diy plant holder.

I haven't felt very inspired to do any DIY projects lately, but the other day during one of my Value Village trips I found some little bowls that were begging to be turned into some sort of crafty goodness. 

There were four of them for $2.99 and for that price I thought they were worth picking up. They're those kitschy kind of dishes that would've originally had a handle, but they had been removed leaving a hole on either side of each. I automatically thought of hanging them as planters at different heights, for myself or for gifts. And anyway, the pattern on them was way too cute to pass up! Im always looking for ways to add colour and interest in my home, especially in the planter variety.

I've only finished one so far, with the cord being about 30 cm long and it took about 10 to 15 minutes altogether. Super quick!

For this cord I used basic natural coloured hemp string. I cut two long strands for each side. Four in total. I took both strings together and threaded them through one hole. Then tied a tight knot at the exact centre. Next I did a simple braid, but with four strands. (To make it easier I just grouped two strings together and braided them like a three-strand braid. Nothing fancy.) Tie a knot on the end when you've reached your desired length. Repeat these steps on the other side and try to get both as even as possible. You don't want a lopsided hanging planter. No way! 

I'm sure you can think of a cooler way to finish it off when tying it together, but I just tied the top together in two knots to join them and cut off the ends, letting it look rough and unfinished. Hemp string has that unfinished look to it anyway. I think for my next one I will try ribbon in alternating black and white and do a more polished look. I may even do all of them in different colours and styles.

This is a reminder to anyone with seemingly broken dishes. You may be able to repurpose them and give them an interesting new life! What do you have laying around?

Marissa xo

Drying Flowers.

 This summer I got these sweet little weed-like flowers at the St. Norbert Farmers Market. I actually don't know what they're called, so if anyone does, please tell me! I loved the simple aesthetic of them and I knew they would look very pretty when dried. I usually hate keeping flowers, because they wilt and die so fast. I prefer having actual plants, but even then I'm not really good at keeping them healthy, let alone alive! 

I thought if I could keep these in a vase for a while and let them dry up, they'd be with me for a long time with little trouble. I had them in an English porcelain vase my dad got me this summer at a garage sale, mixed in with some roses. The combination of deep red and periwinkle blue was so beautiful. The roses died recently, so I decided it was time to start preserving the them now. 

This weekend I got this vase from 1949 at a garage sale for $1. I love the unique asymmetrical shape, so these unconventional flowers fit in nicely. These flowers are kind of like a dandelion once they've gone to seed, but a lot thicker. They're very similar to a thistle, especially when it comes to it's sharp thorns!

Once when I was younger, my grandmother's neighbour told me if you want to keep weed-like flowers, you have to spray them with an aerosol hairspray. This keeps the seeds in place for years, so they don't fall off as they dry up. It acts as a light adhesive. She had giant seeded dandelions in a vase in her cabin and I remember being so interested in them. Of course I tried this and it worked so well! As I was preparing them, some sections were falling off. I had to leave out one whole bulb, because too many had come off. As soon as I sprayed them, they stayed in place. We'll see what the lasting power is like I guess, but I'm hoping for the best!

It felt like a waste to throw out the pretty bits left over from the broken bulb, so I put them in a small retro Ironstone bowl. I plan on adding a few drops of essential oils to give it some fragrance. And voila! Instant potpourri.

I think I got my moneys worth from these babies. As usual Farmers market flowers can be pricey, but I'm not sorry I splurged on these. They're too pretty and I think I'll be able to hang onto them for a while. Going into Fall now, most of my garden has given up, so I'll just take pleasure in how amazing these will look through the rest of the year.

Marissa xo

Happy Birthday CharmingShopVintage.

I really can't believe I've had my vintage shop on Etsy for one year this month. It's been a real ride, but mostly it has been a tonne of fun!

I have sold some really interesting things this year, like a rare Lefton Poodle cookie jar, an awesome retro terrarium and a couple 60s dinnerware sets, among other things. 

I know I'll be doing this for a very long time. I enjoy it and I love connecting with people and answering their questions. It makes me so excited when someone is so thrilled they have found what they needed and I get to send it to them. 

You'll be seeing CharmingShopVintage for another year. And another. And another!

To celebrate our one year anniversary at CharmingShopVintage, I'm offering a sale in the shop!

*With the purchase of 1 item receive 10% off

*With the purchase of 2 items receive 20% off

*With the purchase of 3 items receive 25% off
(some conditions apply.)

As always, I can ship worldwide and combine shipping where possible! Please contact me through Etsy for the best deal on your purchases!

Marissa

September.

Oh hey there. It's the first Wednesday in September! Yeah, when did that happen? I was pretty sure I still had time to get to the beach this year, but I think my time is nearly up! We're already getting into Fall mode and I'm working too much now to get away. I mean I'll get out there eventually, but it may be to just sit inside the cabin, curled up with a good book in front of the fire. 

Today is a good day. It's my Dad's Birthday and we'll be going out to celebrate tonight. He's honestly the best dad a girl could ask for. He's always there to help us no matter what. I can't even tell you how many times he's rescued my sister and I out of our binds. But I suppose that's what dads do! 

My dad took this picture of us sleeping outside at his house last week, so I guess the answer is I owe him a great birthday at least for being a poor guest! 

As I have mentioned before, I have really taken my thrifting mode to the next level this summer. I have begun collecting more wisely, now knowing what I need and what my shop message is. It's been nearly a year with my vintage shop now and I'm feeling more comfortable with my decisions as an online shop owner. I think my customers have really done that for me with their very generous and positive comments. 

(If you're reading this and you've purchased something from CharmingShopVintage and/or have written a comment, I thank you. You choose what shops you deal with, and you decided whether or not to take time out of your day to write a comment or review. You don't know how often you make my day and make me feel like I'm on the right track. I'm inspired by you to keep on going!) 

In the end all I really wanted to say is I'm fully stocked for the winter seasons ahead. I can't wait to start listing everything I have. In fact, these are some of the items that will be listed very soon!

Status update on my basement? The carpet goes in Friday. I'm sad that we'll be covering up the original flooring, but in the end it was too damaged to salvage. Sometimes that's just the way. I know you're probably sooo bored about hearing about this already. So I'm sorry! I'm just way too excited to get some space back. Living amongst boxes is making me loopy.

I wish I had more to share right now. Things have been slow and not terribly exciting. 

I'm really looking forward to making the Fall season count, because Summer certainly got away from me this year. I hope everyone is doing well. Have a great day!

Marissa xo