Cute Records

I love thriftshops! Found lots of new additions to my record collection. Cute vintage children's records. I love the illustrations on the covers!
This one is Party Songs for Happy Little Folks.

This is a record with stories and songs telling the Mary Poppins story. Bonus score: it also has a great illustrated book inside the cover!

Even though the cover is damaged, i think this one is my new favorite.
The further adventures of Mary and her little Lamb.

This one is adorable too. Sweet retro songs from Sesamestreet.

And since the record inside was broken i got it for free! You can still play the record,
just not the first songs on either side. (try that with a broken cd!)

no title

So busy. So busy. Where does time go. Not even came up with a title for this post. Nothing pops up and i don't want to take time to sit down and ponder. Not important today.
I am doing good, looking forward to my trip to London and Amsterdam, but kinda freaking out if i think about the amount of work still has to be done before i leave. Ohohoh.
I love the fact that all projects are finished for my book. Now it's the actual writing part. You know, tutorials so that people actually figure out how to make the projects on their own.
I will get it done. Some way.
With that said, what are the pictures with this post? Thrift scores!
Two small decorative plates. (yes i really needed those!) There is no makers name on the bottom, but the print is very seventies.
How happy was i when i found these vintage craft magazines? Very delighted! They are called 'The Workbasket' and are focused on making crafts and making money doing so. Most are from the fifties. When i got to the register, the man behind the counter told me that just an half hour before me someone bought a whole stack of the magazines! There were more??? Well, at least that person left a couple for me to find.
I was on my way to do grocery shopping when i saw this item out on the curb. Immediately i knew i could fix it up and make it into a pretty display for my collectibles. I know, it's meant to put potted flowers on. But groceries were needed. So i decided if it would still be there on my way back i would bring it home. I think i never did grocery shopping as fast as this time! Ha. It was still waiting for me when i got back. Now it's waiting for modge podge and pretty papers. But that will wait until i come back from my trip.

Playmates for kids?

Not sure if Playmates is a proper name for a kids coloring book. Makes me think about the girls next door and Hugh Hefner..
I picked this up at my last thrift run. It was only 25 cents and i love the cover. Hoped the inside would be filled with cute coloring pages, but not this time. The drawings were definitely done by a different illustrator then the one who made the cover.
Thinking about framing it.

Start of a new collection

As if i don't collect enough things.
I would just love to see a grouping of small gorgeous thrifted white vases. And some green ones too. I found the white one like two weeks ago at the Salvation Army and the green one last week in a small thriftshop in Queens.
So a grouping of small green and white vases would be nice to look at.
Another thing to be on the lookout for when thrifting.

The white one is #175 milk glass bud vase from the E.O. Brody Co. from Cleveland Ohio.
The green is colored glass but has no maker's name or anything on the bottom. Which is a shame, but nonetheless i think it's pretty.

Talking about collections, the vases are now in front of my vintage Sarah Kay tin collection. They are filled with ribbons, buttons and other small craft supplies.

3 + 3 = very happy me!

A very happy me after a thriftstore hunt. In the first shop i found these three wonderful Pyrex bowls.
Cheap and in great condition = Love!

On to the next thriftshop where i found these three cups!
Same maker as the bowls, matching designs, it just had to be that i found them on the same day!

Another thing 3. The day before yesterday me and my Love had our 2 year wedding anniversary. He came home from work with 3 gifts, a huge hersey kiss, a cute soft pink lion and 3 red roses, 2 for each year married and one for the next.

What time is it?

I didn't have a clock in my workspace yet.
Yes, i wear a watch and my cellphone shows the time, but for only one dollar i needed this clock. I assume you understand.

I love the Queens thriftshops. Haven't found a lot yet, but there are a couple of good ones around. And unlike the ones in Manhattan, in Queens you can still find some thriftshop prizes.

If you're anything like me, you want to see a closeup picture of the cuteness going on inside the clock.

New music

We got a new way of music in the home.
Or very old. Depends how you look at it.
I wanted to have a record player for a long time now.
Haven't owned one since i was a young girl.
Lately i have been thrifting old records a lot. Some for the music, some just for the amazing cover illustrations.
But getting those albums and not even being able to listen to them is just not that much fun.
I was a bit torn to either buy a recordplayer new style, one that i can attach to my computer and thus being able to transfer the music to digital files, or buy one of those amazing vintage players. For now i chose to opt for a modern one. Yes, vintage loving Issey went for hightech! Ha. But i know that if i run into a wonderful vintage player on one of my thift hunts i might get that too. One day.

Huge thrift score

Ok, this post is maybe more for my own future reference than that it would be interesting for someone else to actually read.

Last weekend there was a warehouse sale of one of my favorite thriftshops, Housing Works. I went pretty early, but it was already very busy with thrifters. You got all you were able to stuff in a medium shopping bag for 20$.
I managed to find some wonderful items and squash them all in two bags.

Here's the list (what i said, more for my own reference but if you like you can read on)

Bags: Total 13
- two pretty colorful shopping bags
- brown 'La Bagagerie' handbag
- purple vintage 'Bienen Davis' handbag with chain
- small light brown 'Kate Spade' handbag. Probably previously owned by somebody working for Victoria Secret (there was a stack of business cards inside!)
- fabulous brown leatherlook shoulderbag
- printed 'nick-nak' totebag
- leather 'celine' shoulderbag
- unused white satin clutch, screaming for some decoration
- small unused re/white purse handbag, which i'm not sure if i'll keep
- cute white shoulderbag with large flowerprint and wooden handles
- 'Old Navy' Bananas shoppingbag
- tiny cute white handbag with red handles

Clothing: Total 18
- silk 'jennings' checkered brown blouse
- cute flowered top
- blue flowered 'Ann Taylor' dress
- cutest flower and birds illustrated 'roxy paradise' tshirt
- 'heavy rotation' pink shirt with subtle dinosaurs on it
- hot stuff tshirt
- blue and yellow striped 'Express' top
- purple knitted 'ago filo' sweater
- dark green 'BCBG to the max' knitted top (only thing turned out i didn't fit)
- brown 'blue marlin' brooklyn basketball illustrated tshirt for my love
- pretty illustrated 'delias' sweater top
- elegant light green silk look (polyester!) flowered skirt
- green/yellow striped 'billabong' smocked top or skirt depending on how you wear
- purple 'express' shirt with large rose on it
- long cozy brown knitted vest
- pink flowered 'herman geist' summer dress
- funky green open worked blouse
- purple flowered 'esprit' skirt (which i thought was a pillowcase and i basically got for the fabric)

Miscellaneous: Total 16
- vintage orange flowered sheet with pretty border
- 3 mtr brand new white and pink 'Noyon' lace, store label still attached
- cool print 'Jonathan Adler' twin bedsheet bought for the fabric
- sample piece brand new flower pattern 'Carleton V' 'cinnabar design' fabric, label still attached
- brown suede embroidered belt
- 3 crochet dollies
- piece of vegetable print fabric (?) signed by designer, but can't read the name
- dark purple winter scarf with fringes and pompoms
- 'j crew' green and black belt
- 3 pretty flowered fabric napkins
- pink and white polkadotted head scarf
- piece of green fabric with crazy random words on it, probably cut from a tshirt

Okay, that's it. I don't have to go shopping for bags or clothes for awhile.

Earn your angel wings

Earn your wings at the lovely Angel Street Thrift Shop on 17th street. (all the shops proceeds benefit individuals and families affected by Substance Abuse, HIV, AIDS and Mental Illness)

Can't believe i never found this wonderful shop in the city before.





Got these great vintage patterns. Don't we love McCalls and Simplicity from the old days?








On another (shopping) note; i read on the back of an ikea folder (not the catalog, i just have the folder) that they are opening a store in brooklyn. how lovely! got to wait till spring 2008 still, but it will be closer than having to travel all the way to New Jersey!

New retro doll and sooooo nervous

One of my greatest Queensday thrift finds was this new addition to my retro doll collection. I think she is so lovely holding her little puppy!
She is making new friends already.

Why the nervous part?
Tomorrow is the big day in regard to my visa application. Got to go to the consulate for my final interview! Oooh, so many butterflies in my stomach. Already did my yoga excersices but still an overload of adrenaline. Just one more day and i will know if i can really start packing.

Vintage craft books

Yesterday i told about my Queensday thrifting and promised to show all my great finds. I'm still in the process of taking pictures of everything, let's start with the wonderful craftbooks i got.

The Burda Moden is a very thick magazine from 1973 which i bought for .50 cents early in the morning. Lots of retro sewing patterns!

Yesterday i also already mentioned that there were a lot of people leaving their unsold items behind, all the other books you see here were free finds like that!

The "Groot Handig Handboek" (Large Handy Handbook) is mainly filled with real DIY projects, you know, not crafty cute, but really building stuff. But still a great find since it is filled with early 70's decorating ideas and how to make them. Well, if i find a handyman who could make them. Lots of images to scan and show here one day soon.

"Handwerk Vreugd" (handwork joy) is from 1932. Funny to read the descriptions since the book is written in old Dutch. You know, over time language changes. Lots of knitting and crochet ideas.

Libelle is a Dutch women's weekly magazine and apparently they published a book when they turned 50 about 50 years daily life in the Netherlands. The book is printed in 1984 so not that old, but it covers the years before that. Everything about fashion, beauty, relationships, work, living, food, and lots more. Text plus loads of pretty pictures.

Burda is originally a German company, nowadays the Dutch Burda's are in Dutch, but back then the magazines and books were printed in German and only the worksheets translated in Dutch. Got to catch up on my German i guess. This Burda book has mainly cross stitch ideas in it. Not typically my no 1 craft of choice, but still lovely to look at.

"De Liefste Knuffels" (the sweetest softies) is exactly what the title says. A book filled with sweet softy plush projects. Not a vintage find, there's no date in the book, but i guess from the early 80's, still a great source of inspiration!

I think i have a lot to scan and share with my vintage loving blog readers!

Queensday thrifting

Yesterday the country was celebrating Queensday and i had such a lovely lovely time!! (No clue what queensday is?)
My feet are still hurting from all the walking i did.
This was the first time since years that i didn't go into the city center and party all day, i just wasn't feeling the large crowds. I spent the morning treasure hunting the flea markets in the South of the city and got some wonderful thrift finds. In the afternoon i went outside the city to celebrate with my family and i had so much fun with them, esp with my cousin and her two cute little daughters (ponyriding!). And when the flea market kinda ended, there were lots of people who didn't want to take their non-sold items back home and left them there in the park. And what do you know, i found some cute ceramic pieces and a stack of great vintage craft books! For free! Woohoo!

I will take pictures of my thrift scores tomorrow. In the meanwhile, you can check the Queensday pictures and story from last year.

this, that and something else

I opened my mailbox and found that my Love had sent me this adorable image. How super cute!
I don't know where he found it, it reminds me of a page from a coloring book. All of a sudden i want to go to the petting zoo and feed a small deer. Don't we love Bambi?

My friend has delivered her babygirl! I'm so proud of her. The little girl is an Indonesian/Dutch/Italian mix and already looks so pretty! They haven't send out their baby announcement cards, so i won't show the design i did for it here yet. Wouldn't be fair. But i did dove in my fabric scrap box and whipped up a pink congratulations with the new baby card.

I went to the market yesterday to get some zippers and found these wonderful old fabrics. I really wasn't planning to buy that many, but the lady was so kind to make me a deal i couldn't say no to. I bought some pink trimmings too. I was so happy that i totally forgot about those zippers i needed to get!

about last week

About last week. A little bit of this and that.
Me and my girls went to this lovely shop, Het Grote Avontuur (The Large Adventure). It's always ooh-ing and aah-ing over there. We kept our control and didn't even buy anything. I did make some pictures i wanted to share.

The flowers on the dark wall were cut out from (i think) wrapping paper and glued on. A great inspirational idea to put in my little decoration notebook!

This last Sunday a flea market was held in the sportscenter at the end of my street. Only a ten minute walk to many possible treasures. It was a bit rainy, but it was an indoor market so i put my umbrella up and walked down the street.
Glad i did, because the market was fun, met some kind people and found some goodies i'm real happy about!
I love all the cards i've found. I think i never came across that many additions to my collection at once before!

Just can't control myself when i find something adorable and not too expensive. The little hearts fabric is a baby outfit that i gave to my friend, tomorrow the tiny sneakers will be wrapped. I think every time i visit, i have a little surprise something something for her.
The shiny Hello Kitty was a gift too, but that one was for me!!
A very nice former colleague of my mom goes to Asia regularly and almost always brings something small and cute back for me! Thank you! It's a Hello Kitty keychain locker. When you open her up, there's a small mirror inside. Pretty.

New vintage fabric

Since i'm working on the green toned quilt, i'm on the lookout for pretty greenish fabrics.
And i've found this dotted vintage fabric on the Noordermarket. I love going through the piles of fabrics and second hand clothes to find a treasure all the way on the bottom of the pile!
I am clueless as to why somebody has cut the fabric in two pieces. Probably to sell it as two smaller coupons. I think it's a shame, but at the same time it makes it easier for me to cut it up since someone else already made the first cut. Does that make any sense?
Anyway, the fabric is a thick cotton, woven and printed in England. Produced by the Heal's company, named 'Carnival' designed by Evelyn Redgrave.

Queensday pictures!

As promised, some pictures of Queensday which was held in the Netherlands this weekend.

The weather forecast was really, really bad. They predicted heavy rain and wind in combination with possible thunder and hail!
So we prayed for some sun, and what do you think? No rain all day! (other cities did, we didn't!!)

My brother is an artist and had to perform on several large stages throughout the city. I think this was the biggest one. It's on the Museum-plein. I heard that because of the large crowds, there was no way they would arrive on time at the next gig, so they got a ride with the police, sirens and all!

My girl and me wondered through the South of Amsterdam (my part of town) first on my search for goodies. Then we walked to the city center and met up with our other girl and some friends. Went walking over the canals to the Jordaan area and partied hard at cafe Werck. There was a guitar player on the roof!

I love walls and/or doors that are being used by artists to showcase themselves. I just had to put up an Ismoyo sticker on this beautiful artsy door!

Oh, we bumped into a lady with this cute little doggy all dressed up in the Queensday color Orange. So sweet!

The cute but kinda scary mascot of the day was this little creature which I've bought for 20 cents! I have fallen in love with it. hihi.
The cute scary mascot is a tradition of me and my girls. Started out last year when i bought the blue doll (which i also post a pic of since it was her 1 yr anniversary). When i noticed her last year i jumped up and down. Bought her for 25 cent and she was still in plastic. Brand new!
One of my girls understood, she loved her too. My other girl. No, no. She thinks it's ugly. Not only thinks it's ugly, but screams it out. So we're always having a laugh with her and the blue creature. We even named it after her! So we had a mission this year to find another cute creepy creature. I think we have succeeded.

I couldn't leave the rabbit with a personality disorder alone. 15 cents and it was mine. I need to give this one her own personality one day. It's added to my list of things to do.

I collect small plastic animal figures. I have a lot on display in my living room (will post picture soon). So on Queensday I'm always on the look out for cute new items for my collection. I found only three. Last year i think I'd bought 5 times more!
Okay, now there is a reason why i had to limit myself besides the fact that i didn't see a lot of treasures this year. Hm. You now what, i will make a separate post about it later today. It deserves to have a separate post.

About Queensday, we had a lot of fun. After the party at the canals we walked through the city some more, had something to eat and started to feel our legs. Our body got so tired from walking and dancing all day, we just had to go home and take a rest break at the beginning of the evening. Later that night I went to the Paradiso club with one of my girls to enjoy the final part of Queensday 2006. We danced, drank, walked, laughed, partied, met funny people, it was great!

Vintage Fabric finds

I love the Monday morning fabric market at the Westerstraat and Noordermarkt in Amsterdam! You got to get up early but when you do, you can find some great vintage treasures.
I found some retro blankets and/or tablecloths. I have to keep myself from cutting them up and turning them into bags or something, but I decided that I want to keep them as they are.

The one with the green hexagons is 1.30 x 1.18 mtr, the red one 1.15 x 0.98 mtr, the brown flowered one is 1.45 x 1.23 mtr, and the one on the bottom is 2 x 1.13 mtr. (my apologies I'm just too lazy right now to convert these into inches to service everybody..)

And ofcourse the one with the bright flowered border. This one is of vinyl and you won't believe it, I forgot to measure it. And like I said before, I'm lazy right now.. Sorry. hihi. (if somebody is really wants to know, just send me a message. I'll be non-lazy as of tomorrow again.)

Vintage fabrics which i've found on previous Monday morning market rummages, i've used to make some messenger bags that i showed here before.