Thrifty outer-wear I haven't shown you

Time to haul out the cashmere. It's only about zero degrees C or a few degrees above in the day, but it feels chilly - perhaps it's the lake and mountains that make it feel more damp and bone-chilling. Annecy looks very festive now and is all decked out in lights, with snow-capped mountains showing in the distance, so I promise to take pics and show them to you soon. There's a Christmas food and artisan market that runs from now until early January, plus a sound and light show too.

I don't think I've ever shown this vintage coat I picked up years ago at a Toronto vintage sale. It was originally marked at $60, but it was such a lovely autumn day that the coats weren't selling. When the woman marked them down to $10, I pounced on this plushy cashmere and wool A-line baby, with three huge crochet buttons. The collar is real fur, forgive me, but when I flip it up as I have here, it is oh so warm and protects me from the wind and chill. French women, btw, have no revulsion towards fur - I can't tell you how many (new) full-length fur coats I've seen on the backs of oh so chic women-of-a-certain-age.

It's a blurry shot but I had to show you my fave beret, black wool with these silver studs. I used to have a more expensive version, with the studs fastened onto the fabric, but they fell off. Ironically this cheapie one I bought in the UK with the studs glued onto it has lasted without any stud casualties.

Ok, I have shown this one, come to think of it, but not enough considering how much I wear it. This cashmere cape, bought in a Toronto thrift shop for a few dollars, is made by Jimmy Hourihan of Dublin. Hourihan International still exists and its capes go for between 300-400 Euros. This shot was taken earlier in the fall, just outside the vet's where we took Dinky, and I'm happy here as I thought she was going to be ok then, sigh. I channeling my inner rocker Chrissi Hynde look here, with electric blue eyeliner and flat hair!

Outfit deets:

Jimmy Hourihan of Dublin cashmere cape with hood: thrifted in Toronto, Canada
High Street dress: found in a UK charity shop
Blue leather gloves: UK charity shop
My fave blue suede booties, made in Italy: thrifted in Toronto
Vintage choker: vintage jewellery sale in Toronto (there's a matching bracelet)
Cashmere sweater/cardi: new, 10 Euros at the weekly market under our window in Annecy
Lancel French designer handbag: found in Annecy thrift shop.

Ooh, excuse the bad hair and dorky face. This pic was taken a few weeks ago when we drove up to a resort town in the mountains to bask on sunlit patios with friends the whole day - it was lovely. I know I def haven't shown you this blazer as I picked it up in Toronto, with my now hubby, just before I moved away from the Big Smoke last year. It's by French designer Lolita Lempicka, 80s/90s I'm guessing, and was under $10. I'm not usually into double-breasted blazers, but the wool and the fringe reminded me of a Canadian Hudson's Bay Company blanket. That may not be a good thing.

Outfit deets:

Lolita Lempicka wool blazer: thrifted in Toronto
Jeans: thrifted in Toronto
Periwinkle blue cashmere turtleneck: found in an Ottawa, Canada consignment shop
Cape: above
Guess? booties: new but on mega sale
Leather bag, thrifted in France (see below).

The gorg made-in-Italy bag is a recent find at my local thrift shop, Bazar Sans Frontiere, for about 7 Euros. I thought the arm handle was tres French. This truly is how French women carry their bags! I wonder if their arm goes to sleep?

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Rest in Peace, dear Dinky

I don't normally get this personal on my blog, but I can't let this one go. I've been absent as my sweet little kitty of 16 years, Dinky, fell ill a few weeks ago. A 5-day hospital stay followed by a week's worth of treatments at home and a turn for the worse on Friday led my hubby and I to make the hardest decision ever, to have her put down. She was really ill and suffering, with a host of medical problems that suddenly got worse. She died Friday night with us by her side, at a local veterinary hospital that took excellent care of her. We're waiting for her ashes so we can scatter them over one of our favorite spots here.

Her birth harkens back to my University days in Ottawa, Ontario in 1996. The story of her beginning is funny: I unknowingly pawned off a pregnant stray cat on my beau at the time, Dink's Mommie, whom my beau named Minou. One day my beau called me to say that Minou was having kittens on his arm. A real charmer, he named the four kittens Inky, Dinky, Stinky and Pinky. When I visited the kittens, they all looked the same. (Wish I had pics to share but they are hard copy pics in my Mom's basement). As the weeks wore on, I fell in love with Dinky, who was always off to the side by herself. The beau didn't last long, but my love of my wee little Dinky sure did.

She and I have been through so much together, from different apartments in Ottawa, to my crappy boyfriends; from moving to Toronto to an extended stay on her part at Grandma and Grandpa's when I moved to the UK after marrying my wonderful husband, who is an animal lover and who loved and cared for Dink right to the end with me. Dink and her bud, Dag (pictured below, who I've had for about 13 years) made the sojourn to France a couple months ago. I'm so glad we had a little bit of time to spend together in these last few months of her life. Now Dag is on his own, and I must try my best to make him feel not so lonely.

Dink was the gentlest of souls, and I love her dearly. I'm feeling really, really sad at the moment as I miss her horribly, and feel badly that she suffered in the end. Telling a wee bit of her story has helped, so thanks for reading.

Dink even made a few appearances on this blog, lounging on thrifted chairs and loveseats hauled out of the trash (the latter, ironically enough, were dug up by the same beau who cared for her at birth). She even posed with a pair of thrifted pointy toe shoes I bought a few years ago (which didn't stay in my wardrobe for long). Just like her Mommie, loving a good deal on fashion finds!

Rest in Peace, little muffin head.

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Giant Tiger dig, Thanksgiving weekend

A trip back home just wouldn't be complete without a trip to Giant Tiger, Canadian discount retailer extrordinaire. As you can see, the whole gang was pretty excited to do a good 'ole GT Boutique shop!!

I normally find heaps of cotton-blend apparel in the summer at GT. I was a wee bit disappointed this time round, though, as a lot of the fall knits were mostly acrylic. I don't mind acrylic when it's mixed with something else like Lycra or Spandex, but on its own: ick.

The one exception would be something like this acrylic toque, $7.49. It's purple (very Grunge Queen) and has these cute silver threads throughout. Kinda Marc Jacobs grunge with a touch of glam.

I love wearing toques in the cooler months. So long as they have some little embellishment - one I picked up a few years ago had these darling sequins - they are completely doable.

My Mom didn't find anything this time round, nor did my niece (but most of her wardrobe, if it isn't thrifted, is from GT!). A family pal found some tops. So a GT Boutique success, all in all!

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My parents are trash pickers too!

I feel like a proud mommie. Except I'm really a proud daughter!! When I was home for Thanksgiving last weekend, I saw this wicker set on my Mom and Dad's bricked in area outside their front door. (I added the pumpkin to make it look more festive).

Readers, they trash picked it.

Well you can imagine - I couldn't have felt more proud. Sure it's a wee bit rough around the edges, fraying a bit on the legs, but good enough for outside for the kitties to languish on as they sun themselves these glorious fall afternoons.

There's even a table.

Don't get me wrong: it's not like Mom and Dad haven't trashed picked before. I year ago, methinks, I did a little post after coming home from a Thanksgiving trip showcasing the worn chairs my Mom had plucked from the trash and used as ledges for her potted flowers out on the back deck. And another time Mom took home a teak desk found curbside.

But let's just say they wouldn't have trash picked a few years ago. Granted it IS becoming more fashionable/acceptable nowadays, but well, I'd like to think I had just a wee bit of influence here - a daughter's prerogative, perhaps!

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Third World Bazaar feel-good shopping rove

You know me: I will shop at every opportunity, especially when the shopping fare is unique and somewhat heartfelt. So when I was home for Thanksgiving this past weekend, my fam and I made a number of retail pilgrimages, if you will, one of which was to the Third World Bazaar close to Ottawa, Ontario. It just happens to have its opening weekend the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend every year - but don't worry, it runs every Fri-Sun until the weekend of November 19-21st, so if you're thinking of making your own little pilgrimage you still have time!

As you can see, we're at the bazaar bright and early, our shopping engines revved.

The Third World Bazaar is a different shopping experience and has become incredibly well known in the five years that it's been operating. First of all, it's in a refurbished barn in the wee town of Manotick Station. It's a family-owned biz and owners Peggy and Dick Bakker travel to developing countries buying jewellery, accessories, home decor, clothing and other items directly from the artisans working in those countries.

Then they open their barn for seven consecutive weekends a year for the masses to comb through the displays for great holiday gifts and more (my Mom always picks up handmade Christmas ornaments for the kids and grandkids here). The feel-good part is that they offer fair trade prices to the artisans and craftspeople they buy from, but they're able to pass on what they call warehouse prices to peeps like us who love beautifully-made pieces as they ship the items themselves and save on costs on other ways.

Needless to say, I could have bought a swack of stuff if my budget permitted. These wood chain-like neck pieces caught my eye - can't remember where they're from - as they suit the rocker-glam look I've been cultivating of late.

And I haven't admitted it til now, but I heart hearts, especially when they're big and chunky and not so perfect looking ....

As you may know from reading this blog, I'm an accessories statement piece junkie because I find that one funky, different accessory costs way less than an entire outfit and can be used to fashion multiple looks. I lingered over these beaded belts with wood clasps for a long time and couldn't decide which one to buy.

There were thinner ones but this thick black beaded belt caught my eye - only $22! But I ended up leaving it there as it was a wee bit big for my waist.

The cool thing about the place is that, even though the prices rock, you can find hi/low versions of particular items. These cuff bracelets were made of recycled pots and pans by youth living in the slums of Mathare Valley in Nairobi, Kenya.They were under $20 each, $15 if memory serves.

Meanwhile these more substantial cuffs from Morocco were around $60.

I gotta admit it: I was like a sugar-deprived kid in a candy shop. First I picked up a belt and walked around with it. Then I saw a gorgeous purple mohair scarf for $42, picked that up and put the belt back. But wait: this handbeaded bag from India was just too adorable!

I saw these gorgeous metal lamps with designs punched in them, from Egypt, last year and vowed to get one this year. They range from about $50 for a small one to $125 for a larger one. Aren't they beauts? Alas, I wasn't sure how I would cart one home on the train, and as you may know, my lamp and lighting obsession is reaching new heights of late ....

After picking up and putting down about a half dozen items I finally decided on this sheer woven top from Indonesia with gold threading in it, $32. I have so many lovely scarves, pendants, lamps, boxes and rugs that I just couldn't justify buying more. But one always needs tops, and I thought the multi-layers and ruffling too cute for words. Plus it can be glammed up or worn with jeans and boots.

My fellow shoppers picked up handmade pillows, mugs, bowls and Christmas ornaments. All in all a successful shopping sojourn! If you check it out, go early and wear your woolies as it can get cold in that barn. There's also hot cider and foodie fare outside to warm you in case you get chilled.

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