5 buck pick-me-up with G-Q reader pal

Happy Grunge Queen story: I met Doreen, a reader who found this blog and contacted me after the Toronto Star article Rita Zekas wrote on me and my pad came out in November.

Doreen and I have become friends, and recently we took a stroll along Mount Pleasant Rd., where there's a bunch of antique and decor shops.

At one shop specializing in refurbished lighting, we found bins of chandelier pieces selling for $3 to $6.

This big red piece, about 2 inches long, called out to me. The owner let me have it for $5 - luckily exactly what I had in my purse! It'll make a striking pendant necklace with a velvet or silky ribbon.

Doreen says all I have to do is buy a clasp at a bead shop to go through the hole on top. If I'm feeling really lazy and grunge-queenish, I can just string a ribbon through it.

Anyway I love it. It satisfies my constant need for bling, and will turn out to be a nifty statement piece necklace once I'm done with it.

The gent at the shop tells me red chandeliers were quite rare so these pieces aren't easy to come by. I thought the shape was really different too.

If you're ever on the Mount Pleasant strip in T.O. check it out; the shop has unique chandeliers and some very cool Art Deco wall sconces with icicle-like chandelier pieces dripping from them:



Akladios Antiques
558 Mount Pleasant Rd.,
416-544-1960 www.akladiosantiques.com

How do you get your bling bang on? Any creative ways you've found or put together inexpensive jewellery?

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One Year Anniversary Giveaway!!!

"Da da da da da da da: They say it's Grunge Queen's blogs Birthday ... Happy Birthday to her!"

One year this week! I feel like a proud mommie. Love this blog; love that all you lovely readers follow and comment and encourage and compliment the way along.

Here's prize number one (yes there are two!):

Are you a decor junkie? Love glam, but not sure how to get it? Did you cry your heart out when you learned that one of your fave inspirational mags, Domino, went the way of the do-do bird last year?

This boo-tiful 250 page book, Domino, the Book of Decorating: a room by room guide to creating a home that makes you happy is very Grunge Queen in a way. It's not about thrift per se, though it may feature some rooms with thrifty items in them.

But it is about creativity, creating a happy space that reflects the essential YOU, and sharing helpful tips and ideas ... all Grunge Queen mantras.

I am frequently inspired to do thrifty little dcor re-dos by the likes of Elle Decor, Domino, and the recently funked up Canadian House and Home magazines.

I hope this book does the same for the lucky winner - this will go to the first name I draw!

How to enter in a sec. Here's second prize:

Ok, so you're not a decor nut. But you are a fashion freak, in the most glam of senses.

This vintage/retro 'crystal' necklace is a piece I thrifted while doing this blog, and I love it.

It's so simple, there's a totally retro clasp (that you have to make sure you close correctly) - and it's so old you can even see that the beads were strung with string!!

This will be yours if you are the second name I draw!!

How to Enter:

1). Leave a comment on this post = 1 entry.

2). If you are a follower or become a follower (by clicking "follow" button - you can create an Anonymous profile by the way), leave a comment and tell me = 1 entry (your second if you do above).

3). If you shout out this giveaway to other thrifty decor and fashion junkies (on your blog, on Twitter, on someone else's blog as a comment in the case you don't have a blog), and then post a comment here to tell me = 1 entry (your third if you do 1 and 2).

Three chances to win a prize, and two prizes to win ... and if you were born with a horseshoe and I draw your name twice you could actually win two prizes! I will ship the prizes to the winners!

I will do the draw and make an announcement next Friday January 22. The winners will have to email me back with their contact details.

Good luck and thank you for reading Grunge Queen, where chic is indeed cheap.
And thanks to Thrifted Treasure 'cos I copied the rules from her ....

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Something old, something new

My recent bedroom makeover was inspired by this lovely red bracelet that I received as a Christmas present.

It has an ethnic-elegant look to it, and the red seemed a colourful and warm antidote to the icky January greyness.

All I did was change the duvet cover, add in some curtains and some throws, but the final look is more exotic.

I've had this Navajo-inspired blanket since my early 20s, and haven't used it for years - in fact it was in my donate pile until I pulled it out.

It looks great over the brick red duvet cover I put on the bed as part of the makeover (I have several duvet covers on hand to change things up every once in a while).


I added some multi-coloured striped silky pillows....











Threw up some purple drapes that I relocated from the living room ....


















Added more purple ....




















And voila!

You see the kitties approve!

Tomorrow: my anniversary giveaway!

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St. Lawrence costume jewellery find

I rarely go to St. Lawrence market in Toronto, but yesterday I met an old university pal for brunch in the area, and ended up checking it out.

Natch, I looked for what is always my big weakness: costume jewellery.

This piece took the cake.

It fits high on the neck and the multiple chains fall on the side just as you see it here. There's even a double clasp to make the necklace more of a choker.

I tend to be drawn to 1970s stuff but I'm not sure I can place this era - any one out there want to hazard a guess?

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Lavishy lavishes vintage sparkle

Yesterday I visited one of my fave jewellery stores in TO, Lavishy, which has just opened a second location at Yonge and Eglinton.

Owner Leo designs and sells mostly new jewellery, but lately he's been picking up vintage pieces at New York flea markets and the like on his travels. Not only that, he and his talented staff use vintage pieces to display their lovely wares. I just love the way these floral enamel pins sparkle in this old silver candy dish.

Here, retro clip earrings and a vintage bracelet repose on a pretty vintage plate.










Nearby, a teacup and saucer, a pretty plate and a tiny retro dish hold pretty baubles.

I really respect and admire retailers who think this way, who produce new items but who revere and incorporate the past into their work.

How about this?

This necklace is new (and only about $30; Lavishy's prices rock). The vintage-inspired baubles on it like the keys and the cameo are just darling aren't they?

Lavishy is located at 2525 Yonge St. or in the Junction (west Toronto) at 3095 Dundas St. West, main phone is 416-767-7472 www.lavishy.biz

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Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club

Yesterday I went to the first ever sale by the Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club.

There was heaps of vintage and retro bling there, but my eye caught this 1970s carpet bag the moment I walked in the room, and it was love at first site.

I'm showing it to you here sideways so you can see the texture.

Yes, it matches my couch.

I had the pleasure of meeting the owner of one of my fave shops in Toronto, Bead Goes On (see my Top 10 Toronto Thrift Shops below) - funnily enough where I bought my first carpet bag. She and I and her pal went for brunch after and had a great time.

I'm thinking of joining this jewellery club, btw. It's only a $30 annual membership and they have monthly events. I'd like to learn how to value all the signed pieces I find at thrift shops!

They don't have a website but you can always email them at tvcjclub@hotmail.com.

Happy Monday!

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Ultra feminine look

I have to admit it: sometimes I buy new.

My latest look is girly chic and I love it: a stretch lace top found at a Mendocino outlet for $38. I'm wearing it here under my Theory blazer thrifted for $6.99.

It's a sexy look, yet one I can pull off at work.

I'm wearing the lacy top with another item I bought new by Forest Hill artisan Joan Kreitzer (sorry no webite). Joan makes beautiful necklaces with crystal and semi-precious stones and retails in some Toronto shops like French Connection on Eglinton Ave. West near Avenue Rd.

I love the combo of the lace and the lace-like work of the necklace.

I'm wearing the top with a vest for a romantic dinner, and just happened to dig up a pair of off-white DIM nylons with pretty tone-on-tone flowers over top that go with the top exactly. Believe it or not the look is not lace overkill, just feminine all the way.

It feels good to sometimes buy new things, especially when they're artisan crafted and you know you have an original. And when the piece is a staple - this lace top will see me through holiday functions and can serve as a nice little wardrobe basic - then I don't mind paying more than I normally would.

Happy Saturday! I have to do a shopping column but I may do some thrifting on the way!

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Retro bling x 3 for under 2 bucks!

I woke up the other morning with this phrase in my head: wonderful pillows are to couches as great jewellery is to an outfit.

In other words, I can't afford a new couch or a new outfit, but I sure can jazz things up with a new pillow (ok, used, see post from two days ago) and new (used) bling.

So, after unloading a bunch of necklaces at my Grunge Queen Stuff Sale a few weeks ago, I stocked up on retro costume jewellery the other day at my no. 1 neighborhood thrift store, Stretch Thrift (see Top 10 Toronto Thrift Stores posts from last week).

How could I leave this retro silver tone choker necklace by Coro that Mary in the shop let me have ... for .50 cents??

Or this gold-tone retro choker by Monet, again for .50 cents?

The segments look like little fishies, don't they?

I love the weight of this piece - a trait I always look for when buying retro bling. The more substantial, the older, I find, and more expensive looking.

Mary upped the ante when she told me she wanted .69 cents for this three-tier gold tone strand necklace by D'Orlan.

But I took a deep breath and decided to go for it.

Three fab pieces to make countless outfits even better, all for $1.69!

Maybe one or two will be holiday gifts ....

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Movie star looks a la thrift

Dah-ling.

Ever since finding my $3 retro purple sunglasses
I've been slightly obsessed with ... you guessd it, large purple retro shades!

These purply pink retro shades called "Comet by Newtrend" were only 99 cents at my local thrift shop.

The person who wore them had a small head as the arms have been bent super short. But my optician can heat them and adjust them to fit me - remember that when you're scouting for retro shades!

I found another goodie yesterday while doing a shopping column in North Toronto. In one of my fave consignment shops, Around the Block I found this wonderful piece of costume jewellery for $10.

As you'll see with my other thrift jewellery posts, costume necklaces with multi-tiers are a particular obsession of mine. Pearls and chains are classy yet can be funked up, and they can solve various style woes.

I'm wearing them here with a jersey wrap-inspired dress by Bionic Woman by Toronto designer Mark Foreman, which has a long V-neck that shows my scar and makes me look even more flat-chested than I am.

A tangle of pearls and chains like this remedies those problems and makes me look like a rich beetch to boot.

Tip: always look for costume jewellery with some weight. It tends to look more classy and substantial. I can always tell it's retro by looking at the clasp, which always has cool and very ancient looking hardware.

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Retro shades & hunky Aussies

What do you think of my movie star sunglasses?

I found them in an old hardware store on Danforth Ave. in Toronto for $3!

They're not new. The hardware store, Tracy's Hardware, has been around for 55 years. It does sell hardware but the window is full of second-hand treasures like brass Buddhas and 1960s Murano glass.

I couldn't resist these - purple too!

I wore them last night to the funkiest networking event I've ever been to, held at a drive-through storage facility in Toronto called All Canadian Self Storage and organized by Toronto area Business Network News. I paired them with a fab pink A.X.L. dress I found at ENDS in the Beach for $29!

Funnily enough I tried the exact same dress on a few months ago at the same place when it was $10 more, but left it there as I didn't think it looked good on me!

I also found this ring - new - for .50 cents at another end-of-the line place on the Danforth!

It looks so classy, doesn't it? I think it may be copper.

The lady said it's from Johnson's jewellery in New York but I'm still investigating. Looks like there may be a stamp inside.


I didn't get any pics of me in my amazing dress, but someone else did!

Here I am with some Aussie football players at the The Aussie X booth.

I think I may end up on a brochure somewhere!

Sunglasses, $3; dress that would normal retail at $200: $29; necklace for a couple bucks at a garage sale - that's $34 for this outfit not including the silver leather shoes, which were part of a buy one get the second pair FREE so they were really $50!

I call that a thrifty shopping goal - or is it a touchdown?

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A throne fit for a queen

Lest you think this blog is becoming a catalogue of my various social exploits, let me reassure you that this entry is 1). Related to a shopping column I'm doing about Yorkville in Toronto; and 2) An illustration of how you can rock in second-hand clothing and accessories!

But first: isn't that throne me and my date are sitting on fit ... for a queen?

We were at a party at MoRoCo Chocolat and we just had to get the sweet owner Kelly Kimel to snap a pic of us in this very regal looking chair.

My outfit: a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress found at Toronto resale boutique Extoggery. I found the chunky silver tone necklace at the thrift shop for under $10, and decided to jazz it up a little (and cover the scar on my chest) by simply knotting it - looks neat doesn't it?

We saw some very classy looks walking around Yorkville that night, and also some trashy ones. Just goes to show you can look uber classy even when wearing second-hand duds!

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Grunge Queen gets crafty

Dear reader, if you know me well enough you'll know I'm an "as is" kinda gal, not crafty in the least.

Well at the opening of the new Yorkville Anthropologie store in Toronto last Friday night, let's just say I got a little crafty dafty.

Here's me with a hot glue gun to prove it.

To celebrate its launch Anthro held a "statement piece" necklace making workshop using used bits and baubles from vintage jewellery and such.

My gal pal Andrea and I were pretty useless, I'll admit. While droves of 20-somethings put together beautiful statement piece necklaces in 10 minutes to half an hour, we slaved away at that table for 2 hours!

Andrea, lucky gal, ended up finding her necklace mostly done. She strung it up and voila, she had a gorgeous piece!


Here's me with my final creation: a swirl of pearls and smokey grey beads glued to a royal blue felt bib. The silver floral pieces are really special.

It actually turned out ok, kind of elegant, n'est pas? The string part is a mess and I'm not sure about the velvet, so I may recreate the piece on a different fabric.

I'll post the full story soon on my Twitter feed, where you can read all about my local shopping exploits in Toronto!

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Books & baubles

I love coffee table books but will never pay full price for them. Sometimes I find them used in thrift stores, but that's rare. More often than not they're in discount book places or second-hand book stores.

I discovered this Vanity Fair book containing the best photos and articles from the 1920s-30s, for only $16 when doing a shopping column in the Leaside Business Park in Toronto (on old industrial park - see my Twitter updates for all links to my shopping columns).

This book has something on everyone, from Isadora Duncan to Carl Sandburg to the Ziegfelds - pretty much every artist, actor, political thinker or author you could think of crammed into an era's worth of a book that's in great condition.

Sigh. Does it seem that we have less people like that in the world at the moment? Glamour like it exists in these pages doesn't seem to be a reality today - we're too busy de-glamourizing everything from celebrity life to TV programming.

These baubles have nothing to do with Vanity Fair or the 1920s and 30s, but they were all found at thrift shops for cheap and exude a certain amount of glam.

There are several clear crystal-like necklaces from the 1950s I found lately wound around a hanger as you see here, along with a multi-tier red necklace that was only a few dollars at Goodwill.

They look like glittery little candies hanging here, don't they?

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Trifari choker could be worth something

My best friend bought me this lovely, almost pocket size hardcover book for my B-day, Shopping for Vintage: The Definitive Guide to Fashion.

In it there are beautiful colour illustrations of the creations of much coveted and collectible clothing and accessory designers, along with descriptions of their main looks and what to look for when shopping for them.

Needless to say most of the designers are pretty high end, their wares like nothing I'd see in the thrift shops.

But the book helped me realize a necklace I bought last summer for $10 in a junk store outside Morrisburg, Ontario could have way more value than I thought originally.

I knew Trifari jewellery was somewhat collectible, but it wasn't until I read the write up on it that I realized how much.

This pretty silver tone leaf choker is signed "Trifari", a signature which, according to the book's author Funmi Odulate, means the piece was made before 1923.

All Trifari pieces after that date are stamped "TFK", so if you find a bauble stamped "Trifari" or Trifari and Trifari", you'll likely have a more collectible piece.

I haven't figured out what the value is on this necklace but I don't care much: I'm just kinda thrilled to know the Grunge Queen did pick up something somewhat collectible - I loved it on sight so it's still just as meaningful to me.

I always look for signed jewellery pieces when I do the thrift dig, though a signature doesn't mean an item is worth gobs of money. Sarah Coventry jewellery is highly collectible and often signed but I don't think it fetches the big bucks as there were so many pieces made.

Sometimes signatures or stamps change over time, as Trifari's did, and that can help you identify which era the piece was made in and possibly its value.

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The $2.99 factor

I swear to the Thrifting Gods, every thing I like at the Salvation Army Thrift Store is $2.99 or $3.99.

Last week I did a Sally Ann dig on the way home - it had been too long, alas - and found two costume jewellery rings in the case for $2.99 each.

How could I leave them there?
They're not valuable per se - not like the other piece of jewellery I'll show you this week sometime as promised - but I just love the look of a big costume cocktail or dinner ring - so dramatic, for just pennies a finger!


Click on my Jewellery label link to the right to see more great thrift store jewellery finds and how to find the good stuff.

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Family & garage sale necklace

It's been a fun, busy week as family has been visiting.

Here's a pic of me and my sis on a patio in Toronto.

I'm wearing one of my fave garage sale finds here: a 1960s three-tier necklace made of heavy plastic (I think) with gold jangly bells inside the black circles.

Crappy description, sorry, but for $22 - the most I've ever spent on one piece at a a garage sale - this necklace was well worth it.

I wear it with everything. It can morph from a classy outfit to slightly more rocker-hip garb with ease.

Grunge Queen philosophy: you can always jazz an outfit up with an inexpensive piece of costume jewellery found at the thrift store or in someone's driveway.

Nest week I'll have a story for you about a necklace I found for $10 that I just discovered may be worth something, thanks to a B-day gift from my best pal!

Happy weekend!

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Thrift ring challenge answered

The answer to the thrift store ring challenge you read about here:

The big pink & sterling silver cocktail ring, snagged for two bucks at my local thrift shop!

The other was purchased new at the Bay for over $50.

I loved this pink one so much, but so did my pal Parm, and it did look so much better on her with her dark skin.

So now it's hers.

The wonderful thing about finding rings for so cheap is that I can give them away to good friends when they admire them ... and it's a tradition I like. It makes people happy; it makes me happy. Plus a ring is more symbolic and I'd like to think it serves as a concrete reminder of some of the friendships I have valued and value.

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Which ring is thrift?

These are games I like playing when I shop.

It goes like this [in thrift store]: Cripes, I just paid $[insert price that's 6-10 x more than item; I'm just going throwing that figure out there and it could vary] for a [fill in the blank] just like that!

Or like this [in a regular store]: Hee hee, I just bought a [fill in the blank]just like that for 5 bucks at the Sally Ann.

Needless to say the feeling is always more euphoric when the latter has happened.

So can you tell which ring was thrifted and which was purchased regular price at the department store?

Both silver; both big cocktail rings; both light in hue.

I honestly don't know how you could.

So take a guess and post a comment and tell me what you think!

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By special request

Thanks to Cath, grunge queen reader, pal and colleague at The Town Crier group of newspapers www.mytowncrier.ca

who graciously took this photo of me at work today sporting my totally-tubular snake-like necklace with Tribal influence and crossed with a semi-Industrial look that I thrifted for $3 yesterday! (see post below).

Fashion and jewellery pieces always look better on, agreed.

Normally I wear necklaces long but today I decided to wind it twice around my throat - much as some lethal constrictor snake would - so it goes with my outfit.

I'm posing in front of my editor-in-chief's new painting in his newly painted office! Thanks Eric!

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