A Vintage Family Christmas

Folks on Twitter are posting #childhoodchristmas and I had to join in. These are a few of my very favorite winter photos, growing up in the deep white snow. :-) 



 Dad plowing the driveway in the old scout with Boomer hanging out in the snow (note: mom was WAY better at plowing, as dad always hit the garage divider when the scout slid down our steep drive. Boom! Mom was a rocking plow gal. Also, I learned to drive in the scout). 

My first, and second to last, ski race. Alpine Meadows, 1972. Dig the outfit. 

No one can agree on what year this is, but I'm probably 13-15 years old. This may be the year I HAD to cut down the tree with an AXE...just me and my best friend...in a snowstorm.  The axe failed. We ended with a saw. It took us HOURS. Crazy kids.

That's it for this Christmas eve. Off to the yearly family party, parents and all. Merry Christmas!

d, xo

Found: Booby-Trap!

I spotted the old board game box box amongst a plethora of jigsaw puzzles at the thrift store, an original Booby-Trap game by Parker Brother, 1965. I gasped & nabbed it with that exhilaration reserved for great finds like Famolare wedge heels, Spirographs, a pink Samsonite train case. :-) I slipped it into my cart with a hint of glee on my face & went on my way.

As with everything, I thought it would be a great piece for the shop. Who didn't love Booby-Trap? But EBay is surprisingly covered with them and I'm a bit relieved, because now I can keep it.

I grew up in the mountains, snowbound all winter. We kids thrilled to be outdoors, building snow forts, sledding down deadly inclines, and precariously hanging from the the second story deck rail and falling into snowbanks, but eventually we'd get cold and spend the day indoors playing board games: Clue, Masterpiece, Monopoly, Yahtzee, Battleship, Life, Stratego, Booby-trap.

I don't know where the game came from, as it was toted as a bar game, not a kid game, but we had one and I loved to play. SNAP, went the trap, as you eased the wood pieces out of their tight squeeze. It was a vintage version of Jenga or pick-up sticks, it required skill, patience and a long winter.

I think I'll take this up to my parents house and teach my niece to play. We'll make popcorn and sit around the table with the family who still loves to play board games. :-)

d xo

Color Belts!

Some fab finds in the colorful cool belt dept.  I love it when I find pieces with a theme.

All three are in the shop now!

d, xo

Weekend Finds: best of the '60s and 70's

I stumbled upon a new shop tucked away behind a power mall. It was a sweet find. Lucky me.

A few of my weekend treasure finds:

A plush corduroy suitcase. Yes, corduroy, both sides and all around. It's insanely soft like your favorite pair of 70's bell bottom cords. A great stash for your winter sweaters or favorite books, a hideout for your cat or curl up with it and call it a pillow. :-)

These are the sweetest, daintiest leather Mary Jane's in a soft pearly champagne. Beautiful for a wedding. I actually have an evening dress that matches perfectly, but they don't fit this Cinderella. Sigh.

Made in Belgium by Defaux.

Size 8 narrow. In shop now.

 It kind of looks like a pizza here, but it's actually a table cloth adorn in bright yellow and orange flowers, with some avocado green leaves.

Flower power for a round table.

In shop on Sunday.

Wild 60's cocktail hour sandals with amazing faux granite rhinestones. Low sling backs named "Siren" by Magdesian. Dreamy.

p.s. don't make fun of my toes. There all I have. :-)

d, xo

VERA at the Beach House

Life is so funny. Sometimes what you want is right in front of your face and you don't even see it. Well, I don't anyway. Our family has a beach house that my grandfather built in the 50s. It's funky & fabulous, and our family rotates through it all summer long.

While I was there through the holiday I was searching through the linen's closet when I spotted a bright yellow and orange sticking out from the bottom pile. I knew at once. I just knew.

I got more excited than a minor striking gold. I pulled them out and was enveloped in bold butterflies! I fondled for a tag and there it was "Vera Collection, Burlington." I nearly shrieked.

All these years--all those eras!--there they sat, mostly unused, my mother later tells me--just waiting for me to discover Vintage and Vera.

So, of course, I had to share them with you. Do I keep them or sell them? There are two twin fitted & one flat sheet. They won't fit my bed. Decisions, decisions.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying just having them and knowing where they were hiding out all these years, at home. :-)

d xxoo

Almost Famous: 60's Fashion

I stumbled over this great coat last week and clutched it like I had just discovered the reincarnation of Ms Pennie Lane. It is a long, heavy suede leather coat, completely trimmed in lamma fur that left me picturing Kate Hudson, all smiles and tossled curls from my favorite Cameron Crowe moive: Almost Famous.

70's lamma fur leather coat, SOLD  DahlilaFound

This post is dedicated to the 70s, groupies, rock and roll and my personal dream of going back in time to become Almost Famous. ;-)

The ethereal Ms Penny Lane (Kate Hudson)

Gorgeous (I want, want, want) sandy suede go-go boots, JessJamesJake, $86

Red Psychedelic maxi dress from SafeAsMilkVintage, $25

60's VERA suede belt at SwaneeGrace, $65

60's look, bangled earrings at Karapegg, $12.

Enjoy!

dahlila xxoo

Pink Psychedelic

I posted these fabulous pieces, before I saw how fabulous they looked together. They might actually need each other. ;-) Maybe, a great fashionista will see this too. I'd love to sell them as a set, then receive a photo of the marvelous results. I love it when customers send me photos. It's the best.

Poppy's Pink Purse, $58.
80's Orange Ade bobble earrings, $7

Psychedelic 70's Polka Dot Blouse, $23.

What an outfit. Hm? I actually have a pair of fuchsia peep toe heels that would fit this outfit perfectly...

dahlila xxoo

Walking Through the Past

I took a long walk with my camera in Sacramento today, something I never, ever do. I've lived here for years and today I walked around all wide eyed, looking up, staring down and snapping photos like an anthropologist. This city doesn't think too much of it's past. Old is out. New is in. The suburban landscape spreads and spreads, but I stay close to the center, the city, the grid. It just has more life.
I thought it would be fun to share some vintage shots before it all gets torn down, and it will. This is the old Tower Records on K Street Mall. It was the smallest of the 4 local Tower stores-- Broadway being the original, where I worked as the graphic, in-house artist many years ago.

I don't know who painted this elaborate, psychedelic ceiling, but I remember 1975 painted on it. It closed years ago, long before Russ Solomon closed all the Tower doors--an incredibly sad occasion for most cool local kids worked at Tower sometime in their life.

Now, this building sits empty, ceiling chipping away, drunks in the alcove, but I took a minute to look up and remember some great vintage memories. At least--as one rumor went--it won't become a Starbucks.