Tuesday 23 February 2016

What a way to make a living


What do Cary Grant, the Visible Man and I have in common?


We can all be found in St Luke's new charity shop specialising in vintage, of course!
 
 






I am loving my time in this shop - it's just right for me. 

I'm working full time, we're still building up our team of volunteers, and there are lots of things to tweak and adjust and develop. I'm waking up in the small hours of the morning with ideas and plans and Things To Do. I'm knackered, but I'm so happy to be there. 



1960s black/metallic dress (shortened by me accompanied by much swearing, it was tricky to preserve the shape and the pattern at the hem while sorting out a previous poorly-sewn remake) - charity shopped
Boots - retail
 
Gotta love a job where wearing flamboyant vintage clothes is not only acceptable, it's positively de rigeur. 
 
I'm being a terrible blogger at the moment - parachuting in with a me me me post, having failed to leave any comments on your blogs for days on end. I will rectify that soon, I promise, but right now I need my bed and I have yet another list to write for tomorrow...
 
(I'll just pop over to Patti's to join the Visible Monday gathering before I go.) 

See you all soon!

xxx 

44 comments:

Pennyblossoms said...

It was worth all the cursing to get that hem right; looks great.
The shop looks as tho' it's choc-a-block full of goodies!
That pink check baby blanket in the first picture, on the pram...I still have mine. It's draped over the back of my chair as I type.
Life is sounding good!
Zxx

Mother of Reinvention said...

I agree. That dress is lovely. Jump in all you want, I am absolutely delighted to be able to get a look round your shop since I can't do it in person. It is looking fantastic.I would love to be able to shop there one day. You have done a fabulous job with it, all your hard work has really paid off. Congratulations on such a venture! Xx

Kezzie said...

It looks amazing in there Curtise!! How wonderful to be part of such an enterprise!!! Your swearing dress was worth it, it looks amazing!x

Connie said...

Oh that IS a dream job. And you look so pretty and shiny in that dress. How exciting that you are surrounded by all sorts of things calling your name. I actually found myself doing a little window shopping through the photos. So. When do you start your vintage psychic business? You know you want to.

Sheila said...

Oh, I'm so envious! That looks like a dream job! Love your dress.

Marjorie said...

You are not a terrible blogger. You have a new job/business and a family at home. We miss you but understand. The shop looks fab.

Unknown said...

I really wish I could come visit your shop. It looks wonderful! And your dress is so perfect for you! Now get some rest. :)

Patti said...

It looks fantastic! I think you have found your dream job, and how lucky St. Luke's is to have found YOU. wish I could visit today, xox

-Patti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com

Debberoo said...

Shop looks fabulous and I love that you are loving it! x

Suzanne said...

I want to be there! What a great little shop. I can see why you love it. So very happy for you.

It really looks wonderful! You've done a great job!

bisous
Suzanne

SAM said...

I'd love a good shop in that store! The dress looks fab. I love that you are getting to set up and create the layout how it works best.

Trees said...

This looks like the most amazing charity shop ever!! I feel like its ok to be exhausted by work if you love what you do, and you're clearly going to love this job. Also the frock alteration looks pretty great to me (sometimes it feels like alterations are more trouble than starting from scratch!).

Sue @ A Colourful Canvas said...

OH, I feel your JOY! I'm so happy for you Curtise!!!

When I was seeing the photos of the shop, it gave me a little thrill knowing it's 'your' shop!

Lovely job with the hemming on your dress!

bahnwärterin said...

hey - its real!!!
congratulations! i would give up blogging total for a job like this!!!
your dress is a beauty - hooray for your sewing skills! you look so right in place in this shop! and i already spotted some fine stuff!
take care of you!
xxxxxx

Unknown said...

Big congratulations to a wonderful job! You must be perfect for it !
Xxx

Ivy Black said...

Oh mate, I'm so chuffed for you . It looks absolutely bloody brilliant and has you all over it. You watch it take off. I can't think of a better job for you. I can see plenty in there I'd nab...some lovely goodies.
Have loads of fun.
Loves ya.
xxxxx

Mim said...

SO MUCH TREASURE. You are going to be brilliant at that job, and the shop looks amazing. That picnic set! All the kitchenware!

Lisa said...

Wonderful to see you in your shop! So exciting that it's all come to fruition and to hear you are loving being there.
Lisa x

The Vintage Knitter said...

The shop looks bloody amazing - I wish I was closer so that I could shop there! Its heaving with vintage goodness, I bet it'll do amazingly well with you at the helm. You look perfectly dressed for the occasion too with your metallic dress.

Looking forward to reading about all your successes with the shop xx

Sarah Jane said...

What a great way to make a living! The shop looks amazing and you get to spend all your time there. Congratulations on all your hard work, what an amazing end result xxx

The Style Crone said...

I'm so excited for your Curtise! You have found the perfect calling, and you will make this shop sing. Congratulations!!!

Unknown said...

So excited for you it looks amazing and im loving that yellow tablecloth. You look gorgeous. Enjoy every minute, dee xx

thorne garnet said...

cool looking shop. I'd shop there

Forest City Fashionista said...

The shop looks great, which I assume can be attributed to you! So glad you are enjoying the job - I would enjoy working in a place like that too. Real life does tend to get in the way of blogging, doesn't it? Stop by and say "Hello" when you can ;)

Fiona said...

Lovely to see you Curtise...and your fab shop too! Crikey I'd be in there like a shot, if I could....I spied a couple of 70's floral tablecloths straight away that took my fancy. What a superb frock, it looks like quality and v.expensive..no wonder you wanted to save it, you are clever and must have more patience than me. Loving the trendy industrial rails, wall mounted bike and re-purposed stepladder....I bet you've been taking money hand over fist? xx Sleep well.xx

Vix said...

The shop looks almost as fabulous as you do in your refashioned lame frock-tastic dress! It's the law to wear flamboyant vintage when you're selling it - or it is our world.
It certainly looks like the volunteers in the other shops have understood their mission to save the vintage donations for you, there's some choice bits I can see from here!
We know you're not one of those tedious me-me-me bloggers, you daft bat. It's a joy to see you pop up in my sidebar.
I might be home in time for The Voice this week. The stealing round looks dead exciting!
Love you! xxxxx

Natalia Lialina said...

Your store looks wonderful! So stylish! You, Curtise, look wonderful! So stylish and HAPPY! Congratulations on such amazing changes in your life - cherish every minute! Just have fun with life, and then, if you still have time, with your blog. Much love to you!

Mrs Bertimus said...

I've been so excited to see your shop and it's FABULOUS!
It is just perfect for a Style Queen such as your good self! Xxx

mondoagogo said...

So glad you're loving your job and waking up happy! That's the best.

Vronni's Style Meanderings said...

Oh how exciting it all is! The shop looks wonderful and so intriguing. I wish we had something similar in Bedford!

That dress is lovely and you look so stylish and definitely de rigeur.

Don't work too hard, have 'me' time too.

xxx
Veronica
vronni60s.blogspot.com

Goody said...

YES!
You. The shop. The dress. Everything. YESSSSSSS!

That's a hell of a long trip to visit a vintage shop...but you have me tempted. Very, very tempted.

The layout looks perfect from the photos-not so cluttered your eyes can't adjust, but *just enough* to keep a visitor turning in all directions saying, "ooh, look at this. And look at that. Oooh, over there..."

Excellent use of the vertical space as well (love the ladder display).

Don't you worry about blogging-sleep is better, and worth grabbing as much as possible.

Congratulations on the shop.

freckleface said...

I'm so glad you've parachuted in with some news about you, you, you! And it's good news. I'm just so thrilled for you. Having been so patient, it's just wonderful to hear it's turned out right in the end. If I were a career's adviser, I'd be using you as the perfect case study for someone wanting to get back to work and wanting to change career. You've done everything right and you've made it happen. Very inspiring. You look so so glam in that fabulous dress too. Full time, eh? Blimey. Once you go back to normal, we need to nab you for a trip out. Xxxxx

Beth Waltz said...

Media maven that I once was, I can see at least 5 photo-story ops in this post, not least among them you in that splendidly re-vamped vintage dress! Were I the editor of your uni alumni annual, I'd be camped on the doorstep now.

The shop is exactly as we all expected you would work to make it: clean, attractively organized, stocked with treasures and filled with light. Brava!

Lynn Holland said...

I'm so excited for you Curtise the shop looks fantastic. I only wish I was near enough to visit and spend a few pennies there.
Your dress looks really good on you, it was well worth all the bad language and angst.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy
Love Lynn xx

Olga Rani said...

Congratulations on starting at the shop! Who would doubt that it is just the right place for you to work. And the right dress for such a place!

Miss Magpie said...

It looks bloody brilliant, well done to you. x x

Sue said...

The shop looks nothing short of amazing, I want to visit, well done you!! What a perfect job, hard work but I am guessing pretty rewarding at the same time and your idea of heaven I assume. Love the ladder shelves, I have something similar in my garden.

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Looks amazing! How wonderful that you have found a job that's just right for you!
Liz

Emma Kate at Paint and Style said...

Yay! Congrats you're up and running! Now, that shelving; is it actual scaffolding parts? Loving it!
Wishing you all the best. xxxx

handmade by amalia said...

This may well be the best charity shop I've seen. What a gorgeous selection of vintage!
Amalia
xo

Porcelina said...

I would love to visit that shop!!

I am so pleased you are enjoying it, of course you're excused from not blogging as much, we all have real lives after all! xx

BadPenny said...

It's all looking fab as are you. I have serious shelf envy !

Melanie said...

Goodness, it looks wonderful! I'd love a poke about xxx

Emma Kate at Paint and Style said...

Hi Curtise, I'm thinking of doing this scaffold look inside my wardrobe. Do you know who the contractors were or what they used? I'm wondering if it's EZI KLAMP. Love to know as I'm having a hard time tracking down scaffold parts for sale. Most places just hire them. Hope you're having a good break from blogging, but don't be too long ok? xxxx