Trish's Mum Finds

Evening!

Today I went and visited Mum.
The day was filled with laughs as she shared stories from my childhood with me.
Some that I'm not able to blog about haha, but gosh I got a laugh when she was trying to explain to me what a massive baby I was.
Here are but a few of the quotes that were used to describe me.
"I remember one day, I brought you over to Nans house when you were maybe a month old, and the first thing she said was 'Moira, that babies ready for work.' "
Nan had a very strong Scottish accent, and when I hear her stories, I know EXACTLY how it would have been said. Gosh it makes me laugh.
Another thing she said was 'Moira, that baby could pull a sled up a mountain.'
Oh my gosh I was in stitches.

Anyway, as you know, whenever I visit Mum she always has a bag of goodies for me.
She's amazing. I don't know how she finds some of the things she does.
This is what she had for me this week.



This novelty cork screw is a bit naughty, but that's what makes most novelty items great. I'm sure I have no need to explain it.



My favorite Mum item, BEST hand held mirror I've ever seen.



Leather painted mini bag/purse



Italian leather and velvet 70's bag.





These two brand new vintage aprons. Flower power anything is my favorite thing in the world, so these had my toes twiddling.



And these bright green gloves with little green daisys around the wrist.

She also got me a velvet blazer that wouldn't photograph, and a pair of vintage tights.

We also went opshopping today. This is what I picked up.



I picked up this cute cookie jar :) (Sorry Deb)



This cord marching vest that I'm assuming was part of a costume, but it's awesome!



Mini love heart shaped hot water bottle that will be used for early morning travels to work.



And my favorite items. You all know I'm a massive tie dye fan, so when I saw these hand dyed cotton hoodies from the 90's, I couldn't leave them. I bought all 8 of them. They're SO GOOD!!!!!!! Made my day.


And that's all from me!

Goodnight.

Because I need it!

Hi hi!

'Because I need it' is one of the most common phrases in the Trish vocabulary.
I've mentioned before that I usually allow myself to buy things by using the manipulative sentence 'It's a good investment.' But equally as common, and rarely ever questioned is 'Because I need it!'
When I'm holding an item that I deep down know I shouldn't buy, but really want to, I give myself a good talking to.
"Trish, what are you going to do with this? Why do you want it?"
I reply always with 'Because I need it', and that's it.
I don't fight myself anymore.
That is a perfectly adequate answer.
I've heard enough.
I obviously need the item I'm talking about, because I wouldn't lie to myself right?
Hmm.
Well a classic example of that exact scenario happened today at work.
I was offered the following item for a great price.





Shotty photos I know, I'll take proper ones when I get it home.
It's a 1950's "Eugene" professional hairdresser's hairdryer on stand, in a fabulous PINK!

Now, I already have a functioning hairdryer, one that's a 10th of the size and doesn't require floor space that I don't have..... but it's not pink, and not vintage, and not this!

They were the only reasons I could think of to try to make me buy it.... until the old 'Because I need it' line was reintroduced, and the item was sold.

No impulse buying there!
That was a well thought out decision. I need it!

And that's how I got this fabulous item, that will one day make a part of an exciting window display, and a photoshoot or two.
But until then, it'll be another curiosity piece for my home that I love and need :)

Today I also picked up the following...




A white Caroma stool to match my Kartell table.



A pair of Italian leather brogues. My others broke (It seems to be a running trend with my shoes at the moment) so I was very please to find these.



All through highschool I was a Sailor Moon nut. When I went to Japan in year 9, I swore I'd come home with Sailor Moon everything, but the only thing I could find was a comic book. My host student said it wasn't 'cool' anymore. I was sad.
The Smurfette pencil case is now already full with my kilometricos. (The only pen that keeps working) (both were little presents from the boss :) )



And this cute little vintage cake booklet too.



Very lastly, I just wanted to show my own photo of the big eye prints I bought. I can't bring myself to hang them up because I only ever sleep in my bedroom so I'd never get to see them!
So until I find something else to lean against my bike, they'll stay.

Oh dear. Now here's a funny story.

So...
As I mentioned in my previous post, I went to my first ever Auction yesterday.
I had printed out my list, I knew what items I wanted, and roughly what my max bids were. I brought my Dad who was in wheezing fits at the 'crap people are buying'
I loved it because it showed him that I'm not the only one that likes this kind of 'crap'
SO.
I wore one of my 1950's swing coats, and my black beret which was annoying me all day. It was like my head had grown an extra centimeter, and it just kept lifting off.

Anyway, so I registered at the Auction, bidder 130. I was given my number to hold up if I wanted to bid on something, and I did! I bid on a few things, won a couple... or so I thought.

I payed for my items and shoved the receipt in my bag because I didn't want Dad to know how much I payed for the 'crap' I bought. And I was kind of freaking out myself because I didn't expect the price to be so high when I payed for it. But I figured I had to add the buyers premium etc etc, so I just left it.

The next day, I was still unsure about what I was charged so took out the receipt and had a look. There were THREE items on the form. THREE!!
I only won two and I was positive of it. After reading the third items description, I didn't even know what it was! I had to refer back to the auction list.

And then it clicked.

At one stage, well one of the many stages when my beret was slipping off, I had my bidders number in my hand as I went to pull it back down. BEW BEWWWW.
I even said to Dad later on "I'm lucky, earlier I fixed my hat with my ticket in my hand, and it could have looked like I bid"
BUT APPARENTLY I DID!

Clever!

When I went up to the counter to pay for my items, the first thing that the lady who collected my lot brought up were a couple of paintings and a mirror.
I mimed to Dad, 'What's my number again?' because I thought I might have given her the wrong number to collect, but then when I saw the two items that I intended on bidding on arriving, I assumed the other 3 items were for another person.

I picked up my two purchases and left.

What a dag.

My first auction, and this happens.

I definitely don't want the third lot that I bought, so I'll put it back in for next weeks auction haha.

And that's my funny story.

Here are the items I intentionally bid on.



My favorite item. This caused so much interest when we first saw it come in and I wanted it. Is it not the cutest toy ever made? block wheels are an interesting invention. Never really took off. He's made in Melbourne too!



I also bought this clock that I had great intentions of having next to my bed.
However then I heard it tick. I can almost handle a mild tick, but this one made me a little bit crazy.
I put it in the loungeroom and shut the door. I swear I could still hear it. Probably mental, but I could still hear it. I buried it under a pile of jackets and went to sleep. It's cute though.

The following are the things I've picked up during the week.



Cute shopping list board.



Novelty rack and pot holders.



Yes, another poly dress.





I was chatting to a friend at Savers tonight, letting him know if he ever see's a vintage cape to let me know, and seconds later I pulled this out. *plays spooky music*
It's navy blue, lined in a vibrant red fabric. It has asymmetrical buttons, splits that run all the way from the arm hole down to reveal hints of the red fabric as you walk, and pockets. We all love a pocket.



I don't really buy much 80's stuff unless it's unusual, as I don't wear much of it. The above and below items are pretty rad in a possibly/probably bad kind of way.

The above being a fitted LBD with sheer shaped sections across the front. Not sure how... everything would sit but it looks rad on a hanger.



And this absolutely hideous leather x thick fabric and jeweled cropped jacket. Hmm.

And that's it.

Well there's a few more pieces of clothing, but photos of clothing on hangers just aren't working at the moment, so I've almost given up except for the above items that turned out okay.

Goodnight.

PS: I've been super slack at replying to comments lately, HUGE apologies.
I'm busier than busiest at the moment, and getting time in to even blog is tricky.
I'll get around to it I promise!!

eBay auctions and auction house!

Hi hi!!

Super quick post just pimping out my current and probably only eBay items I'll have up for ages (hopefully forever)
I put up a whole 9 items yesterday and it took ALL of yesterday.
Never ever ever again! haha.

Anyway here we go...



Rent comes first :( I've put this winner of a dress up. I may/will regret this later.

















And there we have it.
That took a whole day.

Sure I might have baked some mini cakes in between, which by the way, you should never use eggs past their use by for, because you will be very very sick afterward...
But a whole day! 9 items? Oh dear.

Here's the link to my eBay

So I might have said that rent comes first... however so does auction house... which is where I'm going to 'buy nothing Patricia... to buy nothing!!' (won't happen but I'll pretend I believe it.) I'm soon going to 'watch' my first auction. I can't wait. I'm a bit nervous about the whole bidding thing though, how do I bid? I even asked my colleagues, and they told me how other people do it, but I'd feel so silly winking, or raising an eyebrow. I just know I'll end up putting on a cheesy/dorky smile and putting my hand up (not embarrassing at all)
I'll keep you blogged with what I don't buy :)

Goodnight!

Opshopping / marketing tips to avoid great disappointment.

Hi hi!
Lately, well no, forever I've come close to tears when I've brought home a beautiful piece of vintage clothing from an opshop or market, and after closer inspection, I find something major wrong with it.
This all came about this afternoon when I was cleaning the house, and putting away the clothing from my last post. The red dress. Perfect condition! It looked like it might have been worn once. However sticking out of the 'to hang' pile on my bed was a severely torn piece of red fabric. GASP!!!! I pulled it out and my bottom lip hit the ground.
It looks like someone had put their heal through it and torn it completely.
I missed it when going over it for faults because it was hidden in the massive amount of fabric in the skirt.

Sometimes when we're at a market, or an opshop, we don't have 2 hours to nit pick through every single item to make sure it's fine. It can be embarrassing if you're being critical of every aspect of an item that costs a couple of bucks, but when it's getting over that cheap mark, it's good to have a closer look at what you're buying.

I thought I'd write a little shortlist of things to quickly do wherever you are, to avoid the same disappointment as I had when you get home... or perhaps when you're already out for the night wearing it - oh oh!

Clothing
Most vintage clothing books tell you to flip the item inside out, but I get embarrassed, and if you're at a market, the seller might bump the price up if it looks like you care so much haha.
My Nan taught my Mum and I to hold an item up with two fingers and a screwed up nose and say 'How much for this old thing?' Hahahah. Oh dear. But it works I tell you!! You always get a bargain with that line.

Ok here goes...
- I always flip up the bottom seam to check if it's been cut, or falling down.
If it's been cut, it can really affect the items value, or it might be a shotty job and will be completely uneven and look terrible.
- I look at the tag. If it's still there, and it's so faded you can't even read it, it often means it doesn't have much life left in it, so unless it's a masterpiece, I put it back.
Also read what sort of care it needs. If it's a dry clean item only, can you really afford to be paying $15 each time you want to clean it? It all adds to the cost.
- Check seams if you have the time or if it's super expensive. Sometimes and often seams are split, hems are falling down, there are reasons items go to the opshop and 'cant be bothered fixing it' is often one of them. We all have that 'to sew one day' pile that never seems to shrink. So unless you plan on fixing it straight away, put it back. - Oh also check the zip. If you've ever tried to replace a zip you know it's TORTURE!! Walk away from the rack!!
- Check the underarms. Especially on light coloured fabrics, tight dresses/tops and strapless dresses. Yellow underarm stains are g-r-o-s-s and VISIBLE!!
- On the stain note, give it a quick once over. Anything you pick up on must be really stuck in there, and could have been donated for that exact reason. If it's cheap enough to risk the stain never coming out, or if it's in a spot you can chop off and re-sew, then go for it, but I've thrown out many a failed nappysan attempts.
- If buttons are a main feature on the item, check they're all there. If they're dime a dozen buttons that can easily be replaced if ones missing, then it's no drama. But missing buttons that are covered in matching fabric etc will make the item unwearable.
- With pants, check to see if they've already been taken up or let down. If they fit you perfectly already well done, you have a freak body. I don't know anyone who can find well fitting jeans haha. But if they've been taken up and they need to be taken down to fit you, they might be cut so they can't come down, or they might have a white line around the bottom where the fold was. Not pretty.
- Check for moth holes in woolen items. These are usually unfixable, and if you add it to your wardrobe, there's a chance they'll move onto some of your other clothes and ruin your wardrobe too! If you hold suspecting pieces up to the light you can often see them better. Just last week I found the DREAM winter woolen cape. Beautiful it was. However riddled in moth holes. I desperately still wanted it and started manipulating myself into buying it anyway 'You'll fix it Trish, You'll fix it!'. But I won the fight and said no. I bet I dream of it for years to come.
- Check for goodies left in the pocket! Haha. (At the same time check for holes) Same with bags!!! My Mum found a gold ring worth over $1000 (In a genuine Louis Vuitton bag would you believe) You never know. Also, I often see homeless looking people going through pants and jackets pockets in opshops. I doubt they're doing it for fun.

Shoes
SO many times have I brought home a pair of shoes and they broke on my first walk. Sad sad times.
- Always turn a shoe over and bend it. Mystery cracks will open and you'll save yourself many tears.
- Wiggle the heal. Really wiggle it no matter how high it is. If it moves at all leave the shoe there. It costs tons to have one fixed.
- At the toe of the shoe, check if the soul of the shoe is still fixed. If it flips back it's reasonably cheap to fix, but it's still an extra cost, and chances are the other ones the same.

General pointers

- Avoid things that aren't in sets. 5 anything is no where near as good as 6. If you're selling something, if you try and sell it as a set of 5, you'll get less than if you were to just ditch one and sell it as a set of four. Interesting huh?
- Check everything for cracks, chips, and repairs. Even if it's something super valuable, it can dramatically reduce it's value if it has the smallest chip, or if someones done a shotty job at gluing it back together.
- Just because it says 'England' on the bottom doesn't mean it's worth the million dollars most opshops are putting on things.
- In the end buy what you like. Just because it's not worth anything, doesn't mean its not worth something to you. One of the things that makes my Mum happy is a McDonalds freeby from the 80's that's a love heart shaped Barbie box filled with tiny love heart note paper. Completely invaluable, but not to her.


That's all I can think of for now.
Feel free to add any other pointers you can think of, or experiences you've had so others can use this as a reference, and maybe I'll learn a thing or two to stop me buying ruined red dresses *sigh*

Have a lovely Sunday evening.