March 31, 2013

Flickr Favourites: Easter 2013 edition



Cute vintage Easter card bunny rabbit

{Vintage Easter Postcard ~ Suzee Que}



{Bunnies ~ saturdayfinds}



{Easter 1925 ~ gill4kleuren}



{Easter Ham ~ gairid1791}



{Dapper Easter Chick ~ Bluebird Becca}




{Vintage Easter Bunnies ~ saturdayfinds}



{Cute bunny ~ mountainpugs}



{Fuzzy Easter Friends ~ ilovetocreate}



{Easter egg cookies ~ citrusandorange}




{Vintage Easter Card ~ Zero Discipline}


{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on its title to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}



Easter means many things to many people. It is a day of reverence and serenity, fellowship and a celebration of life. Spring, merely a few days old, has sprung once more, even if the  great outdoors still looks more like it's gearing up for Christmas, depending on whereabouts in the world you live. It is sweet and gentle, tranquil, earnest and beautiful.

With each passing year, I find myself more and more eager to celebrate Easter and spring, however short-lived the latter may be here in Canada. Sure, right now, we're teetering between rain and snow still, but there are signs and feelings that any day now spring will truly arrive. The birds begin their chorus earlier in the morning, trees that once seemed devoid of life have perked back up, their branches ready to shot out new buds at a moment's notice. The wind, though nippy, isn't quite as harsh, it's mellowed just a touch and knows that in a matter of weeks, it will be blowing about the hems of sundresses once more.

This weekend we gather with family and friends to embrace whatever Easter means to each of us. For me it is all of the things above, as well as a time to reflect on the blessings that have come our way throughout the first three months of this year. To focus on the good, the positive, the optimistic, and the joyful. We're a quarter of the way through 2013, and already so many wonderful things have transpired, just as I like to believe more will continue to as the rest of the year unfolds, much like the petals on the first blossoms of spring.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish each of you a blessed, wonderful Easter that's every bit as sweet as the chocolate eggs hiding in nooks and crannies around our homes, and hope dearly that the beauty of this day carries on throughout the spring for all of us.

March 29, 2013

The perfect last minute Easter cake recipe

While it may not always entail the dizzying hecticness of Christmastime, the days leading up Easter can certainly still be a very busy period in their own right, especially if you're hosting parties and/or having out-of-town guests staying with your for the holiday weekend.

Often, as the first glorious days of spring begin to emerge like blooms poking through the last vestiges of snow, so too do we yearn to head (run at break speed) outdoors once more and suddenly spending hours in the kitchen lacks the same appeal it did just a couple of short, freezing cold months ago.

Easter however, is a beautiful, important time of the year and a celebration that is not to go unmarked by many of us. Though we might not scamper around the house collecting chocolate eggs any more, that doesn't mean we're not entitled to a sweet treat of our own this weekend, too.

Keeping in mind that you may be busier than a bunny in a carrot patch, and/or that you might not feel the need to break your back over your holiday dessert, I went digging around Flickr and unearthed a thoroughly lovely vintage recipe from 1951 for Lemon Gold Cake that would be flat out fantastic for Easter.



1951 recipe for Lemon Gold cake, Easter desserts, vintage ads

{Cheerful, inviting, and absolutely scrumptious looking, this wonderful Lemon Gold Cake practically has the words "Easter dessert" written all over it! Image via tikitacky on Flickr. Click here for a larger version of this lovely 1950s cake recipe.}



The invigorating, tart, endlessly fresh taste of lemon and the return of spring go hand-in-hand like bluebirds and happiness, and are a must for this time of the year in my books. This cake looks like a total snap to whip up as is, but you could make things even easier on yourself and swap in your favourite cake mix, if so desired. I make a very similar cake with Betty Crocker's Gluten-Free Yellow cake mix and olive oil, which is always a hit with gluten and non-gluten eaters alike.

Aside from perhaps decorating the top of the cake with some candied lemon peel, candied (edible) flower petals, white chocolate curls, fresh raspberries, or in the spirit of the holiday, your favourite Easter candy, there isn't much I'd want to alter here. Cakes like this are classic, elegant, beautiful, and flat out delicious - no need to mess with decades of success.

Lemon is a crowd pleasing favourite that becomes all the more delectable and festively perfect when brought to the table in the form of an appealingly pretty yellow cake that echoes the sunlight we're finally starting to get blessed with again this fine Good Friday.

If you're not celebrating Easter of if you already have another dessert (or two!) in the works, fear not, this vintage recipe will serve you well all throughout the spring (wouldn't it be lovely for a Mother's Day tea or bridal shower?) and well on into the sizzingly hot summer days.

Have a blast baking and a truly wonderful Easter long weekend, my dears!

March 28, 2013

An Easter colour palette and a darling vintage wooden schoolhouse


 photo 1940spurplespringtimevintageoutfitwithpinksnood_3_zps88c5c4ba.jpg


Outfit details

Dusty rose 1940s style snood: etsy seller Arthelia's Attic
White rose stud earrings: Claire's
Pearl necklace: Birthday gift from Tony ♥
Purple cardigan: Thrifted
Vintage lilac purple shirtwaist dress: eBay
White skinny belt: eBay
Vintage bone china flower brooch: etsy seller RetroRad
Bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
White 1950s gloves: Gift from a dear vintage loving friend
Vintage purple purse: Yard sale find
Nude and black seamed stockings: eBay
White pumps: Payless
Lipstick colour: MAC Diva


Photos of me by Antonio Cangiano,
photo of Tony and I together take by my sister 


1940s purple springtime vintage outfit with pink snood_1


1940s purple springtime vintage outfit with pink snood_5


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1940s purple springtime vintage outfit with pink snood_4


1940s purple springtime vintage outfit with pink snood_8


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1940s purple springtime vintage outfit with pink snood_2
 
 
Waldorf Preschool and Kindergarte, Kelowna, British Columbia


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1940s purple springtime vintage outfit with pink snood_11940s purple springtime vintage outfit with pink snood_7


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1940s purple springtime vintage outfit with pink snood_12




There have been certain photo shoots (such as this one at the S.S. Sicamous last summer) that have been entirely bathed in sunlight, but where I didn't end up squinting much, and others such as the one featured here today where I did - though, in the case of these springtime snaps, I honestly wasn't really aware that I was doing so at the time.

While making my selection of which images to include this post, I tried to go with ones where I wasn't squinting too badly, but there's still plenty of sun induced narrow-eyed faces going on here, let me tell you (I'll have to try and remember to ask Tony the next time we're shooting in fairly direct sunlight if I'm squinting up a storm, and if so, perhaps try to find another location).

Speaking of locations, when it comes to outdoor photo sessions done beyond the scope of our front yard, more often than not, we don't set out with an intended destination in mind. Instead, whether we're in our hometown of Penticton or another neighbouring community, we often like to drive around for a while and keep our eyes peeled for a spot that looks like it would make for a lovely photo backdrop.

On one of just a couple of days when I've felt well enough venture out this month, we spent a wonderful early March afternoon in the nearby city of Kelowna with my mom and sister. After a bit of Costco shopping, not wanting to run out of daylight (apparently, if my massive squinting is any indication, there wasn't too much of a risk of that actually happening right then and there!), we began cruising around looking for a new spot to take some photos in.

Down a pretty, otherwise seemingly run-of-the-mill street we did just that when we came across this incredibly charming vintage building that's being used as a stand alone preschool and kindergarten in the midst of a small, verdant park.

I don't recall ever seeing it before that day and had no idea that it was there at all. As we both adore wood cabin-eque homes (and as it was a Saturday which meant that school wasn't in session and we'd have the place to ourselves), we instantly knew that we'd found our location for the day and promptly hopped out to grab some photos.

Not having had a day out of the house in over a month when these images were taken, I was in a major mood to finally sport some springtime colours, and settled on an outfit filled with various purples, dusty pink (care of the incredibly lovely Arthelia's Attic snood I won this past January), timeless white, and hints of pale, springtime chick yellow.

The sleeves of this lilac hued dress are quite billowy, and as a result they create a lot of excess bunching on my arms under the cardigan (which you can see in some of the snaps). Had the weather been a bit warmer, I would have forgone a topper completely, but as it was, we were only sitting at about +8C and there was a whisper of a breeze (and I was still getting over the last leg of my recent flu), so a cardi was a must.

I truly love this Arthelia's Attic snood. It's exquisitely well made, incredibly comfortable, cute as a button, and I had no problem getting it work like a charm over top of my wig. I was blessed to win this fantastic snood, but I highly suspect that I'll be buying others from this great etsy seller in the future.

Though I wasn't feeling like a million bucks that day (not the least of which was because I still had the flu at the time and can't help but notice how puffy and tired my face looks in these shoots because of it), I was elated to get out of the house at long last, as cabin fever had really started to set in as I watch the first signs of spring appear outside of our windows day-after-day.

It seemed incredibly fitting then that we stumbled upon this vintage log cabin schoolhouse (cabin fever cured by a log cabin, love it!) that sunny March day. Though we do try to vary where we shoot vintage outfit snaps, sometimes you encounter a location that you love to pieces and sense you may shoot at again down the road.

This wonderful little school nestled in the midst of a residential neighborhood on a peaceful street in Kelowna is definitely one such spot that I could see us returning to again some time - ideally when the sun isn't shinning in my eyes quite so much! :)

March 27, 2013

My week with Annie


Ok, technically eight, going on nine days, but I couldn't help taking the inspiration for this brief post's title from the similarly named 2011 film about Marilyn Monroe.

As I sit here in the early hours of the morning typing this (while perched on a stack of pillows in our en suite bathroom - a quiet little respite from the boundlessly curious and playful new pet in our midst), I am completely dog tired. This is only fitting given that reason for most of my exhaustion (above and beyond the usual severe fatigue I battle due to my chronic health problems) is our darling Miss Annie.

It's been a long time - perhaps more than a year - since the last time six days passed between posts here. Such was the case however, between this and my previous blog entry, in which I introduced you all to cuter-than-a-million buttons Annie. She is a joy and handful, a constant learning experience and a blessing beyond measure, and I am honestly still a touch in awe of the fact that we really do have a dog of our own at long last.

Much as we'd hoped (and planned, in a general sense) to get a dog for years, the actual act of bringing Annie into our lives happened on the spur of the moment, with no time to prepare. Though I'd always imagined getting a dog would prove challenging for me (from a health stand point), even I was caught off guard a bit by just how much these rambunctious, busy, activity filled days of early puppyhood would knock out of me.

Days - not "a day" - but multiple days are passing between when it seems I have even a brief moment to make it onto the computer, which is in rather stark contrast with the fact that, since early 2012, it's been rare for more than 48 hours to pass without me powering up the ol' laptop at least once.

Lest it seems like I'm bemoaning these past few days, let me assure you that I'm not. Though I do regret that I've missed keeping abreast with all of your blogs and the others I follow via my feedreader (as well as connecting with you through social media sites), I wouldn’t trade this wondrous time with Annie for all the doughnuts in Canada!

This period has been a jumble of emotions, energy levels, new beginnings, and - snuggled together on the couch with the puppy – the late night watching of several fascinating (and wildly diverse) documentaries on Netflix, as a way to unwind after days that felt as though they possessed far more than 24 hours


{Plenty of affection - much like that given by this lovely 1950s stewardess towards the puppy she's holding - and vital bonding time has been the order of the day of late, both directed towards, and received from, our wonderful new dog. Image source.}


I know that for the next few weeks in particular, as Annie continues to grow (and especially prior to her next round of shots after which she can safely start going outside and coming in contact with other dogs, which means we - lacking a yard of our own - can safely begin exercising and potty training her outdoors), my usual computer time will likely be slashed.

That said, this morning, after close to nine days of almost no time spent online, I'm hitting the proverbial reset button, marking all unread feeds read, and (temporarily) streamlining my usual online activities in the hopes that I'll be better able to keep up with blog post writing here, feed reading/blog visiting, and to a much lesser extent, social media.

I suspect some days will be easier than others on that front, but I'll give it my best shot for sure - adorable puppy very much in tow every step of the way. And speaking of Annie, I truly want to thank each and every one of you who commented on my introduction post about her last week, as well as to all those who sent congrats and happy (and insightful) words my way via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and email.

As the week barrels on, you'll be seeing other posts from me here (some of which were written earlier this month, prior to Annie's arrival) and I'll aim to visit each of you on a more regular basis again. I know I've not been out of the loop for very long, but I derive such joy from visiting and commenting on your blogs, that I miss it dearly when such is not possible even for a short amount of time.

As the night's gorgeous full moon is knocked from the horizon by a pale late March sunrise, and I try to blink away my exhaustion (I haven't slept yet tonight) just long enough to type these last few words, I can hear Annie going at it with one of her plush dog toys downstairs.

Her sweet little tail is thumping the floor, a youthful bark of enthusiasm directed at her plaything breaks the still morning air every now and then, and I cannot help be filled with such an immense sense of happiness that it feels like I could fit the whole world in the span of my smile - or at least just as big a puppy toy as Annie can get in her mouth. :)

March 21, 2013

Meet Annie, our adorable new puppy


This past Monday, our lives changed in an incredibly precious and wonderful way. Two days shy of the ninth anniversary of the day that we meet (March 20th), Tony and I welcomed a puppy into our family for the very first time.

We are both massive dog lovers and have dreamed of getting a puppy throughout our whole relationship. This week, in celebration of nine years together, we did just that.

Hailing from Delta (a part of the Metro Vancouver area down on the Lower Mainland), our darling new girl is named Annie - her name celebrating the fact that she's our anniversary gift to one another this year.

I cannot begin to put into words that joy that we're both feeling right now. It's incredible to have to new, darling bundle of puppy joy in the house (we found the listing for, and bought, her on the same day - Monday - so hence why I didn't post about this exciting chapter in our lives prior to the fact).




 Our sweet girl (seen above in an iPhone photo I took yesterday afternoon) is an almost nine week old American Bullador (a cross between an American Bulldog and a Labrador Retriever).

More than just a "gift" in the sense of something that one gives or receives, Annie is a beautiful blessing who will no doubt enrich our lives in countless ways. I love her to pieces and then some! It's hard not to have a few tears of happiness tumble out of my eyes each time I look at her for more than the quickest of moments.

Sweet, very well tempered, curious, playful, alert, intelligent, and healthy, she is so tremendously amazing that I still feel like I have to pinch myself to believe that she's real.

She is though, and as new puppies take a lot of time and energy, I've not been online since Monday (save for a few minutes yesterday - chiefly to write this post) and suspect that my presence will be pretty scare for the next little while.

I want to take a moment to thank you all very much for your blog comments this week - including on Monday's Ice Phone giveaway (which I just want to note, is not only for iPhone users - the Ice Phone is compatible with nearly all modern cell phones).

As many of you know, I always try my best to visit and comment on the blogs of those who super sweetly do the same for me, but I may be a touch behind on that front for the next little while these highly formative early puppyhood days are underway. Likewise blog posts here may appear a tiny bit less often just (I'd imagine) for the next few days.

It's fantastic to be able to share about Annie with all of you this morning - I've been so eager to do so since the moment we decided we were going to get her - and likewise to know that she'll be a part of this blog - as the newest Cangiano family member - from her on out (be sure to follow me on Instagram for the latest snaps of this super cute little girl).

Sending happy start of spring wishes - and countless new puppy kisses (and, goodness, is she a kisser!) to each and every one of you!

March 20, 2013

Spring has sprung!


Cue the chorus of songbirds chirping merrily, the woodland critters prancing through newly sprouted fields of green, and the heavenly rays of sunshine slicing through the clouds. Ok, so this might be a slightly Disney-esque version of what this morning should look like, but it doesn't mean we can't envision it appearing this way all the same.

Today marks the first day of spring 2013, and with it a season of renewed life, scrumptious fresh garden eats, and of course the return of warm weather dressing, a point which, quite frankly, I'm ecstatic about. I've enjoyed my tweeds and tights, bulky sweaters and snow boots, but it's high time we parted ways and my trusty sundresses came back into heavy rotation.

A breezy wardrobe isn't the only thing spring has on the horizon for us. No, this is always a busy season, filled with energy and loveliness, and an inborn desire to be productive, as we shake the proverbial cobwebs of winter out of our soul. So, just want are some of the things that spring has in store for us this year?

Well, there's always these early signs of the season...


Vintage early signs of spring

And in a few days time, we'll gather to celebrate Easter with all manner of eggs, chocolate goodies, and if we're really lucky, a new festive bonnet.




Falling on Easter Monday this year, we run into April Fool's Day next (I'm not one for pranks myself, but I do enjoy looking at vintage French April Fool's Day postcards like the lovely one below).



April usually means the end of snow and the start of warm weather dressing. Sporting a bathing suit in the great outdoors is still always off, but that's completely ok, it gives up plenty of time to done of favourite vintage springtime fashions, such as this immensely elegant floral adorned look from 1945.




One thing that comes part and parcel with spring for most is taxes. Whether you dread them or eagerly await the potential refund they might yield, there's no skirting around the fact that they're a necessarily part of this time of the year (note that the following image is from a 1944 Life series of people dealing with their taxes at an Internal Revenue office in New York City).


1940s woman at the Internal Revenue office, vintage tax time

We all know the old expression about April showers, and goodness is it true sometimes! To help make those rain soaked days more bearable (and protect your shoes), why not slip into a pair of vintage rain boots or overshoes like these charming Rain Dears from 1952?


Vintage Raindears Rainboots ad 1952

May 1st means it's time for May Day once more. I don't have a pole to prance around, but that doesn't mean I don't feel giddy when the fifth month of the year begins.




If you haven't done so already, now is the perfect time to set aside a day or two (or however long you need) to give you home a thorough once over as part of the annual tradition that is spring cleaning.




Without a doubt one of the loveliest - and most highly anticipated - elements of springtime is the seemingly endless array of blossoms and blooms that, as if by magic, pop back into existence once more.




Of course, now that the warm weather is here again, one will also want to sport a bevy of flowers in their outfits, too (especially for days with delightfully fun outings such as an afternoon as the fair).




♥  ♥  ♥


{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}




Though we didn't endure an overly harsh or long winter (I've certainly known far more brutal), there was something about this past season that seemed to drag on and on and...you get the picture.

I think that it largely has to do with the fact that we own a car now (something that we couldn't claim prior to March 2012) and as such, when spring starts, we're able to take off and explore the world, bathed as it is in pale, gorgeous sunlight, once more (in a way that, let's face it, you just can't without a set of wheels).

Having a car also makes getting to a large number of yard sales all across town a whole lot easier, and as I love yard sales with an ending passion, knowing that their season was going to commence again soon, really made the last few weeks of winter feel like they were a decade long a piece.

I'm wholeheartedly happy that spring is here. It won't all be cute Easter bunnies, blooming lilacs, and rainbows after a thunderstorm of course, but I sense that it's going to be a terrific season, and I can't honestly recall the last time I was looking quite as forward to spring as I am this year.

Here's to the hope that this season sparkles with merriment, fun and tons of wonderful vintage yard sale finds for all of us!


March 18, 2013

Pink Ice Phone review and giveaway


This past Christmas I received an iPhone - my first ever - as an incredible gift from Tony. To say I've been hooked on it ever since would be a major understatement! Rather serendipitously in terms of timing, I was contacted in late December by a website from the UK called Mobile Fun, who specializes in iPhone 5 accessories, wanting to know if I'd be interested in receiving and reviewing the retro inspired Ice Phone handset.

Though I don't use my iPhone for placing all that many calls (I'm home most of the time, so people usually call my on my house phone), I'd seen this product already in some local shops, thought it was rather cute, and happily accepted their offer. I was given a choice of colours to pick from, and - naturally - opted for the pink Ice Phone.



Pink Ice Phone retro iPhone cell phone handset review


Calling to mind the style of certain classic mid-century rotary phones, the Ice Phone is not a phone itself, but rather a handset (and base), with a rubberized finish, that you attach your cell phone to.

If you're the type whom tends to make a lot of mobile phone calls from home, than this product may appeal to you in particular. However, you can also use it on the go, or (as I've mostly been doing) as an absolutely darling way to store your cell phone when not in use.

I received my pink Ice Phone handset a few weeks ago and have placed several calls using it ever since. While I didn't have any problems with my cell's clarity before hand, I would agree that - just as its billed - the Ice Phone does help enhance call clarity, sharpening it a bit and certainly making it enjoyable to have lengthy calls while using this product (it would also be very handy in this regard if you were placing calls on it in a noisy environment, as it helps to block out environmental sounds around you).

 




 The Ice Phone is compatible with a wide range of mobile phones and even certain tablet devices, beyond just the iPhone. A standard 3.5mm jack comes with the Ice Phone that allows it connect your phone to the handset base itself (if your particular phone isn't compatible with that kind of jack, you can use an adaptor - sold separately - to connect the two). One nifty feature of this product is that it still allows you to access the various features of your phone while you're on a call.

My only qualm with the Ice Phone is that, while you can use it with the iPhone 5, no problem at all (as with the Ice Phone and all Mac mobile devices, you do not need an adapter, which is great), it does not fit securely into the base of the Ice Phone. I can easily prop my phone up in the base and attach the receiver to it, but it doesn't always stay stay completely upright, preferring to tilt to the side a touch at times.

This teeny issue aside, I really like the Ice Phone (which regularly retails for $45.99 from Mobile Fun. Though by no means a true vintage phone of course, it does channel a charming old school-esque rotatory phone feeling and it looks really adorable (especially in pink, though a wide range of other colours are available as well).

Since receiving my Ice Phone, I've been keeping it along side the cordless phone in our kitchen, where it's become my phone's main docking station ever since. I like that, though certainly eye-catching, the Ice Phone isn't tacky or glaringly kitschy looking. It's fun, incredibly easy to use, and rather sweet looking, especially if - like myself - you've always been a fan of yesteryear telephones.

Today I'm delighted to offer you a chance to win an Ice Phone of your own from the fine folks at Mobile Fun. In the spirit of Easter, which is just around the corner - and because I know that many of you are also big fans of this colour - one lucky winner will receive a pink Ice Phone of their own, just like like the one pictured above in this post.

This giveaway is open to readers from anywhere in the world and will run from today (March 18th) until 11:59pm EST Friday March 29th with the winner being drawn (using a random number generator) and announced in a blog post shortly thereafter.


How to enter

You can earn as many as eight separate entries in this giveaway, by doing any (or all) of the following things.

1. Like Chronically Vintage on Facebook.

2. Post about this giveaway on Facebook, providing a link back to your post in your comment here.

3. Follow Chronically Vintage on Twitter.

4. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, including a link back to this post in your tweet.

5. Follow Chronically Vintage on Pinterest.

6. Pin the pink Ice Phone photo from today's post to Pinterest with a comment in your pin about this giveaway.

7. Follow Chronically Vintage on Instagram.

8. Leave a comment here telling me why you love your cell phone.


Please make sure to leave a separate comment specifying each of the ways in which you entered this Ice Phone giveaway, so as to increase your odds of winning.


I've thoroughly been enjoying my pink Ice Phone - it's my first iPhone accessory, save for my phone case - and catch myself smiling whenever I pass it by on the kitchen counter. Many thanks to the team at Mobile Fun for sending this cute product my way, as well as for offering up a pink Ice Phone to one lucky Chronically Vintage reader.

Thank you in advance - and the very best of luck to all those who enter this delightful giveaway!

March 16, 2013

Exploring the Library and Archives Canada on Flickr

Though Canada might not be the oldest country in the world, it has been populated for thousands upon thousands of years. Initially by First Nations peoples, later by European settlers, and in more recent years, by folks from all corners of the globe. For nearly as long as photography has existed, people across this vast nation have striven to preserve our history on film, yet one doesn't seem to encounter nearly as many vintage Canadian photographs as those from places such as the US and UK.

It was this thought, partnered with a lifelong love of Canadian history that prompted me to start a Vintage Canada Flickr group back in 2011, and a Pinterest board devoted to Vintage Canada around the start of last year.

Like many people the world over, I have a deeply rooted passion for, and interest in the history of, my nation. With a land mass second only in size to Russia, Canada is not exactly a tiny country by any stretch of the imagination, however for such a grand sized place, we have a relatively small population (we're presently sitting right around 35,000,000), which may in part explain why there are often fewer yesteryear Canadian images to be found both online and off.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it's exceedingly hard to find vintage Canadian photos, it's not at all, but again, they're by no means as commonplace as those from, say, the US, which both in days gone by and now, has had a much larger population than ours. It warms the very corners of my soul (an all-important point when you consider how chilly the abundance of snow we get up here can make mind, body and soul!) to encounter vintage Canadian photographs, and so today - on this nippy February morning - I thought it high time that I shared one of my absolute favourite resources of  just such images.

Beyond merely being a favourite spot to spy nineteenth and twentieth-century Canadian photographs, illustrations and art, the Library and Archives Canada's Flick stream is a trove of valuable - and highly interesting - Canadian history, as most of the photos (and illustrations) include at least a small degree of background information for them.

The Library and Archives Canada's about page on Flickr does a terrific job of summing up what this official Government of Canada run stream is all about. "(LAC) collects and preserves Canada's documentary heritage, and makes it accessible to all Canadians. This heritage includes publications, archival records, sound and audio-visual materials, photographs, artworks, and electronic documents such as websites. As part of our mandate, we work closely with other archives and libraries to acquire and share these materials as widely as possible."

To date this is one of, if not the very best, resources for older Canadian photographs that I'm aware of anywhere on the web. It's been in place since 2008, which was when I first discovered it. In the time since then, I've actively tried to stay abreast of the LAC's uploads, thoroughly enjoying and often learning more about Canadian history from this important archive's many interesting images (which total more than 2,100 and counting).

While I could happily post every last one of the LAC's images, I'll refrain (for the moment!), and instead share with you twenty vintage photographs, spanning multiple decades, that are amongst my very favourite in this phenomenal collection.

(These wonderful images speak volumes for themselves, so I haven't captioned them, but if you'd like to know more about a specific photo, please click on it to be taken to its respective LAC Flickr page.)








































Even if you're not a Canadian, so long as you delight in seeing vintage photographs, this is a Flickr stream that truly is not be missed (much like the Glenbow Museum's stream that I posted about here in 2012), and one that I'm sure nearly everyone could find photos amongst which speak to their passion for, and interest, in history.

After all, who doesn't love a good back at look at the past, eh? :)