I'm Back!

Long time, no post :) I have had just about everything under the sun happen since my last post and I have been trying to get my blogging mojo back. Probably the biggest news is that I relocated to North Carolina and I am the new Music Librarian at Elizabeth City State University. I am actually creating a music library from scratch and it has all been very excited! If anyone is interested in following the process, I have created a blog. Yes. One more blog to upkeep because I have been so great at keeping up this one! Of course, that one is for work, so there is a bit more motivation in a time crunch. 

However, I happened to come across an interview I gave a few years ago on the Simply Stacie Blog that may motivate me to get this blog back up to snuff. There are so many blogs out there that cover vintage lifestyles and items. For those of you that are still with me, is there anything you would like to see in a blog that no one else is doing? Or is there something I used to do that you wish I did again?

Heads up readers- if you give me some input, you will get extra entries in a vintage giveaway that I will be having soon!

Heyday Giveaway! (closed)

In the Heyday is offering one lucky person a £100 Heyday voucher! This is an amazing giveaway for anyone that loves vintage reproduction clothing and it's open internationally. Go to the blog post to enter. Ends April 1st.

Shabby Apple Giveaway! (closed)

I am super excited to have been contacted by Shabby Apple to host a giveaway. Right in time for the holidays too! I'm giving away the adorable Francine skirt from Shabby Apple (www.shabbyapple.com), an online boutique of women's dresses and other fabulous items. It is a little hard to see on this picture, but this skirt is made of black twill and has the cutest bow at the waist. I also love the 40's inspired high waist. This skirt is available in sizes up to a 38.5" waist (yeah!).

How to enter. You must do all 3 steps below:

1. You have to like Shabby Apple on their facebook page

2. You have to like Tart Deco on our facebook page 

3. Leave one comment letting me know you did both and what your facebook name is so I can verify. Also, please make sure to leave an email in the comment so I can contact you if you win. No email, no win :) (you can leave the email in a broken form so it can't be trolled by spybots- ex. tartdeco at gmail dot com)

Extra entries (leave one extra comment for each):

1. Follow this blog (or let me know you already follow)

2. Post about this on your blog and put the link to the post in your comment

The giveaway ends on Sunday, December 4th at midnight (central time). I will choose the winner on Dec. 5th. Open to U.S. Residents only. Sorry!

This skirt would be so perfect for New Years, don't you think? Good luck!

Fleur Dress Giveaway (closed)

In the Heyday is giving away a beautiful Fleur dress with daisy trim. Get on over there and enter! Ends Monday, Nov. 7th.

1949 Skirt Re-Pattern Giveaway (closed)

Laura on Sew Retro has re-patterned a gorgeous 1949 skirt with bow (above) and is giving away a copy of her pattern. To enter the giveaway visit the Sew Retro blog.

Viva Las Vegas Series #7- Shoe Clip Giveaway on Grosgrain (closed)

I adore shoe clips! I was just watching a documentary on Flappers this morning called The Flapper Story by Lauren Lazin and I know that some of the shoes those bad girls were wearing had to have shoe clips. I just started making some shoe clips to sell in Tart Deco and I am totally going to use this documentary as inspiration. I haven't been able to find a copy of it on it's own, but I know it is an extra on the restored 1927 film Chicago.

On to the giveaway. You may have noticed the Shoe Sugar icon in my sidebar for Grosgrain, one of my favorite blogs. This whole month she is doing one shoe clip tutorial a day. She also has a giveaway for Shoeclips.biz right now if you don't want to make your own.

Viva Las Vegas Series #4- Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway (closed)

What's better than a cute dress on sale? A FREE cute dress! Some Like It Vintage is having a Shabby Apple giveaway where you can win the Anchors Away dress.  This would be a great day dress, perfect for bright accessories. The giveaway ends Jan. 16th.

Vintage Giveaway (closed)

Thanks to Miss Brittany Va Voom Vintage I found out about this wonderful giveaway on the blog Vintage Passions Like Mine. Pop on over and sign up!

PS The post says the giveaway ends 12/9 but it has been extended to Sunday the 12th.

Shabby Vintage Junk Giveaway (closed)

Interested in Shabby Chic? If so, get yer keister over to the Shabby Vintage Junk giveaway. Odds are pretty good as there will be eight winners.

Giveaway of a Christmas Apron from Carolyn's Kitchen! (closed)

The Apron Goddesses: Cyber Monday Giveaway of a Christmas Apron from Carolyn's Kitchen!

Want to win an adorable Chrsitmas Apron from Carolyn's Kitchen? I know I do! Click on the link above to win this cutie!

Boudoir & Closet Giveaway Winner

I know you all have been waiting breathlessly to see who won my epic giveaway and I will make you wait no longer.

I had my handsome husband take a break from finishing up his Halloween costume (can you guess what he will be?) to pick the winning name and it is...

DECO DARLING

pic from www.gettyimages.com

Ms. Darling has been contacted via e-mail and has 48 hours to respond. She entered several pictures that were lovely, but the one I liked best of her entries is this one. I would die for a shoe closet like that!

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! Your entries gave me a lot to think about in my quest for the perfect vintage closet.

Heyday Giveaway (closed)

I love how that rhymes! Actually its the In the Heyday blog that is having the giveaway and it's pretty faboo- a sweet floral Fleur wrap dress! The pockets are my favorite part...

Don't forget to enter my Vintage Closet and Boudoir Giveaway too. It ends on Monday!

Vintage Closet and Boudoir Giveaway (closed)

pic from thevintagehousewife

The last two apartments I have lived in were pretty old (1920s and currently 1884) and they both had very small closets in the bedroom. Being that my husband and I are hoping to eventually buy a 20s or 30s bungalow I have a feeling I will have a similar issue. Thusly, I am obsessed with how people organize their closets.

I LOVE it when I find an ad or picture in a vintage magazine that shows a bedroom closet or when I see an old movie that allows a peek at a boudoir. I am also inspired by modern closets, but vintage examples remind me of how little I really need for clothes, which is a good thing in my case.

So to have a little fun I am hosting a giveaway to feed my closet obsession. I will be giving away a vintage boudoir package to one lucky reader. The package will consist of a pair of padded hangers, 2 handmade ribbon sachets, a vintage hanky or lingerie bag, and a set of vintage shoe trees that have been personally "tarted" up by me. Plus there will be a surprise gift added based on the picture that wins.

What do you need to do to win? 

-Leave a link (and your email) in the comments of this post to a picture of a bedroom closet with a vintage feel that inspires you and tell me what it is you like about it. Please make sure that you include where you found the picture so I can give the proper credit! If you don't give me the pic source you can't win because I like to play nice when using other people's content, k? You can take a picture of your own vintage inspired closet if you'd like and upload it to the web so you can link to it. Just make sure and let me know it is yours.

-You get one entry for every picture you send, but they have to be a different closet (no multiple views of the same closet). Also, once a link for a picture is left in the comments it can't be used again (so no multiple entries on a single picture).

-You get an extra entry per picture of any bedroom closet that is 1950s or earlier

-You get an extra entry if you blog about this giveaway. Make sure and leave me a direct link to the post in the comments to get credit.


- The giveaway ends Monday, Oct. 18th at midnight, central time. That gives you two whole weekends to find your pictures. The winner will be picked by random out of a hat and I will post it by Wednesday of the same week.

- The giveaway is open to anyone in the US and Canada. Anyone outside of that may enter but they will have to pay the difference in shipping to their country.

- Make sure to leave your email in your comments so I can contact you if you win!

Fun, yes? I hope so! I can't wait to see what inspires you!

Re-imagining Your Wardrobe

pic from paulashouseoftoast.blogspot

Super Kawaii Mama has issued a very unique wardrobe challenge. In her own words, she challenges us to "take four images that come from the dreamscapes of your mind and use these as an inspiration point to create a new Daily Outfit." The best part of the challenge is to use items you already own, which I think is a brilliant way to breathe life into your wardrobe. Want to join the challenge? Visit her blog post, read the rules and see her image picks. The 5 best submissions will win a gift pack!

So which pictures will inspire you? I have chosen the one above already and I am picking out 3 more. Decisions, decisions...

Cupcake Provocateur Apron Giveaway (closed)

I adore these aprons! Lucky for all of us, The Apron Goddesses blog is having a giveaway for a hostess apron of your choice from Cupcake Provocateur. Hurry, hurry or I am sure to win it!

Shabby Apple Boysenberry Pie Apron Guest Giveaway

Shabby Apple Boysenberry Pie Apron Guest Giveaway

Grosgrain Blog is having a Shabby Apple Apron giveaway to introduce their new line Boysenberry Pie. Click on the link above to see the details.

EDIT: As of 1/30/11 the giveaway is still open

Vintage Grab Bag Giveaway Winner!

This is Luna. She was my helper for today to pick the winner of my vintage grab bag giveaway. I figure it was only fair since my other cat Nigel got to pick for the last giveaway ;)

So here is a pictorial review of the whole process:

First I went through and tallied the entries and printed them out on paper. I cut them all to the same size and put them into this lovely mini hat box to mix them up.

I then dumped them onto our 1930s table (which desperately needs to be refinished) and let her sniff around the entries until she clearly picked one to play with... uh, I mean... chose the winner through careful selection.

After she chose the winner, I opened it up and let her make sure it was the one she wanted. She definitely wanted to chew this entry up, so I took it as a sign. Yes, this is all very scientific.

As you can see, she picked Vintage Grrl as the winner! Congrats Vintage Grrl! I have sent you an email and you have 48 hours to respond and claim your vintage goodies.


Thanks everyone for playing! I will have another big giveaway in the fall. In the meantime, I so enjoyed the pictures that people sent to me that I am hoping to feature some of them in a blog spotlight series of vintage lovers, so keep your eye out for it!

Vintage Grab bag GIVEAWAY (closed)

As promised, here is a post on my summer giveaway. It's going to be a good one because I am in the process of a purging to cut down on my possessions. You know how that is- you move and realize just how big your storage space really was? Yep- we had two. Now that we live in a much bigger space with an attic to ourselves I am able to see how much stuff we really have, so my loss is one lucky reader's gain!

Here is what I have so far:

A Vintage gingham apron in your choice of color (pink, blue or green)

Custom Tart Deco hair flower to match the apron

Vintage embroidered hanky (depending on your name, I may have one w/ initial)

Vintage cook book

A CD of scans from various vintage hair/wedding/sewing books & magazines I own (all out of print), plus some extra electronic goodies

Vintage sewing pattern with printed instructions on how to resize

Vintage sewing notions 

Just added: vintage stockings & pair of vintage rhinestone earrings!

Remember that the hair flower will be matched to the color of apron that you choose, as well as the hanky (with a possible initial if I have one to match your name). There will also be more surprise goodies as I continue to go through my stash over the week! I haven't even touched my jewelry yet (hint hint).

Since this is going to be an extra special giveaway, it calls for extra special rules to enter. I want to make sure the prize goes to someone who truly loves vintage and will enjoy it to the fullest.

HOW TO ENTER:

** E-mail me a picture of you wearing your favorite vintage (or vintage reproduction) outfit and a short blurb telling me about it. Do this first. This is mandatory to enter! If I really like your pic and story, I may even give you an extra entry (wink)!

After you send me the picture, you can do the following for extra entries-

- Follow this blog and leave a comment on this post letting me know (or telling me you already follow)

- Post about this on your blog and leave a comment with the direct link (this will get you two extra entries)

The giveaway is open to US residents only due to shipping costs. International readers can enter if they pay for the difference in shipping. Sorry, I am a poor grad student right now :(

~To the 7 readers who voted on my giveaway poll and left a comment on the post (meeyeehere, kelly, vintage grrl, dolly cool clare, emily, stefanie valentine, and jann), you are automatically entered with one entry, even if you don't send a picture. If you want more entries then you can also do the above steps.

The giveaway ends next Friday, July 9th, midnight (central time). I will post the winner on Sunday the 11th.

GOOD LUCK!

The Vintage Housewife is Having a Giveaway (closed)

The Vintage Housewife blog is having a super nifty giveaway. I won't spoil the surprise on what it is, but I will give you a hint on what it could be.....

Choose Your Own GIVEAWAY

I have been hinting at a giveaway for awhile now. I am having problems deciding on what kind of giveaway though. Since you all will be the ones entering, I thought I would let you vote on the giveaway you like best!

THE POLL IS NOW CLOSED. You can view the results here. Thanks to everyone who voted and good luck in the giveaway!