Surprises Surprises!

I had a great surprise recently!  One of my all time favorite pieces was recently featured on the cover of a magazine featuring fellow seller (and dream customer) Nicole of ForgottenMuse.  Check out Nicole wearing the gorgeous 1920's velvet and fox fur coat here: Guilford Woman.

Spend Thrift

Sometimes I go thrifting and find many items that I like.  Then there are days I find a few items I love, which is what happened today.  I had not planned on finding items to keep but these three are staying with me (at least for now!)

I was super excited to find these 1940's beauties just sitting on the shelf waiting for me!  I love vintage lizard shoes and they are in amazing condition.  To my surprise they fit almost perfectly so into my closet they are going.

I love vintage Etienne Aigner.  I have another Aigner belt that I wear all the time so this new one will see plenty of action.

Last and certainly not least is this vintage faux bois vase.  I have a serious thing for trees (thus my blog background) and this fits perfectly into my decor.  It's hard to tell from the pic but the finish is metallic, a combo of bronze and pewter which works for me since I like to mix metal finishes.

Buttoned Up

I was sorting through my sewing drawer today and came across my button tin.  As I'm sure other vintage clothing lovers have experienced, I seem to always end up with items missing one or two buttons.  This usually means that all the buttons need replacing and I can never seem to find the right ones at the right time.  Out of necessity I have over the years begun picking up vintage buttons that I like when I stumble upon them.  I have even purchased clothing that is to far gone to save just for the buttons.  I'll share with you some of the buttons I am especially drawn to.

I really love vintage rhinestone buttons, which for some reason I find especially difficult to find.  The four at the bottom left are intended for one of my coats (which was missing one button, of course) and have yet to be attached.

Perhaps my favorite of all vintage buttons are extruded celluloid ones from the 1940's.  I love that these 6 survived on their original card!  I don't have the heart to use them and they can be particularly fragile I have heard so maybe some day they will find a home with a button collector.

These vintage red and white sailor buttons are unbelievably adorable.  Again on their original card, just missing one button.  How cute would they look on a navy cotton dress!

A word to the wise (which I found out first hand) be careful when dry cleaning garments with vintage buttons.  I had a button melt down when I picked up a novelty print blouse with red plastic melted all over it.  I now remove the buttons before having items cleaned, it's a little extra work but it saves me the worry and problems in the long run. :)

Blooms

I have been looking at pictures taken in the garden last spring and longing for the gray, rainy weather to leave.  Maybe it is sunny and beautiful where ever you are, but where I am  it is muddy and wet.  Here are some of the photos that are tiding me over until things start blooming.

Power Flower

I don't often wear brooches (I am crazy picky about pin holes in my clothing) but that doesn't mean I am not attracted to them.  The ones I am most drawn to are enamel flower brooches from the 1960's.  I pick them up whenever I see them with every intention of putting them in the shop.  Do they ever make it there?  No, every time I go to list one I get distracted by the bright, shiny colors and end up putting it back.  This has created a bit of a collection.  I thought I would share some of them with you.

Out of these I would say my favorites are the pink and seafoam brooch in the bottom left corner(an original by robert,) the green and white flowers second to last on the top right, and the brown and white one on the top far right.  You can't help but feel happy when you look at them!  Hopefully some of these will be coming to the shop soon so leave me a comment if you  have any requests.  :)

Spring is Springing

It's not quite here yet but I see foreshadows of it in the near future!  Here are some new items in the shop in anticipation of spring.  (I must be in a citrus mood.)

Avante Garbe

Ok, so true confessions time.  I am not a huge vintage 80's clothing fan.  My mom says people never like the clothing from the era they grew up in because they dislike looking at how ridiculous they appeared in the trends and fads of the day.  I'm not sure if this is totally true but maybe it has something to do with it, I sure don't like to see pics of myself with big bangs and stonewashed peg leg jeans.  I have grown to love some of the more cutting edge designer looks from the 1980's though.  Designers like Pierre Cardin, Victor Costa, Yves Saint Laurent all created amazing avante guard styles.  Below is a select group of pieces that makes me want to stop the world and melt, possibly with you.

Love these Ted Lapidus sunglasses from goodeye.  These have been made popular again by many hollywood starlets and trend setters.

Find this vintage Victor Costa dress at foreverlovelyvintage.  I think this is adorable as a cocktail party dress but could look equally cute with sandles in the summer.

Vintage Pierre Cardin is just amazing in my opinion.  The dress above, from statedstyle, is a real work of art.

Phone It In

I have been coming across many vintage telephone related items lately and some of them are seriously cool.  Here is a small selection of a few favorites.

This phone has seriously made me reconsider the whole land-line concept.  I will say I don't like ketchup normally but this phone makes me crave it.  Find it at phatheads.

How about a 60's vintage paper dress?  Now throw in the fact that the one at wavesong is made to look like yellow book pages.

I have a real thing for old plastic so a vintage telephone cord handbag is always welcome.  The bright colors on the one at callmechula make it even better.

Last but certainly not least is this apple phone at oliveandfrances.  I think it is hilarious that everyone seems to have an Apple phone, just not like this!

Hello Carl Sandburg

I'm sure you all have a special place you love to go.  One that makes your heart race, palms sweat, adrenaline rush.  Well here is one of mine.

For the whole of my life I have been enthralled with libraries.  I look forward to going to the library like some people do to the movies, to the mall, to a sporting event.  I can spend hours in a library.  I rent movies at the library.  I love the children's section.  I used to make copies there (until they removed the copier.)  I check out so many items at once that I am almost never without a library fine and have probably paid a librarians salary for at least a full year if you total it all up.  I love every library, but I love one above and beyond all the rest.

Ahhh, the Carl Sandburg Livonia Public Library.  It's one of  my very favorite places.  It's not big, bright, or new.  As libraries go it is rather small, dimly lit, and close. It was built in 1961 (this may be the beginnings of my fond feelings towards it.)  I love the architecture of the building, it  has a great mid century modern look.  I also love the selection which seems tailor made to suit my tastes.  It leans mostly towards English period dramas (both film and literature) and cozy mysteries.  Though the catalog is comparatively small, I can almost always find some book or DVD that will make me want to cancel all activities that require anything more than my couch, pajamas, and a blanket.  Everyone that works there is friendly and helpful.  They never make me feel like a delinquent because of my overdue fines, even though when I log into my account it clearly states that I am delinquent (yes, it actually uses that word.)  They even have fun events there, like the day I showed up and there was a wild animal handler who had brought many furry new woodland friends with him.  And while it is not the closest library to me, in fact there are two in the city I live in, I never mind traveling the small distance further.

In recent years the Carl Sandburg branch has been forced to dramatically decrease their hours.  They went from being open a full week to only 3 days (and not full days at that.)  My fear is that some day the larger branch of the library in the same city will gobble it up.  It's new, shinny, bright, efficient, and sprawling.  To most people it would probably rank higher, but I miss the dim, the large old shelves that you easily get lost in, the feeling that only an older established building can have.  This new library is a  perfectly good library, it's just not my library.

 I don't mean to go on and on waxing poetic, although I could.   I just thought I would share a little piece of myself and introduce you to one of my happy places. :)

Radio Sweethearts

I have been humming the Kate Rusby song Radio Sweethearts for the past couple days.  I adore the song (and Kate Rusby in general) and it has such a vintage vibe to me.  Here are some sweethearts of items I'm hearting right now from the 1950's.

This gorgeous blush lace dress from deargoldenvintage is as sweet as it gets.  Plus it has rhinestones on the bodice, it's like a cupcake with sprinkles!

I had to throw in a radio of course and it had to be pink.  This one from oneolivetree fits the bill perfectly.

Even vintage slips have so much charm!  The one above, from dreamdate, even has a ruffled heart detail.

This is one of my favorite dresses from the shop.  I just love the embroidery and airy vibe it gives off, very confectionary.  Now that your all sweetened up it may be time run out and get yourself some pastries.

Pass Me the Pistachios

I was eating these little guys the other day and realized that to me they are like nature's potato chips, you can't eat just one!  While removing the shells as quickly as possible I read the back of the bag and found out some amazing facts.  Did you know pistachio trees can live under the right conditions for centuries.  Really!  Also, they can help to clean pollution from mercury emissions.  They are useful in crafts, as compost, as kindling, and...they're delicious.  Here are some of my new favorite vintage pistachio inspired finds:

This coffee (or tea if you feel like it) set from keepsies is a great mid century modern example.  I don't use my sets as often as I would like but I can't get enough of their designs! (P.S. this store also had an adorable demitasse set.)

I am always up for some new old stock like these gloves from waikikikitsch.  I happen to know these came from an old hat store that had been in business since the 1940's and still had tons of stock left from way back when!

I cannot get enough of this vintage check writer at honeyyourhome.  It is perhaps the cutest utilitarian item I have beheld.  How could you not love your job if you printed checks on this darling all day!

On Display

I have a huge obsession with vintage store displays.  While I am especially enamored with old millinery heads and stands I find myself attracted to most retail fixtures from the 1800's through the 1960's.  They are amazing decor pieces and can be not only beautiful artistic accessories, but functional everyday living items.  Below are some of my personal finds and some items that are on my wish list.

I was especially excited to find the lucite and brass bust display above.  It is the only one I have seen and while it looks amazing by itself it is also a great way to photograph vintage brassieres, blouses, and bathing suits.

This vintage hardware cabinet from urgestudio would be such a great credenza in a dining room or a television stand in a living room.  I am drooling over it!

These antique stands from plainandelegant would be perfect to spotlight a prized collection.  I am loving the ornate cast iron bases!

Check out the children's shoe lasts at worthygoodstextile.  These make great accessories on bookshelves or a fireplace mantle.

This is just one of the many vintage mannequin heads that has found it's way to my home and is now in the shop.  I also have her brunette twin sister.

Vintage Catalyst

I feel that this would be an appropriate time to introduce my business partner.  (I actually didn't want to but he's making me.)  I would say assistant but he feels that anything less than partner is an insult to his supremacy.

His name is Hobbs (he came with it) but he has been affectionately known as Bub, Bubba, or Bubbito (the last when he is in a Latin American frame of mind) for some time.  He, like myself, is a vintage clothing lover.  The reasons we both love it couldn't be more different though.

I love vintage for the details, craftsmanship, back story, I could keep going.  He loves vintage for the feeling it makes between his claws, the sound of ripping tulle, the many and varied smells before it is cleaned, again I could keep going.  He especially loves it in piles.  Piles on the table, piles on the floor, piles anywhere.

I can never tell if he has systematically destroyed some pieces because he is exercising his disapproval towards the item or because he concurs with my choice and doesn't want to see it leave( I should mention that he is no longer allowed to have any contact with the stock.)  Either way he has become a major catalyst causing me to be more motivated to sort and store my items correctly and in a timely manner.  In this way I suppose he has become a valued business partner.  I suppose.

The Pay Off

Let me start out by saying that I feel a little funny starting a blog.  I might not have anything overly profound or earth shattering to say, but I'll try to share the funny (and more often than not crazy) stories about the items I find, people I meet, my likes, and so forth.  That being said, I am obsessed with vintage.  I have been collecting and thrifting since I was a little kid and I still have some of my first finds.  I love vintage so much that I actually feel a little strange when I am forced by necessity to visit a 'normal' store.  So thanks for stopping in and welcome!

I thought for my first post I would share the story of one of my favorite finds.  I don't always love the process of finding items, but the pay off is fantastic.

The dress above was found at the sale of an older lady who liked to collect, well, a bit of everything.  I had no expectations for this sale and I got there super late.  Let's just say I wasn't in the mood to jockey for position or dodge elbows.  Surprisingly I managed to be one of the first in line but, as predicted, once inside it was a whirlwind of pushy people, not to mention a crazy maze of a house.  I ended up with a small pile of items that I didn't really check over very well (I was tired, hot, and a little cranky by this time.)  I waited through a mile long line and headed home to inspect my new treasures.

As I sorted my new finds I was surprised to come upon this dress.  I didn't remember grabbing it and furthermore, it was hideous.  It had long lace sleeves, a high lace collar, fabric down the front and around the waist, all of which was hand tacked on, making it look pseudo Victorian or bad Gunne Saks.  I took a second to process all of this and then quickly began the disassembling process.  Taking out my ripper I undid all the additions (and it took a bit of time, trust me!)  To my delight I discovered the amazing metal appliques that had been previously unnoticeable and the beauty that is my favorite 1930's dress to date.

Sometimes while waiting to get into a sale I wonder why I am there.  It's freezing cold(or boiling hot,) I have needed to use the restroom for the past 3 hours, and everyone in line seems to be posturing, salivating, and turning into the most primal and aggressive version of themselves.  But then there is the adrenaline rush of finding that one surprise item.  I'm sure most vintage treasure hunters feel this way, it's not an original thought, but nothing compares to the high of that completely unexpected find.