Scenes of Christmas around the house...

It almost feels wrong to be decorating for Christmas already despite the fact it's rapidly sneaking up. We had an extremely mild November. It only snowed once and it didn't even accumulate. Normally by this point we've had a few big snowfalls. Without the snow it just feels like it's been a long Fall. Getting out all my Christmas decor felt weird and kind of like I was doing it in the totally wrong month but now that it's up I'm starting to get really excited. I can't wait to spend time with family, and open presents!!

Here are some peeks from around the house! It feels so cozy with all the decorations up.

Oh, and big mugs of hot chocolate are definitely making it feel a little more like winter too! ;)

Have you decorated yet?
xoxo

3 Recent Favorite Thrift Finds...

Here's another edition of "3 Recent Favorite Thrift Finds", you can see other ones here and here. I'm having so much fun doing these posts!

1 // This gorgeous vintage stool! I found this at an estate sale a few weeks back (I know, supposed to be recent finds, but it's too pretty not to blog about!) when Ivan and Elycia were out visiting. I spotted it in the main bedroom and awkwardly carried it through the rest of the house while we shopped. It's been absolutely perfect to put out feet up on while obsessively playing Zelda this last week.

2 // This stunning vintage cape! Kevin thought that I had been stung by a bug that was hiding in the rack due to the ridiculous noises and foot stomping I was doing when I found this baby. My eyes lit up and I shoved that sucker under my arm, guarding it like someone else in the store would actually steal it from me let alone be interested in it. As if it wasn't already love at first sight the price tag was $2.50 PLUS it had the color tag that Goodwill deemed 50% off that day! SCORE!

3 // We walked into Salvation Army fifteen minutes before closing time last week but somehow managed to grab one massive haul of beautiful dresses but these shoes were definitely the highlight for me. You know I'm a sucker for fun shoes and these are no exception! I seem to have really great luck thrifting shoes *knock on wood* because my shoe size (7.5 or 8) seems to be the most common size I see. It's really rare that I see a pair of shoes at the thrift store that I like that don't fit.

I wore them the next day to an estate sale where a complete stranger complimented what cute shoes they were and told me I had "dainty, little feet" Hah!

Have you found anything awesome lately?
xoxo

goin' out west where the wind blows tall

Eurailpass train travel, July 1970, photo by Carlo Bavagnoli, via Life archives.

Small Earth Vintage is taking a small vacation.  No, we won't be train traveling around Europe (I wish!), but rather automobiling it out west to visit my parents.  Doesn't this photo make train travel look fun?

We'll be away from Wednesday, November 30 until Thursday, December 8.  The Etsy shop will remain open, so feel free to shop, but tomorrow is my last day to ship.  All orders received before 2:00 pm EST tomorrow, November 29, will ship tomorrow.  Otherwise, orders will ship when we return on December 8.

xo

K

Review // Bloom Botanicals

A little while ago Tabatha of Bloom Botanicals asked me to review some of her products and I happily obliged. I've been using all three of the products she sent over for a little over four weeks now and can't wait to tell you all about them.

She sent me over Citrus Water Toner, Illuminating Oil Cleanser and Aromatherapy phytonutrient serum.

The very first thing I noticed about them is that they come in a nice little glass bottle which I found pretty impressive - makes it feel fancy!

Next I noticed the clear directions. Now, I'm not really big on skin care - normally I just wash my face with whatever is at the store for the cheapest. I have no idea what certain things do and in which order I should use things. But her directions help me get a good understanding of what to do with each product and what it does!

At first I thought everything smelled a little funny (probably since they aren't perfume-y) but I've really grown to love the smell and associate it with how clean my face feel after using this set. Even Kevin complimented how nice they smell! My face feels softer, cleaner and fresher than it's ever felt after using a face wash with these three products!

I think my favorite is the aromatherapy phytonutrient serum, which according to the listing "repairs & moisturizes to promote a healthy complexion" It took me a little while to figure out how many drops of this to use in order for my face to not feel greasy but since I've figured it out I use this stuff all the time, even when I'm not using the rest of the set. It's great for when I get out of the shower and my face is dry or anytime my face is dry - basically I use it just like a moisturizer! I love it!

All in all, I definitely recommend Bloom Botanicals! My skin feels great and I'm happy to be using handmade products that are all vegan and safe for my skin.
xoxo

late autumn light

Those who celebrated: was your Thanksgiving good?  Mine was very nice.  This Thomas Keller leek bread pudding was my favorite part of the meal (along with leftover turkey/cranberry sandwiches).   

Our friend Stephani came to visit, and we checked out the very cool Warrington Colescott exhibit at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.  I love this wool cape Stephani is wearing...it didn't come from Small Earth Vintage, but her shoes did.  My outfit is all old stuff, but the vintage fur collar and gray wool jacket are newer acquisitions.  

I love how the light and shadows looked outside the museum on the afternoon we were there.

You'll see in the next photo why we look all squinty here.  The fur collar is (only partially) due to my Game of Thrones obsession.  We spent the holiday drinking Manhattans and watching GoT, which Stephani hadn't seen.  I was in nerd heaven.

Speaking of Game of Thrones and fashion (well, hipsters, anyway)...

Goodness, I love Hipster Jon Snow!

xo

K

Small Business Saturday!

Good Morning! It's Small Business Saturday, a day to dedicate to supporting all the small businesses out there. I'm so thankful for everyone who supports small businesses. Mine has allowed me to have the privilege of never having to work a "real job", look and dress however I like and spend my time doing all the things I love. I couldn't ask for a more amazing thing!

This weekend is one of the biggest shopping weekends all year, be sure to support the little guys! A lot of your favorite bloggers also have great shops, myself included!

You can use coupon code "BLKFRI" for 15% off your purchase in The Dainty Squid Shop!!

Some other bloggers who are celebrating Small Business Saturday:

Kaelah + Hive and Honey.

Meredith + Sheepish Knitting and Crochet. 

Danny + City Song Vintage.

Moorea + Moorea Seal

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend! Don't forget to visit all your local small businesses too!!
xoxo

PS. If you have a business celebrating Small Business Saturday feel free to leave a link to your shop in the comments that way readers and myself can check ya out and maybe do some shopping! ;)

FF #132

 This top is so pretty!

(via: ruche)
I'm crazy about these glasses from BonLook.  I think I'd look pretty darn cute in them!

(via: BonLook)
I am a huge fan of anthropomorphic taxidermy, so these are right up my alley! I am completely smitten! PluckyMermaid has a bunch of really awesome little mice on her website.

(via: pluckymermaid)

Absolutely in love with this poncho! (and all the pretty colors in the photo!)

(via: rubychicorignals)

I'm lovin' this glasses holder! The pair from BonLook that I mentioned above would look great on it! ;)

(via: ArtAkimbo)
Modcloth is having a fabulous Black Friday sale today! I bought myself the blue and orange dress below! I'm so excited!

 (via: modcloth)
I've still never eaten a macaroon, but gosh, they're the prettiest!

(via: Amy in Japan)
Eeeeek! Absolutely in love with this mushroom growing kit! Christmas is coming....

 (via: think geek)
Sunshine and Carousels headbands are so very pretty! (ps. according to her shop announcement she's having a black friday sale too!)

 (via: Sunshine and Carousels)
Pizza sleeping bag!

(via: B Fiber and Craft Emporium)

Love love love this iphone case!
These shoes from Shellys are so pretty!
I'm dying looking through YoungUrbanPuppy's sold items. SO PRECIOUS.
Oh goodness, I am super duper in love with these pillows. They would look so fabulous on my couch.

Hope you all have a fabulous Friday!
xoxo

thanksgiving...and a sale!

Mmmm...pie!  I'm not actually that big on pie, but I think the acorns on that center pie are pretty adorable.  (Photo is from a 1955 Women's Home Companion.)  We're having pumpkin cheesecake, not pie, but I hope your Thanksgiving holiday is wonderful no matter what you eat.

Because we are so very thankful to our customers and friends, Small Earth Vintage will be having a 15% off sale in the Etsy shop from Friday, November 25 through Monday, November 28.

And just a heads up, we'll be closed from November 30 until December 7.  The Etsy shop will be open for purchases, but items will not be shipped until Thursday, December 8.

xo

K

3 tips for staying motivated while working from home!

Staying motivated while working for myself is the biggest obstacle I face business wise. I have a habit of getting easily distracted and yanked away from my work. Oh there's a cat beside me meowing? Time to pet it. The living room is a mess? I should just stand there and stare at hoping it will clean itself. But over the last few years I've figured out what the top three things are that keep me motivated to work and help me accomplish things. Despite being really simple they make a big difference in my day and I hope they can help you too.

1. Have a full queue of movies ready. Netflix is a must for me. If I have my instant queue full of movies that I'm excited about and can hit play one after another when one is finished then I can easily sew all day without thinking "Man, today is going so slow". Before I had netflix I'd bring a stack of DVDs into my craft room every day to just pop them in one after another. Movies really help me stay in the zone.

If you don't like to watch movies while you work, try pandora! It's my go-to app when I don't feel like watching movies (I have my ipad hooked up to cheap speakers so I can have mini dance parties at work!) It's taken a little bit of time but almost all of my pandora stations are so finely tuned from listening so often that I rarely have to skip a song.

2. Get out of your pajamas and get dressed. I spent the first few years of self employment in my pajamas. But last year I realized it was really bumming me out. So my 2011 list of goals included "get dressed at least 6 days of the week". I can't even describe how much more motivated I feel now that this is part of my daily agenda.

3. Have a well planned day. Keep a schedule, or running to-do list for each day so you don't finish a project and forget all the other little things you needed to do. If I don't keep a list of everything I want to accomplish in a day I'll most likely finish a project and call it quits for the day.  I find my best lists are very specific too. For example on days I write something like "finish three blog posts" as opposed to "work on the blog" I'll feel a lot more accomplished.

I also like to leave my craft room with all of the next work day's supplies laid out so I can get right into it instead of spending my time searching.

Make sure lunch is on your agenda too! Nothing worse than being hungry at work, it's so distracting. I like to go to work in the morning knowing what I'll have for lunch that day so I don't spend an hour in the kitchen staring at the fridge waiting for something magical to appear (are we seeing a pattern here? I seem to just stare at things when I want them done!)  

Anyone else have any great tips?
xoxo

our new home

Small Earth Vintage finds have been available for years now not just on the internets, but also in a variety of fine vintage shops from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Montpelier, Vermont.  Andy and I have been wanting to branch out a bit beyond consignment though...to be able to sell in a brick and mortar space, but without the great expense and responsibility of our own store.  Well, we've found the perfect place here in Grand Rapids--Lost & Found.

We've been fans of Lost & Found since they opened.  Mark and Christian run the store--which is located in an old furniture factory--and have it beautifully merchandised with an amazing selection of industrial, mid century modern, and primitive furnishings and antiques.  I always kind of want to move in when I visit.

I want that rug!

Isn't this awesome?  An old lighted sign advertising the various dining areas in Grand Rapids' old Pantlind Hotel.  I totally want to have a cocktail in the Cypress Cellar!

We stopped in for a visit Friday night.  I'm wearing one of my favorite new finds: a black eyelet lace dress.  With pockets!

Here's Andy in the pea coat I made him start wearing.  Handsome!

And finally, here's a peek at our corner of Lost & Found.

If you're in Grand Rapids stop by and visit!  Lost & Found is located just south of downtown at 445 Century SW (check out their Facebook page for more information on them and their location; they regularly post great new finds there).  We'll be loading our space up with some pretty cocktail and party dresses soon, to have on hand for the Lost & Found holiday open house on December 2 and 3.

xo

K