10 fun Valentine's Day questions answered

At least a couple of years ago I started to see the the questions in today's post make the round in the blogging and YouTube worlds, but hadn't had a chance to answer them yet.

Like on most holidays, Valentine's is not a time when I want to delve into lengthy posts or heavy topics, so taking a stab at these today seemed like the ideal light and fun post. If you'd like to play along - today or any time - by all means feel free to do so as well.




1. What is your favorite Valentines Day treat? Ooohh, that's a toughie! I'm partial to a rich Black Forest cake, berry topped cheesecake, or double chocolate brownie, but really, am open to most sugary treats on this sweetest of special occasions.





2. Sweethearts or chocolate covered strawberries? It's chocolate covered strawberries all the way for me. Tony adores them, too, so I usually whip up a batch with chocolate dipped banana slices and marshmallows, too (sometimes sprinkling a little toasted coconut on top for extra crunch and flavour).




3. Are you pro Valentine's Day? Massively so! I've said it before and I'll happily say it again, I love love and beyond that, I think that this day is the perfect time to reflect on, and be grateful for, all of the people and things that we adore and are blessed to have in our lives, so I'm in favour of Valentine's Day big time!




4. What movie would you rather watch on Valentine's Day: Pretty Woman or You've Got Mail? Definitely Pretty Woman! I grew up with that (now) classic and it will always be one of my favourite romantic movies (that I quote lines from surprisingly often :)).




5. What celeb would you not mind having as your Valentine? Grumpy Cat! I know that she isn't exactly famous for being a fan of, well, most anything (positive), but I think that with enough cuddles and kitty treats, I could bring her around to the pro Feb. 14th camp (and if not, hey, I'd still get to spend the day with Grumpy Cat! :D).




6. What would you do on your perfect Valentine's date? Spending it with my sweet husband, Tony. Beyond that, anything is just the icing on the (heart shaped) cake. I think that it would be incredible to celebrate it one year in his homeland of Italy - arguably, after all, one of the most romantic countries ever!




7. Red or pink lips on Valentines Day? I'd say it depends on the colours in my outfit, but as a general rule, red (specifically my beloved MAC Russian Red) wins out.




8. What is your ideal Valentine's Day outfit? I love sporting red and/or pink on this day (especially in velvet form), but will often swap one or both for burgundy as well, with black, grey and/or gold being frequent supporting players. Beyond that, some thoroughly Feb. 14th approved jewelry (say, a vintage heart shaped brooch, for example) and red shoes + purse cap off my look, which varies from year-to-year.




9. Homemade or store-bought gifts? Either is 100% okay and very sweet. Who doesn't love a thoughtful gift of any type?




10. Would you wear your hair up or hair down for a date night? Ideally up, but that's something of a challenge as a full-time wig wearer. Instead I'll usually sport a partially pulled back 'do with a festively hued chapeau.

{Please click on an image to be taken to its respective source.}

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So fun! I love a great, speedy little tag like that. :) Now a question for all of you: how will you be spending this February 14th?

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! With all my heart, however you like to celebrate, I hope that you have a beautiful, fun filled holiday!


*PS* And speaking of questions, this week I had the immense honour and pleasure of being interviewed by none other than the beautiful trio that is the Boyer Family Sisters over on their equally lovely blog. They asked me some really stellar questions - including who my biggest role model is - and I can't thank them enough for our awesome digital chat!

Festively fun 1950s Catch-a-Valentine Cake recipe

It occurred to me recently just how much I love baking and making sweets for Valentine's Day. As a day where all things dolce are celebrated and noshed upon, I'm certainly not alone here, but I think part of why St. Val's Day desserts jump out at me so much is because, generally speaking, this is a holiday where sweet really, really reigns supreme.

There are arguably not a ton of standard savoury dishes for this day (though those with aphrodisiacal qualities, such as raw oysters, have long been firm favourites for a Feb. 14th dinner, as have been luxurious eats such as steak, lobster, and lamb), where sugary treats come out on top and most of us, even those who often eat very health consciously, are apt to indulge in something sweet, fun and tongue pleasingly wonderful.

I generally whip up one or more chocolate dishes for Valentine's Day, but I love anything pink or red as well, from tinted popcorn balls to homemade marshmallows to frosting topped sugar cookies. Today's mid-century recipe for the smile-inducingly named Catch-a-Valentine Cake has pink in spades and would be equally lovely for Easter, Mother's Day, a bridal or baby shower, birthday party, wedding or anniversary.

Fabulously simple to make, yet wonderfully impressive looking, this festive take on a classic marble cake (with two different coloured versions of the same cake batter, as opposed to two separate flavours of cake, though you could certainly use extracts to flavour one or both of them, if so desired) is a cinch to whip up and a fun treat for any February 14th related celebration.



{Beautiful to look at and wonderful to taste, this elegant 1950s Valentine's Day cake recipe is such a crowd pleasing choice. Naturally, if shorting isn't something you're too fond of, feel free to substitute butter, margarine, or another suitable cooking fat of your choice. Vintage recipe image source. Click here for a larger version.}


Valentine's Day itself might not be everyone's cup of (sweetened) tea, but most of us will agree that our eyes turn as wide as saucers when desserts celebrating this festive occasion are laid out before us, be they at home, in a restaurant or at the local grocery store.

This cake - which can easily be made GF by using your favourite store bought white or golden gluten-free cake mix - is free of chocolate, so it's a good choice for those who might be unable to eat it to to medical reason or simply not a fan. It's one of those delightful vintage cake recipes that looks fancy, but is not at all complicated and which most home cooks can successfully put together and bring to the table, where a chorus of cheers is bound to erupt from excited diners.

If you can't find candy hearts of any sort for the top, strawberry slices can easily be formed to make a heart shape and tiny food cutters (such as this lovely little set) can be used to cut hearts and other shapes from berries and many other fruits (and vegetables), too.

I hope that as Valentine's Day draws near, you'll get a chance to indulge in a sweet treat that truly brings you culinary joy, be it a classic cake like this 1950s gem, a decadent box of mixed chocolates, a rich soufflé, a refreshing ice cream sundae, a luscious fruit tart, a fragrant cinnamon bun, a crunchy French macaron, or anything else that - rather fittingly, one might say - your heart desires. I know I will be! :)


*PS* Thank you deeply to each of you for your understanding and kindhearted blog comments regarding the recent death of my computer. As the new one I ordered from Dell on Feb. 3rd hasn't even shipped yet (*le sigh*),

I'm thinking that - best case - I'll be receiving it on the three week end of the delivery time estimate I was given when I ordered. As mentioned in my post here last week, I am still online, just substantially less as I'm making due with accessing the web just from my phone. Hopefully my new laptop will get here soon and I can slip right back into my usual online routine (complete with a tons of catching up!).

A tugboat, hearts galore, and the long overdue debut of my black 1950s quilted circle skirt

Outfit details

1950s red nylon/chiffon scarf: Thrifted
Black and silver heart earrings: Target (I think)
1930s clear and black beaded necklace: Maejean Vintage
Grey button front shirt: Tommy Hilfiger
Black cotton camisole: Joe Fresh or Old Navy
Vintage heart and cupid dangle brooch: Either eBay or thrifted
1980s does 1950s red stretch belt with silver heart clasp: eBay
1950s black quilted circle skirt: eBay
Red faux leather cross body purse: eBay
Red laced trimmed crinoline: Pettiskirt Style
C. 1980s lack sheer heart print gloves: eBay
Grey tights: (New in pack from) Value Village
1940s style black faux suede heels with bows: Walmart
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Tony Cangiano

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Waaaaayyyy back in December 2011, I blogged about finding one of my vintage grails - a quilted 1950s black circle skirt - and how I'd not only unearthed it at long last, but done so at a stellar price. Though I've worn that skirt scores of times since then, it has somehow escaped appearing on my blog until now (baffling, I know! :)).

This outfit, so very common of the sort I sport (with a coat or jacket over top) in the winter, is what I wore for Valentine's Day this year (so hence the plethora of hearts, right down to the black sheer heart print gloves). As nearly months have somehow whizzed past since then - seriously, where did they go?! - before we really get into the thick of late spring and then summertime weather and their accompanying fashions, I wanted to share these photos with all of you.

As I'd posted about earlier in February, I really wasn't feeling a saccharine sweet palette or even pink at all (strange for me, I know) this Valentine's Day, but I didn't want to forgo dressing for the holiday entirely either. Instead I paired red with black, grey and silver and opted to let my festive feelings shine through the wearing of so many hearts.

Don't let my lack of a coat fool you, it was seriously chilly that day and I had goose bumps a plenty going on - at least on the top half of my body. On the bottom, between the grey tights, red crinoline, and quilted black circle skirt, I was relatively warm, save for my feet. Up top I opted for a vintage appropriate grey button front shirt, a beloved 1930s beaded necklace from Maejean Vintage, a cute little silver toned vintage dangle brooch complete with cupid charm, a red and silver vintage heart buckle stretch belt, and a pair of sheer black lace gloves that offered virtually no warmth, but were definitely in keeping with the spirit of the day. Earrings and a sheer red vintage hair scarf capped the casually cute ensemble off (with my usual black faux suede heels wrapping things up at the other end).

They were images were shot down at Okanagan beach here in Penticton right beside the SS Sicamous, where one finds a charming vintage tugboat permanently moored a few feet out into the water. Tony and I were busy critters on Valentine's Day, running errands, as we tend to on the weekend, and spending the evening celebrating with family at my mom's house, and I didn’t realize in the moment just how wrinkled my shirt has become throughout the day! Oh well – that’s real life!

Now that I've finally shared this skirt on camera, chances are you'll see it here again and again as time goes on. I find that to often be the case the with pieces I've had for ages, but not posted about sooner - perhaps its a way of making up for lost time (doubly so in this case, given how I'd yearned for a skirt just like this for ages).

Though it was just a couple of months ago, it feels like a long time since Valentine's Day and looking back at these snaps, I'm grateful that winter has retired for another year once more and that, fun as the holidays that season houses are, we can focus on spring and summer for a several months now.

For while I do certainly love winter in many wonderful ways, I "heart" warm weather even more! :)


*PS* If you haven't caught wind of it already, hop on over to the wonderful blog The Boyer Family Singers and enter for your chance to win a $75.00 store credit from my Etsy shop, as well as take advantage of a limited time coupon code there that will save you 25% off on absolutely everything in my shop (to which I've added over fifty new items in the last week alone!).

Special Valentine's Day 2014 edition of Vintage Fashionista Friday

{Absolutely perfect for Valentine's Day, but not so glaringly Feb. 14th-ish that can't be worn at other times of the year, too (for example, on your anniversary), these cute-enough-too eat conversation heart earrings are inspired by the classic candy and are as sweet a way to jazz up your lobes as you could ever hope to find. $12.00 from etsy seller Dailee Dose.}





{Keep your lips kissably  smooth, or bestow this delightful set upon a loved one for an extra sweet Valentine's Day gift, either way, it's sure to be a festive hit. Four-piece Cupcakes & Cartwheels Sweet Shop Cupcake Lip Gloss set, $12.00 from Amazon.}




{Let a flock of sweet little lovebirds call your neck home care of this fabulous vintage inspired Swallow Charm Necklace that featuring laser cut swallows and an extender chain in the back so as to allow you set the length you'd like. £12.50 from Collectif.}




{When I get dressed for St. Valentine's Day, I usually feel pulled either towards fabulously alluring, glamorous looks or ones that are so sweet, they teeter on the cusp of cloying. This charming 1950s Bea Young pink and purple plaid dress is closer to the latter, and has an unendingly charming feel of youth to it, but would work for ladies of all ages, thanks to its classic cute, longer hemline and flatter neckline. Fits up to 38" bust/31" waist, $75.00 from etsy seller Garb-Oh Vintage.}




{Pretty as the frosting on a Valentine's cake, these soft pink c. 1950s gloves with ruched wrists would make for a fabulous edition to any girly-girl vintage loving lady's wardrobe. (Size not listed) $12.00 from etsy seller Duryea Place Designs.}




{Boasting raglan sleeves, a full satin lining, and a single button closure, this fitted, immensely lovely 1950s purple velvet dress coat has romance and style abounding from its every seam. Fits up to a 34" bust/28" waist, on sale at the time of writing for $123.20 from etsy seller Mustang Annee's.}




{Unequivocally one of my top five favourite perfumes of all-time (I could happily wear nothing but it as my signature scent for the rest of time), best seller Romance from Ralph Loren is a grownup, gorgeous, intricate, immensely appealing blend of fresh rose, oakmoss, musk, ginger, marigold and violet that more than lives up to its Valentine's Day perfect moniker. $68.95 (for a 3.4 ounce bottle) from Amazon.}




{Covetable as the day is long, these super fun Vivienne Westwood for Melissa Lady Dragon Lips Shoes are so marvelous, you might just be tempted to kiss them when they arrive! Available in UK modern ladies shoes 3-8 (European sizes 36 to 41), £127.00 from Dollydagger.}

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It struck me, rather powerfully, recently while I was standing in my wee little bedroom closet of all places, just how very much I love and care about some of my online friends. Some of those folk that I know from the vintage community have in my life from five years now, others are more recent newcomers, and many came into my world somewhere in between. Save for one person, I've never met any of these people in real life. I've never even heard most of their voices, and yet I've shared my life with them and they in turn have let me into theirs.

We've swapped emails, Facebook messages, Instagram comments, Pinterest pins, and in some cases, even good old-fashioned snail mail. Five years is not a small amount of time. We could have all gotten masters degrees in that same time frame. A child born on the day we met would be kindergarten age at this point. As thoughts pertaining to the wonderfulness of online friends - of whom I have far more than local acquaintances - washed over me, I began to think of how very fitting a day, indeed perhaps the most fitting of the entire year, Valentine's is to celebrate this special kind of love.

Whether I've known a kindred online spirit for a few months, a couple of years, or that whole half a decade, my closest friends are all loved, all cherished, sincerely appreciated and seen as a blessing in my eyes. I learn from, am inspired by, laugh with, smile over, and treasure each of these people. I know that some will fade from life over time, as is the nature of friendships in general, be they online or off, but I suspect that many with be with me for oodles more years to come.

This point brings me immense happiness, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day and the feelings I have for my friends, I named today's Vintage Fashionista "Aimee", an Old French name meaning, fitting, beloved. Not all love is romantic of course, and even those who turn up their noses or want nothing to do with the mushy, gushy, sweetie pie, sugar bunny side of today, can surely appreciate that it gives us all an opportunity to reflect on those we love, our friends very much included.

To all my friends and blog readers the world over, thank you for the relationships we share the whole year through. I love and wish you an immensely happy, candy filled Valentine's Day!