Retiring Chronically Vintage

Yesterday, after two very snowy weeks of early March, I felt the first tender rays of springtime warmth dance upon my skin. I took Annie out back and together we played amongst them, both entranced by a sensation that we had very nearly forgotten.

It was a moment of simple, untainted pleasure of that sort we all long for in our lives and it reminded me a great deal of the powerful feelings of warmhearted compassion that myself, Tony and Annie have been incredibly blessed to receive from scores of wonderful people – including many in the vintage community – over the past five months since the fire.

From that horrific day onward, there has been a part of me that had suspected this post would eventually happen. Perhaps many of you saw it coming as well.

What occurred to us on that fateful, (ironically) rainy October night changed us forever. In one fell swoop it rewrote our lives and tore into the fabric of who we were at our very cores.

Though some pieces have been mended, others that remained (now) strengthened, and some are lost forever, we are not the same people we were before the fire. I highly doubt most folks would be, if they went through something similar.

Hardship and challenges make you and shape you. They can break you, too, if you let them. Yet from that very first evening as we stood cocooned in shock and grief, we swore that we wouldn’t let that happen and with your profound help (of every conceivable variety), love and support, it hasn’t.

Though I had, for some time, remained optimistic that I’d be able to pick up here much like before, in the ensuing five months it has become glaringly apparent to me that such is simply not possible.

Too much has changed. Though my love for vintage, my tremendous appreciation for this community, and my passion for rocking old school styles will never waver for a moment, I have come to realize that, as much as it genuinely pains me to the pit of my soul, I need to retire this blog.

Between the continued (very) poor state of my health in the wake of the blaze, the challenging road ahead as we continue to rebuild our lives, and the reality that certain things can never go back to as they once were, I know in my heart of hearts that this is what is right and healthy for me at this stage in my life.

I want each of you to know, and pray that you will believe me when I say, that this decision did not come easily or lightly. I agonized over it relentlessly for months and talked about it with Tony until I the point where I wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised if he’d started throwing things at me to get me to drop the subject (of course my sweet husband would never actually do that, but I wouldn’t have blamed in the slightest him if he had!).

For the better part of eight years (including the 2.5 for which, before the fire, I had my eponymously named Etsy shop as well; it will not be returning either), this blog was a huge part of my world – just as each of you were.

I adore, care about, and appreciate all of you more than you will ever know. Parting ways, in a vintage blogging context at least, is beyond hard for me to do.

I have had many sleepless nights, shed my fair share of tears, negatively impacted my health further from the stress of debating what to do, rung my hands nearly raw with anxiety, searched the furthest recesses of my heart, and, again, did not get to this point easily or lightly. Please know however, that it is a choice that I have reached for certain. 

Here we are then and there’s no sense in dragging things out.

Instead I will thank you – each and every one of you – for the innumerable ways you’ve enriched my life since Chronically Vintage began in April 2009. We’ve talked, we’ve laughed, we’ve inspired one another, we’ve grown as people, we’ve changed, and we have come to be dear friends.

{You mean the world to me - each of you. Thank you for the great times, the kinship, and for your understanding about my tremendously difficult decision to retire CV. Vintage photo image source.}

In our darkest hour, you were there for me and my family and I will be grateful for your help, compassion and remarkable generosity (including both your monetary donations and care packages) for as long as I live.

The physical gifts you gave me (us) helped me to come back to many important parts of myself. They cloth me, we eat off of them, we even bath with some of your presents (soaps and a beautiful floral print shower curtain, for instance). You often knew what we needed, even if, in our haze of grief, we didn’t.

You took us by the hand and the heart, you believed in us and we have grown stronger in many ways again because of you – just as I have always derived strength and comfort from this amazing community.

While I will no longer be blogging here at Chronically Vintage, I plan to keep this site (which houses just over 1,500 posts) alive for all to enjoy, learn from, and be inspired by.

You can continue to connect with me on social media, where as time goes on, I hope to share an even broader scope of myself and my many different interests – a giant one of which will, of course, forever be vintage.

Thank you all so much. Thank you for the memories, the smiles, the joys, the ways in which you've helped me grow, and countless other things that will stay with me for all of my days. 

I want you to know that you can always email me and that, I hope, should any of you ever find yourself in dire straights, I can be there for you however possible, too. Just ask, night or day.

I won’t say goodbye, instead I will say that I love you. That you mean more to me than I could ever begin to put into words, and that I hope with all my might you’ll understand my exceedingly difficult decision to retire from this blog and to look ahead to other (largely unknown at present) chapters in my life.

It has been a joy and an honour to connect with all of you throughout CV’s life and I look forward to continuing to do so via social media (particularly on Instagram and Pinterest), your blogs, emails, snail mail, and other avenues for a long time to come.

Friendship, much like the appeal of the past itself, is often timeless and so too, in my eyes, are each of you. 

Forever and always your friend in all things vintage,

❤ Jessica

Out with the old, in with the new!

Hard as it may to believe, 2016 is already more than half a month old and as such I thought now - with the marvelous hubbub of the holiday season over for most folks - was a good time to delve further into some points that I made in my recent Think Big, Dream Big post that kicked off January here.

Towards the end of that entry, I mentioned that I was planning to retire certain ongoing blog posts that had grown, to my mind - and based on post read and/or comment numbers, those of my audience as well - somewhat stagnant.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the blogging world - both inside and out of the vintage sphere - has changed a great deal in recent years. In general, far beyond the realm of my site alone, posts and topics that once garnered scads of attention, may barely catch a passing glance, whereas others (such as outfit posts, DIY tutorials, and food related entries) have only grown in popularity.

Though I do, and will always, blog for the sake of the immense pleasure and fulfillment that doing so brings me, it would be foolhardy of me to pour precious hours - each of which is worth its weight in gold amidst my ridiculously busy schedule - into posts that aren't garnering a lot of love any more and which, to be perfectly honest, in some cases I've grown a bit bored with (writing) myself, too.

As keen observers may have noticed already, towards the end of 2015, rather organically (aka, it wasn't a deliberately calculated move), I stopped capping off the end of each month with the usual Vintage Link Love entry that had been wrapping up most months for the previous couple of years. It was an enjoyable series and I know there are some die-hard fans of it here (thank you, each!), but it just wasn’t lighting my writing fires a great deal any more.

At present, I don't plan to wrap up the end of every month with a particular ongoing post series, instead, for now, it will be open to any and all topics. Perhaps one day another "end of the month" post will arise, but again, for now, nothing of that nature is in place.

I've also decided that I'm going to evolve the 25 Vintage Deals Under $100 post series into a similar entry that will continue to focus on a given theme each time around, but which won't be restricted solely by price point (or number of entries) and which may appear here at somewhat more random (aka, not strictly monthly) intervals. I know that a lot of you enjoy shopping, and learning of new sellers/online stores from, such posts, so the general concept is certainly not vanishing.



{Granted I won't be donning an acid green unitard to do so in, but I will be sweeping out some of the old post series from my blog and ushering in some new/revised ones, as well as a greater degree of "wherever the wind blows" entries on a wide array of topics here this year. Vintage Matico advertisement image source.}


After many of loyal service, so to speak, the time has come to retire my monthly Flickr Favourites post as well. I still adore, and will avidly source inspiration and blog post images alike from, Flickr, but this is another series that has experienced a sharp drop in reader interest and which I feel has run its natural course, too.

It's been quite a few months now since my last Vintage Fashionista Friday post (see here for an example of a VFF post from 2014). I haven't decided yet if this series will be be resuscitated for 2016 or not. I'm really on the fence about it. What are your feelings as to this particular ongoing post?

Less common reoccurring posts, such as Saturday Snapshots and Adventures in Vintage Advertising are staying put, appearing, as they long have, here every now and then, when the mood or inspiration for such strikes.

If we delve far back in the annals of Chronically Vintage history, there have been some other post series, too, but these have been the main ones for a few years now and those others are already long retired in my books (that isn't to say that one couldn't come back again some day, but I have no immediate plans for such).

These post series, though a fun and decent sized part of my site, were certainly not all of what I shared here and you won't be lacking for exciting entries as we continue along through 2016. In fact, it is my sincere hope and desire that by making these sorts of changes, I'll be able to bring you even more content that you not only enjoy, but eagerly look forward to.

On that front, you can plan for plenty of "what I wore" outfit posts, oodles of vintage fashion related entries, lots of vintage recipe posts, some musings from my daily life, travel related posts as the occasion trip occurs, lots more new editions to the popular "Meet a fellow vintage blogger" interview series, history related pieces, the occasional handy vintage related how-to, various YouTube videos that I create, holiday season happenings, and a smattering of this, that and the other thing that I get the desire to write about - in conjunction, of course, with the series discussed above that will be remaining/appearing here this year.

It's very important to me that this blog stays fresh, relevant and dynamic and I hope that these post series changes will go a long way on that front in 2016 and beyond. I truly welcome your impute here on these culled choices and new additions, and hope that these decisions will only help my blog to grow and flourish further, even in the face of an ever changing blogging world and a continually greater degree of social media posting dominance.

After all, who amongst us is is better suited to be "online old school" than us vintage bloggers?

Celebrate my Etsy's shop's 1st birthday with a 30% off storewide flash sale

My word, how time flies when you're selling vintage! Today I'm elated to celebrate the 1st birthday of my Etsy vintage shop with all of you, and what better way to mark such an milestone occasion than with a massive sale.

To mark Chronically Vintage on Etsy's first year of life, I'm holding a storewide 30% off flash sale that will run from today (May 6th) until Saturday May 9th.

This is going to be my only storewide sale of the season, so now is definitely the time to pick up that item (or two...or ten!) that you've been eyeing for a while, or to discover a new "can't live without it" treasure there.

Don't forget that I offer very low combined shipping rates on multiple items purchased at the same time and only charge true shipping. So if a shipping overage of $1.00 or more does happen to occur, I refund it to you right away after posting out your order.



Take Mable and Peggy's lead and rush over to shop Chronically Vintage's 30% off 1st anniversary sale today! And please don't be shy when it comes to sharing about this sale on social media. Just save the image above and pepper it across the web wherever you'd like!


This past year as an Etsy shop owner, on top of being a full-time vintage blogger, has been one of many exciting learning curves, honing my time management skills, awesome opportunities, newly forged friendships, support from many of my blog readers, and tons of experiences that I wouldn't have traded for the world.

While I wouldn't call myself a veteran Etsy seller yet, I'm not the newest kid on the block either any longer either and I love that fact. I know Etsy well now and have a very good sense of what it's like to earn a living there.

It takes, amongst other things, massive amounts of work, perseverance, dedication, great customer service skills, plenty of word of mouth coverage, an unwavering belief in yourself, and the ability to continually replenish your virtual shelves with awesome new finds that are apt to speak to a wide range of vintage adoring folks.

I truly want to thank each and every one of you who has helped to support my Etsy shop during its first year in so many different ways. It would not be where it is today for one red second were it not for all of you.

As we kick off its second fabulous year, I hope that you'll continue to shop my old school wares and be a part of making Chronically Vintage on Etsy an ever-greater success!

What being unique means to my life

Every week, nay, nearly every day, I receive emails from companies that are woefully ill suited to my blog (and often personal interests, too) suggesting that I write a promotional post on their behalf for my blog featuring one of more their products or promotions - usually things like trips to countries, wonderful though they may, that I'll likely never step foot in; home appliances I shalln't be buying anytime soon, or flower delivery services that don't even send order to my country. While part of me appreciates, from a business standpoint, why such companies send out these generally entirely boiler plate filled emails, I never act upon them.

Their impersonal requests, sent to hundreds, if not thousands of folks on all rungs of the blogger popularity ladder do to not speak to me. They don't stir my heart, cause me to stop in my tracks and get lost in a thunder storm of thoughts. They are not who I am and what my blog is about. Yet for every rule there is an exception and when said exception comes delivered with your name and a friendly note from someone you've already had pleasant correspondence with, that feeling shifts radically.

Earlier this week I received just such a (positive) email from the fine folks at Unique Vintage. The message, simple, polite, and earnest, merely wondered if I'd be interested in taking part in their recently launched #iamunique campaign which encourages people from around the world to use that hashtag for their photos, tweets, posts, what have you, anytime they want to convey the message that they are indeed unique.

{A handful of the awesome people that Unique Vintage has highlighted as part of their inspiring #Iamunique campaign.}

We've all heard the jaded axiom before: "You're unique, just like everyone else" or some variation (often with the world special used in lien of unique) before. And it's precisely that, an apathetic line delivered, more often than not with an air of smugness and and thumbing of the nose towards the notion that each of us is unique.

Sad really, because we are. Even those who, for better or worse, spend much of their time and energy emulating others are unique beings. No two people, not even identical twins are every truly, exactly the same.

It is our our differences, our similarities, and yes, even our specialties that make us unique. You could quickly trust your hand up in the air say, but wait, aren't they just using the word unique because it's in the name of their company. And if you do, my answer would be a kindly delivered, "So what?". If, as Marshall McLuhan wrote back in the 1960s, the medium is the message, than it's high time that the media of hashtags and social (fittingly) media itself, a rather cloistered and at times carbon copied segment of modern society, embraced and celebrated the concept of what being unique really means.

After all, I thought to myself, as I read what this campaign is aiming to do and how the word unique tied into Unique Vintage's very moniker, I too took a word from one part of my world and applied it to another when naming my blog.

Long time readers who have been with me for many a year now, bare with, as I know you've heard this tale before (I promise you though, you haven’t heard it quite like it). It warrants telling again, for it is part of what makes me and my very blog itself unique.

You see, once a while back, nearly six years ago to be precise, I was in my mid-twenties and incredibly ill. I mean, scary, kiss-the-ground-each-morning-because-you-woke-up ill. I'd already been a multiple chronic illness fighter for a few years and at that time I was was going through one of the worst spells of my life on the health front. It lasted for years. I was (physical) weak and incredibly exhausted. Pain alone would have been a welcome respite from the nightmarish agony I was living. Tears took more energy then I could muster most days. But I didn't feel sorry for myself or bemoan my lot in life - for I still had life and hope and the perpetually present thought that I was more than just the sum of my medical problems.

I began to focus, if only in my mind, on those very things. The elements that made me whole and interesting. Those that had walked with me since my earliest memories and others that hopped on an open box car somewhere along the way in this wild journey we call existence.

There was my immeasurable passion for animals. The way I could scent the world with the fragrance of vanilla tobacco smoke and never tire of it (I don't, and have never, smoked, I just madly adore that scent). There were the countless books, lapped up with more gusto than a kitten going at a saucer of milk. There was my camera, trusty companion, sometimes source of income, silent witness to things far too easily forgotten, buried beneath the weight of the daily grind.

There was the reams of research done in the name of my family's genealogy. Always searching, always wanting to know and understand more. To see not only branches but the very roots of my kin's own tree. There were dolls, some new, some old, and a few cherished childhood mementos of various sorts. Letters received and drafts waiting to be sent, all in cursive - the product of a refusal to extinguish an age old art.

In the closet of my mind's eye hung fashions both real and imagined, lingering alongside roses and honeysuckle and wisteria from backyard gardens long moved on from. A million memories like the grains of sands that clung to my young legs on the beaches - second homes, really - of my youth.

There were the scars from battles won and surrenders survived. Literal and metaphorical. Notebook upon notebook of poetry, often my one and only saving grace. There were songs, ballads from kindred spirits and rebel wordsmiths that highlighted and shadowed recollections more vividly than light ever could.

Faces and places, loves and hates. Failures and successes, both spectacular, both powerful, both invaluable in shaping my morals, my ethics, my beliefs, my politics, my compassion. Notes of romance from my husband, his gentle voice, sagely wisdom, twinkling eyes.

Losses and gains, and a hundred million pains and everything and nothing that made me who I was. That made me unique.

I turned to one interest, one passion that had shone like a lighthouse beckon since before I could even read the printed word on my own: history, and by extension this word and world we call vintage.

It was my in my closet, on my bookshelves. It woke me up to hand fistfuls of coins to strangers on sleepy, sun-kissed Saturday mornings. It gave me my first job and many along the road between then and now. It was what made me ask follow up questions to elderly people's stories about their early days. Humbled me in my tracks. Shone and gave and invited me to always return, no matter what.

It knew me as well, perhaps better even, than I knew myself, for it had seen all who came before me and will encompass all who follow. The words that appeared to me next, the very name I bestowed upon this blog - and myself from that point onward - were "chronically vintage".

This love, the beautiful, amazing, endless bank of knowledge was not a negative form of the word chronically, as it is so often implied or needed to be used (as in the case of ongoing health problems). It was a positive. An all encompassing, fantastical, joyful experience that comes from being so very blessed as to be tapped by the universe to preserve and celebrate that past each and every day.

In the midst of a nightmare, I carved out a tiny niche of beauty. My corner of the web, yes, but also a reclaiming of the fact that I was so very, very much more than my medical situation. I was unique, but at the same time united with others in a common interest, a shared adoration.

We are each as unique as our finger prints, our DNA, our souls - and yes, even our blogs and social media statements. That, my sweet dears, is part of the message behind Unique Vintage's campaign and why, unlike all those other emails, this one set my fingers ablaze and spurred today’s post to life. Not entirely unlike when my blog itself came into being late one April evening in 2009.

{#iamunique and wonderful, flawed and human, passionate and perpetually optimistic, and I wouldn't have it any other way.}

Here is to being unique. To walking proud and standing up for your right to be an individual. Brave, elegant, raw, gorgeous, troubled, sweet, hopeful, brilliant, and yes, even stylish. No matter what, no matter where, no matter the cards that life has dealt you. For in being unique, we triumph and we find the strength by which to pick ourselves up when the chips are down and the promise of tomorrow isn't always a given.

#Iamunique, and so too, thank the universe, are each and every one of of you. This is my story. What's yours?

Chronically Vintage's spring 2012 readers poll

There's something about the newness and renewed sense of vitality that comes with spring that makes its particularly well suited to cleaning, organizing, or simply approaching various aspects of life in new and more interesting ways.

Moving across the country this year helped to quickly take care of my annual spring cleaning on the home front, but I'm still eager to shake out the cobwebs and spruce up various things that might need a little tweaking or simply more attention lavished on them.

Oftentimes I wonder what elements of my blog you, my wonderful readers, enjoy most. Your lovely comments and emails sometimes answer this query, but I'm still curious to know what more of you enjoy and/or would like to see more of here.

I tend to blog to my own eclectic beat, creating posts on a vast array of mid-twentieth century topics, and various musings and observations on life that spring to mind - plus (more recently) sharing snaps of my vintage outfits with you. This site is not, and will never be, a strictly "this or that" kind of blog. Life is too interesting to tie myself solely to one subject matter when dealing with a topic (history and my adoration of it) that is so profoundly near and dear to my heart.

That said, again, I'm always interested in knowing what you enjoy about Chronically Vintage and what sort of topics you'd like to see make their way into rotation throughout the rest of 2012 and beyond.

With that thought in mind, I whipped up a quick survey of questions (below) that I'd love for you to answer. By all means feel free to add anything else that wasn't covered here in the comment section of this post (or let me know by email).

 

 

I do not feel as though I'm in a blogging rut at the moment or like the wind has been drained from my sails. In fact, I've found 2012 (so far) to be amongst the most enjoyable, new idea fuelled years of online writing I've ever encountered, and as a result I think that now is the perfect time to read your responses.

On top of the many (so many!) topics I want, and plan, to write about in the coming months, I can try to bring you more of the types of posts that you love reading here, too.

Thank you sweetly to everyone who takes a few moments to fill out this poll. I'll be sure to share the results with you in a future post, and am so wonderfully excited to read your responses.

Sending out 256 thank-yous!

✯ Day 256 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

It struck me this morning as I sat down to electronically pen today's post that the Vintage 365 project has now been going on for 256 days. Or to look at it in another light, there are just ninety-nine days left in this year and thus (all things willing) ninety-nine further posts in this series.

Though, I won't lie to you, there have been a few rocky moments this year, over-all the experience of blogging every single day, on a different, topic, has been wonderful.

I usually enjoy a good challenge - and all the more so if it's creatively oriented, which (I find) the act of blogging to definitely be. We're not done the year yet though, and 99 more posts lay ahead of us still before 2011 comes to a close.

I want to take a heartfelt moment today though to send out my deepest gratitude to all those - whether you've read every single 365 post so far or this is your very first one - to thank you for following along, commenting, and helping to be a part of this daily blogging project. To say it would not have been the same so far without you would be a sincere understatement.

{Adorable vintage thank you card via Zero Discipline on Flickr.}

 

With fall nearly underway and the prospect of many terrific topics still to cover this year (and of course well beyond, too), I eagerly look forward to sharing nearly a hundred more daily vintage themed posts with you, my wonderful friends.

For everything this year, thank you!

Chronically Vintage turns two years old!

It was a Saturday like so many before it, and yet singularly different, for it was the day I decided to create a blog devoted to my lifelong love of all things vintage. The date in question was April 18, 2009, precisely two years ago today, and on it Chronically Vintage was born.

In the wee hours of the morning (perpetual night owl that I am, I often write pieces for this blog while most off the world is fast asleep - and CV's first post was no exception), consumed by a desire to corral the massive bounty of vintage items, images, and fellow old school loving souls I was encountering online, I launched this site.

Two years - a period that at once seems like the blink of an eye and yet also as though it stretched on for eons, as time so often has a way of doing - have passed since that night, and much has transpired in my life since. There have been times when, due to my health, I didn't know if it would be possible for me to keep Chronically Vintage alive and kicking, and yet (aided immeasurably by the support and friendship of many of my readers), here we sit today still going strong.

Over this pair of years CV has introduced (and in some cases gracefully retired) various reoccurring posts, covered a wonderfully diverse range of topics (I'm far too eclectic a soul to tie my posts down to just a few subjects, preferring instead to write about topics spanning a hefty slice of the vintage spectrum), held fun giveaways, talked about the lightest of subjects, some incredibly personal issues, and a great many things in between.

This blog has proven to be a cathartic creative outlet that I didn't even know I was lacking in my life prior to its conception, and yet now can scarcely imagine what these past two years would have been like without it. Amongst the image filled entries in this blog, I've gathered and shared many vintage topics that impacted me on some level for a multitude of different reasons.

Sometimes posts have centred on such light-hearted subjects as vintage dresses that captured my eye, other times they've delved into impactful historical events, scrumptious yesteryear recipes, people whose work spoke to me, or items that I felt would be of interest to my fellow vintage loving souls.

I'd venture to guess that the total word count of all my posts at this stage would equate to that of a (perhaps modest sized) book, which is a fascinating thought, as one of the key ways in which I've viewed Chronically Vintage from the very get-go is as an online scrapbook of the plethora of vintage topics that inspire and continue to fuel my unceasing love of the past.

Without the slightest shadow of a doubt, this blog would not be where - or what - it is today, if not for all of you, my terrific readers and online friends who have supported CV and shared in my adoration of vintage topics throughout every day of the last two years. The words "thank you" seem insufficient when it comes to expressing my gratitude for the relationship and trove of memories we've shared.

Lacking a crystal ball, I cannot say what the future holds in store for this blog, where Chronically Vintage will be at in 2013, two years from now. What I do know though is that no matter what paths CV may follow, what topics are covered, what images are posted, which events we experience together, I will never stop loving the golden years of the mid-twentieth century and sharing that passion for as long as I possibly can with all of you.

{Heartwarmingly adorably vintage second birthday party photo via sarahblascovich on Flickr.}

Happiest 2nd birthday, Chronically Vintage! Let us all raise our glasses - and birthday cake filled forks - in wishing you many more stellar years to come!

Chronically Vintage is feeling very loved

Recently I was contacted by two individuals who wanted to interview me about Chronically Vintage. One person’s questions were centered around my passion for all things vintage (with an emphasis on vintage fashion), the other’s had a bit more to do with what led me to blogging and what blogging has come to mean to my life.

I was thrilled and deeply touched that these two lovely ladies (who each run separate sites and contacted me independently from one another) wanted to share a bit about Chronically Vintage with their readers. I dove head first into answering their interview questions (both parties interviewed me via email) and had a thoroughly wonderful time exploring some of the deeper reasons behind subjects such as what got me interested in vintage, why I love vintage, and what brings me joy as a vintage blogger.

 

{Feeling especially warm and fuzzy on the vintage home front lately thanks to two fantastic interviews! Charming 1940s photo via Striderv on Flickr.}

Both of the interviews have gone live now, and I wanted to take a moment to share the links for them with you.

Over at website VintageFashinClub.com, you can read a good sized interview all about my lifelong love of vintage, some of things that inspire my passion for the past, my thoughts on vintage fashion, and even peer into my closet via a photograph of some of my vintage dresses. 

The second interview was with the absolutely wonderful Kathie for her blog “Just a Happy Housewife”. Kathie quizzed me about topics pertaining to what got me into blogging (about vintage), what I enjoy about blogging, and what I see in the future for Chronically Vintage, for one of the editions of her “Now Featuring” series of posts. 

I was tickled pink to receive not one, but two, interviews centered around Chronically vintage in November, and want sincerely thank both my lovely friend Kathie and immensely sweet Alena from Vintage Fashion Club for the thoughtful, insightful, highly enjoyable questions they poised to me. I think it’s awesome for all bloggers to periodically reflect on what got them into blogging in the first place, what they love about this fun activity, their passions, and where they see their blog in the future. These two interviews really helped me to do that this autumn.

Thank you to both of these great gals for your interviews, and thank you to all Chronically Vintage’s stellar readers as well for making me – and this blog – feel so tremendously loved all year round, thanks to your loyal readership, friendship, understanding, support, and shared love of all things old school, there’s no way Chronically Vintage would be what it is today without all of you!

Halloween is in the air!

Cheerful – errr, I mean spooky – Monday morning greetings, my wonderful dears! Can you believe that that All Hallows Eve is now less than a week away? I for one am tickled pink (or better yet, pumpkin orange) about this. For a number of reasons, it’s been a rather trying month on this end, and having something as fantastically fun as Halloween to look forward to and celebrate is just the pick-me-up that I need.


{While it’s not entirely uncommon to find vintage photos of people in costumes and/or with their homes decked out for the holiday, in my online photo travels I’ve encountered far fewer images depicting public places that were decorated for Halloween – which really makes this fabulous snapshot such a special gem! Vintage Halloween witch decoration photo via Jacob...K on Flickr.}


Some of my conditions are flaring up at the moment, but hopefully that will have passed by the time next Sunday rolls around (I definitely want to be well enough to hand out candy to the few trick-or-treaters from our building that we may get – not to mention whip up a scrumptious Halloween meal for my husband and I to share as the witching hour draws near). My stars, if my favourite holiday of the year can't perk my health up, I don't know what can! ;-)

Between the maintenance work last week and how I'm feeling at the moment, I haven’t been able to complete my vintage Halloween costume post. However, I am pleased to report that I’m about 30% of the way though and have completed the online research/item sleuthing work that I needed to accomplish to help me write it. (Skeleton) Fingers firmly crossed, I’ll have that post ready and out later this week, and will then try to put together a fourth vintage themed Halloween entry to celebrate the big day itself!

I would love to hear about how you’re planning to celebrate the 31st, what sort of vintage themed Halloween posts you’ve been writing lately (feel free to post links in the comment section to such posts, so that others can swing by your blog and check out the Halloween festivities you’ve got going on in your corner of the interwebs), and about any All Hallows Eve related memory or thought you’d like to share.

From harvest moons that light up the sky like a burning flame to the scent of pumpkin pie wafting out of a kitchen window, the earthy aroma of crisp fallen leaves to invigorating – and at times slightly eerie – October breeze, Halloween is most definitely in the air this week, and I wish each of you an absolutely marvellous countdown to the 31st!

Until we meet again

Sweet dears, this post is to inform you that things are going to become quieter on the Chronically Vintage home front for the next little while. The reason behind this is because I’ll be going in for surgery on Wednesday (25th), for reasons pertaining to the (unexpected) hospital stay I encountered last May.



{Unlike the chipper young lad on the cover of this delightful 1950s children’s book (which can be found in etsy seller Ficklefrog’s shop), this week’s surgery won’t be my first hospital visit, but what he and I do share in common is that both of our mothers were/are going to be there to help make things more bearable. My wonderful mom is flying out from B.C. to help look after me while I recoup, which I know is going to make this experience infinitely easier to get through.}


I truly do not know at this stage how long my recovery period is going to be (my body is often ridiculously slow to heal, even for the most commonplace of things like minor cuts and bruises, and in the past I’ve recouped rather unhurriedly from other surgical procedures I’ve had), but I’ve been told (by my doctors) to expect at least three to six weeks.

It’s likely that I won’t be blogging again for at least a couple of weeks, and should the unexpected arise (i.e., I end up having to go back into the hospital after I’ve been discharged post-surgery), my darling husband will most likely write an update post informing everyone of what’s going on. In my absence (from blogging), he will also be approving all comments and fielding any incoming CV related emails.

I’m going to miss you all very much, and want you to know how much I truly appreciate your support and understanding regarding this situation.

Be well, precious friends, and know that you’re in my thoughts, as I send out oodles of wishes for a positively glorious, entirely enchanting last month of summer to each of you!

A cheerful, summery Sunday greeting

Hi my wonderful dears, as this last Sunday in July kicks off, I awoke with the thought that it’s been nearly two weeks since my last blog post at the forefront of my mind. I apologize for the absence, but as many of you know, my health is not in top shape at the moment, and far too often it keeps me from perusing the activities both online and in the real world that I’d dearly like to.

While the past couple of weeks were rather rough, I’m feeling a smidge better this weekend (yippee!), and simply could not let another day pass by without blogging.

Before I go any further, I want to sincerely thank everybody who left comments – heartfelt, beautiful, joy inspiring comments – for me on my birthday earlier this month. I am so blessed to be amongst such a wonderful group of online friends.

I wish that I had exciting stories, tales of recently found (vintage) treasures, or other exciting news to regale you all with, but alas, the bulk of my days lately have been anything but adventurous. Like many parts of the globe recently however, Toronto was hit a massive wallop of a heat wave earlier this month. At its worst both extreme heat and smog warnings were issued, as the temperature soared sky-high and rolling blackout hit part of the city (though, fortunately, not our area).

During the peak of the hotter-than-the-surface-of-the-sun wave, (taking the infamous Toronto humidity into account and thus determining the humidex or “feels like” temperature) we reached (according to the Weather Network) a staggering 43°C (109°F).

Luckily the worst of this heat blitz has since passed, being swept out (as I’d predicted to my husband that it would) by a brief lightning storm. Still, as is to be entirely expected at this time of the year, we’re still a very long ways off from building snowmen anytime soon!

Still, even on the most suffocatingly hot of days, when one’s skin feels like it’s going to slide from your frame and melt like an accidentally dropped popsicle on the searing hot ground, I can’t help but focus on the idyllic side of the third season of the year.

Summer draws out the gypsy in me, the desire to traverse lands both near and far (if only as a whilom traveler for the time being, content to venture through my memories and daydreams alike, the open road left to others better fit for its demanding paces), to wax poetically about the beguiling beauties of this incomparable time of the year.

There is a lingering depth and undeniably majestic quality about summer. It’s often the boldest of seasons, the loudest of extremes. Summer is rarely pensive, preferring to embrace the upbeat and optimistic. Indeed, if one thinks back to the days of childhood summers, weeks of unbridled possibility at your feet, it seems as though anything could have taken place under the ever watchful eye of a glistening sun – and sometimes, if you were especially lucky, it seems as though it did.

It is this captivating spirit of possibility and desire, excitement and fervour that always endears me to summer, no matter what I may – or may not – be doing, where I am, who I’m with, or what’s on my mind. As a Canadian, knowing full well what the icy depths of winter are like, I need the almost manic heat and vivacious energy of summer to work like a reserve of fuel that will see me through as the brief weeks of autumn give away to the frozen, grey world of winter.

And when those days of slashing cold and endless ice do arrive, I’ll warm my mind my looking at sun-smooched images depicting the fiery elegance of summer and all it creates, such as the ones below, and be reminded that once again there will be blistering heat waves, electrically warm breezes, meditation calm nights, and wickedly beautiful days to look forward to once more.


~ * ~ Hope is a ray of sunshine ~ * ~


{ 1. Untitled, 2. Old Fashion Lemonade bench, 3. Sweet Carousel, 4. summer of 48, 5. It's just another manic Monday, wish it were Sunday 'Cause that's my funday! HBM :), 6. the ties that bound us, are still around us., 7. Untitled, 8. Antique Rose Farm, 9. proud to be pink, 10. In a summer morning, 11. Summer, 12. You have got a long way to go., 13. al mio amore...}


Wishing each of you a day, a week, and a lifetime that sparkles with the passionate splendour of summer!

An update on Jessica’s situation

Hi everyone,

Let me begin by expressing – on behalf of both Jessica and I – tons of thanks for all of your kind and understanding comments and emails. I’ve shared them all with Jess as they’ve come in and can tell you that they’ve truly meant a great deal to her.

I wanted to post to let you know where things are presently at. Initially when Jessica had gone into the hospital (for a severe gallstone attack – the second one that week) we’d been told by numerous doctors that they wanted to do an exploratory surgical procedure, and this opinion held for the first 2-3 days. However, instead of going that route it was decided to temporarily hold off, and to run a number of tests (ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, ongoing blood work, etc) over the coming days, while keeping Jess in the hospital (though her white blood cell count appeared normal, certain enzyme levels were elevated which made her doctors suspect she might be running an infection, so pretty much from the get-go they pumped her full of intravenously administered, heavy-duty antibiotics). They also just wanted to monitor her because of the severity of the attacks that’d she’d been having (I should mention, this issue relating to Jessica’s gallbladder popped up for the first time ever at the end of this past March).

Frighteningly, Jess experienced an immediate anaphylactic reaction to the dye (called “contrast dye”) that was used during the CT scan and suddenly became unable to breathe (her throat swelled shut within moments of the dye being administered). Fortunately however, they stopped giving her the dye and got her on oxygen quickly, so in the end she didn’t lose consciousness (or worse, though I shudder to think of such things). I’m happy to say that she made a complete recovery from this experience, but I think she very nearly dodged an unexpected bullet there.

All of the tests confirmed what prior ones (done before she was in the hospital) had already shown, and as Jess had had an appointment scheduled with a surgeon on June 14th (the appointment was made by her GP weeks ago) to discuss her gallbladder situation (we’ve been led to believe by the doctors at the hospital that this surgeon will make a decision as to when Jess will be having surgery, and what kind of surgery that will be), they sent her home from the hospital a few days after her enzyme levels dropped back down near normal levels, with instructions to rest and not overexert herself as much as possible.

Unfortunately, her time in the hospital paired with the around-the-clock antibiotics they gave her (while beneficial in certain regards) caused some of Jessica’s (pre-existing) chronic conditions to flare-up extremely badly, and she continues to battle with those flare-ups plus the ongoing gallbladder area pain that she’s experienced since her first attack back in March.

These things coupled with her orders to rest as much as possible, means that she’s not able to return to blogging on any sort of regular basis for the time being. I know that she misses Chronically Vintage and her blogging friends very much though, and that she’ll start posting again when her health permits.

In the meantime, please keep your fingers crossed that her appointment with the surgeon goes well on Monday and that it results in her getting closer to a solution this medical problem. (Either Jess or myself will continue to keep you updated in the near future.)


Thank you very much for your ongoing kindness and understanding,
Antonio Cangiano (acangiano@gmail.com)

Wonderful Wednesday Recipes: Asian Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup

This dish is one of those aromatic, marvellous, ready-in-a-flash recipes that looks and tastes as though it took much more effort than it really did. Bursting with a delightful menagerie of enticing flavours and gentle textures, this soup has the ability to booth sooth and invigorate at the same time.

I love to make this recipe when I’m under the weather, heeding my grandpa’s advice that garlic cures all colds and flues. However, I adore it equally when I’m feeling well, especially as a fantastic weekend breakfast, which I like to imagine I’m consuming at bustling outdoor market in a distant Asian city.


{If cooking at home is more likely than a trip overseas for a bowl of noodle soup, why not slip on your favourite apron and look every bit as lovely as the cook in this adorable vintage illustration? Image via Jello Kitty’s Flickr stream.}


If you’re a fan of spicy foods, you can by all means add a sliced chili pepper or two to this beautifully fragrant soup, or up the garlic and ginger quotient.
Fantastic warm or at a room temperature, this soup transports well and can also be frozen for at least a couple of months and thawed before reheating on the stove top.


Asian Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

•1 tsp vegetable oil

•1 clove of garlic, finely minced (or more to taste, if, like me, you’re a garlic lover)

•1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced

•8 cups chicken stock (homemade or good quality, preferable organic, store bought)

•2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

•125 grams cappellini or angel hair pasta

•1 can (284 ml/10oz) water chestnuts, drained and sliced

•2 cups bean sprouts

•1 package (approximately 300 grams) of baby spinach leaves

•4 green onions, sliced

•Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste


Directions

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat; add in the garlic and ginger, stirring rapidly for a few seconds until the garlic turns golden (but not brown). Quickly add in all of the chicken stock, increase the burner (hob) temperature and bring the stock to a gentle boil.

Reduce heat slightly and add in the finely sliced chicken breast; cook for eight minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the sliced water chestnuts, bean sprouts, baby spinach and sliced green onions to the soup, stirring everything well to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes, then break the cappellini (or angel hair) pasta noodles into thirds and add them to the pot; cook for 2-4 minutes, until pasta is al dente.

Season soup with salt and pepper to taste, give it a final stir to really combine all the ingredients well, and bring to the table or ladle into serving bowls while still wonderfully warm.

Garnish with a few wisps of green onion, if desired, or sprinkle some sesame seeds into each bowl.


Makes at 4 to 8 servings, depending on if you want the soup to be a starter or main dish

Bon appétit!

Vintage Fashionista Friday: April 9, 2010

{Bring the lively beauty of a vivacious spring garden to your locks all year round with this wonderfully over-sized, ruby red dahlia floral hair clip (which stays in place thanks to an alligator clip). Whether clipped to your hair, the strap of your dress or onto a handbag, this splendid faux bloom – which sells for $28.00 US from FlowerClip.com – is bound to make you smile every time you look at it.}



{Like a gorgeous fiery sunset, these timelessly lovely handmade earrings feature Mexican opals dangling from elegant gold leaf chandeliers. I could easily see these glistening earrings pairing wonderfully with everything from white cotton blouses to saucy black cocktail dresses, always ready to bring a marvellous splash of warmth to any ensemble. If these lovely earring have caught your fancy, too, they can be found for $49.50 US from etsy seller Made By Sam.}



{Enticingly mysterious in their jet black and crimson wrappers, these sublimely scented soaps from the renowned Spanish brand Maja, are filled with floral essential oils such as rose, carnation, jasmine and geranium, as well as rich Spanish olive oil, making them heady enough to rid you of the need to dab on perfume. A set of three round bars of Maja soap, complete with a deeply beautiful, artistically captivating box can be had for $14.00 US from TheSoapBar.com (and I can’t help but think they would make an amazing hostess or thank-you gift for anyone who loves vintage packing and/or tremendously pretty soap.}



{Keep warm during those spring months of unpredictable weather or on chillier summer nights with this graceful, agelessly beautiful 100% merino wool knit lace shawl from etsy seller Resurrection of Romance, who sells this stylishly cozy wrap for $139.00 US.}



{As vibrantly spicy as a chili pepper, this charming red hued 1950s Western/Mexican/Square Dance dress is sure to inject a wonderful dose of stylish charm to your warm weather wardrobe. This engagingly fun frock, which fits a 36 inch bust/22-30 inch waist, can be yours for $145.00 US from etsy seller Retro Threads.}



{Delightfully rustic beauty resides in this wonderful vintage clutch, which features colourful embroidery work on a woven straw-like material. In excellent shape, this sweet little handbag would look so terrific at the beach, on a picnic, or at any outdoor activity where the dress code veers a little more on the casual side. If you’d like to bag this chipper purse, it’s available for $26.00 US from etsy seller Olden Vintage.}



{All eyes will be on your feet when you step out in these fantastically lovely 4.5 inch wedge heel sandals adorned with vintage looking tattoos – including some adorable little swallows. Part rockabilly, part pin-up girl and part drop-dead gorgeous, these heels are sure to make anyone who sees them swoon! Available in ladies sizes 6 to 10, these playful shoes hail from Babygirl Boutique, where they’re priced at $53.00 US a pair.}

♥ ♥ ♥


A week of perpetually drab, sullenly grey weather has left me pining for all things eclectically bright, bold and full of energy, such as the pieces above that I imagine our stylish Senorita, Esmeralda, sporting as she made her way to an evening of fun, friends and scores of lively dancing.

I absolutely hope that each of your weekends ahead will be just as bright and gleeful as these darling Mexican inspired pieces, and wish you all a fabulous next couple of days!

Introducing Flickr Favourites

Few sites continually inspire me with the same degree of creative, endlessly beautiful wonder that Flickr does. I’ve professed my undying love for Flickr here before (and like to think it comes through in my Saturday Snapshots posts, as well as many other image filled articles), but have been wanting for ages to launch a regularly occurring post devoted squarely to this amazing image filled site.

Instead of assigning this new reoccurring post a set day of the week (for example, Tuesday), I’ve decided to put together a Flickr Favourites post whenever the mood strikes – which will certainly be on a frequent basis (I’d tentatively say one such post every week or two).

While Saturday Snapshots focuses solely on vintage photographs of "real folks" (as opposed to famous people, magazine pictures featuring models, etc), the images that appear in “Flickr Favourites” will be a tapestry of old school snaps and modern photos with a vintage slant (or ones that I simply find to be too resplendently lovely to not share with you). Sometimes the images that appear in a given post may have a common theme, on others might be entirely random, tied together simply by their inherently breathtaking vintage related subject matter.

Last June I wrote about ten of my favourite Flickr groups devoted to various vintage topics, and many of you shared with me how much you enjoyed that roundup. Since that time I’ve thought often of that post, wanting to have a regular outlet in which to share more vintage related Flickr groups, so in addition to a selection of assorted images that have captured my imagination recently, each time I write an edition of Flickr Favourites, I’ll be including a previously un-blogged about Flickr group that’s focused solely on some marvellous aspect of the past.

I’m so excited about this delightfully fun new post, and sincerely hope that the images below, as well as all that follow in future editions, will provide you with scores of inspiration, help to fuel your vintage daydreams and brighten you day in the sweetest of ways.


♥ ♥ ♥


{Vintage Turquoise Creamer by ethanollie}



{Floating spoons by saltycotton}



{Still life 5 by lucy.loomis}



{A Symphony of Pink and Turquoise by Charm and Poise}



{Spring Journey by Magpie’s Fancy}


♥ ♥ ♥

Teaming with images of lovely treasures, retro kitsch, family heirlooms and other items gathered and saved from yesteryear, the Flickr group Vintage Beauty – Thrifted Bliss teams with photos of assorted vintage items and photographs that people have found while out thrifting and want to share, or are hoping to sell (elsewhere, Flickr itself has a strict no selling policy).


{1. Stewardess from the 1950s, 2. 60s mod, 3. hairdyer1, 4. Romance is in the air}

♥ ♥ ♥


As spring ever-so-slowly creeps out of hiding here, my mind is evidently being drawn to shades of turquoise and blue, both hues that contain the ability to be serene and invigorating at the same time, much like this very season itself.

Wishing you each a radiantly sunshine filled Monday – and a week ahead bursting with bliss!

Announcing the winner of the $100 LA Vintage online shopping spree

This month Chronically Vintage had the pleasure of teaming up with one of the hottest online retro and vintage sellers, LA Vintage, to bring you a wonderfully fun giveaway for a $100 online shopping spree on their site.

Scores of entry poured in over the two weeks that this contest, which wrapped up at 11:59pm EST last night, was going on, and today I have the absolute joy of announcing the lucky winner (whose comment number was drawn using an online random number generator).

Without further ado, the winner is comment number 5, which just happens to belong to none other than the phenomenally gorgeous and talented, Mary Van Notes.


{Mary’s impeccable vintage style, intelligent whit, adorable cartoon drawings, and entertaining blog entries are endlessly interesting and inspiring. If you don’t already count her amongst your friends, hop on over to Mary’s blog and check out the world of vintage wonder this fantastic gal has created!}


Huge congratulations, Mary, I’m so thrilled for you and hope you have an absolute blast picking up a new vintage treasure or two for yourself amongst the wonderful wears that LA Vintage offers. Please contact me via email whenever you like, sweet dear, with your name and the email address you’d like to receive your $100 coupon code from LA Vintage at.

Scores of thanks go out to each and every one of you who participated in this contest (you left a combined total of 84 comments!); I sincerely appreciate you doing so and loved reading each of your comments. Fear not, even if you didn’t win this time around, there will be plenty of other contests held on Chronically Vintage in the future (I already have another one in the works for later this spring).

You’re all the greatest, thanks again for entering this lovely giveaway. I really hope you each have a gorgeous Monday and week ahead, my darlings!

Wonderful Wednesday Recipe: Pan Cooked Irish Soda Bread

Every cook should have a bevy of fail-safe recipes in their repertoire that can easily be whipped up in the blink of an eye. This spin on a true Irish classic is one such dish in my arsenal of “on the table in minutes” recipes that can be enjoyed long after the green beer of St. Paddy’s has stopped flowing.

Utilizing just four ingredients, this recipe naturally lends itself to variation. You can easily enhance it with a handful of your favourite fresh herbs (chives are wonderful here), dried fruit (cranberries or blueberries, for example), spices, cooked and crumbled bacon, or a couple of tablespoons of jam or fruit preserves swirled through the uncooked batter.

This wonderfully simple and deeply delicious recipe resonates with the spirit of Irish cooking and pairs just as beautifully with other Celtic flavours (think cabbage, gammon, leeks) as it does with dishes from other ethnic backgrounds. I love this hearty soda bread alongside barbequed foods, corn on the cob or simply paired with a flavourful salad for lunch or a light supper (it’s also rather spectacular spread, while still piping warm, with homemade peach jam).

I’ll be firing up the stovetop and cooking a pan of this classic soda bread with a slight twist, tonight as an accompaniment to soup made with the first tender spring vegetables that are starting to appear at the market, baked potatoes, and blackberry sorbet for our celebratory March 17th dinner.

Wishing everyone a delightfully festive St. Patrick’s Day that’s as bright and enjoyable as a spectacular Irish rainbow!





Pan Cooked Irish Soda Bread


Ingredients

•1 cup buttermilk

•½ tsp fine sea or kosher salt

•1 tsp baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

•1 cup self-rising flour


Directions

Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl then turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough with your hands for about 4 minutes, then shape into an 8-inch (wide) ball. Dust the blade of a sharp knife with flour and slice the ball in four equal sized quarters.

Heat a non-stick griddle or frying pan over medium high heat (if your stovetop veers on the really hot side, “medium” heat may be sufficient) and place the 4 dough portions in the pan (note, if you don’t have a non-stick pan, use a cast iron griddle or heavy bottomed frying pan in which you melt a tbsp of butter before placing the dough into the pan).

Cook the soda bread for about 5 minutes on each side, ensuring that it’s cooked through evenly. You will want to watch it carefully and check often to make sure that the bread in not getting too dark for your taste (if it’s browning before you feel it’s cooked through, reduce the heat).

As soon as this rustically lovely soda bread is finished cooking, transfer it from the pan to a serving plate and bring to the table, complete with plenty of creamy butter (if you can find actual Irish butter, all the better!), and commence eating at once.

Wrap any leftovers in brown paper and then plastic wrap, store in a cool spot for up to two days.

Makes 4 side dish sized portions of soda bread.

Erin Go Bragh!

Today’s Vintage Treasure: March 16, 2010

{While sunlight as a gentle and soft as a kitten’s paw streams through the burgundy damask curtains in our living, the temperate climbing today to 15°(C) for the first time since early last spring, I feel giddy with excitement over the coming season – and anything the embraces a springtime feeling.

This immensely cute embroidered handbag from the 1950s fits that bill to a tee! Swirling with a flock of vibrantly hued butterflies, this wonderful chain strap purse would look amazing as part of an Easter outfit, garden party ensemble, or as a beautiful everyday bag that would be sure to garner compliments everywhere you went. If you’re a fan of butterflies on your accessories (and vintage ones at that!) – as I definitely am, flutter over to etsy seller Allen Company Inc., where you can net this darling purse for $72.00.}


While I’m anything but superstitious, I’m almost Leary to say that winter appears to be on its way out the door here – lest I jinx things and awake to a ferocious blizzard (this is Canada after all, such radical changes over night in weather are by no means unheard of). Realistically though, I think it’s broach the subject and say that spring really and truly does appear to be on its (long awaited!) way.

Autumn in Toronto this past year was both very short and unseasonably chilly, making many here (myself included) feel as though we’d been gypped out of a proper fall. It also means that it’s been many months since we last experienced weather so pleasant would could safely venture outside without a coat on.

Today, as the mercury hovers well above freezing, my mind turns to thoughts of sending out Easter cards, the first weekends when the local farmer’s market returns, ripe with just-plucked-from-the-field produce, and daydreams of having a house with a yard so that I could string a hammock and take a cat nap with the toasty (almost) spring sun caressing my face.

What are you eager for this lively, gorgeous season to usher back into your life?

Today’s Vintage Treasure: March 11, 2010

{The moment my eyes laid sight on this unbelievably adorable coin purse, I knew I share all of its vintage-meets-kawaii goodness with you! Bedecked with a darling Hawaiian hula girl, this festively cute little bag (it measures 2.5 inches in diameter) would be the perfect thing to use as a tiny carry-all come summer, any time you’re sporting a tiki themed ensemble, or whenever you’d like to infuse a darling dose of Polynesian style into your look. This sweet-as-a-tropical-drink coin purse (which is made from vegan faux leather with a screen printed design and metal snap closure) can be had for $14.00 from a brand called Fluff and is available on Amazon.com.}


Speaking of fashionably cute things, I want to thank everyone who’s entered Chronically Vintage’s latest giveaway so far. If you’ve not done so already, be sure to swing by Monday’s post and enter for your chance to win a $100.00 online shopping spree from LA Vintage (they have some really fun pieces, so be sure that you try your luck at winning this fantastic contest).

Giant wishes for a blissful Thursday, to one and all!

Wonderful Wednesday Recipe: Maple Syrup and Apple Bread Pudding topped with Sugared Apples

Maple syrup is for many Canadians the most iconic food in our collective culinary repertoire. Glistening like polished amber, real maple syrup, tapped during the last weeks of winter and boiled into one of nature’s finest sweet offerings, is a taste that instantly makes us glow with national pride.

Generally it is between February and April when maple syrup is harvested in Ontario, and though I won’t be tapping any trees myself this year (as fun as I’ve always imagined doing so would be), when maple syrup season rolls around, I – as if almost by instinct – am drawn to dishes (both sweet and savoury) – that include this home-grown ingredient.

This recipe, which I first discovered many years ago (I’m inclined to say in an old copy of Canadian Living magazine, but am not entirely certain of that) is sometimes known by its French name “Pouding Au Pain À l‘Érable”, which I rather enjoy using (doesn’t any dish sound lovelier when its name is spoken in French?) – and most definitely relish eating, no matter what it’s called!


{One of the lovely things about most brands of genuine maple syrup is that it still comes packaged in charming glass bottles, just like the one in this 1950s advertisement for Log Cabin maple syrup, a brand that it still on the market today. Image via Jackie121467’s Flickr stream .}


A simple, uncomplicated recipe (which is vegetarian and can be made vegan if you opt to use vegan margarine in place of butter or non-vegan margarine) with soothing flavours, this dish can easily be jazzed up further with the inclusion of a hit of apple brandy, some chopped nuts, cinnamon, or your favourite dried fruit. I’ve served it piping hot, cold from the fridge, and perhaps my favourite, at room temperature (call me odd, but I really like my bread and rice puddings at room temperature). It’s scrumptious, comforting and very morish, whether eaten toasty or chilly.

The apples you put to work here can be any baking variety that you like. I lean towards Cortland, Macintosh, Red Delicious, Liberty or Spartan, but the choice is entirely up to you. If you wanted to take this recipe is a slightly more tart direction, you could use Granny Smith or Greensleeves and introduce a whisper of lemon or orange peel into the mixture before popping it in the oven.

Serve this tasty dish for breakfast, brunch, dessert or even with afternoon tea, paired, should you fancy, with whipped cream, clotted cream swirled with a little maple syrup, or a dollop of cinnamon or vanilla ice cream.



Maple Syrup and Apple Bread Pudding topped with Sugared Apples

Ingredients

-1 cup fresh bread crumbs (I like to use day old French or sourdough bread with the crust removed)

-4 cup peeled, cored and chopped apples

-2 apples, peeled or un-peeled (as you like), sliced (note: you will need six apples in total for this recipe)

-1/2 cup real maple syrup (this is not the time for imitation maple syrup!)

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 cup of water

-1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

-Approx. 1/2 cup white sugar

-2 tbsp light brown or muscovado sugar

-3 tbsp (unsalted) butter or margarine


Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C/gas mark 4).

In a large mixing bowl combine the fresh breadcrumbs, chopped apples and salt. Place these ingredients in a buttered baking dish (I generally use an 8x8 or 10x10 inch dish for this recipe, but a similarly sized oval or rectangular dish could be used, too), and set aside for the time being.

In small sauce pan, heat the maple syrup and water over high heat just until it comes to a boil (you don’t want it to caramelize). Remove from heat and pour over the apple and bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle dried bread crumbs evenly over top, and then set aside for a moment more.

Combine the white and brown sugars in a shallow dish or plate and then dredge the apple slices (from the two apples that you sliced, not the chopped ones which went into the fresh bread crumb mixture) through the mixture, coating each side (add a little more sugar to the dish, if needed). Place the sugared apple slices evenly atop the bread pudding, and then dot the top of the pudding with small pieces of butter or margarine.

Place baking dish in the oven, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until the apples feel tender when pierced with a skewer (or fork) and the top of the pudding has taken on a pleasingly, pale golden hue.

Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving this soft, fragrant, wonderfully Canadian pudding. Saying "dessert is ready, eh!" when you bring it to the table is entirely optional :D

Serves 4 to 6

Bon appétit!