thrifting

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Things I love Thursday 6/4/2017

It’s the first Thursday of April and it’s time for a Things I love Thursday post.  Pour yourself a cup of tea and relax while I share all the things that I’ve loved lately.

 

I love:

  • Celebrating my one-year anniversary with my beloved, David.  He is such an amazing person and he makes me feel so blessed. We have had an awesome year together and I can’t wait to see what adventures the future has in store for us.

  • Having Mr Ringo peer over my shoulder while I read.  He’s such a curious little dude.
  • The late emergence of Autumn weather.  The final week of March was almost unbearably humid and hot.  I honestly wondered if the weather was ever going to cool off.  But like clockwork, April brought a crisp morning wind and a chill to the air.  I’ve happily been rocking knits and socks, and I’ve had the perfect excuse to break out the slippers I was gifted months ago.

 

  • This Deadpool stuffie that David bought me for our anniversary. For our first date, we saw Deadpool and played the arcade machines at the cinema.  So now, Deadpool is kinda “our” movie.
  • Lush’s Ruby Red Slippers bubble bath bar.

  • Argyle vests
  • Putting the sleeves on a jumper I’m knitting for myself.  I”ve already finished one simple jumper for myself, thus completing my new years resolution of knitting an actual garment.  This time I’m working on something with more shaping and raglan sleeves.

 

  • This awesome Monsters Inc tee shirt I picked up for $7 at Uniqlo.  I have a few Uniqlo shirts now and they are such good quality.
  • The Good Dinosaur.  I finally got around to watching it and it made me cry so hard. And also laugh so hard.  And then cry again.  And laugh some more.  It was a yo-yo of emotions.

 

  • finding the final Sandman book to complete my extensive collection in the op shop for just one dollar.  It was a proud moment.
  • Project Runway.  I’ve become a tiny bit obsessed.

  • This room service pizza I got for dinner on our anniversary.  It was not vegan (it had goat’s cheese) but it was vegetarian. It had zucchini, pumpkin, pine nuts and leek. It was so amazingly good that I didn’t even care that I had a food baby for our anniversary-celebration-sexy-times.
  • Actual vegan recipes I’ve made these past few weeks, including an off-the-charts mushroom stroganoff and a mock-chicken and vegetable soup. I’m getting extremely good at this vegan cooking thing.

 

  • Finding a mega-cute heart hoop for my helix piercing.  I’m always on the lookout for unusual body jewellery and I really haven’t changed the stud in my helix since I got it pierced nearly eighteen months ago.  This heart was just the ticket, and it’s so comfortable.
  • Wood fire smoke
  • Being able to snuggle under layers of quilts without exploding from heat.

What do you love this week?

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Things I Love Thursday 17/3/2016

Wahoo for Thursday!  I’m feeling extra positive this week because I had Monday off work.  The long weekend was lazy and restful and just what the doctor ordered.  So I’m well and truly geared up for Things I Love Thursday.

 

This week I love:

  • Colouring in my Game of Thrones colouring book. For the longest time I was too scared to make a mark in it, because the artwork is so beautiful.  But now I’m enjoying filling the pages with colour.
  • Ringo cuddles first thing in the morning.
  • Getting such a positive response to scary blog posts.  Over the past few weeks I’ve posted my first sex toy review (of the stunning Lelo Soraya) and a post about feminism and Mummy Shaming.  Both of these were tricky to publish because they were scary topics for me to write about.  I was worried that I’d offend my readers and scared you wouldn’t want to hear about sexy times.  But you did!  And that’s great, because I loved writing them and I am feeling more confident about posting more of the same in the future.

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  • Great op shop finds.   My family and I went to Violet Town for their monthly market last weekend.  I didn’t get anything at the market but I did get a few pretty things at the op shop.  Including this sweet tea tray for fifty cents.

wp_20160312_12_25_16_pro_zpsw5ow1ngmI also got two Japanese bone china mugs for fifty cents each.  They are so delicate and feel lovely to drink from.

 

  • Running around the house in my underpants. Because it’s hot and I can.
  • Celebrating the end of the heat wave.  Seriously, 39 degree days in March is bananas.
  • Getting back into more challenging yoga practices.
  • The Office
  • Pets that are stuck but pretending everything is fine.
  • The Black Cauldron.  Such an underrated Disney flick.
  • Making my own char sui pork in lettuce cups.  So flippin’ easy and so tasty and filling. I have a feeling this is going to become one of my regular weekday dinners.

What do you love this week, sweetheart?

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Things I Love Thursday 5/11/2015

Oh Thursday, how I love thee.  Not only do you signal the tail-end of the working week but you’re the perfect opportunity to sit down and count my blessings.  This week I love:

  • The Making of a Man by Maxim Februari. I devoured this book in an evening and I’ve been telling everyone about it since.  It’s written by transgender philosopher who talks candidly about his life as a man and his transition into masculinity.  It gives some excellent discussion points about transsexuality and it’s a fantastic and thought-provoking read.

Halloween hair. #halloween #dailyoutfit #bighair

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  • Big hair for Halloween.  I watched Ghostbusters the night before Halloween and I felt it only right to pay tribute to my favourite character: Egon Spengler.  I miss Spengler’s crazy do’ from the cartoons, and I felt that this massive pompadour was a fitting tribute.
  • Jaffa cake.  Delicious.
  • Bare feet and red toenails.
  • Four day weekends!  My boss decided to close the office on Monday.  Tuesday was a public holiday for Melbourne Cup Day so I got a delicious four days of relaxation.  It was just what the doctor ordered.
  • Scottish accents.
  • Re-watching some of the classic Disney films: Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio
  • Finding the most perfect present for one of my friends for Christmas.

  • Gorgeous op shop trunk.

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  • This stunning carved trunk I found at the op shop. Sadly it had already been sold so I couldn’t take it home for myself.  It would have made the most perfect home for my winter blankets.  Ah well, I hope it’s new owner has something wonderful to place inside it.
  • Turkey and cranberry baguettes

  • The best part about this vintage babe? Pockets! #thrifting #vintage #dress #pockets

    A post shared by Vanessa Bowen (@nessbow64) on

  • Finding this beautiful floral dress at the thrift store for just $4.  I haven’t worn it out yet, but I promise that I’ll post pictures when I do. It’s made of cotton and it’s so light and cool.  I can imagine that I’ll wear this to work a lot once Summer hits.
  • The final count-down to Christmas.

What are you loving this week my darling?

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Thursday 26/2/2015

Do any of you guys know where February has gone to?  It feels like it just flashed by in a mere moment.  How is the year 1/6 of the way through already?

This week I love:

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-Relying on myself for that which I need most.  After a shitty day last week I came home in a massive funk.  I was feeling very sorry for myself when I thought, “This pity party isn’t helping me.  I have the power to comfort myself”.  I just sat quietly for a while and asked myself honestly what I thought would make me feel better.  I wrote in my journal for a bit, did some yoga and enjoyed a movie while working on some crafts.  And in a few hours I was back on an even keel.  I feel proud of myself for being able to look after my own sanity in that way.  I can’t always manage it, but when I can it’s awesome.

– That moment when you’re working on a craft project which hasn’t been meeting your expectations and suddenly it just falls into place and looks fantastic.

– Putting my feet up and having Ringo tickle my toes with his tail.  Hilarious.

– Chatting with my workmates about hilarious wedding stories.

– Enjoying conversations with someone who ‘gets’ me.  It’s a rare and special thing.

– Watching The Blues Brothers and then blasting some soul music while I prepare for work.

– Salted caramel Tim Tams.  Amazing!

– Hanging out at a cafe with a beer on a lazy Sunday arvo to watch my friend Wally play some awesome music.  He did some original songs, some Beatles covers, a bit of Fleetwood Mac and even Lily Allen.  But the highlight was when he closed with “I Want to Grow Old with You” from The Wedding Singer, which I firmly believe is the most romantic song ever written.

– Popping a massive pimple. I know it’s a beauty no-no, but it is just so satisfying.

– Huge thunderstorms.

– Peach iced tea drunk from a china cup at my desk.

-Finding this fantastic vintage housecoat at the op shop this week.  It’s so psychedelic and the fabric is soft and light on the skin.  I’ve been wearing this each morning and it’s so lovely.

And just check out that print.  Gorgeous, no?

– Treating myself to a lovely dinner of cheese and fruit on a summer’s eve.  Although I’m drinking from a martini glass, my beverage was actually just soda water.  I was just feeling fancy.

What do you love this week?

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Daily outfit 24/2/2015

Finding outfits to wear to work can be a bit of a challenge when you work in an office without a strict dress code.  My office isn’t super corporate and as long as you’re neat and tidy you can pretty much wear what you want.  For the first few weeks I kept my outfit really conservative, with dress trousers and blouses, and a few prim dresses.  But now that I’m more settled I’ve relaxed my work clothes a little.

One of the women in my office is a fan of gorgeous flowing skirts and sandals, and she always looks amazing. So when I found this lovely black maxi skirt in the op-shop I was keen to take it for a spin to work.

This skirt is so comfortable and has an amazing drape to it. It’s quite fitted at the top but it flares out towards the hem, so it billows and sways with every step I take.  It’s so simple and I am looking forward to styling it with a variety of tops.

I am wearing:

– Black and white star blouse from My Pair of Wings on etsy

– Black maxi skirt (thrifted)

– Black gladiator sandals from Sportsgirl.

– Silver bangle bracelet (gift from my parents)

– Sapphire ring (gift from my parents)

I have such a crush on these sandals.  I had a similar pair years ago which I wore until they fell to pieces.  I spotted these ones on the Sportsgirl clearance page, marked down to $29 from $80.  They are extremely comfortable and look great with all kinds of outfits.  I’ll be sorry when the weather starts to cool off and I won’t be able to wear these lovely shoes any longer.

What do you wear to work?  Does your office have a strict dress code or is it more relaxed?  Would you be interested in seeing more of my work outfits?

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Daily outfit 17/2/2015

The 1980’s are not a decade I dabble in much for fashion.  Music?  Absolutely.  Movies?  You betcha!  But clothes?  Not really.  It’s not very often that I find something from the eighties that I’m keen to wear.

But last week my lunchtime op-shop visit yielded this sensational coloured skirt from the 80’s.  The print screamed out at me from the rack and I just had to buy it.  And for a mere $3 I could hardly leave it there.  I wore it that very night to go out to dinner.

I am wearing:

– Vintage 80’s print skirt (thrifted)

– Fuchsia tank top from Target

– Flower sandals from Big W.

– Gold hoop earrings

– Cubic zirconia pendant (gift from my cousin)

– Black belt (thrifted)

This skirt is an ideal addition to my wardrobe.  As well as being zany and colourful, the fabric is light as air and has a lot of movement.  And it has pockets.  POCKETS!  In short, it’s amazing and I’m so pleased that I bought it.

Have you bought anything awesome from the op shop lately?

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Daily outfit 10/2/2015

This outfit post has been a long time in the making.  Last Christmas I got an amazing pair of trousers from my parents.  They were absolutely gorgeous, but they were miles too long.  My aunt kindly offered to hem them for me.  Although I could have done it myself, I was happy to let someone else do that job so I passed them over to her.  She invited me over for a fitting, pinned the trousers to the correct length….and then forgot about them for a year.

So last week I got my Christmas 2013 trousers back from my aunt, freshly hemmed and pressed.  And I couldn’t wait to wear them.  So I popped them on to go to the movies to see Into the Woods.

See what I mean?  They’re awesome.  They have so much billow and volume. They are also really light which makes them a perfect choice for summer.

I am wearing:

– Blue vintage camisole (thrifted)

– Printed trousers (gift from my parents)

– Pierre Fontaine pucci print heels (thrifted)

– Moonstone necklace (gift from my grandparents)

– Assorted silver rings.

A close-up of the print on these trousers.  Fabulous, no?

I am having a love affair with printed and wide-legged pants at the moment, and this pair ticks all the boxes.  the only thing I don’t like about them is that they aren’t sewn at all along the sides.  Which gives them lovely movement, but it means that when you get a stiff breeze blowing, the front and back of the pants blow apart, flashing your backside to the world.  It’s not ideal.  But I’ll now know better than to wear these on a gusty day!