Little Miss Sew N. Sew

Sometimes I find things that are destroyed.....and I have to figure my valuable time to put it back together, or not, and what to charge for it when I list it.
Well, I always think about what to charge.....and here's a story....
Of Redemption....Of Capitalism spelled with a small C. This turned out very well.....what started as a  wreck of a vintage dress......here's the end result....
I'm never intimidated by a project to put something back together, a garment or purse or hat, and even shoes, sometimes, even when someone has wrecked it, ruined it, and Gawd! made a Halloween costume from a pink 1950s vintage ruffly OTT Prom dress.
I have to figure my hours....because this is my work. This is what I do. Thank the heavenly stars that you value vintage and the handmade. Have I told you lately how much I appreciate your good taste?

Thanks to mom, I learned to sew when I was about 9, and once I figured out I could Make My Own Clothes, I grabbed on to that Magical Thing and it might be the one thing that's followed me, year in year out over my entire life. Oh that's not true. Gardening has a stronger hold....I'll put a garden in anywhere....

and here is where it started.....It took me all day to fix it, and then the expense of a dry cleaning ...so....roll  back up and feast your eyes!!

It had been ripped and several rows of ruffles were hanging on for dear life...the shoulders had holes poked in them, and black lace and rayon fringe had been tied on for straps....must have been going for some kind of Prostitute from Mars....you know, the young ladies like to dress like sluts.

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I had to remove all that crap, and then I hand sewed the holes closed (not too bad), replaced the busted zipper (of course) with a matching era-appropriate 50s pink long metal zipper, then I hand sewed the rows and rows and rows of net and lace ruffles back together. It turned out so pretty! Then I dropped it off at Morrell's Cleaners and they worked a miracle on the stains. Then I listed it on ebay, and it sold for well over a 100. bucks. These days, I'd list it for 350. Because it's worth it!
this project was from 2002 or 2003....
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Now.....Long before the economy crashed into the drink, people asked me for discounts. Most of the time they are fair. But once in awhile they are just brain-dead and quite insulting.
This is  how I price a vintage widget...That is the question. If it's a dress, I look at a comparable price on a new Nordstrom dress of like kind, then drop the price by about 50%, because it's used.
I start the comparison and research with new items that are perceived to be quality.....excellent fabric, attention to detail, and a design that is worthy of wearing again......all of these factors influence my pricing decisions.
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Often, I sell something that is a great everyday dress....I think vintage should be reused and reworn....it's far past the time to buy everything new. Thank goodness it's now mainstream to recycle and reuse and rewear...  I choose things that are cute, are useful, are decorative, are classic, or so weird or bizzarre! that they simply must be worn, used, displayed...again!

Have you bought a new dress lately? If it's quality, and not from Hot Topic, H&M or Sears, it is pricey. Is it made in the USA? Or where in the heck did it come from? I take pride to offer quality items, that are probably made in a 1st World Country.
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With pricing, if the item is rare, pink, or a bust size over 40, the price goes up. Because, it's worth more to more people. I spend about 60 hours a week on my vintage buy and sell business. It Is A Business. I have to find it, clean it, remove stains and stinky stuff, iron it, steam it,  store it, photograph it, list it, pack it when you buy it, buy all the packing supplies, pay postage, get it to the PO, do all the bookkeeping and taxes... go shopping again, and pray I find something excellent! You pay for my time to go shopping, to find awesome stuff, and to provide it to the World Wide Web, so you can shop from the comfort of your work desk, or late at night...and never have to brave the mall or the stinky thrift store.
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You also pay for the trust you have in me....I'm reliable and not out to rip you off...I'm here to offer good stuff....I'm here to recycle and make neat stuff....
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So yeah, you can guess what I think about the movie Pretty in Pink costume department taking a  50s pink dress! (I'm sure it was fake, but hey!), and turning it into this Flash-In-The-Pan UGLEY 80s crappy dress. Love Iona (Annie Potts!!!) and the rest of the wardrobe in the movie IS FANTASTIC !!! It's packed full of amazing vintage....yes VINTAGE. and um, James Spader.

Conversational and a face in the crowd

floral fabrics are pretty, and pretty common, and I love them...but conversational prints are my favorite prints.
I especially like ones that have words...I like to read and write....so, yeah.
This is a tiny peek at my collection....I have ones with watches, ships, books, anchors, keys, sailor tattoos, men's pants and suspenders, and a big collection of prints with little kids....

here's a neat link to  AllPeopleQuilt, with a History of Conversational Prints..... 
Conversationals are also known as Novelty prints...this is to let you know it isn't a geometric, an abstract, a stripe, a check, a plaid....or a floral......I do love the florals, and I try to make skirts with 'em when ever I can, and if it's a vintage piece...Oh Boy....
Not a conversational, unless you like to talk to flowers..... here's one with marigolds! I know it's a floral, but what a floral!
fat full African multi-petalled marigolds! I wore this the other day when it was warm and sunny, with a sleeveless denim shirt and a 40s vintage beaded belt.

here's a print of hand written and stamped letters to exotic international destinations....most of them are written by Smith New York 12 NY USA. and...L. Perry S.Paul Minn, and are going via Par Avion, Air Mail.... to
Djakarta Indonesia Paris, France.  Lima, Peru. Scattered around are stamps from Hawaii, France, Indonesia, Hong Kong....it's so darling....

and then, my 4th of July fave....a 60s shirtdress with bits of the Declaration of Independence....Liberty Bells and drums and Ben Franklin-style calligraphy.....

Here's a sailing print...with ships in bottles, tags, suitcase tags, medals, rope, chain, sailors knots....

a 70s sailing and boat theme..........

 The men folk get in on the fun too !!
 vintage boxer shorts....with hearts on.........

 an 80s Jams World California shirt.....

a 50s vintage Jamaica history of Pirates and rum !

and another favorite......a steampunk 70s Art Nouveau print of vintage bicycles and lovely ladies.....I really love any Art Nouveau print I come across ....I had passels of these when they were new in the 70s!

and a whole dress of little anchors...and a skirt of perma-pleats......

and here's another fave...an Alligator print by Nicole Miller...she is a very personal favorite, both for her prints, and her fashion design.
....and who doesn't mind looking at my vintage Porsche.......

a face in the crowd.......

I fell into a burning ring of rain..

fun in the sun. Sunny days.....but as usual ........here in Hell, it's rainy and gray. From the LATimes comes..." a "ring of fire" will appear as the moon passes in front of the sun.
Just about every national park in the West is hosting some type of viewing party or astronomy fest Sunday to mark the heavenly occasion."



Yahoo News says "The advice: Either wear specially designed protective eyewear or attend a viewing event — at a planetarium or amateur astronomy club, for example — to avoid risk of serious eye injury."
on the other hand.......Sunflowers!!!

In the garden and with the camera....

once I get things planted, I take pictures ....because it is so fun to see the growth as the season rambles on......growth is never, ever fast enough......

already the little alyssum and petunias in the pots are twice as big....that week of sunshine, 80 degrees and water really does the trick!

how easy are pansies to grow from seed? Well, these all seeded themselves from the pansies in my pots...here in the side yard....that is all...... scatter the seeds in the early fall, or start them in the late winter indoors....keep them watered, and that would be easy in the fall outdoors right? rain rain rain......

let the onions I planted last Spring to go ahead and blossom.......

work area......that rusty rake head....found that on the beach.
perfect.

Swiss Chard!

I'm not super happy about the shady garden near the garage....
once the flowers and things get much bigger....

butter my butt and call me a biscuit....

yellow fellow....the golden tone....silk and honey.....They call me Mellow Yellow.....quite rightly...

the california poppy and the pansy are this years girl......and the sunflower and the carwots are from last years model....

 pretty dresses....pale yellow with lace.... and a chiffon number with rhinestones!  

and the men folk....a 40s butter yellow shirt, a 70s USDA Choice Dad tshirt.......

A 60s button-down shirt, but with a cooler Tiki 'tude....

Hey Jamaica ! a very vintage 50s rayon Union Jack Pirate print shirt....and a butter and grass plaid LLBean 60s vintage wool jacket....

 
They call me Mellow Yellow......