My favorite thing about the holiday season is hunting for vintage holiday goodies

I found this authetic 1950s aluminum Christmas Evergleam for $40 (!!!!!) on craigslist a few months ago.

7ft tall!!!!

The catch was.... they only advertised the box, and couldn't comment on the actual goods!

but I bought it anyways!

and good news..... every branch is there! it's a beauty for sure

I am currently getting my house ready for a holiday party this friday.

I have lofty goals of painting my living room and dining room (see the yellow! it must go!)

It's a vintage themed party, and i'm just a little too excited!!!!

(Evan with his nerdiest of expressions!)

I tend to be drawn to classic outerwear garb... a timeless piece.

This vintage one James (miss bleubird herself) is wearing is ideal.  Fur trim collar and cuffs, asymmetrical closure, and a belted waist.

I'm a tall gal, just like her, and a belted waist is a must.

I've had a few successfull weeks in life and decided to treat myself a bit.

Soon this lil' number will be arriving at my door-step.

Available at Urban Outfitters , now $89!!

Thanks Renegade!!!

....and sorry for fully abusing the free photobooths! :)

Tulm had numberous stores with wide varieties of beaded goodies.

I'm fully inspired to bust out that loom my ten-year-old-self begged my grandpa to construct. :)

Can't wait to play around with beading, combining it with my previous loves of macrame and leather.

i don't really have a plan as to how or what i'm going to make...

...but that's kind of the fun of it.

THIS weekend.

Perhaps my favorite fair of the year, Renegade Holiday Chicago!



Be there, or be square.  It's quite a time!

Tulum '10

Sunny 80 degree Tulum, Mexico.

We slept on the beach, drank margaritas, and read books (me- Darkly Dreaming Dexter & and the start of Under the Dome, by Stephen King (put on hold till after this weekend!))

.......and that's pretty much it.

oh and got wicked sunburn, which of course, was faded by the time we landed in Milwaukee.

My loot- A southwestern woven rug/blanket, some leather bags, and a few beaded jewelry items.

The rug will be my inspiration for my living room design, along with a protrait of a buffalo that my grandpa painted in the '60s. 

If i could, i would....

...furnish my ENTIRE house in goodies from this London based antique store

Elemental Antique Vintage Furnature

Everything is jaw-dropping amazing.

And my ultimate favorite below... 

I have issues liking any kind of bedroom furniture from commercial stores these days.....

This is the perfect solution. Modern design build with vintage elements.

I'm going to start up carpentry in the near future, and someday will make my own version of this

vintage-found-drawer handmade dresser.

Truely unique, no piece could ever be the same.

I'm in love with the dark mahogany wood and distressed white combination.

They also have an inspiring blog! filled with industrial design and tutorials of restoration.

My parents hosted a wedding reception last month at their house.  It was held outside.

They strung lighting throughout the yard, had a band play in the drive way, and kept the margaritas flowing.

Photography by Kimie James of IYQ Photography

Follow her here.

.....string lights make everything so dreamy.

Upcycled

We sold these boots on our Vintage today.

and once in a great while we receive a unique address to post to....usually a store or a corporation.

We're always a bit too curious and usually check out what the company is all about.

These Lace Ups are getting shipped out to reMade USA.

A company that reworks leather into amaaaazing handbags!

They are based out of Brooklyn, NYC

I've always been a sucker for leather!

And here are some of my favorites.

See more here!

Renegade Prep

We've decided to have a stack of postcard/coupons at Tara's Renegade booth this year!  A smidge of sneaky advertising!

gearing up to slow down...

November is one of the busiest months of the year for me.

 I participate in Art Vs. Craft (in good ole Milwaukee) and Renegade Craft Fair (in Chicago), which are both at the end of the month.... and only a week apart!

So I tend to spend the weeks leading up to it working hard at all parts of my life- Crafting, Vintage, and Home.

I leave for Mexico the WEEK before this crazy fair season begins.  Hope it doesn't set me back too much!

After all this is done, i plan to concentrate December and January on my house. Getting it fixed up. and fiiiinally painting! I hope to have my dining room and living room painted before my Holiday Party.

I'm extremely excited to dive into my house repairs a bit more!  Can't wait to see it transform before my eyes.  A house into a home.  It's about time to stop talking and start doing.

Here are a few of my "before" pictures of my house. These are from when we first moved in.

(my awkward forced pose by my mom.  The sign says "sold" but it was way to sunny to capture)

Needless to say... the red and yellow are outta here!!! Not much sunlight comes into our house, so light colors it will be.

Trick or Treats

Bayview, Milwaukee is one of the only places in the city where they have nighttime trick or treating.

This is my first year in my house... my first trick or treat.... my first house decorating event.

I'm excited for the years to come in this crazy little house!!!

sleeps...

It's getting harder and harder to get up in the morning with such brisk weather!

My hardwood floors are ice cold.... my bed is oh so toasty....

...and my boyfriend really never has to wake up as early as i do....

I'm in hibernate mode.

Looking forward to a weekend of lazy mornings

My Favorite Vintage Finds

I would like to share my favorite vintage finds on our etsy right now.  Lisa and I recently went to an amazing estate sale and I wish I knew this lady!  She had so many amazing vintage clothes that were pressed and hanging so neatly in her closet.  Lisa and I went crazy and bought all our favorites, which was most of it...  Lisa has added some of the jewelry and I am in love with this metal diamond shaped necklace.

And my favorite look for this fall is a plaid button-up underneath a blazer, so I am in love with this corduroy blazer paired with a plaid shirt.

<3 Tara

Palettes

After four months of pondering design, color, lifestyle, meaning.... i'm finally beginning to nail down true ideas for my house.

Making a house into a home is difficult...

Kitchen

*i just bought a vintage wooden kitchen table that is the exact color of the greeny-yellow!*

I'm in love with vintage, dusty, warm colors.

Here's some other palettes i love and have yet to decide where they go!