Upcycled ring: glam

Isn't this the neatest ring? I bought it from a gal who upcycles old jewellery with various bits and bobs from jewellery castoffs. The original setting is the lavender-hued glass piece in the middle. You can't see it here, but the setting is very traditional on the side. But the creator has jazzed it up with stones (garnet on the upper right) and other wee bobs from various jewellery pieces.

You can find the creator at Eco Finery. I'm pretty sure she sells on the weekends at a new artisan market in Leslieville, Toronto. Some of her pendants are pretty cool - many are too busy for my style but I did see the neatest one with a large hoop earring as the centre piece, with pretty doo-dads hanging in the centre of the hoop.

I wish I had this talent for re-mixing old bling as I am so attracted to those jewellery-piece grab-bags at Value Village that cost a few bucks and you never know what you're getting inside! But this gal does it!

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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 N-R's famous mango and rose-water punch, remind me of growing up.

Back to the shop, a gorg green-walled eco-sanctuary of lovely hand-crafed jewellery displayed on teacup saucers and cool indie fashion labels. At the after-hours do last night, the change rooms and shop environs overflowed with hipster young women in their 30s (ok, some of us weren't 30!).

You know I'm a jewellery nut. This designer found a way to break and sand down teacups and fashion the bits into beautiful pendants.

And this one - a spoon! How brilliant!

Of course, my pics aren't doing justice to the breadth of what's in store - it was just too hard to get decent snaps of the clothing. Trust me when I say everything is recycled, upcycled or refashioned into a new stylish life.

Hair barrettes and head pieces of old ties! Do you know how many old ties I see when thrift shopping that are made of the best fabrics and patterns?

The lady of the evening wouldn't let me snap a pic of her, for shame, so I will wish a Happy Anniversary to the floating and very peony-like paper puff balls - Happy 5th!

You can find the shop at 1015 Queen St. E in Leslieville, Toronto. Look out for N-R's roster of events on her FB page or Twitter - pretty sure there's a clothing swap coming up.

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Strategically placed (vintage) jewellery

Eeks. You're always catching me at the end of the day, when I'm tired looking and have missed my chance to have some photog snap me in all my vintage thrifty glory.

So I snapped this pic of myself alone on my balcony tonight after I got home. I'm wearing this darling linen peplum-style blazer with crochet detail that I picked up at a consignment shop a couple years ago.

The issue is, it's a wee bit too low-cut for the office, and added to that I have a rather unsightly scar on my chest that interferes, shall we say, with the aesthetics of a low cut top (and in normal circumstances, I have no problems showing said scar, really, but I tend towards the conservative approach when in the workplace).

My catch-all solution these days: hide whatever "cleavage" I have plus said scar with, well, a bit o' bling.

I found this 1970s piece at Toronto's Sunday Antique Market for about $35 a year or so ago - expensive by Grunge Queen standards, but it was so different (I have only ever seen one other piece like it, in a fellow vintage maven's collection) that it warrented the investment. You can't see the entire piece here as it's hidden in the folds of my jacket, but it extends way down to cover my scar.

It's not an every-day piece, by any means, so I haul it out when the occasion warrants it. And, because it is so long, it serves the very practical function of letting me show more, and less, at the same time!

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Just beat the 99-cent bling deal

Two words: 49 cents.

This 1970s gold-tone pendant reminds me of that retro Coke TV commercial with a bunch of people singing "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony" - there's a Christmas tree involved, too, but I can't recall if it's the people who form the tree or if there's an actual tree in the picture. Anyway, this pendant is like a Christmas tree and just evoked that memory in me.

I didn't have a chain to put it on, but then I realized I had this vintage signed gold-tone chain I never really wear as it's too plain pour moi.

Mmm.

Add a jump ring and we may just have a Grunge Queen special!

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How to do pretty: light & whimsy

Want to do pretty in your pad as spring approaches? Simply do what I did when I re-jigged my apartment this past weekend: change up the accessories. Away went the deep jewel-toned pillows and out came my pretty pillow ditties.

They lightened up the dark sofa, as you can see. Blue velvet, you may know, is a bit of a thing for me. And when the months turn warmer I need to inject a bit of light n' bright, just so it doesn't look like some dreary 18th century novel!

A wee bit of whimsy helps in a case such as this worn blue velvet chair found curbside. This handmade floral pillow thrifted for a few bucks perfectly balanced out the - shall we say austerity? - of this piece.

There was a general theme to my redo that kept the entire place looking somewhat cohesive: I created little vignettes by separating the room into areas and then incorporated the elements that inspired me in the original vignette I showed you yesterday: florals, soft, muted colours, basically anything in my closet or stashed away that said "pretty" or whimsy. (Like this Liberty of London scarf tossed over a pedestal table).

Or these jewellery baubles (recently thrifted - but that's another post) in this pretty pedestal bowl.

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Pretty spring makeover: start with one tableau

Spring has come to my apartment even though there were flurries for most of the day in Toronto, eeps.

I haven't posted on decor in so long as, truth be told, I have been uninspired in my space and haven't re-jigged it for months. Then, with a gal pal coming over for dinner last night, I looked around at all the (dust) and Persian carpets on the floor and dark colours and thought, "UG. I simply cannot make dinner until this palce has a fresh new look."

A whirlwindish afternoon of vacuuming and cleaning and tweaking set in. The final look is pretty. My inspiration: I tossed this piece of Ralph Lauren fabric that I've had (and meant to do something with) for years over the table and voila, there was my new spring tablecloth!

Then I added pretty bric-a-brac like a white cornucopia vase, a crystal tealight holder (both thrifted), a bamboo vase with bamboo in it (a gift) and a lovely chintz jug by  Lord Nelson Ware of England (given to me when my best friend's mother moved out of her home to an apartment).

Of course, tossing some of my fave flowers, orangy roses (that smell: do you know most roses these days don't?) into a thrifted silver vase was the ultimate way to create a pretty springtime look.

I kept the lamp base (which I thrifted at Sally Ann for under $10) the same but changed up the shade (thrifted for a few dollars and in mint condition) to a deep blue one, for contrast. The dark wood lacquer mirror was relocated from my desk and also provided a bit of grounded-ness to this pretty vignette.

This dark floral cushion, thrifted for $3.99 and actually from an old and now defunct Toronto store, is pretty yet provides important contrast too against the distressed silver wrought iron chair (found as a set of four for $20 years ago in a thrift shop and spray painted silver, by moi, years ago as well - like how the silver is getting that chipped beat-up look now).

This older tableau was fine for the winter, but I'm loving my new spring look.

This table area was actually the inspiration for re-jigging the rest of my apartment into a prettier look more akin to lighter spring weather. This week I'll show you how I did it!

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Table bling with vintage brooch

I did promise to show you a few creative ideas for using vintage brooches you find in the thrift and vintage stores but never know what to do with - and finally, I am delivering!

There's no rule that says you have to wear a pin on yourself. My philosophy is this: treat pins as an accessory you can use to dress up a tablecloth, a lamp shade, or even a chair (providing you don't sit on it!).

Having a splashy dinner party? Want to jazz up an expensive looking black quilted tablecloth (that was actually picked up at the Dollar Store)?

Simply gather the tablecloth at the corner of the table and stick in a blingy shiny pin! Then accessorize the table around the colour scheme of the brooches.

What do you think?

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Horseshoe pin on my hat

Ok, this is the most obvious way to wear a pin, aside from a coat or a lapel. Never really done it except for my mini-photo shoot in my apartment tonight, but I love this blue horseshoe pin I bought a decade ago at a flea market. It looks pretty jaunty on my thrifted wool beret and a recently thrifted wool trench, n'est pas?. Perhaps I should find un airplane and fly ma butt to le grand Paris pour un cafe in my little Frenchie getup!

If you are of a different fashionista temperament, you may enjoy more pins on your hat. Tonight on my way home I saw a lady with a tiny cluster of what looked like earrings or buttons on the ribbed part of her toque - tres chic!!

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Grungy chic Christmas table

Hope every one has had a fab holiday so far. Yesterday's Christmas table was fit for a Queen - make that a Grunge Queen! Our lovely hostess for the day dressed her table in a way the Grunge Queen entirely approves of - by using pieces from around the home. Think practical, yet creative and pretty - and inexpensive!!

A host of darling teacups from our hostess' personal collection adorned the table and held wee Christmas-y floral arrangements.The look was chic yet practical - no cumbersome centrepieces to impede viewing pleasure - and added a personal touch to an already pretty table. Remember that you can always use the pieces you love from around your home, perhaps from a collection, to inject your own personality into your decorating!

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That's MY kind of centrepiece!

Sorry I've been MIA this past week - I've never gone this long without a post, except, perhaps, when I was in England recently. I've had a house guest - from England, gee coincidence? - for two glorious weeks so have been pretty bust between working, visiting, seeing family, going out, etc.

 

Anyway, back to regular Grunge Queen programming.

When we were home visiting my fam last weekend, I snapped a pic of this centrepiece that has slowly been growing over the years at my sis's place.

The do-it-yourselfer Grunge Queen in me loves the simplicity of this: all ya gotta do is drink lotsa wine and then pop the corks in the glass bowl! Then you can take a dive in, pull out a cork, and reminisce over that particular bottle of wine and what was happening in your life when you were drinking it!

Cheers to inventive decor ideas like this!

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Happy Halloween; Live Long & Prosper a la thrift!!

So here's the final thrift/what was in my closet Halloween outfit: Spock. Inspired by the vintage Sarah Coventry pin you see here - which looks freakishly like the Star Trek insignia that used to adorn the retro costumes - I put together a Halloween costume for next to nothing! All I really had to spend was $7.50 for the Spock ears!

I'm trying to stay in character as I know Spock would look serious. Unfortch I couldn't master the whole raising the eyebrow thing that Spock was so famous for.

This outfit was so easy: I already had the short black exercise pants (short pants were KEY for Spock or any male Trekkie!), and the black boots(square toe: vital) I've had for at least a decade. The blue yoga top was bought second-hand at a thrift shop for a couple bucks this past summer. I added blue eyeshadow liner I had already bought at the dollar store to my lids and voila. I didn't have any black eyeliner, otherwise I would have attempted something a little more extreme on the eyebrow front. Didn't have a communicator, but my Blackberry could have done in a pinch. Happy Halloween!!

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Thrifty Halloween

This was me for Halloween last year wearing a thrifty Halloween costume. I was supposed to be Super Girl but my editor joked I could have been Shopping Girl, tee hee.

The outfit was really easy to put together; in fact I used mostly thrifted items I already had, like the wool-cashmere cape, the Italian suede boots, and the disco belt. The only thing I had to 'buy' was the blue skorts, which I found at my local thrift shop for under $5.

 

This year I think I'll build my outfit around one thrifted inspiration: this vintage Sarah Coventry pin I bought a while back for a few dollars.

Doesn't it just SCREAM "Star Trek"??

It really does look like the little badges they used to have on their shirts in the retro, original series.

I could wear it with a short black dress, black tights and black boots and pile on the green eye makeup and black eyeliner and be some sexed up little Trekkie - OR I could do what I find more interesting and wear it with short black pants, black boots, a blue top (that I still need to find) and blue eyeshadow ... and who would I be?? You guessed it! Spock! Or Spock's sis!

I'm sure I could find those pointy ear things at Value Village.

If you're still thinking of Halloween costumes check out the post I did two weeks ago with Value Village costume expert Meg Allan Cole.

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DIY pink at my sis's place

My sis is a chic is cheap Do It Yourself-er!

Like me, she's in the throes of a household clean up and reorg. Her solution for all the pretty art that her kiddies bring home: cork board pieces sticky-taped to the wall, spray-painted pink to boot.

Isn't this adorable? I love it how all the artwork matches or complements the pink!

My sis used that pink spray can on something else. She's been talking about doing something with this ugly metal tray she found in the trash for months now. She finally did it, and I must say the tray looks 50 billion times better! Before, it was just a tarnished old silver tray. Now it's punchy and sassy.

Way to go sis! I love it when my fam inspires me!

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Halloween dig with Value Village costume expert

 

You know by now that I'm a Value Village devotee and have shared with you my fab fashiony VV finds since starting this blog almost two years ago. But with Halloween fast approaching the quest for second-hand deals can be stretched out to include fun costumes for office parties, home bashes and basic trick or treating.

VV does sell ready-made new costumes and the store, as you may well know, converts itself from the ultimate treasure hunt experience to Halloween costume central this time of year. So when I had a chance to meet with Meg Allan Cole, Value Village costume expert, designer and all round Do It Yourself-er extrordinaire (check out her Nest blog for inspiring DIY ideas) at a local VV store, I jumped at the chance as any deal diva would.

If you're crafty like Meg you can create your own costume from second-hand curtains, bedspreads and other fabrics found in the linens department. VV's Halloween costume section on its website is extensive, and it shows you how to create looks like Eve, the costume pictured here, which cost under $30 to put together.

If, on the other hand, you're like moi and can hardly sew on a button, you can still put together your own DIY costume with some planning, a good eye, and some creativity - as with this Jackie O costume. Meg recommends  

1). Making a list of the items you'll need for whatever costume idea is rolling around in your head (in this case a wig, shades, trench etc - be sure to click on the Jacki O link above to see how they did it), and then  

2). Raiding your closet and looking around your house to see what you can find. Then  

3). Looking for stuff in the new Halloween costumes section that you know you won't find in the used section (in this case the black wig - VV has every kind of wig you can imagine for good prices) and then finally,  

4). Hitting the second-hand clothing and accessories section to fill in whatever basics you need that you haven't found at home to complete the outfit (perhaps some clip-on peal earrings or a strand of fake pearls for a couple bucks in the jewellery section).

If you're fresh out of ideas, do what I'd do and hit the racks for inspiration. Meg suggests looking for patterned pieces of clothing and keeping an open mind when it comes to fabric. When you see a print that jumps out at you, what is it that jumps to mind first? When we saw this rather hideous retro polyester dress (under $15), Meg screamed "Marsha Brady!", forgotten middle sis in the 1970s sitcom, The Brady Bunch. Pair it with fugly boots, slop on a blond wig (new) and some ugly black Coke bottle glasses (used, and you may want to take the frames out!) and whine, "Marsha, Marsha!". Voila! You have your costume!

We both thought Edie Sedgwick when we saw this handmade silver dress that was about $20. Add some black eyeliner and a blond wig and carry a cigarette along with a photo of Andy Warhol - doncha love it? Those last few ideas were mine, ahem.

'

And as Meg says, if you find something really fab, like this 1980s designer dress from New York (which hasn't even been worn and still has the tag on it!), it's not as though its taboo to wear it in your every-day, non-costume-y life. 

I just have to sign off with a goofy-fun pic of Meg modeling a flapper look. That vintage-esque fringed dress was actually found in a Savers store in the States (Savers is the US counterpart to Canada's VV)! Grab some costume jewellery pearls and a flapper wig, maybe a ciggie holder if you can find it, and out on some black heels and there you have it!

Thanks Meg - had heaps of fun!! 

OH and if you want to see how the VV costume experts put together items in the store to create inspired costumes, drop by any Toronto store at 3pm every Thursday until Oct 31 for a Halloween fashion show! Meg gave me so many ideas that I may do a couple more thrift Halloween idea posts in the next week or so - so check back!

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