July 29, 2016

Vintage Links, Life, Love: July 29, 2016


Can you guys believe that we're just two days away from the end of the month? As touched on recently in this post, I wouldn't say that July has felt like the speediest of months in the slightest.

In a way this is a good thing - after all, who doesn't want summer to feel like it stretches on! - but in another, it's not so fabulous, because I know the personal life + health (+ earlier on in the month, the Canada Post strike situation) reasons why such has been the case and do really wish that such weren't the reason for July's leisurely pace.

Oh well, that's life. There are smooth months (and years) and rocky ones, and certainly July housed some really lovely points, too, please don't get me wrong.

From Canada Day to my birthday to those rare moments of sunshine (we're had 3.5 months of the wettest weather I've ever experienced in the Okanagan – or anywhere in Canada, for that matter!), plus some more positive highlights, that I'll touch on later on in today's brand new edition of Vintage Links, Life, Love, there were positives and I’m very grateful for each of them.



Links:

How to make (tie) a glamorous 1940s turban: When the sun is out in full force, and conversely, if you live south of the equator and want an extra layer of warmth on your head, the last thing most of us want is to have our hair on our necks. Enter the endlessly chic turban, which this great post from Glamour Daze takes you through the genuine 1940s steps of mastering.


Why I Love Mechanical and Early Electric Televisions: Though most of us think of television as having entered the scene in the 1950s, in reality, earlier versions had already existed for more than two decades and this detailed, informative post from Carrie Anne does a wonderful job of highlighting some of the ground breaking sets that would lay the foundation for the future of TVs everywhere.


DIY Victory Brooch: Bianca’s tutorials are always fantastic and so well laid out, and this recent entry on how to make a dead simple - yet incredibly impactful - hand painted Victory brooch from basic craft store supplies is no exception. Trust me, once you've read it, you'll be making a beeline for Michael's pronto!


Tips on dressing for a 1920s Lawn Party: The epitome of summertime chic, lawn (and garden) parties are a wonderful tradition that deserves dressing to the nines for. You'll be well on your way to doing just that with this lovely, imaged filled post from Blue Velvet Vintage's blog.


How to make vintage style shoulder pads: Though they gained, fairly justifiably, a fairly harsh reputation following the 1980s, the fact of the matter is shoulder pads have been around for quite some time now and were an integral part of many mid-century (especially early to mid-1940s) fashions. They can help a garment fall/drape in the style it was intended and are not all to be shunned entirely. If you've ever wanted to know how to make a modest sized pair of your own, this great how-to from Carla is just the ticket!


Confessions of a Small Time Blogger: From the always engaging blog Happy, Pretty, Sweet, comes a hugely easy to relate to post about what it's really like to be an established, well known, but still (compared to some of the household name fashion bloggers) small fish in a large pond. Honest and insightful, I highly recommend reading this post no matter the size of your blog and its audience.


DIY Floral Crowns: What would summer be without the sweetly charming classic that is the floral crown. If you're ever wanted to whip up your own handmade version using real blooms, Madison's beautiful tutorial will have your noggin' looking festival (and/or photo shoot) ready in no time.


WW2 Yearbooks Directory: If, like myself, you're an avid fan of collecting or simply looking at vintage yearbooks, than this awesome site from The National World War II Museum in New Orleans - is sure to find favour with you and likely be where you spend numerous hours in the next little while.


Harem Pants: A Most Interesting and Scandalous History: Nicole has put together one of the most detailed, fantastic looks at the rich history or harem pants that I've ever seen. Chocked full of informative facts and splendid images, after reading her excellently presented entry, chances are you'll never look at this voluminous style of bottoms quite the same way again. (And speaking of the always lovely Nicole, I also really enjoyed her recent tutorial on The Unconventional Way to Make a Hat.)


Things bloggers wish they could tell brands: I could nod until the end of time and I still don't know if it would convey just how much I strongly agree with the majority of what Amber said in this poignantly spot entry regarding some of her thoughts about the blogger + brand relationship (the main point that we differ on is that I personally experience some great benefits from hosting giveaways and am always sincerely touched when a company wants to team up with my blog in that capacity).

I really commend her for speaking so openly and truthfully about this topic and suspect that many of you who collaborate with companies on your respective sites will also be nodding up a storm as you read this post.


‘Brawny and Buoyant’: A Portrait of West Coast Youth of the 1950s: Starring snaps taken in 1951, this eye-catching entry from Life Magazine highlights youth being, well, youth during the summer months and captures the spirit of what life was like, for some people at least, who grew up during that vibrant era.





Life:

As touched on above, July has been a mixed bag sort of month, complete with soooo much more rain (to the point where such is honestly impacting my ability to post outfit photos here as frequently as I usually during the summer months).

Thankfully things have calmed down, for the time being, on the Canada Post strike front, and as such, last Friday, I launched the first ever Christmas in July Sale over at my Etsy shop, which is still going underway (pop on over and save 25% off everything in my shop until July 31st).

Looking ahead to the second half of the summer, fingers crossed, things may be all the more enjoyable. The first week of upcoming month launches the off the August long weekend civic holiday, which falls on the 1st this year.

This is swiftly followed by Tony's (36th) birthday on the 6th, and then either on the very last day of August or the 1st of September, we'll be heading off for a much needed getaway, which I'll be blogging about here in much greater detail very soon.

Beyond that, summer will start to wrap up and we'll ease into my absolute favourite season, autumn (and in turn, Halloween), which always brings me an inordinate amount of joy. In fact, for those who you who eat/breath/sleep/live for it as much as I do, you'll be thrilled to know that there only 94 days to go until All Hallows' Eve returns.

I'm already giving major consideration to my costume, my party menu, my decor, and my blog posts for the spooktastically fun season, and so much more surrounding my all-time favourite holiday. It's going to be awesome!!!





Love:

All of the kind, touching birthday wishes you guys showered me with online (and in a few cases, off, too), earlier this month. I just have to say, with all my heart, thank you again for your lovely words and positive wishes for my 32nd year of life. I really like to think that they'll help such to be even better and more upbeat.

Binge watching the British TV series Mr. Selfridge. In less than a month, I plowed through the first three seasons (on Netflix Canada) and am very eagerly awaiting the fourth, which is set to be released later this year. For those who aren't familiar with the show, it's a period series that starts off in the early Edwardian years and focused on the life of the Selfridge family, who opened the world renowned Selfridge's department store in London.

Much as with Downton Abbey, the show progresses quite quickly from the turn of the century to the years of WWI to the roaring twenties and provides a treasure trove of vintage fashion inspiration for anyone with an interest in that time frame (or, really, vintage fashion in general). A good blend of drama, fun and suspense, this is one of my favourite historical series in a long time and definitely a must watch for vintage fans everywhere.

Getting a morning (or, anytime!) dose of "awww" care of the Daily Puppy. This site has been around for quite a while now and never fails to make one gush and feel better, no matter what's transpiring in your life. Looking at puppies = happiness, after all. :)

Finally carving out a speck of time to craft again. I know, honestly, this one just about bowls me completely over, too. After, for all intents, not having crafted for more than three years, and in any sort of regularly occurring capacity for the better part of five, I have given myself the gift of a little bit of time to craft (chiefly scrapbooking so far), when my health permits each week, and honestly can't put in towards how amazing it feels again.

I'm happier, (much to my surprise and delight) I'm sleeping a touch better, I feel more at peace, and my creative mojo is running at mock one speed in just about all areas of my life (blogging very much included) thanks to this fact.

Though I know full well all the reasons why so little crafting has happened in recent years, I've made a promise to myself to try and craft at least 2 - 4 times a month from now on and suspect that doing so will continue to have a profound and deeply important impact on my life.

Thunderstorms aplenty. While I do so wish that the rain would hightail it out of town and we could finally experience full-on summertime weather here, one of the perks (to my mind at least, as I greatly enjoy them) of all the damp weather has been the period thunder and lightning storms that have been transpiring over our heads lately. On one occasion, while we were driving along side Okanagan Lake in the vicinity of Peachland, we even saw lightning and a rainbow at the same time, which was a first for both Tony and I.

This incredibly touching story about a woman and her husband (with three children of their own already) who adopted her dear friend's six children when the mother (her friend) passed away at the age of just 39 years old. If that doesn't personify love, compassion, goodness and grace, I don't know what.

Blueberries! Last week Tony and I received two large sized containers of fresh blueberries as a free gift with purchase for spending above a certain order total at Superstore and noshed on them all week long, freezing those that we couldn't get to while they were still in peak shape. They were a fantastic - and very healthy - way to liven up our meals and will stand as one of the culinary highlights of this season for me.



{While we did find ourselves with a slew of plump, sweet little blueberries recently, they weren't quite enough to take a bath in, like this lovely Blueberry Beauty Queen did back in 1955.}



{To learn more about a specific image used in today's post, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.} 

♥ ♥ ♥



And so here we are, at the last Friday of July. Even if this month didn't feel as quick as all that lightning we've been having lately, the season as a whole is bouncing along a speedy clip, as it usually does.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that August will be a drier month, but objectively, wouldn't place any wagers on such, given how bizarrely rainy things have been here lately. No matter what Mother Nature has up her sleeve, I'm sure we'll make the best of it - especially while celebrating the August long weekend (which coincides with our town's annual Peach Festival) - and my sweet husband's birthday.

What's on the agenda for you as we get ready to welcome August back into our lives, my dears? Have you been getting treated to a fabulously sunny summer or slogging it out with raindrops a plenty, too?

I hope that you're all doing great and want to take a moment to wrap up this post by wholeheartedly thanking everyone who left a blog (and/or social media) comment for me on any of my posts this month. The summer blogging slump is a very real phenomenon and I truly appreciate those who take the time to comment even in the midst of the busy, exciting summer season.

Things like that never go unnoticed or unappreciated by me and are a big part of the reason why I can safely say that I have one of the best group of blog readers in the world.

64 comments:

  1. You have the best blog-readers because you have the best blog! Hands' down.

    I notice and like how you're always conscious of time: the season, its passage, the speed at which time seems to flow by. That's a mental attitude I like. We should be aware of our lives as they pass; too many people sleep-walk through life and suddenly get upset when they're old like me.

    Blueberries! One of nature's most healthy foods. And tastiest. Never tried bathing in them but, hey, get me a tub!

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    1. That is very astute and touching of you to notice, Ally. Thank you so much. I do definitely try to live my life (and spiritual path) in harmony with the seasons and to embrace the "pros" and many gifts that each presents us with.

      It could be fun - certainly unique feeling if nothing else (and honestly, is more appealing to me than the concept of a milk bath).

      Wishing you a stellar eighth month of the year, my friend.

      ♥ Jessica

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  2. Dear Jessica, I loved the post and the links! For me, July flew, I really didn't feel the month passing. I remember on Thursday when I was watching a Canadian show that I love, and then a week latr I thought "what? where did the other days go? It's Thursday again!" I hope the second part of the year is better without the post office strike. I also hope that your holidays come soon! I can't read the post about the lady who passed away, I normally cry tons after such a post... please forgive me. I loved the links about TV and brooch, but I started reading the Happy pretty sweet post and will go there after this comment! She speaks my heart too! Today I have something different - a post about self-confidence. Would love to know your opinion! Hope you have a beautiful weekend! Hugs and regards!
    DenisesPlanet.com

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    1. Oh my word, yes! I know that exactly "one week feels like a mere day" sensation that you described extremely well. In fact, I was experiencing it yesterday, as it felt like mere moments since the previous Monday.

      It's awesome that you're a fan of some Canadian TV series. May I ask, what are some of your faves? We don't produce anywhere near the same number as the States and UK do, but we have some lovely ones all the same and I always find it really touching to discover that someone I know who lives elsewhere in the world enjoys watching Canadian shows.

      Don't worry in the slightest. It is a very, very touching and emotional story for sure. Ultimately, in so much as is possible given the circumstances, it had the happiest ending possible and I think that the woman and her husband who adopted all of those children deserves unending praise for doing such a heroic, caring thing.

      Big hugs & many thanks for your great comment,

      ♥ Jessica

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  3. Ah, yes, the summer blog slump, as in "Where did all my readers go??" Thanks for this lovely, juicy and long post - I've got a bunch of articles from it to read on this (very dead) Friday before a long weekend here at work! Thank you, Jessica - Happy BC Day long weekend to you!

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    1. Goodness, is it ever. I experience it here every summer without fail (as well, to a lesser degree, around Christmastime, too, and to a small degree still, around some of the other holidays and when spring starts to get warm again as well) and have learned to just make the best of things, fully aware that it will pass. Interestingly, I find it's not so much a (big) drop in readership numbers, but more comments that I tend to encounter. Do you experience a dip in one more than the other yourself?

      You're very welcome, sweet Shelia. Thank you so much for your bevy of fantastic recent comments. I always adore hearing from you, my fellow BC lady.

      Big hugs & merry wishes for August,
      ♥ Jessica

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  4. Thanks for the links Jessica, they were quite helpful. Also can I just say "squeee" about it only being 94 days to Halloween! I'm super excited, Halloween is also my fave holiday and I'm thinking of doing something special this year but haven't decided. Good luck on your Halloween plans, can't wait to see what your costume winds up being. In the meantime happy rest of summer ;)

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    1. Huge squeee about that point. Less than three months to go now (a few days later) until Halloween. Now is the point in the year when, so to speak, things "get real", in terms not only of the season itself slowly starting to return, but in regards to my plans, shopping, costume constructing, etc - and I absolutely, positively adore it. I live for "Halloween season" and have so many good things in the works for this one, very much including a slew of festive posts and fresh new vintage fall/Oct. 31st related outfits. I hope that that this festive countdown is a super fun, awesome one on your end, too, dear Akram.

      Oodles of hugs & happy start of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  5. This whole year has gone by in the blink of an eye and summer is whizzing past - with a lot of rain on our end too! Wet summer indeed. Love reading your links round ups and agree Amber's was a fab post :) keeping my fingers crossed the sun comes or for you soon xx

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    1. My word, has it ever! Even with parts of July feeling a bit like they were dragging on, in general this year has absolutely whizzed past and the fact that we're very nearly at Tony's b-day again (on the 6th) is just astonishing. After not being able to celebrate either of ours in person last year (while he was working in the States), it's marvelous to be able to again this time around.

      Wasn't it ever! That gal can nail it something fierce when it comes to blogging and I respect her candidness on that front immensely.

      Oodles of hugs & sunny August wishes coming your way,
      ♥ Jessica

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  6. What a fabulous - another fabulous - post, Jessica! I devoured and took note of the turban tying lessons, will try to recreate during the rest of the winter. The harem pants page is out of this world! I love it! I still have a sewing pattern for "hammer pants" (on the front of this pattern is the young woman with the belted pants featured in your post - the same one! I noted cycling harem pants. I had a pair which I wore when riding my bike into the village and had to put elastic "garters" around them so they wouldn't get stuck in the spokes. And then, I always seemed to trip over their voluminous billows at my ankles so I changed them to culottes instead (still need the garter things when cycling though!)Have a beautiful weekend. xx

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    1. Thanks so much for reading my post on harem pants. I'm glad you enjoyed it. That is so great that you have that exact pattern. Garters for cycling are the best invention, I agree :)

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    2. Thank you ever so much, lovely Elizabeth. I'm very glad to know that you enjoyed this fun hodgepodge of happenings, links and current adorations. That post knocked my socks off as well. Nicole really did a brilliant job with it and has created an incredible resource for anyone looking to learn more about harem pants.

      Tons of hugs & joyful first week of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

      *PS* What a clever idea regarding putting elastic garters on your pants while cycling. Thank you for sharing it here with us.

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    3. Thank you ever so much, lovely Elizabeth. I'm very glad to know that you enjoyed this fun hodgepodge of happenings, links and current adorations. That post knocked my socks off as well. Nicole really did a brilliant job with it and has created an incredible resource for anyone looking to learn more about harem pants.

      Tons of hugs & joyful first week of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

      *PS* What a clever idea regarding putting elastic garters on your pants while cycling. Thank you for sharing it here with us.

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  7. I can't believe July is almost over! Where did it go?!
    Thanks so much Jessica for a shout out to my posts- not only one but two! (blushing) I'm so honoured to be featured in this list :) And what a great list it is too- you always have such good round-ups and it's always fun to find new blogs. I especially loved the "Confessions of a Small Time Blogger" and the one on dressing for a 20's party.
    Hope the rest of your July is swell- and that August will knock your socks off! (And the peach festival sounds amazing and delicious!)
    The Artyologist

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    1. You are wholeheartedly welcome, darling gal. Both posts are fantastic and I knew the moment that I read each, there was no way they weren't landed in an upcoming edition of VLLL. Your blog is one of my favourite reads and I eagerly look forward to seeing what you'll share there with us next each week.

      Thank you very much for your awesome comment and lovely Peach Fest wishes (I think you'd have a blast if you were here for it - the square dancing in particular has always been a standout element for me and has such a fun, inherent vintage quality to it, perfect for old school fans like us).

      Oodles of hugs & happy start of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  8. What a fantastic assortment of links, life, and love! Your roundups are always well worth a read. I particularly loved the link to the scarf tutorials, and will definitely be bookmarking that for future reference.

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    1. That's really sweet of you to say, lovely lady. Thank you so much! I love that how-to post as well. Anytime you can learn a vintage fashion technique straight from an actual vintage source, I get all the more excited and think its about as close as we can come to experiencing the real thing back in the day.

      Big hugs & wishes for a sunny, splendid August,
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. May your August be drier (and less stressful) than your July was! ;-) And yay for crafting. Crafting is something I want to do more of, too, so thank you for the reminder of its mental and physical benefits. :)

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    1. That's a really sweet, caring wish, Grace, thank you so much. I second your hope and do have a better feeling about this month (even factoring in a small, routine - I've had it before numerous times over the years - medical procedure I need to undergo at the hospital mid-month). The fact that we're inching closer to fall and Halloween certainly helps to lift my mood, too, and that is no doubt contributing to my positive outlook this August as well.

      I truly hope you're able to make more time for crafting, too. I know - oh, how I know - that it isn't always easy to do in the slightest, but even just a wee bit can have profoundly positive impacts on our lives, happiness levels, and even our metal health.

      Tons of hugs & joyful start of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  10. Hi Jessica, I love your links, life, love posts and hearing more about what is happening in your life and town. It is very cold in Australia at the moment, but there is only one more month of Winter left. In Summer earlier this year, I was really looking forward to winter and winter styles (as I love boots, scarves, coats etc) but now I'm thinking that Autumn and Spring are the best as they are not so extreme in temperature! It's great that your enjoying the thunderstorms and making the best out of your rainy weather :)

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    1. I'm a huge fan of spring and fall attire as well. It often grants us the ability to wear the largest amount of our wardrobe, without needing to hide under huge cold weather coats and snow boots.

      Thank you very much for your lovely comment, my dear - as well as for all those that you've left here recently. I sincerely appreciate them.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  11. Ease-down Jess.
    There's still some summer days in front of us. As much I (too) love the autumn's smell in the air, let's give summer's warmth some more time ( for instance, so that the fire-woods can dry-up a bit more, and fruit gets ripped-up for the jam) :)
    I can't believe July is (almost) over. Such a busy month, and somewhat a burden to one's wallet - to be honest. Making more than one birthday celebrations is a joyful blessing, but it comes with a price, right?
    Come July, over here we bring in some wood for the fire ("some" is the understatement - we bring in truckloads!), that is our "insurance" for that fact that time passes and that Winter IS coming (pun intended) :)
    Also, preparation of the preserves is starting-up. And, with my plan to re-model the kitchen, this month has given quite the stretch to my wallet.
    Oh,m well - it's good that we have all that DIY in our veins.
    ...
    I'm glad to hear that you have been stabilizing a little bit. Summer months can be harsh on health.. not to mention all the grasses blooming - beware if you have any pollen allergies.
    Also, to read that you ARE resting a bit ( watching series) tells me that you are slowing down for a while, and rest is important. After all, we both know that it is September that gives is a massive boost - so, gather your energy. :)

    Have a great, sunny, joyful weekend!

    Marija

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    1. Hi sweet Marija, thank you very much for your lovely, caring comment and for sharing some of what transpired in July on your end with me/us. It's wise to gather firewood so early, but strange, in a way, to think of the sort of icy cold weather that will call for it so soon (relatively speaking) in the year. Awesome job on stocking up on yours so far in advance.

      I will take your advice to heart and am indeed trying to rebuild my energy levels as much as I can. Not always easy - especially when they vanish faster than a candle's flame in a hurricane - but even just focusing more on, and attempting such, is a step in the right direction.

      Tons of hugs and the very happiest of wishes for each day of August,
      ♥ Jessica

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  12. Another great post Jessica. For me, July has just flown by. I can't believe it's already a month since we came back from our holiday ... It's good to hear that you are planning a getaway in September. So do we! I love September, probably because it's the month I was born. Meanwhile, we have the whole of August to enjoy. Hugs, Ann xxx

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    1. I know that feelings - that sense of disbelief over how much time has already whizzed by since a trip. I pretty much always experience it at regular intervals after we travel, too (even just with small trips, such as our long weekend one back in April). I hope that it won't be too long until you guys are able to head off on another exciting adventure. We'll be taking one of our own at the start of September (I'll be posting about it in the very near future) and I'm super looking forward to it.

      Tons of hugs & joyful August wishes to you as well,
      ♥ Jessica

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  13. The blueberry beauty queen might have had a bit of trouble getting the blueberry colour out of her skin!!

    Where do you think you'll be heading for your holiday at the start of September? We're heading off then too, hoping to go somewhere warm in Europe to get a big dose of Vitamin D before the British winter sets in!!

    xx

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    1. Very good point - if the berries were leaching juices, and I'd image at least some would have, that could have called for a serious scrubbing in a berry-free tub afterwards.

      How exciting that you guys are zipping off for holiday at the same time that we are. That's awesome! I'm keeping our destination under wraps publicly until I announce it here a little later this month, but I can tell you that it's somewhere (on Canadian soil) that I've never been to before, though have wanted to for absolute ages! :)

      Huge hugs & happy mid-summer wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  14. Thank you for including my post in your awesome roundup! Love the DIY brooch :)

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    1. You're sincerely welcome, my dear. It's a stellar, spot on post and one that I know will resonate with tons of my readers.

      Many hugs & happy Wednesday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. Thanks for linking to my tutorial <3 I hope more people make their own victory brooches :) I enjoyed the first season of Mr Selfridge but am behind on watching it, I'll have to catch up soon!

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    1. You're very welcome, my darling friend. Those brooches are just the coolest things imaginable! I went looking for wooden alphabet letters at the Michael's in Kelowna (our town doesn't have one), but came up empty handed. I'm going to try some dollar stores and Walmart around these parts and if I still can't find any, may order some online, as I really want to try my hand at making one/some, too.

      Oodles of hugs & happy start of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

      *PS* Seasons two and three are really good, IMO, too (though the first might have been the very best so far).

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  16. Thanks for linking back to my post! From the other links, I particularly like the ones about harem pants and WWII yearbooks.

    I'm also happy Halloween is only a few months away. Every October (and into early November), I change my blog to the Monster template and a banner with a spider and spiderweb. One of the biggest reasons I could never be 100% Orthodox is that I refuse to give up Halloween!

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    1. You're sincerely welcome, lovely lady. It was a great read and one that I instantly knew would be landed in my next edition of VLLL. Based on some of the comments this post has received, it looks like it was a hit with many of my readers, too. Thanks again for penning it.

      And many thanks, too, my fellow Halloween lover, for your great comment.

      Have a fantastic week!

      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  17. That was amazing reading about early televisions. I had no idea that they were around that early. I have heard references in things to early televisions, but I never really thought of them really being there pre-1945. Wow.

    I got a well appreciated rest today by taking a trip to the beach with a bunch of my friends from church. I also am dealing with the consequences of not enough sun screen.... But it was a fun way to spend a summer day. I hope you get enough refreshment and rejuvenation this summer.

    Sarah
    www.sewcharacteristicallyyou.com/blog

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    1. Isn't it just incredible? To think how far that form of technology has come in less than a century - and what a staggering impact it has had on society the world over. TV is an amazing invention and one that I doubt many people could picture society being with out at this point in time.

      Thank you very much for your terrific comment, dear Sarah. I hope that you have a sunny, splendid month of August (with more fun outings like your trip to the beach).

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  18. thank you jess for all the cool links!
    @waterlilies: mine are a special kind that grow in very shallow water, down to 40cm, available in garden centers. so you can have them in a big pot! i use a plastic mortar vat from the tool market. but if you have no chance to dig it in you can use pretty ceramic or wood pots! in winter the waterlilie sleeps in the (dark & cool) cellar in a water bucket (with water of cause) - she does not like frost.
    big hugs! xxxxxx

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    1. That's absolutely awesome regarding your waterlilies. Thank you for sharing that fact about them with me. We don't have a garden or really much of a yard at all (just a wee slip of grass, three small rose bushes, and one tree in front of our condo/townhouse) or else I'd be heading off for a big pot and that variety of waterlilies pronto. Definitely something to plan for in my future dream garden.

      Many hugs & happy mid-summer wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  19. Thanks for all the interesting links-- lots of fascinating material to add to my reading list. I too would love to find time for crafting but summer is slipping away so quickly. Always seems like there's more computer work to do when I'd love to be sitting down to a sewing project!

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    1. Goodness, is that ever the truth. There's no way I could craft every day and still run my blog and Etsy shop in the same capacity and I fully accept that. It (crafting) doesn't need to happen that often, it just needs to happen periodically and often enough that my soul doesn't start to feel like something profoundly important is missing from my life again. It isn't easy for many of us to carve out time to craft these days at all, and I truly hope that you'll be able to do just that sometimes yourself, too, as the year continues.

      Many hugs & happy start of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  20. Oh, well done for starting crafting again. It must feel so good!

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    1. Thank you sweetly, dear Mim. It truly does. Like, in many ways, I can fully breath again. I realize that might sound strange, but I think tha my heart, soul and mind alike were being deprived of the something (crafting) that was integral to them and that I was paying the price for such in a lot of ways that I might not have even fully realized. It's incredible to be creating in that regard again and I will be doing everything in my power to try and ensure periodic crafting sessions (ideally 2 - 4+ a month) happen again from here on out.

      Tons of hugs & happy start of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  21. A feast of a post! FEAST! Thank you.

    I loved your link list - especially the Small Time Blogger piece. But they all offer compelling content. Thanks for putting that together.

    Thunderstorms - aaaah, I miss them very much. We rarely get them in Vancouver so the next best thing is reading about them and remembering. It's been cool in Vancouver, not so much rain, more like a spring than summer, and that suits me just fine as I shrink from heat and strong sun.

    Now I shall head out and look for fresh fruit. Your blueberries sound lovely.

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    1. It is my absolute pleasure, dear Melanie. That post, much like Amber's on blog sponsors, hits the nail on the head for so many of us who are devoted bloggers. I so love (and respect) it when fellow bloggers speak their truths like that and am sure other links in the same vein will appear in some future editions of VLLL.

      So true! We lived on the Coast for the first (very nearly) nine years of my life and thunderstorms weren't terribly common there then. We'd usually get a couple in the spring and maybe in the summer, but we definitely receive more up here in the Okanagan - though both places are dwarfed on that front by the huge number that struck each spring/summer when we lived in Toronto. The ones there were frequent, often lasted for hours, and created some amazing viewing (especially when we lived on the 23rd floor of a high rise apartment building).

      Thank you very much for your terrific comment. I always adore hearing from you and hope that your August is off to a great start.

      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  22. This is such a great post with so many fun things to read! I hope you had a great weekend
    xo
    www.laurajaneatelier.com

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    1. Thank you sweetly, dear Laura. I'm happy to know that you enjoyed it and hope that your long weekend was a fabulous one as well.

      Many hugs & blissful August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  23. Some great links (I really loved the confessions of a small time blogger) and I am super happy to hear about you making time for craft. Creative outlets are just the best thing in life sometimes, and I'm not surprised to hear it's having a big impact on you! Such great news :)

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    1. Thank you so much, my darling friend (and fellow creative soul). I knew, 100%, that not crafting was impacting me on many important fronts, but I don't think I realized until that first night of crafting last month, just how incredibly much it was. The ripple effect of positivity that has followed has been both profound and enjoyable, and I look forward to hopefully experiencing other perks from crafting again, too, from here on out.

      Huge hugs & happy start of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. What an amazing post Jessica, full of marvellous things to find out about. I too loved the turban tying link and will have a go at home with some of my scarves!

    Thank you for the links to new blogs that I am now enjoing - The Confessions of a Small Time Blogger - was interesting and I agreed with many of her points.

    Best wishes, Elizabeth xx

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    1. Thank you very much, my sweet friend. I'm delighted to know that you enjoyed this latest edition of VLLL, very much including the posts on vintage turban styling and the confessions of a small time blogger. I really felt that such would resonate with many of my readers, who are avid bloggers themselves, too, and applaud its author for penning such an honest look at what a great deal of us who blog experience.

      I hope that August is off to a terrific start for you and that it will bring much joy and fun your way.

      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  25. Such a wonderful blog post!
    I love ForeverAmber and your featured blog post is one of my favs. I also like watching Mr. Selfridge. And I'm very happy that July is over. This was such a stressful month for me. I hope August will be better and I finally will be able to watch my favourite series again. ;-)

    Many hugs,
    Sandra <3

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    1. I'm really sorry to hear that July was a stressful month for you as well, sweet Sandra. While, thankfully, it wasn't as rough for us as June, it wasn't always a walk in the park by any means either. Fingers beyond crossed that August will be a way, way better and infinitely less stressful month on both of ours ends.

      Big hugs & tons of understanding,
      ♥ Jessica

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  26. I know it's not nice, but I simply have to say I told you so! :) But I am so glad to hear that you have finally started taking time to craft, and that it makes you feels so much better. I've told you for years, and now you can feel it. Well done, my gal!

    Our August is for relaxing. We have been working so hard for so long on so many projekts, so now we have to relax. Tony and my son shares the same birthday! I remembered that, so give him a hug and a "tillykke med fødselsdagen" (happy birthday in Danish) from me. August is also vacation, the last three weeks of the month, and I can tell you, the count down has been going on for three weeks now! Do I need a holiday!?!

    And speaking about birthday, a little gift will be sent your way today, dear. :)

    Links I especially loved:
    Confessions of a small time blogger - could have been my words while I was blogging.
    The Yearbooks and the west coast youth - no surprise, since you know I love real life vintage photos
    The hat tutorial - although I don't wear hats, I loved this hat so much that I might even try it one day
    Mr. Selfridge - is already on my wishlist, but since I don't watch much TV, I write lists of series recommended
    The adopting 6 children story - wow, it takes a big heart to have NINE children!

    I received my jool order two days ago, and thank you SOOO much for the gifts. A mail will soon be written with a proper thank you. I have just fixed the lovely bracelet today.

    Wishing you a lovely/dry day, dear. :) XOXO

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    1. Hi sweet Sanne, thank you very much for your terrific comment (and for letting me know that your latest order from my Etsy shop reached you so quickly; I think that Canada Post has been stepping up their delivery speed game a bit more in the wake of the strike situation and hope that such isn't just a temporary thing on their part, though do objectively suspect that such is the case).

      Oh, absolutely. You were always right and I don't mind you saying "I told you so" one iota. I knew all along, in my heart of hearts, that I needed to craft (and in general to create a better work-life balance, which I think will always be a work in progress, but which I have made some important strides towards this year in particular). That it had profoundly positive impacts on my life, and that I was hurting myself in some respects by not doing so, but I know full well the many reasons why such wasn't often possible and the (now) sacrifices I'll make to create a bit of time to craft. They're (these sorts of scarifies, that is) are worth it though, as you simply can't put a price on happiness, better health (mental and physical alike), and calmer nerves - all things that crafting delivers for me (and many others, too, of course).

      You're just the sweetest! Thank you for offering up "tough love", for pushing me to make "down time" more of a priority, and for all of the other many positives that your friendship brings to my life.

      You're a wise, awesome person and I feel very blessed to know you.

      Giant hugs & happy start of August wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

      *PS* I knew that if anyone could give that darling mid-century acorn bracelet the TLC it needed, it would be you. I'm so glad that you ordered the two acorn pieces that you did, when you did, so that I was able to send it your way.

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  27. I know. I cannot believe its August already. I have a zillion things to do in my imaginary list. One of them is attending a wedding... in Peru!

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    1. How exciting! While I've not yet ever been to South America myself, interestingly, my maternal grandparents and their two oldest children (my mom and her older brother, who, tragically, passed away before I was even born) lived in various places there, including (I believe) Peru around the start of the 1960s, as my grandfather was working in the mining industry at the time and that career path brought him there for a while.

      I hope that you're able to make it to the wedding and that you have a fantastic time there, my dear friend.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  28. Keeping my fingers crossed August will be a dryer, sunnier month for you! <3 Hope you will get to enjoy the peach festival this year and happy early birthday to your husband!

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    1. Thank you sweetly, my dear. We've had a mixed bag of super rainy and, conversely, dry, beautiful days so far this month. Any hope of a proper, long, sunny summer is gone at this point, but even just a day here and there that feels akin to it is a weather blessing these days, and I'll happily take it (and then rush outside to grab snaps before the next blanket of rain clouds rolls into town :)).

      Thank you so much! It's really cool that you both have b-days that are in such close proximity to each other. I hope that your celebration was an absolute blast, too!

      Many hugs coming your way,
      ♥ Jessica

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  29. This is a great round up but the thing that interested and pleased me the most is the fact that you have started crafting again. You already know all the positive things that I think crafting brings to one's life and I'm overjoyed for you that you have found some time to fit some in, and, that you are having fun with it. Enjoy! Your break away sounds exciting, must be very nice indeed to have that to look forward to. I love Mr Selfridge, everything about it is fab and I still have season 3 to watch!

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    1. A big "yay" to the fact that you're a fan of Mr. Selfridge as well. That's awesome! In a way, I'd say that the 1st season was my favourite so far, but each has a lot going for it and has been, for me, thoroughly enjoyable. I'm so looking forward to the fourth.

      Thank you, truly, my dear friend. So often over the years we've talked about such (me carving out a wee bit of time to craft again) and your support, understanding and encouragement there has always meant a great deal to me. So far things have been going quite well in terms of making time for a crafting session here and there, and doing so really has made a staggering world of difference on so many fronts (happiness levels, less stress/anxiety, sleeping a touch better, feeling all the more creative in general, etc) already. I'm eager to set to work on fall and winter related projects in the near future. :)

      I sincerely hope that this summer has given you time to craft as well, my fellow creative gal.

      Oodles of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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    2. That is very happy news on the craft front. What kinds of things have you been doing? I caught myself planning Autumn craft projects the other day which is exciting but I still have some summer ones to finish. I have been getting a decent amount of knitting in this summer which has been fabulous. I want to carve out a bit of time for some sewing too.

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    3. So far, I've been focusing on paper crafting (scrapbooking and card making), which I'd say has been my primary area of crafting interest since I got into it back in 2016. I madly adore jewelry making and cross stitch, too, and plan to incorporate both back into my crafting sessions this year (and beyond), too - especially since I bought 2 or 3 good sized cross stitch patterns last year and am itching to start on at least one of them.

      How wonderful that you're thinking ahead to fall time projects already. I'm doing the same thing, too. :) Way to go on getting quite a bit of knitting done this summer. That's awesome! I really hope that you're able to continue on with such (and sewing) as the seasons change hands.

      Big hugs & happy Thursday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  30. I'm glad you're crafting again, I finished therapy recently and find myself much more able to turn out crocheted granny squares than I was before, my head feels somewhat clearer. I hope you enjoy your crafting xxx

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    1. How wonderful that you've been crafting again, too, my sweet friend. That's truly fantastic. I wholeheartedly hope that we're both able to keep on crafting on a regular basis again from now on.

      Huge hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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