inspector morse and mr.selfridge

Posted on July 11, 2015 by Sarah S.

I’m a big fan of Inspector Morse (and Endeavour and Lewis…), so I might have had a minor freakout when I discovered an Inspector Morse tour in Oxford, England. Our guide, a retired Oxford University professor, was not only unbelievably knowledgable about the TV series and books, but she also happened to be Colin Dexter’s neighbor….and hilarious (in a nutty British professor kind of way that you’d expect from a woman giving a tour on an eccentric Oxford detective).

Inspector Morse Tour Oxford #100DaysofMiaPrima

Inspector Morse Tour Oxford #100DaysofMiaPrima 3

Inspector Morse Tour Oxford #100DaysofMiaPrima 2

The next day, I had a chance to geek out further over British TV with a trip to Selfridge’s. As a fan of the show, Mr Selfridge, the one hundred-year-old department store didn’t let me down! The place was a commercial playland full of candy rooms, cocktail bars, sundae stands, booming electronics, and a delightfully colorful cunchony of department store staples like perfume and cosmetics. Overall, it was just what I expected a 21st century Selfridge’s to look like, and while I didn’t quite have the funds to support a large purchase, a bag of bulk artisanal candy gave me the perfect little taste of the Selfridge’s experience. Just as Harry would have wanted– with just a pound or two you can leave the store absolutely delighted.

Cheers!

Sarah

This post is #75 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima

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Hello London + Oxford!

Hello, Norther England!

Hi There, Scotland!

i <3 disko

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Sarah S.

Well, not that much. But I do love this (Jonathan Johnson) ring I found at the IJ-Hallen flea market this weekend in Amsterdam.

Jonathan Johnson Ring, Amsterdam Flea Market

More details (and photos!) to follow…

Tot ziens!

Sarah

This post is #30 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

my first flea market adventure

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Sarah S.

The weather was cold and windy yesterday for my first flea market selling the Gibbson Girl’s vintage clothing wears. Unfortunately, this translated into low traffic and low sales for this first try. That said, I still had a great time hanging out with my younger sister, people watching, and chatting with fellow vendors. It was a good experience, despite the disappointments. I’ll be giving it another go next weekend, so wish me better luck next time!

Todd Farm Flea Market Rowley, MA the Gibbson Girl vintage #100daysofmiaprima

In the meantime, be sure to visit the online shop (new items added!). 🙂

Cheers!

Sarah

This post is #22 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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Vintage Adventures in Texas

Mineral Point Art Tour, Flea Markets, & Crocheted Scarves

vintage adventures in texas

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Sarah S.

I have always loved vintage shopping (or thrift shopping or antiquing…), but I’ve been even more keen on it after launching my vintage clothing shop, The Gibbson Girl. Just a week ago, I went on an adventure through Texas, a state I had never been to before. I visited Houston, Austin, and Dallas, and I had and excellent time exploring vintage and antique shops in those unique Texan cities. Here are some of my favorite shots, including some styles you’ll see in my shop soon enough!

Austin, TX

Houston, TX

Austin, TX

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Cheers!

Sarah

This post is #2 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

The Story of a Bag

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Sarah S.

I own at least eight cardigans. Six pairs of soft pants. Five pairs of Ferragamo heels. Three pairs of Levi’s. Two watches. But only one bag.

Okay, that’s not totally true. I do have a clutch for special occasions, a handmade leather side bag for traveling, and a vintage leather Longchamp that holds my art supplies hidden somewhere in my closet. But generally speaking, there is only one bag that I use on a regular basis. Previously, I was using a Longchamp that I splurged on when I visited France….because France is probably the most appropriate place to splurge on a Longchamp, right? 😉

But three years later, my faithful bag was starting to deteriorate. It had travelled on subways in cities from Paris to Chicago, was thrown into many a trunk, and stuffed to its brim, and now it was finally going to receive some well deserved rest.

I hate purse shopping. Just as much as I dislike shoe shopping, honestly. It’s not that I don’t like getting new purses or shoes; it’s that the process is very tiresome. Shoes and purses take the brunt of your life. They are thrown around, walked on, tossed into corners, and they hold some of your most valuable possessions. That said, quality is key for me when finding a bag. But so is practicality. And, of course, price.

Well, thank goodness for Kate Spade Saturday!

For under $200 I purchased a black canvas and leather satchel that will see me through many years…and look polished and stunning in the process.

Where is your favorite bag from?

Cheers!

Sarah

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Avalon Exchange

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Sarah S.

Avalon Exchange Pittsburgh, PA on miaprimacasa.com

Avalon Exchange is a very unassuming resale shop in heart of Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill. So unassuming that I never ventured inside until my hairdresser recommended it to me. Not only was the shop filled with racks and rack of quality used clothing and accessories, but it was also packed with people. Apparently I’ve been missing out on quite a neighborhood hot spot.

The shop had a sizable selection of menswear as well as a robust women’s selection. The shoes in particular were great quality at very reasonable prices. You won’t find a thrift shop steal here, but you might find a pair of Miu Miu heels for less than $100. Which is certainly a steal in my book!

For less than $50, I left with some of the best vintage finds I’ve had so far this year. Needless to say, this is far from my last trip to Avalon.

J.crew Rugy, $1 from Avalon Exchange in, Ambercrombie Flannel, $14 from Plato’s Closet, Dooney & Bourke leather boat shoes, $29 from Avalon Exchange, Vintage striped sweater, $13 from Avalon Exchange, and a sneak peak of my latest screenprinting project

Vintage finds from Avalon Exchange Pgh on miaprimacasa.com

Great Finds at Belmont Army Store, Chicago

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Sarah S.

A couple weekends ago, I spent an afternoon shopping around Boystown, Chicago with a couple friends. I lived in downtown Chicago for about five months, but I had never really properly explored this part of the city. Coming from Madison, it was refreshing to see the vibrancy and energy of Chicago…not to mention all the amazing places to go shopping. One of my favorite places from this trip was the Belmont Army Store, which boasted four floors of amazing and unique merchandise. The first floor was a hip, urban boutique, the second a shoe store, the third an army surplus store (coming back here when I have more time to explore this for longer!) and the fourth a perfectly overwhelming vintage shop. I think I could have spent a good half a day in there, but being pressed for time (our parking meter was dangerously close to running out, and we were still at least five L stops away), I only purchased one dress, below, by BB Dakota for $72. That’s more than I would usually spend on a dress, but the fit is perfect and $72 is worth the experience of this shop!What’s your favorite Chicago find?

Ciao!

Sarah

p.s. Want to know how I’d style a stripe dress like this? Check out 3 Ways to Style Zig Zags and Stripes.

Mineral Point Art Tour, Flea Markets, & Crocheted Scarves

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Sarah S.

Last weekend a couple friends and I took a trip to the Mineral Point Art Tour. On our way into Mineral Point we found a huge flea market, which of course, none of us could resist. As usual, I found a piece of vintage jewelry that I fell in love with. It looks like a 60s costume jewelry necklace, but I can’t be so sure! The necklace reminded me of some of j.crew’s new jeweled statement jewelry pieces and is perfectly in line with this fall’s blingy vintage-inspired style.

I’ve been falling more and more in love with menswear this season (it’s not long before I try pulling off a skinny tie!), so I was delighted to come across a vintage men’s jewelry box. The tie bar holder is even labeled. It will make a unique addition to my vanity.

My friend Jaqui who joined me on the trip actually finished crocheting a beautiful cowl scarf on the car ride there and wore it through the flea market and the art tour.

I had never been on a art tour quite like this. I knew that artists opening up their homes and studios was the norm, but I was stunned by some of the amazing studio spaces and architecture that I saw. My favorite was a sculpture garden at Peter Flanary and Sandra Peterson’s gorgeous rural home. We also enjoyed the small town’s speciality, ceramics, at a downtown gallery after lunch at the local deli. All of this makes me think I ought to set up a studio in my basement and get back into creating!