Thursday 3 May 2018

The Long Good Buy



You'll be relieved to hear that this week we've been wearing clothes. This 1960s silk Dollyrockers maxi featuring this season's ultra hip cheese plant print (proving that there's rarely anything new in fashion) and turquoise leather coat have featured on my blog countless times since I acquired them. Jon's 1960s Italian fine knit is an old favourite but his burgundy skinny cords were a lucky charity shop find this week.


This was yesterday's outfit. You may remember my Leo Narducci maxi dress from THIS blog post last year. I found the rainbow stripe Bill Brown bag (no, I've never heard of him either but I'm a sucker for anything with a Made in England label) in a chazza on Tuesday and the colours instantly reminded me of the dress, likewise the 1960s plastic beads which I found in the same shop, so regardless of the chilly temperatures and relentless rain I gave it an outing.

Clockwise from top left: 1970s Welsh wool mini dress; Indian leather cross-body bag and pony skin neck purse; English-made deadstock leather knee high boots; Vintage Luis Mari of Nice, Cote D'Azur boned cotton sundress; 80s Wrangler cowboy boots; Handmade 1970s cotton maxi dress; 1970s leather jacket; 1930s brocade opera coat; 1960s gent's raincoat; 1970s patchwork bag; 1960s St Michael tie and Tricel foulard; 1960s Richard Draper of Glastonbury sheepskin boots; Massive Art Deco boxed seagull brooch; Past Times Indian embroidered waistcoat; Gieves and Hawkes tailored wool jacket (currently retailing at £795)
We came back from London three sacks of stock lighter so this week has mostly been spent scouring the charity shops of the Black Country for fabulous vintage to replenish our rails. With six festivals booked we've also been keeping our eyes peeled for colourful and quirky bits to tempt the vintage virgins who wander into our stall in between bands to pass the time. We don't like anyone to leave empty-handed.

If you want to catch us on the road this Summer HERE's the list so far.

Clockwise from top left: Vintage Eastex midi dress; 1980s English-made leather flying jacket; A huge pile of doll's house accessories; Two boxed bow ties; Handmade red velvet veiled pill box hat; Urban Outfitters deadstock burger purses; Navy leather cap; 1970s leather moto jacket; Neon orange Ju Ju jellies (handmade in Northampton) and 1960s plastic beads; 1970s tooled leather Algarve souvenir bag
Obviously all the dolls house stuff is for me, my next project is a four storey beast of a 1970s Lundby for which I'm currently stalking eBay in my hunt for groovy vintage furniture. I wish that glorious bird and butterfly print Luis Mari dress was my size, it would be the perfect summer frock with a floppy sun hat and a straw basket. I'm seriously tempted with the brocade opera coat but I've acquired a psychedelic Welsh wool cape and jacket plus the craziest fringed suede number in the last twenty four hours so a fourth outer garment might be a little excessive!


Another keeper is this 1960s box jam-packed with vintage sewing ephemera. My heart skipped a beat when I spotted it, I couldn't wait to get home and tip the contents out all over the lounge floor (just like I did with Grandma's sewing box when I was a little girl!)


Vintage sewing boxes like these give me such a thrill. With bagged-up broken necklaces, labels from clothing, receipts, a rainbow of 1960s seam rippers and neatly rolled up tape measures, you get a real sense of the previous owner. The most thrilling thing for me was the discovery of two leather buttons, identical to the ones on my beloved turquoise leather coat. What are the chances of that happening?


At £3 this hand-blown vintage genie bottle had to be mine.

We came back from our travels today with a whole van load of vintage, in fact there's so much that we've had to buy a couple more rails to accommodate it all on. I shall endeavour to share some photos of it all soon.


In doll's house news my Lundby Gothenburg is now complete and taking pride of place in the bedroom. I love switching on the lights at bedtime, lying in bed and admiring it (I am strange!)


It's a Bank Holiday on Monday and we've got some glorious weather forecast. If that's true we'll be out car booting and if not, I'll be cracking on with doll's house project number three.

See you soon!

62 comments:

  1. Jon's Italian fine knit and your orange and mustard dress both look fantastic. You both look very eye catching.
    The Lundby looks beautiful lit up. I'm looking forward to seeing the Gothenburg now.
    I love Art glass and your window display is just my style! I love it, those colours look perfect together.
    Have a good bank holiday weekend, fingers crossed for the weather. xxx

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    1. Thanks, Sally! Installing those lights were the trickiest part of the process, I'll have to remember to put them in before I place all the furniture next time.
      Wasn't the Bank Holiday weekend magical? Today's looking pretty good, too! xxx

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  2. Love that sewing box its so sweet , I get excited over sewing stuff even though i am not sewing at the moment , You have a busy time coming up , Hope the weather holds for your festivals xxx

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    1. I love finding vintage sewing stuff - it amazes me how much a single reel of good quality cotton is to buy new. It's brilliant always having exactly the right shade of thread to repair a dress! xxx

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  3. When my mum died I found a sewing box she hadn't used since the 60's and inside was the plastic hospital bracelet she wore when I was born along with matchbooks from nightclubs making me think she must have had a very curious pregnancy!

    I'd admire that dollhouse too-there's a lot of work and imagination gone into it.

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    1. Your Mum's sewing box was a proper time capsule, wasn't it? I remember finding my nappy pin and the first tooth I lost when i was clearing my Mum's stuff out. It's a strange feeling, isn't it? xxx

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  4. Wow! What a haul! I can't wait to see that 4 story dollhouse. Love that green genie bottle.
    xox

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    1. I do love a genie bottle, I hadn't found an unchipped cheap one in ages! xxx

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  5. As ever totally amazed by your finds!

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  6. I used to help out at an annual jumble sale and it was always the boxes full of sewing stuff or bits of fabric and trimmings which excited me. Real treasure!
    Arilx

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    1. They're fascinating, aren't they? I love other people's button tins, too! xxx

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  7. Haha you are strange! I love it!
    That patchwork bag is a fab find. I recently bought a vintage patchwork, snakeskin bag- I'll have to post a photo on my blog. Enjoy your weekend. Xxx

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    1. That bag sounds interesting, looking forward to seeing it. xxx

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  8. How fab to see the Lundy house all lit up. I wouldn't be able to stop looking at it either! Speaking of fabulousness, that Leo Narducci maxi dress has it in abundance. I can never resist vintage sewing boxes either, even though I don't really sew. I just love rummaging through them. I used to play with my grandmother's sewing things too, especially the buttons. And the good thing is, they're all mine now! You found some great stuff too: my eyes immediately zoomed in to the Art Deco seagull brooch! xxx

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    1. I thought you'd appreciate that massive brooch, it's a proper statement, isn't it?
      Sewing boxes are so interesting. I actually didn't buy one at last week's car boot sale (yes, still kicking myself over that!) The seller told me that people wanted the box and to leave the contents behind - how weird! xxx

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  9. Of course you lie in bed and admire it! So totally makes sense to me!
    You made some great scores as usual. That sewing box would give me a thrill too.
    xo Jazzy Jack

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    1. Ha! I'm glad we're on the same wavelength! xxx

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  10. Ah the sewing box! I can see why you were excited to get it home, and tipped out! A sewing box is such a treasure trove, and obviously this one was meant for you - the buttons are proof of that.
    xx

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    1. Aren't sewing boxes the best? I've found a lady on IG with a shared love of vintage sewing notions and we keep making each up little boxes of thread, ribbon and buttons and posting them to each other! xxx

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  11. you look fabulous in your "old" dresses!! as does jon in his sharp black shirt and bordeaux cords.
    that rainbow bag is cool chic and with the dress the whole look has a marrakesh vibe.....
    your finds are a rainbow too - the cote azur dress would be so fab on you - isn´t possible to make it fit with a bit of sewing?
    the dollhouse is really gleam with the light on!! i would do the same before sleeping :-)
    happy weekend!
    xxxxx

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    1. That dress would require a bit too much work to fit me - it's too big and long in the bodice and I'm a bit scared of taking apart all the intricate boning! Hopefully it'll eventually find a tall girl with a more voluptuous bus than me! xxx

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  12. I love the illuminated house!!! I would admire it too!
    And what a relief to know that you still wear clothes! :))) Looking fabulous as always. Love these dresses, and the "new" Luis Mari dress caught my eye! I wish it was MY size! No luck there, I know, haha!

    Wishing you a lovely weekend, dear Vix! <3

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    1. Thanks, Natalia! In an ideal world I'd give up all my vintage dresses to live in a bikini every day! xxx

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  13. Oooh look at all those wonderful finds! It is so gutting when something doesn't fit! The dolls house is a sight to behold! How fab!!Xx

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    1. I'll be so excited when the right shaped woman tries on that dress, it's going to look amazing on her. xxx

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  14. The dolls house looks fabulous especially with the lights on.

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  15. I'd have had the sewing box and genie bottle too....the sewing notions look wonderful. You've done well in the chazzas this week. Fingers crossed for a 'scorcher this BH weekend. Xx

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    1. We did do well, didn't we? I was giddy with excitement when I spotted that sewing box especially when I opened it and saw all the sewing notions inside! xxx

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  16. All such gorgeous stuff you find Viv. The dolls house is quite magical when the lights are on.

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  17. Oh that vintage sewing box full of things....gorgeous.
    The house looks so magical with the lights on I think I'd get blackout curtains and lay in bed all day just looking at it....lol.
    Hugs-x-

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    1. Isn't it lovely, Sheila? I love vintage sewing boxes - the car boots are full of the, I have to restrain myself sometimes! xxx

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  18. I wish the men around here would dress like Jon! I would have fought you for that gorgeous box of sewing stuff; the box itself is too fab, but as I am learning to sew, I would appreciate the things inside just as much.
    I would sit and stare at that lovely house at night too!

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    1. I'll tell him. He's very different from the normal British bloke in that he hates sportswear with a passion! xxx

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  19. your turquoise ensemble is one of my favorites ever! and you look gorgeous in your 'Leo Narducci' dress, the pattern and shape are awesome!!
    And I'm totally in love with your dolls house, so I understand that you feel so happy looking at it!, it's so fabulous!
    besos

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    1. Thank you so much, I love wearing my turquoise coat as it's a sign spring's here! xxx

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  20. What an absolutely brilliant haul. You would never find stuff like that in the charity shops around here. Your box of sewing things is just fantastic. They had such great packaging for things then and the box itself is so funky. You are matching the weather with your summery sunshine maxi dress. Got to love that doll's house. It is just so funky and looks great with the lighting. Can't wait to see what you do with the bigger one. Xx

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    1. The chazza I got most of those things from is just brilliant. Head office instructs them to put out a thousand items a day so it's impossible to leave empty-handed. They also get a lot of TK Maxx's unsold stock - most so horrible that you can understand why it never sold in the first place! I try to visit just once a fortnight or I'd be broke! xxx

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  21. I love the sewing box find, feeling major envy over dolls house but the jellies did it for me - they are so fabulous although I know I can't wear them - had a silver sparkle pair that killed my feet. Your turquoise coat is beautiful, it looks good with anything and everything and on your colouring is fabulous. busy drafting up some blog posts and sorting photos from Vietnam, you would LOVE it.

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    1. I cannot wait to read your travel blog, I'm dying to read all about Vietnam!! I'm delighted that you loved it as much as you'd hoped. xxx

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  22. Oh my, it looks wonderful all lit up! We live in a cold climate (this weekend excepting) so you can never have too many outer garments! xx

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    1. I think acquiring all those coats in a week did the trick weather-wise. Remind me to do that again before the next Bank Holiday! x

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  23. You are looking fabulous in your maxis - I especially love the yellow striped one and how well does the bag go with it? Jon looks very dapper.

    Your finds are just amazing. A 1930s opera coat? In my dreams. The sun dress is exquisite. The 1960s sewing box is fabulous.

    As for lying in bed and admiring your lit up doll's house; I'd be charging people money to see it! It is so fabulous and I can't wait to see the new one. Good luck with your E bay bid!

    xxxx

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    1. Can you believe the sun dress, opera coat and sewing box all came for the same clearance shop? It's rapidly becoming my favourite chazza! xxx

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  24. Your little house looks so cozy lit up like that! I would love to shrink down and get inside. It's been so fun watching the construction journey.

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    1. Thanks, Holly! I loved doing it up. I can feel a lifelong obsession coming on. x

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  25. The dollhouse is so lovely!!! That bird & butterfly print dress is such a dream!!!

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    1. Thanks, Becky! That dress is amazing isn't it? I like it all the more for being made in the South of France, so glam! xxx

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  29. A van load of vintage? That sounds like a truly impressive haul.

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    1. It was! We've had to put up another shed! x

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  30. I know, it's the dress of dreams for someone, isn't it?
    I'm so obsessed with trawling the second hand shops and car boots for mini stuff to fill my houses with - it's really hard to find! xxx

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  31. Loving th lights on the doll's house :)

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    1. Thank you! I love looking at them xxx

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  32. Wow. You really have good shopping karma. And everytime I see one of your fabulous doll houses I'm thinking more and more about getting one to decorate. I totally agree about finding vintage sewing boxes full of stuff. I love going through all the treasures inside.

    Theresa

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  33. Your doll house is truly a work of art!

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    1. Thank you! I brings me so much pleasure and the people I've met on the Facebook doll's house forums are just lovely! xxx

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Lots of love, Vix