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.





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



 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.




 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.



 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!

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"


 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.


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.


 The Princess gets a little help from the nurse on this outing. She wears a neutral, classic suit with white gloves, loose swept back hair and a little puppy brooch that I'm certain (from personal experience) that her kids loved to try to play with every time she held them.

 In the 70's, Grace maintains those timeless lines in her clothes. A basic trench and black patent handbag, which you can see behind what was perhaps her daughter's beaded purse. Grace knew that she'd get plenty of mileage and comfort out of a pair of black flats.


On the boat with the family, Grace wears a floral print dress (which may be more of a two piece outfit, but I can't tell) with a scarf to keep that sea breeze from messing up her hair and her famous sunglasses. 


 Out with the kids and pup, Grace sports a sleek, minimalist hairstyle, easy geometric print dress belted at the waist to show off her figure. The kids are grown now so she enjoys carrying a smaller handbag. Low heel shoes keep a girl walking as tall as she feels.


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.