Friday 19 August 2011

Mama's Got A Squeeze Box


The joy of second-hand shopping is that you just never know what you're going to come home with next.


Jon needed to run a few errands today and met me from the swimming baths once he'd finished and we had a wander around the charity shops. Once a week the town's market management committee donate a stall to charity to help them raise funds and today was the turn of Islamic Relief. Jon was thrilled to snap up this fab Pakistani harmonium from Dhaka for £15 (a similar one from Guru Soundz retails at £120).

 
If he had a quid for everyone who asked him to "give as a tune" as he carried it home he'd be a rich man.


Being the musician of the household it's definitely Jon's toy. I haven't a clue what I'm doing, the cats have run for cover and even the tortoise looks nervous. My musical prowess extends no further than London's Burning on the recorder and a ropey rendition of Greensleeves on the Bontempi organ.


My latest buy were these Italian-made vintage sunnies to add to my collection. They were 95p.


I feel like I'm channelling Johnny Depp in Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas.


What's my favourite thing today? The return of summer. I snaffled a bag of coloured tights for 50p at yesterday's car boot sale and watching them flapping about on the washing line in all their lurid gloriousness makes me smile.


A joy to behold.



Friday's frock is actually a 1960's St Michael bri-nylon nightie (£1 from a previous town centre charity stall) worn with a tooled leather belt (50p, car boot sale), vintage platform soled sandals (£9.99, eBay), hair flower (from the lovely Louise) and vintage pendant (courtesy of the divine Ivy Black)

Thanks for your lovely comments yesterday (especially Tralala and Katie who don't have blogs so I can't visit to say thanks in person).

Have a brilliant weekend!

72 comments:

  1. Thats a heavenly heap of hosiery in harmonious hues. x

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  2. Wow, that's a lot of tights!!! They look great up there too. I'll be on the look out for some green tights like the ones in your photo from a couple of days ago. I'm so thirsty for color right now.

    Are you playin' that squeeze box all night? ;-)

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  3. Loving your dress Vix! Looking wonderful as ever :) what a bargain that squeezebox was! And the tights!

    Love Amie xxx

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  4. That's a fantabulous photo of the nylons flapping in the breeze. The colours are just glorious. I'm sorry to hear your dad isn't well, Vix. My sister's father-in-law has dementia, and my sister and her husband are his main carers, and carers for his wife too. My sister talks about her sadness around the illness, and also what caring for him and his wife actually involves. I wanted you to know, I think you are a very special lady, and am very glad to have met you through this thing called blogging. Em x

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  5. That is amazing! Also love the tights what a bargain! x

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  6. i love the tights photo! love love love! would make a great poster!

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  7. That is a LOT of tights. how colorful. Love your dress!

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  8. Wow Vix that is fab.. I love your posts always sunny always make you happy xx

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  9. Loving all those tights lined up, they make mine look dreadfully boring! Also love the sun glasses. What a fab find too! xx

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  10. love that picture with the tights! and i'm pretty sure that you owe it to your adoring fans to post a video of you playing London Burning on your recorder :)

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  11. Haha loving the tights too, so colourful! :)

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  12. Wow! When my Granddad passed away we found an accordion in his flat. We have no idea where it came from because as far as we knew my dear Granddad (a London bus driver) didn't have a musical bone in his body and was pretty deaf from all those old rattling bus engines. But my Dad still has it and one day I will learn to play it.

    I look forward to an album of harmonium Charlatans covers. It is the future.

    Have a corking weekend gorgeous people xxx

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  13. Wow, you certainly do find some interesting things, looking forward to a future Youtube performance from Jon!
    Love the colourful tights and shades - I nver see vintage shades here, it's all broken Primark copies! Yes, there's a definite JD vibe coming through x

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  14. oh i love that it looks like a pretty piece of furniture if anything anyways !!..
    love your sunnies.. i can never wear sunglasses as i always feel like ive got a false nose on with them they just dont suit me!!

    loving your tights, you got some great colours to..thats what i cant wait to get out my tights.. all this shaving and false tanning just gets boring by this time of year i find!!..

    charl
    x

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  15. How fab is that?! And all those tights look wonderful. I'm not wishing the summer away, but I'm rather looking forward to bringing out my coloured tights. xxx

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  16. You look so beautiful with that flower in your hair. A nightie???Definitly you are the vintage QUEEN.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  17. Hi my dear-the nightie looks adorable and you look very stylish in front of the harmonium, even though you can't play it, lol! Have a great weekend too xxxx

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  18. Hee hee - LOVE the tights pic lots - I agree - you ought to enlarge it and frame it!! It's fab!!

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  19. I would never have guessed that was a nightie! It's much too nice for bed clothes especially in summer when the only way to sleep is in the nude!

    Your garden is looking very inviting and summery, loving the tights blowing on the line hahaha!

    Loving the fear and loathing sunnies!

    I bet Jons like a little boy playing with his new toy! That was a hell of a find! Xxx

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  20. what an interesting instrument! I love the giant flower in your hair and how to find so many great colors of tights! Love that photo!

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  21. Jon has quite a find there. Too cool!

    You two have a great weekend. You know I love you. Send my regards to the moggies and the turtle.

    Love,

    SB

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  22. What a great find Jon made. You look fab in your nightie - I would never have thought that it wasn't a dress and I love the colourful array of tights. xxx

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  23. Aha, harmoniums! We have 2 of those nestled in a cupboard at school, not sure how to play them! Love your dress and flower! Those sunnies are sinister!

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  24. That's what I love about second-hand shopping- the thrill of finding something fabulous. That's not a feeling I ever get if I have to go into a ' brand-new' shop!

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  25. I love the big flower in your hair - so pretty x

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  26. I think there should be a blog/club dedicated to wearing vintage nighties as dresses, they are soooo pretty

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  27. that nightie/maxi dress is divine!! :) xx

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  28. I'm literally dribbling over those sunglasses, they're so cool!! How come vintage nighties are glamorous enough to wear dresses? You couldn't do that with a modern nighty I bet. That gizmo looks a bit like a piano accordian, does it sound similar? Xx

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  29. now thats what I call a lovely outfit! I haven't been to your blog in so long and I just loveeeeeee love love your new banner!

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  30. Wow. The joy of reading your blog is that you never quite know what you will blog about next. Sometimes you amaze me so much so I am lost for words.
    Love the sunnies there totally you and those tights make me smile a lot too, you Vix are one fabulous friend xxx

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  31. Freakin' fabularsole score,darl!!! I see nights of drunken fun,banging away(ahem)on that decorative piece of musical machinery!
    The tights on the line are just delightful!Tights are the best thing about Winter,but I try and wear them in Summer anyways,cos I'm really into them!
    Love todays frock,youve accessorised it fabulously!!!
    Love you!!!!
    Helga xxxXXXxxx

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  32. It doesn't matter if you can't play it, you'll just stand next to it (while Jon is playing) and look fab! Seriously challenging Johnny here, Vix, and you will NEVER run out of pink tights again! xxx

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  33. Wow, the squeeze box looks amazing, what a bargain. I probably wouldn't get one proper note out of it, haha. I love your dress, very summery. And that is a great banner picture! Super glamorous!

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  34. Imagine the scene Vix - "right Jon, what we need to buy today is a Pakistani harmonium, a loaf of bread, cat food, and a bag of loud and fluorescent tights". It just wouldn't happen unless you CHOOSE a dull life - there's no fun in predictability.
    Saw an eye-catching psychedelic number in the charity shop today, marked as 'small' but looked at least a 12. If it was smaller I'd have snapped it up for you, was a definite 70's original.

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  35. I want that dress!
    Love love love your oufit you little boho goddess.

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  36. "Music for a Found Harmonium" by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra is one of my favourite pieces. And now you found one!! What's Jon intend to compose on it I wonder. I love the image of all those colourful tights on the line. And very cool sunnies!

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  37. You look sensational in that gorgeous nightie/frock, amor - and I love that purple hair flower - I wore an almost identical one yesterday.

    That squeeze box is beautiful - I've never seen one like it.

    Wow - so many tights for 50p!!! YAY bargain!

    Happy weekend! Love, Sarah xxx

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  38. You're amazing. Can I be you?

    xxo

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  39. You look stunning in that outfit! And I love the squeeze box, I bet you will be having a quick go on it! lol!

    I have just done a post which I think you might love - I thought of you as soon as I saw it! x

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  40. Awesome! Methinks you need to get a video up of Jon playin' us a tune ;)

    The tight selection really is cheerful, I need to get myself some more for the colder weather. Nothing like bright legs for cheering yourself up xx

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  41. Amor,
    oh my can Jon he play a polka for me?
    I love me all kinds of squeeze boxes.
    Your wearing a nightie? how gorgeous.
    I am drooling over your colorful tights. I am intrigued by your treasure finding skills.

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  42. I'm very JEALOUS of that harmonica. I'd love to get my fingers on those keys!

    You look might fine - the leather belt is an unexpected and lovey touch to the floral dress. And the photo of the stockings is a keeper. It would look great enlarged, framed and hanging. SOMEwhere.

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  43. As ever you look wonderful! However squeezeboxes of any description are a bit of a no-no with me at the moment lol!

    K xx

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  44. You look very impressive and elegant sitting at the harmonium - grrrrrrr to your flower and green sunnies with your Friday Frock! Message from The Phoenix who is very impressed with Jon's find: "listen to a song by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra called "Music for a Found Harmonium" - it's a really happy piece of music and it's really easy to learn even if you've never played it before and it's completely appropriate because you've found a harmonium!"
    On a separate note, I'm very impressed with your tights swinging in the breeze on the line - wonder what the neighbours think - haaaaaaaaaaa!! xoxoxox

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  45. WOW!! That harmonium is WAY COOL! I would have totally begged my guy to let me get it. LOL
    (Sometimes I have to do that because he thinks I purchase odd things.) *lol*
    You look so good in all the purple and then the blast of green with those sunnies. Awsome Frock!

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  46. I LOVE the photo of the stockings!
    Perfect!
    also,thanks for the sympathy re: Bitty.
    I cry, then I sleep.........
    I know it will pass and I am looking forward to some kittens, though they will never replace her, they will be an awesome distraction and I love the bonding that happens!
    xXx
    Reva

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  47. Your nightie looks fab!To lovely not to be shown off in the day. Those tights were a bargain, I do love coloured tights. Seeing them all on the line looked very arty in a Tracy Emin way. I hope Jon's new instrument makes a pleasant sound? The Boy has just taken ownership of his late grandads piano. I'm loving hearing him play. (I can just about play the triangle never mind piano!)

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  48. That nightie is gorgeous it deserves the sunlight! I'm super jealous of those tights I'm on the search for coloured tights at the moment!

    E :)

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  49. Wow you are sorted for the colder months with that impressive selection of tights! Amzing find!
    Sophie
    x

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  50. Another lovely find :) Well done. I love your purple dress, and those tights, they make a lovely photo

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  51. You and Jon are the only couple that I can think of who can come home from shoping with a secondhand Pakistani harmonium!

    I love that photo of the tights; very much Indian festival colours.

    xxx

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  52. I have never seen a harmonium before what a lot of craftmanship has gone into that. Are they Ivory keys? You look so regal sat there ;-) I would have never guessed that was a night dress you really do dress and wear things with so much style. Loving those tights i have to say seeing all Helga's and yours i am def going to give coloured tights a go this winter i will probably look like a frog but i am going to give a try ;-)) enjoy your weekend, dee xx

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  53. How pretty you look in that dress.I love that music box I love wood so would have nabbed it just for the decorations.

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  54. Amazing ensemble of finds - and yet, what other combination could you and Jon possibly come home with! Love the sunglasses - greeeeeennnnn!!!!

    If you were at all corporate-minded I could see that print of coloured tights wafting in the breeze as one of those ginormous canvases everyone would love to have on the wall. Get that image copyrighted! xx

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  55. The flower in your hair and those colourful tights on the washiline makes one think of the romance of summer fun;-)

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  56. Hi Vix - will start soon baking the cake for Mr D but taking a moment to say that yesterday and today's outfits are simply exquisite, the combos is simply divine and lucky you to have found this treasure! Love, love the sunnies, i adore the pic!

    I too try to keep clothing tha make me happy and ready to wear!

    Have a nice weekend friend!

    PS - what is car booting, been wondering

    Ariane xxxx

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  57. Oh! I'd love to get my hands of a Harmonium ... would make such an authentic decorative piece!! You look lovely ... love that big flower in the hair :o)

    ♡ from © tanvii.com

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  58. Love your frock and the pretty rose in your hair.

    I love seeing washing on the line it looks so fresh and clean.

    Those tights look so funny all lined up like that. xx

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  59. That picture of the tights is fabulous that needs to go on a postcard!! I love it hehehe....ahhh the signs of home life I am so pinning for a home. I will miss the big thick hotel robe and the room service...but there's not place like home~ The place where your colored tights can flap in the wind lol!! You look fabulous and some more wonderful sales!! Enjoy your new treasures ~Love Heather

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  60. our local church has got one of these harmonium things and it is usually referred to as The Kist O' Whistles!

    There you go, that sounds more romantic than harmonium!

    You look exceptional, as usual. That seems like a contradition in terms, but you know what I mean!

    AX

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  61. My dear lady I want your sunnies!:)lol U look beautiful in that dress!:) Have a lovely weekend!!
    Jelena
    http://glamfabchameleon.blogspot.com/

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  62. you look to me like you know what your doing on the harmonium Vix :) I am so jeaous it's summer over there. I am dying for summer to hurry here in Australia.

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  63. Love those green sunnies! And i can play London's Burning (and Jingle Bells) on the recorder, but that is the entire extent of my musical repertoire!!

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  64. The picture with tights, hanging in the garden - is like the best thing ever!)) I'm gonna save it and look at it whenever I feel sad))))

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  65. how lovely is that, what an awesome find! I really like the colour of your dress.

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  66. the laundry photo is hilarious. Does the harmonium actually work? When I saw it, I thought of organ grinders and decided John needed a monkey with a cup to go with it.

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  67. gee, you totally scored with the tights!

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  68. How cool is that Harmonium? Amazing. My other half is the musical one too - guitars and mandolins all over the place. I can knock out a bit of The Beatles on the piano, but I don't have one any more...must look out on Freegle when I move house.

    Loving the shades and coloured tights x

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  69. Hello, I have just started following your blog and may I just say you are an inspiration. I have just made a pledge to myself that I no longer will buy any new clothes. I will either make them or buy them from charity shops or car boot sales.

    I love your style and everything you wear, it is exactly how I want to look.

    The fact that I am dieting and losing a lot of weight (one and a half stone so far in 12 weeks!) that makes wanting to buy new clothes hard, but I guess I will just have to try harder to upcycle the ones I have.

    Thanks again for inspiration and I hope you don't mind me tagging along?


    Cxxx

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  70. Hehe, my friends mum has one of those, I love it!
    xo

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  71. Tights on the line remind me of flamingos! :D

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix