People of Norwich, thanks for all the stuff!

Hi all,

I am currently taking some time off at the moment, and have escaped that big smoky city of London and come to stay with my family in Norwich. Naturally, I have done a little secondhand shopping and picked myself up some delights!


Now first and foremost is my very favourite buy, and probably my most bizarre!

 

I picked up this vintage St John's Ambulance anatomical diagram wall hanging (almost as tall as me) for £25. 

Although I was trying not too spend too much money and I rarely buy things at such a price, I just couldn't let this one pass me by! I have been obsessed with old anatomical diagrams for years and been desperate for one of these. My excuse it that we were desperately in need of something to fill the void on the wall behind the tv. So if anything, it was a necessary buy....right? (I'll keep telling myself that)

This little vintage felt tilt hat cost me £5. It needs a clean and a bit of a steam and reshape, but it has lots of potential.

 This morning me and my friend set off to our favourite carboot for some very cold bargain hunting and these (along with a couple of presents for people which I cannot show you but am very pleased with) are the gems I picked up:

 

This skirt looks to me to be a vintage military skirt, possibly Navy? I'd guess this judging by the style and the nature of a lot of the other items on this same stall. It cost me £2! Very happy.

 

 The skirt has a curious little asterisk stitched into the inside of the waistband! I wonder why. Puzzling!

 

I am very pleased to have found this framed Lord Kitchener mirror, which probably dates from around the 70's. My Dad picked one up from a carboot previously and I found myself greatly jealous. So when I came across this one for £4 I snapped it up.

The grey box bag is a fabulous size for carting around all the rubbish that inhabits my handbag and even has little pockets for the things that so often get lost and tangled...lipstick, kirbygrips etc. A steal at £3.

The orange/red beads were £1, as were the clip on suspender straps still in their packet!

 

I am very pleased with my purchases and can't wait to get my mirror and wall hanging up in my flat on my return to London!

Pip pip xx

Stylish Blogger Award for moi?

 Well, it's been a busy week and my internet disappeared for a few days so I've been rather poor with my blogging, but after recieving another wee award nomination, I have finally gotten around to doing this....

The lovely ladies at The Butterfly Balcony, Land Girl 1980, Missy Vintage, Nifty, Thrifty Retro Mama, Miss P..., Tea and Crumpets Vintage and Miss B's Daydreams (please drop by their fabulous blogs if you have not already, though I'm sure you all have!) have all nominated me for a stylish blogger award, oh my!  How kind!

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So, as is traditional, here are the 7 things about me...

1. I have 4 tattoos. Above is my cotton reel (the photo is from when it had just been done, so please excuse the transferpaper border), done by a very talented family friend for me. She even made the centre of the flower a button...how thoughtful!

2. I have two siblings... my brother is three years younger than me and above is a photo of him, me and my nan, from my grandad's birthday lunch.

I also have a little sister who is 15 years younger than me! She is 8 and has grown up so much every time I see her!

3.  I did an internship with the fabulous menswear designer James Long during my second year at uni, working on his collection for LFW AW09 (see some of my work with him here) and from that, I got the wonderful opportunity to work on some jackets for Take That to wear on their "Circus" tour! I helped hand sew on metallic trimmings and vintage madallions to the silver blazers, and you can the end result above...vaguely!

4. I am a hoarder....massively. I like things, and as a result, I own a lot. I end up with quite a lot of accidental collections of things I like. Such as 3 dressmakers dummies, 3 typewriters, 3 full size sewing machines and 4 vintage mini sewing machines/childs ones, and at least 7 vintage suitcases!

 

5. I love taxidermy. This is somewhat controversial, I know, but alas, I just cannot help it! My parents have a fantastic collection, all very old and bought from carboots and auctions etc. My step-mum made me this fabulous lady (above) a home- Mrs. Squirrel had a room with wallpaper and a mirror on the wall, and she is wearing a rather fancy feather hat, with pearls and jewelled bracelets on, and a glass of gin unsteady in her hand! I love her, and she is one of the most beautiful things I own! I do hope this doesn't offend anyone, I feel that having old taxidermy that is now often unloved and tatty, is taking something that is old and looking after it and admiring it!

6.  I am a big fan of moustaches! I see it as the most stylish of male facial accessories, and love a good twiddly one. I even did a menswear project for my degree where I designed a collection of clothes with detailing inspired by moustaches!

7. I want a cat. My dad and step-mum have three, and they are lovely. Mouse is my favourite, she is black with white boots and is tiny-sized. I have this vision of me in the future with my own little shop, where I sit and make things and my cat comes with me and she or he would wear little bows and jumpers and would be my companion!

Now, here are some great blogs you should go visit...

Vixen Vintage

The Freelancers Fashion Blog

Retro Chick 

Vintage Vixen 

Belle of the Bald

Pip pip! xx