vintage threads

While the little girl's clothing department is surely more fun for any woman to shop in, I have been happily surprised by all the vintage little boys clothes on Etsy. It's too bad I don't have the need to dress my guy like a little sailor, because there are tons of those outfits.

I couldn't resist. The vest and tank are on their way to me right now!

Lately via Instagram

Vintage truck we picked up for the nursery, it's from the 1940's! And that lovely chipping orange paint is most likely lead based paint, so it will sit on a shelf only. // Enjoying a lime popsicle at the Alameda Flea Market. // Our first peony finally bloomed! I planted the bulb when we moved in, 3 years ago. It smells wonderful. // Having a mock-arita for Cinco de Mayo. I miss the salted rims of margaritas and bloody marys!

{Follow me on Instagram:  Hollyconda}

St. Valentine's Day

Happy love day! Whether single or taken, I hope your day is filled with red, pink, hearts and love.

To my valentine: I love you more this year than the last! Xoxo.

 {vintage Valentines I am hoarding}

{arrived just in time}

Nothing says "I love you" like...

...a death threat?

I love me some vintage Valentines, but so many are weird, confusing or borderline racist!

Lately

Hopped on that bandwagon. I didn't really get it at first. I was super happy

with my first Stylemint shirt. Anyone else have good experiences?

The prettiest little stock pot there ever was. It is called Dijion. 

I kind of want it to live on my stove and not hidden away in a cabinet.

Vintage Japanese ornaments from Ebay that I paid too much for. Tell me they're cute?

Homemade wedding present that I have been dying to display. 

Now I just need to find a spot worthy of it. 

Table Card Holders

It's funny how your mind breaks things down. I kind of already had the mindset that I had table numbers finished, when I bought those cute vintage playing cards. And it wasn't until just recently I realized I needed a way to stand them up! I wonder how many other things my mind is telling me they can be checked off, only to find out later that I'm not done. Anyhow, I could have easily got some restaurant style holders or those sticks that hold the little card in a bouquet of flowers, but that's not me. I realized it's probably not really anyone, but I am not willing to incorporate something boring/ugly just for the sake of time. So off I went to ebay to hunt down vintage flower frogs!

Not in the best shape....

There! That's much better.

I think these will look great alongside some brown glass bottles with flowers, candles and a horseshoe all atop a burlap table runner. Which makes me think I should do a mock up table setting this weekend!

Kitchen Storage

I have been looking for a cute container to hold all of the Nespresso cartridges that are so unsightly and keep coming back to colorful vintage tins. I think I could find a place on my counter for one of these cheerful cuties.

Summer Mantle

I finally took down my spring and Easter decor this weekend and traded it in for a red, white and blue, more summery look. You can do red, white and blue without making it look country.

The new living room mantle.

Most of this is just things I already had around the house. 

I essentially 'went shopping' around my house.

Cake stand, latte bowls, little bear.

I did get the vintage rosettes in NYC and then glued them on sticks.

Easiest way to get some color, make a stack of books!

I love me some fans. 

Paper fans are from the dollar store and the vintage fan is thrifted.

The bib on our mantle is very plain and always needs some sort of embellishment to not look so stark. I saved my old Snow & Graham calendar since the pages are so thick and have beautiful designs. I cut out these stars from the old July page and taped them directly onto the mantle.

Alameda

It was a family affair today at the Alameda Point antique show. It is the largest antique show in Northern California and some dealer come all the way from southern California to sell their wares here. It is the perfect spot to get things for my wedding.

And, the haul:

You could say we put a dent in our brown bottle collection for the wedding. (!!!)  We need about 72 total and this helped big time. We are going to have two groups of three on each table. Our tables are rectangle so it should work out nicely.

Champagne bucket. Always wanted one, never had one until now. 

Little brown glass mister, to go with my brass one. I guess I was in the brown glass mode when I snatched up this little guy. 

And some loot from the thrift store. Cute pot holder, Hers pillowcase and some Anthro-esque napkins with pom poms. Nothing like a killer thrifting haul to make you feel creative again.

Cake Toppers

 {which will I chose?}

Even though we are having pies for our wedding dessert, Jon and I will still have our own cake.  It will be pretty tiny though, I'm thinking maybe twice the size of your average cupcake. So of course I have been scouring ebay and Etsy for vintage cake toppers for months. A lot are in bad shape, not quite right or just too insanely expensive for me to think twice about. Enter: my mom. She has 3 of her own! None that she used for her own wedding, but has just collected because they are cute.

We decided on the chic little 1920/30s couple to adorn our couple's cake. I think I may put a lil ring of small flowers around their feet as well.

Weekend Scenes...at long last!

It's been awhile since I have had a proper weekend scenes post. Here we go.

I originally thought this lil chiffon flower would be enough for my wedding hair, but after throwing it in the other night, I realize it doesn't seem too amazing. (My wedding 'do will be down) It still makes a simple bun more fun.

I made a special card to ask 2 of Jon's cousins to be our 'guestbook girls' at the wedding.  They are very important to us but past the age for flower girls. They were thrilled. The stickers are from Martha Stewart's Michael's line and are well worth the $5.

Gymnastics competition. So fun! Those girls are strong and mighty. Just, wow. They competed in all categories, but I think watching the vault was my favorite.

The rainy weather didn't stop me from wearing my new-to-me vintage dress. 

I am one proud aunt. Here I am with one week old little Avery. Very mellow and sweet. I think being an aunt before you have your own children is extra special. I just love them to pieces.

Weekend Floral

Bells of Ireland from the farmer's market this weekend. And the first time using my frog! Wow, those things are magic. I don't think I will make another floral arrangement without one. It makes lesser stems go a long way because they can stand straight up and you don't have to cut off most of the stems to make them appear fuller.

This weekend was pretty low key, other than the fact that I bought my wedding dress! I almost cried while I was in it and then I felt sick after I bought it because I thought I made the wrong decision. Tell me this is somewhat normal?

Weekend Scenes

I baked zucchini bread. Day 1 and 2 this bread tasted aaaamazing. 

And I used up some zucchini from the garden! Double points.

Some thrift store finds. Some old wooden eggs, a vintage tea tin and 

the cutest little gray vase, maybe ever.

Peppers from the garden. I love the stripey ones.

I am obsessed with my new glass. I admit, I first saw Rachel Zoe drinking her coffee out of one and I think I went out the next day to get one. At 10 bucks a pop, I just bought one. Although, I can't wait for the day when all our mismatched mugs are gone and the cabinet is full on these bad boys.

Pete testing the water. 

We slacked on picking the artichoke when it was ready. Well, this is what happened. Aren't plants cool?

Been thriftin'

Some recent thrift store finds:

A vintage working fan, owl, deer, southwestern plate and strawberry bowl. 

But those animals aren't quite right....

There, that's better.

The best find of the bunch was this fan, by far. 

The colors blue and orange are already repeated throughout my house, 

so it was meant to be.  We had it on last night while watching 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and it would make us laugh 

how small, mighty and fast oscillating it was!

Japan Paper Rosette Fan

Squealing right now over these fans and how I would love to plan an

entire party around them.  You see, I am planning a bridal shower for

my bestie and so I am scouring the world wide web

for cute party items and accents. Tough job, I know.