Thrifted & Altered: The Petticoat

This random piece of black fabric with tulle used to be the lining of a skirt I thrifted and altered ages ago. after trolling pinterest for the longest while, I realized I do not own a proper petticoat. If I want the vintage-poof look, I usually just layer multiple skirts underneath and that's that. 

But no longer! I made a loop with the top of the fabric (which was perfectly nice and stretchy on it's own) and added elastic for the waistband. Then I gathered some of this awesome scrunchy maroon fabric I've been hoarding and attached it as my first layer.

Two more layers layer and I was finished! Probably the fastest T&A project yet, as I didn't really feel like making this with too much structure.

I'd hate to end with post without first giving you a sneak peak into some future Thrifted & Altered posts!
I guess I had red on the brain when I went to Salvation Army yesterday because I came home with a maroon blazer, a red floral print dress, and a sailboat pattered pair of pants. The blazer fits perfect but the dress and pants are getting a make over as soon as I finish typing this post. I'm just too excited about those boats!!

Don't forget, you can follow Adventures of a Vintage Hippo on facebook and pinterest! Thanks for reading!

Thrifted & Altered: Double Denim

In an attempt to apologize for missing my Monday post, I'm bringing you a two-in-one Thrifted & Altered post!

What happens when you give a gal like me an incredibly plain and boring denim shirt and unflattering jeans?
Well, the shirt gets cut and sewn into a more flattering shape. Then it gets its very own hand-painted band patches, buttons and cheetah print collar. (The band patches courtesty of my extremely talented sister.)

Then the jeans get cut into shorts, dyed, scalloped, and customized with some studs from an old belt.

The result is so cool, even over-sized stuffed dogs get in on the modeling action.

Thanks again for stopping by!

Thrifted & Altered: Olive Polka Dot Blouse

I picked up this blouse at my best friend's yard sale (that just so happened to be held in my front yard.) It was her mom's I think, and even though I'm a fan of button down shirts in general, I knew this was going to be a project piece. I decided to restructure it, the front would be the back, the collar would be a bow, and the fit would be nice and curvy. 

I am loving the end result and I'm sure it'll quickly become a summer wardrobe staple. (I promise it looks better ironed, I was just too excited and wanted to just hurry up and show you all!)

Thanks again for reading!

There are many more Thrifted & Altered posts to come!

Thrifted & Altered: Black and Purple Lace Shoes

My first official thrifted and altered post is finally here!

I bought these white satin shoes at Salvation Army a while back with the intention of dying them a pale lavender, but the purple dye took a little too well to the satin and I was left with bright orchid pumps.

With no intention of being defeated by dye, I decided to wrap them in lace instead! Just a few pins and drops of super glue held  the lace perfectly and I'm super happy with the way they turned out!

Thanks for reading!

Come back Wednesday for another brand new Thrifted and Altered post!

Thine Own Sunshine

Sometimes I grow weary of my own happiness.
Things go up and up and up...

...instead of waiting for them to fall by themselves I anticipate it much too much.

I thrust myself upon the earth, giving myself relief from the anxiety.



I am unhappy again.

It is true.

But it is of my own hand that I find my misfortune.

It is the destruction that I find so appealing.
The reconstruction that gives me my high.
I tear things apart to put them back together.

I scatter my belongings across the floor to pick them back up.

I rip seams with my teeth and pick threads until my fingers bleed,

just to manipulate the fabric into something new.

I get to tell myself after I have suffered,

"Look at what you have done! You made yourself the most amazing knot and you have managed to untie it all on your own!"

It is disgusting, but it is my nature.

So what do I do when things are perfectly fine as they are?
I enjoy it of course!

...and then I don't.

and then I try to....

...and then I itch.

Because surely this joy cannot last?
Surely there is a being more powerful than I at work,
plotting against whatever happiness I have managed to stumble upon?

Surely I am not worthy of this glee, this content, that I cannot have worked hard enough for it enough to truly be mine?

Some may say these are the thought of a martyr, and on some days I may agree.

But until you have walked in all of the pairs of shoe I  own, surely you cannot tell me my instincts are invalid?

You cannot tell a girl who has lost so much to not expect more loss.
You cannot tell a girl who has had a shattered heart not to treat it with caution.
You cannot tell a girl who has made mistakes that she will not make mistakes again.

You cannot tell a girl who is weeping she has not the right to weep.

I had not weeped for such a long period I had thought myself free if it.
I thought I had evolved from such childish behavior.
And yet I am scratching that itch once more.

I find my mind colored with over saturation. I have shined a light onto the thoughts that belonged in the blackness. I have uncovered fossils of ideas and beliefs that have long been extinct.

I wanted an escape and yet I crawled into a smaller cage.
One that only had enough room for my insecurities and I.
I found myself humming my favorite Scarlet excerpt,

"Thou must gather thine own sunshine. I have none to give thee!"

But I kept wishing I had sunshine to give. Surely that is a sign that these are only accidental feelings?
Perhaps this is simply a short relapse, and I will be stronger tomorrow?

As I write these words I feel as if I am spilling my insides onto the screen

the way a poisoned mind would vomit up it's own illness, if you will.

I want to find my peace with all that I have, and all that I have yet to encounter.
It is an adventure I take no pleasure in being a part of.

I have to change. I have to stop. I have to let myself be.

I have to let myself be loved and love back without hesitation.

I have to be OK. I have to LET myself be OK.

That is the only option I have left.

Photo Friday: Vintage Photos

Every first friday of the month our town has a little collective of artists downtown who showcase their paintings, drawings, sculptures and handmade accessories and such. After making the rounds and seeing all the booths my sister and I stopped into an antique shop I've never been in before (which is strange because I've been to about 89% of them.) After falling madly in love with a typewriter from 1860 I turned my attention to a stack of unkept postcards and books on a table. In a few containers were a bunch of vintage photos and I spent the next hour looking through them all. Honestly I would have stayed longer, but they were closing up and practically had to kick us out. Before they could I bought these gems, a small glimpse into the lives of people I have not, and will never get the pleasure of meeting. I might start a little collection, at a dollar each it shouldn't be a difficult one to manage. I honestly don't know what I love more, the photos themselves or the handwritten pencil descriptions on the back.

Because Life Isn't Challenging Enough....

 Oh hi there. My name is Trish and I used to be really good at writing blogs here all the time but then life was like, "Trish you have time to blog? You could be using that time for homework instead! MORE HOMEWORK HEADIN YOUR WAY DOLLFACE!"

But I have breifly escaped the clutches of my homework dictator to announce that I will be participating in another one of Shoeperwoman's Shoe challenges! Starting today I will be saving shoes for the next full year and if I don't wear them all I have to get rid of the ones I didn't wear. Last year was a great experience, meeting a few new bloggers and realizing how hard it is to let go of shoes I know I don't wear. I'm starting this year with 62 pairs of shoes, of which you can see every pair on the Adventures of a Vintage Hippo Official Facebook Page.

As if that isn't enough to grasp, I'm also starting a few personal challenges of my own, the biggest being my $4.68 budget challenge. You see, I am severely bad with money. Well, not completely bad. I get financial aid because I'm a full time student so I get a lump some of money at the beginning and middle of every semester. I take that money and buget out the important things: enough gas for each month, my car insurance, money for school etc. But then I have all this extra after that, for food and shopping and whatever. That second part is what I suck at. Spending all my "extra" money in the first few months on shoes then not being able to hang out with my friends later because I'm broke. Lame right?
Well I did the math, my "extra" money will last me as long as I need it to if I spend only $4.68 a day. Sounds impossible right? Well I've been at it for a while now (about a month) and I've been able to stick to it! Some days I dont spend any money so I add that day's $4.68 to the next day and if I save up enough I can allow myself to shop a little and whatnot.

I admit, it sounds a little crazy, but it's really been working! I question my shopaholic ways now and I feel like because I have a "challenge" to adhere to, I hold myself more accountable. I'm not going to be sharing that challenge here on the blog, just wanted to share just in case I bring it up someday.
Anyway, that's what I've been up to!

I hear the homework calling me once more.. wish me luck!