Where to Find Fashion Inspiration

There are many ways we find inspiration in how to dress: social media, magazines, movies, and people on the street but often there is one person who is somehow a guiding influence over many years and despite fashion trends. For me, that person was, and remains despite her passing, my maternal grandmother: July 31, 2016 would have been my Nanan's one hundredth birthday!
Here she is on the left of this photo with her older sister. When this photo was taken, her father still owned several textile factories in Peterborough and Leicester UK. Her mother was trained as a concert pianist but was mostly at home caring for her family which also included my Nanan's brother. My Nanan was bookish and quiet as a child but did well in school, loved sport especially horseback riding and cycling, loved poetry and beautiful clothing, and was an excellent dancer. She wanted to attend university but like many young woman of the time, was discouraged from doing so. By the time she was a young woman, her father had sold his factories to own a pub and become a publican in his 'retirement'. It was working behind the bar that she met my grandfather who was a young RAF officer and they married one week after the start of the war.


From her hairstyle, I am sure this photo was taken during the war when she was a young mother. Despite wartime shortages and rationing, she was soon known for her skill at entertaining and dressing herself and her young family. After the war, the family moved to Dublin, Ireland where my grandfather opened a business. As a child, I remember my mother telling me of how her mother had stylishly decorated the houses they had lived in with paint and slipcovering of outdated furniture. Her outfits were always noticed. Even when she stepped off the airplane that brought her home from her mother's funeral in 1948, her picture was taken and published by the Irish Times. It upset her that a photo was taken of her deep in grief but she was pleased that even grief did not detract from her style. She loved clean lines without fussiness, interesting but wearable shoes, and simple but dashing hats. She knew exactly what suited her and, more importantly, what did not. She never wore much make-up but enough to always look well-groomed. Lauren Bacall was the only Hollywood star that I remember her admiring.



When I was a young child living on what was then the Queen Charlotte Islands and is now known as Haida Gwaii, my grandparents also moved to the islands. My Nanan opened a woman's dress shop in a fairly modest and slightly rustic building they had purchased. She stocked it with mostly Canadian made garments. Canada had a thriving garment industry at the time although most of the names have been lost to history. I do remember that she would buy some of her stock at Marjorie Hamilton's showroom in Vancouver. The photo above shows the detail of a necklace in my collection and one of my Kay Silver dresses. I am not sure that she stocked the Canadian designer Kay Silver but this garment is very much in the spirit of what I remember being in the store.



Here is a full length shot of the dress. The fabric is a beautiful cotton with an embossed piqué effect. As the daughter of a master jacquard weaver and textile mill owner, I know that she loved great fabrics. I remember walking by Fluevog and Fox shoes in Gastown with her on a shopping trip in Vancouver when she no longer had the clothing store. I am fairly sure that she would have loved my Fluevog sandals as they are beautiful and well crafted with a slight eccentric flair which was also found in her shoe collection. She also loved great leather work: this Fossil handbag that I found at the thrift store has the equestrian details and tan colour that would have appealed to her.



My Nanan did not have a large jewelry collection. At a fairly early point in her life she realized that she had a nickel allergy so that even a gold wedding band was unwearable. When I was a teenager, she gave me her Majorca pearls which were very good quality man-made strings. After closing her dress shop, she opened up a bookkeeping service and government agency where fishing licenses could be purchased and provincial auto insurance renewed. She also made space for a few imported items like teas, soap, and baskets as well as local artists' work. Most of this artwork was Haida but she also featured some other islander's work. This cuff style bracelet was hers and she was able to wear it as it is lined in copper. I find that it is a piece that works with almost anything I would want to wear it with.



My Nanan also loved a good hat! This hat is made by the Canadian company Parkhusrt out of paper straw which works very well for this simple shape. The company also has a knitwear division and she likely carried some things made by this company. I have memories of her hats but I don't remember which hats she had in the store but I do remember that she carried Vera scarves. I have some of the scarves that she gave to my Mum.

Whether inherited or nurtured, I am so thankful to have had her style inspire and guide me.

Begin (Again) as you Intend to Continue

A birthday is often a fresh start and as it is Canada's 'birthday', it is a perfect day for me to resume sharing my life and love of vintage. These Centennial glasses are almost 50 years old and are part of the many things produced to celebrate Canada's first hundred
years.




Many public buildings, like the Museum of Vancouver shown here, were built to celebrate the Centennial and can be identified by the presence of the distinctive maple leaf composed of ten triangles that was the symbol of the Centennial. Canadians were encouraged to travel across the country and to create their own 'Centennial Projects'. I was my parents' 'Centennial Project'!. This year I hope to visit many more of these buildings and see a lot more of Canada. I first visited the Vancouver Museum when I was 12 years old and they had an exhibition called "The Look of Music". It was one of the experiences that, when considered collectively, influenced my desire to study music. A few years later, my first experience playing "real" chamber music was with the son of the man who created the exhibit. This young cellist was also the person who reintroduce me to my future husband. When I revisited the Museum in March of this year, I discovered that the architect George Hamilton had based the design of the building on an Haida woven hat. Most of my first five years were spent living on Haida Gwaii where my father was a bush pilot. I was fortunate to fly with him into logging and mining camps as well as Ninstints and other Haida sites. I am continually thankful for my early exposure to this rich culture.




Last year on Canada Day I was at the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C. with the Ottawa Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys as my youngest son's chaperone. Bill Reid's striking sculpture was the perfect place for an outfit photo featuring my 'made in Canada' Ophelie Hat which really stood out in a sea of white stetsons.





Below are possible vintage outfit choices for today. From back to front: a Diane von Furstenberg print knit dress made by my late mother in the mid-1970s, a cotton blend 'secretary style shirt dress also from the 1970s, and a silk Jasper Conran dress from the early 1980s. I still need to find a 1967 Centennial dress...

Happy Canada Day!

Blogtoberfest Day 5: New Pyrex

In the six years that I have been collecting Pyrex, the swelling popularity of this beautiful glassware has become clearly evident in sites such as the Pyrex Collective and the PyrexLove Flickr stream.

The downside of its popularity is its increasing scarcity. I have not seen much in good condition in the thrift stores lately, so I was thrilled to find three mixing bowls in Snowflake Blue in mint condition on my latest thrifting excursion.

I did not intend to collect this pattern but have grown to really like its cheerfulness. Expanding my collection of a variety of Pyrex patterns has created challenges of easily accessible storage. I had already made room for these two casseroles.

A little shuffling solved the problem. I think that I will have enough room to fit the larger 404 bowl when I find it. Although pieces have tended to present themselves, my Pyrex search has just become re-energized.

Blogtoberfest Day 4: A New Style Pie

Yesterday's dinner was an exercise in creatively using what was in the house, in this case, a particularly large portion of feta cheese. While my sons will eat feta, they do not really like it! I thought that a "cheese pie" might be the answer. My mother grew up in England and Ireland where a pie is usually a deep dish savoury melange with a pastry crust or some other type of edible lid. These were made in a pie dish rather that a pie plate.

Recently I found most of a set of pie dishes at the thrift store. Online sources on backstamp information date these pie dishes to the late 1970's or 1980's, so they are not that old, but still considered vintage. These are very old design made by a company that is more known today for another traditional pottery, Cornish Ware.

In this case, I chose to make something completely untraditional for this sort of dish and came up with a crustless, vegetarian pie. Whether or not it can be called a pie is open to discussion. Worldwide, the idea of a pie covers many variations. This book by Janet Clarkson might suggest that it could be called a pie.


Spanikopita Pie
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried dill
300 g frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
1/2 c. quinoa, well rinsed
1 c. water
1 1/2 c. to 2 c. feta
1 block of silken tofu, mashed

Preheat the oven to 350 or 325 in a convection oven.
Butter or oil the pie dish.
In a medium saucepan, saute the onions adding the garlic when the onions become translucent. Stir in the dill and remove from saucepan and set aside. Use the sauce pan to bring the water to a boil and add the quinoa. Simmer for about 10 minutes. When the quinoa is cooked, fluff with a fork and then add the defrosted and drained spinach along with the onion, garlic and dill mixture. Crumble in chunks of feta. Mash the tofu and fold into mixture. Transfer into the buttered pie dish and place in the oven for around an hour, uncovered.

Since a pie can be one of the thriftiest dishes in the kitchen and vintage, traditional pie dishes are a thrift store treasure, I am linking this post to Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday

Blogtoberfest Day 3: My Creative Space

I have an amazing sewing studio but, at this time of year, some of my creative work needs to be accomplished in closer proximity to the rest of the family. This has been the case for generations of home-makers whether they were needing to catch up on mending or enjoying more creative pursuits.

Having a sewing or work box in the living room, family room or den had long been the norm. This sewing box on legs appears to be about fifty years old and definitely due for a make-over. It is sturdy and has good bones, but the brown wood-grain vinyl and the torn tufting on the top, while evocative of another time, is not my idea of beauty .

Here, the top is removed and the hinges unscrewed; where the vinyl had been stapled to the lid was attached a heavy piece of pale, peachy-pink cardboard. I carefully removed the staples with the intent to reuse the cardboard. When that was done, I removed the many staples holding the vinyl to the lid.

Here the piece is completely stripped. I carefully stored all the hardware and decorative elements and started the recovering process. The original tufts for the lid were created with large plastic button tacks. Over the years, some of these had gone missing so I decided to replace them with covered buttons using the fabric used to recover the lid.

This photo shows the completed work box with a focus on the lid's tufting. The original button tacks did not extend all the way through the wood of the lid so I made holes in the lid where I wanted the tufting and then used heavy, waxed button thread to thread through the wood and the shank of the button, then stapled it to the underside of the lid to create enough tension to make defined tufts.

Once I had stapled the cardboard to the underside of the lid, I realized that the staple width did not match the original staples and it generally looked messy. I decided to use some of my small stash of vintage wallpaper to cover the cardboard and finish off the look of the inside of the lid.

The fabric that I used on the sides was very slippery on the fibreboard sides of the work box, so I decided to use some fabric glue to prevent it from sagging. I made a big mistake by not checking if the glue would stain the fabric. The bottle stated that it would not stain most fabrics; the moral here is to always perform a spot test.

Fortunately, with the light inside my family room, the glue staining is barely noticeable. The ideal location of this sewing box is in the family room, between my favourite chair and the sofa, in front of a vintage sewing machine cabinet that we use as an end table.

Here is the work basket, fully stocked with vintage and modern sewing notions and ready to go. Under the removable plastic tray I can store whatever I am working on and close everything up until I return. This functional furniture piece is very sturdy and can be used as a stool, or a great location for a tray and a cup of tea. Even one of our cats has claimed it as a favourite rest... ahem, work site! Along with Blogtoberfest, I am linking this post to My Creative Space which is hosted by Kirsty. So many ideas by creative people...

Blogtoberfest Day 2: Transitional Wardrobe

Early Fall and late Spring present some equally challenging issues when planning a wardrobe for the day. Often, first thing in the morning is quite chilly and the middle of the day can be positively hot. Fashion, or maybe just boredom with what we have be doing and excitement of something new, seems to suggest we push the season and wear what we will be wearing in the coming months. Here is an outfit that I wore in the Spring and again just recently. I have mixed new pieces with vintage, and warm season with cool, in a way that I think spans the seasons and stretches the character of each item while creating a cohesive look. I started with a new Summer Liberty shift dress and the jacket of a navy blue suit. The jacket is a great fit on me but the skirt probably requires the kind of undergarments that I do not own. The purse is thrifted and made by Fossil. I have two thrifted bags from the company and one new one. One of their tag lines is "Long Live Vintage" which is obviously marketing to people like me. Marketing aside, I like how well the bags seem to be on the inside which I consider very important.

Here, I am wearing a pill box hat which is likely from the early 1960's. Cloth hats are perfect for transitional seasons as it is not too early nor too late for straw or felt. Traditionally, this style of hat would have been worn with a more structured, shorter hairstyle. With my hair down, I think that it gives a fresh, modern take on a vintage look.

I love the way the crown of the hat is formed. Self-fabric bows are always a favourite feature. While fabric hats such as this do have structural features such as heavy-weight buckram, they are the kind of hat that would be relatively easy for the non-professional milliner to recreate.

Blogtoberfest Day #1: Last Garage Sale of the Season

Well, Blogtoberfest is here again and I am using this opportunity to get back in the blog saddle. I was fairly successful posting somewhat regularly last year and hope to do the same this year. To my loyal followers, I will keep my apologies simple and just say that my general health was rather rough last Winter and Spring. As time past, it didn't get easier to re-start blogging, but here goes.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to what may very well have been the last garage sale of the season. It is my favourite community sale that has turned up some fabulous treasures for me in past years. This time I was able purchase a new old rug for the living room along with these treasures. I make no apologies for my love of pretty tins and these ones are especially lovely. The wire caddy for glasses has a shabby chic touch, popular among reproduction items, but the previous owner did buy it at an antique market.

While I do not really require more haberdashery or china, I found the trim and the mug were too irresistible. The metal napkin holder was free and although I use my stacks of cloth napkins, I do occasionally use paper for parties.

Another view of the tins along with a little more detail of a new-to-me vintage bed tray. This one is for my husband to use while I enjoy this one. I am very excited to be participating in this festival hosted by Kat @ I Saw You Dancing.

Remembering

This whole week has been one of remembrance, starting on Sunday with a Service of Remembrance at the Christ Church Cathedral. Every year, a list of fallen soldiers who were parishioners at the Cathedral is read; from the Great War through to the recent losses in Afghanistan. Among those is a member of the boys' choir of the Cathedral from around one hundred years ago: Lt. Edmund Gordon Brown. For me, one of the most memorable experiences of this past summer's choir trip to France and England was a graveside performance in Barlin, France (see page 6). The ultimate sacrifice of Canadians serving in France is still much solemnly appreciated almost a century later. We were very moved by the welcome we received in the town, as we were there to pay tribute this former chorister. In Sunday's service, I thought of mothers of previous generations and how, but for the time in which I live, I could be mourning the loss of a son. One does not need to know the deceased, but simply a bit of their story to feel a profound loss.



This photo shows my paternal grandfather as a youth at some point during the First World War. Still too young for active duty in this photo, he is labelled as Scout Thies on the back of the photo. His presence in the photo reminded me of how war made an impact on everyone in his community in the north of England and, with almost an entire generation lost, the whole society.




As a young man, my Grandfather moved to Canada where he was able to fulfill his 'cowboy' dreams and work with horses. During the Second World War, he traveled across the country training Cavalry soldiers. I believe that this photo of my grandfather was taken near the beginning of the War when my Father was very young. My Dad was very lucky that his Father was considered too old to fight overseas during this war and, unlike many boys his age, had a father to raise him after the war was over. Unfortunately, my Grandfather died before I was born, but I remember him through his story retold.

I feel fortunate to have known my Mum's Father who was a squadron leader in the Royal Air Force. He was not inclined to discuss his wartime experiences but I was able to learn his story through my Mum and my Nanan. I try to share all these stories with my children and hope that feel connected to those that served for their country long before they were born, so that they too can remember and appreciate the enormity of dedication and sacrifice of our Armed Forces.

Our Creative Space: I Saw the Light, Again!

I have been complaining (just a bit) about the shortening days and decided to improve that a bit by creating more reflective surfaces in my kitchen. No, I have not panelled the walls with mirrors! I have simply started to scrub down the birch cupboard doors and clean the grime of my collectibles on display. I still have more to do tomorrow as I ran out of cleaning steam. While putting the items has been exercising some creativity, I really needed to do something crafty after all that scrubbing: Something quick and simple to satisfy my crafting craving. The sewing room has too many projects set to start and none with any 'instant gratification' qualities which, when you are in the middle of a big job, like "Spring" (Fall) cleaning in your kitchen, is required. I recalled how satisfying it had been to cover my phone books with Amy Butler paper and my eyes were quickly drawn to my next project. This unassuming box of printer paper.




This box usually lives on top of our computer armoire near the entrance to the family room so, if you look slightly higher than eye level, it is in plain view. It is not the ugliest packaging in the world but there is definite room for improvement. Amy Butler to the rescue! Using the same pad of her scrapbook paper that I had used on the phone books and my paper trimmer, I cut pieces of co-ordinating paper to fit the sides and lid of the box. I left a small border of the natural colour of the cardboard and pieced the pieces on the shorter sides of the box in a quilt-like fashion. I have used acid-free glue stick as my adhesive as I am rather frustrated with spray glue and decoupage medium at the moment. I will likely use a spray sealer finish to preserve the paper but that will depend on tomorrow's weather. Today we reached a near record 17°C so it would have been warm enough to use the spray outside.



It is amazing how such a simple project can make such a large impact on my well being. Having little bits of your personality peppering your living space must surely encourage creativity along with stimulating the desire to care for your space. I hope to be sharing larger projects soon but I also think it advisable to continue with this nesting trend and get a few more of these 'living environment' improvements checked off the list. I hope that I stay inspired to come up with other spur of the moment improvements. I am excited to be rejoining the linking of Our Creative Space (formerly My Creative Space) and can't wait to see what is going in other Creative Spaces.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like... Pyrex

I understand, a little bit, why some people start to think about decorating for Christmas well before the start of Advent. The days are noticeably shorter and, even when we have clear skies, the sun never seems to shine for long. The Scandinavians counter this with candle light and light-reflective colours. As another Northern nation, Canadians would be wise to do the same. Of course, I always find that vintage Pyrex brightens my day so I am sharing one of my favourite pieces in my collection: a promotional Golden Poinsettia Casserole with warming stand that Internet sources suggest is from 1963. I have photographed it with my latest vintage Christmas tablecloth, a Marks and Spencer's Christmas Biscuit tin and two books bought at the library for just a few dollars. The book on the right is called Christmas Magic, was published in 1964 and has all kinds of 'period' crafts. As someone who prefers to make gifts, now is the time that I need the not-so-gentle reminder to get on with it and get those items made!



I could procrastinate just a little longer and enjoy the near perfect gold pattern on the lid of this casserole. On special promo pieces, the gold designs on the glass lids are often the first to show signs of wear or damage. The warming stand has some discolouration on the metal and the candles have been lit. I cannot wait to use this casserole for my holiday table. I actually have two of this design but my first one is in somewhat worn condition and does not have a stand. At 2 1/2 qt. capacity, it is a very practical size and I use my more worn casserole for storage of leftover turkey or an extra chicken that I have cooked at any time of year. I suppose that some might say that would be good reason to find another (perhaps less seasonal) casserole of this size. Maybe I will find ideas for other 045 casseroles that would fit the bill. Sophie at Her Library Adventures is having a Pyrex Party and is inviting other bloggers to share in the fun. More vintage Pyrex is sure to brighten the day!

My Favourite Find of the Year

Sophie at Her Library Adventures is hosting Flea Market Find of the Year and since I love finding treasures I wanted to join her and all the other bloggers sharing their favourites. While I found a few things this year that could qualify as favourite, I think the item that I was most excited about was this vintage waffle iron. Vintage charm, elegant design, functional, and quality of manufacture are all qualities that I hold in the highest regard when making any purchase and what has driven me towards looking for used before new. This waffle iron is truly what my thrifting dreams are made of.




While I have not been able to precisely date the waffle iron, I am fairly sure it was made in the 1930's or 1940's. The original hang tag has graphics that suggests the late 1940's which I believe was the heyday of popularity for crinoline ladies. Designs for these waffle irons changed relatively little from their introduction in the early 1920's through the 1950's. Some companies started to make more changes in the later fifties and early sixties to create more consumer interest and in the 1960's models started to be made with different materials and were a little less long lasting.




Part of my excitement in finding this appliance is that it was never used! It brings me back to memories of my Grandmother making me waffles when I was a little girl. We have a waffle iron which never did as good a job as hers -crispy on the outside and tender in the centre - because of its nonstick finish. I am no longer able to use the one we have had for around twenty years because I have had a seriously allergy to eggs for the last 10 years. If I wanted to have waffles again it would need to be with an iron that had never cooked batter with eggs.




To find an "in new condition" appliance that is over sixty years old is especially thrilling when I think that many made at the same time are still going strong after so many years of continual use. I have started to condition the plates and made a few batches of egg-free waffles and have thoroughly enjoyed the results. This model appears to have been designed to have interchangeable griddle plates which did not appear on the thrift store shelf but I will keep my eyes open as you never know when you will spot your thrifting dreams.

Gala

I have not had the opportunity to attend many galas. Even though my husband performs in quite a few of these types of events, the combination of my family responsibilities and the usual ticket price prevents my participation. Saturday evening was the Musical Dreams and Flying Machines gala for the Ottawa Choral Society at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and despite my illness that kept me lying low this week, I was able to attend. Since I have not attended many events such as this in Ottawa I was a little unsure about what to wear. My starting point was certainly to feature one of my vintage evening bags! At present, this particular purse might just be my favourite. I love the pastoral scenes in eighteenth century French paintings and to be able to carry that around as ones purse seems like a decadent luxury.





I find that a jacket will often be the other determining factor in my outfit. I had originally planned to wear the accompanying dress with this early sixties blush champagne jacket. One of the challenges in incorporating vintage pieces in your wardrobe is finding the correct foundation garment to provide the body shape and support needed. Without the perfect shaping/fit, I decided not to wear the the gown. I love the bow details at the fasteners of the jacket which seem reminiscent of the eighteenth century gowns on the evening bag. The three quarter sleeve length is my favourite just as it was for the ladies on the evening bag.




Instead of the long vintage dress, I paired the jacket with a short vintage inspired dress that my daughter insisted I purchase for myself last Christmas. The dress is in a heavy black satin inspired by the shorter but still fuller skirted styles of the early 1960's. It is the first evening 'little black dress' that I can remember buying and, because of the fuller skirt, is comfortable to sit in at concerts and even has pockets! The shorter length allowed me to indulge in the modern trend of patterned tights which, along with my shoes were thrifted. The other modern touch was the feathered head band which did not give me wings to go with the 'flying machines' but was a successful conversation starter.

Where I Have Been

I managed to publish everyday for October and I have been missing from the blog world ever since. The under-the-weather feeling that was bothering me last weekend has required antibiotics and bed rest. I believe that the antibiotics actually has me feeling worse before feeling better and I am doing my best with the resting which is always easier said than done when you have four children. Fortunately, I have a rather delightful nest and some books from the library which makes the time a little more pleasant.

The theme this week for My place and Yours at Punky and Me is "Where I Sleep". While the link closes tomorrow, I think that its theme must be blog world serendipity. I have shared this space before and not much has changed. I have a few more rosy linens, including a small quilt on which my cat sleeps at the end of the bed. The best addition to this retreat is the vintage bed tray which I purchased from my friend Lynda when she still had her brick and mortar shop. It has a tilt feature that supports a book or magazine at an angle. It also comfortably supports my laptop, which has just been returned to me after a month of repairs, and prevents it from overheating.
We often decorate the public areas of our homes and procrastinate when attending to the more private spaces. When I am required to spend extra time in bed, I am very thankful that we have a comfortable bed in a welcoming room.

Blogtoberfest Day 31: Thrifty Hallowe'en

Not too much thrifting this weekend due to the number of concerts and services in which the family was involved and me feeling poorly. On Thursday, my husband was told that the orchestra were expected to wear costumes for the Family Adventures Concerts on Saturday and Student Matinees today and tomorrow. Since he is required to play his instrument while in costume there are certain possibilities that would be out of the question i.e. anything that limits movement or the ability to hold the instrument, restricts vision or causes difficulty sitting are off limits. This year he did not have enough lead up time to really get creative but recently I found an Aussie cowboy hat that looks really good on him. On Friday we went to the closest Sally Ann looking for cowboy boots and found them! I really thought it would be a long shot but there they were.


Here he is showing off the hat while hiding behind its big, black brim. I suppose it wound up at the thrift store as a discarded tourist's souvenir just like all the beautiful Australian tea towels that I find. I have another Aussie 'drover's' hat that belonged to my Nanan. She regularly visited Australia to see her sister and her family and her older son. She loved to wear hats and encouraged my love at a very early age so I am thrilled to have her hat as well as this one.







We are really starting to feel the chill and the furnace is on at least a little bit everyday so I was happy to find furnace filters at the thrift store for less than half of their price at the hardware store. The crafty/nesting urge has brought me into our family room to do some handwork. This handwork basket is a recent find and has just the right amount of 'Granny Chic" to make me happy! It is the perfect size to put my felted sweater projects while I am working on them.


Since I found it, I have seen similar work baskets that have been made over but I am quite happy with the way it looks as it is and will give a full view in a future post. I have quite a few other projects on the go, including another sewing basket/stool so it is a relief to find thrift store items that do not require alteration. After searching for a long time, I have not been able to find a good craft/reading/task light when thrifting so we ended up buying retail this lamp. While the company makes a dedicated craft lamp, this one was less expensive and suited the room.



The youngest two 'shopped' for their costumes in our house. The youngest decided to fuse a clown costume with a skull mask which created the creepy, scary result he desired while his older brother opted for a 'nerd' costume. I really appreciated how creative they both were, working with what we have. It was a much more stimulating exercise than going shopping, even at the thrift store, for stuff that we will not need after Hallowe'en.


For other thrifty inspiration check out all the blogs that have linked with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.