The wolf ring.

My wolf ring is one of my favorite rings that I own and I have a few. I love it because it was beautifully handcrafted. Even though it was new when I bought it, it has an antique look to it. I usually only buy vintage jewelry but I will sometimes buy new if it has an antique look to it (because I wear almost all vintage, reproduction vintage, or vintage inspired clothing my jewelry can not look real modern or it would look out of place). Also when it comes jewelry, rings in particular, I like to buy things that are unique, something that makes a bit of a statement.

I got the wolf ring because it was unique and I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it, not because I am into wolves or werewolves or anything like that. I found the wolf ring at one of my favorite shops: lilleboutique. This wonderful boutique - just three blocks from where I live - specializes in lingerie which is all new but has a very vintage look to it (the owner hand picks items with a vintage vibe for the store). Plus they sell hosiery, some small antiques, handcrafted jewelry, a small selection of beautiful shoes, lovely skin care products, and more. The sales gals are very helpful and friendly. For a truly exceptional shopping experience that is a cut above the department store, I highly recommend Lille Boutique!

Asian Robe Collection

Last summer I had a photo shoot at my apartment of my Asian vintage robe collection. Here are a few pictures from that photo shoot (I have a few more robes that we did not even end up shooting but this is just a small sampling). All props and clothing used in this photo shoot are a part of my collection (of which I do not consider a collection really, because I use antiques and wear vintage clothing as a part of my everyday life).

The lovely Louise Brooks was my inspiration for this photo shoot. 

Make Do and Mend Attitude

The Make do and Mend Attitude started during WWII, it all began with clothing and fabric rations. Ladies started to re purpose their curtains and blankets into clothing (I have a really cute war time jumper style dress made out of a quilted blanket). This philosophy carried over to other parts of their lives and households.

I like to make do and mend whenever possible (now the term is reduce, reuse, and recycle but I still like to say make do and mend instead). One example of this is: I like to buy things in the bulk but I end up with lots of things sitting around in little bags in my cupboards which is pretty unsightly when you have really pretty, old time paned glass front cupboards like I do. I was going to go out and buy neat, tidy, and uniform plastic containers but what fun would that be? So I had to come up with a creative alternative that also included a bit of recycling... I mean making do!

I started saving my jars that I have from different food items and when the food was all gone I washed them up and air dried them for many hours. I ended up with a nice assortment of shapes and sizes including some really great glass milk jugs which make great containers for flour and almond meal. I am still not done, this is a work in progress and will be until every last thing has a place and a pretty glass jar of its own.

My Grandma Ruby

Picture of Grandma Ruby in 1924 when she was 19 years old.

My Grandma Ruby was born in 1905 in Denison Iowa, her mother died when she was just a baby. After her mother died she went to live with her grandma. She was raised on the family farm, grandma Ruby's older sister Ruth (she was only just a few years old when their mother died) went to live with an elderly aunt. Their father was not able to raise two little girls (a baby and a toddler) and work all on his own.

He separated them because the grandmother and the aunt were both elderly and their father did not think one on their own could handle raising two very small children. When the girls were in grade school their father had remarried and got the two girls back. The two girls ended up really liking their step mother a lot, I guess it may have been because they never really did have a chance to get to know their mom.

My grandma's name before she was married was Ruby Reed. Donna Reed from the Donna Reed show (back in the 50's) and my grandma were actually cousins. Donna Reed was born and raised on a farm in Denison just down the way a bit from where my grandma grew up.

The picture of my grandma that I am holding was taken just before she went to business/secretary school in Chicago and she was going to be turning 20 years old soon. Right away after leaving her small home town for the big city she had her hair bobbed. In the picture above she used to roll it up in a fake bob, she had very beautiful chestnut colored hair with copper highlights, it was very long and extremely thick.

My grandma was a clothes horse just like me (loved, loved, clothes!) and when she went off to school her dad and step mother gave her a check book for food, bills, and etc. The first thing she did was by a new outfit (a walking suit, perfect for business attire and for attending school in). She kept on writing checks until there were no more. Then her dad and step mom asked her what was going on and she told them, she thought as long as there were checks there had to still be money....hehehe. Funny grandma! It would have been so cool to have known her back then, she was young and beautiful. She was in her 20's in the 1920's!

Give away has officially ended!

Well, since nobody was interested in winning my lovely vintage vanity set and over $80.00 worth of free makeup and perfume, I will be sending these things to my sweet and beautiful friend StacyLuck of Heartbreaker Customs! Congrats to you Stacy!!! I know these things will go to a very good home.

I am back! Plus 100 followers blog contest - 1950's themed!

Yes, I am back, I am feeling some what better so we will see how long it holds out. For now I am having a blog contest, because yes, I have 100 followers! I had been teetering on the edge of 96, 97 & 98 over the last year now and I finally made it!


Here are the rules: First you have to be a follower of my blog - The World According To Art Deco Girl.
Next you will need to do a little blog about my contest on your blog (please provide a link back to your blog) and leave a comment on my blog letting me know you are interested in my contest with your e-mail address. For another chance to win you can also do a blurb about my contest on your Face Book page.

I am wearing the Red 2000 Lip Stick  so you will know what it looks like on a human being.

Alright then this is what you will win: A three piece vanity set with mirror, brush, and comb. (bottom mirror/tray not included). The set is silver metal and I believe it is probably from the 50's or 60's not sure though. You will also get some make up from Avon. The Red 2000 lip stick (which is a lovely blue base red) and black liquid eye liner. Also my Avon rep. Shelley Heidegger has been so kind as to add in the 50's Glam perfume and body lotion!!! Yay! Thanks Shelly Heidegger! If you are a lover of Avon and need a rep here is Shelley's contact info: Sunshine1009@rocketmail.com 503-803-1336.


This contest is open to everybody world wide and you have exactly one week till I pick a winner! One winner will be chosen on Monday March 19th cut off time will be 7pm Pacific Standard time.