Christmas Aprons Order

 

Hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas!  We sure did.  And so did Retro Revival!

 

 

So grateful to have had such a great selling season this year.  And to top it off...

 

 

...an order on Christmas day for 13 of my vintage Christmas tablecloth aprons!

 

 

Perfect way to end the year!

Sunroom Make Over with Vintage Tablecloths

If I'm not at my sewing machine, I can usually be found in our sunroom.  One of my favorite places, it's just off our kitchen, and the windows look out on to our property:

Fortunately, it's a four-seasons sunroom so that when it's sweltering hot (most days) I can stay cool as I take care of the business side of Retro Revival ~ updating my website, sending shipping confirmations to my customers, ordering supplies, blogging, etc.

Recently, I got a wild hair and decided I didn't like the fabric on the cushions of the sofa, chair and ottoman.  I raided my stash of vintage tablecloths and set about recovering the cushions.  (Dern it though!  I was so excited about this project that I didn't take "before" pictures!)

I used a different tablecloth for each cushion (on the back sides of the cushions I used a white cotton chenille and on the back of the pillows, lime green Minky fabric).  The result is something very ecclectic and almost "patch-worky."

This is my chair and ottoman:

And this is the sofa:

The space is much more colorful now.  It makes me happy.  I love it!

And I think Twyla does too!

Alright...now that I've tamed my wild hair, off I go back to sewing.  Hope you have a creative day!

And Then There Was One

It's been a heartbreaking and frustrating couple of months with the Trumps.  Nutshell of what's happened...All four got sick with what we think was Avian Pox (transmitted by mosquitos but not to humans).  My chickens had chicken pox!

(See the brown spots on The Donald's face?  And instead of his face being a "normal" red, it's pasty white)

Who knew chickens get chicken pox?!  Marla died and that was very sad.  And gross.  Suffice it to say my first experience dealing with a dead animal (remember, I'm a transplanted "city girl!") was not pleasant!  Fortunately, the other three rallied and recovered.

After talking with a friend who also has "backyard chickens," I decided to let the chickens roam free during daylight and they really seemed to enjoy this, wandering, scratching and eating lots of ants.

(Melania, Ivana and The Donald free-roaming the farm)

Then The Donald got sick - again!  With what I don't know because he showed no outward signs (like pox).  He died.  I cried.  I really miss hearing him crow.

Two girls left - Ivana and Melania.  I showered them with extra affection thinking they must miss their man.  Then a few days ago when Twyla and I made our way out to the coop at dusk to escort the girls back into their home, no Melania and Ivana was cowering under the nesting boxes.  Then I saw it - a zillion chicken feathers on the ground in front of the coop.  Clearly a terrible struggle had occured.  A hawk probably snatched her.  WTH?!  I now have one lonely chicken.
Ivana's a survivor and after two days of shock, she's back to laying me an egg every day.

(Today's breakfast, courtesy of Ivana)

I'm not letting Ivana out of the coop any more but am doing my best to make up for it.  I've been sprinkling her run with fresh veggies and/or fruit every day as a special treat.  She's back to skwaking at me and acting like a happy hen.  Phew, this farm stuff is rough!

(Ivana today)

Though we only have one chicken in the coop now, we do have quite a collection of chicken-inspired items roosting inside our home; here's a peek at a few of my favorites:

(Kitchen timers - I actually use these!)

(I love my Anthropologie glass egg keepers - filled with Ivana's eggs)

(My vintage deviled egg plate)

(The bottom of the plate has beautiful glass cut detail)

(This fella perches atop our 1930's dining room hoosier)

(And these pottery pieces stand on top of one of our kitchen cabinets)

(Another of my 1950's vintage tablecloths)

And of course, I have a chicken-inspired apron in my collection:

("Cindy's Chickens" available at http://retrorevival.biz/cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3&sort=20a&page=5)
**Just a few days left in August so please scroll down to my August 5th post to enter the cupcake book blog giveaway contest!**

Vintage Metal Picnic Hampers/Last Chance for JULY GIVEAWAY

I just learned July is National Picnic Month (still a few days left in July).  I love the idea of going on a picnic but for us Floridians, December or January would make for a more optimal Picnic Month (it's 94 degrees with sticky humidity today).

Though it's really too hot to picnic today, I am thinking about it and have found a couple of great picnic-themed websites:

http://www.the-picnic-site.com/

The Picnic Site provides all sorts of picnic inspiration including recipes, supplies and equipment.

http://lifesapicnic.co.uk/

Life's a Picnic offers willow picnic hampers fitted with vintage tableware and linens:

Though I think willow baskets are lovely what I'd really like is a vintage metal hamper.  I'm on a mission to find an inexpensive one (do they exist?!) while out thrifting.  I saw a couple on Etsy:

(www.etsy.com/shop/camphobachee)

(www.etsy.com/shop/coopdevilla)

I hope I find one soon otherwise I may have to pull a "Yogi" and swipe one-hahaha!

A vintage picnic hamper would perfectly compliment the 1950's tablecloth I bought a few years ago.  This thing is huge and will work well for laying out a nice spread.  It's one of the very few vintage tablecloths I haven't upcycled - just can't bear to cut into it with it's cute animals and foodstuffs:

While my search continues I've turned my picnic obsession into apron inspiration and recently stitched these:

("Oven Mitt Picnic")

("1940's What's Cookin'?")

("Cherry Picnic Black")

("Cherry Picnic Red BBQ")

("Yellow Roses Picnic" authentic 1950's tablecloth upcycled half apron)

This is my last blog post for July (heading to the beach for a wedding later today) so please comment (and become a follower if you are not already) so you'll be entered to win this lovely vintage hankie (drawing 7/31)!