Weekend Fun on Etsy!

Join us for a fun day searching through some of the best vintage shops on the web!
Go to the team blog for all the details. Happy Hunting!
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Join us for a fun day searching through some of the best vintage shops on the web!
Go to the team blog for all the details. Happy Hunting!
Come along with Janet McCaffrey of Primrose Design to her recent visit to a vintage Hot Spot the, Stormville Airport Antique Show & Flea Market (Stormville, NY).
I missed the opening weekend of the Stormville Airport Antique Show & Flea Market in April but I’d heard that the Memorial Day weekend dates were even better. So, this past Saturday I made the 1.5 hour drive to Stormville (located halfway between New York City and Albany off the Taconic Parkway; exit 16N off I84 if you’re arriving from the east or west). First off, let me say that I wish they had better traffic control. It took nearly as long for me to drive the 3 miles from the I84 exit to the show than it did to drive there from Pennsylvania (seriously!) Several people in front of me ran out of patience and bailed, so keep this in mind if you’re planning to attend. Or plan your trip so you arrive when they open at 7 am.
Enough with
the details—you want to hear about what I found. With the economy the
way it is these days I’m making a conscious effort to be more picky
than I usually am with my purchases for my business and I didn’t find
quite as much stuff as I would have liked. There were several vendors
selling linens and textiles but I found most of their prices to be too
high—what I would call “cutter” quality for antique store prices. I
found some vintage fabric scraps, lots of $1 hankies, a batch of
vintage needlework books, and a very cute apron. Mostly I found cool
things to add to my personal collections (and that’s why most of us
shop at flea markets anyway).
My
best deal of the day was a pair of white cotton pillowcases trimmed
with eyelet for $6. They were a bit dusty and yellowed but a quick soak
cleaned them up perfectly. I love that these aren't too frilly so I'm
going to use them on my bed.Hi everyone!
I hope you are enjoying some lovely weather where you are. I'm still down, as far as the notebook is concerned but I'm thankful for my warranty. There may be a couple of special posts this weekend. I'll be posting the winner of the two giveaway/contests on Monday. You still have time to enter the photography giveaway until this evening.
Be sure to visit the Etsy Vintage Street Team Blog this weekend. They will be hosting a fun scavenger hunt on Sunday for a great prize!
Until then, be safe and have a great weekend!
Gabreial
Hey Vintage Indie readers! I have a lovely "suprise giveaway" for you today! Jennifer Squires Productions is offering the winner (one) of this giveaway this gorgeous 8x10 Purple Flower Photograph (valued at $45.00). (CLICK TO VIEW LARGER)
To enter the giveaway/contest: You'll need to check out Jennifer Squires Productions Shop (not the sponsor sites on right) Find something you like from their site and post a comment with their URL of the item you dig in the body of your comment.
The RULES:
You must be 18 or older to enter (void where prohibited)
You may enter once or a dozen times, but each entry must have one URL from the sponsor's site from an item that you dig copied and pasted into the body of your comment. (The URL Space with your name is for your website or blog if you have one)
You have until FRIDAY (that's tomorrow May 30 until 11:59pmEST to enter.
Monday June 2nd one winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email,so check those boxes for the winner announcements and this month's newsletter!
Would you like to sponsor a crafty little giveaway? Please contact me for more info.
Recently I had the ultimate pleasure of sampling a few Fat Rascal Cookies from the gorgeous Ruby Pear in Noblesville Indiana. Not only were the cookies a huge hit in our home the scones were absolutely delicious. White Chocolate Cashew and Cinnamon Chip are an original from the Ruby Pear and are scrumptious.
The Ruby Pear is rich in vintage, antiques and history. I hope you are lucky enough to live nearby or can plan a trip to visit very soon. In the meantime, I spoke with the lovely owner Mary Ann for a few questions about their gorgeous tea room.
Vintage Indie - How/When did your family decide to start a tea room?
While vacationing at our home on the Florida
panhandle for 20 years and visiting southern tearooms, we fell in love
with the idea of providing hospitality and lovely gifts in a place that
promotes peaceful living. During our search for
our first location, we found the "Craycraft Victorian House" in
Noblesville, Indiana. The Victorian charm, architectural details and
rich history enhance our Tea Room environment. The
Ruby Pear opened on October 1, 2005 with the intention to entertain,
pamper and indulge our guests. From the music we play to the colorful
surroundings, we hope that you find The Ruby Pear a place that allows
you to slow down a bit and enjoy the company of family and friends.
Vintage Indie - What is the history behind The Ruby Pear?
Ruby is my Grandmother's name and it is also my birthstone. I am an
artist and first learned to draw by looking at a pear. I've loved them
ever since!
Vintage Indie - What do you want customers to know about visiting a tea room?
We are a unique mixture of tearoom styling. Our tearoom is a bit more relaxed in the southern tearoom style, yet we want our surroundings to be elegant, soft, warm and inviting to all of our customers. We pride ourselves on finding the best ingredients for our food and have designed our dining areas to be somewhat intimate yet approachable. We never want to be called "stuffy" and thrive on good conversation and lots of laughter. Hospitality is our number one goal. We like to think that our tearoom is an environment that everyone will enjoy, from a busy Mom needing time alone to a large multi-generational family celebrating a birthday, to a formal private tea party celebrating a baby, wedding or special event.
(Photo Left, Mother's Day 08 at The Ruby Pear)
Vintage Indie - What's the difference in loose tea blends and bagged blends?
Well, loose tea is loose and you put it in a T-Sac (which is a disposable tea bag) or you put it in a tea infuser. Bagged means that the tea comes pre-packaged for immediate use. Harney makes a darling pyramid sachet that their tea comes in. This shape allows the tea leaves to roll around and make a wonderful cup of tea.
Vintage Indie - As far as teas are they blends of your family or do you outsource those?
We actually carry the Harney Tea brand and have done very well with it. However, we have located a tea blender out of Germany that we are now using to private label our own tea line. We have 12 different blends and are looking to expand that number very soon. Our signature bright pink bags are becoming quite popular. We also just recently picked up a line of blooming teas from Teaposy. They are quite interesting, tasty and beautiful to watch bloom in a clear pot! Their website is http://www.teaposy.com/ if you are interested in seeing a video.
Thanks so much to Mary Ann and the Lucas family for an inside look at The Ruby Pear. Be sure to visit their website for their menu, directions and a further look into this gorgeous tea room.
Due to the recent mishap/freak accident today with my cup of joe and friendly comments from readers. I thought it would be a good time to have a little show and tell. I need a new vessel for my morning coffee, maybe something with a lid or maybe something that's not cheap crappy massed produced pottery that breaks for no reason.. "oh sorry" didn't mean to ramble. Anyway, I'd like to know two things.1. What's your favorite cup, one that you use every day. 2.What's in it in the morning?
If you have posted this on your blog or have a photo on Flickr etc of your cup and your preferred morning drink, leave the url of it here and the winner will get a lovely prize from me. (leave your comment by Thursday 5-29-08 by 11:59pmEST). Vintage Double Tough Pyrex pictured.. this is what I should have been drinking from.
Books
abound for decorating country style, using vintage finds, making the
old new again. There’s new country, French country, even Midwest Modern,
coined in an Amy Butler book I’ll review soon. But for now, say “adios”
to all those familiar trends and hola! to Mexican country/Hacienda style.
Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr, award-winning authors, designers and photographers and collaborators with Pittsburgh Paints® on The Hacienda Style Color Palette have published a thorough series of hard- and soft-cover tomes to help you get the Mexican abode – or Hacienda- of your dreams.
Mexican Country Style, 1997, $24.95; The New Hacienda, 1999, $19.95 and Hacienda Style, 2007, $39.95, all published by Gibbs Smith, Utah, are but three of their eight volumes in the last decade depicting the deep southwestern and native style of Mexico.
If
you live in the western half of the U.S., then Hacienda (a Mexican estate
or plantation)style may not be such a new concept, as it is a familiar
form of design in Texas, Arizona, California and the like. But, if you
are in the Midwest, on the east coast or in the southeast, you may want
to grab one or more of these books if you’d like to add some native
New World style.
Wytinski and Carr are owners of Joe P. Carr Design, a gallery in Austin, TX, where they spend their time when not in Mexico. Their quest for design treasures and their writings from the resultant travels have earned them La Pluma de Plata (The Silver Pen) from Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism, for The New Hacienda.
The duo has been at the forefront of Mexican design for more than 25 years and have designed and renovated both homes and haciendas and commercial projects in the U.S. and Mexico. They have been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful and on HGTV’s Takeover my Makeover.
With all of these respected credentials and eight books under their belts, Wytinski and Carr don’t need a review from a Johnny-come-lately-to-the-style like me. I will say the books are a joy to look at whether you favor this style or not. The photography is beautiful, so that whether you are into design, travel, re-living your high school Spanish class or just appreciating the art of life, you can find something here to enjoy.
They
are a satisfying size, at 130 to 200 pages each, and Hacienda Style
easily makes for a coffee table selection. The only cuidado (caution)
I would give is if you are looking to reform your NYC brownstone or
your Indiana 3BR/2BT ranch into an adobe abode, you won’t find
a lot of practical photos- unless your ranch has 20- or 30-foot ceilings
and your walk-up has an open-air kitchen.
But,
as with so many design books and the resultant reviews, those who are
quick to critique them as impractical must remember these books are
for visual inspiration, suggestion and in this case, education
and documentation of a style spanning four centuries: Mexican hacienda
style.
- Guest Author, Gina Smith
{All contributed content Gina Smith © Lilly*s of London*ish}
You can find these books for purchase in our Amazon Store under "Reviewed at Vintage Indie"
Good morning, well I hope it's been good for you at least. My new notebook just suffered, from a freak accident. Whatever you do, stay away from Ty Pennington Sears dishes. This is the second time, a coffee mug handle has just broken for no reason. I've also had plates just crumble and break on me. This time hot coffee all over my new notebook. I'm not sure how long I'll be down, but features will be limited. I'll keep you posted and thanks for coming by today. By the way, not really what I had planned for my 500th post, but alas it is.
Gabreial
Three days and summer break begins! I can hardly wait to have both of my boys together full time again. We'll be planning picnics and trips to the park. Today's Daily Swank is a must have for mommies on the go.
Below is a picnic placemat from Little Red Caboose. This one is their Vintage and Turnips mat. Handmade from heavy vintage cotton and a cotton linen blend fabric for the adorable turnip utensil pocket.
Head over to Little Red Caboose for this mat and other styles.
Enjoy!
A special thank you is in order to the Real Simple Magazine's Simply Stated Blog. On Friday Holly Becker of Decor8 featured 25 Vintage Housewares shops on Etsy. My husband and I's shop The Vintage Kitchen, happened to be one of them along with 24 other wonderful shops. Head over to this post for the full feature.
If you don't already subscribe to Real Simple magazine you should give it a try. I love the clean fresh look and wonderful ideas. Head over to our new Amazon Store to subscribe.
Barb McMahon writes the blog May December Home - home decor with a focus on environmentally friendly/handmade/re-used design.Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful long weekend. I enjoyed the sunshine with some yard work and some much needed family time. I'm back today with that exciting announcement I've been meaning to share with you.
I would like to announce the opening of our new Amazon Store! If you are a regular reader of Vintage Indie, you've probably seen our "Off the Shelf" book and magazine reviews. This summer things will be heating up when our contributing editor Gina Smith and I bring you all sorts of fabulous literature reviews. You'll be able to find new books, some of my favorites and the books reviewed on Vintage Indie in the store.They are available for purchase under the Categories and Subcategories to the right of the store.
I've also included my favorite books in Business, Cooking, Crafting + DIY, Fashion categories and more as well as some of my favorite music and magazine picks. Shopping at the store is easy, you shop as you normally would on Amazon.com by adding things to your cart. Everything is shipped via Amazon as it usually is. We are not responsible for shipping, handling. I just provide the picks that I think you'll love as much as I do.
Be sure to click at the bottom of the store pages for even more selections. Each category & subcategory will grow with time and if there is a book you've been looking for or would like to be reviewed by Vintage Indie please let us know.
Head over and test it out, let us know what you think or if you see any glitches.
Have a great day and stay tuned for a 3 book series review this week from contributing editor, Gina Smith.
Did you happen to see our interview of The Farm Chicks Antique Show yesterday? Hopefully you did and made arrangements to attend, if not you'll miss out on fabulous indie businesses like Kitschy Kitschy Coo.
Come along with me today on a little interview with Kitshcy Kitschy Coo's owner Lisa Miller Be sure to mark them down on your must see list at this year's show.
How did you get started in making items with a vintage and retro style?
I grew up in California, with a grandma & aunt who sell antiques and a mom who loves thrift stores, so I was raised with an overall appreciation for the history of domestic arts. While pregnant with my daughter in 2000, I wanted to capture a feeling of warmth and history in her nursery. The commercial baby décor didn't appeal to me, so my mom and I scoured antique stores and thrift stores, trying to put together a look that fit my idea. As a gift from my mother-in-law in Oklahoma, I received a box filled with antique baby vases. The kind that people could send with little floral arrangements to welcome the new babies. We also used old containers of baby powder, vintage warming dishes on shelves, our families' silver baby cups and spoons hung with ribbons and a TON of vintage linens. I took an embroidered dutch girl tea towel that my grandmother had made for me and cut around the embroidery to make a patchwork square, with which I made a pillow for the crib. This treasure hunt turned into a passion that wouldn't quit. Long after my daughter was born, I was sketching ideas and collecting whatever vintage baby paraphernalia I could find.


Hi everyone! Sorry for the late post, but it seems as if my little one has strep again........ for the 5th time since February, I'm exhausted! Looks like some tonsils may have to come out, I know I'm probably going to be stressing over this way more than he is. Anyone have to go through this with a 3 year old?
In other news, we have two fabulous winners for our Spring into Summer Swanky Swag giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered and be sure to stay tuned for our next giveaway very soon! I'll be announcing our winners as soon as I hear back from them.
I have some very exciting news that I can't hardly wait to share with you, but it's just going to have to wait. Enjoy your Friday and your long weekend if you have one. I'll be back again a few more times today with another fabulous feature from The Farm Chicks and then it's off to enjoy the long weekend.
(pictured Vintage White Hanson Kitchen Scale, from The Vintage Kitchen)
Have you heard about The Farm Chicks Antique Show, in Spokane Valley, Washington? If you haven't mark your calendar for June 7 & 8 or make travel plans to attend. It is a "vintage indie" lovers dream.
I recently interviewed the lovely ladies behind this fabulous event.

What exactly are The
Farm Chicks?
The Farm Chicks are Teri Edwards & Serena
Thompson (pictured left). Two long time friends who share a love of antiques and
junking. We both love creating homes that reflect our personality, be it
old and rusty or new and shiny. We started junking together and decided
to share our finds by having a barn sale six years ago. We had such a
great response that we knew we were on to something and decided to make it a
regular event, inviting other vendors offering antique and hand crafted items
to join us. It’s hard to believe we’re getting ready for our 9th
show!
We are excited to hear about the event for
this year. If you are new to "junking" and vintage hunting what can a
newbie expect to find there?
Originally we started as an “antiques only”
show, but have evolved and grown into something much broader and we think, more
fun J There will be lots of non-antique (handmade) goodies along with the
many antique vendors. We felt that if we enjoyed these handmade items,
why not include them! We are inspired by the many talented and creative
women who are a part of the show and hope that our shoppers will be inspired
too. As far as antiques, there will be something for everyone, from
rustic farm to Paris flare, from mid-century modern to primitives. We
have vendors coming from all over the Pacific Northwest and a few as far away
as California, Montana, Nevada & Utah.

What makes The Farm Chicks
event different from your regular "flea market/antique" shows?
One
of the things that we’re the most proud of is the quality of our vendors and
their creative displays. As we all know, displays are so important.
It’s not surprising that so much effort is put into window displays at
retail shops. They know it’s what brings shoppers in and sets the mood
for the store. We feel the same way about our show. Our vendors
spend a great amount of time creating vignettes that draw the shopper in and
set the perfect shopping mood. We have amazing, creative and friendly
vendors!
Location
Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana Street, Spokane Valley, Washington.
Admission
$6 - Good all Weekend. Receive a $1 discount when you present a Yoke's Fresh Market receipt at admission! (Limit one discount per receipt).
Visit The Farm Chicks website for full details!
We'll be back with more from The Farm Chicks later this week and next.
Vintage Indie is excited to welcome our newest contributing editor Barb McMahon of May December Home. She will be joining us periodically for fabulous D.I.Y ideas.
I'm excited to have her join the Vintage Indie family and look forward
to all of her fabulous projects. I hope you
will help me in sending her a warm welcome.

Top Left Mini Painting Polaroid One Step - BraveMoonman
Top Right Retro Polaroid Land Camera - Estatesale
2nd Row Left Oh How I love my Polaroid Pin - lolabot
2nd Row Right California Desert - bluecitrusart
3rd Row Left Mini Polaroid Necklace - BlameTheMafia
3rd Row Right 1960's Polaroid Swinger Model 20 - HelloAmber
Bottom Row Left Vintage Polaroid Land Camera Automatic 100 - JuJuToo
Bottom Row Right Lunastrella Instant Camera Print - johnwgolden
VISIT Save Polaroid
Feel inspired? Share with us how today's board inspired you.
Enjoy
When you visit antique shows and events, do you take time to get to know the people behind the lavish vintage and antique booths? A booth at a show may change from person to person to reflect a sellers style. Take advantage of getting to know sellers, they will gladly be able to tell you history on an item your purchase if they can. Often times, the story makes the find.
Today, I'd like to share Garden Antiques Vintage with you.
How did you get started in the vintage/antiques business?
I've always like antiques, but actually got started in the business
about 10 years ago. I bought an entire estate and decided fast I
needed some way to sell the cool things I'd found, so I rented a booth
in a local mall and the rest is history. I'm no longer in an antique
shop, just do antique shows now.
What are some of your favorite items to sell?
Glass fish tanks, battery jars, aquariums, anything weird or unique
such as the mannequin hands I found a while back.
They weren't posted on the blog a few hours when I received an email
from a friend who wanted to buy them. Mannequins of all sizes,
gardening furniture, chandeliers, French furniture, Old House Awnings, Apothecary bottles, primitive cabinets, the list goes on.
What are the dates for your upcoming shows?
June 21-22 at the Red Barn in Round Top Texas. and possibly July 3-6 in
Canton Texas for the Canton Flea Market (I'm haven't received confirmation
yet for this show)
For more information on Garden Antiqs Vintage please visit their blog.
Oh how I love a good mix of vintage, shabby and chic all in one spot! Today's Vintage Hot Spot is an online sighting. Featured store, Shab N Chic.
Shab-N-Chic is a mix of lovely vintage finds, beach treasures and glorious artwork that combines the two.
First up is from their "Wear It Again" collection. A mix of vintage clothing, shoes and accessories. My pick from this category is this adorable Vintage Daisy Party Dress 50's or 60's. Next up is a handmade creation from their "Artisans Alley" category. It is lovely Italian vintage frame adorned with the perfect amount of vintage jewelry pieces, making it truly unique and one-of-a-kind.
I also couldn't pass up showing you this lovely Seashell Art Queen of the Pacific. Nancy Michaels the designer and owner behind Shab-N-Chic has been creating these seashell gals for a few years now. This one has since been sold, but be on the look out for new "gals" soon.
Hop over to today's Vintage Hot spot, I'm sure you'll spot something to love!
Cheers!
I recently read on Daily Danny, the Green Living Expert Danny Seo's blog a feature on washing bottles. I loved his tips and loved how he used the bottles even more. I bet you didn't know you could find a plethora of fabulous vintage and antique bottles on Etsy. I hope you'll be inspired by today's Vintage + Modern Mingle.
PorchlightVintage Vintage Sanford "Pen it" ink bottle.
Need help searching for vintage on Etsy? Follow this link for a helpful guide.