will be back before the new year

This week has been getting crazier and crazier! Is it just me, or is there people-traffic wherever you go?! I'm hoping I can take some time away from my computer for just a couple of days, but I will be back on Monday!

In the meantime, I'm going to dream of cozying up to an electric fireplace in our apartment (like the one John and Juli have, below).



Happy Holidays!

kelly reemtsen

Vintage dresses + tools. Need I say more?

Paintings by Kelly Reemtsen

Via Huzzah! Vintage.

mexican embroidery

I know this is kind of out of season (for me anyway), but I couldn't not share this lovely shop I came across the other day.

Honeywood Vintage specializes in vintage Mexican embroidered clothing. They've got a great selection of maxi dresses, shirts, and ponchos. I want each and every one of them!

freebie friday: fuzzimo

Have you heard of Fuzzimo? It's a great site that offers free digital resources for personal and commercial use. The have tons of stuff on there available for download, but below are a couple of my favourites:

1. Old Sticky Tape Textures
2. Blank Polaroid Frames
3. Old Book Textures
4. LP Vinyl Records Textures

Enjoy and have a great weekend everyone!

vintage wrapping paper

I rarely use wrapping paper to wrap gifts. I find that gift bags are much easier to assemble, and they're reusable (which is a big plus in my books). But once in a while I find myself indulging in some really nice wrapping paper and I find the act of wrapping presents kind of therapeutic (don't mind me, sometimes I think washing dishes can be therapeutic!).

I'm loving the kitschy-ness of these vintage holiday wrapping papers.

winter landscapes

Been thinking warm and dry thoughts this week as it's been snowing (finally, yeay!), but I've yet to find a pair of winter boots to keep my feet nice and warm (boo!).

I love these photos by Elias Carlson, there's something so beautifully haunting (hauntingly beautiful?) about them. I wish I had that kind of scenery nearby!

for the vintage lovin' fella

This gift guide was a bit harder to put together than the ladies' one, and it's because I'm really not that great at shopping for the men in my life. But I hope you can find one or two items here that may inspire a gift for the vintage loving guy on your list.

Clockwise, from top left:
Scotch Plaid Vintage Skinny Tie from FullFeather
Instant Carpentry Collection from SweetLoveVintage
70s Brown Leather Wingtip Shoes from SkinnyandBernie
Metal Lunch Box from handandtable
Vintage Oldsmobile Playing Cards from msmichiganroux
Miami Herald Milkglass Mug from aquarius247

Funny sidenote: While searching for "mug", this popped up in the results. A stocking stuffer perhaps?

how to describe your used furniture on craigslist

If you follow my twitter account (and if you don't, you should! I'm a hoot!), you'd know that I am an avid Craigslist browser. I'm (still) on the search for the perfect dining table and chairs and I love sharing great deals on vintage pieces. Oh yeah, and I also share sometimes funny/sometimes-not postings that totally misuse mid-century modern keywords.

And it looks like this doesn't just happen in the GTA-Craigslist postings...



By Lunchbreath, found via Dee.

freebie friday: voices of christmas past

I know that many of you have already started playing Christmas music as you bake holiday cookies or decorate.



So, how about adding this to your playlist: Voice of Christmas Past 1898 to 1922. It's a great compilation of Christmas classics by a variety of artists, restored and remastered from old 78s and cylinder recordings. I love that the songs still sound like they're being played on a phonograph! And (one of) the best part? Absolutely free for download here.

Have a great weekend everyone! I think I'm going to bake some sugar cookies using Casey's recipe!

twig + bone

Janae, over at Twig + Bone, did a little interview with me on her blog!

Janae and Nate also have a little handmade and vintage shop. The two lovely pieces of art above are currently available for sale!

supadupa vintage

I came across Supadupa Vintage the other day and I absolutely love the styling of their items.

It almost looks like a "real" clothing collection!

See more items from Supadupa Vintage here.

for the vintage lovin' gal

I find that gift shopping is often a very tedious task. Gift giving is always fun, but shopping around for the "right" item by a certain deadline can be super stressful. So I often end up buying things year-round and gifting them during the holidays, way less stressful!

I pulled together a couple of items that would make great gifts for the vintage loving gal (ahm, like me) on your list.

1960s Silk Chiffon Vera Scarfs from khendrix
Needlepoint Locket from CapriciousTraveler
Vintage Mechanical Alarm Clock from ClockworkUniverse
Vintage Lotus Bowls from Swoonshop
Brown Leather Briefcase Bag from bledherveins

vintage christmas decor

This was the perfect post to write up while the snow was falling outside! If you haven't already decorated your home for the holidays, here are some ideas for making your place cozy and festive.

P.S. I love those knee-hugging elves!

Row by row, from left to right:
Knee Hugger Pixie Elves Ornaments from CatchingKiteTails
1960s Brass Horn Candlesticks from melanieperalto28
4 Vintage Glass Ornaments from RobertaGrove
Space Age Ornament Trio from tippleandsnack
Vintage Gingerbread House Lamp from VintageZen
PomPom Aluminum Christmas Tree from JuJuToo
Vintage Holiday Kermit the Frog Doll from VintageZen
Vintage Tree Figure from Hindsvik
Joy Peace Noel Vintage Angels and Blocks from theclassicfarmhouse

freebie friday: german playing cards

As soon as I saw these German playing cards, I thought they would make perfect gift tags for the holidays! They look so festive.

Just print them out on heavy beige or brown cardstock, cut a hole for ribbon and you're good to go! You can download them here.

Have a great weekend everyone!

holiday sequin dress

It's December, and the holiday parties are about to start! I feel like sequins are definitely more of a winter "thing" than any other season. They just go so well with all the sparkly lights and decor, don't you think?

Clockwise, from top left:
70s Beaded Floral Sequin Caftan Dress from swagragvintage
Fiesta Holiday Mosaic Dress from CloverenRouge
60s Blue Sequined Cocktail Dress from allencompanyinc
Black and White Sequined Fringe Sleeve Dress from evamaniadesign

red cross letter

On our way back from the trip to the U.S., hubby and I stopped by a small town near Erie, Pennsylvania called North East. It was a pretty run-down town, with hints of it being a once busy and lively place. We parked by a parking meter along a street in what seemed like the downtown area. Many of the shops were out of business, and a couple were just closing for the day at 6 pm. Parking was (and I kid you not) 5 cents for every half-hour, and a dime for every hour.

We walked around for a bit and stumbled upon a goldmine, Ye Olde Vineyard, a books, games, and antiques store. Every inch of this place was covered in merchandise (I would've loved to take a photo of the place, but I was shy to do so!). I could've spent hours looking through the books and vintage ephemera (all at super reasonable prices). In the end, I came away with this little piece of history:

I am so intrigued by this Mrs. Phyllis Jay who volunteered in Guam in the 60s. Also, I love the cursive typewriter font.

If you're ever near Erie, PA, you should definitely visit Ye Olde Vineyard at 6 South Lake Street in North East, PA.