Happy Birthday Mister(s) President

{Via}

Once upon a time, the third Monday in February was called Washington's Birthday (which is still it's official designation), rather than Presidents' Day as it's commonly referred to now. (If you're interested in the full history, check out this Wikipedia entry). Just think, in the early 1900's we would have sent each other postcards like the one above. 

In honor of both the 1st and 16th President of the United States, whose birthday's are in February, I thought I'd share some vintage Etsy finds to make your home a little more presidential. 

{Via}

These George Washington bookends have the perfect amount of wear to make them interesting.

{Via}

Wouldn't these 1938 1 cent stamps look great framed all together?
 

{Via}

One of the most unusual things I found, this baking mold would be amazing repurposed into art.

{Via}

No longer relegated to Grandma's house, plate collections can also be used to create visually interesting displays. This plate with President Lincoln's image would be a good addition.

{Via}

This beautiful children's book detailing Lincoln's life is attractive enough to display, but also educational.

{Via}

I've been on the hunt for a large print of President Lincoln for quite some time, but have only managed to find one of President Washington. While this rare 1885 Bierstadt is out of my price range, it would be a stunning focal point in any room. 

For those who are lucky enough to have the day off- enjoy it! For those who are hard at work- I hope it's quick and productive! 

Finds to Fancy

It has been a long time since I've done a Finds to Fancy! I think that's mostly due to the fact I haven't been doing much hunting lately. However, I did do a little thrifting while I was in Utah awhile back and I hit one estate sale this morning, so I thought I'd share my favorite finds from those outings.

This set of brass candlesticks in varied heights came from a thrift shop in Vegas that I popped into on my way home from Utah. I love that the whole set was still together.

The estate sale I went to earlier today was not a great one, but the lady of the house must have loved Guatemalan weaving- there were wall hangings, fabrics, jackets, tops, and tons of those little zippered coin purses. I spotted this tote at the bottom of a pile in a closet and after discovering it was quite clean and in really good shape decided it'd be fun for a summer bag. It even (almost) matches a long table runner/weaving I had picked up in another room.

This weekend I'm heading to the Long Beach flea market to do some prop shopping for my class at The Vintage Whites Market next month, so hopefully I'll have a good Finds to Fancy for you next week.

What have you found lately? I'd love to see! You can either tag me on Instagram (@gatherandhunt) or send me a photo to share here on a future Finds to Fancy.

Happy weekend! It's 80 degrees here today so we are eating dinner outside- but first I've gotta get the patio table cleaned up. What are your plans? Something fun I hope!

The Language of Flowers

When I was young I found a Hallmark card organizer at a yard sale. Inside was a list of some of the more common flowers and their meanings. While I certainly don't only choose flowers for their meaning, I have been fascinated by the Victorian practice of crafting a bouquet to have a specific meaning ever since finding that Hallmark list.

Now you probably know that a red rose is a symbol of love, but did you know that there's an entire language of flowers? I thought I'd share a few blooms that would make more unique choices for Valentine's Day this year.

Tulips. In a shade of red, a tulip symbolizes perfect love, making it a great choice for your love on Valentine's Day. Tulips are also more affordable than red roses, and bring a welcome touch of spring at this time of the year. I've never been much of a rose person, so I'd take tulips any day over roses.

Ranunculus. In any color, ranunculus symbolize captivation, or being 'dazzled'. One of my favorite flowers, ranunculus come in a huge range of colors, usually cost less than $10 per bunch, and are one of the first blooms of the spring so they're usually easy to find around this time.

 

Yellow roses. Like I said, I've never been much of a rose person, but spray roses, especially once they've opened up, can be really beautiful, and since they have a milder scent than long stemmed or wild roses, they are a good choice for someone who is sensitive to fragrance. A yellow rose, of any variety, symbolizes friendship and joy- a perfect way to show a close friend a little love- after all, Valentine's Day isn't just for couples.

Want to get a little more creative? Try crafting a bouquet to say just what you mean. This arrangement I made would be perfect for revealing to someone that you care about them, since ranunculus say 'you're captivating' and a maiden hair fern expresses secret love.

If you're interested in learning more about what flowers are saying, there are a number of websites with some of the more common flowers listed, like Teleflora's. I also discovered a beautiful book by Mandy Kirby- The Language of Flowers: A Miscellany- a wonderful resource with lovely illustrations on the subject.

Easy Valentine's Get Together

I know not everyone is into Valentine's Day, but I've always loved it (and I only had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day once ever before getting married). Give me an excuse to A)give people I love gifts, and B) host parties, and I'm all in.

For those who aren't totally on the anti-Valentine's train, I thought it would be fun to put together an easy little party that's perfect for everyone from couples, to all your single to friends, to any combination in between.

Taking my cues from the ombre theme I've been using this year, I choose some food and drinks that fit into the palette and did a minor amount of quick decorating to go along with it.

A few quick, but slightly fancy snacks, displayed on simple platters (I mostly used my vintage Milk Glass collection) make an impression, without taking up a ton of time. My choices were:

Prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe slices
Watermelon wedges
Rustic bread with herb butter (recipe/how to make heart shaped butter below)
Salami
Cheese plate with heart shaped crackers

Of course, any easy to whip up snacks/appetizers that you fancy will work.

To make the butter you'll need:

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
6 large basil leaves, finely cut (preferably chiffonade aka in fine ribbons)
2 Tbsp. parmesan
2 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Heart shaped ice tray (available at Michaels in the Valentine's Day stuff)

Whisk all ingredients together until combined. Using an offset spatula, fill each compartment of the ice tray, scraping the spatula across the top until even. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Butter pats will pop out easily once chilled.

For sweets, I put out those ombre sugar cookies I shared last week, and a candy assortment in matching colors (jelly beans and valentine M&M's, which we sorted by color). For a quick (and affordable) display I placed the candies in simple glass candle holders from Michaels and added a few vintage scoops for serving.

For a festive touch at the bar, choose a signature cocktail that takes it's cues from your chosen color palette. Add a non-alcoholic option in a coordinating color- which will be appreciated by those who don't imbibe. For our get together, I picked the Cherry Blossom (a drink I created last spring- recipe below) and a pretty blood orange soda.

To make the Cherry Blossom you'll need:

Luxardo (or other maraschino liqueur)
Sparkling water
Almond extract
Homemade cherry grenadine
Cocktail cherries
Ice

The cherry grenadine is quick and easy to make:

Homemade Cherry Grenadine (adapted from a Chow recipe for traditional Grenadine)

1 c. cherry juice (100% juice, unsweetened)
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 drops orange flower water

Heat cherry juice in saucepan until hot (not boiling)- small bubbles will form around the edge of the pan and steam will be rising. Remove from heat. Add sugar and stir until no longer cloudy. Add lemon juice and orange flower water. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to jar/bottle with tight fitting lid. Grenadine will keep for 1 month if refrigerated.

Make the grenadine the day before and you'll be ready to mix up the drink. In a tumbler (or a stemless wine glass) mix:

1 oz. Luxardo
3 Tbsp. cherry grenadine
1-2 drops of almond extract

Top with sparkling water and add ice. Garnish with cocktail cherry or a lemon wedge. For a true Cherry Blossom, skip the lemon wedge and top with a float of half 'n half. (Note- don't use milk instead of half 'n half- it curdles more easily and though it won't affect the taste of the drink, it doesn't look pretty. My apologies to our party guests who had to learn this with me the hard way).

If you want to let guests mix their own drinks, add the almond extract to some of the grenadine ahead of time and place in a small bottle (I even made a silly 'love potion' tag for mine).

To add another layer of Valentine's charm to these drinks I made some heart shaped iced cubes in those silicone ice trays. At our actual party (rather than the photo shoot version), I added some chopped up cocktail cherries before freezing so the cubes would be pink.

For a few final touches, I used washi tape to fancy up some glass jars for a straw container and some candle holders. Just pick a few colors/patterns of tape and go to town with whatever pattern suits you. Once the party is over you can just remove the tape and use the jars for something else.

To finish up the festivities, head outside with some heart sparklers- a fun and memorable end to the day. (Sadly, I forgot about this part at our actual party so the mister and I lit a few by ourselves later in the weekend- sorry friends)!

A few sources:

Striped straws- mine are from Oh Hello Friend's new brick and mortar shop, but if you're not in the LA area, check with your local party goods stores or boutiques that carry cute things or craft supplies. Sur la table also carries a small selection of straws. For online purchases- there are a multitude of shops on Etsy that carry straws in a variety of colors and patterns.

Heart sparklers- again, I purchased mine at Oh Hello Friend, but they are from Tops Malibu and come in two sizes.

Heart shaped crackers- Valley Lavosh brand, which are available at Kroger grocery stores and probably others as well- try calling to see if your local store carries them.

Interior Styling Workshop at The Vintage Whites Market

I have some exciting news today! The lovely ladies at The Vintage Whites Market have invited me teach an interior styling workshop at their Salt Lake City market on March 9th.

For this inaugural workshop I'll be sharing how to create curated displays with things you love. We'll cover concepts like layering objects, layering patterns and color, telling a story with objects, and editing your collections so that the best items stand out. There will be lots of time to practice creating displays with an array of fun vintage items that I'll be bringing, or you're welcome to bring things from home (or items you've purchased at the market). You'll go home with a few pieces that will work well in any vintage display, as well as photos of your practice work for reference and new skills to use in curating your own home.

I'm so pleased to be a part of The Vintage Whites Market and I'm really looking forward to meeting all the attendees and doing a little shopping at the market (it'll be my first time and I've heard great things)! There are other workshops being offerred as well, including calligraphy with Melissa Esplin from I Still Love Calligraphy, floral arranging with Studio Stems and chromatography with Bear Cave Studios.

Click here to register. 

If you'll be attending the class, or the market, please leave me a comment to let me know- I'd love to meet you!

If Salt Lake is too far, but you're interested in attending or hosting an interior styling workshop with me, please send me an email (danae{at}gatherandhuntvintage{dot}com) so we can try and make it happen.

DIY: String Art for Valentine's Day

I know, I know- another DIY? I promise- this isn't becoming a craft blog, I've just been having a lot of fun crafting lately and thought maybe you would all like to join in on the fun.

1960's string art {Via Little Byrd Vintage}

Have you noticed that string art is making a comeback? Based on activities, meant to make math concepts available to children, created by the mathematician Mary Everest Boole in the late 19th century, string art became popular as craft in the late 1960's.

String art from the Bing lounge at Alt Summit {Via Camille Styles}

Today, string art is popping up everywhere. There were even several impressive string art installations at Alt Summit this year, which sparked the idea for this DIY.

Keeping with the ombre theme I decided on for Valentine's Day this year, the mister and I created a few pieces of string art perfect for the holiday, but simple enough to use for other occasions as well (weddings, anniversary parties, etc).

Ready to make your own piece of string art?

You'll need:

A stencil for the pattern you want to make. I just picked a font I liked and printed out large letters. (The font I used is Trend Sans 5, available from My Font and on sale right now).

Wood- for this design I used a piece of basswood 12 in x 6 in (available at craft/hobby stores)

Cut tacks no longer than 7/16 inch, depending on the thickness of your wood. I choose copper tacks to match the colors of my thread, but they also come in silver and black. Other DIY's for string art use other kinds of nails or tacks- choose what you prefer, just make sure they have a decent sized head.

Embroidery thread in desired colors. For the ombre look I used three colors (DMC #351, #352, #967)

Hammer (I had the best results with my short and stubby hammer, but any size will do)

Pliers (preferably bent nose jewelry pliers)

Scissors

Washi tape (or any light tack, removable tape)

Optional:

Ruler (to measure the space between tacks)

Self healing mat (to protect your work surface)

Let's get started...

One.

Cut out your stencil. For letters, don't worry about cutting out the inside of letters like 'o', 'a', etc.

Two.

Using the washi tape, tape your stencil down to the wood. Be careful to not place the tape close to the edges.

Three.

Line your stencil with tacks. Use the pliers to hold the tack while you hammer it into the wood. This will save your fingers and keep the tack from going in at an angle.

Four.

Remove the paper stencil by gently pulling it through the tacks. Don't worry if a tack pops out- just hammer it back in.

Five.

Start your thread by tying a double knot around one of the tacks (start where ever makes sense to you, it doesn't really matter).

Six.

Line the section you're working on (if you're only doing one color, line the whole shape). You'll need to decide which makes the straightest line- lining the inside or outside of the tacks- then loop the thread around each tack to secure it.

Seven.

Begin filling the design in by crisscrossing the string around the tacks. This is fairly free form, just make sure to cover the whole section by looping around different tacks and using different angles until you're pleased with the design.

Eight.

To finish a section after it's filled in simply tie another double knot by looping the end of the thread around a tack and knotting it.

Continue steps five through eight until each section is complete, and you're done!

There are countless designs you can use for a string art project, we did two word designs and one large heart, all using an ombre pattern. What design will you use? If you make your own string art I'd love to see it! Send me a photo or tag me on Instagram (I'm @gatherandhunt).

P.S. Special thanks to my mister for being the hands in this shoot. It's the first time I've done a DIY where I didn't have to fake complete a step with my left hand while shooting with my right (I really need a better tripod).

Round 'Em Up: DIY Valentines

In what is now an annual tradition (this post last year was wildly popular), I thought I'd share my favorite Valentine's Day DIY's.

Love these arrows and quiver from Sugar and Cloth! The way to my heart is definitely with arrows. Ashley even incorporated date night ideas into the craft, so they're more than just a valentine.

This printable astronaut valentine from Dandee Designs is great for kids, kids at heart, or if you happen to know an astronaut. (Ha ha).

With this big blizzard making it's way over the east coast, these handwarmers from Armommy would be a welcome valentine. Armommy even has the fabric you see for sale, or you can use your own.

For some old school charm (at least for those of us born pre text messages and email), these junior high love notes from Assemble are perfect! Plus, you probably already have notebook paper and pen.

An easy, and useful valentine, these rulers from Thompson and Spring would be perfect to send off to school with the kids since they'll meet even the strictest food/allergy policies.

When I first saw these honey stick valentines from Smile and Wave, I actually said "genius" out loud. Brilliant and cute. That Rachel is so clever!

A project that might take a bit more skill, but will be useful long past Valentine's Day, these heart coin purses from Fabric Paper Glue are made of leather, but you could substitue a heavy vinyl if leather's not your thing.

Lastly, my very favorite of the bunch- this awesome gilded dinosaur valentine from Lovely Indeed! You may not know this, but my husband and I love dinosaurs, and we even have a collection of dino toys that we pick up whenever we win tickets from skee ball. This clever, but easy dinosaur would definitely be a hit in our house. This one would even work for the Valentine's haters in your life (since he's eating the cute little hearts), right?

What are you making for Valentine's Day this year? I've been working on a few string art projects which I'll be sharing on Monday. Tonight we're having a little V-Day get together with some friends so I'm headed off to get all the last minute details taken care of.

Have an awesome weekend!

In the Kitchen: Ombre Frosted Sugar Cookies

I'm trying another new feature today- In the Kitchen. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do- I used to do it for a living in fact-so I figured it was about time to share that part of my life here at Gather and Hunt. 

For Valentine's Day this year I picked a slightly less traditional palette of corals and peaches and realized that these colors lend themselves well to the ongoing ombre trend. Sugar cookies have always been one of my favorite Valentine's treats (my mom used to make really pretty ones each year), so I quickly decided on this combo of ombre and tasty sugar cookies. 

I prefer a soft, chewy sugar cookie so I used this recipe. This is the second time I've used it and I think it's a winner. The recipe isn't written for rolled cookies, but I just divided the dough into quarters, refrigerated it for a few hours, rolled it out, and cut it with a heart shaped cutter. Depending on how thin you roll the dough out, you might need to decrease the bake time by a minute or two.

For the icing, I tried something I haven't done before- royal icing with meringue powder. I used this Joy of Baking recipe, and pretty much stuck to it, except I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of almond extract (more than was called for) and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla- I hate the taste of powdered sugar, so I always use more flavoring than is called for.

I sorted through a few different techniques for achieving the ombre look with the icing, and though I didn't end up using it (I did try)- I settled on this one as the best. Using Wilton's 'Creamy Peach' gel food coloring, I made four shades, each a little bit darker than the last. A little goes a long way with the gel color, so always start with less than you think you'll need- you can always add more. 

Loosely based on that technique, I'll walk you through what I did.

To keep the cookie from getting overloaded with icing, I started with a crumb coat. Just add a little more water to a portion of the royal icing until it's the consistency of runny sour cream and brush it on. Let dry for a few hours until completely set. 

Once the crumb coat is dry, set up your decorating station. Depending on how many cookies you're decorating, you'll probably want to sit since it takes awhile. I laid out parchment paper on our table to protect it from stains from the food coloring. Since I only have two cloth pastry bags, I picked some disposable ones for this project. Setting the bags inside a glass will keep the icing from getting all over. 

You'll be working with one color at a time- icing all the cookies in that color before moving on to the next. The timing usually works out so that by the time you've finished one color, the cookies you iced first are set and ready for the next color. 

It actually took me two layers of color to figure this out, but the easiest method was to pipe icing onto the area I wanted covered first. 

Next, to even out the coverage, I used a small paint brush (a new one) to gently push the icing around until the whole area was iced. Since I opted not to pipe a border, I just made sure each color of icing reached all the way down the sides of the cookies.

See- that top layer of icing looks much better than the bottom two-proof that things are often trial and error, even in blog land. Instead of re-doing them, I figured you could learn from my mistake. 

After letting them dry for a few hours, the icing should be set and the cookies are ready to go. Though they're not perfect, I still think they turned out pretty cute.

Just to add some variety, I made a few big hearts and thought I'd try a slightly different design- using concentric hearts. The mister and I were talking about Care Bear hearts the other day and this reminds me of that design. Again, not perfect, but cute. 

If the icing is fully set on these cookies they can be stacked and packaged- perfect for giving as a Valentine. I plan to use mine at the ombre party I'll be posting later this week.

So, what do you think of this new feature? I'd love to hear your thoughts- just comment below. 

DIY: Easy Triangle Hair Clips

{Silly photo via Smilebooth for Method}

A few weeks ago, while planning this outfit (for a party at Alt), I couldn't find the right hair accessories for that dress, which I really wanted to wear. I'm not very talented in the hair-do department, so I really depend on accessories to bring a little something special to my party hair. Not wanting to waste any more time searching the stores, I decided to craft something up. 

These little triangle clips were a breeze to whip up, and I got loads of compliments on them as well (I even made a few extras to gift to a few blogger friends). Want to make some for yourself? Well read along and you'll learn how. 

Triangle Hair Clips

Time: 20 minutes (plus 10 minutes drying time)

Materials:

Metallic 'pleather belting' (I found mine in the ribbon/trim section at Joann's)

Bobby pins

Jewelry glue (or any glue you like that has good hold and works with fabric and metal)

Self healing mat

Metal straight edge

Exacto knife (or scissors if you don't have one)

Clamps or clips (optional)

Sheet of paper towel to dry on

One.

Start by deciding what kind of triangle you want. I picked an equilateral (or close to it) since it was the easiest to measure and cut (an equilateral has sides of equal length). Line your straight edge up where you want to make the first cut, then run the Exacto knife along the straight edge, pressing hard. Remove the scrap piece. 

Two.

Now line the straight edge up where you will make your next cut. Repeat step one. 

Repeat steps one and two until you have the desired number of triangles.

Three.

Flip the triangle over. You'll see it has a slit in the material. 

Gently peel the larger end away.

Flip the opened up piece over. 

Four.

Take your Exacto knife and make a small slit, parallel to the fold. The slit need not be any longer than 1/4 in. 

Five. 

Insert the bobby pin into the slit until the bend in the pin reaches the edge of the slit.

Six. 

Flip the piece back over. Apply a thin coat of glue to half of the pleather material (the half the slit is on). Be careful not to apply too much, and avoid applying glue too close to the slit.

Seven. 

Fold the material back into a triangle and press together. 

To ensure an extra secure hold, use clamps or clips. If using a metal clamp/clip, fold a small piece of paper towel up and place it between the sides of the clip to keep it from leaving a mark on the material. 

Eight.

Let dry for 10 minutes or so (depending on what kind of glue you used). 

Done! Easy, right? If you make these for yourself, I'd love to see a picture of them! Tag me on Instagram (gatherandhunt) or email them to me! 

Are you enjoying these DIY's? I know they're not vintage, but hopefully you like them anyway? I love hearing your feedback, so please let me know what you think!

A Peek Inside: Oh Hello Friend Shop Opening

This past Friday night the mister and I had the honor of visiting the new Oh Hello Friend shop! I was so excited to check out the fruit of all the hard work Danni, and her mister, Nick have been doing over the last few months.

They did a killer job. The little shop is just amazing and full of all kinds of carefully curated goodies!

The shop is the Oh Hello Friend blog brought to life! From fantastic party goods (which as you can see in the photo above, I bought loads of), to all of the fun jewelry that Danni usually takes to shows, and of course, lovely vintage, and really affordable reproduction vintage, pieces.

What I loved most were the amazing vintage fixtures all around the shop! They really just bring such great charm to the space and make for beautiful displays.

The party itself was done just as nicely as the shop. There was amazing food, lovely drinks, a photo booth, a DIY station, and even live music by the talented duo Me and Mr. Cassidy (who had the window sill as their 'stage'). It was so fun to see the shop packed full of people out to support Danni and Nick. I truly felt honored to be included in this little preview party. 

I opted not to bring my 'good' camera, so all I have for you are these phone pics, but Danni will be posting some professional photos of the shop later this week, so check those out to get a better sense of the awesomeness.

If you live in the LA or Orange County area, plan a visit to Oh Hello Friend. It's located in downtown Fullerton at 122 N Harbor Blvd, Suite 103. There are many other cute little shops in the area and they even have regular flea markets nearby, so you can make a day of it!

Many thanks to Danni and Nick for inviting us to be a part of such a special night!

Introductions (or the Business Cards of Alt Summit)

If you've been, or even heard about Alt Summit, you probably know that business cards are a big deal there.

Everyone really goes all out- lots of color, unusual shapes and sizes...

My Childish, A Ruffled Life, We Love Citrus, Love Creative, Small for Big, Tanya Wang (MSN), Squirrelly Minds, Melissa Esplin, Blogging it Forward, Piece of Cake//Peace of Mind, Lovely Indeed.

...cards with creative little bonus gifts...

Pictilio, Grassroots Modern, Roundhouse Designs, Sharon McMullen, South Holly Road, Plastolux, Restyle Source, Raincoast Cottage.

...and of course, lots of letterpress! Holly's card, in the top right corner, was something I'd never seen before- flocked paper with foiled letterpress- definitely a cool one. 

Ravenna Girls, Paper n Stitch, Scout, Michelle Edgemont

There were cards from friends I made last year (which somehow all match each other!). 

And even from a friend I made a very long time ago- Sarah from Ringos Girl and I are friends from high school and hadn't seen each other in 10 years! 

While there are hundreds of great business cards at Alt, and even greater people that go with those cards, I wanted to make sure to introduce you to some of my new friends, who have great blogs or businesses I think you'll love.

Melanie/Mobile & Making. Melanie and I were on the thrift store tour together and I loved how smart and funny she was. She also gave me valuable advice to help me decide between two necklaces, so she's a great shopping buddy. The special version of her card is one of my faves- with a little leather card case and a pocket square, both of which she made. Her blog is filled with wonderful creative projects and she's launching a shop soon!

Jana/Vintage Whites Market. Jana and I have become e-friends over the last year (and she currently lives in my homestate), so I was really excited to spend some time with her in real life! She and her best friend started a lovely vintage market together which keeps growing, and now includes a Spring show in Salt Lake City which I'll be participating in (details about that later). Jana rocked an amazing array of vintage dresses, including a floor length 1920's style fringed dress that was the talk of the mini parties. 

  

Leslie Fandrich. I began keeping up with Leslie on Twitter about a month ago and she seemed like an amazing person so I was eager to meet her. She certainly proved me right. One of my favorite moments of the whole week was a conversation she and I had about her finding all these beautiful letters between her grandparents. I love her card because not only is it letterpress, but she designed and hand-drew all the elements- so talented.

Natalie/The Field Trip Co. Natalie and I sat next to each other at a round table session and the awesome waxed canvas bag she was carrying drew me to her. Then she busted out these card/notebook combos and I knew we'd get along- isn't her branding beautiful? Turns out she runs a business taking people out on actual field trips, and she recently moved to Seattle. Amazing, right? I'm so excited to see how her business grows in it's new Seattle location- I know it's going to be a hit.

Kait/Yuppie Love. Kait and I met at the first event of the week and discovered we had several accessories in common (thankfully we didn't wear them at the same time). Kait is so genuine, and her blog is as beautiful and stylish as she is. She hails from Calgary Canada, and is doing a Valentine's Day workshop at Anthropologie there next week- if you're in that area, you should definitely check it out!

  

Rachel/Lupa & Pepi. I only wish I had met Rachel earlier than Saturday night. A warm and charming lady, she has a custom and ready made paper goods company with loads of lovely designs.  

Aaron/Seesaw. I met Aaron at the Wednesday dinner where he took the time to tell us all about his soon to launch company. Seesaw is a tool that makes it fast and easy to ask for input from others when you're making a decision. I'm constantly sending texts or links or posting to social media sites when I need help choosing between things, so Seesaw is right up my alley. I think you'll like it too- head over today to claim your username. 

Kristin/The Cuisinerd. Kristin is one of my new favorite people, and even better, she lives 20 minutes away from me so we get to keep the party going in real life! Her blog is an explosion of amazing food goodness and I really dig her style too. Hers was another of my favorite cards- complete with clever food wordplay and yes, even a hamburger yo-yo. 

Emily/Peck Life. Emily lives in the Seattle area and I had heard of her before I left town, but we never managed to meet. I'm so glad I got to know her at Alt. One of the kindest and sweetest people, I was blown away by her energy and positivity, especially considering she's 6 and a half months pregnant and the days can be long at Alt (I'm sure I would have been such a grump, had I been in her shoes). Emily's blog is beautiful and is a lovely peek into her life.

Visual Supply Co. I've been using their camera app on my phone for a awhile now and love it, so I was floored when one of their founders, sought me out to ask for a business card because she liked the logo so much! The entire VSCO team that attended Alt were wonderful folks and while I was already sold on the amazingness of their products, I knew I needed to share with you so you can check them out too.

Moorea Seal. Another Seattleite who I didn't meet before leaving town, Moorea has a jewelry line that I've been smitten with for awhile. Imagine my delight when my lunch time gift from Bing was a Moorea Seal necklace! Meeting her after that lunch, my love for her grew even more. In addition to being a talented jewelry (and more) designer, she's exceptionally stylish, and super genuine. I only wish I was still in Seattle so we could hang out.

Gabriel/The Artful Desperado. Gabriel is one of the funniest people I've met in a while. Every conversation I had with this charming and stylish man had me in stitches. His blog, where he covers everything from art to culture to food and more, is stunning and reflects his impeccable style perfectly. 

Lastly, I thought I should show you how my cards turned out! People seemed to really like them, which pleased me, and other than being a pain to carry around in bulk, due to their size, I had a lot of fun giving them out.

Inside the hand stamped wrapper, I tucked one of my business cards, along with a vintage photograph. I secured it all with a tiny bulldog clip (which if you've been here before you know I love). 

On the back of the photo, for a little extra something, I taped some hints on finding vintage at estate sales and thrift stores. I hope those tips come in handy! (And for those of you at home- I've got a post with all those tips coming up later this month).

I hope you enjoyed meeting some of my favorites from this years Alt Summit, and that you'll enjoy their blogs and businesses even more!

Happy weekend everyone!

Viva Las Vegas (and a return to reality)

On my way home from Salt Lake City and Alt Summit, I stopped overnight in Las Vegas. While I'm not much of a 'Vegas person', I do have a major obsession with old neon signs, so the bright lights of Vegas, especially the vintage lights, do hold an attraction for me. I got into town late, but thought I'd take a quick walk around my hotel to grab some photos of my favorites of the lights nearby.  

Other than being really affordable and having great signage, I choose the El Cortez as my home for the evening because it is one of the few Vegas hotels to have retained it's original facade (they added on next to the original hotel). The Spanish-style hotel, owned by Bugsy Siegal for about 6 months in 1945, is also one of the only hotels where you can still play slots with quarters. 

The medians and walkways near the Fremont Street Experience serve as the Neon Museum, with many vintage Vegas signage relocated to the area. While I appreciate that this wonderful signage was saved, it's a bit unfortunate that the bright lights of modern Fremont Street (and in the case of my favorite- the Chief Hotel sign, even the scaffolding of the zip line) can obscure what were once the brightest lights in Vegas.

After seeing how affordable rooms in Vegas can be, the mister and I are talking about returning soon. I'll definitely be seeking out more of the historic neon signs there for my collection of photos. If you ever visit, I'd encourage you to look beyond the modern glitz and glamour for a bit to appreciate what remains of old school Vegas. 

Now that I've returned home from Alt Summit, I have to admit, it's been a rough re-entry into reality. I don't talk about it very often, but some of you know that I have a neuro-sensory disorder called Fibromyalgia. While I've learned to live with it fairly well, some days are tougher than others and the last two days have brought me to a halt with my least favorite symptom- awful fatigue. So, as I ease back into things, I hope that you'll forgive the lack of posts lately. I hope to be back next week with lots of Valentine's ideas!

This and That (phone edition)

While prepping for Alt Summit (which starts tomorrow night) has taken a lot of my time lately, some other things have been going on too. 

I finally took a bunch of our lamps in for repair. I'm excited we'll have a bit more light in the living room again, and there's finally a lamp by the front door (we don't have overhead lights in the living room) so we don't have to stumble all the way to the dining room when arriving home in the dark. The repair guy even knocked out a dent in that metal shade so it looks better than it has the whole time I've had it. If you're in the Pasadena area, I highly recommend Pasadena Lighting for repairs.

I actually managed to bring a plant back from the verge of death! I may look a lot like my mother, but I definitely didn't inherit her green thumb. Since moving in here I've made some bold moves and purchased about fourteen plants. Four have died, and two are almost dead, but this little Kalanchoe is making a comeback! I'm now a little more optimistic for the fate of the others.

Last night was the big Alt bag packing night. I was up until about 3 this morning getting everything rounded up so I can head out for Salt Lake City later today. I'll be relieved when I'm in the car and on the road- all the planning and packing has worn me out. 

I've been trying to get some reading in lately, starting with this book the mister gifted to me at Christmas. If you have a blog, or are thinking of starting one (and you can't attend Alt, or even if you can) Blog Inc. is a great resource. Joy Deangdeelert Cho, from Oh Joy, has put together a ton of helpful information, as well as interesting interviews with a variety of bloggers that are a reminder that everyone started somewhere. 

The tangerines on the tree in our yard are finally ripe! It's been pretty amazing to be able to go pick fresh citrus a few steps away from our door. Add that one to the slowly expanding list of things I like about SoCal.  

So that's a bit of what's happening around here- what are you up to? I'll be heading out to SLC this afternoon, and as always, Instagram-ing along the way so find me there and follow along. If you're interested in keeping up on what's happening at Alt, I'll be tweeting the key things I learn from each session throughout the day- just follow me on Twitter, and follow the hashtag #altsummit to see what others are tweeting as well. If you'll be at Alt- please let me know, I'd love to meet up!

Things will be a little quieter than usual here this week, but I'll be back with a few more posts (not all Alt related).

See you soon!

Finds to Fancy

If you follow me on any social media platform you might have noticed yesterday that I'm on the hunt for some new art for our bedroom. In our new place the bedroom has quite a bit more wall space and I edited out some things I had hanging before that didn't really go, so right now we have exactly one piece hanging on the wall- our vintage star chart.

Now that chart is what I styled our whole bedroom around and it's one of my favorite things (you might remember it was the subject of the very first Gratitude post), so I'm taking my cues from it and looking for pieces that compliment it nicely. Since I'm also frequently asked where I found the chart, I thought I'd do a little round up today of celestial themed wall hangings- research for me, inspiration and sources for you.

{Via}

{Via}

{Via}

I'm pretty much obsessed with these pieces from Agent Gallery Chicago. The moon one especially. Love. It. They're not really in our budget, but a girl can dream right? That last one is a set of 25 prints- I may take inspiration from it and gather up some book plates to make my own collection.

{Via}

{Via}

Smaller book plates, like these from Antique Print Store are in abundance on Etsy. Grouped together they may actually make a bigger impact than one of the large charts. At $7-15 each, this is also a much more affordable option.

{Via}

When I first found this pull down style star chart from Gritty City Goods I thought it was vintage and had a minor freak out. Turns out, it's a reproduction, but I still love it and they have a great selection of subject matter, all in the same pull down style.

{Via}

This Illustrated Planets print by The Geekerie is a little outside of the color palette I'm using, but I love the mid-century sci-fi vibe it's got going on.

{Via}

Another non-vintage piece, this constellation map calendar from Little Bright Studio would be a lovely, and useful addition to our walls. It's even on sale right now.

{Via}

While a little spendier, this large format star map from Municipal Prints Company also most closely resembles the vintage star charts used in classrooms in the 30's and 40's (which are nearly impossible to find these days). Rumor has it, the founder of MPC actually started the company after trying in vain to find a star chart like the one in Thomas O'Brien's apartment. I love the square shape and scale of this 36"x36" print and it even comes in both a Northern and Southern sky option.

{Via}

Some of my favorite little details in our bedroom are the 'Goodnight, Moon' pillowcases I found a few years ago from Kinship Press (who I am also a bit obsessed with- that 'Time to get stuff done' mug I'm always Instagraming is from them, and they have an arrows sweatshirt I'm dying to have). Today, while grabbing the link to the pillowcases we have I discovered they have a new pillowcase line- of Zodiac constellations! Now I'm not into astrology, but I adore these and will be asking for them for my birthday.

Which are your favorites here? Have you seen anything I should be considering? I can't quite decide yet, so I think our walls will be bare a little longer, but hopefully soon that star chart will have some friends to hang out with (apologies for the pun).

Do you have any big plans for the weekend? I'll be doing a bunch of last minute prep for Alt Summit (I can't believe I'm leaving on Tuesday- so much to do), and maybe a little mini-golf date with the mister. Happy Friday friends! 

A Curated Life

Today I thought I'd share a few peeks at the book I hope to make someday, which I recently mocked up, thanks to a great coupon from Blurb Books sent to all the Alt attendees.

Inspired by the same concept that inspired this feature on the blog, I want this book to be a collection of images to inspire others to curate their own life and create a unique home filled with beautiful and treasured objects.

Want to see your home featured here? I'm always looking for well curated lives to share with all the G&H readers so email me and we can talk details.

This and That

Just a little of what's been happening around here...

Baking. I had terrible back pain all weekend, so when it let up a tiny bit on Sunday I decided to celebrate by making some cookies. Looking for a great chocolate chip cookie recipe? I use the Toll House recipe, but always add extra flour until the dough cleans the side of the bowl while you're mixing it. I like cookies to be crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside and find the best way to get that is to pull them out just before they're done and let them sit on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Re-styling a few spots around the house. I've been working on a book mock up and needed some more photos so I found some things I hadn't photographed yet and went to work. I'm really enjoying seeing my interior photography skills improve. It's fun learning what works best.

Taking the New Year's decorations down. I was a bit sad to see it go, but the tissue was driving me a bit crazy whenever I walked past it. I realized I never mentioned my inspiration for this little entryway display- check out this beautiful wedding inspiration shoot that Michelle Edgemont styled and made all the decorations for. So many wonderful details.

Crafting. I always start new notebooks at the beginning of the year. This year I thought I'd take some classic black Moleskine notebooks and fancy 'em up. I love how they turned out and it was super simple to do. Want to make some of your own? All you need are the notebooks, this metallic tape, some scissors and an Exacto knife. Plan out your design (I lightly sketched mine on the notebook with a pencil), then apply the tape. For the triangles, just overlap the strips of tape, then use the Exacto knife and a straight edge to trim the overlap. Gently remove the cut pieces. If you plan carefully you can wrap the tape over the spine of the notebook and start a different pattern on the back. Such an easy project and the metallic tape is far more durable than gold leafing or paint. 

Posing. For that book I mentioned I figured I should have an updated 'about' photo. I had the mister take a few quick shots out in our yard. These are the outtakes- it was super windy that day and my new haircut was looking a little crazy, plus I can never do serious faces, silly faces are just more 'me'.

Planning outfits for Alt Summit. If you've ever been to Alt, or heard about it (apologies to anyone who follows me on Twitter- there have been a lot of #altsummit tagged tweets), you know that fashion is a big deal there. I'm definitely not as put together as many of the bloggers there, but I try to bring my 'A game'. My goal this year is to include several vintage pieces in every outfit, and though that isn't always easy when you're full figured, I definitely have some fun things and I'm super excited to be somewhere cold enough to justify a warm hat and mittens!

Gussying up my business cards. Speaking of Alt, another talked about aspect are the amazing business cards that are swapped. Last year I debuted the new G&H cards, which I still love, but I figured I'd do something a little bit fancier this year. I'll share the final product a little later, but here's a little peek. If you'll be at Alt, I'd love to meet you and swap cards with you! 

So that's what I've been up to- how about you? 

Wintry Garland

When I shared the Borax DIY last week I promised I would share photos of the garland I planned to make with the feathers, so here they are...

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out! It's nice having a little something special decorating our bedroom. If you'd like to make your own check out the DIY post from last week. Then, after crystalizing the feathers, just poke a hole in the quill with a sharp needle or bead reamer, thread some twine through (using a large embroidery needle) the holes, space the feathers to your liking and hang up. I used the silver glitter twine from Knot and Bow to give it a little extra sparkle.

I can hardly believe it's Friday already. I hope you've got something lovely planned for the weekend!

In the Bag

I've always enjoyed it when other bloggers post peeks into their bags, so when I was brainstorming some new post ideas recently I thought I'd join in on the fun and do one of my own!

Lately I've been using this vintage cream colored Samsonite carry on bag. It's big enough for my laptop plus everything else so it was the perfect choice for our trip to Palm Springs last week. Find one like it here or a more colorful option here.

I'm kind of a bags within bags kind of girl. The mister calls it my bag of bags. I find it helps me keep things a bit more organized so I'm not digging quite so much. 

In the large bag we have...

Small clutch (since when you carry this much stuff around it's nice to be able to run into a shop with a smaller purse). This week I've been using this vintage gold one. Find the same one here and a similar one here.

Iphone. Even the mister, a former Microsoft employee, admits it's one of the best investments we've ever made. I'm lost without it. Looking for a case for your phone? Mine is this one from Society6- they've got a ton of really great designs by a huge group of artists.

Little notebook (Moleskin), pens (Le Pens), sticky notes (Kikkerland).

Plastic envelope for keeping all those coupons, gift cards, and membership cards wrangled. Similar ones here.

Handmade pouch for tech accessories. I rescued this one from the free pile at a friends building many years ago, but you can find similar ones on Etsy.

Vintage cigarette case turned wallet. Find one here.

Keys (similar swivel key clip here).

Cobbler shop claim check.

Canvas pouch (by Klein)

Vintage sunglasses and case. The case was a handmade gift from my bestie, similar glasses here.

Gum, Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm, Aquaphor Lip Repair (my lips are super dry lately so yes, I'm carrying multiple lip balms), case for my business cards.

In that canvas pouch I keep:

Reusable cup sleeve (unfortunately the artist who made mine doesn't make them any longer, but there are others on Etsy).

Mini deodorant, vintage hankie, Burt's Bees tinted lip balm (I like the Tiger Lily for a touch of everyday color), Body Shop mineral powder blotting tissues- great for controlling shine throughout the day.

Tape measure. Never leave home without one- you never know when you'll find that perfect piece you've been looking for and you'll need to know if it will fit. Similar ones here.  

In yet another layer of bags, this little LeSportSac bag stays inside the canvas bag, and holds:

Neosporin To Go, cough drops, Band Aids (I have these pretty Cynthia Rowley ones right now- so fun).

Eyeglass repair tool, Body Shop mini hemp hand protector, Shout wipes.

Sunscreen, little teeth flossers, mini nail files, mini nail buffer.

Vintage comb/mirror (similar one here), hair tie, hair clip.

Vintage pill box w/headache meds (similar one here).

And finally, in the tech pouch, we have headphones, stylus, USB drive, and a screen cleaning cloth.

Wow- this post ended up being much longer than I planned on. I hope you liked it! January is going to be my post experiment month- where I'll try out new feature ideas. Let me know what you think so I'll know what to keep in the lineup, won't you?

Ringing in The New

This is a scratch-off calendar! So cool. {By Dennis de Vries via Behance}

Yesterday my friend Melanie made the comment that the day felt like the 'real' start of 2013 and I had to agree. It also reminded me that I hadn't decided what I wanted to do about a 'new year' post. If you read any number of blogs you've no doubt seen a whole bunch of posts about resolutions, anti-resolutions, intentions, goal setting, etc. It's that time of the year after all, right? I wasn't certain I wanted to join the party, especially since I rarely follow through with the resolutions I make (sigh), but I also love the possibility the start of a new year brings, so I've decided to join in on the fun.

Be Brave print (which I just ordered) {from Sophie Blackhall-Cain}

I'm not sure if I want to call this a resolution, but I do want this to be a guiding principle for the year. It's time to be brave. Time to stop obsessing about what people will think, and being overly fearful of being an inconvenience to others. Time to do things that scare me, like failing in order to learn new things. Time to figure out how to do what I love, even though the timing isn't perfect and I'll still probably have to so something I don't love for a while (ya know, to pay the bills and all). Time to take courage, and be strong enough to wait if needed.

Arrow calendar (I'm a sucker for arrows you know). {From Yaroslav Turchaninov via Behance}

Beyond the big one- there are a few small things I plan to tackle this year, many of which you will get to be a part of...

{Via Nutmegaroo}

Stop writing in all lowercase. I know, I know, so silly, but this is going to be tough for me. I've been using all lowercase (except when not appropriate like school and paperwork) since reading E.E. Cummings in junior high. I've long preferred the fluidity of lowercase letters, but I've realized that it's time to move on. I'll probably still sign my name in lowercase, but I'm determined to bring proper capitalization back to into my everyday writing (I was an English major after all).

{Via Goodmerchant}

Redesign the Gather & Hunt site. Nothing too crazy, but I've had some changes in mind for almost a year and it's time to make them real.

{Via Vintage Marquee Lights}

Move the Gather & Hunt site from Blogger to a real website platform. Along with the redesign, I'm changing where I host this site. Blogger has been great, but I want to be able to do more here and I have to move in order to do that.

{Via 5 and 10 Vintage}

Collaborate more. Later this month I'm attending Alt Summit again and I'm so excited to meet new blogger friends and catch up with old ones. I really want to have more guest posts from other bloggers this year, along with achieving the goal I've had since starting G&H of featuring your homes, collections, and finds weekly.

{Via Ryan's Nanapie}

Add styling services to the G&H lineup. Though I'm not sure exactly what this will look like, I'm planning to start small, working with local photographers, and building my portfolio. (Psst- there may be a giveaway related to this in the near future).

{Via space24retro}

Be hopeful and happy. Something the mister said to me last week made me realize that I've let hopelessness become too comfortable around here. That's not okay with me. Life can be a challenge, but without hope, what do we have? It may not always be easy, but happiness needn't be tied to circumstances, so I'm going to try and choose to be happy, even if just a little, every day.

Now it's your turn- what are your resolutions, goals, plans, etc for the coming year? I'd love to hear them!

DIY: Borax Magic

A few years back I saw several tutorials online for ornaments using Borax (the laundry additive with the mule team on the box) and pipe cleaners. While the idea was cool and I love anything crafty that involves science, the ornaments themselves didn't hold much appeal to me. I tabled the idea- figuring I'd eventually find something to use the technique with.

This year, when I started working at Anthropologie, the Display Coordinator I was working with mentioned that she had used the same process, but with feathers. This idea intrigued me-and while I didn't manage to get specific instructions for the crystalized feathers, I decided to give it a try anyway with both feathers and some geometric pipe cleaner shapes.

Ready to make some yourself? Here's what you'll need:

• Pipe cleaners in your color choice
• Clean feathers (available at your local craft store)
• Borax 20 Mule Team laundry additive (available in the laundry soap aisle)
• Pliers (preferably jewelry pliers)
• Wire cutters
• Paper clips
• Embroidery needle and floss
• Containers deep enough to submerge the item you're crystalizing
• Wooden dowel long enough to rest on top of the container
• Hot water

Once you've gathered everything, let's get started...

1. Bend your pipe cleaners into the shapes you like. For our New Years party I wanted lots of geometric shapes. The wire cutters will come in handy here if you're making shapes that are shorter than the full pipe cleaner. Use the pliers to bend the ends of the pipe cleaners around each other so they'll keep the shape you form.

2. Prep the feathers by poking a hole in the quill with your large embroidery needle. If the quill is too tough for the needle a bead reamer or awl will work as well. Once you have a hole thread the needle and string the feather onto the embroidery floss. *Update- I have since discovered that a fine gauge wire works better than thread since the crystals won't form around the wire. You may also skip this step if you'll be doing numerous feathers or don't have a container deep enough for them- see step 6.*

3. Unbend the paperclips to make a little hanger for the pipe cleaner forms. Place the loopy end of the paperclip in the spot you will be hanging the form from once it's crystalized (if you'll be hanging them at all).

4. Prepare the Borax solution. For a 1 quart container you'll use:

    3 c boiling water
    9 Tbsp of Borax

Once the water is hot, mix with the Borax in a container (preferably glass or at least a heat proof plastic). Stir until the Borax dissolves- the solution will be cloudy at first, then fade to just slightly opaque. Since I was making a large amount of solution I had to work in batches, heating about 2 quarts at a time- as long as the solution is hot at the end, it will work properly so don't worry about a little cooling down from boiling.

If you're crystalizing larger, or many, objects you'll need a large container deep enough to submerge them in. In case you don't feel like doing the math, here are the measurements I used for a few standard container sizes:

5 qt container = 3 qts + 3 cups water and 3 cups Borax
3 qt container = 2 qts + 1 cup water and 1.5 cups + 3 Tbsp Borax

5. If you didn't mix the solution in the container you'll be submerging things in, transfer it to that container now. Place the dowel across the top of the container (use tape to secure if it tries to roll away).  If you're using a smaller container, a pencil can be used instead of the dowel.

6. Submerge your items.

For the pipe cleaner forms, loop the top of the paperclips over the dowel. For best results, make sure the entire form is submerged, but not touching the sides or bottom of the container.

For the feathers, you have two options. If you're doing just a few like in the above photo, you can stretch the thread (or wire) across the top of the container and secure it with tape or by bending the wire over the edges. Since I was doing many feathers I decided to just try floating them all in the same tub (photo below). I made sure the feathers were fully saturated with the solution at the beginning and tried to arrange them so they didn't touch each other or the container. This method worked great, and was much easier than suspending them and used less solution.

7. Set the containers somewhere they won't be disturbed, and wait 8-12 hours or so. You may not be able to tell if it's working or not, but don't dismay- it is. You'll probably see some crystals forming on the surface of the solution in a few hours and by the 5th hour or so you may be able to see crystals on the objects as well. Patience is important with this part. (The penny in this photo was an experiment the mister tried- it didn't work because it turns out the crystals won't form on metal).

8. Around the 8th hour, gently remove one of the objects out of the solution. If it's crystalized to your liking, you can remove them all.

9. Let everything dry on a paper towel, then decorate with them!

For our party I used some of the feathers to add a little sparkle to the living room, but today I'll be making them all into a garland for our bedroom (photos to come soon).

Fun, right? This project is great for kids too- The Discovery Museum made a great how-to handout that also covers the science aspect. You can even add food coloring if you want colored crystals. 

Safety note: Borax is actually just the mineral Sodium Tetraborate and is all natural, however you should use care, especially if you're getting the kids involved. You may want to use gloves and eye protection, and make sure to wash hands. Don't use any porous kitchen objects to mix the solution and make sure to wash everything thoroughly afterwards. 

I hope you have fun trying this at home. I'd love to hear or see what you make- leave me a comment or email me your photos!