Vintage Modern Girl

the story

2011-08-26T21:41:00.005-04:00

aaah what the heck...

i might as well share the story...thE story. the story of where i've been.

i was married

was.

for over five years.

you knew me back then....i was cluelessly hopelessly oblivious to this storm that would crash my shore.

one day my husband (aka vintage modern boy) decided he didn't want to be married anymore (i'll spare you the carnage). it was rough. like an amputation with no pain meds, actually.

i believe marriage is forever, and i thought he did too. but he wanted out, and i was ripped in half. by him. (and sadly, his family, too.)

i prayed and prayed and prayed that God would come through and piece us back together.

He came through, but He didn't piece "us" back together.

He made me whole. without him.

and that, my sweet friends, is basically the story.

oh and one more thing:

LOVE

that is the key to all this. the key to life. the only goal we should have. what drives us.

it's LOVE

and if you don't have it, you have nothing.

you are nothing.

i learned how to love, really love. even when i wasn't loved back. and forgive. it's easier than you think, when you learn how to love.

but to learn how to love...

you need to learn how to be LOVED.

by the One who IS Love.

Jesus.

"ask...seek...knock." Luke 11:9-10

"i have loved you with an everlasting love." Jeremiah 31:3

"...and the greatest of these, is love." 1 Corinthians 13:3

Life: Renewed

2011-08-26T21:23:00.002-04:00

Hey! I'm back!!

I have to admit I had forgotten about this little blog...until a random blogger reminded me (thank you ;-) ).

A lot has happened since the last time I posted...

The good, bad, and the ugly...

But mostly the good...

I am inspired once again...

and in love again :-)

So here's to new inspiration and new love!

(hopefully the next time I post won't take a year and a half)

life

2010-01-20T18:58:00.003-05:00

hello friends!

i just wanted you to know i have not forgotten you.

unfortunately, i've been dealing with some pretty yucky stuff for the past month and a half. but God has been so good to me.

someday, i will share more about it.

until then, i would so appreciate your prayer.

i will be back...soon.

miss you all!

Vintage Christmas Monday: Upcycled Sweater Stockings

2009-12-06T17:24:00.005-05:00

a few years ago, my sister and i made these stockings out of old sweaters that we thrifted, felted, cut out, and then stitched up by hand with some chunky yarn. i love how rustic and homey they look. every year that i pull them out of the storage box, i think of the day we made them. they are so very special to me!

(i should also mention that my sister is an amazing seamstress and should start her own Etsy shop...once her little ones get a bit older, for her sake!)

thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit Joan at Anything Goes Here for more Vintage Christmas Monday fun!

glowing

2009-12-04T20:06:00.010-05:00

a tree transplant

2009-12-04T16:43:00.007-05:00

in this post, i showed a photo of my branch tree sitting on the little table below. unfortunately, it had to be moved due Vintage Modern Boy running into it quite frequently...don't ask me how, though by the fifth time i started to get a little suspicious. so to avoid a potential tragedy (i.e. broken ornaments or VMB losing an eye), i moved it to a safer location. which meant a new arrangement for the little table.

i wanted to keep the same feel...a bit of nature and a bit of sparkle. i'm very happy with how it turned out. i think this smaller stick, in a very, very old liquor bottle, is much more appropriate for the space. the mercury glass and that oh so sweet little bottle brush tree give it sparkle and warmth.

as for the big branch, it now happily (and safely) resides on my bedroom dresser. i think it is a much better spot for it as well. and it has been reunited with my "jewelry branch" that came from the same tree.

a happy ending for all!

Vintage Christmas Monday: Mercury Glass Ornaments!

2009-11-29T14:00:00.004-05:00

hello! today i'm joining in on Vintage Christmas Monday hosted by Joan of Anything Goes Here.

i thought i would share some of my favorite vintage mercury glass ornaments...

i began collecting them a few years ago after i found some boxes of old Shiny Brite ornaments at a garage sale (for 50 cents a box!).

in an effort to display them and keep them safe from our Christmas tree climbing cat, i put them in this bowl that i got on clearance at Target a few years ago. (ironically this bowl was adopted by aforementioned cat as his preferred napping bed when it was empty...though not anymore!)

i like the bright funky retro-ness of them...they remind me of the decorations in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"! (the colors are really quite wonderful in person, but i just can't seem to get a good photo of them)

thanks for stopping by! now go check out all of the other Vintage Christmas Monday goodness at Anything Goes Here!

sparkling

2009-11-28T21:18:00.005-05:00

this morning i woke up to sparkling mercury glass (and a snoring Vintage Modern Boy). i jumped out of bed, grabbed my camera, and snapped away. i realize the black tapers are a bit non-traditional...especially for the Christmas season. but i really love them!

and yes, that poor pink tree has been moved...again. (things rarely stay in one place around here!)

i hope you all had a truly wonderful Thanksgiving! i sure did! i had plans to share a pre-Thanksgiving post, but it never happened. but i want you to know how thankful i am for all of your encouragement and inspiration!

the Christmas decorating is mostly finished...photos coming soon! but for now, it's hot tea and Meet Me in St. Louis in the glow of the Christmas tree. and maybe some Candy Cane Joe Joe's (Trader Joe's!).

a good night, indeed.

trimming...

2009-11-20T08:49:00.007-05:00

while i try to wait until the day after Thanksgiving, it's inevitable that some Christmas decorations will manage to find their way out of storage in the days..er...weeks before. such as what happened last night, shown in the photo above.

i started looking for vintage mirrors after falling in love with the awesome arrangements in Found Style and Flea Market Style. i've had the little silver hand mirror for a long time...it came from the estate of my great great aunt. the oval mirror at the bottom is from my local flea market and i got the bigger mirror on Etsy. i think they look just fabulous with those 1930's vintage ornaments and the mercury glass trees.

this cute little bottlebrush tree was a compromise between Vintage Modern Boy and i. you see, i really wanted a bigger pink table top tree. unfortunately, that idea didn't go over so well. i think the actual words were pepto bismol, barf, and hideous. so i settled for this teeny tiny pink tree, found on Etsy. (and it came with a little baby pink tree, too!)

so that's it for today. i'm trying to keep my mind occupied so that i don't end up getting the rest of the decorations out today, so i think some thrifting and a little Christmas shopping is in order!

have you started your Christmas decorating yet?

rearranging

2009-11-11T07:58:00.007-05:00

hello everyone! thank you all so much for your well wishes! i am feeling much better today...though i was home sick from work the past two days! yikes! lots to catch up on. ugh.

so this weekend, while i was still feeling okay, i decided to do a little rearranging...

i mentioned this painting before in this post, but i decided to move it to this wall where it would be more visible. my great great Aunt Leaflet painted this canvas in 1911, and there are so many things i love about it...the horse, the grey hues, the wintry landscape, perhaps most of all, because it was painted by a beloved relative...who happened to share my love for painting. i really like how it looks with the velvet pumpkins, tarnished silver pitcher, and the "hydrangeas" (yep, their fakeness warrants quotation marks).

and the silhouettes were where the painting now hangs, but they too are in a better place. they are still just as visible...maybe a bit more so. and they look less cluttered than when they were above the DVD stand. (sorry...i don't have a before photo...and sorry this one is so dark!) unfortunately, none of these are my actual relatives...but i've adopted them in to my family! i've even named them...is that weird? of course, you may remember Hazel in the center from this Vintage Black Friday post...i believe that is her actual name since it is written just below her silhouette. and then starting at the top, going clockwise, we have: Harold, Ethel, Frances, Mary, Edith, and Susan.

what about you? have any of you named your inaminate "friends" (or "relatives"), or am i the only one?? actually, i know some of you have, so you better be speaking up!

still

2009-11-07T17:35:00.004-05:00

this weekend has been an unusually calm one for me. unexpectedly, i got the entire weekend off, which is a good thing because i think i may be coming down with one of the many viruses being passed around as of late. apart from some much needed errands and cleaning, i have spent my weekend thus far trying to stay still. not necessarily not moving physically, but more staying still mentally. does that sound odd? i have been downing cups of hot green tea, reading some of my favorite home style books, taking a few photos around the home, lighting candles, and listening to classical music. it has been really nice!

how are you spending your weekend?

a hat!

2009-10-30T20:23:00.014-04:00

i've been meaning to show off the hat that i got from Littlebyrdvintage awhile ago, but since it hasn't been too cold yet, i kept forgetting.

however, the weather here turned sharply colder overnight and the trees are becoming more and more bare, and before we know it, it will be snowing! and while i'll still hold on to Fall for a little while longer, i believe i will be wearing my new hat in the coming week...winter or not!

i love this hat! (you can click on the photo for a better view) Rebekah of Littlebyrdvintage is so talented! she upcycles old sweaters into these wonderful flapper style hats. (she also make some amazing fingerless mittens, but i'll save that for another post!)

mine is made from a grey cashmere sweater and it is so very soft!

and i love the way it looks with my newly thrifted sweater that i found at Plato's Closet...one of the few non overly teenagey things i've found there.

sorry for the grainy picture quality here. chalk it up to the aged mirror, poor lighting, and my limited photography skills. let's just pretend i antiqued it, okay?

p.s. the clump of black fur to the left behind me would be Gimli. he hangs out on those suitcases whenever i'm in the bedroom. the funny thing is, the green one that he lays on is tapered, but he seems unaffected by it. weird cat.

Vintage Black Friday No. 2

2009-10-29T21:41:00.013-04:00

welcome back, Vintage Black Friday junkies! thank you again to Jill at Gypsy Brocante for hosting this fabulous party!

so i took these photos with the ones i took for last Friday's party, but i decided to save them for this week, rather than overwhelm you all!

i acquired this lovely old compact from my great great aunt many years ago. i actually carry it in my purse...why keep it shut up in a storage box? i took the original rouge tray out of it when i first got it, and it actually has enough room to store a few of my favorite jewelry pieces when i travel.

i love this old camera! i originally got it to use as a display piece, but when i discovered that it was still in working order (minus the flash), i got a whim to actually try to take photos with it! i found some old unopened film spools on ebay, and used them all. unfortunately i can't find any places that i trust to develop it...but the dream of having some neat "old" photos waiting for me is just wonderful!

vintage embroidery thread spool labels...aren't they lovely?

so this one might be a bit of a stretch since there's only a little bit of black...but i love it nonetheless! i found this old chipped black frame with the bird print already in it at the thrift store for 70 cents! old black frame + birds + 70 cents equals...well, wouldn't you have gotten it, too??

so that's it from me for this week, but be sure to check out the other AWESOME Vintage Black Friday party-ers at Gypsy Brocante!

thanks for stopping by!

P.S. several of you wondered about the new boots i mentioned on my Pretty Things post from earlier today. well, i posted a comment on that post and spilled my secret!

pretty things

2009-10-28T23:22:00.016-04:00

remember the silver pitcher i found at the thrift store for $3? i wanted some dried real hydrangeas for it, but i found these fake (gulp) ones at Michael's and thought they would do. plus it helped to have a nice little 40% coupon. i love, love, love that B monogram and the tarnished patina!

my lovely new old glass locket from BrianneLee (AWESOME shop!) i think this may actually be a piece of Victorian mourning jewelry. the side you see here has the original photo of a dapper looking gent, and the talented Brianne added a snippet of a Robert Browning poem to the other side. oh i love it so!

my FABULOUS clutch from Littlebyrdvintage. i carry it everywhere and always get tons and tons of compliments from strangers. it is very well made and i love that it is made from vintage materials, so it's environmentally friendly!

new boots! i don't need the jaws of life to zip these boots up (which is usually necessary for my "man-tastic" calves), so naturally i love them!

my little velvet pumpkins. they are handmade and have real pumpkin stems! sorry this picture is a bit dark, the color of the bigger pumpkin is a rich brown and the little one is a lovely grey/slate blue. they are so pretty together! a very dear friend graciously picked them out for me and sent them all the way from Portland, Oregon!

since the days are getting shorter and shorter, i decided our home needed some more warmth and sparkle. Edna graciously obliged.

and finally, my latest thrift store find: a wonder ball! i was so excited to find one that has the rubber stopper base. i think i'm going to fill it with leaves for the rest of Fall, and maybe put some pretty vintage mercury glass ornaments in it for Christmas.

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what pretty things are inspiring you today?

an award and some things about me

2009-10-27T21:46:00.023-04:00

so, Rachel of A Little Bit Vintage gave me an award! i am thrilled and honored!

thank you, Rachel!

one of the rules of this award is to share 7 things about me that you may not know. and because it is a rainy Fall day and the week of Halloween, i'm going to go for a bit of a theme here...

1. when I was in kindergarten, my mom made me a "sack of potatoes" costume for my class Halloween party...no joke. the costume featured an actual burlap potato sack, that i wore like a dress, and had "potatoes" (made of brown panty hose and cotton stuffing) sewn at the top around my neck. i even wore a piece of panty hose over my face so that my head was the biggest potato in the sack! i definitely stood out amongst the witches and vampires of my class!!

2. in seventh grade I memorized "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe in its entirety and recited it in front of my class. it was not a requirement and i was the only one in my class to do so, though i did get a trophy for it. i guess i have just always had a thing for Edgar (yes, we're on a first name basis). he had such a sad life, but what an artist!

3. a couple of years ago in October, our tv started randomly changing channels. it did it at least once a day for a couple of weeks, and then stopped on November 1st. at first i thought my husband was playing tricks on me from another room, but then it happened when he wasn't home. it was the freakiest thing i've ever experienced. we never did figure out what caused it and it hasn't happened since.

4. "The Village" is one of my very favorite movies. i love the autumnal setting and the creepiness ot it!!

5. i have never gone trick-or-treating. it's true! my family has never celebrated Halloween (beyond school parties and such), but don't worry, i got PLENTY of candy anyway!!

6. it was not an unusual thing to have bats get in the house while i was growing up...old house, old windows. it was always such a family ordeal when it happened that the memories i have are quite fond. and it probably helps that i like bats. the rest of my family is pretty much terrified of them.

7. i listen to George Winston's album "Autumn" every Fall (makes sense, right?). whenever i happen to hear a song from it, even if it is Spring, Summer, or Winter, i think of rainy nights and pumpkin candles. in fact, i'm listening to it right now.

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and now i am supposed to pass this award on to 7 blogs, but i always have a hard time choosing. there are so many amazing blogs out there, and i'm so afraid to leave anyone out! i guess i'm just reliving the nightmare of always being picked last in gym class, and i don't want to do the blogging equivalent to someone else! i think all blogs are deserving because of the time and creativity put into each one, whether large or small, so please forgive me for skipping this part!

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but i am going to ask that you DO leave a comment and share your favorite spooky, Halloween, or Fall memory!

Vintage Black Friday

2009-10-22T21:00:00.007-04:00

i'm finally joining in on a Vintage Black Friday party, hosted by Gypsy Brocante!

i certainly do love me some vintage, but i didn't realize how much of it happened to be black!

my beloved Royal typewriter...someday i'll have the drawband repaired so i can write novels with it...ha! a girl can dream...

the latest member in my collection of old silhouettes...her name is Hazel and she is from 1929!

this "Big Ben" still ticks away...quite loudly, too

an American lit book from the 1920's that belonged to the sweetest little old lady who lived across the street from my family while i was growing up. her name is even written on the inside cover which is so dear to me.

and finally, a vintage playing card that my sweet friend gave me.

thanks for stopping by! now head over to Gypsy Brocante to see some more vintage black goods!

gotta hand it to me...

2009-10-16T16:29:00.004-04:00

i just wanted to show off the latest addition to my spooky Fall good-ness...

a vintage porcelain glove mold!

you wouldn't guess it from the photo, but it is HUGE! over 14 inches tall! i love it! it is so creepy, and yet friendly...like it's permanently waving, "Hi!" (at least that's what i tell myself so it doesn't freak me out!)

ok, off to have a cup of hot cider and find a good movie to watch!

how are you spending your Friday night?

gypsy blood

2009-10-14T11:20:00.013-04:00

i'm watching the leaves fall today, like gold glitter in a water globe. most swirl downward, but i saw one that was caught by the wind and i swear it was pulled higher than the tree that it came from. have i mentioned before that this is my very, very favorite time of year??? alas, no camera with me today, but i wouldn't be able to do those leaves justice anyway.

speaking of fall, i have an old, old copy of Bartlett's Quotations that belonged to my great great Aunt Leaflet. a couple of years ago, in October no less, i happened upon that book on my bookshelf and i pulled it down to look through it. an old envelope fell out the instant i opened the book, and on it was scrawled this stanza from "Vagabond" by Bliss Carman:

"There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir;

We must rise and follow her,

When from every hill of flame

She calls and calls each vagabond by name."

amazing, isn't it? and exactly how i feel. every October. (google it, the whole poem is quite awesome!)

also loving right now:

vintage cologne bottles, those metal labels for old liquor decanters, oxidized silver chains, rhinestone costume jewelry, earthy linen, jadite, buttons, organic potatoes, and hot cider with cinnamon sticks.

what about you? what stirs your gypsy blood on this lovely October day?

disfruta

2009-10-07T19:10:00.020-04:00

i really love this fabulous piece that Michelle of StoryBookCharm put together. since i already have a glass display globe and silver pedestal dish, i decided to shamelessly copy her and create my own (shown below). good thing, too, or that one would be long gone from her shop! (P.S. just checked, and it's still available!)

i went a little crazy...oak leaf, old ribbon, vintage rhinestone hair ornament, floral frog, silver fork, and that fabulous photo of a pipe smoking sailor with his girl.

and as promised, a few photos of the vintage goodness my mama gave me:

spooky little bottles: these seem to be all the rage on Etsy right now for Halloween. i have some neat old label-less bottles that i will be listing in the shop soon...

milk bottle, clock, and my great grandmother's tarnished silverware.

the milk bottle in its new home, next to my new old scale! i was supposed to sell the scale for my mama...until i got it home and realized it was, in fact, the perfect place for my thrifted china bowl. i'm sorry, mom! i am so very, very weak! (don't judge until you are faced before an old chippy scale yourself)

this is a random photo i took while visiting an old church this past weekend. this particular room happens to be in the upstairs of the former manse (parsonage) that is now connected to the church. i love that cracked pink wall and old white door!

and finally, the biggest reason for my title: my beloved Mexican Coke. glass bottle, real bottle cap (one that requires an opener!), and no high fructose corn syrup!

disfruta, indeed!

fresh in the shop

2009-10-06T21:14:00.011-04:00

i am feeling so very inspired by this rainy October night! i've spent much of the evening photographing and listing some new vintage goodness in the shop. i am so thrilled with my new shoe crate for photographing! Of course, it's a bit of a pain to lug over to my good lighting spot (which is unfortunately right in front of the door). but it's totally worth it!

i forgot to mention some of the other vintage lovelies that came home from my parents' house with me (and are staying!): an old chipped-paint Hanson scale, a glass milk bottle from a local dairy, a green Waralarm alarm clock, some old tarnished silverware, and three spooky little glass bottles with labels intact. hopefully i'll have some time later this week for some leisure photography!

but for now, here are some photos of my favorite new things in the shop:

E. Ingraham "Harmony House 8 Day" alarm clock: still works!

little silverplate bowl, lovely and sweet

four melmac cups in a pretty soft blue color

a working Westinghouse fan, in fabulous condition

there is more good stuff that i listed with these, but i'll let you check them out for yourself!

and now, i think this rainy evening requires a candle and a cup of hot tea. and some of my favorite big band songs, including "The White Cliffs of Dover" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree", both of which my Grammy used to sing to me when i was a little girl!

how do you enjoy your rainy nights?

from the weekend...

2009-10-05T21:15:00.014-04:00

i had a super nice time visiting with my parents this weekend. unfortunately my poor mama has had bronchitis so she was a bit worse for the wear. but i think we had fun nonetheless...at least i did. it was good and rainy for much of the weekend, perfect for relaxing and thrifting...and ice cream: the good old 'rents were kind enough to surprise me with a trip to one of my favorite childhood ice cream haunts! thanks, mom and dad!

i was also able to get outside between drizzle spells to get some photos of the vivid colors that the rain brought out. i am so thankful that it is finally really Fall. welcome, October!

how was your first weekend of October?

2009-10-03T18:16:00.009-04:00

i'm at my parents' house this weekend and having a grand old time!

just a sneak peak at a few things coming home with me, some for me, some for the shop.

old shoe crate turned nuts and bolts bin, from the town hardware that closed years ago. the owner was a friend of the family and gave a lot of stuff to my dad when the store shut down. this has been in my dad's barn for quite awhile. and he was only too happy to pass it along to me...there is something good on every side!

another view...love those cubbies!

view of the back

some wooden crates and a tackle box that will be going into the shop...

more fun things from the barn: old liquor bottles, military shaving mirror, wooden fiber and whalebone brush, glass Blue Coral Carwax jar, part of an old wooden cigar box, toothbrush holder, and an old padlock.

a few thrift store finds: mustard yellow suitcase, owl clock, four small framed prints, brass snail, silverplate bowl, and four melmac cups, all going into the shop eventually.

and i've got lots more stuff from the basement that i haven't photographed yet. it is going to be a busy week indeed!

any good thrifting finds for you lately??

Multiples: another Vintage Junky Party!

2009-09-29T18:00:00.013-04:00

today i'm joining in on another great party put on by Vintage Junky: the Multiples Party, in which we show off what we "can't get enough of", to steal her words.

here are a few things that i can't get enough of (but probably should)...

fans:: it was addiction, i mean... love...at first sight when i found my first fan (the little silver one to the right in the photo above) in my inlaws' basement several years ago. at present i own seven fans, which is a bit much for our little home. though i dearly love them all, the four shown in these two photos are the ones i've decided to keep. the other three will be going into my shop very soon!

silhouettes:: they are proof of a time other than my own. they lived and laughed and cried and picked flowers and loved and ate ice cream. and now they really are silhouettes sitting patiently behind the fragile veil of time. we see just enough to know of their existence, but not enough to know who they really were. it's a shame, really.

suitcases:: i would love to know where these old suitcases have travelled! the largest one (and my favorite) still bears the remnants of a U.S. customs sticker, holding on for its dear life.

and finally, i've got this dream of collecting lone vintage china pieces at thrift stores until i have a complete mismatched set (at which point a tea party will be a must). i always feel so bad when i see a little saucer all by its lonesome that no one wants, that i just have to bring it home. these creamers and saucers are the beginning of my collection....i haven't found any dainty little cups yet.

and now, if you haven't yet, you MUST get thee over to Vintage Junky to see her amazing goodness, enter for a giveaway, and see the other party goers' multiples!

today

2009-09-29T08:30:00.023-04:00

warning: this is one of those boring posts in which i have no pictures to share, but i just felt inspired to blog. so bear with me!

today::

:: i saw 4 little deer

:: i am eating another pumpkin scone with a grande Pike Place blend...by the way, i didn't make the scones...i wish (!)...you can find them at Starbucks stores now...but sadly, i think they are only seasonal

:: it is grey and cool and wwiiiiiinindddyyyy

:: i am wearing my new old locket from FreshyFig

:: morning came too soon (hence the coffee)

:: Elliott Smith is on the ipod...again

:: the leaves are ffffffff
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iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
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ggggggggggggggggggg

photos from a grey weekend (and what's new in the shop!)

2009-09-27T16:48:00.019-04:00

i've been collecting these frames and bird prints for awhile now. finally hung them up in the bedroom.

one of my [fake] crows lost a feather...it was too pretty to throw away so i stuck it in one of my old windows.

i've been having lots of fun with vintage dictionary pages! these particular ones are from a 1944 Websters (don't worry, i let other Etsyians do the dismantlement!). just love how they look in these old convex glass frames. (p.s. i didn't want it to look too even, but looking at this photo, it's bugging me a bit...may have to rearrange...)

more vintage dictionary love! remember the necklace i mentioned a couple of posts back? after seeing this fabulous idea from the talented BrianneLee, i got inspired. so i slipped a small piece of a dictionary page over the dried flowers. i thought the antlers would be good for Fall. i am really pleased with how it turned out!

pumpkin scone and English breakfast tea (in my new double walled glass mug that I won in a giveaway from Michelle of StoryBookCharm! go check her out- she has a lovely blog and Etsy shop!)

and now just a few favorites in my shop right now...

brass stag

another alarm clock

awesome metal file box (that I would use for magazines!)

autumn style, updated

2009-09-22T18:30:00.028-04:00

after having jumped the gun on my fall decorating back in (ahem) August, my autumn style has evolved a bit since then. so thought i would share some of the updates...

(feel free to click on the photos for a better look)

this arrangement was inspired by Mothology.

as a little girl i collected silver souvenir spoons that i found at garage sales (what a weird child i was!). i found them recently while going through some boxes in the closet. i really like the way they look in this little gourd jack-o-lantern basket...

that is the fabulous old mirror found at the thrift store ($5!) that i have been meaning to show you. the frame is wood that was treated with gesso before the gold paint was applied. i love the beveled edge and the black spots from where the silvering has worn away.

this was my very poor attempt to show off my fabulous new tunic from Target (and my black glitter "spooky" sign!). alas! the bad lighting , the unmade bed, and the pile of laundry in the reflection kind of threw a damper on the whole thing. but since i kind of look like a sad little victorian girl ghost haunting the old mirror (and with a digital camera, no less), i had to share...

i've been collecting these gold toned frames with hanging rings for a little while now, so i was thrilled to find this one at Goodwill. it is just the perfect size for the little bird book page i purchased from PetiteMichelleLouise (fabulous shop). don't you just love those crows?? i have a plan for a wall arrangement with all the frames that i will be sure to share once it's completed.

and now i am off to have some tea and cappuccino craving cake (Trader Joe's!!), but first:

what elements are you fancying this Fall, both for your home and personal style?

when you live down the street from a thrift store and a flea market...

2009-09-20T15:44:00.007-04:00

it can be very dangerous.

some new old treasures (which i will be keeping)

:: old silver monogrammed pitcher, $2, thrift store

:: pretty cream colored china bowl, 69 cents, thrift store

:: slate blue Westinghouse Fan, $5, flea market

:: pair of 1930's silhouettes, $20, flea market

i actually saw the flea market for the first time on the way to the thrift store this afternoon. apparently it has been there for 2 years, and i have driven by it thousands of times and never noticed it. how sad.

see the dust on those silhouettes? yep, they've been waiting for me!

New good-ness in the shop...

2009-09-20T09:30:00.009-04:00

Vintage Modern Boy and i went to a local vintage shop Thursday night and i found not one, but two (two!!!) copies of this gorgeous 1943 illustrated edition of Jane Eyre. since i already have a copy of my own, one copy will be sent to my eldest sister who has been looking for one. and one, the one above, is now in my shop!

eight small Ironstone dessert plates

old wooden cheese platter with glass dome

sweet little old alarm clock

yep, this is the same tray that has been listed for awhile now. but it is a new photo inspired by Little Byrd Vintage's recent post about trays. i have to say, after i took this photo i very nearly took the tray out of the shop!

vintage jewelry and shop updates

2009-09-16T19:30:00.009-04:00

i have been coveting so many great pieces of vintage jewelry on Etsy lately, that i had forgotten that i have some lovely things of my own.

my mama gave me these little screw-on earrings from her collection of old jewelry. i love the drabby colors and that they look like little gilt framed paintings.

this necklace came from my great great Aunt Leaflet. the pressed flowers have such simple, understated beauty, no? there is a mirror on the other side, and the contents of the pendant can be removed by unscrewing the bale at the top. i am considering slipping in a piece of a vintage dictionary page over the flowers for a different look.

and now for a thrifting/shop update...

i've gone thrifting twice this week already! last night i found some wonderful framed lithograph prints and an old beveled mirror in a gesso/gilt wood frame. i have decided to keep the mirror, along with some of the prints, and i will be showing photos of them in a couple days. but for now, here are two little treasures that i just added to the shop!

a little carved alabaster owl

and a glass bell jar

what thrifting treasures have you found lately?

camera happy saturday

2009-09-12T10:57:00.015-04:00

vintage Christmas tree finials in the silver bowl i found at the thrift store.

one of the many found pieces of nature scattered around our home. i found this stick on the sidewalk outside our building.

Gimli, contemplating traveling...or maybe not. he'd rather just lay there.

bat girl ornament from Etsy

i found this gorgeous silver tray while thrifting yesterday. it is now for sale in my shop. it always amazes me how so many lovely silver pieces are just discarded, when they were at once held with such high regard.

today's post has been brought to you by...

2009-09-08T21:30:00.000-04:00

today i am partying at Vintage Junky's Vintage Letters and Numbers Party!

i scoured the apartment for anything old and vintagey with letters and/or numbers on it to bring to the party. so go make yourself a cup of hot tea, grab a scone, and enjoy the photos...and then go over to Vintage Junky for the rest of the party!

remember you can click on the photos for a closer look...

don't forget to check out more vintage letters and numbers today at Vintage Junky!!

I'm on Etsy!!

2009-09-08T20:06:00.007-04:00

Yes! It's true! I just opened shop tonight! It was really only a matter of time....especially with all the thrifting I've done lately...things are really starting to pile up!

I only have 4 items listed right now, but I will to add something new every couple of days or so. You can visit my shop via the gallery on the right.

And, if you are currently an Etsy seller yourself, please help a [vintage modern] girl out and send me any and all advice you have for a meager little new shop owner!

more salsa goodness

2009-09-08T12:46:00.002-04:00

I am so thankful for family and friends who share their harvest!

saturday night's alright for thrifting

2009-09-06T08:49:00.014-04:00

i decided to go to the thrift store after i got off work on Saturday. i am glad i went because i found some fun things!

enjoy!

this tin Handiware tray was my favorite find of the night! i like the worn patina, and the King and Queen of England are just adorable!

this aqua mid century modern Dansk Kobenstyle enameled dutch oven is just lovely! i did a little online research and it turns out these are quite the collectors items. i found one in a bit better condition than this listed for $125! the inside is an ivory color, which contrasts very nicely with the aqua.

this little china creamer makes me want to have a tea party (in fact, that's what the guy at the thrift store asked if i was doing)

i would definitely collect china if it was the same pattern as this bone china saucer. i just love those retro tiny gold stars!

another little saucer...

these cool canisters certainly belong on an old formica diner counter. i may store cereal in them...

i loved this little nativity, similar to one from my childhood that my parents still have.

buttons! i think it was my mom who once told me to always buy old buttons whenever i came across any at garage sales or thrift stores.

i was all excited about this Fire King peach lustre baking dish until i got it home and realized the inside is coated with some sort of paint that i am pretty sure is not original to the dish. anyone have any ideas? it also came with a burner stand that it sits on, if that helps.

and finally, i bought this little wooden base to pair with one of my glass domes, which turns out is too small for it. if anyone would have any use for it, i will gladly pass it along! a glass dome with a diameter of 5 1/2 inches would fit nicely in the groove. the total diameter of the base is just over 7 1/2 inches.

thoughts on a quiet evening in early september

2009-09-04T20:37:00.018-04:00

tonight i am feeling calm and contemplative. inspired, but not in a hurry. just letting things be, and enjoying the way the evening unfolds by itself. no frills, and yet beautiful in its solemn simplicity.

soundtrack for the evening includes Johnny and Roseanne Cash singing "September When it Comes", George Winston's "Autumn", and Over the Rhine's "Ohio". such beautiful, mournful music that leaves me feeling a bit sad and a bit peaceful at the same time. is that possible?

a couple of pictures, as is, from where i sit (i do apologize that you need a flashlight to see these):

here we have Emma the cat enjoying the calm with me. this is the norm with her when i am on the computer.

the frames that are a part of my latest project-in-progress. still waiting for the right prints for the two empty ones. but i'm in no hurry. i actually get inspired just by looking at them. i am thinking of drawing something for the little oval frame with the convex glass, but i'm not sure what yet. these will eventually be hung on one of our bedroom walls (i think).

and that clutch is a Little Byrd Vintage original. i am so tickled pink by it!

this last photo is not intended to show you how desperately i need to tweeze the old Frida Kahlos, but to share this lovely hairpin that arrived quite unexpectedly with the clutch from the very dear Little Byrd. a sweet, sweet surprise, and one of my most beloved colors, too! it has become my "Violet Baudelaire ribbon" for thrifting, as i seem to find the best stuff when i wear it.

by the way, i am loving to be in this time of year! mist shrouds the fields in the morning and in the evening. the leaves are changing more and more and some are even beginning their descent to the damp, dark earth. and also, the moon is full right now and seems so low like it's caught in the trees, which reminds me of that song by The Decemberists ("Angels and Angles"?). hope you don't mind this stream-of-consciousness thing i've got going here, but it just feels more natural, you know?

well, i am off to have a glass of milk, a cookie, and a couple episodes of The Office.

good night, dear reader friends!

"Wow. I don't even have a speech prepared."

2009-09-03T23:26:00.007-04:00

she nervously says as she steps up to the microphone...

but seriously, the AMAZING Peanut Petunia gave me my first blog award! i am thrilled! thanks, Peanut Petunia! readers, you definitely need to check out her blog. Her style will blow your socks off!

This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. deliver this award to six bloggers who must choose six more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award. I will pass this award to some of my bloggy friends that I find exceedingly charming…

and i choose....drumroll....

Between Here and Home

you have all encouraged me through your kind comments on my blog, as well as inspired me in your own fabulous blogs! thank you all so much!

my mental health day

2009-09-03T14:34:00.008-04:00

i worked ahead this week and was able to get everything done a day earlier, and so i decided to take a "mental health day" today, with my boss's approval, of course.

no agenda. just me enjoying the day by myself.

::: i slept in until 7:30

::: window shopped on Etsy

::: found a lovely orange maple leaf on the ground outside

::: took some photos

::: listened to Elliott Smith

::: had hot tea and cookies for breakfast

::: watched a movie

::: went to the library

::: ate my favorite creamy pasta dish for lunch. one that Vintage Modern Boy refuses to eat because it has mushrooms in it.

::: and my mental health also required that i go to Target, so i did. and i bought this dress. i just love its modness. i kept trying to find something wrong with it, but i couldn't because it fits perfectly. though, it does hit just below my knees since i'm petite. but i think it will look smashing with my knee high black boots!

it's been a lovely day!

Vintage Modern Boy and i are meeting his mother (my mother-in-law) for dinner in just a bit, so i'd better go get ready.

have a happy Thursday!

the fairy tale ending that hasn't ended

2009-09-03T12:46:00.007-04:00

i'm sure you're probably tired of hearing me talk about this file box, but i just wanted to reassure you all that i have no plans to paint over the lovely patina of the box. honestly, it was just a passing "what if?", inspired by something i saw on another blog. it really is perfect just the way it is!

i also wanted to show you what the box looks like in actual daylight, though these photos are still a bit dark due to the poor lighting in our apartment.

as you can see i've wasted no time adorning it with some of my favorite magnets!

by the way, those gold toned picture frames stacked on top are my next project...

a fairy tale ending

2009-09-02T19:06:00.010-04:00

after only three (3!!!) attempts, it's finally mine!

the photos aren't turning out so well as i don't have the best lighting, but it really is beautiful...to me, anyway. it's got such a lovely patina with the original green paint chipped and scratched in places, showing off the steel beneath. it does have a few surface rust spots, but that only makes me love it more!

it ended up being more than i expected it would be, but $11 isn't really breaking the bank for me.

right now it's hanging out with the other office furniture (quite well, i might add!). i put stationery supplies in one drawer, and some of Vintage Modern Boy's computer games in the other.

but other plans, grander ones, await it. someday. i just don't know what they are yet, though silver metallic paint keeps flashing in my mind. but i really do like it as is. hmmm.

how about you?

what would you use it for?

would you paint it?

help!

(ok, not really in a quandary, for i am so very happy to have it!)

thanks, by the way, for all your sweet encouraging comments. so sorry you have mostly all had to experience this thing before! ugh. i guess there is a downside to the thrift store that i love so much...

i've got the thrift store blues...

2009-09-01T19:47:00.007-04:00

so i am now depressed, thanks to an impromptu thrift store trip. i found the most amazing metal 2-drawer file box with incredible drawer pulls. i put it into my cart, woozy with elation. no price, but that didn't worry me since the store prices things very low. at the checkout counter i proudly hoisted it up and announced that there wasn't a price. and then i watched helplessly as the guy took it from my arms and carried it far, far away from me and said that it would have to be priced first and due to store policy he couldn't do it and that i would have to try again tomorrow. and and and.... all these other things that meant it couldn't be mine. i finished paying for the rest of my things and left the store, shaky and wanting to vomit. yeah, i'm know i'm being dramatic, but you should have seen this thing!! unfortunately i have to be at work before the store even opens, so i can only hope that nobody else grabs it before i can stop on my way home. oh the agony!

but on another note, i found a couple of Elton John vinyls for Vintage Modern Boy, and some picture frames (including an oval one with convex glass, which i have been looking for for quite awhile).

but still, so sad am i!

have you ever had an experience like this??

sun comes up, it's [monday] morning...

2009-08-31T09:25:00.003-04:00

tea and strawberries and Cowboy Junkies on the ipod are such lovely ways to begin a morning! not to mention this cooler, Fall-like, awesome sleeping weather. and i am so happy to be able to wear my new blue sweatery-shirt (the one you saw Edna wearing). i took a "from-the-neck-down" photo to share, but my skin is too blindingly white for you to have to look at with your sleepy morning eyes, so i'll share it later (actually, i'm posting from work and i left my camera at home).

and i might as well keep going with all the happiness: Mexican restaurant leftovers for lunch! oh happy, happy day.

what thing(s) are you happy about today??

friday photos

2009-08-28T18:49:00.015-04:00

today was a very good day, and despite being miserably hot and humid, it was rather productive and fun. i was up before sunrise, did a couple loads of laundry, had a cup of tea, got groceries (Trader Joe's!), went to four different thrift stores, made pico de gallo salsa from the most amazing locally grown heirloom tomatoes, looked at books, and, of course, took a few photos...

found another stick today...

Miss Emma being frisky

love this book!

i heart my vintage suitcases

that stick again...

Vintage Modern Boy and i adore the illustrations of Gris Grimly and Edward Gorey.

happy day to you, dear readers!

a jewelry tree

2009-08-27T18:31:00.005-04:00

today i found a tree branch with which to make my jewelry tree. and by make, i mean put the branch in the thrift store vase, and hang my necklaces on it. my kind of effortless functional art.

it is exactly the branch i had in mind, except it's not cherry or apple, which would have been my first choices because of the lovely bark. but i am very pleased, nonetheless.

Autumn in our home

2009-08-23T10:25:00.032-04:00

with this lovely autumnal weather we've been having, i couldn't resist adding some fall goodness to our little home, even if it is just a bit early.

feel free to click on the pictures for a better view...

i couldn't believe it when i found this awesome glass globe at a thrift store! i am not sure what it was originally intended for, but i knew it would be perfect for the wooden hurricane base i already had. and so, for only $.70 i brought it home, and put some twigs and an old photo inside. i think i will try to find a leaf to add to it as well, once they start to fall.

the window on the left needs just a little something more...but i haven't quite figured out what...any ideas?

something you'd see in Diagon Alley, perhaps?

this sign on Etsy was the inspiration for these paperboard letters, which i bought in the scrapbooking section at Michael's. do go see the original sign- it is made of fabulous vintage linen!

the "Nevermore" raven tag in my new old apothecary jar (!!) is from Etsy.

"Creepy and Tacky", forebodingly perched on Edna, were "lovingly" named by Vintage Modern Boy (i.e. the husband). they remind me of the old Scottish ballad "The Twa Corbies". google it. it really is creepy.

and what Fall decor is complete without a real black cat? Gimli graciously obliged (or rather, interrupted) a photo shoot.

my thrift store finds

2009-08-22T08:48:00.010-04:00

here they are as promised: my thrift store finds from yesterday

silver bowl and pink ornaments

silvered glass bottle

this apothecary jar was a bit of a diamond in the rough when i first saw it as it was filled with a weird scented plastic floral arrangement.

art deco style picture frames

these keys and tag are non-thrift store related, but just a hint of some grungy Fall decor i have simmering in my mind. i'm trying to hold off until September to get the rest of my Fall things out...

a-thrifting i did go!

2009-08-21T20:46:00.004-04:00

today was the most lovely day! the weather was beautiful, warm but with a lovely breeze, blue skies and cottony clouds.

i slept in until 7:30, which was wonderful; ate steel cut oatmeal with organic blueberries; got some fun flea market decorating books from the library; watched The Office (the BBC version); listened to lots of Coldplay; went to Target; AND i went to the most amazing thrift store down the road...twice.

the thrift store was definitely was the highlight of my day. i first went this afternoon and i was more than a little overwhelmed as there were so many things to see (and so many people crowding the aisles). it was only the second time i've ever been there, so i was still trying to figure out where everything was. a few things caught my eye, but i went home empty handed.

well, i started having second thoughts so i went back later this evening, about an hour before the store was to close. i am so glad i did! the store was a bit quieter, and i found some great stuff that i missed the first time, plus the things i came back for: a silver bowl (whose pattern looks exactly like this Wm. Rogers and Son piece i saw on Etsy), a box of pink retro glass christmas ornaments, a silvery glass liquor bottle exactly like this one that i fell in love with on Etsy (i couldn't believe it), a glass apothecary jar, and a couple of art deco silver picture frames. i got everything for under $10. i believe that thrift store will be a weekly (or more) thing for me from now on. i so wish i could thrift for a living!

i'll share photos of my finds within the next few days, so do come back to see them!

have a lovely evening, dear readers!

what Edna is wearing + the library bag

2009-08-21T08:26:00.003-04:00

believe it or not, Old Navy has this wonderful vintage looking long sleeved sweatery-shirt. it's as soft and lovely as a sweater, but it's light and gauzy enough to wear comfortably in warmer weather. i love the rich blue color, mandarin-style collar, pleating detail, and the slightly puffed shoulders. and if that's not enough, the sleeves are also quite pretty with a button at each wrist (but poor Edna does not have the arms to show them off). it is so, so comfortable. AND i believe it is now on clearance. i'm tempted to get another one in brown myself. a word to the wise: the size of these shirts runs slightly bigger than i expected. i bought a size smaller than usual and it's still quite roomy.

the lace trimmed camisole is also from Old Navy this season (sadly, i cannot find the same one online). i love the smoky taupe color against the blue shirt. i was very pleased to find these vintagey clothes for a very good price.

this is the library bag. we don't have cable, satellite, or a converter box. instead, we get all our entertainment from our local library. i usually request specific items i am looking for online and then make a weekly trip to pick them up and browse the actual library. sometimes i end up with a lot so i always take this bag with me. when i get home i hang the bag on the door, set all the items on the coffee table, and then one by one as we finish a DVD or book, i put the item back in the bag to return. it's worked out to be a nice little system, and i can always keep track of everything thing i have checked out.

the cat and the crow

2009-08-19T10:13:00.001-04:00

so i clipped this little feathery crow on the willow branches for some autumnal creepiness. apparently, it disturbs Emma the cat. she is restraining herself here, but yesterday i caught her growling at it. she is ever the watchful eye around here.

the Bronte inspiration continues...

2009-08-18T20:03:00.001-04:00

not only are these my two favorite novels of all time (ok, ok, so i include the Twilight series in there, too), but these editions are 1940's vintage and that lovely shade of teal. even the pages are teal-tipped.

and the covers....sigh. (the Wuthering Heights cover has the most amazing illustration of Heathcliff beside a wonderfully craggy tree).

if you have not read either, you must!

both this mirror and handkerchief came from the estate of my great-great Aunt Leaflet (the table, too, if you remember). so sweetly simple, yet such beauty (hmm..a lot like Jane Eyre).

well now, it's tea time for me, so i bid you good night, dear readers!

Bronte inspiration

2009-08-17T13:08:00.000-04:00

perhaps it's the rain outside, or from watching Jane Eyre yesterday, but today i am feeling all gloomy and romantic at the same time. it's really quite nice. i have these wonderful images swirling around in my mind- grey velvet, brown tweed, freshwater pearls, tarnished silver, rusty skeleton keys, colbalt blue wool, dry twigs- against a backdrop of Elliott Smith's "Pretty Mary Kay [Other Version]".

i do not want to be cooped up behind a desk today. ugh. i believe a little creative therapy is in order for me this week!

what's inspiring you right now?

P.S. i didn't realize some of my pictures looked so dark until i viewed them on my work computer. apparently our computer at home has a deceptive screen. the nerve!

late summer lament

2009-08-16T12:04:00.000-04:00

today i'm trying to pretend it's Fall with hot green tea, chai cookies, the BBC/A&E Jane Eyre mini series, and Band of Horses. all i need now are some candles and these lovely boots. and maybe some Elliott Smith, too...

unfortunately, the weather won't let me forget that it is still summer outside. which is why i have the AC on and am cuddled under a blanket...

wishing you a lovely (FALL) day!

cooling off...

2009-08-15T14:38:00.001-04:00

i'm wishing for all that lovely cool weather Seattle was having last week. back here in the rest of the world, it is hot and muggy, and i don't feel like doing anything. even eating. well, except for this guacamole (ok, and maybe a pint of Ben & Jerry's....)

i have tried all kinds of guacamole, but i like this one the best. it's my own "recipe", and it's very simple and no frills. i use the term "recipe" loosely since it's not an exact science...kind of like a handful of this and a dash of that. really, it's however i am feeling at the time i make it. the key is to use good fresh, organic ingredients and to eat it with really good chips. i am a sucker for Target's Archer Farms Organic Yellow Corn Chips (pictured) and Trader Joe's Organic Yellow Corn Rounds.

If you want to make just one serving as pictured, use:

1 medium-sized ripe avocado

1 small ripe roma tomato, diced

chopped red onion (i like to use a handful or two, but it's your call)

1-2 lime slices, squeezed

sea salt to taste

scoop out the avocado into a bowl and squeeze the lime wedge(s) on it before you mash it. i find that it helps with the process. forks seem to work the best for mashing. once the avocado is all mashed up, mix in the tomatoes, onions, and salt.

enjoy!

silhouettes

2009-08-15T08:47:00.000-04:00

i recently started collecting vintage silhouettes. i find them so lovely, and yet a bit haunting. they have been patiently laying around for a few months, but today i finally decided to hang them up. oh how i wish this picture did justice to their complete awesomeness.

off to have a cup of hot green tea and some petite chai cookies...

happy Saturday to you!

new curtains!

2009-08-14T11:14:00.000-04:00

i picked up a pair of these wonderful curtains from IKEA. i almost didn't get them, but i am so glad i did. they look even better than the store display! i definitely want to get more in case they are no longer available by the time we buy a house (sadly, that will be a couple more years). i would love to paint our living room walls gray or slate blue...or brown. i just can't decide, but lucky for me, all those colors are in these curtains!

a bit of a close up (pretend you don't see those cobwebs up there...and the unpainted window trim!). these curtains are way too long for our meager little apartment windows, so i folded the top of each panel over a few times and clipped curtain rings on. and they still fall just above the floor. they did come with hemming tape and instructions in case i wanted to cut them to size. but i'd rather hold out for a house with high ceilings and tall windows. hey, a girl can dream....

this picture is non-curtain related, but i was just playing around with something i saw in a magazine somewhere. it makes me think of that old Jim Croce song, "Time in Bottle".

well, while i should be unpacking, i think i'll go make some fresh, organic guacamole instead...

have a happy Friday!

farewell, Seattle!

2009-08-12T18:27:00.000-04:00

my time in Seattle is sadly coming to an end. tomorrow my mom and i fly home. it has been a wonderful visit! it will be hard to say goodbye to our dear family (and to each other), but it will certainly be nice to see my sweetie again...hopefully the next time i'm in Seattle, we can both come!

the past few days have been super busy and fun. yesterday, we rode the Ducks and went up the Space Needle. today we went on the Underground Tour (loved it!) and browsed some shops around Pioneer Square. i'll admit i was tempted to buy a Utilikilt for my husband. how hunky would he be?! and the Fireworks Gallery: so many lovely things there. i also finally got my peach mango bubble tea fix. i'm a happy girl!

well, it's off to go pack and spend the waning time with my family.

a happy day to you...

i could get used to this...

2009-08-09T19:18:00.000-04:00

just a few photos from another lovely day in Seattle. what a fun day i had! drooling over boots at REI, strolling and snapping photos at Volunteer Park (reminds me so much of Mt. Tabor in Portland), reminiscing over fun childhood toys at Archie McPhee, amazing views of Seattle, lunch at Red Mill, and laughing with family. we're finishing the day off with chocolate and a movie. does it get better than that?!

tomorrow it's IKEA and a hunt for bubble tea.

happy Sunday, friends!

scenes from Pike Place

2009-08-07T23:41:00.000-04:00

i loved Pike Place. i think i could have eaten every heirloom tomato, cherry, berry, and peach there was, and still have room for fresh seafood. there was so much loveliness to see and taste and smell and feel and hear that these snapshots simply don't cut it. it was wonderful to be there, and to be with my mom.

lovely, lovely Seattle

2009-08-06T21:54:00.000-04:00

hello. just a quick update to tell you what a fabulous time i'm having in Seattle! it's so good to be here! i've spent the past two days relaxing a bit and enjoying time with family. looking forward to Pike Place tomorrow morning and a weekend hike at Mt. Rainier.

what are you up to?

i hope your week is a shiny, happy one!

to Emerald City, i go

2009-08-03T15:28:00.000-04:00

i'm leaving for Seattle tomorrow! hence, i probably won't post until after i get back (alas, i didn't think ahead to do any scheduled posts!). so have a happy next two weeks or so!

i am sure i'll have lots of fun pictures to share when i return...

Grampy's table

2009-08-01T08:29:00.000-04:00

i recently acquired this little table/shelf made by my grampy many, many years ago. i love its simple lines and color. and what i especially love is its presence in my own childhood. it sat in grammy and grampy's family room next to the couch, quietly watching the grandkids play, perhaps wishing for arms and legs so that it could join in on the fun. the slightly worn surface and condensation stains where houseplants and drinking glasses once sat bear evidence to the fact that it was well used and much loved by several generations. the table is one of the first of many pieces of furniture my grampy has built over the years. he is a very skilled carpenter and has blessed lots and lots of people with his special talent. and he continues to do so.

lovely patina, no? and it will only get lovelier with age. like Grampy.

from Leaflet's house

2009-07-31T12:28:00.000-04:00

this little paint-chippy table came from the country cottage of my great-great aunt Leaflet (isn't that an amazing name?!). the table is solid oak, and even though it is small, it is quite heavy. it is the perfect height to be a plant stand or a little end table, though i always wonder, with old things like this, what it was really intended for.

that little rhinestone hair comb also came from Aunt Leaflet. i have had it for so many years, but never had a good place for it until i found this little silver saucer and glass dome. the wildflower card was a sweet little surprise included with the dome/saucer from Little Byrd Vintage, who has such amazing things in her shop.

just in case you thought i was done talking about Aunt Leaflet, i'm not! perhaps the most precious thing that i "inherited" from her is this wonderful canvas painting that she painted herself almost a hundred years ago. it is very special to me because not only am i a horse lover like Aunt Leaflet, i am also an amateur painter.

i just love her signature! it's so pretty and old fashion-y.

i have some more treasures from Aunt Leaflet, but i think i will save them for another day.

Pete

2009-07-30T11:13:00.000-04:00

i wasn't planning on posting today, but i came across this photo while going through some old file folders, and it made me smile, and so, i couldn't keep it to myself.

meet Pete...

i wish i could take credit for this photo, but alas, it was taken by my dad, who befriended Pete a few years back. Pete is an old curmudgeon who is from the small town where i grew up. i've never actually met Pete formally, as he is a bit of a recluse, but i always saw his white fisherman's hat off in the distance as he was mowing his many properties around town. and from the many, many stories my dad has shared, Pete is a real character and does things his own way.

and from this photo, he seems quite content with that, no?

i just love that he is wearing this fabulous Starbucks earth month shirt, given to him by my dad (oh yes, we have some Starbucks-ites in our family). and it doesn't get much better than those plaid pants.

fess up time

2009-07-29T09:58:00.000-04:00

lest i mislead you all to believe that i have some sort of fancy schmancy new camera (like i'd know how to use it anyway), here's my secret:

the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 10 MP

Source: www.supremeva.com

i've been down the fancy camera route anyway. my old Canon Powershot A4, with all its bells and whistles, lasted just shy of 4 years.

the Lumix, just about as simple as me, actually takes quicker, better pictures than the Canon. i am quite pleased!

have camera, will use

2009-07-28T18:19:00.001-04:00

oh the places they've been!

(see that sweet little bird stamped on the old sheet music? i can't take credit for her. she showed up with that glass dome and silver plate bought on Etsy from Storybookcharm!)

wonderful little glass cloches

obviously i am loving the new camera, which arrived today.

also loving::

South Pacific, the old Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, which i am watching for the first time

a hint of a coming thunderstorm in the air

windchimes chiming

eating our favorite Chinese takeout (i must say that eating wonton soup in my Orla Kiely mug especially rocked)

triple chocolate cake and a glass of organic milk for dessert

i leave for Seattle in less than a week now!

Begin the Beguine and spectator shoes

2009-07-27T22:07:00.000-04:00

tonight i am listening to Artie Shaw and his orchestra play one of my favorite songs ever: Begin the Beguine. i am no longer in my hothouse of an apartment. instead i am in a garden, swirling around in the peony-drunken air. and all the gentlemen in the garden are wearing spectator shoes, an absolute must. (did you know, my Sweetie bought a pair of spectator Docs to wear on our wedding day? sigh. what a man.)

where does your favorite song take you?

coffee nostalgia

2009-07-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

so it's been a rainy couple of days, and it's feeling quite Fall-ish. i really do love the weather, but today required a little Starbucks pick-me-up for the gloominess. a grande Pike Place roast and a cranberry orange scone. it's heaven, i tell you.

now i do like the taste of coffee, but can i let you in on a secret? i really buy it for the smell as it reminds me of my grammy and grampy's house. one deep inhale of that smoky rich roast and i am waking up in vintage floral sheets to hear my grammy puttering downstairs in the kitchen. so many memories from that big white house surrounded by oak trees.

obviously my grandparents are avid coffee drinkers (hence my nostalgia). they set the timer the night before, so that their Maxwell House is waiting for them, piping hot, in the morning, in their retro little kitchen no less. (it's almost too perfect!)

it was grammy who gave me my first taste of coffee. i was a little surprised at first because i imagined it tasting more like hot chocolate. but i was hooked. and so grammy and i would sit in that kitchen. me with my bowl of "fun" cereal (usually Lucky Charms) and grammy with her black coffee, steel-cut oatmeal, and a side of dry powdered milk (yes. i said dry). we would talk about the salamanders i found in the creek, how she hoped it would rain because the garden was dry, how we needed to get the laundry hung before it got too hot, and snakes. grammy has the best snake stories. looking back, i realize that our talks were never grand, but rather simple every day stuff. all the same, those conversations meant the world to me. and still do.

i hope i can be a grammy like her someday.

so, here's to you grammy. drink up.

2009-07-21T19:12:00.000-04:00

still no camera. sigh. i feel a little lost, even though i am by no means a photographer. i was always the kind of girl (who am i kidding- still am) who went through each book twice. the first time to look at the pictures, the second time to actually read it. so naturally, i need to have something to look at on my blog, besides my own boring drivel.

i do, however, have something fun to share.

a couple months ago, two mysterious packages arrived on my doorstep.

i was pleasantly surprised to find these inside:

anyone recognize them?

they made their debut in Starbucks stores last Christmas.

someone very near and dear to my heart happens to work for Starbucks and was given an opportunity to purchase these.

and because she is just so fabulous, rather than keeping them to herself, she shipped them off to me.

thank you, dear friend. you know who you are!

so it's been a while...

2009-07-19T15:33:00.000-04:00

yep. sorry about that. i've been feeling uninspired. and then my camera broke. which left me really uninspired.

i just ordered a new camera, so hopefully the dryspell will be over soon.

also have some fun new treasures to show off (when said camera arrives): a fabulous vintage fan, floral frog, Big Ben alarm clock, and some surprises!

though i may not get some pics on here until after i get back from SEATTLE!

i leave in just over 2 weeks with my darling mom to visit some dear family. i am so excited to see them and to be in Seattle. i've never made it there, though i have been to Portland, OR a couple times.

this summer is flying by too fast. eeks!

what have you been up to?

i hope to frequent blogger much more come Fall...

2009-05-07T12:29:00.001-04:00

no fun pictures today, but i thought i would share a few of my favorite design books that inspire me to no end. i keep these easily accessible in one of my vintage locker baskets so that i can look at them often!

what about you? do you have any favorite decorating/style books to share?

please do!

2009-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

since i didn't have this blog at Christmas-time, and since i change up my holiday decor a bit every year, i thought i would give you all a glimpse into some of my favorite decorations from Christmas 2008. after all, it's never to early to start thinking about Christmas! enjoy!

i love snowglobes! i started collecting them a couple years ago, and i have about 6 now. i am a little picky about the ones i choose. i prefer that they have a simple, classic look. this one, my favorite, i received as a gift from my Sweetie a few years back.

i just love after-Christmas sales! i had been drooling over these mercury glass trees from Michael's and the glass finial from Target ever since they were on shelves in November, so it was super nice to get them for 50-75% off!

our kitty, Emma, likes them too!

more Target clearance: funky glass finials

and another Target clearance find!

i got these windows from my parents' barn (that place is a wonderland, i tell you!). the glass ornaments came from a garage sale. i love the retro aqua color!

the wreath is from TJ Maxx and the "Home Sweet Home" sign is from the Flower Factory (like Hobby Lobby, only cheaper!)

i adore this garage-sale tin so much that i use it to house my buttons, that way i can see it all year round. the scene reminds me of a Currier & Ives painting.

and i'm throwing this one in of Edna since i mentioned her in a previous post. isn't she fun?

2009-05-02T10:00:00.000-04:00

i particularly enjoy photography, even though i really don't know what i'm doing. i have never taken any classes, and i just have a little canon powershot digital camera. but i have fun with it. i like to use natural light. here are some of my favorite recent shots:

the little red barn at my parents' house has housed everything from garden supplies to chickens.

my dad's old International Harvester Scout. i love the color!

Scout again. the peeling-paint patina and shiny chrome speak to me!

my Argus Super Seventy Five box camera. it takes 620 film (shown in photo). i love the look of both the camera and the old film spool.

2009-05-01T10:56:00.000-04:00

like my name says, i am a girl in love with vintage-modern style. i'm the kind of person who could sit for hours and hours hearing stories from my grammy and grampy. i love to read "Reminisce" magazine, scour old estate sales, and treasure hunt in attics, basements, and barns. my family loves when i visit because i take all their old junk! i guess i'm just a bit of a romantic, and that spills over into my personal & home style. i also like modern, clean lines. so i guess i'm a little Ikea meets grandpa's garage.

my husband and i still live in a small apartment with white walls, but it won't be long until we have a house of our own to paint and design as we please.

but for now, it's home.

i collect vintage fans! there are so many different styles and colors to choose from. i prefer fans from the machine age and the 50's & 60's, but i really love them all! you can find them on Ebay and Etsy, or at flea markets, garage sales, you name it. just make sure you check your parents' or grandparents' houses first! i got my first fan (the small silver one on the far left) from my inlaws' basement. and that's where it all began for me. it was love at first sight.

i just love the rusty bones of this little guy! i found him in my parents' barn, and my dad was all too glad to part with it (he was going to take it to the scrap yard!!) he goes great in our bathroom. i could have it restored professionally, but i like it just the way it is!

this is my antique Singer dressmaker form who i affectionately refer to as "Edna". i got her for $1 at a garage sale a couple years ago. at Christmas time i wrap strands of big colorful bulbs around her! (my husband thinks she is ridiculous, but he puts up with her for me!)

i got this pair of mismatched old clipboards from a yard sale. i use them to display my favorite magazine covers of the moment.

vintage metal gym locker baskets make the perfect storage. i have..ahem...four, scattered in various places throughout our apartment. two in the linen closet hold back-up toiletries, one on our filing cabinet holds my husband's school stuff, and this one houses my favorite decorating/organizing books.

this old Linco Gasoline sign is one of my favorite finds, again from my parents' barn. i would like to hang it on the wall someday, but that will have to wait until we own a house.

i love the look of these egg prints from a 1930's encyclopedia. i put them in espresso wood frames from my favorite store: Target. i hung them each with a vintage office clip that i found at a garage sale. (an assorted lot for $2)

thanks for stopping by! come back again to see some more vintage modern style!