger, cinnamon & cardamom.
The house smells wonderful right now...

Recipe here and here.

BOOST THE SYSTEM

2011-11-04T11:41:00.014Z

Uh, change of season is not a picnic for me.
Every autumn and winter I suffer with SAD and I was
born with a shitty immune system.
Now is a good time to boost the system and I'm doing
that by taking walks (fresh air is key) and eating a lot
of vitamins, not only in pill form, I prefer fresh fruit.
Oh, and garlic, loads of garlic!

My man really stock up fruit and berries this time of
year, turns out that being friendly with a greengrocer
is a good thing.
Right now we have seven bowls full of delicious fruit
and a whole lot in the fridge.

I make my own fresh juice in the morning, right now I
love a mix of oranges, grapefruit, lime and fresh ginger.
For breakfast I'm having a fruit salad.
I'm not a dinner person, I can't eat a proper meal in the
evening, I'm more of a big lunch type of girl, but I still
need to eat and my favorite is, guess what, more fruit.

One of the fruit bowls right now.

Examples of "dinner".

Melon and fresh raspberries.

Granny Smith apples, grapes and fresh raspberries.

Mango, figs and fresh strawberries.

RECYCLING IS REWARDING

2011-11-03T13:37:00.007Z

Yesterday we went for lunch with a friend and in the
evening we went to IKEA to get some Swedish treats,
turns out that they don't sell salty liquorice anymore,
they only sell their own brand.
Oh well, at least I got some cardamom crisp rolls.

After our visit to IKEA we went to my father in law to
help him out with some things, the man is 83 and not
that spry anymore.
He had a few bags of stuff that needed to be sorted,
some to give to charity and some to recycle.
When I was sorting through the bags I did find a little
something for myself, Metropolis on DVD and this set
of pens.
I don't know why he had them in the first place, gold
and rhinestones is not really his style. ;))
It's nice to rewarded for doing a mitzvah.

Click the image for larger view.

TOTAL SPEND £5

2011-11-01T15:10:00.012Z

A couple of weeks ago me and my man went to our
last outdoor car boot sale of the year.
At the end of season there's really nothing left of the
gems people have cleared from their loft but it's still
worth a browse.
I'm glad we went, as you can see...

Vintage 1970's dress, £2.50.
This dress is too sweet for words. I already look forward to
spring so I can use it. :)

Close up.

Vintage 1970's knitted vest, £2.50.
Yep, another green item. Couldn't resist it and it looks fab
with black palazzo pants and black long sleeve top.

Vintage 1950's house dress, free.
Got this for free from the couple who sold us the strawberry
dress and the knitted vest.
I bought stuff of them before, like our bedroom lights and a
lamp shade, just to name a few.
They seem to really like us, maybe because we appreciate
old things and that we always take our time to have a chat.

Close up.

Vintage 1960's pillow cases, free.
These were actually left in a bin bag after a seller packed up
and was about to leave. I asked nicely if I could have them
and that was no problem with her.
They are going to be revamped into handbags as soon as my
hobby room is cleared from junk.

MOVIE NIGHT

2011-10-31T20:28:00.011Z

Me and my man are about to crawl under the covers and
have a Tim Burton night tonight.
We're gonna start with my very favorite, Frankenweenie.
As a Bull Terrier lover it might be understandable why it's
my favorite. :)
I used to have the VHS but I watched it so many times so
the tape was useless even before the video broke down.
I haven't had the luck to find it on DVD yet so we're going
to watch it on You Tube.

If you want to watch it too, here's a shortcut:
Part 1, 2 and 3. Enjoy!

Next movie on our watch list will be Sleepy Hollow and
after that, if we're awake, Beetlejuice.

Here's a great doo wop track by Monotones that I think
you might like on a night like this.
It's called "Legend of Sleepy Hollow".

1.5 KG!!!

2011-10-31T12:54:00.007Z

Remember that I won a contest Vintage Brighton held on
their website last week?
The prize was a bunch of sweets, a Cath Kidston bag and
a copy of the magazine Vintagexplorer.
The package arrived today and it was quite heavy, it turns
out to be 1.5 kg worth of sweets!!! There goes my diet. ;))

MY HALLOWEEN WEEKEND

2011-10-30T13:44:00.014Z

I guess most of you were dressed up in costumes last night.
If you were, what or who were you dressed up as?
I myself didn't dress up, I stayed in and relaxed with my
hairy werewolf man.

Here's what I did during the Halloween weekend...

I baked Swedish sticky chocolate cake with Baileys. Divine!
I wanted to bake pumpkin pie but we didn't have all ingredients at home.

Had an evening snack with my man while watching scary movies.
We had raw cauliflower, carrot sticks and hummus.
Cauliflower looks like brain by the way. :D

I was an online DJ, playing only spooky tracks from 1950's-1960's.

I read spooky books.

And watched The Munsters.

Right now I'm taking care of a horror show of it's own, my
closet, rotating to fall and winter wear. A total nightmare.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2011-10-29T15:27:00.001+01:00

LONG TIME NO SEE!

2011-10-27T12:39:00.011+01:00

Good afternoon! It's been a while.
The reason for my absence is that I've been too ill to be
online and I've had nothing to really blog about.
My sweet man has dragged me out on two occasions to
Cambridge and Brighton. That cheered me up even tho
I wasn't well.

Nothing cheers me up like beautiful surroundings, old
buildings and vintage shopping, of course.

Here's a few things I picked up:

1950's picnic bag, £10.50.
Gift from my man.
From The Old Chemist Shop Antique Centre,
206 Mill Road, Cambridge.

1950's kids xylophone, £6.
From Cancer Research UK,
52 Burleigh Street, Cambridge.

Vintage Lurex heels, £5.
From a vintage shop without a sign, next to Off Beat Coffee Bar,
39 Sydney Street, Brighton.

Powder puff, £2.
Gift from my man.
From North Laine Antiques and Fleamarket,
5 Upper Gardner Street, Brighton.

Another thing that cheered me up lately is that I won a
contest. I won a bunch of sweets, a Cath Kidston bag and
a copy of the magazine Vintagexplorer.
Thank you Vintage Brighton. :)
I'm looking forward to the package to arrive next week.

DIESELPUNK

2011-10-07T11:58:00.012+01:00

Here's my two latest eBay purchases that I'm very
excited about.
This autumn I'm going 13 years back in time to my
roots as a Rivethead (synthare for you Swedes) we
are talking fashion, not music.
It's all black, black, black but this time with less of
the military and more of the classy, very feminine,
let's explain it simple, I'm going Dieselpunk.

£9.99

£7.95

The shoes and sunglasses really do look awesome
together with, black stockings, a black pencil skirt,
stylish 1940's hairdo and my new coat.
As my man said, very Polly Perkins. :))

Maybe I should get a hat like this...

BOUDOIR EARRINGS

2011-10-06T09:47:00.004+01:00

I think I have a thing for dangle earrings at the moment.
I also want them to look like they came out of a jewelery
box in some dingy boudoir in the 1930's. :))

Here's my latest creations...

SUNDAY'S FINDS

2011-10-05T09:27:00.004+01:00

Believe it or not but I was out scouting on Sunday too!
We went to two car boot sales, first one was fine but at
the second one I just wanted to go home, I felt so ill but
I only had myself to blame because I didn't want to sit
inside doing nothing while there was 30 degrees C and
bargains to be made.

Here's a few of the things I got...

Vintage large flamenco doll, 20 pence.
My man has gotten used to having flamenco dolls all over
the lounge by now so he didn't even sigh when I picked this
one out of a box.

1970's gold mules, £1.
These are a tiny bit too big but the gold mules I bought on
eBay never made it to my house and these will have to do
until I found the perfect pair.

Vintage wicker bag, 20 pence.
This bag requires a little revamp, I need to paint the sides
since there's scribbles all over them.
I'm thinking black or red sides.

Kids stuff.
Faux leather jacket, £1.
1950's cardigan & bonnet, 20 pence.
Knitted ballerina, free.
For the future rascals. Me and my man don't care about
what goes on a boy and whats goes on a girl, when they
are newly hatched no one can tell anyway and we really
can't see a problem with a two year old girl wearing a
leather jacket, as long as she's wearing turned up jeans. ;))

Faux fur collar, 50 pence.
I love fur collars, they really doll up a dull sweater.

Poncho with faux fur collar, 20 pence.
I look like a snow queen in this one. :))

Leather jacket, £2.
Sorry to say it's real leather but it's the same model as my
favorite jacket that's soon falling apart.

Vintage angora top, £1.
It can't get more Jayne Mansfield than this! :D

As you can see...

SATURDAY'S FINDS

2011-10-04T12:45:00.022+01:00

On Saturday I dared to drag myself out of bed and
go to a local car boot sale with my man.
It was like hell on earth in the heat and with a lot of
not so polite people around but I did snag some neat
stuff so I shouldn't complain.

Here's some of the finds.
Click the images for a better view.

Coat, £2.50
Like I need another one!!!
My man gave it to me, he thought it was really cool and I thought it
looked like something out of the wardrobe of Sky Captain and the
World of Tomorrow.

Vintage crochet top, 50 pence.
This top is SO neat and it's my favorite shade of yellow.

Satin tunic dress, 20 pence.
I'm gonna alter this slightly, take it in on the sides and also shorten it
so I can use it as a top.
This looks awesome with black harem pants and a elastic belt.

Tunic dress, 50 pence.
This also look really good with black harem pants and my vintage elastic
belt with rose buckle. I need to show you at some point soon!

Close up.

1950's kids stuff, £1.50 for the lot.
My favorite in this lot is the song book, it has illustrations by one of my
favorite illustrators, Mary Blair. *swoon*

Framed picture, 70 pence.
I've been wanting one since 2005! :D

1960's tin, £2.
The prefect tin for my bags of seeds.

Vintage lurex wool, £2.50
Vintage dressmakers chalk, 50 pence.
I want to learn how to knit and what wool suits this gal better than
lurex wool. :))
Wool is not that cheap over here so a whole bag for £2.50 is one heck
of a bargain! I might be able to use the wool if I want to have a go with
the 1950's loom I got last week...

I'LL BE LOOMING

2011-09-30T19:19:00.008+01:00

Remember the 1950's loom my man scored last Saturday?

There were two booklets in the box and here's some of the
stuff I would love to make one day when I get the hang of it.
To be honest, I never thought you could make anything but
scarves on a loom. You learn something new everyday...

Slippers!
The pair on the left really got my attention.

Purse and belt.
My Bakelite belt buckles will come in handy soon... :)

More bags.
So pretty, this will take some practise before I even
consider giving it a go.

CHEESY?

2011-09-30T08:39:00.011+01:00

My man is such a romantic fella.
On the 25th of September it was five years since he
first sent me a message on Myspace, he found me in
a group called Jews With Tattoos.
Now how cheesy is that! LOL!
I thought we was way too gorgeous for me and most
musicians is just after one thing, groupies, which I had
no interest to be, but I'm a nice girl so I did reply to his
message the next day and we had daily contact.
About a month later his best friend was staying at his
place for a while and he had a Swedish girlfriend, I had
a friend who met an English guy and I knew she was
over so I asked if it was her, and it was! So I called her
and then she gave the phone to "my musician" and we
started talking on the phone daily and just two months
later I was meeting him in person and he turned out to
be the sweetest little ball of fur I ever met.

I look forward to December when we'd been together
for five years, it's a milestone and not something I will
take lightly. I plan to make it a very special day.

As I said earlier, my man is a romantic fella and here's
what he gave me on our "5 years since first message
anniversary"...

My favorite flowers in the colors I prefer.

A vintage Monet necklace.

A vintage ring, more green. :))

And this...

It's a vintage lipstick holder with a mirror, marked
Japan. I couldn't find a lipstick narrow enough for it
so I use it for my Chap Stick at the moment. :))

(This was actually stuff I had on my favorite list on
Etsy and can you believe each item only cost $3!!!)

LATEST EBAY

2011-09-29T11:23:00.007+01:00

The biggest issue being ill isn't being ill, it's the eBay
shopping sprees. I need pretty things to get better. ;))

Here's what arrived in the post yesterday...

Black faux fur, £4.
All I need now is a white fur coat/jacket and I'm done.
This jacket requires a pair of black or red opera type
leather gloves because the sleeves are not full length.

1950's mules, £2.20.
Sad that my second pair of gold mules got lost in the post
I comfort bought these, love em!
They are navy blue with gray details.

Vintage gold lame jumpsuit, £6.
Can be used as high waist pants if I fold the top part.
So stunning, can't wait to get in better shape now!

1950's Confetti Lucite compact & comb set, £11.
Not that I really needed this but I had an awful day and
this was the most stunning thing I've seen in a long time.
The fact that it's a matching set is just a bonus.

SHANA TOVA UMETUKAH!

2011-09-28T18:00:00.006+01:00

Tonight we celebrate the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah.
We enter the year 5772. We SO live in the future. ;))

JUST A HINT OF GLITTER

2011-09-28T15:31:00.015+01:00

I was bored out of my mind earlier so I decided to rebel
against the vertigo and dolled up to play with my camera.
I needed to anyway since I was a bit creative yesterday
and wanted to update my portfolio.

Click on the images for a much better view.

So here's snother 1940's inspired cherry necklace, this one
has got smaller leaves than the previous one.
Also made green drop earrings with just a hint of glitter.

More drop earrings, these are in teal with just a hint of glitter
and I also made a sweater guard, made out of a pearl link and
vintage lucite cabochons with glitter and sea shells.
And last but not least, a pair of double bass earrings made out
of vintage West German glass cabochons.

Double bass earrings up close.

Sweater guard up close.

So, what do you think?

HE DID GOOD!

2011-09-27T14:44:00.023+01:00

OK, I guess you can see it all ready, the reason why
I did a green post yesterday. :)
Yep, another coat for little old meeeee!
My man sure did good on Saturday.
There was a lot more dresses but these once are for
me to keep, the others will end up in my shop when
I feel better.

Here we go...

Click the images for a better view.

1960's coat, 35 pence.

The coat tag is sooo cute! Do you see the poodle? :D

1960's dress, 35 pence.
The original zipper gave up after I gave it two washes,
so typical! Grr!!!
This dress is a tent on me but I do wanna try and make
it into a top, my first choise was to make it into a wiggle
dress but I don't think I'm skilled enough to alter it from
an XXL into XS.

Close up on the beading and fabric. Stunning, huh?

1960's dress with multi colored lurex , 35 pence.
This darling a stunner but it got so many small holes on
the front and I'm not sure it's gonna look good even if I
try my best to mend it, I not sure yet what to do but it
might look good as a bolero. We'll see.

Close up.

1960's dress, 35 pence.
It was badly stained but after a wash it was like
new. It looks so cool with a white elastic belt.

1960's dressing gown, 35 pence.
Not sure if I will keep this, it's so over the top and I do
like it but I doubt I will ever use it. For now it stays.

Never used and still got the original tag.

Lurex leggings, 25 pence.
A girl can't have too many lurex items.
Well, actually, gonna put my other pair in my shop.

Old flower press, 50 pence.
I've been wanting one since I was a kid but back then they
didn't come cheap and I used the phone book instead.

1950's loom, 50 pence.
Oh joy! Can't wait to make my own silly scarfs!

Vintage Pyrex bowl, £1.50.
One size bigger than the one we got earlier that week.
And it's PINK! :D

MORE GREEN

2011-09-26T08:51:00.007+01:00

On Saturday my man went to a local car boot sale all by
himself, on my request (I needed some cheering up) and
he came home with something else that's green and that
gave me the idea to do another post about green things.
What he brought home you'll see in my next post...

Without any further ado, here's more green stuff:

Pocket knife from the 1950's.
My man gave me this when we were in Sweden last month.
It made me think about that scene with Dexter and Lumen. :))

Ring from the 1920's.
I bought this in Stockholm many years ago.
I love it because it's so delicate.

Vintage and new bangles.
From Etsy, a friend, eBay and Holland.

Vintage belt.
I had this since the beginning of time, I also got one with black
roses and a dark burgundy elastic.

Earrings from the 1960's.
I got several of earrings just like these but in different colors.
They are so cool.

ACCOMPLISHED

2011-09-25T15:16:00.009+01:00

I must admit that the last couple of days I've done way
too much for my own good. I never thought I'd say this
but I'm so fed up with laying in bed watching movies all
day. It's quite nice for a while but now I'm really bored
with it.
Yesterday I did laundry, cleaning and tidying and today
I cleaned some more and changed bed linen.
Got a new set not so long ago and today I finally got to
use it.

Click image for a larger view.
You can find the bed set here.

Today we're having three very good musicians over for
a rehearsal and that means making a whole lot of food
and I also managed to bake two types of easy Swedish
cookies, after a lot of playing they sure need something
sweet with their coffee.

Chokladsnittar & Kolakakor.

SWEDISH COLORS

2011-09-24T19:07:00.002+01:00

Here's more earrings I've made out of soft plastic flowers
from the 1950's/1960's that I managed to get my paws on
while we were on vacation in Sweden last month.

Both are available in my Etsy shop.

AFTER WAITING AGES

2011-09-23T17:42:00.009+01:00

After waiting ages for jewelry bits to arrive I could
finally start crafting (in moderation) again.

I've been making earrings out of soft plastic flowers
from the 1950's/1960's.
These match the necklace I made not so long ago.

More to come.

The earrings.

Sorry about the sour face...

Funny, I've been looking around and done some "research",
turns out that this pink link is made out of celluloid and might
be from the 1930's. Definitely be saving that for myself.

NEW COATS

2011-09-22T12:26:00.008+01:00

I'm one of those girls who need not just one but several of
warm and of course classic coats to hide in during autumn
and winter.
I got one in black, red and also one salt & pepper and now
these two that are my latest additions...

The white/green/navy one is my favorite of all my coats,
it was a bargain that I snagged while we were on vacation
in Sweden last month, it's a vintage 1960's, so damn nice.
It cost 25 Kr (ca £2.50) from the Red Cross charity shop.

The mustard coat has got a detachable hood.
I got this on eBay last week for £4.99.
I think it's from Primark's autumn collection from one or
two years ago, still, it's a timeless piece.

Click the image for a larger view.

And this is me in my faux leopard fur, can't see much of
it tho...

I WILL SURVIVE

2011-09-21T18:31:00.006+01:00

Wow! The carpenter came back today, after been off
G*d knows where for a whole week!!!
Looks like this loft project is gonna go on forever...
Maybe all this grief will make the final tidying part so
much sweeter , you know, since we'd been living in one
heck of a mess for longer than expected.
Or am I just convincing myself this so I won't go totally
mad? ;)

The other day my man and I went into town were I
managed to do some important shopping, (with some
help of course) stuff he really couldn't pick up for me,
like knitted socks, vitamins, night cream etc.
And I guess it goes without saying that we went into
our two favorite charity shops.
Didn't find much, I wasn't really "all there" because I
feel like I'm on a stormy ocean and it's hard to focus.

Anyway, didn't get home empty handed...

Vintage tiki style flower pot, 99 pence.
I managed to replant this Aloe Vera today, it wasn't too good
looking so I removed most of the leafs and most of the stem, it
will get a new root soon and I do hope it survive.

Vintage Pyrex mixing bowl, £1.25.
Really nice shade of green, not a chip, nick or scratch.
Now I can bake in style. ;))

LEOPARD X 2

2011-09-20T14:24:00.005+01:00

Finally, some stuff arrived today...

Brand new swimsuit, £2.50
I was gonna use this for a little project but it was way too
nice to be cut apart, so I'll keep it as it is and searching for
another one to experiment on.

Faux fur jacket, £3.85.
I swear, fur stuff really wasn't my thing until recently, I
must have been watching The Rachel Zoe Project a bit
too much lately. ;))

UPDATE FROM BED

2011-09-18T14:37:00.009+01:00

Hi friends!
I think I live in the messiest house on earth!
This is because of the so called handymen that was
supposed to have finished our loft on Thursday but
hasn't been around since Tuesday!!! I'm now really
pissed off, I can't stand mess and disorder, it makes
me cringe. I must admit, I'm not at all OCD when it
comes to housework but I do like it tidy and clean.

Not much else since last post...
Yeah, speaking about post, I have a ton of stuff I'm
waiting for (eBay bargains) but no one seams to be
too bothered about going to the post office to make
sure this prompt paying gal get her stuff!!! :(

Sorry, I'm just utterly bored and really need some
cheering up right now.
I haven't done anything fun for weeks, well, I can't.
I have managed a few walks with my man and I've
been to my GP, who gave me some new meds and
a referral to see a neurologist.

I'm cleaning my computer today, I'm a hoarder of
pictures and inspirational things and some things
have ended up in wrong folders.
Here's a photo I found that was supposed to end
up in this blog a while ago, it was quite neat at the
time because I found these French glasses in one
of the local charity shops for £1 (it was a lot of 5)
and they just happened to match my nail polish
and my cherryaid. :)

My man went to a car boot sale, I'm SO jealous!
The anticipation is high, I hope he got some really
neat stuff.
I'm gonna try and walk down the stairs and fix me
some lunch. Ta-ta!

CHANGES

2011-09-12T18:07:00.005+01:00

I feel like I'm on this bus right now...

My life is going nowhere. I'm on hold, mentally and creatively.
I can't even begin to tell you how fed up I am with this vertigo
migraine shit, it's gone for the worse and I'm sick of watching
films and sleep, I'm restless but I can't even shower and walk
down the stairs without help.
Today however I haven't been able to sleep because of all the
noise the carpenters are making. We're finally having our loft
converted into proper storage space with insulated floor and
ceiling and also a new hatch and a secure ladder.
Yes, we're officially out of room.
It's been something we're been talking about for years, ever
since I moved in, actually.
I'm looking forward to organize and to get some well needed
space in my hobby room, basically make the whole house a
bit less cluttered. I'm also gonna paint upstairs and get some
cool stuff up on the walls.
Autumn is a time for change and I do like changes.

GREEN

2011-09-07T17:28:00.009+01:00

I'm not doing it on purpose, collecting green stuff.
I collect colors I find attractive and at the moment
I think green is on top of that list.
Never given it much of a thought, just purchased
because it was cheap, and then I kind of regretted
it because I nave nothing that will match.
It's wasn't until lately I started to notice that I have
loads of green things, everything but shoes...
Should I get green shoes?

This is just a few selected things, if I were to post all wearable things
that's green we'd pretty much be here all day... ;)

SELF LOATHING

2011-09-06T18:55:00.007+01:00

We all go through some spells of self loathing every
now and then. I'm there right now. I hate the way I
look, I used to be pretty but my face has changed a
lot in just five years and I'm not very pleased.
Before my mom died and my dad left I used to read a
lot and draw, I also were a bit into the theatrical thing,
I can say I was quite an interesting person, not as shy
and uptight as I am now.
I might hate everything about myself more right now
because of the vertigo and the fact that I got back to
this solitude from being very social (with my relatives)
for weeks. And the change of season.
I hate to be so f**king lonely and I hate that I can't get
myself to break this spell and just be a happy go lucky
kind of gal that I really want to be.
I'm very good at putting on a brave face and pretend
that everything is fine.
I worked so hard on myself (mentally) since I moved
here (I still suffer with a few disorders, mostly social
phobia) it feels like the person I once was is gone and
I don't like this wall flower I become...

I can't go outside so I'll just stay inside and pretend
to be someone else for a moment.

Oh how I wish it was a genuine smile...

TWEET TWEET

2011-09-06T10:19:00.003+01:00

Here's two brooches I made yesterday.
I found these cute little birdies in Holland and I knew
the second I saw them that they would be perfect as
brooches and couldn't wait to get home and craft.

What do you think?

ALL ON HIS OWN

2011-09-05T15:45:00.012+01:00

My man has got the bargain bug pretty bad at the moment.
On Saturday he went to a local car boot sale all by himself.
The weather was pretty iffy but I told him to go so I could
get some peace and quiet for a few hours, (I said this in the
nicest of ways) and so he did.
I can't say anything but that I was very impressed with his
purchases and here's a few of them...

Bracelet, 30 pence.
Hawaiian style, what a keeper!

Vintage blanket, 50 pence.
Perfect for the bedroom this autumn.

Fabric, £1.
A whole lot of fabric I might add. I'm going to make
pillow cases for our big pillows in the bedroom.

Old LP, 20 pence.
I love kitschy LP covers so this one is most welcome in
my collection.

3 vintage bamboo plant stands, £1 for the lot.
YES!!! Love these, we now got a whole lot of bamboo plant
stands, wish we had a much bigger house so they all could
be displayed in the same place.

Original 1940's Jell-O ad, £2.
My man though I would love this since the color is a perfect
match to the walls in my hobby room and it's from my very
favorite decade, yes, I do love it.

1950's flower pot, 20 pence.
He knows me so well... I'm in a yellow and green state of
mind at the moment and this was much appreciated.

Mariachi duck, £1.
Meet Senor Lopez, that's his name his previous owner gave
him and it's for him to keep. He's way over 40 years old and
he's a bit dirty but he's very welcome to hang out with the
donkeys and flamenco dolls.
Me and my man love vintage Latin kitsch.

1960's mugs, £2.50.
I love old stuff still in original box. I'm keeping these for sure.

So, what do you think, did he do good? :D

SCHMATTA

2011-09-04T12:07:00.020+01:00

This dress and I haven't been friends for many years...
I bought it on eBay 9 years ago from the owner of a well
known repro rockabilly clothing brand, this was from one
of her collections back then. I won't mention the brand
name, this scene is full of catty women as it is and I don't
need unnecessary drama.
Ever since this piece of schmatta arrived in my mailbox
I'd never purchased anything of this brand and won't do
in the future either.
I paid $33, back then I thought it was reasonable, since
it was pink, sassy and with cherry print on it. The seller
claimed it was in perfect condition too.
Reasonable and perfect turned out to be a real pain in the
buttocks.
I wasn't happy so I sent the seller and owner a message,
as you do, telling her in a nice way about all these flaws,
I even sent pictures. Instead of giving me a part refund
or even saying sorry she opened a can of verbal whop ass
on me! Maybe it's good that other people are selling stuff
for her, she's clearly not suited for retail.
As you can see in the pictures below she should have sold
this as a revamp project.
Because it turned out to be one...
After seeing it hanging there as an eye sore for 9 years I
finally decided to do something about this mess of a dress.
I had a go with the bobble off thingy I cut the top part off
and added an elastic band, stitched the seams and edges
into perfection and I got myself a sassy wiggle skirt.

In 9 years I've only wore it for like an hour for a photo
shoot. I wasn't camera shy back then, I actually thought
I was quite a cutie (even tho I was about 18 kg heavier).
Today I can't stand looking at myself.

OK, here's why I think this dress is schmatta...
(All except the last one are "before pictures".)

The stitching is the wrong way around!
And the hem is so uneven it's almost a laughing matter.
Were you drunk when you made this?!

Yeah...

The stitching is coming undone.

And there's bobbles in very large areas.

That's better! A little too much money and work than I
wanted but it is quite neat after all.

SLIGHTLY CREATIVE

2011-09-02T20:08:00.005+01:00

Hi friends!
I've been slightly creative today...

Got two lots of red faux berry spring from my aunt, she thought
I could use them for hat making or something, and so I did...
This is a cherry brooch.

The pink chain is vintage and was found on Etsy for 75 cents
as some spare part ready to upcycle. And upcycle I did...
With some soft plastic flowers from the 50's/60's and some
spare metal chain I had laying around.

I personally think it turned out pretty darn cute.

IN FULL VIEW

2011-09-02T11:58:00.013+01:00

So here's my finds from Monday's car boot sale...

Hand sewn 1960's gold lame brocade dress, £5.
I really love this dress. Pardon the creases, I'm too dizzy to be
trusted with an iron at the moment.

Gold clutch bag, 50 pence.
Not vintage but very useful.

Diana Dors biography, 10 pence.
I don't think many outside the UK (or even in the UK) knows who
Diana Dors was.
Diana was a famous English actress and had her peak in the 1950's
and 1960's and she was often called "the English Marilyn Monroe."
I should also add that my handsome man was an extra in the two-
part dramatisation The Blonde Bombshell: The Diana Dors Story.
You can watch the dramatisation in parts here.

1960's lamp shade, £3.
I looove lamp shades made out of plastic ribbon.
This shade needed a lot of cleaning but it turned out great!
Got this from the same guy who sold me the Hawaiian fabrics and
the pink lamps in the bedroom on Saturday.

RIGHT NOW

2011-09-01T20:27:00.002+01:00

I know you've seen a picture of my new lamp before,
but not lit. It's so pretty I just couldn't help but share
this with you. Cozy, huh?

VERTIGO

2011-09-01T14:46:00.011+01:00

Hey friends.
I'm typing from bed today.
I got a new spell of Vertebrobasilar migraine and my
system is so run down that my mouth is full of really
painful ulcers and I can't eat proper food.
Don't worry, I did see my GP today and I got meds
for the Vertebrobasilar migraine, it will make me
sick and very tired for two weeks but I rather be out
of it for two weeks than a year of vertigo.
(I got the wrong diagnose last time so I suffered with
this vertigo shit for almost a year and a half.)

This means crafting and watching Twin Peaks I guess.
I got so many beautiful artificial flowers while we were
in Holland and now when I really can't do much else I
will have a go.

Talking about craft, here's some new earrings I made
while we were in Sweden...

Available here.

Available here.

GEM

2011-08-30T20:44:00.006+01:00

You're probably not surprised if I say that I went to a
car boot sale yesterday, right?
Bank holiday Monday boot sales are mostly crap but me
and my beau went anyway and I still managed to snag a
gem and have my man haggle for me. LOL!
Here's a little sneak peek (and half a outfit post!) of this
gem.
It's a stunning vintage (1960's) gold lame brocade dress
with bateau neckline and 3/4 sleeves.
And how much did I pay for it in the end? £5.

No, I haven't cut my bangs, it's faux and cost me £1.58
including shipping from this seller on eBay.
I must add that it's not as matte and perfect as in the
sellers picture, still good for bad hair days or for when
I'm to lazy to do it up.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK...

2011-08-30T16:15:00.005+01:00

Today I got a very unexpected gift from the man of mine.
Before you go all Mazel tov on me I'd like to say don't, it's
just a vintage cocktail ring, not an engagement ring, but it
sure is pretty.

BEDSIDE TABLE, ON THE KANGAROO!

2011-08-29T18:52:00.008+01:00

Yeah, you might remember that quote from Pulp Fiction.
I saw it the first time in 1995 and there's something I've
had on my wish list ever since then - a kangaroo dresser
caddy ano 1956.

I don't really know why it's taken me so long to actually
get one...
After the last time I watched Pulp Fiction I decided that
I need to snag one of my own and after looking on Etsy I
almost gave up since the shipping cost is more or less an
extortion. So I had a look on eBay, where you still can get
stuff rather cheap, found one, totally forgot to bid and were
disappointed for a short while but then this fella turned up
and I won him for $11 just before we left for Sweden.
Oh yeah, it's in mint condition too. ;)

MORE OF YESTERDAY'S FINDS

2011-08-28T19:29:00.011+01:00

I'm not in the best mood today, I'm home with some
damn tummy bug and I'm missing Twinwood Festival
where I was on the guest list.
Our house is still a mess but I'm not up for sorting and
tidying really, at least the washing is done.
I'm glad I can blog from bed.

I mentioned in my previous post that we went to a car
boot sale yesterday, the lamps wasn't my only find of
the day. Here's a few other bits I managed to get my
paws on...

Bangle, 50 pence.
I've been looking for a red wide bangle without smooth
surface for quite some time now and I was really happy
to find this one.

Earrings, 50 pence.
Love these dangle rhinestone earrings, looking forward
to wear them with a stunning dress soon.

Syrup jug, 50 pence.
Perfect for the maple syrup!
Oh no, now I fancy American pancakes...

Blanket, £1.
I'm a sucker for 1950's/1960's car blankets, this one is a
winner, it's not as itchy as my other ones, it's super soft!

Sweater, 50 pence.
When it comes to comfy sweaters H&M really know what
they're doing. :)

Knitted baby wear, 50 pence each.
Some tiny clothes for if and when, and they do look really
retro too! :D

Hawaiian fabric, 50 pence.
Got this from the same man who sold me the lamps.
Everything used to belong to his mother and he wasn't a
spring chicken, I'm really happy about this vintage fabric.

Hawaiian fabric, 50 pence.
It's so typical me to find something this awesome when the
autumn is just around the corner and it's too cold to wear a
sarong.

SEXY LAMP SHADES

2011-08-28T13:52:00.010+01:00

After done (almost) nothing but going to flea markets
for 3 weeks we ended up going to a local car boot sale
yesterday, like we need more stuff. :))
Well, I'm happy that we did because I finally found the
perfect pair of 1950's lamp shades for the bedroom.
The two lamp bases are not the same but they are
quite nice and will do for now. They look way better
than the IKEA lamps that we had before and they
only cost me £2 each. :)
My goal is to make the bedroom look like some Jayne
Mansfield style boudoir type of thing.

My bedside table.

BACK HOME AGAIN

2011-08-26T18:30:00.039+01:00

Hi friends!
I'm back in a very rainy England after a few sunny days
in Holland and some very rainy weeks in Sweden.
We got about 5 sunny days in total, that's uncool since I
got SAD and I really wanted to go for long walks in the
forest and swim in the lake.
There wasn't enough hours on the day to do everything
and see everyone.
And there's not enough blog space for me to tell you all
about our road trip and to be quite honest I haven't got
the energy at the moment after 5000 km.
All I can say is I gained 2 kg and the car was full to the
brim with cool 1950's and 1960's finds. :))

Stopped by at Ebbas Fik in Helsingborg, Sweden.

After some encouragement from Malin we went to A-Bombers,
outside Uddevalla, Sweden.
This outfit was a find from Myrorna in Malmö, Sweden.

My favorite car at A-Bombers.

One day we went to loppis (flea market) by boat outside Molkom, Sweden,
my bonus mom Ingrid rowed us there.

We decided to stay over one night so we played Yahtzee.

Finally a beautiful morning.

Me in a cute hut in one amazing garden somewhere outside Arvika, Sweden.
This garden belongs to a childhood friend of my dad and auntie and she's a
mad collector.

She's been collecting mainly Swedish 1950s stuff for a very long time
that she now got small museums in her barn and outbuildings.
Here's her "shop museum".

Spent a whole day with my dad, here he is on the same slide he used to
slide down as a boy.

Found an old English letter box in Deje, Sweden.

Cute 1950's house in Deje, Sweden.

My lovely niece and nephew feeding the ducks at my favorite
place on earth outside Slottsbron, Sweden.

This is my favorite place on earth. It's my cousins grandparents summer
house where I spent my summers since I was a little girl.
This year they had a huge decking built. I do hope to dance on it next year
if we go over for mid summers.

Found a synagogue in Winterswijk, Holland.

Went to a cheese market, of course, you can't leave Holland without
some good cheese. I got nettle cheese.

My man, Roel and Uschi had herring the Dutch way.

SOON!

2011-07-29T21:48:00.005+01:00

I'm so excited! We're leaving for Sweden (Värmland to be
exact) in a few days! This time we're taking the car over,
going through Holland, where we're staying at our friends
Roel and Uschi, they've been inviting us over for years and
this time we finally get to see how they live. The next day
we're driving through Germany, Denmark and then we're
stopping in Malmö over night, Malin aka Punk In Writing
has been a real mensch and offered us to stay over for one
night before we're heading up to Karlstad.
This journey is actually costing us a bit more than a flight
for two to America believe it or not.

I will bring my camera and the computer so I can blog if
I feel like it/have time.

Here's our route. Click for larger map.

SENILE

2011-07-29T14:12:00.025+01:00

I think I'm a bit senile, honestly.
I said I would post some pictures from Screamin'
Festival and I've forgotten all about it, well, until
today that is.
I made an album on Facebook but it slipped my
mind to post any here in my blog.
Anyway, since I'm so darn boring (camera shy)
and never do any outfit posts I thought I go totally
ego, so here's outfit posts to last you a while. ;))

I have to add that I'm not this chunky IRL, I hate
that I always bloat badly every time I fly. :(

Click on the images for a larger view.

Me and my man.
Photo by Lars Sundberg

Me and Carolina.
Photo by ???

Me and my man.
Photo by me

Me and my man.
Photo by me

Me and my man jiving in the sand.
Photo by Carolina Perez Amaya

Me and my man.
Photo by Carolina Perez Amaya

Me and my man.
Photo by Calamity Jane G

My man, Zack and me.
Zack is our favorite rockin' kid, he was born into it and
it's been so cool se him grow up from a cute little boy to
a cool teen. The years goes by so fast... :)
Photo by Calamity Jane G

At the beauty contest, the winners. Some cute girl from
Holland, me and my friend Uschi also from Holland.
Photo by Rockin Ronnie Meurs

Me and Zack jiving.
Photo by Calamity Jane G

Something was very funny.
Photo by Calamity Jane G

Zack, my man and me.
Photo by Calamity Jane G

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!

2011-07-28T19:04:00.003+01:00

I'm pretty smug for winning the bidding on this
stunning red vintage lurex dress and even more
so for the price, £3.20!!! :D
I'm a very happy Jewish bunny. ;))

Click the image for a better view.

LATEST WEB PURCHASES

2011-07-26T20:15:00.010+01:00

Hi there my fabulous blog readers!
I was quite a happy bunny when the post man knocked
on the door this morning, 3 packages arrived, it was like
it was my birthday, if it wasn't for the fact that I've paid
for them and it's July, not December. ;))

1960's Vanity Fair nightgown, $6. Etsy.
Totally dreamy. I can't say no to a cheap 1950's/1960's nylon
nightgown, that would be so silly! ;))

Swimsuit, £3.19. eBay.
No one was happier than me to find that this is actually a kids size
swimsuit and it wasn't even tight. My butt and tummy exercises works!
I must admit that a fellow blogger inspired me to make this purchase,
thank you Lisa at My High-Heeled Darling.

1950's wash bag, £2.99. eBay.
This bag will keep all my hygiene products.
It came in the right time for our long road trip we're about to do.

I'M SO SORRY

2011-07-26T17:59:00.004+01:00

Now this is what I call consolation!
Me and my man had a bit of an argument last week, we
made up and we're back to peachy.
My guy really know how to say he's sorry...
He gave me this 1950's Coro milky Lucite necklace with
gold and green flakes.
Maybe we should argue more often? ;)

RECREATE

2011-07-24T22:41:00.006+01:00

Been looking through my blog and thought I might have
a go at trying to recreate my version of Dita's outfit in this
video with some of my finds and own creations...

Couldn't find a post about any red rose hair flowers
so this one will do for this post. ;)
From this post.

25 pence from a car boot sale.
From this post.

£2 from a charity shop, this is the revamped version.
From this post.

99 pence from eBay.
I do have more bargain bangles I might throw in the mix.
From this post.

£1.50 from a charity shop.
From this post.

£9 from eBay.
From this post.

Anniversary gift from my man.
From this post.

YESTERDAY'S FINDS

2011-07-24T13:38:00.008+01:00

Here's what I snagged at the car boot sale yesterday.
Click on the images for a larger view.

Moc Croc handbag, 50 pence.
Not too big, not too small, just perfect.

Knitted 1930's style cardigan, £1.
Absolutely lovely. I feel like such a nice girl in this. ;))

1980's necklace, 50 pence.
A bit too long and a bit too... I don't know...
I'm thinking about a slight revamp.

LP's, 50 pence each.
Gift from my man.

Flats, £1.
I'm quite pissed off, one shoe is one size bigger, like half a centimetre,
not really that noticeable but I can feel it! I never thought to look at the
sizes, who buys different sizes anyway?

1960's Fisher Price toys, 75 pence each.
Goes in the collection of vintage toys for the future rascal's.

LATEST EBAY

2011-07-23T08:52:00.011+01:00

I was quite bored last weekend since we stayed in
because of the awful weather.
Like most of us I have the bad habit of looking for
stuff on eBay when I'm bored.
Here's two items I got my paws on...

Click on the images for a larger view.

1960's lurex dress, £21.
A little bit pricey than my normal bargains but this one fits
like a dream. The previous lurex dress from eBay was way
too big for me so I think it will end up in my Etsy shop quite
soon.
£21 isn't that much in comparisons with what the vintage
shops in London and some sellers on Etsy charges.

1950's style skirt, £9.
I fell in love with the print plain and simple.
It has an European cities print and I think it's quite funny
how they misspelled United Kingdom, they've missed the
o in Kingdom.

TO THE LAST STALK

2011-07-22T18:23:00.014+01:00

I must say that I'm one of those lucky girls who gets a
fresh bunch flowers every now and then, I got a quite
romantic fella. (And he likes the hugs and kisses.)
As we all know, flowers don't last forever, but I want
them to make this home look even prettier for as long
as they possible can.
When I see them get sad I don't throw them away, I
do throw the very sad ones away (in the compost, of
course) but the rest I try to salvage.
After all these years hunting vintage in charity shops
and car boot sales I've managed to snag some neat old
vases in various sizes, which makes this flower salvage
thing even more fun.

Here's what makes our home look pretty at this very
moment...

Chrysanthemum and Carnations cut in different heights
to make it look all lush and plenty.
Here in a 1960's vase. Find from August 2010.

Carnations cut down to the very last centimeter of the
stalk the ones in the middle has got a bit longer stalk.
Here in a 1930's dessert bowl. Find from December 2009.

Here's a beautiful exotic bunch I got the other day and
it's really brightening up our kitchen table at the moment.
You can't really see it but I put them in a big Fiesta Ware
pitcher. Find from January 2011.

DIY

2011-07-22T17:58:00.004+01:00

It's been ages since I painted my nails.
I've been looking for a nice nail polish for quite a while,
well, last year actually.
I wanted pastel yellow with a bit of shimmer but so far
no luck. They are all the wrong shade and no shimmer.
So yesterday while doing nothing I thought I'd have a
go and see if I could sort something out with what I got
at home.
I'm pleased to say that I came extremely close.

Looks much better irl.

I don't know why I bought this awful yellow nail polish last
year, is even more garish and yellow irl.
It did however work wonders with an old shade of Mother
of Pearls from Lamcome.
I based with the Lancome, then 17 and then another coat
of Lancome.

ROCK A HULA

2011-07-20T11:39:00.020+01:00

Been revamping, again.
I was lucky to find another hideous cigar box purse at a
car boot sale not so long ago, the last cigar box revamp
turned out pretty darn good and this time I wanted to do
an even better job.
This time I even revamped a picture of Bettie Page in a
hula skirt, thought it would look cool since it has got a
bamboo handle, give it more of an Hawaiian look.
Here's the original picture.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Before:

Tacky crap. It just had to go!

After:

The picture doesn't do the bag justice, the picture is laminated
so therefore the weird sheen. Looks much better irl.

And here's the picture of the inside, it came that way,
I can't take credit for it. ;)

FINALLY FINISHED!

2011-07-18T17:56:00.015+01:00

Hi honeys!
It's been one busy weekend!
We didn't go to any car boot sales whatsoever, the
weather was awful but it was a good excuse to stay
indoors and be creative.
I'm still in a sorting mood and trying to reduce the
amount of stuff in my "to do pile" so the weekend
was dedicated to that.
I started working on a very special hat, I'm almost
finished revamping a bag and the three things below
is things that I completed.

First out was this really cute tank top that I got for
30 pence at a car boot sale last summer, I've never
used it and it ended up in the not to keep pile when
I had my closet clear out.
Since the revamp of the rose top was quite a good
decision I thought I'd have a go with this one as well.
And I'm glad I did, I love it!

The second and third revamp has been laying in the
middle of the to do pile for 3 years (!!!) and it was
about time I do something about it!
I got the dresses for £5 each at Primark 3 years ago
and they had a terrible fit but I've planned to turn
them into a two piece set, with a top and skirt, which
is way more useful for me.
I finished the skirts and I'm currently working on the
tops, I guess it will look very 1940's when I finally get
to wear them.

Peppermint green top and stripey dress before revamp.
I totally forgot to take before pictures of both the stripey
dresses, this old picture is the best I can offer.

Click on the images for a larger view.

YET ANOTHER REVAMP

2011-07-15T20:19:00.011+01:00

I hope you're not sick and tired of my revamp
projects just yet, because here's another one!
I'm a member of a vintage/repro swap & sell
group on Facebook and here's my first, and to
be honest probably last swap.
(I'm more of a buy and sell type of gal.)
I gave away a pair of shoes and a short sleeve
jacket and I got this.
I love the pattern but unfortunately it was too
big and it didn't come out as a balloon dress in
the picture, to me it looked more like a sarong
type of dress.
At first I thought I might sell it but the tropical
pattern is my cup of tea so I decided to keep it
and revamp it.

I knew I wanted to keep the top as it was so I
just ripped the stitches between the skirt and
the top and then I zigzagged the edges, folded,
stitched the hem, that was pretty much it.

I was left with the skirt and I wasn't sure what
to do with it but it didn't take me long to decide
to make a tote bag.
I got a lot of bamboo handles in all shapes and
forms so I used round ones.
I didn't have to make a hem for the handles to
go in since there were already the bottom hem
of the dress and all I had to do was to cut it into
the size I wanted, zigzag the edges, stitch the
sides together and I got myself a bag,

Before:

After:

After:

NAWDY GIRL

2011-07-14T20:15:00.007+01:00

I've been a nawdy girl...
There's a few things we got too much of in this house
and that's mirrors, trays and glasses, we usually try
to restrain our urge to buy more of these things but it
never really work.
And what do I get my filthy paws on today? - A mirror
and a tray. *sigh*
Yes, another visit to my favorite charity shop after the
gym, I was gonna return the application form but I had
forgotten it at home.
Didn't stop me from having a scout tho... ;)

Click on the images for a better view.

Rattan mirror, £1.75.
1960's/1970's, goes well with Nubian figurines and tiki mugs,
haven't decided where to hang it yet...

Tray, £1.
I'm head over heels, this 1950's tray is a dream.
I love the background pattern and the stunning rose print.

Close up on the pattern and print.

ANOTHER LITTLE REVAMP

2011-07-13T17:33:00.018+01:00

As you might have read I had a huge closet clear out
last week and this tunic was at first put in the not to
keep pile, but then all of a sudden the creative part of
my brain started to work and I decided to keep it, this
tunic has got potential.
It's very cute at the top but is hard to wear because it
does look like I'm trying to hide an early pregnancy,
which is not a good look unless you're really pregnant,
and there's a tie in the back who does make it really
uncomfortable, you can't really lean your back against
anything without getting sore.
But as I said, I love the top and the rose pattern is so
dreamy so I decided to do a little revamp to make it
more useful.
Turned out to be very easy, I just ripped the stitches
between the skirt and the top and on the sides to get
the tie off.
Then I zigzagged the edges, folded, stitched and put
an elastic band in the bottom part and hey presto I got
a cute little sun top.

You might ask why on earth I blogged about this if it
was so easy, well, things don't have to be complicated
and I'm a true believer in the word inspiration and I do
love to inspire people to be creative.
That's all, folks!

Before and after

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