New clothing, a graduation and a lippy purse (now with text :)

My apologies to those of you that viewed this blog before I could add the text.  Judging from the images I posted, you probably got the jist of what this blog was about.

And now for your reading pleasure (or displeasure), I present a blog with pictures AND text.  

You're welcome :)

Since starting my new job, I've spent half a paycheck on new clothes.  Partly due to a recent weightgain, and partly because I'm working in a new environment that I like to term "casual/eccentric/nerdy/fashionable office-chic".

I tend to favour capris in the spring/summer.  After fruitlessly scouring the thrift stores I broke down and shopped retail. But I did manage to pickup a few things secondhand.

Armed with a 50% off coupon, I scooped up three pairs of capri pants.

I'll post my retail buys on another post...but here is some non-office clothing that I scooped up.

A nice pair of Ann Taylor green shorts, and a Laura Petites black t-shirt.  I was thrilled to pay $3 for each of these items.

Zowie! I cleaned up and found a bounty of dresses.  I think I bought about 7 dresses.  This Rouie dress is vintage, it probably retailed for $200 back in the eighties. It was in MINT condition...it probably languished unworn in someone's closet for years.

Some baubles.

Because it's so close to Canada Day, the Salvation Army stores are displaying all manner of red and white outfits.  I liked the lippy purse. I hope someone buys it and rocks it with a fabulous outfit.

I found a fluttery patchwork skirt made of saree scraps.  It has a cute rainbow strip situated right over my bum :)

Twirl like no one is watching!

My eldest daughter graduated from high school with exceptionally high honours.  I'm so very proud of her!!

She may not know it, but I'm getting her that bedroom suite she's been hinting at (shhhhh, don't tell her!).

Smiling!!

Finally, more outfit pictures!!  This is what I wore to the graduation ceremony.

A mix of thrifted and retail.
Jessica McClintock blazer, thrifted $10
Old Navy dress, $25
Shoes with glittery straps, $40
Vintage eel clutch, thrifted $5
J Crew bangle, gift

What did I carry inside my clutch?  My iPhone, a lippie, and a vintage mirror.

Here's a pic of my poor swollen feet the next day.  My feet aren't ready to be in strappy sandals just yet.  

I rather like this ring.  I bought it for a very reasonable price at an antiques store.  Sometimes ya gotta treat yourself, am I right?

A little rant follows.

People, please dress up more.  When I attended this ceremony, it was to celebrate the hard work and diligence of a group of high school students.  If these kids can work hard for four years, the least you can do is put effort into what you're wearing.  Please don't wear track pants, stained running shoes, or sloppy t-shirts.  

And for those of you that did dress to the nines, thank you.

happy thrifting ;)

Crystal decanters, oodles of handbags and stuff

Hello everyone!  I've been tardy with this post.  Life, as usual, interrupts the most well-planned schedule.  In the past 3 months there has been a job change, several unexpected hospital visits, numerous medical appointments, a large number of shiny, distracting items and piles of winter clothing to sort through and pack away.

Our weather went from cold (with a dusting of light snow in MAY!) to double-digit hot (requiring floaty sun dresses), then back to cold and damp and foggy.  Today we are blessed with sunshine, warm weather....and gale force winds... which whip long hair and dust into one's face.

We have been getting copious amounts of rain.  Which is good, as there were terrible forest fires in Alberta.  I just wish the sun would shine long enough to that I could whip out and cut the grass.

I have treated myself to several, calming visits to thrift stores. Our city has the best thrift stores I have seen.  But since I am actively trying to de-clutter and organize...I will leave lots of things I like behind. 

Witness these lovely tidbits.

Ugh, it hurt to leave this scrummy blue crystal decanter set behind...but I just don't have the space for it.  I find loads of these vintage sets.  Usually they are in mint condition, but missing one glass.

$25 at the Salvation Army.

This cute wicker purse almost came home with me.  I justified buying it because it's cute...and it's cute!  Basically, if it's cute enough I can persuade myself to buy it.

But then I thought of all the wicker purses I have, and I put it back. 

Being all grown-up sucks, doesn't it?

Did I mention that eye-catching lining in this purse??? This purse was $4 at the Salvation Army.

Lookit these gorgeous boots!!

They're vintage...made in Canada!

Genuine leather!!

I would pair these with shorts over leggings, or a broom-stick skirt, or a 90's grungy dress.

I hope these beauties found a good home!

More crystal...I can't stop finding this stuff!

 Loads of decorative plates.

Aha!  What do I spot here!!!

I felt duty-bound to bring this vintage purse home.  

It's stunning!  The pics do not do justice to the precise piecing of the asymetrical strips, nor do they do justice to the even stitching or the construction.

I have a rule that when I fine something perfect (and I really want it), it comes home with me.  Done and done!

Here are some random pictures I took on a walk close to my (new) workplace.  Isn't they sky gorgeous?

That is one of our city's heritage buildings off in the distance.  Someday I'll try to get a pic of the stone carvings near the top of the building.

Outfit post!

When the weather is kind of unpredictable (and windy), I favour maxi skirts, a jacket and scarf (for warmth) and my ever-present large handbag (containing no less then FOUR packets of wet wipes...because I'm prepared for any type of mess!).

I particularly like this maxi dress.  It has a halter top, and the print has one of my favorite color-combinations, which is black and blue.

What have you found lately?

happy thrifting ;)

Things I've left behind (photo-heavy)

Part of thrifting is knowing what to leave behind.  I love to thrift - but sometimes I'll hit a thrift store, just to see what novelties I can find.  Sometimes I'll find things that (used to) fetch a pretty penny on eBay.  I don't sell on eBay anymore, but I still like to photograph vintage I items I could have sold.

Witness...things I've left behind....

If this fella could talk, oh the stories he would tell!!

Vintage Pyrex in the wild!!!

Fire-King!!

OK, this orange Pyrex came home with me....it's the perfect thing to hold Halloween treats!!

I check for cooties before I try hats on.

The tpurse (which was from South America) came home with me.

The dapper, grey hat came home with me.  The purse did not.

These pictures were taken last fall...which gave me enough time to put these items out for Christmas.  I love decorating with glass and milk-glass in the winter.

The prices were pretty reasonable, considering the sky-high prices that Value Village is charging lately. 

I'm obsessed with this planter.  It now resides next to my TV, it holds the remotes.

This is my selfie at the mall.  I was volunteering for the Christmas Kettle Campaign.  I wanted to make sure that I was warm, as I was working in a drafty vestibule. The red tuque says "Nice" on one side, and "Naughty" on the other.  The powder-blue wool coat is a Sally Ann find.

This is the view from my workplace 3 weeks ago.  Since then I've switched jobs.  I had to leave this view behind.

Isn't the sky beautiful?

The sunshine streaming through a crystal display at the Sally Ann.  They seem to have a lot of vintage, lead crystal!!

A snuggly, Hudson's Bay blanket that I snaffled for $35!!!  I'm giving this cozy, wool blanket a bath.  It's a 4 point blanket!!

I was loathe to leave these bovine beauties behind.  They were in immaculate condition, and priced at $3.99 for the set, they would have fetched a nice profit online.

I hope this 1970s, chalkware trio went to a good home!!

This coat was GORGEOUS!!  Soft red wool with black trim.  It was vintage, and made in France.

Ugh, it was 50% off.  I hope someone snapped it up for $7.50.

This is me wearing one of the 3 Adidas jackets I snagged this year.  I look a little sleepy.  Note to self, take more naps!!

Blingy Butt!!  These ridiculous jeans were bejewelled and studded to a ridiculous degree (hee, hee, Goody, were these the jeans you saw?).  Sadly my lardy behind couldn't squeeze into them - otherwise I'd treat you to a picture of them on.

Frilled and bejewelled, velvet purse.  

' Nuff said.

This vintage Fire-King came home with me.

This Midwinter stayed at the thrift store...there is something about that blossom that frightens me.  For $3.99, it was a steal (hee, hee, steel magnolia).

This little Wade dish came home with me.

I'm amassing a collection of vintage patterns!!

I didn't collect this one!!  It gave me the heebie-geebies just looking at it!!

What would you have left behind?

What would you have brought home?

Dashboard view of my drive along the highway, 2 weeks ago.

happy thrifting ;)