Saturday, March 30, 2013

We're off


Severen and I are traveling this weekend - our first solo plane trip! We are headed to see this lady and her wonderful little family. Easter was not on my radar when I bought our tickets - shoot! I would have loved to do a little easter egg hunt with Severen! Maybe we'll do one at O'Hare during our layover. But only if we have time after eating cracker crumbs off the terminal floor, checking out the hand dryers in the bathroom and letting e-ver-y-one we see who is drinking a coffee know that they have a "CUHHHP!"

Oh and about this photo. I'm not big on putting kids on the laps of strangers, especially when they are dressed in costumes and at the center of the mall. But hey, it's not about me! And so this happened last week. And it was wonderful. Severen and I were at the mall just running around (literally, we run and jump around and go in shops and say "hi" to people - it's a great outing) when we saw the Easter Bunny Habitat. Severen was delighted. He looked at me like, "Holy s*it, Mom! There is a giant bunny over there waving at me. We've got to check this out!" He went right up to him, climbed into his lap, touched his ears and chattered with him. He did not understand why we couldn't hang out with the giant man-bunny all afternoon. I'm sure they will pick up right where they left off, like old friends, next year when we go to see him again.

P.S. My Easter post from 2011 and last year.
P.P.S. Some photos from our last visit to Kansas City to see our friends.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

The cutest bunny


I have the cutest bunny charm in the shop right now. He is carved from pink coral, also called angel skin coral. I love his little ears and bunny tail! I didn't plan his appearance to time with Easter but that's how it happened. Hi fella!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Les herbes


I love these black paper botanical illustrations from Evajuliet Atelier. The thyme print is my favorite, maybe because it reminds me of the café au lait with wild thyme that I drank while I was in Marrakesh several (ok, ten) years ago. I can still taste it!

P.S. I bought a custom family tree print from this shop after Severen was born and I am so pleased with it.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Sweet locks


We gave Severen his first haircut last week. On the one hand, it was no big deal - just a haircut. The first of many (and hopefully we will do a better job next time!) On the other hand, it was a rite of passage. I unceremoniously threw most of the clippings away but I kept one soft lock. Why? To put in a locket of course. I feel so Victorian.

P.S. Doesn't he look like such a big kiddo without his baby mullet?

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Locket stock and a birthday


I stocked a few new lockets last night (images linked), including the top one which was my first purchase for Jean Jean Vintage over three years ago! Yep, I quietly celebrated my 3-year shop anniversary last week. Here was my Grand Opening blog post. I just shake my head when I think how little I knew when I started. What I lacked in understanding I made up for in enthusiasm. It was a heady time!

Thank you for three good years! How shall we celebrate? I'm taking suggestions. A sale? A giveaway? A game? A macaroni and cheese party (perhaps too complicated)? Leave your ideas in the comments here and I'll do my best to make it happen.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Unusual subject


I found this photograph at an antique shop this week - isn't it spectacular? Someone was really excited about doing a still life of these sugar beets, even noting the date (1902) and the farm location on the back of the print. I am going to keep my eye out for more non-figural vintage photographs like this one. I'd love to have a whole wall of them. But for now, its just the sugar beets keeping the shop necklaces company.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Modern mourning rings





The company Bell & Bird has a modern take on the Georgian/Victorian mourning bands I posted about yesterday. They sell "heritage rings" that resemble the style of  Georgian/Victorian mourning bands. Their 18K gold and enamel rings are not only suitable as remembrance pieces but also as sentimental tokens - celebrating the birth of a child, a wedding anniversary, etc. I really like the idea and I think the rings are very well done. I like the simple band the best.  

Images courtesy of Bell & Bird

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

A way to remember


{Rings, top to bottom: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 }

These "Memento Mori" bands are in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, most of them from the mid-late 1700s. No matter how many times I see this type of ring - gold, enamel, engraving - I am always stunned. You too? There is a company that specializes in making modern-day sentimental rings, modeled after Georgian and Victorian rings like these. They are pretty fantastic. I'll be blogging about them tomorrow!

Also, this page from a London jeweler's design album, done in pencil and watercolor, shows three possible designs for mourning rings. The delicate drawings are almost as wonderful as the rings themselves!

Images courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum

Friday, March 8, 2013

No surprise


I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that my love of chunky 1930s brass necklaces has extended to a love of retro necklaces, like this Brookraft piece I just stocked this afternoon. This is a new direction for me, both as a collector and a retailer. We'll see what comes of it!

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Sammy Davis Vintage 100 Best Vintage Shops: Jean Jean Vintage!


I'm thrilled to be included in the new ebook, "The 100 Best Vintage Shops Online" just published by Sammy Davis Vintage. There is a huuuuugge need for a resource like this since the market for online vintage is so flooded. Wondering where to go for the best vintage shoes? The best pre-1930s garments? This is a great reference. Think of "100 Best" as a modern-day yellow pages, with quick links to blogs, shops and social media accounts for all the shops. Ebay, Etsy and independent retailers are all represented. I love having my copy (only $3.99!) on my desktop to open whenever I want to do a little browsing. I like knowing that all the shops have been vetted!

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

ESP No.1








This afternoon a friend of mine told me about this L.A. company - ESP No.1 - that makes unisex children's clothing. She pulled up a photo on her phone and I immediately said, "I want to wear that!" The collections are made up of simple, versatile pieces in the softest cottons and nicest denims. The shop is having an amazing (75% off!) "End of the World Sale" right now with close to 100 items to choose from. I am getting several things for Severen - this is just his style! 

P.S. The SS/2013 collection looks so great!

Images courtesy of ESP No. 1

Monday, March 4, 2013

1940s Shop update



I'm getting a bit into 1940s accessories - not all of them, but some of them. I especially like the heft of the necklaces. All of these pieces are new in the shop today!