Chronically Vintage

Wanting to devote this past Sunday to the Easter holiday, I didn't post my usual month in review on the 31st, as I generally would. In the case when holidays and special events fall on the last day of the month, I suspect that this is the route I'll usually take (the key, after all, is just to recap the month around when it concludes, as the second of the next month certainly fits that bill).

March...wow, where to begin? As the month wound down, I found myself thinking more and more about how different it proved to be when all was said than done, than how I'd envisioned it when it kicked off. Not, mind you, that I had any major plans or hopes for this past month, but nevertheless, it didn't unfold as I'd thought it might, and I'm actually really happy about that for the most part.

As March got underway, I was sick as all get out with a really bad flu that lingered for about three weeks in total and totally put me out of commission for nearly all of that time (especially since it caused some of my chronic conditions to flare-up in tandem). Thankfully, I'm over the flu and those flare-ups now (yay!), and have been able to enjoy the tail end of March a whole lot more than beginning.

Without a doubt, the biggest piece of news and most exciting thing to happen in March (and, I'd certainly go so far as to say, all of 2013) occurred on the 18th when Tony and I brought home the first puppy we've ever had as a couple, our darling little American Bullador, Annie.

{Annie the crazy cute baby American Bullador falling asleep against my pajama clad leg one evening shortly after we got her.}

Since then, the bulk of my time has been devoted to raising, taking care of, and beginning to train this precious bundle of canine energy, as discussed in this post, and I've loved every moment of it. Like most puppies, she can certainly be a handful at times, but she's such an incredibly sweet, good natured, intelligent dog, that it's impossible not to delight in each moment I get to spend with her. (For those who want to stay super up-to-date on the adorable going-ons of Miss Annie, be sure to follow me on Instagram.)

On the blogging front, a number of fun posts sprung up here throughout March, covering topics spanning from one 1940s woman's immensely glamorous day to Forty fantastic 1940s sewing patterns under $40, which I put together to tie-in with flat out awesome 1940s sewalong that Rochelle from Lucky Lucille was holding throughout February and March.

Vintage photographs were the name of the game in this month's edition of Saturday Snapshots, as well as in a mid-month post devoted to Exploring the Library and Archives Canada on Flickr (the latter of which, I was one of my favourite posts to write and source images for so far this year; I just adored getting to chat a bit about, and share several wonderful photos detailing, the history of Canada).

Thinking outside of the box was on the agenda on the 11th, in a post that highlighted Seven unexpected places to source vintage wardrobe inspiration from that includes such entries as vintage cookbooks, movie posters, and product packaging.

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day with this rather unique vintage take on corn beef and cabbage, whereas Easter opted to go for a more traditional route and saw a splendidly tasty 1950s Lemon Cake.

Easter was also marked by a special festive edition of Flickr Favourites this past Sunday, as well a springtime hued vintage outfit post (complete with my lovely new dusty rose snood from Arthelia's Attic).

Also on the outfit front throughout March, I chatted about my lifelong passion for paisley patterned garments, and sported 1940s black and brass for a very cold winter's day at Skaha Lake (one of my favourite snaps of which appears below).

There were other posts here this past month as well, but these were some of the most memorable ones for me. Taking a gander at the blogging sphere as a whole, I know that many of us were shocked to learn of the Google's recent announcement that they'd be shutting down their much loved and widely used feedreader, Google Reader.

Two of my favourite posts by fellow bloggers so far on this topic have been How Loss of Google Reader Will Impact Your Blog from Brittany at Va-Voom Vintage and Choosing Your New Blog Reader by Melanie over at The Crafty Cupboard.

As I mentioned in this post last December, in 2012 I fell head-over-heels in love with Bloglovin' and have used it as my exclusive feedreader ever since. I find that it's the most intuitive, straight forward and enjoyable feedreader I've ever tried (before I started using it, I'd yet to find a feedreader that I got along well with) and highly recommend it to all those looking for an alternative to Google Reader once it shuts down on July 1, 2013. If you're also a Bloglovin' fan and haven't done so already, be sure to follow Chronically Vintage there so that you don't risk missing any posts when Google Reader goes the way of the dinosaur.

Last year I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the fine folks over at Fedoras.com for a guide and infographic devoted to hat etiquette - aka, hatiquette - that they were putting together, which went live a few days ago. This is the first infographic (a partial screen shot of which is pictured below) I've had the pleasure to be a part of, and really want to thank Fedoras.com for including me in this delight look at proper hatiquette.

As I mentioned in February's month in review post, later on in April (on the 16th to be exact, assuming nothing comes along to alter that date in the two weeks between then and now) I'll be going in for surgery again and will need to take a small blogging break while I recover afterwards. As that date draws nearer, I'll put up a little post to remind you that I'm going to be MIA for a short while (probably about two weeks, but only time will tell).

In the days before then (and afterwards, if I've returned to blogging at some point in late April), I've got several lovely posts in the works, such as a look at some of my all-time favourite scents (smells that is, not perfumes), thoughts on four years of blogging (April 17th will mark four years since Chronically Vintage began), and photos from my first ever (albeit it very short - about five hours) road trip to the States.

{In celebration of spring's return, fab vintage knitwear, and super cute puppies, let's welcome April with this wonderful Stitchcraft cover from 1951. Image source.}

March turned out to be unexpectedly exciting and wonderful month (it's certainly not everyday that one gets to bring a new pet into their family!), and by the same token I suspect that April will have some curveballs up its sleeve, too.

Hopefully though, especially during the first half of the month, I'll get plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful days of early spring, usher my sundresses back into rotation, hit at least a few yard sales, and spend as much time as I can with Annie (who is growing in leaps and bounds by the day!).

Happy April, everyone, I truly hope that the fourth month of the year proves to be a splendidly fantastic one for each of you!

{Vintage Easter Postcard ~ Suzee Que}

{Bunnies ~ saturdayfinds}

{Easter 1925 ~ gill4kleuren}

{Easter Ham ~ gairid1791}

{Dapper Easter Chick ~ Bluebird Becca}

{Vintage Easter Bunnies ~ saturdayfinds}

{Cute bunny ~ mountainpugs}

{Fuzzy Easter Friends ~ ilovetocreate}

{Easter egg cookies ~ citrusandorange}

{Vintage Easter Card ~ Zero Discipline}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on its title to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Easter means many things to many people. It is a day of reverence and serenity, fellowship and a celebration of life. Spring, merely a few days old, has sprung once more, even if the great outdoors still looks more like it's gearing up for Christmas, depending on whereabouts in the world you live. It is sweet and gentle, tranquil, earnest and beautiful.

With each passing year, I find myself more and more eager to celebrate Easter and spring, however short-lived the latter may be here in Canada. Sure, right now, we're teetering between rain and snow still, but there are signs and feelings that any day now spring will truly arrive. The birds begin their chorus earlier in the morning, trees that once seemed devoid of life have perked back up, their branches ready to shot out new buds at a moment's notice. The wind, though nippy, isn't quite as harsh, it's mellowed just a touch and knows that in a matter of weeks, it will be blowing about the hems of sundresses once more.

This weekend we gather with family and friends to embrace whatever Easter means to each of us. For me it is all of the things above, as well as a time to reflect on the blessings that have come our way throughout the first three months of this year. To focus on the good, the positive, the optimistic, and the joyful. We're a quarter of the way through 2013, and already so many wonderful things have transpired, just as I like to believe more will continue to as the rest of the year unfolds, much like the petals on the first blossoms of spring.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish each of you a blessed, wonderful Easter that's every bit as sweet as the chocolate eggs hiding in nooks and crannies around our homes, and hope dearly that the beauty of this day carries on throughout the spring for all of us.

Pages

April 3, 2013

Pink Ice Phone giveaway winner

April 2, 2013

Looking back at March 2013

March 31, 2013

Flickr Favourites: Easter 2013 edition