Make-Up Part 2

Looking to clear out some mess today I found this little basket on a chair that I never sit in and collects 'stuff'. Like the make-up I wrote about a while ago it was on the bottom of a bag of clothing, but it was already last winter. It was in front of my door left behind by someone who had moved away. I saw the truck earlier on that day. All the clothing was nice and brought to the recycling center soon after. 

There were a lot of old, possibly expired tubes of creme (among them expensive Biodermal sunscreens) in the basket that I threw away.

What's left in the picture is what was interesting. Essence is a fairly inexpensive brand but the pots of nail varnish are all full and fresh so they will go to the thrift shop next week. I'll put no more than €0,50 on them but they will sure sell. I haven't varnished my finger nails in over twenty years, and for my toe nails that is about three years ago. Doubting about the red colour for that. I like it. Other than that it's handy to have a bottle in the house. I recently used one to mark the knobs of my simple cheap electrical cooking device, as the numbers started to fade away. And even before that I would have to put on reading glasses to see them. Not anymore! But I still have that and it will last long enough.

I had taken out the tubes of Q10 gels before for my own use. They looked clean and new. Now I don't have a cellulite problem. It's rather the opposite with too loose skin on my my legs because I'm so thin I'm getting under weight. But I don't care. Nobody sees that under my jeans. The thing is Q10 is a helpful food supplement. Two, my idea is a cream is a cream. If it is good to put on your legs would it harm my face? Of course not. I found out one little drop of it feels comforting and cooling especially around my eyes after showering. It probably won't do anything about wrinkles or sagging eyelids. Don't care either. But what goes on my skin will somehow enter my bloodstream even if it's on a very low level. Effects not noticeable yet but I will see. And I do like that bit of cream on my face anyway, and this will last for long saving me on buying.

Basket is in good enough condition to go to thrift shop as well. And the powder boxes I left there last week were all gone yesterday!

Make-Up

A few weeks ago I took home a small plastic bag with textiles to sell at kilo price at the recycling center. Found various empty medicine or vitamine pots on the bottom. Good for the plastic recycling. Plus one full pot of vitamine/energy pills, not expired, that I'm using up. I don't really believe in it, but it looked trustworthy so a least it won't harm.

And further there was this small lot of make-up.

I understand the attraction of cosmetics to women, as I have been a victim of it in the past. But not for that long and never did I have to throw away anything totally untouched like these. As I see at least three foundation powders I wonder why you'd buy the new box before even touching the old one... I would have used up the blusher and eye-shadow to the last grain in my time! Shimmer sheets didn't exist back then so I have no clue what they are good for but the plastic wrap is unsealed.

The boxes seem old and were dusty and I just wiped them off lightly. Since not selling on the markets anymore these went to thrift shop today and I didn't care to do more work. Powders don't decay and I'm sure priced at €1 each they'll be gone soon.

Today I made a very nice sale on a piece of electrical equipment that I picked up yesterday. But as I still have to ship it and wait for customer satisfaction I'll show it later on.

Henna

For the first time in my life I dyed my hair with henna instead of the chemical stuff since I still had these two packs that I dug up in the trash years ago. Just never did it before because I thought it would be too much of a hassle, but that’s not so bad after all.

So I don’t know how old the packs were but the powder doesn’t decay even though the brown was a leftover in an opened sachet (and the auburn was untouched). Tried that brown/chatain first but it turned out too light for my taste. So I had but no choice than to go for flaming red auburn… a colour I’ve never worn before. Scary, but it turned out great and all my friends say so too!

Apart from that natural dye is better for me and the earth anyway, it strengthens my hair and a pack is good for at least three treatments (for my short hair). Way cheaper, so next time I’ll have to buy I’ll go for henna.

A Late Fifties Mirror Set

I found this mirror set about a year ago at only fifty yards from my apartment, at the corner of our block. I date it late fifties early sixties. The shape of the triptych mirror panels is still quite romantic, but the formica covered tablet with its plastic gold coloured lining definitely taste early modernism. Then the back support of the mirrors and the mini compartment below are solid wood. Only the knob of the flap is modern again. It’s a wonderful mixture of two style ages and I did not have to ask myself twice if I wanted to take this piece home!

What it was designed for is I think a mini dressing table for a tiny bedroom (so common still these days in my town, Amsterdam) or a as a hallway piece for a quick check up of the face and hair. The tiny compartment could have held a comb and brush, powder box and lipstick placed on the tablet. Which would have been handy to lay a pair of gloves on as wall.

I would have loved to keep it but the problem is I have a fairly roomy bathroom with a wash stand and a wide mirror with a tablet over it. And in my bedroom I already have a pretty large circle shaped triptych mirror. Then my hallway is so narrow I feared my tall BF or visitors would have bumped into the set constantly. So…

After having used the piece to photograph my felted make-up bowls on I decided to take it to the craft fairs as a display. Threatening to get sold of course. Not the first time, but that was in June when sales were low anyway. But last Sunday within a few hours one lady already inquired if it was for sale. She told me it was for a baby bedroom, an idea I didn’t like too much so I held her off saying she could pick it up at the end of the day. I didn’t really expect her back so when later a young woman was totally in love with the mirror I sold it to her immediately at the same price I had asked the first lady, 15 Euros. With the fading silver, hang-up hooks removed and rusty hinges I thought that was a fair price for a still quite unique piece. Not bad for rescued trash, isn’t it?

Mosaic Table Tops

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been up to my neck in preparations for two craft fairs I had last weekend. But fortunately I found some inspiration there. Looking around on one market I found someone selling mosaic, and she had the loveliest round end tables.

They much reminded me of two table tops I found in the trash over a year ago. Mine are maybe less refined and a bit more of a mass product than the work of the artist I saw, they are still hand work and though I never planned to remake them into tables, I found it a shame to see them trashed just because the legs broke off. I took them home without specific plans, but recently found they serve as a perfect background for photographing my 'cosmetic' crochet.

These reusable eco-friendly 'cotton-pads' or face wipes are of course available in my Etsy shop, but if you are in the Netherlands your next chance to buy them at a reduced price is at the Sunday Market on 21 June at the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam!

Cosmetics

I don't mean creams, lipsticks or other things you smear on your face, but I don't mind taking for example a bottle of nail varnish from the trash. Perfume is expensive, so I don't say no to a free bottle.

These varnishes weren't even used and came complete with the accessories in the cute case. The cardboard files are brand new too. I have no problem at all using up the leftover of remover. The perfume (when I found it the bottle was almost full) was a Queensday pick from left behind goods of the flea market vendors.