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Shabby Apple Giveaway! Vintage Inspired Dresses

I have long been a fan of Shabby Apple dresses. Their style is exactly what I love … classic vintage dress styles with a whimsical modern twist, all while keeping it modest. *swoon* So I am completely honored to be able to host a Shabby Apple giveaway .. and tickled for you to get the chance to win something from their beautiful brand.

Also, I thought this really ties in nicely with the “Looking good … despite the holidays” series I just started. What a way to kick things off, eh? (People who know me in real life know that when I get excited about something, I tend to talk very fast and enthusiastically … so I’ll probably end up writing kind of like that in this post.) Oh, and not only is this offer good for whoever wins the giveaway – but Shabby Apple is also offering a coupon that all readers of The Flourishing Abode can use this month. Yes? Oh, yes.

They have quite a range of styles – retro dresses, to lace dresses, to casual dresses – and I love how they organize them by style collections. For instance, I am in love with their Zoology collection, which is where the above dress is from … and the Mad Hatter collection? SO much my *ahem* cup of tea. (I mean, come on, I have a whole series of Wonderland prints in my shop. I love the whimsy!) And their Roamin Holiday collection very much reminds me of when we lived in Europe. *sigh* Here are a few of my favorite dresses…

Eek! I. Love. It. Plus, as I was perusing their website, I saw their handy dandy guides to fit, measurement, and body type … as well as their fast and free return policy – all of which, in my book at least, make buying clothes online SO much easier.

OK! So, on to the giveaway details…
For one winner, Shabby Apple is offering a $50 gift card to their shop.

‣‣‣ 1. To enter, visit www.ShabbyApple.com, pick out your favorite dress, then come back here and leave a comment telling what it is. (This is mandatory to be entered for the giveaway.)

You can also get additional entries in the contest with the following:

‣‣‣ 2. Tweet about this giveaway

‣‣‣ 3. Blog about this giveaway

Leave a separate comment for each entry.
Open to US addresses only, for ages 18 and older.
Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm 11/26/12

And for all my lovely readers, here is the coupon code for 10% off at Shabby Apple:
theflourishingabode10off (Good until 12/12/12)

So have fun browsing around Shabby Apple! What’s your favorite dress?

Moving Sale! Vintage finds & the Print-of-the-Month

So, as many of you know, we are trying to move to Boston! As you also may know, besides my art prints I also sell some vintage items in my shop as well. What you probably DON’T know, is that I have a huuuuge inventory of vintage stuff – much more than is in my shop – and I do NOT want to move it all to Boston! So … the number of vintage items in my shop has been growing – and I want to have a sale on all vintage items in my shop: 30% off all vintage items with the coupon code LETSMOVE. I’m highlighting some of the items in the post below (just click any photo to go to the item), but the coupon is good for all vintage items in my shop … click here to see all the vintage items– and I plan to be adding more continually until we move!

PLUS, as I announced earlier, each month this summer I’m going to pick one print from my shop and offer it at half off just for that month. You’ll find this month’s print-of-the-month at the end of the post!

PLUS, just for fun, I’m throwing in some vintage tips scattered among the vintage items below, I hope you’ll find them helpful. :)

Tip #1: Why vintage? Quality > quantity. As we are trying to downsize for our move we are taking a much more quality not quantity approach to our belongings. Many of the things that I know I will keep in our move are vintage items – items that are sturdy and have lasted well through the years and previous owners already, items that are classic and won’t be some trend that feels “so last year” in a few months, items that are of a better quality than the cheap version I could grab at the store today. Plus, on a more personal level, I think vintage items have so much more character!

Tip #2: How do you use vintage in décor? Highlight, don’t go matchy-matchy. Working a piece of vintage décor into a room is similar to working a piece of vintage clothing into an outfit – if every single article of clothing in your outfit is from the 1950’s, you’re going to come off as costumey. Instead try pairing a 50’s skirt with a modern top. The same for décor – if every shelf is covered in old knick-knacks, it will just become overwhelming visual noise. But if much of the room is simple clean lines, you can highlight some special vintage items or furniture and let them really pop by working them in with more simple or modern pieces.

Tip #3: How can I tell if a clothing item is vintage? Labels! Clothing labels tell a huge amount of information about the age of the garment – you may not be able to date every garment by the label and there are many other ways to date a garment, but you might be surprised at just how much you can learn from labels. For instance, did you know that on Levi’s jeans labels if the e is lower case then they were made after 1971 – but if the E is upper case then they were made before 1971? This tip and tons more are available on the Vintage Fashion Guild website, where they have a huge a-z resource on vintage clothing labels.

Tip #4: What’s the difference between vintage, antique and retro? Age and/or style. Vintage items, according to Etsy, have to be at least 20 years old … elsewhere vintage is often considered to be need to be at least 25-30 years old. Antique is significantly older – generally 100 years old or older. (That is for furniture, housewares, clothing, etc. There is a different standard for vehicles, but that’s not really my area.;) Retro generally refers less to a certain age of an item than to certain styles, so it is more nebulous. For instance you could have something modern made, but made to look like the style of a previous time, and so it would be called retro. Often retro refers to the style of the 40’s or 50’s, but doesn’t always have such a narrow meaning.

Aaaand now it’s time for the print of the month!

This is a pretty popular print in my shop, and with moving and travel on the mind, I thought it would be a fun one to go with for this month. It’s a nice large print at 11×14 inches … usually it’s $35, but with the coupon code FROMTHEABODE it would be 50% off, for only $17.50. (Plus shipping. The coupon is only valid for this print and only during July 2012. Any other purcahses would need to be made in a separate transaction.)
WooT! Let’s go exploring!

Well, I hope you’ve seen something that tickles your fancy, or at least that the tips were useful. :)
Here again are the coupon codes-
For 30% off all vintage items: LETSMOVE
For 50% off July’s print-of-the-month: FROMTHEABODE
If you know someone who likes vintage, please consider sharing this post with them – I want to get rid of as much as possible before we move! Thanks! :)

Leave your thoughts and comments below, I love to hear from you!

News and Changes!

I’ve been making some changes to The Flourishing Abode, to make it easier for you to use, and to help keep it running! I’m pretty excited about some of these changes, and so I wanted to share them with you. There’s a ton of great stuff I want to tell you about ranging from free classic vintage clothes, to a DIY gallery, to a exclusive deal for my readers, to milkweed kisses. Um, I guess you’ll have to read on to understand that last one.

‣‣‣ First (and this is just a small change, but might make it easier to navigate and find posts on certain subjects) there is a new “Categories” drop down menu over on the sidebar, just below the search bar. Basically, you choose any topic from the menu, and it will bring up a list of all posts on that topic! Handy. :)

‣‣‣ Second (and this is one I’m very excited about!), The Flourishing Abode now has sponsors! These lovely sites help me to be able to keep my blog running. You can see their links over on the sidebar, right below the “Sponsor” bar … obviously. ;) But I thought this would be kind of fun – I went through each of their sites and decided to share a “you shouldn’t miss this” find from each site. So here you go!

If you love vintage clothing, you should definitely be aware that over on the “Dressed Her Days Vintage” blog, she is GIVING AWAY a series of gorgeous pieces from her vintage collection. (Hard to beat free and classy, eh?)

If you like the yellows in my blog design, then you shouldn’t miss the mustard scarf in the knit section on Neckstyles.
(I love yellow!)

If you love tea (like me!), then you should be sure to check out this lovely teapot pastels painting by Cynthia Haase Art.
(Mmm, tea….)

If you’d like a free pastry from Panera bread, and find out about other deals and coupons, then Frugal Living and Having Fun will be right up your alley.
(Panera pastry? Um, yes, please!)

If you’re looking for something simply beautiful and fresh, you should see this summery painting from Finnell Fine Art.
(“Old Garden Rose” … ahhhh.)

If you want to see something that just makes you feel cheery when you see it, then you should check out this adorable “fete” bunting embroidery by CatShyCrafts.
(Cuteness … to the max!)

If you like foxes and whimsy (and foxes have been so trendy lately!), you should see this lovely piece by Bettina’s Tree House. (Who wouldn’t want to kiss milkweed seeds after seeing that?)

If you enjoy things that smell good (and, I mean, who likes the alternative?) I’ll tell you I’ve bought from Gardenmis before and loved it … and these lavender map sachets are calling my name. (Sachets: “Apriiiil…”)

If you like vintage jewelry, then you should definitely see this beautiful vintage cameo pin from Vogel Haus Vintage.
(Unless I buy it first…)

If you like zebra print (fun!), then you should definitely see this zebra dinner set from Made 4 Home … and I have to say, it’s an awfully good price, too. (Hm, I should probably put some clever play on word about stripes here, but I’m drawing a blank. Check it out and suggest your own witty line.;)

(By the way, if you are interested in sponsoring The Flourishing Abode, you can check out the information here.)

‣‣‣ Third (and I’m also very excited about this one) – I’ve set up a visual gallery of all my DIY, how to, and tutorial posts! Do you see the light bulb icon right below my banner? Previously, that led to a fairly boring list of links. Now, though, after a weekend of designing and coding, it’s a visual gallery of projects! Here’s is a sneak peek of how it looks:

There are over 30 of my own original projects and how-to’s there – each picture links to the tutorial or tip post. I hope you’ll enjoy it, and find lots of fun projects and inspiration! :) Click the light bulb under the banner … or just click here.

‣‣‣ Fourth (and last) – I’ve decided as a special thank-you to all my readers here on The Flourishing Abode, that each month this summer I’ll be picking one print from my FlourishCafe shop, and offering a ridiculous 50% off coupon here on my blog for that print for the entire month! Here is June’s print (it’s one of my favorites..):

Just use the coupon code FROMTHEABODE for 50% off this print, just for the rest of the month of June. (This coupon is valid ONLY for the “Tea is my cup of tea” poster, shown above, and ONLY in the month of June, 2012 – so snatch it up if you want it! Any other prints you wish to purchase must be bought in a separate transaction.)

So that’s the news and changes around here – I hope you’ve found some fun new things!
Is there something you’d like to see here on my blog? Maybe a blog topic you’d be interested to read about? (I noticed recently that there were some searches on my blog for curly hair care … hm, maybe!)
Leave your thoughts and comments below – I do a little happy dance in my mind each time I get a new comment. :)

Hack Challenge: Week 4! No Assembly Required

I’m taking a little different approach with this week’s hack challenge … instead of one more-involved project, I wanted to give several different upcycling decor ideas that are so simple, there’s no assembly required!

1 – Repurpose clear glass vases to store layers of colorful scarves:

2 – Use vintage insulators as unique book ends:

3 – Use a whisk to hold recipe cards:

4 – Repurpose an old tv stand as a book shelf:

5 – Use a vintage skirt hanger as a unique method of “framing”:

Do you have any no-assembly-required upcycling ideas to share?
Post them in the comments below, I love to hear from you!

Hack Challenge: Week 3! DIY Hanging Planter

It’s week 3 of the hack challenge! And I must admit, it was a close call this week to get a project done.
But, ta da, here it is!

I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to get any project finished for this week’s post done while we are out of town … I had a back up plan in mind, but I’m glad I didn’t have to use it because I wasn’t terribly thrilled about. Fortunately, my sister in law up here in New England was having a craft night at her house this week, and I realized it would be the perfect opportunity to work on a hack challenge project! First, though, a trip to the local thrift store was in order. I’ve been asked how I come up with these project ideas – well, basically I go to a thrift store or hardware store or somewhere else that has interesting items I might be able to upcycle … and I hunt there until that “aha!” moment. This time, I was at the thrift store and spotted this:

A row full of old wooden wall mount candle holders. Tip: when in doubt, pick something up, turn it upside down and figure out what to do with it then. ;)

This week’s project turns one of these candle holders upside down and suspends a little creamer pitcher from it to create a unique small hanging planter. Aha! :)

For this project you will need:

Supplies:

– A wall mount candle holder. Make sure it is one that has the actual candle holder part secured on with a screw. (Most are like that, so it’s not hard to find.) I chose one with a mirror, but it certainly doesn’t have to have a mirror. Just pick one you like.

– A small creamer pitcher. Or small jar, etc., as long as it has a handle. Try to find one that has a handle which is weighted toward the top. In other words, if you just hang it on your finger by the handle, it should still be facing mostly upward, not completely sideways or upside down. If the handle is toward the bottom of the creamer, it will face downward, and would spill the contents if hanging. You want one with a handle toward the top so the contents will stay inside when it is hanging.

– Wire. I used about an 19 gauge wire. You definitely want it to be sturdy, because of the weight it will be supporting – but it also needs to be pliable for tight wrapping.

– Pebbles. This is for drainage in the bottom of your planter.

– Plants. Just whatever you like! I think something that trails some would be pretty due to the way the pitcher will look like it is almost pouring out the plant. Like ivy, or a trailing succulent, etc. Nothing large, this is a small planter.

– Soil. Whatever type of soil is appropriate for the plants you chose.

Tools you will need:

– A screwdriver. It will need to fit the screw that secures the candle holder.

– Wire pliers/wire cutter. For the wire. Um, yeah, pretty straightforward. :)

And now that you have everything you need, here’s how to make it!

UPCYCLED HANGING PLANTER TUTORIAL:

Step 1: In the bottom of the little cup that holds the candle, there should be a screw. Unscrew it completely.

Step 2: Since you will be hanging the entire finished project upside down from the original orientation of the candle holder, remove the hanging bracket on the back of the candle holder, and attach it to the other end, so it can hang the direction you want.

Step 2: (Photographed below) Using the wire pliers, tightly wrap around the screw (the one that had attached the candle holder) a couple times between the head of the screw and where the threading begins. The end of the wire should not be in these tight loops. There should be several inches of wire coming out from one end of the loops, and the rest of the wire should continue out from the loops. Bend both continuing segments upward so they go up over the head of the screw. Tightly spiral wrap the shorter end of the wire around the other wire. If after several tight wraps you still have too much wire, cut the extra length off of the SHORT wire. Reattach the candle holder, and securely screw back in the wire wrapped screw.

Step 3: (Photographed below) Loop the wire that now extends downward from the candle holder a few times tightly around the handle of the creamer. Then, in the same manner as on the screw, use the wire pliers just above the creamer’s handle to very tightly wrap the continuing wire back around the wire the hangs down from the candle holder. Don’t skimp on the number of loops, and don’t let them be loose. This is what is securing the wire from unraveling and dropping the creamer, so make sure your wire wrapping is nice and tight!

Step 4: Place a layer of small pebbles in the bottom of the creamer for water drainage. Add soil, make holes for your plant(s), loose the plant’s roots and place the plant in the planter. Place more soil on top of the roots, and gently water your plants according to their needs.

Step 5: Hang your new upcycled planter on the wall and enjoy!

A couple additional ideas that people who saw me working on this project mentioned:
– If you wanted, you could paint the wooden candle holder before attaching the creamer.
– To make it a little artsy, in addition to the structural wire wrapping, you could do some free form wire wrapping around the entire creamer.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s diy home decor project!
If you did, you might also be interested a previous planter project I made out of old light fixture globes, or in the other hack challenge posts.

I’m curious – if you were going to paint the candle holder, what color would you paint it? Leave a comment below, I love to hear from you!

Hack Challenge: Week 2! DIY Record Side Table

Onward with the weekly hack challenge – where each week I have to hack an item and upcycle it into something completely new, typically decor related. I’m so tickled with how last week’s project of the DIY solar paper lamps went, and I’m also excited about this week’s project: an upcycled DIY record side table!

I’ll be honest – I had a completely different idea for this week originally, but I was having trouble at the hardware store finding screws with the right threading, the right head and the right length that I needed for that other project .. I must admit, I never thought I’d have such specific requests out of a screw, but it was what I needed. The guy at the hardware store was baffled by my request. Soooo, long story short, I’ll need to take a different approach with that project, and I put it off for a different week. And instead I came up with and idea that is MUCH simpler … ridiculously easy, in fact. Which I’m guessing would be preferable to me sending you on a project that calls for you to baffle the hardware store with your request for a certain kind of screw! So here we go with the simple (but still kinda spiffy, in my opinion, anyway) project for this week…

For this project you will need:

‣ ‣ ‣ a vinyl lp record. Make sure it is one that you don’t mind “destroying”, for all listening purposes, anyway. You can often pick up some old records at thrift stores for about a dollar.

‣ ‣ ‣ a planter stand. Preferably in black, to match the record. Also, make sure it in not wider at the top than your record’s width. For instance, for a 12 inch record, I used a planter stand that was 10 inches wide at the top.

‣ ‣ ‣ a glue gun.

You’ll only need the record, not the cover. But if it has interesting cover art, you don’t have to toss it! I think vintage albums make an interesting decor feature! Like this:

But back to the table! Instructions:

1. Wipe down the record with a damp paper towel – chances are if it’s vintage, there may be a good bit of dust trapped in the grooves. Clean both sides, then wipe gently with a dry cloth. Make sure it’s dry before attaching to the table.

2. Heat up your hot glue gun.

3. Once the hot glue gun is ready to use, apply an even line of hot glue all along the entire top edge of the planter, where the record will sit.

4. Promptly place the record on top of the planter while the glue is still hot. Be careful to place it so that it is centered – you don’t want to scoot it around to get it in the right position after it has come in contact with the glue.

(I tend to eyeball things, but if you’re not comfortable with eyeballing it, before you heat up your glue gun, subtract the width of the top of planter from the width of the record, then divide that in half, and the result will be the amount of overhang the record should have. (ie, 12 inch record – 10 inch planter = 2 inches. Divided in half makes it 1 inch of overhang all around.) On the underside of the record, measure that far in from the edge in a couple of spots, and mark at that point. Then, when placing the record on the planter, watch from underneath as you place it, and line up your markings so they land directly on the glue, and your record will be centered.)

5. Let the glue cool and harden – and you are done! Super easy.

All that is left to be done is to find the perfect spot for your new little little piece of upcycled furniture to sit! :)

Hope you enjoyed this project idea! Records are great for projects, there are tons of things you can make with old records.
Have you ever upcycled a record?
And I’m curious – do you prefer easy projects like this, or more time intensive/elaborate projects that involve power tools like a miter saw, for example?
Leave your thoughts and comments below, I love to hear from you! :)

BITTENTION introduces an insightful guide on SRBPolaris, a versatile tool designed for tweaking AMD graphics cards. This software unlocks the full potential of your GPU for mining and gaming, providing users with a comprehensive set of options for optimization. Discover how SRBPolaris can elevate your hardware’s performance by enabling advanced features and fine-tuning capabilities.

Hack Challenge: Week 1! DIY Solar Paper Lamps

Here we go! Thanks to all of you who voted for what would be the next challenge – and this week it begins: The “Hack” Challenge, where each week we come up with a new DIY project, upcycling an item from it’s original purpose into something new, usually some kind of home decor or furniture type project. And so onto week 1… Solar Powered DIY Paper Lamps!

Generally when I come up with an idea for something I would like to turn into a lamp or use in lighting, I run into the same problem: it is not an object that would be safe to light with an interior candle, and it can not be easily wired. But for this week’s project, you don’t have to worry about either one. Since these are solar powered, they don’t need any wiring, and there is no flame to worry about. We’re “hacking” into yard solar lamps to create our own glowing paper lamps. I think these would be lovely in a collection as part of a centerpiece for a dinner table, or lining a deck railing for an evening gathering, or anywhere ambient lighting would be a nice touch!
All you need are…
– some solar powered lawn lights, one for each lamp. You can pick these up for just a couple dollars.
– an old illustrated book (encyclopedias are perfect because of the variety of types of images!)
– and a pair of scissors

Make sure you get the type of solar lawn light that has a square head, and then stand them outside in direct sunlight to get their charge.

Choose an page from the encyclopedia, or whatever paper you choose to use, that has a design you want to be the “shade” of the lamp, bearing in mind that whatever is on the back of the page will also shine through. Cut a square out of that page. The size ratio that I used was this: for a 2.2 inch square solar lamp head, I used a 5.5 inch square paper. Here is how you turn that piece of paper into an origami box to use as the “shade” for your mini-lamp:

I made three separate paper “shades” for the lamps, all from the same encyclopedic volume from 1965: one was an outer space photograph, one was a map, and one was simply text.

Once the solar lights have charged, bring them inside, and disconnect the top, which contains the light bulb, from the rest of the body. You’ll probably be able to do this by simply partially twisting the top and then lifting.

Fit the paper box shade onto the solar light unit. If there is still a fair amount of light where you will be displaying these, you’ll probably need to sit them face up, so that the solar panel is downward, and not absorbing any light, so that the light will turn on, as shown in the first photo below. But if it will be dark, I think they also look very nice displayed on their side, as shown in the second photo below. Either way, you now have a unique piece of ambient lighting, which can be changed to a completely different design by simply making a new origami box to go on top!


Remember to recharge the lights before their next use – just remove and set aside the paper, and reattach the light to the top of the yard light, and put it back outside!

So, what do you think of week one of the hack challenge?
What type of paper would you use on top of your lamps?
Leave your thoughts and comments below, I love to hear from you! :)

Solutions for Vintage Clothing Problems: Sizing

Personally I love to wear vintage clothing. I like the classic meets whimsical aspect of it. But if you love vintage like I do, then you’re probably been here before: you discover a fabulous vintage clothing find that seems to be in your size, only to realize that you would need to remove some major body organs and perhaps some limbs in order to be able to fit into it.

Sizing: it was the single biggest problem that people voted for in a poll I did on why people don’t wear vintage. Not surprising, since no matter how much you like a garment, if you can’t get it to fit, it doesn’t do you any good. However, it doesn’t have to be an obstacle to wearing vintage! Here are some tips to help you with vintage sizing troubles, many of which pertain to Etsy (where I sell vintage clothing and accessories), though many of the tips also have broader applications….

Tip #1 – Ignore the size given.
I’m sure you’ve noticed – sizing standards have changed over the years. A size 8 skirt today is completely different than a size 8 skirt from several decades ago. And between the fact that different brands size differently, different decades size differently, and different garments just fit differently, the best idea is just to ignore the size given. Don’t let the fact that there is a larger number on the size tag deter you. Sure, you may get a little “tag shock” when something that reads 5 sizes bigger than you normally wear fits you – but realize that the sizing is completely different! It doesn’t mean you have changed sizes, and its just a number, and no one else even has to know what the tag says! In fact – (vintage shopping hint, here!!!) you can often find great vintage items in “plus” size section of used clothing stores, simply because they get put there because of the number on the tag, not because they necessarily equate to a plus size today. And whatever size you wear, it will be a larger size you need in vintage – that’s the same for all of us.

This vintage shirt is labeled 18, but fits like a modern 10/12.

Tip #2 – Try it on!
This applies, of course, if you are actually in a vintage store, and it goes hand in hand with tip #1. You may be used to shopping where you know your size and don’t really need to try it on until you get home. But because of the sizing difference, its much harder to judge, so go ahead and try it on! But what if the garment is online? On to tip #3…..

Tip #3 – Get all the measurements you can! (and know the measurements you need)
Online vintage shops can be a great place to find vintage! But you can’t try it on, and because you can’t trust the size given on a tag to be equal to the size you typically wear, your best bet is to get all the measurements you can. Shoulder, waist, chest, length, inseam, shoe width – you name it! Hopefully the vintage seller will provide these in the description of the item – I always do this for my wearable items. If not drop them a note to inquire of the measurements, or find a shop that does offer them in the listing. Make sure you understand how the garment is being measured … is the length from the neckline to hem, or from shoulder to hem? Is the waist measurement taken flat (so you need to double it) or taken all the way around? If its not clear, or if you have any questions, ask the seller. I always appreciate questions from customers, because I try to have all the information available, but sometimes you might have a question I hadn’t realized – so I appreciate it being brought up. Once you have the measurements, compare them to a similar garment you have that fits well. For instance, if you’re looking at a suit jacket, compare its measurements to the measurements of a suit jacket you own that fits you well as a way to virtually try it on.

Tip #4 – Find out if there is a return policy for items that don’t fit.
This may or may not be available from any particular seller, but you can always ask knowing the answer may be “no” – or may be “yes”! Since a vintage item usually has already had previous owners already, the seller may not mind if you buy it and return it in its same condition if it doesn’t fit you. This will vary shop to shop, and you should be sure you understand the terms of the return if it is available (for instance, shipping both ways may not be refunded, or perhaps there is a time limit, or other restrictions.) This may or may not be available, but often sellers have a policy page you can check out, or you can drop them an message to ask.

Tip #5 – Think outside the box.
Sometimes its not that an item is too small – sometimes there are other sizing problems. For instance, many women’s shirts from 40-50 years ago were made to be tucked in, so the lower half of the shirt is very large and blousy, which may be unflattering. Try cinching with a belt, sewing in simple darts, wearing a vest or cropped jacket, getting alterations, or any other number of ideas. You can repurpose many vintage items to more closely fit your needs and size. Also, there are many ways to wear vintage besides clothing items that need to be a specific size: vintage jewelry, purses, scarves and other accessories for women …. or ties, luggage bags, hats, and other items for men, where sizing is not so much of an issue.

Tip #6 – Be willing to hunt – or find sellers who are good at hunting for you.
Vintage clothing has more character and lasting style than many items you could grab off the rack today, but its not surprising that it takes more work to find the perfect pieces. Keep looking and you’ll be amazed at what you can find. Or if you find a seller who has a taste in finds you love, keep an eye on that shop for more to come and let them do the hunting. Many online vintage sellers (I know this is true of me!) have much more vintage available than is currently listed, so you might even drop a note to to a shop you love to see if there is anything like what you are looking for in stock but not listed. You can also sign up for the RSS feed of Etsy shops to be alerted to new items being listed.

I hope these tips will help you with your vintage sizing troubles!
Do you have any tips to share?
Or do you have a vintage question you would like me to answer? This is a topic I have visited before, on a previous blog, but I wanted to revisit and expand a series of posts on vintage items.
Post your thoughts and questions below – I love comments! :)

10 Ideas for Crafty Organization

I wish I was a naturally organized person. The whole “a place for everything and everything in its place” idea is wonderful – but the first problem for me is finding a place for everything!

Back before the holidays, orders started flooding in for my art and I felt like all I was doing was packaging and shipping orders – and the packaging was taking f-o-r-e-v-e-r. For one thing, I didn’t have a good inventory storage system. Also, every time I needed to package something, I had to go gather all my supplies together. I don’t have a separate studio, so shop supplies had to put away to have livable space.

It just wasn’t working.

And then I bought two vintage items which drastically changed my art shipping process. They are pictured above: a vintage LP record holder on the left, and a vintage silverware caddy on the right. With the record holder, I was able to store my backed-and-sleeved art prints in a space-efficient way, where I could easily glance through and find what I needed. With my silverware caddy, I was able to store my regularly needed shipping supplies (washi tape, notecards, address labels, etc.) in one portable unit (love the handle on top!) so I could bring it out and put it away as needed. Packaging started going SO much faster.

Plus, its just fun to have nifty organizational stuff! And vintage items are generally nice and sturdy and will last well. So I thought it would be fun to gather a collection of vintage items from Etsy that can be repurposed in fun organizational ways, and help you find “a place for everything”. (A few of these are from my own shop, but most are from other sellers on Etsy.)

This vintage silverware caddy from SaltandGinger is almost exactly like the one I have! I highly recommend it for storing various small items – the little dividers, the “basket” and the handle make it just perfect for keeping small things organized and portable. You could use it for sewing supplies, or makeup and hair care items, or as a desk caddy – all sorts of uses!

I think this is so clever – and pretty! This vintage muffin tin from NavarreCharm is such a charming idea for storing all those little-bitty items that tend to get jumbled together. Keep it on your desk to sort beads, or put it in a drawer and keep your safety pins and other such items from getting all mixed up.

I’ve got a soft spot for old record holders. Few people need something to store their vinyl anymore, but we all have mail, printouts and other such items to sort. This one is nice and long and you could easily add dividers to keep track of various papers.

How charming is this vintage metal basket from TimelessFindsVintage? One great thing about a vintage storage item like this one – it doubles as decor! Especially nice if you have limited closet and hide-away places … keep crafty items out in the open in this cute basket. Bonus: it has a handle.

This mid century modern magazine rack from CastandCrew is so sleek! It would add a snazzy retro feel to a room AND give handy storage space. Use it to stylishly store magazines, craft books, mailers, skeins of yarn – you name it!

Another fun repurposing idea you might not have thought of before – a vintage vanity set from BusyBreeVintage could be used to house any number of small crafty items! The especially nice thing about these is that they have lids, to hide away contents and neaten your work space.

Now this is a vintage item which you probably wouldn’t have much use for its original purpose – but could be extremely handy to get things organized! This vintage photo slide box from heartkeyologie could house colored pencils, or other art supplies … or insert some slides (or little pieces of cardboard) in the slots to create compartments suited to what you’re storing. Make compartments for beads, seam rippers, thimbles, whatever you need!

I don’t know about you, but I don’t really need something to hold my toast (except my belly.) I listed this vintage toast holder in my shop, though, because I think it would make a great little caddy for storing crafty items. There are two blank spaces on either side (probably for butter/jam pots) where you could put pencil holders, and the spiral in the middle is handy for small paper items like stickers. And a handle. I’m fond of handles, in case you haven’t noticed. I like portable.

If you want something *truly* portable, though, check out this gorgeous vintage leather camera bag from BusyBreeVintage. Use it to carry your camera – or, as is pictured, to store and carry your art supplies! This would be especially nice if you like to paint outdoors – have you supplies together and ready to go! And, even when you’re not going anywhere, it still looks spiffy with all those art supplies.

We have tape dispensers – why not dispensers for more items? This is a vintage brass postage stamp dispenser from my shop, but it wouldn’t have to be limited to stamps. Fill it with ribbon, or tickets, or trim, and snip off as needed!

I hope you’ve found these vintage items inspiring for organization!
Do you have other vintage repurposing ideas to help you get organized?
Are you naturally organized, or just trying to learn, like me?
Leave your thoughts and ideas below, I’m always tickled to get comments! :)

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DIY Planters from Light Fixture Globes

I simply love re-purposing items! I had lightly touched on these planters I made awhile back, upcycled from old light fixture globes, but I wanted to revist it and let you know how I made them. (Note: I love coming up with ideas – but I’m never going to claim to be the best gardener, so see my disclaimer at the bottom of the post!)

DIY Planters - TheFlourishingAbode.com

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the best gardener. I tend to get excited about plants … then forget to water them, and then remember, and drown them. Ack! However, I’ve had some occasional luck with container gardening, and I wanted to share that idea I had that I think is very pretty. However, I recently read that adding gravel to the bottom of a container doesn’t really help drain plants. So considering my general lack of knowledge with plants, you can take or leave my steps – this is an outline of how I made my planters, but if you know of a better way to approach non-draining terrarium style planters, by all means do that – and please come back and share your tips, because I’d love to hear them! :)

Share your green-thumb tips (or lack of green-thumb woes like me) in the comments below! :)

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