25 Ways to Wear a Scarf

Just stopping in to share this video from Youtube.  I like scarves.  Do you?

Vintage TV Shows, Part 2

Andy Griffith and Americana

I have recently noticed an interior decorating trend called "Americana."  It is characterized by patriotic colors, stripes and ticking, retro imagery, milk glass, and so forth.  Picture the colors of a picnic or crab boil from the 1950s and early 1960s.

I can't think of a better piece of vintage Americana than the classic television show, The Andy Griffith Show.  From the wardrobe to the quaint small-town setting, it was America as we dreamed of it.  In some places, I think Mayberry really exists in some form, to the present day.

I have recently spotted some things coming back into fashion, like the narrow neckties worn by Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and Barney Fife (Don Knotts), and the fluttery neck scarves with the women's cap-sleeve dresses.

The old beige file cabinets and other details from the Mayberry Jail are all becoming popular elements in the vintage industrial decor style.  I'm also seeing old road signs and rounded appliances coming back as decorator items, rather than their original functional uses.  Picture using the more unusual elements from Gomer's gas station to decorate a trendy loft apartment or den!

Aunt Bea's kitchen knicknacks are all collectibles.  This photo is black and white, but as I remember from the color episodes, they were mostly blue and white, or maroon and white, with pink and pewter accents.

Andy's house was furnished with neutral earthtone colors like beige, rust, gold, pine green, and chocolate browns, with bright pastel blue and peach pink accents.  These days, I see the neutral colors and the pastels separated into two main color themes in decorating.  However, I think if they went together then, they can still be paired now.  Just use one color family as accent pieces.

All images found through a Google image search.  As far as I know, they are linked to their sources on Photobucket and other places.

Where do you get your vintage Americana decorating inspiration?

Christmas in July Starts Now!

Just wanted to pop in here to tell you that I have started my Christmas in July sales on Artfire. I have two sales running right now.  I hope you'll check them out!

Handcrafted, down to the whiskers!  Sets originally $10, now just $8.35!

1. I marked down everything in the Sales Deals category.  Please drop in and check it out today!  This section currently includes all of my handmade Christmas ornaments, from mice, to elves, to candy-striped ribbon candy ornaments!  I even have a full table ornament set for Thanksgiving.  Plan ahead for the holiday season!
2. I have a sale running on all scarves, handkerchiefs, and ties, from now until July 11th!  Take 15% off your order using the promo code 'CIJ2011SCARVES' !  You can buy designer brands, some for under $10, and that includes shipping! 

  Keep an eye on my shop.  The deals will be running all month!  I am partnering with the Artfire Vintage Guild to promote our sales, as well.  Hope you'll come check us out!

Vintage TV Shows, Part 1

Lately, I have been watching a lot of old television shows I had never seen in reruns before, including Hazel, Father Knows Best, and The Burns and Allen Show.  Besides studying the old-fashioned values in these shows, I've been paying a lot of attention to the props and backgrounds.

It isn't often that I get to say, "Hey, I have one of those!"  but occasionally I do.  Other times, I just recognize things my grandmother owned, from thin round couch pillows with a big button in the middle, to seafoam green mixing bowls.  I haven't found picture frames like the ones in the background of the above screenshot, but I do have some old landscapes  from that era.

How about that old banjo clock in this photo?  The drum lampshade is also back in style right now in ultramodern decorating, usually in a pale or earthtones color scheme.  Back in the days of Hazel, the color scheme had lots of earthy browns and greens, with bright splashes of robin's egg blue and coral pink.

By the way, check out Whitney Blake's clothing!  She was always dressed to the 9's in slender pencil skirts, belted sweaters, and flashy colors, all of which I have seen echoed in modern runway fashion.  I have a sweater that is styled like the one in this screenshot; mine is a cadet blue, but I imagine hers was red or green in this Christmas episode.  I wonder when the narrow ties like "Mr. B"  is wearing will be coming back?

Do you ever watch the backgrounds in old tv shows and movies?