Vintage: Henny Penny

Henny Penny (c. 1968)
Retold and Illustrated by Paul Galdone

More illustration fun with this vintage retelling of Henny Penny. Love the colorful woodblock feel of these characters and the hand touched title lettering.

Wine Magic: A 60's guide to drinking

Magic in Your Glass: An Introduction to Wine, California Wine Advisory Board, 1966

It's seen better days, perhaps worn in from those testing out the information. It includes an introduction by Vincent Price. How could you not love that? Hand drawn textures and illustrations appear throughout....slightly wonky but full of personality. Text and charts are enhanced by the graphic layouts.

Color Palette: Higher Marks

How to Get Higher Marks in School by Harry Shefter, 1968

This color and type treatment caught my eye in a stack of dusty books...especially the two paragraphs of copy on the cover. Who does that anymore? The repeated outlined logo pattern on the back adds extra pop with teal against charcoal gray.

Vintage: Social Studies

Speeding Away, 1968

Love the illustration on the cover of this vintage Social Studies book.

Astoria: Post Thanksgiving

Astoria, Oregon is a beautiful seaside town full of great historical eyecandy. Astorians really know how to preserve and renovate their spaces and also brew amazing beer and a mean cup of coffee. We packaged up the extended family over Thanksgiving weekend and set loose on the town. We were welcomed with open arms at Fort George Brewery. Kids and all... just a few feet from the beer tanks. Also had a chance to explore shops and take a rest at the beautiful Street 14 Coffee which is connected to the newly renovated Commodore Hotel. All full of amazing old details and nostalgic charm.

Vintage: The Golden Circus (Reissued)

The Golden Circus by Kathryn Jackson. Illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen. 1950
My favorite part of this republished Golden Book is the flocked animals on every other page. I imagine that this is the kind of book that would get worn out by kids constantly petting the animals. Great 50's style and color. 

Vintage interiors - shops and eats

Packaging: Vintage Workshop

Most of these cans have rested on this perch for nearly 30 years or more. A collection of different eras.

I always notice them each time we visit the cabin but never looked closely enough until now. Great typography. Interesting shaped metal containers.

Weathered Ride

Timeless summer fun

Our local Colman Pool in Lincoln Park has just wrapped up renovations. I took some quick snaps as they were setting up for the first open. We watched eager swimmers stand in line. This unique pool is filled with heated salt water, 1941 charm and sits right on the shore of Puget Sound. As if floating in this vintage setting wasn't cool enough, you can watch the ferries drift by while you splash away.

Packaging: Vintage drug store

Old-timey packaging is so great. It inspires with color, shape, typography and sustainability. Many vintage packages can be reused for modern living. I've already found uses for three of my favorites around the house. Providing sparks for future projects while doing my daily chores. Solid glass Charmis jars hold our q-tips and cotton pads. I have a set of three. My band-aid metal box with hinged lid stores all our sacred plasters. I think this might have been in our house when I was a kid. And the oldest of them all, the Squibb's cold cream milk glass container with metal screw top lid keeps me from losing my tiny earrings.

Packaging: Churchkey Pilsner

The men folk headed to Beer Junction on Easter to find some new beer to fill their baskets. But what they came back with got me excited too. The Churchkey Pilsner is canned in flat top vintage 30's cans and comes packaged with a bottle opener tucked into the side of the cardboard carrier. The packaging is heavy on typography and icons. The slate-ish blue gray green rounds it out. The cans themselves are super thick and reminiscent of old oil cans. Perfect for a sunny afternoon doing yard work and relaxing on the grass.

Color palette: First patio happy hour

There is nothing filled with more promise than the first sunny day warm enough to have a drink on a patio. Especially in Seattle when the wet winter has dragged on far too long. Our trip to Slims Last Chance gave us sun with a slight chill, stiff G&Ts, and spicy chili. I love the color and illustration of their tattoo inspired mural, plus all the great kitschy bar finds inside. A friend swears the Hamms bear is the one he gave away years ago.

Cool with a K

The puffy Liddle Kiddle Kabin carrier lives at our friend's beach cabin (not with a k). Thanks to the bright 60's color palette, I found it hiding amongst the piles of legos, tea sets, ping pong paddles and the stuffed shark surrounding it. Like the Captain Kangaroo book from my earlier post, the illustrations seem a little disjointed but charming all the same. The style of the dolls feels much different than the backgrounds and animals illustrations. But the mix of 3-d and 2-d furniture really makes the toy stand out. This gem is definitely going to inspire me for future color and illustration styles.

The Captain and other curiosities

Sunday was a particularly dark and rainy day so I decided to head to the antique mall to find some inspiration and to stay dry. I was looking for a small vintage bedside lamp but got distracted pretty fast. Mounted insects, a silver liquor dispenser and rainbow Pyrex fridge containers caught my eye but as I dug deeper even more interesting finds popped up.

First off was the early 70's Captain Kangaroo storybook. I remember this book, especially the three-legged race illustration. I loved the personality of the kids' drawings. But it's interesting how the animals seem to be a completely different style than the children. Yet I kind of like it that way. Next up, I spied a 60's wooden Japanese doll bank. So colorful and graphic, I was having a difficult time deciding if I should buy it. Nearby, a 60's gold tree wall hanging was peeking out from a table by my foot. After much deliberation, the tree came home with me. I've yet to figure out where to put it or whether or not it will remain gold but that is for another day.