Author Archive
It’s been raining nonstop for the past two days here in Chicago. But I don’t mind. I like any excuse to break out the over-the-top rain gear.
Just don’t forget to take your umbrella with you when you leave the diner!
Don’t like the knee high look? Try these:
Stay dry!
Ah, the lazy days of late summer. Crickets, cicadas, morning doves — the time when warm weather has transformed from jubilant celebration to sweltering drone. The magic is over. The window unit just isn’t cutting it anymore.
Might as well make the front porch as livable as possible.
I recently caught my neighbor making a bold choice in front porch decor. Why shouldn’t we all, if we have the outdoor space to decorate, let our inner hillbilly out for the next few weeks?
Rock’n'roll is a prostitute: it should be tarted up, performed!
Who doesn’t love dudes dressed up like ladies and strutting around on stage singing folk music? If you ever have a day where you’re feeling drab or frumpy, take a lesson from the glam rock stars of the early ’70s: throw on a frock, some heels or high boots, a fur or boa of some kind, a loud pattern, let your hair down, darken your lipstick and strut! Turn your frumpiness into ridiculousness — and glam it up!
Yeah!
I found these old color photographs of turn-of-the-century sideshows on the Library of Congress’ Flickr photostream. Makes me wish I could go back in time and gank those beautiful sideshow banners. If I found those sitting in an attic today I can’t decide if I’d want to keep them — or sell them for a few grand. I’d probably keep them.
Luckily this type of graphic art still persists — not only does it make an excellent addition to your wall decor, but it’s great inspiration for wedding invitations, event posters, websites, and whatever else you find yourself designing.
Also — the sideshow font itself is amazing. If ever a font could scream, “three-legged!” or “spectacle!”, this one does.
In fact if you love them, check out Magic Jelly‘s go-to list of 12 great circus fonts.
Step right up!
Sometimes you just want the quiet comfort of a bay of sick beds, where you can recover from your outbreak of influenza like it’s 1909. You feel me?
Bright white interiors with sterile glass and metal — all vintage, in different sizes.
Maybe you don’t need 6 beds, but two of them make the perfect guest room. These white iron bed frames scream sterility.
And don’t forget the artwork and accessories!
And whatever this is:
(Thanks to the Morbid Anatomy blog’s Flickr photostream for some of these images from the Indiana Medical Hisory Museum!)
I just saw the new Julia Child movie, in which Julia arrives in Paris in 1949 in a vehicle similar to the one above, which is modeled after the Mercury “Woodie” station wagon.
It got me thinking about how much I love wood paneling. Not 1970s hunting lodge wood paneling, but fake wood — especially when paired with a pop of color. Apparently I’m totally behind the design blog times on this one, but there’s a fancy French word for fake wood that makes it sound more appealing: faux bois.
Earlier this year I totally flipped for this Rubbermaid platter I found at a thrift store:
It had what was then my favorite combination: fake wood and white. But there are other hot faux bois color combos.
Black:
Delft (!!):
And, of course, chrome:
But one thing I can’t seem to find is the faux bois and turquoise combination on Julia’s 1949 hot rod. It’s oh-so-Urban-Outfitters I can’t imagine it doesn’t exist. So if anyone finds one — by all means, post a link in the comments.
In the meantime, I’ll be in the kitchen.
A blogger friend of mine recently found this horrific little piece on a thrifting adventure. (See her original post.) And in deciding whether or not to sell her newfound porcelain infant friend on Etsy, she discovered an entire world dedicated to unsettling porcelain homonculi. Never one to shy away from the creepy side of decor , I decided to do a little roundup of my own. Sweet dreams!
What do you think? Crafty, or creepy? And what is the ultimate purpose for these antiquated bisque statues? Maybe a creepy, creepy Christmas tree? Or should they simply be left alone?
