Coast to Coast Vintage Mobile Shop

As soon as I met Jaimee of of Coast to Coast Vintage, I awkwardly blurted out something about how she's living my dream life and I'm super jealous of her... because it's totally true and also because I am the best at first impressions.  

But, seriously... look at this..

DREAM

LIFE

Coast to Coast Vintage rolled into the parking lot of the Portland Flea for All last Sunday and I obviously became immediately smitten.  Jaimee and her beau Adam have been roaming around the U.S. of A. gathering & selling vintage treasures since this past spring in their rad looking Scotty camper. 

They have lots of fun pieces, from flowy dresses to fun denim cutoffs.  The inside of the trailer is so dreamy looking, with whitewashed walls and a silver ceiling, and shelves with all sorts of quirky things (i mean, who doesn't love a troll doll?)

They're both super nice people, so even though they're living my dream life, I ain't even mad.  It's really inspiring to see people around my age making something so amazing happen, and I hope that all of their vintage wanderlust dreams come true.  

If you see them in your hood (they're currently in New York) be sure to stop by and check it out!

and maybe, sommmmmmeday you'll see a vintage Lucille's camper on the streets :) 

Weekly Wantsies

Welcome to another edition of Weekly Wantsies... where we torture ourselves by making lists of everything we want to own!  Window shopping is a cruel mistress, isn't she?

Caiti's picks:

1.) The sewing bug has been buzzing around me so bad. I want to make a million dresses with this fabric!

2.) It's no secret that I find shoes to be lovely and wonderful. I'd wear these with my moth dress for sure.

3.) Jess and I were just talking about how much I love gin. Gin and tonics are the best!

4.) I would put gin in these puppies! Also I like gin.

5.) Since I'm all about gin today, how about playing gin rummy with GAME OF THRONES playing cards!

Jess's Picks: 

1.  I found this dress on Asos the other day, and decided I'd wait to see if it went on sale... I went to pull it up today for this post and it's SOLD OUT.  My husband asked me if there were any dresses similar to it elsewhere and I played "Nothing Compares 2 U" and pouted because obviously there isn't.  Basically, what I'm saying is that I love it and if it doesn't come back I might be forever heartbroken.

2.  We have a big blank wall in the living room that needs a vintage pull down chart, and this one would be perfectamundo!

3.  I love typewriters. We sold one last week without realizing that it apparently wrote in bunch of amazing fonts, including cursive, so I soooooort of wish we'd kept it.  I love how industrial this one looks.

4.  GIVE ME ALL THE JADEITE.  We sold some Jadeite cups recently, and I miss them already (are you noticing a theme here? IT'S REGRET), and I desperately want my own jadeite collection now. 

What do you think of our picks?  Anything you're drooling over now?

xoxo,

Caiti & Jess

putting the pieces together

Sometimes it's a lot of fun to go shopping in our own store and put together cute little outfits.   We tend to shop/create in themes a lot without realizing it, so it's fun to piece it all together.  Here's an outfit I just made of some items we've got in the shop right now:

adorable, right?  I like that it's a super elegant, feminine print in really comfortable fabric... it's such a nice, flowy summer outfit.  Also, it's pretty obvious that we're a bit obsessed with florals at the moment, isn't it? 

You can find everything in our Etsy shop or at our brick & mortar in Westbrook, if you so happen to feel like recreating this at home.  (skirt here, shirt here, handmade necklace here)

hot hot heat

IT IS TOO HOT.  Lately we've been dealt the kind of weather that's really only good for lounging around in either A). an air conditioned space, or B). a pool, lake or some body of water.  However, we have an adorable little shop to run, so.. we've gotta haul ourselves out of the water and take care of business.  

These are the outfits we came up with to hang out in the heat..

OH, AND! We also both cut all our hair off.  Also due directly to the heat.  And Ginnifer Goodwin.  Damn her cute pixie face. 

 

Caiti borrowed liberally from the shop.  She's wearing one of our dresses, an anatomy necklace, and a belt that we have for sale.  Geez, girl, get your own closet.  Just kidding, this is our closet (we wash everything before we put it back. don't worry about our germs, okay?).

And Jess is rockin' all her own stuff.. a mixture of thrifted and target, as per usual.  Housedresses kind of rule, don't they?

Those Bee Earrings are Lucille's though!  They're actually a defective pair, so as per always with our screw ups, one of us gets to keep them!  We'll be putting regular, non defective ones up on Etsy soon though.  Also, check out our sign off in the background! and yes, if you can tell, that white blob below it is a piano.  Yes, we have a piano by the road.  If you're ever driving by in Westbrook you'll know it's us :D

stay cool,

Jess & Caiti

magazine gazing

We acquired a couple boxes of old magazines at a garage sale a few weeks ago, and have been slowly going through them since then... they are SO entertaining! I could spend hours flipping through each one... the photos and graphics are amazing.  The advertisements are ridiculous...  and all the stories inside are wondrous.  And also ridiculous. You'll find headlines like "Dan likes his vegetables dressed up", "how help-less are you?"and "Runaway Husbands".  Did I mention they're ridiculous? 

One of my favorite things is the INSANE eyes in half of the pictures.  What I'm gathering is that women in the late 40s were constantly terrified but forced to smile at all times.  Maybe that's why they were terrified?

"Is chastity outmoded?"

This might be my favorite image ever.  Way to stomp out the patriarchy, gurrrrrl!

I'd really love to own her tshirt, please.

Again, with the terrifying eyes... lady, seriously, you've been sniffing the washing soap for too long.

You'll never catch me reading a women's magazine nowadays, but if it's from 1947, I'm all in.

PS.  We'll have a whole boatload of these for sale at the shop in Westbrook if you're in the market for any...  

giveaway time!

*****

This giveaway is now closed!

We've drawn the winner for this giveaway!  We used the random number generator and came up with...

Lucky number 7! so...  Congratulations to Slađana Sušilović!

*****

We've been pumping out lots of handmade goods, and getting all sorts of new vintage for the shop lately.  We figured a fun way to celebrate the abundance of all this stuff is to have a little giveaway on the blog!  Share the love, ya know? 

 So we put together this little package of goodies....

It features a beautifully embroidered vintage hankie, a sweet photo from the Summer of '43, a pair of handmade mint green polka dot earrings, and a handmade necklace with a vintage botanical moth print.  (I felt like Rod Roddy while typing that.. I just pictured a Price is Right lady motioning to these items on a table)

There are a few ways to enter.  #1 and most important is to leave a comment on this entry! That counts as one entry.  You get an extra entry if you tweet about the giveaway (just be sure to tweet us @shoplucilles so we can see!), or if you mention the giveaway in a blog entry or facebook post (just link to it in your comment).

We'll tally up the entries and randomly select a winner on Friday, July 19th at 5:00pm (EST) ***EDIT*** we're keeping the contest open until Sunday at 5PM EST... just for some extra time to enter! ****  Then we'll mail this cute little package to the winner... who, by the way, can be anywhere in the world!  The more the merrier! 

Good luck!

xoxo,

Jess & Caiti

Weekly Wantsies

What Caiti's pining for:

1.) I love dresses, lately I've been all about the pastel floral sundress. So cute.

2.) My Dad's a biker so it may be rubbing off on me but I reallllly want a cropped leather jacket. 

3.) Also I need another skull in my collection and this ones lovely.

4.) Gold and seafoam and irrelevant to my life but these should be mine. Plus they're cheap!

5.) I've always liked the idea of monograms. I like these...

Things Jess is incredibly into:

1.  Lately I've been getting the urge to dress like Laura Petrie.  Which is sort of weird for me, since I'm consistently clad in dresses, but right now I want tanks and pedal pushers with flats, so.. This vintage tulip print tank top would be a perfect start to my Laura Petrie collection, no?

2.  I love insect jewelry, forever & always.  These bee earrings are (forgive the pun... yes... I'm going there...) the bee's knees.

3.  I LOVE messenger bags (I don't do well with normal purses), and I love vintage typography, so obviously this vintage typewriter messenger bag is a win/win.

4.  Perfect cropped jeans to go with my tank top.  PS.  I'm totally into Mod Cloth's new plus size collection. Pretty drool-worthy.

5.  Aaaaaaaaadorable red & black polka dot flats... to complete the ensemble!  Man, I would wear these with so many things.  

and, just in case you're wondering, Jess would definitely wear that whole collection together as one outfit.  for SURE.  And Caiti would wear everything in her collage as well... while carrying around the skull.  Because we're cool like that.

Wantingly yours,

Caiti & Jess

ain't no cure for the summertime blues

the shop seems to have a serious case of the blues goin' on lately... and I'm totally into it.

Vintage Silk Button Vest

Vintage Summertime Blues Plaid Tanktop 

Vintage High Waisted Denim Shorts

Vintage Baby Blue Polka Dot Dress - L/XL

Vintage Baby Blue Shirt Dress with Embroidery Detail

All these cool hues make me want to spend the day lounging around in a calm, blue body of water - lake, river, pool... doesn't matter to me!  Then again, I feel that way most days during the summer, don't you?

All those beauties are available in the shop, if you happen to be a bit more in the mood for online shopping than outdoor lounging.  Orrrr if you're in the mood for an adventure.. they're also available at our ACTUAL shop at 625 Bridgton Road in Westbrook.. if you're down for a road trip :)

Upcycled Clock Picture Frame

On a random shopping trip, I picked up the empty frame of an old mantle clock.  I don't know why, but I did.  I liked it because it was cheap, it had cool lines, and it was a really rad green color.  I had absolutely no idea what to do with it, but I knew it must be mine!

When I got back to the shop, Caiti and I simultaneously had the same idea - the shell of that mantle clock would make an amazing picture frame!

We found an old photo that worked size-wise, and popped it inside the clock frame.  We did have to trim it a bit, which felt horrifying... I hate cutting old things.  But I think this was worth it. 

We covered the back by tracing a piece of card stock, cutting it out, and covering it with some cute cloth.  We used spray adhesive to put the cloth on.

Kind of fun, right?

And isn't this a dapper little family? I love all their outfits! And I'm just noticing now that maybe the girl and the boy are twins? That makes it even cooler!

This piece is for sale at our shop... we may put it on Etsy at some point, we shall see.  What other neat things do you think you could use for picture frames? We're always trying to come up with ideas... I'm pretty smitten with this & this for photo displays

xoxo,

Jess & Caiti

Blogger Blurb: Michelle from Vintage Junky

Good morning, lovelies!  We're introducing a new feature on the ole blog called Blogger Blurbs.  We're picking some of our favorite bloggers and picking their brains with a bunch of random questions so we can all get to know each other a bit better.  Sounds like a rollicking good internet time, doesn't it?  

We're starting off the series today with Michelle, the lovely lady in charge of the Vintage Junky blog.  We love reading her blog to take a peek into her life... she has a great eye for vintage, and a talent for making things look amazing.  She makes me want to go repaint some furniture for my house... and also to learn how to embroider/be handy with a needle & thread, because she does some amazing projects!

So without further ado... here are the Qs & As with Michelle...

Were you always into vintage or was there a particular time when it started?

I think I have always liked things that were a little older or different.  My grandmother didn't have any "precious" antiques, But the things she had I was always drawn to.  Like those giant spoons and forks that used to be in every kitchen.  I actually have her set on my wall painted black.  Things made in the past were made with so much more thought and style.  And, I feel that they were made with better quality too.

Do you have a favorite costume designer, or movie (with amazing costuming)?

I think that Pride and Prejudice has incredible costuming and set design.  As for individual costumes, I can't get the green dress from Atonement out of my head (editor's note: I 1000% agree. We were just talking about this the other day!).  Or the black dress from Titanic.  I haven't seen the remake of Great Gatsby yet, but I imagine that I will love it as I love 20s design.  As for set design, I adore the Royal Tenenbaums.  

What is your favorite go to accessory?

I have some sparkly star bobby pins from Giant Dwarf and some vintage handpainted bobby pins that always make me feel pretty snazzy.

What is your most beloved curse word?

I have a 4 year old that literally repeats everything... at the perfect time too.  So, I try to keep it a little clean with "son of a nutcracker." The dirtier version of that is probably my go to when I break something or stub my toe.

What's your favorite DIY project that you've done yourself or aspire to?

I recently finished this deconstructed sampler:

http://vintagejunky.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-deconstructed-sampler.html 

 I also began knitting this year, so I aspire to knit a sweater.  Right now, I am just having fun with scarfs.  And maybe a quilt in the future.  I like having a project.

In a zombie apocalypse what is your weapon of choice?  

I don't know a lot about zombies, but I think a phoenix feather core wand and a good, healthy knowledge of Defense Against the Dark Arts would serve me well.

What is your most prized vintage possession and how did you acquire it?

Hmmmm..... this question is always so hard.  It is like the "what would you rescue from a burning house?" question.  So, it would have to be photos.  Most all of my stuff is vintage and would be so hard to replace.  I have an antique Swedish Mora clock that my husband bought me when I quit my "real" job.  But, I also have a mixing bowl of my grandmothers too that she gave me before she passed away.  If the house is burning and I have the photos backed up in a safe place online and my family is out, I am grabbing my little boy's stuffed dog though.  It is his favorite.  Seriously, I know it isn't about possessions, but I do love my vintage stuff. So, this is hard to really just pick one thing.  

from her Etsy shop... don't you love how she has the measurements right in the photo? adorable and smart!

Are there any blogs you'd like to recommend?

I love Purl Bee, Oh Happy Day, A Beautiful Mess.... those are just off the top of my head.  I get a lot of inspiration from those.  But, I am sure that isn't all.

---------

Isn't she fun?  Thanks for answering our questions, Michelle!  Be sure to check out her blog, and also visit her Etsy shop... she has lots of great vintage & vintage inspired pieces.  I hope you're all inspired to have a fun, vintage-filled day now! :)

Until next time,

Jess & Caiti

weekly wantsies

We usually do our weekly wantsies posts on Friday, but it appears the week got away with us.  We've either been really busy (sort of), or just feverish from the heat and forgetting what day it is (definitely).  Even though we're a bit late... here are some things we love for you to peruse on this steamy sunday!

Jess's Picks are obviously influenced by the fact that all she wants to do is go swimming:

1.  I am absolutely, 100% head over heels in love with everything Samantha French does. I vow that I WILL own at least a print someday, for real. 

2.  This bathing suit is beyond amazing... you should check out the larger photo in the Etsy shop, because it will give you the chance to see that the bottom has RHINESTONES on it! RHINESTONES! 

3.  I can never get enough old maps.  This one is from 1894, which makes it even more magical.

4.  Even though it's far too hot to think of wearing a sweater today, I am still in love with the nautical theme of this guy, and it looks like it would be exceptionally comfy.

5. I like to imagine this letterpress whale shows exactly how happy I'll be when I finally get to go swimming.  

Caiti too desperately wants to sit on the beach... 

1. I've been yearning for some new dresses and I'm really in LOVE with this one.

2. I broke my only "dress" sandals a couple weeks ago and need something cute.

3.I may have a polka dot problem...but I also have a pale problem. This would solve both.

4.I just like earrings, I wear a pair everyday. And I like these. I actually like a lot of things at "My Vintage Silhouettes" like these bobby pins.

5. To have a successful day at the beach I need a cool beverage and some watermelon. Obviously I need this.

furniture redo: the Mermaid Side Table

This side table wasn't something we would normally buy, but we got a good deal, so we brainstormed quite a bit about what we could do to make it less... blech.  The table was that ubiquitous 1970s/80s table that everyone's parents seemed to have in their TV room.  Next to their big recliners... usually covered in various remotes to control the VHS, the TV & the satellite dish.  What I'm saying is, I don't find them to be a beautiful example of furniture design.  

We decided to shabby-chic it up a little bit with a pretty light blue paint.  We thought that the bottom of the table could use a little pizzazz, so we used an image transfer medium from Mod Podge to transfer a vintage mermaid graphic.  (Sidenote: we'll for sure do a DIY Post about that transfer medium later... it's really handy!).   I love how the mermaid graphic makes the blue paint seem very ocean-like... they compliment each other very well, if I do say so myself!

We put it out with some pretty Jadeite Fire King Mugs and I'm pretty in love with it.  

It's for sale in the shop if you're local and would like to check it out! 

Isn't it fun to think about how kind of crappy old furniture can turn into something pretty rad with a few ideas and some elbow grease?  It makes me feel inspired every day to open my mind up a bit and use my imagination as much as I can... as cheesy as that sounds, it's true :)

Cheesily yours,

Jess

Button Necklace DIY

It seems like one of the things most crafters and vintage collectors all have is a surplus of is buttons.  You never know what sort of thing you'll come across that needs a neat button, so you save those suckers up!  And sometimes you end up with a ton of them and it gets a little outta hand.  And by "You" I mean "us".  We have a lot of buttons.  One day when I had a surplus of time on my hand I decided to come up with a way to use a few buttons for something a little different...

A button statement necklace!  

What you'll need for this project is: a piece of felt in a color of your choice, buttons, a needle & thread, and some ribbon.  I used an exacto knife for one portion of the process as well, but there are ways to MacGyver around that if you don't have one available. Side note: sleepy expression not required for this project, but I was clearly rocking it just as a bonus.  You're welcome.

Start off by sorting through your button stash.  I know you've got one!  If I'm wrong, and you don't, you can usually find tons of neat buttons at any craft store, or for super cheap at places like yard sales and markets.

Lay your buttons out on your felt in a configuration that looks good to you.  I like necklaces that look a bit abstract, so I chose a semi-weird configuration that was pleasing to my eyeballs.  Feel free to use whatever shape you'd like - stars, hearts, circles... whatever your heart & eyeballs desire.

Outline the shape of your buttons with a marker so you can cut it out.  It's also helpful at this point to take a picture of your buttons, just so you can remember how they're arranged.  Or maybe it would just be helpful to have a better memory than me, and in that case no camera is required.

After cutting your shape out, start sewing those buttons on!  

And ta-da!  You have a necklace!  Well, part of one at least.  You can attach jump rings through the felt and attach it to a chain to finish it, or you could just thread some ribbon through it like I did. 

If you choose to go the easy-peasy route like I did, here's where the Exacto knife comes in.  Cut two small slits close together on the bib, and make sure it's hidden behind a button so you won't see it in the front.  Thread the ribbon through one side and out the other, and knot it back onto itself so it's secure.  Repeat on the other side.  This method makes it so it just slips on over your head, so be sure to leave enough room for your noggin.  You can finagle the ribbon a bit before tying it off and cutting the excess to get it the length you'd like.

 

Ta-da!  You have a whole necklace now!  And you've put a dent in your button collection... so now you have an excuse to go out and buy more!  :)