A Very Vintage Christmas

This year I have the privilege of co-chairing the sixth annual Holly Ball benefiting Barrington Children's Charities with my sensational friend, Christie Shoemacher.  It is an evening of cocktails, dinner, and dancing that brings together the community to raise funds for area children in need. It is beyond a joy to be involved, to attend, and to support a charity that provides grants to some truly great initiatives. If you are in the Chicago area, it would be so great to have you there. And even more fun to see you all dressed up! This year's theme is "It's a Wonderful Life. Let's Share it with Others!" It is a black tie event with vintage holiday elegance. 

Fun, right?! Who doesn't want to feel like Jackie O for a night and have a dashing date? 

Here are some looks I put together if you need ideas. Just add gloves...

Dress / Clutch (similar here) / Earrings / Shoes (or these)

Dress / Clutch / Earrings / Shoes

Clutch / Necklace (or this) / Shoes (also these)

Top / Skirt / Clutch / Earrings / Shoes

Dress / Clutch / Necklace / Shoes (or these)

If you need any personal help, email me! erin.vondra@gmail.com

xo

Erin 

Gift Guide 2014: Statement Jewelry

Sometimes a statement piece screams out at you, and sometimes it is the most delicate thing you wear. Either way a unique piece of jewelry for the lady on your list (or yourself) is something that will be treasured for many years. Here are some of my favorites. 

1. This horn and malachite bangle is perfection. Furbish $68

2. Emerald green is certainly never going out of style. These drop earrings are so pretty. Eddie Borgo $125

3. I love the navy update on this classic gold Marc watch. Marc Jacobs $250

4. Nothing is more chic than a gold watch and plain black leather band. This Nixon has great lines too. $125

5. The hassle on this bracelet is so so good.  J. Crew $115

6. I worship a stack of delicate rings all on their own. These have diamonds. Even better. Gorjana $158

Don't forget to check out the other gift guides: 

Girl on the Go

Classic Shoes

Cozy Sweaters 

Bags to Covet 

Lovely & Lounging 

For the Home

xo

Erin 

Alexander & Company

I visited the super charming home of a friend last week and she had the sweetest wedding present hanging on her wall. At first glance these prints look like any other vintage print, but really they are custom made for the bride and groom to remember their day in a special way. 

They also have fantastic save the date cards and post cards. 

They are made by a local Chicago company called Alexander & Company. You simply fill out the information (including hair color for the bride & groom print, how cute is that?) and you have a custom print for a wedding gift. They come in many sizes and range in price from $200-$500 depending on printing and size. There are a bunch of options to choose from, so something for every couple. 

And as if that is not cute enough, I am kind of obsessed with these prints for kids rooms or nurseries. 

So fun, right?! Would look great in a kid's room or part of a gallery wall in a hallway. 

Love when I come across great finds in my own friends' houses. Thanks Ali! 

xo

Erin 

Going Vintage

While I still love a great new piece of jewelry, my focus over the last few years has been scouting vintage gems. The uniqueness of the piece, the thrill of falling in love with something you found, and the fun of incorporating it into an outfit to bring it all together is so satisfying. When it comes to vintage, there are a few tips to share that I have found along the way. By no means am I am expert, but I certainly love the hunt. 

First, you want to find a place that carries a lot of different types of vintage and turns inventory fairly quickly. Find one or two places that carry things you gravitate towards and stick with them. There are so many spots, so having just a couple you go to helps make better decisions.  

You also want to get to know the shop owner. Especially if you are looking for something specific. If they do not have it in the store, they may be able to find it for you. They also should have a ton of knowledge on what they are selling. Some pieces are signed or branded by the designers and some are not. Your shop owner should know all about them, what decade they are from, if it is an original or costume piece, etc. The more they can tell you about what you are buying the better, then check out their story by searching for info online on your piece to make sure they are legit. 

Every shop I have been to have some sort of bargain bin going on and my best advice is to dig in! It is worth going through. You will not find the heaviest, gem laden pieces, but you could find that perfect long necklace for work or a fun bangle to add to your arm party. Some of the pieces pictured were less than ten dollars, can you tell which ones? Exactly. 

Because many of these shops are small businesses and they set their own prices, feel free to negotiate. I have never paid for a piece at any price point for what it was listed for. It works really well if you group together pieces as well and come up with a price for the entire lot. I know it can be nerve wracking, but throw a price out there that you think is fair, it doesn't hurt to try. 

Check out your local antique fairs and flea markets when they pop up. There are always great vendors at them and you might find one you love that has a storefront nearby that you can hit up on the regular. 

And lastly, buy what you love. It is usually something totally unique and different from what I had been looking for that I end up getting and wearing to death. If you fall for something that you can afford and know that it feels special, get it. There is usually no going back to find it later. Anyone can find a Yurman at the mall, but a unique vintage piece that feels totally original will make you so much more happy. 

Here are some of my favorite places that I found all the above at: 

Somewhere in Time, Denver

Coast 2 Coast Collection, Santa Barbara

Lulu's at the Belle Kay, Chicago

Sophia Live Lovely, Chicago

Happy hunting! 

xo

Erin 

Keeping it in the Family

We have been lucky enough to receive some art from my grandmother who passed and Matt's grandfather who passed. It can be so hard to incorporate these pieces into your more contemporary space. I decided to give the framing a modern upgrade so I could hang them in many different spaces and rearrange easily later. Old frames can be great, but many of the ones I have received were in disrepair and really dated. 

Matt's grandfather liked to paint, so these are actually his works. Which makes them so special. Here is a future cowboy after nap time with this new cowboy. 

I went with a simple white frame since I can see this be part of a gallery wall later. 

The train replaced the Love poster I had and I think it works great with the more modern changing area. 

He is not into trains yet, but if he ever is I like to think that he will pumped to have this in his room. 

My grandmother had these Norman Rockwell prints hanging in her home for as long as I can remember. I love their fresh new look in white frames and matting. 

It worked great in this vignette by the mudroom entrance. 

And the larger one found a home in the dining room, above the buffet. 

I am lucky that I like these. What a nightmare it is when you receive something you just could not find a place for or hate. Reframing can be really pricey, especially for the prints. If you ind a gem of a painting at grandma's or at a flea market, bring it to a framer and just do a simple frame around the edge. The price tag is not that much and will be worth it. Unless of course it has an amazing frame, lucky you. 

xo

Erin 

Easy Update

Slowly, but surely, I am starting to settle in and even hang some pieces on the walls. There was a big gaping hole over the stove that was screaming for something to fill it. I have never hung anything above a stove and thought it might be a little funny to have framed art hovering over pots and pans sizzling and bubbling on the range. I bought these vintage French serving piece prints at an antique fair a few years ago. They are pages out of an old catalogue and I love them. I had them mounted on charcoal grosgrain and framed in metallic silver. And I think above the stove is the perfect spot...

Given my current indecisiveness, I used 3M hooks so I can easily rearrange. Although, I think these two prints have found their home. 

After some searching on Pinterest , I realized there are a lot of ways to fill that empty space. Similar to what I did, these botanical frames are fantastic. 

This built in nook and faucet is genius. 

Charming dishware can be displayed.

A simple pot rack makes for a pretty space and functionality. 

More contemporary than my kitchen allows, bit this shelf is perfect for prep and tools. 

Coming Home

I have a few quiet moments from the craziness of the last couple weeks to share a peek at what has kept me so busy. I have come full circle and have made the move back to my hometown with my family. It all happened pretty fast and I have hardly even had a chance to enjoy it and breath, until today. I have stopped unpacking boxes, obsessing about the washer that does not work, and the foot printed floors, to just relax and take it in. There is a still a ton to do and I am going to take my time with decorating, but I wanted to share a few glimpses of my favorite things to far. 

Freshly painted shutters

Contrasting Staircase

Vintage looking French fixtures

Dining room set and fixture fit perfectly

Total privacy, so blinds can always be open

Huge storage closet off kitchen for stock, gadgets, linens, cookbooks... 

Wood burning fireplace in the kitchen

Sunny utility room 

Tub with a view

There will be a few big projects to share (refinishing the basement), a ton of decorating, and the rearranging of furniture to fit the new space. I am going to take my time this time around and not make any hurried decisions (super hard to not want to finish everything right away, so type A!) and I promise to share all the steps along the way. 


The girls from NEAT Method are coming today to get after my closet, which needs serious help. Can't wait to share with you what they do with the space. 


xo
Erin 

Mix and Matched

cocokelley.blogspot.com/

There is something really special and girlie about using a mix matched set of vintage glasses for a party. I have been lucky enough to receive a few fun sets as gifts and hand me downs over the years and I love the idea of using them for a sunset cocktail party with friends.

The best place to shop for these glasses is flea markets, antique shops, and estate sales. While usually finding an entire set is impossible or outrageously expensive, you can have fun picking one or two of your favorite patterns out to mix in with other finds. 

Mixing crystal, pink glass, silver rimmed, etched, long stemmed, and goblets is great. In my opinion, the less matched the better. 

Anthropologie always has a great selection at their stores and I found a few other vendors with some options to get you started.

1. Horta champagne glass, small from Anthropologie $12

2. Set of 12 Vintage Cut Crystal glasses on Ebay bid at $75

3. Vintage pink floral glass tumblers by 1GlassyDealer on Etsy $50 for 2

4. Rippled coupe champagne glass from Anthropologie $14

5. Helianthus Goblet from Anthropologie $8

6. Kate Spade New York "Gardner Street" Stemware at Bloomingdale's $40-$45 

7. Vintage etched glass goblet set by OldNewsCollective on Etsy $10

Cheers! 

xo

Erin 

Pajama Party

There is a lot of softness going around this Spring and it makes me feel like owning everything in soft colors and soft fabrics. Whether it is blazers, pants, or tanks, this season has a lot of lounge to it and there is a lot to love about this look. I am currently on a no shopping stint thanks to lent (yes, I gave it up for lent and have not broken yet!). So I swept my closet for softness and came up with these DVF silk pants from last season. I love the drawstring, the ease of the fit and the cuff on the bottom. Though these might be a little more harem than pajama, I will have to make do until I can hit the stores again in a few LONG weeks. The feeling that these pants have that I want from this look is that they are super comfortable. It really does feel like I could be in my pajamas and yet I am up out of bed. I have done some pre-shopping and have come up with some great options for us to dive into.

Shoes are YSL similar to these I found on sale. 
Bracelets are a mix of vintage bargains
Clutch is Prada, from Saks, that I could not find online


A Soft, Robe-like Trench from the Gap
Studio Dinner Jacket from Zara
Alexander Wang Brown Layered Skirt
Light Chambray Blazer from Tibi
Slouchy Trouser from Alice & Olivia
Tapered Trouser from Top Shop
Silk Blouse from Silence & Noise at Urban
Chiffon Cardigan also from Silence & Noise
Comfy Yet Chic Maxi Dress from Free People
Roomy Tank From Frenchi  (I own this in 4 colors, my go to top. The soft pink is perfection)

xo
Erin