Hot Time, Summer in the City

I hope everyone in the U.S. had a lovely Independence Day! It was too hot in Boston - thanks to a string of sweltering 90+ days - to go see the fireworks. I could still hear them from my window, so I guess that's a small consolation.

The city's festivities reminded me of these vintage sparkler boxes that I found in a relative's basement years ago and finally scanned last summer. I love the starburst pattern of the fireworks, the small scattered stars, and the lettering. Simple but interesting! I thought you guys might enjoy it as well.

The main problem with the Fourth of July is that it's the last summer holiday. No more long weekends until Labor Day! July is the epitome of summer to me, but in a way the 4th also means that fall is on its way. I'm definitely looking forward to cooler days and nights. I just wilt in the heat!

What do you think - is there still plenty of summer left, or are you thinking of autumn already too?

Happy Fourth of July!

Here's wishing a Happy Fourth of July to all of you in America! I hope you have a day/weekend filled with red white and blue, fireworks, barbecues, rocket popsicles, and parades.

I'll confess: I don't really decorate for Independence Day. It's one of my favorite holidays, but I always want to do something different than little flags and bunting everywhere. I love both of those things, but I'm always looking for something that's more classic Americana and that could be displayed year-round.

Some of these items might just do the trick! I like the vintage charm and classic look of these wooden pallet star signs by RusticDesigns1. They'd look great on top of a mantel, over a couch, or even hanging on a porch by the door. I just can't decide if I'd want one color, or all three. Tough decision! You could easily DIY your own version as well. Just take a square or rectangle piece of wood (or strips of wood nailed together), varnish or stain it with your choice of color, then stencil a star in the middle with red, blue, or white acrylic paint. Let dry, and hang!

I've been obsessed with barn stars like these vintage iron ones by Becaruns for ages. If you walk around the older parts of Boston, you can see original ones from the colonial days still attached to the sides of old brick buildings in the city. They remind me of our patriotic and historic past.

July 4th wouldn't be complete without some stars and stripes! This flag by PassedBy is a vintage one, featuring only 48 stars (from before Alaska and Hawaii joined the union). It's discolored a bit with age, but I think that only adds to its loveliness.

I'd like to take a minute to thank all those who have served in the military, risking their lives to protect our country, and to remember family members and ancestors who have served but who are no longer with us.

Again, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! 

DIY Antique Victorian Padlock Pendant Necklace

Think of a symbol of love, and a heart probably springs to mind first. I'd bet every woman owns a heart-shaped piece of jewelry!

I decided to be a little less obvious, however, when I came up with this necklace. Don't get me wrong - I love hearts as much as the next girl - but I just wanted something a bit different. Since I love all things Victorian, I decided to seek out an antique padlock from the time period.

This one seemed perfect! It's kind of a stylized heart - with the narrower bottom and the rounded part at the top of each side - but it's not too obvious at first glance. I like to think of it as a "key to your heart"-type piece. It would make a great gift for a girlfriend, Christmas, or Valentine's Day.

To find your own padlock pendant, search on Etsy or Ebay!




I fell in love with the tiny door over the keyhole. It has a crown and the letters V.R. (Victoria Regina, or Queen Victoria) etched on it, and "patent" is etched on either side of the hole underneath. They're simple details, but they give the piece a lot of history and charm. I wonder what this was used for! Was it used by the Royal Household?



I tied it onto a piece of bright red ribbon. I thought it would be a nice change from a chain, as this one would require a very thick and chunky one so as not to break. Not quite my style, so I went with this. You could also use some kind of cording, like satin or leather!

I also left the slightly-rusty part around the top. If you find a lock with more rust, just file or sandpaper it off, wipe with a damp cloth, and then seal with Rustoleum (or something similar) to prevent further rusting.


Here's the keyhole underneath. I don't know if I could find a replacement key, but as I have no intention of using this as a lock, it's not important.

I think I'll wear this with the little door slightly ajar, so that you can see all the details of this fascinating little lock at one glance. It's a pretty versatile pendant - you can wear it with jeans and a leather jacket to add some sweetness and softness , or you can go boho and pair it with a breezy, gauzy summer dress. You could also put it on a shorter cord or chain and wear it as a bracelet.

How would you wear this? I'd love to hear your ideas.

Photos from How to Be a Retronaut

How to Be a Retronaut features a varied and wide-ranging selection of color and black & white vintage photographs and videos from around the world (although many are from the United Kingdom).

These autochromes of Peace Day in 1919, King Edward VII (one of the last photos taken before his death), and the Pool of London especially caught my eye. It's fun to compare places and clothing styles I've seen in person with how they used to be. (I have to say, thankfully the Thames is a lot cleaner now!)

See more old photos here.

Random Round Up

Just a few of the things I'm loving this week - I hope you enjoy them too! From top to bottom: a floral burst by Charmaine Olivia on Oh Joy, a Pride & Prejudice print from Poster Text, a glimpse of the new Vittoria Sella exhibition at Panopticon Gallery here in Boston, amazing vintage London street signs from Unicorn Kiosks, a sweet potato and sage gratin from Cookstr that I can't wait to try out this fall, and lovely diy bird thank you notes from Martha Stewart.

Random Round Up

This "Polar Bear Storage Unit" from Pedlars is clever and well-designed. I think it'd be fun to spray paint it a really crazy color, just to make it stand out even more!





Each fish in this "Kohako and Tancho Origami Koi Pond" piece by Mabona Origami is folded from a single sheet of paper! The koi are then overlaid with colorful paper pulp appliques, or gold leaf! (Latter version not shown.)





Etsy's The Storque has a newfeature on how to make your own sailor's knot bracelets. I've always wanted one of these, so I'll definitely give this tutorial a try and let you know how it turns out!




This set of photos of Edinburgh's South Side combines two of my favorite things, the beautiful Scottish capital and vintage photography.




Need some typography inspiration? Look no further than Lettercult's "Custom Letters at the Antique Store" set!




I've saved my favorite link for last. This is "Golden Moment", a pastel by Bob Richey. I saw it in person at a craft fair earlier this month, and fell in love with it. (I didn't buy it, however - it was just a tad bit out of my budget!)

This photo doesn't do it justice by any means. In person, the golden tones absolutely glow and you feel like you're standing in a sunlit glade on a summer afternoon. It's breathtaking!

See more of Bob Richey's pastels and charcoal sketches here.

Hope you've enjoyed the round up!

Vintage Birds and Flourishes

You can tell by now I'm in a vintage mood this week! Here are antique calligraphic bird and flourish illustrations, found on Slang from Chaos.

I'm amazed how the artist managed to keep the curves and lines so even and free of ink splatters. I wish I could do this!

Vintage Boston Signs

Today's Boston Globe features local companies who have made it into "The Century Club". One of them has even been in business since 1623!

The best parts of the slideshow, though, are all the vintage ads and signs. I never get sick of looking at typography and graphics from earlier eras. They just get lovelier and more unique as time goes by!

See more from The Century Club here.

Vintage Baubles

Every time I see a piece of vintage jewelry, I think of all the stories it holds. I also wonder about what kind of person the previous owner was, and want to know if it was their favorite piece!

Here are some of my current favorite vintage pieces from Etsy!

(From top to bottom: Leaf Opal Bangle from Lauren Rose Design, Rare Edwardian Silver Tassel Necklace from Sunday and Sunday, Vintage Jade Pearl Earrings and Necklace from Sunday and Sunday, Vintage Black Hills Floral Ring from Past Splendors, and Antique Gold Filled Victorian Pin from Lauren Rose Design.)

Whimsical Antique Maps

Old maps always fascinate me. They're snapshots of past eras, and a key to how people saw the world and what they thought of foreign lands. These whimsical maps from Dark Roasted Blend show how countries were personified in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

I think my favorite depiction is that of Russia. I'd heard of the "Russian Bear" before, but never the "Russian Octopus"! It makes sense, though, when you think of how Russia expanded into Eastern Europe and the Baltic in later years.

See more maps from Dark Roasted here!

Vintage Dairy

I don't know if it's the result of spending lots of time in Central Pennsylvania surrounded by fields of cows, or of always wishing we had a milkman when I was younger, but even today I love anything having to do with vintage dairies!

When I have a house of my own, I'm determined to have a cow creamer just like the one pictured above and a collection of old dairy jugs like the cream can in the first photo. And maybe a cow or two out back...

(From top to bottom: antique cream can from MonJardin; cow creamer from EmbraceableYou; camembert, edam, cheddar, and cream cheese illustration from OpalGrove; vintage milk jugs and carrier from Ginger's Girl; C.I.A. dairy dishes cookbook by MdiVintageBooks.)

Russian Street Scenes

I love vintage photographs (especially black and white ones), so I was immediately charmed by these images of vendors in old Moscow.

See more at English Russia!

New City Series

I've added a new series of city-themed prints to my shop. Vintage images of London, New York City, and Paris decorate the backgrounds while a mix of vintage and script fonts proclaims, "A Bad Day in {City Featured} is still better than a good day anywhere else".

These prints were inspired by my love of travel. We all have favorite places, and favorite cities. When we're there, whether visiting somewhere close to home or somewhere thousands of miles away, life just seems easier and the days are rose-colored. Even a bad day in a favorite place is better than a good day somewhere else!

If you'd like a version of this featuring your favorite place, don't hesitate to ask! I can easily customize this print.

Vintage Travel Posters

These vintage travel posters from Grain Edit lure you with scenes from faraway places and promises of exotic escapes. Colorful and charming!