31 ways to make this August super fun!

August is a gorgeous month - both in terms of the weather (for those in the Northern Hemisphere at least) - and the potential that it holds. From this very morn, until the finally moment on the evening of the 31st, we get roughly four and a half weeks to make the absolute most of summertime while it's still here.

Though one can - and should - make a point of simply putting their feet up and watching the breeze at least once or twice this month (such becomes a lot less enjoyable when the temps are -30, not +30 as they are still are for many at the moment), I often find that I feel an ingrained sense to do, enjoy and experience as much about this month as possible.

Though the lovely weather may linger into September or even early October, this will be the final full month of summer and here on Canadian soil, I know that that I'll likely be waiting until next April before we start to see the first signs of spring again.

That's a rather lengthy haul for anyone, especially those in countries where your winters look like pristine, Christmas card worthy landscapes for the better part of that time. All the more reason, if you ask me, why we should try to really get the most out of August.

Recently I started thinking about some of the various activities that I hope to focus on this month and before long, I had a good sized list going (including a few that fall under the "daydream" heading).

I figured that many of you might enjoy seeing what's on it and perhaps adding to your own August itinerary care of this selection of thirty-one diverse, lovely activities to do throughout the eighth month of the year.

Of course, depending on where you live and the other various circumstances of your life, not all of these not these ideas will be equally easy to achieve. Hopefully though, they'll help to serve as a handy jumping off point when it comes making your August as exciting and enjoyable as possible.

31 ways to make this

August super fun!

1. Hit the open highway, or backwoods path, as you desire, and take a road trip someplace new and exciting!


2. Celebrate one or more (just-for-fun) National Food Days this month. Yum-yum!


3. Most towns and cities team with events in the summer months. Look on local community websites to see if there are any that catch your eye and then inquire as to if you can volunteer a few hours or more of your time to assisting them this month.


4. Set a fun challenge for yourself of taking at least one photo each day of something highly seasonally related. If you blog, consider writing a post at the end of the month in which you highlight some, or all, of the beautiful snaps you collected throughout August.





5. Head on over to Memphis, Tennessee and join thousands of other fans at the annual Elvis Week festival, which takes place this year between August 10th – 16th.


6. Just about any vintage, antique or second shopper's dream, The World's Longest Yard Sale (it spans multiple states!) returns between August 4th and 7th. Bring comfy shoes, lots of small bills, and your best negating skills!


7. Go camping, unfurl your sleeping bag, and enjoy an evening spend under the celestial beauty of the stars.


8. Try to source a great deal on local produce and join in the beautiful age-old tradition of summertime canning/preserving.


9. Sit outside, while the nights are still deliciously warm, and see if you can spot any shooting stars, fireflies, or bats zooming across the inky black sky.





10. Go through your sewing/knitting/crochet patterns and see if there's a fun, speedy summer garment or accessory project that you can make in a day and get at least a bit of wear out of this season.


11. Set aside an afternoon, or whole day, if you'd like, to write cheerful "thinking of you" letters, notecards, and/or postcards to loved ones around the world (extra bonus points in the stationary and/or postage stamps that you is seasonally themed) in which you share some of the highlights of your summer thus far.


12. Interview an elderly relative about their life and then afterwards, to sincerely thank them for sharing so much with you, present them with the gift of one or more of their most memorable pieces of wisdom displayed as a custom art print for them to hang in their home.


13. Break out your best 1920s or 30s finery and join scores of seriously stylish folks at that most beloved of deco era related summertime events, the Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governor's Island in New York state.


14. Start creating (or at least planning) your winter holiday season crafts and/or handmade cards. As much as we may not want to think about it yet, Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, and many other December festivities are now less than five months away!





15. Let your inner youngster out at the beach and make a sandcastle with the best of 'em!


16. Get up really early and go out on a local hot air balloon ride to watch the summer sun rise from a breathtakingly gorgeous - and very lofty - vantage point.


17. Spend time on, in, or near the water! Lake, river, ocean, tiny creek, it scarcely matters. The important thing is that you likely won't freeze in you get wet!


18. Track down a remaining drive-in movie theater in your state or province and take as many relatives/friends as you can legally load into the car for a night of classic film going fun.


19. Try to squeeze in some extra outfit photo shoots this month for those chilly fall and winter months ahead when the weather may not be nearly as cooperative, but you don't want to go too long between posting new looks on your blog.





20. Devote at least 30 minutes a day to quiet reading and make some serious headway on your summer book list.


21. Invite some friends over and hold a spa day/night using only cold or room products to help keep August's heat at bay while you pamper yourselves.


22. Head to beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia for this year's fun filled Pacific National Exhibition - better known around these parts as the PNE.


23. Pretend that you're still of a single digit age and leap (or at least gingerly step ;D) through a splashing sprinkler.


24. Find a local stable or ranch that offers such and hire a horse for a day of trail riding.





25. Have a good old-fashioned ice cream social and go wild with the variety of sundae toppings that you offer your guests.


26. Visit, or perhaps even take part, in one of the biggest annual Highland Games, the Cowal Highland Gathering, in Scotland.


27. As you get ready to start incorporating your fall/winter wardrobe into your life again, take this time to give your closet a thorough purging. Sell, donate, or swap those items you no longer want and, if you've had some sales, treat yourself to something from your vintage wishlist that you've been yearning to buy for ages now.


28. Go early season apple or pear picking at a local orchard.


29. As the month wraps up, join throngs of fellow tennis enthusiasts at the US Open, which runs from August 29th - September 11th this year.


30. Host at least one more full-on, done right family barbeque or picnic.





31. Start planning your Halloween costume - it's never too early to do so and many stores are already beginning to stock festive offerings, so the sooner the better!



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Naturally the list above is a mere drop in the bucket (err, sandcastle pail) when it comes to the near endless number of things that one can do, savour and experience throughout the month of August, and it was tricky to cap my selection at just thirty-one entries.

It's doubtable anybody will do all of these entries this August, but we can each indulge in at least a few, adding in others that suit our lives and remaining open to some great on-the-fly fun as well.

After all, the ability to start your day early and end it late, both in glistening summer sunshine, is one of the most appealing aspects of this fantastic time of the year.

I hope that today's post will help to make your August even more enjoyable and would love to hear about some of the things that you adore doing, seeing, tasting, and otherwise delighting in this month!

A cute flamingo headscarf, vintage velour pedal pushers, and Canada Day camping fun

Outfit details

Vintage style square flamingo print head scarf: c/o Inkabilly
Black enamel coated metal hoop earrings: Unknown, had since I was a teenager (possibly Claire's)
Coral pink and white polka dot sleeveless button front shirt: Thrifted
Black thin knit cropped shrug: Fairweather
1960s green plastic and gold tone metal flower brooch: Clockwork Zoo
White 50s style stretch belt: Hell Bunny (via, if memory serves me right, Retro Glam)
1950s/1960s black velour pedal pushers: Frugal Frocks
1950s/1960s white tile purse: Running Rabbit Studio
Green plastic bangle bracelet: Forever 21
Assorted vintage plastic bangle bracelets: Various sorted (mostly thrifted)
Coral faux patent leather peep toe pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Partyline
Finger and toe nail colour: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Pink Punk
Photography by Tony Cangiano (with photos of us two together taken by my mom)

{Please forgive the various little fuzzy "dots" in these photos, we were inundated with no-see-um bugs while taking these pictures and they photobombed us big time that night!}   

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Before launching into the heart of today's fun new vintage outfit post, I want to take a moment to sincerely, wholeheartedly thank each and every one of you bestowed happy birthday wishes on me over the past few days. Whether here on my blog, Facebook, Instagram, via email, snail mail, or anywhere else, I was super touched by your beautiful wishes and can't convey how much they helped to make my 32nd b-day all the more fabulous!

While - to no one's surprise here locally - we had scads of rain on my birthday, for the Canada Day long weekend at the start of July, we were treated to a bit of sunshine and tons of wind! It was then that we snapped the photos seen here today.

My folks took their camper trailer down to a beautiful campground in the nearby little town of Osoyoos, which is located on the British Columbia side of the BC/Washington state border. A large campground with, I'd estimate, a few hundred camping spots for RVs, campers, trailers, and tents, located on a picturesque lake, this park always teams with Okanagan locals and tourists alike during the summer months.

I've been past it many times, but this was my first time visiting that park. As I've blogged about before over the years (such as in this 2012 post), I'm a massive fan of camping and while the more rugged version is, sadly, out of the question for me these days due to my health, I'll still jump at the chance to go glamping anytime I can and that's just what Tony and I did when my mom and step-dad (pictured below) invited us to spend time with them on the Canada Day long weakened.




For a day of outdoor fun, I knew that I wanted a comfy, festive outfit and started with a fabulous new vintage style flamingo print headscarf that I recently received as a review gift from a great British vintage/rockabilly/pinup inspired housewares and fashion company called Inkabilly.

This scarf is wonderful! Unlike many contemporary vintage style headscarves, this one is a proper square, not a long, skinny shape (nothing against that style - I love it, too, and own several, it's just extra handy to have a square shaped one sometimes) and can - depending on your head and/or hair size - be worn WW2 worker style or folded to various widths, as I've done here.

At just £6.99, this vibrant flamingo print headscarf (which is also available in a purple version; this being the aqua one) is refreshingly budget-friendly, especially for those in the UK.

It is is well made from sturdy, soft 100% cotton. The colours are crisp, the design clear, and the size a very versatile 54cm X 54cm. I really adore this scarf and want to sincerely thank Inkabilly - who I will be teaming up with, and sharing more about, here on my multiple times again in the second half of 2016 - for this handy, stylish vintage inspired accessory.

As many a fellow hourglass and/or pear shaped lady will tell you, finding pants that fit both your hips and your waist can be trickier than tracking down that proverbial needle in a haystack, and this pair of 1950s/1960s black velour pedal pushers is no exception. But that's okay - with the help of a big safety pin and a Hell Bunny stretch belt, it's fairly easy to wrangle the excess inches in the waist, and no one who sees me fully dressed is the wiser.

I picked these classic pedal pushers up two or three years ago from my favourite vintage store in the Okanagan, Frugal Frocks. This is the first time they've appeared here on my blog though, and I'm delighted that I finally got the chance to share them with all of you. Though a very summery garment, the fact that these pants are made from black velour makes them a great choice for balmy spring and autumn days as well (you could even layer them over tights, if need be, for added warmth).

I own very few pairs of pants and of those, not many are genuine vintage, so this pair - even if they're too big in the waist - are a firm favourite. They're super comfy and go with a zillion different tops, including this vintage appropriate punchy pink and white sleeveless button front skirt.

Camping isn't the time for a ton of accessories or delicate pieces, but that doesn't mean I skip jewelry or pretty shoes (I also had black flats in my purse that day for walking on rougher terrain) when the Coleman stove and sleeping bags come out.

Classic black hoop earrings, various bangle bracelets, the aforementioned white stretch belt, my beloved 50s/60s white tile purse, and a pair of recently thrifted (this past spring) coral peep toe pumps (plus a black cropped shrug) round out the mix - and helped to keep the wind at bay.

We had a wonderful holiday long weekend - eating al fresco, soaking up the moments of sun we did receive, and filling our lungs with fresh air. Relaxing and thoroughly welcome after a rocky June, it was also a ton of fun - just like this outfit itself - and hopefully it will be one of many sunny days we'll get, interspersed amongst the rain, as summer continues to unfold.

No matter what Mother Nature gets up to though, there's always vivid colours and tropical themes like the flamingos on this lovely Inkabilly headscarf to keep one in the summertime spirit, and that is well worth cheering about as well.

Who's up for a vintage camping trip this August long weekend?

Perhaps it's the Girl Guide in me, always ready and eager to put up a tent, gather kindling, or fire up the Coleman stove. Maybe it's because I was born in a country so large and filled with such a diverse geography that it's practically a continent unto itself, each corner, stream, and back road just begging to be explored. Or it could just boil down to the fact that there is a great deal to be said in favour of, at least every now and then, shaking off the confines of daily life and slipping out into the woods for an evening or two spent getting back to nature.

Whatever the case may be - and I highly suspect it's a combination of all three - I've always wildly adored camping. Am I an intrepid outdoorswoman with countless hours spent in the backcountry under my belt? No, but I'm not a tenderfoot either. I like to think that my experience lays somewhere in the middle, and my theoretical knowledge of the great outdoors a little higher up the scale.

Canada, as long time readers have no doubt heard me say before, is in my opinion, rather short on holidays. Sure we have the standard handful, but after that things dry up on the holiday front faster than a puddle in Osoyoos come this time of year. Thus it is that I wholeheartedly welcome this upcoming weekend which brings with it the rather lackluster-ly named August Civic Holiday (for folks across the pond, think of it much like a bank holiday).

While I won't be camping this year, it's impossible for August's sole holiday (which - how cool is this? - just happens to fall on Tony's birthday, August 6th, this year) to round the bend without many wonderful memories of wildness experiences tumbling to the forefront of my mind.

From tent peg's staked near the waters of Shuwshap lake, to sleeping bags in Quesnel beneath a sky that was peppered with more stars than the ground in nearby Barkerville had once been with gold nuggets, this is a holiday weekend that spells outdoor fun across the board for me.

I know the same is true for many of you, too, just as - by extension - summer in and of itself is. For those who live in climates where winter is often present for six or more months out of the year, we know how to extract every last drop out of our sunshine filled months, and few activities can help you instantly feel at one with mother nature and all of summer's shimmering glory than camping.

Whether you'll be airing out your bedroll this weekend or just kicking back at home, I hope that following selection of vintage camping photos strikes a cord with you and that you'll find inspiration aplenty here for the next time you embark on a wilderness excursion.

Grab your favourite cooler, some bug spray, and all the fixins for s'mores, and let's head on out for a vintage camping trip!





First thing's first, do we have the gear we'll need for our excursion? Yes? You're sure? Alrighty then, let's hit the open trail!





If you're not quite certain what to wear for our trip, may I suggest a classic plaid shirt and dungaree combo? It's a fail-proof campground fashion winner every time.





Gather up your gear, lads and ladies, it's time we go scout out the perfect spot on which to set up camp.

Say, that looks like a nice spot, girls, good find - love your cute summer outfits, too!

Why don't we let the youngsters help set up the tent, the seems to have a never ending supply of energy during even during these roasty-toasty summer months.

Let's take a moment to bask in the beauty of the scenery, it sure is breath-taking!

Wowzers, the mercury just keeps on climbing, looks like we might have to slip into our swimsuits and hightail it over to the nearest lake or river.





Is anyone else starting to get a bit peckish? How about we fire up the grill and have ourselves an awesome picnic feast!





One must always keep a clean and orderly camp (as doing so means you're less likely to catch the attention of four legged critters out roaming around for a free meal), so let's wash the dishes. Good thing we've got this handy river right near by to do it in.





Anybody else feel like all that delicious camp food gave them a renewed burst of energy? Why don't we burn some of it off by taking a lovely hike up the hill to enjoy the panoramic view.





That was a great hike, wasn't it? Now it's time to just relax and unwind as nature play its serene melody as the sun finally starts to drop below the horizon.





This weekend has been terrific! Before we start packing up and heading back home, let's take a snapshot to remember what a marvelous camping trip we had this summer.


{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source page.}

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That was such a blast, we'll definitely have to do it again next August!

Even if camping isn't really your (sleeping) bag, there's still tons of plenty outdoor fashion ideas to glean from these yesteryear photos, that would work splendidly for any number of summertime activities - think weeny roasts at the beach, daytrips out of town, meandering through the farmer's market on Saturday morning, fishing on a pristine lake, or throwing a casual barbeque with a few of your nearest and dearest out on the back lawn.

Happiest August long weekend wishes a little in advance, my dears, may you all have a fabulously fun holiday and last full month (hard to believe, I know) of summer!!!

Happiest Victoria Day wishes, my fellow Canadians!

✯ Day 143 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

The history of today's celebration dates back to the time of Queen Victoria of England, whose name lends itself to this May holiday, however for most Canadians Victoria Day is less about the monarchs of Britain and more about kicking off the immensely long awaited beginning of summer.

Now, granted we're still about a month away from technically hitting summer (on the calendar at least), but in many places across the country, the weather has finally perked up to the point where barbequing, picnicking, boating, strolling on the beach, and oodles of other delightful outdoor activities are enjoyably doable once more.

Canada has a relatively low number of national holidays (let alone ones that take place in the warmer months), so as the May long weekend draws near, it's not uncommon to find a general spirit of happiness has washed over canucks in every corner of the country. Usually spring is in full swing, the risk of snow is just about gone (does it ever really leave for us here though? ), and folks have slipped back into their warm weather threads.

Traditionally this wonderful long weekend, which - with a little luck - will be a splendidly toasty one - is a favourite amongst those who love to camp and can get the time away from work to spend two or three days under the stars, a tent as their roof, s'mores as diner, and plenty of merriment on the bill for the whole trip.

 

{Whether you like to bring everything and the kitchen sink on your Victoria Day outdoor adventures - like this charming 1950s family - or prefer to simply slip down to the lake with a single picnic basket in hand, few things compare to finally being able to spend time under the Canadian sun again! Vintage photo via Captain Geoffrey Spaulding on Flickr.}

For some, Victoria Day might be the first time of the year they've fired up the grill, ready to fill their backyard (if not the whole street) with the intoxicatingly delicious scent of food cooking over a flame in the great outdoors.

Others still may head off to their cabins/cottages (particularly here in Ontario, where there's a large number of cottage owners), take a quick road trip, visit a favourite national park, catch up on DIY projects around the house, throw a block party, or simply kick back in their favourite lawn chair (or hammock) and savour the simple joy of having three marvelous days off from the grind of work.

The mister and I fall into the later group this year (much as I wish I could have been out camping, it just wasn't in the cards), and we're spending this weekend embracing the immensely welcome warmth of late May, a cool drink in our hands, the kitty napping angelically in the vibrant morning light, and a selection of our favourite Canadian songs (vintage, retro and present) wafting around the room as we celebrate the unofficial start of summer 2011.

Whatever you've got on your itinerary for today, I wish you an utterly fantastic Victoria Day (or simply a marvelous Monday, if you're not in Canada) filled with equal measures of relaxing tranquility and sunshine covered excitement!