Styled by Green

Question: Where do you find such cute things?

Guess: Macys, Herbergers, Kohls, Target?

Answer: None of those.

The hhdollhouse's primary resources for fashion and household items are second hand shops. Our motivations for this are stewardship of the earth, to avoid support of international sweat shops, and to support local businesses. Our top choices for earth stewardship are Goodwill Easter Seals, Salvation Army, and Estate Sales. This month we are highlighting our favorite ways to be green and demonstrate stewardship of our Blessed earth.

• Shop church sales, thrift shops, and craft fairs to support small businesses
• Donate clothing to community oriented organizations like Goodwill Easter Seals (purchases support jobs for adults with disabilities), Courage Center (support families with complex disabilities), or women's shelters
• Shop estate sales for preowned furniture. Save as much as 50% on the second day.
• Shop antique shops for jewelry (wedding, anniversary) at a fraction of the price.
• Shop & sell used books rather than new books (sorry e book fans;hand held e devices are becoming the top contributer of landfill waste)
• Donate backpacks to schools for kids
• Use paper grocery bags as a biodegradable weed block for your garden
• Use old tote bags, purses, backpacks, etc as your grocery bags
• Return those plastic bags, CDs, DVDs, & more at Best Buy, Walmart, & Target
• Buy biodegradable trash bags at ecoproducts.com
• Buy biodegradable soy based plastic utensils rather than traditional PVC and BPA
• Use corn meal gluten, boiling water, or your hand(s) to kill weeds
• Use soy based insecticides like ecosense by ortho or use borax (safe for homes with children & pets)
• Create your own compost with paper plates, left over vegetables and grass clippings
• Create your own herb and vegetable garden then share with family & friends
• Use rain buckets to naturally water your garden
• Use eggshells or can of beer to naturally rid your garden of slugs
• Use resources like freecycle.org to get rid of or find cool stuff
• Repurpose vintage furniture, bikes, & other items into new use such as plant holder
• Use low emission, Low or Zero VOC, paints
• Use vintage, antique furniture as your new bathroom vanity or kitchen cupboards
• Use old light fixtures as your new sink basin
• Reuse, Recycle, Be Green, & Be Good Stewards…viva Vintage…viva Green…Go Stewards ;)

*** ANNOUNCMENT! Join us May 5th at Craftstravaganza at the State Fair Grounds. Showcasing our lovely vintage button jewelry for beauties like the one featured in this Diary edition. Visit http://www.craftstravaganza.com/ for details. ***

Spring 2011: Fashion Vocabulary Charm Bracelets

Greetings my fellow DOLLS! Jewelry has been the ultimate accessory for womens fashion for ages: 19th Century Georgian & Victorian, 20th century Art Deco & Mid Century Mod. Throughout the 20th century, American and European fashion designers used jewelry to compliment their seasonal looks. Chanel, Dior, YSL, and Givenchy all got their starts in early 20th century fashion jewelry. Today's fashion designers are reintroducing jewelry designs of the past. Join us on our monthly tour of fashion vocabulary & designs. The hhdollhouse will feature modern fashion and fine jewelry designs paired with its superb vintage counterpart. Enjoy! -hh

Charm bracelets have been embraced for thousands of years. These earliest form of bracelet used sea shells, mother of pearl, tusks, and fish bones as materials. As the 19th century arrived, metal charms became the accent of choice. Heart charms were especially popular during the Victorian era. Today, charm bracelets are ever popular via contemporary designers Lia Sophia and Pandora. However, independent jewelry designers and artists are creating their own twist on the thousands year old accessory. The hhdollhouse's jewelry designer incorporates antique Victorian to vintage Mad Men era buttons into handwoven upcycled charm bracelets. The finished product is a stunning collaboration of new design on an old fashion favorite (photo above).

Calender of Events 2011:
Cats Pajamas Vintage Clothing & Textile Show, June 24th-25th at MN Fairgrounds
Andover Carousel Craft Show, October 1 at Andover Community Center

Shop Vintage Jewelry at hhdollhouse at etsy
Shop Kitschy Vintage at hhdollhouse at ebay

Enjoy! -hh

November 2010: Fashion Vocabulary Feature FILIGREE

Greetings my fellow DOLLS! Jewelry has been the ultimate accessory for womens fashion for ages: 19th Century Georgian & Victorian, 20th century Art Deco & Mid Century Mod. Throughout the 20th century, American and European fashion designers used jewelry to compliment their seasonal looks. Chanel, Dior, YSL, and Givenchy all got their starts in early 20th century fashion jewelry. The golden age Hollywood stars were draped in the often inexpensive beauties due to the high craftsmenship and look of genuine stones but inexpensive cost to the Hollywood studios. Monthly, the hhdollhouse will feature modern fashion and fine jewelry designs paired with its vintage counterpart. Enjoy! -hh

Today, 21st century jewelry fashion designers and boutiques are reintroducing fashion and fine jewelry styles of the 19th and 20th century. The most noteworthy is socialite and fashion jewelry designer Gaia Repossi, who was the feature jewelry designer for Alexander Wang this fall. Repossi's eye catching designs are gold filigree. Filigree is an aged design used throughout the world as early as 5000BC. This design twists strings of silver or gold into intricate designs, often into the shape of animals and flowers.

This fantastic art and jewelry form can range in price from $38K for a Repossi filigree ring or under to a few hundred dollars for an antique/vintage filigree ring of the 20th century.

Vintage European Filigree Flower Pendant
Wear this vintage look and hundreds of other listed and unlisted vintage jewelry items in inventory at the hhdollhouse. Inquire! -hh


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