15.5.12

Winter Blues

 
(Wearing a thrifted kids 1960s peter-pan collar coat with velvet piping, 1950s leather school satchel from Trademe, 50s-esque dress I got made in Vietnam from vintage fabric, lilac floral knit cardigan from Trademe and black t-bar flats from Trademe)

Photos taken by the amazing Kita, at this cool little pathway full of natives we discovered at one of the many parks near our house. We pretty much live in the bush. There was a full-length one of my outfit but it was so terrible I chickened out.

The other day (actually over a week ago, but my card reader broke and I only just got a new one) Jack and I had use of another flatmate's car, so as usual I shirked my responsibilities as a student in favour of an opshopping trip around the Wellington bays. We had such good luck and left with a pretty huge haul, meaning I had to cram in the tiny backseat while our velvet rocking chair sat in the front.



This chair is best thing we found all day, I think. We needed a chair to chuck our clothes on/fill a gap in our room, and this one was super cute and also it rocks. We got it from this weird, inexplicably-priced opshop in Miramar, where some things were super cheap and the others ludicrously expensive. The useless (the weights are in stone? Who understands stone? Edit: OK, it turns out people in the UK use stone. I am an idiot.) but cool-looking green Art Deco scales were $2 but there were New Zealand woolen blankets- I'm sure every Kiwi reading this has one on their bed, you know the kind- for $30 each. I found a cute little 70s Japanese ceramic gnome on a log that was $20. WHY? The scalloped oval mirror was a pretty good $4, perhaps because the rivets that held the mirror bit to its backing were coming away. Nothing a quick turn of the screw can't fix. Our walls are pretty much full so I've slotted it in behind our 'bookshelf' (coffee table wedged between the bed and wall) for now.


I always pick up these sheer pink swiss-dot ballet skirts when I find them. I was a ballerina for 12 years so I have a soft spot for them, we used to wear them for class when I was a kid. Also the awesome vintage Australian tablecloth I couldn't leave behind for $1. My flat doesn't even have a table. Nostalgia vs. practicality is a constant battle for me and I think it's clear which side generally wins. 'Useless but cool-looking' is pretty much my aesthetic outlook.



Rose is my name, my favourite flower, my favourite smell, and perhaps my favourite motif. I dropped a massive $5 on this mid-century-esque tray but I've been forcing Jack to bring us tea in bed on it to make it worth the spend. Also 70s mushroom vase that I'm going to grow coriander on my windowsill in, and this delicate little saucer with a sorta tessellated bird pattern that I'm keeping my rings and hairties in on my dresser. Also got some large Agee preserving jars for $2 each, which I guess seems like lots for a jar but I've seen them for $15 in ~antique shops~ haha. Preserving rules!

19 comments:

  1. that mirror is lovely, good find! and in the UK we use stones and pounds to weigh ourselves!

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  2. Amazing haul! I love the bevelled edge mirror the best, sounds like it was a real bargain as they can be quite expensive here in the UK. I also love the weighing scales, I got a pink set from the 1950s recently in charity shop too for £3. I love it and they clean up so well!! x

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  4. I want that chair! Great finds, and those prices may sound a bit much to you but to buy anything "antique" or "vintage" here in the UK you are looking at spending a hell of a lot more, prices are so inflated over here! So basically you are pretty lucky and I'm jealous :)

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  5. We use stone to weigh ourselves in Ireland too! I am in love with the chair and the first two pictures are just enchanting - like you're discovering the secret garden on the other side of the world! x

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  6. Bloody HELL what a fab haul! The chair is adorable!Every flat I lived in over the 90's had at least 1 of those. No way could you leave that tablecloth behind,it's awesome.And I have a weakness for bevilled mirrirs,I have one somewhere that I must find.
    Prices ARE totally bizzarre and random in oppies these days!
    Ha,I remember using "stone" scales as a young un........
    XXX

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  7. Wow that photo through the car window is gorgeous! Also great finds x

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  8. So cute! I really love the dress your wearing (reflection in mirror) Is it vintage?

    xoxo,
    A | V // vintage blog

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    1. Hey, yep it is! I got it from 5678 Vintage's Etsy shop about a year ago, it's one of my favourites and I can't believe it hasn't featured on the blog earlier. I'll have to remedy that with a proper outfit post soon.

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  9. FYI somehow I am subscribed to your blog twice on Google Reader, so I just read every entry twice.

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  10. Oh the chair is amazing, we have a matching one Yay.
    I love your little blue coat sweet, perfect for a wander in the woods.
    Love v

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  11. That peter pan collar coat looks really cute (from what I can see). The chair and the mirror are great. Preserving jars for $2 each is such a bargain. When I worked at an op shop people were constantly ringing us about preserving jars. They are a hot commodity around these parts.

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  12. I love the pictures Kita took! I also have a soft spot for vintage kitchenware :)

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  13. I love your name. I love this post. The pics of you in all the greenery reminds me of "secret garden" it's like your living in a movie!
    xoxo
    Aarean

    colorissue.blogspot.com

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  14. lovely photos again ...

    http://wardrobexperience.blogspot.de

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  15. This looks like so much fun! I love the bit about Nostalgia vs. practicality, I totally feel you there! Thats Rose tray is beautiful and totally worth it to be served tea in bed! Hope you're having an amazing day!
    xo Hannah

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  16. Haha yes! Us Brits use Stone. It's kind of confusing when the rest of the world like to use Pounds. Love your new chair.

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  17. LOVE all your finds! I'm so excited to find your blog, I love op shopping & recently went on holidays to NZ from Australia & had so much fun checking out your op shops compared to ours (quite similar & similarly priced). I'm so excited cos I'm coming back to Wellington for a weekend with one of my sisters who also LoVES op shopping! I'm loving checking out your posts to see what kind of goodies your Wellington shops have :) Love the bird tray, totally worth $5!! And that mirror is gorgeous :)

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