Playing with Colour & Pattern in the Menswear Department Plus Blogiversary Giveaway Winners

Are you a colour and pattern scaredy-cat?  I am!  There are lots of tips and suggestions out there on how to incorporate colour and pattern into one's decor scheme.  But, if you are like me, it all goes out the window in a huge incoherent mess when you are standing in the decor department staring at shelves of cushions.  Then, when I was out browsing in the menswear department of Banana Republic with Monsieur, it occurred to me that inspiration was right in front of me.  Trying to pair a tie with a shirt verges on the realm of a mystical science but there is method to the madness.  Let's take a look at how they style their mannequins.

Do you see how the striped tie is layered on top of the plaid shirt?  It seems like a bold move but  because both are in the same colourway, it looks chic, classic, almost conservative.  Here's another example,

Above, Banana Republic has layered a lilac polka dot tie on top of a lilac gingham shirt and a solid lilac sweater.  Again because it is all in the same colourway, the polka dots and gingham play off each other and works wonderfully.  What do you think?  Below is an example of using bright and dark colours against each other to make the bright colour really pop.

Now, let's go for a virtual walk in the mall and check out how the menswear department in J. Crew styles their mannequins.  See how on the left mannequin, there is a purple paisley handkerchief (or pocket pouf) tucked into the breast pocket which is playing off the purple gingham shirt?

Here is another J. Crew mannequin.  Monsieur wouldn't be caught dead in these Post-It note yellow pants and, if he ever did wear them, I would cross the street and pretend I didn't know him.  But, you can see that J. Crew is using the same strategy of making a bright colour pop even more by pairing it with a dark jacket.

I decided to foof my nightstand (which is a work in progress) with my takeaways from the menswear department.  I had recently thrifted a watercolour painting and a very large brass pineapple which I was just dying to display somewhere.

It is the first time I've ever bought original artwork and I was so nervous about it. But, looking at the watercolour just makes me happy as there is such a peacefulness about it.  And it reminds me of the Canadian wilderness. 

I like how the gold glamminess (is that a word in the decor world?) of the crazy pineapple plays off the gold tones in the painting and in the frame.  It is just so Hollywood Regency.  The blue egg crate pulls out the blue sky in the painting.  Plus it is very useful for holding jewelry.  I haven't been able to identify the artist as the signature is a little blurred.  If you have any information, please let me know.

I'm a very visual person and having the mannequins in front of me providing visual cues really helped give me lots of inspiration.  Who'd have thought there could be so much to learn in the menswear department for those of us who don't wear ties?  I'm working on the lamp so there will be more photos to come.

Now, let's move on to the Blogiverary Giveaway winners!  I did the draw using a vintage pink Pyrex bowl (as one does).

First prize winner of the Austrian kitchen set is:

Congratulations Six Balloons!

Second prize winner of the vintage handkerchiefs and vintage Boucher brooch is:

Congratulations Jill from A Little Bit of Everything!

Please contact me with your address so I can get your prize in the mail.

Thank you to all those who entered.  I had so much fun putting together the prizes that I'm definitely going to do more in the future.  So watch this space for more Giveaway fun! 

I'm linking up with A Stroll Thru Life,  Young Heart Old Soul, Cottage Wishes, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, A Thrifty Groove, The Joyful Thrifter, A Living Space, Faith Grace and Crafts, My Romantic Home,  The Charm of Home.

Blogiversary Giveaway

Do you find that life slips by in a blurry stream and that days just meld into each other?  I don't really keep track of the passing of time.  I used to keep a journal as a child but stopped in adulthood.  Do you journal or scrapbook?  I've come to realize that blogging has become a wonderful substitute for journaling.  It's such a great avenue to record certain events in my life and fulfills a lot of creative outlets.  Recently, out of curiosity, I checked to see how long I've been blogging.  I was absolutely staggered to find that I've been doing it for a little over 2 years! 2 years!  If you've been reading my blog, you'll notice that I've changed the design a bit.  After 2 years, I was feeling the need for a new look.  So to celebrate the new look and the passing of 2 years, I think a blogiversary giveaway is in order, don't you?  And because I talk a lot about using vintage in the home, of course the giveaway has to feature vintage goodness.  First up is what I'm calling a medley of Austrian kitchenalia.  The winner will receive an Austrian wall hanging featuring a recipe for apple strudel with a border featuring peasant/folk art/country life, an Austrian oven mitt with a recipe for Farmer's Feast on the back, and 3 cloth coasters.

Second prize is a collection of 6 vintage handkerchiefs tied with a chocolate brown grosgrain ribbon and pinned together with a vintage Boucher bow ribbon brooch.  Boucher was a Canadian costume jewelry company which I think is appropriate as I'm based in Canada.

All the hankies have some sort of white detail such as embroidery or trim.  To enter the giveaway, leave a comment.  Which prize is your favourite?  Like L'Heure Bleue At Home on Facebook for an extra entry.  Just come back to the blog and leave another comment letting me know that it's your second entry.  I'll keep the giveaway open until Sunday April 7, 2013, Midnight EST.  And yes, the giveaway is open internationally.  Here's to another 2 years!

This Giveaway Contest is now closed.

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, Apron Thrift Girl, Young Heart Old Soul, The Thrifty Groove, A Living Space, Faith Grace and Crafts, The Charm of Home, My Romantic Home.

Green In My Life For 2013

I am sure you've heard by now that Pantone's colour of the year is emerald green.  Green is such a funny colour isn't it?  It can take on some many oppositional meanings such as new growth, Spring or jealousy and envy.  I've written about the colour green before, here, but it's been on my mind lately especially when I received a  letter from a particular credit card issued by a certain bank named after a Canadian city.  It said that I hadn't been using my credit card enough and, if I didn't start using it more, they were closing it down.  What???  I thought that, after the global financial crisis, the trend was to get people off the credit card wagon, not browbeat them back on it.  As I told the hapless client representative, if the cc company is worried I've switched over to the competition, there are more effective ways to get me back.  I see the green-eyed monster in the company's eyes, don't you?  I've had this card for longer than the age of the client rep so it wasn't a case of me being in arrears, simply that I wasn't using it enough for their liking.  So, in a grumpy mood, I went off to the local mall to see what I could charge up.  I went into Banana Republic and saw this dress.



Banana Republic Peggy Knit Shift Dress



Hmmm, I don't think I am brave enough for this dress.  Monsieur really liked the clean crisp lines of this shift dress below though.

Banana Republic Tipped Shift Dress

I liked it too.  I do think one has to be careful with an all green outfit as there is the danger of looking like Kermit the Frog.  I think the trick is with the addition of accessories to break up all the green.  However, this frugal girl really wasn't keen on being forced to part with her green and thus go sliding into the red, if you know what I mean.  So I went off to Old Navy and ended up getting this.

Old Navy Patterned Shirt

Of course, I had to go thrifting in order to recover from all that out of character retail shopping.  I picked up this vintage Swedish cast iron enamel casserole dish.



I've never seen cast iron enamelware in green before as I'm used to the traditional "hot" colours of red or orange that you often see in Le Creuset.  There was something about the green accents that really spoke to me.  And, I love the naive quality of the squiggles on the lid.   I think it would look fab displayed in a kitchen.

I celebrated a milestone birthday this past week.  Monsieur gave me this amazingly huge tote bag from Banana Republic for my birthday.  It really is enormous.  He said that it was for me to fill up with treasures when I go thrifting which I thought was really sweet and thoughtful as thrifting bores him stiff.

Switching out your decor or wardrobe whenever fashion changes can be pricey so I find that the easiest way to stay on trend is with the addition of accessories.  I like adding little touches like a scarf to a bag to personalize it.  But even relying on accessories may not be feasible if you are on a really tight budget.  So the easiest, fastest way to inject green into your decor is with....plants!

I have met people who think green is an unlucky colour and avoid it at all costs.  But plants are a part of Nature and it is a great way to bring life indoors. So if green is not your favourite colour, plants are a safe "neutral option."  What do you think of green?  Embrace or avoid?

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, A Stroll Thru Life, Apron Thrift Girl, A Living Space, Thrifty Groove, My Romantic Home, The Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Joyful Treasure Hunting, Young Heart Old Soul, and The Cottage Market.

This was not a sponsored post.  The tote was a gift and I just really liked the shirt.

 

Vintage Easter Decorating

Are you obsessed with vintage decor?  Do you troll flea markets looking for that one vintage thing that nobody else has?  I'm a bit of a magpie when it comes to vintage.  I can't really name any one thing that I collect with any degree of fervour.  The only thing in common with the things I bring home is that there is something about them that speaks to me.  This can quickly lead to a scattered look at home.  How to integrate these pieces into a functioning home without ending up with that feeling of living in a nursing home or in a capsule home?  Not that there is anything wrong with living in a capsule home but I, for one, prefer to live in a home that works and functions for modern life and doesn't have that dreaded museum-like quality.  Holidays, however, are the perfect time to pull out vintage pieces without worrying about being over the top kitschy.  Would you like a sneak peek at my Easter decorating?

I'm in love with vintage skirt hangers.  I do find that bulletin boards can look messy very quickly.  These hangers with their multiple clips are the perfect way to display cards and other pretties.  If you have paper ephemera that is vintage or antique and you don't want to stick a pin through them, the clips are a great way of displaying such items without damaging them.  Plus, you can quickly rotate out your display with the season or holiday.

Who doesn't love vintage crepe paper honeycomb decorations?  I'm such a child with these things.  It's magical how they look flat and boring folded up and then you unfold them and they blossom into overwhelming cuteness.  Below, I have a pair of vintage papier mache chicks.  They open up so that you can hide sweet treats inside their tummies.

I knew I wanted to display them but wasn't sure where or how.  

Personally, I've found that the trick to integrating vintage pieces into a modern home is to find a use for them such as the skirt hanger or else to use them as accents or punctuation marks where they get tucked into the existing decor.  I sneaked the chicks into the tablescape vignette I already had assembled on a dresser.

And, of course, what is Easter without eggs?

But not just any eggs will do but egg dioramas!  Hee, hee.  Do you decorate for Easter?  Do you go all out with your holiday/seasonal decor or do you tuck little bits in here and there?

I'm linking up with Ivy and Elephants, Thrifty Groove, Sir Thrift A Lot, A Living Space, A Stroll Thru Life, Apron Thrift Girl, The Charm of Home,  and My Romantic Home.

Keeping House

When I was a little girl, I loved to play house.  Did you play this game?  I don't love it quite so much now.  I am not a "Clean Nazi" by any stretch of the imagination but I am not fond of living in a sty either.  The problem is that I live with someone who has to be the messiest person on the planet.  I guess I should have known what I was in for when we were dating and I would visit his bachelor pad.  He told me that he used to lie in bed and watch his friend Ms. Spider make her daily circuit back and forth across the ceiling going from web to another.  I know spiders help keep the insect population under control but, between you and me, they give me the creeps.  I prefer them outdoors rather than hanging over my head.  Sometimes, I wonder if I will make it to a happy old age and be like the elderly couple below:

Thrifted vintage sweetness.  If you have any information on the elderly couple, please let me know.



Then I think of the decades  and decades of cleaning that faces me and I begin to feel a little alarmed.  I would like to end up like this but a bit less wrinkled:

Thrifted vintage Quebec folk art



I think I need to call in the big guns.  I was so thrilled when I found out that Williams-Sonoma carries my best friend, Bar Keeper's Friend.  I'd heard about it from other vintage loving bloggers who use it to clean off years of grime off things like vintage Pyrex.
 

I panic when my supply begins to run low as the Williams-Sonoma near my home is constantly selling out of it.  And no, this isn't an infomercial for the stuff.  I use it and I have no idea what's in it but it's like magic.  I think part of being able to complete a job successfully is having the right tools.  And having good looking tools is a bonus.  Lately I have been obsessing over Kaufmann Mercantile.  Why have I never heard of this mecca before?

Kaufmann Mercantile Enamel Dust Pan & Hand Broom

One of their slogans is "Products That Will Outlast You."  Whoa!  Those are fighting words.  And no, this isn't an infomercial for Kaufmann either.  The shipping to Canada is quite hefty and so, for the moment, I can only ogle the dust pan.   I asked one of my best friends once how she dealt with the housekeeping.  I've always remembered her answer which was 1) Forget about attaining perfection and be happy with "good enough" and 2) Get a housekeeper.  Haha, I think the second option is out of the question or rather has already been taken care of because I AM the housekeeper.  Tell me, do you live with a messy person?  How do you deal with it?

I am linking up with Apron Thrift Girl, A Stroll Thru Life, A Living Space, Sir Thrift A Lot, Ivy and Elephants and Thrifty Groove.

 

 

Message Me

Are you a fashionista?  Do you long for the "It" bag of the season?  I'm the type of girl who has a favourite handbag, uses it everyday until it looks more shabby than chic then goes hunting for another handbag.  However, it occurred to me, as I plowed through endless snow and ice with groceries dangling from each hand, that having a handbag dangling from one arm along with said groceries whilst trying to keep my balance was not exactly convenient or safe.    As I looked around, I noticed that most people were sporting cross-body messenger bags which left their hands free.  What a revelation!  So the hunt was on.  Looking around online I found this:

Proenza Schouler PS1 Messenger

Did you notice the price tag ($1945.00)?  No....Really?  How about this one:



Coach Bleecker Suede Messenger


The price tag is a little bit better (I say this tongue in cheek) but still...really?  I think my guardian angel was looking out for me, though, or I had messenger bags on my mind because what do I find out thrifting?

Oddly enough, it was in the pots and pans section.  I fell in love with it on the spot.  The suede is velvety soft and the caramel colour works perfectly with the boots I picked up during the Boxing Day sales.  The cost?  About the price of a sandwich.  The little Scotty Terrier was my own touch to personalize the bag and make it mine.

And as if that wasn't enough, shortly afterwards, I found another messenger bag this time in the clothing section which is a little less strange than the pots and pans section.  This one is in smooth leather and is a bit bigger.

The cost of this one?  The price of a sandwich and a drink.  Two messenger bags and two different looks.  I think the suede one is more casual and has a bit of a hippie vibe to it and the smooth leather one has a more scholastic air to it.  I can't decide which one I prefer.  Which do you prefer?  Let me know your preference and help me decide.

And speaking of bags or things that hold other things, my lucky streak continued because I won this darling pins and needles book from Jeanette Ann during her Heirloom Treasures blog giveaway.

 

This is the first time I've won anything on a blog giveaway and I was so, so thrilled to hear that I'd won something!  Do check out her lovely blog.  So I have lots of bags to stroke and ooh and aah over this week.  I think I've moved from a one handbag girl to a wannabe fashionista with a "collection" and all for the price of a couple of sandwiches (and a drink).  Tell me, do you have a collection of handbags?

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, Coastal Charm, A Stroll Thru Life, A Living Space, Ivy and Elephants, and Thrifty Groove.



 



Winter Organizing

Are you in the depths of winter or are you bathed in sunshine?  Old Man Winter blasted my city with lots of snow and freezing temperatures this week.  Here's how it looked in my neighbourhood. 

Please forgive the poor quality of the photos as they were taken with my camera phone, the wind was howling, the snow was sleeting into my face and my fingers were frozen popsicles.

Now is the time to stay close to hearth and home.  Even though it's not yet Spring,  I have been feeling the onset of Spring Fever.  I've been wanting to organize my kitchen cupboards for some time and, when I thrifted a vintage Dymo labelmaker complete in a box with extra rolls of tape, I was thrilled.

Do you see what the label on the Dymo labelmaker says?  I was so touched when I saw that.  I've decided to leave it on.  Is that a strange thing to do?  For some reason, I feel like, whoever once owned it, is happy that his old Christmas present has found a new owner who appreciates it and is making good use out of it.  Perhaps I'm letting my imagination run away with me?

I had so much fun making labels for my jars.  I know, such a nerdy thing to admit. I used to just cut the label off the packet and pop it into the jar.  However, I found that only worked for large jars and even then it was tricky because the label was often obscured by the contents.  With the jars labelled front and center, I know what the contents are as soon as I open my cupboard doors.

I have a weakness for vintage jars.  I keep my lentils in a vintage French "Le Parfait" mason jar.  I don't come across them too often and, when I do, the rubber gasket is more likely than not, dried up and cracked.  I don't know if it is possible to buy new replacement rubber seals or gaskets?  As I had pulled out my pantry jars, I took the opportunity to wipe down the shelves and do a bit of reorganizing.  I was appalled at the state of the shelves.  I am embarrassed to admit that there was a good quantity of crumbs and spillage.  Now things that I use most often are near the front and lesser used things are towards the back.  I'm very relieved that that is one household project I can tick off the to-do list.

I hope that, if you are snowed in, that you are keeping warm.  Let me know what you've been doing to keep yourself occupied.  Do you have Spring Fever or cabin fever?  If you are in a warmer clime, please send some sunshine my way!

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, Coastal Charm, Ivy and Elephants, Knick of Time, Sumo's Sweet Stuff and the Thrifty Groove.

Coming Full Circle

Have you ever felt a responsibility to do something, for whatever reason wasn't able to discharge that responsibility and felt the burden of that responsibility weighing on your shoulders like an albatross?  I did, for many, many years.  As this is a thrifting post, how does this relate to thrifting?  Let me backtrack a little.  Twenty-five years ago, a friend of my father gave him a figurine of three owls.  When my parents moved to the States, I offered to help by having a garage sale at their house to clear out unwanted things.  I don't think my mother liked the figurine very much as she plucked it off the mantel and gave it to me to put into the garage sale.  When my father found out, he's wasn't thrilled to say the least.  I felt so, so guilty about happened.  Back then, there was no eBay or Etsy so I had no idea how to replace it.  I didn't know who the maker was and, when eBay came on the scene, various searches were fruitless.  Then guess what I saw when I was out thrifting?

I couldn't believe my eyes!  And the feeling of relief after such a long search was indescribable.  It occurred to me that my father has quite likely forgotten the event as he's a very organized person who doesn't believe in accumulating clutter.  A few thoughts have crossed my mind about the futility of guilt but that is a discussion for another post and another day.

It has a copyright stamp on it of 1972 so no surprise that it took a while for me to find it.  I admit that it is quite ugly.  In fact, I can't even say that it is jolie-laide as the French would describe something that is so peculiarly ugly as to be pretty.  In this case, though, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, right now,  looking at it, I feel light as air as if I've come full circle in life.  I can't wait for Father's Day to come around to give it to my father.  Speaking of coming full circle, I did thrift something just for myself and which is 180 degrees opposite the owls in terms of beauty.

Yes, my first Nuutajarvi piece with the label still attached!  As the label still says Nuutajarvi, I assume that this is an older piece before the company merged with Iittala.  In any event, I la-la-love it.  The pattern is "Dewdrop" and what could be a lovelier name?  And really, there is something so wondrously pretty about the concentric little drops of glass and the way they sparkle in the sun.

Do you have a thrifting story to share where you found something after a long, long search?  Something that has been on your thrifting bucket list for what seems like forever?  Or maybe you are still searching?  Let me know so that we can celebrate (or commiserate) together!

I 'm linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, Ivy and Elephants, Apron Thrift Girl, Remnant PDX, Knick of Time, A Living Space, Coastal Charm, and Thrifty Groove.

Light My World

The weather has been Arctic-like lately and not conducive at all towards outdoor meanderings.  For some reason though, it occurred to me that there might be people who, like me, are in the throes of New Year's resolutions and are madly decluttering and getting rid of  unwanted things.  And with the freezing temperatures, I reckoned there would be less likelihood of competing with vintage obsessed shoppers who, like me, are looking for the find of the decade.  So out into the cold I went.  And I was so glad I did.  Because I found something that rendered me speechless.  What is it? A mint in the box, never used, tags still attached, vintage light up hanging globe!  Yes, I know!

Really, it was like seeing a mythical creature like a unicorn come clip clopping down the street.  All you can do is stare with your eyes popping out of your head at least 2 inches and your jaw hitting your knees.  I am thinking I will keep the tags on it forever.  Kidding.  Not really.  I am thinking of gauging holes in the wall so that I can hang it up, turn it on and stare at it in a hypnotic trance.  Kidding.  Not really.  I am thinking of keeping it in the box, placing everything on a red velvet pillow and then displaying it in a clear glass box the way the Prince did with Cinderella's glass slipper.  Kidding.  Not really.  Here is a shot of the box.

At the time, I had exactly enough money on me to buy it.  The money was supposed to have been allocated towards important necessary things like groceries and toilet paper.  It was a fair amount of money for a thrifted item and, even though I knew deep down inside that this baby was coming home with me, I did think for a decent amount of time about whether I should indeed buy it.  And all I could think was, "I will eat beans and rice for the next month, I don't care.  I will use wadded up newspaper, I don't care."

Oftentimes, I come across the most fabulous things like amazing furniture but have to pass them by because of lack of space or funds.  And I dream of how wonderful it would be to be given carte blanche on someone else's home and fill it with fabulous treasures.  But lack of space or no, this globe was coming home with me.  When I did bring it home, Monsieur said that I should take it to an antique store and try to sell it.  I just nodded my head.

  

It comes with lovely brass wall fittings and would look fantastic in a child's room or a den or study. Or in a corner somewhere in my direct line of sight.  Sigh.  Funnily enough, I don't collect globes as they are obviously large and round and take up space in a home where space is at a premium.  But a light up mint globe?  I think I can make room for that.  Have you ever come across something that defied common sense which you just had to have?  Please let me know I'm not alone!

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, Coastal Charm, Ivy and Elephants, Apron Thrift Girl,  Remnant PDX, Knick of Time, A Living Space and Thrifty Groove.

Valentine's Day Glitter Boxes

Have you recovered from the Festive Season?  My mother's birthday is in January and, by the time, it arrives, I am clean out of ideas and cash.  And then following on the heels of January birthdays is Valentine's Day.  It's hard to believe that Valentine's Day is just around the corner. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling a little stretched right now in terms of budget and creativity.  As luck would have it, I had saved a couple of cute heart shaped boxes in my craft stash.  They used to hold chocolates and I held on to them because I loved their shape. But any fun shaped little box will do. I had some vintage glitter on hand as well.

What I did was brush white glue on to the top as I wanted to cover up the label.  Then, just sprinkle madly with glitter.  Warning:  while lots of fun, inevitably, you will get glitter everywhere.  Then, shake off the excess.

I had a can of spray on adhesive but I found that, for such a small surface area, a brush and glue was more effective.  However, if after shaking off the excess, you see any bald spots, trying to add on more glue with a brush can be messy so this is where a quick spritz of adhesive is convenient.  I didn't do anything to the sides as luckily, the colours go with a Valentine's Day theme and didn't have any labels to cover up.  As they used to hold chocolates, they were clean on the inside.  But you might want to line your boxes with parchment if you want to place food items inside.  Now, they are perfect for hiding sweet treats or a little present.

Luckily, I had picked up a couple of monogram mugs from the Boxing Day Sales.  The 'Q' mug is for Monsieur and the 'C' mug is for me of course.  I do wish the font of the 'C' was like the font of the 'Q' instead of cursive but that's just me being picky.  There's an upper case letter on one side and a lawer case letter on the other side.  Perfect for sharing a cup of tea together.
Or, to make your special one feel that extra special, a tray all for him or herself.

Simple, quick and easy (except for chasing after all that glitter), that's my kind of craft!  One of my intentions this year is to try to exercise my creative muscle a bit more.  So, if you have any Valentine's Day creative ideas, tips or crafts to share, please let me know or feel free to share a link in the comments as I need some inspiration!

I'm linking up with My Romantic Home, The Charm of Home, A Stroll Thru Life, French Country Cottage.