Author Archives: Gemma

Souk and Frock Finds..

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So a few sundays ago was profound in Belfast for any vintage loving, re-using, retro, pre-loved finder!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was out at ‘Frock around the Clock’ and ‘The Fashion Souk’.

You’ve seen lots of my Souk finds in previous posts, and here are a few of Sunday’s finds and photos.. and if this excites you.. this weekend could be EVEN jucier! Especially if you have a thing for homey vintage and retro comforts. The lovely founders of both events are running ‘home’ events..

The Home Souk launching this Saturday at the Europa hotel, by the fabulous Alyson of the Fashion Souk

The Retro Rooms Show (Vintage interiors and Design for the modern home) created by Frock around the Clock’s Becky is on this Sunday at the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue

Teddy hat from the Fashion Souk

ear baby..

Treasure at Frock around the Clock

Circa Ceramics at 'Frock'

Style advise at 'frock'

MK Vintageusa at 'frock'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can’t wait for a busy foraging weekend!

Find Circa Ceramics and MKVintageusa on facebook.. Cant remember the name of the little hat creator.. does anyone know?

Frockin’ big day out..

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Oh I’m all in a ‘flapper’! It’s a shopper’s delight this sunday in Belfast.  As well as the aforementioned Fashion Souk, ‘Frock around the Clock‘ pioneered by the fabulous Becky Moore is on this week at The Holiday Inn, Ormeau Road.

You can check out sneak peaks of her stallholders on facebook.

Personally, I’m on the hunt for a 20’s/ 30’s style flapper/shift dress.. love that era! The hats, the cropped hair, the red oxblood lips! If you’re not sure what to look for, you’ll get lots of ideas from all eras from the vintage clad ladies there..

Becky explains:

We bring together Irish vintage dealers and creative-designers to sell a fabulous array of vintage clothing and fashion accessories, jewellery, furniture, homewares, textiles and lace, dolls and bears, collectables, hand made items created from recycled vintage textiles, and much more.
Nowhere else in Northern Ireland can you find such a vast collection of quality vintage items dating from the early 1900s through to the 1980s, alongside perfectly restyled and recycled designs, all under one roof.

Why not make it a big day out, and hit the Fashion Souk AND the Frock around the Clock.. you are guaranteed to be draped with original goodies, and all whilst supporting local traders and making ethcial choices with your fashion feet..

I hope to bring you photos from my day out at both events… see you there! xx

‘Souk’ it and see!

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What with so much number crunching to do these days after tax increases, exponential fuel prices.. blah blah blah, the good news is, in Belfast you can still get your fashion kicks without the guilt, self fladgelating or tesco blue stripe diets afterwards! Everyone knows, a sneaky little purchase is a stress reliever, and mood enhancer.. it’s proven! It does actually increase your ‘dopamine’ – natural high chemical in the brain!

The Fashion Souk is our very own monthly fair fashion market, and the brainchild of local green goddess Alyson McElroy Jones.

I’ll let the lovely founders explain more..

“A new year a new Souk!
The Fashion Souk is Northern Ireland’s only fair-fashion market, we continue to Build on the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ethos, promoting ethical consumerism and informed shopping.
Supporting more then 50 designer/makers from across Ireland every month and with more than 60 stalls on offer The Fashion Souk offers gorgeous revamped, upcycled, previously loved and locally made fashion and has already become a monthly staple in the green fashionistas diary.”

Here I am with my some of my favourite people running a stall at the Souk’s ‘Humble Jumble’.. a fab way to weed out your wardrobe, and spend the day with good friends..

Humble Jumble

Hard work

Great for baby clothes too!

And here’s a few of my choice finds from the Souk of late..

The Christmas party dress

inspired by this Loris Doran no..

Workin it

The LBD

Work wardrobe - Classic Rouched blouse

work wardrobe - wrap dress. Chunky knit waistcoat - in!

The next Fashion Souk is at the Europa hotel on the 6th Feb 11 – 5 pm, I’m on the hunt for a vintage dress… See you there!

Find them on facebook for more details..

Christmas Woolen theme.. A salvage sisters challenge!

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Just a quick drop in from me.. the sister who seems to lose all faculties and ability to pertain to life’s usual rhythm at christmas. Yes cooking a meal becomes a 100m sprint to the till with all the other people cooking the exact same meal at the exact same time, and my proud moment of starting the presents early betrays me into a last minute dash for the ones I had left till later.. aaah. New year, my favourite festive time.. And a Happy one to all/any readers!!

So on the wool and fashion shoot theme here is a controversial little number Salvage sis stashed into my christmas box along with all the hand made delights she has been enlightening you of.

wool skirt, or is it a snood?!

anything with a denim jacket looks cool?!

yay or nay?

I also got her a thrifty skirt find, and much to the families hoots I had left the charity label proudly on to show what a good ‘find’ it was! So here I am trying to work it. It’s close to the line.. but have I made it to the cool retro side of the line, or am I hanging on the Gran side? I wore it all day and man it really keeps your bum warm, so Granny’s you know what you’re talking about!

Oh and on the wrapping front.. look at this little number from my bro in law James, an elitest in the wrapped department!

beaut eh? and proof of a white christmas!

Coming up, can’t wait to tell you about a Charity Clothes swap and fashion auction I helped to organise in December.. for a sneak peek check the album on facebook here..

Retro Vanity

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Remember my little project I adopted from East Belfast Mission, in the July post ‘A Belfast favourite for useful finds’.

Well i finally got to it.. here are some of the avenues of inspiration I got from the beautiful world of my favourite blogs..

'Grellow' dresser

mmm.. ‘grellow’.. warming, yet understated. See the whole post at Design dump.

Chest by Kfd Designs

A great ‘before and after‘ inspiration at the amazing ‘Design Sponge’ with this chest by Kfd designs which is also a great blog full of refurbing treats.

Love this vintage vanity shot I saw in this post at Bliss.

So I decided I was after quite a retro look, and the whole ‘Grellow’ thing had me feeling groovy..

And here he is finished..

I don’t love the colour, I wish I went for a grey or dusky blue for a more dramatic before and after! What do you think of the knobs? Should I choose one set keep it more uniform?

Go on and leave a comment with your thoughts.. I’m not precious, you know I love the banter, it’s only a coat of paint, and it’s my first real Salvage ‘makeover’ so be honest!  I must tell you about one of my blog heros Barb, from ‘Knack’ and her fabulous series ‘Before and After Basics‘ over on Design sponge if you’re looking for tips on this kind of thing. It’s worth reading the whole series!

One of the things I’ve always found offputting about painted furniture, is that it can look somewhat bland, or ‘flat’. Barbs super tips on staining and waxing the furniture after painting really bring your piece back to life, restoring it’s lustre and personality. And man do Barb’s pieces have personality! Thanks Barb..I think this one’s an Alfie!

I have updated this piece with some jewellery display.. I once realised that I always want more things in shops, just because they are so visual and displayed well, so I have tried to put my stuff out like a shop ever since!

it's all about the display!

update

Glamping salvage style..

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I simply have to rave about my recent girlie break.. so that you will go see it for yourself..

Tea pot lane luxury camp is just outside Bundoran, so if you happen to like jumping in the sea you have an incentive to go all year round, or maybe you need more local-ish festival action.

However an eco glamping (glamourous camping) weekend tucked up in a mongolian yurt complete with it’s own stove, bonfire area and dreamy fairy garden spaces strewn with hammocks is a package fit for any getaway, even you GHD clutching campers! We had communal use of her refurbished Irish cottage with it’s kitsch, cosy, yet sheek style, full of fabulous finds. As if that isn’t enough Derval’s pampering options in her own gorgeous home on site are a must for any glamper.. I can certainly reccommend her post surf back massage!

And if I could adopt a new salvage sister.. it would be this lady, her impeccable taste and style evident throughout the yurts, the cottage and her home had me scrutinising and smiling at every last detail all weekend.. heaven. Some piccies to get you started.. but with tipis and tree houses to stay in, on the horizon you only have once choice.. go check it out!

‘This season’s look’ had me Salvagating..

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I note with glee that this season’s look, just happens to be any vintage hunting sistas dream.. cable knits, camel colours, brogues, simple lines. Such classic pieces are fabulously collectible from vintage designer labels, to the dark corners of your own wardrobe, to your granny’s or even your Dad’s best winter warmers, to charity shops. Best of all the timelessness, for example, of a camel coat, make for that chance to splurge on the next generations vintage collection!

 

Chloe

 

 

Prada @ London fashion week

 

 

chunky

 

 

knee high socks

 

I’m no model, but after an indulgent and rare trawl through some of Autumn’s fashion mag issues I was putting it together with some recent finds this week.. does it work?  Be honest, I love a laugh especially at myself!! The natural cardi is from a charity shop, the vintage shirt is from Raspberry Beret on Bloomfield avenue, and the orange frill cardi is from the ‘Fashion Souk’ ..dont miss it this Sunday at the Ulster Hall!

Yum Yum Pigs Bum, Cabbage and Potatoes..

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Do you ever find, the most inspiring characters come from back home?! I couldn’t possibly qualify myself to describe Jonny Harty of ‘Hartyculture’ in words. You’ll have to meet him. His entrepreneurial credence, led this Jockey and equestrian expert at heart, to  launch a new enterprise in raised beds recently. He’ll install beautiful wood surround beds, and sow in the crops of your request leaving you to water, weed and talk to them!

I had the pleasure of attending a 30th birthday dinner party lately where he was the nominated chef. It was a a feast like none other I have ever partaken of. A throroughly organic, locally reared, grown and reaped menu, thrown together with the candour and abandon that only the gardener who knows each ingredient intimately, could evoke. No recipes or painstaking processes here.

Menu:

Home reared Roast Knuckle of Pork with herb Jus, served with Home grown apple and blueberry sauce, Cabbage, and Nastertian flower and Chive mash.

Home grown organic Birthday Carrot and Pecan cake.

Home pressed and brewed Mulled Cider

It’s the first time that I have eaten meat, that I had met! Indeed had seen the owners son riding around on its back. He had a free range, family reared, organic existence and was slaughtered in a low stress responsible manner. All other ingredients were from Jonny’s poly-tunnel, raised beds and local peat bog Blueberry patch. Farewell to the Tesco scrum, scrambling around for your credit card, and fuel emissions to boot, sounds good to me!

The cake was made by busy Mum Marianne, with one carrot, more of a carnip, whose girth was ample for the job, which she had grown in her own raised beds.

My brother had laid claim to a batch of last years locally pressed cider, by turning up at a pertinent time to stand around whilst local apple farmer Gregory McNeice made it!! We find mulling it gives it that sweetener kick it needs, and amply disguises it’s potency!

Happy Birthday Cousin Fi and Thank you for a great evening.. you were looking great.. see above! x

Vintage in the Country!

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I was ever so excited to hear about the ‘All things vintage’ fair being held at Derry’s in Annaghmore, on Feile FMs ‘Saturday morning show’ with ‘Frock around the Clock’ interviewee Becky Moore.

Being a local girl I endeavoured to visit my Granny and then get on down there, and I did! It really was a treat of all things vintage, from designer vintage frocks and authentic american vintage jewellery, to antique, retro and kitsch collectibles of all descriptions, alongside some incredible repro furniture including outrageous felt covered vignettes and glorious chaise longues.

A Salvage sister day out is not complete without a great tea room with exquisite iced buns to smear into our new collectibles, if we are 1 years old, as my budding salvaging partner Lucia did. She was also very taken with the great live jazz music, creating a fabulous atmosphere for us to bop around whilst my eyes were darting everywhere for the next inspirational find! (pics of my finds to come, as my camera is temporarily on holiday!)

You could even get ahead for your night out with ‘Pin up’ hairstyling available on the day. The beautiful 50’s up styles they were creating are a good thing, as this weeks Sunday Times Style magazine tells me that this is a season to get adult and polished – chic, elegant and grown up are this seasons buzz words apparently.  ‘Think Mad Men Women, soignee 195o’s girls with up dos’ Read more about the stylists, and the fact that UTV will be featuring this great day shortly at the Derry’s blog.

Also dont miss Frock Around the Clock Vintage Fashion and Textile fair at the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Road, Belfast this Sunday the 26th September.

[slideshow]

All photos courtesy of Derry’s own Cathy Haughey so far, as unfortunatley as I mentioned above, my camera went home in someone elses bag from holidays! Miss you!

Glean Baby!

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[sal-vij] Glean, Recover, Redeem, Regain, Restore, Retrieve.. ah, the synonyms for Salvage make me reckon we could all do with some ‘Salvaging’ at times!

My little bird as she’s known is now a long lived one year old.. and has definitely brought some great ‘Gleaning’ challenges! With the unbelievable turnover of things a baby ‘needs’, the waste factor is maximum. So to make some dent in the one million tonnes of unwanted clothes  us Brits alone will throw out this year, I have found a few other ways to dress her up with an environmental and money saving incentive, aah.

My favourite resource is a great initiative in Belfast called ‘Weecycle’, a ‘recycling boutique’ where I have made some great ‘designer’ finds for the little model, and also unloaded myself of somesuch things in exchange for the next must-have.

Bootees

Coat MiniATure

Embroidered shirt Monsoon

Car-boot sales can be an great source of supplies if you are lucky enough to find a like minded seller. I adore this little collection of hot pants previously loved by a little diva, including gold ‘Kylie’ ones, along with a cute wooden toddling truck I found at St Donard’s church car boot sale at the top of Bloomfield Avenue.

Hot pants Gap, Next

Early Learning Truck

If you are lucky enough to have devoted, skilled adorees for your little one, home knits are the cutest thing out, or even better hone those skills yourself.. havent managed that yet  myself! Found these little handmade bandana bibs at St. Georges market, and have been inspired to make some, but so far have just cheated with a paisley handkerchief! Love the litle bandit look.

Handmade Cardy, Paisley Handkerchief

Handknit cardy, bandana bib buzzabee

Family treasure is a great way to bring a little sentimental nostalgia. I was delighted to find this little Liberty print dress which I wore as a child, and had survived on a teddy hiding in my room all these years.

Liberty print dress

Charity shops are a little more work with regular devotion required to rifle through their rails to find the real treats. This isn’t always compatible with an impatient little tike in a bulky pram, but I’m very lucky to have a devoted Salvage Auntie who has found some amazing little numbers.

Dungarees Osh Kosh B'gosh

Vintage Dress

Top John Lewis Baby, Skinny jeans Next.

A fantastic monthly belfast event The Fashion Souk is a great way to shop, it promotes ethical consumerism and informed shopping, and even provides a childrens programme to give you

Top and Skirt Jasper Conran Debenhams

some hands free browsing time.. fab! It has fashion for everyone and I got this little matching outfit there lately. And if it’s time to do some clearing out, you can run your own stall there at the ‘Humble Jumble’!

For more inspiration, sourcing, and ideas for own wardrobe check out Belfast Council’s tips and The Green Guide