Sweet on You

Sweet on You
at The Unique Bird

Recently listed collection of vintage decor at The Unique Bird on etsy.

Smitten , set of vintage advertising letters.

 Our recent collection of unique vintage decor started out with a word and the love grew!

Smitten : adj. To captivate, infatuate, charm,... swept off your feet

What these great chippy shabby chic letters spelled out for me was the inspiration to combine candy colored soft pastels with slightly more subdued tones and textures, all the while, keeping in mind the dreamy and romantic feelings that one encounters when they are first bitten by the smitten bug.

Framed 1930's children's book illustration, Puppy Love is shown here with this great round vintage art pottery vase, Honey Dew. This round vintage vase has a modern aesthetic and is the perfect balance for these delicately detailed tea cup and saucer sets.

This perfectly pink and gold detailed demitasse and saucer set, Tickled Pink, is shown stacked on top of a charming painted vintage teacup and saucer set, Cream N Sugar. Since we don't really take time in the afternoon anymore for tea and cakes, these lovely pieces can be used as unique bud vases.


I love when I find a special vintage piece that add a touch of kitsch an whimsy.

Shall We, great mid century porcelain figurine. This little guy offers his arm to you and also provides a unique spot to display dried flowers. 

Just a little "text" ure and charm. Bundling vintage books like these, Papa's Wife and When You Marry, makes an excellent decorative detail as well as a fantastic platform to display tiny trinkets and tiny treasures.

Show off those vintage brooches. Sure vintage brooches can be the perfect accessory for your ensemble, like this floral brooch Love in Bloom, but if you aren't wearing them everyday you can still show them off as a decorative accessory in your home. Seen here pinned to a strand of trim that was used to bundle these vintage books.

In any budding romance, a girl needs a special spot to tuck away her Treasured Trinkets from the boy who is sweet on her.

Remember the day he was "Sweet on You" with these wonderful vintage pieces found in the The Unique Bird's etsy shop.

"Falling in love consists merely in uncorking the imagination and bottling the common-sense."--Helen Rowland

Thursday’s Unique Picks – Cheers to 80 Years

Today’s Unique Picks brings us to an exciting birthday celebration for a man that recently turned eighty years young.

Express your excitement for any occasion, with this great original cross-stitch from *grace and light* on etsy.


While thumbing through the paper last Sunday the hubby happened upon this announcement in the special occasions section…
“Belated 80th Birthday Dickie-Do”

From the newspaper that gave us Ted Williams (not the baseball player), The Columbus Dispatch, we found this birthday announcement for Dickie-Do.

Unfortunately, I am not one of Dickie-Do’s “Special Friends”…just an admirer. We clipped this little nugget out of the paper and every time I see it, I have to chuckle a bit.

With such a vibrant expression on his face and a great nick name like Dickie-Do why wouldn’t it be fitting for him to be this week’s Unique Picks inspiration?
This one's for you Dickie-Do.

This cheerful birthday card from ellipsis by esauer26 on etsy reminds us, "better old than ugly". Ain't it the truth.

Sure, I don’t know the guy, but I still decided to take a stab at finding some great items from etsy sellers that would not only delight this enthusiastic eighty year old, but could be unique finds for folks of any age.

This 1980's birthday mug from hollieshobbs etsy shop, also poses another important birthday sentiment, "Age Is Mind Over Matter...If You Don't Mind, It Doesn't Matter". This is a great gift for anyone you know that whines every year about getting older.

Before we start the gift giving, I just wanted to give you a few fun facts about the year Dickie-Do was born.
In 1931:
(1931 fun facts were found on The People History and Wikipedia.)

The Empire State Building is completed, and becomes the tallest building in the world

This great original artwork from Nesta Home shows the Empire State Building in New York City. The skyline was created from an original photograph and printed on a 1929 atlas page.

The Star Spangled Banner officially becomes the U.S. National Anthem.

This large gallery wrapped canvas is a print from an original photograph from Clicks Photography's etsy shop.

Another famous Dickie makes his debut. Dick Tracy to be exact. The Dick Tracy comic strip was created in 1931 and first appears in the Detroit Mirror newspaper.

This upcycled spiral bound notebook was created from a 1941 Dick Tracy card game box, and can be found in Another Work in Progress's etsy shop.

 From my in depth character assessment of Dickie-Do, from his clipping, I would assume...


It is pretty obvious that he is a fellow with snappy taste in clothing. He seems like he may be into wearing vintage clothing. Can you say hipster.

This vintage 1940's-1950's plaid button down from Vogue Vintage Clothing on etsy seems like it would be right up his alley.

Dickie's look wouldn't be complete without a vintage graphic tee.

Perfectly modeled by Kenny, it is pretty obvious why I picked this vintage tee from skippy ha ha 's etsy shop, because it is Awesome.

But an 80th birthday calls for something a little more "special"
How about a tie?

Not just one, but four great vintage ties from Retro Homme Vintage's etsy shop.

I also brain stormed with my hubby on other gift ideas for Mr. Do.

As per hubby's suggestions:
1. Good reading light

This great reading light, upcycled from vintage books can be found in Typewriter Boneyard's etsy shop.

2. A nice magnifying glass for...

If you have to use a magnifying glass, might I suggest that you use a snazzy vintage one like this one I found in Tricky Vintage Refreshed by trix0120 on etsy.

3. Crossword puzzles

Not just any old crossword book for Dickie-Do will do. This vintage roll of novelty toilet paper from EdwardFarms etsy shop will cleverly keep you occupied.

Thanks hubby!
I personally think he might be up for something that will get his heart rate up.

I love this vintage postcard from savannahsmiles4u's shop, dotted with bathing beauties. Who needs a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue when you could be checking out these classic hotties?

And Beano...not because I think he might be gassy, I just thought he could use a break from Bingo.

This "Peppy" 1930's-1940's game is from MissMaggiesBureau on etsy. It is just like Bingo, but the word at the top of the card is "Beano". That is what makes the game peppy.

Well Dickie-Do, I hope you approve of all of these great ideas I had for birthday gifts just for you.

Could this be our little Dickie-Do? You just never know. This original photograph from the 1930's was found in Ephemera Obscura's etsy shop.

I hope that for your 80th birthday you got something better than that year you got the wagon and a pipe.

Thursday’s Unique Picks – Scrappy Do!

Greeting to you all from my little nest in SnOw Hio!

Sure it would be a good day to curl up by the fireplace with a good book, but it is Thursday and I have a blog to write...

Great 1977 children's book, "What can you make of it?" found in Bountiful Books & Papers on etsy.

Today’s Unique Picks may have started out as just a bunch of scrappy bits and pieces, but these great etsy sellers have made some love out of nothing at all (if you will). When I say nothing I may be exaggerating just a little bit. These creative sellers have taken often dismissed or discarded vintage scraps and repurposed and upcyled them into some quite unique pieces!

Don't have your own vintage junk? Well, you can find a delightful selection of Dorothy's "junque" to fill your drawers and upcycle into masterpieces, in Surrender Dorothy etsy shop.

Just to clarify these buzz words if you are not familiar…

Repurposed: “To give new purpose or use to… <repurpose the archived material>” as defined by the Merriam- Webster online dictionary. First known use of this word was in 1984. How about that?

 Upcycled: " is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value" as defined by Wikipedia (one of my never fail sources for information). The first recorded use of this term was in 1994. This word has not yet made it into the official Merriam – Webster Dictionary, but I bet its coming.


I guess in some cases some upcycled items can also be considered repurposed.
My excessive nerdiness can be quite exhausting some days.

The truth of the matter is, that upcycling and repurposing really isn't a new concept though. Throughout history people have been creating useful things out of other items. We just now have some snazzy words to describe this process.

Image found on PBS's website. Check out the link to see what it appraised for...

This is actual depression era repurposed upcycling in action, that I saw it on an episode of Antiques Roadshow, a few months back. This is a cigar box that was lovingly converted into a functioning mandolin.

Fast forward to today...newly upcycled finds in all shapes and forms from etsy sellers

Wearable Upcycled

Found in Lovely Nest Designs etsy shop. A sweet little jacket delightfully detailed with vintage lace.

What a dream..in shades of cream. Slip into this former vintage slip transformed into a gorgeous dress from Velvet Ruby on etsy.

Vintage knitted afghan upcycled and repurposed into a cozy cape from SAXIIB on etsy. I once attended an auction and the auctioneer was commenting that someday someone would appreciate all of these old afghans. Ta Da! He was right.

Accessorizing upcycled with repurposed...
or vice vresa. You know what I mean.

This adorable vintage clutch from In Love Again's etsy shop, is given a unique one of a kind touch with applied cuttings from a vintage Children's book illustration.

This striking cuff bracelet, found in Lena Sekine's etsy shop, was handmade using a combination of vintage 1950's men's kimono fabric and silk screened handmade Japanese washi paper.

Even the littlest ones can get in on the upcycled vintage accessory action. The sweet little booties were crafted from a reclaimed embroidered vintage linen tablecloth. You can find these in LeilaBadblood's etsy shop.

Are you bookish? Even if you aren't an avid reader, you will be delighted by this great find from The Lint Balloon on etsy. This handbag has been upcycled from a vintage book.

That sweet little book bag is kind of my transition into upcycled repurposed home decor and decorations... but before I share anymore picks from etsy... I had to show you this.
Yes, Pottery Barn has been at it again with their 'pick it for you' vintage finds.

New on the Pottery Barn Website. Book Bundles...hmmmm...Where are the covers? $39. How can they do it for so little? (sarcasm). I am just waiting for them to block me from their website.

In case you missed my blog post on Etsy Vintage vs. Pottery Barn Vintage, you will find that they are trying their best to get in on the vintage selling trend. And with this new listing...well, it doesn't claim that these are repurposed or upcycled, but these bundles are described as "authentic vintage books and turned them into art objects by removing their covers and binding them together". Exactly what I was thinking when I saw this "art objects". Not to mention that these stacks of vintage paper are, "Purely decorative; contents and titles are not important". This just gets me all fired up, especially when there are folks that are actually making lovely and unique art objects using vintage books...and they tend to know the titles of the books.

Now this is an actual Art Object created by Lisa Occhipinti, was found in The Shop House on etsy. I love this "Bookmobile" that was created using a 1943 book. Even though this book was upcycled into a piece of art, the seller actually knows the title and has included a brief summery of the novel. Novel idea.

Pretty and playful! This large upcycled wreath was created from an adorable illustrated vintage children's book. It can be found in PhotographicAmy's etsy shop.

What a cozy reading light! This is a bright idea From mostaza seed's, etsy shop! It is a vintage tea cup turned into a decorative light.

Here are a few upcycled bits and pieces to decorate for special occasions...

These adorable little crown shaped confetti were upcycled from vintage wrapping paper scraps. These are from Jardin de Papier's etsy shop.

My shop, The Unique Bird's upcycled holiday offering.

Let's just say that this heart shaped vintage fabric garland was kind of the inspiration for today's post.

Over the summer I picked up a bag of little vintage fabric scraps at a tag sale and wasn't really sure what I was going to do with some of the tiny scraps. It turns out that they were just the right size for cutting out little hearts for garland. To top it off...or back the vintage fabrics up, I actually used some lovely bright red suede that I cut from a vintage skirt!

I am pretty excited with the way they turned out, and REALLY excited that I was asked to make some of these garland for Sobo Style! Sobo is a unique store in Central Ohio that specializes in old and new home furnishings and gift items. The icing on the cake though, is that I have been asked to sew up another batch for their great shop! Sew I better get back to work on that.


I hope that you have enjoyed today's great upcycled and repurposed finds!
Take a peek in that junk drawer. I am sure that the upcycled possibilities will be endless. Even the smallest scraps do make some pretty great items!

Thursday’s Unique Picks – Finding the Words

Home décor trend: Monograms.
Not even sure if it can be considered a “trend” anymore because the letters are everywhere.

"S" is for song...or Sarah. Just saying. Great vintage band uniform pin from Tipple & Snack's etsy shop.

Throughout history, folks have been putting their initials on loads of things: clothes, jewelry, pillows, towels, etc.  You name it, and people have put their monogram on it.

Charming antique hand embroidered monogram towel found in SaffronColoredPony's etsy shop.

Now, about four or five years ago, Anthropologie was credited for making over sized fabric covered letters, a hot item for the twenty to thirty somethings.

Anthropologie's current selection of fabric covered letters on line.

 You know those big bold letters to hang on your wall to let everyone know “Yeah, this is MY space”.
Every time my Brother-in-law would enter an Anthropologie with my Sis, he would comment on how he really would like to have a large letter like that for their home. I delivered.

Christmas 2009. I decoupaged my Brother-in-law, his very own "Z", using cuttings from a vintage language arts book, of course.

 I personally think the trend was started on the Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1975 though...

Image from Hooked on Houses blog. I always loved Mary's "M" proudly displayed on her wall.

Don’t we all want to be just like Mary. Turning the world on with a smile...displaying a large letter on your wall.
At some point the monogram wall hanging seemed to evolve.
Now there are large letters spelling it all out for you. I am not sure who was at the forefront of this, but I assume it was someone who liked to spell.

Fun for the entire family (If you are good at spelling). This 1938 vintage Gold Medal Word Game was found in CarolsNeedledEwe's etsy shop.

 Some may find all of these letters and words a bit trite, but I still love it! I have always loved bold text, various fonts, signage and labels. For goodness sake, even my silverware has it spelled out on the handle for me.

Eat your words, or at least eating with words in my house.


For This week’s Unique Picks, I have found the words from great etsy sellers to delight, amuse and decorate with for the wordsmith deep inside you.

A cheerful greeting hidden within the alphabet. How about that! This great vinyl wall decal was found in tasty suite 's etsy shop.
These great little handmade porcelain magnets from jo heckett on etsy are so sweet and sold individually so you can create your own little message.
This great print from zeppe's etsy shop, combines fantastic original photographic images to create playful phrases or words or for you to customise yourself to hang in your home.
Upcycled vintage side plates are hand adorned, by The Salvaged Tea Party's etsy shop, with sweet little patchwork letters. These can also be customised to create your own favorite four letter word. 

Awesome laser cut acrylic necklace found in sweet fairy boutique spells it out.  Sometimes you just need to create and/or be creative, especially when spelling words using vintage letters.

Now let me alert you, sometimes when you are trying to create words and phrases using vintage letters it can can get a bit tricky...if you don't have a full range of letters.

These great vintage scrabble tiles from Allthepreciousthings etsy shop sums it up.

You may need to "Be extra very good" at using what you have (and I don't just mean using the letters you have, you may have to wrack you brain a bit).

Lucky in "Luv" vintage metal marquee letters from Vintage Embellishment's etsy shop.

Last summer, I found a box of old plaster art deco letters at a flea market and thought, why not join the party. These letters are cool and they are bound to spell something. I didn’t really pay attention to what letters were in the box because I loved how they looked. Lots of lovely vintage chippy letters but... problem, not a wide variety of letters.


Sounds a bit like a word game right. Games are fun. Not word games (At least not for me).
I am not the best speller. If you have ever read my blog before the hubby proof reads it you may think, who the heck is this ding bat and how did she graduate from kindergarten?

This vintage spelling dictionary from stephunk' s etsy shop might be very useful for me. I don't know if it will keep me from writing afrodisiac when I really want to spell aphrodisiac though. My Dad always used to say..."Sound it out".

My poor father used to drill me for spelling tests every week. It was really painful.

Yes, it is like that. This should be our official badge. This pinback button was found in The Angry Robot's etsy shop.

My parents would even try to make spelling fun by playing a few rounds of the word game "hangman" when we would go out to eat.
I liked drawing the little man.

This is pretty sweet. It is a chalkboard vinyl Hangman wall game from GhettoVinyl (soon to be Empire City Studios) on etsy.

 I digress, back to the task at hand.
Finding the words from my pile of vintage advertising letters. NO mature content words please. I wouldn't want to offend anyone.
Then a few days ago I had a break through.

Smitten with these great vintage letters? Find them in my etsy shop, The Unique Bird.

I even called up my Father to ensure I had spelled it correctly. He confirmed my spelling and that "Smitten" was a real word. As he said, “it was what your Hubby was when he first met you.” Yes, “was” being the operative word. I think he still likes me.


When my hubby came home from work and saw my word...
he said, "you know, you could also make that into the word 'mittens'". Crap! Why couldn't I have figured that out before Christmas. Oh well, I guess "Mittens" is a winter word too, and we are still in the thick of winter. So I guess that makes my word a two fer.
Thanks for letting me spell it out for you today with the help of some great etsy sellers.

I love this antique woodtype alphabet displayed in a wood vintage tray that I found in bshousley's etsy shop.

Alapha- bet you liked liked it.