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Intentionally Small

My lovely friend Nicole Alvarez, a Raleigh-based designer and architect, writes an amazing blog, Intentionally Small, focused on small living spaces. She has gained influence from designing urban backyard apartments and her time living in France. Nicole's approach to simple living is a inspiring, practical, efficient, stylish and so wonderfully intentional. As a small space enthusiast myself, I was thrilled when she asked me if she could feature our apartment on Intentionally Small. Take a tour of our beloved, retro downtown apartment (and check out our sweet little pup)!

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Sewing a spiffy vest for a certain soon-to-be graduate. Vintage fabric and vintage buttons! (Taken with instagram)

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Vintage-Inspired Millinery

New York-based milliner, Behida Dolic handcrafts gorgeous 1920's and 1930's-inspired hats and sells them out of her small shop in Hudson, north of New York City. A refugee of the Balkan War, Dolic moved to the United States in 1998 with the a create-with-what-you-have mentality born of her humble childhood in Bosnia, a virtue that continues to resonate in her work. A true artisan, Dolic is ever so dedicated to hand-sewing and hand-draping each and every one of her hats. She draws inspiration from old films, vintage fashion and art deco architecture. 

Behida Dolic's story and art are incredibly inspiring. Millinery is a craft that requires great skill, attention to detail and patience. Her approach to hat-making is simple and her unique and era-specific style is reminiscent of Coco Chanel, who began her career in fashion as a milliner.

[via]

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This radio's got me destroying Shakespeare and questioning what might have been...

It seems these days I find myself becoming completely enamored with one vintage artifact at a time. This obsession is typically sparked by a random trip to the flea market or an online search where I come across something so lovely, so enticing, so well preserved and so damn nice to look at that I am amazed I haven't spent my whole life searching it. Don't get me wrong, I try to be as pragmatic a thrifter as possible, usually searching for all things I really need for my home - a set of mixing bowls, a clothing hamper, crates to hold records, etc. But lately, I find my search significantly narrowed based on the item I happen to be coveting at that point in time. And no, that's not necessarily good news for my bank account. These items tend to be a more rare and more expensive than other antiques, which could not be more true for my current obsession - the Crosley Bakelite Dashboard Tube Radio. If you haven't had a good chance to feast your eyes on the above photo, I suggest you do it now. Take as long as you need. You won't be sorry.

Mmmm. Shiny. In all its mid-century glory.

I have pined for this radio since our eyes/dials first met whilst scouring eBay for a tube radio to put in my kitchen. I kid you not that my heart nearly skipped a beat. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it site! For I ne'er saw true bakelite till this night...

I have spent the past few weeks researching these radios that intrigue me so. Unfortunately, I have found only a few facts. The above model, likely named the "Coloradio," began to appear in the early 1950s, was designed after car dashboard features (the very essence of its appeal if you ask me), and was sold in numerous colors. I also came across this very interesting tidbit of information: Powel Crosley's development of the first car radio (1920s), which made radio technology portable, was thanks to his sister. She once shared with him that when on dates, she wished for the help of her favorite radio programs to get through those pesky awkward silences between her and her date. Soon after, Crosley invented the Roamio car radio, the first of many portable radio models to follow [via].

Wow. Just think how of different portable radio technology might have been if good ol' Thelma Crosley wasn't such an awkward date. Can you imagine what 1980's street culture or John Cusack's movie career would have been without the boombox!? Yikes.

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Etsy's "Get the Look Decor" - August 7

Etsy recently featured an article about fabulous vintage collector/seller jessjamesjake, whose house in Albany, NY is warmed with a tasteful collection of fresh, artistic treasures and colorful mid-century modern pieces. Needless to say, I am completely taken by their selection of furniture and 1950's-inspired minimalism. Absolutely perfect!

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365 Vintage Days

Fintage, a blog written by several Finnish vintage enthusiasts, has become a new favorite find for several reasons, but especially for "365 Vintage Days." One of the contributors has been collecting vintage clothing and accessories from all over the world for the past twenty years. She has created a challenge for herself by attempting to don one ever so perfectly matched vintage ensemble every day for one year. Well, I must say she is doing a DAMN good job! Not only is she adorable, but her vintage clothing are all so well preserved, each look is incredibly stylish and form flattering and she manages to have the perfect shoes, jewelry and purse for every outfit she puts together. But what I'm gushing over the most is all her fabulous pairs of CAT GLASSES! Go on girl!

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ELVIS! ELVIS! ELVIS! Rocker 1957

Little secret about me: I used to be obsessed OBSESSED with Elvis. Had my whole room as a kid decorated with Elvis stuff. Yes, even the hip swinging wall clock.

Got this record today for three bucks. My favorite part is the cover. He's sittin' all straddle style on top of his motorcycle. Leather jacket. Gelled hair. Loafers. White socks. Total stud.

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Displaying Vintage Photos in Glass Bottles and Jars

Looking for the perfect way to decorate that bare mantle, bookshelf or window sill? Try using old bottles as a creative and cheap way to display lovely old photographs. Most antique stores and flea markets offer boxes of thrown out antique photos on the cheap. Even cheaper and more exciting is using your own family's old photos. Disclaimer: Just remember to make a high-quality color copy of your family photos because, depending on the bottle, they can be hard to retrieve once inside. Take it from me, you don't want to piss your mother off by holding the only real photo of your great grandma Stella hostage in a $2 tonic bottle for all eternity. (I know mom. Lesson learned.)

Over the past several months, I have been collecting antique milk bottles from local markets. The pros of using milk bottles are that they have a nice wide neck so not only are they easy to clean after purchase, its also easier to get photos down into them. And if you are lucky, you may find some that still don an old milk company logo. The one drawback I have found in using milk bottles is that they are only available in clear class. If your prefer some variety with colored glass, try something like the old Ball jars. Either way, always pay attention to the bottle mouth/neck size. Smaller bottles will force you to roll up your photos very tight to get them through the mouth and they will not likely unwrap themselves once inside. If this happens, try inserting a kebab skewer or a chop stick down into the bottle to push the edges of the photo open.

When my collection is complete, I will post some photographs of it for you all!

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I'm usually not a fan of the color pink, but these vintage graduated kitchen canisters are the living end! I thought it was pretty interesting that I stumbled upon two similar and practically immaculate sets (from totally different vendors) during a recent trip to the flea market. I hope this is a sign that I will be seeing more of these in the future...and hopefully in other colors!

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Singers that love their text more than their notes - Billie Holiday

It strikes me a little odd when someone says that their ear is more drawn to music than it is to the lyrics of a song. I have heard several people say this. It has always been my opinion that the words are just as significant, if not more significant than the notes. I mean, how can a song truly find its way into our heads, let alone our hearts if their are no words forging the path? Can we truly be moved by only notes? Is it fair to credit a singer more for their sound and less for their story? Perhaps this is the impact technology, marketing, and contemporary music styles have had on the art of song. Or perhaps it is the genre that decides how we hear and digest music. No matter the reason, there have been a few musical artists over the years that have reached us through the power of their words...

One of these people is Billie Holiday. She had an amazing ability to tell deeply emotional stories from her heart in a way that seemed to keep the notes of her songs at the words' heels. Joni Mitchell puts it best when discussing her favorite singers, Edith Piaf and Holiday, "...those women never forgot what they were singing about, so the note almost played second position to the text. Not that there was anything wrong with the chosen notes. There was still beauty to them, but the emphasis was on telling the story from the heart." Read more here.

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newtim:

hillary making flowers for prom night at tir na nog.

raleigh, nc.

I had too much fun that night seeing Veelee and The Love Language with all my favorite people...and got the sickest vintage prom dress for next to nothing.

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Vintage Find of the Day: Vintage sewing box

I got to run around on Saturday with the lovely Brittany Miller at Suzanna's Antiques, a.k.a. the best hidden gem vintage market in Raleigh. Holy crap that place just keeps getting better and better (and bigger and bigger) every time I go. This perfect little sewing kit was one of the first items I stumbled upon and be still my heart it still has 14 beautiful spools of antique thread and a needle tomato! It comes equipped with a tiny key, a trap door and tons of straps and pockets for all my sewing tools. My quilting supplies are already nestled happily inside. Watch out everyone, I have become a full-fledged grandma yo-yo quilter!

****INSIDER TIP FOR ALL MY RALEIGH FLEA MARKET PEOPLE: Do you miss the flea market as much as I do? Word on the streets is that Antiques at Gresham Lake has opened up their parking lot to all Raleigh flea market vendors interested in selling while the state fair is hogging the fair grounds. Well, I was there on Saturday and I saw it with my own two eyes. It was glorious. Suck it NC State Fair!

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I'm currently listening to The Who Sell Out - The Who, 1967

This record continues to be among my favorites and most played, for the music and cover design.

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Retro Tune of the Day - Fire by Etta James from Tell Mama, 1968

"You make my liver quiver babe..."

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KING CRIMSON RENAISSANCE?

It seems so appropriate that a couple weeks ago, my mom and I chalked the album cover of In the Court of the Crimson King onto the streets of downtown Raleigh. The album seems to be going through some sort of glorious renaissance all of the sudden and I have to say I am quite happy about it. Kanye West's new song "Power" samples the King Crimson song "21st Century Schizoid Man."

The album was also featured yesterday on NPR's All Songs Considered Blog as part of the post "Tunes That Got You Through Your Teens." Bob Boilon writes, "I slept with that frightful cover art next to my bed for years. I saw it every morning and every night. In a world where I had a comfy suburban bed, but could also be asked to pick up a gun and fight in Vietnam, that music and that cover was somehow grounding."

Thanks to my good friends Josh Stohl and Jackie Deitch for the sources.

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Vinyl Sunday - In the Court of the Crimson King

When my mom was in her early twenties, she painted a large scale version of the extended album cover of In the Court of the Crimson King by a British rock group called King Crimson. Complete music heads and hippies to the core, my parents devoured the most obscure, progressive and revolutionary music of their youth. As an ode to one of their favorite bands, my mom (a recent art grad) reproduced this incredibly expressive and sometimes terrifying album cover on a large canvas. Sadly, having next to no money at the time, my mother was forced to trade the piece for some furniture. Over the years, my sister and I have often heard how incredibly accurate her rendition of the album cover was to the original cover by artist, Barry Godber (who himself was merely a computer programmer). 

In the hopes of reviving lost art and as a tribute to my mother, I persuaded her to join me in chalking this album cover out on the streets of downtown Raleigh during last week's artSPARK event (as part of SPARKcon). Our experience was rewarded by droves of passers-by taking photos, shaking our chalk-stained hands, sharing their love of King Crimson's music and reminiscing about the band's epic concerts.

The Sunday after artSPARK while I strolled down Fayetteville Street with a couple of friends, I spotted the evil street washer making his way toward our precious psychedelic artwork. Monday was soon approaching which meant mom's and my 5 x 5 foot King Crimson album cover would be removed from the hot asphalt. We hurried over for a long last look. It seemed so appropriate that upon the final visit, we found a couple from New York at the foot of the square holding their cell phones up in the air, blaring the song "21st century Schizoid Man," eyes closed, bobbing their heads in tribute to the band they called "the best fucking group ever."

Obscure and considered extremely progressive from the point of its release in the late sixties, In the Court of the Crimson King was hailed by music critics and renown rockers as a masterpiece and among the most influential progressive rock albums ever released . [via]

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Vinyl Sunday (Birthday Edition) - Buddy Holly Record Set

I still can't contain my excitement over this 6-record set! My awesome sister and brother-n-law gave me the Complete Buddy Holly collection for my birthday. Its seems so appropriate seeing as Buddy was a Virgo too (September 7, 1936). His "hiccup" (glottal stop) singing style, trademark frames, and sweet lyrics on love make me weak in the knees...

Between the ages of 17 and 22, Buddy Holly made music that would live on to influence some of the biggest artists in contemporary music. On February 3, 1959, a small plane carrying him, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper went down in Clear Lake, Iowa. That date would later become known as "The Day the Music Died".