Getting to know Cedar Taylor, the talented, beautiful and highly engaging woman behind The Vintage Wife blog

Loves dirndl skirts, Bakelite, traveling, thrifting, and crafting? Check! Is a passionate foodie who strives to cook and devour healthy, organic dishes? Check! Has been blogging since 2009? Check! Wears mid-century fashions all the time? Check!

No, my sweet dears, I'm not talking about myself here, though I very easily could be. Instead I'm happy to say that these, and many other awesome points, are some of the things I've recently learned that I, like many of you as well, share in common with one of Chronically Vintage' brand new April sponsors, Cedar Taylor of the fantastic blog The Vintage Wife.

A captivating and wonderfully enjoyable blend of vintage fashion, sewing projects (as well as posting free vintage knitting patterns), scrumptious recipes, thrifted treasures, daily going ons, reflections of life, and numerous other fab subjects fill the pages of Cedar's blog and will hook fans of any of these topics in the quickest of heartbeats. Cedar's writing is upbeat, easy to relate to, and always packed full of loveliness, so her blog couldn't possibly be a more perfect fit for Chronically Vintage and its readers.




Recently the absolutely gorgeous Cedar (a fellow redhead - yet another point we share in common), pictured above with her lovely family, and I shared a terrific interview by email, which I'm pleased as punch to bring you on this fine first Sunday morning in April. Pull up a set, have a read, and I'm sure you quickly discover, just as I did the first time I visited The Vintage Wife, what a fun, friendly and completely likable lady Cedar is.


As a fellow vintage wife, your site's name really struck a chord with me, could you tell me more about what inspired you to name it as such?

I wanted a name that would cover my interests and the focus of my blog, which is mostly about my interest in vintage and my life inside the home, cooking, sewing, knitting, etc.


What were some of the things that led you to want to start your blog?

I had been reading vintage fashion blogs for years and wanted to be a part of that fun and inspiring community.


So far, what have some of the best elements (perks, if you will) of blogging been for you? 

Absolutely the best thing about blogging has been the relationships I have formed and the people I have met. Blogs provide an easy way to build a community and form friendships with others who share your interests, I love that.


I love that you're super passionate about food, cooking from scratch and eating organic. What are some of your favourite recipes (be they vintage or modern) to prepare for your family these days?

With our close proximity to Mexico (from San Diego it is only a 20 minute drive!), we are heavily influenced by Mexican food. We eat food in tortillas (tacos, burritos, enchiladas) probably 5 nights a week. I don't eat meat, so I am always coming up with new ways to put vegetables in a taco.

Usually I will saute some onions and garlic, then throw in whatever seasonal vegetables are available, along with spices (cumin, oregano, coriander, paprika, etc.), put in tortilla, top with cheese, lots of fresh avocado, cilantro, salsa, and done! It is super easy and the combinations are endless.


What seasonal eats are you really looking forward to this spring and summer?

Heirloom tomatoes, fresh corn, and peppers! Summer vegetables are my absolute favorite. I love to roughly chop summer veggies, throw them into a simple salad with cilantro and olive oil (the less cooking in our intense summers, the better!), and dine outdoors.




Do you have any advice you'd like to share for those who are looking to get into eating almost, or entirely, organically?

Start small. There are lists on various sites for "the dirty dozen", which is a great way to get started. The produce on these lists are the ones that are most contaminated by pesticides when conventionally grown. Read as much as you can about the benefits of eating organically and expect to pay a little bit more.


You're both a sewer and knitter, which is awesome! How much, percentage wise, of your own clothing would you say that you make?

Not as much as I would like. With a toddler in the house it can sometimes take me weeks, or even months to finish a single sewing project. I tend to knit more for others than for myself, I can only use so many hats and sweaters in a winter that rarely gets below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.


Is there one garment that you've sewn or knit for yourself that really stands out as a favourite in your mind?

A very simple dirndl skirt. I have made several, and love them not just for their simplicity, but for how comfortable and versatile they are. I followed the instructions given on Gertie's Blog for Better Sewing, and I plan on making a few more in different colors and prints in the coming months.




Do you sew for your children, husband and/or family members as well?

Yes! I actually end up sewing more for my daughter than for myself, mostly because the small scale projects are much faster and require a lot less fabric. I haven't sewn for my husband yet, one of these days I hope to make him a nice button down shirt as a gift.


What would be your dream vintage sewing project?

I want to get good at sewing and tailoring pants. I would love to whip up a pair (or more) of perfectly fitting 1950s cigarette style pants.


Do you live in an area with lots of vintage resources and/or fellow vintage lifestyle folks?

I do! There is a large rockabilly community here, there are vintage flea markets, several vintage stores, there are burlesque troupes, bands that play vintage sounding music, and more. I am very lucky for this and really need to take advantage of it all more.


Can you describe your personal (fashion) style for us in five words
Simple, comfortable, classic, nutty, always-changing


Some of your day-to-day vintage wardrobe "must haves" includes?

A dirndl style skirt, a comfortable cotton blouse, vintage cat eye sunglasses, lipstick, and Bakelite, lots of Bakelite!


Are there any types of vintage styles that you'd like to wear (or wear more of), but haven't (or haven't often) done so with?

I have always been in love with vintage Western wear. I would love to get a few 1950s squaw dresses in different colors to wear, but they are so costly. I keep hoping I will stumble upon one that fits me perfectly in the thrift store.




You recently announced on your blog that you're pregnant with your second child. That's so wonderful, happiest congratulations! Do you dress your first sweet child in vintage styles and if so, will you doing the same with your second bundle of joy?

Thank you! My daughter wore vintage all the time when she was a baby, but now that she is almost three and very particular about what she wants to wear, it doesn't happen often. I try to sew her vintage looking dresses in prints I know she will like, these go over a bit better than the real vintage dresses do. I really look forward to dressing the new little baby in vintage.


Aside from vintage, sewing, knitting, great (healthy!) food, and blogging, what are some of your other passions in life?


I love to travel. As a one income family we don't really have the means to travel often, but we try to take regular weekend trips to Palm Springs and other close destinations. We are lucky to have so much mid century history near by. I always seek out fun, kitschy and off beat places to visit. I am also a fine art painter, but haven't really had much time for it since my daughter was born.


What are some vintage related dreams that you hope to accomplish as the years go? And on the blogging front?

My biggest (and not entirely realistic!) vintage dream is to get an old station wagon (late 50s or early 60s) and a vintage trailer to tow behind it. I would love to travel the country seeing the sites in style. As for my blog, a year or so ago I quit making outfit posts on my blog, I am planning on bringing those back with some vintage maternity posts in the near future.


On top of visiting her vintage lifestyle blog, you can stay up-to-date on what's going on in Cedar's world by following her on/at:

-Her etsy shop: The Vintage Wife's Sewing Room

-Instagram

-Pinterest

-Twitter

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{All images used throughout this post via The Vintage Wife. Please click on an image to be taken to its respective corresponding TVH blog post.}

Every now and then you encounter a fellow vintage lover and their blog and both instantly feels like kindred spirits. That is precisely how things are for me with The Vintage Wife. This is a site I love visiting, reading new posts on and discovering more about the skilled, smart, ambitious, wonderful lady who runs it (such as the fact that she appeared in a French edition of Glamour magazine), just as I know you all will, too.

Thank you very much, dear Cedar, for sponsoring Chronically Vintage this spring and for the great interview. I look forward to each new post you'll share with us, as well as preparing lots more of your stellar recipes (I've already whipped up your Quinoa Bell Peppers - they were AMAZING!!!), and continuing to discover, I'm sure, scores more things that we share in common.

Vintage sewing, rescue dogs, and 1940s reenactments: getting to know blogger Rochelle from Lucky Lucille

In my experience, whereas in the offline world one is routinely introduced directly to someone new by a person they already know, this happens far less online. I'm not talking about discovering another blogger via a post on the site of a person you follow, I mean having someone specifically go out of their way to tell you, "Hey, I think you'd like so-so and because...", or, "Have you meet Ms. Blogger, I think you two would hit it off splendidly", or something to that extent.

Last winter, in her wonderfully nice comment on my post about becoming a wig wearer, Tasha of By Gum, By Golly personally recommended that, if I didn't know her already, I visit the blog of a fellow full time wig wearing, vintage adoring gal by the name of Rochelle.

Being a total wig newbie at the time, and only one of an exceedingly small number in the vintage community that I'm aware, of I was deeply touched by Tasha's suggestion and made an immediate beeline over to Rochelle's beautiful blog, Lucky Lucille. Here, not only did I discover a fellow wig wearer, but a kindred spirit with whom I shared a great many interests and similarities, from adoring the 1940s to being a pet (but not human) mama, crafting to a passion for yesteryear catalogs.

In the months since then, I've had the great pleasure of following Rochelle's blog and in turn having the honour of her following mine. We've chatted about wigs, for sure, but also many other things and it was with no small amount of joy that I welcomed her last and her blog, Lucky Lucille, as one of Chronically Vintage's new sponsors in July.

This month I interviewed Rochelle, chatting about everything from WW2 reenactment events to rescue dogs, and today I am thoroughly delighted to bring you that very interview. I hope you'll enjoy learning more about this inspiring, awesomely talented woman and her fantastic blog as much as I did.


Your blog and your sewing both embody such a tremendously lovely sense of the hardworking resourcefulness and creativity that so helped to define 1940s, what are some other things that you feel define you and your wonderful website?

One of the best compliments I ever got was about my honest and humble writing style. I'd like to think people keep coming back to my blog because they enjoy what I have to say, as well as what I'm wearing. Oh, and of course, Lucille has a fan club all her own!




What came first: your passion for vintage or your love of sewing? (Or did they spring to life around the same time?)

Well they are two passions that I kept entirely separate for a very long time. I didn't mean to, I just didn't really realize I could essential sew my own vintage until recently! (It's so nice to have a 1940's dress that I can throw in the washing machine!) I grew up in a home with a sewing machine, a plethora of black and white movies, and a Bing Crosby Christmas album playing every December, so those paths were bound to merge at some point in my life!


Are there some things you wish you’d known when you started sewing when you started out that you know now?

I wish I had a better understanding of what makes a garment fit well, and how to implement those changes for a more successful sewing project. I have SO many dresses sitting in my closet that I love as a project, but do not love as a wearable item. You live and learn!


What are some of your favourite fabrics to sew with?

Hands down it's cotton, cotton, cotton! Any kind of cotton. It's practically all I use and I'm not ashamed of that. It's such a versatile fabric and I'm convinced there's a type of cotton out there for any sewing project you could imagine. In fact, a friend and I are hosting a vintage cotton only sewalong right now.





To date, what are three of your favourite items of clothing (or accessories) that you’ve sewn or knit for your wardrobe?

Definitely my WWII era Marian Martin dress - that will always be one of my favorite dresses. I also love my self drafted swing skirt, and a pair of 40's trousers that I sadly broke the zipper on and have yet to replace. I should really get on that because I wore those pants all the time!





What would be your dream project (vintage or otherwise) to sew or knit for yourself?

Oh goodness, if I had an ounce of talent at knitting I would definitely knit a heavy duty 1940's "boyfriend" sweater, or some kind of color work project with cute animals. My dream sewing project would involve my own line of sewing patterns. ...I'm working towards that actually ;)

{Image source: Sears and Roebuck catalog, fall 1942}

Aside from sewing, knitting and blogging, what are some of your other creative pursuits and hobbies?

Well I'm a big nerd so I enjoy reading epic fantasy novels, watching period piece films, and bowling hehe! I also really love snowboarding (it cured my seasonal depression!). I've also started digitizing some of my 1940s periodicals and making them available as downloads. Some of these magazines are just too good not to share! I'm working on restoring the "War-time Manual For Housewives" now.


Your personal fashion style is so understatedly, classically beautiful and evocative of a patriotic 1940s gal, what are some of your key wardrobe musts for those looking to take your sartorial lead?

Definitely a classic 1940's shirt dress! That's a piece that is truly timeless and translates very well from vintage to modern. I don't think shirt dresses will ever, ever go out of style.





Lucille, your immensely cute rescue dog, is a key player on your blog (and of course in your life). Do you find that she influence your style and/or what you blog about?

She certainly influences me in the sense that I live by her example. Before I rescued her she lived a very sad, hard, life but you'd never know it by her attitude now. She doesn't hold a grudge against humanity when she has every right to. She LOVES people and is generally an extremely sweet, happy-go-lucky pup. Her breed also faces a fair amount of adversity but she doesn't know that. She is what she is, and I am what I am, and we're happy as such. Dogs just take life one day at a time, and always stop to smell the flowers :) We can all learn something from that attitude.


You and I both share a passion for adopting rescuing animals and the importance no-kill shelters. What are some things that you wish more people knew about shelter animals and why it’s so important to consider adopting an animal from a shelter when looking to add a new pet to one’s family?

Oh boy, I could talk all day on this subject! I went to school for Vet Tech and also worked in a shelter, so this is a subject very dear to me. A lot of people think people give up their pets because there is something "wrong" with them. But the truth is, many people give up house pets who are well loved and well trained simply because their situations change and they no longer have the means to care for them. The majority of shelter animals are not bad pets. They just got dealt some bad cards.

You should go into a shelter with an open mind and talk with the staff about the right type of pet for you. I swore up and down that I was going to rescue a male greyhound, but walked out with a little white and brindle pit bull instead. She's the dog who won me over, she's the perfect dog for me, and now I can't imagine my life without Lucille. In her case, ending up in the shelter was the best thing that ever happened to her.

When you rescue a pet, you save two lives: The life of the pet you adopted, and the life of the pet who got to take its place at the shelter. Also, when you pay adoption fees, you help save more lives by supporting the shelter and allowing them to purchase vaccines and other resources for the animals still waiting for their forever homes. There is a fine line between rescuing and hoarding though, and with 5 misfit cats and one dog (a low count of pets for me!) I'm cutting it close haha! You can't save them all, but you can definitely make a difference.




You’re a fan of 1940s reenactment events (awesome!), what are some of your tips for those who are looking to get into this fun activity for the first time?

Start going to events dressed in period clothing to get a feel for what it's like, then try to join a reenacting group! It's always more fun when you can make new friends when starting a new hobby, and joining a group gives you the perfect opportunity to do that. Not to mention, a group leader can offer you guidance when putting together your impression (which is sort of like a character). Keep in mind that not all reenacting impressions are military.

I joined a group called The Paper Dolls and we do home front impressions specifically (think Rosie the Riveter and the Women's Land Army!). Do as much research as you can, and do your best to be authentic. Reenactors honor veterans and civilians by representing them as accurately as possible. It can very disrespectful to show up at an event and not represent the time period correctly.






You’re transported back in time to 1940s for an hour with a hundred dollars (in 40s money) in hand to spend however you like. Quick! What do you buy?

Well considering there was rationing going on during the war, and you might not be able to buy whatever you wanted even if you could, I'd still try to order pretty much one of everything from the women's section of Sears and Roebuck!

{Image source: Sears and Roebuck catalog, spring 1942}

Five words that you feel describe your life right now would be?

Great new things to come :)


Thank you very much for this marvelous interview, sweet gal. I adored getting to know you ever better, as I’m sure my readers did, too.


Rochelle and Lucille can also be found across the web on the following sites:

Facebook

Flickr

Google+

Instagram

Pinterest

Twitter

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I will always be grateful to Tasha for introducing me to Rochelle, and in turn to Rochelle for helping to answer some of my wig related questions during those early days of life sans my real hair, as well as for each and every email, blog comment, and lovely social media interaction we've shared since. Wigs may have brought us together, but a great many other things have helped form a shared point into a meaningful friendship.

Believe me when I say, you are bound to adore her Rochelle's fantastic blog. It is chalked full of awesome how-tos and patterns, finished sewing and knitting projects, old school images, endlessly adorable photographs of Lucille, and myriad other things, amongst which, we can all find something in common with this creative, beautiful vintage loving lady.