Making Bank Tutorial

In honor of Celebrate the Boy month over at Made by Rae and Made, I've come up with something crafty for the boys. This little project can easily be customized for a girl and a variety of ages and has probably been done in some form or another before but is perfect for any little man with a Transformer/Thomas the Train/Spiderman habit.

This Save/Spend/Share bank came to be after we ordered a similar bank online that came in primary colors. It was well designed but...in primary colors. Did I mention the primary colors? I have no qualms with red, yellow, blue, and green in their bold states but I knew I could make something similar for Sebastian to use as a learning tool that we both enjoyed. I used contact paper for a modern look but it could easily be substituted for Kraft paper so that your children could decorate it with crayons or stickers.

We've recently started giving him an allowance in return for completing basic chores such as making his bed, putting his dirty clothes away, picking his room up, clearing his place at the table, etc. and wanted to teach him at an early age about save and sharing. The spending part comes easy to him. He takes after his mother.

I used three plastic Welch's juice containers that had yellow lids (we like yellow!), two shades of wood grain contact paper (available at hardware and some home stores), a ruler, sharp kitchen scissors, and a large rubber band. I used the one from the original bank but you can use an industrial strength rubber band.

I measured and cut the lighter wood grain contact paper so that it fit around the juice containers and overlapped about 1/2". I had to adjust them a few times to make sure it was even but contact paper is forgiving!

I then hand cut the words 'save', 'spend', and 'share' from the darker wood grain contact paper making sure they'd work above the line of the rubber band.

I then poked a hole in the middle of the plastic lids with my sharp scissors and cut out a rectangle in the center of each.

Lastly I reattached the lids and gathered them with the rubber band.

Each week when Sebastian gets his allowance we give it to him so he can put 10% in his save category and 10% in his share category. The rest he gets to keep and use on any toys or treats that he wants. We've explained that we don't always buy something just to buy something when we go to the store and that when he chooses to spend his money on something, he has to wait awhile to build up enough money to buy something else. This has helped him to appreciate how much things cost, make choices about what kinds of toys he wants to buy, and hopefully will help him take care of those things a little more.

We're also hoping that it will instill a sense of generosity when we decide together how to spend the money on someone else when he's saved up a larger amount in his share container. We've talked about purchasing chicks or a bunny through Heifer International or maybe donating it to a local charity. Sharing this with Sebastian has been not only fun but good accountability for us to remember to manage our money well!

Thanks for stopping by! If you're here for the first time from Celebrate the Boy, welcome! If you haven't checked out the projects and round ups that have been shared so far, you'll want to head over NOW and see what so many creative women have been making for their boys! Thanks Dana and Rae!!

xoxo,
Rachel

House Tour #1 with Brooke Biette

I'm thrilled to share the first of three house tours for the month of February! This is the lovely home of Brooke Biette, an anesthesia technician by day and a talented quilter, photographer, designer, and stylist by night. I first saw images of her home in her flickr feed as I was browsing through someone's favorites and contacted her about sharing it on my blog. I've asked her to share a little bit about her interior style below.

* How would you describe your interior style?
My interior style is a bit eclectic - I love both vintage and modern styles. Also, living with my boyfriend and THREE cats can be challenging at times, as far as decorating and keeping things clean. I'm lucky that my boyfriend pretty much lets me decorate however I want to, though! In the past year or so I have started a big de-clutter project around the home, so that has influenced our interior style greatly!

* When did you start having an opinion about your home decor and when did you get serious about curating your space? (high school, college, post college, etc.)
Even as a kiddo I loved rearranging my Barbie house's furniture, and as a teenage I constantly rearranged my bedroom. I didn't really get into it more seriously until college though, I always had the best decorated dorm rooms (or so said my friends ;)). My first apartment after college was a tiny one room efficiency space in the basement of an old building, but I definitely made it my own.

I am lucky that my boyfriend and I have been able to rent a few really great apartments over the years, which have given us great spaces to decorate! (The only thing about our current place that I dislike but cannot change is the gray trim around every doorway and window. I've tried to incorporate it into the decor best I can, though...) I would say I got the most serious into decorating sometime in 2004, and it hasn't stopped since.

* What has most influenced your style? People in your life, places you've been, online design blogs, money, etc.
I would say it has been a mix of all of those things. Constantly being given hand-me-downs in my poor-er days, some of those items have become well-loved treasures! I definitely decorate based on budget, though; its very rare for us to buy any elaborate and expensive pieces. I scour a huge list of design blogs (you can find my list of favorites on my blog!) weekly to get inspired.

* Which is your favorite room? Why?
My favorite room right now is the bedroom. I think its a perfect mix between new & old.

* Where is it all from?

Some of my favorite vintage pieces are in there, some of which came from antique shops instate, some from my parents' basement (the stand up radio!) and Etsy (cameras, etc)... alongside my more modern Ikea 'Expedit' shelf.

* What do you have your eye on that you hope to own someday?

I would love to get one of those white Eames rocker chairs. I'm dying to get on of those. For now it won't fit in our living room, but further on down the road if we own a house or condo, I'll definitely be incorporating one into our decor!

* Do you feel like your space is working for you or have you had to adjust your expectations of 'perfect'?
Our space works really well for us in this apartment. I'm lucky that the 'extra' room has been converted into my sewing room - I've definitely worked in much smaller spaces, but it is so nice to have the room to spread out and not feel guilty or like I'm taking away valuable space from another room. The rooms in this apartment are really the perfect size for us - not too small but not too spacious. Now that I've been de-cluttering, it's even better!

* Quick! People are coming over and the house is a mess! What do you tackle first to feel like things are presentable?
Definitely I sweep up the kitchen first! That's where the cats have their litter boxes and food dishes, and you can imagine with three of them it can get a little messy ;) But other than that I fluff the pillows and fold the throw blankets in the living room, do a quick straightening of the kitchen counters, and make sure there are no dirty dishes in the sink ;)

I think we've finally gotten to a point where almost everything we own has a home or a bin or a spot, so we've been working hard to keep it tidy as much as possible (without having to try too hard). Its nice to not have to scramble so much at the last minute if someone is coming over.

I love the mix of vintage and modern with a little DIY and handmade in the mix. Her red coffee table really makes the living room and I love all of the art on the walls. Brooke, thanks for the lovely house tour and for sharing how you've curated such a beautiful space!

Brooke is de-stashing this year which means some pretty fabric available in her Etsy shop here. You can read more about Brooke and see more images of her beautiful work and living space here. Look for another beautiful home tour next Thursday!

xoxo,
Rachel

All Things Red Velvet!

The new Red Velvet site is finally up and ready to wow you! Elsie, Emma, Corey, and a host of others have been working non-stop on this for weeks and I'm so proud of what they've accomplished. The site looks so professional and has some fun new features including a list of each of our favorites from the shop that we'll be able to change through the seasons and a beautiful lookbook! My thought bubble chalkboards are now available while they last!

Saturday night I joined everyone that was producing the video of Elsie's first dress collection to help with general silliness and fun in heels. I borrowed a pretty vintage frock from the shop and sported straight hair for the first time in as long as I can remember. I told the girls I couldn't stop running my fingers through it. It's like nail biting or in certain toddler's cases, picking your nose.

I played iPhone photographer and caught some glimpses into what went into this undertaking with my Hipstamatic app.

The shop is always a fun place to be but especially when there is that kind of magic happening inside! I say it all the time but I'm so proud of my friends and all of the hard work they put into doing what they love. I love hearing about an idea over coffee and then only a few weeks/months later seeing it happening in real life! It's truly incredible.

Go on over and see what they've been up to!

xoxo,
Rachel

Vintage Mama, Danielle Thompson

Rubyellen and I are happy to have Danielle Thompson joining us for this week's Vintage Mama feature! Danielle's love for vintage is evident in the way she's decorated her home, in the digital designs she creates, and in her fantastically fun wardrobe. She's a mother to two boys and doesn't let the challenge of finding great vintage for boys stop her from dressing them in equally fun clothes.

Danielle wore: Skirt (that I made into a dress) Frecklewonder, Belt: Thrifted, Shirt: Down East Basics, Shoes: Dansko, Necklace: unknown

Q: When did you start wearing vintage and why?

I started wearing vintage in High School when I first started to truly develop my own sense of style. I shopped at thrift stores around Memphis with my friends and it was such an eye-opening experience for me. I felt liberated that I was finally dressing in a way that reflected my true self. Not to mention it was cheap! Then I went to college in Alabama and continued to create my wardrobe through thrift stores.

It wasn't until I got married, graduated college and had "real jobs" that I started to abandon thrift store shopping. I'm not sure if it was because I finally had money of my own (to buy new clothes) or that the thrift-store wardrobe didn't feel "appropriate" for my graphic design jobs, of which many were in a corporate atmosphere (say it with me, yuck).

Danielle wore: Dress: Purple Deer Vintage, Tights: Hue, Shoes: Thrifted, Belt: Thrifted
Cooper wore: Shirt: Lishyloo Vintage, Pants: Fuzzymama, Shoes: Kohls

After I started having babies, I naturally started to gain weight and I just felt frustrated finding clothing that fit my new figure, style and personality. I didn't have a lot of time to scour local stores for good-fitting vintage because, well, I had kids now! Who has time, right?

It wasn't until a couple years ago that I started to shop vintage online. I didn't have to spend possibly hours driving around Atlanta, going to different stores and possibly coming home empty handed. Shopping online made so much more sense to me. But honestly, I didn't shop efficiently at first, not even taking my measurements (I know) and just going by the S, M, or L sizing and often failing miserably when I tried on the pieces at home.

I finally took my measurements (yay!) and started having better luck. I HAVE found more time to shop locally as well (which is much easier because you can try things on right there before you buy it) so that has been fun, too. It has been so inspiring getting back into vintage clothing after a hiatus. I felt like I had given up because of the new challenges with my fuller figure, post-pregnancies.

I've now figured out how to work with my curves, but still wear clothing that reflects my true style. I truly feel that no matter how you feel about your figure ("I'll buy new clothes once I've lost weight!"), you should embrace *you* no matter what size you are. There's vintage clothing out there for all sizes. Don't put it off like I did for so long.

Q: How do you style your sons?
If I'm being honest, I don't outfit my boys in a wardrobe full of vintage pieces every day. Number One, it's challenging to find really great vintage for boys (but I do find some great stuff on Etsy vintage!) and Number Two, my oldest (7) is not so into wearing vintage. Although I have to say, that he does entertain his crazy mom and dons some vintage for photos sometimes. The kids in the area we live generally dress pretty conservatively. I think if we lived in a really cool/hip area, I would try harder to dress the boys in vintage. But I don't want to be one of those Moms that projects her own style onto her kids.

My oldest, Cooper, is VERY into sports so he's naturally very into athletic clothing. Did I ever think I'd be raising a jock? No. But that is what he loves, and I love him for it. : ) So whatever makes him happy! He IS starting to listen to my opinions more about regular clothing we buy for him at places like Target and such. I think he's slowly starting to value my opinion. : )

Campbell wore: Hat and Vest: Lishyloo Vintage, Jacket: Dolly Rocker Vintage, Jeans: unknown, Shoes: vintage from Lilybelleshoes

The youngest (3.5) is still at an age where he has absolutely no opinion about what he wears. He's totally go-with-the-flow, so I'm taking advantage of it while I can! He has worn some vintage finds multiple times to his preschool and the teachers have been quite impressed. ; ) The outfit he's wearing in these photos, he actually really loved, and I couldn't get him to take off that jacket! (happy Mom!) He also really loves wearing those vintage shoes I found on Etsy. They are amazing finds and were in never worn condition. He does wear mostly hand-me-downs from Cooper though. Those pretty much round out his wardrobe.

Q: What do you look for in a piece when you’re shopping?
I generally look for specific decades that I love, the 60's and 70's being my favorites. I love the mod styles of the 60's and the styles of the 70's generally have very flattering shapes (which is so important). I think the 70's styles fit a broader range of figures. I also look for colors and patterns that I love. Mixing patterns is one of my favorite things to do when assembling outfits.

Danielle wore: Blouse: Frecklewonder, Jeans: Newport News, Shoes: Dansko, Purse: Kudzu Antique Market, Atlanta, GA

Q: Favorite vintage find to date?

I have several that I unfortunately don't have photos of, but I do love this calico puffy patchwork purse that I found at an antique mall. I'm very into the calico patterns and colors from the 70's right now.. lots of mustard yellows, tomato reds, etc.

Q: Do you have one piece that got away, whether it was sold before you could snag it or would've broken the bank?
My friend Jenny from frecklewonder recently posted about these shoes this week and my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw that they were my size and pretty much the most perfect shoes I'd ever laid eyes on. But alas, I saw the blasted "RESERVED" in the listing title and my heart sank.

Danielle wore: Blouse: Find & Dandy Vintage, Belt: Charm City Vintage, Skirt: Handmade using vintage fabrics, by Made With Love by Hannah, Tights: Hue, Shoes: Vintage from Blue Rose Retro, Cardian: Target

Your fave spots for Vintage Kid’s Clothing:

Favs: 3RingCircusKids, Lishyloo, hartandsew

Some recent shop finds where I've made purchases: fuzzymama, ohsweetjanevintage

Vintage goodies you're currently coveting: I'm currently trying to spend/shop less, but I would love this for Campbell, and I'd love this for myself. On the handmade front, i REALLY want to make one of these for Campbell! (and for myself for that matter!) This has been on my to-do list for a while.

Thank you, Danielle, for such a beautiful set of photos and for sharing your style with us! I love seeing what you put on your boys as well as your eye for color and how fun and beautiful all of your outfits are!

Thanks for sharing your Vintage Mama style with our readers.

xoxo,

Rachel

***** vintage mama features *****

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama heather

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama karen

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama james

vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama alix
vintage here, vintage there: vintage mama beth

Thought Bubble Chalkboards!

My chalkboard thought bubbles will be available on February 7th with the relaunch of the new and improved Red Velvet Website! My chalkboard thought bubbles have been featured in The Knot magazine as well as BUST and have been used by photographers and bloggers all over the country.

Perfect for your the photobooth at your next party, for client shoots, weddings, or general fun around your house. So, mark your calendars for Monday, February 7th and get one before they sell out again.

xoxo,
Rachel

P.S. Photo Credit: Elsie Flannigan and Mallory, Styling: Elsie Flannigan