Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
impulse buy
I come across lots of vintage pieces and shops online, but nothing usually takes my fancy. A lot of the higher end vintage e-stores tend to have a bunch of 'trendy' going on, and I'm really aware of how those trends date fast.
So I don't think I've bought a vintage piece of clothing since about two years ago when I scored a $9 wool blazer. Usually I'm like, 'Ahh, I can make something I like better than that for much cheaper' and move on.
But I was unable to let this dress go to someone else.
I'm excited.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
fair@square, peppermint and summer dresses
Next month I'm going to be showing several dresses of mine at the fashion parade of the Fair@Square Festival. It's at Fed Square in Melbourne on Sunday December 13th from 11am-7pm and all about embracing all that's ethical and fair trade.
As well as the fashion show, there's going to be panel discussions and workshops - t-shirt reconstruction, screenprinting, hat-making and kids craft activities. Plus you can shop for fair trade and ethical goods from over 50 vendors. I won't be selling, I'm just going to be presenting at the fashion show. Come along, if you're in the area! It's sure to be heaps of fun and educational, too.
The festival is being sponsored by the wonderful Peppermint Magazine, among others, which makes a good segway for pointing out that I'm in the latest issue, yay!
(click to enlarge)I thought I'd show you some of the one-off dresses I've been making lately. I haven't decided which to present at the fashion parade yet. Your thoughts would be lovely!
Which do you like best?
Friday, November 20, 2009
inspiration: boo radley
I wanted to show you what I've been making lately but Tim keeps running off with both our cameras for his volunteer work at the AYCC. They're a bit different in style to the tshirts up in my shop at the moment, because I've included more lace, more detail, more flowiness, and they're all one-offs.
It's so stinking hot here in Melbourne at the moment that sleeves are too much to bear, so I've been making light and flowy sleeveless tops and I'm going to start on summer dresses today. Pictures to come!
I'm having difficulty working out which method works for me best: sticking to styles or creating one-offs. Styles take more effort to prepare, but once prepared they're easier to make up. One-offs can often be a headache as they can be quite challenging and time-consuming. And sometimes they don't work out. But they are more interesting to make. I guess I'll just make some of each. Maybe the one-offs can be samples that I'll make up into styles if they're well received.
On another note, here's a local designer samples outlet just down the road from me that I entered for the first time and I was so impressed by the collection of interesting pieces - there's very few 'trendy' items there, just timeless goodness. If you live in nearby I really recommend it because the prices are very reasonable too. It's called Neo Rococo and it's at 269 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn.
They stock a Melbourne label called Boo Radley and I have been feeling very inspired by the pieces I saw. I checked them out online afterwards and found that the styling wasn't my cup of tea, but I think the work is so much better in person. They have a very good eye for interesting details.
And! Boo Radley is having an end of year summer sale at their warehouse in Collingwood. Everything below $50.
Thursday Nov 26th to Sunday Nov 29th
Boo Radley Warehouse: 114-118 Campbell Street, Collingwood Vic 3066 (off Johnson St.)
9:30 am to 5pm
Yay for local talent.
It's so stinking hot here in Melbourne at the moment that sleeves are too much to bear, so I've been making light and flowy sleeveless tops and I'm going to start on summer dresses today. Pictures to come!
I'm having difficulty working out which method works for me best: sticking to styles or creating one-offs. Styles take more effort to prepare, but once prepared they're easier to make up. One-offs can often be a headache as they can be quite challenging and time-consuming. And sometimes they don't work out. But they are more interesting to make. I guess I'll just make some of each. Maybe the one-offs can be samples that I'll make up into styles if they're well received.
On another note, here's a local designer samples outlet just down the road from me that I entered for the first time and I was so impressed by the collection of interesting pieces - there's very few 'trendy' items there, just timeless goodness. If you live in nearby I really recommend it because the prices are very reasonable too. It's called Neo Rococo and it's at 269 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn.
They stock a Melbourne label called Boo Radley and I have been feeling very inspired by the pieces I saw. I checked them out online afterwards and found that the styling wasn't my cup of tea, but I think the work is so much better in person. They have a very good eye for interesting details.
And! Boo Radley is having an end of year summer sale at their warehouse in Collingwood. Everything below $50.
Thursday Nov 26th to Sunday Nov 29th
Boo Radley Warehouse: 114-118 Campbell Street, Collingwood Vic 3066 (off Johnson St.)
9:30 am to 5pm
Yay for local talent.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
savers haul
I just got off the phone with Jo from Frankie magazine for an interview in an upcoming issue. As a teenager I was totally shy, and I'm still kind of getting over it, so I was nervous-but-thinking-happy-thoughts. Near the beginning I had a total brain freeze at one of her questions but otherwise it was a lovely conversation. There's a photo shoot sometime soon and I have no idea what I'm going to wear (I'm such a girl).
Yesterday I went to Savers with Ellie, which is tricky business. She's not content for very long in the pram without it moving, and when I get her out it's all 'Mummy!' repeatedly until I give her my full attention, and then a dragging me in the toy direction, where I must be constantly fascinated with her at various buttons and switches and pictures. If I then turn to look at something else there's a 'Mummy!' again, in that 'and what do you think you're doing?' tone.
Fortunately, she can be reasoned with. I figure that if I give her some of what she wants, it's then my turn. It doesn't always sit perfectly with her, but I think she's getting it. We spent time in the toy section, time in the clothes section, and then wandered across the street to get some lunch, look at the pets, and climb up on the mechanical coin-slot Barney car (yes, me too, she patted the tiny seat next to her each time she sat down). After that she fell asleep and I had some more time in Savers. It was fortunate because I found these gorgeous vintage sheets and fabric bits to turn into pretty clothes.
And this little top for my little person.
Plus I got a couple of gorgeous ethnic woven cushions which are being washed so no photos just now. All this plus a huge load of t-shirts to reconstruct and a Bananas in Pyjamas video makes it my biggest Savers haul. I must go back to Greensborough more often.
Yesterday I went to Savers with Ellie, which is tricky business. She's not content for very long in the pram without it moving, and when I get her out it's all 'Mummy!' repeatedly until I give her my full attention, and then a dragging me in the toy direction, where I must be constantly fascinated with her at various buttons and switches and pictures. If I then turn to look at something else there's a 'Mummy!' again, in that 'and what do you think you're doing?' tone.
Fortunately, she can be reasoned with. I figure that if I give her some of what she wants, it's then my turn. It doesn't always sit perfectly with her, but I think she's getting it. We spent time in the toy section, time in the clothes section, and then wandered across the street to get some lunch, look at the pets, and climb up on the mechanical coin-slot Barney car (yes, me too, she patted the tiny seat next to her each time she sat down). After that she fell asleep and I had some more time in Savers. It was fortunate because I found these gorgeous vintage sheets and fabric bits to turn into pretty clothes.
And this little top for my little person.
Plus I got a couple of gorgeous ethnic woven cushions which are being washed so no photos just now. All this plus a huge load of t-shirts to reconstruct and a Bananas in Pyjamas video makes it my biggest Savers haul. I must go back to Greensborough more often.
Monday, August 31, 2009
cutting down on spending
I've been working on a Mod Podge craft project for the past few weeks, doing one bit at a time while watching True Blood or Grey's Anatomy online in the evenings. It's not the finest craftsmanship, but I'm happy with it all the same.
I bought the drawers second-hand from the Camberwell market ages ago and started painting it red. I wasn't feeling that so I used found papers to decorate the drawers instead. The top left and right are layers of vintage pattern paper. The diamond blue pattern was part of the packaging for something I bought. The blue is from the cover of a vintage book we were going to give away, and the bottom drawer is covered with pages from another vintage book.
It's going to be a totally new thing for me to actually have desk storage. Not sure how I'll best use it yet.
I've just realised how much I've bought online in the past couple of months. Books and stationery and tape and things.
And that's only a portion of my purchases. I thought I was doing well because I carefully considered each purchase, and nothing I bought was a waste, but that's not good enough for me. In the interest of saving money and reducing environmental impact, I want to do better. I've been reading a book called Budget Wise, Dollar Rich, borrowed from the libary like a good little saver.
Looks a bit spammy, doesn't it? Despite that, it's really helpful. Now that Tim isn't working (for money, anyway) I'm paying the large bills, so I've made a budget for Heidi & Seek and for home. It's all well and good to make a spreadsheet with the best of intentions, but although I've done that in the past, I haven't enforced what I've written down or monitored how I was doing. I've never been in much debt, and I always pay off my credit card during the interest-free period, but I've never consistently put money aside for savings either. Except when I was saving for a holiday, but that was different. Single life living at home with your parents is so different.
Anyway, my plan of attack now is this:
Do you budget or have system that works for you?
I bought the drawers second-hand from the Camberwell market ages ago and started painting it red. I wasn't feeling that so I used found papers to decorate the drawers instead. The top left and right are layers of vintage pattern paper. The diamond blue pattern was part of the packaging for something I bought. The blue is from the cover of a vintage book we were going to give away, and the bottom drawer is covered with pages from another vintage book.
It's going to be a totally new thing for me to actually have desk storage. Not sure how I'll best use it yet.
I've just realised how much I've bought online in the past couple of months. Books and stationery and tape and things.
And that's only a portion of my purchases. I thought I was doing well because I carefully considered each purchase, and nothing I bought was a waste, but that's not good enough for me. In the interest of saving money and reducing environmental impact, I want to do better. I've been reading a book called Budget Wise, Dollar Rich, borrowed from the libary like a good little saver.
Looks a bit spammy, doesn't it? Despite that, it's really helpful. Now that Tim isn't working (for money, anyway) I'm paying the large bills, so I've made a budget for Heidi & Seek and for home. It's all well and good to make a spreadsheet with the best of intentions, but although I've done that in the past, I haven't enforced what I've written down or monitored how I was doing. I've never been in much debt, and I always pay off my credit card during the interest-free period, but I've never consistently put money aside for savings either. Except when I was saving for a holiday, but that was different. Single life living at home with your parents is so different.
Anyway, my plan of attack now is this:
- I withdraw in cash a certain amount at the start of every week, and must only use this to pay for things. Just before I withdraw the next week's allowance, I put the leftovers of the previous week in a jar. Any additional money I get, like gifts or random cash goes in this jar too. My motivation for keeping my spending within my allowance is seeing this jar's contents grow. It'll pay for extra more expensive things, or is there if I feel I deserve a treat. I might allocate 20% of the jar to 'treats' and the rest to savings, and then deposit it at my bank when it gets big.
- I've made my allowance quite low because I want to try to make do. Since we're vegetarian our meals don't have to cost much. Our pantry is full of things we keep accumulating but don't seem to use, so I want to see how far I can take what we already have and only buy the basics week to week. They will easily fit within my allowance.
- I'm doing a similar thing with Heidi & Seek, because sometimes I can get carried away with buying supplies or whatnot. Some months my expenses are sky-high and some months it's very little. I'm setting a monthly allowance for Heidi & Seek, except at the end of the month, the money left will be topped up instead of taken out, saved and completely replaced.
- For Heidi & Seek purchases that I don't need immediately, like certain books and equipment, I'm putting aside some money each month into a linked online account, and I can only buy them when I have enough in that account.
- Then of course I've made the standard annual tables of bills and other required expenses, but there's not much I can do about most of those. I cut my mobile phone plan from $50 to $20, and I'll see if there are cheaper options for the rest, too.
Do you budget or have system that works for you?
Sunday, July 26, 2009
plastic shopping
I ended up in Target the other day to look for some stationery for class, not really knowing what I was signing on for. I got clobbered in the brain by "Australia's biggest toy sale" marketing and almost run over by a woman with her trolley piled high with plastic fun for her children. The lay-by line was made about five times longer than it usually is, and there was red tape along the aisles marked 'toy sale line'. As I walked along I only spotted one item made of something other than plastic.
As well as making me annoyed with the consumerist state of the world, it got me thinking about the effects of plastic. And I did some research. I think we generally know that manufacturing plastic is a not-good for the environment. But here are some reasons to try to avoid buying or using plastic that you may not have thought about:
(As a side note, I got the stationery I needed from Tim's mum's unwanteds. Didn't have to buy a thing!)
As well as making me annoyed with the consumerist state of the world, it got me thinking about the effects of plastic. And I did some research. I think we generally know that manufacturing plastic is a not-good for the environment. But here are some reasons to try to avoid buying or using plastic that you may not have thought about:
- Plastic is made from fossil fuel, which is rapidly depleting. What we're going to do when we've used it all up seriously scares me. There's more gone than left, in just the short time we've used it extensively, and our consumption of it is growing. We depend on fuel for things we don't really need, but we also depend on it for food and safety. Without power for agricultural machinery we can't feed our massive population. (Tim has been reading up on this a lot as he's interested in doing environmental law, and the reality of it is freaking me out.)
- In 2006 in the US alone, 30 million tonnes of plastic were disposed of, most of which was packaging.
- Degradeable plastics might not actually degrade upon disposal. They require appropriate conditions, like exposure to light for example. And if they do degrade, they release the greenhouse gas methane.
(As a side note, I got the stationery I needed from Tim's mum's unwanteds. Didn't have to buy a thing!)
Friday, July 24, 2009
christmas in july sale: 30% off
The Etsy Down Under Street Team is holding a huge Christmas in July sale and my shop is participating! There's 30% off the listed price of everything in my Etsy shop, but only for this weekend. So if you want something, hurry on over - there's only one of each!
A very cool thing about this promotion is the giveaways forum thread on Etsy. You just have to post a comment to enter the draws, and there are 10 different items being given away each day of the sale. About every 3 hours (excluding sleep time) something new will be up for grabs.
Here is the list of all the shops participating in the sale, or you can search 'dust team' on Etsy for participants.
Have fun!
A very cool thing about this promotion is the giveaways forum thread on Etsy. You just have to post a comment to enter the draws, and there are 10 different items being given away each day of the sale. About every 3 hours (excluding sleep time) something new will be up for grabs.
Here is the list of all the shops participating in the sale, or you can search 'dust team' on Etsy for participants.
Have fun!
Monday, June 15, 2009
cosa verde
I just found out about a newish online shopping site for eco-friendly handmade goods. It's called cosa verde (meaning 'green thing' in Spanish) and it's clean, easily browsable and filled with items that are all gorgeous because they're approved by the site's admin first. It's a great way to look for earth-friendly handmade products online because they intentionally keep their site small and easily browsable.
Another great thing about it is that you can search by your values, such as organic, repurposed, recyclable or cruelty-free. There's a daily front page curation, plus a number of gift guides to look through. It's not an e-commerce site, so the items you see in any shopfront there will probably only be a selection of what the sellers have available online, and clicking through will take you to their Etsy shop or other selling website.
I love this realistic and down-to-earth point of view from cosa verde's 'About Us' page:
Happy browsing!
Another great thing about it is that you can search by your values, such as organic, repurposed, recyclable or cruelty-free. There's a daily front page curation, plus a number of gift guides to look through. It's not an e-commerce site, so the items you see in any shopfront there will probably only be a selection of what the sellers have available online, and clicking through will take you to their Etsy shop or other selling website.
I love this realistic and down-to-earth point of view from cosa verde's 'About Us' page:
"First, who we're not. We're not radicals. We're not preachy. We don't always seek out organic products, and we (gasp!) still have a few non-CFL bulbs at home and drive our fossil-fuel burning (high mpg, but still...) cars to work each day. But, when it comes right down to it, we're two kids who like the Earth. We think it's a nice place. We'd like it to be a nice place for our (future) kids. And we believe that while big changes happen slowly, it's the small changes that pave the way."I just opened up a page at cosa verde, which you can check out here. If you sell eco-friendly handmade wares, I really suggest you check it out and open a shopfront. It's free for 3 items at a time in your shop, and there's a fee for more than that, but to begin with they give you free credit. Plus you can find an extra coupon code online if you look hard enough (*hintetsyforumshint*). Tell them I sent you and I'll love you forever! (Just put 'heidiandseek' in the referrer text box when you sign up.)
Happy browsing!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
a to z on my browser
From Nikki-Shell, Veronica Darling, Crafty Librarian and Meet Me at Mikes, that order.
"So what you have to do is type each letter of the alphabet one by one into the URL line of your browser. This will bring up your most visited site of this letter, or the letter being used within the address. Use the first site that comes up, or the second if you have privacy/security issues. It's like a little outline of your favourite web sites!"
A - Armour sans Anguish on Etsy. A very talented eco-fashion designer who I interviewed a while back.
B - Big Cartel Dashboard. Apparently I don't visit B sites much, because I stopped using Big Cartel a while ago! (I opened one up then changed my mind, if you're curious.)
C - Craftcult. Yes, I check this everyday with the excuse that I'm doing 'market research' by seeing which items get hearted the most (it doesn't actually help).
D - Design Sponge. I spent an entire evening last week looking through every DIY home decor project there and marking my favourites to try. I'm on a 'making my house pretty' kick at the moment (but haven't gotten very far yet). Will post progress!
E - eBay.com.au. I don't really use eBay that much, but I've been checking it a lot lately to find a good second-hand Bernina sewing machine.
F - Frankie Magazine forum. I used to post there regularly but I don't seem to visit much anymore. There are lovely people there though, it's where I met my penpal, Stepstotheleft. Letters in the mail are the best.
G - Goodlife Health Clubs. My gym, which I have been very bad at attending lately. I check the site to see what the class schedule is.
H - Heidi & Seek and Ethical Fashion - Yep, my own blog.
I - I'm Your Present on Etsy. I don't mind her work, though it's often too girly for my taste, but mostly I have a look every now and again because I just can't believe how many sales she makes and processes. It's a good kick-up-the-butt for me to work harder.
J - Jenny Vella on Etsy. Apparently J is a little-used letter, too. I've visited this shop for its cute backpacks a few times recently. Still deciding about them.
K - Kara Smith handbags. So I know Kara's bags are a bit out of my price range, but I still love looking at them! They're made from vintage and reclaimed fabrics and she's a fellow Australian, so I've been following her work and her blog since I started this biz.
L - Monash library. Monash is the university I attend.
M - Madeit.com.au
N - Nikki-shell's blog. You may know this is one of my favourite blogs from the link list on the left. A lovely local crafty lady.
O - OzBushfireAppeal on Etsy. Another little used letter, because this shop has been closed for a while. 900 donation sales to a great cause is such a great achievement.
P - Paypal
Q - Call My Agent Query letter post. Firefox just pulled up the Q in the title because apparently I don't visit any sites beginning with Q. Still, I love this blog for an insiders look into the publishing industry.
R - Replicca on Etsy. I'm quite in awe of what Rebecca has achieved with her label, plus I love her designs.
S - Supayana on Etsy. Same as above!
T - Twitter
U - Urban Outfitters. I visited a couple of times to check out their bag selection for backpack inspiration for making my own. I found a cool design of theirs via Google image search (see below) and followed it up but it's been discontinued. Not digging the pink, but I like the design.
V - Vogue Australia forums. I'm not actually a member because they have this newbie censorship thing going on and my account for some reason got suspended before even having my posts appear anywhere. I tried finding out why but got no reply. However, the forums do have some great content.
W - Project Wonderful. An online advertising website, if you haven't heard of it before.
Y - YumiYumi on Etsy. A cute shop for art, but not one I regularly visit.
Z - Zingaling on Etsy. Cute upcycled bags. Again, I've only visited once or twice, but Z isn't very popular in my browser!
Feel free to do this on your own blogs, it's fun!
"So what you have to do is type each letter of the alphabet one by one into the URL line of your browser. This will bring up your most visited site of this letter, or the letter being used within the address. Use the first site that comes up, or the second if you have privacy/security issues. It's like a little outline of your favourite web sites!"
A - Armour sans Anguish on Etsy. A very talented eco-fashion designer who I interviewed a while back.
B - Big Cartel Dashboard. Apparently I don't visit B sites much, because I stopped using Big Cartel a while ago! (I opened one up then changed my mind, if you're curious.)
C - Craftcult. Yes, I check this everyday with the excuse that I'm doing 'market research' by seeing which items get hearted the most (it doesn't actually help).
D - Design Sponge. I spent an entire evening last week looking through every DIY home decor project there and marking my favourites to try. I'm on a 'making my house pretty' kick at the moment (but haven't gotten very far yet). Will post progress!
E - eBay.com.au. I don't really use eBay that much, but I've been checking it a lot lately to find a good second-hand Bernina sewing machine.
F - Frankie Magazine forum. I used to post there regularly but I don't seem to visit much anymore. There are lovely people there though, it's where I met my penpal, Stepstotheleft. Letters in the mail are the best.
G - Goodlife Health Clubs. My gym, which I have been very bad at attending lately. I check the site to see what the class schedule is.
H - Heidi & Seek and Ethical Fashion - Yep, my own blog.
I - I'm Your Present on Etsy. I don't mind her work, though it's often too girly for my taste, but mostly I have a look every now and again because I just can't believe how many sales she makes and processes. It's a good kick-up-the-butt for me to work harder.
J - Jenny Vella on Etsy. Apparently J is a little-used letter, too. I've visited this shop for its cute backpacks a few times recently. Still deciding about them.
K - Kara Smith handbags. So I know Kara's bags are a bit out of my price range, but I still love looking at them! They're made from vintage and reclaimed fabrics and she's a fellow Australian, so I've been following her work and her blog since I started this biz.
L - Monash library. Monash is the university I attend.
M - Madeit.com.au
N - Nikki-shell's blog. You may know this is one of my favourite blogs from the link list on the left. A lovely local crafty lady.
O - OzBushfireAppeal on Etsy. Another little used letter, because this shop has been closed for a while. 900 donation sales to a great cause is such a great achievement.
P - Paypal
Q - Call My Agent Query letter post. Firefox just pulled up the Q in the title because apparently I don't visit any sites beginning with Q. Still, I love this blog for an insiders look into the publishing industry.
R - Replicca on Etsy. I'm quite in awe of what Rebecca has achieved with her label, plus I love her designs.
S - Supayana on Etsy. Same as above!
T - Twitter
U - Urban Outfitters. I visited a couple of times to check out their bag selection for backpack inspiration for making my own. I found a cool design of theirs via Google image search (see below) and followed it up but it's been discontinued. Not digging the pink, but I like the design.
V - Vogue Australia forums. I'm not actually a member because they have this newbie censorship thing going on and my account for some reason got suspended before even having my posts appear anywhere. I tried finding out why but got no reply. However, the forums do have some great content.
W - Project Wonderful. An online advertising website, if you haven't heard of it before.
Y - YumiYumi on Etsy. A cute shop for art, but not one I regularly visit.
Z - Zingaling on Etsy. Cute upcycled bags. Again, I've only visited once or twice, but Z isn't very popular in my browser!
Feel free to do this on your own blogs, it's fun!
Friday, May 29, 2009
new stockist: rude health
Rude Health is a brand spanking new shop in Melbourne, and you can find Heidi & Seek items there. Every item is sweatshop-free and made in Australia, how cool is that? "Think polka dot fifties dresses, crocheted alien birds, silk high-waisted undies, Little Red Riding Hood capes, stripy one-piece pyjamas, paperboy woollen caps and felt lungs in jars."
Stop by at 17 Irwell St, St Kilda.
Stop by at 17 Irwell St, St Kilda.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Joyful consumption
I came across this post by Consumption Rebellion about the concept of 'Joyful Consumption' and it really rang home with me. I really encourage you to give it a read, it's about the idea that most people buy things to make themselves feel better, but since buying is pretty superficial it can result in negative emotions. Check out Eilleen's definition of Joyful Consumption to combat it.
I used to buy a lot of junk. I'm not exaggerating by using the term junk - it really was, because it was cheap and nastily made, and I had no idea about my style so I would buy something and then um and ah over it and never wear it out because I no longer liked it. I shopped to make up for things lacking in my life. I made impulse purchases, and I had no idea what I wanted to wear, only what chain shops wanted to sell me. I didn't know about fashion blogs or Flickr for inspiration, and magazines I read all had the same trendy stuff. No wonder I was confused - nobody had told me that fashion is self-expression. To me it seemed like it was just another way you had to fit in. I learned better but it took me a while.
These days I still have the urge to buy things to feel better. Sometimes I give in, but it's generally of the second-hand variety, and I (usually) have the excuse that it's for Heidi & Seek. I barely ever buy things I haven't planned to buy from chain stores, and it makes me happy that they don't influence me as much as they used to.
I'm wary that I still look at buying things as a bandaid to my problems, even though I try to play it out by shopping ethically instead. I suppose I should congratulate myself on how far I have progressed, too. We're constantly learning better.
I used to buy a lot of junk. I'm not exaggerating by using the term junk - it really was, because it was cheap and nastily made, and I had no idea about my style so I would buy something and then um and ah over it and never wear it out because I no longer liked it. I shopped to make up for things lacking in my life. I made impulse purchases, and I had no idea what I wanted to wear, only what chain shops wanted to sell me. I didn't know about fashion blogs or Flickr for inspiration, and magazines I read all had the same trendy stuff. No wonder I was confused - nobody had told me that fashion is self-expression. To me it seemed like it was just another way you had to fit in. I learned better but it took me a while.
These days I still have the urge to buy things to feel better. Sometimes I give in, but it's generally of the second-hand variety, and I (usually) have the excuse that it's for Heidi & Seek. I barely ever buy things I haven't planned to buy from chain stores, and it makes me happy that they don't influence me as much as they used to.
I'm wary that I still look at buying things as a bandaid to my problems, even though I try to play it out by shopping ethically instead. I suppose I should congratulate myself on how far I have progressed, too. We're constantly learning better.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Upcycled clock purchase
I had to share with you something on Etsy I've been eyeing off with lust for the past few weeks. I finally bought it!
I just love it. It's an upcycled clock decorated with vintage paper - in other words, right up my alley. And I have that nice feeling because it was Clare's first sale. Here's to many more! And hopefully, many more listings, because I'm looking forward to seeing what else she comes up with (especially of the decoupage variety).
I just love it. It's an upcycled clock decorated with vintage paper - in other words, right up my alley. And I have that nice feeling because it was Clare's first sale. Here's to many more! And hopefully, many more listings, because I'm looking forward to seeing what else she comes up with (especially of the decoupage variety).
Monday, April 27, 2009
Recent thrift finds
Firstly, I know my Etsy shop has been a little lonelier than usual, listing-wise. I've had a backlog of Heidi & Seek items that hadn't been posted because I didn't have photos. Now that the photo shoot is done, starting from tonight, I'm resuming regular daily or every-two-days listings. For reals this time.
Secondly, I thought I would show you some of the things I picked up recently while thrift shopping.
This little guy was a steal and caught my eye out of the many pastel stuffed animals. One might assume I bought it for Ellie, but teddy sits on my desk because Ellie hasn't warmed to stuffed things. She can have it if she decides she likes it.
I've been very interested in brightening up our place with delightful storage bits and pieces. The ceramic cup and yellow tin bucket are for holding thread (cup) and holding fabric scraps as I'm working (bucket). I thought the tin was adorable but haven't put it to use yet.
An adorable woolen cardigan for Ellie, only $4. Had to mend a hole, but it's good as new now. After I took this picture I realised the poster was in the background and thought I'd get a better shot of it.
That's my dad, drawn when he was a teenager. It's one of those life drawings you see people peddling in public places. It's nice to remember him by.
Secondly, I thought I would show you some of the things I picked up recently while thrift shopping.
This little guy was a steal and caught my eye out of the many pastel stuffed animals. One might assume I bought it for Ellie, but teddy sits on my desk because Ellie hasn't warmed to stuffed things. She can have it if she decides she likes it.
I've been very interested in brightening up our place with delightful storage bits and pieces. The ceramic cup and yellow tin bucket are for holding thread (cup) and holding fabric scraps as I'm working (bucket). I thought the tin was adorable but haven't put it to use yet.
An adorable woolen cardigan for Ellie, only $4. Had to mend a hole, but it's good as new now. After I took this picture I realised the poster was in the background and thought I'd get a better shot of it.
That's my dad, drawn when he was a teenager. It's one of those life drawings you see people peddling in public places. It's nice to remember him by.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Work smarter, not harder
I've been terribly inundated with life, hence my absence recently. I have an assignment due tomorrow (now completed, thankfully), the weekend was jam-packed, and last week I had a badly placed day off and familial obligations on my usual Heidi & Seek days. I do, however, have a bunch of new items to list when I have a minute.
I've decided that to ease the anxiety of my busy-ness, I will back off from projects that aren't necessary or important. I'm cutting out internet dawdling, like reading 100 blogs when I only care about 15, and looking far-and-wide for advice on expanding Heidi & Seek when, really, I'm okay with the current state of the business. I'm just going to stick with creating, blogging and listing. And customer service and order handling, of course. And I'm going to take weekends off (unless absolutely necessary or I find myself twiddling thumbs). I'm hoping this will mean that instead of cutting down my creating to make way for 'me time', I'm cutting the excess so that I'll still be able to create the same amount and have time for myself. What's it they say: work smarter, not harder? Well, it's all good in theory but we'll see how it goes.
I just got home from uni and it's 10pm. I'm ready to shower and pack it in.
Oh but before I go! There's an online trunk show sale happening online at Olio United for ethically made, recycled designer wares. Favourite labels of mine Armour sans Anguish and Supayana are features. I'm also really liking the jewellery by AK Vintage and particularly Frocky Jack Morgan, made from vintage and antique materials. In order of mention:
Pretty!
Recycled fabric eco-friendly trunk show
I've decided that to ease the anxiety of my busy-ness, I will back off from projects that aren't necessary or important. I'm cutting out internet dawdling, like reading 100 blogs when I only care about 15, and looking far-and-wide for advice on expanding Heidi & Seek when, really, I'm okay with the current state of the business. I'm just going to stick with creating, blogging and listing. And customer service and order handling, of course. And I'm going to take weekends off (unless absolutely necessary or I find myself twiddling thumbs). I'm hoping this will mean that instead of cutting down my creating to make way for 'me time', I'm cutting the excess so that I'll still be able to create the same amount and have time for myself. What's it they say: work smarter, not harder? Well, it's all good in theory but we'll see how it goes.
I just got home from uni and it's 10pm. I'm ready to shower and pack it in.
Oh but before I go! There's an online trunk show sale happening online at Olio United for ethically made, recycled designer wares. Favourite labels of mine Armour sans Anguish and Supayana are features. I'm also really liking the jewellery by AK Vintage and particularly Frocky Jack Morgan, made from vintage and antique materials. In order of mention:
Pretty!
Recycled fabric eco-friendly trunk show
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Heidi & Seek in Peppermint magazine
The second issue of eco-friendly and ethical fashion magazine, Peppermint, is out on Monday. And a few of my pieces are included in the spread! That's my real girl dress in the shot above. The gorgeous cover was drawn by the talented Bec Winnel of My Charlie Girl.
Here's my review on the first issue. I was really impressed and I'm looking forward to the following issues.
If you're Australian, you can nab a subscription to the magazine for a tiny $35 ( including postage) until April 3. Check out the website for more details and stockists.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Organic produce delivery in Melbourne
Is it weird for me to be excited about a box of fruit and veg?
I finally got around to ordering from The Green Line. I just got a box of produce this time, but next time I'll probably add on other groceries. Hopefully in time we can cut out supermarket shopping altogether.
Check out their website for some benefits of eating organic.
I finally got around to ordering from The Green Line. I just got a box of produce this time, but next time I'll probably add on other groceries. Hopefully in time we can cut out supermarket shopping altogether.
Check out their website for some benefits of eating organic.
Backpacks and Round She Goes market
I love backpacks and don't quite understand why 99.9% of bags in stores are not backpacks. Unless I'm interested in wearing a sporty number with an Adidas logo on it or some such (I'm not). Bag-makers - there's a whole market there that needs taking advantage of! Stylish, unique, cute backpacks.
I've come to appreciate backpacks a whole lot more since I've had Ellie, because carrying her means I'm constantly having to rely on the strength of my arms and shoulders and neck. They are not appreciating it. Backpacks are much friendlier to my body than shoulder bags, especially given the amount of junk I seem to carry around these days.
For the past few months I've been on the look out for a cute second-hand or eco-friendly backpack for everyday use, to replace this one.
I got this in Thailand a few years ago. I still love it. Maybe I'll try to figure out how to convert it into a backpack at some point.
Anyway, I headed to the Round She Goes market on the weekend and found one. I intended to mention the market here before the event, but it completely slipped my mind, sorry ladies. It's for quality preloved and local designer goods. And I'm going to be selling at the next two markets in July and October! For those readers in Melbourne, check out the website for more details.
Here's the backpack I found for a whopping $5.
It reminds me of the early 90s a lot, but I like the fact that I haven't seen anyone wearing something similar recently. I was drawn to the plaid, the blue, and the cute drawstring. It's a good size. Hopefully I can make it look a little more current.
I also picked up this merino wool Country Road cardigan for myself, as well as a few other pieces to reconstruct for Heidi & Seek. I think the cardi is calling for a couple of ruffles at the neckline.
Here's what I wore. I forgot to take a picture in the daylight, but I was really pleased with the outfit and wanted to capture it despite the darkness.
Scarf: salvaged from mum's charity shop donations
Shirts: thrifted
Shorts: Had them forever, not sure of the brand. Mum shortened them for me before I could sew; they used to be knee-length.
I've come to appreciate backpacks a whole lot more since I've had Ellie, because carrying her means I'm constantly having to rely on the strength of my arms and shoulders and neck. They are not appreciating it. Backpacks are much friendlier to my body than shoulder bags, especially given the amount of junk I seem to carry around these days.
For the past few months I've been on the look out for a cute second-hand or eco-friendly backpack for everyday use, to replace this one.
I got this in Thailand a few years ago. I still love it. Maybe I'll try to figure out how to convert it into a backpack at some point.
Anyway, I headed to the Round She Goes market on the weekend and found one. I intended to mention the market here before the event, but it completely slipped my mind, sorry ladies. It's for quality preloved and local designer goods. And I'm going to be selling at the next two markets in July and October! For those readers in Melbourne, check out the website for more details.
Here's the backpack I found for a whopping $5.
It reminds me of the early 90s a lot, but I like the fact that I haven't seen anyone wearing something similar recently. I was drawn to the plaid, the blue, and the cute drawstring. It's a good size. Hopefully I can make it look a little more current.
I also picked up this merino wool Country Road cardigan for myself, as well as a few other pieces to reconstruct for Heidi & Seek. I think the cardi is calling for a couple of ruffles at the neckline.
Here's what I wore. I forgot to take a picture in the daylight, but I was really pleased with the outfit and wanted to capture it despite the darkness.
Scarf: salvaged from mum's charity shop donationsShirts: thrifted
Shorts: Had them forever, not sure of the brand. Mum shortened them for me before I could sew; they used to be knee-length.
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