3 times a year

That's how often I estimate you find something in a charity shop that genuinely delights you.  Something that makes the pulse race, the years fall away, with your name on it, that you can't quite believe would be in a charity shop in the first place but if not there, then where?

Today was one of those days for me.

A white leather/black polka dot bat wing 80's leather jacket

with leather tie belt and polka dot lining

and the obligatory massive American Football style

shoulder pads.  

I am in leather jacket heaven.

Photographed on my person because it needed a body in it to do it justice.  I suspect it is a little large for me but I don't care.

'Scuse the big, red head but anyone who knows me knows I don't photograph too well.  And all attention has to be on the jacket.

Here's the fella that would have loved this jacket too!

Charity shop art

Charity shop art aka thrift store art.  Usually limited to original paintings but I couldn't resist the creepy, faded clown.  And of course, they have to be photographed in situ.

See also http://www.thriftstoreart.com/ and http://thewurstgallery.com/artists/vintage_vandals

I was tempted ...

and did give in to temptation.

It made me very happy.

Original Sherborne vinyl pouffe - just the thing for my tiny paws.

I was tempted ...

but did not succumb.

A little piece of 1970

I seem to be on a bit of a 70's vibe at the moment - the string picture I posted recently was gone but today I got this embroidered picture - more embroidery.  But look at it!  The subject, the colours, the polyester or nylon wool, the hessian backing, the style all scream 70's and I couldn't leave it behind.  It didn't fit into the top box so was carted home fastened to the bike by two ties. 

I love the way whoever made it has run out of wool for some sections and carried on in a slightly different colour and yes, the dove does look a little strange but who cares? This is handmade and maybe 40 years old



Aer Lingus are bad for your style

I should have posted this at the beginning of July.  This is a lovely silver Warehouse dress that I meant to wear for the Bjork concert in Manchester. 

Thanks to a delay of 8 hours on the Aer Lingus flight from Shannon to Manchester, I only made the concert by the skin of my teeth and the driving skills of my good friend Del and this fine creation remained folded in my luggage.  This was my 4th delay in 4 flights with Aer Lingus and I am never flying with them again.  (Exactly a week later, the same flight skidded off the runway at Shannon airport).  Thanks Aer Lingus.

And so this dress remains unworn but I know it'll see plenty of action in winter with tights and boots. 

I was there Michael, where were you???

Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance, lives in Fermoy.



Fermoy is a rather picturesque town 50 minutes drive away for me.

So given the choice between the delights of charity shopping and a portly fellow in granny shoes and leather trousers, you know what I was looking for.

And I found it. 

St. Vincent de Pauls ... back street off the main street to the right of the river.  A 'Russell Stuart model, London W1' modelled by Breda who usually wanders around the garden naked.

Breda before

Breda after

I know it's not ironed* but it's fabulous nonetheless.  The print on the fabric is wonderful and seems to make the dress shimmer almost.

I wouldn't wear the dress and jacket together, in fact as it's a size 42 I have some sewing to do before I wear it at all.

The dress also has a belt with bows which fastens at the back.

And the price for such vintage fabulosity?  €6.  I could have spent more because SVdP was an impressive shop but I wanted to save money to buy Michael tea in case I bumped into him.

Whilst waiting I took some photos of Fermoy and went for a walk along the Blackwater River.



These last two charming rural scenes are a mere 10 minutes walk from Fermoy town centre.

Michael didn't show - maybe he knew he couldn't compete with St. Vincent de Pauls.

*  (I've decided I'm not going to iron anything for this blog).

A buying frenzy in God's Own Country

Maybe it's the time of the month or the phase of the moon or maybe I've just been lucky but several delights have come my way recently. 

The ever reliable Limerick Animal Welfare shop provided me with my first pair of summer sandals - a gorgeous pair of Kickers which I got for less than 1/10th of the new purchase price and which will see me through winter methinks with a pair of tights.

And then for the household I also found this old glass dish of the kind which I think was used in the 50's or maybe even earlier by ladies for keeping pins and clips on their dressing tables which is where this one will live when it's not being photographed on mossy, ivy covered walls

I love old glass like this, far preferable to plastic for keeping my treasures in.

And lastly another old treasure and informative to boot.  Did you know Cork looked like this?

Me neither.  But it does according to my new tea towel, 'Ireland, God's Own Country' which also includes a map of Ireland and artist impressions of several other famous Irish places.  I have of course taken a close up of the section featuring Limerick and helpfully highlighted two other places where excellent charity shops are to be found:-

For those of you unfamiliar with Ireland or maybe planning a tour here is the whole map reproduced in full.  I'm now entertaining a small notion to use the remaining 6 weeks of my summer holiday to sniff out charity shops in every location on this tea towel using my trusty velocipede Corky*.  I know for a fact there are none in Castletownbere or Glengariff.  Shame as they're lovely parts of Ireland and would I suspect have top notch goodies due to the largesse of the local inhabitants.

* my trusty velocipde Corky



My very own Irish cottage

I always wanted one of those traditional cottages with the stone, whitewashed walls and thatched roof and chickens in the yard.  And now I have one ...

in the form of this lovely and unusual embroidered brooch, complete with birds and chickens and even possibly a pile of turf at the side.

It's a gorgeous little thing, the embroidery is fairly intricate and I think it may be quite old.  It's certainly a much better souvenir of Ireland than the plastic leprechauns, (made in China), that are sold in shops today.

Something I wish I'd bought

I photographed this lovely gold and red string butterfly intending to just put it on this blog as a memory of those nail and string pictures that were so popular in the 70's (along with all the Spanish bullfighting paraphernalia). 

When I got home and looked at my photos I realised with a pang I should have bought it.  The colours and ripe 70's style would match my landing decor perfectly - of which more in the next post.

Mark my words though, the day of the string picture is nigh and if it's still there when I go in next it's coming home this time.

Will you look at the label on that!

Brand  Spanky  New

Yours for €10

Limerick Animal Welfare shop

More dogs

The previous post reminded me that this homeless dog was not my first from the charity shops.  Here are a couple of vintage fellas I got earlier in the year.  Some renovation is still required and it is rather faded but I like it more because of that.  I'd love to know how old this is!

The dog gets a new home ...

I nearly didn't buy anything from the charity shops last Saturday until a last look in the Limerick Animal Welfare furniture shop turned up (rather appropriately) this homeless dog ....

For €1 I couldn't help myself so I brought him/her home, renovated the frame and plan to give him/her a new home on the landing.  I wonder who he or she was - obviously someone's pride and joy once.  

I love the photograph, the little red eyes and the feeling that he or she was probably a bit of a yappy dog who might jump up and bite you from that position.  Add the linoleum floor, kitchen chair, pink jacket, table cloth and strange perspective and I'm thinking Nan Goldin except of course there are no tits or fags in the shot.  Oh meow!

Now when I say I nearly didn't buy anything I mean of course that I didn't buy any major clothing articles.  BUT I did get a great book on jewellery making and a  really soft, colourful scarf which given the Limerick June weather and the fact that I'm a 'perished aul creatur' * at the best of times I've been wearing since I bought it.

*  always cold

Weaseling in Kilfinane

Kilfinane is a beautiful village in the hills of south east Co. Limerick and if this wasn't enough to get you to visit it now has its own second hand shop and rather marvellous it is too. 

I was in like a weasel when I saw it and my weaseling was rewarded with a gorgeous Noa Noa linen summer coat for €4.  The shop is run by Josie who was rather bemused at the excited English woman wanting to take photos of the shop.  She let me - Kilfinane natives are just as friendly as their village.

I know I should have ironed my lovely new coat but I couldn't wait to take a photograph

Gorgeous Noa Noa details

Some views of the Kilfinane and the shop:-

Hardware shop window

Strangely, sights like this really get my heart beating

I'll definitely be keeping a eye on Second Glance.