Showing posts with label green. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green. Show all posts

Oct 2, 2011

Living A Vintage Life: Bird and Birch

"Green" has been on our lips for years now and unlike many trends that inspire their own buzzwords, green isn't going away anytime soon. Vintageophiles* have an approach to green totally unlike environmental conservationists or traditional recyclers, rather we lovers of vintage take yesteryear's remnants and develope them into a passion. This passion drives us into both known and unknown territories in search of timeless morsels that amuse, excite, calm and express our personalities. Birch and Bird Vintage Home Interiors is one of those special places that every vintageophile should visit at least once (although I recommend regular visits). Their ideas exhibit how exciting it can be to live a vintage life!
Lily and Rachel, Birch and Bird proprietesses and bloggers, share their trips to wonderful antiques markets, decorating ideas and personal insights, all beautifully photographed. Many of their interiors tend towards comfort and calm punctuated with color. Unexpected touches like cuckoo clocks painted in green and blue hues, marry modern and vintage in inspiring ways. Even traditional settings bear their personal touch, as exhibited in their recent blog post Warm and Cozy Fireplaces; while their post on Bohemian style suggests the wide variety expressed by this timeless movement.
Be sure to scroll down through all the photos or else you will miss the herringbone floor made of reclaimed shipping pallets (hint: it's most of the way down the Home page); click on the "You might also like" at the end of each post to jump to more beautiful vignettes and amazing market adventures, and don't miss the tiny keywords (Posted in) beneath post titles to further your surfing through the blog.
Now, grab a glass of fresh apple cider, put on your favorite old holey sweater and settle in for a delightful afternoon with Birch and Bird.
*Vintageophile (vin-taj-o-phyle) - one who passionately embraces and is inspired by vintage goods to the point of changing their lifestyle.

Aug 5, 2011

The Tears of the Goddess Pele

Vintage Peridot Necklace
by
birdie1
August's Birthstone - Peridot - The Tears of the Goddess Pele

Legends claim that Peridots are the tears of the Hawaiian Volcano goddess, Pele, and small Peridots can be found all over the beaches of the islands.  Used by the Ancient Egyptians to commune w/nature, and prized for its brilliance, Peridot is said to be the symbol of the sun.  Often called evening emerald because it is said to glow in the dark, Peridot is thought to calm anger, aide in healing, and enhance power.

Antique Color Plate
from 1906 Encyclopedia
by
SeagullIsland
Peridot is the stone for the Zodiac sign, Libra.   But the constellations for August are actually Leo the Lion (July 23 - August 22) and Virgo the Virgin (August 23 - September 22).

Peridot is most often found in jewelry, but in Ancient times, was used to make drinkware and decorate armor, boxes, turbans...

Ah... August's birthstone, Peridot - love to say the name and love the cool, green color.  Peridot, a variety of Olivine, is the modern birthstone for August, while Sardonyx, a striped form of agate, is the traditional one.

An ancient Gregorian Calendar muses:

Wear a sardonyx or for thee,
No conjugal felicity;
The August-born without this stone,
`Tis said, must live unloved and lone.