My thrifty balcony

It's the long-weekend in Canada so today's post is going to be about thrifty leisure spaces - namely my wee patio. You know my penchant for orange these days. I found this gorg linen tablecloth (plus nappies) for $5.99 at my local thrift shop, Stretch Thrift.The big handpainted, slightly cracked pot that's holding the lavender was found curbside, while the white pot was thrifted for a few bucks. The English jug was a gift from my best pal, and the...

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All-American pendant

I'm not an American, but I was so drawn to this pendant necklace I found in Toronto's Continuum Modern Vintage, a lovely vintage-esque shop on Pape at Danforth. The pendant reminds me of one of those bead counting toys (can never remember the name) that kids learn to count with.As you may be able to see by the tag, it's a Sarah Coventry piece. SC jewellery is pretty easy to find, quite collectible though not worth tons of bucks. I don't care as I...

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Disco bag, repurposed

As you may know, I started a new job a few weeks ago. Since I now work in hip downtown Toronto, I figured my scraggy plastic lunch bag just wouldn't do. I needed a hip bag into which I could toss lunch, a water bottle, an umbrella, etc and tote around in addition to my purse.In a vintage shop around the corner from where I work, I found the answer for under $20: a 1970s gold tote bag that can fold into a clutch (you can see the buttons where you...

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Sometimes it pays to go back

I tried this ethnic-esque pendany necklace on at Canadian Thrift last week, and left it there as I didn't think it was my style.But then I couldn't stop thinking about it. Jeepers, it was only 6 bucks and I left it there!I went back a couple days later and dug around, but couldn't find it. Two days later, I went back again, not expecting it to be there. But it was! Someone had put it on hold and never returned, so back to the case it went!I'd like...

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Call me crazy

Well here we are still in the middle of a heat wave in Toronto, and I'm buying myself a wool blanket.It's on the end of my bed as we speak, and I've actually pulled it up over myself the last few nights when the sheet I've been using as a blanket isn't quite enough against the fan that has been constantly blowing on me.It was only $4.99 at my local thrift shop, Canadian Thrift, and it's not stained, smelly or moth-eaten. These blankets are are to...

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Am I going tribal?

Yeeks, I think today's outfit matched the pillow from yesterday's post!It's the end of the day, I'm on my balcony, and it's been a real stinker today - about 50 degrees C with the Humidex - so I'm looking a bit wilted, granted. My soul is a wee bit wilted too, as I have just returned from an industry event full of 20 and 30-somethings in chic downtown garb. I felt like a semi-frumpish aging boho hipster. But hey, I gotta be me, right?I guess when...

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I have no shame

Being a thrifter means you have to be an opportunist person to certain extent. So when I saw this wool pillow on the front lawn of a home in the neighbourhood one day - you know, one of those 'take what we don't want so it doesn't go in the landfill' type things - I stopped about 50 yards later and thought.I thought, "Shall I go and pluck that used pillow off the sidewalk like some shameless second-hand hussie? Who is going to judge me? No one...

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1970s handmade maxi dress, thrifted

Now that I'm working in the hip section of downtown, I am feeling rather free to dress the part - the part being a semi-cool vintage bohemian hipster. And I can also shop at one of my fav vintage second-hand shops, CTS at 394 Queen Street West, just west of Spadina.The lovely and infectious Nadia reigns supreme at CTS, her dominion being vintage glam at great prices. Not thrift shop prices, mind, but low, under $40. This 1970s maxi dress (handmade...

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Portobello Market, place of vintage bling

This is part deux to last night's post, featuring a vintage 1970s Trifari statement piece necklace I bought in Portobello Market in Notting Hill, and a dress my beau bought me in a West Palm Beach vintage shop.Here we are in Notting Hill on the edge of the market. I wish we had more time to hang here. We had just completed a 4-hour whirlwind tour of London via a jam-packed tube, and we were cranky and exhausted.On the cusp of the market, which is,...

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I've been MIA, but I've been vintage stylish!

I've been MIA as I started a new job last week! Happy and excited but tired. Here I am (wearing the vintage 1070s dress my hunny bought me in West Palm Beach) at the send-off party my former colleagues gave me late last week. It was a fab, fun night and I wanted to look the part.I finally get to show you the wonderful piece of vintage bling I picked up in Portobello Market in Notting Hill, London on my holiday. It's a 1960s-70s Trifari gold-tone...

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Orange, thrifted

I'm really into orange these days (see my post from last week, "A Look at a nook"). I bought this sundress (new, but only $20) before my holidays and never wore it as it was so cold in England, alas.It's been so fab weather-wise in Toronto that I wore the dress today with these Espadrilles I thrifted for $7.99 this past weekend. They're by Nine West, they're satin and they're in mint condition!You know, normally I don't go for the whole matchy-matchy...

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Meet my Judy

This is Judy, and she's a 'Judy', a term for a dressmaker's body form. I bought her new, years ago, at The Bombay Company on sale. I used to dress her up in one of my special vintage coats, but I found the coat just got too dusty. Plus it's nice to change things up every once in a while. Now Judy is an accessories junkie.I just love these belts. I haven't had the chance to wear any of them yet as they're 'new' to me. The retro gold one used to be...

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Peonies & punch at Nathalie-Roze & Co. 5th anniversary do

Yesterday I popped into Nathalie-Roze & Co for its 5th B-day bash. Owned by Nathalie-Roze Fischer, the Leslieville, Toronto indie boutique features accessories and clothing by local artists. There's also this darling canopied and gated-in terrace where they have events and sell what I hear is the best ice-cream in town.Nathalie-Roze and crew had the place all decked out yesterday for the festivities. These fragrant pink peonies, reposing beside...

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