Pretty things in purple

Thrifty Purple Finds
Originally uploaded by allisongryski

Despite the distinctly grey and rainy "summer" that we've been having in Montreal, I haven't been much in the mood for blogging. I've been twittering little nothings instead, extolling the virtues of bixi mostly. Yesterday I finally pulled out my oil paints and got started re-learning how to use them. Today I went to the thrift stores to see about finding a suitable old shirt to use as a smock, but instead I came away with pretty things in purple: A dressy sort of blazer, a purple bobble necklace, and some vintage buttons. I almost got a purple polka-dotted scarf at the first shop too, until I noticed it had some stains.


Vintage buttons
Originally uploaded by allisongryski
The necklace and buttons came from the church bazaar at Mont-Royal and St-Hubert. It has quite a lot of sewing notions and some bins of old patterns. It's also where I got one of the pillow cases that I used in my quilt. And, in a funny coincidence, where I found the skirt that I'm wearing today (for $3). The blazer came from the friperie Retromania just down the street on Mont-Royal. Not as cheap as the church bazaar, but definitely higher quality stuff when it comes to the clothing. It's the usual thrift store trade-off ... if it's "curated", you're more likely to find something nice, but it's not going to be as cheap. The other thrift store I wanted to visit, on Gilford, appears to be closed for summer holidays until August 4. But it's another place I found a great $3 skirt. Perhaps tomorrow I'll check out the Salvation Army on Notre-Dame and see if I can find a smock. Or you know, maybe something else purple.