Sa-tired-day

My Saturdays always make me soooooooo tired lol. This morning I hit another one of our local mile long (or longer) block sales. I've managed to hit one for the past 3 weeks in a row!! I got a lot of wonderful things :-) A lot of the things I picked up are going to be used as props for...yep... the pirate party. You'd think I would have had it by now..but no it is being held on June 21rst... and June 22nd (a small b.b.q.....) and June 23rd a potluck dinner with about 15 girlfriends. Might as well take advantage of a clean house huh? LOL

Anywho, here is somethings I picked up today:

A pirate chest for $3 buckeroos. (it came with brand new hinges & a clasp still in the packages!) here is the "before" photo of the chest sitting on my outdoor painting table.Here is the "after". Very piratey/boyish!

Here is a darling old lantern that I got for $2 buckeroos...Here is a sneak lookie-lou at the pirate ship I'm building on my R.V. pad in my backyard....
Busy-busy day....

Pirate high chair~

Here is a high chair that I picked up at a yard sale for $1 buckeroo. (I didn't take a photo of it with its tray so you could see it better!) Of course it didn't look anything like it does now... It was a (filthy) plain ol' baby high chair until I took it apart-- spray painted the frame black and reupolstered the seat and back which I then covered with some heavy duty plastic and then hot glued some rope around the edge just to finish it off~ I used my embossing heating tool to melt the heavy plastic so it curved around the edges better. Then I just used my glue gun to secure the plastic to the underside. Screwed the whole thing back together and that was it. Easy peasy and the results are super cute! This is going to be used at my grandson's yearly pirate party if there are any babies needing a high chair :-)

Work in progress....

I was needing some cups for the pirate party I'm hosting, so I came up with this idea. I had bought these cups about 4 years ago and had them in my garage all these years. Something to be said for "using what you got"....(I SELDOM DO lol)The cups you can pick up at any craft store for around a dollar each. I used a super thin bamboo beach mat ($1) which I cut to fit each cup. I used some card stock to make circles which I then glued to the bamboo mat-- cut out and glued to the bottom of each cup. I then hot glued the bamboo around the whole cup insert. I used some ultra suede for the oval which I then cut out a skull & cross bones image from yardage I bought from Walmart, added red felt for the top & bottom and then I just popped the insert with the "art" on it into the plastic holder and taaaaaaaaaaa-daaaaaaaaaa instant cute!

Luis Estevez

In a Life magazine article dated April 2, 1956, designer Luis Estevez said his wife was his inspiration for his feminine designs. "She likes her dresses to have sharp lines and to be as sexy as possible within the boundaries of good taste."

I wish I could have met Mrs. Estevez and perused her closet. I like a woman who knows how to look sexy without being blatant. And another thing I wish? I wish my husband could design dresses like this early 1960's Estevez!

See this dress and more at Couture Allure Vintage Fashion .

Couture Allure in Lulu's Top Ten!

Couture Allure has been chosen as one of Lulu's Vintage Top 10 Vintage Clothing Websites for 2008! We're pleased as can be, and we're in some mighty fine company. Take a look at that Top 10 list and you'll find the best in vintage fashion on the web! Thanks, Lulu!

Mixed media Monday

This week's theme is "maps" (this is going to be one of many props used at my grandson's upcoming pirate party--he just turned one!)I purchased the gold plastic frame for one dollar at a yard sale a few weeks ago. I spray painted some black lightly over the gold frame to give it an old world look. I then cut out some thin wood (paneling) for the "canvas" on which to create some art. I used old maps from a book and aged them with paint and ink. I tore the edges and then glued it down to cover the wood. I then painted the words "happy birthday Jonathan" on top of the maps. After the center piece was completed, I added some paint to the frame creating what looks like pearls and ruby stones. I used a fabulous pearlized/metallic paint for the pearls... makes it really look like there are real pearls on the frame. I'm going to hit it with some shiny gloss sealer tomorrow to make the colors pop even more~

Early Calvin Klein

Just in - An incredible vintage early 1970's pants suit by noted American designer Calvin Klein. This is the earliest label from this company and the only garment I've ever had with this label in my years of dealing in vintage clothing.

Calvin Klein started his business in 1968 with a line of coats. He expanded into sportswear in 1970, and judging from the style, this pantsuit would have been from one of his first sportswear lines, probably dating from 1970 - 71. This suit consists of a long maxi vest with matching hip hugger pants. The construction is of the highest quality, as you would expect from a high end garment. It was originally sold by Vogue Gowns in Millburn, NJ.

Available now in our EBay store. And just one of several designer items we've added recently, including 60's Cardin, 70's Hanae Mori, 50's Anne Fogarty, and 50's Irene.

See this suit and more at Couture Allure Vintage Fashion .

Hanae Mori Signature Print

Here's something you don't see everyday. The more research I do about this dress, the more I find how unusual and rare it is. This fabulous vintage 1970's dress by Hanae Mori has a bold print of red moons and white stars in Milky Way clusters on a black background. The print bears Hanae Mori's signature, a feature that is highly unusual on her garments. And this print is certainly different than her iconic butterflies and florals!

Hanae Mori retired in 2004, so her designs are now more sought after than ever. See this dress and more at Couture Allure Vintage Fashion .

Introducing Retro Vision Vintage

Welcome to our new sister site! We opened Retro Vision Vintage on Etsy last week. This is where we'll be listing all our trendier 60's - 80's vintage fashion. Etsy is a fabulous marketplace where you'll find lots of vintage clothing and accessories, as well as handmade goodies from creative people all over the world. If you've not explored Etsy, we highly recommend that you spend a few minutes, or hours, browsing around.

Just listed on Etsy:

1970's neon green halter maxi dress

1980's huge chandelier earrings

1980's gold glitter party dress

Enjoy shopping on Etsy and please check back with www.retrovisionvintage.com often!

Show & Tell Friday~

Here is a wooden mantel clock I picked up at an estate sale recently for the small sum of $3 bucks. It is a new clock-- it runs on 3 double A batteries. Two of the batteries operate the hourly/half hour chime. Needless to say, I took those out the first night!! To loud for this light sleeper sleeping way down at the other end of the house lol. When company comes over though-- I am soooooooo putting them back in! It does sound lovely!The dark wood of the clock just didn't look right in my house at all! Sooooooo I painted it-- I know, I know-- some wrinkle their noses, but it does look like it belongs now :-)
Lastly, I share my bounty of cherries with you. I planted a cherry tree last year and just look at all this yumminess. I left a lot on the tree for my yard squirrel to eat. The little stinker loves his sweets!This show & tell is hosted by Kelli :-)

eVintage Blog Tag - Swim with the Fishies

It's Wednesday and time for the eVintage Society blog tag. I've been tagged by The Vintage Bulliten. The temps are on the rise and its time to think about swimwear….what better way to stand out on the beach than in a vintage swimsuit?



WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SWIMSUIT OR BEACH WEAR OFFERED IN YOUR INVENTORY?

I'm sold out, but my vintage sister over at Glamoursurf has the absolute BEST selection of authentic vintage swimsuits on the web. If you've never visited Pam's site, then go...NOW!!!!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ERA IN SWIMWEAR, TO SELL OR WEAR?

I love the high waisted bikinis of the 1940's. They don't come along very often, but they're about as sexy a swimsuit as you can find.

FAVORITE DESIGNER OR LINE?

Alix of Miami did some of the best swimsuits and sundresses I've ever seen.

FAVORITE BEACH RESORT?

Easy - Negril, Jamaica

FAVORITE POOLSIDE, TROPICAL COCKTAIL (WITH OR WITHOUT ALCOHOL)?

Top shelf marguerita on the rocks, with no salt please.

FOR YOU, BIKINI OR ONE PIECE?

Oh, honey, you don't want to see me in a bikini!

Tagging Vintage Joy.

eVintage Blog Tag - Prints Charming

I've been tagged by Carol over at The Vintage Bulliten. This week's blog tag is all about prints. Fashion magazines are predicting that prints will be hot for summer…large florals, bold brushstrokes, graphic designs.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PRINT OFFERED IN YOUR INVENTORY?

I am seriously in love with the print on this 1960's Leonard Arkin dress with matching coat.

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF NOVELTY PRINT?

Cute and unexpected - a print that gets noticed and commented on.

MOST AMAZING NOVELTY PRINT YOU’VE EVER SEEN?

I had this fabulous 1940's rayon dress with a print of Buddhas once. Sadly, it sold long ago and I can't find the pictures.

SIZE MATTERS….WHEN WEARING PRINTS, DO YOU PREFER BIG OR SMALL?

I'm short, so large prints tend to overwhelm me. Put I also dislike dainty prints, so I'd have to go somewhere in the middle.

COLOR OR BLACK AND WHITE?

Give me some color please. Even when I do wear black, I have to add a pop of color.

WHAT DESIGNER DOES YOUR FAVORITE PRINTS?

I love the prints of Leonard and Mr. Dino from the 60's. But my favorite prints are found on Darlene cashmere sweaters. Her florals are always beautiful.

On to Vintage Joy for some more vintage prints!