Monthly Archives: April 2011

Alix’s Vintage Bookshelf // Bernice Meyers

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Welcome to another edition of Alix’s Vintage Book Shelf! I pour through my collection of vintage children’s books and show off some of my favorites. This week I’m featuring Bernice Meyers.  Oh Bernice! Her work makes me so crazy…but crazy in a good way! She does the sweetest illustrations and for some reason I just loooove how she draws little hands (sounds weird, but just you wait!).

Apparently her early career was in the fashion industry. Eventually she recognized her true calling: children’s book illustration! These illustrations are so charming and delightful. They are from the Golden Book, Pear-Shaped Hill by Irving Leitner published in 1960. The story is sweet but it’s Bernice’s drawings that have me grinning!

See? Look at those little adorable little fingers! I love how daintily she is holding the butterfly net and birdcage.

Peter, you lucky dawg.

The colors and cool textures are so very dreamy…and who can resist this rascally snake??

A little closer please?

Awww those widdle bunnies!!

The animals are all super sweet.

Even the end papers are adorable….check out this groovy guy:


Isn’t the cutest? It’s one of my favorite book in my collection. You can see some of my past favorites here.

I’ll be back later today with a little update on Wolfie’s birthday bash this past weekend. We had a blast!

Lisa Congdon collects things and you should too.

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Remember when you collected things as a kid? They weren’t spendy or big or terribly fancy, but they were things you loved that made you smile just to get the complete set.  Stamp collections, shell collections, matchbook collections, Pez collections, marble collections. Oh, the list goes on and on.

I collected swizzle sticks when I was young and would get so excited when my parents brought me one back from their fancy dinners out. I still remember my favorite which was shaped like a sword fish.

As you know, we are big believers it is still cool to collect.  And Lisa Congdon even wrote a book about it. Yup. How cool is that? Based on her popular blog, Collection a Day,  Lisa spent a year documenting a unique collection every single day! Some were photographs some were drawings. Most of the collections were real and a handful were imagined. All were spectacular.

BTW, Lisa Congdon rocks. Just knowing that she lives in San Francisco makes me a bit giddy–that someone that awesome could be just a couple of miles from me. She makes me want to run out and buy old stuff that I like.  OK, I already do that, but she makes me want to do it a lot more!

A Collection A Day is a gorgeous book.  It reminds me so much of all of the great things that little kids love to collect and proudly show off.

What did you collect as a kid?

 

Packed Up :: Vintage Children’s Suitcases.

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Via Lynne’s Lens.

With Spring Break coming up, I’m sure many people are thinking about going on some fun trips this April.  And nothing symobilizes travel as much as a suitcase!  Today’s rolling backpacks are ergonomic dreams for kids, but I still love a good vintage suitcase and have a special little place for children’s vintage suitcases in particular.  Children love stuff that is sized properly for them. So you can imagine how even more excited they’ll be when they can pack their bathing suits in their own bag.

When I was a little girl, I had this sweet canvas floral suitcase that I packed all my Health Tex dressed and Raggedy Ann into to go to my Aunt Beverly and cousin Cheryl’s pad for the night.  Man, just pulling that bag out meant fun was on the way!  And they are very popular with adults as well as kiddos today.

I love this grand vinyl one that is a sassy take on the floral pattern.

I love the round hat box style ones.  Perfect for a little one to carry all of her goodies around!

I love the suitcases that make is seem like kids are huge travelers–like this one featuring a girl who probably has more passport stamps than me!

Or just a simple traveler going to Grandmas!

I think these nautical blue ones with the anchors would be perfect for a trip to the beach, don’t you think?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

the other nice thing about children’s suitcases is that they are still pretty easy to find on Etsy and Ebay, like these beauts for $40.

Definitely worth possibly collecting a few, yeah? I nice storage solution that is bright and cheery and easy for kids to use.

Did you have special suitcase when you were a little one?

Vintage Kiddo Retro Round up of Awesomeness!

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I don’t think I could cram more fun into a weekend than I did this one!  So much fun and so little sleep. Oof! Did some major shopping in outlets as well as a sweet estate sale where I picked up two full vintage pleated circle skirts in gorgeous fabrics, a sassy blue top, and picked up for my friend this brilliant bag and vintage fur coat for forty bones.  Not too shabby!  But a weekend wouldn’t be a weekend unless I spend a bit of QT online shopping for the sassiest goods around!

OK, just one more perfect little vintage Easter dress–and this one is all about the little chickies.  I love it! From Etsy seller, Liddle.

This little vintage circus romper with the elephant notched its cuteness level up to 11 with the pocket water bucket.  From Ebay seller, eclectic9jm.

I love a good handmade stuffed animals.  And a love this little seventies floral kitty! Why, she’s purrrfect! From KyShop.

These little seventies pants are KILLING me.  Why get one when you can get them all? Deadstock to boot. HOLLAH!  From Ebay seller, cheeseburger100.


Who who wants a great vintage owl puzzle?  With bonus numbers too! SWEET! From Etsy seller, a Needle in the Hay!

OK–just one more vintage lot–just look at these pastel beauties for some sweet little baby. From Ebay seller, vickila82.

How to turn your little girlie into a secretary from the seventies? Then, put her in this little vintage ensemble. Straight from the mini-me production of 9 to 5. From Ebay seller, mypartytreasures244. BTW, you should consider checking out this sweet book written by the wonderfully talented Ms. Lynne Peril who is coming out with a terrific book called, Swimming in the Steno Pool.

Schlemiel schlimazel hasenpfeffer incorporated!!!  I spent part of my youth wanted to put initials on my dresses because of Laverne. And I love calling the Peach My Little Boo Boo Kitty.  So, I would have played the HECK out of this Laverne and Shirley board game.  From Etsy seller, Nick and Nessies.

Hey, let’s make something from this awesome vintage crafts book, Let’s Make Something! I love book titles that pretty much tell it like it is.  From Etsy seller, Eco Quilter.

I think I remember one of my brothers wearing these sweet striped leather friends. They always did have great style! From Etsy seller, Revival Vintage.

Oh hurrah!  Happy Monday, friends!

Some Funtastic Links on this Fine Friday

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Happpppppy Friday!!!!! I’m so excited for the weekend and as we send you on your merry way, here are some things that caught my eye!

1. PETER AND THE WOLF.

Peter and the Wolf is a magnificent piece of music written in 1936 by Sergei Prokofiev. It’s the perfect introduction to classical music because each character is “played” by a musical instrument— Peter is represented by the violin, sasha the cat by the clarinet, the little duck is played by the oboe, the wee bird on the flute and so on. It’s REALLY charming! The talented sarah jane has created a fantastic Peter and the Wolf Puppet Theater that is so fun. As an aside, I love this guy who beat boxes with the flute. You can hear him playing the birdie them and then Peter’s tune—it’s awesome! Like Peter is a groovy hip hoppy boy, loping through the forest.

2. WEE WILL FROCK YOU.


Oh my. An online shop that sells vintage Barbie dresses? How fun! The prices are all under $30. That sassy purple number is under $2! Visit the Tiny Frock Shop!

3. I WANT CANDY!

We adore Daily Candy Kids…they alway hip us to new cool stuff and do it with such fun flare! We were SO excited to learn they were launching a new feature on all their favorite online reads and then even MORE THRILLED to learn we would be their first “crush”! Whoo hoo! Thank you ladies!!

4. I CAN’T CONTAIN MYSELF.

I saw this cool room over on whoreange. I was sold on the turquoise walls and airy windows. And then my eyes got even bigger.This airy 2600-square foot pad is constructed entirely out of five shipping containers. Yup. SHIPPING CONTAINERS.

5. PILGRIM IS EGGS-CELLENT.

My girl Pilgrim is a very talented artist who loves to share goodies with her readers. She’s done it again with an adorable “coloring” egg box! Did I mention it’s a free printable? Hop hop hop on over and nab one!

6. MIDAS TOUCH FOR YER TOOTSIES.

These little metallic boat shoes are fan-freakin’-tastic. They come in gold or silver and are only TEN CLAMS!!! I believe you’ll find them in the girl’s section but boat shoes definitely unisex in my book. I think the silver would look rad on a little guy (with jeans and a funky tee) and the gold are perfect for a little girl. TEN DOLLA NO HOLLA! At At Old Navy.

7. IPAD MAG JUST FOR THE KIDDOS.

Italian designed Timbuktu magazine is the first ipad mag for the younger set. It looks to be rather lovely! Check it out here.

7. CLEAN MOUSE.

I love these Disney hand soaps from Method. With flavors like Strawberry Fizz and Lemonade, I think your kidlets will be washing their hands non stop. See more here.

8. WARD IS NOT CHICKEN.

Ward Jenkins is a really cool dude. He is an amazing artist and has just released a really fun new book for kid’s called, Chicks Run Wild. It’s awesome. But even more awesome? He dressed up in a chicken suit and went to local schools in Portland to read the story to the kiddos. See? I told you he was cool.

9. OUR READERS ARE RAD!

Speaking of cool books, one of readers Mason said he was inspired by Alix’s Vintage Bookshelf and hit the thrifts in his home town and hit the jack pot! I’m smitten with Felix, but then these kittens sure are  rockin’ too! Awesome score Mason!

10. OOH LALA! DESIGN MOM IN FRANCE.

If you aren’t following Design Moms jaunt to France, you really must. Gabrielle Blair is a fascinating woman—a design, uber blogger and mama of six. And they just moved their whole family from Colorado to France for a year. It’s been fascinating following their progress. Her latest installment? How the kiddo’s like their schools! Very cool. Read it here.

Finally, just in case you missed ’em…
Our Top 10 Best Dressed Kiddos from Classic TV

Also don’t forget our lovely sponsor Kyssa Vintage is offering 10% off through this weekend—simply enter code MODERNKIDDO!

And finally, be sure to check out our latest giveaway—the sweetest little baby care package of goodness from Applesauce Crafts!