Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby...

Baby baby baby baby oh baby

Congratulations to my beautiful brother, my awesome sister in law and my darling niece. 

And to me. 

I dig being an Aunty, baby!

Suggested names so far: 
Bolt, Nimbo, Neo, Levi, Captain Caveman, Floyd, 
Shnockov, Frank, Oliver, Elvis, Obedience, Hairy, Max...

Your name suggestions welcome... this lad needs a name!

Sarah

xxx

Indian Summer

Monday 28 November 2011, NSW South Coast, Late Spring, 16 - 29 degrees

Only three days to Summer

I found this beautiful 1970s Indian cotton dress in my favourite vintage store today 

(on the bargain rack!)  

This cheeky kookaburra laughed at me while I was taking my pics. 

In the fifteen minutes I was taking my photos, I saw
black cockatoos, pelicans, a white bellied sea eagle, kookaburras and rosellas...

Sarah
xxx


HelgaAndGStock2012 Countdown: 67 sleeps

A Tale of Two Dresses

In the never ending shed clean out, 

I have recently come across two frocks 

that have both given me pause for reflection, for different reasons...

The red silk on the left was my wedding dress...

It is made from a wedding sari and was designed and made for me by an Australian icon, 

couturier of the 1960s and 70s, Robert Fritzlaff. 

Please take a a few minutes to watch this video about Robert, to fully understand 

how lucky I was to have him make my beautiful dress. He is a dead set legend!

**[EDIT: I have just figured out where I know that beautiful model from: 
it's the wonderful Candice DeVille from Super Kawaii Mama!)**

My dress gave me the best of what I loved: vintage style, vibrant colour and an ethnic sensibility. 

(I think I look way better in it now than I did in 2000.)

Even buying a beautiful quality silk sari and having it handmade by one of Australia's most amazing designers, the dress still cost way less than any wedding dress I've ever seen.

You need to see it in the sunlight to see how vibrant the red is...

The second dress is my Mama's wedding dress...

It was a maxi but some time in the 1980s she cut the bottom off. 

I live in hope of finding the missing piece.

Here's my Mama wearing it at the San Diego Registry Office in 1973. 

My little brother was born three weeks later.

Both of us made terrible choices in husbands... 

and fabulous choices in frocks!

Sentimental Sunday afternoons always make me a little melancholy. 
How 'bout you?


Sarah
xxx

Keep up, people

Today

 

I planted tomatoes, zucchini, leek and parsley, weeded half-arsedly, watered, washed, swept, mopped, cleaned the frickin loo and squealed at an ugly frog with weird spindly toes...

I'm frickin hardcore.

Tell me, do you guys use your vintage linens? 

I was recently chatting with a friend who thinks that sleeping on vintage linens is a bit yuk.

I have no problem using vintage sheets, pillow cases, blankets, towels etc... 

do you? 

The madness continues!

 

I wore: 

1960s polka dot housedress - Estate Auction 

1970s cotton dressing gown  and 1960s nylon headscarf - Op shopped 

1968 human hairpiece - Inherited

Vintage clip on earrings - Gift from darling Kitty 

I have chosen a colour for my bedroom: it's called Nosegay Rose. 

Big news, huh? I'll bet you're all relieved.

. 

Before I go, if you haven't already, head on over to Naughty Shorts 

and enter The Best Give Away Ever! 

I'm an idiot for telling you about it, as I'm reducing the chance of winning myself,

and I am DESPERATE to win, since I am so unemployed and need new shoes 

and a new gorgeous frock to lift my poor downtrodden spirits 

(but don't feel sorry for me or anything, I'll be ok... really)

but I HAD to share, since I love you all so much. 

So what the smeg are you waiting for? Get over there and enter! 

You're welcome.

And so I must get back to my crazy Saturday night shenanigans...

a few of my super hot boyfriends are coming over for cocktails, oh yeah!

Or, I'll be on the couch in my dressing gown, 

with a cup of green tea and falling asleep during RockWiz. 

I haven't decided yet.

Happy Weekend, Lovers! 

Sarah

xxx

Competent! Efficient! Fabulous!

So I had a job interview this morning...

Look how boring conservative dull sensible employable I look! 

I wore: 

Jacket, skirt and blouse - Op shopped 

Tights, shoes and bag - Retail (Factory outlets, years ago) 

Silk scarf - Gift from darling Vix

1960s enamel brooch - Gift from darling Ada

Thanks so much for all of your good wishes - I'll keep you posted as soon as I hear anything.

So I couldn't wait to show you 

my latest treasure from Kaftanistan...

Handmade polyester with fab buttons and ric rac details

This is another of my Mum's 1968 Hong Kong human hair pieces... isn't it fab!

I quite like this pic... there is a navy base nearby and an occasional helicopter or jet 

will fly directly overhead. I know it bothers some people but I actually get 
a bit of a kick out of it and always give them a wave or salute when they fly over...

especially if I'm hanging washing in my smalls. 

I don't mind a man in uniform.

I never get tired of red, white and blue

I wore: 

Kaftan, chiffon scarf, bangles - Op shopped 

Sunnies - Retail

Hairpiece - Inherited

Thank you and welcome to new followers! 

If I have yet to visit your blog, please leave me a little elbow in the ribs

in the comments and I'll head over asap. I don't know how you found me, but thank you!

Sarah

xxx

Apparently...

So I've been away...

Celebrating my little darling niece's fourth birthday... 

Hanging with my darling friend, Ada,
and her new toy, a baby blue 1969 Mercedes Benz Pagoda... 

Isn't she beautiful?

I arrived home to my little teeny beach shack this afternoon 
to a couple of spectacular Parcels of Joy...

The first was from our darling Desiree

I have been admiring (lusting after!) her beautiful floral headpieces for some time, 
so she sent me two (plus some truly gorgeous 1960s enamel earrings, to be featured soon) 
and I could not love them more.


Look how perfectly this daisy headpiece goes with my darling daisy earrings...

I caught up with some beautiful friends while I was away and they asked me why 
I had moved to a tiny little shack in a tiny little town where I don't have a single friend. 
Of course the answer is complex, long-winded and complicated, but it's also really simple. 

I just really love it here. 

This is my very own back yard. 

My very own bindii-infested lawn...

 And even though I miss my little family so much that I shed a little tear every single time 
I leave their driveway, they are only a few hours away, and I need to belong somewhere. 

So I'm trying to belong here, starting with my own little patch of dirt, 
my own little shabby shack, my own little falling down gate...

And coming home to parcels of delight, to gifts, handmade by friends, 
certainly helps with that feeling of belonging, that I seek so keenly. 

Thank you so much, Desiree, I LOVE my headpieces 
and I especially love that you made them.

 I wore: 
Cotton dress, underskirt, cardigan and bangles - Op shopped
1960s enamel daisy earrings - Vintage market
Vintage cocktail and mood ring - Gifts from darling Vix
Red Riding Hood Resin Ring  - Gift from beautiful Ada
Hair piece - Bought by my Mum in Hong Kong in 1968

The second amazing Parcel of Joy was from darling Dee
(Oh man, I am so spoiled...)

The parcel was wrapped in an old unused dress pattern 
and a scrap piece of vintage fabric ribbon... 


Dee sent some absolutely delightful fabric pieces 
for my handmade patchwork curtains project...


And (speaking of shedding a tear, this brought 
me to tears for the second time today..)


This fabulous vintage crochet book, covered in vintage fabric and embroidered by Dee: 


Sarah's Farking Good Crochet Book! 

It's full of exquisite crochet patterns...

You know I am totally making those bell-bottom pants!

THANK YOU DARLING DESIREE AND DEAREST DEE!

I have a job interview tomorrow so please cross your fingers, light a candle, read your tarot, 

talk to your dead grandmother (or talk to mine if you like, and you can get a word in) 

- or just throw a happy wish my way if you can be bothered. 

I really need this job so I can buy more vintage frocks and pay my mortgage!

I know I've been really slack and I promise I will catch up 

on all of your wonderful blogs in the next few days... please forgive me

Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen

welcome to Air Misfit

Where you are guaranteed side-eye...

Sarcasm...

And excellent hair.

I wore: 

Crimplene mod dress - Gift from darling Helga

Vintage Oroton scarf - Op shopped 

Human hair piece - Bought new in 1968 in Hong Kong by my Mum

Headband - Can't remember

Shoes - Retail 

Sarah

xxx

Title quote from Douglas Adams

Sometimes I...

have no words

But I always have frocks

 I wore: 

1970s plaid cotton dress, cardigan, belt and bangles - Op shopped 

1970s straw hat - Vintage shop (ten years ago)

Swallow lasercut brooch - Gorman House market, Canberra

Earrings - Retail

From the Photo Archive...


This picture of me and my pet lamb, Smarty, in Sydney in 1976
(I was six years old, Smarty was one)

Smarty wears: Pure new wool coat in neutral tones 
I am wearing my Mum's python print polyester dress, burgundy tights,
Mum's black suede mary jane wedges, white gloves (tucked into belt), 
red nurse's cape and dressing gown tie as a belt...


OMG 


I'm channeling Desiree!

Pic taken from THIS FABULOUS POST

Having Smarty as a pet was the start of my vegetarianism. 
At the age of six I realised that the 'lamb' in 'lamb chops' 
was the same 'lamb' as 'Mary had a little lamb'
and they were all the same at my pet lamb. 
I never ate lamb again. 

Bonus Pic: Brother Misfit with Smiley Smarty: 

 He was three in this pic - his daughter turns four next week!

Sarah
xxx