{quirks' kisses} inspired life

{Christmas} days of yore

2013-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

There is something so enchanting about Christmas photos from the late 1800's and early 1900's. Peering into past Christmases, there are unmistakable differences - the shape of the Christmas trees, the tinsel, the candles, the 'brown paper packages tied up with string', the contented look on the children's faces even though they didn't receive a gazillion presents (if only, right?) - it is all so delightful.

Christmas 1900 - Orville and Wilbur Wright - Courtesy of Shorpy

Christmas 1912 - "We were to smile a big smile so Dad could send the picture to Grandma in Mansfield, Ohio...I looked like Red Skelton!...Bed, large doll, fruit bowl set were Murnie's (older sister). The rest was all mine." Caption by Nedra Treace, photo taken by her father, Harry G. Treace" Courtesy of Shorpy

Circa 1927 - Courtesy of The Haunted Lamp

Courtesy of Cartes Postales Anciennes de l'Hérault

What I find most extraordinary is that Christmas as we know it was not even conceived by Americans until the middle of the 1800's! The blend of carols, cards, presents and trees before the Civil War era just did not exist. Even as late as the early 19th century, many Americans hardly took notice of the holiday at all. Seems strange, right?

The Christmas Tree is actually a German tradition but by the 1850's many Americans had adopted the custom. At first the decorations were more of a folk tradition, adding nuts, strings of popcorn or beads, oranges, lemons, and homemade trinkets. But by the 1870's American businessmen were importing ornaments from Germany to sell to the public. 'So many charming little ornaments can now be bought ready to decorate Christmas trees that it seems almost a waste of time to make them at home,' one advertisement stated.

Weihnachten 1928 in Berlin- Courtesy of Miss Mertens

Of course none of us can remember a time when there wasn't a national celebration of Christmas and that suits me just fine! I simply adore this time of year, the traditions my parents created for me (first song I heard and now my children hear each Christmas morning is Nat King Cole's 'The Christmas Song'), the traditions we have created for our children, and the overall feeling of joy. It really is 'the most wonderful time of the year'.

Merry Christmas to ALL a fabulous night - {quirks}

{Pinterest} how to use it

2013-12-12T12:50:00.002-08:00

Here is a post from by Blog 'Fab Quirks by Annie' from January 2012. I've had some questions about Pinterest lately so I thought I would share this post again. I've made some changes from the original to go along with the changes Pinterest has made. Enjoy... :)

How to Use Pinterest

My name is Annie Lema, and I am a Pinterest addict! :) This is a true story, as many of you have already discovered, if you are a Pinterest user. If not, here are some helpful hints that might get you on your way.

According to Pinterest "Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard. Pinterest lets you organize and share all of the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests."

"A pin is an image added to Pinterest. A pin can be added from a website using the Pin It button, or you can upload images from your computer. Each pin added using the Pin It button links back to the site it came from."

HOW IN THE HECK DO I GET STARTED, WHAT IS PINTEREST FOR, AND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME?

STEP 1: Set up your account...

The first thing you need to do is set up an account for yourself. You can sign into Pinterest by using your Facebook account,Twitter account, or your email address. The major benefit of using one of your social media accounts is that you will be able to hook up with your friends and contacts that are already using Pinterest. It's a great way to get started.

STEP 2: Figure out what Pinterest is for and HOW YOU want to use it...

This might seem overwhelming to beginners...but Pinterest is the perfect way to just express yourself and create pinboards that help you gather your 'wish my ___ looked like this' ideas. Embrace, Pin, and Enjoy!

Pinterest can also be an invaluable tool. Crafty Do It Yourself-ers can use Pinterest to Pin DIY projects to one of their boards to organize future projects. Brides can replace the mountains of magazines and clippings into tidy boards that compile all of their ideas for the 'perfect dress', reception decor, flowers, bridesmaids dresses, etc. Teams can work together to share ideas on a single board thanks to the multi-contributor feature.

STEP 3: Follow People...

You can follow people by using your Facebook and/or your Twitter accounts. Associate these accounts with your Pinterest and it will let you know who of your friends are already using Pinterest. Or you can just start following people that have similar tastes or just really great style.

STEP 4: How to start Pinning from outside sources...

The simplest way to kick-start your pinning is to download the "Pin It" button from the Goodies page on the Pinterest site. Here is the link: http://pinterest.com/about/goodies/.

Once you have installed the "Pin It" button you can start pinning. Any web page that has an image on it is your playground. Just click the button and choose which image you would like to add to one of your boards. It really is that simple.

Choose the image...

...Pin the image.

STEP 5: Repinning...

Another way to create pins on Pinterest is by repinning others' pins. There are numerous ways to browse Pinterest. The first way is to go to the drop-down menu under the Pinterest logo. This menu gives you several categories to search, such as Holidays | Food & Drink | Art | Home Decor. Once you have begun exploring these categories you will no-doubt see many Pins that tickle your fancy sooo...hit that Repin button and Pin it to one of your Boards.

HELPFUL HINTS & TIPS:

BOARDS: If the Pin you want to pin doesn't fit into one of your existing boards then create a new one. While pinning you will scroll to the bottom of your board list and enter a new board title and click create, this will add the new pin to the new board. Another way to create a new board is to click Add > Add a Board on the top toolbar on Pinterest. Type in a board title, choose a category, and then click Create when you are finished.

CONTENT: Although it isn't 'against the rules' it IS against Pinterest Etiquette to solely Pin your own products, when using to for your business. You are definitely encouraged to pin your products and items, but explore and share beyond your own world, this is one of the things that keeps Pinterest appealing to the masses.

LIKING VS. PINNING: Liking a Pin means that it will show up under your list of LIKES, however it will not automatically pin it to one of your Boards. In order to save it on one of your Boards, you must Pin It. I usually do both, LIKE and PIN because let's face it, if I'm pinning it I obviously LIKE it and the person deserves to know that. :)

PINTEREST HELP: Pinterest's Help Page is wonderful, so explore it if you are still left with questions. Or feel free to post your questions in the comment section below and I would be happy to help.

Fab Quirks By Annie: How to Use Pinterest

As always, I love answering questions and/or getting feedback - so please feel free to leave a comment. Thanks for reading. {quirks}

{♥ knitting} - learning a "new stitch a day"

2013-10-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

Sunshine Day Baby Throw - My First Blanket

Last December my daughter Katie (15) taught me how to knit and I fell in love with it. It's a calming activity for me - something I need. I knitted quite a few scarves and even made a baby blanket, for a friend's baby, that I was really proud of - pretty awesome for my first try!

I took some time off of knitting during the summer months, I guess it was too hot and I had enough stuff going on already. But now I am back at it and really wanting learn new stitches, techniques, and the knitting lingo. I've been watching lots of videos on YouTube from New Stitch a Day - they rock!!! The tutorials are so great and easy to follow plus there are just a ton of them. I also just ordered this book from Amazon, which was recommended to me and I'm excited to get.

So I decided, that the funnest way to learn some new stitches was to make a patchwork afghan!!! I have read a couple of different theories/instructions on how to do it. I'm kinda just doing it my own way and am 3 squares into it now. The first square (top) in knitted using the stockinette stitch using size US 4/3.5mm needles, the second (middle) was a stockinette stitch too but with a heavier yarn and size US 10.5/6.5mm needles, and the third (bottom) I knitted using the garter stitch and size US 10.5/6.5mm needles again.

The First 3 Squares - Patchwork Blanket

I'm struggling a bit with the sizing because I'm a newbie but I am not going to worry about it. I read this tutorial about knitting a 'swatch afghan' and their squares are no where near all even and it works out for them.

Since I am trying to learn new stitches, and I have already knitted the stitches that I know, I thought I would just go ahead and do an alphabetic kind of thing. I found a stitch pattern glossary and am starting with the first stitch listed, the Andalusian Stitch. I'll let you know how it goes.

As always, I love answering questions and/or getting feedback - so please feel free to leave a comment. Thanks for reading. {quirks}

{guest bath} in need

2013-10-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

So THIS is my blogging come-back post and it has not a dang thing to do with vintage! But given the fact that I am way prone to changing my thought process every few minutes, it works for me.

If you have read my intro, you already know that I'm a mom of 7 kids, with 5 of them still under the age of 18 and living at home. With this in mind, you can probably understand why there is always some sort of project going on around here. We recently moved into a super great house that is just perfect for us - enough bedrooms, large yard with pool, etc. BUT there's just a ton of stuff that needs to get done or that I want to get done in our new digs (the 'wants list' is much longer).

The first place I knew I had to make a major change was the hideous guest bathroom. It almost killed the deal when I saw it - black bathtub, black toilet, with a black pedestal sink and black mirror - egads!!!! (I grabbed a pic of it off of the MLS just to show how truly rough it was before I got started.)

The Before Pic

Of course we could have spent money to have those things replaced, but surprisingly enough they all looked fairly new and we def didn't have any 'extra' money lying around. So I searched my favorite source of inspiration, Pinterest, and found tons of fab ideas to work with. I still wasn't sure about a color scheme though, what could possible off-set or tone down the black?

I decided the best course of action was to use bright whites and varied silver tones following a trip to HomeGoods, where I found this awesome Lion's Head towel holder. I also found the shower curtain rod and shower curtain there too.

Lion's Head Towel Holder

Once I had some of the accessories in place, replaced the black mirror with a silver one I already had, and began to feel better about the bathroom as a whole - I had to figure out what to do with the white walls.

White Walls

I came across this pin on Pinterest that sealed the deal. This darling nursery wall was created by the owners of the Making Our Dream blog - love it. I followed her instructions almost verbatim, with the exception that I created 6" circles, didn't measure out placement, and smoothed out the air bubbles after cutting the circles. And here is the finished product...

...well ALMOST finished. I have the area over the toilet that I was going to hang baskets, like this, but once I nailed the first one up I realized that this bathroom might be too small to pull that off. So, the one is still hanging, waiting for The Boss to come home and provide his opinion. We'll see where it goes from there. Once it is all officially finished, I will post another pic.

I'm always thrilled to answer questions or receive comments, so please post away! Take care. {quirks}

Goodness...

2012-02-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

...it has been a LONG time since I posted last! It truly isn't from a lack of inspiring ideas, that is for sure. I have been busy getting into the swing of things with the increased interest in my repurposed vintage home decor and furnishings. It has been so much fun meeting new people and creating fabulous, unique pieces for their homes.

I have decided to expand on the original idea behind this blog. Taking it from solely vintage/rustic inspired DIY Wedding projects to include vintage decor DIY projects and a forum to share my latest projects and creations.

Hope that you enjoy this new format...

{vintage} ✿ Brooch Bridal Bouquet

2011-11-15T17:36:00.001-08:00

One of the latest vintage inspired wedding trends happens to be a favorite of MINE...Vintage Brooch Bridal Bouquets. What an awesome alternative to the traditional bouquet, right? Especially if you are lucky enough to have wonderful vintage jewel and gem heirlooms that you can incorporate into your bouquet.

Heirloom Brooch Bouquet by Noaki Jewelry

These beauties are a bit time-consuming though and you need to keep that in mind when deciding between a DIY Project or asking a professional to create your bouquet. Etsy has many talented artisans that can handle your order, keep in mind that you are looking at approximately 8 weeks time and approximately $400.00 to $800.00 in cost. I have found one artist that really caught my attention, Noaki Jewelry out of Los Angeles, California. Her execution of this heirloom bouquet is PERFECT, elegant, and inspiring. Another fabulous aspect of Noaki's shop is that she offers to turn your precious pieces of jewelry into an heirloom brooch bouquet. The cost is $300.00, which after completing my research for this post, is just an amazing price especially for such fabulous work. Please be sure to take a few minutes and look around her Etsy Shop.

However, if you are feeling adventurous and are a total DIY kinda person then this just might be the project for you.

There are several ways that you can acquire the brooches, my personal fave is one that I read where the mother of the bride wrote a short note to family and friends explaining her daughter's plan to make a vintage brooch bridal bouquet for her wedding and her wish to include her family and friends in the process, making the bouquet much more special {something borrowed per se}. The mother also included a photo of the inspiration for the bouquet so that everyone could see what kind of jewelry would work best. She received over 30 donations, at the time of her posting and everyone was thrilled to be asked to be a part of the bouquet.

Her total investment in the bouquet included the following: postage, cards, padded envelopes and reprints - which she did at Walgreen's for 10 cents each. She put a $.61 cent stamp on the padded envelope in case the piece they were sending would be heavy - but the whole packet that she mailed took just a $.44 cent stamp on it.

However most of the bouquets that I have fallen in love with have taken approximately 50 to 75 brooches to complete. So you can shop Etsy, eBay, flea markets, thrift stores, or even Dollar Stores for that new-old look. You really don't have to spend a fortune to find these pieces. Many sellers will offer brooches in lots and you can use vintage hat pins, earrings, miscellaneous gems to fill in.

I personally have not made a vintage brooch bridal bouquet but have read post after post in forum after forum and think that I have chosen the method that makes the most sense, has the prettiest results, and won't leave you frustrated on your wedding day.

Take each individual brooch and secure a medium gauge craft wire around the pin latch wrapping it through several times and extending the wire down 7-8 inches.
Take pipe cleaners (From the dollar store for $1 bag of 20 or more) and wrap 1 pipe cleaner down around the secured wire (This will give some extra thickness to the wire and you will see why in the next step).
Take green floral tape (from Michaels or a floral store) and wrap this from the top of your attached wire all the way to the bottom of your 7-8 inch piece. This will make it look like a flower stem and the pipe cleaner will add dimension making it more realistic. If you want to take the extra time and effort, cut leaf shapes out of the left-over florist tape and attach it to the underside of the brooch covering up the pin and wire attached.
Carefully place the brooch stems together, fitting them in and alternating heights. As you put it together stop occasionally and wrap some wire or pipe cleaners around the bunch mid-way down the stems to make it extra secure. Continue until you use up all of the brooches and get the fullness desired.
Purchase ribbon in the color and thickness you like take this ribbon and wrap it around your gathered bunch of stems, either pinning it in place or hot gluing it. Then add any additional decoration to it as you wish (ie. a bow, crystals, shells, feathers, pearls).
Add any other final touches to it as you see fit.

Another excellent source for DIY instructions for this project can be found at Parsonage Events' Blog Post: How To Make A Vintage Brooch Bouquet. They do an excellent step by step instruction along with photos, which is always so very helpful.

Enjoy ♥

{photo credits} Photo One: Noaki Jewelry on Etsy | Photo Two: Noaki Jewelry on Etsy | Photo Three: Monte Cristo's Fine Estate & Antique Jewelry | Photo Four: Destination Weddings & Honeymoons | Photo Five: Alice Hu Photography | Photo Six: Parsonage Events | Photo Seven: Studio del Fiore

{fabulous sunday} Long Beach Antique Market

2011-10-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

So we did it!!! We sold at our first big antique market in Southern California and it was FABULOUS! The Long Beach Antique Market has it all...so many vendors, so many niches, and so many fabulous finds. Took a couple of quick strolls around to see what else was out there, beyond my line of vision, and I ended up wanting half of what I saw. All I could think was 'WOW, I could do {such and such} that THAT!' But I was an extremely good girl and didn't spend a dime on anything. :)

We had some absolutely fantastic customers and potential customers come by our spot. Many of them I passed along my information to so that they can place custom orders for the October 30th event {dang I LOVE custom orders | they are so much fun}. So here's a big YIPPEE to all of you wonderful people that are going to be popping by after stopping by. Be sure to check back later because I will be posting more information in regards to the custom order designs that I have available.

In the meantime please be sure to click on my Pinterest link for many ideas and options for the windows | doors | and shutters that I sell or click here to connect directly to my Vintage Inspired DIY Wedding board, also on Pinterest. Also be sure to let me know if you have any questions. You can email me at quirksbyannie@gmail.com | visit my Etsy Shop at www.etsy.com/shop/QuirksByAnnie | or visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fabquirksbyannie. Thanks again and I so look forward to talking to you all again and seeing you on the 30th. ♥

when one {door} closes...

2011-10-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

While living in North Carolina we collected a few antique and vintage doors. Since moving back to California my husband has transformed two of them into fabulous folding tables that we are now using to display our depression glass and other small collectibles at the antique markets. Another door is going to my sister-in-law who is using it to recreate a door she had in a home that she recently sold. She had been using it as a growing chart, measuring me, my nieces, nephew, my kids, etc. for tons of years.

So today I started browsing around to build on some existing vintage inspired ideas for the remaining doors...and I FOUND TONS OF IDEAS!!! A door alone has such great symbolic meaning | couple that with simply perfect vintage and you have a fabulous backdrop for your wedding ceremony and/or reception.

So here are a few pictures illustrating some DIY ideas...

{altar backdrops}

♥

{rustic screen door entrance}

{autumn inspired arbor}

{menu}

{seating chart & vintage keys}

{seating arrangements | tags strung up w/ twine & mini clothes pins}

{serving table}

{table}

There are many different places where you can find vintage door these days, even if you don't live in rural North Carolina. Many areas now have architectural salvage yards, you can also shop flea markets, and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in your area. Once again with vintage pieces the options are near endless and I just love that these are pieces that you can incorporate into your home's decor after your wedding day...{simply perfect}. ♥

{photo credits} Photo One: stylemepretty.com | Photo Two: weddingchicks.com | Photo Three: greenweddingshoe.com | Photo Four: 100layer.com | Photo Five: http://tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com | Photo Six: http://wedding-cheesecake.com | Photo Seven: http://julieharmsenphotography.com | Photo Eight: http://www.oncewed.com | Photo Nine: http://www.100layercake.com | Photo Ten: http://dwellingsanddecor.tumblr.com

Let's Talk About Mason Jars...

2011-10-09T20:56:00.001-07:00

In the vintage wedding scene there really isn't anything more versatile than the simple yet perfect MASON canning jar!!! I have seen them used often and each time I see them featured as part of a wedding I just think "FABULOUS"! The use of mason jars is a wonderful idea for so many reasons. One of the reasons is that they tend to be very inexpensive. You can find vintage canning jars on such sites as Etsy and eBay and often times they are sold in lots. Of course you can find them while treasure hunting through yard sales and flea markets.

Some simply perfect ideas include using the jars as centerpieces; hanging vases; chandeliers; fill them with lemonade | sherbets | votive candles | water and floating flowers | photos | and literary I could go on and on but I will spare you. But in the event that you want to KNOW more...just ask...I have a million of 'em. xoxo

{vintage wedding ✿ inspired diy ideas no. 2}

2011-09-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

Lighting of a Unity Candle has become more common place over the last couple of decades. The lighting takes place during the wedding ceremony and is quite often performed in two separate parts. The first, is when a representative of the bride's family and of the groom's family each light a taper candle and then place them in a holder. Next the bride and groom each take one of the taper candles and light the 'unity candle' simultaneously.

There are many explanations to the symbolic nature of the Unity Candle ceremony, but one of the more common ones is that the two lighted candle represent the bride and the groom; two individual and separate hearts aflame. When the bride and groom light the unity candle, the two flames burn as one | two families one | two lights become one. ♥

Add some fabulous vintage vibe by replacing the traditional white unity candle with a vintage oil lamp. The look and ambiance of a oil lamp is soft and elegant, the perfect combination. The oil lamp can be used during the ceremony and then displayed in front of the husband and wife at the main table at the reception. This vintage oil lamp will also make a perfect addition to the couple's new home...{forever}

{add a painted heart | bride & groom | wedding date}

Vintage oil lamps can be found for fairly inexpensive flea markets and many online venues such as Etsy or eBay.

{vintage wedding ✿ inspired diy ideas no. 1}

2011-09-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

So now that I have shared with you some of my favorite vintage inspired wedding ideas, I thought I could expand the idea and create some DIY posts. Of course, for the most part, I offer these services but I just figure that you are either going to hire someone to do it for you or you are the type of person to do it yourself and if I don't share then you can find the inspiration somewhere else. I rather be a one-stop-shop for your vintage wedding needs.

Mason Jars with Homemade Vintage Ice Cream

This is a recipe that is near and dear to my vintage heart. My Dad made this ice cream when I was a little girl and I just loved it, so YUMMY and many sweet memories. It is a cross between Brown Bread Ice Cream {which is an English recipe that was popular, especially towards the end of the Victorian Era, when the more well-to-do homes had new cooler making ices more popular} and Grape-Nut Ice Cream {which is a popular regional dish in the Canadian Maritimes and New England}.

Boston Brown Bread Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups wheat and barley nugget cereal (e.g. Grape-Nuts™)

3 cups milk

5 eggs, beaten

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint half-and-half cream

1 tablespoon maple flavored extract

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Place cereal in a bowl and pour in enough milk to cover (1/2 to 1 cup); set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, condensed milk, half-and-half, maple flavor and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Place in freezer canister of ice cream maker. Stir in enough milk to reach fill line.

Freeze according to manufacturers' directions on ice cream maker. When ice cream begins to solidify, add cereal mixture before freezing completely.

Fill Pint Sized Vintage Mason Jars with the prepared ice cream and store in freezer until just before ready to serve. Use vintage wash tubs filled with ice to nestle the jars. A delicious alternative to the norm and compliments wedding cake fantastically. Of course there are hundreds of vintage ice cream recipes to chose from. ✿ Enjoy!!!

{do you take me}

2011-09-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

I'm IN LOVE with vintage...I admit it. And during the course of my courtship with it I have fallen deeply in love with the vintage inspired wedding theme, so much so that I am most of the way committed to expanding my business to wedding planning. Now this is coming from someone who has been married for 16 years, was married in Las Vegas, and has NEVER EVER had that twinge of "ohhhhhh I wish I had had a big wedding". I am completely content with the fact that I got married with short notice and little hoopla...just fits my personality. But now that I have had the opportunity to work with some brides in helping them create their seating charts, menus, photo frame with my antique and vintage windows I have begun to see the allure of planning A wedding, anyone's wedding other than mine or one that requires MY money! hahaha

Once I started looking around for inspiration I began stumbling upon SO MANY lovely vintage finds. MASON JARS on ice in metal tuns with homemade ice cream in each | VINTAGE BUTTONS used throughout the wedding from accent pieces on invitations and thank you notes to splashes of color tossed on tabletops | VINTAGE HYMNALS cut into small hearts and used to decorate the wedding reception tables | ANTIQUE OIL LAMP in place of the Unity Candle | and so much more...

I have started a Vintage Inspired Wedding Ideas Board on Pinterest where I have begun pinning my favs. Seems like every day I fall in love with a new idea. I carry many of the items in my Etsy shop that can be used to create these darling items, ready for your touch or our touch {cause I am always thrilled to design that perfect vintage piece for your wedding}.

I am currently working on a fantastic wedding present for a customer. It is a Six-Pane Vintage Window that I have painted white (or perhaps my husband has painted) and knocked down for a shabby chic look; I will be penning the couples initials {LMB} and their wedding date in the upper left-hand pane and penning their wedding location {Central Park New York, NY} in the lower right-hand pane. Here is a sample glimpse of the initials (just a trial run)...

The final product won't have the silver accent...just the lettering.