The Brass Paperclip Project

Thrift Store Confessional No. 6

As I mentioned in my blog post yesterday, I was recently treated to a fantastic girls weekend in Port Townsend, WA.  We stayed in an amazing B&B, ate good food, drank too much and even crashed a costume ball!   And, while we were there...we hit some antique malls and thrift stores.  This week, I am confessing to buying this sweet little stash of treasures including: a vintage wedding cake topper, vintage wedding picks and an assortment of vintage earrings.

I was very excited to find the wedding cake topper...they are very hard to find and are usually quite expensive.  This one is in amazing condition and the people are actually somewhat attractive...so often their faces are out of horror movies...LOL.  This one is chalkware, probably from the 40's.  I am in love with all the pleating.  The flowers are very unusual too...sort of plastic, but in a celluloid way, not the tacky plastic way.  I'm going to have to test them to see what they are.  This may or may not make it into my shop.  I have developed a true love for the old cake toppers and have amassed quite a collection.  I always think I will put them into my shop, but then I don't want to part with them.  We will see.  :)

The cake picks were another fun find, but I'm still not sure what I will do with them.  I have a few ideas, so I'll keep you posted.

The little pile of vintage earrings were dug out of a bin of junk jewelry at a thrift store.  The two pairs in the front are unmarked, but the two other pairs are Coro.  They are all clip-ons and screw-backs and are in great condition.  The green pair is available in my shop now.  (Click the link below the photo for more information.)  The other three pairs are destined to become something else, so watch for those in the future.

Vintage Emerald Green Coro Earrings

So, what did I leave behind?  Loved this little pin cushion...

And this metal hot water bottle circa 1915 was awesome...love that it's the same shape as those ugly rubber ones we have now...the metal is so much classier. 

Next week, I will be sharing a special Halloween costume confessional which will be fun, so I hope you'll come back and let me know what questions you have or what else you want to know about thrift store shopping.  You can follow along at any of the links below so you don't miss a thing. 

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Until then...  XOXO, Cindi

 

Sweet Retreat: A Very Victorian Port Townsend Weekend

Photo by Kelly Manning Photography via Flickr

A few weeks ago a good friend whisked me away to a B&B for my first ever "mom-cation" in honor of my 40th...yes, I'm still milking it! The weather was perfect as we sailed across the Puget Sound towards the charming Victorian seaport of Port Townsend.

We were booked for the weekend at The Old Consulate Inn, which is one of the most photographed Victorian homes in the Pacific Northwest.  The grand "Painted Lady" stands atop a bluff overlooking the Puget Sound, still wearing her original colors.  To say that this house is a treasure is an understatement.  It's a virtual museum of life at the turn of the century, complete with period dressed innkeepers!

Innkeepers Nathan Barnett and Cindy Madsen. Photo by Jennifer Jackson for Peninsula Daily News

When we arrived, we were greeted warmly at the door by innkeeper Nathan Barnett and were quickly ushered into the library for a history lesson!  One of the things I love about B&B's is that no two are run the same way, and you often get a tour or a history lesson...or both.  This is, however, the first time I've encountered innkeepers in period dress and I have to say, I loved it! 

After our initial trip back in time, Nathan's wife, Cindy Madsen took over and filled us in on the quirks of the house and what to expect for our 3-course gourmet breakfast the next day.  Then we were shown to our gorgeous room complete with water views from every window.  A girl could get so used to this!

The rest of the house was just as incredible with period furniture, games and even a billiards room in the basement...another B&B first for me!   

After checking in we strolled into town for lunch and had an amazing meal at Fins Coastal Cuisine.  We sat out on the deck, basked in the sun and enjoyed the view.  The food and the service were excellent...I highly recommend it.

After lunch, we strolled the shops on Water Street and discovered a cool little mall inside the old Hastings Building...named for the same family as our B&B. There was a beautiful yarn and notions shop, as well as a gorgeous little bead shop.

We also hit a few antique stores and scored some treasures there.  I'll share the scoop about those tomorrow in my weekly shopping confessional. ;)

Breakfast at the inn the next morning was delicious.  Cindy and her wait staff pulled out all the stops...in full-length skirts, no less!  Everyone sat around one large table and the conversation was lively.  Plus, there was ice cream.  For breakfast.  Oh, yah!

No trip to the peninsula would be complete without a hike, so after breakfast we headed out to the Olympics.  After driving around on deserted forest service roads for hours, we gave up on ever finding the trail head we were looking for and stumbled, instead, onto the trail head for Little Quilcene Trail. We hiked until our legs turned to jello then headed back to Port Townsend.

Back in town, we hit some thrift stores in search of costumes for the Apokolyptic Kinetic Rosehips Ball that we planned to crash that evening.  Huh?  Yes, you read that correctly.  We heard about this bizarre event from some other guests at the inn and found out that it was part of a whole weekend of festivities that revolved around The Great Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race which deserves a blog post all it's own, so I'll share pics from that next week.

The ball, however, was a steampunk inspired costume party during which the Kinetic Kween is crowned.  This event was seriously hilarious and we were so glad we went.  EVERYONE had a costume, so we were doubly glad we had spent the time to come up with something.  I never did get a good picture of our full costumes but here's a teaser of mine...

Dinner that night was epic.  We went to Sirens Pub on the recommendation of our innkeeper, but were warned that the service was slow.  We sat out on the deck, watched the sunset, drank four key lime martinis and 1.5 hours later...our burgers arrived.  But damn, those martinis were good...and they definitely had us loosened up for the ball.  ;)

So, that was the weekend.  It was amazing, laughter-filled and chock full of fun.  If you are ever in the area, don't miss Port Townsend!  And if you are planning a small wedding or honeymoon, take a good look at The Old Consulate Inn.  They offer special romance and celebration packages, and can also cater small parties...arranging high tea, luncheons or dinner parties to meet your needs.  If you go, tell them Cindi and Brandi sent you.  ;)

Definitely check back tomorrow to see what I found in the antique stores, and next week for photos of the Kinetic Sculpture Race.  You can follow along at any of the links below, so you don't miss a thing: 

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XOXO, Cindi

 

 

 

 

Destination Weddings: IceHotel, Sweden

One of the things I really wanted to do while I was in Sweden, was spend a night at IceHotel.  Always on the lookout for unusual places to stay, I was immediately entranced by images of IceHotel.  Rooms made of ice, fur lined beds, ice crystal chandeliers...never mind that the inside temperature is a crisp -5 degrees! 

Located in a tiny village in Lapland, just north of the artic circle, IceHotel is an ever-changing art installation made entirely of snow and ice.  Each year, the hotel is reborn...carved and shaped from ice harvested from the Torne River.  Builders, architects, designers and artists from all over the world arrive each year to create rooms, furniture, art, sculptures, and even lighting from nothing but frozen water.  In the spring, the entire thing melts back into the river...waiting to be reborn again the following year.  The only thing they reuse is their signature chandelier...

And the best part...they do weddings!  There is an Ice Church located right next to the hotel.  Imagine planning the ultimate winter wonderland wedding in a fairytale chapel made of ice.  Weddings at the Ice Church only happen from the end of December through the end of April, so be sure to plan ahead.  Like the hotel, the church is redesigned every year...check out some of the past designs...

After the wedding, you could stage the perfect icy reception at the hotel's very own Ice Bar. Your drinks will come served in glasses carved from ice.  No need to worry about the ice melting and diluting your drinks!

After the party, you and your guests can retreat to the cozy comforts of the frozen art suites.  Each room is different and is, again, crafted entirely of snow and ice.  You'll sleep in toasty warm sleeping bags on top of warm fur skins.  In the morning you will be greeted with warm lingonberry juice and a trip to the sauna!  Here are a few of my favorite rooms from past years...

When it's time to leave, what could be more romantic than being whisked away in your own personal dog sled?

Maybe you'll take advantage of the opportunity to visit one of IceHotel's wilderness camps to check out spectacular northern lights like these...

 

Ready to sign up? UK based TravelBee specializes in white weddings across northern Europe and Canada offering all-inclusive wedding package that include flights, accomodations, photos, wedding dinner and even "arctic clothing rental."  What could be easier?

If you would rather plan out the details yourself, there is a ton of information on the IceHotel website.  I also found this great photographer, Ian Johnson, who would love to shoot your ice wedding.  You can see more of his work here.

So, unfortunately, my hubby and I couldn't work in a stay at the hotel on this visit, but we did make a point to stop by the IceBar in Stockholm and, yes, it was cold!  After borrowing some "arctic clothing" that consisted of a fur trimmed cape and some big thick gloves, we were ushered inside for our ice cold cocktails served in carved ice cups....that oh, by the way, glowed in the dark!  No idea what they put in them to do that...

So, what do you think?  Would you get married in a church made of ice?  Better make up your mind quickly...it's melting...  ;)

Image Sources: Fashion photography by Carl Bengtsson,  IceHotel images via Pinterest

Vintage Bridal Photo Shoot at Canyon River Ranch

This weekend I had a unique opportunity to spend the day in eastern WA doing a photo shoot with the very talented duo of Lacey Yantis and Aaron Blank, Seattle wedding photographers extraordinaire and nationally acclaimed owners of Visions of Romance.

It was a gorgeous day for a photo shoot, so with my car packed full of vintage wedding gowns, antique veils, vintage jewelry and accessories, a steamer, an iron and a camera...I headed out east to Canyon River Ranch.

Canyon River Ranch is nestled along the Yakima River tucked in among the hills with gorgeous views of the massive canyon walls and crystal clear water.  The river is known for it's world class fly fishing and the scenery isn't bad either. LOL. It's a gorgeous location for a photo shoot and a perfect venue for a rustic destination wedding.

Photos via Canyon River Ranch website

Once at the lodge it was time for a quick set-up and steaming of all the gowns and veils.

Kim Richards from Lollie Fleur was also on hand to provide gorgeous bouquets and floral decor for the shoot.

 

Here are a few sneak peeks of what we shot...

 

 

After the photo shoot, we all went out to dinner at The Yellow Church Cafe in Ellensburg...delicious meal!  I loved the quote on the wall in the cafe.

I had so much fun working on this shoot and am grateful to Lacey and her husband Aaron for inviting me to participate.  If you are planning a wedding in WA, do yourself a favor and check out the ranch, as well as the impressive portfolios of Lacey, Aaron and Kim for your wedding photo and floral needs.  These professionals were a dream to work with and their work really speaks for itself....amazing!  If you missed the links above, here they are again:

Photos: Lacey Yantis & Aaron Blank, Visions of Romance 

Flowers: Kim Richards, Lollie Fleur

Wedding Venue: Canyon River Ranch

As soon as I get some photos back from the shoot, I'll be sure to share my favorites.  I'll also be listing the three vintage wedding dresses and six vintage/antique veils from the shoot in my Etsy shop, BrassPaperclip.  Be sure to follow The Brass Paperclip Project blog or subscribe to receive RSS feeds from my shop so that you don't miss a thing.  XOXO, Cindi

 

Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

Love the look and feel of this vintage travel themed wedding. Be sure to visit Weddings Unveiled for the rest of the pretty photos and all the juicy details.  Happy Travels!  xoxo Cindi

Pack on the Pounds for your Honeymoon...Travel That Makes a Difference

 

I just discovered "Pack For A Purpose" and am in love with the concept.  What a brilliant idea!  If you're planning a honeymoon or any other trip, be sure to visit Pack For A Purpose before you go to find out how you can make a difference delivering supplies to the communities you visit.  If just 500 couples packed 5 lbs. each, 1.25 tons of supplies could reach communities worldwide.

 

Why not skip the wedding favors and use that money to buy school or medical supplies or soccer balls for donation. 

Consider giving each guest a freshly sharpened pencil with a cute tag attached to tell them about your donation plans.  Be creative!  What a rewarding way to start your marriage.

Are you considering this or any other way of using your wedding to give back?  If so, be sure to share your story in the comments section.  :)

Meet me in St. Louis: Green DIY Wedding and a Flower Girl

A few weeks ago, my family and I took a wonderful trip to St. Louis for the wedding of some very good friends.  My husband was the best man, my daughter was the flower girl...and you can probably guess who designed the invitations.  :)

It was my first trip to St. Louis and I have to say I was VERY excited to see the arch.  Ever since Mrs. Edward's class in the 5th grade I have wanted to see it...not really sure what it was that captured and held my imagination for so long, but it sure did feel good to finally see it and take a ride to the top.  

We stayed in the historic St. Louis Union Station Hotel, which is housed in a converted train station.  The hotel was amazing...and very convenient to the arch.  The beautiful main hall is also available for weddings...a gorgeous space if you don't mind getting married in a busy hotel lobby.  There were at least 4 weddings going on in this hotel while we were there.

Lobby Photo via Hotel Website

After our visit to the arch, we headed over to the groom's house to help out.  The bride and groom created all of the centerpieces for their wedding reception by starting plants from seed and dressing up the seedlings in simple terracotta pots trimmed with ribbons. Each pot got a little tag to identify the plant or herb and guests were invited to take the plants home after the wedding reception.  Armed with a glue gun, one groomsman was on bow duty...the others were spearing tags with skewers.   I loved the schoolhouse chalk board they had in their breakfast nook with all of the planting times mapped out.

Meanwhile, the bride and groom sneaked out to collect wild flowers for the bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages.

 

That night we hit The Schlafly Taproom for dinner.  Great food and great beer.  We gobbled up some beer bread with cheddar butter and bleu cream cheese...mmmmm.  

Photo via Schlafly website

The next day was filled with more wedding preparations and the rehearsal.  There was a huge picnic held that night under a romantic pavilion in Carondelet Park.   When we arrived, the tables were set with wine, cheese, crusty bread and fresh cold grapes...all of which were quite welcome given the sticky southern heat.  The groom, an artist, designed the wedding logo which they used on everything.  The combination of the Celtic symbol and the crossed Hurleys (sticks) are symbolic of the bride's Irish heritage and the couple's shared love for the Irish sport of hurling. 

The church wedding was early the following morning.  My little one was very excited to put on her fancy dress and walk down the aisle as the flower girl...having aced her rehearsal the night before.  She wore a silk dress with a tulle skirt full of petals that I purchased from Fireworks, a locally owned gallery in Seattle.  The dress originally came with a large red flower pin, but I customized it by adding one of my own flower creations and a silk sash made from a recycled thrift store blouse.  For shoes, I tea-stained some plain white satin ballet flats and trimmed them with green silk rosettes made from leftover silk scraps from her sash.  For her hair, I used a vintage pearl headband and added a larger matching rosette made from the same green silk.  All three rosettes featured vintage pearl flower buttons in the center.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

 

 

 

After the ceremony, everyone was invited back to the groom's house for fried chicken and a little downtime before the reception that evening.  We sent our little flower girl back to the hotel with her grandparents for swimming and play time at the hotel's amazing pool.

 

The reception that evening was at Sqwires Annex in the historic Lafayette Square neighborhood.  The building used to be a wire factory and still retains a lot of it's "industrial charm."  We got there a few minutes early so we popped into Sqwires pub while we waited.  I was loving the decor!  Check out those recycled glass pendant lamps.

 

On to the cocktail reception...

 

 

As is customary in Irish tradition, the bride and groom both drank from a silver wedding cup...I have another blog post planned to talk about that tradition, so be sure to watch for that.

After a great reception and a LOT of dancing, we piled into a cab and took off to an Irish pub for live music, Irish dancing and yes folks...more drinks...but I'll end my story here....  ;)

I hope you've enjoyed this sneak peek into what was a truly warm and wonderful wedding chock full of personality and style.  The whole weekend was infused with endless personal details and a whole love of love.  Cheers!  XOXO Cindi