Handmade on Etsy

I have for long thought about opening a ”handmade” section in my Etsy shop, but I didn't know what to sell and I didn't know if it would be funny to make, when somebody ordered it. But now I’ve done so, and at the moment I offer bookmarks, small crocheted things, and bead jewelry, which I customize from my customer’s wish.

I have taken photos of all my beads, so my customers can decide which colours they want:

  

I offer this lovely Russian flower bracelet:

And I also offer making a set with a matching necklace:

I make this nice twisted necklace:

And I make this almost royal necklace with crystals:

You can choose from these crystal beads:

I also crochet, and have made the pattern for this snowflake myself. You can use it as a coaster or under your tea mug:

I make them snow white (!) and white with silver thread, but I don’t have much left of the silver thread, so buy them while you can. I sell them in sets of four, either four white or two white and two with silver thread.

I also sell my nice crocheted acorns:

You can buy one of your choice or buy a set of all three. I make them in beige, green and gold.
I love acorns and think they are perfect for autumn or Christmas decoration, but you can use them all year round if you like. They will also look nice as a decoration on a present.

And I make customized bookmarks:

Where my customers can choose background colour and what they want me to write with my over hundred years old typewriter:

I hope you will take a look at my new shop section, and if you have any wishes, do let me know, then perhaps I might be able to make it.

Dream Birthday

I had the most wonderful birthday a woman can dream of. My birthday was on a Wednesday, my weekly day off, and I just thought I should have a cozy time alone, pick up my new glasses and go out to dinner with DH and son in the evening and there after see a movie with them. No, that was not what happened. On my birthday breakfast table was a gift card to a shopping tour at my favourite vintage repro shops in Copenhagen, and DH had taken the day off to be together with me. I became SO surprised and happy! At first I thought we should go to our neighbouring city, Lyngby, but then he pointed out the pictures he had glued to the card, and such dresses are not found in Lyngby, unfortunately.

We started picking up my glasses and then we drove to Mondo Kaos, where I found two dresses. We drank a cafe latte nearby, and then we drove to Copenhagen where my other favourite shop, Rock'a'Hula, is. Here I also found two nice dresses.

Here they are, all four hanging in a row:

Collectif Noelle Dress, perfect Christmas dress in red and green plaids:

I will use it all winter.

And this is how I look wearing it:

I have added a dark green cardigan and a vintage garnet necklace.

20th Century Foxy dress, which I cannot find online, so you have do make do with me:

Hell Bunny Raspberry Polka Dot Dress, lovely dark red colour:

And this is me wearing it:

Right before my birthday I bought this on Daisy Dapper at half price:

It is named Elvy Dress, and this is me wearing it:

I also found this, which I fell completely in love with two years ago, but alas, it was too big. I searched high and low on the internet, but never found it in my size, and guess what? I found it at Rock'a'Hula in my size. I was SO happy and DH suggested giving it to me as a Christmas gift:

It is from Collectif and named Tartan.

So now I don't need any new dresses for a long time. A thousand thanks to DH for a wonderful birthday, with lots of dresses, latte, lunch and shopping to Copenhagen - it cannot get any better.

Buy of the Year 2014

I use to nominate Buy of the Year, just for fun.

The opevious winners are:
In 2009 a vintage immersion heater
In 2010 a vintage Pyrex measuring cup
In 2011 a lovely notebook from Etsy
In 2012, I forgot, oops
And last year it was my iPad on which I read my blogs daily.

I have never defined the nomination precisely, but in general it has to be something I have been especially happy for and which have made a difference in my life. So which buy fulfills the criteria this year? Well, it has been extremely expensive, but also incredibly fantastic. On 1 March I started working part-time, having Wednesday off, so it became my creative day. On Wednesday I relax, I am creative and my stressed brain calms down. So although it cost me about 20% of my salary (fortunately son moved just a months before, and believe me, teenagers do not come cheap), it is worth every penny, and I hope it will never end. Last spring I got my own creative room (son's old room), so now I have all my things and stuff at one place and can work on my projects while I listen to old records.

What I make? Well, many different things, a.o. this copy of a Kate Spade clutch, which I also made a tutorial for:

I play a lot with my old seed beads, which my beloved grandma gave to me as a child. I am so happy I have kept them. Here is a gift for a dear colleague:

Necklace and bracelet after a Russian pattern found on Pinterest. You can find many free patterns and tutorials there.

I paint and draw:

And I have made lots of Christmas card and to-and-from cards:

Decorated with glitter, rhinestones, and pearls.

And I've started sewing again:

On my old sewing machine, which my dad thrifted in a container about 30 years ago and repaired for me. It is so good.

Here I have sewed a top from a fifties pattern. PDF-patterns are brilliant, because it is instant-download, so you can buy a pattern and sew it right away. The fabric cost me about 3 dollars:

Yep, it is me! Finally, a photo of me on my blog. I hate photos of myself, so normally it is on Instagram you can see photos of me, because the photos are so small so you cannot see how old and unphotogenic I am. ;)

And here is a skirt sewn of fabric I bought about 25 years ago:

I really like it and would love to use the same pattern for another skirt in some wintery fabric.

My latest project:

A houndtooth skirt with big pleets:

Really nice and it doesn't need a petticoat since the fabric is very thick. It became a little too large at the waist, but I can change that next Wednesday. :)

Repro/Vintage Clothes in Denmark and EU

If you, like me, love vintage style, I suppose you also have thought why all the great things always are found in the US. And if you decide to buy from the US (and live in EU, like me) you have to be prepared to pay a lot in VAT and tax and other naughtinesses. Not very attractive.

But then I thought again, and now I've collected a long list of links to websites (and some of them even have a physical shop) in Denmark and EU, so you can buy without being afraid of your shopping ending up being very expensive. This is meant as a list you can bookmark and return to if you need something special. I will update it now and then, if I found something new. Here we go:

Reproduction Clothes:

Mondo Kaos
DK, they also have a shop in Copenhagen

Rockahula
DK, they also have a shop in Copenhagen

Rude
DK, no website, they only have physical shops, two in Copenhagen

Rockabilly Style
DK, dresses, accessories, things, repro clothes for men and children

Dixie-Land
DK, many full dresses, but also repro clothes for men and children

Christabellas
DK, besides fifties repro dresses, they also carry lots of modern clothes and even cosmetics

Mamelukken
DK, have a section with fifties dresses

Trendsætter
DK, have a section with fifties dresses

Vintage Delux
DK, carry a lot of repro clothes from many different eras, and also repro clothes for men and children

I want a  green petticoat from Vintage Delux.

Daisy Dapper
SE, besides her own brand, she also carries other repro brands, and she has a shop in Stockholm

I want the Joan Dress from Daisy Dapper

Kjoledamen
NO, all kinds of repro clothes, nice era sections

Collectif
UK, nice dresses, skirts and cardigans, but also jewellery and swimsuits

Voodoo Vixen
UK, mostly dresses and skirts

Hell Bunny
US brand, but the link is British. I could not find their official site.

Bettie Page
US brand, but the link is British.

Dolly Dagger

UK, they also have shoes and accessories

Freddies of Pinewood
UK, vintage style troussers for men and women

HeyDay
UK, they are famous for their forties style troussers, but they also carry nice dresses.

Vivien of Holloway
UK, impressive selection and nice era sections

I dream about this plaid circle skirt from Vivien of Holloway,

and the green petticoat would match perfectly.

Top Vintage
NL, carries a bit of everything within vintage repro style

Vintage Twists
UK, carries a bit of everything within vintage repro style

Miss Bamboo

UK, they also have shoes and accessories

Lady K Loves
UK, dresses, skirts, troussers, accessories, and jewellery

Puttin' On the Ritz
UK, repro clothing in 30's and 40's style

Revival Retro
UK, repro clothing in 20's, 30's and 40's style

Tara Starlet
UK, 40's and 50's style dresses, skirts, and troussers

20th Centry Foxy
UK, is the British reseller of Stop Staring dresses

Ooh, how I would dance with happiness if I

got this beautiful dress from 20th Centry Foxy

Stop Traffic Clothing
UK, dresses, skirts, and tops in Rockabilly style

Glamour Bunny
UK, mostly wiggle dresses

Dy Style
UK, Rockabilly style, not quite my style, but you can find some gems

LindyBop
UK, lots of lovely dresses with great type-sections, I love the Audrey dresses

Rock Frocks
UK, they also carry shoes, bags, and petticoats. Very nice fifties style.

Sivletto
SE, will soon carry the lovely US brand Trashy Diva. They also have a huge (300+ sqm) store in Stockholm, complete with hairdressers and a coffee shop. And there is a smaller Sivletto shop in Enviken, Sweden.

Lady Vintage, London
UK, full dresses and petticoats

Miss Candy Floss
UK, dresses, skirts, jackets, and troussers

Vintage Clothes:

Vintage Divine (DK, Aarhus)
DK, they have a shop in the City of Aarhus

FN92
DK, expensive vintage clothes

Etsy and eBay
You can find several EU shops at Etsy and eBay, so look out.


Repro Lingerie and Shoes:

ViolaSky
DK, repro lingerie

What Katie Did
UK, very lovely, but also very expensive repro lingerie. They also carry Miss L Fire shoes.

Foot Fetish Socks, Etsy
Lovely knitted winter stockings for garterbelt. Fantastic if you wear dresses during winter.

Miss L Fire
UK, lovely and quite expensive repro shoes
Is also found at Zalando and Spartoo, both with free shipping/return in Denmark.

My next investment, Alpine from Miss L Fire

Swedish Hashbeens
SE, retro wooden shoes


Quite a list. If you have a great vintage/repro link in DK/EU, don't hesitate dropping me a comment and I'll update the list. Since I haven't bought from all of the above the links (yet!) I cannot guarantee anything.

Jewellery Glasses

I've got new glasses. Three pairs with reading field. I've always thought that you were old if you needed reading fields and when your dentist bills were expensive. My dentist bills are fortunately still payable. Hmm. I fell completely in love with these beauties from Louis Nielsen, which is more like a jool than glasses:

Look at these lovely side bars with rhinestones:

I could not resist the white mother of pearl side bars, and they even had a rhinestone at the end:

Perfect detail when I'm wearing an up-do.

There is even a rhinestone at the case:

The second pair was these nice titanium glasses in a dark copper colour:

They have a nice butterfly detail at the side bar:

The third pair is exactly like a pair I have had for year, but that were worn out. I love them because I almost can not feel I'm wearing them. But how is it to wear glasses with reading field? Fantastic! I love it, and I am already saving to have the lenses in my other glasses changed.

New Vintage Dresses

If you are a fifties nerd it is literally not very often you get new clothes. But I have been lucky to add some new things to my wardrobe lately.

A nice red fitted dress from the early sixties, found at a flea market:

It is a little too big, but if I cannot take it in I will sell in in my shop.

Another nice dress from the early sixties which I also found at a flea market:

Look at the lovely brooch-like detail at the collar, so nice:

I have been lucky to find some nice things at Brittany's shop Vintage Under Thirty. I know I will love this stribed dress in the coming winter, and I have several nice grey cardigans that will be perfect over it:

I got this lovely fifties dress for a song at the same shop:

A little work had to be done on it. I sewed a new zipper in the side and let the hem down, but that's it.

A very nice basic skirt in a lovely dark green (the photos shows a wrong colour), that I also know I will love in the coming winter:

A dress from the early sixties with some spots I had to work on to get off:

I've bought two lovely fifties dresses from The Vintage Studio:

The silhuet from the fifties is in general either fitted, like this one (in wool so I have to wear a slip under it) or with a generous skirt, which you can wear a petticoat under. I like having a mix of both types in my wardrobe, so it doesn't become too stereotype.

I have long wanted more winter dresses, so this check patterned beauty was quickly clicked into the basket:

I have done the math - in Denmark you can only use summer clothes for three months, if we are lucky. So I don't need more summer clothes.

If you want to see me wearing the dresses, you have to follow me at Instagram, because there the photos are so small that you cannot see how old and unphotogenic I am.

And I've bought this simple but lovely Halloween cardigan, which I think is from the eighties:

It is the best I've ever seen, so now I only need a nice Christmas cardigan.

And this has nothing to do with clothes, but I could not pass by these lovely old curlers:

The are both nice, decorative and usable - what's more to wish for? ;)

The gold decorated box in closed condition: