Thank the Thrift Gods!

Because they sure shone down on me yesterday. I went to the nearby Sally Anne with my dad to go look at the furniture and I spotted this shirt on my way out. I nearly left it there but I had to go try it on. I'm so glad I did!

Blouse - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Shorts - Thrifted from Value Village

Leggings - Who knows?

Boots - Spring

Later in the evening I decided to go check out a new Value Village that opened in nearby Orleans, just for something to do. Best. Idea. Ever. I got tons of goodies! I knew from finding this first blouse, that yesterday was just going to be a Good Thrifting Day.

Caramel lounging amidst my thrift finds.

I wound up leaving the store with the shorts I am currently wearing (which actually have little flower details all over them), an amazingly patterned dress with matching belt, a really cool sweater, a cute flowery crop top, as well as some green dress shoes with a nice low heel and a navy blue long sleeved shirt.

I probably won't be pairing this shirt with the shorts again - I really do feel peculiar not wearing a dress or skirt - but it's still a fun outfit. It worked out since it was raining cats and dogs today and it's no fun dragging a long skirt in puddles.

I'm so excited to post the dress though... It really is just the most colourful, amazingly patterned thing. Maybe tomorrow! Cheers!

Some Little Things

A lot of my outfit shots show this white fuzzy thing on the side. It would be easy to remove it before a shot but I don't think it really gets in the way, and frankly I'm lazy hah.

Top - Thrifted from the Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Leggings - Who knows?

Anyway, some of you might be wondering what that random white fuzzy thing is... And it's a fox tail, on a key chain. I collect furs and bones and taxidermied animals, odd as that may seem.

This thing glows in black light, believe it or not!

I decorate my home with strange little things, personal little touches. Last Halloween I found a little hanging picture frame, pumpkin shaped, and promptly purchased it to put a photo of my tarantula named Pumpkin inside it.

 

The dried bouquet from my college graduation...

I've had people describe my home as part museum, part mountain lodge, part fun house haha... I'm sure it would probably unsettle more than one person to have animal skulls in their bedroom but it feels like home to me.

Cheers!

Skirts and Sweaters

I think that skirts are actually better for keeping warm in winter than pants are! I can bunch them up in layers when I'm sitting around, and since I'm usually wearing leggings or tights beneath the skirt or dress, it's like an extra layer of warmth.

Sweater - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Of course wearing big snuggly sweaters also tends to make me look rather lumpy and shapeless but hey... I'm warm! Not to say it's particularly all that cold lately, at least not in comparison to how cold it could be right now, so no complaints there!

I wore this sweater to the photoshoot, which was a lot of fun. One of the girls wound up borrowing one of my vintage dresses and I got some very pretty pictures. I can't wait to see the ones taken of me. I might share some in a day or two.

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! Cheers!

Banana Bread

I woke this morning to find the world covered in a thick sheet of ice and a thin blanket of snow. There was lots of freezing rain last night, forming a near 1/4 inch thick layer of ice on everything the eye could see. So of course this was a prime day for baking! We had some extremely ripe bananas that were near their last days so I baked a banana bread, and two dozen chocolate banana cupcakes. I sort of covered myself in flour in the process though, so no outfit photos! I was wearing something I posted before anyway.



I got the recipe from the Joy of Baking, which is where I get a lot of my recipes. If you like baking, it's a good site to check out! I think I did pretty good, considering I'd never before in my life made banana bread.

I wasn't too sure how the caramel and pecans would come out but it's really nice. Chewy and crunchy and delicious! I may be bringing some of the baked goodies with me when I go to my friend's tomorrow. She's taking photography classes and needed models and I volunteered... Which sort of turned into vintage clothing photos, and other photos involving one of my snakes and a skull haha... It'll be fun anyway, and I may have the chance to take photos of others in some of my vintage pieces!

Anyway, that's it for now, cheers! Have a great weekend!

Where I take too many photos

I went to the Canadian Museum of Nature with my parents tonight, as Thursdays offer free admission after 5PM. It actually turned out to be really great since there was a cool exhibit on moths, and the temporary frog exhibit I fell in love with months ago was still around.

Dress - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Tights - Fancy Sox

Shell Earings - AdorIt

So as the title says, I took way too many photos (especially of myself), and I can't stop myself from sharing them. (Although I did cut down from a far larger amount, hah.) We first went downstairs into the Animalium, my favourite place in the whole museum. They have terrariums with all sorts of creepy crawlies, and a huge open window letting you see the "back area" where staff care for and raise the creatures.

My mam checking out the giant snails.

Tarantula love!

Back area as seen through window... wish I worked there!

From there we went straight up to the top floor, to check out the exhibit on birds. I was a little surprised to see a bunch of people sitting on stools, drawing and sketching the mounted birds, but hey, why not? Apparently an art class teacher brings her students there to do still lifes.

A woman drawing.

And this bird was just adorable :)

Attempting to photograph myself with the display bird...

The view from the top floor, through the new glass tower. I dig that you can see the stairs and interior hall so well reflected! They actually just finished the construction work on the new tower this year.

We quickly passed through the section about the oceans and marine life...

*glassy eyed stare*

The section about the earth and minerals and rocks is really quite gorgeous. Their display cases are beautifully laid out, and each has an adjoining touch screen with information on each of the minerals or jewels shown within.

An attempt at a shot with the polar bear in the Mammals exhibit...

The cougar, my favourite big cat!

The exhibit on moths was actually really cool. Not what I had expected, but certainly not disappointing. Moths from Ontario and Quebec had been photographed, then enlarged in great detail and printed with an ink jet printer.

My father taking a quick rest in the gallery.

They had the actual moths displayed at the end.

And I saved the best - in my opinion - for last! The Frogs!

And that's it! Thanks for hanging in there! Cheers!

Gorgeous Autumn Day

After a few days of cold rain - and even freezing rain - today the sun came out and it was absolutely beautiful. A mite windy, but still beautiful.

Skirt - Purchased at Ragtime Vintage

Shawl - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Biker boots - Spring on sale for $20

For lack of anywhere better to go - and because gas is expensive - I just drove out to the Ottawa river again, same place as seen in this post. The rock sculptures have all now either been destroyed by the strong current, or are submerged by the higher water.



I also just today acquired Photoshop, so I'm likely going to be fussing around with my blog photos and trying to learn something at least sorta useful. But really it's just fun, heh.

I really love the fact that this shawl - if I can still call it that - has "sleeves" which makes doing things while wearing it so much easier. I tend to feel like shawls are slowly trying to eat me, but this one gives me freedom of movement! Not to mention that it keeps my arms better covered, which is handy when it's chill out.







I wasn't out for long - the wind was still pretty cool and quite strong by the river - but it felt nice to get back outside and feel the sun on my face. Got to enjoy these days while they last because they won't be around for much longer!

Cheers!

Freezing Rain and Gypsies

I drove home on slick roads last night, freezing rain falling from the sky. There was crust on my windshield and windows. I slid and fell on the sidewalk walking to my front door. Oh winter, you creep ever closer!

Dress - Purchased from Heather's Moonshine Junkyard.

Black Shirt - Smartset

Tights - Who knows?

Leg Warmers - Ardene's 3 for $10

I really dig wearing my leather jacket with this outfit... I sort of feel like I should be on the set for The Craft or something haha... It's a fun mix of feminine and tough, something of which I'm always a fan. I'm also having oodles of fun layering my lighter summer pieces with warmer stuff for winter like this. Multiple use wardrobe for the win!

And on a completely different note... I'd like to talk about a book I just finished reading. It is The Gypsies by Jan Yoors. It was first published in 1967, and is the real account of a boy who at the age of 12 ran off to live with the gypsies. He lived with them until the age of 18, throughout the 30's. If ever you have been interested in gypsies, their way of life... This book is amazing, a fantastic insider's account, and I found it very moving.

There's some strange appeal to me in the life of a Gypsy. Never having a permanent home, always traveling, changing groups... It was certainly a hard life, but one that seems better to me than that many of us now live. In touch with nature, under the sky... I highly suggest you read this book, it's definitely now one of my favourite reads.

I hope you're all having a good start to the week, Cheers!

I spoke too soon

So while my back isn't anywhere near back to normal, I did feel well enough today to actually get dressed. And since I've been stuck in the house for days, mostly laying about so as not to aggravate my back, now that I've recovered some movement, I had to do something! So I took outfit photos. Although I think now that I should not spend too much time standing since my back hurts a little more again... Anyhow, the photos.

Blouse - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Wool Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Wool Tights - Fancy Sox

Leg Warmers - Ardene's 3 for $10

Shoes - Spring $10 on sale

These leg warmers have cute little buttons on them. The only bummer is they seem to weigh down the leg warmer and I wind up stepping on the silly things all the time unless I'm wearing shoes.

I am happy that I feel well enough to go to dinner at my friend's however. A good vegan meal and playing a board game with friends! Definitely spells good Sunday evening that does. Hopefully my back continues to mend - although I'm trying to be careful - and I can get back to being myself again. I miss dancing around the house like I usually do!

Hope you're all having a good weekend. Cheers!

Not good

So I might disappear for a little while... I've been having some major back problems these last few days. I can barely walk, bending or leaning is excruciating, and leaving the house is completely out of the question.

It really sucks - not only for the pain - but because I'm missing out on so much this weekend. It's my friend's birthday today, and I can't attend, and tomorrow I was invited to a vegan dinner and board game night, which I will still likely feel too unwell to go to either.

I'm spending most of my time laying down reading (a firsthand account of a boy's time living with real gypsies) or watching Disney movies.

If I can't get any outfit shots soon, I'll think of something else to post. Hope you all have a better weekend than me!

Cheers!

P.S. I've been addicted to the Beatles lately... love their Revolver album.

Off to the Scottish moors!

Well, I wish. But that's what this outfit makes me think of... Scottish moors and low clouds and hills masked by thick wet fog. And sheep. Because this is another all-wool outfit. Thank you sheep, for your wonderful wool!

Wool sweater - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Plaid skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Socks - Who knows?

And I would now like to introduce you to another of my pets...

Caramel, my handsome boy!

His tail has made it into a few of my photos in the past, and he was lurking around again tonight so he finally got included. He's a big lovebug, and loves to lay on the desk, between the keyboard and me. He needs to be super, super close, but is too long and fat for laps!

Cheers!