If you follow me on instagram you might have noticed I have been a frenzy of cleaning out the shed. Making room for exciting things here, people! I try and purge the closets and drawers of unused goods on the regular, but having lived in the same place ten years, stuff has been adding up. And ever since Henry has been born (taking up way more space with all his STUFF than anything else), literally every usable inch of our house has something in it. If I bring home something new, there is no where to put it. It is an issue.

Anyways. How cute is my old denim jacket? I had to stop wearing it when the sleeve (as pictured on the left) disintegrated and my tailor took one look at it and shook his head no. I have finally resolved the fact that I will never be a seamstress. And even if I do learn to sew (ahem), I don't need this jacked. BUT THE EMBROIDERY! SPARROWS! Should I like, cut them up and frame them?

And below we have.... my prom dress. Which (if you will notice my hand on the left) almost fits. I fucking love this dress. But where on earth will I ever wear it again? What is a girl to do?

During our friend's wedding we were seated with the most lovely family. A couple with a babe younger then Henry, their siblings who had a babe on the way, and the mother of the brother/sister from each family, who had been at the birth of our friend, the groom. So obviously, they had all grown up together. How cool is that?

Anyways, the mom was such a neat lady, and I fell HARD for one of her rings. It was antique, but she wasn't sure the decade, it had belonged to her mother. I am guessing deco or earlier. It was lapis, with a cameo of Athena carved into it. I can't remember exactly what it looked like, and it kills me! Does that ever happen to you? I need to find an image and print it out and put it in Ben's wallet. It wasn't too much like the one above..... 

I don't think it was nearly as fancy or feminine as this pretty deco number. Much simpler. But also not as bold/masculine as this one. 

The more I look at this photo, the more I think it must have been very similar to this simple gold set rectangular cameo. Now to find one that is actually for sale!

Can we talk about luggage?

It is time to own up to the fact that I am no longer a free wheeling backpacker. And next month when I board a plane with a baby (by myself!) I will be checking luggage for both of us, and that includes a damn car seat. Does this mean I need to put on my big girl panties and..... buy a suitcase with wheels?

I don't even know where to start. Newsflash:  my budget is not huge. Do you have any suggestions? Where to shop? What brands to look at? What to look for and what to avoid?

vintage backpacker cover, thanks to miss moss.

I am ready to start this project, and I am making hard decisions, big cuts. Computer desk (above, top), low console (above, below), my set of two side tables (like this) and rocking chair (seen here) are out. Before I put them on craigslist I thought I would see if anyone local wants to scoop an item up. Shoot me an email if you are interested. desertfete at gmail dot come

You guys. My gal Celia has opened an adult vintage clothing shop. Do go take a gander?

Old appliances FTW!

We had been having terrible blender luck. And after our last one broke Ben's mom brought us this old Osterizer. So cute and kicks ass!

During the big black out from a couple of weeks ago (did you hear about it? Kind of a big deal!) our neighbor's lent us this little panasonic.

There are still 3 things I want to make for the room. But I don't know when that will happen, and certainly as I finish one I will add another to the list. So, the baby's room is pretty much done. Wanna see?



*I ought to update this with some sources....


These were the big purchases for the room:
David Netto Cub Crib (bought on craigslist)
Icosa Lamp (Found on clearance at Design Public thanks to a savvy reader)
String Pocket Shelves
Toy bench inspired by Made by Joel and fabricated by our friend Francis

Some little purchases:
Lots of Ikea Ribba frames
Ikea Ribba ledge (for books)
Leka baby gym
Fuz Floppy Felt baskets
Sleepy fox
Grey Bedding
Pendleton Blanket
Wool Blanket
My Favorite outfit
Owl piggy bank
Rug

The little bunting and the wood numbers above the books I made. And the printing on the pillow in his crib.

Pretty much everything else was re purposed from the rest of the house, almost all vintage stuff we already owned. Plus a few post pregnancy vintage finds, and some gifts.

Special thanks to Carinna & Angie for helping me futz around in there for hours. And Carinna for painting with me. And Alyson & Kate & Celia. ;)

Some recent acquisitions: a Scout & Catalogue pouch & a vintage enamel copco tea kettle. And {update} fresh eggs. The botanist's chickens are {finally!} laying enough eggs for him to sell me some.

Yum.

We all knew it was coming right? Girl loves thrifting. Girl gets pregnant. Girl finds out she is having a boy. Girl doesn't want to pass up so many cute vintage baby girl dresses. Girl finds out friend is thinking the same thing*. Girls together open an etsy shop to sell the excess vintage baby clothes.

For more see Hank + Lucy the blog or head straight on over to The Shop!

*who is surprised, really

Just wrapping up some work here, then we are hitting the road to Tucson for the weekend! Thank god it is supposed to warm up 'round there (the low yesterday was 18 degrees!!!), my one winter coat no longer buttons over my belly! We won't be home until Monday, but I have a teeny announcement going up Monday. Hope you all have a great (and not too cold!) weekend! I am looking forward to seeing friends & family, being in the desert, and eating at some of our favorite Tucson spots!

giant cactus via

so tempting.

There is this little unassuming shop on a non major road that I drive up all the time. Score Footwear (vintage, handmade, limited). I had heard from friends that it was a great place, and Ben was always telling me what a cool guy the owner was, who he had met here and there. But from the big shop front window, it looked like it was exclusively vintage sneakers and athletic shoes. Cool, but not exactly my scene. Little did I know that front part is only like, 1/3 of the shop. There is a whole leather and wool and canvas and flannel and denim and wooden vintage cave tucked in back. It is amazing. My little desert heart was right at home.


Carinna wore home those patchworky looking beauties, and I acquired the little booties. (I needed another pair of vintage camel color boots like I need another baby in my belly, but hey). We also bought an AMAZEBALLS vintage leather belt as a gift.

If you have been living in San Diego in ignorance (like me), like me, go now.

If not, and you already know the pleasures of Score & it's charming owner Dimitri, good on you.

How cool is this? The insanely talented* Kelly of Halcyon Days made this sketch for her friends' Palm Springs wedding, then turned it into a tote. Cute!!! (*just go look at her header drawing!)

The other weekend Carinna and I were at the swap meet, and she bought us some coordinated* inlay, turquoise rings. Aren't they the best? Excuse our dirty nails. Thanks Carinna!!!

*a step above flat out best friend matching, if you ask me

"It is our birthday tomorrow!" Carinna exclaimed, by way of greeting on the phone the other week.

"Huh?" My birthday is in the winter, and while hers was coming up, it was at least a few weeks away.

Excitement not deterred, she pressed on, "Well you are leaving for Miami during my birthday, and while you are gone I will be leaving for Europe, so tomorrow is our birthday. We have to exchange gifts!"

Right. Last December, a few weeks before my birthday we went to a small local craft fair/trunk show at the Glashaus to support Britt, and look for Christmas gifts. What we found were study models made by local artist Matt Devine, mini versions of his beautiful, large installation work that he was selling as little affordable pieces of artwork. We had to have one. But, we were not supposed to be shopping for ourselves.

After much scheming and maybe too much giggling we worked out a complicated plan. We would each buy the other one as a birthday gift. Knowing that it would be impossible for me not to give Carinna another gift come her actual birthday, I would give her something that I made. And to even things out, she would also make me something for a gift, on her birthday.


Here are the little guys, hers on the right, mine on the left.


Come June, I made her the drawing on the right, and she made me the necklace on the left. It is two enamel discs that she found at a midcentury shop, they were some sort of deadstock samples. She also made herself one, since she loves matching. Guess I need to make myself a matching drawing? To top it off, we went to Arrivederci, which has been my birthday tradition for many years, and hers for the last two. I mentioned that she likes to match, right?

Would it be crazy to travel all the way to Massachusettes for a flea market? Via ACL

Ben's old music tee collection. You see why I had to marry him? He says anyone who knows Soul Side gets points in his book/is dating themselves.

PS that bottom Hank Williams Jr shirt is the same one Elliot Smith is wearing on Either/Or. I guess one day Ben went to see Smith at The World Beat Center. The venue is tiny, and it was back in the day. Ben walked in (having never heard of Smith before) and they both had the shirt on. Funny.