Vintage Indie

The Daily Swank: Paris Couture

I'm in a dreaming of Paris mood today. I thought I'd start with some very swanky Paris Couture .

Shop all of these items at Paris Couture Antiques. 

Handmade Crush: Handmade Industrial Lighting

I am totally crushing on these handmade lights! 

These would look great in an open loft apartment with a more industrial feel. 

Find these at junkyardlighting

Organizing with Vintage Style: Vintage Metal Lockers

Did you fall for the vintage metal locker craze last year? Well if not, hop on board. There are a ton of ways to use these swanky lockers to organize. 

 

Source: poppytalk.blogspot.com via Katelyn on Pinterest

 

 

Source: housebeautiful.com via SycamoreStreetPress on Pinterest

 

Source: lh5.ggpht.com via Sara on Pinterest

 

Now to snag some of your own - all for sale at these Etsy shops!  

Top Left: HbernationRstoration Top Right: MustLoveJunk

Mid Left: thehappymodernist Middle Right: beneaththerust

 

By the way, did you know Vintage Indie was on Pinterest? I've been there for awhile, I'm just not addicted as most. 

The Daily Swank: Vintage Style Calendars for the New Year.

2012 Vintage Bird Calendar by janesays

I love the concept behind this gift set. It includes an acrylic frame with a magnet so you could easily beautify your refrigerator with the darling embroidered vintage birds. 

 

2012 Letterpress Calendar featured vintage hankerchiefs by MinkLetterpress

 

 

Vintage Indie Style: Mandy Lynne's Home School Room

J'adore is the only way to say how I feel about this home school room. 

This room comes from that of the talented photographer and artist Mandy Lynne. 

 

 

 

Mandy Lynne is also the artist and owner of Skippy Designs, I've featured her on Vintage Indie before here. Don't you just love that door! I love that idea. 

 

 

 

 

Eco Living: Little Miss Loolies

Warm up this autumn will delightful upcyled cushions, cozies and sock pumpkins and more from Little Miss Loolies. 

xoxo Gabreial

The Daily Swank: Hula Hoop Vintage

Yummy vintage from around the globe. Today's Daily Swank comes from Hula Hoop Vintage. 

If you didn't catch a peak of Hula Hoop Vintage from yesterday's vintage amber feature, you'll love what I have for you today. 

Hula Hoop Vintage 

This is one of those shops where I could have just brought the entire store over to Vintage Indie! 

Enjoy! 

Design & Style: Graham & Brown Vintage Wallpaper

If you haven't heard, apparently wallpaper has made its way back into main stream design and style. The latest from Graham & Brown are these designs by Hemingway Design.  Classic lines and patterns tout vintage ranging from the 1930s to the 1970s. 

 

Deco Diamond 

Do the Stretch

 

Grid: Rock in Mink by Hemingway 


Loopy Lines Rock-A-Billy Blue

If these vintage styles aren't your flavor, Graham & Brown houses Damask, and Amy Butler designs! 

Design & Style: Kelly Swallow Patchwork Chairs

 

 

Chairs with reinvented vintage style from Kelly Swallow.  Each one is put together by hand using designer and vintage fabrics! 

Visit Kelly Swallow for these chairs and her vintage Hungarian Mangle Cloth chairs for more subtle color. 

Design & Style: Pfeifer Studio

 

Modern, earth friendly, and fair trade are a few of the words that describe Pfeifer Studio. 

If you're looking for different home decor and accessories, then Pfeifer Studio is just the place to find design and style like nowhere else. You can also find many one-of-a-kind items at their website. 

 

Shop in person; Pfeifer Studio

4022 Rio Grande NW

Albuquerque, NM 87107

 

The Daily Swank: Go Seek vintage school desks...

I've been looking locally all over for just the right desk for my oldest son. He needs a small desk for his room for test taking and quiet drawing etc. GoSeek offers a bunch of fantastic options, ya know in case you're in the market for one too. 

Handmade Crush: SeaUrchin

 
Handmade by Seaurchin @ Etsy.

The Daily Swank: Insect Curiosities

As I've been puttering about in my garden, I'm trying to get comfortable with the surrounding curious insects. I'm not much of a bug person, but I know their importance to the garden.

I truly love these though, they come straight to you from Mr. Finch.

Moth

"Things have been back to insects lately in my studio.
I love them and return to them as a muse time and time again.
This time its Moths.
I love butterflies too but moths always have that darker edge that Im more drawn to.
Made from old tablecloths,samplers bedlinen,knapkins and anything else that has beautiful embroidery on.
Flaws and odd stitching are celebrated and are to expected."

Moth 

 

Moth 

 

All of these from vintage tablecloths, delightful.

 

Vintage Crush Summertime: Picnic Basket

Shop here!

 

(sorry I missed the link yesterday)
 

Entertaining & Parties: Love to Party

I love bright colored party supplies.

Whether you add brightly colored candles or stripey straws, you're birthday party recipient will love all of the little details. Shop all of these and more at Love To Party.

House & Home: Ruffles & Roses

I'm loving that clutch! What about you?

 

Jilly Bean Craft

Entertaining & Parties: Vintage Indie Style Drink & Dessert Table

I created this simple and small drink & dessert table for my sister's birthday party. 

Completely Vintage Indie style of course!

Pink French Swirl Glasses apart of my collection. Pink Pyrex bowl my collection.

Drinks courtesy of Trader Joe's Italian Blood Orange Soda, White Grapefruit Soda, Orange Cream Soda, Pink Paper Plates.

I ordered the green and white striped straws. The wood Canada Dry box is my new favorite find.

Blue Ball Glass Jars as vases, my favorite vase!

 

Borrowd Cake Plate and Cloche from my sweet mama. Easy ribbon decoration, tied silk ribbons onto a white painted dowel.

 

Vintage Crush: Vintage Coat Hangers

Contributing Editor, Elizabeth Holcombe is here with one of her most favorite recent vintage finds, wooden coat hangers. 

When I go to estate sales I find myself searching the closets, not for clothes, but for vintage hangers with writing on them!
Recently, I found two:





One is from a cleaners and the other is from an infamous Washington, DC hotel!





Other than using these wonderful vintage hangers for hanging clothes, I use them for hanging lengths of ribbon, displaying vintage clothes (such as my old Girl Scout uniform!), and for hanging art with clothespins. I know you can come up with lots of other fun uses! Vintage hangers are often overlooked at estate sales and you can usually snap them up for a dollar or less, even free!

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.

 

I'd love to hear what you are crushing on! Send us your recent vintage finds, we'd love to see what you've scored lately. - Gabreial

Vintage Crush: Vintage Floral Glass Place Cards

 

Shop for these at jacklom3 Modern Vintage & Timeless Antiques

Creative Storage Solutions: with Special Guest Debi Ward Kennedy, Retail Visual Designer

 Vintage Indie would like to send a warm welcome to Debi Ward Kennedy of Retreat Style. She is here sharing with us her fabulous ideas for designing an office or studio with smart storage solutions. I just love all of the vintage details in her personal studio. Gorgeous!

Please click any photos in the feature to see them larger, you won't want to miss any of the details!

 

Welcome to my Studio!

 

We’ve just moved into a new house, and I enjoyed the opportunity to design a whole new studio for myself. I undertook this project exactly as I would one for a retail client: Start with what you have and look at it in a fresh way.

 

My designs of retail spaces and vintage-style products entail having many resource materials at hand in my studio. There are books, magazines, tear sheets, color fans, and paint charts. There are files of completed projects and ‘in process’ designs. There are design boards from huge to small. Keeping it all under control is a daily challenge! I use a lot of creative storage techniques because although I can handle a certain amount of ‘creative clutter’, I do NOT like it when I can’t find what I am looking for.

 

 

First, I painted the room soft tan and the trim all gloss white. Instantly, it was welcoming instead of cold, clinical white. (But the soft neutral color won’t interfere with my design work). I also took down the ceiling fan, and replaced it with a three-light ceiling fixture. Combined with the existing can lights, this room is very well lit for working at two in the morning… when the Muse inevitably decides to appear. ;0)

 

 

 

Using the furnishings & fixtures I already had, I figured out how to fit them into this new space efficiently - using the location of lighting to place my work surfaces, for example, and knowing how I move around when I am working on projects. I have a cube fixture from IKEA, a piece of antique furniture, a new-ish bar-height work table, and shelving and a side table that my husband built. They all went in first.

 

 

 

I needed containers on those fixtures that would help corral the massive amounts of stuff that would be coming out of moving boxes. I use wire locker baskets, wire plate racks, metal boxes & lunch pails, wire sliding drawers, vintage metal bread pans, large clear vases and magazine sleeves. Since all of these elements are seen, I wanted them to have vintage style and visual appeal.

 

Some of the ‘hidden storage’ in the studio is in the low shelf units… I actually laid them on their sides!
They are very deep, intended to be closet storage units. By laying them down, I gain double-depth space PLUS the top work surface.

 

Behind those rows of white cardboard magazine sleeves (IKEA), there are stacks of books, more sleeves full of tear sheets and catalogs, DVD’s, portfolios, magazines that have published my writings, and client project archive files. These are things I don’t need to access often, so having them located behind the magazines works for me. Small labels on the shelf front tell me what’s behind. The magazines in front are arranged by name, month & season. On top, two units of small drawers (IKEA) hold biz cards and other regular office supplies.

 

 

The tall cube bookcase unit (IKEA) holds all of the books that I access regularly, sorted by subjects.

Behind what you see is another six inches of space, holding books I don’t use very often. I kept the books on the lower two shelves to allow for the more interesting things to be up high, in the line of sight. That’s where the baskets & boxes come in! Various materials are stored AND displayed in all of them. Even the white shopping bags on top of this unit hold materials – but what you see is crisp, clean, and simple.

 

Tucked back in the corner is a plastic drawer unit – it holds all of my vintage papers and office supplies. You can’t see it, it fills in a dead corner, and each drawer can be pulled out when I need something. The wire unit in front of it holds large-sized vintage papers and paper cutters - I place the tools near the supplies I need with them. A clear vase, wire basket, and boxes on top hold rolls of paper and small vintage paper elements.

 

 

Every business has a file cabinet. I could have painted mine white, but decided instead to cover it with vintage dictionary pages. Lots of glue & paper were involved, but not a lot of time & effort. It sits right out in the open and looks fabulous! Inside the lower drawer, I keep my printer/scanner, already plugged in (cord goes out the back). I simply hook up my laptop cord to use them.

 

 

My worktable is bar-height, because I work a lot while standing. (Right now, as I am writing this, I am sitting on one of the two barstools shown.) It’s very spacious and I use it for everything. Under it, I can store empty wire baskets that will fill up with product supplies or small items to be priced. The paper recycling container is an old wood pull-out laundry bin. A rolling wire cart holds large pieces of fabric, and can be relocated easily. Or emptied if I am hitting a flea market! ;0)

 

 

 

 

Because they are easily changeable and helpful in my processes, ‘Inspiration Boards’ are included, as well. One is a fabulous vintage door, where a bulletin board replaces the former window. Behind this door, I store oversized style boards for projects. A chalkboard door will be placed on the opposite side of the sideboard cabinet…. as soon as I FIND it. It’s still in a storage unit!

 

Smaller pin boards across the room are simple squares of rigid foam insulation panels, cut down and covered with fabrics. I used muslin, linen, and burlap for mine. Each project I work on gets one of these pin boards while in-process, until I am ready to glue it all to a style board permanently.

 

 

Having beautiful inspiration around me is essential in my design process, so I included pieces that simply make me smile. Mannequins dressed in vintage finery and jewelry, products I’ve designed, and gifts from friends all have a special place here, as do a floral chandelier and two favorite hemp chairs for clients.

(Rachel Ashwell called them ‘lovely’ when she saw them in my booth at an antique show, btw!)

 

When I finally began unloading moving boxes, it was easy to find the right space for everything I needed. By starting with the storage needs, I was able to make pretty quick work of this - from beginning to (almost) end, this room came together in just one week.

 

What did I buy for this room?

Paint. From the Habitat ReStore and Craigslist. (we mix our own custom colors, using recycled paint)

The three-spot ceiling light. Thrift store, five bucks. Can of white spray paint, four bucks.

 

As I tell my clients, you really don’t have to spend money to redecorate - reimagine and redesign instead!

 

Think about the function that your space & furnishings need to have for your lifestyle or store. Go into the space/room, and walk around as if you were working… decide what storage & surfaces you need, and where. Then look at all of the furniture, fixtures, and containers you have and assign each a place and a use. Remember that the ‘work triangle’ concept of kitchen design applies to stores, offices & studios, too. Then add the details that will express your own style. You don’t need a new space to do this… start with the store or office you have now. Apply creative thinking skills, some muscle to move everything around, and get going. Soon, you’ll have a store or office that energizes you and everyone who comes in!

 

 

Debi Ward Kennedy is a professional retail visual designer, located North of Seattle, Washington.

To engage her as a retail design consultant, writer, or speaker please visit www.DebiWardKennedy.com .

To see her vintage-inspired product designs & antique show schedule, please visit www.RetreatStyle.com

The Daily Swank: Mary Had a Little Party

I can't believe my baby is going to be six years old. I can hardly stand it. I blinked and he grew three feet! We're hosting a family party here and then off to the skating rink. If I had my way, I'd be planning cute little birthday parties with matching decorations and streamers for every one until they move out.

I would definitely enlist the help of Mary Had a LIttle Party, can you say ADORABLE!

 

Mini Vintage Valentine Banner

 

Vintage Plane Birthday Party!

Find all of these materials for a perfect Vintage airplane party at Mary Had a Little Party.

Design & Style: Hardwood Floors & Rugs

 

My husband and I are at it again. We're finalizing the details on our home so that we can place it on the market in the spring. Our latest decision was to tear up the carpet upstairs in our master bedroom and put in hardwood floors. I think this will be a good decision based on the size of the room.

There is plenty of room for a sitting area/office along with the king sized bed. I think it will make it feel more like a spa. Of course everything we do inclues a little vintage, but we may head over to CSN stores for a look at their modern rugs once the floors are in. 

What do you think about a master with all hardwood floors? The hallway and other two smaller bedrooms will be replaced with carpet.

 

 

Truth in Review: The above link is a promotional link provided by CSN stores. A gift card was exchanged for this feature and an upcoming product review of a CSN store product.  CSN Stores did require a link to their modern rugs store in exchange for the gift card.  All reviews posted by me are truthful in content and will be truthful in nature when I do the future CSN store product review. -   Gabreial Visit our Disclaimer  for more info.

Designer Profiles: Nikki of Candy Soirees

Please help me in welcoming another designer to Vintage Indie for our Designer Profile business spotlight. Today, I'd like to introduce you to Nikki, owner of Candy Soirees.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

I am mum of two young boys aged 4 and 2 and work from home.

My background is in Homeware design but after a successful career in this area I decided after the birth of my second child to work from home and try something new and fun.

Generally I am a humble person who enjoys creating.....I don’t claim to be the best in the business but I love what I do and the idea of being home more with  my young family is very important to me at this stage of my life.

How did Candy Soirees come about?

Basically it started as a little hobby, we had my second son’s christening in which I created a candy buffet for and chocolate bar favours for the children and it all started from there. Friends of friends started asking me to do it for them and before I knew it, it evolved into a business.....and I am now so happy that I took it that next level.

We have also launched an online party shop offering unique and beautiful party decor for the DIY client.

Below, Vintage Tea Party

I loved the styling of your Vintage Tea Party. Can you share with us, what you did to make this a success for your client?

Ohhh this one is my favourite so far. I think the main element when styling a table such is this is to sit down and discuss with the client their needs and find out what they love about parties and decorating. I also like to look at the child’s bedroom decor....how mum dresses the child.....their interests to ascertain how the party / table should be designed.

The second step is to discuss favourite food and candy to ensure that the table is a delicious experience for everyone. I was lucky that the client of this Vintage party allowed me to take it where ever I wanted......but the personalities of mum and daughter are definitely reflected in this design.

What makes your business different from other event planner businesses?

My business is not about creating the most popular or most creative party .... it is about creating for the client and giving them exactly what they want......even if  you don’t always agree with it. We create to a certain style that reflects candy soirees but at the end of day it is about satisfying the client.

I also believe that candy soirees is all about building strong relationships and a certain rapport with their clients, we treat all our clients like they are personal friends.....we warm to them and build a relationship that helps us understand precisely there taste levels....so it is like creating a personal party for a close friend......and it works ( I would say)

Do you specialize in any one particular thing?

We started specialising in chocolate bar favours and favours for weddings and children’s events.....and we have now evolved the business to dessert tables.....but we do as much or as little as the client wants us to do. Many times we have clients approach us for the little details of a dessert table such as food labels, banners and chocolate bar wrappers .....which we are happy to do because we understand that there are so many creative people out there who like to put together their own dessert tables......which I think is fabulous...and love it when clients send us photos of the end result J

What is involved as a client to work with you?

Hmmm, Trust, communication and the ability to have fun J

Do you have any other unique events that you would like to  share with us?

My other favourite event would have to be a combined Baptism 1^st birthday we did for a sweet little girl named Sundae.....it was  unique because the mum was very creative and modern..... extremely in tune with what she wanted for her daughter......she chose non the traditional colours of yellow and black with a butterfly theme. I would have to say this was one of the most challenging parties to date but everyone was thrilled with the outcome.

A special thank you to Nikki for sharing a closer look into her business Candy Soirees. Please visit Nikki at her website for product and event inquiries.

Vintage Style Organizing: Muffin Tins & Vintage Suitcases

We're kicking off 2011 with some unconventional ways of organizing with vintage. Vintage Indie reader Mitzi C. has found a great way to store bits and pieces, as well as larger paper items using vintage.

I like to use muffin tins found at garage sales or tag sales to keep tiny bits and bobs handy.  To make the tins look prettier, I spray paint them with a flat white paint, then sand the edges a bit. 

 

 

Vintage suitcases can be great storage for old photos or folded fabric.  I've taken some old suitcases and dolled them up with vintage wallpaper so they look pretty and add some vintage flair to my decor.

Thank you Mitzi for sharing your vintage style organizing ideas!

 

Do you use a pice of vintage/antique furniture for storing your kitchen supplies, home school materials or another creative use? Show it off here at Vintage Indie. Send your submissions to me Subject: Organizing with Vintage.

Vintage Style Organizing: See-Through Vintage Storage Solution

We're kicking off 2011 with some unconventional ways of organizing with vintage. Up first is our contributing editor Elizabeth Holcombe with a great idea using vintage glass jars!

See-Through Vintage Storage Solution

I just love printed glass jars as fun and whimsical storage solutions! I use them to store smaller items in my craft studio. Being able to see what goodies I have can spark inspiration, and keeping them in glass containers displays them without hiding them away.

Many of these jars are printed with flowers (my favorite are the Morning Glory flowers) and sweet animals. Sometimes you can find hand painted glass jars, such as the heart and Edelweiss jar in my collection. The jars come in pint and quart sizes and sometimes half-gallon sizes too!  They were originally used in vanity sets and baby sets which held cotton balls and swabs. They've also been used for kitchen storage.

You can find the jars at flea markets, antique shops, and estate sales. I usually pay anywhere from $5 to $10 each. If they have a chip or missing lid but wonderful graphics, I always get it if the price is right. You may have noticed the green elephant planter on the shelf. Another fun vintage storage solution for taller items!

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.

 

Do you use a pice of vintage/antique furniture for storing your kitchen supplies, home school materials or another creative use? Show it off here at Vintage Indie. Send your submissions to me Subject: Organizing with Vintage.