Saturday, December 20, 2014

Giveaway Alert!


Just popping in to let you all know I'm having a little Christmas themed giveaway over on Instagram this weekend. One lucky winner will receive this vintage "plastic snow" box and a vintage flocked santa ornament. 

All you have to do to enter is:
follow @livinvintage
Repost this photo
Tag @livinvintage & #lvgiveaway

Giveaway is open to everyone and you can enter once per day. Giveaway closes Dec. 22nd and winner is announced Dec. 23rd. 

Good Luck! 


Monday, December 1, 2014

Special Cyber Monday Savings



Today only, the shop is 50% off!!




I've never had a sale with this deep of discounts, so stock up on your favorite LV pieces now!
Sale ends at 11pm EST


Thursday, November 27, 2014

Black Friday Sale Starts NOW



Surprise! The Black Friday Sale starts now!




All items in the shop are 25% OFF, including the fine estate jewelry




Happy Thanksgiving




This year I am cooking up all my Thanksgiving favorites, vegan style.

Want to see my feast?  Follow along on instagram @livinvintage

***

Happiest of Thanksgiving to all that celebrate.
  

Friday, November 14, 2014

Two Festive Holiday Dressings from 1960



Time Saver Corn Meal Dressing
(for 10 to 12-pound turkey)
A moist flavorful dressing, with an eggy "base" of corn meal mush 

1 cup cornmeal
2 cups cold water or stock
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
5 cups toasted bread cubes
2 eggs beaten

Combine cornmeal and water in a saucepan. Add butter and cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly.  Combine hot mush with remaining ingredients.  (Use an additional 1/2 cup warm water for more moist stuffing.)  Stuff lightly into neck region and body cavity of turkey.  Roast according to standard roasting directions.  Dressing may be baked in covered casserole in slow over (325F) 50 to 60s minutes.


Oyster Corn Bread Dressing
(for 10 to 12-pound turkey)   
An heirloom recipe which lends itself to many delicious variations

6 cups crumbled corn bread
5 cups soft bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper 
1 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 butter
1 cup oysters drained
2 eggs, beaten
liquid from the oysters, plus enough milk to make 1 1/4 cup

Combine crumbs and seasonings.  Lightly brown celery and onions in butter; stir in oysters.  Add to crumb mixture, mixing lightly.  Gradually add eggs, then oyster liquid and milk.  (Use an additional 1/2 cup milk for more moist stuffing.)  Stuff lightly into the body cavity and neck region of turkey.  Roast according to standard roasting directions.  Dressing may be baked in covered casserole in slow oven (325F) 50 to 60 minutes.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Photos From the Past: Thanksgiving

Like many vintage devotees, I have a soft spot for vintage photos.  I've always felt that old photos offer a unique window into the past -- a seemingly more realistic one verses the carefully crafted Hollywood films of the time. 


 I love that so many of these photos are at awkward, canted angles or capture unexpected moments -- something we are missing out on in the digital age.


I am also fascinated by the way people lived generations before me.  How did they keep their kitchen?  How did they arrange the furniture in their living room?  How did they hang their curtains?


And all the sweet handwriting.  Some of my most prized possessions are vintage photos with my grandma's handwriting on them.


Don't get me wrong, I love my digital camera and the camera on my iPhone.  The ability to carry around a small, convenient camera with me nearly at all times is amazing.  I get to capture special moments no matter when or where I am.  But, sometimes I do miss the excitement of waiting to get my film developed from my camera, not knowing what the result would be. 


These photos are all from mid 20th century Thanksgivings and can be found on my Vintage Thanksgiving Pinterest board. 

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Whoo's Got a New Dress


Recently, eShakti invited me to pick out a dress to review.  It was so much fun looking through all the wonderful retro style dresses they offer and so many of them I loved, so it was hard to narrow my choice down.

After much deliberation, I selected this adorable owl dress -- prefect for a Michigan fall.



What drew me to this dress, other than the ridiculously cute embroidered owl on the skirt, was the classic a line shape.  When I'm not wearing actual vintage, I tend to stick with classic silhouettes.  And there's pockets too!   



The other fabulous service eShakti offers is dress customization, such as hem length, sleeve style, and different necklines on most dresses.  I opted for a simple scoop neck and the below knee hem.  I will admit, it was a bit scary ordering without seeing the changes on the dress, but I couldn't be happier with the dress.  Having a brand new dress is a rarity around these parts, so it was truly a treat to receive this dress!


From now until December 6th Livin' Vintage readers can save 10% off their next purchase with the code: livinvintage. Offer only good towards new purchases and may be used as many times as you'd like over the sale period. Please enter it in the promotion code box.

Follow eShakti  |  twitter  |  facebook  |  pinterest


Friday, October 31, 2014

Happy Halloween!

| image source |


Aren't these costumes fabulous?  And the way the girls are holding their hands!

Happy Halloween!

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Opera MODO

| Colorful 1980s AJ Bari via Livin' Vintage on the right |

Two weeks ago Livin' Vintage was featured in Opera MODO's Cosi.  The local opera group was looking for a few key pieces to finish their look for the performance and I was honored to help them out. 

You can watch the entire performance online HERE.  Also, the fun 1980s AJ Bari dress featured in Cosi is now back in the shop!


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

It's a Birthday Sale!



Today and tomorrow the shop is 27% off!


Take advantage of the last sale before Black Friday!


Monday, October 27, 2014

Wiggling in my LBD


During my move, I discovered lots of things I had completely forgotten about.  One of those things happened to be a giant tub full of vintage dresses I had put aside at the chance that they'd one day fit.  

It was like Christmas morning going through all the dresses, many of which are no longer my style and are heading to the shop!  However, this 50s black lace wiggle dress is staying with me.  It's hard to tell in the photo, but it has a satin ribbon along the under bust that wraps around the back.  I love the silhouette that detail creates.  I think my search for the perfect LBD has finally ended.  

Friday, October 24, 2014

Eastern Market and Fashion in Detroit


Right after the DIY, I had two back to back shows both in the heart of downtown Detroit.  First up was Fashion in Detroit.  This was a small event held at Motorcity Casino and featured many indie Detroit based designers, some of which even had their collections featured in a runway show.


 It was fun to be apart of one of Detroit's answer to a fall fashion week and be in the presence of other industry professionals.  One of the cool things about this event was the free models all vendors had access to.  We matched this 60s Saks coat to my model's yellow chandelier earrings.



The following day, I headed back down to Detroit, this time for Eastern Market's Sunday Street Market.  I was lucky and got the spot next to my friend Jen from Jenstyle Chic Vintage.  This was also the same weekend as the Goodwill Pop Up I helped to curate.  Since it was the last weekend of the season I didn't know what to expect, but there was a good turnout and I hope to be back next year! 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Hanging out with the Thriftaholic


A few weeks ago Leilani from Thriftaholic came to Detroit for a visit.  It was her first time in the city and it was an absolute pleasure sharing my hometown.  We traveled to many of the vintage and antique shops in the area and even had some time to do a little thrifting too.


My big purchase of the day was this chunky green bakelite bracelet at a thrift shop.  We ended the day with a tasty Middle Eastern feast, a local speciality here in Detroit.  Hope Motown treated you well, Leilani!  :)



Monday, October 20, 2014

DIY 2014 Wrap Up


I can't believe it's been more than a month since DIY and in that time I have done two more shows and helped costume an opera here in Detroit.  Things are finally starting to slow in pace and it's been a welcome break, especially since the holiday season is right around the corner.


Even though my set up this year wasn't exactly what I had hoped for (and looking back on last year, I think I liked that layout much better than what I came up with this time around) DIY was a total blast and my best one yet!  


The biggest addition this year was my DIY marque sign.  It was actually really easy to make (look for a tutorial soon!) and it gave me the pop I was looking for.  I would like to make a few tweaks to the design, but for the most part it was really sturdy -- even with the high winds on the second day.


And, I love how it looked at night!



One of my goals this year was to work on my displays; making them more visually cohesive and also effective in conveying important information, such as sharing my social media handles and advertising my acceptance of credit cards.  The mini chalkboard sandwich sign is nothing short of brilliant.  It's cute and because it's chalkboard, I can use it for many different purposes for many shows to come.  Not a bad $5 investment!  


I made a ton of improvements this year and it really paid off!  Here's what I did right this year:
  • my lighted sign  -it really made my tent stand out at night
  • renting a U-Haul cargo van  -this meant I only had to make one trip with one car, making set up/break down a lot less stressful.  Totally worth the money!!
  • having a check out station of sorts
  • displaying more pieces in vignettes and having better display props

With anything, the more you do it, the more you learn.  Here's what I need to keep in mind for next year:
  • while the cafe lights were adorable, they weren't functional the way I used them. I need to either get plastic globes or just use something different
  • every year I get more and more organized and this year was by far the best, but this is something I really want to strive to streamline   
  • as I've mentioned before my layout wasn't perfect and next year I'd like to go back to a similar layout as I had in 2013.  Although I had a lot more space for people to move around, I don't feel I used it in the best way
  • it's time to invest in some sturdy show racks!!


Looking back on my 2013 post, I am happy to report most of the things I wanted to improve on this year were accomplished and I feel they were a big reason why 2014 was my best show yet!  Now onto plotting for next year ;)


Monday, October 6, 2014

Help the VFG make a difference!



Recently, PayPal has made some major announcements.  Not only are they headed for a split with eBay, operating in their own right -- more importantly, PayPal has made some adjustments to their policies which will go live on November 18th.

One of these policy changes is to extend the time period in which buyers can open a claim over an item from 45 days to whopping 180 days -- that's more than a third of the year! In order to combat this, The Vintage Fashion Guild has created a petition via change.org.   

"Simply put, Paypal's new policy will be overly burdensome and possibly disastrous to those who sell vintage and antique goods online. To expect a seller to refund for claims for vintage and antique goods that have been out of their possession for 180 days is unreasonable." -VFG

As companies like eBay and etsy grow, it's important for them to remember how they got there.  I love that I live in a world where I can create my own virtual store and offer my vintage findings to women all over the globe.  However, not even big box stores offer a 180 return policy.  And while I stand behind every vintage garment I sell, I can't be there to make sure every dress gets washed correctly or to sew that button back on that popped off after 50+ years of being in place.  Vintage is different and that's what makes it special. 


Thursday, September 25, 2014

Livin' Vintage at Eastern Market Sunday Street Market



This Sunday, I'll be at the last Sunday Street Market at Eastern Market in Detroit.  Not only will LV be setting up shop, clearing out my back stock, can you say cheap vintage? ;)  I will also be the curator of the Goodwill Pop Up Shop.



I've had so much fun pulling items for the Goodwill space, including this awesome vintage jacket with "Jackie" embroidered on the front.  So if you are in the area, make sure to check out both spaces.  The market is open 10 am to 4 pm.  Plus!  Mention this blog post for 10% off your Livin' Vintage purchase.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Livin' Vintage at Fashion in Detroit



Market Detroit
4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

MotorCity Casino's Sound Board
2901 Grand River Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201


Things have been busy behind the scenes here!  Right after DIYSF, I had to start prepping for this weekend's shows, so expect to see my wrap up post sometime soon -- complete with my vendor spotlight.

In the meantime, I'm checking in to share my excitement in being invited to vend at this years Fashion in Detroit event.  This Saturday September 27th I'll be at Sound Board in the Motor City Casino from 4pm to 10pm at the Fashion in Detroit's Market Detroit, a pop up shop featuring local fashion designers, retailers, and more.  I was so honored to be included and can't wait to participate in the local fashion scene!



Friday, September 12, 2014

It's DIYSF time!





The DIYSF is back on!  Today I'm loading up the truck and setting up shop in Ferndale.



Shop with us tonight from 5pm - midnight
Saturday 11am - midnight
Sunday 11am to 10pm

And make sure to follow @livinvintage to see all the fun from this weekend as it happens!