Category Archive for ‘vintage’ at make something

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Archive for the 'vintage' Category

VINTAGE SHOES & SHOES

Published

Karyn

on March 18, 2009

in accoutrement, local and vintage

. 5 Comments

I’ve had shoes on my mind recently. Now that it is almost time to put away my winter footwear, I’d like to find some lovely spring-y flats. In my ideal world, they are a) comfortable b) hardy (i walk to work & home each day with a dog) c) cute as heck d) go with everything. This might be impossible, but I’ve been scouting around.

Last week I enlisted the help of Jane and she put together a drool-worthy selection that seriously threatens my bank account. Those Maloles are so so lovely! Thank you, Jane. It is now my mission to add a pair of Maloles to my shoe collection one day very soon.

Then EZ posted about Marais USA. Colourful, sweet and affordable. As soon as this collection is released, I’m going to order a pair.

Yesterday, Ellie posted this selection of grey & mustard flats. I’m pretty much about to buy #3. I’m just debating the right colour – black (practical) vs. grey (my all time fav) or both?

On Thursday night, I went out to dinner with Dominic and we stopped into Franny Vintage, just a couple blocks west of the workroom on Queen. What a cute shop! They sell a mix of vintage clothing, shoes and Cheap Monday jeans. I couldn’t resist buying these Bandolino navy pumps. I have an awesome pair of navy pumps already, but these fit and have that amazing cut-out detail and I do love navy.

It never fails, even when Dom & I don’t mean to shop, we end up finding awesome little treasures that we can’t help buying. Our shopping karma is perfect together. Do you have friends like this? It was always rather dangerous when he came to visit me in NYC and we would hit the shops. The weekend would end with such an enviable stockpile of goodies that I couldn’t even feel guilty about all the money I had spent. Now, that’s a good shopping partner.

I just looked in my closet, I’m getting those #3 flats in black!

{This photo below is Franny Vintage, not my closet.)

A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS

Published

Karyn

on March 8, 2009

in accoutrement, local and vintage

. 3 Comments

Strawberry Shortcake lip balm, braided yarn bracelet by Lily, vintage braille dish

‘Conor’, polymer clay kitty by Ella

Hand-painted ornament by Kathryn Boyd

Crochet-covered sea stone by Resurrection Fern

Wall plaque by Kiln Enamel

VINTAGE BLAZER

Published

Karyn

on February 25, 2009

in hello and vintage

. 10 Comments

It’s all business over here, so I thought I should dress the part today. It’s tax time and it’s one of the things I do not love about having my own business. All the accounting, paper work and tax stuff really eats up a lot of time.

Nevertheless, it was a good excuse for me to throw on this blazer that I got at the Love & Rummage Trunk Show from Jen. It’s so crazy cute. I just love the angular pockets and the tailored look. I’m not sure how old it is, but all the lining is stitched in by hand and there are weights inside the hem and tiny darts on the shoulders. It feels so great to wear something with such lovely workmanship.

Andrew bought us a huge full length mirror recently and I’m just realizing how amazing it is not to have to jump up and down or stand on a chair to see my entire outfit at once. It also means I can take much better photos of the clothing I make.

Okay, back to work for me!

IT’S ABOUT TIME

Published

Karyn

on January 28, 2009

in the workroom and vintage

. 10 Comments

People who know me, know that I like to take my time. “No need to be hasty”, was a favourite saying of mine for many years. As a Libra, I’m prone to weighing all the pros and cons of a situation, doing ridiculous amounts of research and patiently waiting until the right answer is clear to me. I don’t do well under pressure or when put on the spot.

the workroom has needed a clock since it opened, but of course, it had to be the RIGHT clock. A vintage, two-sided school house clock. I skimmed ebay every once in a while, scouting out the perfect clock and found one, only to forget to actually place a bid for it on the day of the auction. Drat!

More time passed and finally during the summer I found and won this lovely, functioning clock that fit all my specifications. When it was delivered, I discovered that it would require an electrician to create an outlet in the spot that the clock was to be mounted. Hmm, best to gather up some other electrical work to be done all at once to maximize having a professional in the house. And so that clock sat for a few more months, waiting patiently.

Last Friday afternoon, two electricians arrived and quickly installed a couple new vintage light fixtures in the back hallway, fiddled with the ceiling fan and mounted my lovely clock. Sometimes, it is absolutely amazing to hire someone else to do work for you. The clock is glorious, it keeps great time (on both sides!) and has added another strange whirring noise to the symphony of noises from the vintage oddities in the shop already.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Published

Karyn

on January 1, 2009

in hello and vintage

. 6 Comments

It’s so nice to be tucked inside on snowy winter nights. Right now I’m cozy in bed about to fall asleep into 2009. It’s been an outstanding year. Thank you so much for being a big part of it!

A very Happy New Year to you!

p.s. One of my favourite things to do at the beginning of the new year is to read my horoscope.

{NOTE: I wanted to add in that the lovely owl fairy light was an ebay purchase a few years ago. I have a special love for owls that has the potential to grow into a full grown collection. It holds a little tea light and was made by Fenton. I did a quick search and there always seem to be a few for sale in various colours. This particular colour is called, ‘custard’.}

NEW AGENDA

Published

Karyn

on November 18, 2008

in accoutrement, hello and vintage

. 11 Comments

There’s nothing like a brand new agenda or notebook to get a girl excited. All those fresh blank pages, full of possibility. That was probably one of my favourite parts of the school year when they handed out the new agenda books. Some years I went over the top with decorations and drawings and one year I actually made my own agenda. Shocking, I know.

These day, I’m perfectly happy to just buy a sweetly illustrated agenda and concentrate on all the lists I’m going to fill it with. This is the second year in a row that I’ve gotten one by Shinzi Katoh. I bought it at The Paper Place, one of my all time favourite shops. I couldn’t resist picking up some sweet coloured pens with super fine tips. Everybody knows that if you have the right pens, you’re sure to be way more organized.

January is still a ways away, but these agendas start in November, so I can get a head start on that ‘new year feeling’.

You’ll notice I also picked up a big fat eraser. I won a vintage schoolhouse pencil sharpener on ebay yesterday!

OLD SCHOOL – THE BOOK

Published

Karyn

on October 10, 2008

in accoutrement, art, local, reading, the workroom and vintage

. 4 Comments

Janine at UpperCase Gallery has declared this week ‘typewriter week’, so I couldn’t resist posting a photo of my Underwood Portable typewriter. I’ve had it for ages and it’s one of my favourite possessions. I own many typewriters and much to my parents’ dismay they are all stockpiled in their basement. I had an uncontrollable habit of buying old typewriters from Goodwill when I was in university.

Uppercase put together a rockin’ exhibit of all things Old School. I only wish I had seen it in person. Old School, the book, just arrived at the workroom and I’m getting tons of inspiration flipping through the pages looking at everyone’s interpretations of the old school theme. The roster of participants is very impressive and includes Ray Fenwick, Jen Hsieh, Julia Rothman, Something’s Hiding in Here and Lisa Congdon. Oh yeah, you also get a cute old school pencil when you buy the book, perfect writing notes in class.

I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. I’ll be out enjoying the fall weather and eating my fair share of turkey and mashed potatoes.

OLD SCHOOL

Published

Karyn

on August 7, 2008

in art, i heart, local, the workroom and vintage

. 9 Comments

overhead projector, originally uploaded by the workroom.

It’s pretty clear that I love vintage things of a certain style. Industrial, wooden, metal and grey seem to be common elements. Yesterday when I bought this overhead projector from a girl off craigslist, I realized that “Old School” was probably the perfect classification for my obsession.

What is it about all this old stuff? I just can’t resist it. The massive reclaimed church globes (from Post & Beam Reclamation), the battleship grey stools (found by Becky, even the workroom’s space is pure vintage with the vaulted ceilings and the gorgeous front glass windows. A month ago, I had to forcibly stop myself from buying a huge vintage chalkboard on wheels from Smash. Really, how many chalkboards can one girl have? (Jill – I’m still a bit sad about not getting it!)

The overhead projector does have a purpose though. It was purchased because we’re starting to get technical at the workroom. This fall Kristiann, will be teaching beginning pattern drafting classes. We’ll be learning about slashing and spreading and other fun things, so it is necessary to have some serious classroom equipment to facilitate serious learning.

Speaking of Old School, Upper Case Gallery is hosting a show AND doing a book on just that. Good lord, I could eat it all up. Please watch this ‘educational’ video about being quiet in the classroom. It’s classic. It also reminds me that I’ll have to hunt down an old school pencil sharpener next.

FOUND : CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Published

Karyn

on July 21, 2008

in found and vintage

. 3 Comments

Vintage Wrapping Paper, originally uploaded by the workroom.

Every so often, when the moons align and Jupiter is in just the right house, a special portal opens up and delivers the mother load of found treasure. When you find this rare portal, you can often return on multiple occasions to find the treasure replenished.

Please note the bounty I have rescued over the course of a week from the exact same location…

1. A large vintage glass cracker jar
2. Two small glass milk bottles
3. Two green mugs made in Japan
4. Five etched floral drinking glasses
5. Yellow round vintage cookie tin
6. Four rolls of vintage holiday wrapping paper
7. Vintage desk lamp
8. Rectangular embossed glass measuring cup

There might be more. While I was at the shop today, they got a dumpster bin and filled it to the brim. When I walked by tonight, I refrained from jumping in, due to there being witnesses. (who also happen to be my neighbours) This is where one of those invisibility cloaks come in might handy. If only I could find one of those.

TOOLS : VINTAGE JUICER

Published

Karyn

on July 15, 2008

in tools and vintage

. 0 Comments

Vintage Juicer, originally uploaded by the workroom.

When you’re making stuff, it’s essential that you’ve got the best tools possible. Not only does it make your job easier, it often can make it quite fun. My favourite tools not only work like a charm but look pretty to boot. Yes, looks do count. The more I love my tools, the more I use them. It’s a proven fact.

When I bought this vintage juicer years ago at the 26th Street Flea Market in New York, it was purely for its looks. I had no intentions of juicing anything and my shopping partner, Dominic, enthusiastically supported the purchase purely for its vintage cuteness. I can’t even remember how much I paid for it. Perhaps $20?

It sat in my kitchen in Hoboken, looking lovely and never got near any citrus fruit. When I moved back to Toronto, it had a new kitchen to sit pretty in. One day, as I was getting ready to squeeze some lemons for a recipe, it occurred to me to try the juicer out. I cut the lemon in half, popped it under the press and cranked the handle. Not only did it get every last bit of juice out of the lemon, but it felt really satisfying to do it. Juicing lemons became a favourite activity. Any recipe that called for lemon juice was made with zest; fresh squeezed lemonade, salad dressings and lemon loaf.

The funny thing is that it never occurred to me to squeeze oranges. It’s so obvious! Just this weekend I was looking at a slightly old bag of oranges in my fridge. I was sad that they were past their prime and wondering what to do with them. FINALLY, I made the connection. Fresh squeezed orange juice!! Six oranges made two tall glasses of sweet yummy orange juice. Oh, juicer, you get better and better as time goes by.

Last night I juiced limes to make this lime yogurt sorbet. Yum! It’s quite tart, the way I like it and incredibly easy to whip up. (with the right tools) I didn’t make the grilled peaches to go with it. Now that I’ve had the sorbet, I’m curious to try the two flavours together. I’ll pick up some peaches today.