{Mail off a delightfully pretty hello note to a dear friend or loved one with a postcard from this elegant set, complete with its own charming metal tin, of 18 cards (three each of six designs) featuring Victorian inspired images of birds and flowers. What could be more pleasant, especially as the chilly “indoor” weather sets in, than spending a few moments now and then to correspond the old fashioned way with someone near and dear to you via one of these gorgeous cards? Set of 18 “Birds & Blooms Pink Postcard Tin” set currently on sale for $12.80 (US), from Plasticland.}
Like most of us, I have my very favourite – call them “tried and true” – vintage sources that I turn to time and time again, both for use in my posts and for my own personal collection, of which etsy is most definitely one such site. A number of my “Daily Deals” posts have featured etsy pieces, and I have no doubt that oodles of future ones will as well (etsy is, after all, entirely fabulous!), but I’d like to feature items in my “bargain finds” posts from an assortment of other sources as well.
The wonderful postcards above hail from Plasticland.com, a site that never cease to put my will power into overdrive, as I cruise its pages resisting the urge at every turn to order a little something for myself. In general Plasticland’s prices are fairly reasonable and their sale section can really be a good place to score a deal (the same is true of ModCloth.com).
I’m curious though as to what some of your favourite online sources for a stellar bargain are? No matter how large or small the site, if you think it’s a great place to score a deal on a vintage (or vintage looking) piece, I’d love to hear about it!
...Wild hail like a barrage of BB gun pellets hurled itself, intermixed with a peppering of snowflakes at our building for a few minutes yesterday afternoon, which means that I was entirely spot on when my husband and I placed our "when would it snow first this year bets"! He guessed October 25th, I pondered for a while and settled on November 5th, which, just happened to be yesterday. There’s no prize to be won, other than a huge smile, but that’s still more than enough to jump start my weekend on a cheerful note. With the coming of temps swinging below zero now and the looming prospect of more snow any time, I find myself thinking about mugs of cocoa, like pint sized hot springs for the taste buds, as well as all manner of snugly blankets, sweaters and scarves – anything that serves to warm the heart, mind and soul...
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{To keep your fingers and imagination busy all winter long}
{Whether you churn out a groundbreaking novel, write correspondence to friends near and far, or just enjoy it for the stunning piece of art it is, this alluring, sleek, gorgeous typewriter is sure to take pride of place in any office. Turquoise “Royal” vintage typewriter in good working order, $390.00 (US), from etsy seller Poetic Home.}
{To add a delightful touch of rustic, vintage charm to even the most modern of kitchens}
{Dyed so as to take on the look of something that could have been unearthed from your great grandmother’s hope chest in the attic, these three piece sets of French linen tea towels are just the ticket instantly increase the vintage vibe in your kitchen, laundry room, utility room, or anywhere else hands – or dishes – may need to be dried. Three towel set available in red or blue, $19.99 (US) each from Touch of Europe.}
{To help you survive that low period of sucrose activity between Halloween candy and holiday cookies}
{A modern melding of ancient flavours comes together in this lusciously rich dessert that is sure to become a classic the moment it reaches the table. Pomegranate chocolate mousse cake recipe on, and beautiful photo from, Dessert First.}
{To help make the ever-increasingly longer nights a little brighter}
{I adore a well lit room, whether the luminosity stems from the sun, candles or bulbs, I find my mind often feels sharper when I have a solid supply of light at hand, and what more gorgeous way to ensure you too are never short of light than with one of these stunningly pretty flower shaped clip on lamps. Available in thee hues (pink, green and ivory white), these darling lights use a 40 watt chandelier bulb and can clipped to a variety of surfaces, from chair backs to headboards. Aside from being practical, they just happen to be immensely gorgeous, too! “Bloom Clip Light”, $29.00 (US) per light, from Urban Materials + Accessories (UMA).}
{To inspire a season’s worth of kitchen remodeling and design projects}
{Did your heart skip a beat when you gazed upon this understatedly incredible kitchen, its pallet of mint-married-with-turquoise, fire engine red, and crisp white, just as mine did? Ripe with vintage styling and original 50s pieces (like the Formica table), this room is a joy to behold and no doubt even more fun to try and duplicate – or pull decor inspiration from – yourself. Image via Country Living.}
Wishing you each a delightfully wonderful, serenely lovely weekend bursting with fun and relaxation!
While I realize that they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, I really like blog awards. It touches me deeply when a fellow blogger lets me know that they enjoy Chronically Vintage by extending an accolade my way, and in turn I love passing along an award to some of my favourite sites.
This week Glama Ray, a top-notch lady with a terrifically fun vintage centred blog, bestowed the “Over the Top” award upon this site, and with it came a delightful set of questions, all of which are to be answered with just one word a piece.
Before proceeding with my pocket sized replies (and passing along this award), I want to say thank you ever so much for the wonderful award, Glama Ray. Short quantities of text and I aren’t always the best of friends (this is largely why I’m not a very prolific Twitter, the itty-bitty character limit just doesn't jive well with my adoration of words!), but I had a sincerely great time filling out this set of questions (I love veering away from my own norm sometimes).
{Receiving the gift of a blog award always makes me feel a bit like I’d imagine the gorgeous gal (Bess Myerson, circa 1945) in this vintage Miss America photo did upon learning she’d come in first place! Image via Life magazine achieves.}
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1. Where is your cell phone? Handbag
2. Your hair? Adorable ;D
3. Your mother? Strength
4. Your father? Confidential
5. Your favorite food? Homemade
6. Your dream last night? Nonexistent
7. Your favorite drink? Spring water
8. Your dream/goal? (Own a) House
9. What room are you in? Bedroom
10. Your hobby? Eclecticism
11. Your fear? Arachnophobia
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Stress-free
Glama Ray presented this award to six fellow bloggers and so, in her footsteps, I’m going to do the same thing. I always have the trickiest of times with picking just a small handful of people to give a blog award to and openly invite everyone who reads Chronically Vintage to present themselves with the “Over the Top” award, if you’d also like to have a go at filling out the questions above (if you do, please let me know, I’d love to read your answers!).
{To pass along and/or use this adorable graphic on your own site, please download the image to your desktop and/or upload it to your favourite image hosting site.}
Each of these six blogs is a “must visit” site that never fails to inspire me with its fantastic array of vintage topics, images and ideas. Many thanks to you all for the stellar blogs you produce!
If you’d like pass this award along, my dears, the "rules" to do so are as follows:
1. You can only use ONE word! (To answer the questions)
2. Pass this along to six of your favourite bloggers
3. Alert them that you have given them this award!
4. Have fun!
Thank you again very much for the excellent award, Glama Ray, filling out the questions was a great way to wrap up an already great day (my recently renewed passport arrived earlier than expected and I also got a nice – and massively long overdue – haircut that I’m pretty pleased with, both points that make this Thursday one of the better days so far this month).
{Everything old is new again! This refined yet playfully fun cropped, double breasted jacket looks as though it could have come from the front windows of a dozen trendy clothing stores this season, yet hails back to the golden years of the fifties. Fitting up to a 37 inch bust and a 31 inch waist, this versatile topper would look marvelous over everything from high-waisted pencil skirts to wiggle dresses, and would likely see you through many more autumns to come. 1950s cropped ladies jacket, $34.00 (US), from etsy seller Second Wind Vintage.}
Isn’t it wonderful how trends so often work in circles? Sure there are scads of styles I hope never see the light of day again (sadly most of them – like acid wash jeans and mammoth shoulder pads – already have), but there are others that I would jump through hoops to have return. I keep holding out hope that among about a million other pieces, full skirts, saddle shoes, and beautiful jumper dresses (also with full or dirndl style skirts) will swing back into vogue, but I’m not holding my breath.
Fashion seems to have much more of a love affair with the 80s right now than with the 40s or 50s. Still it’s fun to daydream about suddenly being able to find affordable, well constructed modern versions of our favourite vintage styles. What sort of pieces from yesteryear would you love see reappear and become readily available once more?
A smidgen of sun burst forth between the mashed potato like mounds of pewter clouds for a couple of hours late this afternoon, giving me a welcome jolt of energy and spurring me onwards to put together a post I’ve been meaning to get to for ages: a new edition of the Pretty Link Roundup. I must admit, it’s been about a month since the last such post, if I’m not mistaken, so we’re long overdue for another one!
For those who may be new to Chronically Vintage (first off, a super warm welcome to you!), the Pretty Link Roundup is a frequently occurring post in which I gather an assortment of posts from various blogs (and other websites) that have caught my attention lately and which (generally) pertain to a vintage related topic. As well I post a weekly vintage themed video clip (usually from Youtube) and also extend the “Your Blog is an Inspiration” award to one blogger whose site never fails to fill my heart and mind with vintage inspiration.
So without further ado, let’s get the show on the road and jump right into today’s fantastic array of links!
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* Vintage Vanities and Old Hollywood Glamour: Bonnie of Love Your Place peers into the beautiful, often ornate boudoirs and dressing rooms of some of Hollywood’s most famous leading ladies of yesteryear.
* Mint Green for Fall: If you’ve resigned the wearing of mint green to the spring fashion season alone, it may be time to rethink this gentle shade as a fall hue, too. As the wonderful examples of colder weather wear in mint green here show, this hue can work wonders all year round.
* Elizabeth Taylor’s Beautiful Short Hair 1950s: Over the decades Elizabeth Taylor has sported many looks and numerous hairstyles, here the blog Diizdixo takes a gander at some of the ways Ms. Taylor wore her hair short (think pixie cut length).
* What is Broderie Anglaise: Adore Vintage delves into the difference between Broderie Anglaise (a classic type of white needlework/stitchery) and eyelet lace, in this lovely, example filled post.
* Winter Coats from the 1950s: This post is the stuff vintage coat dreams are made of! Teaming with glamorous, sophisticated, gorgeous examples of 1950s winter coats, it's sure to make everyone who reads it suddenly wish they had a vintage topper like these gems!
* Ruffled headband tutorial: Though headbands have been having a fashion moment as of late, this classic accessory has a long history and can make for a beautiful addition to any outfit regardless of if they’re in vogue presently or not. If you’re a fan of DIY and would like to whip up your own (easy to make) ruffled headband, swing by Heart of Light and check out her step-by-step tutorial on how to so do.
* The Everlasting New Look: Iconic, revolutionary, stunning, timeless, the Dior’s New Look turned high end fashion on its head when it debuted following WW2 and has left a lasting impression on fashion ever since. Here Yesterday’s Girl explores the classic, feminine silhouette that made the New Look so desirable. (And for more on this beautiful style, be sure to check out A Vintage Revival’s post, Christian Dior then and now.)
* The Glamorous Days of Flight: Once long ago in a world where dressing up for seemingly commonplace events was still the norm, men and women alike donned elegant clothes when they took to the skies for an airplane trip, and similarly the airline hostesses (flight attendants) of yore also sported much more elegant uniforms, as highlighted by the examples in this fun post by Some Like It Vintage.
* Cary Grant is the epitome of classic style: The title of this post says it all. Cary Grant was a superb actor and a fantastically nice dresser. His sense of suave, refined, dapper style will forever hold the bar up for men – of both the famous and every day legions – to strive for with their own wardrobes.
* Raise your glasses: A guide to vintage glassware: Knowing how to make a mean martini or a great G&T is only half the battle when it comes to ensuring you get the most out of your tipples, the right glassware is an essential ingredient in the cocktail for any great drink. Here Queens of Vintage stirs up some great advice that's bound to help make sure you always know which type of glassware will work best for your favourite drinks.
* Never before published photos of Marilyn Monroe: Few actress have ever, or are likely to ever be, as hounded by cameras as Marilyn Monroe was, a point that resulted in scores of photographs of her being taken over the span of her legendary career. Most of these images have surfaced before, but occasionally some are discovered that have yet to be seen, such as the never before published images of Marilyn in this Life magazine article.
* Vintage Cars, parts and oddities at the Hershey Fall Meet: If the sights (and sounds!) of a gorgeous vintage car are just the thing to get your motor running, cruise on over to this New York Times article and feast your eyes on the bevy of amazing vintage automobiles that were seen at the Hershey Fall Meet this past October. (Big thanks to my wonderful husband for bringing this link to my attention!)
* Sensible Shoes: Wartime Footwear 1942-45: While these days the words “sensible shoes” might call to mind rather clucky, matronly or unattractive footwear, there was once a time when shoes readily had the ability to be moth comfortable and pretty at the same time, as highlighted this is terrific image filled post by Miss Rayne of Vintage Chick.
* Autumn colours: Sublimely lovely hues in deep jewel, earth and forest shades swirl through the marvelous vintage fashion photos in this beautiful (and very seasonally inspirational!) post from A Red Lipstick.
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Bursting with a highly appealing mix of posts pertaining to vintage topics, fashion, stunning photography finds, and personal musings, the pages of Miss Lillibug’s blog are a whimsical, artistic, engaging source of beauty and interest.
It’s my pleasure to extend today’s Your Blog is an Inspiration award to the wonderful Miss Lillibug! Thank you, sweet dear, for the splendid array of posts you share with us all and for being a fantastic source of vintage inspiration!
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This week’s video clip was uploaded recently by Glamourdaze and features a terrifically lovely group of women throwing one of their friends a bridal shower. I feel that this video is relevant to my life because my wedding anniversary took place on the 14th last month, and though it’s been over five years since I tied the knot, I still adore looking at and daydreaming over gorgeous matrimonial related images, magazines and videos – especially vintage ones! :)
Yesterday I posted four images of myself from Halloween night. I was admittedly tremendously shy to do so, but if there’s any place I feel I can be myself online, it’s amongst you, my fellow vintage lovers, so I mustered the courage to share some photos here. The flood of staggeringly kind comments that poured in over those shots has shown me a valuable lesson: I really shouldn’t worry so much about silly hang-ups surrounding my appearance and that my shyness is entirely uncalled for when amongst good friends.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much, everybody, for your incredibly beautiful comments. Your words have bolstered my confidence and touched me to my core. I promise that I will be way more inclined to share snaps of myself and my outfits from now on!
Wishing you each a gorgeous, relaxing evening and fantastic Wednesday tomorrow!
How sweet of you to drop by! If this is your first visit and you're curious as to what this blog is all about, let me fill you in.
As a lifelong lover of all things antique, vintage, and retro - particularly those from the 1930s, 40s and 50s - this site is my visual scrapbook in which to record and share with others my thoughts on the multitude of sources, people and products that inspire and feed a modern (pin-up) girl's addiction to the past.
Questions, comments, have something you'd like me to try or review, just want to be friends?
Twenty five years old, smart, shy, creative, writer, intuitive, wildly eclectic, artisan, bookworm, married, organized, chronically ill, Canadian, photographer, liberal, sweet-natured, an animal lover, cook, thrift store and secondhand shopper, doll and Japanese toy collector, oldest child, homebody, passionate...and forever in love with all things vintage, from Victory rolls to the Rat Pack.
Love Chronically Vintage? Have a blog of your own that jives with what's going on here? If so please feel to grab the code below to post my graphic on your site, and in turn, if you'd like, you can send your graphic/icon code my way so that I can let the whole world know we're vintage loving friends :)
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