Ornella's Aurana Bazar on Chevron Island!

Today's post is about Ornella- have you met her? If you havent you are really missing out on an experience. At first glance Ornella's shop is crammed to the rafters with stuff but you need to go in and take a closer look. Everything in there is unique and there is something in there for everyone.

My favorite items at the moment are the big silver telescope in the front window, A beautiful pair of moonstone and silver ear rings. There is also an antique silver and crystal jug!!! They are absolutley stunning.

But what I like most about this store is the stories that Ornella tells about the antiques she tells you about the history behind the vintage pieces that she has on sale!!! I bought a beautiful vintage cushion from her and it is made of soft velvet that had worn in places and some of the little mirrors that are embroidered on it have fallen off but mostly the reaction my little dog has to that cushion is so cute she stands on her back legs and pulls it off the couch turns it upside down and sleeps with her head near it. never on it.

If you have never been in to Aurana Bazar pop in and tell Ornella, Michael suggested you go in.

It is a really pleasant place to be. Ornella is also a very accurate psychic. Everything Ornella predicted for me in her readings have been spot on, I enjoy Ornella's company immensely!!! Go see her!  

Kenneth Jay Lane Costume Jewellery.

Have you ever looked at the Jewellry that SJP's character Carrie wears? It is always very unique and richly decorated. A lot of it is made by Kenneth Jay Lane he is a very interesting designer. He uses lots of rich rolled gold, pearls, crystals and draws inspiration from nature and creates beautiful butterfly jewellery I have decided a picture is worth 1000 words so these pictures will tell it all.

His most famous customers were the Duchess of Windsor, Audrey Hepburn and Liz Taylor- what better recomendation could you have?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr1_G76tDNU

Care of Leather goods-Patent leathers.

Let's face it just like me Patent leather is high matenance!!! I hate it! It goes sticky sometimes the surface goes cloudy. Here are a few simple tips for restoring that nice bright shiny look that your GOGO girl boots from the 1960's should have!!!

The key ingredients are PURE acetone, cotton wool swabs (preferably the non fluffy kind with a film of gause over them) , Vaseline and vinegar (white not brown or apple cider we are conditoning leather not pickling it darlings!!!).

First, make sure your PATENT LEATHER really is PATENT LEATHER and not some kind of synthetic which WILL MELT  if you put acetone on it!!!

Using the cotton swabs do long fast swipes across the surface- try to do as few swipes as possible but completely clean the surface of the leather. Now polish the surface of the leather with a soft lint free cloth.

In many cases this is enough to bring back the shine on Patent leather. However if the leather has gone cloudy or sticky it may need some extra help with vinegar and vaseline depending who you ask some say vinegar then vaseline others say the opposite. I find it is not the order that matters so much but rather the quantity used TOO MUCH of either and you will end up with a bag that feels and smells like yesterdays fish and chip paper!!!

Put a  level teaspoon of vaseline in the microwave for 10 secs so it goes really soft almost liquid but not too hot leaving the jar in the sun for 10 mins has the desired result too. Now soak a cotton swab in it and spread this all over the leather surface and remove any excess with a second and even a third swab use a polishing motion to do this. Finally use a very small amount of vinegar to finish it off (the swab should be just damp. )  and polish with a soft lint free cloth!!!

Black List!!!

 We have many lists in out lives - there is the wish list, the to do list, the list of things you keep putting off , shopping list, the A list and the D list. Well I also have a black list.

Having been in business for a long time I have seen many things. I generaly see the best in people. But I have also seen the worst too. Today's topic is about my black list it has one person on it. I hope that my black list doesnt get any longer. This is the story of how my black list came to exist.

Last year, I got this gorgeous Louis Vuitton Hampstead in absolutely pristine condition, naturally everyone who saw it fell in love with it. About 2 days after it arrived in store one of the regular visitors to the shop fell in love with it and decided she wanted it.

Well she pushed hard for a discount but I wasnt budging. I knew I could sell it even without a discount. Finally after two hours of pleading with me she agreed to pay my price. But she would put it on layby. She drip fed money in and took 3 months to pay it off...and then she only grudginly came in and made the final payment because I told her she had exceeded the layby time and I was taking back the goods and her deposit if it wasnt paid and picked up.

(Haras) as this person is known because that is how you feel after having had to deal with her for more than two minutes. (I know that's not how you spell Haras ;)  ) So anyway getting back to the story Haras came in to pick up her bag and proceeded to use it for over a month before bringing it back and telling me "I saw a fat woman at Ferry Road Market with the same bag!!!! So I don't want it anymore." I had to explain to her that just because someone else had the same Louis Vuitton bag this was not a valid reason to return the bag!! " NO NO NO !!!" Haras shrieked "Your missing my point- the woman was really fat!!! " Finally I had had enough and told Haras to take her bag home because I had better ways to spend 3 hours on a busy Saturday morning in the shop 3 weeks before Christmas!!!

You might think- end of story BUT no there is more! Haras waited for a day that I was not working in the shop and decided to try her luck again with a staff member we will call her Norashii. Only this time she made a fatal mistake. (The real reason she wanted to return her bag was she had been was she had been on a trip to Thailand and found "this great copy" even she couldn't tell the difference.) Well apparently not because she returned the copy for a refund and kept the real bag. I dont keep cash in the store and No rashii informed Haras that she would have to speak to me again...because I was the only one who could issue a refund. I was hopping mad when I got this terse phone call from Haras who told me I had 7 days to refund her money or she would make a complaint to Fair trade. I told her she had 7 minutes to pick up her copy before I reported her to the police for trying to defraud me!!!

That day I went into Facebook downloaded her profile pic and stuck it on the stock room door!! The note underneath it reads "BLACK LISTED DO NOT SELL THIS WOMEN ANYTHING!!!"  

FYI -The last we heard from Haras was in the Gold Coast Bullie- her husband was arrested for drug trafficing and all her fake bags were lined up on the front lawn and photographed by the police before the whole lot were confiscated. We dont see her on Chevron Island anymore.  I dont miss her...I am not sure if anyone else does!!        

Karl Largefeld!!!

Karl Largerfeld is one of my favourite designers. I am however more interested in his early work. Everything he made was a big statement piece, yet his designs are very feminine. When I think of Karl Largerfeld I think of the 1980's and the opulance that the era represented. Karl Largerfeld costume jewellery is beautiful and richly decorated with luxurious materials. Large Faux pearls, heavy rolled gold bases, supple leathers, are just a few things used to create his timeless creations.

Karl Largerfeld's creativity draws on a wealth of inspirations. He has used an ordinary chair as inspiration for this charm bracelet. The cuff looks like an ornate photo frame and I imagine some ancient royal treasure was the inspiration for the choker and earrings.

Vintage Largerfeld for me, evokes that feeling of luxury not found in today's retail experience. It is very sad but today most of what is produced lacks individuality. It is mass produced and even among retailers there is no point of difference. By that I mean, once Myer and David Jones were very different. Myer and David Jones had a definite point of difference that no longer exists in todays retail.

Shopping for vintage is fun- you can pick up something that almost no one else will have. I have several beautiful examples of Karl Largerfeld right now I hope you like them.         

Vintage Costume Jewellery

 I love vintage costume Jewellery the bigger the better. What better way to jazz up a little black dress? The trick to choosing a piece of costume jewellery is to choose one bold statment piece that will compliment a number of outfits!

Forget about slavishly matching earrings with a ring and necklace. Rather choose one great statement piece and make that the focus of your outfit!! My favorite choice for today are these fabulous Aztec Mask Brass Earrings. They are an unsigned runway pieces that are hand crafted in Mexico. These earrings pre date 1980 and are for pierced ears.  The Aztec Masks are made of carved Jade on Brass bases. They are available from AVOIR luxury vintage on Chevron Island. www.avoir.com.au