April 30, 2015

Vintage Link Love for April 2015


Paradoxical though it may seem, this month was at once both incredibly long and immensely quick at the same time. A jam packed, nearly non-stop schedule of events (the biggest positive highlights of which were my mom's birthday, Easter, and a one day local classic car swap meet in the middle of the month at which I set up a good sized stall and peddled some of my vintage wares), along with some major points of stress, such as my grandma's breast cancer surgery (for which I cannot begin to thank all of you who sent caring words and prayers my family's way deeply enough for), worked to create an April that was a strange mix of highs and lows.

My dear friend Cherry from the blog She Knits in Purls recently pointed out that despite all of the newness, rebirth and beauty of spring, it can often be a trying season for many and I think she's spot on. The moment I read her words to that extent, I was struck, almost overwhelmingly, by how many challenging springs I've had in my life. In fact, I'd almost go so far as to say that if I made a pie chart of all the seasons and assigned slices to those that have been the most difficult over the years, spring would get the biggest piece by far.

I'm not bemoaning this season though, not in the slightest. Nor am I feeling sorry for myself (that's something I try never, ever to do - it serves zero purpose!), I just like to look at things objectively and I really do think that Cherry nailed it when she said that spring can be a hard time of the year in some ways, despite its gloriously pretty appearance. Proof positive that one can never judge a book, or a season, by its cover.

Fortunately, my grandma is slowly starting down the path to recovery following her recent cancer surgery (though it is far too soon to assess her long term prognosis), our schedule has slowed down a little in May, and despite all the ups and downs of this month, my health didn't take a massive nosedive, as it frequently would have in these circumstances (yippee!). For the most part actually, I'm not sure what's on the agenda for May, save for a couple of exciting events and the Victoria Day long weekend, which serves me just fine.

I've got oodles of new items - from mid-century scarves to Victorian greeting cards, tons of vintage jewelry and some great new (old) clothes - to photograph and add to my Etsy shop's ever-expanding inventory (which saw over 120 new additions in April), and I know that will be keeping me on my toes big time in May.

Before then though, whether your April was hard as nails or as easygoing as a lamb frolicking in a green meadow, let's all take a well deserved breather, sit back for a few minutes and delve into a selection of some of the most engaging, enjoyable, and inspiring online stories and posts I've encountered throughout April in this month's new edition of Vintage Link Love.



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11 Things Women Who Wear Vintage Clothing Might Be Tired Of Hearing: Oh, how I was smiling and nodding my way through this recent Bustle post, as I'm sure you're apt to as well. You might not encounter each of these eleven comments yourself, but chances are, if you wear vintage on a regular basis, you can certainly relate to the spirit behind each of them.


DIY cherry print gloves: My love of vintage gloves is anything but a state secret, yet I must admit, being the sort who is very leery of altering vintage garments, I've never jazzed up any of the pairs I own. This wonderful guest entry on The Vintage Post from Va Voom Vintage's own Brittany Sherman has me seriously contemplating doing so though, as her cherry print gloves are some of the cutest "handware" I've ever seen!


Be Lovely In The Audrey Hepburn Way: This Lifehack post shines the spotlight on number quotes, packed full of smart advice that we can all be served well by, from the perpetually lovely Ms. Hepburn and partners them with beautiful photographs of this most iconic of actresses.




Inside the house that was trapped in time: Electric fires, retro food tins and snaps of friends lost in the war give a glimpse into lives of unmarried sisters who shared a bedroom for 27 years: A hefty title for this Daily Mail article, yes, but an accurate one that instantly pulls the reader in. Like many vintage lovers, I am always in awe of "time warp" homes, especially those from the mid-twentieth century like the one featured in this photo filled piece that helps give us a glimpse into the lives of two British sisters.


Baby, it's cold outside! A brief history of winter fashion in Edmonton: If you know me, then you're likely aware of the fact that there are few things I love more than my beautiful country of Canada. Partner anything Canadian with an element of the past and I'm beyond enamored, which exactly why I adored my good friend Laurie, from the blog Retro Reporter's, terrific recent piece for the Edmonton City as a Museum Project on the history of winter fashion in her fair city (that anyone from, or who has lived in, a snowy climate will be able to relate to).


The Edwardian Sartorialist: One of neatest things about having a large audience is that my lovely readers, often folks whom I've never interacted with before, will sometimes see a link that they think I'd be apt to enjoy and then email it to me. This great piece from Mashable/Retronaut recently came my way via just that manner and I really want to thank the sender again, because these awesome Edwardian street (fashion) photos from photographer Edward Linley Sambourne were to inspiring and beautiful to risk going unshared here with all of you.




DIY: Retro Felt Leaf Half-Hat: Not only is the beautiful Bianca from The Closet Historian an accomplished sewer, highly knowledgeable fashion historian, talented nail artist, stylish dresser, and super lovely person, but she also rocks it out with her millinery skills, too, some of which she shares with all of us in this fantastic post that guides you how to make a 1950s style felt leaf hat yourself. Even if you've never so much as debated creating a hat from scratch before, this post will make you feel like you not only want to, but that you'd be able to pull it off swimmingly.


Shopping repro: Collectif - how it fits / what to buy / when to buy: CiCi from the splendid blog CiCi Marie recently launched a new post series in which she thoroughly guides readers through the ins and outs of a particular repro/vintage inspired brand's offerings (brilliant!). This first addition shines the limelight on Collectif, a UK based company I've not yet tried myself, but which I've been swooning over for years and hope to be able to add - with a far greater degree of confidence now thanks to CiCi's post - to my closet one of these days.


  How to Do a Burn Test for Fiber Content: Whether you wear, collect, sew, and/or sell vintage clothing and other fabric items, chances are that at some point, you're going to encounter a piece for which you can only hazard a guess at the fabric content. Knowing what an item is really comprised of can be extremely important in terms of cleaning, caring for, wearing, and listing (if selling) it, so trying to determine the true fabric content is very helpful. This handy post from Craftsy guides you through the steps of doing so with a burn test and leave you feeling more informed and ready to determine just what that latest thrift store find or hand-me-down from great-aunt Gladys is really made of.




Search for Blogging Men: Jessie Diamond from the great blog Lonely Hepcat recently delved into a topic that I've thought about before myself, but haven't really chatted about too much here over the years: how the vintage and rockabilly blogging world is predominately a female domain. Thankfully though there are some chaps in our online realm, much as there offline, too, and in this post Jessie rounds up some of her favourite rockabilly and vintage related blogging gentleman, all of whom would make great additions to your blogroll or daily feeds.


Making (Vintage Style) Belts: If you've ever wanted to whip up vintage style belts to match your sewing projects or compliment an existing garment, than this fantastic how-to post from Esther is definitely for you. It's chalked full of photos and beautiful examples, along with easy to follow instructions, that are bound to leave you in the mood to whip up a whole bundle of new (old school looking) belts yourself.


Four 1940s Wardrobes: From the marvelous blog The Boyer Family Singers comes this delightful post featuring an article that first appeared in a 1946 edition of Seventeen magazine. It takes readers through a look at the pieces needed to create four different wardrobes and even tells you (in 1940s dollars, which the sisters have kindly computed into 2015 dollars as well) how much they would cost today. It's a fun, lovely read for any and all vintage fashion fans!




{All images throughout the list of links above come by way of the post that they are displayed directly beneath the write up of here. Please follow the links provided to learn more about these images.}


♥ ♥ ♥



May, the fifth month of the year is arguably amongst the most beautiful. The weather is usually that perfect Goldilocks temperature of being neither too hot nor too cold, the birds are putting on a veritable opera, the world is awash with colour again, and one has the peace of mind that comes from knowing we've got ages to go (in the Western Hemisphere) before snow returns. I could happily experience May all year round, if such were possible - though, I would miss my beloved autumn a fair bit, if I did.

Here's to the hope that it proves to be a fun filled, exciting, beautiful month for all of us. I've got a lot of great things planned for the blog and shop (which hits its first birthday in a week) lined up and can hardly wait to share them with each of you.




{Enchantingly sweet May 1st vintage Mary Blare illustration via Amor de Columbina.}





And last, but certainly not least, let me wrap up this post, by wishing everyone a truly fantastic, fun filled Beltane/May Day tomorrow.

Let's all get out, enjoy the sun, forget our worries for a little while, and celebrate everything that makes spring a terrific season, no matter if it's sometimes a bit hard on us or not. The year just would not be the the same without it and that’s worth dancing around a maypole for any day of the week!

42 comments:

  1. The "11 Things" list from Bustle is so spot-on, especially the last one. I've also had people make comments to the effect of "You know, there wasn't [modern medicine/running water/etc.] in those days so you shouldn't glamorize it" when I express my affection for Victoriana, too. It kind of misses the point. It's an aesthetic.

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    1. Precisely! Every era had/has it's good and bad points. You'd have to be off your rocker by a mile and half to want to glamorize or idolize the negative elements of the past (which range from war to misogamy to racism). What some folks fail to see is that we're celebrating the positives of the past and that we have a very deep appreciate for the beauty and workmanship of the decades we hold most dear. If someone was, say, a collector of medieval manuscripts and they have 25 of them, I doubt someone would say to them "Oh, you want to live in (or bring back) a time when there was the black death, epic religious oppression, and a staggeringly high infant mortality rate". Of course that collector wouldn't and neither do we want to revive the negative elements of the past. Quite the contrary, we're trying to better the present - at least on a personal level - with the positive sides of decades past that bring us immeasurable joy.

      Thank you for your terrific comment, dear lady. I hope that you have a beautiful end of April + start of May!

      ♥ Jessica

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  2. Still sending good vibes your way :) Hope all works out for Grandma and she gets better real soon!

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  3. This is a great roundup Jessica! I have enjoyed the posts I have read so far (more at lunch time!). Thank you.

    I'm glad to hear that your grandmother is on the road to recovery (slow and steady wins the race) AND I'm glad to hear that your health was fairly stable this month too. yay!

    have a good weekend Jessica and talk soon.

    Liz :)

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    1. Thank you sweetly, dear Liz. I really appreciate your caring words. You're such a dear person.

      Have a fabulous May!
      ♥ Jessica

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  4. Hello Jessica, nice post, also very helpful!
    I'm finally here, for me April was a strange month, long, slow, laborious, fast ...
    Even my mom's birthday in this month!
    I hope that your grandmother gets better in health, I know that times are difficult, .. It takes patience and hope, and your smile will do well to Grandma!
    An embrace and excuse my bad English

    Serena

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    1. Hi sweet lady, I'm sorry to that April was a strange, heavy month for you as well. It really seems to have hit a lot of people hard. Here's to the hope that May is substantially better for both of us and all those who had a challenging April.

      Thank you very much for your caring comment. Have a terrific weekend!
      ♥ Jessica

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  5. Thank you for sharing! They are All great reads!

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    1. I'm delighted to know that you're enjoying them, Sascha. Thank you for your lovely comment.

      Happy start of May!
      ♥ Jessica

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  6. I often get "Don't you wish you lived in the 40s/50s?" Er.....no, I don't. I am very fond of my mod cons, my ability to work, modern medicine, etc etc.

    Keep an eye out for Collectif's sale, you can pick up some fantastic bargains.

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    1. There are elements of the past I love and wish we had more of in the 21st world (and vice versa), but in general I'm with you there, especially since I know life would have been considerably more challenging for me as a multiple chronic illness fighter back in the day and if for no other reason, that's why (if one had such a choice, I mean) I would always opt to stay put in modern world.

      Thanks for the tip and for your comment. Have a fantastic weekend!
      ♥ Jessica

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  7. Glad to hear your grandma is on the road to recovery - fingers crossed it's a smooth and swift one. And I hope May brings happiness and relaxation! It's certainly one of my favourite months - but I'm a little biased because of my birthday ;)

    I enjoyed the first article - the comment I often get, especially at work, is "Wow, I love your hair, but doesn't that take AGES?!" - phrased as though it is definitely wrong to take time with your hair, which I completely object to. I just don't understand why that's a problem. And in fact, my hair rarely ever takes ages - particularly not when I'm doing it for work! But when I patiently explain that I tend to get responses along the lines of 'you're clearly lying and get up at 4am just to do it' - well, not those words, but that sentiment. I find it objectionable to be judged for taking pride in my appearance and wanting to look a bit different, no matter how long it takes me.

    Anyway, rant over! Thanks so much for sharing my link - I'm thrilled you did :) I hope I can write a post on Lindy Bop some day soon and took a step towards knowing more about their fit recently. Still want to do a little more research though - buying clothes in the name of helping others ;)

    CC x

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    1. Thank you so much, sweet CiCi. She's still massively in the recovery stage of things, but she's doing well so far - thank the universe - and is in high spirits, which is so vital to any sort of health challenge.

      It's funny, you know, I get more comments of that nature (re: time spent on your hair) with my wig than I did when I used to wear elaborate vintage 'dos with my real hair that did actually take a lot of time to put together (and pin curl or rag curl the night before, etc). Usually I just say thank you and don't get into the fact that it's a wig, as that isn't something I feel completely random strangers on the street necessarily need to know, but if if does come up or if someone asks me if I'm wearing a wig, I'm always happy to talk openly about it.

      That is an excellent point - and one that I'd suspect many of us vintage adoring/wearing folks have encountered before. I too have had people say things like "it must take you hours to get ready!". Nope, not really. Even if I was going to pull out every last stop, I don't think it's ever taken me more than 90 minutes to do my hair, makeup, and get dressed. Usually it's more like 45 minutes to an hour at most for all of those things - and less if I'm taking my outfit in a causal direction that day.

      You know, I think that sometimes when people make those comments, what they're really saying is "I wish that I had the skills and/or time needed to look half as good as you do".

      Rant away anytime! This is a subject I've been known to talk at length about as well. How can you not when you run into it on a regular basis?

      You're very welcome. It's a fantastic, highly informative (and enjoyable) article and I couldn't wait to share it here with my readers - just as I'm champing at the bit to see your post on Lindy Bop - which reminds me, I should debut one of my LB dresses here soon, now that spring is finally out in full force.

      Big hugs & tons of happy start of May wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  8. Thank you for the feature, Jessica!! :) It's so sweet of you to include me in this lovely roundup! I can't wait to check out the other links; they look very fun and interesting.
    I just love that Mayday card too!

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    1. You're sincerely welcome, sweet Esther. It's a splendid post and I couldn't wait to share it. Thank you for enriching the vintage sewing world with you skilled knowledge.

      Big hugs & happy (early) May wishes!
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. Thank you for including my tutorial Jessica! I hope someone else makes one of those hats, I'd love to see any results! I had a nice time reading through these links while drinking my morning coffee today. I have to admit, it is a perfect spring day outside today here, just like the May days ahead you described. I can't wait to see how the local botanic gardens have responed to our April showers!

    I'm glad to hear your grandmothers surgery went alright, still sending you best wishes from down here in Colorado!

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    1. You're very welcome, sweet gal. It's a seriously wonderful and very easy to follow tutorial and I couldn't wait to share it here.

      Thank you very much. She's doing positively so far and we're all so proud of her. This has been a really tough last few weeks for her and she's handled it all like the graceful, inspiring woman that she is.

      Sending tons of hugs & happy start of May wishes your way,
      ♥ Jessica

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  10. Very glad to hear that your Grandma is recovering Jessica and I hope that her recovery continues quickly. Hopefully the month of May will be a bit easier for you and you will have the time to relax and do the things that you enjoy. Some fantastic links this month! My favourite being the one about Audrey Hepburn, my ultimate style icon and inspirational personality. So timeless and these quotes show what a lovely personality she had too. What a wonderful story about the house lost in time too, a hidden gem! Thank you for these interesting reads, best wishes xx

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  11. I have seen so many pictures of Audrey, yet never had I seen one with her hair in this shade… I always thought that she had black hair !

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    1. I love that you noticed that beautiful photo of Audrey as well. It jumped out most of all for me from that post and I think that her hair colour there is a big part of why. It's such a pretty image. She really was one of the loveliest looking ladies ever.

      Thank you for your comment, dear Lorena. Have a marvelous start of May!
      ♥ Jessica

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  12. Sorry to hear about your Grandma needing surgery, I am sending lots of positive thoughts her way (and yours too). I loved reading the long post you have done this month, its so nice to be able to share parts of your life with you. Loving the links too, so inspirational! :) The mayday card is great! What a happy time it would be if we all sent cards like this to welcome the new season and bring people happiness! Thank you Jessica.

    Jerra xx

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  13. Wonderful links. And an entertaining post. You're the whole enchilada! Happy May Day.

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  14. Such great looking links
    Retro rover

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  15. Love the burn test! I do it all the time.... I guess it's in the profession when you study fashion.... LOL
    Great post dear Jessica!
    http://inkandlacedesigns.blogspot.com.au/

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  16. Great reads, and I am happy to read that your grandmother is making her way to recovery! You're both in my thoughts!

    xxx

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    1. Thank you sweetly, my very dear friend. She is such a fighter and I'm as proud as proud can be of how she's holding up and the characteristic grace and strength that she's brought to this epic new challenge in her life. She is such an inspiration.

      Wishing you a marvelous May and a very happy weekend - huge hugs!
      ♥ Jessica

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  17. I'd never considered how few men into the vintage scene there were who blog ... actually I don't think I have ever stumbled across one before. All of those in that post are going to be wondering where all the new 'traffic' is coming from! ❤

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    1. That is such a great observation. I hadn't thought of that yet, but surely it must be true and I'm so glad that it is, because our old school loving chaps deserve to feel like they're a vibrant part of the online vintage blogging world, too.

      Thank you very much for your terrific comment. Have a beautiful weekend
      ♥ Jessica

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  18. Oh my! So much great reading material:) Thank you for putting it all together for us.

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    1. It's my sincere pleasure, Joanna. I adore writing these posts. Sometimes reoccurring posts can feel like a bit of grunt work, especially if one isn't overly in the mood to pen them at a given moment, but I don't run into that with this series - in fact, I usually want to start on it by the 20th, but wait a few more days to pick up more new links as the month progresses. So long as my readers continue to enjoy it as well, I don't plan to pull the plug on it anytime soon and hope that you'll always continue to find plenty of fun reads amongst the twelve (or so) stories featured in each entry.

      Oodles of hugs & happy Friday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  19. 1st link is so true! I wanted to share that on my blog but I guess I will right something inspired, and more personal! the diy are adorable, thank you for your work :D

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  20. What a terrific roundup of links! You've done it again, Jessica! :)
    That May Day illustration by Mary Blair is just the sweetest thing. My niece Abbey just watched Alice in Wonderland at our house this past week & it make me think of all the adorable concept art Mary did for that movie. She's one of my favorite artists. :)

    Happy May to you!
    {hugs}
    Michelle ^_^
    Delightful Handwork

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    1. Thank you very much, lovely Michelle. These posts are such a blast to put together! Sometimes I almost get giddy when I realize that I have enough links for the next one and always want to start penning them right then and there, but I wait until the end of the month, as they're all about summing up the past four weeks and it wouldn't be the same if I didn't do just that, so they're written as one page of the calendar flips over to the next. :)

      I love Mary Blair's work, too, so very much. She had such a sense of whimsy and sweetness to her work.

      Tons of hugs & happy start of May wishes to you as well,
      ♥ Jessica

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  21. YES! another link post to work through in my spare time!! Thank you for all the work you put into these to share great content/
    I feel very much the same on the month of April. Trying and slow, yet jam packed and fun and racing by.
    I may not have mentioned it before, but if your grandma is half as strong as the other women in her family (namely, you_ i think everything will work out just fine in the end. Keeping you all in my prayers!

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    1. You're very welcome, sweet Abigail, it's my pleasure. Gathering and tucking away stories for possible inclusion in each new edition is such a pleasant background note to blogging for me and to each month itself in general.

      Thank you deeply, that means a great deal to me. She is a true fighter and has handled this whole situation with her usual grace and elegant tenacity. I really do believe that if anyone has ever had a fighting chance with cancer, it's her, even at her venerable age.

      Giant hugs & happiest start of May wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  22. I hope your grandma is making a good recovery and that she continues to get better and better. It has been a tough spring for you, here is to an easier, more fun May! Great round up of links again. I had already bookmarked Bianca's hat tutorial, I really want to have a go at that.

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    1. You're such a sweet, caring person, dear Kate. Thank you deeply. So far she's doing positively, which is awesome. I know that having my mom and aunt there with her (she lives about 4.5 hours away from Penticton, where my mom lives, and my aunt is a bit further north in the province than that) has really been hugely helpful and I'm grateful that they were both able to help support and nurse her during this challenging time.

      I hope that you and your lovely family have a fun filled, fantastic May, too!

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  23. Thank you for the links, Jess.
    I always feel grateful of the fact that you help me out by finding lots of post (and I might miss them entirely if you haven't gave the word).
    I'm glad the letter has reached you. :D

    Have an amazing day
    Marija

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    1. It's my pleasure through and through, dear Marija. Tucking away these stories - some fun, some helpful, some somber, some flat out cool - has become one of my favourite elements of blogging each month. It's wonderful to know that you enjoy this post series a great deal, too.

      Huge hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. Interesting post with lots of great links! I love the last image - "May day" - so sweet!

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  25. Vintage Link Love, one of my favourite posts, if not my absolute favourite. And therefore I always save it until I have time to go through it and truly enjoy it. So this was saved for long, but, boy, did I enjoy it?! This is one of the best collections ever, dear. I have have visited ALL links and will re-visit many of them and even save some of them. I loved the cherry gloves, which I had seen before (I am also a fan of VaVoomVintage). I adore Hepburn's qoutes, she was such a clever woman and extremely beautiful. She has always been my mother's favourite (like Monroe is my favourite), so I will send the link to her, as you might remember I've done before. I will also send the very interesting link to the vintage home of the two sisters, it was amazing. The burn test is a keeper, very practical, and so is the belt tutorial. Her belts look so professional, and I am sure that one day I will make a matching belt, when I have sewn a dress. I have also saved the list of blogging men, and although I don't have "room" for more blogs on my list (I really like to follow those I follow), I will take a look at what they write. A different, men's, view would be interesting, I'm sure.

    I'm sorry, but I have to brag: An hour ago son passed his final landscape gardener exam with an A! I am SOOO very proud of him. He has ADHD and have always had problems in school, he is not your usual book worm. I am so happy for his result, we will visit their project and see him get his paper tomorrow. Wishing you a nice day, dear, mine sure is. :)

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    1. You are beyond justified in shouting this fabulous news from the highest rooftop, dear Sanne! My happiest congratulations to your soon on his fantastic accomplishment. I love that you're a proud mama and that you let me know about this momentous event in your family's lives.

      Goodness, it's hard to believe that in another day or two at most, it will be time for me to pen another addition of Vintage Link Love. Where did this month fly off to? I've got lots of great stories just ready and waiting to go for it, so hopefully you'll really enjoy this month's edition as well.

      Thank you so much for your awesome comment and for again for letting me in on this marvelous news!!!

      Huge hugs!
      ♥ Jessica

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