This was Christmas.....



Xmas morning,running towards the tree






Playing w/ the first and LAST present he opened





.....And now it's done, and I couldn't be happier.  The holidays brought many things, a house tour, a busy store, baking parties,Santa and even a blizzard .  Now just need to get over the New Year's Eve hump and I can come back from my trip from the Brink of Insanity, along with everyone else....evidently Crazy Town is a very popluar destination for a lot of people this time of year.

Last Minute Gift Idea: The Anthropologie Necklace

Anthropologie , the store, the myth, the legend. Seeing how everyone wants what they are selling and with almost everything vintage inspired, but not everyone able to afford it sure makes it easier for me to make a living as most Etsy vintage dealers and  artisans are already selling what they have at a fraction of the cost.

This post I initially intended as a rant, demanding an "anthro-apology" for insulting my good sense by trying to hock THIS necklace onto people for a crazy amount of money, you clicked the link, you saw the price right? In case you forgot your glasses it's $168!!!  If it hasn't occured to you yet what the big deal is, it's because it's a paperclip necklace wrapped in electrical tape PEOPLE!  I'll quote what one poor fool wrote in the review,"Not sure if it was worth the price but it is an interesting necklace." Well duh.

But since Anthropologie is selling something like this it means you can totally get away with giving this as a Christmas gifts to all your Anthropologie loving friends. But since the original version is $168 we will just be making our own. All you need is:

1. common sense
2. electrical tape, any color, preferably scotch brand.
3. paperclips
4. a clasp of some sort, you can also use ribbon

One episode of Martha and 75 cents worth of materials later this is what ended up with:





And I'm not even crafty. Here is a side by side of the Anthropologie one and mine:







$168  left...75 cents right

Not too shabby, even though when it comes down to it, it is still a paperclip necklace. At least this version won't give you sticker shock and for the cost you could afford to give one to all your friends. And since you will have saved yourself a bundle for your savviness do not forget to reward yourselves by buying yourself something pretty from  here ;)







Before and Almost After

Just a little update since this post. The House Tour came and we, meaning the house and I survived.  I didn't manage to get everything on my list done, but that I guess would be expected...I mean who did I think I was Martha Stewart(okay maybe for a second).  I did get a lot of the eyesores remedied though, like painting over all the battleship grey paint that was on the floor and the woodwork.  After awhile it starts to make you feel like you're living in a submarine.


There had been a momentary lapse in judgement the day before the tour when I painted the hall the color of poop or "Sell this House" brown, I feel like it's an HGTV color if you know what I mean. And I really have no clue how it happened, all I recall is I had a different can of safe, pale, light friendly paint named 'Rice Paper' that I had used in the stairwell and 3rd floor hallway stirred and ready to go up , next thing I know I am being seduced by a can of mistint I bought on an impulse from Lowes the night before with no intention to even use in the house and before I know it THAT color is on my wall instead of the 'Rice paper'.  So for now I'm living with it, because the thought of painting it over is worse than the color itself at the moment, no  more home renovation until after Christmas.

before

after

                       
The hallway....we changed out the lighting, extensive plaster repair to wall and ceiling, painted EVERYTHING including floor, which is only a temorary solution until we can refinish them as we have in the rest of the house.  The wall with the wreath in the "landing" area is still a work in progress.

before





after

                                                                                                                    

The staiway aka big pain in my tush....refinished the banister, painted, caulked and puttied the spindles, risers, windows, moldings and wall. Sanded and stripped treads which use to be cobered in a brown thick paint, they still need to be sanded even and sealed.

How to Cook a Husband

Favorite or I should may say most kitschy find of the week.  Prints from the 1960s by Jacque Pati. Anyone who thrifts has probably come across his stuff. Usually framed culinary themed prints featuring a vegetable with a recipe.  However this is the first time I've come across one that had a recipe to cook people.

My favorite one of course is titled, "How to Cook a Husband", it also reminds me of this crazy Helen Mirren movie.  But my favorite line/s comes from, "How to Keep a Wife" which says, 'Woman are tender and bruise easily so do not pinch or whip too hard'...got that?? Do not leave marks when you whip your wife!  I also like the line, "Baste often."



Jack & Annabel presents



 Also yesterday we had our first significant snowfall, perfect for last minute shopping( note sarcasm), people drive like idiots as it is this time of year so why not make the roads icy and wet!  

Here are few shots of the babes in awe:                                         

"Look mommy, it's a white road of death"



Trying to catch a snowflake on her tongue, windows are irrelevant





Emily "Sojourner" Rodman

I've been so busy I haven't had an opportunity to post about my new baby. Her name is Emily Rodman.

She is originally from Philadelphia but journeyed to me all the way from England in order to get here which I find so intriguing.  It doesn't surprise me though as she is quite a fashionable miss in her lace and gold, so I would expect she would have the means to travel and according to the inscription on the back of the canvas has been since 1842.  

However by no means do I feel she is anywhere near the end of her travels, I am just playing hostess for her, she is a sojourner. As I am sure she will still be seeing the world way after my ashes are scattered over it.



I Like the Winter Weather

Well not really but it never fails, every year when it's time to pull the Christmas decor from the recesses of the basement this song makes it way out of the recesses of my subconscious. Programmed to replay endlessly in my mind until the day after Christmas to never be thought of again until the next year.

Retro Retrospect Friday

A trunk full of vintage is a lovely sight to behold, even more beautiful than that was the entire car filled to the gills with clothing by the end of the day. You know it's a good day when driving becomes compromised and potentailly hazardous due to vintage falling over from the passenger seat onto you while you are driving.

Below are two of my favorite finds from the week.  So upset about the Hudson Bay blanket coat not fitting, I have those blankets all over the house maybe I should make one??? But alas, it's just not the same you know?  I am however keeping the embroidered 1940s dress (for the time being). The coat can be found here.




1970s Hudson Bay Blanket Coat



1940s minesies

                                                       

HELP: Have You Seen These Boots?



via, thevintagevoice






Fashion emergency people, I shredded the heel of my boot the other night, totally shattered it. There is a gaping cavernous hole in the side that the little shoe elves are now seeking asylum in because they DON'T want me to get  my hands on them.  Who knew those heels weren't actually solid wood, silly me.

So my wardrobe has been thrown off kilter, half the things I bought and kept for myself I had my boots in mind.  No boots, those pieces won't work.  During the fall and winter I live in these boots and I guess after 10 years it has become evident. 

I've looked all over the internet and I found them on Etsy(see above), except they weren't my size(boo!).  I've even looked for boots with a similar style and feel, not necessarily cuffed or Frye boots, but nadda.  So this is my public cry for help and an opportunity to sell their wears quickly.  Spread the word around, if you or anyone  you know has a pair of this style of boot in their inventory in a size 9 to 9.5 not yet listed let me know!  And if you want to trade or do a partial trade for things from my shop even better. 

Irma

I did try to make a nice pretty and tidy Polyvore collage of all my lovely Irma finds but that meant undoing a lot of my firewall and browser settings and so I mini panicked as the image of precious life minutes going down the drain for the sake of installing Polyvore flashed through my mind.....yeah, no.

For Halloween I plan to be Irma la Douce, it's one of my favorite movies.  I'll even have a little stuffed white dog to stick in  my purse. What's great is I already had all the pieces when I had my costume epiphany, no constructing of anything required just need to do hair and make-up.  It's the only way I'll even bother getting dressed up for Halloween because I generally have three other costumes that need making in the house, which case in point I still have yet to start .

Above is an Irma look constructed of pieces all found via Etsy :

1. Dress, ThePigeonChest

2. Green Net Stockings, PinUpBetty

3. Shoes, Skinny and Bernie

4. Purse, LipStickWhiskey

5. Hair Bow, TheVintageFleaMarket

This Old House

Above are pictures of some of my home projects that have been keeping me very occupied.  Sorry about the blurry shots, but really I have no time for focusing.  In about 4 weeks my BOME (building/home) will be participating in the Bridgeton City House Tour.  Not to mention it is also the busy season for The Church of Vintage, juggling the two plus babies I may have to to sleep the entire month of Janaury to recovery once the holidays pass. 


So if it seems I've gone quiet in my usual online haunts, it's most likely I'm knee deep in saw dust and joint compound with a dash of vintage clothing and toddler hijinks thrown into the mix.  Of course anyone who wants to try their hand at sanding stairs is more than welcome to come over.

Blonde Ambition

image: imdb

A first peak of Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe for the upcoming film, My Week with Marilyn. . This image strikes me to be a tad bit on the draggy side.  Now I don't see this as bad casting, well not yet at least, but for the moment definitely nothing like when they casted Jennifer Love Hewitt as Audrey Hepburn (don't get me started). Just perhaps some not on par make-up.

Images for the movie are very limited, so I'm waiting with baited breath for more. Hopefully the teasers will be more promising. The acting can be oscar worthy but if the costume and make-up aren't right, specifically referring to "period" movies, I really wouldn't be able to get into it as much if at all.......I really do want to be excited about it, I mean it also has Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh!

Saddle Shoe Baby

Annabel had quite a vintagey weekend.  I'm totally loving saddle shoes right now on her, they go with everything.  So glad she grew into them in time for the season and she loves them, have to fight her to take them off. 

Lovely high quality leather shoe w/ stiff sole from the 1950s, so classic and I'm thoroughly addicted to the look.  I'm already on the hunt to track down as many of the sizes she will need to come to keep her perpetually in saddles shoes.

1950s Saddle Shoes~ Thrifted

1950s Yellow Linen Dress~ Gift

1960s Forget Me Not Dress/Top ~ Thrifted

Green Shorts~ Old Navy

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A Poncho Color

Yes I've been waiting all season to write that title, I amuse very easily. Ponchos are one of my favorite and definite autumn must haves. Perfect for getting cozy on hayrides and a great way to experiment w/ patterns and colors. 

Images above are a few pieces that will be ending up in the shop rather soon so long as they do not sell out of my other store first.  My favorite (the last image) which is a 1930s - 40s blanket cape will be posted to the shop some time today.