A while back I acquired a stack of awesome antique grain sacks. At the time I wasn't sure what I'd do with them. I just knew that eventually I'd come up with the perfect use for them. With the grain sacks and a selection of wonderful vintage linens I've started creating some really fun tote bags.

Flea Market Totes have been born! Made essentially from flea market finds and perfect for collecting your flea market treasures!

So far, I might be most fond of this little ditty. It combines an awesome Hawaiian sugar sack with my favorite kind of vintage textile.... the handkerchief!

Let's talk about vintage fashion styling!

Putting together fab vintage outfits takes a little practice and know how. Personally, I'm am a big fan of mixing new with old, and patterns with textures. I think a lot of people aren't sure how to wear vintage. Get brave! Mix and match! You can totally wear vintage too!

Paired together these three basic pieces make an adorable head turning outfit!

Sorry if you were starting to think I'd gone missing! I'm here.... I really am.

In short, we had an awesome summer that came and went! We got a new baby in the family (my cousin and his wife adopted), what a phenomenal blessing! My best friend got married! I met a boy! Turned the big 3-0! And now we're working our way through fall.
My creative energy has been stifled for the last few month and I've been doing some soul searching in order to figure out what direction to go in. I miss creating things with my hands!
Liz made a gorgeous bride! And I made Liz a garter, out of vintage materials <3

As I uncovered layers of bridal attire, the story deepened. At the bottom of this box full of treasures, I found the invitation to the wedding! Thank goodness for Google Street View! You can take a look at the house where the bride's parents lived, and at the church where the wedding took place.
This bride had it all planned out. From stories I've heard, weddings were not as elaborate then as they are now. Well this particular wedding was no small affair. The bride, Elizabeth, had everything in order. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.... and a six pence in her shoe!
The only thing truly missing from this collection is a picture of the bride in the complete ensemble.
If you are looking at those pearl beads and flowers wondering how they were made and what from, then we think a lot alike! Glass seems like a possibility for the beads, but that would be very heavy! So I did a bit of research and found out that wax flowers were commonly used in clothing decoration. Surprisingly, the pearls used on the dress and headpiece are also wax. It's a miracle that all that wax is still intact after years in that old Christmas box. Some of the pearls are a little discolored, but still very beautiful. I can't find any missing beads or pearls.
Everything (except for the coin) is for sale. Please visit my Etsy shop to view the listings. I have not included any measurements. So if you are interested, don't hesitate to ask! I will measure anything you like. Click here to email me. Click here to view the listing and more details about the dress.


If you'd like to Google the church where the dress was worn, it can be found here:
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
210 E 4th Ave  Roselle, NJ 07203

If I were asked which decade was my favorite for fashion, in the last century, I don't think I could pick just one. There are fashion elements from every decade that just call to me.

When I get my hands on a 100 year old dress something magical happens. To touch something with so much history is just an amazing feeling! It makes my imagination go wild!

Not only does this dress have a maker's tag, but the tag includes an address! I'm not sure if the tag displays the name of the dress maker or of the person it was made for. It says "Mme. Rizzi, 938 Rush Street, Chicago". Rush Street was first incorporated into Chicago in the 1830s. Based on the style, I believe this dress was designed around 1900.


I wish I knew what Madame Rizzi's first name was. It's hard to find any information on her.