INEZ AND THE SUNNYSIDE BATHING PAVILLION

 

 Wandering through the city of Toronto, we are always finding hidden treasures, including the Sunnyside Bathing Pavilion built in 1922.  No, we didn't bathe;  instead we did this week's photoshoot with the adorable Inez, who reminded us of a 1920's beach goddess!

Photos of Inez by Jennifer Rose

THE AUTOMAT LOVES CARMEN MIRANDA!!!

 

This week's theme is Florals and Fruits, and frankly neither of those would be the same without the one and only Carmen Miranda!

 

Carmen Miranda Glasses

 

This lady was so dedicated to her fantastic flowery fruity fandangos that in 1955, while performing live on The Jimmy Durante Show she actually had a heart attack... and still finished her number!

Tragically she died later that same day after a second heart attack.

For seven-and-a-half-minutes of fruity wonderfulness, watch this:
(And no, she doesn't die in this clip, we're not that morbid)

Photos of Celia by Stephen Severn.

PINS PINS PINS!!!

 
Last week, we received a large box. In the box? Biscuit tins, all shapes and sizes. 
In the biscuit tins? Pins, or buttons, whichever term you like.

Painstakingly separated into categories, and carefully labelled with a neatly scripted note:
"Collection by Victoria Eunice Gray, Born May 6, 1920."

 

Politics, slogans, organizations, tournaments, music, places.... 
Victoria Eunice Gray collected a whole lot of pins in her life.
These are some of the ones we like best.

(And a huge thank you to Kim Freed for her generous donation)

HARD LUCK COUNTY - THIS WEEK'S IT GIRL JESSICA

 http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6521065

Photos of Jessica by Jessica Hinkson.

LIZA - DJ DUO TAIZA

 

This week’s model is Liza Kelly, one half of DJ duo Taiza. 

In the words of her and her partner–in-crime Tai Lee:

“Come hear the most exciting party songs from all over the world brought to you on wax by the irrepressibly extraterrestrial DJ duo TAIZA!
Drop your pants and dance to a symphonic gangsta pow wow of rare hot disco, paranoid funk downtown, rare wu tang 12s, cubist reggae bangerz and latin grooves to slam you in the cervix!!!”

And, as you may suspect, they always look spectacular.

See them every last Saturday of the month at Margret  2952 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON.

Ohh... and check out Liza rockin' the Everly Dress on our website... 

DIY

 

We discovered an amazing series of books from the mid-seventies called 'Make it Yourself- The Complete Step-by-Step Library of Needlework and Crafts.' If you happen to run across any of the titles from the collection, do yourself a favour and pick them up- even if you're not the crafty type, they are filled with fun, cute, hilarious, hideous, and inspiring images. These are some of our favourites....

 

 

At The Automat, we love to DIY! From embroidery and embellishments to handmade leather bags, we believe that making it yourself is the key to a fabulous wardrobe.