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.

Vintage Buzz: Make It (With) Vintage



This 'Shabby Quilted Strips Bag' from
Such and Sort is a fun way to use
old fabric scraps and cutter quilts.



 

Kitschy little Mice R Nice Charms

come in several colors and have

lots of creative potential. They

are offered by True Colors For You.

Scooping up piles of broken and orphaned vintage jewelry at the local Salvation Army along with sifting through jars and tins of old buttons clinched my vintage addiction. Sorting through my little treasure hoards was at once exciting and relaxing, yet the gratification that came with each acquisition was short-lived. The sense of satisfaction that came each time I found something special drove me to seek more. At some point I had to do something with all this fun junk - thus my first Etsy shop was born as an outlet for my handcrafted-from-vintage creations. I have since found that I'm not the only Etsy Vintagephile that crafts green, using vintage materials both as inspiration and for the very substance of their handcrafted offerings. A search under the 'handmade' category for 'etsyvintageteam' reveals well over 400 items - badges and broochs, pouches and purses and so much more! You'll find plenty of styles too - contemporary, steampunk, country, retro, Victorian and more! 



Check out the Pearl and Brass Steampunk
necklace crafted by DRyan327
in her shop, Purple Toes Jewelry.
(In my opinion, she competes for one of the
greatest avatars on Etsy!)

Once you begin searching, it becomes obvious that members of the Etsy Vintage Team enthusiastically practice the three 'R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) - after all, didn't we learn that from our Grandmas who reused everything from foil to raggy old clothes? But not everyone has a stash of vintage goodies to work with, and for those people there is a fabulous hoard offered by the Etsy Vintage Team.

Etsy Vintage Team shops offer a plethora of vintage supplies: fabric, buttons and lace; paper ephemera, beads, buckles and charms, as well as all sorts of intriguing oddments you never even thought of until you found them surfing through fun shops like The Vintage Recycler or 12Karri Elegant Junk Shop (L-R, below).

Whether you're thinking of something crafted from vintage or are looking for supplies to craft something wonderfully unique yourself, the members of the Etsy Vintage team can provide plenty of satisfaction for your creative muse.

 



Etsy, A Mental Shift Towards Vintage

I’ve been buying on Etsy for years, but switched over to selling early this summer. I’ve been amazed at the differences I’ve observed about selling on Etsy vs other mainstream vintage sites.

1.     My brain was wired to what had value as a vintage collectible. I didn’t buy a book to sell unless it was a known antique one with value. Every book required extensive research. I’ve had to switch that entirely since being on Etsy. Books are also valued as good reads, decorative elements and/or the base for an art project, not just for their collectible value.

Upcycled Floating Bookself by komunications

2.     Everyday objects are sculptural reminders of the past. I have walked right past old 1960s sprinkler heads in yard sales. Since being on Etsy, I’ve seen dozens sell quickly. Mason jars, rusty metal tools, wooden letters from old games all are snapped up. These objects can be displayed or altered and enjoyed now as reminders of the buyers past. I love to see simple beauty being found in everyday vintage objects.

Ever so Practical but beautiful Mason Jar by Dandelion Girl

3.     Vintage isn’t just for decorating-it’s for everyday practical uses. Buyers on Etsy appreciate an items working value, not just its beauty. Many people are choosing to replace the modern box store items in their homes with vintage substitutes. If Grandma used it, why not me? 

Vintage Wall Clock by bitofbutter

I like that Etsy buyers have forced me to think more creatively about my treasure hunting. I’m now looking for objects based on their decorative, practical, artistic and whimsical angles. While I still have a lot of just very collectible items to sell, this new viewpoint is making my job so much more interesting and fun!