Awesome Hat Day

A conversation with a workmate about our fabulous fur hats led to the design of a fundraising day at work called "Awesome Hat Day".  

The idea was that people wear hats and donate a gold coin (or just donate if they be hat-shy) and all funds collected would go to Blue Care.

Blue Care (more commonly known as the Blue Nurses) is a not-for-profit organisation run by the Uniting Church to help improve the lives of the infirm and elderly.  They help people in a number of ways including at-home visits by the Blue Nurses, community programs to help elderly connect and the operation of a number of nursing homes.   Their at-home visits allow many elderly people to remain in their own home rather than be relocated to nursing homes.

On the day I took in a hat-box full of hats for those who didn't have one or forgot.  We raised a decent little sum of $160 for Blue Care and I got the chance to wear my super-amazing 60s soft sheepskin hat.

I knew that a big furry hat required an outfit to match.  You can't wear a hat like that with jeans and sneakers...

Dress: Black 40s dress (Denisebrain Etsy)

Cardigan:  Black frill-collared cardigan (Target)

Shoes: Oxblood red heeled boots (Joanne Mercer)

Accessories: AWESOME HAT - a 60s brushed sheepskin hat, pearl earrings, silver and pearl brooch, navy and polka-dot scarf (all thrifted except the earrings).

Proud as Punch of This Fruit Cup Recipe

Fruit Cup (Mrs T. McGregor Smith)
pg 87

• 1 pineapple (topped and tailed with skin removed)
• 1 lemon
• 3 oranges
• 250ml fruit juice (I used guava nectar)
• 250ml strongly brewed black tea
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 250ml water
• 1.25L bottle of lemonade.

 Boil the sugar and water together in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and leave to cool.  Juice the lemon and oranges.  Juice the pineapple.  (Note - I used a high-power food processor/juicer to do this but you could grate and crush the pineapple to remove it's juice if you don't have access to a similar appliance.)  Combine the lemon, orange and pineapple juices with the fruit juice, the black tea and the cooled sugar syrup.  Refrigerate the mixture until it is cold.  Just prior to serving, add the chilled lemonade. 

Serving suggestions include the addition of crystallised cherries to the serving glasses - or fresh blueberries and fresh mint leaves as I did. 

I had a mighty large punch bowl to fill and a large number of guests to serve so I doubled the recipe.  Unfortunately it was way beyond the needs of the party so I ended up having to discard the leftover drink a few days afterwards.

The recipe produced a very delicious beverage which was well received all 'round at the party it was served at. 

I'd be interested to make it again with a different flavoured fruit juice rather than guava to see how the flavour changes.  I also have plans to make it again sometime with more black tea and a bit less lemonade.   If you try this recipe with the recommended peach juice I'd love to hear how you liked it!

About Mrs T. McGregor Smith

I've recently had the great opportunity of talking with a lovely lady of the City Tabernacle Baptist Church, Glenys.  As a long-term member of the church she was able to remember some of the ladies who are listed in the book or provide a few interesting facts about the families they came from.  She was also able to give a definite date for the book - 1941. 


If you are reading this entry - thank you again for all of your help Glenys.  It was lovely meeting you and getting a chance to look through the church. 

Mrs T. McGregor Smith's husband was a life deacon of the church (which means he served the church for 20 years without a break).   Her home, named "Earlwood" was in Ashgrove, Brisbane. She had a daughter, Alma who was engaged to Eric Ballinger in 1942.  

In 1936 she spent the Christmas holidays with Alma at Chelmsford Esplanade at the Gold Coast.  Can't you just imagine mother and daughter reading together on the deck, sipping a glass of her favourite fruit cup or enjoying the golden sand and salty spray of the water in their cossies?

A few different looks for early August '13

August bought a lot of great memories for me.

I became an Aunty for the 7th time, got a new hairstyle, had a lovely afternoon tea with a number of girlfriends, went to see a play Tequila Mockingbird, went strawberry picking with friends, made cheesecake with my Mum's recipe, did some awesome thriftiness expeditions and made some headway on making a vintage styled picnic tablecloth.

Phew!

So here are a few outfits I wore during that busy month.

Dress:  Black dress (Jacqui-E)

Jacket: Burgundy velvet cropped blazer 

Shoes: Ox blood knee-high boots (Joanne Mercer)

Accessories: vintage beret hat, vintage pink pearls.

Dress:  80s sundress (thrifted)

Top:  pink cardigan (SES)

Shoes: pink ballet flats (whittner)

Accessories:  white Mimco headband, vintage pink cut-glass necklace (Recycology Love Vintage Fair '12)

Dress: 50s Dacron dress (Remember When, Love Vintage Fair '13)

Shoes:  black pointed pumps (Target)

Hat: midnight blue 60s hat (Atomic Martini Vintage)

Accessories: victorian bar brooch

Dress:  40s violet wool dress (gift from the beautiful abimused)

Top: black frilled cardigan (Target)

Shoes: black Mary Janes (Naturalizer)

Hat:  50s black cap (Cassie's Corner, Love Vintage Fair '12)

Accessories:  yellow sheer nylon scarf (thrifted),  gold leaf brooch (Cassie's Corner, Kustom Kraft Markets)

Top:  white singlet and 60s crocheted cardigan (lifeline)

Pants:  dark blue jeans (Levi's)

Shoes: mint kitten heel sandles (Windsor Smith)

Accessories: Katie Hill bag, green glass necklace (thrifted), multicoloured headscarf (thrifted)

Can You Keep a Secret? Local Vintage Store Visit

Recently my Saturday morning thrifting expeditions took me to the South side of Brisbane, near the Greenslopes area.

So I thought it was high time I dropped in to a vintage store I had heard of 'Can You Keep a Secret?'.

The store is located on a main arterial road (653 Logan Road) so I thought it wiser to park on a nearby side street than try to get a main road park.

The store-front and the footpath setup was charming and attention grabbing.

How awesome are those red suitcases?!

Inside there was a good selection of vintage garments - with a whole room set aside for vintage for the boys.  I enjoyed the range of homewares around the store but couldn't say with any certainty if they were for show or sale because nothing was priced.   Either way, the vintage treasures really set a fantastic atmosphere for the store.

At first browse I thought that the whole shop was filled with clothes from the 70s or later - but a second browse found a few 50s and 60s garments.  I thought that some of the later era gear was a little overpriced but was pleasantly surprised to find reasonable prices on the earlier dresses.  (50s dress in nice condition for $80).

Everything was well organised, nicely presented and the overall feel of the store was welcoming and pleasant.

Apparently there is a tea room in the establishment but I mustn't have ventured into that area. Must return another time to investigate!

Can you Keep a Secret?
653 Logan Rd, Greenslopes
Facebook page

July's outfits '13

So, I wore so much more vintage in July than these few shots... but it's always a trial to get photos which aren't at the end of the day when the lighting is bad and I look exhausted.   I have to send out a huge thanks to workmates who have taken most of these shots for me.

My outfits have been largely based on cardigans lately.  Thought the Brisbane Winter has hit late, it still isn't cold enough to pull out big jackets. 

 

Skirt:  50s rose print skirt (Recycology - Love Vintage Fair Bris 2012)

Tops: white singlet and apple green cardigan, both SES

Shoes: pink ballet flats (Wittner)

Accessories:  pink glass bead necklace (Recycology), pink and green crystal brooch (Myer), 50s pink expandable bracelet (gift), pink feather and pearl headband.

Skirt: Sage green pleated skirt (Atomic Martini Vintage)

Jacket:  black swing jacket (Target)

Shoes:  pointed toe black pumps (Target)

Accessories:  black headband and green bakelite bracelet (Remember When)

Dress:  50s blue eyelet dress (Cassie's Corner)

Cardigan:  black frilled cardigan (Target)

Shoes: pointed toe black pumps (Target)

Accessories:  pearl earrings, black opaque tights

Kustom Krafts Brisbane Retro & Vintage Markets - Sandgate July '13.

It had been ages since I had been free to attend a vintage market so I was pleased to find myself at the entrance to the Kustom Krafts markets at Sandgate again in early July.

 
I had a limited budget so buying new dresses was not on the cards.  That was fine by me because I had a mind to buy brooches and other accessories.

I had a great time browsing the stores.  There seemed to be a lot more stores selling homewares this time which I think was a good move.  One stall in particular took my attention, Beautiful Trash.  The stall had a nice range of glassware, china, figurines and other vintage homewares at very reasonable prices.  I didn't buy anything because I was saving my cash for brooches but I was sorely tempted by a few pieces.

 I also had eyes for some of the pretty vintage dresses that Cassie's Corner had on the racks. Cassie is always my first stop at the Kustom Kraft's markets and this time was no exception.  She always stocks an excellent supply of brooches.  I browsed through them for ages before choosing a pink poodle brooch and a more sensible gold leaf one.     

I then discovered a recent addition to the Brisbane Vintage stall holders, Vintage Affairs.  They had a all kinds of goodies to interest me, from recycled fabric, scarves, hats, dresses and jewelry as well as a few Australian Home Journals (my addiction!)  The kind folks running the store willing to let me haggle on prices so I could take home a black feather bandeaux as well as a hair scarf and red flocked handkerchief.  I was stoked!

I must admit I was at first little nervous about my outfit.  Though I loved my thrifted 50s frock, it was the first time I'd tried wearing the belt over cardigan style.  However I received a few compliments which settled my worries.

Dress: Home-made dacron fabric frock with original belt (thrifted)

Cardigan: 60s knit cardigan (thrifted)

Shoes:  Wittner navy and white wedges sandles

Accessories:  Thistle and heather brooch (Kijaro Vintage), long pearl strand (gift), vintage navy scarf in hair (Chapple Street Bazaar), pearl earrings, 60s cane bag (La Bella Donna)

A Very Thrifty start to July

My sister-in-law, the ever effervescent and hilarious Grosby asked me to take her out for a morning of thrifting.  Knowing it would be an absolute lark I readily agreed and arranged to pick her up early the next weekend we were both available.

We hopped between garage sales across a bunch of suburbs in Ipswich City.  I've lost count of how many we actually went to in total.  Grosby bought a few items, including a coveted game of Labyrinth that had been a favourite of hers when she was young.  I came out with quite a few items myself!

That day taught me another thrifting lesson:
Take your time and look carefully at everything.  Then take a second look!
 
I had quickly browsed items for sale on the tables, inspected a lamp and decided there was nothing for me.  I had actually said my courteous thanks to the lady holding the sale and was about to walk out when I noticed a washing basket filled with what looked like vintage men's trousers.  A bit of digging came up with three vintage scarves, two 60s knit tops and a 50s home-made dress.

 I paid $7 for the lot.  The seller was happy to see her Great-Aunt's clothes go to someone who would wear them. Win-win.

We continued on to other garage sales.  Some we left empty handed but that only fed our fever for more.  Definitely the best buy of the day was a leather Glastonbury bag (doctor's bag) in perfect condition for an incredible $20.

I must admit that I find a kind of thrill in the element of the unknown that is central to thrifting.  Will that next stop be full of great buys or instead will there be nothing to inspire?  Will you find that perfect lamp that you're keeping an eye out for or will you find something else, entirely unanticipated?

As well as my fashion goodies I bought a few items for around the house - an enamel dish to join a few other enamel items in my laundry, three tins for my craft room and a copper planter which I hope to pot with a fern and put in my bathroom. 

I wasn't looking for a tea light holder but I came across a little antique stained glass cup which reminded me so strongly of the stained glass windows at my Grandfather's house that I was immediately attached and knew I wanted it.

I hope Grosby enjoyed the morning as much as I did and I really hope we get the chance to do it again sometime soon!