Sunday, March 31, 2013

Ten Laughs: Vintage Easter Card Edition

Happy Easter, everyone! We hope your weekend has been filled with sweet treats and springtime delights! If you're in need of a laugh and some paschal nostalgia, here are ten delightfully creepy vintage Easter images to enjoy :-)


http://normandylife.blogspot.ca/2011/04/joyeuses-paques-vintage-french-easter.html

http://www.123rf.com/photo_14916385_a-vintage-easter-postcard-of-a-chick-riding-on-an-easter-wagon-pulled-by-a-lamb.html

http://www.123rf.com/photo_9334535_vintage-easter-greetings-postcard.html

http://www.jeremiah-2911.com/2013/03/a-vintage-easter.html
http://www.crazywebsite.com/Pg-Holiday-Entertainment-Humor/Easter/Funny_Cards/pg_Free_Greeting/Odd_Vintage_Easter_Card_4_jpg.htm

http://livingvintage.blogspot.ca/2011/04/happy-easter.html

http://designyoutrust.com/2013/03/creepy-funny-vintage-easter-cards/
http://www.dailylife.com.au/photogallery/dl-people/dl-entertainment/ten-vintage-easter-cards-that-make-us-uncomfortable-20130328-2gvgs.html

http://www.vintagefangirl.com/topics/easter/page/3

http://jujusmusings.blogspot.ca/2011/04/happy-easter-vintage-style.html

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Happy Birthday, Ali!!!!

Today is extra special because it's Ali's 24th birthday!!!! I had a tough time narrowing it down to only a few pictures as they are all just too cute! Ali is the one who does the writing for our blog - and for a reason! - so I'll keep it short. I just want to wish her the BEST birthday ever!!!! I hope you all enjoy these as much as I do and make sure to check out our mum's blog for more nostalgia!


{Adorable..even in tears!}

{Look at those expressive eyebrows!}

{I'm thinking she should go back to blonde but maybe I'm just biased!}

{Nautical chic}

{Elegant as usual!}

{Just chillin in her incredibly realistic library!}

{Perfect as Belle!}

{Two beautiful sisters!}

{Claud's grad last year!}





Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Happy Birthday, Mama!!!!

Today is a very special day...it's this beautiful lady's birthday!!! We love you so much Mum, and we hope you have an AMAZING day and a FANTASTIC year. YOU'RE THE BEST!!! xoxoxoxox

Monday, March 11, 2013

10 Things to Do in March

Happy March, lovely readers! We hope you enjoy our suggestions for things to do in this charming month :-)

1. Spring Clean Your House

http://www.bayshore.ca/caringathomeblog/index.php/its-a-spring-fling-thing-time-to-recharge-and-get-things-done/springcleaning/

Way back in January, we suggested that you de-Christmas the house and clean out your fridge, but this type of cleaning is on a whole other level. Spring Cleaning requires that you do a thorough scrubbing, polishing, sweeping, dusting, whatever-ing to freshen up your place for the incoming season. Divide it into manageable hours here and there or do it all in one fell swoop Marathon Cleaning Session (but make sure to suitably reward yourself afterwards!)

2. Spring-ify Your Wardrobe
10 Items For Spring

It's the time of year when heavy winter clothes are starting to feel stale and stuffy, so rejuvenate your wardrobe with some new Spring additions. Bring your old warmer-weather clothes back into rotation, and check out our 10 Items For Spring for some inspiration on what new items to buy.

3. Celebrate International Women's Day 
File:We Can Do It!.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:We_Can_Do_It!.jpg

International Men's Day (celebrated on the 19th of November, fyi), does not have nearly the same level of hype that our day gets on the 8th of March, but we have had a tougher time of it historically, so a day observing the enormous strides women have made in bettering their lives and those of future generations deserves all the celebration it can get.

4. Spring Forward 

http://northdelawhere.happeningmag.com/spring-forward-sunday-dst-2013

Clocks go forward on Sunday the 10th in North America and on the 31st in Europe. It does mean you get shortchanged with your sleep that night, but on the plus side, the evenings will be getting decidedly lighter!

5. Celebrate Mother's Day (Ireland & UK)

http://heroinesofthefaith.blogspot.ca/2012/03/benefits-of-mothers-and-daughters.html

This is another one of those confusing days that occurs on different dates in Europe and North America. But if you're in Ireland or the UK, we hope you showered your mama with lots of love this past Sunday!

6. Observe Plant a Flower Day 

http://www.beneaththemagnolias.com/2012/05/planting-flowers-in-watering-can.html

The 12th of March (aside from being our darling mama's birthday) is Plant a Flower Day! Cool, right?! So we suggest you do just that! Whether you actually plant a flower/seeds in your garden, cultivate a window box, or simply take better care of existing indoor plants, it's a nice way of connecting with nature and getting in on the Spring vibes. 

7. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day 

http://www.wespeaknews.com/world/st-patricks-day-proud-to-be-irish-40278.html

We love St. Paddy's for obvious reasons, but even if you don't have a drop of Irish blood in you, you can still get into the festive spirit by donning your finest shades of green on the 17th of March. (But as for that whole getting-pinched-if-you're-not-wearing-green? Completely a North American thing. As is calling it St. Patty's. Please don't.)

8. Celebrate Fragrance Day 

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/vintage%20perfume

Here's another obscure holiday for you to enjoy! (We swear we don't make these up - they're all certified, legitimate occasions :-) Celebrated on the 21st of March, it's the perfect day for investing in a new, springtime-appropriate perfume. Some suggestions? Daisy by Marc Jacobs, White Jasmine & Mint by Jo Malone, Cherry Blossom by L'Occitane, Chloe, and  Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal are all light, feminine scents perfect for this time of year.

9. Celebrate Make Up Your Own Holiday Day

http://www.coolfactsbro.com/holidays/march-26-is-make-up-your-own-holiday-day/

Another fun holiday we are most definitely in support of! Take it as a day to celebrate the little things in life (well, unless it's your birthday, in which case go all out). Get all dressed up, have cake for breakfast and champagne for dinner...whatever floats your boat, really, on this random Tuesday.

10. Celebrate Easter

http://jennyatdapperhouse.com/2012/04/happy-vintage-easter/

Easter Sunday falls on the last day of March this year. Celebrate Jesus' Resurrection however you see fit (which for us will include some serious demolishing of chocolate). And if you're in need of a delightful way to kill a few minutes of your time, we highly suggest you Google Image "easter vintage." The highly anthropomorphic rabbits, eggs, and chickens featured on old greeting cards are simultaneously hilarious and terrifying. 

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Thursday Travels: Venice

We return to Italy for this week's Travels; specifically to Venice, that legendary city of canals, masks, and gondolas (or gondole, as the Italian plural form is, if we're being technical). I'd been there once before on a rainy day several years ago, and had been somewhat disappointed with the place, finding it rather creepy and claustrophobic. Things this time round were immediately improved by the weather; we enjoyed beautiful sunshine which naturally put everything in a better light - the plenitude of water in Venice which had seemed murky and sinister in the rain was now shimmering and benign. All in all, most ideal for a leisurely gondola ride down the canals - the perfect way to start our day of sightseeing in Venice.


{Say formaaaaggioooo!}

I don't seem to remember our gondolier being particularly lively (some serenade you but I think ours was pretty charmless). However, the sights we passed were entertainment enough...

{...like these stunningly shabby old buildings...}

{...and this gondola full of very cheerful fellow tourists}

The disembarkment area happened to be right smack dab in front of a Hard Rock Cafe, and as we were already pretty pasta and pizza-ed out (although there is no such thing as being gelato-ed out, there just isn't), we decided that good American-style burgers and fries was exactly what we were craving. After this refuelling, we were ready to tackle the abundance of culture Venice has to offer...



{Venetian vista}

{Tucked away canal}

File:Venice - Piazza San Marco.jpg
{Piazza San Marco/St Mark's Square, the hub of Venice and pigeon playground}


{The Bridge of Sighs - so named (by Lord Byron) because it was the final view of the city convicts had before being imprisoned}


{San Zaccaria church - not wildly significant or anything but made for a beautiful backdrop}

{The Doge's Palace - the residence of Venice's chief magistrate until the 18th century}

{Everywhere you go in Venice you have these creepy masks staring at you - total Stuff of Nightmares, right?!}

{Venice is also renowned for its lace so we paid a trip to a Lace School (yep, that's a thing!)}

Because the city is so blatantly tourist-oriented, some of my favourite memories of Venice are not the countless museums and churches and other sites of cultural significance, but the random little diversions we had throughout the day, such as getting lost...

{...and turning into a little street only to be greeted by this gruesome sight}

And then searching endlessly for a public washroom and finally winding up in a little Chinese-run cafe serving Italian food, where there were no customers, just the family all sitting around chatting.  And Rihanna was blasting on the radio. It was one of those surreal moments, where we just thought to ourselves "How weird is it to be in Venice listening to Rihanna?!" I mean, in theory, it's not that weird at all, but when you've been surrounded by so much decaying grandeur and tales of prisoners being locked away never to see the light of day again, it was just kind of jarring. In the best possible way of course; we do like Rihanna's music. As did the super polite little Chinese boys who silently showed us where the washroom was whilst bobbing their heads to "Disturbia."

 And then, after a bit more wandering, we decided it was dinner-time...


{...and this happened...}

{...and this newly-bought, bird-in-a-cage necklace (named Donna) made her debut...}

 {...and Rebecca Saw The Light...}

And, as dusk fell, bathing the city in that golden light so typically Italian, we bade a fond farewell to Venice...

{Ciao, Venezia!}

Image 5: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Venice_-_Piazza_San_Marco.jpg
Image 6: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Venice,_Bridge_of_Sighs.jpg
Image 8: http://www.bestourism.com/items/di/878?title=Doges-Palace
Image 9: http://www.longpassages.org/italy%20photos.htm

Friday, March 1, 2013

10 Items For Spring

Happy First of March, everyone! The month came in like a lamb where we live - all mild and sunny, the exact type of weather that gets you excited for the new outfit possibilities just around the corner. In honour of the season, we've compiled ten must-have items for this time of year; we hope you enjoy!


10 Items For Spring

1.Trench Coat: The perfect coat for Spring, a trench is eternally chic and instantly adds sophistication to any outfit. 
Burberry - net-a-porter.com

2. Rainboots: A pair of wellies is a necessity for this time of year (at least in our rainy part of the world), and there's a multitude of options out there to suit every style, from playful to elegant. 
Hunter print shoes - allsole.com

3. Floppy Hat: We know that hats aren't for everyone, but if you're in search of a simple way to elevate a springtime outfit, a chic little floppy brim hat does just that.
Floppy wide brim hat swell.com

4. Silk Blouse: Whether you opt for one with a pattern, or keep it simple with a solid tone, a soft, silky blouse is a versatile addition to any wardrobe, looking equally good worn with a formal skirt as it does with a pair of worn-in jeans. 
J Crew sports shirt - jcrew.com

5. Leather Skirt: While a leather jacket is regarded as a wardrobe staple, the verdict is out on whether this edgy material can successfully cross over into skirt territory. Personally, we think this look is totally wearable, and would be a great way of toughening up florals and pastels.
Topshop - topshop.com

6. Lightweight Scarf: Now's the time to start exchanging your thick, woollen winter scarves for lightweight ones in beautiful colours and patterns.
Banana republic - bananarepublic.gap.com

7. Flats: Whether your flat shoe of choice is a ballet flat or smoking slipper, invest in a comfortable pair in a neutral shade that will go with everything you own. 
Accessorize leather ballet shoes - accessorize.com

8. Pastel Denim: These days, it seems that 'fun' denim has become even more ubiquitous than the plain blue washes of old, so why not partake in this widespread trend by rocking a pair of spring-appropriate pastel jeans?
Current/Elliott current elliott skinny jeans - stylebop.com
9. Floral Dress: Easter was traditionally a time for donning new dresses, so why not honour the springtime custom by splashing out on a dress or skirt in a bright floral pattern?
Louche floral dress - joythestore.com

10. Blazer in a Light Neutral: We'll always have a special place in our hearts and wardrobes for a classic navy blazer, but a light-coloured one feels so much fresher this time of year.  
ChloĆ© lightweight jacket - farfetch.com