Goodbye Old House

We moved yesterday. With a mix of nostalgia for our first home and excitement for the future.
These pictures were taken just after moving in. The woman we bought the pictured couch from wanted to a portrait of us for a project she had been working on.

They're a fitting homage to our first home.

Goodbye Sweet Apartment.

Love Letter - Valentines Day Cards!

Valentines day is on it's way...

Since moving to the States 3 years ago, I have been fascinated by the phenomena of Valentines Day.

It's not that we don't celebrate it in the UK. We do, a token card or box of chocolates... but really that's the extent of it.

But here, the second Christmas is out of the way, the retail world explodes, with pinks and reds and heart shaped candies.

And I've got to be honest. I really, really love it... Every year now, I have stocked up on heart shaped pans, cookie cutters, mini frying pans in the shape of hearts... enough pink candy to last all year round.

And I cannot wait to do it all over again.

Take a peek at these lurve-ly find from Etsy for sending a sweet message to your sweet.

Pictured Above: 'We Belong Together' by MPatrizio - $3

(valentines gift guide coming soon)

From Michelle Alynn - $3.25

From Earmark - $3.50

From PixelImpress - $2.75

This screenprint from Rob Ryan, could almost make me cry.

The sentiment, the prettiness. Sniff sniff.

Valentines gift guides coming soon...

Available here - $420

A Year of Stylesmith

Once a month starting a little late this month, I shall be adding a one of kind product to the store.

This will give me a chance to exercise my creative ability without committing to a full product line and you a chance to own a very special one of a kind creation.

This month's; aptly entitled 'January' is created on a small buckram frame, using silver grey felted wool and is topped off with a beaded and sequined flower. This is also the first time veiling has appeared in Stylesmith (apart from custom orders)

This particular veiling was purchased from my lovely and ancient millinery supply store and dates back to WWII. Many of the creations for the coming months will feature veiling from this beautiful collection and I can't wait to play...

And you can't wait to see? Right?!

Available in store now for $35

A Girl Can Dream...

And very nicely to in this fantastical bed by Attila Design in Finland.

At $8600 it's going to take a lot of dreams. But for now I'll just admire, and maybe drool a little.

Whilst scouring Etsy with every intention in writing a wonderful post about vintage hats I stumbled across Risen.

And I'm so very pleased I did. Pure decadence, ultra sultry and filled with sex appeal. And that's just the photographs.

A small but perfect selection of vintage garments at a price that's beyond worth it.

Check it out here.

Photo above: Meeeeeeooooow Skirt, $56


Black Beauty Flower Bracelet, $98


Lady Lovely Black Hat, $74


Material Girl, $84

Be A Vintage Princess

This is the most beautiful coat I have ever seen.

Since acquiring it I have been on a moral and practical turmoil! It's colour, it's shape, it's everything. I'm completely in love.

But seriously. I'm in SoCal. When am I ever going to wear this, I mean ever? Secondly. It's mohair. Real mohair with a real fur trim. Can I seriously wear this? The former vegetarian, animal lover, married to a vegetarian who won't even wear leather shoes?

Yeah. No. Not likely.

So it's available for sale in my vintage store: www.stylesmithvintage.etsy.com

And for more pics, click here.

Still it's beyond stunning. A Lilli-Ann, straight from the Fifties. Man alive. I wish I hated animals and had some sort of cold all the time disease.

The Weekender

So I am little obsessed with vintage luggage.

I purchased two gorgeous white 'Vogue California' suitcases off of Ebay a few months ago, and now I'm addicted.

I use them to store all my hats in and when I have a show I open them up and 'voila!' neat display cases. (see it in action here)

I need more. Many many more. They can be used for even more than just that, storage, bedside tables, coffee tables, oh and...suitcases

The fit my nostalgic sensibilities, my love for travel and design and my need for organisation and practicalities.

Picture above by Elle Moss available to purchase here

Here are a few Etsy finds now I have you converted:

$76 @NaturalHome

$41.01 @GetReadySetGO

$120 @ A Touch of Vintage

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Mention handmade shoes and your brain conjures up images of clunky clogs or odd shaped leather slippers.

Mention handmade shoes on Dawanda and you'll discover PleaseMachine.

Based in Hungary PleaseMachine creates beautiful handmade and stylish shoes, as well as vintage shoes upstyled by the machine that is please.

Prices are in Euros and most are fully customizable and all are affordable... Take a gander and change your mindset completely...

Featured Pic: 'Lipstick' - 94Euros by PleaseMachine

'Color Pencil' - 50Euros by PleaseMachine

'Lady's Time' - 40Euros by PleaseMachine

'Merry Foreigner' - 60Euros from PleaseMachine

Sale is on over at www.stylesmith.etsy.com AND www.stylesmithvintage.etsy.com.

20% off everything only for a limited time.

So get in while you can. This is lowest my prices ever get and there won't be another sale for a very long time!!

Have fun shopping kids!

Stylesmith: Gifted: For Grandma

So I am well aware that I owe several Gift Guides and have been terrible at upkeeping this blog.

Here's a promise to do better, and a promise to bring you, not one, not two but three gift guides by the end of the week!

So what do you buy the sweetest woman in the whole world?

Here's some ideas:

Main Picture: Pin Cushion from The Blue Daisy : $8

Lily of the Valley Soap, $4 by SoapiE

Silver Handknit Lace Scarf, $98 by Awkward

Soy Pinecone Candle, $8 by Berd and Bee


Butterfly House, $12 by Blue Rock Gourds

Etsy Finds: Et Al Etc

My love is existentialism is exemplified in my love for this newly found store on Etsy.

Et Al Etc, brings a minimal but design plentiful plethora of handmade and vintage finds and shockingly inexpensive prices.

Come take a look and make a friend in the lovely Evita of Et Al Etc and start practicing your latin.

Handmade Tank Top: $9

Handmade Hooded Jacket: $18


Handmade Gingham Shirt: $18