Weather Ears

As a Melburnian, born and bred, I have learned to always keep an eye on the weather and to be prepared for any contingency: umbrellas in winter, cardigans in summer. Sometimes a cardigan and an umbrella in summer. Australians all round the country can instantly recognise a Melburnian tourist because we are the only ones assiduously checking the weather forecast.

It is absolutely possible for Melbourne to be hot in the morning and cold and thunderstorming in the afternoon. In the rainy seasons I am always prepared, carrying an umbrella at all times – and if I am caught unawares (a rare occurrence), then I have an emergency collapsible umbrella in my desk drawer at work.

In the entirely likely event the meteorologists have told the most shocking, bald-faced lies and I am OAA and brollyless, I pull out my rain hat, which I bought from high street store Sportsgirl. My mum used to say to me in all seriousness that in an emergency, I could pull a plastic bag over my head. But I think this rain bonnet is a much cuter option!

Photo: July 2016

Costume Pearls

I found these pearl-encrusted half-hoops a little while ago in an op shop but have not worn them yet as they are so extravagant. They are about 1cm wide by 4cm high, and there is nothing at all delicate about their design, which makes me think they must be brash 1980s pieces! Pearls are usually more refined, associated with debutantes and twin sets, but these Eighties numbers are bold and glitzy, which makes me suspect that I will keep these for costume wear only.

They do give me an idea, however, to make some traditional hoops threaded with seed pearls – something like these ones below from Sanctuary Jewellery on Etsy, only more spectacular – by which I mean much bigger!

Photo: Today

Small pearl hoops from Sanctuary Jewellery on Etsy

Robin’s Egg

Sometime in 2008 or 9 I lost a favourite turquoise ring, the stone becoming dislodged from its sterling silver setting and falling out in the street one evening as I walked home from a night out with friends. I was devastated, because turquoise – or robin’s egg blue – is my favourite colour, and that stone was a perfect blue with no intrusions. It was actually as big as a robin’s egg too, although it was flattish; it was even tear-drop-shaped. (Sadly I never photographed it.)

In 2011 I bought another turquoise ring in Barcelona, which I do like very much too. It is quite a different design, being stone all the way round (see it here). However, a couple of weeks ago I found a ring in a thrift store that is almost an exact replica of the original! I couldn’t believe it. Only the shape is different, being more oval, and it has a few brown veins of limonite (iron ore) threading through it. But it is comparable in size to the original, being 3cm x 2.5cm (the original was slightly longer). Extraordinarily, it was priced at only $10 – I paid a lot more for the original ring! Talk about luck, even if it took eight years to strike.

a couple of weeks ago I found a ring … that is almost an exact replica of the original!

The name ‘turquoise’ means ‘Turkish stone’, and comes from the French pierre turquoise, because the trade routes that brought this sky-blue stone to Europe from Asia passed through Turkey, and Italian merchants often purchased it in Turkish bazaars. It is probably the oldest stone in mankind’s history: turquoise beads from Iran have been dated back to 5000 BC; the Egyptians were mining it since 3200 BC; and of course native Americans have been mining and fashioning it for almost a thousand years too.

It is a beautiful stone with an extraordinary pedigree, and now it will adorn my hand once more. Just like the original ring, the plain setting lets this opaque stone really shine.

Photo: Today

A White Elk

I am becoming quite famed amongst my friends for finding Elk jewellery in thrift stores for a tenth of the retail price, as though it’s the jewellery version of a white elephant. We can’t work out why people are getting rid of them. What’s not to like?

Anyway, their loss is my gain. Here is a new necklace made from creamy vanilla wooden beads that I bought a while back. I like it worn with a white top – it’s such a minimalist combination, for summer or winter. You can see the rest of my bonanza here, but I do think I need to go hunting for some Elk earrings next.

Photo: April 2016

No Regret Purchasesssss

When I spotted this snakeskin navy handbag in a thrift store a couple months ago, I found it irresisssstible. It is vintage – Fifties, I am guessing – and in beautiful condition. I walked around the store carrying it knowing full well that I did not at all need it, but I was unwilling to abandon it to the indifferent care of some perfect stranger.

Once upon a time the colour alone would have put me off – I used to dislike navy because it was too corporate; I associated it with conservative skirt suits worn by severe businesswomen. However, something unexpected happened to me a couple of years ago: the scales dropped from my eyes and suddenly navy was sophisticated, elegant and alluring to me!

… suddenly navy was sophisticated, elegant and alluring to me!

There is no label inside, but it is ssssertainly well-made and constructed, with snakeskin even trimming the pockets inside. And the fact that it is snakeskin does away with any conservative connotations. It is a ssserious handbag; discreet; for a woman and not a girl; and though I have not worn it out yet, I have no regretssss! There are some things that are just too beautiful to leave behind.

Photo: April 2016