Five for Friday: January 29, 2010

...Sunshine, delicate as spun sugar encircles the air, yet its presence is a mask for the bitingly cold temperature that accompanies the light outside, pale as home churned butter. Still, so long as one is indoors, it’s nearly impossible not to feel invigorated by the much needed dose of vitamin D that the sun delivers – and certainly, sweet little Stella, loves the having a spot of light to nap in peacefully. As the weekend approaches my mind shifts to thoughts of tranquility levels equaling that of a sleeping cat. We’re still in the thick of winter and there’s no reason why a spot of good old fashioned hibernation can’t be on the agenda. Curl up with your favourite warm drink, a snugly blanket and some thick, comfy socks to fend off the chill, and settle back for a few minutes of fun with this week’s edition of Five for Friday...


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{Delicate petals of burgundy vintage satin and velvet swirl together with tiny rhinestones in this charming handmade fascinator style headband. Can’t you just picture this pretty piece paired with a cream hued wool coat or a faux fur stole during the winter, then as an accompaniment to your favourite flirty summer dresses and skirts. “Penelope” vintage millinery blossom headband, $25.00 (US) from etsy seller Katrina Pinka.}

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{Writing letters is one of my favourite activities no matter the season, but I find that the natural fact winter tends to equate to spending more time indoors means I’m able to zip off even more quick notes and long correspondence alike. I’m continually on the prowl for beautiful and/or adorable stationery, and this charming set of two notepads (50 pages each) of lined paper and delightfully cute plastic quill pen fit the bill perfectly! “Lines Birdie Note Pads and Plume Pen Set”, $22.00 (US) from Plasticland.}

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{If ever there was a scent that was aptly named to appeal to fans of the past like us, “Vintage Soul” from Liz Clairborne is it! Not only does this eau de parfum have a lovely moniker, it comes in an immensely beautiful bottle (and box) that calls to minds thoughts of the Moulin Rouge in its heyday, and is packed with a garden full of floral notes such as lilies, freesia, cactus flower, jasmine, gardenia, and tuberose. 3.4oz bottle of Vintage Soul, $22.61 (Cnd) from overstock.com}

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{Put the kettle on and pair your favourite cuppa with these fantastically cute Tiny Cherry and Almond Tea Cakes (which look both rustically playful and deeply sophisticated at the same time) made with sweet binge cherries and kirsch for oodles of appealing fruit and flavour. Image from, and recipe on, marthastewart.com.}

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{Rich, regally elegant jewel tones always seem to go hand-in-hand with the colder months (in my mind at least) and work so well to bolster one’s spirits. What better way to infuse a royal hit of passionately deep eggplant into your wardrobe then with this stunning 1940s reproduction frock? “Lula” wiggle dress with fish tail hem, available in sixes small-XL, £100.00 (UK) from The Pin-up Emporium.}

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Bundles of thanks, everyone, for your wonderfully lovely comments this week! At the risk of sounding like a broken record (but for the sake of Chronically Vintage’s newest followers), I will do my best over the course of the next couple of days to catch up on my visits to your own splendid sites. I love hearing from you so, so much and appreciate every one of your shared thoughts.

Wishing you all an amazing, warm and relaxing weekend – and last two days of the first month of 2010!

Vintage Deal of the Day: November 12, 2009

{You know, I adore sending out Christmas cards – actually I love sending out cards for any holiday, special event or just to say hello to a person I hold dear. I’ve already drafted my 2009 winter holiday mailing list, but before I finalize it for certain, I want to track down my cards for this year. While searching I came across these delightfully chic vintage inspired cards from Fred Flare, which are part of a set of three different designs that seem to telegraph the wonderful style of illustration that often peppers cookbooks, magazines and just about all manner of publications during the late 50s and early 60s. If these festive cards are calling your name, bop on by Fred Flare and pick up a package of nine cards (three of each design) for $14.00 (US) – according to the site “5% of the sale price of the cards will benefit causes like the Best Friends Animal Society and the Arbor Day Foundation”, how fantastic is that?}


Have you begun thinking about your holiday card list yet, or do you prefer to wait until the Thanksgiving dishes have been cleared away before even contemplating anything to do with Christmas? Have you found your cards for this year, or are you on the prowl for an affordable, adorable set of winter stationery at the moment, too?

Vintage Deal of the Day: November 7, 2009

{Mail off a delightfully pretty hello note to a dear friend or loved one with a postcard from this elegant set, complete with its own charming metal tin, of 18 cards (three each of six designs) featuring Victorian inspired images of birds and flowers. What could be more pleasant, especially as the chilly “indoor” weather sets in, than spending a few moments now and then to correspond the old fashioned way with someone near and dear to you via one of these gorgeous cards? Set of 18 “Birds & Blooms Pink Postcard Tin” set currently on sale for $12.80 (US), from Plasticland.}


Like most of us, I have my very favourite – call them “tried and true” – vintage sources that I turn to time and time again, both for use in my posts and for my own personal collection, of which etsy is most definitely one such site. A number of my “Daily Deals” posts have featured etsy pieces, and I have no doubt that oodles of future ones will as well (etsy is, after all, entirely fabulous!), but I’d like to feature items in my “bargain finds” posts from an assortment of other sources as well.

The wonderful postcards above hail from Plasticland.com, a site that never cease to put my will power into overdrive, as I cruise its pages resisting the urge at every turn to order a little something for myself. In general Plasticland’s prices are fairly reasonable and their sale section can really be a good place to score a deal (the same is true of ModCloth.com).

I’m curious though as to what some of your favourite online sources for a stellar bargain are? No matter how large or small the site, if you think it’s a great place to score a deal on a vintage (or vintage looking) piece, I’d love to hear about it!