Make it at Home!

Opening a small indi boutique is for the rich or the creative. I fall into the latter category. This means ikea shelving, hand me down tables, vintage curtains as tablecloths, thrift store suitcases as bag displays (a little trick I borrowed from Punky), acrylic paint on the windows as signs, and my favorite bit, a diy chandelier. I love how it came out and I want you to make your own, if you are so inclined.

First I bought three ikea lampshades and hung them upside down at different lengths with those cords with lightbulb sockets at the end (also from ikea). Then I found some hollow plastic balls at Target. I suppose you're meant to put them in a vase or something to decorate your home and spread holiday cheer. The balls are two colors, charcoal and olive, and three different sizes. I then hot glued them to fishing line and strung them about the lamp shades that were already hanging from the ceiling. Viola! A super hip and happening light piece for under $65. Make it your own with different shades or other bits hanging down. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Better Late Than Never Fall Sights

New England is so beautiful during the fall. I know that its pretty much over now, but I was still lucky enough to capture some great shots on my walks to and from the shop. I wanted to share them on this awfully gray and blustery day.

Be-Bop Shop

Well gosh, it's been quite a while. I know that I have been away for some time, but much has been accomplished. I opened a store! A real brick and mortar in downtown Newport, Rhode Island, USA. It's small, but it's a cozy little be bop shop with a boutique in the front and a small work area in the back. Hopefully I will finally start sewing and creating my own designs again. It was tons of work and energy but it will all be worth it.

I have a good selection of clothing, some jewelry, tons of shoes, and even more bags. If you live in the area please be sure to come and check it out! For the winter I will be open Wednesday through Saturday 12-6. The address is 10B Marlborough Street. If you live in a land far, far away I will continue to sell stuff online (even more than what's up now.) However, not everything that I have will be listed so let me know if you are looking for something particular. Who knows, I might just have it.

I'm actually really stoked at how everything came out and I am so thankful to have so much love and support from my friends and fam. I really couldn't have done it alone. Thanks to my mom and sis for painting, moving, lighting, and a million other things, Caitlin for endless layout and interior ideas, and of course Brian for staving off tears, assembling ikea shelving, and those hooks in the fitting room really tie the room together. Also to Mary Ellen for this amazing oppurtunity.

I will be having an Opening Reception this Thursday the 18th from 7 to 9 in the pm. Stop by and say hello!

Big Changes

Fidget Finds is undergoing some major changes, so blogging will be slow for the next few weeks. More details to come!

End of Summer Blues

Just looking through some photos and realizing how sad I am that summer is over. I swear I went to the beach until the end of October last year! Ah well, with fall comes so many new things to look forward to. I love the bright red and orange hues the leaves have become and of course I enjoy wearing boots and scarves. Just like good without the bad, summer wouldn't nearly be as much fun without the winter.

Baked Fresh Success!

Baked Fresh was such a great event! It was a lot of fun, I sold a bunch of stuff, and it was just so nice to talk to so many people about vintage fashion. I really enjoyed doing it. So much so that you can catch me on Saturday, November 8th in Cambridge at Design Hive. I will probably do a few more dates after that, TBD. Stay tuned to new awesome boots going up in the store this afternoon!

Busy Weekend

Two big events this weekend, both of which I am super excited about. First on Saturday night is Fabulous!, a fashion show put on by the wonderfully innovative Elissa of Calico in New Bedford, Mass. The show will feature vintage fashions from her boutique, hair by Salon Lola, and performances by various local bands and performers. The event is sure to be lots of fun, great sounds, and tons of fashion eye candy. Go here to purchase discount tickets before the show.



Then, on Sunday, is Baked Fresh. This is an indie music, design, and art festival in Boston where I will be sharing a booth with the lovely Amy of Punky Style. I am nervous but excited. There is sure to be a big crowd and I have tons to do before the big event; make tags, finish mending and pressing everything, going through my own closet, and breaking my heart by putting things in the "sell at Baked Fresh" box that has started on my bedroom floor. I keep asking myself would I rather have these earrings/skirts/blazer/necklace/boots/etc. or a few extra bucks right now? A few extra bucks seems to be the most popular answer, unfortunately. But great news for all of you who want some awsome finds. Please come pay me a visit and introduce yourself. I love to meet my readers. See you there!!

Dressing Up?

I was just going to write a normal Style Collage post, but I decided to address the issue of dressing up/down as a short rant. Why doesn't anyone dress up anymore? I pass the courthouse on the way to work in the morning and there are people (not lawyers I presume) walking in wearing sweatpants. Sweatpants? Really? Pull yourself together. I guess that's a bad example but still, come on. No one puts any effort into dressing presentable, never mind stylish. I understand that we live in a society where comfort and casualness are put in top priority but what about dressing up to feel good about yourself? Maybe that's what it is, a societal lack of self esteem that puts everyone in sloppy clothes. I suppose that might stem from unattainable beauty and bodies in fashion magazines presenting the said styles that I wish people would put more effort into wearing. What the f, this is getting more complicated than I had initially intended, and coming full circle.

Anyhow, this is an outfit that I wore to dinner and the movies, overdressed as usual. Vintage skirt worn as a dress, belt, and earrings, sweater from TJ Maxx, and Guess shoes. I still stand by my feeling that it is better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Jones'n For A Fix

Until last week I hadn't been to any thrift stores in quite a while. Yard saleing takes up most of my treasure hunting time in the summer, and I did find some pretty amazing pieces this year. It is well worth sacraficing a good Friday night out in order to get up early in the morning to plan your route. I don't think that people quite understand my addiction to all this. It's physical as well as emotional. I crave digging through boxes and racks of old stuff, and my heart literally starts beating fast and I get all hot when I find something amazing. Like when I started getting all panicky and I had to sit down when I found a bag of vintage designer scarves (YSL, DVF, Lanvin, Cardin, and Givency anyone?) at a yard sale for $.25. (there's no cents sign on computer keyboards?) I started saying "Oh my God" quietly to myself and sweating when the woman said they were a quarter a piece. I'm still not quite over it.

On Wednesday I spent over 2.5 hours and $170 at my favorite thrift store that I hadn't been to in months. I bought tons of earrings, blazers, skirts, dresses, fabric, and belts. I know that seems like a lot of money in thrift store terms but in real world terms that's what, a nice dinner with a few drinks?, maybe two pairs of pants and blouse on sale a Banana Republic?, not even a full month's student loan payment? My mom thinks it's gross that I wear clothes that other people wore, but I think it's grosser to wear clothing that was made in god know what conditions in China. It's also just good old fashioned recycling, which happens to be one of my favorite things to do.

Last night someone told me that I reminded him of Indiana Jones. I'm going to forget the part about how it was only because of the scar on my chin.

House Party

I don't really think that I need to say a lot about a dancepartyhouseparty, we've all been there. Thrifted skirt from many years ago hiked up to be the bottom of a pseudo dress, black top I've had forever (it might be a bra?), necklace from H&M, and it kills me but there's no good pics of my killer new Nine West ankle boots. Don't worry though, I'll be wearing them all winter long.

Summer Nights

A beautiful outdoor rehearsal dinner in Westport Mass right on the water, watermelon sangria, and great times. I wore a vintage dress from a yard sale (told you that was my favorite belt), Sarah wore a killer Diane Von Furstenburg number to match her raven locks, and Caitlin looked spectacular in a thin cotton tangerine number. We ate scrumptious shrimp and scallops and our fair share of local and organic blueberry pie. Yum.

Style Collage

A lovely outfit for a wonderful dinner in the beautiful South of Rhode Island. Vintage skirt, belt, and necklace (from my late great grandmother, Marnie), TJ Maxx shoes, H&M earrings, and a no name tee. The photograph on the wall was done by my very good friend, Carrie Sandman. She is an amazing artist and she just got married this past weekend. Lots of photos from that coming soon.

Style Collage

Nicole is wearing a stunning vintage skirt that she styled into a sleek dress with the aid of her favorite fat vintage leather belt. Her gold shoes are by Steve Madden, but are reminiscent of an era gone by. Her earrings are from a cheap jewelry store in NYC. (Can you beleive it?!) She later had to change to enjoy a few strings of bowling, where she only lost by a little (not to be confused by a lot.)

Farm Farewells

A few weeks ago one of my father's uncles passed away. I didn't really know him that well, but I felt honored to attend a memorial service in his name at the farm where my dad grew up. It is absolutely amazing land and I am proud to say that the owner, another of my father's uncles, recently sold easements of to The Nature Conservancy to protect it from future development and to keep it strictly agricultural, all 150+ acres of it. It will still stay in the family. It was once a thriving dairy farm, and now there are still a few animals but the land is used also for cranberry bogs. It was a beautiful service. The night was perfect and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset and an old fashioned pot luck dinner. My sister and I took some pictures that attempt to show the land's beauty.

The Bounty of the Ocean by the Littlest State by the Sea

I don't think there's anything as wonderful as a perfect summer Sunday, which is what I was lucky enough to enjoy this past weekend. It started off as a trip to Rejects Beach (Note: for you non Newporters, Rejects is a public beach that is directly adjacent to Bailey's Beach, a very exclusive private beach club that the Trumps belong too. My friend Sarah used to work there and had many Ivanka sightings. They have cabanas, drink service, and many other perks. There is even a sign in the sand that tells us commoners to stay off their side. It's quite funny actually. I wonder if some plebeian was drowning on the Rejects side, the Bailey's lifeguard would come and save them.) Anyway, I went to the beach with Tiff, and Pat was kind enough to join us. He had to leave though because his back was turning into one big freckle. There were pretty big waves and we were playing in them and body surfing for quite a while. I haven't done that since I was a kid.

After the beach, we were invited to a cookout, Newport style. That means not a hot dog or hamburger in sight. Instead were panko, garlic, and parsley filled grilled little necks, boiled lobster, steamed mussels in a wine broth, steamers in butter, grilled cajun tofu, and cucumber salad. Yuu-uummm. Thank you so much for Tania and Jay for one of the best dinners that I have ever had. All the seafood was fresh, local, and delicious. I made a toast to "good friends, good food, and the bounty of the ocean by the littlest state by the sea."

Outfit Note: To the beach Nicole wore a mix and match Victoria's Secret bikini and Salvation Army sunglasses. To dinner she wore a vintage yellow dress that was a yard sale score, a vintage belt from a thrift store in North Carolina, vintage thrift store earrings, and Steve Madden peep toe flats.

Happy Belated Birthday America!!

The first week of July is my all time favorite week of the whole year, due to my birthday on the 1st, the fourth of course, and all the wonderful festivities that accompany both. Fourth of July is a really big deal in Rhode Island. Bristol, just over the bridge from me, hosts the oldest fourth of July celebration in the country. This year being its 223rd. Pretty Impressive. I don't care much for the parade or the fair or the bands but I do love the all night parties on the parade route where we laugh at old people setting up lawn chairs and blankets at 4 am so they get the best seat in the house, or on the street I guess. No skinny dipping or jumping off of sailboats in the harbor this year though, shucks. At least Caitlin saved her feet from the barnacles and I didn't throw away my wallet again.

The third of July if you will, started off with a nice trip to Block Island with Caitlin. It was slightly frightening only due to the fact that the day before a coast guard ship collided with the Block Island Ferry. Don't ask me how that happened. Luckily there were no casualties. We took a nice walk, went to the beach, and slurped down some native raw oysters while waiting in line to get on the ferry to go home. Yum. I also ran into two boys that I went to high school with that I haven't seen in years. Holla Jay and Ricky. It's a really small state, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Outfit Notes: On the block island trip Nicole wore a lovely Banana Republic cami, Forever 21 shorts, vintage belt, vintage sunglasses, and my favorite vintage hippie shirt of all time. As much as I despise seagulls, I love this shirt. For the third of July party she wore an altered red with gold stars vintage romper (it used to be a halter with capri length legs), vintage wood and leather platforms, a dollar store tiara, and enormous fake gold "Cancer", like the zodiac sign, earrings. (Side note: I once wore these earrings to a Lukemia benefit, realized my snafu halfway into dinner and discreetly took them off and hid them in my purse.)