Pretty Link Roundup {September 28, 2009}

Happy start of the week, sweet dears, how are you each on this last Monday in September. All is right as rain on this end, in fact it is raining, which often sets my moods off on a rather chipper note (I was born in Vancouver, what do you expect? ;D). I love a rainy day (or two, when it heads into twenty plus days of rain in a row like I experienced occasionally when I used to live in Ireland, well, that is something of another matter), the sound of falling precipitation, the cigarette ash hue the sky often takes on, the way the world seems to be given a good scrubbing for a little while, all of these things add up to more than enough reasons for me to extract joy from a rainy day



{This photo of Times Square in New York taken in the 1940s speaks directly to my love of a cityscape glistening with rain. The vibrancy and sense of motion in this shot is so intense you almost want to grab an umbrella - lest the drops starting hitting your head - just looking at it. Photo from the pages of Straatis' Flickr stream.}


Coolers days have always brought me greater mental clarity. In this sense I’ve come to learn I’m not alone, other too (including my husband) agree that they feel their brains function more sharply once summer has hightailed it out of town. When I lived in the western part of Canada, I can’t say as though I noticed this seasonal affect as deeply, but when the ravenous Ontario humidity came into the picture along with the toasty heat of summer, my mind suddenly felt as though it had turned into pabulum. It is not just the ol’ brain either, my entire body generally feels more up to snuff when the mercury refuses to climb above the low twenties. Anything between minus twenty and plus twenty five and I’m a pretty content camper, or should I say “blogger”.

I had a busy and wonderful weekend. My favourite part of it was on Saturday when we went to the Ontario Science Center for their 40th anniversary celebration bash, admission was free (hard to beat that price!) so naturally the place was crowded to the rafters, but we had a marvelous time despite the crowds and (among other activities) took in a screening of the IMAX film “Under the Sea”, which was narrated by Jim Carrey.

The entirely funny thing about our attendance that day though, was that we were planning to go to the Science Centre that day anyhow! We had wanted to go for some time, but various reasons had kept us away all summer long. Fortunately I wasn’t feeling too rough that day, so we figured we better jump on the chance to visit the Science Centre while we the opportunity to do so. We didn’t find out about the fact that a party was going on there until moments before we left the house (darling hubs wanted to check online how late they were open) – talk about a neat little slice of serendipity!

On the blogging front numerous interesting and exciting links have popped up lately – and much like our admission on Saturday, enjoying the afternoon with all of these stories is entirely free :)


♥ ♥ ♥


* Fashion Extremes: While fashion runaways often spill over with garments that are, in one way or another, excessive, this trend certainly didn’t start recently. Here Poke Salad Annie takes on a visual journey through some mid-twentieth century looks that veered towards the extreme, while still somehow managing to look infinitely more wearable than most of what comes down the catwalk today.


* What’s happened to our bodies?: Via the ever-wonderful Beauty is a thing of the past, an interesting article that compares the way women’s bodies have transformed in size and shape over the past six decades, from UK newspaper The Daily Mail, recently came to my attention. The piece looks at some of the medical, dietary and sociological reasons behind the change in body shape amongst British (and while not stated outright, American) woman and certainly provides some interesting food for thought.


* 1930s fashion plates: Sarai brings us a dose of visual loveliness via numerous (coloured) fashion plates from the 1930s. Each plate is a joy, but I especially like the one of the two women in navy blue dresses with coordinating jackets. Which look is your favourite?


* Betsy McCalls Paperdolls in publication from 1951-1961: While I was born decades too late to play with Betsy McCall paper dolls as a child, I’ve long admired the detailed beauty in these fragile paper gems. Here Alana takes us on a historical ride through the history of the Betsy McCall dolls, complete with several colour images of these adorable vintage playthings.


* A vintage kitchen cupboard medicinal: The dear soul behind A Stitch In Time is feeling a bit under the weather at the moment, but that didn’t stop her from putting together a thoroughly lovely – and useful – post highlighting several classic medicinal remedies such as baking soda, citrus juice, and salt for common ailments that have been plaguing humanity since the dawn of time. (Heartfelt wishes for a very speedy recovery to you, Analiebe!)


* The Value in Tailored Vintage: Melody from A Vintage Ramble raises some excellent points in favour of why tracking down vintage pieces that were once custom tailored can be well worth it (especially given the absurdly high prices modern hand-tailored pieces often fetch).


* Peter Pan Collars: Adore Vintage takes a quick peek at the adorable, rounded style of collar known by the name “Peter Pan”, which can look so lovely on a variety of vintage (and modern) styles.


* Retro Clocks at Target: Atomic Addiction corrals a list of some absolutely wonderful vintage/retro looking (think Atomic Era/Mad Men), reasonably priced wall clocks that are currently available from US retailer Target.


* Silver Screen Sunday {Pin-up Girl}: Recently Andi B. Goode began a weekly series of posts in which she highlights a vintage era movie and then rounds up fashion pieces that you can find today, to help you recreate the film’s iconic style. Most recently she shone the spotlight on Betty Grable’s classic “Pin-up Girl”, with fashion and hair ideas to help you recreate the curvy blonde starlet’s classic bombshell look.


* Beauty tips for red heads: Over at Time Machine to the Twenties, Amanda has been dishing up some fantastic old school Good Housekeeping beauty advise for redheaded gals this past week. A trio of posts on the subject cover skin care, lipstick, and what colours to wear, and are a wonderful read whether you were blessed with ruby locks or not.

♥ ♥ ♥

I wish to present this week’s Your Blog is an Inspiration award to my lovely, effervescent, delightfully creative friend, Maggi (~*Just Add Glitter and Stir*~). From the moment I encountered her wonderful site (seriously it’s bedecked with red sparkles and polka dots, what’s not to love?), I knew I had found a soul with which I had a lot in common. From a passion for vintage to an adoration of crating (she’s especially talented at scrapbooking), as well as a mutual love of Pullip dolls, I knew that she and I we would hit it off, and we certainly have.



Maggi, you and your site – and the marvelously cool creations you share with us – are a perpetual source of inspiration. I always leave your blog with a smile on my face and the urge to be intensely crafty all of a sudden in my heart. Thank you for being the amazing, artistic, friendly, caring, sweet person that you are!

♥ ♥ ♥

Inspired by a yummy Indian meal I cooked last week to celebrate autumn’s arrival (something about the saturated, earthly tones of many Indian spices and ingredients correlates with fall in my mind), I thought it would be fun to share a clip featuring numerous scenes of enchantingly pretty women from various vintage and retro Bollywood films with you. I admit to knowing little about specific Bollywood films and so cannot begin to tell you where the clips in this video hail from originally, but what I do know is that the ladies it features each possess a captivating and alluring sense of glamour that is as timeless as India itself.


{Beauties of Bollywood Past}



♥ ♥ ♥

I began this post much earlier in the day, since then night has rolled in, but the drizzling rain remains. As I type these words it occurs to me that this is the first night in many months I’ve felt the need to put on cozy autumn-appropriate socks and wrap myself up in a blanket. And so I did both things, Stella curled up in a state of feline slumber by my side, no doubt hoping for the return of her winter coat, and smiled even more than I had when I awoke this morning to rain. It’s the simple joys of the season that have the most impact on my soul.

May you each have countless reasons of your own to be happy this week!

Saturday Snapshots {September 26, 2009}

“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

{The moment I spied this cheerfully hued photo, I was instantly reminded of the children’s nursery rhyme that began with the words, “Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?”. Don’t you just love her plaid dress and darling Heidi-esque braids.}



{The woman in this photo is beguilingly lovely, even fifty six years after the shutter was snapped, her lips still look cheery red, her pearls as pristine as snowdrops. I adore her ensemble, hair and make-up, and wonder what “Aunt Martha” (as she’s identified) was dressed so elegantly for.}



{A group of young women sit intently around a large quilt they’re crafting together in this charming photo. Are you also curious what colours their creation was composed of?}



{The ladies are all smiles in this fantastic - cheekily whimsical – 1930s photo, the fellows however seem to be a bit more sombre. Perhaps they were wishing they looked half as fabulous as their dates did!}



{The fantastically bright hues in this shot of Fremont Street, Las Vegas, and the wonderful assortment of (now) classic cars, make this vacation snap look like a scene plucked from a movie.}



{A stylish young couple pose in the Texas sunlight against their car in this lovely shot from 1937. I wonder who these stylish youngsters were, what became of their lives, and - on a less intense note - what brand beverage they're holding in their hands.}



{Vintage snapshots are not only about posed photo ops. Just as is the case today, photographers of yesteryear often turned their lenses towards scenes that they found captivating or interesting for whatever reason (beauty, uniqueness, strangeness, for the sake of remembrance, etc). This shot is strikingly well composed; the rider and horse mirrored perfectly in the pristine water, speak to the temporary reflection of a moment in time that all photos ultimately share in common.}



{A beautiful pair of brides pose together in this 1945 photo. As someone who remembers discussing the option with more than one childhood friend of having a double wedding (none of said mutual nuptials panned out, but it was certainly fun at the time to dream), I’m intrigued by photos of actual friends (or sisters, cousins, etc) that decided to share their special day of matrimonial bliss together.}



{The family’s warmer clothes would indicate that the weather was either unseasonably chilly or that this 1954 snap was taken during the colder months. Each of relatives’ expressions is interesting. The boys seem a tad quizzical and bored, mother appears to have something on her mind but she’s forcing out a weak smile, and grandmother’s stern expression could make her a shoe-in for a school headmistress.}



{A lone woman (“Maxine”) poses confidently and reflectively against a fence post in this photo from the 1940s. I adore not only her becoming trouser outfit, but also the look of intent thought across her lovely face.}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


I treasure happiness and believe in seeking it out in all that I do and say, from each new encounter and every person I come in contact with. Though felicity is not always with us, it is never truly far away either. The pursuit of personal joy can be a lifelong mission, one that has woven itself through the story of humanity for as long as it has been written, but I could think of fewer journeys more rewarding to find oneself on in this world.

Five for Friday {September 25, 2009}

...The nights begin to stretch on longer, the days beckon you to slip a cardigan over your shoulder. After the week in which the seasons change hands from summer to autumn, it’s time put away the beach towels and dig out the extra blankets. Moments of simple comforts and cozy happinesses are just begging to be enjoyed, and after months of trying to escape the heat we suddenly find ourselves turning to those familiar things which warm our soul once more...


♥ ♥ ♥

{To wash away every last trace of summer’s sweltering heat}

{The packaging on this Italian bar of all natural, almond and olive oil based pumpkin soap is a work of art in and of itself. I don’t know if I could bring myself to tear into its antique inspired wrapping, and would no doubt, need to purchase at least two bars - one to use and another to keep on display in my powder room all autumn long. 250g bar of Horto Botanico pumpkin soap, $9.00 (US) from Emporio Italiano.}


{To usher in autumn (beautifully dressed) head on}


{Equal parts classic style and whimsy collide in this charming acorn bedecked vintage hat from the 1950s. $15.99 (US) from etsy seller Art Deco Dame.}


{To adorn all manner of festive gifts this season}


{Simple paper cutting skills are all that’s really needed to transform cardstock into elegantly serene gift tag featuring the familiar bare branched trees of fall. To learn how to create these tags – which seem to channel an art deco vibe, to me – click here for a handy video tutorial from (crafting blog) A Little Hut.}


{Would it be too obvious to say...“To ensure you keep calm and sew stuff”?}


{Inspired by a commonplace British WW2 poster that instructed civilians to “Keep calm and carry on” in the face of the brutal war that was taking place all around them, modern iterations of the “Keep calm” message have sprung up on a multitude of items over the past couple of years. This particular version, which I’m sure will appeal to sewing and crafting fans everywhere, comes in the form of an embroidered patch that could easily be added to anything you fancy, from a tote bag to a throw pillows. 3.26"w x 6.48"h embroidered patch, $5.00 (US) from Urban Threads.}


{To help you "practise" for all the Halloween candy you’ll "need" to consume in a few weeks ;D}


{Darling little squares of wonderfully autumnal hued cheesecake, laced with dulce de leche (a South American type of caramel), beg to be popped in the mouth and savoured with a huge smile on your lips. Image from, and recipe on, Annie’s Eats.}


Wishing you each a gloriously beautiful, perfectly relaxing first weekend of fall!

Are you on Flickr?

As you may have gathered if you follow this blog, I am a tremendously big fan of photography, whether antique, vintage or modern. I never tire of snapping my own shots or admiring those of others, so quite naturally I was drawn to Flickr like a moth to a flame.

Not only do I often post there myself, but I spend an inordinate amount of time on the site in general, pursuing photos, commenting on my Flickr friend’s amazing snaps, and swinging by a bevy of groups centred around all manner of things that tickle my (eclectic) fancy. In short, I am absolutely love Flickr! It is truly one of my favourite websites of all time and a never-ending bank of inspiration for me.

While uploading a few shots earlier this week, I began thinking about the really neat fact that before I I started chronicling my love of vintage online, some of the wonderful people whose vintage blogs I now follow, I knew firstly through their gorgeous Flickr streams (Super Kawaii Mama, Johanna Öst, Fleur, Millie Motts, and Casey, amongst others). Which really got me wondering which of my lovely visitors and blogging friends are on Flickr, too?


{Wonderfully pretty hand tinted photo of a woman holding a camera circa 1935.
Image via Omega418’s Flickr stream.}

Are you also a fan/addict of Flickr? Do you have an account there? (It doesn’t have to be one centred around your love of vintage, don’t worry!) If you do, and you’d like to be Flickr friends, I would love to follow your stream. If you’re interested, you can find me (and my preciously adorable cat, Stella) hanging out (all the time) on Flickr here.

Hope to follow you soon! :)

Welcome back, dearest autumn!

In my souls bells are ringing, proclaiming the return of my perpetually favourite season. Today soft precipitation continues to fall, milky grey skies etching out a gentle backdrop for the increasingly golden leaves that line the busy neighbourhood streets. As the hours of the first day of autumn tick merrily by, I find myself reflecting on the great many elements of this time of the year that I treasure, from chilly – but not quite freezing – nights to the desire to add cinnamon and nutmeg to nearly everything I bake.

With fall’s arrival I feel suddenly more at peace with the word, which isn’t to say I was at odds with it, but rather that with each leaf that flutters off into the wind, the world is – if only for a moment – taking one of my worries or burdens with is. As I glance out the large living room window, water droplets bouncing like exploding popcorn kernels on railing of the balcony, the words of a Longfellow poem that is perfectly fit for autumn’s rebirth spring to mind...


Autumn
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Thou comest, Autumn, heralded by the rain,

With banners, by great gales incessant fanned,

Brighter than brightest silks of Samarcand,

And stately oxen harnessed to thy wain!

Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne,

Upon thy bridge of gold; thy royal hand

Outstretched with benedictions o'er the land,

Blessing the farms through all thy vast domain!

Thy shield is the red harvest moon, suspended

So long beneath the heaven's o'er-hanging eaves;

Thy steps are by the farmer's prayers attended;

Like flames upon an altar shine the sheaves;

And, following thee, in thy ovation splendid,

Thine almoner, the wind, scatters the golden leaves!


Such eloquent words to capture how I feel on this tranquil Tuesday, my mind filled with thoughts about the upcoming season and the myriad of elements that I adore about it.

The following Flickr mosaic is comprised of some of my very favourite fall experiences, flavours, sites and memories. What, my dear readers, are some of the things that you adore most about fall?



{1. The edge at sunset, 2. Caramel Apple Pie Recipe, 3. sparkly pumpkins, 4. vintage look: 'keeping butterfly in a hand', 5. Yesterday I found 2 Kittens near home, 6. Roast Turkey, 7. Anybody want a game of Conkers???, 8. McCormick Pumpkin Pie Spice Tin, 9. autumn falls in Atlantic France..., 10. {little.visitor}, 11. Is It Halloween Time??, 12. About the hands, 13. Indian corn. Please click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information.}


Autumn, you have been missed and pined for dearly, I hope that you will grace us with your presence for quite some time. Do your best to keep Old Man Winter at bay, but know that I fully understand you cannot exist forever. While you’re with us, I vow to appreciate your subtle intricacies, resplendent beauty and ingrained joys every single day!

Pretty Link Roundup {September 21, 2009}

Happy Monday, my wonderful dears, how are you each on this last day of summer 2009? I for one am counting down the seconds until autumn – my most beloved of all seasons – begins. Mother Nature has taken a decidedly low-key approach to things here today, gentle rain cascades against the bustling highway that’s visible from our living room window, large grey clouds like bunny tails fill the sky as evening rolls in. There is a sense that summer gearing up to leave, packing its bags (bedecked, I like to imagine, with stickers from the scores of tropical destinations it’s so keen on spending time at) and putting its affairs in order before bowing out gracefully to fall.

I am excited not only about the upcoming season, but about the upcoming blog posts I plan to write that will be focused around autumn; the return of hearty, soul soothing comfort food dishes cooked for long hours, shorter hours of daylight (call me mad, if you wish, but I don’t mind having the sun set earlier in the day because it means that it stays dark later in the morning, something that I’ve always been a fan of), and the cozy joy of being able to wear more than a handkerchief’s worth of fabric without collapsing from the sweltering heat - amongst many other lovely elements of the golden season.



{With the return of autumn comes the grand beauty of falling, rusty jewel toned leaves. Should you have a tree filled yard at your house, such as the one in this vintage 1953 photo from Time Life, that means chances are you’ll soon be raking up piles of leaves to bag – or jump into, as you desire :D}


Tonight however, it’s time for the latest edition of Pretty Link Roundup. I often publish this post on the weekend, but sometimes, such as today, it appears on Monday or some other time of the week. I like to average a link roundup about once a week, but the exact day of its appearance is far from written in stone. For the key element is that such a post gives me a chance to share with you all some of the delightful, fascinating, and often beautiful links that have sprung up on my radar over the past few days. I sincerely hope that you enjoy today’s offerings!

♥ ♥ ♥


* Repurposed vintage suitcases: The ever-amazing Karyn of French Charming shares several of her favourite pretty – and hugely creative – ideas for repurposing vintage suitcases, from turning them into pet beds to crafting one into a medicine cabinet.


* Nine reasons why we need to overdress: While not expressly focused on vintage wear, this post from Style Margarine is sure to strike a chord with fashionistas near and far who enjoy dressing lavishly and/or with a distinct personal style.



* Shopping the Old East London Way: The charming blog Polly Farthing Vintage explores some of London’s best shopping districts from days gone by, with the help of collages composed of some absolutely wonderful vintage photos.


* Vintage Coats: 1950s: A swoon-worthy selection of images of fantastically elegant coats from the fifties fills this wonderful post from Couture Allure.


* We’re sharing the best ever Forties beauty secrets: Feel like your beauty routine is in a rut? Need some time-honoured tips on how to look your best? Just love reading about beauty related topics from the past? If you answered yes to any of those points, this advice packed post from Queens of Vintage is definitely for you!


* 8 Ways to Wear Clip on Earrings: While I’d venture to guess that the majority of earring wearers these days have pierced ears (not everyone does though, my beloved mother has never pierced her ears and has always enjoyed wearing clip on), in days gone by clip on earrings were fairly popular, too. While those with pierced ears can certainly still wear clip ons still, too, this article suggests several other creative uses for turning these charming pieces in fashionable accessories such as a rings and ponytail decorations.


* Is applying liquid eyeliner your biggest beauty frustration?: For those who like to incorporate cosmetics into their vintage looks, eye make-up is one of the best ways to instantly convey a 1940s or 50s look – especially if you employ the use of eyeliner (especially classic black liner atop the upper eyelid). Mastering how to apply liquid eyeliner can be tricky to though, but fortunately there’s no need to shy away from using this classic cosmetic, especially when you have handy how-to tips like the ones in this article from Little Miss Make-Up at your disposal.


* Fashion Sneakers: I’m not an avid wearer of sneakers (minus, of course, when exercising), but I do think that with certain casual and/or summer vintage looks, the right type of old fashion looking sneakers can be adorable. In this image based post Millie Motts shares a small handful of vintage ads for deck shoe style sneakers that I certainly wouldn’t mind wearing.


* Ladies Home Journal, 1940: A marvelous assortment of pages scanned from a 1940 copy of Ladies Home Journal fill this post. They’re an awesome look back at the year, including the influence at the time of Gone With The Wind, ladies fashions, and home decor.


* The Depression blues – hard times & helpful hints: A Stitch in Time peers back at the tremendously difficult times faced during the Great Depression and parallels some of the steps people took back then (to survive and make ends meet) to those being adopted by people feeling the economic crunch these days.


* Letters of Note: My darling husband brought this link to my attention, and I’m ever so glad he did as I’ve always been immensely fascinated with genuine examples of antique and vintage letters, notes, postcards, telegraphs and other similar forms of written correspondence, such as those highlighted within the pages of this site.


♥ ♥ ♥


Luxurious, captivating and gorgeous are three words that spring to mind whenever I zip over to the chic pages of Blonde and Red. Merging a deep adoration for Marilyn Monroe with a trove of high end, often wonderfully sparkly accessory, jewelry and fashion finds, all the while wearing a vintage vibe through everything, this image focused blog is akin to strolling down a street chocked full of high end streets and a vintage photo gallery.



This week’s Your Blog is an Inspiration award goes to Red and Blonde's terrific site. Thank you B&R for the glam, glittery fabulousness you fill your pages with. I always end up lusting after some treasure you’ve highlighted, and am entranced by the myriad of Marilyn images that showcase each week. Thank you for creating the beautiful blog that you do, it is a wonderful source of inspiration.

♥ ♥ ♥

A charming little fashion clip from 1955 featuring a group of glamorously lovely, superbly well dressed women showcasing popular handbag styles takes the video spotlight this week. Which style is your favourite? I’m a fan of the classic doctor’s bag look myself.

{Vintage Handbags: 1955 Newsreel}




♥ ♥ ♥

The cloud covered sun has gone to bed for the day since I began writing this post, but the gentle rain and the whirl of water splashing up from countless tires rumbling over the pavement many floors below are both wonderfully audible still. These evening hours are peaceful, lovely moments that seem like the perfect way to usher in fall’s joyful return, setting off the next season on a serene note which I hope will carry through for the remainder of the year.

Wishing you each a splendid week and autumn ahead!

Saturday Snapshots {September 19, 2009}

“Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't
own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” ~ Harvey MacKay

{An incredibly pretty young woman smiles sweetly as her portrait is snapped in this photo from 1949. She is the embodiment of the end of the forties, in her look I see so many elements that those who adore this period now strike for with our own styles. Though the description below the shot simply says “Ma mère, my mother”, I fully believe that this strikingly beautiful lady could have been a model or actress, had she wished.}



{A lovely pair of young Italians pose in front of a rustically brick home. I adore his smart double breasted overcoat and round spectacles, as well as her crisply pressed collar and upswept mass of dark curls. The fact that she’s not looking directly into the lens adds something special to this shot, too. This point leaves me wondering, were they perhaps not romantically involved but instead relatives?}



{A man beams with pride as he holds a darling baby boy in his arm, circa 1947. Though it isn’t specified whether the child is his son, grandson or other relation, I like to this it’s his first grandbaby.}



{Three young ladies clad causally in head scarves and pants share a moment of fun on a swing set. I adore this photo, it reminds me hanging out with my own girlfriends on the playground after our weekly Girl Guide meeting (which was held at an elementary school).}



{Vintage shots of couples kissing candidly in public are not particularly common, so it’s always a delight to encounter one such as this. Note her gloved hands and what looks like a cigarette nestled between her fingers, as she locks lips with this gent.}



{Two people are visited by a flock of pigeons as they stroll through Ultrecht, Netherlands in 1953. The saturated hues in this shot paired with the woman in the background sporting bright green coat make this shot almost seem like something from a circus or performance show.}



{The high level of adorableness in this late 1940s shot in undeniable, it’s also rather fun to imagine wandering through a group of deer en route to your handsome black car.}



{A group of people hang out on a beach pier in this summery shot from 1947. I especially like how you can see their colourful reflections in the water’s calm surface below.}



{A preciously sweet child sits sandwiched between two adults, neither of whom seem to be paying attention to her, in this fantastic candid bus shot which was taken by photographer Walker Evans who is well known for his contribution to the 1941 book “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men”. This shot however originally hailed from a lesser known book entitled Many Are Called.}



{At first glance there is something sweetly pin-upish about this cute shot, but if I had to venture a guess, I’d say that it wasn’t taken with the intent of being risqué, but rather that the gal behind the lens snapped a photo of her friend as she finished putting her clothes back on after sunbathing. What leads me to think this? The neatly arranged shoes to our model’s left and the fact that this photo was captured on a rooftop with the woman situated on a towel.}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


My husband, the perpetually sweet soul that he is, sometimes feels a sense of melancholy when he looks at old photos or thinks about decades that we wasn’t a part of. The people from such eras, he muses, have often passed away or are quite elderly now, a point which saddens him a touch to ponder. I fully understand that perceptive and have shared similar thoughts too, but personally, in general, I like to focus on thinking about the time unknown people in vintage and antique photos had on this earth. The moments they treasured, the smiles they shone for the lens, the days and years that filled their lifetime, and what it must have been like to have experienced such bygone decades firsthand.

Five for Friday {September 18, 2009}

...Time for celebrating the big and the small in life. Sending enormous birthday wishes out across the vast Canadian miles to my step-dad, while on the home front delighting in the fact that the first autumn leaves, tinged the hue of a school bus, have begun to appear. Over the next two days I’ll be relaxing, creating, spending the weekend with an equal measure of serenity and vibrant, hopeful energy...


♥ ♥ ♥


{To meet fall head on in the most staggeringly beautiful fashion}


{If it is possible to fall in love with a photo, I have done so with this almost surreally sublime image of a vintage inspired young woman holding a huge floral print patio table style umbrella. Photo by Phillip Newton.}


{To embellish any surface with vintage charm, or more aptly, "with button" :) }


{Decorated and affixed with antique looking paper, these vintage ink bottles hold a mishmash of assorted old buttons, which you could certainly use or leave in the bottle for an adorable decorative conversation starter. 2” by 2.5” vintage ink bottles with buttons, $14.00 (US) each from Karla’s Cottage.}


{To inspire the most gorgeous, magical, amazing ice cream centered party of all time}


{If you only click through one link in this post, I implore you to make it this one. The photo above is but the tip of the ice(cream)berge. The page you’ll be taken to is chocked full of fantastically pretty photos of a decor and paper craft related ideas (including free template downloads for the labels and templates used throughout this magnificent post) to help you throw a pink, feminine, elegant, whimsical ice cream parlour themed party worthy of a princess! Image via Eat Drink Chic.}


{To carry the ethereal splendour of a summer bloom tucked into your hair any time of the year}


{Comprised of silken petals so delicate they nearly look like a genuine flower, this handmade bloom can be attached to a headband or comb and is made to order, ensuring you get exactly the kind of floral accessory you’re looking for. I can only imagine how enchanting this would look in person as part of a wedding ensemble. Custom made silk hair flower, $70.00 (US) from etsy seller Twigs and Honey.}


{To kick start the autumn crafting season off on an adorable note!}


{There is something so old fashioned and heart warming about the act of creating a stitchery by hand. I adore all manner of stitched arts and couldn’t help but share this free pattern for hand stitched wallet adorned with an immensely cute bird nestled amongst a sea of flowers. Image from, and pattern to create your own version available on, Cinderberry Stitches.}


Wishing you each a joyful, bright, wonderful weekend full of whatever you love to celebrate in this world!