Dot dot dot

Mr Kitten and I went shopping to Kärkkäinen last weekend. What I came home with all seemed to have something in common, can you spot (pun intended) the similarities? The gift wrapping paper I plan to use for making some pretty storage boxes, I've been looking for dotted paper for ages! The blue package is our new shower curtain, in case you were wondering.

Earlier this fall I had plans for making a shirtwaist dress. Well, I made the shirt, but as this is the first shirt I've made since I was in school (aged 14) and I made up the pattern myself, it didn't come out exactly as planned. I also chose a fabric that turned out to bee pretty itchy...Oh, well. Can't win em all. But I now know what I need to do differently next time. To make myself feel better I made another circle skirt instead, this time with a hidden pocket! Turned out a lot better than the shirt...

As I mentioned in my last post, I took some old clothes to be sold off at a nearby flea-market. Of course this meant more room for new items in my closet! At said flea-market I found an item I could not walk away from, even though it had lost it's shape (bad washing?) and needs a bit of work to fit me. An embroided cardigan, 50's style, most likely vintage (it has beads as buttons!). I have been searching for something like this for a while and now I've got one! Hopefully it will come out wearable after I take it in a bit, shorten it etc.

Another lovely find was this vintage dress;

Great colour and style, matching belt (pretty much) and my size! Nothing to alter!? Definitely a style I will try and copy for other dresses. It is not as long as it looks btw, camera was a bit high...And note my matching nail polish!

Hope you are all doing well, I'm going to Vasa to get braces tomorrow...No sticky candy for me for the next few years.

Goodbye and hello

I finally got my act together and got myself a table at a flea market. Tomorrow I'm taking two large bags of clothes to be sold off. I also thought I'd try and get rid of my grandmother's old coat;

Sadly, this mint condition 60's coat is huge on me. I think it's about a european size 40 (I'm 34). It has a beautiful pattern and some very decorative seams, so I thought about keeping it in case I get bigger in the future but...It just takes up too much space, so I'm letting go. However, if any of you readers are interested in it, let me know! I'm not so sure the folks in this town would appreciate a coat like this, and I won't be surprised if nobody here wants it. It that happens, I will give it to charity.

Pretty much the same goes for the coat below too. It was brought over from America in the 40's or 50's by my mother's aunt, and it is also about a size 40. Not mint condition though, the fur is a bit torn under the arms and around the hooks in the front, but I believe this can be fixed. There's a matching hat too...

Check out the tag!

Of the very few vintage pieces of clothing (hopefully) getting sold, along with the modern stuff, is another piece from my grandmothers closet. Marked a size 42, this set is also much to big for me.

Bye, bye, clothes I don't use...and while I was sorting through the stuff I'm selling, there on the floor, between the shoes that don't fit, I found my engagement ring! The ring has been missing for a while, and after a couple of weeks of searching I gave up hope and got a new one...so now I have two! Mad. Which one do I wear? Perhaps I should keep using the new one, it seems to be half a size smaller, so maybe it'll stay on better...

Back on track?

The past few weeks have been pretty stressful at work, leaving me with very little energy to be creative or go shopping or blog. But things are looking up, and I'm starting to feel more like myself again. On Saturday we had our work x-mas party, but as I had less than 2 hours to get ready when I got home from work, I didn't exactly have the time to take any outfit pictures...But this is the dress and shoes I wore;

I combined them with some black patterned stockings and this purse;

All vintage! I also tried my hand at making a Joan from mad men-inspired hairdo (following one of the many tutorials on youtube). It turned out pretty well, but as mentioned, no pictures to prove it...

Now that my energy and inspiration levels are more or less back to normal, I'm at a loss for what to do on my day off, (today) or rather, what to do first. Should I sew? Go to a flea-market? Just do housework? Try to do it all at the same time? Well, sitting here certainly won't get anything done, I'm off, have a nice day!

One step closer

I went back and got it. The sideboard. I've been looking for one for months, and the weekend before last when we stopped at a flea market in Kauhava on our way to a dance, I spotted one. In good shape too, apart from one loose door which Mr. Kitten fixed for me once I got it home. As I didn't want to bring it to the dance and have it occupy half the caravan, I had to leave it behind, but a few days later I had the day off and convinced my dear mother to go on a mother-daughter road trip. In my parents volvo with plenty of room in the back...

The sideboard is now filling an otherwise hard to fill corner of our kitchen, acting as storage for my fabrics, which I previously didn't quite have a good place for. Now I just need to find some vintage shelves for the living room, a vintage sofa table, some nice lamps...But at least I'm one piece of furniture closer to a vintage inspired home.

I'm also one step closer to becoming Mrs. Kitten, we had a small engagement party for the family last week and here's what I wore;

The skirt is self-made and the earrings are vintage;

As I'm pretty new at collecting vintage (and because I live in such a small town) the apartment I share with Mr. Kitten still has very few items of vintage furniture. So I'm curious, what do your homes look like? Do you collect both vintage (and/or replica) clothes and furniture or just one or the other?

3 x vintage dresses

I've been lucky this week. On a tour of the local charity shops I started talking to the old ladies in one of the shops about how I'm looking for older stuff, and what do you know, turns out they've got a bag of "old stuff" put to the side in case they drop by from the local theatre looking for costumes...Apparently nobody else is interested in stuff that old!? Well, all the more for me! This was the newest item, late 50's-60's maybe?

I haven't cut my hair again, in the pictures I've got it under-pinned (I think that's what it's called). It's basically folded under at the back and pinned to my head. Instant short neck!

As usual all items were slightly too big for me, but I just couldn't leave them to gather dust in the wardrobe of the theatre...Maybe I could take them in a little?

The next dress is my favourite, it just falls so nicely, and the embroidery is so pretty, and it's got self-covered buttons going up the side...It's about 20 cm to long for me, I'm wearing my highest heels (12cm?) in the picture and it still touches the floor. The dress needs a wash really badly, the massive sweat stains aren't too pretty, but I'm not quite sure how to wash it, it's kinda delicate. I'm guessing it's from the 30's or early 40's.

The last dress I'm pretty sure is from the 40's. And no, I haven't washed or ironed this one either, I could not wait to show it off and maybe get some tips on washing and ironing. After all, I don't actually own much real vintage, since it's so rare around here. Most of the few pieces I've got are cotton or other materials that I dare wash in the machine...

So if anyone out there can tell me anything more about these dresses (decade, washing tips etc.) I'd be grateful!

2 vintage bags for 2 euros

Yesterday was my lucky day. I stopped by a charity shop on my way home from work and found these two beauties in a pile of random handbags in a corner under a clothes rack, hidden away from most shoppers. But not me, no, I dig. Sometimes that means I find something really good, most of the time it means Mr Kitten is somewhere getting tired of waiting for his crazy girlfriend...

Speaking of Mr Kitten, today it's been two years since we got together! *puss!*

# 97

My latest find cost me 30 euros. But, I just thought about the chance of me ever finding a clock as cool as this one ever again (highly unlikely) and got it, even though it's a bit chipped and is missing the key to wind it up with. However, Mr Kitten did have a look so I'm hoping he has some idea on how to get this baby ticking.

On the subject of time, did you know that I am fast approaching my 100:th post on this blog? Yup, time flies...So now I'm thinking I should do something to celebrate, like, a giveaway perhaps? Sound good?

White vintage

As I've said before, finding vintage clothes around the area where I live is pretty rare. That is why I had to go all he way to Pori to find this dress with matching jacket;

Ten euros is what I paid for the set, not bad...

Here's a view of the hat I mad as well, and yes, I wore both the hat and the jacket to my friends wedding.


I added some turtle doves to the hat before that though;

And finally, a closer look at the fabric. Absolutely love it!

Kitten keeps spending

My wardrobe has grown and my jewelery box is pouring over. I have so much stuff to put on the blog and to photograph, and at the same time I'm trying to plan/make outfits for two weddings. Oh, and I'm working 10 days in a row. But I got a few pictures on here though, as follows;


Silly plastic apple brooch, I already own one in black.

Vintage earrings bought at the old fashioned market last saturday, where I wore a similar outfit as on the previous market and got lot's of compliments. I was, again, helping out my mother who makes and sells pottery and I got to do some shopping in between, he he.

I also found this ring which I absolutely fell in love with, such a great colour combination on it.


This skirt and top I found a couple of weeks ago in a charity shop and I've worn them a few times already, I really feel at home in this outfit as red and black is one of my favourite colour combinations.


And here's my second ever vintage dress find! It's slightly too big but I recon I can fix it.

It's been a busy weekend for me, first the market and straight after there was a hen party for a friend who's getting married soon. When I got up on sunday we packed the car and drove down to Pori to do some camping near this really nice beach. And in Pori I did some more shopping...and on the drive home. Having 4 days off was like another mini holiday, especially as we went away, but now it's back to reality and work, work, work.

Lucky girl

Midsummers eve was spent with my dear boyfriend at the airshow in Kauhava. We saw a lot of airplanes, some bands and...the Rocket Man!

On sunday I had to work, but when I got home, my boyfriend had a surprise for me. He gave me a rose and a piece of paper. The paper had a written clue on it, which led me to the coffee maker, where I found the next clue and on it went around the house. The last clue said to call my boyfriends number, so I did. And what happens? A phone started ringing with my boyfriend singing happy birthday as a ringtone! My new phone, that was. My new Nokia N80. Or second hand, but hey, I'm very into second hand you know...

This is what it looks like. Image from here. The reason for this present was of course my birthday on thursday, but as we'll be working different shift then I got my present already. It's got a 3 megapixel camera in it which was the main reason for the choice of model, and this means that I will be able to take pictures of things I see at charity shops etc. I'm very happy. I've got such a great boyfriend! *puss*

And now, let me show you my first ever vintage dress find! A home made (as far as I can tell) 50's dress with a little matching jacket! It cost me 5 euros and has a few minor faults, and it was made for someone with a bit more breasts than I'm equipped with (I'm using a safety pin in the picture for better fit). But I'll give it a go and see if I can alter it to fit me. Wohoo, finally some vintage clothes are starting to appear in the shops around here! I do hope things continue like this. The shoes I'm wearing are some 3 euro ballerinas from the the sales at the supermarket I work at, and I got a pair in red as well. My vintage inspired wardrobe keeps on growing and I like it!

Something for summer?

Now here's an outfit I can see myself wearing a lot this summer ( if it ever gets warm). The top is from a charity shop in Vasa and the capris a bit closer to home. They had been taken in and shortened by the previous owner, and needed some adjusting. Luckily, the time it takes me to get around to doing this kind of asjustments has shortened a lot in the last few years. Lucky, as I've found un-adjusted clothes from years back which will suit my style much better today than they would have, however altered, back then.

For some reason I've actually found up to five or six pairs of vintage gloves in this area, where other types of vintage clothing is so rare. Here's yet another pair, for 50 cents, along with some hair stuff and a cute broche. I've not been that into wearing broches, but then again, I haven't really owned any worth wearing...

I've already got a skirt almost identical to this one. But...ok I haven't really got any good reason for getting it. Other than it being so cheap. I couldn't resist the top either, as it was in one of my favourite colours and had a bit of a vintage feel as well.

Now this shirt - total love! Felt very 40's even though it's new. It had some nice details too. Worn with the same skirt as above, vintage gloves and handbag and grandma's old shoes.

Right, now I'm gonna have togo and check on my boyfriend, he's attempting to cut his own hair...

What's inspiring me at the moment

I'm afraid I don't know where all the pictures are from, but the last two come from damngoodvintage.com. And since tomorrow is valentiens day I wish you all a happy valentine!

Shopaholic warning

I must have spent almost 60 euros on clothes in the last week or so. It's not like me. A small consolation is that most if it was spent on second hand stuff where some of the money actually goes to charity...But today I wasn't gonna do any shopping. Just check out the sale and lack of shoes in my size in "Shoe stop". And would you believe it, they actually have a few pairs in size 35. But none i liked enough to spend 40-60 euro or more. But I will return...

After the quick shoe shop visit I had to see what was left of the sales...and ended up buying a very useful strapless bra and these supercute panties;

Also bought the flower pin for a mere 2 euros. But back to my crazy shopping spree. Last friday there was a sale at a charity shop in town that I hadn't been to before, so naturally, I had to go. Ehem. But I'm really glad I did, as I only spent 5 euros for about 10 items and found these;

Four pairs of vintage gloves!! After I got desperate enough to make my own, I go and find these for the ridiculous price of 50 cents each. Madness. But I'm pleased.

Saturday I went on a flea market tour in the town where my boyfriend lives ,while he was out to play tennis. This is when the madness started, as I found myself buying items in colours previously unseen in my wardrobe. These linen trousers for example. I love linen. Just didn't expect to wear anything orange...

The second crazy item was in pink, another colour I never wear normally. But how could I resist? I mean, look how cool it looks, teamed with my first attempt at a pill box hat, black gloves, a good skirt and nice shoes. I'd love to have a few more items that would make me feel this glamorous. Still need to work on that hat though.

My leopard print obsession continues. This bag cost me a fiver in the sales. The benefit - or curse? - of working in a supermarket is seeing all the sales stuff day after day after day...

I've got plenty more stuff to show from my out of control shopping spree, but this will have to do for now. Hope I've been able to spread some inspiration :)

New Old Skirts

I've bought a couple of skirts lately that I thought I'd show you. First up is the vintage black pencil skirt I got a few weeks back but never showed you, worn here with that handbag that I got from the same place, a second hand top from England and my new cherry necklace.

It appears I'm getting slightly influenced by all the cute blogger that wear a lot of bows, I've never really been into those but look at this, on saturday I found this brown leather skirt...with a little bow on the back.

Behold the quality, or lack there of, of my crappy old camera. The skirt from the front. 1€ it cost me, how could I resist?

Now this one I really couldnt resist, the lady in the charity shop gave it to me, as she was gonna put it in the "free stuff" box anyway, and since it was a couple of sizes too big. Hope me and my friend the sewing machine can fix that one.

I also bought two pieces of fabric in dark brown and dark blue corderoy, a sarong-like thingy to go with my bikini in the summer and two champagne glasses. At the moment I'm working on turning the brown fabric into a dress, wish me luck!