25 Vintage Deals Under $100 for April 2015

Five full years ago to the day, in one of the earliest editions of my Vintage Fashionista Friday post series, I dedicated a post to the fact that it was my dear mother’s birthday and selected pieces that reminded me of her elegant, classic style.

When thinking of a theme for this month's edition of 25 Vintage Deals Under $100, as I was planning it for April 2nd, it hit me that opting for items that related to my mom would be a really fun idea to go with. My mother adores history, but she isn't a vintage wearer or collector, so coming at things from that angle wouldn't have worked very well. I toyed with a few ideas and then it struck me, I'll shine the spotlight on 25 delightful vintage items that include (or are entirely comprised of) her very favourite colour in the whole wide world: purple!!!

As this is also one of the most perfect choices for springtime fashion, it makes all the more since to roundup a hefty handful of violet, lavender, plum, raisin, lilac, and other purple hued old school items that I suspect my mom would adore and that I hope you'll all delight in seeing, and possibly purchasing, too.

1. You would be hard pressed to find a more elegantly lovely, springtime perfect antique brooch than this turn of the beautiful, good sized, gold gilt edged and hand painted turn of the century stunner that is in terrific shape for its antique age and which is truly an instant heirloom piece. $40.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



2. If it wasn't for the fact that many of the tones in the light to mid-purple range of the purple spectrum can be tricky for my colouring to pull off in large volumes, I would have snapped up this reasonably priced, wonderful vintage 1950s patio/square dance set in a heartbeat. It's as pretty as the first lilac blooms of spring and the most dazzling lavender tinged sunsets of summer. Fits up to a 38" bust/29" waist. $65.00 from 58 Petticoats.



3. This 1940s long sleeved pastel purple blouse is so pretty and versatile! Wear it as stand alone piece now and layered under suits, vests, sweaters, cardigans, and jumper/pinafore dresses in the chillier months. Fits up to a 38" bust/36" waist. $39.00 from My Vintage Crush.



4. Tell me this sweet vintage Napco morning glory birthday girl figurine isn't spectacular From her flower trimmed dress to her sassy expression she's a kitschy, delightful charmer. $24.50 from Bichen Vintage.



5. When we think of leaf motif jewelry, autumn tones are often the first, completely understandably, that pop to mind, but as this delightfully pretty, splendidly fun 1950s thermoset necklace in a trio of attractive purple tones proves, leaves can look amazing for spring and summer, too! $26.00 from  Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



6. How fun and chic is this lovely 1950s hat with its swirling, candy cane-esque trim? This would make for a fantastic Easter or Mother's Day hat, while also partnering wonderfully with vintage suits and scores of other outfits. $30.00 from Midcentury One.



7. This one is for all of my talented sewing readers out there: a deadstock Dorothy B Lens sew-it-yourself kit complete with all of the original pieces needed to make a plum hued pencil skirt, dating from 1959. $20.00 from Kenton Collectibles.



8. How terrifically cool are these adorable 1950s - 60s era barrettes designed specifically for the well dressed dog? (Though they could certainly be worn by those who walk upright, too! :)) On sale at the time of writing for $14.40 (normally$18.00) from  Ms. Tips.



9. Cute, versatile, and super well suited to warmer half of the year that we're starting to embrace once again, this fun vintage purple, green and white novelty print wrap skirt is just the thing for a day at the beach, farmer's market, or sightseeing adventure. Fits between a 25" - 30" waist. $58.07 from Vera Mode.



10. Ooohh, how this gorgeous 1940s dark, inky purple velvet handbag makes my heart skip a beat! It's classic, alluring, and sure to garner scores of compliments thanks to its unexpected shade of midnight plum. $24.50 from Picking Pittsburgh.



11. Whether you can read French or not, you're bound to swoon over this classically gorgeous set of vintage French small paperback books that are more than lovely enough to use as decor pieces or give as gifts. $16.78 for five books from French KlimBim.




12. I absolutely adore big vintage square shaped scarves like this fun zigzag and floral print c. 1960s charmer! Not only do they look fabulous worn in various ways around the neck, but they're arguably the handiest style to use for 1940s "Rosie" inspired headscarf looks, as well as for wrapping over pin curls and rollers of all kinds at night or while doing housework/running errands. $17.50 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



13. Grapes are one of the first things that we generally associate with purple, so it's only fitting to add at least one old school grape themed item to your home or wardrobe. I love the design and classic colour palette of this charming vintage crochet doily. It would look so smile-inducingly pretty beneath your favourite bottle of vino! $8.00 from Misstiques.



14. I am seriously smitten with this enchantingly lovely 1950s embroidered purple flower short sleeve blouse. I can practically feel the comforting warm summer breeze blowing through its fabric as I look it. Swoon! Fits up to a 36" bust. $46.00 from 1919 Vintage.



15. Set an especially pretty springtime table with this great vintage deadstock linen set comprised of a lavender hued tablecloth and four floral print napkins, all of which are still in their original box. $26.00 from Revival Vintage ATX.



16. I am an absolutely massive fan of vintage Canadiana, so when I saw this fabulously cute 1940s souvenir pillow from Saskatchewan, I couldn't help but beam a megawatt smile and include it in today's purple themed post. $38.00 from Blackbird Antiques NC.




17. This serene, beautiful shade of reddish violet is amongst my favourite purple hues ever. I adore how sophisticated it looks in this big handmade raw silk scarf that can easily be worn as a belt, shawl, or head wrap, too, and which comes complete with a matching a matching belt to boot! $27.97 from Contrapunt.



18. Given that grapes are the most famous purple fruit (though plums, blackberries and a few others are certainly of note, too), I couldn't help but include a second vintage item featuring this scrumptious gift from Mother Nature. From classic, beloved ceramic collectibles brand Lefton comes this sophisticated c. 1950s purple grape wall pocket. $20.00 from Moonstruck Cottage.



19. Purple vintage shoes are something I've been trying to track down for years now in my size and price range. No luck yet, but should you happen to wear a size 7 and like pointy toed heels, than these fantastic 1950s/60s slubbed linen beauties are for you! $55.00 from Hot Rod Girl Vintage.



20. If you're a fan of purple in supporting roles than this fantastic Edwardian antique brass and glass bead skeleton key brooch is for you. Nestled between two emerald toned beads resides a single gorgeous amethyst hued one that plays off of the green and brass hues sublimely, while also helping to make for one head-turningly marvelous early 20th century novelty pin. $32.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



21. The colours - tranquil, yet sweepingly vivacious at the same time - at work in this great 1950s short sleeve floral print dress are nothing short of breathtaking beautiful! Fits up to a 27" waist (see listing for more sizing details). $52.90 from Mama Loves You Vintage.



22. How moo-valously kitschy-cute are these fun purple and white cow shaped c. 1940s salt and pepper shakers? They'd be just the thing to use on the table for your next barbeque, birthday bash, or tea party. $14.00 from Victorian to Vintage.



23. Maybe I'm a touch biased because my own current glasses are a plumy-burgundy hue, but I absolutely adore vintage purple frames like this classic, beautiful 1960s eggplant hued beauties. They’re a quasi-neutral that will go with a surprising number of outfits, hair colours and make-up looks (trust me, I speak from experience). $45.84 from Vera Mode.



24. Rich, regal, wonderful shades or red, pink and purple swirl though the candy-like round glass beads in this marvelous 1950s - 1960s necklace, which I can't help but think would look stunning with both crisp white and blue denim all spring and summer long. $25.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



25. Naturally I had to wrap up this post, spurred into creation by today's date and my mom's favourite colour, with a vintage item that paid homage to both things. Enter this wonderfully lovely 1950s scalloped edge "Happy Birthday" handkerchief. $10.00 from Our Vintage Favourites.

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♥ ♥ ♥

After the long, often stressful month that was March, I'm thrilled that we can kick off April with something as gleeful and exciting as not just a birthday, but that of my beloved mother. She always says not to make a fuss about her b-day, but we – her nearest and dearest - don't listen very well there usually and love going all out to celebrate a day that means to very much to our family and the life of such a beautiful, caring, inspiring woman.

There's lots in the cards for today, so as dawn breaks across a damp early springtime sky, I'll wrap up here for now, and get ready to help make my mom's birthday every bit as special as she is!

25 vintage deals under $100 for October 2014

There's crystalline dew on the tips of the rust hued grass out front. The dark, sleepy night is still fresh in the bracingly chilly air and piles of leaves, rich and fragrant with dampness, in hues of marigold, persimmon, candy apple and mink rest along the street edges as far as the eye can see. This is mid-October, that beautiful, woefully fleeting time of the year when we can still sense the tiniest speck of summer's warmth and yet are so very near to winter's chill and the long, grey months it harbors.

Now is when the world harvests and celebrates its age old bounty. Here in Canada, we sat down to a full turkey dinner spread earlier this week on Monday evening for Canadian Thanksgiving and next month, right at the tail end of November, those in America will do the same. Children and the young at heart alike are giddy with excitement about Halloween and pumpkins appear like polka dots on Mother Nature's beautiful dress all across the land.

This is a merry time. Warm and bright, if not in weather, than at least in spirit. We turn some of those orange globes of tender, stringy flesh into baked goods and scrumptious beverages, others become the grimacing and gap-toothed smiling jack-o-lanterns of October 31st, and we begin think about nestling into our homes, cozying up for the lengthy winter ahead and finding comfort indoors, more often than not.

Before we resign ourselves to winter (which, to be fair to this often underappreciated time of the year, has many a good point to it as well, not the least of which includes Christmas) however, we'll load our carts up with decorative ears of Indian corn, lush golden pears, and bags of festive sweets; turn our gaze once more to the resplendent harvest moon, and continue to surround ourselves with beautiful elements of the season. If, like me, you're in the mood to do just that, than the lovely selection of harvest worthy, budget-friendly finds in this month's edition of 25 vintage deals under $100.00 is for you!

1. Resembling two of fall's most timelessly lovely symbols, the leaf and a shaft of harvested wheat, this gorgeous, good sized (it's 2.5 inches long) circa 1930s deeply carved vintage butterscotch brooch is the perfect accent note on any ensemble this season - or the whole year round. $42.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



2. Toast in this magnificent time of the year with these immensely pretty NOS (new old stock) vintage maple leaf print drinking glasses that feature a truly spot on autumn colour scheme. $29.99 for all eight glasses from Morning Glory Moderne.



3. Even those who don't count themselves as big hat fans usually reach for a trusty, wonderfully warm chapeau or two come the return of autumn's icy winds. Whether you can't get enough of hats the whole year round or fall into the "cold weather protection only camp", this timelessly pretty 1920s style handmade brown check patterned slouchy cloche inspired topper is for you. $32.36 from Contrapunt.



4. If you're like me, come fall, one of - if not "the" - first colours you make a mad dash for is mustard yellow. I could gleefully live in it everyday from September to the end of November and never tire of finding timelessly lovely vintage pieces in this warm, beautiful shade to fill my closet and autumn ensembles with. This wonderful 1980s does 1940s/50s mustard yellow and white polka dot dress, with an elegant lace trimmed collar, is just the feminine, stylish ticket if you're keen on doing the same. Fits up to a 34" bust/28" waist. $32.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



5. My first thought upon seeing this peacefully gorgeous set of four matching fall leaf vintage trinket/serving/candy dishes is how amazingly at home they would look in a woodland cabin. The second was that I wish they were sitting on my dining room table, in our far-from-rustic contemporary condo, right this very minute. $20.00 for all four from Remembering Diane.



6. Add a fun, marvelously stylish jolt of autumn's palette to your favourite vintage hairdo or pinned to a beloved garment by way of this timelessly pretty black and gold hued feather hair clip/corsage pin, that would also look terrific, I think, as part of steampunk and goth ensembles alike. $11.99 from Blue Velvet Vintage.



7. Serve up your favourite fall time eats, be it on Thanksgiving or any other day of the season, atop this timelessly elegant vintage 16.25" long oval turkey and fruit print serving platter. $18.50 from Farmhouse Supply.



8. Honour the spirit of fall by wearing a beautiful circa 1920s/1930s brass and enamel art deco era bracelet featuring an elegant red maple leaf on it. Naturally, given the subject matter, this maple leaf bracelet lends itself particularly well to Canada Day celebrations as well. $22.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



9. If ever there was a vintage tableware set that captured the spirit and hues of autumn, this serenely beautiful pumpkin shaped salt and pepper + cream and sugar quartet, which also comes with the silver toned metal spoon shown in the photo, is it. $44.00 for all five pieces (such a good deal!) from Dannah's Diggs.



10. Keep autumn's chill at bay and appear stylishly professional at the same time with this nine-to-five perfect 1940s brown wool pencil skirt, that would of course be fabulous for a busy mom-on-the-go, brunch with your bestie, a day of errand running, or anytime you want to nail one of the most iconic looks of mid-twentieth century and stay roasty-toasty warm in the process. Fits up to a 28" waist/41" hips. $48.00 from Dalena Vintage.



11. Searching for new ways to serve one of fall and winter's most iconic ingredients: the tart, juicy, delicious crimson hued cranberry? Then look no further than this wonderful 23 page vintage recipe booklet featuring festive ideas to put this healthy berry to work all year round. $10.00 from Cookbook Maven.



12. Stay warm and look like a million mid-century dollars in this timelessly gorgeous cream cashmere cardigan with faux pearls and gold seed beads laid out in an enchantingly lovely leaf, vine and grape pattern that suits fall to an absolute tee. Fits up to a 38 inch bust/30 inch waist. $85.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



13. With the return of cool fall weather comes a renewed desire to craft - or so it does for me! :) Hunkered inside, I want to make and create like mad all the way until the warm days of April or May return and many of my projects, especially my scrapbooking and card making ones, involve buttons. As such, I love sourcing great multi-colour and multi-style lots like this Halloween perfect vintage selection for just such creative endeavors. $6.50 (for 63 buttons) from Peach Parlor.




14. You can't beat the classic combination of orange and black - in this case with a little red swirled into the mix for good measure - when it comes to fall and Halloween time attire, and this wonderful upcycled 1950s style scarf/collar is bursting with this great palette. Wear it now for October 31st and the rest of the year for a reminder of the fun and festivities of fall. $16.18 from Contrapunt.



15. I dare you not to fall in love with this fabulously adorable vintage autumn squirrel vase - that also does a great job of being a pen or pencil holder. It's sweet, fun, kitsch and oh-so-cute!!! $16.58 from Eclectic Moi.


16. Wear two of fall's most iconic colours - orange and gold - on your ears and look as pretty as a field of pumpkins care of these fabulous 1950s lucite confetti earrings that stay put thanks to the novel use of magnets, not clips or posts. $11.00 from Sanne's Vintage Jools.




17. Layer this wonderful 1950s pale gold sleeveless blouse under sweaters, cardigans, suit jackets, blazers, and shawls now and wear it on its own come the return of sunny spring days. Fits up to a 37" bust/30" waist. (On sale at the time of writing for) $23.50 from The Best Vintage Clothing.



18. Owls and fall go together like cardinals and winter. The two compliment each other sublimely and are an emblematic sign of the season. This autumn, adorn your tabletop with this pair of massively cute, completely kitschy made-in-Japan googly eye adorned wooden salt and pepper shakers and smile every time you sit down to eat. $11.66 from Peppermint Sea.



19. Just because summer's blooms are becoming a distant memory doesn't mean you can't keep the spirit of a lush, sun-kissed garden alive care of your wardrobe choices. This big (it's square shaped and measures 30.5 inches on all sides), beguilingly beautiful 1950s silk scarf features a pattern of big, bold roses in shades of mustard yellow, fawn brown, slate blue, and rich cream that is sublimely well suited to all kinds of autumn attire. $22.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



20. Right up there with mustard yellow (and rusty shades of orange) for me on the fall colour palette must-have list is brown. It's warm, evocative and brings out the tones in my skin far better than black, which is no small part of the reason why I especially love wearing it near by face. Sometimes though, as I would if I owned this awesome 1950s cocoa brown circle skirt, I turn to it to adorn my bottom half and swoon over the way it still helps brighten my pale, pink tinged complexion all the same. Fits up to just under a 29" waist/full hips. $58.00 from Dalena Vintage.



21. Whether you bestow it upon a beloved chap or sport it yourself, this classic hand painted 1950s leaf pattern neck tie is the kind of seasonal, Thanksgiving dinner perfect accessory that will never lose its charm or appeal. $14.00 from Marc Joseph.



22. Look cute as a button and keep your clothing neat and tidy care of this wonderfully pretty 1960s green and white gingham half apron with a lovely embroidered design of pumpkins, corn and squash above the hem and on the pocket. $12.50 from Siblings Vintage.



23. It's never easy to say good bye to our favourite warm weather footwear like sandals and peep-toe wedges, but timelessly charming, completely lovely autumn worthy shoes like these beautiful Retro Cream Color Mary Jane Heels can certainly help make the process a whole lot easier - and fashionable! Available in modern ladies sizes 7 to 9 (at the time of writing). $54.95 from Blue Velvet Vintage.



24. If it weren't for the fact that it's too big for me, I'd be incredibly tempted to snap up this well priced, endlessly pretty 1940s daisies and dahlias floral print skirt faster than you can say "vintage fall fashion!". Fits up to 31" waist and is 28" long. (On sale at the time of writing for) $55.20 from The Best Vintage Clothing.



25. This vintage acorn stunner? Why, yes, it does just happen to be the most autumn perfect, sophisticated, stop-you-in-your-tracks, completely gorgeous early 20th century brass dress/fur clip of all time. $42.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.

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♥ ♥ ♥

I set my fall and Halloween decor out early and leave it up late. Well, perhaps not all that late, but at least half-way into November more often than not (if I lived in the US and celebrated Thanksgiving during next month's final week, I would keep it up until then), when often in the same day that the ghosts, pumpkins, and witches get tucked away once more, the Christmas tree, wreaths, and jingle bells come out of storage again.

Each year I love growing my seasonal decor collection, which houses a mix of new, old, and childhood treasures alike and 2014 has been no exception there. In fact, I've purchased several new fall and Halloween decorations in the last few weeks and am seriously tempted to add at least one or two from today's post to that growing pile as well. We'll see though, as I spent a fair amount on our recent trip to Vancouver Island and Christmas is but a stone's throw away, so perhaps I'll just admire them from afar and let all of your lovely dears avail of these beautiful, fall harvest perfect vintage bargains. :)

Here's to a frighteningly fabulous, fun filled, very happy second half of October - may it be a stellar one for all of us!