Retro Effects

I finally got around to trying to create the various retro effects I've been seeing everywhere in the design world for a long time. The hardest part is selecting which typefaces to use and what kind of details you want to use that might echo a vintage feeling. The rest is adding gradients, noise, and some carefully placed drop shadows (both inner and outer). Check out my results!

My first attempt: A little feminine.

Second attempt: I didn't spend much time on this one. It's a little more "surfer," I guess.

Third attempt: Cranky "old man" browns and grays with gold embossing! There's a lot going on here, but I think it's my favorite. I even tried the little upturned edge (which could definitely be better, but for a first try, I think I did okay!).

I also made a retro-inspired desktop wallpaper for one of my biffles (yes, bffl phonetically) featuring her name, so if you'd like one, too, write a comment with your favorite colors and whether you have a widescreen (16:9) or standard (4:3) monitor!

Feel free to use any of these icons above, but please make sure to link back!

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Ceramic Funnel Strainer (?)

Today's Thrifted Thursday is a bit of a mystery. Perhaps you can help me out...

I purchased this item simply because I had no idea what it was. I was definitely intrigued. It's sort of a combination of a funnel and a strainer, but it looks like a shower head, or a ceramic end to a watering can.

If you look closely, however, you'll notice the words "COORS USA 2A 7-14" printed in tiny letters on the outside edge... Could it have been used for brewing? (Click the image below to enlarge it, and check out the bottom photo.)



The Boyfriend and I used it to juice pomegranates! It worked perfectly: We mashed up the pomegranate bits in the top, and because the holes are so small, the pulp didn't fall into the juice. If I never find out its original purpose, I'm happy using it as a container/strainer for juicing (and it looks interesting sitting up on the display shelf above our stove!).

Do you have any idea what it could be?

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Side Table

In college, I worked as a mechanic in a bicycle shop located in the creepy basement of one of the dormitories. One day, I looked out from the shop, down the long hallway dimly lit by flickering fluorescent, and noticed the custodians pulling items out of a side room. One item that stood out to me was a little white half-moon table with perfectly timeless lathed legs and a little shelf. I made a note to myself to ask them about it later (to see if it might need a new home, of course) and went back into the shop to finish up my shift.


Once my shift ended, I quickly walked back into the hallway to ask the custodians about the table... but they were gone! And the table was gone! In fact, everything they had emptied out into the hallway had disappeared (and there had been a lot of stuff). I tried to accept that it was gone forever, but I just couldn't get it out of my head.


A few days later I was walking around campus and saw the dormitory's hall director off in the distance. It immediately dawned on me to ask him if he knew anything about it. I sprinted over to him, explained the situation, and he happily took me down to the basement to track it down. Once we reached the grimy basement, he unlocked the door to the storage room and revealed to me an enormous room filled with mounds of things long forgotten. Most of it appeared up for grabs, but most of it was also covered in a lot of dead spiders and cobwebs, things I wasn't in the mood to dig through at the time (hey, bike shop work may be dirty, but it never involves dead things).


I turned a corner, past a massive heap, and there it was: my little white table. I had nearly given up, but now it was mine! I was still quite surprised that the hall director was so happy to let me take it; but I think he realized that no one else would probably use it again, so why not give it to someone who actually appreciated it? This little table epitomizes the phrase "shabby chic," but really, it's mostly just shabby. It's still one of my favorite pieces of furniture, though!


Sure, it needs some new paint, and it's a little wobbly, but it has served me very well and, I'm sure, will continue to do so for a very long time.

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday (a day late) - Mismatched Silverware

I love mismatched cutlery, as long as each piece is beautiful on its own, and there are rarely duplicates (I promise I'm generally not so high maintenance when it comes to my table settings!).

Photo by Twin Lens Images (via Style Me Pretty)

You can scour eBay or antique shops looking for heavy, hotel-style pieces made of real silver, but surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) this can get rather pricey.

via Absolutely Beautiful Things

The Boyfriend and I just went to Goodwill and found some pretty ones. We initially did this because we were going camping and we (ahem, I) didn't want to bring any of our current silverware set with us in the event they got lost or somehow ruined; it turned out to be a wonderful idea, though, because now we have a set of mismatched beauties that can add a more eclectic feel to any table setting, camping or not.

My new collection (click to enlarge)

Collecting silverware just might be a new-found obsession of mine and could be quite dangerous... but hey, if we have a lot of people over, having a lot of silverware on hand is always better than plastic cutlery!

It's too bad we don't have a dishwasher.

Happy Weekend!

*swoon*
Paige

P.S. The linen tablecloth in my photo is also thrifted!

Vintage Vogue Photography

I found this photograph on The English Muse. Such a beaut'!


Love the ballet-inspired pointed toes! Make me want to dance!

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Belt & Boots

Today's Thrifted Thursday is the first dealing with fashion!

This woven grass belt and burnt sienna leather boots originally belonged to my mother in the 1970s.


I get compliments on these boots all the time, and I love that I can say they're "originals" from the first Frye boot "trend" over 30 years ago. The toes are pretty scuffed up, but I like the worn-in look.

Regarding belts, I like belting them at my "natural waist" instead of using them to actually hold up my pants... much more fun (and flattering), and you don't end up with a weird lump under your shirt.

Sometimes I like wearing dresses with pants, too (as seen above). Maybe it's because of my time spent in India, wearing my kurta suruwal, but I guess this is a little different...

And thanks to the Boyfriend for being such a patient photographer, and for not rolling his eyes when I said, "Gah! I almost forgot, can you take my photo for the blog?!" on our walk this weekend.

*swoon*
Paige

Dress - Forever 21
Jeans - Citizens of Humanity
Boots - Frye
Belt - unknown brand

The Commons

I woke up to the most beautiful morning today! It will be in the low 70's today and tomorrow, sunny through and through!

I had a fantastic, ultra productive three-day weekend. Ran a lot of errands, did a lot of cleaning, and even made the drive all the way up to the Skagit River Valley (northeast of Seattle) to go to the tulip festival! (I'll post pictures in the near future...)

For today, I had planned to focus on tulips... but during my search for photographs, I came upon Flickr's newest project, The Commons.

The Commons is a place to view the world's public photography archives, and add whatever information you may know about specific photos, therefore enriching the collection. Maybe I'm late in discovering this, but it's just too cool not to share! If you don't have a Flickr/Yahoo account, I would highly suggest signing up just to access this amazing collection.

The Gullick Family, New South Wales, circa 1909
These outfits are gorgeous!

Paris Exposition: ship, Paris, France, 1900

Japanese-American camp, war emergency evacuation, circa 1942
(this title is a bit misleading, using "camp" for "prison"... amazing how they could still smile and look oh so fashionable during such a horrible time in history)

The Carandini Ladies, one of Australia's first opera performing families, circa 1875
These dresses are amazing!

Inspector, October 1942
I love the color of her outfit against the plane.

Douglas Aircraft Company
A real Rosie! Her hair tucked up in that handkerchief is perfect!

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Glass Decanters

For today's Thrifted Thursday, I wanted to show off two of my favorite glass finds from my scavenging adventures. (My camera isn't fantastic, so I apologize for the photo quality!)

This first one is a vintage Pyrex decanter with a gold sunburst on either side. What caught my eye was its unique shape - it reminded me of high school science class (you may have noticed I'm secretly a huge nerd)! At first, I actually thought it was a beaker of some sort, but I have decided it's a decanter because of the sunburst and the little tiny spout at the top. I've scoured the internet for its history, but haven't been able to find any hints as to what year it was made, or its true use. Does anyone have any insight?


This next decanter is much taller and has a beautiful, heavy glass stopper with a sandblasted "cork." Some online research tells me it is most likely Princess House Heritage glass, but I haven't been able to find this exact design. My guess is that it is from the late '60s to early '70s. Once again, does anyone have any specific information?



What are some of your favorite thrifted finds? Have you come across any similar glass pieces? Any true collectibles?

Now all I need is some wine to decant! Who's up for a wine tasting party?

*swoon*
Paige