Shop Preview

It's been awhile since we gave you a peek at what's coming to the shop this week...:

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter so that you know exactly when we post something new.

What I'm Wearing: Lady Danburry

My friend Lynette (aka Lady Danburry) sews really beautiful clothing, and sells them in her online shop. A lot of her pieces are one-of-a-kind, vintage inspired, and many times out of vintage fabric. I ordered a blouse from her the other day and was so excited to wear it out and about for the first time. It came wrapped beautifully, with hand-written washing instructions:

Can you get any better than that sharp little vintage inspired collar? I don't think so. I wore it today with jeans, but have lots of plans to pair it with high-waisted skirts.

Blouse - Lady Danburry
Jeans - Emerson Fry
Shoes - Miz Mooz from a million years ago

Collecting Vintage: Umbrellas

What's not to love about a well-curated collection of vintage lovelies?  Everything looks better in groups, and I love the idea of collections of pretty things that can be used.  Living in Seattle means finding ways to be stylish in the rain.  I've stumbled across some of the prettiest vintage umbrellas lately-- those things were made to last even in the wettest locales!  If you're eying one in a store, make sure that you open and shut it a few times to check that it works easily.  I also open it and hold it to the light to check for any holes. A solid vintage umbrella can protect you against torrential downpours and they seem to not blow out in the wind as much as newer ones.

A few from my collection:
 
  Pretty handles & patterns at a local vintage shop:

etsy and ebay both have some AMAZING ones for sale.

Now, a question for all of YOU:  how can I display these beauties and still have them handy for use?

Animal Head Art - Jevgenia Masks

I spotted some awesome paper mache animal masks on etsy in a shop called Jevgenia Masks. They are made in Lativa, have a crafty handmade look to them, and are just overall a little creepy/awesome.

I've actually been meaning to try my hand at making some paper mache masks for the shop (I started some once, but left them on the porch to dry and they were gnawed on by raccoons) and have been inspired to renew my energies and give it a try again.

DIY Tutorial - Scalloped Peter Pan Collar

I've posted a little DIY Tutorial on my personal blog on turning a vintage button up shirt into a blouse with a scalloped peter pan collar. Check it out and make your own.

Estate Sale Finds: Darning Egg

I recently stumbled across this milk glass beauty.  Darning eggs were used to keep the round shape of socks while they were being mended.  I love how things used to be built to last!  Bonus was the darning kit and tin that came with it (from Seattle!).  Local vintage is always a plus.

 You can find darning eggs on ebay or etsy earn more about them here.

Vintage Inspired: Japanese Market O Brownies

My husband runs off to Asia for work more often than I'd like, but he always brings home something funny that he's found while over there. This week he brought back a package of overly processed brownie bites that he thought I'd like the retro styled packaging on. I got a kick of these very vintage American spokespeople for these funny little retro brownies.