Happy Friday!

I'm working hard this weekend, and won't be back to the internets regularly probably until Monday. But here's hoping you all have a fantastic weekend! Had to post this pic of Jack. Tried to do an outfit post while holding him the other day and it was utterly impossible, the squiggly thing kept finding his way out of my arms! This face completely made me laugh though. :) I can't tell you how much I love the affections of this fuzzball, he reminds me of Hobbes (yes, as in Calvin & Hobbes) but he actually belongs to my brother. Isn't he just CUTE? We call him "Main Coon" because he's so big and furry.

T. G. I. F!

XO

The Color List . . . For Reference!

Oh my goodness, I can't count the number of times I have found myself working on a listing and thinking, "there has got to be a better color name for this than just 'red'" or some other color of my item I'm posting to Etsy. I think putting color names in tags is pretty important as a seller, because 1. the more specific you are, the more likely that a person will be able to find your item and 2. many treasury makers (including myself) often times start their treasury based on a very specific color. (i.e. garnet instead of dark red) Does that makes sense?

I wanted to post this specifically for other sellers who, like me, sometimes spend way too long thinking of the perfect color name for an item! Well, here's what I've been using to sometimes jog my memory. I can take no credit for this so don't thank me, THANK WIKIPEDIA!! hahah!

ADDITIONALLY, years ago when I used to sell on ebay, this list was SO incredibly helpful when writing descriptions and title names. Believe me, both of these reference lists beat keeping a 64 crayola crayon pack at your desk pulling out each - one by one to find the right color name,  ;)

Hope some of you can get some use out of this!


Fine art photo by ElsieAdams on Etsy.

click on the links below to see possible names for the following shades.

Shades of Red

Shades of Orange

Shades of Yellow

Shades of Chartreuse

Shades of Green

Shades of Cyan

Shades of Blue

Shades of Violet (Purple)

Shades of Pink

Shades of Brown

Shades of Gray

Shades of White

Dorm Mate Lunch

Friends, I'm sorry if it seems like I'm so out of the blog loop lately. Sometimes I feel like I'm such a bad blogger. Oftentimes I find myself thinking "hmmm, what exactly does the world want to know about me?" And then I thought just today, "well what do I want to know about people usually? Why do I choose to read the blogs I choose to read?" I came up with this list, and it's surely not the end of it, just what I came up with at the top of my head. ;)

- what makes people happy
- the ins and outs of their day
- what inspires them
- and what they're wearing, of course!

I apologize for the lack of my outfit/personal posts. I'm gonna try to start being better with them starting today.  *fingers crossed* It's so much easier to do outfit posts when it's nice out, because I'd rather be taking pics outdoors, now I'm just waiting for Spring to really kick in here in the mitten!

Last week I was sooo happy to get a surprise visit from my college dorm mate. We met the very first day of move-in back in the late 90's. We've been friends ever since. Initially, she was not my roommate, but we changed that 2nd semester when we both realized we'd be much more suitable for living together than the first crazy dames we were paired with.

This is Sarah.
It was so nice to have this girl by my side when I was learning about the ins and outs of  romantic relationships way back then! We were always relating to each other about how our feelings/issues with guys could be explained in a song, and had I never met her, I never would have been introduced to this band or this one among many others she put on mixed tapes for me! One of these days I'll scan some pics of us from our college days. It's pretty fun to see how much we've both changed!

Do any of you still keep in touch with your college roomies? So happy this girl & I are still friends! Unfortunately, she hates to shop (makes me laugh), but I can always count on her for some great conversation and many laughs about our good ole' college days. :)

Shoes for Sunnier Skies

I know I don't list shoes much, but lately I've been finding some AMAZING pairs that I've been snatching up immediately for my dear customers because if you're anything like me you like your feet to be able to breathe in the spring and summer.

These sandals and the crochet skimmers below make that possible. The wood heel I find quite irresistible as well. As a matter of fact, I'm flirting with the idea of somehow forcing my feet into those first sandals because I think they're pretty darn hot! (they're a tiny size 5) Time to get out your pretty nail polish, dears. Pedicure season is upon us!

P.s. even more pretty shoes to come this weekend, stay tuned! XO

{Shop LolaVintage for Spring & Summer Shoes}
70s Black Leather Wood Platform Sandals

70s Leather Woven Peeptoe Wedge Sandals

70's Shiny Woven Navy Blue Wood Heel Sandals

70's Walnut Leather Bohemian Clogs

80's Crochet Lace Cream Skimmers

70's Aubergine Leather Wedge Sandals

Getting to know GRANDMA JUNE

I love finding out about new vintage sellers on ETSY! Often times they've been on Etsy for a while and are new to me. One such sweetie is Mandy of Grandma June. She's a purrrdy redhead from Maine who also moonlights as a band member of the Foam Castles. (See rockin' out picture below!) This is my first interview with a fellow etsy seller, and I'm hoping to do more in the future because it was fun getting to know about another vintage-lovin' dame in a different part of the world. I am especially fond of her last answer, and finding out that both of us were highly influenced by the style of our Grandmas! :)

~ Meet the girl behind GRANDMA JUNE ~

1. What's your name and in what state do you currently reside?
My name is Amanda Louise Wheeler (Mandy!), and I live in South Portland, Maine.

2. How did you get started with Etsy?
You know, to be honest, I can't really remember! Hahaha! I think I must have just stumbled across the site, and thought that it was awesome. So often would I go to a thrift store, find something unbelievably fantastic, but not be able to buy it because it wasn't my size. Starting my shop was incredibly exciting because it meant I could buy all of those items and share them with other fashionable ladies!

3. Describe your perfect day.
I think my perfect day depends on my mood. Lately I've been craving long road trips on sunny days. I love driving around Maine, it is truly as scenic as they say it is. I am longing for summer in the worst way. Just today I was out on the road, and seeing that the grass was turning green really made my day! I love the ocean, shopping, and cuddling with my cats, so my perfect day would probably include those things, as well.

4. What fashion icon (past or present) do you most admire?
Well, my grandmother is my #1 fashion icon, for sure. Her taste was impeccable, and the way she paired pieces together was, well, THE BEST. Even her taste in decor was incredible. I've looked up to many fashionable females throughout the years though, including Chrissie Hynde, Ingrid Bergman, Little Edie, and Coco Chanel.

5. What continually inspires you?
I think the ever-changing fashion trends inspire me. I love combining styles from different decades. My state inspires me, and so does the weather. The local girls here dress WELL, and I love checking everyone out! Maine is way more fashionable than you'd think!

6. List your current favorite: book, movie, and song.
My favorite book is by Haruki Murakami, and it's called "Kafka on the Shore". My favorite movie is a hard one to answer because it depends what I'm in the mood for. Lately, my favorite directors have been Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson, and my favorite actors are Bill Murray, Ingrid Bergman, and Shirley MacLaine. My favorite song is also completely impossible for me to answer, but I will say that my favorite band of all time is the Pretenders.

7. Your best advice for other sellers.
If you don't love it, don't buy it. Specifically I am speaking of the items in your shop. I think it's so extremely important to show your style in your shop, and not just buy anything because it's old. I only sell items that I stand strongly behind, and that I'd wear myself if it was my size/color/whatever. I always encourage people to look at my "favorites" on Etsy, so they can see my style and then figure out if we think the same way about fashion. Then of course there is the Etsy 101 rules, like take clear photos, and update your shop as often as you can. Ship items quickly, and with care.

(I'm in love with this dress from her shop!) 

8. The one vintage item you own that you'll never give up, not in a million years IS. . .
My wall of hats in my bedroom that was passed down to me from my grandmother, Grandma June.

* * *
Thanks for the interview, M! xoxo

Find more of Mandy on her blog HERE.

Girly Gingham for Spring and Summer

One vintage item I just know I'll have to find myself for spring and summer this year is a red & white cotton gingham dress! I'm falling in love with many of them on Etsy lately. Below are a handful I've really got my eye on right now. Which one is your fave? Oh, decisions, decisions! I love how they remind me of packing a picnic, and many leisurely picnics will be had in one of these beauties once I find the right one for me.  :)  

AudieMaria

Kaliman

CleverNettle

TovasVintage

SweetMoonlightShop

Water For Elephants

Love story. Based on the best selling novel by Sara Gruen. With Robert Pattinson, and lovely Reese Witherspoon. Centered around the happenings of a circus.  Comes out this Friday.

And. . . set in the 1930's.
Ok, you've got me, it's really the clothes I want to see! But, of course!

Movie stills found here.  

Miss Witherspoon looks so stunning, doesn't she? I love that hair style.
Here's the trailer.