…breathe

hey blogville,

It’s been radio silence of late on MrsB – Have had some very sad news and lost someone I loved, and even typing about it feels wrong because it’s a private thing,  grief.

So I urge you to pick up your phone and call your siblings, rellies, friends, and have a chat. Don’t let the days pass you by.

In other news, a dear friend’s launched a blog which I think you’ll like – especially if you like food and even more when you pay attention to the tags…hehe

AND I’ve finished off my second Oliver + S playdate dress, with the original craft fabric I bought.

I do like it, trust me when i say the iPhone photo doesn’t do it justice…I’ll upload a proper one soon…but mainly…I am growing in confidence in this wonderful sewing malarky.  So relaxing.

The 1920’s tea dress…

Roll-up, roll-up! Play the careers game!

You know how it is – you see a vintage store, you can practically smell the treasures inside…you finally walk in, and suddenly…BAM!

I’ve been giving Melbourne’ s vintage stores a very, very wide berth. Admiring from afar, as it were…  Money being a bit tight, and more important things to spend it on…such as food and rent.

However, there’s a change in the air and a spot of full-time employment on the horizon and so, I kinda had to celebrate. Relief will do that to a girl, no?

 

In the Aladdin’s cave that is Clara Fox, on Brunswick St, I found not only the most charming proprietress, as happy to talk about vintage tablecloths as vintage frocks, but a 1920s/30s brown, silk tea-dress. As light as can be, and perfect for the impending summer.

I heart it. I wasn’t intending on buying, but I couldn’t not – you know that feeling? 

All it needs is a slip underneath, and I’ll be ready to roll. It’s even long enough to ride a bike in and maintain one’s modesty.

It has some side ties that become a bow at the back, giving it a lovely waist. Here’s the back  (soz for crude photos, shall replace with nice, clear, in focus ones soon) and some much more clear pics…

 

What I really, really love about vintage shopping – aside from the ethical and environmental reasons, is that real lovers of vintage seem to truly delight in each other’s finds. We’re really glad for someone – even complete strangers, when we hear of their discoveries.

I stood in Clara Fox’s swapping stories about glorious treasures and miraculous finds, and marvelled at the fortitude and tinny-ness of people who love vintage as much and more, and didn’t feel the slightest bit envious about their purchases. Is it because vintage is so personal, cuts and styles as varied as we are, that finding something which works is an appreciated thrill?

I wonder…what do you think?

Acacia et Coquelicot

Oh dear! I’ve been terribly remiss, fellow blogophiles, and not properly updated le blog in a while. Please forgive me!

Today is a very beautiful day in Melbourne, what with that cloudless sky, it being a Friday, and me having made it through three job interviews (phew!) this week. I’m getting to know myself and my town pretty well, I can tell you!

However, I still find myself craving the blinding colour and sunshine that winter struggles to provide, this far south.

Tomatoes by acacia et coqulicot

I think I may have found a good solution!

It’s name is acacia et coquelicot , and how gorgeous it, and these photos are.

It’s a truly glorious blog dedicated to gardening, and food, and beautiful photos.  I can practically taste those tomatoes, so sweet and warm and firm, and can feel them dribbling down my chin. Mm-mm.

Those colours sure do bring a twinkle to my eye.  Our garden’s not so bright…the silverbeets are going strong, as is the fennel. At least, from where I’m sitting, indoors, they look healthy… It’s too cold to do anything other than look!

Gardening is all very well in spring and summer, but I’m not so keen on digging about during winter. So with my socks on and a cuppa tea at the ready…I’ll check out acacia’s blog instead.

Pop over and have a look! Even if you’re not remotely interested in gardening, the photos alone are inspiration.

 In the meantime, happy shortest day of the year! (nearly)…

The Op Shop Challenge

 

 Have you heard? There’s an Op Shop challenge going on!

Mega media company News Limited is wanting to cut carbon emissions across its operations and last week, by way of its 1degree initiative, launched a competition for employees – the prize is a Prius. Employees pledge to take up a personal environmental action, for a period of two weeks, and explain how it helps cut emissions. 

Pic courtesy Katie Crackernuts

Katie Crackernuts  (that’s her in the pic above) took up the 1degree op shop challenge, by wearing ONLY  thrifted and recycled fashion to work for two weeks straight and keeping us in the loop on her blog.  Katie became a finalist and is now in the top ten for the Prius (Go Katie!) She decided to spread the love by inviting fellow bloggers to write about their favourite op shop/second hand finds, or give treasure hunting tips to their readers.

Pia’s  joined in the fun, and shared some of her favourite Paris finds, so I thought I’d do so as well!

My Jackie O number. A close up so you can see the detail above, and below - blue lace over golden satin form-fitting dress with matching cropped jacket. Found in a vintage store off Carnaby Street. I think it was £70…and well worth it.

It fits snugly around the waist, and is terribly lady-like. I first wore it to my auntie’s wedding in Wales and as I sat down in the back pew of the church the seam ripped from below my butt to just above. Nice. Cue frantic search for Port Talbot’s only sewing kit. The cotton was rotten, as they say. The wedding was great, though!

 

 My favourite, from Bang Bang in Soho (a bit like Circa Vintage here in Melbourne) – London: a perfect Vivianne Westwood frock at a ridiculous price.

So ridiculous, as in I bought it without even blinking. The incredible feat of engineering in the dress is why I love Viv’s work. It’s like an internal invisible scaffold.

Pulls it in, pushes it up and voila…ker-pow dress.

Ms Westwood’s PR cleared out her closet before moving to Italy, and I happened to have the day off and the op-shop gods smiled upon me.

I may not be able to afford a red-carpet Viv gown, but this red-label piece is infinitely more wearable on a regular basis.

 

 

 

Next up, an ice-blue 50’s frock, as found in Elmore. The perfect fit, and an absolute bargain – $40. Bit hard to tell on the hanger but it too fits like a glove. The crossed over collar, the draped detail at the hem, all emphasising the good bits.

I’m going to finish up with the Mad Men coat.

I used to go to a great vintage night in East London run by Angel Adoree - she’d turn her fabulous little converted-schoolroom loft into a shop and play jazz, serve wine, and let us all rummage through her amazing collection. I found this coat baby there – the perfect length over a full skirt and heels. Check out that fabric! Just like wet black leaves.

Ahhh… how great is it to go over your favourite op-shop discoveries? Why is it I love these more than any of my other finds? Well, not all –  I’ve got bags and jewellery to show too, but maybe another time, eh?

Delicious. Just delicious.

Have fallen head-over heels for the 1920s and 30s again, after finally sitting down to watch The House Of Eliott. I can’t get enough of the fabrics and shapes and bloody gorgeousness of it all. I’m convinced, if depression/war hadn’t broken out, the designs and innovations would have become better and better. As it is, the war came, and that changed the way we wore.

If I could, I’d snap up this lost-for-words blue piece, above – as seen on world’s best daydream site, PoshGirlVintage.  I ‘d stare at it all day long and sigh little sighs over the beading. Sigh.

Anyway, in mindlessly googling House of Eliott and dreaming over the resulting images, I stumbled across the blog of Pia Jane Bijkerk, an Aussie lass with a beautiful eye for beautiful things. Forgive me if you already know of her, but I’m figuring if you do know her, you wont mind looking again!

She’s a photographer, stylist and author of ‘Paris: Made by Hand’ and happens to be living my dream life – dividing her time between Paris, a houseboat in Amsterdam and Oz.  Hello Pia, can I have my life back? Cheers.

 It’s hard to feel envious as her blog is so lovely and she shares her toys with us in a very well mannered way AND she dedicates a whole post to the House of Eliott, as well as pics from shoots, her fashion look-book, snaps from whichever town she’s in (such as this one above from the ‘Dam) and simply stunning photos. It’s totally worth a look, you’ll lose yourself in it for hours.

Pia, you’re my new most favourite blog in the world. Yum

Cheeky squirrels

Hello! It’s been far too long between drinks, as they say. 

The B’s sought some country air, and went up to Daylesford on Saturday. A little walk around the high street found a gallery/shop showing a few of Mike Chavez’s works (above), which was very exciting. 

There’s a great story about the rude bottom-right piece as told to me by a dear friend, who was one of his Chavez’s early supporters and fans. In 2007 she’d organised an exhibition of his work, ‘Four Play’, on the Gold Coast, and noticed an elderly visitor to the gallery space making her way towards the piece above, with the sparrow propositioning the squirrel. Walking over to her, Lorraine was a bit worried about the lady’s reaction, and prepared for the worst.

“Is everything alright?” asked Lorraine.

“Well,” said the lady, eyeing up the piece, “It’s certainly been a while since I’ve had one of those...”

The B’s also headed out beyond Daylesford to Hepburn Springs and Shepherds Flat, our destination being Lavendula – the lavender farm and restaurant. The day was gorgeous, all autumnal and very Cotswald-y.

We ate outside under some beautiful moss covered trees and imagined living there, with the bocce court and geese for company.

Lavendula was on the B’s wedding venue shortlist, but it was just a smidge too far out of town. No worries, though, when it comes to re-newing the vows a la Beckhams, Lavendula’s the spot, no doubts.

We’ll dance under the stars, celebrate with homemade lavender-cordial champagne cocktails and eat metre-long pizzas. Heavenly!

On the way out we found this cat doing his bit for the arts, and sitting on a red-velvet leaf blanket. Thanks, cat. Nicely sat.

Bébé Lila Rose

It’s so satisfying seeing something you’ve made getting used or simply being modelled by a beautiful baby – in this case, by the lovely Lila. It’s one thing making a dress, but actually seeing it on the person it was made for is very spesh.

I was extra-thrilled to see the wrapping paper was well received!  Although, as usual, I was mostly captivated by her eyes. What a cutie.

Lila’s clearly picked up some of her Mummy’s eye for detail and a good accessory.

“Darlings I love the dress, but how about we add a baby pink bonnet? Ahh, yes…Much better.”

Now that this week is almost to a close, I can focus on next week, and I think I’ll give the dress another go, in another fabric! Gotta keep on creating.

Red carpet frock-off

It has been a little bit of a stressful week, kicking off with the Logies on Sunday afternoon, interviews on Tuesday and losing my library card on Wednesday (and finding it again Wednesday night. Phew!).

The highlight being seeing George Negus in the flesh (not literally, he wasn’t naked) at the Logies.  That’s him in the middle, between baby Ray and Baby Ian Leslie. George is one very cool dude (fabbo chest rug, too.)

 Had Kerry O’Brien slowed down on his way in I might have had a chance to get all squealy for him. But he didn’t, and so I didn’t either. I’m too cool.  On the other hand, talking to Kristy Hinze was not cool… 

“Vintage Bill Blass” she said repeatedly. “It’s 1960s Bill Blass. Vintage. Bill Blass” with the air of someone who assumed we wouldn’t know who he was, and all the while looking around to see who was watching her and if there was someone else to talk to. 

Rating highly on the excitement scale alongside Negus: Underbelly people and Johnny Young (Talent Time!). Aww!

I did manage to get two really rubbish photos to prove that I was there. I have no idea why I felt the need to do that. Maybe to alleviate celebrity fatigue?

This one is the back of  ‘Aussie Bob Trimbole’ and ‘Terry Clarke’ – that’s Roy Billing and Matthew Newton. Happily they were sporting exactly the same facial hair as in The Tale of Two Cities, and were both very nice chaps.

I couldn’t have got a worse photo if I tried.  Note: I wasn’t really trying.  The bird in the white dress on the right of the photo is Dannii Minogue…And this one is of Rachel Griffiths sprouting out of the shoulders of siamese twins in a grey suit, apparently.

I have probably taken five photos on the red carpet in my time working on them as:

a) they never work out

b) I think it’s a bit rude and looks a bit chavvy to ram a cameraphone up someone’s nose and

c) I took one of Steve Tyler at a Dita Von Teese show and he gave me the finger. I felt bad about that. Sorry, Steve.

Anyway… I digress.

I’m determined to find a match for my initial bébé dress fabric – and  one of these days I’ll get to the remnant factory over near Lygon street.  I am going to move right away from pastels where possible, and take a cue from tape a l’oeil who manage to make cute kids stuff without the tweeness.

But tonight, I’m laying down the fabric. I’m going to throw myself head first into The House Of Elliot for a bit of 20s fashion loving.

Oliver + S Playdate dress

I tell you what – it’s exceptionally handy having a mum who teaches textiles and art for a living!

The dress is all finished, and prét a porter!

You may have noticed, it’s not in the fabric I’d originally picked out. Spotlight Brunswick didn’t have any matching binding and was, in general, a bit of a nightmare to get around and find matching things, especially buttons.  Grr.

We eventually found some great alternate fabric that had a lovely texture to it, some broderie anglaise for the yoke…and some cute purple buttons to go with…

…You can kind of see the bumps in the fabric – not only does it catch the light prettily, but it feels nice to touch!

After that… it literally only took a day to alter and put together – which is where mum came in especially handy. The original dress had long sleeves, but we changed that to take into account Lila’s age and growth spurts.

Mum came over and helped (a LOT!) with the putting together – thank goodness, because the pattern had a fair bit of foreign language in it, and we decided that rather than cut up the pattern we’d trace it so it could be used again and again…

After she left, I plodded along fairly slowly, sewing linings and hems…but the most challenging part was button placement.

What a dilemma! Still – they’re only buttons so if I decide in a couple of days I don’t like them…snip snip!

I really like it. It’s not my first pick for colour – I tend to lean more toward the warmer spectrum (then again, I’m not the one wearing it,) and as far as little dresses go, it’s not bad, eh?

And it’s done what I wanted it to: get me excited and confident about taking on a similar project.

 I’m already planning my next one!

baby dress…finished

I’m knackered. But it’s done! I shall post the pics and full report…soon! watch this space