Vintage Indie

Handmade Crush: House Shoes Elephant & Chickpea

House Shoes by Elephant & Chickpea

Made with Reclaimed Herringbone Wool, Upcycled Denim, Upcycled Leather, Vintage Button & Cotton. Sounds like the perfect house shoe to me!

{ SHOP }

ELEPHANTANDCHICKPEA

Winter Handbag Guide 2009: Vintage Black & White

If you are looking for something a little dressier for this winter, consider a vintage black and white handbag.

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All of these handbags can be found at Vintage In Style

{ SHOP }

Photos © Vintage In Style

The Daily Swank: Shyama Helin Mixed Media Artist

{ Shyama Helin Mixed Media Artist }

I'm sorry to go all mushy on you, but these lovely pieces of art remind me of me and my sweet husband. Artist Shyama Helin combines vintage advertisements with modern painting for her mixed media art.

Portland Dreamers 

Country Cycle

 

 In Love 

{ SHOP } { GALLERY } { BLOG }

Vintage Indie News: Last Day to Enter to Win, Last Day to Sign Up!

Good morning to you lovely readers. I have a couple of quick announcements.

First up, today is the last day to enter to win in the Zibbet Giveaway.

From their website; Zibbet is a global marketplace, connecting buyers and sellers of Handmade Goods, Fine Art, Vintage Items and Crafting Supplies.

Today is also the last day to sign your business up in the Vintage Indie Holiday Market. The Holiday Guide will go live on Sunday November 1st!

Thanks everyone!

Have a beautiful day.

xoxo  - Gabreial

Vintage Indie 2009 Winter Handbag Guide: Handmade & Feminine

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All of these beautiful handbags are handmade, some include recycled materials and vintage components.  My favorite the second from the right, the  Black Victorian Ruffled Handbag.

All handbags by Mojo Spa Style

{ SHOP }

Price Range: $42.00 - $80.00

©MojoSpaStyle

2009 Winter Handbag Guide: Neiko Designs Handmade & Leather

Handmade  & Leather 

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Handmade by Neiko Design. My favorite pick top right, Jasper.

{ SHOP }

 Price Range: $27.00 - $365.00

©Neiko Design

The Daily Swank: Necessity is the Mother

{ Whimsical, Charming,Vintage Fabrics, Handmade, Unique }

Necessity is the Mother of the Cinch Dress

 

Jumpers never looked so stylish then when I happened upon NecessityistheMother at Etsy. I love the newest pocketed jumper The Nancy Drew. Head over to check it out yourself!

Enjoy! 

© All photos copyright NecessityistheMother

My Room: Vintage Jane - Vintage Child's Seat

Are you looking for a special chair for your child's room? What about a special "time out " spot. I love these vintage chairs from Vintage Jane.

 

You can find more vintage for decorating the higher shelves in your child's room or vintage chairs like these over at Vintage Jane's Etsy shop. I have a few favorites already marked!

On the Road with Contributing Editor Gina Smith: Ellicott City, MD

Ellicott City, MD

    Walking along the hilly brick streets of Ellicott City, Maryland, taking in the myriad antiques and  gift shops, the old grist mill, the railroad bridge with water lines marked by floods of a hundred or more years ago, one would hardly believe the nation’s capital is a mere twenty minutes away.

    Nestled in a spot that on the surface time appears to have forgotten, Ellicott City is a delightful historical visit with all the conveniences one would expect to find in a Washington, D.C., bedroom community.

    Between the steep main street and the overhead wires and overhead railroad trestle, you might conjure up visions of  San Francisco but the culinary delights more closely resemble Paris. And you’ll be in need of refreshments as it is most likely an all-day walk down one side of  Main Street and up the other if you plan to take in all the shops.

      No matter what you--or the family--wants to see, you can find it in this seemingly little town. The historic section contains countless antiques shops all in a row, including more than one large antique mall. There are shops specializing in antique clocks and watches, furniture, jewelry, a doll hospital, a vintage-looking grocery, complete with produce in wire bins outside, old books and more. There are more than a dozen antiques shops and malls listed in the town visitor’s guide, which you can pick up for free or visit www.ellicottcity.net

    I made time to visit Taylor’s Antique Mall, 8197 Main; Joan Eve at 8018 Main, Caplan’s at 8125 Main, Maxine’s, 8116 Main and went nuts over the Alice in Wonderland collectibles and several floors of goodies crammed to the rafters at Forget-Me-Not-Factory, 8044 Main.

    But where I really fell in love with Ellicott City was at The Vintage Shoppes, now at 8198 Main and owned by Kelli Laine Myers.

    I just couldn’t leave without talking with this proprietress with the most-est (stuff ) I had ever seen. How did she know I had a pink typewriter? Needless to say, we hit it off over our love of all things vintage or pink or both, and before long we were exchanging business cards, email address and making plans: she’d help me get familiar with my new neck of the woods and take on some of my altered art and jewelry to sell, and I’d help her get a blog started and help publicize her new location.

    As Kelli explains, “For years I dreamed of opening my own vintage-inspired store that would be filled with all the things I’d picked up over the years. So I talked and talked and talked about it, until one day my husband said, ‘If you don't get rid of this stuff in our basement, I'm out of here!’ He wouldn't leave me, but he DID want the stuff out. After all...How can he do our laundry if he can't even get to the laundry room?!” Gotta love a vintage gal who thinks like that!

    She continues, “So that day I headed down to Ellicott City to see what I could find, and there in the window  was a for-rent sign. After that it was a matter of days until my dream was to come true. I love the search for great, neat, old treasures (others call it trash) that I can sell as is with its beautiful chipped paint, or something that someone else would have thrown away. But to me it's a brand new project that will just take a little love to see its potential.”

    As with many stores in the historic section of  Ellicott City, The Vintage Shoppes are typically open Wednesday through Sunday, so it’s often best to call ahead if planning a trip from out of town. Watch for special holiday hours and open houses through the rest of 2009.

    Besides antiques and vintage, there are shops for chocolates, wine, house wares, retro clothing, children’s clothing, art supplies, pet gifts, country crafts, figurines, musical gifts, toys, and more. For the art lover, there are countless galleries and shops, including Original Souls, ZeBop, Art & Artisan, Discoveries, f64, Gallery 44, Oriental Art, Salient Group, Southwest Connection, Irish Wonders and Still Life Gallery. Add to this framing and matting shops (at least three), and the Howard County Center for the Arts, and you can get your culture however you like it.

    For more historical flavor, which dad and the kids are sure to appreciate (or at least enjoy), there’s The Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum and Gift Shop on Maryland Avenue. The museum itself includes the station/main depot from 1830--the oldest surviving station in America--along with an 1855 freight house and 1927 caboose. This was the original end of the of first 13 miles of track laid west from Baltimore City.  The museum also includes a 40-foot HO-gauge model train exhibit. The annual Holiday Festival of Trains runs Nov. 27 through January 2010. The museum is also open Wed-Sun.

    In 1830 the B&O Railroad tested its first steam engine along this stretch and was rumored to have been outrun by a horse-drawn carriage on the return trip when a malfunction halted the Tom Thumb steam engine.

    Other history abounds with the Thomas Isaac Log  Cabin, c. 1780, the town’s oldest known building, which has been  moved from Merryman Street and restored by the city. It is open weekends through December in the former mill town on the Patapsco River. Milling played a large role in the development of Ellicott City, first named Ellicott’s Mills, after the Pennsylvania Quaker brothers who founded the mill there in 1772. It was changed to its present name in 1867. The Wilkens-Rogers Co., makes Washington-brand flour, cornmeal, cake and dessert mixes on the original site of the Ellicott brothers’ mill at the bottom of Main street along the river.

    It is here you can also see the marks of water depth from the historic floods of 1868 through 1972 (Hurricane Agnes) and beyond.. Read and hear tales of famous past residents, including Annie Oakley, Charles Carroll (a signer of the Declaration of Independence) whose relatives still live on the Carroll property; Benjamin Banneker, a famous African American scientist; Thomas Watkins Ligon, a former governor of Maryland; Dr. Mordecai Sykes, a dentist and mayor in the late 1800s; and Babe Ruth, married in EC in 1914.

   

The Little French Market Café

Another historic lane off of Main Street is Tongue Row, a group of closely-spaced granite houses, so name for the widowed proprietress Ann Tongue or Tonge who rented houses to mill workers. The houses are now shops and boutiques, including La Boutique de Mon Amie and The Little French Market Café.

    And speaking of food, there is no shortage of that either, from the aforementioned sweets and bakeries to Mamma Lucia’s Italian home cooking, Clef Notes Music Café, the award-winning microbrewery Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, Diamondback Tavern, La Palapa Grill and Cantina, Judge’s Bench Pub, Johnny’s Bistro, Jordan’s Steakhouse, Cacao Lane, Bean Hollow Café, Dimitri’s Greek-Italian-German-American Grille and there’s also a wine café, a fusion bar and restaurant, a vegetarian café and The Trolley Stop, as well as some of the usual chain fare in the “modern” part of Ellicott City, where you’ll find Pizzeria Uno, Outback, CiCi’s, Einstein’s, and more along with Kohl’s, Barnes & Noble, Home Depot and other familiar names.

    Besides Centennial Park which offers paddle boating, fishing, picnicking, walking and biking, there’s also The Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park, a Greek revival building formerly a girls school in the 1800s at the highest point in Ellicott City, in ruins now except for its Doric columns; the Mt. Ida Visitors Center, a realistic 19th century home open for tours; the Firehouse Museum at Main and Church streets, the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum; The Ellicott City Colored School, a one-room restored former segregated school and Clark’s Elioak Farm, a 540-acre working farm and petting zoo, open Tuesdays through Sundays, as well as Mondays in October.

    Whether you’re planning a long weekend (take advantage of the upcoming Columbus Day and Veterans’ Day holidays but check ahead for closings), or a week-long vacation near the nation’s capital and The Capitol, Ellicott City offers a peek--or a long look-- back in time without getting too far from the comforts of modern civilization.

    Clearly, one could visit Ellicott City just for the vintage flavor, but you could easily add a little history, culture, recreation and dining to the menu and satisfy all family members’ travel and exploration appetites, big or small. Just drop me at The Vintage Shoppes. I’ll still be there when you’re through.

               

- Contributing Editor Gina Smith aka Lilly*s of London*ish, started making jewelry about six years ago and has since tied this in with a love of vintage finds, Blythe, crochet and altered art in her etsy shop. Growing up in an antiquing family gives her a background and appreciation for all things vintage, especially dinnerware, jewelry and Americana advertising prints and products

{All contributed content Gina Smith © Lilly*s of London*ish, Vintage Indie)

   

   

Vintage Indie Kids: My Room

Reclaimed barn wood, vintage buttons, hand stitching and more. Visit Vintage Indie Kids today to find out what I'm talking about!

My Room: Daisy Barn Arts

If you're looking for nursery art, Daisy Barn Arts wants you to check out their shop. Artist and shop owner of Daisy Barn Arts contacted me awhile ago about showing off her nursery art.

{ Click on Images to Enlarge }

 

Reclaimed barn wood, vintage buttons, printed fabrics, and wool crewel yarn, hand stitches are combined on linen to create charming nursery art. I love the reclaimed wood frames.

Visit Daisy Barn Art for more!

Enjoy

Through the Lens: Fall Flavors - Candy Apples

{ Through the Lens } { Independent Photography } {Inspired by Fall }

I'm seeing Candy Apples, you?

Photography by Pohotograbee

© Photos Copyright by Photograbee

'free shipping' offer for any Vintage Indie readers. Mention Free Shipping in Notes to Seller during your checkout and wait for a response.

Handmade Crush: Caramel Scarf

I know there have been a ton of Handmade Crushes here at " Vintage " Indie, but I can't help the beautiful world of handmade. This is screaming for Thanksgiving Day!

{ Handmade by Clarice Handmade }

Shop this Bubbling Scarf in Caramel

8 Days Left to book your business in the Vintage Indie Holiday Market 2009

If you are a shop an Etsy shop owner, website owner, Bonanzle, Ruby Lane Shops, Artfire or the like, you can take advantage of the market.

Heavily advertised and created to promote you and your independent small business, no competing with the bog box stores here.

Head over to Vintage Indie for the PDF file with all of the details.

See you soon at the market!

Vintage Indie

Handmade Crush: Gur Kimel Nature Preserve Jewelry

Fall is such a great time to notice changes in nature and embrace what is to come for winter. Gur Kimel does and excellent job of showing off the beauty in nature nature with their beautiful handmade unique jewelry. 

{ click image to enlarge }

{ SHOP } 

All photo by the photographer : Lelya Kimel

Through the Lens: Kimberly Creagan

{ Through the Lens } { Independent Photography } {Inspired by Nature }

{ Create Love Laugh }

Fairytale Meadow

Radiant Skies

Coral Glow

{ SHOP }

©Kimberly Creagan

Update from Kimberly!  15% off for the rest of October to anyone who writes "VintageIndie" in the seller comments of their order.

:::Create the world you envision, love with all your heart, and laugh in all your brilliance:::

 Thanks Kimberly for the special offer! 

Vintage Indie Kids: Special Offer Buy one Get one Free!

Head over to Vintage Indie Kids for an exclusive buy one get one free offer from today's My Room feature.

My Room: Arian

I recently landed on Arian at Etsy. I fell in love with her inspirational art as well as her charming prints.

Arian has created a special offer just for Vintage Indie Readers! You are so lucky, aren't you?

Buy One Get One Free (free print excludes custom name print). Purchase a print then mention your Vintage Indie Kids and which free print you'd like in the "message to seller"

{ SHOP NOW }

The Daily Swank: Lamp Goods

Lamp Goods is one of my most favorite finds. The business was spurred on from the owners dilemma of trying to find something of a unique style and not in every store. This is something in which I can totally relate. I love to be different and especially in my home. That's why my walls are bare and I'm not adding anything unless I love it.  

 

Recycled, authentic vintage glass globes have been revamped to shine and add a unique touch to your home.  Visit Lamp Goods for a peek at more of what they offer including various mounting options. 

Indie Wedding Guide & Directory: Invitations & Paperie

It has been awhile since I've mentioned the Indie Wedding Guide & Directory. March is the celebrated Indie Weddings Month founded two years ago and heading into its third year March 2010.

Each month we welcome new vendors/sponsors in our directory throughout the year. I thought it would be a great idea to start letting you know about them here. These vendors also sponsors place their business in our exclusive directory. All businesses must be approved to fit our guidelines to better serve you. A lot of times our vendors carry other items in their stores than wedding gear, so I'm hoping you'll take a moment to visit their links.

A returning sponsor of the Indie Wedding Guide & Directory is My Ugly Kitty. Find them in the Invitations & Paper category. Don't forget to click their business link, they have some awesome Address File Boxes!

If you are interested in applying for the Indie Wedding Guide Directory, visit the application page here at the guide.

Vintage Indie Kids: Teach Me!

Head over to Vintage Indie Kids for a new Teach Me feature!

Explore the winter with your kids!

Swanky Swag Giveaway: Do you make stuff? Are you an artist? WIN a Premium Shop on Zibbet FOR LIFE!

Are you crafty? Have you been thinking about selling what you hand make? Do you love vintage so much so that you need to sell some of it? Guess what? You could open up your very own on-line shop at Zibbet for free! Guess what else? You could do it at the Premium Level on Zibbet.com FREE FOR LIFE!

Just exactly what is Zibbet?

From their website; Zibbet is a global marketplace, connecting buyers and sellers of Handmade Goods, Fine Art, Vintage Items and Crafting Supplies.

It's FREE to list your items on Zibbet, and when they sell, we don't take a cut of your sales. You get to keep every penny... That's the way it should be!

 

From the Graphic Above:

3 Hand Painted Tea Towels 

Just 3 Little Birds Vinyl Decal 

Handmade Hair Flower

One lucky Vintage Indie reader will win a free Premium Account (valued at $7/month) for LIFE on Zibbet.com! 

The Premium Shop is their upgraded option for sellers on Zibbet. 

You can see a full list of features by going to: www.zibbet.com/sell

TO ENTER: Go to Zibbet and choose a favorite item. Come back here and post a link to that item in the comments section. Be sure to leave your FIRST NAME Last Initial and a way to reach you via email.

FOR ONE EXTRA ENTRY: Tweet or Post to Facebook this giveaway and link back to Vintage Indie.

Be sure to let us know that you tweeted or posted to Facebook via a second comment.

WINNER: One lucky Vintage Indie Reader will be chosen at random via random.org though the valid comments left. Contest is open worldwide. Contest closes October 30, 2009. (Void where prohibited)

Only 11 Days Left to Book your Business in the Vintage Indie Holiday Market 2009!

Your invited to participate in the Vintage Indie Holiday Market 2009. We are booking vendors until October 30th the latest you can book your space and send your information in.

Grab a sneak peek here, with our newest design, we think you'll love it. This will be our 3rd year to do the market and we are very excited.

The market is open to the following categories:

• Small Businesses
• Handmade
• Vintage
• Antiques
• Kids
• Paperie
• For Him
• Accessories & Jewelry
• House & Home
• Ceramics
• Art
• Clothing

If you are a shop an Etsy shop owner, website owner, Bonanzle, Ruby Lane Shops, Artfire or the like, you can take advantage of the market.

Heavily advertised and created to promote you and your independent small business, no competing with the bog box stores here.

Head over to Vintage Indie for the PDF file with all of the details.

See you soon at the market!

Vintage Indie

Teach Me: Coping with the Cold

Just a heads up, my friends over at Shining Dawn Books have just released a new unit study. Coping with the Cold, How Animals Survive the Winter Season. I think nature has really brought my kids and I closer together. They are leaning so much about the life around them. I can't wait to get started on this one.

Enjoy!

Vintage Green: Repurpose, Reuse & Recycle - The Incredible Versatile Record Rack! By Elizabeth Holcombe

I have found several of these wonderful metal record racks in thrift shops and rummage sales! Back in the day they were used for holding and organizing 45 rpm records or “singles.” If you are of a certail age you may have had one of these for your records.

These are wonderful! Paint them to match your décor or the season. I use mine to hold the following items:

1. Christmas cards! A great way to display them. Paint the record rack red or green!

2. Holding recipes! Perfect for your kitchen organization. Paint your rack to suit your kitchen décor and insert recipe cards for easy access!

3. Holding postcards! Display postcards from your recent travels on your coffee table to share with folks who stop by! Let them thumb through the postcards and plan their own dream vacation!

I know you can come up with lots of other uses, such as bill organizing (we all have to do it sometime!), homework organizer for your school kids, a rack to dry collages or other artworks, and MANY more uses! Have fun!

Elizabeth Holcombe Fedorko, aka Bethsbagz, began her checkered crafting career when at four she realized using paste on paper was better than eating it. Inspired by vintage dime store treasures, vintage fabric, and a no-fear attitude toward color, Beth crafts totes, pin cushions, wreaths, and corsages into her Dime Store Chic creations. Beth would love you to take a peek into her whimsical world at her blog.

This project & photos are copyright Elizabeth Holcombe, Vintage Indie. You may not reproduce or copy this project. (Dime Store Chic designs are intended for personal use and not for sale)