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....


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{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!

Five for Friday {November 13, 2009}

...Whether you count yourself as superstitious or not, today is one where you can’t seem to help looking over your shoulder every now and then, all the while hoping that nothing odd befalls you. Onwards to the weekend, it’s time to relax and unwind; perhaps you’ve got snow already or maybe you’re being blessed with an Indian summer, either way, it’s the middle of November and that means the weeks are dwindling until the winter holiday season arrives – yet there’s still enough time so as to afford you a serene weekend that isn’t jam packed with a million hectic tasks to complete. Relish these days, they tend to become fewer and further between as the end of the year rolls on...

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{To channel your inner Francophile via your decor}


{Iconic images of the Eiffel Tower and other well known Parisian landmarks envelop this chic, beautiful throw pillow, which would look amazing upon anything from a vintage sofa to a silk sheet covered bed. Available in various sizes, the 50cm x 50cm version of this wonderful pillow retails for €44.00 (Euro) from Bonjour Mon Coussin.}


{To satisfy both your sweet tooth and any desire you may have to nibble flower petals}


{For most of this past summer I craved marshmallows relentlessly. As to where this pining for these squishy, delightfully sweet treats came from, I really don’t know, but I kept thinking it might have hearkened back to childhood summers spent toasting marshmallows over backyard and Girl Guide camp fires. Whatever brought the desire on, there was no shaking it off and so I gave in, churning out batches of homemade marshmallows to savour slowly over the intensely humid weeks of July and August. If you too are a far of crafting your candies, be sure to give these marvelously pretty, pale blush pink hibiscus flower marshmallows a try. Recipe on, and photo from the gorgeous culinary blog, not without salt.}


{To keep you toasty on those days that call for long sleeves but not quite the full on weight (and warmth) of a jacket}


{The sweetest little collar adorns this vintage dusty rose hued wool cardigan, that sports a line of matching coloured buttons up the front. Pair this coquettish topper with pencil skirts for a Mad Men secretarial style look, with high waisted vintage trousers when headed out for a day of Christmas shopping, or over top your favourite full skirted summer dress to stretch your warm weather wardrobe well into autumn. Vintage 1950s boucle wool sweater, fits up to a 33” inch waist/40” bust, $46.00 (US) from etsy seller Small Earth Vintage.}


{To help ensure the preservation of the daisy population ;D}


{Save the petals and spin this immensely cute vintage brass necklace instead to help you determine if he really is that into your or not. “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” charm and chain, $30.00 (Australian Dollars) from Made It seller Suga *N* Spice (note, this item features free shipping for those located in Australia).}


{To help ensure your lips stay kissablely soft in the face of even the harshest, freezing cold November winds}


{Bedecked with an image of the brand’s creator taken in 1945, this elegant container of lip balm smells (and tastes) enticing of fresh from the oven brambleberry pie, and is sure to win you over as much for its scent as its wonderfully pretty tin. 0.8oz tin of Brambleberry Rose lip balm, $7.00 (US), from Sephora.}


Aside from having a (fortunately entirely inexpensive) glass dish of freshly peeled persimmons go flying out of my hands and shatter into a thousand (literally) tiny shards this morning, things have been perfectly normal – and in no way spooky – here this Friday the 13th. Not one to cry over spilled fruit, I’ve been in cheerful spirits all day and am optimistic that no other strange occurrences will transpire before Saturday rolls around.

How has your day been going, my lovely dears? I really hope that you’re having an excellent Friday that’s free of any peculiar going-ons!

Five for Friday {October 2, 2009}

...A chilly wind unfelt for many a month rattles the windows and screen doors, inside sweaters are slipped on, long simmered meals are prepared and thoughts turn to the upcoming (Canadian) Thanksgiving holiday on the 12th. Indoor festive shades of burnt umber, haystack gold, and mossy green come out to play in autumnal decorations, outside the sky is as grey as a tarnished mirror. A sense of comforted happiness weaves itself through the upcoming weekend as conversations are shared over steaming beverages sipped against toasted peach hued sunsets...


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{To add a sense of elegant whimsy to the everyday}


{A juxtaposition of glamour and salt-of-the-earth practicality merge in this sublimely light image, that suddenly makes me long to wear vintage both satin heels and classic wellies. Photo by Philip Newton.}


{To capture the natural beauty of a summer garden forever}


{The brilliance behind this gorgeous, handcrafted necklace is the fact that its floral pendant is actually a real copper hued rose entombed in poly resin. Such an utterly wonderful – deeply creative – idea! Rose, carnellian and turquoise sterling silver necklace, $59.00 (US) from etsy seller Island Girl Designs.}


{To keep your stomach warm and your scenes delighted all weekend long}


{A time-honoured classic gets a decidedly autumnal update in this scrumptious version of bread pudding which adds pumpkin into the mix. Photo via, and recipe on, epicurious.com.}


{To keep your lips gorgeously supple no matter how fierce the whipping autumn wind becomes}


{I’m not sure which one I’m more in love with, the flavours and scents that this etsy artesian imparts in her products or the sublimely moody, elegantly pretty photos she takes of her goods. Either way I’ve fallen hard for her handmade products such as this silvery tin of all natural rosewood flavour lip balm, which is $6.00 (US) from etsy seller For Strange Women.}


{To add a splash of sweetly macabre decor and light to your home}


{Discovered via the splendidly festive pages of the blog A Nostalgic Halloween, these monotone, slightly eerie, entirely endearing candles would be the perfect decoration to keep out all season long. Paraffin wax crow candles, $10.00 (US) each from Pottery Barn.}


May you each have a serene and cozy first weekend of October, my dear friends!

Monday Muses {May 4th}

After putting together a week’s worth of delicious links last night, I whipped up an equally yummy supper for myself. Nature’s Path Buckwheat Wildberry waffles with fresh strawberries and reduced fat whipped cream to celebrate the return of glorious spring flowers and days with double digit temperatures.

I’ve always adored berries of all sorts, from blue to black, raspberries to huckleberries, they’re each so wonderfully versatile and symbolic of the warmer months. Not only are these healthy sweet morsels good for your body, berry print and themed items can do your vintage wardrobe a world of good, too. This week I’m looking toward the punchy hues and crisp freshness of May strawberries as my vintage muse.


{Delicate and cheerful, this lovely brass necklace crafted by Firebirdhouse on etsy, sports a strawberry charm and section of a vintage paper strawberry seed packet; at a budget friendly $13US this pretty piece of jewelry is a great deal.}


{Bright as a just-picked-from-the-vine strawberry, this flirty pencil skirt – while vibrant as a poppy – would no doubt prove to be a versatile item year-round in many a vintage wardrobe. I’d pair it with a crisp white blouse or button down cotton shirt and wedge heels in the summer, a fitted black cardigan and Mary Janes or pumps in the winter. If you want to shake it like a strawberry, this skirt can be yours for $36US from Pin Up Girl Clothing.}


{A myriad of indoor or outdoor items such as grocery totes or placemats could be crafted from this darling vintage pink strawberry print oil cloth, thanks to the fact that it’s waterproof. A 48 inch piece sells for $15US and can be picked up from Warm Biscuit, an online bedding, houseware, and sewing goods shop.}


{One look at this incredibly sweet, ruffled strawberry and cherry print apron from SpiceRack Designs on etsy, and it’s hard not to fall in love. This photo is of the back which I felt needed to be seen even more than the front because of its awesome red and white polka dot bow. If this apron is whispering your name, it can be yours for $35US.}


{Hued like a glass full of strawberry juice, these red satin rockabilly heels (available in ladies sizes 5.5 to 9) from The Velvet Vault are a luscious deal at $26.97US. I could easily imagine combining shoes these with a gorgeous LBD and going dancing on a warm summer’s evening.}

Red is warm and bold, it conveys power, strength and confidence, yet can also be wonderfully romantic (think of a rose, sexy red lipstick such as Clinque’s aptly named “Red Red Red”, or the tinge in one’s cheeks when they blush). Like a strawberry, red can be paired with many other (fashion) flavours or enjoyed solely on its own, as I’ve tried to highlight in this Polyvore set teaming with all sorts of wonderful vintage inspired red pieces.


{Strawberry Love, created by yours truly.}

Whether eating, wearing or admiring strawberries, what are some of your favourite ways to incorporate this beautiful fruit into your world?