Good morning! Today, I'm having a Cyber Monday sale in the etsy shop. Save 10% off your order with code CYBERSALE2012 and all pdf knit and crochet patterns are buy 2, get one free. To get your free pattern, please make a note to seller at the checkout, letting me know which pattern you'd like!

Today, I'm finishing up the last of my 2012 line of Christmas ornaments with this little 1930's ice skating gal. Isn't she sweet? She'll be in the shop this afternoon!



Here are some lovely things, available today at Va-Voom Vintage Shop

When I did my Grace Kelly week (which by the way, there's still a makeup tutorial coming!) I had some questions about how to make a blog button with a sharable code. It's a pretty easy cut and paste thing so here we go!

You can make a button for your blog, a post series, your etsy shop- whatever you like! Today, I'm making a button forDaffny's blog,A Vintage Nerd


1. Make an Image For her button, I'm using her blog banner, which I tweaked a little to fit into the space I needed. If you don't have an image to use, you can make one very easily at Picmonkey.com or by downloading my favorite free photo editing program, Photoscape.

2. Size it correctly 125 x 125 is a good small size. I use huge buttons in my sidebar so when I make a grab button, I'll usually do it in both a smaller size and a larger size so people have a variety to choose from. For this button, the image is 200 x 154 pixels


 3. Upload to a host next, upload your image to a photo host like Picasa web albums or Photobucket.Click the little gear at the top right corner of the image and select "get media links"





This is the code that I used to create Daffny's button. Yours will need a little tweaking- see below

set of any 4 ornaments via Va-Voom Vintage Shop

Well, hello there! I've been dying to get back to blog-land but this week, my day job has been absolutely crazy. I'm off for the holiday weekend and working on lots of really exciting new things.

 Today, I'm launching the first new items in my brand new line of vintage inspired home decor and accessories, produced in my family's studio, Naked Man Press.

How's it Made?
The production process is called dye sublimation. It uses a special dye to print the image which is then transferred to specially coated ceramic using high heat and extreme pressure. The image is fused into the ceramic, making it washable. This is not Mod Podge or glue, the vintage art is permanently fused into the ceramic. This process is used on ceramics, specially coated metals, glass and certain fabrics.

About Naked Man Press
My mom, Mickie Mueller is a fairy/fantasy artist. For many years, she sold her art prints at local festivals and online but when a demand for more merchandise grew, she started producing her own home decor and accessories featuring her beautiful art. Wonder why it's called "Naked Man Press"? These machines require a whole lot of muscle to operate and the only person that is strong enough to press them is my step dad, Dan. The machines are so hot that they heat up the studio to a point that Dan has to work in his boxer shorts so Naked Man Press was born!



 In the spirit of the holiday season, I just listed 7 retro ceramic Christmas ornaments featuring original vintage designs and advertisements from the 1950's. Each ornament is hand printed and heat pressed onto the ceramic, with the Va-Voom Vintage logo on the back. They are very popular for ornament exchanges and holiday package embellishments. I especially love this clever holiday stocking advertisement ornament!

back view of ornaments

              Ornaments are sold separately or you can save when you buy your 4 favorite designs.

1.) Quality over Quantity- Grace knew that by buying small amounts of high quality garments, she could stretch a dollar and still look amazing. Look for well-made garments in luxury or durable fabrics. One nice silk scarf, a classic wool coat in a solid neutral, a pair of quality black pumps. Don't be afraid to invest a little extra money in those pieces that you can wear year after year and will never go out of style.






 2.) The magic is in the details
Look for small details that make a piece special. A grey coat with really beautiful buttons or A plain cardigan in cashmere.  Bound button holes, french seams, interesting pleating and tucks all make for a really nice piece of clothing- fit for fashion royalty.





Embed from Getty Images 3.) Stick to Basics-Again, she was all about the basics in her garments and accessories. Here's a short list:

black, perfectly fitted pedal pushers
a string of pearls
a beautiful solid pullover sweater in your favorite color
one glitzy but elegant bangle bracelet
black flats
pencil and circle skirts in solids
a sophisticated coat
a large brown leather hand bag
a solid shirtwaist dress in washable cotton
a perfectly fitted suit in a neutral (grey, black, brown, navy, cream)
retro style jackets with over-sized buttons



Embed from Getty Images  4.) Peachy fresh skin
Keep skin smooth and moisturized. Use a peachy blush on the apples of your cheeks and try a coral lipstick. Maintain a youthful glow and don't forget the sunscreen.


 5.) A great figure
 Part of Grace's elegance was her perfect silhouette and tiny belted waist. While we may not all be blessed with her statuesque form, a few foundation garments make a world of difference. Getting fitted for a bra regularly helps clothes to fit their best and improves posture. High waist panties or a pair of spanx smooth out a classic pencil skirt. Grace almost always wore a belt at her natural waist to show off her physique. Oh, and don't forget a slip to prevent visible panty line and clingy fabrics.


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 6.)Sleek, shiny  hair
 Grace always had the most perfect hair. Keep yours smooth, shiney and sleek with just a tiny dab of anti-frizz serum and a perfect pin curl set. On windy days, tie a luxurious scarf over it to keep fly-aways at bay.


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 7.) Iconic accessories
 She was well known for her trademark accessories and even had a handbag nicknamed after her. Sunglasses, pearls, an over-sized leather handbag and beautiful silk scarf are all iconic Grace Kelly accessories. Take a hint from Grace or create your own trademark look.



 8.) Less is More
 Grace was a minimalist in her style. She often wore solids or simple prints, sleek lines with one statement piece such as a unique print scarf, bold hat or over-sized belt.



 9.) Create a balance
 If you want to wear a funky print dress, try a sophisticated, neutral jacket over the top. For a wild hat or sparkly accessory, keep the rest of the outfit very toned down. Grace was just a girl from Pennsylvania and her man was a Prince of Monaco. She knew that opposites attract and the same is true in fashion.




10.) Look effortless
Even on her wedding day, there was nothing fussy about Grace Kelly. She had a look about her like she rolled out of bed, threw something on, pushed her hair back and hit the town looking incredible. She always looked very comfortable in her clothes, confident in her look and although very poised, she was also quite relaxed. To achieve Grace's effortless look, never wear anything that you aren't 100% happy with. If it's too tight, too baggy, too scratchy or hurting your feet, you won't feel good and others will notice. My personal number one rule in fashion is that if I'm not madly in love with it, I don't wear it. When you feel good in your clothes, you look good too!

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She was an actress, a Princess, human rights activist, a philanthropist and above all, a mother. Grace always looked flawlessly fashionable while juggling work, family life and personal time. She knew that just because you have diapers to change, doesn't mean you can't look fantastic while doing it. Princess Grace had three children, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert and Princess Stephanie.


 A large handbag is a must for a vintage momma. That bag can hold a few diapers, snack crackers, baby wipes and lipstick and compact for a quick touch up on the go. Although Grace wouldn't have had compact disposable diapers back then, I was a cloth diapering mom and I could easily fold up a few cloth in a bag this size. Grace was so well known for carrying an over-sized purse that the Hermes handbag became known as "The Kelly Bag"
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 For those first few weeks as a new mom, there's nothing I'd rather do than curl up with my babe in a silky, comfortable bed jacket.If you can't find a vintage bed jacket that you love, a slinky peach nightgown is an elegant alternative.

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When it's cold outside, you spend so much time getting the kids bundled up that if you spend any amount of time readying yoruself, the kids will be sweating. Grace has a fabulous coat that she can slip into in seconds, with a cozy scarf, tucked into the coat and simple matching hat.


Embed from Getty Images  The Princess pairs cozy, solid knits that are easy wash and wear staples that can be mixed in with anything in her closet

Embed from Getty Images  Throughout the years, Grace maintains those timeless lines in her clothes. A basic sweater set, hair swept into an elegant chignon and black flats

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On the boat, Grace wears easy separates in natural fabrics, which can be mixed in with her travel wardrobe. A hat keeps the sea breeze from messing up her hair. 
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 Out with the kids, Grace sports a sleek, minimalist hairstyle, easy geometric print scarf, tucked into her coat. The kids are grown now so she enjoys carrying a smaller handbag. Low heel shoes keep a girl walking as tall as she feels.

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I never wear very light colors with two toddlers running around so I hope to be able to enjoy it as much as Grace did when her kids got older. A beautiful creamy coat dress with elegant bracelet and earrings and that trademark swept back hair makes this glamorous outfit stunningly simple.

Based on the looks above, here are 15 items for a chic mom style inspired by Princess Grace.

My first Grace Kelly hair tutorial this week is her back-swept  look. This look also works well for a Mad Men inspired Betty Draper hairstyle.  I really thought that my hair would be too short for this look but it worked out pretty well! This style would be beautiful on shoulder length hair as well.





I'm using large pin curls for this tutorial. All are stand-up pin curls, meaning they stand away from the head instead of laying flat. This is a ridiculous looking pin curl set until you brush out.


Start by sectioning hair into 4 parts.
The top- from hairline to the back of your crown
The sides- from the hairline to about an inch behind the ear
The back- from the top of your crown to the nape of your neck.


The back (green ) section- I don't have much hair so I did  two medium sized pin curls at the nape of my neck, both rolled up and one row of two pin curls for the rest, both also rolled up. Sorry, gals! I was getting ready for work while I did this and the back is a hot mess. See, not all pin curls are always perfect but they work out just fine when you brush them out.



The top (shown in white arrows)-  I wanted these pin curls to be pretty big so I used a cold curling iron to help roll it to uniform size. Two goofy looking pin curls in the front, both rolled back. Section the rest into one row, 3 large pin curls. The top two are rolled towards the back of the head. The last one at the top of your crown is rolled forward, towards the front of your head.



The sides (in red arrows)- separate this into two sections.

The hair in front of your ear is broken into two sections, to be rolled into two large pin curls, rolled up and back

the rest is one row of 3-4 pin curls, alternating rolling one up, one down, one up and so on. This will form a nice wave when we brush out.



Next, I went to work. I looked like George Washington with this crazy pin curl set so I tied on a scarf to not feel so silly.



 Once dry (the next morning for me), remove the pin curls and brush it all back, smoothing out any frizz and breaking up the curl. I used the tiniest dab (dime sized or smaller) of Garnier Fructis Bold It! Power Putty. I'm sure that any creamy styling putty or even an anti frizz serum would work to keep it all sleek and smooth. Just rub it in your palms and run your fingers through your hair.



 Next I used some of these duck bill clips to hold the sides in place. My hair has a habit of falling forward so this helps. If you don't have these clips, a few bobby pins would be fine.



Give it a good coat of hairspray, especially on the sides and top, allow the spray to dry and remove the clips






My outfit today was inspired by Grace. Grace was always effortless, classic and simple in her looks.
 It's very cold here so I wore one of my favorite grey a-line wool skirts which is always a classic, a pussy bow blouse with understated floral print and pistachio green cardigan. Grace kept her accessories to a minimum -unlike myself who tends to go overboard. I wore my pink Lucite bangle as my one flashy accessory, accompanied by a string of creamy delicate pearls, over-sized tortoiseshell sunglasses and a large navy handbag. Practical flats and belt to cinch in the waist completes the look.

Celebrating the birthday of one of my favorite old Hollywood starlets, it's Grace Kelly week!
This week, it's all about her effortless, classic style and elegance that has made her one of the most adored fashion icons of all time.

Grace was already on my Friday Fashionistas list earlier this year so you can read a little about her life there. Today, let's just take a peek at her unforgettable, legendary style. 


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We have a rooster that lives next door so I'm used to waking up literally at the crack of dawn. The morning, the rooster decided to sleep in but the children did not. I took advantage of my few extra hours by starting to write blog posts for next week's Grace Kelly week. Then Olivia came into "help" by attempting to co-pilot the mouse and Rhys came in to have me draw on his magnadoodle and before you know it, I have two posts not even close to finish but they are published. How do those tiny figures know exactly which buttons to push?



Anyway, I'm super excited about next week's Grace Kelly week. Her birthday would have been on Monday and I thought it was the perfect way to celebrate. I have some beauty tutorials and lots of style inspiration so I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I've enjoying research and writing! Now, I have a very messy bedroom to clean and laundry to fold. Time for some classic Grace movies, I think!

I stumbled upon The Jane Victoria via Pinterest a while back and while looking for a new project last week, I fell in love with her beautiful designs all over again. I am absolutely determined to knit this incredible mantelet before next winter. I love the blue pictured but it sure would be amazing in sage green or red too. Oh, decisions!

mantelet

 For those who don't knit, The Jane Victoria has listings for custom finished garments, using the patterns from her shop. Here are a few more of my favorite knitting patterns from The Jane Victoria on Etsy

Capelet

legwarmers

fingerless gloves

* Va-Voom Vintage is not an affiliate of The Jane Victoria. I just think she has some killer patterns! :)*

If you loved oogling some of the gorgeous shoe candy I posted earlier this week, drop by American Duchess to enter her 23Skidoo shoe giveaway!



These new 1920's style t strap spectators have an exquisite french heel and are available in brown/white or all white. There's just a few days to enter, so hurry on over to get your name in the hat.





                                                    
American Duchess is a sponsor of Va-Voom Vintage

Now that my hair is short, I've been wanting to try a Marilyn Monroe pin curl set. I was flipping through my book, Marilyn: Intimate Exposures and noticed that she must have used several different sets.

Sometimes her hair was in more of a pageboy curl, sometimes wild and fluffy.  Sometimes in sleek, sculptured curls or waves.


Some of her styles look like she got home from a late party and pin curled it all willy-nilly but even on her messiest hair days, she always looked amazing. She had so many different hair looks over the years, I'm sure you could write a whole book on the subject.



For this set, I studied a few different hair looks of hers and took it from there.





 For the brush-out, see my video below for a more detailed view of how to brush out and style it.

If you don't know how to pin curl, check out my tutorial for basic pin curls. I used the Sculpture Pin Curl tool for this set, which I absolutely love. If you prefer slightly larger pin curls, the Roll and Go hair tool is a good one as well.

You will need
a tailed comb
a hair brush (Denman is my favorite brush for vintage hair)
a spray bottle
setting lotion (optional, but it does help. I use Lotta Body)
bobby pins or pin curl clips
large clips to keep hair out of the way

 Section your hair off to one side. On the side with the most hair, follow the diagram below. All of these curls are rolled down, to the left.



 On the other side of the part, make two rows of curls. The top row should be rolled back and the front row rolled forward. I meant to do two rows of two curls here but my hair is quite thin. You can always adjust sets to suit the thickness of your own hair.



 Now comes the sides and the back. Since Marilyn's sets are often all over the place, that's kind of what I did here. The row closest to my crown are stand-up pin curls, meaning they are not flat against the head.

This helps to create some lift up there. I also love how her hair is very tossed around and wavy so I did alternating rows to create a little wave.



The hair at the nape of my neck is extremely short and hard to pin curl, so I just did my best to roll that up so it stays off my neck and out of the way.  Do the same on the other side.




 I love the sculpture pin curl tool because you can get two sizes of curls. I never thought I'd need to use the smaller side of the tool but for this set, it really helped with those pesky back pieces. If you hair is longer, a tighter curl can also help give the illusion of shorter hair.


The video for brushing out is very long, as usual for brush-outs but this is the part where the style really takes shape and stops looking like clown hair.

 If you have trouble getting your pin curl sets to shape up, focus on the brush out.

If your hair is longer but you love the pin curl wave, see my tutorial for Rita Hayorth Pin Curl Waves, also with a video for brushing out



This post contains links to my affiliates. For more information see my full disclosure policy

Since my last post on corset wearing,  I've been wearing my corset off and on this week, breaking it in. I'll be honest, I don't like to wear it for longer than 5 or 6 hours but I'm getting used to it. The corset is very well made and comfortable but I'm not crazy about the way my body looks in it, believe it or not. With an already quite large bust, I deal with the boob issue daily but the under bust corset lifts them up and out in a very unnatural way. I didn't want to have the squished boob look of an over bust corset but even when I pull the corset down over my hips more, I still have a very....prominent silhouette. I've tried wearing a tighter bra, followed by a snug slip but it doesn't help very much.

I'm feeling a lot like Salma Hayek. Don't get me wrong, she looks amazing but that's not a look that's easy to handle on a daily basis, know what I mean?


I may try a minimizer bra or something with under wire. I generally wear vintage bras, which are very structured and don't have under wire so we'll see if a modern bra works.

 I do love the waist shape I'm getting, though and the back and neck are feeling SO much better with the support of the corset. 

Corset Safety and Comfort

 Many people are uneasy about corsets because they believe that they are unsafe, unhealthy and uncomfortable. The once "proper" garment has become quite taboo in our modern world. With topics of shifting organs, moving ribs and unanswered questions, the topic of tight lacing is a controversial one. Corset wearing is certainly not appropriate for everyone. If you have a medical condition or prior injury, consult a physician before beginning a waist training program.

 Shaping the Body

Corsets do change the shape of a body. I wouldn't call it a "permanent" change because after removing a corset for a long time, the body will go back to its original shape. Even after taking it off to shower, swim or exercise, it will loose a little bit of that laced-up silhouette. When worn very tightly over a period of months and years, the organs and ribs will shift.

via The Pragmatic Costumer Yeah, that's pretty gross to think about but just look at what happens during pregnancy- also pretty gnarly!

While there are loads of images of women with waists smaller than their necks, there are also plenty of lovely normal-ish hourglass shapes created with moderate tight lacing.



Set a Healthy Goal 
Just like regular weight loss, set a healthy goal for yourself. Corset Story corsets give a decrease of 4-5 inches in waist size. My current measurements are 43-36-45 so my goal is more like a 3-4 inch reduction so I don't look too extreme when I'm done.

Exercise
Corset wearers should always take care to exercise back and abdominal muscles. Since the corset provides much of the support, those muscles need to be toned, strengthened and stretched out. Focus on flexibility and range of motion by doing exercises such as yoga, crunches and those old fashioned twist, bend and stretch movements. Walking is also a good exercise while wearing a corset.


Skin Care
To protect a corset from skin oils, sweat and dirt, something should be worn under it. Corset liners are available but most of them are made of spandex. I usually wear a cotton spaghetti strap top or silky slip under my corset. To prevent chafing and dry skin, be sure to moisturize after a shower and give a few minutes for your skin to dry thoroughly before lacing up again.


Tightness
Inexperienced corset wearers can be spotted a mile away. They are so tightly laced that they can't sit, eat or even breathe. A corset should never be painful. A tightlacer should be able to breathe, walk, sit, talk, eat and even lay down. If it's uncomfortable, always loosen the laces or take it off completely. 



Eating Habits 
Naturally, eating and drinking habits will change during corset wearing. many tightlacers eat several smaller meals instead of three large ones. Eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole grains and stay hydrated to avoid belly problems from compression. Excess amounts of breads, sweets and carbonated drinks don't usually do good things for a corseted tummy.

For more questions on corsets and tightlacing, I highly recommend Lucy's Corsetry. She has some excellent videos on You Tube, all about her experiences and knowledge in corset wearing. 

Now for some corset candy from Corset Story. I'm watching Marie Antoinette, can you tell? 



1 hot pink corset with pleated frill trim
2 Silver blue brocade corset
3 blue denim underbust corset
4 cream tapestry bridal corset



* My waist training corset was provided courtesy of Corset Story. The views and opinions in this post are entirely mine. See your doctor before starting a waist training program*