Vintage Link Love for May 2015

Noooo May, please don't go, I love you ever so much and have built a shine to you out of sundresses, wedge sandals, and straw accessories - isn't that enough to appease you to stick around for another hundred years or so?

No dice? Pleas in vein? June is "insisting" on arriving no matter what? Shucks, okay, if it has to do, fine. After all, it is a pretty darn fantastic month, too!

Hee-hee, okay, not that I've got that out of my system, on with the show! :)

May whizzed by at the speed of light and I'm happy to say that in a lot of respects, it was a better month that April. After all, how could it not be with my Etsy shop hitting its first birthday back on the 6th?

I've also been pouring a ton, and I do mean a ton, of thought and energy into thinking about (and in some cases, getting the ball rolling when it comes to) change this month, as I discussed at length in this recent post. I feel like I'm swirling around in a vortex of ideas and excitement at the moment. In the weeks and months that follow, I want to wrangle some of these ideas in and put them into action, and I couldn't be happier about that prospect.

I feel like I need to proverbially clear some cobwebs, so to speak, out of my life - both online and off - and to also work on showing you guys even more sides of who I am (a topic I may devote a post to in the near future, though I did delve into that topic in some respects in this entry last July).

For today however, on this last, gloriously pretty day of May, it's time for the monthly edition of Vintage Link Love, and goodness, am I fired up about the fabulously fun, informative, and highly inspiring list of stories in this one. From how to make lipstick with an every day art and crafts supply item to the debunking of some all to common vintage myths, there is so much to love about these awesome posts!!!

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♥ Recommended Online Reading for Vintage Style Enthusiasts: To say that Natalie has blown it out of the water with this thoroughly, helpful, marvelous post - that honestly teeters on the cusp of being called a directory, IMO - would be an understatement. From blogs to YouTube channels, Facebook pages to Pinterest accounts and oodles more, this wonderful post shares some of the best and brightest, most helpful and inspiring vintage related websites and personalities to be had anywhere on the web. Run, don't walk, over to this post, read every last word, share it, and bookmark it, because this is the kind of entry you'll want to refer back to time and time again.

♥ Ten tips for petite vintage style: Being a short lass myself (I just barely scrape in at 5'2"), I'm allays eager to read more about how my fellow petite lasses dress for their height and bodies, and absolutely adore the selection of terrific advice that CiCi shared on the subject recently in this post (very much including tip #1 - midi dresses and skirts are by far the most flatting and leg lengthening option for me as well!).

♥ The evolution of women's workwear: This photo filled, lovely overview of the subject of women's workwear, and how it has changed and evolved over the course of the last century, from Retronaut/Mashable is sure to appeal to vintage fashion fans the world over, no matter if you have to dress up/differently for your day job or not.




♥ How to store vintage hats: As someone whose own vintage hat collection (save for those that are nicely arranged on round end hooks on one wall in our house), could seriously use for some more practical and accessible storage options (the others are mostly stored carefully in cardboard boxes due to lack of space to display them), I lapped up this great post from Stephanie with gusto and am currently looking for some storage boxes akin to the ones she highlighted in her video.


♥ Life as the kid of a vintage blogger: I was struck by what a poignant, beautiful topic this is and loved that Brittany from Va Voom Vintage opted to speak from her heart on the roll that her own passion for vintage has already had on/in her young children's lives.


♥ How Katharine Hepburn became a style icon: Engaging, well written, and chocked full of images of garments worn by the famed actress herself, this wonderful post from the Smithsonian is sure to further deepen any fan's love for Katherine and the undeniable impact she left on the world of fashion.



♥ 5 Vintage Myths: Gemma always does a fantastic job of calling things like they are and speaking insightfully on topics pertaining to the perception of vintage wearers/enthusiasts. This post examines five common vintage myths that most of us have encountered over the years and will have you nodding your head vigorously in understanding and agreement the whole way through.


♥ Why a good seamstress is your wardrobe's secret weapon: Nearly any fashionista/o will sing the praises of a tailor, but skilled ones can do so much more than just hem skirts or make cuffs and the impact they can have on your wardrobe can be seriously profound, as this great post from Blue Velvet Vintage's blog highlights and reminds one and all.


♥ 10 strangely popular recipes that mom used to make: I've said it before, and I'll happily say it again: there are plenty of what we might now dub kitschy at best (nightmarish at worst) vintage recipes out there that I flat out adore. This fun post from the family history site Crestleaf rounds up ten old school dishes that might not see a lot of mealtime play these days, but which still hold an unmistakable appeal for many folks (I will forever adore grape jelly meatballs!).




♥ DIY Crayon lipstick: My dear online friend Beverly is one of those people who has an innate talent for making beautiful things and creating the kind of dreamy, shabby chic, vintage infused world, so many of us would give our favourite Bakelite bangle to live in. This month on her blog, Tea Cottage Pretties, she shared a really fun recipe for making your own lipstick using none other than good, ol' Crayola crayons. How cool is that?!


♥ The Vintage Map: This link is for a whole site, not a specific story, as I thought the premise behind The Vintage Map was fantastic. This site has set out to be a worldwide directory for vintage shops, inviting store owners to write their own shop overviews, and encouraging shoppers to submit their own favourites as well. It can often be tricky, especially since not all vintage shops have their own websites or social media presences yet (hard to believe but true, I run into it all the time here in Canada!), to find stores pertaining to the past in your area or a location that you might be traveling to, so for that reason and oodles more, this directory is just what the vintage community needs!


♥ 1960s Makeup – Eight Steps to a Party Face: With the truly beloved television series Mad Men having ended this month (*sniffle, sniffle*), I think that a lot of us are in the mood - if only temporarily - for 1960s and even 70s fashions and looks, so this fun how-to from Glamour Daze, which was originally released in 1967, couldn't come at a more apt time.

{All images throughout the list of links above come by way of the post that they are displayed directly beneath the write up of here. Please follow the links provided to learn more about these images.}

♥ ♥ ♥

While I would love to see May stick around for a bit longer, June really is a sensational month, too! I love it when the weather really starts to heat up, as it does around this time of the year. I must have been a sunbathing iguana in another life because, even though it drains me something fierce (that would be my health factoring in there big time!), I madly love the sizzling heat that soaks into your skin, bones, and soul alike.

June is a happy, fabulous month and I can't wait to make the most of it, from walks at the beach to celebrating the longest day of the year on the summer solstice (on Sunday June 21st), yard saling to barbequing - and of course, no shortage of sundress and straw hat wearing!

With all my heart, I wish you each a jubilant and joyful June - here's hoping it's one of the best ever for all of us!!!

Do you know The Glamorous Housewife?

Bethany Herwegh is the kind of woman who imparts beauty and a discerning eye for aesthetics into everything she touches, blogs about, wears or fills her stunning home with. She's a smart cookie, a gal of many talents, a wonderful mother, and a die-hard vintage fan - as well as being one of Chronically Vintage's fabulous new blog sponsors.



{Expert of ladylike style, chic home decor, marvelous parties, delicious recipes, creative craft projects, and so very much more, Bethany Herwegh (pictured here) truly brings a much needed dose of yesteryear elegance to the modern blogging world through her website The Glamorous Housewife.} 

By pure coincidence, Bethany - known to many the web over as The Glamorous Housewife - and I both started our blogs with a just a few months of one another in 2009, and it has been a joy to watch her sight grow and flourish over the years.

In her own words, when speaking about what lead to the creation of The Glamorous Housewife blog, Bethany says, "A few years ago I looked in the mirror and couldn’t recognize myself. I saw a frumpy, unfashionable, messy haired and no makeup gal staring at me. I had let myself go. Right then and there I decided to throw out my sweat pants and become the elegant woman I always wanted to be."

And just that she did - with aplomb! Woven throughout The Glamorous Housewife one finds posts spanning topics as diverse as feminism to How to Have a Good Marriage (an on series that is now up to its seventh post), Bethany's vintage wardrobe essentials to her exciting travels to lands far and near alike (such as trip to Mexico - complete with fabulous holiday outfits).

I think that one of the reasons I've adorned The Glamorous Housewife from the get-go is that, much like myself, Bethany has a diverse range of interests pertaining both to everything from cooking to entertaining, home decor to vintage fashion. She blogs frequently and with passion, swirling reoccurring post series (such as her Why Don't You? posts) with intriguing new topics week after week, month after thoroughly lovely month.



{Not only are Bethany's posts bursting with beauty, but The Glamorous Housewife blog itself is a smashingly lovely, rich in vintage appeal, and such a delight to visit.}


Whether discussing holiday decor (I loved the decor and menu she created for a vegetarian Rosh Hashana feast), sharing a craft project that she made (such as this vibrantly beautiful peony wreath how-to), highlighting some of the recent web links that have caught her eye, documenting her daily (utterly gorgeous) vintage and timelessly classic outfits, or opening up her house for us to see the jaw-droppingly lovely, sophisticated, charmingly sweet decor inside, there's just something about Bethany and her blog that make you feel very happy you visited.

One truly senses the well cultivated glamorous that flows throughout Bethany's life and website alike, and you find yourself eager as all get out for the next post, which might feature anything from a video tutorial for a quick, chic hairstyle to a recipe for Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies.

Once you spend a little time visiting The Glamorous Housewife, you quickly pick up on the vintage vibe that permeates so many of Bethany's posts and fantastic outfits. It exudes sophistication, but is also youthful, fun, approachable, and very easy to put your own spin on. Her ensembles often feature a mix of vintage and vintage appropriate garments, as well as new pieces with a wholly timeless appeal to them. Her looks are polished and exactingly well put together, yet make one and fall feel like they could replicate them on their own easily - which, I think, is one of the most important hallmarks of fashion blogger.



{Just one of the many incredibly lovely vintage outfits that Bethany frequently posts on her blog and on Instagram. Isn't her pink vintage L’Aiglon dress divine?}


As well as manning her popular blog, Bethany and The Glamorous Housewife can be found on...

-Facebook

-Google Plus

-Instagram

-Pinterest

-Twitter

-Youtube 

The Glamorous Housewife teams with inspiration pertaining to a vast array of topics. It's a genuinely enjoyable site that is able to appeal to a wide demographic, spanning busy moms to vintage fashion lovers, holiday entertaining fans to those who enjoy seeing some of the things that have been tickling their favourite bloggers' fancies lately.

Bethany set out to create a site that would allow her to become the elegant woman she's always wanted to be - a sentiment which many in today's world can certainly relate to - and succeeded on that front to no end. She and her site are a treasure trove of real world beauty, inspiration, style, entertainment, thought provoking topics, and more glamor than you can shake a baguette clutch at.

If you haven't already, hop right on over to The Glamorous Housewife and say hello to Bethany. Chances are you'll fall in love with her blog as much as I did, and soon find her site to be amongst the reads you most look forward to each week - especially if you're looking for new and exciting ways to inject a dose of classic glamorous into your twenty-first century life.

A look back at January 2013

 Right around the end of 2012, my dear friend Bunny Monroe asked me if I was planning to put together a year-in-review post about some of the vintage outfits I'd worn throughout the past year. I'd already been contemplating the idea of doing so myself, but, as I replied to Bunny, I held off because (stickler for accuracy that I am) I technically did not start posting outfit snaps here (on any kind of regular basis) until last March, and as such a year-in-review of my outfits from 2012 would not truly encompass a full a year (I could have recapped what appeared here all the same, but again, it just didn't feel right to do a year end post that did not span topics from January to December).

Bunny's question however, got me thinking about the general topic of “in review” posts and early on in the initial days of this month, I decided that I'd debut something here on Chronically Vintage that I've not really done before, and that is to recap some of the highlights (good, bad or otherwise!) from the past month will all of you.

I'd like such posts to become a monthly event that transpire on the last day of the month, or if that's not possible (or if the last day happens to fall on a holiday and I'd prefer to dedicate a post to that special day) during the first few days of the next month, and in the spirit of ensuring something takes place starting in January, we'll launch this new series- which I'm calling "A look back at (whatever month)" - today.

I'm not rigidly mapping out how such posts will go, they're open to all kinds of potential and will, at their heart, be about looking back as some of the blog posts that stood out for me during the course of a given month, as well as some of the things that transpired in my life, which I might not have yet blogged about. Photos, links to interesting stories on other peoples' sites, and an array of diverse subject matter may pop up here as well.

Overall, I'd say that this month fell squarely into the mixed bag category. On a personal level there were some relatively long, stressful days, but also some terrific ones. The weather, in true January fashion, was bracingly cold, but we were treated to a fair bit of icy sunshine as well. I was able to accomplish a lot on some fronts, and almost none on others.

{January hit much like a snowball that you happen to see coming straight at you: freezing, a little rough, but ultimately worth smiling about. Image source.}

My heart and soul didn't want to say goodbye to either the Christmas spirit or 2012 (as I discussed in this post), both having been so tremendously lovely. I think that in the wake of such a great year and holiday season, January felt a bit akin to when you return home from a fabulous vacation and have a bit of a hard time readjusting to the usual ebb and flow of life again. I lingered on taking down the decorations, packing away the Christmas records, ceasing to bake shortbread cookies, and hanging up my holiday cardigan.

Ultimately though, all of those things took place, especially since I needed to devote my thoughts and attention to other going-ons, such as doing our personal and business taxes, medical appointments, and (infinitely more enjoyably than either of those things) thrifting with my mom at a Value Village 50% off sale in the middle of the month.

Much as one often feels after a great vacation, I think I was more worn out from the (albeit mostly positive) hecticness of 2013 then I initially realized. This point didn't hit me as the ball dropped at midnight on New Year's or even for a few days afterwards, but by around the 10th (which, as a neat side note, is exactly the halfway mark to my birthday), it did and I needed a few days to unwind and recharge.

Interesting, right around that time, our home internet service was inexplicably down for nearly six days. I kept up with some of my usual online activities via my iPhone (an awesome recent Christmas gift from Tony) while out and about, but for the most part, I fell behind on emails, social media, blog feeds, etc for a few days and then spent the next week feverishly trying to keep up. This only wore me out more (I'm all for hiatuses, I just prefer them to be planned ones!), but it didn't shake the happiness from my spirit that was present as 2012 came to a close, and I'm very grateful for that.

As we sit here on the morning of the last day of January, I still feel like my batteries need some more boosting, but their energy levels, so to speak, are gradually climbing back up, and I'm sure the lovely festivities (Groundhog Day, Valentine's, the one year anniversary of when we moved to B.C. last year, etc) of this month will help that cause further.

Here on the blogging front a lot transpired this month, and before I go any further, I want to thank each and every one of you for your tremendously lovely comments, support, encouragement, help, and friendship throughout this month. As I remarked to Tony numerous times while reading and approving blog comments, I feel so blessed to have such amazing readers and online friends.

So what took place here throughout January? The year kicked off with a post that highlighted The importance of having a blogging schedule, then in New hair for the New Year I shared with all of you about the fact that due to years of ongoing hair loss, the time had finally come for me to start wearing a wig. The incredible outpouring of kindness and support that I received in response to both that post and my wig unveiling (a photo from which is pictured below) a few days later will stay with me for the rest of my life.

As the month rolled on, I talked about one of my vintage holy grains in The kind of vintage piece that pipe dreams are made of, celebrated six years of wearing glasses, explored how vintage clothes sizing works, took a peak at How I store, and why I love, vintage bangle bracelets; and in a very intimate post, I shared with you that Chronically Vintage and I are both now on Facebook for the first time.

There were other posts, too, but these are some of the ones that standout most for me from the past month. Another pair of highlights occurred when I won two online giveaways: a splendidly pretty cardigan from the gorgeous blog Circus Girl, and a fabulous Arthelia's Attic snood from Haute Rockabilly Fashionista.
In the case of the latter, I own my win entirely to the incredible kindness of Rockabilly Belle from Rockabelle Bombshell who, in what sincerely stands out as one of the most thoughtful gestures anyone has ever done for, donated her entry to me with the following giveaway comment, "I would love it if you would count my blogging of the Snoods towards Jessica's at Chronically Vintage, she is such a sweetheart and wants one so bad."

It's true, I did, but I never in a million years imagined that I'd end up winning one because of someone else's random act of kindness. Amongst a month that wasn't always a bed of roses, Rockabilly Belle's generosity and sweetness shine luminously as a definite point of awesomeness, and I cannot begin to thank her enough for the fact that I'm now waiting for my first even Arthelia's Attic snood to arrive because of her (with an outfit post including it to follow once it does).

So what does February have in store as we look ahead? In part, as always, only time will tell, but I can let you in on the fact that I'm planning posts on topics as diverse as the history of maple syrup, my first pink Christmas tree, and plenty of Valentine's Day festivities.

{Sno’ fooling, I have high hopes for February and suspect it will be a great month when all is said and done. Image source.}


Though I wouldn't call this past month my favourite January of all time, it was by absolutely no means the worst either. In so many ways, it was simply January, simplistic though that may sound. Cold, busy, taxing, sometimes quite fun, and the only way possible to begin the year anew.

Happy last day of January, my wonderful dears - may February bring us all nicer weather, scores of joy, and an extra big dose of some of the things (and people - in the case of the 14th) that we love the most!

My annual Boxing Day blogroll cleanup tradition

✯ Day 360 of Vintage 365 ✯

Stuffed to the gills with immensely delicious food, giddy from the past day’s merriment, and relaxed by the fact that for many of us today means a day free from our jobs, it might seem a tad odd that I have a Boxing Day tradition that pertains to cleaning.

Lest you think I'm getting an especially early jump on my spring cleaning, allow me to explain. You see, once a year I like to go through the blog roll here on Chronically Vintage and tidy things up, removing any sites that no longer exist (shut down by their authors), which have switched to "by invite only" status, or that are no longer good matches for this site.

Having been awake for hours already, I've completed the blog tidying process for this year. It's always deeply interesting to see which blogs are still going strong and which, for whatever reason, have decided to shut down or have become abandoned (by which I mean their owners suddenly stopped blogging and did not create a post saying that they were planning to do such).

{Nothing as arduous as scrubbing the stove for me today, just doing a little light online housekeeping this fine, frosty Boxing Day. Vintage Kleenoff Jelly ad via alsis35 on Flickr.}

In the case of the later, I generally have a one year rule, by which I mean if a given blog has not seen any new activity for a year or longer, I'm more inclined to remove it from my blog roll. However, even there one encounters exceptions, because (given the historically geared nature of the topics many vintage loving bloggers cover) the content on such sites may still be of great interest to fellow vintage fans and I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on a great site simply because it's no longer going strong.

Though I do not count the precise number of links that I remove each year, I'd ballpark things and say that this time around my blog roll was shortened by about 20%. As I add new links to it throughout the year however, there's a very decent chance that come Boxing Day 2012, it will once again be much the same size as it was prior to this morning.

In fact, in briefly visiting every single blog on listing in my sidebar today, I discovered (through posts on various sites) three or four new (to me) vintage blogs, which of course I added to the roster.

One might wonder why I opted to assign Boxing Day to this yearly task and the I believe that the first time around it was something that just came about originally. Back then, in December 2009, Chronically Vintage had been online for the better part of a year and I figured it was time I pruned by blog roll (as described above) to make sure it was in peak shape for my wonderful blog visitors to enjoy.

As way of ensuring this job was carried out annual, it made sense from there on out to stick with the same day each year, and thus my annual Boxing Day tradition of tidying up my blogroll was born.

That, however, is just about the only "job" I'll be doing today. There's too many scrumptious Christmas leftovers to eat, vintage holiday songs to enjoy, and new presents to delight in to devote this marvelous day of relaxation to anything more arduous than that.

Wishing you all a terrifically fun Boxing Day, however you opt to spend it, sweet dears!

A super quick note about the Vintage 365 series

Hi my wonderful dears, how are you each as we wrap up this second day of March 2011? On this end we've been treated to another round of wild banshee-like howling winds, but the sunshine did briefly - and radiantly appear - which pleased my snuggly little cat, Stella, ever so much! :)

{Just a little note - much like the one the elegant gal in this 1922 black and white illustration - is reading, to let you that I'll be making a teeny-tiny change to the Vintage 365 series. Vintage image via Captain Geoffrey Spaulding on Flickr.}

 

This immensely quick post is simply to let all of you know that as of tomorrow, I'll be dropping the words "Vintage 365" from the post title of all future editions of Vintage 365 (the colourful "Day x of Vintage 365" counter will still appear at the top of each post though, so you'll always be able to quickly know how far along in the series we are).

I'm doing this because the thought struck me earlier today that perhaps having the words "Vintage 365" at the start of so many posts (ideally 365 of them ) might get a tad repetitive (if not downright annoying) to some people. By eliminating those two words at the start of each new article, you'll be better able to immediately read the title and get a sense of what that day's entry is about.

While we're on the subject of Vintage 365, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone for your awesome support of, and comments on, the posts in this series so far. I adore hearing from, and sharing in this marvelous daily journey through the past with, each of you!

Vintage 365: Charming Vintage Recipes blog more than lives up its name!

✯ Day 51 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

Recipes, be they old or new, have always been a major passion of mine. I adore discovering and reading them every bit as much as I do whipping them up in my kitchen. I think that recipes hold a secret wealth of information about who were are - or were - at any given moment in time. From the humble, generally incredibly economical recipes of the early 30s to the wild and wonderful meat/pineapple/maraschino cherry/Velveeta filled gems of the 1950s that hostesses adored serving, recipes speak volumes for the era that they hail from.

I'm always on the prowl for vintage recipes, and over the yeas I've encountered a number of excellent sites that I turn to time and time again both for the joy that they present in the form of the old school foods they features, but also for my own menu planning needs. One such site that I've adorned for quite some time now is Coralie Cederna's exceedingly wonderful blog, Charming Vintage Recipes.

Chock-a-block with fun, fascinating, often very tasty sounding recipes from the mid-twentieth century (which are presented in the form of typed vintage recipes cards, making this site even more awesome right there!), this excellently recipe-rich blog is a joyful look back at the diverse dishes that folks tucked into during the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s (such as the great Blueberry Pie Surprise recipe featured above, which I think sounds every bit as scrumptious today as when it first debuted decades ago!).

I visit this Charming Vintage Recipes as often as I can (new posts are added several times a week), and always leave feeling both as though I've got a lovely little history lesson and like I really, really want to head straight for the kitchen and try out these terrific vintage culinary ideas right away!

And the winner of the CollectibleSpectacle giveaway is...

...None other than the absolutely fabulous Traci from The Bakery. Congratulations, Traci dear, please email any time you wish so that I can forward your details onto CollectibleSpectacle and you can get down to the super fun task of picking out your favourite pair of gorgeous vintage eyeglasses.



{Yeeeeh, Traci! If you haven’t had a chance to swing by Traci’s blog, be sure to treat yourself and head over there right now for a hearty dose of vintage goodness.}

This stellar giveaway generated a fantastic response, resulting in a total of 75 comments. This morning using a random number generator (click here if you’d like to see a screen shot of the random number that was generated), entry #55 popped up as the wonderful winner of this giveaway.

I want to thank each and every one of you who took the time to enter, tweet, post about, or otherwise help spread the news about the CollectibleSpectacle giveaway. Through your posts, I discovered several brand-new-to-me blogs and also had the joy of hearing from long-time blogging friends.

Massive congrats again, Traci! For those who didn’t win, please fear not, I already have future giveaways in the works for other enchanting items, which I hope you’ll all love too!

Seven Interesting Things (about me) Kreativ Blogger Award

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the honour of getting to know one of the sweetest souls you could ever hope to encounter, a creative and kind blogger by the name of GypsyFox. Since our first online encounter, Gypsy and I have shared many wonderful conversations and discovered that we have numerous things in common. She has also graced my blog with an incredibly stunning graphic (visible on the lower right hand side bar of this site) and created a stunning birthday graphic for me last week as well.

As if those kind acts weren’t enough, on Wednesday she bestowed a delightful award upon my blog called the “Kreativ Blogger” award. The premise of this accolade is that bloggers who receive it must list seven little known facts about themselves and then pass along the award to some of their fellow “Kreativ Bloggers”.

Before I push my perpetual shyness aside to muster up a few snippets of info you may not already know about me, I must extend my very heartfelt thanks to Gyspy not only for this awesome award, but for being such a dear friend!

♥ Seven little facts about moi ♥


{Illustration from a 1944 children's book, via Paula Writh's lovely Flickr stream.}


1.) I am really, really eclectic! I have such a never-ending stream of diverse interests and I am quite convinced that even if I had all the energy, money and time in the world, I would only begin to scratch the surface of spending time enjoying everything that I find fascinating and/or that brings me bliss.

2.) I met my husband, the light of my life, joy of my world, online in the spring of 2004 and we’ve been together for over five years now. I like to say that it was “love at first email”.

3.) There are number of different things that I collect (which naturally ties into point #1) – from Japanese miniatures to Girl Guide related items, yet I despise clutter with a passion and am the polar opposite of a pack rat.

4.) Paraphrasing my sweet husband, to call me a girly-girl would be a gross understatement. For as long as my memories stretch back, I have been consumed by all things feminine, beautiful and elegant. Whether my outfit on a given day reflects my love of vintage fashion or not, if I’ve stepping even so much as one pinkie toe out the door, I will be dressed femininely. To doing anything less would be akin to being sacrilegious (to my own personal aesthetic) in my mind.

5.) I am a dyed-in-the-wool homebody with the slightest underlying spark of wanderlust. It seems like a strange contradiction and yet it works perfectly well, as it often means I’m up for moving across the country (or world) and setting up home someplace new and exciting.

6.) My favourite parts of my own body are my small hands, green eyes, and slender wrists. (Don’t generally mind my ever-so-slightly pear-ish hour glass figure either, it makes 50s styles a dream to wear but on the other hand does rule out ever looking like a convincing Flapper girl ;D)

7.) I absolutely adore animals of all types, but have always found myself inexplicably drawn to the slightly “offbeat” ones in particular (for example manatees, platypuses, ferrets, hedgehogs, and anything that’s an albino, are all favourites).



There are so, so many astounding blogs I follow that I never feel as though I can just select a mere handful to extend a blog award to. Should your name not appear on this list, please know that you are a Kreativ Blogger through and through, and that by absolute all means you are more than welcome to give yourself this award, from me, as well!



{If you’d like to share this award, please save the image below to your own computer or online image hosting site and distribute to whomever you desire.}


According to Gypsy’s post, the following rules are suggested for the Kreativ Blogger award:

• Thank the person who nominated you for the award
• Copy the logo and place it on your blog
• Link to the person who nominated you for this award
• List seven things about yourself that people might find interesting
• Nominate and post links to the seven Kreativ Bloggers you nominate
• Leave a comment on each of the blogs (or otherwise notify the recipients), letting them know they have been nominated


Should you the fancy doing so, following seven people are welcome to pass along the Kreativ Blogger award. I thank each of you deeply for the inspiration and beauty your blogs continually bring into my life, you are definitely all very Kreativ Bloggers!


1.) Andi B. Goode

2.) ~*Just Add Glitter and Stir*~

3.) Casey’s Elegant Musings

4.) Tattered Saints

5.) Fashion After Forty

6.) Cpaphil Vintage Postcards

7.) The Vintage Kitten





{Adorable vintage thank you card from Look Homeward, Harlot’s Flickr stream.}

Warmest of thanks again to you, Gypsy dear, you are such a wonderful, talented and inspirational person! Despite being reclusive to dish about myself (in general), I had a blast putting together this post and am really touched that you see me as a kreativ blogger!