Maries Vintage

Marie's Vintage $50 Giveaway!

2011-02-07T20:12:00.000-05:00

Head on over here to enter for a chance to win a $50 credit to my shop!

fairytale homes

2010-10-16T13:44:00.006-04:00

Grass roofed houses in Norway! How amazing would it be to have trees growing on your roof?

via Amusing Planet

get cozy

2010-10-15T01:06:00.008-04:00

A sampling of new fall and winter coats in the shop now! Above, 70s Boho Toggle Coat

Burberry Camel Wool Coat

Fleet Street Trench

Lord and Taylor Modern Trench

Tweed and Rabbit Fur Coat

Fox Tail Rabbit Fur Coat

the collector

2010-10-10T19:06:00.001-04:00

Is it strange that I hate clutter, but I can totally see myself becoming a vintage and antique hoarder? Check out the full treasury here.

Wow

2010-10-06T16:01:00.003-04:00

This is such an cool story! A woman leaves her French apartment locked up when she moves, and the treasures inside are finally re-discovered 70 years later. What a wonderful time capsule!

Scary Movies

2010-09-17T20:24:00.002-04:00

My treasury tribute to scary movies! I think its time for a scary movie night soon! My boyfriend complains about watching them with me, something about grabbing his arm too hard and cutting off the circulation...

drooool

2010-09-16T11:04:00.003-04:00

I adore capes, and would love to be able to wear a big, dramatic vintage cape. However, at barely over 5 feet tall, I tend to look less chic and dramatic, and more like I'm being slowly consumed by a large plaid monster! Thus my obsession with this cape coat from Anthro. Perfect shorter length, and I love the short sleeves with leather buckle detailing!

handbag harvest

2010-09-13T19:27:00.006-04:00

Adeleshop, $150

rutinet, $42

sketchbook, $95

Pendleton, $198

I'm dying for an earthy, rustic bag for fall!

Vamp

2010-09-12T13:14:00.003-04:00

Yay, Vampire Diaries is back on (and I'm back to blogging)! Check out my treasury here.

treasury addiction

2010-05-29T23:13:00.004-04:00

The new Treasury East on Etsy has been up for awhile, but just lately I have been going a little treasury crazy! Above is my newest creation.

graduation!

2010-05-13T20:16:00.002-04:00

I'm off tomorrow morning to attend my boyfriend's graduation in Keene, NH (he's getting a green MBA), and take a few fun detours on the way back! The shop is stocked up with lots of new goodies to hold you over until I get back on Wednesday.

the little black dress

2010-05-04T16:43:00.010-04:00

Dandridge heels, at nocarnations

Patent Slingbacks, at JessJamesJake

Peeptoe Heels, at Deargoldenvintage

3 little black dresses, available in the shop soon, along with serving suggestions!

prom queen

2010-04-25T13:11:00.003-04:00

My Rose Metallic Pumps are included in Etsy's prom themed voter! Stop on over and check out all the pretties.

new toy and shop update

2010-04-18T19:23:00.008-04:00

I loathe ironing. I pretty much refuse to do it, but my ancient steamer wasn't quite doing the trick, either. So I'm psyched that I just got a new steamer for my vintage lovelies (and as I was joking about with the boyfriend, with which to play happy housewife).

Aaaand, some new (wrinkle free!) pretties in the shop:

etsy crush: angela osborn

2010-04-17T23:55:00.004-04:00

I'm totally in love with Etsy shop AngelaOsborn! She has some amazing handmade vintage inspired pieces. The silk blouse above is my favorite.

pretty prints

2010-04-10T23:18:00.005-04:00

Yesterday's thrifting finds. The clerk put them all in the straw beach tote I bought, and it looked so pretty, I just had to snap a photo!

Some of the spoils, up in the shop now:

70s Arabian Nights Maxi Skirt

Pink Gingham Swimsuit

70s Swiss Dot Halter Top

mini estate sale

2010-03-28T13:20:00.009-04:00

Usually when I find something amazing at a thrift store, its just one lone item. Last week, however, I came across a whole cache of pretty 50s dresses!

This is one of my favorites, a wiggle dress with the coolest abstract print, and way prettier in person!

By the way, I'm experimenting with using vintage wallpaper as a background, what do you think? I think its rather pretty, but also sort of busy...

here and gone

2010-03-22T19:14:00.005-04:00

So, I meant to post about this fabulous Saul Villa dress while it was still in the shop. Unfortunately, I'm not the most motivated blogger and it was also snapped up pretty quickly! I attempted to pull together some Villa garments from other sellers, but pretty much all the items I found in my google search had sold already!

However, this great trippy Saul Villa blouse is still up for grabs on eBay:

Villa did some great Pucci-esque prints, like these (unfortunately sold) dresses from MadebyLaurenB, and Mitches21.

Despite his apparent popularity, information about the artist seems to be hard to come by, I'd love to hear from you if you know anything about him!

friday's finds

2010-03-12T21:34:00.002-05:00

My three thrifting finds for the day. They looked so pretty all together in the bag, I had to take a photo! A decidedly eccentric outfit, though.

things I wish I could wear right now

2010-03-10T22:22:00.010-05:00

As a follow up to the prior post, here are some new lovelies perfect for spring weather. Its actually been really nice the past couple of days, but not quite sandals and spring frock weather in Ohio yet!

rounding out the winter

2010-03-06T22:35:00.006-05:00

Though I know its not really the appropriate weather yet, I haven't been able to prevent myself from going a little spring crazy with most of the dresses I've been posting. I've done bit better with shoes, however! Here are some recent listings perfect for rounding out the winter and heading into spring:

popularity contest

2010-02-27T11:24:00.002-05:00

My satin and rhinestone sandals are in the running on Etsy's Best Dressed poll, and I'd love your vote! Head on over here to check out all the pretties and cast your vote.

lucky me

2010-02-26T22:31:00.007-05:00

I came across a wonderful little cache of the most lovely 50s sweaters earlier this week! Some are already up in the shop, and the rest are coming up soon...

spring-y shop update

2010-02-18T16:35:00.008-05:00

It got up to a balmy (snort) 37 degrees today, still I'm convinced Spring is right around the corner! Some new pretties in the shop:

valentine weekend sale

2010-02-13T14:53:00.002-05:00

I'm having a sale this weekend for all my Etsy valentines! Check out my shop for the details!

i neeeed

2010-02-05T16:37:00.000-05:00

At $300, I probably won't be picking it up, but isn't this spring jacket from Dace just perfect?

etsy crush: the generation

2010-02-04T23:30:00.005-05:00

I'm really digging Etsy seller The Generation's shoes! I'm sure they could be worn outside, but they seem like they'd be perfect for just puttering around the house.

romantic vogue photoshoot

2010-01-26T12:07:00.000-05:00

Romantic and beautifully shot (by Annie Leibovitz, of course) Vogue photoshoot! I love the idea of traveling across the country on an old timey, luxurious train. Though here in the US, I would settle for the less romantic but very efficient Japanese trains. My year of living in Japan and being able to get around so easily on the trains really spoiled me.

amanda wachob tattoos

2010-01-25T16:59:00.000-05:00

These gorgeous paint smear and splatter tattoos have already made their rounds on the blogosphere, but I just couldn't resist posting them! via Frolic.

photoshopped vintage ad

2010-01-22T18:01:00.000-05:00

I laughed out loud when I saw this photoshopped faux vintage poster! I love House even though it is pretty much the same episode over and over, the snarkiness never gets old.

etsy crush: smartfish

2010-01-22T12:16:00.000-05:00

Etsy seller Smartfish has such simple, pretty flats! The ones above are my favorites!

keep calm and....

2010-01-21T16:33:00.000-05:00

Really feeling this variation on the "keep calm and carry on" posters that are so popular! From the Cocktail Gallery.

oliver peoples

2010-01-21T11:04:00.000-05:00

Some photos of Elijah Wood and Shirley Manson for Oliver Peoples' 2010 campaign. I can't be the only one that still finds Elijah a little creepy after watching Sin City, but I'm loving the retro feel of the photos nonetheless!

must. have. now.

2010-01-20T18:54:00.001-05:00

How incredible are these vintagey industrial laundry carts from Restoration Hardware? If I had the remotest idea what I would do with one, I think I'd be whipping out the credit card right now.

resurrecting ophelia

2010-01-20T11:51:00.000-05:00

Hauntingly beautiful photographs by Kalliope Amorphous, titled Resurrecting Ophelia.

nifty tights

2010-01-20T00:39:00.000-05:00

I'm rather intrigued by Le Queues de Sardines collection of stockings. They range from cute to rather creepy, but are all pretty nifty. They'd be a really fun accent for photo shoots with otherwise simple clothing.

vintage tv antennas

2010-01-19T01:24:00.008-05:00

In the checkout lane at a big thrift store the other day, I saw a woman holding the coolest vintage atomic tv antenna. It was art really, so amazing! I stared jealously at her treasure and kicked myself for being lazy and not checking out the housewares section. Lesson learned, I will be perusing the whole store from now on, even though I only sell housewares here and there.

There are surprisingly few cool ones available for sale, but here are a couple nifty antennas I found:

This fabulous antenna from TMHL is similar to (but not quite as amazing as) my missed out on treasure.

Simple and striking (and beautifully photographed) antenna from VintageVenatic.

art meets movie monsters

2010-01-19T00:24:00.005-05:00

The photos for this conceptual cocoon-like sleep suit are amazing! Though I'm not sure anyone would use this for its intended purpose of taking a nap wherever you might be, I do love that it makes the victims, errr, users look like beautifully designed pod people.

via Jailbreak

indignant

2010-01-16T23:22:00.008-05:00

I got the new Anthro catalog a week or so ago, and I can't help being slightly indignant at being taunted with such pretty spring clothing when it is still very much winter in Ohio. Still, as usual, I want pretty much all of the lovely things in it, so I will have to forgive them.

utter. perfection.

Sometimes I have a hard time telling if I actually want an article of clothing, or if I'd just like to plunk the model's head down on my body. I think this is more a case of the latter.

I have to say I'm not finding the shoes to be that drool worthy, but I do sorta love the photography.

This is the point where I have to admit that I have been Anthro brainwashed because this does not remotely match, and I would not look remotely as chic in it. Yet, its just so pretty!

etsy crush: dalena vintage

2010-01-04T18:40:00.006-05:00

I love, love, love the photography in Etsy shop Dalena Vintage!

winter sky skirt

cable knit sweater

ruby red saks suit

splashes of color

2010-01-04T15:21:00.012-05:00

I'm not sure what it is lately, maybe the dreariness of winter, but I have become obsessed with red! I would love to buy a cute Red Riding Hood style vintage coat, but red is really NOT my color. Instead, I've started collecting red accessories.

I just ordered these adorable red velvet sneakers from Simple!

I've also fallen in love with vintage red leather Coach bags.
Something like this one from eBay would be perfect:

And maybe some sweet red mittens? Maybe I'm regressing, but I love the cute, little girl quality of these mittens on a string from Dollyknits.

You can find the coat up top here, and here are a couple more red picks from the shop:

vintage velvet cloche hat

vintage lipstick red western boots

winter comforts

2009-12-29T16:09:00.015-05:00

photo by AliciaBock

Truth be told, I'm not much of a winter person. Ideally, I would move to a more temperate climate and just "visit" winter when I feel the need. Still, there are some comforts of winter that I just wouldn't be able to let go of, no matter how much I would relish ice free driving and warm toes.

Flannel sheets. I have like 5 sets! Target always has some cute and cozy ones for cheap.

The obligatory warm and cozy coat. I bought my first coat from J Crew this winter (actually, the one pictured), and I adore it!

Tall boots. Some girls can't stop buying cute pumps, I collect boots (and sandals in the summer!). The ones above are in the shop right now.

And finally fireplaces. Now I must admit that its been awhile since I've had a house with a fireplace, but I LOVE them! The smell of burning wood, the crackling sound, the safe homey feeling they create....sigh.

What do you HAVE to have in the winter?

Merry Christmas + Christmas Sale!

2009-12-25T14:50:00.004-05:00

I will be the first to say that I am not the most consistent at this blogging thing. I tend to go in spurts and then ignore my blog for awhile!

It seemed appropriate to wish everyone a Merry Christmas as the beginning of a new blogging spurt! I hope you are having great Christmas! Mine has been filled with yummy food, family, and of course the viewing of old Christmas movies.

To celebrate and say thanks to all the wonderful customers I've had this year, I'm offering 20% off everything in my shop through the weekend. Check out the details in my shop announcement here!

autumnal chic

2009-11-02T19:28:00.008-05:00

Hoy Fashion has some really awesome street style photos from Paris Fashion Week.

nooshi handmade brooches

2009-11-02T17:35:00.003-05:00

These bamboo embroidered brooches by Noshii are so pretty! I love how natural and folksy they are!

shoes galore!

2009-11-01T09:50:00.002-05:00

Etsy seller Lisazain was nice enough to include some of my shoes in her new blog, and its definitely worth checking out! I love the simplicity, just lots of awesome vintage shoes, with new ones posted every day.

photo via Moxie Girl

tiny feet

2009-10-21T21:13:00.009-04:00

Why is it that some of the coolest vintage shoes are the smallest sizes? I've come across a bunch of awesome shoes recently in sizes that I can't even begin to think about cramming my feet into! Sad for me, but some lucky lady with tiny feet has her pick of some pretty amazing shoes. In the shop now, all sizes 5-6:

Yes, I found these incredible 70s clogs in 3 different colors!

i'm in heaven

2009-10-21T00:36:00.004-04:00

Just got some new Pacifica candles, and I'm in heaven! They are a bit pricey, but so worth it! I'm currently enjoying the wonderfully autumnal Madagascar Spice scent.

viktor & rolf gowns

2009-10-03T22:50:00.007-04:00

How incredible are these Viktor and Rolf gowns from the Spring 2010 collection? I think Jezebel pretty much hit it on the head when they compared them to Barbie dresses manicured by Edward Scissorhands!

via Jezebel

olive inspiration

2009-09-26T20:58:00.002-04:00

Some fall pretties...Farmer's Market Calendar, Witches Promise Dress, Olive Oxford Boots, Vintage Mixing Bowl Set

firsts of fall

2009-09-20T21:17:00.008-04:00

It's been in the 70s here, still pretty summery, but I can feel fall coming in the cool nights and sometimes cool days. Tonight's dinner was some delicious and fall appropriate bean soup, courtesy of the boyfriend (He usually ends having to cook, while I screw around on the internet and update my shop). In short, I am totally ready for fall and can't wait to bust out my boots and sweaters!

I've been buying up tons of great fall and winter items lately and those that haven't been diverted to my closet are being put up in the shop:

New Giveaway at Sweet Sassafras

2009-09-08T17:37:00.003-04:00

I have a new giveaway up at Sweet Sassafras, head on over and enter to win!

architecture envy

2009-09-03T23:49:00.002-04:00

This incredible building is apparently the Royal Norwegian Embassy....do you think they'd let me move in?

via Mood

school + smileys

2009-09-02T21:53:00.002-04:00

I love this little teacher satisfaction survey created by Abi Huynh. She wanted to show how responses to teacher evaluations were most often determined simply by whether or not students like the teacher.

I taught college level ESL for a while and always had fun reading my evaluations. While the majority of the students just wrote bland niceties, there was always a good block who complained that I didn't assign enough homework or let them out of class early too often! My favorite, however, was the student (almost certainly one of my Indian students) whose sole comment praised my grace and beauty! Gorgeous, sure, but all of my students had seen me gracelessly bump into at least several pieces of classroom furniture each week.

new giveaway up!

2009-08-27T20:18:00.003-04:00

My newest giveaway is up at Design for Mankind, head on over and comment to win this blouse (or an item of equal value if its not quite your size)!

giveaways and new pretties

2009-08-26T00:59:00.007-04:00

I think I've become addicted to giveaways! I've got two coming up in the next couple of weeks, one very soon at Design for Mankind and another at Sweet Sassafras (both awesome blogs, by the way). I'll be posting the links as soon as they're up, so keep checking back.

Some pretties that will be up in the shop soon:

etsy crush: 5 gardenias

2009-08-24T19:43:00.009-04:00

I'm in love with Etsy seller 5 Gardenia's shop! Kathi has a great selection of vintage housewares, all beautifully photographed. Aaand, incredibly, she also has a lovely jewelry shop!

art of melanie bilenker

2009-08-18T22:30:00.007-04:00

Melanie Bilenker creates unique jewelry by reproducing photographs using strands of her own hair....just hearing about it, it seems like their might be an ick factor, but they're actually quite lovely:

cool, creepy

2009-08-17T21:37:00.006-04:00

Check out artist Nate Page's carved magazines...cool, creepy, and (in my mind) an appropriate affront to the overly airbrushed world of beauty magazines.

gearing up for fall

2009-08-15T19:32:00.007-04:00

While I'm not always crazy about the summer offerings (they're just a little too summer-in-the-hamptons-preppy for me), I always come back to J Crew for the fall. Here's some of my faves so far:

I am a complete boot addict, but the super girly wellies are just not for me. These are appropriately rugged, and vintagey as well.

One word: Cashmere!

On a side note, someone really needs to buy these awesome vintage wellies from Hello Victory...

...I'm devastated they're not my size!

picture perfect

2009-08-13T21:16:00.005-04:00

I love how Swedish wallpaper designer Decor Maison has photographed their new line. Now I want a cozy little camper and the wallpaper!

via emmas designblogg

my first giveaway!

2009-08-11T21:01:00.007-04:00

I'm doing my first giveaway for $50 of store credit! Check out Keiko Lynn's blog to enter.

Aaaand, some new items in the shop:

drooling over hayden-harnett

2009-08-10T19:45:00.008-04:00

I headed over to Hayden-Harnett today to check out their end of summer sale and found some stunning (not on sale!) fall items. I cannot even begin to contemplate affording them, but that is probably for the best, as slightly affordable prices would result in a spree of bank account destroying proportions.

How fabulous is the deco styling on this vest?

I love the minimalist styling of this coat!

Simply. Perfect.

weekend sale!

2009-08-07T23:44:00.002-04:00

Sale this weekend! See my shop announcement for details.

summer serenity

2009-08-07T17:56:00.006-04:00

What do you think of the Universe Beach House by designer Tatiana Bilbao?

At first glance it looks a little military bunker-ish to me, but it also seems like the kind of place that might be so much more beautiful and serene in person. I think the view from the swimming pool/roof would be enough to sell me...

via Top Design News

slower is better

2009-08-05T20:31:00.004-04:00

You know those radar signs that warn you how fast you're driving in dangerous or targeted enforcement areas? As part of their "Slower is Better" campaign, police in Wisconsin have found a slightly different way of driving the point home:

via The Inspiration Room

new tree houses

2009-08-05T12:44:00.009-04:00

As documented earlier, I have a near obsession with tree houses. My most recent tree house fix comes in the form of a book called "New Treehouses of the World" by Pete Nelson.

Bridges are an absolute necessity for any self-respecting tree house (and yes, I'm still 8 years old when it comes to this).

I desperately want an exotic tree house vacation! Maybe this awesome Thailand and Laos adventure that involves tree houses only accessible by zip line? I thinking that might make tree houses adult enough for the boyfriend...(he told me the other day that tree houses are lame, gasp!)

when landfills attack?

2009-08-04T13:46:00.012-04:00

Check out artist Brandon Jan Blommaert's incredible trash sculpture photography.

I couldn't resist posting almost all of the Eco Station set, but his Flickr has some cool process photos and more great doodles as well:

beyond silver

2009-08-04T13:18:00.003-04:00

Yet another conceptual item I'm drooling over, I love anything that incorporates natural materials into modern design:

One of the entries for the Beyond Silver design competition, sadly this awesome design didn't win.

anthro love

2009-08-03T18:38:00.011-04:00

I got the August Anthro catalog today, and I pretty much want everything in it! But, I will try and restrain myself....it also helps that I don't currently have enough money for more than one of my faves below:

Washed Leather Racer...it even looks soft!

Crossway Heels, these are at the top of my list.

LOVE the steampunk feel of the Narration Booties.

I'm a sucker for drapey collars and anything asymmetrical, the Funneled Folds Cardigan also comes in a pretty blue peacock motif.

This crochet necklace is the perfect statement piece, though I'd imagine you could find something just as wonderful on Etsy for a fraction of the price.

I've seen a lot of these pared down vintagey pendant lights lately, and I LOVE them! Anthro also has some cool caged ones.

moss underfoot

2009-08-03T13:53:00.003-04:00

How fantastic is this moss bath mat?

I believe its just conceptual and not for sale, but I'd be the first in line if they were! The rest of designer La Chanh Nguyen's portfolio is worth checking out as well.

found!

2009-08-03T12:48:00.004-04:00

Sadly, eBay is not overflowing with vintage fencing masks, but I did find a pretty nifty one:

I am always crazy for vintage leather, and this one has the added bonus of not looking so much like a medieval torture device...seriously, go search on eBay, some of them are rather frightening!

what's old is new

2009-08-02T19:26:00.009-04:00

The NY Times has a cool piece on the resurgence of interest in decorating with vintage and antique items, called "The New Antiquarians." There is a pretty fantastic slide show of the homes of those interviewed as well:

This is my favorite photo, and has set me on the search for a vintage fencing mask!

Normally I find taxidermy to be pretty creepy, but this is actually rather lovely...as long as you don't think too hard about it.

etsy crush: AlgaNet

2009-08-01T12:31:00.006-04:00

I'm loving the gorgeous seaweed pressings created by AlgaNet:

I really NEED that blue pressing. It's on my list for when my checking account bounces back from my latest Anthropologie splurge!

upcycling the 80s

2009-07-31T17:45:00.008-04:00

Check out these incredible lamps created from defunct cassette tapes:

I love how they look so much more incredible lit up than what you would expect! By ooomydesign.

object of lust

2009-07-31T11:50:00.002-04:00

New at Modcloth:

This is one of those articles of clothing that I would have to forbid myself from eating in, as the first time I got even close to food I know I'd manage to stain it!

veggie love

2009-07-30T19:16:00.007-04:00

We took a trip to our local little farmer's market this afternoon. I have a fridge literally stuffed full of food, but it was still so tempting to load my arms full of all the beautiful veggies!

I ended up just buying some of the lovely beets above...I'm dying to make a summery beet salad out of them!

new pictures

2009-07-30T12:13:00.011-04:00

I have a new model and background (and the cutest pink dress form!), though I'm still not 100% happy with my pictures. The model is lovely of course, but I feel like the background is sort of boring....perhaps its just my yearning for a new loft apartment with lots of light and interesting textures.

At any rate, some things to come and a couple already posted:

object of lust

2009-07-29T15:38:00.004-04:00

Perfect Ferragamo mary janes. They are not my size (or else I'd be snapping them up instead of foolishly telling you about them!), but still drool worthy.

available at MySecretCloset

perfectly (mis) matched

2009-07-29T15:25:00.004-04:00

via The Sartorialist:

I fully plan to dress even more eccentrically when I get older.

my boots!

2009-07-11T19:57:00.003-04:00

I donated a pair of boots to the Uniform Project recently, and was pleasantly surprised to see that they are part of Sheena's outfit today!

NY Times Photo Essay

2009-07-05T12:34:00.008-04:00

The New York Times has a lovely, haunting photo essay of buildings unfinished or unsold as a result of the housing market bust.

Sad to think of this lovely home sitting empty and full of leaves...especially when I would be so happy to take it off their hands!

an exercise in sustainability

2009-07-01T21:15:00.009-04:00

My new daily, have to check website: The Uniform Project. The adorable Sheena has pledged to wear one simple black dress for a year, accessorized each day by vintage and handmade items, many from Etsy and eBay. Its a lot of fun to see what she can do to reinvent her outfit over and over!

You can donate accessories for her to wear, and even collaborate on an outfit with her. I plan on donating a pair of shoes, and am super excited about seeing them show up in one of her outfits!

shop update

2009-06-30T00:05:00.011-04:00

I have had a lot of wonderfully earthy oranges and browns in my shop updates recently. Maybe not traditionally summer, but I love autumn colors any time of the year.

I'm not quite sure where they all came from, but I've got a bunch more to post soon as well!

life, aquatic

2009-06-29T13:19:00.008-04:00

A break from the hot weather; here are some wonderfully whimsical (I do so love alliteration!) vintage underwater photos:

via wazzat

Felted Faves

2009-06-28T18:49:00.010-04:00

I have this near obsession with anything and everything felted (even my bed is felted!). I think it ties in with my love of things modern yet natural. Here are some of my Etsy felted faves:

The cutest little felt box from 0049Design.

I have been drooling over this felted bunny bag by feltmates for quite awhile, and am actually surprised no one has snagged it yet!

Sleek, modern felted tote and storage bin, both by feeldesign.

I don't actually own any felt bowls, as I'm not sure what I'd do with them (this usually doesn't stop me!), but these from papaververt are really tempting.

I have a really adorable i-pod pouch I got from Annamatic (she doesn't seem to make it any longer), but when I need a new one I'm going with this fantastic Domo-kun case by SydneyAngel.

And while we are on the subject of Domo-kun, isn't this Domo-kun plushie completely adorable? I really want it to be mine so I can cuddle with it!

Modern Fairytales

2009-06-14T11:33:00.023-04:00

I have always loved the Japanese aesthetic, so I was delighted to see Japanese architect Terunobu Fujimori featured in Dwell Magazine recently. He has this incredible mix of natural materials, traditional and modern, with the results often looking like something out of a fairytale!

I should mention that I have a thing for treehouses! This building was actually designed as a Teahouse.

Another Teahouse, I think I like this one even more. Check out the incredible interior below!

The wonderfully medieval looking Jinchokan Moriya Historical Museum.

The Yakisugi (Charred Cedar) House.

The incredible Coal House is exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned mixing modern and traditional. So perfect!

There are so many more incredible pictures, but I'll stop here! If you want more, just Google Fujimori, or check out all the wonderful photos on Flickr.

Warm and Earthy

2009-06-13T18:02:00.008-04:00

Some pretty new items posted today:

Etsy Yart Sale!

2009-06-10T22:45:00.007-04:00

The Etsy Yart Sale has begun! I'm participating with a sale section, but I thought I'd share some of my favorite vintage deals from other sellers:

Adorable vintage mini billiard set, by TheBakersDaughterToo, only $9!

Sweet vintage clock, perfect for your bedside, from ErraticHabits, $15.

Vintage Metal globe made by Ohioart, from VintageOnElm, 10% off of $20.

Awesome silver pumps with ribbon roses, by SunshineCityLassie, $16.50.

Hayden-Harnett Sale!

2009-06-08T20:04:00.008-04:00

I recently discovered NY handbag and accessories maker Hayden-Harnett. I signed up for their e-mails and just a couple days later received a coupon code for 50% off!

Fortunately, I was able to control myself and only bought this adorable Paule Marrot pouch.

I was, however, very tempted by this preppy blue tote. I'm a sucker for anything blue and this is just perfection! The leather trim, the deep blue, completely classic, and I still really want it even though I already have a perfectly nice tote bag!

A couple more colorful selections that I really loved as well, the Clarice Train Case, and the Oryx Clutch. The 50% off coupon ( Q7BX66RA) is good through the 13th.

2 New Favorites

2009-06-07T17:24:00.006-04:00

I got the new Lucky magazine yesterday (actually around 9pm when I remembered to check the mail!), and found a couple new things I desperately need:

This incredible bracelet by Botticelli's Niece is the perfect blend of tough and pretty. Adding to the tough appeal is the fact the beautiful brass pieces are actually parts of spend bullet casings!

Next up are these awesome sandals from Dolce Vita that will be perfect for my post-apocalyptic cobbled together-yet fashionable outfit. I can't be the only one who really loves some of the improvised, monochromatic, vagrant-y beautiful fashion in post-apocalyptic movies...

I was also happy to see Etsy seller LocalLibrary featured in Lucky!

It was the Little Wings necklace that I own (and love!). So cool to see Etsians getting that kind of recognition!

Chocolate and Pastels

2009-06-06T19:22:00.003-04:00

I went to the Godiva store today to buy a present for a friend and some goodies for myself (I prefer to think of chocolate as "fuel" as well!). The closest store is about 45 minutes from where I live, which is probably a good thing, otherwise I'd be there several times a week! Along the way, I did some vintage shopping and found some very summery items:

From left to right, 80s deadstock pink gingham shorts, an incredible 60s palm tree skirt, leaf green peasant blouse, pretty stripey summer blouse, and a whisper pink windbreaker. Now to decide what I can let go of!

Summer Sale

2009-06-05T15:50:00.002-04:00

Summer Stock Up Sale in my shop this weekend!

See my shop for details!

obsessions

2009-06-05T12:03:00.005-04:00

When I find something I like, I tend to become a bit obsessed. I will buy endless variations of the same item (nautical tops, anyone?), and often buy multiples of things I really love just in case I wear it out before my obsession fades! So, despite the fact that I already have a week's worth of peasant tops in my closet, I felt compelled to blow my Paypal balance on these two from Cutiemus.

Its a fairly small shop, but they have some pretty, Anthropology-ish clothing at more reasonable prices....I was also tempted by the Agean Sea Blouse, but that will have to wait for another day:

2009-06-04T20:00:00.004-04:00

I've been sick with a bad cold for about 2 weeks, but am finally feeling better! Going to garage sales tomorrow morning, so hopefully I will have some cool finds to share...

New Sale Items

2009-05-24T17:54:00.002-04:00

A smattering of new items added to my sale section:

Random Etsy Goodness

2009-05-22T21:12:00.002-04:00

Some of my recent Etsy purchases:

A very pretty card from Etsy seller Unitstudio, I got this for my cousin's graduation party this weekend.

Awesome Etsy seller SycamoreStreetPress doesn't seem to have re-listed this fantastic card I bought for my brother's graduation, but there's plenty of other goodies in their shop!

Finally, two gorgeous tea towels from Geschichtenvonkat that I am eagerly awaiting. I love the vintage-y fading in the designs!

Fashion brainwashing

2009-05-21T00:14:00.005-04:00

I've resisted it for as long as I could, but I think I've been fashion brainwashed (and not in the cool, ninja assassin Zoolander way). I *gulp* think rompers are actually sort of cute! Some of my favorites:

Drapey and comfortable, but sooo pretty too! Trapeze Romper on eBay, ends in about a day.

Mod Print Romper. This is actually a swimsuit, and I don't think I'd be brave enough to wear something like this outside the house in a non-swimming situation, but its completely adorable.

Incredible handmade Purple Printed Romper from a brand new Etsy seller!

Cool jungle print Floral Romper would be perfect as a beach cover up.

Finally, one from my shop, a great 80s Corset Floral Romper

Seriously though, am I the only person this happens to? Sometimes I see a fashion trend enough times that I start liking it. And then I'm disturbed with myself, but in this case, I'm not sure if I should be, or if I've just seen the light...

eBay Experiment

2009-05-18T21:16:00.006-04:00

I've done very little selling on eBay recently, but I thought I'd try an experiment listing a couple items on eBay. I wanted to see how they sold, and also whether I could route any traffic to my Etsy shop through the listings.

I listed these two items:

Totally incredible Bandolino Italian Wedges

Cool 70s Wood and Leather Wedges

Thus far, not a particularly successful experiment, as they have 0 bids, haha. They end tomorrow evening, so check them out, maybe you'll get a deal!

Anyone wanna come play in my book fort?

2009-05-17T00:13:00.004-04:00

I had an almost too successful weekend of garage sale-ing...I bought 25 boxes of books! (In addition to my vintage shop, I also sell used books on Amazon). Usually I get my inventory in much smaller lots, but they were a good price and I just couldn't resist!

One of my cooler finds amongst the mountain of books, a 1934 World's Fair guidebook. It doesn't have a particularly high collectible value so I probably won't sell it, but that's fine with me since its so lovely to display!

Some of the boxes of books currently decorating my living room. I finally finished sorting them tonight, and out of the 25 boxes I pulled out 2-3 boxes worth of salable books. Not a large percentage, but enough to make it worthwhile. Now the question is what to do with the remaining books....I'm leaning towards a book fort!