From the Kitchen

I've been trying to freshen up the kitchen for Spring, adding some new colors, some neutrals, always on the lookout for new vintage and handmade finds on Etsy.

Clockwise from the top:

Crochet Tree Signed Giclee Print from sugarloop, $20

Vintage Pyrex Homestead Country Mixing Bowl from impulseArt, $12.50

Kirie 01 Bamboo Clock from decoylab, $84

Speckled Coffee Mugs for Two from PrairieSeed, $14

I'm really looking forward to the June Kane County Flea Market to find more treasures!

Baking Gift Guide - for the Vintage Home

I've been putting together treasuries as gift guides lately - I would love to finish my holiday shopping this month so I can focus on baking, cooking, decorating and crafting in November and December.  Here's one I put together for the baker in the family, who also has a love of vintage.

1. Antique Pumpkin Glaze Mixing Bowl from susantique, $39
2. Two Vintage Pestles from cottagefarm, $32
3. Linen Pinafore with Flowers by MyHappyHome, $35
4. Four Vintage Egg Cups from lapomme, $38
5. Old Muffin Tin from Fortsville, $5

Or, mix up a batch of muffins with your little one and while they're in the oven, read In the Night Kitchen together.

 You can see the entire gift guide here:

Dress Your Home in Vintage - Setting Your Holiday Table

Set your holiday table apart with vintage and handmade serving dishes and decor - makes your home feel cozy and loved.

Inspiration Silver Plate Set from sadieolive, $180

Set of Four Pretty Napkin Rings from AlicesLookingGlass, $14

Set of Five Diamond Etched Glasses from RedRubyRetro, $15

Silver Magnetic Chalkboard by HerMajestysPug, $12

 

Set of Six Yellow Glass Dessert Plates from OldCoot, $19.99

Full Linen Apron by pilosale, $60

Charming Varnished Gravy Boat from Garden22Vintage, $10

More entertaining and decorating ideas can be found in my Set Your Holiday Table treasury on Etsy:

Dress Yourself in Vintage - Back to School

It's August and for most parents we're getting closer to the most wonderful time of the year, when we dream about sending our precious children back to school.  The smell of pencils and thick stacks of ruler lined paper - it's a heady aroma, making us anticipate a return to routine and eliciting memories of our own schooldays.

Today's Dress Yourself in Vintage features one of my favorite shops, Thrush and one of my newer discoveries, Adrian Company Vintage and colors rich with autumn.

1970s Deep Plum Day Dress from Thrush

1950s Copper Cat Eye Glasses from Thrush

1970s Auburn Brown Large Leather Court Bag from Adrian Company Vintage

1970s Brandy Knee High Boots from Thrush

Perfect for running around campus, meet the teacher day at school, or dropping the kids off in style.  A wide, brown leather belt would tie it all together and give the dress a nice, structured waist.

Dress Your Home In Vintage - Farmhouse

My kitchen is still a work in progress, but after 5 years, it's almost where I want it to be. It has a farmhouse, vintage feel - cozy, warm, lived in.  I'm not talking sheep and doilies, but I do have a penchant for barn stars.  I've limited myself to one big red one over the kitchen table.  We're in the Midwest, deep in the prairie, I can't help my country tendencies, but I've tried to use authentic, vintage finds instead of mass produced, Chinese, fake Americana decor.  I love having vintage pieces in the kitchen - it makes my 1980s cookie cutter home feel more personal, more loved, more lived in.  Each piece has a memory and history, adding to our family story.

I found this vintage bowl in Garden_22 Vintage shop and had to have it.  It's creamy and warm; it feels like it's been held in many hands.   Right now it's on my counter holding a tower of mail my husband never seems to sort through.  I'm thinking about reclaiming it and putting it on the kitchen table.  It would look great full of apples and pears, but I don't eat apples or pears, so that would be a waste.  I might fill it with potatoes, which we eat a lot of and would still look lovely. 

 Here are some other pieces I'd love to add, but am hoping you buy first so that my kitchen doesn't start to resemble one of those rooms on Hoarders.

Vintage Baking Set from ethanollie - I wouldn't even want to hide these in a cabinet

Petite Bundt Cake Pans from AlicesLookingGlass - perfect excuse for eating an entire cake yourself

Enamelware Canisters from TheFancyLamb - wide mouth for scooping flour and sugar

Primitive Wooden Stool from bellalulu - I'd love this in my kitchen if I wasn't sure my 4yr old would crack her head open falling from it

Early 1800s Homespun Flax Blanket from theprimitivehome - imagine turning this into a lovely tablecloth or runner

Metal Film Canisters from SlothArt - could be used for storing spices

Biscuit Cutter, Scoop and Sugar Sack from AnnaBelleVintage -  the sugar sack would make gorgeous linens or a pillow and nice, big scoop for baking

Vintage White Batter Bowl from jenscloset - perfect for small batches of pancakes

Wire Egg Basket from findingfabulous - definitely wouldn't get hijacked into holding mail

I'm headed to the Kane County Flea Market this weekend - can't wait to share my new finds!