Enter to win a $50.00 store credit from St. Augustine Vintage

Last month I had the great pleasure of receiving a beautiful vintage floral needlework handbag to review from etsy seller St. Augustine Vintage, which was featured in this outfit post. Today I'm thoroughly delighted to give one lucky winner the chance to bring home something of their own from this wonderful etsy shop.

One of the things that I love about working with a diverse range of sponsors from around the world is that I nearly always learn at least one new thing from each of them, and in this case, it just happens to be the fact that St. Augustine Florida, the town for which this vintage shop is named, is the oldest in America to have been settled (and continually inhabited by) Europeans, with roots stretching all the way back to 1565. If that isn't worth naming a vintage shop after, I don't know what is!

In this hand curated, charming fun etsy shop, one encounters a broad range of inviting items from various decades past. How broad a selection you may be asking? Well, at the time of writing, a very respectable 481, to be exact. In that wide mix one finds everything from delightful home decor pieces (many of which instantly gave me flashbacks, in the best kind of way, to my grandparents' house when I was growing up) to yesteryear craft supplies, classic jewelry (and watches) to oodles of vintage clothing, accessories (including sunglasses), and shoes.



{A quartet of fabulous old school offerings from St. Augustine Vintage featuring one of the holiday season's most beloved colours: red! From top left to bottom right: Coats & Clark's vintage 1950s bulky knits pattern book, Beaded vintage cherry coin purse, 1950s Decca record album with 15, 45 rmp records; Set of four vintage tiki napkins}



Spend a few minutes browsing St. Augustine's listings and you'll quickly find yourself feeling like you've popped into one of your favourite, well stocked, reasonably priced thrift stores (with the added convenience of being able to do so in your comfy flannel pajamas at 11pm on a chilly winter's eve, if your heart desires).

The very lovely Kara, a professional writer by trade with a passion for selling vintage as well, who runs St. Augustine Vintage is generously giving one Chronically Vintage reader the chance to win a $50.00 US store credit to her shop, which you are welcome use towards the cost of anything there that your heart desires.

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How to enter

There are seven possible ways for you to enter this giveaway, the more of them that you do, the greater your odds of winning will be.


1. Swing on by St. Augustine Vintage and let me know what your favourite item is from their current listings.


2. Add St. Augustine Vintage to your etsy favourites.


3. Like St. Augustine Vintage on Facebook.


4. Like Chronically Vintage on Facebook.


5. Post about this giveaway on Facebook.


6. Follow Chronically Vintage on Twitter.


7. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.


Please make sure to leave a separate comment specifying each of the ways in which you entered this giveaway, so as to increase your odds of winning.



Giveaway details

This giveaway will run from today's date until Friday December 13, 2013 at 11:59 PST, and is open to readers from around the world. The winning comment will be drawn using a random number generator, with the winner being contacted via email shortly thereafter.

The winner will receive one $50.00 US store credit, which the seller will provide them with, to be used towards the total cost of anything you'd like from St. Augustine Vintage. If your total (including shipping) exceeds $50.00, then the winner will pay the difference out of pocket. Please email me if you have any questions about this giveaway.

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Coupon code fabulousness!

Spot an item (or ten!) from St. Augustine's offerings that you can't live without? Want to get some great secondhand items to give to those on your holiday wishlist? In the mood to spoil yourself this week? Then you're in luck, because you can take 15% off of any order of $10 or more (before shipping), when you use the coupon code VINTAGE15 upon checkout between now and January 16, 2014.

Thank you very much, Kara, for patterning St. Augustine Vintage with Chronically Vintage for this awesome giveaway, and may thanks in advance to all those who enter. Best of luck, everyone!!!

Remind yourself of things that make you glad

✯ Day 62 of Vintage 365 ✯

{Charmingly pretty vintage "Bluebird of Happiness" record cover via letslookupandsmile on Flickr.}

February was a rough month around these parts, both in terms of the wily weather and due to reappearance of certain health problems I haven't had to contend with (on any substantial level) for a couple of years. Though it was only 28 little days long, looking back it was one of those months that seemed to linger on like the last thirsty patron at a bar after final call.

We're into March now - the mediator month that negotiates that handover between cold-as-steel winter and happy-go-lucky spring, and I'm optimistic that this month will be warmer and better in many regards. Whether it proves to be or not, one simple - yet fail-proof - way that I've long found to bolster my spirits is to reflect upon things that make me happy, content, grateful to be alive.

This exercise is one for the mind, body and soul. It doesn't have to take ages or be complex, merely sit back for a few moments and ponder some of the many things (and/or memories) that bring you joy.

I was doing just that this past weekend and as I created a list in my mind (which of course included my love of history and all things vintage!), I felt a momentary wave of tranquility wash over me, soothing my haggard mind and comforting my spirit.

Happiness is free - and so are memories and mental lists. These elements aren't panaceas for all of life's troubles (not by a long shot), but it can be starkly surprising how much good really can come out of taking the time to remember those things - be they big or small, commonplace or extraordinary - that always seem to make you glad for all that you're blessed with in this world.