Flea Market Finds, a little old school cheat...

What do I mean cheat? Well this weeks finds aren't this weeks finds. Why? Because I have been under the pump this week with my Little Vowers and the remainder of the week has really been about family time and celebrating Little V's birthday. So these finds are still genuine scores I have picked up in he past but haven't shown. Is that ok? You forgive me, don't you?

My first "old school" find is this old preschool teachers art apron. Do you remember your preschool or kindy teacher sporting a smock or apron? I do! I have a few little spots on this that still need a little work getting out, but then it will be looking for a new home with a vintage loving, teacher.

Lastly I wanted to show you these.

A collection of vintage match box labels I have had for a long time, that I picked up for next to nothing and I have more.
I do love elephants

Linking up with Sophie at Her Library Adventures, be sure to pop over and check everyone's hauls for the week.

Sweet Birthday for my Little V.....

Little V had her first birthday yesterday. Goodness me, how she has changed our world and lives beyond measure just as her brother before her. I'm sure I am like many other mothers out there who spend a moment on their child's birthday reflecting on their child's birth. I certainly have, as it was such a special day in more than one way for us. I've shared my birth story before over at my other blog, click here to read if you like.

Five seconds and the "table" is clear.

We had a lovely day and with the Big V taking the day off for extra family
time it has been a rather relaxed and sweet day for us and our sweet girl.

We headed to Mount Tambourine in the afternoon for some sweet treats for afternoon tea to celebrate.

Happy Birthday baby girl....from Daddy.

Kind of says it all doesn't it.

Hmmmm waffles and ice cream.

Playing peek-a-boo and other silly games with mummy's handmade notebook....but I can get away with it right? It's my birthday!

I just trick mummy into silly photos and she will forget about her notebook.

Celebrations aren't over yet as we decided just yesterday to have afternoon tea on Sunday afternoon, so we will have the Big V's parents, brother and his wife here as well as Little V's godparents hopefully for some cake. Keeping it simple, relaxed and in the family.

Little V's Birthday Gift....

Wow wee what a year it has been. Tomorrow my sweet miss, my Little V turns one, and there is very little she needs or requires so the Big V and I opted not to buy her a gift and instead I have made a very simple little something for her.

At just one she is very much a girl and likes a tea party, pretending to stir a spoon in a cup and pretends to feed herself and everyone else in the family. So to extend on her and Master V's imaginative play at theses times, I have used some vintage fabric scraps, denim and a few other bits and pieces and whipped her up this.

A lace trimmed mini tablecloth using a thrifted pillowcase, the trim was also thrifted.
Two little napkins or coasters using scraps from a thrifted pillowcase,
and finally
Two cloth tea bags using denim and fabric scraps and some elastic.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow as the Big V is taking the day off, so we will be having some family fun. We haven't planned anything concrete yet, but an afternoon drive up to Mount Tambourine might be in order for a cuppa and some cake I think.

And drumroll please....the winner is.....

Dramatic pause.
Look around at the audience.
Exhale.
Jos from Sew Cook Laugh Live

Congratulations you are the winner, of all this vintage fabulousness.

Insert acceptance speech here.
Cue the music.

Ok, ok I'm getting carried away, in all seriousness congratulations once again and thank you for joining me on my adventures here at My Vintage Vow. Thank you to all those who entered and even if you didn't enter thank you. Thank you everyone for all your support, comments and love so far in my journeys and adventures here. I can't wait to see what the year holds, and what kind of capers we will be having. But I do hope I will be sharing them all with you.

To all my sweet Vowers much love and vintage wishes to you all.

Today is for love....

Spreading the love today and reminding all my lovely Vowers and those who stumble upon me today, that today is your final day to enter my giveaway. So to enter click here and check out the Johnson love you could be in the draw for.....entries close 8pm tonight.

I also want to wish everyone a sweet Valentines Day, doing whatever you do, how ever you do it and with whomever you do it with, even if it's just yourself and for yourself, have a fab day. I'm at home today with my Little Vowers and in some quiet time today I'm going to work on things I love in my creative space.

Big love to you all.
X

Flea Market Finds, a few pretties...

I hope everyone had a fruitful week with your thrifting adventures, I popped into a few oppy's this week and came home with more odds and ends for the the Little Vowers than anything else. But with two Little Vowers who's feet grow like nothing else I just can't see the point in spending $20 every few months for brand new ones because their feet have grown. So I'm pretty pleased that I have landed the kids some great shoes this week and I think I still have change out $5 for those efforts.

But of course all my purchases this week weren't for the Little Vowers and I picked up some other lovelies.

A sweet rose bouquet brooch which appears to have once been anodised but has lost that lustre and shine, but either way it's still a sweet little score. Mind you if anyone knows how I can give it back some of its shiny glory please let me know. Background to the brooch is a vintage floral sheet I picked up for a $1......can't complain.

And then there is this ever so sweet vintage bed jacket. I'm wanting to take inspiration from the gorgeous Kelly Doust book the Big V bought for Christmas and perhaps revamp it a little and wear it outside the bedroom........do you think I can make it work? I'm still looking for the inspiration on how I'm going to do that, but I just couldn't pass it up. I really thought it was sweet and thought if I didn't give her a new home she might just sit on the rack for eternity being overlooked by others.

As always I'm linking up with Sophie at Her Library Adventures and checking out everybody else's finds from this week.

Oh and one last thing if you haven't already make sure you enter my giveaway if you fancy a little Johnson love.

Lazy Saturday's and......

The men folk are outside doing what men do, playing in dirt and chopping trees. The girls are indoors having a tea party and when the Little Vowers are napping this mumma is working on a special Little Vowers first birthday present.

Little V is days away from turning one and she is already walking around stirring a spoon in a cup and having a sip of tea (pretend tea of of course), so what I have planned and I'm working on is to bring a little more life into this tea party scene with.......
you guessed it a little more vintage floral loveliness. I'll share more with you all later next week, who knows if it all turns out like I hope there might be a few DIY/tutorials coming up too.

Simple Vintage pleasures....

Simple vintage pleasures are, watching my Little V crashed out on our green shag-pile rug and a cushion covered in a cover refashioned from a vintage pillowcase, I made.

Giving this mumma some unexpected time to finish off the latest bag I'm working on.

Have you been able to catch some unexpected breaks in the day to steal a moment for you? If you're having a break right now why not enter my vintage giveaway for a little Johnson love.

Meeting bloggers and rummaging around...

The weekend is nearly upon us and I've only managed now to do this post about last weekend and the Bloggers Meet-up and the Suitcase Rummage. I was looking forward to last weekend all of last week and Sunday didn't disappoint. Our Blogger Meet-up was at Jade Buddha in Brisbane and Caroline from Things I do and I had a little walk around the markets nearby before the meet.

It was my second time attending a bloggers meet-up and I felt right at home. Once we were all pretty much in attendance it didn't take long for us all to be throwing down business cards like we were declaring poker hands.

Melissa from Suger Coat It was our hostess with mostest, and made sure we were all happy, whilst being quietly bombarded by blogging questions and taking photos of the event.

Anne from Domesblissity sweetened everybody up with attaching homemade coconut ice to her business card......everyone is still talking about it.

Food was had, laughs we're shared, blogging tips exchanged. It was nice to see blogging buddies and meet new ones.

Like Ames from the newly renamed Accidental Wonderland, who is just gorgeous and waiting on the birth of her second child.

If you haven't met the vintage, rockabilly, pin up loving beauty Sheri Bomb you must......if you like a little ink, she's got some lovelies to check out.

If you want to admire a mumma with five and all that she does Danielle at Five Little Reasons is not only stunning in person but down to earth too.

Olivia from Wait Until the Sunset, is so bubbly, friendly and welcoming. Deb from Home Life Simplifed is inspiring. Mrs BC from Mrs BC House of Chaos is adorable and sweet. Then there was also Jos from Sew Cook Laugh Live, Sarah from Stitching Lyrical, Amy from My Life As A Cake, Cate from Life Behind the Purple Door, Rachel from Redcliffe Style and Gillian from Tessie Girl.

Goodness me is there anyone I forgot I hope not?

After the meet we headed off for a walk to check out the Suitcase Rummage market and came cross some weird and wonderful things.

But most of all Caroline and I are excited about venturing out over the next few months into the rummage to sell our own handmade wares. We're both quietly confident we will do alright with both of us having a point of difference in a lot of the stuff we make.

So with that being said, I best end this epic post and get back to work on some more bag designs.....time waits for no one.

Celebrate with a GIVEAWAY.....

I'm so excited about this giveaway, because it's really a celebration, a celebration for you, for me, for all of us. You have all been so sweet and supportive of my adventures and endeavours. So as a way of saying thanks to all my followers here and over at our Facebook page, I have put together this awesome giveaway of vintage finds for your kitchen.

So I shan't tease anymore and instead I will tell you the lucky winner will receive the following.

Two Johnson plates
Two retro flower juice glasses
Vintage Tupperware Butter Saver
Vintage Smock Style Apron (perhaps you'd like to start a trend of wearing it as a top too)
and the small brown and orange retro flower tablecloth.

For your chance to win this giveaway you will need to be a follower of this here blog and leave a comment below, so please be sure to have a valid email to your account or leave a contact email in your comment, so I can reach you if you are the winner.

If you're super keen to win those Johnson plates and the rest of the giveaway, you can have a second entry by popping over and becoming our Facebook fan too, just be sure to pop back and leave a separate comment for your two entries.

AND I guess it goes without saying if you REALLY need this giveaway and those plates for your collection I will give you a third entry if you mention this giveaway in a blog post, just be sure to leave a separate comment again.

Since it's a celebration this giveaway is for everyone, international followers included, entries will close 14th February 2012 at 8pm.

Good luck.

It's time to celebrate....

Yesterday after a long day in Brisbane having fun meeting up with fellow bloggers and also checking out the Suitcase Rummage market. I came home to find the Big V and Master V had a surprise for me, all the leftover weekend housework had been taken care of and I didn't need to lift a finger.

So with that all being said and done I was in a rather jolly mood and sat down to check in my My Vintage Vow Facebook page to find that we hit triple digits.

So it's time celebrate all my Vowers everywhere, so stay tuned this week as I will be posting a giveaway......and it's going to be a goodie.

Giveaway may or may not include some Johnson love *giggles*

Flea Market Finds, and furry Fauna...

I have just one sweet find to quickly show you today, as I have been in Brisbane for a Hello Blogger Events Queensland Bloggers Meet-up. My lovely came with me and we also checked out the Suitcase Rummage. So I hope to be checking back in later tonight or through coming days with pics and stories from our day today.

But for now I wanted to show you a cute, wooly find I found this week (amongst others).
It's a child size button up wool vest, it is so soft and cuddly, the animals are simple but cute. I just love everything about this vest it's just sweet, simple innocent made under the label G'day Mates it is hand knitted original 100% pure Australian wool.

Linking up with Sophie over at Her Library Adventures, I hope to catch you over there checking out everyone's finds from this week.

Handmade and Vintage Brooch Swap Linky.....

Well the time has come, and I'm excited to see over coming days some amazing brooch love being exchanged amongst my dear blogging buddies and follow vintage lovers.

Thank you all once again for participating in my first ever hosted swap, and just remember a special someone will be receiving a surprise package from me soon.

So please as you receive your parcels be sure to pop back here and add a link to your post about the treasures you received, so we can have a little link party and share the love around.

It's another FB Garage Sale.....

Happy Friday dear Vowers, I've been a little quiet this week. I've been tired the Little Vowers aren't sleeping well and I have also been busy plotting and planning and sorting.......as you know I'm working on big plans this year. So I have put together another FB Garage Sale. On offer this time around is a mix of vintage, non-vintage clothes, coats, bags and even a painting by me.

If you're in the market for a little something pop on over and have a look.
P.S - I have two vintage wool coats on offer if anyone is planning their winter wardrobe already.

Tie Dye Hippy Mumma...

I'm frequently referred to by the Big V as the hippy mumma. If you've popped over to my other blog Journey to Bliss you might know what he is referring to. Nonetheless I thought it was high time I let you know a little bit more about me, him and the Little Vowers. The description of being a hippy mumma I guess is true in as much as a broad description to some of our natural parenting ways.

I have referred to breastfeeding in posts here, where I deliberate about what vintage pieces to wear if I'm going to be feeding Little V, but what you may not know about us is that we are also a full time cloth nappying family, amongst many other things. We mainly use Modern Cloth Nappies, but with it being summer it's hard to pass up the good old terry square that has graced many of us older ones bottoms when we were babes.

However, because I like colour and I like to be different I have two dozen tie dye terry squares, that a gorgeous mummy friend did for me before Little V was born nearly a year ago.

This is jut some of them.

Whoops a little more tie dye, this pic was taken several weeks after she was born.

I can't help but smile when I pop these on Little V, and think between a tie dyed bottom and vintage finds for her and myself, that there is a mini-me in the making.

Busy this week doing....

Plotting and planning

a giveaway is in the wings with numbers growing here and we're about to reach triple digits on Facebook.....99, who's going to be the 100th?

Sorting and photographing

for another Facebook Garage Sale of vintage, non-vintage, cute, funky, quirky clothing and bits and pieces and odds and ends. I've got to off load, so the true vintage pieces can breath and make room for more.

Preparing and primping

for a Blogger Meet Up this Sunday and a day with my lovely where we will get a market fix and stroll around the Suitcase Rummage. I'm primping because I don't get many chances still with Little V being so young to dress up and mix with large groups. Although she will be with us for the day, this mumma still deserve some niceties.

What are you busy doing this week?

Monday was for a, spot of thrifting.....

Finally yesterday we had a slight break in the weather here (or at least for part of the day), so after dropping Master V off at family day care Little V and I went on an outing. We went for a quick rummage and lucky for me it was one of those 50% off days, but as Little V's teething woes were hitting her hard we didn't stay long to make the most of it.

However I did manage to come home with several items, so it was a morning well spent nonetheless. I thought I would show you this non-vintage piece I picked up. Being a 100% silk I just couldn't pass up this floral oriental quilted jacket. It's very well made and in perfect condition. As I said it was 50% off today, so I couldn't help but grab it for $1.25. Although it's now one of those purchases I'm wondering what I'm going to do with it. Wear it? Alter it? Sell it? Deconstruct it and use in another project?

Oh well, I'll work it out. But for now tell me what you did to start your week off? Did you pick up any questionable thrifted finds like me?

Flea Market Finds, out of the archives.....

Well as I have highlighted in a previous post this week the weather here in Queensland has been crazy with torrential rain and flooding all over the place. Therefore with that in mind it has been safest and advisable to stay close to home, so with all that being said I haven't been able to stray to any local oppies for a rummage.

But this hasn't stopped me from linking up for Flea Market Finds with Sophie this week, because I have pulled out some old finds from the "archives" if you please. I've been wading through some of my funky, quirky and cool stock and personal collection recently and thought I'd show you these for something a little different.....all of which at some time or the other have been thrifted.

What about this one...perhaps for the vintage loving man in your life if he likes football (that's what we call soccer it his house), a vintage Manchester United Sponsors Jacket.

Does this bring back memories for anyone? It's the real deal licensed supporters wear.

What can I say about this vintage knit vest, a very cool find from a while back at a car boot sale for 50cents if recall correctly.

Vintage Button Hair Tie DIY/Tutorial

I've been a bit surprised by the reaction to the vintage button hair ties I made and posted this week. I've also received a fe emails enquiring about them and a few questions about how they are made.

I honestly thought I was being a little bit of a dork in posting a pic of them and I never imagined the reaction to them or thought others would want to know how to make them themselves. So as a way of saying thank you for all your lovely comments and emails, in return I have put together this DIY tutorial for you all.
So here goes, my first proper DIY blog post.

Supplies you will need:

* scissors
* needle and thread
* a selection of vintage buttons (ones with shanks, see pic below)
* no snag hair ties, the ones without the metal thingy on them

Before we get started, make sure your buttons have shanks and that the whole is a decent size to fit a double thickness of the hair tie elastic through.

To make the job of getting the hair tie through the shank easier take your needle and thread, and double over the thread and tie off the end so you have a loop of thread, that the needle won't come off.

Next take your needle and thread and hair tie, and loop the thread over the hair tie, making sure you pass the needle below the knot. If you've done this correctly you will have captured the hair tie and it should look like this.

Now pass the needle and thread (with hair tie trailing behind) through the shank of your vintage button. Continue to pull through until about this point below.

At this point you can remove the needle and thread either with scissors, however I prefer to be patient and use the tip of the needle to loosen the thread wrapped around the hair tie and free itself out of the loop.....that way you won't end up with a random bit of cotton around your hair tie.

Once the thread is removed you will need to pass one side of the hair tie through the other looped side, see below.

Continue to pull through the shank until it is tight, and flick over the smaller loop so it sits snug on the other side of the shank, see below.

Then sit back and admire your work.

Me and my hair....

I'm known in my real life circle of friends for having a new hairstyle or colour on a regular basis. I can't help it, it's just one of those things I do, I get bored with my hair easily. It probably doesn't help that I have never been confident of what to do with long hair past about shoulder length, and how to style it nicely. Don't get me wrong I like my pixie do's once and awhile, it's the general go to when I have no idea of what else to do. Over the years I've been long dark, blonde, red, short, shorter and pixie, I've has the bob, I've been funky, I've been edgy, I've been it all. Oh and there was a time when I was thirteen I had a spiral perm, I cringe now even thinking of that.

But I have been searching around for inspiration lately and I keep coming back to a hair style I have always wanted to give a serious go. It's a little bit old school, and a change from any bob I've had before, it's the old bowl cut bob but I'm ever so keen to give it a go. What do you think? After all it's hair, if doesn't work out you chop it off.

Pic Source

A bit of Meryl Streep action in the Cry in the Dark.
I've got for a bit of work ahead of me growing my hair back to a reasonable length to get this style, so you might see some hair clip and accessory posts and creations coming up in the meantime to hold me over.

But what about yourselves, is there a style or colour that you have always wanted to give a go despite others opinions?

Whoopsie.....did you miss me yesterday?

It kind of totally slipped my mind yesterday to get any blogging stuff done. But seriously I have good excuses, there is significant and rather stressful matters occurring with my family. Some some serious emotional energy was zapped yesterday and time on the phone with another family member talking about said matters.

However in lieu of any blogging work yesterday I did get some crafting and sewing done and I finished up another two clutch handbags.

Here is one of the bags i finished up. For those who have been enquiring, all my bags are made using as many up-cycled, recycled items as possible. I use everything from old and vintage placemats, doilies, vintage buttons, vintage fabrics, vintage handkerchiefs, clip on earrings and basically anything else I can get my hands on that I can see potential in.

Yesterday with the slight break in weather, I thought there was a glimmer of sunshine and hope for some thrifting today, but it has bucketed down over night and this morning........so it looks like another day indoors and to be honest some quiet de-stressing time focused on creative projects and a nice cuppa will be nice.

It's raining, it's pouring.....

The rain has really set in here over the last few days, it has been on and off torrential since we got back from Melbourne Sunday night. Today has seen heaps of road closures due to flood waters and schools being closed and much more.

So with that being said my plans for today were changed up a bit whilst I tried to keep Master V from going stir crazy and Little V happy as she has two toothy pegs coming through. All whilst trying to keep the Big V up to date on road closures and conditions so he could ensure himself and staff of doing necessary work and getting home.

So the only down time I have managed today was about half an hour, whilst an unsettled Little V rested, so during that time, I rustled up these vintage button hair ties.

In other rainy weather news, the roads to my fav little oppy are under water at present and with the expected weather conditions over the next few days it's unlikely I will get to run my Friday morning routine of popping in. It will be a shame if that is the case, as it is one of the gorgeous volunteers birthdays tomorrow, and I wanted to bake her a little something and take it in Friday......oh well there is always next week I guess.

To hang or not to hang that is the question....

I am a muse or it would seem as though I am or have been.
I have had two different artist at two different times paint or draw me.

This is actually a pastel piece that was done by one of my old art teachers who is a renowned master pastelist.

Then there is this painting that was done many years prior to the one above by a family friend of the Big V's family. I was unaware at the time I had been used as inspiration, until it was given to me. Our family friend who painted this has gone on in leaps and bounds in her artistic endeavours.

But there is a question here for my Vowers, what does one do with two portraits of oneself? They are not currently displayed in our home and the Big V frequently throughout the years suggests we should hang them. But I always think its a bit up oneself to have myself hanging about the place.....don't you think? What would you do? I can't give the pieces away as both artist have asked I keep them in the event they want to use them in exhibits. Would you hang them? I ask these questions because as you know I'm on a constant endeavour to decorate our home and I am also refining my stock storage area in the office and, I've just pulled these out this morning to get to other stuff and thought I would pose the question to you all.

Swap Partners Announced.....

I'm so excited to be posting partners for the:

this morning.

So without further ado here are your partners, so you can get to thrifting, crafting and creating some brooch love.

Zaranne Handmade and My Friends Call me Nelly
I Am Scoobylou and Things I Do
Vintage Sweetheart and Sew Cook Laugh and Live
Barn House Antiques and Jody Pearl - Reinventing Fashion
Kijaro Adventures and Domesblissity

Since this is an open swap rather than a secret swap, I will leave it for you all to contact your partners regarding postal adresses. However if you have any issues whatsoever or need my assistance please contact me and I will help out.

Also since we have ended up with even numbers and I have not ended up with a partner, I will also be putting all your names into a draw and one of you lucky ladies will receive a special parcel from me. So please ensure you all send me your postal details ASAP so that you can get the surprise of a visit from the postie with some love from me, if you are the lucky winner.
Email: myvintagevow(at)bigpond(dot)com

Lastly, I just want to say a big thank you to you all for joining in on my first ever hosted swap, I am so looking forward to seeing your parcels. Please make sure you all pop on over to all the other participants blogs that are involved and say hi.

So there you go it's offical there are your partners, may the thrifting and crafting gods be with you.

Flea Market Finds, and over 50 years old....

Of course I'm not talking about myself when I say over 50 years old. But I am talking about this "A Hampton Book" cloth baby book. It is just the sweetest little book ever, the edges are all still in great condition but the big job is on to wash and clean it safely and gently. Obviously with age some of the cloth pages are a little stained and pitted.

I'm still trying to determine the safest way to wash it. What kind of solution would you use, something like a nappy soaking agent made up mildly or pure soap like Lux?
Would you soak for a period of time, if so how long? Nelly, what solution did you use exactly for the dress you mentioned to me?

On Friday I also picked up this 1930's crochet pattern book, I don't crochet but I do know some very talented crocheters.

I'm rather smitten with the idea of this sweat top and cap.

And this bag and matching gloves.

Amongst my finds were also these juice glasses and other finds this week not picture also include, Italian poultry shears, I nabbed for $1.50, thank goodness because I haven't wanted to part with fifty odd dollars or more for brand new ones. I also picked up more vintage buttons, as well as some other special finds I'm saving.

I've tried to keep things brief, because as you read this I am mostly likely still in Melbourne on our whirlwind one day trip. We've been up since the crack of dawn, well earlier to the truth, so let's just say once we get home it will be well past some of these Vowers bed times tonight. But it has been a wonderful time and it has all been for a wonderful women, the Big V's Gran's 90th birthday.

I will be looking forward to sitting back on Monday and relaxing with a cuppa and checking up on everyone's finds over at Her Library Adventures.