Perk Up

Perk Up...

your mornings with color and patterns.

New Collection listed at The Unique Bird on etsy.

I am not an expert on interior design styles, but I think with this collection, I ended up somewhere in the "Mad for Mod" era. Please don't quote me on this. That is just me trying to put a label on my recently listed Kitschy Kitchen collection.

Mod Kitchen. Pattern, color and wood paneling. Image from Matters of Style blog.

Late 60's early 70's . Image from Retro Renovation.

I didn't really have a specific design era or style in mind when pulling all of these great vintage pieces. I just loved the way the colors, patterns and textures all came together! Bring Pattern into your Kitchen without applying hard to remove wall paper.

Mix it up! 1960's and 1970's patterned vintage mugs give your morning coffee an extra burst of energy and style. Of course, sprinkle in a conversation piece with this cobalt colored Cool Cat toothpick/

coffee stirrer holder.

Just Swimmingly. Pair of 1970's Hornsea mugs.

Moovin and Groovin. Pair of vintage Saffordshire Pottery mugs.

Enjoying the "Finer Things" when you use real linen napkins at your next brunch. Vintage embroidered napkins add Autumn Elegance to the mod pattern palooza.

Haute Beverages get hotter with a punch of paisley. Vintage patterned metal and porcelain percolator and tea kettle.

Do you take cream or sugar in your coffee? Doesn't really matter how you take your coffee, as long as you are using a dispenser as cool as this one.

Pour Some Syrup on Me is a 1940's glass dispenser with a vibrant red plastic lid.

Shabby chic elements hung on the wall create unexpected artwork and create dimension and texture.

Sunny Side Up and Red Delicious vintage metal bundt pans.

Functional Decor. These vintage trays Fresh Start and Peacock A Doodle Doo are great decorating elements and add excitement to entertaining.

Distressed to impress storage for any room in this metal and faux bois Kitchen Carousel.

Though no longer appropriate for food storage, this set would be a great place to stash cooking utensils, in the kitchen or craft supplies, scissors or markers in your workspace.

Who doesn't feel a little sarcastic in the mornings?

There is truth in vintage humor. Wisecracking printed vintage signs.

This message has to be my personal favorite.

Vintage tea kettle appliqued pocket apron.

Coffee service with a smile. Just call me Rachel, the Cafe Queen.

(Sorry for that 90's pop culture reference in this mad for mod kitchen collection)

Perk Up your your day with pops of color and pattern mixing using vintage home decor from The Unique Bird.

 No caffeine required to excite me about these great vintage finds!

Thursday's Unique Picks - Happy Camper

Outdoorsy: adj. informal
1. Associated with the outdoors.
2. Showing a liking for the outdoors.
3. A word that should never be used to describe this girly.

Antique book, Honey Bunch: Her first days in camp. 1923-1934 book from Saltsman Soap's etsy shop.

I love this because my Grandpa Bob used to call all of us little girlys, "Honey Bunch". I wonder if he was an avid reader of this series.

It's not that I don't love taking a walk in the woods, swimming in the lake, eating outside, or sitting around a camp fire. All of those things are great. I even think it can be fun just sitting for a spell in a little tent in the afternoon, when the sun gets a bit too intense.

I love these little decorative hand made wood tents from woodmouse claymouse by Amber Dusick on etsy.

Call me a snob but, I just prefer to have a real indoor toilet (that flushes) and sleep in some sort of structure that a growly bear cannot easily sink his teeth into.

Photo of our family's little cottage. Address is #1 Awesome Street.

This is where I come the closest to camping. Our little Cottage. This little wonder is something of a structural marvel, having withstood many harsh western New York winters since the 1930's. It is rustic, yet charming. It maintains many of its original features. We lovingly describe our stays here as a form of "indoor camping". It meets my two requirements for camping though, it has a toilet that flushes (fingers crossed) and is a solid enough structure that the growly bears would have to really put some hip into busting through the door (because the doors tend to stick a bit).

Not really my idea of a happy camp site, but this is an amazing antique Victorian cabinet card photo from Happy Steiler's etsy shop.

All of this being said, I really love all of the special gadgets, tools, accessories and necessities associated with achieving a well rounded camping experience.

Whether you are camping indoors in a sweet little cabin...

Charming original ink illustration titled, "We Can Stay Here", by O'Reilly ink in Toxicguineapigs' etsy shop.

Rolling down the back roads from camp site to camp site in a motorhome...
That there is an R.V.

vintage 1970's wind up toy from GRACEFULPAST's etsy shop.

Hop into a sweet teardrop camper after a long day on the road...

You could be just like a turtle and carry your own little house on your back, (on the back of your car- I know duh. Did I really have to elaborate?) with this awesome homemade teardrop camper from jcmillard on etsy.

Or if you choose to pitch a tent...

The perfectly adorable clothes line play tent from missprettypretty's etsy shop.

This week's Unique Picks from great etsy sellers are geared to (or you may also say, it is gear to) make you a happy camper.

"Let's Kick it", Gocco screen printed greeting card from Two Guitars' etsy shop.

So let's kick it off with some great seating for around the camp fire.

 These rustic handmade, log benches made from Wisconsin cedar, can be found in RusticLiving's etsy shop, are the perfect size for cozying up to the one you love by the fire.

If a modern aesthetic is what you crave, these handmade camping chairs from Lexington's Lakeshore Designs, fit the bill for function as well as form. It would give you a rather chic appearance while swatting away the mosquitoes.

P.S. look even more chic when you don't have to swat the mosquitoes away because you used this citronella soap from Gifted Chicken Soap's etsy shop.

If you are all about light weight pack and go, from place to place, you can never go wrong with a folding stool. This fantastic vintage folding stool can be found in Hello Victory's etsy shop.

But don't forget, if you are bringing the kids along you may need a portable "time out" chair. Why not make it a vintage beauty like this one, from Mouse Trap Vintage?

Creating fine camping cuisine

Love the image on this illustrated Letterpress card from Old School Stationers.

If you find it a bit precarious to cook your grub over the camp fire these picks may come in handy.

Vintage cooking Sterno from GardenAngel's etsy shop.This burner is compact and comes with it's original directions, for those like me who don't typically cook with an actual flame.
I am electric.

The crowd pleaser. Cook up some beans and a pot of coffee, on this vintage camp stove from the daily vintage.

Here's the pot.
Yes, the coffee pot, Mr. Hophead.

An absolute hot 1940's vintage coffee pot from forrestina vintage's etsy shop.

Now Clark, if you go falling in love with this vintage c.1920's-1939 Griswold Dutch Oven, to cook up the beans, you can find it in Rustic Style's shop. I can't believe what great shape this piece is in!

These cool vintage green enamel tin cups from MonkiVintage's etsy shop, are the perfect accessory to have for either sipping coffee, or eating beans. Not both in the same cup though, because that is just gross.

Now I know you are becoming one with nature and all, but you don't have to eat with your hands like a cave man. This handy dandy set of wood cutlery for two, comes complete with its own handmade carrying case. It can be found in Pony Up Design's etsy shop

 Tip: Before you consume said goodies, beans and coffee, you may want to locate a toilet that flushes.

OK, so you didn't scope out the facilities before eating.
Grab a canteen.
No you cave man, don't go in there.
In case you have a long walk you will want to have some water.

 This vintage canteen from Northern Starry Nights, not only looks great but could be quite useful.

A thermos might also be a good idea. If you get lost you could always eat some more beans.

"I'm Picking Out a Thermos for you..." Navin R. Johnson

Great original watercolor painting from Art By Teresa Sheeley.

Some light reading material for when you reach your destination.

Antique Camp Fire Girls at Hillside c.1913 book, from Mom n Daughter Heart's etsy shop.

If night has fallen, and the moon light is not enough to guide your way,
you will indeed need a flash light.

Flooding your path to the potty with light never looked so good as it would with this fashionable vintage plaid flashlight from 12karri ELEGANT JUNK SHOP.

I am willing to bet though, that those growly bears would be totally dumbfounded if they saw you walking through the woods with this pick.

Is that a vintage camera or a flashlight?
Well it is indeed a vintage camera that has been upcycled into a flash light! It is sold in Bingo Box's etsy shop. How great is that?!

Hope this week's Unique Picks provided you with some great finds to keep you a happy camper.

"Not So Happy Campers" hand cut paper original art from Super Cool Spy Club by Jared Andrew Schorr.

Just remember, I am always happy to help you shop for great camping gear, but I will let you take care of the actual camping part. Especially if it is in a tent.