When Patrick goes on business trips, I often decide to just go to my dad’s for the time he’s away. I love spending time with my dad since we share the same passions. The last few days were spent shopping, pricing inventory for the shop in Coburg, working on the newly acquired Cadillac hearse, and car cruise.
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!
I’m not quite sure what’s up with Portland lately…but we’ve had a rather large lack of rain and the next few days are slated to be in the 80s! And it’s May! What is going on!? I’m not complaining…it’s just…strange. And I don’t quite trust the weather…like I’m betting we’ll be back to the 50s and rainy in a week or so. But despite my distrust in the weather, I turned over my wardrobe to more summery duds… capris, sheer blouses and sleeveless dresses. Oh, how I’ve missed you all…
One fabulous thing about having friends who are in the antique and vintage industry is instant access to amazing pieces. This dress and purse are prime examples. Friends will find something that makes them think of me and with the joys of smart phones, they can snap a picture and send it to me, and I can instantly say yes or no. So when Lyndsie came up earlier this week she brought with her a car full of treasures. Meanwhile, I had been doing the same! I had a stockpile of items she had been interested in! And we just traded. I was a pretty happy camper to get my hands on a sleeveless Squaw dress and a black tooled leather purse in addition to loads of other wonderful vintage goodies.
Outfit
Dress & Purse: Retro Rejuvenation, Coburg
Belt: Stolen from a dress I got at Red Light
Shoes: “Bonnie” by Miss L Fire, Imelda’s, Portland
Earrings: Antique Alley, Portland
Bangles: Various places here and there
On Sunday I had friend and owner of Retro Rejuvenation, Lyndsie come visit me. She’s an absolute doll and we had an incredibly fun time visiting vintage shops and thrift stores for two solid days. Sometimes the downside to having so much fun is a failure to take pictures. Even with reasonable cameras in our pockets, I got no pictures of us together. How lame am I? But what I can show you is my insane haul…yeah, this is going to be one of those posts. Monday, found ourselves on the prowl at thrift stores, and at nearly every shop we scored…it was the craziest thing! And as cliche as it may be getting, we couldn’t help blasting Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” as we cruised down the road, because seriously, “This is fucking awesome.”
I picked up a few of the normal thrift finds…some slips, a couple of belts…but there were a few things that utterly floored me…
First was this Root Beer Bakelite bangle…
Lyndsie picked up one of those taped up vases filled with “junk” at Goodwill, and pointed out three bangles, whispered “I think these are Root Beer,” and showed me the price tag of $7.00. A risk worth taking. Upon returning to the car, we ripped open the vase and poured out all of crappy metal bangles, plastic beads and broken watches to reach the bangles, which were of course at the bottom, yanked them out and rubbed them until hot, and low and behold, they provided us with that glorious whiff of formaldehyde. While Lyndsie made the purchase, she offered one of the bangles to me as a gift, and I was oh so pleased.
We continued on our merry way and at another shop were scanning the dresses…sometimes you can just run your hand along the edge of clothing racks, feeling the fabric and stopping when something feels right…and my hand stopped on a plush royal blue dress of silk velvet. I pulled it from the racks and inspected the garment…snap closures at the neck and side, a dainty faux sash…no…it couldn’t be…but it was…a 1920s dress! And it was $9.99.
And it fits! Of course, the picture doesn’t do it justice, but that’s okay. I kind of what it to have a fabulous reveal later…probably for a viewing of The Great Gatsby. It appears to have no holes or tears, and is just missing some kind of buckle for the sash, which is an easy fix, just have to find the right buckle. Update! To view this dress in action, visit my Great Gatbsy post!
My final score was this piece of furniture…
At $14.99 I couldn’t leave it at the store. It’s a little rough (a cat used it as its scratching post) and could do with being re-upholstered, but for now I’m going to leave it as is. The biggest problem right now is finding a home for it. So for the next few days Patrick and I will be playing musical chairs…literally.
I also happened upon a vintage hat box which had at least five hats in it, for $2.00. I didn’t dig through them, just purchased it. But ultimately I didn’t care for the hats, and Lyndsie found herself in love, I gifted her the hats and box. Lyndsie didn’t make out too shabby either, the highlight being an End of Day Bakelite bangle (that is in addition to the Root Beers!).
By the end of the day, we were exhausted, but on an extreme thrift store high. It was just plain amazing. I’m not sure if it was a fluke or if Lyndsie and I posses some sort of magical thrift powers when united. I’d like to think it’s the latter.
Last night Patrick and I participated in libations and laughter at AlexSandra’s (that is of course of AlexSandra’s Vintage Emporium) New Years celebration. It was an evening of delightful conversation, liquor and vintage party hats and noise makers…
For the evening I wore a different dress than I intended…I purchased a delightful silver number at the last Plucky Maidens show, but when I saw this number at Wanderlust, I nearly fainted. And, yes, it’s a front zip dress! *gasp!* Oh, and yes, there is a giant painting of Marilyn Monroe…Our apartment building is so cool.
I hope you all had a wonderful and safe New Years! I suspect it’ll take awhile to get used to saying twenty-thirteen…but I suppose it’s part of living in a new century.
Outfit
Dress: Wanderlust, Portland
Vintage Stockings: Gosh, Expo? Some antique mall? Who knows…
Shoes: Buffalo Exchange, Portland …or at least I think so.
Earrings & Ring: Gifts
Necklace: Retro Rejuvenation, Coburg
Not sure how you spent your weekend, but I spent mine shopping with my pop. There were two antique shows back to back down south, combined with visits to various thrift stores. Plus, putting the finished touches on the 1960s rickshaw we purchased awhile back and seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark on the really big IMAX screen!
While neither show had much with regards to clothes, I still scored quite a few items. Saturday brought Antiques in the Streets in downtown Albany, and later that day my dad and I brought some fresh items (including the rickshaw! So if you’re interested, you must visit Retro Rejuvenation) into our space at my friend Lyndsie’s shop, Retro Rejuvenation, in the tiny town of Coburg in preparation for the Coburg Antique Fair on Sunday.
Retro Rejuvenation was hoppin’ all throughout Sunday, and Lyndsie had recently got a huge consignment of Bauer ware that drew many people into the shop. Now I rarely talk about items I didn’t buy…but this is too cool not to talk about… I found a perfume spray vending machine…yes, you read right, a perfume spray vending machine. You put in your dime under the cologne of your choice, then, holding your wrist or neck close to the spray nozzle push in upon the plunger to receive the spritz. It was a little rough, but tempting at $65. I ultimately passed, and instead dished out big bucks on a sweetheart bracelet.
In terms of purchases, I picked up this fabulous south of the border themed table runner, along with two Disney magazines featuring Zorro on the cover, and the Zorro plate and bowl that go with the Zorro cup I purchased awhile back at Antique Alley! So now I have the complete set! I also bought this great salmon colored bangle from Lyndsie.
More scores included two Starburst bowls – one berry and one cereal, the previously mentioned sweetheart bracelet and an Egyptian revival brooch.
I also picked up two fabulous 1940s hats! I’ve been craving one of these ladies fedoras for sometime, but never came across one that worked out, until I found this beauty. Then I also got this glorious black velvet number.
And last, but certainly not least, I bought this amazing 1950s desk! The Ikea creation we had when we first moved was planned to be temporary until we found something more suited to our mid-century needs. But finding old desks is quite difficult if you are in the market for something that isn’t a roll-top.
I also picked up the final pieces for my Halloween costume…which I am planning on getting done before the end of the month. I still have so much embroidery to do! I hope you had a lovely weekend!
At the last minute, Patrick was called upon to attend a conference out of state Sunday through Wednesday, so I telephoned my dad to see if I could come down to Eugene and spend some time down there. He very graciously took time off work and we spent four days shopping. Yes. All day, every day. Well, and partially cleaning out the attic. Which was almost shopping in a sense because we were cruising for inventory.
We visited thrift shops, junk stores and antique malls. At one shop we spoke with the owner and the conversation ended with us purchasing a vintage rickshaw/pedicab as well as a 1970s Schwinn tandem to add to our bicycle collection. We also dropped off fresh inventory at the second location of The Atomic Hideaway, located inside my friend Lyndsie’s brand new antique mall Retro Rejuvenation. (You can read more about her shop in this entry.) Where I happened to pick up yet another little sheer nylon blouse that I’m sure you’ll see plenty of in these warm summer days. Cleaning out the attic some revealed some of my old Batman toys, coloring books from the days when my mum was a kindergarten teacher, as well as stationary from the trucking company my dad’s dad was vice president of! Pretty nifty!
Needless to say I purchased a lot of stuff…our car was pretty full when we hit the road to head back to Portland on Wednesday, but instead of just shooting straight up I-5, we drove over to Florence and took 101 up the coast visiting more antique malls. By the time we finally arrived in Portland, the car was packed! Much of what was bought is going into either of the Atomic Hideaway locations, but I did picked up a few things for myself, including a few slips, five pairs of shoes and a handful of other bits and bobbles.
I was also graced with some clothing by my dad’s girlfriend, Ann. Her mother is moving, and subsequently getting rid of a lot of stuff. I felt very honored that Ann thought of me. There are a handful of pieces that I will be keeping for myself, including a bubble gum pink Lipman’s sweater set! It’s super adorable! Other pieces will make their way into the Portland location of The Atomic Hideaway in the very near future. So keep an eye out!
Yesterday I shared with you my friend’s new shop, Retro Rejuvenation and that Lyndsie let me paw through her rack of fabulous inventory. I picked out two pieces that I absolutely needed, including this stellar black wool circle skirt by Colony Casuals of California.
The other piece I had to have was this amazing blue and white dress by Paula Brooks. There was one button missing, so Lyndsie let me pick through her huge collection of new-old stock buttons and I picked out these. Which I actually thought looked better than the originals.
I look forward to future visits to Lyndsie’s shop, both as a customer and a vendor of her mall. If you’re ever in Eugene, be sure to visit.
