Thursday Thrill – A Cold Night's Golden Warmth

Photo by RaceyTay

Today's thrill is one of twinkling nights and luxury. With the holiday season upon us, I would love to present a tribute to sparkle, shine, and splendor. No other season is so well equipped to give us a chance to go a little overboard and pull out all the stops in our wardrobe. I've been saving a dress that I purchased in early fall for such an occasion and will be breaking it out for my holiday birthday bash later in December. But for now, here is a special treat of vintage finery for your holiday parties! Come follow me toward the golden lights ahead...

First and foremost, the dress must be fabulous and this one could define the word. A 1950's Ceil Chapman in silk that has been completely covered in gold glass beads (still has its original belt too!) would feel like bathing in champagne. Although the beads would make it quite heavy, the dress isn't full length so that would probably help as the night wore on. I would probably not wear a hefty necklace with this dress. Buttery skin, a nice fragrance, and a pair of pearl and gold filagree earrings from the 1960's Emmons collection would be enough for me (although I do like the look of the pearls going down the back of the dress). A pair of shoes fit for a dress like this is hard to find, but don't worry, I managed. This classic pair of vintage Yves Saint Laurent slingbacks in a gold metallic leather would be beautiful but not overpowering to the already bold ensemble. To help continue the line of the leg and elongate a pair of gorgeous gams, I paired this shoe with metallic seamed pantyhose from What Katie Did in nude with a tiny sliver of gold running up the back. What Katie Did makes faux vintage lingerie and hosiery that has the charm and sexiness of the past with the comfort and durability of the present. They also have a pair polka dotted seamed hose that I love, but that will have to wait for another thursday and another thrill. 

The night lasts through to the morning with most holiday parties and you will need to keep a compact at the ready to keep your nose powdered and your lips red after so many kisses. I could hardly keep my head from spinning when I saw this cosmetic vanity case by the Evans Case Company! Made in the 1920s, this gold sunburst compact still has all of its original parts including a mirror, comb, powder and puff, and even a hot red lipstick! There is even a black silk carrier to sling on your wrist as you mingle. Oh my god, I cannot tell you how much I love this little treasure! Kudos to the lucky lady who purchases this piece. You will have a very jealous vintage lover in North Carolina wishing she was you.

Going to and fro in the wee hours of the morning in the chill of winter in only a wee dress is not advised, so let's add an extra dose of luxury to this sensuous explosion of glamour. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw a vintage leopard skin coat on Etsy. Yes, you heard me right. I did indeed say leopard. Now, don't get angry animal lovers. I don't condone killing leopards for your holiday finery. The unfortunate but beautiful animal that made this coat was taken over 60 years ago and like ivory, you should never buy modern. Protecting these beautiful creatures is important. Okay, that said, this 1950's vintage coat is absolutely gorgeous! Imagine the cozy warmth when you slip this on and the gorgeous pop of gold people would see as you slip it off at arrival. Sigh, I'm in that moment now...swoon with me for a moment people...

                                                                          Featured Items:

-Fine Art Photograph (top) by RaceyTay

-Dress from Posh Porscha

-Shoes from HensFeathers

-Hosiery by What Katie Did

-Earrings (complete jewelry set) 

 from AVintageJewelryChest

-Compact Purse from OldAuntsAttic

-Leopard Fur Coat from GuermantesVintage

-Fine Art Photograph (bottom) by Sparks of Fire

Photo by Sparks of Fire

Wordless Wednesday – My Cold Piggies Miss This...

Treasury Tuesday – EcoEtsy

Today's treasury is brought to you by The Wooden Bee and is a tribute to eco lovers! Her and I are part of a lovely team on Etsy called EcoEtsy and you can search out the shops in that team by clicking here. All the shops on Team EcoEtsy strive to be as earth friendly as possible and we make some pretty awesome stuff in the process, as you can see by the lovely selection below.

To view individual items in this treasury, click here.

Happy Holiday Weekend

*************************Black Friday Sale****************************

I will be holding my one and only sale for Black Friday through Cyber Monday!!! If you would like to get gifts or stocking stuffers for the lovely ladies in your life, come browse my shop and use the code SmallBizLove10 for 10% off your entire purchase! I make everything by hand, try to be as eco conscious as possible, and incorporate a vintage bauble on each creation. I also gift wrap each item for free and will send it directly to the giver or the recipient. To visit my shop, ChatterBlossom, click here.

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Thursday Thrill – Retro Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Unsurprisingly, I decided to give the holiday a retro fitting! After all, the holidays are where traditions and old timey charm come together so easily and festive celebrations are the perfect place to don a classic piece of vintage. 

I've decided to break this post into two sections. Part one is an outfit for day, for work, and for getting your hands all floured up. The second part will be for the formal gathering when you get to sample all of your hard work and share it with the ones you love.

Part One: Cooking up a Storm!

Everyone knows that holiday cooking starts bright and early. There is usually family in town milling about/getting in the way. I'm always in a bind with this scenario. There is part of me that wants to look cute and feel festive and there is the other part that knows I'm gonna get sweaty and dirty. I don't want to look like a slob (for others or for myself). My attitude is much brighter when I dress the part. If I'm in sweats and slippers, I'm probably going to end up on the couch. However, if I put this little day dress on, I would immediately have an uptick in my mood and feel like I wanted to conquer the day's myriad tasks. This adorable 1950's day dress is double breasted with a snowflake pattern. No wiggle dresses for this day's chores! A little cotton number with a loose skirt and sleeves would be perfect and wouldn't be restrictive.

Plus! It is the perfect little dress for a vintage apron! Look at the little poodle print in green! So cute and would make getting your hands dirty a bit more adorable.

As for accessories during the day, I would keep it simple and practical. No rings or bracelets to get crusted with gunk. A low or no heel shoe with an ankle strap would be ideal. That way when you are running to the oven to check a pie you don't fall out of your shoes and into said pie. These 1940's patent leather mary janes would be good for me. I know a lot of people can't do a heel all day, but this one wouldn't be too bad for me. If you do have trouble, a good pair of low vintage wedges would be a great compromise. To keep those wisps of hair from getting into your casseroles, I paired this outfit with one of my latest vintage bobby pin sets, "Sandstone". Practical meets adorable. 

Part Two: The Culmination of a Hard Day's Work

It is finally time! All the craziness and spills of the day are over. Time to pour a glass of wine (or three) and celebrate with family and friends. I love the idea of dressing up for dinner. People rarely do this anymore. I enjoy casual, comfy duds as much as the next girl, but there is something so special about taking the time to "dress" for an occasion. It marks a transition for me. It tells me that my role of "making, doing, and running around" is over and my new role of "chatting, laughing, and having twinkling eyes" is now beginning. I feel refreshed and more care free after getting a clean outfit on with a little bit of festive detailing. 

The dress that I discovered at MissFarfalla is absolutely perfect!! Cut from an abstract autumn leaf fabric, the late 50's/early 60's dress is an ideal piece for a fall celebration. It's formal, but not "New Year's" formal. It still feels homey and huggable while remaining classic and elegant. A vintage design by McKettrick, the cowl neck and bow detailing on the waist are just beautiful. 

This is where I would bust out my heels ladies! You will probably be in less pain anyway because of all the wine! This pair of 1950's tan leather pumps brings a sprinkle of sexy to this otherwise graceful ensemble. Because of the neckline being high, I would not do a necklace or long dangling earrings. I would again keep it rather simple and go with a ring and stud earring combo. My pumpkin spice colored vintage button ring would be an easy fit for the feel of the dress and would be interesting enough to stand alone. Adding some fall flowers to a simple updo would also be a fun spruce of detail and would keep eyes up at your laughing smile. I chose my hair flowers in mustard, nutmeg, and moss green to play up the dress colors and each little button in the center is a vintage piece too!

Featured Items:
-Day Dress by Dear Golden
-Brown Day Shoes by Oiseau Vintage
-Poodle Apron by SFKvintage
-Vintage Button Bobby Pins by ChatterBlossom
-Formal Dress by MissFarfalla
-Tan Leather Pumps by SewSewSimplyVintage
-Vintage Button Ring by ChatterBlossom
-Hair Flowers by ChatterBlossom




*************************SURPRISE!!!****************************
I will be holding my one and only sale for Black Friday through Cyber Monday!!! If you would like to get gifts or stocking stuffers for the lovely ladies in your life, come browse my shop and use the code SmallBizLove10 for 10% off your entire purchase! I make everything by hand, try to be as eco conscious as possible, and incorporate a vintage bauble on each creation. I also gift wrap each item for free and will send it directly to the giver or the recipient. 

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Enjoy your holiday everyone!!!!

Wordless Wednesday – They are a Changin'!

***Stay tuned for a special surprise on tomorrow's Thursday Thrill!!***

Treasury Tuesday – Happy Thanksgiving Week

I hope you all are snuggled at home with family and friends this week while giving thanks for all the wonderful gifts we each have in our lives! Have a wonderful holiday and enjoy all the food! I know I will! ;-)

This festive treasury was made by gbrosseau and celebrates the gorgeous colors of autumn with some lovely items on Etsy. My three hair flowers were also featured in the bottom left corner and I can just add that to my list of what I'm thankful for this season!

To view individual items in this treasury, click here.

Feature Friday – Walnut Studiolo

Today's feature is Walnut Studiolo. Geoffrey and Valerie Franklin of Portland, Oregon create hand tooled leather and wood accessories, mainly for bicycle lovers (and what appears to be booze lovers too! Yay!). They make some really handy little items too. Shown below are their reusable beer/soda carton, bicycle frame handle, umbrella/6pack frame cinch, and wine (or other bottles...okay just wine...) belt. How helpful would these be?! I love the idea of hitching a bottle of wine and cinching a baguette to my bike and heading out for a picnic with the hubs! To browse all of their creations, click here.

Thursday Thrill – A Chill in the Air

Winter photo by gbrosseau

Today's thrill also has a chill! The weather is turning quite a bit colder now. I haven't even gotten to fully enjoy the mild fall yet and I'm rarely ready for the actual cold of winter to begin. I'm always consistently surprised by it. I'll walk outside in the morning and feel shocked that it's cold out even though I know that it should be, given that it is the middle of November. I'm a bundler though and am not particularly fond of being chilly. Today's items could change my mind though. I rarely find vintage items for winter. I really don't know why that is either. You can find coats and capes, but you don't see lots of cold weather clothing. I was surprised when I stumbled across this sweater dress from Le Mollusque. It is a cozy vintage wool piece in snowflake blue handmade in Denmark probably in the late 1960's or early 1970's. This is my favorite sleeve length too! It isn't bulky, too long, or too short. The 3/4 length is classy and feminine and I love it.

I also found a pair of darling vintage shoes from the 1930's from Adored Vintage. Taupe grey oxfords get an interesting touch with detailed cut-outs along the side and french blue satin ribbon tie up fronts. Again, not my size or I would be fumbling out the cash as we speak! 

As far as accessories go, you wouldn't need much with this dress. I wouldn't wear a bracelet or a ring with prongs because I would be scared of pulling threads from the knit. Instead, these adorable vintage Sarah Coventry cameo clip-ons would be perfect. Add on a non-thread pulling ring like my vintage geometric "Paper Moon" ring, and you are set for hot cocoa and a roaring fire! 

Also, for those warm toes in the winter, I included a beautiful pair of hand-felted woolen slippers. I would toss off the heels when I got home and snuggle into a pair of these comfy and rather lovely pair of merino slip ons with felted rose detailing.

Featured Items:

-Scandinavian Sweater Dress by Le Mollusque
UPDATE: This dress sold last night, but be sure to check out all of the other goodies in this shop!
-Vintage Oxford Shoes by Adored Vintage
-Cameo Earrings by Moms Antiques N Things
-Vintage Button Ring by ChatterBlossom
-Felted Slippers by ing00te
-Winter Wonderland Fine Art Photo by gbrosseau

Wordless Wednesday – Dance Competition

This is a not-so-wordless wednesday. I've mentioned before that I dance and that I love vintage dances like lindy hop, balboa, and blues. Well, here is a recent photo of me dancing in a competition for balboa. I'm wearing a 1940's floral dress with cognac brown ReMix shoes. I'm also wearing a fascinator in my hair that I made with my grandmother's vintage brooch. I competed in my very first competitions last weekend and it was terrifying and exhilarating! I did manage to take 3rd place in a Pro-Am competition (where a pro and an amateur dance together).

Photographs by "A Captured Image Photography".

Treasury Tuesday – Paris is Never a Bad Idea

Aurelija from aurelijaLT created today's lovely treasury. Based on the idea that Paris is never a bad idea, she included beautifully chic and airy items like a gorgeous Eiffel Tower print, a feminine blouse, and my Art Deco inspired hair fascinator. 

To view individual items in this treasury, click here.

Sunday Shout-Out! – Whimsy Ways

There are many people I want to thank and I want to give each one a special Sunday. This one goes out to Angela at Whimsy Ways. Thank you!!!!! You've been a lovely supporter of my blog and I've really appreciated your comments! I also love the magical (and whimsical!) feel of your blog. It really is a wonderful place to get lost in.

Please visit and support Angela:
- Blog
- Shop
- Pinterest
- Facebook 
- Twitter

Feature Friday – Diana 70

Today's feature is going to be another "short on words" one because the pictures do the talking. Diana from Diana 70 makes something that I hadn't come across before and it is adorable! She produces high quality cross stitch patterns from art prints, vintage pinup posters, and celebrity photos. Of course, I just love the pinups! I think I would actually enjoy doing cross stitch if I ended up with a retro sexy pillow cover. Having one of these lovely vixens on my green antique goose neck sofa would be an interesting surprise that I would enjoy! Here are some of my fav's, but be sure to check out Diana's whole shop for some gorgeous patterns. The squirrel one at the bottom cracks me up! Love it!                                                                                                   To view her delightful shop in full, click here.