Tuesday, July 31, 2012

typewriter makeover in progress!






After a lot of tedious-because-it-has-to-be-precise wrapping with masking tape - note the little cylinder of tape that protects a screw! - it's finally turning a gorgeous shade of orange.

That said, the back is way complicated and I'm still formulating a plan of attack. 
Not sure how I can keep so many moving parts in their original state. Here's the post with original pictures.

What do you think? Wish me luck!



Monday, July 30, 2012

shop update: pretty dresses.

vintage collar dress xs

vintage sheer lace dress

vintage pussy bow silk dress

60s collared shift dress

mod babydoll sun dress buttons

gunne sax ruffled collar

Tonight, the shop will be updated with these pretty vintage dresses.
Each one has that special something and is truly unique & one of a kind, just like you. 

Dress accordingly! 

Friday, July 27, 2012

olivetti lettera 32 typewriter.



Many moons ago, I thrifted this vintage Oliveti typewriter from Thieves' Market at Sungei Road. After dusting it off a few days ago and with quite a bit of googling, I've determined that it is in full working condition.  The best part is the little bell that goes off when you reach the end of the line - zzzzzing! Brings you right back to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, without the incessant ringing phones.

I'm eager to give it a makeover so stay tuned for a little bit of vintage DIY!

According to wiki, the Olivetti Lettera 32 is a portable mechanical typewriter designed by Marcello Nizzoli for Olivetti in 1963, as a sucessor of the popular Olivetti Lettera 22. Even though it weighs a whopping 5.9kg, it was considered a portable machine and came with its own rather snazzy-looking striped carrying case that unfortunately was not available when I bought it.  Also missing was the dustcover & the manual.

Striped Carrying Case via The Teeritz Agenda
Operating Manual via The Teeritz Agenda

A few fun facts came up when researching about this particular Olivetti model. 

In December 2009, an Olivetti Lettera 32 purchased by Cormac McCarthy in 1963 for $50 at a Tennessee pawn shop sold at a Christie's Auction for $250,000! It was on this humble machine that Pulitzer Prize-winning McCarthy authored novels such as The Road, No Country for Old Men, Blood Meridian, and All the Pretty Horses.

Typewriters came in other languages too, like this Arabic one pictured here.
The print ads had a very modern aesthetic, with the cheeky Christmas ad reading "A present with a future".

vintage olivetti print ads via ninonbooks

Cleaning & painting it is at the top of this weekend's to-do list. Once that's done, I hope it becomes a permanent fixture in my workspace and you might soon see typewritten 'Thank You' notes for shop purchases! Or hand-typed Five Stones Vintage name cards! 


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

shop update: scholastic pursuits


Mid-week schoolgirl shop update!
Prim & proper blouses & skirts for your scholastic pursuits.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Friday, July 20, 2012

shop update: summer staples


A look at what's to come this weekend! 
A red, white & blue themed update with lots of great summer staples. 
Preppy styles, easy breezy tanks & blouses & rad swimwear!
  

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

shop update: cleopatra


This week's shop update is an Egyptian-inspired mix of items. 
Bold jewelry & accessories, a beaded headpiece, a gorgeous 60's maxi dress & draped pencil skirt. 

Friday, July 13, 2012

indian cotton dresses.

sheer indian gauze dress
via The Sartorialist

This past week, I came upon a few indian cotton dresses in really striking prints & luscious textures. 
They're really great timeless pieces that can be worn all year round. These sheer & airy hippie dresses also make for really chic maternity outfits, a la Nicole Richie's much coveted pregnancy style. 

nicole richie matenrity style

Here they are, in a wildflower print, crazy gorgeous ikat tribal print with metallic threads no less and an understated paisley floral. My favorite is definitely the ikat, although the brown floral is a close second! The dresses are all 'Made in India', and come complete with a quilted bib neckline, beaded or tassel tie strings & a matching sash belt!

Hold your horses. They're coming to the shop this weekend! 

indian gauze dress

sheer indian cotton ikat dress
 

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

giveaway winner!

vintage swimsuit pageant photo

We've got a winner! 

A HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in the $50 shop giveaway. There was a whopping 663 entries, and I loved hearing from each & every one of you! 

Without further ado, our lucky winner is....... entry #103: Wienna Lee (I will be in contact with you!)

If you didn't win this time around, fret not as another shop giveaway will be coming up very soon! Stay tuned!

shop update: denim cutoffs / vintage tops


vintage summer separates

Is it hot where you are? 
Continuing this week's shop update, we've got a couple of casual outfits for the sweltering summer.
High waisted denim cutoffs & a couple of cute vintage blouses to go along!
P.S. Giveaway has ended and the winner will be announced in the next day or so!

Monday, July 9, 2012

academia

etsy treasury

shop update: black & white

vintage shop update


This week's shop update is a mix of really great black & white pieces. 
There's a wonderful mix of fabrics & textures and a couple of ah-mazing pretty bow collars!

Reading the comments of everyone who joined the shop giveaway (psst! last day to enter for a $50 shop voucher), it looks like blouses, skirts & kitchenware are favorite buys!

Look out for these black & white pieces in the shop very soon!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

3 ways to wear clip on earrings


vintage earrings shoe clips

vintage necklace earrings

repurposing earrings as hair pins

If you read the earlier post on vintage clip-on earrings here, you'd know that the shop is gonna be stocked with lots of retro baubles in the coming weeks!
 
Here's 3 great ways to wear your vintage clip-ons:

1. Shoe Clips - dress up already-pretty pumps with a fancy clip-on
2. Charm Necklace - load up a simple chain with a cluster of eye-catching baubles
3. Hair Pin - create one-of-a-kind hair barrettes with ornate pieces 

We'd also love to try these out as belt buckles, embellished headbands, cocktail statement rings & dress clips!

How do YOU multi-task your accessories?



Tuesday, July 3, 2012

shop update: purple haze

vintage printed dresses

Shop update today! Lots of pretty purple frocks with amazing prints and in larger sizes too!

In the meantime, here's some "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix. Written & recorded in 1967, "Purple Haze" has become one of the "archetypical psychedelic drug songs of the sixties".



Sunday, July 1, 2012

this week in vintage.

vintagelace tulle dress
80's confetti tulle party dress

retro 60s op art fabric
thrifted Natalie Gibson 'Daisy Chain' fabric

retro roller skates
vintage roller skates

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