Five for Friday {November 27, 2009}

...Less than a month before the magical jingle of sleigh bells once again fills the air, still plenty of time to get everything done – or so at least it seems on paper! One strategy I find works well is to try and check off as many of your big tasks three or four weeks ahead of time as you can. Shop and wrap gifts, bake and freeze goodies, decorate your home, trim the tree, and send out your cards in the coming days, thus helping to relieve the amount of things to do long before the 25th rolls into clear sight. Some of those very activities are filling my upcoming weekend, coupled with catching up on this week’s wonderful blog comments, and devoting plenty of time to just relaxing and savouring the last few inklings of autumn that remain....


♥ ♥ ♥


{To jazz up any wall in your house with a hefty dose of
gorgeous vintage art}


{Sporting a classic burlesque poster entitled “Casiono de Paris”, this 24 inch wide by 32 inch long canvas stretches across a wooden frame, ready to be hung anyplace you please – from the bedroom to the powder room. Its sultry image of a pretty redheaded dancer and serene pallet of night time hues is sure to look breath-taking in any corner of the house. Vintage print on canvas, $90.35 (Cnd) from Overstock.com.}


{To add sizzle and grace to your holiday party wardrobe}


{In cool blue tones that channel pure serenity and elegance, this chic 1950s floral brocade evening dress is as charming as it is timeless. Perfect for everything from office Christmas parities to New Year’s Eve celebrations, this dress would become a perpetual favourite in your closet year after year. 1950s blue brocade dress, fits up to a 39” bust/33” waist, £40.00 (UK pounds) from online vintage seller, Martha’s Closet.}


{To keep thoughts of spring, with birds melodically chirping from the blossom clad branches, close to your heart all year long}


{A sweet little bluebird perches atop a gold tone branch in this lovely and playfully enjoyable necklace that is sure to make all who come in contact with it burst into a smile (after all, how can you not love a cute vintage looking birdie?) “Necklace of Happiness” metal bird charm and chain, $14.99 (US), from ModCloth.}


{To ensure you have plenty of extra seating whenever company drops by}


{Looking as though it could have traveled through time straight from the counter of a 1950s malt shop, this sleek chrome and turquoise bar stool would make a welcome addition to many a vintage lover’s home decor. “Blue Retro Bar Stool”, £85.00 (pounds), from Dotcomgiftshop.}


{To carry the necessary “must haves” and assorted sundries of everyday life in charming vintage style}


{This beautiful little woven wicker handbag in a deeply classic navy blue hue would look just as amazing during the summer with a sundress as it would nestled against your favourite wool skirt all winter long – and at the bargain price of just $15.00 (US), how can you not find yourself drawn to this vintage purse? “Le Amiche” 1950s or early 60s handbag available from etsy seller Thirteen Bees Vintage.}


How are you each on this lovely last Friday in November, sweet dears? I’m busy as a bee, whipping up a chocolate coconut custard cake (say that five times fast! :D), doing a good once over of the apartment before the weekend (I try to tidy every day, but especially like things to be neat on the weekend, when my husband and I are both home, so that we can just relax and not think about what chores might need to be done), and addressing my holiday cards to go out in the mail (hopefully no later than the start of this coming week).

The snow has held off here so far, despite the fact that it’s looked as though a blizzard could burst forth from the heavens at any moment all week. With the anticipation of snow in the air, the approaching holiday season seems all the more festive, and has me in a jolly mood!

I really hope that you’re also in happy spirits, and that this weekend will be a gorgeous and very fun filled one for everybody!

Vintage Deal of the Day: November 9, 2009

{While the gentle pastel hues of these wonderful vintage cocktail forks may call to mind thoughts of Easter or spring garden parties, their diminutive size, cheerful colours and double prong tines can’t help but make me that they would look too fabulous for words as serving pieces throughout the upcoming winter holiday season. If you’ve like serve your guests (and yourself) with this delightful plastic and stainless steel cutlery set all you have to do is fork over $14.00 (US) to etsy seller Mr. Filthy Rotten.}


Phew! Talk about a busy day on this end; there’s some (mandatory) work being done in our building this week (and again at the end of the month/start of November) that requires us to box up a lot of stuff, vacate the premise and board precious Stella for the day (to avoid harsh chemical inhalation) tomorrow. My pint sized dining room now looks as though I’m in the throes of packing up to move, but thankfully such is not the case, and by Wednesday we should be able to set things back in order.

A huge thanks to everyone who commented on the most recent edition of Saturday Snapshots! Your enthusiasm for that post has made it one of the most popular weekend photo roundup pieces to date. (I always adore and appreciate your visits, and will reply to your comments and visit your enchanting blogs as soon as I can, sweet dears.)

I hope that each of your weeks is off to marvelous – and hopefully less labour intensive start!

Five for Friday {November 6, 2009}

...Wild hail like a barrage of BB gun pellets hurled itself, intermixed with a peppering of snowflakes at our building for a few minutes yesterday afternoon, which means that I was entirely spot on when my husband and I placed our "when would it snow first this year bets"! He guessed October 25th, I pondered for a while and settled on November 5th, which, just happened to be yesterday. There’s no prize to be won, other than a huge smile, but that’s still more than enough to jump start my weekend on a cheerful note. With the coming of temps swinging below zero now and the looming prospect of more snow any time, I find myself thinking about mugs of cocoa, like pint sized hot springs for the taste buds, as well as all manner of snugly blankets, sweaters and scarves – anything that serves to warm the heart, mind and soul...


♥ ♥ ♥


{To keep your fingers and imagination busy all winter long}


{Whether you churn out a groundbreaking novel, write correspondence to friends near and far, or just enjoy it for the stunning piece of art it is, this alluring, sleek, gorgeous typewriter is sure to take pride of place in any office. Turquoise “Royal” vintage typewriter in good working order, $390.00 (US), from etsy seller Poetic Home.}


{To add a delightful touch of rustic, vintage charm to even the most modern of kitchens}


{Dyed so as to take on the look of something that could have been unearthed from your great grandmother’s hope chest in the attic, these three piece sets of French linen tea towels are just the ticket instantly increase the vintage vibe in your kitchen, laundry room, utility room, or anywhere else hands – or dishes – may need to be dried. Three towel set available in red or blue, $19.99 (US) each from Touch of Europe.}


{To help you survive that low period of sucrose activity between Halloween candy and holiday cookies}


{A modern melding of ancient flavours comes together in this lusciously rich dessert that is sure to become a classic the moment it reaches the table. Pomegranate chocolate mousse cake recipe on, and beautiful photo from, Dessert First.}


{To help make the ever-increasingly longer nights a little brighter}


{I adore a well lit room, whether the luminosity stems from the sun, candles or bulbs, I find my mind often feels sharper when I have a solid supply of light at hand, and what more gorgeous way to ensure you too are never short of light than with one of these stunningly pretty flower shaped clip on lamps. Available in thee hues (pink, green and ivory white), these darling lights use a 40 watt chandelier bulb and can clipped to a variety of surfaces, from chair backs to headboards. Aside from being practical, they just happen to be immensely gorgeous, too! “Bloom Clip Light”, $29.00 (US) per light, from Urban Materials + Accessories (UMA).}


{To inspire a season’s worth of kitchen remodeling and design projects}


{Did your heart skip a beat when you gazed upon this understatedly incredible kitchen, its pallet of mint-married-with-turquoise, fire engine red, and crisp white, just as mine did? Ripe with vintage styling and original 50s pieces (like the Formica table), this room is a joy to behold and no doubt even more fun to try and duplicate – or pull decor inspiration from – yourself. Image via Country Living.}


Wishing you each a delightfully wonderful, serenely lovely weekend bursting with fun and relaxation!

Vintage Deal of the Day: October 30, 2009

Hi sweet dear, let me kick off this post by sending out tons of joyful Halloween Eve wishes to each and every one of you!



{Massive amounts of cuteness abound when it comes to this darling little (it’s 2 ½ inches tall) vintage porcelain toothpick holder. Shaped like a black and white pup and his doghouse or perhaps a favourite dog toy that looked like a house, this sweet – and practical – piece of kitchen nostalgia can be yours for just $4.75 (US), if you hightail it over to etsy seller Bedouin’s shop.}

How is everybody’s Friday going? I hope that you're each doing splendidly and having a blast counting down the hours until All Hallows (or for a terrific weekend otherwise, if you don’t observe this holiday). The gloomy rain that has plagued Toronto all month continues today, though I really can’t complain, so long as it doesn’t turn into snow, I’m a happy camper!

I’ve had a busy week of very mixed going-ons, from renewing my passport (in person, which is a pleasant change over having to mail the application out – still need to wait for it to arrive in the mail though, no getting around that) to trying to dig through the absolute avalanche of email I seem to have been receiving lately. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about a bustling in-box, it just seems to be one of those entirely random times when I’ve been getting literally five times my usual daily volume of email. I always wonder what brings such spurts of online correspondence about, don’t you?

On the blog front, I’m not sure if I’ll have the time to get up a “Five for Friday” post today, but I wanted to ensure that the Daily Deal appeared, as I wasn’t home for most of yesterday and didn’t thus didn’t post one on Thursday. I want thank everyone who has visited and commented on my blog lately. I’m a few days with replying to your comments and visiting your wonderful sites, but plan to catch up as best as possible over the weekend.

One more blog related note...I’m planning on holding a lovely vintage related giveaway in the near future. Stay tuned for more details in November!

Tons of thanks, one and all, for being the awesome readers that you are! I hope dearly that you each have an amazing Halloween Eve night!!!

Win a chic Alessi kitchen timer from AllModern.com and Chronically Vintage!

To celebrate the fact that Chronically Vintage hit its 100th post yesterday, I’ve decided to hold my first giveaway ever on this site!

The fine folks over at home decor specialists AllModern.com have a super cute, mid-century modern inspired kitchen timer (valued at $68 US) to give away to one lucky reader of this blog. If you’ve never heard of All Modern before, let me tell you a bit about the company in their own words, “All Modern has a fantastic selection of modern furniture and home accessories from many leading designers. Part of CSN Stores, All Modern is just one of over 260 retail sites that offer a diverse array of products from Herman Miller’s popular Aeron Chair to cookware by Rachael Ray.”

I’ve been a fan of this site, which while teaming with very modern pieces (as one might gather from the name), also offers a range of retro and vintage looking pieces, for some time now and was thrilled to no end when they contact me wanting to know if my readers would interested in winning one of their wonderful products. Naturally I knew my lovely readers would be, so I jumped at the chance to offer you an opportunity to win an All Modern product.

Crafted by well-known Italian designer and architect Alessando Mendini, the sleek, whimsical timer that’s up for grabs here would be perfect not only in the kitchen but for any number of timed tasks around the house. I use my kitchen timer (which is nowhere even remotely as nice looking as this one) at least once a day, especially because the one on my stove doesn’t work any longer. This timer would also look beautiful simply as an object d’art in your kitchen or any other room of the house.

The timer (pictured above) is made of chrome-plated Zamak and ABS plastic, it’s a little under 5 inches tall and about 4 inches wide. It comes in blue, red or black and the winner will be able to pick which of those three colours they’d like to receive.

Please note, this contest will be open to US and Canadian residents, as the timer is being shipped directly from All Modern, and they do not currently ship beyond North America. I sincerely apologize about this to my international readers.

The contest will run until Tuesday August 25th at 11:59pm EST. One lucky winner will selected entirely at random the following day, and will be announced in a blog post here on the 26th. The lucky winner will then need to email me with their name and shipping address (and what colour timer you’d like to receive) so that I can pass your info along to All Modern, who will ship out your Alessi timer directly to you.

If you’d like to try your luck at winning this cool Timer (whose named is Anna, by the way), all you have to do is comment on this post and tell me your favourite recipe (vintage or modern) that you’d use this timer to help you cook, of if you prefer, your favourite use for a timer in general.

Good luck to everyone who enters - and thank you to all my amazing readers for helping Chronically Vintage to reach its 100th post. This blog would not be the same without you!

Take a spin in a turquoise world {Monday Muses, June 22, 2009}

In one of the bedrooms I lived in as a child the walls were covered in the prettiest pale turquoise wallpaper that featured tiny – almost Liberty print style – peach and soft buttercup yellow flowers. This visual influence paired with my love from a very early age of 1957 Chevie Bel Air cars in glossy, vibrant turquoise, no doubt helps to explain my lifelong adoration of this soothing, gentle colour.

Though the mere mention of the word turquoise often conjures up thoughts of mid-century kitchens, appliances and vehicles, the use of this hue – and the mineral based gemstone from which the colour takes its name – stretches back thousands of years. Ancient as an appreciation for turquoise is however, there’s no denying the fact that its modern heyday certainly came about in the 1950s, as pastel, salt water taffy inspired hues began to permeate home decor, kitchenware, furniture, and the fashion world.


{Often paired with soft pink, yellow or peach, or alternatively as in the fabulous kitchen above, black and white, turquoise became a very popular colour for kitchens, appliances and home decor in general during the fifties. Image from Saltycotton’s Flickr stream.}

Be it in the form of jewelry, clothing, household goods, fabric, paint, cars or just about anything else, I always feel myself drawn to turquoise. It generally works well with my fair complexion and green eyes, I feel happy when I slip into – or adorn myself with – something in this lovely shade of sky blue meets soft green.

Perfectly suited to the cheerfully effervescent nature of June, turquoise looks smashing on almost any complexion and can be woven into the decor of most any home. Vintage items sporting the colour turquoise abound and are most certainly worth keeping an eye out for as you hit the flea market, yard sale and thrift shop circuit this summer.


{This 1959 luggage ad clearly shows that turquoise was in vogue during the later part of the decade. Though the model in this photo looks undeniably sophisticated, I wonder if it would be as effortlessly simple to pull off a full-length turquoise fur coat these days? Vintage scan via sugarpie honeybunch’s Flickr stream.}

Inspired by the following collage of turquoise themed Flickr images that I’ve favourited over time, I have decided that this calming, aqua hue – which calls to mind everything from outdoor New Mexico markets to shimmering swimming pools – is my Monday Muse this week. I know that many of my fellow vintage lovers are also diehard turquoise fans, so I’ve gathered up some stellar wardrobe pieces in this chipper, joyful colour, which I hope you’ll love as much as I do!


1. car, 2. Jewel Redux, 3. Vogue June 1959, 4. MInted Rose Locket, 5. DSCF2083-3, 6. Tiara ~ Crown Swap, 7. Turquoise butterprint Pyrex mixing bowl, 8. retro 1950's wall clock, 9. c o l o r • m e • n o s t a l g i c, 10. 1950s Turquoise Royal Typewriter, 11. Vintage tin tray by Daher (made in England), 12. Vintage Peach & Aqua Printed Tablecloth, 13. aqua rose dress {Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information}

♥ ♥ ♥



{Equal parts adorable and sultry, this gorgeous turquoise and white dress looks like it would definitely hug you in all the right places! $139US from Pinup Girl Clothing.}



{Don’t you just love this vintage 1950s, rose print full skirt? Its combo of white, black and turquoise reminds me of the kitchen in the advertisement above, and I think, would go beautifully with everything from brown cardigans to red high heels. $45US from Blue Velvet Vintage.}


{Truly worthy of a red carpet event, this incredibly pretty, pale aqua/turquoise 1950s dress with matching bolero was turn heads anywhere you went! $185US from Vintageous.}



{One look at this adorable, vibrant halter neck vintage inspired swimsuit and I want to run to nearest pool and dive in! $98(US) from Babygirl Boutique.}



{From the full skirt to the button front to the v-neck lapel, I absolutely adore everything about this Trashy Diva vintage reproduction frock! $114.99US from Blue Velvet vintage.}



{Are you an admirer of turquoise but don’t want to dress head-to-toe in it? Opt instead for colourful accessories like this pretty rose and baby’s breath hair flower. $12(US) from Pinup Girl Clothing.}



{Though this stunning floral print, halter neck dress is one hot number, I get the feeling that it’s breezy neckline and shorter skirt length would do an awesome job of keeping you cool all summer long! $47.99 from Mod Cloth.}



{No roundup of turquoise fashion would be complete without at least piece of jewelry featuring this revitalizing colour. This versatile and comfortable looking stretch bracelet from the 1950s would look amazing with everything from a white blouse to blue jeans to a black evening dress. £8.00 (UK pounds) from Ji Ji Kiki (note this site offers free shipping worldwide on orders over £30).}



{Luxurious and elegant, but still playful fun, this gorgeous satin sarong dress is pretty enough to wear to a beach wedding – whether as a guest or the bride :) $130.00(US) from Pinup Girl Clothing.}



Turquoise is a beautiful, timeless colour that can add a wonderful dose of fifties style to your home or wardrobe. I personally love pairing it with hues like grey, brown, black, white, pale pink and dark red, and find that it’s one of the best colours to wear on days when you want to feel both energized and calm. Are you a turquoise fan too - and if so, what are some of your favourite ways to add this terrific colour to your world?

10 awesome vintage related Flickr groups

It’s scarcely a secret that Flickr is one of my absolute most beloved websites in the universe. Long before I got my first digital camera and began uploading photos of my own last February, I’d been perusing its myriad of pages for a couple of years. To me Flickr is the stuff inspirational dreams are made of. From favourite photographers to the incredible results keywords can deliver, I am never bored or at a loss for creative muses when on this site.

On particularly fun way to find a bounty of images of a given subject is through Flickr groups. Being a rather eclectic soul (with more interests than you can shake a feather duster at), I’ve personally joined a ton (seriously, a ton) of them. While I cannot admit to staying abreast with the latest uploads on all of them, there are many favourites that I try to check on a frequent basis. Not too surprisingly, a good chunk of such frequently visited groups centre around a vintage related theme.

As such I thought it would be really fun to share a selection of Flickr groups – and a sampling of images from them – with you that never fail to deliver a wallop of vintage inspiration. The ten groups below are just the tip of the iceberg though, there are dozens – if not hundreds – of other groups all with a penchant for the past, just waiting for you to discover.

1930s and 1940s: Rich in everyday types of family snapshots (most of which are in black and white), this group also features some images of the era from Hollywood, magazines and popular culture.


{1. Happy Lipstick [739], 2. WWII -4, 3. 1936. Gimnáziumi kirándulás, 4. 1944. N.}


Vintage Illustration: As the name implies this group is devoted to the true art which is vintage illustration. Sporting over 2,000 members and more than 20,000 uploads to the group’s pool, this is often the first place I run to when I need a vintage ad or drawing.


{1. The winds of grace ..., 2. 1943 Parker Quink Ink (with Solv-x) Advertisement, 3. Pepsi - 19581122 Post, 4. Sunny Side 3}


Vintage hair: Loaded with more inspiration than you can shake a stick at, this lovely group is filled with photos and illustrations that have an emphasis on women’s hairstyles from days gone by, as well as lovely modern gals sporting vintage dos.


{1. Movie Classic Magazine cover, Myrna Loy, 2. Untitled, 3. HTMUSAMI_1948F002, 4. flapper2}


Vintage Clothing: This group is (primarily) for photos of modern folks decked out in vintage attire. Though you may have to wade through the group’s pool a little bit to find mid-century looks, but there are still plenty of these sorts of styles there to help inspire your own wardrobe.


{1. Playful, 2. Jacques Fath for Halpert 50s dress, 3. Kaila in her grandmother's dress., 4. The Girl Can't Help It.}


Vintage shoes: Whether its pumps, flats, oxfords or sandals, you’re sure to find oodles of beautiful and diverse vintage shoes among this group’s many photos.


{1. 1940's Kedettes, 2. 1940's shoes, 3. shoes, 4. 1950s chocolate brown nubuck pumps}


Vintage Pinup: Bursting with vintage pinup photos and illustrations, as well as shots of modern ladies in pinup styles, this group is a terrific spot for both eye-candy and inspiration.


{1. It's a Snap (Pretty Snappy. Snap Judgment), 1958 GIL ELVGREN, 2. IMG_5408.tea.L, 3. Modern day Pin up, 4. Josie Raven}


Fabulous Fifties Heaven (1950 – 1959): Celebrating all things fifties, this group teams with vintage advertisements, photos and illustrations that convey the wide-eyed optimism, suburban lifestyle and marvelous fashions that ruled the decade.


{1. Bell Telephone System Ad, 2. Armstrong Flooring Ad, 3. Family Circle - August 1955, 4. Coca Cola - 19581122 Post}


From Kitchen Past – The Vintage Kitchen: From Pyrex to aprons, turquoise hand mixer to ads for counter tops and furniture, this group is jam packed with a wonderful assortment of photos and illustrations relating to old school kitchens.


{1. Kitchen Curio, 2. 1950's Kitchen, 3. Vintage Sifter, 4. Glimpses of my kitchen}


Vintage Cookbooks: From timeless classics to recipes that should probably never have seen the light of day, amongst the many pages of this charming group’s pool you’ll find scads of vintage illustrations and photos pertaining to the culinary arts.


{1. Jack Benny Jell-O Pamphlet '30's:), 2. frontispiece, 3. Sunkist Recipes for Every Day, 4. Kellogg's All-Bran Ad}


Wedge Heels & Wartime – Forties in Print: Chronicling illustrations and advertisements from the twentieth century’s fourth decade, this group has more than 1,500 uploads to inspire and entertain you with (I’m especially fond of the amazing fashion styles one sees in such images).


{1. True Story October 1941, 2. koala-paca 1944, 3. Modern Beauty Shop - March 1944, 4. Harper's Bazaar 1942}

{To visit an individual image, click on the corresponding link below each collage.}

Putting together these mosaics and scanning through a bevy of amazing vintage images has kicked started my Thursday off the cheeriest of notes! To keep that sort of happy feeling going, I’m always looking for new places to source inspiration from and would love to know what some of your favourite vintage related Flickr groups are.

Monday Muses {June 1st}

One of the greatest gifts my mother bestowed on me was a adoration of, and appreciation for, the art of cooking. Some of my very earliest and most treasured childhood memories are of helping her whip together everything from Sunday roast suppers to Christmas cookies, canned peaches to chicken soup. I was enthralled by the process of taking raw ingredients, weaving a spell of culinary magic and turning them into a scrumptious finished dish. Whether it was peeling apples, turning the handle of the nut grinder or being her official Thanksgiving turkey stuffing sniffer (“a little more sage, mommy”), I was her sous chef and I credit my unwavering passion for cooking to her.

She taught with patience, love and joy; she let me develop my own recipes and never hindered my creativity in the kitchen. This week while my parents are in town, I have the wonderful honour of cooking for my mom and step-dad, putting to good use everything my mom taught me, as well as the culinary knowledge I’ve picked up over the years through my own daily cooking, cookbooks and world travels.

Without a doubt my Muse this week is my mother, followed closely by the Muses of cooking and the humble, wonderful family kitchen.

{The many things I learned in my mother's kitchen}

1. Idealized Parenthood, 2. Aprons for mother and daughter, 3. junior cook book, 4. Tupperware Party invitation, 5. What Mrs. Dewey Did With the NEW JELL-O! 1933, 6. Vintage mini mixer salt & pepper set, 7. Pie heaven, 8. Oh, Joy, Joy., 9. Updating the Pyrex (& more) Shelf, 10. Image from Cake Secrets, Copyright 1941, 11. Helping Mother - 1959, 12. Salad, 13. king midas cover {Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information}

Thank you deeply, mom, for being my culinary Muse and teaching me the time-honoured craft of cooking with love.