Updates & Instagram Round-Up: January 2013

Hello everyone! Like many of you, we have been busy with life, getting our Etsy business off the ground, and working to make this blog better. We are anxious to put some new items we've acquired on the shop.  We'll post some sneak-peeks soon!

 

A tutorial is in the works, so please vote on our new poll underneath the Etsy heart!

 

And to show we are still alive--here are a few Instagram snapshots so far this year.

 

thrift store tags

 

Vintage 2-Speed SEARS fan 

vintage metal chair

 

Vintage earrings from a yard sale

Vintage suitcase curbside find

 

1960's record found in thrift store

 

Thanks for reading!

 

--Viola

Nifty Finds of 2012

Hello everyone! 

 2012 seemed to come and go so fast! Looking back at our finds from vintage hunting, we've gathered up a few to share with you.


 

I was so excited when we found this Samsonite suitcase. The outside is in excellent condition and definitely still usable. The blanket has come in handy so many times! It is a great picnic blanket, throw, and  perfect to use in the car. At only $1, we are now going to keep our eyes open to things we usually don't gravitate towards...

BAG, BLANKET AND SUITCASE

GLOVES, CLUTCH AND BOOKS!

 SCARVES AND CARDS!
Viv was so excited when Viola came home with the Pan-Am cards!

 

1. Vintage brown suitcase- side of the road 
2. Vintage Nordstrom scarf- vintage shop 
3. Vintage geometric scarf- thrift store
4. Burgundy faux crocodile bag- Goodwill in AZ 
5. Vintage decks of cards, (Pan-Am, Western Airlines, Continental Airlines)- thrift store
6. Handful of mystery books- 25 cents at our local library
7. Vintage text books- estate sale
8. Vintage Oscar de la Renta scarf- vintage store 
9. Vintage white suede gloves- clothing swap
10. Vintage striped clutch- thrift store
11. Vintage plaid blanket- thrift store

What is your favorite find of 2012?

Sincerely, Vera

40 From the 40's

The 1940's was a great decade for movies in classic Hollywood! Some of our favorites came from this decade.

Here is a list of forty movies from the 1940's! 

The list covers all genres, drama to comedy, and mentions classics  and lesser known gems. These are listed in random order and are not ranked. See how many you've seen and which ones pique your interest!

 



"Saboteur" Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lane

1. Sitting Pretty: Robert Young, Maureen O' Hara, Clifton Webb 

 

2. The Egg and I: Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray 

 

3. Woman of the Year: Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn

 

4. Saboteur: Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lane

 

5. The Major and The Minor: Ray

Milland, Ginger Rodgers

 

6. My Favorite Blonde: Bob Hope
 

"Springtime in the Rockies" Betty Grable

7. Miss Annie Rooney: Shirley Temple
 

8. The Fleets In: Dorthy Lamour, William Holden

 

9. Andy Hardy's Double Life: Mickey Rooney, Esther Williams
 

10. My Favorite Spy: Bob Hope, Hedy Lamarr

 11. Springtime in the Rockies: Betty Grable




"Once Upon a Honeymoon" Ginger Rogers

12. The Doctor Takes a Wife: Loretta Young, Ray Milland

 

13. The Magnificent Ambersons: Joseph Cotton, Ann Baxter
 

14. Once Upon A Honeymoon: Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers
 

15. Boston Blackie Goes To Hollywood: Chester Morris

"Boston Blackie Goes to Hollywood" Chester Morris

16. The Courtship of Any Hardy: Mickey Rooney

 

17. Sargent York: Gary Cooper

18. The Bachelor And The Bobbysoxer: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple
 

19. Moon Over Miami: Betty Grable, Don Ameche, Robert Cummings
 

20. The Stratton Story: James Stewart, June Allyson
 

21. Never Say Goodbye:Errol Flynn, Eleanor Parker

 

"The More the Merrier" Jean Aurthur, Joel Mcrea, Charles Colburn

22. The Barkley's of Broadway: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers

23. The More the Merrier: Jean Aurthur, Joel Mcrea, Charles Colburn
 

24.  I Was a Male War Bride: Cary Grant, Ann Sheridan 

25. Foreign Correspondent: Joel Mcrea, Jane Wyman


"I Was A Male War Bride" Cary Grant

26. Random Harvest: Ronald Colman, Greer Garson

 

27. My Favorite Wife: Cary Grant, Irene Dunn
  

28. It Started with Eve: Deanna Durbin, Robert Cummings
 

29. The Snake Pit: Oliva de Havilland, Mark Stevens
 

30. National Velvet: Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney 

 

"Laura" Dana Andrews

 31. High Sierra: Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart

32. The Heiress: Montgomery Clift, Olivia De 'Havaland

33. The Third
Man: Trevor Howard, Orson Welles
 

34. Laura: Clifton Web, Gene Tierney
 

35. Murder My Sweet: Dick Powell
 

36. Mildred Pierce: Joan Crawford


"His Girl Friday" Rosalind Russell, Cary Grant

 

37. The Post Man Always Rings Twice: John Garfield, Lana Turner

38. His Girl Friday: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Baloney
 

39. Woman in the Window: Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett
 

40. The Lost Weekend: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman

 

HATS MAGAZINE January 1968

Here are some pages from HATS magazine. The make-up of the models are great examples of dramatic 60s eye make-up trends. Enjoy!

Talk about Twiggy-esque babydoll lashes and eyelid crease!

No need to get your hair wet!

A Pleasant Surprise!

Hello everyone, sorry for disappearing ...

 

 

I must say this was a pleasant surprise we did not expect it! Evie over at La Coutuirere Dimanche has chosen us for the Very Inspiring Blogger award. You may recognize her from We Sew Retro-Thanks Evie!

The rules of the award are to thank who gave it to you, share 7 things about yourself, then nominate 10 other bloggers and let them know in a comment they have been nominated.
Here goes:

 

 

Viv:
 

1. In Austria I went on a Sound of Music Tour!

  2. Would love to learn how to pattern draft
3. I wish I could dress someones kids vintage

4. I can't knit 

5. I don't drink coffee 

6. I find the coolest stuff on people curbs

7. I wear contacts

 

 

Viola:
 

1. I have an obsession with vintage luggage and eyeglasses

2. I love to bake-especially desserts!

3. People mistake Vera and I as twins when we are together

4. I wrote a play when I was nine years old

5. I learned to sew 3 years ago

6. I don't know how to swing dance :( I'm going to make my friend teach me

7. I love finding vintage schoolbooks
 

 

Vera:

1. I'm a guitar nerd and I play a little too 

2. I own over ten polyester shirts (I'll probably post about it one of these days) 

3. I've never learned to sew in a zipper! (I don't know how that one slipped through the cracks)

4. I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was ten

5. I often get mistaken for the middle sister instead of the youngest

6. I LOVE the 1930's

7. I've always dreamed of learning to surf (I will one of these days)

After searching and debating, here are the 10 blogger nominees:
 

1. Vintage at Heart

2. Evie's Tea Room

3. Elegant Musings

4. Tuppence Ha' Penny

5. The Fiercest Lilli-Putian 

6. Ruby Slipper Journeys

7. Va-Voom Vintage

8. Fifties Darling

9. Johanna Ost

10. Little Black Car 



A Trip to the Skating Rink

 

 Living in California, I can count how many times I've been ice skating (which is once). This winter I want to say that I've at least been twice! I always think of rich colors and plaid as the ideal ice skating outfit. This look seems to span a few decades with its classic items and textures.

 

 

 

 

 

 The history of ice skating is an interesting story. According to a study by Federico Formenti of the University of Oxford, it suggests the earliest ice skating happened nearly 3000 years ago in Finland. Apparently original skates were simply sharpened, flattened bone strapped to the bottom of the foot! Instead of skating in the ice, the skater merely glided on top of it.



Walt Disney and Wife

  Invented by the Dutch in the 13th or 14th century, a different kind of skate was designed. Instead of bone ice skates, they were made out of steel with sharpened edges on the bottom to aid movement. Since then, the construction of modern skates were modeled after this method. In either case, ice skating had been enjoyed for centuries!

 

Here are a few photos of vintage ice skaters:

Ice skating in the1940s

     

Young people in the 1950's skating

 

Kiddos in the 60's getting ready to skate

Have fun and don't slip!

Sincerely, Vera



An Outfit from the 40's

Although I love the 60's groovy scene, my love for the 40's has never diminished! This is my first authentic 1940s dress. We used Vintage Vogue 2787.

 

 

When working with the pattern, I made a few slight modifications. The gathering on the shoulder was a little excessive and I had to trim the piece to make it less bulky. I believe the pattern requires shoulder pads so I also made the shoulders narrower.

 



 

 

I also shortened the hem to a more flattering length for me which is right under the knee. I really like this length because it makes your legs look longer with out showing your knee.

 



 

Dress: made by me

Gloves: Thrifted

Bag: Gift from Estate Sale

(Viv's) Shoes: Natural Comfort (Overstock)

 

Thanks for reading!

 

--Viola

 



Today in Movieland- Charade 1963

 

 Today December 5th in 1963 Charade aired in the United States.

 Directed by Stanley Donen, written by Peter Stone and with music by Henry Mancini Charade was destined to be an classic. It's a perfect mix of romance, comedy and suspense. Staring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn this stylish thriller is very much directed in a Hitchcock vein. Grant plays Peter Joshua who meets Regina Lampert (Hepburn) in Switzerland. Walter Matthau plays a man who informs Mrs. Lampert that during the war her husband Charles and three other men stole money from the US government. The three men are after her, because they think she knows the location of the stolen money. Later, when meeting her again in Paris, Peter Joshua offers his help when he discovers her husband was murdered and all her possessions are gone! Also with James Coburn and George Kennedy this film is one with many twists and turns keeping you on your toes! 

 

 

Movie Clip: this is when Reggie (Hepburn) first meets Peter (Grant)

Photos from the Flim...

Fun Fact: The movie was filmed on location in France.

Fun Fact: The nightclub owner in the movie was actually a real night club owner.

Fun Fact/Character mess-up: When Scobie (George Kennedy)  is covering "Dyle" with a gun there's no way that he can pull the trigger because he has it in his artificial hand.

We always enjoy watching this film and hope you do too.

 

Sincerely, Vera