Celebrate my Etsy shop's 2nd birthday with a 32% off flash sale!

Two years ago, on a day both much akin to, and also very different from, today, I took my life - and career - in an exciting new direction and opened an Etsy store dedicated to selling vintage and antique treasures of the sort that have brought me joy ever since I was a young child.

This wasn't a decision that I rushed into, nor that I came to lightly. I poured countless hours of thought, discussion, and research into the topic before Chronically Vintage on Etsy came into being.

No matter how long I live, I will never forget the rush of emotions and thoughts that were swirling through my mind and heart alike when the big day came! It was a magical experience and I was touched to my core to receive some of my very first sales (as well as plenty of others since then) from my very dear blog readers here.

In the twenty-four months that have passed since that day in 2014, my shop has grown and flourished in ways I could hardly have conceived of back then. I've gone from less than a hundred listings initially to having as many as 1,100 items in the shop at once (a record that was hit last November and which I hope to surpass later on this year).

I've been honoured to receive a good percentage of my business from repeat customers around the world, supplied items to dozens of brides for their special days, sold vintage goods to numerous Hollywood production and theater companies in both the US and UK (including having some of my vintage gloves worn on the TV series The Astronaut's Wives Club), and grown both as a person and a business woman with each every piece that has sold from my shop.

With all my heart, I want to thank you, my readers and customers, for your fantastic support and business over the past two years. It has been an incredible experience selling to many of you and I look forward to continuing to do so as Chronically Vintage head's into its next year of life.







Whether you're a returning or first time customer, to celebrate this joyful occasion, I invite you to pop on over to my shop, where you will currently find every single item on sale for 32% off (I was planning to offer 30% off, but it struck me that since this is my shop's second birthday, "32" would make more sense :)).

This flash sale is on from today, May 6th, until Wednesday May 11th. All prices have already been marked down and no coupon codes are needed. Simply add any item(s) you wish to your cart and watch the savings pile up!

A lot has changed in my world and in some respects, with my shop as well, since this same date two years ago, but what remains the same is my commitment to providing top-notch customer service, wonderful vintage treasures, and a fantastic buying experience for each and every person who visits my shop.

These points will never waver and you can bet that as Chronically Vintage on Etsy heads into its next year of life, things will only get better and more exciting there!

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!

Happy 1st birthday Chronically Vintage!

On a day quite like many before it, something deep inside my soul stirred, a longing to put pen to paper (or in this case waltz my fingers across a keyboard) and share my lifelong adoration of all things vintage with the world.

While I’d like to regale you with an eventful tale of how Chronically Vintage came to be, its birth was really was rather on the quiet and unassuming side. Like a gentle breeze across the springtime landscape, this blog spun into existence softly, but with immense passion fuelling its creation onward.

Perhaps not all that surprisingly, I’ve always enjoyed reminiscing about the past – even when that past is, in this particular situation, only twelve months old. It’s fascinating to mark one’s life by the years created between various dates. As with most stretches of time, the span between this April and the last has been filled with its share of ups and downs, rough days and moments of unbridled joy. It’s created a year in which I feel I’ve found myself more at home with who I am – which I’m sure comes in part from getting old, but also from the comfort and courage that accompanies time spent amongst others who understand, care about and encourage you.

This blog would, unequivocally, not be what it is today without my amazing readers. There are scarcely words to thank all of visitors and blogging friends, not only for your comments, support, understanding and camaraderie, but for “getting” me. As many of you can no doubt relate to, it can be strange to be the only (or one of the only) vintage lovers in your family/social group/town!, and as such it means even more when through the powers of the internet you suddenly find yourself a new home brimming with fellow vintage fans.

Through your own sublime blogs I’ve learned enough in the last year to fill a small library! Your pages have given me a lifetime of inspiration and twelve months of splendid happiness. The thoughts you’ve written down, the images you’ve discovered, the outfits you’ve sported, the history you’ve preserved, all of these things have propelled my own thoughts in fantastically diverse and creative directions. You’ve influenced my wardrobe, make-up and hairstyles, my home decor, my collection of vintage items, and perhaps most of all, my blog writing.



{Adorable vintage birthday card via Vintage-Mouse’s Flickr stream.}

Thank you, everyone, for supporting Chronically Vintage both directly with your comments and behind the scenes with the inspiration I garner from your own marvellous posts. It’s been nothing short of a fabulous year on the blogging front, and one that I honestly cannot imagine having never taken place.

This blog came to be at a time when I really needed a creative outlet to get my mind off of countless pressing, uninspiring, downright heavy issues, and it has been a cathartic, artistic outpost of felicity for the past twelve months – just as I’m certain it will continue to be in the future.

To say I’m looking forward to Chronically Vintage’s second year of life would be a serious understatement! I’m positively bursting with excitement over what my second year of being a vintage blogger has in store, and can hardly wait to share each and every moment with you all!

Happy 1st birthday, Chronically Vintage, I love you!

500 (Followers) for Friday: January 22, 2010

The numerical in the title of today’s post does not denote the quantity of items/ideas featured within (as is generally the case with “Five for Friday” posts), instead it refers directly to the fact that this week Chronically Vintage reached a milestone number of followers: 500 – and counting!

It’s rather surreal actually to reflect upon the fact that that, according to the Google followers counter on the right hand side bar of this blog, there are now over five hundred admirers of this site. Added to that hefty number is the fact that I know many more out there tag along with Chronically Vintage via different means, too, such as feed readers. Others still may not follow along in a measurable way, but are new and returning visitors.

When I began this humble blog last spring, I never dreamed in that in less than a year, so many people would take notice of my teeny corner of the internet – let alone help to turn this site into the cheerful place of vintage history, timeless beauty and endless fun that it. I can scarcely begin to put into words how much I appreciate and value each and every person who has ever visited this site, whether you actively follow along, pop by once in a while or just visited once. Without you, Chronically Vintage simply would not be the same.

In lieu of posting a handful of recent finds today, I wanted to share five wonderful things that you, my treasured followers, have given me since I began this blog.

♥ ♥ ♥

{Fellowship}

Growing up I was the lone vintage gal on the block (I’d venture to say in the whole town actually). Whereas others were tripping over one another to wear the latest 90s trends, I held steadfast to my lifelong love of the past and tried to incorporate vintage style as best I could into my wardrobe as a teenager.

As the years progressed and saw more of the world, I came to discover that there were others out there who also shared my passion for vintage. My first online encounters with vintage style came in the form of vibrant rockabilly looks, which, while I certainly admire and think look sublime on some gals, usually end up coming across as too costumey on me. I kept searching though and discovered one day that there were others just like me who love to wear authentic (and/or reproduction) vintage styles out there (who standout not for being overtly sultry, but for the undeniable elegance and allure that radiates from the time honoured vintage styles they don).

Knowing that I was not alone in my desire to wear the exact looks of the 1940s and 50s, instantly made me feel like I was part of a community of like-minded individuals. For a couple of years I sat by on the sidelines, reading vintage blogs, pouring over Flickr streams full of modern gals in old school looks, and learning a great deal about the garments and styles of the decades before my own lifetime that I hold most dear.

Quite literally from the first week I began Chronically Vintage, I have been welcomed into the online vintage community with welcome arms. Everyone of my visitors and fellow vintage bloggers makes me feel like I’m home (when I read your comments and visit your own incredible websites). Thank you deeply for the gift of friendship and camaraderie that we’re blessed to be able to share.


{Diversion}



As some of you may know from reading past posts or from our email correspondence, I’m not always in the best of shape health wise. For a number of years now I’ve had several severe chronic illnesses, each of which has a profound impact on my life. I generally try to refrain from talking about my health too much on this site, but occasionally the topic does surface (such as if I’ve been absent from blogging due to a flare-up).

My health is unpredictable, fraught with complications and challenging to plan any semblance of a “normal” life around, yet, even on my worst days, I try never to let the medical issues I face define who I am entirely. I’ve long made peace with my situation, but there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a constant in my life.
In order to help take my mind off the issues my body faces daily, I truly need outlets and activities where I don’t have to think about my health concerns, and for me this blog is truly one of the most incredible, most cathartic venues I’ve discovered.

Being able to shift my mind from pain to productivity, to think about a topic that brings me bliss and which I’m fortunate to be able to write about and share my thoughts on publicly is a godsend in my life. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to connect with you through my writing, to have a place where I can think about history, fashion, art, and countless other topics besides my health!


{Creative outlet}



I believe firmly that every single person on earth is creative. No two souls or minds are identical; each one of us has the ability to exert creativity in our own wonderful ways. For me being creative in some semblance has been on par with having air to breath, I couldn’t fathom life without a place to let my creativity run free. Though Chronically Vintage is not my only artistic outlet, it is undoubtedly one of the most important creative lynchpins in my life.

Through your comments, blogs, photos, ideas and own amazing originality, I am constantly fuelled onward down my own creative path. Thank you for allowing me a public platform from which to share some of my creativity with the world.


{Inspiration}



You, my fellow vintage bloggers, are my muses. In the way you dress, write, think, create and ultimately live, you stoke my unyielding adoration of the past and help to ensure I’m able to incorporate it with both the present and the future. Thank you deeply for continually rocking my world with the astonishingly lovely inspiration you provide me with.


{Joy}



Tied only with love, there is nothing in the world worth perusing more than happiness. Each one of us has such a very short time on this planet, and I believe that we should strive to do all that we can to ensure that our lives blossom with happiness.


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


♥ ♥ ♥

From your blogs, comments and friendships, I am continually provided with countless reasons to smile, to feel happy, to look at the world from a new and more cheerful perspective. In writing posts for Chronically Vintage, I get to temporarily escape many of the unpleasant worries of life and let bliss come tumbling out my heart and onto the computer screen.

Thank you for the immeasurable abundance of gladness being a part of the vintage community brings me.

I try never to take anything for granted; I cherish the good and strive to work around the bad, embracing positives and eschewing the negatives whenever possible. Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful for having this blog in my life, nor that I don’t reflect upon how wonderful it is to be able to connect with so many people who share one of my biggest passions: vintage!

Thank you to all of my followers, new and longstanding friends, and first time visitors alike, you bring so much to my world and are absolutely priceless to me.

Six more sleeps until Christmas!

Growing up, perhaps as many other kids did, I measured the countdown until an important date not so much in terms of days, but by the number of night’s worth of sleep left until said exhilarating day arrived. Of course these numbers are usually one in the same, but as a child measuring “sleeps” somehow seemed to bring the highly anticipated date closer even faster than marking off dates on a calendar did. The funny thing was come December 24th I was usually so bubbly with excitement, sleep was the furthest possible thing from my mind!


{Visions of sugarplums are already dancing in my head, just as when I was a youngster, I can’t help but well up with excitement as Christmas Day draws nearer! Image via Estelle and Ivy’s Flickr stream.}


These days I usually have no problem grabbing a few winks on the Christmas Eve (or nodding off in a state of exhaustive stupor – same difference, right?), but I still find a nostalgic happiness in marking my countdown in terms of the numbers of “sleeps” left to go. And so on this bitingly cold Saturday morning, with Christmas less than a week away, the natural habit of counting “sleeps” resurfaces.

On a somewhat different note, I realize that I wasn’t able to update Chronically Vintage as often over the past few days as I generally do. Some of my medical conditions are flaring up at the moment and I’m afraid that I’m not well enough to spend nearly as much time on the computer as I’d like to. I’m looking at things optimistically though and hoping that I’ll be to get to all the last minute Christmas tasks that should be done this week (I’d practically have to be unconscious to skip baking holiday cookies and preparing Christmas supper!). Likewise I will try to add further editions of Chronically Vintage’s holiday gift guide and other festive posts in the coming days, too.

Thank you dearly to all those who have recently visited and left comments, I appreciate your words, friendship and support so very much! Similarly, I truly want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and everybody who has ever visited Chronically Vintage, for this post marks my 200th on this blog, and this site would not be the same without you all!

It’s hard to believe a blog that began last spring, born of my lifelong love of all things vintage, has now amassed two hundred posts. Chronically Vintage simply would not be the same place with out each of my immensely dear visitors and fellow vintage adoring friends, and I thank you each for helping to make this site the wonderful place that it is! Here’s to the next 200 vintage filled entries and well beyond!

As these last few days (and sleeps!) until Christmas whiz by, what events and traditions, celebrations and going-ons are keeping you on your toes, fuelling your excitement for the beautiful wondrousness that is the 25th itself?