Missoni for Target and a DIY necklace

The Target/Missoni launch debacle has been well reported in various media.
Even my husband now knows more about Missoni for Target than he'd ever ever (ever!) want to know.  The stores were picked clean but I did find a few things, among them some cute bobby pins.  Immediately I saw them as...wait for it... jewelry! Not to sell, but for DIY.  They have that chevron > zigzag > tribal flavor. I really like the texture on the copper portion and the width of these bobbies.  


1. Pick up a set of these
2. Place some on a chain with clasp
3. Wear

I used coppery brass chain to complement the copper.  I chose a random number for these. A few sets on a choker would make a statement.

If I wanted to make sure the fringe draped evenly at chain without getting out of line I imagine I'd suspend a chain, taped tautly, over say a shoe box.  Then very carefully dab chain with super glue and place pin, repeat. <untested

Kinda cute, no?

Reversed to show copper side. Wee vintage lady is in my shop

In response to the website crashin' and the ebay scalpers hoardin',  a couple of women started a Facebook fair trading site.  Others found the FB page and people have been helping other people find what they wanted from the collection.  I have friends former friends that wouldn't come near to going out of their way to help like this group of folks who JUST met on Facebook have!  Hats off to you!

 Facebook Missoni Trading site: a great group!

Talkin' 'bout My Generation

Poddie and Iphone 4

4 that is. Gen 4 Ipod rockin' 40GB. 

I was feeling a little nostalgic for the black-and-whiteness of it all.  Wow, Apple has come far, fast. I am an early adopter, typically trading in old tech by selling on ebay to help pay for the new. I'm glad I hung on to this monster.

Getting it ready to use in the car.
It's side ripples come from the very moosy silicone jacket it's in, compete with flip down wheel protector.  Took me a minute to remember how to use this dinosaur. It's predecessor was silenced forever after being dropped and the Apple genius gave me a new one and thanked me for telling the truth. Ha! After this came the amazing COLOR ipod I ordered the second it came out, and then Iphone. There's an ancient shuffle of hubby's around here someplace too. Iphone B & W attire is free case from Sephora. I'm thinking of blinging it up all over with crystals.

A lil sumpin sumpin

 

These two have an interspecies thing goin' on I think. Bailey and her cat friend Lucy like to snooze à deux. Caught here with Iphone cam

1943

Today I am wearing my Dad's dog tags. They were shaped differently back then.

It's Bedlam in Here!

 

Quartz Crystal Fringe  

The order of the day is Spring cleaning.  Long overdue Spring cleaning, made immeasurably more difficult due to my jewelry creativity hinging on having thousands and thousands of parts. And they've migrated. But I digress. Somehow taking a few minutes to photograph this necklace for my shop turned into a walk down memory lane in the photos on my mac.

The bud and the paint layered window handle were photographed in Bedlam some years ago. This is the building that housed the famous London insane asylum and now the Imperial War Museum.  I was dragged there went there with my husband on our honeymoon.  The flower was in the cafe. I got very uncomfortable vibes from the museum although its past intrigued me. I kept looking at that rather whimsical looking handle, wondering what it had seen.

a bud in Bedlam

Imperial War Museum, former site of Bedlam

Having added these photos there's nothing for me to do but at least begin the Spring clean. Here I go. Really.  And to be fair, many a time in US and abroad I have dragged hubby shopping with me. Last time we split up, he to Bedlam, me to the wildly busy weekend shopping bedlam that is  Oxford St.

Thrift Score of Yore

This little vintage berry eater is a thrift score from years ago when I lived in the Empire State. I found him in a thrift store and I think he was $6.95. Chippy, shabby, perfect.  Years late I was surprised to find him duplicated in the Anthropologie catalog. For maybe 8 X the price, and they added an extra bird if I remember correctly. They found him in a flea market in Florence or something.  He's on the table for Spring, holding tall white candles.

You Can('t) Go Home Again

I have a certain nostalgia for things from my past. Not to be confused with materialism at all, sometimes it's more like a hazy idealized hindsight viewing of certain special things that were part of my life. That's how I'd explain it to my DH or anyone more focused on experiences than things. I love handbags and am not a snob about them. All styles and price ranges have won my approval. I still remember my first purse in what we quaintly called Junior High School (middle school? huh?). This wasn't it. I also remember my 2nd and third and the ones my friend had that I wanted. Back to this one...

I had this caramel colored leather purse pictured in about '72 if memory serves, and the price for this roomy leather beauty purchased at Grover Cronin dept store was around $25.00.  That was a LOT of my paycheck! I have so few things left from those days. This bag was with me through the 1990's when it died from mildew in an unheated front entry closet. Sad. From time to time over the years I've thought of it. It wasn't a brand name and had no label inside so how to search for it on ebay where sooner or later EVERYTHING turns up? I actually found one for a few bucks over my original purchase price but it was so beaten up and dirty and stained and mine wasn't, ever, so I passed. I recently plugged in a few search words-leather flap hippie bag- and WOW found one! Just like mine. $22. I bought it without hesitation.

I was so happy to see it again! Or it's near relation, pictured here. This one didn't have the great long strap I remembered, but shorter with a buckle. But it is in great shape, it even smells like my bag did (!!??) Without the cigarettes I used to carry back then. This bag is a classic. I lavished leather conditioner on it and am carrying it now, before I break out something bright yellow for Spring. I'm still hoping to find that vintage Etienne Aigner linen shoulderbag I had in '68.