Vintage Finds

While out junkin' recently I found a huge trove of vintage doilies to add to my ever-growing collection.

 

Along with the doilies I also snatched up this basket.  Not sure if it's really old, but I love it.  Though it's nice and roomy, it's a bit flimsy so I can't use it for fruit like I had planned.  Maybe I'll just keep the doilies in it?

 

I also found this rusty, chippy, old scale.  Now this!  This I really love!

 

I placed nearly 20 different objects on it and shot way too many pictures.  Just saved a few to share with you (don't want to be obnoxious!).

 

It's sitting atop our hoosier, next to the jadeite-colored bread box.

 

Pretty, vintage finds make me so happy.  Hope you have a happy day!

Vintage Clothing $50 Gift Card Giveaway!

Are you familiar with Shabby Apple?  I'm obsessed with this online, vintage style clothing, woman-owned business!

I've got my eyes on these beauties:









Vintage-inspired with a modern twist ~ gorgeous, right?!  They also offer a big range of other vintage clothing and accessories including skirts, tops, home accessories, maternity wear, kids clothing, and awesome retro bathing suits.

Thanks to Shabby Apple (they have not compensated me) you can take a bite of the Apple!  I'm giving away a $50 gift card ~ woo hoo!

You can view all of Shabby Apple's vintage clothing by clicking on this link:

Vintage clothing http://www.shabbyapple.com/c-458-vintage-style.aspx vintage clothing.

Shabby Apple's website is full of pretty images.  Head on over and I'm sure you'll enjoy it!  Then come back here...

1. Become a follower of my blog

2.  Leave a comment

...and you're entered!  Hurry though, contest ends in one week, at midnight EST, May 9th.  {Shabby's rule that this contest is only open to US residents ~ sorry!}

Have fun & good luck, friends!

Vintage Finds

One of the things I most enjoy about your blogs is ogling over your flea market and estate sale finds.  On more than one occasion a fly on my wall has surely seen me drooling!  In the spirit of sharing, I give you...

My MOST AMAZING booty, fortune, stash, cache, score, flea market haul EVER!  There are not enough words to describe the sheer joy of my trip to our local flea last Saturday.  Put in perspective, I've been in a real flea funk these last several months ~ hardly finding a thing.

Not this time!

Eeek!  I've been wanting an old shopping cart forever.  Even better?  $10!  It's wheels are a bit cruddy and two spokes are broken but I don't care ~ I think she's a real beauty!  Luckily, I nabbed her early on in the day and she happily carried my treasures.

Yesterday I wheeled her over to the guest cottage...

...where the indoor light is a little better and snapped some close-ups to share with you:

Vintage pillow cases will be transformed into aprons (shocking!), a giant milk glass cup (probably a planter of some sort?) that I have no idea what I'll do with it but it was a buck and soooo pretty!  A little creamer and tea cup that I'm thinking of using for candles:

And this little darling:

(Guess I should've bathed her before taking pictures!)

I'm not sure exactly what kind of beast she is...a cow?  Donkey?  No matter, I love her and think she'll make a perfect pin cushion!

Anyone out there in Blogville know exactly what this is?

It's like a big creamer but with a whole in the bottom.  Odd, but again, for a buck I couldn't resist!

Eight vintage patterns.  Haven't decided what I'll do with them but am leaning toward some sort of decoupage project.

A big hobnail mirror and two wall scones.  Look at the ruffles.  Cute, right?!  They're plastic which probably explains why the vendor sold all three to me for $12.  Can you imagine these painted a robin's egg blue?  I'm considering.

And four frames.  The large one is oval with convex glass ~ gorgeous!  (If anyone knows the lady in the photo let me know).  The three small ones are probably going to get a coat of paint.

I feel like I've turned a corner and have now entered the world of Flea Market Find Awesomeness.  I'm happy to be here and am gonna enjoy my stay ~ already thinking ahead to my next visit!

CRAFT FAIR LESSONS & TIPS

(View of outside of the Retro Revival booth)

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Retro Revival!  I did two small craft fairs and am preparing for my first big show at the end of April.  Each show I learn a little more about how to get the most out of the precious 10x10 space allotted to vendors like me.  I'm finding that the real key to success is not only beautiful, unique items but attracting attention to lure customers into my booth.  Here are a few things I’ve learned:

The TENT:  I put off buying a tent for as long as possible, because they’re expensive and I wanted to be sure I was buying the best value for my buck.  Researching tents online, I kept seeing poor reviews/ratings for the popular EZ-up tents so I kept looking for an alternative.  Eventually, I realized there is a canopy/tent maker right here in Astatula!  I bought a 10x10 from Peg's Canopy (http://www.pegscanopy.com/); it's crafted from lightweight, durable steel (won't bend like other tents) and looks great.  My tent ended up costing almost double the cost of the pop-up tents but I'm convinced this puppy won't break, bend or fly away and will last pretty much forever (every review I read on the EZ-ups said they bend, break or tear after just a couple of uses).

I've heard over and over again how important it is to have a BANNER so that was the next step for me.  I wanted one with my logo and made of durable material so again I did some online research and bought from a fellow Etsy seller, Wilson Graphics (www.etsy.com/shop/WilsonGraphics).  I think it turned out perfect, although I couldn't quite figure out how to successfully affix it to the outside of my tent and made due with hanging it on the inside.

(I was trying to pose like my Retro Lady logo – ha!)

TRAFFIC FLOW in and out of the booth is important. I’ve been in booths where I can barely move around without bumping into products or other people so I was determine to make my tent inviting and comfortable. Fortunately, this was pretty easy to do since so much of my product (aprons) was hung along the tent walls.  I did experience one “problem” though…I originally placed my retro dish towels near the front of my tent thinking the witty prints would help draw attention into my tent – it worked, but almost too well!  The first couple hours of the show, customers were so enthralled with the towels that they hardly noticed my aprons (not good) so I moved them to the back of my tent near my checkout table so that my aprons would be the stars of my booth.

I wanted to ensure I had a THEME for my booth and product line.  Having a theme reinforces your brand and enhances the look of your wares much more appealingly than just placing them on a table or hanging clothing on a clothes rack.  Since I sell kitchen and bath related items, I displayed them in kitchen-y and bath-related ways – I hung my aprons from clothesline with old fashioned clothespins:

Displayed my retro dish towels in and from a vintage laundry basket:

Placed my shower caps in a cute little claw foot bathtub.

If possible, buy display props that you’ll be able to use in your home, or use something you already own.  My vintage laundry basket normally resides in our guesthouse, housing a bundle of towels!

When planning your display, choose colors that will make your products pop so that they won’t appear washed out or conversely, be lost by colors that or too bold or overwhelmed by busy patterns.  Like mine, most booths have a table to display non-hangable items and for your customers to make their purchases, so a tablecloth is necessary.  Because I’m a collector of vintage tablecloths I was excited to use one or more of them to cover my table.  When I practiced my setup with these beautiful, colorful tablecloths and placed my product on top, sadly the product was lost in all the chaos of color so I switched to a simple, pink flat bed sheet I had on hand.  The pink sheet was a nice neutral to my brightly colored shower caps and lavender sachets.

PRICING.  I find it a turnoff when shopping and can’t find a price on an item I’m interested in and have a habit of saying, “It must be free!”  So going into my shows, I printed up price signs and placed them in clear picture frames beside the items.  Interestingly, no one looked at the signs and just about everyone asked me “How much is this?”  I ended up removing the picture frames (they were crowding the table a bit anyway) after a while but wondered if anyone was turned off by no pricing???  For my next show, I’ll take the time to price each item with a small tag and safety pin.  I read somewhere recently that the specific way you price your items can really make a difference in your sales.  Apparently it’s been studied and proven that customers buy more items and spend more money if you list prices without a dollar sign and the decimal point.

Some customers are only willing to part with a few dollars and I’d heard that it’s a good idea to offer products at a variety of price points.  So in addition to my handcrafted aprons and shower caps I decided I needed a couple of other, lower priced products and introduced my retro dish towels, handcrafted lavender sachets, retro soap baskets and retro glass cutting boards – all under $10.  I’m glad I did this because most of my customers bought aprons and shower caps and then when paying, saw the less expensive items and added one or two of these to their order!

I also debuted a new Retro Revival apon -- my Little Girl's Crayon Apron:

I took eight to the shows and sold four.  (I'll be offering it at http://www.retrorevival.biz/ soon.)

Overall both of the craft fairs went very well – I sold a lot of product, met a ton of sweet people with apron memories of their own, and, GET THIS!  I received an order for 40 – yes, 40 aprons!  Prior to this, my biggest one-time order was seven.  I’m beyond thrilled with the progress of my business and incredibly thankful for all of my customers!

If you have any ideas and/or suggestions for my booth display, please leave me a comment!  And if you know of any upcoming craft shows, please share.

So, back to sewing now!  In the meantime, here’s a sneak peak at my next show:

The 9th Annual Great American Pie Festival

Lakeside Park, Celebration, Florida

Saturday, April 24, 2010, 11:00 am-7:00 pm

Sunday, April 25, 2010, 12:00 pm-5:00 pm

For the ninth year in a row, the town of Celebration, Florida will become the Pie Capital of the World April 24th and 25th when thousands of pie lovers, tasters and bakers gather together the Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco®.  The highlight, as always, will be the Never-Ending Pie Buffet, featuring award-winning pie, ice cream, toppings and beverags.  Thousands of children will make their own pies at the Crisco Kids Creation Station.  There will be pie decorating, pie scaping, pie tin art and many more pie activities to enjoy.  The Pietopia Demonstration Stage will feature entertainment and baking demonstrations by chefs from across the country, and of course, no pie festival would be complete without a Pie Eating Contest.

TO SERVE AND PROTECT, IN STYLE

I consider well worn sweats and fuzzy slippers comfort clothing, you know, the threads we reach for when we want to feel warm and cozy.  Kind of like comfort food -- macaroni and cheese and meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy – comfort clothing has a way of wrapping me with certain kind of affection.  My aprons also wrap me with comfort and security, whether I’m in the kitchen cooking, cleaning the house, outside gardening or collecting eggs at the chicken coop, my apron is my companion, a convenient place to dry my hands, shield my clothes from cooking splatter, gather weeds and cradle eggs.  The moment I tie on my apron I feel complete, a little bit girly (it’s great for emphasizing my waist!), focused and ready to undertake the task at hand!

For many hundreds of years, aprons were worn primarily by men (think blacksmiths, furniture makers, cobblers and fishermen).  For the longest time, aprons were masculine wear, not feminine, and were purely about function and their color denoted the trade of the wearer: English barbers wore a checked pattern, butchers and porters wore green aprons and masons wore white.

Aprons didn’t really become fashionable and girly until the 1950’s when images of the perfect housewife were projected on TV sitcoms like Leave It to Beaver (remember how June wore her fabulous apron with her even more fabu pearls and heels?).  But by the 1970’s, when I was growing up, aprons had fallen out of fashion and even on TV, they were worn only by “dowdy” housekeepers like Alice on The Brady Bunch. My mother never wore an apron and I imagine it would’ve looked out of place with her “groovy” décor including the plaid orange, yellow and brown patterned wallpaper that wrapped not only the kitchen walls but the ceiling!

Over the past several years aprons have been making a stylish comeback, finding their way out of hope chests and closets and onto new TV programs (Bree wears beautiful ones on Desperate Housewives), craft fairs and even museums.  And of course, I’m doing my part to revive the apron by designing and sewing them for Retro Revival.  My aprons are not only stylish but functional and designed to flatter a woman's figure -- what better way to serve (a yummy meal) and protect (your clothing)?!  Here are photos recently sent to me by a couple of my customers:

Yujin (above) models her Retro Revival "Christmas Traditions" half apron, made from a vintage 1950's tablecloth.

And here is Natalie in her Retro Revival "Vintage Roses" apron (another handcrafted from a 1950's antique tablecloth).

Thank you for sharing your photos, ladies, you both look GORGEOUS in your aprons!

Next week is the drawing for the vintage mink wrap so if you haven't already, be sure to comment on one of my blog posts so you'll have a chance at winning!

PASSION FOR 1950's FASHION

(Scroll to end of blog to learn about winning the February BLOG GIVEAWAY)
I’m not sure if it’s more about my pursuit to stay cool and comfortable in the Orlando heat (even in the winter – it's supposed to be 80 tomorrow!), anticipating the next season of Madmen, or just a general obsession with vintage clothing, but I’ve really developed a passion for 1950’s “shirtwaist” dresses.
Dress styles of the 50’s fell into two general categories.  There were the provocative pencil dresses and skirts; these skimmed the body to the knees with a small slit at the back hem that didn’t allow for a very long walking stride so women tended to wiggle when they walked (picture the character Joan from Madmen – very sexy).  Then there was the dress that was fitted through the waist and fell into a wide skirt from just above the hip -- the shirtwaist style.  Though the shirtwaist design was based off a menswear staple, the dress’ emphasis was on the waist and bust and was anything but masculine.  Both casual and dressy versions of the shirtwaist dress were staples in a woman’s closet, and were sometimes worn with petticoats or crinolines underneath to increase the skirt’s volume and make the waist look smaller.  Without petticoats, shirtwaist dresses were more casual and most often referred to as “house” dresses.

Working at my business and tending to the farm I do wear shorts and jeans but more and more I’m finding comfort – literally! – in my vintage dresses.  The housewives of the 50’s were on to something (minus the heels and pearls while vacuuming –ha!) because wearing a cotton shirtwaist dress is much cooler and roomier than pants, and come on – so much prettier!  Here are a couple of my favorites:

 I found this dress on Retro Dress (http://www.retrodress.com/); I love the lightweight cotton fabric and the pretty embroidery at the left shoulder.

This darling carnation pink dress with a print resembling hankies is also from Retro Dress – check this site out for an amazing collection of wearable vintage clothing and acessories 1930’s to the 90’s.

Another excellent source for wearable vintage clothing is Dorothea’s Closet Vintage (http://www.dorotheasclosetvintage.com/) where you can find treasures from 1820 through the 80’s.  I found this lovely cornflower blue and white eyelet shirtwaist dress at Dorothea’s:

Speaking of vintage dresses, check out this fabric I found!  I’m loving the ladies in their wiggle and shirtwaist dresses and am thinking I’ll make some shower caps from this material.
On the rare occasions when a cold blast hits central Florida I reach for my leopard print coat from 2 Swans Nest (www.Etsy.com/shop/2SwansNest).  This is another marvelous vintage find; the empire waist, three quarter length sleeves and tiny black ruffle around the collar are wonderful details and every time I wear it I feel so chic!

RETRO REVIVAL BLOG GIVEWAY
Knowing that there are a few blustery, wintery months ahead for many of my blog followers, I thought this would be the perfect February blog giveaway:

I picked up this vintage, 1950’s neck wrap several years ago at an antique store somewhere in Georgia. Sadly, I’ve never worn it because it’s just not that cold here.  I think it is real fur but if not, it’s a good imitation.  It’s in mint condition, braided and secures at the neck with a fur button. For a chance at winning this absolutely fabulous neck wrap, comment on this blog (include your email so I can notifiy you of winning) and on February 28th I will randomly pick the winner from all those who comment.  Good luck!

Random Acts of Pieness

January 23rd is National Pie Day so in anticipation and celebration of this “holiday,” I baked a cherry pie for my husband Paul yesterday (so Betty Crocker of me!).  Although I love to cook I’ve never been much of a baker but have learned over the years to make a couple of delicious baked delights.  Here’s my simple cherry pie recipe:

1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 bags frozen sour cherries (I like the Dole brand)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream


In a medium sized bowl, mix together sugar, corn starch, salt, cinnamon and vanilla.  Next, add cherries to the bowl and toss well then add lemon juice and toss some more.  Pour cherry mixture onto pie crust, place top crust on the filling, then brush top crust with cream.  Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil and bake on 375 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and return to baking for another 20-30 minutes, or until pie is bubbly.  Let pie sit for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy!

Here is the finished product.  Fittingly, I’m wearing the “Cherry Pie” Retro Revival apron.  I’ve gone “pie crazy” and sewn up lots of pie aprons -- here are a couple more:

My cherry pie is in a beautiful, ceramic pie plate given to me by my friend Melanie and the pot holders were handmade from a couple of my vintage, 1950’s tablecloths by my friend Renee. Here’s a closer look at the potholders:

The American Pie Council (www.piecouncil.org) suggests many ways to celebrate National Pie Day; here are a few:

1. Perform random acts of pieness by baking a pie for your loved ones.
2. Eat pie.  Whether you make it yourself, buy it at a supermarket or bakery or order it at a restaurant, eat some pie on National Pie Day.
3. Share pie.  If you make or buy a pie, share it.  By its very nature, pie is meant to be eaten with others.
4. Hold a pie night.  Gather family and friends for a pie celebration.  Everyone should bring one homemade pie for the pie buffet.
5. Hold a pie-making contest.  Invite the best pie-makers in town to compete for prizes in various categories and be sure to include the kids.  Ask cooking teachers, pastry chefs and pie lovers to be judges; contact the American Pie Council and receive a sample APC pie judging sheet.
6. Hold a charity pie-throwing or pie-eating contest or a pie auction and donate the proceeds to your local community food bank.
7. Stage kid's pie activities.  Have kids compete in pie-making, pie poetry and pie art contests.
8. Publish pie memories and recipes.  Make pie often and serve them to the next generation.
9. Join the American Pie Council.  Contact the American Pie Council, the only national organization devoted to eating, making, selling, promoting and enjoying pie!

My thanks to one of my favorite customers, Sara Courtemarsh from Santa Clarita, California, for sending me this picture:

How cute is Sara?!  She’s wearing her “Hello Hello Birdie” Retro Revival apron, designed with a nod to the 1940’s; it slips comfortably over her neck and ties at the waist, behind her back.

RETRO REVIVAL’S FIRST BLOG GIVEAWAY – WE HAVE A WINNER….

Thank you all for becoming followers of this blog and many thanks for your comments –I really enjoy hearing from you!  I wrote down the names of all nine participants, placed them in a bowl and Paul drew the winner for me…Congratulations to "Just Mimi"!  Mimi: please email me your address to cindymolitor@yahoo.com so I can ship you this pretty little number this week.

And everyone, please check back next week when I’ll announce the February Retro Revival Blog Giveaway – it’s really cool but will keep you warm (hint, hint).

Unique & Whimsical Pincushions

I picked up a couple of little vintage tins recently at a flea market and finally decided what to do with them – I crafted them into pincushions!  Here’s how I did it...First I cut out a 6” circle of fabric

Then I hand stitched around the edge of the fabric circle, making a knot at one end of the thread so that I could gather the fabric into a bowl shape, leaving an opening.  I didn’t tie off the thread and left it hanging from the needle.

Next I stuffed the “bowl” with batting…

…and stitched the cushion closed.

I then glued the cushion to the tin and viola!

My completed pincushion.  I think it’s pretty cute and have been using it for a couple of days now – it’s very practical.

So, really, what's the point of a pincushion and can't we just keep our pins in the boxes we bought them in?  Well sure, but why not find a unique and whimscial way to display and keep our pins handy?  Although I made my pincushion just for fun, I found a couple of crafters who are making them for sale.  Check out this pretty little creation from Liz at www.etsy.com/shop/RecycleRabbit.  I love this little chicky!

And here's another darling handmade pincushion designed and handcrafted by Beth at www.etsy.com/shop/BethsBagz.  It's Alice in Wonderland and it's delightful!

DON’T FORGET to leave a comment about last week’s blog, “Why I Wear a Shower Cap” and you’ll automatically be entered for the drawing to win the Retro Revival Pretty Purses shower cap.  I will draw the winner next Monday, January 18th.  Thank you to Debby Girvan, Susan, BB, Shandell’s, Nat, Donna K, Just Mimi, and Anonymous for your comments; I’ve enjoyed reading every one of them.  Good luck everyone!