Holly of Decor8 introduced these gorgeous lamps this morning. I love them. They are the creations of a British girl called Jo who now lives in Canberra, Australia.

Jo chronicles her work on a blog. Her company is named The Owls are Hunting. She specializes in handmade, vintage inspired lamps and lampshades. They ship worldwide on request, if you are interested.

+ The Owls are Hunting’s online shop $80-$120

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Styled photos in catalogues and magazines are often a source of inspiration. I never thought of hanging baubles on a deer horn. I do not know how it looks in the room. For certain, it looks stunning as a close-up picture.

I was not surprised by this out of the ordinary touch after I read that Pale and Interesting was founded by a couple who worked in the magazine, photography and design industries before launching their online store. Their keen eye results in a unique catalogue that teams old with new. I find it quite relaxing to browse their Web site.

Vintage Style Ornaments

The most stunning baubles I found so far are available at this small UK retailer. I see a pattern emerging from my coverage of Holiday decorations. Besides the knitted ornaments and the tweed animals that I bought earlier, the Christmas ornaments that captured most my imagination this year seem to be the vintage style baubles. I guess I feel romantic and cozy these days.

Simple Ways to Deck your Home

I also wish to point the fact that you do not need a big Christmas tree to deck your home for the Holidays. Setting a few vignettes across your home can look stunning. Put your attention on the entry way, the living room and the dining room. The idea is to create a cohesive look by integrating baubles and ornaments into your usual decor. Otherwise, your Holiday decorations may seem out of place.

You can add sprinkles simply by putting on the buffet table your silver footed trays and candlesticks. Then, gather a few baubles on a silver tray or inside a glass container. If you have a tall vase, get an assortment of baubles in a single color. Mix shiny with mat, small with big to add textures and movements to your display.

There are a few ideas that you can explore. I will show more over the coming weeks.

SOURCING:
+ Vintage Style Glass Baubles £6.95
+ Set of Five Antiqued Silver Baubles in a Bag £10.95
+ Set of Two Mercury Glass Tea Light Holders £3.95

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A Spanish name for a Swedish retailer is a good clue that you are dealing with a creative crew. Cosas sell their own products or products manufactured in cooperation with designers and craftsmen.

I like to browse their catalogue from time to time to discover what I consider to be the most interesting items. Bengt Ek Design designed a superb aluminum kitchen scale that show a clock on one side and a graduated dial on the other.

The red shelf edge paper would deliver a charming old-fashioned look for an apple pie station or a bake sale. Then, the stainless steel salt and pepper set from Define has modern line. They stand on their own outside the rosewood tray.

SOURCING:
+ Kitchen scale with clock from Bengt Ek Design 170.43 EUR
+ Red Shelf edge paper 5.83 EUR
+ Stainless Steel Salt & pepper set with a wooden tray 29.54 EUR

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It is no secret that I love the vintage items at Three Potato Four.  Here are my three fab from what is online this week. These would feel at home in any family with young children. You could also build a baby shower theme around on item.

+ If you are planning a baby shower on your backyard, go for the Vintage Ice Bucket with a Sandpiper motif. It is playful and sophisticated. I want it. $40 USD
+ I am fond of vintage wood toys. It adds charms to a nursery and a kid playroom. This set of antique Scandinavian building blocks inspires me. $24 USD
+ For your young kids to have a place to put their keys and hang a membership card, I like the Little Red Riding Key Hook $12

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Since I will be in Boston this August to attend PodCamp Boston 4, I started a shopping list. I scheduled visits to stores that we do not have here in Montreal. I will go to Lekker naturally. Another store that I affection is Anthropologie. Their vintage, granny, Bohemian chic look is really distinctive.

I am a fan of their tea towels, potholders and mitts. I wish that their dishtowels were not as expensive. That Fleur de Lys pitcher is awesome. This Provencal pitcher is definitely on my shopping list.

SOURCING:
+ Tweeting Tea Party Dishtowel $24 USD
+ Painted Garden Serving Bowl $72 USD
+ Fleur de Lys Pitcher $28 USD
+ Yellow Birdie Bungalow Dishtowel $18 USD
+ Red Sea Potholder and Red Sea Mitt $12 USD each

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Seeing this old Coca-Cola cooler last week at Finnegan’s market brought back childhood memories.  My parents owned a lot on a small lake 45 minutes from my home. Every nice Sunday during the summer, my parents, friends and family members used to meet there. We crossed the lake by swimming, played games of horseshoe and sat at night at the fire pit. It was fun!

A visit at the flea market can be the occasion to design a party decor. Think about ho you can integrate old items in an unexpected way. Here, the stylist at Pottery Barn decorate a pole with vintage buoys. I remembered seeing a few vintage wood soda crates stacked in a corner of my father’s business when I was young. I wish he had kept them. These crates can be used to bring the dishes in and out of the house or to gather bottles and glasses next to your buffet. This look calls for dishtowel napkins.

Other items to look for our farm stand signs and seeds storage. Transform seed metal boxes into the vase for a centerpieces or to distribute the cutlery wrapped in cotton napkins.

SOURCING:
+ Found Soda Crate $15 USD
+ Dishtowel Stripe Napkins, Set of 6 on sale at $27 USD
+ Amish Farm Produce Roadside Stand Signs $65 USD
+ Seeds Metal Boxes – available at Comme on Aime in France

The vintage buoys are not anymore available online; maybe you may get lucky at a store near you but I would not count on it.

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You can repurpose vintage silverware in several ways at the end of their useful life. You can make you own wind chime by flattening forks and spoons.

Etsy seller monkeysalwayslook converts old silverware into custom garden markers or picture holders (see last picture). What is cool is that you get a custom piece.  You will be able to select from her collection which silverware pattern you prefer and specify what to write on the garden markers.

On Etsy, petitepear uses silverware images as a stamp for gift tags. For a special occasion, you could hang the tags so that each tag falls above the place setting of each guest. The tag becomes the place card.

SOURCING:
+ Custom Vintage Silverware Garden Marker by monkeysalwayslook $8 USD each on etsy
+ simply chic vintage style silverware tags by petitepear $3.50 USD each on etsy
+ Custom Silverware Picture Holders by monkeysalwayslook $13 USD each on etsy

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The Memorial Day’s weekend marks the start of summer. I will give you a head start on inspirations for remarkable picnic with your friends and family members.

First way to impress your guests is with these adorable BBQ cutlery envelop. I am getting two packets. If I like them, I may buy more to give as hostess gifts. The BBQ Cutlery Kraft Envelops are the creations of etsy seller Miss Pickles Press.

Then, it is the magic of the styled pictures of UK retailer Toast that inspired me. Take clues on how to nicely wrap your sandwiches. I was interviewed earlier this week by a journalist (the article is yet to be posted) on themes for summer bashes. I referred to tiffin tins, probably because they are on my wish list. Plus there is no chance to break the stainless picnic set if you mix your picnic with a bicycle ride.

Every party should have its signature drink. For a hot summer afternoon, make a pitcher of limoncello and light (less sugar) cranberry juice. Arrange the proportions to taste but their should be in the range of 1/3 limoncello with 2/3 cranberry juice or 1/4 limoncello with 3/4 cranberry juice. You can prepare it in advance in a thermos bottle. Add ice cubes to the glass when you are ready to serve. The Sip and Repeat Cocktail Sticks, again by Miss Pickles Press, adds a welcoming touch to your drink.

You can bring a nice arrangement of cut flowers or gather a bunch of wild flowers on place. If you like to do picnics on a beach at the cottage, get a couple of wood bath mats on the sand with a long bath brush and a bar of natural soap.

SOURCING:
+ BBQ cutlery envelop $15 for a pack of 12 on etsy
+ tiffin tins small £12, medium £22, large £39 at Toast
+ picnic set £39 at Toast
+ madras tablecloth £25
+ mango wood bath mat £35
+ Sip and Repeat Cocktail Sticks by Miss Pickles Press $10 for a pack of 12
+ scholar vase £49, available in sky blue, grenadine and citrus green

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There is something incredibly appealing about these vintage items. They speak to me. I like the idea of giving them a second or third life.

I like the Hovis English Bread Tins and I dream of Three Potato Four Milk Bottle Carafe.  The carafe is their original design. Both items are on my wish list.

The apothecary vials are in their original leather case. The set includes 20 glass vials each with either an original vintage handwritten or typed Rx label and leather case with handle and snap closure.

SOURCING:
+ Hovis English Bread Tins – Large  $35 USD, Small $25
+ Three Potato Four Milk Bottle Carafe – 32-oz bottle $28 USD, 8-oz bottle $20
+ Stainless Steel Fustis $175 USD
+ Apothecary Bottle Set with Leather Case $150 USD

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Whenever you do a picnic or an other event when you wish to add a vintage vibe, you are that wooden utensils will set the right tone. The beautifully crafted wooden utensils of Paper+Cup are available at Anthropologie. Think of reusing the red and white strings on your party accessories.

If you wish a custom message for your event, order directly from Paper+Cup. You need to order a minimum of 50 pieces. It starts at $87.50 USD.

If you are aware of this fact, Anthropologie opened two weeks ago their first Canadian store in Toronto. Lucky Torontorians! For the rest of us in Canada, we can still rely on Anthropologie’s online shopping.

SOURCING:
+ Wooden Ice Cream Scoops $14.95 USD for 24
+ Wooden Utensils for 8 $22.09 USD for 8 knife, fork and spoon settings
+ Canadian store is located at Shops at Don Mills 1090 Don Mills Rd. (at Lawrence Blvd)
+ Find directions to an Anthropologie store near you

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These vintage items convey a charming sense of style on your kitchen and dining room. They do not only work in a country kitchen. They could look incredible in an eclectic kitchen where you wish to oppose old with new.

They are available at RE, the small shop of Simon Young & Jenny Vaughan located in Corbridge, UK. Browsing their catalogue, it comes to no surprise that REcipe first caught my attention.

I have seen Le Bon Lait milk bottle in the past. Their porcelain cap adds a nice touch. I would love to get my hands on the vintage French bread board. They will be perfect to  serve sandwich pieces done with a baguette or a Belgium bread.

RE send internationally but you will need to call or send an email for delivery outside most Western Europe countries.

SOURCING:
+ Individual Egg Poacher £5.50
+ Vintage French Bread Board £38
+ Cotton Waffle Tea Towels with vintage French cutlery print £14.50
+ Le Bon Lait, French Glass Milk Bottles small £6.50, large £7.50
+ I discovered RE via Apartment Therapy Chicago

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I wish that we still had the cute milk glass bottles in Quebec. They are more eco-friendly that the carton containers; pretty that the bags. When you host a party, the possibility to buy your milk in beautifully packaged glass bottles simplifies your life.

For look and keep the milk colder, I transfer my milk into a milk glass jar that my brother gave me when I went to university. Don’t you find that milk stays colder in glass bottle versus carton container?

Another option is to do what School Bakery & Café in Toronto does. Simply transfer your milk in large glass water bottle resting on a vintage metal rack. Retro and sweet.

Exploring Milk

A well-designed packaging was done for the milk of Ronny Brook Milk dairy brand. This is something I can be proud to put on my table buffet when entertaining. Add glamour and put the milk bottles in a large champagne tub filled with ice. Sadly, their yogurt collection loses the airy, minimalist feels.

Different Types of Milk

The Creamline Milk intrigues me. It is pasteurized milk that is not homogenized so the cream floats to the top. I read about it before. Apparently, the New Times called it the Dom Perignon of dairy. It means something even for a Veuve Cliquot and Crystal Champagne fan.

I always buy my milk at the big grocery stores and in Quebec, they sell only two major brands. As far as I recalled, I never drank a glass of pasteurized but not homogenized milk. Did you try the Creamline Milk? Did the taste was incredible?

For chocolate milk lovers, Ronny Brook Milk’s chocolate milk is the only chocolate milk rated Excellent by The New York Times. I guess I have one more thing to put on my to-do list when I visited New York. In the meantime, I will check if we had small milk producers who sells directly their products at the farmer’s market.

SOURCING:
+ Ronny Brook Milk
+ Via Design Muse Blog

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