Lying on an eiderdown
I'm currently back home for Easter, and my usual favourite haunts haven't let me down! I'm heading out to a massive antiques centre next week, so with luck I may have more wonderful things to show you soon. Vintage is so scarce where I study, it's difficult to even find records (beyond the usual Perry Como and the like in charity shops anyway) so it's always a treat to be able to come home where everything I love is so plentiful.
Here we have the very first thing I found in the Cancer Research shop, a 1970s maxi dress by Richard Shops. It was hidden away amongst the most drab selection and I'd definitely of missed it had I not been looking through every item on the rail. It looked a bit sorry for itself and I wasn't sure if I'd keep it at first, but with a good clean and bit of TLC I think it's come up just lovely! I love how the sleeves puff out just above the elbow, and I'm pleased that it still has it's original ribbon belt. It's a nice gauzy cotton so will be perfect for the upcoming summer.
The patterned eiderdown in the background of most of these pictures was another find, it fits a double bed and was still in it's original plastic packaging. I've wanted an eiderdown for the longest time, but they're usually terribly overpriced. This one was found in my favourite junk shop, right at the very bottom of a massive pile I don't usually make the effort to dig through as it's mostly overpriced curtains. It was marked down cheap "for a quick sale" yet it must have been there years! I hung it out on the washing line for a freshen up and it's as good as new.
I found a few lengths of patterned crimplene, as seen in the background, as well as the patterns. The Women's Realm pattern in the centre features patterns for a dress, a tunic, a maxi waistcoat, and trousers so you could have a full wardrobe with that alone! I love the illustraion of the girl in the yellow dress on the Style pattern and want to try and recreate it.
This picnic kit was a rather incredible find, it cost barely anything and has all of it's original pieces intact. It has a waterproof vinyl mat, a checked orange cloth, two napkins, two cups and saucers, two tea plates, a metal sandwich box, a condiment pot, full cutlery, and a thermos. It was in quite grimey condition, but I spent hours yesterday deep cleaning and sterilizing everything and it's the most adorable little set. I noticed after it was cleaned that the outer case is made from the exact same patterned vinyl as my 7" record box.
This coffee percolator has all of it's original parts, and I got my stepdad who's a professional electrician to fix the plug so it's back in working order. I love drinking coffee and usually use my Tassimo, so I'm interested in giving this a whirl! My mum said that she received a percolator exactly like this one as a wedding gift in the '70s which makes me love it all the more.
The tray I'd been eyeing in an antiques store, but it was priced at £6.50 which isn't a lot but felt a bit too much for what it was just the same. So I was chuffed to find this identical one in the charity shop a few days later for £1! I love how well it matches the percolator, they look almost like a deliberate set.
I'd been looking at these little plastic and Pyrex cups in another shop, but they only had 3 which felt an odd amount so I left them. The next shop I went in I found this set of 6 with a tea tray still in it's original packaging for less than the previous shop had been charging for just the 3! I can't wait to unwrap it all, but I need to travel with them so I thought they'd be safer left in their wrapping for now. The '70s conserve pot was just a fun little addition for next to nothing. It has an orange peel design so was obviously for marmalade. I'm not a fan of marmalade so I might use it as a sugar pot.
And all of the records I've picked up! The Donovan ones were found in a record shop in Lincoln so cost a little extra at £5 each. I'm very close to completing my Donovan collection now! I'd never seen the Minstrel Boy compilation before but I don't own any 10" records so I picked it up more for the novelty. I'm glad the prices haven't increased for Bowie records around here like they have online, that's another collection I'm close to completing. I was thinking of Melanie Safka just the other week and thinking I needed to make more effort to look for some of her LPs, and just like that I found two including the one I wanted most. What luck!
Here we have the very first thing I found in the Cancer Research shop, a 1970s maxi dress by Richard Shops. It was hidden away amongst the most drab selection and I'd definitely of missed it had I not been looking through every item on the rail. It looked a bit sorry for itself and I wasn't sure if I'd keep it at first, but with a good clean and bit of TLC I think it's come up just lovely! I love how the sleeves puff out just above the elbow, and I'm pleased that it still has it's original ribbon belt. It's a nice gauzy cotton so will be perfect for the upcoming summer.
The patterned eiderdown in the background of most of these pictures was another find, it fits a double bed and was still in it's original plastic packaging. I've wanted an eiderdown for the longest time, but they're usually terribly overpriced. This one was found in my favourite junk shop, right at the very bottom of a massive pile I don't usually make the effort to dig through as it's mostly overpriced curtains. It was marked down cheap "for a quick sale" yet it must have been there years! I hung it out on the washing line for a freshen up and it's as good as new.
I found a few lengths of patterned crimplene, as seen in the background, as well as the patterns. The Women's Realm pattern in the centre features patterns for a dress, a tunic, a maxi waistcoat, and trousers so you could have a full wardrobe with that alone! I love the illustraion of the girl in the yellow dress on the Style pattern and want to try and recreate it.
This picnic kit was a rather incredible find, it cost barely anything and has all of it's original pieces intact. It has a waterproof vinyl mat, a checked orange cloth, two napkins, two cups and saucers, two tea plates, a metal sandwich box, a condiment pot, full cutlery, and a thermos. It was in quite grimey condition, but I spent hours yesterday deep cleaning and sterilizing everything and it's the most adorable little set. I noticed after it was cleaned that the outer case is made from the exact same patterned vinyl as my 7" record box.
This coffee percolator has all of it's original parts, and I got my stepdad who's a professional electrician to fix the plug so it's back in working order. I love drinking coffee and usually use my Tassimo, so I'm interested in giving this a whirl! My mum said that she received a percolator exactly like this one as a wedding gift in the '70s which makes me love it all the more.
The tray I'd been eyeing in an antiques store, but it was priced at £6.50 which isn't a lot but felt a bit too much for what it was just the same. So I was chuffed to find this identical one in the charity shop a few days later for £1! I love how well it matches the percolator, they look almost like a deliberate set.
I'd been looking at these little plastic and Pyrex cups in another shop, but they only had 3 which felt an odd amount so I left them. The next shop I went in I found this set of 6 with a tea tray still in it's original packaging for less than the previous shop had been charging for just the 3! I can't wait to unwrap it all, but I need to travel with them so I thought they'd be safer left in their wrapping for now. The '70s conserve pot was just a fun little addition for next to nothing. It has an orange peel design so was obviously for marmalade. I'm not a fan of marmalade so I might use it as a sugar pot.
And all of the records I've picked up! The Donovan ones were found in a record shop in Lincoln so cost a little extra at £5 each. I'm very close to completing my Donovan collection now! I'd never seen the Minstrel Boy compilation before but I don't own any 10" records so I picked it up more for the novelty. I'm glad the prices haven't increased for Bowie records around here like they have online, that's another collection I'm close to completing. I was thinking of Melanie Safka just the other week and thinking I needed to make more effort to look for some of her LPs, and just like that I found two including the one I wanted most. What luck!
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