Just Bliss

Value Village beckoned a couple of weeks back.  It had been a while since I'd been on a good bargain hunt, and I was craving the chase.  And so, it would seem, was half of the city on the day I finally made it.  There was, apparently, a 50% off sale, and the place was an absolute zoo.  It was also pretty picked over, but I did find the following treasures:

I have a bit of an owl thing, and I also have a bit of a kitschy Japanese figurine things, so, these amazing salt and pepper shakers have found an honoured place in the kitchen.

I have stacks of beautiful vintage teacups, but I do like having spares for projects.  This set of four are gorgeous and will make a very pretty something or other.

I also have piles of vintage linens, which I convert into various things.  I'm currently crocheting another rag rug, and I have plans on quilting some throw pillows using the granny-chic prints.  But I really had to pick these up for the nostalgia; we had sheets like these growing up, and I still love them.

My collection of vintage pattern books is getting out of hand, but I just can't resist!  And look at these beauties.  Inspiration abounds.

Happy Hunting!

xo

s.



Crochet beachwear is all the rage. 
These guys look hot.  Like sunstrokey.

Nothing chic here, just straight up granny. 
And I still kind of want to make them.

When quilting (and lady mullets) go too far.

The family that wears matching sweaters has no choice but to stick together.

Old enough to know better

I started thrifting at a very young age.  My grandmother was a classic garage sale junkie.  It was always a treat to get to do the rounds with her on Saturday mornings in her bubble car (in actuality, an AMC Pacer).  One lesson I took from those early thrifting sessions, and subsequent obsession with all things vintage was know what you want.

In my experience, there are 4 types of things for sale at a junk/yard/garage/thrift/basement/estate sale:

1) Junk.  Junk can move in various places on this list at any given time, but disregard junk.  Buying and storing Junk makes you a hoarder.

2) Dime a dozen.  Things that are a dime a dozen are not bad, they could be useful but they can also be found elsewhere at anytime.  The key here is knowing your dime a dozen.  If it is being sold for a dime, this is too much -  you should be able to get at least a dozen for a dime.  Also, buy it only when you need it, because you can get it at any time.  See, simple.

3) Treasure.  If there is a treasure and you need or want said treasure, do not walk away, do not turn your back...don't even blink.  A treasure is rare, and though you may be one of the few that thinks it is a treasure, it is guaranteed if you take your eyes off of it, it will be gone when you look back.

4) The bonus.  The bonus is tricky.  The bonus is something that falls in between junk and treasure.  It's not something you see often, like crap taxidermy, or a statue of Joseph, Mary and pre-teen Jesus standing in a clam shell surrounded by fibre optic lights.

Reach out and touch faith.

Easily classified as junk by some, it could also be the quirky key to your kitchy Christmas decor.  The best policy for the bonus is to assess price, space and spousal reaction, and decide 'do I take this and take the time to decide if it is junk or treasure (a slippery slope towards hoarding)' or 'do I leave this and consider it, safe in the knowledge that if it is meant to be, it will be here waiting'.  It's a tough one.

And sometimes you misjudge and leave that perfectly indescribable thing only to realise that your happiness will now be somewhat diminished knowing that it exists and it slipped through your fingers.  I recently made such an error.  It was a glorious, hot pink, hand knit sweater, emblazoned with a large grey and white sheepdog with a perfect pink tongue lolling out to one side.  This sweater should never be worn, not even (especially not) ironically.  But its re-imaginings are endless.  Alas, it is not meant to be.  A rookie mistake.

Thankfully on my latest thrifting adventure, my disappointment was tempered by a couple of nifty finds in the Halloween fashions.  I have noted a decline in the past few years that the number of stunning vintage dresses to be found at the local value village.  I had assumed that this was due to an upturn in the number of curators of vintage goods on the interwebs (my favourites are here and here).  However, what I discovered this weekend is that many of these dresses are now deemed 'seasonal' and only make an appearance for a limited time in September and October.  So I grabbed two beauties and a thinker.

Airing out that distinct perfume de value village - stale cigs and mothballs

They are both in exceptional shape...not a mark on them.  I haven't yet decided if I will place them into my own wardrobe rotation, or if I will expand in some small measure of vintage things on my etsy shop.

So 1970s that not even the 70s wanted it.

The 3rd was a thinker.  Well made, cute fabric, god awful shape.  The bodice is quite wearable though, and in cutting half a metre of fabric out of the middle, I think I can make a slightly A-line, pleated, knee length skirt with pockets and a zipper.  I am merely an adequate seamstress with big ideas however, so we will see if I botch it or not.  For $3.99, I deem the experiment worth it.

 

No regrets!

xo.

s. 

Just Bliss - Vintage Patterns 3

So far, Jeff has escaped the inevitable and unenviable position of guinea pig for my designs.  Many men are not so lucky, as evidenced by this wickedly awesome tumblr "dedicated to the wretched creatures abused for economic gains by their Etsy girlfriends"- Sad Etsy Boyfriends.  But that could all change if I were to start applying my skills to some of these true remarkable patterns.  We've already seen the suspected Pom-Pom Killer, but there are so many other stellar options.

Clark is both honoured and dismayed.
Honoured to be featured in the Guinness Book of Records,
dismayed to find it's for the world's ugliest tie.

 Let's begin with accessories.  Every man's wardrobe should include a solid black silk tie.  Other ties based on need and taste should also be included.  I can even get behind one or two novelty ties for the Christmas season, though I am likely in the minority.  Granted, I don't always have my finger on the pulse of men's fashion, but I don't think that one needs a 'crochet tie for the country look', nor do I believe that this tie is or was ever 'right in fashion' as claimed by the pattern.


Full frontal coverage also helps in those awkward
situations when your secretary wears that extra tight
angora sweater and mini skirt.  Good golly, what
women get away with these days.

Some days call for a button down shirt, but not a tie, and certainly not a jacket.  What do you do?  This guy was lucky enough to have a significant other not only to make him a dickey, but this exceptional sweater vest.  He was even luckier to have that significant other understand that it's not only important to keep the core of your body warm, but the boys warm too - a double dickey, if you will.



Hmm, tell me Charles, have you heard the crazy stories that the folks in the North are
telling us about Franklin?  Through my bathtub reenactments, I can tell you
they are completely divorced from reality.  Best ignore them until the 21st century.

Art hey, well isn't that the damnedest thing.

Sweaters are an important part of any Canadian wardrobe.  It's cold as heck in the winter here in Nova Scotia.  And, we're very environmental conscious in this house (also cheap), so we try very hard to layer rather than crank the furnace.  I actually have nothing in particular against these sweaters, except that they're knit in a very fine gauge and I have the attention span of a small child.  I'm more interested in the staging for the photo.  How do they come up with these things?  Does the yarn company still own these sculptures, because holy heck, they're gorgeous, and I can't even begin to think what they'd be worth these days.  Somehow though, I doubt very much the political correctness of the conversation.

Happy Friday everyone!

xo
s. 





Just Bliss - Vintage Patterns 2

Kids, before they begin to exercise their free-will (temper tantrums) are routinely used as experimental fashion dolls by their parents (mothers).  Preppy boys and princess girls, punk-rock babies and lumber jack hipsters...with kids, anything goes.  Here are some delightful knit wears that alternately scream, 'please lure me to the playground where you can steal my lunch money and give me a hard lesson in schoolyard politics' and 'oh God, I better start exercising my free-will much sooner than many of my contemporaries'.



Really Mom?  This doesn't seem very safe for someone that may only
barely in the zombie-walking stage of development.  Concussions will abound.

Ponchos occupy the margins of fashion.  Clint Eastwood managed to pull them off, but he was decidedly bad-ass while wearing them.  I enjoy a good fashion cape, but a poncho only ever makes me look like I put up a mean fight getting out of bed, but ultimately my blankets won.



On the upside, if the tricycle has an unfortunate rollover
these knits should have enough padding to ensure little injury.

This kid looks like they were having some difficulty finding their motivation for the fashion shoot.  The expression is one of reluctant compliance.  I sure hope there was an ice cream reward for having to model this little number.

 

Smile while you can, Suzy.  Smile while you can.
 

What gets me about so many of these patterns is just how much work is involved to create them...so much work going into something that will have little Suzy in tears and shaking her fist at the sky soon enough.  Potentially adorable to some, this outfit doesn't even serve a practical purpose unless she is actually one of Santa's elves and Santa doesn't heat his workshop.  In the snow it would be useless.


I probably wouldn't have picked up this last little book, except that the cover model looked so much like a young Emma Watson, it kind of blew my mind.  Of course, this photo was taken approximately 20years before she was even born.

What Hermione thought of as magical before her letter from
Hogwarts arrived.
 

Happy Friday everyone!

xo

s. 

Just Bliss - Vintage Patterns

Fashion - she's a fickle one isn't she? One day you're all the rage, the next, yesterday's news and the next, well, you could bounce back and you could be considered classic vintage, or retro chic. It could go not so well, dropping you in the dated, cringe worthy category. Or it could go really not well. Like the 70s. Thank goodness for thrift stores and pattern books that date the heck out of themselves. Let's explore some of those - that's what Fridays are for.

Let's start in the house. I know when I'm decorating, I'm always on the look out for home accessories that will make me feel nurtured and that have a touch of whimsy. Do you think those were the same considerations for this delightful giant vagina blanket and matching wall hanging?

A truly mesmerising vulva.

"Tom and I had a double-bogey last night!"

How about sportswear? I'm sure these lovely ladies were a hit down at the country club. First for a round on the links, then we'll head to the courts for a rousing match.  And nothing caps off your tennis whites and granny-square vest like a hand-crocheted turban.  All in all, a rather fetching outfit.

Sue's left eye is actually glass, so binoculars are utterly confounding to her.

Finally, I will leave you with this thought, ski masks are not a good idea unless, and this is a big unless, you are actively snowmobiling in the north in a place where large ungulates outnumber the human population 3-1.  Otherwise, you look like a psycho killer or bank robber no matter how nicely it frames your eyes or how big your pompom is. Imagine being known as the pompom killer.  Full on crazy.

They suggest a red, white and blue colour combination.

Of course they do.

 

Happy Friday!
xoxo
s.