Chordette, pretty little pet Chordette

 

Now, I love my husband.

Don't get me wrong, he is a sweet dear man.

But good lawd he is horrible to take shopping! Terrible!

He can usually drain all of the fun out of a shopping trip in about three seconds flat.

He is usually grumbling and moaning, pointedly looking at the time and trying to hurry me along as soon as we step through a stores doorway.

But that is okay. I have come to terms with my husbands deep aversion to shopping and usually avoid situations where we must shop together.

Yet strangely, on Saturday, I found myself traipsing around the stores with my beloved, with a few hours up our sleeves unfettered by children. (They were getting their Smurf on with friends

 at the cinema's).

And even more miraculous was the fact that he let me drag him into a vintage store and op shop.

Will wonders never cease! (I think I may have even checked the sky to see if there was a plague of locusts on the horizon, or if it was raining blood, or some other sign that the end was nigh.)

So to my surprise on Saturday, I scored a fab vintage skirt which I am sure will feature soon in an outfit post and this amazing beauty.

 

 

 

Let me introduce you to Chordette , this adorable little Excelsior organ from the late 50's - early 60's.

Yeah, you heard me. It is an organ!

 

 

Ain't she purty!

My husband, who inherited his love of music from his Pop, was equally smitten with Chordette, so we just had to bring her home.

And did I mention that the op shop was having a "half price furniture", sale so it was truly

meant to be.

Our new lovely does have some unsightly heat marks (when will people learn to not put hot cups of drinks on wooden furniture?) that I will tackle with the help of youtube and a hot iron, and she does have some wiring issues, but her beauty is undiminished in my eyes.

 

 

I think she is pretty good condition for her age even if she doesn't actually work!

And she has become the perfect place to display my AMAZING Barsony lamp that was gifted to me.

 

 

 

Two vintage beauties to brighten up a dull corner!

                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green attracts green

 

Do you ever find that when out trawling for clothes and other pretties that the outfit you are wearing determines what you find.

Is that a crazy idea?

I just find that if I am wearing lots of green I find some lovely in green.

If I am slathered in red, then I find a pretty in red.

And so on and so forth.

(I'm sure there is a study in all of this.)

So there I was, all decked out in Kermit frog green when I spotted this fabulous 70's doing 40's green suit.

 

 

 

I told you it was fabulous!

It is a vintage brand from Tokyo called "Sunny Ruby" and yeah, okay, it is a wee bit snug around the girls and I realised that there is some ventilation at the rear.

 

 

Nothing that a new zipper can't fix. (I'm talking about the skirt, not my butt. I'm not sure that anything can fix that butt!)

 

 

But how awesome is this collar!

Bloody awesome!

 

 

And the colour is simply stunning.

It really is a joyous shade of green and so vibrant.

 

 

I also nabbed an equally vibrant and gorgeous cobalt blue Leona Edmiston from the same op shop which I think will be great when it starts to warm up a bit more. (Are you listening Spring?)

 

 

I apologise to you blue for disliking you for so long. My grudge with you is over and I can honestly say that this shade of blue is one of my fave colours ever.

The dress is a super slinky stretch and feels so lovely on.

 

 

Now can I tell you the best bit about my haul?

Not only did I score some gorgeous outfits, but I when I looked at my receipt when I got home, I am pretty sure that I wasn't charged for the green suit!

Don't worry I will try and take the gazillion bags of my wardrobe clear out and donate them to even the score. I wouldn't want to upset the op shop gods!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Making the grade

I look so tired, even in black and white!

 

I feel so heartless. So very horrible.

I feel like Cruella Deville's more cruel sister.

I feel like Attila the Huns more barbaric cousin.

I feel like all the evil villains that Scooby Doo and his gang had to reveal, but you know, more evil.

But no matter how bad I feel, the truth remains.

I must do another ruthless cull of my wardrobe!

Some of my pretties must be expelled from their safe, warm, overcrowded little haven, and must be sent to find their own way in the big, scary world.

(Yes, yes, some of my pretties have indeed already lived long lives out in that bad place before, and yes, yes, most of them are older than me, but I still feel for them!)

 

 

So I have madly trying on clothes and ruthlessly deciding if they make the grade.

Like this little 60's Miss Deb number that has some identity issues and thinks she may be from the 20's and 40's.

But that is what I loved about her. Her fluttering sleeves, pussy bow, drop waist and layers of skirt, as well as her cool geometric pattern were features that attracted me to her.

But, as I am so often reminded, arses and hips just don't shrink, and this lovely frock kind of clings where her first ruffle begins. Boo hoo!

 

 

And can you see the weird way it sits on my hips because it is too snug, where my hands are? No? That because my hands are on the weird bumps and I would have to walk around with my hands on my hips all day. And that wouldn't be fun. How would I drink my tea, and scratch my butt and so on?

So this little lady is one of many which must go.

I will be popping many an item on ebay over the next two weeks and will update you all on what didn't make the grade.

 

Note - belt and child are not being sold with this dress.

(I could possibly let you borrow the child when she is being particularly trying though.)

 

 

 

 

 

 





Snippets and sausage sizzles

 

 

 

 

 

We have had a weekend filled with voting, sausage sizzles (because you can't vote without having a semi burnt sausage after - it is in our constitution, or something)

 

 

football presentations (also with a sausage sizzle)

 

 

 some rain (just as I waited in the loooooong queue to vote!)  and some divine sunshine.

We have a new Prime Minister and my son has a new trophy to be proudly displayed.

There has been fairy floss as large as a boys head,

 

 

and delicious breakfasts eaten leisurely.

 

 

There has been much sneezing, hacking and wheezing as I very kindly infected my whole family with a nasty virus (I'm a share bear!), so this weekend has been a time to  relax, recharge and hopefully feel renewed enough to tackle the week ahead.

It has been a weekend of change and I can only hope that after the childish shenanigans and mud slinging of the election campaign, that our new PM will get down to the important business of leading this country with wisdom, compassion, integrity and fervour.

 

That s me pondering change and wondering if a politician can have those traits. Hmmm.....

 

What I wore:

Vintage refashioned  dress and hand made hair bow  (made from the hacked of sleeves) to match.

Op shopped cardi, shoes, necklace and belt.

 

 

 

 

 



In bloom



 

 I start to get yearnings at this time of year.

Yearning to feel the sun on bare arms and legs.

Yearning to hear cicada's trill at night outside my window.

Yearning to smell the heady perfumes of all the flowers blooming.

Yearning to taste watermelon and mangoes.

Soon I tell myself. Soon.

Early this past week in Melbourne it has been a perfect little taste of Spring with us enjoying  beautiful mild days with blue skies overhead.

But yesterday, just to prove I am still in Melbourne, it was grey, raining and dreary.

But after the gorgeous weather I couldn't let that lovely Spring feeling go, and so to rebel, decided to wear a particularly Spring outfit. I even went bare legged (le gasp!) despite the almost blinding paleness of my legs.

I bought this skirt from my local Vinnies and thought the shades of apricot and peach just lovely, but having bought it months ago just never felt the weather right for it.

And yesterday the weather still wasn't right, but oh well, I'm a crazy gal living on the edge!

 

 

 

 

 The skirt  soooo reminds me of a grandma's floral couch. All it needs is a plastic slip cover to be complete!

I think the pattern is blooming lovely (do you see what I did there!) and love the circle skirt cut.

And with my op shopped apricot top I felt very Spring like.

I think what really made me wear this ensemble was that one of my new to me $3 handbags (that may or may not be made from an old tea towel!) matched perfectly with the skirt.

 

 

Matchy matchy heaven!

I am beginning to see other glimpses of Spring, even in my ramshackle unloved garden. (I am NOT a gardener. In fact I despise gardening with all my heart. I would rather stab myself in the eye than have to weed, and cultivate and whatever else you might do in a garden. Yet I would love to have a beautiful garden. I just don't want to have to make it beautiful myself!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Blooming beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunshine on my window makes me happy like I should be.

 

Glorious, glorious sunshine, and flowers blooming.

It is enough to make a person feel bloody happy!

 

 

 

Today there were blue skies and warmth and a delicious Spring zip in the air.

 

 

There were bees buzzing in my little  blooming trees.

(Sometimes buzzing a little too close for my liking! Away with you little Barry bee's!)

 

 

 

Its enough to make a girl leap and twirl in the sunshine.

Another instant dose of happy was to be had in the form of a sign hanging in one of my local op shops this morning stating, " All hand bags $ 3".

Bloody brilliant!

And so I had to buy some of those lovely $3 bags.

(Have I mentioned before that I have a little "problem" with hand bags?)

 

 

 

 

Oh, how I adore those funky retro handles!

The above bag is just beautifully handmade of the plushest teal velvet with some very handy compartments inside, and I think may be my new work hand bag. (Am I the only person to seem to need more crap when I am at work? )

 

 

So much room to fill with.....junk!

I also recently picked up these divine shoes for the Little Miss and have a severe case of shoe envy.

 

 

Aren't they adorable? Every gal needs silver shoes!

And the best thing about them is that the Little Miss calls them her "tap shoes" and so does not merely walk when wearing them. Oh no. She has to dance when she wears them!

So how could today not be fantastic?

Perfect Spring sunshine, a bounty of bags, and a wee lady that prances and flutters around in her sweet silver shoes.

 

Outfit details - all  op shopped and ebayed except my Dangerfield black skirt.

 

What is making your day?

 

Thanks to Spiderbait for my post title!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



All dressed up and nowhere to go.

 

As you can imagine, I do like a good night out.

Hitting the city, all dolled up, with good pals, is the best tonic for a tiring and dreary week.

A few "refreshments" and a pumping dance floor to groove my cares away was very much needed.

I'd even bitten the bullet and gotten my haircut on Friday.( Look, a fringe!)

 

 

(I know, I know! Nothing too crazy, but still it took all my courage to even get this done!)

So, on Saturday I'd donned my new to me non-vintage dress from the Waverley Antique Bazaar (ironic huh?), my pretty tights with the seams and bows and the sweetest little

op shopped red cane bag.

 

 

And there I was, all plucked and primped, fragrant with Poeme and anticipation, ready to hit the town, when I got the call no gal wants to get.

Sorry! Night out is cancelled!

Bugger! Bugger! Bugger!

And a wee tear rolled down my heavily made up cheek!

Oh, how I had wanted to dance with wild abandon!

Oh, how I had wanted to gas bag and catch up with friends!

Oh, how I had wanted to laugh and giggle and snicker!

And so the pretty, twirly frock came off.

The warpaint came off.

The PJ's were changed into.

And the bag of Maltesers was broken out.

The night wasn't a complete disaster because I finally got to watch some of the horror films I'd been dying to watch. All four of them! Back to back!

And I did have a great day today celebrating Fathers Day with my wonderful Dad and gorgeous hubby, but still, I mourn for the night out that could have been and all the hi-jinks that

were missed out on.

It was lucky that I had snapped these pics of my ensemble before the night fell apart.

 

 

Until next time little frock.......

Does anyone else have any sad tales of nights out that never were?