Sunday 26 February 2012

Minute make...Nice rack! [Spice holder upcycle]

My nail varnish collection is usually housed in various make-up bags and scattered around the house, but it's far better kept upright so I'd vaguely considered buying one of those stands like you see at the beautician. I looked, but it turns out they're at least £25 on Amazon/eBay and a bit clinical in appearance. I know that keeping it in the fridge is supposed to the best thing, but then there'd be less room for wine and petit-filou yoghurts - the mainstay of all households with school-aged inhabitants. [Obviously only one of these things goes in the Ben10 lunch bags. I've not got it wrong yet]

Anyway, I had a Google for other people's solutions, browsed for ideas on Pinterest and settled on looking for something I could make-over. Second hand 80s kitchen accessories don't usually do much for me, but I was hopeful this scruffy pine Schwartz spice-rack I won on eBay would be just the thing.

£7.00 eBay

£26.00 eBay

I reattached the backboard a little more firmly, gave it my patented once over with a wet-wipe, and was ready to do a quick coat of paint. I've seen Annie Sloan chalk paint raved about all over the internet, and thought I'd give it a try. It gets the full five stars from me - the lazy crafter's seal of approval! There really is no need for sanding, removal of old varnish or priming. It covers in one coat, doesn't have that nasty painty smell (and is low in VOCs) and doesn't show brush marks. Added to that, it was fully dry in about half an hour. Genius. I got a 100ml tester pot in 'Provence', and still have enough left to do another similar sized project.




Aah, sweet organisation.
There's enough room on the shelves for certain polishes to be two deep.



Maybe not quite a minute make - but nice and quick none the less. Of course, you could keep other make-up on it if nail varnish is not your thing [why ever not?]

I'm counting this as my Monthly Make for February
Linking up with Flea Market Finds
and
Lakota x

Have you entered my blogiversary giveaway? There's Nails inc polish up for grabs there, amongst other goodies. Click on the link to go to the post.

Saturday 25 February 2012

Today...


Ring-necked parakeets in Crystal Palace park...

Sweet nothings...

...Lovers' tiff

Hope you got some blue skies today.

Lakota x

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Blogiversary giveaway

In case you missed the post where I wittered on about it being Faith Hope and Charity Shopping's first birthday, well, it was. And a lot of fun it's been getting to this point. Anyway, I believe I promised some prizes, didn't I?

Up for grabs for some lucky person is the following prize package, definitely containing the brand new items below, and probably with a few more bits thrown in when I come to wrap it up. Total prize value will be at least £20.

60s lady laser-cut wooden brooch 

Full size Nails inc polish in 'Victoria' 

Kitsch Bitch mini cross-stitch sampler

Want to win? Of course you do. It's easy to enter, but please do take note of the rules below:

- Open to all followers old and new, whether following by Google Friend Connect (public), Networked Blogs or BlogLovin' or via email. Please specify which so I know who you are.
- Leave a comment below saying you'd like to enter, and what your favourite post has been on FHCS.
- Mentioning this competition in a blog post or putting the badge below in your sidebar gets you an extra entry.


- Make sure I can contact you! 

Giveaway closes 7th March at 9pm.
Good Luck!

Lakota x

***********

Incidentally, did you know that Google Friend Connect is being removed as of March 1st for all non-Blogger sites? I do use Blogger, so if you follow that way there's no problem, but you can also follow Faith Hope and Charity Shopping in one of the following ways:

Follow by Bloglovin'

Follow by Networked Blogs

I'm also to be found in some other places online - no wonder I have laptop leg...

Facebook - I am planning another giveaway here.
Twitter as @FHCShopping
Pinterest as fhcshopping
Goodreads  as Lakotafhcs

Sunday 19 February 2012

The future's orange

It's been half term and I've not been feeling that great recently, so I haven't really been doing much in the way of second-hand shopping. Also, I've got to be honest and say when I have looked, very little has really jumped out at me. If anyone could send me some thrift karma I'd be very grateful. However, I did find this  - which given the fact it's bright orange, with lairy 70s flowers on it, even I couldn't miss.


Tala Bread Bin

It cost me £3, and doesn't have a chip or a dent on it. Not only that, but it matches my nails.

Pretending I've got a Lamborghini 
[Matching your nails to your bread-bin proves you're in advanced stages of housewifery]

By happy co-incidence the tea-towel which lovely Loo sent me yesterday is also sporting an eye-popping orange floral, reminding me of my parents' bedroom wallpaper when I was tiny. Loo's parcel cheered me up no end, wrapped in the tea-towel was also a Habitat canvas shopping bag - I love the peacock and fox design - a birdy brooch from Acorn and Will and a rather marvellous 'build your own' cardboard crocodile. I made him immediately and he is currently guarding my earrings. She also cleverly made the box for the brooch herself - using orange origami paper.







Also on the orange theme - check out what I found when we were getting suitcases down from the loft recently. I bought these trousers round about 1996 and wore them not only clubbing but just generally out and about. I like to think that these are future vintage. It's no wonder I wore sunglasses almost permanently then...

Mid 90s skin-tight kick-flare leggings

Sadly I don't have any photos of me rocking these, I will have to ask around.
I'm not sure how many of you will appreciate this - but I'll leave you with club classic The Orange Theme by Cygnus X. Happy nights days...

Lakota x



Linking up with Liz for Magpie Monday

Tuesday 14 February 2012

Vintage Valentines...

I'm off to the Museum of London today, where one of their collections is over 1,700 vintage Valentine cards, dating from the 1800s onward. Sadly it turns out that they only have a few on display at the moment, but before I go I just thought I'd share some of the twentieth century's finest examples. What else has so successfully made the transition from the 1820s to the present day I wonder? The tradition of sending Christmas cards might be on the wane, but woe betide the man who doesn't send a Valentines card to his lover.

Whilst lots of bloggers have probably written a similar post I'm happy to go with the crowd on this - the kitschier the better! I think it might be the terrible puns - these days the only place I'm likely to get a job utilising my caption writing super-power [ok, it's not quite flight or x-ray vision] is for a British tabloid, but if I'd been born 50 years earlier I like to think I could have come up with some great cards. Here's some of my favourites:

Hipster girl in floral headpiece a la Desiree
[1960s]


1950 card with 'real' eyelashes

Who dunnit - the mascara wand or the sharpened pencil?

Salad threesome - You 'bowl' me over
I'd have worked 'toss' in there somewhere...
[1970s]

Was this ever a phrase?!
[FHM version: You give me the horn]

Puns? Check.
Small child showing underwear? Check.
Dubious sexual advances? Check.

Speaking of which...

Need a what - restraining order? You know it.
[Slightly rapey looking Edwardian card]


Then we can marry and you can mend my clothes FOREVER!


Brokeback Mountain was heating up...

...and Ennis had the perfect card for Jack
[1960s]


I'm at a loss as to why a little girl who appears to be weeing on a barrel
makes a suitable Valentine, but that's the joy of vintage for you.

I love this one, a random mix of niche fashion commentary
and unnecessary quotation marks
Perfect for hat wearers Helga or La Dama


No words of love are best delivered on a pig's bum...

...Valentines Day is all about the STEAK!
(Maybe not for veggies Eartha Kitsch and Vix)

Puss in Boots explores BDSM. And Mary Janes


Okay...this is not going to be a healthy relationship


Ahem.

You can buy vintage Valentines cards for just a few pounds, so they're an affordable and adorable thing to collect. Some have been signed, but there are plenty of dead-stock examples available which would be a fun alternative to making your own (or buying one from Paperchase).  

I'll leave you with one of my favourites, I love the artwork and it's sweet and funny - so much nicer than most you can buy these days:










Happy Valentines Day everybody!

Lakota x
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
If you can't get enough vintage Valentines, there's a load more on my Pinterest board. For the perfect present, see my previous post.

Friday 10 February 2012

Mops, Poo and Grandma too - The Magic and Madness of eBay Part 5, Valentines Special!

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I bought your gift on eBay
cos I don't think much of you.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

At last it's nearly Valentine's day, a little oasis of fuzz filled romance slap bang in the centre of the mercifully short month of February. As we all know, the traditional way to commemorate the horrible martyrdom of a long dead Roman priest is to don flammable looking nylon knickers and exchange gifts which appear to have been purchased at a motorway service station. [cheap chocolate, personalised teddy bears, fragrance free roses, Celine Dion CDs]. 

Oh and 50 litres of unleaded. Pump 3

What's that? You expected more from me? I'm sorry, of course you know where to get this stuff. Generic hearts and flowers crap is available on every high street from the second the last cut-price selection box is taken off the shelves. Your true love deserves that little bit extra, don't you think? That thought that says "You complete me, and I've found the perfect gift to express our unity".  No magic in this post, but plenty of madness - welcome to an eBay Valentine's Special!

Assuming you've decided against the traditional items above, there are a few simple rules to follow when purchasing a Valentine's gift on eBay. Those sellers can be crafty.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Rule no 1 - Seasonal appropriateness


Even if his eyes do light up at the very mention of stockings, this was probably not quite what he had in mind. This seller clearly had some makes left over from the festive season and seems to think we'll be fooled by calling it a "Valentine Love Heart Sock with hanging loop". Whether you put a 'love note or small gift' inside it or not, the fact remains that this is a Christmas decoration - and a nasty acrylic one at that.

Falalala... February

And who amongst us wouldn't be thrilled by a 'ladies designer handbag' chosen by our man? So far so good, except here's the picture:

LV or BHS?

Oh yes, it was chosen by someone else's now ex-boyfriend for Christmas, and whilst she apparently has the receipt to know it cost £225, she's not entirely sure of the colour. It's 'either black or brown'. Mystery presents are weirdly popular on eBay, but if I'm spending that much on a handbag, I'd really like to see more than the original buyer's taste in giftwrap. It's ok though, cos she's 'donating the money to charity'. I guess she didn't think of unwrapping it and returning it to the shop (or indeed the boyfriend), since she has the receipt and all.

Yup, if you're selling an unwanted Christmas gift on eBay, we need to see what it is. But sometimes not to imagine where it's been.  If it's new - WHY DOES IT HAVE NO TAGS?


NEW UNWANTED XMAS PRESENT MEN'S ONE SIZE
 HUNG LIKE A DONKEY G STRING
THIS WOULD MAKE A GREAT VALENTINES DAY PRESENT

We all know where that elastic's been, even if it was just the once. A second hand novelty g-string does not a great valentines present make.

Thankfully these knickers are new. And somebody's going to be thrilled come Halloween Valentines Day. Could it be you?


♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Rule no 2 - Not all hearts are created equal

As a general rule of thumb, French is good when it comes to romance. A stroll down the Champs Elysees, Parisian lingerie, champagne, meals cooked by Michel Roux Jnr - all acceptable and to be encouraged. You may find however, that something designed to clean the kitchen floor of Michel Roux Jnr goes down less well. 


AN IDEAL VALENTINES PRESENT FOR YOUR LOVED ONE. A LOVING FRENCH HEART SHAPED MOP. I AM SURE IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED, YOU COULD BE THE FIRST TO TRY IT. LOVE AND HYGIENE IN ONE PRESENT.

The first to try a mop? Be still my beating heart! The seller rather unwisely invites you to let him know 'if there are any problems with your present'. I predict a sudden influx of correspondence relating to the difficulty the A&E doctors had in removing it.

Ok, so maybe that heart wasn't quite right. But who doesn't love a quirky expression of adoration? So here it is, a potato crisp - flavour unspecified - with a vaguely heart-shaped hole in it. Starting bid only 99p. Oh, and postage and packing - £4.00! That's a lot of bubble wrap. I think I'll stick to the traditional method of showing love through the medium of food - demanding the last rolo. Or writing 'BOOBS' in his alphabetti spaghetti.

No really, you shouldn't have.

As the old saying goes "if the present doesn't dazzle, don't expect me to vajazzle". Well, it's probably a saying somewhere. Or should be.


♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Rule no 3 - Remember your Audience

Valentines Day is about the expression of romantic love. Even if the object of your affection is a Grandma, I'm looking at you Wayne Rooney this is not the day to celebrate that fact. Think designer bag, not old bag. 

Apparently it's also 'in need of a clean''. Lovely.


Insert joke about sucking eggs here

Speaking of things that suck, I must strongly advise caution when believing the seller who claims this book makes an ideal Valentine gift. Applying the secrets within for your man, certainly; being presented with the book itself - not so good.  

Happy Valentines Day darling. 
Did I mention you're crap in bed?

And on we go to the next Valentines 'don't'. Crap. There really is no reason to be in a relationship with anyone who might be pleased to add to their collection of anthropomorphic turd ornaments. Especially one called 'Rimbo' who fought against 'Saddam Asspain'. Leave now, a lifetime alone is preferable.


That said, I know some of you ladies love your kitsch. You might collect whimsical stuff which you liked as a child - I've seen blog posts waxing lyrical about everything from Care Bears to Cabbage Patch Kids. That's fine. You want to share your bedroom with the cast of Chucky, that's your look out. But surely we'd all look askance if presented with either of these by our beloved  - they look like 'before' pictures from Redwings Horse Sanctuary: 



Donate just £5 a month, and help us save more like Pinky from heartless abuse...

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Rule no 4 - Presentation is key

Whatever you buy, remember that first impressions count. The simple addition of a bow can elevate your gift from 'meh' to 'YEAH!'

The seller suggests using it as a vessel to 'deliver an engagement ring across a pond' (with the wise proviso  'if you are quick') and points out that it can also be "hamster bedding, or if ironed, can be used as a bookmark". Genius.

Also genius is the addition of a cellophane bag. That way, you can package up any unwanted bits and pieces you have lying around and charge a tenner by re-branding it as a 'Valentine Pamper Bag for Her'. Why, I just have to look at those make-up sponges photographed on a grimy carpet and I feel all my stresses melting away. Who knows how I'll feel when I receive my discontinued lipgloss and shower scrubber!

Mmm, kleenex

None of my suggestions float your boat? There's always the time honoured gift of yourself - carefully packaged of course.



Just don't rely on Royal Mail.

Love you long time!
Lakota x

Need more Valentines gift suggestions? Out-takes from this post are up on my Facebook Page. I'm not sure if it gets better or worse!

Linked up to: Valentines Party