Vintage cameras are the theme for today’s round of Friday Favorites {Inventory Inspiration}.  Vintage cameras are a perfect prop to add character and vintage charm to your wedding, event or engagement photo’s.  I have fond memories of my grandfather taking photo’s with a few of his old cameras, in fact, I inherited an old Polaroid from him, which still works!  They never owned much of anything digital, enjoying the simpler things in life.  They even had me record the outgoing message for their answering machine, which they used for YEARS! We now have a growing collection in our inventory, primarily Brownie’s as shown in the majority of the images below.

While these both are not vintage cameras (one is a video recorder) they still make for great props for an engagement shoot.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

How about this cute Brownie camera nestled next to a few apples for your beverage table?  {source: Ruffled}

Doesn’t this bride scream vintage glam with another Brownie camera?  I’m in love with this photo!  What a wonderful idea for a bride photo session! {source: The Wedding Chicks}

So many things about this table just make me giddy… the mismatched dinner plates, adorable vintage fabric runner, and of course the centerpiece with vintage camera!  {source: W. Scott Chester Photography}

Plan on having a photobooth at your wedding or other celebration?  Vintage cameras are GREAT props for your photobooth table, as shown above.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

Another engagement photo… isn’t it just adorable with the vintage camera and recorder?  {source: Style Me Pretty}

Vintage camera and burlap, rustic and vintage at the same time!  {source: Rustic Wedding Chic}

Maybe you have an old camera hiding in your closet or attic somewhere!  Hopefully these have given you a little inspiration and answered the question “what in the heck would I do with a vintage camera?!”  Do you have others you’d like to share?

You’ve probably seen or heard me mention a few times that I’m a Master Recycler.  I’m guessing your first reaction was “what the heck is a Master Recycler?”  I’m sure some of you think it’s a fancy title for someone who geeks out on recycling.  Well, it’s definitely a little of that, but so much more!

Master Recycler’s Training

I graduated as a Master Recycler in October of 2008.  Yes, this is actual training administered by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.  The training was nine weeks of presentations by industry professionals such as those from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Metro, the Center for Earth Leadership and many others.  Included were two weekends of field trips to a MRF (material recovery facility), the landfill and several non-profit organizations such as Free Geek, Community Warehouse, SCRAP, and the Rebuilding Center.

While learning everything about living more sustainably is next to impossible, I did take some steps (okay, many) in that direction.  The Master Recycler’s program teaches you about recycling and waste prevention, composting, toxics reduction and thoughtful consumption.

Certification

In order to actually become “certified” as a Master Recycler, you need to perform at least 30 hours of community outreach on the topics covered in class.  I’m proud to say that I have far surpassed that requirement with over 380 hours (yes, I’m an over achiever).  It’s something I’m passionate about and any opportunity I have to provide education, I jump on it!  My areas of outreach included tabling at farmers markets and other events, assisting a local school to become green certified via Oregon Green Schools, helped lead Earth Day activities, conducted several home eco parties, and have helped coordinate numerous community cleanup events.

Impact

Going through the program really changed everything for me.  Yeah, I recycled as much as I could before starting, but I had never considered composting or gave a second thought to toxins in cleaning or beauty products.  My thought process changed from convenience for me, to convenience to mother nature.  Sure recycling is good, but reusing is even better (think about the hierarchy – reduce, reuse, recycle – in that order).  We went from having one filled 60 gallon can of garbage a WEEK to less than a 32 gallon can a MONTH (with two cats!).

I now make green living a part of my every day process.  Choosing vendors or local retailers and establishments that have the same belief’s, hosting eco-friendly parties, and continuing to educate where and when I can!

We really enjoy interaction, and since we’ve started our spotlight on vendors, we wanted to give you an opportunity to ask us anything!

Really… are there any pressing questions whether it be on planning for your wedding or other celebration, things about our rentals, sustainability (and green living in general), budgeting, DIY projects and crafting, or maybe you want to know more about us personally.  Regardless, we’d love to hear from you.  We hope to promote openness and don’t want to feel like we’re hiding behind any type of velvet red curtain like in the Wonder of Oz (as cool as that may seem).

If you don’t feel comfortable asking us via the comments, send us an email instead.  We’ll respond to your questions below or a special “inbox inquiry” blog post.

Happy Friday everyone!  Today’s Friday Favorites {Inventory Inspiration} will feature vintage typewriters.  We currently have one listed in our inventory, but will soon be adding a second.  I remember years and years ago first typing on my Grandmothers old electric typewriter.  In fact, it’s in part how I learned how to keyboard.  One of my first jobs out of high school was working at the World Trade Center Alaska.  We had an old manual typewriter that we used to use for completing forms.  About twice a year we’d have interns come in from either high school or college international trade programs.  I will never forget one intern who sat in front of the typewriter and asked “how do you turn this thing on?”  She kept looking on the back for the on-off switch!  It was quite funny, and even funnier watching her try to use it!

The eclectic mix of assorted bottles, the globe and this modern vintage Underwood typewriter make for a great guest “book” table.  {source: Green Wedding Shoes}

I love the look of old Underwood typewriters.  This one is paired with gorgeous flowers and a few vintage cameras.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

Aside from the obvious, aren’t those letters just adorable!  Your guest book table doesn’t need to be elaborate, as shown here with just a sprinkling of flowers in bud vases.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

The vintage typewriter here is used as a prop paired with a stunning mix of vintage Brownie cameras (we have a few, ourselves!).  This couple used a traditional guest book, but check out that rustic wood sign!  {source: Rock-n-Roll Bride}

How adorable is this display an old table covered with a doily and the stacked cigar boxes?!  {source: Rock-n-Roll Bride}

This vintage Corona, similar to the one we currently have in stock is stunning against the turquoise vase and very ornate framed picture of the couple.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

Going out with a bang is my favorite display.  What an amazing way to dress up your “table” by using an old vintage desk, books, old library card holder, succulents and other potted plants!  {source: 100 Layer Cake}

Hopefully these give you a few ideas on alternatives to a traditional guest book using typewriters!  Do you have any other ideas you’d like to share?

Our vendor spotlight is a new series on Something Borrowed Portland that will feature local vendors, their insights, stories and inspiration.  Kickstarting the new series is a boutique near and dear to my heart, the Salty Teacup.  Karen was hugely instrumental in making our wedding unforgettable.  From her craftiness in making my wedding dress, to my brooch bouquet and boutonniere, Karen is an amazingly talented woman and I absolutely adore her store.

What is a typical day for you?

Half the day spent running all over town looking for fantastic deals on great items to re-fill the teacup, getting inspiration, keeping up with what’s new & going on. Second half of the day is usually in the shop helping customers, evenings spent in the shop re-stocking, re-arranging and making new merchandise.  The wee hours of the night are spent online sourcing & marketing and working on special orders.

What project, event or moment are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of making it past our two year anniversary & being able to help keep dollars flowing in our local community, thru buying materials locally to employing folks & spending as much as I make at my neighboring businesses.

What makes your work and/or your business unique?

The most unique part of my business is how much time and care goes into each & every item that comes into the shop. Frequently I will bring in a single item specifically tailored to one special customer. Everything I sell is either found, made, redesigned, repurposed & displayed by me. I use very few traditional wholesale resources for finished products so that I can keep the largest percentage of our merchandise unique &/or one of a kind.

What makes your business, company or organization sustainable?

Our business is sustainable in the environmental sense in that we recycle nearly everything. Used cardboard & paper get’s recycled or repurposed into new packaging or tags, bubble wrap is recycled from our neighbor’s shipments, anything organic is carted home and added to our composter, fabric scraps are all saved and used for smaller & smaller projects. Over 50% of our merchandise was previously owned or has been upcycled from vintage components. We do not own a car so take mass transit, bike or ride share with friends and neighbors to bring all the items we source in to the shop.

Name one of your favorite vendor sources that you couldn’t do without.

Emerald Petals, supplies all our plants & her flowers make me smile. Besides she is an eco-conscious florist.

Where do you find inspiration?

Inspiration is everywhere.

Describe your typical client:

Our ideal client is someone that appreciates whimsy, eclectic collections & wants to feel like a wee child that cherishes their belongings with wonder & awe.

Weddings are a huge and expensive undertaking and can leave an even bigger footprint on the environment. More and more couples are looking for ways to to host an eco-conscious wedding which can be difficult since weddings are typically associated with hyper-consumption and produce a great deal of waste. Invitations, decorations, food, travel, etc. the list is endless. Unfortunately, many items at a wedding only get used once and are tossed into the landfill. By incorporating any number of these suggestions for an eco-conscious wedding, you’ll be doing your part to sustain the earth while being a role model for others.

Invitations and Paper

Cutting down on paper invitations is one of the easiest ways to host an eco-conscious wedding. Opt for post-consumer recycled paper printed using soy ink, if possible. Also consider having guests RSVP online through your wedding website to save on postage, extra paper and printing. Want to eliminate paper all together? Why not go super-eco and send your invitations electronically through a site such as Glosite.com. Be sure to limit the amount of paper during the ceremony and reception as well. Instead of one printed program or menu per person, opt for a chalkboard instead which can be easily repurposed from any picture frame or old window using chalkboard paint.

Flowers and Centerpieces

Flowers can travel thousands of miles from developing nations where harmful pesticide usage is the norm, so why not make a statement and try something a little less conventional? Potted herbs or an array of succulents or terrariums make for great centerpieces, as do old books and simple DIY pinwheels. Make bouquets and boutonnières from one-of-a-kind, hand crafted buttons, vintage brooches or even recycled newspaper. Bring your centerpieces to life with bright colors of organic fruit which doubles as a snack for guests to nibble on. If you’re using candles, opt for soy or beeswax; they burn cleaner and use less soot than their paraffin counterparts. If you must have flowers, utilize locally grown flowers harvested in season or reach out to friends and neighbors who may be willing to donate a few of their own. They’ll be much cheaper and you’ll be supporting local business owners. Repurpose flowers by donating them to a local organization such as a hospital or senior care facility, giving them more than one life after the wedding.  A great local source for flowers is Botanica Floral Design, where they specialize in local, organic, fair trade and sustainably grown flowers.

Favors

If you feel wedding favors are necessary, consider giving organic, fair trade chocolate, homemade jam or honey. Know your audience and think about what they’re apt to use and not waste. You may have good intentions, but what will really get used? Is that CD going to get listened to? Are seeds or a potted plant really going to get planted? Remember, not everyone has a green thumb.

Dress

Be original and make a statement in vintage, organic or sustainable materials. A dress can be custom made from a vintage slip and several other unworn dresses that are hanging in your closet. Design your dress so you can wear it again – you can’t get any more eco-friendly than that! Consider a pre-owned dress or rent one, and if you have no desire to keep the dress after the wedding, donate it to a charity that can sell it to create funds and perhaps save someone else from needing to purchase a new dress.

Food and Catering

When possible, use a catering company that sources local, organic, seasonal ingredients to eliminate carbon miles.  One of our favorite local caterers is Phresh Organic Catering. Minimize the amount of meat on the menu and decrease your carbon footprint even more. Have a strict budget? Plan a potluck wedding and ask everyone to bring his or her favorite summer dish.

Gifts

If you really don’t need any gifts, don’t ask for them. No one said you must have a registry and think how much better you’ll feel for saving another toaster from heading to the landfill. Another alternative is to register with a charitable registry like the I Do Foundation that donates a percentage of the money spent on your gifts to a charity of your choice. Still thinking you want presents? Consider setting up a green wedding gift registry with a wish list of earth friendly products you’d like (recycled, locally produced, fair trade, etc.).

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

When planning your eco-conscious wedding, be sure as much of your wedding goods has been or can be recycled or used again. This includes plates, cutlery, linens and tablecloths, glassware, decor, etc. (durable is preferred to “compostable”). Thrift stores can be great for items such as vintage, mismatched plates and other serving ware, or sheets which can easily be turned into napkins. Other miscellaneous items can be scouted via swaps, borrowed from friends and family or rented inexpensively.

Your Eco-Conscious Wedding

If you’ve followed all these tips, you will be long on your way to hosting a beautiful, eco-conscious wedding that won’t break the bank.  A green, environmentally friendly wedding doesn’t have to break the bank!

Lane’ Bigsby of Something Borrowed Portland first published this article via the Green Living Journal

Vintage glass is one of my favorite groupings in our inventory.  From sherbets to goblets to tea glasses, the color is unlike anything else with hues from amber to purple.  Once I started the collection, it was hard to stop.  Trust me, if I could I’d have an entire room filled with these beauties!

This happens to be a Park Lane amber sherbet by Indiana Glass.  Isn’t it adorable as a planter for a single succulent?  {source: Ruffled}

These delicate pink colored vintage glass goblets are a perfect pair for this champagne, gold and pink table.  {source: Elizabeth Anne Designs}

Paired with assorted mercury votives, this green vintage glass is a great alternative to a traditional vase, giving the table a little extra color.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

A clear glass sherbet filled with baby’s breath takes center stage.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

Loving the turquoise and gold colors of these vintage glass pieces.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

A clear vintage glass duo used as planters for succulents.  What a great idea for wedding favors guests can take home!  {source: Ruffled}

Want to add some color to your table?  Vintage glass in an assortment of colors is the perfect way to dress things up a bit. Besides, how regal would it be to drink your favorite beverage out of gorgeous glass like this? {source: Eco and Elsie}

This emerald goblet makes a bold statement with peach flowers.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

This collection of green and orange vintage glass is perfect for a retro or 70′s vintage themed event or wedding.  Notice the flowers, too?  Gorgeous!  {source: Rock-n-Roll Bride}

Another Park Lane goblet used as a vase alternative.  The wood planks give the table a very rustic feel.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

What’s your favorite color vintage glass?

You may have noticed that Something Borrowed, along with countless others are all raving about Pinterest.  If you’re new to Pinterest or have just joined and are in need of guidance on how to use it, we hope you find these tips for planning your event with Pinterest helpful.

“Slow down, you’re pinning too fast.  Take a break and enjoy a cup of tea.” ~Pinterest

Join

First and foremost, you have to join Pinterest in order to be a part of Pinterest.  If you don’t already know someone with an account (faster approval processing), ask around.

Create Your Boards

After you’ve joined Pinterest, you need to create a few boards.  Look at this like your bookmarks for your web browser.  For planning your event, you may have boards titled:

• food
• decor
• location
• attire
• photography
• hair styles

You’ll know what works best for your personal organization style, just be sure to use board topics that make sense to you and what celebration you’re planning for.

Follow the Leader

In addition to following your friends and family, follow blogs or websites that are of interest to you.  You’ll see their inspiration when you first login making it easier to “re-pin” your favorites.  And bear in mind, you don’t have to follow every board by that user.  Follow just the boards that bring you inspiration.  Want to branch out a little more?  Try doing a keyword search for things such as “wedding” or “baby shower” and follow individual users to draw inspiration from.

Start Pinning!

If you find something in Pinterest you like, re-pin it!  Just click on the image and on the upper left of that image, click on “re-pin”

Be sure to enter a detailed description (if not already provided) for easier faster and searching when you want to come back to that pin later.

Browsing a website and you notice something cool?  Add the “pin it” button to your browser toolbar to pin directly from that website.

Pinterest on the Go

Want to carry your inspiration with you but want to go easy on the printing?  Download the iPhone Pinterest app and take your pins with you, having them ready when you need them.

Before you know it, you’ll be pinning like crazy.  And trust me, it can get quite addictive!  Want to check it out?  Why not join Something Borrowed on Pinterest!

Do you have any Pinterest tips or favorite boards you’d like to share?

Vintage kitchen scales are our feature in today’s edition of Friday Favorites {Inventory Inspiration}.  It’s only been recently that I discovered these great, rustic props and our inventory has already grown ten-fold.  Anytime I see one, I’m quick to add it to our collection.  Another obsession, possibly.  But then again, I’d have to say that most everything we carry is quickly becoming an addiction as it’s reminiscent of my younger years spent with my grandparents and great-grandparents.  While I don’t necessarily use them for much else than props, they are great conversational pieces and you really can add them just about anywhere to add height to your centerpieces or dessert buffet.

These vintage kitchen scales are scattered on a pie buffet table to give the pies elevation and dimension.  They look great on top of the doily tablecloth.  And don’t the soda bottle signs look cute, too (we have some in our inventory along with the milk glass plate)?  {source: Style Me Pretty}

A perfect pair to your buffet table, this vintage scale is used to prop cherry tomatoes.  You could also use it for olives, relishes, nuts or any other small bites.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

Crackers are more in reach with the use of this vintage kitchen scale.  Here, the scale is used during a Holiday party.  Notice the cookies inside a bunt pan with some holiday greenery in the center?  Genius! {source: Funk Junk Interiors}

Another pie table adorned with a shabby vintage scale.  Perched on top is a cute nested pair of birds.  Yes, Portland, you can even “put a bird” on your dessert table! {source: Style Me Pretty}

A lone vintage kitchen scale graces a wedding dessert table.  This table also features various pedestals (and a wood crate) and notice the creativity in some of the pedestals?  Plates on top of urns create a one-of-a-kind display.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

A citrus adorned vintage scale, a perfect pairing for a beverage table alongside your favorite citrus-themed beverage.  This screams “fresh” and the colors are just amazing! {source: Style Me Pretty}

These red devil cupcakes show grandeur on top of stacked books on this rustic vintage kitchen scale.  {source: Ruffled}

This very chippy vintage scale proudly serves as the pedestal to a farmers market themed wedding, here displaying rutabaga’s.  Makes me want a salad (and excited about the opening Farmers Market season)!  {source: Style Me Pretty}

Perfectly paired with a vintage doily, this scale looks great on any dessert table whether its for a wedding, baby shower or anniversary party.  {source: Style Me Pretty}

Have you seen a creative way to use vintage kitchen scales that you’d like to share?

Yesterday we brought you our Best of Pinterest, well today we’ll showcase our Best of Pinterest highlighting DIY projects.  No matter what your skill level may be, incorporating DIY projects into your celebration are a great way to personalize your event and let everyone see your inner crafty side.  Having created many things for our wedding, you also get a sense of accomplishment, that “yes, I can do it!” feeling after you complete your project.  These great DIY ideas from Pinterest really don’t take that much time, and the results are magnificent!

Wax seals are a great way to “seal the deal” on your invitations and these easy DIY wax seals show you exactly how easy it is to make them.  {source: Curbly}

This DIY vintage table runner is a great way to showcase old photo’s at your wedding or event and makes for a great conversation piece (who are these people?).  I’d recommend making copies of actual photo’s so you don’t ruin your originals, but isn’t this a great idea?  {source: Ruffled}

Ombre, meaning shaded or multi-colored with stripes going from light to dark, looks amazing on nearly everything!  Here you can get a tutorial on how to make these ombre pinwheels.  They’re a great way to add a touch of DIY flair to your wedding or event.  {source: Wedding Chicks}

Love pine cones but want to spice them up a little bit?  Hand dipped pine cones are the perfect way to add color and originality and bringing in a little of the outdoors.  Holiday’s over?  It doesn’t matter!  Use these all throughout the year!  {source: Factory Direct Craft}

Love the look of wavy hair but your’s always turns out either too curly or too flat?  Enter this great tutorial on creating the perfect loose curls!  {source: Wedding Chicks}

Have you recently pinned a DIY favorite that you thought was incredible?