Member Interview & Giveaway: 1sweetdreamvintage

1SWEETDREAMVINTAGE ON ETSY

VKC: Tell us a bit about yourself and your shop.

Michele: I am a part-time teacher and full time mommy. When I'm not teaching nine-year olds, I spend time with my 2 1/2 year old daughter. My shop 1SweetDreamVintage opened just this last month as a hobby, but has grown into more! I seek out quality items that were made or printed in the USA or Europe. I have a love affair with Osh-Kosh overalls; if I could dress my daughter in them everyday I would!

VKC: Why are you drawn to vintage?

Michele: I appreciate the craftsmanship in vintage clothing and the nostalgia in vintage books that are often missed today. There's history in each piece. I like to think that buying vintage allows these items to be loved by a child once more.

VKC: Where do you find your treasures?

Michele: Everywhere! I love to frequent the local second hand stores in my area as well as estate and yard sales.

VKC: What is your process when creating/working?

Michele: Most of my time working on the store is spent while my daughter naps. If I try to list items other times, she wants to keep them all for herself!

VKC: How do you promote your business?

Michele: I don't Tweet or Facebook. Right now, I am working under the newbie mantra "If You Sell It, They Will Come."

VKC: What do you do when you are not creating/working?

Michele: First and foremost, I spend time with my daughter. We go to the beach, the Santa Barbara Zoo, local pick-your-own farms, and library regularly. My favorite thing to do is to bake and cook. I read a ton of food blogs and magazines. I also enjoy gardening and am teaching my self how to use my sewing machine.

VKC: What is your favorite item in your shop or that you have sold and why?

Michele: My favorite item in the shop is the Alice in Wonderland chapter book. It is my favorite because I have one inscribed to me for my first Christmas that sits on my daughter's bookshelf. I can remember the magic in having my mom read it to me for the first time, and can't wait to read it to my daughter someday.

VKC: How do you juggle your business and your personal life/motherhood?

Michele: Nap time, nap time, nap time.

VKC: What giveaway or discount would you like to offer our readers?

Michele: I would like to offer one book of your choice for free to a lucky reader!

Thanks so much, Michele!

If you'd like to enter to win a book from 1sweetdreamvintage, please leave a comment below.

There are a few other ways to enter - please leave a separate comment for each.

1. Favorite 1sweetdreamvintage on etsy!

2. Tell us which item is your favorite at 1sweetdreamvintage!

3. Tweet about this giveaway!

4. Blog about this giveaway! (Please include a link.)

This giveaway will be open until August 26, 2011, so you have one week to enter!

Member Interview & Giveaway: June-Bugs and Beila-Bots

 June-Bugs and Beila-Bots on Etsy

June-Bug and Beila-Bot Blog

VKC: Tell us a bit about yourself and your shop.
Sacha: i am a mom of three smart and beautiful girls, 7 years, 4 years, and 8 months.  i am an ex-chef turned scooter enthusiast, now stay at home mom and urban farmer.  we have a nice garden, 6 chickens, 2 bee hives, and one itty bitty dog named wink.  i love to sew, garden, cook, ride my scooter, and thrift.  i started buying extra cloths while thrifting for my kids because i couldn't bear leaving them there without a home.  i thought i could be their foster mom while i found them a home on etsy.  so was born my etsy shop.

VKC: Why are you drawn to vintage?  Sacha: i had a babysitter that would take me thrifting and dress me up in old outfits.  i started wearing vintage in middle school because of her, and never stopped.  i liked having something unique and no one else would have it. i also found i had a perfect body for vintage, my waist fit all those tiny pants and skirts!  i was also able to bring my love of sewing into old clothes that were too big, it was easy to sew them into something i could wear.  my parents thought it was great, my wardrobe was so inexpensive!  i think my homecoming dress was $75.

VKC: Where do you find your treasures? Sacha: i have my favorite thrift stores.  doesn't everyone?  my secret is my husband, he always knows these far away places that pop up on corners and in dark alleys every other month or so with the coolest things, he has an eye for those places.

VKC: How do you promote your business? Sacha: i write a blog about my life and loves, i talk about my etsy on there.  i also join my friend's circles as much as i can.

VKC: What do you do when you are not creating/working? 

Sacha: gardening, drinking wine with the neighbors, watching the television with my love, or reading a good book.

VKC: What is your favorite item in your shop or that you have sold and why?
Sacha: my favorite items are those my babies wore because they were able to be a part of our life for a little while.

VKC: How do you juggle your business and your personal life/motherhood?

Sacha: i don't know.  i feel we are always on the go.  i work when the kids are in school and in bed:)  that's me time!

GIVEAWAY

Sacha is so kind to offer a GIVEAWAY of...

...a $20 Gift Certificate to June-Bugs and Beila-Bots!

Enter to win by visiting June-Bugs and Beila-Bots and leaving a comment on this post letting us know your favorite item.

OTHER WAYS TO ENTER:

(Leave a separate comment for each one!)

1. Become a follower of the VKC blog (along the right sidebar).
2. Blog about this giveaway and comment with the link. 
3. Become a follower of the June-Bug and Beila-Bot Blog.
4. Follow VKC on Facebook.
5. Subscribe to the VKC via RSS or email (along the right sidebar). 
6. Visit another member shop and let us know your favorite item (one comment per shop visited).

Giveaway end Friday, May 6th at midnight (EST).  Winner will be announced Saturday, May 7th.  

GOOD LUCK!

Vintage Elephant Sweetness

After listing and then trading this adorable vintage elephant dress to fellow VKC member, Heather, of 3RingCircus, I started seeing cute elephants everywhere!  She even had one in her little shop...

 And then lots of other members have them, too!  Those circus animals really get around, huh?!

And they're popping up in other vintage shops, too.  They just can't be stopped!

Aren't they all so adorable?  And they all need loving homes.  I might need to become a collector...  hmmm...

*KRISSY*
B.Inspired Vintage

Sugarplum Sweetie Treasury

Perfect vintage treasures for any sweet little girl curated by VKC member, Edith's Closet.

Natuical Themed Fashion and Decor for the Little Sailor

An Etsy Treasury featuring vintage and handmade fashion, decor, and toys for your nautical-lovin' little one brought to us by Cari from The Vintage Nursery.  Just click on the photo above to go see a little closer!

Vintage Kiddo & Mama Style

Hi, it's Amanda from Kyssa Vintage here. Instead of doing a regular post of my favorite vintage etsy finds for kiddos like I planned, I thought it would be fun for all those vintage-loving mamas out there if I changed it up a little. Not only is etsy the best place to find clothes for your little ones, it's a goldmine for us ladies too.....so here I'm bringing to you my favorite vintage children's finds along with their grown-up counterparts. And not to worry dads, you'll be included in future posts too. I do hope you enjoy!

First up, classic black & white Saddle Shoes

from Little Reader Vintage these size 4 baby kicks are only $7.

and for Mama......

a steal at $19.99, from Miss Gamine

The melting snow has me longing for Spring Dresses in pretty shades of teal

 

perfect polka-dots, $18 from Woolly Mammoth Vintage.

and this stunning version for Mama....

I absolutely LOVE this Chrysanthemum Silk dress,

$56 from The Church of Vintage

And these Sunny Yellow dresses with colorful flowers are so sweet

Embriodered Mexican Dress size 3T

$18 from Old New Dress

and I'm thinking of snapping up the grown-up version for myself....

How gorgeous is this?!? Just WOW.

Only $38 from Ashley Oh

Last but not least, a Basic Cardigan should be a staple

in everyone's wardrobe (young & old)

Adorable in size 5/6, $34 from Flour Clothing

and equally as stylish for us ladies...

1970's cable knit & belted, $32 from Custard Heart Vintage

All items are linked to their respective shops, just click on the shop name to take you there. Happy shopping!

www.kyssa.etsy.com

(Linking to The Vintage Blog Link Party at In the Hammock Vintage Style.)

Vintage Baby Gifts: Cute Dresses, Collaged Frame, and Old Maid Banner

One of my best friends is expecting her first baby (on MY Birthday!).  I am so excited for her!  And I was really, really excited when I received the invitation to her baby shower, because this friend is totally into VINTAGE and HANDMADE!  (You should see her nursery!  Hmmm...  Maybe in a future post?)  Needless to say, I had tons of fun putting together her gift.

 I used a poor little falling apart vintage children's book to fancy-up a wooden frame for her (AhMAZING) ultrasound picture.  Sewed some vintage Old Maid cards on a colorful ribbon to create a banner for the nursery.  And I threw in two darling vintage little girl dresses that never made it to B.Inspired Vintage.

Here's a closeup of the baby's first photo in the antiqued frame.  I'm a bit partial to my own kids' ultrasound images, but I have to admit that this is probably the most clear and beautiful ultrasound picture I've ever seen.  Don't you think?!

As you can see, not everything was vintage.  I found this baby blue wire bin at Five Below.  (You can never have too many containers for a nursery, right mamas?!)  My kiddos picked out that colorful Eric Carle butterfly toy while shopping during our "Letter I is for Insects Week!"  And a few of our favorite children's books are tucked in that tissue paper.    But I did top it off with a sweet unused antique baby greeting card.  She really loved it, and I definitely loved giving it! (Plus, if it isn't tacky for saying so, it was really economical, too!)

Krissy @ B.Inspired

Do you ever gift vintage or handmade items?  Do share!

Vintage Health-Tex Love

I adore most vintage children's clothing but one brand has elicited more thrift shop squeals of glee from me than any other- Health-tex.

The Health-tex company has been around since the early 20s and was first named the Standard Romper Company (I love how this name sounds both official and adorable). The name "Health-tex" was first used in 1937 to indicate that the garments were made from "healthy", meaning durable fabrics.

I believe in the durability (and kid-friendly comfort!) of Health-tex garments. From my personal experience, vintage Health-tex seems to be more common than many other vintage children's clothing brands. I have found quite a variety of Health-tex clothing for babies, toddlers and the preschool crowd, most dating to the 70s. The variety of colors, prints and darling appliques never ceases to amaze me. Many etsy sellers offer these fun and "healthy" garments for sale. Find the goodies shown here at 1. Kid Wonder, 2. B.Inspired Vintage, 3. Stephaniepress, 4. 3 Ring Circus, 5. fuzzymama,

If you think vintage Health-tex clothing is adorable, wait 'til you see their vintage advertisements! Stay tuned!

Jeannie at Sweet Shop Vintage