Frock on a Friday

I should be getting stock ready for the Bangalow Markets on Saturday...but true to form...I have become distracted by pretty pretty things, namely vintage clothing. I thought I would take time out from making banners to do a bit of photography and finally post a Frock on Friday. This pink sundress has a matching belt and bolero. All have the original labels and it is a size 16 vintage...however it just fits onto my size 12 Daisy...curious!.

These are going to go into my Laughing Duck Vintage Etsy shop. (hopefully tonight) I would love to say that I have found these in a local op-shop (just imagine if that happened girls!) but I am listing them for a friend. They are not cheap, but I will give it a go.

This is a Horrockses, size 18! I nearly had a coronary when I saw it. It was perfect...except that I have been packing on the old kilos in the last year and I looked like a big hephalump!

This is an unworn, unwashed vintage fifties dressing gown. Gorgeous fabric! Very Blondie Bumstead!

This house dress has a zip that stops just shy of the hem. Great fabric, great collar, great dress. It, also is larger size, but I have cinched it at the waist.

If anyone is local...come and visit me at the Bangalow Markets on Sunday. I am up in the Moller Pavilion. It is the big shed  above the carpark where you can buy tea and scones.

Origami madness & a bit of a rant

I sell quite a lot of jewellery through my stockists and markets. (Well, a lot by my small standards) I don't list  many of them in my online stores as they tend to get a bit lost and I find that often with jewellery people like to handle it and hold it up against their bodies.

I love working out the packaging for the individual items. I have sold a few of these Moth,  Butterfly and Birdee necklaces of late, but didn't have great packaging. How does one package a necklace I pondered? In addition, I decided that it had to be repurposed and with a handmade element. I wanted it to stand out and be something that customers would want to pick-up.

 Voila! The finished product. (Apologies for the dodgy photo, I did a quick shoot before delivering these to Little Polli and the Blackbird yesterday)

They are made from Webster Dictionary pages and are quite thin. It makes the boxes quite  light and delicate. I originally photographed them on the same pages, I don't know why it took me so long to work this out! I had a bugger of a time working out sizes and the inserts. Aaargh! As it is, these boxes are only just big enough for the butterflies, and I will have to make bigger ones for the moths.

 My husband thinks I am crazy. I spent a whole day making ten boxes which are ultimately going to be thrown away and which I will receive no monetary return. But, and it’s a big, they were the first ones, and I have worked out all of the problems, so hopefully I can form a production line and get them knocked out a lot quicker in the future.

Also, and this is most important, I did them because I am quite passionate about making things. I have been thinking about this quite a lot lately. Basically, when you look at it, I work for about $5 an hour...tops.  And recently, I have been quite disheartened in my dealings with people who possess limited  honesty, integrity and ethics. Maybe my expectations of people are too high. But yesterday I was inspired by an interview with Jenny Kee in my newly delivered Frankie magazine. She said:

“If you’re on a creative path, go for it. Don’t try and build an empire. Do things with integrity, in a small, meaningful way. If you’re really creative, create little businesses, so there’s lovely choice with original talents. You can make a living doing that.”

Ofcourse it is fine for Jenny to say that. She became famous and made alot of money from her creativity...would she have said the same thing if her businesses had failed and she had to work a menial job the rest of her days, relying on government handouts for her livelihood in her later years?

Regardless, I will soldier on. We only have one life so we might has well try and make it the life we dream of.

Tea towel bunting

We had a bit of a celebration on the weekend, and to mark it, I finally made some bunting  from my tea towel collection. I first saw this done in one of those new craft sewing books and then at Cottage Industry in Melbourne.

I think they look gay (as in jolly) without being too Kath Kidson twee. ( I am beginning to used words such as 'grand', 'jolly' and 'gay' on  a regular basis, as if I am reliving an old Mallory Towers dream.)

It is such a relief to whittle down my pile of tea towels. Only the daggy ones were used, such as the lawn bowls centenary, bad poems about dunnies and swagmen, and used and faded towels. In all there are 96 flags and untold metres. I thought it would take an hour to make them. Mmmm. It didn't!

Man Cave, Man Cave, Man Cave

I am always on the lookout for furnishings for my husband's room. I call it the 'Man Cave' but he has told me not to call it that anymore because it makes him sound gay, stupid, metrosexual... who knows what else is in his man mind? (I just got this home, so haven't even dusted it)

 As I am by nature very contrary, I  thought I would show you some" man cave" items that I have found for his "Man Cave."  Initially, I wasn't sure of this Man Cave lamp. It is actually originally an industrial heat lamp from Lismore Base Hospital. Good for ricketty Man Cavey legs. It is a bit dented, but should be able to be reshaped and Sparky being an electrician should be able to adapt it to a light. I thought it might be a bit too industrial and battered, but as those two words pretty much describe my husband...it is a perfect fit.

Now, tapestry in a Man Cave? It shouldn't work, but if the subject is a bucking bronco...how can you go wrong?!?

When Sparky first saw this he blanched, but I think he has come around. Now all we need is  a comfortable seat. We currently have a couple of old club chairs that are a bit hard on the back. He wants some kind of Lazy-Boy recliner ...I want an Eames replica. I know it is his Man Cave but...I think I have to draw a line at the recliner. Not in my house, no way, no how! They are so ugly! I have even tried to interest him in cool 70's recliners...but no...not comfortable enough.

Father's day is done and dusted in this house...he is happy with the lamp...and I am off to make a "Man Cave" sign for his door, that should be the icing on the cake!

Playing with Sophie  ans Mod Vintage.

New Buntings and New Patterns

I have been a busy little duck today , making more buntings for Collecting Feathers shop and uploading some Weigel's patterns to my Laughing Duck Vintage Store.

First things first. I will try not to be too boring...it is a sad fact that this blog is used to 'flog my wares' as well as document my life.

You've seen the musical, now experience the bunting! Mary Poppins, 1964 edition.

Okay, it is Sleeping Beauty, you mutter. Not really. A delicious 1961 edition. That is fifty years old, peoples! Confirmed from the Baptist Sunday School inscription on the front cover. The colours are gorgeous! The best I have seen. I think it is due to the lead in the inks and maybe the different paper. (Do not let the kids lick the paper!)

A jolly time was had by all with five consecutive birthday parties given by Raggedy Ann and Andy. They ended up eating apples and flying kites, learning the valuable lesson of  'everything in moderation.'

Peter Pan and Wendy. Again, lovely colours. I didn't document the date of this one. I have finally done a banner of this book in the larger pennant shape.

Bambi...what can you say. I think the illustrator who drew Bambi was a genius. Warms the cockles of my heart.

And now some equally cute patterns. I have already shown you these so I will just include a couple. I listed some last night and they sold immediately. Crikeys! Usually an indication that I have listed too cheaply. Aka my first pattern that was (apparently) worth as least $50 and I sold for $5. I also got the postage wrong and ended up losing on the whole transaction.

Scrap metal merchant

Again, here is but a snippet of my finds this week. Lots of scrap metal (more than you can imagine!) I  am sure that I was a Tinker in a previous life.

 I went to an auction on Thursday where there was quite a good collection of old irons. I have always been obsessed with the tools of trade of women. These irons weren't for the weak! I had to lug all three of them up a hill and through a paddock of recently slashed lantana. It felt like I was on the Worlds Biggest Loser. I nearly had a coronary!

 I haven't cleaned them yet so excuse their appearance 

I love their sculptural nature. To me, they are very beautiful. They combine form and function. I am currently perusing this site for their histories. It is US, but it will get me started.

 More metal, these children chairs. 

 Why am I collecting children's chairs do you ask when my babies are all grown up. I can't answer that question. Maybe I am looking back. With the kidlings not needing me anymore, I have reached a milestone and am re-evaluating my life. Maybe it is my way of hanging onto memories. Maybe I just like chairs...maybe I am just obsessed with scrap metal!Regardless, I have got the thrill of buying them...I will sell them on next week and take them into Adam at Carrington Street Antiques.

I have also been up late re-stocking my Laughing Duck Vintage Shop with this weeks finds.

 I really like this scarf. It is so Grace Kelly Riviera. I tried to do a casual elegant shot, but I am afraid I get bored. If it doesn't work in five shots...I move on.

 This little World of Suzie Wong beaded Hong Kong bag is cute.

And I will be putting this gorgeous wool 50's coat up tonight. I found it yesterday at Vinnies, and while more expensive than normal, it was worth it. It is in excellent condition. I nearly wept when I found it. Of course it is too small for me, about a size 10 or 12.

It is beautifully constructed with wonderful detail, front and back

And as usual, I love the labels. I am wondering if it was a sample. There looks to be a name which I can't make out. If anyone has an idea of the meaning of the SSW label, I would love to know...I am still on a learning curve. I assume it is order no. or style no. 333, I am thinking the M stands for 'maker 'and it was Pat. F could be 'finisher'??

As usual I am playing with Sophie.

One of these things is not like the other....

Spot the difference! I have been meaning to show you these images for a while now. "Cars and Trucks" is one of my most popular Little Golden Book vintage banners. It is also one of the books that was upgraded in the 70's to show less stereotypical role models.

One of the most iconic illustration by Richard Scarry, is the family in the colourful caravan, pre 1976. Mum looks as if she is a bit stressed, (she thought this was a holiday!) but Dad, complete with pipe is relaxed as anyone can be (wearing a bow tie on hols), and the boys are just being boys...playing with guns and axes and offending the Native American population.

Post 1976, new dad looks a bit sleazy to me, a bit Swingtown methinks. Unfortunately the 70's must have seen an increase of birth defects, because the kids look downright freaky! But, they are playing a very PC gender neutral game of baseball. Go team! And mum! Well she is on a very good wicket indeed. Go girl, go Women's Lib!  I wonder what book she is reading? Maybe The Omen.