November 1, 2013

Looking back at October 2013


This day always carries a hint of melancholy to it for me, as I know it's the furthest possible point until Halloween, my most beloved and favourite holiday returns. There's no sense in bemoaning the calendar however, and besides, it's much more fun to focus on how enjoyably lovely yesterday was than to fret that the next one won't be here for another 364 days (photos of my spooktastically fun Halloween costume will be appearing on the blog within the week).



{Hard as it is to believe, - much like the title character says at the end of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown - another Halloween has come and gone. It was an awesome one, complete with pumpkin carving, oodles of goodies, and a costume that I'm bursting at the seams with excitement to show you here really soon. Image source.}

 

Like many the world over at the moment, I'm a pretty knackered from last night's festivities, but in the best gosh-the-was-a-blast kind of way. I need to get my strength back up (or give myself a Halloween candy sugar high :D) though because, so long as my health wants to cooperate, there's an annual antiques and collectibles show up in the community of Rutland in Kelowna, which I have eagerly been hoping to attend ever since I caught wind of it for the first a couple of months ago.

Like most such events in this province, the likelihood that they'll be any 1940s or 50s ladies clothing or hats there is exceedingly slim, but there's usually some vintage jewelry amongst the military collectibles, housewares, art, kitsch decor items, old books, children’s toys and other assorted yesteryear items that pop up at such events here in the Okanagan (at least the ones I've been to). As I'm fond of saying though, you just never know where the next fabulous vintage fashion find might pop up!

The show doesn't start until 3pm though, and that's about half a day away still, so let's pass a bit of time by recapping some of the wonderful things that transpired here on the blog throughout the thirty-one day long month of October.

With my spirits immensely revived, my soul as happy as a clam, and countless stellar memories all but burning a hole in the pocket of my mind, October included three posts from our recent travels: Seven of my favourite places we visited in Alberta (and what I wore to each of them), An absolutely awesome blogger meet-up with Laurie from Retro Reporter (this was my first blogger meet-up ever), A very personal reflection on seeing Calgary again.

This was not a month that shied away from vintage outfit posts, let me tell you! In fact, with a total (including what I wore for my super fun meet-up with Laurie) coming in at five, it's housed one of the largest number of such posts in a single month to date.

October's vintage ensemble included a mustard yellow 1980s does 1940s dress partnered with my first ever yard sale Bakelite find, a truly gorgeous bespoke 1940s reproduction dress that was handmade for me incredibly talented Spanish seamstress Rosy (from Sewing Addicta), a photo of which appears here below; the cheekily titled Walking around town in my birthday suit in which I shared snaps of the beautiful coral hued 1950s skirt suit I got for my birthday this year, and last but definitely not least, I shared all about how I heart vintage plaid, novelty brooches, and fab green hats in a post that also broke the exciting news that Tony and I recently purchased a brand new Canon D6 DSLR camera.





Some of the other post topics through this most beautiful of autumn months were 15 of my must-have vintage fashion essentials (and one of my top tips for creating a wardrobe you love), and a reader request post on How Tony and I do vintage outfit shoots, an in-depth look at Why I love, and wear, 1980s does 40s and 50s fashions, as well as two sponsor spotlight posts, one each on House of SASS and etsy vintage shop Junk in da Trunk Girls.

Naturally, October also included some Halloween themed posts, including 31 things for which Halloween just wouldn’t be the same to me without, Three sweet and scrumptious vintage fall recipes (for Halloween classics such as caramel apples and hot mulled cider), an Addams Family themed edition of Vintage Fashionista Friday, and a lovely Halloween spin on this month's Flickr Favourites.

Elsewhere on the web, I was delighted to be asked by vintage fashion expert, entrepreneur  and all around fabulous lady, Debbie Sessions (who you remember from this post about her website Vintage Dancer), to a part of a great article she put together on Wearing Fall Vintage Clothing - Tips from 3 Vintage Fashion Bloggers, which housed impute from yours truly, as well as two of my oldest and dearest online friends, Brittany from Va Voom Vintage and Bethany from The Glamorous Housewife. It's a lovely read, especially if you're on the prowl for some new vintage fall fashion ideas.

I adore discovering fresh, innovative new website, and all the more so if they have vintage spin to them, so I was really happy when site founder Mary Micouris (who many of you may know from her other popular vintage site We Heart Vintage) introduced me to her latest awesome project: VintageGrazer.

With a look and feel that calls to mind hugely popular sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, VintageGazer is a user submitted (it's completely free to join and submit images) image agitator that's filled with nothing but beautiful photos from fellow vintage fans the world over. It's just getting off the ground, but members (myself very much included) are flocking there and eagerly submitting photos already (and why wouldn't they, it's a great way to get your blog out in the public eye!). If you haven't popped by yet, be sure to do so today - but be warned, you may find it as addictively fun as those two aforementioned social photo sharing sites.

Unquestionably one of the most fantastic things to happen to me in recent weeks, was my first ever appearance in a print magazine. I was honoured to the highest degree to be interviewed by, and appear in, two different stories in the inaugural print edition of British fashion and lifestyle magazine, V&Oak. I'm collaborating with V&Oak for a terrific giveaway later this month, and will be spilling the beans about this super exciting experience in far greater detail in a post here towards the end of the November.

With the return of that telltale outdoor signs – many of us have had snow already - of winter, it means that our thoughts will be shifting, naturally, to Christmas and the many marvelous traditions, festivities, and celebrations that go along with it.

Today though, I'm quite happy to just live in the moment on this frosty November 1st morn, and think about tonight's antiques & collectibles show, as well as about some of the topics we'll be chatting up a (snow) storm about here in the coming weeks.

On the roster you'll find such diverse posts as a roundup of some of my very favourite things that I bought during our trip to Calgary in September, (by reader request) a look at how I put my vintage outfits together, a scrumptious vintage cranberry cake recipe (that's just perfect for Christmas!), a photo shoot at the oldest location in Kelowna (it was founded in 1859), and plenty of other engaging and interesting topics.


 photo 8251019063_e170b76706_c_zps3206935c.jpg

{Much like a snowball that suddenly came at you out of left field, November can be a jolt to the ol' system, as we bid farewell to Halloween once more. It doesn't have to be as unpleasant as said snowball however, especially when you stop and take stock of the many positive points and going ons that the eleventh month of the year houses - actual snowball fights very much included!  Image source.}

 

I like November, always have, suspect I always will. It's often a relatively quiet month - a much needed breather between jack-o-lanterns and stockings hung by the chimney with care.

If we’re lucky, there are still a few days that remain above freezing. We get to honour those who so bravely fought and worked to win not one, but two horrific wars in the last century on Remembrance Day, winter wardrobes are back in full swing for most, those in the States have their Thanksgiving (ours was on the 14th of October here in Canada this year) to look forward to near the end of the month, lots of great TV shows have returned with new episodes again, and there's still time to just kick back and relax before Christmas comes a calling (or caroling, as the case may festively be).

Not tonight however, I hope. There's an antiques & collectibles show a mere hour away and it's whispering my name in the sweetest and most inviting of voices. Naturally, I'm going to reply by paying it a visit. :)

Here's to a joyful, fun, vintage filled month of November for all of us!


26 comments:

  1. Happy Halloween, my beauty.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  2. There is always such a let down after a holiday! But I feel like now that I've embraced vintage fashion and let myself dress up without an excuse, the passing of Halloween is a bit more bearable since different pieces can put me into a new character in a way. Can't wait to see your costume! I hope you find some exciting things at the show today! Happy November dear!

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  3. October was a great month for you! I hope november will be as fabulous for you!

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  4. Wait a minute.. did I miss out a bragging post? :)
    You're in the PRINT?!
    I'm ever so proud.. so much, that the last hour of the last day in this work week just became a whole lot more bearable. (OK, yes; I admit it: when I seea new post from one of my Glamourous Girl, I simply have to read it - even if I'm still at work.. don't tell my boss)..
    So, thank you ever so much for making my hour a "happy hour". Truth to be told, I feel gigantic happiness every time I see one of glamour gals achieve something.
    This is, indeed a "something".
    It's a BIG chunk of "something". So, I dare say: I'm as proud as I would be if this happened to me. (you could at lest give us a hint about this - it's huge, isn't it?). :)

    I have a feeling this November is going to bring us something GREAT, darling!

    Tons of hugs.
    Marija

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  5. Your retrospective posts are deserved and fun because your blog is so chock full of content. Every month brings more and more interesting stuff. You're producing the most entertaining blog on the Internet right now.

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  6. Can't wait to see your Halloween costume! I'm heading out tonight for a party and I'm giddy with excitement at the thought of dressing up later today! :D

    Have a great weekend my friend!
    Lisa.

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  7. I certainly hope that you feel absolutely strengthened and ready to attend the fair and there can always be some lovely woman wearing vintage clothes: you!

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  8. Aw, Happiest of Halloweens, my darling friend. There's something about November that I love ... the quiet, the solitude, the calm before the Holiday Season. Maybe it's the garden pulling it's quilt over itself and finally falling asleep? Maybe it's the short days and long nights snuggled up in a sweater and reading a good book? Maybe it's that, for me, it's a New Year with new possibilities? Who knows.

    Sending you and yours a warm mug of hot cider and a freshly baked apple pie. MUAH!

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  9. I hope you had a fantastic Halloween, looking forward to seeing your costume. Congratulations on being featured in a magazine, that is so exciting! Will be interesting to hear more about it. Hope you get to the antiques and collectibles show, sounds like a lovely day out.

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  10. What a wonderful month of blog posts! It just seems like the tale end of the year is full of holidays and special occasions for us to get inspiration from. I just loved hearing about all your travels this month and of course, always marvel in your beautiful outfit posts:) You are a great inspiration dear Jessica!

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    1. Thank you very much, darling Joanna! It was an action packed month here for sure, both online and off. The fact that, somehow (I'm still a bit mystified as to how) I didn't contract Tony's flu mid-month certainly helped busy online and off (that eight day migraine hampered things there somewhat though, but at least it wasn't the flu!).

      We were able to go to antiques show (yay!) in the early evening once Tony was done work and it was a terrific! Not huge, but full of really friendly, lovely sellers, a neat selection of items (fair bit of jewelry, almost no clothes - I bought one of the only two items of clothing there and were it not for the fact that I had one very similar to the other, which was priced a bit steep, IMO, I might have got both; lots of collectibles of all kinds, housewares, kitschy pieces, vintage tins, toys, etc), and lots of fellow shoppers. We both had a blast and said that we plan to return, if possible, next year.

      Huge thanks again & tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  11. I'm so happy dear Jessica! I'm still in the mood for a new challenge of clothes for you, I just need a little more time. I sigh of love with your photo wearing this beautiful dress. Yay, October has given much of if it, so many things to share, I've really enjoyed your post. And of course, I'm excited to see how many wonderful treasures you buy tonight. Looking to November now with many posts deliciously expected. Happy weekend.

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  12. I'm sure the prospect of that antiques show did much to revive yours spirits. ;) Goodies to bring home or no, those are always such fun just to wander—one never knows what fascinating thing is there to be discovered!

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  13. It's so hard to believe it's already November. Xmas is just around the corner… eep!

    Best of luck rummaging at the antiques and collectables show.
    xo

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  14. reading your post sometimes helps me trough the day. living a vintage live is not always easy. it's nice to see I'm not alone

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    1. What an absolutely beautiful, and moving, comment, James, thank you very much. I'm so happy to know that reading my posts can have an uplifting effect for you. You're not alone at all in your love of vintage, and I hope that you'll always feel a sense of comradery when you visit my site.

      Your friend in all things vintage,
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. I always feel the same after halloween, bit of a let down, Next year I think Ill dress up myself, not just dress up my dogs. Your post has reminded me of all the lovely things November has to offer though and I am so excited for you that you are going to be in a print magazine, what an honor

    kate

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    1. It's such a blast to dress up, I've done it every year of my life, best I can recall, even if it was a costume I just put together using items I had to hand already. You're a beautiful dresser, and I bet you'd come up with a really terrific costume! I hope you'll join me in dressing up next year, dear Kate.

      Thank you so much - it really is a tremendous honour to appear in this magazine and I can't wait to share more about later in the month.

      ♥ Jessica

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  16. Oh, such a pretty picture of you! And I know what you mean, but look forwards to a whole year of opportunities before the next halloween! I can't wait to have some nice adventurous halloweens in my future! :) Have a braw November kitten! Oh and thanks for your sweet words, you are always so smile provoking! ;) Take care, Zoë xxx

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  17. what a gorgeous article Jessica congrats, you deserve a wonderfull life, best wishes from my little corner of England..... Val xx

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    1. That is so tremendously kind and beautiful of you to say, dear Val, thank you deeply. I truly hope that your life is filled with an abundance of wonderful things as well.

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  18. I have not heard of VintageGazer.com but now I think I'll have to join that and add it to my ever growing addictions. Such as, pinterest, instagram, and I'm going back to tumblr...it can be very addictive.

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    1. It's pretty brand new - I believe it was just launched in October - so I don't think a lot of people have heard of it yet, which is part of the reason I was so eager to mention it here and help spread the good word, so to speak. So true, all of those kinds of sites can be very addictive, but I find they're also tremendously fun and a great way to just unwind (especially at the end of the day).

      ♥ Jessica

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  19. Winter is just around the corner here in CA, and there is a definite chill in the air. But as always, your engaging post warmed me and brought a much needed comfort. Thank you!
    ~xoxo, CoriLynn

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  20. I just ordered Vintage Oak and I cannot wait to see the article! You ARE busy, my goodness! I am so excited for you. Many hugs! <3

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    1. Oooh, how wonderfully awesome, dear Kim! I hope it reaches you in a jiffy and that you really enjoy it. My socks were knocked thoroughly off my the quality and engaging content in this top-notch UK publication. Even having stared at my face on its pages, it's still a bit hard for me to believe that I'm actually featured in it. :)

      Tons of hugs & thanks,
      ♥ Jessica

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