Liebster award vol. 2

In the last post I told I got two Liebster awards. It means I got some question to answer from two kind bloggers! I´ve already answered to Cherise´s questions and now it´s time to answer Jessica´s:

1. Before you got into vintage clothing, did you rock another way of dressing?
I don´t know if I rocked them but in my teens I experimented with few styles. First there was hiphop and baggy jeans. Then came a red mohawk. Before I fell in love with 1940's, I tried out a mix of 70's, 60's and 50's clothing.

2. What is your non-vintage guilty pleasure? (For example mine is listening to dance and dubstep from time to time.)
I have many non-vintage guilty pleasures. For example I love reggaeton dance and music. I danced non-stop for about 17 years. Now it is more occasional. My dancing hasn´t ever had anything to do with vintage. I haven´t danced any jive, jitterbug or such. The closest I´ve gotten with old dances was step dancing. My other guilty pleasures are modern day movies and tv-series.

3. Sweet or savory food?
Both! My friends say that I have two stomachs: one for savory foods and another for sweets. No matter how much savory foods I eat there is always room for something sweet. And vice versa.

4. What do you draw 'vintage' inspiration from most, magazines, films, blogs, or something totally different?
I must say blogs, old movies and friends. I also read old magazines and collect literature about 1940's style.

5. Favourite subject in school? (If it's maths I will have to unfollow you.)
I loved to study and I love to teach biology. If it is possible as a teacher I would like to spend almost the whole time out in the woods or yard with the kids. I also love ethics and other conversational subjects.

6. Have you ever been compared to a classic idol of yours, and if yes, who?
No, I don´t think I have.

7. Name some vintage item you will probably never have enough of. (and don't all answer dresses or shoes, please)
You can never have too many hair barrettes!

8. Best thing you have ever done or has ever happened to you in your entire life?
Hmm..meeting my fiancé, getting into university and having great friends.. But all the best moments aren´t so huge. There are some things that make you smile a long time after, like when I danced in rain at a concert or when me and my friend gazed upon stars on a wharf for hours or just a lazy summer day in our summer cottage with our dog.

9. Copying L-K's question here: What place or country would you love to be travelling to or through one day and why?
If the journey had to last only a day, I would pick Oriental express (if it is possible to travel only a day with it)!

10. Tell me your weirdest habit please.
I had to ask this one from my fiancé and he said I get fixated on some tv-series and I can watch a lot of episodes in a row - which is kind of true.

11. Favourite antique thing you ever bought under 10 euros (or pounds or dollars - at least very cheap). No clothing piece.  :)
I love bargains! They are the cherry of this hobby! Most of my jewelry are this kind of bargains. The most peculiar antique bargain was an early 1900's mourning bag which was made from black satin like fabric and embellished with black grouned beads. The bag contained two pairs of crocheted black gloves, a lace mourning shawl and a mourning veil.

Here are my nominations for Liebster award:

Anna from Red lips pink apron:
http://redlipspinkapron.blogspot.fi/

Beth from V is for Vintage:

http://www.visforvintage.com/

Dakota from Sweetheart of the rodeo:

http://dakota-rodeo.blogspot.fi/
Katie from The little red squirrel:

http://misskatie-littleredsquirrel.blogspot.fi/
Erika from Swingin' it in vintage:

http://swinginvintage.blogspot.fi/
40's modern hepcat:

http://40smodernhepcat.blogspot.fi/
Mary from Mary van Notes:

http://maryvannote.com/blog/
Miss Turnstiles from Gentlemen prefer blondes:
http://miss-turnstiles.blogspot.fi/
Sara Wood from Lilies and remains:
http://liliesandremains.blogspot.fi/
Sarah from the chronicles of an eccentric:
http://thechroniclesofaneccentric.blogspot.fi/
Joanna from Dividing vintage moments:
http://dividingmoments.blogspot.fi/

..and my 11 questions:
1. Describe yourself in five words.
2. How old were you when you first realised you like vintage and old things? What triggered this interest?
3. How far have you gone with vintage? Is it a trend or a lifestyle?
4. What is the best comment you have received about your style?
5. What is your favourite outfit?
6. Your greatest vintage or antique bargain?
7. Your weirdest vintage or antique find?
8. What are your other interests besides vintage and such?
9. Does someone else in your family or near relatives have an interest in vintage, antiques or history?
10. What is the skill you have learned to master and are the most proud of?
11. What makes you happy in your every day life?


(The rules of receiving Liebster award: 
- You must answer the 11 questions set by the blogger who nominated you.
- You yourself then pick 11 blogs who in turn have under 200 followers. You must then think of 11 questions for the blogs you have picked and also tell them.
- Finally link back to the blog that nominated you.)

Liebster award vol. 1

For my suprise I received not one but two Liebster awards! Thank you so much Cherise from Vintage Follies and Jessica from Jessica´s Vintage! I will answer Jessica´s questions in the next post as well as give you my 11 questions and a list of 11 blogs that I regularly read.

But here are Cherise´s 11 questions and my answers:

1. Who's your style icon and why?

I think I have never had icons of any kind. I get my inspirations from here and there. Some bloggers inspire me and so do my vintage friends. I think my mum has also had influence over me: I´ve inherited my vintage-crazy from her. I just found out that when she was my age, she wore her fathers wartime skiing jacket, paper winter shoes and a paper briefcase.

2. What is your favourite material to work with (in sewing, knitting, crafting)?

It varies from time to time, at the moment though I would say it´s felt.

3. When and where did you first learn to sew/knit/etc.?

I´ve always loved crafts! I have driven my father crazy with my impulsive inspirations since I was very young. He thinks everything should always be well prepaired and thought through and nothing should be done on the spur of the moment as spontaneous things usually fail. I have proven him wrong many times. And many times right.

4. Is there a skill you don't yet master, but would like to learn?

Oh, there are so many! The two biggest ones are knitting and patience for making patterns and sewing clothing from scrap.

5. What inspires you the most in your craft?
I must say 30's and 40's kitschy items. Their bright colors and amazing design. There are also a numerous amount of traditional crafts that just keep on astonishing. They are so pedantically and thoroughly made.

6. If you could only save one piece of clothing from a fire, what would it be?

I think it would be this new sweater my mother made for me. I´m glad she knows how to knit as that is an area unknown to me! This sweater was made with a pattern from a 1940's knitting magazine. We altered the pattern a bit and I picked out some colors and designed the grape pattern on the front.

7. What is your favourite style era and what do you love about it the most?
I think it´s obvious that my favourite era is the 40's as I´ve been going on and on about it so much. I´ve even narrowed my favourite time period down to the late 30's till mid 40's. I do like other periods too, but the flowy swing trousers, knee length a-line skirts and puff or strong military influenced shoulders please my eye the most. And I also feel the most comfortable in clothing like that myself.

8. Where do you mostly get your clothes i.e. do you make them, get them thrifted or buy them new? 
Most of my clothing come from thrift shops, vintage stores or from abroad. And some, mostly knittings are made for me. I also try to hunt vintage clothing in theaters flea market sales. I rarely buy anything new, but I´ve just found the world of reproduction clothing. Highstreet fashion doesen´t literally do it for me. The clothes are usually poorly manufactured and don´t fit or like nowadays there really is nothing for me to buy. It was a bit different a couple years back when vintage and especially the 50's was a big trend.

9. What is your most used/favourite accessory?
I have so many accessories I can´t decide! I try to use them all. I really can´t name a piece of accessory but maybe a group. I rarely wear bracelets or rings. Neclaces, earrings and/or brooches I tend to wear daily. And of course shoes, but don´t get me even started on those! How I love old shoes! Hat´s I have also collected as I think the shape of my head goes great with different kinds of hats. The one accessory my somewhat round face isn´t made for is sunglasses.

10. Show us your most favourite outfit.
This is an old picture, but I love the outfit. It fits like a glove! I have only this one suit and I don´t wear it that often. It´s a troublesome piece as it is a bit fancy but at the same time down to earth so it needs a very special occasion. I bought it from Etsy for about 30 bucks and I must say it was worth every penny. And much more.

11. If you could give any piece of advice to someone that you've learned about anything, what would it be?
Be yourself. I´ve been trying to resolve why it sometimes causes so much amazement or even contempt that I look like this. Then one possible solution came to me. People have this image in their heads how a fellow human being should look and act like. And if someone looks and acts differently they are the wrong kind. It´s easier to blame the other than change the way you think.



(The rules of receiving Liebster award: 
- You must answer the 11 questions set by the blogger who nominated you.
- You yourself then pick 11 blogs who in turn have under 200 followers. You must then think of 11 questions for the blogs you have picked and also tell them.
- Finally link back to the blog that nominated you.)

From the other side of the world

Flea markets are great places for finding something useful for craft projects. It´s amazing what you can find by simply digging through boxes full of miscellaneous knick knacks. Knick knacks like these pretties:

I really don´t know what is the purpose of these trinkets, but I´m guessing they are some sort of a souvenir. Maybe from Spain? I love vintage souvenier accessories. I have scarfs and jewelry from around the world. One thing I am certain about is that these lovelies are old, perhaps from the 40´s, 50´s or at most from the 60´s. The material is painted (only from another side) wood and the figurines hang from peculiar hooks. Here´s the whole bunch of them:

I took the hooks off and attached an extra jump ring to each one of the figurines. The figurines I attached to the plastic chain (that I use a lot) with my trusty pliers. I like the kitschy look of the chain and figurines together.

And here´s the finished product:

 I have already worn this to work. I work as an elementary school teacher and especially the smaller kids tend to like big and colorful jewelry. As the day goes by, there is always someone who comes up and turns these figurines around, as they often turn the wrong side up.