Monthly Archives: January 2013

Friday Link Hootenanny

Oh friends, I have to tell you we are sick as dawgs over here. Poor Wolfie caught the flu and has been out of school all week. Now I have a reeeeeally bad cold, so we’re just miserable. As a result, a slightly shorter Hootenanny. It’s going around, so take care of yourselves!! But in the meantime….let’s check out some fun stuff to take our minds off this awful cough!

1. CREEPY COOOL CUPS.


EEP! Check out these cheeky lil coffee mugs! As you drink, you get a lil surprise at the bottom. See them here.

2. PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES.

Wow. This house is really made out of glass, and the concept is that the inhabitants would be completely immersed in the nature of their surroundings. I think it would be stunning by day—but come evening I’d get a lil nervous. See more here.


{via deisgn mom}

3. HANDMADE FROM THE HEART

Arounna from design shop bookhou wrote a thoughtful piece on her blog in response to a comment someone left about her prices being too high for their taste. It was a terrific reminder of all the time and craftsmanship that goes into handmade goods—buy handmade, people! (Read it here.)

4. PEEKABOO I SEE YOU.


I spied this adorable little scrolling photo box over at Charlotte’s Fancy and thought it was just the cutest craft around. See how to make it here.

5. REMEMBER THE TITANS.

Little girls always look so snuggly warm and cute in their tights. Well why should they get to have all the fun?? Little Titans has created the coolest line of legging/tights for lil toddler fellas, but in boy-friendly styles and colors. LOVE! See them here.

6. BARBIE, GIMME THAT HOUSE.

Hey, my Barbie townhouse didn’t look anything like THIS amazing creation. See more here.

7. PARIS IN COLOR


Dottie sent me this link and I was smitten—a collection of extremely rare colored photographs, taken at the beginning of the 20th century in Paris. You must see them all.

HAVE A FABULOUS WEEKEND! Wash those hands and stay healthy!!

Meet Theo!

New year, new adorable kiddos! Well, let’s start this year’s Weekly Kiddo series with some devastatingly dashing cuteness in the form of THEO!

This young gent has style aplenty. In his two years on this earth, Theo’s clearly learned a thing or two about putting together a super cute ensemble.  According to his mama, Theo is a smart little bugger who knows all of his numbers and letters and likes to point them out (sometimes very loudly) wherever we go. What a clever clogs, eh? Theo loves cars, applesauce and giving big gooey kisses.  Just what every gal wants in a boy!

But what I think I adore most about Theo is that the boy doesn’t believe in casual Fridays! He loves a nice bow tie and prefers his shoes to be red.  I imagine many little girls have a crush on Theo… And who wouldn’t when he wears such styling outfits as this:

His mama’s clothing philosophy is, if grandpa would have worn it it’s perfect for Theo–simple and classic and super cute to boot!  Theo’s mama get most everything on sale from local stores like Children’s Place or the Gap and red shoes from Piperlime.

Theo lives with his mom and dad, dogs Ziggy and Orson and cat Boris.

What a great kiddo! And such fab style too!

PS:  Do YOU have a stylish kiddo you’d like to show off? Send ‘em our way! You can find submission details here. We love all kinds of kiddos…. vintage and thrift loving liddles, modern grooviness tots and simply sweet, down-to-earth kiddos.  I gotta say, I love getting cutie kiddos in my email inbox and we are so lucky to get so many great kids with terrific style to boot!

Kiddo Flashback // Classroom Photos

So a few weeks ago we had school photo day. Which is always a hoot. You get to pick the color background now, since it’s all digital, which is sort of wild. When it comes to a group class room picture, Wolfie’s school does them but it’s made up of all the little solo photos from the kids. Somehow it’s not the same as everyone sittin’ all proper on their little benches. I thought it would be fun to take a look at some classic Classroom Photos. I am obsessed with these, I think they are so cool. You just want to know the stories behind all these sassy little kiddos! OK, let’s take a look!

This first one is Mrs. Cliett’s Third Grade class, Shiver Elementary, 1963-64, Cairo, Georgia. Mrs. Cliett looks about a million years old, but I love her prim grey suit! You know she was the kind of crankster who rapped her ruler on those poor kiddos knuckles. Best dressed? bottom row, red polka dot dress and cat eye glasses. Aw yeah! Also, that’s a pretty handsome row of lads up there.


image: janet sumner

This next one is adorable. Grade 1 and 2 at Gray’s Lake Elementary, 1955. There’s a whole lotta plaid going on in this class.


image: takomabibelot.

On to the 70s….and COLOR, COLOR, COLOR. Mrs. Fujita’s Grade 1 & 2 class at Haskell Elementary in 1977. Best Fashions: where to start? bottom row, love the two pinafore girls but hellllo jumpsuit on the end! Please note how teensy Mrs. Haskell is on the end there behind THE JUMPSUIT. Also, middle row, middle girl with huge bow is awesome, but the the two guys on the top row ends (far left, denim vest and far right…little bad ass stance) rule!


image: C-Monster

Next, Eisenhower School Kindergarten class 1973, Fergus Falls Minnesota. Dig that crazy teacher’s suit.  And is she wearing a fish pendant? Why yes she is. Best Kiddo Fashions: the two kids with the spex are amazing, but BOTTOM ROW WINS! red, white blue dressie and tights, FOUR cute pants set, a boy with tie…..and a crochet vest on the end. Brilliant.


image: Precious Kitty Kat

Miss Michelle Frenette’s First Grade Class at Eisenhower Elementary School, 1974, Fergus Falls Minnesota. Best Fashions: Love the middle row boys on the end (baby Joey Lawrence with bowl cut on the left and cutie cowby on the right) but again the bottom row takes it! This time with the Plaid-O-Rama pants suit, plaid maxi skirt, the baby blue maxi dress, boy with tie AND little girl in yellow pants and shirt with photo of a water fall on it. Huzzah! Feeling badly for girl in sweatshirt. I bet her mom forgot it was picture day. Also, i think that’s the same kid in the tie as above…. love Miss Frenette’s jaunty neck scarf too.


image: Precious Kitty Kat.

Mrs. Amundson’s Second Grade Class at Eisenhower Elementary School, 1975, Fergus Falls Minnesota.


image: Precious Kitty Kat.

I love this photo from the Catrine Primary School in 1970s Scotland. But uh oh, someone wore their jumper/ski sweater instead of regulation ties. Minus ten points, Gryffindor!


image: joevl,

Here’s another one from Catrine Primary School—and perhaps my favorite. Such a bunch of cuties. The boy’s all look like *such* rascals.


image: joevl

Miss Davis’ first grade class at Northside Grammar School, 1961. Hmm. That “Miss” Davis is looking a little long in the tooth…

Check out the awesome Miss Groob’s Third Grade Class at Sheridan Elementary School, 1973-74 in Ohio. “Groobie, baby!”


image: brian glass

Mrs. Thren’s fourth grade class at Landisville Elementary in Hempfield, Pennsylvania. 1974-75. All the kids are swell, but helllllo gams! Check out those minis on the teachers!


image: brechtbug

Let’s take a little jaunt across the pond and check out the “Preschool” (aka Kindergarten) class at the Princes Marijke School in Nieuw-Vennep, The Netherlands. 1974. Now this is a colorful crew.

image: christiaanV

Here’s the same school the next year in 1975, First Grade Class:


image: christiaanV

And finally, we head back to the states to Houston, Texas. This is Mrs. Dahlem’s First Grade Class Spring Shadows Elementary, 1972-73. Best Fashions: These guys win BEST SHOES all around. Go-go boots, mod little saddle shoes, and even t-straps on Mrs. Dahlem. Little girl on the top right is kind of fabulous, with her jaunty scarf!

image: Rowland Kodachrome

And finally, Mrs. Harper’s Second Grade Class, Spring Shadows Elementary, 1973-74.


image: Rowland Kodachrome

Mrs. Alford’s  kindergarten class at Spring Shadows Elementary, 1971-72. This whole class wins Best Dressed.  All the front row snazzers—esp little Cindy Brady on the end and those two pairs of gogo boots. Also love little boy in purple on top left….and dig Mrs. Alford’s crazy zig zag poly dress!

How fun are those? Sigh. I wish they still did those group photos. Does your school?

Smile for Tiles—The Cutest Little Retro Animals Ever

Have you heard Kenneth Townsend? I hadn’t, but I’d seen these before.

Aren’t they wonderful?

Kenneth Townsend was an illustrator based in the U.K. and had quite a talent for making people smile with his art. You may not have seen his work in museums, but after all some of my favorite pieces of art aren’t in frames. Instead you can find his work on tiles, on mugs, on games, on cloth and definitely on people’s minds as his popularity grows today.

Kenneth Townsend worked with companies like Hornsea Pottery where he came up with that delightful menagerie series of animals you saw above.  Man, are they cute.  Here are other fine animal tile goodness!

Wouldn’t they be great in a kid’s bathroom? Perfection.

His glass tile and shallow dish pieces he created when working at Chance Brothers could make any anglophile smile!

He even did some work in textiles for Cuckoobird Productions, where you might have seen this lovely lion!

Kenneth Townsend’s probably peppered many adults’ childhoods as he was an illustrated for two game/toy companies, including James Galt & Co. Ltd, which we featured here awhile back.  I love this marble game Kenneth designed when he worked with Merit Co.

Here are some of the card pieces to his famous Galt matching game.

So next time you are about (especially in England) you may run across some of his work in a thrift shop! Be sure to snap it up!

Are you familiar with Kenneth Thompson? Do you have any of his art?

 

 

Friday Link Hootenanny // Cool Things to Browse

Hurray it’s FRIDAY! Are you having a hard time getting back into the swing of things this new year, or are you a whirl wind of efficiency? Me….I’m having a hard time cracking that whip. But I have snuck in a little time to scare up some fun linkies for you. Let’s get to ’em!

1. DOUBLE OH YES.


This montage of opening credits of all the Jame’s Bond films is coooool. See it here.

2. GO SHORTY

I think these raw “shortbread” cookies look deeelicious! Get the recipe here.

3. BOOK ‘EM

How clever are these little book marks from graphic designer  Igor “Rogix” Udushlivy?? Designed to go perfectly with each title. See more here.

4. HONESTLY LOVELY

I thought this post from Nicole Balch on monetizing her blog was refreshingly honest! Read it here.

 

5. DRESS UP DOLLY

This collection from Petrune is lovely. The one on the left is from her vintage shop. The one on the right is part of her “vintage inspired” collection. (via Honey Kennedy)

6. MADE ESPRESSLY FOR YOU

I can’t lie, I’d love a lil Espresso cart! Elsie crafted up a cute one.  See it here. (She also made a clever restyled cocktail cart too!)

7. SWINGERS.


Ahhhhh how I want to go to this. I think this swing installation at NYC’s Park Avenue Amory is fabulous. See more here.

8. BAND OF FRIENDS

Have you hopped on the Tattly bandwagon? They’re really fun temporary tattoos—I’m liking this friendship bracelet style very muchly! Get yours here.

9. OLIVE THIS VIDEO SERIES 

The latest in Design Mom’s OLIVE US video series is sooooo charming. Yay for Betty in Paris!

Have a glorious weekend!