A Vital Force

"With the ballot in her hand woman becomes a vital force--declaring her will for herself." -Susan B. Anthony

Folklore Flowers

I have a serious thing for folky florals. Hand-painted or embroidered, I can't get enough of them. Brightly colored flowers on a background of black? Oh God, yes. One day I hope to have an entire wardrobe of embroidered German dirndls, Scandinavian sweaters, and Mexican Puebla dresses. Until then, I'm enjoying drooling over the stunning traditional costumes at Folklore Fashion, a blog by Laila Duran chronicling the making of her books on the subject. So much gorgeousness there!

                                                                        Photo copyright Laila Duran 2012

Rope + Pom Poms

So beautiful!

via Free People

Wallpaper Wants and a New Shop

Hello there! Sorry to be such a stranger around these parts. Between getting ready for baby, record breaking blizzards and cold temperatures (-31 degrees!), sick relatives, and just general exhaustion and pregnancy woes, the ol' blog got put on the back burner. One thing I've been up to is opening up a second Etsy shop to sell some vintage wares as well as some handmade goods that don't quite fit in at the Sweetheartville Shop. Stay tuned for lots of vintage craft books and patterns and more housewares in the near future.


Another thing going on around here is some serious wallpaper coveting thanks to these designes from Elli Popp.



Really, doesn't this last one just scream "Sweetheartville"?


In the works are some new Sweetheartville prayer candles, a giveaway, and maybe a new Welcome Little Stranger tune or three. I promise not to be so scarce around here!

The Photography of Maynard Parker

I can't remember now where I stumbled upon the photographs of Maynard Parker, the principal photographer for House Beautiful magazine between 1942 and 1965.




The dramatic lighting! The saturated colors!



Head over to The Huntington for a narrated slide show to see these and many other breathtaking images of mid century living.

My Mod Victorian Asian Log Cabin...OF DOOM

I've been having a bit of fun lately making "inspiration mosaics" with Flickr photos. Now that I finally have the time to devote to finishing all the house projects that I've been putting off, I've swung into full home decorating mode. As time goes by, I find myself straying further and further from the strictly kitschy/mid century modern aesthetic I used to crave. I'm beginning to gravitate toward a bit darker, quirkier, more eclectic look--kind of mid century mod meets the 30s and then travels back in time to an 1850's Ozark Mountain cabin before ending up in the Victorian Age combined with lots of folky, handmade touches and Asian stuff. Pretty awesome, right? Without further ado, here are some lovely found photos representing a lot of what I'm working with, and some of what I'd like to find to complete my demented vision for our home.


1. Fabric11, 2. Antique Print, 3. Lampshade Heaven, 4. vintage globe, 5. Small tole trays, 6. Jack on the Circle Rag Rug DONE!, 7. New Couch., 8. birthday of Sri Krishna..., 9. Antique quilt, 10. vintage floral circa 40's pillow detail, 11. mirror, mirror..., 12. Heart of concreat and broken tiles, 13. 2007 nichos, 14. statue, 15. Harmony Mccoy in Mist Blue 1961, 16. Window Glass View, 17. favorite souvenirs, 18. Luxe Red and Gold Powder or Dresser Jar, 19. The Great UCM Museum, 20. Vintage Paint by Number, Geisha with Parasol