Wednesday Wishlist: Ultimate Thriftlist Edition!

I really want to get back to writing more vintage-related posts on the blog, so I thought that for today's wishlist it might be a nice idea to show you all the vintage items I am always looking out for in op shops and secondhand stores. A lot of these item are really popular at the moment and, as with most good quality vintage, rarely grace my local op shop's shelves but they certainly would be a dream-come-true to own! 

Vintage Canisters

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 Vintage Suitcases

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Mid-Century Furniture

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Vintage dresses

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A Queen-Sized Chenille Bedspread

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All of these items have been on my wishlist for a very long time now and are what I look out for most when thrifting. I recently picked up a double-seized chenille bedspread at a garage sale, but it is just plain yellow and I would love something a little more ornate. I also found the cutest vintage rice canister at my local op shop along with the first reasonably priced vintage suitcase that I've seen, but it was in really bad condition and I didn't have the cash on me for the suitcase when I popped in, as I was only there to fill in time before an appointment. Oh well, I will tick these babies off the list someday! 

Mid Century Style: Far From Heaven

Last week in my Screen Analysis lecture, we watched a little movie called Far From Heaven. Directed by Todd Hayes, Far From Heaven is a contemporary film which is set in a suburban neighbourhood of Hartford, Connecticut in 1957, and shot in the classical hollywood style which was prominent in that very same era. Cathy and Frank Whitaker (Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid) and their two children  have a seemingly perfect upper-middle class existence, but behind closed doors all is not well in their marriage and the cracks are beginning to show. 

Far From Heaven does more than give us a glimpse into the life of this middle class family and their troubles - it deals with prominent social problems of the time including racism and homophobia in a very real and thought-provoking way, and the open ending lends itself well to reflection on where the story might go next as well as the issues the movie has dealt with. It is a stunning visual representation of the 1950's and a movie well worth watching.

The painstaking reproduction of 1950's life is absolutely stunning, with perfect mid century interiors and clothes hand made by the costume department to fit (and hide) Julianne's growing baby bump throughout filming. Commentary by the head of costume design for the movie says that Julianne's growing form lent itself well to the more curvy 1950's look which many of the modern actresses are too thin to pull off. 

I loved this film. That goes without saying! The storyline, the social commentary and the mid century style are right up my alley and I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves a bit of vintage and an interesting, thought provoking storyline. What a gem!

You can find my Mid Century Madness pin board here, or check back in a few days for some mid century inspired fashion and furnishing wish lists.

(Late) Friday's Finds

Okay guys, I know it is now Sunday, but sometimes lif gets in the way of things, and this little blogger has to take a random trip to Coolangatta to inspect potential apartments (keep your fingers and toes crossed for me that we get one of them, please?) instead of writing posts. I promise once we have moved, I will be all set up to get to a regular and more consitent blogging pattern, but for now you'll all just have to grin and bear it the way it is :)

I had a great week at the op shops this week! Jake and I scored this dining table for $65. It's solid pine and needs a lot of work done to it (total sandback and recoat plus reupholstering) but I should get out of it for about $90 total, and that is wayyyy cheaper than what you'd buy such a well built, solid table for new!

 

 

This little pine hall table also needs some TLC, but mum bought it for me for $20, so I'm not complaining :) Besides, it will match the dining table!

 

And finally, my present to Chrissy of My Dear Watson for the Very Thrifty Christmas Gift Exchange which Lara's Vintage hosted! I was unfortunate enough to never recieve my e-mail giving me Chrissy's detail's, so I'm sending off her pressie a tad late, but I hope she understands! I think the email went to junk mail, and because I didn't check my e-mails on the computer for about a week, it was automatically deleted. Oh well, Chrissy will get her little package eventually and I sure hope she likes what I picked out for her!

Chrissy and I have slightly different vintage styles, but after scrolling through her blog for hours on end, I think I made a wise choice by buying this Noritake cup and saucer set when I saw it! The pattern on it is s beautiful! I'm more of a floral person myself, but I can see the beauty in this piece and am kind of sad to not be keeping it for myself ;)

Chrissy commented on my last Friday's Finds post that she liked these pink and gold beads I picked up, so I threw that in for her too. I did originally want to keep them to start my own vintage jewellery collection, but I don't think I'd wear it much anyway, so I'm glad it see it go to a good home. Chrissy also mentioned she would like something which represents where her gift giver is from, and due to my obsession with these souvenier spoons, I couldn't walk past this Airlie Beach one! The Great Barrier Reef, while not actually local to me, is an Australian icon, and the spoon itself is quite gorgeous! (sorry for the terrible photo though!)