Celebrate my Etsy's shop's 1st birthday with a 30% off storewide flash sale

My word, how time flies when you're selling vintage! Today I'm elated to celebrate the 1st birthday of my Etsy vintage shop with all of you, and what better way to mark such an milestone occasion than with a massive sale.

To mark Chronically Vintage on Etsy's first year of life, I'm holding a storewide 30% off flash sale that will run from today (May 6th) until Saturday May 9th.

This is going to be my only storewide sale of the season, so now is definitely the time to pick up that item (or two...or ten!) that you've been eyeing for a while, or to discover a new "can't live without it" treasure there.

Don't forget that I offer very low combined shipping rates on multiple items purchased at the same time and only charge true shipping. So if a shipping overage of $1.00 or more does happen to occur, I refund it to you right away after posting out your order.



Take Mable and Peggy's lead and rush over to shop Chronically Vintage's 30% off 1st anniversary sale today! And please don't be shy when it comes to sharing about this sale on social media. Just save the image above and pepper it across the web wherever you'd like!


This past year as an Etsy shop owner, on top of being a full-time vintage blogger, has been one of many exciting learning curves, honing my time management skills, awesome opportunities, newly forged friendships, support from many of my blog readers, and tons of experiences that I wouldn't have traded for the world.

While I wouldn't call myself a veteran Etsy seller yet, I'm not the newest kid on the block either any longer either and I love that fact. I know Etsy well now and have a very good sense of what it's like to earn a living there.

It takes, amongst other things, massive amounts of work, perseverance, dedication, great customer service skills, plenty of word of mouth coverage, an unwavering belief in yourself, and the ability to continually replenish your virtual shelves with awesome new finds that are apt to speak to a wide range of vintage adoring folks.

I truly want to thank each and every one of you who has helped to support my Etsy shop during its first year in so many different ways. It would not be where it is today for one red second were it not for all of you.

As we kick off its second fabulous year, I hope that you'll continue to shop my old school wares and be a part of making Chronically Vintage on Etsy an ever-greater success!

In the mood for over a million vintage public domain images?

First and foremost, before delving in to the main topic of today's post, may I take a wee moment and wish you all a delightfully fun Groundhog's Day. I don't know about you, but I'm certainly rooting that cute little critter fails to see his shadow. The earlier spring wants to arrive this year, the happier I'll be (though, that said, I do always enjoy the ingrained productivity that the I find the chilliest months of the year bring about, and which I sometimes yearn for when I'm melting like Crayola crayon in the sun come summertime).

Like many - most these days, actually - of us, I use at least one image, be it an illustration, a graphic or a photograph in each of my blog posts. In fact, over the nearly six years that I've been blogger now, fewer than five posts have lacked an image all together - and when they did it was always because of extenuating circumstances, such as the time back in 2010 when Tony posted on my behalf because I was unexpectedly in the hospital fighting for my life for several days and we wanted to let my readers know that I was still hanging in there (true story).

I've always been a very visually driven person and there are few things I enjoy doing online more than viewing a massive range of vintage images and using some of them in my posts. I keep Word and Evernote docs chalked full of links to images, have scores of Pinterest boards, and a huge number of images that I've favourited on flicker over the years at may wind up in my entries here one day.

I'm perpetually on the hunt for great new sources of vintage images, especially ones that are in the public domain (such as those in the Libraries and Achieves Canada, which I blogged about back in 2013), because their inclusion in this sphere makes it highly likely that that one can utilize them for personal use without having to worry very much (if at all, in many cases) about potential copyright infringement, which is something that all bloggers should keep in mind when sourcing images online.
 
Public domain images are just that - photos or illustrations that have been released for use, usually either due to their age or because the person or institution that owns the rights to them have released them for the general public to use freely. Without a doubt one of the largest sources of antique, historical and vintage public domain images that I've chanced upon from a single source is the Flickr stream from venerable British Library.

There are, thankfully, no shortage of accounts, often from universities, colleges, libraries, federal and national achieves on Flickr with public domain offerings, but the British Library stands out amongst them has having one of the absolute biggest arrays of old school images you'll come across anywhere online these days. How many images to they have, you be be wondering...10,000? 50,000? 100,000? More? Wayyyy more, in fact they currently have over 1,000,000 different images (primarily dating to before 1920) in their Flickr stream and that number is continually growing.

This is not one-person-and-a-scanner-in-their-basement kind of affair, but rather it must be a whole team of folks who are dedicating their time to uploading thousands upon thousands of historical images into the public domain every month. As someone who is indescribably passionate about preserving the past, this noble effort gains my deepest admiration and truly warrants being shared with one and all, which is precisely what I'm doing here today.

While I will sometimes set aside a day, a week, or even a month (during my downtime or in spurts) to go through a large Flickr stream's entire catalog of images (say, one that is 5,000 or 10,000 images big), I have not even come close to seeing the million plus images that the British Library's account houses and doubt I ever will. A person could spend months or even years trying to do so.

That said, I would estimate that (very conservatively) I've seen about 7,500 of their images at this point and continue to enjoy browsing through more on a regular basis. This is the kind of Flickr stream that you can get lost in not just for hours, but for weekends at at a time. There is an incredibly diverse, vast, and engaging array of images to be had there spanning many centuries and pertaining to near countless topics.

I couldn't begin to share all of the historical images from this hefty Flickr public domain account that have caught my eye (that would fill books worth of pages!), but I have selected 12 that recently landed on my Favourites list and which I think you'll enjoy as well. If you'd like to learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective British Library Flickr page.

♥ ♥ ♥

I hope that this treasure trove of yesteryear images sparks your interest as well and that it can be helpful to you in your own research, for blog posts, art or craft projects, historical costume research, or simply for the unbridled joy that comes from looking at and learning more about vintage images and photographs.


Though I haven't chanced upon one yet in my fun jaunts through this account, perhaps one day I'll even hit upon an image of a Groundhog there. Until then, and certainly after as well, I'll keep on returning time and time again to drink from the fountain of inspiring knowledge that is the truly jam packed Flickr stream of the British Library.

Doffing my vintage hat each time I return to the hard working, passionate folks who are doing the world a great service by preserving and sharing so many snippets of history for today's population and many future generations to come to enjoy, learn from, and yes, definitely use in their blog posts, too.

My top secret vintage plans will go live in just three weeks!

Half a month ago, in March's edition of Vintage Link Love, I casually mentioned that I have some big top secret plans in the works right now. That I do, and they're both vintage related and fantastic, if I may say so myself!

These awesome plans must remain under wraps for a wee bit more time - not much longer though, because in just three weeks, I will reveal all.

{Image via Captain Geoffry Spaulding, a Flickr member whose account is no longer active.}

For the last several weeks, and at an even great pace throughout April, I have been diligently hard at work on efforts relating to these plans. Burning the candle at both ends, as they say, to make sure that everything stays on track. In these final twenty-one days until the big unveiling, I will be busier than ever on this front and as a result may not always be online visiting blogs, replying to comments, hanging out on social media, etc quite as much as usual.

I'll strive, as always, to do my best there, but I know that I'm going to be massively busy, so I just wanted to mention that point now, as things continue to get more and more hectic with each passing day. I don't generally like for such (interrupting my blogging/online workflow) to be the case, but in this instance, I can promise you, it is worth it and that things shouldn't be overly disrupted. As well, whatever time I borrow from my online routine to devote to these plans will be more than worth it come Tuesday May 6th, when I finally spill the beans.

These plans are more than just happiness inducing, wonderfully fun, and completely exhilarating, they are, in fact, the fulfillment of a longstanding vintage related dream of mine. That's all I'll say for now though (so hush-hush, I know! :)).

To help us all countdown until the big revealing, I've added a date ticker to the right hand sidebar that will help keep track, right down to the second, until the moment when I share my wonderful secret plans here with all of you. I can hardly wait!!!

A charmingly fun trio of vintage image adorned votive holders

✯ Day 291 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

This, no doubt, makes me the odd (wo)man out, but I like - at least for a good portion of the colder months - the fact that the sun sets earlier and rises later.

The dark of evening and I long acquainted friends (as you may recall from my Summer nights, how I love thee post this past August), and I rather enjoy the fact that by the time my supper is on the table, the view outside has turned pitch black.

There’s something wonderfully lovely about a dark world set against the warmth one creates in their home with cozy sweaters, steaming hot bowls of hearty soup, roaring fireplaces (if, in this day and age, you should be so lucky as to have one), and thick knit blankets. This cocoon of comfort is a beautiful, nearly intrinsic feeling that soothes and inspires, mellows and yet equally uplifts the soul.

I rarely burn candles indoors during the summer months, but as the mercury begins to take a nose dive - perhaps channelling a glowing jack-o-lantern vibe - I find myself drawn once more to the rich amber light that candles cast against the murky jet hues of evening.

Having a very curious cat frolicking about the apartment, it's mandatory that I keep my candles protected to as much of an extent as they can be, to help prevent an eager tail or curious paw knocking over, say, a tall, slender tapper.

Instead, these days, I usually opt for squat pillars and smaller votive and tea lights that can be housed safely in holder and cups, such as the whimsically charming set of Modern Vintage Candle Holders below.

 

Though modern in the sense of being recently manufactured, this eye-catching three piece votive holder set (which retails for $9.00 from Plasticland) sports a delightful trio of vintage images of - playfully - items that cast light themselves (an Edison light bulb, gas lantern, and decorative electric lamp).

The simple, yet chic, nature of these vintage illustrations lends itself splendidly to many types of decor - even that of Halloween display or dinner party table.

As the days grow ever shorter, I could definitely see myself (as Ms. Kitty watches on in inquisitive amusement) using these charmingly fun votive holders all through the dark and stormy nights of fall and winter.

In turn adding a generous dose more of that aforementioned tranquil warmth to the indoor world via the timeless beauty of flickering candlelight.

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!

Flickr Favourites – April 29, 2010

♥ ♥ ♥



{1951 woman from Look magazine by actionlog.}



{Yellow Jar by Leah 3011.}



{Forgetmenots 2010 by currentclassics.}



{IMG_3833 (Super cute redheaded doll!) by Yumi♡.}



{Vintage Car 1 by Kim Naumann – Curiouser & Curiouser Designs.}



{morning after by simple tess.}



{Sarah 05 by paulwrightphoto.}



{New Additions by Love Is...Everything.}



{Dresser Top – Boxes by such pretty things.}



{Vintage Ladies Cabinet Cards by Suzee Que.}

♥ ♥ ♥


Few amongst us fail to swoon when a gorgeous pair of shoes crosses our path – and all the better if they’re vintage! Footwear can make or break an outfit, set the mood for a ensemble, draw attention to its wearer or be the subtle finishing touch on a gorgeous look.

Those (like myself) who adore old school footwear will find much to daydream about in the Flickr group that’s in the limelight today: Vintage & Retro Shoes and Boots.


{1. vintage turquoise bow shoes 7, 2. Vintage T-Strap SWEET Pink Summer Sandals Size 7.5, 3. Donald J. Pliner's Right Bank Shoe Co., 4. Carmelletes 1952.}

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Mellow, toasty shades of lemon light and invigorating, tropical sea turquoise waltz through these gorgeous images, whisking my mind off to places of fantastical serenity and quiet contemplation, where everything around me is as lovely as the world created in these marvellous photos.

Come along with me, sweet friends, and escape for a few moments into a universe of springtime hued, vintage beauty filled daydreams.

Wonderful Wednesday Recipes: Asian Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup

This dish is one of those aromatic, marvellous, ready-in-a-flash recipes that looks and tastes as though it took much more effort than it really did. Bursting with a delightful menagerie of enticing flavours and gentle textures, this soup has the ability to booth sooth and invigorate at the same time.

I love to make this recipe when I’m under the weather, heeding my grandpa’s advice that garlic cures all colds and flues. However, I adore it equally when I’m feeling well, especially as a fantastic weekend breakfast, which I like to imagine I’m consuming at bustling outdoor market in a distant Asian city.


{If cooking at home is more likely than a trip overseas for a bowl of noodle soup, why not slip on your favourite apron and look every bit as lovely as the cook in this adorable vintage illustration? Image via Jello Kitty’s Flickr stream.}


If you’re a fan of spicy foods, you can by all means add a sliced chili pepper or two to this beautifully fragrant soup, or up the garlic and ginger quotient.
Fantastic warm or at a room temperature, this soup transports well and can also be frozen for at least a couple of months and thawed before reheating on the stove top.


Asian Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

•1 tsp vegetable oil

•1 clove of garlic, finely minced (or more to taste, if, like me, you’re a garlic lover)

•1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced

•8 cups chicken stock (homemade or good quality, preferable organic, store bought)

•2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

•125 grams cappellini or angel hair pasta

•1 can (284 ml/10oz) water chestnuts, drained and sliced

•2 cups bean sprouts

•1 package (approximately 300 grams) of baby spinach leaves

•4 green onions, sliced

•Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste


Directions

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat; add in the garlic and ginger, stirring rapidly for a few seconds until the garlic turns golden (but not brown). Quickly add in all of the chicken stock, increase the burner (hob) temperature and bring the stock to a gentle boil.

Reduce heat slightly and add in the finely sliced chicken breast; cook for eight minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the sliced water chestnuts, bean sprouts, baby spinach and sliced green onions to the soup, stirring everything well to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes, then break the cappellini (or angel hair) pasta noodles into thirds and add them to the pot; cook for 2-4 minutes, until pasta is al dente.

Season soup with salt and pepper to taste, give it a final stir to really combine all the ingredients well, and bring to the table or ladle into serving bowls while still wonderfully warm.

Garnish with a few wisps of green onion, if desired, or sprinkle some sesame seeds into each bowl.


Makes at 4 to 8 servings, depending on if you want the soup to be a starter or main dish

Bon appétit!

Wonderful Wednesday Recipe: Springtime Berries ‘N’ Cream Roll-Ups

If I’m not mistaken, this recipe hails from amongst my mother’s collection, though I’ve tweaked it a little over the years. The original suggested that the roll-ups be baked sans berries inside (and to instead top the baked roll-ups with all of the berries), but I much prefer to include most of the berries in the rolls-ups before I slide them in the oven.

This dish works equally well as a sweet – but certainly not cloyingly so – dessert or as a decant breakfast or brunch entrée. While I like to eat it piping hot, you can allow the roll-ups to come to room temperature before serving them, though I feel that they are their finest while still piping warm, the juices from the berries leeching into the soft, lightly toasted white bread.


{Strawberries, such as the ones featured in this old school fruit crate label, make a particularly nice inclusion in this tasty, cream cheese filled recipe, but you can use any variety of berry you fancy. Beautiful vintage illustration for Ozark brand strawberries via Meaghan Courtney’s Flickr stream.}


If you’re fortunate enough to have your own garden, harvest whatever fresh, gorgeous new springtime berries you have on hand. Failing that, I encourage you to seek out ripe, small, luscious organic berries from your local farmer’s market or produce shop. Just about any berry (strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries, etc) works well here, so let your imagination run wild.


Springtime Berries ‘N’ Cream Roll-Ups

Ingredients

•4 ounces cream cheese, softened (reduced fat cream cheese can be used)

•1/2 cup white sugar, divided in half

•1 egg yolk

•10 slices white bread, crusts removed

•1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

•3 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

•1/2 whipping (heavy) cream, whipped (add sugar and/or vanilla to taste)

•1 1/2 cup (plus a few extra, set aside) fresh springtime berries, such as a mix of strawberries and raspberries, or blackberries and red currants


Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C/gas mark 4).

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese together with 1/4 cup of white sugar, add in the egg yolk and beat until smooth.

Lay out the ten slices of white bread on a flat surface and spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on each slice. Next evenly divide the 1 1/2 cups of berries between the slices of bread and top each piece with an equal quantity. Proceed by rolling each slice of bread up as though it were a jelly-roll, starting with the longer edge. Place the rolled up slices of bread, seemed side down, into a lightly greased 10 inch x 15 inch glass (or ceramic) baking dish, in a single layer.

Lightly brush the top of each bread roll-up with melted butter (or margarine). In a small mixing bowl, combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar and spread evenly (with a spoon or using your fingers) over the buttered tops of the bread roll-ups. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted and gently golden hued.

While the roll-ups are baking (and filling the kitchen with the most inviting, sweet berry scent), whip the cream until light and fluffy, adding sugar (I prefer powdered sugar any time I sweeten whipped cream) and a little pure vanilla extra, if desired. Once prepared set aside in the fridge until needed.

Once the berry roll-ups are done, remove from the oven, allow them to sit in their baking dish for a couple of minutes (to cool off ever-so-slightly) and then transfer to individual serving dishes. Serve one or two roll-ups per person, with a dollop of whipped cream and a few of the reserved berries scattered on top or around the plate.

Eat at once, while the berry roll-ups are still warm and the whipped cream is cold, the two temperatures mingling beautifully together in your mouth.

Makes 5 to 10 servings, depending on if you serve one or two roll-ups per person.

Bon appétit!

Vintage Deal of the Day: November 2, 2009

{Who doesn’t love to be thrifty and kind to Mother Nature the same time? I know I do! Add a preciously adorable, vintage looking kitty into the mix and I’m sold every time – especially when you can pick up a wonderful cloth tote bag like the one above for an absolute song! It’s just $3.99 US (on sale from $9.99) from the fantastic folks over at ModCloth. If that isn’t a purrfectly lovely bargain, I don’t know what is! :D}


I want to take a moment and thank each of you who commented on my Halloween outfit post earlier today. I am ridiculously shy when it comes to posting images of myself online (that post was only the second time I’ve ever done so anywhere - the first was back during the spring on this blog), but I am trying, challenging as it is, to work past through this (irrationally silly) shyness and also many issues regarding self esteem and my own appearance that I have.

Though I get butterflies in my stomach thinking about it, I am going to set a goal of sorts for myself to try and include a “what I wore” style post at least once a month here on Chronically Vintage. The truly kind and uplifting comments many of you left for me today have already helped me to feel a bit more confident about sharing snaps of myself publicly. Thank you so very much for that, precious dears!

First day of life

Late one Friday night when a good chunk of the world was either asleep or partying like was 1999 (weekends somehow mean even more during these rough times, so you have to rock it with all your heart), a blog devoted to one woman's never-ending love of all things vintage, rockabilly, retro and pin-up style was born.



{Image via MsBlueSky on Flickr, corners nixed thanks to RoundPic}

Weighing in at...well, websites are weightless, but let's just say 5.7 pounds (in honour of the best year for Chevies), Chronically Vintage came into the world with a smile on its face and an Andrews Sisters song in its heart.

Once the blog's mother has grabbed a few winks, set some pin curls and replied her ruby red lipstick, she will definitely write a more thorough introduction post.