27 August 2013

cranked for collar clips

Cardigan clips, also called "sweater guards" or "sweater clips", were all the rage in the 1950s. Introduced as a way to "hold" lightweight sweaters in place over a woman's shoulders, they quickly became a fun and flirty fashion accessory.

photo source
To our dismay, like many aspects of fashion, they eventually went out of style. What a drag! Fortunately, we are thanking our lucky stars because they are on the verge of a comeback! With the recent popularity of extraordinary collars (think spiked, bedazzled, sequinned), these hip little things hold their own and stand out from the crowd. We really dig the way they spice up a boring sweater and make an ordinary collar cool again.
  
We're huge "gleeks" when it comes to Emma Pillsbury's (actress Jayma Mays) fashion sense on the show, Glee. She adorns every sweater with a classy cardigan clip or a beautifully brilliant brooch to create a truly timeless style.


They can also be seen on some of the mad women on Mad Men.


Whether you're watching your guy race for pinks, playing back seat bingo or hanging at a passion pit, collar clips will help keep you cozy in that cardigan.

Let's clue you in to how we wear the accessory that has us awestruck.






We are ga-ga over this sweater guard! The (de)vine leaf detail on our "Stone Fox" clip is certainly suited for a foxy lady.


If your searching for something a smidge more subtle, our "Golden Afternoon" cardigan clip is a mere mix of short and sweet, with shine and sass. 




Check out how we change our "Purdy in Pink" shirt from casual to cute.
These charming clips certainly have us cranked!





We flip for clips that create a cool collar.





 This ain't no fuddy-duddy fashion fling so be sure you get dibs on some of our cool cat collar clips and have a blast at our next pop-up:
Locke Street Festival at 333 Locke Street South September 7th from 10am-7pm.
Later, gators!

19 August 2013

cameo appearance

Cameos are the objects of our affection. They are a type of jewelry with engravings of enchanting images of nature or charming figures of women and men (though men are rare). One of the many reasons why we are enamoured by cameos is that at a mere glance, you can be swept away to a more gracious era. In our eyes, they are simply the crème de la crème.

photo source

Although cameos have been around since the Hellenic Age, they became a favourite during the Victorian Era where royalty could not live without their beloved cameos. The cameo is special because it transcends the whims of fashion- therefore remaining a timeless piece of jewelry! 


 We literally fall in love over and over again with the carved motifs that embody these miniature masterpieces. Many of our cameos feature delicate portraits of elegant ladies, with beautiful upswept hairstyles and dreamy profiles.

Pay close attention blog readers: If you are in need of a gift idea for the ravishing lady on your arm, we daresay there couldn't be a more classic or romantic piece of jewelry to give your doe, your dear, your darling. I (Vanessa) have inherited a cameo ring and necklace that my father gave to my mother as a declaration of his love during their teenage years. I can't help but swoon over these petite sculptures accenting my finger and declate.

Don't fret, although this beauty has sold to a radiant lass, we have other vintage and vintage-inspired cameos in stock. Even in the absence of this necklace, we will never forget the detailed framework surrounding the portrait.



This cameo is 10 KT gold-plated and is one of our most alluring cameos because of its ample motif.


We also adore the ornate gold enveloping this cameo.

$20

The shorter hairstyle of this cameo gives a mid-century flair to this ring.
 

Once again, our cameo is embedded in such a divine setting.

$15

Reflecting the Victorians love of gardening, many cameos depict gorgeous floral arrangements, surely inspired by the finest flowers blossoming in secret gardens. The creamy relief against the dark background of this work of art is unique to our collection and is captivating indeed. As well, the fact that it can be adorned as a necklace or brooch is such a fabulous perk!

$10
 
The minty green background of this cameo necklace is refreshing.

$20

Our fetching cameo scarf clip is too good to be true!

$8

Our cameo praising wouldn't be complete without sharing these handmade cameo wall decorations. We are just smitten with this adorable pair and imagine them regally hanging in a quaint powder room or little girls room. 


pair for $8

 It is no surprise that cameos have been treasured for centuries. We can't help but notice how customers aplenty have been intrigued by the mystique and grace of the cameo. We will surely continue to hunt these artful pieces of jewelry for you and yours xo

11 August 2013

caucus crawling

As per usual, it was a razzle-dazzle affair with dizzy alice at Friday's art crawl!



The travelling music trailer stopped in front of our stand just in time to serenade us with a steadfast Neil Young tune- a great reminder of the upcoming epic Harvest Picnic. The streets were filled with creative energy and we particularly enjoyed these wild young things parading about, expressing themselves through art.


One fabulous feature of the evening was meeting a lovely lady who was a fellow "Alice in Wonderland" aficionado. Needless to say, we did lots of jaw waggin'! She even told us of a play she recently attended called, "The Hatter," at Toronto's Fringe Festival, which was based solely on our beloved Mad Hatter.

Speaking of which, take a look at some of dizzy's lady hatters and fascinating women flaunting fascinators.






This shweet pea loved trying on our newest hat addition, "The Mad Hatter's Mistress." It is categorized as a "cartwheel" hat. Didn't we warn you that hat styles have the most darling names?
If you missed our Mad Hatters blog, check it out here! 


We get much joy in chit-chatting with customers as they search for that one-of-a-kind piece to add to their repertoire. 







Have we gone batty, or does this gal's shirt say, "we're all mad here"?!?! Madness follows us EVERYWHERE!!!


We can give a cheery cheerio to the following dizzy pieces and we take solace in knowing our treasures have gone to such shiny, happy people. 








Us dizzy girls are always reeling and writhing with joy as we partake in Hamilton's astounding art crawls. Meeting wonderful people is always memorable for us and is a sweet reminder that
Hamilton truly has "a heart of gold."