France Mediterranean

Just a short pictorial summary of my holiday in southern France... This was in mid May when they'd just had this unbelieveable storm with huge waves and hail and snow. At the same time the volcano in Iceland was still erupting and just one day before we left most of the flights were cancelled because of the ash clouds. For the last week before our flight me and my friends were worried to sick if we are going to get there or not... I didn't mind the idea of staying a bit longer, but first you need to get there. ;)

Nice by day.

Monaco.

The Grand Casino and Café de Paris.

Jardin Japonais de Monaco.

Koi fish pond.

Nice by night.


This place had a hidden little beach and great big red rocks that reminded the Ayers Rock in Australia.

My toes on the beach, enjoying life.

This guy didn't read the sign "Shallow water - Don't park your boat here"...

The last picture says more than a thousand words. I don't know how long that boat has been there, because I've seen similar sights before in the same area. Maybe it's just a strange custom of rich people who can't really sail? ;)

That dress...

After I saw this dress here chez The Retro Modern Housewife I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I mean... silk, slightly oriental design, slit sleeves... it's just stunning.

...And now it's mine. What a happy ending! ;)

Been busy lately...

Insanely busy would be the correct expression. I've been busy at work, studying and (very little) dancing. I promised not to spend my time in internet while I had these other, more pressing things to do. Like study maths. For a week and a half now I've been just trying to get rid of all the excess stress and trying to tell myself that I'm still a good person even if I'm not perfect every time.

I managed to fail one math test and now I wont be able to graduate earlier than in August or September. Well, these things happen and it's not the end on the world, but I'm still disappointed. It would have been so much easier to get everything done before the end of June. The annoying thing is that I bet I could easily pass that exam now after I've had some more practice doing maths and I'm not suffering from bronchitis and fever anymore. But it's my fault really... I should've just started the process earlier. There's no way denying that, really. ;)


While I was gone I didn't just study... After that terrible math test I had this great candy apple flavoured milkshake in American Diner and went to movies to see Iron Man 2.

Before that I did also go to Tampere Vintage expo. It was fun, but I didn't buy anything this time. I was mostly busy performing, or trying to find something to eat, and mainly trying not to die because of that bronchitis. ;) I was in such a lousy shape that it's hard to imagine. I didn't really hear anything and was afraid that I'll just start coughing my lungs out any second. Dancing in that shape is really hard, and getting interviewed in front of people in that condition is just plain torture (but no-one else wanted to do that)... I'm just glad I survived. :) Still, I'm really happy to say our troupe got asked to perform again in next Helsinki Vintage. I also loved my hairdo that day. I had an accidental fake bob that turned out really nice. Sadly, no pictures - again...

Me fooling around on the beach near Agay.

And I visited Mediterranean France... Nice and St Tropez! I really love Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon areas. In a perfect world I would be living somewhere there. The climate is perfect! I can't wait to go back. It's been four years since I last went to France and that's too long for me to handle. ;) I'm hoping to go to Beziers next, or maybe to Montpellier... I'm not into Paris or the northern parts that much, but I love the Mediterranean!

Salvation

I recently found this cute (unfinished) 40's day dress in Ebay. It's made out of really adorable feedsack fabric and is kinda my size, so I couldn't just pass it. Naturally it was also quite a bargain because (yeah, let's face it) it's also quite a mess and needs to be totally redone. But I'm up to that challenge.

It's weird. This dress is both more adorable and much worse in person than in pictures. The print is really neat: red, blue, wine and jadeite on white, but there's some age toning (it's far from the crisp white of the pictures). Side opening doesn't have any hooks or snaps, there are some spots and stains, the seams are all very uneven and there are some darts in really weird places... like the dress was really ill fitting and someone tried to compensate that by adding darts here and there. Let's just say that whoever started this project didn't really know much anything about sewing...

The seller thought that this could have been someone's sewing project in home economics class. Could well be... It remainds me of one of my best friends tossing her unfinished shirt around in the classroom when something went wrong Again. I loved sewing already then and would usually help my friends through the rough spots while doing more complicated designs or some extra projects to spend the time after I'd finished the required projects. Yep, I was a total nerd when it came to sewing. ;)

I already took the dress apart. When I'll have time I'll be re-sewing it back together in a bit more refined way than it was done before. (And removing those spots and stains.) Hopefully. ;)

I did promise myself... but it was on sale, right?

Honestly, I promised myself I would spend less money during the end of March and all through April. After I found tons of vintage shoes, clothes, hats, purses and other stuff that I just had to have I began to feel a bit bad because all of that excess spending. Not that I would have any financial trouble because of it, but it just doesn't feel right.

So I promised myself not to buy more stuff that I just "have to have". At least not for a while. And then what happened? Trashy Diva had a sale going on and they had the Avian dress...

...and the Babydoll top. Both are mine now. (Bad kitty!)

But ain't they just oh-so-pretty? I just couldn't resist...

I thought I would be okay and back on the track after that, but then I heard/remembered that Freddies of Pinewood also had a sale. I'd been thinking about making myself vintage styled jeans, but with their sale prices I decided to give it a go and try theirs intead (since I won't be having any time to sew in the near future). So I got Rebecca top in light blue and pink (with striped collar)...


Wait! Those are not even jeans! (Very bad kitty indeed.)

I got myself a pair of grey Jeanies (not many jeans were left in my size at that moment). I've been lusting after Utilities, but I'll just have to get those later if I like my Jeanies well enought. ;)


Hmm, that's not all... I also got the 50's button top in pink. (And I don't even like pink that much.) The tops were just so cute and quite a bargain really.


Yes, I know... I really shouldn't even go to internet after a long day of working and studying, I just end up buying stuff. ;)

I think I'll just promise to relax about the whole thing and enjoy these when they arrive. ;)

No time to play

For the past one and half months I’ve been working like crazy to finally finish my studies. I have to graduate in July if I want to avoid loads of extra work (and actually graduate at some point), so I’ve made it clear to myself and people close to me that I won’t be doing much anything besides studying for a while. I have to work full time too and sleep sometimes and there’s only 24 hours in a day. I need to focus and finishin my M.Sc. degree is my number one priority right now.

Yes, it’s totally my own fault that I haven’t started (to continue) the process before. I’ve had plenty of time. It’s just that after I finished my thesis I was so exhausted and wanted a time out. So I took a little breather and after a while I was offered a job and one thing kind of led to another… and now that I woke up again and smelled the coffee I’m in a bit of a hurry to get the last few bits done.

I’ve done about half of the remaining things so far. When I started I had five exams and eight papers to go, now I’m down to three exams and three papers. That’s called progress, woohoo! ;) After this week I’ll be left with those three exams and only one paper, so it’s going to be a bit easier for me in the future. I’m actually quite proud of myself – will be prouder if I manage to get everything done before the end of May that’s the actual deadline. ;)

Vintage student Barbie... ;)

I’ve really enjoyed my studies in the Technical University. I love the place, I love how it smells (each building has a different scent and even diffent parts of the buildings are recognisable just by the way they smell - yeah, I'm weird...) and I love the way it has it’s own weird life inside the campus area. The unexpected things one can run into in the campus area after dark... that's something that cannot easily be described. All those more and less private student parties and student clubs that come alive after the formal business is through for the day... The university is always alive, every minute of the day and night. I just love it. :)

Vintage Expo finds

About a month ago I went to Helsinki Vintage Expo with my friends. We had so much fun! I also spent loads of money, but I couldn't help it... they had deadstock shoes in size 2 1/2!!! See what I mean...



And also deadstock winter boots in that same size Very Small...

This pair was used but sooo gorgeous! Black suede.


And to top everythingI found deadstock galoshes to protect my new shoes!


I know you can't blame me... ;) When I find shoes that fit like a glove I just have to buy them.

I also found some cute vintage frames (also deadstock). Please do not mind my messy hair and tired expression here... it was Very Late when I got home. Happy but tired. (My curls were by that time nothing but a distant memory...)

I love that yellow top I was wearing... I wish I had a better picture of it. It was made by my granmother who is a total wizard when it comes to knitting. So 40's, so chic. I wish I can find the instructions someday again to make another one.

Little something for the Mr. too! These fab deadstock all leather shoes...


Frames for sunglasses. (Yes, they're deadstock.)


Vintage tie... used. ;)


See, I don't shop just for myself... ;) Just cant wait until the Tampere Vintage Expo!